Site: waydate From: jessy1yaya Date: 2016-01-02 21:32:36 Hello My name is Blessing and I was impressed when i saw your profile today, and i will like to establish a long lasting relationship with you. In addition, i will like you to reply me through this my private e-mail box (bless788@hotmail.com) Thanks. waiting to hear from you soon, Blessing. I will send to you my pictures in my next mail through this my mail box,,, bless788@hotmail.com From: Blessing Yaya Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2016 16:33:02 +0000 Subject: Hello darling. Hello darling. Thanks for your message! How are you doing? I hope you are well! Well to be honest, I am closed on words, because I know how to express my feelings and situation here, I'm really going through some difficulties here in Senegal. For starters, my name is Blessing Yaya from Somalia, 5.5ft tall, fair in complexion, (never married before), I have 23 years of age residing in the refugee camp here in Dakar as a result of civil war was fought in my country. I am seriously looking for an honest man to show me true love and someone who can show me concerned and attention never betray me. For me, age, religion or distance does not matter, you only need a true love or friendship. About my parents, my late father Dr. Idris Mohammed Yaya was the managing director of Letshego Holdings Limited, and he was special adviser to former Head of State (late Dr AL-Azhari) before the rebels attacked our house one early morning and killed my mother and my father in cold blood. I was the only survived because he was away from home during the incident, and managed to make my way to a nearby country Senegal, where I am now as a refugee in a refugee camp. I would like to know more about you. Your likes and dislikes, your hobbies and what you are doing presently. I'll tell you more about myself in my next mail. then attached to the file are my photos before the civil war. I also like to see more of your pictures if you have any. thanks and be bless as i hear from you. Miss Blessing. From: Blessing Yaya Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2016 11:06:16 +0000 Subject: Hello my darling.. I am glad to write given the opportunity now and thanks for your reply. Hope you are fine. Mine is boring here. Sorry for delaying my reply. Am from Somalia. May God protect you for me. darling please i did not see much things in your profile but i have a lot of things to tell you about me and i want to share some of my secret with you, please don,t let another person to know about all this things that am about to tell you, please keep it for yourself, i beg you in the name of God, here Its just like one staying in the prison and I hope by Gods grace I and with your help will come out here soon I don't have any relatives now whom I can go to all my relatives ran away in the middle of the war. The only person I have now is Rev. Paul timothy, who is the Reverend Minister in charge of the refugee camp. and am also a christian He has been very nice to me since I came here but I am not living with him rather I am living in the woman's hostel because the camp have two hostels one for men the other for women.The Pastors Tel number is +221775437711 through his number. If you call, tell him that you want to speak with me, and he will send for me from the hostel to come and answer your call. I want to go back to my studies because I only attended my first year before the tragic incident that lead to my being in this situation now took place. Please listen to this, I have my late father's statement of account and death certificate here with me which I will send to you latter, because when he was alive he deposited some amount of money in bank which he used my name as the next of kin,the amount in question is $5.3 (Five Million three Hundred Thousand US Dollars). So I will like you to help me transfer this money to your account and from it I can travel to meet you and live there with you. I kept this secret to people in the camp here the only person that knows about it is the Reverend because he is like a father to me. So in the light of above I will like you to keep it to yourself and don't tell it to anyone for I am afraid of loosing my life and the money if people gets to know about it. Remember I am giving you all these information due to the trust I deposed on you. I like honest I have a lot to tell you. Awaiting to hear from you soonest with your phone call. Thanks and remain bless Yours in love Blessing. From: Blessing Yaya Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2016 10:42:05 +0000 Subject: Hello fill in your details and forward the letter to my late father bank Hello my dearest . Good evening my love, how was your night together with your doing today both health and work? My dearest love, i am happy to see your mail today reading and hearing from the content of your mail always give my heart a great joy, hope and encourage that you are really a God sent for my rescue and my late father money transfer, my dear you are the source of my joy and happiness over here, please my dear i want you to fill in the form below in this mail and send the letter to my late father bank email address today and let wait to hear from the bank first to know if the have accept you to stand as my foreign partner and trustee over this claim of transferring the money, or you have to call the bank phone number and discuss with them and tell them your name and your reason of calling them about my late father money transfer into your account and fill in your details in the below letter and send it to the bank email address and also forward to me a copy of the letter that you send to the bank today, so that i will keep it for a record also to be able to know all about you with love and trust, Without saying much, Dear lovely Frans, if you are searching for a good woman who will respect you, love and care, trust,royal for you, one with a loving and compassionate heart to be with, wipe off your tears, your needs has been meet. Let us correspond and develop in our knowledge of each other. i promise to be simply Honesty to you,and i promised to create a family in the future with you. Below is the contact of the bank. just send an email to the bank now: Standard Charterd Bank Plc United Kingdom (SCBUK) Email: address (Standard.co.uk@accountant.com) Information Service Department Mr. John Willison, Tel N : +442032390140 FAX:N: +442032390140 54 Jermayne Street,London, SW1Y 6WL,UK. PLEASE FILL THE FORM BELOW AND FORWARD IT TO THE BANK AND ALSO FORWARD A COPY TO ME FOR ME TO HAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO KNOW ALL ABOUT YOU, Dear Mr. John Willison, My name is ............. NATIONALITY........... AGE............... GENDER........... PHONE NUMBER............ OCCUPATION............. It is a great pleasure to write you Sir in regards to the information pass across to me by one miss Blessing whose father's name is Late Dr. Idris Mohammed Yaya the father has an account in your bank Miss Blessing Idris Mohammed Yaya in several occasion has communicated with me over E-Mail to assist her receive a funds valued at $5.3 million dollars which her late father deposited with your Bank. I do here by demand that according to advise of miss Blessing Idris Mohammed Yaya that this bank should grant our request by telling me what and how to transfer the said funds into my account in my country, I will appreciate if my request is urgently granted. Hoping to hear from you soon to enable me know if you have contacted the either through their two emails address or by their phone as writing in the bank contact them, i am begging you for this help right from the day i made my first contact with you, Yours darling love, Miss Blessing. Received: from [41.83.12.49] From: "willisonjohn john" Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2016 16:57:07 +0100 Subject: OUR OFFICIAL RESPONSE AND REQUIREMENTS:aa The Standarad Chartered Bank Group logo Registered in Scotland: 5230062 Email :(Standrad.co.uk@accountant.com) Tel: +442032390140 2032390140 Fax Line 7005961626 Date. 15/01/2016 ATTENTION. Mr, , I have been directed by the director of Foreign Operation/Wire Transfer to write you in respect to the E-mail which we received from you/Miss Blessing Idris) who is currently in Dakar, Senegal (Africa)Her late father (Late Dr Idris Mohammed yaya) has an account in our bank here in London with sum substantial amount of $5.3Million US Dollars which he deposit with us before his death. Meanwhile before our bank can transact any business of any amount concerning the transfer of this money to your designation account as her foreign partner, we will need the below documents from you immediately. 1:) The power of attorney permitting you to claim and transfer the funds to your bank account on her behalf. Note: This power of attorney must be endorsed by a Senegalese resident lawyer (since the beneficiary is Currently residing in Senegal) 2:) The death certificate of Her deceased father confirming his death. 3:) A copy of the statement of account issued to her deceased father by our bank. 4:) An Affidavit of support from Senegalese high court where Miss Blessing Idris is residing. Note: The above documents are compulsory,and are needed to protect our interest,yours and the next of kin after the transfer has been made. These shall also ensure that a smooth,quick,risk free and successful transfer when we receive the above named documents. Should you have any question(s) please contact the Operational/transfer officer through his email address or the bank's office customer service telephone numbers. (banking hours only) We promise to give our customers the best of our services. Yours Faithfully, DR: John Willison. Foreign Operation/WiresTransfer Department. Standard Chartered . SCT. From: Blessing Yaya Date: Sat, 16 Jan 2016 13:44:01 +0000 Subject: Please my love contact this lawyer for those documents ok Hello My Dearest , I thank you very much for your ability to help me out,it shows you are a dependable and trust worthy person. Now, regarding the requests the bank needs from us i have with me here the last statement of account and the death certificate, I thought it will be the only thing the bank will need from us but since they need the power of attorney and the affidavit of oath from the court here in Dakar Senegal. I asked the Rev. Father to help me in getting a reliable lawyer here who will help us in preparing some important documents for me and my partner (but i didn't tell him the documents for security reasons) he gave me the contact of this lawyer below, he is a reliable, trustworthy and a registered lawyer in the United Nations Organization here, he is also a registered member in (Senegalese Barrister's Association) who will help in preparing the documents. Please i will like you to contact him immediately through email and phone,when your contacting him, tell him that you are my foreign partner and you want him to prepare a power of attorney in your name to enable the transfer of my (Late) father's Account in a bank in Europe to your account in your country. His contact information are as follows Barr (Dr) Jose Kamara of: Global Law Firms & Associates E mill addresses ( dr.barristerjose@aol.com ) Office Telephone Number is +221707237906 So, i will like you to contact him for the preparation of the power of attorney Please try and contact me when you are in contact with him and let me know if he agrees to help us! Please i will like you to first of all get the money transferred and from it you can send some money for me to prepare my traveling documents to come over there in your country for the investment while i go back to my studies please! I will be waiting for you soonest. Yours forever, Blessing. Date: Sat, 16 Jan 2016 09:38:17 -0500 From: Jose Kamera Subject: THE_INVOICE_I_GOT_FROM_THE_FEDERAL_HIGH_COURT. JOSE KAMARA LAW FIRM (Esq.) Your Ref: Attorney / affidavit of support. Date: Thursday 01.2016 Tel +221707237906 Email: dr.barristerjose@aol.com Attention: Mr. This Law Office has been informed by your Partner Miss Blessing Yaya about you on the legal requirements by the Bank in London to transfer her late father money to your bank account as her Appointed Trustee. I hereby write to inform you that I have submitted your application at the court earlier these Morning and the application has been approved in your favor but now awaiting the official payment of the sum of (A572 EURO) only BELLOW IS THE COST OF EACH DOCUMENTS: 1. Power of Attorney Fee = (A185 EURO) 2. Swearing of Affidavit of Oath, Fee = ( A160 EURO) 3. Legalization of Death Certificate, Fee = (A127 EURO) 4. Legalization of Last Statement of Account,Fee = (A100 EURO) TOTAL COST FOR LEGAL DOCUMENTS = ( $A572 EURO) ONLY. We shall proceed with the processing and legalization of those required legal documents in your favor immediately we receive from you the sum of TOTAL ( A572 EURO). In order to receive this money fast I request you send it by ( Western Union Money Transfer ) OR ( MONEY-GRAM TRANSFER ) with the following receiving names and information bellow; Names: Daniel Joshua Address: Rue; 12-14 Avenue Lamine Gueye Country: Senegal City: Dakar Amount: ( A765 EURO ) You are also advise to send the payment information to me soon after you make the payment to enable me cash the money here. On receipt of the above amount the legal documents will be ready within two days. Regards Note: We collect payment before providing services. (Our priority is to provide the best service to customers) Yours in the service, Barr (Dr) Jose Kamera (Esq) (Associate director) GLOBAL LAW-FIRMS & ASSOCIATION. THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR CONTACT. If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more.... , , , , . For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser A New Hampshire state representative charged with trying to lure a 14-year-old girl into a sexual encounter resigned Wednesday. Thirty-year-old Representative Kyle Tasker was arrested last week on three drug charges and one count of using a computer to lure a minor. When necn asked whether the allegations against Tasker give the New Hampshire House of Representatives a black eye, lawmakers actually turned the tables a bit, saying it's more a reflection on voters who elected Tasker for three terms. "We don't elect them, we try to do the best we can when they get here," said House Speaker Shawn Jasper. According to Jasper, Tasker was infamous for showing up to sessions reeking of alcohol and sometimes marijuana. "I was not surprised at the drug charges. I certainly was in terms of the solicitation of a minor. That was rather shocking," Jasper said Wednesday. When Tasker was arrested last week for soliciting a minor for sex, lawmakers hoped it was the last straw and that he'd resign. He did in a letter sent to the clerk Tuesday night. "I am really disappointed for the citizens of New Hampshire, because it brings discredit to the House," said Democratic Minority Leader Steve Shurtleff. But state leaders say they can only do so much. It's the Rockingham District 2 voters who elected Tasker into the House for three terms. "I would put burden somewhat on voters," Shurtleff said. In 2012, Tasker dropped a loaded gun onto the floor at a committee meeting. In 2014, he sparked controversy by posting a sexually explicit graphic to his Facebook page making a joke about abused women. "When members make distasteful comments on Facebook, it's not really appropriate for the House to take action," Jasper explained citing First Amendment rights. Now, Speaker Jasper and Minority Leader Shurtleff are calling on voters to do their due diligence before casting their ballots. "Know who you are voting for, know their history, what they've been doing and saying," Jasper said. Tasker was released from Rockingham County jail on bail Monday. He hasn't returned necn's phone calls, and his lawyer didn't respond to requests for comment. Tasker's seat will remain vacant until the November elections. Regular columnist Philip Young encourages us to get involved in politics, and not simply leave leadership to the politicians. Within a year Donald Trump could be President of the United States of America and Boris Johnson Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. It is certainly not a boring time in politics, although I have a feeling everyone is going to get very tired of both campaigns. Many people are already turned right off from politics. I believe passionately that we should all be interested, and for the reason that what happens in these two elections, as in every election, has an effect on us all. Politics is far too important a matter to be left to politicians. I start from the spiritual belief that we are all connected with one another. I am part of everyone else and what I believe and how I act effects the whole. I believe that we are all part of the environment and that the environmental crisis is a spiritual crisis. We have lost our connection. When we become disconnected from one another and from nature then we are in grave danger of ruining our planet and fighting with one another in a state of perpetual war. What we need is to have leaders who can help us see our connections with one another and lead us to more peace, more justice and more caring for our environment. We are all in this together and so the more we are brought together to solve our common problems a saner place the world becomes. Madness is to vote for anybody who is going to divide us and put up walls. The last thing we need in our world is more division between peoples. The thought of a new wall between Mexico and the United States or the thought that Britain can stand alone against Europe or the rest of the world fills me with horror this is exactly what we need to avoid. We are all in this together and together we need to solve our problems. What else should we be looking for in ourselves and in our politicians? I would like us to be talking about love, compassion and kindness. I want this to extend not just to people in my own country, but also to the whole world community. There is so much suffering in the world, and it is up to all of us to change what is happening. The people of Europe are obliged to offer sanctuary to those who are fleeing from civil war in Syria and other countries. It is far better that we do this together as a European Community and World Community than to retreat back to an island mentality. I believe in God and I am a Christian. I believe that God is Father of all the people in the world and that all men are my brothers and all women are my sisters. God loves us all whatever faith we have or dont have. His love is for all his creatures, human and other creatures too. The sooner we know and feel our unity and oneness, the sooner our problems will be eased. Tackling them together we can bless the earth. Pulled apart by hatred and divided by walls we are all likely to perish and die. In this very moment we can choose life and to know our connection with one another. If you doubt it then go for a walk and open your eyes. Look at the beauty all around you and feel the connection between all living and non-living beings. Now is the time when we can wake up and know that we are one with the great I am. As a Christian I believe in resurrection and that means that the love and the life, which is in us all, is stronger than any hate or death. I believe in miracles -the miracle of life, which is all around us and within. Philip is an Anglican, Quaker, and a member of the Third Order of Franciscans. He moved to Felixstowe in April 2015. Until July 2014 he was the Diocesan Environmental Officer for the Norwich Diocese. He is now a freelance writer on spiritual and political matters. He is available to give talks, presentations or to preach, and has Permission to Officiate in the Diocese of Norwich. He can be contacted at philipyoung@btinternet.com The views carried here are those of the author, not of Network Norfolk, and are intended to stimulate constructive debate between website users. We welcome your thoughts and comments, posted below, upon the ideas expressed here. Andy Sexton, CEO of the Matthew Project, introduces a series of tributes from the charity to its founder, Peter Farley. Andy Sexton, CEO of the Matthew Project, introduces a series of tributes from the charity to its founder, Peter Farley. Cliff look alike at Cromer Church breakfast Cliff Richard tribute performer Will Chandler will be the speaker at a special Mens Breakfast at Cromer Parish Hall next month, and all men are welcome to come along. Read more Heartsease Lane Methodist church to close As part of a reorganisation of the Norwich Methodist Circuit, Heartsease Lane Methodist Church will be closing towards the end of the year. Read more Free Julian of Norwich reflection and prayer day The Friends of Julian of Norwich present a free Quiet Half-Day with Robert Fruehwirth, author and former Priest Director of the Julian Centre, on Saturday November 12, 10.30am-2pm. Read more What it means for us to repent Nigel Fox believes that now is the time for a tide of repentance, and shares his thoughts about what that actually means for our society. Read more Christmas card shop opens in Norwich church Thousands of Christmas cards from around 30 local Norfolk charities have gone on sale today (October 19) at the Original Norwich Charity Christmas Card Shop inside St Peter Mancroft church in Norwich city centre. Read more Revelation Christian Resource Centre and Cafe Revelation in Norwich is a Christian resource centre, offering a bookshop, a meeting place and a welcoming refuge for refreshment open to visitors of any faith or none. Read more Farewell as Yarmouth church leader moves on Captain Marie Burr, the Salvation Army leader in Great Yarmouth, has paid tribute to everyone at the church and charity after she left her post at the end of last month to move to a new role. Read more Norwich Cathedral chorister in BBC final Norwich Cathedral chorister Alice Platten has her sights set on being crowned BBC Young Chorister of the Year after reaching the final stages of the prestigious nationwide competition. Read more Norwich to hear pastor, Policeman and tramp tale Essex Baptist Pastor Dave McDowell has been a Policeman, fed orphans in India and lived under a boat as a tramp. He will tell his remarkable story at the October dinner of Norwich FGB on Wednesday October 26. Read more Pioneer UK leader speaks at Sheringham church Ness Wilson, national leader of the Pioneer network of churches, was the main speaker at a day of teaching and worship held at Lighthouse Community Church in Sheringham on 12 October, to be followed up by Word and Worship sessions at October half term. Read more Norwich event to give tips on bouncing forwards St Stephens in Norwich will be hosting an evening in October with Patrick Regan OBE, as he explores themes from his book Bouncing Forwards. Read more Youth for Christ lights a fire in north Breckland North Breckland Youth for Christ will be putting on a mini residential camp this year to coincide with Bonfire Night. Read more Delia Smith interviewed at Norwich church Top TV cook and well-known writer Delia Smith spoke about her faith at SOUL Churchs weekly Chapel gathering on October 11. Read more Children's Christian holiday club in Briston A half term childrens holiday bible club is taking place in Briston next week, and there is no charge to take part in the fun. Read more Ashill church puts on music to touch the soul The Fountain of Life Church in Ashill is hosting an afternoon concert in early November with classical, jazz, opera, ballads and pop classics. Read more Fakenhams new rector is officially installed Rev Tracy Jessop has been officially installed as Rector for Fakenham during a service at Fakenham Parish Church on Tuesday September 27, fourteen months after their last reverend retired. Read more Norwich homeless charity holds information evening Homelessness charity St Martins is holding an information evening on Thursday 3rd November at The Forum in Norwich for anyone who would like to know more about the work of the charity and to potentially become a volunteer. Read more In the legal arena, Microsoft is going after Comcast in order to unmask the person behind an infringing IP address which activated thousands of Microsoft product keys stolen from Microsofts supply chain. The Redmond giant wants the court to issue a subpoena which will force Comcast to hand over the pirating subscribers info. If the infringing IP address belongs to another ISP which obtained it via Comcast, then Microsoft wants that ISPs info and the right to subpoena it as well. From 2012 to 2015, Microsoft maintains that an IP addy assigned to Comcast pinged its servers in Washington over 2,000 times during the software activation process. Detailed information such as the activation key and IP address activating Microsoft products is transmitted to Microsoft; its considered to be voluntarily provided by users. Although Microsoft used the terms voluntary or voluntarily provided numerous times, even if you paid for Windows or Office, just try installing it without agreeing to the terms of service as in forget about it and the same goes for trying to install and keep Microsoft software running without a valid activation key. Nonetheless, if you opt to run Microsoft software then you opt to voluntarily hand over your data. Microsoft considers contact with its activation servers to be voluntary and intentional; it uses the data as part of its cyberforensic methods. As TorrentFreak pointed out, the Microsoft complaint (pdf) filed in a federal court in Washington states: Cyberforensics allows Microsoft to analyze billions of activations of Microsoft software and identify activation patterns and characteristics that make it more likely than not that the IP address associated with the activations is an address through which pirated software is being activated. Yet neither cyberforensics nor various investigative techniques helped Microsoft positively identify the Doe Defendants. The complaint added, At present, the best information Microsoft has for identifying the Doe Defendants is the Infringing IP Address and the dates and times the Doe Defendants used the Infringing IP Address to activate product keys. Defendants activated and attempted to activate at least several thousand copies of Microsoft software, much of which was pirated and unlicensed, Microsofts legal team wrote. The product keys known to have be stolen from Microsofts supply chain were used to activate Windows 8, Windows 7, Office 2010, Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2008. The product keys, Microsoft said, were used more times than is authorized by the applicable software license, used by someone other than the authorized licensee, or were activated outside the region for which they were intended. Whether or not the IP traces back to a Comcast subscriber or was assigned by Comcast to a different ISP, as the The Register pointed out, It would be a significant gaffe on behalf of the alleged pirates if the IP address data pointed to their real identities. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Plenty of sunshine. High around 80F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight A few clouds. Low around 60F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). The party heats up at Unofficial 2016, on the University of Illinois campus, as the day goes on. Columnist Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich). Reporter Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) set off a firestorm of controversy this month when they suggested that women stop drinking alcohol if they are trying to get pregnant, or could get pregnant. Some people took this advice as the CDC prioritizing hypothetical, yet-to-be-conceived children over real women, which has brought up a number of issues from female autonomy to access to birth controlbut how clear is the science about what causes fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and related fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) Scientists are rather unequivocal on the issue, as it turns out. "Alcohol is probably the worst of all of the drugs in terms of effects on the fetus," said Rajesh C. Miranda, Ph.D., professor at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. "The data from human studies and from animal models is clear; alcohol consumption during pregnancy causes FAS/FASD, and there is no safe level of consumption and no safe time." That said, binge drinkingwhich surveys show to be a common behavior for both men and womenmay be especially risky. It increases the blood alcohol level quickly, which animal models have shown to be likely to cause FAS. "Binge drinking plus the large number of unplanned pregnancies (about half, by some estimates) in this country is a recipe for disaster," Miranda said, "since many women may consume alcohol without being aware of their pregnancy." Fetal alcohol syndrome can certainly be a devastating condition, leaving the child with a host of physical, developmental and intellectual disabilities, as well as typically being smaller than average. Many of these children have problems with visual-spatial tasks and with executive functioning and may have poor impulse control, memory skills and problem-solving ability. "Childrenand adultswith FAS don't know how to estimate consequences for what they do," Miranda said. This can lead to problems with the law, in personal relationships and simply day-to-day functioning. There are interventions and management of the condition that are somewhat effective, but nothing can undo the damage, and it leaves the affected person with a lifetime of challenges. Even children who appear physically unaffected may suffer from cognitive and behavioral problems. "Therefore the CDC's adviceto stop drinking if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnantis good advice," Miranda said. However, this doesn't always work. Some pregnant women may also face additional risks, such as increased danger of intimate partner violence, that make them afraid to acknowledge that they're pregnant, so they continue drinking to try to hide the fact. "We often say that FAS is a completely preventable disease, but while in theory that's true, the actuality is that it's not," Miranda added. "That's why we have to look for prevention strategies beyond 'just say no to drinking' messages, such as promoting better access to birth control medications, better prenatal health care and better early infant and childhood interventions. There are a number of other factors that may play a role in decreasing the risk for fetal alcohol syndrome. All else being equal, economic security, good nutrition and quality prenatal care all help minimize the risk for FAS, but for at-risk women and their babies to benefit, they need good prenatal health programs. Miranda hopes to improve early detection of problems and create therapies to solve them. "I really buy into ultrasound as a means of detection, because it's an established technology," she said, "but recently the resolution has become phenomenal, which means you can make a quantitative diagnosis based on blood flow through tiny vessels, for example." Blood flow is important, because a number of signaling factors must reach the fetal brainall at the correct timefor proper development. "We think that the alcohol sensitivity of the developing brain is mediated by a group of microRNAs that act as an additional layer of regulation in the body," Miranda said. "We are currently investigating whether microRNAs might be able to regulate stem cell renewal if you get to the fetus at the right time." Research has shown that cells secrete these microRNAs into bodily fluids, so at some point a simple blood or urine test might offer hints about whether the fetus is in trouble. It's not just women: Alcohol consumption by an intimate partner can make it more difficult to quit during pregnancy, particularly if alcohol consumption patterns are associated with domestic violence. A number of animal studies also show that a male partner's alcohol consumption patterns may also directly contribute to fetal developmental defects and to behavioral problems, because alcohol affects sperm cells as well. These studies mean that a child can be born affected by alcohol even if the mother has never had a drop. "Part of the problem is that we've focused on the pregnant woman as the target audience for our fetal alcohol syndrome messaging," Miranda said. "But clearly there's more to it than that. A more appropriate message is that both men and women should consider abstaining from alcohol before and during pregnancy." Good statistics about the number of people with fetal alcohol syndrome are difficult to find. CDC estimates range from two to 90 children out of 10,000. The number of those with some type of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is even higher, with some studies estimating that the number might be as high as five percent. Considering that about 10 percent of women report drinking during their pregnancies, this number makes sense. Miranda is working with the Texas Office for the Prevention of Developmental Disabilities to develop ways to monitor the situation in Texas. "Nationally, one in twenty school children is thought to be affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Texas has a high annual birthrate, and based on national estimates, I think once we know more, we'll find we have a big problem," Miranda said. "That's what keeps me up at night, thinking about what we can do." Baylor College of Medicine and Baylor Scott & White Health have entered into an agreement to expand biomedical research in North and Central Texas. The largest not-for-profit health care system in Texas, Baylor Scott & White Health was born from the 2013 merger of Baylor Health Care System and Scott & White Healthcare. Baylor College of Medicine is one of the nation's top health sciences universities and research institutions, and home to one of three NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the state. "With this joint operating agreement, we bring together the strengths of both institutions, which no doubt will result in more research of the highest quality," said Dr. Paul Klotman, president and CEO of Baylor College of Medicine. "The clear winners are the residents of Texas, who will see an acceleration of efforts to provide new therapies." "This collaboration is exciting for many reasons, the most important of which is the positive impact we expect it will have on patient care as we're able to translate findings from the laboratory to the bedside," said Joel T. Allison, president and CEO of Baylor Scott & White Health. "It's also gratifying to see two strong Baylor brands coming together to advance biomedical research." Baylor College of Medicine has the most NIH funding of any medical school in Texas. In 2015, the College received $227.8 million in NIH funding and $348.9 million in total funding for sponsored projects. Baylor Scott & White Research Institute collaborates with the medical industry to develop its technology and intellectual property to bring novel treatments to its patients. BSWRI has a more than $100 million operating budget, conducting 2,000 research studies in more than 60 medical specialties in 250,000 square feet of research space. "We're proud of the research we've done to provide advanced treatment options to our patients, and are thrilled to take those efforts to the next level by collaborating with one of the largest, most respected biomedical research programs in the United States," said Dr. Michael A.E. Ramsay, president of Baylor Scott & White Research Institute. "This collaboration raises our profile in the research community and will ultimately mean we're able to positively impact even more lives." A search committee is now being established to recruit a Chief Scientific Officer, who will oversee the collaborative effort and serve as a section chief in the Baylor College of Medicine Department of Medicine. The leader will report to Dr. Adam Kuspa, Baylor College of Medicine senior vice president, dean of research and dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and will work closely with the Baylor Scott & White Research Institute. The collaboration will be governed by a Research Oversight Council, composed of eight members, equally representing both institutions. New faculty will be hired in both Dallas and Temple as Baylor College of Medicine faculty and current faculty will transition to Baylor faculty appointments over time. "We expect by growing the number of research faculty and staff, and incorporating Baylor College of Medicine's research model, we will be able to substantially increase the level of scientific innovation and the number of new therapies available to patients," said Kuspa. "This model also will provide educational opportunities in the future." A Chapman University psychologist has just published the results of a national study examining how men feel about their bodies and their attractiveness. Long thought to be an issue primarily faced by women, body dissatisfaction was identified as a common issue among men in the largest examination of body image to date. "We analyzed reports from 116,356 men across five national studies. Between 20 and 40 percent of men reported feeling dissatisfied with their overall physical appearance, weight, and/or muscle tone and size," said David Frederick, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at Chapman University and lead author of the study. "The majority of men also felt that they were judged based on their appearance and reported that they compared their appearance to that of others at social events." Men classified as "normal" weight tended to feel positively about their appearance, whereas men who were" obese" tended to feel negatively. However, in an interesting twist, most men who were classified as "overweight" felt satisfied with their appearance. "Men can feel pressure to appear strong and powerful, so having some additional mass does not necessarily lead to body dissatisfaction" said Dr. Frederick. "The fact that most 'overweight' men felt satisfied might seem surprising, but the medical category for overweight does not correlate well to what people consider to be overweight socially--for example, George W. Bush was medically 'overweight' during his presidency." Heterosexual and Gay Men The research also looked at differences between heterosexual and gay men. Much of the existing research looking at these differences has been based on small samples, where gay men are recruited from political or social support organizations. This study's large sample size allowed the researchers to look at gay men and heterosexual men who were recruited in the same manner. The study showed that gay men were much more likely than heterosexual men to report feeling pressure from the media to look attractive, to avoid having sex because of how they felt about their bodies, and to desire cosmetic surgery. People's weight and sexual orientation were both related to their feelings of comfort during sex. Among heterosexual men, 20 percent of normal weight men reported hiding an aspect of their body during sex, most often their stomach, and this was also true for 29 percent of the obese men. Only 5 percent of normal weight heterosexual men had avoided having sex at least once in the past month because of how they feel about their bodies compared to 10 percent of obese men. Among gay men, the rates were much higher, with 20 percent normal weight gay men avoiding sex and 32 percent of obese gay men avoiding sex. Some of the other key findings included: Gay men were more likely than heterosexual men to feel uncomfortable wearing a swimsuit in public (26 percent vs. 16 percent), to be dissatisfied with physical appearance (29 percent vs. 21 percent), and to be dissatisfied with muscle tone and size (45 percent vs. 30 percent). Gay men were more likely than heterosexual men to report interest in cosmetic surgery (51 percent vs. 23 percent), to have considered cosmetic surgery (36 percent vs. 12 percent), and to have had cosmetic surgery (7 percent vs. 1 percent). Gay men were more likely than heterosexual men to have been on a weight loss diet in the past year (37 percent vs. 29 percent) and to have use diet pills (12 percent vs. 5 percent), but did not differ in whether they had exercised in an attempt to lose weight in the past year (57 percent vs. 55 percent). Gay men were more likely than heterosexual men to report feeling judged based on their appearance (77 percent vs. 61 percent), to routinely think about how they look (58 percent vs. 39 percent), to compare their appearance to others at social events (68 percent vs. 51 percent), and to feel pressure from the media to be attractive (58 percent vs. 29 percent). However, they were less likely to feel pressure from a partner to lose weight (6 percent vs. 10 percent). Does a newborn's vitamin D level relate to the mother's weight during pregnancy? Results from a study published in PLOS ONE (Public Library of Science) provides ample evidence that yes, higher body mass index (BMI) in mothers is associated with lower vitamin D levels in their babies. This is a concern, since low vitamin D at birth may be associated with reduced bone mineral density in the long term, as well as increased risk of allergic disease and obesity. "Our study suggests that overweight or obesity in pregnancy is linked to lower vitamin D levels in both the mother and the newborn," sais Jami Josefson, MD, endocrinologist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and assistant professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "More research is needed, however, before we can make broad recommendations about the need for greater supplementation of vitamin D for overweight pregnant women." Obesity in pregnancy has become increasingly common. In addition to lower vitamin D levels, it has been associated with heavier infants who then are at higher risk for childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes. "I am very interested in studying the developmental origins of disease. If we can identify the most critical prenatal features, we can intervene during pregnancy to help prevent childhood obesity," says Dr. Josefson, first author of the publication. Her previous research revealed that excessive weight gain in the first trimester of pregnancy is a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes, including a large baby. Currently, Dr. Josefson and Wendy Brickman, MD, also an endocrinologist at Lurie Children's, are involved in a follow-up to the large, international study that discovered the importance of increased maternal glucose level, even when it is not full blown diabetes. It was still associated with higher birth weight and body fat in the newborn. The follow-up study at Lurie Children's and nine other centers around the world sets out to see how those kids and mothers fare 8-12 years later. "These observational studies will help us develop and test targeted interventions, so we can provide mothers and children the best opportunities for long-term health," says Dr. Josefson. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have made two new discoveries with regard to the beta cells' ability to release insulin. The findings can also provide a possible explanation as to why smokers have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The study was conducted on mice and donated beta cells from humans, and is now published in the scientific journal Cell Reports. The researchers have discovered that so-called nicotinic acetylcholine (nicotine-sensitive) receptors influence the normal release of insulin. They also show that a specific genetic alteration renders dysfunctional nicotine-receptors affecting the number of functional nicotine-sensitive receptors found in beta cells. A reduced number of functional receptors leads to a decrease in insulin secretion, thereby increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today "The receptors in the beta cells that stimulate the release of insulin are normally activated by the signal substance acetylcholine, but they can also be activated by nicotine. Never before has the importance of nicotine-sensitive receptors been shown in terms of the function of beta cells. Our research indicates that people who lack these receptors are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes", says Isabella Artner, researcher at Lund University responsible for the study. Isabella Artner and her colleagues have also discovered that the gene MafA (muscoloaponeurotic fibrosacoma oncogene family A) found in insulin-producing beta cells control the number of nicotine-sensitive receptors and thereby their ability to receive signals from the central nervous system. "The effect that this single gene, MafA, alone has on insulin secretion was previously unknown, and nicotine receptors have never before been connected to type 2 diabetes", says Isabella Artner, and continues: "We know that smokers have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but the reason why has not been firmly established. Perhaps it has to do with the nicotine-sensitive receptors we describe. Our findings increase knowledge about the connection between smoking and type 2 diabetes. Source: http://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/ Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus are studying the detection of prenatal marijuana use in a legalized environment. The study of marijuana use in pregnancy is only possible in a few states. Although physicians tell women they should not use marijuana in pregnancy, it is difficult to provide them with data to support the recommendation. The need for data-supported information grows as marijuana laws change nationwide. The Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute recently awarded a Child and Maternal Health Pilot Grant to Assistant Professor Torri Metz, MD, to develop a questionnaire for new mothers about marijuana use during their pregnancy. "If you look at the literature now, you find very mixed results," Metz said. "About half of the studies say there is an association between marijuana use and adverse outcomes; about half say there is no association." As a high-risk obstetrician and maternal-fetal medicine specialist, Metz provides care for pregnant mothers and delivers babies at University of Colorado Hospital. "I am seeing more and more self-reported marijuana use in the clinic," Metz said. "I don't know if this is a reflection of women using more marijuana or of the women being more willing to tell us about their use." The study will enable Metz and her colleagues to develop a survey tool for new mothers to ascertain self-reported marijuana use. With the patients' consent, researchers will administer a survey to the new mothers and, upon delivery, take a sample of the umbilical cord to determine if the mother did use marijuana through pregnancy and to what extent. Researchers will compare the self-report with the umbilical cord sample, allowing researchers to determine the best way to collect information about marijuana use during pregnancy for future studies. Further study is needed on the association between marijuana use and fetal growth restriction, hypertension in pregnant mothers, stillbirth, spontaneous preterm birth and other conditions. "These are the obstetric issues we face every day and we don't understand the impact of marijuana use on these outcomes," Metz said. "I want to change that." In a national clinical trial led by Joslin Diabetes Center's Beetham Eye Institute, ultrawide field (UWF) scanning technology significantly improved the ability of experts at a remote central location to identify diabetic retinopathy in a patient, and to judge whether the eye disease warranted referring the patient to an ophthalmologist for further care. The national trial confirms findings of earlier research on Beetham patients with UWF imaging, says Paolo Silva, M.D., staff ophthalmologist and assistant chief of telemedicine, and lead author on a paper appearing today in the journal Ophthalmology. "These data demonstrate that when we deploy this technology in a community-based setting, we can achieve the same magnitude of reduction in ungradable images and increased identification of eye disease as we saw in the academic research environment," Silva says. Examining more than 25,000 patients in the U.S. Indian Health Service-Joslin Vision Network (IHS-JVN) telemedicine program, the researchers showed that UWF imaging dropped the number of ungradable eye images by 81% compared to imaging using traditional digital retinal photographs. The IHS-JVN national network evaluates over 18,000 patients each year. Improved imaging for that total population would translate to almost 4,000 patients who otherwise would have been given urgent referrals for care that ultimately would not have been needed, Silva says. Traditional Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) photography, which has remained the gold standard for diabetic eye imaging for decades, combines seven retinal photographs to image about 30 percent of the retina. In contrast, "with UWF, we're able to see 82 percent of the retina in a single retinal image, with high resolution," Silva says. The chances that UWF imaging will produce ungradable retinal images increases with age, partly because people with diabetes are at a much higher risk for developing cataracts than people the same age without diabetes, says Silva. In the study, UWF imaging did perform significantly better with older eyes than did conventional retinal imaging. Additionally, the study discovered that UWF imaging detected peripheral retinal disease in about 10% of the patients. These peripheral lesions are located outside the retinal area captured by ETDRS images. They can help ophthalmologists predict which eyes are most likely to progress to more advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy, as Joslin researchers reported in another Ophthalmology paper last year. Lab Diagnostics & Automation eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today The IHS-JVN eye telemedicine program covers 97 health care facilities in 25 states, gathering patient images for evaluation at a center in Phoenix, Arizona. The collection sites vary from large academic medical centers to mobile imaging stations in locations as remote as the Arctic Circle or the Grand Canyon. "The network brings the technology to where the patients are," Silva says. "This is the true essence of teleophthalmology for diabetic retinopathy; you go to patients and you evaluate them remotely." "These often are very isolated communities," says Lloyd Paul Aiello, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Beetham Institute, Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and senior author on the paper. "For this population to receive eye care, many have to take an airplane to a major medical center many miles away. That is a huge expense in terms of their time and travel costs." UWF camera systems remain much costlier than conventional retinal cameras, with price tags that can exceed $70,000. However, the latest study underlines the significant advantages they can provide, says Aiello. "Utilizing this new type of camera technology, we can more easily obtain the images, we can read the retinal images faster, we have fewer images that are unusable, and we pick up more disease than we could in the past," he sums up. "And we have now shown this substantial benefit in a large real-world setting." A broader national comparison study is now underway in the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network, with its initial results expected by late 2016. "If that study also shows that we can use this technology reliably, we expect this type of imaging will used much more commonly," Aiello says. Source: Joslin Diabetes Center Update, Thursday: Lynchburg City Schools administration announced three meetings as part of its "listening tour" in relation to the incident at Dunbar. "I believe that it is essential that we are tolerant, understanding, and inclusive of people of all religious beliefs, or non-religious belief, and of race and identity," Superintendent Scott Brabrand wrote in a letter released Wednesday. It is the third letter the administration has released in relation to the situation. The meetings will be in partnership with the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, a resource for school systems around the state. "I also know that to move forward from this incident, we will need to do more than listen," Brabrand wrote. He will ask the school board for the input from the meetings to be shared with the city's LCS Equity Task Force, a group made up of people inside and outside the school system. The meetings will be: March 21, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 1000 Langhorne Rd. April 4, 6 to 8 p.m., Jubilee Family Development Center, 1512 Florida Ave. April 12, 6 to 8 p.m., Miller Center, 301 Grove St. Transportation and childcare will be provided. To make arrangements, people can call 434-515-5041, or go to www.lcsedu.net/ListeningTours to fill out the childcare/transportation form. People who cannot attend can also leave their comments on the website. Earlier: The recent collision of concerns over race and religion at P.L. Dunbar Middle School for Innovation was a major topic of discussion among about 20 parents and staff members at a regularly scheduled parent-teacher organization meeting Tuesday night. The meeting followed an ambiguous interruption by a teacher during a Feb. 26 Black History Month assembly that included gospel music. The interruption may have been motivated by an objection to religion, but offended some as disrespectful to black history, no matter the motivation. Principal Kacey Crabbe answered questions from parents about the planning of the event, including where the issue of race may have come from. Religion has historically factored into the African-American culture. Gospel is the root of the culture. So religion factors into that, and I understand exactly where people are coming from, she said. Crabbe, who is black, did not initially perceive the interruption as a race issue, but many of her students and staff did, she said. The race issue, and Ill be transparent and only speak [for] myself I didnt realize that race was an issue until I was encountering students and my staff members who were black, who said I cannot believe that he just disrespected all of the black people in this building, Crabbe said. Even a white teacher not connected to the incident apologized on behalf of her race, she said. Now, you have the polar opposite interpretation, How dare you have religious overtones in an assembly thats in my childs school? So I also see that side as well. That was not the intention. It was celebration and appreciation, she said. Parent Jennifer Massie asked how Liberty University, which she pointed out is the largest evangelical university in the country, came to be involved, what specific songs were sung and whether they were contemporary or historical, along with several other questions. Crabbe said Liberty University was invited to sing, but they were asked to learn songs for the occasion. I did not want modern because it would not be true to what we were trying to get across, Crabbe said. Crabbe named three songs: a 1965 hymn by Albert Goodson, Weve Come This Far by Faith; the song that was interrupted, This Day, written in 1967; and the last selection, For Every Mountain, by Kurt Carr. Crabbe did not say whether the songs specifically were requested or chosen by the gospel choir. Teachers were notified by email Monday, Feb. 22 about the assembly, Crabbe said. The email, which she showed to parents, said, Music will be presented by Liberty University. Conversation among parents ranged from whether or not the school should have sent home an opt-out notice to the appropriate way to address religion in schools to how to teach children to respond to things that offend them or make them uncomfortable. Parents also expressed viewpoints about who makes up the Dunbar community, and whether the city schools administration is listening to parent and student concerns. Later this week, the division will announce times and dates for several community meetings to be held on the issue over the next month, Crabbe said. The meetings may not have bearing on whether the teacher will keep his job, an ongoing personnel matter she could not give any details about, she said. The meetings will provide an opportunity to discuss the issues raised by the incident. The fox at the center of Eleen Lins painting Kitsune is a rare breed. The creature stands on its hind legs, nine tails sprouting from its back end. One paw, on which a rather large diamond ring rests, holds a mask with human features in front of its snout, while the other clutches a gold chain. A strand of caution tape is draped around the animal, almost like a warning. The piece gets its name from the Japanese word for fox, and Lin said it was inspired by Japanese folklore tales about foxes capable of shape shifting into beautiful women. Think literal foxy ladies, she said. While creating it, she imagined the creature to be something of a man-eater, hence the ring and other material possessions, and the caution tape. I found that fascinating that [the idea of a] foxy lady here was the same, said Lin, whose work including Kitsune is currently on display in Riverviews Artspaces Craddock-Terry Gallery. Colliding cultures are the backbone of Lins art, which very often combines elements of Chinese and Japanese folklore or classic literature with pieces of modern popular culture everything from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Angry Birds. Its done with imagination and energy, says Brooke Marcy, who curated the Riverviews exhibit, Lost in Transitions. And, if you cant already tell, a sense of humor or, as Lin put it, the way I attack my paintings is through a very sort of cynical [eye]. In the age of cultural cannibalism where everything is brought together and rearranged to formulate new identities, I reiterate Chinese folklore stories into contemporized cross-cultural narratives, she explained in a 2014 interview with the website 365artists365days.com. The paintings illustrate the nomadic solitary experience of drifting among various traditions, and the obscurity of cultural boundaries today. That drifting is something Lin has experienced her whole life. Born in Taiwan, she and her family moved to Thailand when she was 6 years old. There, she attended an international school, studying alongside children from different backgrounds and ethnicities and with British and American teachers. Lin began painting at a young age and, once she was living in Thailand, it became a way for her to express herself when she couldnt speak the language. When I first moved that was something I could do in my corner, she said in an interview last week, prior to the opening of her Riverviews exhibit. Without the language, I couldnt really socialize. That was the one thing that really kept me happy. She continued taking art classes but said she really got serious about it in high school, enrolling in Englands Slade School of Fine Art after graduation. When she arrived, Lin said her work was primarily influenced by German expressionism. When I got there, what really shocked me [was] there were so many people doing that, she said. I started questioning myself. Why am I interested in something that is so far from my personal experience? So she began delving into Chinese art history and studied Chinese ink paintings, eventually developing a style in which she layers oil paint on top of acrylics. The acrylic paint, shes said, stains the raw canvas to create a watercolor and Chinese ink painting-like backdrop, while the oil paints are then applied to break into the backdrops fluidity. The Slade School of Fine Arts structure gave her plenty of time to experiment and find her voice. They just give you a studio space and they just tell you to go at it, she said. I had one class. Everything was pretty much like a masters program [in the U.S.]. After graduating in 2005, Lin took a year off and moved back to Thailand to figure out her next step. Prior to enrolling, shed wanted to be a teacher but had changed her mind: I actually want to be an artist, she recalled thinking. I know I want to experience that sort of artist lifestyle. So she exhibited her work and wrote for an art magazine and then began applying for masters programs. She wound up at the Yale School of Art in part because her sister also was attending college in Connecticut. Our parents said it would be great if we lived in the same country, she said, laughing. Lin graduated in 2008 and settled in New York City, where she still lives today, exploring what shes called cultural hybridity in the past. She delved into her feelings of not belonging in Non-Places and started another series focusing on pets after getting her first one, a cat (Kitsune is part of that group of paintings). You realize there are so many stories about the ties [between] men and animals, Lin said. I turn these Chinese folklore stories into tales of peoples obsession with their pets. In addition to painting, Lin also creates ink and charcoal drawings and said she approaches both completely differently. With her drawings, she begins without any preconceptions of where its going, she said. I plot something down and it just grows. With paintings, there are usually studies after studies. Even then, the final piece will change as she adds in new elements, resulting in a collage-like effect that simulates what we experience in the digital world, she explained in press materials for the Riverviews show, where multiple representations and images pop on to the same screen, and all encounters are virtual and artificial. No matter the series or the process, one constant that has become prevalent in her work is the presence of water. The recurring theme is something she wasnt even aware of at first. The water just sort of seeped in and I became conscious [of] how obsessed I was with painting water, she said. I felt like wherever I went, Im comforted with the things that recur in different cultures. I realize, also Im always in a constant flux. I never know where to call home. Even now, when she visits Thailand, the locals know shes not from there, she said, even though its where she grew up and where her parents still live. But in Taiwan, they dont think shes a native either. Wherever I go, I dont really belong. The setting of water as an immigrant, thats what you feel like: Youre constantly floating from one thing to another. Her current series also is closely tied to water its inspired by Moby Dick while delving into the cross-culturalism thats present in most everything she does. In an effort to explore how stories are told and how theyre translated not just through language but also through time, Lin read Herman Melvilles novel side-by-side, chapter-by-chapter, with a Chinese translation of it. The translation is so off, she said, mostly because [there are] so many parts of American culture you cant explain with Chinese vocabulary. Lin said she also was struck by similarities between Moby Dick and Japanese tales of a ghostly white whale: Its about how this different part of the world has similar stories that could come together to tell one whole story. Both are symbolic of bad omens and in both the novel and the folklore, appearances of the whale are often proceeded by the arrival of weird birds or fish, she said. Enter the aforementioned Angry Bird, peeking out above a wave. (Her reasoning: Whats the weirdest bird in the world?) Other pieces of modern culture that pop up include a Starbucks cup, a bottle of Jack Daniels, a weekly ad for Publix grocery stores and logos for brands like Moon Pies and Quaker Oats (Captain Ahab, you see, was a Quaker and, Lin said, the Chinese word for Quaker refers only to the oatmeal, not the religion). Living in New York for such a long time [I take what is] quintessentially American and turn it into something else. The pop culture pieces are a reference that [this] is of now. It places it in our time. Marcy said Lins cross-cultural dialogue is relevant in both the contemporary art world, and society in general especially with the Internet and availability of information. We all have so much information, and its all cross-cultural. She puts it into a very interesting language. The greatest gift an artist can give is the way they see things, Marcy added. Just as important, Lin said, is how the viewer interprets what he or she is seeing. Just because its inspired by Moby Dick doesnt mean everyone needs to see Moby Dick, she said. Its like how we look at historical paintings. We look and reflect on our life now and how the art relates to [our] personal story. Centra Health is one step closer to building a medical clinic in downtown Lynchburg thanks to Lynchburg City Council, which voted unanimously Tuesday to vacate an alley leading into 808 Fifth Street. The alley between 504 and 508 Jackson Street and extending into 808 Fifth Street a piece of land about five hundredths of an acre big was standing in the way of Centra purchasing 808 Fifth Street to build a medical clinic on the property. In asking City Council to vacate the alley Tuesday night, Centras Vice President of Facilities and Support Services Joe Archambeault said the proposed 20,000-square-foot clinic would include two patient care pods, imaging services, a lab, office support space, community space and a retail pharmacy. I just think itll be a great use for this property if it really does happen, Lynchburg City Councilwoman Joan Foster said just prior to Tuesday nights vote, from which Mayor Michael Gillette abstained because of a contract he holds with Centra. Foster praised the proposal for including a pharmacy that would be available to the general public. City Councils vote paves the way for Centra to purchase the property from realtor Gary Case but does not guarantee the purchase, or that a clinic will be located at the site. Centra spokeswoman Diane Ludwig said in an email this is a potential land site for the Critical Access Clinic thats in conjunction with the Free Clinic and Johnson Health Center. For more than two years Centra and its Community Access Network have been quietly working toward establishing a clinic in downtown Lynchburg to serve low-income and underinsured adults. Locally, there are more than 37,000 low-income adults who are uninsured or underinsured. As originally proposed, the Johnson Health Center and Centra Health would jointly operate the center in partnership with the Free Clinic of Central Virginia. The Free Clinic, a nonprofit in downtown Lynchburg, serves the uninsured and under-insured and the Johnson Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center that serves those with Medicaid. Centra, also a nonprofit, is the largest health care system in the region. The Centra Foundation and Centra Health have provided funding for the project, as well as helping assist the Community Access Network in obtaining property for the clinic, Ludwig said. This complex care clinic will have many community partners collaborating towards a common goal to reach members of our community with significant care needs and healthcare access challenges. The property being considered for the clinic site is a vacant lot on Fifth Street, about 1.2 acres that once served as the site of Adams Used Cars. On Friday Case, who was at the hearing with Centra, confirmed the property was under contract. According to city records, 808 Fifth Street is owned by Peak Capital Group LLC, which purchased the site for $689,000 in 2014. According to Lynchburgs 2015 property assessment, the total value of the property is $335,300 and since 2012 it has generated about $3,722 annually in property tax revenue for the city. It is unknown if this property will become tax-exempt once Centra takes ownership as not all Centra-owned properties are tax-exempt. The proposed site, at 808 Fifth St. is catercorner to Centras PACE program and about a three minute walk away from the Johnson Health Center on Federal Street. The Free Clinic of Central Virginia, on Main Street, is a little more than a half-mile away and Lynchburg General Hospital is a mile and a half away. Ludwig said in an email Tuesday this facility will be a Community Access Network clinic. The Community Access Network is a local, independent nonprofit specializing in helping low-income/underinsured adults with complex medical needs navigate important services with agencies already in existence in our community. The Community Access Network, a Centra-led group, is comprised of local healthcare providers who have been working together for more than two years to address the lack of access to health care locally and the social factors affecting residents health. On Tuesday, Free Clinic of Central Virginia Chief Executive Officer Christina Delzingaro said the new clinic would allow the Free Clinic of Central Virginia to expand our existing services in an additional location. It would not replace our Main Street facility, but will provide us with additional clinic space in order to serve more patients and bring on more volunteers. When the clinic was first announced in 2015, Centra said it would offer primary and urgent care as well as provide patients with access to specialists. Through partnerships with nonprofits and social service agencies and connections to more than 180 safety-net providers, the clinic also would be equipped to address social issues affecting patients health, whether it is inadequate housing, transportation or a lack of financial resources. Officials also said in 2015 the clinic is intended to provide patients with immediate access to care as well as be an alternative to the emergency department at Centras Lynchburg General Hospital. Coordinators hope the clinic improves health outcomes in the city, decreases emergency department usage at Lynchburg General Hospital and reduces hospital admissions. Organizers have yet to determine its hours of operation or cost, but it is expected to operate during non-traditional office hours and be in an area of the city where emergency department usage is high. Following the announcement in 2015, Gary Campbell, chief executive officer of the Johnson Health Center, said the community clinic is not the beginning of any kind of purchase or merger. Its been very clear we are all going to maintain an independent status and function independently within the walls of this clinic, he said. Gov. Terry McAuliffe has vetoed legislation to allow the sale of Everclear and other high-proof grain alcohol in Virginia. McAuliffe had already suggested that lawmakers hold off on allowing 151-proof grain alcohol to be sold in state-run ABC stores, but the General Assembly rejected the governor's recommendations. In his veto, McAuliffe said he was striking House Bill 143 in response to the concerns of higher education professionals who deal with alcohol abuse on college campuses. "I share their concern that a prime market for these products is young people who are attracted to their high proof and low cost," McAuliffe said in the veto. "Underage drinking and binge drinking, particularly on college campuses, are threats to public health and safety that we should be working to curb." McAuliffe had suggested having the Virginia Commission on Youth study the issue and reconsider the Everclear legislation in the 2017 session. The legislation's backers in the General Assembly argued that in the state where high-proof alcohol is legally sold, most buyers are above the age of 31. Supporters also said ABC stores close to colleges and universities would not be forced to carry the high-proof products. The legislature will have a chance to overrule the veto with two-thirds votes in both chambers. The bill had passed the Senate and the House of Delegates with bipartisan support. High-proof grain alcohol bill powers through assembly, alarms higher education officials The Virginia College Alcoholic Leadership Council warned McAuliffe this week that House Bill 143, which is on its way to the governor. Barbara Gordon is still among the best female superheroes in all of comics despite Warner Bros. may be shelving their planned Batgirl movie, and she's got plenty of comic book adventures under her belt to feed your Batgirl need. But who else makes the cut of the most iconic, defining superheroines in comics? Newsarama has our pick for the 25 best female superheroes of all time right here. 25. Witchblade (Image credit: Top Cow) The mid-'90s launched a female superhero craze that, in many cases, was focused far more on cheesecake art and boundary-pushing costume design than on craft and storytelling. Dubbed the 'Bad Girl' era, the trend was marked by dozens of seeming throwaway characters that made a mark with a scandalous cover or two and then faded into obscurity. But there were a few examples that stood above the fray notably Top Cow's Witchblade (opens in new tab). Created by Image co-founder Marc Silvestri along with David Wohl, Brian Haberlin, and Michael Turner and debuting in 1995's Cyblade/Shi: The Battle for Independents, the original Witchblade was Sara Pezzini, a cop who discovered a powerful artifact (the titular Witchblade) that bonded with her body and gave her potent mystical abilities. Witchblade quickly exploded in popularity, becoming the flagship character of Image Comics' Top Cow imprint. Over the years, the 'Bad Girl' craze faded into near obscurity, but Witchblade remains a touchstone of independent comic book superheroes, with a mythology all her own, including multiple Witchblade wielders, other similar artifacts like the Darkness that became popular concepts in their own right, and even a short-lived TV show. 24. Jane Foster (Image credit: Marvel Comics) What does it mean to be 'worthy'? That's a question that was cast into stark relief when Thor Odinson became 'unworthy' of wielding the hammer's power or even lifting it in the 2014 crossover Original Sin (opens in new tab). In Odinson's absence, Jane Foster, longtime paramour of the mighty Thor, took up Thor's hammer Mjolnir, gaining his power, his role as Marvel's god of thunder, and even his very name. This would become the catalyst that would propel Jane Foster to the ranks of the best superheroes ever. Jane Foster first debuted alongside Thor himself in Journey Into Mystery #84 (opens in new tab), and for many years was simply a love interest/supporting character. But in Thor (Vol. 4) #1 (opens in new tab), she ascended all of that by lifting Mjolnir and becoming the true, official Thor. As Thor, Jane Foster caused controversy both on and off the page, with some fans bristling that she was sharing even Thor's name, and the gods of Asgard being wary of a stranger essentially entering their ranks. But writer Jason Aaron and artist Russell Dauterman took the opportunity to defy expectations with Foster's story, rising her through Marvel's ranks to the Avengers, having her save all of Asgard from destruction, and, ultimately, giving her a hero's ending that led to Jane's current role as the leader of the newly revived Valkyries of Asgard. Jane Foster's story as Thor was adapted in the recent MCU movie sequel Thor: Love and Thunder. 23. Faith (Image credit: Valiant Comics) Debuting in 1992's Harbinger #1 (opens in new tab), Valiant's Faith Herbert (sometimes known by her codename Zephyr) is a 'psiot,' a human with latent superpowers. Before her powers developed, Faith lost her powers in an accident. Faith was subsequently raised by her grandmother and grew up as many real-world youngsters do retreating into a world of comic books, fantasy stories, and science fiction to cope with her grief. When her powers were unlocked as part of the Harbinger Renegades (a team of psiots who fight against the villainous Harbinger Foundation, which seeks to recruit and exploit psiots for world domination), Faith leaned into her superhero fandom, taking on a codename, costume, and even a secret identity things many of her allies chose not to do. Faith or Zephyr if she's superheroing, or Summer Smith if she's working her day job as a journalist has the power of 'aerokinesis,' the ability to manipulate air. These powers have grown simply from flying to creating force fields, moving things with wind, and carrying others with her in flight. Over the years, Faith has grown from a member of the Harbinger Renegades to one of Valiant's most popular solo heroes, with her 2016 Faith solo series (opens in new tab) reaching particular acclaim. Thanks to Faith's joyful demeanor, relatable fan-fulfillment story, and yes, her appearance as one of the few fat women who is depicted unequivocally as a hero and under a positive light in superhero media, she remains an enduring fan favorite and one of Valiant's top characters. 22. Jessica Jones (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Debuting as a super-powered private eye in 2001's Alias #1 (opens in new tab), Jessica Jones isn't your typical superhero like her husband, Luke Cage, she doesn't even have a superhero codename that's stuck. But that's part of what makes her so great, and so unique among not just female superheroes, but superheroes in general. Gifted (or cursed, when you consider how she got her powers) with super-strength, flight, and invulnerability, Jessica got her powers as a teen when a chemical truck collided with her family's car, killing her parents and putting her in a coma. Though the development of her powers led to personal struggles through her early life (including a notoriously horrific kidnapping by the mind-controlling Purple Man), Jessica eventually became an Avenger, and one of the defining heroes of a certain era of the Marvel Universe. She's also a superhero mom, and even though that's caused its share of troubles for her, Jessica has fought through it all as a committed family woman as well as a hero. She also got several seasons of her own show (opens in new tab) on Netflix, portrayed by Kristen Ritter as part of the streaming service's Defenders family of Marvel shows. Oddly enough, Jessica Jones almost didnt make it into the Marvel Universe at all - her original title Alias was planned to star Jessica Drew (who was then retired from being Spider-Woman) till writer Brian Michael Bendis switched gears and created Jessica Jones as the titles star. 21. Wasp (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Janet Van Dyne was not only the first female Avenger, and a founder of the team in Avengers #1 (opens in new tab), but also the hero who named the team when they first formed. Though she started as something of a sidekick to her on-again-off-again (currently off-again) paramour Hank Pym, Janet quickly became a hero in her own right, leading the Avengers several times, and often acting as the team's moral center. Wasp's arc has consistently projected upwards, quickly leaving behind any semblance of being a 'damsel in distress,' and progressing to the top levels of Marvel's heroic roster. Add to that her historical significance, and it's easy to see why she's one of the greatest female heroes ever to grace the printed page. And while viewers got a short glimpse of Janet Van Dyne in action in Ant-Man, she took on a much larger role in the sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp - in which her MCU daughter Hope Van Dyne took on the mantle of the winsome Wasp. 20. Rocket (Image credit: Milestone Media) Raquel Ervin, better known by her superhero codename Rocket, may not be the marquee character of Milestone Comics' 1993-launching title Icon (opens in new tab), but part of her incredible charm (and the charm of the comic itself) is that it's actually her story, even more than Icon, the hero whose name is on the cover. A young woman from one of the Milestone fictional city Dakota's worst neighborhoods making a habit of skirting the wrong side of the law, Raquel discovers that the lawyer she and her friends are about to rob is a lot more than he seems. In fact, he's a super-powered alien hiding on Earth. However, rather than earn his wrath, Raquel convinces the lawyer, Augustus Freeman IV, to use his powers to become a superhero. Taking the name Icon, Freeman gives Raquel a belt that can manipulate kinetic energy, leading to her taking the name Rocket as his sidekick. What makes Rocket's story so compelling and so interesting is that, like other sidekicks such as Robin, or other young heroes like Spider-Man, she faced numerous real-world challenges that reflected those faced by her readers. But unlike her contemporaries, Rocket's stories leaned into frank depictions of some of the hardships and struggles which uniquely affected (and in many cases still affect) Black communities and communities of color, including drug addiction and the crack epidemic, and even Rocket's own pregnancy and motherhood. All of this makes Rocket one of Milestone's most interesting and important heroes, a lens not just for classic super-heroics but also the trials and tribulations of real life for many people whose voices were not heard at all in the comics of the day. DC may know what they have in their hands as Rocket recently returned to comic books as the co-star of Icon & Rocket. 19. Vixen (Image credit: DC) Vixen may not be DC's first Black female hero (that honor goes to Bumblebee of the Teen Titans), but she is the first Black woman to join the Justice League. Following a canceled debut as a solo character in the late '70s, Vixen finally made her first appearance in 1981's Action Comics #521 (opens in new tab), quickly joining the Justice League in 1983's Justice League of America Annual #2 (opens in new tab) as part of the so-called 'Detroit League' that shook-up the team's previous long-running status quo. Though many other members of the Detroit League faded into some level of obscurity (or were later heavily reworked), Mari McCabe/Vixen has remained a part of the DC Universe since her debut. As a descendent of the DC Universe version of the Spider god Anansi of Akan folklore, Vixen has the power to take on primal aspects of any animal including those that are now extinct. She's been a member of the Justice League numerous times and has even been part of the Suicide Squad. She also headlined a limited series titled Vixen: Return of the Lion (opens in new tab), written by Kamala Khan co-creator G. Willow Wilson. Vixen was also the star of her own CW Seed animated series Vixen (opens in new tab), with the character later transitioning to CW's live-action DC TV Universe as part of DC's Legends of Tomorrow (opens in new tab). 18. Jean Grey (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Jean Grey was the first X-Woman, debuting in 1963's Uncanny X-Men #1 (opens in new tab), and even bore the name of her publishing company as Marvel Girl before transitioning to her Phoenix identity in the '70s. But she's more than just the first female mutant superhero she's also emblematic of the entire X-Men franchise, and one of the most complex, well-developed characters in comic books. She may have started in the typical Marvel superheroine model, but later adventures saw Jean develop a level of depth that many ensemble cast members never achieve. Between her ever-developing relationship with Scott Summers, her vast and terrifying power levels, her descent into madness in Uncanny X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga (opens in new tab), and her penchant for self-sacrifice and redemption, Jean experienced more in her tenure as a hero than almost anyone. Of course, the Phoenix always rises from the ashes, and the resurrected Jean is a key character in the current 'Reign of X' X-Men era and (as Marvel Girl) a member of the current flagship X-Men team. If that doesn't qualify her as one of the best female superheroes, and certainly one of the best superheroes in general, then what does? 17. Kitty Pryde (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Kitty Pryde was hardly the first young woman to join the X-Men who have had a string of youthful ingenues in its ranks since the team's earliest days, but she was the first 'kid sister' type character to join the team, taking a role as Wolverine's kinda-sidekick/protege, and serving as something of a student/mascot for the rest of the X-Men. Kitty had a somewhat fraught relationship with the X-Men through her teen years. Joining up at 14 (shortly after her debut in Uncanny X-Men #129 (opens in new tab)), she was much younger than even the next youngest member at the time, leading her to eventually move into the New Mutants teen team. But Kitty grew up quickly, becoming not just one of the X-Men's (and then Excalibur's) most powerful members with her ability to phase through solid matter, but also a formidable hand-to-hand combatant thanks to Wolverine's training, and even a SHIELD agent, all before actually retiring from the X-Men following the death of her on-again-off-again boyfriend Colossus. After Colossus was revived in the title Astonishing X-Men (opens in new tab), Kitty rejoined the team, continuing her trajectory as one of the Xavier School's most prestigious graduates, leading her own X-Men teams, and even becoming the school's headmistress for a while. Now, in the Krakoa era, Kitty Pryde (who has the unique role of being one of the few superheroes to definitively age and grow up on the page) has started going by Kate Captain Kate, to be exact as the leader of the Marauders, essentially Krakoa's navy in the modern mutant era. 16. Monica Rambeau (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Monica Rambeau is just becoming a modern household name thanks to Teyonah Parris's winning portrayal of the hero in Disney Plus's MCU streaming show WandaVision, but longtime fans of the Marvel Universe have known her name (and her various codenames) for decades. Originally introduced in 1982's Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16 (opens in new tab), Monica got her energy channeling powers when she was bombarded by an experimental weapon while serving as a Harbor Patrol agent in her native New Orleans, Louisiana. Monica, whose powers developed into converting her body into pure energy as well as harnessing and channeling all kinds of waves and particles including Cosmic Rays, Gamma Rays, X-rays, ultraviolet radiation, visible light, electricity, infrared radiation, microwaves, radio waves, and neutrinos, among many more, was dubbed 'Captain Marvel' by the media making her not only Marvel's first female Captain Marvel, but only the publisher's second character to carry that name, following her direct predecessor Mar-Vell. Monica quickly became an Avenger, and eventually rose through the ranks to become the team leader. Over the years since her stint on the Avengers, she's also been part of Nextwave: Agents of HATE (opens in new tab) (a sorta black-ops superhero team), The Ultimates (opens in new tab) (in this incarnation a team of incredibly powerful heroes who solve cosmic problems), and even come back to the Avengers a time or two. She's also switched her codename a few times, going from Photon to Pulsar, and most recently Spectrum. In the meantime, multiple other heroes have used the name Captain Marvel since, most notably Carol Danvers, who previously used the superhero name Ms. Marvel in comic books, before taking up the name Captain Marvel in honor of her mentor Mar-Vell. But whatever codename she's going by, Monica Rambeau remains one of Marvel's most powerful and often unsung heroes. 15. Kamala Khan (Image credit: Marvel Comics) One of the newer (and younger) superheroes on our list, Kamala Khan made her debut in 2013's Captain Marvel #14 (opens in new tab). When the Terrigen Mists a strange substance that gives the hidden superhuman race the Inhumans their powers swept across the earth, activating strange abilities in many humans who had hidden Inhuman ancestry, Kamala was caught up in the wave, becoming the premiere teen hero of Jersey City, New Jersey. Kamala's superpowers include shape-changing and super strength and toughness relative to her physical form, which usually involves 'embiggening' her fists, or growing to gigantic size. But as a teen girl, Kamala's greatest power is relatability. Before getting superpowers and joining the Avengers (and later co-founding the teen team the Champions), Kamala wrote fan-fiction about being a hero and teaming up with her idol Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel hence Kamala taking the moniker Ms. Marvel, Carol's old codename. Truly, what's more intrinsic to the comic book fan's fantasy than daydreaming of being one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes? Like Spider-Man, the first Marvel Comics character to fully embody the spirit of a teen hero struggling with all the troubles of adolescence alongside the challenges of being a superhero, Kamala provides a window into the world of the Marvel Universe for teens and young adults coming of age in the modern era just like Peter Parker did in his early career. Kamala recently joined the MCU in her own Ms. Marvel streaming show. Interested to learn more? Check out the best Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) comics available. 14. Black Canary (Image credit: DC) Black Canary is a codename belonging to two classic DC superheroes, who share the unique bond of being mother and daughter. The original Black Canary, Dinah Drake, debuted in 1947's Flash Comics #86 in a backup story replacing the previous backup character Johnny Thunder. A skilled crimefighter, Black Canary was something of a female vigilante similar to Batman when such characters were uncommon, if not mostly unheard of in mainstream superhero comic books. Her popularity and striking appearance, designed by artist Carmine Infantino, led Black Canary to quickly join DC's Justice Society of America, the publisher's then premiere super-team. In the Silver Age era of the '60s, DC split its original Golden Age characters off into their own reality, Earth-2 (DC's current Omniverse status quo is a decades-in-the-making extrapolation of this simple idea). But that left a slight continuity problem regarding Black Canary. By that time, Black Canary had been appearing alongside the Justice League, then in their early years. DC came up with a few different (kinda complex) solutions over the years to explain how Black Canary was one of the few characters who seemed to exist on both Earth-1 and Earth-2, but the TL:DR is, the problem was eventually resolved by making the Justice League's Black Canary the daughter of the original. And thus was created Dinah Laurel Lance, one of DC's most enduring and popular superheroes. Dinah Lance's most common origin is that she was a rebellious young woman who decided to go against her superhero mom's wishes and follow in her footsteps, first training with Wildcat of the JSA, one of the best fighters in the DCU. Bolstered by the power of her sonic 'canary cry' superpower (which her mom didn't have), Dinah Lance grew into Black Canary, a powerful hero in her own right, and one of if not the best hand-to-hand combatant in the entire DC Universe. Over the years, Dinah Lance (as opposed to her mom Dinah Drake) has been one of the most enduring members of the Justice League, even leading the team from time to time. And of course, she's had an on-again-off-again (currently on again) romantic and crimefighting partnership with Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow. But more than anything, she's an enduring example of how DC has often employed the power of its own legacy to expand on and redefine its characters oftentimes making something even more iconic in the process. Black Canary was played by Jurnee Smollett in Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (opens in new tab). 13. Sailor Moon (Image credit: Kodansha) Usagi Tsukino AKA Sailor Moon may not be what many western comic book fans think of when the idea of a female superhero pops into their heads, but across the world, she's one of the best and most popular examples of the genre. Sailor Moon's manga was originally published in Kodansha's Nakayoshi from 1991-97, with the story coming to America as Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (opens in new tab). Embodying (and occasionally parodying) the 'magical girl' trope of manga and anime, in which a young woman gains magical powers through a transformation or by traveling to another world, Sailor Moon is the leader of the Sailor Scouts, a group of high school girls who gain cosmic powers when they activate the artifacts that give them their abilities. Sailor Moon may often lean more into the manga and anime tropes of its roots, but for American audiences who learned of the character when the early volumes of her popular anime came to Toonami and other popular anime cartoon blocks, she remains one of the best examples of what female superheroes look like when they are separated from the Superman and Batman archetypes that inform so many popular characters. Interested in more? Read about the transformative legacy of magical girl manga. 12. Scarlet Witch (Image credit: Marvel Comics) As the hit Disney Plus MCU streaming show WandaVision has demonstrated, Wanda Maximoff/the Scarlet Witch is both a force to be reckoned with and a complicated woman who has survived and inflicted more than her fair share of devastating trauma. One of the most powerful magic users in the Marvel Universe thanks to her status as a 'Nexus Being' with direct connections to Marvel's Multiverse, Wanda has often had that power used against her by cruel manipulators who have preyed on her long search for family. Be it Mephisto, Doctor Doom, Chthon, Dormammu, Morgan le Fay, or as in WandaVision, her comic book mentor Agatha Harkness, Wanda is too often the target of those who wish to seize the font of power she channels to their own nefarious ends. However, Wanda's true nature is that of a hero, something demonstrated in her earliest adventures. After debuting in X-Men #4 (opens in new tab) as part of Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, she quickly turned over a new leaf and joined Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Avengers #16 (opens in new tab), which revamped the team's original roster. Despite enduring the death and resurrection of her husband the Vision, the 'life' and 'death' of their magically created children William and Thomas, being magically manipulated by Doctor Doom into killing multiple Avengers and ending the team for some time, and even decimating the mutant population of the Marvel Universe by magically robbing their powers, Wanda has always turned back toward the light when allowed to follow her own path. Interested in more? Make sure you've read all the best Scarlet Witch / Wanda Maximoff comics available. 11. Raven (Image credit: DC) Raven is just scratching the surface of her potential as a solo character, with graphic novels such as Teen Titans: Raven (opens in new tab), but her history in the DC Universe makes her one of the publisher's most important (and cool) female heroes ever. Making her debut in a brief short in 1980's DC Comics Presents #26 (opens in new tab), Marv Wolfman and George Perez quickly carried their creation over to their landmark New Teen Titans (opens in new tab) run, in which she became one of the team's breakout characters, standing out even in a whole team of nothing but breakout characters. Raven's mysterious, magical nature as the daughter of the demon Trigon, one of the Teen Titans' greatest foes, allows her a whole host of mystical abilities. Described as an empath, Raven has displayed telekinesis, telepathy, teleportation, astral projection, and of course mastery of many forms of sorcery and magic. But what makes Raven stand out, along with her dark history as the daughter of a demon, is the way she breaks the mold for one of the oldest tropes in super-team comic books, the troubled badass whose past always comes back to haunt their efforts to be a hero, a la Wolverine. (Charlie from It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (opens in new tab) would call this the "wildcard" role.) Moving the archetype away from the hardcore masculinity that usually accompanies a team's 'lone wolf' member, Raven struggled not with a murderous berserker rage or a problematic unrequited love, but the challenges of being a young woman alongside the looming threat of her demonic ancestry. Essentially, Raven embodies the 'angry goth girl' archetype, but in a way that backs up her edginess with a decades-long character arc and near limitless power. This aspect of Raven's personality is often a subject of comedy in the Teen Titans (opens in new tab) and subsequent Teen Titans Go! (opens in new tab) animated series, making her one of the most popular characters of those shows as well as an ongoing cult favorite comic book character. 10. Catwoman (Image credit: DC) Ever since she first appeared in 1940's Batman #1 (opens in new tab), Catwoman has skirted the line between hero and villain enough that she even made it to our list of the best female supervillains ever. But the fact is, for the last several decades, she's been primarily focused on life as a hero, even if her methods are sometimes questionable (especially to her on-again-off-again lover Batman). A master thief whose physical prowess matches her cunning Catwoman is one of Gotham's most complex costumed residents. She prowls the streets protecting those who need her most but also taking many opportunities to steal from those whose wealth could benefit Gotham's downtrodden (and, let's be honest, Catwoman herself). In a world of morally grey male heroes, Catwoman stands apart as a woman with a complicated personality defined by many motivating factors, who usually winds up on the side of the angels even while also looking for her next big score. Interested in more? Read the best Catwoman comics available. 9. Captain Marvel (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Carol Danvers is just about the most powerful woman in the Marvel Universe and is arguably the publisher's top female hero. With cosmic powers, a background as a fighter pilot, a high-profile movie, and that crucial Avengers membership, she's everything great about superheroes wrapped up in one sleek package. It's no wonder the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will likely put Carol front and center, as one of the pillars of the most popular superhero brand in the world. The themes of the classic story Captain Marvel: Higher, Further, Faster (opens in new tab) which redefined Carol's career and brought her into the role of Captain Marvel were adapted to the MCU Captain Marvel (opens in new tab) film and even lent its title as the film's tagline. Interested in more? Read all of the best Captain Marvel stories available. 8. She-Hulk (Image credit: Marvel Comics) To some, She-Hulk is the ultimate expression of feminine power. She's indestructible, super-strong, and without inhibition all of this with the mind of a high-powered attorney wrapped inside those unparalleled green muscles. And while she may seem like a typical spin-off character (obviously riffing on her somewhat more famous cousin Bruce Banner), She-Hulk takes the concept of a gamma-irradiated hero to a totally different level, embracing her alter ego and living life to the fullest. In some ways, She-Hulk also broke other boundaries her original Sensational She-Hulk (opens in new tab) ongoing series introduced an indestructible, fourth-wall-breaking hero with a sense of humor years before Deadpool grew a similar schtick. She-Hulk was Deadpool before there even was a Deadpool. She-Hulk was a long time member of the current Avengers, and she's getting her own MCU show on Disney Plus in August. 7. Supergirl (Image credit: DC Comics) Supergirl may have started as a spin-off character from Superman in her first appearance in 1959's Action Comics #252 (opens in new tab). But for many fans, she's become so much more than that. DC's Maid of Might represents a certain element of femininity that is often glossed over in fiction the balance of girlish glee and emotional exploration with confidence and physical power. Too often female characters must be one or the other, ultra-feminine or super-powerful, but Supergirl - who possesses all the strength of her cousin Superman while facing all the issues of a young woman - is at her best when writers strike a true balance between both sides of that coin, letting her be a real Supergirl. That dynamic played an important role in the CW's now concluded Supergirl (opens in new tab), a show that places a slightly older Kara in the central role and embraces her femininity without shying away from her ability to kick ass. Interested in more? Make sure you've read all of the best Supergirl stories of all time. 6. Harley Quinn (Image credit: DC) There's no question Harley Quinn started as an out-and-out villain, a sidekick to the Joker who was just as much into a life of comical crime as her clown prince boyfriend. But after enduring years of abuse at the Joker's hands, Harley finally emancipated herself of his influence and struck out on her own, first as a villain/anti-hero, and now, finally, as a hero in her own right. Though she spent a few years palling around with the Suicide Squad (who are anti-heroes at best) and she's still got associations with them, recent developments in the ' Joker War (opens in new tab)' story have placed Harley Quinn squarely on the straight and narrow as one of Gotham's protectors. For all that, and especially for her strength and solidarity in the face of escaping abuse and coming into her own as a hero and a character, Harley Quinn ranks as one of the greatest female superheroes ever. Interested in more? Make sure you've read all the best Harley Quinn comics of all time. 5. Invisible Woman (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Marvel's first superheroine (debuting 60 years ago this year in Fantastic Four #1 (opens in new tab)) may not have the highest profile of the characters on this list, but Sue Storm set the pace for modern female heroes and still occupies a fairly unique place in comic books. While it's true that early stories didnt exactly serve Sue particularly well, she developed into the heart and soul of the Fantastic Four, serving as Marvel's first family's de facto and literal mother. And that may be one of the most crucial aspects of her character. While Sue Storm is powerful in her own right many writers have said she's got the most raw power of anyone on the FF she also represents an important aspect of womanhood that many female heroes have sacrificed or had used against them motherhood. That Sue can serve as one of the most respected heroes in the Marvel Universe (and its first female hero) while simultaneously raising two children and shepherding the growth of many more through the Future Foundation can't be understated. Plus, it takes a pretty amazing woman to stand up to a blowhard like Reed Richards. 4. Black Widow (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Black Widow (opens in new tab) has been around as a character since the '60s, but it's only recently that she's become a particularly prominent heroine in the Marvel Universe, thanks in large part to her role as a founding member of the cinematic Avengers. But the fact that her recent success has mostly been due to her onscreen adventures doesn't discount her role in comic books, either. Though she started as a villain, it wasn't long before Black Widow became an Avenger, a career she's balanced with her black ops work alongside SHIELD and on her own, even leading the team for a time. Black Widow's solo big-screen prequel was finally released in 2021. Interested in more? Make sure you've read the best Black Widow comics available. 3. Batgirl (Image credit: DC Comics) Barbara Gordon is unique among female heroes, and superheroes in general, for having not one but two vastly different and very successful superhero careers which years later are only now just merging into one. Barbara started out as Batgirl, using her wits, her incredible intelligence, and her physical capabilities to earn Batmans trust as an ally and protege. However, after years of fighting crime on the streets of Gotham, a violent encounter with the Joker left her paralyzed but not deterred. Now using a wheelchair, Barbara turned to her intelligence to make a difference (while maintaining a peak physical condition to boot). Taking on the mantle of Oracle, Barbara became the information hub for Batmans entire network and lead the all-female superhero team the Birds of Prey. These days, she's back in action as Batgirl, her spinal injuries having been healed with technology as part of the 'New 52' reboot. But more recently she's indicated she has to be more careful physically, and more and more she's returning to her role as Oracle, serving as the central cog to the entire Bat-family and a co-star of the Nightwing series. But even if she finds herself more seated in front of computer monitors than swinging from rooftops in the coming years, a new team of Batgirls mentored by Babs seems determined to fill the void and further cement her legacy. 2. Storm (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Storm started as the X-Men's ingenue; a young heroine who was one of the rookie mutants recruited when the original team went missing, joining in Giant-Size X-Men #1 (opens in new tab). Alongside other X-Men mainstays like Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Colossus, Storm rose through the ranks becoming not just a seasoned hero, but a mentor to her fellow mutants, and at several points a leader in the team. After recent events in 'Dawn of X', 'X of Swords', and the 'Hellfire Gala,' Storm has ascended to be the ruler of Mars - renamed Planet Arakko - as part of mutantkind's growth past Krakoa. Storm is also the first major Black woman superhero a distinction that shouldn't be overlooked, especially considering how important she's remained in both X-Men and Marvel lore. 1. Wonder Woman (Image credit: DC Comics) Diana of Themiscyra represents the best of mankind, and of womanhood. Strong, compassionate, fearless, and independent, as Wonder Woman Diana is a pillar of the Justice League and one of the greatest heroes and warriors in the entire DC Universe. And though her real-world origins are complex, William Moulton Marston and his collaborators Elizabeth Holloway Marston and Olive Byrne created an equally complex character who would grow to become a feminist icon and the character that almost anyone in the world thinks of when you say "female superhero." DC has subtly elevated Wonder Woman to perhaps the tip-top of the DC comic book pantheon in terms of stature, putting her on par with her fellow 'Trinity' partners Superman and Batman with a whole series of spin-off titles including Nubia and the Amazons (opens in new tab) and Wonder Girl (opens in new tab). Interested? Make sure you've read all the best Wonder Woman stories available. Help us settle an argument by figuring out what are the most useful superpowers GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Heres why you can trust us. Red Hulk, Ronin, and more: 10 Heroes and Villains whose secret identities were hidden from readers There's a longstanding superhero tradition of hiding the identity of certain characters even from readers Home News Sports Social Obituaries Events Letters Looking Back Health Jewels Stitch in Time Search for new Library District Director lands Anderson March 8, 2016 Craig Anderson, well-known Bonners Ferry High School teacher, was chosen to succeed Sandy Ashworth as the director of the Boundary County Library District by the districts Board of Trustees. Anderson will assume the directorship on October 1, 2016, after completing the school year and working closely with Sandy, her staff, and the districts Board of Trustees throughout the summer. The trustees were pleased with the response to the posted job opening and felt fortunate to have a number of viable candidates to interview, said Ms. Ashworth, however, Craigs professional experience as an innovative, award-winning educator combined with his vision of the librarys role and missionpast, present, and most of important of all, its future potentialmade him their unanimous choice. Born and raised in Boundary County, Mr. Anderson sees the library directorship as continuation of his decades of experience fostering the life-long enjoyment of learning for his over 3,000 satisfied students. Ms. Ashworth has retirement in her future, but first she'll be continuing in a volunteer advisory / consultant position with Mr. Anderson and with the library's Board of Trustees for awhile. And she still has a position on the Kootenai Valley Resource Initiative that will keep her busy. Then what? "No major plans," she said, "except for longer visits with family residing in other states, and catching up on 31 years of 'this can wait, I have to go to work' projects at home." "I don't indulge in long-range plans any more," she said, "although I do still buy green bananas!" Mr. Anderson is looking forward to getting started with his new responsibilities at the library. "This library has been making a difference in our county with its willingness to give," said Mr. Anderson. "Through hard work and ingenuity, Sandy, her staff, the trustees, and community members are creating a powerful new learning center that, coupled with its ground-breaking fabrication center or Fab Lab, can provide the people of Boundary County with a bridge toward a positive, productive future. A culture of opportunity is in the making, and I am excited to be part of it. Questions or comments about this article? Click here to e-mail! VPAL provides distribution opportunities for TT music Since VPALs launch in 2009, the indie sub-label has partnered with numerous artistes and producers throughout the world. Its main focus is to provide small label operators, producers and independent artistes access to diverse markets through distribution opportunities. VPAL, through the established distribution channels of VP Records, is one of the largest independent record labels for Caribbean Music, specifically reggae and dancehall and has access to over 600 online and mobile destinations in over 100 territories, said a media release. Donovan Williams, senior label manager at VPAL is enthusiastic about the recent signing of Trinbagonian talents. The music industry is changing daily and the services we offer is locked in with those changes, we have the resources to market and promote worldwide, therefore which allows our clients to compete globally with their music, he shares in the release. RKG, Tim Starr, Shurwayne Winchester, Ravi B, Saleem Beharry, Chris Garcia, Sally Sagram, Tony Prescott, K Kay Joseph, Adesh Samaroo, Jadel, Chef Jason, Nari Raghubir, Jesh Ramnanan, ONeil Bhajman, Rishi Singh, Rooplal G, Terry Seales, Soca Elvis, Andy Singh, Calypso Rose, The Mighty Sparrow and others will all benefit from distribution opportunities through VPAL Music. To be even more specific to Trinidad and Tobago VPAL extended its business to a recently established division; VPAL Soca. Many of the aforementioned names have been assigned to the soca division, joining the likes of Teddyson John, Alison Hinds, the release said. The agreement between VPAL and artiste, producers and small label owners is simple and straightforward a percentage of what is earned is maintained by VPAL, promotional assistance is provided and access to distribution channels that is difficult for the average artiste to obtain. Ravi B H1N1: Flu and you Although it was often referred to as swine flu, this name was misleading, as it was not spread by contact with pigs or pig products. Since this disease was new, the worlds population had little or no immunity to this strain of Influenza A (H1N1). After 2009, it started circulating as an annual seasonal flu virus, along with other viruses. Influenza A (H1N1) is now considered a regular virus that continues to circulate around the world, including the Caribbean . The typical flu season for the Caribbean is between September to March and this is the time when there is usually an increase in the number of people coming down with the flu, in the northern hemisphere . The peak of the flu season, or the time with the greatest number of infections, usually occurs around February, which frequently coincides with Carnival activities in Trinidad and Tobago, and is reflected in the virus that usually circulates in the immediate aftermath of the Carnival festivities . A person who has the flu releases tiny droplets containing the virus into the air when sneezing, coughing and talking . If you are standing nearby and you inhale these droplets, you can become infected. More commonly, if someone coughs or sneezes into their hands, then shakes hands with you, droplets containing flu virus can get onto your hands and can get into your system if you touch your eyes, nose or mouth. If the droplets get onto a frequently touched surface such as a doorknob, or counter-top, you can become infected by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your face, as mentioned above . The main symptoms of the flu include fever, headache, general aches and pains, tiredness or weakness and a dry, chesty cough . Although the flu is generally a mild disease, people who are most vulnerable, such as the elderly, pregnant women and those with underlying chronic conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity can have serious complications, leading to severe illness and possibly death if they become infected with the flu . People who get the flu should try to get plenty of rest, keep hydrated by drinking a lot of water and take paracetamol to reduce the fever and relieve aches and pain . Most people generally recover within one to two weeks without medical treatment. However, in the very young, the elderly and people with serious medical conditions, infection can lead to severe complications and even death. Those in vulnerable groups and people for whom the symptoms continue after a week should seek the advice of a physician . There are vaccines available which can be administered on an annual basis. Those at highest risk should get vaccinated because the genetic make-up of the virus that causes the flu changes every year . The best way to prevent yourself and your loved ones from getting the flu or spreading it to others is through practicing good hygiene through proper hand-washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; covering the mouth and nose with tissue or shirt sleeve when sneezing or coughing; the regular disinfecting and cleaning of surfaces such as door handles, telephones, etc. to get rid of germs; and avoiding contact with others by staying at home if you are sick. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) works with Ministries of Health to monitor several diseases including respiratory illness in member States . In so doing, information such as regional trends, risk groups, transmission characteristics and impact can be shared with countries to allow national decision makers to better prepare for upcoming seasons . Lorraine Francis, technical officer communicable disease and emergency response Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Get the news faster. Tap to install our app. Access Newser even faster. Click here to install our app on your desktop. X (Newser) Native American Harry Potter fans are feeling hurt, betrayed, and angry over JK Rowling's newest entry to her magical universe. History of Magic in North America: Fourteenth Century-Seventeenth Century was published online this week and focuses on Native American wizards, the Guardian reports. According to Mashable, the short story describes how Native American wizards are experts in magic relating to plants and animals. They're also great with potions and can often turn into animals at will. Rowling discusses the Navajo belief in skin-walkers, people who take on the forms of animals, but replaces it with her own concept of "Animagi," saying skin-walkers were "derogatory rumors" started by non-magical people. The story has led to accusations of colonialism and cultural appropriation from Native American readers and others, BuzzFeed reports. "I'm broken hearted," one fan tweets. "JK Rowling, my beliefs are not fantasy." "Thanks to [Rowling], hordes of non-native adults and kids are going to completely misunderstand and assume they are experts on Native Americans," tweets another. Adrienne Keene writes on Native Appropriations that the story is exacerbating the problem of Native Americans often being seen in a fantasy or magical context. "But were not magical creatures, were contemporary peoples who are still here and still practice our spiritual traditions, traditions that are not akin to a completely imaginary wizarding world (as badass as that wizarding world is)," she says. (Read more Harry Potter stories.) (Newser) The man charged with murdering a 9-year-old boy in Chicago allegedly "laughed and bragged" about the killing while in jail, DNAinfo reports. Prosecutors say 22-year-old Dwright Boone-Doty lured fourth-grader Tyshawn Lee into an alley in November and shot him as part of an ongoing gang feud. According to the Chicago Tribune, an informant in jail while Boone-Doty was being held on an unrelated gun charge was wearing a wire while Boone-Doty discussed the shooting. "Shorty couldnt take it no more," prosecutors quote Boone-Doty, allegedly describing Tyshawn during the shooting. Tyshawn was shot in the head, back, and arm; part of his thumb was also shot off. Evidence from the scene indicates Boone-Doty likely failed to kill Tyshawn with his first shot, the Chicago Sun Times reports. Prosecutors say Boone-Doty was writing a rap song about killing Tyshawn while in jail and was sorry he didn't go back to the park where he found Tyshawn to kill more kids. Authorities also claim Boone-Dotyalong with two alleged accomplicesat one point planned to kidnap Tyshawn and cut off his ears and fingers. Tyshawn was a backup target after killing his grandmother didn't work out, prosecutors say. A second man has been charged in the killing; a third is still wanted. Boone-Doty was charged with Tyshawn's murderas well as the murder of a 19-year-old woman weeks earlieron Monday. The father of three was ordered held without bail. Police say Tyshawn's father belongs to a rival gang. (Read more Chicago stories.) (Newser) Some people are threatening to leave the country if Donald Trump is elected president, but Keith Olbermann isn't waiting to make a move of a lesser sort. In a Washington Post op-ed, he writes that he's moving out of his Trump-owned building in New York City because he's tired of all things Trump. He's been there for "nine largely happy years," but Trump's candidacy has pushed him to pack up on principle. "I'm getting out because of the degree to which the very name 'Trump' has degraded the public discourse and the nation itself," he writes. "I can't hear, or see, or say that name any longer without spitting. Frankly, I'm running out of Trump spit." Trump, he writes, is all bluster and "coarseness," and it's clear the man "is startlingly unaware of how the presidency or even ordinary governance works." He recounts one meeting with the big man himself, in which he says Trump made what turned out to be false promises in "Eddie Haskell" fashion about addressing Olbermann's concerns about the building. Still, Olbermann sees one silver lining for Trump opponents, based on how long it took workers to install a revolving door and how many problems it caused. If a President Trump ever goes ahead with plans to build a wall on the Mexican border, "it'll take them about a thousand years to finish it." Click for the full column. (Read more Keith Olbermann stories.) (Newser) Last month Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval took himself out of the running for the Supreme Court vacancy left by the death of Antonin Scalia. Now another big name has bowed out: Attorney General Loretta Lynch, NBC News reports. "As the conversation around the Supreme Court vacancy progressed, the Attorney General determined that the limitations inherent in the nomination process would curtail her effectiveness in her current role," the Justice Department said in a statement Tuesday. "Given the urgent issues before the Department of Justice, she asked not to be considered for the position." The announcement from Lynch, who endured a contentious confirmation for her current role, comes as Republicans continue to vow to block any candidate selected by President Obama. On Monday, Texas Sen. John Cornyn said any Obama nominee would "bear some resemblance to a pinata" after the nomination process, per CNN. Fortune, meanwhile, notes that Lynch is well-regarded within the administration and would make headlines for being the first black woman on the Supreme Court, but NBC points out that "administration insiders" felt her name was thought to be a "non-starter" due to looming investigations. "While she is deeply grateful for the support and good wishes of all those who suggested her as a potential nominee, she is honored to serve as Attorney General, and she is fully committed to carrying out the work of the Department of Justice for the remainder of her term," the DoJ statement said. (Read more US Supreme Court stories.) (Newser) Kim Jong Un says North Korea has miniaturized nuclear warheads to mount on ballistic missiles and wants the military ready to mount preemptive attacks against the US and South Korea in response to joint military drills started this week. "The nuclear warheads have been standardized to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturizing them," state media quoted Kim as saying Wednesday, per Reuters. "This can be called true nuclear deterrent." Some analysts believe North Korea has had the technology since it first made the claim last year, though others are doubtful. "There are probably some technical difficulties there for hitting the United States," one tells CNN. But "we probably should not underestimate their capability ... if not today, then tomorrow." Kim also reportedly inspected a miniaturized hydrogen bomb the country claims to have tested on Jan. 6 and asked officials to boost the power and precision of its weapons, per the BBC. A day earlier, South Korea announced it was blacklisting several people involved with Pyongyang's weapons program. However, a UN panel report released Tuesday notes North Korea has been "effective in evading sanctions." In particular, Pyongyang is continuing to participate in banned trade "facilitated by the low level of implementation of Security Council resolutions by Member States," the report continued. "The reasons are diverse, but include lack of political will, inadequate enabling legislation, lack of understanding of the resolutions and low prioritization." (Read more North Korea stories.) (Newser) ISIS honcho Omar the Chechenalso known as Abu Omar al-Shishani and Tarkhan Batirashviliwas almost certainly killed alongside a dozen fighters in an American airstrike in Syria last week, US officials say. The Georgian national, whose red beard and willingness to appear in videos made him one of the group's most recognized spokesmen, held titles including "Minister of War" and was high on the anti-ISIS coalition's hit list, NBC News reports. Pentagon officials describe al-Shishani, an ethnic Chechen who grew up in Georgia's notoriously militant-heavy Pankisi Gorge region, as a "battle-tested leader" whose death will damage the ability of ISIS to recruit Chechens and other foreign fighters, the AP reports. (US troops captured a "significant" ISIS operative in Iraq last week.) (Newser) The ex-Marine accused of trying to murder a pastor in Idaho on Sunday is in custody after allegedly chucking material over the White House fence. Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Lee White says Kyle Odom was arrested "safely and without incident" by Secret Service agents at around 5:30pm on Tuesday after throwing flash drives and other items over the fence, the Los Angeles Times reports. The 30-year-old Iraq vet is suspected of shooting pastor Tim Remington outside his church as many as six times, reports the Washington Post. The pastor is in stable condition and regained consciousness Monday. The shootings made headlines partly because Remington had led a prayer at a Ted Cruz campaign rally a day earlier. KXLY reports that it, along with other media outlets, received a rambling manifesto and other documents believed to be from Odom. Hours before his arrest on Tuesday, Odom's Facebook profile picture was changed to a drawing of an alien and a new post read: "Things are not what they appear to be. The world is ruled by ancient civilization from Mars. Pastor Tim was one of them, and he was the reason my life was ruined. I will be sharing my story with as many people as possible. I don't have time right now, they are chasing me. I shot Pastor Tim 12 times, there is no way any human could have survived that event." (Read more Idaho stories.) (Newser) The 8-year-old Rhode Island boy whose dying wish was to become famous in China has diedwith that wish granted. Dorian Murray, who was diagnosed with an untreatable form of cancer at age 4, told his father his unusual last wish and his father asked people to spread it on social media with the hashtag #DStrong, the AP reports. As a result, Dorian became famous not just in China, but around the world; people sent pictures and good wishes from all over, and even celebrities got in on the movement. "Dorian J. Murray (#dstrong) has gained his beautiful angel wings tonight and is now pain free," a family friend posted on his official Facebook page Tuesday. "He was surrounded by people who love him and his transition to heaven was very peaceful. He was embraced by both mom and dad." Boston.com notes that Dorian was famous not just abroad but on his home turf as well: The Rhode Island Assembly has named January 20 "DStrong Day," and Dorian was present in the House and Senate chambers when the proclamation was read. He also received visits from multiple New England Patriots, WPRI reports, and thousands of people gathered on a Rhode Island beach to form "#D-STRONG" in the sand. A prior post on his Facebook page notes that the family will "[keep] his name and the #dstrong movement alive forever" through the Dorian J. Murray Foundation, a nonprofit organization that aims to bring awareness of pediatric cancer to a level "that is impossible to ignore." It will also raise funds for pediatric cancer research and offer support to families of children battling cancer. (Read more cancer stories.) (Newser) Michele Bachmann is blasting President Obama as "self-centered" and "classless" after the White House announced he would not attend Nancy Reagan's funeral on Friday. Instead, he'll attend the technology and music festival South by Southwest as a headliner and discuss civic engagement with The Texas Tribune's Evan Smith, reports Mediaite. His appearance was scheduled before Reagan's death, reports the Hill. Michelle Obama will be at the funeral, though. She also attended Betty Ford's funeral in 2011 when the president couldn't make it. (Obama also took flak for skipping Antonin Scalia's funeral.) (Newser) A Chinese man who apparently really wanted an iPhone sold his 18-day-old infant daughter on social media in order to get one, the Independent reports, citing local media. The man and the baby's mother were both 19 when they had the not-planned-for baby last year, and the manidentified only as "A Duan"just recently turned himself in, the Epoch Times reports, also citing regional media. The buyer read about the baby on popular Chinese social media platform QQ and bought her for his sister for $3,520. Police say Duan intended to use the money to buy an iPhone and a motorbike. According to some reports, Duan sold the infant without the consent of her mother, who was devastated at the turn of events; the Metro, however, also citing local media, says she agreed to the sale. Police found her and arrested her, and she told them she "really didn't know that it was illegal" to sell your child, noting, "Many people in my hometown send their kids to other people to raise them." The judge ultimately gave her a suspended sentence of two and a half years, while Duan, after turning himself in, got three years in prison. As for the baby, the buyer's sister still has her since her parents can't raise her, and officials are reportedly considering what the "best course of action" is. (This has happened before.) (Newser) Another former presidential candidate is picking sides, and this time it's not in favor of Donald Trump. Carly Fiorina on Wednesday endorsed Ted Cruz at a rally in Miami, reports Politico. "I checked the box for Ted Cruz," she told his supporters, praising him as a "reformer" and saying he's the only candidate who can beat Trump. She said she's "horrified" by the rise of Trump and likened him to another of her favorite targets, Hillary Clinton. "The truth is that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are two sides of the same coin," she said, per the Hill. "They aren't going to reform the system. They are the system." (One columnist thinks "settling" for Cruz as a Trump alternative could doom the GOP.) (Newser) Tech writer Farhad Manjoo has high praise for Amazon's Echo: "Amazon seems on the verge of building something like Iron Mans Jarvis, the artificial-intelligence brain at the center of all your household activities," he writes in the New York Times. Tech companies have been searching for years for the successor to the smartphone as the "Next Great Gadget," and Manjoo thinks the Echo is the best candidate for that title. For those not in the know, the Echo is a screenless computer you control with your voiceyou can tell it to play music, launch a workout, read you the news or the weather, call you an Uber, add items to your grocery list, and much more. "Many in the industry have long looked to the smartphone as the remote control for your world," Manjoo writes, but often having to use a touchscreen is too much work, and the Echo's voice-control capabilities are more intuitive than Siri's (and can be utilized from across a room). "The longer I use it, the more regularly it inspires the same sense of promise I felt when I used the first iPhonea sense this machine is opening up a vast new realm in personal computing, and gently expanding the role that computers will play in our future," Manjoo writes. This is "a gadget that has the potential to become a dominant force in the most intimate of environments: our homes." Full column here. (Read more Amazon.com stories.) (Newser) Reports surfaced last week that US special forces had captured a prominent but unidentified player in the Islamic State, and it turns out those reports weren't exaggerated. The detainee in Iraq has been identified as the head of the group's burgeoning chemical weapons unit, reports the AP. Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, thought to be about 50, previously worked in Saddam Hussein's military with the same specialty. He's been in US custody for a month now and has given up information about how ISIS converts mustard gas into powder for use in artillery shells, reports the New York Times. Evidence of such weapons has turned up in Syria and Iraq. A defense official tells the Times that these ISIS shells are potent enough to maim but not kill. What remains unclear is how the group got its hands on the sulfur mustard needed for the weaponry. Also not clear is exactly what kind of information al-Afari has given up, though the AP reports that the US-led coalition has conducted airstrikes on suspected chemical facilities in Iraq within the last week. The US says it plans to turn over the prisoner to Iraqi or Kurdish authorities eventually, and a representative from the International Committee of the Red Cross has visited him in custody. (Read more ISIS stories.) (Newser) Shop owners on Wednesday inspected walls that were ripped to shreds by an early morning natural gas explosion in Seattle and marveled that the blast had caused no serious injuries. Crews were responding to reports of a gas leak when the explosion occurred about 1:40am along a main thoroughfare in a neighborhood north of downtown. The blast sent nine firefighters to a hospital; all were treated and released. There were no reports of other injuries or missing people, the AP reports. Still, dogs searched the rubble. The cause of the explosion that damaged 36 businesses, destroying some, was under investigation. "The most important thing is that no one died and this happened at two in the morning and not two in the afternoon," said Chris Maykut, owner of Chaco Canyon Organic Cafe. "If it had happened at two in the afternoon, things would be really bad right now." (Read more gas leak stories.) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) has passed a resolution condemning the destructive and divisive slogans raised during the controversial event at the university campus on February 9. It has also resolved to fight against the sedition law and has decided to explore all possible ways to get it scrapped from the IPC. The union demanded immediate release of JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, who are still in judicial custody in sedition case. This council mandates JNUSU to fight against this onslaught and ensure that suspensions of all JNU students are withdrawn and all criminal charges, including sedition, levied on them are withdrawn. The JNUSU must also explore all possible means to get the sedition law scrapped from the IPC, the council resolved. This council holds the council meeting called by the JNUSU joint secretary on February 19, 2016, as null and void and thus the resolutions passed therein have no effect on the incumbent council, it said. The JNSU also demanded to scrap AFSPA and said that human rights violations against minorities, adivasis and Dalits should be stopped. The council also condemns the sedition charges that have been slapped against political leaders who stood with JNU including Sitaram Yechury, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal and D Raja, one of the 17 resolutions said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A day after President Pranab Mukherjee turned down the invitation to attend Sri Sri Ravi Shankars controversial Art of Living event, it has been learnt that now Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also likely to say no to it. According to sources, the Prime Minister may refuse to attend the event following security concerns sited by the Special Protection Group (SPG). Modi was to inaugurate the controversial three-day event on Friday planned on the flood plains of river Yamuna, raising environmental concerns. Meanwhile, the Congress on Tuesday attacked Modi over the use of Army soldiers to build bridges for a private event on Yamuna floodplains. Calling it shameful, the Congress asked is this his type of nationalism and patriotism. According to sources, agencies are concerned about PMs visit to the venue, fearing a major stampede because of poor evacuation plan. Furthermore, the sources say that the river bed is not safe to accommodate a large gathering and only two pontoon bridges are placed instead of seven that were proposed. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Do you know about Clara Rockmore whom Google is celebrating today? She was one of the worlds first prominent electronic musicians. Google is celebrating 105th birthday of Clara today. The tech giant produces an animated musical doodle with a strange looking instrument called, theremin which Clara used to perform as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestra. Surprising facts: Clara learned to play violin under the virtuoso Leopold Auer, but due to persistent bone problems, she had to quit playing it. She became the youngest person to join the Imperial Conservatory of St Petersburg, which she joined aged just five. Theremin was created by Leon Theremin which she took after she quit playing violin and became the renowned player of this instrument. Rockmore was born in Lithuania in 1911 and died in 1998. So whats more interesting about todays doodle is it is created by artist Robinson Wood, interaction designer Kevin Burke, and engineers Will Knowles and Kris Hom (with support from the larger Doodle engineering team). Google doodle allows the user first to learn through musical lessons trying to explore how the musical instrument called theremin actually functions. The best part is its for all age groups and has three lessons to learn. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Pakistan has launched formal probe into the reports and allegations that Indias RAW gave money to Karachi-based Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party to destabilise the country, officials said today. Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan tasked the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to probe various allegations of funding by Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) to MQM dominated by Urdu-speaking people who migrated from India to Pakistan after partition in 1947. An official of the Interior Ministry said that the initiative was taken after a prominent businessman and London-based confidante of MQM Sarfaraz Merchant said in a recent TV interview that he had seen proof of Indian funding to MQM. He said that India also provided money to buy weapons. Merchant said several lists of weapons had been found in the house of MQM chief Altaf Hussain in London during a raid by Scotland Yard in 2014. India has repeatedly dismissed the claim that it was funding the MQM to destabilise Pakistan. MQM on Monday also rejected as false and baseless the allegations against it of having ties with RAW. Hussain fled to the UK in 1992 and later got British citizenship. He has been running the party from London where he is being probed by London police for money laundering. FIA plans to interrogate Merchant and others. Pakistan will also ask the UK at an appropriate time how and why Hussain, a British citizen, was using Indian money to destabilise Pakistan, the officials said. Karachi has seen widespread violence for over decades and MQM is often blamed for it but the party always had denied it. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the chief of Art of Living Foundation, has made an appeal to the political parties to not to politicise the World Cultural Festival 2016, scheduled to be held on the banks of Yamuna river on Friday. "The event is being held to unite all cultures, nations, religions and ideologies. Let's come together," the Art of Living founder said in a tweet. I appeal to all parties to not politicize the #WCF2016. It is to unite all cultures, nations, religions & ideologies. Let's come together! Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (@SriSri) March 9, 2016 Earlier on Wednesday, the Opposition criticised the government in Parliament for the use of Army for a private event. The government, however, defended Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and said he was committed to protect the environment and that his intensions cannot be doubted. The government also claimed that the event is being organised with all permissions. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is facing legal proceedings for allegedly defaulting loans of over Rs 9,000 crores from various banks, has left the country a week back, government today informed the Supreme Court. I spoke to the CBI little while ago and it told me that on March 2 he (Mallya) left the country, Attorney General(AG) Mukul Rohatgi told the bench comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman. The bench issued notice to Mallya and sought his response within two weeks on pleas filed by a consortium of banks seeking direction for freezing his passport and his presence before the apex court. Since the court was informed that Mallya has already left the country, probably to UK, the bench allowed the plea of AG that the notice to him can be served through his official Rajya Sabha Email ID, Indian High Commission at London and also through counsel representing him before various high courts, Debt Recovery Tribunal and also through his Company. During the brief hearing, the AG said that amount of more than Rs 9,000 crore was due to various banks and on one or the other pretext Mallya avoided to settle them. There have been various proceedings going on against him in debt recovery tribunals in Bangalore and Goa, he said. When the bench wanted to know what was the petitioner seeking, the AG said there was a need for a garnishee order and there was also a need for disclosure on behalf of Mallya. Rohatgi said the banks were seeking an order that Mallya should appear in person before this court and also sought a direction for freezing his passport. The AG said that Mallya has assets, both movable and immovable, abroad which are far excessive to loans secured by him here. At this, the bench wanted to know how the banks have granted him loan under such circumstances. The AG said the loans were granted keeping in mind that Kingfisher Airlines had a fleet of aircraft as well as brand value and loans were given also on the basis of the logo and the aircraft were attached to the third party. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: National Green Tribunal has given a go ahead to the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art Of Living event on Yamuna riverbed with a total fine of Rs 5 crores and certain conditions. Several concerns like shaky stage and ill effects on environment were the prime reasons NGT had asked AOL to submit details of expenses on construction of stage, levelling of flood plains, removal of debris and pontoon bridge. Taking class of authorities from Centre to state government NGT had posted question - "Ever seen this kind and scale of construction activity in Delhi, especially on the flood plain?" Union Water and Resource Minister Uma Bharti today said ministry has no role in "giving or cancelling" permission to Art of Living Foundation's World Cultural Festival. Talking to reporters here, she wished the event a "great success" and said she was "very sure" followers of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of Art of Living, were "committed to environment" and that there will be "no damage caused" by the event. "I saw my ministry's name was appearing on TV screens. So, I want to make it very clear that my ministry has no role in giving or cancelling permission (to the event). I am totally with Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji and I wish all the success to his event," she said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Pakistan along with its all-weather ally China has successfully blocked Indias bid to become a member of the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group, Pakistan Prime Ministers Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has said. India has been seeking membership to the 48-member nuclear club, whose members can trade in and export nuclear technology. NSG is a powerful multinational body concerned with reducing nuclear proliferation. Pakistan with the cooperation of China had successfully blocked Indias bid to seek membership of the NSG, Aziz told the Senate yesterday. While countries like the US have backed Indias membership in the NSG, China has only offered conditional support to New Delhi. Chinas Foreign Ministry had called for prudence and caution over expanding the NSG. Asked whether China wants to back any other countrys entry into NSG, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying had said, as for the expansion of the group, the members should make the decision on consensus after thorough discussions. Indias inclusion into this group is an internal matter of the group. It needs prudence and caution and thorough discussions among all members. We support such discussion and we also support Indias inclusion into this group if it meets all the requirements, she had said in January last year. In November, media reports said China had assured Islamabad that if India is granted membership of the NSG, China would ensure that Pakistan also joined the group. Pakistan has been saying that if it is deprived of NSG membership while India is accommodated, it would be taken as discrimination and lead to an imbalance in the region. Chinese and Pakistani leaders have views their relationship as all-weather. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mumbai: Market regulator Sebi today imposed a fine of Rs 1 crore on Classic Global Finance & Capital for failing to redress investor complaints within the required time frame. According to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), four complaints against the firm were lying unresolved. The regulator said that in spite of providing opportunity to the company for personal hearing, there was no response from it and the firm also did not refute the charges. The company was already registered with regulators online complaint redressal system, SCORES, the order said. Taking note of section 15C of the Sebi Act where the violation attracts the penalty of Rs 1 lakh for each day during which such failure continues or Rs 1 crore, whichever is less, Sebi slapped the fine on Classic Global Finance & Capital. Sebi said that the penalty has to be paid within 45 days of receipt of this order. SCORES, launched by Sebi in June 2011, provides a centralised database of all complaints. Online movement of complaints to the concerned listed companies and upload of ATRs by the concerned companies are done through this system. It also helps investors view, track and follow up the actions taken on their grievances. The online redressal system has significantly helped in reducing the processing time of complaints. In a separate order, Sebi disposed of adjudication proceedings in the case of Modern Steels Ltd, against whom a complaint was also pending. Since, the firm had obtained SCORES authentication and the complaint does not fall in the ambit of Sebi, the regulator disposed of the proceedings. Guwahati: BJP tonight announced the names of 88 candidates for the Assam assembly polls including those of its chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal, former Congress leader Himanta Biswa Sarma and Lok Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasha, who has been fielded against Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. The partys Central Election Committee (CEC) cleared the names for all but two of the 90 seats it will contest in the polls for the 126-member state assembly. The party also cleared 52 candidates for the election to 294-member West Bengal assembly. Party chief Amit Shah chaired the meeting which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi besides other CEC members. Our list of candidates has the representation of greater Assamese society. It is a reflection of greater Assam, Union Minister and partys Parliamentary Board secretary J P Nadda told a press conference. Several Congress MLAs, who joined the saffron party along with Sarma, have been given tickets as well. Seeking to corner Gogoi in his constituency, BJP has pitted its MP Tasha from the Congress leaders constituency of Titabor. Sonowal will contest from Majuli, a reserved seat for ST, while Sarma has been fielded from Jalukbari. The partys decision to contest 90 seats means that some of its candidates will have a friendly fight with allies like AGP or Bodoland Peoples Front. We had announced Mission 84 for Assam. So we had to fight a few seats more than this. Some of the fight will be strategic, a leader said, adding that some smaller allies will field their candidates on the BJPs symbol. Terming infiltration from Bangladesh as a major poll issue, BJP has forged a rainbow coalition with several regional outfits in its bid to wrest power from the Congress which has been ruling the state for the last 15 years. Assam goes to the polls in two phases on April 4 and 11. The Election Commission today tweaked the date of filing nominations for the second phase of assembly elections in Assam as it was clashing with the biennial polls to two Rajya Sabha seats in the state. Congress in Assam earlier today urged the Commission to reschedule the March 21 Rajya Sabha elections citing the issue. The nomination process of assembly polls in the state begins next month. On the due consideration of the matter, the Commission has decided to slightly modify some of the dates for the second phase of the general election to the Legislative Assembly of Assam whereby there is a change in the date of notification, last date of making nomination and date of scrutiny, the EC said in a statement. Now, instead of March 14, the notification for phase 2 will be issued on March 15 and the last date of filing nominations would be March 22 instead of March 21. The last date of withdrawing nominations will remain the sameMarch 26 and the poll will be held as announced on April 11. Earlier in the day, in a memorandum submitted to the Commission, the state unit of Congress said March 21 is the last date of withdrawing nominations for the first phase of assembly elections on April 4 and the last date of filing of nominations for the second phase of polls on April 11. Biennial elections to 13 Rajya Sabha seats in six states, including Assam and Kerala, will be held on March 21. 12 of the 13 seats are falling vacant in April. In Assam, both the seats falling vacant belong to Congress. Rajya Sabha members are elected by the elected members of the Legislative Assembly in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. The party said since MLAs would be busy with electioneering and nomination process, they would find it difficult to reach Dispur to cast their votes for the Rajya Sabha polls. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Racist City Employees Are on Notice, and 9 Other Greater Cincinnati News Stories You May Have Missed This Week Catch up on local government, politics, sports, celeb sightings and Halloween fun. NEW FAIRFIELD The simmering discontent among parents and teachers about Schools Superintendent Alicia Roy could boil over Thursday during a community meeting at Company A Firehouse. Thursdays meeting, which begins at 7 p.m., comes a week after scores of parents packed a school board meeting to present a petition of no confidence in Roy, joined by teachers who object to an administrative reorganization plan that Roy had a hand in drafting. Organizer Jennifer Brakenwagen said the purpose of the meeting is to craft a coherent message from the community to the school board. Its not a complaint session, she said. Its a chance for dialogue so we can present a clear vision to the Board of Education. For months, parents have repeatedly spoken during the public comment portion of school board meetings to voice frustrations with unsatisfactory test scores, a troubled special education program and poor communications between the public and school officials. The complaints came to a head last week when one parent started the no-confidence movement with an online petition that had been signed by 475 people by early Tuesday afternoon. The petition cited problems in the district during Roys tenure as superintendent, including the downward spiral of performance in our schools, the disintegration of teacher morale, and the hiring of a (special education administrator) with a questionable background. The petition also mentioned lawsuits that have embroiled the district recently, including a $2 million federal suit claiming the schools failed to protect an 11-year-old girl from school-based harassment. It also charges that Roy has led through manipulation, intimidation, fear-mongering and dishonesty throughout her tenure in New Fairfield. The high school faculty meanwhile started their own petition against a proposal that would have the principals at the middle and high schools oversee the two schools together. The principal with the most experience would act as senior principal and the other would report to him or her. Teachers opposed the restructuring, saying it will impede communication between staff and administration, it will lead to administrative inefficiency and a lack of support and it will potentially put the safety and security of students, which is paramount, in jeopardy. That petition was signed by 85 percent of the 100 high school staffers. Board members took no action on the petitions, but board member Samantha Mannion said she plans to ask for an executive session at the boards next meeting on March 22 to discuss the public concerns. Roy addressed the parents petition during the superintendents report Thursday. She said she was disappointed to learn of it and suggested that their concerns should be expressed in face-to-face meetings before escalating it to a public setting and that personal attacks should be avoided. Board Chairman Steve Burfeind defended Roy during last weeks meeting, saying she has drawn unfair criticism from the public for ideas the board asked her to explore, including the restructuring plan. Dr. Roy gets a lot of flak for things brought forward to the board, he said. After months of negotiations, the union representing technicians, therapists and licensed practical nurses at Danbury and New Milford hospitals says it has reached a tentative agreement with the Western Connecticut Health Network. Approximately 260 members of the Danbury and New Milford Federation of Healthcare Technical Employees will vote on the agreement Thursday. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Danbury and New Milford. NEW MILFORD The town Sewer Commission, which is considering possible rate increases to help repay bond debt from the 2012 plant expansion, is asking residents to weigh in on the idea. The commission will hold a public hearing on the issue at 7 p.m. March 17 in the E. Paul Martin Room of Town Hall. In the years since $22.2 million in bonds were sold to finance the plant expansion, the commission has had to seek help from the town to make the annual debt payments. To date, the town has paid $4.5 million on the commissions behalf. The commission has told Mayor David Gronbach that it can pay just $1 million of the $1.9 million due for 2016-17., and has asked the town to forgive the $4.5 million now recorded on the towns book as accounts receivable. Gronbach has said the town will make sure the bond debt for the year is covered, but the $4.5 million will not be forgiven. The Sewer Commission wants a bailout, Gronbach said. I said no. Sewer Commission chairman Frank Bidetti did not return calls seeking comment. Gronbach repeated his previous recommendation that the commission aggressively seek to raise revenue by connecting more customers. They have to start operating in a way where everyone in the district has to be connected, the mayor said. The plan is not to simply raise usage fees its to reduce connection fees so more businesses will connect and revenue can be made. I have people calling everyday upset about the cost of connecting to the line, Gronbach continued. Sometimes those connection fees dont make sense. For instance, a laundromat with small square-footage but that is using way more water will pay a smaller fee than a large retail store using far less water. Gronbach added that while he cant dictate how the Sewer Commission run its plant, he feels obliged to make suggestions. He said he cannot understand why the Citgo station at Route 7 and Pickett District Road was allowed to install a new septic system during a recent expansion instead of connecting to the sewer line. In 2004, five miles of new sewer line was installed on the southern stretch of Route 7, yet most businesses and residences along that route remain on septic systems today, according to Sewer Commission vice chairman Michael Bensema. Gronbach believes all commercial businesses in the district should be connected to the lines so that revenue can be raised with connection fees as well as usage charges. The plant has capacity to process 2 million gallons of effluent daily but is underutilized, he said. Eventually, as the number of businesses and residential units connected to the sewer lines increase, the fees should be able to decrease, Gronbach said. Nobody has addressed this for years. At present 2,581 residential units and 1,351 commercial units are connected to the sewer line. The plant was expanded at the behest of the state Department of Environmental Protection, which issued an administrative order in January 2009 requiring the town to begin expanding the outmoded treatment plant by Sept. 30 of that year. The expansion was completed that April 2012, doubling its 1 million capacity. stuz@newstimes.com; 203-731-3352 TORONTO, March 8, 2016 /CNW/ - 01 Communique Laboratory Inc. (ONE:TSX-V) today announced results for its first quarter fiscal 2016, which ended January 31, 2016. The loss and comprehensive loss was $455,506 (2015 - $391,799). The adjusted loss, which excludes non-cash expenses for stock-based compensation and depreciation, was $311,061 (2015 - $344,917). The Company completed the period with $378,785 of cash and cash equivalents. "After considering our options with respect to the results of our lawsuit against Citrix Systems Inc. ("Citrix") we plan to continue with the appeal process," said Andrew Cheung, President and CEO for 01 Communique. "Yesterday, we filed post-trial motions with the District Court that presided over the trial. These included motions for renewed judgment as a matter of law and for a new trial. Citrix's opposition brief to these motions is due April 11, 2016 and our reply is due April 28, 2016. After all briefs are filed a decision by the District Court is expected and then an appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit can be taken, if needed." An Update on the Company's Operations follows: In addition to moving forward with the appeal process in its patent lawsuit against Citrix the Company plans to continue and work with Hitachi as well as approach other companies with a goal for them to license the Company's products and technology. Substantially all development work has been completed on the products that the Company is looking to license and with respect to the appeal process the Company relies on its lawyers and hence minimal internal resources are expected. Accordingly, the Company has reduced operating expenses significantly as it works through the appeal process. To assist in achieving this expense reduction the Company's executive management and board of directors are not drawing a salary. Operating expenses for first quarter 2016 were $452,214 (2015 - $403,480). Excluding non cash expenses for stock based compensation and depreciation the cash operating expenses for first quarter 2016 were $307,769 (2015 - $349,940) a reduction of $42,171. After taking into account the recent expense reductions the cash operating expenses for the second quarter 2016 are expected to be approximately $75,000. The Company has received a patent in Japan, Patent Nos. 5,832,027 for its patent application entitled (as translated) "Private communication portal provision system for two-way pager network, has location facility computer for facilitating communication between two other computers". Background on the Company's patent lawsuit against Citrix: In February 2006, the Company commenced a lawsuit in the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, against Citrix alleging infringement by their GoToMyPC product line of the '479 Patent. On January 11, 2016 a jury trial commenced in the lawsuit with the jury reaching and returning a unanimous verdict on January 19, 2016. The Court entered Judgment as follows: Defendants Citrix have not infringed claims 24 or 45 of 01 Communique's patent (United States Patent No. 6,928,479); Claims 24 and 45 of United States Patent No. 6,928,479 are not invalid; Plaintiff 01 Communique takes no damages from Citrix; Except as set forth above or adjudicated through Summary Judgment, all other claims and counterclaims in this matter are dismissed; Each party retains its right to, and does not waive its right to, file timely motions for renewed judgment as a matter of law, for new trial, for the award of attorneys' fees, for the award of costs, and to prosecute an appeal from any aspect of the case to the extent allowed by statute, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and/or this Court. Neither TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About 01 Communique Established in 1992, 01 Communique Laboratory Inc. (TSX-V:ONE) offers a suite of remote access services designed for small-medium sized business, mobile professionals and IT service providers. 01's software as a service offerings are deployed on-demand and include functionality enabling on-line meetings, remote computing and IT support. 01's suite of products includes its remote access offering I'm InTouch (www.imintouch.com), its online meeting offering (www.imintouchmeeting.com) and its remote support offering I'm OnCall (www.imoncall.com ) products are protected in the U.S.A. by its patents #6,928,479 / #6,938,076 / #8,234,701 and in Canada by its patents #2,309,398 / #2,524,039 and Japan by its patent #4,875,094. For more information, visit www.01com.com or call (905) 795-888 or (800) 668-2185 (North America only). Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements. Certain statements in this news release may constitute "forward-looking" statements which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, such statements use such words as "may", "will", "expect", "believe", "plan", "intend", "are confident" and other similar terminology. These statements reflect current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the company's Annual Information Form filed on SEDAR. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, the company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. 01 Communique Laboratory Inc. SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION Consolidated Statements of Financial Position Unaudited 31-Jan-16 31-Oct-15 Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 378,785 $ 551,205 Accounts receivable 119,070 112,034 Prepaid expenses and other assets 20,397 21,618 518,252 684,857 Property and equipment 7,695 8,596 $ 525,947 $ 693,453 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 569,271 $ 549,499 Deferred revenue 13,929 15,081 583,200 564,580 Liability portion of Debenture 363,204 359,714 946,404 924,294 Shareholders' equity Share capital 40,670,777 40,628,777 Equity portion of Debenture 47,111 47,111 Contributed surplus 5,260,887 5,036,997 Deficit (46,399,232) (45,943,726) (420,457) (230,841) $ 525,947 $ 693,453 01 Communique Laboratory Inc. SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income For the 3 month periods ended January 31, 2016 and 2015 Unaudited for the 3 months ending 31-Jan-16 31-Jan-15 Revenue $ 9,494 $ 11,108 Expenses (income): Selling, general and administrative 263,761 201,098 Patent litigation & re-examination expenses - 6,658 Research and development 188,453 195,724 Interest (704) (573) 451,510 402,907 Loss before interest and accretion on liability component of debenture $ (442,016) $ (391,799) Interest on debenture 10,000 - Accretion on liability portion of debenture 3,490 - Loss for the period and comprehensive loss $ (455,506) $ (391,799) Loss per common share Basic $ (0.01) $ (0.01) Diluted $ (0.01) $ (0.01) Weighted average number of common shares Basic 66,344,894 65,743,807 Diluted 66,344,894 65,743,807 01 Communique Laboratory Inc. SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows For the 3 month periods ended January, 2016 and 2015 three months ending 31-Jan-16 31-Jan-15 Cash provided by (used in): Operating activities: Loss for the period $ (455,506) $ (391,799) Adjustments to reconcile the loss for the period to net cash flows from operating activities Depreciation 1,555 1,798 Stock-based compensation 142,890 45,084 Accretion on liability portion of debenture 3,490 - Interest paid on debenture 10,000 - Interest income (704) (573) Change in non-cash working capital 12,806 (173,749) (285,469) (519,239) Interest income received 704 573 (284,765) (518,666) Financing activities: Exercise of stock options 123,000 - Interest paid on debenture (10,000) - Investing activities: Purchase of capital assets (655) (681) Increase (decrease) in cash (172,420) (519,347) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 551,205 1,370,813 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 378,785 $ 851,466 SOURCE 01 Communique Laboratory Inc. For further information: INVESTOR CONTACT: Brian Stringer, Chief Financial Officer, 01 Communique, (905) 795-2888 x204, [email protected] Partnership celebrates the continued advancement of professional women TORONTO, March 8, 2016 /CNW/ - With today marking International Women's Day, Corby Spirit and Wine is pleased to announce it is partnering with Women of Influence for the second year in a row as the organization's exclusive spirits and wine sponsor. Corby will also support the Women of Influence Evening Series, an annual series of seven events, profiling prominent women throughout the country. Recognized for the fourth consecutive year by the Great Place to Work Institute, Corby is known for its commitment to celebrating diversity and cultivating an inclusive workplace culture where employees, regardless of gender, can thrive. "Corby is proud to be renewing its partnership with a fantastic organization like Women of Influence," says, Amandine Robin, Director of Communications, PR & CSR for Corby Spirit and Wine. "Empowering professional women to continue to reach for their goals is important to Corby, and through our partnership, we have an opportunity to help celebrate and showcase the achievements of inspiring women across the country." Women of Influence, now in its 22nd year, is one of North America's leading organizations offering solutions to further women's career advancement. With courses in executive leadership, global events, and print and digital content, Women of Influence annually reaches over 200,000 professional women and men across Canada and internationally. "Women have a very important and distinct role in today's workplace" says Anna Seymour, Director of Strategic Planning, Insights & Innovation for Corby Spirit and Wine. "We offer tremendous value that both businesses and consumers benefit from, especially in male dominated categories such as spirits. We're thrilled to stand alongside Women of Influence in support of all women striving for personal and professional success." "We are proud to be partnering for another year with Corby Spirit and Wine, a company that truly believes in and supports women's career advancement," says Alicia Skalin, Co-CEO of Women of Influence. "It is through strong partnerships with committed organizations that we are able to provide the resources women need to help them connect, advance, and lead." The next Women of Influence event is Luncheon in Toronto on March 23rd, featuring Chief News Anchor and Senior Editor of CTV News, Lisa LaFlamme, who will share insights of reporting on the most important stories, disasters and crises of the day to millions of viewers across Canada. Women of Influence's next Evening Series event is scheduled for May 4th in Toronto. Further details around events can be found at www.womenofinfluence.ca. Follow Corby Spirit and Wine and Women of Influence on LinkedIn to stay informed about upcoming events. For career opportunities at Corby Spirit and Wine, visit corby.ca/careers. About Women of Influence Inc. Women of Influence, now in its 22nd year, is one of North America's leading organization offering solutions to further women's career advancement. With courses in executive leadership, global events, and print and digital content, Women of Influence annually reaches over 200,000 professional women and men across Canada and internationally. Signature events include the Women of Influence Luncheon Series and the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards. For more information, please visit www.womenofinfluence.com About Corby Corby Spirit and Wine Limited is a leading Canadian marketer and distributor of spirits and imported wines. Corby's portfolio of owned-brands includes some of the most renowned brands in Canada, including J.P. Wiser's, Lot No. 40, Pike Creek, and Gooderham & Worts Canadian whiskies as well as Lamb's rum, Polar Ice vodka and McGuinness and Criollo liqueurs. Through its affiliation with Pernod Ricard S.A., a global leader in the spirits and wine industry, Corby also represents leading international brands such as ABSOLUT vodka, Chivas Regal, The Glenlivet and Ballantine's Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Beefeater gin, Malibu rum, Kahlua liqueur, Mumm champagne, and Jacob's Creek, Wyndham Estate, Stoneleigh, Campo Viejo, Graffigna and Kenwood wines. In 2015, Corby was named one of the 50 Best Workplaces in Canada by The Great Place to Work Institute Canada for the fourth consecutive year, and was also listed among Greater Toronto's Top 100 Employers. Corby is a publicly traded company based in Toronto, Ontario, and listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbols CSW.A and CSW.B. For further information, please visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter (@CorbySW), and Instagram (@CorbySW). SOURCE Corby Spirit and Wine Communications Image with caption: "Corby will provide the elegant and timeless Chloe Wine Collection at seven upcoming Women of Influence events, where attendees have the opportunity to connect over drinks and hors d'oeuvres while building a network of professional females. (CNW Group/Corby Spirit and Wine Communications)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160308_C6318_PHOTO_EN_638139.jpg Image with caption: "With today marking International Womens Day, Corby Spirit and Wine is pleased to announce it is partnering with Women of Influence for the second year in a row as the organization's exclusive spirits and wine sponsor. (CNW Group/Corby Spirit and Wine Communications)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160308_C6318_PHOTO_EN_638137.jpg For further information: Amandine Robin, Director, Communications, Public Relations and CSR, Corby Spirit and Wine, Email: [email protected], Telephone: (416) 479-2492 OTTAWA, March 8, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, on International Women's Day, Canada's human rights watchdog is re-affirming its commitment to finding solutions that will improve the lives of Indigenous women and girls in Canada. The Canadian Human Rights Commission is adding its voice to those of Indigenous women across the country who are urgently calling for greater equality, increased access to justice, and improved safety for Indigenous women and girls in Canada. Following two years of in-depth conversations between the Commission and various Indigenous women and organizations, the Commission made available its report that highlights 21 barriers to human rights justice that Indigenous women and girls face every day across Canada. The report puts a focus on the words of many of the participants, shining a light on what these women argue is needed to help improve human rights justice for Indigenous women and girls, particularly those in vulnerable circumstances. "Access to human rights justice remains elusive for far too many Indigenous women and girls," maintains Chief Commissioner Marie-Claude Landry. "The Commission is grateful to all of the women who came forward to share their stories and their insights with us. It is now our job to honour these women's words with action." In addition to this report, the Commission has also lent its expertise to the recent consultation on the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. In its submission the Commission recommends that the Inquiry use a human rights-based approach that treats violence against Indigenous women and girls as a denial of their rights under domestic and international human rights law. The Commission also recommends that the Inquiry be conducted in the most accommodating and inclusive way to ensure that all parties are able to easily and fully participate. "We have all waited a long time for this National Inquiry and so I want to help get it right. It is vital to remember that violence against Indigenous women and girls is a systemic human rights issue and must be treated as such," said Chief Commissioner Landry. "We are ready to provide our expertise to strengthen the Inquiry's focus on human rights and maintain it throughout this important process." Both the Commission's report and submission are available on the Commission's website. The Canadian Human Rights Commission -- My Canada Includes Everyone. Associated Links Honouring the Strength of Our Sisters: Increasing Access to Human Rights Justice for Indigenous Women and Girls Full Report Full Report Canadian Human Rights Commission's submission to the consultation on the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Stay Connected Follow us on Twitter @CdnHumanRights and Facebook. Hashtags: #MMIW #MMIWG #IndigenousWomen Watch us on YouTube SOURCE Canadian Human Rights Commission For further information: Media Contacts: Media Relations - Canadian Human Rights Commission, 613-943-9118, www.chrc-ccdp.gc.ca TORONTO, March 9, 2016 /CNW/ - Deloitte Canada has named Walters Group one of Canada's Best Managed Companies in 2015 for excellence in business performance. The Best Managed program recognizes Canadian-owned and managed companies with revenues over $10 million who demonstrate strategy, capability and commitment to achieve sustainable growth. "I would like to recognize the entire efforts of the Walters Group. It takes a dedicated effort from an entire team to focus on a core vision, create stakeholder value and excel in the global economy to achieve this level of success," said Peter Brown, Partner, Deloitte and Co-Leader, Canada's Best Managed Companies program. Now in their 60th year of operation, the Hamilton-based, family-owned and managed business has developed a reputation for taking on complex commercial and industrial steelwork projects throughout North America, often setting new standards for the industry. Their ability to provide complete services "in-house" across areas including construction engineering, detailing, project management, fabrication, finishing, delivery and erection is one of the keys that distinguish them in the marketplace. Walters Group has extensive experience in all types of steelwork structural steel, industrial retro-fit expansions, medium to heavy plate-work, miscellaneous steel, Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel, and high-rise solutions. Through their Feature Walters division, they also provide the commercial, residential and public art sectors with unique elements that define leading-edge architecture. Walters work has been recognized many times over in the form of highly coveted industry awards for excellence, innovation and safety. Walters has built a network of strong relationships within the industry, working with some of North America's leading general contractors, architects and engineers on an incredible range of projects. Some of their high profile projects include The Canadian Museum for Human Rights, The Bow Hi-Rise, Halifax Shipyards, and feature staircases in high-end retailers including Louis Vuitton and Tommy Hilfiger. (Walters Group Project list: http://www.waltersgroupinc.com/projects/) "To join such an esteemed group of Canadian companies in receiving this recognition is truly an honour. It validates all our work to embrace a professional, strategic approach to managing our family business," said Walter Koppelaar, President, Walters Group. "But at the end of the day, it's the people who come together to execute the strategy that make what we do possible. We offer a heartfelt thanks to our dedicated employees, innovative partners, and loyal clients." 2015 winners of the Canada's Best Managed Companies award, along with Requalified, Gold Standard, Gold Requalified winners and Platinum Club members will be honoured at the annual Canada's Best Managed Companies gala in Toronto on April 12, 2016. About Canada's Best Managed Companies Canada's Best Managed Companies continues to be the mark of excellence for Canadian-owned and managed companies with revenues over $10 million. Every year since the launch of the program in 1993, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies have competed for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates their management skills and practices. The awards are granted on five levels: 1) Best Managed winner (one of the new winners selected each year); 2) Requalified member (repeat winners retain the Best Managed designation for two additional years, subject to annual operational and financial review); 3) Gold Standard winner (After three consecutive years of maintaining their Best Managed status, these winners have demonstrated their commitment to the program and successfully reapplied for the designation); 4) Gold Requalified member (Gold Standard winners may requalify for two additional years, subject to annual operational and financial review); 5) Platinum Club member (winners that maintain Best Managed status for a minimum of six consecutive years). Program sponsors are Deloitte, CIBC, National Post, Smith School of Business and MacKay CEO Forums. For further information, visit www.bestmanagedcompanies.ca. About Walters Group (www.waltersgroupinc.com) Walters Group is made up of a strategically integrated network of businesses that designs, fabricates and erects complex commercial and industrial projects throughout North America. Our ability to provide services in-house across all areas including construction engineering, detailing, project management, fabrication, finishing, delivery and field construction, is one of the keys that distinguishes us in the marketplace. Beyond our core capabilities, we also provide complimentary products and services to meet our client's needs. From high-end architectural fabricated products, to miscellaneous metals, to the latest in lightweight flooring technology and steel frame solutions, we offer end-to-end solutions to help turn our clients' vision into reality. For further information, please contact: [email protected] www.bestmanagedcompanies.ca SOURCE Walters Group Image with caption: "Walters Group (CNW Group/Walters Group)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160309_C4911_PHOTO_EN_630521.jpg For further information: Contact information: Laura Valvasori, Director of Marketing, Walters Group, 416 712 9731, [email protected]; www.waltersgroupinc.com Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, on Wednesday, asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to... Kanu and two other pro-Biafra supporters who are facing trial with him- Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi- urged trial Justice John Tsoho to hands-off their case and await the outcome of an appeal they have lodged before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.The trio who are answering to a six-count treason charge, made the application on a day the federal government was to open its case against them. It will be recalled that the court had on Monday, declined to quash the charge against the defendants, even as it permitted the prosecution to shield the identity of eight witnesses that are billed to testify in the matter.The court equally refused to discharge and acquit the three defendants as it was prayed to do under section 351(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.Meanwhile, at the resumed sitting on Wednesday, the defence lawyer, Chief Chuks Muoma, SAN, informed Justice Tsoho that he has taken the case before the appellate court to challenge what he described as strange procedure adopted in the trial of the defendants.On his part, the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Mr. Mohammed Diri, who is handling the trial on behalf of the government, admitted that a copy of the motion for stay of proceeding was served on him before the court commenced sitting. He applied for time to enable him to respond to the motion. Consequently, Justice Tsoho adjourned hearing of the defendants motion for stay of proceeding to April 5.(Vanguard) The Cameroonian government has allegedly forcefully taken over parts of Akwa Ibom State not covered by the original judgment to cede part... The Cameroonian government has allegedly forcefully taken over parts of Akwa Ibom State not covered by the original judgment to cede part of the Bakasi Peninsular to the Central African country following a decision of the International Court of Justice (ICC) in The Hague in 2002, PUNCH reports.According to the report, more than 350 oil wells and fishing pots have consequently been seized, depriving Nigeria of potential revenues from these assets.Also, the people of Effiat clan in Mbo Local Government Area of the state claim the Cameroon government in a desperate attempt to cede their communities have lured their village heads into accepting Cameroonian citizenship with documents acknowledging their headship.These village heads are said to have been issued documents of acknowledgement with letterheads of the Republic of Cameroon.Etim Okon, an Indigene of Effiat Clan, in a chat, suspects that the documents issued by the Cameroon authorities are fake, adding that they do this to get the peoples consent and to present the territory as Cameroonian territory as border demarcation between Nigeria and Cameroon is ongoing.Further investigations revealed that the mangrove island, which hosts 16 villages of Effiat clan in Mbo, is currently under the administrative control of the Cameroon authorities. I received a plaintive note last week from a young man who seemed rather shocked that I had not written about Nigerias scandal of the mom... I received a plaintive note last week from a young man who seemed rather shocked that I had not written about Nigerias scandal of the momentthe harrowing story of a 14-year old girl named Ese Rita Oruru, abducted from her home in Bayelsa State, transported to Kano by a 22-year old drifter, Yunusa (alias Yellow), who contrived her conversion to Islam and then made her his bride. My young correspondent then pleaded with me to write about the Ese matter, as if the burden of rendering whole again a world turned on its head rested with whatever I was going to say.The matter of Ese, even the fragment of it sketched out above, is a tragic story. But what makes the story truly, deeply tragic is far less the specific details of what happened to a solitary young woman than what the Ese Affair says about Nigeria, its institutions, its attitude to children, and the vexed subject of religion.In short, the tragedy lies in the fact that Nigeria is a country at war with its most vulnerable, weak citizens. It is a country at war with its poor, its workers, especially those of them who are minimum wage earners, its womenfolk, especially those of them who are, in every important sense, children.Speaking to a reporter, one of Eses best friends at school in Bayelsa State disclosed that her friends dream was to become a nurse. According to this friend, Ese excelled at math, integrated science, and English. In her first interview with reporters, Ese corroborated the account of her dream. In a child-friendly society, Ese would have received encouragement to enable her to achieve her professional aspiration. But this is Nigeria, a country thats turned into a killer of dreams, if not of the dreamers. Instead of being on her way to a nursing career, Ese, who is now five months pregnant, must become the charge of nurses as she, a mere child, prepares to bring a child into the world.How did the young man who abducted Ese manage to pull off his crimefor a crime it wasin broad daylight, without anybody, civilian or uniformed, to stop him? How was it that several adults presided over the farcical conversation of the young woman without one of them pausing to ask, one, whether she was competent to voluntarily understand said conversion and, two, whether she understood the implications of what was to follow?In her interview, Ese described the process of her ostensible conversion. They took me to one place. Before they took me from the house to Kura, they put me in hijab, then we went to Kura. When we got there, they went to one place, and one old man came there and he would say something and they would say I should repeat. Then I would repeat. If the man said something again, they would say I should repeat and I would repeat just like that.A conversion indeed, just like that!I am for the freedom of religious practice. But its pathetic when children are brainwashed, compelled to repeat words they dontand cantunderstand, and then that whole mystifying process is deemed to constitute evidence of conversion. Id expect true Muslims to be appalled by this predatory practice in the name of their faith. Theres no universe of logic where it makes sense that somebody would convert to something they have absolutely no understanding of.Eses odyssey was a tragic drama of abduction, mental exploitation, and sexual enslavement. She was a victim of a legion of crimes. Heres a girl whose expectation was that society would give her the tools to actualize her ambition to be a nurse. Theres a chance, yet, of there being some sort of twist of fate in which Ese achieves fame as a nurse. That prospect lies in the womb of the future. What we know now is that shes become a household name in Nigeria on account of a script she did not choose. And this happened because Nigeria provides a social atmosphere in which the abduction of children is as easy as their rescue is difficult.Eses story points up the broader malaise of a society in which the police cannot be counted on to do the right thing. Had the police moved with alacrity, Ese might have been rescued sooner from her randy, pedophilic captor. But the Nigerian police stood pat, emasculated by fear, as a poor captive went through a harrowing experience.Eses saddening drama is the more tragic because it is far from exceptional or unique. Since her story broke, parents of numerous other underage victims have come forward with their own heartrending stories. In case after case, the details are eerily similar: some girl lured away from her parents home, converted to Islam, and thereafter married off to an adult male who keeps her away from her parents.What happened to Ese and her family is a case of poor-on-poor crime, with the apparatuses of the state looking on, unconcerned. It reminds me of the horror visited on defenseless children in some Niger Delta states after an irresponsible female pastor declared a war on child witches and wizards. In that case, too, no instrument of the government raised a finger to protect the victims, some of them thrown away in the bushes to die. Instead, one state government hounded officials of a non-governmental organization that carried out the humanitarian task of rescuing the savaged children.If anybody doubts that Nigeria is a country at war with its future, such a person need only visit what passes for classrooms in many Nigerian states. Public officials who send their own children abroad for studies have bequeathed on other peoples children classrooms that can get near as hot as ovens, much of the furniture in a shambles, toilets sometimes non-existent. In many degree-awarding academic institutions, students are condemned to live in conditions so squalid they dont befit human habitation.If you ask me, Id say that Ese must be seen as a quick glimpse of a greater, festering project of dehumanization of Nigerians. For many Nigerian men, the possession of any form of power is the ability to regard and treat women, including teenage girls, as play things, mere objects that exist to service all kinds of male fantasies. Many female undergraduates have stories of some male lecturers whod use every means to force them to submit to illicit sexual advances. Students who spurn such demands are often made to pay a stiff price, vindictively failed in their exams.What happened to Ese should provoke outrage, but it should be a broader outrage, not merely directed at the experiences of one girl. There are many Eses out there. They suffer daily, mostly in anonymity and silence, besieged by manipulators who invoke the name of God or some other ruse to rationalize the evil they do. Ese is back with her family, but there are many other families whose woe may never make it to the pages of newspapers, much less the TV screen, whose daughters are being kept in captivity.No end is served by outrage that is fleetingan all-too brief emotion before we order that next round of beer and pepper soup. Ese has held up a mirror to our faces, reminding us of the great work we need to do to save children like her, to save our future, from perdition. She and victims like her remind us that we must work towards creating an enlightened society where children are able to nurse their best dreams into fruition, not captured and criminally bamboozled into motherhood. The House of Representatives on Wednesday, took over the functions of the Kogi State House of Assembly over the crisis that engulfed the ... This is even as it called on the Inspector General of Police Solomon Arase to immediately seal off the assembly since the House has taken over its functions.In taking the decision at plenary, the House said its action was in line with the provision of Section 11 (4) of the 1999 Constitution, which says the National Assembly could take over the functions of any state assembly that is enmeshed in crisis.Recall that that five members of the Kogi assembly purportedly impeached the speaker Momoh Jimoh Lawal and elected Umar Imam as new speaker.The lower chambers action will take effect as soon as the Senate concurs.(Vanguard) The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been unbundled into four units in a major restructuring of the 39-year-old oil... The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been unbundled into four units in a major restructuring of the 39-year-old oil giant.Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Dr. Ibe Kachikwu yesterday announced the new structure at a briefing in Abuja.The minister, who is also the Group Managing Director of the organisation, said President Muhammadu Buhari approved the restructuring.He said: The new NNPC comprises a lean headquarters and four autonomous business units.He told reporters that the restructuring will not lead to job losses.The four units are: Upstream Company, Downstream Company, Refinery Company and Gas/ Power Company.According to him, the Upstream Company will now comprise of NPDC and the IDSL. The Downstream Company consists of Retail, NPMC and NPSC, the Refinery Company consists of WRPC, KRPC and PHRC while the Gas and Power is now made up of NGPTC, NGMC and Gas and Power Investment.Kachikwu said the Federal Government has approved the appointment of Chief Executives for the companies: They are: Bello Rabiu as CEO of the Upstream Company; Henry Iken Obih for Downstream; Anibor Kragha for Refineries and Saidu Mohammed for Gas and Power.He denied announcing the unbundling of the corporation into 30 companies, saying the GMD is still the Chief Executive of NNPC.He said what was ignored in his statement about the new structure of the NNPC is that there will be subsets. Subset is the unbundling. It is not a direct unbundling of NNPC into 30. It means that the subsets of NNPC are being unbundled into smaller numbers of companies. It is totally a different thing and the press got it wrong, please.The minister attributed the cause of fuel scarcity to the independent marketers that have refused to import petroleum products that now resulted in NNPC embarking on 100 per importation and supply instead of 50 per cent.He expressed hope that within one year, the NNPC would overcome fuel constraints and exit importation of products.The minister said the Port Harcourt Refinery is back on stream, working at minimal terms.He said the corporation has now embarked on supplying one cargo of products daily. Three refineries, he said, are configured now to produce 50% of PMS and 50% of other products.The hope is that at the end of the month, the three refineries would have got crude and begin to work. Hopefully, that will soften the pressure, he added.The minister explained that even if the refineries are producing at 100 per cent installed capacity there will still be supply gap, stressing that this situation can only be ameliorated when there is completion of Greenfield refineries and modular ones that could be coupled for production.He said the refineries are operational, they will increase products to a level that Nigeria will commence building a reserve of refined products.According to him, with the efforts being made to build modular and greenfield refineries Nigeria is targeting fuel export by 2020 when Dangote Refinery becomes operational.The minister said when the refineries begin to work, we will see how we can save up and continue our importation process and save up strategic reserves so that in the month of difficulties you can reach out to those before you get your next set of import.We are working feverishly trying to see with the Joint Venture Partners how we can come with refineries. We have advertised recently for the collocated refineries.On whether government has removed fuel subsidy, he said there is no removal of subsidy but price modulation.He noted that the government is now saving from the price modulation and it could use the savings to stabilise the market when it is necessary.According to him, the government will further review the prices of petrol by April, which may lower the cost of fuel.He said he will always support a reduction of supply by members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in order to increase the price of crude.The minister said prior to the blast of the Forcados pipeline, Nigeria was producing 2.3million barrels per day Oil prices rose one per cent yesterday with benchmark Brent prices hitting a three-month high on hopes for a coordinated approach by ma... Brent crude futures were trading at $41.43 a barrel at their highest since Dec. 9, up 59 cents on the day.On Monday, the contract had climbed by 5.5 per cent in intra-day trading and it has now gained more than 50 per cent since this year low on Jan. 20.U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures were up 38 cents at $38.28 a barrel.The bullish sentiment continues to push prices up or the absence of negative news, said Carsten Fritsch, senior oil analyst at Commerzbank in Frankfurt.News of a meeting of Latin American crude producers set in Quito for Friday had boosted oil prices on Monday, and bullish sentiment swept over into yesterdays session.The members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other producers in Russia are also due to meet for talks on March 20, according to the Nigerian petroleum minister, Dr. Ibe Kachukwu.Kuwaits oil minister said yesterday that his countrys participation in an output freeze would require all major oil producers, including Iran, to be on board.Ill go full power if theres no agreement. Every barrel I produce Ill sell, Anas al-Saleh told reporters in Kuwait City.This might be good news for countries like Nigeria that have experienced a drastic drop in government income due to the plummeting oil prices.The oil price for Nigeria's 2016 budget was pegged at $38 per barrel. The implication of this is that the country may earn more revenue from oil than expected, as the global oil prices have exceeded the $38 benchmark. In his recent visit to Nigeria, South African President Jacab Zuma promised to refund the monies confiscated by South African government ... He made this known yesterday while addressing journalists after the bilateral talks with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.Jacob Zuma also claimed that the Nigerian and South African governments have joined efforts on the matter and that the relevant structures were already recovering some of the loot.In the same vein, he disclosed to journalist that investigations were ongoing to ensure that anything that was illegally taken to South Africa would be returned.When asked about the issue of xenophobia, the South African President had this to say:Africans should realise that they are the same and should avoid conflicts and attacks on each other Prolific Barcelona goal poacher Luis Suarez has admitted that he still misses life at Liverpool. Prolific Barcelona goal poacher Luis Suarez has admitted that he still misses life at Liverpool.The Uruguayan made visited the Liverpool's training ground on Tuesday to catch up with several of his former colleagues, and the 29-year-old was glad to be back."It was fantastic to see the lads," Suarez told Liverpoolfc.com. "The people that work here are really nice and I miss them, so I wanted to come and see some friends. I have really good friends here."I had a really good moment here in three and a half years and when you have a really good moment in your life, it is something you remember."I always try to watch [Liverpool's] games and look out for the results. I am very interested in how Liverpool are doing because they are so important in my life." A 29-year-old man of God in Ebonyi State, identified as Pastor David Ibe, has been arrested and detained by the police in Ebonyi State fo... New Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Ibe who is the clergy in charge of Christ Command Mission, Onicha-Igboeze, Onicha Local Government Area of the state, had allegedly lured Okute to an uncompleted building where he defiled her, leaving her with severe bruises.The Police Public Relatins officer (PPRO), in the state, DSP George Okafor, who confirmed the arrest, noted that Pastor Ibe committed the offence on February 27, 2016, when he lured the unsuspecting Okute to an uncompleted building at Umuobunna Uburu and sexually assaulted her.The suspect is an impostor who is among those claiming to be pastors but dent Gods image through their atrocities.He has been arrested and has confessed to committing the crime, though he claimed that she refused to marry him after investing heavily on her.It is terrible that he choose to rape the girl for refusing to marry him, as he will be used to set example to others who commit such crimes.Okafor therefore warned members of the public to be wary of evil men in cassocks, claiming to be genuine men of God. The death of the late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barr. James Ocholi has been majorly attributed to over speeding. Oc... Ocholi died alongside his wife and son on Sunday in an auto crash on Kaduna-Abuja road.The verdict was given by the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi while presenting the accidents Road Traffic Crash Investigation Interim Report to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.He also said that the investigation revealed that the impact of the accident was more on Ocholi and his family members who were seated at the rear seats because they were not using seat belts.According to him, the driver of the vehicle was unlicensedSix ministers from the geopolitical zones on Wednesday paid tribute to the late Ocholi.All cabinet members will also visit Ocholis family immediately after FEC meeting.The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal gave the tentative burial arrangement for 16th to 18th of March, 2015. I have no doubt in my mind that Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers state is a tragic hero. Taking full control of primitive power after a recent... I have no doubt in my mind that Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers state is a tragic hero. Taking full control of primitive power after a recently dubious and highly contestable supreme Court judgement, Rivers, in the words of Karl Maier, is a house that's fallen. Just like what Adolf Hitler did to the Jews, Wike(d) is on the verge of achieving a global notoriety of political terrorism with the intent to wipe out a whole generation of political class in the opposition in Rivers. After securing the ticket of the Guber race from the PDP shortly before the last elections, the man went on rampage. Along with his political bandits and thugs, he fleeced the soul of Rivers and frittered away its innocence and today, the state sit on a keg of gun powder or better still the "Killing field of the South south. The government he superintends, is an outrageous example of brazen impunity with predatory instincts. It is on a voyage of ignorance and comic political adventurism, that is laced with rascally motivated self serving rhetorics based on infantile display of primitive temper tantrums of the stone age. Heeding the recent call by Wike to burn alive members of the opposition and other electoral personnel who stand on their way to victory in the forthcoming elections in Rivers, the APC in the last one week has lost over thirty powerful stakeholders through murders. Mr Franklin, an APC ward 4 chairman in Ogba/ Egbeme/ Ndoki LGA along with his wife and son were brutally murdered in cold blood and beheaded. Gabriel Cookey and four other APC stalwarts were clubbed and killed by alleged PDP members in Obibi, Etche LGA while only yesterday, Ofinijife Amachree in what could be described as the greatest satanic display of primitivism, was similarly set ablaze in broad day light. With all these atrocities, there is the need to declare a state of emergency in Rivers, as the Governor has abdicated his responsibility of protecting lives and property. My appeal to the President is not to be complacent or lethargic in standing up to be counted in this hour of need. All men of goodwill must save Rivers from this modern day Hitler. After all, Napoleon the great was quoted as saying " The world suffers a lot not because of the violence of bad people, but because of the silence of good people". Ibrahim MODIBBO is an Abuja based journalist and commentator on National issues and can be reached through , 08026339636 President Robert Mugabe said he had no plans to step down as Zimbabwes leader and nor would he be appointing his wife as his successor, ... The comments from Africas oldest leader, now aged 92, are his clearest indication that he wants to be President for life after 36 years in power. Asked who would follow him, during a two-hour interview with the state broadcaster, ZBC TV, he responded: Why successor? I am still there. Why do you want a successor? I did not say I was a candidate to retire.Making his point more forcibly, he asked the interviewer: Do you want me to punch you to the floor to realise I am still there?Mr Mugabe said he was not behind his wife Graces quick rise within the ruling Zanu-PF party, which has led to reports that she has plans to follow him. Others say the President wants to leave the throne for his wife. Where have you ever seen that, even in our own culture, where a wife inherits from her husband? he said.In any case, he added, leaders should be elected, not appointed. In a democratic party, you dont want leaders appointed that way to lead the party. They have to be appointed properly by the people, at a gathering of the people, at a congress.Mr Mugabe, who led the struggle against white rule and was Zimbabwes first president after formal independence from Britain, was chosen in 2014 to lead his party for another five years, automatically becoming its presidential candidate for the 2018 election. He will be 99 if he wins and completes that term, his last under a new constitution.He also told ZBC TV he wanted to live to 100, that he was fit and still did daily exercises. I am happy because I am about to reach the age I want. You know the age I want to reach 100 years. So only eight years remain, he said.(Independence) Switzerland has given conditions for repatriating the $321m looted by ex Head of Sate, Gen. Sani Abacha to Nigeria. Part of the conditions is that the fund will be used for projects that will benefit Nigerians and they (the projects) must be monitored by the World Bank.Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffery Onyeama said that the government was working on the modalities for the repatriation...we have to agree beforehand as a pre-condition on what the money would be used for and the World Bank would be part of the monitoring process to ensure that the money is used for the benefit of Nigerian people," he said.Onyeama also said that Nigeria had signed an agreement with the Swiss government in the area of human right and migration.A number of civil society groups have called on the Nigerian government to be transparent and accountable about how retrieved loots are utilized by the government, to avoid a "re-looting" of the recovered loots. The new nation called Nigeria should be an estate of our great grandfather Uthman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of pow... The new nation called Nigeria should be an estate of our great grandfather Uthman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power. We use the minorities in the North as willing tools and the South as a conquered territory and never allow them to rule over us and never allow them to have control over their future Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Saurdana of the Sokoto Caliphate and Premier of Northern Nigeria, Parrot Newspaper, October 12, 1960, recalled by Tribune, November 13, 2002.Those are interesting words from the most reverred, prominent and powerful Fulani leader in the history of modern Nigeria. The Saurdanas world-view, vision and intentions are well-encapsulated here and they are self-evident. They need no further explanation or analysis.To add to the Saurdanas contribution and to butress his point, in August 2001 President Muhammadu Buhari, a proud and ascetic Fulani man, whose mass appeal, popularity and following has reached cult-like proportions amongst the working class Fulani population in Nigeria said the following: God-willing, we will not stop the agitation for the total implementation of sharia throughout the federation.Finally to emphasise the point, on January 27th, 2013, Mujahedeen Abubakar Shekau, the young and brash leader of the most dreaded, most powerful and most deadly islamist terrorist organisation on the African continent called Boko Haram said, By Allah, we will not stop fighting until every Nigerian is living by sharia law. If you dont abide we will kill you.When one hears and reads some of these things, one can only look up to heaven and say, may the Lord deliver the people of Nigeria.Here you have a classic case of anything and everything, including religion, being used to effect an ancient ethnic agenda of conquest and subjugation. It is not even subtle: it is brazen and real. Worse still most Nigerians are fully aware of it but they find it difficult to voice it, let alone resist it.Yet despite our awe and trepidation, at least a few questions must be asked, such as the following: Who exactly are the Fulani? Where did they come from? What is their story and what is their history? What is their purpose and what are their intentions for the rest of Nigeria? I shall attempt to answer some of these questions in this two-part essay.Futa Jalon is an area made up of beautiful plateaus and breathtaking mountains which is situated in modern-day Guinea. It is a confluence that is known as the bitter waters and it is the location of the Vulture mountain where, up until today, thousands of vultures gather. It is also the source of no less than five major African rivers including our very own River Niger.The people that live in that area are known as the Fula Jalons and it is from that ethnic stock that the Fulanis evolved. From there they migrated to other parts of West Africa and settled down in what was originally known as Sakkwato but what is now referred to as Sokoto in northern Nigeria.The Fulanis were actually the product of a beautiful racial mix and generations of cross-breeding between the Arab-like and nomadic north African Berbers and Tauregs on the one hand and the local black indigenous Fula population of Futa Jalon on the other.It is interesting to note that the Tutsis of Central and East Africa come from the same racial root as the Fulani and they share similar physical features and characteristics. They are also both essentially nomadic in nature and traditionally they both have an intense fascination and interest in cattle and cattle-rearing. As a matter of fact, the old-fashioned way of establishing a Fulani mans wealth is to find out how many cows he owns. The more cows he owns the richer he is considered to be.That explains their unusually light complexion, their well-chiseled and refined visage, their height, their unusually slight frame, the soft texture of their hair and their essentially non-negroid features. If the truth be told, generally-speaking, they are a physically attractive people. In terms of temperament they are proud, patient, calculating, subtle, courageous and they have very long memories.They are capable of masking their thoughts and emotions very well but they will never forget a sleight. Most importantly, unlike most, they are capable of recognising a common group cause and consequently they are in a better position to further the political and economic interests of their people more than any others. To the Fulani, what is most important is the interest of his people and their collective cause than anything else.It is interesting to note that the Tutsis of Central and East Africa come from the same racial root as the Fulani and they share similar physical features and characteristics. They are also both essentially nomadic in nature and traditionally they both have an intense fascination and interest in cattle and cattle-rearing. As a matter of fact, the old-fashioned way of establishing a Fulani mans wealth is to find out how many cows he owns. The more cows he owns the richer he is considered to be.It was after their mass migration to our shores and after they successfully infiltrated the Hausa kingdom of Gobir that Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio, the father of the Fulani Caliphate, unleashed his violent and very bloody jihad, established the various emirates and conquered much of what is now known as northern Nigeria in the name of his Islamic faith. That is the history.On March 3rd, 2016, there was a violent clash between Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani youths in Orile, Lagos State. A number of people on both sides of the divide, together with some of our security agents, were killed. Homes, chattels, property and places of worship were burnt down as the fighting raged.This came just one day after a similar clash between both ethnic groups took place in Ikorodu, Lagos State which also resulted in the loss of lives and destruction of property.Again on March 5 in Ogere on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, yet another clash took place between Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani youths, which resulted in even more casualties and a terrible bloodbath.A number of days before then, over 300 Idomas were killed by well-armed Fulani herdsmen in Agatu, Benue State.At a so-called peace meeting, when asked why they did it, they told the Inspector General of Police that it was because some of their cows had been killed!After the meeting, instead of being arrested for genocide and ethnic cleansing, there and then they were allowed to go home quietly. Not even their AK 47s were confiscated from them.If we ever needed the elders and great men of wisdom and knowledge like President Olusegun Obasanjo, General T.Y. Danjuma, General Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Maitama Sule, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and Chief Alex Ekweume to pull us back from the brink and bring healing, peace and unity back to our land, it is now.To make matters worse, it was later suggested that those that perpetuated the atrocity were not even Fulanis at all but rather aliens from Chad and Niger Republic. The question must be asked: who is fooling who?Sadly there are many other examples of mass murder, genocide, official impunity and similar atrocities. Over the years, the same thing has happened in Jos, southern Kaduna, Zaria, Zangon Kataf, Kano, Bauchi and many other places.Throughout the country, Fulani militias and herdsmen are wreaking havoc and are slaughtering their compatriots for one reason or the other.Worse of all is the fact that our Fulani-led Federal Government and Fulani-led Armed Forces are killing thousands of young Igbos in the East simply because of their support for Nnamdi Kanu and their call for the establishment of the independent sovereigh state of Biafra.Again a few weeks ago the same Armed Forces killed over 1000 shia muslims and shot and abducted their leader, Sheikh El Zakzaky, who has not been seen in public since.As all these is going on our economy has ground to a halt, our people are suffering untold hardship and difficult times, and the war against Boko Haram and Islamist terror is still raging.Today, Nigeria has the dubious distinction of having within its borders the first and the fourth most deadly terrorist organisations in the world according to the Global Terror Index. According to the Index, the first is Boko Haram and the fourth are the AK 47-wielding Fulani militias/herdsmen.People are being slaughtered, abducted, pillaged, kidnapped and raped all over the country on a daily basis by these heartless terrorists, simply because they believe that one of their own is now in power and that they can get away with these. All these, yet no-one appears to be prepared to do anything about it or to call a spade a spade.In the light of all these facts, the question on everyones lips is: what is to be done? We all hope and pray for peace and unity in our country but judging by the way things are going perhaps the first question that we have to address is whether we really have a country at all and, if we agree that we do, whether it will or can remain united and as one for much longer.If we ever needed the elders and great men of wisdom and knowledge like President Olusegun Obasanjo, General T.Y. Danjuma, General Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Maitama Sule, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and Chief Alex Ekweume to pull us back from the brink and bring healing, peace and unity back to our land, it is now.Then came the sad and pitiful case of Ese Oruru in which the Fulani Emir of Kano played an unspecified and unclear role in the abduction, forced islamisation, rape, torture and kidnapping of a 14 year old southern christian girl, whilst our security agencies turned a blind eye to the whole thing and refused to rescue her for months.The rise of radical islam and the use of terror to achieve the objectives of those who espouse and believe in it has changed the world forever. Our country cannot be exempted or left out of this. We have changed forever as well and things can never be the same in Nigeria again.Those that are in power in our country today appear to have a soft-spot for the terrorists, and for reasons best known to himself our President has simply refused to condemn the murderous activities of the Fulani herdsmen and militias.This is probably because he is, and has been for many years, the Life Patron of the Fulani Cattle Rearers Association: which is the umbrella organisation of the Fulani herdsmen and militias. To make matters worse, our President told the world, as recently as 2014, that an attack on Boko Haram is an attack on the North. One wonders what purpose that was designed to serve and why he had to say it.Then came the sad and pitiful case of Ese Oruru in which the Fulani Emir of Kano played an unspecified and unclear role in the abduction, forced islamisation, rape, torture and kidnapping of a 14 year old southern christian girl, whilst our security agencies turned a blind eye to the whole thing and refused to rescue her for months.It has been alleged that the girl was kept against her will at the Emirs palace and that one way or the other she was used as a sex slave and she came out pregnant. Despite all these, the police has refused to pick him up and compel him to answer the necessary questions that could have cleared the air.All these because his people are in power and they believe that thay can get away with anything and everything, including pedophilia, slavery and, in many cases, murder.Worse still, there are hundreds of other cases, five of which have been exposed by Miss Toyosie Ogunseye, the editor of Nigerias Sunday Punch newspaper and her incredible team of investigative reporters, and one by the famous high society blogger Miss Linda Ikeji on her blog in the last few days.These cases are all similar to Ese Orurus and they involve the abduction, islamisation, rape, sodomy and enslavement of young southern christian girls (some as young as 9) who ended up in royal palaces and hareems all over the North.In each of these cases, those that carried out the abductions have refused to return the girls back to their families despite all pleas and efforts, and the police have been unable to do anything about it.In one case in Bauchi, in which the southern christian girl was just 12 years old and in which she was abducted whilst on her way to church, her family was told that if they wanted her back they would have to negotiate with the Sharia Council!As long as Jesus lives I know that He will never forsake me and that, until my work on earth is done, I cannot be cut short and neither can my enemies overwhelm or destroy me.In another case in Zamfara State, the family of a 14 year old christian girl who was abducted as far back as 2009 was told by her abductors that if they persisted in asking for the return of their daughter their entire family would be killed and their home burnt down.As a result of this threat, the girls father and his entire family had to leave their home and flee from Zamfara for their lives. They were compelled to leave their young daughter behind in the clutches of her merciless abductors.Nothing reflects the degeneration to which our country and our values have been reduced to better than this.Permit me to end Part 1 of this contribution with the following words, which I keep hearing in my spirit and which I believe shall prove to be prophetic.O ye sons of Futa Jalon and ye daughters of the Vulture mountain and bitter waters: your princes and kings shall be exposed and brought to heel, your yoke shall be broken and you shall pay a heavy price for your wickedness and many sorceries.Many have been killed in the most hideous manner or falsely implicated and wrongly jailed in our country for sharing such knowledge and for exposing some of the things that I have chosen to expose in this write-up. Regardless of this I have no fear because I know that my Redeemer lives and I know that He shall stand with me till the end of time.As long as Jesus lives I know that He will never forsake me and that, until my work on earth is done, I cannot be cut short and neither can my enemies overwhelm or destroy me. (TO BE CONTINUED).Share this: Donald Trump has won three more states, Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii, in his bid to be the Republican White House nomination. In the Democratic race, Bernie Sanders had a surprise victory in Michigan, but Hillary Clinton increased her overall lead with a big Mississippi win.Ted Cruz won a Republican-only race in Idaho.The states are the latest to choose candidates to compete in November's presidential election.It was a terrible night for Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who came in a distant fourth in both Michigan and Mississippi, a week before his must-win contest in his home state.Mr Trump, a businessman with no experience of elected office, leads the polls in Florida, from where he delivered his victory speech on Tuesday night."One of the things I am most happy about is the turnout has been just massive I think it's the single biggest story in politics today," he said at a press conference in Jupiter.With his victories, Donald Trump has solidified his position as the Republican front-runner, withstanding a barrage of negative advertisements questioning everything from his business acumen to his use of vulgar and profane language.Rather than deliver a conventional victory speech, the billionaire held a news conference and conducted what looked in parts like an infomercial, arguing that products that bear his name, like bottled water and wine, are commercial successes.But it's the Trump political brand that's not only proving highly popular but also resilient to attacks from establishment Republicans who have intensified their attacks in the hope of slowing his momentum.Showing how the normal political rules do not apply, Trump reckoned that one of the attack ads, bleeping out various swear words he's uttered during the campaign, actually boosted him because it showed that he's not bound by political correctness and tells it like it is.He also said he would be more presidential than anybody except Abraham Lincoln and that "no one is more conservative than me". The SUN UK reports that ISIS made the threat via a new video published online. In the video, an ISIS terrorist with an accent addressing ... The SUN UK reports that ISIS made the threat via a new video published online. In the video, an ISIS terrorist with an accent addressing President Barrack Obama, says, Paris isnt far from you - we will by Allahs permission do to your country what we did to Paris.We will kill, slaughter and burn your people. Inshallah [God willing], we will attack you very soon with anything we lay our hands on.The video then cuts to an old video of Jihadi John, dressed in black and wearing a balaclava, standing over captives alongside his fellow terror-nuts.In that infamous video, from 2014, the narrator speaks with a London accent and points his knife to the camera.He says: To Obama, the dog of Rome, today we are slaughtering the soldiers of Pasha, tomorrow, we will be slaughtering your soldiers. We will soon, like your puppet David Cameron said, begin to slaughter your people, on your streets. Nigerian oil workers have vowed to continue their strike embarked upon Wednesday until they receive clarifications regarding Tuesdays un... Nigerian oil workers have vowed to continue their strike embarked upon Wednesday until they receive clarifications regarding Tuesdays unbundling of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, had announced President Muhammadu Buharis approval of the immediate restructuring of the NNPC into seven independent operational divisions.Under the new arrangement, the corporation has five business-focussed divisions, namely Upstream, Downstream, Gas & Power Marketing, Refineries and Ventures, in addition to two service-oriented divisions, consisting Corporate Planning & Services and Finance and Accounts.Each of the divisions is to be headed by a chief executive officer who would report to the Group Managing Director.But the workers, who criticise the ministers handling of the exercise, accuse him of a secret agenda by taking a unilateral and arbitrary decision without consulting with all interested parties.Following the announcement Tuesday night by the minister, the two workers unions, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, began mobilizing their members to reject the policy.Although the protest recorded partial compliance on Tuesday, it was total shutdown at all NNPC offices and locations across the country at the resumption of work on Wednesday, as the workers unions halted all normal operations.The Acting General Secretary of PENGASSAN, Lumumba Okugbawa, told PREMIUM TIMES on phone on Wednesday in Abuja that the workers would not call off the protest until the minister agrees to invite the workers to discuss with him what the restructuring was all about.We do not accept any unilateral and arbitrary restructuring. The minister cannot restructure NNPC without carrying all stakeholders along. The minister cannot run the industry as a private estate. He must carry all Nigerians along, Mr. Okugbawa said.With such a massive decision-making, a lot of things would be affected, particularly its implication on workers interest. We are unaware of what is happening. It is not fair that the workers are hearing about the restructuring in the media just like every other person. He is just creating unnecessary confusion in the polity.Mr. Okugbawa said the minister could not restructure the NNPC when he was yet to take necessary legal steps to facilitate the process.(Premium Times) -- A red brick building sitting across from a block of two-story row homes in North Philadelphia provides few hints that chocolate-covered confections with a "cult-like" following are created there. There are no elaborate displays or larger-than-life mascots welcoming visitors to the factory on North 17th Street. Two white signs, each with an arrow pointing to a shipping and receiving lot and the company's name, offer the only visible clues to the sweetness brewing behind the walls. But pageantry isn't Zitner's recipe for success; consistency is. So much so that even as owner Evan Prochniak eyes ways to update and expand a business founded in the early 1920s and best known for its Butter Krak eggs -- a treat made from butter and long-thread coconut that pops up in stores throughout the region every year before Easter -- he vows to never toy with the candy's ingredients. "There's one thing I'm not going to do which is ever change the recipe. I'm not looking for death threats," Prochniak said. "People take their Butter Krak very seriously." Every year more than six million chocolate-covered Butter Krak, double coconut, coconut cream, butter cream, peanut butter and marshmallow eggs are made from scratch inside the Philadelphia factory and packed and carted off to stores. They are quickly snapped off the shelves by devoted fans, many of whom have been eating the Zitner's eggs since childhood. The candy, which is carried by Wawa, Acme, ShopRite and other major retailers, has long been a staple in Philadelphia, southern New Jersey and the surrounding region. For the first time year, however, Zitner's went national. Kroger introduced the regional candy maker's Easter eggs in new markets throughout the country, Prochniak said, including in stores in Texas, Arizona, Ohio and Oregon. The business has a history in Philadelphia dating back nearly a century, when Sam and Annie Zitner first started making candy out of their home. Annie Zitner taught her nephew, Leon Sherman, how to make the Butter Krak egg in the 1930s and Sherman ran the candy company for more than 50 years. Sherman died in 1990 and the business has changed hands twice since then, with Prochniak most recently taking the reins in 2010. Prochniak, a 44-year-old attorney and father of five, said he wasn't seeking a career change when he purchased the business and building in 2010. His plan, he said, was to sell the business off. "My initial thought was to buy the property and the company and flip out the company and almost get the property for free," he said. Now, six years later, Prochniak says, "I'm a candy maker." Prochniak said he came to see the untapped potential in the company, which was turning away orders when he took over because it couldn't make candy quickly enough to keep up with demand. All of the eggs were cut one at a time at that point on aging equipment, Prochniak said. One of those decades-old machines is still churning inside the large factory, where it is responsible for cutting the popular Butter Krak candy. Late last month, as seasonal candy production neared its end in late February, Philadelphia residents and Zitner's employees Virglee Byard and Theresa Bullock stood across from each other, transferring the freshly-cut candy from the machine's conveyor belt onto racks. Byard and Bullock, who together have more than three decades of experience working at Zitner's, said they both enjoy what they do, even if it means working with a machine Prochniak said was likely built in the 1950s. "She always hangs in there," Byard said of the machine. "I ain't going to talk about her because she keeps it going," Bullock added. "Old as black pepper though." Virglee Byard and Theresa Bullock make Butter Krak candy eggs at the Zitner's factory in Philadelphia. (Alex Remnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) Prochniak has been introducing more modern equipment into the candy making process to help speed up production. But the size of the building also presents a challenge: controlling the temperature inside. Production isn't feasible on any significant level in the summer because of the heat, meaning Zitner's can't start marking Easter candy until the fall. The company produces chocolate-covered pretzels in the factory year-round. Though Prochniak had been considering moving the business to a new space, possibly in Chester, Pa., he said he decided last summer to stay and make the improvements needed to help expand and grow the business in its current location. "All of these people are literally cult-like over this candy," he said. "So many people want the darn candy and it's not hard to increase sales and find new markets." When Prochniak bought the company, he said it was doing roughly $2 million in sales a year. Currently, it's brining in just under $5 million annually, and Prochniak said he anticipates sales doubling again within the next two years. But even as Zitner's works to bring its candy to people who have never tried it before, it will also bank on customers like Dawn Mourar of Glenmoore, Pa. "Zitner's eggs were always around in my memory," said Mourar, 47. "Every spring I remember them just popping up and getting excited. It was just always a part of my life." Though some chains start selling Zitner's earlier in the year, for the most part the candy can be found on store shelves from mid-to-late February through Easter. An eight-count box of eggs retails for around $5 or $6. Mourar, a Butter Krak devotee, said she looks forward to the candy's release every year, with the arrival of Zitner's on store shelves serving as a sign that spring and Easter are on their way. "The older you get, you grow more nostalgic, and you appreciate the consistency of certain good things in your life," said Mourar. "I like that it's one constant in a very changing world that we can count on." Erin O'Neill may be reached at eoneill@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LedgerErin. Find NJ.com on Facebook. BAYONNE -- The massive blades of the city's dormant wind turbine have been lowered to the ground as workers continue to carry out repairs that began last week. Bayonne Municipal Utilities Authority Executive Director Tim Boyle said today that it's taking workers "a little bit longer" than expected to switch out the turbine's broken bearing with a new one. "It's taking longer because they're doing it in a field environment instead of a laboratory or a controlled interior environment," he said. The turbine's three blades had to be lowered to the ground by an enormous crane last Thursday in order for workers to get access to the bearing that needs to be replaced, Boyle explained. The 260-foot turbine at Oak and Fifth streets has lost the city over $200,000 in energy savings since it broke down last June. It was originally scheduled to be repaired in November, but repairs were delayed multiple times. Every month that the turbine goes unrepaired costs the city roughly $25,000 in energy savings, Boyle has said. Assuming the turbine is fixed by the end of March, the money lost in energy savings would total about $225,000. SUEZ, formerly United Water, monitors and maintains the turbine under a 40-year deal with the city MUA, which maintains ownership of it. Boyle has said repair work on the turbine is weather-dependent because if winds are too blustery, attempting to remove the blades would be dangerous. The ongoing work isn't expected to affect traffic in the area, he said. The MUA official has said questions about what caused the turbine to break down, and who will be paying for the repair work and replacement part are premature, given that the broken bearing still has to examined by engineers. Boyle said Leitner-Poma America, based in Colorado, is leading the repair work on the turbine. Leitwind, an Italian manufacturer of wind turbines affiliated with Leitner-Poma America, is the company that made the turbine. Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- A DNA expert testified at Lamar Clark's felony murder trial today that a soda bottle recovered from the vehicle in which a Jersey City man was shot dead had both Clark's fingerprints and the accused trigger man's DNA on it. "I concluded that Marsette Godwin is a source of the DNA from the sample," New Jersey State Police Forensic Scientist Lynn Crutchley testified. Godwin, 21, has been charged as the one who fired the shot that killed Francisco Merced. He will be tried separately. "If I had a pool of seven trillion African-American DNA profiles, I would expect to see this profile no more than once," Crutchley said Clark, 32, of Jersey City, who authorities have described as Godwin's accomplice, is charged with felony murder of the 24-year-old Jersey City man. Prosecutors say Godwin, also of Jersey City, shot Merced inside a car at the corner of Armstrong and Sterling avenues on Nov. 2, 2014. The state alleges Clark and Godwin were robbing Merced when Godwin shot him inside a vehicle being driven by Raven Lyles. The defense is arguing that Clark had no idea Godwin was going to rob and shoot Merced and that he thought they were simply going to buy marijuana from Merced. Bags of marijuana were found at the scene. A witness-scheduling issue caused today's proceedings to end just after noon. Hudson County Superior Court Judge Martha Royster told the jury to return at 9 a.m. tomorrow, adding that tomorrow, the remaining state witnesses will testify. It is not yet known if the defense will present a case, or if Clark intends to take the stand. Jurors were shown security videos today while Hudson County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Unit Detective Sgt. Javier Toro was on the witness stand. While describing one of the videos, Torro points out to the jury a parked vehicle seen is the one in which Merced was shot. Torri said the person seen getting into the driver's side back seat is Clark and "he seems to be holding something in his hand, and that appears to be a bottle." He told the jury he believes another video showing the interior and exterior of a store on Martin Luther King Drive at Bostwick Avenue shows Godwin, Clark and a third man walking away from the store earlier on the night of the homicide. Lyles testified earlier yesterday that she was "chauffeuring" Merced late that night as he was selling marijuana. She said they dropped off pot to someone in Bayonne and she then drove Merced to his home, near the crime scene, so he could drop off about $500 and pick up more pot. When they left his home, Lyles said Merced got a call and negotiated another drug sale at the corner where he died. When they arrived, they found the gunman, who she described as having a mustache and wearing something black on his head. She said there was also a man with dreadlocks, who the state alleges was Clark. JERSEY CITY -- The man who was arrested yesterday afternoon after he was seen carrying a handgun and wearing a suspicious police uniform in the Hudson Mall has been identified as a former Department of Defense employee. Julio Concepcion, 59, of Boyd Court, who worked for the Department of Defense from 1989 to 2003, was initially charged with one count of possession of a handgun without first obtaining a permit to carry. He posted a $50,000 cash-or-bond bail, but an arrest warrant was issued when he failed to appear for his first hearing this afternoon. Court officials said today that Concepcion will be charged additionally with possession of an assault rifle and possession of 41 hollow-point rounds. Concepcion told police yesterday that he is a retired federal law enforcement officer, Morrill said, but city officials have not determined his position in the Department of Defense. The uniform he was wearing had a patch in the shape of a shield that said "U.S. Police." Concepcion set off an investigation yesterday morning when an off-duty police officer noticed him sitting at a table at the mall wearing police clothing and carrying a .40-caliber gun with two magazines in the pouch of his belt, Morrill said. Police responded to the mall and found Concepcion, who told them he had another gun in the trunk of his car, Morrill said. Police searched the vehicle and recovered a loaded .38-caliber gun and two bulletproof vests. He told officers he had additional weapons at his home; and two guns were recovered there, Morrill said. Officers used a water cannon to destroy some of the items found inside the trunk, freelance photographer Joe Shine said from the scene yesterday. Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. pen02.jpg The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee Monday approved a paid sick leave bill sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen). (Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) (NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) A Senate panel this week advanced a bill that would require employers to provide workers a minimum number of paid sick days, NJ Advance Media reported yesterday. The measure would benefit 1.2 million people who work in New Jersey. Employees would accrue one hour of sick time per 30 hours worked, according to the bill. New Jersey would become the fifth state to enact a paid sick time law. "Earned sick leave is a basic workers' right that should be provided to all employees. It will create a healthier and safer work environment for our residents, but also will protect the health of the public," said Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, (D-Bergen) the prime sponsor of the bill. "Towns and cities across the country and in our state have already moved to provide earned sick leave to employees. It's time that we established a statewide law that protects all workers," Weinberg added. The same bill, opposed by business organizations, failed to make it to Gov. Chris Christie's desk in the last legislative cycle. Paid sick time is especially uncommon in jobs requiring public contact, such as food service workers (24 percent) and personal care jobs (31 percent), according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research. In December, proponents of the bill said the measure is a pro-worker and pro-public health policy that will spare people from having to choose between their health and their jobs. Michelle Siekerka, president of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, said in Decemeber the organization opposes the mandate. More than 70 percent of employers already provide some form of paid sick leave, and 90 percent offer paid time off, she said. Do you think New Jersey should enact a paid sick time bill? WEST NEW YORK -- Alberto Garcia, who has served as a firefighter in Newark for two and a half years, often talks to his wife about what would happen to his family if he were to die on the job. "I'm in the process of getting together a will for that reason," he said. "If anything was ever to happen to me, I'm able to at least leave them something behind." Garcia, who started with an annual salary of $35,000, is one of many first responders early on the pay scale who could benefit from a new bill, according to state Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto. Prieto's bill, which he announced Wednesday, would mandate a minimum survivor benefit for families of public safety officials in New Jersey killed while on active duty. Prieto (D-Hudson), who is sponsoring this new legislation to help reduce the gap in benefits received by the families of new and veteran fallen police, firefighters and correction officials, gave a press conference on the bill at 11 a.m. at the headquarters of the North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue Department. The legislation will be introduced Monday, according to Prieto's spokesman Phil Swibinski. Prieto has long been focused on the public employee pension system, but not without any resistance. A plan he raised in July to increase state payments to the public employee pension system encountered resistance from Gov. Chris Christie, who said that the state "cannot afford this." Swibinski said he has not heard about any opposition to Prieto's bill at this point, and that the increase to an individual's tax bill as a result of the bill would likely be just "cents." Each year, historically, two to eight first responders die in the line of duty, and this bill would not change the already-established survivor benefit for longer-serving responders' families, he said. "Survivor benefits across the board are paid out through the pension system," he said. "It's funded by both the employee and the employer, which in this case is the state and the local governments, where the first responders are employed... We're talking about a very small amount of money in a macro sense." While families of fallen first responders already receive a benefit, Prieto explained that this bill compensates for the fact that recent hires' introductory salaries do not leave their families with a "sufficient" benefit. He called the bill "common sense legislation." "This bill would close a gap in coverage that could leave families in dire financial straits if their loved one is killed pursuing a criminal or fighting a fire and they have not built up enough years on the job to earn a higher salary," he said. Though an early draft of the bill was not immediately available to journalists, Prieto explained to NJ Advance Media after the press conference that new first responders' families would likely receive a minimum of about $50,000, and this bill would likely help new responders who make between a starting salary, of around $35,000, and $60-70,000. Currently, first responders' families would receive 70 percent of their salaries, officials said, which could be as little as $23,000 for the families of new first responders. A Virginia policewoman was just shot and killed her first day on the job, officials noted. "For a firefighter to get to a higher salary, it takes a very long time," Prieto said. "We're trying to address what is affordable, something that is a liveable wage." He said that he was inspired to make the bill after discussions with President of the North Hudson Firefighters Association Tim Colacci, who pointed out that more older veterans "with families" are becoming public safety officials. "We're seeing more and more families coming into this job," he said. According to Prieto, the death of a public safety official on duty is fairly rare -- in 2014, eight New Jersey firefighters died in the line of duty. But veteran North Hudson Regional Fire Department firefighter Steve Irving, said that this bill affords new hires piece of mind. "I didn't know it was so low," Irving said. "It's alarming." UPDATE:"When a firefighter or other first responder leaves their family to protect the lives of others and is killed while performing that duty, that member should not have to worry about what will happen to their family," said Dominick Marino, President of the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey, in a statement issued later Wednesday afternoon. "I thank Speaker Prieto for introducing this most important legislation and support it." Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- Declaring the start of a new era for Downtown Jersey City, Mayor Steve Fulop and developers today celebrated the start of construction of a new residential high-rise near Newport Mall, the first of 12 towers planned for the site over the next 20 years. Fulop and developer Abe Naparstek said the project, known as Hudson Exchange, is one of largest, most transformative projects in the nation. The $223 million first tower, which will rise 35 stories and include 421 units plus 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space and a parking garage with 264 parking spaces, is expected to open in late 2017. The tower, under construction on the site of the old Marin Boulevard Pep Boys, will also include 85 affordable-housing units, part of a Fulop administration effort to bring more affordable housing to the luxury high-rises along the Waterfront. A 397-unit tower planned for a lot across Marin Boulevard will include 80 affordable units, and the mayor said there are a few more similar projects "on deck." Fulop told The Jersey Journal that it's not fair that in recent years affordable housing has been relegated to neighborhoods far from the posh high-rises along the Hudson River. Just because a building is located Downtown, he said, that doesn't mean a person of modest income should be excluded from living there. "It really doesn't create diverse neighborhoods," he said. "It's important to have everybody have an opportunity to live in every corner of the city." Market-rate rents for the building are expected to range from $2,325 for one-bedroom apartments to $3,500 for two-bedroom units. Rents on the comparable affordable units will range from $954 to $1,194. The developer will handle renting the affordable units, with the city acting as a check to make sure the residents in the units do not make more than 50 to 80 percent of the area median income, which in Hudson County is $63,600. The affordable units come at a price for city and state taxpayers. The council last year awarded Forest City a 25-year tax break for the tower under construction now plus $10 million in redevelopment bonds that will be issued by the city. In addition the state New Jersey Economic Development Authority approved $40 million in state tax credits for the project. The affordable units revert to market-rate housing when the tax deals expire. Naparstek has argued that without those deals, the tower may not have received financing at all, let alone with 20 percent of the units set aside as affordable. "There's a huge demand for that type of housing," he said. "It creates a more dynamic, diverse community." The long-term plan for the entire 18-acre site, now called Metro Plaza, includes a revamped street grid that will connect the site to the neighborhood across Marin Boulevard and to the Waterfront, plus a public plaza. Councilman-at-large Daniel Rivera grew up in the area, and said the site of the new tower "used to be my playground." "I appreciate the beauty of the new Jersey City, but I miss the old Jersey City," Rivera said. "I really do." Forest City is already making a list of people interested in the affordable units. To add your name to the list, email hudsonexchangewest@forestcity.net. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. newark map.png A 23-year-old woman was struck by a car while crossing Kennedy Boulevard this morning, a hospital spokesman said. (Google Maps) JERSEY CITY -- A 23-year-old woman was struck by a car while crossing Kennedy Boulevard this morning, a hospital spokesman said. The crash happened sometime after 8 a.m. near the Newark Avenue intersection in Journal Square. Mark Rabson, spokesman for Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health, said the victim is in stable condition at the hospital. According to a radio transmission, the victim sustained a large laceration to her head. Rabson said an ambulance was on the scene within a minute of the crash and paramedics arrived within two minutes. A Jersey City spokeswoman could not immediately provide information surrounding the crash. Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. When you think youve seen it all, heard it all, in this absurd country of ours, something comes up that turns this belief upside down. So now the Ministry of Tourism wants to sue YouStink over a parody video showing the terrifying spectacle of garbage rotting everywhere! Rise Above Lebanon Lebanon like you've never seen it before. Unless you're a bird.A breathtaking video by Rise Above Lebanon Posted by Live Love Lebanon on Thursday, February 4, 2016 The YouStink parody: .. #_ Posted by on Monday, March 7, 2016 Lebanon's Tourism Ministry Tuesday threatened legal action against the You Stink activist group for using its logo in a mock video displaying stomach-churning scenes from the country's eight-month-long garbage crisis, writes. In a statement carried by the National News Agency, the ministry described the two-minute video as "offensive", saying it harmed Lebanon's image, and was in violation of the ministry's Intellectual Property Rights.Really?So basically the eight-months-long garbage crisis the Lebanese government and the corrupt political establishment are responsible of is not offensive, it doesn't harm Lebanon's image, but the YouStink video does?Thats a good one.In other words, the Ministry of Tourism wants to sue reality. This arrogant smelly reality that has the nerve to be the complete opposite of what the Ministry wants it to be. Sounds like 1984 for dummies, doesnt it?What next? Sue the brown pollution dome over Beirut because its not the clear blue sky the Ministrys ads are showing? Why stop there? Why not sue anyone who gets sick because of the viruses the tons of garbage are joyfully producing? All these people in such poor health are surely harming Lebanons image. Lets hide them in some concentration camp, far from any potential tourists sensitive eyes!One more thing, just in case the Ministry didnt properly check with its lawyers: when you parody something youre not liable for violating Intellectual Property Rights. That why its called a PARODY! If that wasnt the case, shows like "" or "" would have ceased to exist a long time ago.But, on the other hand, the Ministry of Tourism could be sued over its ads for misleading and false advertising: the way they portray Lebanon is so far from its actual reality, one could argue theyre aiming to con foreigners into coming to a country where they could catch a disease simply by breathing. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close A Marigny resident told police she saw this man burglarizing a home in the 2700 block of Burgundy Street on Sunday afternoon (March 6). Lady Robin Walker said she doused the man with pepper spray. (Photo courtesy of Lady Robin Walker ) Why do police shoot so many times? FBI, experts answer on officer-involved shootings The federal government plans to pour $125 million into the fight against a mysterious disease that has ravaged corals in Florida and much of the Caribbean, and now poses a dire threat to the treasured reefs off the Louisiana and Texas coasts. WASHINGTON (AP) The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to Donald Trump. The nine-member panel sent a letter to the former president's lawyers on Friday, demanding his testimony under oath by mid-November and outlining a series of corresponding documents. The decision by lawmakers to exercise their subpoena power comes a week after the committee made its final case against the former president, who they say is the "central cause" of the multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It remains unclear how Trump and his legal team will respond to the subpoena, if at all. Who should the New Orleans Saints target in free agency? Renovations and improvements at the State Historical Building in Des Moines should mean increased access to the history of Iowa for museums and historical societies in southwest Iowa. We have been collecting pieces of Iowa history for 157 years. We have 209 million pieces, said Mary Cownie, director of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, which oversees the building and the State Historical Society of Iowa. But its all too hidden, Crownie continued. That has to change, with a major renovation that can address infrastructure issues. But also we want the renovation to have an impact on how citizens interact with Iowa history. Cownie called the collection the heart and soul of this project. This is ultimately about preserving Iowa history and providing better access to it, she said. Not just here at the flagship building, but being able to work with historical societies to loan items. The State Historical Building in Des Moines has a failing building envelope the physical separator between the interior and exterior of a building, which includes walls, floors, roofs and doors no vapor barrier, exposed pipes above exhibits and collection storage, unsealed concrete ceilings, water leaks, a faulty internal drainage system, failing exterior granite and an outdated heating and cooling system that needs to be replaced in its entirety. The renovation project includes downsizing the building from 234,000 square feet to 155,000, with the east portion about one-third of the building to be removed to create a new outdoor public space. The west portion will be renovated to accommodate exhibit galleries, classrooms, collection storage and office functions The renovations will include more artifact displays and make exhibit rotation easier, while also creating storage that leaves artifacts visible to visitors, according to Cownie. The heating and cooling upgrade will also allow for better environmental controls, which will help preserve items. Cownie said the effort will also include a renewed focus on public outreach, including working with historical societies and museums throughout the state. Weve heard from Iowans, we have to do a better job for outreach. We have to be able to work with Council Bluffs locations and other institutions to share our artifacts, she said. Well be able to do that through traveling exhibits, digitization and other efforts. Among its outreach efforts, the society currently has a set of silver pieces for coffee and tea service on loan to the General Dodge House in Council Bluffs. The collection includes a teapot, coffee pot, two pitchers, a waste bowl, sugar bowl and platter. We take these requests seriously, as it is our mission to serve all 99 counties of Iowa. This practice helps other museums better share Iowa history, said Leo Landis, curator of both the State Historical Museum and the State Historical Society of Iowa. Authentic artifacts are a way to inspire museum guests, and artifact loans are one of the primary ways we do that across our state. We also rely on loans to enhance our displays. Danette Hein-Snider with the Dodge House said the silver set was presented to Dodge after he served as the commander of the Department of Missouri during the Civil War. Hein-Snider likened the position to wartime governor, and said Dodge implemented strict rules and military law to achieve some semblance of safety for the citizens during a tumultuous time in the state and the nation as a whole. The people of St. Louis gave the Dodge family the silver service (set) as a show of appreciation, she said. General Dodge had a hand in the establishment of the State Historical Society as well. The Council Bluffs native worked with curator Edgar Harlan to create the society and donated a litany of his papers and personal affects. Kori Nelson with the Dodge House said those papers are invaluable to the museum, as Nelson, Hein-Snider and others have made multiple trips to the State Historical Library for Dodge research. We go through papers, photographs, journals, go through any documents tied to Dodge, Nelson said. That helps us here. In 2012, the state Legislature appropriated $3.65 million dollars for initial planning and immediate infrastructure repairs of the building. The Department of Cultural Affairs has requested $65 million dollars from the State Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund for the renovation project. The fund is made up of money from gaming tax receipts and is earmarked for construction and infrastructure projects. The total cost of the renovation is estimated at $80 million, with Cownie saying the remainder would be collected through grants and donations. The plan calls for the $65 million to be appropriated over a five-year span. Cownie noted Gov. Terry Branstad included the allocation in his budget recommendation. Now its up to the Legislature to act, she said. This is state-owned infrastructure. Its a state-owned collection. The issues at the building arent going away. Cownie called work with the Legislature an ongoing conversation. Both chambers are expected to release budget recommendations in the coming weeks. We would hope well know more in April, Cownie said. If the money is approved, Cownie said the State Historical Building would be closed from December of 2017 through the end of construction work, expected around the end of 2019 or early 2020. For more information on the project, go to iowaculture.gov. Authorities in Crawford County are searching for a 16-year-old girl missing since Monday. Madilyne Bishop was last seen at Denison High School wearing a gray shirt and jacket with black pants. The teen is 5-foot-2, weighs 110 pounds and has brown hair and eyes, according to the Denison Police Department. Police said Bishop may have been picked up in a green, two-door vehicle by an unknown man believed to be in his mid-20s. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to call the Denison Police Department at (712) 263-3195 or Crawford County Crime Stoppers at (712) 263-4050. Managing Editor John Schreier can be reached at (712) 325-5724 or by email at jschreier@nonpareilonline.com. The University of Iowa launched a new micro-scholarship program this week for students in the Council Bluffs Community School District designed to encourage high-schoolers to make good choices on their path to college. Partnering with the website Raise.me, which has the backing of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Facebook, the university is giving small awards to students, such as $50 for taking an advanced math class, $25 for participating in a sport or $100 for visiting campus. Its actually really easy to use, Abraham Lincoln High School senior Kyle Crowl told The Daily Nonpareil after earning $200 on the website. Raise.me recognizes good grades, school involvement and other accolades on the path to college admissions. The goal of the program is to promote preparedness for education beyond high school, a representative of UI said. Even if they ultimately decide not to attend the University of Iowa, participating students will be better prepared for success at any post-secondary institution, said Brent Gage, UI associated vice president for enrollment management. The new program is laudable for a couple reasons, although wed be remiss to not point out that the University of Iowa has a competitive interest in drawing more students to its campus, particularly given the shifting funding landscape for public support for the regents universities. First, the micro-scholarships provide an incentive for freshmen and sophomores to take steps that will help them gain admission to competitive colleges and, more importantly, be successful once they get to campus. Being involved in high school and taking advanced courses are important decisions for students to make in their lives. Second, the scholarships dont preclude students from taking advantage of Iowa Western Community College or any of the states other public two-year schools. Nor is it limited to the most gifted, talented, over-achieving or otherwise exceptional students at Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson high schools. A student without a lot of financial resources can bank an additional $1,200 from Raise.me toward finishing a program out in Iowa City but save two years of rent (or at least discounted tuition) by staying in Council Bluffs to knock-out prerequisite and general education classes. Superintendent Martha Bruckner said the micro-scholarships dovetail with the goal of making college inescapable for students in Council Bluffs. While a bachelors degree from a state university may not be right for all graduating seniors, for a multitude of different reasons, each and every one of them should feel like thats something they could achieve if thats what they want for themselves. These new mirco-scholarships, by the way, are also available to high-schoolers in Atlantic, Boyer Valley, Denison, East Mills, Hamburg, Red Oak and South Page, among other school districts in the pilot program. We hope that list grows to include Lewis Central, Missouri Valley, Glenwood and other area districts in the coming years. Community Its now easier than ever to connect and chat with others in your local area. You can connect with your community by asking general questions, give area updates and recommendations and even let your community know about local events that are taking place. Northern Mining suppliers find home at PDAC Now in its third year, the Northern Ontario Mining Supply Showcase has become a staple at the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention, occupying 7,800 square feet at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The Northern Ontario Mining Supply showcase at Toronto's Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention was a hive of activity on Monday, March 7, said James Franks, economic development officer for the City of Temiskaming Shores. Supplied photo. Now in its third year, the Northern Ontario Mining Supply Showcase has become a staple at the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention, occupying 7,800 square feet at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. When the showcase launched in 2014, organizers could not get a spot at the convention centre, and had to set up at the Steam Whistle Brewery across the street. That was extremely successful, but we didn't have enough space, said James Franks, the economic development officer for the City of Temiskaming Shores, who helped organize the first showcase. That year 36 Northern Ontario vendors, representing mining suppliers from Thunder Bay to North Bay, participated in the showcase at the Steam Whistle Brewery. The next year 55 northern companies participated in the showcase this time inside the convention centre thanks to financial support from FedNor. It has expanded to 72 companies in 2016. Franks said one big advantage from the showcase is that it gives northern mining suppliers a smaller barrier to entry. The cost to rent a space at the Northern Ontario pavilion, for example, is much lower than going it alone on the main convention floor. Most of them couldn't afford to come to an event like this, he said. Jason Ploeger, a geophysicist with Canadian Exploration Services, said the company had its own booth for several years, but joined the northern showcase in 2015. We actually found it was an improvement to where we were in the south building, he said. We found we had less traffic, however the traffic was more targeted. The company was able to attract new customers last year, who were interested in forging business relationships in Northern Ontario. Marty Warkentin, the owner of Northern Survey Supply, said his company has opted to have to booths one at the main convention area and one with the Northern Ontario Showcase. When you're in the general booth area it's more of a global community, Warkentin said. While the Northern Ontario booth allows him to connect with customers closer to home. Like many mining suppliers, Northern Survey Supply used PDAC to unveil its latest product. The MOSS system, which stands for "miner operator survey system," allows underground miners to do their own surveying on the stop to determine exactly which part of the rock face needs to be drilled and blasted without the assistance of a surveyor. While the mining industry has been in a cyclical downturn for the past few years, Warkentin said spirits were relatively high at the Northern Ontario showcase. Gold is certainly holding its own now, so that's a bit of a bright spot, he said. Almost a year after the former CAO was let go, Greater Sudbury has a new top bureaucrat. Almost a year after the former CAO was let go, Greater Sudbury has a new top bureaucrat.Mayor Brian Bigger announced at the end of Tuesday's meeting that Ed Archer, currently the interim city manager and CAO in Regina, is the city's new permanent CAO. He begins the new job at the end of May.In a release, Bigger said he's delighted Archer took the job.He brings with him a wealth of experience in municipal government, and he is passionate about serving this community with his very considerable abilities, Bigger said. He has the right mix of business acumen and drive for results to move Greater Sudbury city councils strategic plan forward.The hiring of a CAO for a municipality of this size is a complex process, Ward 9 Coun. Deb McIntosh said in the release. The committee is truly pleased that Mr. Archer has accepted. He is a driven business leader with demonstrated skills in strategic long-term thinking, as well as capacity and community building. Without a doubt, he will champion our city, with a focus on results.Originally from Northern Ontario, Archer is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada and a graduate of Lakehead University, with a Bachelor of Administration Degree (Accounting) and Bachelor of Arts Degree (History).He has worked in Regina since 2014 and has been interim CAO since last October. From 2007 to 2014, he was Barrie's GM of community and corporate services and municipal treasurer and President of Barrie Hydro Holdings Inc.I am thrilled to be joining the City of Greater Sudbury as its CAO and offer an approach that reflects my belief in the importance of building trust and confidence with the community we serve, Archer said in the release. Municipal services have a significant influence on residents quality of life, so I consider the opportunity to contribute leadership and ideas that help shape the citys direction to be very important.I am proud to join a strong team serving a community that has such a great lifestyle and a promising future.His salary in Regina was $259,570, according to a CBC report at the time of his hiring. His salary in Sudbury wasn't announced Tuesday. Former Greater Sudbury CAO Doug Nadorozny, who was fired in April 2015, made about $233,000 in salary and benefits in 2014, his last full year on the job.He was succeeded by Bob Johnston, the Greater Sudbury Airport CEO, who was himself let go in late September 2015 following a dispute with Bigger. Sisters bowl for St. Clare Franciscan Alliance Sisters Marlene Shapley, Cecilia Clare Stoffel, Aline Shultz and Maria Kolbe Elsto were among participants who bowled to benefit St. Clare Health Clinic in Crown Point and the Patient Necessities Fund. It was the groups second annual Bowl-A-Rama at Stardust Bowl in Merrillville and attracted 18 sponsors, 32 teams and raised more than $15,000. St. Clare, since 1996, has provided free primary health care and other assistance to underprivileged Northwest Indiana residents. Call (219) 663-2160. Hammond JROTC hosts ball HAMMOND Hammond High Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps held its Wildcat Battalion second annual military ball at Dynasty Banquet Center and invited Mayor Thomas McDermott to be guest speaker. Sgt. First Class, retired, Michael R. Jones is the U. S. Army instructor of JROTC at the high school. As leader of JROTC, Sgt. Jones teaches lifetime disciplinary skills to students who decide to enter the military or other occupations. JROTC cadets, also, volunteer time in the community during the citys Black History Month program, the mayors prayer breakfast and the Veterans Day parade where the group posted colors. Competitive cheer squad finishes first VALPARAISO The Courts All-Stars competitive cheerleading teams from Valparaiso competed at the Xtreme Spirit Cheer National Championships in Sandusky, Ohio. Senior level 2 Halos team won first place. The Courts offers competitive and special needs cheer for girls and boys 3 to 18. Season four call-outs will be held at The Courts May 1 for all teams. Call Amanda Facer at (219) 671-7114 or email: amanda@thecourtsofnwi.com for more information. GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. The clash of armies is not to be heard during Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, the vibrant, transporting new musical adapted from a potent slice of Tolstoys War and Peace. True, Napoleon is nominally present, presiding with a stern semi-smile over the proceedings from within a copy of a Jacques-Louis David portrait. But the roiling sounds of battle do not intrude on the romantic drama unfolding before us in Dave Malloys freshly imagined pop opera, which opened on Thursday night at a custom-built cabaret called Kazino, in the meatpacking district. The clash of cutlery, on the other hand, occasionally echoes as Tolstoys tale of love, corruption and fateful meetings swirls like a feverish dream before us, above us, around us. Following its acclaimed, sellout run last fall at Ars Nova, the production has been given a stylish and sumptuous upgrade, and now comes with a full meal attached. The show is performed in an elaborately appointed salon, with claret-colored velvet draperies and period paintings adorning the walls. Spiky candelabras modeled on the starbursts at the Metropolitan Opera twinkle from above. (Mimi Liens set designs form a crucial part of the mise-en-scene.) The audience sits at tables and banquettes clustered tightly together. Dinner service begins an hour before the performance. (The Broadway-size price tag is $125, but on Broadway you dont get borscht.) For those who truly want to enter into the spirit of the drama, carafes of vodka can be purchased. Yes, bottle service has come to Off Broadway. (Where more appropriately than in the meatpacking district?) I suspect it was inevitable: audiences are flocking to productions that dispense entirely with the theaters traditional fourth wall and provide nightclub-style amenities. Punchdrunks Sleep No More, which allows patrons to dawdle for a drink before, during and after the show, remains a hot ticket. (One of its producers is among the presenters of Natasha.) The interactive musical Here Lies Love, at the Public Theater, invites the audience to boogie on down with Imelda Marcos and friends. Camille Cosby declined to answer dozens of questions during a deposition last month in a federal civil case filed in Massachusetts against her husband, Bill Cosby, by seven women who say he defamed them, according to 10 pages of a transcript and accompanying documents that his lawyers filed with the court on Monday. As accusations of sexual abuse have mounted against the entertainer, Mrs. Cosbys knowledge of his activities during their decades of marriage has been a matter of recent inquiry. This case is one of four defamation suits Mr. Cosby faces from 10 women who say he sexually assaulted them years ago and then accused them of fabricating their accounts. Mrs. Cosbys lawyers had earlier tried to halt this deposition, but a federal judge ruled last month that Mrs. Cosby could be deposed but would not have to answer questions about her private conversations with her husband. A document accompanying the partial transcript of the deposition in Springfield, Mass., included 98 page and line entries representing questions that Mrs. Cosby was instructed by lawyers not to answer. UNDERGROUND 10 p.m. on WGN America. A blacksmith (Aldis Hodge) on a Georgia plantation plots his escape to freedom, and takes a group of fellow slaves with him, in this new thriller about the Underground Railroad. There is a definite soap-opera undercurrent to Underground, and the series isnt above letting it surface now and then, in steamy assignations and other pulpy moments that seem more shaped for a 21st-century TV audience than for historical accuracy, Neil Genzlinger wrote in The Times. (Image: from left, Alano Miller, Mr. Hodge and Theodus Crane) BROAD CITY 10 p.m. on Comedy Central. Jaime and Ilana give a party to cover their exterminating bill. RUSH (2013) 10:15 p.m. on FX Movie Channel. The director Ron Howard climbs into Formula One racecars to recount the rivalry of James Hunt, a British playboy turned racing royalty, and Niki Lauda, a wealthy Austrian, who drove the sport into the mainstream in 1976. Rush, which is serious without being self-serious, fun without being trivial, feels like the movie that he has been waiting to make his whole life, Manohla Dargis wrote in The Times. Things at Whole Foods are about to get even greener. The grocery chain plans to install as many as 100 rooftop solar systems, mainly through the power provider NRG Energy, on nearly a quarter of its stores and distribution centers, the companies said on Tuesday. SolarCity will also provide systems for the grocer, which could expand the rooftop solar program as the installations proceed. Installing solar at Whole Foods locations across the country will increase the percentage of renewable energy that is generated in communities where we work, Kathy Luftus, global leader in sustainability at the company, said in a prepared statement. NRG plans to install systems in nine states, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Nevada and Texas. Solar energy is in keeping with the Whole Foods image but it will also save the company money, because the solar providers can offer electricity at prices below what the stores and centers would normally pay utilities. The grocer has been under pressure to reduce costs as it has faced increasing competition from other chains offering specialty and organic foods at lower prices. In a deal that could change the way some companies market their drugs, the Food and Drug Administration has agreed to allow a pharmaceutical company to promote a drug for a use that the agency has not approved, the company said on Tuesday. The agreement settles a legal case between the agency and the company, Amarin, a small drug maker that sued the F.D.A. last year for the right to promote its only product, Vascepa, to a broader range of patients. In August, a federal district judge in Manhattan ruled that the F.D.A. could not prohibit Amarin from using truthful information to promote its drug, even for unapproved uses, because doing so would violate the companys right to free speech. The final settlement is still subject to approval by the court. The agency on Tuesday downplayed the implications of the deal. In a statement, it said that the settlement applied only to the Amarin case and that its position on whether companies have a constitutional right to provide truthful information about off-label uses had not changed. But some legal and drug-safety experts said the settlement could encourage other companies to seek similar arrangements and, ultimately, have profound implications for how drug makers sell their products. But today is Wednesday, the center of the workweek, the evening on which we often dont cook with a recipe, but with a narrative no-recipe recipe instead. Todays comes from Julia Moskin. Scatter a bunch of sliced onions and shallots across the oiled bottom of a large roasting pan, then put a bunch of chicken thighs on top of them, skin side up. Season it all with salt and pepper and then slide the pan into a hot oven to roast until the chicken is crisp and cooked through. Mix the onions around below the chicken every so often and add wine or stock if they are browning too fast. Meanwhile, make some croutons from good chewy bread, toasting them until golden in a pan or in the oven. They can be sliced or torn up no matter. Put the croutons on a warm platter, place the chicken on top, then dump the contents of the roasting pan over everything. Serve with green salad. Boy howdy. Those looking for an actual recipe to cook tonight can turn to Cooking. We like miso chicken in the middle of the week, with rice and baby bok choy. Also: a baked potato with crab, jalapeno and mint, which is easier to make on a Wednesday than its ingredients suggest, and is awesomely delicious to boot. Maybe vegetarian mapo tofu? Spaghetti carbonara? A big Persian salad by way of Los Angeles? So many choices! Save the recipes youre interested in cooking to your recipe box, so you can track them down later, like in the supermarket when youre looking for pecorino Romano and pancetta. And when youve cooked them? Rate the recipes. Leave notes on them. Share them with family and friends. And if you run into problems along the way, either with the site or the apps, please reach out for help. We have an ace crew standing by at cookingcare@nytimes.com. Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Tuesday that he was helping lead a coalition seeking to influence a coming Supreme Court case because President Obamas executive action on immigration would have a direct, tangible impact on at least 220,000 New Yorkers. The mayor spoke during a conference call with reporters. Mr. de Blasio, along with 100 mayors and county leaders, signed an amicus brief to be filed in the case, United States v. Texas, urging the court to let Mr. Obamas program, which gives temporary legal status to some undocumented immigrants, go forward. The brief comes as the Supreme Court prepares to hear a challenge to Mr. Obamas 2014 overhaul of immigration rules, which met sharp resistance from Congress and was blocked by a lower court. The case is expected to be heard in April. The executive action seeks to protect up to five million people from deportation, allowing many of them to temporarily work in the United States with no assurance of citizenship. It applies to undocumented immigrants who entered the country illegally as children or are parents of children who are American citizens. I didnt go through everything for that, Yoselin said, because I had no idea that due to my domestic violence I could get a visa. She asked to be identified only by her first name because she fears retribution from her ex-boyfriend. The legislation granting visas to victims of certain crimes has been in place since 2000, but the agencies that can certify their eligibility vary by county and state. For a victim to qualify, certifying agencies must confirm that the criminal act is on a prescribed list and that the victim was helpful in assisting the police. If approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the visas permit crime victims to stay and work in the country up to four years, and to apply for permanent residency. This isnt some backdoor, it isnt a loophole, it is one of the few forms of humanitarian relief that Congress has put out there to help victims of serious crimes, said Theodor S. Liebmann, a professor of immigration law at Hofstra University. In his State of the State address, Mr. Cuomo announced that the Division of Human Rights and the State Police would certify visas for certain crimes, joining the State Labor Department. Mr. de Blasio then announced he was expanding the citys visa certification policy to include the citys Commission on Human Rights. The New York Police Department said its Domestic Violence Unit certified 152 U visas in 2015 out of 580 applications. Amid pressure from advocates, the department proposed rule changes last summer that would establish clearer protocols for its certification process. It was not money, said Pascual Quishpi, 45, his hands balled in the pockets of his bomber jacket and his eyes brimming with tears as he stared at a photo of Mr. Patouhas taped to the stores grate. It was words. He would console me. Mr. Quishpi, originally from Ecuador, said he had been injured and, no longer able to work, had become depressed. Mr. Patouhas would let him use his fax machine, and he would tell him: Dont be sad. You must go on. He would wave when he passed and call out his name. It gave me strength, Mr. Quishpi said. He added: I dont understand why he killed him. It hurts. A sign taped on the door of the liquor shop still said, Open, even though it was not. Another sign advertised a wine tasting on Thursday. But police tape curled around the entrance, and inside, behind the grate, blood remained on the floor below the wine bottles. Mr. Patouhas, who was from Nafpaktos, a seaside town three hours from Athens, arrived in New York as a teenager with his family, part of a wave of Greek immigrants who settled in Astoria in the 1960s and 70s, and worked alongside them at their flower stand in the Times Square subway station. For the last two decades, he had run Astoria Liquors at 38-18 Astoria Boulevard, near Steinway Street. He lived with his wife, Despina, whom he married about a decade ago, their daughter, Paraskevi, 7, and his wifes parents. He spent most of his time, his relatives and customers said, at the shop, on a dimly lit block abutting a roaring freeway. Ruffians often congregated at the shop and around the entrance of a Dunkin Donuts next door. But Mr. Patouhas, who owned the building, presided over the corner with a soft hand. He gave odd jobs to people who were down on their luck, and to recent arrivals to the country. Guillermo Serna, 47, had come to pay his respects because many years ago, he said, not long after he arrived from Colombia, Mr. Patouhas had hired him to take out the trash at a building he owned. It wasnt much, just a little something. But he helped us poor people, Mr. Serna said. Calling the crime horrible, serious and quite terrifying, a federal judge in Manhattan sentenced a man to 16 years in prison on Tuesday on charges including that he tried to obtain the highly toxic poison ricin to be resold for use as a weapon. The defendant, Cheng Le, 22, was arrested in December 2014 in a sting operation run by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The government said Mr. Le tried to buy lethal doses of ricin, which has no known antidote, from an undercover F.B.I. employee who was posing as a trafficker in illicit materials on a secret part of the Internet known as the dark web. In one encrypted message, prosecutors said, Mr. Le said he might need some of the doses placed inside capsules. Disguise as medicine, he wrote, and let the target unknowingly ingest them. Mr. Le added that he would be trying out new methods in the future, the government said. It was, they both acknowledged, an unlikely romance: Margaret Lavigne and Chris Plum had met, fallen in love and married at a long-term acute care hospital in Connecticut, where they continued to live, both of them using wheelchairs because of muscular dystrophy. Yet the marriage flourished in the time they had together, and they let it be widely known, as the subjects of Good Night Margaret, an 11-minute video documentary produced in 2014 by The New York Times. In the video, Ms. Lavigne and Mr. Plum spoke candidly about living with a disability, in their cases caused by muscular dystrophy, a group of inherited diseases that result in progressive muscle weakness. Ms. Lavigne, who spent much of her life working on behalf of people with disabilities, died on Feb. 29. She was 44. The two met in 2011 shortly after Mr. Plum moved into the Hospital for Special Care in New Britain, which treats critically ill patients, many of whom have few prospects for improvement. Shruthi Aramandlas education and her job are geared to New York Citys skyline. She did not want to go back to her native India and start all over again. Ms. Aramandla, 24, who has a masters degree from the Tandon School of Engineering at New York University, has been waiting anxiously for the federal government to publish its new rule on a foreign-worker training program so she would know whether she could stay longer and perhaps one day permanently in the United States. The federal government will publish the rule on Friday, saying that international students earning degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields in the United States will now be eligible to stay for three years of on-the-job training. This is seven months longer than under the 2008 rule it replaces for the STEM Optional Practical Training program, known as OPT. The new rule will take effect on May 10. Beyond offering graduates more experience in their fields, the extension serves another purpose. If my work visa gets denied this year, I still have two more opportunities to apply, and I can keep working within the country, said Ms. Aramandla, who wanted to be an engineer since she was 10, growing up in Chennai, India. She graduated from N.Y.U. in May; under the previous 29-month rule, she would have been able to stay only through October 2017. Jasmine Boddie, who lives in Paterson and works as a media manager in Manhattan, said she would drive to Newark and catch a PATH train at Pennsylvania Station there. But it will not be easy. I think it will add at least an hour to my commute, she said, her face wrinkling up some. Because the PATH is really crowded already in the morning, and trying to step onto the train can be hard, especially if all the other passengers are going to have to use the PATH. At her small Manhattan office, she added, she has co-workers who live in Bloomfield and Montclair, and they have been bemoaning at lunch what a strike will mean for them. The general mood, Ms. Boddie said, is some of my co-workers will be connecting in online from home. Theyre just not going to do the commute. Under its contingency plans for a strike, New Jersey Transit has said it will be able to handle only about 40,000 of the 105,000 commuters who travel by train to New York City each weekday. The plans include extra service on more than two dozen New Jersey Transit bus routes, which would continue to be served during a strike, and adding five park-and-ride locations where commuters could ride a bus to the city, ferry terminals or PATH stops. Officials have said rail tickets will be honored on buses, the light rail, private buses, PATH and New York Waterway ferries. Officials have also said commuters should plan to car pool, leave for work early or work from home. Rail workers have been working without a new contract since 2011. The unions have proposed wage increases of about 17 percent over six and a half years, with workers contributing part of their pay, up to 2.5 percent, toward health coverage. He is in good spirits, Benjamin B. Tucker, first deputy commissioner of the Police Department, said during a news conference at the hospital. For someone whos been shot, he was awake, he was alert. One person taken into custody, a 45-year-old man who was behind the wheel, was hit in the wrist and the leg by gunfire, the police said; he was taken to Bellevue Hospital Center, but his condition was not immediately available. Another man, 51, was also taken into custody. A search for a third person at the scene of the transaction, which included $80 worth of heroin, continued late on Tuesday. The police said the brand of heroin was called American Dream. Both of the men in custody, whose names were not released, have extensive criminal histories, the police said. The 45-year-old man had 58 prior arrests, many of which were related to drug trafficking, the authorities said. No gun was found at the scene. Today, a detective put his life on the line as he bravely performed his duty to protect our city and its residents from harm, Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. Were grateful the detective is doing well, and we wish him a safe and swift recovery. In Bushwick, in an area where streets are lined with apartment buildings, bodegas and bars, many residents were startled by the sounds of gunfire and crashing cars ringing out during the evening rush. History can come back not only as echoes, but also in ricochets. Many, many years ago like, five long before Donald J. Trump got so lurid that he was telling an apocryphal story about the deterrent effect of executing 49 Muslims with bullets dipped in pigs blood, he trafficked in claims that seemed much tamer. In 2011 he argued that President Obama was actually born in Kenya, not in Hawaii. Mr. Trump said his private investigators cant believe what theyre finding. When the president produced his birth certificate, issued in Honolulu in 1961, Mr. Trump remained skeptical. We have to look at it, he said, we being a word he appears to use interchangeably with I. The findings of his flabbergasted private detectives have yet to surface. The birther movement, in which Obama is secretly a Muslim, is just another way to use the N word, said Ken Burns, the documentary filmmaker, whose documentary on Jackie Robinson made with David McMahon and Sarah Burns will be broadcast on PBS in April. It has been a decade since former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg decided to ramp up New York Citys efforts to attract more tourists, and city officials say there is no end to the influx on the horizon. In Berlin on Wednesday, Fred Dixon, the chief executive of New Yorks tourism-marketing agency, NYC & Company, plans to announce a forecast of 59.7 million visitors this year. That would exceed last years record of 58.3 million visitors by 2.4 percent and keep the city on pace for a goal of drawing 67 million annual visitors by 2021, Mr. Dixon said in an interview. The tourists have kept flowing into New York from around the country and the rest of the world despite turmoil in many places, a slowing economy in China and a strengthening American dollar that weakens the buying power of foreigners, Mr. Dixon said. Despite the slowdown in China, the country is expected to be a growing source of visitors to the city in 2016, which has been declared U.S.-China tourism year, he said. NYC & Company is projecting about 920,000 visitors from China this year, an increase of 8.2 percent from the preliminary estimate of about 850,000 in 2015. China is the fourth-largest source of foreign visitors to the city, behind England, Canada and Brazil. In the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, Congress in 1978 passed the Inspector General Act, establishing independent watchdogs whose job it is to uncover waste, fraud or abuse across scores of federal departments and agencies. These public servants are our eyes and ears within the executive branch, as Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa described them in December. Under the 1978 law, inspectors general, who are based in the agencies, have access to all records needed to do their job. But since the early days of the Obama administration, many agencies have systematically thwarted that access for whole categories of information including, most notably, grand jury testimony, personal credit data and information from wiretaps. The effect has been to slow down investigations into, among other things, the shooting of civilians during Drug Enforcement Administration raids in Honduras, sexual assaults in the Peace Corps and the F.B.I.s antiterrorism powers. Inspectors general have spent time and taxpayer dollars arguing for access to documents they should, by law, have in hand denying the American people the robust scrutiny of their federal government. Normally smart people, like Mitt Romney, discarded all their best instincts to suck up to this ragtag assortment of self-appointed G.O.P. commissars, each representing a different slice of what came to be Republican orthodoxy climate change is a hoax; abortion, even in the case of rape or incest, is impermissible; even common-sense gun laws must be opposed, no matter how many kids get murdered; taxes must always be cut and safety nets shrunk, no matter what the economic context; Obamacare must be destroyed, even though it was based on a Republican idea; and Iraq was a success even though it was a mess. The G.O.P. became an accretion of ideas that ossified over the years without the party ever stopping to ask afresh: What world are we living in now? What are the dominant trends? And how does America best exploit them by applying conservative values and market-based solutions? The cynicism of todays G.O.P. could not have been more vividly displayed than when Marco Rubio, John Kasich (a decent guy) and Ted Cruz all declared that they would support the partys nominee, even if it was Trump, right after telling voters he was a con man. No wonder so many Republicans are voting for Trump on the basis of what they think is in his guts. All the other G.O.P. candidates have none. But even if his support is weakening, Democrats take Trump lightly at their peril. He is still sitting with three aces that he hasnt played yet. They could all come out in the general election. One ace is that if he wins the nomination he will have no problem moving to the center to appeal to independents and minorities. He will have no problem playing the moderate unifier and plenty of people will buy it, saying: Why not give him a chance? He says he can make us winners. Sure, Mexico will have to pay for that wall, Trump will say, but it will be in installments. Deport 11 million illegal immigrants? Cmon, dont you know an opening bid on an immigration bill when you hear one? Ban all Muslims? Well of course we cant ban a whole faith community, but Trump will vow to be much harder on visas from certain countries. Have you never read The Art of the Deal? The financial crisis of 2008 and its painful aftermath wiped out jobs, incomes, savings, home equity and economic opportunity throughout the country. But it did not wipe out rich paydays on Wall Street. The average bonus on Wall Street last year was $146,200, according to a new report from Thomas DiNapoli, the New York State comptroller. Bonuses were down 9 percent from 2014, mainly because of lower trading profits and higher regulatory compliance costs. Still, the average bonus is nearly three times the median annual household income in the United States. The overall bonus pool of $25 billion is enough for 2.6 million restaurant and bar servers who typically earn about $10 to $11 an hour to get a raise to $15 with $10 billion to spare, according to the Institute for Policy Studies. These comparisons do not by themselves prove that Wall Street pay is excessive. But there is no denying that in an economy marked by widening income inequality, gains at the top of the income scale imply stagnation or losses at the bottom. This is especially true when the industry at the top of the scale is modern finance. You would think that if the leader of a country friendly to America likened a serious contender for the American presidency to two of the premier villains of the 20th century, it would set off an uproar. But Donald Trump has so debased the tone of the presidential race that there was hardly a murmur when President Enrique Pena Nieto of Mexico did just that this week. Not only was there no way Mexico would pay for Mr. Trumps wall along the border, but that sort of demagogy, Mr. Pena Nieto said, was how Mussolini got in, thats how Hitler got in. That may be a natural reaction given all the hatred Mr. Trump has hurled at Mexico. But Mr. Pena Nieto is not alone among people around the world increasingly frightened by the irresponsible and ignorant pronouncements of a man who could be the Republican nominee. Mr. Trump won at least two more states, Michigan and Mississippi, on Tuesday. In January, the British Parliament held an extraordinary debate on whether to bar Mr. Trump from Britain on the grounds that his comments about Muslims amounted to hate speech (no vote was taken). Last week, Mr. Trumps exercise in Japan-bashing set off panic in the Japanese Foreign Ministry. In China, his vacillation between proclamations of love for the Chinese and fiery pledges of stern action against China for ripping us off has left experts and politicians scratching their heads. At least one foreign government tried to learn more about Mr. Trumps policy positions by making direct contact with his campaign, but has been unable to figure out who is the authoritative channel, one diplomat told The Times. Q. Tell me about your company. A. Its really a marketplace, but a large portion of the marketplace transactions are consummated with the help of brokerage services. Q. How do your duties and responsibilities differ from those of the other two founders, Aron Susman and Justin Lee? A. There are three main jobs, or three main goals, and everything I do falls underneath those. One is to make sure that were properly financed. So Im meeting with current investors, with potential investors, and making sure theres money in the bank. Two is to kind of set the strategy and the vision of the company, obviously not by myself. Its with the input of my founders and obviously all of our investors and advisers. KENT, Wash. The headquarters of Blue Origin, the secretive rocket company in an industrial park here, is anonymous, with not even a sign at the road to announce the occupants. On Tuesday, for the first time, Blue Origin, started by Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder of Amazon, opened its doors to reporters. Welcome to Blue, Mr. Bezos said. Thank you for coming. Blue Origin is part of a shift of the space business from NASA and aerospace behemoths like Lockheed Martin toward private industry, especially smaller entrepreneurial companies. Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, founded by another Internet entrepreneur, Elon Musk, has been the most visible and most successful of the new generation of rocket companies. Last Friday, it launched another satellite to orbit, but an attempt to land the booster on a floating platform again ended in an explosion. Much more quietly, Blue Origin has also had big space dreams, but until now did not give outsiders a look at what it was doing. The very idea of authenticity is a sham. An 18th-century interior was only authentic in the 18th century. And certainly no owner of one of those ubiquitous industrial-inspired interiors would ever want to actually live with the poor lighting, damp rooms and nonexistent heating that came along with the real thing in the 1800s. There seems to be a presumed hierarchy of materials that is no longer relevant. In my opinion, no material should ex post facto be considered superior to any other, age and rarity notwithstanding. In the country, I live in a sham Jacobean house of extreme whimsical delicacy, but even the grimmest of minimalists fall for its fake facade. A diamond Cartier feather is, au fond, a fake feather, but I doubt that any severely pro-authenticity proprietress of one of those earnest, soulless spaces would throw one in the trash. It is said Madame de Pompadour had the flower beds at Chateau de Bellevue planted with thousands of fake porcelain flowers, thereby not only ensuring constant work for the Sevres manufacturers, but also the creation of ravishingly beautiful artworks that fooled no one and delighted all and, of course, whose rarity and value today are incalculable. When the few seams of the worlds more exotic marbles were exhausted, 18th-century architects had craftsmen all over Europe paint the equivalent. But if one suggests a unique marbleized wall finish over the real thing, most shudder and beetle back to boring calacatta. Fake is surely only contemptible when its trying to pass as original, when quite simply forgery, or counterfeit. But a witty take on the real thing is a different matter. Fake fur springs to mind. A judge has ruled that Californias plans for a $64 billion high-speed rail system do not violate promises made to voters when they approved state financing for the project. The ruling, released Tuesday by Judge Michael Kenny of Sacramento County Superior Court, allows planning and financing of the project to proceed. Lawyers for Kings County asked the judge to block the state from spending money on the project, arguing that the states projections on ridership, construction and operating figures were not reliable. The judge said that although the rail authority had not proved that the rail system would be financially viable or that it could meet the travel times voters were promised, the system continued to evolve and so it was premature for the court to intervene. Voters were told that the trains would whisk travelers from San Francisco to Los Angeles in two hours and 40 minutes, and that the system would operate without a government subsidy. Since then, plans have changed repeatedly as state officials made political compromises to ensure survival of the project. WASHINGTON Attorney General Loretta Lynch said on Tuesday that she was taking herself out of consideration for the open Supreme Court seat because of the demands of her current position. Ms. Lynch determined that the limitations inherent in the nomination process would curtail her effectiveness in her current role, Melanie Newman, a Justice Department spokeswoman, said in a statement. She is honored to serve as attorney general, and she is fully committed to carrying out the work of the Department of Justice for the remainder of her term, Ms. Newman said. After the death of Justice Antonin Scalia last month, Ms. Lynch was seen by some Supreme Court watchers as a potential nominee, but her name seemed to have faded in recent weeks. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. They discussed Tyler Perry movies, Jews who eat pork, even which shoes they should have worn. But while the talk got loopy on Tuesday in the Missouri State Senate, the cause was serious on the second day of a filibuster against a bill giving new legal protection to opponents of same-sex marriage. The bill is one of many that have been introduced in state legislatures and in Congress since the Supreme Courts ruling in June in favor of same-sex marriage, and that supporters say aim to protect religious freedom and opponents say permit discrimination. But experts say that in some ways, the Missouri bill, similar to one being considered in Georgia, would go further than any law now in place, prompting challenges that could keep the issue before the courts for years. The filibuster staged by Democrats in the Republican-controlled State Senate stetched into its third day on Wednesday. Exhausted lawmakers slipped out to nap or change clothes, some returning for hourly quorum calls, as their increasingly punchy colleagues took turns holding the floor in the mostly empty chamber, bouncing from unrelated topics to heartfelt debates on the bill. My conscience comes from the Bible, the inerrant word of the Bible, said Senator David Sater, a Republican. Its a conscience protection bill. No Democratic presidential candidate had campaigned in Traverse City, Mich., in decades until Senator Bernie Sanders pulled up to the concert hall near the Sears store on Friday. Some 2,000 people mobbed him when he arrived, roaring in approval as he called the countrys trade policies, and Hillary Clintons support for them, disastrous. If the people of Michigan want to make a decision about which candidate stood with workers against corporate America and against these disastrous trade agreements, that candidate is Bernie Sanders, Mr. Sanders said in Traverse City, about 250 miles north of Detroit. Mr. Sanders pulled off a startling upset in Michigan on Tuesday by traveling to communities far from Detroit and by hammering Mrs. Clinton on an issue that resonated in this still-struggling state: her past support for trade deals that workers here believe robbed them of manufacturing jobs. Almost three-fifths of voters said that trade with other countries was more likely to take away jobs, according to exit polls by Edison Research, and those voters favored Mr. Sanders by a margin of more than 10 points. For Mrs. Clinton, it was a stinging defeat in a state that she had made a symbol of her campaign, pledging to help the citizens of Flint overcome its contaminated water crisis in a rare display of passion and outrage from a candidate who is often reserved. The results were also a reminder of her weakness among two key voting blocs: working-class white men and independent voters. WASHINGTON The Obama administration said on Tuesday that it would test new ways to pay for prescription drugs in an effort to slow the growth of Medicare spending on medicines while encouraging doctors to choose the most effective treatments for their patients. The announcement comes as presidential candidates including Hillary Clinton, Senator Bernie Sanders and Donald J. Trump are calling for government action to protect consumers against high drug prices. Federal officials said the government spent $20 billion last year under Part B of Medicare for prescription drugs administered in doctors offices and hospital outpatient departments. The current payment formula provides weak incentives for doctors to choose the lowest-cost therapy to treat patients effectively, the administration said. Indeed, it said, the current payment formula may encourage the use of higher-price drugs when lower-cost drugs of equivalent effectiveness are available. The Utah branch of Planned Parenthood asked a federal appeals court on Tuesday to stop Gov. Gary R. Herbert from cutting off funding to the organization, arguing the move was unconstitutional political retribution against an organization he oppose. Mr. Herbert, a Republican, already knew that investigations had cleared Planned Parenthood of illegally selling fetal tissue to researchers for profit when he ordered state agencies to stop distributing federal money to the organization last fall, Peggy Tomsic, a Planned Parenthood lawyer, told a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. Tyler Green of the Utah attorney generals office argued that the organization was still under a cloud of suspicion when the order came down. The judges pressed him to explain how the governors move was not intended to punish the organization for its associations, which would be a violation of its constitutional rights. Mr. Green said the governor had the right to end at-will contracts. The United States on Tuesday broadened longstanding sanctions against the Lords Resistance Army, one of central Africas most violent guerrilla groups, and its founder, Joseph Kony, a warlord and self-described prophet who has eluded the authorities for nearly three decades. Sanctions announced by the Treasury Department add to American restrictions on Mr. Kony first imposed in 2008 by widening the network of contacts that could face penalties if they do business with him. The Treasury sanctions also put the Lords Resistance Army on a financial blacklist for the first time, which forbids Americans to have any contact with the organization and freezes any assets it may have under United States jurisdiction. The State Department placed the Lords Resistance Army on its Terrorism Exclusion List in 2001, but that restriction empowered officials only to bar people associated with the organization from entering the United States. American officials said the actions were taken partly in response to tightened measures against Mr. Kony and the Lords Resistance Army by the United Nations Security Council. They are also a response to reports that the organization has sharply escalated its abductions and plundering in Central African Republic this year compared with 2015. The Turkish authorities have seized control of the Cihan news agency, expanding the crackdown against supporters of the Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is an influential critic of President Tayyip Erdogan, the news agency said. At the request of a state prosecutor, a court in Istanbul will appoint an administrator to run the news agency, Cihan reported on its website late Monday. The action came a few days after the authorities seized control of the newspaper Zaman, which is also linked to Mr. Gulen, who is living in the United States. A State Department spokesman, John Kirby, on Tuesday called the seizing of Cihan was another example of an unnecessary crackdown on journalism, and he urged the Turkish government to ensure full respect for due process. The government has accused Mr. Gulen, a former ally of the president, of conspiring to overthrow the government by building a network of supporters in the judiciary, police and news media. Mr. Gulen has denied the accusation. Mr. Netanyahu on Monday declined an invitation to meet with Mr. Obama on March 18 in Washington, ostensibly because he did not want to get drawn into the volatile presidential election. In fact, several officials said, Mr. Netanyahu did not want to meet with Mr. Obama without having sealed the terms of a new pact on American military aid. The 10-year agreement, potentially worth more than $40 billion, is viewed as a way to compensate Israel for the Iran nuclear deal. But negotiations have run into snags, these people said, and Mr. Netanyahu did not want to risk leaving an Oval Office meeting empty-handed. An even deeper potential source of friction between the leaders, officials said, stems from the possibility that Mr. Obama will make a last foray into peacemaking. In whatever form that would take, the purpose would be to show a way of resolving all the central issues that divide the two sides, from the borders of a Palestinian state to Israels security and the political status of Jerusalem. Obama and Kerry are looking at the very real likelihood that the two-state solution could die on their watch, said Martin S. Indyk, who served as the special envoy for Israel-Palestinian peace negotiations under Mr. Kerry in 2013 and 2014. Having tried everything else, I think they feel a responsibility, above all to Israels future as a Jewish and democratic state, to preserve the principles of a two-state solution. After months of intensive talks, Mr. Kerry failed to break a deadlock on the so-called final-status issues between Mr. Netanyahu and the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. Mr. Netanyahu has since won re-election with a government that is even more hard-line on these issues than his last one. During that campaign, the prime minister disavowed his support for the two-state solution. Mr. Abbass position, meanwhile, has been eroded by months of violent attacks by Palestinians on Israeli Jews. Adding to the urgency of the debate, officials said, is a mounting American concern that a continued expansion of Jewish settlements in a swath of territory in the West Bank known as Area C will soon make a geographically and politically viable Palestinian state impossible. A delegation from Yemens Houthi rebel movement is conducting peace talks directly with Saudi Arabia for the first time since Yemens civil war began nearly a year ago, according to people briefed on the negotiations. A Saudi-led military coalition started fighting in Yemen last year after the Houthis seized Sana, the capital, and drove Yemens government from power. The United Nations has sponsored several failed attempts to halt the fighting, which has killed more than 3,000 civilians and left most of the country in need of humanitarian aid. Representatives of the Houthis traveled to Saudi Arabia this week to discuss prisoner exchanges and a de-escalation of fighting along the Saudi-Yemeni border. It was hoped that the talks would lead to a broader agreement to end the war, according to the people briefed on the negotiations, which have not been publicly announced. This is the year to be a woman in the Stephen Petronio Company. Who wouldnt want the chance to be a slippery, flitting postmodern sylph? In Glacial Decoy, Trisha Browns superb 1979 work featuring sets, costumes and visual direction by Robert Rauschenberg, five dancers wearing diaphanous shoulder-baring dresses glide forward and back in front of Rauschenbergs shifting backdrop of photographs capturing black-and-white slices of Americana. Theres a string tied around a tree, a bike seat, the front door of a house. The work was performed Tuesday as part of Mr. Petronios Bloodlines project, which focuses on his influences; he danced in Ms. Browns company from 1979 to 1986. Glacial Decoy was Ms. Browns first piece for the proscenium, and it was wittily designed so that its dancers feed in from the wings to blur the stages borders. The movement, supple and free, creates a sensual bounce as the women unfurl their limbs like ribbons strewn by a fan. Theyre in a continual state of rebound: After a kick with a flexed foot, they curve around an invisible bend. Glacial Decoy is worth seeing under any circumstance, but Mr. Petronios dancers are better at being emphatic than loose. Often they hold their arms too rigidly, overriding the choreographys exquisite elasticity. Cori Kresge and Emily Stone, settling into an internal shared rhythm in the center duet, come closest to conveying the dances brush-stroke delicacy. Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band The Rarity of Experience (No Quarter) Chris Forsyth is a certain kind of rock guitar player: a stickler with limitations, a scrappy and mystical historian. He cares about tone and song form, and invests heavily in the long solo. But he is not a virtuoso, and he keeps aggression and chaotic noise close at hand. His music humanizes the element of control in rock classicism, basically. It turns it into woolly but disciplined ritual. Born in the early 70s and based in Philadelphia, he gravitates toward a certain kind of music made in the first 10 years of his life, a nexus of garage-punk and long, organic jamming. Often that means the band Television, and even if you have only a passing familiarity with Televisions record Marquee Moon, you will find elements of The Rarity of Experience, Mr. Forsyths new double-CD with his Solar Motel Band, weirdly familiar. Those elements start with his guitar playing: a trebly tone; careful trills and tremolo; short melodic figures cutting across the simple chord progressions; his weaving around the playing of the bands other guitarist, Nick Millevoi, building up toward dramatic peaks. (You can see it all up close on March 19, when the band plays at Trans-Pecos in Brooklyn.) Mr. Forsyth studied guitar with Televisions Richard Lloyd in the 1990s, but the influence of the older band seems to go beyond soloing style, spreading out into composition and arrangement. The Rarity of Experience contains a lot: a first disc full of tense and dramatic jamming with neutral singing by Mr. Forsyth, and an instrumental second disc, generally more pensive and stretched-out, with Daniel Carter playing trumpet and saxophone on half of it. This part isnt so much like Television: It evokes aspects of Miles Daviss electric period and various kinds of rock-beyond-rock Slint, Sonic Youth and so on. You sense Mr. Forsyths control easing a bit here, and the music grows deeper and better. Padma Lakshmi, the cookbook author and reality television star, has a signature repertoire as host of Top Chef on Bravo. It plays out at key moments in the competition, when anxious chefs stand opposite her as she tastes their dishes, their faces scrutinizing hers for some clue about what she is thinking. She chews silently and then puts down her utensils, often without a flicker of expression. Thank you, she finally says, before turning away gracefully and moving on to the next contestant. Part of the appeal of the moment is that Ms. Lakshmi, 45, leaves so much unsaid. Not so in her new book, Love, Loss and What We Ate, which was released on Tuesday. In the 324-page memoir, Ms. Lakshmi opens a window into her life, weaving together stories from her childhood, her love affairs and her work through the lens of the culinary experiences that eventually shaped her fame. The book appears to spare little, delving deeply into personal details about uncertainty over paternity during her pregnancy, the pain of a custody case and her efforts to overcome the insecurity she felt being Indian. I am going to own my history, she said in an interview on the Today show on NBC. Ms. Lakshmi particularly highlights her high-profile relationship with the author Salman Rushdie, which was overshadowed by a fatwa, or religious edict, that had been issued in 1989 by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Irans former supreme leader. It called for Mr. Rushdie to be put to death for his supposedly blasphemous book The Satanic Verses. In a 2004 television interview, Bill Moyers told his guest, Maurice Sendak, that hed cheated death, thanks to his sublime body of work. Most of us will live only as long as our grandchildren remember us, Mr. Moyers said. But you will never die. I have news for you, Sendak replied. I am gonna croak. This unblinking, unblinkered response was both typical and atypical of Sendaks attitude toward his mortality, as Katie Roiphe perceptively shows in The Violet Hour: Great Writers at the End. Sendak had a lifelong obsession with death, which he dramatized with ferocity and vitality in his art, drawing snaggletoothed wild things and bakers who leavened their cakes with little boys; when his lover of 50 years, Eugene Glynn, died, he drew pictures of his corpse. In general, he cultivated a mordant persona and was genuinely captivated by gruesomeness. He would be happy sitting at the dinner table, Ms. Roiphe writes, watching a graphic reality-TV surgery show while eating spaghetti. Yet in spite of his veneer of resignation, Sendak would still sometimes capitulate to anguish toward the end of his life. There was a howl, Ms. Roiphe adds, a sorrow that was not managed. Even for Sendak, king of all wild things. He died in 2012. What once was free on airlines now often translates to fees. An aisle or window seat can cost extra. Bag fees come in at least six varieties. Even airline-issued pillows and blankets have a price tag on some carriers. While it has done wonders for the airlines bottom line, the fee frenzy has now reached ridiculous levels, in the view of some members of Congress. On Wednesday, legislators introduced a bill that would limit airline fees for checked bags, ticket changes and cancellations, saying the practice amounts to a form of price gouging. Backed by several consumer organizations, the bill, called the Forbidding Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous Fees Act, or FAIR Fees Act, follows an attempt to set minimum standards for seat size on commercial airlines. BEIJING Migrant workers are the unsung heroes of Chinas economic miracle. Numbering more than 270 million, they abandon their impoverished farms and villages to move to the cities, where they run the factories and build the highways and high-rises that have made Chinas growth the envy of the world. Now, as Chinas economy slows, the countrys leaders have a new mission for them: Buy homes. China is looking for ways to get migrant workers to help buy up a huge glut of unsold homes that is dragging down the countrys economic growth. Chinese leaders have eased taxes and down payment requirements. They are taking new steps to offer mortgages. And they have eased the tough laws that traditionally have kept migrant workers from putting down roots in big cities. The leaders want to turn people like Hong Qiwen into home buyers. Mr. Hong, 32, runs a small pastry shop in Xian, a city in Shaanxi Province in the countrys north. The province has said it will offer mortgages and other help as part of a $9.1 billion lending push to get people especially migrants to buy homes. But Mr. Hong, a father of two young children who is from a rural area in Chinas east, represents the challenge to Chinas effort. He has no plans to buy one in Xian. I am like a fallen leaf that will eventually return to the roots, he said, invoking a Chinese proverb. FRANKFURT The German carmaker BMW reported on Wednesday that its operating profit was better than expected, thanks to healthy sales of high-margin sport-utility vehicles. The company, however, disappointed investors with its dividend. The companys earnings before interest and tax rose to 9.59 billion euros, or $10.6 billion, above the average forecast of 9.55 billion in a Reuters poll of analysts. The results gave the producer of BMW and Mini cars an operating margin in its automotive division of 9.2 percent. Last year, BMW retained the title of the worlds biggest luxury carmaker, with sales of BMW-branded cars reaching 1.91 million, a 5.2 percent increase from the previous year. It was the 11th year in a row that the Munich-based company held the title. Harald Kruger, BMWs chief executive, said the company aimed to continue increasing sales. We are again targeting a new sales volume record in 2016, with sales expected to be slightly up on the previous year, Mr. Kruger said on Wednesday in a statement. Mr. Horn will be replaced by Hinrich J. Woebcken, who was recently named head of the North American region and chairman of Volkswagen Group of America. The Volkswagen leadership hammer continues to fall, said Akshay Anand, an analyst at Kelley Blue Book, who noted that Mr. Horn had many allies among Volkswagens dealers in the United States. It will be interesting to see if Woebcken can continue that, and more importantly, if he can help VW navigate through its crisis. In the early days of the emissions scandal, Mr. Horn was the companys public face, repeatedly apologizing to customers and testifying before Congress about the problem. Shortly after Volkswagen admitted the fraud, Mr. Horn said at a congressional hearing that the company was working tirelessly to develop remedies for the affected vehicles. Months later, Volkswagen has still not come up with a recall plan that would fix the problem and satisfy the Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates vehicle emissions in the United States. Investigators in the United States and Europe are also trying to answer basic questions about the fraud and who was responsible. Volkswagen has said the fraud was limited to a small group of people. But prosecutors in Germany said on Tuesday that they had expanded their investigation, raising the number of suspects to 17, from six. (While German privacy rules do not allow suspects to be named, they do not include current or former members of the companys management board, according to a spokesman for the prosecutors office.) Company executives knew about the potential emissions problems more than a year before Volkswagen publicly admitted the fraud to regulators. But in talks with American regulators the carmaker initially denied the existence of a cheat device. In Public schools exist for the common good of all, (Banner-Press, Feb. 25, 2016) Craig Christiansen of the Nebraska State Education Association criticizes the ongoing effort to bring charter schools to the state. Educate Nebraska, an advocacy organization that believes every child in Nebraska has the right to a high quality education, disagrees with the state teachers union regarding the need for charter schools. Before delving into differences of opinion, however, its necessary to point out some matters of fact: charter schools are public schools, free and open to all students, and accountable to parents and taxpayers. Publicly elected officials create the necessary conditions to open and operate charter schools. Charter schools do not cost taxpayers more. Charter schools frequently operate without union control. Forty-three states and the District of Columbia have passed charter school legislation and no state has repealed the law. We agree with Christiansen that every child deserves access to an excellent education. We understand that every child in Nebraska can attend a traditional district school. But the ability to attend a public school is not one in the same with the opportunity to access an excellent education. While many schools in Nebraska perform well, some do not. And when schools fail to educate students, year after year, Nebraska should not deny or limit access to higher quality alternatives, alternatives that have proven particularly effective for the children most often relegated to low quality schools. Christiansen claims that all families in Nebraska already have choices and therefore the ability to attend great schools. However, access to great schools often requires that families move to a different neighborhood or pay private school tuition, a choice available only to those with adequate resources. If provided with higher quality alternatives, no family would choose a school where less than 20 percent of the students are proficient in reading or math, yet thousands of children in Nebraska attend such schools today. These children are substantially less likely than their better educated peers to lead healthy, happy and productive lives. Be it public charter schools or traditional district schools, investing in public education is noble and necessary. But the best interests of children must be central to that investment. With an eye on outcomes, Nebraskans should support expanding opportunities for all children and embrace quality options for every student. When a child is forced to attend a school with a track record of failure, the most valuable resource lost is not money, its human potential. And squandering childrens potential is counter to Nebraskan values and serves no greater good. Katie Linehan is executive director of Educate Nebraska. Publishing a book is a rite of passage for almost everyone who aspires to the White House. So how do the presidential candidates stack up based on their book sales? On Tuesday, Nielsen released the print sales figures for books by the Republican and Democratic candidates, including Donald J. Trumps business best seller Trump: The Art of the Deal and Hillary Rodham Clintons memoir Hard Choices, and the results were surprising. Ben Carson, who ended his campaign last week, may have a viable fallback career in publishing: His books have collectively sold about 1.7 million copies in print, according to Nielsen. PARIS The final day of Paris Fashion Week brought epic thunderstorms and a shower of actresses, models and singers onto the Louis Vuitton front row. There was Jaden Smith, son of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith and the star of the recent Louis Vuitton womens wear campaign, alongside the actresses Lea Seydoux, Jennifer Connelly and Alicia Vikander, still riding high after winning her Oscar last month and clad in Vuitton, of course. Karlie Kloss was a catwalk spectator for once, while Selena Gomez, the pint-size pop star and a favored face of the brand, was a little concerned about her straight locks as she sat waiting for the show to begin. Selena, did you survive the deluge on your way in? Well, I did, but Im a little concerned about my hair. Its super curly naturally, and Im surprised it hasnt frizzed up around my ears. I keep trying to surreptitiously check it is staying put. What have you been doing since you arrived in Paris? Mainly in the studio and rehearsing for my upcoming tour. This is my only fashion week show. And then Im off to London for more music projects. NEWARK Elevated levels of lead caused officials in New Jerseys largest school district on Wednesday to shut off water fountains at 30 school buildings until more tests could be conducted, officials said. The district, Newark Public Schools, told the State Department of Environmental Protection on Monday that annual testing found concentrations ranging from undetected to above the departments action level for lead, which is 15 parts per billion. That level requires additional testing, monitoring and remediation. The department, which requested test results from previous years to perform a complete analysis, said in a statement that no building had more than four samples above the action level. The department also said lead had not been found in the citys water supply. In the vast majority of cases where lead is found in drinking water, it enters through the water delivery system itself when it leaches from either lead pipes, household fixtures containing lead or lead solder, the department said. It was an explosive moment. Mr. Carson, 32, was a Brooklyn native, outgoing and proudly open about his sexuality, who worked at a gelato kiosk in Grand Central Terminal. Mr. Morales was from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, unemployed, broke and sleeping on a friends couch in Queens. He was armed with a .38-caliber revolver he said he wanted to sell. He had served 11 years in prison for a robbery during which three women were bound with duct tape, choked and assaulted with a pipe. Spewing antigay insults, Mr. Morales dared Mr. Carson and Mr. Robinson to come around the corner onto Eighth Street to settle their differences, Mr. Robinson testified. They followed him, thinking it was a bluff. There, just after midnight on May 18, 2013, in the shadow of a closed bookstore, Mr. Morales shot Mr. Carson while Mr. Robinson was on the telephone with the police, witnesses said. This was bigotry, and this was unjustifiable rage, the lead prosecutor, Shannon Lucey, said in her summation. The defendant was able to shoot Mark Carson over nothing because Mark Carson was nothing to the defendant. Mark Carson was nothing to the defendant but a subhuman fag. In his testimony, Mr. Morales said that he had had sexual relationships with transgender women; he called one of his longtime sexual partners as a witness. I, Elliot Morales, am not a bigot, he said. I dont hate gays. But Ms. Lucey noted that he never took transgender women he slept with on dates or walked in public with them. The defendant is self-loathing; he wants no one to know or to see who he is, she said. He has a lot of self-loathing issues, and that came out when he saw Mark Carson and Danny Robinson being who they are. Evidence presented at the trial, which began on Feb. 29, showed that Mr. Pugh had researched border crossings to Syria before boarding a flight to Istanbul, a common jumping-off point for would-be foreign fighters seeking to make their way to Islamic State-controlled territory. But much was left unsaid about how Mr. Pugh, a convert to Islam, had originally fallen under the sway of extremist ideology. By 2014, however, he was watching slickly produced Islamic State propaganda and defending the group on Facebook and in conversations with co-workers. Shortly before his arrest, Mr. Pugh had even drafted a letter to his wife in Egypt, promising to bring her along to paradise after he died a martyr. In the letter, he pledged to use the talents and skills given to me by Allah to establish and defend the Islamic State. But he did not appear to have actually sent the letter, giving his lawyers an opening to argue that though Mr. Pugh was an ardent ideological supporter of the Islamic State, any thoughts he harbored of joining the group were fantasies. The jury rejected that defense, convicting Mr. Pugh of crimes that carry a potential 35-year sentence. In addition to the terrorism-related charge, he was also found guilty of obstruction of an official proceeding, for destroying several flash drives that the government claimed contained evidence against him. After the conviction, Robert Capers, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement that Mr. Pugh has now been held accountable for his crimes by a jury and will not reach the terrorist group he sought to support. The way these leaders practice democracy, bending the rule of law as far as they can within an elected government, is equally unsettling to the older democracies of Western Europe. Another French political scientist, the Czech-born Jacques Rupnik, has identified two converging trends. We are witnessing a democratic regression and identity-related tensions on migration, and both phenomena are strengthening each other, he told me. The same nationalist conservative authoritarianism at work in domestic politics also applies to the response to the refugee crisis, notably different from the European Commissions and most other member states responses. Once the poster children of post-Communist transition, these countries were not supposed to take such a turn. With its so-called goulash socialism, Hungary was the most liberal of the Soviet satellites and eased peacefully into democratic rule. Poland was more restless, but once it had been the catalyst for the collapse of Communism, it managed the shock therapy of moving to a market economy with impressive discipline. The Czechs and Slovaks, it was hoped, would behave as Mr. Havels enlightened heirs. But no Communist country had ever experienced these radical shifts to democracy and market economics. Only Czechoslovakia had enjoyed genuine democratic rule, between the two world wars. The end of the Cold War made Europeans euphoric: Once democratic institutions were built, free elections held and centralized economies replaced with capitalist ones, everyone assumed the job was done. Joining NATO and the European Union was the icing on the cake. In 2008, with end of history hubris, a World Bank report proclaimed that the transition was over. Mission accomplished. Obviously, it was not. The effort to transform the economy was so demanding for the new democratic elites that little attention was paid to nurturing a new political culture. Modern Hungarian and Polish politics look riven with the legacy of Communism, trouble with sharing power, conspiracy theories and exclusionary discourse toward opponents. Another, overlooked, factor is that most people in these countries are still poor. Despite nonstop economic growth since 1992, Polands gross domestic product is only 68 percent of the European Unions per capita average. When Polands foreign minister, Witold Waszczykowski, says the world should not move in one single direction toward a new mix of cultures and races, a world of cyclists and vegetarians he is rejecting the progressive social values perceived as part of the Western European economic model. To the Editor: Syrians are fleeing Syria because of the political instability and violence in the country. These displaced people are not leaving Syria because they want to; they are leaving because they have to. The United States is resisting resettlement of Syrian refugees because of the fear and ignorance many citizens and politicians have toward them. That stigma should not be the driving force behind whether or not we let these terrified and destitute human beings into the country. As a full-time college student whose family is descended from Syria, I can tell you that these Syrians are human beings just like you. To deny a human being basic rights is immoral. We need to show the rest of the world that the citizens of this country do care about others regardless of their race, religion or culture. Ambedkar believed that within a decade or two quotas would bring about the annihilation of caste and become unnecessary. But this was not to be. In the late 1970s the government set up the Mandal Commission to study which other groups, even if not among the lowest castes, might also be suffering from social, economic or educational deprivation. By the early 1990s, India had begun to expand reservations to include the so-called Other Backward Classes. But today it is clear that even the Mandal reforms have failed to bring about Ambedkars dream of a genuinely equal society. Caste, instead of withering away as Indian democracy matures, has asserted itself in new ways. Mr. Vemula viscerally understood this unhappy truth. Since August 2015, he had faced the hostility of university authorities for being politically engaged and unusually articulate. In just one semester, he had lost his hostel accommodation, his monthly stipend and access to the classroom. For several nights leading up to his suicide, during the coldest stretch of the winter, he had camped on mattresses and blankets set outside the hostels gates. A few other students were with him, and they wryly referred to their makeshift arrangement as a Dalit ghetto. Mr. Vemulas fault was not simply being a Dalit. He was also a leader in the Ambedkar Students Association, which actively campaigned to educate, agitate and organize students, following a rousing slogan from Ambedkar. The groups members discussed not only Dalit issues, but also other controversial matters: the death penalty; Kashmirs problematic relationship with the Indian union; communal violence against minorities, especially Muslims, in what is an officially secular nation. Worse perhaps, Mr. Vemula had gained admission to the University of Hyderabad in the general, nonreserved category meaning that his trajectory had not followed the standard script of marginality and exclusion. Politically aware and assertive youth like him face the brunt of double discrimination: Not only are they Dalit, but they refuse the victimhood expected of them. Contrast that with groups that traditionally have been better off but increasingly are calling themselves victims in order to claim special protection. Castes like Jats in Haryana, Patidars in Gujarat, Marathas in Maharashtra and Kapus in Andhra Pradesh have been agitating recently, asking to benefit from reservations, even though they often are wealthy or own land. If all goes to plan, a postponed mission to probe beneath the surface of Mars will launch in two years, NASA announced Wednesday. The InSight spacecraft was to head to space this month, but in December, NASA delayed the mission when it realized that there was not enough time to fix stubborn leaks in a vacuum enclosure housing a key instrument. NASA is now aiming to launch InSight in May 2018, the next time that Earth and Mars are close enough to allow a quick six-month trip. (Because Mars is farther from the Sun than Earth and orbits more slowly, the two planets line up just once every 26 months.) Im thrilled, said W. Bruce Banerdt, a planetary geophysicist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., who is the missions principal investigator. We were hoping we would get the opportunity to give this another try. A second sibling from the film-directing duo that created The Matrix series came out as a transgender woman on Tuesday after a reporter from The Daily Mail appeared on her front porch to ask questions about her gender identity. The director, Lilly Wachowski who with her sister, Lana, are the first major Hollywood directors to come out as transgender condemned the British publication for sending the reporter to her home on Monday night and released her own statement to The Windy City Times in Chicago. I knew at some point I would have to come out publicly, she wrote. You know, when youre living as an out transgender person its kind of difficult to hide. I just wanted needed some time to get my head right, to feel comfortable. But apparently I dont get to decide this. Ms. Wachowski thanked friends and family for their support, saying it had given her the chance to actually survive this process. We are counting things down to the final big event of the fiscal year for the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce. The 48th annual Rural Recognition Banquet is next Tuesday at Platte County Agricultural Park. The chambers Agribusiness Committee gives their annual awards at this banquet each year. For the past 13 years, they have given awards to ag professionals in four categories. These winners serve as great examples of the best in the ag profession and this year is no exception. Here are the 2016 award-winners of the chambers Rural Recognition Awards. Heartland Builders will be the Agribusiness Pioneer award winner. Heartland has been a pioneer in ag construction since 1988. They have particularly established a reputation in the swine and dairy industries, and have done projects across many states. Lloyd Lutjens is the Outstanding Senior Farmer. Lloyd is one of six generations to farm the familys ground northeast of Platte Center that was bought from the Union Pacific in 1883. He served on the formation committee for Lakeview Community Schools and on the boards for the Platte Center Co-op and Platte County Cattlemen. Willow Holoubek is the Outstanding Woman in Agriculture. Willow is a family farmer but also Executive Director of A-FAN -- an outreach organization for all of Nebraskas major ag commodity organizations. Willow and husband Mark farm near David City since moving to the area in 1999. Scott Hellbusch is the Outstanding Area Farmer. Scott is a family farmer who bought his first cows at age 13 and rented his first row crop farm while a senior in high school. Scott is the fourth generation of his family to live on and operate the farm south of Creston. Also at the banquet, the Platte County 4-H program will honor their outstanding youth and adult volunteers. Its been a pleasure to share the evening with the 4-H program for several years as they celebrate their many successes. Overall, it is a wonderful evening to honor the impact of agriculture. Clearly agriculture forms the economic and social basis for much of our region and the Chamber Ag Committee hopes you can join them in honoring this impact by attending the banquet. General admission tickets are $20. Through business sponsorship, all current and past ag producers get complimentary tickets. In either case, you can pick up tickets at the chamber office this week from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Those sponsorships not only help defray the cost of the banquet for farmers and honorees, they also provide ag program scholarships at Central Community College-Columbus. Call the chamber for details if youd like to sponsor. The chamber is proud to celebrate agriculture in many ways each year. The Rural Recognition Banquet is one of the more visible, along with events like the Ag Tour and Columbus Days Ag Lunch. More important, just like the early iPhone, Amazon has managed to turn the Echo into the center of a new ecosystem. Developers are flocking to create voice-controlled apps for the device, or skills, as Amazon calls them. There are now more than 300 skills for the Echo, from the trivial there is one to make Alexa produce rude body sounds on command to the pretty handy. It can tell you transit schedules, start a seven-minute workout, read recipes, do math and conversions, and walk you through adventure games, among other possibilities. Makers of digital home devices like Nest are also rushing to make their products compatible with the Echo. Alexa can now control your Internet-connected lights, home thermostats and a variety of other devices. Hardware makers can also add Alexas brain into their own devices, so soon you wont need an Echo to consult with Alexa you could find it in your toaster, your refrigerator or your car. Amazons open-platform strategy for the Echo calls to mind Amazon Web Services, its multibillion-dollar cloud business that also came out of left field to best competitors. It is patterned very much off of the successful formula that A.W.S. uses, Mr. Limp said. The Echo also ties in to Amazons main business, its retail store. When you tell it to reorder popcorn, it gets your order through Amazon, of course. Still, Mr. Wingo noted that Amazon had so far kept the platform relatively open other retailers and product manufacturers are free to build their own apps that will allow for interactions with their stores. The Echo is far from perfect. It still gets queries wrong and it still feels like its missing potentially useful features. Mr. Limp concedes this. Amazons teams keep working to add new tricks to the Echo, he said. The device also faces limited retail distribution its unusual enough that it would benefit from being displayed on shelves, but Amazons retail rivals are unlikely to stock it anytime soon. (Some analysts have speculated that Amazons retail plans may be an effort to show off its hardware.) Amazon would be wise to step on the gas because while the Echo has no direct competitors, a few may be emerging. Among them is SoundHound, a start-up that has been working on voice-recognition for more than a decade, which is now offering hardware makers access to its service. Within the next year, according to the company, lots of gadgets will be using SoundHounds software to talk to users. Do you want that? As I argued recently, the F.B.I.s battle with Apple over encryption should prompt deep questions about a future of Internet-connected devices spread around our homes. Amazon has strong privacy protections in the Echo. It doesnt stream anything without the wake word and it has a physical mute button that electrically disconnects the microphone but, as with all groundbreaking technology, there is no doubt we are entering new territory here. Yet, the Echo is so useful it may be worth the gamble. Many in the industry have long looked to the smartphone as the remote control for your world. But the phone has limitations. A lot of times fiddling with a screen is just too much work. By perfecting an interface that is much better suited to home use the determined yell! Amazon seems on the verge of building something like Iron Mans Jarvis, the artificial-intelligence brain at the center of all your household activities. Who could say no to that? Donald Trump seemingly had a tough week. He faced an onslaught of attacks from his competitors, Mitt Romney and outside groups. He suffered an upset loss in Maine and nearly lost Louisiana and Kentucky, two states where he was expected to fare well. Polls showed him slipping nationally. But the results on Tuesday suggest that Mr. Trump remains in a strong position, at least as long as the field remains divided. He carried Michigan and Mississippi by healthy margins and later won in Hawaii. His opposition did not become as strong as he might have feared after Ted Cruzs performance on Saturday, either. The results look a lot more like the race we had on Super Tuesday: a double-digit advantage for Mr. Trump, who holds an edge in a three-way race, rather than the close race suggested by new national polls. Tuesday nights surprise win in Michigan for Bernie Sanders was a humbling night for political prognosticators. He had trailed in pre-election polls by around 20 points a bit less in some polls, a bit more in others. My colleague Nate Cohn has written an excellent post-mortem; Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight declared it to be among the greatest polling errors in primary history. Its worth juxtaposing this with a less-noticed fact: Hillary Clinton beat the (admittedly sparse) polls in Mississippi by an average of 22 points. Those polls had predicted Mrs. Clinton to win, but by a much smaller margin than 66 points. It may be less embarrassing for pollsters when they miss the margin badly but correctly pick the top vote-getter, but when delegates are awarded proportionately, its no less consequential. Perhaps we shouldnt be surprised: Polling response rates, particularly for robocalls, are down around the single digits. Some pollsters still havent fully adjusted to the fact that landlines are now a historical curiosity in many households. Donald J. Trump drew closer to grasping the Republican presidential nomination with his victories in three states Tuesday night, and the chances of party leaders wresting it from his hands at a contested convention were a bit more remote on Wednesday. By winning Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii, Mr. Trump captured the greatest share of the 150 delegates at stake Tuesday, and his mathematical path to a majority of 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination is increasingly brighter than his rivals. He needs about 54 percent of outstanding delegates; his closest rival, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, needs 62 percent. But Mr. Trump gained something even more valuable than delegates on Tuesday: momentum as the race heads into a watershed moment, March 15, when the first states that award delegates winner-take-all hold their primaries. They include Senator Marco Rubios home state, Florida, and Gov. John Kasichs, Ohio. Both men have their backs to the wall, fighting for their political lives. WASHINGTON The Secret Service on Tuesday night arrested a man suspected of shooting a pastor in Idaho after the man traveled here and threw unidentified objects over the White House fence, a spokesman for the Secret Service said in a statement. Ths suspect, Kyle A. Odom, was arrested by uniformed officers for the Secret Service on the south side of the White House complex. Officials said the material thrown over the fence had been determined to be nonhazardous. Officials quickly learned that Mr. Odom was accused by Idaho law enforcement officials of attempted murder in the shooting of the Rev. Tim Remington, who was shot six times Sunday outside his church in Coeur dAlene, Idaho. Odom was arrested on the outstanding warrant, and he was transported to the Metropolitan Police Department for processing, the Secret Service said in a statement. The U.S. Secret Service, through its Washington Field Office and Spokane Resident Office, is coordinating with the Coeur dAlene Police Department. Join us for live updates of the Republican debate. _______ The story is getting familiar: Donald J. Trump won the biggest contests of the night, as Senator Ted Cruz of Texas captured the most conservative state up for grabs. Hillary Clinton kept a clear upper hand in the Democratic race, but Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont proved he would not be driven away anytime soon. Tuesdays elections could have brought new clarity to the presidential primaries. Instead, they only seemed to confirm that both parties would probably settle their nominations by battling for delegates well into the spring. For Republicans, Trump is in control Nothing silences criticism like victory, and Mr. Trump racked up several on Tuesday. His successes in Hawaii, Michigan and Mississippi dealt a painful psychological blow to Republicans who had convinced themselves that his campaign was losing steam. But Mr. Trump won, and he won big, with no obvious cracks in his support from disaffected, lower-income whites. An explosion caused by a gas leak in Seattle on Wednesday flattened two buildings and shook a neighborhood, prompting a large response by emergency officials. At least nine firefighters were reported injured in the blast. The explosion, reported around 1:45 a.m. Pacific time, was so loud that it could be heard as far away as Shoreline, a community about 10 miles north of downtown Seattle. The police and firefighters descended on the scene, near the intersection of Greenwood Avenue North and 85th Avenue North, in Greenwood, a neighborhood in the north-central part of the city. MOGADISHU, Somalia Only days after American aircraft struck a Shabab training camp in Somalia, American Special Operations forces and Somali troops carried out a raid against Shabab fighters, officials said Wednesday, in a sign of heightened pressure against the militant group. Somali government officials said that commandos in helicopters raided a militant base in the village of Awdhegle in the lower Shabelle region, nearly 40 miles west of Mogadishu. The commandos landed a few miles outside the village before advancing on the base, killing 19 militants in the operation, officials said. Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said that American attack helicopters were used in the operation, and that American military personnel had accompanied Somali troops but that they did not go all the way to the objective. He would not say whether the Americans stayed on the helicopters throughout the operation. I can tell you that U.S. military personnel served in an advisory role to enable the Somali operation, he said, but insisted that it was their mission. We were acting in an advisory role. KABUL, Afghanistan Taliban attackers stormed Afghan government buildings in Helmand Province on Wednesday, battling security forces for more than 10 hours before being killed, officials said. The attack, on police and intelligence buildings in the Gereshk District of Helmand, involved as many as 10 insurgent fighters who were wearing police uniforms and suicide vests, according to Abdul Jabar Qahraman, the presidential envoy sent to manage the pitched battle against the Taliban in Helmand. The Taliban used their website to confirm that they were behind the attack. Helmand is Afghanistans largest province in terms of territory and opium production, and it has been the site of the Talibans biggest gains over the past year, with the insurgents controlling or contesting most of the provinces 14 districts. Fears that the insurgents might overrun the entire province, including the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, have drawn back hundreds of American soldiers and advisers to help Afghan security forces plan the citys defense. BEIJING Trying to be helpful, a Chinese father at our sons elementary school advised me to slap my childs face if he was being recalcitrant. He made a slicing hand gesture. This is what I do, he said. It wont work, I said, appalled and hoping an argument based on efficiency rather than morality might persuade a father who clearly believed the Chinese saying that a dutiful son is made by the rod. Youre wrong! It will, he said, breezily, turning his attention to a more agreeable parent at the school meeting, where we were hearing about secondary education options for our children. Corporal punishment in schools was outlawed in China in 1986, but the harsh disciplining of children remains widespread, reflecting a tradition of dama jiaoyu, or hitting-and-cursing education, even if it has become a topic of debate among some parents in recent years. The habit can easily slip into abuse, scholars say. BEIJING Tastes differ. Some people may enjoy salacious stories about philandering abbots, or hair-raising ones about violence between doctors and patients. Others may prefer reports on the wealth of parliamentary delegates, military budgets or compliance with international human rights conventions. And there are always a few who are into burial guidelines. Chinas propaganda authorities do not appear to want any of these tastes satisfied during the current parliamentary meetings in Beijing. That is according to a list of forbidden news topics they reportedly issued that leaked to a WeChat account, from where it was posted to Weibo, to be taken down on Sunday and discovered in a sweep of censored Weibo posts by China Digital Times, a website based in California. The National Peoples Congress, the countrys legislature, and the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, an advisory body, are meeting in Beijing in an annual event called the lianghui, or two sessions. TOKYO A court in Japan ordered one of only two nuclear power plants operating in the country to shut down on Wednesday, citing insufficient safety measures put in place after meltdowns at a facility in Fukushima five years ago. The plant, Takahama Nuclear Power Plant, had been back online for only two months after an extended freeze on atomic power in Japan in the aftermath of the March 2011 Fukushima disaster. Japans government and its power companies have struggled to get the nuclear industry back on its feet. Despite new safety standards introduced in 2013, much of the public remains wary. Only a handful of the more than 40 operable reactors in the country have met the new rules, and lawsuits have made it difficult to restart them. Indonesian television stations broadcast live shots of the eclipse in different stages from four regions across the 3,100-mile archipelago, showing a pitch-black moon with a bright halo. In Palembang, the capital of the province of South Sumatra, the morning sky turned to dusk at the peak of the eclipse, and streetlights were turned on to assist motorists and pedestrians. It was darker than I expected, said Jules Brookfield, a Jakarta-based American hotel executive who flew to Palembang for work and to watch the eclipse, which he did from a hotel rooftop. There was lots of cheering, and it suddenly got cooler out. HONG KONG Taiwan and the southern Chinese island province of Hainan are at greater risk than anywhere in mainland China of having locally transmitted cases of the fast-spreading Zika virus, according to a prominent virologist. Taiwan and Hainan both have populations of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is believed to be the main carrier of Zika. The virus has infected 1.5 million people in Brazil alone in recent months, while also spreading throughout most of South America, Central America and the Caribbean and into Mexico, said Dr. Peter Piot, the director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and co-discoverer of the Ebola virus. The rest of southern China, including Hong Kong, has a different kind of mosquito, Aedes albopictus. That mosquito may also be able to carry Zika but is probably less efficient at transmitting it to people, Dr. Piot said in Hong Kong on Tuesday. The northern two-thirds of China, including big cities like Shanghai and Chongqing, lie farther north than the usual range of either mosquito, according to a map that Dr. Piot presented as part of a videotaped speech at the Foreign Correspondents Club. But the disease might also spread through sexual transmission farther north, he warned. LONDON Buckingham Palace said on Wednesday that it had filed a formal complaint against The Sun, Britains biggest tabloid, after the newspaper reported that Queen Elizabeth II supported the countrys departure from the European Union. A referendum on whether Britain should leave the European Union will take place on June 23. It is a major test for Prime Minister David Cameron, who in 2013 promised a vote on the issue. After recently securing concessions from Brussels to reflect Britains special status in the European Union, he is calling on Britons to vote to remain in the 28-nation bloc. The Sun, citing anonymous sources, reported on Tuesday that the queen had made her skepticism of the European Union known during a lunch at Windsor Castle with Nick Clegg, who was the deputy prime minister under the previous government, and at a reception at Buckingham Palace with members of Parliament. The newspaper did not provide dates or any other details of the two occasions. A spokeswoman for the royal family denied the report. The queen remains politically neutral, as she has for 63 years, the spokeswoman said Tuesday evening, speaking on the condition of anonymity under palace rules. We will not comment on spurious, anonymously sourced claims. The referendum is a matter for the British people to decide. LONDON The route that more than one million migrants have used to traverse southeastern Europe was effectively shut down Wednesday, when four Balkan nations stopped waving the migrants through on their journey northward. The four countries Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia and Macedonia have closed their borders to new migrants with the implicit backing of the European Union, which announced an agreement with Turkey on Tuesday to slow the flow of migrants. The deal has not been completed that is supposed to happen at a summit meeting next week. But within hours of the announcement from Brussels, Slovenia and Serbia announced new restrictions on the entry of migrants. From midnight, there will be no more migration on the Western Balkan route as it took place so far, the interior minister of Slovenia, Vesna Gyorkos Znidar, said on Tuesday evening. MANNHEIM, Germany In the current tussle for the future of Germany, Frauke Petry is what you might call the anti-Angela Merkel. Where Ms. Merkel, the chancellor, has welcomed refugees, Ms. Petry, a rising far-right leader, has said border guards might need to turn guns on anyone crossing a frontier illegally. Where Ms. Merkel has urged tolerance, Ms. Petry has embraced the angry populism now running through Europe and the United States. The preachers of hatred was how the news weekly Der Spiegel characterized the new German right on its cover last month, emblazoned with a portrait of the petite Ms. Petry. DUBLIN Nearly two weeks after an inconclusive general election, Irelands chances of forming a stable coalition government revolve around a single question: Can the two center-right parties that have long dominated Irish politics put aside nearly a century of enmity and find a way to run the country together? The current prime minister, Enda Kenny, is still expected to be nominally in charge of the country when he visits the White House next week for the annual St. Patricks Day shamrock presentation. But his center-right Fine Gael partys big losses and the decimation of his junior coalition partner, the center-left Labour Party, have left him with few options for forming a new government. After years of cutbacks that turned Ireland into the poster child for austerity in Europe, a furious electorate chose to overlook substantial job creation and economic growth, preferring instead to vent its anger at the Fine Gael-led government over the issues like record homelessness and long waits for hospital treatments. Fine Gael remains the biggest party after the Feb. 26 general election, with 50 seats in the 158-seat assembly, despite having lost 27 seats. Its center-right rival, Fianna Fail, has 44 seats; left-leaning Sinn Fein has 23; and Labour has seven. The remaining seats are filled by a rainbow of smaller parties and independent candidates of every political hue. JERUSALEM Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.s two-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories was expected to be one of public pleasantries and private talks on regional energy and a new military aid package for Israel. Instead, he stepped into a bloody maelstrom. In an unusually stinging critique on Wednesday, Mr. Biden said the United States not only deplored the recent wave of Palestinian attacks, including the fatal stabbing attack that killed an American graduate student soon after Mr. Biden landed, but also condemns the failure to condemn these acts. It appeared to be a veiled reference to the silence of President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, whom Mr. Biden met hours later. Mr. Biden made the pointed statement as he stood beside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, one day after a Palestinian man fatally stabbed Taylor Force, 28, an American combat veteran and a first-year M.B.A. student at Vanderbilt University, and wounded several other tourists and Israelis. Let me say in no uncertain terms: The United States of America condemns these acts and condemns the failure to condemn these acts, Mr. Biden said, adding, This cannot be viewed by civilized leaders as an appropriate way in which to behave. TEHRAN The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of Iran conducted a second successive day of missile tests on Wednesday, firing two rockets that it said hit targets over 850 miles away and were capable of reaching Israel. The tests appeared clearly aimed at sending a message to the Israelis as Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. was visiting. The missiles were launched from the eastern part of the Alborz mountain range that hugs the Caspian Sea in northern Iran, the semiofficial news agency Tasnim reported. While Iran has riled conservative critics of last summers nuclear deal with a succession of missile tests, it is not clear whether the latest activity violates any proscriptions. Before the signing of the accord with the United States and international powers, Iran was barred under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1929 from any work on ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. That resolution was revoked with the nuclear deal and replaced by Security Council Resolution 2231, which calls upon Iran to abstain from such activity. WASHINGTON A top specialist in chemical weapons for the Islamic State who is in American custody in northern Iraq has given military interrogators detailed information that resulted in two allied airstrikes in the last week against the groups illicit weapons sites, Defense Department officials said Wednesday. The prisoner, an Iraqi identified by officials as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, was captured a month ago by commandos with an elite American Special Operations force. He was described by three officials as a significant operative in the Islamic States chemical weapons program. Another official said he once worked for Saddam Husseins Military Industrialization Authority. The Islamic States use of chemical weapons in Iraq and Syria has been known, but Mr. Afaris capture has provided the United States with the opportunity to learn detailed information about the groups secretive program, including where chemical agents were being stored and produced. Under interrogation, Mr. Afari told his captors how the group had weaponized sulfur mustard and loaded it into artillery shells, the officials said. Based on information from Mr. Afari, the United States-led air campaign conducted one strike against a weapons production plant in Mosul, Iraq, and another against a tactical unit near Mosul that was believed to be related to the program, the officials said. The tweet, sent by a branch of the Republican Party, had even jaded social-media users gasping. Tammy Duckworth has a sad record of not standing up for our veterans, read the post from the National Republican Senatorial Committee on Tuesday afternoon. The tempo indication for the languorous third song of let me tell you is Walking but limping, and he recently completed a left-hand piano concerto for Alexandre Tharaud. I think always of limitations, he said. In writing for piano one hand, your instrument, you have to rethink it. And it becomes something else. Mr. Abrahamsen studied in the 1970s with composers like Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen, who were engaged with New Simplicity, a reaction against the complexity of the mid-20th-century avant-garde. Attracted to approaches from the United States, Mr. Abrahamsen became fascinated with the Minimalist music of Terry Riley and Steve Reich and with the Pop Art of Andy Warhol. Even as his mature works have featured 19th-century imagery, with titles like Walden and Marchenbilder, Mr. Abrahamsen views himself as more a Classicist than a Romantic, drawn to objectivity and Stravinsky-like detachment rather than emotional excess. After school, he found an early champion in the prominent German composer Hans Werner Henze, who conducted his Nacht und Trompeten with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1982. For a time in the 1980s, he attended the composition seminars that Gyorgy Ligeti taught in Hamburg. And then, for nearly a decade, Mr. Abrahamsen fell silent. I couldnt find the way to make what I wanted, he said. Between 1990 and 1998, he wrote just one short song. He felt that his music had become so complex that he no longer had the tools to create what he tried to imagine. Paralyzed by the white paper, as he described it, he instead turned toward arranging: creating new versions of his previous works for different instrumentations, and orchestrating older music. He stumbled across a set of obscure canons by Bach that sounded oddly contemporary. I was just listening to it and thought it was Steve Reich, he said. Mr. Abrahamsens arrangements of the canons, written for a shimmering chamber ensemble, deliberately gesture toward Minimalism. Q. Whats it like being in a political drama when reality may be stranger than fiction? A. I think if we were to put whats going on in the political landscape right now into a series, you might say its over the top. I read where people were saying they think Beau [Willimon, the shows creator] has ESP, because of some of the things that go on in this season. Is Leann as morally dark as Claire? Were still finding that [out]. She could go either way, which is fun about the character. Did you draw on any real-life political personality for Leann? No, honestly its really come from witnessing certain females in my industry, directors or agents who have a certain energy to them because theyve had to really fight to be respected equally to their male counterparts. Whos your favorite political partnership? Well, Hillary and Bill have been fascinating to watch, the way that theyve had to navigate their drama was pretty intense. Harvey Weinstein had a gathering at his place on Marthas Vineyard for Bill Clinton, and I spent a very surreal evening with the Clintons [when he was in office]. I remember standing on the water and looking out, and Bill Clinton was somewhere playing the saxophone. I was like: What are those things out there? There are, like, heads bobbing. I guess the Secret Service has to be within a mile radius of the president, so there were SEALs out on the water. Youve said that, as a Canadian, youre comfortable being called a socialist. Yeah, I guess you would call me a democratic socialist. One by one, they make their confused, anxious, sometimes mysterious departures. Husband and wife, their two daughters and one daughters boyfriend, a grandmother suffering from dementia, rolled off in her wheelchair, until the stage before us is a darkened void. Its hard to watch the eerie disappearing act that takes place in the final moments of Stephen Karams play The Humans, as a middle-class Pennsylvania family leaves one daughters Manhattan apartment, without having the unsettling feeling that you are watching, in microcosm, whats taking place on a large scale across America. The current presidential election, the most fractious and even frightening in recent memory, has become a referendum of sorts on the shrinking or is it the disappearance? of the American middle class. His terrific play, happily now on Broadway, is one of several Ive seen recently that homes in on the very subjects roiling the political sphere. Financial anxiety and the sense of an uncertain future have unleashed a populist fury on both sides of the political divide. But these plays allow us to look beyond the posturing, punditry and angry speechifying, to really feel the painful, inescapable hardships of daily life as it is lived by increasing numbers of Americans. When patients first started flowing into hospitals in northeast Brazil with symptoms like fever, rash and joint pain, doctors were so confounded by what they were seeing that they called it a doenca misteriosa a mystery disease. After researchers identified the cause as the Zika virus, the authorities said they were relieved to be dealing with what they thought at the time was a benign pathogen. But researchers here then linked Zika to a surge in birth defects in babies, and Brazilians are now likening the mosquito-borne virus to something else entirely: a plague. Zika, once an obscure virus discovered in Uganda in the 1940s, was long thought to pose relatively little harm compared with some other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, like malaria and dengue. But as Zika spreads throughout the Americas, international health officials are anxiously monitoring Brazils efforts to combat the virus and to establish definitively whether it causes microcephaly, an incurable condition in which infants are born with abnormally small heads. Meanwhile, the toll is growing on Brazilian families and the countrys beleaguered public health system. Young parents, already struggling amid Brazils worst economic crisis in decades, wonder how to cope. Mothers, some as young as 15, are trying to care for babies with microcephaly. Nurses and doctors find themselves overwhelmed by the brain damage found in hundreds of newborns. Brazils government is grasping for ways to fight the mosquitoes that spread Zika, mobilizing soldiers as if for war. Scientists are frantically seeking to piece together the puzzle of how Zika made the leap to Brazil after being identified decades ago in a Ugandan forest, and whether Zika is becoming more of a threat as it interacts with other viruses in the tropics. Reminding the world of whats at stake are the Brazilian mothers grasping their babies, gathering each day in the waiting rooms of hospitals here and in other cities. Their crisis has Brazil, Latin Americas largest country, on edge over its vulnerability to a tiny but formidable foe: the mosquito. Simon Romero The promise of springs arrival brings new beginnings and an opportunity to relish the beauty of growth in this warmer weather. This past week, the Auburn Chamber of Commerce celebrated the progression of two Auburn businesses. On the evening of March 3, Three Sixty Real Estate celebrated their sixth anniversary by hosting a chamber After Hours Event. The party was held in their newly renovated building on Opelika Road. Despite the rainy weather, many business leaders from around the community joined the celebration as champagne flowed and hors d'oeuvres by Bill Lee were passed around. Owners, Tricia Peterson and Nonet Reese, welcomed guests to a simple yet elegant evening as they wanted the focus to be on their new space and their great team of realtors. Auburn Dental Spa, a business near and dear to my heart, held a groundbreaking ceremony with the Auburn Chamber on the morning of Friday, March 4. The groundbreaking sets the stage for an expansion of dental rooms and services, as well as the construction of a new, luxury resort-style spa. Construction completion date is set for late July 2016. In the meantime, realize the loud drilling noise is not just coming from the dentist! Each spring our local mayors, Mayor Bill Ham and Mayor Gary Fuller, host a ball benefitting the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County. This years theme is Jeans & Jackets. It will be held in charming, historic downtown Opelika in The Bottling Plant Event Center on Thursday, March 31. Both individual and business sponsorship opportunities are available. More further information, you may contact Jake Gulledge at 334-502-1311. Springing ahead to April 30, you can have the chance to not only appreciate the great outdoors with some exercise, but can join Womens Hope Medical Clinic in their annual fundraising walk. Walk the Walk, formally Walk-4-Life, is a one-mile walk and the second largest fundraiser for Womens Hope. In 2015, their clinic experienced many exciting changes with extended hours and additional clinics. While they are grateful for the growth, they still need our help to continue providing compassionate care to their growing number of clients. To help, simply visit www.WalktheWalk2016.com to register as a walker or to sponsor a walker. As we leap further into spring, the month of May never seems to disappoint with fresh enthusiasm. Between end-of-year school parties, graduations and Mothers Day, May seems to be one on-going celebration. Of course, May also brings that one event all southerners love to get dressed up for, the Kentucky Derby. Fortunately, you dont have to live in Kentucky to experience the horses, exhilaration and glam. On Friday, May 6, Lee-Scott Academy will sponsor the Miss Kentucky Derby pageant benefitting Storybook Farm. The pageant will be held on the picturesque Storybook Farm grounds and is open to all females ages 5-17 in the Lee County area. To top it off, our very own Miss Alabama 2015-2016, Meg McGuffin, will be the emcee. For more information, visit the Lee-Scott Academy Facebook page. Then the very next day, the Eighth Annual Kentucky Derby Auction and Dinner will take place at Storybook Farm. Again it will feature local chefs competing to win the coveted best chefs award. This years distinguished guest speaker is Coach Rhett Lashlee. He is Auburn Universitys football offensive coordinator and a 2012/2013 finalist for the Broyles Award. The 2016 presenting sponsor is The Mint Julep Boutique. This fundraiser is vital to the work being done at Storybook Farm. To find out more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.HopeOnHorseback.org . I know many people make a bucket list of things they want to accomplish it their lifetime. Personally, I like making a spring time bucket list of things to experience outside before the weather gets too hot! Some of my favorites include flying a kite, going on a picnic, planting flowers, taking a nature walk or simply playing outside with my kids. Luckily, I dont always have to come up with an itinerary, as our local community hosts an array of different events to appreciate. Susie Litkenhous and Mary Ann Stiles write a column for the Opelika-Auburn News. LAGUNA BEACH Presidential election-season theatrics have spilled over noticeably this semester into Jonathan Todds classroom, where high school seniors taking his U.S. government course eagerly jumped into a spirited exchange Monday over a recent Republican debate and Democratic town hall. The Republicans are trying to get people all riled up and emotional, saying things like (Donald) Trump has small hands, Chris Chionis, 18, told his Laguna Beach High School classmates. Its easy to blame the problem child of the group, shot back Charlie Warner, 18. As a whole party, they need to take a look at what theyre doing. He shouldnt be able to affect the whole group. Fellow student Elise Pontius defended the Democrats. The Democratic side jumps into issues that have been in the media. The Republican side just starts denouncing each other, the 17-year-old said. For Todd, who has taught government for two decades at Laguna Beach High School, the current political climate with its huge personalities, discord and drama offers daily opportunities to engage his students and help them develop their own political ideologies. It also has made for an opportune moment for the school to kick off a countywide effort to get seniors turning 18 this year to register to vote. The pilot program started two weeks ago at the countys smallest high school provides easy-to-use tools to get students involved in their city, county and country. The program is a collaboration among the PTA, the Registrar of Voters and the Orange County Board of Education. Kathleen Fay, a member of the Laguna Beach PTA Council, said she was inspired to create the senior voter registration drive after hearing Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley speak during a recent PTA training event. We believe education in California isnt just about preparing our children for college and careers. We must also teach our children how to be responsible citizens in a democracy, said Fay, who also serves as vice president of advocacy for the Fourth District PTA. Of course, its just as important for their parents to be engaged voters, both to model that behavior as well as to indicate their investment in our social structures governed by elected officials at all levels. PTA volunteers at Laguna Beach High School assembled and distributed the packets in English and Spanish to all seniors in U.S. government and economics classes. The program soon will expand as the voter registration packets are delivered to seniors at about 400 other high schools in Orange and Los Angeles counties. Kelley said he hopes an interest in voter registration will translate to the casting of votes. Weve seen sporadic efforts at registration in some schools in Orange County but what theyre doing to target their efforts at hundreds of schools, I havent seen in the 12 years Ive been here, he said of Laguna Beach High. Todd and Mark Alvarez, who teaches political science, include the voter registration drive in their lesson plans. They talk to the seniors about the right to vote and the use of the absentee ballot for students who attend a college or university away from home. Nearly 40 percent of the students in Todds class had turned in their packets by last week. Jamie Robbins, who turned 18 a few weeks ago, said she is ambivalent about voting but liked getting the voter packet because she didnt know how to register. She hasnt paid much attention to recent debates, but when she did catch a few minutes of one she mostly noticed the discord. A lot of it is all over social media, she said. When Trump and (Jeb) Bush got into a Twitter fight, I thought it was unprofessional. Her father helped her fill out her registration. Now that thats done, Robbins said she might start getting more engaged. I will vote, she said. Evan Barker, who turns 18 next week, said his voter registration packet will make his birthday special. Getting to vote is important as a citizen of America, he said. Even though there are a lot of us here, every vote counts. Especially in this election where there are some characters. Barker has been intrigued with politics since he was 12 and began watching campaign speeches with his parents. There was a lot of discussion in his home when Obama ran four years ago, he said. Now, with Trump climbing in the polls, Barker said hes surprised the Republican candidate has made it so far. I dont think he has any diplomacy, yet he continues to win people every day, he said. Its scary and a little embarrassing to be an American. Kelley said the string of Republican and Democratic debates is churning interest among new voters and not just among high school students. On Monday, following the two recent debates, Kelley said 719 people registered to vote. It excites me regardless of their positions, that theyre taking an interest that will hopefully transfer to the June primary, he said. Laguna Beach is known as a politically engaged city. Almost 37 percent of residents are registered Democrats, while 34 percent are registered Republicans. Countywide, there are 32 percent registered Democrats and almost 40 percent registered Republicans. Todd said the Laguna Beach political divide is evident in his classes and city government, where candidates run on the platform of expanding business vs. maintaining the Laguna village charm. Its fun to have (students) excited about politics, usually thats my biggest hurdle, he said. On Monday, Todd divided his students into groups based on whether they had watched the Republican debate and Democratic town hall live. Those who hadnt got copies of highlights he pulled from The New York Times. He told his students to pay attention to the candidates promises but not to cast their vote until the candidates come up with solutions they agree with. Vote for the person whose ideas you think are best, he said. Right now its a lot of rhetoric. Right now those people are saying incredibly complex things. Figure out if their solutions to problems are feasible. Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@ocregister.com or twitter:@lagunaini WASHINGTON An Islamic State detainee currently in U.S. custody at a temporary detention facility in Erbil, Iraq, is a specialist in chemical weapons whom U.S. military officials are questioning about the militant Sunni groups plans to use the banned substances in Iraq and Syria, Defense Department officials said. Defense Department officials said the detainee, described by the military as a significant Islamic State operative who was captured a month ago by commandos in an elite American Special Operations force, has, under interrogation, provided his captors with details about how the group had weaponized mustard gas into powdered form and loaded it into artillery shells. One Defense Department official said that it was not concentrated enough to kill anyone, but that it could maim people. Two senior Iraqi officials identified the man as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, who worked for Saddam Husseins now-dissolved Military Industrialization Authority where he specialized in chemical and biological weapons. They said al-Afari, who is about 50 years old, heads the Islamic State groups recently established branch for the research and development of chemical weapons. A U.S. official said Wednesday that one or more follow-up airstrikes were conducted against suspected IS chemical facilities in northern Iraq in recent days. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence-related operations, was unfamiliar with details of the airstrikes but indicated that they did not fully eliminate ISs suspected chemical threat. The U.S.-led coalition began targeting IS chemical weapons infrastructure with airstrikes and special operations raids over the past two months, the Iraqi intelligence officials and a Western security official in Baghdad told the AP. Airstrikes are targeting laboratories and equipment, and further special forces raids targeting chemical weapons experts are planned, the intelligence officials said. They and the Western official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the press. IS has been making a determined effort to develop chemical weapons, Iraqi and American officials have said. It is believed to have set up a special unit for chemical weapons research, made up of Iraqi scientists from the Saddam-era weapons program as well as foreign experts. Iraqi officials expressed particular worry over the effort because IS gained so much room to operate and hide chemical laboratories after overrunning around a third of the country in the summer of 2014, joined with territory they controlled in neighboring Syria. Still, its progress has been limited. It is believed to have created limited amounts of mustard gas. Tests confirmed mustard gas was used in a town in Syria when IS was launching attacks there in August 2015. Other unverified reports in both Iraq and Syria accuse IS of using chemical agents on the battlefield. But so far, experts say, the extremist group appears incapable of launching a large-scale chemical weapons attacks, which requires not only expertise, but also the proper equipment, materials and a supply-chain to produce enough of the chemical agent to pose a significant threat. As is protocol, Defense Department officials notified the International Committee of the Red Cross, which monitors the treatment of detainees, that they were holding an Islamic State fighter. The Red Cross acknowledged in a statement on Tuesday that it had visited the detainee but gave no other information. Defense Department officials insist that the United States has no plans to hold the detainee or any other captives indefinitely, and that they will be handed over to the Iraqi and Kurdish authorities after they have been interviewed. The officials say they do not intend to establish a long-term U.S. facility to hold Islamic State detainees, and Obama administration officials have ruled out sending any to the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The chemical weapons specialist was captured last month, shortly after the arrival in Iraq of a new Special Operations force that is made up primarily of Delta Force commandos. They are the first major U.S. combat force on the ground there since the United States pulled out of the country at the end of 2011.Before this, the U.S. military has largely fought the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, with airstrikes, killing large numbers of Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria. But the 200-member Special Operations team has been given the task of killing and capturing Islamic State operatives, the latter in particular to use in gathering intelligence. The New York Times and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A candidate running for an Assembly seat representing north Orange County was shown in photos linked to his campaign website wearing his reservist uniform with badge and patch, which can be a violation of Los Angeles Sheriffs Department policy. The photos of Phillip Chen, a longtime reservist who lives in Diamond Bar, were tied to his campaign for District 55, which includes Yorba Linda, Brea and La Habra. Its against policy to campaign using a department insignia or badge in media while seeking political office, said Lt. Chris Blasnek of the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department. The department doesnt want to appear supportive of a campaign. Chens website had a link to his campaign photo album, Phillip Chen for Assembly 2016 that listed him as owner: One picture showed him posing next to a flag, which looks like a departmental photo, and another picture was of him getting out of a patrol car. That last image was on a flier handed out at a political convention in February as well. The badge and insignia patch are visible in both photos. Chen, a Republican who is a property manager, says he didnt post the photos, a web developer did. Its not going to happen again, Chen said. After his campaign was asked about the photos by a reporter this week, the website was disabled. As of Feb. 24, Chen is no longer a reserve officer with the department, the lieutenant said. Blasnek declined to say if Chen was terminated or if he resigned, saying he cannot comment on personnel issues. But Blasnek did confirm a department policy. It is against our Sheriffs Department manual policy and procedures to use your uniform in any type of political form, Blasnek said. You can say youre a reserve deputy, but you cant appear with the actual logos and the badges in photos for political purposes. In a letter Chen opened this week, the department asked for his resignation for not completing the required 20 hours a month of work. The letter, dated Feb. 23 and signed by Blasnek, asks Chen to turn in his badge, weapon and identification or the items will be reported as lost or stolen. The letter, provided by Jim Nygren, a campaign consultant for Chen, doesnt mention any uniform-policy violation. To put it in perspective, hes putting in a lot of time and doing something probably no one in the race has done, Nygren said. He was told he couldnt be a reserve anymore because he didnt volunteer a sufficient number of hours. Chen was a level-three reservist, the lowest rank, allowed to do such tasks as parade security or report-taking at the front counter. Paid a $1 a year, he was essentially a volunteer. Chens recent assignments included providing security at a running event and checking on emergency kits, Nygren said. He couldnt drive a patrol car even under supervision, Blasnek said. Him showing himself in that patrol car is somewhat unrepresentative of what he does; most of his duties are limited to inside the station, Blasnek said. Chen said friends took the photo of him with the sheriffs vehicle for personal reasons. In 2011, while running for Walnut Valley Unified School District, Chen listed his occupation as a Los Angeles County deputy sheriff on the ballot, the Register previously reported. But Chen was a full-time aide for Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich for nearly a decade before leaving in 2013. He had been a reservist since 2006, the lieutenant said. Assembly District 55 includes parts of Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Chen is running against three others: Diamond Bar Councilman Steve Tye, West Covina Councilman Mike Spence, and Chino Hills Councilman Ray Marquez. Contact the writer: jclay@ocregister.com MIAMI Fighting for Florida and beyond, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders tangled in an intense debate Wednesday night over whos the true friend of American Latinos, trading accusations over guest worker programs akin to slavery and the embracing of vigilantes against immigrants. They had even worse things to say about Republican front-runner Donald Trump. Facing off just six days before Florida gives its verdict on the presidential race, Clinton faulted Sanders for repeatedly voting against a 2007 comprehensive immigration reform bill; he faulted her for opposing a 2007 effort to let people who were in the country illegally obtain drivers licenses. Had the immigration package passed back then, Clinton said, a lot of the issues we are still discussing today would be in the rearview mirror. Sanders retorted that he opposed the legislation because it included a guest worker program akin to slavery. The debate opened with a question that appeared to startle Clinton. Univisions Jorge Ramos asked her if she would drop out of the race if indicted over the handling of her email while secretary of state. Oh, for goodness that is not going to happen, Clinton declared. Im not even answering that question. The FBI is investigating the possible mishandling of sensitive information that passed through Clintons private email server. Sanders, as he has in the past, declined to bite on the issue, saying, The process will take its course. He said hed rather talk about the issues of wealth and income inequality. Both candidates were bidding for momentum after Sanders stunned Clinton with an upset victory in Michigan on Tuesday. Clinton stressed that she has a strong lead in the delegates, declaring, This is a marathon, and it is a marathon that can only be carried by the kind of campaign I am running. Sanders said his Michigan surprise was evidence that his message is resonating. We are going to continue to do extremely well, he said, adding that he expects to persuade superdelegates who are backing Clinton to switch to his column. Immigration commanded considerable attention for good reason: Florida is home to nearly 1.8 million Latinos, including about 15 percent of the states Democrats. Latino voters have made up about 10 percent of voters in the Democratic primaries so far this year, and Clinton has been getting about two-thirds of their votes to about one-third for Sanders. The Vermont senator, for his part, stresses that hes making progress on winning over younger Latinos. Clinton at one point accused Sanders of supporting legislation that would have led to indefinite detention of people facing deportation and for standing with Minutemen vigilantes. He called that notion ridiculous and absurd, and accused Clinton of picking small pieces out of big legislative packages to distort his voting record. No, I do not support vigilantes and that is a horrific statement and an unfair statement to make, he said, adding: I will match my record against yours any day of the week. For all the disagreements, the overall tone of the candidates was considerably less tense than their Sunday faceoff. Sanders even paused at one point to make fun of his own pronunciation of huge as yuge. Both found agreement in pointing to GOP front-runner Trump as markedly worse on immigration than either of them. Clinton mocked Trumps plan for a wall on the Mexican border, saying hed build the most beautiful tall wall, better than the great wall of China to be magically paid for by Mexico. That, she said, is a fantasy. Sanders largely agreed, adding his hope that in the immigration debate we do not, as Donald Trump and others have done, resort to racism and xenophobia and bigotry. The candidates squared off soon after a testy debate in Michigan on Sunday in which they argued about trade and economic issues of particular interest in the industrial Midwest. Orange County credit unions had a record year in 2015, with memberships, deposits and loans reaching all-time highs. Membership in Orange County-based credit unions reached 1.24 million people last year, increasing by nearly 49,000 members, according to information released Tuesday from the California Credit Union League. Other record highs reported by the group include: a 4.4 percent increase in mortgages for first-time homeowners; a 36.5 percent increase in new auto loans and an 8 percent increase in credit card lending. An improving economy can largely be credited with the record highs, said Dwight Johnston, the chief economist for the California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues. The records are mostly the result of the better economy but also reflect the efforts of credit unions to attract new members through attractive rates on autos and mortgages, Johnston wrote in an email. Credit unions came out of the recession well positioned and well capitalized and were able to be more aggressive in lending, and its paying off. Orange County is home to 23 of the 348 credit unions in the state; combined local credit unions employ 2,929 workers. Altogether local credit unions have loaned $10.48 billion to the surrounding communities, a record for outstanding dollar amount, and a 9.1 percent year-over-year increase, according to the league. Another increase: Local credit unions collected $16.5 billion in customer deposits, a year-over-year increase of 8.1 percent. Similarly, Irvine-based Banc of California, the countys largest bank, had a record year in 2015 in terms of lending and net income with $7.1 billion in loans and a net income of $62 million. The local results reflect a rosier picture nationwide. It probably indicates that household finances are in a fairly good condition and savings rates are strong, said Steven Gjerstad a presidential fellow at Chapman Universitys Economic Science Institute. Using Bureau of Economic Analysis data, Gjerstad found savings nationwide have grown nearly twice as fast as income over the past two years. Increased saving and lending is one harbinger of a healthy economy. There are other indications that the economy is healthy and households have some confidence, not just from survey data, but employment data look really good, he said. Staff writer Hannah Madans contributed to this report. Contact the writer: lwilliams@ocregister.com, 714-796-2286 That sad look on your dogs face every time you leave the house never stops breaking your heart. But what can you do? Youre headed to the movies: No dogs allowed. But there are plenty of places you can go in Orange County that are pet-friendly so your family need not be separated during your next outing. Heres a small roundup of places to bring your pup. THE PARK BENCH CAFE In Huntington Beach Central Park, The Park Bench Cafe opened in 1988 as an outdoor dining venue. On opening day, we only set up six tables outside as we were not sure how receptive the public would be to this novel idea of eating outdoors, owner Mike Bartusick said. Its funny to say that now when today, outside dining is the new norm. Not long after opening, diners started bringing their dogs. Over time, we became the place where people and pooches could enjoy a meal together, Bartusick says. Eventually Bartusicks wife, Christie, developed the Canine Cuisine dog menu, which includes tasty treats such as the Rover Easy (two scrambled eggs). Before or after mealtime, the family can take a leisurely stroll around the park. All well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome. Details: 17732 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach; parkbenchcafe.com YAPPY HOUR Add dogs to happy hour, and you can get pure joy for the whole family. Yappy Hour at The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel hosts close to 900 guests and 500-700 dogs every month, according to Deanne French, the resorts director of public relations. Pups get free dog biscuits and drinks including bacon-, chicken- and beef-flavored water; their humans can purchase beer, wine and barbecue. Yappy Hour benefits animal-related charities. Dates include May 19, June 16, July 21, Aug. 18 and Sept. 15. The Yappy Howl-O-Ween Yappy Hour on Oct. 27 will include a doggie costume contest, and Yappy Howl-iday on Dec. 4 will feature pictures with Santa. Details: 1 Ritz Carlton Drive, Dana Point; ritzcarlton.com *** Krisers Natural Pet store also offers Yappy Hour at its locations, typically 5-7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month, with food and treats for humans and dogs. Details: There are several locations in Orange County; krisers.com RESTAURANT PATIOS In 2015, it became legal for California restaurants to allow leashed dogs on patios, though it was hardly unheard of before last year. Some O.C. favorites with dog-friendly patios include Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar locations, Haven Gastropub in Old Towne Orange, and Cafe Beau Soleil at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. The Lazy Dogs menu for canine pals includes a grilled hamburger patty or grilled chicken breast served with brown rice. For those who do have a dog, that is an important part of their family, we provide a place for them to dine with their furry companion, and I think they appreciate that, says Lazy Dog Creative Director Rebecca Simms. Details: There are several locations in Orange County; lazydogrestaurants .com *** Haven Gastropub partnered with JustFoodForDogs in Newport Beach to create a menu available on Havens patio. The meals are 7-ounce, $4 dishes certified for human consumption, including beef and russet potato, turkey and whole wheat macaroni, lamb and brown rice, chicken and white rice, and fish and sweet potato. Details: 190 S. Glassell St., Orange; havengastro pub.com *** Pascal Gimenez, executive chef and general manager at Cafe Beau Soleil, says the restaurant allows pets on its indoor and outdoor patios. While the restaurant doesnt offer a menu for dogs, workers are happy to add a side such as organic chicken breast or all-natural skirt steak diced in a doggie bowl, he says. Details: 953 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach; cafebeausoleil.net RETAIL CENTERS If youre at Fashion Island in Newport Beach on a weekend, youll likely spot more than a few dogs. The centers open, inviting design welcomes both two-legged and four-legged family members. Details: 401 Newport Center Drive, Fashion Island, Newport Beach; shopfashionisland.com *** The Lab and The Camp malls in Costa Mesa are also dog-friendly. Our retail shops do generally allow dogs on leashes in their stores, and quite a few have little mascots that hang out regularly, says Christina Wachspress, the centers event manager. Details: The Lab, 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, thelab.com; The Camp, 2937 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, thecampsite.com PARKS We know we can take our pups to dog parks, but what are the rules at other parks? While wilderness parks are not dog-friendly, several OC Parks facilities such as Peters Canyon Regional Park in Orange and Talbert Nature Preserve in Costa Mesa do allow leashed dogs. Details: For a list of dog-friendly parks, visit ocdog friendly.com I guess the Democrats have forgotten about Robert Bork, whose only crime was that he was too conservative for them. After that, they also turned down Doug Ginsberg for the Supreme Court, finally accepting Anthony Kennedy. Action on a Supreme Court nomination must be put off until after an election campaign is over, said Joe Biden in 1992. Nowhere in that document does it say the Senate has a duty to give presidential nominees a vote, said Sen. Harry Reid in 2005. I will do everything in my power to prevent one more ideological ally from joining Roberts and Alito on the court, said Sen. Chuck Schumer in 2007. Guess who is the only president to filibuster a nominee? Barack Obama, as a senator, protesting Samuel Alito. Does this make them Do Nothing Democrats or just hypocrites? James Haynes Irvine Party of Lincoln not about breaking the law Re: Void of values among GOP candidates [Opinion, March 6]: I do not see any connection between Abraham Lincolns Gettysburg Address ([T]hat this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom) and writer Jim Dotis attack on Republican candidates who advocate tough policies on illegal immigrants. In particular, Mr. Doti attacks Donald Trump for saying Mexico is sending people that have lots of problems such as drugs, crime, rapists, although he does quote Trumps caveat: And some, I assume, are good people. From where does Mr. Doti think the violent gangs in Santa Ana, Anaheim and Los Angeles originated? Despite Mr. Dotis heartwarming stories from some children of illegal immigrants about how they and their parents found new opportunities in the United States, he needs to take a balanced view of what unrestrained illegal immigration has brought to this country. He gives his own story of how his parents immigrated legally through Ellis Island. They obviously came here through proper procedures and were properly vetted. People who sneak across the southern border are flouting our laws and disrespecting our principles despite wanting better opportunities. I think Mr. Trump is voicing the frustration of many Americans. Isnt defending our borders part of protecting our freedoms? How is that not following the Party of Lincoln? Oliver Watson Orange COSTA MESA A two-hour brush fire Tuesday in Talbert Park was likely started inside a homeless encampment, officials said Thursday. Someone reported a brush fire shortly after 10 a.m. in the park at 1298 Victoria St., near the south end by a BMX trail and pond, Capt. Chris Coates of the Costa Mesa Fire Department said. By 11:30 a.m., the fire burned a 150-foot-by-75-foot area of brush. Were having some access issues because of the recent rain; its real muddy down there and were worried about getting the equipment stuck, Coates said. Anaheim and Huntington Beach police helicopters responded to help, and Orange County Fire Authoritys helicopter assisted by dropping water onto the flames. Officials said the fire was extinguished shortly before 12:10 p.m. and firefighting crews stayed in the park to clean up the damage. No suspicious activity or injuries were immediately reported, but investigators later determined the most probable cause is from a homeless encampment, Coates said. Based on history and what we see down there, there was no other indicators that it would be something else, Coates said. Firefighters battled a Jan. 19 fire in the same area, which officials said also likely started inside a homeless encampment at the park. The four Costa Mesa park rangers, along with county park rangers, periodically go out with Costa Mesa police, Orange County Sheriffs Department and homeless outreach volunteers to Talbert Park to identify residents out there and attempt to relocate them out of the area, said Tony Dodero, the City of Costa Mesa spokesman. Recently, (we) did a sweep where we go in there and try to identify where the camps are at, because there are multiple in the area, Dodero said. Its an on-going effort to keep that place clear of encampments. I imagine that theres going to be a heightened alert now that these fires have happened to clear out more (encampments), but they didnt say there are any more sweeps planned. Contact the writer: 714-796-7802 or aduranty@ocregister.com NEW YORK A New York City police officer who shot an unarmed teenager to death will not face federal civil rights charges, officials announced Tuesday, closing an investigation into a case activists have invoked in decrying police killings of black men. There wasnt enough evidence to support charges in the 2012 death of Ramarley Graham, who was shot in the bathroom of his Bronx home by an officer who had followed him inside during a drug investigation, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bhararas office said in a statement. The decision ends the possibility of criminal charges against Officer Richard Haste, who was indicted earlier on a state manslaughter charge that a judge dismissed, saying prosecutors had improperly instructed grand jurors. Another grand jury then declined to re-indict Haste, who said he fired at the 18-year-old Graham because he thought he was going to be shot. Graham was black; Haste is white. Hastes lawyer, Stuart London, said the officer was gratified by federal prosecutors decision. There never were any winners in this case, he said. Grahams mother, Constance Malcolm, said she wasnt surprised to see the federal probe end without charges. I didnt have no faith in the system after seeing what happened in the state case, she said by phone. With the (federal prosecutors), I already had my guard up. Grahams parents and civil rights activists held an overnight protest last month at Bhararas office, sleeping on the concrete steps of the Manhattan office building to protest what they believed was a lag in the investigation. Grahams relatives, who settled a lawsuit against the city for $3.9 million, are now focusing on pressing the New York Police Department to fire Haste and other officers involved in the moments surrounding Grahams death. Haste is expected now to face disciplinary charges that could result in a punishment as light as losing vacation days or as serious as firing. According to Bhararas office, narcotics officers watching a Bronx corner store on Feb. 2, 2012, spotted Graham outside it, adjusting his pants in a way officers thought might indicate a gun, and they radioed his description to other officers. Haste heard the description and confronted Graham, who went into his house. Officers forced their way inside and Haste ordered Graham to put up his hands and followed him to the bathroom. Haste told authorities he though Graham was reaching for a gun and fired. But police found no weapons in the apartment. Grahams grandmother and 6-year-old brother were also home when the shot hit the teens chest. The Graham familys lawyer, Royce Russell, said the relatives had hoped the case would at least be brought to a federal grand jury. But prosecutors noted that in order to bring charges, they would have to establish that Haste didnt have probable cause to believe he or other officers were in danger of death or serious injury. And prosecutors said they found no evidence to refute Hastes claim that he believed Graham was going for a gun. Patrolmens Benevolent Association President Patrick J. Lynch, who heads the NYPD officers union, said Haste acted while making a good-faith effort to combat serious public problems guns and drugs. But the Rev. Al Sharpton, who delivered the eulogy at Grahams funeral, said the federal prosecutors decision was very painful for both Grahams family and the public. Grahams death has been cited during numerous demonstrations after grand juries in Missouri and New York declined to indict police officers in the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner on Staten Island. The deaths fueled a national conversation about policing and race. A federal grand jury is currently hearing evidence in Garners case. Did you hear about the man who fired back at an attacker who had shot him and two of his friends at a New Orleans gas station in January, hitting the perpetrator and potentially saving his life and those of several others? Or the Uber driver who likewise shot and wounded a man who had opened fire on a crowd of people in Chicago last April? In both cases, the heroes were licensed to carry a concealed weapon, but you are forgiven if their stories are unfamiliar, for the media tend not to fawn over mass-shooting attempts unless they are successful. When mass shootings do occur, they tend to be in places with greater gun restrictions schools, military facilities, other government buildings or a private place where crowds gather, such as a theater or church, that has a no-gun policy. In fact, they are more than twice as likely to take place in gun-free zones, a Heritage Foundation analysis concludes. Of the 54 mass shootings included in the Stanford University Libraries dataset since 2002 defined as a shooting with three or more victims, not including the attacker or gang- or drug-related shootings 37 (69 percent) took place in gun-free zones. In two of those incidents, the shooter was slowed or stopped by an armed civilian. Only 17 cases transpired outside of gun-free zones, and, in five of them, an armed civilian slowed or stopped the attacker. If you have a choice to be in a gun-free zone or a legal-to-carry setting, you are less likely to be the victim of a mass shooting where it is legal to carry guns, research coordinator Patrick Tyrrell wrote on Heritages Daily Signal blog. All else being equal, if a killer can strike where he is less likely to face lethal law-abiding resistance from ordinary citizens, he will. When those motivated by evil or mental illness plot mass murder, they do not pay attention to laws, much less Gun-free zone signs. Each of us has an inherent right to defend our lives and the lives of others facing mortal threats. When government denies us the tools to do so, it ensures more helpless victims and preventable tragedies. IRVINE Hong Kong welcomes businesses interested in exporting their goods and services. Thats the message delivered recently to Irvine businesspeople, elected officials and academic leaders by Hong Kong Commissioner Clement Leung during a recent visit to the city. The city of Hong Kong, home to 7.2 million people, took in more than $40 billion of U.S. exports in 2014. More than 1,300 U.S. companies call it home; so do more than 60,000 Americans. Leungs visit from the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington, D.C., where he is based, was intended to increase those numbers. Hong Kong represents an opportunity for California businesses that are looking to expand into Asia, both as a market and as a regional base, he said. He met with a group from the Irvine Chamber of Commerce in late February to share information about the citys focus on innovation and technology and identify opportunities for Irvine businesses. Robb Dorf, founder and chief executive officer of Irvine-based company PureFit Nutrition Bars, was among the attendees. The hurdles to do business in Hong Kong are, I think, much lower than in mainland China, he said. I wouldnt have known that had I not attended. It opened my eyes to the potential of the market. Although the city is part of China, its status as a special administrative region means Hong Kong operates under a different economic system. Hong Kongs free port means U.S. exporters dont have to pay a customs tariff, Leung said. To make it easier to attract overseas investments, the city offers assistance to foreign companies, he said. We believe Hong Kong is in a good position to help, Leung said. We have always been a gateway to mainland China and the Asia-Pacific region. The city provides a base from which entrepreneurs have easy access to the Shenzhen region of China, where a slew of factories provide quick prototyping. In addition to its proximity to manufacturing plants, the city is home to major trade fairs, protections for intellectual property and high-speed telecommunications. Like Irvine, Hong Kong is home to startup incubators and co-working locations, Leung said. Dorf said he does business in 20 countries, but hadnt yet begun distributing into mainland China. His companys gluten-free nutrition bars, which have been around for about 15 years, have been popular internationally, he said. As the market became very competitive in the U.S., we found the international market was very responsive to our product and to the Made in USA flag prominently and proudly displayed, he said. Weve slowly grown our small company to export to 20 companies, making up for the growth we were having trouble with in the U.S. We have dove headfirst into international sales. But that comes with challenges, he said, from currency issues to the logistics of getting the bars overseas. Those hurdles are even higher in China, he said. Even so, with 1.3 billion residents, the potential is fantastic. Ive never been in a room with a government saying, we want to help you do business in our area, Dorf said. It absolutely gave me encouragement that Hong Kong is open for U.S. business. They couldnt have been any more welcoming. Contact the writer: sdecrescenzo@ocregister.com Orange County and local nonprofits will receive $17.6 million to help the homeless population find homes after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Tuesday how it will divvy up $1.6 billion in annual grants. More than half of that local allocation will go toward programs providing permanent housing for local homeless people, reflecting a national philosophical shift that values long-term solutions to homelessness over stopgap approaches. Orange Countys HUD grant includes $10 million for permanent housing efforts with the majority of that money going toward paying monthly rent and providing resources for homeless people. That is more in line with our federal goals to prevent and end homelessness, said Ed Cabrera, HUDs western region spokesman. HUD is still funding both emergency and transitional housing projects, but were hoping (local agencies) invest more resources into transitioning people into more permanent housing situations. Local nonprofits and governments apply collaboratively for HUDs homeless grants, meeting together to determine the regions needs and then submitting a unified proposal to request funding. HUD representatives said its Homeless Assistance Award is the federal governments largest competitive grant program. The reason that HUD is making that shift to a permanent housing strategy is because research supports that, said Larry Haynes, executive director of the Santa Ana nonprofit Mercy House Living Centers. Without these public dollars, hundreds, if not thousands of people would not be served. Haynes said that even with the federal assistance, Orange Countys low housing stock and limited apartment vacancies can make it difficult to find homes for the homeless. He said there is still a need to construct more permanent housing for the homeless, but Tuesdays federal grant doesnt provide money for that purpose. Contact the writer: jgraham@ocregister.com or 714-796-7960 TEHRAN, Iran The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of Iran conducted a second successive day of missile tests Wednesday, firing two rockets that it said hit targets more than 850 miles away. The missiles were launched from the eastern part of the Alborz mountain range that hugs the Caspian Sea in northern Iran, the semiofficial news agency Tasnim reported. While Iran has riled conservative critics of last summers nuclear deal with a succession of missile tests, it is not clear whether the latest activity violates any proscriptions. Before the signing of the accord with the United States and international powers, Iran was barred under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1929 from any work on ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. That resolution was revoked with the nuclear deal and replaced by Security Council Resolution 2231, which calls upon Iran to abstain from such activity. Tehran says that it has a right to pursue defensive weapons systems and that, since it has given up any semblance of a nuclear program, it cannot in any event be working on a nuclear capability. We have huge reserves of various range ballistic missiles that are ready to target enemies and their aims, at any time, from different points of the country, Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami, the deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards, told reporters on the sidelines of the missile-firing drills in Kavir, Qum province, the semiofficial Fars news agency reported. The Obama administration concluded that an earlier round of missile tests in the fall violated the new resolution and prepared a list of sanctions against individuals and businesses involved in the launchings. It then infuriated congressional Republicans by delaying its application until after the nuclear deal went into effect. The administration has not yet said whether it believes these tests violate the resolution. A State Department official said the matter would be raised at the Security Council, and congressional Republicans promised to introduce new sanctions against Iran. Iranian commanders seemed to go out of their way to antagonize Western governments, as well as to impress upon regional rivals like Saudi Arabia the extent of their arsenal. Taking into account that Hezbollah has stored more than 100,000 missiles, Salami said, the Islamic Republic possesses 10 times more missiles of different types, and its power is unlimited. Coming on a day when Vice President Joe Biden was meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, the second round of tests seemed also to be aimed at provoking an Israeli reaction. The head of the Revolutionary Guards missile program, Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, said the rockets had a range of about 1,200 miles and were capable of hitting the Zionist regime, Irans name for its archenemy Israel, the semiofficial news agency Mehr reported. Fars reported that the missiles had text written on them in Hebrew saying, Israel must be wiped off the face of the earth, an allusion to the declaration by the former Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. However, the missiles seen in photographs of the launch did not seem to carry any text. Biden did not directly address the missile tests, but he did speak about Irans nuclear ambitions in relation to regional security and Netanyahus well-known opposition to the nuclear deal. A nuclear-armed Iran is absolutely unacceptable threat to Israel, to the region and the United States, he said. If, in fact, they break the deal, we will act. 1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war. 2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war. 3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength. 4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war. 5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites. 6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination. 7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N. 8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N. 9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress. 10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N. 11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.) 12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party. 13. Do away with all loyalty oaths. 14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office. 15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States. 16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights. 17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks. 18. Gain control of all student newspapers. 19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack. 20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions. 21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures. 22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms." 23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art." 24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. 25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV. 26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy." 27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch." 28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state." 29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis. 30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man." 31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over. 32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc. 33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus. 34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities. 35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI. 36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions. 37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business. 38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand. 39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals. 40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce. 41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. 42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems. 43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government. 44. Internationalize the Panama Canal. 45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike. LANSING, Mich. Bernie Sanders breathed new life into his long-shot White House bid with a crucial win in Michigans primary Tuesday night, chipping away at Hillary Clintons dominance in the Democratic presidential race. Republican Donald Trump swept to victory in both Michigan and Mississippi, overcoming fierce efforts to blunt his momentum. Even with Sanders win, Clinton and Trump moved closer to a general election faceoff. Clinton breezed to an easy victory in Mississippi, propelled by overwhelming support from black voters, and she now has more than half the delegates she needs to clinch the Democratic nomination. Trump, too, padded his lead over Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who carried the Idaho primary. The front-runners turned their sights on November as they reveled in their wins. We are better than what we are being offered by the Republicans, Clinton declared. In a nod toward the kind of traditional politics hes shunned, Trump emphasized the importance of helping Republican senators and House members get elected in the fall. Having entered Tuesdays contests facing a barrage of criticism from rival candidates and outside groups, he also delighted in overcoming the attacks. Every single person who has attacked me has gone down, Trump said at one of his Florida resorts. He was flanked by tables packed with his retail products, including steaks, bottled water and wine, and defended his business record more thoroughly than he outlined his policy proposals for the country. Sanders, meanwhile, said Michigan signaled that we are a national campaign. We already have won in the Midwest, New England and the Great Plains, and as more people get to know more about who we are and what our views are, were going to do very well, the Vermont senator said in a statement. While a handful of recent losses to Cruz have raised questions about Trumps durability, Tuesdays contests marked another lost opportunity for rivals desperate to stop his march to the nomination. Next weeks winner-take-all contests in Ohio and Florida loom large as perhaps the last chance to block him short of a contested convention fight. Ohio Gov. John Kasich was in a fight with Cruz for second place in Michigan and hoping a good showing would give him a boost heading into next weeks crucial contest in his home state. For Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Tuesday marked the latest in a series of disappointing nights. He emerged from Michigan and Mississippi with no new delegates, a grim outcome for a candidate who has the overwhelming support from Republican senators, governors and other elected officials. Rubio insisted he would press on to his home states primary in Florida next Tuesday. It has to happen here, and it has to happen now, Rubio told supporters during a rally in Sarasota. If Rubio and Kasich cant win at home, the GOP primary appears set to become a two-person race between Trump and Cruz. The Texas senator is sticking close in the delegate count, and with six states in his win column hes argued hes the only candidate standing between the brash billionaire and the GOP nomination. During a campaign stop at a North Carolina church, Cruz took on Trump for asking rally attendees to pledge their allegiance to him. He said the move struck him as profoundly wrong and was something kings and queens demand of their subjects. Some mainstream Republicans have cast both Trump and Cruz as unelectable in a November faceoff with the Democratic nominee. But theyre quickly running out of options and candidates to prevent one of the men from becoming the GOP standard-bearer. Republicans were also holding a caucus Tuesday in Hawaii. The economy ranked high on the list of concerns for voters in Michigan and Mississippi. At least 8 in 10 in each partys primary said they were worried about where the American economy is heading, according to exit polls conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press and television networks. Among Democrats, 8 in 10 voters in both states said the countrys economic system benefits the wealthy, not all Americans. Sanders has sought to tap into that concern, energizing young people and white, blue-collar voters with his calls for breaking up Wall Street banks and making tuition free at public colleges and universities. Michigan, with big college towns and a sizable population of working-class voters, was a good fit for him, though something of a surprise victory given that Clinton had led in polls heading into Tuesdays voting. Still, Sanders has struggled mightily with black voters who are crucial to Democrats in the general election. In Mississippi, black voters make up about two-thirds of the Democratic electorate, and nearly 9 in 10 backed Clinton. There are increasing signs that 2016 might just be the year the largest state in the nation legalizes recreational marijuana. Polls have shown from 56 percent to 60 percent of Californias likely voters in the November presidential contest support legal pot. And due in part to hefty financial backing from a Silicon Valley billionaire, the leading pro-marijuana measure the Adult Use of Marijuana Act has gotten off to one of the strongest starts among dozens of proposed initiatives on different topics being pitched for the Nov. 8 ballot. We believe that AUMA has a very strong chance of passing in 2016, said Chris Beals, chief strategy officer for Irvine-based Weedmaps, which has donated $500,000 to the campaign. While there is still much work to be done to further educate voters on the issue, support for ending prohibition is strong in California. Of course, much could change between now and the November election. Law enforcement and other groups that helped defeat a marijuana legalization measure in 2010 are just gearing up efforts to oppose AUMA. Plus, theres continuing discord among advocates over a glut of legalization proposals and which would best serve residents without allowing big corporations to dominate a pot industry thats poised to grow substantially. Still, AUMA has landed a broad coalition of mainstream supporters, including gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the California Medical Association and a slew of environmental groups. The campaign for the measure has already raised $2.25 million, and it gathered a quarter of the 365,880 signatures needed by April 26 in just 29 days. Momentum for legalization is building, too, with recreational use now permitted in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C. And the independent Legislative Analysts Office is predicting that annual new revenue under AUMA could reach up to $1 billion. I think everyone views California as the super bowl of this movement, said Jason Kinney, spokesman for the initiatives campaign. Winning here would have an impact on the rest of the country. ANOTHER PROP. 19? California was the first state to vote on legalizing marijuana, with Proposition 19 in 1972. That time, 66.5 percent of voters said no. California also led the way in legalizing medical marijuana in 1996. It took 38 years for recreational use to make it back on the ballot in the form of a second Prop. 19 initiative in 2010. A Public Policy Institute of California poll in September of that year found that 52 percent of Californians supported the second measure. That dropped to just 46.5 percent in favor of legalization by the time the vote was counted in November. Analysts point to many causes for the fall-off, including strong push back against state legalization prior to the vote by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who vowed to continue vigorously enforcing federal laws against pot sales. In recent years, the Obama administration has largely let states that have voted to legalize adult pot use follow through with their own regulations and enforcement. Voters can look at Colorado and see that the sky didnt fall, Lyman said. I think that instills a lot of confidence. In 2010, then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger also slashed penalties for marijuana possession, reducing momentum for legalization shortly before the balloting. Since Schwarzeneggers action, legalization advocates note there has been little improvement in the disproportionate effects criminalization of pot has had on Californias growing minority population. Overall felony arrests for marijuana have held steady but remain sharply skewed to young men of color, said Lynne Lyman, California director for the Drug Policy Alliance, which is supporting the AUMA campaign. No matter how we change or soften our drug laws, we are incapable of applying them equally, Lyman said. Decriminalization did not work for California. The failed 2010 initiative also contained what Nate Bradley, executive director of the California Cannabis Industry Association, called the poison pill. That was a clause prohibiting employers from disciplining workers for marijuana use, except in cases where their performance was impaired. That sparked opposition from the California Chamber of Commerce and other influential business groups. AUMA leaves discipline policies for workers up to employers. The 2010 Prop. 19 may have brought in too little money too late, with a large portion of the $4 million proponents raised arriving in the final weeks leading up to that years election. By contrast, AUMA has brought in more than half that amount with eight months to go. Along with money from Weedmaps and Lymans group, state records show that billionaire Napster co-founder Sean Parker has given $1 million to the campaign and an additional $250,000 to an independent group supporting it. Backers of legalization also note that the 2010 vote took place in a midterm election, when there tend to be fewer young voters. This year, the vote coincides with a presidential election that has generated a surge of interest among millennials. A 2015 statewide poll by PPIC of likely millennial voters, age 18 to 34, showed 62 percent in favor legalization, while a February survey by Probolsky Research in Newport Beach puts millennial support at nearly 80 percent. THE OTHER GUYS One potential hurdle from 2010 persists, proponents acknowledge: Divisions persevere among legal pot supporters. In all, 19 legalization initiatives were initially proposed for the ballot and 13 have been cleared to gather signatures. I would like to see the people in the cannabis community get together and make one initiative, said Barbara Ayala, the president of Senior OC NORML who helped gather signatures for the 2010 vote. I think thats the only way its going to pass. Five of the proposed legalization initiatives have already been withdrawn or failed. Several more have been abandoned by their proponents. One of those, the so-called ReformCA measure, was originally backed by Alice Huffman, president of the California NAACP, and Dale Sky Jones, a former spokeswoman for the 2010 initiative campaign. Both women now support AUMA. Another activist, Samuel Clauder, said hes also abandoned two initiatives he was sponsoring. Instead, the former Orange County resident hopes to legalize cannabis by working with the Legislature. A handful of other competing proposals still are being promoted by proponents critical of AUMA. Were still at the table, said John Lee of San Jose, whos tied to six legalization ballot measures now cleared to gather signatures. Lee says his group, the Americans for Policy Reform, has included initiative provisions requested by current cannabis business owners who believe AUMA favors big corporations and would impose onerous taxes on retailers and growers. The main obstacle to getting other initiatives on the ballot, Lee said, is money. After AUMA, the next largest pot of funding for a marijuana initiative is Clauders now-abandoned California Cannabis Legalization Act of 2016. That campaign has $10,000 all from Clauder. If you dont have probably at least $1 million, youre never going to qualify for the ballot unless you have the most amazing grass-roots effort ever, said Bob Stern, who co-founded the Center for Governmental Studies and helped author the book Democracy by Initiative. On the other hand, Stern said, Any initiative that has $3 million will almost always qualify. Still, Stern added, only around a third of initiatives that make it to the ballot become law. Lobbyist John Lovell, who fought legalization in 2010, is leading a recently launched AUMA opposition campaign that has collected $25,000 from law enforcement and hospital groups, according to state records. However one feels philosophically about the legalization of marijuana, I think there are so many obvious flaws in this ballot measure that voters will reject it, he said. Critics also cite a February study from UC San Franciscos Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education. It argues that new state revenue from a legalized pot industry might not fully offset the public health costs of increased marijuana use, including an increase in impaired driving and potential cardiovascular problems. As with some of the effects of tobacco, the study said taxpayers would then be required to make up the difference. Adding to the political mix, one proposed ballot measure that would block recreational pot use while imposing greater restrictions on medical marijuana use has also been cleared to gather signatures by state election officials. WHAT IF IT PASSES? If AUMA is approved, Californians 21 and older would be permitted to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, up to 8 grams of concentrated cannabis and up to six plants. It would prohibit driving while impaired, giving cannabis to minors or consuming it in public. And building on the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act signed into law in October it includes provisions for licensing, testing, labeling, advertising and local control over marijuana businesses. The 62-page act also establishes a 15 percent sales tax (which would not apply to medical marijuana patients) plus a tax by weight for growers. The Legislative Analysts Office anticipates that those tax revenues could top $1 billion annually, and the state would save as much as $100 million a year on marijuana enforcement. Parkers initiative dedicates the new revenues to research, law enforcement, education and environmental cleanup. While AUMA isnt perfect, said Beals, of Weedmaps, it is the product of all the stakeholders and it will enable the industry to operate in an open, legal market that benefits patients and business owners. Contact the writer: 714-796-7963 or bstaggs@ocregister.com WASHINGTON Kyle Odom, the former Marine suspected of shooting Idaho pastor Tim Remington on Sunday, was arrested Tuesday evening outside the White House, according to Coeur dAlene Police and the Secret Service. The Secret Service said in a statement that Odom threw unknown material over the south fence line at the White House Complex. He was immediately taken into custody. Hours earlier, someone posted a message to Odoms Facebook page claiming Remington was shot because the pastor was from Mars and had ruined Odoms life, according to Washington television station KXLY. Odoms profile picture also was changed to a drawing of an alien. Police in Coeur dAlene, Idaho, where the shooting took place, announced Monday that Odom had a history of mental illness. The shooting gained national attention, in part because Remington had prayed with Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz at a campaign rally in Coeur dAlene on Saturday. Remington, in the meantime, has regained consciousness and is talking with his family, an associate said Tuesday. Authorities say theres no indication Remingtons appearance with Cruz had anything to do with the shooting, as they work to figure out what motivated the attack outside his church in broad daylight. However, it does appear that this was a pre-planned attack, Coeur dAlene Police Chief Lee White said Monday. And I will tell you that some details surrounding Mr. Odoms planning are disturbing. He did not elaborate. Meanwhile, several news outlets in nearby Spokane, Wash., received letters on Tuesday that purported to be from Odom, Coeur dAlene police Detective Jared Reneau said. The letters, postmarked Monday, contained a sheet of paper that read The Truth About Kyle Odom, but had nothing else written on them, Reneau said. We are trying to confirm their authenticity, Reneau said. Remington, 55, regained consciousness Monday night in a Coeur dAlene hospital, said John Padula, outreach pastor for The Altar Church, where Remington is the senior pastor. Hes whispering and talking to his family a little bit, Padula said Tuesday. Hes doing absolutely amazing. He gave me a thumbs up last night when I went in. Remington, who is married and has four children, has no feeling in his right arm, Padula said. Remington and his wife have been with The Altar Church for nearly two decades, and they have specialized in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction, Padula said. The church has extensive programs, including in-patient rehabilitation, for addicts, Padula said. Padula was a meth addict for 17 years before going through the churchs program seven years ago, he said. Police said Odom drove to the Spokane area on Interstate 90 after the Sunday afternoon shooting, according to information from traffic cameras. He then turned south before they lost his trail. Odom had no connection with the church before showing up before services early Sunday morning, Padula said. The Coeur dAlene Police Department issued a warrant of attempted first-degree murder for Odom, who has no criminal record but does have a history of mental illness. White said Odom was armed when he attended services in the church earlier Sunday, and that the violence could have been much worse. Odom served in the Marines from 2006-2010, winning an Iraq Campaign Medal and other awards. He rose to the rank of corporal. Odom later graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in biochemistry. The Associated Press contributed to this report SANTA ANA The prosecutor in the murder retrial of a Santa Ana gang member alleged Tuesday that Eric Ortiz meant to shoot a rival but instead gunned down another man. District Attorney David Porter told a jury that Ortiz, known on the streets as Termite, shot and killed Emeterio Adame, 54, in 2006 during gang warfare in the city. Defense attorney Rudy Loewenstein countered during opening statements that police arrested the wrong man and that the prosecutions star witness actually was the triggerman. He said Ortiz, 26, was no where near the shooting scene. Eric Ortiz did not shoot, did not pull the trigger, did not have the gun that night, Loewenstein said. The attorneys vastly different accounts came Tuesday in Orange County Superior Court as Ortiz went on trial for the second time for the 2006 murder. In November, Superior Court Judge Richard King overturned Ortizs murder conviction after four Orange County Sheriffs deputies evoked their fifth amendment rights and refused to testify in a hearing on whether Ortizs rights had been violated by the use of a jailhouse informant. Neither attorney mentioned jailhouse informants as the new trial got underway. Last year, Loewenstein had argued that Ortiz was improperly placed near a veteran jailhouse informant after his arrest for the purpose of gathering incriminating evidence in the shooting death of Adame. Ortizs trial continues this week before Superior Court Judge Michael J. Cassidy. His case is one of six that have unraveled since 2015 in the fallout from the use of jailhouse snitches in Orange County. A man who told police he is from the Netherlands was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of using counterfeit bank cards in Seal Beach. Seal Beach police went at 1:35 p.m. to a Pavilions supermarket in the 1100 block of Pacific Coast Highway on reports of a suspicious person, Sgt. Michael Henderson said in a statement. They found a man inside the store using a U.S. Bank ATM. The man made several transactions with different bank cards, Henderson said. Officers approached the man as he was leaving, but he fled on foot into a nearby residential neighborhood. When he was caught, the officers found $2,000 cash and more than 40 bank cards on him. He was arrested on suspicion of the use of counterfeit access cards and multiple other charges. He gave police a home address in Long Beach and said his name is Arian Adam. Police, however, have not confirmed his identity. Calls to the Seal Beach police were not returned Tuesday night. Anyone who believes they may be a victim of fraud related to this suspect is asked to contact the Seal Beach Police Department at 562-799-4100. Contact the writer: 714-796-2478 or lcasiano@ocregister.com CAIRO Somalias al-Shabab movement is emerging as one of the most loyal and lethal al-Qaida affiliates, even as the Islamic State expands its reach into the region, according to Western and Somali analysts. The Somali militants have shown signs of a resurgence, staging deadly attacks and assassinations in recent months, despite the billions of dollars being spent by the United States to fight them. That has prompted the Islamic State to try to woo them away from al-Qaida, as U.S. and other Western intelligence officials grow increasingly alarmed. The concern is so great that U.S. warplanes and drones attacked an al-Shabab training camp on Saturday, killing more than 150 fighters, according to the Pentagon. It was the deadliest U.S. strike on the militant group, whose name in Arabic means the youth, since it emerged a decade ago with the goal of turning Somalia into a fundamentalist Islamic state. Al-Qaida understands the potential of this self-financing and experienced insurgency in the strategic Horn of Africa, said Abdirashid Hashi, director of the Heritage Institute for Policy Studies, a think tank based in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. And ISIS, of course, understands this potential and hence its overtures for co-option or stage a hostile takeover. Al-Qaida is probably working hard to protect its jewel from ISIS. Less than two years ago, al-Shabab was a crippled movement. U.S.-backed African Union forces had driven the militia out of Mogadishu and other areas. Their leader, Mukhtar Abu Zubeyr, widely known as Ahmed Abdi Godane, was killed in an American airstrike, a year after he masterminded an attack on a posh Nairobi mall that killed scores. His death was hailed by U.S. officials as a major operational and symbolic blow to the militia that would fragment and eventually lead to its demise. Instead, the militia regrouped under a new leader, Ahmad Umar, and transformed itself into a lethal guerrilla insurgency. Its fighters have raided areas of the countryside, setting up roadblocks and controlling the population. They have expanded their recruitment and presence in Kenya and other neighboring countries. They have been aided by incessant political infighting, poorly trained and equipped national security forces, and a weak central government that has not been able to fill the void. Thinly stretched African Union peacekeepers, known by their acronym AMISOM and funded by U.S. and other Western governments, seldom pursue the militia into rural areas, focusing control on cities and towns. That has allowed the militants to stage spectacular attacks from their rural strongholds, including suicide and roadside bombings against the government, the United Nations and African Union military bases. Al-Shabab has also attacked restaurants, beachfront bars and other soft targets while dispatching assassination squads to eliminate government officials. Al-Shabab dominate in the countryside in the newly liberated areas, where neither AMISOM nor the Somali army so far have been successful in establishing security for the locals, said Stig Jarle Hansen, a Norwegian researcher who authored a book on the group. In these areas they can tax, and even use forced recruitment. Since January, the militia has killed scores of people, including Kenyan soldiers attached to AMISOM at their base and guests at a Mogadishu hotel. It also asserted responsibility for a bomb planted on a jetliner that ripped a hole through the fuselage, forcing the plane to land in Mogadishu, and a bomb that detonated in a laptop on Monday at the airport in the central Somali town of Beledweyne. While U.S. officials described Saturdays airstrikes as a major success that apparently killed more militants than all previously known U.S. operations in Somalia combined, some analysts expressed caution. The presence of such a large number of fighters at one camp is a worrying indicator of the groups continued relevance and its power to attract, notwithstanding the setbacks it has suffered in recent years, said J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Center at the Atlantic Council. If anything, despite the killing of several of its leaders and battlefield reverses the group has suffered, its hardline core has become even more radicalized and, indeed, have seen their ambitions grow, he added. As it has resurged, the militia has drawn the attention of the Islamic State. In videos and social media, Islamic State leaders have urged al-Shabab to abandon al-Qaida and join their fold, part of an ongoing contest for influence between the two most influential militant groups. Last year, Nigerias Boko Haram militia pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. That was considered a setback for al-Qaidas central branch in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which has increasingly relied on local and regional affiliates in Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and other areas to spread its radical philosophies and target the West and its allies. But al-Shababs senior leaders have shown little inclination to break away from al-Qaida. Godane and other top leaders trained and fought with Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Their agenda is also more nationalistic and regional, unlike the Islamic States global ambitions. Al-Qaida is believed to have provided financing, training and logistical support to the militia. And while there have been some defections to the Islamic State, al-Shabab has shown no visible signs of fragmenting or weakening. Because of al-Qaidas weakness, al-Shabab have been more important, Hansen said. They actually presented a victory for al-Qaida in the face of the Islamic State. Its official: The shirt that turned the actor Colin Firth into a heartthrob and helped fuel the continuing global Jane Austen pandemonium is coming to the United States. The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington confirmed that it has secured a loan of the billowing white shirt worn by Firth in an indelible scene in the 1995 BBC miniseries of Pride and Prejudice. It will be on view starting in August as part of the exhibition Will & Jane: Shakespeare, Austen, and the Cult of Celebrity, alongside relics including a bundle of wood collected at Shakespeares birthplace, a bottle of Austen-inspired Bath Gin (tagline: Gin of a different persuasion), and Will and Jane action figures. In the scene, Firth, playing the aloof Mr. Darcy, dives into a pond and emerges with the garment molded to his strapping physique. The Regency wet T-shirt moment appears nowhere in Austens novel, but it has inspired homages like the 12-foot fiberglass-coated Mr. Darcy that temporarily rose out of a London pond in 2013 and a photo re-enactment by Benedict Cumberbatch, done as a charity fundraiser, that caused heart palpitations across the Internet in 2014. The shirt seemed like a celebrity object that demonstrated the kind of fun that people have with Austen as an author, said Janine Barchas, a University of Texas English professor who is a curator of the show with Kristina Straub of Carnegie Mellon University. It exemplifies the kind of play that is central to our whole exhibition. The Shirt, as the exhibition label will call it, belongs to the British costume supply house Cosprop, which said it received several requests a year for Mr. Darcys garments. (Like Rin Tin Tin, the Shirt was actually played by several shirts, given the need for a dry one before each take.) And no, you cant rent it to wear, say, to your prom. The costumes hired from Cosprops exhibition department are for display purposes only and must not be worn at any time, a representative said by email. A half-serious proposal to keep the shirt wet and molded to its display dummy by using misters like those in grocery store produce sections was deemed curatorially unsound, Barchas said. But outside the protective glass case, the library is bracing for a humid reception. We will be giving the Folger some Windex, to be used in what we anticipate will be a daily wiping-down of lipstick marks, Barchas said. Sworn in Monday, new Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, represents what could become a new assertiveness by the California Legislature. Proposition 140 in 1990 limited the terms of Assembly members to six years and state senators to eight years. But Prop. 28 in 2012 capped terms at 12 years in either or both the Assembly and Senate. That means Mr. Rendon, elected in 2012, could remain speaker through 2024. In his acceptance speech, he said the change would give him more power in working with the governor, which would be a good thing for democracy, and I think that would be a good thing for California for us to even that out. Thats a positive development. But the immense power of Gov. Jerry Brown stems partly from his unique position of being allowed, after the 1990 term limit initiative, to follow his two previous terms (1975-83) with third and fourth terms. No one else will be able to do that. The legislative leaders new clout also will come in handy with two other powerful forces: the permanent, unelected state bureaucracy, and the state employees unions. Gov. Browns current prestige has been earned because he tamed both enough to balance the state budget. By contrast, his two predecessors, Democratic Gov. Gray Davis and Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, both signed spending sprees during good times, causing huge deficits in bad times. On the issues, Mr. Rendon praised state programs, saying his family benefited from public housing projects and its low-income home-loan programs. Were encouraged he said, We must always be accountable to the taxpayers, the voters, each other, and ourselves. With Mr. Rendon and Senate President pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, Latinos for the first time lead both houses of the Legislature. So they well know the need for crucial reforms to schools that keep failing Latino and other students. We encourage them to look at increasing parent choices along the lines advanced by Register columist and former state Sen. Gloria Romero. All of Mr. Rendons augumented powers as speaker will be needed to shake up a schools system resistant to change. LONG BEACH The possibility of a strike at California State University campuses in April seemed more likely after the CSU Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday in Long Beach. Members of the California Faculty Association held up notebook-paper sized signs saying 36 Days as its leaders warned the trustees that a five-day strike was coming at the systems 23 campuses if a contract agreement could not be reached. The faculty union members, most wearing red shirts saying, I dont want to strike, but I will, also groaned and booed during a presentation by CSU Vice Chancellor Lori Lamb on the status of the ongoing negotiations. The two parties have been at a stalemate for more than a year. CSU officials have offered the faculty a 2 percent general salary increase, in line with what other unions and even system administrators have accepted. But the faculty union says professors and lecturers need to catch up after five years of stagnant wages during Californias budget crisis and the recent recession. They are demanding a 5 percent salary increase. The negotiations are in a fact-finding phase, after which, if an agreement cannot be reached, the faculty union can legally call for a strike. The union is planning to begin a five-day strike April 13. The size and length of the strike would be unprecedented in higher education. I suggest you think carefully about what this historic strike on all 23 campuses for five days will mean, said Kevin Wehr, associate vice president of the union, addressing the trustees. Do you want this to be your legacy? Do you really want this to happen on your watch? Lamb said state funding for the Cal State system has not yet reached pre-recession levels. The CSU, she said, needs to build up its reserves and lobby for increased funds from the state. We have thousands of qualified students we are turning away because we dont have the resources, Lamb told the board. Two percent for faculty is appropriate. Her comment drew boos from the union members. CSU board chairman Lou Monville seemed to make an attempt at detente. I dont think anybody relishes where we all are today, Monville said. I think we all recognize that were historically underfunded. We look forward to working with you in Sacramento to properly secure the funding we need. With that funding, he said, administrators would be in a position to offer more money for faculty salaries. Vice Chancellor Lamb said preparations were being made to respond to the strike if it takes place. She said campuses would remain open if there is a walkout. It is the (campus) president, not the CFA who decides when a campus will be closed, she said. Lamb admitted that faculty members have cause to be unhappy with the 2 percent offer. She said she believes stories about instructors struggling financially are legitimate. Is this enough? she said of the CSU offer. No, but it is movement in the right direction. Her presentation seemed only to agitate the union members. I can assure you that the strike will happen, said union president Jennifer Eagan, speaking to the trustees. This will be the largest strike in higher education in the (history of the) United States. Contact the writer: 951 368-9595 or mmuckenfuss@pressenterprise.com The new Wilshire Grand skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles hit a milestone Tuesday when crews hoisted the top beam to the roof of the towers upper-most story, 892 feet above the ground. Several hundred construction workers joined dignitaries in signing the steel beam during a topping out ceremony before a crane lifted the beam up to the 73rd floor. When completed, the Wilshire Grand Center will be 1,099 feet tall, making it the tallest building west of the Mississippi thanks to a 160-foot spire at its peak. The top of the spire will be 82 feet higher than the top of downtown L.A.s U.S. Bank Tower, currently the Wests tallest tower. Officials with Turner Construction said the $1 billion project is 60 percent complete and that the office and hotel tower a block east of the 110 Freeway is on track for an early 2017 opening. Turners office in Anaheim is overseeing the massive building project. We have come a long way in the construction of one of the most iconic buildings in Southern California, and were one step closer to delivering the final product, said Brendan Murphy, Turners operations manager for the project. The project is backed by Korean shipping and transportation conglomerate Hanjin Group, which owns Korean Air. A key feature of the Wilshire Grand is a 73-story concrete core providing structural integrity at the center of the tower and a secure escape route for occupants in case of fire. A lighted glass sail will sit atop the core, plus the spire. Although the U.S. Bank Tower still will have Los Angeles highest occupied floor, the Council on Tall Buildings, considered a world authority on supersized skyscrapers, typically includes spires in a buildings height when they are part of a buildings architectural expression. Contact the writer: 714-796-7734 or jcollins@ocregister.com On the heels of launching its integrated content division All Told in Asia, global communications firm Allison+Partners continues to widen its foothold in that region, officially establishing its Japan entry with the acquisition of Tokyo-based Focused Communications. Financial terms of the acquisition were not made public. Focused Communications specializes in technology, government, healthcare, public affairs, consumer marketing and corporate communications, and primarily serves B2B and B2C clients in technology, healthcare, consumer goods and government sectors. The Tokyo-based agency, which staffs 15 and was founded in 2000 by president and CEO Akemi Ichise and chairman Takashi Miura, had previously collaborated with Allison+Partners on a variety of client assignments. Focused's roster of clients and employees will be integrated under the Allison+Partners banner. Ichise and Miura will remain at the agency and will continue to lead the office. Akemi Ichise Takashi Miura Ichise was previously director of the communications services group at PRAP Japan Inc., which she joined in 1997 and led that companys IT, healthcare and food practice groups. Prior to that she was a VP at Weber Shandwick Japan (then Shandwick Japan), which she joined in 1983 and led the agencys IT team. She presently serves as board director at The Public Relations Society of Japan. Miura previously led the communications services department at PRAP Japan, where he served as executive director. He was also executive VP of Weber Shandwick Worldwide imprint IPR-Shandwick, where he provided counsel for brands in the automobile, chemical, financial and healthcare industries. Allison+Partners has displayed a marked interest in the Asia market in recent years. The agency in 2014 acquired China partner Century PR, establishing offices in Beijing and Shanghai, and set Singapore and Hong Kong outposts in the two years following. The agency claims its revenue in that region more than doubled in 2015 and now represents 10 percent of Allison+Partners overall revenue. Japan is the world's third largest economy and a core market for many of our clients," Allison+Partners co-founder and global COO Andy Hardie-Brown told O'Dwyer's. "The chemistry and culture of Focused dovetail with our own business philosophy and cultural touch points. With the transition process now complete, Japanese, regional and global clients will benefit from the increased resources available across Allison+Partners' worldwide network of offices. San Francisco-headquartered Allison+Partners now holds 22 worldwide, and revealed growth of more than 28 percent between 2013 and 2014, according to ODwyers rankings of PR firms. Loading... OilVoice will be with you shortly... 23 May 2022 - Understand the French healthcare system, how you access it and how you are reimbursed - Useful if you are new to the French healthcare system or want a more in-depth understanding - Reader question and answer section Aimed at non-French nationals living here, the guide gives an overview of what you are (and are not) covered for. There is also information for second-home owners and regular visitors. Chevron is cutting its spending budget by nearly 40 percent for 2017 and 2018 as it deals with plunging oil prices. The oil and gas company said it expects to spend $17 billion to $22 billion on drilling and other projects in 2017 and 2018, lower than the $20 billion to $24 billion the company expected in October. Chevron has a spending budget of $26.6 billion this year, down 24 percent from the year before. Industry conditions are tough right now, Chevron chairman and CEO John Watson said. N.Y. business owners protest $15 minimum wage Small-business owners are striking back against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomos plan to implement a $15 minimum wage, which would be the highest state minimum in the country. Business owners from around New York gathered at the Capitol in Albany on Tuesday to urge lawmakers to reject Cuomos proposal. A vote is expected in coming weeks. They say the wage increase would devastate the states economy by raising prices and reducing employment. Hastings Pacha Soap pays off loan early Pacha Soap of Hastings, Nebraska, has paid back a $30,000 loan to Hastings Economic Development Corp. five years early. Pacha received the loan in 2014 to help leverage private equity funding and jump-start the company. I think thats just tremendous, said Dave Rippe, the agencys executive director, the Hastings Tribune reported. Well be able to put that money back and leverage other startups in town and hopefully do other great projects just like this one. Pennsylvania offers tourists happiness Pennsylvania is turning to the Declaration of Independence to inspire its new tourism motto. State officials unveiled the slogan Pennsylvania. Pursue Your Happiness and a logo on Tuesday at a winery in Somerset County. The slogan takes the place of The State of Independence, the winner from among 22,000 submissions in a 2004 contest. From wire reports Authorities in western Iowas Crawford County are searching for a 16-year-old girl who has been missing since Monday. Madilyne Bishop was last seen at Denison High School wearing a gray shirt and jacket with black pants. The teen is 5-foot-2, weighs 110 pounds and has brown hair and eyes, according to the Denison Police Department. Police said Bishop may have been picked up in a green, two-door vehicle by an unknown man believed to be in his mid-20s. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to call the Denison Police Department at (712) 263-3195 or Crawford County Crime Stoppers at (712) 263-4050. WEDNESDAY, March 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For women with early stage breast cancer, targeted doses of radiation therapy may be as effective as standard radiation treatment of the entire breast, a new British study suggests. The research only tracked women for five years, so it isn't definitive. Still, "this contributes to a growing body of evidence that a large proportion of women over 50 years old with small breast cancers can avoid whole breast radiotherapy," said study co-author Dr. John Yarnold. He is a professor of clinical oncology with the Institute of Cancer Research in London. At issue: What is the best treatment for low-risk early breast cancer? Many studies have shown that surgery to remove the cancerous lump -- but not the entire breast -- followed by radiation of the whole breast reduces the chance of breast cancer returning, said Dr. Reshma Jagsi, who was not involved with the new study. Jagsi is an associate professor in the department of radiation oncology at the University of Michigan Health System. Research also suggests that women who undergo this more intensive treatment survive somewhat longer, Jagsi added. But side effects can include breast shrinkage, firmness and tenderness, Yarnold said. That raises the question of whether partial radiation could be a better option. The researchers behind the new study randomly assigned just over 2,000 women with breast cancer in the United Kingdom to undergo one of three radiation therapy approaches after having small cancerous tumors surgically removed. Two of the approaches focused the radiation around the tumor, exposing the rest of the breast to little or no radiation. According to Yarnold, the study revealed that three weeks of partial breast radiation therapy produced fewer side effects but seemed just as effective as whole breast radiation over five years. Besides very low rates of relapse among all three groups, the rate of side effects from the target therapy was minimal, the study authors said. But Yarnold and Jagsi disagree over whether doctors should embrace the more limited form of radiation treatment now. Yarnold predicted that partial breast radiation treatment will become standard for large numbers of women with breast cancer over the next five years. But he cautioned that the treatment isn't appropriate for all patients. Physician opinions vary, he said, but in general, the treatment seems best for women over 50 with low- to medium-grade tumors who've had the entire primary tumor removed and didn't show signs of the cancer spreading to axillary nodes (lymph nodes in the armpit region). The findings are promising, said Jagsi, who added that the technology to deliver partial breast radiation is available in the United States. However, the study isn't strong enough to warrant changing the traditional approach, at least for women with longer life expectancies, Jagsi said. More follow-up is needed to determine whether less radiation is effective over the long term, she added. In the case of this ongoing study, additional results will be reported in another five years. For now, "physicians and patients should have detailed discussions about the expected risks and benefits of radiotherapy in each particular case," Jagsi said. "Many approaches to radiation treatment are now available, and informed deliberation and discussion of this and many other relevant studies is necessary to ensure that each patient can select the approach that is right for her." The study was scheduled for presentation Wednesday at the European Breast Cancer Conference in Amsterdam, Holland. Studies presented at conferences are usually considered preliminary because they haven't gone through the peer-review process required by major medical journals. More information For more about radiation therapy for breast cancer, see the American Cancer Society. Maritime India Summit to boost #MakeInIndia Feature oi-Shradha By Shradha The Shipping Ministry is undertaking a major effort in organizing the first global Maritime India Summit 2016 to be held from 14 - 16 April, encouraged by the progress made in the last two years to revive the shipping sector and to ensure that the untapped potential works to the advantage of adding to the GDP of the country. At the media launch of the Maritime India Summit 2016, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping said in the coming years the government is planning to create 40 lakh direct employment and 60 lakh indirect employment opportunity in the maritime sector. Keeping in mind the fact that those countries which have a well-developed water way have prospered the Minister pointed out that one of the hurdles in boosting the manufacturing sector is the logistics cost which is around 18% compared with 8-10% in China and 10-12% in European countries. If the waterways and ports are developed it will bring down the logistics cost, which will in turn boost the exports from the country. LIVE: The #MaritimeIndiaSummit aims to create awareness of the huge potential of the sector: @shipmin_india pic.twitter.com/mumomRKYhj PIB India (@PIB_India) March 9, 2016 LIVE: #Sagarmala links ports with a variety of industry segments, a snapshot #MaritimeIndiaSummit pic.twitter.com/njUxZowRaE PIB India (@PIB_India) March 9, 2016 All Chief Ministers of coastal states have been invited to the Summit with Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh CMs having already confirmed their attendance for the event. Shri Gadkari also addressed several questions from the media persons: On Bihar government's objection to the Allahabad - Haldia project: The Minister pointed out that nothing has been done on which the Bihar government can raise its objection. No intrusion into the state government's rights have been made. The project aims at improving the environment, ensuring water level is maintained in the Ganga River to provide for navigation and for farmers to irrigate their fields. The aim is to facilitate transport and bring down the logistics cost. On how will the government cooperate with private maritime organisations: The Minister said that maritime sector has so much potential that there will be enough work for those who want to explore opportunities. There are many initiatives that can be taken but keeping in mind how to generate employment. The Minister pointed out the need for an economy that will generate jobs. On Security concerns associated with increased tourism: Shri Gadkari said that his Ministry will cooperate with the Coastal Security Guards under the Home Ministry. 10 terrorists entering India: The real story behind the alert from Pakistan India oi-Vicky New Delhi, Mar 9: A few days back there was an alert from Pakistan stating that ten terrorists had entered India. The security mechanism went into a tizzy with vigil being upped in Gujarat, Delhi among other places. 5 major cities on terror radar: Intelligence Bureau issues alert The question is where are these terrorists? It has been almost five days since the alert and none of them have been found leave alone being tracked at least. The question is did ten terrorists really come into India? If they have then where are there and why is the police of so many states unable to find them. Why is there not even a single bleep on the radar of the Intelligence Bureau. Even the Intelligence United States of America says that there is nothing as of now to suggest that ten terrorists have entered. Things brings us to the question- why did Pakistan issue the alert? Why did Pakistan issue this alert? A highly placed source in Delhi tells OneIndia that there are two reasons behind this alert being issued by Pakistan. Post the Pathankot attack India felt extremely let down especially since it came a few days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the bold decision to visit Pakistan. Pakistan was under a lot of pressure not only from India, but from the United States of America. America instructed Pakistan to act on terror and also ensure that there is no break down of talks with India. The visit by Modi was seen as a welcome move by the rest of the world as it is important that India and Pakistan continue to make attempts at talking peace. Although Pakistan has claimed that it has registered cases against some persons involved in the Pathankot attack, it is a well know fact that they will not go all out. Some of the seminaries of the Jaish-e-Mohammad continue to operate and there is no concrete action against its chief Maulana Masood Azhar who continues to remain in "protective custody." In the back drop of all this such an alert being issued which itself is a rare occurrence appears as a good will gesture by Pakistan. It also shows that Pakistan is attempting to build bridges with India and this alert was meant to wipe out a trust deficit. Whether the alert is correct or not is one part of the issue, but the larger meaning was to earn India's trust. While this is one part of the story, officials with the Intelligence Bureau say that they also need to scrutinise this move carefully. Issuing one such alert and sharing it with India does not mean that the trust deficit is wiped out completely. Pakistan cannot assure that none of the non state actors will tow the line. This second point is important since such an alert also could well be a way of Pakistan trying to wash its hands off in case there is indeed an attack in India. If such an attack were to take place, then Pakistan can always say, " see we told you." OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 9, 2016, 11:00 [IST] Now, IT dept going into 'new areas' to check tax evasion 39 Indians held captive in Iraq since Jun' 14 alive: Sushma India oi-PTI New Delhi, Mar 9: The 39 Indians, who have been held as captives by the dreaded ISIS in Iraq since June 2014, are believed to be still alive, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told Lok Sabha today, as she asserted the government is making all efforts to bring them back. Out of the 40 Indians from Punjab who were kidnapped by ISIS militants from a construction site in Mosul in June 2014, one of them escaped and made a claim that the remaining captives might have been killed. The Indian government had however denied the claim. During the Question Hour, Swaraj referred to a recent meeting in which foreign ministers from Arab countries and 15 ministers participated and said the leaders of two major nations had told her that the abducted Indians were alive. Swaraj said that if the Indians were stranded, the government would have brought them long back but they are in the captivity of terrorists. Man who wanted to join ISIS gets job in Navi Mumbai "I completely don't believe that those people are dead ... If we believed that boy's version then I would have told this House that all are dead. But we don't believe the boy's claim and that is why we are searching for the people," she said. Swaraj also said there has been no "big exodus" of Indians from foreign countries in the wake of steep fall in crude oil prices which has adversely affected job prospects. She was responding to a query on what action the government plans to take as many companies overseas were sending back Indians amid decline in oil prices, a matter of concern to Kerala that has a large number of NRIs. ISIS militants rape girl aged 8, others forced to listen screams This is a future problem and the government is aware about it, Swaraj said. Emphasising that welfare of Indians living abroad was a priority for the government, Swaraj said it is working from all sides to address problems faced by them. Whenever such problems are brought to her notice, "I look at it personally and in case of emergency situations, we try to address the issue within 24 hours", she said. In such situations, "I don't look at a person's language, state or religion. For me, they all are Indians," Swaraj said while expressing confidence that such problems would be resolved completely. The Minister came in for praise from some members in the House for the handling of problems faced by Indians abroad, including rescuing them and ensuring their return home. BJD and AAP members appreciated Swaraj for her efforts. BJD's Baijayant Panda said the response from the Ministry has been "outstanding" and there has been a dramatic improvement in this regard. Besides thumping of desks by members from Treasury benches, BJD's Baijayant Panda and AAP members Dharamvir Gandhi and Bhagwant Mann appreciated the Minister for helping Indians facing difficulties in foreign countries. The AAP members thanked her for taking speedy action in ensuring the rescue and return of around 19 people, hailing from Punjab, from Saudi Arabia. Opposition members, including those from the Left, were also seen thumping benches. In response, Swaraj said she thanked the members for their sentiments. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan too was heard saying that it was the Minister's day today. PTI Brown sugar worth Rs 1 crore seized in Thane, one held India oi-PTI Thane, March 9: Brown sugar worth about Rs one crore was seized and a 40-year-old drug-peddler arrested in Thane district, police said on Wednesday, March 9. Acting on a tip-off, the anti-narcotic cell laid a trap at Chhatrapati Shivaji Civic hospital in Kalwa township of the district on Monday and nabbed the accused, said to be the kingpin of the drug-peddling racket, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), Thane, Parag Manere told reporters here. As per information received by police, the accused, hailing from Malda in West Bengal, was to come near the hospital on Monday to sell opium. Upon search, 3.040 kg of opium worth around Rs 4.56 lakh was seized from his possession, he said. Later, police searched the house of the accused at Nilje in Kalyan area of the district and seized a stock of around 1 kg of brown sugar, worth nearly Rs 1 crore in market, he said. The interrogation of the accused revealed that two more persons assisted him in the racket, police said adding that a search was on to nab them. According to police, the accused had been staying in Kalyan for last 3-4 years. He got acquainted with the locals and pretended as if he was working as a mason while carrying out drug-peddling. Police are trying to find out to whom he sold the narcotic and since when he had been into drug-peddling. As per police, the accused, whose name was not disclosed, took a farm land on rent from some farmers in Malda and cultivated opium and extracted brown sugar from it and sold it in market in Thane and nearby areas. Following his arrest, the accused was last evening produced before a magistrate who remanded him in police custody till March 14, the police officer said. Offences under sections 8(c) and 17 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act have been registered against the accused, police added. PTI Delhi Budget: Sidelined in party, now BJP veteran Yashwant Sinha to guide Kejriwal govt India oi-Mukul By Mukul New Delhi, Mar 9: Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party party has roped in BJP leader Yashwant Sinha to guide State govt on forthcoming Delhi Budget. Reportedly, Kejriwal govt has asked Sinha who has been relegated to margins by Modi government, to act 'margdarshak'. According to a ET report, AAP government's Delhi Dialogue Commission is constantly in touch with BJP veteran and former Finance Minister. Sinha will guide Finance department led by deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to deal with the intricacies of the Budget. When asked about the development, BJP veteran accepted that he has been consulted by the Delhi Government which has to present Budget on March 28. Yashwant Sinha was quoted as saying, "Since I have been finance minister, they think I will be able to explain the intricacies of the Budget to the legislators". Octogenerain leader Yashwant Sinha has been criticising Modi government after he was sidlined in the party . Sinha along with other BJP leaders including Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi have been sulking as they were not inducted into Modi government when party took the guard in 2014. Recently, Sinha tore into Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government, saying there is no dialogue and they may meet the same fate as the Indira Gandhi-led Congress which was drubbed in the elections after Emergency. "There is absolutely no scope of no dialogue... This is the great strength of Indian democracy. There will be aberrations here and there, there might be concerns about the present situation. But the great Indian society will take care of it and consign to dust those who do not believe in dialogue in India," Sinha who was finance minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government said. OneIndia News DMK seeks Centre's response on Rajiv Gandhi murder convicts India oi-PTI New Delhi, March 9: DMK on Wednesday, March 9 sought an "immediate" response from the Centre on Tamil Nadu government's request for the release of seven life convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. "State Government of Tamil Nadu has written a letter to the Home Secretary, requesting him for the release, which the State Government has remitted. "The sentence of those seven life convicts -- Santhan, Murugan, Perarivalan, Nalini, Payas, Jayakumar and Ravichandran, who have been languishing in the prison for more than 24 years, has been remitted and they are to be released," Tiruchi Siva said during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha. Amid sloganeering by Congress members and interruptions by AIADMK members, Siva said the state government has written to the Centre for its views because Section 435 of the Criminal Procedure Code requires it to consult the Centre. "I request the Central Government to respond to the request of the State Government...the release of the seven life convicts is very, very imminent...I think the Central Government's views are required immediately... They have to respond. I want the response of the Central Government," the DMK member said. He said a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court while modifying its earlier interim order of July, 2014 has allowed the state governments to exercise their powers of remission to release life convicts. In another Zero Hour mention, A Navaneethakrishnan (AIADMK) said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has written a letter to the Prime Minister raising objection to the review petition filed before the Supreme Court by the central government regarding the entrance examination for medical admissions. "The Central Government shall not interfere in state autonomy...There is no entrance test in Tamil Nadu for medical admissions...Poor students will be affected. "We request the Central Government to withdraw the review petition and not introduce any entrance examination for medical admissions," he said. Congress MP T Subbarami Reddy raised the issue of disruption of health services in several government hospitals of Delhi as nurses went on strike and mass casual leave to protest against the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission. PTI Har demanding its own share of water from SYL Canal: Khattar India oi-PTI Chandigarh, Mar 9: A day after Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki said Punjab's right to waters of its rivers should be "safeguarded", Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today asserted that his state is only asking for its own share of water through Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal. "The water belongs to Haryana and the state would get it," he told reporters here. Addressing the budget session of the Punjab Assembly yesterday, Solanki, who is also Haryana's governor, had said that "injustice and discrimination" was meted out to Punjab over its river waters. Recently, days after the Supreme Court began hearing the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal dispute on Presidential Reference, Khattar had expressed hope the verdict would be in favour of his state. While Khattar leads Haryana's BJP government, the party is SAD ally in Punjab. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had last week said his state "does not have a single drop of water to spare from its rivers and his party will fully ensure that there is no compromise on the inalienable rights of the state under the Riparian principle". PTI Interview: In Tamil Nadu alliance arithmetics will decide the political chemistry India oi-Vicky Chennai, Mar 9: All eyes are on Tamil Nadu which goes to polls. Will Jayalalithaa return to power or will the people of Tamil Nadu give Karunanidhi one last chance. It may be too early to predict for now, but the run up to the polls sure does look interesting. CVoter poll: AIADMK likely to win 116 seats, DMK 101, BJP 0 in TN What matters for now in Tamil Nadu is the manner in which alliances are stitched up. I think it is the arithmetic that will decide the political chemistry in Tamil Nadu says Dr. Sandeep Shastri, one of the country's leading psephologists. In this interview with OneIndia, Dr Shastri says that a lot would depend on who the Vijaykanth led DMDK would align with. How do you see the elections in Tamil Nadu shaping up? I think that the alliance arithmetic will be what decides the political chemistry in Tamil Nadu. That has been the classic and traditional case where Tamil Nadu is concerned and I do not see it any different this time. The BJP is in talks with the DMDK and is contemplating a third force. How does this impact the poll equations? The DMK is with the Congress and now both want him on board with them. The BJP on the other hand is in talks with the DMDK to stitch up a third force. I feel if the third force is created then it would be advantage Jayalalithaa. Tamil Nadu polls 2016: DMK, DMDK inch closer to alliance What if the DMDK goes with the DMK? If this were to happen then it puts the DMK in a better position. The AIDMK would have to battle hard then. However for the DMK for now it is important that they get the DMDK on board. Is the BJP a factor in Tamil Nadu? I do not see them being a factor in the state elections. They did fare well in the Lok Sabha elections. But then that election was about the Prime Ministerial candidate. However in the state election that factor is not there and hence I do not see them making much impact in Tamil Nadu. How do you see Jayalalithaa campaigning this time? I feel she is going to play the martyr card a lot. She will use to her advantage that she was sent to jail unfairly in the DA case. It would be her strong point during the campaign. Jayalalithaa's fate hangs on the Supreme Court verdict in the DA case. What would happen if it goes against her? She will find it difficult if the verdict goes against her. She will be barred from contesting and would no longer be the Chief Ministerial candidate. The people of Tamil Nadu will not vote for her party if they realise she will not be Chief Minister. I do not think in such a scenario the sympathy factor would work also. OneIndia News Irom Sharmila rejects request to call off hunger strike India oi-IANS By Ians English Imphal, March 9: Irom Sharmila, who has been on fasts unto death since November 4, 2000, to demand the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, has rejected state Social Welfare Minister Akoijam Mirabai's appeal to call off her hunger strike. Also the Congress government in Manipur is in a damage control mode as Mirabai embarrassed it with her "misleading statement" before Sharmila that the state government's request for repealing the AFSPA was not being paid heed to by the Centre. Also read: Peace activist Irom Sharmila extends her support to Kanhaiya Kumar, Rohith Vemula The incident occurred when on the occasion of the International Women's Day on Tuesday two women legislators -- Mirabai and Okram Landhoni, wife of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi - visited Sharmila in her security ward of J.N. Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal. During the brief meeting, Sharmila wanted to know from the visiting leaders if she was asking for something impossible. "Am I asking for the moon? The role of women in making the society peaceful and vibrant is well-known. Though I have been on fast for 16 years, the state government has turned a blind eye and it is very disappointing. Tripura has shown that the AFSPA can be lifted any time," Sharmila said. Mirabai tried to mollify her by saying: "It is the central government which shall lift the AFSPA. The state government has been constantly exerting pressure on the Centre to lift it. So you must call off your hunger strike and all of us could continue demanding the same." It sounded incredulous to Sharmila who is well-versed with law and human rights movement. Besides all sections of people were taken aback by the minister's statement. Many sections in Manipur are asking whether it is a case of taking the people for a ride or the minister herself is unaware of the law. Also read: Will continues to fast for AFSPA repeal: Irom Sharmila Advocate and human rights activist Khaidem Mani told IANS Mirabai is perhaps not aware of the clear-cut legal provisions. "The state cabinet is competent enough to lift the Disturbed Areas Act under which the AFSPA is imposed." When the Manipur government lifted the AFSPA from seven assembly segments in Imphal on August 12, 2004, the state cabinet took the decision and no permission was sought in advance from the Centre. "Tripura government did not seek permission or approval from the centre while lifting it from that state," Mani said. Sharmila has made it known that there is no question of calling off her fast unless the AFSPA is repealed. The court of chief judicial magistrate released her twice. However, within two days she was re-arrested as she resumed her fast instead of going home. Sharmila is facing charge of attempt to suicide in the court of the chief judicial magistrate, Imphal West, and the Patiala House Court, Delhi. IANS J&K: Heaven on earth turns hell for migratory birds India oi-Pallavi Srinagar, March 9: Jammu and Kashmir is experiencing a new challenge. Migratory birds are leaving because of unusually hot temperatures, scanty rainfall and snowfall. Wildlife experts say,"Normally, the migration back to summer homes from the Valley by the migratory bird species starts by the middle of March, but due to unusual rise in temperatures and scant precipitation during the winter months, these avian visitors are leaving earlier this year." Jammu and Kashmir is a haven for migratory birds like Pintails, Mallards, Pochards, Wigeons and Shovellers, but have already left the Valley for their summer homes in Eastern Europe, Russian Siberia, the Philippines, China, central Asia and other places. Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone, wildlife warden (Wetlands Kashmir) said,"Last year 567,000 migratory birds including Greylag Geese, Mallards, Teals, Pochards, Wigeons, Shovellers, Gadwalls and Pintails came to spend the winter months in the bird sanctuaries and other water bodies of the Valley to ward off the extreme cold of their summer homes." "This year, we fear the number of avian visitors would be much less," he said. Surprisingly, Srinagar experienced a temperature of 20.4 degree Celsius on February 24. Sonam Lotus, director of the local MET office, said this had happened after 76 years. Apart from climatic changes, shrinking water bodies are also responsible for the exodus of birds. Poaching forms another problem as there are few staff members to take care of that. "We are taking all steps to check poaching outside the bird reserves and we have seized many weapons and lodged cases against poachers. There is absolutely no chance of any poaching in the protected water bodies," the warden said, adding that any poaching would be happening in unprotected water bodies. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 9, 2016, 13:58 [IST] Jayalalithaa DA case to resume on Thursday, Karnataka will argue another 4 days India oi-Vicky New Delhi, Mar 9: The hearing on the appeal filed by Karnataka challenging the acquittal of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa and three others will resume at the Supreme Court on Thursday. Final hearing in Jayalalithaa DA case commences in Supreme Court On the last date of hearing before adjourning the matter to March 10th, the Supreme Court had directed all parties to furnish documents and a list of witnesses. Karnataka has completed furnishing the list of witnesses and documents said an officer with the legal department of the state. Karnataka will resume arguments from where it had left off last time. Karnataka says that it would argue the matter at least for another 4 to five days. The officer also said that Karnataka will need at least another 4 to 5 days to argue the matter, following submissions by Jayalalithaa's counsel will commence. Post that Karnataka will be submit its reply to the Bench following which arguments would come to a close. Karnataka expects that the matter is likely to go on for at least another 12 days, unless there are adjournments. On the question of adjournments, Karnataka says it would oppose it unless there is some teething issue. We want to complete the matter as early as possible and want a verdict on the issue soon, the officer further informed. When arguments began in the case last month, Dushyanth Dave appearing for Karnataka made his submissions. He termed the order of the High Court which reversed the verdict of the trial court as bad in law. He told the court that the order of the trial court ought not to have been interfered. He further pointed out the arithmetic error made by the High Court while ordering Jayalalithaa's acquittal. Dave pointed out that due to this error, the quantum of disproportionate income reduced considerably which gave her the benefit of an acquittal. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 9, 2016, 9:16 [IST] JNU row: Now Kanhaiya Kumar says Indian Army rapes women in Kashmir India oi-Mukul New Delhi, Mar 9: Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar who is facing sedition charges for making anti-India slogan in university campus, has stoked fresh round of controversy. Kanhaiya Kumar speech: Quotable quotes from JNU student union president's 'fiery' address Kanhaiya has said that India Army rapes women in Jammu and Kashmir. He made the statement while adressing students in JNU on the occasion of International Women's Day. Reportedly, Kumar also said that he will raise his voice against Armed forces special power act (AFSPA) in Kashmir. Kanhaiya who hails from Bihat village in Begusarai, was arrested on 12 February on sedition charge and lodged in Tihar jail in Delhi. On March 2, he was granted interim bail for six months by Delhi High Court. J&K floods: Why Army is the real well wisher of valley people, not the separatists Earlier, JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar's grandfather on Tuesday moved a court in Bihar against two persons regarding rewards offered for chopping Kanhaiya's tongue or killing him. The court will hear the case on Wednesday. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Kuldeep Varshney last week allegedly announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh to anyone cutting off Kanhaiya's tongue while Sharma announced a Rs 11 lakh reward for killing Kanhaiya. OneIndia News (With inputs from agency) 'This may give sleepless nights to some': Eknath Shinde on sharing dais with Sharad Pawar Not just future of Sena but democracy at stake, says Uddhav Man who wanted to join ISIS gets job in Navi Mumbai India oi-Jagriti Mumbai, Mar 9: Zubair Khan, a Navi Mumbai blogger, who had declared on a social networking site his desire to join the Islamic State (ISISI) in Iraq last year, is now working as a salesman in a Navi Mumbai showroom. Khan was detained outside Iraqi consulate in Delhi on August 9, 2015. No case was registered against him as authorities did not find his link with any terror outfit. Currently working as a salesman in a Navi Mumbai showroom, got counselling from ATS after it realised that Khan was no threat to society. After counselling it was revealed that he was a regular man driven to frustration due to joblessness. Top ISIS commander likely killed in air strike, claims US "I had no intentions of becoming a terrorist. I am a patriotic Muslim. I presumed perhaps Iraq will be divided into several regions and ISIS will rule one part of it. I thought they will have a legitimate government. I just felt that it would be a good job opportunity for me if I became their political spokesperson," he told Mumbai Mirror on Tuesday. He hit the made headlines when he had submitted his CV to officials at the Iraq embassy and asked them to forward it to ISIS. He wanted to serve as spokesperson of the terror outfit. OneIndia News Sorry sight: Only 6% of criminal cases against MPs, MLAs ended in conviction, say govt data What is Centre doing to cure selfie disorder? BJP MPs query embarrasses their own govt MP claims media reports on Murthal rape 'false', seeks action India oi-PTI New Delhi, Mar 9: A demand for stern action against some newspapers and TV channels for publishing "false" reports of rapes at Murthal during the recent Jat agitation in Haryana was made in the Lok Sabha today. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Dushyant Chautala (INLD) asked the government to take suo motu cognisance of the reports carried by certain newspapers and TV channels and take action. Noting that media is considered the fourth pillar of democracy, he regretted that a section of the media was now resorting to "tampered" videos to spread false information. Expelled RJD member Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav lamented the way social media was seeking to divert national discourse by giving a slant through its version and or ideology and said it was a matter of serious concern. This was seen in the Murthal case, as also in the suicide of Rohith Vemula and the incidents in JNU, he said. Raising another issue, K C Venugopal (Congress) drew the government's attention to an attack on a church in Raipur in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh. Venugopal said the matter was serious as the attack took place when prayers were being offered at the church. However, BJP members from Chhattsigsarh said the government had taken immediate steps and arrested the culprits. PTI Prashant Kishor claims Nitish Kumar in touch with BJP says don't be surprised if he joins hands with it again MP says Wikipedia showed her as 'dead'; govt promises action India oi-PTI New Delhi, Mar 9: A BJP woman member today caused a flutter in Lok Sabha when she alleged that Wikipedia had shown her as dead, causing concern among members and prompting government to promise serious action. Raising the issue in Zero Hour, Anju Bala said she came to know of her 'death' entry in the social media when her secretary received a phone call from Mumbai after she participated in a women's conference last week. The caller sought to know whether the programme in which she had recited a poem was held long back as she was shown "dead" on March three in Delhi on Wikipedia. Besides, she alleged that there had been some claims on Wikipedia tarnishing her character and reputation. The member wanted an FIR to be registered and bringing the guilty to book. Amid concern voiced by members, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the incident was brought to her notice only yesterday. Responding to the concern, Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said this is certainly a serious matter and "we will take serious action". PTI We cannot wait longer now: SC to hear Vijay Mallyas contempt case in January for final disposal Vijay Mallya can be evicted from London home over unpaid loan, UK court orders Mallyas London home to be held on by family News Flash: Mr.Mallya should come back: Mukul Rohatgi India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer New Delhi, Mar 9: Get all the latest national, international news updates of March 9 here: 6:35 pm: 2 militants killed encounter in Pulwama (J&K), operation still underway. 8.53 pm: Want to maintain hygiene,don't want foreigners to get a bad impression, says Sadaf Khan,volunteer World Culture Festival. 8.34 pm: Of 126 seats in Assam,BJP is contesting on 90. Today we decided on candidates of 88 seats, says P Nadda after CEC meet. 8.51 pm: Delhi: BJP Central Election Committee meeting ends at party HQs. 8.50 pm: National Waterways Bill 2015 passed in Rajya Sabha. 8.36 pm: Dharamsala stadium is right next to the Martyr's memorial,didn't feel right for Pakistan to play here-NK Kalia,Capt.Saurabh Kalia's father. 8.22 pm: We are satisfied that the (India-Pak) match is not happening in Dharamsala, says NK Kalia, Capt.Saurabh Kalia's father. 8.21 pm: Maharashtra: 4 year old boy falls into a borewell in Gondia, rescue operation underway. 7.49 pm: Manipur : Blast in a shop in Khoyathong (Imphal), one injured. 7.48 pm: Delhi Tourism minister wrote to MoD requesting Army engineers to set up bridges for Sri Sri's event. 7.37 pm: If he doesn't come back then there are ways and means to bring someone back including revocation of passport, warns Mukul Rohatgi. 7.36 pm: Mr.Mallya never said he would run away, I am sure he would come back and settle the issue, says Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi. 7.34 pm: Mr.Mallya should come back, sit and negotiate with banks. We would welcome it, says Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi. 6:07 pm: Chandra Kumar Bose will be the candidate against CM Mamata Banerjee-Smriti Irani This is not my fight. This is the fight for development in West Bengal: Chandra Kumar Bose pic.twitter.com/81UsJR2iYx ANI (@ANI_news) March 9, 2016 5:38 pm: NGT asks Art Of Living to develop entire area in question into a biodiversity park. AOL is asked give an undertaking by tomorrow that enzymes won't be released into Yamuna & no further degradation of environment will happen. 5.16 pm: NGT gives green signal to Sri Sri's World Culture Festival. 5.13 pm: Indo-Pak match shifted from Dharamsala to Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Match to happen on 19th as per schedule. 4.25 pm: Six Maoists arrested in a joint operation by police and CRPF in Chhattisgarh's Jagargunda. 3.45 pm: I'm totally with Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji & wish all success to his event. Rest has to be taken care of by NGT, says Uma Bharti on World Culture Festival. 3.40 pm: SC reserves order in review petition in Govt advertisements matter. SC also issues notice to Tamil Nadu and Delhi on a contempt petition. 3.35 pm: Construction site behind AIIMS caves in: 2 dead, NDRF team on the site to check if someone is alive in debris. 3.30 pm: SC reserves order in review petition in Govt advertisements matter. SC also issues notice to Tamil Nadu and Delhi on a contempt petition. 3.25 pm: Construction site behind AIIMS caves in: 2 dead, NDRF team on the site to check if someone is alive in debris. 3.15 pm: Arun Jaitley defamation case: Arvind Kejriwal and 5 others summoned by Patiala House Court on April 7. 3.05 pm: Art of Living counsel tells NGT that total cost for creating venue of this event is 15.63 crore, in addition to 10 crore for decoration. 2.55 pm: Terrorists escape after exchanging gunfire with Army in Ganderbal district (J&K), arms and ammunition recovered, search operations underway. 2.50 pm: We have emphasised on "value addition": PM Narendra Modi in Rajya Sabha 2.44 pm: Assam Pradesh Cong Committee writes to Election Commission requesting to prepone or postpone RS elections 2016 (Mar 21) to be held in Assam. 2.40 pm: Construction site behind AIIMS caves in, 5 workers were stuck. One brought out dead, 4 workers rescued are being provided medical aid. 2.25 pm: Attorney General tells court he left India on March 2. 2.20 pm: SC issues notice to Vijay Mallya on petition of consortium of banks seeking disclosure of his assets and seizure of passport. 2.10 pm: You must have noticed that Lok Sabha worked till late night yesterday, even after that everyone was happy with the work that happened, says PM Modi in Rajya Sabha. 2.04 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi now responding to the Motion of Thanks to the President for his address in Rajya Sabha. 2.00 pm: Post pontoon bridge controversy Defence Ministry asks MoD to make clear policy framework regarding use of Army assistance in civilian cause: Sources 1:42 pm: Art Of Living to submit its reply to NGT at 3 PM. 1:40 pm: NGT asks Art Of Living to submit details regarding expenses on construction of stage & levelling of flood plains. 1:35 pm: Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit joins in farmers' protest over Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's World Culture Festival. 1:30 pm: Contractual computer teachers protest against UP Govt demanding pay hike & regularization of jobs in UP. 1:15 pm: DPCC says "Delhi witnesses some cultural function everyday, not possible to know of the scale of things" on NGT Hearing. 1:00 pm: Lok Sabha adjourned till 2:10 PM. 12:55 pm: Art of Living counsel stated, there will be no activity which violates NGT order, will maintain sufficient distance from river on NGT Hearing. 12:45 pm: We have given the affidavit NGT asked for today. we have cleared our stand, says Prakash Javadekar on World Culture Festival. 12:30 pm: I don't think there have been any lapse on the part of State and Central Govt with regard to Jat reservation, says Rajnath Singh in Rajya Sabha. 12:25 pm: Opposition protest outside Bihar Assembly over Minister Abdul Ghafoor's meet with Mohd. Shahabuddin in jail in Patna. 12:15 pm: Security tightened around NGT hearing on petition seeking stay on World Culture Festival. Hearing begins. 12:00 pm: As far as intelligence is concerned, State Govt was aware that a protest (jat reservation) is going to be held, says Rajnath Singh in Rajya Sabha. 11:46 am: If a matter is pending with Tribunal,ordinarily chair doesn't allow issue to be raised here, says Arun Jaitley in RS. 11:30 am: NGT is hearing the matter as we discuss the issue here.Event (Sri Ravi Shankar's) is being held adhering to all rules and laws, says MA Naqvi in RS 11:15 am: Uproar in Rajya Sabha over Sri Sri Ravishankar'sevent on the banks of the Yamuna, Sitamram Yechury asks "How can Indian Army assist in this" 11:05 am: Engine is being serviced, making sure all passengers will be flown to their respective destinations today, says V Acharya. 10:55 am: Former NDA FM Yashwant Sinha to hold orientation programme for Delhi FM, Finance Secretary and MLAs on budget and budget making process on March 15. 10:48 am: The plea filed by the bankers seeking a restraining order on Vijay Mallya from leaving the country will be heard at 2 PM by the Supreme Court. 10:30 am: Real Estate Bill is on the top of Govt's agenda, says Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Budget Session 10:25 am: When a CM says that environment is not fine and match should not be played, this sends across a bad signal, says Anurag Thakur on Dharamsala match. 10: 24 am: Bhagwant Mann moves adjournment motion in LS on Centre demanding 6 cr from Punjab Govt as expenditure on deployment during Pathankot Attack. 10:20 am: AAP MP Bhagwant Mann moves adjournment motion in LS on Centre demanding 6 cr from Punjab Govt as expenditure on deployment during Pathankot attack. 10:05 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respond to the Motion of Thanks to the President for his address in Rajya Sabha today at 2 pm. 9:50 am: BJP Parliamentary Party meet begins in the Parliament. 9:29 am: Gumnami Baba's boxes (believed by some to be Netaji SC Bose in disguise) opened by Faizabad district treasury. Set of boxes belonging to 'Gumnami Baba' opened by Faizabad district treasury, books & typewriter among relics.(8/3) pic.twitter.com/xNmm4kxtyQ ANI (@ANI_news) March 9, 2016 9:25 am: Exchange of fire between Police & criminals in Bihar's Gopalganj in early morning hours, four police personnel injured in the firing. 9:03 am: Congress to raise Raipur Church Attack issue in Lok Sabha today. 8:44 am: Air India flight 634 makes emergency landing in Bhopal. #Visuals Air India flight 634 makes emergency landing at Bhopal's Raja Bhoj Airport due to an engine failure pic.twitter.com/CKC5fuc9Jt ANI (@ANI_news) March 9, 2016 8:29 am: Regions like Delhi had no possibility of seeing Solar Eclipse, although it would have had been there for 3 mins after sunrise: Dr. Ratnashree (Dir, Nehru Planetarium). 8:20 am: Today's eclipse which was partial for many parts of India, was total in Indonesia & Malaysia regions: Dr. Ratnashree. 8:11 am: Debts case: Supreme Court to hear banks' plea to restrain Vijay Mallya from leaving India. 8:00 am: PCB wants WT20 game venue to be shifted to Kolkata or Mohali. ICC and BCCI to decide on alternate venue later today. OneIndia News Why an RTI on Subhas Chandra Bose may not be entertained 26,000 man hours went into making Netajis statue which will be unveiled by PM Modi In pics: Faizabad administration opens boxes belonging to 'Gumnami Baba' India oi-Avinash Lucknow, Mar 9: Days after family members of Subhash Chandra Bose met Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav and asked for a proper inquiry to ascertain the true identity of Gumnami Baba of Faizabad, who several people believed was Netaji, Faizabad district administration on Wednesday opened the first set of boxes belonging to ''Gumnami Baba''. As per an ANI report, the Faizabad district treasury officials opened the boxes in the presence of a large number of curious onlookers who wanted to know what was there in the boxes and whether they actually belong to Netaji. The first set of boxes contain books and a typewriter among other relics. Among other articles, which have been kept in the Faizabad district treasury, include binoculars issued by the German military dating back to World War II, British-made Empire Corona Classic portable typewriter and a vintage porcelain tea set. Faizabad District Magistrate Yogeshwar Ram Mishra had earlier said that during the retrieval process, inventory will be made of each and every item kept in 27 boxes. Earlier last month, the family members who met Akhilesh Yadav at his official residence in Lucknow asked him to constitute a committee to inquire into the real identity of Gumnami Baba alias Bhagwanji, a Hindu sanyasi who lived in the house Ram Bhawan in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh at least till 1985. Big mystery shrouds the death of the prominent Indian freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Here are the images released by Faizabad administration which are shared on Twitter: OneIndia News WEDNESDAY, March 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- A new surgical technique for removing cataracts might allow the eye's stem cells to regenerate a healthy lens, if preliminary findings hold up. In an early study of infants born with cataracts, researchers used a minimally invasive approach to remove the eye's damaged lens -- while keeping the native stem cells intact. Stem cells are primitive cells that give rise to different types of mature tissue. Those stem cells were then able to form a new lens, the researchers reported March 9 in the online edition of the journal Nature. Experts cautioned that more research is needed to know whether the approach is better than the standard treatment for infantile cataract. And it's not clear whether it could be used for the much more common type of cataract that affects older adults, said Dr. Ali Djalilian, a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, who was not involved in the research. "But are these findings interesting and exciting? Definitely," said Djalilian, who also directs the corneal epithelial biology and tissue engineering lab at the University of Illinois School of Medicine, in Chicago. A cataract is a clouding of the eye's lens, usually caused when proteins in the lens start to clump together as a person ages. But it's also possible for infants to be born with a cataract in one or both eyes. About three out of every 10,000 children have cataracts, according to the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Right now, doctors may perform surgery to remove a baby's cataract, but there is controversy about whether the lens should be replaced with an artificial lens -- which is standard for adults. The other options are contact lenses or glasses. "There's a huge need for better treatments for congenital cataract," said researcher Dr. Kang Zhang, founding director of the Institute for Genomic Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Zhang said his team's approach -- tested in animals and 12 babies with congenital cataracts -- could offer a way to harness the body's own healing capacity. The eye's lens contains so-called epithelial stem cells, which generate replacement lens cells throughout life -- though that declines with aging, according to Zhang. During traditional cataract surgery, most of those stem cells are removed, Zhang explained. So, his team developed a less invasive approach that preserves the lens "capsule," a membrane that gives the lens its shape. That essentially "left the bag intact," Zhang said, and the resident stem cells were able to regenerate a clear lens in all 12 babies over three months. The investigators also reported less inflammation in the eyes and less lens clouding, compared with 25 babies who had standard cataract surgery. Still, Djalilian said, the study followed the children for only a short time, and it's not clear what the long-term effects on vision will be. One risk, he said, is that the cataract will come back in the new stem-cell-generated lens. That is a possibility, Zhang agreed. He acknowledged that much more research is needed before the stem cell approach can become standard therapy. Other researchers are trying to use stem cells to treat various eye diseases. In another study in the same issue of Nature, scientists reported that they were able to use human stem cells to generate several types of eye tissue. The researchers then transplanted some of that tissue into rabbits blinded by damage to the cornea. Eventually, the transplanted tissue repaired the animals' eyes and restored their vision. Zhang sees his team's approach as particularly promising because there is no transplanted tissue. "Our work focuses on using stem cells that are right at the place of injury," he said, a fact that could avoid potential problems such as infection transmission or immune system rejection. Zhang said he does plan to test the approach in treating age-related cataract -- a very common condition that affects more than half of Americans who live to age 80, according to the U.S. National Eye Institute. Djalilian had some caveats, however. The idea of trying the treatment on adults "isn't too far-fetched," he said. But, he also pointed out that regenerating a lens in a baby and regenerating one in a 70-year-old are two different things. The "environment" of a baby's eye is designed for growth and development, Djalilian explained. With an older adult, he said, regenerating a lens would likely take more "manipulation," such as using proteins called growth factors. Plus, even though there is room for improvement in age-related cataract treatment, Djalilian said, the current treatments are "usually quite successful." More information The American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus has more on congenital cataract. What is Anti-doping bill? Does India really have a doping crisis? Northeast MPs pay tribute to Sangma India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, March 9: Members of parliament from the north east on Wednesday paid tribute to former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma, who passed away on March 4, at a condolence meeting organised by the Northeast MPs' Forum (NEMPF). Addressing the meeting at the Parliament Annexe here, Sikkim Lok Sabha member P.D. Rai, who is the secretary-general of NEMPF, gave a brief account of Sangma's life and contribution to the nation, remarking Sangma would be remembered as the man who ran parliament with a smile. Nagaland MP and NEMPF vice chairman Neiphiu Rio also paid rich tributes to Sangma and two-minute silence was observed. Rai also read out a condolence message on behalf of the NEMPF. "May his ever-smiling demeanour, his humour and his magnanimity remain in our minds, as a reminder of what can be achieved by hard work and staying the course in spite of all odds," he said. Stating that Purno in many languages meant complete, the condolence message said that the nine-time Lok Sabha member, including speaker in the 11th Lok Sabha (1996-98) was a political stalwart and a man of the masses. "He also served with distinction while leading various ministries in the central government. As the chief minister of Meghalaya from 1988 to 1990, he was instrumental in enabling the state to achieve rapid growth," it said. As speaker, it said Sangma achieved a string of firsts - first to be unanimously elected, the first from the opposition, the youngest (at 49 years), and the first tribal. "We, the MPs of the northeast, have had the pleasure of working closely with Sangmaji in the NEMPF. Under his chairmanship in the 16th Lok Sabha, the NEMPF championed several issues important to meet the aspirations of the people of the northeastern region," Rai said in the message. NEMPF was formed in 1994-95 during the 10th Lok Sabha with Sangma taking the lead. Dhanteras 2022: How much gold can you buy from Dubai Sri Sri Ravi Shankar appeals to all, says don't politicise cultural event India oi-Sandra New Delhi, March 9: Even as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) questions Centre and Delhi Government over the ongoing preparations for Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's World Culture Festival on Yamuna banks, Sri Sri has appealed to all parties to not politicise the event. Sri Sri wrote on Twitter: "I appeal to all parties to not politicize the #WCF2016. It is to unite all cultures, nations, religions & ideologies. Let's come together!." Uproar in Rajya Sabha over Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's cultural event I appeal to all parties to not politicize the #WCF2016. It is to unite all cultures, nations, religions & ideologies. Let's come together! Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (@SriSri) March 9, 2016 Meanwhile, the Opposition on Wednesday, raised the issue the involvement of Army personnel in the event. It was seen that many Army personnel were building a bridge for the event. CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said it was "highly irregular" that the services of Indian Army personnel were enlisted for a "private event". Yechury also questioned the event and asked, "How can Indian Army assist in this?" Members of the Opposition even raised slogans: " Army ka galat istemaal mat karo, Raksha karo." On the other hand, the court is hearing a petition that says that NGT has prohibited any activity on floodplain. The Art of Living counsel stated that there will be no activity which violates NGT order, and will maintain sufficient distance from river. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 9, 2016, 16:14 [IST] Dhanteras 2022: How much gold can you buy from Dubai Sri Sri Ravishankar's World Culture Festival: PM Modi likely to skip cultural extravaganza India oi-Avinash New Delhi, Mar 9: In what could be termed as a fresh jolt to the 3-day World Culture Festival, PM Narendra Modi is unlikely to attend the mega event organised by Art of Living on the Yamuna floodplains here. After President Pranab Mukherjee pulled out of Sri Sri Ravishankar's cultural extravaganza, PM Modi might do the same too. Apparently, the Special Protection Group (SPG) has cited security concerns, sources were quoted as saying. The entire event has been shrouded into controversy after NGOs objected to hosting event on the ecologically fragile Yamuna flood plains and opposition raised concerns over Indian Army men being used to construct pontoon bridges for the event. (Opposition criticises army use for Art of Living event) PM Modi was expected to inaugurate the cultural event on March 11-13. The mega-event marking 35 years of the foundation ran into fresh trouble after army men were seen helping the non-governmental organisation in the construction process ahead of the programme. However, the defence ministry defended its decision that was apparently taken after Delhi Police expressed fears about the likelihood of a stampede at the venue. "Public safety is a government concern, and Delhi Police said there could be a stampede with the huge crowd gathering there," a source close to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told IANS. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 9, 2016, 12:57 [IST] Telangana discoms seek power tariff hike India oi-PTI Hyderabad, Mar 9: Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company (TSSPDCL) and Telangana State Northern Power Distribution Company (TSNPDCL) have proposed a tariff hike from April 1 for consumers with a monthly consumption of over 100 units. The two companies which submitted their annual revenue requirement (ARR) to Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission, indicated that the overall burden proposed would be Rs 1,958 crore, a 9.14 per cent increase as compared to the existing tariff. At present, consumers are paying Rs 1.45 per unit for up to 50 units and Rs 2.60 a unit for 51-100 units. There is no proposal to hike tariff for up to 100 units of consumption. There is a proposal to increase tariff rate from Rs 2.60 to Rs 3.25 a unit, a hike of 65 paise, for those consuming 101-200 units. Tariff is proposed at Rs 4.25 a unit against the existing Rs 3.60 per unit, an increase of 65 paise, for the consumption of 201-400 units. Above 400 units, the hike will be of Re 1. The proposed average power tariff hike per unit is 42 paise. However, consumers using less than 100 units per month have been spared from the tariff hike. "The regulator will call for public opinion and take a decision on the tariff hike. The entire process would take 30 to 40 days," a senior official of the TSSPDCL said. ARR for 2016-17 is Rs 30,207 crore while the projected revenue from the current tariff is Rs 21,418 crore leaving revenue deficit at Rs 8,789 crore, the discoms said. PTI We cannot wait longer now: SC to hear Vijay Mallyas contempt case in January for final disposal Vijay Mallya has left the country, Supreme Court told India oi-Vicky Vijay Mallya left the country on March 2, the Supreme Court was informed today. The Supreme Court is hearing a plea by 17 banks seeking a directive to prevent Mallya from leaving the country. The court has posted further hearing on the matter to March 30 while issuing notices to Mallya. Also read: I am not an absconder or a defaulter, says Vijay Mallya When the matter came up for hearing, the Attorney General of India informed that he had left the country on March 2. The banks too in their submission told the Bench that they were told by the CBI that Mallya had left the country. The Bench however took the banks to task while asking tough questions. The Bench asked the bank why they had given him so much loan when they knew his assets were mostly overseas. Banks normally give loans on secured assets, but you did not do that Justice Kurian hearing the matter observed today. Also read: Is Vijay Mallya missing? CBI thinks he's in London The Central Bureau of Investigation which is probing cases against him feels he may already be in London. We are looking into an officer said when contacted. Whether he is in London or elsewhere, we are not yet sure, but we are ascertaining the same the officer also informed. On Sunday Mallya had issued a statement in which he said that he had no plans of leaving the country and also added that he is in talks with the banks for a one time settlement. The past week has witnessed a lot of activity relating to Mallya. The Enforcement Directorate commenced a probe against him and the Debt Recovery Tribunal had also barred Diageo from paying the one time settlement to him. Is Vijay Mallya missing? CBI thinks he's in London India oi-Vicky New Delhi, Mar 9: In a short while from now the Supreme Court will hear a petition filed by 17 banks which seek a directive to prevent former UB chairman from leaving the country. The bigger question now is where exactly is Vijay Mallya? Is he still in India or has already left the country. The Central Bureau of Investigation which is probing cases against him feels he may already be in London. We are looking into an officer said when contacted. Whether he is in London or elsewhere, we are not yet sure, but we are ascertaining the same the officer also informed. DRT orders Diageo not to disburse Rs 500 crore to Vijay Mallya On Sunday, Mallya had issued a statement in which he said that he had no plans of leaving the country and also added that he is in talks with the banks for a one time settlement. The past week has witnessed a lot of activity relating to Mallya. The Enforcement Directorate commenced a probe against him and the Debt Recovery Tribunal had also barred Diageo from paying the one time settlement to him. A petition will be heard by the Supreme Court in a short while from now. The petition seeks directions to stop Mallya from leaving the country. It would be interesting to see what submission the government would make in this regard. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 9, 2016, 13:59 [IST] Viral Photo: When PM Modi received Gita carved on wood as a gift from Sandeep Soni India oi-Reetu New Delhi, Mar 9: A carpenter from Kanpur got an opportunity to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday. Sandeep Soni, a newspaper vendor and carpenter from UP's Kanpur, on Tuesday met PM and presented a copy of the Gita, carved on wood, to him. According to a TOI report, " Soni had been invited by the Prime Minister's office (PMO) last month to hand over a unique Bhagvad Gita to the PM, which had been carved on wood. An admirer of Narendra Modi, Sandeep wanted to meet Prime Minister but he received disappointment when told to hand over his Gita to PMO. The Prime Minister acknowledged the request of Sandeep and asked him to reach Delhi on Tuesday. Sandeep, his mother Saraswati Soni and a friend met PM and handed him over the Gita, having all 706 'sholakas' and weighing 40 kgs." Sandeep Soni presented to me a copy of the Gita, carved on wood. I thank him for his kind gesture. pic.twitter.com/mbFKR0cEKP Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2016 Narendra Modi was so much impressed by Soni's work that he shared images of the Gita gifted to him by Sandeep on social media. After PM Modi tweeted the image, it went viral over the internet. Soni has spent four years carvings the shlokas of Bhagwad Gita on wooden panel, according to Deccan Chronicle. Viral Photo: When PM Modi pulled Akshay Kumar's son Aarav's ear "I was always a fan of Mr Narendra Modi and I even tried to meet him when he launched his election campaign in Kanpur in 2014. I am so excited that I will finally get to meet him and gift him this Gita", he was quoted as saying in the daily. OneIndia News Karnataka to strengthen ATS and up the number of prisons After leopard in Bengaluru & lions in Nairobi, tigers roam around on Doha streets International oi-Shubham Ghosh Doha, March 9: Predators are turning increasingly urbane nowadays. After the recent instances of leopards roaming around on streets of Bengaluru and lions on roads of Nairobi, Doha, the capital of Qatar, saw on Tuesday (March 8) a tiger wandering through one of its busy thoroughfares. Leopard enters Bengaluru school, injures five A video of the striped animal moving around in between vehicles on Doha Expressway went viral on the social media. It was said the tiger had fallen off a moving truck. The interior ministry of the West Asian country later tweeted about the incident, saying the authorities were keeping a close watch on whatever news was trending over the spotting of the tiger. Some later said on social media that the animal was captured safely though there was no official information on the same. People are known to own wild animals as pets in wealthy Gulf countries, although it is not legal. Officials said late on Tuesday that the owner of the tige on the loose was identified and legal proceedings have been initiated on the matter. Oneindia News Sense of insecurity has creeped into Muslims says Hamid Ansari in parting shot The West's portrayal of an intolerant India: Its all in the numbers Swami Vivekananda might get Agnivesh-like treatment if he were to come today: Tharoor Amnesty report condemns 'growing intolerance' in India International oi-PTI London, Feb 24: Authorities in India failed to "prevent many incidents of religious violence" and sometimes "contributed to tensions through polarising speeches", Amnesty International said as it condemned growing intolerance in the country in its annual report released on Wednesday. The rights body in it its report for 2015-16 warned against worldwide assault of freedoms with many governments "brazenly" breaking international law, including an "intensified crackdown on key freedoms" in India. "Scores of artists, writers and scientists returned national honours in protest against what they said was a climate of growing intolerance," the report said in reference to India. "Authorities clamped down on civil society organisations critical of official policies, and increased restrictions on foreign funding. Religious tensions intensified, and gender and caste-based discrimination and violence remained pervasive. Censorship and attacks on freedom of expression by hardline Hindu groups grew," it added. Aakar Patel, Executive Director of Amnesty India, said: "In 2015, India saw several backslides on human rights. The government intensified restrictions on civil society organisations..." "What is heartening is that there has been opposition to the erosion of rights. The widespread outrage around incidents of religious intolerance, a Supreme Court ruling striking down an oppressive law on free speech online, the many public protests against ill-conceived reforms to land acquisition laws - these offer hope that 2016 can be a better year for human rights in India." Amnesty rebuked Indian authorities for "failing to prevent many incidents of religious violence, and sometimes contributing to tensions through polarising speeches and pervasive caste-based discrimination and violence". "There was some progress when the lower house of Parliament passed an amendment to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, recognising new offences and requiring that special courts be established to try them, and stipulating that victims and witnesses receive protection," it said. In reference to violence against women, it said: "Although nearly 322,000 crimes against women, including over 37,000 cases of rape, were reported in 2014, stigma and discrimination by police officials and authorities in India continued to deter women from reporting sexual violence, and most states still lacked standard operating procedures for the police to address violence against women." It also highlighted "restrictive foreign funding laws" being used to repress NGOs critical of the government. "In a positive move, the Supreme Court directed states to install closed-circuit television in all prisons to prevent torture and other violations, while the government stated it was considering amending the Penal Code to specifically recognise torture as a crime," it noted. In another positive development, it lauded a historic peace framework agreement reached in Northeastern India between the government and the "influential armed group National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah faction)". PTI Cash transactions over the limit at hospitals, banquet halls may land you in trouble Kerala to have online monitoring facility to check availability of medicines in govt hospitals Private hospitals should take care of security issues on their own, says SC Hospital deaths in Britain to be examined by second doctor International oi-IANS By Ians English London, March 9: All deaths in Britain's hospitals will be examined by a second doctor unconnected to the patient's treatment, the media reported on Wednesday. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told The Guardian he will announce the change -- to take effect in England in 2018 -- in a speech on Thursday to a global summit on patient safety in London. From 2018, doctors acting as expert medical examiners will review and confirm the cause of all the deaths a year that occur in hospital. They will provide "a second look" at events preceding the death, although doctors involved in looking after the patient who has died will continue to be the ones who certify the death and list the cause or causes of death on the death certificate. The change was first recommended in 2005. Opposition Labour party welcomed the move but slammed Hunt of taking too long to make it, especially with it not starting until 2018. The Royal College of Physicians, which represents general hospital doctors in England, said having an expert medical examiner involved in every death would help "provide patients and their families with the openness and transparency which they deserve when things go wrong, and to support healthcare professionals to learn from and correct any deficiencies in care which are found. We will only improve if we move from a culture of blame to a culture of learning." IANS Islamic State bomber detained in Russia for attempting attack in India was recruited through Telegram Why India should get access to Islamic State bomber detained in Russia Prosecutions story may be attractive but should be backed by evidence ISIS militants rape girl aged 8, others forced to listen screams International oi-Jagriti London, Mar 9: Barbarity has no limitation for the Islamic State (ISIS) militants. Murder, mass execution and other ways to torture people makes them feel happy. In a new tale of their inhumanity this has been revealed that they rape girl as young as 8 while other children were forced to listen screams of the victim. Narrating the ordeal, a woman who was sexually assaulted these monsters, said she saw a girl of about eight or nine being openly raped in the hall. These children were grabbed from the main hall of a school and taken to a small roo, reported the Mirror.co.uk. These horrific ordeals were revealed from a report called 'Children of the Islamic State' by the anti-extremist Qulliam Foundation. Man who wanted to join ISIS gets job in Navi Mumbai The report describe the brutality being faced by girls and young women in the 'caliphate'. While in captivity, young women and girls were taken and raped on a daily basis by ISIS militants, said this report. According to this report, around 31,000 pregnant women are living in the so-called Islamic State - raising fears that their children will be raised as a new generation of bloodthirsty jihadi killers - "One of the gravest situations on earth". OneIndia News Another targeted killing: Two non-locals killed in targeted attack in J&K Mehbooba Mufti gets notice to vacate official bungalow 'meant for J&K CMs' 'Kashmir cannot be precondition for India-Pakistan talks' International oi-IANS By Ians English Islamabad, March 9: Kashmir issue should not be a pre-condition for resumption of India-Pakistan dialogue, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said. Hammond, who is on a two-day visit to Islamabad, on Tuesday urged both the countries not to provide space to non-state actors, militants and terrorists to derail the talks process, Dawn online reported. Hammond made the remarks in a meeting with Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz. He also met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif. Addressing a joint news conference with Aziz, Hammond said that India-Pakistan dialogue is essential for long-term economic development, peace and security in the region. "I must appreciate the beginning of investigation by Pakistan into the Pathankot attack," Hammond said. He also appreciated Islamabad for its resilience and resolve against terrorism, and said that days ahead for Pakistan would be safer and stable. During the talks, Britain and Pakistan also reviewed the security situation in Afghanistan, including the reconciliation process. "Terrorism in Pakistan and Afghanistan is a mutual problem which needs to be tackled jointly," Hammond said. He said there is a trust deficit between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which could be overcome when Islamabad and Kabul take steps to tighten space for militants. "Under the strategic dialogue we have five strands of cooperation: trade and business relations, financial and development cooperation, education and health, consultations on defence and security, and cultural cooperation," Aziz said. "In 2014 we prepared roadmaps and targets for each strand of cooperation to provide guidance to the concerned ministries and organisations for implementation," he added. IANS Fact Check: Did Trump thank Musk for welcoming him back to Twitter Trump, Clinton expand leads in US presidential race International oi-IANS By Ians English Washington, March 9: Republican frontrunner Donald Trump scored convincing victories in the Michigan and Mississippi presidential primaries to regain momentum in the face of the party establishment's concerted efforts to trip him. Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton also won a decisive victory in the party's Mississippi primary Tuesday but was locked in a tight contest with her self-styled Democratic Socialist opponent Bernie Sanders in Michigan. Trump, who has scored 14 victories in 21 contests so far set at rest doubts raised about his popularity among angry Republican voters after Kansas and Maine favoured rival Texas Senator Ted Cruz on Saturday. Cruz has won six states to date, while establishment favourite Marco Rubio has won just two and Ohio Governor John Kasich has yet to notch a win. As if to answer critics like the 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who has mounted a major effort to derail him calling him "a phony and a fraud" and not a very successful businessman, Trump used products like Trump water, Trump wine and Trump steaks as props as he celebrated his twin victories Tuesday. "I don't think I've ever had so many horrible, horrible things said about me in one week -- $38 million worth of horrible lies, but that's okay," he said at a news conference in Jupiter, Florida noting the efforts to take him down have not been successful. "It shows you how brilliant the public is, because they knew they were lies," he said. Kasich, at an election night rally in Columbus, Ohio, celebrated his stronger-than-expected finish in Michigan and reiterated his confidence that he'll win his home state of Ohio next Tuesday. "We're all familiar with March Madness, and now the home-court advantage is coming north. And next week we're going to win the state of Ohio," he said to cheers. On the Democratic side, Clinton praised the campaigns she and Sanders have been running while she slammed the divisiveness in the Republican race. "Running for president shouldn't be about delivering insults, it should be about delivering results for the American people," she told supporters in Cleveland, Ohio. Sanders, meanwhile, held an election night rally in Florida, which also holds its primary next Tuesday, where 246 delegates are at stake. "Next Tuesday here in Florida, let's show the world... let's show the world that democracy is alive and well with a yuge voter turnout. Yuge!" Sanders told his supporters imitating Trump. "The political revolution is strong in every part of the country and frankly we believe that our strongest areas have yet to happen," he said. IANS Sky News 21 Oct 2022 Rishi Sunak supporters are claiming that he has the votes to progress to the next stage of the Conservative leadership contest. Global Online Gambling Keeping Steady Growth Published March 9, 2016 by Lee R It's no headline that the global online gambling market keeps on growing. Robust annual compound growth for the decade is set. For those of you who have noticed the good news of gains in various national markets popping up like popcorn, it should come as no surprise that the global market is growing in general. Compound Annual Growth In fact, between now and 2020, the global online gambling market is expected to see a significant and steady compound annual growth rate which some research companies have placed at up to 11 percent. With approximately 85 countries now regulating online gambling, the American Gaming Association places the worth of global online gambling at a massive $37 billion a year. Contributions to this figure come from three states in the US that have already legalized gambling online--Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware, with more sure to followeventually. Europe: Biggest Contributor Europe is currently contributing the lion's share of online gambling revenue, at a rate of growth which the European Commission currently places at about $15 billion per year, with an estimated growth rate of 15%. EU's Biggest Contributor Not surprisingly, the UK is Europe's strongest market. Recent estimates count over 18 million gambling accounts there, with several dozen sites currently in operation. The UK Gambling Commission UKGC reports that between 2005 and 2009 online slots play increased 328 percent. The growth was supplemented by table games and poker, at 52 and 26 percent, respectively. The UK poker model is favorable because it does not fence in its players like most other countries in and out of the UK do. This allows UK players to play with players from other countries on UK-regulated platforms. Other countries such as France, Spain, and Italy fence in their poker players, preventing them from playing international matches. Forecast: Streamlining Europe? At this point, extant talks of streamlining rules across the EU remain a ways from fruition. The huge growth of online gambling on mobile devices can eventually sustain the change, due to the accessibility that mobile devices are currently providing all players. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Securities America has paid more than $15 million in an SEC case and settlements with the fraud victims of Hector May and his daughter, Vania May Bell. Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia: Convicted Ponzi schemer Bernard L. Madoff could have not set up his fraudulent structure in an offshore jurisdiction because his illegal activities would have alerted authorities and he would be caught much earlier, claimed Martin Litwak, founder and partner at international law firm Litwak & Partners. Speaking at the recent Opalesque 2016 LatAm Roundtable, Litwak explained that had Madoff set up his activities in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), for example, his work would have been qualified as a fund and as such he would have been required to appoint an administrator, which ultimately would have find out that he was not trading at all pretty quickly. "So, if he had structured his fraud offshore, he would be probably caught much earlier," Litwak said. He further stated, "If you go to the biggest financial scandal which was Madoff, and again, here is an U.S. guy dealing with U.S. auditors, regulated and supervised by the U.S., and ironic ally, all that was used to increase the pressure over offshore jurisdiction." Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison in June 2009 for running the largest Ponzi scheme in history. U.S. District Judge Denny Chin, who gave Madoff the maximum sent...................... To view our full article Click here Opalesque Industry Update - 100 Women in Hedge Funds has announced that Big Brothers Big Sisters Cayman (BBBS) has been designated as its 2016 Cayman Beneficiary. 100WHF Cayman aligns its yearly objectives to a global theme that rotates on an annual basis to ensure the greatest impact on the local community; for 2016, the theme is Mentoring. BBBS is a local charity that promotes its mentoring objectives by pairing dedicated adult volunteers with those children in the community that could most benefit from an enriching one-to-one mentoring relationship. Commenting on the selection, Pilar Bush, Chair of BBBS noted Big Brothers Big Sisters Cayman is thrilled to have been selected by 100WHF Cayman as the 2016 Beneficiary of its Philanthropic efforts. As the leading mentoring organization in the Cayman Islands, our vision is that all children achieve success in life. This partnership will allow us to significantly expand our school and community-based mentoring and raise local awareness for the measurable positive impact of mentoring. We know the intelligent, passionate and committed women of 100WHF Cayman will help us transcend our 2016 goals and make a meaningful difference in the Cayman community! 100WHF Cayman raised a total of US $56,425 in 2015 for LIFE (Literacy is for Everyone) with three successful events: the 2nd Annual Barefoot Beach Gala, Centered Leadership Workshop and Nicole Miller Fashion Show. Reflecting on 2015, Marilyn Conolly, Executive Director of LIFE noted LIFE is committed to improving literacy levels in the Cayman Islands and it is only possible to do this work with the partnership and commitment of organizations such as 100WHF Cayman. With the funds raised by this dedicated group of professional women, LIFE was able to reach children across all the public schools on Grand Cayman and take us one step closer to our goal of a literate community. It is such a joy to see children develop a love of reading, master a word, or have their face light up when they see their reading partner. It is these moments and milestones that keep us dedicated to our mission and we are so thankful to have 100WHF share this journey. 100WHF is a global association of more than 13,000 professional women. Through volunteer efforts led by its members, the organization aims to make a difference in the industry and its communities with unique educational programming, peer leverage initiatives and philanthropic efforts. The Cayman Islands is currently 100WHFs fastest growing location with a membership approaching 500 members. 100WHF Cayman has a number of events planned for 2016 including the 3rd Annual Barefoot Beach Gala which will be held on Saturday, 16 April 2016 at Tiki Beach Grand Cayman. Ticket and sponsorship opportunities are available and click here for details. Please contact the 100WHF Cayman Philanthropy committee with any questions. 100WHF Cayman remains committed to its community and is excited to partner with an organization that has such a positive effect on our islands future. OpEdNews calls the race with 86% of the votes in. Hillary Clinton cannot hope to rescue the contest with outstanding Wayne County votes. Rob Kall is an award winning journalist, inventor, software architect, connector and visionary. His work and his writing have been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, ABC, the HuffingtonPost, Success, Discover and other media. Check out his platform at RobKall.com He is the author of The Bottom-up Revolution; Mastering the Emerging World of Connectivity He's given talks and workshops to Fortune 500 execs and national medical and psychological organizations, and pioneered first-of-their-kind conferences in Positive Psychology, Brain Science and Story. He hosts some of the world's smartest, most interesting and powerful people on his Bottom Up Radio Show, and founded and publishes one of the top Google- ranked progressive news and opinion sites, OpEdNews.com more detailed bio: Rob Kall has spent his adult life as an awakener and empowerer-- first in the field of biofeedback, inventing products, developing software and a music recording label, MuPsych, within the company he founded in 1978-- Futurehealth, and founding, organizing and running 3 conferences: Winter Brain, on Neurofeedback and consciousness, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology (a pioneer in the field of Positive Psychology, first presenting workshops on it in 1985) and Storycon Summit Meeting on the Art Science and Application of Story-- each the first of their kind. Then, when he found the process of raising people's consciousness and empowering them to take more control of their lives one person at a time was too slow, he founded Opednews.com-- which has been the top search result on Google for the terms liberal news and progressive opinion for several years. Rob began his Bottom-up Radio show, broadcast on WNJC 1360 AM to Metro Philly, also available on iTunes, covering the transition of our culture, business and world from predominantly Top-down (hierarchical, centralized, authoritarian, patriarchal, big) to bottom-up (egalitarian, local, interdependent, grassroots, archetypal feminine and small.) Recent long-term projects include a book, Bottom-up-- The Connection Revolution, debillionairizing the planet (more...) The Media are Political Cowards (Image by Bernie 2014) Details DMCA Bernie Sanders is challenged with an enormous bias from the Mainstream News Media. I know how to bring them to their knees. I was a mover and shaker when S-1959 and HR-1955 were being fast-tracked through Congress, via a complete Press Blackout. It was called the "Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007." It was one of, if not the most egregious bills that our Congress ever considered. Somehow, it leaked into the alternative news. It was in committee ready to be passed, when "we the people" stood together shoulder to shoulder in solidarity and brought Washington, D.C., to their proverbial knees! Millions of Americans never knew what we had saved them from because of the press blackout of its existence, even in defeat. How did we do it? We in the alternative media wrote op-ed's exposing this bill, it's ramifications to the public, and asked people to help us fight for our very survival as a free and democratic nation. Today, we are faced with that same challenge, only this time, we are fighting the 1%, Corporate America, and multinational corporations that refuse to give the people their say in governing our own nation. If we rise to the challenge, we can force the main stream news media to quit their apparent bias for Clinton and make them understand that we will not surrender until they acquiesce to our demands. In 2007, we found every phone number, email address, and fax number on Capitol Hill including the White House. We set a date and then hammered Washington with calls, emails, and faxes to all of those numbers and brought communications in our Capital to a standstill! The phones rang incessantly; Congressmen were grumbling that we should all be arrested, all to no avail. After three or four days, the bill was dropped. We won one of the most impressive victories that a non-violent protest has accomplished in decades. However, the Government kept a press blackout on the matter because they did not want the public to know how powerful they can be when they stand together in Solidarity! In this case, I suggest a slightly different approach. CNN is one of the vilest of the Hillary supporters and they have major offices in New York City as well as their headquarters in Atlanta. I would suggest targeting CNN and possibly NBC for major on the ground protests to run in conjunction with a massive disruption of their communications. We would also post a warning to CBS and Fox news, as well as major newspapers that they are next if they do not cover this election in a non-biased manner. If Bernie supporters are willing to go door to door attempting to educate people about the real ideology of the Sanders Campaign, surely they would agree to stay home an afternoon to make phone calls to the numbers that we will publish. I also believe they would help in coordinated protests against CNN and NBC. This is a game plan, albeit you may have suggestions to make it more efficient. We are all Bernie, and it will take all of us working together to make this happen. I am merely attempting to make a suggestion for using a strategy that we have learned through experience that works. I know that some of my followers have thousands, some of you tens of thousands of followers that can turn this idea into a reality. I cannot emphasize enough that we are fighting for the heart and soul of our nation. If we do not take America back from the 1% and corporations, it may be another decade or more before the chance will rise again, if ever. If you agree with this means of accomplishing our goals, please start making phone calls to CNN and NBC to find every phone and fax number you can identify. The newsrooms are one of the most visible targets, and their corporate offices are second. For the on the ground protests, I will leave that to you who have greater expertise in that arena than I have. Time is also of significant importance in this issue. We need to win as many possible states as we can. I believe in the American people and our ability to change rather than gripe about the current situation, and that goes for me too. If you agree with this form of non-violent protest and understand that it will work, please re-Tweet and Like my initial Tweet, or one that you make yourself, to help make this happen. Thank you for your time, and remember "LUCK" is spelled "W-O-R-K". The harder we work, the luckier we get! On February 24, 2016, members of the Green Party of Philadelphia (GPOP ) energized their local party by electing a new leadership. Meeting at the Ethical Humanist Society on Rittenhouse Square, registered green activists listened to candidate remarks and then cast secret ballots. The new Chair of the Philadelphia Greens will be Galen Jah Tyler, who was a Member-at-Large of the City Committee for the last two years. Tyler said, "I plan to kick off introductory meetings for registered Greens. These monthly social events will help unite our members and educate them about the role of the Green Party as the main opposition to the two corporate parties." Tyler, who lives in Torresdale (Ward 65), is director of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union and a founding member of the Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign . Charles Sherrouse was elected as a new City Committee Member-at-Large. He said, "My priority will be getting Greens involved with ballot access petitioning across the city, and extending our campaign outreach to campuses. The Green Party's performance in the 2015 City Council race has earned us state recognition as a political party in Philadelphia, which can help boost our membership." Sherrouse lives in Oxford Circle (Ward 54), and he was a founding member of GPOP, having served on the City Committee more than a decade ago. Green Party members are prepared for Sherrouse's initiative. They formed an Electoral Operations Working Group in 2015 with three tasks: recruiting candidates for electoral office, organizing registered Greens to work on those campaigns, and creating a campaign infrastructure. The Green Party members also elected Belinda Davis as GPOP Recording Secretary. Davis said, "I will focus not only on electoral politics, but also on bringing people together in political action that champions social justice, ecology, grassroots democracy, and non-violence. " She was referring here to the Green Party's Four Pillars . Davis first became active with GPOP in 2004, working on a campaign for Philadelphia City Council. She lives in Chestnut Hill (Ward 9), and had been treasurer of GPOP during 2011 and 2012. "BRICS" is the dirtiest of acronyms in the Beltway/Wall Street axis, and for a solid reason: the consolidation of the BRICS is the only organic, global-reach project with the potential to derail Exceptionalistan's grip over the so-called "international community." So it's no surprise the three key BRICS powers have been under simultaneous attack, on many fronts, for some time now. On Russia, it's all about Ukraine and Syria, the oil price war, the odd hostile raid over the ruble and the one-size-fits-all "Russian aggression" demonization. On China, it's all about "Chinese aggression" in the South China Sea and the (failed) raid over the Shanghai/Shenzhen stock exchanges. Brazil is the weakest link among these three key emerging powers. Already by the end of 2014 it was clear the usual suspects would go no holds barred to destabilize the seventh largest global economy, aiming at good old regime change via a nasty cocktail of political gridlock ("ungovernability") dragging the economy to the mud. Myriad reasons for the attack include the consolidation of the BRICS development bank; the BRICS's concerted push for trading in their own currencies, bypassing the US dollar and aiming for a new global reserve currency to replace it; the construction of a major underwater fiber-optic telecom cable between Brazil and Europe, as well as the BRICS cable uniting South America to East Asia -- both bypassing US control. And most of all, as usual, the holy of the holies -- connected with Exceptionalistan's burning desire to privatize Brazil's immense natural wealth. Once again, it's the oil. WikiLeaks had already exposed how, way back in 2009, Big Oil was active in Brazil, trying to modify -- by all extortion means necessary -- a law proposed by former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, known as Lula, establishing profitable state-run Petrobras as the chief operator of all offshore blocks in the largest oil discovery of the young 21st century; the pre-salt deposits. Lula not only kept Big Oil -- especially ExxonMobil and Chevron -- out of the picture but he also opened Brazilian oil exploration to China's Sinopec, as part of the Brazil-China (BRICS within BRICS) strategic partnership. Hell hath no fury like Exceptionalistan scorned. Like the Mob, it never forgives; Lula one day would have to pay, like Putin must pay for getting rid of US-friendly oligarchs. The ball started rolling with Edward Snowden revealing how the NSA was spying on Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and top Petrobras officials. It continued with the fact that the Brazilian Federal Police cooperate, receive training and/or are fed, closely, by both the FBI and CIA (mostly in the anti-terrorism sphere). And it went on via the two-year-old "Car Wash" investigation, which uncovered a vast corruption network involving players inside Petrobras, top Brazilian construction companies and politicians from the ruling Workers' Party. The corruption network is real -- with "proof," usually oral, rarely backed up by documents, obtained mostly from artful dodgers-cum-serial liars who rat on someone as part of a plea bargain. But for the "Car Wash" prosecutors, the real deal was, from the beginning, how to ensnare Lula. That brings us to the Hollywood spectacular enacted last Friday in Sao Paulo that sent shockwaves around the world. Lula "detained," interrogated, humiliated in public. This is how I analyzed it in detail. Plan A for the Hollywood-style blitz on Lula was an ambitious double down; not only to pave the way for the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff under a "guilty by association" stretch, but to "neutralize" Lula for good, preventing him from running for office again in 2018. There was no Plan B. Predictably -- as in many an FBI sting -- the whole op backfired. Lula, in a political master class of a speech beamed live across the country, not only convincingly clad himself as the martyr of a conspiracy, but also re-energized his troops; even respectable conservatives vocally condemned the Hollywood show, from a minister in the Supreme Court to a former justice minister, as well as top economist Bresser Pereira, one of the founders of the PSDB -- the former social democrats turned Exceptionalistan-allied neoliberal enforcers and leaders of the right-wing opposition. Bresser actually stated the Brazilian Supreme Court should intervene on Car Wash to prevent abuses. Lula, for instance, had asked for the Supreme Court to detail which jurisprudence was relevant to investigate the accusations against him. Moreover, a lawyer on center stage during the Hollywood blitz said Lula answered all questions during the almost four-hour interrogation without blinking -- questions he had already answered before. Lawyer Celso Bandeira de Mello, for his part, went straight to the point: the Brazilian upper middle classes -- which include a largely appalling lot wallowing in arrogance, ignorance and prejudice, whose dream is a condo in Miami -- are fearful and terrified to death that Lula may run, and win again, in 2018. Reprinted from Reader Supported News New York Police Department commissioner Bill Bratton is asking state lawmakers to pass a law that would make resisting arrest a felony, which in turn would allow city policemen to lock up almost anybody who looks at them cross-eyed. A felony conviction, in addition to carrying the potential for significant prison time and loss of civil rights, would allow any crooked cop to act under cover of law against virtually anybody. The resisting arrest law, as it's written, is designed to allow the state to further punish suspects who endanger the safety of police officers. But it's easily abused. Let's say you are photographing a traffic stop and the cop tells you to put the camera away. You don't do that. Even though you are completely within your constitutional rights to film or take pictures, the police want to now arrest you for "resisting arrest," and you have to mount a felony defense. Boing Boing reported recently on the identities of several recent would-be felons. They included: Chaumtoli Huq, a former general counsel to New York Public Advocate Letitia James, who was charged with resisting arrest for "blocking the sidewalk" while waiting for her family to finish using the restroom inside a Times Square restaurant. Huq has filed a civil rights suit against the Police Department. Denise Stewart, a Brooklyn grandmother, who was charged with resisting arrest after several policemen dragged her naked out of her own apartment and into her building's lobby. (They had the wrong apartment.) Stewart is also suing. Jahmil El-Cuffee, who was charged with resisting arrest after a cop beat him senseless and stomped on his head for rolling a joint, all the while shouting, "Stop resisting!" The cop has been indicted. When I was serving time after blowing the whistle on the CIA's illegal torture program, crooked prison guards used similarly lax rules by charging prisoners with "insolence." Disobey a direct order? Insolence. Talk back to a guard? Insolence. It leads to a stint in solitary and loss of good-behavior time and commissary, visiting, phone, and email privileges. It's the prison version of "resisting arrest." Commissioner Bratton has the same idea. The courts are just supposed to take the cops' word for it. If the police don't like your attitude, if you object to something you see them do, they will be able to charge you with a felony. And whom will the judge believe -- a uniformed cop with his shiny badge -- or you? This is part of a bigger problem, one that is not confined to police brutality and overreach. It is one of over-criminalization, over-legislation, and over-regulation. Harvard Law School professor Harvey Silverglate, in his book Three Felonies a Day: How the Feds Target the Innocent, argues that we are so over-criminalized that the average American, on the average day, going about his or her normal business, commits three felonies. Every day. The bottom line is that if the cops really want to get you, they can get you. Meanwhile, in just the five years from 2008 until 2013, according to the Congressional Research Service, Congress created 439 new criminal offenses. That makes for a grand total of 4,889 federal crimes. And that's in addition to the growing number of state and local crimes for which Americans can be prosecuted. To make matters worse, many of these new federal laws lack any mens rea, or "guilty mind," requirement. That means you can be prosecuted even without having any criminal intent. Didn't mean to break the law? Tough luck. Americans can't rely on friendly judges or on the occasional politician who realizes that our civil liberties are going the way of the dodo bird. It's up to us to ride our elected officials to force them to act. And if they don't, we should take a lead from Chaumtoli Huq, Denise Stewart, and Jahmil El-Cuffee. We should sue. Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News. I'm sure most people would agree: today's scholastic system needs to be revamped. However, in my opinion not everyone deserves a college education. The United States still maintains the best postgraduate programs in the world but standards in our Pre K-12 public schools have declined and we should stand aghast at dropout rates across this nation. Many instructors from community colleges complain about having to teach incoming students the basics, not high school, but grade school basics. I repeat, not everyone deserves a college education. We must admit for whatever reasons from social-environmental to intellectual capacity some people do not possess the marks to pursue a higher academic degree. We used to have something called academic excellence in education. This should still be the marker for collegiate acceptance. Do we truly wish to have a professional society that barely makes the grade? In order to gain university acceptance we should administer a more academically challenging test, not have it based on tuition checks clearing the bank. We should also create pathways for those failing the exam to regain college admittance. A credit tutorial system in which scholars could help individuals, receiving three credits toward their scholastic degree by succeeding in advancing three applicants through the exam in one semester. (Of course, limits on these credits would have to be set and the number of times a person could take a university exam limited.) Those students failing college acceptance could be offered technical or vocational training. Students passing the test could still opt for vocational occupations. The above-mentioned changes, easy to make, would start raising the standard of academic excellence in the United States. We need to address a major overhaul of the current Pre K-12 public educational system. We must reduce dropout rates and raise the standard of excellence across the board. While math and sciences are central to our society, we have abandoned the concept of training in classical liberal arts, a crucial element for civic leadership, honored and respected throughout the ages. Here is my idea for revamping our educational system by changing it to a Pre K-14 base. Change the hours, the curriculum and the duration of the academic year. Instead of five eight-hour days go to five ten-hour days, using the fifth day for extracurricular activities, health and life studies, community volunteer programs, one-on-one tutorial help for struggling students, and holding sporting events on this day. (Note: Physical education is part of classical liberal art training.) It should be easy enough for an astute reader to see the benefits of such a program, particularly how day five would help create a more civic-minded community. Bear in mind, Pre K-3 should advance in time duration so that by the fourth grade students are ready for the longer days. Instead of the traditional long summer interval off, why not cut breaks back to six weeks: two at the end of December, two weeks at the beginning of July, and two one-week intervals mixed in throughout the year, one in early spring and the other in early fall. The objective here is to maintain the knowledge obtained by not allowing long intervals between school years. It should be obvious I stress the emphasis of liberal arts for the creation of a civic-minded society. First, we would need to create a K-10 academic year based on our current K-12 curriculum, returning focus however, to teaching the basics. Beginning in grade 11, we should focus our young student's minds on the classical liberal arts. The 11-14 part of a new educational system would be 75 percent classical training and 25 percent math and sciences. Those percentages being just a suggestion; however classical training should be the dominant factor at this point. By changing to this model, we would instill within students a more open minded and balanced perspective in analysis, teaching critical thinking by the heuristic method. Over all I see this as an opportunity to raise community involvement and academic excellence in the United States. This approach, I believe, would better prepare students with varied skills for their collegiate and postgraduate studies. How many years do we have to stand by and watch the educational system of our nation slip downhill? We can do better. We owe it to our nation, to our children--to our world. When the Ankara government carried out a brutal media crackdown at the weekend and then saw minimal Western protest as a result, President Erdogan knew he had the upper-hand -- to leverage the refugee crisis. It seems more than strange that, only three days before a high-profile summit was to take place between European Union leaders and Turkey on Europe's refugee crisis, the Ankara authorities carried out an audacious assault on democratic rights. The violent police seizure of Turkey's biggest opposition newspaper, Zaman, and its immediate cowing into a tame pro-government publication represents the most brazen authoritarian move to date by the ruling AK party of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkish opposition politicians denounced the full-frontal assault on independent media as tantamount to a coup d'etat by Erdogan. But the Western response to the draconian display of state power was more muted than ever. There was hardly any Western media coverage of the Zaman seizure. Both Washington and the EU merely issued perfunctory statements of "concern," and breathlessly urged Ankara to respect "free speech" and "core European values." In recent months, Erdogan has been locking up journalists and closing critical media outlets. Under his increasingly autocratic rule, the Ankara authorities have prosecuted thousands of citizens who have "insulted" the president through social media. More gravely, Erdogan has ordered a bloody wave of repression against ethnic Kurds in the country's southeast, with disturbing reports of mass killings by Turkish troops. Turkish military have also been shelling across the border at Kurdish positions in Syria for several weeks now. It is not as if EU leaders are oblivious to Erdogan's rogue conduct. An EU report issued in November highlighted the growing repression of human rights. But still Erdogan continued his autocratic power-grab anyway. And the full-scale assault on an opposition news media outlet at the weekend is arguably his most flagrant move yet. The timing suggests it was a gambit to test EU resolve. In other words, Erdogan knew from the Western silence and empty platitudes that there would be no repercussions for his repressive gambit. And why was that? Because, as Erdogan is all too aware, the EU is on its knees to gain his cooperation on ending the refugee crisis assailing its very foundations. That, in turn, meant that he could send his prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, to Brussels to extract whopping concessions. Significantly, at the last minute before the Brussels summit opened on Monday, Turkey's premier Davutoglu pulled out"some new ideas." One of those "new ideas" was that Ankara was no longer requesting $3.3 billion in EU aid, as it had done four months previously. Ankara was now demanding double the money. Davutoglu hinted at the upper-hand when he arrived in Brussels, saying: "The whole future of Europe is on the table." And he also let it be known that Turkey was talking more than just refugees, adding that Ankara expected "a new era in Turkey-EU relations." The upshot of negotiations in Brussels this week is that Turkey is to receive a 100 percent increase in promised financial aid from the European Union -- to $6.6 billion -- supposedly for accommodating Syrian refugees on its territory. Ankara also wrung a promise from Euroland that its 75 million citizens could avail of visa-free travel by as early as June this year; and, perhaps the biggest prize of all, Turkey got a commitment from Brussels to speed up its long-delayed accession to the European Union. A Financial Times report hinted at the delicate balancing act: "EU leaders tread carefully over Turkey's media crackdown,"adding: "Leaders careful not to jeopardize deal with Ankara on migration." In theory, the EU has been spared the nightmare scenario of thousands of refugees crossing on a daily basis from Turkey into Greece and thence further north. The uncontrolled migration over the past year was threatening the very existence of the 28-nation EU, with member states publicly bickering over closed borders and perceived unfair burdens. Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Putting real power into the hands of voters and consumers, has made bottom-up approaches massively disruptive for politics and brands. It's the present and future of politics and business. Rob Kall's book Bottom-Up pulls together the wisdom and experience of some of the leading thinkers who have brought the bottom-up revolution to full bloom." Joe Trippi, pioneering Internet campaign manager of Howard Dean, digital campaign consultant Donald Trump wants to build a nearly 2,000 mile long wall along the U.S.-Mexican border to keep out criminals and rapists. He says that he'll bomb the "s**t" out of ISIS and that he'll "get back our money" from China. Even though he does not say how. Trump is a vulgar, loud mouth bigot who will "ban Muslims from coming to the United States" and "Make America Great Again." Further, the man "could shoot someone in the street and not lose votes and support." Such breathtaking arrogance and bullying bombast is what drives the Donald Trump campaign for president of the United States. It's a campaign long on vulgarity, rhetoric, sleight-of-hand with the ability to conjure up near mythical illogic and sell it to his supporters as gospel and fact. At this stage in the 2016 US Presidential race many in Trump's Republican Party are now openly engaged in internecine political warfare in efforts to stop, or even slow, his onward, forcible march to the GOP's nomination. His detractors on both the left and right have suddenly woke up to the jarring reality that he could get the nomination, after months of writing him off as a gadfly, a fringe oddity that could not repeal to the party's restless base. Trump's unconcealed arrogance and outsized ego coupled with his bullying belligerence and thin-skin has alarmed people far and wide. And his candidacy is remaking the Republican Party in a way that shoves it to the extreme, the far Right. "Trump is a bully and bigot but doesn't hew to any sharp ideological line," Robert Reich wrote in January. And Cruz? Here's how Reich described him: "Cruz is a fierce ideologue: He denies the existence of man-made climate change, rejects same-sex marriage, wants to abolish the Internal Revenue Service, believes the Second Amendment guarantees everyone a right to guns, doesn't believe in a constitutional divide between church and state, favors the death penalty, opposes international agreements, embraces a confrontational foreign policy, rejects immigration reform, demands the repeal of 'every blessed word of Obamacare,' and takes a strict 'originalist' view of the meaning of the Constitution." In short, Cruz is much more extreme -- and dangerous -- than Trump. He's more educated, more politically experienced and thus infinitely more dangerous. If you think that references to Adolph Hitler fit Donald Trump, then think again. Cruz is the perfect fit. Let us look at the men carrying the two extremes of the GOP -- one extreme, the other ultra-extreme and borderline fanatical. Trump said a while back that he would not hesitate to use the U.S. Military against an enemy even if that meant breaking international rules of war. But Senator Ted Cruz goes even further; he implied without blinking that he was not adverse to using nuclear weapons in conflicts in the Middle East and make the desert sands "glow in the dark." Also, Cruz would prosecute members and workers at Planned Parenthood -- not just shut down the organization. The man's been caught in lie after lie, after lie. And the sad thing is that this does not seem to faze him for all his vainglorious and condescending moralistic talk about values and religious convictions. Its false piety at best. For example, during last year's furor over Planned Parenthood and the doctored tapes purporting to show the organization selling aborted baby body parts, Cruz's inflammatory statements supporting the tapes and embroidering the discussion to suit his political aspirations were found to be brass-faced lies with the end result that a Texas court indicted the video makers on criminal charges. By contrast, while Trump wants to ultimately defund Planned Parenthood he did concede that the organization still does important work when it came to women's health. Cruz is a political opportunist par excellence. In this category he out performs Senator Marco "Mini Me Trump" Rubio every time. You see, Rubio is a malleable political opportunist who can be controlled by the GOP Establishment, hence their continued support for him. He's a political lightweight who wants to "out Trump, Trump" but the vulgar Trump as derisively called him "Little Marco." Cruz labors under absolutely no such illusions. He will embrace any and all political tactics that he deems useful to furthering his ultra-right-wing agenda that include his near fanatical support for the bad behavior of corporate America. The fundamental difference between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz is that Trump says whatever pops into his head at the moment. He's unfiltered, unscripted, coarse, disjointed and confusing. Cruz is a trained and skilled debater who uses the things he's learned over the years to twist, exaggerate, distort and obfuscate the facts turning them into inflammatory lies, half-truths and innuendos just to further his beliefs and ideas. Here's vintage Cruz: He told the Conservative Political Action Conference (C-PAC) that democrats are threatening the Catholic Church (his church) and wants to force it to change the religious beliefs of practicing Catholics and that the federal government will use its power to shut down "your charities and hospitals." The fact-checking website Politifact said that this remark was "both incorrect and ridiculous." Cruz said that ISIS is "right now crucifying Christians in Iraq literally nailing Christians to trees." He offered no evidence to back up that claim. In politics his twisting of the facts into Gordian Knots is well known. His relentless quest to repeal and overturn so-called Obamacare led him to make this humungusly untrue statement that in the House of Representatives there was a "strong bipartisan majority" to repeal Obamacare. The reality? Only TWO Democrats joined Republicans in repeal efforts. In his pandering to the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the pro-gun lobbyists Cruz made the unfounded and untrue statement that "jurisdictions with the strictest gun control laws, almost without exception"have the highest crime rates and the highest murder rates." Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Reprinted from Alon Ben-Meir Website Only a few months after Turkey's President Erdogan raided the offices of the Koza Ipek Media Group, the Turkish police assaulted early this month the offices of Feza Publications, which owns two newspapers (including Zaman) and two TV stations, without any warning. There is little else more injurious to any democracy than closing down news outlets and choking off freedom of speech. To take such an extreme measure based on concocted accusations that such media outlets are aiding terrorism and conspiring against the state is nothing short of scandalous, and shows his fear of public criticism despite his bravado. President Erdogan, however, seems completely dismissive of any potential repercussions, as he was emboldened by his past rampage against the press and jailing of scores of journalists on phony charges with impunity. Although Erdogan knows well that Turkey is far from being a democratic state, he continues to promote the absurd notion that Turkey is indeed a genuine democracy, stating with his usual twisted flare that "nowhere in the world is the press freer than it is in Turkey." In fact, Reporters Without Borders' 2015 World Press Freedom Index ranked Turkey 149 out of 180 countries, between Mexico, where journalists are regularly murdered, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is a failed state. Perhaps Erdogan should be reminded of what truly constitutes a democracy. Freedom of expression represents one of four critical pillars of any democratic form of government, which also includes the election of a representative government, equality before the law, and strict observance of human rights. Sadly, Erdogan did not stop at repressing freedom of expression in all forms -- he regularly chipped away at the other pillars, which is bound to unravel what is left of Turkey's democracy. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees "the right to freedom of opinion and expression;" but as Benjamin Franklin warned, "Whoever would overthrow the Liberty of a Nation must begin by subduing the Freeness of Speech." Erdogan was highly admired for his impressive socio-political reforms and significant economic development, which made Turkey the 17th largest economy in the world during his first and much of his second term in office. He could have realized much of his ambitions to make Turkey a recognized regional superpower with rallying support of the public with pride. He would have been able to do so without destroying the principles of Turkey's foundation as a secular democracy, as was envisioned by its founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and offer a real model of a flourishing Islamic democracy to be emulated by much of the Arab and Muslim world. Sadly, however, Erdogan ignores the fact that his systematic dismantling of Turkey's democratic institutions will have the precise opposite effect by directly torpedoing Turkey's potential as a great power and squandering what the country has to offer. Time and again, Erdogan demonstrated his lack of tolerance to opposing views and found the press to be a nuisance, as it was generally critical of his Islamic agenda. He understood, as George Orwell aptly put it, "Freedom of the press, if it means anything at all, means the freedom to criticize and oppose," a freedom which Erdogan is bent on suppressing. As such, Erdogan has used his strong Islamic credentials to project himself as a pious leader, when in fact he consistently engaged in favoritism, granting huge government contracts to those who supported him and to his family members, irrespective of conflicts of interest and the corruption that ensued as a result. With a rubber stamp parliament, he has been able to pass any legislation he wished, with the exception of a constitutional amendment that would have granted the President unlimited powers. He subordinated the justice system to his whims and basically became a one man ruler with dictatorial powers, finally doing away with the checks and balances of the government apparatus. To be sure, Erdogan's appetite for increasing power, harsh treatment of dissidents, religious zeal, and narcissistic predisposition made him feared by much of Turkish society yet admired by others; he is almost unanimously reviled by the international community, but dealt with out of necessity. The agreement that was achieved on March 7 between Turkey and the EU in connection with Syrian refugees and asylum seekers is one case in point -- he made his move to shut down Zaman around the same time, knowing he would not be severely condemned by either the US or the EU for his actions. Progressive Content Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing. To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here. JavaScript is disabled on your browser. CORDIS website requires JavaScript enabled in order to work properly. Please enable JavaScript. Addressing the Challenges in Biomanufacturing http://www.biomanamerica.com/ The life sciences industry is evolving on a global scale. Shifting market demands, healthcare reforms and more stringent regulations are presenting new challenges to the industry at large.It is particularly challenging to manage operations globally when dealing with vastly different regulatory review periods for new drug applications as well as making any significant changes to existing dossiers. explains Ryan Cox, Director, Bulk Manufacturing at CSL Behring.Increased pressure to reduce the cost of healthcare in the US is pushing manufacturers to streamline processes while finding new ways to produce bio-better drugs that have a vastly improved pharmacological profile. To remain competitive biomanufacturers must continue to focus on innovation in terms of making improvements to existing products explains Ryan. As a result the industry will need to become much more flexible and lean over the next 5-10 years.Taking a holistic approach to the challenges and opportunities that biomanufactureres face, Generis American Biomanufacaturing Summit 2016 will present attendees with first-hand case studies, strategies and best practices to advance manufacturing excellence, drive innovation and develop the necessary leadership strategies to ensure long-term success. Produced with the thoughtful input of some of the worlds leading organizations, this senior level program is designed to provide biomanufacturing executives with current trends and strategic insights on internal manufacturing, external manufacturing, operational excellence, quality management and compliance.Annually attracting 150 senior level delegates from across North America, this years program will provide delegates with strategies and insights to maximize efficiency, while remaining compliant in an ever evolving environment:- Align manufacturing & quality objectives to create a culture of quality within your facilities- Capacity Management: Develop effective modeling techniques- Commercial Manufacturing: Examine data integrity challenges- Working with CMOs: Streamline scale-up and technology transfer- Define cGMP requirements and regulations for device & combination products- Create state-of-the-art multi-product operations (facility & design considerations)- Asses the use of single-use technologies to create flexible facilities- Improve processes and compliance through a continuous process verification program- Quality Management: Transition from a traditional to an enhanced approach- Performance Improvement: Identify effective ways to achieve significant improvements in human performance and resource management- Production Efficiency: Introduce new technologies, methods and processes to cut costs and improve efficiencyTo find out more about the American Biomanufacturing Summit 2016, visit:We provide a platform uniquely designed for executives and professionals to connect. Our experience spans two decades of successfully developing and delivering high quality business to business events and services across various industries. Generis was formed with the vision of redefining the way in which knowledge transfer and face-to-face interactions take place.1106 555 Richmond Street WestP.O. Box 119Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5V 3B1 SeekingSitters CEO takes a Time-Out To find Work/Life Balance SeekingSitters Work/Life Balance RV Tour 2016 RV tour set to share her story & record work/life balance stories from across the nation including Houston on March 12th. SeekingSitters also planning to give away a franchise in 2016Houston, TX National Franchise System SeekingSitters motto of Family First was anything but what CEO Adrienne Kallweit was practicing in 2013. Her familys business was growing rapidly and it was apparent the stress was affecting her family in a negative way. She decided to do something about it and gave herself a CEO Time-Out! Kallweit spent the year traveling the country RV style, homeschooling her three young children and getting back to family first.This did not come without detailed planning and a lot of support. I developed a 13-month plan to help ease myself out of the day-to-day needs of the company. Each day was a challenge but I knew it would come with great rewards. says Kallweit. And that it did, Kallweit was not only able to help her family heal, through some crazy cross country adventures, but when she needed to get back to work she was able to develop a work/life balance plan that fit her much more chilled-out family.Her goal is to provide this work-life balance for her franchisees that run SeekingSitters locations across the country. So Kallweit and her whole family are traveling cross-country RV style to visit the franchisees across the nation and record their work/life balance stories. Each franchisee has their own inspirational work/life balance story.This week the RV tour will be in Houston with local mom and owner Sara CampbellMy former career was so demanding that I constantly missed important family events. I knew I had to find a better way to have a career and make family a priority. Being part of SeekingSitters has time and again reminded that Work/Life Balance can really happen, explains Sara Campbell.On Site EventDuring the RV stop in Houston, SeekingSitters will be hosting a tailgate party to celebrate work/life balance stories and meet-up with sitters and members in the area. The Work/Life Balance RV will be at First Cup Cafe, with Sara Campbell on March 12th from 11:00am to 1:00pm.Campbell and CEO Adrienne Kallweit will be available on-site to talk about finding Work/Life Balance and share their own experiences. Some tips include: Be prepared to notice when change is needed and be willing to take action Make a plan and commit through the execution Understand that a Work/Life balance constantly changes, what works today may not tomorrowIn addition, they can share tips and information for families on how to find & screen a babysitter safely. Topics include: How to interview a sitter Background checks why an online check is not enough Preparing the kids for a new sitterFranchise GiveawaySeekingSitters wants to encourage families across the US to give attention to their own familys Work/Life balance and is giving away a free franchise to one lucky recipient. Discounts are also provided to qualified applicants of the 2016 Work/Life Balance Program. Find out more at seekingsitters.com/SSWLBPress ContactContact: Jennifer CaudlePhone: 918-857-0746Email: Jennifer.caudle@seekingsitters.comSeekingSitters was founded in 2004 in Tulsa, Okla., SeekingSitters is a nationally recognized babysitting service providing reliable, convenient and safe babysitting solutions for families. Founded by Adrienne Kallweit, a Licensed Private Investigator, SeekingSitters has an in-house investigation agency that provides hands on background screening of the professional sitters as well as member families. SeekingSitters was named to Entrepreneur Magazine Franchise 500 for 2011, 2012 and 2015. The company was named to Inc. Magazines list of 500 fastest growing private companies in 2010. The company was also named one of the 25 Best Women-Owned Businesses by Working Mother Magazine in 2008. SeekingSitters has been featured on Fox & Friends, CNN and CNN Headline News, CBS Early Show, in Entrepreneur Magazine and on the CNBC Show The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch. For more information, please visit SeekingSitters.com.Press ContactContact: Jennifer CaudleBusiness Address: 3144 South Winston Ave, Tulsa, OK 74135Phone: 918-749-3100Email: Jennifer.caudle@seekingsitters.com OCCUPATIONAL PREVENTIVE & AEROSPACE MEDICINE (OPAM) MIDYEAR CONFERENCE KICKS-OFF IN FT. WORTH MARCH 10-13, 2016 http://www.aocopm.com/opam www.aocopm.com/opam www.AOCOPM.org Conference Renamed by the American Osteopathic College of Occupational andPreventive Medicine to Reflect Direction and Commitment to ProfessionTULSA (March 1, 2016) The American Osteopathic College of Occupational and Preventive Medicine (AOCOPM), which provides education and certification in occupational, environmental and preventive medicine, will hold its mid-year conference from March 10-13, 2016 in Ft. Worth, Texas. This years conference is debuting a new name OPAM that supports the growing emphasis in occupational, preventive, and aerospace medicine in the osteopathic community.We are excited to host OPAM in Texas this year, as the Dallas/Ft. Worth area is home to many of our AOCOPM members, as well as the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, said Dr. Mimms Mabee, AOCOPMs President. OPAM is a unique opportunity for osteopathic physicians, physician assistants and the nursing community to receive general education, specialized education and practice updates.For more information about the conference, please visitWith occupational medicine being one of the fastest growing health professions, AOCOPM members are continuously assisting with the need to help physicians stay up to date with rapid changes in patient treatment, as well as help them maintain their qualifications and certifications. OPAM provides physicians with the ability to grow in their role of treating the whole patient, connect with other healthcare providers and take part in continuing their education. Additionally, only OPAM serves sub-specialties such as disability impairment medicine, hyperbaric medicine and correctional medicine.-- more --OPAM 2016 in Ft. WorthPage 2OPAM is expected to draw hundreds of osteopathic professional from all over the U.S. for the four-day conference. OPAM will feature more than 20 national and local speakers on topics ranging from Workplace Compensation Laws and Rules to Immigrant Medicine and more. Each day provides a different focus: Thursday, March 10: Occupational Medicine Friday, March 11: Public Health and Preventive Medicine Saturday, March 12: Aerospace Medicine Sunday, March 13: Bonus LecturesPlease visitfor more information regarding the conference as well as a full schedule of speakers and topics.While the conference officially opens on March 10, OPAM will host a full-day workshop on Wednesday, March 9: The Basic Course in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Part III. The three parts of the Basic Course do not have to be taken in order. Part III covers a variety of topics such as Substance Abuse and Testing, Noise Induced Hearing Loss and Cancer Risk in the Workplace. This course provides a solid foundation for any healthcare professional wanting to practice Occupational Medicine. Completion of the three parts also qualifies AOA-Certified physicians to test for a Certificate of Added Qualification in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.Additionally, a Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners Course (NRCME) will be held on Friday, March 11, during the OPAM conference. Completion of this NRCME course is necessary to take a qualifying examination by the FMCSA to perform DOT physical exams. All qualifying professionals, MDs, DOs, NPs, and DCs are encouraged to participate in this course.The OPAM Conference is packed full of opportunities for physicians, physician assistants and the nursing community to advance their careers, said Dr. Mabee. Weve also enhanced this years conference with several local osteopathic physicians as speakers, in addition to the nationally recognized speakers.# # #About AOCOPM:The American Osteopathic College of Occupational and Preventive Medicine was created more than 30 years ago to promote the public health and practice of preventive medicine and create better understanding of the relationship of health and prevention in regard to the wellness of the population. The organization provides ongoing education opportunities in occupational, environmental, and preventive medicine through its members and various conferences. For more information, please visitCO&P Integrated Marketing500 Bishop Street, Suite 2BAtlanta, GA 30318404-218-3077 Crowdfunding Campaign in Progress for Carrycado Smart Tracking Device And Platform Lose track of time, not your bags! https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/carrycado-the-travellers-tracking-device-and-app/x/11385403#/ A team of travelers and digital product developers have teamed up to create a solution for a problem that most travelers dread - losing track of their luggage and then wasting time on locating their belongings by developing a smart tracking device and platform called CarryCado. The CarryCado project is currently in need of funding to cover the manufacturing, testing and other expenses. Iain Mclean heading the CarryCado team has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo with a funding goal of at least 95,000 to be raised within the next 16 days.The CarryCado Product has two components including a smart tracking device and platform which will allow users to put a CarryCado tag in their luggage and then easily track their belongings wherever they go. Iain, an avid traveler himself, explains: With the introduction of CarryCado, the whole luggage game is about to change. Put a CarryCado tag in your luggage and track your belongings wherever they go. Your bag's location is now simply a button press away using the CarryCado smartphone app. With the FAA, CAA, and EASA approving the use of Bluetooth Low Power in all flight modes, you'll never not know the location of your bags and suitcases again.The team has been working on the project for past two years and is now confident that they are on course to developing a travel gadget app tracking system that will revolutionize the luggage game.Iain added: We have invested heavily ourselves into researching, developing and testing the technology and services we wish to employ, we now need your help to complete the final part in getting our product to market, and that is product delivery. We aim to raise capital in order to fulfill our final product delivery status.The ongoing Indiegogo campaign has seen steady progress since its launch, however the campaign has a long way to go to reach its goals, the team behind the project is looking towards the generosity of the online crowd. The funds raised through the current crowdfunding campaign will be allocated to various aspects necessary for the completion of the product for customer use.A variety of different rewards and perks are being offered to reward the generosity of those who support the campaign and the project through their monetary contributions. Iain and his team are ready to take on any challenges to see the project successfully through to completion.For more information and to contribute, please visit:Iain Mclean has over 150 apps submitted to the apps stores and over 100 Million downloads to his name, Iain is a serious developer with an eye for new technology and the Internet of things!CarryCadoUnit 4, Vision Building,Greenmarket, DundeeScotland DD1 4QBIain McLean, iain@carrycado.com Patrick Faucette Steps in a Pivotal Role in the Tupac Shakur Biopic All Eyez on Me Patrick Faucette Morgan Creek Productions has wrapped the much-anticipated Tupac Shakur biopic All Eyez On Me featuring Patrick Faucette whose role was opposite the lead Demetrius Shipp Jr. (Tupac).I am very excited to be a part of the Tupac story, said Faucette who was tapped by Director Benny Boom for the role of Oliver. I played the moderator at the 1993 Indiana Black Expo where Tupac gave a game-changing speech about thug life which is still circulating on the internet. The film, expected to be released later this year, chronicled the legendary rappers prolific life from his formative years to his tragic death.Faucette, a native of Willingboro, New Jersey, has a recurring role on Tyler Perrys The Haves and Have Nots as Tony Watson, who lobbied to take his estranged son Benny Young (Tyler Lepley) off life support to take his kidney. As a result, Faucette became a community advocate about the need for organ donors and kidney disease awareness. His TV credits include "The Office," "Southland," "Hot in Cleveland," and "Cougar Town."Faucette is repped by Littman Talent Group, Eileen O'Farrell Personal Management, Clear Talent Group, and Platinum Star Public Relations.All Eyez on Me is produced by James G Robinson, David Robinson and LT Hutton. Executive produced by Afeni Shakur and Michael I. Rachmil. Open Road is the domestic distributor. The screenplay was penned by Jeremy Haft and Ed Gonzalez.Platinum Star Public Relations is an award-winning, global marketing and communications firm. Services include strategic planning, research, creative development, media planning and buying, community organizing, casting/talent relations, red carpet logistics/VIP publicity, grassroots outreach, event production and management, and media relations.Platinum Star, a certified MWBE, was established to assist underserved businesses and women business owners to achieve their goals through positive and consistent exposure.Platinum Star Public Relations343 Pioneer Drive, 1705EGlendale, CA 91203 Prsy app and its patented technology (OS) is now available on Google Play, Windows Store, and Amazon Store https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apsolutlty.apppersonal https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apsolutlty.apppersonal NMInformatics, a forward-thinking mobile app developer, announced that its groundbreaking social app, Prsy, is now available in multiple major app stores. Making its debut earlier this year on Google Play, the mobile app for social interaction can now also be found on Amazon and on Windows Store. The most recent update (version 2.0) is also able to publish user apps in the most secure OS (BlackBerry PRIV and BlackBerry 10) for both Windows platforms and Blackberry PRIV.Photo - photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160302/339896"With Prsy, you are able to create your own personalized social app within minutes," said Cyndy Agustin, spokesperson for NMINformatics. "Why rely on the inflexibility of third party social apps to interact with your contacts? With Prsy, you can share links, and post pictures and video directly via your own app." Reaching out to connect with others is simple, with the new app platform giving users incredible social flexibility.Prsy represents the next generation of social media. Existing social apps require users to go through a rigid, third-party platform with minimal opportunity for customization. "You don't need to be a programmer to take full advantage of the flexibility of Prsy," said Miss Agustin. "The early traction of Prsy and the demand we've seen for this type of flexible social app has been overwhelming, and as a result, we are making it even easier to access to the app with its availability for download in multiple stores, including Google Play, Amazon, and the Windows Store."Prsy lets users create their own social platform to interact with others. Once an app is created, users personalize it under their own name, and auto-publish it to app stores for friends and family to download. The steps are simple and registration is free, any users can see their name in the app store, delivering both public and private areas to share content, updates and your innermost thoughts.A major advantage is that upon registration and publication of your name, the name becomes only available to the user (no other can register using same name), making the username 'a brand' in the app stores in over 80% of world smartphones.Features:With a simple request, your own app and icon are delivered to your mobile phone, right next to your Instagram and Twitter. An email notification will let you know that you're in the app store!With app launch, you will be able to connect with other users, share video, documents, access the cloud, play and share music, and morePrsy features offer a unique way of sharing contents by creating multiple private and public "Corners" to share and post with friends and family. Ensuring you are in full control when it comes to privacy and security.Want to share more? Post your Corner's contents directly to other social media like FB, Twitter, Whatsapp plus Prsy. (of course!)Pricing and Availability:Version 2.0 is free. To download the app or learn more about Prsy, go to:Google Play:BlackBerry PRIV:Amazon Store:amazon.com/NMInformatics-Prsy/dp/B00UM7QNGQWindows Store:microsoft.com/en-us/store/apps/prsy/9nblggh5x3kgor you can download directly via the web through Prsy WebsitePrsy VideoDevice Requirements for Android:Requires: Android 4.0 and up.Size: 13 MLanguage: EnglishAbout NMInformaticsNMInformatics develop all types of mobile applications and in all operating systems which includes iOS, Android, Windows and Hybrid applications. We build your app by simply filling the form by a lay person with no technical ability at all. We pride ourselves in adopting a forward thinking approach ingrained within our core philosophy. Our respectful and professional approach to both our clients and staff is what drives us toward achieving excellence within our industry. Our Company uses a progressive technological patented OS to produce original, professional and user friendly applications. We realize the importance of the above in this fast paced and technologically driven world and aim to be leaders and not followers. All Rights Reserved. All Material and Software Copyright 2015, NMInformaticsName of the company: NMInformaticsMedia Contact: Cyndy Agustin,Dot Com Infoway for NMInformatics,Phone: +1 (347)-305-2121,Email: hello@prsyapp.comWebsite: prsyapp.com/ Point of Care (PoC) Lipid Test Industry to 2022 Market Outlook, Industry Trends: Grand View Research, Inc. http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/remote-patient-monitoring-devices-market http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/point-of-care-poc-lipid-test-market/request http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry/biotechnology Global Point of care (PoC) Lipid Test market is expected to reach USD 280.02 million by 2022 according to a new report by Grand View Research Inc. Growing geriatric population base, increasing global prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, and rising healthcare awareness due to patient education are the driving forces for the PoC Lipid Test industry growth during the forecast period.Furthermore, continuous efforts by the government to reduce hospital stays and curb healthcare expenditure, establishments attempting to provide effective and rapid diagnostic results, and improvement in technology with the provision of cheap and high-quality medical solutions aimed at achieving lab automation are some factors contributing to the growth of the PoC Lipid Test market.Browse full research report on Global Point of Care (PoC) Lipid Test Market:Further key findings from the study suggest: Alere Cholestech LDx market was estimated at over 6,400 units in 2014 and is expected to reach over 11,000 units by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 7.8% over the forecast period. The analyzer is included in the CLIA waived test list and is certified by the Cholesterol Reference Method Laboratory Method Network (CRMLN) program and Lipid Standardization Program (LSP) Global launch of Roche Cobas b 101 at the end of 2013 excluding the U.S. region and the introduction of Samsung LABGEO PT10 in the Indian market are expected to drive the point of care Lipid Test market at a lucrative rate over the next six years Consumables Piccolo Express by Abaxis market was valued over 1,000 thousand units in 2014 owing to the presence of CLIA-waived capillary or venous lipid and liver panel used for monitoring statin medications results. Abaxis is the only company, which provides a venous or capillary or CLIA waived Lipid and Liver panel. Hyperlipidemia is the largest application area for PoC Lipid Test industry with revenue of over USD 55 million in 2014. Whereas, hypertriglyceridemia is the fastest growing application area with the expected growth rate of 5.6% during the forecast period due to increasing incidences of hypertriglyceridemia and the introduction of technologically advanced products such as CardioChek PA by PTS Diagnostics. Europe constituted the largest share of over 35% in 2014 of the total market. Presence of favorable regulations and initiatives pertaining to the development of healthcare infrastructure, and also high disease prevalence levels in the region are the major factors responsible for its growth Asia Pacific accounted for over 19% share in 2014 of the total market. However, the market share of this region is estimated to increase at a CAGR of 5.8% by 2022 due to increasing demand for rapid diagnostic testing in developing countries such as India and China. Some key players of this market include Abaxis Inc., Roche Diagnostics, Alere Inc., Polymer Technology Systems (PTS Diagnostics), and Samsung Electronics Corporation. Alere with its product portfolio including Alere Cholestech LDx and Alere Afinion AS100 Analyzer was the leader in the POC lipid testing market with a share of over 22% in 2014.Read detailed report or request for free sample of this research report:Grand View Research has segmented the global PoC Lipid Test market on the basis of instrument, consumables, application, and region:Global PoC Lipid Test Instrument Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, Volume, Units 2015 2022) Roche Reflotron Roche Cobas b 101 Abaxis Piccolo Alere Cholestech LDX Alere Afinion Samsung LABGEO PTS CardiochekGlobal PoC Lipid Test Consumables Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, Volume, Units 2015 2022) Roche Reflotron Roche Cobas b 101 Abaxis Piccolo Alere Cholestech LDX Alere Afinion PTS Cardiochek Samsung LABGEOGlobal PoC Lipid Test Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 2022) Hyperlipidemia Hypertriglyceridemia Familial Hypercholesterolemia Hyperlipoproteinemia Tangier disease OthersPoC Lipid Test Market Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, Volume, Units 2015 2022) North Americao U.S.o Canada Europeo UKo Germany Asia Pacifico Japano Chinao Australia Latin Americao Brazil Middle East and Africa (MEA)o South AfricaBrowse more reports of this category by Grand View Research:Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.Sherry JamesCorporate Sales Specialist, USAGrand View Research, IncPhone: 1-415-349-0058Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519email: sales@grandviewresearch.comWeb: grandviewresearch.comRead Our Blogs mediafound.org, legalworkshop.org Deep Brain Stimulators Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth To 2020 by Grand View Research, Inc. http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/deep-brain-stimulators-dbs-market http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/deep-brain-stimulators-dbs-market/request http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry/medical-devices Global deep brain stimulators market is expected to reach USD 1,592.9 million by 2020, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. Increasing prevalence of Parkinsons disease coupled with rising demand for cost effective & minimally invasive surgical procedures are the factors attributing towards the growth of deep brain stimulators market. According to statistics published by Parkinson Disease Foundation, approximately 10 million people were suffering from this disease in 2010 and the number was anticipated to grow manifolds over the forecast period thereby contributing to the overall industry growth.The significant increase in the adoption of DBS by neurologist for the treatment of Parkinsons disease, essential tremors, obsessive compulsive disorder and Dystonia is expected to drive the market growth in coming years. Pending commercialization approval from the U.S. FDA for use of DBS in treatment of refractory epilepsy is also expected to boost the market growth in near future. Furthermore, introduction of technologically advanced selective current steering and fractionation of electric current is further expected to enhance the usage of deep brain stimulators in the near future.Browse full research report on Global Deep Brain Stimulators Market:Further key findings from the study suggest: DBS found wide application in Parkinsons disease treatment and is expected to grow at CAGR of above 18.0% due to associated benefits such as fewer side effects, improvised motor symptoms for longer time period and tracking of momentary fluctuations. In addition, shifting of preference from conventional oral medications to DBS, due to drug resistant nature of Parkinsons disease is further expected to increase adoption of DBS over the forecast period. Obsessive compulsive disorder followed Parkinsons disease in terms of revenue share due to failure of conventional serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRi) treatment and offered benefits such as adjustable & reversible stimulations, and nondestructive nature of treatment. North America held the dominant share, accounting for over 50.0% in 2013. Presence of sophisticated healthcare infrastructure, increasing awareness levels of patients and healthcare personnel and supportive reimbursement policies are some of the key reasons driving growth of deep brain stimulators regional industry. Asia Pacific region is expected to be fastest growing market for DBS and grow at CAGR of over 18.0% during the forecast period. Constantly improving healthcare facility, presence of high unmet needs and rising expenditure levels are accounted for its significant growth. Key players of deep brain stimulators industry include Aleva Neurotherapeutics SA, Boston Scientific Corporation, St. Jude Medical, and Medtronic Plc. Increasing clinical applications of DBS systems and extensive R&D pertaining to development of advanced technology are the factors propelling industrial growth. Players are adopting competitive strategy such as new product development for sustaining the competition.Read detailed report or request for free sample of this research report:Grand View Research has segmented the global deep brain stimulators market on the basis of application and region:Global Deep Brain Stimulators Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 2020) Pain Management Epilepsy Essential Tremor Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Depression Dystonia Parkinsons Disease OthersDeep Brain Stimulators Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2012 2020) North Americao U.S. Europeo Germanyo UK Asia Pacifico Japan RoWo BrazilBrowse more reports of this category by Grand View Research:Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.Sherry JamesCorporate Sales Specialist, USAGrand View Research, IncPhone: 1-415-349-0058Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519email: sales@grandviewresearch.comWeb: grandviewresearch.comRead Our Blogs terrapass.org, apavirginia.org Latest Study - Prescription/Rx Sunglass Market Share, Growth Prospects To 2022: Grand View Research, Inc. http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/prescription-rx-sunglass-market http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/prescription-rx-sunglass-market/request http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry/specialty-glass-ceramic-and-fiber The global prescription/Rx sunglass market is expected to reach USD 3.76 billion by 2022, according to a new report by Grand View Research. Increasing penetration of superior optics with ultra light weight and high strength properties is expected to drive the prescription sunglass market over the forecast period. Considerable increase in the number of internet users has drastically boosted online purchasing of these products, which is projected to positively impact demand.Emerging new product streams along with changing consumer demographics are expected to drive gains. In addition, growing coverage for vision care with recent healthcare initiatives has expanded pool of insured eye care. Technological advancements are largely expected to impact the prescription sunglass market in both lens material and lens design adoption.Growing global population and vision deficiency has opened up several new opportunities for Rx sunglass market manufacturers and retailers. Growing popularity of internet based sales transactions due to widespread adoption of e-commerce industry is expected to increase the revenue inflow from the cyberspace over the forecast period.Browse full research report on Global Prescription/Rx Sunglass Market:Further key findings from the report suggest: Global prescription sunglass market was estimated at 29.3 million units in 2014, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.8% from 2015 to 2022. CR-39 materials segment accounted for over 35% of the overall industry in 2014. This low-cost material is mainly manufactured in countries such as China, Japan, and India. Light weight, high durability and reliability properties has aided the demand over the past few years. Glass is becoming an obsolete material used in the eyewear industry, with demand expected to decline over the forecast period. Polycarbonate accounted for over 25% of the overall share in 2014 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.4% in terms of revenue from 2015 to 2022. These materials are more impact resistant than CR-39. Growing demand on account of extensive adoption in emerging countries is expected to favorably impact the demand over the next seven years. Trivex prescription sunglass market is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period. Increasing digitization in production and development is anticipated to positively impact shipments. The industry is characterized by advancements in the field of optics, metallurgy, plastics, and other areas. Asia Pacific prescription sunglass industry accounted for over 20% of the global revenue in 2014, and is expected to witness substantial growth. Europe is expected to continue leading revenue generation owing to the presence of high-end manufacturing brands in the region. Notable players operating in the prescription sunglass market include Fielmann, Luxottica, Safilo, Essilor, and CooperVision. Existing retailers in the industry have the potential to integrate backward into the manufacturing sector, thus attempting to establish their presence across the value chain. There are a number of avenues and distribution channels for the purchase of prescribed glasses with high quality, where cost remains the deciding factor. Vendors are placing emphasis on competent distribution channels which will be critical for competitive advantage.Read detailed report or request for sample of this research report:Grand View Research has segmented the prescription/Rx sunglass market on the basis of lens material and region:Prescription Sunglass Lens Material Outlook (Volume, Million Units and Revenue, USD Million; 2012 - 2022) CR-39 Polycarbonate Polyurethane Glass OthersPrescription Sunglass Regional Outlook (Volume, Million Units and Revenue, USD Million; 2012 - 2022) North Americao U.S.o Canada Europeo Germanyo UK Asia Pacifico Chinao Indiao Japan Latin Americao Brazilo Mexico MEABrowse more reports of this category by Grand View Research:Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.Sherry JamesCorporate Sales Specialist, USAGrand View Research, IncWeb: grandviewresearch.comRead our blogs - dniamericas.org, mediafound.org, apavirginia.org CIS Insulin Market To 2020 Industry Analysis, Trends: Grand View Research, Inc. http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/cis-insulin-market http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/cis-insulin-market/request http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry/pharmaceuticals The CIS Insulin Market is expected to reach USD 3,008.5 million by 2020 growing at a CAGR of 15.0%, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. The presence of an extensive pipeline portfolio of products exhibiting higher efficacies and their subsequent commercialization over the next six years is expected to serve this market as a high impact rendering driver.The introduction of government initiatives aimed at improving the affordability of insulin via price reduction, such as the collaboration between the government of Ukraine and Indar to reduce the price of insulin by 20% in 2013 is expected to have positive influence on demand. Some of the other drivers of this market include increasing attempts made by manufacturers to capitalize on the untapped opportunities by opening new manufacturing units to improve the supply of insulin and growing incidence rates of type II diabetes are some of the factors expected to fuel future market growth.Browse full research report on Global CIS Insulin Market:Further key findings from the study suggest: Regionally, Russia occupied the largest share of the market, accounting for 69.2% of the revenue. Its large share is majorly attributed by the subsidies that Russian government provides to make insulin more affordable for patients. Ukraine is expected to register the fastest CAGR of 15.6% during the forecast period due to the presence of high untapped opportunities and encouraging government initiatives. In addition, Poland is expected to grow at a lucrative rate during the forecast period majorly owing to the presence of high diabetes prevalence coupled with increasing healthcare expenditures. Long acting insulin accounted for the largest share of the market, at over 39.0% in 2013, owing to the higher preference given to long acting insulin therapy for diabetes which results in lesser episodes of low blood sugar. It is also expected that this product segment will grow at the fastest CAGR of over 18.0% during the next six years. Application of insulin for control of type II diabetes occupied for over 90.0% of the market owing to the presence of larger portfolio of products catering to this segment and a relatively larger prevalence base Analogs accounted for over 80.0% of the revenue owing to their relatively higher prices and better efficacy levels. In addition, this segment is expected to exhibit the fastest CAGR during the forecast period on account of the introduction of technologically advanced products such as ultra-long and ultra-fast acting analogs.Read detailed report or request for sample of this research report:For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the CIS Insulin market on the basis of product, application, source and region: CIS Insulin Product Outlook Rapid Acting Long Acting Premixed Premixed Analog Short Acting Intermediate Acting CIS Insulin Application Outlook Type II Diabetes Type I Diabetes CIS Insulin Source Outlook Human Recombinant Analogs CIS Insulin Regional Outlook Russia Poland Turkey Ukraine Uzbekistan Belarus Kazakhstan Rest of CISBrowse more reports of this category by Grand View Research:Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.Sherry JamesCorporate Sales Specialist, USAGrand View Research, IncWeb: grandviewresearch.comRead our blogs - dniamericas.org, terrapass.org, ni2014.org Global Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Market Size, Analysis, Share, Growth and Forecasts 2015 - Acute Market Reports http://www.acutemarketreports.com/request-free-sample/13170 http://www.mobilecomputingtoday.co.uk/ http://www.acutemarketreports.com/ Product Synopsis2015 Global Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Industry Report is a professional and in-depth research report on the world's major regional market conditions of the Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board industry, focusing on the main regions (North America, Europe and Asia) and the main countries (United States, Germany, Japan and China).The report firstly introduced the Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board basics: definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain overview; industry policies and plans; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures and so on. Then it analyzed the world's main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, capacity utilization, supply, demand and industry growth rate etc. In the end, the report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.Browse Full Report with Toc : acutemarketreports.com/report/temperature-sensor-mounted-on-board-marketThe report includes six parts, dealing with: 1.) basic information; 2.) the Asia Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board industry; 3.) the North American Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board industry; 4.) the European Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board industry; 5.) market entry and investment feasibility; and 6.) the report conclusion.Part I Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Industry OverviewChapter One Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Industry Overview1.1 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Definition1.2 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Classification Analysis1.2.1 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Main Classification Analysis1.2.2 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Main Classification Share Analysis1.3 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Application Analysis1.3.1 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Main Application Analysis1.3.2 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Main Application Share Analysis1.4 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Industry Chain Structure Analysis1.5 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Industry Development Overview1.5.1 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Product History Development Overview1.5.1 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Product Market Development Overview1.6 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.1 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Global Import Market Analysis1.6.2 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Global Export Market Analysis1.6.3 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Global Main Region Market Analysis1.6.4 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.5 Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Global Market Development Trend AnalysisBrowse here for all category Reports : acutemarketreports.com/category/lasers-and-optics-machinery-marketChapter Two Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Up and Down Stream Industry Analysis2.1 Upstream Raw Materials Analysis2.1.1 Upstream Raw Materials Price Analysis2.1.2 Upstream Raw Materials Market Analysis2.1.3 Upstream Raw Materials Market Trend2.2 Down Stream Market Analysis2.1.1 Down Stream Market Analysis2.2.2 Down Stream Demand Analysis2.2.3 Down Stream Market Trend AnalysisRequest Free Sample :Part II Asia Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Industry (The Report Company Including the Below Listed But Not All)Chapter Three Asia Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Market Analysis3.1 Asia Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Product Development History3.2 Asia Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Process Development History3.3 Asia Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Industry Policy and Plan Analysis3.4 Asia Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Competitive Landscape Analysis3.5 Asia Temperature Sensor Mounted on Board Market Development TrendFor Latest Technology News -About Us:Acute Market Reports is the most sufficient collection of market intelligence services online. It is your only source that can fulfill all your market research requirements. We provide online reports from over 100 best publishers and upgrade our collection regularly to offer you direct online access to the worlds most comprehensive and recent database with expert perceptions on worldwide industries, products, establishments and trends. Our database consists of 200,000+ market research reports with detailed & minute market research.CONTACT US:Chris PaulOffice No 101, 1st Floor ,Aditi Mall, Baner,Pune, MH, 411045IndiaToll Free (US/CANADA): +1-855-455-8662India: +91 7755981103Email: sales@acutemarketreports.comWebsite:About Us:Acute Market Reports is the most sufficient collection of market intelligence services online. It is your only source that can fulfill all your market research requirements. We provide online reports from over 100 best publishers and upgrade our collection regularly to offer you direct online access to the worlds most comprehensive and recent database with expert perceptions on worldwide industries, products, establishments and trends. Our database consists of 200,000+ market research reports with detailed & minute market research.Office No 101, 1st Floor , Aditi Mall, Baner, Pune, MH, 411045 India Paper security stickers for rfid identification (gyrfidstore) Smart label RFID Label and NFC Stickers is designed for various applications especially the asset tracking and NFC payment.The strength of RFID label compared with other tags is the thinner thickness, various size, flexible and cost efficient. It can be sealed inside of goods or stick on the device surface with adhesive layer. The label is also optional with anti-metal layer to mount and working on metal surface. GYRFID has the ability to produce the paper label and PVC label in mass production.Features:Model number: LAPMaterial: Aluminum Antenna with Paper or PVC StockSize options: 8654, 80x50, 5517, 5050, 45x45, 4025, 38x25, 3535, 25x25, 3015, 18x18, 12x20mm, dia45/ 40/ 35/ 30/ 27/ 25/ 18mmThickness: Antenna position 0.35mm IC position 0.55mmNote: Optional with Anti-metal or 3M adhesive or magnet on fidgetsPersonalization Support: Offset Printing with CMYK or Pantone colors Silk-screen printing logo Thermal transfer printing Serial Number or UID Barcode printing and QR code printing, Photo printing Hologram UV printing Chip encodingApplication: NFC payments Promotions and advertisements Logistic management Parcel tracking Library Management Inventory ControlIC options: 13.56Mhz ISO14443A: NXP MIFARE Classic 1K, MIFARE Classic 4K, MIFARE Ultralight, MIFARE Ultralight EV1, MIFARE Desfire 2K, MIFARE Desfire 4K, MIFARE Desfire 8K, MIFARE Plus, Fudan FM11RF08; NTAG203, NTAG213, NTAG215, NTAG216; LEGIC MIM256, LEGIC ATC1024, LEGIC ATC2048 13.56Mhz ISO15693: ICODE SLI; ICODE SLI-X; Tag-it 256, Tag-it 2048 840-960Mhz UHF: Alien Higgs, Monza 3, Monza 4D, Monza 4QT; NXP UCODE G2iLAbout GYRFID STOREGYRFID Store is a brand of Go Young International Ltd, which is an online purchase platform of the RFID products.GYRFID Store sells a wide range of Cards and RFID tags embedded with 125KHz, 13.56Mhz, 868Mhz-915Mhz, as well as the personalization to apply in access control and industrial management. We also provide the accessories like lanyard, card holders, badge, ibuttons for office daily usage. We also welcome the personalization like serial number printing, offset printing, encoding service etc.GYRFID Store is located in Shanghai, China mainland. We have customers all around the globe and can ship products all worldwide.GYRFID Store will help you to make the best choices for your RFID system requirements. Shop in GYRFID Store will make your purchase much reliable and flexible.ADDRm1516, Qiangjin Building, QiXin Rd No.1318 ,Shanghai, 201100, China Global Healthcare Analytics Market to 2022 Analysis,Segment,Trends and Forecasts:Brisk Insights BRISK INSIGHTS http://www.briskinsights.com/sample-request/84 http://www.pdfdevices.com/global-organic-personal-care-market-is-expected-to-reach-15-92-billion-by-2022-brisk-insights http://www.briskinsights.com Healthcare Analytics Market by Application, By End User, By Component, Industry Size, Growth, Share and Forecast To 2022Briskinsights.com has announced the addition of " Healthcare Analytics Market By Application (Clinical Analytics, Financial Analytics, Operational & Administration & Risk Management), By End User (Payer, Provider), By Component (Hardware, Software & Services), Industry Size, Growth, Share and Forecast To 2022 " Market Research Report to their Database.According to a recently published report, the Global Healthcare Analytics Market is expected to grow at the CAGR of XX% during 2015-2022 and it estimated to be $XX billion by 2022. The Global Healthcare Analytics Market is segmented on the basis of application, type, component, end user and geography. The report on Global Healthcare Analytics Market Forecast 2015-2022 provides detailed overview and predictive analysis of the market.Read Full Report with TOC @ briskinsights.com/report/healthcare-analytics-marketThe Global Healthcare Analytics Market is expected to grow exponentially due to significant reduction in healthcare cost and technological advancement. Global reduction in healthcare costs and rise in quality care are creating huge scope for the market. Additionally, the rising initiatives for the adoption of EHRs and availability of big data in healthcare are key factors for the growth of Global Healthcare Analytics Market.Global Healthcare Analytics Market is expected to contribute highest in North America followed by Europe. Rise in adoption of Global Healthcare Analytics Market by application such as clinical analytics, financial analytics, operational & administrative analytics and so on are major drivers for the Global Healthcare Analytics Market. Optum, Inc., Truven Health Analytics Inc., Cerner Corporation, IBM Corporation, SAS Institute, Inc., McKesson Corporation, Verisk Analytics, Inc. , Oracle Corporation, Allscripts Health Solutions, Mede Analytics, Inovalon,Inc, Inc. and Health Catalyst are the key market players. Mergers and acquisition, partnerships are the key winning strategy of the market.View All Reports of This Category @ briskinsights.com/category/healthcare-marketScope of the report1. Global healthcare analytics market by application 2012- 2022 ($ billion)1.1. Global clinical analytics market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.1.1. Global population health management market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.1.2. Global quality improvement and clinical benchmarking market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.1.3. Global comparative analytics/ comparative effectiveness market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.1.4. Global Clinical Decision Support market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.1.5. Global Precision Health market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.1.6. Global Reporting and Compliance market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.2. Global Financial Analytics market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.2.1. Global Revenue Cycle Management market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.2.2. Global Claims Processing market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.2.3. Global Payment Integrity and Fraud, Waste and Abuse market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.2.4. Global Risk Adjustment and Risk Assessment market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.3. Global Operational and Administrative Analytics market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.3.1. Global supply chain analytics market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.3.2. Global workforce analytics market 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.3.3. Global strategic analytics market 2012-2022 ($ billion)Download a Sample Request Here @2. Global healthcare analytics market by component 2012-2022 ($ billion)2.1. Global hardware market 2012-2022 ($ billion)2.2. Global software market 2012-2022 ($ billion)2.3. Global services market 2012-2022 ($ billion)3. Global healthcare analytics market, by end user 2012-2022 ($ billion)3.1. Global payers market 2012-2022 ($ billion)3.2. Global providers market 2012-2022 ($ billion)3.3. Global ACOs, HIEs, MCOs and TPAs Market 2012-2022 ($ billion)4. Global healthcare analytics market regional outlook 2012-2022 ( $ billion)4.1. North America4.2. Europe4.3. Asia Pacific4.4. Middle East & Africa4.5. Central & South America5. Competitive Landscape5.1. ALLSCRIPTS HEALTH SOLUTION5.2. CERNER CORPORTATION5.3. HEALTH CATALYST5.4. IBM CORPORATION5.5. INOVALON INC.5.6. MCKESSON CORPORATION5.7. MEDEANALYTICS5.8. OPTUM INC.5.9. ORACLE CORPORATION5.10. SAS INSTITUTE INC.5.11. TRUVEN HEALTH ANALYTICS INC.5.12. VERISK ANALYTICS INC.5.13. MEDAIS HEALTHRead Latest Report with TOC @Brisk Insights is a global market research firm. Our insightful analysis is focused on developed and emerging markets. We identify trends and forecast markets with a view to aid businesses identify market opportunities optimize strategies. Our team of 200 analysts provides enterprises with strategic insights. Brisk Insights works to help enterprises grow through strategic insights and actionable solutions.Contact Person: Jennifer SmithPhone: +448081890034Address: Office 1094 109 Vernon House Friar Lane Nottingham NG1 6DQ UKWeb: Indias first Algorithm based Scoring Platform for handling complex data challenges launched by iPredictt Data Labs http://ipredictt.com/ http://ipredictt.com/ New Delhi: March 09, 2016: iPredictt Data Labs, an innovative big data analytics provider of machine learning software to solve the complex data challenges, announces the launch of industrys first ever Algorithm based scoring platform in India. This emerging start up is focusing on newer technologies and striving to gain foothold in the Indian data analytics market which is likely to cross US$2 billion mark by fiscal 2018. The company is betting big and hopes to attain 200% growth in the next fiscal year.Faster growth since inception and client acquisition for its solutions/products, iPredictt shows enormous promise in the Indian data analytics market with aiming to gain 25% stake in the next five years. Incepted in 2015, iPredictts launch of its flagship product UBIE is developed to help people across industries like ecommerce, HR, BFSI, Healthcare among others to identify the behavioural patterns of customers or whom it is directed at, thus speeding up decision making at the service providers end.While iPredictt labs is one of its own kind, it differentiates itself by offering premium data science solutions that are customised for businesses trying to mine their data for getting better Return on Technology Investment. It has offered services to various departments of the government, Information Technology, Media and Communication, Telecom and Financial Services, Retail and Ecommerce. As Indias industrial recovery is boosting each year, it expected that countrys GDP would stand at 7.8 percent in 2016-17.Calling this good news to the Indian industrial sector, Rohit Verma said: Deploying disruptive technologies such as Big data analytics, open data, data insights and visualisation which will help in opening up enormous business opportunities. Analytics, specifically, holds the key for commercial growth with companies in BFSI, ecommerce, automotive, HR and other service sectors, he added.UBIE(Universal Behaviour Identification Exchange), a first-of-its-kind scoring platform allows one to know more about users financial position, social stand on issues or professional history. For instance it analyses e-commerce data, providing information to seller about buyers feasibility, their past transaction history, incidents on defaulting and other location-based factors. For the HR industry, the platform helps track soft and hard skills of the candidates, their job history, strengths and attitude, thus making it easy for employers to take quick decisions during the recruitment process.About iPredictt Data Labs: Headquartered in Mumbai, iPredictt Data Labs is a big data analytics provider of machine learning software to B2C, B2B companies to solve their complex data challenges. It is a full Stack data analytics service provider that has built product accelerators which encompass end to end data analytics requirements to support all verticals and functions within a digital and offline company, such as Retail and E-commerce analytics, Telecom, Health, Consumer goods, HR, Travel, and Mobile apps. For further details, visit:For editorial queries:Uddipta N. Borahuddipta@prhub.com / 8447487673About iPredictt Data Labs: Headquartered in Mumbai, iPredictt Data Labs is a big data analytics provider of machine learning software to B2C, B2B companies to solve their complex data challenges. It is a full Stack data analytics service provider that has built product accelerators which encompass end to end data analytics requirements to support all verticals and functions within a digital and offline company, such as Retail and E-commerce analytics, Telecom, Health, Consumer goods, HR, Travel, and Mobile apps. For further details, visit:For editorial queries:Uddipta N. BorahPRHUB Integrated Marketing Communication Pvt. Ltd.#401, 4th Floor, Nirmal Tower, 26, Barakhamba RoadDelhi-110001uddipta@prhub.com / 8447487673 EN 16732 Outlines New Specs for Slide Fasteners New CEN standards on slide fasteners improve on existing national and international rules. http://www.sgs.com/en/consumer-goods-retail/softlines-and-accessories/textile-and-clothing/testing/physical-and-mechanical-tests http://www.sgs.com/softlines http://www.linkedin.com/company/sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail European Standards bodies published a new specification for slide fasteners (zips): EN 16732. Based on BS 3084, the standard gives greater quality assurance to all users, domestic and commercial.European Committee for Standardization Releases Zip SpecificationsIn December 2015, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) finalized the specifications for slide fasteners (zips): EN 16732. The national standards bodies for the countries within the European Union now have the opportunity to publish their own national language versions of this valuable document. Previously no Europe-wide specification existed, and individual states published their own. However, under a mandate from the CEN, BSI was given the task of producing the specifications, taking into account existing specifications and test methods and producing this comprehensive document which has been accepted by all of the stakeholders.CEN Standards Take Existing Standards into ConsiderationThis document has taken into account the following national and international standards, among others:1. BS 3084:2006, Slide fasteners (zips) Specification2. NF G 91-005:1984, Slide fasteners Methods of testing Mechanical characteristics3. ASTM D2061-07, Standard test methods for strength test for zippers4. EN ISO 7500-1, Metallic materials - Verification of static uniaxial testing machines - Part 1: Tension/compression testing machines - Verification and calibration of the force-measuring system (ISO 7500-1)5. ISO 2859-1, Sampling procedures for inspection by attributes Part 1: Sampling schemes indexed by acceptance quality limit (AQL) for lot-by-lot inspectionImprovements to Existing Zip StandardsThose readers familiar with BS 3084:2006 will recognize many of the specifications but will also see where improvements and additions have been made. The standard includes tables of requirements according to the Performance Code as in BS 3084:2006 but with the addition of a torque test for the puller.- Slide fastener length measurement- Strength of puller attachment- Strength of closed-end- Strength of top stop- Strength of open-end slide fastener- Resistance to reciprocation- Lateral strength of slide fastener- Lateral strength of open-end attachment- Strength of slider locking device- Open-end slide fastener single stringer slider retention- Torque strengthThis new version recognizes that the resistance of the puller towards torque and the single stringer slider retention force are not dependent on the end use of the zip, and therefore these do not have performance codes and have the same expectation regardless of end use.Similarly, this new version recognizes that color fastness and dimensional stability are important whether the zips are sold for commercial use or singly to individual consumers. Consequently, in this version all zips are expected to perform equally in this regard whether sold to industry or to the public.Meeting or failing to meet the performance codes and general requirements in these specifications depends on adherence to a sound statistical sampling based on ISO 2859-1 with acceptance/rejection levels based on lot size and AQL.About SGS Services for the Consumer Goods and Retail IndustrySGS Global Softlines has an extensive network of over 40 laboratories worldwide, with a strong team of committed professionals from multi-disciplinary backgrounds. Its internationally accredited state-of-the-art testing laboratories offer a comprehensive range of physical and mechanical testing () services for components, materials and finished products. SGS helps companies ensure quality, performance and compliance with international, industrial and regulatory standards worldwide.For more information, please do not hesitate to contact an SGS expert.SGS is the worlds leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 85,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,800 offices and laboratories around the world.SGS Consumer Goods and RetailKris WanSenior ManagerGlobal Softlines Development OfficeSGS Hong Kongt: +852 27747492Email: global.sl@sgs.comWebsite:LinkedIn: Adam Elements launches new iKlips DUO Campaign on Indiegogo https://goo.gl/sbwRFI www.adamelements.com Taipei, Taiwan, 9 March 2016 Adam Elements, a leading smart lifestyle solutions brand, is excited to announce the launch of its iKlips DUO campaign on Indiegogo. The iKlips DUO is the latest version of the iKlips, which was successfully launched on Indiegogo in the previous year. Following in its footsteps, the new iKlips DUO revolutionises the way in which you manage your device and content on the go. The DUO is not only faster and more robust, but also comes with the intuitive iKlips 2.0 app that allows you to organise your files, share them across all your devices and use them on the go as you like it. With the new iKlips DUO, its iOS your way.iKlips DUO the best made betterIf you became attached to iKlips the first time round, you will love what we have in store with the new iKlips DUO. It is a design that has been perfected to be more practical, with a redesigned body to fit even more iPhone and iPad cases and a silicone body sleeve for added protection. Losing connector caps is now a thing of the past. Available in four vivid colours and four storage capacities, iKlips DUO provides you with the necessary extra storage to keep your photos, music and games organised on the go. Like the first iKlips, the new iKlips DUO is also produced with top-quality and super high-speed MLC flash memory for iPhone, iPad, and iPad Pro the fastest flash memory type for iOS devices. In addition to enabling greater speeds, it also provides greater stability and a longer lifespan. And with its gorgeous high-grade aluminium body, you will want to use it as often as possible. It is gorgeous to hold and use.iKlips 2.0 the DUOs other halfiKlips 2.0 is the other half of what makes iKlips DUO even better. It is an intuitive app that makes using your iKlips DUO an even easier experience, featuring 3D Touch support, multi-select, Split View, password protection, Drop To, and even integration with Apples Music app to access your iTunes purchases. Now all your music, photos, videos, work projects, Adobe files, and all your other creations can be securely shared between devices iPhone, iPad, iPad Pro, Mac, and PC. Having the ability to organise, store more and share on the go with friends, family, and colleagues gives you the power to do more. iKlips 2.0 is the way you want to manage your device easily.iKlips DUO on IndiegogoLast year, iKlips was launched in Indiegogo and reached 425% of its initial funding goal by April 2015. This year, Adam Elements plans to repeat this success with the launch of its iKlips DUO campaign. In the hope to reach more people, a successful Indiegogo campaign will help to bring iKlips DUO to the market quicker and cheaper and determine whether to commit iKlips DUO to mass production. Once this goal is reached, more people will be able to enjoy the benefit that it brings to managing content on the go.If you are curious about the campaign, we invite you to have a look yourself:About Adam ElementsAdam Elements is a leading supplier of intelligent lifestyle solutions. The Taiwan-based company develops mobile and information and communication products, including mobile devices, peripherals for smart devices, smart wearable products and smart lifestyle equipment. In order to perfectly complement this high quality hardware, the company also develops software applications, allowing a seamless and complete user experience. Adam Elements is active in several Asian, European and South American markets, and is an authorised dealer for various smart mobile devices from international brands.For more information about Adam Elements, please visit:Press Contactunited communications GmbHRotherstr. 1910245 BerlinPeter Link, Elena Strzelczyk, Camila HeinischTel.: +49 30 789076 0E-mail: AdamElements@united.deorAdam Elements Co., Ltd.2F., No.85, Sec. 3, Keelung Rd., Daan Dist.,Taipei City 106, TaiwanBjorn FrohlingE-mail: Bjorn@Adamelements.com Janet Fisher Oregon author Janet Fisher. (Courtesy of Globe Pequot Press) Janet Fisher has Oregon history running through her veins: She grew up on and now runs the Martha A. Maupin Century Farm, founded in 1868 by her great-great grandmother Martha Poindexter Maupin. And yes, that's Maupin as in the Deschutes River rafting town in central Oregon. Fisher, a longtime writer and editor, turns to Oregon's pioneer days for her new historical novel, "The Shifting Winds" (Globe Pequot Press). Her heroine, a young woman named Jennie Haviland, reluctantly joins her family's migration from central New York over the Oregon Trail to settle in what will eventually become the Portland area. There Jennie meets an American mountain man and a British Hudson's Bay Company clerk who vie for her affections while their nations vie for the Oregon Territory. Fisher will read from her book at 7 p.m. March 15 at Annie Bloom's Books, 7834 S.W. Capitol Highway, Portland. Here's an excerpt. *** Oregon author Janet Fisher's new historical novel comes out in paperback in March. The forest looked like a place only giants should enter. Jennie grasped the soft little arms locked about her waist, seeking comfort in her smallest brother's familiar presence, while the gentle mare carried them along the dark trail. She peered up into the monstrous firs for a glimmer of light, but only scattered pinpricks penetrated the thick boughs. So different from the woods back home. This forest enclosed her, the pungent scent of evergreens filling her nose until she could scarcely breathe. She nudged the mare Rosy to go faster. Two more little brothers rode ahead on Pa's horse Ranger, with Ma leading them. And Eddie, eldest of the brothers, marched in front of Ma, probably thinking he was leading the family, but Ma just wanted him where she could keep an eye on him. Two Indian guides on horseback led the way. One had a face like aged leather that had sat out too long in a spring rain before shrinking into cracked ridges under a summer sun. He hunched into the heavy blanket wrapped around his shoulders as if suffering a chill. The second man looked no older than Jennie with his baby-smooth skin. A buckskin shirt, fringed and beaded, covered his torso but left his legs bare to the world. Like most Indians she'd seen, neither wore beards. At a turn in the trail they all disappeared, swallowed in the tangle of greenery. Jennie gripped the reins tighter and swerved in the sidesaddle to look back, expecting to see Pa following with the oxen. But she couldn't see Pa either. Her heart raced. She felt alone with little Robbie. As she watched the trail behind, anxious to see her father reappear, a tree bough slapped the back of her head. She swung forward again, and the prickly needles scraped her face. A burst of anger flared, but she swallowed it for Robbie's sake. He tapped her shoulder. "'Most there, Jennie?" She managed to keep her voice light, only a subtle huskiness betraying her distress. "It shouldn't be too long, Robbie." He bounced behind her, as if that could somehow hurry them up. Ahead, Ma and the boys appeared again. The faint semblance of a trail had straightened once more. She could only see a depression in the layers of woody debris. What if they were lost? Did those guides really know where they were? Was Pa right to trust them? The older one seldom spoke, but the young one seemed to defer to him. Glancing back, she saw Pa and took a fuller breath. His expression softened with a quick lift of his lips on one side. She tried to smile in return before looking away. But she didn't know if she could ever forgive him for this. They had spanned a continent, the last two thousand miles without a sign of civilization except for a few crude forts and a couple of mission stations. They had crossed grassy plains, barren deserts, and rugged mountains to reach this Promised Land of Oregon. And what promise did she see now? Why had he brought them to this wild place? The trail emerged from the tree line and descended right down the cliff face on a ledge cut into the bluff's rock wall, dropping onto the flat below. Through a blur of tears Jennie saw people. She wanted to cry out. They were Indians like their guides, all with those strange sloped heads, some wrapped in blankets like the old man, some in buckskin like the young one, others in cloth shirts and coats--some scarcely dressed at all. Like a welcoming committee, they surrounded the approaching riders, chattering to the guides, to each other, and to the Havilands, for all the good that did. Pa shook the hands of several Indian men, talking to them through the help of the young guide. Then looking unduly cheerful, Pa moved to Ma's side to help Charlie and Davie off their horse. Jennie sat securely on Rosy's back, pressing herself hard upon the saddle as if she might truly become a part of it. She didn't want to get off. She wanted to stay on and turn around and ride back, all the way to Utica. Indians clustered about her now, and when Pa came to help her and Robbie down she clung tightly to the mare. "I . . . I think I'll--" Once he'd put Robbie on the ground, he reached for her. "Come on, honey. Better get off. We'll go over to the Wallers' house. It'll be good to be in the company of others after such a long time. Come, now." She eyed the Indians encircling her, making her feel more absolutely a stranger in a strange land. From The Shifting Winds by Janet Fisher Copyright (c) 2016 Janet Fisher. Used by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or printed without permission in writing from the publisher. A Portland man allegedly pocketed more than $3 million in health benefits money entrusted to him by largely working-class clients. The U.S. Attorneys Office in Portland on March 1 charged Darren Bottinelli with a single count of theft in connection with health care. Bottinelli will apparently plead guilty to that charge. Court documents state he will change his plea March 17. Bottinelli ran Axis Health Partners for several years before shutting it down two years ago. The company was based at 12400 S.E. Freeman Way in Portland. It was a so-called third-party administrator, which, among other things, safeguards money workers set aside from their paychecks for health care or other benefits. Axis specialized in handling health reimbursement accounts. At some point, federal prosecutors allege, Bottinelli started helping himself to his clients' money. "The government alleges that the defendant stole over three million dollars from trust accounts that held funds for individual health reimbursement accounts," prosecutors said in court documents. Bottinelli allegedly pilfered the $3,054,032 from the accounts of nearly 4,000 clients. Bottinelli, who could not be reached for comment, lives in a house in Portland's West Hills valued at $1.25 million by Zillow.com. He was in recent years hit with a long list of tax liens by the Internal Revenue Service and the Oregon Department of Revenue. Two credit card companies obtained judgments against him. He was sued late last year by the U.S. Department of Labor. In a complaint filed against Bottinelli and Axis, the department claimed Bottinelli's oversight of his clients' money violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The department alleges Bottinelli commingled clients funds and failed to ensure the money was used solely for his clients' benefits. The parties settled the case with the department permanently banning Bottinelli and Axis from serving as fiduciaries or service providers to any retirement or benefit plan covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. -- Jeff Manning 503-294-7606, jmanning@oregonian.com Francis Weaver says he was perplexed when his next-door neighbor appeared at his front door and claimed he "messed up bad" soon after gunshots rang out around 5 a.m. at their apartment complex in Canby in February 2014. The neighbor, Michael Orren, said he shot Edward Kelly Spangler, an acquaintance who drove four hours from his home in Grants Pass hours earlier with 15 pounds of marijuana at Weaver's insistence. Orren shot Spangler twice while he was parked in his SUV. He crashed in a park across the street while trying to escape and later died. Orren and Weaver's longtime friend Shannon Bettencourt were supposed to wait until the SUV was unoccupied, smash the back window and steal the drugs. He said they knew Spangler was unarmed, and they were supposed to be, too. The theft seemed simple enough, Weaver said, that he couldn't understand why after four tries that morning Orren and Bettencourt hadn't succeeded. What Orren and Bettencourt didn't know, Weaver claimed, was that Spangler was in on the theft plot. The shooting wasn't part of the plan, Weaver said. Weaver, 33, testified in his own defense during his Clackamas County trial in connection with Spangler's death on Tuesday. He cried as he explained to a jury how he asked Orren why he shot Spangler, 43 and the neighbor responded that he didn't have an answer. "No one was supposed to get hurt," said Weaver, who faces charges of murder, first- and second-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first- and second-degree robbery and felon in possession of a firearm. Closing arguments will be presented on Wednesday and a jury will then begin deliberating to reach a verdict. Rusty Amos, a Clackamas County deputy district attorney prosecuting the case, noted that although Weaver broke down on the witness stand, there appeared to be no evidence he shed any tears during at least 10 hours of interviews with police later on the day Spangler died. Prosecutors say Weaver provided the gun used to kill the Grants Pass man, handing the .40 caliber pistol to Orren while in Bettencourt's Portland condo earlier that morning and warned it was in case things went south with the planned theft. They argued Spangler didn't know he was going to be robbed and was under the impression that Weaver was putting him in touch with people interested in buying the marijuana he brought. Weaver, though, testified he didn't know how his neighbor got ahold of the pistol, which Weaver owned at one time. He claimed he and Spangler first discussed staging a robbery in October 2013, when the two men and a mutual friend spent five days selling 10 pounds of marijuana in the Portland area. He said he and Spangler finalized plans to go through with the plot while smoking pot in Weaver's apartment hours before the Grants Pass man was killed. Weaver, Bettencourt, Orren and his then-wife Brittany Endicott were all arrested in connection with Spangler's death. Orren, 29, pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and first-degree robbery. He is serving a 7 1/2 year prison term for the robbery charge and will be sentenced for aggravated murder after Weaver's trial. Bettencourt, 34, and Endicott, 26, were convicted of first-degree robbery in connection with the scheme. Both received 7 1/2 year prison sentences and testified against Weaver as part of their plea agreements. According to Weaver, he hadn't spoken with Spangler after meeting in October until the Grants Pass man contacted him in February, claimed he had a "substantial amount" of marijuana and asked if Weaver wanted "to do what they talked about." Weaver said he agreed and sent Spangler a text re-introducing himself, asking Spangler to bring marijuana to Canby for an interested buyer from Wisconsin as a cover so Spangler's supplier would front him the pot. Weaver testified they planned to break into Spangler's SUV and steal the suitcase with marijuana. Spangler would file a police report, return to Grants Pass and tell his supplier he was robbed, Weaver said. They would then sell the drugs for cash. Spangler was supposed to tell police the suitcase was full of clothes, Weaver said. Prosecutors say Weaver recruited Orren and Bettencourt to help carry out the plan. But Weaver told jurors that Bettencourt begged to join the group after hearing Weaver ask someone else to help break into a vehicle. Weaver promised both men a portion of the marijuana to sell if they successfully stole the drugs. They met up with Spangler at Weaver's apartment complex in Canby, left for at least two hours traveling to a Denny's and two motels in Clackamas, then returned to the complex. Orren and Bettencourt were never able to break into the SUV at any of the locations. Weaver said he planned to ask the duo why they were having trouble, so he told Spangler to stay in his SUV while he met with the other men in his apartment. Once he got inside, Weaver said he saw Endicott, who claimed Orren and Bettencourt were already upstairs in her apartment sleeping. He didn't discover that wasn't true until later. Weaver said he was about to call Spangler to tell him they'll try the heist tomorrow when he heard gunfire, looked outside and saw Spangler's SUV was gone. Amos, the prosecutor, questioned why Spangler didn't just take out the suitcase, Weaver smash the window and then Spangler report that he was robbed. In hindsight, Weaver said, he guessed they could have done that, but it wasn't their plan. -- Everton Bailey Jr. ebailey@oregonian.com 503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey lamama (1).jpg The spread at LaMama, a new dinner series from former Ava Gene's chef Sam Smith. (Courtesy of LaMama) Three years ago, a wave of Israeli restaurants seemed poised to wash over the city. Chef Scott Snyder (Wildwood) was gearing up to open his Mediterranean-inspired Levant. John Gorham and Kasey Mills (Toro Bravo) were traveling through Israel in search of inspiration for Mediterranean Exploration Company. And Cafe Castagna would soon hand its kitchen over to Wesley Johnson (Philadelphia's Zahav). In 2016, that promise looks mostly wasted. Levant closed in December. Cafe Castagna ditched its hummus and charred pita rolls in November. Only Mediterranean Exploration Company -- our pick for 2015's most under-the-radar new restaurant -- remains. Into this landscape walks Sam Smith, until recently the day-to-day chef at Ava Gene's, now the force behind a new dinner series, LaMama. On Fridays, Smith, Le Pigeon pastry prodigy Nora Antene and Johnson, the one-time Cafe Castagna chef, present a meal focused on fresh vegetables, whole grains and Mediterranean flavors. What makes it interesting? More than anything, the pedigree. In addition to running the kitchen at Ava Gene's, Smith helped open Zahav, probably the most influential Israeli restaurant in America, where he started as a sous chef and worked his way up to chef de cuisine. Smith credits Zahav and its chef, Michael Solomonov, with "making me the chef I am today." At LaMama, he hopes to explore new territory. That starts, as it should, with the bread, a hybrid of traditional pita and the more loaf-like breads Smith found on a recent trip to Morocco. LaMama's version, made with 100 percent whole grains, including sprouted emmer wheat (aka farro), comes from Northeast Portland's Seastar Bakery. In a nod to Ava Gene's, the bread is paired with a spread made from Borlotti beans, here pureed with cumin, lemon juice and olive oil and topped them with Turkish Urfa biber pepper and chopped hard boiled eggs. Look for LaMama meals to include pickles, salads, a small meat dish, a side and dessert. "I really love the idea of having people, vegetarians or not, eat a whole meal based around vegetables or whole grains and maybe not even realize it," Smith says. Don't expect traditional presentations. Smith is filtering the flavors he encountered in Morocco -- and on an earlier trip to Israel with Solomonov -- through his own lens. "Besides loving the food, I have no personal connections to the region," Smith says. "I want to make my food, not some carbon copy of a recipe I've seen." Post pop-up, Smith's plans to open Tusk, a brick-and-mortar restaurant that builds off his work at LaMama, perhaps as soon as this summer. When that happens, expect to see some familiar names attached, including Antene, Johnson and a reunion with Ava Gene's Executive Chef Joshua McFadden. The location? The East Burnside space once home to Levant. 7 p.m., Fridays at Han Oak, the occasional Korean supper club and new restaurant incubator, 511 N.E. 24th Ave.; $50; tickets via lamamapdx.com -- Michael Russell Samantha Bakall | The Oregonian/OregonLive Portland's top food events of the week The most exciting food events of the week, including a first look at a respected Japanese ramen import, the return of a pork-mad dinner and Portland's second-annual doughnut and coffee beer festival. Don't Edit Samantha Bakall | The Oregonian/OregonLive Portland's top food events of the week Eat ramen: As first reported by The Oregonian, Marukin, a respected Tokyo ramen chain, opened its first American location last week in a space next door to the brick-and-mortar Nong's Khao Man Gai. If Twitter and Instagram are to be believed, half of Portland's restaurant community turned up for the ongoing soft opening, which features one ramen per day, including a Portland-inspired vegan bowl (pictured). 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 609 S.E. Ankeny St., Suite A; marukinramen.com Don't Edit John Valls Portland's top food events of the week Pig out: On Sunday, join Cathy Whims (Nostrana), Jason French (Ned Ludd), Camas Davis (Portland Meat Collective), Rick Gencarelli (Lardo, Grassa) and other notable Portland chefs for Maialata, the ancient Italian "Festival of the Pig," at Montinore Estate. Tradition states that on the first full moon after the first new moon of the year, villagers from mountain towns would get together to slaughter their pigs, preserve the meat for the following year and end the day with a feast. The chefs will teach a day of cooking classes, including butchery and pasta, before sitting down to a multi-course meal in the winery's cellar. 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday, March 13 at Montinore Estates, 3663 S.W. Dilley Rd., Forest Grove; $175; montinore.com/product/maialata Don't Edit Baker's Dozen Portland's top food events of the week Dunk doughnuts: What goes better together than coffee and doughnuts? How about doughnuts and coffee beer? The second-annual Baker's Dozen festival brings together three of the things Portland loves most, with coffee beers from Great Notion Brewing, Baerlic Brewing and more Melvin Brewing and doughnuts from the likes of Tonalli's, Blue Star and Pip's. Yes, coffee will be served. 10 a.m., Saturday, March 12 at Culmination Brewing, 2117 N.E. Oregon St.; $24; merctickets.com Don't Edit Michael Russell | The Oregonian/OregonLive Portland's top food events of the week Drink wine: Muselet, the upscale South Waterfront restaurant Muselet, will launch a new weekly wine series this Saturday with a complimentary Old World Wine tasting from The Source Imports. Upcoming tastings will include Viola Wines (March 19), Fullerton Wines (March 26) and Owen Roe (April 2). Pictured: a trout starter at Muselset. 5 to 6:30 p.m. Saturdays at Muselet, 3730 S.W. Bond Ave.; free; museletpdx.com Don't Edit Don't Edit Samantha Bakall | The Oregonian/OregonLive Portland's top food events of the week Eat cheap: This year's guide to the city's best Cheap Eats features fresh takes on Portland's top 50 inexpensive restaurants, including some we've never been to before. Read our reviews of Lima Peruvian, 180, Little Sheep Hot Pot and more, then learn how many of our favorites you've been to using our handy checklist. More at oregonlive.com/dining Don't Edit Courtesy of Marukin Read on Had your fill of Japanese noodle soup? Tell us where you think Marukin fits in with Portland's best ramen shops. Snyder Hall Snyder Hall, the site of Oregon's deadliest mass shooting, will be rebuilt following the Umpqua Community College shooting, but other community college projects were not approved in 2016. (Rebecca Woolington/The Oregonian/OregonLive) (Rebecca Woolington/The Oregonian/OregonLive) Less than six months after the worst mass shooting in state history, Oregon lawmakers faced a $17.6 million decision. During the short February session, lawmakers approved $6 million for Umpqua Community College to renovate Snyder Hall, where nine students were shot and killed, and improve the school's safety and security measures following the Oct. 1 massacre. But a separate $17.6 million request to replace doors, add security cameras and beef up aging buildings and communications systems at the state's other 16 community colleges went nowhere. Instead lawmakers told community colleges to try again in 2017. Perhaps no community college felt the sting of the funding denial more than Clackamas Community College, which has a branch campus across the street from the site of a 2012 mass shooting at a suburban mall. "Waiting until next year doesn't do us any good," said Brent Finkbeiner, the school's student government president and the board chair of the Oregon Community College Student Association. Clackamas had requested more than $1.6 million from the state for a variety of projects, such as installing electronic locks on 90 entrances and 124 doors across various buildings. Its main Oregon City campus alone covers some 165 acres and includes more than a dozen buildings. About 25,000 students are enrolled at the school at any given time, including about 7,000 full time. Finkbeiner, a 29-year-old U.S. Army veteran from Pennsylvania, said Oregon isn't sending a good message to its community college students and faculty by failing to act. "We have to show that we're vigilant," he said. "We have to show that we're going to be constantly improving safety year after year." Clackamas and other schools, he said, are all roughly 50 years old and face the same issues: few security systems, dark parking lots and walkways and too many places for an armed individual to hide. Dave Hunt, a former Speaker of the Oregon House and a CCC board member, lobbied the Legislature earlier this year, citing the danger of an attack on any of Oregon's community college campuses. "Now is the time to take action on targeted safety and security capital investments on every campus to prevent future incidents and improve chances of survival when incidents do occur," he wrote in Feb. 12 letter to a state committee. Hunt, who served a decade in the Legislature, said he was impressed by the "strong uniform support" behind the measure - which would've affected communities from Medford to Pendleton to Portland. But the overtures fell on deaf ears. "It's a missed opportunity to respond to an urgent situation," Hunt said in an interview Tuesday. Clackamas is the rare community college in Oregon with armed security guards on campus, and that, too, could be changing. The school has had a long-standing arrangement with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office to commission its on-campus security members as law enforcement officers. The college's four full-time campus security offices and part-time security staff are allowed to carry guns and badges and have the authority of police officers thanks to the more than 20-year-old agreement. But Captain James Rhodes said the sheriff's office is terminating that deal effective June 30. Rhodes said the campus safety officers participate in some firearms training and defensive maneuvering offerings with deputies, but they are not credentialed with the state's Department of Public Safety Standards and Training and the arrangement does little for the sheriff's office. "It's not fair to them to make them special deputies," Rhodes said of the campus officers, "because with that comes a great deal of responsibilities." Finkbeiner said students aren't pleased with the changes. "The police officers on campus are part of what make us safe," he said. But he's optimistic the school will find a solution. Clackamas also has a vacancy for its campus public safety director's position and has seen some turnover in the past few years. "It leaves a gap in campus security," Finkbeiner said, adding he has faith the administration will address the issue. Jim Huckestein, CCC's vice president of college services, said the college is still determining the future of on-campus security officers. The school could pay for armed security, or have officers remain as unarmed safety crews. It could also pay the sheriff's office an estimated $160,000 to have a full time deputy assigned to the school. Huckestein said that is "considerably higher" than the current budget. "The community is used to having armed officers," Huckestein said, so the school is considering that option. Huckestein said Clackamas will move forward with $800,000 in security improvements next year, using money from a 2014 bond measure. But the school has "well over $3 million" worth of improvements it would like to do. Not everyone is disappointed in the state's choice to punt the safety issue to 2017. Andrea Henderson, the executive director of the Oregon Community College Association, said the conversation about campus security "is far from over." Oregon's community colleges sent delegations to a one-day training with a national consultant after the shooting, where they discussed best practices and looked at the next steps for how to improve emergency notification systems and other campus measures. Henderson said she expects a "more robust" discussion in 2017. "It's still not that far away from October 1," she said of the Roseburg massacre, "and we're still learning from that incident." -- Andrew Theen atheen@oregonian.com 503-294-4026 @andrewtheen Two Wilson High computer science teachers won $25,000 from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen Tuesday for creating coding courses that Allen said are a national model for making learning hands-on and student-led. More than 80 teachers or teaching teams from 31 states applied for the Allen Distinguished Educators award. Wilson High teachers Nick Nohner and Chris Bartlo won, as did six other finalists. Together, the Wilson teachers offer five levels of computer science and a course titled "Math Modeling and Dynamic Systems." Wilson is the only Portland high school, Bartlo boasts, that offers a comprehensive computer science program. Nohner says that students in his intro to computer science course will learn the following: "HTML, CSS, web-page design, Python data types, arrays, conditional statements, object oriented programming, functions, recursion and other topics related to computer science." According to contest organizers, Bartlo and Nohner believe in the power of encouragement. Rather than lecturing students and assigning tasks, the pair let students choose their own projects and help student find the information they need to complete projects, often by learning from online videos, contest officials said. Students only learn computer science if they buy into the material as worthwhile and engaging, said Nohner, who is primarily a math teacher. Bartlo mentored him to expand into computer science. Nohner strives to help students experience early success, then build upon that confidence to get them to tackle the tough stuff. Nohner and Bartlo allow students to progress at their own pace, comparable to the type of process-based learning that goes on in commercial computer programming labs, contest organizers said. In their courses, Wilson students develop apps, which have been put to use by local businesses, and games, which they have used to enter national competitions. "I tell the students every day how good the stuff is that they are creating," Nohner said. Computer science courses are extremely rare in Oregon high schools and Oregon colleges produce only a teeny number of CS majors, policymakers have warned. Bartlo is convinced that all students need some exposure to basic programming, even if they will never work in a computer-related field. The logic, planning, organization and creativity required to write code help build brain skills useful in any field, he said. Hands-on student-led computer science coursework isn't just for the young Bill Gateses and Paul Allens of Portland, the teachers said. Students who are recent immigrants from Africa and special education students succeed in Wilson's coding courses, Nohner said. In a statement, Bartlo credited Portland businesses and other partners for helping him and Nohner make the course a success. "It takes support from a tremendous variety of people to create a successful program," he said. "Energizing the community is the key to building and supporting more programs. We hope that we can use the goodwill this award generates to create more opportunities for all students to engage in computer science." -- Betsy Hammond The Rev. Robert Palladino, who died Feb. 26 at age 83, touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of Oregonians -- many of whom he never met. To a few he was a monastic brother, to some a calligraphy professor at Reed College, and to others a uniquely empathetic pastor. To the rest, he was the inspiration behind the elegant design of their Apple devices. Steve Jobs was among Palladino's students at Reed. The late Apple co-founder went on to credit the calligraphy course as an influence on his work. "It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating," Jobs said of calligraphy during a 2005 speech at Stanford University. "Ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac." That wasn't exactly beneficial for calligraphers. Speaking to The Oregonian/OregonLive in 2011, Palladino gently blamed Jobs for making hand-formed calligraphy largely an art of the past: "He got inspired by calligraphy and put beautiful typefaces into computers. Now, everyone has become a designer." Palladino honed his art during an 18-year stint as a Trappist monk. He joined the Trappists, a cloistered Catholic religious order that follows the Rule of St. Benedict, at a New Mexico monastery when he was just 17 years old. The monks moved to Oregon's Yamhill County in 1955, after they gave up on farming in the Southwest. He left the monastery in 1968, after changes swept through monastic life following the Second Vatican Council. Gregorian chants and Latin Masses were replaced with modern languages, and monastic silence became less rigorous. The Rev. Charles Lienert, former vicar to priests in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland, said there was a small exodus of monks at that time due to the changes. "You cannot like that way of life unless you are completely enamored of it," Palladino wrote in an unpublished memoir, according to The New York Times. "When it changed, I could no longer dedicate myself to it. It no longer satisfied my longing for union with God." Pope Paul VI released Palladino from his vow of celibacy, and the former monk married Catherine Halverson, a clarinetist for the symphony in Portland. He took a calligraphy-teaching job at Reed and the couple had a son, Eric. The family established life on a farm with sheep in Sandy. Reed ended the calligraphy program in 1984. Catherine died just three years later, leaving Palladino in limbo. In response to a shortage of Catholic priests in the area, he went through a three-year process to become an active priest again. With papal approval, he served from 1995 to 2007, much of that time at The Church of St. John in the Woods in Welches. "He was a most unusual priest," said Caryn Tilton, a longtime friend and parishioner of Palladino. "He was like the rest of us -- a working man, a married man. "He had empathy for real life, everyday situations. It made him human and forgiving and accepting of human shortcomings." Palladino continued to work part time as a professional calligrapher and live on the farm with his son throughout his time as a priest -- an uncommon situation, but not unheard of for priests in unique circumstances. "He was both a shepherd of sheep and a shepherd of souls," said Lienert, who befriended Palladino long before the former monk became a parish priest, thanks to their shared interest in calligraphy. Palladino's calligraphy and spiritual life were closely intertwined, he said. The art was a spiritual practice that reflected the beauty of the divine. "Though Steve Jobs is mentioned so often, he influenced all kinds of people," Lienert said. "He helped people see how beauty and the precision of beauty was a spiritual thing." A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. March 11 at St. Mary's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland, located at 1716 NW Davis Street. A private burial will be held at Mt. Calvary Cemetery. -- Melissa Binder mbinder@oregonian.com 503-294-7656 @binderpdx Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. While Donald J. Trump led the Republican vote statewide and claimed victory, Midland County voters backed Ted Cruz. County Democrats agreed with voters across the state in their support of Bernie Sanders. For the Republican candidates, the vote count in Midland County, with all 50 precincts reporting was: Cruz: 4,720 votes, 33.5 percent; Trump: 3,909 votes, 27.8 percent. Other Republican candidates on the ballot included: Ohio Gov. John R. Kasich, 3,366 votes or 23.9 percent, and Marco Rubio, a disappointing fourth with 1,506 votes, or 10.7 percent. For the Democrats, the vote in Midland County with all precincts reporting was: Sanders: 4,568 votes, 58.7 percent; Hillary Clinton: 3,097, 39.8 percent. Midland County saw an encouraging turnout as 21,890 people voted, or 34.1 percent of the 64,208 registered voters. Percentages do not add up to 100 percent because of uncommitted votes and votes for other candidates. Geneva and Mills townships each had ballot proposals. Geneva Township Supervisor Gordon Berthume was happy to see the voter turnout for Tuesdays Presidential Primary and that voters made it clear a proposed 0.5 fire millage renewal would continue. The proposal passed with 207, or 77.5 percent, in favor, versus 60 No votes, or 22.5 percent. It was awful nice that the people saw the need to help us with the funding of the fire department and the first responders, Berthume said. They do an excellent job in the community. Township officials sent out a letter to homeowners in the area to make sure they were aware of the millage renewal, and Berthume said the turnout indicated the voters were supportive of it. Mills Township voters werent as supportive. For the second time in four years, they rejected a 1.0 mill tax for roads. This year, the request went down 249 to 215, or 53.7 to 46.3 percent. In 2012, the request was defeated 451 to 368, or 55.1 to 44.9 percent. The five year request would have raised $47,708 per year. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of equalized value. We are a small township and its tough to get a millage through, Mills Township Supervisor Daniel Bloom said. We didnt go overboard asking for more than we needed. Township officials will continue to work with Midland County Road Manager Terry Palmer to accomplish as much roadwork as possible. Terry has been more than helpful in working with us. Sometimes weve only been able to do one-half mile of a road at a time, Bloom said. In Gladwin County, the Headlee Roll Back Restoration was soundly defeated with 4,411 voters against and 1,631 in favor. Meridian Early College High School world studies students recently participated in conflict resolution training. The program took place on Feb. 22, Feb. 23 and March 4, facilitated by teachers Susan Sampson and Joseph Ribarchik, along with Jeanne Lound Schaller, Randi Kawakita and Judy Timmons of the Midland Chapter of the Nonviolence Peaceforce. During two sessions, the students were provided with information on how to minimize conflicts in various situations, practiced I-statement exercises, learned meditation techniques, acted out and analyzed skits, and developed skills and learned tools to teach others how to minimize conflict. On March 4, the Meridian world studies students concluded their nonviolence training by hearing first-hand accounts from six guest speakers who shared their experiences of confronting conflicts, discrimination and cultural roadblocks. Robert Iwamasa is a Japanese American who, with 120,000 Japanese living in the U.S. in 1942, was evacuated and forced into internment camps for the duration of World War II, despite the fact that there had been no cases of disloyalty or sabotage. Iwamasa and 80,000 of this population were American citizens. He is a retired Dow Chemical Co. chemist and an artist. Iwamasa has just published a book of original art about these experiences. Betty Jones is an African American innovative leader in education. She retired from Delta College as vice president of instruction and learning services. She shares her family story of what it was like to be one of the first African American families to live in Midland. She helped build a partnership with Deltas Sister College, Rift Valley Institute in Kenya, which named their first real library, The Dr. Betty B. Jones Library and Media Center. Preston Jones is also a Dow Chemical Co. retiree with degrees in chemistry and teacher education. He was employed at the U.S. Patent Office before coming to Midland. He is a master photographer and teaches photography classes at Delta and the Midland Center for the Arts. His photographic series, Faces of Kenya, is at the Lord Egerton Castle Museum in Njoro, Kenya. Jones grew up in Florida and shares his experiences of segregation and the KKK. William Barnett is a retired Saginaw Valley State University professor of anthropology and university administrator. He frequently lectures here and abroad, and just returned from India. His presentation, How a Few (Mostly) Young People Changed the World: Freedom Riders, is about his Civil Rights movement involvement, including training by Martin Luther King and Ralph Abernathy and 59 arrests, with the last one leading to a three month hospital stay. Sapha Hassan is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in biomolecular science and plans to go to medical school. She considers herself to be a Pakistani-American Muslim. During high school and college she had to maneuver her experiences because of her Muslim faith and how terrorist attacks in the U.S. influenced her conduct. She has shared her experiences with others at a recent multicultural dialogue. Nancy Janoch relayed the true story of a young refugee family from Laos that lived right in the middle of the Vietnam War. At age 14, the father fought with the U.S. troops/CIA, and his future wife also watched the bombing, fighting and loss of family and friends. Their journey to escape the Communists led to Midland and continues today in new directions. Working through joys, struggles and challenges, Janoch has been the main contact person for this Hmong family, since picking them up at the airport more than 36 years ago. She has a degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. Additional materials on the event can be found at: http://bit.ly/1RRfBfH Ron Edmonds, vice president and controller for The Dow Chemical Co., and Sofia Edmonds, real estate agent at Ayre Rhinehart Realtors, are showing their support for Shelterhouse as honorary chairpersons for the non-profit organizations annual fundraiser, Chefs for Shelterhouse. Each year, the event raises funds to provide programs and services to clients for the next 12 months. This years event will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. April 21 at the Great Hall Banquet and Convention Center, 5121 Bay City Road. The event features chefs from the Great Lakes Bay Region showcasing a variety of gourmet hors doeuvres and desserts. One of the featured live auction items this year is a six-hour walleye fishing trip on Saginaw Bay with Outdoor Magazines Mike Avery. In addition, a silent auction will showcase Michigan Travel packages, donations from local businesses, restaurants and more. The Edmonds have been members of the Midland community for 19 years and have supported organizations such as Go Red for Women, Midland Cancer Services, Midland Center for the Arts, Midland Community Foundation and Shelterhouse. We feel fortunate to be a part of such a wonderful community and admire so many people who have given back. We are proud to be able to impact an organization in such a positive way, the Edmonds said. Support for Shelterhouse empowers individuals who have been victims of assault to live a life free of violence. A donation of $35 will provide one hour of therapy or $50 will provide one night of shelter to a victim. It is very unfortunate the need is there for the services Shelterhouse provides, but it is wonderful to know that Shelterhouse is there to help so many, Sofia Edmonds said. Tickets for the event are $50 per person and can be purchased at shelterhousemidland.org/chefs, Ayre Rhinehart Realtors, Chemical Bank (all Midland locations), Eastman Party Store, Shelterhouse Resale Shop and Village Green. Shelterhouses mission is to support victims of domestic and sexual violence by providing shelter, counseling and advocacy for people in Midland and Gladwin counties. The organization aims to build healthy relationships, strong families and safe communities. In 2015, Shelterhouse served more than 2,400 women, children and men. More than 1,200 domestic violence and sexual assault crisis calls for help were made to Shelterhouse, and the organization provided more than 4,600 nights of shelter/nights of safety. Additionally, more than 12,800 individuals participated in community education, prevention and outreach programs. All services are confidential. Contact Shelterhouse at (989) 835-6771. BAD AXE A Bad Axe woman was sentenced to serve at least a year and a half in prison this week for her role in a six-year shopping spree at her former employers expense. Sarah Marie Harris, 33, pleaded guilty to embezzlement, $100,000 or more, at her arraignment Jan. 25, connected to several incidents in which she wrongfully spent money that belonged to Weldall Welding and Engineering Corp. in Elkton between April 2010 and August 2015. Huron County Circuit Court Judge Gerald M. Prill ordered a restitution hearing to determine an amount owed before imposing a sentence. Harris, who appeared with her attorney Elizabeth Weisenbach, disputed the amount of restitution owed because Harris claimed some of the transactions were made for supplies needed at the office such as toilet paper, coffee and soda and not her personal use. During the hearing, the courtroom heard testimonies from James H. Neurath, Gary M. Gardner and Harris. Neurath, a certified public accountant with Weldall Welding for 32 years, told the court he was asked to look at the businesss books in 2015 after the owner saw an unusually high balance on the company credit card while checking a statement online. In 2010, theres a firewall of where things begin, Neurath said. For the first three months of 2010, there were no issues whatsoever. In April (2010), petty cash discrepancies started. Petty cash is a small amount of money kept on hand by businesses to pay for small amounts owed versus writing a check. Weldall Welding kept $350 in its petty cash drawer. Neurath said the procedure he went through to uncover the embezzlement was to look through every bank statement and check written roughly 10,000 documents that was processed. He said he began working on the current year, 2015, and worked backward, but once he got to 2013, there were still some issues so he kept going. In November 2010, Neurath noticed unusual purchases on the companys credit card. The types of products they (stores) offer are not related to the need for a metal fabrication business, he said. Stores that Harris made purchases at, with either the companys petty cash, personal checkbook or credit card, included: Walgreens, Sunoco, American Eagle Outfitters, Wal-Mart and Bath and Body Works. Nuerath told the court after 478 hours of working on the case, he arrived at amounts loss for the six-year period, which are: 2010: $31,985 2011: $46,908 2012: $44,604 2013: $60,130 2014: $134,805 2015 (eight months): $70,364 Because of the amount of hours put into the case, Neurath said the bill Weldall Welding will receive will be quite expensive $119,850. Weisenbach asked how Neurath expects to receive payment or if hes billed the company yet, considering all circumstances. Neurath told the court he hasnt billed Weldall yet because it would virtually put them out of business trying to pay it. Gary M. Gardner, president and CEO of Weldall Welding, took the stand next. Gardner told the court he discovered it all by looking at a credit card statement online one day. He said he noticed a substantially large amount of bonus points on the account and from there, things began to come to light. The last person to take the stand was Harris who challenged the amount owed. The prosecution sought restitution in the amount of $388,798 plus Neuraths bill, but Harris claimed she only embezzled $329,028. I had no need to take petty cash, Harris said, because the company had credit cards. Harris claimed the difference between the two figures was money used to purchase items for the office and was not used for reasons outside of that. Weisenbach told the court her client went through all statements and came up with the lower figure. After nearly two hours of hearing statements from both parties, Prill ordered the final amount of restitution owed to be $468,148. Prill did note he cut roughly $40,000 down from Neuraths bill. Court proceedings then moved forward to impose a sentence. Weisenbach told the judge her client has dealt with many struggles and obstacles in her life that point to her shopping addiction. Harris was abandoned by her mother, sexually assaulted by family members growing up and in 2009 lost the person who raised her throughout her life Harris grandmother, Weisenbach said. Any one of these things can break a person, Weisenbach said. All three broke her. Weisenbach described Harris as a "shopaholic" who used shopping to maintain her high. Harris had to put her child through counseling because the child became accustom to shopping, but once the shopping spree was over, she needed to understand why. It was a learning lesson for Weldall, Weisenbach said. Its important to keep those checks and balances balanced and they didnt do that. All of this was available online, she said, meaning the bank statements were available for viewing at any time by the owner. Next, an emotional Harris handed Weisenbach a prepared statement to read to the court. Unfortunately, theres no do-overs in life and I cant go back and change what I did, Weisenbach stated. It was a high of buying stuff. The letter went into her shopping addiction, indicating she would spend five to 12 hours a day on her phone, the computer or in stores buying items. Harris letter also mentioned other issues shes been dealing with such as her recent diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar, depression and anxiety. The victim, Gardner, pleaded with the judge to give Harris the penalty he thought was necessary. The embezzlement was not a crime committed against a big corporation with deep pockets, Gardner said describing the case as the most damaging white collar crime in Huron County. ... Because of this, Ive had to ask myself Will I be able to pay my bank? Will I be able to pay my employees? Will I be able to pay my vendors? Finally, before the judge sentenced Harris, Huron County Prosecutor Timothy J. Rutkowski noted one big thing missing trust. Its a small business that hes (Gardner) been working at for 40 years, Rutkowski said. ... The victim here is somebody that didnt do anything wrong. Trust was missing in this case. Prill moved forward and compared Harris shopping addiction case to drug-related cases. Does a heroin addict spend that amount of money on drugs? the judge asked. The answer to that is no. Prill noted he noticed at no point during the proceeding did Harris ever apologize to the company. You have to pay the piper for what youve done in this case, he said. Harris was sentenced to a minimum term of one year and six months maximum 20 years in the Michigan prison system. After sentencing, Weisenbach told the courtroom she would be taking $5,000 Harris put up for escrow and apply the money toward Harris restitution payment. LEAK : Marion shutting off water at 5pm The City of Marion has a major water line break on Main Street near the intersection with Chapel Hill Road. Crews are on site and working on... Tourism Commission meets Tuesday Marion Tourism Commission will meet Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at 8:30 am at the Welcome Center. Marion City Council meets Monday night Here is how to contact your city leaders. Click image to enlarge Marion City Council will meet at 5pm Monday, Oct. 17 night in regular sessi... MARION WATER UPDATE: Boil Advisory Wednesday Late Tuesday night crews were still working to repair the broken water line on South Main Street in Marion. The problem was expected to be r... In his editorial on Thursday, Feb. 11, in the Midland Daily News, Floyd Andrick says that the landlord association, MAREIA, has always supported and provided housing for low-income individuals. He has even provided as many as 10-12 units for low income residents ... over 42 years! Were those 10-12 units constantly rented to low income residents or is this just an occasional rental when higher paying residents were not available over 42 years? I would like MAREIA to identify how many of their current properties are being used for low income housing according to the definitions presented in the Bracken Woods PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) hearing. Will they rent to low income residents only if they get housing vouchers or higher paying renters are not available? Or are their low income rentals really the result of low quality properties that do not warrant any higher rents? What is the real level of commitment from MAREIA to low income housing? Andrick and Anna Maria Morgan only speak in generalities about their commitment to low income housing, and seem to resent any subsidized approach to meeting a demand for low income housing that MAREIA has never been able to meet with their own properties. And who does MAREIA actually represent? Do they represent all rental property owners in Midland? That answer is no. At least one of the largest rental property owners in Midland does not belong to MAREIA because he is quite able to manage his own business successfully while helping a lot of low income residents. Bracken Woods was approved by the City of Midland as a PILOT program 20 years ago to try to help meet some of the need for affordable low income housing in Midland. There are 19 PILOT rental facilities in Midland, so there is obviously a need for low income housing that is not being met by the commercial landlords, members or MAREIA and non-members of MAREIA. Officials of the City of Midland in the Bracken Woods hearings have stated that there is still an excess of demand for low income housing compared to the supply. Any facility that helps reduce that unmet need for low income affordable housing is a benefit to the potential residents and the city of Midlands objective of preventing homelessness and giving low-income people a chance to better themselves. I am tired of MAREIA members acting like they are victims, when in fact they have chosen to be rental property owners to realize an income. They are for profit landlords. There are risks and obligations that they have as landlords, such as the obligation to pay taxes on their properties (like we all pay for the properties we own) and to provide safe and quality housing that meets the codes of the city of Midland. If their properties need repairs or appliance replacements, they must perform those, not just to meet code, but to provide their residents a clean and safe place to live. Their properties have a certain value based on their condition and attractiveness that should be reflected in the rent charged. If they are priced too high, no one will want to live there. If they cant find people willing to live in their properties, they should look to the value they are offering for the price they are charging. However, if as a landlord group, MARIEA can limit lower priced alternatives like PILOT facilities, they can limit supply and maintain higher rents and higher incomes. The argument that a PILOT or Bracken Woods in particular is a burden on the taxpayers of Midland is pure myth. Again from the statements of City of Midland officials, the taxes lost to the City of Midland (about $86,639 for a year for Bracken Woods in the future) are an investment in the welfare of residents in 104 units in Bracken Woods whose rents would be reduced about $186,216 per year. If that forgone tax is considered an investment in the residents, that is over a 200 percent return on investment (benefits) to people for the $86,639 investment by the city. If that $86,639 were spread over all the property taxpayers of Midland (city and county) it would be insignificant to each tax paying homeowner or business owner. In addition, the $186,216 rent reduction would be used to buy necessities from Midland merchants, adding to the Midland economy in sales and jobs. In the Bracken Woods hearing in front of the Midland City Council, we have learned that the original owners of Bracken Woods were not capitalized sufficiently to afford to maintain the property long term. They also have incurred large financial losses. The State of Michigan asked Lockwood to take over management of Bracken Woods last summer and asked Lockwood to take over ownership to allow renovation and competent management of the facility. Lockwood, a Michigan corporation, has successfully operated about 25 PILOT facilities without foreclosure of any of them. Lockwood has a proven track record of successful ownership and management of PILOT programs for the benefit of their residents and the cities in which they reside. Lockwoods competence and the thoroughness of their proposal in the last city council hearing on Bracken Woods was very impressive. I have no doubt that Lockwood would not only upgrade Bracken Woods to be an outstanding physical facility, but would have the financial management tools in place to ensure that the facility would remain in an excellent condition throughout the life of the PILOT. Lockwood has responded to all the requests and questions of the Midland Housing Commission and the City Council to this point. Bracken Woods allows the City of Midland, in conjunction with the State of Michigan, to continue their commitment to help provide quality housing for low income Midland residents that is not and can not be provided by commercial landlords of Midland. Housing all the low income people of Midland is not the responsibility of MAREIA. They are engaged in the for profit business of renting apartments or houses for whatever they can charge. That is fine. But dont try to prevent the continuation of a well established program of joint state and city cooperation to help meet the need for subsidized, low income housing MAREIA is not able to meet. MAREIAs efforts in opposition to Bracken Woods do nothing more than limit opportunities for low-income people to have safe, affordable places to live. Why am I interested in this subject? Because as a volunteer member of the Midland Continuum of Care, my eyes have been opened to needs in Midland of people that are struggling, often from situations beyond their control. Midland is a community blessed with affluence. I believe we citizens of Midland have both an opportunity and an obligation to help those less fortunate in a variety of ways. The organizations of the Continuum, the Midland foundations, the churches do wonderful work to help the community. I believe that the upgrade and continuation of Bracken Woods by Lockwood would be another component to allow the City of Midland and its residents to help those less fortunate. Ron Parmele is a volunteer member of the Midland Continuum of Care and a resident of Midland. WENATCHEE, Wash. Blanketed by winter snow, orchards are mostly idle around central Washington, the production hub of the nation's top apple-producing state. But in a basement lab in the city of Wenatchee, Washington State University scientists are meticulously working. They slice, taste and measure appearance, firmness and crispness of dozens of apples, including a new variety dubbed "Cosmic Crisp," a name inspired by white pores contrasting against its red skin. "Cosmic Crisp is the first big release the Washington industry is going to have all to itself." said Kate Evans, a lead scientist at WSU's Tree Fruit Research & Extension Center. Trademarked and focus group-tested, Cosmic Crisp was developed by the WSU lab over the last 20 years. For at least one decade, it will be available for planting only to Washington farmers. That type of restriction is a reflection of the increasingly fragmented apple industry, where major growers have moved away from relying on few varieties for their income. Rather, many are diversifying their orchards, aiming to cash in on the premium prices of licensed niche apples, and creating competition among breeders to develop the next big flavorful apple. In 1999, Red Delicious accounted for 51 percent of the share nationwide sales. By 2015, that number had dropped to 25 percent, according to data from the Washington Tree Fruit Association. AF&PA Supports Tennessee Forestry Association, Tennessee Paper Council Advocacy Day March 9, 2016 - The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) supports the Tennessee Forestry Association and the Tennessee Paper Council in their efforts to share important industry facts with Tennessee state legislators alongside several AF&PA member companies at Legislative Plaza on March 9 in the Nashville, Tennessee. Paper and wood products manufacturers operate over 140 facilities in Tennessee that contribute nearly $2 billion in payroll and $143 million in annual state and local taxes, said AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman. Nationally, our industry employs over 900,000 men and women who make a variety of products that Americans rely on every day, including communication papers, paper-based packaging, tissue products and wood-based building materials. We encourage Tennessee policymakers to ensure that policies they adopt are favorable to economic growth and job creation so that the products from facilities we represent in Tennessee remain competitive in global markets. The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) serves to advance a sustainable U.S. pulp, paper, packaging, and wood products manufacturing industry through fact-based public policy and marketplace advocacy. AF&PA member companies make products essential for everyday life from renewable and recyclable resources and are committed to continuous improvement through the industry's sustainability initiative Better Practices, Better Planet 2020. The forest products industry accounts for approximately 4 percent of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP, manufactures approximately $200 billion in products annually, and employs nearly 900,000 men and women. The industry meets a payroll of approximately $50 billion annually and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 47 states. Visit AF&PA online at www.afandpa.org or follow us on Twitter @ForestandPaper. SOURCE: AF&PA "Suits" recently concluded season 5 with what seems be a shocking finale: Mike Ross pleaded guilty to the charges placed against him just when the jury was about to acquit him. When the USA legal drama returns for season 6, will there be a time jump and can Mike and Rachel's relationship survive this feat? This article contains spoilers. Read on if you want to learn more about this story. "Suits" Season 5 finale has got viewers glued to the edge of their seats. As seen in the recently released episode, Mike (Patrick J. Adams) decided to plead guilty to the charges placed against him. Mike was trying to save his friends from going to prison and executive producer Aaron Korsh shared with The Hollywood Reporter that Mike will have to explain himself when the show returns next season. "But more importantly, he did what he did to save Harvey and Jessica from going to prison. He cared about the firm a lot, but they can possibly rebuild the firm and their lives," Korsh said. The showrunner also discussed the possibility that there will be a time jump when "Suits" Season 6 premieres on TV. Korsh revealed that there would not be any justice if the show will return with a time jump, therefore, fans and viewers can expect to see the show back from where it left off in season 5. As for "Suits" Season 6 spoilers, Korsh stated that the upcoming season will be "about moving forward." Viewers will find out how Pearson Specter Litt will be affected and if Mike's case will reunite the other five back or if it will ultimately put them down. Meanwhile, Carter Matt discussed the possible "Suits" Season 6 release date. According to the publication, the show may return in June 2016, citing the show's release date for season 5 on June 24. What do you think about "Suits" Season 5 finale? Will Mike and Rachel breakup in Season 6? Sound off in the comments! The 18-year-old suspect, who stabbed two police officers in Melbourne, Australia then got shot and killed, reportedly had issues with his parents prior to his death. His friend and former girlfriend said during an inquest proceeding that his family was putting a lot of pressure on him. ABC News reported that terror suspect Numan Haider only "snapped" and hurt the two police officers last September 2014 at the Endeavour Hills police station because of the extreme pressure he was dealing with in his home. This was based on the testimony of his friend, Ljindim Sulejmani. Sulejmani said he was with Haider during the hours prior to his death and attested that he was going through some tough times because of his parents. He claimed that his mother and father would hurt him because he would pray at the mosque twice a day. "[The told him to] stop praying at the mosque, only extremists pray at the mosque," he added. "They [his parents] hate me because I pray and attend the mosque too much." Sulejmani also disputed claims that his friend was part of the Islamic States saying he did not have similar views as them and that he is "fragile and harmless." He also described his friend as a calm and very collected person. However, Haider's former girlfriend, Jinaali Vishni Surendran, corroborated some of Sulejmani's statements but she also sang a different tune. She claimed that she never met the suspect's family during the time they were dating. "The reason I was never introduced to Numan's family is because they would never have approved of me," she added. She recalled that they parted ways because they both got busy with work. However, she claimed that Haider contacted him two months after and asked if they could meet. Surendran said that it was during this time that she noticed something was off with her ex-boyfriend, who did not seem excited to see her. "I assumed it was family problems, because they gave him a few hassles," she said. But Surendran said that when Haider saw some police officers, he pulled out a shahada flag from his pocket. "I had not seen Numan with this flag before, but when he pulled it out I recognised it," she said. "The flag symbolises the fact that there is only one God and that Muhammad is his messenger." A New York City school have recently been receiving bomb threats as a result of a kindergarten project they purposed to create as a part of the school's fundraising campaign. The said project involved a flag. The teachers of PS75, a kindergarten public school teaching in both English and Spanish have been accused of disloyalty through social media. Some critics have also called for the principal to step down from office while others call for the execution of the one who started the project, according to Parenting. It all started with a Parent Teachers Association project where the kindergarten students took part in creating. The project was an American flag with 22 flags from other nations placed over the stripes of the flag of the US. Below them was a caption written, "We pledge allegiance to an international flag." The said flag was intended to be included in the auction with the description that says: "The students made a beautifully painted stretched canvas American Flag and then applied flags from all the Spanish-speaking countries onto the stripes of the American flag. All the children chose a flag to color using colored pencils and they were glued onto the larger American flag. The stars are cut canvas which are painted and decorated with REAL Swarovski Crystals (gold and crystal colored)," the auction site describes. "The fun quote on the bottom is about unity and creating an environment in which everyone is welcome! 'We pledge allegiance to an International Flag!' Our dual language classroom strives to be a place that everyone feels welcome," the site further states, according to The Sean Hannity Show. Patricia Frisbie, donation chair and vice president of fundraising for the PTA executive board said in an interview that the school is now seeking for additional police security to ensure the safety not just of the teachers receiving the threats but the students who continue their schooling in spite of their parents' knowledge about the coercion. The faculty is also holding regular emergency meetings regarding the matter. The image of the flag in the auction site has been removed as well as its descriptions in response to the negative feedbacks it has received. King Fahd Hospital in Buraidah is in a state of panic over a sudden increase in the number of coronavirus cases. Credit: Okaz Via Saudi Gazette, the Saudi English-language media take note: KSA probes Buraidah coronavirus outbreak. The full report and then a comment: The Ministry of Health (MOH) officials confirmed 13 new Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases in the past three days, nine of them in Buraidah, where the ministry is investigating a hospital cluster. The MOH announced four MERS-CoV cases on March 5, one on Sunday, and eight on Monday. Three of the cases on March 5 and six cases reported on Monday were in Buraidah, where officials have established a command center to combat the virus. A ministry source said all patients were located in Qassim Province. Six of the patients are from Buraidah, one from Al-Ras and the other is from Al-Zilfi, said the source. The ministry also reported four of the patients and doctors in King Fahd Hospital in Buraidah contracted the virus including a doctor of chest diseases, the source said. The MERS patient in Al-Rass is a 68-year-old Saudi man who had contact with camels. The case in Al-Zulfi involves a 68-year-old Saudi woman whose case is also listed as primary meaning not contracted from a known patient. The cases in Buraidah include two in foreign male health care workers, aged 62 and 36. Two patients also contracted the disease in a hospital, a 76-year-old Saudi man and an 81-year-old Saudi man. A 42-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman round out the latest Buraidah cases. On Sunday, the MOH confirmed MERS-CoV in a 49-year-old male Saudi health care worker in Riyadh whose case is listed as primary. He had contact with camels and is in stable condition. On March 5, the MOH noted that a 49-year-old male expatriate health care worker was infected with MERS-CoV. He is in stable condition. The agency also listed three cases in Saudi men in Buraidah, aged 23, 82, and 70, with the former two in critical condition and the latter listed as stable. Note that the nature of the "probe" in the headline isn't explained in the story, beyond saying the ministry is "investigating" (although I expect some hospital administrators' careers have ended, given the ministry's repeated threats about maintaining infection control). And nothing backs up the photo caption about panic in the hospital. All we really get is a mashup of a few recent MOH case reports with no real analysis or even speculation from anyone who might know something. The best thing MERS has going for it is the refusal of the House of Saud to treat it seriously. Two firefighters have been issued an order for suspension for using the fire engine in driving a toddler to the nearest hospital on Saturday, Feb. 27 in Virginia. The father told Fox News that they were just past a McDonald's restaurant when he realized that his daughter was having a seizure. They stopped to get some help and were lucky enough that a passerby was there to assist while he made a call to 911. "As a parent, you feel extremely helpless to be unable to assist the most important person in the world (your child) during such a time of emergency," wrote Brian Nunamaker, the father of the toddler rushed into the hospital. "Worst case scenarios run through your head while you are hoping for the best. The eternity of waiting for help to arrive was surprisingly nonexistent in this situation. I was surprised at how quickly help had arrived in the form of a fire truck," he added, according to Parenting. Capt. James Kelley and Sgt. Virgil Bloom immediately arrived after receiving a call for emergency. They kept asking for a specific location from a nearest medic or a mutual aid from city. Estimating that it would take about 10 to 15 minutes before a medic could arrive and knowing that a life is at stake, the two Stafford County firefighters wasted no time, put the child into the fire engine and rushed her to Mary Washington Hospital. The child was completely unconscious throughout the travel though she was still breathing. She was put on oxygen until they got to the hospital. "The neurologists at VCU explained that timing is extremely important when reacting to seizures," Nunamaker explained. "My wife and I are extremely grateful for the assistance provided by the first responders, 911 operator, medical staff at Mary Washington, and VCU," he added. "The Divergent Series: Allegiant" movie is the first of the two-part finale, which is based on Veronica Roth's trilogy. In a recent interview, actress Shailene Woodley admitted that she is looking forward to the final installment, "Ascendant." "The Divergent Series: Allegiant" is just around the corner and the cast and crew are already busy promoting their upcoming movie. Shailene Woodley and Theo James' chemistry are palpable in front of and behind the cameras, which isn't such a wonder why rumors continue to plague both stars. In an interview with E! News, Woodley, who plays the role of Tris in "The Divergent Series," shared that she is excited to see what else is in store on the last installment of the movie. "I'm looking forward to seeing how the story's going to be constructed, because I have no idea," Woodley said. The "Insurgent" actress also played a game of "Who's Most Likely to" with the publication and said that James was the one most likely to prank their co-star and get a case of the giggles. James, on the other hand, is currently in London but was still able to participate in the same game. The 31-year-old actor told the publication that Woodley is most likely to know the lyrics to a Justin Bieber song. Meanwhile, the "Divergent: Allegiant" cast also shared with ET their thoughts on the badass characters in the upcoming installment. Woodley stated that the roles they portray in the movie have "different layers." "It's like they're strong, but they're also messy," the 23-year-old actress told the publication. Octavia Spencer also shared her thoughts on the upcoming movie and stated that it helps to have strong women in "The Divergent Series." In the upcoming movie, Tris (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) will go beyond the walls of Chicago in search for more answers. "The Divergent Series: Allegiant" opens in theatres on Mar. 18. For those who are drooling to own Samsung Galaxy S7, the smartphone will be available at a much cheaper price this week. If you want to learn more about this great deal, read more. According to Pocket-lint, this Friday, Mar. 11, Samsung Galaxy S7 32GB model is priced at 569, which makes it 70 cheaper than the larger model Galaxy S7 Edge. Per the report, to get Samsung Galaxy S7 without shedding too much cash, your best option is to get it from Carphone Warehouse, Tesco and Virgin Media. If you want the cheapest Samsung Galaxy S7 plan, you may consider Carphone Warehouse's plant at only 22 a month for 24 months. Another way to enjoy a huge discount is to combine the upfront costs and monthly payments that you can get from Virgin Media. They offer minimal data. However, if you can afford to buy the device, a SIM-only contract is the wisest choice for more savings. Meanwhile, for those who want to see the parts of Samsung Galaxy S7, iFixit gave a detailed photo of the smartphone's parts with its Samsung Galaxy S7 teardown. Based on their verdict most of Samsung Galaxy S7's components are modular and replaceable. Its battery can be removed without ousting the motherboard, unlike the S6 Edge. However, replacing the USB port requires the removal of the display and replacing the glass without cracking the display is impossible per Phandroid. Overall, Samsung Galaxy S7 get a score of 3 out of 10 when it comes to repairability, with 10 being the easiest to repair. Per the report, Samsung Galaxy S7 comes with a front and back glass, which doubles the chances of crackability. It is also equipped with a strong adhesive on its rear glass, which makes it more challenging for anyone to have an entry into the device. Is this a good thing? Well, for those who repair phones this will probably be a struggle. What do you think of Samsung Galaxy S7's repairability score? Share your thoughts below. South Korean smartphone maker Samsung launched its flagship Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge next-generation smartphone models on the India market on Tuesday at a very affordable price of Rs.48.900 and Rs.56.900, respectively. Customers who pre-ordered the devices between March 8 and March 18 are offered free Gear virtual reality (VR) gadgets given away by Samsung. According to Business Standard, the two smartphone models come with innovations in design, hardware and software functionality. The Galaxy S7 comes with a 5.1-inch display while the Galaxy S7 Edge comes with a 5.5-inch display. Both smartphone models are built with metal and 3D glass. They provide a comfortable grip due to their ergonomic curves. The new Samsung Galaxy smartphones offer connectivity with a host of other services via the LTE Cat.9. They also come with fast wired and wireless charging technology. In Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge new smartphones, Samsung brought back the expandable memory feature. Users can use the hybrid SIM card to upgrade the phone's memory up to 200 GB of additional storage by inserting a microSD card. Both Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are dust and IP68 water resistant. They feature advanced cameras that provide capabilities to take high-quality images. The dual pixel camera introduced by Samsung on its next-generation smartphones can deliver sharper and brighter images even in a low light environment. The gaming performance on Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge is significantly optimized by Samsung, thanks to the important software and hardware updates. The bigger battery capacity and the powerful processor ensure longer playing time. Both phones come with 4 GB of RAM and are powered by a 65-bit Octa core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.6GHz Quad) processor. Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge run on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) operating system. Samsung's new released smartphones "take a bigger leap by re-imagining what a smartphone can be," said Ken Kang, managing director, mobile & IT at Samsung India Electronics. Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge are inching toward perfection, according to a review on Gizmodo. A father in Clay Center, Kansas is left to care for his five children after his wife passed away shortly after giving birth to triplets earlier this year. A band of kind-hearted Sunflower State citizens has spread the father's story in the hopes of raising funds for his young family. Joey Rott's wife, Casi, died in February due to a blood clot in her lung. Rott told The Kansas City Star that the blood clot was most certainly caused by his wife's intense pregnancy and caesarean section delivery. Casi was no stranger to blood clots and had to be constantly monitored by doctors before and after she gave birth to her triplets. She was finally sent home two weeks after childbirth. Sadly, she only managed to spend five minutes with all her children before her chest pains recurred. Rott quickly took Casi back to the hospital but she was proclaimed dead within a few hours. Rott was devastated with his wife's passing and was left to ponder how he would tell the newborn triplets about their mom. "I'll tell them what she did for them. I'll tell them that she got to hold them and that she wishes she were here," Rott sobbed. "She was the nicest person I ever knew." The father of five had to rely on relatives and friends to help take care of Chloe, Tenley and the triplets, Asher, Levi and Piper. Word soon got out about Rott's touching story which prompted family friend Hilary Thompson to create a GoFundMe page for the family. The campaign has now raised a total of $84,000. "I have 16-month-old triplets," Thompson shared to ABC News. "She was very excited to tell us before they announced it to everybody else that they were having triplets. They're a very precious family and it's a very tough deal." Rott has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support. He thanked the well-wishers for their prayers and donations. He also pointed out that the triplets are A-okay and are living with him and their two big sisters. "Teen Mom OG" star Farrah Abraham added to negative publicity that has been plaguing Uber by accusing one of its drivers of almost raping her. The "Teen Mom OG" star has since recanted the lie and admitted that the Uber driver she spoke of was not guilty of her accusation. Uber retaliated against the "Teen Mom OG" member by banning her from using any of the Uber services again. Perez Hilton relates that "Teen Mom OG" star Farrah Abraham made the accusation about the said Uber driver on her podcast "Farrah & Friends." Supposedly, she was rescued during her Uber debacle by Simon Saran, who is a boyfriend of sorts to Farrah Abraham. In a Page Six interview, however, the "Teen Mom OG" star said that the Uber driver did not actually attempt to rape her. Instead, the Uber driver merely looked a bit too interestedly at Farrah Abraham. The Uber driver picked up the "Teen Mom OG" actress after Farrah Abraham asked for an Uber service at a hotel in Long Island, New York in January 2015. According to Farrah Abraham, the Uber driver refused to pick the "Teen Mom OG" celebrity at the hotel entrance. Farrah Abraham said that the Uber driver made her feel uncomfortable. "Something was wrong with him, like he was mentally disabled," Abraham said. Celebuzz! reports that Uber investigated the complaint as Farrah Abraham aired on her "Farrah & Friends" podcast. The facts stacked up against the "Teen Mom OG" personality when the Uber investigation was done. Farrah Abraham never reported her supposed attempted rape to Uber or to the Nassau County Police. Furthermore, the "Teen Mom OG" actress and Simon Saran were the ones that actually caused problems for the Uber partner driver. Spokesman for Uber, Matt Wing, gave the complete details for the decision to ban Farrah Abraham. "Her rider account was banned because an Uber driver-partner reported that a friend traveling with her dumped their alcoholic drink on the front seat of the partner's car," Wing said. Ironically, the Uber driver was the one to file the complaint against Farrah Abraham and Simon Saran. No word has been given on whether or not Uber might eventually lift the ban against the "Teen Mom OG" star. This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions Named in honor of late Michigan native Gilda Radner, Gildas LaughFest celebrates its sixth edition March 10 through 20 in Grand Rapids. Along with stand-up headliners including Kathy Griffin, Marlon Wayans, Jim Norton, Anjelah Johnson and YouTube star Miranda Sings, highlights range from sketch and improv to readings and workshops, even the breaking of a Guinness World Record for most number of rubber chickens tossed in the air. The community-oriented comedy festival prides itself on variety and local involvement, providing both something for everyone and unmistakable respect for the art form. Photo courtesy of Getty Images The fanciest and most formal shindig of the festival, this years Signature Event welcomes the high-profile Late Night with Seth Meyers host and former Saturday Night Live staple. As a key fundraiser highlighting the mission of Gildas Club, says LaughFest director Joanne Roehm, the Signature Event keeps Radners legacy alive through year-round grief and cancer support. Seth was an obvious choice for the Signature Event. His history with SNL in multiple capacities ties back to our roots with Gilda. His ability to work clean is vital to this event in particular. And his newish appointment to Late Night makes him very relevant across multiple demographics of audiences. Hes a comedy veteran in many ways yet just at the beginning of his late-night career. Saturday, March 12 at Davos Place, 5:30 p.m. Burnett wont actually be on hand to parody soap operas or whip drapes into a makeshift gown. Rather, local fans of the beloved Queen of Sketch Comedys long-running, Emmy-winning CBS show will recreate classic lines and the impeccable timing of Vicki Lawrence, Harvey Korman, Tim Conway and more at this family-friendly and free! homage to The Carol Burnett Show. Friday, March 18 and Saturday, March 19 at Master Arts Theatre, 6 p.m. Having revived HBO sketch gamechanger Mr. Show with Bob and David late last year on Netflix (under the revamped moniker W/ Bob & David), in January the alternative-comedy icon launched his first stand-up tour in six years. Political, incredulous and defiantly timely, Making America Great Again! also borrows the prized campaign slogan of presidential hopeful Donald Trump. Cross films his MAGA! material next month at Austins Moontower Comedy and Oddity Festival for a special of the same name, but LaughFest attendees have the opportunity to see it firstand in no less perfect a venue than a nondenominational church. Friday, March 18 at Fountain Street Church, 8 p.m. The uninhibited New York cabaret star may blur the boundaries of personal space, but Everett is a modest fellow Midwesterner at heart. Before I had any inkling of who she was, I remember hearing whispers about Bridget at Just for Laughs Montreal a few years ago that hers was a show not to be missed, says Jamison Yoder of LaughFest booking agency Funny Business. We talked about inviting her for LaughFest 2015, but it didnt work out, so we are overjoyed that shes coming this year. Her rise these last couple of years has been meteoric and I think its just the beginning for her. Im so excited for Grand Rapids to experience her show. Saturday, March 12 at Wealthy Theatre, 8 and 10:30 p.m. Kicking off the first of two LaughFest weekends, the brewery level of historic epicenter The B.O.B. (a.k.a. Grand Rapids landmark The Big Old Building) hosts an evening of the SNL breakouts top films. Attendees dressed as favorite Farley characters can compete for prizes while enjoying local barbecue and craft beer. Currently featured: Peanut Butter Porter and a Tangerine Trees the microbrewery calls a Beer Creamsicle. Friday, March 11 at the B.O.B. Brewery, 8 p.m. The frequent @midnight winner is down some hundred-plus pounds thanks to a regimen eschewing soda and cheesesteaks in favor of hikes and spin class. Funches is also in fighting shape comedy-wise, having amassed plenty of new material since the November release of debut album The Funches of Us. Originally booked on a previous years showcase, he had to cancel after being cast on NBC ensemble Undateable. This year Funches finally makes his LaughFest debut as a headliner with uniquely endearing outlooks on wrestling, weight-watching and raising his autistic son/hiking partner Malcolm. Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12 at Pyramid Scheme, 7 and 9:30 p.m. From a monthly show in a tiny Denver theater to creating the first scripted comedy series on TruTV, the Grawlix trio proves talent, hard work and positive attitudes pave the way for opportunity, and they did it in five breakneck years. While Ben Roy performed solo at LaughFest 2015 and Adam Cayton-Holland is a tour veteran of Grand Rapids comedy club Dr. Grins, third musketeer Andrew Orvedahl will experience his first taste of single-digit festival temperatures. Expect stand-up, live and video sketches, surprise guests and insider insight into Those Who Cant, which was recently renewed for a second season. Friday, March 18 and Saturday, March 19 at Pyramid Scheme, 7 and 9:30 p.m. The Daily Show correspondent is a master of the personal narrative. His one-man show, Homecoming King, boasts stellar reviews and the Sundance stamp of approval. With a feature film on the way, LaughFest provides a dwindling opportunity to experience Minhajs storytelling prowess in theatrical form. Friday, March 11 at Wealthy Theatre, 10:30 p.m. Can any serious comedy fan miss a rare screening of the titular British troupes cult classic in which John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam and company pit King Arthur against the indestructible Black Knight, insulting Frenchmen and a murderous rabbit? Burn the witch! Tuesday, March 15 at UICA, 8 p.m. Caleb Synan Numerous styles and skill levels of LaughFest talent provide stand-up options galore: clean or dirty, professional, semi-pro, amateur, college-age comics and even the timeless wellspring of kids telling jokes. Two National Headliner showcases welcome Ahmed Bharoocha, Jesse Joyce, Jenny Zigrino, Michelle Wolf, Annie Lederman, John Roy, Seaton Smith and Caleb Synan, while the stakes heighten for the Best of the Midwest Competition, in which eight up-and-comers compete for a $2,500 cash prize. Various times and locations. Visit LaughFestGR.org for updated information and tickets. Julie Seabaugh grew up on a farm in rural Missouri. She now lives in Los Angeles and covers comedy for Rolling Stone, Variety, GQ, The Village Voice, L.A. Weekly, Vulture, Huffington Post and more. Follow her at JulieSeabaugh.com and @JulieSeabaugh. Were not saying McDonalds is playing favorites with countries or anything, but the fast food giant is rolling out a new Cadbury Creme Egg McFlurry and it isnt in the American market. Known for their seasonal shakes, including the holiday season Eggnog and St. Patricks Day Shamrock Shake, it should come as no surprise that McDonalds is offering a new sweet treat based on sweet-inclusive seasons of celebration. The new McFlurry, which contains a whopping 54.4 grams of sugartwice the World Health Organizations daily suggested intake, is a mix of soft-serve vanilla ice-cream and the yellow and white cream-filled chocolate confections that are popular in several countries around Easter. Australians can get the new ice cream and candy blend for $4.80. Its unclear if or when the McFlurry will make it onto McDonalds American food menu. Earlier this week, news outlets reported on a story about a U.S. airstrike conducted with both manned and unmanned aircraft on an al-Shabab training camp in Somalia. The attack purportedly averted an imminent threat against U.S. and African troops and killed more than 150 militants at the compound. A Washington Post story mentioned that while there appeared to be no civilian casualties, the Pentagon was still assessing the situation, and anyone with a nose can smell the spin on that statement. The news item has similar overtones to the smart and taut thriller Eye in the Sky, keeping the films premise and the moral quandaries it presents all too salient. Directed by Gavin Hood (Enders Game, Tsotsi), Eye in the Sky is a cerebral film in the vein of Sidney Lumets Fail Safe, examining the disconnect between ethics and bureaucracy behind modern warfares new rules of engagementmanaging to keep the suspense and drama at heightened levels as people, in essence, debate via telephone and computers on whether or not to push a button. Leading an all-star cast is Helen Mirren as Colonel Katherine Powell, a UK-based military officer whos been tracking the actions of Susan Danford/Ayesha AL-Hady (Lex King), a Brit-turned-terrorist, for six years. The woman and her husband are numbers 4 and 5 on the East African most wanted list, and the toughened Powell is eager to capture them both. The films military operations take place in Kenya, but are coordinated in real time from several other locations: Las Vegas, Hawaii, London and Singapore. Under Powells guidance, as special forces move into position to finally apprehend her suspects, surveillance reveals that the small group is planning a suicide attack, ratcheting the operation up from capture to kill. Las Vegas drone pilot Steve Watts (Aaron Paul) is ordered to launch a Hellfire missile at the target house, but he hesitates. Watts and the other military officials spot something on their respective screens that throws the international operation into upheaval: A young girl has entered the kill zone to sell freshly baked bread. The gut-wrenching questions begin. Is it permissible to sacrifice the life of just one girl in order to save dozens, if not hundreds, from impending suicide attacks? Is it justifiable to attack if military intelligence can prove, statistically, that the girls likely only going to be injured? What ramifications does an attack mean for the propaganda war? God forbid what happens if a video is posted to YouTube. Much screen time is dedicated to following the bureaucrats as they engage in a game of press-the-button or pass-the-buck. The late Alan Rickman plays Lt. General Frank Benson, Powells commanding officer, who seconds the colonels argument for championing the greater good. Refreshingly, both characters arent painted as evil, trigger-happy soldiers: They understand the consequences, but firmly believe in the mission and that the end justifies the means. Other officials in the war room with Benson either want to get permission from someone further up the food chain or obtain assurances that they wont be blamed should things go awry. When they consult with their American counterparts, its almost comical that, without hesitation, the Americans tell the Brits to bomb for the greater good. Thankfully, Watts is behind the button, serving as the films moral compass. He uses the legalities and rules of war to stall, hoping that everything can be done to move that one girl out of the way. Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips) is captivating as the films unlikely hero, Jama Fara, an on-the-ground operative whos ordered to risk his own life to save the girlsall without mucking up the operation. Eye in the Sky is sure to draw comparisons to last years Good Kill, starring Ethan Hawke, though the 2015 film focused on the personal toll that anonymous drone strikes have on the new breed of pilots. Like the drones themselves, Eye in the Sky pulls back to give a birds eye view of military machinations. The war room sequences, with government officials struggling to seek permission to fire, are somewhat similar to the level of absurdity (sans slapstick) in Dr. Strangelove (a contemporary of Fail Safe, it should be noted, though the tone of each is markedly different from the other). One odd moment, however, involves Rickman picking out the wrong kind of doll for his granddaughter that elicits a few laughs, but even if its meant to paint Rickmans General as vulnerably, personally human, it seems totally out-of-step with the rest of the film. Told from a distinctly Western perspective, the terrorists are naturally kept anonymous, monitored from the other end of scopes and cameras. Even Susan Danfords conversion backstory is minimized, which seems like a missed opportunity to tell a more complete story. The only Africans we get to know are soldiers on the side of the American and British coalition, as well as the little girl and her family. Yes, its a little manipulative, and Eye in the Sky probably would have fared better limiting its focus to only those on the inside, but at its core, the film is a welcome piece of mindfulness and moral complexity on our increasingly black-and-white world stage. Director: Gavin Hood Writer: Guy Hibbert Starring: Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman, Barkhad Abdi, Jeremy Northam, Iain Glen and Phoebe Fox Release Date: March 11, 2016 Christine N. Ziemba is a Los Angeles-based freelance pop culture writer and regular contributor to Paste. You can follow her on Twitter. Lotti Benardout calls it her life-changing eureka moment. Two years ago, when the ethereal British vocalist arrived at a whirring, clanking exoskeleton of a song called Dust with her two brand-new bandmates in the trio HLOS, Dom Goldsmith and Arthur Delaney, something inexplicable, intangible clicked. And within us, we all felt it, she recollects of the magical track, which came together in roughly two hours during their first experimental recording session. It felt like the sound of HLOS was formed, and it was a really electric, quite exciting thing. We suddenly were like, Okay, this is working. And we were all really on board. Then again, could the musicians be wrong? We thought we had something good, but you never really know, Benardout admits. What if their dream composition was, in reality, a sonic dud? There was only one way to know for sure, she reasoned at the time self-issue the questionable Dust via SoundCloud, and carefully gauge the publics reaction. If indeed there was one. And the decision to put it online literally happened like this, she says. We were sitting in Doms bedroom, working on another track, and we were all catching our breath. And I cant remember who it was, but one of us said, Should we just put that online? Well, why not? We were waiting on someone that was maybe going to do some photos for us, and we were going to try to get that together before we released any music, Benardout continues. But this was another moment where we were all like, Shit! Lets just put it online, start a Facebook page, and get a few of our mates to Like it and see what people think. And the next day, people were already blogging about it, and it was getting picked up all over. So it literally happened overnight. We didnt have any expectations for it, so it really was an overwhelming thing for it to be so well-received. Almost immediately, Dust alone landed HLOS a coveted contract with Matador Records. And its included on the bands gorgeous new debut album, Full Circle, along with other 4AD-textured soundscapes like Pray, the reverent Oracle, a clattering Sacred, and the funereal Separate Lives and Earth Not Above. Benardouts cumulus-fluffy voice drifts lazily, hazily over the proceedings, often underscored by the earthier intonations of Delaney, who was working with production whiz Goldsmith on a separate musical project when he and his future co-vocalist first met (Goldsmith was simultaneously helming a solo EP from Benardout, who had been guest-crooning on singles from the dance artists Herve, Redlight, and Kidnap Kid). Individually, Arthur and I were both working with Dom on these separate projects, and Dom and I had been doing some writing together, on and off, says Benardout, who comes from a talented family that includes a jingle-penning grandmother and a music-teaching aunt. Then that became more frequent, and it felt like we were really scratching the surface of something exciting. After leaving her native London for six weeks, she returned to find Delaney who had moved next door to Goldsmith hard at work on his own material, which sounded eerily evocative of her own. There was an overriding feel and vibe to both projects, obviously through Doms production, so we thought, Well, why dont we have a crack at doing something, all together? And the first song that we really all collaborated on was Dust. HLOS did not rest on its laurels. As Dust was taking off, the members initially kept their identities secret, releasing only one photograph a distorted Xerox with three ectoplasmic, unrecognizable faces. Their Internet profile grew accordingly. We had that picture, and we had that one track, and we actually thought that they worked well, Benardout chortles. Its almost like us in the womb, the very first conception of the whole thing, and people picked up on that. So it wasnt intentional, but everybody thought that we were this super-mysterious, hidden-in-the-shadows project, when actually we just werent properly prepared for it we just wanted to put the music out there and see what people thought, and we didnt need a flashy press shot to do that. But the three were certain of one thing they had songs. Lots more songs. And once the Matador ink was dry, they got serious, at first combining Benardouts earlier solo material with that of Goldsmith and Delaney before working up new standalone originals. The mashups worked. But mainly, they essentially locked themselves away in a dark, windowless London studio for a full year, starting around the Yuletide in 2014, punching in daily at 10:00 a.m. and not leaving until 8:00 or 9:00 in the evening. And they did not emerge until they were fully satisfied with Full Circle. So this last Christmas was the first proper week that weve taken off, sighs Benardout of the grueling self-inflicted sessions. We were going six and a half days a week, including Sundays even if we were just sending messages back and forth, we were still engaged in what was going on. But because wed signed to matador so quickly, that allowed us to have a bit of money so we could actually work full-time on the record. We were like, This is what weve been waiting for our whole lives lets just put our heads down and go for it, and not mess around. Individually, they all sat down for heads-up talks with their significant others and closest friends, informing them that they would basically be disappearing for an entire year, and to not be offended that work was coming first. But I live with my boyfriend, so that helped, she says. Id be able to come home, get into bed, and have a little chat with him for an hour or so, then go to sleep and wake up and go. But when you work for hours on something like this? Its not a chore. Its enjoyable, and those hours were never a drag. How did the musicians (who initially christened themselves Halos, but added an artsy vowel to avoid confusion with a Christian American artist called Halo) know when Full Circle was finished? Again, something of a gut-level Eureka Moment, Benardut swears. We wrote in such a way that we spent quite a lot of time on each song. Wed write a verse and then maybe scrap it and re-write it. So each song had quite a whole process of its own. So by the time we got to 13, 14 songs, it felt like each song was right, and should be on the album. We didnt just keep writing and writing it felt like wed gotten a body of work that was complete. And Im always keen to to not hold on to these songs for too long. So in the same vein as Dust, it just feels right to put Full Circle out at this time, because these songs are relevant now. And if we keep writing and hold on to them for too long, theyre not going to be relevant anymore. So were quite ready for them to be heard. Writer: Jean-Francois Di Giorgio Artist: Frederic Genet Publisher: Titan Comics Release Date: March 9, 2016 The first issue of Samurai: The Isle With No Name offers a stylized slow burn that befits its protagonist, Takeo. In an introductory page of text that brings readers up to speed with the characterhes occupied nine previous volumes since 2009we learn that Takeos sword cannot be sheathed until blood is spilled. This development leads to a contradiction at the heart of the book: while it abounds with action and intrigue, its protagonist is reluctant to slaughter his adversaries in combat. But that wrinkle allows creators Jean-Francois Di Giorgio and Frederic Genet to devise infinitely more interesting fights for their hero, rather than simply pitting him in brutal acts of violence. As first issues go, this debut is more of a narrative seed than a self-contained tale: Di Giorgio sets plots in motion and introduces characters, but resolves little by the last page. Thankfully, the issue establishes enough intrigue to drive readers to next months chapter. Takeo ventures to the titular island in hopes to find his brother; the area also hosts an annual battle between a champion representing the islanders and one from a group of area yakuza. Shobei, an older samurai acquainted with Takeos mentor, makes his introduction, and is much more willing to shed blood when confronted. Shobeis backstory is a tragic one, both in terms of the fate of his family and the clash between his abilities as a fighter and his desire for death; he eyes Takeo as his opponent in the annual battle, serving as a moment of not-especially-subtle foreshadowing. Samurai: The Isle With No Name #1 Interior Art by Frederic Genet Di Giorgios plot and script, although dealing largely in archetypes, creates a number of morally grey sequences. The islanders are sympathetic, but some are willing to engage in unethical acts in the hopes of winning their annual battle. Shobei falls in the service of unsavory characters, but his brutal past rationalizes much of his trajectory. That handling of archetypes seems intentional, however; the storyline plays out like a knowing remix of tropes and prototypes. The title also provides an interestingly circular series of references. This is a French comic about a Japanese samurai; the title evokes Clint Eastwoods character in Sergio Leones Dollars trilogy, the first of which was inspired by Akira Kurosawas Yojimbothe main character of which was a masterless samurai. The combination of Genets artwork and Delphine Rieus colors make for a number of evocative settings and sequences, from a sneak attack on a docked boat, to Takeo making his way across the island on a dark night. And, as befits a story about a samurai, the action sequences are handled neatly and creatively, giving a suggestion of Takeos skills, as well as his restraint. Theres plenty to find compelling in this book, even as the larger picture of The Isle With No Name remains untold. Samurai: The Isle With No Name #1 Variant Cover by David Mack After Hillary Clintons southern dominance, as well as her narrow wins in Iowa and Massachusetts, Bernie Sanders Michigan win could be a turning point. For weeks the Wolverine State appeared to be a safe bet for Clintoneven FiveThirtyEight gave her a greater than 99 percent chance of winning. However, as voters became more familiar with Sanders, the dynamic changed. This latest victory is a welcome narrative shift for the underdog Vermont Senator which promises to carry him to future victories in the North and states that Democrats can win in a general election. Sanders win is a good thing for Democrats because he is the only candidate who can unite the party in November. There is no way economic progressives and Bernie supporters will accept a Hillary Clinton nomination after everything theyve seen in this primary. The other night Vermont superdelegate Howard Dean tweeted the following: @D_Born @BernieSanders Super delegates don't "represent people" I'm not elected by anyone. I'll do what I think is right for the country Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) March 5, 2016 In Deans state, Hillary Clinton won less than 14 percent of the popular vote. To Bernie Sanders supporters, Deans promise to vote Clinton in spite of the overwhelming voice of the people of Vermont is just the latest example of the primary being rigged against them. To progressives, it is further evidence of the coronation which has dissuaded many from voting (voter participation is down nearly 30 percent from 2008). The feeling that Bernie Sanders has not been given a fair shake has given rise to the Bernie Or Bust movementvoters who will turn their backs on Hillary Clinton in November if she wins the nomination. These voters now represent roughly 14 percent of the Democratic base, and are a growing concern for party leaders who fear that the division will lead to a President Trump or a President Cruz. This fear has caused much hand wringing and outrage from Clinton supporters directed at the Bernie Camp. However, if this scenario does happen, and Trump or Cruz wins the election due to low Democratic turnout, the blame will lie squarely with Hillary Clinton, the DNC, and the media for alienating Bernie supporters. In spite of her record, her donor list and the fact that most of her campaign funding (83 percent) comes from large donorsall of which progressives find troublingHillary Clinton could have stemmed the spread of Bernie Or Bust. Instead she has conducted her campaign in such a way that, now, most voters feel she is dishonest. A recent article from the New York Times revealed that Clintons strategy to defeat Trump boils down to fear. She hopes to scare enough of the economic progressive wing of the Democratic Party (Bernies camp) into voting for her while she appeals to social moderates on the right. This is why Clinton flip-flops on progressive rhetoric even in the internet age where voters can easily see her playing both sides on Youtube. This inconsistency is due to the fact that the Clinton Camp does not appear to view Bernies progressive voters as reliablenor do they appreciate their situation. To that end, Hillary has dismissed concerns about her record; she has not released the transcripts of her paid Wall Street speeches (which made her millions of dollars); she has characterized Bernie supporters as unrealistic, sexist, and seeking handouts. On the other hand, Donald Trump, often speaks about inequality in America: protecting workers from free trade, taxing hedge fund guys, and allowing the government to negotiate drug prices for Medicare. In the past hes supported liberal causes like abortion rights and universal health care. This rhetoric appeals to many blue-collar Americans who make up the Democratic Partys economically progressive base. The Clinton Camps response to this appeal is troubling to Bernie supporters. As former Pennsylvania governor Edward G. Rendell indicated: For every one of those blue-collar Democrats he picks up, he will lose to Hillary two socially moderate Republicans and independents in suburban Cleveland, suburban Columbus, suburban Cincinnati, suburban Philadelphia, suburban Pittsburgh, places like that. Indeed, many moderate Republicans have said they would vote Hillary Clinton over Trump, which means that if those two were the nominees for their respective parties, the Democratic Party would expand to encompass these conservatives. Sanders supporters worry that in an effort to win two terms, Clinton would try to appeal to these new conservative voters by tacking right on economics. This is not the direction Sanders progressives think the Democratic Party needs to movenor is it the direction the party or the country has been moving over the past eight years. As such, they worry that their concerns would not be listened to by a center-right Clinton administration. But Clinton is not the only one apparently taking progressive votes for granted. From the debate schedule and the threat of punishment for any candidate caught participating in unsanctioned debates, to lifting its own rules against donations from federal lobbyists and superPACs, it has become apparent that the DNC has not been worried about Sanders supporters defecting or sitting outuntil recently. The superdelegate system is a relic of the 1980s when Democratic leadership sought to win back the formerly Solid South from the GOP which it had lost pursuing a Civil Rights platform. Last month, the system was put under the microscope when DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who served as Clintons co-campaign chair in 2008, admitted, in a moment of candor, that superdelegates (whose ranks include Bill Clinton) exist to insulate party leaders from grassroots activists. Thanks to this election cycle, Ms. Schultz now faces a progressive primary challenger, Tim Canova. Fearing similar backlash, some party leaders in safe districts have sought to distance themselves from Schultz. Nancy Pelosi, for example, has come out against the superdelegate system as being undemocratic. However, the damage has been done. Schultz and now Deans remarks have cemented the worst fears of Bernie supportersthat party leaders, regardless of popular vote, will subvert the will of the people and hand victory to the establishment candidate, Hillary Clinton. But superdelegates arent the only problem with the primary process Sanders supporters see which stems from the 1980s. The fact that the southern states who vote GOP in the general election overwhelmingly vote first, setting the narrative for the rest of the primary, is seen as indication that the party really values conservative voices over its liberal base. The DNCs actions have many progressives seriously considering whether or not the Democratic Party is the right vehicle for the changes they want to seeespecially since Trump is doing so well on the other side. If Hillary were to win the nod, it is likely both parties could realign as it would seem a confirmation of an answer in the negative. The final nail in the lesser-of-two-evils coffin has been the perceived pro-Clinton media bias. From the start of the primary, news outlets, wonks, and talking heads have been helping spread a narrative that Bernie Sanders cant win. Additionally, Sanders supporters have been labeled everything from naive to sexist. At the same time, theyve seen Hillary Clinton asked fluff questions at town halls; theyve seen her hailed as the responsible choice though she has not outlined any concrete plans for major issues like health care reform; theyve seen her allies make sexist remarks, and get away with it. Adding insult to injury, many of the people pushing the pro-Clinton narrative were those progressives once counted among their ranks. And many of the news outlets promoting the former Secretary were those they previously trusted. It didnt take long before it came out that many of those individuals and outlets had ties to the Clinton political machine. Paul Krugman, who made a prima facie argument against the recent study showing Bernie Sanders economic plan would generate unprecedented growth. He called it voodoo, but he never even ran the numbers, or looked at the models. Also included under the The Washington Post, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos whose financial ties to the Clintons are well-documented, recently ran 16 anti-Sanders stories within 16 hours. Blue Nation Review, owned by political trigger-man and Clinton attack dog, David Brock, is an anti-Sanders propaganda site. Recently, Gawker revealed the extent of the Clintons influence over the media by leaking screenshots from 2009. The first is an email in which Clintons then-spokesperson, Philippe Reines, told then-politics editor of The Atlantic, Marc Ambinder, what language to use to describe a speech of Hillarys in an upcoming article. The second picture shows the article using the language. Regardless of what side one comes down on, this influence is disturbing. Bernie progressives have, through this primary, unwittingly uncovered the corrupted heart of our system: that influence peddling and money rule on both sides of the aisle. Supporting Hillary, to some extent, means capitulating, and accepting this systemwhich is exactly what Bernie Sanders is fighting against. If Bernie Sanders wins the nomination Clinton supporters will likely fall in line. The simple reason for that is theres nothing they have to lose with his presidency. And while they may disagree on certain issues, they do accept that hes fundamentally different from, and better than the GOP. However, the same cannot be said if Hillary Clinton wins. To Sanders supporters, the prospect of a Clinton nomination presents a serious dilemma. They would be torn between stopping a crypto-fascist from reaching the White House for four years (and all that entails), and voting to potentially kill their own movement. Voting for Hillary would mean diluting their power within the Democratic Party by supporting a leader who is bankrolled by big donors, caters to economic conservatives, and has shown progressive causes little commitment save for when it is convenient for her political career. Additionally, it would show the DNC that their votes are guaranteed despite the disregard shown by the party towards them. And most importantly, it would set a dangerous precedent that the media gets to pick the winners of the primary before any votes are even cast. The Bernie Or Bust movement is controversial, and is viewed as destructively naive by some. However, the decision not to support the potential Democratic nominee for president with all that that entails, is not one reached lightly. The promise of a Clinton coronation has resulted in low turnout already in this primary. Voters want change, and they do not see Mrs. Clinton as a vehicle for it. Democratic leaders like Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Howard Dean should recognize the danger theyve put the party and country in. As I said in the beginning, it is a good thing for Democrats that Bernie Sanders won Michigan last night. After Sunday nights Democratic debate, the media were quick to take Bernie Sanders to task; for his ill-advised white people dont know what its like to be poor comment, for his insistence that Hillary Clinton stop interrupting him as he spoke, and most significantly for his line on the state of the GOP candidates mental health. This is what Sanders said on the latter: We are, if elected president, going to invest a lot of money into mental health. And when you watch these Republican debates, you know why. Almost immediately, publications including the Washington Post and Vox were quick to unleash commentary. Articles with titles like, Mental health patients to Bernie Sanders: Dont compare us to the GOP candidates, and, Sanders meant to insult Republicans. He insulted people with mental illness instead. These positioned Sanders as demon of an entire community, one consisting of roughly one quarter of the world population. WashPo and Vox werent alone: they were joined by Forbes, the LA Times and others in their righteous anger. (As former White House counselor Bill Curry put it regarding the mainstream medias distaste for Bernie Sanders, The nation may be divided but at least its pundits speak as one.) Such articles made the argument that Sanders was both trivialising the subject of mental health and comparing none-too-happy sufferers to the GOP. Indeed, they cited tweets from an outraged public: My mental health is not a joke, joke was low moment for @BernieSanders, Bigotry is not a mental illness. (I would add here that while bigotry is most definitely not a mental illness, classicnarcissism and a propensity for compulsivelying arent exactly signifiers of a healthy mind, either.) Full disclosure: I support Bernie Sanders. I have also, like so many people, suffered from anxiety and depression all my adult life. I dont however treat my mental health issues as though theyre sacrosanct. So I didnt, as fellow Sanders supporter Wil Wheaton put it, wind myself up into a big ball of righteous outrage about what Sanders had to say. I dont claim to speak for all of the many, many people who deal with mental health problems worldwide. Though I am, according to statistics, one of the roughly 700 million globally who suffer from anxiety and depression, so I count myself as part of this community that the media claims to speak for, and which it claims was universally outraged Sunday night. I was not outraged, but of course others took the joke differently; they have the right to be offended in the same way I have my right not to be. My problem isnt with those people. My problem is with the press that took a selective handful of tweets written by sufferers, then used them to sell an anti-Sanders agenda, apparently on behalf of me and everyone else whos ever had to deal with mental illness. Theres no shortage of evidence to suggest that those outlets that are apparently deeply unhappy with the Sanders campaign are also often compromised. Prominent Vox and New York Times writers have lately suspiciously made a 360 with their views in order to attack Sanders; The Daily Beasts parent company has Chelsea Clinton on its board of directors; even The Onion which began publishing nakedly pro-Clinton satire immediately after being bought out is now controlled by a top Clinton donor. But lets look specifically at the Washington Post, whose piece, Mental health patients to Bernie Sanders: Dont compare us to the GOP candidates, has been so widely shared. The Washington Posts partiality this primary season has been so clear that team Clinton has actually been using WashPo articles in its campaign. As late as last year, when the Vermont senator was surging in the polls, WashPo was barely giving the Sanders campaign coverage, but as Sanders has become more of a threat the paper has ramped up its coverage significantly, in the form of a series of negative articles. Just yesterday, the media watchdog FAIR counted an astonishing 16 anti-Sanders articles in just 16 hours from the Post. Could there be a reason why? Well, Washington Post owner and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos who its said has taken a hands-on role at the Post is a stern opponent of higher taxes, putting him in direct opposition with someone like Bernie Sanders. Bezos is also an acquaintance of Obamas, and was awarded a $16.5 million contract while Clinton was secretary of state. Its only speculation, but you might say the Washington Post has a few good reasons for so frequently attacking Bernie Sanders. So when the Washington Post writes that Sanders belittled mental health patients, I dont see an expression of sympathy for what people like me really feel. I see an article thats part of a pattern; another story concocted to convince readers that a certain candidate doesnt deserve their vote. I see using the subject of mental health for political point-scoring. Should Bernie Sanders have made light of mental health issues on Sunday night? Perhaps not, though I dont consider his pretty minor joke one that I as someone with a history of problems am allowed to make that other people without such a history arent. (Incidentally, I have no idea whether Bernie Sanders has ever had to deal with mental illness. Neither do the press, for that matter.) More offensive to me than a flippant remark is a media affecting compassion in order to make members of a vulnerable community pawns in their games of bias. As Donald Trump racks up more and more delegates toward the Republican Presidential nomination, Google is reporting a huge increase in the search term move to Canada. Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia is encouraging people fleeing Trump to visit their island. And my Facebook feed has regular entries from friends talking about moving to Canada, or Ireland, or somewhere in Scandinavia. Ive been here before. In 2004 I gave some thought to moving to Canada after George W. Bush was re-elected. The more I investigated, though, the more I decided that daydreaming about it wasnt a good thing. Heres an excerpt from my private journal from December 2004: Quit putting energy into moving to Canada or youll find yourself there sooner than you want to be. If you start mentally building a house in Canada, youll end up in Canada. Texas hasnt started burning witches, and they arent likely to, no matter how bad things get. If at some point it becomes dangerous to remain here, then youll have to move. But that day isnt today. I think were in the same place twelve years later. Here are nine reasons why Im not moving to Canada even if Trump wins. 1. Trumps not going to win. I admit hes hung around longer than I thought he would I wasnt counting on the #2 Republican being Ted Cruz. The Republican establishment hates Cruz as much as it hates Trump (and to be honest, Im more afraid of Cruz) but they cant get the voters behind Marco Rubio. We may be headed for a brokered convention, and theres always the possibility of Mitt Romney being drafted as a compromise candidate. If Trump gets the nomination, I expect Hillary or Bernie will walk over him. Most of the constituency that voted for Barack Obama will support the Democratic nominee, and the Republican establishment will (quietly) back Hillary over either Trump or Cruz. A Sanders Trump race could see Michael Bloomberg reverse his decision and run as an independent. Ive already seen some Republicans supporting Libertarian Gary Johnson. A third-party candidate has the chance to send the election to the House of Representatives where Trump is hated and will not win. 2. Presidential power is limited. Even if Trump wins, there are limits on what he can do. His bullying style of leadership isnt likely to win him any friends or allies in Congress. Other than perhaps on immigration, I dont see him getting any significant bills passed. As we have seen with President Obama, there is only so much that can be done through executive orders. This is still a nation of laws, and our courts are largely immune to Presidential bullying. Weve already seen senior advisors state that the military would refuse to obey illegal orders I think thats likely. Im far less worried about a President Trump doing something crazy than I am with a President Cruz giving Israel a blank check and escalating a war in the Middle East. 3. Im not in much danger. Im not an immigrant or a Muslim. Im a straight, white, middle class man. The only way Im likely to run afoul of the Trump Brownshirts (other than writing posts like this, which I absolutely plan to continue) is my religion, and that can be camouflaged if its necessary to protect my life and property. Is that privilege? You better believe it is. And with privilege comes the responsibility to use it to make the world a better place. That means that if Im wrong and the country really does go to hell, I need to be one of the last ones out, not one of the first. 4. Immigration isnt that easy. Its really easy for Americans to visit pretty much any place wed like to move to. Just buy an airplane ticket, fill out an arrivals card, and show your passport when you arrive. Other countries are happy to have us visit, see their sights, and spend our money with them. But pull up to the border with a moving van, or even at the airport without a return ticket, and youre likely to be turned away. Every country has their own rules for who can immigrate, and while some take refugees, an American running from an unpopular President isnt going to be considered a refugee. If you have family in Canada, your odds of getting in are pretty good. If you have a job offer waiting on you, your odds are pretty good. If you want to study and not work, and have the resources to do so, your odds are good. If youre independently wealthy, your odds are really good. Other than that, though, things get complicated. I have American friends living in numerous countries around the world. It can be done. But it takes months if not years to plan, and many more years before you can get permanent residency or citizenship. 5. Moving is expensive. Moving across the border is even more expensive. And the more stuff you have, the more expensive it is to move. I shudder to think what its going to cost to move 30 miles to Denton when my commuting situation is close to changing (i.e. when I get within a couple years of retirement), much less what it would cost to move 2500 miles to Cape Breton Island. 6. Canada looks pretty good for now. For someone with liberal political views, Canada looks pretty good right now. Universal health care, marriage equality firmly established, mostly minds their own business in international affairs. And new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leads a Liberal Party that just took power after almost ten years of Conservative rule. But lets not forget that for that almost ten years, Canada was led by Stephen Harper, sometimes called Bush Lite. Lets not forget that the Keystone XL Pipeline project (which has been vetoed by President Obama but could be revived by a Republican President) is designed to transport tar sands oil from Alberta, the home of some of the worst environmental desecration on the planet. There are no perfect countries: not Canada, not Ireland, not Sweden. All have their good points and bad points, and all are in a constant state of flux. Canadas economy is slow right now, largely due to the drop in prices for oil and other natural resources. While thats not Harpers fault, Trudeau wont be able to do much about it, and theres no guarantee Canadians (who arent universally liberal, particularly in the West) wont blame him for it and bring the Conservatives back into power next election. 7. Canada is cold. And the one place in Canada with moderate weather (Vancouver) is horribly expensive. I grew up in Tennessee. We have winter, but its fairly mild and fairly short. Texas is even warmer. We occasionally make the national news because of our inability to deal with an ice storm (like the 2011 Super Bowl), but for the most part, winter means a few weeks of wearing a jacket. Yes, the summers are brutal, but thats why we have air conditioning and you dont have to shovel heat. I spent three winters in South Bend, Indiana. My house was 25 miles from Lake Michigan we got lake effect snows. I once shoveled my driveway six times in 24 hours just to be able to get one car out. I once wore a hooded sweatshirt on the Fourth of July. I can deal with the cold and snow, but the older I get the less I want to. 8. I trust my ability to read the political thermometer. An old proverb says that if you drop a frog into a pot of boiling water hell jump out, but if you put him in a pan of room temperature water hell never notice it getting hotter until he boils to death. Ive never tried that experiment I have a bit of compassion even for amphibians but it makes a valid point. Im sure millions of Jews in 1930s Germany thought they had plenty of time to leave, until they didnt. The fact is that we are in the beginnings of the Long Descent. A Donald Trump presidency would floor the accelerator on our descent, but even a Bernie Sanders presidency would only tap the brakes a bit. As the American empire crumbles, things will get nastier. It behooves all of us to pay attention, even if we hate politics. But we arent there yet, and I dont think even four years of Trump will get us there. 9. Im not surrendering to fascists and theocrats. Call me naive. Call me stubborn. You can even call me patriotic. But I still believe in the idea of America. I still believe all people are created equal, even if weve yet to fully realize that ideal. I still believe in freedom of religion, including for Muslims and Pagans (and atheists and even fundamentalist Christians). I believe the Land of Opportunity works best when its open to everyone willing to sign on to the idea that we judge people by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin, or which Gods they do or dont pray to, or how much money they have. I believe that promoting the general Welfare is a necessary and proper use of our common wealth. I may not have a 3000 year family relationship with the land like some of my European friends, but my ancestors have been here for 200 years, and thats something. This is where I was born. This is where I grew up. This is where Ive built a nice life. This is my home, and Ill be damned if Im going to hand it over to Donald Trump or Ted Cruz without a fight. You may be at greater risk than I am. You may have fewer ties to this country. You may have an easier time moving. You have to do whats best for you, and if that includes moving to Canada, I wish you well. But Im not leaving, not even if Donald Trump becomes President. Patna: Police in Patna on Monday arrested Priyanka Kumari, the 21-year-old sister of 18-year old Alka Kumari who was found murdered on Sunday night allegedly by her own sister. The gruesome incident took place at the home of one Akhilesh Rai, a postal worker, in Kachhuara village under Gopalpur police station in Patna district. As reported, Alka, a student of Central School in Kankarbagh, was sleeping with her elder sister at their home as other family members also slept in their respective rooms. However, in the morning, Priyanka informed others that her sister appeared to have been murdered in her bed. Police found Alka's throat slit as she died of excessive bleeding. During intense police grilling, Priyanka broke down and confessed of killing her sister for nagging her incessantly to get married. Authorities also found the knife that was used to slash the throat of Alka, police said. City SP (East) Sudhir Kumar Porika said that Priyanka had been arrested and no other person was being treated as a suspect in the case at this time. "Initially, they (the family members) tried to blame the killing on an intruder but under police interrogation, Priyanka broke down and confessed of murdering her younger sister," Porika said. "We found a small knife wound in the hand of the elder sister that put her on the top of the suspect list. The fact that the door was locked from inside also substantiated our suspicion for Priyanka," DSP (Sadar) Ramakant Prasad said. A forensic team, after carefully combing the crime scene, sent the body to the Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) for an autopsy. News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. "We're not used to seeing growth in our check business," said Deluxe's Tracey Engelhardt, who reports a 6% to 7% increase in revenue for check orders from businesses and consumers in each of the last three quarters, driven by various factors originating from the pandemic. Australia, Iran Said Negotiating Deal To Return 9,000 Iranian Migrants 03/09/16 Source: RFE/RL Australia hopes to send nearly 9,000 Iranian migrants back to their homeland under a new deal with Tehran, Australian media reported on March 9. Illegal Migrants (caroon by Mohammad Tahani, Iranian daily Arman) Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was reported to be negotiating an agreement with her counterpart, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, to end Tehran's longstanding refusal to accept the return of Iranian asylum seekers. Under the repatriation agreement expected to be signed by Zarif when he visits the Australian capital, Canberra, on March 15, Australia would secure guarantees from Iran that Iranians who returned home would not be persecuted or punished. The deal was reported to cover almost 9,000 Iranian asylum seekers, including about 400 in Australian-funded immigration centers on Pacific islands. Most live in Australia. It is not clear how many of them are genuine refugees who could not be sent back to Iran, but Australia regards the majority to be economic migrants seeking better jobs, rather than refugees. Australia has refused to resettle them while Iran refuses to take them back. The new agreement would reflect Tehran's determination to improve relations with the West in the wake of last year's landmark nuclear accord. Based on reporting by AP, The West Australian, and Sky News Copyright (c) 2016 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org Iranian President's Khatami Comments Officially Fall On Deaf Ears 03/09/16 By Frud Bezhan, RFE/RL Iranian President-elect Hassan Rohani (left) meets with ex-President Mohammad Khatami at his home in Tehran in June 2013. Iranian President-elect Hassan Rohani (left) meets with ex-President Mohammad Khatami at his home in Tehran in June 2013. Iran's president has broken a long-standing taboo by publicly defending a reformist predecessor, but his remarks met with a muted response. In a speech broadcast live from Mohammad Khatami's hometown on March 7, President Hassan Rohani hailed the former reformist president as a "dear brother." The crowd in the central Iranian city of Yazd cheered wildly at the mention of their native son. But Iran's state-run IRINN television, well aware of a long-standing media ban against mentioning Khatami's name, quickly cut the volume. Rouhani praises ex-Pres Khatami visiting Yazd, audience erupts in cheers, stateTV mutes them [2nd half from YouTube] pic.twitter.com/QlIGIBCWYX Hadi Nili (@HadiNili) March 7, 2016 Social media also showed banners of Khatami and Rohani being held up by the crowd during the speech, but they could not be seen on the live broadcast. Rohani clearly tested his boundaries by mentioning Khatami, who is fiercely opposed by conservative hard-liners. The president even went so far as to state that no one could "silence those who served the nation." Scott Lucas, an Iran specialist at Birmingham University in Britain and editor of the EA World View website, suggests Rohani was emboldened by February elections that strengthened the hand of relative moderates and reformists. "Rohani wouldn't have made those remarks if he hadn't got the boost from the election," Lucas says. "It is a significant shot to fire." Ghanem Nuseibeh, founder of the London-based political-risk-analysis group Cornerstone Global Associates, says Rohani took a calculated risk that could put him on a collision course with hard-liners. "Rohani has given the strongest public indication yet that he is uncomfortable with the position that the establishment has taken against Khatami," Nuseibeh says. "It can be interpreted as the tip of the iceberg in terms of differences inside the Iranian regime." Media Silence Yet Iran's news media were largely silent in response to the development. The hard-line daily Keyhan and conservative dailies Resalat and Vatan-e Emruz failed to note Rohani's mention of Khatami -- or that Mohammad Reza Aref, a vice president under Khatami and the reformists' most prominent candidate in the recent parliamentary vote, had accompanied Rohani to Yazd. Major reformist newspapers such as Sharq and Etemad also failed to mention the former president, although they highlighted Rohani's remarks on the "dialogue among civilizations" -- a phrase coined by Khatami. The hard-line daily Javan stood out as an exception by publishing a large photo of Rohani on its front page and mentioning Khatami. The government news agency IRNA also reported Rohani's comments on Khatami on its website. The majority of reformist and moderate outlets carried Rohani's remarks, while somewhat surprisingly Rohani's own website in English did not put up his speech. "Is Rohani same as Khatami, and Khatami same as Rohani?" file photo: Khatami (L) and Rohani on the cover of Aseman magazine 'Illegal' Ban Iranian media are banned from publishing the name or images of Khatami, who was president from 1997 to 2005, on account of his support for the defeated reformist candidates in the disputed 2009 reelection of Mahmud Ahmadinejad. During his March 7 speech, Rohani criticized the media ban on Khatami as "illegal" and a "joke." Rohani said it was a "complete lie" that the National Security Council could ban the publication of Khatami's photo. "The National Security Council has no such directive and if anyone claims otherwise, he is breaking the law," he said. Iran's judiciary promptly reacted to Rohani's comments, however, and said the ban was still in place. A judiciary spokesman said the ban was a "judicial order" and, contradicting Rohani, claimed it was issued under "Resolution 298 of the National Security Council." The media blackout is apparently part of an effort by hard-liners to silence Khatami, who remains one of Iran's most popular politicians. Despite the media ban, Khatami managed to publish a five-minute video on social media before the recent elections that are credited with swinging the balance in favor of reformists and relative moderates aligned with Rohani. In a statement published on Khatami's website on March 8, the former president urged fewer restrictions in the Islamic republic. "We must all try so that the reputation of the system is not damaged and to have an open atmosphere for everyone's participation, to remove restrictions and limitations," he said. His remarks came after the opposition website Kaleme on March 5 reported that security agents had not allowed Khatami to leave his house to attend the wedding of the daughter of Mir Hossein Musavi, a prominent leader of the opposition Green Movement who has been under house arrest since 2011. Frud Bezhan covers Afghanistan and the broader South Asia and Middle East region. Send story tips to bezhanf@rferl.org. Copyright (c) 2016 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org Harsh Sentences of Human Rights Activist and Wife Confirmed by Iran Appeals Court 03/09/16 Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran An Appeals Court in Iran has upheld the 15-year prison sentence of the student activist Arash Sadeghi for collusion against national security, propaganda against the state, spreading lies in cyberspace and insulting the Founder of the Islamic Republic [Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini]. Iranian activist couple Arash Sadeghi and Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee Sadeghis sentence has been confirmed without taking into consideration Article 134 of Irans New Islamic Penal Code, which limits a prison term to the heaviest sentence of the most serious charge in cases of multiple charges. Sadeghi told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that his lawyer, Amir Raeesian, was not allowed to be present at the opening session of his trial. Raeesian was allowed to attend the second session but wasnt permitted to read the case file. Raeesian was only able to see a portion of the file just before the Appeals Court hearing. Political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Iran are routinely subjected to due process violations such as denial of full access to counsel or a lawyers full access to case files. I was charged with collusion against national security because I supported a group of poor students who had been denied education and for supporting leftist students and visiting families of those who had been killed, and for taking part in peaceful gatherings, such as... protests against the execution of Gholamreza Khosravi and gathering in support of [imprisoned womens rights activist] Narges Mohammadi, Sadeghi told the Campaign, adding that the verdicts were issued by Branch 54 of the Appeals Court. Sadeghis wife, Golrokh Iraee, an accountant with no previous criminal record, has also been sentenced to six years in prison for propaganda against the state and insulting the sacred. Sadeghi said that since their arrest, he and his wife had lost their livelihood and are relying on savings. He was forced to sell his share of a stationery store he co-owned to his partner, and his wife was let go from her job as an accountant when she was released on bail. Theres nothing to back the charge of insulting the Sacred against my wife. All she did was write stories, one of them about a person who did not believe in God. They really didnt have a case against her. They just wanted to frame her, he said. Golrokh and I were interrogated simultaneously in two adjacent rooms. I could hear the interrogators voice. When Golrokh was released on bail, my interrogator [lied and] said she had been moved to another location because she hadnt cooperated. I was worried about her wellbeing on top of the pressures from my own interrogator. Then after two months we had our first phone conversation and I realized she had been released, he added. When I was in jail, my wife chose Mr. [Peyman Haj-Mahmoud] Attar as our lawyer. At the time he was also the lawyer for two labor and political activists and he told my wife it would be better if we found another lawyer. With his help, my wife chose Mr. Raeesian for our case. Before the trial, Mr. Raeesian went four times to the Revolutionary Court office at Branch 15 but he was not allowed to study my file, Sadeghi added. I was accused of insulting Ayatollah Khomeini because of a couple of posts I wrote about the 1980s on my Facebook page. But I did not make any reference to him. I only quoted historical statements and gave my own analysis. Unfortunately the court did not pay attention to what I had to say, Sadeghi told the Campaign. I was also charged with spreading lies online because I had posted news about political prisons on my Facebook page. And I was charged with propaganda against the state because I had given interviews about how the Gonabadi Dervishes as well as [other] religious minorities had been denied their rights. I also gave an interview about solitary confinement, he said. Sadeghi, 36, was arrested on September 6, 2014 at his stationery store in Tehran by the Sarallah Headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Intelligence Organization. He was detained along with his wife and two friends in the Intelligence Organization-controlled Ward 2-A of Evin Prison. Sadeghi was released on seven billion Iranian rials (about $230,000) bail seven months later on March 14, 2015. His wife Golrokh Iraee, 35, was released on one billion rials (about $33,000) bail. Initially Sadeghi and Iraee were tried at Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court in May and July 2015 by Judge Abolqasem Salavati. Iraee was in the hospital and was not able to attend but the judge refused to postpone the trial to hear her defense. Judge Salavatis verdicts were upheld by the Appeals Court on December 22, 2015. Sadeghi was previously arrested in July 2009, March 2010 and January 2012 for allegedly participating in protests against the widely disputed results of the 2009 presidential election, but he was conditionally released each time. His mother, Farahnaz Dargahi, died in November 2009-four days after she suffered a heart attack after security agents raided her home. Photos: Iran test-fires two ballistic missiles during large-scale drills 03/09/16 Report by Press TV; photos by Mohammadreza Abbasi, Mehr News Agency Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has successfully test-fired two ballistic missiles in line with the country's defense doctrine. The missiles dubbed Qadr-H and Qadr-F were fired on Wednesday during the large-scale drills, codenamed Eqtedar-e-Velayat. This photo shows Iran's firing of a Qadr ballistic missile on March 9, 2016 The missiles were fired from East Alborz heights in northern Iran and could hit targets 1,400 kilometers away in Makran Coasts southeast of the country. Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Division Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh said Qadr-H missile has a range of 1,700 kilometers while Qadr-F missile can destroy targets some 2,000 kilometers away. Irans test-firing of the missiles comes after a US State Department spokesman, Mark Toner, on Tuesday criticized the countrys missile launch, saying Washington planned to bring it before the United Nations Security Council. Last month, Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the Islamic Republic will continue to develop its missile program and that Tehran needs no permission to enhance the countrys defense capabilities. We have announced that we will not ask permission from anyone to [strengthen] our defense and missile capability, Zarif said in an interview with Iranian Students' News Agency, ISNA, on February 28. The top Iranian diplomat went on to say that the countrys missile program does not breach last July nuclear agreement struck between Tehran and six world powers and that the deal does not ban Iran from boosting its defense capabilities. In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and manufactured different types of military equipment. Iran has repeatedly assured other countries that its military might poses no threat to other states, insisting that its defense doctrine is entirely based on deterrence. Iran exports 32 tons of heavy water to US 03/09/16 Source: Press TV Iran on Tuesday announced that it had exported 32 tons of heavy water to the United States in what could be a landmark progress in the commercialization of the country's nuclear energy program. "We have entered the international market of nuclear materials. We have purchased 140 tons of yellow cake from Russia as well as 60 more tons from Kazakhstan," Abbas Araqchi, Iran's deputy foreign minister, told a forum at the country's Foreign Ministry. "We have also sold about 10 tons of 3.5 percent enriched uranium to Russia. In fact, we have entered the international market of nuclear materials as an exporter." Araqchi did not specify when and how the export had been made, but he said it occurred after the implementation of a historic nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 - the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany - in mid-January. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) earlier in January announced that Iran plans to sell as much as 40 tons of its excess heavy water supplies to the US, adding that the landmark move will be made through a third party. "Six tons of the exported heavy water will be used in nuclear facilities and the rest in American research centers," Ali Asghar Zarean, a deputy head of the IAEO, had been quoted by the media as saying. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said last August that Iran will begin to commercialize its nuclear technology after the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "We will import yellow cake from abroad and we will export enriched UF6," President Rouhani told reporters. Iran and the P5+1 group of countries - the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany - agreed over the JCPOA last July. Based on it, Iran will restrict certain aspects of its nuclear energy activities in return for the removal of certain economic sanctions imposed against the country. The JCPOA also allows Iran to sell its enriched uranium material - called UF6 - and to buy natural uranium or "yellow cake" in return. "We hope the US stops this erroneous action and avoids damaging Sino-US trade cooperation and bilateral relations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news briefing in Beijing. Experts say the move is set to further strain relations between China and the US. Beijing, they say, is likely to retaliate against American companies by tightening market access or regulatory control over US companies in China. The US move comes as China is trying to make its companies global leaders in next generation IT. ZTE is already the fourth-largest provider of smart phones to the US market and expanding in Europe. According to its website, the company has operations in 160 countries. Under the US restrictions, ZTE's suppliers will need to apply for an export license before selling US equipment or parts to the Chinese company anywhere in the world. The US restrictions will reportedly also apply to two of ZTE affiliates in China as well as Iran's ZTE Parsian. William Stanbert Daniels (Col. USMC, Ret.), born August 27, 1927, had played his regular squash game Thursday night and was headed to his law office Friday morning when he suffered a stroke. He died on March 4, 2016 surrounded by his family. Bill grew up in San Diego, graduated from San Diego High School in 1945, and fell in love with the beach and Virginia Teeta Hammond, who would become his wife of 65 years. After WWII service as a Naval Aviation Cadet, he attended the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1951 and was commissioned Second Lieutenant of Marines. He served combat tours in Korea and Vietnam, separated by life-affirming postings on Guam and in Paris, France. He retired from 28 years of active military service and attended Dickinson School of Law, practicing estate law for almost 40 years. Physically strong and mentally tough, Bill was a competitive athlete all his life. In his later years he competed mostly against aging, biking from Death Valley to the Whitney Portal several times in his 60s, running his first marathon in his 70s, and summiting Mt. Whitney in his 80s. He was a voracious reader and surprise romantic, spending much of his childrens inheritance at a local bookstore and on roses for all of his gals. Bill is survived by Teeta, with whom he had just celebrated the 70th anniversary of their first date; six children, Michael O. Daniels (Juli), Timothy W. Daniels, Patrick S. Daniels, Kathleen S. Daniels (Sally Ker), Jonathan D. Daniels (Christie), Carrie D. Stefanou (Marcus); 13 grandchildren; four great grandchildren; and three dogs and two cats. He was preceded in death by his parents Stanley H. and Roberta B. Daniels, sisters Margaret M. Yost, Mary Scott Hale, and Susan B. Montague, son Christopher D. Daniels, and dogs and cats too numerous to mention. Bill requested no fanfare at his death, but his life will be celebrated often by many. His family expresses their love and appreciation to his many friends life-long and more recent, on the east, west, and southern coasts and assures his clients continuity of service. We will all miss his positive example (There is no limit to the amount good you can do if you dont care who gets the credit) and an occasional negative one (Dont worry, you can always serve as a negative example.) Memorial contributions may be made to the Amelia Givin Library, endowment fund. Ewing Brothers Funeral Home, Carlisle assisted the family with the arrangements. Please visit www.Since1853.com to send condolences. The best 2-in-1 laptop 2022: our picks of the best convertible laptops These are the best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy right now GoPro owners in search of a drone should pay close attention to the Xiro Xplorer G ($399.99), a compact aircraft that can fly high and far, while offering the same safety features and GPS-stabilized flight that larger, more expensive models include. You'll have to bring your own GoPro Hero3 or Hero4 action cam to the party, as the Xplorer G ships with a gimbal to stabilize video, but not with a camera of its own. The gimbal does a great job keeping footage steady, and the Xiro is just as safe to fly as more expensive models. If you're looking for a drone with an integrated camera, our Editors' Choice is currently the DJI Phantom 3 Professional ($799.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) , but it's significantly more expensive. Design The Xplorer G is the same aircraft as the Xiro Xplorer V ( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) . Instead of an integrated camera, it includes a gimbal that fits recent GoPro cameras, including the Hero4 Black ($400.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) with which I tested it. The gimbal is removable, so if you really wanted to you could swap it out for the camera used by the Xplorer V (it sells on its own for around $260), or just fly the Xplorer around without a camera mounted. The gimbal is designed so that it's extremely easy to install or remove your GoPro. In theory, you just have to slide the camera in from the side. But the integrated USB port, which is used to transmit video from the GoPro, didn't line up perfectly with my camera out of the box. It appeared to be angled just downward enough to prevent it from working properly. I was able to pop the plastic faceplate off of the gimbal and apply some pressure to make the connection fit, and after about six cycles of moving the GoPro in and out, the USB port's alignment was corrected. But that's not something that should be necessary. The port is on a small circuit board that is affixed to the interior of the gimbal using what appears to be thick, soft tape. A better solution would be a molded plastic enclosure that is perfectly matched to the the GoPro's form factor. The Xplorer measures 6 by 15.7 by 15.7 inches (HWD)it's larger than the Parrot Bebop ($379.99 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) (1.4 by 11 by 12.6 inches), but it can fly to high altitudes and cover long distances just like the DJI Phantom 3 Standard ($1,499.99 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) . The Xplorer weighs 2.2 pounds, so you will need to register with the FAA prior to flying it outdoors in the US. The Xiro is black, with four rotors and the standard lights underneath each propeller to improve visibility. It has four plastic legs that you'll need to manually extend downward prior to takeoff; they fold toward the body for storage and transport. I did have one flight where the landing strut had worked its way slightly out of position prior to touching down, but I was still able to bring the quadcopter to the ground for a soft and safe landing. Two sets of propellers are included, along with one flight battery. Additional batteries are priced at $129.99. The battery mounts to the underside of the Xplorera clip locks it in place. For safety, the drone can't be flown unless that clip is locked. Xiro estimates 25 minutes of flight time per charge, but I was getting closer to 19 to 20 minutes of actual air time. When the battery level drops to 10 percent the Xplorer returns home automatically and lands. The remote is matte black. It includes a clip for your mobile phone, which displays the companion app (available for Android and iOS) and the video feed from your GoPro. One downside to the integrated clip is that it doesn't fit big phones. It's not big enough for my iPhone 6 Plus ($299.00 at Verizon)(Opens in a new window) , so I had to use an iPhone 6 ( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) instead. You won't be able to stop or start recording with the GoPro using the appyou'll need to use the physical controls on the camera itself. The remote control features left and right control sticks, a toggle switch with marked 1, 2, and 3 positions to determine how much control you can exert over the Xplorer, a dedicated button to take off and land, a Home button to bring the G back to its launch point, and an IOC button that activates Intelligent Orientation Control. There are two control wheels; the right wheel tilts the gimbal up and down. The left wheel controls exposure when used with the Xplorer V, but since the drone can't control GoPro settings, it has no function here. The IOC button changes the way that you control the drone. During normal operation, pushing the right stick forward moves the aircraft forward, and pulling it back does the oppositeboth in relation to the orientation of the nose. With IOC active, pulling back on the stick brings the Xplorer closer to its launch point, and pushing it forward flies away, regardless of which direction the nose is pointing. This is useful for those times when you're not sure which way the aircraft is oriented. The left stick controls altitude and rotation, regardless of whether IOC is enabled. The 1/2/3 switch sets the flight capabilities. Mode 1 limits the maximum altitude to 164 feet (50 meters), the distance from the takeoff point to 328 feet (100 meters), and the maximum speed to 4.5mph (2m/s), both vertically and horizontally. Mode 2 ups the maximum altitude to 394 feet (120 meters), which is the limit set by the FAA for drone flight in the US. Vertical flight is still limited to 4.5mph, but the Xiro can move horizontally at 13.4mph (6m/s) and travel 984 feet (300 meters) away from launch. Attitude flight is available here as wellthat lets you fly indoors and in areas where a GPS signal is not available. Mode 3 is the most freeing. It increases the maximum distance from home to 1,968 feet (600 meters), ups the horizontal speed to 17.9mph (8m/s), and increases the vertical speed to 6.7mph (3m/s). The hard flight distance is included as a safety featureyou have less chance of losing the Xplorer if it can only fly a set distance from home. Some pilots may be put off by this limit. If that's the case, you might want to consider a model like the Phantom 3 Advanced ($559.00 at DJI)(Opens in a new window) , which can fly 2,500 feet from home in open environments. In real-world testing, using the included range extender, I wasn't quite able to reach the range limit before the video signal cut out. I still had control of the quadcopter, but the feed stuttered and froze. In the open skies of rural America I was able to fly the Xplorer to 1,725 feet (526 meters) before losing the video feed, and to about 1,558 feet (475 meters) in suburban New Jersey. The top speed I was able to muster as reported by the app was 16.6mph (7.4m/s). That's not quite the 600 meters that Xiro sets as the flight limit, but it's close. And it's better than I was able to reach with the GoPro version of the Blade Chroma ( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) , which was able to hit about 1,600 feet in a rural environment and 1,000 feet in suburbia before losing the video feed. Video quality is dependent on which GoPro you use. I flew with the Hero4 Black, recording 4K footage at the camera's widest field of view. With such a wide swath of the landscape visible you do end up with propellers in frame at times, depending on the tilt of the gimbal and whether you are flying forward or hovering. As you can see from our test footage, the gimbal does a fine job keeping the GoPro steady, even when the drone is making turns. And, unlike drones that have integrated cameras, you do get audio using a GoPro, even though it's just the buzzing of the propellers and howl of the wind. Conclusions The Xiro Xplorer G is a compelling drone for GoPro owners. It's compact, inexpensive, and able to transmit video to a smartphone up to the edges of its operating range. Battery life isn't spectacular, but it is pretty good when compared with similar quadcopters. And unlike some other drones in this price range, the Xplorer is stable in the air, and can fly up to the 400-foot limit set by the FAA with ease. GoPro users should give the Xplorer a close look for aerial video needs. If you don't own a GoPro, don't forget about the DJI Phantom 3 Professionalit's more expensive, but it has an integrated 4K camera and advanced automated flight modes, and is now selling for less than $1,000. Xiro Xplorer G 4.0 (Opens in a new window) Check Stock at Amazon (Opens in a new window) MSRP $399.99 Pros Works with GoPro Hero3 and Hero4 cameras. Stable aerial video. Solid operating range. Easy to fly. Automated takeoff and landing. Compact design. Return-to-home and other safety features. Modular design. Comfortable remote control. Inexpensive. View More Cons Phone clip is too small for phablets. GoPro can be tricky to fit into gimbal. The Bottom Line The Xiro Xplorer G is an inexpensive drone that captures solid aerial video using a GoPro action camera. Manufacturers of full-scale PCs have trouble coming up with exciting new features across each generation of their releases; there are only so many ways you can spin minor improvements. The same would also seem to be true of the Raspberry Pi, if not truer: It's never looked like much more than a light-featured PCB with a couple of familiar ports tacked on. But for the newest iteration of the product, the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, the usual modest bump in performance is accompanied by a particularly impressive new feature: Wi-Fi. Now that you no longer need to be tethered to an Ethernet cable, there are even fewer limits on where your imagination can take you. And as the Pi 3 retains the $35 purchase price that's defined the line since day one, it's now an even better option for the makers, enthusiasts, or educational types who could benefit from this sort of system, and, as such, earns our Editors' Choice. Design and Features Like its predecessors, the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B ($155.50 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) measures only about 3.5 by 2.5 inchessmall enough to fit in your shirt pocketand you should be able to reuse any cases or other devices designed for the earlier models. Also essentially identical are the ports, which offer basic functionality and not a great deal more. You'll need to connect at least a keyboard and a mouse to two of the four USB 2.0 ports , a display to the full-size HDMI port, and a micro USB charger (such as for your cell phone) to actually power the thing. This time around, though, the Raspberry Pi folks recommend a 2.5-amp adapter "if you want to connect power-hungry USB devices." In any case, there's no Power switch; plug in the charger, and the Pi 3 turns on, or unplug it to turn the system off. Another must on your end: a microSD card, which has been imaged with the operating system you plan to use, as there's no other on-board storage. (Doing this is not especially difficult, and the instructions on the Raspberry Pi Foundation website are clear and easy to follow, but the process may prove tricky if you're not familiar with it.) Aside from that card slot, which is located on the underside of one of the board's edges, there's also the requisite combo headphone-composite video jack, plus an Ethernet port. Anything else you may want to add is optional, and, of course, is where the "creativity" aspect of the Raspberry Pi comes into play. Headers for hooking up the proprietary camera or touch display are present, too, as are 40 GPIO pins for connecting to whatever else you may be able to dream of. All of this is, likewise, held over from other years' Raspberry Pi models. What's not, however, is wireless connectivity. Because the Pi 3 comes equipped with 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE (aka Bluetooth 4.1), you now have a lot more methods of connecting with the Internet, other computers, or your Bluetooth devices. Considering that the goal of the Pi has always been freedom, these additions give you more of it than ever. Also ramped up is performance. You still get 1GB of RAM with the Pi 3, but the 64-bit Broadcom BCM2837 ARM v8 processor is a quad-core chip that runs at 1.2GHz (compared with 900MHz for the 32-bit processor on the still-available Raspberry Pi 2 Model B ($84.99 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) ), for an added speed boost when you're doing pretty much anything. One important thing to remember is that using the Pi 3 with its ARM chip limits your choice of operating systems. Chances are, you'll just want to go with the recommended Linux distribution, Raspbian (based on Debian Jessie), which is optimized for use with the Pi and available for download from the Raspberry Pi Foundation's website either by itself or as part of the NOOBS multi-OS installer. It's pretty traditional in design and content, and includes a lot of the basic software you'll want, such as the LibreOffice suite, the Epiphany Web browser, and various other free and open-source versions of standard programs. (For the record, Microsoft has released Windows 10 IoT, a version of its flagship OS, to work with systems like the Pi 3. But this is intended primarily for use by device manufacturers and serious maker types; it doesn't have a standard Windows interface, and thus won't be something most people will want to use, but it's a nice option for those who want a broader range of compatibility and capability than Linux may provide.) Performance and Conclusions Because we weren't able to run our standard suite of benchmark tests on the Pi 3, we had to settle for simpler cross-platform tests that we could use to get a general idea of performance. The Pi 3 completed the SunSpider 1.0.2 JavaScript benchmark test in an average time of 2,860 milliseconds (ms)noticeably speedier than the Raspberry Pi 2, which took about 4,630ms on the same test (and using the same OS on the same microSD card). On Browsermark 2.1.3, the Pi 3 earned a score of 315, compared with the Raspberry Pi 2's 201. We saw similar results in the Google Octane 2.0 and the JetStream 1.1 benchmark teststhe Pi 3 would consistently finish well ahead of the previous-generation model. As always, it's worth pointing out that the Pi 3's performance doesn't compare in any serious way with what you'll see from even a diminutive desktop with a beefier processor. We fired up the 2016 version of the Intel Compute Stick($549.90 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) and ran our same tests (using Chrome rather than Epiphany), and the competition wasn't even close. The Compute Stick nabbed a SunSpider time of 938.15ms and a Browsermark score of 1,717. No, you're not likely to perform many intense computational chores on the Compute Stick either, but its Intel Atom processor will take you further than the Pi 3's ARM chip will. The question is: Where do you want to go? And with the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B, you can answer that however you like. You can set it up as a computer for the kids, a super-easy email and Web-browsing machine, or as the basis for some exciting project of your own. You shouldn't get it if power is any sort of an objective concern; on that score, either the InFocus Kangaroo Mobile Desktop ( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) , our Editors' Choice for pocketable PCs, or the Shuttle XPC Nano ($349.99 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) , our top pick for budget desktops, manage much better, and are still pretty inexpensive ($99 and $279, respectively). And for that matter, this top-of-the-line Raspberry Pi isn't even the cheapest PC out there anymorethat honor belongs to its pint-size brother, the $5 Raspberry Pi Zero. But the Pi 3's potent combination of speed, features, price, and near-infinite potential for personal, enthusiast, and educational projects is enough to make it a real winnerand an Editors' Choicein our book. Raspberry Pi 3 Model B 4.0 Editors' Choice (Opens in a new window) See It $155.50 at Amazon (Opens in a new window) MSRP $35.00 Pros Low price. Includes 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1. Improved performance over previous generation. Cons Requires lots of additional hardware to function as a full PC. Limited operating system selection. Software setup may prove challenging. The Bottom Line The introduction of wireless connectivity and a boost in performance over its previous iteration make the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B appropriate for a wider variety of projectsand it still costs just $35. Google has been ordered to turn over contact information and IP address data on users who posted fake reviews on Google+. As reported(Opens in a new window) by TechCrunch, a judge in the Netherlands ordered Google to remove fake reviews posted about a daycare center in Amsterdam. But the judge went one step further and ruled that the search giant must also unmask those who posted the bogus reviews. When users searched for the daycare center, they'd find a Google Maps listing and several harassing and false reviews, including one claiming the nursery harmed children, according to TechCrunch. Google declined to remove the offending posts, citing freedom of speech, even after the center provided evidence that the content was copied and pasted from other sites. An Amsterdam court, however, sided with the unnamed daycare center. Though the case might seem minor, it brings up the question of whether companies should hand over user data, a problem tech companies have been grappling with for years. In Europe, Google has also been battling "the right to be forgotten," or the ability for EU citizens to request that Google remove things from search results. Recently, Google said it would expand that from European versions of Google to Google.com, but only in the EU. In a statement, Google said it has received the court's ruling and will review it. Two years after Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared, the United Nations has issued new regulations intended to prevent the same thing from happening again. The UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), said(Opens in a new window) that by 2021, all commercial airlines will be required to have onboard "autonomous distress tracking devices" in all aircraft, which will transmit location information each minute in the event of "distress." That should ensure that a downed flight wil be located "within six nautical miles," according to the UN. In addition, the agency says aircraft must come with more easily recoverable flight recorder data and extend the duration of cockpit voice recordings to 25 hours. The proposal will "greatly contribute to aviation's ability to ensure that similar disappearances never occur again," Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, president of the ICAO council, said in a statement. On March 8, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370) was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Just a few minutes after pilots made contact with air traffic controllers, it disappeared from their radar screens. A protracted search commenced, but thus far, the only thing recovery crews have found is a piece of a wing that washed up on Reunion Island near Madagascar. The United Nations formed a committee in May 2014 to determine how to mitigate the possibility of flights disappearing in the future. The findings released this week reflect that committee's findings. Staying at the Hilton hotel in McLean, Virginia, and need a restaurant recommendation? You might be in for a surprise at the concierge desk. The hotel chain has partnered(Opens in a new window) with IBM to pilot what the companies call "the first Watson-enabled robot concierge." Named "Connie" in honor of Hilton founder Conrad Hilton, the robot concierge can inform you about local tourist attractions, hotel features and amenities, and offer up dining recommendations. Connie leverages a number of Watson speech and language APIs(Opens in a new window) to greet guests upon arrival, answer questions about hotel amenities, services, and hours of operation. The robot also taps into the Watson-powered cognitive travel platform WayBlazer to suggest local attractions outside the hotel. "Watson helps Connie understand and respond naturally to the needs and interests of Hilton's guests," Rob High, vice president and chief technology officer of IBM Watson, said in a statement. During the pilot, Connie is learning to interact with guests and respond to their questions, and the technology will improve over time, Hilton and IBM said. The more guests interact with the robot, the more it learns. "We're focused on reimagining the entire travel experience to make it smarter, easier, and more enjoyable for guests," Hilton's Vice President of Product Innovation and Brand Services, Jonathan Wilson, said in a statement. "By tapping into innovative partners like IBM Watson, we're wowing our guests in the most unpredictable ways." Meanwhile, Connie isn't the only robot to score a customer service gig as of late. Japanese telecom giant SoftBank is planning to open a cell phone store in Tokyo this spring staffed primarily by Pepper robots. About five to six Pepper robots will run the store from March 28 through April 3, and be responsible for helping customers and making sales. SoftBank also recently announced plans to offer an IBM Watson-powered version of Pepper for enterprises that can make sense of hidden meanings in data that traditional computers can't understand. For instance, Pepper may in the future be able to gain insights about people from sources like what they share on social media, to better assist them in a customer service capacity. Three months after faulty equipment forced NASA to suspend this month's launch of a spacecraft bound for Mars, the agency announced(Opens in a new window) today it will now aim for a launch in 2018. This InSight mission, a partnership between NASA and France's Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), will study seismic activity(Opens in a new window) on the Red Planet. Liftoff was originally scheduled for this month, but in December, engineers discovered a vacuum leak in the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS), prompting the team to delay the launch(Opens in a new window) indefinitely. The seismometer instrument's main sensors use an extremely sensitive vacuum chamber to measure ground movements as small as half the radius of a hydrogen atom. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory will engineer a new vacuum enclosure ahead of the 2018 launch. A launch window begins May 5, 2018, with a Mars landing scheduled for Nov. 26, 2018. Why wait? Mars launch windows only occur every 26 months. As NASA explains(Opens in a new window), "in the nine months it takes to get to Mars, Mars moves a considerable distance around in its orbit, about 3/8 of the way around the Sun. You have to plan ahead to make sure that by the time you reach the distance of Mar's orbit, that Mars is where you need it to be! Practically, this means that you can only begin your trip when Earth and Mars are properly lined up. This only happens every 26 months." One of the unanswered questions is how much the two-year delay will cost. NASA said it is assessing the budget, and expects to release an estimate by August, once it finalizes arrangements with launch vehicle provider Lockheed Martin. The spacecraft was delivered to the launch site in California in December, but has since been returned to Lockheed's facility in Denver. Budget overruns have long plagued NASA. It was forced to suspend its participation in another Mars mission, the European Space Agency's ExoMars project, after the development of its James Web Space Telescope went wildly over budget. The challenges are worth it, according to NASA administrator John Grunsfeld. "Learning about the interior structure of Mars has been a high priority objective for planetary scientists since the Viking era," he said in a statement, referring to the first successful Mars landing in 1975. The InSight team also includes researchers from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Japan, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom. "The shared and renewed commitment to this mission continues our collaboration to find clues in the heart of Mars about the early evolution of our solar system," said CNES director Marc Pircher in a statement. While pro-Trump pundits do their best to rationalize the sewer talk flowing from the stage after the most recent GOP debate, please understand that the problem is really not that complicated. We do not need psychologists, campaign analysts or even cable and radio show hosts to defend the reprehensible, puerile locker room talk erupting from a man whos preoccupied by the size of his unusually small hands, yet thinks hes qualified to represent the face of America to the world. I just heard Rush Limbaugh blame the trash talking on liberals. Hes partly right. Let me explain. 1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us (or One Corinthians for all you Trumpsters): Do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good morals (or good character). Even non-believers tell their kids to choose friends wisely. Practically speaking, the opposite is also true running with the right crowd shields us from developing bad habits, challenging us to become the best possible version of ourselves. Obviously, we know where Donald spends his time. The lifetime Donalds spent schmoozing with the crass class of corrupted liberals like the Clintons made him everything that conservatism is not. Now he wants to join and lead us, but hes hauling with him a boatload of baggage and a whole lot of likeminded people who care nothing about what he says, just the bombastic way he says it. Indeed, Trumps a magnet. He brags hes expanded the Republican Party to include some very mean and angry people. But magnets have two poles, so while hes attracting people who indulge in expletives on social media like Reagan indulged in jelly beans, hes repelling a YUGE, way-bigger-than-his-hands group of conservatives. I am one of the repelled. The #NeverTrump crowd grows. My principles wont let me vote for Trump. Ever. Everything Trump represents, I am against. I believe in small government and religious liberty, not unconstitutional government influence. I am pro-life, so I stand against public funding of Planned Parenthood. I support the U.S. Constitution, so I cannot support a tyrant who says hed force military members to break the law and their consciences to participate in illegal torture methods and the killing of innocent people. My belief system demands that my president have integrity of character in all facets of his life, because my vote entrusts him with my life. And I believe he should be a man of humble spirit who has reverence for the Almighty, not someone so full of himself he has no need for forgiveness. Should Trump become the nominee, I will sit out the next election because I refuse to choose between two evils. Period. As Charles Haddon Spurgeon once advised: Of two evils, choose neither. I choose neither. I join a growing group of conservatives willing to say NO!. No more. Enough. I refuse to compromise my conservative beliefs for the sake of a party which no longer represents me. After watching the debate, the book of Habakkuk came to mind. It is almost as if the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk was describing the state of things in America in 2016 when he said: I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted. I am passionate because I understand this is much bigger than one election or Donald Trumps unusually small hands. We are fighting for the soul of this nation. The Almighty is patient, but his holy nature only allows wickedness to prosper for a season. From bended knee I humbly say no to a Trump presidency. #NeverTrump. Susan Stamper Brown lives in Alaska and writes about culture, politics and current events. Email her at writestamper@gmail.com. Google surprised(Opens in a new window) developers today with early access to Android N, the first time developers have been able to test their apps this early in the development of a new Android build. With more time to incorporate developer feedback, Google hopes it will be able to release the final Android N version to device manufacturers this summer, according to an announcement. Previously, N was not expected roll out to devices until fall 2016. Developers can get their hands on the preview via the new Android Beta Program(Opens in a new window), which will provide over-the-air updates as new pre-release versions of N become available. Five major new updates are planned for N so far, including a multi-window feature. Apps built for handheld devices can now run side by side or stacked on top of one another. On TVs, apps can use picture-in-picture mode to continue video playback while users are interacting with another app. An overhaul of the notifications feature will allow users to respond to messages directly in the notification shade, rather than having to open the corresponding app. This feature is already available on the Android Wear platform. Notifications will also be grouped by the app that sent them. The "Doze" feature, introduced in Marshmallow to improve efficiency and battery life, also gets an update. In addition to reducing power consumption when sensors detect the device is stationary, Doze can now activate to save the battery whenever the screen is turned off. Finally, N will support the Java 8 programming language, which will also now be available on devices running Android versions as far back as Gingerbread. Google said it wants to track how Java is used while maintaining backwards compatibility. There was no mention of enhanced security features, although N is expected to include them. Google also kept mum on the final name for N; its CEO previously hinted that the company might poll users to come up with a new name. Qualcomm has been established in mobile devices for some time now, but its still trying to jumpstart the market for its chips in servers. So in an effort to exploit advanced features on its server chips and appeal to as many developers as possible, Qualcomm is working with Red Hat to port a version of the Enterprise Linux Server for ARM Development Preview. All Qualcomm server and mobile chips are based on processor architecture from ARM, whose business model is based on licensing out its designs to different manufacturers. Servers based on ARM-architecture, though, are almost nonexistent commercially. A full port of the Red Hat OS will allow developers to write applications for Qualcomms server chips. Qualcomm has not given a server chip shipment date, but said it will enter the ARM server market when its viable. Theres a handful of ARM systems available, but users are holding off buying them until more software is available. The Enterprise Linux Server port will have drivers and firmware to comply with Qualcomms server chip specifications as well as ARMs Server Base System Architecture (SBSA). SBSA is a specification for standardized hardware features across all ARM server chips. Qualcomm introduced its first 24-core ARM server chip in October last year. The chip is still being tested, and has been sent to top-tier cloud providers. Developers can also test applications on Qualcomm chips through remote servers available via the Linaro Cloud service, which was announced this week. A server with Qualcomm chips and Red Hat was shown on Wednesday at the Linaro Connect conference held in Bangkok. Servers are built using standardized OSes, and then tweaks are needed to exploit specialized features on a chip. Qualcomm is a member of the Linaro consortium, which provides standardized ARM server software like the boot firmware and power management tools. Red Hat and Qualcomm will add specialized drivers, firmware and other software on top of that. The ARM server market is expected to grow, albeit at a slow pace, in the coming years. Red Hat could benefit from the collaboration with Qualcomm, and get the OS into more servers. Ubuntu and CentOS are other Linux OSes that work on ARM servers. An Adelanto man is in custody Wednesday, March 9, after he was arrested on suspicion of engaging in lewd acts with a child under the age of 14 last month. San Bernardino County Sheriffs deputies in Victor Valley were called to a local school after a counselor reported a sexual assault allegation, according to a news release. Deputies identified Aldo Giovanni Caravantes as the man who allegedly sexually assaulted a young girl multiple times. The 39-year-old was arrested on March 3 at his home along Paint Brush Road in Adelanto, the release said. Caravantes was arraigned in court on Tuesday. He remains at Adelanto Detention Center and bail was set at $500,000. Anyone with information about other victims or the investigation is encourage to call Detective Frank Hardin at the Victor Valley Sheriffs station. He can be reached at 760-552-6801. The owner of a horse ranch in Nuevo where almost two dozen horses were seized last week and one was euthanized disputed accusations that they were not receiving enough food or care. Joseph Guy Vachon acknowledged Tuesday that some of the horses were a little thin, but it had more to do with their age than with being underfed, as older horses tend to be thinner. Theres never been a day that I havent fed these horses or given them water, and I have tons of witnesses, Vachon said. Riverside County Department of Animal Services spokesman John Welsh, however, said animal control officers found a grim scene when they arrived Friday. The 39 horses at the ranch in the 30800 block of 12th Street were malnourished, with nowhere near the amount of hay needed to feed that many animals, Welsh said. Some had rib cages showing. They were being kept in pens full of their own excrement, Welsh said, and some appeared to be eating manure because of the lack of food. If these horses were being so well-cared for, why were they in their own corrals eating their own manure, Welsh said. The animals also badly needed to have their hooves trimmed. Some volunteers who came to help animal control officials were shocked to see the condition of the horses hooves, Welsh said. Vachon, however, disputed that the horses hooves were in bad shape. None of the horses are lame, nothing is really overgrown, he said. And if a horse is off or lame, then thats really serious. If theyre a little long it all depends on what theyre doing. Were not racing them, theyre just in their pens. Animal Services officers plan to send the results of their investigation to the Riverside County District Attorneys Office in about two weeks. Welsh said he didnt know yet what charges they would ask prosecutors to file. Animal Services received a tip Thursday night about the horses. Animal Services Sgt. Lesley Huennekens went to the property that night and Vachon let her in. She found a horse that was in such bad condition, she had to euthanize it on the spot, Welsh said. She has grown up around horses her entire life so she knows a healthy horse and she knows when a horse is suffering, Welsh said. And what she saw Thursday, she was having none of it. Animal Services got a warrant to return the next day. Officers convinced Vachon to relinquish ownership of 23 of his 39 surviving horses. The remaining 16, all stallions, appeared to be better fed and Vachon was allowed to keep those. But Welsh said the department intends to return with another search warrant at some point, and if officers determine the remaining horses are not being cared for, they could also be seized, he said. In the meantime, the 23 seized horses were split up between two animal shelters, one in Jurupa Valley and one in San Jacinto. Welsh said that since animal control is now in control of the horses, it will be easy to move them into rescue groups quickly, something they wouldnt be able to do if the horses were still in Vachons possession. One rescue group, Falcon Ridge Equine Rescue, already has picked up at least two of the horses, he said. He credited the swift placement to animal control officers convincing Vachon to relinquish ownership of the animals. Ultimately our main goal is always to think in the best interest of the animal, Welsh said. Working with him, getting him to understand the situation, its good for him, but really what we care about is (whats) best for the animal. Contact the writer: agroves@pressenterprise.com, 951-368-9693 Updates with Michigan winners. Bernie Sanders breathed new life into his longshot White House bid with a crucial win in Michigans primary Tuesday night, chipping away at Hillary Clintons dominance in the Democratic presidential race. Republican Donald Trump swept to victory in both Michigan and Mississippi, overcoming fierce efforts to blunt his momentum. Even with Sanders win, Clinton and Trump moved closer to a general election face-off. Clinton breezed to an easy victory in Mississippi, propelled by overwhelming support from black voters, and she now has more than half the delegates she needs to clinch the Democratic nomination. Trump, too, padded his lead over Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, his closest rival. The front-runners turned their sights on November as they reveled in their wins. We are better than what we are being offered by the Republicans, Clinton declared. In a nod toward the kind of traditional politics hes shunned, Trump emphasized the importance of helping Republican senators and House members get elected in the fall. Having entered Tuesdays contests facing a barrage of criticism from rival candidates and outside groups, he also delighted in overcoming the attacks. Every single person who has attacked me has gone down, Trump said at one of his Florida resorts. He was flanked by tables packed with his retail products, including steaks, bottled water and wine, and defended his business record more thoroughly than he outlined his policy proposals for the country. Sanders, meanwhile, said Michigan signaled that we are a national campaign. We already have won in the Midwest, New England and the Great Plains and as more people get to know more about who we are and what our views are were going to do very well, the Vermont senator said in a statement. While a handful of recent losses to Cruz have raised questions about Trumps durability, Tuesdays contests marked another lost opportunity for rivals desperate to stop his march to the nomination. Next weeks winner-take-all contests in Ohio and Florida loom large as perhaps the last chance to block him short of a contested convention fight. Ohio Gov. John Kasich was in a fight with Cruz for second place in Michigan and hoping a good showing would give him a boost heading into next weeks crucial contest in his home state. For Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Tuesday marked the latest in a series of disappointing nights. He emerged from Michigan and Mississippi with no new delegates, a grim outcome for a candidate who has the overwhelming support from Republican senators, governors and other elected officials. Rubio insisted he would press on to his home states primary in Florida next Tuesday. It has to happen here, and it has to happen now, Rubio told supporters during a rally in Sarasota. If Rubio and Kasich cant win at home, the GOP primary appears set to become a two-person race between Trump and Cruz. The Texas senator is sticking close in the delegate count, and with six states in his win column hes argued hes the only candidate standing between the brash billionaire and the GOP nomination. During a campaign stop at a North Carolina church, Cruz took on Trump for asking rally attendees to pledge their allegiance to him. He said the move struck him as profoundly wrong and was something kings and queens demand of their subjects. Some mainstream Republicans have cast both Trump and Cruz as unelectable in a November face-off with the Democratic nominee. But theyre quickly running out of options and candidates to prevent one of the men from becoming the GOP standard-bearer. Republicans were also holding contests Tuesday in Hawaii and Idaho. The economy ranked high on the list of concerns for voters in Michigan and Mississippi. At least 8 in 10 in each partys primary said they were worried about where the American economy is heading, according to exit polls conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press and television networks. Among Democrats, 8 in 10 voters in both states said the countrys economic system benefits the wealthy, not all Americans. Sanders has sought to tap into that concern, energizing young people and white, blue-collar voters with his calls for breaking up Wall Street banks and making tuition free at public colleges and universities. Michigan, with big college towns and a sizeable population of working-class voters, was a good fit for him, though something of a surprise victory given that Clinton had led in polls heading into Tuesdays voting. Still, Sanders has struggled mightily with black voters who are crucial to Democrats in the general election. In Mississippi, black voters comprised about two-thirds of the Democratic electorate and nearly 9 in 10 backed Clinton. After Tuesdays results, Clinton has accumulated 1,214 delegates and Sanders 566, including superdelegates. Democrats need 2,383 delegates to win the nomination. With Tuesdays wins, Trump leads the Republican field with 428 delegates, followed by Cruz with 315, Rubio with 151 and Kasich with 52. Winning the GOP nomination requires 1,237 delegates. Pace reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Steve Peoples, Catherine Lucey, Sergio Bustos, Kathleen Ronayne and Hope Yen contributed to this report. The White House has picked Riverside to join a nationwide effort to connect residents with the training they need for good-paying information technology jobs. Riversides inclusion in the TechHire initiative is being announced announced Wednesday, March 9. TechHire is expanding to 50 communities nationwide after launching with 21 communities in March 2015. The initiative will include areas surrounding the city of Riverside. TechHire hubs include the states of Maine, Rhode Island, Delaware and Colorado as well as cities from Los Angeles to New York City. Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey said hes honored and thrilled to be included in TechHire, which he learned about during a trip to Washington, D.C. He said local employers have told him they had to go outside the region to find skilled tech workers. If we dont at the local level provide training into this pipeline, then were going to have issues in the long run, Bailey said. TechHire links local government, educators and private employers to offer training in cybersecurity, software development and related fields. Non-traditional education is emphasized to put students on a quicker path toward the skills they need for tech jobs. There are more than half a million unfilled tech jobs in the United States, said Jacob Leibenluft, deputy director for the National Economic Council, during a White House conference call. The average IT-related job pays 50 percent more than the average private-sector job, he added. Locally, Riverside Countys workforce development agency; Riverside Community College District; Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce; and Vocademy: The Makerspace have committed to connecting 4,000 people to tech jobs over the next five years. Based in Riverside, Vocademy is like an Olympic training center for hands-on skills, said founder/CEO Gene Sherman. We are offering unconventional short programs to get people skilled up for these in-demand jobs instead of going to a convention school for a year or two years. Vocademys offerings cost less than $5,000, Sherman added. In addition, companies such as Loma Linda University Medical Center, Redlands-based geographic information system company Esri and Riverside Public Utilities have promised to hire or provide paid internships for 500 employees from non-traditional pathways. Local efforts to teach tech skills include SmartRiverside, a nonprofit coalition launched in 2006 that promotes tech education in part by offering high-tech business grants and free computers and training for low-income families. TechHires goals are perfectly aligned with SmartRiverside, said Steve Massa, the city of Riversides economic development coordinator, who has played a lead role in getting the TechHire designation. TechHire could help the Inland Empire solve a chronic problem, said Inland economist John Husing. The most difficult issue that we face as a region is a very marginally educated labor force, he said. That said, (TechHire) needs to be implemented, Husing added. So many of these things tend to make great headlines and then very little comes out the other end. Liebenluft said TechHire provides a call to action for communities to provide tech training and offers data and other tools to those communities. There is something very useful and powerful about the White House rolling out a particular program, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo said during the White House conference call. Its an organizing principle for those of us on the ground. It also gives credibility to our efforts. While theres no federal funding directly attached to TechHire, the Department of Labor last fall announced a $100 million grant competition to expand advanced tech training. Contact the writer: 951-368-9547 or jhorseman@pressenterprise.com San Bernardino police Lt. Travis Walker coordinated efforts to help secure the scene at the Inland Regional Center, making sure first responders inside had what they needed to minimize the threat. San Bernardino police officer Shaun Sandoval was one of the first officers who went inside the Inland Regional Center. Their task was to look for the shooters. San Bernardino Sheriffs Cpl. Mike Ells was part of a flight crew that helped take two wounded victims to a hospital in Moreno Valley. These officers were among many first responders who the Anti-Defamation League recognized on Tuesday, March 8 for their service Dec. 2 when Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, carried out a terror attack that killed 14 people and wounded 22 others in San Bernardino. Theres so much in the news when anything goes wrong involving law enforcement (and) not enough is done when things go right especially in those instances when they go over and beyond their call of duty, said Amanda Susskind, regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, a civil rights agency with regional offices across the country, that works to combat bigotry. A contingent of law enforcement agencies that responded Dec. 2 were awarded at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles with the ADLs Helene and Joseph Sherwood Prize for Combating Hate, which recognizes law enforcements dedication to minimizing the prevalence of hate motivated behavior. And on Dec. 2, law enforcement officers are credited with doing that and more. They fought terror that day, said Huntington Beach Police Chief Rob Handy, who chairs the Sherwood Prize Selection Committee. They all set aside their personal fears and their lack of equipment, all to go inside and protect the victims, he added. But to Walker, who accepted the award on behalf of the numerous agencies, they were just doing their job. This isnt like I did some magical thing. I got called to a call where people needed help, Walker said. I went there that day, and that was my job, he said. That day, Walker also coordinated efforts in the standoff between police and the shooters. As a police commander, youre fearful for your people, Walker said. Youre hearing the shots fired. Youre trying to get teams in the armored vehicles over there. You then hear an officer down, Walker added. Thats the most heart wrenching call you could ever hear. Once there, Walker passed the wounded officer and checked on him. He had a leg injury; he was talking. A report came in of a suspect down on the street, the other still in a vehicle. He said officers used a hook to open the vehicles door, and to retrieve the person in the vehicle, who police then realized was a woman. Walker remembers her dressed in black, wearing a pair of black sunglasses. She had a chest harness, and was equipped with rifle magazines. Walker said she was deceased. Thats when things really started setting in for us This breaks the norm of what we were thinking this was, he said. As officers handcuffed Farook, they found he was equipped with magazines, ammunition, a rifle and handgun, Walker said. When Walker spoke of Farook, he referred to him as the male suspect and refused to say his name. He doesnt deserve name recognition, he said. And, as he accepted the award on Tuesday, he instead named the 14 victims. Were all humble public servants Were just glad we could make a difference, he told the crowd. For Officer Sandoval, the recognition is gratifying. Its humbling also to see the support because a lot of the times the support, sometimes, its silent. Its nice to actually have it out on the open, he said. The day of the shooting, Sandoval remembers people crying, moaning, and asking for help inside the Inland Regional Center. He could smell the gun powder. The look on peoples faces was of sheer terror, he said. Its something that I will never forget When you respond to things like that you pretty much know you may not be going home. It kind of puts things in perspective as to how short life can be, Sandoval said. San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan, who attended the event, said he was proud of his staff and the other agencies that helped. He said an effort is underway to secure funds that would go toward equipment they realized was lacking that day. He said the first units that responded didnt have rifles, and better breaching tools would have helped to open heavy duty doors. Burguan also said an outside review of that days occurrences will be completed in about four to six weeks. He said Tuesdays recognition goes a long way. I think law enforcements been beat up a lot in recent years. There has been some things that have happened that have not been good for the messaging of this profession, Burguan said. I think this balances out that discussion. Its nice for the folks who do this job to be recognized for something positive. RELATED DA feared cyber attack via iPhone Victims family supports Apples iPhone position NY judge rules against FBI in similar case Police Department to receive award for locating suspects Court action for victims and families will be filed next week Q&A on the Apple vs. Justice Department court fight Complete coverage of the San Bernardino shooting, aftermath The possibility of a strike at California State University campuses in April seemed more likely after the CSU Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday in Long Beach. Members of the California Faculty Association held up notebook-paper sized signs saying 36 Days as its leaders warned the trustees that a five-day strike was coming at the systems 23 campuses if a contract agreement could not be reached. The faculty union members, most wearing red shirts saying, I dont want to strike, but I will, also groaned and booed during a presentation by CSU Vice Chancellor Lori Lamb on the status of the ongoing negotiations. The two parties have been at a stalemate for more than a year. CSU officials have offered the faculty a 2 percent general salary increase, in line with what other unions and even system administrators have accepted. But the faculty union says professors and lecturers need to catch up after five years of stagnant wages during Californias budget crisis and the recent recession. They are demanding a 5 percent salary increase. The negotiations are currently in a fact-finding phase, after which, if an agreement cannot be reached, the faculty union can legally call for a strike. The union is planning to begin a five-day strike April 13. The size and length of the strike would be unprecedented in higher education. I suggest you think carefully about what this historic strike on all 23 campuses for five days will mean, said Kevin Wehr, associate vice president of the union, addressing the trustees. Do you want this to be your legacy? Do you really want this to happen on your watch? Lamb said state funding for the Cal State system has not yet reached pre-recession levels. The CSU, she said, needs to build up its reserves and lobby for increased funds from the state. We have thousands of qualified students we are turning away because we dont have the resources, Lamb told the board. Two percent for faculty is appropriate. Her comment drew boos from the union members. CSU board chairman Lou Monville seemed to make an attempt at detente. I dont think anybody relishes where we all are today, Monville said. I think we all recognize that were historically underfunded. We look forward to working with you in Sacramento to properly secure the funding we need. With that funding, he said, administrators would be in a position to offer more money for faculty salaries. There were grumbling sounds among the red shirts in the gallery at his suggestion. Monville, a Riverside businessman, will be vacating his trusteeship at the end of June. Last week, Riverside attorney and civic leader Jane Carney was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown as one of five new trustees. Carney attended the meeting as an observer. She has not been confirmed by the state Senate. Talk of pending strike action and the CSUs position took up much of the time. Vice Chancellor Lamb said preparations were being made to respond to the strike if it takes place. She said campuses would remain open if there is a walkout. It is the (campus) president, not the CFA who decides when a campus will be closed, she said. A list of frequently asked questions has been posted on the CSU website to inform students and others about what to expect if the strike happens. Lamb admitted that faculty members have cause to be unhappy with the 2 percent offer. She said she believes stories about instructors struggling financially are legitimate. Is this enough? she said of the CSU offer. No, but it is movement in the right direction. Her presentation seemed only to agitate the union members. I can assure you that the strike will happen, said union president Jennifer Eagan, speaking to the trustees. This will be the largest strike in higher education in the (history of the) United States. Contact the writer: mmuckenfuss@pressenterprise.com or 951 368-9595 Iran conducts several ballistic missiles tests Published: March 9, 2016 Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has successfully test-fired several ballistic missiles from silos across the country. These tests were conducted by IRGC to demonstrate the countrys deterrent power and its ability to confront any threat against the state and the sovereignty of the country. With this Iran has breached United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions that compel it to refrain from any work on ballistic missiles for 8 years. Missile test ban Currently under the 2010 UNSC resolution all ballistic missile tests have been banned in Iran until a nuclear deal between Iran and P5+1 nations is implemented. UNSC Resolution 1929 had barred Iran from undertaking any work on ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. However it was terminated after a nuclear deal between Iran and P5+1 nations. Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) reached on July 2015 between Iran and P5+1 nations most sanctions on Iran were lifted in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. But the deal had refrained Iran from working on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons for up to eight years. It was mandated under UNSC Resolution 2231. Ballistic Missile: It is a missile with a high, arching trajectory which is initially powered and guided but falls under gravity on to its target. Most of its trajectory is unpowered and governed by gravity and air resistance if it is in the atmosphere. In contrasts, cruise missiles are aerodynamically guided in powered flight. Month: Current Affairs - March, 2016 Topics: Ballistic missiles Current Affairs 2016 International Iran Latest E-Books A new video series will help highlight a Temecula nonprofit organization that has supported thousands of local teachers and high school students. Brandman Universitys video series will shine a light on the Temecula Education Foundation, which aims to provide more visual and performing arts and science curriculum in the classroom As a post-secondary institution, Brandman University is pleased to support the work of the Temecula Education Foundation, said Nicole Farnum, a university spokesperson. Like (the Temecula foundation), we believe our innovative programs can inspire and motivate students of all ages to reach their goals. Since 2010, the Temecula Education Foundation has sent more than 1,400 high school students to fee-based summer courses from geometry to Spanish to world history for students who wish to get a jump on next years high school classes. Some of the foundations four-week accelerated courses offer credit; others dont. The foundation has also provided more than $100,000 in grants to Temecula Valley teachers to support visual and performing arts and science programs. Examples of the types of grants funded include money for artistic pursuits, from music lessons and musical instruments to easels, paint and crayons, and funds for scientific pursuits, such as solar-car kits and displays about owls and their common prey. The first video of the Brandman series, dubbed Temecula Success Stories, was released March 1 and will continue to be released every two weeks. In that video, Josh Paul, one of the owners of Murrieta-based Jolly Jumps, explains that he supports the foundation in part by donating equipment to its main fundraiser Taste of Temecula Valley because of its local nature. Having someone local is huge, said Paul, who as a former educator understands that schools often struggle to pay for opportunities for students. Its intimidating going to someone up in Sacramento or even in San Diego. But, here in Temecula we have people who care about our students locally. The video series was the brainchild of award-winning photographer Peter Schlemmer a Temecula Valley High School graduate who has children in the local school system and foundation Vice President Jeff McNurlan, according to foundation President Barbara Burkett. Contact the writer: community@pressenterprise.com Pedestrian deaths in traffic accidents are spiking across the nation and Inland Southern California, as more people drive, walk and perform both activities while distracted, experts said. Its happening everywhere, said Chris Cochran, a spokesman for the state Office of Traffic Safety in Sacramento, in a telephone interview Tuesday. A report released Tuesday said pedestrian traffic fatalities surged by an estimated 10 percent nationwide last year as the economy soared, gas prices plunged and motorists drove more miles than ever. The growing use of cellphones while people drive and walk may be to blame, too, according to the report from the Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents states traffic safety offices. And the report said warmer weather and a desire to improve ones health is prompting people to walk more often. This is really sobering news, said Richard Retting, co-author of the report. Pedestrian safety is clearly a growing problem across the country. According to California Highway Patrol data for Riverside and San Bernardino counties, in one sense the Inland region is bucking the national trend. The records show there were about the same number of pedestrian fatalities in Riverside County in 2015 as in the year before, and fewer in San Bernardino County. But Cochran cautioned that 2015 records are preliminary and likely will be adjusted. And records for the four prior years reveal an alarming spike. MORE DISTRACTIONS In San Bernardino County, pedestrian deaths surged 40 percent from 47 in 2011 to 66 in 2014, the records show. In Riverside County, deaths surged 27 percent in one year alone going from 37 to 47 in 2012 before leveling off. Locally, the surge in part reflects a positive lifestyle change. More people are walking, which is a good thing, said Madeline Brozen, associate director of UCLAs Institute of Transportation Studies. But other likely factors arent as positive. For example, average driving speeds are creeping up across California, Cochran said, and that tends to increase the severity of injuries suffered in crashes. Another factor, he said, is the increasing array of distractions out there, epitomized by our intensifying reliance on the smartphone over the last few years. And with all those distractions, increasingly both drivers and pedestrians arent paying attention to the road, said CHP Officer Travis Monks in Riverside. Driver distraction is particularly worrisome because of the sheer number of cars on the road and the damage motor vehicles can cause, said Madeline Brozen. I ride a bike around Los Angeles, Brozen said. Its pretty scary how many people are disobeying the state traffic laws about use of cellphones. Those laws mandate hands-free calling and forbid texting. IMPATIENT DRIVERS Veronica Valle, 23, the older sister of a Riverside boy killed while walking to school a little more than a year ago, said she believes the biggest factor in the pedestrian-fatality surge is driver recklessness. People are just so impatient, Valle said. It gets me mad to see how drivers dont care. Valle added that it seems as if few drivers slow down around schools. In a school zone, we should be at 25 mph, she said. And were not doing that. Were not respecting that. Her 13-year-old brother Giovanni Valle, an eighth grader at Sierra Middle School, was struck and killed by a car in November 2014 less than a mile from his home. Its something that you cant recover from, said the boys mother, Romana Brito, in Spanish as her daughter translated. You learn to live with your pain, but you never get rid of it. LARGEST INCREASE SINCE 1975 As for the national report, the numbers analyzed were from the first half of 2015. If the 10 percent nationwide trend holds true for the full year, it would be the largest year-to-year increase in pedestrian deaths since 1975 when the current federal system for recording traffic deaths was created. The report is based on state traffic fatality figures, extrapolated for the full year by researchers at Sam Schwartz Consulting, which specializes in transportation matters. There were 2,368 pedestrians killed in the first six months of 2015, compared to 2,232 during the same period in 2014 a six percent increase. Researchers arrived at a 10 percent increase for the entire year by factoring in that fatalities for the first half of the year are typically underreported, and that for at least the last five years an average of 25 percent more pedestrian deaths were recorded in the second half of the year, which includes warmer summer months, Retting said. Pedestrians are defined as people who are walking or getting around in wheelchairs, an association spokeswoman said. The statistics do not include accidents involving people on bicycles. Nearly three-quarters of pedestrian deaths occur after dark, and a third of those killed had been drinking alcohol, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data. By comparison, about 15 percent of motorists involved in those crashes had a blood alcohol content at the legal limit or higher. The Associated Press contributed to this report. jackie de tore Jackie De Tore will join Fox43 starting Monday, March 14. Jackie De Tore soon will co-anchor Fox43 News First at 4, joining long-standing anchor Evan Forrester. De Tore comes to Fox43 after reporting in Scranton and Bangor, Maine. According to her Twitter account, she is a Long Island native who attended Hofstra University. "I love this state," De Tore, referring to her cross-state move from Scranton, said in a news release. "I feel so lucky to continue to tell the stories Pennsylvanians care about." According to her website: "In February of 2012, Jackie was chosen as the winning reporter for KABC's "On The Red Carpet" College Journalist Contest, beating out over 200 college journalists nationwide. As the winner, she reported live on the red carpet at the 84th Annual Academy Awards for ABC." As previously reported on PennLive, another newcomer, Ali Bradley, will co-anchor Fox43 News at 10 and Fox43 News at 5. "We've been expanding our local presence and growing our audience. Fox43 has a very positive upward trajectory, and we're happy to now have Ali and Jackie's journalistic expertise in our corner," station General Manager Chris Topf said in the release. De Tore will debut on Monday, March 14. Bradley will start on Tuesday, March 15. WPMT Fox43 is a Tribune Media company. One Good Woman One Good Woman owner and founder Holly O'Connor, center, has sold her business in Camp Hill to Michele Koch, left, and Mechelle Webster, right. (Sue Gleiter, Pennlive) Holly O'Connor is one good woman. For nearly 20 years, she has been the face behind One Good Woman, a coffee, tea and gourmet food shop in Camp Hill. Through the years, shoppers have patronized the store to buy pounds of freshly ground coffee, loose-leaf teas from around the world, gourmet foods and gifts. They visit the shop as much for the products as they do for O'Connor's friendly personality and warm spirit. So in early March when it was announced O'Connor was retiring, and had sold the two-decade-old business, there were plenty of tears and hugs. Messages on Facebook posts went something like this: "Congrats to all! I will miss your friendly, smiling face, Holly. Enjoy this new chapter in your life." "Holly- it makes me sad I will not see you there anymore! But Happy Retirement to you!!" In February, O'Connor sold One Good Woman to Michele Koch and Mechelle Webster, two longtime customers. The women are employed in medical sales, and for about six years have faithfully shopped at the store. Last year they approached O'Connor about buying the shop. "We loved this place. We fell in love the minute we walked in the door and never stopped coming," Webster said. For O'Connor and her husband, Joe O'Connor, the timing couldn't have been more perfect. They plan to travel and volunteer and focus on Joe O'Connor's writing career. "For Joe and I, it was just a retirement issue. At our ages we are ready for chapter three. I'm so excited," O'Connor said. In 1996, O'Connor started the business by delivering the freshly roasted coffee to clients' homes. Eventually, she opened her first shop in the basement of the Olde Borough Building in Camp Hill but quickly outgrew the space. In 2002, she moved into the current location off of Market Street. She said she was impressed by Koch and Webster, and recognized herself in the two women. "I liked them immediately. I felt like they were me," O'Connor said. Longtime customers will not notice any changes at One Good Woman. The new owners said they plan to maintain everything from the vibe and inventory to the hours and coffees roasted by David Key in Baltimore, Maryland. The new owners will host an open house on March 26. In the meantime, O'Connor remains on board as a consultant. "We are committed to carrying Holly's legacy. We don't want it to change," Koch said. Fresh off of the Michigan primary, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders will face off in the next Democratic presidential debate in Miami. Univision will broadcast the March 9, 2016, event in Spanish and CNN will simulcast it in English. It begins at 9 p.m. Eastern time. The debate will also be streamed online at Univision.com, WashingtonPost.com and CNN.com. The Democratic debate comes only three days after the two squared off in the seventh debate in Flint., Michigan -- which saw maybe the most fiery exchanges between Clinton, the former U.S. secretary of state, and Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont. It also comes a day after Sanders pulled off a major upset in the Michigan primary. The senator won despite entering the day with a double-digit deficit in the state's polls. Clinton still holds a strong advantage in the Democratic delegate count. But at the very leader, Sanders' victory could prolong Clinton's path to the Democratic nomination -- something she is expected to win. Wednesday's debate will take place at Miami Dade College in Miami -- less than a week before Florida holds its critical primary Tuesday, March 15. Karen Tumulty, a national political correspondent for The Washington Post, and Noticiero Univision co-anchors Maria Elena Salinas and Jorge Ramos will moderate the debate. With Univision hosting, one key topic is expected to be immigration, which has been a larger focus of the race for the Republican nomination. Clinton and Sanders are expected to criticize the controversial views championed by GOP front-runner Donald Trump, who has called for the deportation of the more than 11 million immigrants living without authorization in the U.S. Trump has said the country would allow the "good" immigrants back after the U.S. puts a stronger system in place. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Bill Cosby, Camille Cosby FILE - This Oct. 26, 2009 file photo, comedian Bill Cosby, left, and his wife Camille appear at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts before Bill Cosby received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in Washington. A judge has denied a request by lawyers for Bill Cosby's wife to postpone her deposition in a defamation lawsuit brought by seven women who claim the comedian sexually assaulted them. The judge ruled late Sunday, Feb. 20, 2016, that the deposition, scheduled for Monday, can proceed. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) BOSTON (AP) -- The wife of Bill Cosby said she never read a deposition in which her husband acknowledged he gave sedatives to women he was planning to have sex with, according to an excerpt of her testimony in a defamation lawsuit against her husband. Camille Cosby testified last month in the civil case filed in federal court in Massachusetts by seven women who claim he sexually assaulted them decades ago. The women allege the actor-comedian defamed them when his representatives branded them as liars after they went public with their allegations. An excerpt of Camille Cosby's deposition was attached to a court filing Monday by Bill Cosby's lawyers seeking to suspend the defamation case while a criminal case is pending against him in Pennsylvania. In that case, Cosby is charged with sexually assaulting former Temple University employee Andrea Constand. In the Constand case, Cosby acknowledged in a 2005 deposition, made public last year, that he gave quaaludes to at least one woman and unidentified others he wanted to have sex with. Camille Cosby says in her testimony in February that she and her husband discussed his deposition in the Constand case, but she wouldn't say specifically what they discussed about it. A U.S. District Court judge in Massachusetts had ruled that she could refuse to answer questions that call for testimony prohibited by the Massachusetts marital disqualification rule, which generally prohibits spouses from testifying about private marital conversations. In the February deposition excerpt, Camille Cosby says she learned of Constand's allegations through her husband. The back-and-forth between Camille Cosby's lawyers and a lawyer for the seven women, Joseph Cammarata, became combative when Camille Cosby referred to private conversations she had with her husband. When Cammarata asked her whether she had a discussion with her husband about the substance of his deposition testimony in the Constand case, Camille Cosby replies: "That is just communication between my husband and me." After her lawyer advises her that she can answer "yes" or "no" whether she's discussed it without divulging any of what was said, Camille Cosby answers, "Yes," saying she did discuss his deposition testimony with him. The seven women who brought the defamation lawsuit are among about 50 women who have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct. He has denied their allegations. Cosby, 78, has pleaded not guilty in the Pennsylvania case, the only criminal case against him. Through a spokesman, lawyers for Bill and Camille Cosby declined to comment on Camille Cosby's deposition. Cammarata also declined to comment. As the state budget impasse drags on into its ninth month, Pennsylvania counties are banding together to raise awareness of how the loss of human services is impacting their communities. The Dauphin County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution Wednesday that calls on Gov. Tom Wolf and the Pa. General Assembly to end the budget impasse. The resolution, which all 67 counties are expected to pass, calls on the state put safeguards in place so that future impasses do not negatively affect the providing of human services. Dauphin County had to divert $28 million in taxpayer money to its human services in order to keep care flowing during the budget impasse. "Just because we've been able to keep the priorities and needs of our consumers first, we often have been an enabler for state government," said Commissioner George Hartwick. "I hope it doesn't take a death or something tragic to occur in order for these situations to be addressed." The budget comes down to disagreements between the Democratic governor and Republican lawmakers. Issues including taxes, school funding, pensions and more have kept the two sides from finding common ground. In December, six months after the budget was due, Wolf and lawmakers agreed to a $23.4 billion emergency funding budget. That provided enough funding for schools and human services to be able to continue operating. But, the state has yet to pass a full budget that provide a full year's funding for critical human services - like abuse victims, seniors and people with disabilities. Commissioner Jeff Haste said county staff reports have indicated that budget negotiations are not going well at the state capitol. And that does not bode well for struggling counties, human service providers and schools. "I don't know if we're any farther ahead with the 2016 budget than we are in the 2015 budget," Haste said. Commissioner Mike Pries made it clear what needed to be done to avoid this kind of mess in the future. "The state legislature simply needs to do their job to get this done," Pries said. "It's been nine months, which is nine months too long. Folks out there are suffering." Haste clarified that it's not only the legislature that's needed to solve this budget impasse. The governor and his administration, he said, are also needed to make sure an impasses doesn't affect human services again. "All parties involved have put us in this situation," Haste said. Union Government announces to withdraw tax proposal on EPF Published: March 9, 2016 The Union Finance Ministry has announced to withdraw its proposal to tax Employee Provident Fund (EPF) withdrawals. It was announced by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Lok Sabha clarifying NDA governments stand on the issue. However, government has not changed its plan to tax National Pension Scheme (NPS) withdrawals. Background Earlier in the Union Budget 2016-17, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had proposed to tax EPF and NPS withdrawals with an effect from 1 April 2016. It was announced that 60 percent of the amount deposited in EPF account of the employee would be taxed at the time of withdrawal and remaining 40 percent would be tax free. However, the budget proposal had provided tax exemption if the employee re-invests 60 percent of the EPF in a pension or annuity fund. The proposal to tax EPF and NPS withdrawals was made to create a pensioned society, especially among employees in the private sector who have no provision for pension. What is Employee Provident Fund (EPF)? The Employee Provident Fund (EPF) is a retirement benefit applicable only to salaried employees. It is a fund to which both the employee and employer contribute fixed amount (percent) of the formers basic salary amount each month. This percentage is pre-set by the government. At present, the entire EPF amount is tax free at the time of withdrawal if the employee has completed five years of continuous service. Month: Current Affairs - March, 2016 Topics: Current Affairs 2016 Employee Provident Fund National Pension Taxation Latest E-Books : , ; Northwest Territories Premier Bob McLeod talks to media after being picked as premier for a second term in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Wednesday, Dec.16, 2015. McLeod is calling on Ottawa to direct some of its planned infrastructure spending to the North, in order to boost the territory's mining sector THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Braden Roger Pelissero holds his one rooster among 17,000 hens that produce about 16,388 eggs per day at his egg farm in West Lincoln, Ont., on Monday, March 7, 2016. Some 17,000 hens and one rooster at Pelissero's egg farm in West Lincoln live in cages that may be the envy of most other hens in Canada. The cages, which are about 1.5 metres wide and 3.7 metres long, contain about 60 hens per colony and are outfitted with perches, a scratch pad and two partitioned nesting areas for laying eggs in private. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter Power In this photo obtained from the Iranian Fars News Agency, a Qadr H long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile is fired by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, during a maneuver, in an undisclosed location in Iran, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Irans powerful Revolutionary Guard test-fired two ballistic missiles Wednesday with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written on them, a show of deterrence power by the Islamic Republic as U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. (AP Photo/Fars News Agency, Omid Vahabzadeh) This undated photo provided by the Kansas City, Kan. Police Department on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 shows Pablo Serrano. Serrano is suspected of fatally shooting four people at his neighbor's home in Kansas before killing another man about 170 miles away in a rural Missouri house not far from where his truck was found abandoned. (Kansas City, Kan. Police Department via AP) NEW YORK Petroleumworld.com 03 09 2016 U.S. natural gas production in 2016 was expected to reach a record high of 79.68 billion cubic feet per day, down a shade from the 79.69 bcfd forecast last month, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Tuesday The forecast would top 2015's all-time peak production of 79.13 bcfd and would be the sixth consecutive annual record high for U.S. gas production, according to the EIA's Short Term Energy Outlook (STEO) in March. The EIA also forecast U.S. gas consumption would edge up to 76.79 bcfd in 2016 versus the 76.44 bcfd it forecast in February, due to increasing expectations of gas use by the electric power sector. That would top the 2015 record high for gas demand of 75.38 bcfd and would be the seventh annual record high in a row. For 2017, the agency forecast more record highs with production expected to rise to 81.36 bcfd and consumption growing to 77.31 bcfd. In addition to power sector demand, the EIA also said gas consumption in 2016 and 2017 would rise as new fertilizer and chemicals projects that use gas as a feedstock come online. The EIA forecast the growth of gas production in 2016 would slow to 0.9 percent from 5.4 percent in 2015 as low gas prices and declining rig activity begin to affect production. In 2017, however EIA expects production to grow by 2.1 percent as forecast gas prices rise, industrial demand grows and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports increase. That production growth will reduce demand for gas imports from Canada and support increasing exports to Mexico, the EIA said. EIA projects LNG gross exports will increase to 0.5 billion cubic feet per day in 2016 with the startup of Cheniere Energy Inc's Sabine Pass LNG export terminal in Louisiana in February, and average 1.3 bcfd in 2017 as Sabine Pass ramps up its capacity. Separately, EIA forecast coal production would decrease by 111 million short tons (101 million tonnes), or 12 percent, in 2016, the biggest annual percentage decline since 1958. In 2017, EIA expects coal production to stabilize, increasing by 16 million tons, or 2 percent. EIA estimated the delivered coal prices would average $2.18 per million British thermal units in 2016 and $2.20 in 2017, compared with $2.23 in 2015. That compares with gas prices at the Henry Hub benchmark in Louisiana of $2.61 per mmBtu in 2015 and forecasts for $2.25 in 2016 and $3.02 in 2017. Total plans hunt for `elephant' oil find off Uruguay's coast NEW YORK Petroleumworld.com 03 09 2016 France's Total SA is weeks away from drilling one of its most important offshore exploration wells in the Americas this year as it hunts for a giant oil field in Uruguayan waters. "There could be an elephant out there. This is what we're chasing," Christian Tichatschke, Total's exploration director in Uruguay, said in an interview in Montevideo on Friday. "It's a very risky project but we believe we can find something." A discovery could extend an exploration boom in a country that currently imports all of its oil and gas needs. Total, Tullow Oil Plc, BG Group Plc and BP Plc have invested more than $1 billion in exploration activities since they won eight offshore blocks in 2012, said Hector de Santa Ana, E&P director at state-run oil company and sector regulator Ancap. Uruguay's offshore potential has triggered a spurt of deal-making in recent months even as benchmark oil prices trade at 12-year lows. Norway's Statoil ASA said last month that it acquired a 35 percent stake in a block held by Tullow. Statoil and Exxon Mobil Corp. have also acquired minority stakes in Total's block. "The fact that you manage to get partners interested in this low oil price environment means that it's an interesting prospect," Horacio Cuenca, Latin America upstream research director at Wood Mackenzie, said in a telephone interview from Rio de Janeiro. Play Opener Raya-1, as the well is known, could rekindle interest in the Pelotas Basin that is shared by Brazil and Uruguay. Investors shunned Brazil's oil licensing round in the basin last year. "We actually don't have any discoveries in this area and this could be a play opener. This means it could be a first discovery that leads to a lot more discovers," Tichatschke said. Total plans to start drilling Uruguay's first offshore well in 40 years later this month in 3,411 meters (11,191 feet) of water. That would make it the deepest exploration well by water depth on record, according to data compiled by Wood Mackenzie. Raya should be finished in about 111 days after drilling as many as 3,000 meters below the seabed, Tichatschke said. First oil could come as soon as 2021. High Bar Raya-1 and subsequent appraisal wells would have to prove resources of more than 1 billion barrels of oil to make it worth developing at those depths, Tichatschke said. "A discovery does not mean that Uruguay will be an oil producing country. A discovery is the first piece to a puzzle," he said. Even if Raya is a dud, Ancap still plans to offer 17 blocks, including three returned by BP, in an offshore licensing round that will start this year and finish in 2017, De Santa Ana said in a telephone interview. "Round 3 will be well attended if there is a successful well, Wood Mackenzie's Cuenca said. It's the right time to reload on exploration acreage. You are going to get it cheaper because most oil companies are suffering from low prices," Total shares rose 0.3 percent to close at 42.81 euros in Paris on Monday and are up 3.7 percent for the year. 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Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Anneke Beerten proves her Queen of Crankworx title is well-earned with a win in the Giant Toad Enduro at Crankworx Rotorua, in New Zealand. (Photo by Clint Trahan/Crankworx) New Zealand's Matt Walker through for the win in the Giant Toa Enduro at Crankworx in Rotorua, New Zealand.(Photo by Clint Trahan/Crankworx) R-Dog throws down at Crankworx in Rotorua, New Zealand. (Photo by Clint Trahan/Crankworx) Mens Results, Giant Toa Enduro: 1. Matt Walker (NZL) 00:35:06 2. Eddie Masters (NZL) 00:35:31 3. Josh Carlson (AU) 00:35:34 4. Sam Blenkinsop (NZL) 00:35:42 5. Carl Jones (NZL) 00:35:42 Womens results, Giant Toa Enduro: 1. Anneke Beerten (NED) 00:40:38 2. Rae Morrison (NZL) 00:40:52 3. Annika Smail (NZL) 00:41:14 4. Vanessa Quin (NZL) 00:43:01 5. Katie ONeill (NZL) 00:43:28 Mens Whip-Off Results presented by Spank: 1. Ryan (R-Dog) HOWARD (USA) 2. Tyler McCAUL (USA) 3. Sam BLENKINSOP (NZL) Womens Whip-Off Results presented by Spank: 1. Casey Brown (CAN) 2. Emilie Siegenthaler (SUI) 3. Karin Pasterer (AUT) Fast trails and a good-times vibe left athletes smiling as they pulled in from a pedal-heavy Giant Toa Enduro at Crankworx Rotorua, and the whip cranked the crowd into a frenzy to cap the night. Coming into the event, Giant's Josh Carlson was riding well, but New Zealands Matt Walker proved the unexpected victor, seeling the deal on the final stage, after placing eighth the year before, and following fellow Kiwi, Carl Jones, in the cumulative standings for much of the race.I was hoping for maybe a top 10 or top five, but to win is a bit of a surprise. Ive been putting in quite a bit of hard work in the off season now and I guess its paying off, so Im really happy, said Walker. Its been a hard day, quite long tracks and it hasnt suited my preparation, I guess, but Im stoked on how today has gone. Ive been having a lot of fun - its good times all round.Sharing the limelight, 2015 Queen of Crankworx Anneke Beerten (NED), proved her mettle, charging in to win with royal confidence. Beerten admitted she is thrilled to have the monkey off her back, so to speak, with a win worthy of her 2015 success right out of the gate. She even dubbed the rough, off-camber trail of K2 easy, saying it was relaxing as it was short, making it less physically taxing for her, though its twists and turns bucked seasoned Kiwis Carl Jones and Brooke MacDonald right off.Overall, the day left her challenged, particularly on Stage 3 - It was really physical, long, not a lot of flow at the bottom, so you had to work pretty hard, she said, describing the stage from the finish line. I thought (the race) was pretty cool We had enough time between transfers. It was nice, with the whole group of girls we had riding together, the vibe was amazing.Now an Enduro World Series qualifier, the race attracted a tenacious crowd of New Zealand riders who filled the ranks of the top five nicely with Eddie Masters, second, Sam Blenkinsop, third, and Carl Jones, fifth in the mens field. Beerten was the sole international rider in the womens top five.The Oceania Whip-Off Championships presented by Spank finished out the night on a high note - actually a very similar high to the year before. Ryan R-Dog Howard (USA) and Casey Brown (CAN) repeated their wins, despite a monster new whip hit, which could have thrown a wrench in their programs.Howard said he figured the number of runs he logged and his double-trouble approach, whipping left and right, likely dialed it in. Brown might have had to step up her game to compete with one of the deepest female fields the event has ever seen were it not for her phenomenal skills - A lot more women came out this year and we were sending it on this jump. Thats an intimidating jump for anyone. It makes me so excited to see that, she said.The original creator of the event, judge Sven Martin, noted the purpose-built jump really pushed the riders and lead to some pretty amazing sideways actions with a big step-up, built for more risk, higher pop, and a sweet berm at the end to skid and spray the spectators - Every year it gets crazier and this was maybe the craziest year, he said, noting R-Dog was considerably more sideways than one usually sees.Crankworx runs from March 9-13, 2016. Events include the Rotorua Pump Track Challenge presented by RockShox Crankworx is broadcast live from Crankworx.com, Pinkbike.com and the Crankworx Rotorua Slopestyle is live on Red Bull TV.Broadcasts coming up on Crankworx.com and Pinkbike:NEW ZEALAND Thursday, Mar. 10, 5-7 p.m. NZDTNORTH AMERICA Wednesday, Mar. 9 8-10 p.m. PSTEUROPE Thursday, Mar. 10 5-7 a.m. CETNEW ZEALAND Friday, Mar. 11, 7-9 p.m. NZDTNORTH AMERICA Thursday, Mar. 10midnight PSTEUROPE Friday, Mar. 11 7-9 a.m. CETNEW ZEALAND Saturday, Mar.12 3-5:30 p.m. NZDTNORTH AMERICA Friday, Mar. 11, 6-8:30 p.m. PSTEUROPE Saturday, March 12 3-5:30 a.m. CETNEW ZEALAND Sunday, Mar. 13 2:30-5:30 p.m. NZDTNORTH AMERICA Saturday, Mar. 12 5:30-8:30 p.m. PSTEUROPE Sunday, Mar. 13 2:30-5:30 a.m. CETSee more photos on the Crankworx Flickr account @officialcrankworx / @GiantBicycle / @spank-bikes From Our Firehouse to Yours COOKS - It is sort of strange how things get started, some projects take a lot of time and thought, others are off the cuff ideas. In the case of... Seul Choix Haunted GULLIVER - The big fundraiser for the Gulliver Historical Society, Haunted Lighthouse is coming this weekend to a real haunted Lighthouse located in Gulliver, Mich. Seul Choix Pointe Lighthouse is... Out and About Audio Article Atascosa County Anti-Bullying Rally Oct. 19 Poteet Strawberry Festival grounds, main pavilion, 6-8 p.m. Guest speaker Batman & Co. and... JISD Supt. McAllister announces retirement Audio Article The retirement of Jourdanton ISD Superintendent Theresa McAllister was announced at the meeting of the school board held on Oct.... but NOBODY vetted Barack Obama after Barack Obama politicized his own mother's cancer for his own political gain during the 2008 democratic race, and then again in the presidential debates. Did Barack Obama tend to his own mother in any personal way during her last couple of years of life, when she was dying of cancer in Hawaii? If I am wrong, or can be proven wrong about my concern, then I will stand corrected. But until then, the timeline I have been able to put together shows that Barack Obama chose to finish writing his book instead of being with his mother. With apologizes to the filmmaker for politicizing his film,Or, did Barack Obama CHOOSE to fly over Hawaii, where his mother was dying of cancer,so he could go to Bali to finish writing his book about his sperm donor father? Taxation May Lead the Way To Online Poker Legislation in Russia March 09, 2016 Jason Glatzer Editor Due to the ongoing financial crisis in Russia, many industry analysts believe that now more than ever online poker could become legalized and regulated in the country. It is estimated that as many as 20 percent of Russia's population of 144 million is playing poker on the Internet and contributing a huge amount of liquidity to online poker rooms. Former British MP and International Business Times contributor Paul Keetch reported that 8.4 percent of the PokerStars customer base is from Russia, according to data from the world's largest poker room. Since poker is not regulated in Russia, it is believed that the government is currently not receiving any tax revenue from gaming operators. The rumors surrounding online poker regulation therefore not only have the attention of the poker community, but taxation specialists as well. Russian poker player Maxim Katz recently commented about this, stating that, "In particular, poker went underground after the ban. The game did decline, but not for long. And the [national] budget stopped receiving taxes." Rumors began heating up earlier in the year when news broke that the Russian government is considering designating poker as a game of skill. Many believe this could help open the doors in creating a regulated online poker licensing scheme in the country. This viewpoint also has the endorsement of the World Chess Federation, with the head of the organization, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, stating to the International Business Times that "Concerning online poker and its legalization in Russia, it should be legalized; too many people are involved and are playing online. There are no reasons that it should be hidden and illegal. I've prepared my proposals concerning legalisation of online poker in Russia and have presented them to the Russian government. And I am working together with the government in order to allow online poker to become an intellectual sport in Russia." Ilyumzhinov's support is believed to be influential, as the multi-millionaire businessman has the ear of Russian President Vladimir Putin and is also been influential with the Kremlin in the past. Want to stay atop all the latest in the poker world? If so, make sure to get PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and find us on both Facebook and Google+! Law enforcement's use of electronic control devices (ECDs) such as TASERs continues to garner public accusations of excessive and unnecessary use. Cases like the 2012 death of Phillip Coleman, who was reportedly tased multiple times by Chicago police while in custody and later died (although the official cause of death is an allergic reaction to medication), have sparked public outcries over the excessive use of ECDs by police. It's hard to find agreement on when ECDs should be used. Police agencies, courts, community members, social activists, and civil rights attorneys disagree about the appropriate use of these devices. And a recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which applies to five statesMaryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolinamay further muddy the law on ECD use as well as the qualified immunity of police officers. It emphasizes the use of TASERs as tools for protection, not for compelling compliance. The Case On Jan. 11, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals handed down its decision in the case Estate of Armstrong v. Village of Pinehurst. In this case, three Pinehurst, NC, police officers were sent to take Ronald Armstrong into custody on an involuntary commitment order. Armstrong was a mentally ill individual who had been a danger to himself but no one else. The officers found Armstrong on the side of a road where he was eating grass and displaying other erratic behavior. Officers attempted to take Armstrong into custody but he was able to grab onto a nearby pole and resist arrest. It is undisputed by his estate that he kicked one of the officers while resisting and was not complying with commands to submit to arrest. However, he was never deemed to be dangerous to others nor attacking the officers. Officers, along with help from nearby security guards, were eventually able to place Armstrong in restraints. This was not before one of the officers "drive stunned" Armstrong several times. This use of a TASER wasaccording to Armstrong's attorneysan unconstitutional seizure violating the Fourth Amendment. The estate's argument relied on the fact that the ECD was used solely to gain compliance and not protect anyone stating, "Armstrong was only offering stationary and non-violent resistance." The Ruling The Fourth Circuit ruled that the officers had qualified immunity from prosecution because they were acting as public officials. But the reason they had qualified immunity was not that they did the right thing. Rather, the court found them safe from prosecution because they did not have sufficiently clear guidance about how ECDs should have been used (or not used) in this situation. While ruling the officers did not have proper guidance, the court proceeded to provide that guidance for the future. The court stated, "TASERs may only be deployed when a police officer is confronted with an exigency that creates an immediate safety risk and that is reasonably likely to be cured by using the TASER." What It Means During the trial, the plaintiff's attorney stated: "This solidifies what everyone in the public thinks should be happening: When you are unarmed and no threat, you should not be subject to force." However, to police officers, the outcome of this case means something entirely different. Officers may interpret this ruling to mean that when someone resists a lawful arrest, command, or court order, officers are expected to stand by and do nothing but try to talk a subject into compliance or wait until the situation has escalated to the point of immediate danger and risk of life or safety. More problematic, despite the Fourth Circuit's ruling, there is no agreement on what should happen when an officer uses an ECD and whether or not the use of an ECD entitles an officer to qualified immunity. Qualified Immunity Precedents Qualified immunity is a long-standing legal principle in which the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) recognizes that police officers must make immediate judgment calls without the benefit of extended legal reflection. Courts have long recognized the complexities of an arrest and the ever-present risk that officers will need to use force to take someone into custody. Qualified immunity is intended to prevent officers from fearing legal repercussions when they are faced with using such force; however, officers must still not violate a person's constitutional rights. The law of qualified immunity is well settled in the sense that there is a two-pronged test to determine whether an officer should be entitled to qualified immunity. The test is provided in Saucier v. Katz, 533 U.S. 194, which essentially found there are two steps to determining qualified immunity. First, the courts must review the facts in a light most favorable to the plaintiff that the officer's conduct violated the Fourth Amendment. The second prong of the test is the area which the judicial circuits seem to disagree over. The second prong of the test essentially says that if the Fourth Amendment is violated, it must also be shown that the officer knew that his or her conduct was illegal in the specific situation at hand when the force was being used. This second prong elicits the most confusion on ECD usage. In the Anderson case, the Fourth Circuit "ties permissible ECD use to situations that present some exigency that is sufficiently dangerous to justify the force." Officers are left with several questions: When then is it appropriate to use an ECD? What exactly constitutes an appropriate exigency? Whose call is it to determine whether or not something is "sufficiently dangerous" to warrant the use of force? Interestingly enough, SCOTUS has already stated in Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 396 that "the calculus of reasonableness must embody allowance for the fact that police officers are often forced to make split-second judgmentsin circumstances that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolvingabout the amount of force that is necessary in a particular situation." This opinion and many others tend to show that SCOTUS favors the long-standing "reasonableness" test to determine if use of force was properly applied in a Fourth Amendment context. The Sixth Circuit has emphatically stated that "If a suspect actively resists arrest and refuses to be handcuffed, officers do not violate the Fourth Amendment by using a TASER to subdue him." This was decided in Hagans v. Franklin County Sheriff's Office, 695 F.3d 509. Policy and Training Concerns It is incumbent upon administrative and training staff to review their use-of-force policies, specifically as they relate to ECD use. This is paramount for agencies in the five states covered by the Fourth Judicial Circuit because essentially what the court has done is make a very fine distinction in the appropriateness of force. The court distinguishes between the force being used when someone is actively attacking or creating a dangerous situation versus passive force when someone only poses a risk to themselves and is non-compliant. Essentially, law enforcement leaders should evaluate the following concerns regarding the use of ECDs in their policies: Where does your current use-of-force policy place ECDs? Are they deemed an intermediate weapon or somewhere above that, but just below deadly force? What have been the prevailing opinions of your jurisdiction when ECDs have been deployed? Are you only required to look at the reasonableness of the use? Or does your jurisdiction seem to make distinctions in ECD use and other types of non-lethal tools as a per se standard before even considering whether the use might be viewed as reasonable? Here is when you are blessed to have knowledgeable legal counsel in this area of the law. Evaluate your situational training with ECDs. A class where officers shoot stationary targets and perhaps are exposed to the effects of an ECD is insufficient. Incorporate situational training into your ECD program. Teach and remind officers to use their common sense and training on de-escalation tactics before resorting to an immediate deployment of the ECD. Likewise, train them never to be so afraid of the courtroom that they let themselves or others be hurt. Officers need to ask themselves, "Is the subject being dangerously aggressive or are they presenting a risk of serious injury or death to anyone including themselves?" Next ask, "Is the person being a danger to themselves or others in their non-compliance?" Protection Not Compliance While it may conflict with the training that law enforcement receives, agencies must train officers to think of ECDs as a tool for protection, not one to simply gain compliance. Officers must realize that training practices and laws change over time and they must be cognizant of the salivating attorneys waiting to file suit every time an ECD is used. Sadly, the Fourth Circuit Court's decision just gave them more justification to do so. Moreover, many officers are going to be asking, "What do I do with a person resisting arrest but not really creating an exigency that is sufficiently dangerous to justify the force?" While officers should defer to their agency policies and their common sense, remember there are other methods and tools to help gain compliance of a subject. Outside of officer presence and verbal command, an officer could use empty-hand control or some other less-than-lethal technique to gain control of a situation. Applying a joint lock, hold, or pressure-point technique may do the trick. It may take the application of an alternate less-than-lethal device such as chemical spray or the strike of an impact weapon. Officers just need to ensure they have followed proper use-of-force protocol as dictated by their policies and not limited their force skillset to only ECDs. Finally, officers should be aware that acts of omission as a public servant can and do carry the same amount of liability as intentional overt actions. While it is true that acts of omission are typically not as litigated, they are nonetheless just as meritorious. It is logical that many officers will have concerns about not taking action that results in someone harming themselves, especially a mentally ill subject. Take solace in the fact that in the Armstrong case the Fourth Circuit gave law enforcement protection when this argument arises. The Fourth Circuit said, "when a seizure is intended solely to prevent a mentally ill individual from harming himself, the officer effecting the seizure has a lessened interest in deploying potentially harmful force." It will be interesting to see how this statement is argued by an attorney similarly situated as the one in the Armstrong case, especially where the police use force which proves to be ineffective and an ECD could have prevented the subject from harming themselves or others. Christopher L. McFarlin has more than 15 years of experience across all components of the criminal justice system, from serving as a detention and law enforcement officer to being a state prosecutor, criminal defense attorney, and judge. He currently serves as a faculty member with American Public University System's School of Security and Global Studies and the American Military University. He holds active commissions as a reserve law enforcement officer and summary court magistrate for the state of South Carolina. For more information on policy review and development, you can contact him at [email protected]. New York State Senator Michael Venditto (R, C, I- Massapequa) voted this week on legislation (S.5598) that would establish the new crime of inciting violence against a police officer, according to a press release from the New York State Senate. "Our communities have recently seen an unfortunate increase of crimes being committed against our brave men and women who put their life on the line every day, by protecting us," said Senator Venditto. In recent years, there has been an increase in violent crimes committed against police officers and this measure, if passed by the Assembly and signed into law, would help prevent individuals from deliberately inciting violence targeting law enforcement by creating a new class D felony. "By creating a new class D felony, we can provide protections for our officers that they deserve," continued Venditto. This legislation is a result of the input received during a series of public hearings held by the Senate Majority last year which examined police safety and public protection in New York City and throughout the state. The bill will be sent to the Assembly. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print It was without a great deal of surprise that I read yesterday of birther Joseph Farahs endorsement of Ted Cruz just in time for Cruz to lose, and lose big, last night. This, Farah was careful to note by the way, was a personal endorsement in his role as editor and founder of World Net Daily and not a corporate editorial endorsement. Farah began by saying, Its been a strange 2016 election cycle. But what is more strange yet is a man who accused President Obama of not being born in the United States now endorses a man not born in the United States. Farahs selective birtherism has not escaped media scrutiny. Of course, Ted Cruz is white. Not sayin. Im just sayin. And its not just Cruz. Back in 2012, Farah claimed questions about Romneys eligibility were an unnecessary distraction for his team at WND and would you please stop asking? Romney, too, is white. Obviously an American, seems to be the logic. Farah says of the Democratic candidates, Pick your poison without any apparent trace of irony. Of course, you have to be a skilled liar to run a gossip sheet like World Net Daily. He could hardly be honest and expect people to go along with what he is peddling. But thats a larger problem for the entire Republican Party, where facts just get in the way of a really good story. Nobody knows that better than Donald Trump, who bulldozes through facts with an elephants savoir faire. From that alone you would think Trump would be the natural choice for Farah, but he went with Cruz. Farah tells readers he doesnt want to slight Donald Trump, who afterall performed the valuable role of breaking the back of political correctness with his Hitler impersonations, but Cruz is the real deal. I think Ted Cruzs history demonstrates he has the clearest, most Reaganesque vision of where the country needs to go in its much-needed recovery from eight years of Barack Obama. Cruz is principled, sophisticated and a solid conservative whose understanding of and commitment to the Constitution is unshakeable. At a time when one of the three branches of the federal government, the Supreme Court, hangs in the balance, it is Ted Cruz who, without question, can be counted upon to nominate justices who will uphold the high standards of Antonin Scalia and the originalists. Ted Cruz is the real deal. Farahs endorsement would not be complete without comparing Cruz to Reagan, who would not even be considered Republican if he were alive today. Tax and Spend Reagan not only raised taxes but grew the federal government. If Cruz is actually like Reagan, there is no better reason for Republican voters to reject him. Of course facts have nothing to do with it. They never do. This is all about what Farah and other Republicans want to be true. What is amusing is that while appealing to the past with his comparisons, Farah accuses Clinton and Sanders of having nothing to offer but the past (isnt that what he just told us Cruz is offering?). More remarkable still is that in the very next breath he tells us this past has nothing to do with the past 240 years of American history: Its also time for all freedom-loving Americans to consider what the Democratic Party nominee has to offer for the future. What Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have to offer is the past. They offer a vision that has nothing in common with what has made America great over the last 240 years. Neither believes in the rule of law, the oldest and greatest Constitution in the world, a free-enterprise system that has made the country the envy of the world, individual rights, Judeo-Christian values, national sovereignty and strictly limited government. Lets see. America became a world power thanks to the guy who pulled this country out of a 1-percenter-induced Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat accused of being a socialist. I dont think Farah thought this through. Its a mystery past, apparently. If you cant wedge it into the past 240 years, the entirety of American history, youre at a loss to make sense of his claim. If you figure it out, let me know. When Farah goes on to claim that America simply cant survive another corrupt and lawless White House, you can only assume that he does not realize it is no longer 2008, the end of a span in which the Bush administration vied with that of Ulysses S. Grant as the most corrupt in American history. Republicans of 2016 have been very careful to ignore the economic revival of the past seven years, and their rhetoric is always aimed at 2008, while casting the blame for the economic disaster at Obama, and not on the man they like to pretend never existed, George W. Bush. Farahs is a fact-free, even nonsensical interpretation of American history in the finest tradition of that religious education specialist, David Barton, who thinks owning copies of original documents bestows magic powers of interpretation, as though even without having to read them by merely being in their presence he becomes an expert. Of course, this is how Religious Right-style Christians, Farah among them, thinks the Bible works too. Unfortunately, that is not how the world works. Facts do matter. They matter quite a bit. You can reject them, but you cant escape their effects. What you dont know what you pretend not to know can still hurt you. As Republicans discovered in both 2008 and 2012. Fresh off his victory in Michigan, Sen. Bernie Sanders explained to the Trump adoring corporate media how Democrats will crush the billionaire if he wins the Republican nomination. Video: Transcript via MSNBCs Andrea Mitchell Reports: MITCHELL: What do you make of whats happening on the Republican side with Donald Trump? SANDERS: What I make is obviously, I mean, the Republican leadership is a little bit nervous because I think they understand that a Donald Trump will not become President of the United States, if he becomes the Republican candidate. And Ill tell you why, Andrea. The American people and no, Im not saying every American, but the vast majority of the American people are not going to be voting for a president who insults Mexicans, which really is insulting all of our Latin American neighbors. Who insults Muslims. Muslims Islam is one of the large religions in the world. Who insults veterans by attacking John McCain because he was a POW. Who attacks women. Who attacks the African-American community through his efforts in the so-called birther business. You know, its a funny thing. President Obamas father was born in Kenya. My father was born in Poland. Nobody goes around asking me for my birth certificate. Maybe it has something to do with the color of my skin versus the color of President Obamas skin. I dont think the American people will elect a president who is so divisive, who is so coarse, who insults anybody who disagrees with them. So thats why I think the Republican leadership is a little bit nervous about Trumps successes so far. MITCHELL: And do you think that the Democratic Party can come together? This is not obviously as nasty a campaign as the Republican by far, but you and Hillary Clinton have serious policy disagreements. Whoever becomes the nominee, will the Democratic Party, will the Democratic Party, will you and Hillary Clinton come together in some fashion at the end of the convention and unite against whoever is the Republican nominee? SANDERS: Well, I think that the vast majority of Democrats and by the way, the vast majority of Independents in this country understand that as a nation which has so much income and wealth inequality, that we dont agree with Donald Trump who wants to give hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks to the top two-tenths of 1 percent billionaires like himself. We all as Democrats and a vast majority of Independents know that we got to raise the minimum wage above this starvation wage of 7.25 now. We all know that the scientists are telling us something very profound and important when they talk about climate change being real and being caused by human activity while people like Donald Trump, you know, think its a hoax. So, to answer your question, I think the differences between Donald Trump and the other Republicans and not just Democrats, myself with Secretary Clinton, but the vast majority of the people are very, very wise. So to answer your question, yes, I think the American people are saying, will say, that we are not going to have a Republican in the White House. Mozambique News Agency AIM Reports No. 525, 9th March 2016 Contents The leader of Mozambiques largest opposition party Renamo, Afonso Dhlakama, has once again refused the offer of unconditional talks made by President Filipe Nyusi. According to a report in the daily O Pais, Renamo replied on 7 March to President Nyusis latest offer, and once again demanded the presence of foreign mediators in any future dialogue. Dhlakama wants any such talks mediated by the Catholic Church, the European Union and South African President Jacob Zuma. Dhlakama claims that he had contacted all three and had received favourable responses. President Nyusi has appointed a team to prepare the meeting with Dhlakama, consisting of former Security Minister Jacinto Veloso, former Justice Minister Benwinda Levi, and a member of the presidential staff, Alves Muteque. In his letter to Dhlakama, President Nyusi asked the Renamo leader to appoint, as quickly as possible, a preparatory team from the Renamo side. However, Dhlakama said that he would only name his team once the foreign mediators were accredited. The government has always stated that it sees no reason to call in foreign mediators to deal with a dispute between Mozambicans. In the dialogue between the government and Renamo, which ran from April 2013 to August 2015, there were Mozambican mediators namely prominent academic Lourenco do Rosario, Anglican bishop Dinis Sengulane, Catholic priest Filipe Couto, Methodist pastor Anastacio Chembeze, and Moslem cleric Sheikh Saide Abibo. Within the ruling Frelimo Party there is a growing feeling that the current situation, whereby Renamo has both a parliamentary group making laws in Maputo, and an armed militia killing and burning in the central provinces, is no longer tenable. In the countrys parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, during debates last week, several Frelimo deputies suggested that Renamo be outlawed. The Mozambican police on 7 March raided a house in the outer Maputo neighbourhood of Luis Cabral where they discovered a wide range of weapons, uniforms and communications equipment. Maputo police commander Bernadino Rafael told reporters he believed that it was from this house that the actions of criminal gangs armed with machetes had been planned and coordinated. This house was the logistical base for criminals destabilizing neighbourhoods such as Maxaquene, he said. Among the equipment seized were green uniforms similar to those worn by members of the illicit militia of Renamo, as well as uniforms and other gear that seems to belong to the private security company G4S. We are concerned that the equipment found is mixed with uniforms identical with Renamo uniform, as well as G4S uniforms, said Rafael. He added that the police have asked G4S for an explanation. Renamo uniforms and propaganda material suggest there may be a link between Renamo and the Luis Cabral house. Rafael recalled that when a group of criminals wielding machetes was recently arrested in Maxaquene, one of them turned out to be a Renamo member. The owner of the house has gone missing, and the police want to question him about the origin of the material found in the house. Renamo gunmen on 5 March opened fire on a bus in the central province of Manica, killing two people and injuring a further eight. The ambush took place in the Honde area, in Barue district, on the main road from the provincial capital, Chimoio, to Tete, and on to Malawi and Zambia. The bus belonged to the private company Nagy Investments. The attackers shot the driver in the head. He lost control of the bus which careened off the road and only stopped when it hit a tree. The gunmen continued to fire at the immobilised bus, injuring several of the passengers. The driver died of his wounds, and a passenger died while being taken to the nearby Catandica Rural Hospital. Of the other eight people hit, six suffered minor injuries and were soon discharged. The other two are still undergoing medical care. Addressing a press conference in Chimoio, the Manica provincial police commander, Armando Canheze, said that because the ambush took place near a position of the defence and security forces, police were able to reach the scene before the attackers had an opportunity to loot the bus. A group of seven to ten individuals opened fire against the bus on the stretch between Chuala and Honde, said Canheze. We are working to neutralize the bandits who are sowing terror in the Honde area. We know that they are on a mountain which they are using as a hideout. This is the third attack by Renamo gunmen in the Honde region in less than a month. In the previous two attacks vehicles of the defence and security forces on patrol came under fire. The Mozambique National Civil Aviation Institute (IACM) on 7 March handed over a piece of aircraft debris to team of Malaysian experts, who hope to establish whether it comes from the missing Malaysian flight, MH370. The fragment is thought to come from a horizontal stabilizer of an aircraft tail. It was discovered on a sandbank on Bazaruto Island, off the coast of Inhambane province. The MH370 Boeing 777 vanished from the radars on 8 March 2014. It was on a scheduled flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. When asked about the piece of debris, IACM Chairperson Joao de Abreu cautioned against jumping to the conclusion that it comes from MH370. He stressed the importance of establishing what kind of aircraft it was from. If it is established beyond doubt that the fragment comes from a Boeing 777, then it must be from MH370, since no other Boeing 777 is missing. According to a report in the independent daily O Pais, the three experts who received the fragment are from the Malaysian Civil Aviation Authority, Malaysian Airlines, and the body investigating the disappearance of MH370. So far the only piece of debris from MH370 recovered is a fragment of a wing that washed up on a beach on Reunion Island in July 2015. South African police have arrested a Mozambican citizen for smuggling heroin worth an estimated 50 million rand ($3.2 million). According to South African press reports, this is one of the biggest seizures of illicit drugs in the countrys history. The seizure occurred on 6 March when police stopped a Toyota Prado at the Nkomazi toll gate, on the N4 motorway in Mpumulanga province. A policeman and a sniffer dog inspected the car, and the dog drew attention to the fuel tank. The car was coming from Mozambique and heading towards Gauteng province, said Sedibe. The Mozambican driver has been arrested, and was due to appear before the magistrates court in the South African town of Barberton. Unknown assailants murdered a senior member of the main opposition party, Renamo, in the southern province of Inhambane, according to a report in the daily O Pais. The Renamo member, Aly Jane, went missing on 5 March after he had left a local mosque. Rumours that he may have been murdered began to circulate the next day after his identity card was found on the bank of the Nhanombe River, between the city of Maxixe and Homoine district. Relatives went to this area on 7 March and carried out a search. Their fears were confirmed when they found Janes body underneath vegetation. His feet were bound and he had been shot in the head. President Filipe Nyusi on 7 March swore into office the new governor of the southern province of Inhambane, Daniel Chapo. He replaces Agostinho Trinta who resigned after he was elected to Frelimos Secretariat. Frelimo has decided that members of the Secretariat should be full time. Before his appointment as provincial governor, Chapo was administrator of Nacala-a-Velha district in Nampula. President Filipe Nyusi on 3 March appointed Major-General Julio dos Santos Jane the new General Commander of the Mozambican police force. He takes over from Jorge Khalau, who was dismissed on the previous day after holding the post since 2008. Jane is a career officer from the armed forces (FADM), who was trained in the former Soviet Union. During the war of destabilization he was commander of the Maputo City Garrison, protecting the capital from the apartheid-backed Renamo rebels. He has been credited with successfully preventing Renamo units from infiltrating Maputo. Although Jane has no prior experience of police matters, he will be working alongside one of the countrys most experienced police officers. Jose Weng San, whom President Nyusi appointed deputy commander last August. The Mozambican government plans to spend 90 million meticais ($1.94 million) opening 290 boreholes for water supply in the central province of Manica. The Manica provincial director of public works, Joaquim Jorge, explained that the boreholes will be drilled simultaneously in all 12 districts of the province. The districts that require most attention, however, are Machaze, Gondola, Tambara, Guro and Macossa, which are the parts of the province most severely hit by the current drought. By the end of the year it is intended that all Manica districts will have new water sources to reduce the distances people must walk to acquire clean water. Jorge said that Machaze, in the semi-arid south of the province, will receive 20 new boreholes, while other water sources that are currently out of order will be repaired. There have always been water shortages in Machaze. Rainfall is low and people sometimes walk up to 20 kilometres in search of water or are forced to use to draw their water from swamps. Due to the drought gripping much of southern and central Mozambique, agricultural activity has been compromised, plunging thousands of Manica households into food insecurity. Some of these households are now resorting to wind fruits and roots to feed themselves. The consortium operating the railway line for general traffic along the Nacala Corridor in northern Mozambique has entered into a five year deal under which it will lease a hundred grain hopper wagons from GPR Leasing. The Northern Development Corridor (CDN) is the concessionaire managing the Nacala port and the railway line that runs to Entre-Lagos in Malawi. To enable CDN to transport grain from Malawi to Nacala it will lease the wagons which will begin to arrive this month. The wagons are being manufactured in Welkom in South Africa by Galison Manufacturing. The agreement with CDN was signed in October 2015 and all the wagons are due to be delivered by the end of the year. GPR Leasing Africa is a joint venture between the South African companies Grindrod Freight Services and the Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Fund (PRIF). The number of people facing food insecurity due to the severe drought in southern and central Mozambique is about 166,000, Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario told the countrys parliament on 2 March. Answering questions about the drought, Rosario warned that the situation could worsen if there is no rain this month, making even moderate harvests impossible. In that case, there would be a scenario of severe food insecurity, affecting 1.8 million people. Currently the government is coping with the drought through the funds in the state budget envisaged in the Contingency Plan for the 2015-2016 rainy season, plus money raised in the national solidarity campaign the government has launched, and support from those international cooperation partners. But Rosario admitted that, in the event of a deterioration to severe food insecurity, the government would have to reassess the situation and decide what type of intervention or alert should be adopted. Rosario said that so far over 584,000 hectares of crops are regarded as lost. The impact on livestock has also been serious, with the loss of 4,584 head of cattle. The drought is partially caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon. This is the anomalous heating of the surface waters of the Pacific Ocean, affecting the circulation of winds and global weather patterns. Rosario noted that the current El Nino is the most intense for half a century. Rosario pointed out that the drought is regional in scope. Thus seven of South Africas nine provinces are affected, with the loss of about 90 per cent of their maize production. In Swaziland, 360,000 people could be facing food insecurity by April, and restrictions have been imposed on access to water. In Zimbabwe, the amount of land under production has fallen by 40 per cent compared with last year. The north of the country has the opposite problem. Here there have been heavy rains and localized flooding. Rosario said there has been no loss of life directly related to these floods, which he attributed to preventive actions, persuading people to keep away from flood-prone areas, and the reactivation of local disaster risk management committees. The northern rains cut some of the roads in Cabo Delgado and Niassa provinces, but in most cases traffic has been restored, the Prime Minister said. Cholera outbreaks had been reported in two northern provinces, Nampula and Niassa. Rosario said that, since August 2015, the cumulative number of cases diagnosed was 1,920 resulting in ten deaths. Mozambiques three mobile phone companies (M-Cel, Vodacom and Movitel) on 2 March switched off a million clients for failing to register their SIM cards. The companies announced the mass disconnect in a joint press release, which also urged those of their customers who had not yet registered to do so as quickly as possible. The order to disconnect affects clients whose SIM cards were active prior to 28 November 2015. Anyone who acquired a SIM card after that date could only activate it after filling in the registration form. All new users of pre-paid SIM cards will be registered at the moment of purchase. This means an end to the convenient practice of itinerant vendors selling SIM cards. Instead, new users will have to buy the cards at an M-Cel or Vodacom shop - which do not exist across large swathes of the countryside. The Minister of Land, Environment and Rural Development, Celso Correia, announced in Maputo on 3 March that during 2015 the Mozambican authorities detained over 300 people in connection with poaching. He was speaking at commemorations of World Wildlife Day, at a time when the countrys wild life is under serious threat. The latest elephant census showed that between 2009 and 2014, the Mozambican elephant population had fallen by 48 per cent (from just over 20,000 in 2009 to 10,300 in 2014). As for rhinos, both African species, the black and the white, are feared extinct in Mozambique. There have been noteworthy efforts to reverse the poaching scenario, said Correia. He pointed out that those arrested in 2015 were not just the small fry who pull the trigger or set the trap. The authorities had also detained 20 traffickers in rhino horn and elephant ivory. He added that the government is currently working on a proposal to increase the penalties for poachers who are, in reality, environmental aggressors. Correia said that last year 300 new-born elephants were counted in Mozambique but 380 elephants were killed in the same period. In 2014, we lost more than 500 elephants, and only about 250 were born, said Correia. Thus, although there are signs that the pace of the slaughter is slowing, the objective is to continue protecting these animals, so as to help their reproduction. But biologist Carlos Bento believes that Correias figures are too optimistic. In an interview, Bento said he believed the real number of elephants in Mozambique is not more than 5,000. He said the statistics suggest that an average of eight elephants a day are killed. He warned against an exclusive concentration on elephants and rhinos, since poachers also attack other species, notably carnivores. Lion and leopards are becoming scarce in Mozambique poachers shoot them for their skins which are traded on the illegal wildlife market. The Australian mining company Triton Minerals, which holds the rights to graphite and vanadium deposits in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, announced on 1 March that it is to focus on developing its graphite deposits at Ancuabe. The deposit is expected to be the source of premium graphite flakes. Triton states that initial flotation test work of Ancuabe material has returned some of the highest concentrations of jumbo and super jumbo flake graphite ever recorded from East Africa. The mine has the additional benefit of being only fifty kilometres away from the port of Pemba. According to the Triton, the company intends to become a graphite concentrate producer of global significance over the next twelve months, underpinned by its world-class graphite assets in Mozambique. Triton has a graphite and vanadium asset at Balama North which it describes as world class. However, the statement makes clear that in 2016 the focus will be on Ancuabe. Graphite is a form of carbon which is highly prized for its properties as a conductor of electricity. It is used in batteries and fuel cells, and is the basis for the miracle material graphene, which is the strongest material ever measured, with vast potential for use in the electronics industries. Minister of Industry and Trade, Max Tonela, has sacked the General Manager of the Export Promotion Institute (IPEX), Celia Candrino, and sent a dossier on IPEX to the Public Prosecutors Office, according to a report in the newssheet Mediafax. Candrino has been accused of abusing IPEX funds, particularly the money intended for the annual Maputo International Trade Fair (FACIM). According to the sources contacted by Mediafax, Tonela took his decision after receiving the report from a commission set up to investigate complaints raised by IPEX workers. The investigators concluded that Candrino had misused the funds of the institution and had violated the legal principles governing the use of public money. The Minister sent the Commissions report to the Public Prosecutor, so that criminal proceedings can be initiated if Prosecutors believe there is sufficient evidence to charge Candrino. Tonela appointed the Chairperson of the IPEX Board, Joao Macaringue, to take over from Candrino. For the time being, he will be both chairperson and general manager of IPEX. The Italian oil company ENI has received the go ahead for the first phase of the development of five trillion cubic feet of natural gas from the Coral gas field in northern Mozambique. The companys Development Plan received approval from Mozambiques Council of Ministers (Cabinet) when it met in Maputo on 23 February. ENI is the operator in offshore Area Four in the Rovuma Basin and it is estimated that 16 trillion cubic feet of gas is located in the Coral field, which lies about 80 kilometres off the coast of Cabo Delgado province. It plans to install a Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) facility to produce 3.4 million tonnes of LNG per annum. The approval of ENIs Plan of Development is an important step towards the company making its Final Investment Decision (FID). That should take place later this year enabling construction of the FLNG to begin. The project has already received its Environmental Licence. ENI also discovered gas in the Mamba field which straddles Area Four and neighbouring Area One (operated by the US company Anadarko). In December, the two companies entered into a unitisation agreement for the use of this gas, which will be processed onshore, on the Afungi Peninsula in Palma district. ENI is the operator of Area Four with a 50 per cent indirect interest owned through ENI-East Africa, which holds 70 per cent of the concession. The other 20 per cent held via ENI-East Africa belongs to the Chinese company CNPC. The other three partners, with ten per cent each, are Kogas of Korea, Galp Energia of Portugal, and Mozambiques National Hydrocarbon Company, ENH. The British based company Xtract Resources has received approval from the Mozambican government for the acquisition of the Manica Gold Project from the Australian company Auroch Minerals. The Manica Gold Project is situated four kilometres north of the town of Manica, near the Zimbabwe border. The main deposit, known as Fair Bride, is estimated to hold 923,200 ounces of gold. However, mining will recover just three grammes of gold for every tonne of material processed. Under the terms of the sale, Xtract will pay Auroch just under ten million dollars in cash and shares and take on the responsibility for a further million dollars worth of debts. The sale will also result in Xtract Resources paying the Mozambican Tax Authority (AT) $700,000 in capital gains tax. According to Xtracts chief executive Jan Nelson, we are delighted to have received approval from the Mozambican mining authorities and to conclude the acquisition of the Manica gold project. This signifies the next step in Xtract's transformation from a small-scale miner to mid-tier gold producer. The South African company SacOil Holdings on 1 March announced that an agreement has been signed in Johannesburg which paves the way for the construction of a 2,600 kilometre gas pipeline from the Rovuma Basin in northern Mozambique to Gauteng province in South Africa. To be known as the African Renaissance gas pipeline, it would also deliver gas to Mozambican towns along the pipelines route. The agreement was signed by Mozambiques National Hydrocarbon Company (ENH), SacOil, Profin Consulting, and the China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau (CPP). Profin is described as a Mozambican private sector consortium, while CPP, according to a SacOil release, is a leading Chinese and international pipeline construction company that will bring a wealth of technical expertise to the pipeline project. The CPP will finance and carry out the pre investment studies. It will also secure seventy per cent of the projects budget from Chinese financial institutions. Other investment will come from Mozambique and South Africa. It is estimated that constructing the pipeline will cost $6 billion. The CPP is affiliated to the China National Petroleum Company which holds a twenty per cent stake in Offshore Area Four, situated in the Rovuma Basin off the coast of Cabo Delgado province. The Italian company ENI is the operator of Area Four, which holds an estimated 85 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. I'm sure many have read the story somewhere about Truly Test Kitchen, a successful hawkerpreneurship story of two young people Joel and Deniece who continues the curry rice legacy of Deneice's father stall in Telok Blangah by making it bigger and better. The Curry Rice is far better than you expect for the price tag of $3, while moreish sides like the pork cutlet and cabbage to seal the deal. The gravy is thick and sweet, just like typical Hainanese curry, though I prefer it to be spicier. Apart from this main stall, Truly Test Kitchen also houses other concept stalls that serve western cuisine, noodles and kuehs. From Truly Western, I've tried the Creamy Chicken Mushroom Spaghetti, which paled in comparison to the highly popular Chicken Waffle ($4.50) served with honey. The pasta was too dry and lacked the oomph. Meanwhile, the crispy chicken had a good batter recipe but the soggy waffles were too ostentious to be ignored. If you like those HongKong style noodles, then you'll spot many familiar faces on the menu. I'm talking about those maggi mee noodles topped with sunny side egg with chicken cutlet. In fact, this was my favourite dish that day. The soupy version tasted very similar to the Korean instant noodles seasoning and thus was not much different from those which one can cook at home. There is also typical hawker breakfast fare like and meat porridge of which I couldn't find much "". The was quite disappointingly watery as it did not appear to be cooked long enough. I can imagine how crowded this place is during weekday lunch hours since this place was already packed on Saturdays. The food isn't top-notch, but value-for-money and huge on portions. All the dishes here are heavy on the carbs, which makes rational sense to the labour-intensive workers who are looking for the necessary fuel to last through the day. Average spending including drinks : $4~$6 Truly Test Kitchen Jun Jie Industrial Building 153 Kampong Ampat #07-05 Singapore 368326 Mon-Sat: 7am - 3pm (Closed on Sun) Portfolio English Edition's premium content is available only for subscribers Learn about the hottest news of the day, along with immediate follow-up analyses and 1000's of exclusive articles with full access to the premium content. Register and apply for a 14 days free trial period. I have been working over the past week on an article recounting the case of Abdirizak Mohamed Warsame, the Somali Minnesotan who has now pleaded guilty to aiding ISIS and who will participate in the experimental pre-sentence program adopted by Judge Davis. I hope the article will be out this Friday. Yesterday I went to the federal courthouse in Minneapolis to check one of the Warsame case filings in the clerks office and found the lobby full of local Somalis and armed DHS security officers. The local Somalis were obviously out supporting a favorite son, one Khaalid Adam Abdulkadir. Abdulkadir is the friend of Warsame who tweeted out terroristic threats against FBI agents and the judge (unnamed, but that would be Judge Michael Davis). Ten Minnesota men have been charged with offenses related to their support of ISIS; Warsame was the tenth man charged. Abdulkadir is a sort of plus-one. In response to Warsames arrest this past December 9, Abdulkadir publicly posted two tweets on his Twitter account: 1. F*** them FBI Im kill them FEDS for take my brothers. 2. More brother get locked up the cops body they will find on the floor bodys dropping fast #kill them F B I and f*** as judge. Need I add [sic]? Probably not. Abdulkadirs case was set for trial yesterday morning. Instead, he entered into a plea agreement with the United States Attorney. He has agreed to plead guilty to the Class A misdemeanor offense of attempting to intimidate a federal judge and federal law enforcement officers. The US Attorney has agreed to recommend that Abdulkadir be sentenced to time served, that he be placed on supervised release for one year, and that the following conditions should apply to his supervised release: GPS location monitoring, drug testing at least once a month, chemical dependency assessment, no possession of a firearm, and no application for a passport. In short, Abdulkadir is to be set free and remain at large. The Star Tribune story on events in court yesterday is here. Given the threat against Judge Davis, South Dakota federal district court judge Karen Schreier is handling Abdulkadirs case. She is not obligated to accept the recommendations made in the plea agreement, but I think it is fair to say that she is likely to do so (and happily return home to South Dakota). Minnesotas large (100,000 plus) Somali community is problematic in two respects illustrated by Abdulkadirs case. It produces young men who seek to join the jihad and the community shows no visible support for American law enforcement. Here I would cite the testimony of Kyle Loven, the Minneapolis FBIs chief division counsel and media coordinator. Speaking about Somali-related law enforcement issues to the National Security Society in suburban Minneapolis this past fall, he conceded that the Somali community gave rise to special challenges for law enforcement. We walk a tightrope with this community, Loven observed. Every time we have to indict somebody, you should see the remarks we get. Every time we have to make an arrest, it is a setback [in our relations with the Somali community]. The immigration of Somalis to Minnesota continues unabated. The wisdom of Junie B. Jones doesnt apply exactly, but it is among the printable thoughts I have this morning: Boom! Do the math. Remember the night that Donald Trump won both Alabama and Massachusetts? It was an impressive feat given the difference between the two states when it comes to politics (and much else). Tonight, Trump seeks another impressive double: Mississippi and Michigan. Hes heavily favored in Mississippi and is off to a good start in Michigan leading John Kasich 37-30 with about 7 percent of the precincts reporting. The focus tonight will probably be on whether Trump clears 35 percent of the vote (or whatever threshold one finds significant) and by how much. Well also be looking at whether Kasich can stay within shouting distance of Trump (assuming he doesnt win Michigan), with an eye towards next weeks big primary in Ohio, the governors home state. And well be judging the extent of Marco Rubios apparent collapse. But if we take a step back, we cant help but be impressed that Trump has been so successful in the Deep South, in New England, and now (it seems) in the industrial Midwest. TRUMP WINS THEM BOTH: Trump has already been declared the winner in Mississippi and Michigan. In Mississippi, he is flirting with the the 50 percent mark. In Michigan, hes about half way between 35 and 40 percent. These results suggest that Trump is not stalled. Cruz may close do well in Idaho and the Hawaii caucus. But this is already a very good night for Trump, I think. THE RACE FOR SECOND IN MICHIGAN: Trump now leads Kasich by 38-26 in Michigan. Does this give Kasich momentum going into Ohio? I wouldnt think so. (The good news is momentum may not matter when it comes to Kasichs defense of home turf.) Furthermore, Cruz is closing in on Kasich for second place. He trails the governor by only 3 points with a third of the vote in. Some are speculating that the vote thats not yet in is weighted towards areas where Cruz is popular (rural areas, presumably). Well see. HERES AN ODDITY: A CBS exit poll in Michigan found Cruz beating Trump head-to-head by a margin of 46-37. Yet in the actual voting among a four-member field, Trump is capturing 37 percent of the vote. I think we can discount this exit poll. CRUZ NOW IN SECOND PLACE IN MICHIGAN: Ted Cruz has slipped past John Kasich into second place in Michigan. The margin is around 4,500 votes, or 0.4 percentage points. 91 percent of the vote is in. Im not sure how much the race for second matters. Cruz and Kasich will both pick up a dozen or more delegates more combined, apparently, than Trump. Both will be mildly encouraged by tonights results, Kasich because its rare for him to crack 20 percent (I cant think of another state where he has); Cruz because second place or a very close third in the industrial Midwest is respectable for him and because Marco Rubio did so poorly. But Donald Trump will be the most encouraged of all. CRUZ HEADING FOR VICTORY IN IDAHO: In Idaho, about 30 percent of the vote is in. Cruz leads Trump 40.7 to 30.0. Rubio is in third place with 18.2. It certainly appears that Cruz will win Idaho. 32 delegates are available in Idaho. Hawaii, where I think Cruz will do well, has 19 delegates. And Cruz will pick up at least a dozen delegates in Michigan, it looks like. Im not sure about Mississippi. So in terms of delegate count, Cruz will be able to say that he is still on course to block Trump from winning the required number of delegates. However, what Trump demonstrated tonight is that hes still on track to prevail in major winner-take-all primaries, at least as long as there are more than two candidates. It is these primaries that hold the key to Trumps quest to get to the magic delegate number. Rubio is the big loser tonight. He brings negative momentum, if there is such a thing, to Florida. SIGNING OFF: Im not going to stay up for the Hawaii returns. Not that big of a political junkie. Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Sanders upset in Michigan reminds me of the old story (which you can find Russ Roberts re-tell fully here) about the dog food company that went to all kinds of trouble to advertise a new dog food, yet somehow the marketing effort failed utterly. After reviewing all the messages and ad gimmicks, someone finally said, Maybe the dogs dont like it. Once again the Democratic establishment has cleared the field for Hillary except for an eccentric old coot from Vermont, and bestowed her with a massive campaign that generates countless sure-fire ideas for maximizing local votes, and she still cant put it away. Maybe voters just dont like her or her (non) message. This dog food just wont sell. Im wondering if Obama wont quietly ask the Justice Department to indict her after all so they can get rid of her and nominate Elizabeth Warren or Slow Joe instead. Cruz is said to be enjoying an upset over Trump in Idaho, but Im not sure how large an upset it really is, given Idahos demographics. Still, what accounts for Cruzs strong showings in so many places? I know he is said to have an excellently organized and run ground game, but there has to be more to it than that. I have a hypothesis that his strong debate performances have worked for him, and Id like to hope there are some quantitative political scientists carefully studying poll data and focus group results to see whether theres something to this. With hypothetical polls showing that Trump would lose a one-on-one matchup with Cruz, Im also thinking a one-on-one debate format would go very poorly for Trump against Cruz. Trumps Don Rickles act really only plays when he can pivot against several rivals at once. One-on-one with that act and hell come across even more boorish than he already does, while Cruz runs circles around him on actual policy issues. Thats the question Glenn Reynolds likes to ask periodically over at Instapundit. Today well add some data points to the file, starting with the news that the New York Times has settled a discrimination lawsuit. From The Daily Caller: The New York Times should change its famous motto to all the blacks and women fit to fire. It apparently does not value diversity and is waging a war on women. Just months after calling the race, gender and age, discrimination and gender claim filed by a former Times advertising vice-president a malicious falsehood the paper quietly settled it-probably for money. What happened to the vigorous defense that the mighty liberal broadsheet vowed to mount against Tracy Quitasols federal complaint? In December, about one month after court-ordered mediation, both sides agreed to have the lawsuit dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cant be refiled. The settlement is apparently confidential. But legal experts say this quick resolution indicates that the Times likely paid to deep-six the embarrassing case, which the New York Post prominently covered after it was first exposed here. They likely paid her, says employment lawyer David Wimms. Asian-American Tracy Quitasol asserted that she was fired by Meredith Levien, now the chief revenue officer, after complaining about a male underlings sexist and insubordinate behavior. Meanwhile, out at Boalt Hall Law School at UC Berkeley, theres this: Dean of UC Berkeley School of Law sued for sexual harassment The dean of the University of California at Berkeley School of Law has been sued for sexual harassment by his executive assistant, who claims he inappropriately hugged, kissed and touched her starting in 2014, according to court documents. The complaint was filed Tuesday against Berkeley Law Dean Sujit Choudhry and the University of California Board of Regents. Tyann Sorrell, the executive assistant, claims in the lawsuit that soon after Choudhry became dean in 2014, he began rubbing her shoulders and arms, kissing her cheeks and giving her bear hugs that pressed her body against him, according to court documents. Choudhrys kissing and hugging plaintiff was a near daily occurrence, according to the documents. Sorrell said it made her feel disgusted, humiliated, exposed and dirty. Turns out this is merely the latest dean at the law school to have this problem: Berkeley Law one of the nations most prestigious law schools has a history with sexual harassment allegations against its leaders. In 2002, the schools then-dean, John Dwyer, resigned after he was accused of sexually harassing a former law student, according to the Daily Californian, Berkeleys student newspaper. So why are liberal-run institutions such hotbeds of racism and sexism? Open thread. . . PR-Inside.com: 2016-03-09 18:26:02 Further expansion in Europe is the next step in Cyvizs strategy to move into new markets Cyviz Names Jan Petter Lie President - Europe Cyviz Kelly Harman, 703-505-3133 Harman@cyviz.com Cyviz, a leader in visual collaboration and command and control systems today announced it has hired Jan Petter Lie as Cyvizs new president of Europe. Jan Petter brings more than 15 years of software, consulting and management experience to Cyviz and has worked in various roles and industries including Media, Shipping and Oil and Gas. "Cyviz is an amazing success story coming out of Stavanger, Norway and has been a technology leader in visual collaboration for almost two decades, Lie stated. The company has a unique culture that embraces innovation and technology while emphasizing that its most important asset is its people. Following Cyvizs move into Asia, Middle East and Australia in 2015, further expansion in Europe is now the next step in Cyvizs strategy to move into new markets. Jan Petter will have a key role in supporting continued international expansion with a focus on the European market. "Jan Petters international experience and strategic skills are invaluable to our expansion into new European countries, commented Joar Vaage, Founder and CEO of Cyviz. Cyviz has had a strong presence in the UK and Norway for many years. Now we are offering The Cyviz Experience into new markets where our philosophy of simplicity and standardization will resonate highly. Lie joins Cyviz from IHS, a leader in insight, analytics and software with over 8,500 employees globally. At IHS Lie managed multiple Energy product verticals in the EMEA region in the capacity of Director, EMEA Sales. He holds a Bachelor of Business degree from Queensland University of Technology (Australia) and a Master of Business degree from Queensland University, Australia and the University of Florida, USA. About Cyviz Since 1998, Cyviz has been changing the way companies communicate by providing high-performance visualization, collaboration and command & control solutions that are easy to deploy, intuitive to operate, and simple to support. Today, Cyviz serves global customers in Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Defense & Government, Fast-Moving Consumer Goods, Life Science and Finance that demand seamless integration of leading edge technologies that engage people, encourage greater collaboration, and accelerate decision-making. Find us online at www.cyviz.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201603090060 Nigerian oil workers have vowed to continue their strike embarked upon Wednesday until they receive clarifications regarding Tuesdays unbundling of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, had announced President Muhammadu Buharis approval of the immediate restructuring of the NNPC into seven independent operational divisions. Under the new arrangement, the corporation has five business-focussed divisions, namely Upstream, Downstream, Gas & Power Marketing, Refineries and Ventures, in addition to two service-oriented divisions, consisting Corporate Planning & Services and Finance and Accounts. Each of the divisions is to be headed by a chief executive officer who would report to the Group Managing Director. But the workers, who criticise the ministers handling of the exercise, accuse him of a secret agenda by taking a unilateral and arbitrary decision without consulting with all interested parties. Following the announcement Tuesday night by the minister, the two workers unions, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, began mobilizing their members to reject the policy. Although the protest recorded partial compliance on Tuesday, it was total shutdown at all NNPC offices and locations across the country at the resumption of work on Wednesday, as the workers unions halted all normal operations. The Acting General Secretary of PENGASSAN, Lumumba Okugbawa, told PREMIUM TIMES on phone on Wednesday in Abuja that the workers would not call off the protest until the minister agrees to invite the workers to discuss with him what the restructuring was all about. We do not accept any unilateral and arbitrary restructuring. The minister cannot restructure NNPC without carrying all stakeholders along. The minister cannot run the industry as a private estate. He must carry all Nigerians along, Mr. Okugbawa said. With such a massive decision-making, a lot of things would be affected, particularly its implication on workers interest. We are unaware of what is happening. It is not fair that the workers are hearing about the restructuring in the media just like every other person. He is just creating unnecessary confusion in the polity. Mr. Okugbawa said the minister could not restructure the NNPC when he was yet to take necessary legal steps to facilitate the process. If the minister says he wants to restructure NNPC, has he repealed or amended the NNPC Act of 1977? What happens to the PIB (Petroleum Industry Bill), which has NNPC restructuring as one of its key objectives? Has it been jettisoned, or is there a new PIB? These are fundamental questions that the minister has to answer, the oil workers spokesperson said. He frowned at the secretive manner the minister was going about the restructuring of NNPC, saying throughout the period, every attempt to sit down with him to discuss how the exercise would affect the interest of the oil workers were rebuffed, as he made himself inaccessible. Although the protest is limited to NNPC offices and locations nationwide, Mr. Okugbawa said normal business would remain closed until further notice. Regardless, Mr. Kachikwu had explained on Tuesday that the oil workers had nothing to fear as the exercise has a zero sum in terms of job loss. The principle of restructuring approved by the president is that nobody losses work, he said. I do not have the mandate of the president to create a job loss situation, but to try to ensure that everyone gets busy, unless for reasons of bad staff performance and fraud. There is no mass attempt to let people go. Angry oil workers have shut down all offices and facilities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in protest of Tuesdays splitting of the state oil company by the federal government. There are fears of fresh fuel scarcity as a result of the protest. The government had announced the unbundling of the NNPC into seven independent units. Two major unions in the oil and gas sector had on Friday rejected the planned splitting. The spokesperson for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Emmanuel Ojugbana, had said that the union was not carried along in the decision to split the company. Similarly, the president of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Igwe Achese, had said union would not accept the decision without knowing how the manpower that would operate in the 30 companies would be managed. On Tuesday, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, announced the unbundling of the oil company into seven independent units, namely Upstream, Downstream, Gas & Power Marketing, Refineries and Ventures, Corporate Planning & Services and Finance and Accounts. Each of the units would be headed by chief executive officers, namely Bello Rabiu for Upstream; Henry Ikem-Onih (Downstream); Saudu Mohammed (Gas & Power Marketing); Anibor Kragha (Refineries), while Babatunde Adeniran would be in charge of Ventures. The chief executive officer in charge of Finance & Services would be Isiaka Abdulrazaq, while the Executive Head, Corporate Services will be Isa Inuwa. On the workers fears, the minister said the exercise has a zero sum in terms of job loss. The principle of restructuring approved by the President is that nobody losses work, he said. I do not have the mandate of the president to create a job loss situation, but to try to ensure that everyone gets busy, unless for reasons of bad staff performance and fraud. There is no mass attempt to let people go. He said the decision to embark on the restructuring followed an analysis of the number of staff, which revealed that the corporation was over-staffed, and therefore the need for them to be meaningfully engaged. The only way to realize that objective, the minister said, was to create jobs for everybody in the system to him enable have something doing. We dont want people coming to the office to read newspapers. We want everybody to get busy and earn money. If we do that we will realise that there would be adequate staff to man the different units, and that we dont really have the problem of over-staff after all, he said. Six corpses were recovered from the rubble where a five-storey building collapsed in Lekki, Lagos, on Tuesday, the National Emergency Management Agency has said. Eighteen corpses were recovered and taken to the morgue on Tuesday while 13 others were rushed to hospital. But witnesses told PREMIUM TIMES that 15 corpses were recovered on Wednesday. On Wednesday afternoon, six bodies, wrapped in body bags, were seen a few metres away from the collapsed buildings rubble. Details later An investigation by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has blamed Taiwo Elegede, the driver of the late Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, James Ocholi, for over speeding. The road safety agency also said apart from the drivers high speed, failure to use seat belts by the deceased minister and his family members decreased their chances of survival in the crash. He added that by theory, the occupants of the front seats received less injuries because they made use of their seat belts. Mr. Ocholi died alongside his wife and son, on Sunday in an auto crash along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway. The FRSC investigation also revealed that Mr. Elegede had no valid drivers licence. The investigation report was read on Wednesday by the Corps Marshal of FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi, during a valedictory session of the Federal Executive Council in honour of the late Ocholi at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. There were 10 persons involved in the accident and 9 were adults. The minister and his son died on the spot, while his wife died at the hospital. The driver of the crashed vehicle was moving at excess of the stipulated speed when he had a tyre burst. The investigation team gathered that the driver of the backup vehicle had noticed that the ministers vehicle rear left tyre was under-inflated, and availability of radio communication deprived him of access to the ministers driver, Mr. Oyeyemi said. According to Mr. Oyeyemi, further checks showed that the drivers details were not registered on the FRSC data base as a licensed driver. There was no record on the drivers licence national database of the driver of the Hon. Minister with the name Taiwo James Elegbede, he said. The Dunlop tyres of the SUV were not expired but were wrongly fixed and could have affected its performance. The situation would have been salvaged if there had been a mode of communication between the ministers car and the backup car, as the latter had noticed the state of the tyres and tried to stop them. The crashed vehicles driver was driving too fast and he slammed on his brake so hard. These two factors materially contributed to the inability of the driver to maintain control when the left rear tyre burst. Skid marks and grooves found on the westbound shoulder made by the Lexus LX570 for about 15m and 9.3m respectively before it began somersaulting severely and the ejection of the minister and his son showed clearly that the travelling speed of the Lexus LX570 presented unsafe consequences in the event of certain road risk that may have occurred. The driver must have entered into a panic situation which resulted to his hard application of brakes and subsequent loss of control that took him into the bush path. The DOT number of the tyres were inward which cannot easily be read from outside. This indicates that the orientations of the tyres were not properly fixed which could adversely affect the performance of the tyres. The Federal Road Safety Corps Investigation Team (FIT) determines that the probable cause of the March 6, 2016 fatal crash at KM34 Kaduna -Abuja expressway near Rijana village, Kaduna State, was the drivers failure to maintain directional control of his vehicle when the rear left tyre burst occurred. Severity of the fatality was increased due to the ejection of the minister and his son as a result of non-use of rear seat belt, Mr. Oyeyemi said. The corps marshal recommended, among other things, the certification and re-certification of convoy drivers at intervals of two years of issuance of convoy drivers licence, he said. He therefore called for adherence to traffic rules, repairs of potholes on highways and also urged Mr. Buhari to lead the campaign on compliance with speed limits, starting with installation of speed limiting devices in commercial vehicles. The police in Lagos have arrested the contractor handling the collapsed five-storey building in Lekki area of the state. The police spokesperson in Lagos, Oladapo Badmus, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos. Ms. Badmus gave his name as Odofin Taiwo, adding that he was currently under investigation. Meanwhile, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) told NAN that the death toll at the collapsed building had risen to 30 as at 4 pm on Wednesday The general manager of LASEMA, Michael Akindele, told NAN that as at 12.40 p.m. on the same day, 13 other people had been rescued. Correspondents of NAN who were at the scene reported that the 28th body was brought out from the rubble at about 2pm, while the 30th dead person was brought before 4pm. As we speak, we have been able to rescue 13 people alive, and unfortunately, 30 others have been brought out dead. The operation is still ongoing, and I want to commend all the security agencies that have ensured the protection of the rescue operatives. NAN also reports that the Standard Organisation (SON) led by its director of Inspectorate and Complaint, Bede Obayi, inspected the collapsed building and others under construction in the area. Mr. Obayi ordered for the collection of the different building materials used for the collapsed building, including iron rods, blocks, sand, granites and sea water for laboratory analysis. The first thing in a house is the block, from the ones we have examined here, it has failed the test. The construction of this building is not up to 50 meters from the sea, showing that this land was reclaimed from the sea. There are conditions for reclaiming a land from the sea and the kind of building materials to be used in such lands. We have to examine all the materials used for this building and see if they meet the condition, he told NAN. You need to also see that the right professionals handled the building project. If you use the best materials without the right professionals handling the materials, things will still go wrong. You must be a registered professional engineer for you to handle this type of project. If you want to build, you must look for a professional. We are going to investigate all the structures and materials in this environment, Mr. Obayi said. (NAN) By Ebuka Onyeji The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Wednesday arraigned Rickey Tarfa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, before Justice A. A. Akintoye of the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere on a 27-count charge. Amongst other allegations, Mr. Tarfa is accused of bribing a judge. The charges border on alleged wilful obstruction of authorized officers of EFCC, refusing to declare asset, making false information and offering gratification to a public official. When the charge was read to him, Mr. Tarfa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, pleaded not guilty. In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, asked the court to fix a date for trial and to remand the defendant in prison custody. However, the counsel to Mr. Tarfa, Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, told the court that he had filed an application for bail. He urged the court to grant bail to the defendant on self-recognition. Justice Akintoye granted bail to the defendant on self-recognisance and adjourned the matter to March 22 for trial. One of the counts read: That you Rickey Tarfa SAN on the 29th day of January 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court intentionally gave the sum of N1, 500,000.00 to Hon. Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court directly from your Zenith Bank Account No. 1002926967 in order that the said judge acts in the exercise of his official duties. Another charge reads: That you Rickey Tarfa SAN on or about the 15th day of December, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court intentionally gave the sum of N500,000.00 to Hon. Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court indirectly through Awa Ajia Nigeria Limiteds account No. 0000971941 domiciled in Access Bank Plc belonging to Hon. Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya in order that Hon. Mohammed Nasir Yunusa refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties. In a similar development, the EFCC also arraigned Joseph Nwobike, also a SAN, before Justice R.I.B Adebiyi of the Lagos State High Court on five-count charge of allegedly offering gratification and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Mr. Nwobike is facing criminal prosecution for allegedly bribing a Federal High Court judge to refrain from exercising the duties of his office. The defendant admitted in his statement to the EFCC that he gave N750,000 to Justice Yunusa to assist the Judge in th e treatment of his ailing mother who is alleged to be suffering from kidney disease. One of the counts reads: You Dr Joseph Nwobike (SAN) on the 28th day of March 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, intentionally gave the sum of N750,000 to Honourable Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court directly through your United Bank for Africa Account No. 1002664061 in order that the said Judge refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 64 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State No. 11 of 2011. Mr. Nwobike pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him. In view of his plea, Rotimi Oyedepo, the prosecution counsel asked the court for a trial date. However, the defendants counsel, A.I Layonu, prayed the court to admit his client to bail on self-recognition. Mr. Oyedepo did not oppose the prayer of the defence counsel. Consequently, Justice Adebiyi admitted Mr. Nwobike to bail on self-recognition and adjourned the matter till April 11, 21 and 22 for commencement of trial. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday presented another witness, Suraju Ahmadu, in the ongoing trial of a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido. Mr. Lamido is being prosecuted by the commission on a 27-count charge of abuse of office and money laundering before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court Maitama, Abuja. The accused, who is being prosecuted alongside his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, and two others, allegedly abused his position as governor between 2007 and 2015 by awarding contracts to companies he had interest, using his two sons as fronts. The former governor was equally alleged to have collected kickbacks from contractors in the state, with the funds allegedly paid into accounts that were managed by his sons. Mr. Ahmadu, who testified as prosecution witness 12, while being led in evidence by Chile Okoroma, counsel to EFCC, told the court that he knew Lamido, his sons and Aminu Wada Abubakar (fourth defendant) very well. The witness, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Rauda Integrated Services Limited, denied executing any contracts in Jigawa State aside the construction of a hospital, a staff quarters, as well as the deployment of motorized boreholes providing solar energy in Jigawa State. He further denied authorizing any other person to take decisions regarding the company on his behalf. A witness, Joy Isen, had on February 10 presented to the court, account opening packages and statements of account of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company, Interior Woodworks Limited and Rauda Integrated Services Limited, which were admitted in evidence as exhibits EFCC 28a-p, EFCC 29, EFCC 30 and EFCC 31. When shown the documents today, Mr. Ahmadu denied knowledge of it and how they came to be. The witness further told the court that the documents he was shown were markedly different from his company documents. The prosecution counsel then presented invoices used in the execution of different contracts which noticeably had the same invoice number Exhibit 46, a, d and f. He also presented an invoice booklet with invoice numbers in ascending order which the witness identified as genuine documents for his own company. The booklet was admitted in evidence by the court as Exhibit 47. However, under cross-examination, Mr. Ahmadu stated that there were no financial transactions between him and the 3rd defendant, Mustapha Lamido, aside the sale of his Prudent Bank (now Skye Bank) shares valued at a total of N5.8million, and the purchase of a N2.4million Honda Accord from the defendant. Mr. Agbi, SAN, however picked hole in Mr. Ahmadus two statements previously rendered to the EFCC on April 29, 2014 and August 4, 2015, where he alleged that the shares sold were Inland Bank shares totalling N10million, and the car was purchased at N2.5million. Attempts by the prosecution counsel to further clarify on the matter led to a technicality-battle between the two counsels as the defence posits that the witness testimony was not ambiguous. Both statements were admitted by the court as Exhibits 50 and 51. Thereafter, Justice Ademola adjourned the matter to March 9 for ruling on the issue of re-examination by the prosecution and further hearing. The UN will sponsor 4,000 Nigerian youth who are victims of Boko Haram activities from Adamawa, Borno and Yobe to acquire various vocational skills in 2016. The Country Director, UN Development Programme, Pa-Lamin Beyai, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the measure was to enable them build their capacity. Mr. Beyai explained that many of the victims had their businesses destroyed by the insurgency and had become idle. According to him, remaining idle for a long time without any positive engagement could make them become prone to Boko Haram recruitment. He said the UNDPs vocational training for victims of violent conflicts in Benue, Plateau and Gombe states had succeeded in impacting positively on the lives of the 150 trainees. So, since we succeeded in three states Benue, Gombe and Plateau why not move forward to the three insurgency affected states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. We were able to select 4,000 youths who would be trained in different skills of their choice so that they could have alternative livelihood. We are not accusing them of being insurgents but the potential for them to be used as insurgents if they dont have anything to do will be very high. So we feel we could train them to help them beyond their own livelihood so that they will not be distracted into getting into insurgency, he said. The UN official commended the government of Norway for providing the funds for the vocational skills training. Mr. Beyai said the fund actually came as support funding for conflict from the Norwegian government to support interventions in Jos and Benue for victims of conflicts before the North East. NAN recalls that the UNDP had in 2015 in Jos, launched the first batch of the 500 beneficiaries of its Livelihood Support Scheme for the Boko Haram victims from the three states. The UNDP said it was partnering Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited, Kaduna and other training centres to train the beneficiaries in 14 trades, five from Peugeot company and nine from the other training centres. According to the organisation, all the beneficiaries will be accommodated and also paid allowances for the entire period. (NAN) A report by the Centre for Democracy and Development in partnership with the Pastoral Resolve has blamed the absence of government control and the provision of security in rural areas as some of the main reasons for the repeated clashes between herdsmen and farmers and other forms of rural banditry in Nigeria. The report entitled, Addressing Rural Banditry in Northern Nigeria, sought to identify and document the root causes, dynamics and implications of the frequent acts of rural banditry and other forms of violence in Northern Nigeria. There has been a spike in the number of clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers, mostly in the north central region, and other parts of Nigeria. According to the report, no fewer than 521 people have been killed and several others injured in the conflict over grazing areas in the north central region between 2014 and 2015 alone. Last month, over 300 people including women and children were reportedly killed as Fulani herdsmen ransacked communities in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State. The herdsmen claimed they carried out the attack because over 10,000 of their cattle were killed by the people of the sacked communities. Apart from the absence of government control and provision of security in rural and agrarian communities, the report also identified the demographic shift between livestock and human population, climate change, land use rights, proliferation of small arms, and the collapse of informal conflict resolution mechanisms as reasons for the increase in banditry and violence in northern Nigeria. With respect to the State, the decline in its capacity to impose effective control over rural areas is a serious cause for concern, and appears implicated in the recurrence of rural banditry and other forms of social conflicts. For all practical purposes, the State is nonetheless able to impose effective control in urban areas, however tenuous it may be, the report stated. The proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALWs) is one of the most serious factors in the expansion and intensity of rural banditry and conflicts. The proliferation of SALWs in the central states of Plateau, Nassarawa, Kaduna and Benue is partly linked to the growing privatization of violence, which seems to have led to situations where non-state actors such as vigilantes and other private security outfits secure and use weapons illegally. The report said the result in the proliferation of SALWs is a rise in the level of banditry in the region. It said, This has clearly emerged in the brutal acts of banditry by criminal gangs in Zamfara, Benue and Plateau States. These practices are gradually manifesting in the emergence of a criminal economy where raids are organized for commercial purposes, especially against livestock. It is indeed clear that banditry, and cattle rustling in particular, can neither be profitable nor sustained for any length of time, except if there is a ready market for the rustled livestock. The report therefore recommended that gazetting of grazing reserves, the development of ranches and the monitoring and control of livestock movement by the federal government as a mean of reducing the clashes and banditry. It also further advised the government to pay more attention to the provision of security in rural and farming communities as well as the provision of an effective early warning and response mechanism. It also recommended the heightening of the effort to recover rustled cattle and prosecute offenders so as to discourage aggrieved people taking the laws into their hands, which is a recipe for violence. Although it is important to make concerted efforts to contain cattle rustling in the long run, short term policy and strategic interventions must seek to increase the level of rescues and recovering of stolen cattle, the report said. Communities and pastoralists in areas such as Wase would be reassured when some of their stolen cattle are recovered. Also important, is the need to match recovery rates with rates of arrests and prosecution of offenders to guide against the increasing culture of impunity. When individual offenders are punished, it is less likely that victims would ascribe the responsibilities for the crimes on the communities of the perpetrators, thus lessening the likelihood of reprisal attacks. Other recommendations put forward by the report are the revival of community based conflict resolution methods and the mopping and control of SALWs. By Ebuka Onyeji Former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affair, Doyin Okupe, has said that those impatiently waiting for his arrest will wait till kingdom come. He said this on his Facebook page. My attention has been drawn to publications stating that EFCC is probing me with respect to the payment to Daar Communications Ltd. and the now famous $2.1 billion Dasuki gate. They claim that the EFCC has written to the presidency to investigate the involvement of my former office, office of the special assistant to the president on public affairs. My office does not have a budget or any capital vote. My office lacked the capacity to award contracts. I was employed to do a job and I was loyal and committed totally to my employer and whatever I considered was important in the line of my duty. I did not receive neither did I take any special gratification for what I did. This is what is difficult for most of my detractors to believe. The EFCC cannot embark on an investigation based purely on fiction and delusionary imaginations. I am ashamed at the extent some unscrupulous and ill-bred journalists will go to disparage the innocent by publishing outright falsehood. Even if people are paid to bring imaginary political enemies down, do they not have the fear of God? Those who are impatiently waiting for my arrest, by the Grace of the Almighty God who I serve, and whose precepts I have kept all my life, in and out of office, will wait till kingdom come. A recent investigation by PREMIUM TIMES showed that two companies linked to Mr. Okupe got at least N1.6 billion off the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, in three shady cyber security contracts. One of the contracts had instructions to hunt down unfriendly media websites with Distributed Denial of Service attacks. It was a project conceived to shut down online media platforms perceived as friendly to Buhari or critical of Mr. Jonathan ahead of the 2015 election. Nigerias Minister of state for Labour, James Ocholi, who died Sunday alongside his wife and son in a car accident, will be buried on March 18, the federal government has announced. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babacir Lawal, who announced the date on Wednesday at the valedictory meeting of the Federal Executive Council, said a committee set up by the government had met with the late ministers family and picked March 16,17 and 18 for the funeral rites. Mr. Lawal said a service of songs would hold on March 17 at the International Conference Centre Abuja by 7 pm. He also said the body of Mr. Ocholi, his wife, Blessing, and son, Joshua, would depart the National Hospital Abuja on March 17, for his home town, Dekina, in Kogi state. He said wake-keeping slated for the same day in Dekina would kick off from 6pm to the next day. Mr. Lawal said internment would take place on March 18 by 12 noon in Dekina. Meanwhile, the SGF, also announced that President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that the children of the late minister who are university graduates be given immediate employment, while those in school should be given scholarship up to university level. Mr. Lawal said two of four children left behind by Mr. Ocholi are university graduates, while one is a student of Covenant University, and the last child is a secondary school student in SS 1. The SGF asked the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to work out modalities for the scholarship. On Tuesday, the Attorney- General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, had revealed the governments plan for the surviving children during a condolence visit to the Ocholi family in Kado Estate, Abuja. The employment letter is in process and you can resume work after now, he told the children, according to a statement released by his office. Your father was a very hardworking and conscientious member of the Federal Executive Council who was very passionate and worked hard for the realisation of the change agenda of this government. Indeed, it is a sad moment for all of us and the vacuum which his death has created is not only for the family, but the leadership as well. The Senate has waded into the alleged invasion of Ekiti State House of Assembly by armed operatives of the State Security Service, SSS. The Senate on Wednesday referred the matter to its Committee on National Security for investigation. The committee has two weeks to report its findings. This matter is a very serious matter. Before the Senate jumps into conclusion, an investigation should be carried out, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said. Mr. Saraki said he would not believe the invasion of Ekiti House of Assembly was possible in a democracy. The resolution to investigate the matter followed a motion by Biodun Olujimi (PDP-Ekiti State) who expressed fear Nigeria is degenerating to a Gestapo era. Mrs. Olujimi said, On Friday 4, 2016, the hallowed Chambers of the Ekiti State House of Assembly was invaded by armed men of the DSS. She said the whereabouts of the three lawmakers abducted by SSS operatives were still unknown. This action is not only unconstitutional, illegal, and unlawful but also a plot to harass the people and government of Ekiti, she said. Embarking on political vendetta and muzzling of opposition is dangerous to the survival of democracy in the country. The lawmaker said the Senate should prevent a situation that would warrant invoking that extreme clause to declare of state of emergency in Ekiti State. The Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, condemned the development in Ekiti. This Motion is coming at a time when we should clearly stand by the truth, Mr. Ndume said. He said there are there arms of government in democracy with their rights and privileges clearly defined in the Nigerian Constitution. He, however, said what goes around comes around, suggesting it was payback time for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, accused of similar acts of impunity in the past. He said what happened in Ekiti was not right but happened to the right people. Referring to the PDP, the deputy leader, Bala Naallah said, If you dodge away from your responsibilities, the consequences will haunt you. He said SSS officials were used mercenaries in the 2015 election by the previous PDP-controlled Federal Government. An air uncertainty hung over Wednesdays impeachment episode of the Ondo State House of Assembly Speaker, Jumoke Akindele, as some members claimed the action had been reversed. Several hours of meeting between the state governor, Olusegun Mimiko, and aggrieved lawmakers ended with no clear statement on the matter. But a hurriedly organised press briefing at the governors office, put together by the Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, suggested that the crisis had been temporarily resolved in favour of the embattled speaker. Addressing journalists, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olamide George, said the lawmakers had agreed to end the crisis in the interest of the people of the state. Mr. George, who was flanked by a member of his committee, Siji Akinjose, admitted that a sizeable number of house members on Tuesday met on some burning issues touching on the leadership of the house. He however said that on Wednesday morning, members met to review the decision taken Tuesday night and resolved to allow Mrs. Akindele to continue in office. Before plenary today, Wednesday 9th March, 2016, members, at a larger and official gathering met to review the situation and consequently resolved to allow the status quo ante on the leadership of Ondo State House of Assembly as at 7th March 2016 to remain, Mr. George stated. The House of Assembly remains united, cohesive and alive to its constitutional responsibilities. The issue of leadership is an internal affair and has been treated as such. The lawmakers refused to take questions from journalists after the briefing. Meanwhile, at plenary, the atmosphere was tense with armed security lining the gallery to cover the proceedings presided over by Mrs. Akindele. Iroju Ogundeji, who was chosen by the aggrieved members to replace Mrs. Akindele, was conspicuously absent at plenary attended 23 of the Houses 26 members. The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Clement Faboyede, was also at the plenary to monitor proceedings and to ensure that nothing outside the arrangement reached at closed-door meeting occurred. Majority of the members did not speak at the session, leaving the floor for the presentation of a report on the 2016 appropriation and the seconders of the motion to adopt and pass it into law. The speaker was in a pensive mood throughout the 30 minutes that the session lasted, and the committee treated only two items on the order paper and adjourned sitting till Thursday, March 10. As each of the house members moved around the complex, two armed police escorts followed them about, suggesting fears that the situation could degenerate in the coming days. Mrs. Akindele refused to speak to journalists. The Nigerian Senate, on Wednesday, said crimes of mass murder across Nigerian communities were committed by overpowered Boko Haram insurgents, not Fulani herdsmen. This was part of the Senates resolutions that followed a motion by Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP-Taraba State) on the need to urgently flush out Boko Haram insurgents reassembling in Taraba State. The Senate is aware that that Nigerian Army has recorded tremendous success in the war against insurgents in the States of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa. There is a change of tactics by insurgents who now parade as herdsmen to make it difficult for the public to identify them, Mr. Bwacha said. He said many communities in his Taraba South constituency had been deserted, following attacks by Boko Haram insurgents masquerading as Fulani herdsmen. Fulani herdsmen have been accused of mass murder and destruction of farms in different parts of Nigeria, with the latest being Agatu communities of Benue State. Ado Boderi, speaking for Fulani community in Benue State, said recently that the Agatu people triggered crisis after killing 10,000 cattle belonging to the Fulani community. Barnabas Gemade (APC-Benue State), in his contribution said Boko Haram insurgents were mixing with herdsmen to cause trouble. However, Mr. Gemade lamented the situation in Benue and other states which he said he visited. He said a community in Zamfara had over 250 people killed by insurgents masquerading as herdsmen. As we speak, Agatu is under siege, Mr. Gemade said. He asked the government to ensure herdsmen have space for cattle to graze to curb the menace of destruction of farms. Similarly, in his contribution to the debate, Abubakar Kyari (APC-Borno State), said Fulani herdsmen should not be described as unfriendly. When Fulani herdsmen or Kanuri are being tagged as unfriendly, it portends danger for the country and freedom to live and work anywhere, Mr. Kyari said. The Senate resolved to condemn the killings, kidnappings, destruction of property and farms by Boko Haram insurgents in communities across Benue, Taraba, Plateau and other states. Assassinated Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, late Bola Ige, was on Wednesday honoured as the visitor to the Osun State University and Governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola named the state-owned university after him. This was part of a sweeping renaming of all tertiary institutions in the state, which was announced at the convocation ceremony of the university where oil magnate and founder of the Rose of Sharon Foundation, Folorunsho Alakija was unveiled as the new Chancellor of the institution. Other institutions renamed are Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke now to be known as Bisi Akande College of Technology; Osun State Polytechnic Iree now Sunday Afolabi Polytechnic; College Of Education, Ila Orangun, now Adeyemi Oyeduntan College of Education and the College of Education, Ilesa, which will now be Lawrence Omole College of Education. Others are UNIOSUN College of Law, Ifetedo, now Kayode Esho College of Law; College of Social Sciences and Management, Okuku, now Olagunsoye College of Social Sciences, Okuku; College of Agriculture, Ejigbo, now Isiaka Adeleke College of Agriculture, Ejigbo; College of Education, Ipetu Ijesa, now Ezekiah Oluwasanmi College of Education and College of Humanities and Culture, Ikire, now Eniola Atanda College of Humanities and Culture The new Chancellor, Mrs. Alakija, described her conferment as the Chancellor of UNIOSUN and the award of honorary doctorate degree in Business Administration as another glass ceiling broken by womanhood. Governor Aregbesola commended Mrs. Alakija, who with her investiture became the first female Chancellor in any university in Nigeria, for counting the university worthy and accepting to serve as chancellor when she could have easily turned down top universities in Europe and America with the same request. He enjoined the oil magnate to join the state in the desire for an institution that exists for the society and advancement of mankind, saying most Nigerian universities are too withdrawn from and unconcerned about the society and its problems. Mr. Aregbesola said, I therefore want this university at three levels to affect our society. The first is at the level of teaching which should prepare the students for post graduate life by equipping them with life sustenance skills, especially technical and entrepreneurial education. Secondly, the universities should tailor its researches into immediate and prospective challenges of mankind in health, food, housing, infrastructure, societal organisation and the seemingly unknown aspects on nature and so on. The essence of the education enterprise is for man to be able to conquer nature and dominate the environment. This should translate into better life for all. An end should come to the idea of research for getting promotion which then gathers dust in a shelf somewhere. Thirdly, the universities should also be engaged in society through public service, by bringing their knowledge and research findings to bear directly in needed areas as their counterparts in other parts of the world are wont to do. The governor advised the university to re-programme itself to be able to raise funds without burdening government and its students. He stressed that there were lots of firms and individuals who will like to endow chairs, courses, programmes and projects and willing to pay any amount to have themselves immortalised in a place like a university, saying not all of them merit it, but people deserving them must be reach out to. Speaking earlier, the new Chancellor harped on the central role of academic empowerment so as to guarantee economic growth among the people of the country. According to Mrs Alakija, education cannot and can never be over-emphasized because the lack of it could only bring poverty of body, mind and of living. The chancellor said being educated would give anyone the opportunity to play significant role and articulate his or her own agenda for change within the space such an individual occupies. She called on all stakeholders involved in policies and programmes design for education to be committed, saying the nation would be the better for it. She said: I feel extremely humbled, proud and excited to be receiving this conferment as Chancellor. I also appreciate the Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration (DBA) (Honoris Causa), which came in as a surprise. Whatever role you are playing here today, it is obvious we all have a common goal, one that borders on academic empowerment for economic growth amongst our people for the benefit of Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world. We all have a role to play to articulate our own agenda for change; to change the world. If we can make a commitment to do something differently from now on, our world will be a better place to live in. Nigeria will flourish with the input from all of you gathered here as you embark on this exciting journey called life. The Chancellor also admonished the graduands to always be conscious that they form part of the threads with which the story of the university is woven together, urging them to be good ambassador of the school wherever they find themselves. In his inaugural speech, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Jelil Alamu, said the University had been sustaining its reputation as an institution purposely established to promote academic a excellence and sound moral education. He revealed that the University had continued to grow in leaps and bounds with the recent accreditation of six more programmes by the National University Commission, bringing the programmes the school runs to 32. Professor Alamu equally disclosed that the university had become a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) as well as signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN). According to him, the school excelled both nationally and internationally as students of the state, who participated in debating competition organised by African Regional Inter-University Debate Competition organised by UNESCO, came 3rd overall. Osun State University continues to sustain its reputation as an institution established to promote academic and moral standard. My greatest joy today is the relative peace and high level of academic excellence attained by the institution since I became the Acting Vice Chancellor about a year ago, he said. In his valedictory speech, the overall best student of the institution for 2014/ 2015session, Peter Daniel, was full of appreciation to the God, his parents, lecturers and the government of Osun for establishing the university. Mr. Daniel, with the best CGPA of 4.81 from Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department, said he achieved the feat by steady and dedicated commitment to his academics. He encouraged other students to plan well and follow their plans with dogged determination, saying Whatever you conceive, you can achieve. Just keep on trying and the sky will be the beginning. Over 10 years of news and information. (2010 - 2022) The labour union in Taraba State, on Wednesday commenced a three-day warning strike over illegal salary deductions, omissions and non-payment of primary school teachers. This is contained in a statement by jointly signed by Solomon Obaji, the secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Tukur Taji, the secretary of Trade Union Congress in Jalingo. The statement criticised the state government for being insensitive to the sufferings of its workers and pensioners. Government has failed to address the abnormalities, ranging from underpayment of salaries, omission of genuine workers from salary vouchers, removal of approved allowances and non payment of teachers salaries, it stated. When contacted, the state commissioner for Information, Anthony Danburam, said the government was holding meetings with the labour leaders with a view to resolving the matter. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) checks showed that workers complied with the directive of their leaders on the issue as all the offices in the state secretariat in Jalingo were locked. (NAN) The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Onofiok Luke, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to share stolen monies recovered by the government, among states of the federation. He also called on Mr. Buhari to pay all recovered funds into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation as provided for in the 1999 Constitution. Mr. Luke said these on Tuesday in Uyo, while declaring open a one-day public hearing on the Akwa Ibom State Revenue Administration Bill 2016, organized at the instance of the House Committee on Appropriation and Finance. I am making this as a personal opinion. I strongly hold that all the monies recovered in the course of the fight against corruption should be shared to all the states, Mr. Luke said. The monies should be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federation and should be shared among the states for the benefit of the ordinary Nigerians. The speaker commended the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, for taking steps toward increasing the internally generated revenue of the state, saying the administration was doing the right thing. Mr. Luke said organizing a public hearing on the new bill was in line with the avowed commitment of the assembly to carry the public along in its legislative business. He noted that contributions from members of civil society groups, professional bodies and members of the public would guide the lawmakers to pass a law that would be acceptable to the people. Mr. Luke gave the assurance that the inputs made during the public hearing would help the assembly create strong administrative structures that will boost internally generated revenue, IGR, at both the state and local government levels. Earlier, the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation and Finance, Usoro Usoh, in his opening speech, explained that the public hearing is aimed at gathering inputs from members of the public in order guide the lawmakers in the consideration and passage of the revenue bill. The lawmaker stated that the dwindling revenue profile of the state occasioned by the fall in the price of oil at the global market was affecting the revenue accruing to the state from the Federation Account. A man who murdered the granddaughter of a school proprietor in Ijebu-Ife, Ogun State, for owing him salary, says he was pushed to the crime by family spell. Edet Umoren, a staff of Favour Nursery and Primary School, Itamerin, Ijebu-Ife, told PREMIUM TIMES at the headquarters of Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Abeokuta, on Tuesday that he had no justification for killing the 10-year-old girl, and that the scale of the crime dawned on him after the murder. Mr. Umoren, 53, said he struck Precious Adeji with a machete and left her to bleed to death just metres outside the school premises. He fled the scene of the attack before he would later be arrested by the police. Narrating the attack to PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Umoren said a spell on his family may have been responsible for the killing, as his older brother, a former police officer, had in 1999 accidentally killed an innocent man before his dismissal from the force. I think I am under a curse and the spell might have been placed on our family, because my elder brother who was a police (officer) before being dismissed, faced similar problem, following an accidental discharge which claimed the life of an innocent man in 1999, he said. A father of three, Mr. Umoren said he believed he was spiritually remote controlled, and that he regretted killing the girl. He said he was ready to face the consequences of his actions. It is true the school management is owing me salaries, but that was not enough for me to have killed. But I dont know what ran over me, I just took a cutlass from the school and went to attack the child. I cut her and while bleeding I took off, only to later realise the magnitude of crime committed, the man narrated. This is a spiritual problem, I cant understand, I dont even know how I got to kill the girl. I know the school is owing me, but its not enough justification for me to kill, if not spiritual forces. The sixth edition of RioContentMarket starts today, March 9, at Windsor Barra Hotel, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), and the expectations are high, with record number of Brazilian and international attendees. Yesterday it was held the Opening Ceremony. A very important news for the independent producers has been disclosed by Rosana Alcantara, director of the Agencia Nacional do Cinema (Ancine), during the Opening Ceremony, held yesterday: the federal judge Ricardo Levandowsky has approved the increased of 28% to finance the audiovisual business in Brazil. It represents a total of R$ 1 billion for the sector. On the other hand, it was heard from different participants the intention of the Government to propose a new digital law that will obligate OTTs and SVOD players to produce independent Brazilian content. Both news have been received with plenty of enthusiasm by the sector. Staged by the Brazilian Association of Independent TV Producers (ABPITV), organized and promoted by Fagga | GL events Exhibitions and curated by Esmeralda Producoes, it brings global industry players to Brazil on March 9-11. The figures are impressing: in 2015 more than 3,500 television and digital platform executives from 38 countries attended the market; some 275 academic sessions were scheduled and about 800 business meetings were accomplished. This year, the organization expects participation will grow about 33% and reports 40% more projects to be pitched during the show. According to the organization, on its previous five editions, RioContentMarket has attracted 14,000 digital media executives and professionals from the audiovisual industry from over 38 countries. In addition to this, over 4,000 one-to-one meetings were arranged with over 600 national and international market players. This year, 1,180 one-to-one meetings have already been scheduled. Content exhibition, meetings and pitching sessions were divided into seven rooms. In each room, producers showcase new projects, which are assessed by a panel of audiovisual professionals, in front of an audience made up by players. The 2016 edition also pays homage to females who have stood out in the market. Definitely, there are huge business opportunities here. RioContentMarket has consolidated a key meeting point to promote business with Brazilian players (scriptwriters, investors, producers and channels), but it also brings together a good variety of global buyers from America, Europe, MENA and Asia Pacific. From the distributors point of view, the 2016 edition has TV Globo, SBT, Record, YouTube, Universal Channel plus over 30 companies, as exhibitors. The conference program is huge. There are key panels where international buyers from Europe, MENA and Asia Pacific, explain further about what are they looking for in the market, describe projects and co-productions, in order to match their needs with the Brazilian producers. TV networks from nations ranging from Russia to Japan and the UK are in Rio de Janeiro, and there are several keynote speeches by producer Steve Golin (Oscar winner for Spotlight), Howard Gordon (Homeland, 24), Melissa Rosenberg, creator of the series Jessica Jones and Transparent co-producer Rhys Ernst. Digital platforms will be strongly represented, too, with YouTube, Amazon, Netflix and Hulu among the most active participants. Thanks to the SeAC Law (12.485, 2012) Brazil has been subsidizing independent video production and has established mandatory quotas that the Pay TV outlets must fulfill. The regulation has been a key factor for Brazilian growth in the last years, even when the Pay TV subscribers have decreased last year because of the recent political and economical crisis. There are new challenges in the horizon. Independent producers agree that it should be important to think new strategies and to create new funds -or update the ones already available-, while they are seeing in the international market their best opportunity to fund new projects. Fabricio Ferrara, from Rio de Janeiro There are no major difference among political forces as far as directions of Poland's security policy are concerned, Polish President Andrzej Duda said after a meeting of the National Security Council (RBN) in Warsaw on Wednesday. The president said the meeting was very substantive. "We held a businesslike discussion on key topics concerning Poland's security." Andrzej Duda added that opinions and stands were presented by the PM, ministers and representatives of political parties. "All the voices were very interesting and very valuable." Andrzej Duda explained that he could not go into the meeting's details due to its confidential status. "The position of the entire political spectrum on essential matters regarding Poland's and our citizens' basic security issues is absolutely unanimous," said the president adding that there are no major differences as to the directions in which Poland's security policy should develop. President Duda said that in view of the July NATO summit in Warsaw and the World Youth Day in Krakow one can expect further meetings of the National Security Council. The president expressed satisfaction that in the formula of RBN meetings there "is a place for a substantive, constructive debate." The Wednesdays meeting of the National Security Council was the first chaired by President Andrzej Duda since he took office in August 2015. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and the heads of all the parliamentary political groups: Law and Justice (PiS) - Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Civic Platform (PO) - Grzegorz Schetyna, Kukiz'15 - Pawel Kukiz, Nowoczesna Party - Ryszard Petru and Polish People's Party (PSL) - Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz. The RBN also includes the lower and upper house speakers, the defence minister, the foreign minister, the interior minister, the President's Office head and the National Security Bureau (BBN) head. The RBN is an advisory body to Poland's president on internal and external security. The president convenes and chairs the meetings and defines discussion topics. (PAP) Improving Poles' standard of living and reducing poverty are the most important tasks today, President Andrzej Duda said inaugurating the Monday meeting of the National Development Council (NRR). The meeting focused on the Plan for Responsible Development (the Morawiecki Plan for short) presented by deputy PM and Development Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Once the standard of living is improved and poverty reduced, the constitutional principle of Poland's sustainable development will be fulfilled, according to the Polish president. "This will also be ... one of the most important factors keeping young people in Poland, creating professional and life opportunities for them here", Andrzej Duda said. This great and tough task requires a cohesive and clear concept for Poland's economic development, the president continued, thanking Morawiecki for his work on such a plan. The framework plan approved by the government needs to be filled in for different areas. "This is above all a matter of creating investment opportunities, better conditions for entrepreneurs and also something we might call directed development", Andrzej Duda said. Pointing out that the great majority of investments in Poland were foreign, the president said that this was a good thing and would hopefully continue, but that he also wanted to see "an extremely important, very strong component providing an impulse for the development of Polish companies". He added that this should be an impulse for the development of successful Polish businesses, which should be able to invest much more in Poland, but also for bold creative people just entering the market. President Duda said he believed that the Morawiecki Plan would contribute to this. Under the plan, Poland's growth is to be founded on reindustrialisation, development of innovative firms, capital for development, international expansion and social and regional development. (PAP) SAN DIEGO Tarla Makaeff has had enough of Donald Trump after spending six years fighting him in court. The Southern California yoga instructor wants to withdraw from a federal class-action lawsuit that says Trump University fleeced students with an empty promise to teach them real estate. Her lawyers said the Republican presidential front-runner and his team have put her through the wringer and made the prospect of a trial unbearable. A judge will consider the request Friday, four days before Florida and Ohio hold their primaries. Donald Trump in Atlantic City: Jackpot or crackpot? ATLANTIC CITY In 1984, when Donald Trump opened Trump Plaza, his first Atlantic City casin Trumps attorneys say the lawsuit should be dismissed if Makaeff is allowed to withdraw, arguing that their trial strategy centers on her. They deposed her four times and identify her as the critical witness in a court filing. Makaeffs attorneys say Trumps argument that their client is indispensable to the billionaires defense is illogical to the point of being nearly incomprehensible. They note the judge allowed two plaintiffs to withdraw last year; three others would remain. The tussle in one of three lawsuits against Trump University comes as the case nears trial, possibly this summer. A trial date has not been set, but a final pretrial conference is scheduled for May 6 and Trump appears on a list of defense witnesses who may testify at trial. The lawsuit has figured prominently in the presidential campaign, fueled by legal filings and Trumps statements. In depositions that took place in December and January and were released last week, Trump acknowledged that he never met instructors whom his marketing described as hand-picked, and that some unqualified candidates had slipped through the cracks. Donald Trump in Atlantic City: Jackpot or crackpot? ATLANTIC CITY In 1984, when Donald Trump opened Trump Plaza, his first Atlantic City casin The Better Business Bureau said Tuesday that it rated Trump University a D- in 2010, but the rating improved after the school stopped admitting students and complaints automatically rolled off its books after three years. The BBB no longer rates the company. Makaeff attended a three-day Fast Track to Foreclosure workshop for $1,495 in 2008 and later enrolled in the Trump Gold Elite program for $34,995, spending a total of about $60,000 on seminars in a year, her attorneys say. In April 2010, she sued in San Diego federal court. Trump sued for defamation, seeking $1 million. Makaeff prevailed on appeal, and a judge last year ordered Trump to pay $798,779 in her legal fees. Trump and his attorneys are trying to frame much of their case around Makaeff, saying she gave instructors high marks in surveys after the courses. The reason they want her out of the case is she is a horrible, horrible witness. Shes got in writing that she loves it. And I could have settled it and when I saw her documentation ... Why would I give her money? Probably should have settled it, but I just cant do that. Mentally I cant do it. Id rather spend a lot more money and fight it, Trump said at a rally in Arkansas last month, according to a transcript. In last weeks Republican debate, Trump said Makaeff wants to withdraw because its so bad for her. She simply did not put in the time, work, and perseverance necessary to achieve success, Trumps lawyers wrote the judge last month. Makaeffs attorneys say the yoga instructor was unaware of Trumps false advertising when she filled out the surveys and didnt want to risk alienating anyone who might advance her career. Makaeff didnt imagine she would be subjected to criticism under the glare of a presidential campaign, her attorneys say. She has been deposed for a total of nearly 16 hours and suffered anxiety about finances while Trump sued her for defamation. Understandably, Makaeff wants her life back without living in fear of being disparaged by Trump on national television, they wrote in a court filing last week. Makaeff declined to comment through an attorney. In a statement to the court, she said she was grieving her mothers death. I am very concerned about the toll that the trial would take on my emotional and physical health and well-being, she wrote. Trump has also addressed criticism of the lawsuit by pointing to the judges ethnic background. Asked on Fox News Sunday last month what U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiels ethnicity has to do with the case, Trump replied: I think it has to do perhaps with the fact that Im very, very strong on the border, very, very strong at the border, and he has been extremely hostile to me. Curiel, who was nominated by President Barack Obama and joined the bench in 2012, declined to comment on Trumps remarks. For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. Your vacay is just weeks away. You've got your itinerary planned, your outfits picked out, and your sunscreen packed. But don't forget to give just as much thought to how you'll handle your finances while traveling. Making money missteps when you're on vacation can ruin your trip. To keep your financial stress at bay, we offer eight essential tips for traveling with cash and cards. Avoid Foreign Transaction Fees Foreign transaction fees are charged by credit and debit card companies for any transaction you complete while abroad. For example, purchasing a 3-course meal in Rome with your credit card could trigger an international transaction fee. However, this type of fee could also be applied when you use a bank overseas to process a transaction. Foreign transaction fees typically range from 1% to 3% for every transaction that's completed. These fees are typically anywhere from 1% to 3% for every transaction that's completed, says Melita DeHazes, the North America marketing director for OFX, a cross-border payments provider. They're meant to cover the cost of the credit card issuer or bank that's converting your currency on your behalf. Banks can also use foreign transaction fees to offset the fraud risks that inherently come with any international transaction. "Many consumers do not realize that foreign transaction fees actually consist of three fees in one when you use a credit card abroad," DeHazes says. "First, a fee comes from the payment network that is used, and then there is another fee from the credit card's issuing bank. So it is really no wonder that these fees are so high." To avoid paying extra for your purchases, bring along a card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, such as one of these travel credit cards. If you frequently pay with a credit card while traveling, the savings can really add up. Check With Your Bank About ATMs Understand your bank's terms and policies regarding the use of foreign ATMs. For instance, your bank might waive certain ATM fees if you withdraw cash from one of its partner banks abroad. A bank within the Global ATM Alliance could help you save on fees, too. This network of big banks lets consumers withdraw money from their ATMs for free, or for a lower fee. You just have to be sure you can find those partner ATMs. Otherwise, you'll be hit with high fees for using an ATM that's outside of the network, DeHazes warns. SEE ALSO: 7 Ways to Keep Your Money Secure While Traveling If your bank has branches outside of your country, you might be able to avoid ATM fees by using them. It's a good idea to ask your local bank about their coverage areas. You might find, for example, that your bank doesn't charge fees in the country you're planning on visiting. Do your research. Don't Convert Your Money at the Airport While you might be tempted to use one of the convenient exchange bureaus in the airport, don't expect the best deal there. "Their virtual monopoly means you're unlikely to get a good exchange rate, so it is best to get your currency exchanged elsewhere," DeHazes says. The best way to access money abroad is via a debit card with no foreign transaction fees. "It's worth researching which cards offer this in your home country a couple of months before traveling, as this allows you enough time to apply for a card," says Michael Rozenblit, founder of travel site The World Was Here First. "Debit cards typically give the best exchange rates." Know When to Use Cash or Credit It can be wise to use both cash and cards while abroad, but consider the size of each purchase before deciding on a type of payment. "When I travel in Europe, I stop at an ATM every three or four days to access cash to pay for day-to-day expenses," says Brett Anderson, a certified financial planner with St. Croix Advisors. "Before going, I look at what credit cards have no or small foreign transaction fees and what my banks will charge to access cash. I never exchange money prior to going or at the airport." Consider using credit cards for bigger purchases, such as hotels and train trips. "I use my credit card for hotels, trains, flights, etc.," he adds. "I carry at least two different credit cards and one bank account card. Plus, I use a money wallet." Kashlee Kucheran, who writes the Travel Off Path blog, offers her advice. "I use my credit cards for most purchases over $20," she says. "As a full-time traveler, I want to ensure I am taking advantage of my card's airline point program for each purchase I make. I also like that my transactions are recorded, and that I am not liable if the security on my card is somehow breached." Pay in the Local Currency When using a credit card on vacation, it pays to go local. "If you are given the choice of using the local currency when you are paying with your credit card in another country, take it," DeHazes says. SEE ALSO: The 9 Best Travel Credit Cards for 2018 Say you buy souvenirs in Spain and are given the option of being charged in euros rather than U.S. dollars. If you live in the U.S., go for the euros. "The majority of the time, a hotel or foreign merchant's conversion rate for changing those euros into dollars will be higher than your credit card company's rate," she says. "Sometimes merchants will charge upwards of 7% to convert the money. Leave it up to the credit card to make the currency conversion instead." Tell Your Bank About Your Travel Plans Before you travel internationally, notify your bank that you'll be using your credit and debit cards abroad. The last thing you want is for them to put a freeze on your account because they think a thief has your card. Use Cash at the Market You definitely want to have local currency on hand when you're dealing with street vendors and shopping at markets. Not only might they not want to deal with dollars, but you'll also be in a better position to negotiate. When you're at restaurants and in designer shops, it's not as much of an issue. Your credit or debit card is fine. Split Up Your Money Bring multiple cards with you when traveling, and store them in different places. "I like to keep an emergency debit card and a small amount of cash hidden in my main luggage," Rozenblit says. If your wallet does get stolen, notify your bank immediately and file a police report, so you can make a claim with your travel insurance company. 'I will stash some cash in my luggage, my purse, and in the pocket of some clothes.' Also make sure you have a list of the card numbers, either in your cell phone or separately in your suitcase. You'll no longer have the credit card on you when you call and alert the companies of the theft, notes Patricia Hajifotiou, author of Travel Like You Mean It. Kucheran explains her strategy. "I split up my cards and cash," she says. "I will stash some cash in my luggage, my purse, and in the pocket of some clothes. This way if one of my bags is stolen, I still have a cash reserve available. The same thing goes for my credit cards. I will keep two of them in separate places at all times. Readers, how do you handle cash and credit cards while traveling? Do you prefer using one over the other? Let us know in the comments below! A House committee on Tuesday moved Utah one step closer to abolishing the death penalty, despite the pleas from the families of victims whose killers sit on the state's death row. SB189 passed on a 6-5 vote and will move to the full House for consideration with just two days left in the 2016 legislative session. B189 would eliminate the death penalty as a punishment for first-degree felony murder, effective May 10, and leave life in prison without the possibility of parole, or 25 years to life as the remaining punishments. The bill would not affect the prosecution of any capital case already underway, nor stop Utah from carrying out the executions of the nine men currently on the state's death row. Bill sponsor, Sen. Steve Urquhart, R-St. George, told the committee he sees three main reasons that Utah should no longer use the death penalty: The costs of appeals; the decades between conviction and execution, which causes suffering for the family of victims and the imperfection of governments, which have sometimes executed innocent persons. "Theoretically, the death penalty, it probably makes some sense," said Urquhart, who previously favored capital punishment. "But in reality, in Utah, the death penalty makes absolutely no sense." On average, it takes nearly 25 years for those on Utah's death row to be executed following conviction and a 2012 study found that costs the state roughly $1.6 million per inmate, which far exceeds the amount spent on inmates sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, he said. National statistics suggest that roughly 4 percent of all death row inmates were wrongly convicted. Urquhart said he understood that the families of victims are divided on their support of capital punishment. - Report an error, an omission: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Facebook and Twitter - Follow us onand Source: The Salt Lake Tribune, Jennifer Dobner, March 8, 2016 DUBLIN, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/jhb92s/2016_global) has announced the addition of the "2016 Global Electric Motors Market Outlook " report to their offering. This research report gives an outlook of the global industrial motors market, providing a detailed analysis of the revenue earned in 2014, 2015, and what is expected in 2016. This is for different types of motor based on technology (AC motor, DC motor, servo motor, EC motor) and power rating (FHP motor, low voltage IHP motor, high voltage IHP motor). Revenue growth in the global industrial motors market is expected to remain flat in 2016. The industrial overcapacity in China and global slowdown of mining industry are expected to be offset by investments in water and wastewater and in the renewable energy industries, penetration of industrial robots, and replacement of less efficient motors with premium efficiency motors. A boom in process industries, such as chemical, petrochemical, and shale gas investments, is expected in discrete industries like automobile manufacturing, aircraft and defense equipment manufacturing, and distribution warehouses in the United States. This is expected to make the United States the 2016 global industrial motor market hotspot. Many Asian companies from Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea are expected to foray into European and African markets in 2016. This is expected to happen in as part of geographic diversification strategies. Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 2. Research Scope and Segmentation 3. Global Outlook for 2016 4. Key End-user Market Trends to Watch 5. Regional Analysis 6. Technology and Services Outlook 2016 7. Competition Analysis 8. The Last Word Companies Mentioned: ABB Crouzet Motors Danaher Corporation Emerson Electric General Electric Lenze Moog Inc. Nidec Corporation Regal Beloit Siemens AG TECO Electric Toshiba Corporation WEG For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/jhb92s/2016_global Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/t2c5s6/global_packaging) has announced the addition of the "Global Packaging Automation Market - By Solutions, Products, End Users,Geography And Vendors - Forecasts, Trends And Shares (2015- 2020)" report to their offering. Increasing competition is forcing manufacturers to take steps that reduce costs of their packaging processes. Those who are not moving with time are at risk of losing market share. Also there is a possibility of being pushed out of the market place. Adopting cost cutting measures means automating different manual processes and increasing the level of semi-automation process. Packaging was a completely manual process, before packaging automation made an impact. Processes like filling, labelling, bagging, palletizing, capping and others have been automated. No more manual intervention is required for these processes. Different enterprises manufacturing products like food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, personal care, beverages and even warehouses are increasingly using such automation solutions to streamline their business processes as well as reduce operating costs. There are many vendors who are manufacturing different packaging automation solutions. Some of them mentioned in the report are ABB, Mitsubishi, Schniedier Electric, Rockwell Automation, Swisslog, and Rockwell Automation. Benefits of this Report: It gives market trends of type of package testing technology A complete market breakdown has been done by different geographies to give a detailed picture of the market in that particular region The report also gives information on major enterprises providing Package Automation solutions, their existing share in the market, strategies they adopt along with their automation solutions, financials, recent developments and profile of these vendors Suitable For: Manufactures in need of better understanding of different packaging automationsolutions and companies which are providing such services Investors who are willing to invest in this market Consultants who can have readymade analysis to guide their clients Anyone who wants to know about this industry Companies Mentioned: Jls Mitsubishi Report Structure: 1. Introduction 2. Executive Summary 3. Market Insights 4. Technology Overview 5. Packaging Automation Market By B US inesses 6. Packaging Automation Market By End US er Market 7. Packaging Automation Market Segmentation By Solution 8. Packaging Automation Market Segmentation By Region 9. Vendor Market Share Analysis 10. Company Profiles For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/t2c5s6/global_packaging Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets NEX Investors Look to Build on Unprecedented Support at 2015 AGM, Highlight Hypocrisy of Business Finance Awards Nomination WASHINGTON, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, National Express [LSE: NEX.L] investors are urging the company's board to back a resolution seeking an independent review of employment practices in its U.S. school bus wholly-owned subsidiary, Durham School Services. Announcement of the resolution comes on the same day National Express is shortlisted at this year's Business Finance Awards. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO The investors including public sector union UNISON's staff pension scheme, the SEIU Master Trust, the Teamsters Union and individual shareholders have filed a shareholder resolution to address longstanding issues concerning Durham School Services' treatment of employees. Since 2001, the U.S. National Labor Relations Board has found merit in more than 65 complaints against the company. The resolution, drafted by the pension funds, calls on National Express to undertake an independent review of the allegations made about its U.S. bus business. For several years, school bus employees have raised concerns to the board and shareholders that local managers are making it hard for employees to join a union. This year's resolution to the National Express AGM requests that the company obtain an independent assessment of these longstanding investor concerns through the appointment of a suitable person to review the situation. This person would report their findings to the company, unions and shareowners by the end of Q3 2016. In 2015, the resolution received support from approximately 25 percent of National Express' non-insider shareholders. This represents the largest ever vote for a labour rights themed resolution at a U.K.-based company. "The labor problems facing National Express' North American school bus operations are long-running and systemic, but are not addressed with the seriousness these issues demand," said Ken Hall, International Brotherhood of Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer. "While the company is lauded for its reporting, it's what is not reported that we believe holds unnecessary risks for investors. Unfortunately, for several years now, investors and workers' concerns have fallen on the deaf ears of senior management and the board of directors." As long-term shareowners the pension funds believe their proposal will minimise the risk of both reputational damage and the impact on shareholder value resulting from the continuing disputes. "We are backing the resolution because the company continues to rebuff efforts to discuss the way that workers employed on its U.S. school bus contracts are treated. When companies do not take workforce issues seriously, this can be a sign that they are also not taking into consideration the medium-term impact poor industrial relations is having on performance," said Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON. "Apart from wanting the best return for our current and future pensioners, UNISON is pleased to be part of a trans-Atlantic union coalition that is trying to win a better deal for employees in the U.S." Since the 2015 National Express AGM, the company has seen a number of decisions against it. In October 2015, a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) administrative law judge ruled that Durham had violated labour law in various ways, including National Express North American CEO David Duke unreasonably interrogating a driver about her attendance at a previous AGM. In February 2016, following the decision of a group of administrative staff in California to seek workplace representation in 2015, the NLRB ordered Durham to begin bargaining with the Teamsters after it refused to talk to the union. Last month, the employer also dropped one of its key objections to the NLRB, which it had used to delay accepting the result of a vote for union representation by Durham drivers in Florida in 2013. National Express shareholders will cast their votes at the company's Annual General Meeting on 11 May 2016. UNISON is one of the U.K.'s largest trade unions, serving more than 1.3 million members who provide public services in both the public and private sectors. Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters. Contact: Kara Deniz, +1-202-624-6911 kdeniz@teamster.org Liz Chinchen, 07778 158175 L.Chinchen@unison.co.uk Related Links http://www.teamster.org SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters BEIJING, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DHgate.com now provides brides a way to acquire their dream wedding dress at an affordable price, without the usual concerns of buying a dress from abroad through the internet. Dresses on DHgate.com are subject to a manual verification process that ensures every advertised dress matches the corresponding photos and description. The average cost per custom wedding dress from DHgate.com is $100-$300, which can be compared to the average $2000 price a bride in the USA pays for a custom dress. Custom wedding dresses from DHgate.com ship in 7-15 days. 'CUSTOMIZEABLE' Brides can go to http://www.dhgate.com/wholesale/custom-wedding-dresses/c002018004.html#dcp, and select the venue in which they will get married, as well as their desired style, trend, neckline, sleeve style, back design, hemline/train, color, and then enter their personal body measurements. Brides are then able to communicate with the designer to request additional features and altercations. 'MANUAL VERIFICATION' A DHgate.com manual product verification team in Suzhou, China, ensures that dresses actually match their corresponding online product listing, confirming that the pictures uploaded by the designer are real pictures of the dress, and that the pictures have never previously existed on the website. 'ABOUT DHgate.com' DHgate is the oldest and the biggest transactional cross border B2B e-commerce marketplace in China. We aim to provide global buyers with quality products at competitive prices. Founded in 2004, DHgate.com has approximately 10 million global buyers from 230 countries and regions, with 1.2 million global sellers offering 33 million product listings. Our business enables buyers to directly access global manufacturers of the world's top brands with rich product selections. DHgate is an all-in-one platform with integrated services for international logistics, cross border payments, internet financing, etc. DHgate.com's US product distribution warehouses allow for 24 hour delivery and convenient product returns & refunds, bringing great convenience to US buyers at http://www.dhgate.com. SOURCE DHgate.com Related Links http://www.dhgate.com MINNEAPOLIS, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- General Mills today announced it will accelerate its commitment to more than double the organic acreage from which it sources ingredients. The company now expects to meet its goal of 250,000 acres by 2019. General Mills will accelerate its commitment to more than double the organic acreage from which it sources ingredients. The company now expects to meet its goal of 250,000 acres by 2019. The increased acreage is directly linked to the company's goal to grow net sales from its natural and organic products to $1 billion by 2019. The commitment will also advance the company's pledge to address climate change. The increased acreage is directly linked to the company's goals to grow net sales from its natural and organic products. In February at the Consumer Analysts Group of New York conference, Jeff Harmening, General Mills executive vice president and chief operating officer for U.S. Retail, said the company expects to reach $1 billion in net sales from natural and organic products by 2019, a full year ahead of its previous target. Since 2009, General Mills has increased the organic acreage it supports by 120 percent and is now among the top five organic ingredient purchasers and the second largest buyer of organic fruits and vegetables in the North American packaged food sector. "To achieve the growth we anticipate for our natural and organic brands, we will need a more robust pipeline of organic growers," said John Church, executive vice president, General Mills Supply Chain. "We're building strategic relationships directly with farmers for our products and are dedicated to working with growers to optimize production and quality, adopt standard practices and accelerate supply." General Mills has made sizeable investments to meet growing consumer interest in natural and organic foods, which is expected to drive double-digit industry sales growth over the next five years. Since 2000, General Mills has acquired a portfolio of natural and organic brands that totaled $675 million dollars in pro forma net sales in Fiscal Year 2015, ranking General Mills the third largest natural and organic food maker in the U.S. The portfolio includes Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen, LARABAR, Liberte, Mountain High, Food Should Taste Good, Immaculate Baking, and Annie's. In January, the company acquired meat snacks maker EPIC Provisions. General Mills has already taken significant steps to help secure a pipeline of organic ingredients. In the U.S., General Mills supports the Organic Farming Research Foundation's efforts to encourage widespread adoption of organic farming practices through research, advocacy and education. In Canada, the company has made a $50,000 investment to support the Prairie Organic Grain Initiative (POGI), whose mission is to increase both quantity and quality of organic field crops grown in Canada. POGI is addressing the shortage of organic grain growers by helping conventional growers make the transition to organic farming. General Mills also participates alongside other organic companies in the Organic Trade Association's Grain, Pulse and Oilseed Council, an industry forum working in a pre-competitive effort to increase the supply of organic grain, oilseeds and pulses. The commitment to doubling organic acreage will also advance the company's pledge to address climate change. In 2015, General Mills announced a new goal to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions across its entire value chain over the next 10 years, with a long-term aspiration to achieve by 2050 sustainable emission levels in line with scientific consensus. Partnering with suppliers to accelerate adoption of more sustainable agriculture practices and continuing to grow organic product offerings will help further this commitment. About General Mills General Mills is a leading global food company that serves the world by making food people love. Its brands include Cheerios, Annie's, Yoplait, Nature Valley, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills had fiscal 2015 worldwide sales of US $18.7 billion, including the company's US $1.1 billion proportionate share of joint-venture net sales. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160308/341971 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130228/MM68998LOGO SOURCE General Mills Related Links http://www.generalmills.com BERKELEY, Calif., March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vivacare (www.vivacare.com) a leading provider of patient education services, today announced the release of its InfoRx mobile app that enables physicians and other medical professionals to deliver personalized patient handouts, videos and other health resources into the hands of their patients and family members. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160302/339691 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160302/339692 Medical professionals create a free Vivacare account to receive a personalized "Health Library" with specialty-specific patient education resources that can be printed in the office and displayed on the medical practice website. The new InfoRx mobile app makes these personalized, doctor-recommended resources available on the patient's own mobile device. Patients with iPhones are directed to the App Store to download the InfoRx app and enter a unique InfoRx code to view their own doctor's Health Library. Patients benefit by getting health information from the source they trust mosttheir own doctor, as well as gaining access to prescription medication savings and other features. Physicians can distribute a robust collection of advertising-free resources to their patients through the InfoRx app. Dermatologists are able to distribute patient handouts and videos regarding acne and psoriasis, while neurologists distribute content regarding Alzheimer's Disease and multiple sclerosis. Vivacare offers over 1,500 titles from a variety of reputable sources, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), professional organizations, medical publishers, and disease advocacy organizations, such as the National Eczema Association. Physician users can control which titles are delivered to their patients and can customize the InfoRx app with their own patient education handouts. Several features of the Vivacare patient education service have been rated "high value" by physician users, including the depth and breadth of patient education resources, the ability to personalize the content, the option to display the content on the practice website, and the opportunity to offer their patients an innovative mobile app with health information that reflects their approach to patient care. "The InfoRx app is an exciting expansion of our service for medical professionals," said Dr. Mark Becker, pediatrician and founder of Vivacare. "It enables clinicians to easily distribute meaningful health information to their patients and supports the physician-patient relationship, leading to improved care and patient satisfaction." Dr. Becker's version of the app with pediatric resources can be viewed by downloading the InfoRx app from the App Store and entering "drbecker" as the InfoRx code. About Vivacare Vivacare is a free patient education service offered to U.S.-based medical professionals to enable them to efficiently deliver health education resources to their own patients. The service is available for individual users and health organizations in over 12 medical specialties, including allergy, cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, neurology, ob-gyn, pediatrics, psychiatry, rheumatology, surgery, and primary care. Vivacare partners with health care organizations to distribute disease education programs and provide medical professionals with a patient education service that improves clinical care. Contact Vivacare about creating an account to support your clinical needs or distributing your content at the point of care. Media Contact: Mark Becker, M.D. 1-800-279-2991 SOURCE Vivacare Related Links http://www.vivacare.com SAN FRANCISCO, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today a group of 10 individuals are embarking upon a journey into the largest unprotected tropical montane cloud forest in Central America, Cerro el Amay, nestled high in the mountains of northern Guatemala. This group will search for the source of a river purportedly never seen by humans, observe species never recorded by science, and they will be negotiating the future of 6,300 acres of this cloud forest. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160308/341625LOGO Cerro el Amay was virtually non-existent to any government, scientist, or outside conservation authority until 2008 when Dr. Philip Tanimoto, a spatial ecologist, as part of his fieldwork, discovered the largest unprotected virgin cloud forest in Central America, Cerro el Amay, a habitat for multiple endangered species, including the Highland guan, the black-handed spider monkey, and the Guatemalan spike-thumb frog. Recent developments and changes to forestry commons management by some of the stakeholder communities neighboring Cerro el Amay, threaten to derail these endangered species habitats and the entire cloud forest in just a few months. In February, local K'iche' Maya residents, who for thousands of years have lived at the edge of this forest, under duress of extreme poverty, voted to sell almost all of the remaining land within Cerro el Amay, totaling around 3,700 acres. A buyer has already stepped forward that intends to clear-cut the forest for timber and to open the lands for cattle. CFCI has been working with the local Mayan communities since 2009 to ensure the land remains preserved and have already purchased and protected 600 acres of this virgin cloud forest. CFCI has launched a grassroots movement, in tandem with U.S.-based non-profit, Conservation Imaging, Inc. These organizations are working together to raise $500,000 by May 1, 2016 to acquire the remaining unprotected land. The forest is already being clear-cut at the rate of an acre a day as one lot, over 110 acres, was sold and is actively being logged at the time of this release. Not only is CFCI looking to protect and preserve this cloud forest, they are also dedicated to empowering and supporting the surrounding communities with eco-tourism, research, education and sustainable community development. "Imagine giant buttressed trees with entire worlds contained within their branches and spiraling down their trucks," describes Rob Lenfestey, Jr., and board member at CFCI. "Massive sink holes and cave openings leading to seemingly endless caverns with crystal-clear underwater streams, rivers, and waterfalls; several new species have even been found in Cerro el Amay, including a terrestrial crab and a type of scorpion. Now imagine deforestation eliminating all of it, because the threat is imminent and real." To learn more or donate, visit: https://www.youcaring.com/the-cloud-forest-conservation-initative-528608 PRESS CONTACT Jeremy Schewe The Cloud Forest Conservation Initiative Email (828) 337-9905 The Cloud Forest Conservation Initiative US: 828.505.1630 Guatemala: (00502) 3167-4678 www.ForestPrimeval.org SOURCE The Cloud Forest Conservation Initiative Related Links http://www.ForestPrimeval.org NEW YORK, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Public relations and communications professionals dream of getting their news picked up by major mainstream media, or landing interviews in renowned industry publications. And while this type of pick-up remains the gold standard of earned media, the evolving media landscape has given rise to new ways to determine newsworthiness. A recent white paper from PR Newswire, Redefining Newsworthiness: New Opportunities to Earn Media & Attention for Your Brand, offers tips on adapting to the new world of newsworthiness. The white paper discusses the contrasts between traditional views of news releases and new efforts in content strategy. Discover how brands can leverage the power of newswires for unconventional reasons and content types, such as: Client testimonials; Case studies; Data and research; Infographics; Videos; and Commentary from internal experts. Many opportunities to earn attention for a brand can be found, even if they don't look like earned media hits of the past. For more on the shifting definitions of earned media and newsworthiness, download the white paper here. About PR Newswire PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry over 60 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content -- from rich media to online video to multimedia -- and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company. Media Contact: Victoria Harres Vice President, Strategic Communications & Content [email protected] 201-360-6882 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130117/NY44355LOGO-a SOURCE PR Newswire Association LLC Related Links http://www.prnewswire.com New Delhi: Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is facing legal proceedings for allegedly defaulting loans of over Rs 9,000 crores from various banks, has left the country a week back, government informed the Supreme Court. "I spoke to the CBI little while ago and it told me that on March 2 he (Mallya) left the country," Attorney General(AG) Mukul Rohatgi told the bench comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman. The bench issued notice to Mallya and sought his response within two weeks on pleas filed by a consortium of banks seeking direction for freezing his passport and his presence before the apex court. Since the court was informed that Mallya has already left the country, probably to UK, the bench allowed the plea of AG that the notice to him can be served through his official Rajya Sabha Email ID, Indian High Commission at London and also through counsel representing him before various high courts, Debt Recovery Tribunal and also through his Company. During the brief hearing, the AG said that amount of more than Rs 9,000 crore was due to various banks and on one or the other pretext Mallya avoided to settle them. There have been various proceedings going on against him in debt recovery tribunals in Bangalore and Goa, he said. When the bench wanted to know what was the petitioner seeking, the AG said there was a need for a garnishee order and there was also a need for disclosure on behalf of Mallya. Rohatgi said the banks were seeking an order that Mallya should appear in person before this court and also sought a direction for freezing his passport. The AG said that Mallya has assets, both movable and immovable, abroad which are far excessive to loans secured by him here. At this, the bench wanted to know how the banks have granted him loan under such circumstances. The AG said the loans were granted keeping in mind that Kingfisher Airlines had a fleet of aircraft as well as brand value and loans were given also on the basis of the logo and the aircraft were attached to the third party. The AG said, "Today I submit he (Mallya) should appear before you (SC). We want disclosure. We want to recover money, which is public money." After this submission the bench concluded the hearing and dictated the order by issuing notice to Mallya saying, "if he is already out of the country, we will permit you to serve the notice through Indian High Commission at London and also through his official email ID of Rajya Sabha, of which he is a member." The consortium of banks, in their appeal, have assailed the March 4 order of the Karnataka High Court refusing an "ex- parte ad interim" order against Mallya, England-based Diageo Plc and United Spirits Limited. The banks said that the High Court should have passed an interim order, securing their financial interests, without hearing the industrialist and others including debtor firm Kingfisher Airlines Limited. Prior to moving the High Court, the banks had filed four pleas in the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) at Bengaluru seeking reliefs like freezing of Mallya's passport, arrest warrant against him and issuance of a "garnishee order against Respondent Nos. 10 (Diageo Plc) and 11 (United Spirits Limited) from disbursing USD 75 million". They had also sought a direction to Mallya that he should disclose his assets on oath. The banks had moved the DRT in the backdrop of Mallya's recent resignation from the chairmanship of United Spirits. Diageo Plc, the current owner of the liquor company, has agreed to pay USD 75 million (approx. Rs 515 crore) to Mallya as severance package. Besides SBI, other banks which have moved the SC are: Axis Bank Limited, Bank of Baroda, Corporation Bank, Federal Bank Limited, IDBI Bank Limited, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited, Punjab and Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of Mysore, UCO Bank and United Bank of India. The banks have also sought a direction to Mallya to "furnish suitable security for his appearance before the DRT" during the pendency of banks' original applications for recovering debts. The banks have also arraigned firms like Kingfisher Airlines Ltd, United Breweries (Holdings) Ltd, Kingfisher Finvest (India) Ltd, SBICAP Trustee Company Ltd as parties. The plea said the banks "individually" had advanced loans to Kingfisher Airlines Limited and by way of a Master Debts Recast Agreement (MDRA), executed on December 21, 2010, and related documents ("Financing Documents"), the existing loans were restructured and was treated as a single facility. NEW YORK, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Premier Traveler's Executive Director Adam Rodriguez addressed the recent hack of their system this year and explained the new measures in place to combat any future attacks: Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160309/342365LOGO "On behalf of our team, we apologize for the necessary period of silence, we take security extremely seriously and have taken every precaution possible. For all of you who have reached out to us, we want to say 'thank you' for the continued support and your loyalty. Trust me we really missed all of you and look forward to catching up on your travels so far this year!" "As for the unfortunate email, phone and data system issues caused by the hacker, we have decided to turn that into something that can help our readers, business owners by sharing our story and of course we will be asking for your opinions and experiences as well in an upcoming questionnaire for the magazine." "Premier Traveler is pleased to inform you that our production is back on track and we plan to accomplish all the goals we set last year including makeup for this missed issue. PT has a lot of surprises coming your way, and as always it is your input that matters most!" Adam Rodriguez Executive Director, Premier Traveler 646-330-8289 Media Contact: Premier Traveler Worldwide 41 Madison Avenue|31st Floor New York| New York |10010 As an added precaution, Premier Traveler's new email and contact information: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Premier Traveler Worldwide HOUSTON, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rigzone announced today the release of RigEdge, a solution for comparing, benchmarking, and conducting analysis of the global offshore competitive rig fleet. The cloud-based solution allows for high-quality analysis of the mobile rig fleet through a unique visual interface. RigEdge provides users with an interactive global map of rigs currently working as well as access to a range of reports and charts. The power of RigEdge comes from the RigEdge Number (REN) a dynamic number assigned to each rig that is calculated from a proprietary algorithm based on a series of rig features and characteristics. The REN provides an unbiased approach to competitive rig analysis to help businesses better evaluate the global rig fleet and to make objective, well-informed business decisions. Terry Childs, Director of Rigzone Data Services, said, "We're very excited to release RigEdge. By providing the industry with a tool to quickly and effectively compare rigs across the world, we are helping businesses save valuable time when planning their future projects. And as we all know, time is money in today's market." Rigzone's Data Services suite of products (RigLogix, RigOutlook, and RigEdge) help oil and gas industry professionals improve strategic planning and decision-making for their respective companies. Introduced to the market in 2004, RigLogix is the industry's premier data service, providing subscribers with instant access to comprehensive offshore rig data going back to 2000. It contains information on contracts, day rates, rig locations, equipment and capabilities and is updated daily. RigOutlook, produced by Rigzone's in-house analysis team, forecasts jackup and floating rig supply, demand and day rates and also provides context around the main drivers having an impact on the offshore drilling industry. With RigOutlook, clients will have full-access to Rigzone Data Services' team of analysts who can answer queries or offer additional insight on the commodity and drilling markets as well as the upstream oil & gas space. Rigzone Data Services' team of experienced analysts has been tracking the global offshore rig market since 1995, providing subscribers with a comprehensive understanding of the rig market and ensuring the data is of the highest quality. About Rigzone Rigzone, a DHI Group, Inc. service, empowers the people that power the world by offering a complete suite of products and services for oil and gas professionals. We are the world's go-to online destination for oil and gas news, industry jobs, career enhancement resources, talent recruitment, brand marketing, and industry data. With more than 3.6 million registered users, 2.1 million CV/Resumes showcasing experience in every sector of the industry, 1 million monthly website visitors, and thousands of industry customers, Rigzone offers unparalleled access to reach, engage and connect with oil and gas business decision-makers and professionals worldwide. Contact Information Media Contact Jeff Duncan +1.281.861.2023 SOURCE Rigzone Attorney-general Mukul Rohatgi on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to pass an order directing Mr Mallya to appear before this court with his passport. New Delhi: Attorney-general Mukul Rohatgi on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to pass an order directing Mr Mallya to appear before this court with his passport. We are not after his blood. We want to sit across the table and get back our money. We want to settle the loans, the A-G said. The top government lawyer said the only information is on social media sites, which show that most of his assets are abroad. Only a fraction is in India, may be one-fifth. When Justice Kurian Joseph wondered as to how the banks gave loans without adequate security. The A-G said that at the time of the loans, Kingfisher Airlines was a brand which was at its peak which had assets worth thousands of crores of rupees and then it crashed. Loans are advanced for the brand value and even for the logo. The AG said over Rs. 9,000 cr was due from Mr. Mallya to various banks and on one pretext or other proceeding he avoided settling the dues. As the court was informed that Mr Mallya has already left for the United Kingdom, the bench accepted the request of AG to serve the notice through the Indian High Commission in London; through his official Rajya Sabha email id, through his counsel representing in the Karnataka High Court and through his company United Breweries Holdings Ltd. The bench sought his reply in two weeks and posted the matter for March 30 to decide the next course of action. The DRT and the Karnataka High Court earlier had declined to issue an arrest warrant against him. Ranchi, March 6 : Jharkhand Police on Sunday confirmed that a trader from Ranchi abducted earlier this week has been killed. The body of Raju Mandal was found on Saturday at Chatra district. He was abducted from Ranchi on February 29. The abductors had reportedly demanded Rs.1 crore for ransom. The body was identified by a relative on Saturday night. According to police, he was shot dead. Mandal was a marble and tiles trader. Ranchi police had launched an operation to rescue him. "This is an unfortunate incident. The state government should provide security to the traders," said Ravi Bhatt, member of Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries. Budget for 2016-17 has proved once again that major reform initiatives will not be the operating template for the country. New Delhi: Big bang reforms will not be the operating template for India and the process will be a 'slow and tedious one', says a Morgan Stanley report. The global financial services major said that the recently announced Budget for 2016-17 has proved once again that major reform initiatives will not be the operating template for the country. "Reforms in India will be a slow and tedious process, requiring the buy-in of the opposition and the bureaucracy," it said. Since the beginning of this year, Indian markets have seen heavy volatility largely owing to high fluctuations in global markets led by the Shanghai Composite and domestic events such as the Union Budget, it said. The Indian equity markets have seen extreme weakness due to various negative factors, including global economic slowdown fears, falling crude prices, worries related to Chinese economy and muted quarterly earnings. Experts said domestic woes, including ballooning NPAs reported by banks and weak quarterly numbers in various other sectors, also added to the market weakness recently. Meanwhile, the index slumped to its lowest level in 21 months, when the Sensex crashed 807 points to drop below the 23,000-mark on February 11, this year. "Moreover, what was evident once again this year, is that while India may be in a relatively better position based on external macro indicators compared to 2013, the correlations with global markets always rise disproportionately during periods of heightened uncertainty in other parts of the world," the report added. Los Angeles, March 8 : The veil from the fate of Jon Snow's character in "Game Of Thrones" has been lifted -- and he will not be back from the dead. British actor Kit Harington says he has filmed some scenes of "being dead" for the upcoming sixth season of "Game of Thrones". The final episode of the fifth season showed Jon Snow, one of the main characters played by Harington, lying lifeless in the snow. Since then the audience is rooting for Harington to come back. In an interview to TimeOut London, Harington on Friday shared that he did shoot scenes for the fantasy series, reports dailymail.co.uk. He said: "Look, I'm not in the show any more. I'm definitely not in the new series." When asked if he had filmed any scenes, he replied: "I filmed some scenes of me being dead. It's some of my best work." However, he did offer a ray of hope with a reply to the next question; on whether he knows what will happen in the series. "I don't have a clue but I know how long I'm a corpse for, but I can't tell you that," he said. The sixth season of the show, inspired by novelist George R.R. Martin's bestselling series, will be back in April. English channel Star World Premiere will bring the much anticipated season six of the HBO series to India right after its US telecast in April this year. Seasons one to five are being aired on Star World and Star World HD. The show tells the story of families vying for a throne. Mumbai, March 9 : The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) on Wednesday opened on a negative note during the morning session of the trade. The Sensex of the BSE after opening at 24,527.27 points touched a high of 24,535.38 points and a low of 24,467 points. On Tuesday, the Sensex closed at 24,659.23 points. The Sensex is trading at 24,470.50 points down by 188.83 points or 0.77 percent. On the other hand, the broader 50-scrip Nifty at National Stock Exchange (NSE) opened at 7,436.10 points after closing at 7,485.30 points on Tuesday. The Nifty is trading at 7,444.20 points in the morning. Islamabad, March 9 : Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif finalised the strategy for his Wednesday's trip to Saudi Arabia, where he is likely to define the role Islamabad will play in the 34-nation counter-terrorism alliance formed by the kingdom. Sharif on Tuesday met his top foreign policy, economy, military and intelligence advisers before he and the army chief General Raheel Sharif leave for Saudi Arabia, Dawn online reported. Sharif will attend the concluding ceremony of the multinational counter-terrorism exercise -- Raad al-Shamal. Discussions on the shape and scope of activities of the Saudi-led alliance are also expected to take place on the sidelines of the ceremony. Pakistan has kept its position on the alliance vague, but government ministers have on different occasions hinted that it could help in intelligence sharing, capacity building, provision of military hardware and formulation of counter-narrative to extremist propaganda. Anticipating a major return for engagement with Saudi Arabia in its venture, the government is pushing for a more active involvement in the alliance. The meeting, according to a source, also discussed the progress in investigation into the involvement of Pakistan-based militants in the PathAankot airbase attack and the impending visit of the investigation team to India for collecting further evidence. The investigation team is expected to travel to India in the next few days. Pakistan tipped off India about a terrorist plot hatched by Lashkar-e-Taiba for whose execution it was said that a team of 10-15 militants had crossed the border. In the domestic context, the meeting discussed the Karachi situation, terrorist attack on the court complex in Charsadda and the last phase of ongoing Shawal operation. The statement said the meeting had reaffirmed the government's commitment to fighting terrorism. "The meeting agreed that elimination of terrorism from our soil is a national resolve and paid tribute to the personnel of law-enforcement and security agencies who embraced martyrdom while fighting this menace of terrorism," it said. Sharif and General Raheel leave on Wednesday on a three-days visit to Saudi Arabia. Canberra, March 9 : Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull downplayed the results of an SMS poll which indicated that almost 90 percent of the population see risk in the Darwin port being sold to a Chinese firm. The poll, conducted by the US State Department, revealed that 43 percent of the respondents felt that there was "a lot of risk" in selling the Port of Darwin to Chinese firm Landbridge Group, while 46 percent of respondents said there was "some risk". Eleven percent of the respondents saw "no risk" to Australia, Xinhua news agency reported. But Turnbull said on Wednesday that the government would not be taking the "text message opinion poll" seriously, and both his government and the US had "appropriately" assessed any outcome of selling the Port of Darwin to the Chinese firm. Turnbull said he had discussed the sale with US President Barack Obama when they met in the Philippines in 2015. "The security issues relating to that port sale were thoroughly investigated in Australia's national interest by the relevant security agencies. That's how we determine security issues; not by text message opinion polls," Turnbull said. "The US government is satisfied that the security issues relating to the lease of the port were examined carefully, professionally and appropriately by the Defence Department," he added. Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the survey, conducted by the US, meant nothing as Australia's foreign policy and defence policy are "decided by Australia". "It's not decided by the US, China or anyone else," Shorten said. The Port of Darwin was given to the Landbridge Group on a 99 year lease in a deal worth $376 million. Mumbai, March 9 : With the acquisition of Pivavav Defende formally in its fold, Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group is eyeing a sizeable share in the potential, $60-billion pie of the Indian and overseas defence-related market where it now has a presence, sources said. Towards this, the government has already approved 12 industrial licenses for Reliance Defence, a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure for the manufacture of a wide range of equipment required by the armed forces in India and abroad. Listing the potential, sources said in the aerospace segment, where Reliance Group has a nod for military aircraft and choppers, the potential is Rs.9,000 crore in amphibious aircraft for Indian Navy, light choppers worth Rs.20,000 crore and medium-to-heavy choppers worth Rs.50,000 crore. In land systems, where the group is looking at missiles and all-terrain combat vehicles, the potential has been assessed at Rs.100,000 crore over 10-15 years. Similar projects are being eyed in underwater systems, weapons, radars, unmanned aerial systems and strategic electronics. As regards Pipavav, Russia has selected its shipyard for the upcoming project for four frigates valued at over Rs.30,000 crore. Reliance Group is also looking at a second shipyard on India's eastern coastline, sources said. Reliance Defence is also setting up the Dhirubhai Ambani Aerospace Park at Mihan near Nagpur in Maharashtra and an Aerospace centre of excellence in Bengaluru. At the aerospace Park, spread over 400 acres at the multi-modal international cargo hub the idea is to create an ecosystem for the indigenous manufacture of aerospace components, with a cluster of manufacturers for components, spares and avionics. New Delhi, March 9 : The opposition Congress and Janata Dal-United (JD-U) on Wednesday lashed out at the BJP governments in Haryana and at the Centre over violence in the state during the Jat agitation for reservation in jobs and education. "This (violence) in Haryana was due to utter failure of the state and central governments," Congress member Kumari Selja said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his junior colleague Kiren Rijiju denied the charge, saying a commission of inquiry headed by retired director general of police Prakash Singh has been set up to probe all acts of omissions and commissions. "We have to wait for the report of the probe commission," the home minister said, adding there were intelligence inputs about the agitation and the Centre had alerted the state government about them. Kumari Selja joined the issue with the minister on this and said the charge of "failure" of the state government lies in the reply of the government. Senior JD-U leader Sharad Yadav supported Selja's contention and said: "Just to say a committee has been appointed is like running away from the responsibility." The home minister disagreed with the opposition members and said the issue was serious and the situation in Haryana can be tackled only with all sides working together. "You are responsible...we are also responsible," Rajnath Singh said. "The issue is not whether we have a BJP government in Haryana or not....the issue is there is a state government and we are at the Centre," Rajnath Singh said. The Haryana government last month announced the appointment of retired police officer Prakash Singh to probe the acts of omission and commission on the part of all officers in the handling of violence during the Jat reservation agitation. The panel is expected to submit its report by next month. Replying to questions from members, Rajnath Singh also said that besides the probe by Prakash Singh, the state government has also appointed another official panel to work on the compensation for the victims. Patna, March 9 : The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday demanded resignation of a Bihar minister for meeting jailed former MP Mohammad Shahabuddin, who is serving life imprisonment in connection with criminal cases including murder. Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar has demanded resignation of Bihar Minority Affairs Minister Abdul Ghafoor, who visited Siwan jail and met former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Mohammad Shahabuddin there. "Ghafoor should resign for attending 'darbar' of Shahabuddin inside the jail. It is a mockery of rule of law in the state," he said. Ghafoor along with ruling party RJD legislator Harishankar Yadav met Shahabuddin in Siwan jail on March 6, and a photo of that meeting has reportedly gone viral on social media,. BJP legislators also protested over the issue, inside and outside the state assembly on Wednesday. Senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi also criticised Ghafoor for meeting Shahabuddin in jail and demanded his resignation. A criminal-turned-politician, Shahabuddin has been convicted in six criminal cases and he is facing serious charges in over a dozen cases. New Delhi, March 9 : Khadi, the 'Made in India' fabric, has generated interest in the West, but there are problems that the sector needs to address if it is to widen its appeal, says the head honcho of Moral Fibre Fabrics, which has supplied khadi to Hollywood. "With encouragement to the khadi movement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, khadi is generating a lot of interest. This is the time to go deeper and evaluate the sector and its impact from all angles," Shailini Sheth Amin, the creative mind behind the Ahmedabad-based company, told IANS in an email interview. "Right now we have some focus on this most valued but dying legacy of khadi," he said. Noting that today's youth will not wear khadi for its symbolism or under any emotional pressure, Amin said the fabric needs to be seen as "much more than 'heritage' and a 'fashion statement'. It should reach beyond 'bhandars' and fashion shows". Moral Fibre Fabrics is a web-based social enterprise set up in 2008, and works locally with a few khadi cooperatives around Ahmedabad, creating work opportunities in production, processing, dyeing, printing and tailoring. With the business-to-business wholesale marketplace model, the brand has an international buyer base in Britain, the US, Australia and some European countries. The company's fabric has also been used in Hollywood films like "Pan", and it regularly supplies Oscar-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran, who has designed costumes for movies like "Pride and Prejudice", "Atonement" and "Anna Karenina". When Amin set up her brand, her aim was to reinvent khadi as a socially and environmentally sustainable fabric while maintaining high quality standards. But the journey has not been easy. "I could see that there was a need to upgrade and reinvent khadi as the most environmentally-sustainable fabric and expand its varied uses. I realised that the lack of marketing orientation and technological obsolescence are the major obstacles for khadi to play a larger role in the Indian textile arena," she said. "When I started, almost no one believed in what we did. In fact, most of the people I came across in the field... themselves did not believe in the hand-crafted fabric. No one was interested in taking it forward. "Khadi fabric was considered to be badly made, badly sold and cheap-looking. This fabric had, and still has, big identity issues and it was considered an attire of corrupt politicians," said Amin. Of late, several fashion designers have been doing their bit to popularise the fabric -- famously used by Mahatma Gandhi as a symbol of protest against the British Raj -- in creative ways. When she started out, Amin found that her brand had more international than domestic buyers -- some 85 percent of sales came from abroad. The milestone moment for the brand, she said, came when they supplied fabric to Hollywood projects. "Our fabrics were seen by a sourcing agent for a film in a London shop and she got in touch with us. She was very pleased when she heard about the social and environmental sustainability credentials of these fabrics." Amin feels proud that the "rustic fabric made by spinners and weavers from small villages in Gujarat is now recognised the world over". (Nivedita can be contacted at Nivedita.s@ians.in) New Delhi, March 9 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya on a plea by a consortium of 17 banks led by the SBI seeking his personal appearance before it alongwith his passport as it was told that Mallya has already left the country. The apex court bench of Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman issued notice as Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the court that Mallya left the country soon after they moved applications on March 2 before Bengaluru-based Debt Recovery Tribunal to restrain Diageo from paying him $75 million. The consortium of 17 banks led by the State Bank of India had sought order restraining Mallya from leaving the country, his arrest and impounding of his passport. Banks have challenged March 4 order of the Karnataka High Court not accepting their plea. The notice will be issued to him personally, through his company, through his lawyers who appeared for him in the Karnataka High Court and in DRT and through the Indian High Commission in London. The notice will also be served on him on his official Rajya Sabha email ID. Addressing the court, Rohatgi said that the secured assets which Mallya has pledged are not even 1/15th of more than Rs.9,000 crore which he had taken for his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines. As the court asked, how the banks could advance such a huge loan without matching securities, Rohatgi told the court that they were given against the brand and logo of Kingfisher Airlines which at that point of time was huge but now has collapsed. Issuing notice, the court gave Mallya two weeks to respond as it directed the next hearing of the matter on March 30. New Delhi, March 9 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday strongly defended his government's ambitious promise to double farmers' income in five years, that was doubted by the opposition. "Of course it is possible to double farmers' income," Modi said, responding to the debate in the Rajya Sabha on the motion of thanks on the President's Address to parliament. He said he was "not an economist like (former prime minister) Manmohan Singh and that is why I am not that knowledgeable". "But," Modi added, "I have worked with farmers and know some things." He said the ambitious plan was possible if farmers start using novel agricultural practices and value-add their products. Modi called for focusing attention on the health of soil in agricultural areas across the country that "will boost productivity" and enhance farmer income. "We have to work towards value addition. We have laid strong emphasis on value addition of agricultural products," the prime minister said. Mumbai: In an apparent dig at Kingfisher Airlines' crisis, Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian on Tuesday said this was a crisis where owners of some "Woodpecker Airlines" also made intoxicants at "Eagle Breweries" but did not pay for the mistakes they committed. He, however, hinted that the lack of exit mechanisms may be responsible for issues like the debt of Kingfisher Airlines snowballing into big trouble for the banks. "We have many private sector firms...that should not be in business...efficient firms coming and staying in, and inefficient ones leaving, and that's how an economy becomes very dynamic," he said while speaking to the Mumbai University students on Tuesday evening. Posing a question to himself, Mr Subramanian wondered what makes the exit so difficult in the country. "Interests (of promoters and others in the system), institutions, and ideas - these are factors that prevent exits from happening," he said, without elaborating. Without naming long-grounded Kingfisher Airlines, Mr Subramanian illustrated with fictional names what exactly went wrong with the bankrupt airliner. "Let's say there is a Woodpecker Airlines. And say Woodpecker Airlines also makes intoxicants, say Eagle Breweries. What we find is that Woodpecker Airlines is being very inefficient, but for some reason we haven't been able to make sure that those who ran Woodpecker at that time, they made a lot of mistakes, they haven't actually paid the cost for those mistakes." "So, that's an example of weak institutions which prevent exit," he said in response to a question on the grounded Kingfisher Airlines and the rising bad loans of the banks. Kingfisher Airlines, promoted by Vijay Mallya whose other group entities include United Breweries, owes close to Rs 7,000 crore in principal to 17 banks, mostly state-run lenders. The Supreme Court will decide on Wednesday whether he could move out of the country following a petition from the banks. Canberra, March 9 : The Catholic Church of Canberra has created a separate body to handle sexual abuse complaints in a transparent manner, after the Vatican's Finance Minister George Pell admitted paedophilia cases in Australia were covered up. Archbishop Christopher Prowse from the Canberra and Goulburn Archdiocese said on Wednesday that although many victims of sexual abuse in the past may think the measure comes too late it could still be part of the solution, EFE news reported. "Too many (survivors), regrettably, have spoken of being confronted by a brutal and defensive church governance structure that refused to take responsibility," Prowse said. "The aim is to support survivors with the reassurance that all our communities are safe, our children and vulnerable people are truly cared for, and the spiritual dimension of all we do is not compromised by unethical and criminal behaviour," he added. Prowse said victims of sexual abuse could now directly contact the church with their complaints, without going through bureaucracy or lawyers. Last week, Pell admitted that paedophilia cases at the heart of the Australian Catholic Church were covered up and that he should have done more to stop them, while denying he had in-depth knowledge about the cases, or that he had covered them up or protected paedophile priests. Pell, the most senior Catholic Church official to admit the existence of paedophilia in the institution, testified before an Australian commission, investigating religious institutional response to child sex abuse, about the time he worked as a priest in Ballarat and was Auxiliary Bishop and Archbishop in Melbourne. Mumbai, March 9 : Kangana Ranaut considers her sister Rangoli, an acid attack survivor, a "real hero". The "Queen" star says she had once wanted to make a film on Rangoli's inspiring life, but the latter felt it would be a flop. Kangana spoke here on Tuesday at the new cover page launch of Femina magazine featuring her with Rangoli. Talking about the struggle of her sister, who is also her manager, Kangana said: "Rangoli is a real hero and she should get her due, but we are not the kind of people who go out there and seek acknowledgement for our struggle. Rangoli's story is extremely sensitive. "I want the society to applaud and acknowledge people who are real heroes. Rangoli is one such real hero, and I am very proud to be her sister. She has been my inspiration," she added. Further, the 28-year-old actress revealed how she wanted to make a film on Rangoli and play her onscreen. "We were shooting in Arunachal Pradesh and when this cover (of Femina) came out, I told Rangoli that I want to make a story on you and I want the rights of your life. I want to play you. She (Rangoli) said, 'Yes, it will be a very big flop film'," Kangana quipped. On a serious note, Kangana thinks that her life is not as exciting as Rangoli's. "Rangoli's life is far more interesting than my life, thanks to her husband who has been madly in love with her since day one. I don't have a lover like that, so I think my life is not as exciting as Rangoli's." Lucknow, March 9 : Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik on Wednesday wrote to state assembly Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey seeking audio and video CDs of remarks made against him by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohd Azam Khan, during house proceedings on Tuesday. In the letter, Naik has written that the media reports he has gone through suggested that certain remarks were made against the governor by the speaker, Azam Khan and other members on Tuesday. He has also said that he would like to read and review the comments made by Azam Khan with regard to pending bills. The development adds a new twist to the acrimonious issue wherein Azam Khan has been attacking Ram Naik more than often though the governor has maintained a studied silence. This time, however, Naik has signalled that he was in no mood to take things lying down now. Azam Khan had on Tuesday, during the Zero Hour, accused Naik of working under the "influence of one party" and had alleged that he had withheld his assent to many important bills like UP Nagar Nigam Amendment Bill, 2015, to protect corrupt mayors. New Delhi, March 9 : For the second year in a row, the government faced embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday as opposition parties joined hands to force an amendment to the motion of thanks on the president's address, despite an appeal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to approve it unanimously. The amendment added a line to the motion of thanks, saying the Rajya Sabha regretted that the president's address did not mention that the government is committed to securing the fundamental right of all citizen to contest elections at all levels. The motion of thanks read: "The members of the Rajya Sabha assembled in this session are deeply grateful to the president for the address he has been pleased to deliver to both houses of parliament assembled together on February 23 2016... but regret that the address does not mention that the government is committed to securing the fundamental right of all citizen to contest election at all level, including panchayat, to further strengthen the foundations of democracy which also forms part of the basic structure of constitution and is consistent with the spirit of the 73rd amendment to the constitution intended to expand and encourage the poor and the marginalised without embossing education or any limitation on the right to contest election." The motion of thanks is a message sent to the president separately by the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha for his address to the joint sitting of both the houses at the beginning of the budget session every year. The address itself is prepared by the government, but read out by the president. Traditionally, the motion of thanks has been passed without changes, but last year, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury moved an amendment which was passed, and this time it was leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad who moved the amendment. This was despite the prime minister's appeal. The prime minister, in his reply to the debate on the motion of thanks, said: "I will appeal to the members, trusting the president's vision, withdraw the amendments and pass the motion of thanks unanimously." However, that was not to be. Azad moved the amendment with reference to the education qualifications set for panchayat elections in Haryana and Rajasthan, even as the two states were not mentioned in the motion. Leader of the house Arun Jaitley argued that the amendment could not be moved as it referred to an issue that came under the state subject. "If we put this to vote, every state will have the right to move resolution criticising the decisions made by parliament," Jaitley said. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu also pointed out that the right to contest election was not a fundamental right, unlike the right to vote. He said that the Centre had no role in the decision. Despite the government's attempts, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien permitted the amendment as it did not refer to any state. "There is no mention of any state legislature. If there was a direct mention, we could have considered it in a different way," Kurien said, deciding to put the amendment to vote. It was then passed by the upper house after a division, which involved electronic voting. As many as 94 of the 155 members present in the house voted in favour. The opposition members were seen cheering the verdict, as the treasury benches appeared glum. Interestingly, none of the Bahujan Samaj Party members were present in the house at the time of voting, even though its supremo Mayawati was present during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech. In 2015, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury had moved a motion regretting that there was no mention of corruption and black money in the president's speech. Azad, during the course of the debate, had asked the Centre to bring in legislation to roll back the provision on minimum educational qualifications, made mandatory for fighting panchayat elections in Rajasthan and Haryana. Modi, in his reply, snubbed Azad, and said the parties protesting the imposition of minimum qualifications should give 30 percent tickets to illiterate candidates in the coming assembly polls (in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry). "There is attempt to bring qualitative change in politics. Some are giving it political colours. Those who say what about those who remained uneducated, I will urge them to give 30 percent tickets to illiterate candidates," Modi said. Hyderabad, March 9 : Extending its string of victories further, Telangana's ruling TRS on Wednesday registered a clean sweep in the elections to Warangal and Khammam municipal corporations and one nagar panchayat in the state. In Warangal, the second biggest city in the state after Hyderabad, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) won 44 seats in 58-member municipal corporation. Congress, the main opposition party, won four seats. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) got a seat each. Eight independent candidates were also elected. The ruling party secured a clear majority by winning 34 seats in 50-member Khammam municipal corporation. Congress won two seats. Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI-M and YSR Congress Party bagged two seats each. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) drew a blank in both the corporations, adding to the party's woes in the state. TRS had a clean sweep in Achampet nagar panchayat in Mahabubnagar district. It won all 20 seats, completely eliminating the opposition. The ruling party's victory in these elections came close on the heels of its massive win in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the win in by-election to Narayankhed assembly seat with a huge majority last month. Celebrations erupted in the TRS camp in Warangal, Khammam and Achampet. Chief Minister and TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao said the results show people's wholehearted support to the welfare and development programmes of the TRS government. New Delhi, March 9 : An Indian medical student, who was in a state of coma after being attacked by unidentified miscreants in a Russian city, has died, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Wednesday. "I am pained to inform that Yasir, an Indian medical student from Srinagar, has succumbed to his injuries in Russia," Sushma Swaraj tweeted. In a series of tweets late Tuesday, she said an Indian doctor was treating Yasir at a trauma centre. She said this after an an SOS was tweeted that Yasir, a medical student in Kazan, capital of Tatarstan, was attacked by "local goons". According to the tweet, Yasir was in a state of coma after the attack and had lost all his money and documents. Sushma Swaraj said that she had also spoken to Indian Ambassador to Russia, Pankaj Saran. Stating that she was pained to hear about this, she said she would take up this issue with Russian authorities. Thane (Maharashtra), March 9 : A Thane college girl studying in Mumbai has been selected to attend the US Presidential Inauguration Leadership Summit to be held in Washington next year. Oishika Neogi, 16, who just completed her Class 12 exams in science stream from the B.K. Gadia A Level Junior College in Malad, north-west Mumbai, will represent India at the global summit of youngsters in January 2017 and interact with the newly-elected President and Vice-President of the US. Among the other invitees at the same event will be the youngest ever Nobel laureate, Pakistani girl education activist Malala and her father Ziauddin Yousafzai. "I am really keen to meet them both," Oishika said. B.K. Gadia College principal Arundhati Nikam is pleased with Oishika's achievement and praised her as "a rare and gifted child, besides being an excellent orator". The Kolkata-born girl got the opportunity after winning the declamation contest at the Global Young Leaders Conference in the US in June 2015 after she excelled in the Harvard Model United Nations competition in Hyderabad. "The UN Model debates were specially conducted for students interested in international relations to expose them to a global audience. The Model United Nations events are designed for this," Oishika said. The D.G. Khetan International School, of which B.K. Gadia A Level Junior College is part, conducts a Mock UN Debate annually which Oishika won, and then went on to excel at the Hyderabad event before she travelled to Washington DC and New York last year for GYLC. However, though she would be attending the new US President's inauguration, Oishika shies away from making any prediction on who would be next incumbent at the White House. "I adore both President Barack Obama and Mitchelle and would love to meet them sometime...," Oishika gushed. On the upcoming US poll battle for the White House, she said: "Personally, I would like Hillary Clinton to win as it could be a historic achievement for a woman to become the US President, and I am sure she would make a great leader." On Donald Trump, she said: "Though he is aggressive, Americans seem to like him and most people have expressed that US has remained calm for too long and needs some aggression now." On her future plans, Oishika wants to become a television media professional and cover the United Nations sometime as that would be "a dream assignment". Besides pursuing undergrad studies and knowledge about global affairs, Oishika is training in western dancing and theatre, and does painting. She also loves to gorge alike on continental and spicy Indian cuisine. She lives with her mother Chumki Neogi in Thane's Mira Road suburb. New Delhi, March 9 : Striking a conciliatory tone, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday thanked the opposition in the Rajya Sabha for cooperation in ensuring that the upper house functioned well, and appealed for the passage of bills already passed in the Lok Sabha. Unlike the previous sessions, the proceedings were going on smoothly during the ongoing budget session, Modi said in the Rajya Sabha while replying to a debate on the motion of thanks on the President's Address to parliament. "Members, even after working overtime, were happy. I spoke to some of them; they were happy as they could put their point before the house," he said. The prime minister also urged the opposition in the Rajya Sabha to support the bills already passed by the Lok Sabha, saying the country was waiting for the legislations to be passed. He also laid emphasis on cooperation between the two houses to ensure the country progressed. Modi appreciated the members for raising their concerns during the question hour. "The question hour is very important. Members (ministers) are working overtime to prepare themselves to answer any question they may face (related to their ministries)," he said, and added "this is the power of democarcy". Modi said the house was positively influenced by President Pranab Mukherjee's address since the latter had urged all members to allow the smooth conduct of parliament. Describing the upper house as the "chamber of ideas", the prime minister said there has be a "balance" between the two houses of parliament. "They must cooperate with each other," he said. Modi said everybody has to work together to take the country forward. "It's not about blaming this or that government; we must cooperate with each other," he said, striking a conciliatory tone. The prime minister said that the National Democratic Alliance government was a "policy-driven government" trying to ensure transparency in every sphere of life. Modi said his government was also decentralising things since India was a big country and it was not good that the people have to come to Delhi for all sorts of clearances. He also took a dig at the Congress, saying had the earlier governments led by the present opposition party worked properly, he would not have to do a lot of things as prime minister. "Today, you are going around with a microscope (to find faults with my government). Had you tried working with a binocular, I would not have to work so hard now," he said after Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad raised the issue of Jan Dhan Yojana. In a rare moment of bonhomie between the treasury and opposition benches in parliament, union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday earned praise from the opposition members in the Lok Sabha. London, March 9 : Cases of recorded child sex abuse in Britain increased by over 30 percent last year, a media report said on Wednesday. Police chiefs fear the rise is being driven by predators searching online for victims, The Guardian reported. A total of 45,456 child sex offences were recorded across the country last year, an average of 124 a day. Nearly 11,000 victims were under 10 years old and 2,409 were aged five or under, according to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). However, campaigners and police estimate only one in eight sexual attacks on a child is reported. The NSPCC's figures indicate that there were 32,675 sexual attacks or assaults on girls, compared with 8,387 on boys, meaning young females were four times more likely to be victims. "Online predators may trawl social networks, online game environments and other areas popular with children to build trust with young people and exploit any vulnerabilities they discover," an NSPCC spokesman said. "The methods are sometimes very sophisticated, or they may take a more scattergun approach and target hundreds of children at a time." New Delhi, March 9 : Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti on Wednesday said her ministry had "no role" in granting permission to the World Culture Festival event being organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar-led Art of Living Foundation. "I want to make it very clear that my ministry has no role in giving or cancelling the permission," Bharti told reporters here, adding, however, that as a social activist and political leader she extends her full support to the festival. Extending her best wishes for the "success" of the mega event that has run into controversy over allegations of violation of environment rules, Bharti hoped the programme would bring Yamuna into focus and make people more sensitive to the needs of keeping this river clean. The minister expressed the hope that organisers of the event were responsible enough to follow the environment related stipulations. New Delhi: As the group of public sector undertaking (PSU) banks moved Supreme Court (SC) to restrain Vijay Mallya from travelling abroad, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday threw his weight behind the lenders, saying each penny lent must be recovered. "Well, I think it's not only a legal but a moral obligation that every banking institution in India has to recover the last pie," Jaitley said.The government cannot accept a "situation where 15 or 20 people are sitting on so much money of the banks, that the ability of the banks to lend to thousands of others" get severely impacted, he said. Read: Mallya misled govt, employees says former women staff of Kingfisher Airlines "...whatever steps the banks will take in this matter, the government of India will stand behind them but also actively encourage them to protect their own interest which is also the larger public interest because the public money is involved in the banks. "After all, I am taxing the people of India to put money into the capital of the banks," he told media. He was asked about banks' efforts to recover dues from Mallya.The SC will tomorrow hear a plea of 13 banks, which had advanced loans of over Rs 9,000 crore to Mallya's firm, seeking a direction to restrain him from leaving India. Read: Citing 'Woodpecker Airlines', Arvind Subramanian takes apparent dig at Vijay Mallya The Debt Recovery Tribunal on Monday barred Mallya from accessing $75 million (Rs 515 crore) exit payment from Diageo till the loan default case with SBI is settled while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered a money laundering case against him in another default case. New Delhi, March 9 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday mixed Urdu poetry and sarcasm to take digs at the Congress which he compared to 'mrityu' (death) even as he sought the cooperation of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha for the passage of pending key reform bills. He made a strong case for coordination between the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha where the government lacks numbers. "Let us pass bills earlier passed in the Lok Sabha as soon as possible and give an impetus to India's progress," he told the Rajya Sabha. The prime minister's remarks came during his reply to a debate on President Pranab Mukherjee's address to parliament as some critical legislations, including the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, are pending in the Rajya Sabha. "The nation is waiting for us to pass many bills," Modi said. Drawing a parallel between death and the Congress, he said, "Death is a blessing... it's above criticism... no one criticises death. People say someone died of cancer, (people say) he died of old age... The cancer and old age is blamed, but not death." "Sometimes, I feel, the Congress is also blessed (like death)... whenever we criticise the Congress, the media says the opposition is under attack," Modi said. Quoting noted Urdu poet Nida Fazli, the prime minister urged the opposition parties to "change" their parliamentary strategy. "Kissi ke waaste raahein kahan badalti hain, tum apne aap ko khud hi badal sako to chalo (paths don't change their course for anybody, if you can change yourself, please do so)," he said. Modi said that while he was not an economist like his predecessor Manmohan Singh -- who was also present in the house, "I have worked with farmers and know some things". He strongly defended his government's ambitious promise to double farmers' income by 2022. The prime minister countered the opposition criticism on minimum educational qualifications for contesting panchayat polls in Gujarat and Rajasthan and challenged the Congress to field "illiterate people" in the coming assembly elections in four states. "Let you give tickets to illiterate people and see what the experience will be like," Modi said. Earlier, the prime minister appreciated the cooperation of members in the ongoing budget session of parliament and said that, unlike previous sessions, the proceedings were going on smoothly. This was due to the positive influence of the president's address in which he had urged all members to allow smooth conduct of parliament, Modi said. New Delhi, March 9 : Two labourers were killed and four others seriously injured when they were buried under loose soil that caved in at a construction site near AIIMS here on Wednesday, a senior fire official said. According to the official, six labourers were trapped when a mound of soil caved in. The soil was dug out during the construction of new buildings as part of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) expansion plan. "The accident occurred around 12.15 p.m. near the recently constructed AIIMS maternity and child ward. Two labourers were buried alive. Four others injured are in critical condition. All of them have been admitted to Safdarjung Hospital," the fire official told IANS. The fire department said three teams of rescue workers were dispatched to the site and the search and rescue operation continued till around 6 p.m. "The operation is almost complete but our units have not left the spot as yet. We dug out the six victims, of whom two died," an official said. The victims were taken to Safdarjung Hospital where doctors declared the first patient as bought dead, while the second succumbed to his injuries later. "Two patients have died and others are still under treatment for severe head injuries," said Poonam Dhanda, spokesperson of the Safdarjung Hospital. "The construction work was being carried out by a private construction company. We have kept everything ready at our trauma centre in case the injured are brought to the AIIMS," institute spokesman Amit Gupta told IANS. New Delhi, March 9 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya on a plea by a consortium of 17 banks led by the SBI seeking his personal appearance before it along with his passport as it was told that he has already left the country. A bench of Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman issued notice as Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said that Mallya left soon after the consortium moved applications on March 2 before the Bengaluru-based Debt Recovery Tribunal to restrain British liquor major Diageo from paying him $75 million. Urging the court to ask Mallya to "appear before the court and bring his passport", Rohatgi said that the businessman is now posting messages like "I am not an absconder. I will come and clear the dues" on his social media account Telling the court that the banks were only interested in the recovery of loans given to Mallya's now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, he said: "We are not after everybody. We are not after his blood." He said that Mallya was using one pretext or the other for avoiding the settlement of the loans and had tried to delay the proceedings before the debt recovery tribunal in Bengaluru and Goa. He said that according to their information Mallya possesses "tremendous" movable and immovable assets in Britain that that are far in excess of the loans that he has to pay. The notice, returnable in two weeks, will be issued to him personally, through his company United Breweries (Holding) Limited, through his lawyers who appeared for him in the Karnataka High Court and in DRT and through the Indian High Commission in London. The notice will also be served on him on his official Rajya Sabha email ID. The court directed the next hearing of the matter on March 30. The bank consortium had sought the court's order restraining Mallya from leaving the country, his arrest and impounding of his passport, and have challenged March 4 order of the Karnataka High Court not accepting their plea. The high court instead of passing an interim order restraining Mallya from leaving the country as sough, had asked him, Diageo Holding Netherlands B.V., Diageo Holdings and United Spirits Ltd to file their objections to the banks' plea, the banks said in their plea, adding that the high court ought to have appreciated that the plea for an interim order seeking impounding Mallya's passport "was very urgent" as if he was to "succeed in moving away from India and settling in London", then the purpose of the entire exercise would be defeated. They said by way of Master Debt Recast Agreement, the existing loans were restructured and treated as a single facility on December 21, 2010," and Mallya and United Breweries (Holding) Ltd executed a corporate guarantee and personal guarantee on the same date itself assuring the repayment of entire amount. Since these accounts were not serviced and were declared as Non-Performing Assets, the consortium moved DRT for the recovery of the money. Addressing the court, Rohatgi said that the secured assets which Mallya has pledged are not even one-15th of the more than Rs.9,000 crore which he had taken for his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines. As the court asked how the banks could advance such a huge loan without matching securities and "if loans were against secured assets", he said that they were given against the brand and logo of Kingfisher Airlines which at that point of time was huge but now has collapsed. To this, Justice Joseph asked "if it is permissible" to advance loans against brands and logos. Besides State Bank of India, other banks who gave loans include State Bank of Baroda, State Bank of Mysore, Axis Bank, Corporation Bank, the Federal Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, IDBI Bank, Punjab National Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, UCO Bank and United Bank of India. Bengaluru, March 9 : British liquor major Diagio plc on Wednesday confirmed paying Indian industrialist Vijay Mallya $40 million (Rs.275 crore) as part of the $75 million (Rs.516 crore) agreement it entered with the latter on February 25. "We paid Mallya $40 million immediately as part of the $75-million agreement he signed with our company on February 25, with the balance ($35 million) being payable in equal instalments over five years," Diageo spokesperson Kirsty King told IANS from London on telephone. Asked about the Debt Recovery Tribunal's (DRT) March 7 order to it not to pay Mallya any part of the severance package till its next hearing on March 28, King said the company was yet to receive such an order. "We understand that the Debt Recovery Tribunal is in the process of issuing an interim order, which we will review once the full details are available," King said, adding the company was yet to receive the notice. The tribunal's presiding officer, R. Benkanahalli, on March 7 directed Diageo and its Indian subsidiary United Spirits Ltd (USL) not to pay Mallya till the disposal of the State Bank of India's application and ordered temporary attachment of the deal amount till March 28. As part of the sweetheart deal, Mallya resigned as chairman and director of USL and agreed not to compete with Diageo in spirits business the world over for the next five years and not to interfere in its Indian arm's business matters. Though SBI rushed to the tribunal a day after the agreement on February 26 to advance hearing on its original application filed in June 2013 for recovery of loans it and 16 other state-run and private banks advanced to Mallya's now defunct Kingfisher Airlines in 2004-12, it was not aware of the Diageo's part payment to the 60-year-old liquor baron. "We were not aware that Diageo had paid Mallya $40 million and even Mallya's counsel (Uday Holla) did not tell the tribunal during arguments on March 4 about the payment. We will seek action against him (Mallya) for suppressing the fact," SBI counsel told IANS from New Delhi. As a lead bank of the consortium of 17 banks to which Kingfisher owes Rs.9,091.39 crore as combined loans with interest, the SBI filed four interlocutory applications in the tribunal on March 2 after CBI director Anil Sinha expressed concern over its delay in acting against Mallya. "We have also filed a caveat before the Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal in Chennai to hear us before adjudicating on any appeal on Mallya against the Bengaluru tribunal's March 7 order till its next hearing on March 28," the counsel said on the condition of anonymity. New Delhi, March 9 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday the controversies over spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living (AoL) event should now end. "Now that NGT (National Green Tribunal) has given its verdict, all politics and controversies around AoL event should be put to rest," he tweeted. "It is a huge cultural event wherein people from 155 countries are coming. Delhi welcomes all guests," he said. The NGT slapped an initial fine of Rs.5 crore on the Art of Living foundation but declined to stay the holding of the sprawling World Culture Festival on the fragile Yamuna flood plain. It also pulled up the central government, saying the authorities had failed to discharge their duties. The tribunal also imposed a fine of Rs.5 lakh on Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Rs.1 lakh on the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). Patna, March 9 : Amid the opposition's demand for the resignation of a Bihar minister for meeting former MP Mohammad Shahabuddin in jail, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said he had asked the IG (Prisons) to submit a report on the matter. "I have asked the Inspector General of Prisons to inquire and submit a report soon," Nitish Kumar told the media here. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies created a ruckus on the issue in the assembly and forced Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary to adjourn the house. BJP legislators also protested outside the assembly on Wednesday. Bihar Minority Affairs Minister Abdul Ghafoor, along with ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal legislator Harishankar Yadav, met Shahabuddin in Siwan jail on March 6, and a photo of that meeting has gone viral on social media. A criminal-turned-politician, Shahabuddin has been convicted in six criminal cases and is facing serious charges in over a dozen other cases. He is serving life sentence in connection with criminal cases, including murder. Meanwhile, RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi downplayed the meeting and termed it a "normal courtesy meeting". Their younger son and Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav also said there was nothing wrong in meeting Shahabuddin. On the other hand, the couple's elder son and Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav said it was wrong for the minister to meet Shahabuddin in jail. On his part, Ghafoor said there was no violation of any rule during the meeting. Leader of opposition Prem Kumar has demanded Ghafoor's resignation. "Ghafoor should resign for attending the 'darbar' of Shahabuddin inside the jail. It is a mockery of rule of law in the state," he said. Senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi also criticised Ghafoor and demanded his resignation. Washington, March 9 : Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, India and the US have agreed to work together to achieve concrete results in key areas including defence, trade and investment and civil nuclear energy. They have also agreed to deepen their collaboration against Pakistan-based terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), responsible for several terrorist attacks in India and other terrorist threats. The agreements were reached during Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar's just ended four-day visit to Washington to review India-US bilateral relations and to prepare for India's participation at the March 31-April 1 Nuclear Security Summit (NSS). Modi is expected to have a bilateral meeting with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the 50-nation summit. There is also widespread speculation that he may also meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, who too has been invited to the NSS. Jaishankar's meetings in Washington "focussed on further consolidating bilateral relations in the year ahead and enhancing convergence on regional and global issues", according to an Indian embassy press release. "In this context, both sides agreed to work for achieving concrete results in key areas of bilateral cooperation including defence, trade and investment and civil nuclear energy," it said. During a meeting with US National Security Advisor Susan Rice at the White House here on Tuesday, the two agreed to deepen their already close collaboration against Lashkar-e-Taeba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and other terrorist threats. While LeT is held responsible for the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, JeM is blamed for the January 2 attack on the Indian Air Force station at Pathankot. Rice and Jaishankar also "affirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation on climate change, trade and defence," according to a statement by National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson Ned Price. "They also discussed US-India collaboration against Lashkar-e-Taeba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and other terrorist threats," it said. "Building on their leaders' commitment to make the US-India partnership a defining relationship for the 21st century, they agreed to deepen their already close collaboration on these issues." Apart from Rice, Jaishankar also had meetings with Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, US Trade Representative Mike Froman, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Under Secretary of State Thomas Shannon, Under Secretary of State Rose Gotteemoeller as well as other senior officials. In the US Congress, he had meetings with Chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Bob Corker, Chairman of Senate Armed Services Committee Senator John McCain and Chairman of Senate Intelligence Committee Senator Richard Burr to exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues. (Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in) New Delhi/Kolkata, March 9 : The Left parties on Wednesday met Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi and demanded strong action against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for "threatening the voters" in the upcoming state assembly poll during a television interview last week. Submitting a video CD of the interview given by Banerjee to private Bengali channel 24 Ghanta, hours after the announcement of the election schedule by the commission on March 4, the two-member Left delegation termed as "outrageously shocking" her comments that only her administration, and not the central security forces, will be there after the polls to provide security to the people. "What is outrageously shocking is, as if on cue and in response to the official announcement about the security arrangement, she brazenly threatened the voters of intimidation. "She candidly stated that there will be no central security force in the state after the polls are over and it will be she alone and her administration which will be around!," the delegation comprising Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury and Communist Party of India secretary D. Raja said in a memorandum submitted to Zaidi in the meeting in the national capital. "Whatever reassurances to the voters were communicated through the commission's decision, in terms of creating a fear-free environment for the voters was sought to be immediately nullified. "The commission ought to examine this video and take strong action to reassure the voters once again that the model code of conduct does not allow for such blatant threatening to influence the electoral outcome," the memorandum said. The two leaders also accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of asking "electoral favours" from clubs which have received government grant. Claiming that the state government had spent Rs.270 crore on the grant, the memorandum alleged that top Trinamool leader Sudip Bandopadhayaya had asked the beneficiary clubs to "take up the challenge of the coming elections and ensure the stupendous victory of the Trinamool". "What he was insisting on was the principle of quid pro quo. This was plain and simple asking electoral favour for the Trinamool in return of tax payers' money." Alleging that the clubs will be used as bodies for influencing the election, the two leaders urged the poll panel to put the clubs on its 'special watch list' and take "pre-emptive steps to stop the possibility of any foul play". Rome, March 9 : There are around 5,000 militants fighting for the Islamic State in Libya and there is a danger local groups may join their ranks, Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Wednesday. "According to our analysis, there are around 5,000 IS fighters in Libya, concentrated around Sirte," Gentiloni said, referring to the coastal city lying midway between Tripoli and Benghazi. "But they are capable of attacking the Ras Lanouf oil refinery and of incursions into the northwest of the country, as we have seen in Sabratha and at the border with Tunisia," he noted. Gentiloni warned that local militias could join IS in a "macabre franchising" of the bloodthirsty Islamist group. "Italy needs to protect itself from this terrorist threat," he said. Earlier, Gentiloni told the Senate that Italy would only be involved in a military intervention in Libya if requested to by the North African country, and with parliamentary backing. Italy will not let itself be drawn into risky military intervention in Libya and will not be swayed by "drums of war", he said. "The Italian government will not be dragged into useless and even dangerous adventures for our national security," he said, noting there are 200,000 armed fighters in Libya including from various armies and militias and Italy will ignore "drums of war" and "jingoistic muscle-flexing". "To those urging military action against the Islamic State , we say military intervention is not the answer and could worsen the problem," he said, stressing his country would only be involved in a military mission if requested to by the North African country, with the backing of the Italian upper and lower houses of parliament. Europe and the US are considering a military response to IS's expansion in Libya, which has descended into chaos since the 2011 NATO-backed ouster of long-time dictator Muammer Gaddafi. Media reports have claimed French and Italian special forces are already on the ground. Italy will allow armed US drones to depart from Sigonella air base in Sicily to carry out defensive air strikes in North Africa "on a case by case basis", Italian premier Matteo Renzi announced last month. A member of the anti-IS coalition and Libya's biggest buyer of oil and gas, Italy has a particular interest in defeating Islamist militias and stabilising its former colony, where the turmoil is fuelling the smuggling of tens of thousands of migrants to Europe across the Mediterranean. Chennai, March 9 : Consumer products major Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) and Pond's HLL ex-Mercury Employees Welfare Association arrived at a compensation settlement, a company statement said on Wednesday. In the statement, HUL said a memorandum of settlement was reached with the workers association representing the interests of the former workers at the company's thermometer plant at Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu. "The memorandum of settlement reached was recorded in an order passed by the Hon'ble Madras High Court. The settlement has been entered into on humanitarian considerations to put an end to this long-standing matter pending in the court for several years and also is in keeping with the suggestion of the Hon'ble Madras High Court," HUL said. As part of the agreement, HUL, with an objective to ensure long term wellbeing of its former workers, has agreed to provide ex gratia payments to 591 former workers/association members and their families towards livelihood enhancement projects and skill enhancement programmes. The association, on its part, will withdraw its case against the company in the high court. According to the statement, HUL has been engaging with the former workers' representatives to reach an amicable settlement for the past several years. "In the last two years, the company has had multiple meetings with the former workers' representatives to resolve this issue in a mutually satisfactory manner," it said, quoting the employees association president S.A.Mahindra Babu as welcoming "the actions taken by HUL to bring these negotiations to a satisfactory closure". "We are pleased with all the terms of the agreement which will help to ensure the long-term health and well-being of the factory's former workers. We now consider this issue to be fully resolved and have no more grievance against the Company in this regard," said Babu. New Delhi: Questioning his silence over non-payment of salaries to hundreds of employees of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, a group of former women staffers has accused Vijay Mallya of misleading the government and employees over a revival plan. In an open letter, which comes on the occasion of International Womens Day, the women employees also accused the beleaguered industrialist of killing two airlines and rendering hundreds of people jobless. You say that you are not a defaulter. But you confidently told us during the meeting that banks wont be able to recover more than 5-10% of debt amount. That speaks volumes of your malicious intentions. Read: Citing 'Woodpecker Airlines', Arvind Subramanian takes apparent dig at Vijay Mallya In the same meeting, you promised revival, payment of our salary... This clearly means that you had no intention of reviving the airline while you kept submitting misleading revival plans to banks/DGCA, the women staffers alleged in the letter. According to sources, nearly 700 of the 1,500 employees, who still claimed to be on the payroll of the defunct airline, are women. The open letter comes when a consortium of public sector banks have moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction that Mallya not be allowed to leave India. The apex court has agreed to hear their plea on Wednesday. A Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) had on Monday barred Mallya from accessing $75 million (Rs 515 crore) severance package from Diageo till the loan default case with State Bank of India is settled. Diageo and United Spirits Ltd, owned by the UK-based firm, have also been asked by the DRT in Bengaluru to disclose details of the agreement they have come to with Mallya. SBI, which leads the consortium of 17 banks that lent money to the erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines, had moved DRT against Mallya in its bid to recover over Rs 7,000 crore of dues from him. Campobasso (Italy), March 9 : Police arrested a Somali imam in southern Italy on Wednesday for allegedly inciting other asylum-seekers to stage jihadist terror attacks including on Rome's central train station. The cleric was detained in Campobasso at the Happy Family centre accommodating asylum-seekers in the city. The imam "repeatedly encouraged other Muslims at the centre to commit acts of terrorism" showing them images of gruesome acts carried out by Islamist extremists, police said. He also exalted the Islamic State's deadly November attacks in Paris and urged guests at the Happy Family centre to travel to Syria with him and wage jihadr, according to police. Police seized the cleric's phone as well as that of another Somali asylum-during searches at the centre on Wednesday. Prosecutors in Campobasso are spearheading the ongoing probe in coordination with the national anti-mafia directorate and the European Union's judical cooperation unit Eurojust. Riyadh, March 10 : Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Wednesday stressed his country's support for the UN envoy's efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Yemeni crisis, Al Arabiya News reported. The announcement was made after a meeting in Riyadh of the Arab foreign ministers to discuss various regional issues, Xinhua reported. A Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis in Yemen welcomed on Wednesday the state of "calm" on the Saudi-Yemeni border to reach a political solution under the UN. The coalition, which has been engaged in a war in Yemen for almost a year, hailed the mediation of allowing the entry of medical and humanitarian aid to the nearby Yemeni villages. Meanwhile, spokesman for the coalition Brigadier Ahmed Asiri told reporters that the state of calmness and the Saudi commitment to a political solution in Yemen does not mean any negotiation with the Houthis. Also, the Gulf Cooperation Council countries expressed, in a joint statement, their support for a political solution in Syria and the importance of keeping Syria's territories unified. They also urged the UN Security Council for a process that could impose a more effective cease-fire in Syria. They reiterated their rejection to Iran's interference in the region and emphasised that Lebanon's Shia organisation Hezbollah is terrorist. Kiev, March 10 : A cargo plane with four Ukrainian crew members crashed in Bangladesh on Wednesday, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said. Two of the crew members were confirmed dead in the crash, one was critically injured and one went missing, the ministry's consular service department said in a statement on its official Facebook page, Xinhua reported. The missing crew member was later confirmed dead, raising the death toll to three, Sadhan Kumar Mohanta, manager of Cox's Bazaar Airport from which the plane took off, said in an update. The Ukrainian side will continue to closely monitor the investigation into the cause and circumstance of the crash, the statement from the Ukrainian foreign ministry said. The Antonov An-26 cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff into the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Bangladesh's southeastern Cox's Bazaar district at about 9:05 a.m. Initial reports from the Bangladeshi police suggested that a Russian pilot was killed in the crash. Tax and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg says that the governments proposed Residential Property Development Tax may lead to some investors pulling out of the market. The taxs designs, which the government invited commentary on last week, are predicted to raise 2bn over a decade to help contribute to the cost of cladding remediation work. The government said last week that the tax would be applied be profits from UK residential development and would encompass the conversion of existing buildings rather than the construction of new ones. Heather Powell, a partner and head of property at Blick Rothenberg, said: Governments plans to raise 2bn from residential developers to pay for the cladding crisis via a tax on their profits and will cause many investors to think again. She added: The Residential Property Development Tax is to be payable on profits generated from residential development in excess of 25m, but no deduction will be allowed for any interest and finance charges when calculating the profit to be taxed. As interest is a major cost for many developers the tax could push a profitable development into a loss. Cook Childrens Medical Centers South Tower Expansion in Ft. Worth Gate Precasts collaborative design-assist program was instrumental in helping our team achieve the milestone schedule and budget goals for the exterior skin. Sean Patrick Nohelty, AIA, with David M. Schwarz Architects of Washington, D.C. Gate Precasts proficiency in design-assist recently helped the project team on a major hospital tower expansion to expedite design documents and keep the project on track. To be completed in 2016, the new 314,000-square-foot, six-story Cook Childrens Medical Center South Tower Expansion required 667 panels for 76,000 square feet of precast cladding. Panels range from 1,000 to 55,000 pounds, with the larger panels reaching 14 feet wide by 47 feet long. Gate was heavily involved in precast design, joining the team in a design-assist capacity when design documents were at 50 percent. The architects intent was to match the existing look of the hospital campus and achieve the look of natural limestone with concrete precast panels, said Norm Presello, Gates project manager. The architect was pleased with the result. Gate Precasts collaborative design-assist program was instrumental in helping our team achieve the milestone schedule and budget goals for the exterior skin, said Sean Patrick Nohelty, AIA, with David M. Schwarz Architects of Washington, D.C. Advanced technologies were specifically invented for this project to emulate the sophisticated appearance and detailing of the original brick and limestone hospital building. Since thermal efficiency of the exterior skin is important to the owner, Gate provided a highly rated thermal panel system with two layers of concrete separated by a 3 layer of continuous insulation. To accommodate a severely limited site in the heart of Fort Worths hospital district, Gate developed a plan utilizing three cranes to minimize disruption to the site and surrounding hospital traffic. Contractor Linbeck Construction of Fort Worth required that Gate work double shifts to accelerate the schedule. We were able to accomplish this due to the ability of our Hillsboro, Texas, plant to ensure enough product was available, Presello said. More About Gate: Gate Precast Company is a subsidiary of Gate Petroleum Company, a privately-held diversified corporation headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. Gate Precast has become one of the largest and most diversified precast concrete producers in the United States, with eight manufacturing facilities, and is known for its design-assist collaboration with design teams. Annually, the company is recognized as a top subcontractor by Engineering News-Record Magazine and wins Best-in-Class PCI Design Awards for a wide range of projects. For more information, please visit http://www.gateprecast.com. About Cook Childrens Medical Center: For nearly 100 years, Cook Childrens has worked to improve the health of children from across its primary service area of Denton, Hood, Johnson, Parker, Tarrant and Wise counties. The hospital combines the art of caring with leading technology and extraordinary collaboration to provide exceptional care for every child. This has earned Cook Children's a strong, far-reaching reputation with patients traveling from around the country and the globe to receive life-saving pediatric care. New Delhi: As many as 2.37 lakh patent applications are pending with the government, mainly due to shortage of manpower, Parliament was informed today. "The total number of patent applications and trademark registration requests pending as on February 1, 2016 are 2,37,029 and 5,44,171 respectively," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. This pendency, she said, "is primarily due to shortage of manpower". The government has taken several measures to clear the applications and that includes sanctioning of 373 additional posts in the patent wing. "The selection process to fill up 458 vacant posts of examiners of patents and designs has already been completed. Besides, as a short time measure, 263 contractual posts of examiners of patents and designs have also been created," she said. In trademark wing also, she said, 108 additional posts have been created. Replying to a question on WTO, the minister said India remains committed to the Doha Development Agenda. "If it is concluded as per its mandate, it will result in better integration of developing countries in the global trading system," Sitharaman said. The mandate of the Doha Round of trade negotiations in the WTO includes phasing out of all forms of export subsidies. We are extremely happy with our growth this past year and with the continued strong growth we're already experiencing in 2016. It's looking to be another amazing year in real estate! December 2015 marked the 27th year that Skyline Properties has been serving the Northwest. It was a big year for the company with two new offices and over $1.3 billion in sales. Growth has been seen throughout the real estate industry, and veteran real estate brokers and new brokers alike are drawn to Skyline Properties for their low fee, 100% commission structure, and exceptional manager support. Ron Hennig and Pete Lance founded Skyline Properties in 1988 on the belief that brokers shouldnt have to pay 50 percent of their commissions along with a 6 percent franchise fee to get great support from a quality company. Ron and Pete were pioneers of the 100% concept back in 1988 and took some harsh criticism from other local franchises. Skyline Properties owner Ron Hennig remembers it well, To say the criticism we received was harsh would be an understatement. He goes on, Our program was a direct challenge to their established programs. Skyline showed local agents that a company didnt have to demand over 50 percent of their income to be dedicated to providing professional support. The concept worked. Skyline grew from one office in Bellevue with two agents in 1988, to five Puget Sound offices and over 640 agents today. This past year Skyline had over 3200 closings, $1.3 billion in sales and paid out over $32 million in gross commissions, and its not slowing down. The beginning of 2016 has continued to be busy as they open two new offices, an upgraded one in Northgate and a new one in Bothell. This growth also spurred on the need for two more managers and the appointment of a new Vice President, Scott Hotes. According to Ron Hennig, Scott was instrumental in many recent changes including the development of our new phone app. Scott first joined Skyline in the early 90s and for the last six years has served as a branch manager. His appointment to Vice President of the company came as a surprise to no one. As Ron Hennig reports, There are countless improvements that would not have been possible if Scott had not picked up the ball and supervised their completion. Skyline Properties is one of the most diverse companies in the greater Seattle area with over 70 different languages spoken. We are proud of being locally owned and operated with the greatest diversity of any real estate company in the Northwest, says Skylines owner Ron Hennig. We are extremely happy with our growth this past year, he continues, and with the continued strong growth were already experiencing in 2016. Its looking to be another amazing year in real estate! At the end of his first semester at Trinity College in Connecticut, Micah Onditi was in the same quandary college students around the country often find themselves in. The required textbooks he spent a small fortune buying throughout the semester were suddenly of no use to him. Onditi then spent the summer creating a smartphone application which would fix this problem. Before the summer began, Micah Onditi had no experience in programming, but the result of his efforts is Mivy, an app designed to help college students sell used textbooks directly to each other. Onditi came up with the apps name Mivy based on the first day he stepped foot onto Trinity Colleges campus, where he heard Mini Ivy, a term his college has affectionately been referred to as. The app which uses the catchy motto, Sell Last Semester. Buy The Next. already has hundreds of users at colleges throughout the Northeast. I made a direct line between us college students in order to get some retribution for all the money that we keep on losing Onditi Said. With Mivy, students now have a supportive network to obtain course supplies such as textbooks from each other and save a fair amount doing so. For this reason, he has limited Mivys users to those with an .edu attached to their email. Students can post textbooks for sale and browse books for sale by other users. The sellers set the prices, but buyers can uniquely make offers lower than the listing price, leading to negotiations and affordable deals. By creating a direct connection between college students, Onditi asserts that Mivy has advantages over other companies from which students often purchase or rent textbooks, such as Amazon, eBay, and Chegg. You might make more on Mivy than selling it somewhere else, Onditi said. Its a better alternative to other selling platforms. Mivy receives 7 percent of each sale price, unless a user is a campus rep who receive 100% of their earnings said Onditi, This is very competitive compared to other platforms, which charge around 10 to 11 percent. Onditi has also been learning a great deal from reSET, a Connecticut non-profit organization whose mission is to advance the social enterprise sector. He was recently accepted into reSETs Impact Accelerator program, which provides entrepreneurs with access to the knowledge, networks, and resources they need to grow their businesses. Onditi recognizes that he has taken on a heavy workload, but he maintains that he has no regrets. I knew that this experience would not be fun but Im grateful to have the opportunity to help people with Mivy, and that is all that really matters to me To help spread the word about Mivy, Onditi has recruited campus reps at many colleges along the northeast, and is looking to leverage this app to become a National dorm room name. (L-R) Lisa Reichmann, Rachel Miller, Tom Foreman, Lee Firestone, and Julia Sapper Foot and Ankle Specialists of the Mid-Atlantic, LLC (FASMA) podiatrist Lee E. Firestone, DPM, was featured as a local expert for the second annual RunFest event, hosted by Run Farther and Faster and ProAction Physical Therapy. The event, held at EVEN Hotels in Rockville on February 7, 2016, featured panel discussions on training and race strategy, injury prevention, and nutrition; gait analysis; nutritional mini-consults; local area fitness class samples; and a keynote speech by CNN correspondent Tom Foreman. Proceeds from the event went to cancer research and treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Dr. Firestone discussed how to run strong as you get older in a panel discussion titled Unlocking the Keys to Running Strong Through the Ages. Foot and Ankle Specialists of the Mid-Atlantic, LLC, has 24 locations in DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. To read more about Dr. Firestones involvement in the local running community, and to find a location near you, visit our website at http://www.footandankle-usa.com. We look forward to continuing to bring our clients best-of-breed blended solutions that incorporate Moodle while contributing to the longevity and sustainability of the open source Moodle ecosystem. Moodle, the worlds open source learning platform, today announces LEO as the latest company to join the Moodle Partner network. As a Moodle Partner, the organisation will use the Moodle trademarks and provide certified Moodle services and support to customers. In addition, LEO will contribute financially to the development of Moodle core. LEO build highly customised Moodle platforms which assist in solving the challenges faced by todays organisations. The team have been building, installing, hosting and maintaining Moodle sites for over ten years, in which time they have built and continue to maintain some of the largest workplace Moodle sites in the world. Im delighted to see LEO recognised as a Moodle Partner. After 10 years of implementing Moodle, it has become a key aspect of our platforms offering and assists us in achieving our vision of moving learning to the heart of business strategy commented Dale Solomon, Managing Director of LEO. We look forward to continuing to bring our clients best-of-breed blended solutions that incorporate Moodle while contributing to the longevity and sustainability of the open source Moodle ecosystem. "We're very pleased to welcome LEO to the Moodle Partner network said Martin Dougiamas, Founder and CEO of Moodle. Their obvious experience and passion for learning in the business sector enables them to offer quality Moodle services to clients. Were looking forward to a long, successful working and learning relationship together. The Moodle Partner network continues to grow. The addition of LEO totals 74 certified partnerships based in more than 46 countries worldwide. # # # About Moodle First released in 2001 by Martin Dougiamas, Moodle has since developed into a full-featured, flexible open source learning platform currently used in more than 230 countries with more than 70 million users worldwide. The focus of Moodle is to provide educators with the best tools to manage and promote learning. Supported by a global network of certified Moodle Partners, Moodle HQ continues to work with developers and educators worldwide to support a fast growing community of Moodle users. For more information, visit http://moodle.org About LEO LEO sits alongside organisations to help them move learning to the heart of their business strategy. With an unrivalled combination of experience, expertise and capability, LEO designs and delivers a strategic mix of world-class multi-device learning content, media, tools, and platforms. This enables them to deliver end-to-end learning architectures that fit seamlessly into global businesses and transform performance. For more information, visit http://leolearning.com/ ENDS Contact Collette McCann Moodle Marketing Officer press(at)moodle(dot)com Sources Moodle.com Leolearning.com Erin Moore, an elementary school teacher from The School of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, was awarded the 2016 Sarah D. Barder Fellowship Program administered by The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY). Ms. Moore was recognized for her excellence in motivating and inspiring children with advanced academic ability. Erin Moore, a 5th grade teacher at The School of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore, Maryland, was nominated by a CTY student for having a positive effect on that students education. Nominations for Sarah D. Barder Fellows come from students in CTYs summer and online courses who live in California, Nevada, and Maryland. Nominated teachers are invited to submit an essay describing their teaching philosophy. A panel of Johns Hopkins educators then selects a small number of educators from this group for recognition as Sarah D. Barder Fellows. Ten new Sarah D. Barder Fellows were inducted at an annual conference for fellows, held February 19-20, 2016 at the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront in San Francisco, California. All were asked to prepare a short presentation about their teaching approach. The annual conference gives educators from around the country a chance to come together to share stories and ideas about educating bright students. The theme of the 2016 conference was Closing the Excellence Gap. Something we hear at this conference every year is that there are teachers who are doing amazing one-on-one talent development for a large number of kids, and they rarely have the opportunity to be in the company of one another, said CTYs Executive Director Elaine Tuttle Hansen. It also offers the fellows something teachers dont get often enough: the feeling that they are valued and appreciated, says Amy Shelton, CTYs director of research. Fellows have told her that the fellowship energizes them and restores their spirits. Its great being able to celebrate the success stories that are out there, stories that dont normally get press, Shelton said. The fellowship was endowed in 1988 by Sarah D. Barder, an educator, philanthropist, parent, and fan of CTY who wanted to recognize talented teachers who successfully challenged and engaged academically advanced students. More than 460 educators have been honored as Sarah D. Barder Fellows in the 28 years of the program. For more information about the Sarah D. Barder Fellowship, visit: cty.jhu.edu/news/events/barder/. For more information about The School of the Cathedral, visit: http://www.schoolofthecathedral.org. ### About The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) A nonprofit at one of the nations premier universities, CTY identifies academic talent in the worlds brightest K-12 learners and supports their growth with accredited summer, online, and family programs, services, and resources designed to meet their needs. About The School of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen The School of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen is a Catholic school that celebrates the rich historical traditions of the past, works collaboratively with parents to invest in the present, and builds for the future. Cathedral offers students a rigorous, well-rounded education steeped in a Christ-centered environment to meet the challenges and leadership needs of an evolving world. Visit: http://www.schoolofthecathedral.org. Elyctis BKC Alexandr Gryanka, Director of the Department of Border Control Systems at BKC, Bancomzvjazok JSC, says:"Elyctis ID Box proved to be the most compact device with minimum energy consumption. It perfectly fits into our concept of portable terminal. Control at borders are often seen by citizens as cumbersome and time-consuming. For border officers, control need to be completed in a fluid manner to ensure a high throughput at border, while maintaining government-level security standards. In order to speed up the flow of visitors through Ukrainian borders, the State Border Service of Ukraine has been looking for a solution bringing flexibility and mobility. BKC, Bancomzvjazok JSC, a major systems integrator in Ukraine, has decided to rely on Elyctis technology to develop its BPT500M biometric verification portable terminal. The BPT500M allows to automate document verification at borders: it can read the MRZ (machine-readable zone) from ePassports and ID documents, and access data from the chip, including biographic (name, birthdate, nationality, etc.) and biometric data such as fingerprints, iris recognition and pictures. The BPT500M connects to remote databases over Wi-Fi, GSM, GPRS, 3G, as well as Ethernet. Elyctis ID Box One has been identified by BKC as providing a high optical and electronic performance in a reduced format, a key asset to build a mobile terminal. Also the possibility to process the ID document optically and electronically at the same time was essential in BKC decision to choose Elyctis technology. The fact the reader is Unix-based ensured an easy integration for BKC. The Ukrainian State Border Service uses BKCs BPT500M biometric verification portable terminal at its checkpoints, to control travel documents such as ePassports and ID cards of Ukrainian and foreign citizens when they cross the countrys borders. As the BPT500M is portable, State Border Service officers are able to control aboard international trains, to help pedestrians along wait lines and to perform controls of automobile drivers and passengers along highways. Whenever a document is presented, the BPT500M reads the documents optically, and thanks to the MRZ data, accesses the data contained in the documents chip. The reader may optionally go online and check the persons identity against the State Border Service of Ukraine remote databases. Alexandr Gryanka, Director of the Department of Border Control Systems at BKC, Bancomzvjazok JSC, says: During the development of the portable document biometric verification terminal BPT500M we examined a number of readers from different makers. Consequently we've decided in favor of Elyctis as it makes it possible to combine all needed properties in a balanced manner. Elyctis ID Box proved to be the most compact device with minimum energy consumption. It perfectly fits into our concept of portable terminal. Alexandre Joly, CEO of Elyctis, adds The integration of our readers by BKC is the best demonstration of their versatility: Elyctis design may not be recognizable in BKC mobile device, but our technology provides the base for a seamless integration. About BKC (Bancomzvjazok JSC) Bancomzvjazok JSC is a high-tech company that provides effective integrated information management solutions for corporate clients. BKC has been a supplier of innovative border control technologies for the State Border Service of Ukraine since 1997. It has been integrating developments of leading global producers and its own solutions into the unified automated system to meet the up-to-date security standards of all border control processes at each of 212 Ukrainian checkpoints: document verification (portable document biometric verification terminals, eGates, mobile checkpoints), biometric-based identification (fingerprint, facial), vehicle control (number-plate recognition), perimeter intrusion detection (IP cameras, multi-sensor system, IR laser PTZ cameras, underground sensors), portable document biometric verification terminals and mobile checkpoints. More information at http://www.bkc.com.ua Contact Alexandra MASLOVA, PR Manager, Phone: +380(44) 496 0096 Email: maslova(at)bkc(dot)com(dot)ua About Elyctis Headquartered in Pertuis, France, Elyctis specializes in the development of hardware and software dedicated to Secure Identity Documents (e-passport, e-ID card, e-driver license, ...). The company, created in 2008, has a longstanding expertise in eID projects, as well as hardware and software developments. More information at http://www.elyctis.fr Within the pages of Vincent Chiedus new book, 100 THINGS JESUS DID NOT SAY, ($20.99, paperback, 9781498440929; $31.99, hardcover, 9781498440936; $9.99, e-book, 9781498440943) readers will discover a diligent biblical treatise that addresses some of the conflicts that plague the minds of many Christians on how to properly serve the Lord in Spirit and in truth while at the same time living in a world that would have us do the opposite. The thrust of this seminal work is to dispel some of the most popular myths and fables that are being purported to be Christ's teachings. Author stresses that men have introduced so much complexity and dubious misinterpretations to the Gospel message that have led to fractious contentions in the body of Christ and ridicule and disdain by the world at large. The ultimate goal is that men would be like Christ said in John 8:36, "free indeed, states the author. My prayer is that we would receive illumination and insight into the eternal harmony and consistency in the Word of God and that the words we read in this book will ignite a hunger in us to be found in His will for our lives. Vincent Chiedu describes himself as simply a Christian sold out to the Lord and His work on earth. He is President of Surrender and Triumph Outreach and Revival Ministries involved in teaching the Word of God and charitable giving. He began his faith journey as an usher in church and rose to several leadership roles. He has also served as anchor on a Christian prayer program for three years on the radio. Xulon Press, a division of Salem Media Group, is the worlds largest Christian self-publisher, with more than 15,000 titles published to date. Retailers may order 100 THINGS JESUS DID NOT SAY through Ingram Book Company and/or Spring Arbor Book Distributors. The book is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com. Media Contact: Vincent Chiedu Email: one100things(at)yahoo(dot)com With greater strains on the healthcare system, doctors are looking to nurses to perform higher-level responsibilities, says Campus President Mike Fontaine. In turn, those nurses must first acquire higher-level skills. ECPI University is proud to announce its acquisition of Remington College of Nursing, located just outside Orlandos city center in Lake Mary, Florida. With it, ECPI University is now able to offer an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) which allows students to graduate in just one year. This is one of the very few programs in the country that allow recent college graduates to prepare for a nursing career in such a short time, says Orlando Campus President Mike Fontaine. Its a tremendous opportunity for someone to enter the nursing profession without disrupting their lives and having to attend college for several years. To enroll in this program, prospective students need to have earned a bachelors degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Any major is accepted business, history, one of the sciences, etc. In certain cases, some prerequisite class may be required prior to enrollment. We believe this program is going to be a great benefit to the healthcare profession as a whole, says Fontaine. Baby boomers are aging and demand for healthcare is on the rise. With greater strains on the healthcare system, doctors are looking to nurses to perform higher-level responsibilities. In turn, those nurses must first acquire higher-level skills. This trend in evidenced by a campaign underway by the American Nurses Association which has set a goal that 80 percent of all nurses hold a BSN by 2020. Nationally, employment of registered nurses is expected to grow by 16 percent between 2014 and 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Labors Bureau of Labor Statistics. ECPI Universitys College of Nursing is one of the largest in the Mid-Atlantic. The Orlando campus will mirror ECPI Universitys tradition of academic excellence and history of valued partnerships with leading healthcare providers. Faculty and staff at the University look forward to working with the campus impressive list of clinical partners which include: Orlando Regional Medical Center Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies South Seminole Hospital Dr. P. Phillips Hospital UF Health Cancer Center Orlando Health Health Central Hospital Nemours Childrens Hospital, Orlando Central Florida Regional Hospital Florida Hospital Fish Memorial Bert Fish Medical Center Central Florida Behavioral Hospital Florida Department of Health in Seminole County Florida Department of Health in Lake County For more information about this program, please contact ECPI University Orlando Campus President Mike Fontaine at 407.562.9100 or MFontaine(at)ecpi(dot)edu. For media inquiries, please contact ECPI University Director of Communications David Brandt at 757.213.3613 or dbrandt(at)ecpi(dot)edu. About ECPI University ECPI University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, baccalaureate, and master degrees and diploma programs. With campuses in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, ECPI, a private university established in 1966, offers convenient classes during the day, evening, and online; graduate employment services are provided. Continuing education certification classes and testing are also available. Throughout all campuses and online, its fields of study include: HEALTH SCIENCES: Master of Science in Nursing, Nursing (RN to BSN), BS to BSN, Nursing (RN), Practical Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Health Information Management, Physical Therapist Assistant, Massage Therapy, Dental Assisting, Medical Assisting, Radiography, Sonography, Surgical Technology; TECHNOLOGY: Network Security, Information Systems, Software Development, Cloud Computing, Web Development, Database Programming, Electronics Engineering Technology, Mechatronics/Advanced Manufacturing, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Medical Imaging Equipment Technology; BUSINESS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Master of Business Administration (MBA), Accounting, Business Administration, IT Management, Hospitality Management, Criminal Justice, Homeland Security; CULINARY: Culinary Arts, Culinary Nutrition, Food Service Management, Baking and Pastry Arts. (Program field availability varies by campus.) For more information, visit http://www.ecpi.edu. Bluestream Database Software Corp.a provider of DITA-enabled Component Content Management System (CCMS) solutionsis pleased to announce the integration of Adobe FrameMaker (2015 release) and Adobe FrameMaker XML Author (2015 release) with Bluestreams XDocs CCMS version 4.1. Adobe FrameMaker (2015 release) is a complete solution for bidirectional technical content, allowing users to author with best-in-class XML/DITA support and publish natively across channels, mobile devices, and formats. It also enables users to collaborate seamlessly with experts and manage content using integration with leading CMSs. Adobe has certified the XDocs connector and FrameMaker (2015 release) users can enjoy the benefits of XDocs 4.1. The XDocs CCMS addresses increasingly complex demands for content. It provides an end-to-end solution to create, find, update, manage, translate, and deliver content with unparalleled agility. This integration is accomplished through the DITA-FMx plugin and XDocs FMx connector, both from Leximation, Inc., who have been providing integration since FrameMaker version 7.2. This allows for seamless interoperability between FrameMaker (2015 release) and the XDocs repository. Users can easily access, browse, check in/out, create, and update CCMS content and moredirectly from the FrameMaker authoring environment. We are happy that XDocs CCMS is providing integrated functionality with the 2015 Release of FrameMaker and FrameMaker XML Author. This integration will ensure better version control, streamlined workflows, and content reusability. It is good news for many of our customers who enjoy the benefits of Adobes XML/DITA and DTD supported authoring and publishing tools, along with the full benefits of the XDocs CCMS end-to-end content creation, management, localization, and publishing solutions, said Vivek Kumar, Head, Engineering and Product for Adobe Technical Communication Products. Bluestream XDocs continues to add value to the Adobe FrameMaker user community. Bluestreams Nenad Furtula, VP Sales and Marketing, comments that The release of FrameMaker and FrameMaker Author 2015 is further proof of Adobes commitment to the technical writing space, in particular to structured authoring and DITA. The integration between XDocs and FrameMaker allows for a superior user experience when authoring, managing, and publishing DITA content. About Adobe Systems Incorporated Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information. Adobes award-winning software and technologies have set the standard for communication and collaboration for more than 25 years. Adobes Technical Communication group delivers best-in-class tools and services aimed at facilitating the end-to-end process of creating ground-breaking content, publishing it seamlessly across media and devices, and achieving greater business success. These tools help deliver contextual, consumable, and actionable content while offering highest return on investment. About Bluestream Bluestreams flagship product is the XDocs Component Content Management System (CCMS), a standards-compliant single-sourcing solution that enables technical communicators to create, manage, and store large volumes of both XML and non-XML content. XDocs enables organizations of all sizes to realize the benefits of DITA at a lower cost than the competition while providing a comparable or better quality systemthus offering unparalleled value. Bluestream customers range from Fortune 100 organizations seeking complex cross-departmental DITA solutions to small businesses containing single author documentation teams. Bluestream has been in business since 1997 and has customers in many verticals, among them software, oil and gas, health care, military, manufacturing, and finance. About Leximation Leximation, Inc. has been providing tools and solutions for print and online publishing since 2004. Located in San Rafael, California, Leximation supports clients worldwide. Leximation is a respected developer of popular FrameMaker plugins such as DITA-FMx and BookVars. They also offer custom FrameMaker to DITA conversions, and other types of DITA and FrameMaker development. Leximation can assist with online Help and EPUB creation as well as many other types of custom development for the techcomm and publishing industries. Leximation excels at distilling the essence of the problem and providing targeted solutions. Bluestream Media Contact Nenad Furtula, VP Sales and Marketing nenadf(at)bluestream(dot)com Bluestream Database Software Corp. 200 1168 Hamilton Street, Vancouver, Canada Tel: +1.604.669.4469 An exceptional commitment to nurturing and developing talent throughout their organization and maintaining a wide range of HR initiatives aligned with their company culture allows these outstanding organizations to grow, develop, and maximize performance. Top Employers Institute, which certifies leading employers around the world for company-wide excellence in human resource (HR) policies and practices, announced Top Employers USA 2016 certified companies during the Top Employers Americas Gala in Washington, D.C., last night. Top Employers Institute also announced the opening of its first office in the U.S. in Alexandria, Virginia, which will serve as the organizations Americas headquarters. The Top Employers USA 2016 companies are: BSH Home Appliances, Chiesi USA, DHL Express, Dimension Data, Faurecia USA Holdings, JT International USA, Orange Business Services-USA, Saint-Gobain North America, Tata Consultancy Services, Technip USA and Valeo North America. The Top Employers USA 2016 certified companies opened their doors and allowed us to analyze and validate through our comprehensive research that they are among the best of the best in human resource policies and practices that support talent, growth and expertise, said Top Employers Institute CEO David Plink. An exceptional commitment to nurturing and developing talent throughout their organization and maintaining a wide range of HR initiatives aligned with their company culture allows these outstanding organizations to grow, develop, maximize performance and attract and retain the best talent. Among the elite companies around the globe that have earned Top Employers certification are Accenture, BASF, ING Group, Pepsico, Pfizer, SAP, General Motors, Samsung, Volkswagen and Unilever. During the certification ceremony, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones welcomed Top Employers Institute and helped honor companies from throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America that earned Top Employers certification this year. As we work to build a new Virginia economy, we are strategically driving change and thriving in a global environment that demands flexibility and innovative leadership, said Governor McAuliffe. We have made it a top priority to educate and train 21st century workers so they have the right skills to fill the jobs that are in demand today and those that will be needed in the future. Top Employers Institute is advancing excellence in workplace practices and policies, and we are proud that this organization has chosen Virginia for its U.S. and Americas headquarters. Top Employers certification is awarded each year to a select group of employers that demonstrate forward-thinking HR practices, have exceptional employee offerings, and foster an employee environment that promotes the personal and professional development of its employees. Companies earning Top Employers certification must complete a rigorous research and evaluation process that includes assessment of over 600 HR best practices in the following nine areas: Talent Strategy, Workforce Planning, On-Boarding, Learning & Development, Performance Management, Leadership Development, Career & Succession Management, Compensation & Benefits, and Culture. Following validation and an independent external audit, performance scores are rated against an international standard of excellence and only those employers that achieve the required level earn the right to be recognized among an elite group of employers worldwide. Every company participating in the certification process, whether or not they achieve certification, receives comprehensive feedback. Aligning talent to the values of your organization and your business goals treats HR and its leaders as a key strategic partner and driver of the business and its success, said Plink during the certification dinner. Identifying the best HR policies and practices and actively benchmarking employee development are the standards by which talent is developed both locally and globally, and your leadership in shaping the careers of your teams will have impact for years to come. Top Employers Institute has been certifying employers worldwide for excellence in HR best practices that advance the development of employees since 1991. Top Employers, which certifies employers at the country, continental and global levels, began awarding Top Employers USA certifications in 2015. About Top Employers Institute Top Employers Institute, headquartered in the Netherlands and founded in 1991, is an independent organization that certifies excellence in HR practices and the environment employers have in place for employees to advance their development. For 25 years, Top Employers Institute has certified exceptional employers around the world with its annual Top Employers Global, Top Employers Continental, and Top Employers Country certifications. In 2016 alone, Top Employers Institute has certified more than 1,100 companies in 100 countries. Top Employers opened its Americas headquarters in Alexandria, VA in 2016. In 2015, Top Employers entered into a strategic global partnership with U.S.-based HR Certification Institute, the premier credentialing organization for HR professionals worldwide to expand the global reach of both organizations in a shared mission to raise the level of excellence of the human resource management profession. # # # The Bombay high court on Tuesday granted a days time to Bollywood actor Sooraj Pancholi to issue notice to Central Bureau of Investigation so that the investigating agency could file reply on his petition seeking back his passport as well as the courts permission to travel abroad. Pancholi is facing the charge of driving his girlfriend actor Jiah Khan to commit suicide. He has been released on conditional bail and his passport has been confiscated by the investigating agency and hence he is required to take the courts permission to travel abroad. Pancholi in his application has said that he has to travel outside the country to fulfil certain professional commitments and has requested the court to direct the investigating agency to hand him over his passport and also allow him to travel abroad. In his petition he has assured the court that he would return his passport to the investigating agency after returning to India. However, when the application came up for hearing before Justice Mridula Bhatkar, the government pleader on behalf of state government informed the court that the investigation has now been transferred to the CBI by an order passed by the high court. The court then asked the petitioner to give notice to CBI so that it could file reply on his petition. Justice Bhatkar than posted this matter for hearing on Wednesday. Jiah had allegedly committed suicide on June 3, 2013 after hanging herself from a ceiling fan in her suburban Juhu residence. Jiahs boyfriend-actor Pancholi was arrested on June 10, 2013 for abetting her suicide but was released on July 2 after the HC granted him bail. However, Rabiya Khan, Jiahs mother suspects that her daughter was murdered by someone and hence she filed a petition in the high court seeking a probe by an independent agency under the courts supervision. Following this, the high court in July 2014 transferred probe in the case to CBI. CBI, after investigation, submitted its chargesheet before a trial court here and charged Pancholi for abetment of suicide. Not satisfied with CBIs probe also, Rabia once again filed petition in the high court seeking investigation by a Special Investigating Team. Danya's talented team of professionals has done tremendous good work on so many issues in public health, early childhood education, and food security both in the United States and Africa, stated Dr. Hoffman. Danya International, Inc. (Danya), a communications, research, and technology firm, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. In two decades, Danya has transformed from a nascent effort born in its founders basement into a dynamic company that provides innovative solutions for social impact in public health and education for its myriad clients. After a successful career as a clinician, researcher, and executive, Dr. Jeff Hoffman decided to take an unexpected professional change as inspiration to focus on communicating his expertise in addiction treatment and research to the public in positive and impactful ways. Dr. Hoffman named this small startup Danya after his young children Daniella and Yaniv (and later Daphna), whom he could hear playing above his basement office where he began writing the government proposals that would become the backbone of his company. Today, Danya continues to focus on bringing positive changes to the lives of those we reach through our work. Through nearly 200 contracts and grants that have taken the company to some of the farthest and most disadvantaged reaches of the world, our work has helped reduce addictions, prevent diseases, promote the health and education of young children and their families, reduce hunger and increase food security, and promote diversity and inclusion in everything we do. Danya has served Federal Government, military, nonprofit, and private industry clients through our extensive expertise, a diverse range of tools and technologies, and the ability to identify emerging solutions and apply them to improve project outcomes. Some of our most notable contracts include providing monitoring support for the Office of Head Start; communications, training, and outreach for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and training and technical assistance for Naval substance abuse counselors. In looking forward, Dr. Hoffman notes that while Danya has made significant contributions to providing innovative solutions to some of the most pressing global public health issues, much remains left to do. Future plans include collaborating with our strategic partners and building Danyas core capabilitiescapacity building; communications; monitoring, evaluation, and research; and technology solutionsto allow us to address a wider range of social issues. Danya's talented team of professionals has done tremendous good work on so many issues in public health, early childhood education, and food security both in the United States and Africa, stated Dr. Hoffman, and I feel honored to have been a part of this team and the social impacts we have accomplished during these past 20 years. Danya looks forward to continuing our partnership with the Government and our corporate and nonprofit partners to increase and expand these impacts. ### Danya is dedicated to making an impact in health and education. Danya is a leader in providing technology-enabled solutions by using innovative communications, evaluation, and technology programs. Danya is based in Silver Spring, Maryland, with an office in Atlanta, Georgia. To learn more about the company, visit http://www.danya.com. Xconomy's Robo Madness By supporting Robo Madness as a sponsor and as an attendee, we are strengthening our relationships in this exciting market. And were forming new alliances with the local innovators involved in envisioning and creating the next wave of robotics. Cirtronics, a New-England based contract manufacturer, is proud to be a Gold Sponsor and participant in Xconomys upcoming Robo Madness forum in Boston, MA, March 31st, 2016. The forum will be exploring the future of robotics, and the roles the Boston Area Technology hub can play in bringing new generations of technology to realization. From medical robotics to consumer products, robotics is playing an increasingly important and familiar role in technologically advanced cultures. Cirtronics manufactures robots for the top robotics companies in the world. Cirtronics success is founded on Precision Engagement, an integrated system of purposeful, proactive, communication and support, offering seamless project evolution from design reviews to production, testing, and aftermarket support and fulfillmenttailored specifically to the needs of each customer. Supporting this revolutionary technology continues to be exciting for us, says David Patterson, Chief Operating Officer of Cirtronics. We rely on our innovation as well as our core competencies to best serve our robotics customers. Cirtronics offers reviews of design for manufacturing and design for testing. We are quality-focused in our manufacturing processes, offering space for custom test tracks for testing semi-autonomous robotic devices. We bring all of our capabilities to the service of our customers. Were truly dedicated to their success and the projects they entrust to us. Cirtronics offers leading edge technical capabilities and experience, integrated lean manufacturing methods, and a true dedication to quality. Combining these with a sincere focus on fostering proactive and positive customer relationships through Precision Engagement, Cirtronics is in the business of building confidence as well as products. By supporting Robo Madness as a sponsor and as an attendee, we are strengthening our relationships in this exciting market. And were forming new alliances with the local innovators involved in envisioning and creating the next wave of robotics. Cirtronics is a locally owned and operated, contract manufacturer for electronics, electro-mechanical assemblies and box builds for a wide range markets including robotics, med/tech, communications, aerospace, military, security, industry, and others. Cirtronics is an Employee Owned Company (ESOP) that qualifies for US government woman-owned and small business status. To learn more about Cirtronics and Precision Engagement, visit http://www.cirtronics.com. Flex-Team Inc., a leading staffing agency in the Industrial and Clerical/Administrative staffing channels, announced today they have won Inaveros Best of Staffing Client Award for providing superior service to their clients. Presented in partnership with CareerBuilder, Inaveros Best of Staffing Client winners have proven to be industry leaders in service quality based completely on the ratings given to them by their clients. On average, clients of winning agencies are nearly three times as likely to be completely satisfied with the services provided compared to those working with non-winning agencies. Focused on helping Northeast Ohio companies find the right people for their job openings, Flex-Team, Inc. received satisfaction scores of 9 or 10 out of 10 from 72.7 percent of their clients, significantly higher than the industrys average of 27 percent. Award winners make up less than two percent of all staffing agencies in the U.S. and Canada, who earned the Best of Staffing Award for service excellence. Our company works hard to make service a priority and we are proud and honored to be recognized for our efforts in this way. We will continue to work to continuously improve our service levels to our clients, Flex-Teams President, Rick Pollock said. Leaders of growing companies are more committed than ever to staying flexible in this stable yet volatile market, making staffing firms the most viable employment partnership, said Inaveros CEO Eric Gregg. Finding the best staffing partner with a proven commitment to service excellence can be really tough. BestofStaffing.com is the place to find the winning agencies that place talent with the skills you need in your city or state. We are very proud of the 2016 award winners. About Flex-Team Flex-Team has been connecting businesses with qualified workers since 1986. Our #1 goal is helping our clients and associates reach their goals. Whether you are a business in need of flexible or long-term staffing or an individual looking for a place to call home, we are your partner. We have the knowledge, experience and talent to match both clients and associates with the perfect fit. Learn more about Flex-Team at http://www.flexteaminc.com. About Inavero Inavero administers more staffing client and talent satisfaction surveys than any other firm in the world. Inaveros team reports on over 12 million satisfaction surveys from staffing agency clients and talent each year, and the company serves as the American Staffing Associations exclusive service quality partner. About Inaveros Best of Staffing Inaveros Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the U.S. and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service quality based completely on the ratings given to them by their clients and job candidates. Award winners are showcased by city and area of expertise on BestofStaffing.com an online resource for hiring professionals and job seekers to find the best staffing agencies to call when they are in need. Local physician Dr. William J. Koenig is one of 500 doctors in the nation to receive the prestigious RealSelf 500 Award, out of nearly 13,000 board certified specialists with a presence on RealSelfthe leading online community helping people make confident choices in elective cosmetic procedures. He is the only Plastic Surgeon in the Rochester/Buffalo area awarded this honor. In a time when 1 in 4 U.S. adults share their health experiences on social media channels, the medical professionals that made the 2015 RealSelf 500 are recognized both for having an outstanding record of consumer feedback and for providing credible, valuable insights in response to consumer questions about elective cosmetic treatments, plastic surgery, dentistry and more. Dr. William Koenig specializes exclusively in breast, body, and injectable procedures at the Quatela Center for Plastic Surgery in Rochester, NY. Board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Dr. Koenig has over 23 years of experience in breast augmentation, tummy tuck, liposuction, body sculpting procedures, and Botox and injectable fillers. He has performed over 1,600 breast augmentations in the past 12 years in Rochester, and in 2012 presented his low complication rates compared to national averages at the Northeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons. Dr. Koenig feels honored to be a part of the RealSelf community educating potential patients. RealSelf empowers patients. We find that patients come in to our office very informed and educated when they have spent time on RealSelf learning from and sharing with the community of their peers. In 2015, these 500 doctors collectively impacted tens of millions of consumers, with nearly 30% of our total doctor content posted by this relatively small group, said Tom Seery, RealSelf founder and CEO. When I started RealSelf, many doctors questioned why they should give away their expertise for free on the web. Now, eight years later and with over one million doctor answers on our platform we are proud of the standard this select group has set. They're leading the way by empowering millions of consumers to gain access to the information they need to make smart and confident health and beauty decisions. Dr. Koenig is an expert contributor to RealSelf, and to date has posted 147 answers to questions on RealSelf. Each month people from all over world ask important aesthetic-related questions, such as what type of breast implant or breast surgery to choose for the best results. Dr. Koenig also maintains a patient star rating of five out of five stars in RealSelf reviews. For more information on Dr. Koenig, please visit http://www.quatela.com, and for the full list of RealSelf 500 Award winners, visit http://www.realself.com/RS500. About RealSelf Since its founding in 2006, RealSelf has created the world's largest community for learning and sharing information about cosmetic surgery, dermatology, dentistry, and other elective treatments. Our extensive collections of reviews, photos, videos and doctor Q&A make RealSelf the most trusted resource for those who are looking for help beyond the beauty counter. http://www.realself.com Both of these women embody the spirit and attitude that we are seeking from our contest-- Scrubs & Beyond President Karla Bakersmith Scrubs & Beyond, the largest multi-channel healthcare apparel provider in the country, has selected a winner in the inaugural Scrubs & Beyond Model Search contest. In an unexpected twist, two entrants were selected as the grand prize winners: Antoinette Davis, a pharmacy student from California and Katie McMullan, a pediatric nurse from Arizona. Davis and McMullan were chosen from nearly 2,000 entries from healthcare professionals throughout the country. Entrants were required to submit a photo of them wearing scrubs and a brief explanation of why they should win the grand prize. Both winners will receive a $300 Scrubs & Beyond gift card and an all-expenses paid trip to the Autumn 2016 photo shoot in April, and they will appear in promotional materials for the company. It was a difficult selection process but we are pleased to have Antoinette and Katie represent our brand, Scrubs & Beyond President Karla Bakersmith said. Both of these women embody the spirit and attitude that we were seeking from our contest, so we made the decision to have co-winners. We are looking forward to seeing them at our photo shoot. Scrubsandbeyond.com and the companys social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, will have further updates on Antoinette and Katie, including their photo shoots and reactions. The remaining top ten finalists are: Florenzhita Joize B. Cortes (Los Angeles, CA), Tesa Skye Johnston (Munford, AL), Carly S. Hampton (New Athens, IL), Dayna Pattridge (Henrietta, NY), Melissa Mandara (Beaverton, OR), Marissa Leavitt (Weymouth, MA), Judy Espinoza (Houston, TX), and Taylor Hurt (Slemp, KY). About Scrubs & Beyond, LLC: Scrubs & Beyond, LLC, headquartered in St. Louis, MO, opened its first store in September 2000 and is known for its fashion forward scrubs, outstanding customer service, and first-rate retail stores. In July 2013, Scrubs & Beyond acquired Life Uniform and Uniform City. With more than 150 nationwide locations, a quarterly 76-page catalog, plus shopping online at ScrubsAndBeyond.com and UniformCity.com, Scrubs & Beyond is a one-stop shopping destination for all healthcare apparel, scrubs, shoes, lab coats, hosiery and accessory needs. ### Cancer is a terrifying illness, yet it can lead us to a new life. I learned that when we suppress fear, we suppress joy; but when we face fear, our joy increases. It may sound strange, but Im happier now than I have ever been. March is National Colon Cancer Awareness Month. Anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer knows the gut-wrenching fear this diagnosis can bring. Thats particularly true for people diagnosed with colon cancer, the fourth most common cancer in the U.S. and the second leading cause of death from cancer. But while one in 20 people will develop colorectal cancer in their lifetime, with screening and early detection, over 90 percent of patients survive. Christopher Foster is a colon cancer survivor and author whose story about how a routine screening saved his life--and how he found joy in the face of cancer--was published recently in "Stories of Hope" on the American Cancer Society website: http://www.cancer.org/treatment/survivorshipduringandaftertreatment/storiesofhope/colon-cancer-survivor-says-routine-screening-saved-his-life After a surprise diagnosis of colon cancer in 2013, Foster decided to write a book about his experiences of fighting cancer and what he learned in the process. Cancer is a terrifying illness, yet it can lead us to a new life, says Foster. I learned that when we suppress fear, we suppress joy; but when we face fear, our joy increases. It may sound strange, but Im happier now than I have ever been. His new book, The Upside of Cancer (Singing Spirit Books), is an encouraging pocket guide that helps cancer patients overcome fear and find inner peace. http://amzn.to/1KmLV4L Foster writes about overcoming adversity with remarkable cheerfulness and honesty. He demonstrates, with stories from his own life, how cancer can help us face the fear of death, find solace in stillness and listen to the wisdom of our own heart. An eye-opening and heart-opening gift to anyone struggling with a cancer diagnosis." Gail Brenner, Ph.D., author of The End of Self Help: Discovering Peace and Happiness Right at the Heart of Your Messy, Scary, Brilliant Life Everything changed for Christopher Foster when he began to see cancer not as an enemy, but as a teacher. Harold G. Koenig, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Associate Professor of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center This uplifting look at one mans journey with cancer offers a spark of hope to so many others. Larry Krantz, MD About Christopher Foster: Christopher Foster was born in London, and has been a writer ever since he wrote his first story as a child during the Blitz in WWII. Now in his 80s, he is a former reporter and editor who has worked on newspapers and magazines in London, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), New Zealand, and Victoria, British Columbia during his long and varied life. Foster is author of seven inspirational books, including The Secret Promise of Aging. His first book, The Raven Who Spoke with God, has been published in ten foreign language editions. Chris lives in Denver, Colorado and writes about finding joy in the face of cancer on his blog, http://www.thehappyseeker.com. The Upside of Cancer Singing Spirit Books Published July 2015 Trade paperback, 56 pages Amazon book page: http://amzn.to/1KmLV4L Paperback, $8.95 ISBN: 978-0971179639 Kindle e-book, $4.99 ISBN: 978-0971179638 For more information, contact: Christopher Foster http://www.thehappyseeker.com http://www.thehappyseeker.com/contact/ North American Title Co. hires Marley in Allen, Texas, as business consultant Lisa is a well-known and respected professional in our market with the ability to connect and focus on customer needs. The Allen branch of North American Title Co. has hired Lisa Marley as a business consultant. Marley has five years of experience as a marketing and real estate professional in the Dallas area. We welcome Lisa to our Allen branch, said Donna Hunt, vice president and managing escrow officer, North American Title Co. She is a well-known and respected professional in our market. With her ability to connect and focus on customer needs, we are certain she will be a valuable addition to our North American Title team. Marley most recently served as marketing manager for a firm providing home foundation repair for Dallas-area homebuyers, primarily through their real estate agents. Previously, she worked as a real estate agent in the Metroplex. Marley has lived in the DFW area for nearly 30 years. Located at the North American Title office at 604 S. Watters Road, Suite 100, Allen, TX 75013, Marley may be reached at telephone number (214) 622-6611. About North American Title With well over 1,000 associates and a vast network of branches from coast to coast, North American Title (NAT) is among the largest real estate settlement service providers in the United States. Consisting of both agent and underwriter operations, NAT reported annual net revenues in fiscal 2015 of $229 million. The company also has the resources and stability of a wholly owned subsidiary of an S&P 500 company with over $14.4 billion in assets (fiscal quarter ending Nov. 30, 2015). North American Titles agency network operates nationally under the name North American Title Co. (NATC), and is located in 19 of the fastest-growing states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Through our relationship with our expanding affiliate network, NATC provides real estate settlement services in all 50 states. NAT is headquartered in Miami, Florida. To learn more, visit http://www.nat.com Craters & Freighters attended The National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM) annual conference at the La Cantera Hill Country Resort San Antonio last month, February 25-28. For the fourth straight year Gary McKinley, owner of Craters & Freighters of SW Florida, exhibited for Craters & Freighters Franchise who proudly supports the organization. This year at NASMM, Craters & Freighters presented their services and held a raffle for booth visitors giving away a new iPad mini to one lucky attendee. The National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM) is the leading membership organization for Senior Move Managers in the United States, Canada and abroad. NASMM is recognized for its innovative programs and expertise related to Senior Move Management, transition and relocation issues affecting older adults and their families. Craters & Freighters has been providing expert senior and logistic services for over 25 years and has over sixty brick and mortar locations throughout the United States. They are ever mindful of the struggles and emotions families and loved ones undergo during these transitional times by offering complete single source services of pick-up, packaging, shipping, insurance and delivery for both domestic and international clients. Senior Move Managers have the unique profession of not only managing and organizing an entire move, but to also ensure items are delivered in perfect condition to their clients new home or to family members throughout the country. Often times they call on moving, retail pack and ship stores or parcel shipping companies to assist with moving everyday belongings, but these are not always the right fit. Craters & Freighters fill the needs of clients during the stressful times in downsizing or estate liquidations. The 2017 NASMM Conference will be held in Indianapolis, March 9-12, 2017. The detailed and informative announcements will be posted on their website; https://www.nasmm.org/index.cfm About Craters & Freighters was founded in June 1990 to meet the needs of businesses and consumers for specialty freight handling. For over two decades, Craters & Freighters has been meeting Americas custom shipping needs with consistent, high quality professional packaging, crating and worldwide transportation services. We are looked to by both consumers and businesses to protect their assets with our unique range of services. The company serves consumers and businesses in all sectors including telecommunications, electronics, medical equipment, aerospace, biotechnology, and heavy machinery. With Expertise that Delivers, the company dominates the specialty freight industry. Learn more about our services: https://www.cratersandfreighters.com/ Carefully curated timeless pieces @ www.brethren.com We are passionate about jewelry, and were passionate about quality goods. Brethren was the next step in offering life-long quality pieces to both men and women. Launched in 2010, the Bella & Chloe vintage, sterling silver, jewelry and accessories e-commerce site focuses exclusively on one-of-a-kind pieces for women. Now, Bella & Chloe founders Tyler Odom and Seth Logan have expanded their vintage, accessories brand with a new site exclusively for men, http://www.Brethren.com. Expanding into mens jewelry and accessories was a natural transition for the brand. As we sourced pieces for the http://www.BellaandChloe.com site, we regularly ran across mens pieces that had the same vibe and level of quality. So, we knew we could offer a line for men that would be a perfect complement to the Bella & Chloe brand, Odom says. Odom and Logans passion for quality pieces drove their decision to grow the brand. As Logan explains, We are passionate about jewelry, and were passionate about quality goods. Brethren was the next step in offering life-long quality pieces to both men and women. Like Bella & Chloe, the Brethren brand is rooted in nostalgia and a natural curiosity for the world. This also reflects how Odom and Logan view their customers. Brethren offers pieces for men who are quality-driven, authentic, bold and unbound. Our customer is someone who appreciates timeless, unique pieces with a worn-in feel. He is one-of-a-kind and so are the adornments that feature prominently in his style, Odom says. You wont find mass produced items on the Bella and Chloe or Brethren sites either. According to Logan, We have always been dedicated to sourcing one-of-a-kind sterling silver pieces and giving them a new life. Odom and Logan do plan to integrate new, proprietary jewelry lines into both the Bella & Chloe and Brethren brands. Weve added a very talented jewelry designer to our team and are excited to further expand our business with new designs exclusive to both brands, says Odom. Along with the e-commerce site and new jewelry lines, Odom and Logan also plan to open a brick and mortar Brethren store in Dallas in April 2016. Customers will find the same unique sterling silver rings, pins, necklaces, wrist wear and accessories as the Brethren.com e-commerce site. About Brethren, LLC Brethren, LLC is a one-of-a-kind, vintage, sterling silver jewelry and accessories brand for men and a complement to the Bella & Chloe womens jewelry and accessories brand. The brand was created for quality-driven men with a natural curiosity for the world. Driven by ambition and nostalgia, Brethren offers sterling silver pieces of life-long quality for busy men who embrace a timeless style. Press Contact: Ruby Hunt Marketing Manager Bella & Chloe and Brethren, LLC (972) 689-3184 rhunt@bellaandchloe.com Crossing Delaware's Original Walking Man I grew up here and I love this city, and when I see the homeless population on the streets I always wonder what I can do to help, said Jessica Rosengard, Crossing Delaware creator. A Chicago native has launched a photo project and corresponding website that features original photography from a unique perspective. The Crossing Delaware photo project includes a website, crossingdelaware.com, with the goal of donating 20 percent of the proceeds from all art sales in March and April to Chicago area homeless shelters and food pantries. I grew up here and I love this city, and when I see the homeless population on the streets I always wonder what I can do to help, said Jessica Rosengard, Crossing Delaware creator. Buying a cup of coffee for someone or donating clothes is a good start, but I wanted to do more and thats how this campaign came about. Rosengards love for her home city is evident in the images she captures, and she knows there are many people like her whether they still live in Chicago or have moved on to other parts of the world. Its the idea that Chicago will always be my home and I have an opportunity to make Chicago a better home for people who are struggling, Rosengard said. Crossing Delaware features Rosengards original photography from around Chicago, as well as from her travels to Alaska and London. Rosengard plans to expand her catalog offering through further travels. Her photographs are available for sale on printed and framed acrylic and canvas, metal-printed photography, and individual prints. Rosengard works with shipping facilities around the world for efficient international delivery of photo art, which also makes great gifts, especially for those who will always have their hearts in Chicago. About Crossing Delaware Crossing Delaware is a photography project by Chicago native Jessica Rosengard. Along with her passion for taking photos of nearly anything in her path, Rosengard works on a few ongoing photo projects that are featured on this site. Most of the photos are from places in and around Chicago, as well as Alaska, Seattle, Wash., and London. As she explores the world, Rosengard plans to expand this collection. She is passionate about photography and continues to work on perfecting her skills. She considers herself an amateur photographer with an eye for the unique, unusual and otherwise hidden treasures in her daily activities. Many of Rosengards photos are of everyday objects most people pass by without a second glance. Her goal is to take new approaches to color, light and contrast in the hope that people will share her passion and spread the beauty of each unique view. By trade Jessica is an award-winning graphic designer as well as website designer. Irrfan Khan has lent his voice to the character of Baloo, Mowgli's loveable friend in the Hindi dubbed version of the Hollywood film. Neel Sethi, the young actor who landed the role of Mowgli in Disneys live action film The Jungle Book, was seen bond with Bollywood star Irrfan Khan. Irrfan who has made starred in several Hollywood films, will be lending his voice to the friendly bear Baloo, in the Indian dubbed version. Irrfans character Baloo, shares a close bond with Neels character Mowgli in the film and the books. The Bollywood star thus reached out to the young lad with a Twitter post saying, #Baloo says "Hello" from India :-) @TheNeelSethi my honey reserve is over and I need you ;-) #TheJungleBook. It wasnt long before Neel responded with his witty yet welcoming comeback. Disneys The Jungle Book is one of the most-anticipated films of recent times. It has been directed by Iron Man director Jon Favreau, and is a film adaptation of Rudy Kiplings adventure stories based in India. The Indian audience will get to watch The Jungle Book on April 8, a week before US release, as the Indian audience have grown up watching the cartoon adventure stories of Mowgli, Bagheera, Baloo and Shere Khan. Thomas Balk I believe StockViews will become the leading marketplace for high quality, independent investment research StockViews, the London-based equity research platform, has appointed Thomas Balk, the ex-head of Fidelity International, as Chairman. Balk has over 25 years experience in the global asset management industry, which includes 16 years at Fidelity. Prior to his responsibility as President of its international asset management activities, he held positions as President of Mutual Funds in Europe and President of the Japanese business. Balk joins fellow industry insider Thomas Beevers, CEO and ex-fund manager at Newton Investment Management, and Sandeep Bathina, CTO and an expert in artificial intelligence. StockViews represents one of several Fintech companies that is using the disruptive power of the Internet combined with new technologies to shake up the traditional asset management industry. Tom Beevers, CEO of StockViews said: Were delighted to have such a high caliber executive heading up our board. He brings with him a deep understanding of our customer needs and will be instrumental in shaping our strategy. His endorsement is a huge validation of this new approach to equity research. Balk has also taken a stake in the business as part of the recent capital raise. StockViews is the latest in an increasing number of successful London-based Fintech startups to complete fundraising this year. Other investors in StockViews include angel network Craigie Capital and the London Co Investment Fund. Thomas Balk said: The pace of technological change is forcing a shake up in the traditional investment research industry. As the hunt for alpha generation becomes ever more intense, fund managers will need to adopt new technologies to stay ahead of peers. Sell-side research has long had a poor reputation for generating results, and I believe StockViews will become the leading marketplace for high quality, independent investment research. About StockViews StockViews is an online equity research platform that connects professional investors with a network of independent analysts. StockViews was founded by Tom Beevers, an ex fund manager who was frustrated with the conflicts of interest and lack of transparency on the Sell Side. Sandeep Bathina, his co-founder is an expert in machine learning. By adopting best practice from modern marketplace models, StockViews aims to change the way sell side research is produced and consumed. Individualized learning is the cornerstone of a Benton Harbor Girls Academy education. "When you educate a girl, you change the world." Oprah Winfrey Michigans only all-girls middle school, the Benton Harbor Girls Academy, announced the launch of its $1 million capital development and endowment campaign at an event last night. Dr. Patricia Ann Quattrin, founder and executive director of the Benton Harbor Girls Association for Learning & Self-esteem (BHGALS), the 501 (c)(3) corporation under which the Benton Harbor Girls Academy (BHGA) exists, said the campaign was necessitated by the expiration of the Academys lease later this year. BHGALS is dedicated to enhancing the educational opportunities for high risk middle school girls in grades four through eight. Its goal is to expand academic and life experiences to give students the tools needed to succeed in school and in life. The Academy follows a non-graded concept with each classroom serving a maximum of 15 girls. BHGA is currently renting a small space in the parish building of St. John Church. The new campus will be created on seven parcels of land BHGALS owns in Benton Harbor. Modular office buildings donated by AEP/Cook Nuclear Plant will be arranged to create 10,000 square feet of spacious classrooms, a library, kitchen, and other school functions that will allow the Academy to open its program to many more girls. Half of the $1 million dollar campaign goal will be used for site preparation, building assembly and equipment, and landscaping, while the remainder will create an endowment fund to ensure the success and longevity of Academy operations. At present, Sponsors pay the $7,000 per student annual tuition, while grants and donations assist with operations, field trips and the Girls Discover summer program. Dr. Quattrin founded BHGA in 2010 as the State of Michigans only private, nondenominational faith-based school exclusively for girls. She chose to focus on middle-school girls because it is a pivotal developmental period. Around the age of 11, many girls start to turn away from math, science, and even learning itself, Quattrin noted. They often silence themselves, losing their confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth. She selected her hometown of Benton Harbor because the city is one of Michigans most economically challenged communities. High rates of poverty, teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, and low educational achievement have contributed to the citys decline. BHGA hopes its girls can contribute to the betterment of the community, both through the education they receive and sharing their talents with others. The curriculum and environment at BHGA support the four purposes of a person: spiritual, intellectual, social, and physical. Each girl receives an individualized education plan that helps her overcome challenges to achieve success. In addition to classroom studies, Late-Day Activities and the Girls Discover summer program incorporate appreciation for the arts, multicultural experiences, and community opportunities. Parents are empowered by monthly programming to connect them to local services that can improve their standard of living and allow them to complement their daughters education. For more information about the Academy, visit http://www.bentonharborgirlsacademy.org or call (269) 925-9922. Collaborating with Allens felt like a natural fit considering our long-standing partnership and their powerful presence in Austin. Lucchese, the legendary El Paso-based bootmaker, is pleased to announce the opening of its fifth store inside Austins esteemed Western wear store, Allens Boots on South Congress. Doors open March 10, coinciding with South by Southwest (SXSW), the music, film and interactive conference, which descends on Austin March 11-20. Lucchese had been scouting Austin for another stand-alone, flagship location to join Houston and San Antonio when the opportunity arose to create Lucchese at Allens, a store-in-store concept with long-time partner, Allens, the largest single-store dealer in Luccheses network. Luccheses handmade boots have been featured at Allens since 1978. Collaborating with Allens felt like a natural fit considering our long-standing partnership and their powerful presence in Austin, said Doug Kindy, President of Lucchese. Were thrilled to join the Austin scene, which offers the most diversified customer base in Texas. Designed by Lyn Muse Interiors, Inc., the award-winning firm that outfitted the Houston store, the 1400-square-foot space evokes Luccheses Western heritage and handmade craftsmanship while also honoring Allens strong foothold in Austin. The South Congress stores original brick walls, tin ceiling and reclaimed wood floors date back to the late 1800s, around the same time Lucchese set up shop in San Antonio. This vintage foundation coupled with contemporary touches helped create a casual vibe that reflects the individuality of the city, Allens established brand and the diverse clientele. "After 38 years, Allens continues to evolve and that's very exciting for our brand, said Erin Slade, General Manager of Allens Boots. "This opportunity gives our employees and customers something new and exciting to look forward to. As for Lucchese, were thrilled to be working together on this new venture heres to another (almost) 40 years!" In addition to the legendary, handmade Western boots hooking visitors as they enter, Lucchese at Allens offers an evolved assortment that includes Western-inspired footwear, apparel, belts, jewelry and accessories. Another standout feature is a custom boot area with countless leather options allowing customers to design their own Lucchese heirloom boots. Look for the Lucchese at Allens branded entrance at 1522 South Congress Avenue just shy of Allens iconic red boot sign. Store hours are 9-8 Monday through Saturday and 12-6 on Sunday. For more information call 512-447-1413. About Lucchese: Texas-based Lucchese is a legendary bootmaker and iconic brand of the American West. Applying the same craftsmanship principles and techniques since 1883, Lucchese artisans use only the finest leathers, preeminent materials and a proprietary twisted cone last to construct boots of unrivaled quality, fit, comfort and style. For more information visit: http://www.lucchese.com https://www.facebook.com/lucchesebootmaker/ http://www.twitter.com/lucchese1883 http://www.instagram.com/lucchese About Allens: An Austin tradition since 1977, Allens Boots is family owned and located in the heart of the South Congress shopping district. Allens offers a variety of cowboy boots, hats, buckles and apparel for every occasion. Home to iconic Western brands Lucchese, Ryan Michael, Stetson and Scully, Allens Boots can outfit the entire family from head to toe. With over 10,000 boots to browse, Allens offers one of the largest selections in the country! Can't make it to Austin? Visit us online http://www.allensboots.com. ### I am thrilled that this will enhance my ability to contribute to companies like BlackRidge Technology that are applying the principles of cryptography to securing internet computing BlackRidge Technology, the leader in identity-based network and cyber security, is pleased to announce that its advisor Whitfield Diffie has received the 2015 ACM Turing Award for critical contributions to modern cryptography which he shared with Martin Hellman, emeritus professor of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. Diffie has been a member of the BlackRidge Technical Advisory Board since 2012, actively advising the company on the practical use of cryptography in representing large identity populations, and on the important problem of establishing trust and accountability in corporate networks and cloud environments. Named for Alan M. Turing the British mathematician whose 1936 paper "On Computable Numbers" set out the mathematical foundations of computing and who was a key contributor to the Allied cryptanalysis of both the well-known German Enigma cipher and Germany's higher-grade "Tunny" cipher in World War II the Award honors computer scientists and engineers who created the systems and the underlying theory that have propelled the information technology industry. I was surprised and giddily happy to share the ACM Turing award with Marty, said Whitfield Diffie. This is the third time the award has been given in cryptography, which recognizes both the tremendous utility of cryptography everyone who goes online uses it every day and the big contribution cryptography has made to theoretical computer science. Diffie and Hellman were given the award for the discovery of public-key cryptography in the mid-1970s. I am thrilled that this will enhance my ability to contribute to companies like BlackRidge Technology that are applying the principles of cryptography to securing internet computing. Diffie said. I particularly like BlackRidge. BlackRidge Transport Access Control doesn't claim to cure cancer or keep your snake from squeaking; it does one thing and it does it well: it allows you to reject unwanted TCP connections quickly and cheaply. This not only avoids wasting computer cycles on intruders, it prevents them from acquiring information about the implementation of your system." Diffie came to BlackRidge Technology from a brief stint as Vice President for Security at ICANN, the organization that manages those aspects of the Internet that we do not know how to distribute. Prior to its absorption by Oracle, Diffie was Chief Security Officer of Sun Microsystems, expounding Sun's security vision and the strategy to achieve that vision. A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Diffie holds an honorary doctorate from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, which regarded his work on public-key cryptography as the creation of a new field of science. Diffie has authored more than 30 technical papers, testified to both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on the public policy aspects of cryptography. He enjoys multiple honors including fellowships in the International Association for Cryptologic Research, the Marconi Society, and the Computer History Museum. He is a member of the National Inventors' Hall of Fame and won the 2010 Richard W. Hamming Medal of the IEEE. Diffie's contributions as one of the world's foremost cryptographers are invaluable to BlackRidge's vision of establishing a chain of trust across networks and cloud services, said John Hayes, BlackRidge Technology's Chief Technology Officer. We really enjoy working with Whit and appreciate his ongoing intellectual discourse and active contributions to our identity-based approach to network security. ACM will present the 2015 A.M. Turing Award at their Annual Awards Banquet on June 11, 2016 in San Francisco, CA. For more information about BlackRidge Technology, visit http://www.blackridge.us. "Paul Macielak has been part of Hixny from the beginning, and I am confident he is the right person to lead our board through this next chapter, Mark McKinney, CEO of Hixny The board of directors of Hixny, the Regional Health Information Organization serving more than 1.6 million patients in the Capital District, Northern New York and the Mohawk Valley, has elected Paul Macielak, CEO of the New York Health Plan Association, as chairman for 2016. Macielak, whose organization helped form Hixny in 1999, will head a board made up of 16 thought leaders representing physicians, hospitals, payers, government and educational institutions, consumers, and employers. He succeeds Dr. John Bennett, president and CEO of CDPHP, who led the Hixny board for three years. Dr. Bennett remains on the board. We thank Dr. Bennett for his steadfast leadership during a time of incredible growth at Hixny, said Mark McKinney, CEO of Hixny. We enter 2016 in a strong position to expand our role in improving healthcare in our community, with new tools and services and statewide reach through the Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY). Paul Macielak has been part of Hixny from the beginning, and I am confident he is the right person to lead our board through this next chapter. Hixny empowers modern healthcare by improving the way the healthcare community and patients access, analyze and collaboratively act upon patient-specific information to promote operational efficiency, eliminate unnecessary cost, improve patient-outcomes and advance community wellness. In addition to Macielak, other board officers include Joseph Gambino, CEO of Hometown Health Centers as vice chair; David Kile, Director of Continuing Education and Professional Development at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, as treasurer; and Dr. Wouter Rietsema, Vice President, Chief Quality and Information Officer for The University of Vermont Health Network - Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital. Rounding out the board are: Dr. Lou Snitkoff, Chief Medical Officer, CapitalCare Medical Group; David Shippee, CEO, Whitney M. Young Jr. Health Services; Sumeet Murarka, Chief Technology Officer, Community Care Physicians; Bill Duax, Vice President- Information Systems, Albany Medical Center; Scott Groom, Vice President-Chief Information Officer, Bassett Healthcare Network; Chuck Fennell, Chief Information Officer, Saint Peter's Health Partners; Dr. Kirk Panneton, Regional Executive and Medical Director, BlueShield of Northeastern New York; Jim Hopsicker, VP of Pharmacy Programs, MVP Health Care; Barbara Hess, Chief Administrative officer, SEFCU; Katherine Alonge-Coons, Commissioner, Rensselaer County Department of Mental Health; and Bonnie Chavin, President of the Seymour Fox Foundation. Directors and officers are elected to serve a one-year term. --- Hixny empowers modern healthcare by improving the way in which the healthcare community and patients access, analyze and collaboratively act upon patient-specific information. Hixny is a not-for-profit based in Albany, NY, is a recognized national leader in population health management support. Hixny supports care coordination of more than 1.6 million patients in the Capital District, Northern New York and the Mohawk Valley. To learn more visit http://www.Hixny.org DC RUM 12.4 demonstrates our commitment to meeting the changing needs of IT operations teams. Digital Performance software company, Dynatrace today unveiled a new release of Data Center Real User Monitoring (DC RUM), version 12.4. This new release delivers end-user and transaction-centric performance monitoring for dynamic data centers, providing new visibility into software-defined networks and accelerating the transition of organizations to more service-oriented IT operations. By analyzing performance metrics in the context of the users experience, DC RUM enables IT teams to prioritize and solve problems directly impacting their users, helping organizations save valuable time and resources. In response to business demands, IT must deliver more and more complex application services using disparate platforms. According to Gartner, large enterprises manage an average of 871 applications(i). Dynamic, software-defined data centers facilitate this growth, but they also introduce new complexity and new challenges to delivering stellar user experience. DC RUM tames the complexity of todays dynamic IT environments with powerful insights and analytics that are easy to deploy and use. No matter how quickly new IT services are introduced to end-users, DC RUM 12.4 immediately discovers and reveals their impact on experience with deep network and application tier detail. It introduces visibility into virtual networks, transactional insights into new application environments, and new interfaces to external IT Operations Analytics (ITOA) and dashboarding solutions. Read Dynatraces blog post on DC RUM 12.4, here. Delivering positive customer experiences is increasingly becoming the responsibility of IT operations teams, particularly with IT's transition from managing infrastructure to delivering services," said Shamus McGillicuddy, Senior Analyst at Enterprise Management Associates. By addressing industry trends such as SDN and IT Operations Analytics, Dynatrace DC RUM helps provide organizations with visibility into how IT and network performance impacts user experience." Key capabilities and benefits in DC RUM 12.4 include: Application Dashboards: Summarize all application-specific KPIs on a single screen, leveraging modern tile-based visualizations. SAP, database, Citrix and web application dashboards are pre-configured and easily customized. Universal Decode: Facilitates rapid prototyping and delivery of transaction-oriented analysis modules by customers, partners and consultants to extend the value of DC RUMs transaction insights into new protocol environments, using a new scripting interface. Enhanced Auto-discovery: Provides immediate insight into network traffic patterns for more applications, cloud services (such as Google, Office365 and SAP Lumina Cloud) and virtual networks, highlighting unexpected use and deviations from the norm that signal application and service provider issueseven security violations. IT Operations Analytics: Delivers fast and automated fault domain isolation through sophisticated analytics examining end-user response time, tier-level transaction performance, network metrics, baselines and trends. New APIs deliver both pre- and post-analyzed data to external ITOA and dashboarding solutions such as ElasticSearch/Logstash/Kibana and Splunk. Virtual Network Visibility: Facilitates performance analysis and troubleshooting in increasingly virtualized data center networks by reporting on the VLANs, tunnels and QoS classes used by applications. High-Speed Agentless Monitoring Device (AMD): Dynatrace offers an early access program for the new high-speed AMD, scaling transactional analysis capacity by more than 10x to better accommodate modern data center traffic volumes. DC RUM 12.4 demonstrates our commitment to meeting the changing needs of IT operations teams, said Steve Tack, Senior Vice President of Product Management at Dynatrace. As modern data center and application architecture complexity increases, infrastructure monitoring alone isnt enough to understand service quality. The new iteration of DC RUM addresses the challenges of this changing landscape by supporting a seamless and effective transition to more service-oriented IT operations. The new release of DC RUM is available now to new and existing customers. For more information, click here. About Dynatrace Dynatrace is the innovator behind the industrys premier digital performance platform, making real-time information about digital performance visible and actionable for everyone across business and IT. We help customers of all sizes see their applications and digital channels through the lens of their end users. More than 8,000 organizations use these insights to master complexity, gain operational agility and grow revenue by delivering amazing customer experiences. Follow Dynatrace on: For Sales and Marketing Information: Dynatrace, 404 Wyman St., Suite 500, Waltham, MA 02451, 781-530-1000 Press Contacts: Kayla Siefker, Sr. Global Public Relations Manager, 313-227-3092, kayla(dot)siefker(at)dynatrace(dot)com Will Clark, Warner Communications, 401-714-4192, will(at)warnerpr(dot)com Dr. Dilip Madnani Meticulous attention to detail and a natural aesthetic define my work. From the initial consultation to the final results, my patients belong to me; ensuring their safety, comfort and results are all that I am focused upon Dr. Dilip Madnani, premier facial plastic surgeon from New York, has joined the prestigious Haute Beauty Network. The Haute Beauty Network, affiliated with luxury lifestyle publication Haute Living, is proud to recognize Dr. Dilip Madnani as a prominent cosmetic surgeon and the networks newest partner. Dr. Madnani has worked in New York since 2010 and specializes in face and neck lifts, upper and lower eyelid surgery and fat grafting/volumizing procedures to improve the shape and lines of the face. As a Haute Living Beauty Ambassador, Dr. Madnani will share his skill and expert opinion with the Haute Beauty and Haute Living subscribers, educating readers on his industry and providing exciting and relevant news, tips and insight relating to his specialty. This highly skilled cosmetic surgeon has a lot to share. Meticulous attention to detail and a natural aesthetic define my work. From the initial consultation to the final results, my patients belong to me; ensuring their safety, comfort and results are all that I am focused upon, said Dr. Dilip Madnani. The invitation-only luxury beauty network, which partners with just two doctors in every market, unites a distinguished collective of leading doctors. Designed as a partnership-driven luxury beauty portal, Haute Beauty connects its affluent readers with top cosmetic surgeons while offering the latest in news and showcasing new treatments, procedures and advancements on the market while sharing expert advice from its knowledgeable and experienced beauty partners. Dr. Madnani is excited to join the team and share his secrets with the Haute Beauty and Haute Living networks. About Dr. Madnani: Dr. Dilip Madnani is a facial plastic surgeon who is double board certified by both the American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Oto/Head & Neck Surgery. Dr. Madnani spent his childhood in Hong Kong and attended boarding school in Europe. Growing up as an identical twin and having a talent for drawing and painting, the field of Facial Plastic Surgery was a natural fit as he has always been defined by his face. Studying human faces was always fascinating to me, as an identical twin, we were always defined by our faces- people could never tell us apart despite our distinct personalities, Madnani says. Dr. Madnani came to the U.S. for his undergraduate education at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island and subsequently attended medical school at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He graduated medical school with a Deans recognition award and a distinction in research. After completing his internship in general surgery and residency in Oto/Head & Neck Surgery at Montefiore Medical Center, Dr. Madnani moved to New Mexico where he ran two successful private practices focusing on facial plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery of skin cancer defects of the face and neck, as well as all aspects of head and neck surgery. This experience further honed his skills as being one of the only Facial Plastic/Head and Neck surgeons in his corner of the state- he was exposed to an enormous variety of surgical cases that he was the only one qualified to perform. In New Mexico, he was Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Carlsbad Medical Center and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the UNM School of Medicine. Dr. Madnani has been working in New York since 2010 and specializes in face and neck lifts, upper and lower eyelid surgery and fat grafting/volumizing procedures to improve the shape and lines on the face. With a natural aesthetic and an eye for detail, Dr. Madnanis special training allows him to perform all his procedures without the use of general anesthesia, maximizing patient safety and comfort. Among his many distinctions, Dr. Madnani has been voted top doctor in his specialty by Castle Connolly. Outside of his private practice, Dr. Madnani holds a faculty position at the Albert Eisntein College of Medicine as an Assistant Clinical Professor and is involved in teaching residents at Jacobi Medical Center. To learn more, visit Dr. Madnanis Haute Beauty profile: http://hauteliving.com/member/dr-dilip-madnani/ OWL, Overhead Wire Laser Detector, from LSA Autonomy Velodyne LiDAR announced that it has collaborated with LSA Autonomy, which today unveiled the Overhead Wire Laser-Detector the OWL a 3D LiDAR sensor-based technology and software system that marks a quantum leap forward in the detection of overhead obstacles for oversize transports. By applying LSA Autonomys sensor processing software to Velodyne LiDARs HDL-32E real-time 3D LiDAR sensor, the OWL detects any overhanging obstacle that might interfere with special transports of oversize objects. When clearances are insufficient, the system alerts the operator in real-time with audible and visual warnings, while providing photographic imaging for clarity. Currently, transport companies use measured poles to determine whether an oversize load will be able to safely travel under a potential obstacle. Some companies have cars with telescopic poles attached to the front bumpers, while other companies have employees who walk while carrying poles of the necessary length. Logistically speaking, the OWL will have a transformative impact on the planning and actual transport of oversized loads, said Mike Grinnell, director of operations for LSA Autonomy. The reductions of cost, time, and risk to people, product, infrastructure and reputation will be enormous. We see this essentially as the beginning of real-time 3D perception and detection, said David Oroshnik, Velodyne LiDAR director of technical solutions. The OWL is one of the first products in the nascent sense-and-avoid market in which Velodyne LiDAR will be a key player. The Department of Transportation and every company that handles special transports of this nature will have to have one of these sensors on their roof, rather than trusting a guy with a stick to protect their million-dollar investments. The OWL is magnetically mounted to the roof of a vehicle, then plugged into a laptop on the passenger side. A threshold is keyed in based on the height of the object being transported. The OWL then takes 32 measurements across the road 10 times per second, using millions of points of data to provide precise height measurements of any potential impediments. The OWL system works at highway speeds, making it extremely valuable for pre-transport route surveys. However, when used for real-time alerting, the driver must travel at 25 miles per hour to allow for sufficient stopping time. The OWL system was developed at the request of one of the worlds leading advanced technology companies, after an incident in which an oversize transport caught a communication wire, snapping a telephone pole, bringing down a power line, which damaged a transport vehicle, causing a regional blackout and imperiling the lives of transport team members. In its first use, when deployed in tandem with the traditional pole methodology, the OWL prevented an accident by alerting the transport driver to an obstruction that the lead poles failed to detect due to the crown of the road. About LSA Autonomy Since 2011, Land Sea Air Autonomy LLC (LSA Autonomy) has been dedicated to providing technically sound, affordable autonomous solutions to the toughest challenges. LSA Autonomy finds new ways to utilize technology, improve technology, and enable technology to work in fresh applications for new markets by applying its strong background in robotics and autonomy applications, embedded real-time control systems, and sensor processing. The companys roots lay in the engineering of autonomous vehicles for military applications through the integration of vehicles and sensors with its own hardware designs and software components. The resulting systems are based on modular, open systems architecture designs that are both adaptable and platform agnostic. LSA Autonomy leverages commercial off-the-shelf computers and sensors, where possible, to effectively manage life cycle costs without sacrificing reliability, maintainability, or availability. For more information, visit http://www.lsa2.com. About Velodyne LiDAR Founded in 1983 and based in Californias Silicon Valley, Velodyne LiDAR Inc. is a technology company known worldwide for its real-time LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors. The company evolved after founder/inventor David Hall competed in the 2004-05 DARPA Grand Challenge using stereovision technology. Based on his experience during this challenge, Hall recognized the limitations of stereovision and developed the HDL-64 Solid-State Hybrid LiDAR sensor. Velodyne subsequently released its compact, lightweight HDL 32E sensor, available for many applications including UAVs, and the new VLP-16 LiDAR Puck, a 16-channel real-time LiDAR sensor that is both substantially smaller and dramatically less expensive than previous generation sensors. Market research firm Frost & Sullivan has honored the company and the VLP-16 with its 2015 North American Automotive ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) Sensors Product Leadership Award. Since 2007, Velodyne LiDAR has emerged as the leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of real-time LiDAR sensor technology used in a variety of commercial applications including autonomous vehicles, vehicle safety systems, 3D mobile mapping, 3D aerial mapping and security. For more information, visit http://www.velodynelidar.com. For the latest information on new products and to receive Velodynes newsletter, register here. Alfred Saint Jacques, Editorial Director, MDLinx MD Board Exam Prep, gives users the ability to fully customize how they want to study. MD Board Exam Prep (powered by MDLinx) launches a game changer in board exam preparation. The new site is designed for busy residents and physicians, with easy navigation and flat design. BoardExampPrep.com allows users to build their own review from thousands of board-exam style questions and exam-specific content written by MDs and PhDs. We have designed Board Exam Prep reflect the topics and format physicians need to test themselves, explained Al Saint Jacques, MDLinx Editorial Director. The questions are in line with what they will see on their board exams and subscribers can tailor the course to their needs; building confidence for when they take their board exams. BoardExamPrep.coms question bank is fully customizable and mirrors the ABIM, AOBIM and ABFM examination blue prints. The dashboard function identifies strengths and deficiencies and each answer provides thorough rationale and references. MD Board Exam Prep, gives users the ability to fully customize how they want to study, says Caroline Tredway, Clinical Content Manager for the website. They can focus on the content they want or review randomized questions according to their exam's blueprint. Tredway adds: BoardExamPrep.com allows the correct answers to appear as the subscriber moves through the questions or can simulate exam-day testing conditions; revealing answers when the test is complete. An added bonus is that users can see in an instant their strengths and weaknessesall in an effort to help them succeed on the actual exams. To experience MD Board Exam Prep for yourself go to Boardexamprep.com and start your FREE trial now. About MD Board Exam Prep MD Board Exam Prep powered by MDLinx helps prepare today's physicians for the rigorous demands of the board certification or maintenance of certification examinations About MDLinx The MDLinx award-winning website for busy healthcare providers to stay current on the latest medical news and information. MDLinx sorts, ranks, and summarizes medical news articles and journals for easy and accessible viewing. MDLinx provides quizzes in a wide variety of specialties to keep medical education engaging. These games and quizzes include The Smartest Doc series and a comprehensive set of Board Exam Prep questions. Captain America will take on Iron Man in the film that hits theatres on May 6. Were less than two months away from the new Captain America movie, and to get the excitement going, the makers released a set of character posters to introduce their star cast. While we have seen a number of fan made posters and a couple of teaser trailers, this long list of character posters have the superheroes taking sides. 'Civil War' is already one of the most talked about and highly anticipated films of 2016, that will see Iron Man go up against Captain America. Their fallout has the Avengers also picking sides over a Slovakian Accord, which states that Earths mightiest heroes will be held accountable for their actions. By the time the movie hits theatres on May 6, it wont be just the superheroes, but also the fans taking sides. #TeamCap comprises of Captain America, Falcon, Hawk Eye, Scarlet Witch, the Winter Soldier and Ant Man. The Winter Soldier Falcon Scarlet Witch Ant Man Hawk Eye While #TeamIronMan comprises of some familiar superheroes like Iron Man, Vision, Black Widow, War machine and will introduce a new character Black Panther. War Machine Black Widow Vision Black Panther This film will also introduce Tom Holland as the new Peter Paker a.k.a Spider Man. Recent rumours also suggest that the Hulk will join the superheroes in their fight against the common enemy Cross Bones. C12 Group Managing Chair, Steve McCullough I am confident that C12 will greatly impact the lives and businesses of our members as we encourage one another with a shared sense of purpose. The C12 Group, Americas leading Christian CEO and Business Owner roundtable organization, is expanding into Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA as they welcome new Managing Chair, Steve McCullough. Steve is a strong addition to our C12 Cadre, said C12s CEO & President, Don Barefoot. His extensive experience in the business world and deep commitment to our Lord will serve him well as he builds a new C12 practice in low country area of South Carolina and Georgia. We are extremely pleased that Steve has joined our team. He will be a tremendous asset to area business leaders focused on building great businesses for a greater purpose. McCullough will host two C12 Group introductory meetings for Christian CEOs and Business Owners at Daniel Island Club, 600 Daniel Island Club Drive in Charleston, SC. The first will be a luncheon meeting on Tuesday, April 19th at 11:30am-1:30pm and the second a breakfast on Wednesday, April 20th from 7:30am to 9:30am. Those interested in attending may contact Steve McCullough at 843.214.5459 or by email at Steve(dot)McCullough(at)C12Group(dot)com McCullough brings extensive experience to The C12 Group. He has worked for major companies such as ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips and most recently with privately-held EPIC Aviation. His extensive experience in sales and management enabled him to transform challenges and create opportunities to develop, lead and manage his businesses to survive and thrive in a highly competitive industry. He is well-positioned to help business owners and C12 members grow economically, personally, and spiritually and is excited to bring the high quality content offered through The C12 Group to the Charleston and Savannah markets in an effort to create greater Kingdom impact. It is a great privilege to become a C12 Chair and apply my life experiences and passion for Christ-centered leadership and workplace ministry to help local business owners and CEOs build great businesses for a greater purpose, said McCullough. C12 member companies bring great value to the community. Growing excellent businesses that also ministers to their stakeholders is an untapped resource with great eternal impact that I feel C12 will help bring to the Charleston and Savannah markets. I am confident that C12 will greatly impact the lives and businesses of our members as we encourage one another with a shared sense of purpose. About the C12 Group Founded in 1992, The C12 Group is Americas leading provider of executive roundtables for Christian CEOs and Business Owners. C12s mission is to change the world by advancing the Kingdom of God in the marketplace through the companies and lives of those Christ calls to run businesses for Him. For more information about The C12 Group Low Country, contact C12 Chair, Steve McCullough at 843.214.5459 or by email at Steve(dot)McCullough(at)C12Group(dot)com or visit C12LowCountry.com. The New Video & Exhibits Technology Panel is the perfect platform to showcase the benefits of offering LiveDeposition as a court reporter, especially with the recent release of our fully updated ElectornicExhibits solution. Past News Releases RSS LiveLitigation Launches Newly... LiveLitigation to Release New... LiveLitigation Adds Remote... LiveDeposition, a leading provider of local and remote litigation event technology, announced today that Vice President of Sales, Jason Richmond will be speaking on the New Video & Exhibits Technology Panel during the STARtech16 Conference. Put on by the Society for the Technological Advancement of Reporting (STAR), STARtech16 will be held Friday, March 11 to Sunday, March 13, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois at The Drake Hotel. Co-hosted by the Illinois Court Reporters Association (ILCRA), STARtech16 will provide court reporters and firm owners with three-days full of networking and educational seminars, focusing on the advancement of technology in the court reporting industry. The New Video & Exhibits Technology Panel will be held on Saturday, March 12, 2016 from 9:00 am 10:30 am. Alongside two other industry professionals, LiveDeposition Vice President of Sales, Jason Richmond will be discussing new technologies in the video and paperless exhibit arenas, including picture-in-picture video conferencing, the newest paperless exhibit products, and how these technologies interact. Mr. Richmond will specifically be discussing the LiveDeposition RemoteRealtime and ElectronicExhibits web-based platforms. Court Reporting Firms, as well as Freelance Court Reporters face new challenges each day when it comes to the use of video and exhibit technology. Richmond commented. My goal is to offer those in attendance an insight of the most cutting-edge technologies available, like LiveDeposition, which will allow them to stay at the leading edge of the court reporting industry. In addition to speaking on the panel, LiveDeposition will be hosting a table in the exhibit hall. Jason Richmond will be at the table answering questions and demonstrating LiveDepositions LocalRealtime, RemoteRealtime, and newly updated ElectronicExhibits products. Those who stop by LiveDepositions table will be able to: Experience the simplicity of wireless onsite realtime delivery using LiveDepositions LocalRealtime product. See how easy it is for deposition, trial, mediation and arbitration attendees to connect to a realtime transcript, send and receive audio and video, or collaborate on digital exhibits from any PC, Mac, iPad, Kindle Fire or Android enabled Smartphone or Tablet. Check out the newly released version of LiveDeposition.com ElectronicExhibits. I love that I have been given the opportunity to speak to such forward thinking professionals. The New Video & Exhibits Technology Panel is the perfect platform to showcase the benefits of offering LiveDeposition as a court reporter, especially with the recent release of our fully updated ElectornicExhibits solution. Richmond continued. For more information on STARtech16, you can visit the Society for the Technological Advancement of Reportings website at http://www.staronline.org/STARtech16. For more information on LiveDeposition, please visit http://www.livedeposition.com or call 888.337.6411. About LiveDeposition.com Headquartered in Encino, CA, LiveDeposition is powered by MegaMeeting.com, a long-time resident of the video and web conferencing industry. As the only all-in-one universal litigation event solution on the market, LiveDeposition provides the Legal Industry with local and cloud-based remote deposition, trial, mediation, and arbitration solutions, as well as electronic exhibits, web-based video conferencing and toll-free conferencing services. Being exempt from typical download and installation requirements, LiveDeposition works on all internet browsers, connects to all CAT software and litigation realtime viewers as well as offers mobile apps for iOS, Android and Kindle Fire users, making its state-of-the-art solutions easily accessible via PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPads, as well as all Android enabled tablets and smartphones. Passport was recently selected as Business of the Year by the Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) for its successful development and implementation of the RideSacRT mobile ticketing solution. In seeking out RTs vision of a connected transportation experience, the RideSacRT app allows Sacramento transit riders to plan, track, and pay for their RT trip from their smartphone. The Business of the Year award is one of five prestigious awards given during the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerces annual State of RT Breakfast and TransitAction Awards program. This program recognizes models of excellence that have made a significant and positive impact on public transit in the Sacramento region. Were humbled and honored to be selected as Business of the Year by the Sacramento Regional Transit District, said Bob Youakim, CEO at Passport. Its remarkable how our technology has impacted the Sacramento community in such a short period of time, and we look forward to continuing to innovate the way RT riders travel. In partnership with RT, Passport launched the RideSacRT app in January 2016. Since its introduction, the solution has been well-received by RT, transit riders, and the Sacramento region. RT riders enjoy the convenience of paying and planning for their trip from their smartphone, avoiding the hassle of carrying around cash, and viewing RT transit routes. RideSacRT is just as beneficial for RT, giving them insightful data into ridership patterns that can be used to continue to improve the rider experience. "RT is focused on expanding the use of electronic fare collection and is excited to partner with Passport to provide a convenient way for RT customers to purchase tickets and passes using their smartphone," Mike Wiley, RT General Manager/CEO, stated. "RT values this important partnership." Passport continuously strives to innovate the transportation experience for transit agencies and their riders. By partnering with innovative transit agencies like RT to provide mobile ticketing technology, Passport helps assist in improving day to day operations and creating clarity around rider data. With greater intel into ridership and operations data, public transportation agencies can make effective and informed decisions. Passport will be accepting the 2016 Business of the Year Award at the Metro Chambers State of RT event on March 9, 2016. About Passport Passport is the industry-leading mobile payments company specializing in integrated urban mobility solutions. The company provides feature rich software platforms that offer parking and transit agencies a more effective and efficient way to manage their operations and serve their customers. Passports smart city solution includes multimodal options by creating an all app solution for public transit riders and parkers. Passports mobile payment systems are deployed in over 1,000 locations in 47 states and provinces across the US and Canada, with clients such as Chicago, Toronto, and Boston. Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, Passport is backed by a highly respected group of investors, including Grotech Ventures and Relevance Capital. For more information, please visit http://www.gopassport.com Patients complete the medical history form in Arabic, and the results are automatically translated into a clinical note in English. Together with the assistance of my Arabic and Armenian-speaking colleagues, we've created a tool that can help family doctors like myself to communicate with refugee families and connect them with the care they need. With over 25,000 Syrian refugees recently arrived in Canada, a significant need for primary care healthcare services is expected in the coming weeks and months. Physicians and front-line healthcare workers across the country are beginning to assess and treat a range of physical, emotional and mental health needs for this wave of refugees. However, providing appropriate care to non-English-speaking refugees can involve significant challenges, particularly with limited translation support available. To help address this, a free, secure online tool has been developed to allow patients to complete a full history and mental health screening in Arabic or Armenian, with the results automatically translated to English for the clinician to review and add to the patient record. Collecting this information in the patients first language can help ensure a more complete and accurate history is collected, while also increasing the likelihood of sharing sensitive issues. We know that many of these refugees have experienced significant trauma and difficult living conditions , so we expect to see a wide range of healthcare concerns that need to be addressed, said Dr. Sharon Domb, Family Physician with the Sunnybrook Family Health team. In addition, the existence of a language barrier in many cases adds further challenges. By decreasing the impact of these language barriers, the medical translation tool will be incredibly valuable in helping us provide the highest level of care for these refugees. The Syrian Refugee Medical Intake tool was developed as part of Cognisant Causes, a charitable program run by CognisantMD that provides resources in the form of project-based technology and marketing support to non-profit healthcare organizations at no cost. The PHQ-9 for mental health screening has also been made available in Arabic with automatic translation to English, and additional clinical screening tools are planned for the future. As a family physician, Ive experienced first hand how a language barrier can create stress and time pressure for both the patient and the clinician, said Dr. Doug Kavanagh, a family physician at the North York Family Health Team and the Co-Founder of CognisantMD. "Together with the assistance of my Arabic and Armenian-speaking colleagues, we've created a tool that can help family doctors like myself to communicate with refugee families and connect them with the care they need." The forms are accessed through a web browser that allows patients to respond to questions online. All responses are encrypted before being sent to the Ocean Portal where a translated clinical note is generated which can be copied and pasted into the patient record. To ensure patient health information is kept secure, data is kept encrypted both in transmission and in storage. There is no fee for patients to complete the forms, or for clinicians to review, copy and paste the results. Clinics using the Ocean Platform can also access the forms from the Ocean Library and present them on a patient tablets or send them as secure emailed links to allow patients to complete before their appointment. The forms can be accessed online at http://www.cognisantmd.com/syrian-refugee-translation-tool or through the Ocean library. Special thanks to Dr. Faisal Al-Sani, Dr. Nour Khatib, Mrs. Salpi Der Ghazarian, Dr. Ani Hasserjian and Mrs. Seza Nazarian of Armenian Family Support Services, Holy Trinity Armenian Church for their assistance with translations. About CognisantMD CognisantMD is Canadas leading provider of EMR-integrated patient engagement solutions. Using mobile devices and a cloud-based platform, Ocean allows patients to securely share health information for clinical use, administration and research. By adding Ocean Tablets and our large library of forms, patient questionnaires and clinical content to existing Electronic Medical Records (EMRs), the Ocean Platform provides a powerful way to connect patients to their physicians and beyond. For more information, visit http://www.cognisantmd.com. During his presentiaton, Dr. Lodifier will discuss the latest developments related to Cleartack W-110, a non-acrylic process aid for PVC with improved thermal stability and performance properties. Total Cray Valley (TCV) will feature its Cleartack W-110 hydrocarbon resin processing aid at PVC Formulation 2016. Dr. Philippe Lodifier, European R&D Director of Cray Valley France, will give a presentation titled A new processing aid for rigid PVC during Session One on Wednesday, April 26 at 12:20 pm. The conference takes place April 5-7 at the Maritim Hotel in Cologne, Germany. During his presentiaton, Dr. Lodifier will discuss the latest developments related to Cleartack W-110, a non-acrylic process aid for PVC with improved thermal stability and performance properties. He will cover the significance of key properties like dynamic heat stability and impact resistance. Dr. Lodifier will also highlight other traits that make the resin ideal for PVC formulation, such as increased throughput, high gloss surface finish, and its water white color. To learn more about Total Cray Valleys Cleartack hydrocarbon resins, go to http://www.crayvalley.com/products/cleartack-aromatic-resin/w-series. For more information and to register for PVC Formulation 2016, go to http://www.amiplastics-na.com/events/Event.aspx?code=C699&sec=5356. Lucas Group Lucas Group is only as strong as our people, and these promotions demonstrate their value to the overall organization. Lucas Group, the premier North American executive recruiting firm, has promoted nine of its Associates based on their performances. The individuals represent six of the organizations divisions and five of its U.S. offices. Personal development and career progression are cornerstones of Lucas Group, said Andi Jennings, President and CEO of Lucas Group. We applaud these nine individuals for their outstanding accomplishments and appreciate their service to the organization. We proudly announce the following promotions: Lindsey AlvesSenior Partner, Sales & Marketing; Chicago Michelle Dadas Senior Partner, Contract Solutions; Chicago Justin MartinezSenior Partner, IT; Chicago John LloydSenior Executive Search Consultant, Military; Atlanta Savannah LorenzSenior Executive Search Consultant, Manufacturing; Atlanta Melissa LorrasSenior Executive Search Consultant, HR; Chicago Erin RappSenior Executive Search Consultant, IT; Dallas Noah RogersSenior Executive Search Consultant, Accounting & Finance; D.C Alex StevensSenior Executive Search Consultant, IT; New York Lucas Group emphasizes the importance of career growth in order to keep its Associates on a ladder to professional success. Providing the industrys most sophisticated onboarding process, ongoing mentoring and education as well as benchmarks and defined goals, Lucas Group positions its Associates to thrive in executive recruiting. Our organization has consistently achieved higher levels of success due to the hard work and commitment of our individual Associates, said Jennings. Lucas Group is only as strong as our people, and these promotions demonstrate their value to the overall organization. For more than 40 years, Lucas Group has worked with Fortune 500 to mid-tier companies to find the talent they need to drive results. Lucas Group recruiters work across all major functionalities including Accounting & Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Legal, Sales & Marketing, Manufacturing and Military Transition to make strategic job placements. With offices located throughout the U.S., the recruiting firm offers national reach together with localized search expertise to uncover talent that no one else can. About Lucas Group Lucas Group is North Americas premier executive search firm. Since 1970, our culture and methodologies have driven superior results. We assist clients ranging in size from small to medium-sized businesses to Fortune 500 companies find transcendent, executive talent; candidates fully realize their ambitions; and associates find professional success. To learn more, please visit Lucas Group at http://www.lucasgroup.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Real Science for Real Solutions This is really an exciting opportunity for our company to bring our innovative technology to the beverage market Vital Force Technology (VFT) representatives will be attending the 2016 Natural Product Expo West as the first technology-based infusion company with the ability to improve the bioavailability of functional ingredients. With their team of herbalists and physicists, VFT labs has created a library of customizable energetic patterns that can be infused into foods and beverages to enhance physiological benefits and improve the bioavailability of key nutrients. Enhanced bioavailability has emerged as an increasing customer demand in the functional food and beverages market. Nutraceuticals World reports a growing trend in consumers seeking foods and beverages that provide physiological and psychological benefits such as cognitive or digestive health, and improved bioavailability of powerhouse nutrients and minerals. Its no longer enough to offer foods and beverages that taste good now consumers expect products to be good for them, and offer benefits beyond hydration or nourishment. Vital Force Technology believes they have an answer to growing demand for improved bioavailability and functional benefits with their energetic infusion services. This is really an exciting opportunity for our company to bring our innovative technology to the beverage market, says Galina Kalyuzhny, Director of Business Development with VFT. We will attend this expo and deliver a message to the beverage companies about new opportunities in using Vital Force Technology to improve their products bioavailability and tap into the growing consumer demand. VFT patterns are scientifically evaluated and may help to revolutionize the functional beverages market. Bringing energetic infusion technology to the Natural Product Expo is a new opportunity to expose the beverage market to new, all-natural alternatives for product enhancement that will positively affect millions of Americans of any age who are looking not for just a drink, but for a drink that will nourish and energize them. To find out more about the exciting opportunities for beverage enhancements, visit Vital Force Technology at http://www.vitalforcetechnology.com/services/beverages. About Vital Force Technology Founded in 2000 by Russian Radio-Physicist and Inventor Dr. Yury Kronn, and President and CEO Constance Kronn., Vital Force Technology (VFT) offers a range of innovative energetic signature formulas for wellness, personal care, animal care and agriculture markets. Headquartered in White City, Oregon, the firm is a global market leader in bio-energetic ingredients. VFT also markets numerous health and wellness energetic formulas under the same name. The company serves thousands of clinicians and practitioners in over 40 countries, as well as a growing number of leading-edge manufacturers. For more information about Vital Force Technology and its energetic formulas, visit http://www.vitalforcetechnology.com. Universally Recognized Symbol of Trust Demonstrates the Talexis Commitment to the Highest Standards of Business Practices Talexis (http://www.talexis.com), a provider of talent management solutions, has met all the standards and has passed the review process for Better Business Bureau (BBB) accreditation. The accrediting BBB chapter serves Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin, including 79 counties in Texas and 12,000 accredited business locations. For over 100 years, BBB has been the preeminent consumer resource for objective information on businesses and charities. An accredited business assures consumers it is devoted to a variety of principles, including fairness and honesty. To earn BBB accreditation, businesses must contractually agree to the organization's high standards of ethical business behavior. Accredited companies must adhere to a comprehensive set of policies, procedures and best practices representing trustworthiness in the marketplace. At a minimum, these "Standards for Trust" call for operating with integrity, transparency and responsiveness. "BBB has helped millions of consumers find and recommend businesses, brands and charities they can trust," said Joseph Kistner, Founder & CEO of Talexis. "In fact, studies show the vast majority of consumers are more likely to do business with an accredited company. "Because not every business qualifies, BBB accreditation is an honor and we are extremely proud to receive this recognition," continued Kistner. "BBB accreditation demonstrates our commitment to maintaining the highest ethical standards. And, it gives our customers the confidence to know they are working with a trusted partner." To learn more about the Talexis talent management solutions, interested parties can visit the new website at http://www.talexis.com. About Talexis Headquartered in Waco, Texas, Talexis provides workforce assessments for upper-level, mid-level, and entry-level employees. The company's Talassure assessment products enable business leaders and human resources professionals to attract, onboard, engage, and retain their most valuable talent. In addition to job matching and job fit capabilities, Talassure helps organizations identify and empower high potentials, engage in succession planning, and improve leadership development activities. Talexis delivers these solutions through its Alliance Partners, a nationwide network of talent solutions professionals. ### Past News Releases RSS To celebrate Open Education Week, Knovation announces the integration of the Knovation Content Collection with Google Classroom and Canvas, decreasing the challenges related to incorporating digital resources into instruction. The integration streamlines access to educator-vetted digital resources from widely-adopted solutions, simplifying the design and delivery of lessons in digital learning environments. Embedded within the Canvas learning management system, the hundreds of thousands of professionally-evaluated, standards-aligned online resources from the Knovation Content Collection can be seamlessly accessed by teachers and students, eliminating the need to navigate an additional interface. By providing the content collection within the easy-to-use Canvas learning management system, relevant and engaging online resources, including Open Educational Resources (OER), are readily available to be incorporated into Canvas courses. Districts with access to the content collection can also easily integrate online resources into Google Classroom, a blended learning platform that simplifies creating, distributing and grading assignments in a paperless way. Through single sign-on, educators are able to select educator-vetted, standards-aligned online resources and easily include in their Google Classroom assignments. Our goal is to continue increasing access to our collection of curated digital content by integrating it into solutions and platforms teachers are already using. These integrations also enable access to support tools, such as read-aloud and dictionary, said Randy Wilhelm, CEO of Knovation. We recognize that having too many technology solutions to use in the classroom can be cumbersome, and our efforts to pursue valuable integrations will help districts overcome some of the obstacles. According to the CoSN 2015 K-12 IT Leadership Survey Report, 84 percent of school technology officials believe that at least half of their instructional materials will be digital in less than three years. This means districts will very likely continue to face increasing challenges to evaluate, organize and maintain a comprehensive body of digital resources. Through integrations, Knovation aims to ease a districts transition to digital instructional materials. The Knovation Content Collection is available through solutions and platforms including Canvas and Google Classroom, and through the companys award-winning solutions netTrekker and icurio. For more information on the Knovation Content Collection, visit http://www.knovationlearning.com/solutions/content-collection. About Knovation Knovation makes it easy to find, organize, and share free digital content for learning. Knovations curriculum experts professionally evaluate, tag, standards-align and continuously maintain a collection of hundreds of thousands of online resources covering all subject areas, all grades and all learning resource types. The Knovation Content Collection can be accessed through the companys award-winning solutions, netTrekker and icurio, or through custom integration with learning management systems and assessment platforms. Since 1999, Knovation has delivered on the promise to do something good for kids, every day by helping districts meet the needs of diverse K-12 learners in digital learning environments. For more information, please visit http://www.knovationlearning.com. ### I strongly believe strong female leadership can make the world a better place. CSOFT is very excited to have a role in bringing the message of girls education to the world, CSOFT International Ltd., a leading provider of translation services and globalization solutions, announced today that it will lead translation of training literature for the White Houses Let Girls Learn initiative. Let Girls Learn was launched in March 2015 by US President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama to address the range of challenges preventing adolescent girls from attending and completing school. The initiative seeks to support the 62 million girlshalf of whom are adolescentwho are currently out of school to pursue educational opportunities. As part of its mission, Let Girls Learn through the Peace Corps - will release monthly training manuals to support its staff and gender equality programs worldwide. Supporting gender equality and education for girls are issues I care deeply about, said Shunee Yee, President and CEO of CSOFT International Ltd. I strongly believe strong female leadership can make the world a better place. At the Let Girls Learn Event Celebrating International Womens Day on March 8th, First Lady Michelle Obama reminded listeners that The ability to read, write, and analyze; the confidence to stand up and demand justice and equality; the qualifications and connections to get your foot in that door and take your seat at that table -- all of that starts with education. Let Girls Learn and CSOFT International have partnered to translate these manuals for a global audience. CSOFT will lead the first round of translation beginning with Spanish, followed by French and several other languages to ensure that the message of the campaign reaches the far corners of the world. CSOFT is very excited to have a role in bringing the message of girls education to the world, added Yee who attended the 2015 Fortunes Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington D.C., where Michelle Obama spoke about Let Girls Learn. Yee is no stranger to promoting female empowerment. Since founding CSOFT International in 2003, she has led the company to double digit annual growth. Yee was a 2009 recipient of the prestigious international Stevie Award for Best Asian Entrepreneur for Women in Business. In 2012, she was named one of Fortunes Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs. To learn more about CSOFT, please go to http://csoftintl.com About CSOFT CSOFT International Ltd. is a world leader in localization and globalization consulting services, providing turnkey solutions for companies facing the challenges of engaging customers and markets across linguistic and cultural barriers. Recognized as one of the Top Innovative Companies in 2011 by IDC we have an award-winning international team. In 2012, the companys CEO was named a Tech Disruptor by CNN Money. Media Contacts: Megan Robinson +1-415-889-8989 megan.robinson(at)csoftintl(dot)com Daniel Yao +86-10-5736-6000 daniel.yao(at)csoftintl(dot)com Choreographer/actor/filmmaker Prabhu Deva finally returns to acting in Kollywood after a long gap, although he did the ABCD series in Hindi recently. Though his long pending project Kalavadiya Pozhdhugal with Bhoomika Chawla is yet to see the light of day, Prabhu is excited about his new venture, a trilingual in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi, which is yet to be titled. Produced by his recently-launched banner Prabhu Deva Studios, an interesting aspect is that Tamannaah is acting alongside the Action Jackson filmmaker for the first time. Sonu Sood also essays a vital character in the movie. Directed by A. L Vijay, the films shooting started ten days back in the buzzing town of Wai in Satara district near Pune. Manu Nandan of Happy New Year fame is the man behind the camera. Speaking to DC from Mumbai, Prabhu Deva says, This time, I am restricting myself to acting. It is Vijay who calls the shots. Ill be featuring in a thriller movie for the first time. In fact, it is my long-time wish to direct a suspense thriller, but I am realising my dream this way! We hear that he have a total makeover for this film, including a change in the trademark beard. He laughs and says, The beard is very much there, but with a different style. But yes, Vijay wanted me to sport a totally different look and they have given me a new hair style, and even my costumes are unusual. Though he did not say anything about him sporting contact lenses, our sources confirmed that he would be. Heaping praise on Vijay Prabhu adds, It is not a regular kind of a movie. Vijays characters are well-sketched, and presenting a flick to suit three different languages is not an easy task. Delving deeper, he explains, The story is happening in Mumbai and hence most part of the film will be shot in Mumbai itself. Tamannaah, who shares the screen with PD, quips, I am excited as well as nervous. Everyone knows about the great dancing abilities of Prabhu Deva sir. My only worry is matching him in dancing! Our principals and key leaders have worked with and known Sean for over 20 years and were very excited to bring him home to the First Direct family. First Direct Lending announces the appointment of Sean Wilson as Vice President Consumer Direct Sales. Sean will oversee the companys Consumer Direct Sales Center in Miami, FL. which is scheduled to commence operations in Q2 2016. Justin Lally, First Direct Lendings Executive Vice President of Production noted I am very excited to have Sean Wilson join our team. Anyone that has worked with Sean knows how passionate he is about funding great loans for customers and how hard he works to lift the performance of those around him. His extensive experience in companies big and small, across all of the market cycles that weve seen over the last 20 years is invaluable. Mr. Wilson served most recently as Director of Sales at Network Capital Funding Corporation with prior leadership roles as Senior Vice President of Production at loanDepot, LendingTree and Solstice Capital. Solstice Capital was founded by First Direct Lendings principals and later sold to HSBC Bank. I'm extremely honored and excited to join to the team at First Direct Lending said Wilson. I have personally known the leaders of the company for many years and am highly encouraged with their business model not only for today but for well into the future." Ryan Herman, First Direct Lendings Co-CEO added Its an exciting time for First Direct. Aggressive but responsible growth requires strong and enthusiastic leadership. We continue to attract exceptional drivers and the addition of Sean to our production leadership team is a prime example. Our principals and key leaders have worked with and known Sean for over 20 years and were very excited to bring him home to the First Direct family. For more information about First Direct Lending and their commitment to customer service and happy employees, visit them online at http://www.firstdirectlending.com or call 855.510.EASY. About First Direct Lending, LLC First Direct Lending, LLC is a dynamic consumer direct mortgage lender that serves a broad spectrum of homeowners and homebuyers from its rapidly growing Orange County, California production center. First Direct was founded by an experienced team of entrepreneurial executives that have a proven track record of building and growing successful companies both in and outside of the mortgage industry. First Direct is committed to providing a simple and effortless financing experience built on treating all customers with care and respect. A follow-up to an earlier study of the effects of deeper learning in high schools conducted by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) confirms that students who attended network schools with instruction focused on deeper learning graduate at a higher rate than their peers. Schools focused on deeper learning aim to enable students to transfer knowledge and skills across contexts through the development of academic and problem solving skills, their ability to communicate and work with others, and their self-knowledge and ability to manage their own time and effort. Attending a school focused on deeper learning had positive effects on graduation rates regardless of gender or achievement level upon entering, according to the new study. The updated results extend our earlier work showing that students attending deeper learning network high schools were more likely to graduate on time than similar students at non-network schools. The difference is about eight percentage points, said Kristina Zeiser, the studys lead author and a senior researcher at AIR. "The positive effect was somewhat weaker for students who qualified for free or reduced-price lunchan indicator of low-income status. However, attending a network high school still had a significant, positive effect on high school graduation for these students. The updated analysis, funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, focused on over 20,000 students in 27 schools in New York and California with largely diverse and underserved populations. The research team gathered graduation data from participating school districts for students who started the ninth grade between the 2007-08 and 2010-11 school years at deeper learning network schools and similarly situated non-network schools. Using a sample that includes additional pairs of network and non-network schools, and an additional group of ninth grade students, this study confirms the graduation rate findings of the 2014 report, The Study of Deeper Learning: Opportunities and Outcomes. That report also found that students in high schools focused on deeper learning scored higher on standardized tests, were more likely to enroll in four-year and selective colleges, and had higher levels of collaboration, self-efficacy and academic engagement. The new study, Graduation Advantage Persists for Students in Deeper Learning Network High Schools, can be found at http://www.air.org/resource/deeper-learning. About AIR Established in 1946, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of health, education and workforce productivity. For more information, visit http://www.air.org. This seed funding is helping to scale our product and grow our team on the Silicon Prairie, such as the fleet operations office we opened in Des Moines, Iowa, said Drive Spotters president and CEO, Chris Augeri. The Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA), the worlds first accelerator exclusively focused on insurance startups, and Drive Spotter, an alumnus company from GIAs 2015 program, today announced that Drive Spotter has closed a $750,000 round of financing led by Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance, an investor in the GIA. Drive Spotters video analytics platform analyzes and improves commercial fleet vehicle and driver performance. Voss Distributing, a multi-state Red Bull distributor, joined Grinnell Mutual and other investors in the financing round. The company also added two board members, Kurt Eaves, Grinnell Mutuals vice president of underwriting, and Marty Ellingsworth, former president of Verisk ISO, a leading supplier of insurance industry data. This funding is the largest investment for a Global Insurance Accelerator portfolio company to date, said Brian Hemesath, the GIAs managing director. When Drive Spotter graduated from the program, we knew they had created an innovative solution and we are excited to be part of their growth and success as they move forward. It is impressive to see a seed round investment be led by an insurance company. Hemesaths sentiment was echoed by Kurt Eaves, Grinnell Mutuals vice president of underwriting. While we anticipate using their technology to improve loss control service for our customers, were proud to assist Drive Spotters growth as a market-leading platform that can save lives and reduce fleet operating costs. It is especially exciting to serve as a board member for a company that is gaining interest from vehicle manufacturers, the insurance industry, and regulators with respect to creating and deploying autonomous vehicles. Commercial fleet managers can use Drive Spotters platform to query dash cams and telemetry data to analyze fleet data. These insights can be used to tune driver training and provide incentive structures that boost driver performance, reducing operational costs and accidents. Insurance and fleet service companies can also access Drive Spotters aggregate data to evaluate risks and assist with setting commercial fleet premiums. This seed funding is helping to scale our product and grow our team on the Silicon Prairie, such as the fleet operations office we opened in Des Moines, Iowa, said Drive Spotters president and CEO, Chris Augeri. Weve also filed additional patent applications, expanded our developer team and accelerated our sales pipeline since closing the round. The connections made through the Global Insurance Accelerator have been a dominant factor in our success. Photo captions: (purple shirt) Chris Augeri, Drive Spotter president and CEO (blue shirt) Andrew Prystai, Drive Spotter director of operations About GLOBAL INSURANCE ACCELERATOR (GIA): Created in 2014 as an initiative of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, the Global Insurance Accelerator is the worlds first startup accelerator focused on the global insurance industry. The mentor-driven program is backed by major carriers and brokerages and its mentors consist of current and former industry leaders and executives. To learn more about the GIA, visit globalinsuranceaccelerator.com. About GRINNELL MUTUAL REINSURANCE COMPANY (GMRC): Grinnell Mutual, in business since 1909, is the 117th-largest property-casualty insurance company in the United States and the largest primary reinsurer of farm mutual companies in North America. The company provides reinsurance for farm mutual insurance companies as well as property and casualty insurance. Its products are available in 14 states. To learn more about Grinnell Mutual, visit grinnellmutual.com. About DRIVE SPOTTER: Drive Spotter, Inc., is a graduate of the Global Insurance Accelerators inaugural class and provides a video analytics platform for fleet managers to monitor and influence vehicle and driver performance. Drive Spotter was launched in 2015 by Chris Augeri and Andrew Prystai and was initially funded by Jason Bogner. Drive Spotters team has operations at the Exchange in Omaha, Nebraska, Gravitate in Des Moines, Iowa, along with other team members in Austin, Texas. To learn more about Drive Spotter, visit drivespotter.com. The PA Biotech Center has fostered some extraordinary success stories in the past few years, and those companies now are models and inspiration for the newer start-ups here. Over the past three years, the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center of Bucks County has created 727 jobs and has spurred more than $1.8 billion in economic impact in Bucks County and throughout Pennsylvania, according to an economic impact study released March 8. Commissioned by the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, the report by KLIOS Consulting LLC, uses the Regional Input-Output Modeling System (RIMS II) developed by the U.S. Department of Commerce, to measure direct, indirect and induced economic impacts. This study demonstrates a doubling of dollar value of economic impact from the PA Biotech Center since the last study was performed in 2012, said study leader economist Richard Stein. The PA Biotech Center continues to yield significant benefits to the region and the Commonwealth. A nonprofit organization founded specifically to foster business and job growth, the PA Biotech Center has created $1.6 billion in economic impact in Bucks County and another $227 million in economic impact to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. That breaks down to: $593 million in direct impact $837 million in indirect impact $373 million in induced impact In addition, the center has created 325 jobs directly associated with the center, 237 additional indirect jobs in Bucks County and 165 jobs elsewhere in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania state Sen. Chuck McIlhinney, an early and strong proponent of the center, notes, The Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center and the Blumberg Institute clearly have exceeded all expectations in creating jobs, fostering entrepreneurship, and bringing hope to so many people suffering from human disease. Given their track record, I can see this is just the beginning, and that Bucks County will continue to evolve into a major center for biotechnology entrepreneurship. Created in 2006 by the Hepatitis B Foundation in partnership with Delaware Valley College (now University), the PA Biotech Center converted an abandoned light industrial site north of Doylestown into a state-of-the art biotech center and pledged to replace the 145 jobs lost when the sites former occupant, the D. A. Lewis Associates Inc. fulfillment center, closed. As the report by Stein demonstrates, in addition to being home to the Hepatitis B Foundation and its nonprofit research institution, the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, which manages the center, the PA Biotech Center now is home to more than 35 start-up companies. The Baruch S. Blumberg Institute and the PA Biotech Center continue to be a source of pride to this community, turning ideas and dreams into innovations, medicines, and, importantly, jobs, said Pennsylvania state Rep. Marguerite Quinn, another early supporter of the center. The PA Biotechnology Center employs an unusual model in which an anchor, nonprofit organization dedicated to drug and diagnostics discovery for liver disease, actively spins out and attracts new companies and entrepreneurs. That approach is working, said the centers Chief Operating Officer Lou Kassa. Many biotech incubators fall short on delivering their promises of helping spur new companies and create reliable jobs, according to a 2015 Kauffman Foundation study. Indeed, most technology accelerators fail, writes Peter Relan, venture capitalist and founder of YouWeb, writing in Technology Link. The PA Biotech Center has fostered some extraordinary success stories in the past few years, and those companies now are models and inspiration for the newer start-ups here, notes Dr. Timothy Block, president and co-founder of the Biotech Center and president of the Hepatitis B Foundation and the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute. The PA Biotech Center has on site some of the most accomplished drug discovery scientists and entrepreneurs in the world. In addition to the economic impact documented in this study, the start-up companies located at the PA Biotech Center now are valued at more than $1.2 billion. Some of the success stories include: Michael Sofia, Ph.D., co-inventor of the hepatitis C cure sofusbovir (Sovaldi), started a company at the PA Biotech Center to discover a cure for hepatitis B, using technology discovered and licensed by the Blumberg Institute. Now called Arbutus Biopharma, the company is valued at more than $500 million. Synergy filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) its first new drug application (NDA) for plecanatide in chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) on January 29, 2016. If approved, the company plans to launch plecanatide with the CIC indication in the first quarter of 2017. Novira Therapeutics, which was founded to focus on a cure for hepatitis B, recently was acquired by Johnson & Johnson for an undisclosed amount of money. Novira has a hepatitis B drug in human studies. The PA Biotech Center has been a tremendous success, and with more space for expansion, we could do even more, said Kassa. This is just the beginning. Photo Caption: Dr. Timothy Block (center), president of the PA Biotech Center, the Hepatitis B Foundation and the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, presents Bucks County Commissioner Charles Martin and Jordan P. Pete Krauss, executive director of the Bucks County Industrial Development Authority, with a study demonstrating $1.8 billion in economic impact from the PA Biotechnology Center of Bucks County. Joining them, from left, are study author Richard Stein, principal of KLIOS Consulting Inc., and Lou Kassa, chief operating officer of the PA Biotech Center and the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute. About the Hepatitis B Foundation: The Hepatitis B Foundation is the nations leading nonprofit organization solely dedicated to finding a cure for hepatitis B and improving the quality of life for those affected worldwide through research, education and patient advocacy. To learn more, go to http://www.hepb.org, read our blog at wp.hepb.org, follow us on Twitter @HepBFoundation, find us on Facebook at facebook.com/hepbfoundation or call 215-489-4900. About the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute: The Baruch S. Blumberg Institute is an independent, nonprofit research institute established in 2003 by the Hepatitis B Foundation to conduct discovery research and nurture translational biotechnology in an environment conducive to interaction, collaboration and focus. It was renamed in 2013 to honor Baruch S. Blumberg, who won the Nobel Prize for his discovery of the hepatitis B virus and co-founded the Hepatitis B Foundation. To learn more, visit blumberginstitute.org. The SAE World Congress will feature an onsite Media Center with work stations for credentialed media. SAE International invites journalists to attend the SAE 2016 World Congress, which will be held April 12-14 at Cobo Center in Detroit. Toyota will provide Executive Leadership and Aisin will serve as Tier One Strategic Partner for the event, which has a theme of Powering Possibilities. The SAE World Congress will feature an onsite Media Center with work stations for credentialed media. Keynote speakers for the event will include: Shad Khan, Owner of Flex-N-Gate Kirk Steudle, Director, Michigan Department of Transportation Mr. Steudle will present, Future Mobility-Transportation and Technology Fusion" Gary Silberg, Partner, National Automotive Leader, KPMG LLP Mr. Silberg will present, "The Clockspeed Dilemma- what it means for automotive innovation" Other highlights will include: 620 minutes of Tech Hub programming 1500+ technical presentations 10 technical expert panels 3 days of Young Professional activities 2-day Career Fair For more information on the SAE 2016 World Congress and Exhibition, visit http://www.sae.org/congress/. To register as media or to request media credentials, visit http://www.sae.org/congress/attend/registration/, email pr@sae.org or call 1-724-772-8522. SAE International is a global association committed to being the ultimate knowledge source for the engineering profession. By uniting more than 128,000 engineers and technical experts, we drive knowledge and expertise across a broad spectrum of industries. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation, including programs like A World in Motion and the Collegiate Design Series. http://www.sae.org Hedgehog Development, LLC, a leading global provider of digital solutions, has announced the acquisition of Loewy Design, Inc., a full-service strategy and design agency. The combined team will expand on its seven-year history of client collaboration to provide increased value through a wide range of customer engagements, including strategic web solutions, custom applications, systems integration and digital marketing campaigns. Today, Hedgehog and Loewy collaborate to provide several current clients a wide range of services. As the market shifts towards full service digital agencies the decision to acquire Loewy enables Hedgehog to enhance and expand the services it offers, positioning it for future growth. Hedgehog has long been known as a go to source for exceptional technical solutions that solve complex business problems. To help us meet client demands for end-to-end services, Loewy Design was a natural fit, says Dan Galvez, Co-Founder and CEO of Hedgehog Development. This is consistent with our ongoing approach to expand our offerings and increase our capacity. Hedgehog is better able to deliver the most value to our clients. The combined team offers great benefits to clients as well as employees. This is a great union of our people, services, reputation and achievements and the combined company is committed to preserving what makes each team special, says David Loewy, founder and CEO of Loewy Design. Being part of a larger organization creates an exciting opportunity to provide our employees with greater career development, a new team of experts to share knowledge with, and increased benefits. Together, we also improve our ability to deliver superior experiences that our clients need to be industry leaders in their respective markets. David Loewy will assume the new role of Chief Creative Officer at Hedgehog; responsible for leading the expansion of Hedgehogs creative team. The combined team will support global clients from all of Hedgehogs campuses: Holbrook, NY; Melville, NY; Charlotte, NC; Portland, OR; and Sofia Bulgaria. During its seven-year partnership, the companies have collaborated to provide services to a number of prestigious clients, including Oshkosh Corp, Logix Federal Credit Union and Mannington Mills. Loewy Design Loewy Design is a full-service agency headquartered in Melville, NY. The agency has been providing online marketing, branding, design, and strategic services since 1998 for clients including Johnson & Johnson, Wiley, Thomson Reuters, Paramount Group, Forbes and Century 21 Department Stores. The agency offers end-to-end interactive solutions, including business development, search marketing, ecommerce, technology and application design, information architecture, creative direction, interface design and content creation. Additional information at http://www.loewy.com Hedgehog Development Hedgehog Development has been recognized as an Inc. 5,000 company and is a leading global provider of digital experiences that change the way consumers interact with brands. The company creates custom applications that support companies ranging from mid-market to enterprise Fortune 50 companies. A Sitecore Gold Implementation and Technology Partner, Hedgehog has experience bringing business value through technology to companies in a wide range of verticals, and has successfully implemented countless types of solutions to companies from travel to active lifestyle, to financial and non-profit. Additional information at http://www.hhogdev.com/ Pamela L. Gay, PhD, project director of CosmoQuest and assistant research professor in SIUEs STEM Center. SIUE is excited and extremely proud to be among an amazing group of institutions chosen to advance NASAs STEM education mission. NASA has awarded Southern Illinois University Edwardsville $11.5 million to expand its citizen science and educational activities through CosmoQuest, a second-generation citizen science facility. CosmoQuest Project Director Dr. Pamela Gay, assistant research professor in the SIUE STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) Center, will lead the initiative as principal investigator. SIUE is excited and extremely proud to be among an amazing group of institutions chosen to advance NASAs STEM education mission, said Jerry Weinberg, associate provost for research and dean of the SIUE Graduate School. This project partners SIUE with leading institutions in space and astronomy research to deliver unique online educational opportunities, building on Dr. Gays well-established work in citizen science. Dr. Gays leadership on this project supports SIUEs strong commitment to engaging the community in STEM education and elevates that engagement to a global level. With this funding, CosmoQuest will be able to grow from a seedling full of potential, into a mighty tree that supports science and learning opportunities, said Gay. We are bringing new partners with added expertise, and we couldnt be prouder of this team. CosmoQuests software and educational activities will be developed out of SIUE. This includes the software that enables everyday people to help NASA scientists make new discoveries. Programs to date have helped the New Horizons team find Kuiper Belt Objects and have helped researchers map out the moon, Mars, Mercury, and vesta. Future programs will expand beyond planetary science, including working with the University of Texas to explore dark energy and with Johnson Space Center to help earth scientists more effectively use astronaut images to study our changing planet. While engaging the public is a major component of CosmoQuest, the program also contributes to the STEM employment pipeline. By being located in SIUEs interdisciplinary STEM Center, weve been able to bring together people from all areas of science, technology and education to collaborate creatively in a shared environment, said SIUEs Cory Lehan, CosmoQuest lead developer. As we grow into the future, were going to be able to employ students on projects that support NASA science. Our team includes student programmers, graphic artists and even psychology majors who help us understand how to make our site better. Beyond science, CosmoQuest will leverage its online presence to provide planetariums and Science on the Sphere facilities new, creative commons licensed content that they can use and remix. Called Projected Science, this collaboration with Youngstown State University and Lawrence Hall of Science will create an online repository of data visualizations. "We are in a golden age of space exploration, and NASA is providing some of the highest resolution views of the Universe in the history of humanity," says Projected Science co-lead Toshi Komatsu, director of Digital Theaters at the Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Berkeley. "Digital platforms like the Science On a Sphere and planetariums are the perfect venues to share these discoveries with the public. Based in the Midwest, CosmoQuest looks for ways to bring science to people nowhere near a large city. This includes supporting educators in rural areas. Were working with a network of amazing educational professionals, who can support teachers bringing authentic science into their classrooms, said SIUEs Georgia Bracey, CosmoQuest educational lead. Were working to build a lasting community for our teachers, including an online home where they can get help and share their own lessons learned. From small planetariums, to small classes, CosmoQuest is constantly working to create a personalized experience while building community. In the age of MOOCs (massive open online courses), were taking a different track and offering online classes that will never go over 20 students and are generally capped at eight, says Jake Noel-Storr, director of InsightSTEM and lead for CosmoQuests CosmoAcademy program. With this grant, our classes will become free to teachers, and well be able to teach with the same best practices we hope theyll use in their classes. In mid-2016, CosmoQuest will begin competitively selecting future topics for citizen science programs. Selected programs will receive funding to support research and communications of science goals and science results. Additional programs for supporting regional science fairs and school districts will begin in the 2017 school year. With a portfolio of approximately 100 science missions, NASA's commitment to education places special emphasis on increasing the effectiveness, sustainability and efficient utilization of SMD science discoveries and learning experiences. Goals also include enabling STEM education, improving U.S. scientific literacy, advancing national educational goals and leveraging science activities through partnerships. NASAs cooperative agreement funds team members at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, InsightSTEM, Interface Guru, Lawrence Hall of Science, Johnson Space Center, McREL International, the Planetary Science Institute, McDonald Observatory and Youngstown State University. By preparing the next generation of leaders in a knowledge-based economy, SIUEs Graduate School fulfills the regions demand for highly trained professionals. Graduate school offerings include arts and sciences, business, education, engineering, nursing and interdisciplinary opportunities. SIUE professors provide students with a unique integration of theoretical education and hands-on research experiences. Students can obtain graduate certificates or pursue masters degrees, and be part of a supportive learning and rich intellectual environment that is tailored to the needs of adult learners. The Graduate School raises the visibility of research at SIUE, which ranks highest among its Illinois Board of Higher Education peers in total research and development expenditures according to the National Science Foundation. Doctoral programs are available in the Schools of Education (Ed.D.) and Nursing (DNP). The School of Engineering and the Department of Historical Studies feature cooperative doctoral programs (Ph.D.). A quarter of institutions have seen at least 10% of their alumni opt out of all contact with the university. Some have seen as much as 39% of their alumni opt out of all contact with the university. Past News Releases RSS Alumni Access, Essenza Software... The top sources of anxiety among alumni professionals at North American institutions are a lack of staff and alumni disengagement, according to a new survey conducted by Alumni Access, Access Developments alumni engagement solution. Seventy-four percent of alumni professionals cited not having enough staff to complete necessary tasks as a top concern. Sixty-eight percent said that a lack of engagement among alumni is their most pressing worry. These are among the findings of a new alumni relations benchmarking survey known as VAESE (Voluntary Alumni Engagement in Support of Education). The findings of the survey will be released during a free webinar on March 15, 2016, at 11:30 am Eastern. (Click here to register for free.) Following the webinar, registrants will receive a free white paper outlining the details of the research findings. A common cause of alumni disengagement appears to stem from excessive fundraising solicitations. Because 68% of alumni organizations are integrated with fundraising and development departments, alumni relations efforts can often become subordinate to the fundraising mechanism. As a result, 82% of institutions now send at least one solicitation to new graduates within the first year of graduation, and 7% send five or more solicitations during the same period. When alumni relations integrates with fundraising, our research shows most schools rely on the philanthropic generosity of alumni, rather than offering benefits to attract and engage them, says Gary Toyn, the primary researcher for the VAESE survey. Graduates seem to be rejecting that approach, especially those who have yet to realize the full value of their education. The research shows that a quarter of institutions have seen at least 10% of their alumni opt out of all contact with the university. Some have seen as much as 39% of their alumni opt out of all contact with the university. The VAESE research is a global survey of alumni relations engagement practices, and the results include responses from hundreds of large and small universities, in all 50 states and three continents. The March 15 webinar will help alumni relations professionals answer many important questions, such as: Should alumni and development offices be more integrated? Should institutions add or remove a dues-paying program? What benefits can consistently attract and engage alumni? How well does digital content engage alumni at other institutions? Are online communities worth the time and investment? To register for the VAESE webinar, please visit http://bit.ly/vaesewebinar. For more information on Alumni Access alumni discount programs, please visit http://www.alumniaccess.com. ### About Access Development For 30 years, Access Development has helped organizations connect with their customers and build revenue, engagement and loyalty through custom incentives, employee benefits and discount programs. The companys private discount network of over 350,000 merchant locations is Americas largest, providing discounts of up to 50% on everyday items to millions of end users. Access also offers the nations largest mobile commerce platform, featuring over 175,000 merchants offering exclusive show your phone mobile coupons. For more information on Access, please visit http://www.accessdevelopment.com or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Being chosen for the Rigel Award signifies well-earned recognition for our Orion team and exemplifies our commitment to providing exceptional, customer-focused service to Lockheed Martin and ultimately to NASA ASRC Federal Space and Defense recently received the 2015 Rigel Award as the Small Business of the Year on Lockheed Martins Orion contract. The award recognizes small business performance above and beyond contractual commitments. ASRC Federal is honored that Lockheed Martin selected our NASA Orion team for this prestigious award, marking another significant milestone in the continued partnership between ASRC Federal Space and Defense and Lockheed Martin, said Mark Gray, ASRC Federal president and CEO. Being chosen for the Rigel Award signifies well-earned recognition for our Orion team and exemplifies our commitment to providing exceptional, customer-focused service to Lockheed Martin and ultimately to NASA. The award was presented in February at a ceremony celebrating the arrival of the Orion Exploration Mission-1 spacecraft pressure vessel at the Kennedy Space Center Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building. Although the fantastic performance of the ASRC Federal team at Kennedy Space Center, Michoud Assembly Center, Johnson Space Center and Denver qualified them for this prestigious award, the unique approach of ASRC Federals Apprentice Program and teaming with Eastern State College pushed them over the finish line, said Mike Hawes, Orion program manager for Lockheed Martin. Through the ASRC Federal Apprentice Program, students enrolled in the aerospace technician program at Eastern State College compete for internships to work in the Orion production facility at KSC alongside skilled aerospace workers who share expertise and mentor the next generation. Although officially classified as the beta star of the Orion constellation, Rigel is the brightest, said Michelle Butzke, Lockheed Martins small business advocate, in describing the name of the award. We named this award for our small businesses who, many times, shine brighter than the large prime. Lockheed Martin, NASAs prime contractor on the Orion Design, Development and Test contract, awarded a subcontract to ASRC Federal Space and Defense in 2012 to support manufacturing of flight test vehicles to ultimately certify all systems and human-rate the Orion vehicle. The Lockheed Martin and ASRC Federal Space and Defense team will now embark on an intense build campaign for EM-1, scheduled to launch in 2018 on the first Space Launch System rocket. Eagles View, a Gardant assisted living and memory care community, invites area residents to a Friends and Family Night from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on March 10. The community, which is located at 200 International Avenue in Rantoul Illinois, serves older adults who need some help to maintain their independence. During the event, guests will meet the Eagles View management team and residents. The buffet menu will include roast beef, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans and cheesecake and red velvet cake. For more information about the event or the community, call 217-892-2800. Eagles View Retirement Community and Memory Care is operated by Gardant Management Solutions, the largest provider of assisted living in Illinois. "We provide older adults with a wonderful alternative to a nursing home or to struggling alone at home," said Sandra Hockman, Director of Marketing at Eagles View. The community combines residential apartment-home living and the availability of personal assistance, help with medications and a variety of convenience and support services. Residents live in private apartments that feature a kitchenette, spacious bathroom with shower and grab bars, individually-controlled heating and air conditioning, and an emergency alert system. Certified nursing assistants, working under the direction of a licensed nurse, are on-duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All three meals each day, housekeeping and laundry are among the included services. "Residents also benefit from all of the opportunities that are available to socialize with friends and neighbors and to participate in activities and special programs," says Hockman. Based in Bradley, Illinois, Gardant Management Solutions operates more than 40 assisted living, senior living and memory care communities that together house nearly 4,000 homes and apartments. "Our focus," says Rod Burkett, President and CEO of Gardant, "is to provide Eagles View residents with the love, compassion and dignity that they deserve and the help and assistance that they need. Our emphasis is on helping each resident to achieve and maintain as much independence as possible for as long as possible." The communities managed by Gardant include the Prairie Winds affordable assisted living community in Urbana, Illinois; the Bowman Estates affordable assisted living community in Danville, Illinois; the Eagle Ridge affordable assisted living community in Decatur, Illinois; and the Heritage Woods affordable assisted living communities in Charleston and Watseka, Illinois. Gardant will also manage GateWay at River City, the affordable assisted living community for adults 22 to 64 with physical disabilities, that is being constructed in Peoria, Illinois. For more information on Gardant Management Solutions and the assisted living, senior living and memory care communities that the company operates, visit http://www.gardant.com or call 1-877-882-1495 toll-free Raj Bharath, son of veteran filmmaker, writer/producer Malliyam Rajagopal, quit the IT profession and took to donning greasepaint as a baddie in films like Sasis Aindhu Aindhu Aindhu and Mysskins Onaayum Aattukuttiyum. The actor is now eagerly looking forward to his upcoming movie Natpadhikaaram 79, where he turns a hero. Apparently, he has assisted director Ravichandran throughout the films making. Recently, actor Suriya unveiled the video song Penne Nee Kadhal Valai from the film, and has appreciated Raj Bharaths efforts. He recalls, Despite his busy shooting schedule, Suriya sir gave time to launch my promo song. His words were very inspirational. He provided positive feedback after watching the trailer and songs. I truly cherish those moments. He adds that he shares a close relationship with the Sivakumar family, as the actor was associated with his dads ventures. Hundreds of thousands of airplane geeks, from more than 70 countries, find an unmatched collection of airplanes and aviation people at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. More than 10,000 aircraft from warbirds and aerobatic to vintage and ultralights and half a million flight enthusiasts will soon make Wittman Regional Airport the busiest airfield in the world. More than 10,000 aircraft from warbirds and aerobatic to vintage and ultralights and half a million flight enthusiasts will soon make Wittman Regional Airport the busiest airfield in the world. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016, the 64th annual Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in convention, will be held July 25-31 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh. Known to many simply as Oshkosh, this years event promises to deliver something for everyone. There will be acrobatic shows by some of aviations top performers, immersive learning experiences for people of all ages, and a glimpse at one of the most important eras of U.S. history, aviation or otherwise. The 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbors Day of Infamy will be commemorated during AirVenture with air shows by historic American and Japanese World War II-era aircraft, as well as other activities throughout the week. An unprecedented flying appearance will be made by a restored Interstate Cadet aircraft that was in the air for flight training over Oahu when the attack began on December 7, 1941. Pearl Harbor changed America forever 75 years ago, said Rick Larsen, who coordinates features and attractions at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh as the EAA vice president of communities and member programs. We will commemorate the heroism shown that day and in the aftermath of the attack. In addition to historic aircraft, AirVenture will bring in one of the most advanced military aerial demonstration teams in the world the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. Comprised of nine Canadair CT-114 Tutor jets and operating at speeds of up to 465 mph, the Snowbirds will make their first Oshkosh appearance since 1983. Other major performances will include the AeroShell Aerobatic Team, glider aerobatics expert Luca Bertossio, the Screamin Sasquatch Jeff Boerboon, and the first woman to ever become the U.S. National Aerobatic champion, Patty Wagstaff, who has accomplished the feat three times. Daily highlights are available through the comprehensive EAA AirVenture Oshkosh website, with more features and attractions being continually added as they are finalized. When air shows arent dominating the sky, AirVenture also includes learning centers for children and aircraft enthusiasts; aircraft of nearly every size, shape and era to view; nightly activities, like a fly-in theater and concerts; and flight experiences on a B-17, Ford Tri-Motor and Bell 47 Helicopter. Not to mention, the EAA AirVenture Museum is onsite and open for tours. About EAA AirVenture Oshkosh EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is the Worlds Greatest Aviation Celebration. Additional information, including advance ticket and camping purchase, is available online at http://www.eaa.org/airventure. EAA members receive lowest prices on admission rates. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 1-800-JOIN-EAA (1-800-564-6322) or visit http://www.eaa.org. Immediate news is available at http://www.twitter.com/EAA. Go Beyond Natural Joins Forces with Rob Lowe to Introduce His ToxicFree Profile Line of Mens Skin Care Products. ToxicFree safety standards exceed those used to rate products 'all-natural' and 'non-Toxic'. Dr. Jon Meliones, Duke University Medical Rob Lowe, an internationally recognized film and TV star, has joined forces with Linda Chae, president of Go Beyond Natural and world leader in the field of ToxicFree personal care products and formulation to introduce his PROFILE Line of mens skin care Products. "Over the course of my career, I have learned all the tricks of the trade for maintaining clean, healthy and younger-looking skin. I have taken that knowledge to another level in creating PROFILE with Certified ToxicFree ingredients using R3 proprietary formulas that rescue, restore and renew mens skin. Now, men everywhere can have the same benefits helping them look and feel their best. Joining Go Beyond Natural and helping bring awareness to ToxicFree safety standards is a great fit for PROFILE, said Rob Lowe, developer, founder and CEO of PROFILE. Go Beyond Natural (http://www.gobeyongnatural.com) produces and sells over 80 ToxicFree products that will now include the PROFILE ToxicFree product line. Go Beyond uses one of the most aggressive Free Products, Product Credits and Cash Rewards affiliate programs in the world to honor its customers for helping others live healthier, ToxicFree lifestyles. Go Beyond Natural focuses the bulk of its efforts on educating consumers about the dangerous chemicals contained in the products they use every day to clean their homes, bodies and children with, encouraging them to make safer choices when they purchase products; even if consumers do not choose to purchase their products from Go Beyond Natural. "I am honored to have worked closely with Rob and his team to develop his PROFILE line of mens skin care products, where even the individual ingredients used are rated. Often, consumers trade short-term results from products that contain harmful chemicals without considering the long-term health risks those products can have on their skin and bodies, said Linda Chae, president of Go Beyond Natural. I have made it my life's mission to educate consumers about the dangers of chemicals in products used every day by families around the world and to create products made from ingredients that are the very best of what Mother Nature has to offer." About PROFILE PROFILE Mens Performance Grooming is brought to you by Rob Lowe as the Developer, Founder and Chief Executive Officer. PROFILEs purpose is to offer high performance grooming products for men that provide results you can feel and see. Rob believes every man should have access to what he needs to maximize his potential and put his best face forward. Male skin is up to 30% thicker than womens skin, contains testosterone making it 20% oiler, and mens skin ages differently than womens as well. PROFILE proprietary R3 and ToxicFree formulas are designed with these specifics in mind using concentrated, natural ingredients, and no added water. After 6 years of dedication, PROFILE is available to inspire every man to be his personal best. About Go Beyond Natural The mission of Go Beyond Natural is to help families live ToxicFree by providing them with the education they need to make safer purchasing decisions. Go Beyond Natural gives consumers access to a marketplace with over 80 ToxicFree products that exceed the safety standards used to rate products all-natural and non-toxic that are found in stores. Go Beyond Natural helps consumers save time and money with its many multi-use and concentrated ToxicFree products rather than purchasing products that contain chemicals and also honors its customers for sharing ToxicFree living with others through Free Products, Product Credits and Cash Rewards. The Go Beyond Natural affiliate program is one of the most aggressive affiliate rewards programs in the world. Chef Jodi of Lajollacooks4u, owner of the unique cooking and dining experience, has returned with new recipes and knowledge on organic farming and farm-to-table cooking following a culinary adventure to San Jose del Cabo and its progressive food scene centered around Los Tamarindos. Enrique Silva, chef and owner and agricultural engineer of Los Tamarindos, guided Chef Jodi through an incredible tour of his organic farm, Huerta Los Tamarindos, showcasing the careful germination and cultivation process that sustains the citys local restaurants. Chef Jodi was impressed with the nature of Silvas enterprise, as Lajollacooks4u prides itself in its own specialization of farm-to-table cooking. Following the tour, Chef Jodi met up with Chef Gabriel Castillo, who taught the cooking class hosted in the kitchen of organic restaurant, Los Tamarindos, located on the property of Huerta Los Tamarindos. Chef Gabriel introduced Chef Jodi to several new recipes, salsas, ceviche, homemade corn tortillas, and locally sourced fish entrees served with farm-fresh vegetables. Chef Jodi is eager to integrate these new authentic Mexican recipes into Lajollacooks4us renowned California Cuisine. Chef Jodi was thrilled about her experience and said, The organic farm scene in this area of Mexico was so inspiring. Lajollacooks4u introduces our guests to the concept of locally sourcing produce and meat by visiting San Diegos local farmers markets and specialty shops. It is great to this progressive movement taking force with the efforts of Los Tamarindos in Los Cabos. We are eager to further incorporate the strategies we learned into Lajollacooks4u. Lajollacooks4u uses only the freshest ingredients available and actively seeks to incorporate farm-to-table cooking practices in all cooking classes. Chef Jodi is looking forward to sharing this new knowledge and recipes gained from her most recent travels. About Los Tamarindos Huerta Los Tamarindos is an organic farm and restaurant located in San Jose Del Cabo. Huerta Los Tamarindos offers farm tours, cooking classes, and also provides an outdoor event center for parties and gatherings. Huerta Los Tamarindos was rededicated to the cultivation of organic produce in 2003, and has since become a very active producer of organic produce in Los Cabos, providing fresh herbs and vegetables for local restaurants (Tequila, Casa Natalia's Mi Cocina, and others) as well as exporting herbs and vegetables to the United States. Los Tamarindos has gone through the rigorous process of obtaining organic certification from Primus Labs and The United States Department of Agriculture. For more information, please visit: http://huertalostamarindos.com/index.html. About Lajollacooks4u Lajollacooks4u, founded in 2008, provides a unique and intimate activity for couples, corporate team-building, and any foodie looking for a unique cooking and culinary experience in an ideal setting overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Based in La Jolla, a suburb of San Diego, Calif., Lajollacooks4u has enjoyed record growth since its inception and is ranked as a top attraction in La Jolla on the worlds largest travel review site, TripAdvisor. For more information, contact Jodi Abel at jodi(at)lajollacooks4u.com or phone 1-858-752-4980. Lajollacooks4u customizes all events to meet the desires and needs of the organization. For reservations, contact Chef Jodi Abel, or visit Lajollacooks4us website at http://www.lajollacooks4u.com. Magnificent Marketing CEO and Founder David Reimherr shares the four most important qualities required to be a successful entrepreneur Reimherr drew on over two decades of business experience and focused on the four core components (passion, purpose, confidence and perseverance) that he believes one must focus on to become a successful entrepreneur. Magnificent Marketing CEO and founder David Reimherr was recently asked by Junior Achievement to speak to high school students at William B. Travis, during entrepreneurial week about what is takes to become a successful business owner. For this talk, he decided to tell the story of his own personal journey and the failures and challenges he encountered. To accomplish this, Reimherr drew on over two decades of business experience and focused on the four core components (passion, purpose, confidence and perseverance) that he believes one must focus on to become a successful entrepreneur. Here, Magnificent Marketing presents an inspiring webinar featuring important information and expert advice from the company's CEO. The webinar, along with the accompanying blog, is available on Magnificent.com. Watch the webinar and read the accompanying blog! About Magnificent Marketing: Magnificent Marketing is your full-service content marketing agency that will take care of all of your marketing needs so that you can concentrate on the core duties needed to manage and grow your business. Their objective is to generate leads that turn into customers while focusing on expanding the visibility of your company and brand, and positioning you to be "top of mind" for future potential clients. In order to achieve this, they draw on their experience and belief that a mixture of traditional marketing techniques combined with modern marketing tools will yield the best results. In other words, they blend old and new school marketing to create the best school of thought! David Howe proudly accepts SubscriberWise award in New York City (photo: CableFAX) The communications industry is facing unprecedented changes SubscriberWise, the nation's largest issuing consumer reporting agency for the communications industry and the leading provider of business rules and scoring technology in telecommunications, announced today that the company founder and CEO will speak at the 2016 Rural Broadband Association and National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative IP Vision Conference & Expo. This unique event will be held at the Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel, April 6th - April 8th, and will focus on the evolution of broadband networks in rural areas and the IP applications that run on them. "Today the communications industry is facing unprecedented changes," said David Howe, CEO of SubscriberWise. "With business models shifting constantly, competition from core service providers, evolving subscriber expectations, and strong Red Flag compliance requirments - operators must harness analytics and business rules technology if they want to remain competitive and ultimately thrive. "For ten years now, the leading operators across this nation have relied on the power of SubscriberWise to help grow their subscriber base, generate cash-flow, create operational efficiencies, and improve the customer experience dramatically. Yes, I'm very excited and genuinely looking forward to the opportunity to share our award-winning technology to the industry professionals attending the IP Vision event. I fully anticipate a productive, engaged, and highly informed discussion," Howe concluded. About SubscriberWise and David E. Howe SubscriberWise launched as the first U.S. issuing consumer reporting agency exclusively for the cable industry in 2006. In 2009, SubscriberWise and TransUnion announced a joint marketing agreement for the benefit of America's independent cable operators. Today SubscriberWise is a risk management preferred-solutions provider for the National Cable Television Cooperative. SubscriberWise contributions to the communications industry are quantified in the billions of dollars annually. David Howe is founder, president, and majority share-holder of SubscriberWise. He is also a consultant and credit manager for MCTV. At MCTV, Howe manages the bad debt and equipment losses on annual sales in excess of $60 million. During his 19-year career at MCTV, Howe has reviewed more than 50,000 credit submissions. His interest in credit began in 1986 while a 17-year-old student in high school. Having directly prevented multitudes more child identity thefts than any single individual including law enforcement professionals nationwide, Howe is recognized as one of the most productive and engaged child identity theft experts of the 21st century. Howes expertise on the subject of identity theft has been shared with virtually all levels of state and federal law enforcement agencies including field agents from the FBI. In 2014, Howe was contacted by IBMs RedCell Counter Fraud and Financial Crimes Intelligence organization for training and information concerning child identity fraud. Today Howe is using the resources of SubscriberWise to help protect children from identity theft and exploitation across the nation. David Howe is the highest FICO achiever in worldwide banking and financial history. Howe is the only known individual living or deceased to have obtained simultaneous perfect FICO 850 Scores across every national credit bureau (since William Fair and Earl Isaac formed Fair & Isaac Corporation (FICO) 60 years ago). In 2014, Howe achieved simultaneous perfect Vantage Scores at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, a credit-scoring feat never before demonstrated. Howe has obtained FICO Professional Certification and is also the first and only citizen of the world to describe and report the details of the perfect FICO and Vantage scores to U.S. reporters. Howe produced and published two videos on the subject of perfect credit: FICO 850 Credit Report Facts and FICO Scores: The Facts. The first general-purpose FICO scores were debuted a quarter century ago. Over the past decade, Howe has been consulted by every leading communications operator in the country including Sprint, Time Warner, Mediacom, Metrocast, Atlantic Broadband, Armstrong, Antietam, Comporium, Grande, Cincinnati Bell, Cable ONE, Shentel, BendBroadband, NewWave Communications, USA Communications, Packerland Broadband, GTA Telegaum, and far too many others to include here. Howes passion with credit and risk management can be found everywhere in the industry today. Today SubscriberWise touches a U.S. consumer every minute of every hour of every day. In 2014, SubscriberWise was named winner in the CableFAX Tech Awards in the category of commercial software, among an incredibly competitive environment that was open to every MSO and tech vendor in North America. Despite being a dedicated and hard worker, Howe is a vagabond and minimalist who prefers to travel from city to city - on a whim - and at his sole discretion; rarely an agenda and often no place in particular. Howe is most contented with a simple existence, an eye on health and wellness, friends and family, warm and sunny climates, and - most especially - a morning coffee and an afternoon imbibe of red wine. Howe holds an Associate and Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Arts and Sciences at Kent State University with an academic focus in human behavior at the macro level, political science, and public administration. He is a member of Pi Gamma Mu, the country's oldest and preeminent honor society in the social sciences and Alpha Kappa Delta, the international sociology honor society. SubscriberWise is a U.S.A. federally registered trademark of the SubscriberWise Limited Liability Co. If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity. PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move. Pakistani actor Mikaal Zulfiqars work has earned him unparalleled fame not only in his country, but also across the border in India. Fiction series like Kuch Pyaar Ka Pagalpan Bhi Tha, Shehr-e-Zaat and Dhoop Chhaon, which aired on Zindagi, have made the actor a force to reckon with among Indian viewers. In an exclusive chat, the actor talks about his journey, Indian TV and more. The Indian audience has warmed up to you in a big way. Is the adulation overwhelming? I am happy with the response my characters have generated. Pakistan has always been influenced by the Indian content and it is simply amazing that now our content is being recognised there. We always felt our shows will never reach the Indian audience but the closed doors are opening, thanks to Zindagi. Pakistani shows have cast a spell on the Indians and they think your content is better than Indian content... I would easily believe that is the case because our shows are larger than life and closer to reality. We shoot in real locations unlike the Indian shows that are mostly shot on sets. Indian dramas are over the top. For example, Indian shows show a business deal worth 10 crores, we on the other hand would stick to a mere 50 lakh amount. I think Indian drama could be a lot better if they stick to reality. Having said that, reality shows in India are engaging I am impressed by the non-fiction content. Post-26/11, the relations between the two countries have been strained and Pakistanis were barred from performing in India. Did the situation affect you? Had it not been for 26/11, I would have done a lot of work in India. We did not get visas for five to six months. The Indian producers were sceptical and refused to work with Pakistani actors. India has always been a market for Pakistani talent. The exchange of talent between the two countries took a heavy beating. Besides, we also had reservations working in an environment where our safety was threatened. Thankfully Ali Zafar started going to India. Looking at him, we also were encouraged. Im glad things are improving. Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan are doing good work in Indian film industry. You had a blink-and-miss role in Baby. How was the experience of working with Akshay? It was a cameo after all. Working with Akshay was an amazing experience. He was very accommodating. I was bowled by his humility. Which Indian heroine you fancy working with the most? Deepika Padukone, any day. I like her a lot and would really love to work with her. This Friday, a small film O Stree Repu Ra directed by Ashok Reddy will hit the screens. Made in a budget of below Rs 1 crore, the film is being released after Ashok struggled for a few weeks. I was planning a short film, but Madhura Sridhar and Thammareddy encouraged me to come out with a feature film, says Ashok. Hailing from a small village of Ambapuram of Guntur District, Ashok was into movies since childhood, but his poor family could not support his dreams. My parents are farmers and no one in our family completed graduation. My father wanted me to study well and complete my degree. I completed my Intermediate at Gurazala and for degree, joined Pragathi College in Hyderabad, says Ashok. After graduation, he applied for a loan to go to Australia, for further studies. With that financial assistance, I completed my MBA in Australia and got job in a firm in Bengaluru. But my film dreams were still alive, says Ashok. For two years, he travelled to Hyderabad every weekend to meet film personalities and also made three short films. Seeing my short films, Madhura Sridhar and Thammareddy Bharadwaj encouraged me a lot, he recalls. The story of his debut movie came from his village. People in our village used to write O Stree Repu Ra (Hey woman, please come tomorrow) on walls and doors to drive away ghosts. This practice is not seen these days, but it was common in the 80s, he says, adding that he developed the subject and made a short film and the rest is history! His classmate Pravin funded the feature film, which was completed in Rs 80 lakh. Actress Deeksha Panth plays the ghost. The toughest part was getting a theatre. It is very difficult to get theatres for such a small film. I ran around and met many people, finally, the movie would be released in nearly 70 to 80 screens, he says. Lending a voice and support to the cause along with the Miss India 2016 aspirants, were noted celebrities and Bollywood actors who stepped out to adopt a stray animal. Mumbai: Believing that beauty is more than just skin deep, the Miss India Organisation launched an 'Adopt a Pet' initiative here in association with World For All Animal Care and Adoptions (WFA) on Women's Day. The initiative, launched on Tuesday, seeks to give stray Indian breed animals a home with an appeal for adoption, a release said here. Lending a voice and support to the cause along with the Miss India 2016 aspirants, were noted celebrities and Bollywood actors who stepped out to adopt a stray animal. Among the attendees included "Zubaan" star Sarah Jane Dias, "Paheli" actor Aditi Gowitrikar, supermodel Alesia Raut, etiquette expert Sabira Merchant, fashion designers Sonakshi Raaj, Nivedita Saboo, Nidhi Munim and others. A keen animal enthusiast, former Miss India 2007 and Bollywood actor Sarah Jane Dias said, "I am thrilled to be attached to this cause. Being a beauty queen has always empowered me and it's a pleasure to be able to use that for a good cause." A spokesperson from the Miss India Organisation said, "Miss India Organisation has always partnered with initiatives that relate to beauty which is skin deep and go beyond the obvious. We are excited to contribute to the cause of adopting stray animals." WFA's vice president Shahira Sunder said the NGO has been regularly holding adoption camps, spreading the concept and benefits of adopting an Indian breed due to their low maintenance and resilience. Amazon preps its first Georgia Tech pickip; a new indie is coming to Chicagoland; and a feminist bookstore is set to open in Canada. Openings New D.C. Bookstore to Open in Vintage Store: Nomad Yard Collectiv is relaunching its original store in Northeast Washington. In addition to adding a co-working space, the renovated storefront will also include the bookstore Chloe, http://www.chloesociety.com which will have a soft launch April 7. Group to Open Feminist Bookstore in Montreal; Later this month five students plan to launch an Indiegogo campaign for $20,000 to raise money for LEuguelionne. Named for Louky Bersianiks novel, the first feminist novel to be published in Quebec, the bookstore will open in September. Amazon Pickup Location to Open at Georgia Tech: Announcements of staffed pickup locations keep coming. Following last weeks news that one will open at this summer at University of Akron comes an announcement about a 2,500 sq. ft. pickup point opening at Georgia Institute of Technology at the same time. Half Price Celebrates Great Opening in Downers Grove: Last weekend the countrys largest indie chain celebrated the opening of its 125th store, its tenth in Chicagoland in as many years. This summer Half Price Books will open a store in Decatur, Ga. Other News Canadas Last Womens Bookstore Vows to Find New Space: After the passing of Margaret Phillips, co- founder of the Northern Womens Bookstore collective and the sale of the stores building by her estate, the remaining members of the 31-year-old collective are determined to find a new space. Fountainhead Bookstore Changes Its Name: After six years of having its name misunderstood, the Hendersonville, N.C., bookstore is retiring both its name and whale logo. Novels and Novelties, as it is now called, is holding a contest to design a new logo. Entries will be accepted through March 30. After only a few months, The Melting has sold 30,000 copies in Belgium. About a young woman who returns to her childhood village to take revenge on its inhabitants, the novel was hatched at a literary summer camp in Flanders. Its publisher thinks it has taken off thanks to strong reviews and a crowdfunding promotion. Book title: The Melting (published in Flemish as Het smelt) First published: January 16 Format: It was released in two paperback editions--a luxury edition sold through a crowdfunding campaign, and a bookshop one. Author: Lize Spit was born in a small village in Flanders, in the late 1980s. When she was 18, she moved to Brussels, where she still lives. In 2014 she attended the Das Mag Summer Camp, which pairs young writers with veteran ones, and her writing caught the eye of Das Mag's publisher. Acquiring Editor: Daniel van der Meer, founder and publisher of Das Mag, along with Toine Donk, who is also a publisher at Das Mag. Van der Meer launched Das Mag as a literary magazine in 2011. Since then, he has expanded the company to include bookclubs, the summer writing camp and, as of November, a publishing house. How Its Done: The book's sales, according to Van der Meer, are coming from its particularly strong performance in Flanders; he estimated that more than 80 percent of the book's sales have been made in the region, which has 6 million inhabitants. The Melting has been on the bestseller list in Flanders for five weeks, and there is strong interest in film rights. Translation rights have been sold in Denmark (to Rosinante), Spain (Planeta), and Norway (Cappelen Damm). Why Its Working: The Melting, which is the second book Das Mag has published, was a surprise hit for van der Meer. It was helped, in part, by a crowdfunding promotion that helped launch the publishing house. In November, van der Meer unveiled a campaign to raise 190,000 to help fund his new book publishing venture. As part of that campaign, van der Meer sold the first three books from the house, one of which was The Melting. The novel also benefited from strong reviews. On the day of its release, it received a three-page, five-star review in De Standaard, Flanders's biggest newspaper. Finally, for van der Meer, Spit represents something Flanders has been craving for some time: a local literary star. "For the last ten years, most new writers have come from The Netherlands," he said. "Flanders needed a young star, so they embraced Lize as if she were their own daughter." The Antarctic blue whale, which is known for its deep resonating song, can weigh up to 180 tonnes and is said to have a heart as big as a small car. (Photo: Pixabay) Sydney: Antarctic blue whales, the largest creatures on the planet, likely belong to three populations that feed alongside each other but breed in separate oceans, according to Australian-led research published yesterday. Using the largest data set ever obtained from the critically endangered subspecies, the study in the Scientific Reports journal seeks to shed light on blue whale populations to aid their conservation. We found genetic evidence that there are three groups of Antarctic blue whales that likely represent three populations, the studys lead author Catherine Attard, a biological sciences lecturer at South Australias Flinders University, told AFP. We suspect that each population migrates north to breed in a different ocean basin. Relatively little is known about the Antarctic blue whale, even though they are the biggest animal in the world and can grow to more than 30m in length. Attard said the animals fed on krill in Antarctica in the southern hemisphere summer, but exactly where they headed to next was a mystery. She said they likely migrated north to the South Pacific, South Atlantic and Indian oceans to breed as the southern hemisphere winter approached. The idea that the whales split up to breed has been around since the 1960s, and Attard said it was possible that calves learned their migratory routes from their mothers. But she said satellite tracking now needed to be done to confirm the majestic animals migratory routes and breeding grounds. Knowing the number and distribution of populations would help prevent biodiversity loss, the study noted. Antarctic blue whale numbers were drastically reduced due to whaling in the past, with only an estimated 360 left in the world in the 1970s when they were last hunted. Attard said current estimates were that there were several thousand of the huge creatures, but they remained surrounded by mystery given the difficulty of studying them in the harsh and remote Antarctica and their wide-roaming nature. Its quite amazing that they are the biggest animal and we dont know much about them, she said. The Antarctic blue whale, which is known for its deep resonating song, can weigh up to 180 tonnes and is said to have a heart as big as a small car. The latest study used genetic samples obtained between 1990 and 2009, as part of research approved by the International Whaling Commission. A judge found probable cause Tuesday for a murder charge filed against a Rock Island man accused of stabbing another man during an early morning fight. Police say they have yet to find the weapon allegedly used by Demetrius Montez Anderson, 26, to stab Adagio D. McGee, 21, of Moline, during the Oct. 24 altercation. Following the stabbing, authorities said Mr. McGee was treated and released from a local hospital, but died because of complications from his injuries on Nov. 2. Mr. Anderson is the former boyfriend of Mr. McGee's cousin, and the couple has three children together. At a preliminary hearing Tuesday, Rock Island County Judge Frank Fuhr found probable cause to continue Mr. Anderson's case to a May 20 pretrial conference, June 2 final plea date and June 6 jury trial. Mr. Anderson pleaded not guilty to the charge through his attorney, Andrea E. Gambino, of Chicago. He remained in custody Tuesday night on a $1 million bond. According to Tuesday's testimony from Moline Police officer Eddie Alaniz, Mr. McGee's cousin called police just before 5 a.m. Oct. 24 to report being awoken by Mr. McGee lying on her bedroom floor, "holding his chest and screaming in pain." Officers responding to the home, in the 700 block of 18th Avenue, were told by Mr. McGee that an unknown person "stuck him" while on the front porch. Before being taken to the hospital, Mr. McGee changed his story to say the unknown person stabbed him with a grilling fork in the backyard, Off. Alaniz testified. Mr. McGee was treated at UnityPoint Health Trinity, Rock Island, for two puncture wounds to his chest and was released two days later. On Nov. 2, Rock Island police were called to a residence, where Mr. McGee was reported to be having a possible seizure. Despite attempts by emergency medical personnel, Mr. McGee was pronounced dead upon arrival to the hospital. Off. Alaniz said the findings of a Nov. 3 autopsy performed by Dr. Mark Peters, a forensic pathologist, found Mr. McGee died from a puncture wound to his heart, in the same location as his Oct. 24 injuries. Mr. McGee's death was attributed to cardiac tamponade pressure on the heart from blood or fluid filling the space between the heart muscle and the outer sac that covers the heart. Off. Alaniz said Mr. McGee's cousin told police on Nov. 13 that she hadn't been entirely forthcoming because she knew her cousin wanted to "handle" the Oct. 24 incident on his own. She told police Mr. McGee had babysat her kids the night of Oct. 23, while she worked, and that he slept over in the bed she shared with her kids. She told police, about 4 a.m., she and Mr. McGee were awoken by Mr. Anderson, who had entered the home and turned on the bedroom light. Although she and Mr. Anderson had "severed ties," the woman said he would show up to her house unannounced, Off. Alaniz said. "She said that once Demetrius noticed that Adagio was in bed, sleeping, that he immediately attacked him," the officer testified. He said the woman reported the two men had fought for several minutes, ignoring her pleas to stop. Eventually, they stood, Mr. Anderson briefly left the room, then re-entered and "appeared to stab Adagio in the chest with something," Off. Alaniz testified. The woman told officers Mr. McGee "immediately took a few steps back and fell down" and, before he left, Mr. Anderson told the man, "you alright." Mr. McGee's injuries appeared to be caused by an instrument similar to a two-pronged barbecue fork that was in her kitchen sink, the woman told police. Off. Alaniz said the woman, however, was unable to locate the utensil after the Oct. 24 incident. During cross-examination, Ms. Gambino said Mr. McGee had been "out and about and active" between Oct. 24 and Nov. 2 yet had not identified the stabbing suspect to police. Off. Alaniz testified another family member said the Oct. 24 dispute began after Mr. McGee reportedly said he was asked to leave the home by Mr. Anderson, but refused. Ms. Gambino, in arguing the state failed to establish probable cause, said her client was in "his own home" and defended himself after he was "attacked" by Mr. McGee. Off. Adagio said Mr. Anderson's former girlfriend denied that he had been living with her at the time. The officer said, although Mr. McGee did not go to police, he informed other family members "who the suspect was that stabbed him." ROCK ISLAND Rock Island city officials are expressing frustration that an estimated $11.5 million relief sewer project on 6th Avenue in Rock Island is taking longer and costing more than expected. "This project, unlike other wide-scale projects that take place, this wasn't a very surgical operation," said Ald. Joshua Schipp, 6th Ward. "This has been a messy project in the heart of the neighborhood. "A lot of streets have been shut down. Residents have had to deal with dust and debris." The project extends along 6th Avenue from 6th Street to 24th Street. Originally scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2015, the city granted the contractor, Brandt Construction, of Milan, an extension until Dec. 18, 2015. Brandt did not meet that deadline for substantial completion. Instead of granting Brandt another extension, the city gave itself the option of assessing what is known as liquidated damages in the amount of $2,220 per day, meaning the contractor could be liable to pay that penalty if the city decides to enforce it. City public works director Randy Tweet said the penalties for failure to meet completion dates are "pretty standard in any contract." Mr. Tweet, though, said for someone to be late week after week is not typical. "We're approaching the tail end of this project," Mr. Tweet said Tuesday. "It has been very inconvenient for people, especially when 15th and 16th streets were closed and 11th and 9th streets were closed. "I think we (city) would have liked them (Brandt) to work faster. All construction projects are a nuisance for the neighborhood. Citizens and businesses can be rest assured it will be completed soon." Barring inclement weather, Mr. Tweet said Brandt is expecting to complete the project in May. Ald. Schipp said at Monday's city council meeting he wanted Brandt to come before the council. "I would fully expect that given the tardiness with this project and other issues that we've had ..., that at the very least, Brandt would be willing to step forward, at least come to the council and explain what's going on," Ald. Schipp said. "I don't appreciate having our public works director in the unenviable position of defending the contractor. I don't want that to happen anymore. Randy (Tweet), you work too hard for the city. "I don't want this to be a blemish on your record. I think the company owes an explanation for at least what's been going on, and how they plan to staff this project right so we don't have to go until August." Terry Brandt, president of Brandt, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Ald. Schipp also said the project's location may be a reason for the lack of attention to the project. "I have to think if this project was handled this way in a different part of town, this would be a very different story," Ald. Schipp said. "I feel very comfortable saying that because I believe that's true." Mr. Tweet said Tuesday that's not true. "It certainly has nothing to do with the neighborhood," Mr. Tweet said. "We don't give any neighborhood preferential treatment or different treatment. "All are treated equally." Council members also approved an additional $351,080 for engineering services on the project by the engineering firm Symbiont, of West Allis, Wis., on Monday. The council also approved $262,000 in additional payments to the engineering firm last August, paying the firm up to $1.64 million. The original contract with Symbiont back in September 2011 for design and construction-related services was $370,800. Mr. Tweet said the original amount was for preliminary design. The council approved the Brandt contractor bid in 2014. As for seeking the liquidated damages, Ald. Schipp said, "It's important for us to stand together as a council and not waiver an inch on that. "A contract is a contract." The project is part of a $70 million sewer system improvement plan in the city. ROCK ISLAND Ganson's Neighborhood Bakery and Cafe in Rock Island, along with its bakery in Milan, have closed, according to city officials. The decision to close the cafe, at 3055 38th St., Rock Island, was apparently made last week by owner Christine Thompson, according to Rock Island city manager Thomas Thomas. He said city staff spoke with Ms. Thompson, who said the closing was a personal decision rather than a lack of business. "We asked if they planned to sell the business, and she was unsure at that time," Mr. Thomas said via email. Ms. Thompson opened the Rock Island cafe's doors in January 2009. According to Ganson's website, the restaurant featured sandwiches, homemade soups, salads, gourmet dinner specials and made-from-scratch deserts and pastries, "served in the relaxing atmosphere of our charming 1920s farm house." Ms. Thompson could not be reached for comment. Ms. Thompson also owned Ganson's Simply Gluten Free, 503 10th Avenue West., Milan. The business opened in 2013. Milan village administrator Steve Seiver said the gluten-free bakery also closed in the past week. He said Ms. Thompson still owns the business, and there is still an active lease on the property. The bakery was not a retail business, Mr. Seiver said. The Milan facility was used for producing GF products for Ms. Thompson's Rock Island restaurant. GENESEO Aldermen broadened the definition of who may run a business out of their home without paying for a conditional use permit last June, but the ordinance as written may not cover all contingencies. Brad Schnowske attended Tuesdays council meeting to say he didnt think he should have to spend $150 on a permit for his small delivery service. Its a dot-com business, and I get a telephone call and go from point A to point B. Its not out of my home, he said. Last June, the council changed wording about home-based businesses to exempt more from the $150 fee and public hearing with the intent of accommodating people who might live in Geneseo and commute one or more days a week to Chicago. Mayor Nadine Palmgren said she was glad to have Mr. Schnowske in business assisting people such as the elderly and those with physical limitations. His business charges $5 to make deliveries from Wal-Mart or grocery stores. I want to thank you for starting that, she said. She noted the city would get back to Mr. Schnowske after she talks with city attorney Dan Alcorn. City administrator Lisa Kotter said if a business is not specifically permitted, then it is to be considered needing a conditional use permit. The council also: - Noted the traveling Vietnam Wall will come to Geneseo for a second time Aug. 17-21. - Introduced new human resources director Lacey Billiet, who formerly worked for the county. - Approved a land-lease of acreage to the Geneseo FFA for 2016-17. - Permitted early hours for a bowling tournament at Lees Lanes on Sunday. - Declared the community service officers vehicle surplus property. The footage features the white marsupial nuzzling his head into a young womans head and neck and even appearing to lick and groom her hair. (Credit: Scren grab/ YouTube) If youve never seen an albino kangaroo before, then heres your chance to find out what one looks like. A video of an albino kangaroo showering a human visitor with lots of cuddles and kisses has recently gone viral on different social media sites. The footage features the white marsupial nuzzling his head into a young womans head and neck and even appearing to lick and groom her hair. The woman is seen giggling after the roo threw his arms around her neck for a warm hug. The woman, who goes by the name Nicole, is said to be a part of a group of students studying in Australia for a semester and met the apparently loving kangaroo at the Caversham Wildlife Park in Western Australia, according to the Daily Mail. Click on the link below to view the video: MOLINE Republicans must unite behind Donald Trump if he does become the party's nominee for president, Illinois GOP Chairman Tim Schneider told local party members Tuesday. Speaking at the annual Rock Island County Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner, Mr. Schneider said, "We're here to support the nominee of our party, and if the people vote for Donald Trump, we're going to support Donald Trump that's a democratic society; that's who we are." About 120 people attended the event at Stoney Creek Hotel in Moline, and there was loud applause from parts of the room when one woman told Mr. Schneider she was "very, very upset with Mitt Romney and the whole establishment" for "trying to take down Trump." The woman asked Mr. Schneider to tell Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, to get establishment figures such as Mr. Romney "to back off" from criticizing Mr. Trump. Mr. Schneider responded by saying he recently had met two women both of whom were Democrats and one of whom told him she was "a Mexican" who said they were going to vote for Mr. Trump. "I said, 'Wow, this is amazing,'" Mr. Schneider said, adding the party would get behind Mr. Trump, or any of the other remaining candidates, if they win the nomination. Speaking to reporters after the event, Mr. Schneider said he does not think Mr. Trump has damaged the Republican brand and that he seems to have brought new supporters to the GOP. Earlier, he had said, "No matter who you have to hold your nose for, if he's got an R next to his or her name, we stand tall, and we vote for that person." "Don't try and send a message to the Republican Party that that person wasn't conservative enough," he added. "We're not going to listen anyway -- this is a big tent party. We have to stay together to support our nominee." Mr. Schneider, who is a Cook County commissioner, said it is possible a nominee for president might only emerge after a brokered convention. "We'd like not to see that because we'd like to see our nominee chosen so that we can use our convention to lift him up as he goes to the general elections season, but if there's a brokered convention, we'll be ready for that, and I'm sure a great nominee will come out of that," he said. State Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Rock Island, also spoke at the Lincoln Day Dinner through a video link from Springfield. He said it was vital not to allow the Democrats to win the presidential election. Sen. Anderson was joined on the video link by state Sens. Michael Connelly, R-Naperville, and Matt Murphy, R-Palatine. Sen. Murphy urged Republicans in Illinois to "hang together" during the ongoing budget battle in Springfield, which he said was a "fight for the future of this state." NEW YORK (AP) Margo Seibert and Natalie Brasington don't think women should have to pay a "period tax," and like a growing number of other women, they are publicly questioning whether being female in the U.S. carries unfair costs. The pair are among five New York City women who filed a lawsuit last week arguing that it was unconstitutional for the state to levy sales tax on tampons and sanitary napkins while offering medical product exemptions to many other items used by both genders, like lip balm, foot powder and dandruff shampoo. The case, they say, is about more than the few cents in tax levied on each pack. Sick of the social taboo, and frustrated by a lack of access for some to a staple, these women and others are talking very publicly about menstruation and gaining political traction that would have been impossible a generation ago. A national push to abolish sales tax on tampons is gathering steam, led by social media campaigns like #periodswithoutshame. At least seven states are now considering legislation. Illinois lawmakers were holding a hearing on the latest proposal Wednesday. Connecticut legislators discussed the issue Monday. Cosmopolitan magazine launched an online petition, and even President Barack Obama has questioned why the items are taxed. "I tend to talk about my period quite a bit, to anyone who will listen," said Seibert, a 31-year-old actress and founder of an online campaign that promotes a "shame-free" period. Brasington, a 31-year-old photographer, said the tax affects women disproportionately and is a genuine burden for poorer women. "Being a woman is so expensive," she said. Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, a vice president at the NYU School of Law's Brennan Center for Justice, said she began writing articles and op-eds on "menstrual equity" when she discovered food pantries were desperate for sanitary napkins and tampons because poor women can't afford them. The tax campaign reflects a broader debate over "gender pricing," or charging women and men different rates for similar products and services, from haircuts to razors to T-shirts. New York City's consumer protection agency studied the cost of 800 common household items last year and found that products marketed to women cost, on average, 7 percent more than similar products for men. "Women's outcry over this issue isn't just about the tax on tampons. It's a reflection of the routine unfairness that seeps into our everyday lives," said Sonia Ossorio, president of the National Organization for Women in New York. "At the end of the day, the tampon tax movement is one small way to challenge the broader sexism that still persists. Because that's the real taboo here." While women's advocates have long lamented that many women's products cost more, their providers say there can be legitimate reasons a more decorative product or more complicated haircut, for instance. And some have noted that women sometimes pay less: for life and auto insurance, for example. Nationwide, 40 states tax feminine hygiene products, deeming them non-necessities or even "luxury items," while making exceptions for products as similar as adult incontinence pads. Currently, five U.S. states exempt tampons and other feminine hygiene products from their sales tax, which varies around the country from about 2.9 percent to as high as 7.5 percent. Another five states have no sales tax. New York taxes tampons and sanitary napkins as tools "to control a normal bodily function and to maintain personal cleanliness." The 4 percent state sales tax on the products costs New York women millions of dollars a year; estimates range from about $7 million to twice that, a minute fraction of the state's $142 billion budget. Advocates say the cost, however small it may seem, is burdensome for poor women, who also can't purchase the products with food stamps. "Having one's period is not a luxury," state Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, a Democrat who has proposed abolishing the tax. "Because of our biology, we bear this extra cost, and the state should not compound it." The state Department of Taxation and Finance declined to comment, citing the lawsuit. Two major manufacturers of feminine hygiene products, P&G, the maker of the Tampax brand, and Edgewell Personal Care Co., the maker of the Playtex brand, didn't respond to inquiries this week about the tax issue. Zoe Salzman, the attorney on the New York case, said they'd push to get a judge to rule the tax unlawful. "If men had to use these products every month, they would already be tax-exempt," she said. Meanwhile, the legislative proposal has yet to get a hearing, though supporters are hopeful about its prospects, especially since Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently said the tax should be abolished. That wasn't the sense in Utah, where a legislative committee last month nixed a proposal to tax-exempt the items. While some members of the all-male committee supported the idea, others questioned where the state would draw the line on what to tax in the future. The Los Angeles Times, in an editorial last week, expressed similar concerns in opposing a tax exemption that California lawmakers are considering. Overseas, Canada removed taxes on the items last year, and British leaders, who have set the tax at the lowest possible level, have considered doing away with it altogether. ERUSALEM (AP) Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Israel on Tuesday for a two-day visit that is to include meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders as Palestinians unleashed a wave of attacks that killed an American tourist near where Biden was visiting and wounded a dozen Israelis. The American man, who was not identified by name, was killed in a stabbing spree in the port city of Jaffa in which a Palestinian attacker also wounded six Israelis before he was shot and killed by Israeli forces. The attack took place as Biden was meeting with former Israeli President Shimon Peres nearby, at the Peres Center for Peace in Jaffa. It was the latest bloodshed in more than five months of near-daily Palestinian assaults on Israeli civilians and security forces that show no sign of abating. Along with the Jaffa assailant, three other Palestinian attackers in Tuesday's assaults were shot and killed by Israeli security forces. "I notified the vice president on the terrible incident that took place just a few hundred meters away from here in Jaffa," Peres said, standing next to Biden. "Terror leads to nowhere." "The majority of the people know there is no alternative to the two state solution ... and we shall follow with all our strength and dedication to make from it a new reality," Peres added. "It is up to us, Israel and the United States together, to do everything we can in order to fight terror and bring an end to the bloodshed and war," Peres said in a statement released by his office. Biden's office said he expressed his sorrow at the tragic loss of American life and offered his condolences to the family of the American citizen, as well as wishes for a full and quick recovery for the wounded Israelis. Just ahead of the visit, Israel disputed a White House claim that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "surprised" the Obama administration by canceling a planned visit to Washington, saying that the White House knew Netanyahu was considering not coming. Netanyahu had been expected to visit later in March on a trip coinciding with a major pro-Israel group's annual summit, but his office said he would not travel because he did not wish to come at the height of U.S. presidential primaries. The spat comes amid tense relations with President Barack Obama in the last year of his presidency. The White House said Israel had proposed two dates for a meeting between the leaders and the U.S. had offered to meet on one of those days. "We were looking forward to hosting the bilateral meeting," said Ned Price, a spokesman for the White House's National Security Council. "We were surprised to first learn via media reports that the prime minister, rather than accept our invitation, opted to cancel his visit." But Netanyahu's office said Israel's ambassador to the U.S. had already informed the White House last week there was a "good chance" Netanyahu would not make the trip. It said the ambassador told the White House there would be a final decision on Monday. That day, Israeli news reports erroneously reported that Netanyahu would not travel because he was unwilling to meet with Obama. Netanyahu's office said it then informed the White House directly that Netanyahu would not be visiting. Netanyahu was invited to address a summit of the staunchly pro-Israel group AIPAC. An Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly, said Netanyahu wanted to avoid potential meetings with presidential candidates at the summit. Netanyahu was accused of siding with Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential campaign and he appears wary of sparking any additional claims of meddling in American politics. "It's a tumultuous primary season in the United States ... we don't want to inject ourselves into that tumultuous process," the official said. Later, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said there was no reason to consider Netanyahu's cancellation "a snub." But he said the White House would have preferred to hear that he would not visit in person rather than through media reports. Still, it was the latest signal of ongoing tensions between the U.S. and its closest Mideast ally. Relations between Israel and the U.S. never fully recovered after Obama incensed Netanyahu's government by pursuing and then agreeing to a nuclear deal with Iran. A visit by Biden in 2010 was marked by a diplomatic spat with Washington, when Israel announced settlement construction plans during his visit. His last visit to Israel was in 2014. Netanyahu's office said Tuesday the prime minister is, "looking forward to the visit of Biden and discussing how we can meet the many challenges facing the region." Biden is not expected to offer any new initiative on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Israel or during his meetings in the West Bank. Since U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's failed effort two years ago, Obama's aides have repeatedly cast doubt on prospects for a successful restart of the peace process during Obama's final months in office. In advance of Biden's trip, the White House said it didn't believe either the Israelis or the Palestinians currently have the political will to renew the peace process. The White House declined to speculate Tuesday about one possibility that has emerged: a U.N. resolution setting parameters for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal to make it easier for Obama's successor to pursue. But a senior Obama administration official said the U.S. would consider options in the future that would advance a two-state solution but still prefers Israel and the Palestinians to negotiate a resolution. The official wasn't authorized to comment by name and requested anonymity. Israel rejects an imposed formula and says any outline of a peace accord has to be reached through direct negotiations. Beth McAleer, a 73-year-old mother of five and a world-class sweetheart, says if we modeled life's daily dealings after the Claddagh ring, our world would be a better place. The ring, an Irish tradition, represents love, loyalty and friendship. "Pretty simple," said the woman who recently was named the 2016 Irish Mother of the Year by the St. Patrick Society, Quad Cities, U.S.A. "Follow it and we would have a better world." McAleer, a grandmother of nine, taught elementary school in Davenport for more than a quarter century. She will preside over Friday's Gathering of the Clan luncheon and Saturday's Grand Parade XXXI, billed as the only bi-state St. Patrick's parade in the nation. The parade will start at 11:30 a.m. in downtown Rock Island and end in downtown Davenport. Humbled and honored at her selection, McAleer says her instincts told her something was brewing at her family's Christmas celebration. "It's a (Christmas) tradition at our house that the boys smoke cigars, drink Irish Mist and talk about how grateful they are to have what they have," she said. "And they get loud. This year things were hushed for an extended period, and that meant they were up to something. They're sneaky, but I'm a mother. "I realized after the call came to tell me I was selected they had been conspiring to write letters on my behalf. I am one of 11 children, so I also know they had some help. I'm just so honored and touched. This is amazing." If McAleer were not presiding over this weekend's St. Patrick Society festivities as Irish Mother of the Year, she still would be knee-deep in the local celebration. "We have a float in the parade, and I would be part of that with all the family," she said. "It's a huge celebration, and by huge, I mean huge. We have been a part of the parade since the first day and think it's such a great thing for the community. I used to take my students from Washington (Elementary School) to the parade. It's a day of celebration for all cultures in the Quad-Cities." Michael and Beth McAleer have been married for 51 years. He served as grand marshal of the Grand Parade in 2004. Beth McAleer, one of 11 children of the late Bob and Betty Duax, is the first second-generation selection as Irish Mother of the Year. Her mother nabbed the honor in 2000. "Tough to keep pace," McAleer said. "We pretty much have the family surrounded with me getting selected this year. How great is it, though, to have all three of us get a chance at something so special?" Try as they might, it is tough for all four of McAleer's living children to make Grand Parade each year. That will change in 2016. "Sean, Jeff, Casey and Thom will be there," she said. "Jeff's coming in from Ankeny (Iowa), and Thom from Anchorage, Alaska. It will be great to have them, their families and the rest of our family share the day. Excited would be putting it mildly." Meng Brings NASA Astronaut To Queens On October 17, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) brought NASA astronaut Dr. Jonny Kim to Queens where he met and spoke with students at Francis... Celebrating Columbus The Federation of Italian-American Organizations of Queens (FIAO) held their annual Columbus Day parade in Astoria, on Saturday, October 8, during Italian Heritage Month. The... Russo-Elling Mourned More than 300 first responders lined up on Thursday night to honor FDNY EMT Lt. Alison Russo-Elling, as her body was placed into a waiting... So much preparation goes into a typical wedding. Months of planning, shopping, talks and selections, and you forget one thing; your world turns upside down. After all the hustle and buzzle, one thing the newly-wed and their entourage can care less about is to let their hair down and have a bit of fun. A long guest list, colourful and extravagant venue, lavish feast and a series of rituals were the key lookouts for the big fat Kerala wedding. But there is something novel. The fever of having a DJ night post wedding reception parties is gripping Malayalees more than ever, and weddings are no longer a brief ceremony, with people coming like zombies, posing for the photographs like a set tone, munch and go. It has become an event, and events are designed like a show. The usual formal function has changed its mode. Event management companies and wedding planners are going that extra length to make it more participatory and to make it a more glamorous affair. Jibin John, managing director of one of the leading event management companies in Kochi, informs that DJs are becoming an essential requirement for weddings when they get enquiries. People are looking for more theme based and destination weddings. It is an influence from the North and the western countries. They go overboard trying to outdo each other in innovativeness with themed weddings, fusion weddings and weddings at expensive resorts or at unique locations. They no longer want a ceremony where the audience is passive, when they are ready for the most special day of their life. So DJs are exclusively asked to make their day with music, dance and fun. We also give an affordable package, which gives them the push to spend a little extra for their one-time event, says Jibin. As couples discover new, grander ways to celebrate weddings, DJs in town are making it a bigger buzz, filling the dance floor. The late night party flavour in cities like Kochi has seen a dip post the anti-liquor policy that shut down many bars and pubs. So, wedding ceremonies and bachelor parties are the only time people get to have some fun and dance to the fullest, says DJ Strawz aka Ashok. In a month, Ashok gets calls to do four events minimum. There was a wrong perception of DJs until this trend kicked in, because parties were always associated with wrong motives. But this scenario has changed. In a wedding party, initially everyone will be a little reluctant but we blow it when everybody gets into a comfortable state, laughs Ashok. Another sought-after DJ Arnet Xavier says this trend was initiated by the Anglo-Indian crowd settled in the state. There is no ceremony for them without music and dance. From couple dance, sangeeth, mehendi and haldi ceremonies, the wedding festivities are becoming more grand. Keralites are fascinated by these traditions, says Arnet. He is of the opinion, there is a multi-cultural element hidden in it. Most of the youth from Kerala are used to seeing other cultures, either by studying or working abroad. So when their wedding comes, they will have guests from other states or countries. This is one major reason. Ideally, you want your guests to be up and on their feet and grooving to the sound of the music all night long. So this once-in-a-lifetime event for most people in India, are becoming something worth remembering, concludes Arnet. Nearly 73 years after crashing into Lake Michigan, an SBD-3 Dauntless dive bomber is soaring once again, this time over Leatherneck Gallery at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. An installation team carefully hoisted the aircraft inch by inch until it was positioned in a dramatic 40-degree dive angle with dive flaps open and a replica 1,000 pound bomb suspended underneath looming over the Museums central gallery. She was originally slated for display in the Museums WWII gallery, but after close inspection NMMC personnel determined that a full restoration was required to safely exhibit the aircraft. The Museums Restoration team spent more than 62,000 man hours on the shop floor and countless hours of research to completely restore the Dauntless. The precise, meticulous restoration work may not have been possible without the original SBD blueprints taken from a Marine Corps Overhaul and Repair facility by an aviation Marine as he helped close the facility down at the end of WWII. That Marine, Maj Jack Elliott (ret), went on to serve a total of 24 years, seeing combat in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Hes now a docent at the Museum and lent his expertise in restoring the aircraft that is very much like the one he served as a gunner on during WWII. In fact, at least half of the Museums Restoration team have served in the Corps and most of them were (or are) airframers. With the Museums mission to preserve the material history of the Corps in perpetuity, the team used original parts where possible and manufactured others using the blueprints, microfiche from the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and original manuals for the SBD to restore the Dauntless. Even the gun synchronization system and the autopilot are also nearly completely restored. Century Aviation from Wenatchee, Washington and riggers from iWeiss Theatrical Solutions were contracted to lift the Dauntless into place above the Tarawa tableau. Using four hoists, cabling, engineering prowess and a great deal of patience, the team slowly lifted the aircraft up, then over, up and finally tilted it into its final dive position. Visitors can even see the pilot and gunner from the overlooks on the Museums second floor. Seeing the SBD finally in its place was exciting for the entire staff (and, no doubt, will be for visitors) but it was especially rewarding for those who spent so many hours preserving her. Elliott seemed to have tears in his eyes as he looked with pride up at the aircraft he is so familiar with both in wartime and peace. There was celebrating and relief as the permanent cables were attached and the temporary rigging removed but there was little time for that. There was still a UH-34D helicopter to be lifted into place for the new Vietnam tableau so Century and iWeiss were back the next day to begin that process. With the SBD-3 and the UH-34D permanently in place, cast figures delivered and the ground form around the new tableau started, the Museum is approximately halfway through the work to be completed during the three-month closure. Its been very busy here since the beginning of January, and theres still much more to be done before April 1st, but well be very excited to welcome visitors back. The new Vietnam-era tableau and the Dauntless will be the obvious changes, and we wont be able to add the rotor blades to the UH-34 until after the construction demising wall comes down. And, theres been so much more happening. Weve begun upgrading all the lighting throughout the Museum with LED fixtures, a change that is not only ecologically sound but will also save hundreds of thousands of dollars over the coming years. Were also repairing settlement cracks in the terrazzo flooring and adding some small improvements in some of the existing galleries, Lin Ezell, NMMC Director, said. The building construction for the additional 115,000 square feet is ongoing with the first phase opening in 2017, but there wont be any more closures. Visitors may hear the work going on but that will just get them excited to come back to see what was going on beyond the current walls. The Museum is a public-private partnership between the U.S. Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. It is located at 18900 Jefferson Davis Highway in Triangle, Virginia and is normally open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Christmas Day. Admission and parking are free. For more information call 703-784-6107 or visit on the web at www.usmcmuseum.com. More Media A woman traveller wearing a pair of gun-shaped high heels and carrying two bracelets that were lined with realistic-looking bullets was stopped at BWI airport. (Photo: Twitter/ TSAmedia_LisaF) Washington: A woman traveller wearing a pair of gun-shaped high heels and carrying two bracelets that were lined with realistic-looking bullets in her carry-on bag had to delay her flight and abandon the 'dangerous items' after security agents spotted them. The Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said the female traveler at Baltimore/ Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) was delayed for an unspecified amount of time on Saturday when agents discovered the gun shoes in her carry-on bag. "Shoes and bracelets that are less than ideal to wear or bring to a @TSA checkpoint. These delayed a traveler at BWI," Farbstein tweeted. "Friendly reminder from ?@TSA: Realistic replica firearms and ammunition are not permitted past TSA checkpoints," she said. Shoes and bracelets that are less than ideal to wear or bring to a @TSA checkpoint. These delayed a traveler at BWI. pic.twitter.com/tZiFkwCBLf TSAmedia_LisaF (@TSAmedia_LisaF) February 29, 2016 Farbstein said the woman was told she could put the items in her checked bags, but she chose instead to abandon the shoes at the airport and bracelets in order to board a flight. No charges were filed against the unnamed woman, CBS Balitmore reported. Meanwhile, the manufacturer of the gun-shaped high heels is looking for the unnamed owner who had to surrender her shoes to the TSA agents. The shoe manufacturer, Pleaser USA, announced on their Twitter page that they are searching for the shoe owner. "Please contact so we can reunite you with a FREE pair of Bondgirl shoes for having to forfeit yours in lieu of missing your flight," the company says. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is the largest of three major airports serving the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area in the United States, the other two being Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. The tunnel was built by China Railway Tunnel Group and local contractors and has taken around three years to complete. The $US 455m project was financed with the aid of a $US 350m loan from the Export-Import Bank of China. The $US 1.9bn Angren Pap line will create a direct link between the capital Tashkent and Uzbekistan's second-largest city Namangan and will also enable east-west freight traffic to bypass northern Tajikistan. Reaching an altitude of 2267m above sea level, the Kamchik pass carries the only highway between the two cities entirely in Uzbek territory and it is the only route that could feasibly be taken by a railway through the narrow strip of Uzbek territory between the Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan borders. UTY forecasts that the electrified railway will carry 600,000 passengers and 4.6 million tonnes of freight in its first year of operation. But should the industry be doing more to change this situation and speed up? Is the perception of a slow moving industry now just an excuse for sticking to what you know? "Digitisation" is the current industry buzzword, and everywhere you go it seems everyone is talking about big data, the Internet of Things, and machine-to-machine technology. Industry figureheads are keen to point out the advantages that digitisation offers through greater automation, smart components, and services tailored to individual passengers, as well as the threats it poses to rail such as the development of automated cars. For example, Dr Rudiger Grube, German Rail's (DB) CEO, told the Fourth Railway Forum in Berlin on March 1 that every sector of DB is now "digitised" in some form. He referred to digitisation as the "innovation driver of the 21st century" and said that getting it right was crucial for rail to remain a viable mode of transport. Similarly it was a major topic of discussion at the International Railway Summit, hosted by IRJ and Irits, in Vienna in February. Director general of the International Union of Railways (UIC) Mr Jean-Pierre Loubinoux told delegates that rail must embrace the digital revolution to meet current and future passenger requirements. Similarly European Rail Research Advisory Council (Errac) chairman Mr Andy Doherty described digitisation as the "Trojan horse" for the industry's development. Public pronouncements may be one thing, but there need to be definitive cultural changes within railways for the sector to realise the benefits on offer. After all, digital technology waits for no-one. A balance must therefore be struck between investing in the technology that will offer rail a competitive edge but which can easily be updated and does not become obsolete after only two or three years. DB's chief procurement officer, Mr Uwe Gunther's, pronouncement that DB will in the future favour suppliers that offer new innovations in their bids for tenders as well as the opportunity to upgrade as new solutions become available, is encouraging. He also hinted at a situation currently where suppliers are not offering the innovations he feels the railway needs despite these solutions being readily available. However, speak to any supplier and they will chart the frustrations they have with getting their products, which may offer many of the desired innovations, approved and in the hands of the big railway companies. Stories of 10-year certification and approval process for some components are not uncommon (IRJ September 2014 p118). This is true regarding a technology which Grube was keen to tout during his speech: 3D printing. He reported that DB has been working on developing this concept with industry partners to produce components such as coat hooks and window handles for vehicles with 20 solutions now ready for adoption. However, 3D printing for the rail industry is nothing new. My visit to Parker's factory in Milton Keynes, Britain, (IRJ April 2015 p45) revealed the extensive work that has taken place in this area for many years. Yet while aviation, medical and Formula 1 motor racing are benefitting from the lightweight and strong but malleable components that this process can offer, rail is struggling to follow suit. Parker has manufactured thousands of 3D printed components for rail, but this is usually for reverse engineering purposes to develop moulds for obsolete components used on aging rolling stock. Use of these lightweight components in new systems is currently rare because of the challenge of securing certification and acceptance. Adopting legislation to alter this process then is just as important as changing a specific railway's procurement culture, and there are signs of progress in at least two key areas. Adoption into national law and practice of the EU's public procurement framework is scheduled to take place this year. This includes awarding public contracts based on the most-economically advantageous tender (Meat) principle, which emphasises using lifecycle and not-upfront costs as a deciding factor during procurement, and may be a way of affording railways, which are under pressure to justify outlay, the flexibility to try something new. Acceptance of the Fourth Railway Package's technical pillar, which Mr Josef Doppelbauer, executive director of the European Rail Agency (ERA), told delegates in Vienna will happen by June, also promises to help overcome these hurdles by establishing ERA as the "one-stop-shop" for certification in Europe. The hope is that this will dramatically reduce the amount of time it takes for suppliers to certify their products for use in multiple countries. In turn, this will result in greater innovation in tenders. However, if it is to succeed in its expanded role, ERA must have sufficient resources. Doppelbauer says that any talk of funding was left out of the terms of the technical pillar due to the mine field that is European politics. But with the acceptance date looming, he says he is now actively discussing how much funding ERA will require in the coming years to operate effectively. Given the chosen path for rail in Europe, the outcome of these negotiations is crucial. A situation where ERA cannot keep up with demand will be no better than today's drawn-out country-by-country certification processes. Indeed it will threaten the future ability of railways to compete and severely limit their capacity to embrace digitisation. The technology might be within their grasp but at present too much is continuing to slip through their fingers. Something has to give. Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here. OK Bengaluru: Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), Kudligi sub-division of Ballari district, Anupama Shenoy, who was in news in the last two months for being shunted out of the district and later reinstated for keeping the call of Labour Minister P.T. Parmeshwar Naik on hold, was also in the forefront of stopping illegal liquor mafia in her jurisdiction, when she was abruptly transferred on the day the Election Commission announced the code of conduct for Zilla and Taluk Panchayat elections in the state. The woman officer had after a public meeting by community leaders in October 2015 instructed the sub-inspectors in the eight police stations in her sub-division to stop the illegal sale of liquor and had registered 13 FIRs between November 15 and December 15 in Kudligi, Gudekota, Hossahalli, Kottur, Mariamanhalli, Gadiganoor, Torangal and Sandur police stations. The DySP had issued a memo to the SIs in the eight police stations instructing them to stop the illicit sale of liquor following which the police had raided the illegal joints from where liquor was being sold to the people, a source said. She had issued a press release in which she had solicited the help of the public to stop the illegal trade and had given her official mobile number. She had received a tremendous response and support from the public. She remains undeterred even now and is continuing with the crackdown on the illegal trade, the source added. Kudligi, considered as one of the most backward subdivisions in the state, is plagued by illegal liquor mafia, which is allegedly being backed by corrupt police and excise officers and politicians. In the absence of legal liquor shops, illegal vendors have mushroomed in the region, who sell liquor at an exorbitant price to villagers. After the ban on mining, illegal liquor mafia has become an alternative source of revenue for corrupt officials and politicians. The DySP along with her team of officials has been working hard to stop it, said the officer on condition of anonymity. In fact, on November 11 last year, a six-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered in Swamihalli village of Sandur taluk of Ballari district by one Manjunath, who reportedly confessed to the police that he got himself drunk at an illegal liquor joint before committing the crime. A police team, under the supervision of DySP Shenoy, had arrested Manjunath from his village Yeradamannahalli in the taluk. At CABSAT Televes is presenting its TV solutions portfolio for the hospitality market, integrating IPTV, video-on-demand (VOD) and over-the-top (OTT) platforms. The Spanish company is attending the event for the broadcasting industry in Dubai in a bid to increase brand awareness in the Middle East, Africa and Southern Asia after mainly focusing on Spain and Latin America The company's TV solutions for the hotel industry integrate content offers from a wide range of sources such as DTT, IPTV, cable, satellite, OTT and VOD platforms into a unified service delivered to customers.At CABSAT, Televes is also introducing to the market its digital signage services and solutions for deployment and management of high capacity fibre networks for small and medium-sized operators.For us, CABSAT is the perfect platform to open new business opportunities and get closer to our clients in a highly dynamic region in which our brand is increasingly known, said David Goldar, manager director for Middle East, Televes Spain's public broadcaster RTVE has appointed Eladio Jareno as the new director for its TV network TVE following the resignation of Jose Ramon Diez in February for personal reasons. The appointment of Jareno, who is currently head of RTVE in Catalonia, has already been criticised, as his previous experience includes working as head of public relations for Alicia Sanchez-Camacho, president of the Conservative party (Partido Popular) in Catalonia. Indeed, his career was always been related to political communications until he joined RTVE in 2003.His roles since he arrived at the public broadcaster have included director of childrens programming.Between 2008 and 2014, when he returned to RTVE following the appointment of Jose Antonio Sanchez as the broadcaster's president, Jareno was director of regional channel Telemadrid. Qatars Al Jazeera has selected Arqiva to provide its global teleport and satellite distribution services for its two flagship Arabic and English TV channels. The long-term agreement, which began in February, will provide Al Jazeeras audience with improved quality video through an increase in bit rate. Network resilience will also be enhanced through the use of dual and triplicate redundancy on key components of the core fibre, satellite and teleport design.With Arqiva already providing the transmission for all of Al Jazeeras output to the Middle East from its UK teleports, it made sense to turn to them as we looked to take on a new global satellite distribution partner. This agreement is another step towards providing our audiences across the world with a higher quality viewing experience, said Abdulla AlNajjar, executive director, Global Brand and Communications, Al Jazeera David Crawford, managing director, Satellite & Media, Arqiva, added: With millions of households tuning in worldwide, Al Jazeera is one of the biggest multinational, multimedia news networks in the industry and one were thrilled to be working with. We look forward to ... helping them to monetise their content in multiple ways across multiple territories. Domodedovo airport owner charged in 2011 terror attack case denied bail MOSCOW, March 9 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court has denied a 50 million-ruble ($694,000) bail to Dmitriy Kamenshchik, the owner of the Domodedovo airport, charged with the provision of services that do not meet security standards in connection with 2011 terrorist attack that left 37 dead, RAPSI reported from the courtroom on Wednesday. Defense team as well as prosecutors asked the court to release Kamenshchik but their motion was dismissed. The businessman will stay under house arrest until April 18. Kamenshchik could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. He has pleaded not guilty and expressed his willingness to cooperate with investigators in order to ascertain the truth in the case. Earlier, the court detained former director of Domodedovo Airport Vyacheslav Nekrasov, Svetlana Trishina, ex-head of Export Management Company Limited and Andrei Danilov, Managing Director of Domodedovo Airport Aviation Security on the same charges. On February 24, Trishina was placed under house arrest. On January 24, 2011, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb in the Domodedovo Airports international arrivals hall, killing 37 people and injuring 172. Doku Umarov, Russias most wanted terrorist at the time, claimed responsibility for the attack. Altogether, 28 men connected with the terrorist organization called the Caucasus Emirate were linked to the attack, according to the investigators. Seventeen of them were killed in special operations in 2011, and four were detained. In November 2013, a Moscow Region court sentenced three men to life in prison and a fourth man to 10 years for their role in the suicide bombing. The question of Domodedovo Airports ownership arose back in 2011, when the investigators first stated that they couldnt determine the owner of the airport. The Investigative Committee initiated criminal proceedings against the airports former managers for failing to guarantee the safety of passengers, which resulted in the death of two or more people. The airport administration argued that this charge was inapplicable to the case in point and that they were only made responsible for airport entrance control in 2014, after the law on transport security was amended. We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on the website. The purposes of using cookies are defined in the Privacy Policy of RAPSI If you agree to continue using cookies, please click the "Confirm" button. If you do not agree, you can change your browser settings. As we see a surge in inflation globally, it is now critical that everyone is aware of the implications this will have along every step of the insurance and reinsurance value chain. Hyderabad: CCTV cameras helped the Cyberabad police to solve the murder of autorickshaw driver G. Jangaiah. He was killed around midnight on February 28, in Saroornagar. Police arrested two minors who attacked Jangaiah with stones. The boys had tried to fix a sex deal with two transgenders and became angry when they did not reduce their rate. Police said the boys came to Konark theatre in the evening. They saw two transgenders approached them. The two demanded Rs 1,000 for one night but refused to reduce the charge, leading to a quarrel. The transgenders then hired Jangaiahs autorickshaw. The boys overtook the vehicle at P&T X Roads on a bike. Afterwards they took a U-turn. The pillion rider hurled a stone at the vehicle targeting the transgenders but it hit Jangaiahs head, said SI Lingaiah. based on initial investigations. During investigation police collected CCTV footage from the surroundings and traced the bike. Based on clues the two boys were arrested and sent to juvenile home. This article originally appeared in TomDispatch. Three and a half years ago, the International Energy Agency (IEA) triggered headlines around the world by predicting that the United States would overtake Saudi Arabia to become the world's leading oil producer by 2020 and, together with Canada, would become a net exporter of oil around 2030. Overnight, a new strain of American energy triumphalism appeared and experts began speaking of "Saudi America," a reinvigorated U.S.A. animated by copious streams of oil and natural gas, much of it obtained through the then-pioneering technique of hydro-fracking. "This is a real energy revolution," the Wall Street Journal crowed in an editorial heralding the IEA pronouncement. The most immediate effect of this "revolution," its boosters proclaimed, would be to banish any likelihood of a "peak" in world oil production and subsequent petroleum scarcity. The peak oil theorists, who flourished in the early years of the twenty-first century, warned that global output was likely to reach its maximum attainable level in the near future, possibly as early as 2012, and then commence an irreversible decline as the major reserves of energy were tapped dry. The proponents of this outlook did not, however, foresee the coming of hydro-fracking and the exploitation of previously inaccessible reserves of oil and natural gas in underground shale formations. Understandably enough, the stunning increase in North American oil production in the past few years simply wasn't on their radar. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the Department of Energy, U.S. crude output rose from 5.5 million barrels per day in 2010 to 9.2 million barrels as 2016 began, an increase of 3.7 million barrels per day in what can only be considered the relative blink of an eye. Similarly unexpected was the success of Canadian producers in extracting oil (in the form of bitumen, a semi-solid petroleum substance) from the tar sands of Alberta. Today, the notion that oil is becoming scarce has all but vanished, and so have the benefits of a new era of petroleum plenty being touted, until recently, by energy analysts and oil company executives. "The picture in terms of resources in the ground is a good one," Bob Dudley, the chief executive officer of oil giant BP, typically exclaimed in January 2014. "It's very different [from] past concerns about supply peaking. The theory of peak oil seems to have, well, peaked." The Arrival of a New Energy Triumphalism With the advent of North American energy abundance in 2012, petroleum enthusiasts began to promote the idea of a "new American industrial renaissance" based on accelerated shale oil and gas production and the development of related petrochemical enterprises. Combine such a vision with diminished fears about reliance on imported oil, especially from the Middle East, and the United States suddenly had -- so the enthusiasts of the moment asserted -- a host of geopolitical advantages and fresh life as the planet's sole superpower. "The outline of a new world oil map is emerging, and it is centered not on the Middle East but on the Western Hemisphere," oil industry adviser Daniel Yergin proclaimed in the Washington Post. "The new energy axis runs from Alberta, Canada, down through [the shale fields of] North Dakota and South Texas... to huge offshore oil deposits found near Brazil." All of this, he asserted, "points to a major geopolitical shift," leaving the United States advantageously positioned in relation to any of its international rivals. If the blindness of so much of this is beginning to sound a little familiar, the reason is simple enough. Just as the peak oil theorists failed to foresee crucial technological breakthroughs in the energy world and how they would affect fossil fuel production, the industry and its boosters failed to anticipate the impact of a gusher of additional oil and gas on energy prices. And just as the introduction of fracking made peak oil theory irrelevant, so oil and gas abundance -- and the accompanying plunge of prices to rock-bottom levels -- shattered the prospects for a U.S. industrial renaissance based on accelerated energy production. As recently as June 2014, Brent crude, the international benchmark blend, was selling at $114 per barrel. As 2015 began, it had plunged to $55 per barrel. By 2016, it was at $36 and still heading down. The fallout from this precipitous descent has been nothing short of disastrous for the global oil industry: many smaller companies have already filed for bankruptcy; larger firms have watched their profits plummet; whole countries like Venezuela, deeply dependent on oil sales, seem to be heading for receivership; and an estimated 250,000 oil workers have lost their jobs globally (50,000 in Texas alone). In addition, some major oil-producing areas are being shut down or ruled out as likely future prospects for exploration and exploitation. The British section of the North Sea, for example, is projected to lose as many as 150 of its approximately 300 oil and gas drilling platforms over the next decade, including those in the Brent field, the once-prolific reservoir that gave its name to the benchmark blend. Meanwhile, virtually all plans for drilling in the increasingly ice-free waters of the Arctic have been put on hold. Many reasons have been given for the plunge in oil prices and various "conspiracy theories" have arisen to explain the seemingly inexplicable. In the past, when prices fell, the Saudis and their allies in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) would curtail production to push them higher. This time, they actually increased output, leading some analysts to suggest that Riyadh was trying to punish oil producers Iran and Russia for supporting the Assad regime in Syria. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, for instance, claimed that the Saudis were trying to "bankrupt" those countries "by bringing down the price of oil to levels below what both Moscow and Tehran need to finance their budgets." Variations on this theme have been advanced by other pundits. What do Mississippi and Maine have in common? A hint: It's something that they share with 33 other states ranging from Idaho to Virginia. Another hint: it has nothing to do with their politics, geography, population size, or industrial makeups. The one commonality is that all of these states rely on Canada as their largest customer. Sometimes the magnitude of Canada-U.S. economic interdependence can go overlooked. Yet the truth is that it remains the largest and most successful bilateral relationship in the world. There are occasional disagreements, of course, but these shouldn't detract from the reality that Canada and the United States are major trading partners and friendly neighbors. This week's state dinner for new Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a chance to seize new bilateral opportunities to advance the economic interests of citizens in both countries. From Canadians in Thunder Bay, Ontario, to Americans in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and everywhere in between, millions of people rely upon the strength of the Canada-U.S. economic partnership. Consider that annual two-way trade totalled $870 billion in 2014 -- the equivalent of $2.4 billion every day, or $1.6 million every single minute. Bilateral investment accounts for another nearly $698 billion. Consider that Canada trades more with Michigan than it does with the entire European Union, and that Canada buys twice as many U.S. exports than does China. Consider that nearly 9 million U.S. jobs depend on trade and investment with Canada. The deep economic linkages are not macroeconomic abstractions. They are the sum of the parts of the Canada-U.S. economic partnership. They are real people whose livelihoods, mortgage payments, and retirement savings depend on cross-border trade and investment. It's imperative therefore that our leaders work together to expand economic opportunity through bilateral trade and commerce. This is a big-picture issue that must be on the menu when the Obamas host the Trudeaus at Thursday's state dinner. What does a Canada-U.S. economic opportunity agenda look like? A key pillar would focus on greater energy and climate change cooperation so that Canada and the United States can move toward continental energy independence in a responsible way. Canada is a world leader with respect to energy resources, and the United States is going to be a major user of fossil fuels even as it develops its domestic supply. Recent statements from Saudi Arabia about its plans for production levels are a shot across the bow, signaling that Canada and the United States need to diminish the influence of energy-producing countries that are ambivalent or hostile to our interests. Reaching this goal will require the construction of more binational energy infrastructure including, but not limited to, the Keystone XL pipeline. The likelihood of U.S. President Barack Obama revisiting his decision on the Keystone project is basically nil, but that doesn't mean that the two leaders can't have a broader discussion about continental energy needs. Any such considerations must remember that Canadian and U.S. oil and gas resources are much cleaner than energy sourced from other jurisdictions. Assessments of North American projects should therefore account for their relative carbon competitiveness when compared to dirtier imports from elsewhere. There's also scope for greater coordination with respect to climate change policy. Prime Minister Trudeau and President Obama are committed to stronger environmental policy, and this is already producing results. A recent agreement between Canada, the United States, and Mexico on energy and the environment -- what has been called a "green NAFTA" -- is a great sign. There's real potential to further harmonize environmental policies related to emissions standards and cleaner and more efficient electricity grids. Coordinated environmental policies will not only be more effective at combating climate change, they will also ensure that neither country is put at a competitive disadvantage. The Canada-U.S. economic partnership sustains industries, communities, and families on both sides of the border. This week's state dinner -- the first for a Canadian prime minister in nearly 20 years -- presents an opportunity to strengthen the foundations of this partnership now and for the future. A coordinated plan for continental energy and environmental policy would be a major step forward for millions of Canadians and Americans. (AP photo) Two years ago, the Ukrainian military found itself badly outmatched and unprepared to fight Russian special forces who quickly took over the Crimean peninsula. They also struggled against Moscow-backed separatists in the Donetsk region of Eastern Ukraine in 2015. While Kyiv is finally getting much-needed training and limited support to its various military and security branches from NATO, its forces are far from reaching the desired degree of readiness to take on its security challenges. Among Ukraine's problems is a lack of modern equipment and professional service capable of dealing with advanced Russian weapons and tactics. Trying to reverse these developments, Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov recently stated, during a televised address on Ukraine's 1+1 network, that his country needs to modernize its military in order to return Crimea to Ukraine. According to Avakov, "Ukraine will have to recreate and rebuild the army, the National Guard and the police, since the country had virtually nothing prior to the start of hostilities. ... and then, by our will, the Crimea will be with us -- in this I have no doubt." He added that the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, along with Ukrainian lawmakers, is working on creating a special National Guard unit in order to be "ready for the return of the Crimea." According to the minister, Ukraine failed to defend Crimea two years ago because of the Kharkiv Agreements signed by previous Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych -- the man who was chased out of his country to Russia by the Maidan protests, an event which in turn triggered Russia's military involvement. Avakov criticized the agreements for allowing Russia to significantly increase its military presence on the peninsula prior to the takeover: "We could not do anything when the Russian planes landed at the Crimean airfield, because Yanukovych signed the agreement." The same TV program featured Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, who spoke on the information methods to return the peninsula to Kyiv. According to Klimkin, the inhabitants of the peninsula should be shown the advantages of living in a democratic and European country, which is what Ukraine is today as it seeks to join the European Union: "The residents of Crimea are under fierce (pro-Russian) propaganda, we must show them by our example that their future is in the European democratic Ukraine and not in Crimea under Russian occupation, where they can go nowhere." As Russian daily Moskovskiy Komsomolets noted, the Crimean peninsula became part of the Russian Federation following the results of the 2014 referendum after the annexation of the region by Russian special forces. According to Moscow, the region's reunification with Russia was supported by nearly 96 percent of the population -- a fact that Kyiv and a number of Western countries have refused to recognize, instead imposing sanctions against the region and Russia. Recently, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that the question on the status of Crimea is "closed forever -- the peninsula is part of Russia." While Ukrainian forces could indeed raise their effectiveness through training, much-needed reforms, and inclusion of new military technologies and tactics into their concept of operations, these things take time. Such steps, morevoer, increase the likelihood of a costly confrontation with Russia over Crimea, which is probably out of the question for a Ukrainian government struggling with political upheaval and a worsening economy. Nonetheless, such issues are apparently not stopping other members of the Ukrainian government from making statements that call for additional military action against Russia-backed insurgents in the country's eastern regions. According to Ukrainian daily Obozrevatel.ua, Col. Peter Nedzelskiy, a senior military intelligence officer, recently said that military forces are ready to take action "on the liberation of temporarily-occupied areas of Donbass -- the Army awaits the relevant decision of the military-political leadership of the country." He added: "Our soldiers are mentally ready for defense -- and they are also waiting for the command to attack. The moral and psychological state of the Ukrainian army is high enough -- we have learned to fight. If not for the Minsk Agreements, we would have expelled these terrorists from our land long ago." Nedzelskiy assured: "Supposedly these terrorists are training to attack us or they are imitating an offensive -- this is laughable. We are always ready to give them an answer that will be very adequate and very strong." At the same time, the colonel stressed that " the Army is an instrument of policy, and the war is a continuation of the policy by armed methods -- of course, we cannot act without a decision by the military-political leadership -- we are waiting for such a decision." While such statements may indeed raise the confidence of Ukrainian military forces, the facts on the ground may be very different, especially given visible improvements in Russian military capabilities following Moscow's involvement in the Syrian civil war. (AP photo) Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate , We're sorry, this article is not currently available Hyderabad: AP police handed over the accused in the Agrigold scam to the Telangana CID for interrogation. Agri gold chairman Avva Venkat Ramarao and MD Sesha Narayanarao allegedly had defrauded hundreds of depositors in AP and Telangana promising high interests on deposits. The CID will interrogate the duo for three days from Wednesday. Officials said the accused were taken into custody by officials from Eluru jail. Apart from cases filed by the AP police, in Telangana, Mahbubnagar police and Nalgonda police have also filed cases against Agrigold earlier. AP police had already arrested and seized the assets of the accused people. The HC had ordered the state CID to investigate these cases a week back. Agrigold management is accused of defrauding 3.2 million customers of `6,380 crore by promising them higher returns. The scam was unearthed when the depositors approached the police after the cheques issued to them bounced. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/09/2016 ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. The number of American millennials have altered their perceptions on job place behavior, media consumption, and culture. The impact though was also felt strongly in the housing market. The older millennials who are between 25 to 34 years old are presently occupying 30% of the citizens who either have their own houses or are looking for one to call their own. Since January, house sales trends had shown that millennials can modify realty landscape if they choose to live in any of the cities listed below. These are the top 10 markets that are most likely to see an influx of millennial buyers within the year. Atlanta, GA MarketWatch ranked Atlanta as best city for fresh college graduates and professionals due to its high starting salaries and cheap living costs, Market Watch reported. Pittsburgh, PA Cheap housing costs, easy public transportation, various clubs, an active nightlife, and a revamped waterfront area all add up to a perfect destination for the young ones. Memphis, TN Its housing affordability and cheap cost of living are attracting millennials and encouraging them to buy. Austin, TX It's now known as a haven for tech jobs and startups, as well as for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. The city's most recent unemployment rate was only 3.3%. Boston, MA Even though housing prices are above national average, abundance of education resources and abundant job opportunities make an attractive place for young people to build a life. San Diego, CA A booming economy led by the biotech industry, prestige universities, year-round great weather, and beautiful beaches with abundant wildlife make the city an appealing place. Seattle, WA The headquarters of Amazon, Microsoft, and many other tech companies, the greater Seattle area has welcomed educated, young tech workers, who contribute largely to its unique culture. Denver, CO With mountains, fresh air, sunshine, and tech jobs, Denver checks off many of the features millennials want in a place to live in. Houston, TX Fortune 500 companies call Houston home, and the many career opportunities attract hoards of young professionals every year. It is the nation's top urban job creator, City Observatory reported. Hyderabad: A BA second-year student ended her life after she was allegedly cheated by her lover, a Special Protection Force constable, at Ibrahimpatnam on Wednesday. The student, A. Sharadha, who was studying at the Koti Womens College, was promised marriage by Rajesh. However, he backed off last week, police officials said. The incident occurred at around 8 am when Sharadhas parents went to a hospital with her sister who was pregnant. She hanged herself from the ceiling, said inspector P. Jagadeeshwar. He added that they have not recovered any suicide note. Sharadhas family said Rajesh was in a relationship with her for the last two years. "Rajesh was her brother Santhosh's friend. He used to come to her house often, said a relative. During the two years the couple were close physically also.Police registered a case against Rajesh for abetment of suicide and cheating. Jim Schultz/Record Searchlight Reno Justin Riddle, shown Tuesday in Shasta County Superior Court, is scheduled to begin standing trial in June for allegedly kidnapping an 11-year-old boy. SHARE By Jim Schultz of the Redding Record Searchlight A Redding man accused of kidnapping an 11-year-old boy last month is slated to begin standing trial June 28 in Shasta County Superior Court. Reno Justin Riddle, 44, gave up his legal right Tuesday to have a preliminary hearing and was given the June trial date. Riddle, a parolee, is charged with felony kidnapping and misdemeanor resisting arrest. Riddle was arrested Feb. 13, a day after Riddle approached a group of children in the 1700 block of Azoulay Court and asked whether they could help him fix his bike, according to police. He also asked the children for directions to an apartment complex. All of the children, except the 11-year-old, left to go find tools to help Riddle fix his bike, police said. Police say Riddle put his arm around the boy and lead him toward Victor Avenue. The man talked about drugs with the boy and said, "I think we can be good friends," according to police. The boy asked Riddle whether he could let him go, and he told him "no" while tightening his grip on the boy's shoulder, police said. Riddle let the boy go and ran away after the child's sister happened to drive by on her way home, saw him holding onto her brother's shoulder and yelled in his direction, police said. Riddle was found and arrested by police the next morning near Cypress Avenue and Larkspur Lane after he tried to run from officers. Riddle, being represented by the Shasta County Public Defender's Office, remains in Shasta County Jail in lieu of $205,000 bail. Police said Riddle has a criminal history that includes convictions for domestic violence, criminal threats and unlawful sexual intercourse. SHARE By Damon Arthur of the Redding Record Searchlight Weed residents plan to hold a rally and protest Thursday afternoon against a proposed water agreement between the city of Weed and Roseburg Forest Products. The protest will be from 3 to 5:30 p.m. outside Weed City Hall, at 550 Main St. The Weed City Council is expected to consider a memorandum of understanding to receive water from Roseburg. The item is on the council's consent agenda, which usually includes a list of routine issues and do not involve discussing individual items on the list. However, the proposed agreement with Roseburg has been controversial and involved much discussion. At a meeting some two weeks ago the council voted 3-2 to extend the current contract with Roseburg, which also operates a lumber mill in town. During the meeting Mayor Ken Palfini and Mayor Pro Tem Bob Hall voted against the agreement. Under the proposal, the city would receive 1.5 cubic-feet per second of water from Roseburg for $97,500 a year. The previous agreement cost $1 a year and the city received 2 cfs continuously. Despite voting against the measure, the city sent out a press release through a public relations firm with a quote from Palfini. "We are hopeful that the signatures on this agreement herald a new cooperative working relationship with Roseburg's senior management for the benefit of the entire community," Palfini was quoted as saying. But on Tuesday, Palfini said he didn't think Roseburg was being a good neighbor. He said he was against the proposal because of the cost, the city would not receive enough water and the agreement includes items not related to delivering water. There is also some uncertainty over who owns the rights to the water the city is receiving from Roseburg, Palfini said. Hall, however, said the city should not have to pay to get water that it already owns. He said the issue will likely have to be settled through a lawsuit. "We're going to have to go to court. That's what it comes down to," Hall said. If the council does not approve a final agreement with Roseburg on Thursday, the city may have to declare a water emergency and seek state grants to pay for developing alternate sources of water after the current Roseburg agreement expires June 29, Palfini said. "It's not getting pretty," Palfini said. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Pathankot airbase a week after the attack. Photograph: Press Information Bureau 'The attack on the Pathankot base constituted an act of war. Yet Modi's only public comment up until now on that attack has been to blame it on "enemies of humanity".' 'Modi came to power talking tough about Pakistan. But in office, he has pursued a Pakistan policy that has lost both direction and purpose,' argues Brahma Chellaney. Despite Pakistan's unending aggression against India ever since it was created as the world's first Islamic republic in the post-colonial era, successive Indian governments have failed to evolve a consistent, long-term, policy toward that country. In stark contrast, Pakistan has maintained the same India policy since its establishment -- to spotlight Kashmir as the unfinished business of Partition and to undermine Indian security by whatever means, fair or foul. Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power talking tough about Pakistan. But in office, he has pursued a Pakistan policy that has lost both direction and purpose. Worse still, Modi has failed to learn the lessons from the Pakistan blunders of his predecessors. It has taken less than three months for Modi's Pakistan policy to unravel, thanks to the boomerang effect generated by his Lahore visit on Christmas Day. By paying a surprise visit with little preparation to a State whose hostility toward India is inborn, Modi ingenuously thought he was making history. Yet what the trip yielded is a continuing series of terrorist attacks of Pakistani origin on Indian targets -- from Pathankot and Mazar-i-Sharif to Pampore and Jalalabad. In fact, after Modi's much-publicised bear hug of his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, in Lahore, it took barely a week for the terror masters controlling Pakistan to thank him for his visit by carrying out terror attacks through surrogate Jaish-e-Mohammad on India's Pathankot air base and on the Indian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan. The Pathankot attack was the military equivalent of the 2008 Mumbai strikes on civilian targets by terrorists from Pakistan. After New Delhi began pressing the Sharif government for action against Azhar Masood and other JeM terrorist leaders for carrying out the New Year's terror attacks at Pathankot and Mazar-i-Sharif, Pakistan used another terrorist proxy -- the Lashkar-e-Tayiba group -- to carry out an attack in Pampore, India. Afghan intelligence and former Afghan president Hamid Karzai have also linked the Jalalabad attack on the Indian consulate to Pakistan. Yet the Modi government is preparing to welcome a Joint Investigation Team from Pakistan that was set up to supposedly probe the Pathankot attack. It is like accepting arsonists as firefighters. Indeed, the JIT openly includes one officer of the rogue Inter-Services Intelligence agency. In truth, the JIT was set up not to bring the Pathankot masterminds to justice but to investigate the operational deficiencies of the Pathankot strike and to ensure that the next surrogate attack leaves no telltale signs of the involvement of Pakistanis. This is why Pakistan is seeking even more evidence from India. It was naive of India to think that by supplying Pakistan communication intercepts and other evidence linking the Pathankot attackers with their handlers in that country, the terror masters there would go after their terror proxies. Still, the Modi government continues to play into Pakistan's hands. The latest example is the terror alert it has sounded across western and northern India after receiving a 'tip-off' from Sharif's national security adviser that 10 Lashkar and Jaish terrorists had infiltrated into Gujarat state from across the international border. The LeT and JeM are nothing but front organisations of the ISI. No cross-border infiltration of LeT or JeM terrorists happens without help from the Pakistani military. The alleged tip-off from Naseer Khan Janjua -- an army general appointed as Sharif's NSA at the military's behest -- helps to advertise Pakistan's 'cooperation' on terror while putting India knowingly on a wild-goose chase. It is significant that the alleged Pakistani tip-off was leaked to the media not by the Pakistani government but by New Delhi. By leaking it in order to highlight Pakistan's 'cooperation' on terrorism, the Modi government might be seeking to create political space at home for a Modi-Sharif meeting in Washington this month-end on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit. Creating political space for further top-level engagement with Pakistan has become necessary because Modi's famous hug of Sharif in Lahore on Christmas Day backfired. That hug, like Atal Bihari Vajpayee's hug of Sharif at the Wagah border in 1999, brought not peace but greater terrorism. Make no mistake: Pakistan has little interest in honouring international norms or its own solemn commitments. When Sharif visited the White House in October 2015, the joint statement said the visiting Pakistani leader apprised US President Barack Obama about Pakistan's resolve to take 'effective action against United Nations-designated terrorist individuals and entities, including Lashkar-e-Tayiba and its affiliates, as per its international commitments and obligations under UN Security Council resolutions and the Financial Action Task Force.' Obama did not question Sharif about the public activities of Hafiz Saeed, Azhar and other terrorist proxies or about Pakistan's violation of the Security Council and FATF requirements in the case relating to Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, a LeT leader whom Pakistan arrested and charged with involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Pakistan failed to investigate the source of funds used to bail out Lakhvi in April 2015. Obama, however, has exerted Pakistan-related pressure on India. After Obama's New Delhi visit in early 2015, Modi's Pakistan policy transformed conspicuously. He resumed bilateral dialogue with Pakistan, only to invite new terror attacks in Punjab and Kashmir states. Still, he paid an unannounced visit to Pakistan. The attack on the Pathankot base by Pakistani gunmen constituted an act of war. Yet Modi's only public comment up until now on that attack has been to blame it on 'enemies of humanity.' Even when he visited the base after the attack, Modi said nothing. If Obama had said nothing when he visited San Bernardino, California -- where a married couple of Pakistani origin killed 14 people in December -- he would have been roasted by his critics. Modi has stayed mum on Pakistan even in Parliament despite Rahul Gandhi's taunt that he has 'singlehandedly' bailed out the sponsor of terror by messing up Pakistan policy. In fact, despite the Pathankot attack, the Modi government allowed the Pakistani high commissioner in New Delhi to meet a hardcore Kashmiri separatist, Ali Shah Geelani. Will Pakistan allow an Indian diplomat to meet a Pakistani separatist? Today, Modi's Pakistan policy looks little different than his predecessor's, indicating that the more things change, the more they stay the same in India. It is a false argument that India has only one choice -- to continue useless talks with Pakistan or wage a full-fledged war. An extension of that argument is that India has no option but to keep battling Pakistan's unconventional war on Indian territory. Such a self-injurious approach means treating cross-border terrorism as an internal law-and-order problem and bringing yourself under siege. Wisdom actually lies in fighting an unconventional war with an unconventional war that is taken to the enemy's own land so as to drive home the message that the foe's aggression is not cost-free. According to army chief General Dalbir Singh, 17 terrorist-training camps in Pakistan close to the border with India are still operating. If India remains directionless, further acts of cross-border terrorism will follow. Unfortunately, India's Pakistan policy has become unhinged and directionless. It remains unmoored in reality, even though the Indian public is sick and tired of the national leadership's acts of commission and omission that have made the country repeatedly relive history. If India wants history to stop repeating itself, it must tether its Pakistan policy to reality and develop a credible counterterrorism strategy. Brahma Chellaney, a geostrategist and author of nine books, is Professor of Strategic Studies at the New Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research. 'The BJP should avoid escalating every local issue and minor provocation into a national crisis and claiming a 'holier than thou' monopoly on patriotism.' 'And the Opposition should avoid paying the government back in the same coin by crying wolf about intolerance at the slightest provocation,' says Ram Kelkar. The Dreyfus affair or 'L'affaire Dreyfus' was a political scandal that divided France in the 1890s into opposing camps, the pro-army, mostly Catholic 'anti-Dreyfusards' and the anti-clerical, pro-republican Dreyfusards. Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a young Jewish officer, was initially sentenced to life imprisonment based on falsified documents and media. He was eventually acquitted of the charges, but the conviction and the hatred it spawned is a perfect example of how polarisation and trial by media can be a toxic brew. L'affaire Kanhaiya just happened in India. Kanhaiya Kumar, a firebrand leader at Jawaharlal Nehru University, which is often called the Berkeley of India for the radical views of many of its students, was arrested for sedition on February 12. Well before the facts were known, television and news anchors went into overdrive on hyper-nationalism, acting as prosecutor, judge, and jury all at once. The trial by media frenzy stitched together a dark story of a campus that mooches off taxpayers' funds and squanders its subsidised education on 'unpatriotic' acts. 'ShutdownJNU' and 'CloseJNU' became popular trending Twitter hashtags in India as the media and supporters of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party descended into paroxysms of patriotic fervor. Sudhir Chaudhary of Zee News declared that '...we won't tolerate any insults towards India; traitors will not be spared.' He played the patriotism card, making references to the soldiers on the border making the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of the nation while the traitors at JNU were agitating for the breakup of India. Arnab Goswami on Times Now posited that '...you are more dangerous to this country than Maoist terrorists.' On his Newshour programme, Goswami can be heard repeatedly asking Sambit Patra of the BJP to 'show the video, show the video.' He then turns to a guest, Anand Kumar from the JNU, and says, 'You are the one who is defending him. If this video is correct, then what are you going to say now?' A month later, as the actual facts began to emerge, including doctored videos like the one shown on Times Now, the very basis of Kanhaiya Kumar's arrest seems to be flawed. Writing in The New York Times, Raghu Karnad noted that '... distorted images are being used to stir up a hateful frenzy against provocative student activists' and Kanhaiya Kumar was condemned and convicted in the court of public opinion without due process or verifiable evidence. It now appears that Kanhaiya Kumar is only guilty by association with the real organisers of 'The Country with no Post Office' event on February 9. The two leaders of the event, PhD students Anirban Bhattacharya and Umar Khalid, are also facing sedition charges for raising anti-national slogans at the event commemorating the death anniversary of Afzal Guru and are now in judicial custody. Newspaper reports and the First Information Report filed on February 11 at the Vasant Kunj North police station indicate that it all began with a meeting titled 'The Country Without A Post-Office' that was organised not by Kanhaiya Kumar, but instead by Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, ex-leaders of the Democratic Students Union. The Country without a Post Office is a poem written by Agha Shahid Ali, and the title of the poem is intended to bring back memories of the troubled times in Kashmir in the 1990s when no mail was delivered for seven months. According to the FIR, it was Umar Khalid, and not Kanhaiya Kumar, who allegedly incited attendees to raise provocative slogans against the hanging of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat. Let there be no doubt that these are despicable words which every Indian and anyone who loves India would be horrified to hear and should be condemned unequivocally. However, there is Supreme Court precedent whereby sedition charges were dismissed against individuals who had raised anti-India slogans in Chandigarh within hours of Indira Gandhi's assassination. The court ruled that mere raising of slogans by a few individuals did not constitute any threat to India, and observed that '... over-sensitiveness can sometime be counter-productive and can invite trouble.' The law under which the police are prosecuting Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya is Section 124-A, which was famously used against Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak amongst others. Mahatma Gandhi said about Section 124-A that 'affection cannot be manufactured or regulated by law. If one has no affection for a person or system, one should be free to give the fullest expression to his disaffection, so long as he does not contemplate, promote, or incite to violence ... I consider it a privilege, therefore, to be charged under that section.' Whether the very act of questioning the Indian Supreme Court's decision on Afzal Guru's conviction is an act of sedition is for the courts to decide. However, it should be noted that a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, which is an ally of the ruling BJP in Jammu and Kashmir, told The Hindu newspaper that his party would not stop questioning the legal grounds of Afzal Guru's hanging and still holds the view that it was 'a travesty of justice.' It remains to be seen if sedition cases are in motion for everyone who has questioned Afzal Guru's conviction and execution. Within hours after being released on interim bail, Kanhaiya Kumar made an electrifying speech that was widely praised by many, including Bollywood star and BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha. Amongst other things Kanhaiya Kumar said, 'I do not want freedom from India, but freedom in India.' He claimed that 'If you speak against this anti-people government, then their cyber-cell will send doctored videos, they will abuse you and count how many condoms there are in your dustbin.' Bollywood actor and BJP supporter Anupam Kher gave an impassioned speech at the The Telegraph National Debate where he publicly called out Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly who spoke before him for calling in question the Supreme Court judgment in Afzal Guru case. Kher lashed out at Kanhaiya Kumar for being a participant at the JNU event. But he also said there are some BJP leaders who talk nonsense, such as Yogi Adityanath and Sadhvi Prachi, and 'unko andar kar dena chahiye (they should be jailed).' One can only hope that the BJP leadership listens to Anupam Kher, whose bona fides as a patriotic Indian are impeccable for supporters of the party, since if anyone else were to say it, the political correctness brigade would probably accuse them of being anti-national. L'affaire Kanhaiya is symptomatic of the extreme polarisation between the supporters of the BJP and the ragtag combination of left of Centre and regional parties, which is also reflected in the media scrum, and this is an unfortunate development for India. The Rohith Vemula suicide case at Hyderabad Central University followed clashes with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh student wing over a protest organised by the Ambedkar Students Association about the hanging of Mumbai blast convict Yakub Memon. And the turmoil at JNU began with an event in support of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, with references to 'Brahmanical collective conscience.' Both incidents point to increased tensions on Indian college campuses between two opposing camps of pro- and anti-BJP supporters, and upper caste versus Dalit students. One group of IIT-Bombay faculty members has sent a letter to the President stating that 'some institutes of higher learning have become "safe havens" for activities that are not in nation's interests' and urged him to ask that students not become 'victims of the ideological warfare' on campuses. An opposing viewpoint was expressed by 42 faculty members also at IIT-Bombay who have come out in support of the JNU students, saying that the 'State cannot define who is an Indian and what is nationalism.' They have also condemned State intervention in various educational institutions, terming it as 'attempts to stifle dissent and suppress differences.' It is time for better sense to prevail and the onus is on the leaders of both the ruling party and the Opposition to calm the waters. The BJP should avoid escalating every local issue and minor provocation into a national crisis and claiming a 'holier than thou' monopoly on patriotism. And the Opposition should avoid paying the government back in the same coin by crying wolf about intolerance at the slightest provocation. For all its challenges, India is fundamentally a tolerant country, though there are intolerant Indians on both sides of the political spectrum. IMAGE: Kanhaiya Kumar after his release on bail. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Ram Kelkar is a Chicago-based writer. 'A vote for Hillary means a vote for endless wars of trying to overthrow governments and rebuilding foreign countries.' 'A vote for Bernie Sanders means an end to these interventionist wars, and instead spending our money and precious resources rebuilding our own country,' Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, the only Hindu-American in the United States Congress, tells Aziz Haniffa/Rediff.com United States Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard abruptly quit her position as vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee last week and almost immediately endorsed Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, the independent Vermont US Senator, who is challenging the frontrunner Hillary Clinton. Gabbard thereafter took to the television networks, including the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC and Jake Tapper's The Lead on CNN, to slam Clinton for being a war-monger and interventionist who is a proponent of regime change, adding to the unrelenting attacks she has waged for months against President Barack Obama for not calling out ISIS as 'Islamic terrorists.' Clinton had never apologised for her vote in the US Senate, of which she was a member at the time, authorizing President George W Bush's war against Iraq and the toppling of Iraqi military ruler Saddam Hussein, Gabbard told Maddow. Neera Tanden, a close adviser, friend and confidante to Clinton, told Rediff.com, "I have been a big fan of Tulsi's so I am really disappointed that she would criticise Hillary with arguments that are just wrong. Hillary has apologised for her vote on the Iraq war, she did so years ago. Of course, it is Tulsi's right to endorse anyone she likes, but I would hope it is with accurate facts in front of her." In an exclusive e-mail interview with Aziz Haniffa/Rediff.com, Gabbard, a former Iraq war veteran, addresses her close ties with Indian government officials, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indo-US relations, the Indian-American community, and social media allegations, particularly by the social justice site Alternet.org, that she is an Islamophobe. Apparently there's more than meets the eye, regarding your resignation as vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee and endorsing Sanders. There are those who argue that it goes back to your rift with DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz over the scheduling of debates etc, and your consequent marginalisation by Wassermen-Schultz? My effort to encourage more debates in the Democratic primary had nothing to do with my decision to support Senator Sanders. I am happy that there are now more debates and forums than were scheduled previously. My sole reason for resigning as vice-chair was that the DNC's rules required I remain neutral through the Democratic primary. Because of the stakes in this election, I no longer felt I could remain neutral. On television shows you have been slamming Hillary as interventionist and advocating regime change, etc and warning that she will take the country to war if she is elected President. During my first deployment to Iraq, I served in a medical unit where every single day I saw the real cost of war. One of my jobs was to go over a list that named every single injury and casualty in the entire theatre of operations, to ensure that injured soldiers in our unit were either getting evacuated or receiving the in-country care they needed. I am endorsing Senator Sanders because we need a commander in chief who will not just strongly go after the ISIS, Al Qaeda, and terrorist organisations that threaten the safety and security of the American people but who also knows that we need to stop engaging in interventionist wars of regime change such as the Iraq war, the Libyan overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, and the war to overthrow the Assad regime in Syria. These wars of regime change have cost our country and the world dearly in human lives, untold suffering, and trillions of dollars. These interventionist wars waste our limited resources, making it impossible to afford the programmes so sorely needed if we are to make real progress toward economic and gender equality, college education and health care available to all, rebuilding our nation's crumbling infrastructure, protecting our fragile environment, and so much more. This Democratic primary presents a clear choice to voters. A vote for Hillary means a vote for endless wars of trying to overthrow governments and rebuilding foreign countries. A vote for Bernie Sanders means an end to these interventionist wars, and instead spending our money and precious resources rebuilding our own country. With this clear choice in mind, I resigned as vice-chair of the DNC so that I could wholeheartedly support Sanders as the Democratic nominee for US President. Has Senator Sanders acknowledged your endorsement? Senator Sanders put out this statement on the day I announced my endorsement, saying, 'Congresswoman Gabbard is one of the important voices of a new generation of leaders. As a veteran of the Iraq war she understands the cost of war and is fighting to create a foreign policy that not only protects America but keeps us out of perpetual wars that we should not be in.' IMAGE: Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders speak simultaneously at the NBC News - YouTube Democratic Presidential candidates debate in Charleston, South Carolina, January 17, 2016. Photograph: Randall Hill/Reuters On Rachel Maddow's show, you said Hillary had not even apologised for her vote authorising President Bush to wage war against Iraq and Saddam Hussein, but Neera Tanden told me that she had apologised. Although Hillary has said that her support for the war in Iraq was a mistake, she never actually apologised to the families of the American troops who lost their lives and limbs, or to the American people for the trillions of dollars that were wasted in Iraq. If Hillary actually felt genuine regret or had learned anything from her vote for the Iraq war, she would not have continued to advocate the same regime change policy of overthrowing secular dictators. For example, she was the chief advocate and architect for attacking and overthrowing Gaddafi in Libya, which has caused tremendous suffering, turned Libya into a failed State, and a new stronghold for ISIS, Al Qaeda, and other terrorist organisations. If Hillary had truly felt remorse for her vote in favor of US military action in Iraq to overthrow Saddam, she would not be the lead advocate for overthrowing the Syrian government of Assad, which has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, created millions of refugees, and strengthened ISIS and other Islamist extremists in the region. Hillary has also made it very clear that she wants to escalate the counterproductive war to overthrow Assad, including instituting a so-called No-Fly Zone in Syria which Pentagon officials have said would be almost impossible to enforce. Furthermore, such a direct confrontation with Russia would be catastrophic and possibly lead to nuclear war. Before people vote, they need to understand what America's foreign policy would be with Hillary as our commander in chief. If they don't want a continuation of these counterproductive wars of regime change, they should vote for Sanders. What is your response to social media attacks against you, including by groups alleging that you are Islamophobic? Of fomenting fear or hatred against someone based upon religion? I am a very firm believer in the Aloha spirit -- respect and love for everyone, irrespective of their religion, race, gender, or any other external differences. In my view, the essence of religion means love for God and trying to serve God by working for the well-being of others. The essence of the Hinduism that I practice is Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga, which means to love God and all of His children, regardless of their race, religion, etc, and to use my life working for the well-being of everyone. I do not see religion as something that involves different teams or an 'us versus them' mentality. Whether we are Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, any other faith, or atheists, we are all children of God and we should love and respect each other as brothers and sisters. You have continued to call out President Obama for not identifying ISIS as 'Islamic' and 'Islamic terrorists' and their ideology as 'Islamism.' To be successful, the fight against terrorism must be both military and ideological. Naturally, we will not be able to defeat ISIS, Al Qaeda, and other terrorist organisations militarily or ideologically if we do not understand what their ideology is. An old military truism is that if you do not know your enemy, you cannot defeat your enemy. This is why it is critical that we accurately define our enemy and its ideology. The ideology shared by ISIS, Al Qaeda and affiliated terrorist organizations is 'Islamism.' Distinct from the religion of Islam, Islamism is a radical political ideology of violent jihad aimed at establishing a totalitarian society governed by laws based on a particular interpretation of Islam. IMAGE: Tulsi Gabbard with Narendra Modi when the Indian prime minister visited the US in September 2014. Photograph: Mohammed Jaffer/SnapsIndia As one who sees everyone as a child of God, I do not like to see anyone attempt to incite hatred or fear of others because of their religion. This is one reason why, as we discuss terrorist organisations and refer to those terrorists who are waging war against us, I am careful to use language and terms that clearly distinguish between religion and radical, political ideology. Let me be clear, the political ideology of Islamism is not the same as Islam, the religion. The vast majority of Muslims who embrace Islam do not adhere to the political ideology of Islamism. Like Mahatma Gandhi, I believe that we cannot overcome the divisive challenges facing our communities, our countries, and our world if we do not recognise and respect all others as children of God, despite our differences of nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, and so forth. While religious discrimination sadly exists in democratic countries like the United States, Great Britain, or India, it is not enshrined in the Constitution and law. Therefore, discrimination in these democratic countries is an aberration, not the norm. How important do you believe is the Indo-US Strategic Partnership, particularly since you are close to Prime Minister Modi? It is very important that the world's two largest democracies -- India and America -- have good relations. That is why I was very happy to visit India at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi. I wanted to do whatever I could to strengthen the relationship between our countries. Working together on everything from fighting terrorism to combating climate change to promoting renewable energy, and much more, India and the US can make the world a better place. In my attempt to strengthen the relationship between India and America, I have no interest in siding with or favouring one Indian political party over another. As a member of the US Congress, my interest is in helping cultivate a closer relationship between the US and India, not just between the US and one political party of India. Both in India and here in the US, I have held meetings with members of both the BJP and the Congress party. I am known in America for being nonpartisan -- I successfully work with Democrats and Republicans alike to get things done for the people. My feeling about politics in India is similarly nonpartisan. As the only Hindu-American member in Congress, you are beloved in the Indian-American community, regularly felicitated, enjoy their unstinted support. I have found that there are many Hindus in America who do not feel truly accepted for who they are, and feel that, in order to be accepted or succeed, they need to change their name to a 'Christian' name or in other ways hide or even change their religion. So, when I took my oath of office on the Bhagavad Gita, many Hindus expressed how my actions have given them greater confidence to be open about the fact they are Hindus. I was struck by a meeting I had with a teenage girl in Dallas who told me that she would always been embarrassed about being a Hindu, especially amongst her non-Hindu friends. But after learning about my election, seeing me taking the oath of office on the Bhagavad Gita, she no longer felt that way. She said she felt like a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders -- that she can confidently pursue whatever goals she wants to in life without feeling she has to hide her religion or who she is. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party may have differences with the Bharatiya Janata Party on various issues but Delhi assembly has chosen former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha as 'margdarshak' to guide MLAs on the city government's budget to be tabled in the house on March 28. Delhi assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Wednesday said he had invited four persons including Sinha, who are experts in the field of finance, for an orientation programme for the MLAs on the process and procedure of the upcoming state Budget. "Former Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha has accepted our invitation to guide the legislators on the state budget at the assembly premises on March 15. Sinha will also guide MLAs on questions to be asked on the budget," Goel said. Apart from Sinha, invitation was also extended to Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Delhi finance secretary. Goel said Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, would interact with the legislators. The Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Centre and the AAP dispensation in Delhi have been at loggerheads over a range of issues. Javadekar, who had visited Chennai last week and met Vijayakanth at the latters home, said the negotiations between the two parties were on and there was no break-up as reported by some sections of the media. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, who has been negotiating the Bharatiya Janata Partys electoral alliance in Tamil Nadu, especially with the politically crucial Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam of Vijayakanth, told Rediff.com that the BJP was willing to project the popular actor as the alliances chief ministerial candidate. Tamil Nadu goes to polls on May 16. Speaking to Rediff.com in New Delhi on Wednesday, Javadekar, who had visited Chennai last week and met Vijayakanth at the latters home, said the negotiations between the two parties were on and there was no break-up as reported by some sections of the media. "Premalatha (Vijayakanths wife) spoke to me yesterday. We are hopeful of reaching out with a common minimum programme and also to project Vijayakanth as the chief minister," Javadekar said. Premalatha was to have come to New Delhi to take the talks forward on, Javadekar said, but due to the demise of a party activist her trip had to be postponed. But she will revert to me on Wednesday, he said. Javadekar said he can comfortably put the chances of the Tamil Nadu alliance materialising at 50:50. During the Lok Sabha elections Vijayakanth projected Narendra Modi as the alliances prime minister, and now it is the BJPs turn to say Vijayakanth is our chief minister, he said. Javadekar said he has also briefed the top BJP leadership accordingly. Interestingly, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has also been ardently wooing Vijayakanth. The DMDK contested the 2011 election as part of the Jayalalitha-led front and emerged as the second largest party in the state assembly, winning an impressive 29 seats. Soon, however, Vijayakanth had a fallout with Chief Minister Jayalalitha and started functioning as the Opposition party. Given its healthy voteshare, it is widely believed that the DMDK holds the key to power in the crucial southern state that has alternated between the AIADMK and the DMK since 1967, when the Congress was dethroned in the state. Avani Chaturvedi, Mohana Singh and Bhawana Kanth are soaring new heights! The three flying will shortly enter the history books by being the first three women cadets to be cleared to fly fighter aircraft in India. It doesnt feel very special just as yet. Our main focus is to undergo training and live up to the expectations of our instructors and excel in all examinations, Flying Cadet Bhawana Kanth was quoted as saying. The three flying cadets are undergoing training at the Indian Air Force base in Hakempet, along with their male counterparts. There is no special treatment for the women cadets, who undergo the same rigorous training as the men. For Bhawana, this is the culmination of her childhood dream whereas for Mohana it is keeping the family legacy going as her father and grandfather both served in the Indian Air Force Avani Chaturvedi from Rewa in Madhya Pradesh says it's no different being a woman fighter pilot. The challenges are exactly the same for both sexes. "We have to compete like anyone else and we are not looking to be treated differently either," she explains. The flight cadets are currently undergoing Stage-II training, albeit on ageing Kiran intermediate jet trainers at the Indian Air Forces fighter training wing in Hakimpet. Then, after undergoing Stage-III training on Hawk advanced jet trainers-- to learn the intricacies of combat flying -- they will become full-fledged fighter pilots by mid-2017. On Tuesday, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha took the opportunity of International Women's Day and announced that the three women, all in their early-20s, would be commissioned as officers into the fighter stream when they graduate with their male counterparts from the AFA on June 18. Image: The three women flying cadets (left to right) Mohana Singh, Bhawana Kanth and Avani Chaturvedi are undergoing flying training at Indian Air Force base, Hakempet. Photograph: PTI Hyderabad: Ravela Susheel, the son of AP social welfare minister Ravela Kishore Babu, who was earlier arrested for allegedly molesting a lady teacher at Banjara Hills, was taken into police custody for further interrogation on Wednesday. Police took Susheel to an undisclosed location from Chanchalguda jail in the afternoon. The court has given two days to question him and the police has to produce him before court again on Friday. On Tuesday, the court rejected Susheels bail plea. The court allowed the police to question him in the presence of his lawyer. Susheel and his driver M. Ramesh arrested for molesting the teacher were produced before court on Sunday after which he was sent to 14- day judicial custody. Susheel's advocate filed a bail petition. The police filed a petition seeking three-day custody for investigation. Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra had written a letter to the defence ministry requesting the army to build an additional pontoon bridge, which he said was "imperative" for safer movement of people while crossing the Yamuna to attend the 'World Culture Festival'. In the February 16 letter to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Mishra said the festival requires making of suitable, adequate and safe arrangements for people and provision of adequate number of pontoon bridges. "A very large number of people who will be approaching the venue from Noida Link Road side will be required to cross over Yamuna to reach the venue of the festival... Provision of adequate number of pontoon bridges on Yamuna river (around four) is being seen as an imperative for this purpose. "We have learnt that the army is making one pontoon bridge for the festival. This is not adequate for safe movement of the large gathering of people hence we request the army for building at least one more pontoon bridge over river Yamuna during the world culture festival," it said. After the letter became public through media, inviting the ire of many people, Mishra tweeted, "Some media friends misinterpreting my letter. It says Army has already constructed one bridge that may not be sufficient." "From Day 1, I have been supporting the event. After the NGT order all controversies should end. I am happy that the event is happening. Delhi government will happily welcome the guests," Mishra said. The Art of Living Foundation's festival, which has drawn the ire of environmentalists, was on Wednesday given the go-ahead by the National Green Tribunal even as it expressed its helplessness in banning the event because of "fait accompli". The green body though imposed a fine of Rs 5 crore on AOL as environmental compensation after coming down heavily on the foundation for not disclosing its full plans and also on the DDA and Environment Ministry for their role. In an attempt to corner the Centre, the Opposition on Wednesday raised the issue of the Indian Armys involvement in the construction of pontoon bridges for the World Culture Festival being organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankars Art of Living foundation on the Yamuna floodplains. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury hit out at the Centre asking why was the Army being roped in for a private event following which the Opposition MPs raised slogans of Army ka galat istemaal mat karo, raksha karo. In response, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is committed towards protecting environment and added that it would be wrong to doubt his commitment towards nature. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said that he was concerned about the event as the Delhi Police had also raised security concerns. Speaking to the media after the House was adjourned, Yechury reiterated that the Army was being misused and added the entire matter is a violation on the Green Tribunal. How can the Indian Army be summoned to make arrangements for a private function? How are they violating the existing laws in this issue? How are they misusing the Army? The government owes an explanation for this, he said. Here's your weekly digest of photographs that prove that it's a odd, crazy world out there! A model displays a chocolate embroidered dress at the Salon du Chocolat in Moscow, Russia. Photograph: Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters A man checks a shark display at the Dubai Mall, UAE. Photograph: Ahmed Jadallah A woman with a child in a pram runs as she takes part in the "Beauty run" event in Minsk, Belarus. About 900 women gathered to mark the International Women's Day running a distance of 5300 m. Photograph: Vasily Fedosenko Employees cut fried dranik, a potato pancake that is the national dish of Belarus, to entertain visitors in the Sula History Park near the village of Sula, Belarus. According to the park's representatives, the two-metre-wide pancake was an attempt to enter the Guinness World Records as the world's largest dranik. Photograph: Vasily Fedosenko Spanish theater company La Fura dels Baus performs a play titled 'Aphrodite and the Judgment of Paris' during the opening ceremony of the XV Iberoamerican Theatre Festival in Bogota, Colombia. Photograph: John Vizcaino A man balances as he walks on the support structure of the Millennium Bridge, over the River Thames, in London, Britain. Photograph: Peter Nicholls Dajana Djuric, 25, who has worked as a chimney sweep since the age of six, cleans a chimney in Brcko, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Photograph: Dado Ruvic An actor from the group 'Burn the Curtain' takes part in "Desperately Seeking Shakespeare", as the character Caliban the Bin Man, as part of the "Barbican Shakespeare Weekender: Play On" event, at the Barbican Centre, in London, Britain. Photograph: Peter Nicholls A dog is seen as a model presents a creation by designer Manish Arora as part of his Fall/Winter 2016/2017 women's ready-to-wear collection in Paris, France. Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes Enthusiasts wearing Ghostbusters costumes stand by an ECTO-1, the vehicle used in the upcoming movie "Ghostbusters," during a photo call at Sony Studios in Culver City, California. Photograph: Mario Anzuoni Hoping to make its presence felt in the hitherto bipolar political scenario in Kerala, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday sewed up an alliance with Bharat Dharama Jana Sena, the new party formed by Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, a powerful organisation of the backward Ezhava community. The tie-up was announced by the state leaders of BJP and Bharath Dharma Jana Sena at a joint press conference in Thiruvananthapuram. "Both parties agreed to face the coming polls together," BJP State President Kummanom Rajasekharan and BDJS State President Thushar Vellappally said. Rajasekaran claimed that the NDA has become a force in Kerala and that talks on seat sharing and a common programme for the National Democratic Alliance will be carried out in the coming days. "We expect to complete the seat sharing and finalisation of list of candidates in the next 10 days," he said. Only after completion of talks would it be clear how many seats out of 140 assembly segments would BJP contest, he said. Claiming that people of Kerala are fed up with successive Congress led United Democratic Front and the Communist Party of India-Marxist headed Left Democratic Front regimes, he said the NDA has emerged as the political alternative to both these Fronts. NDA would be further expanded in Kerala, he said, adding that talks are in progress with some more political parties. Thushar Vellappally, son of Vellappaly Natesan, General Secretary of SNDP, the strong-man behind BDJS, said there was no confusion in both parties coming together and "we are with the party that stands for social justice to all". Thushar said he would not contest the polls. Rajasekharan claimed that the BJP's vote share in Kerala had increased from six per cent a few years ago to 15 per cent in the last civic polls. "Definitely an attempt will be made by UDF and LDF through a secret understanding to thwart BJP's chance to open an account in the state in the assembly," he said to a question. Taking a dig at the Congress and the CPI-M, he said they already have a tie up in West Bengal and wondered what prevented them from going together in Kerala. Rajasekharan alleged that both Fronts were actually cheating the people with their politics of "fixing". "People are dissatisfied with their rule and want a change", he added. He also rejected reports that the BDJS had bypassed state BJP leaders and directly held talks with the national leadership on a tie-up. "What is wrong in BDJS Chief Natesan meeting BJP National President Amit Shah?", he asked referring to the recent meeting between the two leaders on formation of the NDA in Kerala. Rajasekharan said noted film star Suresh Gopi has said he is not interested in contesting the polls, but would be a star campaigner for the NDA. On the statement of former BJP leader P P Mukundan that he wants to return to the party, Rajasekharan said "the party welcomes all those who wish to come back." The National Green Tribunal will continue to hear on Wednesday the plea seeking to stop construction of temporary structure on the floodplains of Yamuna for Sri Sri Ravi Shankars Art of Living World Culture Festival in Delhi. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Swantanter Kumar had asked the ministry of environment and forest on Tuesday to file an affidavit on Wednesday and tell why no environmental clearance is needed for raising temporary structures. The direction came after counsel appearing for the ministry said that they have found no debris at the site, when an expert team had visited. Counsel added that as per Environment Impact Assessment notification 2006, no environment clearance is needed for temporary structures. Meanwhile, the ministry of home affairs has asked the Delhi police to be on high alert in view of the Art of Living's mega event beginning on Friday. The MHA has warned of terror strikes and a stampede-like situation at the event. According to reports, the MHA is worried about a stampede-like situation at the event as there is no evacuation plan in case of an emergency. Although Sri Sri has said that 'not a single tree has been cut during the preparations of the event' and AOL intends to build a biodiversity park on the Yamuna floodplains. The NGT has also questioned the Centre as to why no environmental clearance is required for erecting structures in Yamuna floodplains for Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's three-day World Culture Festival. The Green Panel also questioned the building up of pontoon bridge by the army on river Yamuna for the festival, and asked the Delhi Development Authority counsel as who gave the permission for setting it up. Image: Indian Army soldiers build a pontoon bridge over the Yamuna for the Art Of Living World Culture Festival. Photograph: Kind courtesy Santhosh Kottayi/@kottayimavoor/Twitter A united Opposition in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday slammed the government for allowing Indian Army to be used for a private event of Sri Sri Ravi Shankars Art of Living foundation, saying the event itself on the ecologically fragile flood plains of Yamuna was an environmental disaster. The government sprung to the defence of the Art of Living guru saying his intentions cannot be doubted as he was committed to protecting environment. The event is being organised with all permissions, it claimed adding that the issue cannot be raised in the House as it was being heard by the National Green Tribunal. But the members were not satisfied and rushed into the Well shouting slogans, forcing a brief adjournment. Sharad Yadav of the Janata Dal-United and Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress gave notice under rule 267 seeking adjournment of proceedings to discuss the issue but the Deputy Chairman P J Kurien ruled that the formers notice was not in order but he was allowing the issue to be raised as a Zero Hour submission. Terming the construction of temporary structure on the flood plains of Yamuna for Art of Living World Culture Festival from February 11 to 13 as destruction unseen in history, Yadav said NGT had earlier given orders disallowing construction activity on the ecologically fragile zone and Delhi Development Authority had cancelled permission twice. He wanted to know under what pressure was Indian Army deployed to build pontoon bridge for one person. Demanding immediate stoppage of the construction, he said, What function is he (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar) doing? Kya tamasha kar raha hai (what drama is he doing)? Kurien asked members not to criticise anybody who cannot come and defend himself in the House. Sitaram Yechury of the Communist Party of India-Marxist asked can Indian Army be roped in to assist a private function... it is highly irregular... for army to be called in to create facilities for a private function. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Ravi Shankar was committed to environment protection and the programme was being conducted with all permissions and is not illegal. Azad said he was not against the Art of Living foundation or any cultural festival but was concerned about environment, bio-diversity and ecology. The government, rightly so, became a great champion of environment at the recent climate summit at Paris but what was happening in the capital was of concern, he said and asked why no environment clearance was taken for the function and who issued permission to build pontoon bridge. Stating that NGT had in January 2015 declared that any construction on Yamuna banks would be deemed a criminal act, Azad said big structures were being built to hold the event on 1000 acres of land. Diesel generators, car parking and sound sets are being set up, with the Delhi Police warning of stampede, pandemonium and chaos. No permission for structural safety has been given, while there was also a security angle involved with Pakistan warning of terror strikes, he said. This function could have been held anywhere but not at the cost of Yamuna. M S Gill of the Congress asked if the army would also be sent out to build bridges across Sutlej and other rivers by events by other spiritual gurus. He referred to the Commonwealth Games village also built on the Yamuna banks which saw flooding in October 2010. Naqvi said NGT was hearing the issue and the programme was happening with all permissions. You cannot doubt his (Ravi Shankar) intentions. He is running a campaign to clean Yamuna and is committed to protection of environment. It is not right to question his intentions, he said. Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asked whether the issue should be heard here (in Rajya Sabha) or in the National Green Tribunal. If a matter is pending before any tribunal, it cannot be raised here, he said. How is chair even allowing this? The rules are clear on this, he said quoting a rule of business procedure. As Kurien took up other issues, Congress, Samajwadi Party, JD-U and Left members were up on their feet rejecting the government response. They soon trooped into the Well raising slogans. What is the rationale for coming and disturbing the House. This is unjustifiable. This is unnecessary shouting, Kurien said and urged the members to return to their seats. Amid sloganeering, Sharad Yadav cited a rule to counter Jaitley for citing a rule that matters pending before court or tribunal could not be raised in the House. (He) is misleading the House, Yadav said. Congress members continued to raising slogans. At one point All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam members too trooped in the Well. However, the reason could not be known amid din. The Deputy Chairman kept asking the protesting members to return to their seats as some members sought to raise Zero Hour issues. You people are becoming laughing stock before the people and country, Kurien told protesting members. Towards the end of Zero Hour, the Chair adjourned the House for two minutes. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had earlier defended the event, saying not a single tree has been cut and the ecological stability has been maintained during the preparations. We are asserting that we will turn the place into a beautiful bio diversity park once we are finished with it. Since 2010, our volunteers have been working hard to clean the river and around 512 tonnes of dirt and garbage has been fished out. We want to save the Yamuna. We have not cut a single tree and have maintained ecological stability. We want to see Yamuna transformed into a beauty again, he told the media. -- With inputs from ANI Image: Workers lay wires on the stage at the venue of World Culture Festival on the banks of the river Yamuna in New Delhi. Indian environmentalists are aghast at the hosting of a huge cultural festival on the floodplain of Delhi's main river that begins on Friday, warning that the event and its 3.5 million visitors will devastate the area's biodiversity. Photograph: Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters New Delhi: Ahead of the Assembly elections in five states, the BJP has asked its MPs to play a proactive role in making people aware about the Union Budget presented in the current Parliament session, emphasising that it has something for all sections. At a meeting of the BJP parliamentary party, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present, party chief Amit Shah told MPs that the they should take "budget to the people" by highlighting the schemes and ensure that the benefits reach grassroot levels. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu said that Shah told MP that the it is a "popular budget which is being appreciated by all sections" including opposition parties. "The party President told MPs that they should take the budget to the people make them participants in the Prime Minister's programme 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'," Naidu said. MPs have been asked to become the focal point in the implementation and monitoring of schemes like Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana, Mudra Bank, Rural electrification scheme and Jan Dhan Yojana. Naidu also told reporters that the Real Estate regulation Bill is on top of the government's agenda. The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said he had yesterday written to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Hamid Ansari to give priority to the proposed legislation. He added that since it was not present in the agenda, he had asked for revised schedule of Rajya Sabha. The minister also said that there could be a discussion on the Ishrat Jahan issue as some members have given a notice in Lok Sabha over the matter. Yemen conflict leaves 2.4 million forcibly displaced Publisher UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Publication Date 8 March 2016 Cite as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Yemen conflict leaves 2.4 million forcibly displaced, 8 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56df38a08c64.html [accessed 22 October 2022] After almost one year of renewed conflict in Yemen, more than 2.4 million people are forcibly displaced by the fighting, some of them in hard-to-reach areas where they face deteriorating conditions in the absence of a political settlement, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, warned on Tuesday. The figure of 2,430,178 internally displaced people in Yemen appears in the latest report of a special Task Force on Population Movement in Yemen, which is led jointly by UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration, or IOM, as part of the humanitarian response to the Yemen crisis, which escalated in late March 2015. Although down slightly from the 2.5 million displaced people reported by the last task force report, in December - due to an improved methodology and the return home of some displaced people in the south - the number of people displaced within Yemen remains staggeringly high and a cause for grave alarm. "The figures also mask the human face of the conflict and the continuing suffering and growing needs," UNHCR spokesperson Leo Dobbs told a news briefing in Geneva on Tuesday (March 8). "The situation is likely to get worse amid increasingly dire humanitarian and socio-economic conditions and with no political settlement in sight." Dobbs stressed that UNHCR and IOM believe it is crucial to keep humanitarian access open for deliveries of essential services. "At the very least we implore all sides to allow humanitarian access to the hardest hit-areas, where most of the displaced are located. This is feasible, as demonstrated last month, when aid was delivered to Taizz," he said. The latest report shows increased levels of displacement in areas where the conflict has escalated, notably in the governorates of Taizz, Hajjah, Sana'a, Amran, and Sa'ada, which together account for 68 per cent of all IDPs in Yemen. Taizz, where parts of Taizz city have been under siege for several months, has the largest number of internally displaced (555,048 individuals, or 23 per cent), followed by Hajjah (353,219), Sana'a (253,962), Amran (245,689) and Sa'ada (237,978). In addition, Sa'ada, Sana'a and Amran have the highest displaced people-to-host-community ratios; 33 per cent, 21 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively. The latest report, based on data through January 31, highlights the continuing human suffering of those forced to flee their homes in a desperate search for safety, often without possessions and often finding themselves in areas where even the most basic services have been affected by the conflict. Most seek shelter with relatives and friends, in schools, public or abandoned buildings, makeshift shelters - or out in the open, with little or no protection. Despite the severely restricted humanitarian access and security constraints, organizations such as UNHCR and IOM have delivered household items and emergency shelter to more than 740,000 internally displaced people. The Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, launched in Geneva last month, seeks US$1.8 billion for more than 100 humanitarian partners to provide critical and life-saving assistance to 13.6 million people in need. It is currently just 2 per cent funded. The lackadaisical attitude of the BBMP and the BWSSB has led to the disaster at Ulsoor Lake where thousands of fish were found dead on Monday. Environmentalists also blame rapid urbanisation for repeated incidents like these. Bengalureans, who woke up to the heartwrenching sight of thousands of fish floating dead in Ulsoor lake Monday and Tuesday are looking for answers. But it appears there could be more than one reason for the mass death of fish in the lake. Besides depletion of dissolved oxygen levels due to release of sewage into the lake, it is now being suggested that chemicals used for improving fish breeding by the fisheries departments contract workers could also be responsible. Experts from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), who took samples of the water from various parts of the lake along with a few dead fish to determine the exact cause of their deaths, say evidence points to the role of the fisheries department as well. Tests have revealed the cause to be depletion of dissolved oxygen in various parts of the lake closer to the primary drains where the sewage inlets connect to it. But the fish could have also died due to contamination caused by chemicals used by the contract workers of the fisheries department to enhance fish breeding. We are doing chemical analysis of the water samples to see if the department could have something to do with the death of the fish. The results will be out in a day or two, said Dr. T V Ramachandra, professor at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc., noting that more fish had died on Tuesday as well. The dissolved oxygen level is 0 in the areas of the lake closer to the sewage inlets whereas in the other parts of the lake it is around 2. The organic content in the lake has increased leading to enhanced biological activity. The bacteria and algae use up a lot of the oxygen, leaving little for the fish, Dr. Ramachandra said, explaining, During the day it is the bacteria which consumes the oxygen in a contaminated lake and at night the algae takes away a lot of it. Pointing out that stagnant water bodies require some amount of aeration to sustain oxygen levels for aquatic life, he regrets that Ulsoor lake, which had aerators, fountains and aeration by ducts in the past, has none today. The silver lining is that not all the fish have perished. Some are still alive in parts of the lake where oxygen levels are still reasonably good, according to him. BWSSB, BBMP and Pollution Control Board should take collective responsibility The damage has taken years to do but it took the mass death of fish in Ulsoor lake to bring BWSSB officers hurrying to it to take stock of the situation. BWSSB Chief Engineer, S. Krishnappa inspected the lake on Tuesday accompanied by senior officers of the board. Unfortunately, at the end of it, there was the usual passing of the buck. Accusing the nearby buildings of letting their sewage directly into the storm water drain, the officers said it sometimes found its way into the lake despite the BWSSB building a sewage diversion near the lake entry point. There was no mention of why the practice was allowed to go on for so long when the consequences were clearly grave and nor was there any attempt to fix responsibility on any officer of the board for not cracking the whip on the buildings concerned. But Mr Krishnappa did come out with some damage control measures in his report to the BWSSB chairman. He suggested that the BWSSB, BBMP and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board needed to collectively take responsibility for the lakes protection especially in summer. While the BWSSB must stop the sewage entering the lake, the BBMP must make sure its water is at least 2.2 metres deep, he said. The pollution control board, for its part, must monitor the other stakeholders regularly to see that the dissolved oxygen levels were at least 5 parts per million (ppm), the officer added, also suggesting that the lake be provided with floating aerators during summer. Corporator Mamata Saravanan, who represents the area, visited the lake as well and strongly recommended that a portion of its bund which was broken, allowing sewage to enter it freely, be rebuilt immediately. We have asked the workers of the fisheries department, who were handling the breeding of fish in a cramped section of the lake, to stop their project immediately and have also suggested that more steps be taken for aeration of the lake using fountains and ducts, she said, when contacted. Dr. Vamanacharya, former chairman of the state pollution control board, suggests that the BWSSB should set up a Sewage Treatment Plant closer to the lake and let in only secondary treated water into it to prevent such mass death of fish in future. UNHCR expresses concern over EU-Turkey plan Publisher UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Publication Date 8 March 2016 Related Document(s) UNHCR's reaction to Statement of the EU Heads of State and Government of Turkey, 7 March Cite as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UNHCR expresses concern over EU-Turkey plan, 8 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56df38d2429.html [accessed 22 October 2022] The United Nations Refugee Agency today distanced itself from an outline joint EU-Turkey deal to solve Europe's refugee crisis, saying it was concerned with some aspects of the proposal although it was not yet privy to all the details. "As a first reaction, I am deeply concerned about any arrangement that would involve the blanket return of anyone from one country to another without spelling out the refugee protection safeguards under international law," Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said on Tuesday. Grandi, who was speaking to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the occasion of International Women's Day, stressed that legal safeguards would need to govern any mechanism under which responsibility would be transferred for assessing an asylum claim. "An asylum-seeker should only be returned to a third state, if the responsibility for assessing the particular asylum application in substance is assumed by the third country; the asylum-seeker will be protected from refoulement; and if the individual will be able to seek and, if recognized, enjoy asylum in accordance with accepted international standards, and have full and effective access to education, work, health care and, as necessary, social assistance," he detailed. Earlier, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, had separately expressed concern over the deal but said it welcomed the EU's financial contribution to support Turkey and the refugee communities in Turkey. "Turkey hosts close to 3 million refugees and has made enormous contributions for years and just recently adopted a work regulation for Syrian refugees, but, in light of the enormity of the task, still struggles to provide for all the basic needs of the swelling Syrian population," William Spindler, the spokesperson for Europe, told a press briefing in Geneva. Spindler said pre-departure screening would also need to be in place to identify heightened risk categories that may not be appropriate for return even if the above conditions are met, adding that: "Details of all these safeguards should be clarified before the next meeting of the EU Council on 17 March." On the resettlement point, UNHCR said it welcomed any initiative that promoted regular pathways of admission for refugees in significant numbers from all neighbouring countries in the region - not just Turkey and not just Syrian refugees - to third countries. However, Spindler noted that: "Europe's resettlement commitments remain however, very low compared to the needs - i.e. 20,000 places within two years on a voluntary basis." Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR's Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Refugee Crisis in Europe, added his voice to those expressing concern over the draft EU-Turkey plan. "The collective expulsion of foreigners is prohibited under the European Convention of Human Rights," Cochetel told the Geneva press briefing in answer to questions. "An agreement that would be tantamount to a blanket return to a third country is not consistent with European law, not consistent with international law," he said. To read a briefing note setting out UNHCR's reaction to the statement by the EU heads of state and Turkey, please click here. EU Turkey Summit: EU and Turkish leaders deal death blow to the right to seek asylum Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 8 March 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, EU Turkey Summit: EU and Turkish leaders deal death blow to the right to seek asylum, 8 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56df39d011.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The persistent preoccupation with shipping people back to Turkey instead of making unconditional efforts on resettlement and offering other safe and legal ways to Europe shows an alarmingly short-sighted and inhumane attitude to handling this crisis, said Amnesty International after European Council talks with Turkey today. Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu, President of the European Council Donald Tusk and President of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker shared the outline of the plan for a final agreement between the EU and Turkey, in advance of the European Council meeting on 17 and 18 March. The proposal that for every Syrian refugee returned to Turkey from Greece, a Syrian will be settled within the EU is wrought with moral and legal flaws. Unsettlingly, this plan would make every resettlement place offered to a Syrian in the EU contingent upon another Syrian risking their life by embarking on the deadly sea route to Greece. "EU and Turkish leaders have today sunk to a new low, effectively horse trading away the rights and dignity of some of the world's most vulnerable people. The idea of bartering refugees for refugees is not only dangerously dehumanising, but also offers no sustainable long term solution to the ongoing humanitarian crisis," said Iverna McGowan, Head of Amnesty International's European Institutions Office. When questioned on the legality of this proposal under international law, EU leaders responded that this would be possible under EU law once Turkey be designated as a 'safe country'. Amnesty International strongly contests the concept of a 'safe third country' in general, as this undermines the individual right to have asylum claims fully and fairly processed and may result in individuals being subsequently deported to their country of origin - in violation of the principle of non-refoulement. In the case of Turkey in particular, there is huge cause for concern given the current situation and treatment of migrants and refugees. "Turkey has forcibly returned refugees to Syria and many refugees in the country live in desperate conditions without adequate housing. Hundreds of thousands of refugee children cannot access formal education. By no stretch of imagination can Turkey be considered a 'safe third country' that the EU can cosily outsource its obligations to," she added. Although it was claimed that those needing international protection that are not Syrian would not be returned to Turkey, it has not been made clear how those individual rights could be guaranteed in the context of a system of mass returns. The reality is that not all asylum seekers are coming from Syria, and Turkey does not have a fully functioning asylum system. The proposal makes a mockery of the EU's obligation to provide access to asylum at its borders. Any returns system not built on the principle of an individual's right to access a fair and robust asylum process is deeply problematic. "Iraqi and Afghan nationals, along with Syrians, make up around 90 percent of arrivals to Greece. Sending them back to Turkey knowing their strong claim to international protection will most likely never be heard reveals EU claims to respect refugees' human rights as hollow words," said Iverna McGowan. It was also stated by President Tusk that the Western Balkans route would be closed. Closure of this route would lead to thousands of vulnerable people being left in the cold with no clear plan on how their urgent humanitarian needs and rights to international protection would be dealt with. It is urgent that the European Union and the international community as a whole urgently step up their commitment to solving this crisis, both in terms of humanitarian and other financial assistance and by resettling far greater numbers of refugees. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Brazil: Civil rights at risk Publisher Article 19 Publication Date 4 March 2016 Cite as Article 19, Brazil: Civil rights at risk, 4 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56df3b357a73.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. On 24 February, the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved Bill 2016/2015 in the second round of voting, legislating the crime of "terrorism" for the first time. Originally introduced by the Federal Government, the bill was approved by the Chamber of Deputies last year, then was subsequently amended by the Senate. When it returned to the Chamber it was passed again, but as the original version drafted by the deputies. The Bill will now be submitted for presidential approval. In at least two statements (available in Portuguese here andhere), several social movements and organisations - including ARTICLE 19 - have expressed their opposition to the bill, due to the risks that it poses to civil rights, especially freedom of expression and assembly. Under the proposed new law, the crime of terrorism would include "preparatory acts", "apologising for terrorism", "terrorism against property or services" and even the occupying of public buildings as part of a protest. These vague, broad concepts could allow for biased legal interpretations and could be used by the State to counter (or supress) social movements. One of the main arguments against the enactment of the new law is that all of the offences it describes are already criminalised by existing legislation, which already punishes actions such as damage, arson, use of explosives, criminal association, bodily injury and murder. Despite the fact that in the final version the term "political extremism" was removed from the list of activities that would constitute the crime of terrorism, and despite the inclusion of the caveat that social movements, trade unions, political demonstrations and other forms of assembly would not be subject to the terms of the law, the risk of those types of groups being classed as "terrorist organisations" remains. This is because the judiciary has the power to classify a given organization according to its own criteria, leaving worrying scope for loose and erroneous interpretations. It should be emphasised that the Brazilian judiciary has always been a somewhat conservative institution, and has a well-established history of applying inappropriate provisions in order to criminalise social movements. Further supplementing these arguments is the fact that we are currently seeing the overwhelming criminalisation of protests and social movements throughout the country. This context gives rise to even more concerns regarding the possibility of the law being exploited to suppress rights. For these reasons, ARTICLE 19 is joining the multitude of social movements and civil society organisations speaking out against Bill 2016/2015 and reaffirming its commitment to continue to work tirelessly to defend the rights of freedom of expression and assembly. Copyright notice: Copyright ARTICLE 19 UAE: Peaceful activists convicted at mass "UAE 94" trial must be released Publisher Article 19 Publication Date 4 March 2016 Cite as Article 19, UAE: Peaceful activists convicted at mass "UAE 94" trial must be released, 4 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56df3b925a66.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. On the third anniversary of the start of the "UAE 94" trial, human rights organisations renew their call for release of peaceful activists convicted as a result of this grossly unfair mass trial. ARTICLE 19 joins others toappeal to the government of the United Arab Emirates to release immediately and unconditionally all those imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly. Dozens of the activists, including prominent human rights defenders, judges, academics, and student leaders, had peacefully called for greater rights and freedoms, including the right to vote in parliamentary elections, before their arrests. They include prominent human rights lawyers Dr. Mohammed Al-Roken and Dr. Mohammed Al-Mansoori, Judge Mohammed Saeed Al-Abdouli, student leader Abdulla Al-Hajri, student and blogger Khalifa Al-Nuaimi, blogger and former teacher Saleh Mohammed Al-Dhufairi, and senior member of the Ras Al-Khaimah ruling family Dr. Sultan Kayed Mohammed Al-Qassimi. ARTICLE 19, together with others, urgently call on the UAE Government to: Release immediately and unconditionally all those individuals detained or imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly; Prohibit the practice of secret detention and institute safeguards against torture and other ill-treatment, ensuring that all allegations of torture and other ill-treatment are promptly, independently and thoroughly investigated; Ensure that all persons deprived of their liberty receive a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial court in accordance with international human rights standards, including by having the right to appeal the judgment before a higher court or tribunal; Amend any legislation which unduly restricts the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly, and bring all of its laws into full conformity with international human rights standards; Engage with the UN's human rights bodies and implement their recommendations; Accept the request by the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment to visit the UAE in the first half of 2016; and Allow entry into the UAE of independent human rights organisations, including the co-signatories to this open letter, and commit to implementing their recommendations. THE STATEMENT United Arab Emirates (UAE): Human rights organisations renew call for release of peaceful activists convicted at grossly unfair mass "UAE 94" trial On the third anniversary of the start of the mass trial of 94 individuals, including government critics and advocates of reform, 10 human rights organisations appeal to the government of the United Arab Emirates to release immediately and unconditionally all those imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly as a result of this unfair trial. The human rights organisations deplore the UAE government's disregard for its international human rights obligations and its failure to act on recommendations from United Nations human rights experts that it release activists sentenced at the unfair trial. Dozens of the activists, including prominent human rights defenders, judges, academics, and student leaders, had peacefully called for greater rights and freedoms, including the right to vote in parliamentary elections, before their arrests. They include prominent human rights lawyers Dr. Mohammed Al-Roken and Dr. Mohammed Al-Mansoori, JudgeMohammed Saeed Al-Abdouli, student leader Abdulla Al-Hajri, student and blogger Khalifa Al-Nuaimi, blogger and former teacher Saleh Mohammed Al-Dhufairi, and senior member of the Ras Al-Khaimah ruling family Dr. Sultan Kayed Mohammed Al-Qassimi. The organisations urge the UAE government to end its continuing use of harassment, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment, and unfair trials against activists, human rights defenders and those critical of the authorities, and its use of national security as a pretext to crackdown on peaceful activism and to stifle calls for reform. The 10 human rights organisations urge the UAE government, which is serving its second term as a member of the UN Human Rights Council, to demonstrate clearly that it engages with UN human rights bodies by implementing recommendations by UN human rights experts to protect the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and to freedom of association and peaceful assembly. Speaking to the UN'S Human Rights Council (HRC) on 1 March 2016, the UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Anwar Gargash asserted that "we are determined to continue our efforts to strengthen the protection of human rights at home and to work constructively within the [Human Rights] council to address human rights issues around the world." As a member of the UN Human Rights Council, the UAE government must observe its pledge to the Council to uphold international human rights standards and must spare absolutely no effort in implementing human rights recommendations effectively; to do otherwise puts into question the UAE government's commitment towards the promotion and protection of human rights at home. The 10 human rights organisations further call on the UAE to mount an independent investigation into credible allegations of torture at the hands of the country's State Security apparatus, including by immediately accepting the request by Juan Mendez, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, to visit the UAE in the first half of 2016. In her May 2015 report to the UN Human Rights Council, Gabriela Knaul, the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, recommended that an independent body composed of professionals with international expertise and experience, including in medical forensics, psychology and post-traumatic disorders, should be established to investigate all claims of torture and ill-treatment alleged to have taken place during arrest and/or detention; such a body should have access to all places of detention and be able to interview detainees in private, and its composition should be agreed upon with defendants' lawyers and families. On 4 March 2013, the government commenced the mass, unfair trial of 94 defendants before the State Security Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi. Those on trial included eight who were charged and tried in absentia. The government accused them, drawing on vaguely worded articles of the Penal Code, of "establishing an organisation that aimed to overthrow the government," a charge which they all denied. On 2 July 2013, the court convicted 69 of the defendants, including the eight tried in absentia, sentencing them to prison terms of between seven and 15 years. It acquitted 25 defendants, including 13 women. On 18 December 2015, the government of Indonesia forcibly returned to the UAE Abdulrahman Bin Sobeih, one of the defendants tried in absentia. He had intended to seek asylum but is now a victim of enforced disappearance in the UAE andat risk of torture and other ill-treatment. The UAE 94 trial failed to meet international fair trial standards and was widely condemned by human rights organisations and UN human rights bodies. The court accepted as evidence "confessions" made by defendants, even though the defendants repudiated them in court and alleged that State Security interrogators had extracted them through torture or other duress when defendants were in pre-trial incommunicado detention, without any access to the outside world, including to lawyers. The court failed to order an independent and impartial investigation of defendants' claims that they had been tortured or otherwise ill-treated in secret detention. The defendants were also denied a right of appeal to a higher tribunal, in contravention of international human rights law. Although the State Security Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court serves as a court of first instance, its judgments are final and not subject to appeal. During the trial, the authorities prevented independent reporting of the proceedings, barring international media andindependent trial observers from attending. The authorities also barred some of the defendants' relatives from the courtroom; others were harassed, detained or imprisoned after they criticised on Twitter the proceedings and publicised torture allegations made by the defendants. Blogger and Twitter activist Obaid Yousef Al-Zaabi, brother of Dr. Ahmed Al-Zaabi, who is one of the UAE 94 prisoners, has been detained since his arrest in December 2013. He was prosecuted by the State Security Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court on several charges based on his Twitter posts about the UAE 94 trial, including spreading "slander concerning the rulers of the UAE using phrases that lower their status, and accusing them of oppression" and "disseminating ideas and news meant to mock and damage the reputation of a governmental institution." Despite his acquittal in June 2014, the authorities continue to arbitrarily detain him, even though there is no legal basis for depriving him of his liberty. On-line activist Osama Al-Najjar was arrested on 17 March 2014 and prosecuted on charges stemming from messages he posted on Twitter defending his father, Hussain Ali Al-Najjar Al-Hammadi, who is also one of the UAE 94 prisoners. In November 2014, he was sentenced by the State Security Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court to three years' imprisonment on charges including "offending the State" and allegedly "instigating hatred against the State." He was also convicted of "contacting foreign organisations and presenting inaccurate information," a charge which followed his meeting with the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers during her official visit to the UAE in February 2014. Like all defendants convicted by this court, he was denied the right to appeal the verdict. In his March 2015 report, Michel Forst, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, expressed serious concern about the arbitrary arrest and detention of Osama Al-Najjar. He expressed concern that his arrest and detention may have been related to his legitimate activities in advocating for justice and human rights in the UAE and the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of opinion and expression, as well as his cooperation with the UN and its human rights mechanisms. The Special Rapporteur called on the government to ensure that human rights defenders can carry out their legitimate activities in a safe and an enabling environment, including through open and unhindered access to international human rights bodies such as the UN, its mechanisms and representatives in the field of human rights, without fear of harassment, stigmatisation or criminalisation of any kind. The 10 human rights organisations also express concern at the introduction of retrogressive legislation and amendment of already repressive laws, thereby further suppressing human rights. In July 2015, the authorities enacted a new law on combating discrimination and hatred with broadly-worded provisions, which further erode rights to freedom of expression and association. The law defines hate speech as "any speech or conduct which may incite sedition, prejudicial action or discrimination among individuals or groups through words, writings, drawings, signals, filming, singing, acting or gesturing" and provides punishments of a minimum of five years' imprisonment, as well as heavy fines. It also empowers courts to disband associations deemed to "provoke" such speech, and imprison their founders for a minimum of 10 years, even if the association or its founder have not engaged in such speech. The highly repressive 2012 cybercrime law, used already to imprison dozens of activists and others expressing peaceful criticism of the government, was amended in February 2016 to provide even harsher punishments, including by raising fines from a minimum of 100,000 Dirhams ($27,226) to 2 million Dirhams ($544,521). Increasingly, the UAE authorities are using these laws and others simply as a means to silence peaceful dissent and other expression on public issues, and to sentence human rights defenders or peaceful critics of the government to lengthy prison terms. The 10 human rights organisations urgently call on the UAE government to: Release immediately and unconditionally all those individuals detained or imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly; Prohibit the practice of secret detention and institute safeguards against torture and other ill-treatment, ensuring that all allegations of torture and other ill-treatment are promptly, independently and thoroughly investigated; Ensure that all persons deprived of their liberty receive a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial court in accordance with international human rights standards, including by having the right to appeal the judgment before a higher court or tribunal; Amend any legislation which unduly restricts the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly, and bring all of its laws into full conformity with international human rights standards; Engage with the UN's human rights bodies and implement their recommendations; Accept the request by the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment to visit the UAE in the first half of 2016; and Allow entry into the UAE of independent human rights organisations, including the co-signatories to this open letter, and commit to implementing their recommendations. SIGNATORIES ARTICLE 19 Amnesty International Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) English PEN Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) Index on Censorship International Commission of Jurists International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) Lawyers Rights Watch Canada (LRWC) PEN International Copyright notice: Copyright ARTICLE 19 Brazil: Imprisonment of Facebook executive was disproportionate Publisher Article 19 Publication Date 3 March 2016 Cite as Article 19, Brazil: Imprisonment of Facebook executive was disproportionate, 3 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56df3bf47a0d.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The Vice President of Facebook for Latin America, Diego Jorge Dzodan, was released from prison on March 2nd, following ahabeas corpus ruling delivered by court of appeals judge Ruy Pinheiro da Silva in the State of Sergipe. Dzodan was detained on March 1st at his home in Sao Paulo after the company refused to hand over data relating to conversations on WhatsApp (which is owned by Facebook) for an investigation by Brazil's federal police into drug trafficking. Judge Marcel Maia Montalvao of the Criminal Court of Lagarto in the State of Sergipe issued a warrant for Dzodan to be remanded in custody. As the proceedings in this case are confidential, the exact circumstances that led the judge to take such an extreme measure cannot be easily determined. In a statement published on the website of the Sergipe Court of Justice (SCJ), Montalvao states that the detention was related to an "inter-state drug trafficking case," and that the federal police had requested that they be able to "breach the confidentiality of messages exchanged on WhatsApp. This was granted by the judge." Montalvao also states that, "even after being given three opportunities, Facebook did not release the conversations requested by the federal police. Consequently, the judge ordered that a fine of 50,000 reais [USD 13,000] be imposed each day the order was not complied with; the company still did not submit to the order. The daily fine was then increased to 1 million reais [USD 260,000], but Facebook still refused to fulfil the court order to reveal the conversations on the WhatsApp application." The statement ends by saying that, "in view of the fact that the orders were repeatedly not complied with, Judge Marcel Maia ordered the arrest of the company's senior executive in Brazil, Mr. Diego Dzodan, for obstructing a police investigation, pursuant to Article 2(1) of Law 12.850/2013." The law referred to by the judge is known as the Organised Crime Act. The paragraph cited as the grounds for the decision establishes that "penalties will apply to any person who prevents or in any way obstructs the investigation of a crime involving a criminal organisation." In this instance, the penalty Mr. Dzodan faces would be imprisonment of between three and eight months, plus a fine, without prejudice to penalties imposed for any other criminal offences. It is important to underline that, according to the SCJ statement, the request refers to the "breach of confidentiality of the messages exchanged on WhatsApp." The main argument cited by Facebook in its defence is that the company only keeps messages until they have been delivered. Once delivered, they only exist on the devices of the users who receive them. However, the Brazilian judiciary does not appear to believe the claim that the application does not store said data, as it is not the first time that extreme judicial measures have been taken to obtain the content of WhatsApp messages. Back in December 2015, WhatsApp was shut down for 12 hours throughout Brazil because the company had failed to comply with a ruling handed down by the 1st Criminal Court of Sao Bernardo do Campo in Sao Paulo. However, under Brazilian law, it is not mandatory for apps to retain the content of communications. The Brazilian law governing online rights and duties, the Civil Rights Framework for the Internet, only requires online applications to keep connection and access logs (for a defined period of time). While it could be argued that the decision to arrest Dzodan followed the due process of law and was based on the cited legislation, ARTICLE 19 considers the measure disproportionate for the intended purpose and detrimental to the fulfilment of other rights, such as the rights to privacy and freedom of expression. Private communications and Internet use are key to freedom of expression, as confidential communication between peers is essential for some forms of social and political mobilisation and coordination. Although the request to access the WhatsApp messages stems from the apparently legitimate motive of investigating a drug trafficking crime, the precedent that would be set were the information to be handed over, could lead to pressure for the disclosure of data in the context of less serious crimes. It could also jeopardise the application's future in Brazil, as privacy and security would no longer be guaranteed in its communications. Even where ordered through judicial channels, the systematic reliance on the interception of private communications to resolve police cases is too widespread in Brazil, and is often favoured over other forms of investigation. Not only does the judiciary exercise great flexibility when analysing requests, but there is also clear exaggeration by the authorities when seeking to obtain this type of evidence. ARTICLE 19 contends that the consideration of requests to share private information, especially in the area of telecommunications, must always respect fundamental human rights and be undertaken from the perspective of necessity and proportionality, with the constant objective of preventing abuses and violations of privacy. Copyright notice: Copyright ARTICLE 19 Burundi power struggle outlasts diplomatic flurry Publisher IRIN Author Desire Nimubona & Samuel Okiror Publication Date 2 March 2016 Cite as IRIN, Burundi power struggle outlasts diplomatic flurry, 2 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56df3d1e842c.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. There's been a flurry of high-profile visits to Burundi designed to find a settlement to the political crisis but little evidence yet that anything has been achieved. First came UN Security Council members, followed by US President Barack Obama's special envoy for the Great Lakes Region. Then, last week, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon dropped in; and finally there was a visit from five African heads of state. Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza welcomed Ban with a promise to free 1,200 political prisoners (later extended to 2,000), and to re-open two independent radio stations. The African Union delegation, led by South African President Jacob Zuma, won a commitment for the deployment of 100 military monitors and 100 human rights observers to help reduce the political violence that has claimed more than 400 lives since April, when Nkurunziza sought to extend his term in office. But in reality, critics argue, the government is stalling. On the critical issue of negotiating with the opposition coalition known as CNARED, which the government describes as "terrorists" and "coup-plotters", Nkurunziza didn't budge. Instead, the authorities have unilaterally set up a National Commission for inter-Burundian Dialogue, known as the CNDI, to negotiate with people it finds more palatable. This effectively involves "engaging factions that broke away from mainstream parties to join what was left of Nkurunziza's governing coalition" before last year's election, said Joseph Siegle, director of research at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies at National Defense University, Washington. The opposition and key sections of civil society argue that negotiations can only be meaningful if they bridge the divide between the government and an armed opposition, a growing chasm that threatens all-out civil war. "One can't be a political party and judge," said Leonce Ngendakumana, president of opposition platform ADC Ikibiri. "The negotiations must include those who are armed, including exiled coup-plotters." CNARED, many of whom are in exile, is recognised as the main opposition umbrella by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, appointed by the East African Community to mediate in the dispute. Alex Fielding, senior analyst at Max Security Solutions, a geopolitical risk consulting firm, is also unimpressed with the government's commitment on political prisoners. He regards it as a sop, to avoid the real issue of all-inclusive talks. "When you read the presidential decree about the prisoner release, it excludes all those accused of treason as well as those who committed crimes 'in organised groups'," he told IRIN. The opposition held out little hope of a robust position from Zuma and the AU visitors after a January summit chose not to back an earlier commitment by its Peace and Security Council to send 5,000 peacekeepers to Burundi. The government's acceptance of military observers needs to be seen in the context of the AU's failure to fully deploy since July last year. Only 32 observers have been allowed into the country, and only after much haggling over memorandums of understanding. "Given this history, it's important to note that the observers will not be able to do their job properly unless the Burundi government grants them the legal freedom of movement to travel and the political freedom to write independent reports," said Paul Williams, associate professor at George Washington University. "My questions would be: what use are observers if they are not deployed in the full authorised numbers and they are not granted the legal mandate and political freedom to travel as they wish and do their jobs independently?" What then is next for Burundi? "In my view, the best prospects for peace in Burundi will require sustained regional and international engagement. At this point, the Nkurunziza government does not feel the need politically to engage the genuine opposition," said Siegle. "While most regional and international diplomacy up to this point has been aimed at accommodating the Nkurunziza government, there is insufficient appreciation of the growing resignation among many Burundian citizens that armed opposition is the only way to be heard," Siegle added. "This means the time window for reaching a political resolution is limited and shrinking." Fielding, at Max Security Solutions, called for "a more active presence and forceful response by the AU and UN, with a credible threat of sanctions and peacekeeper deployment if the regime fails to engage in genuinely inclusive dialogue talks, rein in the arbitrary arrests that have become commonplace, and reopen the political space for dissident groups and independent media organisations. "That said, I remain sceptical about the success of such talks as the main opposition and rebel demand remains that Nkurunziza steps down, something that he will refuse to consider as long as he retains support in rural areas and the security establishment," Fielding added. Steve McDonald, global fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, did see a possible path out of the crisis. "For a breakthrough to occur, there needs to be a frank conversation between Nkurunziza and selected opposition members, facilitated by a trusted third party - which does not include Museveni - out of the public eye and with no press coverage," McDonald told IRIN. "To date, the international community, including the AU, have been telling Nkurunziza who he needs to engage and what the outcome is to be, i.e. an abrogation of his third term as president. That is a non-starter," he said. "I do not think that Nkurunziza's goal is a return to mass, inter-communal violence. So he can be engaged. But how that is done is the critical element." Opium bounces back, enriching Taliban and Afghan officials Publisher IRIN Author Hanne Coudere Publication Date 4 March 2016 Cite as IRIN, Opium bounces back, enriching Taliban and Afghan officials, 4 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56df3d9e471f.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Hajji Abdul Hakin stood beside a 20-kg pile of green beans - his entire harvest after authorities in Afghanistan's Helmand Province convinced him to stop growing opium poppies last year. "My whole life lies in ruins," he said in an interview in Nad-e-Ali district last October. His field, one hectare, had been destroyed by disease and his meagre harvest wouldn't be nearly enough to support his family of 16 people. Last year, the average poppy farm in Helmand yielded 18 kg of opium per hectare, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. A kilo of opium fetched $200, while the same amount of green beans sold for only $1. "Once the poppy season starts, I'll grow poppies once again," said Hakin. Almost six months later, poppy season is in full swing in the western province of Helmand, which last year yielded almost half of Afghanistan's entire opium harvest, according to UNODC. Afghanistan supplies the lion's share of the world's opium, most of which is refined into heroin in an illegal trade that enriches government officials, the Taliban and global drug dealing networks. The Unites States invested $8.5 billion between 2002 and mid-2015 in programmes aimed at eradicating opium poppies and coaxing farmers into growing different crops, according to the US's Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. By almost any measure, that investment has been an abject failure. Poppy production grew steadily throughout the NATO mission, which began after the US helped topple the Taliban in 2001. The NATO mission ended in 2014, the year that the UN reported a record harvest in Afghanistan, which supplied 90 percent of the world's "illicit opiates". Opiates were Afghanistan's biggest exports in 2014, with UNODC estimating the vaue at $2.8 billion, or 13 percent of the country's GDP. Opium production fell by 19 percent in Afghanistan last year, but that was not due to eradication efforts, which reduced poppy cultivation in Helmand Province by only two percent, according to the UN. Anti-poppy campaigners instead had fungus and weevils to thank for wiping out more poppies in Helmand than eradication programmes ever have. Production is set to bounce back this year, however, as farmers like Hakin get ready to harvest next month. And there is little effort to stop them. The Afghan and US governments have now mostly abandoned eradication and crop substitution in Helmand, where the Taliban has in recent months managed to wrest control of many areas away from the government. As the Taliban gains more ground, the insurgents also gain more access to profits from the opium trade. "Today, a lot of farmers in Nad-e-Ali are growing poppies again, as well as in every other district in Helmand", said Mahmood Noorzai, the Helmand police commander responsible for narcotics. "There is no eradication going on," he told IRIN this week on the phone from the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah. Opium takes a back seat to war Afghanistan's military has instead diverted resources towards fighting the Talib Even as eradication efforts falter, experts say the Taliban is relying increasingly on the opium trade to fund its insurgency. The Taliban now reap profits at every stage of the drug business, from cultivation through production and trafficking, according to a 2 February report to the UN Security Council. Matin Khan, a tribal elder from Taliban-controlled Nawzad District, told IRIN last October how the Taliban benefited from opium. "Taliban demand opium taxes from farmers, levy tolls at checkpoints where smugglers pass and then escort them for money through the lawless border region between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran," he said in an interview in Lashkar Gah, where he had travelled to meet with elders from other districts to discuss security issues. Addicted to drug money It's not only the Taliban who benefit from the opium trade. Officials at every level of government are reportedly involved. "In the Helmand districts of Nad-e-Ali, Garmsir, and Marjah - which are controlled by the government - government officials demand farmers pay 5,000 Pakistani rupees, almost 50 dollars, per hectare of poppy field," said Noorzai, the police commander. A former head of drug police for Helmand, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told IRIN that his record of arresting 72 dealers and confiscating 28 tonnes of drugs in Helmand did not sit well with certain parliamentarians. They managed to have him transferred out of the position. "As a police chief I was not afraid of the Taliban or drug dealers, but of the politicians who threatened me," he told IRIN last October. The officer is now in the central province of Wardak, while the drug-dealing MPs remain in Kabul. an in a war that only appears to be getting worse. The insurgent group has made steady gains throughout the country since the NATO mission ended in December 2014 and the US pulled most of its approximately 140,000 troops out of the country. Afghanistan's counter-narcotics police had to transfer their 32 helicopters to the military, said Baz Mohammad, the country's deputy head of counter-narcotics, in an October interview. He added that the military had disbanded its battalion of 850 soldiers who had been assigned to poppy eradication after the US stopped funding it. Bye bye dreams Publisher IRIN Author Louise Hunt Publication Date 2 March 2016 Cite as IRIN, Bye bye dreams, 2 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56df3ec993f.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. In July 2015, Mohammed Lamin*, a 26-year-old Gambian, was pulled from a stricken smuggler's boat in the Mediterranean. On board the rescue vessel, he spoke to IRIN about his hopes that Europe would change his fortunes for the better. We also talked to his family back in Gambia about their expectations that Lamin would find work in Europe and not only repay the cost of his passage but lift them all out of poverty. Louise Hunt met up with Lamin in northern Italy to find out what actually happened. It is a bone chilling, drizzly day in February, but Lamin is sitting on a park bench. It is one of the few places in this wealthy town where he can spend time outside his hostel without spending money he doesn't have. All the benches around the grand circular lawns and fountains are occupied by sub-Saharan Africans. He approaches a group huddled on a neighbouring bench to get a light for his cigarette and chats with them a while. "They're my boys from the hotel," he explains. After a short stay at a reception centre in Pozzallo, Sicily, where he disembarked from the Migrant Offshore Aid Station boat that rescued him, Lamin was registered as an asylum seeker in Milan and sent to this town near Venice (he asked that the town not be named in case his asylum application fails). His home for now is a budget-end hotel recently converted into a hostel for asylum seekers, on the outskirts of the medieval town centre. Many similarly unusual reception centres have sprung up around Italy over the last two years as the number of asylum seekers arriving has doubled. Dressed neatly in donated jeans and jacket, Lamin says he is one of the longest staying residents at the hostel. "Most of the people that arrived with me have been moved into apartments, but I wanted to stay." His industrious, affable nature quickly made a good impression and he was asked to work in the hostel kitchen with a fellow Gambian who serves as chef. For this work, Lamin says he receives 35 euros a month and the possibility of future fully-paid work if he secures legal status in Italy. "They said if I'm serious about my Italian lessons and get my documents, they want to give me a job." In the mornings, Lamin and the other residents attend a two-hour class in basic Italian that forms part of the government's integration strategy for asylum seekers. Afterwards, he starts work in the kitchen, helping to prepare the food and serving it to the 100-plus residents. He often works two shifts a day, even on weekends. In return, he says, his line manager "is good to me", buying him cigarettes and slipping him some extra euros. "They always say 'Lamin, go and take a break,' but I would rather work, I don't want to think too much." His new life in Italy is not what he imagined it would be. "You cannot know until you come here," he says. "This park is full of people doing nothing; everybody is waiting for their documents. Some people regret coming here and cannot go back." In 2015, 144,000 migrants arrived by sea to Lampedusa or Sicily, of which 8,500 were identified as Gambian, according to the International Organization for Migration. Most were fleeing grinding poverty rather than persecution or conflict, but an asylum application extends the time they can legally remain in the country. It's an option that may soon be eliminated as Italy implements the EU's hotspot system to screen out so-called economic migrants as soon as they arrive and before they have the opportunity to apply for asylum. For those like Lamin, who managed to register as asylum seekers before the new system came into effect late last year, Italy's backlog of asylum cases means a prolonged state of limbo. While asylum seekers are normally issued with a temporary residence permit allowing them to undertake paid work two months after registering a claim, their chances of finding work are very slim. Italy has a national unemployment rate of 11 percent and 38 percent for youths. "Even if you have a residence permit, it is very difficult to find work," attests Lamin. The language barrier is the main problem, he says, but migrants also face open hostility and complain of racism. After everything young men like Lamin risked to reach Europe, many struggle to accept that their only reward is this bleak jobless existence. Lamin left behind a wife and baby son in Senegal, where he had been working, and a large family in Gambia. He can only afford to speak to them once a month. "If I have my documents I can work and try to go back to see my family. All I want to do is see them - I miss them so much," he says. At first, he says, he regretted making the journey to Italy. "I wished to go back, but now I have to try to get my papers. I want to learn Italian and work here so that I can support my family." He saves as much of his monthly 75-euro asylum seeker allowance as he can and wires it to his parents one month and his wife the next. "I don't want my children to have the same hardship. I want my son to have an education. So I decided, 'let me sacrifice myself for them, I have to try'." Lamin is now waiting for his interview with the territorial commission for international protection - a regional panel that will either grant him refugee status (or the more temporary status of subsidiary or humanitarian protection) or reject his claim as unfounded. Negative decisions can then be appealed at the national courts. Lamin has not yet received any legal advice, but his employer, the hotel manager, has promised to help him put his case together. By Italian law, first decisions on asylum status should be made within 35 days, but the backlog of cases means it can take up to a year, according to Valentina Fabbri, director of Rome-based social enterpriseProgramma Integra, which provides support to asylum seekers. Even after a long wait, the odds of Lamin receiving refugee status in Italy are not good. Out of 8,775 decisions on applications from Gambians made in Italy in 2015, 66 percent were rejected, according to Eurostat figures. In theory, failed asylum seekers are given five days to leave the country or risk being detained and deported. But Eurostat figures show that in 2014, out of 270 Gambians ordered to leave Italy, only five were forcibly returned. Italy is taking steps to improve its cooperation with Gambia to increase returns of failed asylum seekers (in December, Gambian authorities sent an official to help identify Gambian nationals arriving in Sicily). But most of those rejected for asylum disappear into the shadowy informal economy where they often work for low wages and in poor conditions, says Fabbri. Walking in the drizzle, across piazzas and through cobbled streets where luxury shops gleam from ornately carved sandstone villas, Lamin, with his slight frame and borrowed umbrella, appears dwarfed and lost. We cross the park again. "I want to pray," he says, heading for a money transfer shop. "Sometimes they let me pray here at the back." But today there are no mats available. Sheltering from the rain in the bus station, he shakes his head when asked whether he would have made the journey, knowing what he knows now. "No, I would not have come," he says. *Not his real name Medical Experts Decry Abkhazia's ''Rash'' Abortion Ban Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Anaid Gogoryan Publication Date 8 March 2016 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Medical Experts Decry Abkhazia's ''Rash'' Abortion Ban, 8 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56df3f912965.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Healthcare officials have urged the authorities in Abkhazia to revise a new law banning abortion, arguing that it will lead to public health problems and do nothing to increase the birth rate. On February 9, Abkhaz president Raul Khajimba signed a law on healthcare that has the stated aim of ensuring that citizens had access to medical treatment. One of its articles also prohibits abortion and "establishes liability for the artificial interruption of a pregnancy in accordance with the criminal law". Although Abkhazias ministry of health suggested that the new legislation include a list of conditions under which abortions could be performed on medical grounds, their proposal was ignored. The only circumstance under which abortion will now be permitted is "in cases of antenatal fetal death". Most people in Abkhazia follow Orthodox Christianity and the authors and supporters of the law argued that as well as the ethical aspect of preserving life from the moment of conception, the new ruling would also boost the number of births in Abkhazia. The territory broke free of Georgian control in the early 1990s and declared independence. Russia recognized Abkhazia in 2008, but Georgia still claims sovereignty. "We forbid the killing of a living organism. As we fight for the life of the mother, we should simultaneously fight for the life of the unborn child," said Appolon Gurgulia, chairman of the parliamentary committee for social policy, labour and health. "If we save several dozen lives, that is already a credit to the law, I think, this will be the result," Gurgulia said. "In parallel, government agencies need to think about materially encouraging large families." Said Kharazia, a member of parliament and one of the authors of the law, praised the ruling on abortion in a post on his Facebook page as "the most important, the most humanitarian, most moral part of the law on health protection because in this instance, the state law has become the defender of defenceless children. "This law supports life itself, protects the most valuable thing we possess - our children!" he wrote. The new law was approved by parliament on January 29. Only two of the body's 35 lawmakers, Emma Gamisonia and Akhra Bjania, voted against it, while two others abstained. "I believe that the law will not yield the result which they expect," said Gamisonia, who is the only woman in parliament and one of its vice-speakers. "The law should not have been approached so categorically. I hope that different acts will be adopted as part of the law so that the rights of women and any citizen of the country in general will not be infringed." MEDICAL RISKS REMAIN Abkhazias deputy minister of health, Batal Katsia, said that the law was both illogical and impractical. "There are indications for abortions, they are social, medical and social and purely medical," he explained. "In all countries where abortion is banned for social reasons, there is a list of abortions for medical reasons. A lack of this defies common sense." Katsia also warned that his own department's objections had been ignored by the initiators of the law. "When we realized that we could find no support in the parliamentary committee, we not only sent the ministry of healths official position, but also an appeal by the obstetricians and gynaecologists of the Republic of Abkhazia, to the speaker and the president," he continued. "Unfortunately, the letter and our appeal were not read out at the time of the adoption of the law. We hope later these changes will be introduced and that the law can somehow be completed." Gurgulia said that the law was the product of three years of work and that he had only received the ministry of healths letter with its proposed amendments 10 minutes before the session that debated the bill began. "They [the ministry of health] had a great opportunity to develop their vision on the entire law, not only regarding abortions. We considered all the proposals to the bill at three meetings of the working committee on the bill with the participation of representatives of the ministry of health," said Gurgulia. According to him, there was nothing unusual about the legislation. "Many countries have adopted such a law, when their demographic situation was threatened," Gurgulia continued. "There is nothing wrong if we adopt it at this stage. We are a small nation which suffered a brutal war. Poor families have more children than well-to-do families. In our society, there is spiritual degradation. The state now needs human resources, and we allow abortions. Who wants it, should travel outside Abkhazia. In our state, it is taboo." Abkhazia has a population of 240,705, according to the 2011 census. According to Katsia, on average 2,500 children were born in Abkhazia every year. Between 1999 and 2015, there were around 14,000 abortions, Gurgulia said. In 2015, 800 abortions were carried out, he added. "We know well that, unofficially, there are three times more abortions," Gurgulia said. "Out of these, only five per cent are for medical reasons. Doctors should engage in prevention." However, Katsia said that doctors would now be forced, even in routine cases, to send women outside Abkhazia for abortions. Many already go to neighbouring Russia for the procedure. "The law established a categorical ban on abortions," Katsia said. "If the woman is in danger, for example, she has cancer in the early stages of pregnancy, treatment is necessary, during which an abortion has to be carried out otherwise, both the fetus and the mother will die. It turns out that on the basis of this law, we have no right to do so. We want to convey this elementary logic. "We hope that this is a misunderstanding that can subsequently be fixed. We have to make amendments to the law because it cannot be otherwise," Katsia concluded. Fatima Kharzalia, an obstetrician who works in a private clinic in the capital Sukhumi, stopped performing abortions a long time ago due to her personal beliefs. However, she also said that this law had not been thought through properly. Apart from not solving any demographic concerns, it would also create many problems that the state would struggle to cope with. Illegal abortions could result in permanent injury and even death for the women involved, she said. Then there was the issue of abandoned babies and unplanned children. "I believe the law is rash," Kharzalia said. "Even the most radical Islamic state is more flexible on this question. It is necessary to consult and decide this matter with the professionals." According to her, no woman would ever end her pregnancy solely on the basis of convenience. "A woman who does not want to have a baby, who has come to such a tough decision to end her pregnancy, will not be stopped by a law. This law stops doctors from terminating a pregnancy. And we will have an epidemic of health problems," Kharzalia said. Contraceptive use was not very common in Abkhazia, she added, in part because of its expense. ENCOURAGING LARGER FAMILIES Natella Akaba is secretary of the Public Chamber of Abkhazia, an advisory group to the president. She noted with regret that National Assembly deputies had not thought it necessary to carry out any public opinion surveys ahead of forming the legislation. The law banning abortion was adopted in spite of the many criticisms expressed by medical professionals, community leaders and NGO activists. "If the members of parliament held consultations with a number of social organisations, perhaps they would find much more effective ways to increase the birth rate than by banning abortion," Akaba said. "And these methods are well known and time-tested - support for young families, state care for the expectant mother, guaranteed free childbirth [costs], payment of maternal benefits at the birth of the second and each subsequent child." Currently, the state provides a grant of 50,000 rubles upon the birth of the first and second child. If there are three to five children in the family, each is eligible for a monthly allowance of 500. In families of seven to nine children, each receives 750 rubles and for nine and above the state provides 1,000 rubles per child. Valeriy Bganba, the speaker of parliament, told reporters on February 10 that parliament would also work towards more social protection and financial benefits for larger families. One measure under consideration by the appropriate parliamentary committee was awarding a grant of 100,000 rubles to be paid on the birth of the third child, she said. Katsia made clear that such supportive measures were the only way government could influence the size of citizen's families. He added that, according to research carried out by the ministry of health, women would be happy to have more children if they were sure they would provided for. "This is the only way to stimulate the birth rate," Katsia said. "Prohibitive measures never decide a socially significant issue positively." Copyright notice: Institute for War & Peace Reporting Cynicism Marks International Women's Day in Afghanistan Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Mina Habib Publication Date 8 March 2016 Citation / Document Symbol ARR 538 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Cynicism Marks International Women's Day in Afghanistan, 8 March 2016, ARR 538, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56df40044124.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. As Afghanistan marks International Women's Day on March 8, many say there is little to celebrate. Gender violence continues to be a severe challenge, with inequalities exacerbated by a struggling economy and on-going problems with access to justice, employment and education. There is widespread cynicism over the achievements in women's rights since the fall of the Taleban, with the issue often seen as a handy way to seek international funds rather than ensure changes on the ground. "Which day should we celebrate?" asked Kubra, 45, a resident of Kabul's Bagrami district who works as a hospital orderly. "The day on which our sons, fathers, husbands and brothers fell victim to war or died trying to find work abroad? The day on which our women and daughters were killed or stoned and denied every human right?" She added, "The women who celebrate this day are those who wear fashionable clothing, go to offices and get paid good salaries. They call themselves women's rights advocates and make money in the name of this cause." Nazeefa Zaki, a member of the Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of parliament, agreed that a great deal of what had been done in the name of women's rights had been purely symbolic. "Fundamental work in ensuring women rights has not been done," she said. "Work has been project based and just aimed at attracting international aid. The topic of women's rights has been turned into big business for a large number of women rights advocacy organisations." In this context, celebrations for IWD were nothing but show. "On this day, women are made some rich, idealistic promises; crimes against women are mentioned and that's it." Fatana Gailani, head of the Afghanistan Women's Council, said that the international community had to share a significant amount of the blame for a lack of progress. Afghan organisations needed help from the outside world in ensuring good governance and accountability, she added. "If the international community had solid intentions to ensure women's rights, they should have put women's advocacy organisations under their control so that they could see if they were really defending women rights or just wasting time," Gailani said. CREDIT NEEDED FOR ACHIEVEMENTS Qudria Yazdanparast, a commissioner at the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), said that attention also needed to be paid to advances made in the field of gender equality. It was wrong to focus too much on violence and abuse, she added. "Men love their wives, daughters, and sisters. Each mean does not carry out acts of violence every day against women. Men are not all oppressors and neither are all women oppressed," Yazdanparast continued. This year, she said the emphasis in official speeches and reports would be on highlighting women's achievements. It was also important to raise awareness of the issues outside urban areas and amongst the seriously disadvantaged. "The AIHRC's March 8 celebrations this year are hugely different from those of previous years. It used to be celebrated in the government institutions and in luxury hotels, attended by officials and local dignitaries and women living in the cities," she said. "But this year, we issued instructions to all our branches in the capital and provinces to venture outside of the fancy places and the cities and celebrate this day in the districts and villages, where women have no awareness of their rights at all and have never heard of anything called International Women's Day." Helai Naikzad Azam, head of public relations at the ministry of women's affairs, said that their celebrations would be along the same lines. She said that March 8 would be marked with an event at Kabul's Amani high school as it was every year, with president Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and his wife Rula Ghani attending alongside other officials. The departments of women's affairs in the provinces would also mark the day. She added, "The difference in the reports and speeches, in comparison with previous years, will be a focus on the achievements made in improving women's conditions." At previous events, one woman was named as the heroine of the year for outstanding achievement. This would not take place this year, she added. "We have many female heroes; so we do not want to single out just one woman as the heroine." AIHRC regional director Shamsulhaq Ahmadzai agreed that women had made great achievements in various fields such as employment and education as well as playing a greater part in the law, in politics, economics and public life. But these gains were fragile. "Unfortunately, with the spread of insecurity, these achievements are severely threatened," he warned, noting a trend in which girls' schools were being shut and women were losing the chance to work. "Most violence is rooted in the poor economic wellbeing of families," he continued. "Recently, women have been suffering economically which has also led to rising violence." Corruption in the justice system and a general lack of the rule of law were a problem for all citizens but even more so for women, Ahmadzai said. "There is no fairness or justice in the courts. Personal connections are given precedence over merit. The people assigned to judicial positions are not the right people for those posts. That means people grow more and more alienated from the government and turn to Taleban courts or tribal Jirgas to resolve their disputes. In those decisions, women always come out worse." However, Ahmadzai said that women did not need to fear that their rights would be lost in any peace agreement with the Taleban. "We welcome a peace that does not conflict the laws of the country and that does not sacrifice the rights of its citizens, especially women, or national interests. We are sure that women's rights will not be traded away in the peace talks between the government and Taleban." Hashima Sharif, director of the women's section of the AIHRC, was less confident. Women were still subject to frequent violence and discrimination, and further legislation was needed to ensure even their basic rights. The Law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, for instance, which was enacted by presidential decree in 2009, prohibited a range of abuses from assault and rape to marriages that were coercive, involved minors or amounted to a transaction between families. However, this law was rejected by parliament in May 2013, and has been shelved ever since. "Until and unless the laws that give women their rights are implemented, Afghan women remain oppressed," she said, adding that conservative traditions in Afghanistan deem women to be second class citizens who could not even leave the house without the permission of their male guardian. Change needed to be made from the top down she continued, adding, "Unfortunately, those in government also share this point of view." Copyright notice: Institute for War & Peace Reporting Hyderabad: The Hyderabad police has launched Bharosa, a one-stop support centre to provide protection for women and children on International Womens Day. Police commissioner M. Mahender Reddy said Bharosa would provide legal, medical aid, counselling and rehabilitation to women victims and their children. He said financial assistance will be provided with the help of funding from the Centre and state and partnering corporate institutions. He also launched the website www.bharosahydpolice.org. Police decided to set up a specialised center to address womens issues keeping in view the increase in the number of complaints. Since the police finds it difficult to provide immediate redressal, the victims are directed to different agencies for assistance, which is a lengthy process. At present, a victim of sexual violence has to go to a police station to lodge a complaint which takes around 6-10 hours and sometimes the victim may directly go to the hospital first and then to the police station. There is no immediate assistance for victims, the commissioner said. Bharosa will answer all such issues by providing all services under one roof. It will help right from taking the complaint and providing medical assistance, legal aid, psychological counselling and assisting in trial and recording statement before the magistrate through video conferencing. Bharosa will function from HACA Bhavan and will be headed by an ACP. It will have 36 full time staffers. Bharosa will address all cases that fall under Sec 375, 376, 376 C, 376D and Sec 3, 5, 7, 9 of POCSO Act and NRI issues. Any person can contact Bharosa by dialling 100 or the Childline no: 1098 or through www.bharosahydpolice.org Hyderabad SHE teams head Swati Lakra said this center will work on a holistic convergence approach. "This is the first facility of this kind in India. Any victim stepping in will get total support. Though the case will be investigated by the concerned police station it will be monitored by Bharosa," she said. Any person can reach Bharosa by dialling 100 or the Childline no 1098 or through www.bharosahydpolice.org Armenia: Campaigners Push On for Domestic Violence Law Publisher Institute for War and Peace Reporting Author Nune Hovsepyan Publication Date 8 March 2016 Citation / Document Symbol CRS 808 Cite as Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Armenia: Campaigners Push On for Domestic Violence Law, 8 March 2016, CRS 808, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56df4080c80.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Rights activists in Armenia say that a recent court case has highlighted the urgent need for new legislation on crimes of domestic violence. On January 22, 48-year-old Nagorno-Karabakh veteran Karen Khechoyan was found guilty of domestic abuse by a court in the Lori province in northern Armenia. His wife, Lusine Ghabuzyan, testified that he had abused and beaten her for more than 17 years. The last attack left her hospitalised with multiple bruises and fractures. However, the court ruled that Khechoyan was only liable for a fine of 150,000 drams (300 US dollars) for "inflicting intentional bodily harm to his wifes health and beating a minor daughter". Campaigners have long argued that dedicated legislation is needed to ensure justice for victims of abuse. In 2013, a draft law on violence in the family developed by NGOs with the participation of the ministry of labour and social affairs was rejected. Officials said that the law would have been unenforceable. (See also Domestic Abuse Law Dumped in Armenia). NGOs working in the field of gender equality hope that a law on domestic violence may finally be in sight. The provision is included in the EU Human Rights Budget Support Programme 2016-2018, signed between the EU and Armenia, with a budget of 11 million euros. One of the conditions of the programme is the adoption of a standalone law on domestic violence this year. (See also Armenia: Domestic Abuse Bill Back on the Table). Ther lack of legislation on domestic violence was also raised by a number of countries during the United Nations second Universal Periodic Review of Armenia a year ago. Arman Tatoyan, the newly-appointed ombudsman, was until recently deputy minister of justice. He told IWPR that the justice ministry was planning to start work on a domestic violence law, although he could not give any definite time span. RISING NUMBERS OF COMPLAINTS In January this year alone, 30 complaints of domestic abuse were registered with the police. Activists say that this figure represents only the tip of the iceberg. Not only is the actual number of domestic violence victims believed to be much higher, but of the reported cases few ever go to court and convictions are rare. According to police figures, 678 cases of domestic abuse were reported in 2014. Out of these incidents, criminal investigations were opened into 76 incidents and just 12 went to trial. Last year, there were 784 cases of domestic violence registered in 2015. Criminal action was initiated in 150 cases and 42 went to court. Artur Vardanyan of the polices main criminal investigation department argued that the rising numbers of criminal cases showed that the police were taking the issue seriously. "The police already inspire trust in the public," he told IWPR. "They have realised that the police are nearby and can help." As for the small number of prosecutions, Vardanyan disagreed, noting that if the man and the woman reconciled while an allegation of domestic abuse was being investigated, the criminal case could simply be closed. But Nona Galstyan, a lawyer at the Womens Support Centre, had a very different take on the issue. According to her, the police were reluctant to initiate criminal proceedings in cases of domestic violence. "Frequently, the police and the court impress upon the victim that it is not worth destroying the family and that it would be better to withdraw the complaint or claim, return home, accept the situation and continue to live with the violator under the same roof," she said. "It happens that after such conversations, women change their mind, return to the family and are again subjected to severe violence." The low rate of prosecution was also due to difficulties in using the existing criminal code of Armenia to pursue cases of abuse, she said, stressing that this was why a dedicated law was essential. The system needed to be able to step in before it was too late. According to the Coalition to Stop Violence against Women, 30 women have died at the hands of their partners over the past five years, leaving 45 children without their mothers. RIGID ROLES FOR MEN AND WOMEN According to a report published by the Centre for Regional Research in Yerevan last month, unemployment has been one of the underlying causes of domestic violence in the country. "This has also fostered a sense of frustration and humiliation for many men, tragically manifested through increased alcoholism and gambling, and also directly related to a pattern of violence directed toward their wives," wrote Lilit Simonyan, the report's author. As a traditionally patriarchal society, Armenian culture assigns rigid roles for men and women. "This is also clearly seen in cases of gender-specific socialization, cultural definitions of appropriate sex roles, belief in the inherent superiority of males, values that give men proprietary rights over women and girls, notion of the family as under male control, customs of marriage, and acceptability of violence as a means to solve conflict," Simonyan wrote. Siranush Davtyan, a psychologist with the Womens Resource Centre, warned against attributing social problems, alcohol or drugs to be the root causes for violence against women. "In fact, men are guided by the understanding that women are their property and I will do with her as I wish," Davtyan said. According to a United Nations Population Fund survey on Armenia published in 2010, 61 per cent of the women surveyed who had a partner or were once in a relationship were exposed to controlling behavior. A quarter was subjected to psychological violence or abuse and 8.9 per cent experienced physical violence. Only 7.7 per cent of the women believed that problems such as domestic violence could be discussed with people outside the family. The 2014 law on social assistance, which first defined the concept of domestic violence, specifically referred to the provision of an emergency refuge for people suffering domestic violence. However, the state says that it lacks the resources to set up a network of safe houses. Armenias capital Yerevan currently only has two refuges for abuse survivors. They are run by the Women's Support Center, the Women's Rights Center and the Armenian Lighthouse Charitable Foundation. The number of women provided with shelter is kept confidential, but there are several times more applicants than can be accommodated. Social worker Anna Oganesyan recalled once turning to the ministry of labour and social affairs for help trying to find accommodation in a shelter for a woman subjected to violence. The ministry advised the victim to return home to her husband on the grounds that there was no free space available. According to Zaruhi Hovhannisyan, coordinator of the Coalition against Violence Against Women, the expense of adopting new legislation was one of the factors slowing the state down. "After the adoption of the law, there is a need to retrain many professionals working in the different departments of government, setting up shelters and so on," she said, "Also, there is a need to change the approach to the work by the police and the courts." Copyright notice: Institute for War & Peace Reporting UNHCR's reaction to Statement of the EU Heads of State and Government of Turkey, 7 March Publisher UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Publication Date 8 March 2016 Cite as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UNHCR's reaction to Statement of the EU Heads of State and Government of Turkey, 7 March, 8 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56dfca634.html [accessed 22 October 2022] This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson William Spindler - to whom quoted text may be attributed - at the press briefing, on 8 March 2016, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. UNHCR has taken note of the Statement of the EU Heads of State and Government of Turkey last night and we are concerned with some aspects of the proposal. Turkey hosts close to 3 million refugees and has made enormous contributions for years and just recently adopted a work regulation for Syrian refugees, but, in light of the enormity of the task, still struggles to provide for all the basic needs of the swelling Syrian population. We welcome the EU's financial contribution to support Turkey and the refugee communities in Turkey. As for the statement released yesterday after the meeting between EU and Turkey, UNHCR is not a party to it nor privy to all the details and modalities of implementation. On the face of what appears to have been agreed, we are, however, concerned about any arrangement that involves the blanket return of all individuals from one country to another without sufficiently spelt out refugee protection safeguards in keeping with international obligations. An asylum-seeker should only be returned to a third state, if (a) responsibility for assessing the particular asylum application in substance is assumed by the third country; (b) the asylum-seeker will be protected from refoulement; (c) the individual will be able to seek and, if recognized, enjoy asylum in accordance with accepted international standards, and have full and effective access to education, work, health care and, as necessary, social assistance. Legal safeguards would need to govern any mechanism under which responsibility would be transferred for assessing an asylum claim. Pre-departure screening would also need to be in place to identify heightened risk categories that may not be appropriate for return even if the above conditions are met. Details of all these safeguards should be clarified before the next meeting of the EU Council on 17 March. On the resettlement point, we welcome of course any initiative that promotes regular pathways of admission for refugees in significant numbers from all neighbouring countries in the region - not just Turkey and not just Syrian refugees - to third countries. Europe's resettlement commitments remain however, very low compared to the needs (i.e. 20,000 places within 2 years on a voluntary basis). Easing family reunification is another important avenue to be pursued, and we hope that individuals returned to Turkey who have specific resettlement needs, such as family reunification, would be considered for the resettlement/admission programme to the EU. The high-level meeting on global responsibility-sharing through legal pathways for admission of Syrian refugees, to take place in Geneva on 30 March will be a good opportunity to put the spotlight on this important aspect of responsibility sharing and we hope for concrete pledges. Importance of Syrian Turkmen to Turkey Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Orhan Gafarli Publication Date 25 February 2016 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Importance of Syrian Turkmen to Turkey, 25 February 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56dfee3e4.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Comments Link to original story on Jamestown website Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Link to original story on Jamestown website War-torn Syria is days away from the start of a negotiated partial ceasefire, which is supposed to temporarily end fighting between rebel groups and government forces supported by Russian supplies and bombing sorties. The ceasefire, agreed to by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his United States counterpart, Secretary of State John Kerry, excludes any continued targeting of recognized terrorist groups, including the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra. Serious questions remain about whether the partial ceasefire can last; but if effective and properly enforced, the halt in hostilities could provide much-needed respite for US- and Turkish-backed rebel groups fighting in northwestern Syria that were being pounded by Russian bombers for weeks (Albawaba News, February 24). For Turkey, the nearby regions of Bayrbucak and Aleppo in Syria's northwest corner, are places of strategic importance. And Moscow's indiscriminate targeting of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Coalition troops fighting there-even in the midst of the last (third) round of abortive Geneva peace talks (January 29-February 2)-has particularly incensed Ankara. According to information provided by Turkey's Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), approximately three thousand people took refuge in Turkey as a result of Russian-Syrian operations in Bayrbucak, which occurred in the middle of the third Geneva talks (Bugun, February 1). The Bayrbucak region, populated by Syrian Turkmen, consists of two defined parts: Bayr and Bucak. While Bayr covers the mountainous area surrounding Turkmen Mountain, Bucak is composed of a group of Syrian villages located close to the Mediterranean coast. In Bucak, there are 21 villages and a hamlet, while Bayr includes 22 villages and 35 hamlets. Bayrbucak's local Syrian Turkmen population numbered around 250,000 before the Arab Spring, but the remaining population there is unknown (Anadolu Agency, February 5). The Bayrbucak area, adjacent to the important border town of Yayladagi, in Turkey's Hatay province, is a strategically important geographic region for Turkey. First, Bayrbucak is populated by local Turkmen, who make up an important opposition force to the al-Assad regime. If Turkmen and other opposition forces were able to seize full control of the entire Bayirbucak region from the Syrian government, they would be able to secure access to the Mediterranean as well as open up a corridor for rebel forces to march on the important regime stronghold of Latakia. Conversely, the complete loss of this area would revert Syria's northwest corner-particularly Idlib province, which borders on Turkey-back into the hands of the al-Assad regime, thus closing a vital humanitarian corridor to Syria via Turkey (Anadolu Agency, February 5). Additionally, the Turkmen's ability to hold onto their territory in northwest Syria is crucial for Ankara because they form a barrier between the Turkish border and areas controlled by Syrian Kurdish groups (Aksham, January 10). Finally, it bears pointing out that the public in Turkey is sensitive about the plight of the Syrian Turkmen due to the ethnic and cultural ties between them. The continued role of the Syrian Turkmen in their country's civil war is an important factor affecting Turkey's foreign and military policy calculations regarding Syria. Indeed, prior to the deadly incident involving the downing of a Russian Su-24 jet that violated Turkish airspace, one of the reasons contributing to the deterioration in Turkish-Russian relations last year was Russia's continued aerial bombing attacks against Syrian Turkmen forces in Bayrbucak (see EDM, December 3, 2015). Two armed Turkmen units are simultaneously fighting in Syria against the Islamic State and al-Assad's army: the "Sultan Murad" Brigades, operating in Aleppo and Bayrbucak, and a coastal armed formation in Lazkiye (Latakia). Both units are being closely supported by Turkey. In an interview with this author, Syrian Turkmen Assembly President Abdurrahman Mustafa noted, "The Turkmen troops in Aleppo-the Sultan Murad division [sic]-have been putting up an important fight against ISIS [the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria-a former name for the Islamic State militant group] and the al-Assad regime. We are fighting with all our strength to clean our Turkmen villages under ISIS's control of those terrorists. During this period, the moderate opposition [the Syrian National Coalition], of which we are a component, has been receiving international support. In the latest operation [January 10], in which we took the Turkmen villages [near Aleppo] of Karakopru, Karamezra, Kzl and Harava back from ISIS, Turkey backed our troops, within the rules of engagement, with artillery barrages" (Author's interview, January 13; (Hurriyet Daily News, January 10). In supporting the moderate opposition in Syrian politics, Turkey is paying particular attention to the Turkmen forces on the battlefield to make sure they maintain control over their territories. It was, therefore, particularly important to Turkey that the fighting Syrian Turkmen units join the Syrian secular opposition forces. Indeed, this was a topic of discussion between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Syrian Turkmen Assembly's leader, Abdurrahman Mustafa, during their meeting in Istanbul, on January 8. And despite a last-minute invitation, Mustafa represented the Syrian Turkmen forces during the third Geneva peace talks (TRT World, January 26; Daily Sabah, February 2). Following the last Geneva talks, which ended on February 2 without any sort of breakthrough, regime forces militarily seized much of Bayrbucak from armed Syrian Turkmen groups. But other opposition units who came to help the Turkmen have maintained the fight against the government. As of February 12, Turkmen forces still controlled four Bayrbucak villages, according to Abdurrahman Mustafa (Author's interview, February 12). The total loss of control of this strategic territory on Turkey's border to al-Assad's regime would mean a serious setback for Ankara's political goals in Syria, and the next few weeks will show how the partial ceasefire changes the present situation on the ground. Copyright notice: 2010 The Jamestown Foundation Ukrainian Says No Elections Without Full Security in Donetsk-Luhansk Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Vladimir Socor Publication Date 25 February 2016 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 38 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Ukrainian Says No Elections Without Full Security in Donetsk-Luhansk, 25 February 2016, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 38, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56dfee8d4.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Link to original story on Jamestown website Negotiations in the Minsk Contact Group on political issues are so configured as to push Ukraine into recognizing the Moscow-controlled Donetsk and Luhansk "people's republics" (DPR, LPR), first de facto and then de jure, through local elections and a "special status." For its part, Ukraine shows increasing tenacity in resisting that push. The political group's February 24 meeting in Minsk illustrated those opposite efforts. The military and security situation on the ground is inseparable from the political issues, although that situation is being discussed in a separate Minsk group. Russian and "DPR-LPR" forces harass Ukraine through attrition warfare, threaten with escalation, and make the holding of local elections unthinkable under these circumstances (quite apart from the lack of political prerequisites to holding elections there). That situation casts a dark shadow over the Minsk Group-comprised of Ukraine, Russia, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the DPR and LPR. The triple-headed Russian side actually needs to foment military threats and insecurity, so as to pressure Ukraine into a "political solution" on Russian terms. For its part, Ukraine is turning the tables in the negotiations, arguing that the military and security situation must be resolved first, in order for a political solution to become feasible or legitimate. Thus, the situation that Russia and its proxies have created on the ground provides Kyiv with impregnable arguments against elections being held and the DPR-LPR authorities being recognized under these circumstances. This has become the basis of Ukrainian diplomacy's holding action in the Minsk Group and the "Normandy" group's negotiations, resisting quick-fix political "solutions" under the gun. Western diplomacy, on the whole, responds to Kyiv's holding action with ambivalence and varying degrees of impatience (see below). In the Minsk Group's February 24 meeting, the Ukrainian side listed its objections to holding local elections in the "DPR-LPR" in the existing military and security situation. Kyiv's motto is, no elections without full security. Prerequisites would have to include: a complete ceasefire; the removal of "foreign" armed forces and "mercenary" troops (Minsk armistice euphemisms for the combined Russian and secessionist forces) from Ukraine's territory; unrestricted access by the OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to verify the removal of those forces from DPR-LPR-controlled territory; and the restoration of Ukraine's control on its side of the Ukraine-Russia border (or, alternatively, international control on the Ukrainian side of the border) in that territory (UNIAN, February 24, 25). For its part, the aggregate Russian side (Russia, DPR, LPR) wants to rush an agreement on the modalities of holding local elections in the "people's republics" and their subsequent legalization by Kyiv. The Ukrainian side does accept discussion of those political issues; indeed, it comes up with detailed proposals about hypothetical local elections and their modalities in that territory. Without blocking such discussions outright, Kyiv maintains that any agreement on political issues would be premature until full security will have been established. The Russian side wants the Minsk armistice's political clauses to be implemented first, and the military and security clauses to be discussed later. Ukraine insists on the opposite sequence. Hence, according to Ukrainian negotiator Roman Bessmertnyy, discussions in Minsk on each individual point ended with the OSCE mediator noting the "fundamental [printsipialnye] differences between the sides" (Ukraiynska Pravda, January 24). "The sides" in that context means Kyiv versus Donetsk-Luhansk, in the classical paradigm imposed by Russia, aided and abetted by an OSCE itself hostage to Russia's veto inside the organization. The Minsk Group brings a minor variation to that paradigm. Here, Russia does not officially hold a mediator's status, but rather an ambiguous status as some kind of an observer. It disclaims any responsibility as a party to the conflict, but at the same time it firmly supports the DPR-LPR's positions across the board, undoubtedly inspiring and pre-coordinating those positions. The OSCE's role is that of mediator, with the net result that Ukraine is basically isolated in the Minsk Group. The OSCE's representative (currently Ambassador Martin Sajdik from Austria) has the status of Special Representative of the OSCE's Chairmanship. This did not much matter in 2015, when Serbia held that chairmanship. But it does matter in 2016, when Germany's Foreign Affairs Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is the OSCE's Chairman-in-Office. He seems willing to advance a "political solution" that would involve sub-standard elections in Donetsk-Luhansk, their validation by the OSCE, corresponding changes to Ukraine's constitution, and easing the economic sanctions on Russia. Working to rush those elections is Ambassador Pierre Morel of France, also with the status of the OSCE Chairmanship's representative in the Minsk Group on political issues. The "Morel plan" involves amending Ukraine's electoral legislation by agreement with Donetsk-Luhansk (in practice, with Moscow) to enable the holding of local elections with a semblance of Ukrainian consent. However, establishing a security environment appropriate to any elections (irrespective of modalities) remains inconceivable as long as Russia refuses to accept responsibility as a party to the conflict and cooperates in establishing the necessary security prerequisites. Copyright notice: 2010 The Jamestown Foundation Unresolved Historical Territorial Disputes Add to North Caucasus Tensions Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Mairbek Vatchagaev Publication Date 25 February 2016 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 38 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Unresolved Historical Territorial Disputes Add to North Caucasus Tensions, 25 February 2016, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 13 Issue: 38, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56dfeeeb4.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Link to original story on Jamestown website Dagestan's governor, Ramazan Abdulatipov, held a surprise meeting with Chechen activists who support restoring the Aukhov district in the republic. The issue dates back to 1944, when the Soviet government ordered the mass deportation of all Chechens to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. In 1957, after Joseph Stalin's mass repression was condemned, the Soviet government decided to restore Checheno-Ingushetia. However, the issue of restoring the Aukhov district in Dagestan remained unresolved. Authorities in Moscow and Makhachkala did not settle the question, which would have required relocating the Dagestanis who moved into Chechen villages in 1944, after the Chechens were deported. The majority of the Dagestanis who settled in Chechen villages were ethnic Laks and Avars from the mountainous areas of Dagestan. In the nearly 60 years since 1957, the Chechens have tried to convince Moscow to restore the district in Dagestan where Chechens were concentrated. The Russian authorities came close to a solution to the problem back in 1991, when the country's parliament passed a law on repressed nationalities that envisaged restoring the rights of repressed peoples, including the resolution of territorial disputes (Zaki.ru, April 26, 1991). Today, the issue of Chechens residing in Dagestan is even more acute, since they now number 100,000 (Gks.ru, 2010). The Russian government planned to build houses near Makhachkala for all Laks who occupy Chechen houses in the former Aukhov district. However, a lack of funds forced Dagestan to suspend the program. After Abdulatipov came to power in the republic, the relocation program was discussed more often in Moscow and in Khasavyurt, where the disputed areas are located. The new leadership of the Chechens in Dagestan became an important factor in accelerating a resolution of the Chechen issue in the republic. With the assistance of Chechen head Ramzan Kadyrov, three-time Olympic wrestling champion Buvaisar Saitiev led the Chechens' efforts in Dagestan (Onkavkaz.com, October 2, 2015). Saitiev is a highly respected figure in both Chechnya and Dagestan, hence those activists who tried to deepen divisions between Chechens and Avars in Khasavyurt district backed down. The resignation of the mayor of Khasavyurt, Saigidpasha Umakhanov, who was fiercely opposed to the restoration of the Chechen district in Dagestan, also helped (Chernovik.net, September 23, 2015). Umakhanov's resignation meant that the forces who advocated restoring the Aukhov district in Dagestan won. This also marked a personal victory for Kadyrov, who was at odds with Umakhanov (Kavkazsky Uzel, April 24, 2014). At the meeting with Dagestan's Chechen activists in Makhachkala, on February 19, Abdulatipov announced that he had raised the issue of the Chechens in Dagestan at the meeting with President Vladimir Putin and received his support. Abdulatipov added: "I am glad that the Chechen community has such a leader as Buvaisar Khamidovich [Saitiev], who made both Dagestan and Chechnya famous. I am also thankful to the head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, for assistance in resolving this issue and to the now-deceased Ahmad-Haji Kadyrov for his understanding of these issues in the past" (Riadagestan.ru, February 19). In response, Buvaisar Saitiev said that the Chechen community is interested in the peaceful and lawful resolution of the issue, and that they have the understanding and backing of Kadyrov (Grozny.tv, February 19). Thus, both Saitiev and Abdulatipov recognized that Kadyrov played an important role in the process of resolving the issue of Chechens in Dagestan. Many Dagestanis fear Kadyrov's influence and think that as soon as the Chechen district is restored it will be handed over to Chechnya (Kavpolit.com, May 13, 2015). Even though such a development is theoretically possible, to implement a handover of a district would be difficult legally; Kadyrov's wish for it to happen would not suffice, since the parliament of Dagestan would have to approve it. For Kadyrov, the territory of the former Aukhov district is a sore point, since it has one of the most active jamaats in Dagestan and this area borders Chechnya. The Aukhov jamaat, along with jamaats in Khasavyurt, Babayurt and other cities, are structurally part of the larger Khasavyurt district jamaat. Militants in Dagestan maintain close relations with the militants in Chechnya, which bothers Kadyrov. At the same time, Kadyrov's attempts to violate administrative borders and implement counterterrorist operations in Khasavyurt have antagonized the Dagestani police, who are fiercely opposed to Chechen police operations on their territory. The Dagestani Chechens are impatiently waiting for the restoration of the Aukhov district, but restoring the district will not solve all their problems. The boundaries of the historical Aukhov district do not include the towns and villages where modern-day Chechens comprise the majority-Khasavyurt district and in the city of Khasavyurt. This may cause the revision of borders, which will raise territorial disputes with the Kumyks, who have lived in the area for several centuries. Thus, in solving one problem, the authorities will need to be prepared to encounter other problems. The example of the restoration of the Chechen district in Dagestan will also affect the resolution of the problem of the Ingush, who were deprived of their homes in the Prigorodny district of North Ossetia-Alania. Thus, the North Caucasian region is on the verge of renewed ethnic conflicts because the state has failed to address territorial issues that arose after the Bolsheviks came to power in the North Caucasus in 1920 and, to this day, still remain unresolved. Copyright notice: 2010 The Jamestown Foundation Philippines: MILF Stays Clear of Security Forces During Mindanao Raid Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Alexander Sehmer Publication Date 3 March 2016 Citation / Document Symbol Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 5 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Philippines: MILF Stays Clear of Security Forces During Mindanao Raid, 3 March 2016, Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 5, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56dfefe74.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Link to original story on Jamestown website Philippines security forces announced they had killed 42 fighters with links to Islamic State on February 26. This declaration followed a major five-day operation in southern Mindanao, which included shelling and aerial bombardment of areas near Butig, a base of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) (Philippine Star, February 26, 2016). Three soldiers were killed and 11 were wounded in the operation. The authorities say the group they targeted is an affiliate of Jemaah Islamiah (JI), the group behind the 2002 Bali bombings; their leader, Abu Bakar Bashir, pledged allegiance to Islamic State in July 2014 (Jakarta Post, July 14, 2014). The affiliate group is estimated to have about 80 to 100 members and is led by brothers Omar and Abdullah Maute. Omar Maute was reportedly killed by security forces in the first days of the operation (Manila Bulletin, February 24, 2016). The brothers are said to have been associated with the Indonesian militant Ustadz Sanusi, who was killed by security forces in November 2012 (Philippine Daily Inquirer, February 26, 2016). That the pair has been operating freely in territory controlled by MILF is a reminder of the separatist group's connections to JI, links that date back at least as far as the Mujahideen training camps of 1980s Afghanistan. However, it is significant there was no involvement from MILF fighters during the clash. Instead, according to the Philippines military, MILF fighters helped thousands of locals flee the violence (Reuters, February 26, 2016). MILF signed a peace deal with the Philippines government in 2014, but the group is still waiting for legislators to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that would establish an autonomous region - one of its key demands. The passage of the law has suffered repeated delays, with a number of legislators withdrawing their support, raising tensions on both sides (MindaNews, January 29, 2016). There have still been clashes, notably the government's disastrous raid on the village of Tukanalipao in Mamasapano, to capture Jemaah Islamiah leader Zulkifli bin Hir in January 2015. The clash between MILF fighters and the Philippines Special Action Force (SAF) sparked by the raid left 18 MILF fighters and 44 SAF members dead (Philippine Star, January 26, 2015). While these incidents risk reversing the gains made so far, February's apparently successful raid on the Maute group offers some comfort - both that MILF fighters are distancing themselves from the Maute's brand of Islamic State-inspired militancy, and that they continue to see the peace process as legitimate and beneficial. Copyright notice: 2010 The Jamestown Foundation Ahead of Delhi's Budget, Yashwant Sinha will be mentoring AAP leaders including Manish Sisodia who is Delhi's Finance Minister. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Former Finance Minister and BJP veteran Yashwant Sinha will soon be mentoring members of the Aam Aadmi Party for the upcoming Delhi Budget, according to reports. The Kejriwal-led party has approached Sinha to address an orientation programme, which will be attended by top leaders, including the Delhi Finance Minister Manish Sisodia, Finance secretary and other AAP MLAs. Sinha would be imparting his expertise to the leaders who will be presenting their budget this March. "Sinha is the best person to interact with legislators, most of whom are first-timers," the Secretary of Delhi Legislative Assembly Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara was quoted in a report. Yashwant Sinha has reportedly accepted AAPs invitation to hold the orientation programme on March 15th. This development comes as a major embarrassment for the BJP, which has been accused of relegating its senior leaders to the sidelines since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came into power. Manish Sisodia, who also holds finance and education portfolios, will present the 2016-17 Budget in the Delhi Assembly later this month. In the 2015-16 Budget, the AAP government had allocated Rs 9,836 crore for the education sector out of which Rs 4,570 crore was given under the plan outlay, an increase of around 106 per cent. Sisodia said that in the upcoming budget, his government will focus on training programmes, infrastructure and international collaborations to improve the quality of education being imparted in its schools. The report stated that during 2014-15, private sector investment of Rs 27,550 crore spread over 512 projects was approved with an employment potential for 41 lakh youth. Bengaluru: The state government had rolled out the red carpet for investors during the recent Invest Karnataka Meet 2016 but this has not deterred 35 private tourism projects with investments of Rs. 21,673 crore from backing out from Karnataka. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), in the economic and revenue sector audit, disclosed that the tourism policy has failed to attract good investments to the state. The report stated that during 2014-15, private sector investment of `27,550 crore spread over 512 projects was approved with an employment potential for 41 lakh youth. However private sector entrepreneurs have backed out from Karnataka, the reports says. Projects assisted by the Government of India were not completed within the stipulated time resulting in loss of central assistance of Rs 17.95 crore in seven cases. A mega project in Hampi taken up in 2008, is still in progress. A Theme Park estimated at Rs 50 crore which resulted in wasteful expenditure of Rs. 1.41 crore and 77 Yatrinivas and dormitories constructed for benefit of tourists at a cost of Rs 51.63 were not put to use, the report pointed out Double payment Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board has paid compensation of Rs. 1.84 crore for acquiring land for Harohalli Industrial area, but the same land has already been acquired for construction of a minor irrigation tank at Bannikuppe village, due to this mistake double payment of compensation made. The PWD department is guilty of incurring wasteful expenditure of Rs 7.71 crore by constructing residential quarters in a civic amity site at HSR Layout, Bengaluru. This is a clear violation of Karnataka Parks, Playfields and open Space Act, 1985, the CAG report stated. What you need to know about Powerball and the $580 million jackpot The Snyder Independent School District will face steep financial woes unless the Texas Legislature changes how it distributes a specific type of school funding that's set to expire soon, Superintendent Jim Kirkland said. The district could lose an estimated $10.5 million in revenue in 2017 as a result of the expiration of the Additional State Aid for Tax Reduction portion of the state's funding of schools, Kirkland said. Snyder's available revenue would fall from $26 million to about $16 million. "Yes, (funding) looks bad," Kirkland said. "While we are definitely not in a crisis mode, Snyder ISD is trying to be prudent in looking at our budget needs for 2016-17 and basically seeing what we can do." ASATR has existed since about 2007, after legislators lowered the maximum tax levy districts could impose on property owners from $1.50 per $100 assessed valuation to $1.04 per $100 assessed valuation. Legislators promised at the time that no districts would lose money from the decision and provided supplemental funding. The Legislature, however, decided in 2011 to cap that fund at 10 years, Kirkland said, leaving districts like Snyder with little choice but to make deep cuts. In response, Snyder ISD is looking to cut 30 percent of its budget, Kirkland said, though the hope is that the state will reverse its decision and make the cuts unnecessary. Kirkland said making cuts will involve some number crunching and staff reductions through attrition that he'd rather not make. A total of 3.5 administrative positions, six teaching positions and roughly 14 or 15 teaching aides would be eliminated from the budget for next school year, he said. "We are scrutinizing every position as resignations, retirements or relocations are received to see if the district can get by without filling the vacated position," Kirkland said. "While this will not get us to the $10.5 million shortfall and yes, we are hopeful the Legislature will fix this issue we feel that we must make an effort to try and offset the loss." The superintendent said he's had conversations with the school board about the pending cuts and that the seven trustees have been receptive to ideas. Chennai: Following the suicide by a second year student of a private engineering college in Sriperumbadur on Monday night allegedly after the principal admonished him for accumulating arrear papers scoring low marks, other students in the college on Tuesday ransacked the laboratory, library and canteen of the institute to mark their protest. According to the police, J Ajith Kumar, a second year civil engineering student of St Joseph College of Engineering, Sriperumbadur, committed suicide by hanging himself on a fan in the college hostel room on Monday night. Ajith Kumars friends broke open the door of room number 208 of III floor of the hostel, where he was staying. They snapped the rope and rushed him to a private hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. Students on Tuesday morning alleged that Ajith killed himself because the principal of the college scolded him for accumulating six arrear papers for the first year. Students also claimed that there was no effort from the college to take Ajith to hospital and if he was given medical attention immediately he could have survived. To mark their protest the students on Tuesday ransacked the college laboratory, canteen, room of principal Dr M A Leo Vijilious and library. Following students unrest the college administration had declared holiday for two weeks. Later in the day, Ajiths father Jnanamani, who arrived from his native Chidambaram in Cudallore district, has lodged a complaint with the Sriperumbadur police saying that only after the college principal scolded Ajith Kumar in front of other students, his son committed suicide. He requested the police to take immediate action against those responsible for the death of his son. Police later in the night said that they had registered a case against principal and two other college officials for abetting the suicide. The Sriperumbudur police booked a case under the IPC Sections 306 (abetting suicide), 294 (b) (abusing) and 506 (I) (criminal intimidation). The storms stayed away long enough during Tuesday evening's Illumination Celebration for Mayor Norm Archibald to throw the switch, lighting the storybook statues in Everman Park and other places in downtown Abilene. The event, sponsored by the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council, helped cement Abilene's title of "Storybook Capital of Texas," a designation it earned last year from the state Legislature. No two people in the crowd of a few thousand gathered on North First between Cedar and Cypress streets were more excited to see the lights go on than Brent Bunkley and Bill Riggs. "I'm as interested as anyone here," said Bunkley, CEO of Bunkley Electric, who hooked up the lighting for the 17 storybook sculptures. Riggs is the service manager for Bunkley. Bunkley, the third generation of his family to work at the company begun by his grandfather in 1962, said this project was different from most of the work the company has done over the past 54 years. "This is theatrical-type lighting," he said. "Most of the lighting we do is for construction or architectural." The lighting was designed by J.R. Haupt & Associates of Orlando, Florida. Owner John Haupt, a former lead lighting director with Disney, was in Abilene last summer to start the design work while Bunkley started in late 2015 with some of the projects. Riggs, who has gray hair, said the work went relatively smoothly, although he joked that "My hair was dark before we started this project." The most difficult part of project, Riggs said, was handling the logistics between companies spread all over the world and dealing with the city staff, property owners and business owners. Lynn Barnett, executive director of the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council, said Bunkley Electric worked around the clock the past few days to finish the job. "If it weren't for these guys, it wouldn't have happened," Barnett said, adding that Riggs was "downplaying the logistics." The logistics went smoothly Tuesday night at the event, which featured eight food trucks with tables set up in the middle of North First, face painting and music, among other activities. The lights at Everman Park and in the trees lining Cypress Street were lit a little early, around 7:10 p.m., because of the looming storms. The sculptures of Dr. Seuss characters in Everman Park got a thumbs-up from 8-year-old Wesley Smith, of Clyde, who attended the event with his mom and his cousin Paisley Tucker, also 8. "I've been here before, during the day," Wesley said. "It's cooler at night." Bunkley said he was pleased with his company's work, particularly the lighting of the Horton statue (from "Horton Hears a Who") in Everman Park. And though he didn't rule out doing another project like this, he did indicate that he would not be taking on another one anytime soon. "Let us catch our breath first," he said. Also in attendance at the event was a PBS film crew, who filmed the event for an upcoming documentary. Archibald said the crew caught Abilene on one of its best nights. "This is everything that's great about Abilene," the mayor told the crowd. The festivities broke up quickly around 7:45, when thunder and light rain sent participants to their cars, giving way to Mother Nature's light show. Historians enjoy ranking the presidents, especially the great ones. And the not-so-great ones. Ranker.com, for example, lists George Washington first. He was the first president, so after 240 years, you might say he's holding his own. Ronald Reagan comes in No. 7. The great ones include Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. Not much surprise there; these four make the top 10 in most presidential polls. First ladies? Dolley Madison and long-serving Eleanor Roosevelt are beloved. We don't talk much about Abigail Adams but she gets a lot of votes from historians. Betty Ford probably had more impact than her husband. Jacqueline Kennedy set a new standard. And current presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is given her share of credit. Some might joke she considered herself the president when Bill was in office. And there's Nancy Reagan. The former first lady, who died at 94 on Sunday, is regarded fondly. And while her husband certainly was busy ending the Cold War, rebuilding the Republican party and getting the economy going again, the Reagans most often are remembered together. Ronnie and Nancy. Nancy and Ronnie. She had his back and was at his side, especially the 10 post-presidential years when he battled Alzheimer's. Still, she also was her own woman. She wore red before that became the signature color of state Rep. Susan King. You're noticed in red, so you'd better be up to the challenge. The Reagans' California style traveled well to the White House. Nancy's White House was elegant and sophisticated. And not inexpensive. She is remembered for her lead role in the 'Just Say No' campaign against drug abuse with the likes of Mr. T. He tweeted 'I gladly accepted with humility and honor.' The term has become a cliche and the program was regarded as a failure, but she was earnest in her intentions to solve a national problem. No one has come up with a better idea in the three decades since. On Sunday night, the Beach Boys paid tribute to Nancy Reagan during their Abilene show. The fellas sang the a cappella tribute they did at the centennial celebration of Ronald Reagan in 2011. The video screen behind them showed images of the First Couple. It was beautiful and heartfelt, and drew an ovation from a pro-Reagan crowd. Their goodbye was for all of us. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below This just in... A spokesman for the highly regarded Chinese financial and economic magazine Caixin on Wednesday declined to comment on the deletion of a recent article hitting out at government censorship from its website in recent days. "I won't say much more about this," Zhang Lihui, public relations executive at the offices of the Caixin website, told RFA on Wednesday. "Actually, we're not commenting on this matter at all." "If you want any further information, you can send me an e-mail," he said. The sudden reticence at the cutting-edge media organization comes a day after an article hitting out at censorship of calls for greater freedom of expression was deleted on Tuesday. The article, titled "Story About Adviser's Free Speech Comments Removed From Caixin Website," had recycled quotes from a March 3 interview with government economic adviser Jiang Hong that had also been deleted. "An article based on the interview was posted on the news website, but on March 5 it was deleted by the Cyberspace Administration of China, a government censorship organ, because it contained 'illegal content,'" said the March 8 Caixin article, which has now been replaced by a 404 error notice. It said Jiang had told Caixin that the ruling Communist Party has a tradition of "listening to different opinions" and that the right of people to speak freely was enshrined in the countrys constitution. The administration told Caixins editors that the [March 3] article "violated laws and regulations," the March 8 article said, quoting Jiang as saying that the removal of the March 3 article was "terrible and bewildering." The March 8 article quoted Politburo standing committee member Yu Zhengsheng as saying that delegates to the National People's Congress (NPC) parliamentary session in Beijing this week "should be supported in giving criticism and expressing opinions." Not happy with censorship There are further signs that not everyone in the Chinese political establishment is happy with the extent of government censorship, which has been ramped up to unprecedented levels under the administration of President Xi Jinping. On Sunday, the Global Times, a newspaper with close ties to the ruling Chinese Communist Party, ran an interview with Jiang, who said the deletion of news reports isn't an isolated phenomenon. "We see many cases of deleting posts and blocking websites on the Internet," the paper quoted him as saying. "That being the case, we need to think about whether decisions to block some content in the past were made on legal grounds or not," Jiang told the paper. Jiang, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee and a professor from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, has said he is thinking of tabling proposals at the NPC to ensure legal protection for the right to free expression. The Global Times also cited party-backed newspaper the China Discipline Inspection Daily as expressing protest at the level of censorship. "A thousand yes-men cannot compare with one person who criticizes frankly," it quoted the paper as saying. Online writer Ye Du cited the recent deletion of a social media account belonging to property tycoon and celebrity tweeter Ren Zhiqiang. "But online suppression didn't start with Ren Zhiqiang," Ye said. "It began about three years ago with the [Sept. 1, 2013] regulations banning online rumors." "This set the model for the whole system, and it's not going to change just because one or two people call for change." Reported by Wen Yuqing for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Kou Tianli for the Mandarin Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. Chinese authorities in the northern region of Inner Mongolia have detained more than 20 ethnic Mongolian herders following protests in recent weeks for giving interviews to foreign media organizations, a U.S.-based rights group said on Wednesday. Police in Inner Mongolia's Urad Middle Banner, a county-level administrative division, are still holding four people on suspicion of "giving interviews to foreign news media and assisting those who have ulterior motives to frame and denounce the socialist regime," rights activists said. "Most of the 20-some people they detained were released within 48 hours, but now there are four who are still in detention," local herder A Hong told RFA. "Tuyaa was detained [on Tuesday]. She has a kid of four or five years old, and she was released [after 24 hours]," she said. "We don't know what is happening and the police have confiscated their phones." "It's so hard. The stability maintenance is so strict here, and the police are putting huge pressure on the herding community." The herding communities were informed of the detentions via the smartphone app WeChat by Zou Xinchao, head of Urad Middle Banner state security police, the New York-based Southern Mongolia Human Rights and Information Center (SMHRIC) reported on its website. Among those detained were Saishingaa, 44, who like many ethnic Mongolians goes by a single name, who began a 15-day administrative sentence on March 4 for "resisting arrest and providing information to foreign news media and organizations," the group said. Lawsuits, appeals Saishingaa's detention came after he submitted a series of lawsuits and appeals in a bid to reverse the appropriation of 980 acres of his former grazing land, accusing local officials of forging a document to take over the land. He told the court in an appeal submission: "Local officials are blatantly violating laws and creating conflicts between the herders and the [ruling Chinese Communist] Party by intimidating and fooling the helpless herders." Three days later, fellow herders and protesters Munkh and Tuyaa were detained by police as they staged a protest outside the offices of the Urad Middle Banner government, according to local residents. Tuyaa was released after being held for 24 hours, but Munkh remains behind bars, where he is refusing food, herders said. "Munkh is still in detention," a local herder who declined to be named told RFA on Wednesday. "He has high blood pressure, heart diseases, as well as pain in his legs, so he walks with a limp." "His family are only allowed to take supplies to him; they're not allowed to visit him," the herder said. A second herder who asked to remain anonymous said Munkh, who is in his 60s, is currently on hunger strike. "People who went to the detention center said he is refusing food and water; he is just sitting there," the second herder said. Herders questioned Fellow protester Zayaa said the three herders are among more than 20 detained during the past two weeks in Urad Middle Banner. Some have been released, but an unknown number remain in police detention. "Herders have been questioned as to who wrote the long banners we used at the earlier demonstration and who organized these protests," Zayaa said. The detentions come after several weeks of protests by Urad Middle Banner herders, including sit-ins outside government buildings, over the loss of their traditional grazing lands to government officials or government-backed businesses. On March 7, the same day that Munkh and Tuyaa were detained, local herder Wu Yanfang was also detained by officials in the regional capital, Hohhot, after going there to lodge an official complaint. "I had just got on the long-distance bus, which was about to leave, and a couple of people from the Banner government got on, and said they would resolve my complaint for me," Wu said. "I am now in a guesthouse in Baotou city," she said. "I am waiting here to see if they sort out my issue, but if not, I will continue with my plan to complain." Vested interests Wu, who also suffers from heart disease, said the officials who escorted her off the bus also took away all the documents she had amassed as evidence of official wrongdoing. "They took away all my evidence," Wu said. "I still plan to complain to the central government [in Beijing] ... because the local government has either occupied or sold off our grazing lands, which belong to the ordinary people." Ethnic Mongolian human rights campaigner Xinna said the Urad Middle Banner herders had suffered more than many in the region at the hands of official land grabs. "They are only taking to the streets because they have no other option," Xinna said. "The authorities have banned them from grazing their livestock on the grasslands, so now they are dependent on subsidies to get by." She said the authorities are stepping up pressure on traditional herding communities because the area has rich mining resources. "The main vested interests gang up on the herders and take over their grasslands in a constant bid to make a profit," Xinna said. "The land changes hands and gets a new owner, who mines it and leaves, leaving the environment devastated." "All of the local leaders have shares in these enterprises." Reported by Wong Siu-san for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Qiao Long for the Mandarin Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. Thandar Khin (L) and Ne Win (R), parents of arrested Myanmar student leader Phyo Phyo Aung, show a photo of their daughter in their home in Yangon, Nov. 13, 2015. Twenty-six civil society groups in Myanmar demanded on Wednesday that authorities free detained student protesters, accusing the judicial system of unfairness after additional charges were leveled at the students who are in jail for participating in a protest against a controversial national education law. Some students have to go to courts for their trials five days a week, and it's like torture for them, said Theinni Oo, organizer of the civil society organizations (CSOs), during a press conference at the Myanmar Journalist Network in the commercial capital Yangon. We urge authorities not to keep putting them through this and give them justice. We would like to ask them to release the students. Roughly 60 students and their supporters remain behind bars in Tharrawaddy prison, Bago region, charged with various offenses for taking part in the protest last March in the central Myanmar town of Letpadan. The demonstration had turned violent with beatings by police and resulted in the arrests of nearly 130 students and their supporters. About 30 others are currently standing trial and face sentences of up to nine and a half years on various charges under Article 18 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law. The charges include participating in an unlawful assembly, rioting, causing harm to a public servant and inciting the public to commit offenses against the state. They also face charges under Section 505(b) of the penal code for making, publishing or circulating information that may cause public fear or alarm and incite people to commit offenses against the state or disrupt public tranquility. The treatment of the detainees has drawn sharp criticism from CSOs and the human rights community as a cloud over the countrys democratization process. Refusing to cooperate Student leaders Min Thway Thit, Phyo Phyo Aung, Nanda Sit Aung and Kyaw Ko Ko are standing trial on charges under Article 18 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law at courts in Yangon. Those detained have decided not to cooperate with court authorities during their trials because of what they perceive to be an unfair judicial system, Theinni Oo said. Tun Oo, father of one of the detained students, is holding out hope that justice for the students will come once power is transferred from the current government under the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) to the new administration under the pro-democracy National League for Democracy (NLD) at the end of the month. The previous and current governments are military ones, he said, referring to military junta that ruled the country for a half-century before the USDP came to power in 2011. The current government has to transfer the nations power soon. We want the current government to do something good before it is gone, but it hasnt done anything good for the students yet. Thats why the students dont trust the judicial system. During the Letpadan protest, which was part of a longer march across the country, students had demanded a more democratic" education law that included a decentralized education system, changes to university entrance exam requirements, modernization of the national education curriculum, the right to form student unions, and instruction for ethnic minority groups in their own languages. Mee Mee sent to Insein In a related development, Mee Mee, one of the leaders of the 88 Generation Students group who is currently in jail for helping the student protesters, was transferred on Wednesday to Insein prison near Yangon because she refused to post bail on charges against her under Article 18 of the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law, she told RFA. Human rights groups have noted that the detention facility is notorious for its inhumane and filthy conditions, abuse of prisoners and use of torture. The punishment under Article 18 harms the dignity of a democratic country and also goes against the desire of the people, Mee Mee said. I will not collaborate with this court order because Article 18 suppresses the people. Her husband Hla Moe said he did not know why authorities in the outgoing government decided to transfer his wife to Insein prison, even though they will be in power for only a few more weeks. The current government is doing such a thing even though it will be gone in a matter of days, he said. We dont know what new government and the current government have made agreements about. We have to wait and see. But those of us who are working for a better political situation will not let them arrest us on unfair charges, he said. We dont expect [the authorities] to free us because we are going to have a new government, but it would be good if the new government did this. Education reform In the meantime, representatives from the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), a coalition of ethnic political parties which has more than 80 deputies in the NLD-dominated parliament, and the National Network for Education Reform (NNER) met on Wednesday to discuss educational reform policy. Eleven members from both organizations led by the UNAs Sai Nyunt Lwin, who is general secretary of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), and NNER chairman Thein Lwin talked about implementing an education system that would fit into the federal system that Myanmars ethnic groups are calling for. UNA members explained what they have prepared for the federal education system, and NNER members explained about the policy on teaching ethnic languages that we developed based on research from around the country, said NNER member Soe Tun. Reported by Kyaw Lwin Oo, Khin Khin Ei, Aung Theinkha, Khet Mar and Waiyan Moe Myint for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Womens organizations in Myanmar celebrated International Womens Day on Tuesday with festivities in the commercial capital Yangon and major towns in war-ravaged states, as the countrys most prominent female politician Aung San Suu Kyi and her party prepared to submit nominations for the nations top office. The Womens Organization Network (WON), a collection of 30 organizations that support womens groups across the country, held a fair in a public square in Yangon to draw attention to gender equality and women's rights issues. The Rakhine Womens Association held a ceremony making international Womens Day in Sittwe, capital of western Myanmars Rakhine state, while the Shan (North) Womens Network hosted a ceremony and discussion on womens issues in Lashio, the largest town in northern Myanmars Shan state. We, women from northern Shan State, have discussed how we can collaborate in the peace-making process, said Ae May, organizer of the celebration in Lashio, where frequent clashes between Myanmars military and the ethnic Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) late last year included the abductions of villagers and air raids and ground attacks that forced them to flee their homes. The International Womens Day celebrations come as Myanmars most prominent womanAung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy (NLD) party won last Novembers elections by a landslideis about to nominate along with her party candidates for vice president and president on Thursday. Myanmars parliament will vote on the nominees, and the winner will become president, while the two runners-up will become vice presidents. Although Aung San Suu Kyi is the NLDs chairwoman, she cannot become president because the constitution drafted by the military in 2008 bans anyone with close foreign relatives from attaining the nations highest office. Aung San Suu Kyis two sons are British nationals, as was her late husband. More women than men Even though Myanmar has made significant strides in its progress towards democracy, which many believe will pick up under the pro-democracy NLD government, a profound gender gap still exists in the socially conservative, male-dominated country where women account for 51.8 percent of Myanmars population of 51.5 million, according to the United Nations Population Fund. We have more women than men in our country, Khin Lay, director of Triangle Womens Support Group, told RFAs Myanmar Service on Tuesday. To represent womens voices, women who are facing difficulties must participate in discussions about their experiences. If they do, there will be smoother situation for building new country and we will get good standard of reforms during the [political] transition period. The New York-based Global Justice Center, a nongovernmental organization devoted to protecting human rights and gender equity, points out that true political participation requires a significant number of women in all areas of governance in Myanmar, including cease-fire and peace treaty negotiations, constitution drafting committees, political parties, executive branch appointments and elected positions. At present, there are only 64 female deputies in the National Assembly, representing 9.7 percent of a total of 657 seats in both houses, including the 25 percent that automatically goes to military officers, according to the Myanmar Times. Yet, women are excluded from many top political offices and not admitted into active military service. We still have boundaries in culture and tradition for women, Lei Lei Win Mar, a Yangon resident told RFA. People still think the way that woman must not lead, but follow. Little has changed Myanmar signed the U.N.s Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1997, but little has changed in this area, said Khin Ohmar, coordinator of Burma Partnership, a coalition advocating democracy in Myanmar. We havent seen anything that the government has done to protect women rights since 1997, she said. If the NLD government could implement the protection women rights as a member of the CEDAW, womens lives in Myanmar would get better. Just before International Womens Day, CEDAW issued a statement on March 4, calling attention to the need to protect and promote the rights of rural women, who account for a quarter of the worlds population. About 70 percent of Myanmars population resides rural areas, according to the United Nations Population Fund. In many countries, [rural womens and girls] specific needs are not adequately addressed in laws, national and local policies and budgets, the statement said. They remain excluded from leadership and decision-making positions at all levels, are disproportionally affected by negative stereotypes, gender-based violence and insufficient access to basic social services and resources. Women from ethnic minority groups such as those in Rakhine and Shan states where hostilities have ensued between the government army and ethnic militias, or between various armed ethnic groups themselves, are particularly at risk for rape and sexual violence, womens groups say. Although the military ruled Myanmar for nearly 50 years until 2011, it has continued to occupy a powerful position in government and society under the quasi-military administration of Thein Sein and his Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). Not only according to law, but also because of the situation in communities, we are still far away from secure and safe lives, Tin Tin Thwe, an ethnic Rakhine woman, told RFA. We still have domestic violence and rape cases around the country. Reported by Zarni Htun, Waiyan Moe Myint, Khet Mar and Khin Khin Ei for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Taliban fighters have attacked government offices in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand, where the militants have been gaining territory in battles against government forces in recent months. A spokesman for Helmand's governor said gunmen attacked the police headquarters and intelligence agency offices early on March 9 in Gereshk, about 20 kilometers north of the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah. The spokesman said security forces repelled the attack on the intelligence facility. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, in which suicide bombers struck inside the police compound. Jabbar Karaman, a lawmaker appointed by President Ashraf Ghani to investigate the situation in Helmand, said at least seven attackers were killed in the battle with police. He said three police officers were also killed and an unconfirmed number of civilians were caught in the crossfire. Fighting has raged across Helmand, a major poppy-growing region, for the past three months, with Taliban forcing government troops to withdraw in late February from the districts of Nawzad and Musa Qala to the north of Gereshk and Lashkar Gah. There also has been fighting among militnat factions for control of smuggling routes. U.S. and British forces saw heavy fighting in Helmand at the height of the 15-year war. Based on reporting by AP Australia hopes to send nearly 9,000 Iranian migrants back to their homeland under a new deal with Tehran, Australian media reported on March 9. Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was reported to be negotiating an agreement with her counterpart, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, to end Tehran's longstanding refusal to accept the return of Iranian asylum seekers. Under the repatriation agreement expected to be signed by Zarif when he visits the Australian capital, Canberra, on March 15, Australia would secure guarantees from Iran that Iranians who returned home would not be persecuted or punished. The deal was reported to cover almost 9,000 Iranian asylum seekers, including about 400 in Australian-funded immigration centers on Pacific islands. Most live in Australia. It is not clear how many of them are genuine refugees who could not be sent back to Iran, but Australia regards the majority to be economic migrants seeking better jobs, rather than refugees. Australia has refused to resettle them while Iran refuses to take them back. The new agreement would reflect Tehran's determination to improve relations with the West in the wake of last year's landmark nuclear accord. Based on reporting by AP, The West Australian, and Sky News GHMC commissioner said the new road would bypass the AOC Swimming Pool. Hyderabad: GHMC officials conducted a joint inspection along with local military authorities on the alignment of an alternative road from Safilguda Railway Gate to Allahabad Gate, East Marredpally. The Army has set May 31 as the deadline to close the Gough Road. Alternative road from Safilguda Railway Gate to Allahabad Gate, East Marredpally will be 50 foot wide Elsewhere, the South Central Railway has decided to close the Safilguda Railway Gate upon completion of work at the Uttamnagar Colony road underbridge. The officials surveyed the 2.86-km alternative road on the land belonging to defence. GHMC commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy said the new road would bypass the AOC Swimming Pool.The LMA have insisted that the alternative road travel along the periphery of the AOC, with minimal utilisation of defence land. The alignment will take the road through the hillocks adjacent to Mahendra Hills. The LMA also wanted a road under bridge to be built at the railway gate at the AOC. Another road is being planned that would carry traffic from the Rama-krishnapuram flyover to Safilguda which will help ease pressure on Gough Road. The local military authorities have allowed the survey of one road but did not permit GHMC officials to survey it. The GHMC intends to develop the 1.7-km alternative road for residents of areas between Ramakrishnapuram and Yapral. So, what do you do if you're a Ukrainian citizen kidnapped on Ukrainian soil and forced to endure a ridiculous show trial in Russia? Well, if you're a tough-as-nails military pilot like Nadia Savchenko, you stand up and you flip the bird at the court. You turn your show trial into your show with an obscene gesture seen round the world. In fact, it's hard to imagine a more appropriate reaction. Because even by Russia's bizarre, arbitrary, and Kafkaesque standards of justice, the Savchenko case stands out as particularly outrageous. Savchenko is essentially a foreign hostage being held by a criminal regime. She's a prisoner of war being prosecuted as a common criminal on absurdly trumped-up charges by a country that claims it isn't even involved in the war in which she was abducted. She faces 23 years in a Russian prison for doing her job as a Ukrainian soldier -- defending her country against an illegal Russian invasion. How can you respond to that -- except to flip the bird Because everything about her case has been a lie. But it's a lie that will come back to haunt the Kremlin. Savchenko is on a dry hunger strike, and if she dies in prison, she'll become yet another potent symbol of the senseless cruelty of the Putin regime. And if she is freed, then she'll return triumphantly to Ukraine as a hero -- as the strong and defiant woman who flipped the bird at a brutal bully and walked away unscathed. Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page. A Finnish prosecutor said he has brought charges against two Iraqis suspected of war crimes in their home country in 2014 and 2015. Helsinki District Court Prosecutor Juha-Mikko Hamalainen said on March 8 that the cases, which are not connected, involve two men under the age of 30 who arrived in Finland last fall as part of a migrant influx from war-torn Middle Eastern countries. In both cases, the men are suspected of defiling the bodies of dead enemy soldiers, he said, declining to give further details. The court cases are expected to begin later this month. Both men have denied the charges and claimed they fought against the Islamic State extremist group. If found guilty, they face a maximum sentence of life in prison, but Hamalainen said any punishment likely would be light, resulting in a few years of jail. Finland, a country of 5.4 million people, received some 32,000 asylum seekers last year, mostly Iraqis. Based on reporting by AP and AFP Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has tested ballistic missiles for the second straight day in an attempt to show strength and in defiance of U.S. warnings. The IRGC fired two missiles, Qadr-H and Qadr-F, from the heights of the Alborz Mountains in northern Iran, the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported. The missiles traveled 1,400 kilometers before hitting their targets on the country's southeastern coast, Tasnim added. The March 9 tests came a day after the IRGC said it tested ballistic missiles from several silos in different parts of the country. They followed the January implementation of a nuclear accord requiring Tehran to significantly restrict its sensitive nuclear work in exchange for sanctions relief. Analysts believe the Islamic republic is demonstrating that it will not be held back in its missile-development program. Mark Fitzpatrick, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told RFE/RL that the tests were aimed at "reassuringthe hard-liners that despite accepting some limits [on the nuclear program], limits were not accepted on the missile program, and it's going full guns." He also said that the new tests did not appear to violate a United Nations Security Council resolution that barred Iran from developing missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads. "Iran would be able to say that these missiles that it is testing were not so designed. Others might question that. But I think as a legal matter, Iran would not be found to be in violation," Fitzpatrick said. Planning For 'Real War' The fresh missile tests follow February 26 elections in which hard-liners were dealt an embarrassing blow by moderates, who made gains in the parliament and the Assembly of Experts that could choose Iran's next supreme leader. Ali Vaez, a senior Iran analyst with the International Crisis Group, said the IRGC was making it clear that Iran's strategic goals remain unchanged. "What the IRGC is trying to do is to signal after each moderate victory -- be it the foreign-policy win achieved with the nuclear deal or the domestic boost after recent elections -- that Iran's strategic priorities have not and will not change," Vaez said. "It is unrealistic to expect Iran to give up on its missile capability -- considered the country's sole meaningful deterrence -- when the U.S. continues arming Iran's neighbors to the teeth," Vaez added. Hard-line news agencies Fars and Tasnim, both with ties to the IRGC, claimed that the missiles were inscribed with the phrase, in Hebrew: "Israel must be wiped off the face of the earth." The head of the IRGC's aerospace program, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, suggested that the tests sent a message to Israel. "The reason we have designed missiles with a range of 2,000 kilometers, is to be able to hit our remote enemies, the Zionist regime," Hajizadeh was quoted by Tasnim as saying. "There is no need to fire missiles to destroy the Zionist regime [as] it will gradually collapse. Our main enemy is America," he added. Hajizadeh stressed that Iran was not willing to start a war. "We will not be the ones who start a war, but we will not be caught by surprise, and we've planned everything for a real war," he said. Alex Vatanka, a senior Iran analyst at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, said the provocative Iranian move appeared to be aimed at impressing an Arab audience, particularly given Tehran's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Numerous Arab states have sided with Washington and Turkey in pushing for Assad's exit from power in the war-torn country. "It is a desperate attempt by the Iranian regime to keep itself relevant in the Arab streets, he said. "After what the Iranians have done in Syria, which made their popularity nose-dive across the Arab world, they're desperate to see what else they can do in terms of renewing efforts against Israel to make themselves, if not popular, do some damage control." 'Unacceptable Threat To Israel' Iran conducted the tests as U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Jerusalem for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a fiery critic of the nuclear deal between Tehran and major world powers. Biden did not directly react to the missile tests. But he renewed Washington's warning that Tehran will not be allowed to access nuclear weapons. "A nuclear-armed Iran is an absolutely unacceptable threat to Israel, to the region, and the United States. And I want to reiterate -- which I know people still doubt here -- if in fact they break the deal, we will act," he said. White House spokesman Josh Earnest, meanwhile, said that Washington was reviewing reports of Iran's additional ballistic-missile tests. "We will continue to redouble our efforts with our allies and partners in the region to try to limit Iran's ability to continue to develop their missile program," Earnest told reporters on March 9. U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said Secretary of State John Kerry had expressed "his concerns" over the reports of the missile tests in a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on March 9. Kirby said a day earlier that Washington could take unilateral action "to counter threats from Iran's missile program." House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, a Republican, condemned Iran's missile tests but also criticized the Obama administration's response. "Instead of forcefully condemning Iran's dangerous missile tests, the White House is twisting itself into pretzels to explain how they don't violate the president's deeply flawed nuclear deal," Royce said in a statement. "If Iran sees it can violate UN missile sanctions with no consequence, it will violate this nuclear deal, too," Royce said. "President Obama must lead and aggressively enforce all sanctions against Iran's missile programs, support for terrorism, and human rights abuses. No more looking the other way," the statement added. U.S. Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton said she was deeply concerned about the reports of Iran's firing of multiple missiles. In a statement, Clinton said: "Iran should face sanctions for these activities and the international community must demonstrate that Iran's threats toward Israel will not be tolerated." In January, the United States announced new measures against individuals and entities involved in Iran's ballistic-missile program. Tehran says its missile program is for defensive purposes. Iran has test-fired two more medium-range ballistic missiles, defying U.S. criticism of similar tests a day earlier. Iranian media said on March 9 the Qadr-H missiles were fired from northern Iran and hit targets in the southeast of the country, about 1,400 kilometers away. The Fars news agency said the missiles had the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written on them. Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh told the ISNA agency the missiles were designed with a range of 2,000 kilometers to attack Israel from a safe distance. U.S. officials said they were aware of the additional missile tests and will consider an appropriate response, both at the United Nations and unilaterally. Washington says such tests may violate a UN Security Council resolution. In January, Washington imposed sanctions against businesses and individuals linked to Iran's missile program over a medium-range missile test carried out in October 2015. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and ISNA Iraqi Kurdish officials have accused Islamic State (IS) militants of using "poisonous substances" in the shelling of a village in northern Iraq. The officials said the attack with mortar shells and Katyusha rockets filled with a chemical agent took place on March 8 in Taza, a mainly Shi'ite Turkoman village about 20 kilometers south of Kirkuk, a region under Kurdish control. Kirkuk Province Governor Najmuddin Kareem said more than 40 people were hospitalized with respiratory problems and skin irritation. None of the victims died, although five remained hospitalized late on March 9. Wasta Rasul, a commander of Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the region, said a total of 24 shells and rockets were fired into Taza from the nearby Bashir area, which is under the control of Islamic State militants. The allegations came a day after Syrian Kurdish militia accused Islamic militants and other groups fighting President Bashar al-Assads forces of shelling a mainly Kurdish residential neighborhood in the northern city of Aleppo with chemical agents. Based on reports by Reuters, AP, and AFP MOSCOW -- A group of Kyrgyz nationals has been detained in Moscow for allegedly forging documents. The spokeswoman for the Kyrgyz Embassy in Moscow, Aidana Makilova, said on March 9 that the detained individuals had been charged with issuing forged identification documents to Kyrgyz migrant workers. She did not disclose how many Kyrgyz nationals had been taken in by Russian authorities. Makilova's statement comes the same day that Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security announced it had detained a police officer in a suburb of the capital, Bishkek, on suspicion of illegally providing foreigners with Kyrgyz national passports. The unidentified officer was detained while allegedly taking a bribe from a potential client. With reporting by 24.kg A Russian rights group says two Western journalists and two rights activists were hospitalized after masked men with knives and clubs attacked them as the group tried to enter Russia's Chechnya region from neighboring Ingushetia. The Committee to Prevent Torture said its workers and the journalists were still within Ingushetia on March 9 when they were attacked by about 20 men -- thought to have come from Chechnya -- who burned their minibus. Maria Persson Lofgren, a Moscow-based correspondent for Swedish Radio, and Norwegian reporter Oystein Windstad of the Oslo daily Ny Tid were hospitalized with injuries from the attack. Another reporter with the group, Aleksandrina Yelagina of the Russian magazine The New Times, said the attackers called them "terrorists" and said they had "no business on our territory." Swedish Radio gave a similar account. "They shouted that we were terrorists, not journalists," Ginna Lindberg, head of the broadcaster's foreign news division, quoted Persson Lofgren as saying. The Swedish broadcaster added that the attackers, described as a large group of young men armed with knives and clubs, had robbed the group before setting their vehicle ablaze. Ny Tid, the Norwegian daily, said Windstad was also hospitalized along with rights activist Yekaterina Vanslova and the group's driver. Pavel Chikov, a prominent Russian lawyer and rights advocate, wrote on Twitter that Windstad had teeth knocked out and suffered lacerations on his face and legs in the attack. Dunja Mijatovic, the media-freedoms representative for the Organization for Security and Cooperation In Europe (OSCE), said on Twitter that reports of the attack were "troubling news." The Russian news site Mediazona, whose reporter Yegor Skovoroda was with the group, said that prior to the attack their minibus was being followed by cars with license plates indicating the vehicles were from Chechnya. Russia's Kommersant newspaper quoted Skovoroda as saying that the group was attacked near the settlement of Ordzhonikidzevskaya in Ingushetia, just west of the border with Chechnya. Skovoroda posted a photograph of the groups burning minibus on his Twitter account. Chechnya's Kremlin-backed leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, and his supporters have publicly vilified the Committee to Prevent Torture's activists. The organization was previously known as the Committee Against Torture, which was branded a "foreign agent" by the Russian government in 2015 because it received foreign funding for activities that authorities deemed "political" in nature. It oversees a group of rights activists operating in Chechnya called the Joint Mobile Group. After the attack, a lawyer for the Committee to Prevent Torture, Dmitry Utukin, posted surveillance video showing masked men bearing assault weapons that he said were trying to break into the Joint Mobile Group's headquarters in the town of Karabulak in Ingushetia. Masked men last year destroyed the Joint Mobile Group's office in Chechnya's capital, Grozny, after it criticized Kadyrov's policy of burning down houses belonging to relatives of suspected Islamic militants. Kadyrov has been accused of running Chechnya as if it were his own fiefdom, often disregarding Russian law in his pursuit to keep order in the restive North Caucasus republic. The Kremlin has tolerated Kadyrov's alleged excesses because it relies on him to maintain order and suppress separatism in Chechnya, where Russia has fought two wars against rebels since 1994. Russia's state-run TASS news agency quoted an unidentified law enforcement source in Ingushetia as saying that the rights activists and journalists were targeted by "about 20 attackers." "They took away the mobile phones from [the journalists and human rights activists], set their Ford vehicle on fire, and drove away," TASS quoted the source as saying. The Interfax news agency quoted an unidentified law enforcement official as saying that a probe had been launched into the attack and that authorities were attempting to apprehend the assailants. With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, AFP, dpa, Dozhd TV, TASS, and Interfax ST. PETERSBURG -- Russian activists in the city of St. Petersburg have staged an protest calling for the release of jailed Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko. About 10 activists on March 9 raised large letters fixed to wooden planks, to spell out "Save Nadezhda!" on the Neva River embankment in the city center. Nadezhda is the Russian variant of Savchenko's first name, which means "hope." The activists told RFE/RL that the sentence had two meanings -- a call for the release of Savchenko and to preserve hope in Russia about the future. After 30 minutes, police arrived at the scene and made the activists remove the letters. There were no arrests. In Moscow, two Russian protesters were detained on March 9 after displaying signs in support in Savchenko. The protests came a day after police in Moscow detained 35 demonstrators, mainly women, for expressing support to Savchenko in the center of the Russian capital. The majority of those demonstrators were released later on March 8. Savchenko is awaiting the reading of a verdict on March 21 in a Russian court where she has been put on trial in connection with the deaths in 2014 of two Russian journalists in eastern Ukraine. Kyiv and Western governments say she was kidnapped and illegally transported into Russia where she is facing a political show trial. Ukrainian pilot and parliament deputy Nadia Savchenko has told a Russian court she will continue her dry hunger strike after a tense hearing in which the judge postponed the verdict in her closely watched case until March 21. A defiant Savchenko declared that she would recognize neither the court nor its verdict, before she stood on a bench inside the cage for defendants and raised her middle finger in the direction of the judge. Savchenko emphasized that she is willing to continue the no-food, no-water hunger strike no matter what happens, saying, "You must understand that we are playing with my life; the stakes are high and I have nothing to lose." She also said a popular uprising similar to Ukraine's Euromaidan movement is inevitable in Russia, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin "cannot hold on to power by means of people's blood." Savchenko, 34, wore her trademark T-shirt with the Ukrainian trident symbol at the March 9 hearing in the court in the southern Russian city of Donetsk, near the border with the home country she has vowed to return to "dead or alive." She is accused of acting as a spotter who called in coordinates for a mortar attack in eastern Ukraine in July 2014 that caused the deaths of two Russian journalists covering the conflict between Kyivs forces and Russia-backed separatists. Savchenko says she was captured by separatists in Ukraine and taken to Russia illegally by force. Prosecutors have asked the court to sentence her to 23 years in prison and impose a fine of 100,000 rubles ($1,400). She is formally charged with murder, attempted murder, and illegally crossing Russia's border. In the brief hearing on March 9, Savchenko's lawyer read out her closing statement, which she had been prevented from reading at a hearing on March 3. He then asked the court to deliver its verdict immediately. The judge responded by saying the verdict would come only on March 21 and 22. At trials in Russia, it sometimes takes the judge more than a day to read out the lengthy verdict in the courtroom. Savchenko, who appeared to be in good health at the hearing, has been on a dry hunger strike -- refusing all food and water -- since March 4. After the hearing, Savchenko lawyer Nikolai Polozov said on Twitter that the court had denied permission for Savchenko's family and Ukrainian doctors or Ukrainian consular officials to visit her before the sentencing hearing. Polozov told Reuters that Savchenko's "life is in danger" and added, "As lawyers, our main task now is to enable Ukrainian doctors to get to her." In her handwritten final statement, which was posted on Facebook after the previous hearing, Savchenko expressed hope for an agreement that would return her to Ukraine after the verdict but warned she would continue her hunger strike and vowed to return "dead or alive." Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told journalists in Moscow on March 8 that there had been no negotiations with Kyiv regarding a possible prisoner swap involving Savchenko. "This cannot happen -- either in theory or in practice -- until the court's decision," Zakharova said. Savchenko has been held in custody in Russia since July 2014. Her trial began on September 22, 2015. The charges against Savchenko stem from an incident on July 17, 2014, at a separatist checkpoint in the Luhansk region. Savchenko was a volunteer with the Aidar Battalion and is accused of serving as a spotter for a mortar attack against the crowded checkpoint. Russian state television journalists Igor Kornelyuk and Anton Voloshin were killed in the incident. Savchenko denies involvement, and her lawyers say she was captured by separatists before the mortar attack took place. They also say it is illegal and outrageous for her to be tried in Russia. 'Free Nadia!' Protesters in Ukraine, Russia, and around the world have stepped up calls in recent days for Russia to release Savchenko, as have Western governments. Ukraine on March 9 repeated its call for Savchenko's immediate release. In the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, about 200 protesters threw eggs, stones, and small bottles of iodine at the Russian Consulate -- leaving brown stains on the building. A Ukrainian parliament deputy, Volodymyr Parasyuk, removed the Russian flag from a pole in front of the consulate and tried to raise the Ukrainian national flag instead. Police did not let him. Protests calling for Savchenko's release were also held in Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Cherkasy, and other Ukrainian cities and towns. In the Russian cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg, a total of about a dozen protesters rallied for Savchenko's release. In St. Petersburg, activists raised large letters affixed to wooden planks to spell out "Save Nadezhda!" on the Neva River embankment in the city center. Nadezhda is the Russian version of Savchenko's first name, which means "hope." Activists told RFE/RL that the exhortation had two meanings -- a call for Savchenkos release and for the preservation of hope for the future in Russia, which Putins critics say has been badly clouded by his actions over 16 years in power as president or prime minister. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said on March 9 that five European Union countries had submitted an initiative calling for sanctions against targeted Russian officials in connection with the case. The foreign ministers of Britain, Poland, Romania, and Sweden joined Linkevicius in signing the appeal addressed to EU foreign-policy chief Frederica Mogherini calling for sanctions in response to "this fabricated case." Mogherini did not immediately respond to the sanctions appeal, but on March 9 she called on Russia to "immediately and unconditionally" release Savchenko "on humanitarian grounds" because of her deteriorating health. More than 50 members of the European Parliament on March 8 signed a letter calling for sanctions against Putin and 28 other individuals in connection with Savchenko's "illegal" detention. Konstantin Kosachyov, head of the International Affairs Committee in Russias upper parliament house, said on March 9 that the letter amounts to illegal pressure on a Russian court. "This is a sheer political act by hard-core Russian detractors taken on the eve of a pending decision," Kosachyov said, according to Interfax. In a statement on March 8, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden called Savchenko "a symbol of Ukrainian national pride and strength." Biden said Savchenko has been "unjustly imprisoned" and that the United States is calling on Russia "to make the right choice -- to drop all charges and release her at once." More than 50 members of the European Parliament on March 8 signed a letter calling for sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and 28 other individuals in connection with Savchenko's "illegal" detention. Konstantin Kosachyov, head of the International Relations Committee in Russias upper house of parliament, said on March 9 that the letter amounted to "illegal" pressure on a Russian court. "This is a sheer political act by hard-core Russian detractors taken on the eve of a pending decision," Kosachyov said, according to Interfax. More than 9,100 civilians and combatants have been killed since April 2014 in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has diminished under a fragile cease-fire but the Russia-backed separatists continue to hold parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, including their capitals. The war followed Russias seizure of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine after that countrys president, Viktor Yanukovych, was pushed from power by protests over his decision to scrap plans for a landmark deal with the European Union and draw closer to Russia instead. With reporting by Interfax, AP, TASS, and Novaya Gazeta Jailed Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny says he has been officially informed by investigators that a new probe has been launched against him. Navalny tweeted on October 20 that the probe was launched on charges of propagating terrorism, public calls for extremist activities, the financing of an extremist organization, and the rehabilitation of Nazism. "[My] lawyers calculated that I may stay for up to 30 more years here [if convicted]," Navalny's tweet said, adding that the charges stemmed from the activities of his self-exiled associates' Popular Politics YouTube channel, which has criticized the Kremlin over Russia's ongoing unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Navalny has denounced the invasion, and earlier this month his organization said it would reopen its offices to fight against the Kremlin's mobilization. "I am a genius of the underworld. Professor Moriarty is no match for me," he said sarcastically in a series of posts on Twitter, comparing himself to the nemesis of Sherlock Holmes. "You all thought I had been isolated in prison for two years, but it turns out I was actively committing crimes," said Navalny, 46, who is able to post on Twitter through his lawyers and allies. Navalny spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said Popular Politics was launched by Navalny's allies after he had already been in prison for a year. "Well, what can I say to you now? Subscribe to Popular Politics," said the last in the series of tweets. There was no immediate official confirmation of the new case from the Investigative Committee. The new charges against Navalny came on the same day that a court in Moscow ordered TV journalist Marina Ovsyannikova detained for just under two months, Russian state-run media reported. Ovsyannikova's lawyer said she and her daughter recently fled the country, so the court said the detention would begin upon her return. It wasn't clear if she had any plans to return to Russia. Her lawyer, Dmitry Zakhvatov, said on October 17 that his client "had to leave Russia and is under the protection of a European state at the moment." Ovsyannikova gained international recognition on March 14 when she burst onto the set of Channel One's Vremya news program holding a poster reading: "Stop the war. Don't believe propaganda. They are lying to you" in Russian. She also shouted: "Stop the war. No to war." Ukraine-born Ovsyannikova was a producer with Channel One at the time of her protest. She was later detained and fined 30,000 rubles ($490) by a court for calling for illegal protests. Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) and other groups associated with the outspoken Kremlin critic, as well as his political movement, were declared "extremist organizations" by Russian authorities in June 2021 and disbanded. Several of Navalny's associates have already been charged with the same offense. Navalny was arrested in January last year upon his arrival to Moscow from Germany, where he was treated for a poison attack with what European labs defined as a Soviet-style nerve agent. He was then handed a 2 1/2-year prison sentence for violating the terms of an earlier parole because of his convalescence abroad. The original conviction is widely regarded as a trumped-up, politically motivated case. In March he was handed a nine-year prison term on charges of contempt and embezzlement through fraud that he and his supporters have repeatedly rejected as politically motivated. With reporting by Reuters and AP The amendments are likely to be moved by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and its senior member Ashwani Kumar. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Seeking to embarrass the government in Rajya Sabha by moving amendments to the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, Congress on Tuesday night issued a whip asking all members in the Upper House to be present during Prime Minister's reply on the motion. According to sources, the Congress' three-line whip comes in the wake of its attempt to embarrass the government by moving amendments to the motion of thanks to the President's address. "A whip has been issued by the party asking all its members to be present in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow during the Prime Minister's reply to the motion of thanks to President's address," a senior Congress member said. Sources said the amendments are likely to be moved by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and its senior member Ashwani Kumar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reply to the debate on motion of thanks in the Upper House at 2 pm. DUSHANBE -- The parliament in Tajikistan has approved a bill criminalizing "illegal" hard currency exchanges. According to the bill approved by Tajik lawmakers on March 9, "illegal hard currency exchange operations" will be punished by up to nine years in prison. The bill, which still must be signed by President Emomali Rahmon to become law, deems as illegal any hard-currency exchange operations outside of banks and official financial institutions. Tajik authorities said in January that the bill's aim was to "curb" illegal speculation with hard currency that led to the abrupt devaluation of the Tajik currency, the somoni. In December, Tajik authorities shut down all independent currency exchange booths operating across the country, citing the somoni's dropping value. Tajik citizens have complained that Tajik banks have set the value of the somoni artificially high, prompting many to turn to the black market. Protesters across Ukraine have continued to demand the release of Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko from Russian custody. Police in the Black Sea port city of Odesa used tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators on March 9 after they pelted the Russian Consulate with eggs and painted the building's door red. Protesters in Odesa also burned an effigy of Russian President Vladimir Putin in front of the consulate. In the western city of Lviv, about 200 protesters threw eggs, stones, and small bottles of iodine at the Russian Consulate -- leaving difficult-to-remove brown stains on the building. Demonstrators also threw paper planes with the inscription "Free Savchenko." A smoke bomb was also thrown onto the Russian Consulate grounds in Lviv. Protests calling for Savchenko's release were also held in Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Cherkasy, and other Ukrainian cities. Savchenko is awaiting the reading of a verdict on March 21 in a Russian court where she has been put on trial in connection with the deaths in 2014 of two Russian journalists in eastern Ukraine. Savchenko insists she was kidnapped and illegally transported into Russia where she is facing what Ukrainian, U.S., and European Union officials have described as a political show trial. Pentagon officials said U.S. air strikes last week likely killed a top Islamic State (IS) commander known as Umar al-Shishani, along with 12 other IS fighters. The officials told news media on March 8 that the attacks were carried out on March 4 by multiple waves of planes and drone aircraft. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said the attacks occurred near Al-Shaddadeh in Syria, a former IS stronghold that was captured in February by the U.S.-backed, predominantly Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces. He said the IS leader, whose real name is Tarkhan Batirashvili, held numerous senior military positions within the group, including "minister of war," and was based in Raqqa, Syria. Cook said that at the time of the strikes Shishani was in Al-Shaddadeh to bolster IS fighters who had suffered a series of defeats at the hands of local forces supported by the United States. Cook said the Pentagon is still officially assessing the results of the strikes. Shishani is one of hundreds of Chechens who have been among the toughest fighters in Syria. He is an ethnic Chechen from the Caucasus nation of Georgia, specifically from the Pankisi Valley, a center of Georgia's Chechen community and once a stronghold for militants. Cook described him as a "battle-tested leader," one of IS's most capable, with experience in numerous clashes in Iraq and Syria. He said that his loss to IS would hurt the group's ability to recruit foreign fighters, especially those from Chechnya and the Caucasus region. The U.S. State Department had put a $5 million reward on his head. A senior defense official who provided details about the March 4 air strike said the Chechen had joined the Georgian military in 2006 and fought against Russian troops in 2008 in the Georgia's breakway region of South Ossetia as part of an elite military unit. Shishani was discharged from the Georgian Army in 2010 for medical reasons, the defense official said, and in 2012 left Georgia for Istanbul. From there, he went to Syria and commanded rebel forces against Syrian government forces. He joined IS in 2013, the official said, and at one point oversaw an IS prison in Al-Tabqa near Raqqa where the group may have held foreign hostages. In May 2013, he was appointed northern commander for IS with authority over the group's military operations and forces in northern Syria. With reporting by AP, AFP, and CNN The United States has raised concerns with Saudi Arabia about the kingdom cutting off aid to the Lebanese Army. Saudi Arabia said last month it had suspended a $3 billion aid package for the Lebanese Army in what an official called a response to Beirut's failure to condemn January attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. "We have raised our concerns about the reports of aid cutoff with the Saudi authorities," U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said on March 8. "Assistance to the Lebanese armed forces and to other legitimate state institutions is essential to help diminish the role of Hizballah and its foreign patrons," Kirby said, adding that U.S. aid to the Lebanese Army will continue. "We don't want to leave the field open to Hizballah or its patrons," Kirby said. The United States considers Hizballah, a Shi'ite Muslim paramilitary organization backed by Iran that is also the strongest political force in Lebanon, a terrorist group. The Saudis also oppose Hizballah, which like Iran has backed the Syrian government in its civil war against Sunni opposition groups funded by the Saudis. Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP A U.S. military aircraft with four crew members crashed in Iraq, but none was injured and initial reports ruled out hostile action, a Defense Department official said on March 8. A top U.S. Navy admiral told The Washington Post that Navy helicopters rescued four crew members after an emergency landing by a U.S. Army reconnaissance plane on March 5 in Iraq. The rescue mission was launched from Irbil in northern Iraq, Admiral John Richardson told the newspaper. "They were up, airborne, and at the location of the accident within four minutes of the alert. That was pretty good timing," Richardson said. The plane was a twin turboprop, fixed-wing aircraft, and the cause of the crash was under investigation, the defense official said. U.S. military commanders added more search-and-rescue teams to northern Iraq last year after a Jordanian fighter pilot's jet crashed and he was captured, tortured, and killed by Islamic State militants. Based on reporting by Reuters and Washington Post We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. New Delhi: With the National Green Tribunal posing tough questions to the Centre and raising some environmental concerns, the suspense over the fate of the Art of Livings controversial World Culture Festival deepened on Tuesday amid speculation on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would inaugurate the three-day event that begins on Friday. President Pranab Mukherjee has already cancelled plans to attend Sundays valedictory session. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said on Tuesday that a biodiversity park would be build in that area. Read: NGT gets tough, suspense over Art of Livings World Culture Festival NGT order on event today The NGT, that is hearing a petition seeking a ban on the extravagant event to mark the 35th anniversary of the foundation, will pronounce its order Wednesday. Meanwhile, in the wake of fresh terror threats, the home ministry directed the Delhi Police to take all possible steps to ensure peace during the event and to make sure no stampede-like situation arises. The Art of Living Foundation said that due to security issues, the National Security Guards had taken over the venue. Read: Sri Sri's mega event: 'Why no clearance needed?' NGT asks Centre to file reply The NGT bench, headed by its chief Swantanter Kumar, asked the environment ministry to submit an affidavit on why no environmental clearance was required for erecting structures on the Yamuna flood plains for the event even as stakeholders passed the buck to each other during the court hearing on Tuesday. The NGT also raised questions over the building of a pontoon bridge by the Army on the river. The green body has sought a response from the environment and forests ministry after its counsel said they found no debris at the site when an expert team visited, and that the environment impact assessment notification of 2006 did not mandate any environment clearance for temporary structures. Read: Sri Sri's event: 'Army making bridge in view of people's security, safety' The bench reprimanded the Delhi Development Authority for giving permission to set up a pontoon bridge. The Army was asked to construct the pontoon bridge to prevent any possible stampede at the event. Members of the House of Delegates and Senate have talked about what they need or want in a new building for the General Assembly. So have their legislative aides. But the planning that legislators contributed to this week doesnt address an old obstacle that remains in the path of replacing the deteriorating General Assembly Building at North Ninth and East Broad streets the bonds to pay for it remain unsigned on the desk of Gov. Terry McAuliffe. No deal has been made to move on construction, McAuliffe spokesman Brian Coy said Tuesday. The governor refuses to commit to the projects construction for the same reason he balked two years ago the assemblys unwillingness to expand Medicaid coverage for hundreds of thousands of uninsured Virginians, Coy said. As long as were denying Virginians health coverage and denying money for other key priorities, we shouldnt spend that kind of money on the building, Coy said. A year ago, McAuliffe authorized the state to bid for architectural and engineering design of the project, nine months after freezing funding for the project in a bitter budget standoff with General Assembly Republicans over their refusal to expand health coverage for the uninsured with federal funds under the Affordable Care Act. The governors office made clear he had not authorized bonds to pay for construction, but House Appropriations Chairman S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, said then the legislature had fully appropriated the money necessary to complete the Capitol Square projects and other projects in that pool of funding. The total package for Capitol Square a new General Assembly Building, a parking deck on the other side of Ninth Street, and restoration of Old City Hall is estimated to cost up to $300 million. Senate Finance Co-Chairman Emmett W. Hanger Jr., R-Augusta, was a leader of the unsuccessful effort two years ago by the Senate and McAuliffe to expand coverage, but he said Tuesday, I really think it would be a governance mistake to hold up a very critical project. Hanger, who is working in conference committee on a new two-year budget and a multibillion-dollar bond package proposed by McAuliffe, said the governor would risk expending a lot of political capital unnecessarily if he tries to tie that project to Medicaid expansion. It wouldnt advance his objective, he added. It would just get a lot of people in my party upset with him. Dena Potter, spokeswoman for the Department of General Services, said the state and architect Robert A.M. Stern, based in New York, conducted a series of charrette meetings with legislators and their aides this week as part of the planning and design process. But Potter said the projected timeline for carrying out the project is contingent upon the governor authorizing the construction. The project already is about a year behind the original schedule, which called for the General Assembly to move into temporary quarters at the Pocahontas Building at the foot of Capitol Hill after this years session and return to new digs as early as the end of 2019. Now, the legislature wont move until after the 2017 session or return until late 2020 at the earliest. The meetings with legislators and their aides on Monday and Tuesday represent a key early step in the design process and will guide such decisions as the size and design of the building, Potter said. Christopher L. Beschler, director of the Department of General Services, said, We want to understand what they want. Its their building. The conceptual planning hasnt progressed to what the building would look like at a key corner of historic Capitol Square, currently occupied by a melding of four buildings, constructed between 1912 and 1965, and riddled with problems. Legislators have treated the replacement of the General Assembly Building as an urgent public health and safety concern since a consultant warned in late 2012 that the state risked significant risk of business interruption, loss of continuity of use, and compromised occupant safety unless it address the facilitys deteriorating condition. Senate Clerk Susan Clarke Schaar said the new building would have to house the same entities as it does now: legislators offices, meeting rooms for committees and subcommittees, the offices of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance committees, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, the divisions of legislative services and legislative automated systems, a cafeteria and, perhaps, other legislative commissions operating elsewhere. There is a lot to think about, Schaar told 19 members of the Senate who gathered in a General Assembly meeting room for a discussion about the project on Tuesday. This building is very big when its empty, she said, but I can assure you we use every inch of space we can get. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. As environmental activists ramp up pressure, Dominion Virginia Power is moving ahead with its plan to close its 11 coal ash ponds by discharging treated wastewater from the ponds into state rivers. The federally mandated closure process is likely to begin in earnest next month, once Dominion Virginia Power finishes building a seven-step filtration system at Bremo Power Station on the James River in Fluvanna County. Officials at the states largest utility, which is working on a $500 million plan to close 11 ponds at four sites around the state, said Tuesday that theyre confident that the millions of gallons of water theyll pour into the James River will be even cleaner than the state requires. For decades, coal ash has been stored by saturating it with water to keep it from becoming airborne, then pumping it into a holding pond. But the ash contains potentially hazardous metals, including arsenic and chromium. As Dominion begins dewatering the ponds at Bremo into the James, about 50 miles upstream of Richmond, the concentration of metals contained in the water must meet standards spelled out in a permit approved by the state this year. The on-site water treatment plant at Bremo is under construction. Our treatability studies show the kind of concentrations well be getting, and theyll be well below the permit levels, said Jason Williams, Dominions manager for water, waste and remediation. But many environmental groups arent content to take Dominions word when it comes to keeping the states rivers clean. Student activists staged a protest Monday at the Department of Environmental Quality, the state regulatory agency overseeing Dominions plans. And on Tuesday, protesters tried to interrupt a press briefing by Dominion officials at their Innsbrook campus in western Henrico County. Another group of more than 200 protesters gathered at the Capitol and marched through downtown last month. And both permits issued so far one for Bremo and another for Possum Point Power Station by the Potomac River have been appealed in court by the Southern Environmental Law Center. Permit hearings for the other two sites the Chesterfield Power Station and Chesapeake Energy Center on the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake will be held later this year. Only the Chesterfield Power Station still burns coal. The groups argue in part that Dominion Virginia Power should be required to treat the water to much stricter standards, with some suggesting it should be as clean as drinking water before being dumped into the rivers. That would be extremely costly and accomplish little, Williams said, especially since the water in the James already doesnt meet drinking water standards. We feel that the permits that are issued right now are inadequate, said Aaron Tabb, a junior at Virginia Commonwealth University and one of the leaders of the student protest group. Tabb said his group will continue to call for the DEQ permits to be repealed and rewritten with stricter standards along with third-party oversight. A 2008 pond failure in Tennessee and the 2014 Duke Power spill into the Dan River in North Carolina prompted the Environmental Protection Agency to require utilities to close their ash ponds. The process at Bremo, the first site where the ponds will be closed, should take until spring of 2018, officials said. The water will be housed in million-gallon storage tanks after it is treated and wont be released until lab results show it meets the permitted standards. Water samples will be tested three times weekly. Results will be posted on Dominions website. A single failed test means Dominion will have to stop releasing water until the state approves a plan for correction. In addition to monitoring and testing of the water, Dominion will be required to submit monthly lab work on fish and other aquatic life to make sure they arent being harmed by the water. Bremo Power Station opened as a coal plant in 1931 and was converted in 2014 to run on cleaner burning natural gas. Once the ponds are drained, Dominion Virginia Power will need another permit for dealing with the coal ash that remains. The utilitys plans so far include sealing the ash in place, then covering the seal with soil and grass. The utility estimates that hauling all the ash to a lined landfill, as some utilities in other states are doing, would cost an additional $3 billion. Ranchi: Dropout of girl child for want of money will not be allowed, Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das pledged on International Women's Day. "The government will fully support education for girls as illiteracy is the biggest hurdle for development," Das said at a women's convention here on Tuesday. Honouring those women doing well in their area of work to mark the day, Mr Das said the government has earmarked a separate budget to execute women-related schemes. Stating that there were 36,000 self-help groups (SHGs) across Jharkhand giving jobs to approximately, four lakh persons, Das called upon to double the SGHs by the next International Women's Day. He said the government was providing assistance of Rs 12,000 to each house-hold for construction of toilets. Once again he appealed the women to create a "people's movement" in their respective villages to make them alcohol-free, for which the village would be rewarded with Rs 1 lakh for development. The political drama over a vacancy on the Virginia Supreme Court took another sudden turn Wednesday as former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said he did not want the job and General Assembly Republicans rallied behind a new nominee. Court of Appeals Judge Stephen R. McCullough, who worked in the Attorney Generals Office under Cuccinelli and received his endorsement Wednesday, is poised to be elected today to a 12-year term on the high court. McCullough would succeed former Justice Jane Marum Roush, Gov. Terry McAuliffes embattled pick for the court whose interim appointment expired last month after the legislature declined to elect her. Republican leaders in the Senate and House of Delegates said their caucuses will support McCullough, who lives in Spotsylvania County. Courts committees in both chambers voted unanimously Wednesday to certify McCullough as qualified. Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr., R-James City, said McCullough will be elected before the legislature adjourns this weekend. The General Assembly will have fulfilled its constitutional obligation to fill judicial vacancies, the best efforts of some to thwart that notwithstanding, Norment said. If lawmakers were to adjourn Saturday without filling the vacancy, McAuliffe would have the option of reappointing Roush. A respected former Fairfax County Circuit Court judge, Roush was appointed by McAuliffe last summer to succeed retiring Justice Leroy F. Millette Jr. Republican leaders objected, saying McAuliffe failed to consult with them beforehand. McAuliffe spokesman Brian Coy said Republicans have done untold damage to the independence of the commonwealths highest court. Todays circus further underscores the desperate lengths to which Republicans have gone to remove a qualified and nonpartisan jurist from the Virginia Supreme Court, Coy said. In a statement released by Senate Republicans, Cuccinelli called the Supreme Court post an attractive opportunity, but said it simply is not the right time for our family. He called McCullough, who served as senior appellate counsel in the Attorney Generals Office before being elected to the Court of Appeals in 2011, an excellent choice to serve as justice. Having worked with Steve McCullough during my service as attorney general, I know he has a spectacular mind, is principled on the law, and has been an outstanding Appeals Court jurist, Cuccinelli said. The former attorney generals withdrawal from consideration ended a flurry of opposition by Cuccinelli opponents ranging from Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam, the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor in 2017, to dozens of activists who rallied against Cuccinelli on Wednesday at the state Capitol. After painting Cuccinelli as an extremist hostile to gay marriage and abortion, progressive activists and some Democratic lawmakers declared victory once they learned he had withdrawn. Many observers felt the nomination of Cuccinelli a conservative who has been serving as a surrogate for the presidential campaign of Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas was a head fake designed to make other candidates for the court seem more palatable. House Minority Leader David J. Toscano, D-Charlottesville, said the short-lived push for Cuccinelli was not a serious effort. That was a total side show designed to try to flip a couple Democrats, Toscano said. After failing to elect their first pick, Court of Appeals Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr., Republicans pitched McCullough as a reasonable solution to an impasse neither side was happy with. That argument seemed to hold sway with freshman Sen. Glen H. Sturtevant Jr., R-Richmond, who broke with his party to support Roush and oppose Alston, effectively blocking the Republican plan in the narrowly divided Senate. In an interview, Sturtevant reiterated that he felt Roush should stay on the bench and that he could not vote for Alston because he had become a political pawn in this ongoing saga between the governor and the legislature. Sturtevant said he had been told that the House would not adjourn under any circumstances, setting up a situation in his view where taxpayers would be on the hook for a continued legislature and the Roush nomination would likely face another standoff at the April 20 veto session. Sturtevant said that prospect was a problem. The constitution is clear that it is the General Assemblys duty to elect justices to the Supreme Court, Sturtevant said. And so my view was I had hoped we would elect Roush we didnt. I couldnt support Alston and he did not get elected. And we needed to find somebody who could. . . win a consensus of both houses of the General Assembly. McCullough appeared at the Capitol on Wednesday for a 20-minute interview with the House Courts of Justice Committee. Asked when he first heard that he was being considered as a nominee, McCullough said maybe several days ago. During questioning by the bipartisan panel, McCullough said he has deep respect for the court and Virginias constitutional heritage of freedom. The buck stops with the Supreme Court, in no small part, in preserving that heritage, McCullough said. McCullough said he generally agrees with the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalias approach to constitutional interpretation. He said he would look to the original meaning of legal text, while not being hemmed in. You have to be willing to discard bad precedent, he said, pointing to the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson federal ruling that upheld racial segregation in public facilities. House Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford, introduced McCullough to the committee as a man full of integrity and very intelligent. McCullough received a bachelors degree from the University of Virginia in 1994 and his law degree from the University of Richmond in 1997. He began his legal career in 1997 as a clerk for state Supreme Court Justice Leroy R. Hassell Sr. He joined the Attorney Generals Office in 1999, serving in a variety of positions before becoming a judge in 2011. Toscano said he has not decided if hell support the Republicans new nominee. This man is a good man, a humble man, Toscano said. And if I dont cast a yes vote for him, I would never cast a no vote against him. Others saw McCullough, elected to the Court of Appeals in 2011, as too close to Cuccinelli. Sen. A. Donald McEachin, D-Henrico, chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus and a candidate for Congress in the newly drawn 4th District, called McCullough deeply flawed, saying the judge is of a piece with his former boss, and equally ill-suited to a place on our highest court. Chuck James, a Richmond attorney who worked with McCullough in the Attorney Generals Office, said Cuccinelli and McCullough are exceptional lawyers. Grace Pow Simpson would sit in the recliner in her sunroom at Hampden-Sydney College with her shoes off, poise her mechanical pencil over a yellow legal pad, and the poetry would begin to flow. She saw words as (physical) things, not words, recalled George F. Bagby, a friend and retired professor of English at Hampden-Sydney. I am struck by the powerful nature of her poetry. There are so many poems about family, grief and bad dreams. You sit down and read it, and it whomps you. Bagby described Mrs. Simpson as a very gracious, gentle Southern lady. The surface of her life is so genteel, but the poetry is anything but, he said. She grows up a lonely child, has an old father, her mother is working to support the family. Its how she dealt with it. I always am amazed how good the poems were. After you look at a lot of them some of them include Declaring a Son Legally Dead and A Fathers Voice from the Grave, you realize how dark they were. Those came later in her career. The earlier ones were not so dark. What poetry does is it gets into the depths of a writers mind. Good poetry does that. Fred Chappell, a poet who has taught at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, wrote about her celebrated poetry collection, Dancing the Bones. It is her tone of voice level, quiet, and truthful that is the best sign of her courage, and her faith in language is abiding; Our tongues will search out the salts/they remember, she wrote. Mrs. Simpson, whom former Gov. Jim Gilmore named poet laureate of Virginia for 2000 to 2002, will be celebrated at a memorial service at 2 p.m Saturday at College Church on the Hampden-Sydney campus, where she once was a soprano in the church choir. The 84-year-old former Hampden-Sydney resident died of a brain hemorrhage Feb. 11 in a Farmville rehabilitation center. She was born in Georgetown, S.C., and grew up with a brother and two older half-sisters. Her father, who was town clerk, suffered a severe stroke when she was very young. One gets to her core as a writer in the poem Speech Lessons, about her period of living at home, said a son, David Steadman Simpson of Norfolk. Her father was an invalid. She draws a parallel between her inability to talk as a very young child and her fathers struggle to talk as a stroke victim. She says in the poem: A stroke struck my father/dumb and lame before I learned/ to talk. For a year we jabbered/the same wild tongue. That was before memory,/ before dreams. Soon/I couldnt unscramble his speech,/though he would repeat/ until his patience shredded,/his tongue thick as cold butter./I never brought anyone/ home to play. I wanted him/to disappear. That feeling that she never really knew her father haunted her and drove her as a person, as a writer. I think she hungered for that connection, her son said. Her mother took over her fathers job in town and rented rooms to boarders during the Depression and World War II. Mrs. Simpson received one of a number of scholarships extended to orphans and half-orphaned children to Winthrop College, where she earned a bachelors degree in English in 1953. During her college years, she met Hassell Algernon Simpson, a Clemson student, at a Methodist retreat for college-age people. They married shortly after she graduated. Dad always said that when he first saw her, she was barefoot and playing the ukulele, her son said. She went around barefoot all her life. The first thing when she came through the door, she would kick off her shoes. The Simpsons lived in Alabama, where her husband completed his Army service, and later Greenville, S.C. They applied and were accepted for graduate work at Florida State University. Mrs. Simpson became pregnant with the first of three sons there, and she began a mothering hiatus that lasted nearly a decade before she resumed her schooling when they came to Hampden-Sydney College, where her husband began teaching English. Mrs. Simpson completed a masters degree in English at the school in 1973. She taught English at Prince Edward County High School for 15 years. My mother always loved words and putting them together. A college course lit a fire in her and got her going, her son said. She began writing poetry seriously while she was a homemaker, including one about my sleepwalking, which I did as a child. Although she had been writing all along, during the 1980s and 1990s she went into high gear, writing for poetry journals like the Cincinnati Poetry Review, the Formalist, the Southern Poetry Review and Zone 3, for which she received the Rainmaker Award in 1991. She was a member of the Poetry Society of Virginia. She wrote about art. She would see paintings and become inspired, her son said. She wrote about biblical themes and poems based on Greek or Roman mythology. As poet laureate, she traveled across the state giving readings and talks. She emphasized that verse should be memorized so it could be available as a comfort or a pleasure. She memorized poetry herself. In a conversation about something mundane, something would trigger her to recite a couple of lines of poetry that applied to a situation, her son said. She taught us the 23rd Psalm. Thats poetry. She found that especially poignant after reading that U.S. prisoners in Vietnam would tap the verses in code through the walls to keep their spirits up. Her husband died after 60 years of marriage in 2013. Jacqueline Kennedy earned praise for bringing glamour to the White House. Nancy Reagan received scorn, at least during her early days as first lady and from a certain set. Both women made the presidential residence the nations house that projected the best. Nancy Davis steadied Ronald Reagan while he was at sea. She possessed a keen political sense and always looked out for her Ronnie. Despite enmity from ideological quarters, the public as a whole admired her. Her just say no campaign stressed the best advice when deterring young people from turning to drugs. She encouraged President Reagans rapprochement with Mikhail Gorbachev. The Reagans belonged to an era when public figures forfeited their private lives. The Reagan familys imperfections played out on a global stage. The Obamas, by the way, deserve great credit for their personal discretion. They are model parents. Nancy Reagan played a crucial role in Virginia politics. In 1994 she called Oliver North a liar while he was seeking the Republican senatorial nomination. Her comments meant meant North would not defeat Democratic incumbent Charles Robb. Virginia Republicans did not listen to reason and nominated North, whom Mrs. Reagan repudiated on the eve of the general election. Although considered the most vulnerable Democratic senator in the 1994 midterms, Robb won re-election during a GOP national sweep. Reagan proved smarter than the base. She possessed higher standards than the true believers. The Reagans lived their twilight years with grace. The former president announced to his countrymen that he was suffering from Alzheimers disease. Mrs. Reagan tended to him as he slipped from view. She took an active interest in the Reagan presidential library. The public rallied to her during her husbands stately funeral. Hyderabad: The Chief Commissionerate for Land Administration (CCLA) will soon launch a mobile application as a supplement to its web portal http://mabhoomi.telangana.gov.in/, which carries all the land records across the state. CCLA launched the web portal 15 days ago and several modifications have been done by officials at ground-level to rectify errors in online Pahani copies, comparing them with manual documents in the tahsildar offices. Chief commissioner for land administration Raymond Peter told DC that the errors in Pahanies will be rectified by the third week of this month. The mobile app will provide all the data to cell phone users, he said. Mobile user can verify the details of a land by choosing options like name of the district followed by mandal, village name and survey numbers. The data would be available based on either survey number or the name of the owner. It looks like nothing was found at this location. Maybe try a search? Search for: Search A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. New River Valley real estate developer Mark Duran Kinser pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony financial crimes that could send him to prison for more than a year. In 2010, Kinser became involved in a proposal for a luxury condominium project called Legends of Blacksburg, once promoted by former Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer. Kinser admitted he schemed to defraud investors by jacking up his personal net worth to illusory levels, which prosecutors captured in a wire fraud count. Kinser also admitted to one theft count for stealing virtually all of the $491,700 in his employee pension fund in 2010. He agreed to repay the money. In return for the dismissal of the six other counts in the indictment of his business dealings, Kinser agreed to a possible prison term of between 13 and 33 months. The facts are overwhelming, commented U.S. District Judge Glen Conrad. He said he understood why Kinser pleaded guilty. Kinser, who is free on bond, must return to court July 18 for sentencing. Kinser spent years as president and CEO of Unlimited Construction, a Radford general contractor formed nearly 30 years ago. It specialized in custom homes, real estate development and construction management. In 2014, federal authorities were interested in sanctioning Kinser for his pension plan diversion, but didnt coordinate efforts. That year, the U.S. Department of Labor sued Kinser in federal court over his 2010 decision to withdraw $491,000 from his employee defined benefit pension plan, leaving less than $1,000. But before the lawsuit moved forward, the U.S. attorneys office persuaded the Labor Department and a judge to take no action until criminal investigators and a prosecutor completed the work that resulted in Kinsers indictment. When he received the pension money, Kinser told subordinates to deposit the money in his personal money market account and then move it in chunks to Unlimited Constructions operating account, according to a summary of evidence filed by prosecutors. He used the money for business needs, such as paying employees, and for personal needs, including payments to his credit card, the lender who financed his Mercedes-Benz, the landlord who rented a space in which his mother operated a hair salon, and the medical venue that furnished plastic surgery for his girlfriend, prosecutors said. While the pension money flowed in, from September 2010 to January 2011, the construction business had little other income, prosecutors said. Some of the 20 pension plan participants became frustrated by Kinsers efforts to block access to their funds and complained to federal labor officials. Paul Beers, who represented Kinser, told Conrad that one-fourth of the $491,000 belonged to Kinser; Kinser put the money to use keeping Unlimited Construction afloat during difficult times and advised employees to tell the truth when federal authorities began asking questions. Beers said Kinser disagreed with aspects of the prosecutors evidence summary but agreed it was strong enough to support his convictions. Earlier in the case, Kinser also pushed back in a court filing that confronted U.S. Attorney John Fishwick, saying he had talked to Fishwick when the latter was a lawyer in private practice about Fishwick providing legal services for him. Conrad ruled federal prosecutors took sufficient steps to ensure that Fishwick, who assumed the U.S. attorneys job in December, did not participate in Kinsers criminal prosecution. The steps included segregating case files in a room off-limits to Fishwick and putting supervision of the Kinser case in the hands of Fishwicks top assistant, Anthony Giorno, Conrads ruling said. The indictment also described a series of moves in which Kinser raised $3 million from investors to build the Legends of Blacksburg condo project marketed to wealthy university alums who wanted housing near Lane Stadium. The project wasnt built. Kinser pleaded guilty to a single count of wire fraud that accused him of emailing a statement that inflated his personal wealth for use in a third-party due diligence report about the projects viability, prosecutors said. The financial statement said his money market account balance exceeded $770,000 when the actual balance stood at $2,668, prosecutors said. The largest investor in the failed ... project would testify at trial that he would have not have invested in the project if he had known Kinsers personal financial statement was grossly inflated, prosecutors said. V.K. Singh has blamed doctors and the health department for the very many deaths of prisoners while undergoing treatment. Hyderabad: The DG (prisons) V.K. Singh has blamed doctors and the health department for the very many deaths of prisoners while undergoing treatment. As many as 53 prisoners died in jails and hospitals while undergoing treatment in 2013. The number rose to 56 in 2014, and came down to 32 in 2015. In the last eight months, about 15 prisoners have died. Singh wrote to the principal secretary (health) complaining that most of these deaths were due to the negligence of doctors and hospital staff. "If any death takes place in future, I will myself lodge a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission against doctors and the health department, apart from filing criminal cases at the respective police stations," he said in the letter. We take care of the prisoners admitted in government hospitals. Daily, we send at least two officials to verify their health. Based on preliminary reports given by these officials, I wrote the letter to principal secretary (hea-lth), he told DC. Singh said most of the prisoners were being hospitalised because of diseases related to the excessive use of tobacco products. The department had taken the initiative to improve the health of prisoners. "We have banned tobacco products in a phased manner. Initially, we reduced the quota of cigarettes, tobacco, beedi and other products. Last year, we banned all tobacco products inside jail, he said. After the ban, nearly 20 per cent of the prisoners who were addicted became violent. To overcome the situation, We provided a series of counselling sessions." Besides this, the prisons department made daily parade compulsory for all prisoners apart from physical exercises and yoga classes in the evening, he said. PRISONER DEATHS Over 130 prisoners have died in state jails in three years Year Deaths 2013 53 2014 56 2015 32 CS to review functioning Chief secretary Rajiv Sharma will review the functioning of the prisons department at a meeting on March 9, as asked by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. Prisons DG VK Singh will highlight the initiatives of the department in the last two years. COVID-19 drove a dramatic increase in the number of women who died from pregnancy or childbirth complications in the U.S. last year, a crisis that has disproportionately claimed Black and Hispanic women as victims. A government report released Wednesday lays out grim trends across the country for expectant mothers and their newborn babies. It finds that pregnancy-related deaths have spiked nearly 80 percent since 2018, with COVID-19 being a factor in a quarter of the 1,178 deaths reported last year. The percentage of preterm and low birthweight babies also went up last year, after holding steady for years. And more pregnant or postpartum women are reporting symptoms of depression. Three Franklin County High School students won the Congressional App Challenge for the Fifth District of Virginia. The students, Matthew Brosinski, Ryan Murphy and Devin McCulley, created an app called the VR Atom History Explorer that teaches users about atoms and their history in a virtual reality environment. The team, including their teacher William Schmachtenberg, was recognized in a news release from the office of Rep. Robert Hurt, R-Pittsylvania. Were really happy to see the work we put into it paid off! Brosinski said in a statement. Being able to get the app out on time and see it do so well has been a huge honor were really thankful for. Technology we already have can be used in ways we dont typically expect. I think theres a lot of innovation to be done in this area, and I think our app is a good example of that. Faith Christian student in mock legislature Candice Mulinda was selected to serve as page for the youth governor for the mock legislative body run by the Virginia YMCA. Mulinda is a freshman at Faith Christian School. High school students who participate in the Model General Assembly assume the same roles held in the real General Assembly and debate legislative topics in committees and on the Senate and House floors. Franklin County student wins bard competition A Franklin County High School student won first place in the National Shakespeare Competition for the Southwest Virginia Branch of the English-Speaking Union, according to a news release from the association. Gwyneth Strope earned the first-place prize and a chance to compete at the national competition in New York City in May. Stropes teacher is Mary Edwards. Two other Roanoke Valley students earned second- and third-place prizes. Jack Beedle, of Salem High School, earned second place. Zach Casey, of Community High School of Arts and Academics, earned third place. Students who compete in the Shakespeare competition perform a monologue from any Shakespearean play in addition to performing one of his sonnets. Stephanie Martin says Roanoke parents and teachers gave her warnings when she told them she planned to tell the school board about the way some of them feel intimidated by district administrators. They all said to me, Watch your back, Martin said. I wish I could do that, but I dont want to lose my job, or I dont want my kids to suffer. Martin decided to speak anyway, one of six parents who addressed the Roanoke School Board on Tuesday with concerns about a culture of fear and secrecy. The group of south Roanoke parents, who were supported by about two dozen others in the audience, asked the board to look into the issue, zeroing in on three main areas of concern: staff and parent fears of retaliation, turnover among principals and administrators, and accreditation. The catalyst for many of the parents remarks is the seeming departure of the districts assistant superintendent for teaching and instruction, Stephanie Hogan. Parents told the board they believed Hogan, who was a popular middle school principal before being appointed to the executive position in 2014, had been placed on administrative leave. They asked the board for clarity as to why and for more transparency about the situation. School board members and district officials, including Superintendent Rita Bishop, said they couldnt talk about Hogan because it involved personnel. Hogan, through her husband, has declined to comment. As of Monday, she retained her title and annual salary of $123,172, but has not been seen at any school board meeting in 2016. Senior staff generally are expected to attend the boards meetings. Jill Hufnagel said after the meeting she felt a duty to speak up for others who didnt feel comfortable doing so. Collectively, the group organizing the petition has talked to several dozen current and former employees who have expressed concerns, she said. I have this sense that so many people feel like they cant speak up and out, Hufnagel said. Hufnagel told the board she felt Hogans situation was emblematic of larger culture concerns within the district. She and others questioned the amount of turnover among central office administrators since 2007, when Bishop returned to the district as superintendent. Figures the parents tallied show 48 administrators have left in that time period. The turnover at central office trickles down to principals and teachers at schools throughout the district, leaving many to feel they cannot speak up about concerns without risking their employment, Hufnagel said. Another parent, Amy McGinnis, said she had come to a similar conclusion. McGinnis said she sees Bishop as a smart, savvy woman, and initially wasnt persuaded by the petition when it was shared with her last week. The petition made her curious, though, so she talked to six current and former employees about working in the district. Unfortunately, I no longer doubt that employees clearly perceive a toxic environment within RCPS central administration, she told the board. There simply isnt a nice way to say it. Administrators and principals fear reprisal, they fear outbursts of temper, they fear public belittlement. They report feeling constantly on guard. Bishop and board Chairwoman Suzanne Moore said after the meeting the district will look at the issues raised by parents. Moore said she couldnt comment more specifically on any of the issues of fear and intimidation raised by the speakers. The board typically doesnt address public comments during its meeting, but Moore thanked the speakers and also suggested they continue to volunteer in the district, not just at their own childrens schools but also at those that arent accredited. Board member Mark Cathey also spoke to address some of the concerns raised by parents, particularly with regard to accreditation. Several speakers connected administrative turnover with a decline in the number of schools that are fully accredited by the state. The number of schools fully accredited is lower now than it was three years ago, but the reasons why are nuanced, Cathey said. The biggest drop in the number of schools accredited in Roanoke happened between the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years, when seven schools lost full accreditation. Roanokes dip that year mirrored results seen across the state, where the number of fully accredited schools dropped in nearly every urban school district in Virginia. That year coincided with the introduction of tougher reading tests, which is a subject area that urban districts in particular struggle with statewide. The bottom line is the goal post moved, Cathey said. Republicans in the Senate and House of Delegates are poised to elect Court of Appeals Judge Stephen McCullough of Spotsylvania County to the Supreme Court of Virginia, after former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli took himself out of the running. The House Courts of Justice Committee on Wednesday afternoon certified McCullough as qualified. The House and Senate are expected to elect him on Thursday to a 12-year term, succeeding Justice Jane Marum Roush, Gov. Terry McAuliffes interim appointee. Teiro and I gave serious and prayerful consideration to accepting this honor, Cuccinelli said in a statement released by the Senate Republican Caucus. As attractive an opportunity to serve the commonwealth on the court would be, it simply is not the right time for our family. Cuccinelli strongly backed the nomination of McCullough, who served as senior appellate counsel under Cuccinelli in the Attorney Generals Office before legislators elected him to the Court of Appeals in 2011. Cuccinelli said McCullough has a spectacular mind, is principled on the law, and has been an outstanding Appeals Court jurist. He is an excellent choice to serve as justice. The former attorney generals withdrawal from consideration ended a flurry of opposition by Cuccinelli opponents ranging from Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor in 2017, to dozens of activists who rallied against Cuccinelli on Wednesday at the state Capitol. McCulloughs election would bring to a close the fight between Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, and the GOP-controlled legislature over his interim appointment of Roush. Senate Majority Leader Thomas Norment, R-James City, and Speaker of the House Bill Howell, R-Stafford, said Republicans in their chambers are backing McCullough. The House Courts of Justice Committee interviewed McCullough on Wednesday and he will be put up for election in both chambers on Thursday. On Wednesday afternoon, the House Courts of Justice Committee voted unanimously to certify McCullough as qualified after an interview that lasted roughly 20 minutes. Asked when he first heard that he was being considered as a nominee, McCullough said maybe several days ago. During questioning by the bipartisan panel, McCullough said he has deep respect for the court and Virginias constitutional heritage of freedom. The buck stops with the Supreme Court, in no small part, in preserving that heritage, McCullough said. McCullough said he generally agrees with the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalias approach to constitutional interpretation. He said he would look to the original meaning of legal text, while not being hemmed in. You have to be willing to discard bad precedent, he said, pointing the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson federal ruling that upheld racial segregation in public facilities. McCullough declined to speak with reporters after his committee interview. House Minority Leader David Toscano, D-Charlottesville, said he has not decided if hell support the Republicans new nominee. This man is a good man, a humble man, Toscano said. And if I dont cast a yes vote for him, I would never cast a no vote against him. Asked about the short-lived Cuccinelli nomination, Toscano said he did not see it as a serious effort. That was a total sideshow designed to try to flip a couple Democrats, Toscano said. Sen. Donald McEachin, D-Richmond, chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus, thanked the activists who had called and emailed legislators and showed up at the state Capitol on Wednesday to protest a Senate panels nomination of Cuccinelli for the Supreme Court. Together, we forced Republicans to back down, McEachin said in a statement. He also called McCullough deeply flawed, saying the judge is of a piece with his former boss, and equally ill-suited to a place on our highest court. The General Assembly elected McCullough to the Court of Appeals in 2011. His term expires in 2019. Howell thanked Court of Appeals Judge Rossie Alston, who on Tuesday fell one Senate vote short of election to the state Supreme Court. McAuliffe first gave an interim appointment to Roush, a respected former Fairfax County Circuit Court judge, last summer to succeed retiring Justice Leroy Millette. GOP leaders in the legislature opposed Roush, saying McAuliffe failed to consult or communicate with them on the appointment. The seat on the state Supreme Court has been vacant since Roushs most recent interim appointment expired Feb. 12. Republicans in the legislature want to fill the vacancy before the legislature adjourns Saturday. If lawmakers were to adjourn without filling the vacancy, McAuliffe could give Roush another interim appointment. Howell said McCullough has unanimous support in the House Republican caucus and called him a steady and consistent jurist who will apply the law as it is written. McCullough received a bachelors degree from the University of Virginia in 1994 and his law degree from the University of Richmond in 1997. He was a law clerk for state Supreme Court Justice Leroy Hassell from 1997-99. McCullough served in the Attorney Generals Office from 1999-2011. He was an assistant attorney general from 1999-2006; deputy state solicitor general from 2006-08; state solicitor general from 2008-10 and senior appellate counsel from 2010-11. In October 2014, the Virginia State Bar Judicial Candidate Evaluation Committee voted 11-5 to find McCullough qualified for the state Supreme Court. On Wednesday morning, with protesters chanting outside the Capitol, Northam urged defeat of Cuccinellis nomination for the high court. This is an embarrassment and affront to the people of Virginia and to the judicial process, Northam said in a statement. Ken Cuccinelli has spent his career as an activist trying to outlaw abortion and birth control, denying science and climate change, and aggressively denigrating and denying our LGBT community of basic rights, Northam said. Republicans on the Senate Courts of Justice Committee pushed through the unexpected nomination of Cuccinelli on Tuesday after the GOP-led nomination of Alston to the high court failed in a Senate floor vote. Uber driver Heather Stevens heard about the Cuccinelli protest at the Capitol through a Facebook event organized by Planned Parenthood. We didnt want him as governor, she said. I certainly dont want him having authority on the state Supreme Court to create case law. RICHMOND Legislation to protect religious groups from government-imposed penalties over their views on same-sex marriage passed the Virginia House of Delegates Wednesday on a 59-38 vote. Senate Bill 41, which also would prevent marriage officiants from being required to participate in a wedding ceremony, passed the Senate last month on a 20-19 vote. The legislation appears to be headed to Gov. Terry McAuliffes desk, though the chambers still have to reach agreement on the bills final form. Following the nationwide legalization of gay marriage, the Republican-controlled legislature introduced several bills this session that supporters said would prevent traditional religious beliefs from being drummed out of the public sphere. Critics have called the bills unconstitutional, arguing they codify discrimination against gay Virginians. McAuliffe, a vocal supporter of gay rights and the LGBT community, has said he will oppose any legislation that makes Virginia less open and welcoming. On the House floor Wednesday, Del. Vivian Watts, D-Fairfax, asked whether the bill would allow a religious school to require students to hold the belief that marriage is between one man and one woman as a condition of enrollment, and face no loss of scholarship or grant funding as a result. Of course that is correct, said Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah. That is the whole point. Gilbert had sponsored a broader religious freedom bill that passed the House but saw dramatic changes in the Senate. House Speaker Bill Howell, R-Stafford, ruled Wednesday that the Senates amendments were not germane to Gilberts bill, effectively killing it for the year. Gilberts bill would have granted broader protection to private entities with religious views against marriage, transgender people and sex outside of marriage. Bengaluru: In an unprecedented move to stem corruption at the highest level, the state government on Tuesday granted sanction to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to prosecute former Lokayukta Justice Bhaskar Rao for allegedly abetting the multi-crore corruption racket in the Lokayukta, under Section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in the FIR 56/2015. It is learnt that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has approved the prosecution of Justice Rao under Sections 8,9 and 10 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 119, 120 r/w 36 among others of the Indian Penal Code. The file has been sent to Governor Vajubhai Vala for his sanction as he is the appointing authority, sources told this newspaper. If the governor also grants permission to the SIT, then Justice Rao will be the first judge in the country post-Independence to face trial in a court of law. The government has gone through the 500-page document, which was sent by the SIT on February 11 seeking permission under Section 197 of the CrPC to prosecute the former anti-corruption ombudsman and retired chief justice of Karnataka in the FIR 56/2015 and has sanctioned it. The file has been submitted to the governor," said an official source. The FIR was registered by the Lokayukta police in July last year in the multi-crore extortion and corruption racket in the Lokayukta against former joint commissioner and public relations officer, Lokayukta, Syed Riyazathullah, Ashok Kumar, Srinivasa Gowda, Shankare Gowda, V. Bhaskar alias 420 Bhaskar and Justice Raos son Y. Ashwin in the extortion racket. Later, the case was transferred to the SIT. The SIT has sought permission to prosecute the former Lokayukta under most of the sections of the PC Act and the IPC, under which the other accused have been booked in the case. Besides, the SIT has also sought permission to chargesheet Justice Rao under Sections 202 (intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform) and 217 (a public servant disobeying direction of law with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture) of the IPC. Governor rejects Justice Nayaks name l Has Governor, Vajubhai Vala rejected the candidature of Justice S.R. Nayak for the post of Karnataka Lokayukta? Political circles here are abuzz with reports that Mr Vala has rejected Justice Nayaks candidature, citing the charges levelled against him. Several NGOs had petitioned the governor claiming that Justice Nayaks wife had bought sites which were not declared in his assets and liability statement. This was described as gross impropriety by the NGOs. A grand lady, Alpha Via Averill, 109 years of age, went to be with her Heavenly Father on February 15, in Low Moor. This dear soul was my father, Haden Vias, cousin, who passed away at the age of 103 in 1999. My dad was in the news often for his longevity and his lifetime of unbelievable accomplishments, as was Alpha. Chevalier Via received the French Legion of honor, Frances highest honor, for his bravery in World War I in 1918. Chevalier Via received his medal in 1998 at a beautiful celebration. He was also honored with an impressive key to the city of Roanoke for his civic contributions. When he enlisted in the army in 1916, he was assigned to a Calvary company in the 82nd division. When he went to live at the Virginia Veterans Center, it was discovered that he was the oldest living member of the 82nd Airborne Division. The 82nd showered him with mementos, birthday parties, and their devoted attention. Cousin Alpha would visit my family on Rugby Boulevard in northwest Roanoke in the forties. She would bring her kind husband, William, and their three sons, Wayne, Billy, and Punky. I loved babysitting while my mother, Gladys, and Alpha prepared a scrumptious dinner from our garden. Dad would give a stirring blessing and, oh, the conversations that went on among the elders while my brothers and sisters, Elsie, Lauren, Joan, and Dennis and the Averill sons listened quietly and intently. My job was to wash the china, so I was anxious to clear the table, but everyone lingered after the delicious shortcake dessert. It was well-worth missing my tennis time. I can image the rejoicing that must be going on around the heavenly table with these dear souls reunited. They are my heroes from the greatest generation. Cousin Alpha was cooking, playing the piano, and singing Amazing Grace in her country store at the age of 100. Dad, who was totally blind, fell out of an apple tree at age 90 while pruning it, sustaining only minor injuries. Those two were the Amazing Grace. RUBY HARLOW ROANOKE The fighting broke out on Wednesday evening when the security forces laid siege to a farm of the States Agriculture Department. (Photo: PTI) Srinagar: At least, two Islamic militants have been killed in a fierce gun fight raging in an orchard outside Padgam Pora-Wandakpora villages in Jammu and Kashmirs southern district of Pulwama. One of the slain militants has been identified as Lashkar-e-Tayyabas Abu Okasa who was wanted by National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his alleged involvement in August 5, 2015 attack on a BSF convoy near the garrison town of Udhampur and carried a cash reward of Rs 500,000 over his head. The fighting broke out on Wednesday evening when the security forces laid siege to a farm of the States Agriculture Department where a large group of LeT militants including a top commander were reportedly holding a meeting. The militants tried to break through the security forces dragnet by opening indiscriminate fire but reinforcements from Armys 50 and 55 Rashtriya Rifles and local polices counterinsurgency Special Operations Group (SOG) along with CRPF quickly laid two rows of Concertina barbed wire around an adjacent apple orchards and a poplar nursery to block their way. Reports said that while fighting is underway, the security forces have found the bullet riddled corpses of two militants near a mountain stream close to the encounter site. One of the slain militants was later identified as LeTs Abu Okasa, a Pakistani national, whereas the other also appears to be a non-local, officials said. Police sources said that the security forces combating a two-and-a-half years old insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir had specific information about the LeTs most wanted commander Abu Dujana being among ten to eleven militants trapped in the besieged area. Some of them may have actually managed to flee, a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity said. Pulwamas SP Rayees Ahmed Butt said that the fighting between security forces and a group of three to four militants is going on after they escaped into a poplar nursery in the area following a brief exchange of gun fire. SP Awantipora, Shridhar Patil, confirmed the bodies of two militants have been found near the encounter site. The NIA which is investigating the August 5, 2015 attack in which two BSF men were killed had announced cash reward of 500,000 each on information leading to the arrest of Abu Okasa and his accomplice Zarkam alias Muhammad Bhai. Following the attack, Muhammad Naved Yakub, also a Pakistan militant of LeT, was captured alive by a group of villagers. His accomplice Muhammad Noam was, however, killed in the security forces retaliatory fire. Reports also said that soon after the fighting broke out hundreds of residents from neighbouring villages came out on the streets and marched towards the encounter site chanting pro- freedom slogans. They clashed with the security forces when they came in their way. A mob attacked a security force vehicles while it was passing through neighbouring township of Kakapora, repronts said. At both places police fired rifles over the heads of stone-hurling crowds and also burst teargas canisters. Meanwhile, three suspected militants engaged by security forces in a brief gun fight at Khimber on the outskirts of summer capital Srinagar earlier during the day on Wednesday managed their escape, leaving behind an AK 47 rifle. The search operation launched in the area following reports about the presence of militants was later called off, police sources said. New Delhi: Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi for taking credit for the roll back on EPF tax, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday mocked the Congress Vice President, asking him to pass the GST bill and take credit for that as well. Congress and Rahul Gandhi can take credit for all decisions. He can take credit for the passage of GST and other bills if he lets Parliament function and helps the government in the passage of the bills. These are not the bills of BJP but of the country, Jaitley told the media. The comments came after Gandhi took credit for the governments decision to drop the proposed taxation on EPF, claiming that the decision was a result of his pressure. I told the government that they should not oppress the salaried-class. So, the rollback of the government is a good decision. Whenever somebody is being oppressed wrongly or victimized, I tend to try and help those people. I felt that the salaried and the middle-class people were being hurt by the government. So, I decided to put some pressure on the government. I am happy that they have got some relief, he told the media yesterday. Lucara Diamond, which recently recovered a 1,111 carat diamond regarded as the second largest diamond in the world since the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond recovered in South Africa in 1905, is hoping to establish another mine in Botswana. The company was awarded two high-potential exploration licences in Botswana two years ago and these licences host at least three known diamondiferous kimberlites, BK02, AK11 and AK12. Lucara had already constructed and commissioned a bulk sample plant for the BK02 kimberlite. Applications for the material extraction from the AK11 and AK12 kimberlites were in progress together with the mandatory permits to allow drilling on the respective sites. Company chief executive William Lamb told Rough&Polisheds Mathew Nyaungwa in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of a mining indaba in Cape Town early February that the recovery of the 1,111 carat stone from the Karowe mine made Botswana a target for more foreign diamond exploration companies. He said chances were high that the company will continue recovering larger stones in Botswana, but within the range of 300 carats to 500 carats. Lamb also reviewed that Lucara was debt free, thanks to the findings of large stones at Karowe that allowed the company to settle its debts. Below are the excerpts of the interview: How optimistic are you of finding larger diamonds at Karowe? Very, and I dont base that on just a fly-by-night answerif you look at the statistical confidence we have got in recovering 100, 200, 300 carats and now a very large stone (1,111 carats), I think the ability to predict that we are going to have large stones in future, maybe not a 1000 carats, but large stones in the 300 to 500 carats range, is pretty strong. How many large stones have you recovered to date since you started mining at Karowe mine in Botswana? Our largest stone was 239 carats; it was recovered in April 2013. Since then we have recovered more than 100 stones weighing over 100 carats. Our mine is relatively small, and we produce only 2.5 million to 3 million tonnes of ore per annum recovering between 380 000 and 400 000 carats of diamonds. We expect to sell between 350 000 carats and 380 000 carats this year Currently, more than 50 percent of our stones are larger than 100 carats. When are you likely going to sell your 1,111 carat stone? We are doing an analysis of the stone at the moment and we are looking at the best process. Nobody has actually sold a 1000 carat stone since the Cullinan [a 3,106-carat diamond found in South Africa in 1905] and that didnt go through well, so we are looking at the best mechanism, how we get access to the right people. So we are looking at having the stone sold before the end of June. Any projected price for the worlds second largest diamond ever? Because of the historical significance, its too difficult to put a price on it, so my standard answer is the diamond will sell for what somebody is willing to pay for it and I think if we look at the collector side of things: if somebody is willing to own a piece of history then it maybe a high price we will get versus a standard sale. You also have two large stones that you recovered at the same time you found the 1,111 carat stone last November. When are you going to sell these? We announced an exceptional tender [on February 8] that will feature 10 diamonds with a combined weight of 1,525 carats and none of these 3 stones (an 1,111 carat stone, 813 carat stone and a 374 carat stone) will be sold as part of the tender. If you look at our balance sheet, very strong balance sheet, we are the only diamond company that has no debt. So we are not forced sellers, we dont need to monetize the stones, so our focus at the moment is on the sale of the 1 111 carat stone and once that is done, I think it will give us a lot greater insight into the best process for do we sell it?, do we polish it?, do we partner?. There is a number of those options that we can look at. You said you are the only diamond company that doesnt have a debt, what is the secret behind this? I think its a bit of luck, we have been very lucky with the recovery of the stones. Once we actually recovered the first stone, it was at that point that we started making changes to the process to ensure we didnt destroy value. So when we recovered the 239 carat diamond, straight away we changed the top size of the screen to the maximum size that the downstream could handle and then we started working on where is the technology which would enable us to go to larger sizes, again to protect the value? It is through that process that we actually managed to strengthen our balance sheet and remove or eliminate our debt Are you weathering the storm that the diamond market is currently going through? Yes, I think a story like this is good for the diamond world, it created a little bit more interest. If I look at the diamond market, its a two-barrel problem in that consumption needs to increase, you cant continue to mine, continue to process if you are not getting money at the end of the pipeline. With the Diamond Producers Association, with the ability that they have to do some generic marketing, with the results that we saw from the De Beers marketing over Christmas, I think the model has again proven itself that marketing is definitely a requirement to drive consumption and then we can get into a better balance between supply and demand. What is your projection of the diamond market from now going onwards? I think its going to take a while, if you look at the large stones that is fairly stable , which is great for Lucara, but if we look at the regular stones, we see that Alrosa, De Beers and even Dominion have actually been stockpiling because of lower volume sales to the backend of last year. I think taking that into account plus the current status, even though its usually very buoyant this time, we do see it sort of slowing down at the backend of the year, taking a bit longer than people would like to actually get into that supply and demand fundamental, where demand is outstripping supply. You started selling your diamonds in Botswana, what was the reasoning behind that move? We had an agreement with the government that for the start of production, because you want to get access to as many diamantaires as possible, so for the first three years we were allowed to sell our diamonds in Botswana and outside. So we had our sales in Antwerp. We had said to the government that along with their strategy of almost building a secondary diamond industry in Botswana that we would move our sales to Botswana only and it has actually been brilliant. The sales and marketing team that we have in Botswana have really excelled. We are now seeing the same level of clients attending that has also worked for us because people are willing to travel to Botswana to buy diamonds, [I mean] serious buyers, so we actually have a very large client base and very loyal people Do you have any prospects of finding new diamond mines in Botswana? Exploration especially for diamonds is possibly the most challenging ever; we do have two prospecting licences that we are working on at the moment. We would love to build another mine. We would love to see more foreign invest, more exploration in Botswana, more people hoping to do the same thing that we did. The recovery of the 1,111 carat stone is actually going to be very good for Lucara, but it could be far better for Botswana and we need to work with the government to make sure that actually comes out. Last year in May you indicated your willingness to exit Mothae in Lesotho and Paragon Diamonds had shown interest in the kimberlite. Can you provide an update on this deal as I understand Paragon had problems raising the required funds? So with that one the government had given us a one-year option to sell the project. Paragon told us that they had gone far down the road to bring in an investorand they struggled to close a financing. So that option with the government expired on the 14th of December 2015 and the licence then reverted back to the government. So I know that the countrys mines ministeris looking for someone who can pick up the licence and develop it further. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished The Okavango Diamond Company (ODC) has announced that it will host diamond viewings at India Diamond Trading Centre (IDTC) from 20th to 25th July 2016 for GJEPC and BDB members. GJEPC Chairman Praveenshankar Pandya said, We are very happy to know that Okavango Diamond Company is coming to India for displaying its diamonds. The endeavour is to make the rough diamonds available for small scale manufacturers here, and we appreciate the miners who have been showing interest and bringing their diamonds to India for display. I am sure ODC would appreciate the world class facility offered at IDTC and would also schedule its future viewing sessions for our members. Toby Frears, Managing Director of ODC commented We are delighted to be able to showcase ODC and Botswanas diamonds in India and are grateful to the IDTC for presenting us with this opportunity. We recognise the importance of the Indian industry to ODC and we look forward to exposing new customers to the ODC brand and to promoting Botswana as a leading rough sourcing destination. The ODC goods will predominantly be a selection of the -2 carats size ranges that will be offered for sale at the companys online auction on July 28th 2016. Viewing appointments will be available to any GJEPC and BDB members who have completed ODCs registration process. The viewings in India will take place in parallel to those in Gaborone, Botswana. Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished Zimbabwes President Robert Mugabe said last week that the country received less than $2 billion from diamonds worth $15 billion mined since 2009. So where have our carats have been going? We have been blinded ourselves. Lots of swindling, smuggling has taken place and companies that have been mining virtually, I want to say robbed us of our wealth, he said in a televised interview with the state broadcaster, ZBC. And that is why we have decided that this area should be a monopoly area and only the state should be able to do the mining in that area. You cannot trust a private company in that area, none at all. And we should have learnt from the experiences of countries like Botswana, Angola, Namibia etc." Harare ordered diamond mining firms that were operating in Marange, excerpt the wholly-owned state-owned Marange Resources, to cease operations and gave them 90 days to remove their equipment. Mines minister Walter Chidhakwa said their licences had long expired and they had also refused to be part of the new Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company - in which the government was supposed to hold at least 50 percent equity. However, Mugabe indicated that Harare would go it alone. "The state will now own all the diamonds in the country," he said. "Companies that have been mining diamonds have robbed us of our wealth. That is why we have now said the state must have a monopoly." Critics had argued that the move to force out the mining companies, including Anjin, would anger the Chinese government, which recently signed the so-called mega deals with Harare. But Mugabe was of the opinion that Harare and Beijings relations would remain intact. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished The Swiss stock market ended Tuesday's session in the red, reversing the gains of the previous day. The market fluctuated between 7,930 and 8,010 points today and ended the day below 8,000. Disappointing trade data from China had a negative impact on investor sentiment Tuesday. A pullback in crude oil prices also contributed to the negative mood. Investors also remain nervous ahead of Thursday's announcement from the European Central bank. The Swiss Market Index decreased 0.60 percent Tuesday and finished at 7,971.15. The Swiss Leader Index fell 0.73 percent and the Swiss Performance Index lost 0.56 percent. The weakest performing stock Tuesday was Transocean. Shares of the oil-driller dropped 7.4 percent after a pullback in crude oil prices. The company also announced an agreement with Keppel FELS to delay the delivery and related payments of five high-specification jackups until 2020. Another pair of cyclicals also finished notably lower. LafargeHolcim declined 3.4 percent and ABB lost 1.5 percent. Financial stocks also turned in a weak performance. Credit Suisse decreased 2.5 percent, UBS surrendered 1.8 percent and Julius Baer lost 1.3 percent. Among the insurers, Baloise weakened by 1.3 percent, Swiss Re fell 1.0 percent and Swiss Life lost 0.9 percent. The index heavyweights all finished with modest losses. Nestle and Roche both finished lower by 0.4 percent, while Novartis fell 0.3 percent. Shares of luxury goods company Richemont advanced 1.0 percent. Reports of takeover interest in the U.K.'s Burberry triggered gains among other luxury goods companies. In the broad market, Vontobel sank 4.9 percent. Fund manager Rajiv Jain will depart the company in May. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis Canadian stocks look to snap back Wednesday after the previous session saw an end to a long win streak. Rising crude oil prices may help energy stocks resume their dramatic uptrend. Crude oil for April was up 68 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $37.19 a barrel, just off its recent highs for 2016. Traders await official US inventories data. On Tuesday, the S&P/TSX Composite Index dropped 72.55 points, or 0.5 percent, to 13,311.05. Looking at today's corporate news, Valeant Pharma (VRX.TO) announced that Anders Lonner has stepped down as a director. Pershing's Stephen Fraidin and two other have joined its Board as independent directors. Imperial Oil (IMO.TO) has sold its Esso gas stations to 7-Eleven, Parkland Fuel Inc. and Alimentation Couche-Tard for $2.8-billion. Quebecor Inc. halved its 2015 fourth-quarter loss on higher revenues, the telecom company said. Crescent Point Energy Corp. (CPG, CPG.TO) reported an adjusted profit, defying expectations for a quarterly loss. Still, the oil firm cut its dividend. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis Crude oil prices continued to surge higher Wednesday, hitting their best levels of 2016 despite another record build in U.S. inventories. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a 3.9 million-barrel rise in crude oil stockpiles for the week ending March 4. However, gasoline supplies fell by 4.5 million barrels. Analysts say the global supply glut will likely abate in the coming months, as some key producers have agreed to freeze production. Saudi Arabia and Russia will dial back to January levels, while U.S rig counts have been in decline all year. April West Texas Intermediate crude jumped $1.79, or 4.9%, to settle at $38.29 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest since early December. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis Saudi jets launch 11 raids on Midi district in Hajjah br> HAJJAH, Mar. 06 (Saba) The Saudi aggression war jets waged 11 air raids on agricultural nurseries in Midi district of Hajjah province. The aggression airstrikes caused large damage to the agricultural nurseries, which are a fundamental pillar of the agricultural process in the district, an official at the joint operations room in the province explained. The official condemned the continuation of the aggression in targeting the economic and vital sectors, including the agricultural sector, in order to subject the Yemeni people. BA Saba Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp Telegram Telegram Email Email Print Print [06/March/2016] New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday slapped a fine of Rs 5 crore on Art of Living Foundation (AOL) as it heard a plea seeking stay against spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankars World Culture Festival. The tribunal hasnt issued any prohibitory orders against the holding of the event, which is scheduled for March 11. It also fined Delhi Development Authority Rs 5 lakh and Delhi Pollution Control Board Rs 1 lakh. Read: Put controversies around Sri Sris event to 'rest', says Kejriwal A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, asked AOL, headed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to deposit Rs 5 crores as environmental compensation before the event begins on March 11. The NGT clearance came on a day the Delhi High Court described the event, from whose valedictory function the President has already pulled out, as a disaster from the ecological point of view. The tribunal also asked AOL to give an undertaking by Thursday that enzymes will not be released into Yamuna river and that no further degradation of environment will happen. Read: Sri Sri's event: 'Army making bridge in view of people's security, safety' Besides slapping the fines, the tribunal directed AOL to develop the entire area in question into a biodiversity park. The tribunal's order came on the pleas by NGOs and environmentalists who had sought cancellation of the festival on the ground that it would seriously endanger the fragile ecosystem on the riverbed. Environmental activist Anand Arya, who filed the petition to stop the event, rued that over 1000-acres of the sensitive area between Delhi and Noida, predominantly marshland, stand shorn of even a "single blade" of grass. Another petitioner Manoj Mishra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan questioned the "legality" of the event, and said the area, being destroyed "every moment", will take a long time to recover and slammed the organisers for the "lack of understanding" on their part. During two days of hearing, the NGT had posed tough questions over who had given clearance to the 'World Cultural Festival' in which 35 lakh people are expected to participate. Earlier, the Water Resources ministry, who faced tough questions from the NGT, told the panel it has not granted permission for the festival. Read: No permission for Sri Sris event: Water Resources Ministry to NGT Responding to questions from the green panel, the Water Resources ministry distanced itself from the controversy, saying it has not given any clearance for the three-day event. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, whereas, told the NGT bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar that no environment clearance was required for setting up temporary structures on Yamuna flood plains. Read: Sri Sri event: Dont test our patience, NGT tells environment ministry Earlier, the foundation said it will clean the river and will not cause any ecological damage with Ravi Shankar calling the petition to block the event politically motivated. "I appeal to all parties to not politicize the event. Its to unite all cultures, nations, religions & ideologies. Lets come together," said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Sri Sri also defended the event, saying not a single tree has been cut and the ecological stability has been maintained during the preparations. "We are asserting that we will turn the place into a beautiful bio diversity park once we are finished with it. Since 2010, our volunteers have been working hard to clean the river and around 512 tonnes of dirt and garbage has been fished out. We want to save the Yamuna. We have not cut a single tree and have maintained ecological stability. We want to see Yamuna transformed into a beauty again," the spiritual guru said. Read: Delhi Police raises safety and security concerns over Sri Sri's event President Pranab Mukherjees office has pulled out of the event which is to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will feature yoga and meditation sessions, peace prayers and cultural performances. New Delhi: A united opposition in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday slammed the Government for allowing Indian Army to be used for a private event of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living foundation, saying the event itself on the ecologically fragile flood plains of Yamuna was an environmental disaster. Government sprung to the defence of the 'Art of Living' guru saying his intentions cannot be doubted as he was committed to protecting environment. The event is being organised with all permissions, it claimed adding that the issue cannot be raised in the House as it was being heard by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Read: Sri Sri's event: 'Army making bridge in view of people's security, safety' But the members were not satisfied and rushed into the Well shouting slogans, forcing a brief adjournment. Sharad Yadav (JD-U) and Ghulam Nabi Azad (Cong) gave notice under rule 267 seeking adjournment of proceedings to discuss the issue but the Deputy Chairman P J Kurien ruled that the former's notice was not in order but he was allowing the issue to be raised as a Zero Hour submission. Terming the construction of temporary structure on the flood plains of Yamuna for Art of Living World Culture Festival from February 11 to 13 as "destruction unseen in history", Yadav said NGT had earlier given orders disallowing construction activity on the ecologically fragile zone and DDA had cancelled permission twice. He wanted to know "under what pressure was Indian Army deployed to build pontoon bridge for one person." Read: Delhi Police raises safety and security concerns over Sri Sri's event Demanding immediate stoppage of the construction, he said, "What function is he (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar) doing? Kya tamasha kar raha hai (what drama is he doing)?" Kurien asked members not to criticise anybody who cannot come and defend himself in the House. Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) asked "can Indian Army be roped in to assist a private function... it is highly irregular... for Army to be called in to create facilities for a private function." Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Ravi Shankar was committed to environment protection and the programme was "being conducted with all permissions and is not illegal." Azad said he was not against 'Art of Living' foundation or any cultural festival but was concerned about environment, bio-diversity and ecology. The government, rightly so, became a great champion of environment at the recent climate summit at Paris but what was happening in the capital was of concern, he said and asked why no environment clearance was taken for the function and "who issued permission to build pontoon bridge." Stating that NGT had in January 2015 declared that any construction on Yamuna banks would be deemed a criminal act, Azad said big structures were being built to hold the event on 1000 acres of land. Diesel generators, car parking and sound sets are being set up, with the Delhi Police warning of stampede, pandemonium and chaos. Read: Dont test our patience, NGT tells environment ministry on Sri Sri's event No permission for structural safety has been given, while there was also a security angle involved with Pakistan warning of terror strikes, he said. "This function could have been held anywhere but not at the cost of Yamuna." M S Gill of Congress asked if the Army would also be sent out to build bridges across Sutlej and other rivers by events by other spiritual gurus. He referred to the Commonwealth Games village also built on the Yamuna banks which saw flooding in October 2010. Naqvi said NGT was hearing the issue and the programme was happening with all permissions. "You cannot doubt his (Ravi Shankar) intentions. He is running a campaign to clean Yamuna and is committed to protection of environment. It is not right to question his intentions," he said. Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asked whether the issue "should be heard here (in Rajya Sabha) or in the National Green Tribunal." If a matter is pending before any tribunal, it cannot be raised here, he said. "How is chair even allowing this? The rules are clear on this," he said quoting a rule of business procedure. As Kurien took up other issues, Congress, SP, JD-U and Left members were up on their feet rejecting the government response. They soon trooped into the Well raising slogans. "What is the rationale for coming and disturbing the House. This is unjustifiable. This is unnecessary shouting," Kurien said and urged the members to return to their seats. Amid sloganeering, Sharad Yadav cited a rule to counter Jaitley for citing a rule that matters pending before court or tribunal could not be raised in the House. "(He) is misleading the House," Yadav said. Congress members continued to raising slogans. At one point AIADMK members too trooped in the Well. However, the reason could not be known amid din. The Deputy Chairman kept asking the protesting members to return to their seats as some members sought to raise Zero Hour issues. "You people are becoming laughing stock before the people and country," Kurien told protesting members. Towards the end of Zero Hour, the Chair adjourned the House for two minutes. New Delhi: The approval of the Prime Minister is needed to suspend IAS officers working under central government, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday. In a written reply to Lok Sabha, he said IAS officers working under central government shall only be suspended on the recommendations of the Central Review Committee with the approval of Minister-in-Charge, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). The Prime Minister is in charge of Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, under which DoPT comes. As soon as an official of all-India services - IAS, IPS and IFoS - is placed under suspension or deemed to have been placed under suspension, information in this regard shall be communicated by the concerned state government to the Centre expeditiously and within 48 hours, Singh, who is the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, said. The three-member Central Review Committee is at present, headed by Secretary in DoPT and has Establishment Officer and another Secretary of concerned ministry, as its members. Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ... By SA Commercial Prop News A typical 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms with double garage house measuring about 80m2 Nedbank has entered into an agreement with Central Property Developments Johannesburg (PTY) Ltd (a subsidiary of the well known Cosmopolitan Group) to fund a rental housing development in Clayville in the Midrand Gauteng. Nedbank will be injecting just over R100 million into the 12 month construction period that is aimed at addressing the needs of what is referred to as the gap market, as they either earn too much to qualify for free subsidy housing, or too little to meet the qualifying criteria set out by financial institutions. This initiative allows us to support the gap market in the affordable housing sector as it is a rental project and the funding terms are designed such that repayment is 10 years after completion, allowing the developer to provide for consumers who do not qualify for home loans, mainly in terms of affordability, the time to purchase their own homes, or those who prefer to rent, the option to do so within the rental market. Furthermore, the Cosmopolitan Group is renowned for their extensive experience and quality delivery in Affordable Housing Developments, which fits in with the Banks strategy to provide tailor-made funding to such developers with good track records, says Manie Annandale, Head of Nedbank Corporate Property Finance- Affordable Housing. He continues, not only will the development assist those who aspire to suburban living, but it will also meet the needs of those who cannot afford expensive rentals and bond repayments in other areas, to move to a secure and well positioned neighbourhood in terms of access to amenities. Rental demand is high in the area, evidenced in the first 110 houses that were made available for letting at R4800 per month, to be occupied by tenants in a short space of time. On completion, the development will comprise 335 freehold houses in a secure estate with Solar Power Geysers, which will give the tenant a 50% saving on electricity. The houses measure from 55m2 for a 3 bedroom, 1.5 bathrooms with carport for about R4800pm, and R6800 for a 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms with double garage. The Clayville area has been short of home options that cater for the huge market emanating from the adjacent areas such as Irene, Kempton Park, Ivory Park, Ebony Park, Kaalfontein, Klipfontein, Tembisa, Winnie Mandela Settlement and Alexandra, and we are confident that the partnership with Nedbank will help cater for this increasing demand, says Johann Vorster of Central Property Developments Johannesburg. Continues Vorster: The Clayville area is established with easy access to major routes such as the N1 and R21 and access to schools, medical care facilities, shopping centres and employment opportunities at the recently established industrial node. Nedbank, in a trusted partnership with Central Property Developments Johannesburg (PTY) Ltd, is proud to offer affordable housing options that cater for the needs of many South Africans. A first-of-its-kind journey along India and Pakistan border What binds the two most talked about nations - India and Pakistan together? What makes the The apex court bench declined the bail plea of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who was appearing for Teesta and her husband Javed Anand. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday extended the interim bail of social activists Teesta Setalvad and her husband till April 29 in two criminal cases of alleged embezzlement of funds lodged by Gujarat Police and CBI. A bench comprising justices A R Dave, FMI Kalifulla and V Gopala Gowda also referred the matters to Chief Justice of India TS Thakur for constituting another bench to hear them. It said the Chief Justice will set up a regular bench for hearing them as the present combination of judges are not sitting together on a day-to-day basis. The bench declined the plea of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who was appearing for Teesta and her husband Javed Anand, that instead of any particular duration the interim bail be extended till further order. "No we cannot do that," the bench said making it clear that it was extending interim bail for about a month and half. The interim bail of the couple is expiring on March 18. The apex court on January 28 had asked them to cooperate in the probe by Gujarat Police and CBI after they alleged the duo were not cooperating with the investigation and not supplying relevant documents relating to how the funds were spent. While Gujarat Police is probing the alleged embezzlement of funds for a museum at Ahmedabad's Gulbarg Society that was devastated in the 2002 riots, CBI is investigating the purported violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) in connection with the utilisation of funds received from Ford Foundation by Sabrang Communications and Publishing Pvt Ltd, run by the couple. During the last hearing, Sibal had refuted the allegation of Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar and senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani on behalf of CBI and the state police respectively. He had said the allegation of non-cooperation was being made against Teesta and her husband as the probe was not suiting the investigators. The court had directed Teesta and Javed that if they have not supplied the relevant documents relating to the embezzlement case to Gujarat Police in accordance with the list provided to them by investigators, they would "furnish those documents as soon as possible and preferably within two weeks". In the FCRA case, the bench had asked the couple to file an affidavit within two weeks explaining their stand on the issue of utilisation of funds procured by Sabrang. I give my consent to Sakshi Post to be in touch with me via email for the purpose of event marketing and corporate communications. Privacy Policy Transportation charges and rent would be borne by the government. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: Officials in Telangana and AP are taking steps to rent furniture to furnish hundreds of schools which lack desks for students to sit and take the SSC exams, which begin on March 21. Instructions have been given to school principals that do not have proper furniture to make stop-gap arrangements until the completion of exams. They were asked to rent furniture from nearby private schools which are not exam centres and ensure that students write the exams in comfort. Transportation charges and rent would be borne by the government. To find a permanent solution to the problem, AP has allotted Rs 20 crore to purchase dual desks that will be supplied to government schools in all 13 districts in the state. According to an AP official, the dispatch of tables had just started. Each table costs nearly Rs 5,000. We hope to transport these tables before the exams begin. It will will cater to nearly 70 per cent of schools, he added. The decision to install CCTV cameras in all exam centres in Telangana has been put off to the next year owing to opposition from government school staff and the lack of left to install the gadgets. A few hundred private schools in Hyderabad, that are equipped with CCTV facilities, have offered to record the students writing exams. We will check the CCTV footage in those schools in case any irregularities are reported, said a government official. It will also give officials a trial run on the use of CCTV cameras. Poor results tense officials too Hyderabad district officials are perhaps as tense as students, with the SSC exams set to begin in a fortnight. The district recorded the second lowest pass percentage statewide. The city, with over 3,000 high schools in the government and private sector, could record a dismal pass percentage of 64 last year, just above the backward Adilabad district that got 54 per cent. This figure baffled experts, considering the standard of education and facilities in Hyderabad are regarded as the best in the state. Of the 31,962 boys who wrote the SSC exam last year, 19,215 passed and 23,308 of 33,704 girl students cleared the exam. Hyderabad collector Rahul Bojja said students had been divided into categories, depending upon their ability. Special classes were held for those considered weak from November to February. He said the results were poor even in private schools. Telangana Progressive Teachers Federation Hyderabad district president M. Ravinder attributed poor results to the socio-economic and cultural backgrounds of students. Do Kansas' drug-induced homicide laws actually help with fentanyl? As drug overdoses related to fentanyl rise in Kansas, does a state law allowing drug dealers to effectively be charged with homicide have any impact? Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao acknowledges the cheers of the crowd as he is taken in a rally to the camp office from the Begumpet airport. Dy CM Md. Mahmood Ali and minister T. Harish Rao are also seen. Hyderabad: TS and Maharashtra have set up the first inter-state board to oversee existing and new irrigation projects in both the states across River Godavari. The board will be headed by the TS and Maharashtra Chief Ministers on rotation annually, according to the accord signed between the two states in Mumbai on Tuesday. If the TS CM is the chairman of the board, the Maharashtra CM will be the co-chairman and vice versa. Irrigation, finance, revenue, forest ministers of both the states, Union water resources official, principal secretary of irrigation departments, forest officials, engineers and others officials will be members of the board. The board, which met briefly in Mumbai on Tuesday, will meet in Hyderabad soon to review the projects in both the states. Chief Ministers K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Devendra Fadnavis signed the MoU in this regard in Mumbai on Tuesday. The board will oversee all issues pertaining to Lendi and Pranahita (Tummidihatti barrage), Kaleshwaram (Mudigadda Barrage), Rajupet Barrage, Chanaka-Korata Barrage, Pamparad Barrage on Penganga and Lower Penganga projects. It will also oversee agreements with undivided AP, set up officials team to inspect projects in the state. Greenpeace Southeast Asia welcomes Naderev Yeb Sano as the new executive director By GREENPEACE February 1, 2016 MANILA Greenpeace Southeast Asia today announced the appointment of high-profile climate activist Naderev Yeb Sano as Executive Director. Yeb has an exemplary track record participating in and leading the worlds environmental movement. Greenpeace is confident he will boost the organizations work to ensure a greener, cleaner and more peaceful future for all people in Southeast Asia, including global efforts to tackle catastrophic climate change. Greenpeace Southeast Asia Regional Board Chair, Suzy Hutomo said: We are pleased to welcome Yeb Sano as Executive Director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia. We are confident that he will advance work to change attitudes and behaviors to protect and conserve the environment and promote peace to protect our fragile earth from destruction. Together we will achieve our goal of environmental justice." Born in Manila, the Philippines, Yeb Sano has dedicated his career to ending climate change. His history of climate activism spans over 20 years. He headed up the World Wildlife Funds energy and climate program before he was appointed as the Philippines Climate Change Commissioner in 2010. In his capacity as Lead Climate Negotiator for the Philippines at the UNFCCC in Warsaw, 2013, he raised urgency for immediate action on climate change. He urged countries around the world to deliver strong and binding climate commitments. At the start of this conference, he embarked on a two-week fast, joined by thousands of people around the world. He also made an impassioned speech as he addressed delegates in Warsaw. Just days before, Typhoon Haiyan ripped through the Philippines, killing more than 6,000 people. It was the strongest storm of its type ever to be documented. Sano appealed to officials to take seriously the issue of climate change. He said: Many poor countries will suffer more should we fail to act. Now is the time to act. Yeb joins Greenpeace with the firm belief that the solution to the worlds ecological crisis does not exist in the corridors of power, but by catalyzing an interconnected, global movement of people. Our planet is facing threats that weve never seen before, and there is no question that we must find ways of living with our planet within its ecological limits. That is why I decided to have my next journey with Greenpeace. Martial law victims indignant over extension of Claims Board By SELDA February 1, 2016 QUEZON CITY Extending their term, without any guarantee that they will accomplish their task, is like prolonging our agony, many of whom might not receive the reparation and justice they have been fighting all their lives. On top of it all, members of the Claims Board want to secure their personal benefits at our expense. So grieved the victims of martial law, speaking through Bonifacio Ilagan, vice-chairperson of SELDA (Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto), himself a torture victim of the Marcos dictatorship. SELDA is up in arms against the term extension of the Claims Board which was created by Pres. Noynoy Aquino to process applications of martial law victims for indemnification and non-monetary recognition. The martial law victims and their surviving kin held a picket at the House of Representatives on Monday, in protest against House Bill 6024, providing pensions for members of the Claims Board and a two-year extension of their term. Selda has staunchly opposed the provisions in the amendment providing lump sum retirement benefits and a monthly pension to members of the Claims Board, which shall be deducted from the P10 B allotted for the indemnification of martial law victims. This has been dropped in the proposed amendment. Ilagan explained that while Selda recognizes the large number of victims who applied for reparation, the extension merely serves to secure the tenure of the Aquino-appointed officials and eats up the funds allocated for the victims of martial law. House Bill 6024, filed by the Akbayan Party-list, was approved last week to amend RA 10368, or the Human Rights Victims Recognition and Reparation Act. The amendment effectively further delays compensation until 2018. Many of the ageing victims are sick. They are impoverished and in dire need of financial assistance. They are no different from the multitude of the elderly SSS pensioners who have been deprived of help by a callous and anti-people government, said Ilagan. Pinoy in Rome: At the Door of the Jubilee Year of Mercy (V) By ROBERT Z. CORTES January 27, 2016 Day 7: Holy Mary, Help of the Poor in SantissimaTrinitadeiPelligrini The seventh day of my novena to the Immaculate Conception in preparation for the Jubilee Year of Mercy happened to fall on a Sunday. Providentially, there's a church dedicated to the Blessed Trinity just two minutes away walking from my house. The day being a Sunday and with me having very little time for the visit, this church was perfect. Unlike yesterday, today was rather cloudy, even gloomy. This atmosphere seemed to be in perfect harmony with this church, both outside and in. It's called SantissimaTrinitadeiPelligrini (Most Holy Trinity of the Pilgrims) and is called such because back in the 1500s, it had a hospice for poor pilgrims right beside it. The hospice is already closed as a victim of politics from the 19th to the 20th century, a sad reminder of an only too-common phenomenon that in political rancor, the victims are often the poor. The church itself used to be glorious, especially right after it housed 140,000 pilgrims in the Jubilee Year of 1575, and got a real boosting from Roman officials impressed by that feat. Now, the facade is probably one of the shabbiest in Rome. And if Benedict XVI had not made it the base of the Personal Parish of the Extraordinary for of the Roman Rite, perhaps the church would have been more rundown still. When I went in, I saw that the church was dark even darker than the Gesu on a normal day and cold, even with my thick black coat on. I noticed that most tourists who came in never went past the first chapel. They'd give the whole church a quick survey and leave, pretty much like some people (including me, sadly) who many times give a street bum a quick glance from head to foot and then move on. They were not impressed even by the remarkable painting of the Blessed Trinity by Guido Reni in the main altar. Naturally, as a result, they also missed the venerated and miraculous picture of Our Lady, Help of the Poor (Succurremiseris, in Latin) which has both a chapel and a small altar in its honor. I prayed before the one on the altar because it had more illumination and was more beautifully crowned. It also had that Latin title of Our Lady written in clear and bold letters, as if to tell me, "Go to her, oh you who are so poor and miserable." Got it loud and clear! I couldnt fight that, naturally, and the message really did get me to pray more fervently for myself and "everyone I know - even those I've forgotten." I learned that style of praying from St. Josemaria who used to add the phrase "etiamignotis" (even those I don't know) to his prayer of thanks for graces received. Then, unconsciously, I clutched my thick black coat closer because it was getting really cold a fact, as it were, that reminded me further of the misery in the world. And then, when I looked down from the image to the left, I saw a small sheet of paper that further acknowledged that reminder. It bore the pathetic plea of someone who has felt (and perhaps is still feeling) keenly the suffering and misery of humanity. "Mother Mary," it said, pray for the victims in Paris, Mumbay, Tunis, etc." Europe to Asia to Africa. He or she forgot America and Australia, so I had to add them as ellipses but Im sure they were in her mind too. Like that title of Our Lady reminding me of my misery, that prayer struck me, as well, for just a couple of weeks ago, Piazza Farnese, where the embassy of France in Rome is, just right down the corner, was strewn with flowers, lit with vigil lamps, buzzing with media, and filled with a sympathetic crowd for the victims of the recent terrorist attack in Paris. How odd, I thought, all these things coming together in this single moment of my life. I left that church more pensive and sober than when I entered. How much, indeed, we need God's mercy and the intercession of Mary. Maybe not a very inappropriate thought as I approach the doorstep of the Jubilee Year of Mercy. Day 8: Our Lady of Montserrat in Santa Maria in MonserratodegliSpagnoli For the eve of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and the beginning of the Year of Mercy, I was directed to go to Santa Maria in MonserratodegliSpagnoli. The name suggests that this 16th and 17th church is dedicated to Mary under the title of Our Lady of Montserrat (also known as the Dark-skinned Virgin), patroness of the proud Spanish region of Cataluna, and is the national church of the Spaniards in Rome. I won't go into details what I really mean by "I was directed to go." The most I'll mention is that I was vacillating between this church (just a three-minute walk from my house) and a very strong alternative (farther than the first one, however) as of yesterday morning - and then I received a totally random Facebook message from a friend in the Philippines. She was asking about an image of Our Lady of Pilar. Being a Spanish icon, its rare in Italy, and most probably found only in this church. In a flash, all my doubts were settled. I also won't go into details about the political implications of this Catalonian image being the representative of all Spain: too incendiary. In fact, even the name Montserrat may spark (opposing) emotions from both Catalans and non-Catalans, for the word is not Spanish but Catalan meaning "saw mountain" (the sculpture of Our Lord sawing a mountain on the facade is an allusion to this). Lastly, I won't go into details about the meaning of "national church" since I've explained that already in some other post. Only perhaps that being a national church of what used to be the most powerful nation in the world (and now perhaps still has remnants of that), this is one of those that has retained its renaissance and baroque elegance. I will just say that now that I think of it, I found it quite providential and thus, appropriate, that I should be there on the eve of the feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Patroness of the Philippines. It's an appropriate way to thank Spain which brought Christianity to my country only three years after (1521) this church was founded (1518) and for which I am now here. That detail was quite clear to me as I knelt before the Dark Madonna to say the Rosary with baroque music playing in the background. Thus aside from praying for my myriad personal intentions, I thought about the people who live with me now, who are all Spanish speaking, except one. That thought led me to remember and pray as well for all the Spanish-speaking peoples of the world that they may be faithful to the Faith that has built their nations. And that thought in turn led me to remember that the Pope himself is Spanish speaking. I will be with him tomorrow as he opens the Jubilee Door - so there was probably no better shrine to go to today, to pray for him and prepare for that historic moment. Its amazing what a random Facebook message can do. Chiz: NBI modernization should help solve extra-judicial killings, media slays By Office of Senator Chiz Escudero January 30, 2016 PASAY CITY Sen. Francis Chiz Escudero expressed hope that the bill seeking to modernize the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will be enacted into a law in order to strengthen government efforts in stopping deadly attacks on media practitioners and activists in the country. Escudero issued the statement after the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) released recently its World Report 2016, which included killings of activists and media workers in the Philippines. As the author of Senate Bill No. 2950 or An Act Modernizing the National Bureau of Investigation, Providing Funds Therefor, And For Other Purposes Escudero said he is optimistic that the new mandate of the NBI will help the agency solve extra-judicial killings faster. I am of the belief that the best deterrent to crime is still the speedy resolution of cases. With a modernized NBI, I am confident that we will be better equipped in fighting and solving crimes, said the leading vice-presidential candidate. Approved on third and final reading by the Senate on Jan. 25, SBN 2950 defines and categorizes the priority cases that should principally be referred to the NBI, which include extra-judicial/extra-legal killings committed by the states security forces against media practitioners and activists in the country. Also among the priority cases under the measure are human trafficking cases in airports; killings of justices and judges; violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act; cases referred by the Inter-Agency Anti-Graft Coordinating Council; violation of the Anti-Dummy Law; and violation of commercial, economic, and financial or white-collar crimes. Escudero, former chair of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, noted how the country has been severely criticized even in the international community because of numerous unsolved cases of violence against journalists, activists and judges in the country. We should not tolerate this culture of impunity in our country because it does not only concern the violation of human rights but it also hurts the countrys image among potential investors abroad, he said. In its 659-page report, the Human Rights Watch said there were at least 13 tribal leaders and tribal community members allegedly killed by assailants often linked to the military or paramilitary groups in the first eight months of 2015. The international human rights watchdog also labeled 2015 as another deadly year for Filipino journalists, with eight media practitioners killed in the first 10 months of last year. The group also noted in its report the lack of resolution to media killings in the country. Task Force Usig, a unit created by the Philippine National Police in 2007 to investigate these murders, has not been able to fully investigate most of these killings, mainly due to the lack of witnesses willing to publicly identify themselves and share information with police, Human Rights Watchs said. Although the task force has secured the conviction of suspects in eight of the 51 cases it has documented since 2001 a conservative figure since Usig does not classify videographers and producers as journalists no one responsible for planning and executing such attacks has been arrested or convicted, it added. Escudero said his bill aims to strengthen the NBI as an institution to make it more responsive to the demands of the times. With modern equipment, skilled agents and defined responsibilities, I am confident that the NBI will be in a better position to help our security forces in combating crimes and resolving incidents of extrajudicial killings in the country, Escudero said. In 2013, the Philippines was named as the third most dangerous country in the world for journalists by the London-based International News Safety Institute just behind the strife-torn Syria and Iraq. The survey findings were released at a programme organised at Besant Evening College in Mangaluru during Womens day on Tuesday. (Representational Image) Mangaluru: In a shocking finding, a survey conducted by an NGO has revealed that watching porn could lead to rapes! The report is based on the survey conducted by Rescue Research and Training Charity Trust- an NGO. The survey covered 3,500 students between the age of 16 and 21 of 183 colleges of about 8 districts in the state. The survey findings were released at a programme organised at Besant Evening College in Mangaluru during Womens day on Tuesday. During the survey, about 76 per cent of the respondents agreed that porn leads towards desire to rape. The concerning issue is that even if 10 per cent of the porn watchers actually desire to rape, then 13,000 new rapists are born every year in the state. How can we claim there is no link between porn and rape? If not porn then what is increasing rape? said Rescue CEO Abhishek Clifford. The study states that 83 per cent students felt that watching porn leads to sexual activities and about 74 per cent said that it would attract them to visit prostitutes. Porn has attracted not only boys but even girls. The data states that 30 per cent girl students pursuing graduation watch porn on an average for 5 hours a week, but among the boys it was 7 hours a week. The period of watching porn increased in the later years. Among the students 30 per cent watch rape and gangrape videos. They watch 19 such videos in a week. As per the study, every year 1,70,000 new students start watching rape clippings. The study also revealed that attraction towards teen porn contents was high. It noted that 33 per cent are attracted by teen porn. Abhishekh noted that many teenage girls were getting kidnapped for shooting teen pornography and growing demand is said to be the main reason for this. Porn videos make about 20 per cent of students go to prostitutes demanding teenage girls. Abhishek demanded the government to block violent and teen porn. Manish Tewari said just because some gentleman ostensibly considers himself to be 'God' doesn't mean that different kind of rules should be applied to him. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Taking a jibe at Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living World Culture Festival and the temporary structure on the Yamuna flood plain, Congress leader Manish Tewari on Wednesday said just because some gentleman ostensibly considers himself to be 'God' doesn't mean that different kind of rules should be applied to him. "Just because somebody is perceived to be close to the Bharatiya Janata Party, just because somebody ostensibly helped the BJP during the 2014 elections and just because some gentleman considers himself to be ostensibly God. This doesn't mean that a different kind of rules should be applied to him," Congress leader Manish Tewari said. Tewari said that if there has been a violation of laws, rules or procedures then the extravaganza should to be stopped forthwith. The National Green Tribunal will continue to hear today the plea seeking to stop construction of temporary structure on the flood plains of Yamuna for Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living World Culture Festival in Delhi. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Swantanter Kumar yesterday asked Ministry of Environment and Forest to file an affidavit today and tell why no environmental clearance is needed for raising temporary structures. The direction came after counsel appearing for the Ministry said that they have found no debris at the site, when an expert team had visited. Counsel added that as per Environment Impact Assessment notification 2006, no environment clearance is needed for temporary structures. In yesterday's hearing the Green Panel also questioned the building up of pontoon bridge by the Army on river Yamuna for the festival. The World Culture Festival organised by Art of Living is scheduled to be held from March 11 to 13 on the banks of the Yamuna. Earlier, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar defended the event, saying not a single tree has been cut and the ecological stability has been maintained during the preparations. "We are asserting that we will turn the place into a beautiful bio diversity park once we are finished with it. Since 2010, our volunteers have been working hard to clean the river and around 512 tonnes of dirt and garbage has been fished out. We want to save the Yamuna. We have not cut a single tree and have maintained ecological stability. We want to see Yamuna transformed into a beauty again," Ravi Shankar told the media here. Sri Sri's Art of Living foundation says the event will feature yoga and meditation sessions, peace prayers and traditional cultural performances from around the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate event on Friday. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/09/2016 -- The research report on the Asia Pacific beer market reveals all market trends and projections that are critical in understanding the market as a whole. The report on the Asia Pacific beer market contains essential information on each segment in it based on multiple criteria. The key driving factor of the Asia Pacific beer market is the growing disposable income of working class consumers. More consumers are now willing to buy beer either at home or in restaurants. This has especially propelled the sales of premium beer in the Asia Pacific region. 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MRRSE sources thousands of industry reports, market statistics, and company profiles from trusted entities and makes them available at a click. Besides well-known private publishers, the reports featured on MRRSE typically come from national statistics agencies, investment agencies, leading media houses, trade unions, governments, and embassies. Follow us @ https://twitter.com/MRRSEmrrse Denver, CO -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/09/2016 -- Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engine's "natural" or un-paid ("organic") search results. In general, the earlier (or higher ranked on the search results page), and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine's users. SEO may target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, video search, academic search, news search and industry-specific vertical search engines. 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This exciting opportunity allows achievers to set themselves apart and to extend their reach with personal stories and experiences. G3 Development provides complete access to the blog and video training content designed to introduce participants to blogging. About G3 Development G3 Development is set out to proactively serve the business community by providing solutions in entrepreneurialism, business development, social media and venture capitalism. To provide leadership in establishing strength with our client's international businesses, being built on a foundation of innovation, advocacy, technology and business integrity. http://www.g3-development.co/ 877-229-9183 Deerfield Beach, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/09/2016 -- Global and China Calcium Orotate Market 2016-2021 Market Research Report The report on the Global and China Calcium Orotate Market 2016 Industry meticulously addresses the various drivers, restraints, and opportunities that exist in this space. Compiled by a team of expert analysts, the report offers an overview of the all the key performance indicators of the Global and China Calcium Orotate Market 2016 Industry. Get Sample: http://www.mrsresearchgroup.com/report/16510#request-sample The study analyzes the Global and China Calcium Orotate Market 2016 Industry in terms of revenue and volume, where applicable. By doing so, the team of authors working on this report have been able to offer a complete and realistic picture of the future course that the Global and China Calcium Orotate Market 2016 is expected to adopt. All internal and external factors influencing the growth trajectory of the Global and China Calcium Orotate Market 2016 Industry are taken into account. With a firm focus on the companies that compete for a share of revenues within the Global and China Calcium Orotate Market 2016 Industry, the report is a valuable resource that supports competition mapping and strategy development. Complete report With TOC available: http://www.mrsresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/global-and-chinese-calcium-orotate-industry-2015-market.html Besides the drivers and restraints that will be conspicuous by their presence over the next few years, the Global and China Calcium Orotate Market 2016 Industry report also conducts a detailed analysis of the trends and opportunities that currently prevail. The report doesn't stop at listing the various opportunitiesit also picks out threats, growth pockets as well as white spaces that exist therein. latest Calcium related report: 1:Global and China Calcium Phospholactate Market 2016-2021 Market Research Report The report on the Global and China Calcium Phospholactate Market 2016 Industry meticulously addresses the various drivers, restraints, and opportunities that exist in this space. Compiled by a team of expert analysts, the report offers an overview of the all the key performance indicators of the Global and China Calcium Phospholactate Market 2016 Industry. Complete report With TOC available: http://www.mrsresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/global-and-chinese-calcium-phospholactate-industry-2015-market.html The study analyzes the Global and China Calcium Phospholactate Market 2016 Industry in terms of revenue and volume, where applicable. By doing so, the team of authors working on this report have been able to offer a complete and realistic picture of the future course that the Global and China Calcium Phospholactate Market 2016 is expected to adopt. Contact Us Joel John 3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138 Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442 United States Toll : +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA) Tel: +1-386-310-3803 Email: sales@mrsresearchgroup.com Website: http://www.mrsresearchgroup.com/ Just Published: "Personal Accident and Health Insurance in Sweden, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2019" Fast Market Research announces the availability of the new Timetric report, "Personal Accident and Health Insurance in Sweden, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2019", on their comprehensive research portal Puerto Princesa City, Palawan -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/08/2016 -- The city of Puerto Princesa in Philippines is rich in nature's abundances and its beauty attracts people from all over the globe. The tourist destination has seen a surge of travelers from Europe in recent years. The Puerto Princesa Underground River offers visitors' experience Wonder of Nature level of beauty, the 8.2-kilometer river that has carved its path underneath a mountain range, is said to be the longest navigable underground river in the world, it navigates its way through the St. Paul Underground River Cave, and then flows into the South China Sea. The journey through the cave system alone is 24 kilometers long and offers sightseers an incredible experience. "Puerto Princesa Underground River (or Palawan Underground River), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. The entire area where the Underground River is located is actually a national park and a model of biodiversity. More than 800 plant species, including almost 300 trees, 195 bird species, 30 mammals, 19 reptiles, and eight bat species call this area home." Puerto Princesa City, Palawan based Travel Agency spokesperson said of the features of Puerto Princesa. Travelers from different parts of Europe come to the underground each year; some of them have also shared their experiences and views online through reviews. "First of all I must recommend Philippines as a travel destination, absolutely fantastic! The Underground River in Puerto Princesa is an absolute must see! The whole travel takes time, but it's totally worth it. Although very dark inside when lighted up by torch you will see some amazing natural sculptures. One of the Seven Wonders of Nature" Justyna M from London, United Kingdom wrote in her review on Tripadvisor. Another TripAdvsior review reads: "Worth visiting on weekdays, not so overcrowded these days. You will be amazed by the dome, which you will pass thru. It's not only cave with a river. Maybe try longer cruise, than basic they offer. Yes, it's more expensive, but more longer and there are more specials to see." Petr_Yanek - Prague, Czech Republic. Local travel agencies such as the Floral Travel & Tours offer comprehensive tour packages to match the different needs of travelers coming from around the world to relish the beauty of the Puerto Princesa City and its underground river. For more information, please visit: http://ppur.com.ph/ About Floral Travel & Tours Floral Travel & Tours is A Puerto Princesa City, Palawan based Travel Agency since 1996. We are specialized in Local Tours such as the Underground River Tour, Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour, Firefly watching & Puerto Princesa City Tour. Mumbai: Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian refused to answer a question on beef ban saying he did not want "to lose his job". "You know that if I answer this question I will lose my job. But thank you nevertheless for asking the question," he said on Tuesday while interacting with students of the Mumbai University. He was asked if the beef ban will have any adverse impact on the farmers' incomes or the rural economy, and his reply was met with a round of applause. The remark by Subramanian, who is on leave from the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington since October 2014, comes days after he spoke about the adverse impact of social tensions on development. "The way you react to social cleavages has a critical impact on economic development. India is a wonderful example. What have reservations done, what have they not done, what has religion done, what has it not done, illustrate the general principle that these things have a huge impact," he had said during a lecture in Bengaluru. Beef ban became a national issue after a man was lynched by a mob in Dadri on the outskirts of Delhi last year on the suspicion of stocking beef at house. Istanbul, Turkey -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/09/2016 -- Teori Education and Study Abroad Consultancy, a reputable educational consultancy based out of Turkey, recently announced a whole lot of language courses for adults who are eager to learn foreign languages while staying abroad. The educational consultancy is now offering certificate, diploma and masters courses for people who wish to live and study abroad. According to the owners, people can now choose from any of the several languages that include but are not limited to English, Italian, French, German, and Spanish. The Turkish educational consultancy has set up various languages schools in different countries such as the USA, the UK, Germany, Bulgaria, France, England, Italy and so on. The owners who have been running this educational consultancy for eighteen years and counting claimed that students can expect a truly international learning environment in all of their language learning schools set up abroad. They said that their schools have been set up in collaboration with various foreign universities, with Sorbonne University and Institut Catholique de Paris being the French collaborator for imparting French language studies. They added that they are in advanced stages of talks of various other international universities abroad so that Turkish nationals aged between 18 and 30 can get the opportunity to learn the languages of their interest while staying abroad. "We also arrange for comfortable stay for our students, many of whom are working professionals and already pursuing higher studies. Rooms that we arrange for them come with all the standard amenities, along with attached bath. We take care of the air tickets, airport transfer and every other thing that might concern a prospective enrolee", said a senior educational consultant who also looks after the tour plan and the miniscule details associated with it. "We also have summer schools abroad that provide excellent vocational courses. Anybody willing to take up language courses or any other course should write to us", he added. The CEO of Teori Education and Study Abroad Consultancy said that their consultancy services are completely free as they believe that helping students eager to study abroad is the noblest thing to do. "We never charge students for consulting", he said in a press conference. About Teori Education and Study Abroad Consultancy Teori Education and Study Abroad Consultancy is a Turkey based educational consultancy. To know more, visit http://www.teoriegitim.com/ Media Contact: Company Name: Teori Education and Study Abroad Consultancy Contact Person: Mr Erdinc Y. Kilboz Email: info@teoriegitim.com Phone: +90 212 260 2065 Address: Sair Nedim Street, 18/6 Akaretler, Istanbul, Turkey Website: http://www.teoriegitim.com/ Japanese tits combine their calls using specific rules to communicate important compound messages, says an international group of ornithologists led by Rikkyo University scientist Toshitaka Suzuki. Language is one of humans most important defining characteristics, said Dr. Suzuki and his colleagues from Sweden and Switzerland. It allows us to generate innumerable expressions from a finite number of vocal elements and meanings, and underlies the evolution of other characteristic human behaviours, such as art and technology. The power of language lies in combining meaningless sounds into words that in turn are combined into phrases. Research on the communication systems of non-human primates and birds suggests that the ability to combine meaningless vocal elements has evolved repeatedly, but the evolution of syntax was so far considered to be unique to human language. A new study in Japanese tits (Parus minor) challenges this view. This study demonstrates that syntax is not unique to human language, but also evolved independently in birds, said team member Dr. David Wheatcroft, a researcher at Uppsala University. According to the scientists, Japanese tits have over ten different notes in their vocal repertoire and use them either solely or in combination with other notes. Our experiments reveal that receivers extract different meanings from ABC (scan for danger) and D notes (approach the caller), and a compound meaning from ABC-D combinations, they said. However, receivers rarely scan and approach when note ordering is artificially reversed (D-ABC). The findings were published today in the journal Nature Communications. Understanding why syntax has evolved in tits can give insights into its evolution in humans, Dr. Wheatcroft said. _____ Toshitaka N. Suzuki et al. 2016. Experimental evidence for compositional syntax in bird calls. Nature Communications 7, article number: 10986; doi: 10.1038/ncomms10986 [COTONOU, BENIN] Africas private and public sector institutions should collaborate to address rice research and production challenges, a forum has heard. Rice researchers, scientists, policymakers, processors and seed producers who a attended the 2016 AfricaRice Science Week and Global Rice Science Partnership-Africa Science Forum last month (1-5 February) at the Africa Rice Center in Benin. The conference was organised by AfricaRice, a member of the CGIAR Consortium, to review activities carried out by rice sector development hub teams carried out in 2015. The private sectors involvement is absolutely essential to develop rice cultivation. Marco Wopereis, AfricaRice The forum also sought to disseminate scalable technologies for rice production and carry out effective and efficient planning of rice research-for-development (R4D) activities in 2016. The forum was attended by 200 experts from 30 countries, 27 of which are in Africa, including Cote dIvoire, Madagascar, Nigeria and Senegal. Marco Wopereis, AfricaRice deputy director-general, told the forum that African countries will face a strong demand for rice of around 38 million tons by 2040, urging researchers to help farmers increase production capacity to grow rice in Africa for Africa. The private sectors involvement is absolutely essential to develop rice cultivation, Wopereis said. Rice experts said that the combined efforts and strengths of public-private sector partnerships of all actors in the rice value chain could help increase production and stimulate research on rice in Africa. Noting that rice is a strategic crop for achieving food security and providing export opportunities, AfricaRice director-general Harold Roy-Macauley, called for intensifying advances in scientific research to encourage such partnerships that are crucial for the development of increased rice production in Africa. Sali Ndindeng, a researcher at AfricaRice, told SciDev.Net: We have the same interests and a partnership between the private and public sector will achieve these interests.Lucie Eulalie Racalaharimino, a manager at Relharf Agro Business, a seed production company in Madagascar, added: The close collaboration between the public and private sectors will allow us to know in advance the most efficient [rice] varieties for our business.This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk. Arteriovenous malformations, the most common cause of strokes in children and young adults, are sometimes left untreated, but a sweeping new study strongly suggests that is generally a mistake. The challenge that doctors have faced in treating patients with arteriovenous malformations -- tangles of blood vessels prone to leaking and causing strokes -- is that the treatment options are not without risk. So one approach commonly advocated has been to leave the condition unaddressed. But the new study has found the risks of treatment using Gamma Knife radiosurgery are often significantly outweighed by the ever-increasing risk posed by leaving the condition untreated. This is particularly true among patients diagnosed -- as is typically the case -- while they are teenagers or young adults. "These findings strongly suggest that patients who are younger are going to be far more likely to benefit from treatment than people who may be diagnosed late on in their life," said neurosurgeon Jason Sheehan, MD, PhD, director of the UVA Health System's Gamma Knife Center. "If patients have at least a 10-year life expectancy, this new study strongly suggests treatment." Weighing the Risks The new study takes a long-term view of the risks patients face, following them, on average, for more than seven years. UVA led six other academic medical centers to look at 509 patients who had been diagnosed as having arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) but who had not suffered a stroke. The goal was to weigh the risk of leaving the condition untreated versus the risk posed by the least invasive treatment option, Gamma Knife radiosurgery. advertisement "There's a real uncertainty about the risk of stroke with these AVMs, but the general risk of stroke is thought to be about 1 [percent] to 3 percent per year," Sheehan said. "When you factor that in over a 10-year period of time, you are talking about somewhere in the order of 10 to 30 percent risk of stroke, and that's just the beginning if you're diagnosed as a pediatric patient or a young adult." He noted the grim statistics physicians and patients -- and, often, young patients' parents -- must consider in deciding to leave an AVM untreated: "If it ruptures, and the odds of it rupturing within the lifetime of a teenager are very high, the risk of death ... is thought to be about 10 percent. So with each rupture, it's about a 10 percent risk of dying, and that's not even including the problems that can arise if it ruptures but doesn't cause death: seizures, weakness, blindness and other neurological deficits." Gamma Knife radiosurgery, on the other hand, can close off AVMs using fine beams of concentrated Gamma rays, so that surgeons do not need to cut into the head. Approximately 80 percent of AVMs can be closed off with this technique. However, it typically takes two to three years for the AVM to close fully after the procedure, and the risk of stroke remains during that time. There is also a small risk of long-term side effects from the procedure. Among the study participants, approximately 70 percent were deemed to have a favorable outcome; 4 percent died (generally from stroke prior to AVM closure during the two- to three-year period when the Gamma Knife treatment was working). Eleven percent saw side effects caused by the radiation treatment, but these were permanent in only 3 percent. A Doctor's Advice Because of the complexities patients face, Sheehan urged them to discuss their options with a neurosurgeon who can evaluate their specific case. But for younger patients, he said, the new study offers a compelling argument for treatment. "If conservative management meant a risk-free approach for these patients, that is what we would recommend to them," he said. "Unfortunately, that is not the case for many AVM patients. The stroke risk, even if it's low on an annual basis, really begins to add up when you consider 10-year or more life expectancy. And in many of these patients, they exhibit 50 or more years of life expectancy." Findings Published Sheehan and his colleagues have detailed their findings in an article in the scientific journal Stroke. The best time to identify signs of obstructive sleep apnea may not be at night while snoozing in bed but, instead, while sitting in the dentist's chair. According to a new study led by University at Buffalo orthodontic researcher Thikriat Al-Jewair, dentists are in the unique position as health care professionals to pinpoint signs of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep due to blocked upper airways. The research found that oversized tonsils and tongue indentations, which are teeth imprints along the tongue that indicate it is too large for the mouth, placed people at high risk for OSA. Obese patients were almost 10 times more likely to report OSA symptoms than non-obese patients. Sleep apnea affects more than 18 million American adults, but many cases go undiagnosed, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Severe cases of the disorder are linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, memory loss and more. Although dentists cannot diagnose the disorder, they can spot an enlarged tongue or tonsils and recommend a patient to a sleep medicine specialist. "Dentists see into their patient's mouths more than physicians do and the signs are easy to identify," says Al-Jewair, clinical assistant professor in the UB School of Dental Medicine. advertisement "We need to teach students about this condition before they get out in the field and educate dentists about the major role they play in identifying and treating patients with sleep-related disorders." The study, "Prevalence and risks of habitual snoring and obstructive sleep apnea symptoms in adult dental patients," was published last month in the Saudi Medical Journal and funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research grant from the University of Dammam. Analyzing 200 patients at the dental clinics at the University of Dammam's College of Dentistry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the researchers tested participants for OSA using the Berlin Questionnaire, a validated assessment used to screen people for OSA. Participants were then screened for potential risk factors of OSA, such as weight, neck circumference, blood pressure, and size of the tongue, tonsils and uvula- the tissue that hangs in the back of the throat. The results found that 23 percent of participants were at risk for OSA, of which nearly 80 percent were male. The factors most common among people who were identified as high risk for OSA on the Berlin Questionnaire -- along with obesity -- were large tonsils, tongue indentations and a high Epworth Sleepiness Scale score, another questionnaire used to measure daytime sleepiness. Future research will expand the sample size to include various age groups and monitor participant sleep overnight to confirm the prevalence and severity of OSA, says Al-Jewair. Modern physics has developed a great number of theoretical approaches with which the world of elementary particles can be described. Now it's up to experiments to sort out which theories hold up against reality. One of these is the so-called MEG experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI. In a collaboration with researchers from Italy, Japan, Russia and USA, PSI physicists are searching for a particular, yet never-to-date observed decay of elementary particles known as muons. More precisely, they are quantifying how high the improbability of this decay is. According to their latest number, at most one out of 2.4 trillion muon decays will fit the MEG pattern. That makes such a decay around five hundred thousand times more improbable than hitting all six numbers in the Swiss lottery. For this highly precise measurement, the researchers have observed an extremely high number of muon decays -- which was only possible at the PSI, site of the world's most powerful muon beam facility. Thus the PSI research group repeatedly breaks its own world record for measuring the "MEG probability." The researchers are now presenting their latest result at the international conference "Les Rencontres de Physique de la Vallee d'Aoste" in La Tuile, Italy. They are exotic elementary particles that also are very short-lived: Practically as soon as they come into existence, muons decay into other, more stable particles. In doing so, however, they can take different decay paths, meaning either this or that group of particles results from the decay. One of these decay paths, a very special one, has in fact never been observed but is of great interest to physicists: the decay of a muon into one electron and one light particle. This is also known by the abbreviated name "MEG decay," for muon-electron-gamma, in which gamma stands for the light particle. It has long been clear that a MEG decay is extremely rare. Exactly how rare is what researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute want to quantify with the MEG experiment. In the process they anticipate the discovery of "new physics" -- and with it a doorway into previously unexplained phenomena in the universe. On the basis of the researchers' latest measurements, which again have brought to light not one single MEG decay, they now can say: The probability for this decay is smaller than one in 2.4 trillion, or in other words around five hundred thousand times less likely than hitting all six numbers in the Swiss lottery. The MEG experiment can test theories about the universe This experimentally determined number is a relevant parameter for theoretical physicists who develop mathematical models with which to describe no less than our entire universe. According to some of these theories -- among them the conventional Standard Model of particle physics -- the MEG decay hardly ever occurs and therefore is impossible to observe. The Standard Model is a comprehensive concept that explains very much of what humanity has been able to observe so far -- but unfortunately, not everything. Among other things, the Standard Model has nothing to say about the existence of the so-called dark matter and dark energy: those mysterious things now thought to make up, together, around 95 percent of the universe. That is why scientists around the world are searching for new physics. This would be represented by a theory that includes the predictions of the Standard Model but also goes beyond it -- thereby describing our universe more comprehensively. One promising group of theories is Susy, short for supersymmetry. Many of the theoretical models from the Susy family predict a probability for the MEG decay that is high enough that this event should be observable, sooner or later, at the PSI. With each successive, increasingly precise measurement in which the decay is not found, another set of alternative theories can be eliminated. Five years of continuous measurement at the world's most powerful muon source The researchers arrived at the newly quantified improbability of the MEG decay through the analysis of data they gathered, nearly continuously, between 2009 and 2013. Not only was the long measurement time necessary to obtain the newly available results -- the realization of the experiment at the PSI was also decisive. This is the site of the world's most powerful muon facility, where around 30 million muon decays per second can be observed. It is only thanks to this high throughput that the researchers were able to measure a total of 2.4 trillion muons and their decays. The decisive MEG decay was not among them -- thus setting the new upper limit for its probability. No discovery -- and yet a meaningful result Even though the MEG decay was not found, the participating researchers view their experiment as a success. "Precisely because we have not, up to this point, seen this decay, we are able to shift the theoretical line behind which the new physics must be sought," explains Angela Papa, a particle physicist at the PSI and co-author of the new study. "And yet if we should one day observe a MEG decay, that would be a strong indication towards new physics." So far, that does not mean that an entire theoretical approach, such as supersymmetry for example, must be thrown out, rather only individual models within such families of theories. In the future, the PSI researchers will refine and continue to pursue their MEG experiment, and with it, the search for the MEG decay. Whether they one day observe this decay or not -- the measurement results will in any case contribute substantially to our knowledge regarding the fundamental structures of matter. Hyderabad: Continuing its winning streak, the ruling TRS achieved a mega teenmaar victory in the civic elections for Greater Warangal and Khammam corporations and Achampet Nagara Panchayat. While the party won all the 20 seats in the Achampet municipality in Mahbubnagar district, it bagged the Warangal and Khammam Municipal Corporations with thumping majorities and will have its own mayors. This is the first time that the TRS has won the Khammam Municipal Corporation while in Achampet, the mahakutami comprising the Opposition parties (Congress, TD and BJP) was a failure. Telugu Desam was totally wiped out in Greater Warangal and Khammam Corporations, sounding the death knell for the party in the Telangana state political arena, at least for the present. An elated Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao thanked the people of Warangal, Khammam corporations and the Achampet Nagara Panchayat for electing TRS. People have blessed the welfare and developmental schemes of the TRS government. I compliment all those who ensured victory for the party. I will implement the promises made to the people. I also compliment the winning corporators and councilors, said Mr Chandrasekhar Rao. Roads and buildings minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, MLC Palla Rajeshwara Reddy and others met Mr Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday. Of the 58 municipal divisions in Greater Warangal, TRS won 44, others (mostly TRS rebels) nine, Congress four, BJP one and TD none. Though the Opposition parties could not compete with the TRS, the ruling party's' nearest rivals were the Independent candidates. While the Congress won in four divisions, the BJP and CPM managed victories in one division each. But it was the rebels who set the TRS back by eight divisions. Minister T. Harish Rao, who headed the party's election campaign in Warangal had said the TRS would win in at least 50 divisions. But the rebels dented the party's vote share. After being denied TRS tickets, these candidates filed their nominations independently. B. Kavitha (division 4), N. Swarnalatha (division 13), Sharadha Joshi (division 15), B. Srilekha (division 35), S. Sunil Kumar (division 46), G. Raju (division 54), K. Sarotham Reddy (division 55) and N. Jhansi Lakshmi (division 56), defeated the TRS official candidates by close margins. In many other divisions too, rebels gave tough competition to the TRS candidates who won by only a few votes. The TRS had expelled over 30 members for filing nominations against the party's official candidates. With the rebels winning in eight wards, it is to be seen if the party takes them back into its fold or not. In the Khammam, a Left stronghold where the TRS was weak, voters showed their faith in the leadership of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and gave him 34 seats and the mayoral post. Of the 50 divisions, TRS won 34, Congress 10, CPI two, CPM two, YSRC two and TD zero. Unlike other places, Congress, Left parties and YSRC made their presence felt while the TD was flushed out. The victory comes as yet another shot-in-the-arm to the CM after successfully signing the accord with Maharashtra over sharing of Godavari waters and ahead of the Budget session of the Assembly beginning Thursday. The days of the dreaded dental drill-and-fill as the standard solution for tooth decay may be numbered if a discovery by a Creighton University School of Dentistry professor continues to advance. Douglas Benn, D.D.S., Ph.D., has created a simple diagnostic liquid solution that can be applied to the surface of a patient's teeth prior to a dental X-ray and which will help show dentists whether a tooth has cavitated decay or is pre-cavity. The diagnostic liquid will help dentists to more readily see cavitated decay on a standard X-ray and will also allow the dentist to use recently developed topical products to arrest tooth decay at an early stage, thereby preserving healthy tooth structure and utilizing a simple, pain-free method of detection and treatment, without anesthesia or drilling. Dental caries -- otherwise known as tooth decay -- is the most common infection in the world and probably the one producing the most anxiety in potential dental patients. Caries goes through two stages: an initial non-cavitated state where decay can stop and no filling is needed, and a later cavitated state where a filling is often needed to stop decay from progressing. Currently, dentists do not have a test to determine the difference between the two states, and this leads to the standard treatment: a drilling and a filling. But decay doesn't automatically mean a cavity, and the filling cure can often be more trouble than it's worth. "Most dentists see decay and they go to the drill and the filling," said Benn, professor and director of oral and maxillofacial radiology. "Once a tooth is filled, it leads to a repair-destruction cycle for the rest of the patient's life." Benn said American Dental Association data indicate some two-thirds of fillings are replacements, meaning the treatment, historically, needs to be repeated, and can cost a patient an average of $2,000 per filled tooth over a lifetime. With the use of the diagnostic liquid solution, he estimated 50 percent of cases resulting in dental fillings today could be delayed or avoided, with other recently developed treatments deployed to stave off cavities. And while the diagnostic liquid can help ward off the drill, it can also help dentists pick up more infection that could otherwise go unnoticed and also aid in the classification of tooth decay. Benn has received funding from the National Institutes of Health for this research. He's also being aided by a grant from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. Educators in D.Ed, B.Ed and M.Ed colleges sought a wage hike while a few retired professors demanded revamping of the council as it was not doing enough to improve teacher education. Hyderabad: College managements on Wednesday opposed the revised two-year format for B.Ed colleges at a review meeting held by the committee set up by the Centre on the National Council for Teacher Education. Educators in D.Ed, B.Ed and M.Ed colleges sought a wage hike while a few retired professors demanded revamping of the council as it was not doing enough to improve teacher education. The Union HRD ministry constituted the committee last October to poll stakeholders on improving the functioning of NCTE. College representatives from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh wanted the council to revert to the old system. Mr P. Madan Mohan Reddy of Archana Group of Institutions in Rayalaseema said students were giving the two-year course a miss and colleges were running empty. Mr N. Narayana of the United Teachers Federation found fault with lack of staff, infrastructure and facilities in colleges. Colleges without minimum facilities are also collecting big amounts as fees. Such colleges should be regulated on a priority basis, he told the HRD ministry. Ramana Kumar, a student, said the two-year course was too long and they were losing job opportunities. Ms Kalyani Radhi, a teacher working in a private B.Ed college said that they were poorly paid. Experts said the tariff hike can be avoided by checking indiscriminate purchase of expensive power from private companies, prudent measures to reduce the capital cost of power plants. Hyderabad: The Telangana state power utilities proposals that would result in a huge hike in tariff attracted criticism across the board on Wednesday. The discoms, in their annual revenue requirement submitted to the Electricity Regulatory Commission, had proposed to hike tariff and reduce the number of slabs from 12 to four. On top of this, they proposed changing the system to non-telescopic, which would inflate power bills. Experts said the hike in domestic tariff could have been avoided by having a check on the indiscriminate purchase of power at a higher cost from private companies and prudent measures to reduce the capital cost of power plants being set up in the state. Everyone, however, acknowledged the TRS governments success in providing 24x7 uninterrupted power. M. Venugopal Rao of the Centre for Power Development said if the loopholes in power purchase agreements were plugged, the gap of Rs 2,000 crore which the discoms had presented could have been easily avoided. The commission can examine the PPAs. With a few modifications, the capital cost of new power plants can be reduced and the burden on common man can be avoided, he said. Based on what feedback did the discoms reduce the number of slabs. Did they conduct any study or paid any agency to do the survey, asked Pradeep Gadicherla, Hyderabad Software Employees Association convenor, corporate social responsibility. He said the regulatory should conduct public hearings on holidays at multiple public places and not for a day or two at the commissions office. Is it post-election gift from the government? They waited for all the elections to be completed, said school teacher K. Sadhika. B.V. Rao Chelikani, chairman, Federation of Greater Hyderabad Resident Welfare Associations, said the discoms should concentrate on reducing the transmission and distribution losses. He said non-telescopic tariff was not acceptable. Owners of commercial establishments said the market was not in a position to pass on the hike on to the customers due to stiff competition. Mahender Kumar Agarwal, president of the Hyderabad and Secunderabad Pearl Merchants Association, said the government should withdraw free power to the agriculture sector so that the tariff burden on other sectors can be brought down. The government should at least levy tariff on commercial crops or those which earn a profit for farmers, he said. Telangana Cloth Merchants Association president Ammanabolu Prakash said, We are paying VAT, municipal tax, trade licence, income tax. It is not possible to pass on every hike to the consumer. We are doing business and we have to bear the burden, he said. A three-judge Bench of Justices Anil R. Dave, Ibrahim Kalifulla and V. Gopala Gowda extended the anticipatory bail after hearing Kapil Sibal and Ms. Kamini Jaiswal, appearing for the petitioners and Mahesh Jethmalani for Gujarat and Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar for CBI. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday extended till April 29, the anticipatory bail granted to social activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand in an embezzlement case related to riot victims of Gulberg society in Gujarat. A three-judge Bench of Justices Anil R. Dave, Ibrahim Kalifulla and V. Gopala Gowda extended the anticipatory bail after hearing Kapil Sibal and Ms. Kamini Jaiswal, appearing for the petitioners and Mahesh Jethmalani for Gujarat and Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar for CBI. The Bench while extending the anticipatory bail requested the Chief Justice T.S. Thakur to post the matter before a regular three-judge bench as sitting in different combinations, it has become difficult for them to hear the matter fully. The Bench is also hearing appeals filed by the petitioners against certain observations made by the Bombay High Court in its judgment granting anticipatory bail to them in the foreign contribution case. The CBI had also filed an appeal against the impugned judgement granting them bail. Among the allegations leveled against them by the Gujarat government is a case of fraud related to a proposed plan to build a memorial for the victims of the Gulberg Society killings, as well as embezzlement of funds. Hyderabad: The Telangana state government will start selling its own brand of organic vegetables, fruits and spices such as turmeric, ginger, red chilli powder. Right now, the government sells milk, milk products and edible oil under the Vijaya brand. The spices will be sold under the Telangana brand and will cost less. A TS Horticulture Corporation will be set up for the purpose. This will protect consumers from the ill-effects of pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits coming from other states. The TS Cabinet in February had approved setting up the horticulture corporation to encourage organic farming and procure and supply organic vegetables, fruits and spices through rythu bazaars and the marketing department. Agriculture minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy said, "We have identified land at Mulugu in Medak district for setting up the food park. Fruits, vegetables and spices will be processed and packed here." Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had expressed serious concern about the high dose of chemical contamination in fruits and vegetables and had directed ministers and officials to take measures to take up organic production of these commodities. Hyderabad: Rumours of malpractices during the Intermediate second-year exam held on Wednesday had seniors officials on their toes in both Telangana and AP. Reports were sought from the centres concerned, and the boards put out statement by evening denying any malpractice. A few TV news channels reported allegations that the teaching staff of a few private colleges in Suryapet in Nalgonda district were taking out question papers and returning them with answers on different sheets, which were given to students for mass copying. The Nalgonda collector enquired with the district SP and Inter board officials before giving a clean chit. Another case of malpractice was reported from an examination centre in Rapur of Nellore district. There were rumours that the exam paper was leaked at 8 am. Some channels reported that parents had lodged a complaint with the police. Mr B. Jacob, regional inspection officer, Nellore, said that the question paper bundles were opened in the presence of police and board officials between 8.15 am and 8.20 am in police stations and brought to the centres by 8.30 am. How could the paper be leaked at 8 am, he asked. Hyderabad: A Class X student drowned in a swimming pool in Errakunta on Monday. Md Shoaib, who did not know swimming, entered the pool along with his friends possibly for the first time. Other swimmers rushed him to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. Police said they have registered a case of negligence against the pool management. Md Shoaib was a resident of Asif Nagar, and studied in a private school in Mehdipatnam. On Monday night, around 7.30pm, he along with three of his friends went to the 'Al Dayani' Swimming pool in near Pahadishareef, according to police. While his friends knew swimming, Shoaib went to the pool out of curiosity. There were a few others at the pool. All the four entered the pool and Shoaib was swimming with the help of a tube, while the other three swam on their own. Suddenly he dro-wned, said police, quoting an eyewitness. Police said the pool owners had not taken safety measures and there was no instructor at the pool to monitor the swimmers. There was no first aid facility at the pool. We are verifying whether the pool has the necessary permissions. We are yet to get at the pool owner, sub-inspector Sudhakar said. Amounting to 2m teu, the acquisition adds eight ports and 7% throughput to APM Terminals portfolio, with newly-acquired capacity at Barcelona, Valencia and Castellon, on the Mediterranean coast, along with the concessions in Gijon, on the Bay of Biscay. Outside of Spain, Grup Maritim TCBs terminal operations include Yucatan, Mexico; Quetzal, Guatemala, due to open this year; Buenaventura, Colombia, on the Pacific Coast; and Paranagua, Brazil. The group plans to spend a further $400m on upgrades in the next five years.The development comes after APM Terminals reached an agreement with Spanish-based Perez y Cia to acquire their 61% majority stake in Grup Maritim TCB in September last year. The decision was made to move ahead despite the fact that approval has yet to be given for the acquisition of three of Grup Maritim TCBs 11 terminals, since these comprise less than 5% of the value of the acquisition, Joe Nicklaus Nielsen, APM Terminals vp for port investments, explained. We are continuing to pursue the acquisition of TCBs Turkish and Canary Island terminals and are confident we will be able to provide satisfactory responses to the regulators questions in Turkey in due course, said Nielsen. However, as these assets make up less than 5% of the value of the acquisition, we have decided to move ahead with the acquisition to capitalize on the significant momentum we have been building towards the closure of the deal. The acquisition expands our position in Spain and accelerates our growth in Latin America, said APM Terminals ceo Kim Fejfer. While growth in Latin America has slowed overall, Colombia, Mexico and Guatemala are outperforming the rest of the continent and we believe offer exciting short and medium term opportunities. The Korean shipowner confirmed the probe by the National Tax Service (NTS), but claimed that it is just a regular check. The tax authorities move appears to be part of the regular tax audit of our company, SK Shipping spokesman Hong Chang-hyo told The Korea Herald. We are giving necessary documents to the tax authorities and are also holding meetings to respond to their questions. The tax investigation, which started on 25 February, is expected to carry on until mid-May. The Korea Herald claimed that the shipping unit under SK Group is being conducted by the NTS fourth division, which specialises in large companies tax evasion cases. NTS has declined to comment on the probe, the news report said. Activities are due to commence in the first quarter of 2016 and will be executed in phases with completion expected in the second half of 2017, the company said. Boskalis will dredge a trench for the installation of the new offshore gas pipeline over a total distance of more than 50kms between Das Island and Ras Al Qila onshore Abu Dhabi. For this project a medium-sized trailing suction hopper dredger and a large cutter suction dredger will be deployed as well as backhoe dredgers for dredging in shallow waters. Following its installation, the pipeline will be backfilled. In addition, Boskalis will be backfilling an existing offshore pipeline with sand over a total distance of 34kms with a trailing suction hopper dredger. This pipeline is located in the vicinity of the new pipeline. Boskalis' strategy is aimed at benefitting from key macro-economic factors which drive worldwide demand in our markets: expansion of the global economy, increase in energy consumption, global population growth and the challenges that go hand in hand with climate change. This project closely relates to the increasing energy consumption. High Courtwanted an assurance that they would implement the suggestions of the court Hyderabad: Expressing satisfaction at the efforts of the AP and TS governments, the Hydera-bad High Court on Tuesday wanted an assurance that they would implement the suggestions of the court with regard to reducing the use of chemicals to ripen fruits. A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice P. Naveen Rao was dealing with a suo motu taken-up case against the rampant use of calcium carbide and other chemicals in ripening fruits. The amicus curiae said there was some progress with regard to prevention of artificial ripening of fruits by vendors at the market yards. The governments need more time for effective implementation of programmes to check artificial ripening of fruits, he said. AP special counsel D. Ramesh said that as per the court directions, the authorities had sought the cooperation of the media. Two channels had extended assistance for the purpose. The bench told him to consult media representatives again for their assistance. TS special counsel A. Sanjeev Kumar said the authorities had been conducting drives and giving wide publicity against consumption of artificially ripened fruits. Hc not to opine on Maoists killing The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday said it could not express any opinion with regard to the Telangana state government submitting the post-mortem reports of two alleged Maoists who were killed in an encounter at Tadwai to the National Human Rights Commission. A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice P. Naveen Rao was hearing a PIL by civil liberties activist Chilaka Chandrasekhar seeking a CBI probe into the killings of Shruthi and Vidyasagar. TS additional advocate-general J. Ramachandra Rao said that the NHRC had directed the Warangal police to submit a report of the post-mortems of the two persons. He sought the courts opinion on whether or not the government could send the report, in view of the court hearing the case.The bench made it clear that it was for the state government to decide. The hearing was adjourned for two weeks. TS would decide on BT cotton seed rate The Telangana state government on Tuesday informed the Hyderabad High Court that the Centre would take a decision on fix uniform sale price for BT cotton seeds across the country. Supreme Court senior counsel C.S. Vaidyanathan, who was appearing for the Telangana state government, made this submission before a division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice P. Naveen Rao. The bench was hearing an appeal by the Telangana state government challenging an order of a single judge who stayed its decision to fix `50 as royalty per packet of BT cotton seeds. Mr Vaidyanathan said that in view of the fact that companies like Monsanto and their Indian associates had been exploiting impoverished farmers, the Centre was proposing to fix a uniform sale price. Hyderabad: Prisoners in Cherlapally central jail have been writing letters, complaining of harassment by prison staff, to the High Court, SHRC, the CM and home minister. Complaints were mainly against a superintendent. It is believed that issues are deep-rooted, and point to infighting between lower grade staff and senior prison officials. The prisoners alleged bribes are paid at every turn. Based on directions of the SHRC, the DG (prisons) ordered a probe and a report was submitted. As there was still no let-up in harassment, three prisoners from various jails wrote letters on Saturday to media and higher officials, complaining against the prison superintendent. The three prisoners, who were shifted from Cherlapally to other jails by way of disciplinary action, wrote that the superintendent would be the responsible if they died. An official source from the prison said that such letters were one too many in recent times. We believe prison staff are behind the letters. There is a proper channel for prisoners to write letters to others. A cold war between the lower level staff and officials is manifesting as a letters war, the source said. Prisons DIG A Narsimhulu said the department was investigating the matter. We just came to know about the letters to the media. How did they send the letters to the media? Through which channel did they send it? Had they obtained proper permissions? These and other details are awaited, he said. Responding to the letter war, Prisons DG VK Singh told DC that they had sent nearly 20 hardcore criminals from Cherlapalli to other jails. These men were maintaining gangs in Cherlapally jail and harassing the other 1,900 prisoners. They were caught red-handed using cellphones and consuming ganja. We sent them to Adilabad, Khammam and Karimnagar jails where they dont get biryani and other items, he said FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2016-43 The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Californias largest agricultural water district with misleading investors about its financial condition as it issued a $77 million bond offering. In addition to charging Westlands Water District, the SEC charged its general manager Thomas Birmingham and former assistant general manager Louie David Ciapponi. According to the SECs order instituting a settled administrative proceeding: Westlands agreed in prior bond offerings to maintain a 1.25 debt service coverage ratio, which is a measure of an issuers ability to make future bond payments. Westlands learned in 2010 that drought conditions and reduced water supply would prevent the water district from generating enough revenue to maintain a 1.25 ratio. In order to meet the 1.25 ratio without raising rates on water customers, Westlands used extraordinary accounting transactions that reclassified funds from reserve accounts to record additional revenue. Birmingham jokingly referred to these transactions as a little Enron accounting when describing them to the board of directors, which is comprised of Westlands customers. When Westlands issued the $77 million bond offering in 2012, it represented to investors that it met or exceeded the 1.25 ratio for each of the prior five years. Not only did Westlands fail to disclose that wouldnt have been possible without the extraordinary 2010 accounting transactions, but also omitted separate accounting adjustments made in 2012 that would have negatively affected the ratio had they been done in 2010. Had the 2010 reclassifications and the effect of the 2012 adjustments been disclosed, Westlands coverage ratio for 2010 would have been only 0.11 instead of the 1.25 reported to investors. Birmingham and Ciapponi improperly certified the accuracy of the bond offering documents. Westlands agreed to pay $125,000 to settle the charges, making it only the second municipal issuer to pay a financial penalty in an SEC enforcement action. Birmingham and Ciapponi agreed to pay penalties of $50,000 and $20,000 respectively to settle the charges against them. The undisclosed accounting transactions, which a manager referred to as a little Enron accounting, benefited customers but left investors in the dark about Westlands Water Districts true financial condition, said Andrew J. Ceresney, Director of the SEC Enforcement Division. Issuers must be truthful with investors and we will seek to deter such misconduct through sanctions, including penalties against municipal issuers in appropriate circumstances. The SECs order finds that Westlands, Birmingham and Ciapponi violated Section 17(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 and must cease and desist from future violations. They neither admitted nor denied the findings. The SECs investigation was conducted by Brian P. Knight, Creighton L. Papier, Monique C. Winkler, and Deputy Chief Mark R. Zehner in the Municipal Securities and Public Pensions Unit with assistance from John Yun in the San Francisco office. Press Release March 9, 2016 CHIZ: SC RULING CLEARS FINAL HURDLE TO POE'S PATH TO PRESIDENCY QUEZON PROVINCE--Vice-presidential frontrunner Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero said he could not thank the Supreme Court enough for removing all the legal obstacles to the presidential bid of his running mate Sen. Grace Poe. "Nagpapasalamat po kami at finally ginawaran sya ng permiso at pahintulot ng Korte Suprema na tumakbo bilang pangulo ng bansa. Ito na marahil ang huling balakid sa kanyang kandidatura,"Escudero said in an ambush interview in this vote-rich province. Months of attempts to dislodge Poe from the presidential by allies of her rivals came to an end with the 9-6 vote by the magistrates, upholding her petitions to reverse the rulings of the Commission on Elections cancelling her certificate of candidacy for president. He said the high court ruling will now allow Poe and the entire Partido Galing at Puso to focus on the electoral campaign under the banner "Gobyernong may Puso." "Inaaasahan namin na magpapatuloy na ito at maipararating namin ng mas epektibo ang aming mga mensahe sa iba't ibang panig ng bansa," Escudero said. Both frontrunners in various pre-election surveys, Poe and Escudero are running as independents under the "Gobyernong may Puso" platforms on rapid inclusive growth, poverty alleviation, transparency and global competitiveness. Poe and Escudero, along with their senatorial bets, were in Quezon province to woo voters and solidify support among local officials and candidates of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), which recently endorsed their tandem. They visited the cities of Lucena, Tanauan and Tayabas, as well as the towns of Lopez, Catanauan, Candelaria and Lucban. They also held meetings with officials and candidates from other towns. Quezon has a total of 1,124,090 registered voters for the upcoming general elections, based on the Commission on Elections' data. For their first stop in their Quezon sortie, the Poe-Escudero tandem was welcomed in Lopez town by Mayor Isaias "Sonny" Ubana and Representatives Helena Tan and Mark Enverga, who is a member of the famous Enverga clan and spokesman of NPC. In Candelaria, the two were welcomed by the Enverga clan led by former Gov. Willie Enverga and his wife Grace. Before heading to a major political rally at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena on Wednesday night, Poe and Escudero went to Catanauan Central Elementary School, Enverga University campuses in Catanauan and Candelaria, and Southern Luzon State University, for their regular campus tour. They also visited the Tayabas City Market and the Our Lady of Candelaria Cathedral. Nims laboratory are not being supplied as the contractor hasnt been paid for eight months. (photo : Nims) Chemicals required for diagnostic tests at the Nims laboratory are not being supplied as the contractor hasnt been paid for eight months. Most of the testing kits are not working as the reagents for testing havent been supplied. A senior doctor said, "Nims never had these problems earlier but now it is becoming like Gandhi or Osmania where even basic functioning is affected. In the departments of neurology, cardiology and orthopaedics there is severe shortage of medicines that have to be stocked inhouse. A senior neurologist said, Many essential medicines are procured at best price for patients. But as budgets were drastically cut, the medicines procured is very less. This is increasing costs for patients as medicines have to be purchased from outside. The doctors have asked Nims director Dr K. Manohar to increase funds for medicines. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A man who encountered Alejandro Alex Nieto in a San Francisco park testified Tuesday that the 27-year-old City College student had threatened him with a Taser moments before being shot and killed by police who mistook the stun gun for a pistol. Attorneys for the four San Francisco police officers named in the Nieto familys federal wrongful-death suit against the city called Evan Snow, who was walking his Siberian husky in Bernal Heights Park the day Nieto was killed, to buttress their assertion that Nieto had been acting erratically and threatening people before the confrontation with police. The officers say they fired in self-defense because Nieto threatened them with a gun-shaped Taser, which they took to be a pistol. MORE ON NIETO TRIAL Witness to SF police shooting says victim had hands in pockets Lateef Gray, a lawyer representing the Nieto family, sought to raise doubts about Snows credibility on cross-examination, noting that he testified in a deposition that he had been distracted by an attractive female jogger and had made inflammatory and racist statements after his encounter with Nieto. Snow testified that he was walking his dog, Luna, on March 21, 2014, and happened upon Nieto eating chips on the northwest side of the park. Nieto was acting strangely, Snow testified, spinning around, darting back and forth, and climbing onto a bench. Nieto soon pulled up his jacket to show a holstered Taser on his hip, Snow said. Nieto carried the stun gun for his job as a security guard. I thought it was the grip of a pistol, and I was incredibly frightened, Snow said. I froze in my tracks. Feared for his life He said Nieto had pointed the weapon first at him and then at his dog. I thought, Im going to get shot. Im going to die right now, he testified. Snow soon realized it was a Taser and not a pistol, he testified. He then beat a retreat with the dog as Nieto swore at him, he testified. On cross-examination, Gray pointed to testimony Snow gave in a deposition, in which he said he had assumed Nieto was a gang member because of the way he dressed. Snow also testified that Nieto had pulled the Taser when Snows dog began barking at him. Gray also pointed to deposition testimony in which Snow said he had been distracted at one point by a female jogger with an attractive posterior. One of three things you remembered about this incident was the joggers butt? Gray asked. Thats what I said, Snow answered. I was trying to add some humor, which I see now was inappropriate. Attorneys reaction You were testifying about a serious situation like this and you chose to make humor? Gray boomed to the courtroom. We all deal with tragedies differently, Snow replied. Gray also brought up text messages Snow sent to a friend in the minutes after the encounter, in which Snow said he wished the run-in had happened in Florida so he could have shot Nieto. Gray also used a racial epithet to refer to Latinos. Snow said that he had been traumatized by the incident and that the slur was one his grandfather, who is of Hispanic descent, used in a friendly, colloquial manner. Defense attorneys later called Don Cameron, a former Berkeley and BART police officer and owner of a law enforcement training firm. He said the officers actions had been in line with accepted police training. Rebutting testimony The defense called Cameron to rebut the testimony given on Monday by Roger Clark, a retired lieutenant with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, who told the jury that officers flawed tactics in approaching Nieto had led to his death. Cameron said that as long as the officers took the threat posed by Nieto to be either imminent or immediate, they would be justified in using lethal force. After Cameron testified, both sides rested. Closing arguments are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Kale Williams is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kwilliams@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfkale Bose will contest against Mamata in her political bastion Bhawanipore in the poll-bound state. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is making desperate attempts to establish its foothold in West Bengal, has decided to field Netaji's kin Chandra Bose against TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming state assembly polls. Bose will contest against Mamata in her political bastion Bhawanipore in the poll-bound state. Talking to the media after this announcement, Bose expressed confidence that the BJP would rout the TMC in the assembly polls while stating it is high time that a pro-development government should come and govern West Bengal. "For 34 years, there was CPI (M) government in West Bengal after which the state sought a change and voted for the Trinamool Congress. But if you ask the people of the state, they will say the change which occurred was not good the Trinamool acted like the previous government," Bose told the media in the national capital. "But now, the time has come that good changes should be brought in the state. The BJP will bring the desired changes and help Bengal develop as there has been no development in the state... The law and order situation has collapsed, no investments are comings in the state and the factories have shut down," he added. Bose, however, refused to disclose whether he would be the BJP's chief ministerial candidate in the polls. "I don't know who will be the CM candidate, but yes I will be contesting from Bhawanipore," he said. The TMC supremo had emerged victorious in the Bhawanipore assembly by-election in 2011 by a convincing margin of 54,213 votes. She defeated her rival Nandini Mukhopadhyay of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The Bhawanipore seat falls in the Kolkata Dakshin Lok Sabha constituency. The Election Commission had on Friday announced the dates for the West Bengal assembly elections. The first phase of the six-phase voting will take place on April 4 and 11, while the second and third phases will be conducted on April 17 and 21, respectively. The last three phases of elections will take place on April 25 and 30 April and May5, whereas the votes will be counted and results will be declared on May 19. After sitting out for most of the biotech acquisition frenzy of 2015, Amgen Inc. is ready to do a deal. In the past year, the drugmaker has introduced six products, digested its last major acquisition the $10 billion purchase of cancer drugmaker Onyx in 2013 and undertaken a companywide restructuring. Time is ripe for bigger targets again, and the challenge is to be patient, says Chief Financial Officer David Meline. Amgen is now more energetic about being out there, but passed on some potential deals in the second half of last year that werent a perfect fit, Meline said in an interview at the companys headquarters in Thousand Oaks (Ventura County). The hardest thing to do when you have money in the bank is to be disciplined. The biotech giant isnt alone in its pursuit. As valuations have moderated in a recent sell-off of pharmaceuticals stocks, drugmakers including Gilead Sciences Inc. and Biogen Inc. have indicated that theyre ready to go shopping. In January, Amgen, which has more than $30 billion in cash and equivalents, outlined six therapeutic categories that it will concentrate on. Two of them, cardiovascular and neuroscience, are newer areas for the company, with potential to be built up. Neuroscience is the newest, as Amgen has no approved products on the market. One indication of its serious commitment is a broad partnership with Novartis AG, signed in September, to co-develop drugs for Alzheimers and migraine. Amgen is bringing two migraine drugs to the table, one in a final-stage trial and another at early stage. They are also co-developing Novartiss BACE inhibitor for Alzheimers disease. In cardiovascular, Amgen recently gained approval for cholesterol drug Repatha and heart failure drug Corlanor. Its ready to move another heart failure candidate in collaboration with Cytokinetics Inc., into a final-stage trial. The remaining four categories are Amgens cornerstones: oncology/hematology, bone health, inflammation and nephrology. Last year, the company introduced products such as blood cancer drugs Blincyto, Imlygic and Kyprolis, acquired through the Onyx deal. Amgen has also reduced its workforce and closed facilities in Washington state and Colorado as part of a reorganization announced in July 2014. Its biggest deal of 2014-15 was the purchase of closely held Dezima Pharma. Amgen paid $300 million in cash initially, and agreed to as much as $1.25 billion in milestone payments. When Chief Executive Officer Bob Bradway said in November that Amgen is open to potentially some larger things, he didnt mean to indicate it was on the brink of signing papers, according to Meline. Rather, the CEO signaled a shift from the focus a year ago on small, early-stage transactions. Were saying you shouldnt be surprised if we do a bigger transaction, Meline said. David Piacquad, senior vice president of business development, said his team sees about 3,000 opportunities a year, from small academic licensing deals to acquisitions. Theyre constantly roving the globe Piacquad recently traveled to Cambridge, England, and to the Netherlands. He has a team based in South San Francisco with expertise in immuno-oncology and a little SWAT team of cardiology experts spread across the world. Its all about balancing internal research and acquired innovation, Piacquad said. Companies trying to do it all internal might hit a dry patch, while those rolling up more and more and more companies cant sustain it, he said. The virtuous approach is to do a bit of both. Even if investors are hankering for deals right now, Piacquad says, Bradway does a nice job of playing the long game, telling Piacquad to ignore the noise. The marching orders, he says, are simply to do deals that make sense. Caroline Chen is a Bloomberg writer. Email: cchen509@bloomberg.net Salesforce is expanding up its presence in New York City with a plan that would give it naming rights to a Manhattan skyscraper. The San Francisco cloud computing company said it will take space at 3 Bryant Park, a 41-story, 1.2 million-square-foot tower in Midtown. Under the deal, the building would be renamed Salesforce Tower New York, and the companys logo would replace that of MetLife Inc. at the top of the property after the insurer leaves, said Elizabeth Pinkham, executive vice president for global real estate at Salesforce. The company is expanding its operations around the world as it looks to bolster its reach with new customers. Essentially, were doubling down on New York, Pinkham said. It will definitely be the big hub for that entire region around New York and the Eastern Seaboard. Salesforce, founded in 1999, said it plans to add hundreds of jobs in New York as part of a strategy to aggressively expand its presence in the city. While Pinkham declined to disclose how much of the towers space the company intends to take, she said the buildings lobby will showcase Salesforces products and services and be to open to the public. Salesforce intends to consolidate its New York operations into the tower overlooking Bryant Park, Pinkham said. The company currently has three Manhattan offices. Software Intuit to sell QuickBase Intuit Inc. will sell its QuickBase software-development unit to a private-equity firm as part of a broader effort to unload three of its divisions and focus on its main tax and small-business units. QuickBase, which helps businesses create applications, will be purchased by Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe LP, the companies said Tuesday. Terms were not disclosed. The unit, which joined Mountain Views Intuit through an acquisition in 1999, will operate as a stand-alone company with headquarters in Cambridge, Mass., Welsh Carson said. We were really a hidden gem buried within Intuit, and we view this very much as our coming-out party, said Allison Mnookin, who will become CEO of the company with the transaction. Its a great opportunity for the QuickBase business. QuickBase provides tools that help customers build and customize software without a lot of technical expertise. For example, helping retailers manage construction projects and assisting manufacturers with purchasing processes. Britain Bank chief on EU exit The head of the Bank of England described Britains potential exit from the European Union as the single biggest domestic risk to the nations economy even as he insisted the bank would remain neutral in the debate. In testy exchanges with members of a House of Commons committee, Governor Mark Carney tried to dodge every effort to pin him to a position that either the in or out campaigners might use ahead of a June 23 referendum on EU membership. Carneys testimony was important in a debate where economic data is thrown about with abandon and facts are often in dispute. Carney refused to make a recommendation, but it was clear from his testimony that the vote is fraught with risk. The issue is the biggest domestic risk to financial stability because, in part, of the issues around uncertainty, Carney said. The debate over continued EU membership also has the potential to amplify risks surrounding trade and investment, housing and financial markets, he said. However, he said international risks, such as recent volatility in China, are a greater problem for Britains economy. France Rail unions call strike Frances four major rail unions have called a 36-hour strike that is set to disrupt train traffic as separate protests against a labor reform are expected Wednesday in French cities. State railway company SNCF warned against severely disrupted traffic caused by the strike that began Tuesday night to protest a plan to change working hours and rules about days off. The Eurostar line to London will be affected, but Thalys trains to Brussels are expected to run normally. Some unions in Paris have joined in to demand salary increases, which will lead to possible slowdowns on the subway network. In a separate action, several unions and student organizations have called on protests across France on Wednesday to reject the Socialist governments contested labor reform. Layoffs Lockheed Martin job cuts Lockheed Martin Corp. says its aeronautics division is seeking to part with up to 1,000 workers as it works to stay competitive and keep its staff aligned with orders. The company is offering the voluntary program to midlevel employees at locations in California, Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, West Virginia and Maryland. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, based in Fort Worth, makes fighter jets including the F-35 and the F-22. The parent company, based in Bethesda, Md., employs roughly 126,000 workers globally. The company is looking to trim overhead amid continued budgetary pressures from Congress and the Pentagon. In after-hours trading, Lockheed Martin shares rose more than 2 percent. Chronicle News Services Number of the day $3 million Thats how much Salesforce spent to eliminate pay differences it found in 6 percent of its workforce. Roughly the same number of men and women were affected, the San Francisco cloud computing company said. Huh? Ikea says Kanye West is visiting the furniture giants offices in southern Sweden. The company confirmed an online report by Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that the rapper is in Almhult, the town in southern Sweden where Ikea was founded in the 1940s and where it retains many key operations. A spokesman said that West is visiting several Ikea facilities. He wouldnt comment on whether West and Ikea are planning a joint commercial project, saying time will tell. Getting it together Whole Foods Market has signed agreements with SolarCity and NRG Energy to install rooftop solar units at up to 100 stores and distribution centers. NRG of New Jersey will install the units at up to 84 locations in nine states, and San Mateos SolarCity will install the rest, and Whole Foods said it would buy discounted power from SolarCity. The move comes 14 years after the chain installed solar-powered lighting for the first time at a store in Berkeley. The Daily Briefing is compiled from San Francisco Chronicle staff and news services. See more items and links at www.sfgate.com. Twitter: @techbriefing New York's two U.S. senators came out Wednesday against the proposed Northeast Energy Direct natural gas pipeline and urged federal regulators to reject it. In a joint letter to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Norman Bay, senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand urged rejection of the pipeline for environmental, health and safety reasons. The 400-mile pipeline would connect the natural gas hydrofracking fields of Pennsylvania to Boston, and pass through southern Albany and Rensselaer counties. San Jose police announced Tuesday the man shot and killed by an officer Monday night had stabbed two victims in a domestic violence dispute before police arrived. The man, whose name was not released, refused to drop a knife when officers responding to reports of a stabbing approached him in the area of South Third and Martha Streets around 6:15 p.m., according to a statement by Sgt. Enrique Garcia, a San Jose police spokesman. Authorities found two people suffering from stab wounds in front of a home, where witnesses were standing. As an officer ordered the man to drop the knife he did not comply and was acting extremely agitated. The officer fired at the suspect because he was fearful of his aggressive behavior, striking him at least once, police said. The stabbing victims, identified only as one male and one female, were taken to a hospital. One victim remained hospitalized and the other had been released, police said Tuesday. Officers initially said the male victim was in critical condition, but was expected to survive. The officer, whose name was not released, was placed on paid administrative leave. The case is being reviewed by the San Jose Police Department's Internal Affairs Unit, the Office of the Independent Police Auditor for the City of San Jose, and the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. Those with more information can call Detective Sergeant Bert Milliken or Detective Raul Corral of the San Jose Police Department's Homicide Unit at (408) 277-5283. To remain anonymous, call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (408) 947-7867. Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UC Santa Cruz officials have suspended a fraternity, a sorority and six students who were arrested last week after federal agents and local police seized thousands of tablets of the drug MDMA during raids on three off-campus residences. The interim suspensions, announced in an email to students Tuesday, will last until the campus own judicial proceedings are complete. The accused students also face criminal charges ranging from conspiracy to possession of a controlled substance. We hold our students to a high standard and care about the well-being of every member of our campus community, Alison Galloway, provost and executive vice chancellor, said in the email, encouraging students with drug or alcohol problems to seek help through various campus offices. On Friday, three off-campus residences were raided by investigators who were tipped off by Homeland Security and a San Jose postal inspector that suspicious packages from overseas were headed for the Santa Cruz addresses. The bust turned up about 5,000 tablets of MDMA, also known as Ecstasy. Police estimated the street value at more than $100,000. Officers arrested Mariah Dremel, Benny Liu, Cesar Casil, Hoai Nguyen, Cecilia Le, all age 21, and Nathan Tieu, 22, and accused them operating a drug ring. The first four were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy and possession of a controlled substance for sale. Nguyen and Le were arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance. The students are all out on bail, and charges had not been filed as of Wednesday morning. The students are members of the Lambda Phi Epsilon fraternity and the alpha Kappa Delta Phi sorority, both of which are affiliated with the campus. Some of the arrested students hold leadership positions in the groups, according to Galloways email. In separate statements, national leaders of the fraternity and sorority said they sent cease-and-desist orders to the Santa Cruz chapters and that the incident does not reflect the values of the organizations. The six students did not immediately respond to requests for comment by email. A man who answered the phone at Dremels family home declined to comment. Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 SFC / Kale Williams Show More Show Less 2 of 5 SFC / Kale Williams Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Courtesy / Jeremiah Kaylor Show More Show Less 5 of 5 A squatter who took over a historic Presidio Heights mansion in San Francisco last year pleaded guilty to grand theft after he tried selling the valuable paintings he found inside the home, officials said Tuesday. Jeremiah Kaylor, 39, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two felony counts of grand theft and identity theft, said Max Szabo, a spokesman for the San Francisco district attorney's office. The terms of his plea include one year in County Jail and five years probation. The dean of the prestigious UC Berkeley School of Law was placed on indefinite leave of absence at reduced pay Wednesday after his assistant filed a sexual harassment lawsuit alleging that he hugged, kissed and touched her during 2014 and 2015 and that the campus did nothing to stop it. Dean Sujit Choudhrys hugging and kissing ... quickly escalated to a near daily occurrence, the assistant, Tyann Sorrell, says in a complaint filed Tuesday in Alameda County Superior Court. The hugs became tighter and more lingering and the kissing more intimate, in that, over time, Choudhrys kisses began to land closer and closer to (Sorrells) lips. In a statement, Choudhry said he disagrees with the suits claims but cant comment on them. He said he is cooperating with the university to ensure that this lawsuit does not become a distraction for the law school, the university, and our community, whose interests I have always placed above all else. Claude Steele, UC Berkeleys executive vice chancellor and provost, announced the deans leave in a statement, adding that a thorough investigation of this case found that Dean Choudhrys behavior in this situation violated policy, and that he demonstrated a failure to understand the power dynamic and the effect of his actions on the plaintiff personally and in her employment. The allegations come less than five months after the university received widespread criticism for its light-handed approach to disciplining famed planet hunter Geoffrey Marcy, an astronomy professor, after revelations that he had groped female students over nearly a decade. Marcy resigned in October. ALSO Local man faces federal trial in alleged cyber stalking Since 2010, the University of California has paid $330,850 to settle three of six sexual harassment lawsuits, none at Berkeley, according to the university. In 2002, John Dwyer, then the law school dean, resigned amid allegations that he sexually harassed a former student. He admitted to a consensual encounter with the student in 2000, but denied harassing anyone. Dean admits touching UC Berkeleys Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination concluded its investigation in the Choudhry case in July. In the offices redacted report, Choudhry admits that he hugged, kissed and caressed his assistant and definitely touched (her) shoulders and arms. In the report, the dean says it was his way of saying thanks. He admitted to grabbing his assistants hands and putting them on his waist but said there was no sexual intent. He told investigators his behavior was very inappropriate. Choudhry had been earning $415,000. After the investigation, Steele docked the deans pay by 10 percent for one year, to $373,500. He also required Choudhry to see a counselor at his own expense and told him to apologize to his assistant. On Wednesday, Steele placed Choudhry on leave and further reduced his pay but did not say by how much. Steele said the assistant is on a fully paid administrative leave and is welcome to return to a campus job. We feel very strongly that the (school) failed to take Ms. Sorrells complaints seriously enough, said her attorney, John Winer, calling the discipline a slap on the wrist. One of the centerpieces of the inadequate discipline was the fact that the dean was forced to write Ms. Sorrell an apology letter. He said it took three months for Sorrell to get the letter and then only after she asked when it would arrive. The UC Berkeley School of Law is ranked among the best law schools in the country, A constitutional law expert, Choudhry, 46, became its dean in July 2014. He had been a professor at the New York University School of Law. Started with bear hugs Sorrell had been executive assistant to the previous dean since 2012, and became Choudhrys assistant. She said the harassment began in Sept. 2014 with bear hugs. Her complaint says she was in shock that someone of Dean Choudhrys stature would even engage in such conduct. She says she would make her body go limp and keep her arms at her sides before pushing him off. Rather than stop, the dean allegedly began kissing Sorrell on the cheek while hugging her. Other times, he would lean down and kiss her cheek while she was typing, says the complaint, which also alleges that Choudhry blocked the entrance of her cubicle so that she could not avoid his hugs and kissed and hugged her in front of other staff members. Choudhry had a temper and was known for berating and being rude and dismissive of employees when they upset him or when things did not go his way, Sorrell says. The complaint identifies her as a former victim of domestic and sexual abuse and says her boss conduct made her feel disgusted, humiliated exposed and dirty. She says she worried about her reputation and about losing her job, on which her family depended. Sorrell, 41, is married and has five children. Sorrell says she complained many times to the law schools chief of staff, Marilyn Byrne, who left in January 2015, but nothing was done. Sorrell became anxious and depressed, and began seeing a therapist, according to the complaint. In February 2015, Sorrell says Byrnes replacement, Areca Smit, spoke with the law schools director of human resources, Sheri Showalter, who raised Sorrells pay by $10,000. Sorrell wondered if it was meant to pacify her. She says the harassment continued. On March 19, Sorrell says she emailed Choudhry saying she was tired of him constantly touching and kissing her and forwarded it to Showalter. The human resources director said she would forward it to the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination and that Sorrell should use her own sick and vacation time so that she would be away from the office during the investigation, according to the complaint. Sorrell did so, but believed it was unfair for her to leave and use her accrued time while the dean remained at his job. Chronicle staff writer Bob Egelko contributed to this report. Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov Chennai: The DMK is hopeful of cashing in on the perceived resentment of people over relief works and rescue operations of the State government during floods that hit Chennai in December. Party leaders are vying with each other to get a seat in the capital for the forthcoming Assembly elections. Party treasurer M.K. Stalin is certain to enter the race from his Kolathur constituency which was affected by the December floods. He visited the constituency immediately after the floods and provided relief materials to people and DMK functionaries complain that the state government ignored the constituency. Chennai has attracted top leaders even from the western districts and partys deputy general secretary V.P. Duraisamy who won from Namakkal district earlier. The former deputy Speaker has sought a ticket in Egmore, which has many others, including aspirants Parithi Ilamsuruthi and party spokesperson Thamizhan Prasanna, who has already won peoples appreciation in the area as he worked for more than a week to provide flood relief for the people. However, local cadre feel that a young leader like Thamizhan Prasanna has more chances of victory than an outsider. Actor Vaagai Chandrasekar, a long time DMK loyalist, too is looking for Velachery seat though be belongs to Dindigul district. Velachery is one of the areas where boats had to be used to rescue the flood victims. There is a tough contest for Thousand Lights, one of the constituencies won by DMK in its first electoral bid in 1957. Youth wing functionaries and Muslim leaders of the party are trying their best to get the ticket. Another seat witnessing competition is Anna Nagar, held by minister Gokula Indira. Party leader M. Karunanidhi has won from the seat in 1977 and 1980 and later top leaders had contested from the seat successfully. Saidapet and Virugambakkam were worst affected during floods as most of the places lie near the banks of the Adyar, which was in spate after Chembarambakkam lake water was released. Compared to other constituencies in the city, top functionaries show little interest in Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaas constituency R.K. Nagar, Royapuram and Perambur. For six years, parents had no idea that staff members were stashing guns at their childrens schools in the Folsom Cordova school district east of Sacramento. They were just-in-case guns hidden and secured by district-authorized employees who owned concealed weapons permits to keep the schools safe. As rumors began to circulate about the presence of guns in many of the 33 schools, Superintendent Deborah Bettencourt confirmed the practice and sought to dispel rumors. Not all schools have a staff member authorized to store a gun, the superintendent said. She declined to offer specifics about how many guns were on school campuses, which schools had guns or where they were kept, citing safety concerns. But, only authorized and trained individuals were allowed to safely store and access a firearm in the case of an emergency, she said. None were teachers and no one was allowed to carry a gun during the school day. We are all too aware of mass shootings in school communities and the dangers posed by criminals who want to do harm, she wrote in a letter to families Tuesday. The safety of our students, staff, and families, is our number one priority, and our narrow practice of allowing select, law-abiding employees to securely store and access a firearm in the event of an emergency is a legal and appropriate safety measure given the unfortunate reality of violence in our society today. Still, the secretive policy alarmed parents, with many in Folsom Cordova as well as in other communities wondering if guns were close to their childrens classrooms. It appears the practice is not common. San Francisco district officials, for example, were surprised such a practice was possible. Other parents took to social media to support the idea. Across the country, many states have been debating legislation in recent years that would allow those with concealed weapons permits to carry guns on K-12 and college campuses. Bettencourt said she consulted with law enforcement and the school board in adopting the policy. While a new state law prevents concealed weapons permit holders from carrying guns on school campuses, superintendents can override that with written authorization. Each authorized employee is allowed to store one handgun on campus, she said. We understand that this is an emotional and personal issue for many, and that you may have numerous questions about this practice, Bettencourt said. Please understand that we are unable to divulge most specifics such as locations, positions and identities of approved employees because we and local law enforcement officials believe doing so could create potential threats against sites and individuals. Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker After nearly 100 years in operation, St. Marys School in San Francisco will suspend operations at the end of this school year because of low enrollment and financial instability, archdiocese officials said Tuesday. The K-8 school, which offers a bilingual Mandarin program, failed to lure more students despite a marketing and recruiting effort, said the Rev. Bartholomew Landry, pastor of Old Saint Mary's Cathedral and Chinese Mission, in a statement. Currently, 80 students attend the K-8 school, with another 26 in the preschool, according to Mike Brown, spokesman for the archdiocese. Unhappily now, the numbers just arent there, he said. Our parish is under financial pressure to balance our books at both the school and parish level, and we can no longer sustain the annual losses brought on by low enrollment. The school was among the first Catholic schools in the city, opening in 1921 to serve the Chinese community. Current and former families were taken aback by the announcement. I am sad, said Alex Lau, 47, who graduated from the school in 1982 and still lives in San Francisco, in an email. Its a Chinatown icon. Landry emphasized that this was a suspension rather than a closure and that the bilingual Montessori preschool would continue to operate. The parish would re-evaluate demand for kindergarten enrollment in a few years, he said. We have one of the newest school buildings in San Francisco and we plan to make a comeback, he said of the school located at Kearny and Jackson streets. Landry noted that up to 35 percent of the schools middle school graduates have been accepted to the academically competitive Lowell High School each year, with others going on to other competitive private and Catholic schools. This suspension is not a reflection on the quality of our school, and the well-known family and nurturing spirit of our faculty and administration, he said. Rather, it is a re-grouping, marketing and planning period for all of us administration, alumni, family and friends. Parents and community members were expected to gather for a public meeting on the announcement Tuesday night at Old St. Marys Cathedral. Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When it comes to tacos, the mayors of San Antonio and Austin are lovers, not fighters. So as far as theyre concerned, the Texas Taco War is over, and theyve declared a truce. But we havent. And at least one San Antonio chef and one Austin chef havent, either, and will stage one last battle Friday at SXSW Interactive in Austin at the S.A.-promoting Casa San Antonio. Thursday morning was supposed to be the official, epic taco throwdown led by Mayor Ivy Taylor of San Antonio and Mayor Steve Adler of Austin. But instead they got all Kumbaya and announced that they were jointly hosting a Taco Summit instead of a competition a kind of love-in for tacos. I think were calling a truce, Taylor said, so we can move on to weightier issues. But what could be weightier than a citys pride in one of its most famous foods? The hostilities began with an unprovoked skirmish against the pride of South Texas in the form of a sloppily written and poorly reported story on the Eater Austin website austin.eater.com claiming Austin as the home of the breakfast taco. This sparked outrage that took the form of a Change.org petition demanding the expulsion of the writer of that piece from Austin, an op-ed in the Austin America-Statesman from San Antonio Councilman Joe Krier and then Adlers corresponding declaration of taco war on San Antonio. Taylors response to the declaration of war: Bring it on. But the political heads have cooled and instead of a throwdown, the two mayors released statements that Thursday will instead be a Breakfast Taco Summit. Taylor will bring 50 tacos from her favorite East Side spot, Mittman Fine Foods off of Walters north of Interstate 10. Her assortment will include 20 bacon and egg on corn tortillas (Taylors favorite), 20 chorizo and egg on flour tortillas, five carne guisada on flour (the restaurants most popular) and five carne guisada with cheese on flour. When it comes to the loyalty that our cities have for the infinite possibilities created when you put scrambled eggs into a warm tortilla, there is more that unites Austin and San Antonio than could ever divide us, Adler said in a statement. I am confident we will reach a mutually satisfactory agreement on the I-35 Accords. We will have guac in our times. Mittman has been owned by Octavio and Mary Benavides for 36 years, and it became Taylors favorite because it was the favorite spot of her husband. And how do Taylors favorite tacos fare under this critics judgment? Overall, theyre good. I wouldnt call them the best in the city, but theyre a solid representation of this citys morning treasure. The bacon and egg on corn tortilla tacos, however, are excellent. The bacon is diced and mixed with the egg, which is still a bit tender and not hard, and the thick corn tortilla perfectly fits the South Texas style made from masa harina. The chunks of beef in the carne guisada are tender and still juicy, while the gravy has good beef flavor. I wish the flour tortillas were a bit thicker and flakier to highlight a texture that distinguishes the flour tortillas of South Texas from Northern Mexico. But while the official hostilities will cease, there is still a thirst for war, and two chefs are set to slake it. The day after the Taco Summit, San Antonio chef and restaurateur Johnny Hernandez is organizing an event to take on a yet-to-be named chef from Austin for a taco throwdown. A spokeswoman for Hernandez said the Austin chef was still being finalized but did say that judges from Food & Wine magazine, Food Network, Mouth.com and Food.com will determine whose tacos reign supreme. Im going to stay out of that one, Taylor said. Ill leave it to the professionals. Well we wont be staying out of it and will be covering both the Taco Summit Thursday and the taco throwdown Friday, so stay tuned for more details. In the meantime, click through the slideshow above to see my picks for the top five breakfast taco spots in S.A. the list from which the mayor should have chosen. Contributed Photo / ST GREENWICH Its nearly 5,000 miles from Greenwich to the nation of Greece, but the sun-swept nation where democracy was born will feel much closer when a benefit is held at the Millbrook Club Saturday to raise funds for scholarships at the American Farm School. The educational institution was founded by Christian missionaries more than a century ago, and it has educated generations of Greeks since then, as well as Americans who come to study on a summer program. The Greek Summer that the school provides to American teenagers who live and work with Greek families will be the subject of presentations by three local teens. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany JJ Hanson was given four months to live. That was about two years ago. Now, he recounts his diagnosis of advanced glioblastoma, a deadly form of brain cancer, with an even-keeled delivery. "I am a good example that sometimes you will receive a prognosis or a diagnosis that is not correct," he said Tuesday in Albany. Hanson, the president of the national Patients' Rights Action Fund, is among those who would have been eligible to choose to end his own life under proposals being pushed in the state Legislature. Such physician-assisted suicide legislation is far from passage. Yet Hanson and others from a former state Office of the Aging director to hospice providers to physicians are actively pushing back against the two legislative proposals. They say physician-assisted suicide supporters prefer "aid in dying" would impact medical research, health care providers and the disabled, many of whom view such programs as a further devaluation of society's most vulnerable. The opponents also warn of a lack of proper oversight in the proposed programs, and see the potential for abuse by those who want out from under the burden of caring for an ailing loved one. "Is one (terminally ill) person's two weeks of potential pain or being a burden on family, is that worth losing someone else's life because they can't get good medical care?" Hanson said. "No. That's a complete violation of what our society stands for." Aid in dying advocates in recent weeks have recounted the story of Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old woman with brain cancer who moved to Oregon in order to receive the life-ending drugs that ended her life in November 2014. Her husband Dan Diaz spoke with the Times Union last month during his visit to Albany. While advocates on Tuesday emphasized the availability of palliative and hospice care, Diaz pointed out that Maynard didn't quickly kill herself once the couple moved from California. Instead, she continued fight and took advantage of medical care even once she was able to obtain the drugs that allowed her to die in her sleep. The advocates pointed to a lack of safeguards that they say would allow caregivers to make the choice of when a terminally ill patient takes the lethal drugs without their consent. Diaz sees it as a law that makes sure the patient is the one who wants to take the drugs. For the record, the two legislative proposals on the table in New York would require that patients not only request in writing the medication but also administer it to themselves. One of them would offer the option of a doctor helping a patient take the drug. State Senate Republican Majority Leader John Flanagan has approached the issue with caution that leans toward opposition. (Notably, Republican state Sen. John Bonancic carries a version of the legislation.) A spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said the Democratic majority had yet to discuss the proposals in conference. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said two weeks ago that the issue is "complicated and controversial," and expressed neither support not opposition to the fundamental concept. In its moral and religious outlines, the debate is similar to the battle over abortion rights a fight that has remained static at the Capitol for several years. Though no religious leaders spoke at Tuesday's press conference, the Rev. Jason McGuire executive director of New Yorker's Family Research and New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms was in attendance. Dr. David Kim, CEO of the Beacon Christian Community Health Center on Staten Island, tried to placed the issue in simple clinical terms. "When you take all the fancy language out, it's still suicide," he said. "... If the health care system and society have failed in taking care of these people who are thinking about taking their own lives, then we should be aiding them in living. We should not be aiding them in dying." mhamilton@timesunion.com 518-454-5449 @matt_hamilton10 Courtesy NYSNYS.com's Kyle Hughes, here's video of Hanson and former state Office of the Aging Director Michael Burgess, the spokesman for New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide: A Seattle man previously sentenced to 4 years in prison for attacking a pregnant woman is now accused of shooting a different woman he may have impregnated. This time around, King County prosecutors say Corey X. Brown shot his ex-girlfriend in the leg on Feb. 28. The woman was 13 weeks pregnant at the time. Investigators claim Brown a sexual offender with an extensive criminal history was upset that the woman was leaving him, and that she wasnt sure if he was her childs father. He is alleged to have shot her during an argument outside the womans home in West Seattle. Brown was sentenced to a 4-year prison term in March 2013 after menacing another woman with a gun. In that incident, Brown attacked a woman who was nine months pregnant with his child. On Oct. 30, 2012, King County Sheriffs Office deputies arrived at a Burien home to find an extremely distraught, obviously pregnant woman. The woman explained that Brown pointed a pistol at her after she told him she didnt want to see him anymore. Brown was arrested at the house after being boxed in by one of the womans friends. Brown ultimately pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and unlawful gun possession. The convictions marked his 14th and 15th felony convictions; he was convicted as a juvenile of attempted child rape. The charges now brought against Brown are the most serious hes faced. If convicted as charged, he faces at least 25 years in prison. Writing the court, a Seattle Police Department detective said the woman and a friend were jump-starting a car outside the Delridge neighborhood home when Brown stopped by. The woman had told him previously she didnt want anything more to do with him. Theyd dated for two months, according to charging papers, and Brown was angry about the breakup. An argument ensued that Sunday evening. Brown took a swing at the woman, the detective said in charging papers, and then drew a pistol after the womans friend tried to break up the fight. According to charging papers, Brown leveled the gun at the other mans face and pulled the trigger. The gun failed to fire, the detective said, but Brown managed to clear the misfire and chamber another round. Brown then shot the woman in the upper thigh, the detective continued. The woman later told police she barely felt the shot at the moment she said she grabbed a pipe and swung it at Brown, driving him back. The woman was taken to a nearby clinic and then to Harborview Medical Center. Brown is alleged to have been driven from the scene by another man. Arrested March 2, Brown declined to discuss the incident, the detective said in court papers. Brown has been charged with first-degree assault and unlawful gun possession. If convicted as charged, he faces at least 25 years in prison. He has been jailed on a probation violation since the incident. Seattlepi.com reporter Levi Pulkkinen can be reached at 206-448-8348 or levipulkkinen@seattlepi.com. Follow Levi on Twitter at twitter.com/levipulk. BALTIMORE The second trial for a police officer charged in the death of Freddie Gray is set for next month a year after the black mans neck was broken in a police van and one of the officers colleagues will be forced to testify. The latest reshuffling of trial dates happened Tuesday when Marylands highest court ruled that Officer William Porter must testify against his fellow officers while he awaits retrial. Porters trial ended in a hung jury in December and proceedings for the other officers have essentially been on hold while the courts determined whether he should be forced to take the stand. The trial for Lt. Brian Rice, the highest-ranking officer charged in the Gray case, will start April 13 one year and one day after Gray was arrested outside the Gilmor Homes in Baltimores Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood when he ran from police. Gray was booked after Rice and officers Edward Nero and Garrett Miller found a knife they deemed illegal in Grays pocket. The states attorney has said the knife was legal and Gray should have never been taken into custody. He died a week after his injury in the van. Rice is charged with manslaughter, misconduct in office, reckless endangerment and assault. All of the officers have pleaded not guilty. Porter, who checked on Gray after he was put in the van, testified at his trial that he didnt do anything wrong during Grays arrest. He told a jury that it was the van drivers responsibility to make sure Gray was secured in a seat belt. Porters attorneys argued he shouldnt be forced to take the stand at the other trials because he could potentially open himself up to perjury. The Maryland Court of Appeals judges seemed skeptical during oral arguments last week, saying Porter shouldnt have anything to worry about as long as he tells the truth. Amy Dillard, a law professor at the University of Baltimore, said their ruling makes sense. What the prosecution is asking for is that Porter be called and asked the same questions and testify as he did before under oath, Dillard said. If the prosecutor goes into areas he has not commented on or testified about, there are motions to be made during those trials. The appeals court issued two rulings. The first ruling agreed with Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams decision to force Porter to testify against Sgt. Alicia White and Officer Caesar Goodson, all of whom face manslaughter, assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office charges. Goodson, the van driver, faces the most serious charge, second-degree murder. A second order reversed Williams decision that Porter did not have to testify against officers Miller, Nero and Rice. Miller and Nero face misconduct in office, reckless endangerment and assault charges. 1 Murder charges: A Chicago man has been charged with first-degree murder after police say he helped lure a 9-year-old boy into an alley with a juice box and then shot him in the head because of his fathers gang ties. Dwight Boone-Doty, 22, was charged this week in the Nov. 2 death of Tyshawn Lee. Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Boone-Doty has been held since his November arrest on unrelated gun charges. Guglielmi said Boone-Doty has admitted to shooting the boy. The fourth-grader was one of more than 400 homicide victims in Chicago last year. 2 Oregon standoff: Authorities say police were justified in killing an armed Arizona rancher who helped lead a standoff at an Oregon national wildlife refuge earlier this yea in Burns. A county prosecutor on Tuesday released the results of an investigation into the death of Robert LaVoy Finicum. Oregon State Police opened fire during a traffic stop Jan. 26 that also led to the arrests of the occupations leaders. In an aerial footage video, Finicum is pulled over in his truck but then takes off and plows into a snowbank. He gets out and has his hands up at first, then appears to reach toward his jacket pocket at least twice. Officers shoot him, and he falls. The mainstream political establishment wakes up badly rattled this morning. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders shocked the Democratic establishment Tuesday by upsetting former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Michigan, defying her large lead in the polls with a narrow victory. While Clinton swamped Sanders in Mississippi on Tuesday, racking up another victory in a Deep South state with a large share of African American voters, Sanders won by appealing to Midwestern voters who feel crushed by two decades of free trade deals. The victory energizes his campaign just as voters in similar upper Midwestern states of Ohio and Illinois as well as Florida prepare to cast ballots on Tuesday. What tonight means is that the Bernie Sanders campaign the political revolution we are talking about is strong in every part of the country, Sanders said Tuesday. And our strongest areas have yet to happen. Meanwhile, the Republican establishment missed badly in its attempt to derail Donald Trumps march to the GOP nomination he handily won the Michigan and Mississippi primaries Tuesday. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz won the Idaho primary. Trump also won the Republican caucus in Hawaii. After weathering millions of dollars worth of attack ads in recent days funded by mainstream Republicans terrified by the possibility of him becoming the partys face, Trump defiantly jutted out his chin Tuesday night at the establishment, including 2012 GOP nominee and Michigan native son Mitt Romney who recorded robocalls urging voters there to reject Trump. Mitt was vicious, Trump said during his victory speech. I wished hed used that same energy against Obama. I think he would have won. Both parties races in Michigan were shaped by the frustrations of voters left behind in the economic recovery. Sanders pointed out to voters Clintons support of trade deals that have helped to send jobs overseas, a major issue in the nations automobile manufacturing capital. What were seeing on both sides is a frustration with the mainstream candidates, said Jeremi Suri, a professor of public policy at the University of Texas at Austin. The appeal of both a Trump and a Sanders shows that voters feel that the mainstream candidates are not serving them well. Voters in Michigan were saying that free trade and globalization are harmful to their state, Suri said. Clintons ongoing challenge remains her trustworthiness. According to exit polls of Michigan voters, 6 in 10 Tuesday found her to be honest, compared with 8 in 10 who said the same of Sanders. Tuesdays results wont change the mathematical contours of the Democratic race, as Clinton has a large lead in the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination, largely because she has secured the pledges from the vast majority of superdelegates elected officials and party officials. Because delegates are allocated proportionally, Sanders scored slightly more than half of the 130-delegate haul from Michigan while Clinton took home the bulk in Mississippi. On the Republican side, Trump rolled on. Propelled by less-educated whites who believe the New York billionaire speaks to their economic insecurity, Trumps victories force the campaigns of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich to the brink of extinction. In Michigan, Trump dominated in Macomb County, which has long been been identified as the iconic home of the Reagan Democrats, conservative Democrats who left the party 36 years ago to vote for Ronald Reagan and never returned. In Macomb, Trump received more than twice as many votes as Kasich, his closest competitor. The central question is: (In the general election), is he going to be cutting into the white voter that went Democratic for Obama? said Steve Phillips, author of the new best-seller Brown is the New White: How the Demographic Revolution Has Created a New American Majority. Kasich, who has yet to win a contest, needs to win his home state of Ohio to have any hope of remaining viable. He finished third, just behind Cruz, in Michigan on Tuesday, despite spending so much time campaigning there that he joked that he would have to start paying taxes. Rubio, christened by the establishment as the anti-Trump choice, flat-lined Tuesday, finishing last in Michigan and Mississippi. If Rubio doesnt win in his home state on Tuesday, he will probably return to Florida to complete his senatorial term, which expires this year, and plan his next career move. Trump dominated the vote in Mississippi, where 84 percent of the voters were evangelical Christians, supposedly the backbone of Cruzs campaign. Cruz has now lost eight Southern states with large evangelical populations to the thrice-married Trump, who has switched his positions on abortion and same-sex marriage. Trump said Tuesday that while the GOP establishment has been busy attacking him and trying to kneecap his campaign, his unexpected success is generating excitement for the party. I want to thank the special interests and the lobbyists, because they did something to drive these numbers, Trump said sarcastically. Trump may have a point. Through the first 12 primaries of the campaign, the GOP turnout has been 17 percent of eligible voters the highest primary level since 1980, according to a study released Tuesday by Pew Research Center. Democratic turnout has been 12 percent, the highest since 1992, with the exception of the high turnout in 2008, when President Obama and Clinton dueled in the primaries. Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli SEATTLE A natural-gas explosion rocked a Seattle neighborhood early Wednesday, destroying several businesses and sending nine firefighters to a hospital. Crews were responding to reports of a natural-gas leak when the explosion occurred along a main thoroughfare north of downtown, Seattle Fire Department spokeswoman Corey Orvold said. The cause was under investigation. There were no reports of any other injuries or anyone missing. Dogs were being used to go through the rubble just in case. Video surveillance from the Olive and Grape Mediterranean Restaurant showed a bright flash at 1:43 a.m. and then the room shakes as debris falls from the ceiling. A large garage door covering the restaurants front windows protected it from extensive damage. The Olive and Grape was lucky, owner Paola Kossack said in an email. Bike shop owner Davey Oil said he arrived soon after the fire trucks. There were tons of flames leaping over what was already the rubble of Neptune coffee, which as you can see now totaled, gone, he said. Crews were still dousing an active flame with foam as the Greenwood neighborhood awakened. Residents were checking out the damage along with the rubble and glass that littered the streets. Workers from one cafe damaged in the blast poured coffee for firefighters. Among the businesses damaged or destroyed were Neptune Coffee, Mr. Gyro and the bike shop G&O Family Cyclery. An apartment building and another nearby residential structure were evacuated. Our block is a pretty close-knit block and this is pretty terrible, Oil said. Chocolati Cafe manager Darla Weidman said she was relieved the blast occurred overnight instead of 11 a.m., when the shop sometimes is packed with people. I know neighbors will do everything they can to support these businesses as they begin the long and challenging task to recover and repair from this incident, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said in a statement. The city will also be there to do what we can. Puget Sound Energy spokeswoman Akiko Oda said gas service for the impacted buildings was shut off about an hour after the blast and the shutdown was later expanded. The utility said it completed leak surveys for the block around the area and no leaks were found. Oda said it will take time to determine what caused the explosion, and the utility will be working with the Seattle Fire Department in the investigation. Pipeline safety investigators from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission were also on site. Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg said eight firefighters and a battalion chief were treated at the facility. None of the eight men and one woman was admitted to the hospital. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the passage of all pending bills will give momentum to country's progress as he addressed the Rajya Sabha to reply on the motion of thanks to President Pranab Mukherjee's address. The Prime Minister also took a dig at the Congress by comparing the party to death. "There is a funny thing about death, no one blames death. They blame the reason why people die, he said and added that Congress has a similar boon. Whenever there is an attack on Congress, it's always said attack on Opposition, and never said attack on the Congress, he said. Modi also made a fresh pitch for passage of GST and other legislations in the Rajya Sabha considering the "conducive atmosphere" that has been prevailing in Parliament this session with cooperation from the opposition. Like in the Lok Sabha last week, he was both conciliatory and mocking towards the opposition, particularly Congress, during his hour long reply to the debate in the Upper House. Referring to some 300 amendments that have been tabled to the motion of thanks, Modi appealed to the parties to withdraw them and passed the motion unanimously to ensure dignity of the President's office and in keeping with the high traditions of the House. However, despite his appeal, the government suffered an embarrassment when the House adopted the Motion of Thanks to President's Address with an amendment moved by Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad in a division in which 94 voted for the amendment and 61 against. The amendment regretted that the address did not commit support to rights of all citizens to contest Panchayat elections in the backdrop of law in Rajasthan and Haryana where matriculation has been fixed as the criteria for contesting the polls. During his speech, Modi invoked late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's words to say that Rajya Sabha is a chamber of ideas and there was need for coordination between it and the Lok Sabha because both of them are part of a structure. "I hope we give importance to Pandit Nehru's thinking and I hope all pending bills are passed in this session," he said amid thumping of desks by the treasury benches. The government has been having difficulties in getting through with its legislations, especially the crucial Goods and Services Tax bill, because of the lack of majority in the Upper House. Adopting a conciliatory approach, the Prime Minister referred to the President's address in which the President appealed to the members to ensure smooth functioning of the Parliament and not allow disruption. "We have been running Parliament this session smoothly for this I would thank the opposition for carrying forward President's message. The impact of the President's message is a matter of pride for us," he said. Pointing to the smooth functioning of the Houses this session, Modi said the Lok Sabha sat till Tuesday midnight and the Rajya Sabha had a late sitting a couple of days ago. "Even after the late sittings, the members were enthusiastic and excited. Because, after a long time, they got an opportunity to express themselves in Parliament and to put through their views across. "The Question Hour is a good opportunity for members to keep the government, ministers and the executive on a tight leash and ensure accountability which is greatest strength of democracy," he said. Modi said in the past session, out of 169 starred questions, only seven were taken up while 42 hours were wasted because of disruptions. In the session before that, only six questions were taken up and 72 hours were lost in disruptions. "Now, ministers and officials are forced to make preparations for replying in Parliament. This is the strength of democracy. No words are enough to thank...," he said. The Prime Minister told the Congress that it was in power for long and that the NDA has got the opportunity now. "Development in fits and starts is not enough. Such an approach will leave us far behind. We need to move from incremental to quantum jump," he said. The Prime Minister mocked the Congress for claiming ownership to the programmes of his dispensation. Earlier in the day, the Rajya Sabha witnessed pandemonium over Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's World Culture Festival. The opposition demanded answers on why the army was roped in for a private function. The issue was raised by JD-U leader Sharad Yadav and other members during Zero Hour. Opposition MPs stormed into the Well of the House and raised slogans. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury hit out at the Centre asking why was the Army roped in for a private event. In response, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is committed towards protecting environment and added that it would be wrong to doubt his commitment towards nature. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said that he was concerned about the event, as the Delhi Police had also raised security concerns. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, however, lashed back at the Opposition saying that if a matter is pending with Tribunal, ordinarily, the chair doesn't allow the issue to be raised in the House. Speaking to the media after the House was adjourned, Yechury reiterated that the Army was being misused and added the entire matter is a violation on the Green Tribunal. "How can the Indian Army be summoned to make arrangements for a private function? How are they violating the existing laws in this issue? How are they misusing the Army? The government owes an explanation for this," he said. The Delhi Police has raised serious security concerns over the fete being organised by the Art of Living foundation on the Yamuna floodplains. A DCP rank officer, who inspected the venue on March 1 along with his team, in a report submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development, Art of Living, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma raised serious question about the preparation and safety arrangements. The report said that only one pontoon bridge is being prepared as opposed to seven, as proposed earlier, and the work on second bridge was still on. A pontoon bridge can at best be used by 15, 000 people in an hour, but the number of people expected to turn up for the event is around 2.5 to three lakh people, the report added. Meanwhile, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) continued to hear the plea today seeking to stop construction of temporary structure on the Yamuna floodplains for the event. On Tuesdays hearing, the Green Panel also questioned the building up of pontoon bridge by the Army on river Yamuna for the festival. Earlier, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had defended the event, saying not a single tree has been cut and the ecological stability has been maintained during the preparations. The World Culture Festival is scheduled to be held from March 11 to 13. According to reports the event will feature yoga and meditation sessions, peace prayers and traditional cultural performances from around the world. Florida police have released the jaw-dropping video of a sanitation truck that crashed through the guardrail of an overpass and plunged 100 feet to a street below. The incident happened on Feb. 15, but the video was only made public Monday. NEW CANAAN Paul Bisaccia needed only his piano and his favorite composer George Gershwin to turn the Adrian Lamb Room of New Canaan Library into a concert hall and a history lesson in American music. Bisaccia is a celebrated concert pianist who has toured Europe and hosted PBS television specials Gershwin by Bisaccia, Paul Bisaccia and the Great American Piano, and Chopin by Bisaccia. He considers Gershwin the greatest American composer and filled many of the breaks during his March 3 concert with anecdotes about the musician, and from his own nearly six decades spent playing the piano. I fell in love with the piano when I was 4 years old, Bisaccia said of his musical roots. I went to my great-grandmothers house in East Douglas, Massachusetts, and she had an older piano in the parlor. I knew I was going to play the piano the minute I saw that. He began taking formal lessons soon after. As a teenager he toured Europe with the Greater Hartford Youth Orchestra before going on to study the instrument at a the Hartt School, the performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford, where Bach, Chopin, Liszt and other composers in the classical canon were his focus. It wasnt until heavy snowfall in 1978 caused the roof to collapse on the Hartford Civic Center, putting the citys biggest music venue out of commission, that he fell in love with the music of Gershwin. Sensing a void in Hartfords musical offerings, the Sheraton Hotel downtown decided to hire a pianist to entertain its guests. Bisaccia landed the gig, and for three years he played six days a week, four hours a night at the Sheraton, alternating between classical music on more subdued evenings and Broadway show tunes and Top 40 on rowdier nights. Always, the music of Gershwin earned him a favorable response. I couldnt wait to play more Gershwin, Bisaccia explained to the crowd, citing the versatility of the composers music. You can play it in concerts, at club dates, for friends in a living room. Perched at his piano bench Bisaccia animatedly played Maple Leaf Rag, waltzes by Scott Joplin and Richard Rodgers, a Creole piece by Louis Moreau Gottschalk with a lot of glittering runs in the right hand, John Philip Sousas stately Washington Post March, and much Gershwin. He ended with a powerful piano transcription of the symphonic poem, An American in Paris, originally written for a symphony orchestra, but played with a vigor that more than compensated, which clocked in at over 16 minutes. Its fun to make the piano sound like a full symphony orchestra. You can really make the piano thunder. When youre imitating an orchestra, being able to thunder is really good, he said. For the duration of the evening, Bisaccia, now 60, bounced off the keys spasmodically, flipping his sandy-blonde hair on faster tunes with each jerk of his body and sometimes leaping clear off the bench, or slowing his body almost to a stop and closing his eyes meditatively during the rare somber numbers, such as Gershwins Prelude Two, which he described as a bluesy lullaby. People come up and say, Oh you must be exhausted after that. No, I mean, I can sit and play all day long, Bisaccia said after his performance, showing no visible signs at all of fatigue. The music he wrote is so memorable. The themes are so memorable. Everything about it is embraceable, Bisaccia said as he packed to leave. justin.papp@scni.com; newcanaannewsonline.com Hyderabad: Once again the TRS party proved its dominance in Warangal by claiming 44 of the 58 divisions in the GWMC elections. The final results were declared on Wednesday after counting took place at the Enumamula market yard. TRS claimed dominance right from the first round as it kept increasing its overall tally and finally ended up with 44 seats to its name. Opposition parties could not give any competition to the ruling party as the Congress is restricted to four divisions, the BJP and CPM just one and the TDP could not open its account at all. Independent candidates, rebels who filed nominations against the TRS, won in 8 divisions. For the first time, a different procedure was used while declaring the results. Instead of counting all the wards at a time and declaring the leads round by round, only six divisions were taken per each round and results were declared directly for those six divisions only. Officials said they decided to proceed with this method to avoid candidates and party agents stuffing the counting halls. Only the representatives of the six divisions in each round were allowed in the hall while counting. After the declaration of results, the TRS party cadre started their celebrations. They celebrated by dancing and beating drums. Candidates visited colonies in their wards and thanked the people for supporting them. K. Madhavi, who won from division 38 said the TRS governments people welfare schemes have made the people come forward and vote for the TRS. She visited come colonies under her ward and thanked the people. KU student leader Jorika Ramesh who won from 34th division thanked KCR for recognizing the students efforts during the Telangana agitation. Students of Kakatiya University played an important role during the Telangana struggle for 15 years. We are thankful to CM KCR for giving us this opportunity to serve to the people of Telangana. All MLAs and MPs supported me a lot. I thank all the people for supporting me with such a huge win, he said. The party did not have its presence in Khammam in the previous municipal election, hoisted its flag first time. The ruling party bagged 34 seats out fo 50 divisions. It won in eighteen divisions from one to twenty divisions. All the three ST candidates from TRS such as Gugplotu Papalal from second division, Daravat Rammoorthy Naik from first division and Rudavat Ramadevi from 38th division won in the election and the new mayor will be elected on March 15. The ruling party has to select one of the corporator for the mayor post from these three corporators. As per the sources, the top leaders of the party have been showing favour in placing Gugulotu Papalal, a gybacologist for the post and he won in second division with the margin of 1500 votes. TRS, which got only 12,000 votes in the 2014 assembly elections in Khammam assembly segment, surprised many by getting KMC in the election. TRS candidate from 33 division Seelamsetti Rama got highest majority votes. She defeated his opponent candidate Regella Ramana of TDP with 2590 votes margin. Rama obtained 2879 votes and Ramana with 289 votes. All the opposition candidates lost their deposit in the division. The staying and campaigning of Deputy Chief Minister Mahmmad Ali for four days in Khammam had also paid dividends apart from the strategy of Minister for Roads and Buildings T Nageswara Rao and the visit of four MLAs in the campaign. The TRS candidate Meda Prasanthalaxmi won in eleventh division where Congress MLA Puvvada Ajay Kumar fielded his sister in-law Puvvada Jayasri from CPI. Prasantha Laxmi got 2489 votes against Jayasri, who obtained 2178 votes. TRS president Budan Baig said that the winning of the party in the election is as expected. People of Khammam blessed TRS and its development programs, he said. Every cliche in politics is applicable to the concrete conditions (Sitaram Yechurys favourite phrase) in West Bengal, especially that there are no permanent enemies in politics. Marx has been proved right; history does not unfold along straight lines; there are moments when it leaps and zigzags. This is one such moment, when two old sworn enemies, at least in the state the Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) along with the Left Front it heads have buried the hatchet and arrived at an understanding for seat adjustment. United in their battle against the domination of the Trinamul Congress, which is a curious mix of considerable violence deployed to subjugate and a fervent loyalty to Mamata Banerjee, the two parties have suspended their hostilities and arrived at a surprisingly harmonious adjustment. The Left Front has kept 116 seats out of the 294 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal for itself and the Congress has earmarked 75 seats, in its first list, without naming the candidates. This is a jump from the number of seats 68 that the Congress was allowed to contest in the alliance with the Trinamul Congress in 2011, when negotiations went on interminably. More notably, Left Front partners have been persuaded by the CPM to make room for the Congress on turf that the Forward Bloc, the Communist Party of India and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) had held as if on indefinite proprietary lease. In Murshidabad, RSP has given up three seats to the Congress, which makes sense because the district is the stronghold of Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. The Forward Bloc has given up nine seats and the CPI is prepared to give up two. In adjusting to the partnership with the Congress, there is notable absence of acrimony. More pertinently, there is pragmatism. Therefore, of the 11 seats in Kolkata, the Congress share is five, including the most important seat in the state Bhowanipore. There the Congress has already announced that Omprakash Mishra will fight Ms Banerjee. There seems to be delicious malice in the choice because Mr Mishra is the originator of the seat understanding strategy. He wrote to Sonia Gandhi in December, kicking off the process. Predictably, glitches that both sides are anxious to resolve have popped up, with the possibility of friendly fights likely in some seats, as in Domkal, Hariharpara and Nabagram in Murshidabad. In the Congress list of 75 seats, there is one, Joypur, that is an irritant for the Left since it had marked this seat as its own in its list of 116. Big guns are being rolled out to smash the Trinamul Congress bastion. And even though the CPM has said no to joint campaign, it has inserted a caveat if there are places where the seat understanding candidate is being attacked by the Trinamul Congress, then there will be combined rallies, albeit without party flags. This tactic has already been deployed, with good effect. No party flags rallies were held in Raidighi in South 24 Parganas, where Mr Mishra walked six km with CPMs Kanti Ganguly, infusing new confidence among workers of both parties. In Birbhum, the two parties organised a joint rally in Rampurhat; in Hooghly there have been combined protests against Trinamul Congress tyranny. In Kolkata there have been no party banners rallies on issues like the chit fund scam and against the Bharatiya Janata Party . West Bengals leap into the fluid dynamics of 21st century politics in India, where issues unite the unlikeliest of parties, marks the moment when a new history in the state is possible. The surge of the BJP after 2014 had deepened the sense of doom, but it has now pushed the CPM and the Congress into a relationship. The BJPs gain in vote share in West Bengal rose to 16.84 in 2014 from 4.06 per cent in 2011 at the cost of the Congress as well as the CPM. While its popular appeal has dipped and the bellwether Kolkata Municipal Corporation proves this (the BJP ranked third, failing to oust the Left from second place in the 144 seats tally), the dread remains of a new surge in its favour should Narendra Modi redeem himself. If a consolidation of the Opposition does not take place now, if the Trinamul Congress is not challenged now, the small window through which the Opposition can escape from almost inevitable annihilation will have closed. As much as the Congress, the CPM has scoured its soul to do the unthinkable. Putting ancient rivalry and the bitter fallout in 2008 behind them, the two parties have separately and then jointly arrived at the same conclusion: fresh beginnings must be made to push back the Trinamul Congress in 2016 and the BJP in 2019. The West Bengal elections will be the foundation for the 2019 partnership, because the Congress is the BJPs principal political enemy and the Left its ideological ally. Almost the entire political capital of the two parties has gone into launching this partnership which is based on a reading of the undercurrents at the grassroots, as well as a grim acceptance by the CPM that on its own it cannot challenge the Trinamul Congress. The Congress too knows that on its own it will be further reduced from the nine Assembly seats it has (it had just 9.6 per cent vote share in 2014). The logic is simple. The Trinamul Congress has 44 per cent of the votes in West Bengal. The CPM-led Left Front has around 33 per cent. The Congress has under 10 per cent, and the BJP has around 17 per cent vote share on the basis of its 2014 performance. Since the Trinamul Congress is not squeamish about using its power as the ruling party, it will do everything within and outside the code of conduct for elections to ensure that its dominance is not diminished. The combined votes of the CPM-led Left Front and the Congress almost equal the Trinamul Congress. If the Opposition prevents votes from being split three ways, then the Trinamul Congress would have a harder time winning. What has facilitated the seat understanding strategy most is the CPMs admission that it is no longer the party it was in 2009. By admitting that 2016 is the year of extraordinary circumstances in West Bengal, the CPM is working to stave off the fall from domination to inescapable decimation. In doing so, it has stepped over the line that had kept it apart from other parties in India and accepted that to remain relevant it has to change tack when history serves up surprises. JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar with the union Vice President Shehla Rashid (2nd L) and Rama Naga (L) addressing students on the JNU campus in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI) BJP wants to divide on caste lines Rajesh Dixit Ever since the Narendra Modi government came to power, theres been a plethora of issues where the ruling National Democratic Alliance government has scored self-goals. It allowed the issue of beef ban to simmer and gain traction, with the auxiliary forces of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh having a free run because Mr Modi chose to maintain silence. They whipped up passion in the name of love jihad and the country witnessed manufactured incidents thrust on the society to engage people with trivial ideas. The dalit student Rohith Vemula of the University of Hyderabad was pushed to the wall to commit suicide. The Modi government was busy proving that Rohith did not belong to the dalit community. Mr Modi, while maintaining a deafening silence, allowed the stupidity of his collective government to play out for months. The NDA seemingly has become the flag-bearer of the ideological battle of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad against the Left students unions. When the sorry tales of affairs reached the doorstep of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Kanhaiya Kumar, the JNUSU president, was slapped with sedition charges and jailed. The Delhi high court released him, while the government was left red-faced. We have witnessed much talks on the issue of intolerance. India is a land of Buddha and Gandhi and its people are culturally tolerant. Tolerance is the fountainhead of Indias cultural heritage. Who is trying to create clear-cut demarcation in society and why? Now that elections are approaching in five Assemblies and the most significant Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls less than a year away, there appears a clear pattern on the part of the saffronites to whip up communal passions to polarise people. Their agenda is clearly to disturb the law and order situation. It must be noted that all big events of the groups attached with the RSS are being held in western Uttar Pradesh. They are also holding meetings to revive the issue of Ayodhya. The Samajwadi Party is well aware of the hidden agenda of the people in whipping up communal passions and is taking effective steps to defeat their designs. The SP believes in the unity of the people, and has full faith in the Ganga-Jamuni cultural heritage of the people of the state. It must also be noted that while the statement of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat that the reservation policy has been used for political ends proved to be the BJPs Waterloo in the Bihar Assembly elections, they are hellbent on disturbing the constitutional arrangements for the empowerment of the socially downtrodden sections of society. We have seen the most unfortunate caste violence in Haryana recently, where a section of society was up in arms against the other. This is suggestive of the agenda of the BJP to divide the people on caste lines. But the public is wise enough to see through the designs of the BJP and its auxiliary groups. They are setting up an agenda to win the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections by dividing people. The BJP will face another Waterloo in Lucknow in February next year. And that will be a verdict to seal the fate of the BJP in coming years. Rajesh Dixit is national secretary, Samajwadi Party It is an ideological victory R. Balashankar The Jawaharlal Nehru University episode is a penalty corner handed over by the Opposition, which the Bharatiya Janata Party flawlessly converted into a goal. Ever since the JNU episode of February 9 hit headlines, a section of the media and political class living in their self-imposed echo chamber has been assiduously trying all sorts of subterfuge to help and cover-up the gang of Maoist-jihadi-Left nexus in the name of freedom of speech and force the government to retreat from the course of action it took to book the anti-India elements ensconced in the campus. If it were any other government, the culprits of JNU would have gone scot-free, similar to all other previous occasions when the campus witnessed such anti-national activities. That JNU had, for long, become a safe haven for subversive activities was well known. Its not only events like the protest against the hanging of Afzal Guru and Mahishasur Martyrdom Day, celebration of the Maoist killings of Central Reserve Police Force soldiers or hailing the killers of Indira Gandhi which show that JNU under the wilful neglect if not patronage of the successive Congress governments at the Centre has become a laboratory for experimenting with the faultlines in Indias sovereign existence. The academicians and their pupils, who fell victim to an old Communist theorem that Indian Independence was a sham and real independence will come only when dozens of nationalities in India will forcefully wrest their freedom from the Union of India, have been working to legitimise and justify all fissiparous and secessionist activities in any part of the country. Enjoying Central patronage and huge subsidies from taxpayers contribution, this shameless gang worked and prospered as parasites to the system which conferred them sustenance and respectability. Thus, the 1,200-acre perch in the heart of the national capital, enjoying an annual Central grant of Rs 650 crore, with over Rs 3 lakh of taxpayers money spent on each student per year, became a law unto itself. Its admission process, appointments of teachers, even allotment of accommodation in its 22 sprawling hostels, all became subject to the whims of a modern-day Marxian Gestapo which practised unbelievable terror and intolerance to any other ideological hue. Only the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad stood out, valiantly resisting the anti-India activities. Now the silent majority is speaking out. It was expected of the Modi government to expose and punish the guilty who mocked at Indian unity, sovereignty and democracy. The call for total destruction of India, or raising slogans hailing Pakistan on Indian soil, or war till the country is finished cannot be part of freedom of speech. The Delhi high court, in its interim bail order, has clearly enunciated this. To call for ousting a democratically-elected government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which the JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar, after release, defined as his new expression of the meaning of azadi, cannot wash. That for the first time these elements were forced to parrot adherence to the Constitution and wave the national flag proves that the action taken by the government has succeeded. And the entire nation is behind the BJP in its fight to protect India from this siege within. R. Balashankar is former editor of Organiser and member, BJP Central Committee on Maha Prashikshan Abhiyan and Publications Ternate, Indonesia: A solar eclipse began sweeping across the vast Indonesian archipelago on Wednesday, with hordes of sky gazers set to watch the spectacle, which will be marked by parties, prayers and tribal rituals. The moon began to move between the Earth and sun at 6:19 am (2319 GMT Tuesday), the official Meteorology, Climate and Geophysics Agency said. A rare total solar eclipse will be visible in a broad arc across the country about an hour later. All direct sunlight will be blocked for a short time from the western island of Sumatra, to the spice-fringed Maluku Islands thousands of miles to the east, before the total eclipse sweeps out across the Pacific Ocean. From a festival featuring live bands, to fun runs and traditional dances, events are being organised across the country for an estimated 10,000 foreign visitors and 100,000 domestic tourists who will be witnessing the phenomenon. Hotels in the best viewing spots filled up weeks ago -- in the city of Ternate, in the Maluku Islands, officials have had to find extra space for tourists on boats. "It's an extraordinary spectacle that only takes place about once a year in one part of the world," said Arnaud Fischer, a 33-year-old French tourist, who has witnessed several eclipses and was set to watch Wednesday's in Ternate. I Gde Pitana, the government's head of foreign tourism, described the phenomenon as "a tourism attraction created by God". However there are concerns that clouds could obscure the view in some places, as it is currently the wet season in Indonesia. It will be a deeply spiritual experience for many in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, with the faithful being urged by Islamic authorities to perform special eclipse prayers. "Our Prophet Mohammed said the prayer signifies the greatness of Allah, who created this wonderful phenomenon," said Ma'ruf Amin, chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council, the country's top Islamic clerical body. Some of Indonesia's tribes people are fearful of the phenomenon, however. Members of the Dayak tribe in one part of Borneo island will perform a ritual to ensure that the sun, which they view as the source of life, does not disappear entirely. The total eclipse will sweep across 12 out of 34 provinces in Indonesia, which stretches about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometres) from east to west, before heading across the Pacific Ocean. It will be visible for between just one and a half to three minutes in most places.Partial eclipses will be visible in northern Australia and parts of Southeast Asia. Before hitting Sumatra, the eclipse sweeps across Sulawesi and Borneo, then moves over the Malukus and heads out into the ocean.One of the most popular events for foreign tourists will be a festival close to Palu, in Sulawesi. Among those coming to Indonesia is Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who recently hit the headlines after a $40,000 toilet custom-built for her visit to Cambodia went unused. She will be watching the spectacle in Ternate, although officials insist that no luxury commode has been built for her on this occasion.The last total solar eclipse occurred on March 20, 2015, only visible from the Faroe Islands and Norway's Arctic Svalbard archipelago. Total eclipses occur when the moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, and the three bodies align precisely.As seen from Earth, the moon is just broad enough to cover the solar face, creating a breath-taking silver halo in an indigo sky. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Facebook has build a new light-weight gimbal to keep the laser system connected. (Representational image) Mumbai: Social networking website Facebook has demonstrated an important facet of its motivated plan to deliver Internet connectivity via drones to different parts of the world. According to reports, the Connectivity Lab of the company has developed a gimbal that will hand from the underbelly of Facebooks drone, which will keep the laser system connected to the ground station. The report further pointed out that a key part of the project is an air-to-ground laser link that aims to connect the drone to Internet. Last month, at the Mobile World Conference (MWC) 2016 in Barcelona, the companys CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke about achieving a dependable, high-bandwidth connection to a drone at a height of 80,000 feet. He suggested that the soul aim of the project is to achieve a connection that is 100 times faster than other traditional connections. Giving an example of the project, the Facebook chief explained that it is like shooting a laser pointer from California, which can manage to exactly focus on a coin in New York. "The goal is to get 10 to 100 times faster than traditional communications systems for beaming down access," he said. The social networking website chose a laser link instead of radio signals to attain a higher bandwidth, however, using a laser pointers makes aiming critical. To keep the weight of the new gimbal low (3.5 kg), it was manufactured using carbon fiber and a magnesium. This will be critical, as it has to stay aloft for several months. The report said that the new gimbal is two times lighter than the existing technology, and the company will make further improvisations to bring down the weight below 3 kgs. The ultra-light drones will utilise Wi-Fi or LTE connectivity to provide internet to users on the ground. However, a gimbal and a stable, high-speed bandwidth connection are obligatory requisites for the success of the project. Currently, the drones are under testing phrase and Facebook plans to begin test flights of the solar-powered Internet drone this year. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In the wilds of San Franciscos Mission district, a piglet running through traffic Tuesday prompted a chase by a posse of Good Samaritans that was led by a Franciscan friar. The piglet, weighing no more than 10 pounds, was spotted on the loose at the bustling intersection of 19th and Dolores streets at about 8:30 a.m. We had a three-block up-and-down and up-and-down chase, Brother Damian of the Society of St. Francis on Dolores Street said of the bizarre roundup. The 46-year-old Franciscan friar said he was conducting a morning prayer service when a St. Francis deacon ran in and alerted him of the little porker in the street. He said when he got outside, several people were already running around trying to catch the scampering animal. It was a quick little piglet, said the friar. Among those trying to catch the piglet was a man in a business suit, who briefly had the animal cornered under a car before it squirmed away. The guy was actually on his cell phone saying, Im going to be a little late. Im chasing a pig, Brother Damian said. A police officer blocked off traffic in the area, and eventually the wayward piglet was captured by a construction worker, the friar said. The piglet was turned over to city Animal Care and Control, where officers nicknamed it Janice. Its just another day at the office for us, said Animal Care and Controls executive director, Virginia Donohue. Were here to shelter all types of animals piglets included. Donohue said the search was on for Janices owner. If the owner cant be found in five days, the piglet will be offered to a rescue group. Bill Hutchinson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: bhutchinson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @bill_hutchinson The update would enhance performance of the Nexus 5X. New Delhi: Technology giant Google has promised a software update in the Nexus 5X smartphone, which would raise the speed. The update would enhance performance of the device and would also address issues related with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The California-based company said in a statement that the update would come next month, the Verge reported. Nexus 5X is an Android smartphone manufactured by LG Electronics, co-developed and marketed by Google as part of its Nexus line of flagship devices. Unveiled in 2015, the Nexus 5X along with the 6P serve as launch devices for Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which introduced a refreshed interface, performance improvements, increased Google now integration, and other new features. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. OAKLAND (BCN) A Texas man who suffers from schizophrenia was sentenced today to 12 years in state prison for attacking a man with a metal pipe in downtown Berkeley in 2013. Duane Nailor, 56, was charged with premeditated attempted murder for the incident in front of the Bank of America branch at Shattuck Avenue and Center Street at about 12:45 a.m. on Oct. 23, 2013, but jurors acquitted him of that charge and convicted him of the lesser charge of attempted voluntary manslaughter. Nailor was also convicted of mayhem and one count of assault with a deadly weapon, but was acquitted of two other counts of assault and a charge of evading a police officer. Nailor, who originally pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, was scheduled to have a separate sanity phase after he was convicted on Feb. 8. However, he waived his right to a sanity phase, at which jurors would have determined if he was legally insane at the time of the incident. Nailor allegedly assaulted two men in downtown Berkeley, fled from police, hit a patrol car with his SUV near police headquarters several blocks away and then crashed into a tree near the corner of The Alameda and Hopkins Street. Prosecutor Gemma Daggs said Nailor "knew what he was doing" in the incident and had gotten upset when two men asked him for cigarettes when they spotted him in front of the Bank of America building and responded by hitting them with a long pipe that he got from his trunk, beating one of the victims so badly that he nearly died. But defense attorney Christina Moore said Nailor has suffered from schizophrenia for most of his life and his actions that day were the result of active psychoses he was undergoing. Moore said Nailor has spent about 15 years in mental institutions and "thought that he was being apprehended by the devil's clan and wanted to prevent himself from being carried to hell." She said Nailor told police after he was arrested that he worked in intelligence for the U.S. government and had been appointed by the president. Nailor's mother, Katherine Nailor, asked Alameda County Superior Court Judge Vernon Nakahara today to sentence him to a more lenient term. "We understand that Duane made a mistake but there were extenuating circumstances," she said. "We're not justifying what he did, we know he went over the top, but we'd like to see some light at the end of the tunnel," his mother said. 272-6280 Defense attorney Christina Moore (510) 272-6600 The Shebab group confirmed the overnight raid, saying they had fought off the troops. (Photo: AP) Mogadishu: Special forces operatives in two helicopters staged an overnight raid on Somalia's Shebab insurgents, government officials and the al-Qaeda-linked gunmen said on Wednesday. The raid, reportedly by foreign troops, targeted the Shebab-controlled town of Awdhegele, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Somalia's capital Mogadishu. "There was an operation by Special Forces late last night around Awdhegele town. We have reports Shebab militants suffered casualties," local district commissioner Mohamed Aweys told reporters. There were no details on who carried out the attack, which came after US air strikes on a Shebab training camp on Saturday, which killed more than 150 fighters. While the US military regularly conducts operations targeting Al-Qaeda-linked fighters in Somalia, Saturday's raid had a higher toll than all previous US strikes combined. Warplanes and unmanned drones were used in Saturday's strike, which struck an area 120 miles (195 kilometres) north of Mogadishu. The Shebab group confirmed the overnight raid, saying they had fought off the troops. Ground fighting "Armed forces on two military helicopters raided Awdhegele town last night, but they have lost and returned without achieving their objective," Shebab spokesman Sheik Abduasiz Abu Musab said in a speech broadcast on the group's Radio Andalus. "The helicopters landed outside town and the ground forces entered, there was heavy fighting and they were forced to flee." The Shebab said they did not know what country the troops were from, but said they were not Somali and spoke a foreign language. It was not clear what they were targeting. Witnesses reported hearing loud blasts during the night, saying the Shebab had boosted security during the morning. "There were several load explosions near the Shebab base in Awdhegele late last night," local resident Abdikarim Nure said. "The fighters were patrolling the area this morning, and people are not allowed to go close to the area." Foreign special forces have periodically launched raids to rescue their captured nationals, including one in 2012 by US elite commandos who swooped in by helicopter to free two aid workers held for three months. French special forces also staged a raid in January 2013 in an unsuccessful bid to free intelligence agent Denis Allex. The Shebab was chased out of Mogadishu in 2011 but remains a dangerous threat in both Somalia and neighbouring Kenya where it carries out regular attacks. The raid came three days after a car bomb detonated outside a tea shop in Mogadishu, killing at least three police officers. The three were drinking tea when the blast occurred and the driver of the car was "seriously wounded," Mogadishu police commissioner Ali Hersi Barre said. The driver was taken into custody. And Monday, six people were wounded when a laptop bomb exploded at an airport in Beledweyne, a town 325 kilometres (200 miles) north of Mogadishu, where last month Shebab insurgents claimed a bomb attack which ripped a hole in a passenger plane shortly after takeoff. The strike itself involved multiple waves of manned and unmanned aircraft, targeting Shishani near the town of al-Shadadi in Syria. (Photo: AFP) Washington: An ISIS commander described by the Pentagon as the group's "minister of war" was likely killed in a US air strike in Syria, US officials said on Tuesday, in what would be a major victory in the United States' efforts to strike the terror group's leadership. Abu Omar al-Shishani, also known as Omar the Chechen, ranked among America's most wanted militants under a US programme that offered up to $5 million for information to help remove him from the battlefield. Born in 1986 in Georgia, which was then still part of the Soviet Union, the red-bearded Shishani had a reputation as a close military adviser to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was said by followers to have relied heavily on Shishani. The strike itself involved multiple waves of manned and unmanned aircraft, targeting Shishani near the town of al-Shadadi in Syria, a US official said. The Pentagon believes Shishani was sent there to bolster ISIS troops after they suffered a series of setbacks at the hands of US-backed forces from the Syrian Arab Coalition, which captured al-Shadadi from the militants last month. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said the US military was still assessing the results of the strike, but acknowledged its potential significance. Shishani "was a Syrian-based Georgian national who held numerous top military positions within ISIL, including minister of war," Cook said, using an acronym for the group. Cook said Shishani's death would undermine the group's ability to coordinate attacks and defend its strongholds. It would also hurt ISIS's ability to recruit foreign fighters, especially those from Chechnya and the Caucus regions, he said. Several US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed optimism that the strike was successful, although none were prepared to declare Shishani dead with certainty. The first official said initial assessments indicated Shishani was likely killed along with an additional 12 ISIS fighters. An official in the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which has been fighting ISIS in the al-Shadadi area, said it had received information that Shishani was killed but had no details and had been unable to confirm the death. The official declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter. Once Fought For Georgia Born with the name Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, Shishani once fought in military operations as a rebel in Chechnya before joining Georgia's military in 2006 and even fighting against Russian troops before being discharged two years later for medical reasons, the first US official said. He was arrested in 2010 for weapons possession and spent more than a year in jail, before leaving Georgia in 2012 for Istanbul and then later to Syria, the official said. He decided to join ISIS the following year and pledged his allegiance to Baghdadi. The State Department said Shishani was identified as ISIS's military commander in a video distributed by the group in 2014. The strike would be one of the most successful operations to take out ISIS's leadership in Iraq and Syria since May, when US special operations forces killed the man who directed the group's oil, gas and financial operations. In November, a US air strike killed ISIS's senior leader in Libya, known as Abu Nabil. Ive been reluctant to use the f word to describe Donald Trump because its especially harsh, and its too often used carelessly. But Trump has finally reached a point where parallels between his presidential campaign and the fascists of the first half of the 20th century lurid figures such as Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Oswald Mosley and Francisco Franco are too evident to overlook. Its not just that Trump recently quoted Mussolini (he now calls that tweet inadvertent) or that hes begun inviting followers at his rallies to raise their right hands in a manner chillingly similar to the Nazi heil salute (he dismisses such comparison as ridiculous). The parallels go deeper. As did the early-20th century fascists, Trump is focusing his campaign on the anger of white working people who have been losing economic ground for years, and who are easy prey for demagogues seeking to build their own power by scapegoating others. Trumps electoral gains have been largest in counties with lower-than-average incomes, and among those who report that their personal finances have worsened. As the Washington Posts Jeff Guo has pointed out, Trump performs best in places where middle-aged whites are dying the fastest. The economic stresses almost a century ago that culminated in the Great Depression were far worse than what most of Trumps followers have experienced, but theyve suffered something that in some respects is more painful failed expectations. Many grew up in the 1950s and 1960s, during a postwar prosperity that lifted all boats. That prosperity gave their parents a better life. Trumps followers naturally expected that they and their children would also experience economic gains. They have not. Add fears and uncertainties about terrorists who may be living among us or may want to sneak through our borders, and this vulnerability and powerlessness is magnified. Trumps incendiary verbal attacks on Mexican immigrants and Muslims even his reluctance to distance himself from David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan follow the older fascist script. That older generation of fascists didnt bother with policy prescriptions or logical argument, either. They presented themselves as strongmen whose personal power would remedy all ills. They created around themselves cults of personality in which they took on the trappings of strength, confidence and invulnerability all of which served as substitutes for rational argument or thought. Trumps entire campaign similarly revolves around his assumed strength and confidence. He tells his followers not to worry; hell take care of them. If you get laid off ... I still want your vote, he told workers in Michigan last week. Ill get you a new job; dont worry about it. The old fascists intimidated and threatened opponents. Trump is not above a similar strategy. To take one example, he recently tweeted that Chicagos Ricketts family, which is spending money in an effort to defeat him, better be careful, they have a lot to hide. The old fascists incited violence. Trump has not done so explicitly, but Trump supporters have attacked Muslims, the homeless and African Americans and Trump has all but excused their behavior. Weeks after Trump began his campaign by falsely alleging that Mexican immigrants are bringing crime; theyre rapists, two brothers in Boston beat with a metal pole and urinated on a 58-year-old homeless Mexican national. They subsequently told the police Donald Trump was right, all these illegals need to be deported. Instead of condemning that brutality, Trump excused it by saying people who are following me are very passionate. They love this country, and they want this country to be great again. After a handful of white supporters punched and attempted to choke a Black Lives Matter protester at one of his campaign rallies, Trump said maybe he should have been roughed up. There are further parallels. Fascists glorified national power and greatness, fanning xenophobia and war. Trumps entire foreign policy consists of asserting American power against other nations. Mexico will finance a wall. China will stop manipulating its currency. In pursuit of their nationalistic aims, the fascists disregarded international law. Trump is the same. He recently proposed using torture against terrorists, and punishing their families, both in clear violation of international law. Finally, the fascists created their mass followings directly, without political parties or other intermediaries standing between them and their legions of supporters. Trumps tweets and rallies similarly circumvent all filters. The Republican Party is irrelevant to his campaign, and he considers the media an enemy. (Reporters covering his rallies are kept behind steel barriers.) Viewing Trump in light of the fascists of the first half of the 20th century who used economic stresses to scapegoat others, created cults of personality, intimidated opponents, incited violence, glorified their nations, disregarded international law and connected directly with the masses helps explain what Trump is doing and how he is succeeding. It also suggests why Donald Trump presents such a profound danger to the future of America and the world. 2016 By Robert Reich The cost of getting towed in San Francisco is going to come down by at least $75 as the Municipal Transportation Agency agreed Tuesday to reduce its fees after supervisors criticized them for being exorbitantly high, unfair and unduly regressive. Tow charges in San Francisco are up to three times higher than many other major cities. At a minimum, it costs $491.25, plus the expense of a ticket, which typically runs between $68 and $100. The charges can quickly escalate if drivers dont retrieve their cars within four hours. When you add the total cost including the ticket, the tow fee, the administrative fee, storage fees, etc., its robbery, Board of Supervisors President London Breed said. We can do better. The exact reduction is still being negotiated. MTA spokesman Paul Rose said the agency has proposed reducing its administrative fee from $266 to $191. Combined with an existing proposal to reduce the tow fee by $17.25, the overall cost would add up to $399, not including the ticket. Rose said the MTA has also proposed a pilot program to reduce the administrative fee for low-income people to $141, bringing the total cost to $349. Thats still higher than many cities. Not including the ticket, the fee is $185 in New York City, $276 in Los Angeles and $170 in Chicago. But in Oakland, the fees add up to $434. The MTA and the supervisors are also negotiating an amnesty program to help low-income people retrieve their cars at a reduced cost, which the MTA has long maintained is unworkable but now says it will pursue. A deal is expected to be finalized by Friday so the MTA board can vote on a proposal at its Tuesday meeting. The issue would then return to the Board of Supervisors for a vote. MTAs willingness to significantly reduce the fees is a major shift, and comes after a Chronicle analysis detailed the rise in tow fees. They have nearly tripled over the past 10 years, driven by a 432 percent increase in the administrative fee the MTA charges. Several supervisors have raised questions about the cost of getting towed, but largely accepted the agencys position that its $266 administrative fee was needed for full cost recovery. That fee is on top of the $225.25 charged by the tow company AutoReturn. Just last week, the supervisors Budget and Finance Subcommittee unanimously recommended that the full board support the MTAs proposed $65.4 million, five-year contract extension with AutoReturn. But on Tuesday, a majority of the supervisors indicated they wont approve the contract until the MTA reduces its own administrative fees or eliminates the parking ticket it also tacks on. Supervisor Norman Yee, who sits on the budget committee, said Tuesday that the MTA had not been forthright in what is included in the citys administrative fee and what the agency means by full cost recovery. The administrative fee pays for every cost directly and tangentially associated with the towing program, including the salaries and benefits of the citation enforcement officers who enforce towing restrictions, the paint to paint red zones on curbs, vehicle maintenance, and even part of MTA Director Ed Reiskins salary. Supervisor Aaron Peskin said that is wrong. I question why a portion of the MTA directors salary is being passed on to these people who have their cars towed. Supervisor Scott Wiener said he could support lowering the fees, but cautioned that doing so would mean less funding for Muni. I am sympathetic to people who get their car towed and struggle to pay. I am also sympathetic to the needs of Muni riders, many of whom do not own a car and need to have reliable transit service to get to work, to get to school, to get to the doctor, Wiener said. There are trade-offs when it comes to decisions like lowering towing fees. With all indications that the fees will be lowered, Wiener said he plans to introduce legislation to give MTA an additional $3.2 million from the citys general fund to make up for the lost revenue from tow fees. Supervisor Jane Kim criticized Wieners analysis. Its not about whether we want to fund Muni adequately or not and that if you lower the towaway fees that we are suddenly taking money away from Muni riders. The question is what is the appropriate source of funding? Kim said. And what I am saying is an exorbitant flat regressive penalty like our towaway fees is not the appropriate source of funding. Emily Green is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: egreen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @emilytgreen The powerful Metropolitan Water District of Southern California agreed Tuesday to buy four islands and a portion of a fifth in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, a bid that some conservationists believe is a blatant water grab by Californias largest water agency. The districts 37-member board of directors, representing 26 agencies in Southern California, authorized Metropolitans general manager to enter into a purchase agreement to buy 20,369 acres of land encompassing Webb Tract, Bacon Island, Bouldin Island, most of Holland Tract and a portion of Chipps Island, in Contra Costa, San Joaquin and Solano counties. Two of the islands Bouldin and Bacon are directly in the proposed path of Gov. Jerry Browns controversial twin-tunnels project, which would divert supplies from the Sacramento River southward, including to farms and many of the 19 million people who get their water from the mammoth district. The proposed sales price was not released, but the potential benefits to the water district are clear. Acquiring the islands would give the district more leverage in the bitter battle for delta water, especially if Californias four-year drought continues. Metropolitan would also profit from owning water rights and rights-of-way at the source of their drinking supply. The sale would also give Metropolitan the ability to use the islands to stockpile riprap and other supplies for levee fixes and as a staging area for tunnel construction, according to an agency staff report. Its an exciting opportunity that perhaps instead of talking about what might be done in the delta, perhaps we can start to get some things done, said Jeffrey Kightlinger, Metropolitans general manager. He said the sale would also allow the Southern California agency to implement environmental benefits, including waterfowl protection, restoration of wetlands habitat for the delta smelt, carbon sequestration and turbidity studies. Local conservationists werent so excited. They have compared the pending sale to the movie Chinatown, the 1974 Roman Polanski film about deceptive tactics used by Los Angeles interests in 1937 to secure water rights to the Owens Valley, east of the Sierra. Its definitely an existential threat to the delta and delta communities, said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of the conservation group Restore the Delta. Truly, its like having the fox right in the middle of the henhouse. The owner of the land, Delta Wetlands Properties, a subsidiary of insurance giant Zurich, recently gained approval to build reservoirs and flood Bacon Island and Webb Tract, which are below sea level, and convert Bouldin Island and Holland Tract to wildlife habitat. But Kightlinger said the water district is not interested in using the islands, which are protected by levees, as reservoirs. The board of directors vote was far from unanimous only 54 percent of the weighted vote sided with the purchase agreement, raising questions about whether the district is fully committed. Two of the biggest members, the city of Los Angeles and the San Diego County Water Authority, voted against the deal. The city of Santa Monica joined them in opposition, but failed in a motion to delay the vote. Kightlinger will now enter into a purchase agreement, triggering a 60-day escrow period. The district board scheduled a meeting for April 26 to review the terms one last time before committing to the purchase. Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Damien is a supernatural thriller. You know that about the A&E series premiering on Monday, March 7, because of the music lots of dark, spooky, portentous music, heavy on bass notes and cellos. Created by Glen Mazzara, Damien: The Beast Rises is a belated sequel to the classic 1976 horror film The Omen, which starred Lee Remick and Gregory Peck as a couple who adopt a strange child who is just a little devil. Literally, as they say. Directed by Richard Donner, the film (which spawned several sequels) capitalized on the always fertile lethal-child trope, which worked so effectively in films like The Bad Seed and the Children of the Corn franchise. In Damien, the devil child has grown up to become a war photographer with washboard abs named Damien Thorne (Bradley James). Never mind that if he was the same Damien from The Omen, hed be about 50 today: We can make the leap in logic, no thanks to embedded flashbacks to Peck and Remick in the old film. While on assignment in Syria, Damien encounters an old woman who grabs him by the shoulders and declares, I have always loved you, Damien, then babbles a Latinate phrase before getting beaned by a brick. Well, that was weird. But more weirdness this-a-way comes when Damien returns to the States and all kinds of horrific things happen around him. Hes either the Joe Btfsplk of the photography world or something demonic. Actually, he often mentions that he has a cloud over his head, so maybe the writers really were inspired by Al Capp. Ben Mark Holzberg / Ben Mark Holzberg What is certain is that Damien Thorne is not someone you want to hang out with if you value your existence. Just ask his girlfriend, Kelly (Tiffany Hines), who takes him to consult a wizened professor to learn about ancient prophecies and scripture foretelling the rise of the Beast on earth. Many expect the Beast to come from the world of politics, the prof intones. Feel free to insert your own punch line here. How about: I am the Lord of Darkness and I approve this message? Later, Teach becomes human kibble for a trio of hellhounds. Then Kelly gets sucked into quicksand in the middle of New York City, prompting a new level of desperation in Damien, as well as a certain vulnerability that makes it harder for him to figure out whos really on his side and who isnt. He meets a strange woman named Ann Rutledge (Barbara Hershey), who seems to know everything about his life and says she wants to protect him. That dark cloud thats been following you, you cant let it in, she warns. But what is Rutledges true purpose? Is she really there to protect Damien, or does she have other plans for him? Damien cant be sure of anyone or anything anymore, and, it turns out, with good reason. The show has potential on paper, but it squanders too many ripe moments with ham-fisted writing and direction. And, of course, that ominous music, accompanying even the most mundane moments, of which there are plenty. At one point, a cop drops coins into a vending machine, in slow motion, while warning Damien hed better watch his step. The camera cuts to the bag of chips, slowly moving forward as its coiled metallic holder rotates. Then the bag tumbles downward. The music swells. My eyes roll. Are we supposed to believe that the devil is in the saturated fat or something? Well, maybe if Michael Pollan had written the scene. James is appealing in the leading role, although he is only partially successful in making some of the dialogue howlers believable. Ann Rutledge is the magnetically mysterious center of the series not only because of Hersheys star presence but also because of the way she delivers many of her lines through smiling, clenched teeth, as if her jaw has been wired shut. No matter, shes Barbara Hershey and, like Jamie Lee Curtis in Scream Queens, lends the wobbly project much-needed stability. Bad writing, funny direction, deafening music in the end, none of it is enough to kill the Beast. It does rise, although not to the potential of its concept. David Wiegand is an assistant managing editor and the TV critic of The San Francisco Chronicle. Email: dwiegand@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @WaitWhat_TV Follow me on Facebook. Damien: The Beast Rises: Horror series. 10 p.m. Monday, March 7, on A&E. Odom, a former Marine from Coeur d'Alene, is suspected of shooting Remington a day after Remington led the prayer at a weekend campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz. (Photo: AP) Coeur d'Alene, Idaho: The man suspected of shooting and seriously wounding an Idaho pastor last weekend was arrested by U.S. Secret Service agents Tuesday after he allegedly threw items over the fence at the White House, police said. The suspect in the attack against Pastor Tim Remington, Kyle Odom, was arrested at about 5:30 p.m. in Washington D.C., "safely and without incident," according to Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Lee White. White said he was told Odom threw flash drives and other unidentified items over the fence. Hazardous materials and bomb teams were working to identify the other items, he said. Odom had been the subject of a search. White wasn't certain how Odom, 30, got to Washington but said Odom had boarded a flight at the Boise Airport sometime on Monday. Odom, a former Marine from Coeur d'Alene, is suspected of shooting Remington a day after Remington led the prayer at a weekend campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz. Authorities say there's no indication Remington's appearance with Cruz had anything to do with the shooting, as they work to figure out what motivated the attack outside his church in broad daylight. "However, it does appear that this was a pre-planned attack," White said Monday. "And I will tell you that some details surrounding Mr. Odom's planning are disturbing." He did not elaborate. Meanwhile, several news outlets in Spokane received letters on Tuesday that purported to be from Odom, Coeur d'Alene police Detective Jared Reneau said. The letters, postmarked Monday, contained references to President Obama, members of Congress, members of the Israeli government, and John Padula, outreach pastor for The Altar Church, where Remington is the senior pastor. "It was extensive and it was disturbing to us," White said of the manifesto. Earlier Tuesday, Padula said Remington, 55, regained consciousness Monday night in a Coeur d'Alene hospital. "He's whispering and talking to his family a little bit," Padula said. "He's doing absolutely amazing. He gave me a thumb's up last night when I went in." Remington, who is married and has four children, has no feeling in his right arm, Padula said. Remington and his wife have been with The Altar Church for nearly two decades, and they have specialized in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction, Padula said. The church has extensive programs, including in-patient rehabilitation, for addicts, Padula said. Padula was a meth addict for 17 years before going through the church's program seven years ago, he said. Police said Odom drove to the Spokane, Washington, area on Interstate 90 after the Sunday afternoon shooting, according to information from traffic cameras. He then turned south before they lost his trail. Odom had no connection with the church before showing up before services early Sunday morning, Padula said. The Coeur d'Alene Police Department issued a warrant of attempted first-degree murder for Odom, who has no criminal record but does have a history of mental illness. White said Odom was armed when he attended services in the church earlier Sunday, and that the violence could have been much worse. Odom served in the Marines from 2006-2010, winning an Iraq Campaign Medal and other awards. He rose to the rank of corporal. Odom later graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in biochemistry. JERUSALEM Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday criticized Palestinians for a failure to condemn a stabbing spree that killed an American student and war veteran the day before, after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas political party posted a statement online praising the attacker. The stabbing spree took place Tuesday near the seaside city of Jaffa, where Biden was meeting nearby with Israels former president. Biden said his wife and grandchildren were having dinner on the beach not far from the scene of the attack, which wounded a dozen Israelis, civilians and police officers. Abbas Fatah party posted a cartoon on its Twitter account of a hand holding a knife over a map of Israel and the Palestinian territories, and calling the Palestinian stabber from Tuesdays attack a hero and martyr. This is the result so long as Israel does not believe in the two-state solution and ending its occupation, the Fatah statement on Twitter read, referring to a future Palestinian state alongside Israel. In a joint press conference with Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Fatahs glorification of the stabber. Both leaders spoke highly of the American victim, Taylor Force, a 28-year-old MBA student at Vanderbilt University and a West Point graduate who served tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. For more than five months, there has been a rash of Palestinian attacks on Israeli civilians and security forces. Palestinians say the violence stems from frustration at nearly five decades of Israeli rule over the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel says it is fueled by a campaign of Palestinian incitement compounded on social media sites that glorify and encourage attacks. The bloodshed mainly stabbings but also shootings and car-ramming attacks has killed 28 Israelis. During the same time, at least 179 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire. Most of the Palestinians have been identified by Israel as attackers, while the rest were killed in clashes with security forces. The United States of America condemns these acts and condemns the failure to condemn these acts, Biden said. The kind of violence we saw yesterday, the failure to condemn it, the rhetoric that incites that violence, the retribution that it generates, has to stop. The U.S. vice president spoke warmly of his decades-long relationship with Netanyahu, and re-emphasized Americas commitment to Israels security. Biden is in Israel for a two-day visit as part of a regional tour of the Mideast. He is meeting both Israeli and Palestinian leaders. There were speculations he would try to revive the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, but Biden said, I didnt come with a plan. I just came to speak with a friend, referring to Netanyahu. Mr. Vice President should start from where the real crime is, which is the Israeli occupation and Israeli colonial settlement, because the beginning is here for those who want peace in the Middle East, said an Abbas aide, Nabil Shaath. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Iran test-fired two ballistic missiles Wednesday with the phrase Israel must be wiped out written in Hebrew on them, state media reported, a show of strength by the Islamic Republic as U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel. The new missile firings the latest in a series of tests in recent days appeared aimed at demonstrating Iran will push ahead with its ballistic program after scaling backing its nuclear program under the deal reached last year with the U.S. and other world powers. SEOUL North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, South Koreas military said, a likely show of anger at continuing springtime war games by rivals Washington and Seoul and another ratcheting up of hostility on the already anxious Korean Peninsula. The South Korean Defense Ministry says the missiles were fired from North Hwanghae province, flew about 310 miles and fell into the water off the countrys east coast. They are believed to be Scud-type missiles, said ministry spokesman Moon Sang Gyun. 1 Iran nuke export: Irans semiofficial ISNA news agency said Tuesday that the country has exported 32 tons of heavy water, a key component for one kind of nuclear reactor, to the United States as part of a landmark nuclear agreement. Heavy water, formed with a hydrogen isotope, has research and medical applications, but can also be used to produce weapons-grade plutonium. Under the deal with world powers, Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. Iran is allowed to use heavy water in its modified Arak nuclear reactor, but must sell any excess supply on the international market. 2 American tourist killed: A Palestinian on a stabbing rampage Tuesday near Tel Aviv killed a graduate student at Vanderbilt University. The attacks occurred in Jaffa, about 1 mile away from where Vice President Joe Biden was meeting with ex-President Shimon Peres. Biden is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday. The American was identified as Taylor Force, 28, a first-year MBA student. Police said 12 others were injured before the attacker was fatally shot by the police. BAGHDAD U.S. special forces captured the head of the Islamic State groups unit trying to develop chemical weapons in a raid last month in northern Iraq, two senior Iraqi intelligence officials said, the first known major success of Washingtons more aggressive policy of pursuing the jihadists on the ground. The Obama administration launched the new strategy in December, deploying a commando force to Iraq that it said would be dedicated to capturing and killing Islamic State leaders in clandestine operations, as well as generating intelligence leading to more raids. More for you Pentagon plan to fight Islamic State in Libya includes air power U.S. officials said last week that the expeditionary team had captured an Islamic State leader but had refused to identify him, saying only that he had been held for two or three weeks and was being questioned. The two Iraqi officials identified the man as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, who worked for Saddam Husseins now-dissolved Military Industrialization Authority where he specialized in chemical and biological weapons. They said al-Afari, who is about 50 years old, heads the Islamic State groups recently established branch for the research and development of chemical weapons. He was captured in a raid near the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, and has provided his captors with details about how the group had weaponized mustard gas into powdered form and loaded it into artillery shells, the officials said. A U.S. official said Wednesday that one or more follow-up air strikes were conducted against suspected Islamic State chemical facilities in northern Iraq in recent days. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence-related operations, indicated the air strikes did not fully eliminate Islamic States suspected chemical threat. Islamic State has been making a determined effort to develop chemical weapons, Iraqi and American officials have said. It is believed to have set up a special unit for chemical weapons research, made up of Iraqi scientists from the Hussein-era weapons program as well as foreign experts. Speaking to reporters from a base outside the city of Tikrit, Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obaidi played down fears of the group's chemical weapons capabilities, saying the group lacks chemical capabilities. Meanwhile, further special forces raids targeting chemical weapons experts are planned, the intelligence officials said. Environmental groups have once again asked a judge to order the US Bureau of Land Management to stop issuing permits for hydraulic fracturing near Chaco Canyon. The Western Environmental Law Center made oral arguments in the case to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver on Tuesday. In August, an Albuquerque district court judge ruled that while the plaintiffs, which include Dine Citizens Against Ruining the Environment, San Juan Citizens Alliance, WildEarth Guardians and the Natural Resources Defense Council, "put forth enough evidence to cast some doubt on the thoroughness of the BLM's decision-making," they had not successfully demonstrated that the BLM "failed to take a hard look at the environmental impacts of its actions." The judge's opinion agreed with the plaintiffs that environmental harms are often irreparable but said fracking only enhanced the possibility of those injuries, compared to the certain injury that would befall the defendants, which included the secretary of the interior and a long list of oil and gas companies, if deprived of this economic engine. "While this decision is discouraging, we believe that BLM has failed the public and continues piecemeal approval of new oil development, neglecting cumulative impacts, resulting in significant flaring waste and industrializing the landscape," Mike Eisenfeld, New Mexico coordinator for San Juan Citizens Alliance, said via press release when the judge's decision came down. "This is not over. We will reassess and challenge this injustice." Drilling has been going on in the San Juan Basin for decades, but the ability to extract the area's oil and gas resources changed shortly after the Bureau of Land Management released its 2003 Resource Management Plan for the northwestern part of New Mexico, which includes the Mancos Shale near Chaco Canyon. Now development is creeping closer to the boundaries of Chaco Culture National Historic Park. (Julie Ann Grimm) "In 2003, the BLM considered the Mancos Shale formation marginally economic and approaching depletion," says Kyle Tisdel, climate and energy program director for Western Environmental Law Center. "So what actually shifted between 2003 and now is the advent of this new drilling technology, horizontal drilling and multistage fracturing, which has made the Mancos Shale development economic." The BLM concedes that subsequent innovations in extractive technology have changed the economics of developing oil and gas resources in northwestern New Mexico since that plan. "With favorable oil prices, the oil play in the southern part of the Farmington Field Office boundary has drawn considerable interest, and several wells are being drilled and planned," reads a statement explaining the agency's intent to amend the plan. But the farther south producers go, the closer they get to the boundaries of Chaco Culture National Historic Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. As that happens, the BLM document continues, "additional impacts may occur that previously were not anticipated." As in: This is much bigger than anyone expected, and millions of acres are affected. A BLM report on "reasonable foreseeable development" for Northern New Mexico issued in October 2014 suggested that the Mancos Shale and Gallup Sandstone reservoirs could see companies potentially go after 3,650 new locations to target oil and gas in the area, with millions of gallons of fresh water required for the thousands of potential horizontal wells. "So they moved from predicting no development in the Mancos Shale to predicting 4,000 new wells will be drilled," Tisdel says. "I think the fundamental problem in this case is they are approving hundreds of these Mancos Shale oil and gas wells without ever considering the landscape-level impacts of what developing these hundreds of wells means. So they're approving these hundreds of wells, but they've never gone back and considered the cumulative impacts of all these wells to the landscape, and to not only the environment, but resources and outlying sites in Chaco Canyon and ... the people that call this place home and impacts that might occur to their health." The argument contends it's unlawful for the BLM to issue permits without analyzing their cumulative impacts while continuing to rely on a resource management plan that didn't consider drilling on this scale in this location viable. The case calls for a preliminary injunction to suspend additional development while the BLM does a baseline analysis of the area. "They've already committed to preparing the resource management plan amendment, they've conceded that an [environmental impact statement] is required here, and simply what we're saying is that you need to allow that process to play out and complete itself before you approve hundreds of wells," Tisdel argues. That analysis would help shape development and mitigation, controlling the time, pace and scale to reduce harm to the environment and people who live in the area. Permitting hundreds of wells now without that analysis, he says, limits the options for what management plans could later require. "The question of drilling is a subsequent question," Tisdel says. "I think the first question is, what are the impacts of that development across the landscape, and once you analyze and disclose those impacts to the public, then the agency can make an informed decision about whether drilling is an appropriate use of public resources, but you can't answer that question without first doing the analysis." In May, New Mexico's US Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and US Rep. Ben Ray Lujan sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell asking her to consider the impacts and engage in a conversation with constituents in northwest New Mexico as the BLM amends its Resource Management Plan. "Federal leasing activities should adequately take into consideration the important cultural, historical and ecological value of the area, which also benefits local tourism, along with the immediate economic impacts of development," their letter reads. The oral argument is set to be followed by deliberation by the court, and a decision is expected in a month or two. Meanwhile, the BLM can continue issuing permits. Santa Fe Reporter When the budget crunch hit the state Legislature this year, a lot of bills that came with price tags dropped away from anyones to-do listtax breaks for oil and gas companies fell away, alongside legislation that would have extended existing tax credits for renewable energy. The thing is, one of those industries is growing and has massive potential to expand, to become the new leading export for the state as it adds jobs and tax revenue, and the other has been limping along. So why are we dragging our feet getting on board with renewable energy instead of leaning on oil and gas? Since New Mexico's first utility-scale wind power plant was installed in 2003 near the small northeastern town of House, the state's installations have grown to 1,080 megawatts of wind power, according to the American Wind Energy Association. The state also has 365 MW of solar power online, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, adding 8 MW of residential power, 5 MW of commercial and 28 MW of utility-scale solar power just in 2015. The state has the renewable resources to potentially provide 1,000 times more clean energy than Public Service Company of New Mexico's current demand, according to the state Energy Conservation and Management Division. Yet lawmakers are on a path to let this potential economic driver lose traction on tax credits that have kept it rolling. Legislators didn't act this year to extend and expand the state tax credits that encourage energy companies to build in New Mexico, and they're allowing a residential solar tax credit program to expire at the end of the year. There's still time to resuscitate these tax credits. But the roof-top solar tax credit would require a retroactive measure to catch people who might move forward with solar installations between when the bill expires at the end of 2016 and the next planned Legislative session, when lawmakers can renew the credit in early 2017. With a cap on how many of those credits are issued, those who want to get in line before the end of the year might find they are already out of luck. Industrial-level installations are already slowed in a backlog of projects waiting to take advantage of the production tax credit, which is set to expire Jan. 1, 2018. Bills for both credits died in legislative committees during the lawmaking session that wrapped up in February, nipped like so many other expenditures as the state struggles to fit a $6.2 billion budget rather than the anticipated $6.5 billion. Energy is also the reason that New Mexico's bottom line is taking a hit, suffering from a drop in the price of oil and gas. Oil production has declined as companies face break-even costs that start at $40 to $52 per barrel, while oil prices stubbornly hover at the mid- to low $30s per barrel. Rig count was down by half in 2015 from its 2014 peak of 100. "We have a huge dependence on oil and gas severance taxes to keep our budget alive, and with the low market priceswe saw what happens when you don't have diversification, when you're very dependent on one source," says Daniel Lorimier, with the Rio Grande chapter of the Sierra Club. "Because gas and oil prices are so low that our taxes are dwindling from that source, we end up really, really hurting ourselves. All I can say is that I'm glad that none of the tax break bills for oil and gas passed either." At this point, without an increase in oil and gas prices, the tax credits for renewable projects are unlikely to come back, Lorimier says. That's too bad, he adds, because tax credits are relatively low risk, requiring that companies generate the business before the incentive money comes out of state coffers. "We've got the sun, we've got the wind, we've even got geothermal. New Mexico needs to look to the future, and while, as I say, we felt incapable of that this year, we need to get out of that single-source funding bind that we find ourselves in, and we need to start thinking about how we leverage our tax dollars," Lorimier says. "Our commercial solar industry is one of the few bright spots economically in New Mexico, so it's really kind of painful not to be able to stimulate an industry that has all of thisnot only the physical potential here in New Mexico, but it also has the economic potential to relieve us of this single-source funding problem that we're facing." PNM opened a new solar generation project in Santa Fe County this year, but the company is only producing less than 1 percent of its power from the sun. (Courtesy of PNM) Eight years ago, he says, the governor's office showed vision in making New Mexico a leader for renewable energy production, and that drew some of these projects and large-scale investments here. "If there is one place that we could best spend our scarce and dwindling tax resources, it's in encouraging renewable energy development in New Mexico. It's the best opportunity, it's the best place to make that small investment," Lorimier says. "It's not going to come from oil and gas forever." Lawmakers adopted the Solar Market Development Tax Credit in 2006 to help businesses and homeowners invest in clean energy by covering up to 10 percent, or $9,000, of the cost of a solar photovoltaic or solar thermal system. Between 2009 and 2014, residential solar installations each year increased by 2,050 percent, from 318 kW to 6,544 kW. Santa Fe County ranks near the top in the state for making use of this credit. The production tax credit's effects have been even more tangible, but industry leaders say those benefits are already slipping away. As the House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee considered the bill to extend the credit, renewable energy companies pointed to millions in benefits and jobs, all of which will go away without this tax credit. "If you don't have the production tax credit, that makes a difference between whether projects build here or elsewhere," a representative from NextEra Energy Resources told committee members. NextEra Energy Resources owns the 204 MW New Mexico Wind Energy Center near House that spans Quay and De Baca counties (enough power for 61,000 homes), the 102.4 MW Red Mesa Wind Energy Center in Cibola County (25,000 homes), and the 5 MW Hatch Solar Energy Center in Dona Ana County. The wind projects brought a combined investment of $400 million, and NextEra pays $2.3 million annually on landowner leases and property taxes. The company is building two projects in Chaves County that are expected to employ more than 300 workers and send $660,000 in annual property tax payments to the county, 40 percent of which will go to local schools. PNM purchases the power from the two wind projects, El Paso Electric buys the solar power from the solar center near Hatch and Xcel-owned Southwestern Public Service Co., which powers part of New Mexico and Texas, will be the customer for the two solar projects under construction in Chaves County. The company's regional director of government affairs told the committee there's already a backlog of projects waiting for this credit, which lowers the cost of diversifying the state's energy mix and creates jobs in rural counties. The production tax credit offsets a portion of a corporation's income taxes over a 10-year period for wind projects. The amount of power it applies to has an annual cap, however, and the waiting list of projects exceeds what's already been put into production, with more than 1.9 million MWh of wind projects and 2.2 million MWh of solar projects in line. The prospect of future projects will start to fade out this year, said Beth O'Brien, community relations manager for Pattern Development, when she advocated at the Roundhouse for the production tax credit. The queue, she says, is "oversubscribed, creating a delay of up to two to four years before a new wind project begins receiving credits. The backlog, combined with the program cap and expiration, dampens momentum in the growth of the wind energy industry in the state." What would send a welcome signal to investors while accounting for the falling costs of renewable energy, O'Brien claims, is extending the credit and increasing the program's cap while mapping out a plan for phasing the credit out, with a final sunset date for claiming the credit in 2032. Pattern Development is building three wind projects in Curry County, the Broadview Wind Projects, which will add 463 MW to the installed wind capacity in the state, increasing the total by 50 percent, according to O'Brien. Over the next 30 years, the project is expected to pay $600 million in transmission service payments, $68 million in landowner royalties, $35 million in construction expenses and $27 million for local employment. While these tax credits cost the state revenuelikely in the annual range of $1 million to $4.5 million until fiscal year 2027, and potentially $11 million for the four years to follow that, according to legislative analystsPattern commissioned an economic analysis that estimated their projects would return to the overall state's economy as much as $8 for every $1 in lost revenue. "Whether the price of a barrel of oil is $20 or $200, these are impacts you can count on," O'Brien says. Since its enactment, that tax credit has brought more than 800 MW of new wind power facilities, and another 1,000 MW is expected to come online by the end of next year. The production tax credit helps makes all those projects financially viable. Ben Shelton, political and legislative director for Conservation Voters New Mexico, is among those arguing that New Mexico could and should produce more energy from renewable sources. (Ben Shelton) "These projects and others like them help the state of New Mexico attain greater economic diversification and resilience to market fluctuations in other areas of the economy," O'Brien says. Renewables could become the state's new export crop. While New Mexico's renewable portfolio standard aims for 20 percent renewables by 2020, California is aiming for 50 percent by 2030. "That's a tall order, and it is projects like ours and policies like New Mexico's that are poised to take advantage of such market opportunities," O'Brien states. "New Mexico has an opportunity to harness its renewable energy resources, export energy to surrounding markets, and directly benefit from the resulting tax revenue, jobs and economic ripple effect." The state is situated at the southern tip of the Midwestern wind beltwhich Texas has used to convert into 17,713 MW of wind power, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Also a recipient of plentiful sunshine, New Mexico's ranked second in the nation for renewables potential, and that means a huge opportunity for economic growth. "This is something that we should be exporting. New Mexico should be selling clean energy to the rest of the country, because we can generate it so much more easily," says Ben Shelton, political and legislative director for Conservation Voters New Mexico. Much of the renewable power produced in New Mexico is already shipped to other states to meet more demanding renewable portfolio standards there. Pattern's new wind farms, for example, are all dedicated to help California meet its goal of 50 percent renewable power statewide. "These large, interstate exchanges and connections, their job is to make sure that electricity, no matter where it's generated or consumed, gets from A to B efficiently, so if New Mexico power producers get a better rate selling electricity during peak hours to Los Angeles, that's best for New Mexico," Shelton says. "It's better for us to generate clean power here and sell it somewhere else in the form of renewable energy credits. The fact that the state's renewable potential can translate into the national multistate market is one of the great reasons to do it." "It's better for us to generate clean power here and sell it somewhere else in the form of renewable energy credits." In addition to an economic boost, switching to renewable sources for power here could separate ratepayers from the volatile market for fossil fuels. "The states that have the most renewables in their portfolio already get hurt the least when fuel rates go up. That's all for the fairly self-explanatory reason that the fuel source that renewables run on is free," Shelton says. "When you install more solar, even rooftop solar, the power bill for everybody tends to go down, and that also insulates the entire ratepayer base from fluctuations in fuel prices." There is also, of course, the question of public health. Taking coal-fired plants off line, in particular, reduces carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and particulate emissions, improving air quality and public health. Research released earlier this year at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting reported that more than 5.5 million people die prematurely each year from outdoor and household air pollution, almost half of them in the developing nations of China and India. Last year was a record-setting year for installation of solar photovoltaics, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, which reported 7,286 MW of power installed. California, North Carolina, Nevada, Massachusetts and New York led the way in that effort. New Mexico ranked 17th for 2015, dropping from 10th in 2014. With solar providing 29.5 percent of new capacity, for the first time, it beat natural gas capacity additions. "The things that drive states include, of course, having a good renewable resource, which New Mexico has a great one, but it also typically includes good policies," says Sean Gallagher, vice president of state affairs for SEIA. "Utilities are used to doing business in the way they've always done it, and in order to get utilities to do business differently takes a little nudge. One of the primary things is having a renewable energy standard." New Mexico does have one, but it's modest20 percent by 2020. A tax policy to encourage the competitiveness of renewables also helps encourage utilities to bring more renewable power online, as does the federal renewable tax credit, a 30 percent solar investment tax credit that was extended late in 2015 for the next five years. But the market is also reaching a tipping point at which experience, technological improvements and scale make renewable energy ever more cost effective. These turbines in House are part of the first large-scale wind power generation facility in the state. Theres a long waiting list for new wind projects that want to access a state tax credit. (Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department) "What we're seeing more and more of today is solar power and wind power, too, frankly, have declined in cost so much that we're seeing utilities go out and buy renewable power simply because it now makes economic sense," Gallagher says. The US Energy Information Administration reports the coming year will see new utility-scale solar capacity outpace any other new electricity generation brought online nationally, including wind and natural gas. Solar is expected to see an additional 9.5 GW come online, compared to 8 GW for natural gas and 6.8 GW for wind. That doesn't account for residential solar installations, which are also expected to continue to grow. Some states have even included with their renewable portfolio standard a provision that encourages building projects in poorer counties. In North Carolina, for example, farmers who used to grow tobacco, another commodity that's seen falling prices, can convert their land to use for a solar project. "It gives the farmers essentially another crop," Gallagher says. "They can turn that land into a new revenue stream." Last year alone, more than $80 million was invested in solar installations in New Mexico, he says. "That kind of money can make a real difference in rural counties," he says. But if the production tax credit evaporates, at some point, developers will start looking elsewhere to spend those dollars. Gov. Susana Martinez released an energy plan late last year that calls for an "all of the above" approach to energy policybut names many specific measures for attracting petrochemical companies for natural gas development and projects, streamlining the permitting process, and adding infrastructure to reduce bottlenecks perceived as slowing oil and gas development. For solar, her plan recommends a "state-led effort" to "reduce soft costs for solar photovoltaic installation, such as permitting and right of way procedures," a significant expense for residential photovoltaic systems, after labor and materials. A "low carbon portfolio standard" is "one possible way to move forward for the energy providers in the state," says Beth Wojahn, communications director for the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, responding to questions by email. Wojahn wouldn't agree to schedule an interview with the solar or wind program managers. New Mexico, as the governor's report states, boasts "some of the best wind resources in the country" and "the third highest state resource potential in the nation" for solar, yet renewables provide just 9.3 percent of the state's power. Per the 2015 requirement, PNM has capacity for 15 percent renewable energy on the grid. But it doesn't actually put those electrons on the gridit puts much less, because the requirement per the clean energy plan dictates capacity, not actual power provided. The installed "nameplate" capacity is 67 MW of solar, or 2.6 percent of PNM's total capacity for power, and 204 MW, or 7.8 percent of its total capacity, of wind power, which comes from the New Mexico Wind Energy Center. But actual generation that comes from those facilities in 2014 was 0.7 percent for solar and 4.5 percent for wind. PNM has continued to bring additional solar and wind projects online, working toward the renewable portfolio standard of 20 percent by 2020. "The crux of the problem with adoption of more renewables in the state is the economics," Wojahn writes. "New Mexico has some of the cheapest electricity rates in the nation, and because of these rates, the cost of energy generated by renewables in the past has exceeded the energy price from the established utilities." She referred SFR to a website, however, that actually reports the average commercial and residential electricity rate in New Mexico is above the national averageand Santa Fe's is yet again above the state average. Only for industrial rates does the rate in Santa Fe come in below the national average. At this point, Wojahn writes, the costs of renewable energy is now competitive with coal and natural gas, and the question comes down to "increased efforts to prioritize and integrate these clean resources." New Mexico is a net exporter of electrical energy, according to the US Energy Information Administration, but as Wojahn points out, "Demand for electric power has remained relatively flat for the last few years, so to add significant more amounts of wind, solar and geothermal energy will mean cutting back on existing resources." Santa Fe Reporter Hot Pot There is zero evidence that an at a well-known cannabis dispensary in an Albuquerque retail shopping area last weekend is tied to new rules that require the health department to comply with open records laws. It also appears that the nonprofit producers security protocols worked, and the thug got away with no medication. As of Monday, there are registered in the public health program. Keepin' It Real Gov. Susana Martinez has to decide the fate of about by today. If she takes no action, the bills are considered pocket-vetoed; we may never hear why the governor opposed them. Yesterday, Martinez signed that controversial bill into law. Work Rules Snapped Justin Horwath at the New Mexican reports, Thousands of New Mexicans will not have to prove to the state that theyre working in order to after a federal judge ruled that the state has been wrongly denying assistance to people through stricter rules that went into effect this year. Campaign Shapes Up Candidates lined up to file petitions to get on the 2016 primary ballot on Tuesday. Matt Reichbach took a look at who wants to serve the public and found , a former state Representative, is now running for a Senate seat. And Steve Terrell reports could come down to just three seats. Brandenburg Won't Seek Re-election Longtime 2nd Judicial District Attorney opted out of filing day, after deciding not to run for a fifth consecutive term. In Santa Fe, the campaign to replace Angela Spence Pacheco, who retired as Santa Fe's district attorney last December. Spinning Out SFRs Elizabeth Miller takes a long look at why New Mexico isnt leading the and ending a popular tax credit for solar panel installations. Drilling Down Meanwhile, Miller also reports, Environmental groups have once again asked a judge to order the US Bureau of Land Management to near Chaco Canyon. Pancho Villa Remembered Folks in Columbus will be commemorating the 100-year anniversary of Mexican revolutionary leader Francisco Pancho Villas raid there today. Check out Ramon Renteria's in the Deming Highlight. Santa Fe Reporter While you're here, I hope you will discover a thought-provoking idea, a little inspiration and encouragement to brighten your day, new ways to make your life less complicated and a lot more fun, or even a new recipe. Always remember that God loves you and has great plans for your life (See Jeremiah 29:11 ). If you have time, I would love to hear your comments and suggestions. Please come back anytime. Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was meanwhile bracing for a poor showing, particularly in its traditional stronghold of Baden-Wuerttemberg, with the Bild poll showing support sliding by 10.5 percentage. (Photo: AP) Berlin: Chancellor Angela Merkel's party risks a drubbing at key state elections Sunday as voters punish the German leader for her liberal refugee policy, while the right-wing populist AfD eyes major gains as it scoops up the protest vote. More than 12 million voters are due to elect three new regional parliaments for the southwestern states of Baden-Wuerttemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, as well as eastern Saxony-Anhalt in the so-called Super Sunday polls. The elections are the biggest since a record influx of refugees to Germany, and disgruntled voters are expected to seize on the opportunity to hit the ruling coalition where it hurts. "These elections are very important as they will serve as a litmus test for the government's disputed policy" on refugees, Duesseldorf University political scientist Jens Walther said. Surveys in the run-up to the polls have shown Alternative for Germany (AfD) steadily gaining momentum, with the latest published Monday by Bild daily showing backing reaching double-digit levels in all three states. Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was meanwhile bracing for a poor showing, particularly in its traditional stronghold of Baden-Wuerttemberg, with the Bild poll showing support sliding by 10.5 percentage points to 28.5 percent putting it for the first time behind the Greens, while the AfD snatched 12.5 percent. "These are numbers that really hit us," said Guido Wolf, the CDU's leading candidate in the southwest, adding that Sunday's was the "most difficult election campaign" the party has had to run. In Rhineland-Palatinate where the fortunes of the CDU had been rising, leading candidate Julia Kloeckner who some believe could be Merkel's successor is expected only to help the party to a tie with the Social Democratic Party (SPD), at 35 percent. In Saxony-Anhalt, where the CDU still has a large lead in the Bild poll with 29 percent, AfD has a stunning 19 percent that almost draws it equal with the second placed Left Party, on 20 percent. A lot to lose Merkel has been under intense pressure to change course and shut Germany's doors after 1.1 million refugees many of them Syrians arrived in Europe's biggest economy last year alone. But she has resolutely refused to impose a cap on arrivals, insisting instead on common European action that includes distributing refugees among the EU's 28 member states. Barely a week before the polls, Merkel told activists to take heart despite falling support for the party, saying: "It will pay off in the end." But public opinion towards her stance was divided, and AfD has capitalised on the darkening mood. AfD began life in 2013 as an anti-euro party, but has since morphed into one that sparked a storm in January after suggesting police may have to shoot at migrants at the borders. In what could be a preview of Sunday's polls, local election results published Monday in Hesse show support for AfD reaching 13.2 percent, propelling it to become the third biggest party in the western state. Although the upstart party has seats in five regional parliaments and is represented in the European Parliament, it has so far made its biggest gains in former communist eastern states that still lag western Germany in jobs and prosperity. But its inroads into western states have sparked alarm in a Germany mindful of its Nazi past. With an eye on the upcoming polls, Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel warned voters that "we have a lot to lose if we deal carelessly with social stability and democracy". Merkel herself described AfD as a "party that does not bring society together and offers no appropriate solutions to problems, but only stokes prejudices and divisions", while Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble branded them a "shame for Germany". Some 142 civic groups, including police unions, Jewish and Muslim organisations and aid groups, also published a joint appeal urging voters to turn up at the polls as a show of strength "against all forms of hate, racism, prejudices or violence". Property magnates the Chow Brothers and Corporate finance specialist Clint Webber have bought the troubled Stonewood Homes business assets (third largest house building company in NZ) both the national franchise rights and the Christchurch franchisee from receivers KordaMentha for an undisclosed sum. The Chow brothers have a proven business track record, having built a $200 million portfolio of commercial buildings in Auckland, Wellington and Rotorua in just 18 years with 200 employees working for the group between Auckland Wellington. Stonewood complements our office, retail, accommodation, and car park property portfolio, said John Chow in Christchurch today. Between them, the Chows and Webbers have extensive experience financing and managing complex restructures and with the Chow Group's solid cash flow, it makes this opportunity a logical fit. The brothers, and Mr Webber are committed to turning Stonewood around and regaining customer and supplier trust. This purchase signals our clear intention to repair recent damage to the brand and to re-establish the Stonewood brand nationally on a very firm footing, says John. Stonewood is a major player in Canterbury, where it is the regions second largest residential home builder. This morning, the Chow brothers and Mr Webber met with all 44 remaining employees and offered them new contracts on similar terms. While we still have quite a process to work through with the receivers, our next step will be to engage urgently with customers with uncompleted homes. Its vital we provide certainty for customers who have been affected. We have a management team of eleven here in Christchurch to seal the deal but we ask for tolerance from affected parties reiterated Mr Webber. Clint, John and I have young children and we know the stresses of family life. Having your new home plans put at risk from factors out of your control is hugely worrying for parents, and of course our elderly customers, so we will prioritise according to individual needs. says Michael. The Chow brothers and Mr Webber are no strangers to big challenges. Theres a huge task ahead where we need to work with suppliers, tradespeople and franchisees to repair relationships. We also need to talk with Master Build to ensure build guarantees are honoured, and engage with local district councils to ensure building consent processes run smoothly. Michael Chow said he and his brother, and Mr Webber were keenly aware of the profoundly negative downstream commercial implications from Stonewoods collapse for countless businesses directly and indirectly throughout the Canterbury region. Its critically important the brand survives in order to reinstate confidence in the regions rebuild and overall recovery effort. As well-capitalised businessmen, with scale and proven commercial success across numerous market sectors, we are well positioned to deliver what the Canterbury market in particular needs right now. This is our first major investment into Christchurch and we predict it wont be our last. We like what we see in the new Christchurch. ABOUT THE CHOW BROTHERS John and Michaels family immigrated to New Zealand in 1984 from Hong Kong. They started their working life as teenagers, working 12 hour shifts in their parents takeaway food outlet in Wellington. From the first accidental foray into repurposing an undervalued commercial asset, the brothers then tried their hand at converting other unoccupied buildings into car parks, warehouses and offices. Property remains their core business, constituting 90% of the brothers combined assets, with a 39% capital growth in assets since 1999. Until Stonewood, investment success has been derived from revamping second hand unprofitable commercial buildings, turning them into properties with regular cash flow with a long-term time horizon. Just last week they celebrated the successful reverse listing of shell company RIS Group (renamed Chow Group) into which they plan to transfer much of their property portfolio. The Stonewood purchase has been made through a separate company and is not part of to the listed company. The Chow brothers have no plans to rest on their laurels. John and Michael have been on NBR's Rich List for last 3 years and they have publicly declared their plans to grow to a $1 billion empire by 2020. Any further enquire please email jasmine.mcauslan@cgml.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses MOVE Completes Purchase of Vessel for Trans-Tasman Service London: Praising the Indian diaspora as an "asset" for India-UK relations, India's new High Commissioner Navtej Sarna on Tuesday said that though being only 1.8 per cent of Britain's population they contribute 6 per cent to the GDP. "The India diaspora in the UK is one of the largest ethnic minority communities in the country equating to around 1.8 per cent of the population and contributing 6 per cent of the country's GDP," he said. At an event at the British Parliament complex, he also described them as an "asset for building India-UK relations". The event, jointly hosted by Indo-British All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and the APPG for the Commonwealth, was held to welcome Sarna to his UK posting earlier this year. Making a specific reference to Indian students, he flagged up the growing "visa problems" that are making Australia and New Zealand more attractive than UK universities. His remarks came amid reports that the British government was set to increase visa fees across most categories of applications from March 18. The move will affect thousands of Indians who were the largest group of skilled workers granted visas to live and work in Britain last year. Indians had bagged the majority of the 92,062 visas issued to skilled migrants in 2015. Irish police reached the spot soon, but had to pepper spray the man after he refused to surrender or drop the knife (Representatinoal photo: DC fIle) Dublin: A 47-year-old man was found guilty on Tuesday, of raping his girlfriend and her mother, while on bail from prison for kidnapping and assaulting the same girlfriend in 2014. According to The Independent, Joseph barged into the house of Anna's mother (names changed), held her at knifepoint and brutally assaulted her mother, calling her a 'whore' and a 'slut'. He later tied her up with the loose ends of a dressing gown and abused her physically and sexually for over three hours. He also dug his teeth into the 60-year-old's nose, Dublin Central Criminal Court heard. Anna informed the police of the situation after she heard her mother in the voice mail, pleading to be let off. Meanwhile the man was heard screaming 'Take it in your mouth.' The Irish police reached the spot soon, but had to pepper spray the man after he refused to surrender or drop the knife. The father-of-four repeatedly raped Anna two days before the incident to the point where she vomited. Joseph had also served long time in jail for raping his daughter over a period of 4 years. Joseph later pleaded guilty of raping the two women and assaulting them physically between 2 and 5 July 2015. He is currently on waiting list for psychological treatment. Children take shelter from the rain at the Greek border camp near Idomeni. (Photo: AP) Idomeni: Six-day-old Asima lies on her back a few metres away from a line of public toilets used by crowds of refugees and migrants stranded at a muddy border outpost in northern Greece. She is one of the youngest of thousands of children trapped in what aid workers say is a petri dish of filth and festering infections, as European leaders work out what to do with the growing masses fleeing conflict zones and heading to Europe. A family stand near a puddle of mud at the Greek border camp near Idomeni. (Photo: AP) Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says there are at least 40 pregnant women in Idomeni camp on the Macedonian border, and 40 percent of its population are children. There are many babies at the camp, and they are vulnerable to respiratory infections, said Christian Reynders, deputy coordinator for MSF at Idomeni. "Refugees set fires at night to keep their families warm. They burn everything, wood, plastic bags, old clothes. The smoke is toxic and we are afraid that respiratory infection especially for newborn babies might create permanent problems to their breathing system," he added. A migrant child takes shelter from the rain at the Greek border camp. (Photo: AP) MSF doctors see about 60 children a day suffering from the results of the humidity and smoke, he said. By the latest count, there were about 36,000 refugees and migrants stranded in Greece on Wednesday, their plans to travel further north blocked by border shutdowns throughout the Balkans. Asimas Syrian mother gave birth in the town of Kilkis, about 40 km (25 miles) away from the camp which has sprouted up in muddy meadows. But she then promptly returned, waiting with at least 13,000 others to cross a frontier which now appears permanently shut. A nurse from the 'Arsis' charity changes Asimas nappy, saying she knows of at least five infants stuck in squalid conditions. "I few minutes ago we had a three-month-old baby in who only weighed three kilos, the nurse said, less than half the usual weight for that age. "A few days after giving birth their parents bring them back to the camp. They are afraid of losing their place to cross the borders. Many are malnourished. A child exits a tent during rainfall. (Photo: AP) Sarala, in her early twenties, has been living there for 19 days, in a tiny tent covered in mud. She fled Idlib in Syria with her daughter, then 15 days old. She crossed into Greece about a month ago and wants to go to Germany. The baby is wearing a pink babygrow also spattered with mud. "Ill stay at the camp until Macedonia open the borders," she told Reuters. She wouldnt contemplate leaving for better conditions elsewhere. "I was one of the first to arrive at Idomeni. I don't want to lose an opportunity to pass". The Revolutionary Guard website said the missiles launched during the exercises included the mid-range Shahab-1 and -2, and the multiple warhead Qiam, with a range of 800 kilometers, and the liquid-fueled Qadr F, which reportedly has a range of nearly 2,000 kilometers. (Photo: AFP) Tehran: Iran's Revolutionary Guard launched several medium-range and short-range ballistic missiles in recent days as part of a military exercise, the Guard announced Tuesday. The missiles had ranges of between 300 and 2,000 kilometers (185-1,250 miles), Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the Guard's aerospace division, said, according to the state news agency IRNA. The longer ends of that range appear to exceed limits that the U.N. Security Council has imposed in connection to resolutions banning Iran from developing missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Iran says none of its missiles are designed to carry nuclear weapons. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric, asked whether the secretary-general condemned the latest missile launches, said the U.N. was looking into the reports and it was up to the Security Council to determine whether there were any violation. "It's important that Iran live up to its obligations under the (nuclear) deal," he said. The U.N. experts panel said last year that a missile with a range of at least 300 kilometers (186 miles) and a payload of at least 500 kilograms (1,102 pounds) is considered by expert guidelines to be capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction The Revolutionary Guard website said the missiles launched during the exercises included the mid-range Shahab-1 and -2, and the multiple warhead Qiam, with a range of 800 kilometers, and the liquid-fueled Qadr F, which reportedly has a range of nearly 2,000 kilometers. It did not give the rockets' payload capacity. The missiles have been in service in the Guard over the past years. IRNA said the missiles, launched from silos in several locations across the country, demonstrated Iran's "deterrence power" and its readiness to confront threats. State TV ran what it said was video footage of the operation, showing missiles in underground silos and flashes of light from nighttime launches. "Israel is afraid of the missile launch since it is in range of most of our missiles. Naturally, whoever has hostility towards Iran is in fear," said the Guard chief, Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, according to the Guard's website. "Our enemies have learned that increasing sanctions and security pressures have no (negative) impact on boosting of our capabilities." State media said the exercise was in its final phase on Tuesday. In October, Iran successfully test-fired a new guided long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile. It was the first such test since Iran and world powers reached a landmark nuclear deal last summer. U.N. experts said the launch used ballistic missile technology banned under a Security Council resolution. In January, the U.S. imposed new sanctions on individuals and entities linked to the ballistic missile program. Since 1992, Iran has emphasized a self-sufficient and indigenous military production industry, producing missiles, tanks and light submarines. The government frequently announces military advances, which cannot independently verified. NEW DELHI: Tata Power's arm TPREL has signed a pact with Indo Rama Renewables Ltd (IRRL) to acquire its 100 per cent subsidiary IRRJL, which owns a 30 MW wind farm in Sangli District of Maharashtra. "The transaction shall be consummated within the next few weeks. The wind farm, which is fully operational since July 2013, has executed a long-term power purchase agreement with Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Ltd and is registered under the Generation Based Incentive scheme of Ministry of New & Renewable Energy," Tata Power said in a press release today. It said that with the acquisition of, Indo Rama Renewables Jath Limited, (IRRJL), Tata Power's total generation capacity will increase to 9130 MW and its operational wind power generation capacity to 570 MW with wind turbines located across 5 states - Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Tata Power Renewable Energy LTD (TPREL) also has 250 MW of wind projects under construction across Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Tata Power CEO & Managing Director Anil Sardana said the company "endeavours to generate 20-25 per cent of its total generation capacity from clean energy sources and is proud to have completed this acquisition of the 30 MW operational wind farm". He added: "This is our third acquisition of an operating wind asset and we are in constant look out for similar opportunities in respect of wind and solar plants." Indo Rama Synthetics (India) Ltd Executive Director Vishal Lohia said: "Divestment from this wind asset shall enable us to have a more focused and effective approach towards managing our core business of polyester." The move to divest wind asset will provide an impetus to further grow polyester business of IRSL, the company said in a BSE filing. TPREL's strategy emphasises the development of clean energy generation from non-fossil fuel and renewable energy sources to balance the carbon emissions from fossil fuel based generation capacity while contributing towards energy security of the country. Read Also: With 12 licences, Reliance Group eyeing $60 bn defence pie Japan to sell early quake alert systems to other countries WASHINGTON: US Republican presidential front- runner Donald Trump faces a tough test today when the party's key primaries will be held in four states of Hawaii, Idaho, Michigan and Mississippi as the gap between him and his rivals has narrowed. The four State primary is considered to be decisive for the Republican front-runner as an impressive show would put him on the path of commanding lead. A series of polls released yesterday indicated that 69-year-old real estate tycoon is loosing the momentum in some of the key States like Michigan and Florida. Though still in the lead, the popularity gap between him and his other rivals have narrowed down considerably. For instance, the gap between him and Marco Rubio has come down from a 20 point to juts eight points now. Meanwhile, Rubio strongly refuted reports that he is dropping out of the race. In Florida, Trump launched a advertisement campaign against Rubio. "Lightweight Senator Marco Rubio is a dishonest person. He has cheated with credit cards, and does favours for lobbyists. In my opinion, he is a total crook and I am doing the people of Florida a great favour by further exposing him," Trump said in a statement. "In addition to everything else, he is an absentee Senator with one of the worst voting records in the history of the United States Senate, instead preferring to spend his time begging for campaign contributions," he said. In a related development, Paul Ryan, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, called both Trump and Senator Ted Cruz to discuss with them the party's agenda. This was part of his effort to efforts to craft a bold, election-year agenda, his aid said. The Politico reported that the Trump campaign has introduced new security measures in view of the increasing frequency of protesters at his rallies. This includes having security personnel in plain cloths. At one of the campaign event, some protesters were stripped away first and removed individually by security personnel, while others who remained huddled together were slowly pushed en masse out of the airport hangar where the rally was held, Politico reported. Read Also: Former US First Lady Nancy Reagan Dies At 94 Donald Trump's Bigotry, Bullying, Bluster Not Popular: Hillary Clinton Source: PTI STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- After it was announced that the state -- in tandem with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Staten Island University Hospital -- has approved the capture and relocation of flocks of turkeys that congregate on the hospital's Ocean Breeze campus, a Dongan Hills resident implored SILive.com for help. "Please come to Burgher Avenue and Laconia Avenue around 4 p.m any day," he wrote in an email on Tuesday morning. "We have over 50 turkeys causing havoc, stopping traffic, defecating on lawns, cars and sidewalks. Please help us!" "We are constantly fighting with (people in) cars who stop and feed them," he added, noting that some homeowners "start feeding (the turkeys) cat food every day." So a reporter arrived at the location on Tuesday afternoon, waiting for the flock to arrive. Time passed, and no turkeys came marching down Laconia Avenue toward Burgher. One neighborhood resident told a reporter that earlier in the week stones were thrown at the birds and firecrackers set off. "Maybe they are scared," she speculated. A drive up and down several nearby dead-end blocks found no turkeys in sight. Finally, on Mason Avenue: A flock of over 50 toms and hens between Benton Avenue and Xenia Street. Some were in the street and others at the curb. The time was 4:30 p.m. and traffic was not heavy. Every passing motorist slowed down for the turkeys, and some drivers were forced to come to a full stop, waiting for the birds to meander across Mason Avenue. As the accompanying video shows, the honking horns of some impatient drivers did nothing to speed up the turkeys' slow movement across Mason Avenue. Moving among the flock for 15 minutes, this reporter can share one observation: Not one of the toms or hens was aggressive, and some posed for photographs. FAST FACTS ABOUT WILD TURKEYS Here are five facts from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Wild Turkeys get around mostly by walking, though they can also run and fly--when threatened, females tend to fly while males tend to run. At sundown turkeys fly into the lower limbs of trees and move upward from limb to limb to a high roost spot. They usually roost in flocks, but sometimes individually. Courting males gobble to attract females and warn competing males. They display for females by strutting with their tails fanned, wings lowered, while making nonvocal hums and Males breed with multiple mates and form all-male flocks outside of the breeding season, leaving the chick-rearing to the females. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- If you have aging parents who still want to live on their own -- but need you close by -- there's a new alternative to nursing home care. Dubbed "granny pods," there are several companies that produce pre-fab "tiny houses" -- some specially designed with high-tech features that assist senior citizens with everyday tasks. One company that manufactures the backyard homes is MEDCottage, a Blacksburg, Va., company. These high-tech homes are marketed as an alternative to nursing homes, and come equipped with all the amenities -- from defibrillators to pill dispensers -- you'd find in a hospital. The tiny backyard homes, which can be hooked up to the main house's water, sewer and power lines, range in price from $40,000 to upward of $100,000. But can these cottages work on Staten Island? ZONING OBSTACLES The major obstacle seems to be New York City's zoning regulations, and small lot sizes. "This concept is great. The problem is the zoning," said Claire Bisignano Chesnoff, broker/owner of the New Dorp-based Claire Properties, and president of the Staten Island Board of Realtors. "Staten Island would never permit this type of building because each type of zoning needs specific footage for side yards, back yards, etc. The space these homes would occupy is larger than the size of the tiny homes, which could not pass zoning laws on Staten Island. I actually had a property for sale that would have been perfect for a tiny home, but even the most creative architect couldn't get around the law," she added. CITY APPROVALS NEEDED Even if a zoning change was allowed, it would take many city approvals for granny pods to exist on Staten Island. "If someone wanted to have this on Staten Island, the New York City Department of Buildings would get involved and they would want to know about everything from plumbing to electric and sewer," said Jon Salmon, broker/owner of Salmon Real Estate in Castleton Corners. Some Realtors said many of the Island's seniors wouldn't be happy living in a granny pod. "Our seniors are pretty active and I don't see that these people will want a studio. It looks like a glorified shed," said Laura Volsario, a Realtor with Gateway Arms Realty in St. George. "Seniors today want more than you would think. They usually just want to downsize in terms of stairs, but they want be to able to keep their dining room table and big master bedroom sets," she added. However, Realtors agree that with Staten Island's large aging population, it would be great to have the option for granny pods in the borough. "I believe keeping older parents or grandparents close by can be rewarding. Their value is cherished by the family," said Chesnoff. What do you think about using granny pods to house an aging parent? Let us know in the comments section below. FOLLOW Tracey Porpora on In an instance that sheds light on the derogatory treatment meted out to women under the custody of ISIS, a nine-year-old girl was reportedly raped by an ISIS militant in an open hall where she was being detained along with several other women. The report Children of the Islamic State was compiled by Quillium, a London-based counter extremism think-tank. The report cited individual case studies, where women recounted stories of rape and torture. One woman who was held captive recounted how she saw an IS man point a gun at a young girl who had been resisting. Another girl said she was raped in a hall where she was being detained with other women in Mosul after her abduction by IS. She said the guards raped her three times a day for three days. She added that she also saw an eight or nine-year old girl being raped openly in the hall. The report also claimed that the organisation was working on systemic rape and sexual abuse of girls and women, with over 31,000 pregnant women within confinement, aimed at progressing the next generation of ISIS. I used to hear a lot of cries and screaming from the other girl in the house. God knows what the man was doing to her. She was too young to understand and probably was very scared, the report quoted another survivor as saying with reference to the other girls who were sold to her master. She also said that the ISIS fighter who bought her raped her and if she tried to resist, he would beat her with his shoes. Reports by the United Nations in the past have also revealed the inhuman treatment to girls in the ISIS held territories, where girls are stripped and paraded in slave markets, and sold for sex by the ISIS members. In one horrific instance, one girl had been temporarily married over 20 times, and after each occasion was forced to undergo surgery to repair her virginity. Women and girls belonging to the Yazidi tribe are targeted for the institutionalised sexual violence perpetrated by the organisation as they are non-Muslims. Raping and torture of non-Muslim women is sanctioned under the groups radical interpretation of the scriptures. Why We Need to Keep 80 Percent of Fossil Fuels in the Ground Posted on 9 March 2016 by Guest Author This is a re-post from Yes! Magazine by Bill McKibben Physics can impose a bracing clarity on the normally murky world of politics. It can make things simple. Not easy, but simple. Most of the time, public policy is a series of trade-offs: higher taxes or fewer services, more regulation or more freedom of action. We attempt to balance our preferences: for having a beer after work, and for sober drivers. We meet somewhere in the middle, compromise, trade off. We tend to think were doing it right when everyones a little unhappy. But when it comes to climate change, the essential problem is not one groups preferences against anothers. Its notat bottomindustry versus environmentalists or Republicans against Democrats. Its people against physics, which means that compromise and trade-off dont work. Lobbying physics is useless; it just keeps on doing what it does. So here are the numbers: We have to keep 80 percent of the fossil-fuel reserves that we know about underground. If we dontif we dig up the coal and oil and gas and burn themwe will overwhelm the planets physical systems, heating the Earth far past the red lines drawn by scientists and governments. Its not we should do this, or wed be wise to do this. Instead its simpler: We have to do this. And we can do this. Five years ago, keeping it in the ground was a new idea. When environmentalists talked about climate policy, it was almost always in terms of reducing demand. On the individual level: Change your light bulb. On the government level: Put a price on carbon. These are excellent ideas, and theyre making slow but steady progress (more slowly in the United States than elsewhere, but thats par for the course). Given enough time, theyd bring down carbon emissions gradually but powerfully. Time, however, is precisely what we dont have. We pushed through the 400 parts per million level of CO2 in the atmosphere last spring; 2015 was the hottest year in recorded history, smashing the record set in 2014. So we have to attack this problem from both ends, going after supply as well as demand. We have to leave fossil fuel in the ground. Most of that coal and oil and gasmost of that moneyis concentrated in a few huge underground pools of carbon. Theres oil in the Arctic, and in the tar sands of Canada and Venezuela, and in the Caspian Sea; theres coal in Western Australia, Indonesia, China, and in the Powder River Basin; theres gas to be fracked in Eastern Europe. Call these the carbon bombs. If they go offif theyre dug up and burnttheyll wreck the planet. Of course, you could also call them money pits. Lots of moneythat coal and gas and oil may be worth $20 trillion. Maybe more. Because of that, there are people who say that the task is simply impossiblethat theres no way the oil barons and coal kings will leave those sums underground. And they surely wont do it voluntarily. Take the Koch brothers, for instance: Theyre among the largest leaseholders in Canadas tar sands and plan nearly $900 million in political spending during 2016, more than the Republicans or the Democrats. Because they wont be among the richest men on Earth anymore if that oil stays beneath the ground. But in fact its not a hopeless task. Weve begun to turn the tide, and in remarkably short order. YES! Illustration by Jensine Eckwall. If you understand the logic of the Keep It in the Ground campaign, for instance, then you understand the logic of the Keystone pipeline fight. Pundits said it was just one pipeline, but efforts to block it meant that the expansion of Canadas tar sands suddenly, sharply slowed. Investors, unsure that there would ever be affordable ways to bring more of that oil to market, pulled tens of billions of dollars off the table, even before the price of oil began to fall. So far, only about 3 percent of the oil in those tar sands has been extracted; the bomb is still sitting there, and if we block pipelines, then we cut the fuse. And the same tactics are working elsewhere, too. In Australia, there was unrelenting pressure from indigenous groups and climate scientists to block what would have been the worlds largest coal mine in Queenslands Galilee Valley. Activists tied up plans long enough that other campaigners were able to pressure banks around the world to withdraw financing for the giant mine. By spring 2015, most of the worlds major financial institutions had vowed not to provide loans for the big dig, and by summer the mining company was closing down offices and laying off its planning staff. Money, in fact, is a key part of the Keep It in the Ground strategy. In fall 2012, students, faith leaders, and other activists launched a fossil-fuel divestment campaign in the United States, supported by 350.org (an organization I co-founded), that soon spread Down Under and to Europe. The argument was simple: If Exxon and Chevron and BP and Shell plan to dig up and burn more carbon than the planet can handle, theyre not normal companies. If their business plan would break the planet, then we need to break ties with them. At first, the institutions that joined in were small. Tiny Unity College in Maine was first, selling the fossil fuel stock in its $13 million portfolio. But the campaign accelerated quickly because the math was so clear, the physics so irrefutable. By now colleges from Stanford to Oxford, from Sydney to Edinburgh, have joined in, pointing out that it makes no sense to educate young people and then break the planet theyll inhabit. Ditto doctors associations on several continents, which argue that you cant pretend to be interested in public health if you invest in companies destroying it. Ditto the United Church of Christ and the Unitarians and the Church of England and the Episcopalians, who insist that care for creation is incompatible with such destruction. These divestments are hurting companies directlycoal giant Peabody formally told shareholders in 2014 that the campaign was affecting its stock price and making it hard to raise capital. But even more, theyve driven the necessity of keeping carbon underground from the fringes into the heart of the worlds establishment. The Rockefeller Brothers Fund started divesting its fossil fuel stocks, while Deutsche Bank, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund have started down the same road. A month after the Rockefeller announcement, the governor of the Bank of England told a conference that the vast majority of carbon reserves are unburnable, warning of massive stranded assets. Trying to get out from under this carbon bubble is one reason why huge funds are now beginning to divest. The California Public Employees Retirement System, for instance, lost $5 billion before it saw the light and started selling its stock. But the fight remains damnably hard, because politicians are so used to doing the bidding of the oil companies. In fact, just days after the theoretically landmark Paris climate accord, the Obama administration and Congress gave the oil industry a much-sought-after gift: ending the 40-year ban on crude oil exports. Were making progress (it was something of a breakthrough, for instance, when cautious Hillary Clinton came out against Arctic oil) but not fast enough. Which is why, this spring, the climate movement will be rallying on the sites of as many of those carbon bombs as possible, in massive peaceful resistance designed to slow extraction of fossil fuels, but even more to shine a light on these massive, remote deposits. The leaders, as always, will be the frontline communities that live nearby. Some of the rest of us will make the trek to these locations; others will rally at embassies and banks to bring the same point home. Because once weve marked them on the planets mental map as mortal dangers, our odds of winning go up. If youre still skeptical, consider what happened in the Amazon after the worlds scientists, in the 1980s, identified the rainforest as absolutely necessary to the planets survival. Click here to read the rest Islamabad: Pakistan along with its "all-weather" ally China has successfully blocked India's bid to become a member of the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group, Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has said. India has been seeking membership to the 48-member nuclear club, whose members can trade in and export nuclear technology. NSG is a powerful multinational body concerned with reducing nuclear proliferation. Pakistan with the cooperation of China had successfully blocked India's bid to seek membership of the NSG, Aziz told the Senate on Tuesday. Read: Nuclear club eyes Indian inclusion, but risks Pakistan's ire While countries like the US have backed India's membership in the NSG, China has only offered conditional support to New Delhi. China's Foreign Ministry had called for "prudence and caution" over expanding the NSG. Asked whether China wants to back any other country's entry into NSG, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying had said, "as for the expansion of the group, the members should make the decision on consensus after thorough discussions. India's inclusion into this group is an internal matter of the group. It needs prudence and caution and thorough discussions among all members." Read: Granting India nuclear suppliers group membership to impact regional peace: Pakistan "We support such discussion and we also support India's inclusion into this group if it meets all the requirements," she had said in January last year. In November, media reports said China had assured Islamabad that if India is granted membership of the NSG, China would ensure that Pakistan also joined the group. Pakistan has been saying that if it is deprived of NSG membership while India is accommodated, it would be taken as discrimination and lead to an imbalance in the region. Clara007 said: Jimmy, you are misinformed. Charter schools do not always outperform public schools. In fact, if they do outperform it is usually because Charters can cherry-pick their students, claiming they have capped their enrollment. Also their screening process allows them to admit students most likely to succeed. Charters also regulate the composition of their student bodies through expulsions. Charters have fallen short in terms of transparency and accountability too. Fraud runs rampant. Another problem with Charters is that (depending on the state/charter) teachers need not be highly qualified or certified. Some Charters do not require teaching degrees or experience. I'm not saying that all Charters are bad. They started as an experimental process and an alternative to public school. Some have succeeded and some have failed. Click to expand... Jimmy, you are misinformed. Charter schools do not always outperform public schools. In fact, if they do outperform it is usually because Charters can cherry-pick their students, claiming they have capped their enrollment. Also their screening process allows them to admit students most likely to succeed. Charters also regulate the composition of their student bodies through expulsions. Charters have fallen short in terms of transparency and accountability too. Fraud runs rampant. Click to expand... Another problem with Charters is that (depending on the state/charter) teachers need not be highly qualified or certified. Some Charters do not require teaching degrees or experience. I'm not saying that all Charters are bad. They started as an experimental process and an alternative to public school. Some have succeeded and some have failed. Click to expand... Charter schools have a higher graduation rate. Charter schools college enrollment is 11% higher than public schools. Charter school graduates have a higher graduation rate in college than public schools. Charter school graduates have a higher income than public school graduates. Eighty-one percent of charter school sixth grade through eighth grades students scored higher than grade level standards; public schools are less than sixty-two percent. Blacks in charter schools scored 4.5% higher in English and 2.6% higher in math than blacks in public schools. I do not think I am misinformed as I use data from the Department of Education and university studies, and almost all negative information regarding charter schools comes from the opinions of organizations that have something to lose because of charter schools.What you have just described is the system that the countries that have been pulling ahead of us each year use relatively early in education.Charter schools outperform regular public schools. When charter schools do not outperform public schools, they are not operated as true charter schools. In some states and districts, charter schools are free to implement policies that they believe work best regarding educating the students, and in some states and districts, charter schools must implement the same policies and rules that have failed regular public schools. Charter schools receive the same method of funding that a regular public school receives based on formulas for each enrolled student, so not admitting students is not financially plausible. Charter schools that are free to implement their own policies, can draw from a larger geographical area than a regular public school that limits students to specific schools near their homes.Regarding fraud, there is nothing more fraudulent regarding education than the Detroit numbers below. There is nothing more fraudulent in education than the bloated bureaucracy of public schools since the 1960s with the non-teaching administration staff of public schools increasing 700% for every 100% increase in the student population. This number makes me want to put a sharp stick in the eye of anyone who complains about funding for public schools when the majority of the funding is supporting non-teaching bureaucrats.I want you to defend what a highly qualified or certified teacher is in the context of charter schools with this datacompared to the highly qualified or certified teachers in the Detroit school district that have produces this according to the 2015 Department of Educations National Center for Educational Statistics report: ninety-six percent of eight graders are notand ninety-three percent are. Four percent of Detroit public school eighth graders are proficient or better in math and only seven percent are proficient or better in reading.The Detroit public schools have total expenditures per student of $18,361 vis-a-vis the average of $16,608 per student for the country per theNew Orleans is an example of a district wide experiment with charter schools that was a success and the only district wide experiment.Prior to Hurricane Katrina during the 2004-2005 school year, the New Orleans schools ranked 67th out of 68 school districts in Louisiana. The graduation rate in New Orleans was 54% percent prior to Katrina and the state graduation rate was 70%. After the state replaced the schools with charter schools in New Orleans--90% of students attend a charter school--from 2004-2005 school year to the 2013-2014 school year, the graduation rate in New Orleans increased from 54% to 72.7% with the state graduation rate being 74.6%. This is a dramatic improvement in ten years from a state-wide gap of 16% to being reduced to 2%.There are many resources regarding the success of New Orleans charter schools. Here is one from Tulanes Cowen Institute written by Doug Harris, Ph.D. in Economics: By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree Hillary Clinton's campaign manager 'convinces her to release secret UFO files' if elected The Democratic front runner has apparently been persuaded to agree to tell the world what she knows about UFOs if she gets to the White House Hillary Clinton is fast becoming the Democratic Party's front-runner for the US presidential election, but is seems her destiny may have been written in the stars. Campaign manager John Podesta says he has "convinced" her to tell the world about the UFO/ET phenomenon . The long-term advocate of ending excessive secrecy seems to have struck a chord with his boss who has pledged to "get to the bottom of it" and "have a task force go to Area 51" - the military base where America test flies its top secret aircraft. Podesta, who has been an advisor to US presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama since 1993, says the former First Lady has listened to his pleas for all government held UFO files to be made readily available to the public. During an interview with Steve Sebelius, co-host of KLAS-TV Politics Now, based in Las Vegas, he said: "I've talked to Hillary about that. I think I've convinced her that we need an effort to declassify as much as we can so people can have their legitimate questions answered. A Georgian by birth known also as "Omar the Chechen," Shishani fought in the Georgian armed forces during the country's short war in 2008 against Russia. After serving out his time in his home country's military, Shishani joined a number of rebel brigades fighting in Syria after the start of the country's civil war in 2012. Sometime in 2013, Shishani joined the Islamic State. In September 2014, Shishani was added to the U.S. Treasury Department's list of specially designated global terrorists. The announcement came a day after South Korea's intelligence agency said that North Korea had hacked into the smartphones of South Korean officials and stolen information from them. The hackers had access to phone conversations and text messages, as well as the phone numbers of other senior Southern officials, the Yonhap News Agency reported. The intelligence agency, which held an emergency meeting Tuesday, did not identify whose phones were hacked or what information they contained. Filibusters in Missouri can be halted by a majority vote, but that procedure is used sparingly, and Republican leaders said they preferred to simply wear down their opponents. Missouri's session runs through mid-May. That leaves plenty of time for the proposal, if passed by the Senate, to also move through the Republican-controlled House. It then would be submitted to statewide voters in either the August primary or November general election. Best Canadian Blog 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 About Kate Why this blog? Until this moment I have been forced to listen while media and politicians alike have told me "what Canadians think". In all that time they never once asked. This is just the voice of an ordinary Canadian yelling back at the radio - "You don't speak for me." (goes to a private mailserver in Europe) I can't answer or use every tip, but all are appreciated! Katewerk Art Support SDA I am not a registered charity. I cannot issue tax receipts. Reconnaissance Man Economics for the Disinterested ...a fast-paced polar bear attack thriller! Want lies? Hire a regular consultant. Want truth? Hire an asshole. Weather Shop Click to inquire about rates. Dow Jones What They Say About SDA "Smalldeadanimals doesn't speak for the people of Saskatchewan" Former Sask Premier Lorne Calvert "I got so much traffic after your post my web host asked me to buy a larger traffic allowance." Dr.Ross McKitrick Holy hell, woman. When you send someone traffic, you send someone TRAFFIC. My hosting provider thought I was being DDoSed. - Sean McCormick "The New York Times link to me yesterday [...] generated one-fifth of the traffic I normally get from a link from Small Dead Animals." Kathy Shaidle "Thank you for your link. A wave of your Canadian readers came to my blog! Really impressive." Juan Giner - INNOVATION International Media Consulting Group I got links from the Weekly Standard, Hot Air and Instapundit yesterday - but SDA was running at least equal to those in visitors clicking through to my blog. Jeff Dobbs "You may be a nasty right winger, but you're not nasty all the time!" Warren Kinsella "Go back to collecting your welfare livelihood."Michael E. Zilkowsky Intelliweather Seismic Map Comments Policy Read this Best Of SDA Hide The Decline The Bottle Genie (ClimateGate links) You Might Be A Liberal Uncrossing The Line Bob Fife: Knuckledragger A Modest Proposal (NP) Settled Science Series Y2Kyoto Series SDA: Reader Occupation Survey Brett Lamb Sheltered Workshop Flakes On A Plane All Your Weather Are Belong To Us Song Of The Sled The Raise A Flag Debacle (Now on Youtube!) (.mwv Video) Abuse Ruins Life Of Girl Trudeaupiate Kleptocrat Jeans Child Labour I Concede Small Dead Feminist Protein Hoser: THK Interview The Werewolf Extinction Dear Laura (VRWC) We Wait Blogging The Oscars Jackson Converts To Islam Just Shut The HELL Up Manipulating Condi Gay Equality Rights Russia warns North Korea over threats of nuclear strike One of Pyongyangs few remaining allies says country is in danger of creating legal grounds for international military intervention. NK News reports Russia has warned North Korea that threats to deliver preventive nuclear strikes could create a legal basis for the use of military force against the country, suggesting that even Pyongyangs few remaining friends are growing concerned about its increasingly confrontational stance.The Russian foreign ministry statement, which follows a North Korean threat to annihilate the US and South Korea, also criticises Washington and Seoul for launching the largest joint military drills yet to be held on the peninsula.We consider it to be absolutely impermissible to make public statements containing threats to deliver some preventive nuclear strikes against opponents, the Russian foreign ministry said in response to North Koreas threats.Pyongyang should be aware of the fact that in this way the DPRK will become fully opposed to the international community and will create international legal grounds for using military force against itself in accordance with the right of a state to self-defense enshrined in the United Nations Charter, continued the statement, translated by Itar Tass news agency. San Mateo, CA (94402) Today Partly cloudy skies, with gusty winds developing during the afternoon. High 64F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Clear skies. Low 51F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f086d6f0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f087d310)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f086d6f0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f087d310)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f06285e8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f087d310)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f087d310)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e880dd40)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612efb5a690)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612efb5a690)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612efe44ac0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e2d13740)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612efe44ac0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e2d13740)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612efe45468)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e2d13740)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e2d13740)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e880dde8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612e2d13a58)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612e2d13a58)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f03dbc78)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f036adf8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f03dbc78)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f036adf8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0382570)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f036adf8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f036adf8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e880cf50)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f03844b0)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f03844b0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 The son of a leading Melbourne-based Islamic sheik has died in unexplained circumstances in Syria, while providing "humanitarian aid" in the war zone. The death of Ayman Omran was confirmed on Wednesday in a statement by the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah Association of Australia, of which his father Sheikh Mohammed Omran - also known as Abu Ayman - is the leader. The statement did not address an unconfirmed report that he died in a bombing. Sheikh Mohammed Omran, photographed in 2004, is the leader of the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah Association of Australia. Credit:Ken Irwin "It is with deep sorrow and sincere regret we confirm the sad news of our beloved brother Ayman Omran has passed away," the association's vice-president Sheikh Kalid Issa said in the statement. "Ayman travelled as a volunteer to provide humanitarian aid, an act consistent with his soft heartedness and caring demeanour." What does rebuild the military mean? Has the budget been gutted? Have the useless weapons programs like the F-35 finally been shut down? No, the United States still spends more on its military than the next 14 countries combined. And the official military budget is only part of the story. The total spending on the US empire is well over one trillion dollars per year. Under the Obama Administration the military budget is still 41 percent more than it was in 2001, and seven percent higher than at the peak of the Cold War.Russia, which the neocons claim is the greatest threat to the United States, spends about one-tenth what we do on its military. China, the other greatest threat, has a military budget less than 25 percent of ours.Last week the Pentagon announced it is sending a small naval force of US warships to the South China Sea because, as Commander of the US Pacific Command Adm. Harry Harris told the House Armed Services Committee, China is militarizing the area. Yes, China is supposedly militarizing the area around China, so the US is justified in sending its own military to the area. Is that a wise use of the US military?The US military maintains over 900 bases in 130 countries. It is actively involved in at least seven wars right now, including in Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, and elsewhere. US Special Forces are deployed in 134 countries across the globe. Does that sound like a military that has been gutted? Hours after gun-rights advocate Jamie Gilt bragged on Facebook that her four-year-old son "gets jacked up to target shoot," the same child accidentally turned his mother into a target, shooting her in the back. The 31-year-old Jacksonville woman was driving down a road in Putnam County, Florida, on Tuesday when her son managed to get hold of a gun while he was sitting in the back seat of the vehicle, according to a statement released by the Putnam County Sheriff's Department. Officials told the Florida Times-Union that the child fired a .45-caliber handgun that he found on the truck's floor into the driver's seat. "She was shot through the seat and the round went through her back," Sheriff's Captain Joseph Wells told the Times-Union. "There was a booster seat in the back of the vehicle, but, however, the boy was not strapped in when the deputy got to them." Almost half the fines handed out by police in their Safe Summer campaign were for people urinating in public. The ACT Policing campaign finished with the summer season, and it said it handed out 137 fines, known as criminal infringement notices, over the period. This was more than double the number handed out in the previous summer. Police handed out 57 fines for urinating in a public place. Credit:Dean Sewell Of those 137, 57 were for urinating in a public place. This was the equal most, along with consuming liquor in a public place. "A number of other CINs were issued for defacing private premises, failing to leave premises when directed, supplying liquor to an intoxicated person, and abuse, threaten, intimidate staff," police said in a statement. Navigating your way through Deborah Conway's career is a fabulous adventure. There are notable childhood influences, turning points, chance meetings, important collaborations, and a developing maturity all interwoven in a rich tapestry of music and discography, dating back 36 years. She'll be exploring her career highlights when she and partner Willy Zygier appear in conversation at the National Film and Sound Archive on March 18. Deborah Conway and Willy Zygier first worked together during the tour for her Strings of Pearls album in 1991. The event, hosted by curator Nick Henderson, will take the audience on a journey through their decade spanning careers. And for fans, the event will take in some early Conway songs too. Growing up in a house filled with sounds from musical theatre (much to her father's liking), Conway at an early age nurtured an eclectic music taste, listening to artists Al Green, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Steely Dan, and Yes. Her first big concert experience was Neil Diamond, aged 14. A former Canberra doctor who celebrated avoiding a suspension of her registration by taking MDMA has been barred from practice for two years. The doctor had repeatedly used illegal drugs and misled medical authorities about that drug use, behaviour that amounted to professional misconduct, the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal found. The doctor worked as an intensive care registrar at Canberra's National Capital Private Hospital between September 2013 and August 2014. In August 2014, the Medical Board of Australia heard allegations the doctor told colleagues she took illegal drugs and used a co-worker's phone to access Facebook and arrange to buy methamphetamines. The tribunal was later unable to find these allegations were proven. WA police have flagged it has notorious criminal Brenden Abbott in their sights after he was granted parole from a Queensland prison on Wednesday. It's understood the 53-year-old, nicknamed the "Postcard Bandit", will be released from the Woodford Correctional Centre on April 20. Abbott has served almost 18 years of a 25-year sentence but failed in numerous previous parole applications. His impending release comes after he launched a challenge to the Queensland Parole Board's decision not to release him last year, claiming he'd been squeaky clean since 2005. Pipeline major APA has roundly rejected criticism from the competition watchdog it is wielding undue market power, as it emerged the collapse in the oil price has slashed exploration activity with a warning of a possible lack of gas supplies in less than three years. Additional gas reserves will need to be developed by 2019 to "maintain long-term gas supply adequacy" in eastern and south-eastern Australia, the managing director of the Australian Energy Markets Operator, Matt Zema, warned. ACCC chief Rod Sims plans to closely monitor the pipeline industry. Credit:Michele Mossop "This means that currently undeveloped gas reserves, including those reported as contingent resources and possible reserves, will be required to 'come online' to meet forecast demand as early as 2019." The slump in the oil price has resulted in a collapse in oil and gas exploration, according to a survey by EnergyQuest, while the start-up of gas export projects in Queensland could lead to a "supply gap" of about 80 petajoules of gas in 2020, rising to about 170 petajoules by 2025. Australia's annual gas demand is near 700 petajoules. It seems curious the banks have been absent from the public discussion about property tax. Credit:John Shakespeare Loans to property investors make up a bit over a third of all mortgages, and it's been a rapidly-growing section of the market, at least until last year's crackdown on landlord borrowers. The value of loans to property investors lifted 32 per cent, or $173 billion, in the past five years, Reserve Bank numbers show. That gain isn't far behind the $190 billion growth in owner-occupied loans over the same period, even though owner-occupied lending started from a much higher base. Few dispute that the combination of concessions on capital gains tax and negative gearing allowing investors to deduct their interest payments against their overall income has helped fuel the boom in property investor lending. What would it mean for banks if these tax breaks were curbed as Labor is planning to do? (Its policy is to halve the capital gains concession and only allow negative gearing on newly-built homes). Well, dulling the incentive for highly-levered property investment would probably make buy-to-let investment less attractive, lowering demand from these buyers. That would probably mean less growth in housing investor credit for banks. But here's a couple of reasons to think this slowdown wouldn't be severe enough to get the banks worried. For one, you'd expect that other home buyers, such as owner-occupiers or first home buyers,would step in to pick up some of the slack. This has already happened to some extent, with owner-occupier loan growth picking up since the banks took a harder line on lending to property investors last year. And since Labor's changes are "grandfathered" they only apply to investments after 2017 existing investors might also have an incentive to pay down their loans more slowly than otherwise, paying banks more interest in the process. That is because if they were to pay down their loans more quickly to invest in another property, they wouldn't receive a negative gearing benefit on the new property unless it was newly built. How about the potential decline in house prices caused by tighter rules on negative gearing? What would that mean for banks? No one knows for sure what Labor's policy would do to house prices, but once again, a scenario of modest price falls is not that scary for banks. Sydney house prices have fallen for at least a couple of quarters in a row on three occasions since 2003, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. These falls did not harm the banks which after all, make their money on the outstanding stock of mortgages, not the price of homes. What is more, reining in negative gearing could also have actual benefits for banks, by reducing some of the risks in the financial system. The view of global regulators though not necessarily banks is that housing investor debt is riskier for banks than owner-occupier loans. It is a pity that Cliffs Natural Resources is a US-based miner, because it is only on his rare visits to our shores that Australia gets to catch the pearls of wisdom that pour forth from its chief executive, Laurenco Goncalves. This is the guy who said last year that he couldn't wait to get out of that "doomed" and "cursed" place that is the Australian iron ore market. "As soon as I get to the end of life of mine in Australia, I'm out of there ... I can't wait to get out of the seaborne trade and let the Australians take that horrible business on their own hands," he said in May. That sales spiel must go down a treat with the tyre-kickers who might be interested in buying its local mines. The Sydney Morning Herald has surged ahead of its rivals, increasing its audience well above 1 million more than its nearest rival. Fairfax Media's SMH grew its total monthly audience 7 per cent to 5.3 million pushing far ahead of the closest rival, News Corporation's Sydney tabloid The Daily Telegraph, which had its total audience decline 4.3 per cent to 4.2 million, according to Enhanced Media Metrics Australia data. The SMH has grown its total monthly audience to 5.3 million. Credit:Louise Kennerley The SMH grew its web audience 17.3 per cent to 3.5 million, while driving mobile and tablet 16.3 per cent higher to 1.4 million. Its print audience slipped 8.6 per cent to 2.1 million. Fairfax's The Age had its total monthly audience increase 3.4 per cent to 3.2 million. Mobile and tablet audience rose 5.7 per cent to 950,000, and web lifted 6.7 per cent o 1.8 million. Fortescue Metals Group chairman Andrew Forrest has reignited his call for an investigation into an iron ore "supply side strategy" that has "crushed" the Australian economy. Speaking on the sidelines of the Global Iron Ore and Steel Forecast conference in Perth, Mr Forrest said an investigation into the iron ore price volatility, which he has been lobbying for since early 2015, was still warranted. FMG Chairman Andrew Forrest attending Wednesday's Global Iron Ore & Steel Forecast Conference in Perth. Credit:Philip Gostelow Iron ore prices hit a low of $US38.30 a tonne in December but have since recovered to $US63.63 a tonne on Wednesday. His call came after Fortescue struck an accord with Brazil's Vale to pursue joint ventures, particularly the sale into China of blended ore from the two companies as well as the potential acquisition by Vale five to 15 per cent of Fortescue shares. North Korea claims it has the know how and capability to develop a nuclear warhead to equip ballistic missiles. This claim has been substantiated today, by the leader of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Jong-Un, presenting a complex spherical object claimed to be the countrys miniaturized thermonuclear warhead.The nuclear warheads have been standardised to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturising them, Kim noted during a visit with nuclear technicians that was reported by the DPRK state media today. It is possible that the new warhead is designed for the Korean KN08 intermediate range ballistic missile that has yet to be tested in flight. Once proven, the missile is expected to boast the range and payload capacity to deliver attacks on US targets in the Pacific and west coast. Kim also stressed that the miniaturised warheads were thermo-nuclear devices, echoing the Norths claim that the nuclear test it conducted in January was of a more powerful hydrogen bomb. This is the first time Kim has directly claimed the breakthrough that experts see as a game-changing step towards a credible North Korean nuclear threat to the US mainland. His comments came a day after the Norths powerful National Defence Commission threatened pre-emptive nuclear attacks on South Korea and the US mainland, as Seoul and Washington kicked off large-scale joint military exercises. Military tensions have surged in the region since the North carried out its fourth nuclear test in January and a long-range rocket launch last month. His comments and the photos are making the message very explicit: We have a nuclear weapon and you have to respect us, Melissa Hanham, another expert on North Koreas weapons program at MIIS, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) in California. North Koreas claim to have successfully tested an H-bomb in January was greeted with scepticism at the time as the estimated yield was seen as far too low for a full-fledged thermo-nuclear device. However, weapons experts have suggested it may have been a boosted fission device, which makes more efficient use of nuclear material and can be made smaller without sacrificing yield. A full version of this 590 word article is available to subscribers For a sharemarket investor, there are both risks and opportunity presented by the mooted reduction or abolition of negative gearing. However, it's worth remembering that no-one is suggesting we remove negative gearing altogether. Rather, one side of politics has suggested restricting it to investments in new housing. At first glance this plan may increase investment in new construction, creating jobs. And, by improving housing affordability, it should encourage a younger generation to finally move out of Mum's house. But as investors, it's worth considering how this mooted tax change might impact our share portfolios. The biggest risk posed by any reduction to negative gearing is to individual companies because of the impact it could have on land values. That means that development companies like Stockland have plenty to lose because of the large land banks they are sitting on. Indeed, the likely outcome of any change is downward pressure on land values. As the CEO of mortgage broker Yellow Brick Road has said, the removal of the scheme "will kill the investment market." Mortgage brokers like Yellow Brick Road and Mortgage Choice have nothing to gain from the proposed changes. The administrators' report into Dick Smith will reveal the business could have survived with the support of its banks, according to sources close to the collapsed chain, who claim bad blood between the electronics retailer and its key bankers sealed the fate of the once iconic chain. Dick Smith's relationship with National Australia Bank and HSBC was barely six months old when the retailer announced a $60 million inventory write-down in late November and revealed it was "unable to re-affirm the profit guidance previously provided". It's not clear why the banks didn't receive any smoke signals about the impairment charge but it's believed to have rocked the relationship and damaged NAB's trust in senior management, including chief executive Nick Abboud. It's understood the partnership was further strained by Dick Smith's repayment to Macquarie in December on a unsecured loan provided to cover the upfront payment for Apple stock after the tech giant withdrew supplier credit in about October. When receivers Ferrier Hodgson took control of Dick Smith in January, the chain was faltering under the weight of more than $400 million in debts, including $140 million to its banks. Ray Tomlinson 19412016 Ray Tomlinson, who has died aged 74, was the man generally credited with inventing email and, in the process, transforming the way we communicate and socialise. Raymond Tomlinson rescued the @ sign from obscurity. Credit:AP The first electronic messaging system, developed in the 1960s, would only allow messages to be exchanged between users on the same computer. In the late 1960s, however, the American Defence Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency launched the Arpanet, a program designed to create a network tying together disparate computer science programs it was funding around the United States. This is now considered the precursor to the internet. In 1971, Tomlinson, a computer programmer, was working at the Boston-based technology company Bolt, Beranek and Newman, a major contractor on the Arpanet, trying, in his own words, "to find things to use this new-fangled network for". He had heard about a proposal to send messages to be printed with a printer and stuffed away in mail boxes for people to read and had the idea that messages should go to computers instead: "I thought about it for a bit and then decided to put together a system that might do that." He was an independent NSW MP for ten years, taking Tamworth from the Nationals, before resigning to contest New England (also taking it from the Nationals), which he held for 12 years before leaving politics at the 2013 election. Joyce was parachuted into the seat and won easily, but he might not do quite as well when facing an actual challenger. A ReachTel poll of the electorate in January revealed that Windsor would likely win on Greens and Labor preferences - and that was two months before Windsor announced he'd challenge. What's more, this is going to be a fund-draining extra battle for the Nationals because the 2016 election campaign will be extra long and therefore extra expensive, assuming that the PM calls that all-but-certain double dissolution election for July 2. And that's going to be a particular issue for Joyce, because Windsor isn't just popular: the man is also loaded. Daddy Windsbucks Joyce has some serious strikes against him in the community too, having failed to stop the federal government approving the Shenua Watermark mine on what Joyce angrily declared to be "in the middle of Australia's best agricultural land." It's not a good look when your local MP fails to save faming land in his own electorate, especially when he's also the Minister for Agriculture. And Barn will no doubt be planning to accuse Windsor of hypocrisy in opposing the mining approval yet profiting from selling properties to Whitehaven Coal. However, there are two problems with this plan. One is that it just reminds everyone of Barn's impotence with regards mining companies. And two, as Windsor made $4.6 million from the deal, it means Big Tone's got much larger campaign war chest than Barn does. So, worried Nationals MPs, get ready to fight for your seats secure in the knowledge that your party will be throwing all the money it can at New England in a desperate, undignified and possibly doomed battle to save your leader. Dufferwatch And it's been a day of triumphs for the Department of Immigration and BORDER FORCE!, led by our nation's premier climate change comedian Peter "Duffer" Dutton, who argued on Wednesday that spending $55 million to resettle two refugees in Cambodia was "a pretty good outcome". Quick recap on exactly how pretty good Pete's outcome was: a deal was cut with Cambodia in which refugees housed on Nauru would be resettled last year. A total of five refugees were sent over, of which three subsequently chose to return to whatever it was that they were escaping rather than stay in Cambodia. Then the Cambodian government told Australia that they really appreciated the $55 million they got out of the deal, but they wouldn't be taking any more refugees after all. Or returning any of the money. "I think that is a pretty good outcome," Duffer told Channel 9, presumably while ignoring the sniggers of literally everyone in the room. If you can't trust corrupt theocracies, who can you trust? The power of good PR Fortunately everything else regarding offshore detention is great. Oh, apart from the Department of Immigration raising doubts about how bad the Nazis really were. On Tuesday the department released a sulky, defensive statement complaining that the mean old media was making "comparisons of immigration detention centres to 'gulags'," including "suggestions that detention involves a 'public numbing and indifference' similar to that allegedly experienced in Nazi Germany." And it's that "allegedly" that caused a problem since it seemed to suggest that when assessing the domestic policies of Adolf Hitler, the Immigration Department felt that the jury was still out. Excitingly they eschewed the typical mealy-mouthed "apology" strategy that most people would adopt in this sort of case. No, they went for a far cooler one: playing the victim! You know, like adults! "Any insinuation the Department denies the atrocities committed in Nazi Germany are both ridiculous and baseless," the second statement whined. "This has been wilfully taken out of context and reflects deliberate attempts to distort this opinion editorial to create controversy." Oh, Duffer. It's great to see that no matter what horrors you and your department choose to "allegedly" inflict on people begging for our help you're still focused on who the real victims are. And the sensitivity just keep coming And that wasn't the government's only staggeringly tone-deaf decision today! I once had afternoon tea with Paul Keating, a deux on the verandah of Kirribilli House. Over crustless cucumber sandwiches, the PM outlined the art of political landscaping, as mentored by Jack Lang. Warming to his subject, Keating detailed the technics: how to keep this cauldron bubbling and that lightly searing while bringing yet another to simmer in a distant corner. He seemed to target a Mrs Beeton's cookbook kind of flavour but to me it was more Hieronymus Bosch, an intense moral chiaroscuro where some folks frolic naked picking fruit and others are devoured feet-first by bird-faced monsters. The current political landscape is a post-modern Bosch update, a Grayson Perry meta-folly centred on a large illusory landscape feature known as Disappointment Malcolm. Illustration: Rocco Fazzari Grayson Perry is the artist behind the MCA's wonderful current show, My Pretty Little Art Career. His 2004 mock-mediaeval Map of an Englishman shows a brain-shaped land-mass comprising an island of Dreams, a castle of Normal, a sea of Agoraphobia, a massive headland of Cliche, a river of Authenticity and a range of spiky mountains called, simply, Bitch - all outside the tiny bounds of consciousness. Perry's Print for a Politician (2005) extends the idea. A psychogeographic map shows Western modernity as a mountainous urban landscape peopled by loose tribes of Couch Potatoes, Male Chauvinist Pigs, Thick People, Smokers, Communists, Sunnis, Paedophiles (preaching to no one), Minimalists (with rocket launchers), Elitists. The Old World is dead in the streets, the Modernists have crashed and burned, Perverts dance on picnic tables and al-Qaeda inhabits a Corbusian domino-house. On the far western shores, boatloads of Methodists and Conservatives disembark while, nearer the centre, a pretty WWI bi-plane called "Blacks" is stuck in a tree. While many see it as the Android phone, standing alone as an alternative to Apple's ubiquitous iPhone, Samsung's Galaxy S series has never really been for me. The industrial design, while beautiful in a way, is safe to the point of being boring, while I like my high end stuff to be a bit more edgy. The very Korean approach of big colourful buttons, lots of text, weird camera gimmicks and superfluous "wow" features has also had a role in keeping me disinterested, while I stopped seriously considering last year's Galaxy S6 once I saw it had dropped SD card functionality. With the Galaxy S7, however, Samsung has made a phone that should keep its fans happy after a lacklustre S6, while also drawing interest from Android enthusiasts favouring LG, Sony and Nexus brands. It is, in truth, the first Galaxy S I've used that I could see myself keeping in my pocket full time. To be clear, a lot of the niggles listed above still apply with the S7. Victoria's writer-director Sebastian Schipper appeared almost 20 years ago as an actor in Tom Tykwer's cult hit Run Lola Run, a deliberately artificial exercise that sent the scarlet-haired heroine (Franka Potente) racing like a video game character through the Berlin streets. Though superficially more naturalistic, Victoria is a similar stunt, with another gamine protagonist caught in the maze of the city and navigating her way past obstacles in "real time". It doesn't take much imagination to see how a young woman might run into trouble after dark in a foreign city. Still, fate has some genuine surprises in store for Victoria (Laia Costa), a cheery Spanish barista in Berlin for a three-month stay. On her way out of a nightclub at 4am, she's befriended by a gang of friendly louts who may be less innocent than they seem. Plunged into a series of physically and psychologically threatening situations, she reveals unexpected resources on more than one front, ultimately emerging as a mystery in her own right. But Schipper goes one better: the action of Victoria unfolds in a single shot without a cut, as if he and his cinematographer, Sturla Brandth Grovlen, were documenting a guerrilla theatre production staged in authentic locations. As in "found footage" horror films such as Cloverfield, the appearance of unfiltered realism creates a strange double perspective immersing us in a potentially threatening fictional world, but also setting us at a distance by drawing attention to the technical achievement. In turn, this generates a double form of suspense. We fear for Victoria as she gets further out of her depth; more subliminally, we sense the urgent pressure on the cast and crew under circumstances where one slip might compromise the whole shoot. No doubt, this urgency adds something to the performances: with time, it becomes increasingly clear that Costa's look of physical and emotional exhaustion isn't wholly a matter of acting. With a heroine who ingests alcohol, pot and amphetamines by turn, the film itself mimes the experience of a drug binge: there are some euphoric lyrical interludes that drift away from narrative entirely, while Grovlen makes consistent use of shallow focus to induce a feeling of tunnel vision and disorientation. But where Victoria's journey into the night ends in an inevitable comedown, Schipper manages to steer his story to a satisfying pay-off and the breaking of dawn in the final hour is an entrancing all-natural special effect. Over the same period, Dolly has become one of the best-known US musicals, performed and spoofed and fetishised (among the show's more charming enthusiasts: the title robot in the 2008 Pixar film WALL-E). Although the role is most closely associated with Channing (who starred in the original and two Broadway revivals) and Barbra Streisand (who starred in the film), it has also been played by any number of brassy belters: Phyllis Diller, Betty Grable, Mary Martin, Ethel Merman and Ginger Rogers among them. The revival will also bring the show's composer back to Broadway for the 20th time. "Whether I like it or not, on my tombstone it'll say, 'He wrote the music and lyrics for Hello, Dolly!' said Jerry Herman, who wrote the music and lyrics for Hello, Dolly! as well as those for Mame and La Cage aux Folles. "The morning after the reviews came out in 1964, I got a call from [producer] David Merrick, and he said, 'Whatever you're doing, put on your pants and come down to the St James, 'cause you'll only see this once or twice in a lifetime,'" Herman recalled in a separate telephone interview. "I did, and I saw a line that went around Eighth Avenue, and Merrick himself pouring coffee for people wanting to buy tickets. It was a sight worth getting dressed for." Herman, 84, said he had been hoping for years to see a revival of the show but was holding out for the right actress. "There were so many suggestions of very talented women, but nobody pressed that button that made me say, 'Wow,' and then when I saw Bette on television doing a part of her Vegas act, it all happened," he said. "I said, 'This is the lady who can do it.' The time has come." That was several years ago. Herman had lunch with Midler, who was charmed but couldn't fit Dolly! into her schedule; then along came Rudin, a veteran producer in Hollywood as well as on Broadway, who sealed the deal. The revival will be directed by Jerry Zaks (who has won four Tony awards) and choreographed by Warren Carlyle (who has won one); the production has not yet announced a theatre or other cast members, and tickets do not go on sale until the northern autumn. Midler, who will be 71 years old when the revival opens, called the role "a big challenge," noting that it had been years since she had appeared with a cast of other actors in a show, but she also said, "It's going to be fun, and more than anything I like to have fun." "It's a lot I'm no spring chicken but I'm curious, and I love to do all the things this character is required to do," she added. "It keeps me thin, which I like, and it keeps me engaged." She said her age would make preparing for the role more difficult "Everything you do in life gets harder" but also noted that she had been touring last year and felt up for it. "I had a fabulous time," she said. "It was not easy, but it was not as hard as I thought it was going to be." Federal Queensland MP Teresa Gambaro has announced she will not recontest her seat of Brisbane. Ms Gambaro, a Liberal National Party MP, said she had come to the decision "after much consideration" about ending her political career. "The time has come to be available to my family and to pursue other opportunities," she said in a statement. "I want to sincerely thank the constituents of Brisbane for not only electing me in 2010, but also returning me resoundingly in 2013. Liberal MP Teresa Gambaro, a vocal campaigner for same-sex marriage, has announced she will not recontest her seat of Brisbane at the next election. "The time has come to be available to my family and to pursue other opportunities," Ms Gambaro said in a statement on Wednesday. "I have been proud to represent such a dynamic, innovative entrepreneurial and creative part of Brisbane. "It has been an honour to be the first woman of Italian origin to enter the House of Representatives and to be the only woman and second Liberal Member to be elected to the seat of Brisbane in 115 years," she said. Devin Hansen was sentenced Tuesday afternoon in Linn County Circuit Court to life in prison, with a minimum of 25 years, after being found guilty of murder in the 2014 death of his girlfriend, Christine Smith. I completely understand how I can be seen as a monster, Hansen said, but as a human I know I am more than just a definition. Judge DeAnn Novotnys sentence was in compliance with state sentencing guidelines for such a crime. She had ruled Hansen suffered from a mental disease or defect, but did not find the disease or defect impaired his capacity to appreciate the criminality of his conduct. Hansen and Smith allegedly got into an argument and struggle in their Albany apartment on the night of Jan. 25, 2014. Hansen, who weighed close to 400 pounds at the time, allegedly pinned the 250-pound Smith on a couch and held his arms across her throat and head until she stopped breathing. He then called 911 and tried to revive her. She was pronounced dead two days later. Theres no way I can apologize, because you cant apologize for putting a hole in the world, Hansen also said. Im not asking for special treatment. Im not asking for pity. Smiths mother, Roxanne Smith, speaking by telephone, also gave a statement at the sentencing hearing. My life as I knew it ended the night of January 25, 2014, she said. There are no words to describe what I felt when I walked into the ICU unit. I remember rubbing her hand, telling my daughter mom is here, and asking her to please wake up. Smith also said that regardless of the relationship she and her daughter had, which she allowed was very rocky, to say the least, she will never see her again, because Devin Hansen was not man enough to walk away from an argument. Smith also lamented the fact that her granddaughter, Amaya, now has to grow up without her mother. How do you explain to this precious child, that this horrific event took place on her third birthday? she asked. Smith said because of her Christian faith, she will have to somehow forgive Hansen for what hes done. The one thing I do know is that I will never forget, she added. Defense attorney Elizabeth Baker offered Hansens sense of remorse on some of the recordings presented during the trial as consideration before sentencing, and both she and prosecutor Jonathon Crow agreed that language be added to the sentencing documents that stipulate mental health and drug dependency treatment for Hansen while in prison. He was also ordered to pay $8,600 in restitution to the Crime Victims Compensation Fund. Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is in for a dog fight to retain his seat, with popular former independent Tony Windsor set to declare his intention to re-enter politics. Mr Windsor has scheduled a press conference in Canberra for 10am Thursday and Fairfax Media has confirmed he will declare himself a candidate for the regional NSW seat of New England at the next election. Mr Windsor, one of the crossbenchers who backed Julia Gillard to govern during the hung Parliament over Tony Abbott, held the seat for 12 years until he retired in 2013. Aboriginal health advocates are calling for better access to mental health professionals in remote communities to combat child suicide, following the death of a 10-year-old girl, who is suspected of having taken her own life. Western Australia Police are investigating the girl's death, after her body was found on Sunday night in Looma, a remote community in far-north Western Australia. A police spokesman said they did not consider it suspicious. The coordinator of a federally-funded trial of the indigenous suicide critical response unit, Gerry Geratos, is travelling to to Looma this week. Eighteen indigenous people have reportedly killed themselves in remote parts of Western Australia since December. Greens leader Richard Di Natale might be more accustomed to the tranquility of his farm outside Geelong, but in a new fashion shoot, he's playing the part of Melbourne hipster with aplomb. Dolled up in a black turtleneck skivvy and thick, black-rimmed glasses, the Victorian senator cuts a striking but somewhat stereotypical figure in the forthcoming edition of men's mag GQ. And the snaps quickly set the internet alight, with people likening the 45-year-old's guise to late Apple boss Steve Jobs, secret agent James Bond or perhaps a fifth, more mysterious Wiggle. A moderate Green who has prioritised pragmatic results and electoral success, Di Natale took over the leadership last year declaring he was "not an ideologue" and had no history of chaining himself to trees. The Turnbull government says Australia's superannuation system should not be used as an unlimited wealth creation vehicle for high-income earners, or for estate planning. It says the primary objective of super is "to provide income in retirement to substitute or supplement the Age Pension". It has proposed enshrining that objective in legislation so policymakers, regulators and industry know what super's fundamental purpose is, following a recommendation from the Financial System Inquiry. Assistant Treasurer Kelly O'Dwyer released a discussion paper on Wednesday, called "The objective of superannuation", explaining the reasons for the proposal. Emma Watson has spoken out against critics of her equal pay advocacy, dismissing accusations that she is a "first world feminist". The 25-year-old actress, who is an ambassador for the United Nations' feminist He For She movement, spoke to Esquire magazine about the backlash she and other actresses have received after campaigning to be paid the same as their male peers. Emma Watson speaks at a He For She International Women's Day event at The Empire State Building on March 8, 2016, in New York City. Credit:Getty "We are not supposed to talk about money, because people will think you're 'difficult' or a 'diva'," she said. "But there's a willingness now to be like, 'Fine. Call me a 'diva', call me a 'feminazi', call me 'difficult', call me a 'First World feminist', call me whatever you want, it's not going to stop me from trying to do the right thing and make sure the right thing happens." There are people driving around today with number plates worth more than their cars. To be correct, the value lies in the "right to display" the number on your car, not in the rectangle of tin. After peaking in the early 2000s, number plate values have remained relatively stable since the global financial crisis, albeit outperforming some traditional investment opportunities. Now there are signs that they are taking off again. Shannons national auction manager Christophe Boribon with the number plate that sold for $135,000 last month. Late last month, 13 Victorian low-number plates were sold at Shannons Late Summer Auction in Melbourne, with the lowest of the three-digit plates "230" selling for an astonishing $135,000. That's $45,000 above the higher estimate. This was the top-selling lot, fetching more than classic cars like a 1971 Jaguar E-Type, which sold for $90,000. Total sales of all plates were $555,000 (all prices including buyers' premiums). Four and five-digit plates also performed well. "3.309" sold for $35,000, "22.228" sold for $15,500. NSW police have had to restore order at an extraordinary general meeting for the organisation responsible for the embattled Malek Fahd, one of the largest schools in NSW. With only one month left before running out of money, the school's peak body, the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils confirmed that its meeting to decide the future of 2400 students in Sydney became chaotic as microphones were snatched, a lawyer was allegedly assaulted and delegates were blockaded by "burly looking men". "I'll be frank with you. It does not look good at all for the government to see this going on," said AFIC's own lawyer, Rick Mitry. An international drug trafficking fugitive with links to the Mafia has been arrested at Rome's airport after flying from Australia, according to reports from Italy overnight. Antonio Vottari, 31, was apprehended by police at the Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino airport on Tuesday after he stepped off a flight from Australia, according to Il Quotidiano and other Italian news reports. Mafia drug trafficker Antonio Vottari met with Joseph Acquaro about a week before the lawyer was murdered. Credit:Il Quotidiano Vottari has been on the run for five years, wanted on drug crimes. He was convicted in his absence and sentenced to seven-and-half years in prison for trafficking cocaine as part of a syndicate operating in South America, Holland, Belgium, Germany and Italy. The syndicate, Rai News reports, was managed by a notorious San Luca clan of the 'Ndrangheta, the Calabrian Mafia. Three days after former police officer Glen McNamara allegedly murdered a Sydney student he appeared to use counter-surveillance techniques while driving home from the pub, a court has heard. Detective Sergeant Adam Bird told the NSW Supreme Court that, having been given the task of keeping tabs on Mr McNamara's movements on May 23, 2014, he followed the 56-year-old home from the Crown Hotel in Revesby. Glen McNamara leaves the NSW Supreme Court in February. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer "His actions in driving were consistent with counter-surveillance techniques," Detective Bird told the court on Wednesday. A man accused of delivering a single punch that left an Irishman in an induced coma will argue that he was stepping in to defend his friends after the other man attacked them, a court has heard. Adrian Martinez, 30, is facing trial in the Downing Centre Local Court charged with one count of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm over a single punch inflicted upon Jason Cierans, 29, at Bondi Junction in August last year. One-punch victim Jason Cierans walks into court with his mother Stephanie on Wednesday. Credit:Paul Bibby Sergeant Tina Xanthos for the police told the court that Mr Martinez, from Argentina, was walking along Bronte Road when Mr Cierans approached the group and assaulted one of Mr Martinez's friends, Konrad Smolek. "It was at this point that the accused hit Mr Cierans to the face one time, causing him to fall to the ground," Sergeant Xanthos told the court. Hospice Nurse Tracy Calhoun was honored with yellow roses Tuesday at Samaritan Evergreen Hospice House. Her co-worker, JJ, a Golden Retriever, also was honored, but she was more interested in the dog biscuits. The Zonta Club of Corvallis, a womens service advocacy group, selected Calhoun and her therapy dog for the award, which is given each year on March 8, which is International Womens Day. Called Zonta Rose Day, it aims to recognize exceptional community service. This years Zonta Rose Day theme was Integration therapies through music, art, and animal-assisted recovery and care. Calhoun was one of several recipients, and clearly her inclusion involved the latter portion of the theme. Calhoun was an early champion of employing therapy dogs in hospice. She first conceived of the practice 20 years ago at a time when the idea was less-than popular among care workers. In fact, she had a lot to do with normalizing the practice, which has become an integral part of hospice care. As a lifelong dog lover, Calhoun said she worked hard to convince the industry that therapy dogs would be a good fit for end-of-life care. They had some interesting names for me, other than persistent, she said of the early days trying to sway industry leaders. Today, she and JJ work together on their 12-hour shifts at the hospice, JJ making the rounds with what Calhoun says is a special sense for the needs of each patient. Calhoun said JJ also became involved in the centers Walk Outs, the quiet ceremony, observed by all staff members, when a patient passes and is taken out of the facility through the front door, just as they had entered. For these ceremonies, JJ will wait at the front door and walk out with the gurney. I didnt teach her to do that, said Calhoun. JJ has been a therapy dog for the past 4-and-a-half years, and recently was inducted into Subarus Pet Hall of Fame. For her part, Calhoun, who has worked as a hospice nurse for 23 years, remains self-effacing about the significance of her work, but she does allow that she was drawn to and has a strong intuition for hospice work. Im just very comfortable with working at the end of the life cycle, she said. To me, its like being a midwife. Calhoun likens the death experience to the birth process in that both are transitions, and that those at the end of life will take a long time and struggle, or a short time and go peacefully. She said hers and her colleagues job is to normalize the process. Having JJ, she says, also goes a long way toward outreach. JJ has a Facebook page, and through her, Calhoun can talk about death and dying in a way that is more approachable than if she talked about the subject as a nurse. Another thing JJ gets to do during her 12-hour shifts, said Calhoun, is take naps. She sleeps half the day and she doesnt get docked pay, said Calhoun. And having her here has made all of our jobs easier. Founded in 1919, Zonta International is a leading global organization of professionals empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy. Drivers using their cars for ride-sharing services such as UberX could be forced to declare it to authorities and be charged higher insurance premiums under options being considered to regulate the emerging industry. Having legalised services such as UberX and Lyft, the NSW government is set to shake up the compulsory third party (CTP) insurance scheme to create a level playing field with taxis and hire cars. Minister for Better Regulation Victor Dominello will on Thursday unveil six options being considered. They include: creating a new CTP class for ride-share vehicles; bringing them into the same class as taxis and hire cars; and deregulating the area to allow insurers to determine premiums based on risk. The state government will sit across the table from the anti-lockout activists who marched in their thousands against its lockout laws, in a bid to develop ideas for improving Sydney's nightlife. Keep Sydney Open, the group that co-ordinated mass protests against the government's "lockout" laws last month, is among those invited to the NSW government's "night-time economy roundtable". The body was formed as the government came under increasing pressure from protests coinciding with the two-year anniversary of the government's lock-out laws. The state government says it will take advice on how to improve night-life in Sydney, something protesters argue has been depressed since the laws took effect. Motorists and bus passengers faced delays of up to 80 minutes on Wednesday morning, following the head-on collision between a motorcyclist and a car about 5.55am on Wednesday. The need for investigators to travel from Huntingwood, near Eastern Creek, helps explain the two hours needed to clear the incident, which caused traffic gridlock through the inner city. Crash investigators were not on the scene of a serious head-on collision on Sydney's Harbour Bridge on Wednesday morning for 75 minutes because they had to travel from the far west of the city. But, because of the serious nature of the crash, the vehicles could not be removed and all lanes could not be reopened until about 8am, when investigators had finished their work. Traffic heading north bound towards the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Credit:Kate Geraghty "When they did respond, they made their observations of the scene, they took the absolute minimum detail they needed, and as soon as they were finished with that, the road was returned to normal traffic free flow, we removed the vehicles and traffic was allowed to flow," Superintendent Mark Crelley said of the crash investigation unit said. But Superintendent Crelley said investigators arrived on the scene about 7.10am. "They were responded from their office which is at Huntingwood, they needed to come through the traffic, they made themselves a priority to get there and that was as quickly as they could get there at the time," he said. Queensland emergency services have expressed frustration at an "unnecessary" search unwittingly sparked by six Brisbane schoolboys who wandered through a stormwater drain before school on Wednesday. Detectives from the Child Protection Unit have interviewed the boys, who admitted it was they who entered the drain near Indooroopilly State High School on Wednesday before classes began. Police at the scene in Carnarvon Street where six students are were feared missing on Wednesday morning. Credit:Chris Hyde The school is expected to take disciplinary action against them, according to the Queensland Education Department. Queensland Police Service Acting Inspector Mark Bradford said there was anecdotal evidence that students at Indooroopilly frequently venture into the five kilometre network of underground stormwater drains. For the first time in its history, Brisbane's heritage listed 75-year-old Story Bridge will be commemorated on an Australia Post stamp next week. Along with two other historic Australian bridges, the Tasman Bridge in Hobart and the Gladesville Bridge in Sydney, Melbourne designer Sean Pethik created the stamps to recognise the vital engineering achievements which have been core to both the cities transportation infrastructure and identity. Australia Post Philatelic Manager Michael Zsolt chose the bridges for their important role and historical significance in their cities. "While bridges play an important practical role, they are also striking feats of engineering. This stamp issue pays tribute to the design and construction of this vital form of transportation infrastructure," Mr Zsolt said. Of those who responded with "over six months" one small business still hasn't been paid after 20 years while another four small businesses surveyed were still waiting five and six years after issuing an invoice. The telephone survey of 900 small and 100 medium business proprietors or managers conducted in January and February found 24 per cent say they have been forced to wait more than six months for an invoice to be paid. Stephen Kerdel, owner of Sunrise Carpet Cleaning, has waited up to six months to get paid for invoices. Credit:Simon Schluter Of those surveyed, 63 per cent say their invoices are paid late. The manufacturing, construction and wholesale industries are the worst late payers. On average, 31 per cent of those surveyed had to wait 15-30 days to be paid, 29 per cent had to wait 31- 60 days to be paid and 11 per cent waited more than 60 days. Of the small businesses surveyed, 66 per cent say a quarter of their invoices are paid late, 18 per cent say up to a half of invoices are paid late, 5 per cent say up to three-quarters of their invoices are paid late, 6 per cent say more than three-quarters of their invoices are paid late and 5 per cent were unsure. Steven Kerdel and Julie Kerdel, the owners of Melbourne business Sunrise Carpet Cleaning, say in the past they have had invoices unpaid for up to six months. "It was just a whole mess," Julie Kerdel says. "It broke up the relationship with that contractor, some people just let you down." In a lab engineered to within an inch of its life, Michael Biercuk is working to change the world forever, in ways that even he doesn't quite understand. Associate Professor Biercuk has built a room that is one of only five in the world. Each one operates under exacting environmental controls. Two of them are run by the US government, another is run by IBM in Zurich and a fourth is at Harvard University. His lab at the University of Sydney cost more than $10 million before a single piece of equipment was installed. Here, science at the size of a billionth of a metre is carried out. It is at this scale where the quantum states of individual atoms and electrons are isolated and manipulated to build the technology of the future. Since the release of the iPhone 6s Plus, I've been looking for an excuse to put the video camera through its paces. The capabilities are incredible, able to shoot up to 120fps slow motion at 1080p, or at 4k in 30fps. But I was more interested in the built-in Optical Image Stabiliser, which promised smoother motion and panning, perfect for the montage videos I was planning to make. The question was, would the smoother motion, and the ability to shoot, edit, and upload video all from the one device, outweigh the image control I could get from a DSLR? Just before heading overseas to the recent Mobile World Congress (MWC), I went shopping, buying bits and pieces from camera stores. Later, I realised Apple actually sell a Videographer's Kit for the iPhone in their stores, and online. At $499, it is pretty great, featuring a high quality Manfrotto tripod, Shure Mic, and Olloclip lens adaptor. Of the gear I purchased, the results were hit and miss. The Olloclip is a small clip-on lens that provides wide angle on one side, and macro on the other. At $119, it's cheap enough, but I just didn't end up using it. The clip doesn't work with an iPhone case, and I found myself more concerned with protecting the handset than wishing for a wider angle . Perhaps a telephoto lens adaptor that provided better depth of field would have been a better purchase. Albany Police officers face an internal review after decorating two marked police cars with ribbons and using them in a private wedding procession on Saturday afternoon. Perth man Peter, who did not want to have his surname published, told Radio 6PR on Wednesday the vehicles were being driven by two police officers in uniform. The look-out near the National ANZAC Centre. Credit:Instagram / interpretationaustralia The wedding party is understood to have had photos taken at a popular look-out near the National ANZAC Centre. WA Police has since confirmed the incident is being reviewed. LEBANON Despite an unplanned six-week wait for steel girders, an $11 million expansion underway at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital is progressing well, according to CEO Marty Cahill. The addition is focused on the hospitals emergency, surgery and same-day surgery areas. Dorman Construction is the project contractor. Were very pleased with how things are coming along, Cahill said. We added a small bump-out on the north side of the building and that required some new planning oversight. Due to an uptick in the economy and increased building nationwide, we had to wait a few weeks for steel products. The Lebanon Community Hospital Foundation has pledged $2 million to support equipment and technology purchases for the new facility, bringing the projects total value to about $13 million. The wood and steel skeleton of the 15,000-square-foot addition is steadily rising on Phase I of the year-long project, which includes development of two new operating rooms and expansion of its number of emergency rooms to 21. That will include three specially equipped safe rooms for patients who come in with mental health or drug abuse issues. A new concrete helipad has already been crafted west of the hospital. Once the new addition is completed, 10,000 square feet of space will be renovated, Cahill said. An open house will be held once Phase I is completed, so the public can see the operating rooms, before they are sterilized for surgical use. We will have the same number of operating rooms, but the new rooms will be at least 25 percent larger than our current rooms, which have been in use for at least 25 years, Cahill said. We need space for increased technology and because we now have students from COMP-Northwest who need to be present. He said same-day surgery makes up a significant portion of the hospitals services. Many surgeries are laparoscopic, incisions are minimal and patients who used to be in the hospital several days, say after having their appendix removed, may now be here only one night, Cahill said. Some types of surgeries, such as hip and knee replacements, will continue to be completed at Samaritan Albany General Hospital. But local people will be able to have their pre- and post-operative visits here, Cahill said. Other than the actually surgery itself, they wont have to travel out of town. Cahill said a 25-percent annual increase in visitors to the hospitals emergency rooms created the need for the new space and remodeling. Cahill noted in an interview last August, We constructed a separate building for Urgent Care on the health sciences campus across Highway 20 a few years ago and were seeing up to 100 people per day there. We are just a lot busier across the board. Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital employs about 700 people on its campus and area clinics and other facilities in east Linn County. A Perth cancer patient said his radiation treatment time was cut from three months to three weeks after being one of the first 500 West Australians to use a break-through treatment. Brett Smith underwent targeted radiation treatment using the CyberKnife in February after being diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2013 and undergoing surgery and chemotherapy in 2014. The $9m CyberKnife hovers over the body, shooting high-dose blasts of radiation at tumours with pinpoint accuracy. Credit:CyberKnife Unlike its name implies, the procedure does not cut the skin but rather hovers over the body, shooting high-dose blasts of radiation at tumours with pinpoint accuracy while the patient is lying down. WA is the only Australian state to use the $9 million machine, which was introduced nearly two years ago, and it's delivering beneficial results, the Health Department said. Western Australia has the biggest gap between men's and women's pay in the nation but the Labor state opposition says it will tackle that by ensuring women make up 50 per cent of all public boards and committees. WA's gender pay gap of 25 per cent compares to 17 per cent nationally and has been higher than the national average for 20 years. Opposition Leader Mark McGowan said that if elected premier next year, he would ensure that as 320 government boards and committees were renewed he would lift the number of women members from 43.6 per cent to 50 per cent. Credit:Bohdan Warchomij The well-paid and male-dominated resources industry is a major contributor and women are more likely to work in low paid sectors such as health, community services, children's services and education. However, that does not justify the gap and shows the skills women bring to WA workplaces is not being recognised, says the opposition's women's interests spokeswoman Simone McGurk in an announcement on International Women's Day. Washington: US military officials are questioning a captured Islamic State chemical weapons specialist about the terrorist group's plans to use mustard gas in Iraq and Syria. The detainee, identified by officials as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, is a chemical and biological weapons expert who once worked for Saddam Hussein's Military Industrialisation Authority. An Iraqi Army helicopter flies over security forces and Popular Mobilisation forces at the front line with Islamic State group militants in Anbar, Iraq, on Wednesday. Credit:AP Al-Afari, described by the military as a "significant" IS operative was captured a month ago by commandos in an elite American Special Operations force and is in US custody at a temporary detention facility in Erbil, Iraq. He has, under interrogation, provided his captors with details about how the group had weaponised mustard gas into powdered form and loaded it into artillery shells, US defence officials said. Bangkok: Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is set to lead Myanmar as a minister in the president's office, testing a fragile relationship with the country's powerful military, according to sources close to her National League for Democracy. The party that swept an historic election last November is tipped to nominate Htin Kyaw, an Oxford graduate and executive of a non-profit charity, to become president after the military blocked efforts to allow Ms Suu Kyi to take the post. Aung San Suu Kyi had vowed to be "above the president". Credit:Bloomberg The nomination of Mr Htin Kyaw, a confidante of Ms Suu Kyi and senior party member, in the newly elected Parliament on Thursday, would allow the Nobel Peace Laureate to control the government from behind the scenes. Wellington: The NZ National Party wants its rap battle with Eminem over breaching copyright during the 2014 general election to be fought over two verses. It is seeking an order from a High Court judge that the dispute be heard in two trials, the first about liability, and if Eminem wins, the second over the value of damages. American rapper Marshall Mathers known as Eminem. The chart-topping US rapper is suing National for allegedly using his track Lose Yourself in its election campaign ads without permission. The party, led by now Prime Minister John Key, won the election. A chef with the Trump National Golf Club arranges Trump steaks before a news conference by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Tuesday. Credit:AP Idaho offered some face-saving for Cruz and Rubio. Cruz won with 45 per cent to Trump's 29 per cent. Even Rubio seemed set to break from what otherwise would have been an across-the-board single-digit evening he was on 16 per cent. Voting also took place in the Hawaii caucus, with 19 delegates on offer, and Trump was projected to win with 45 per cent of the vote. Donald Trump merchandise including 'I'm huuuuge' condoms are displayed along with material by Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Credit:AP On the Republican side, with candidates needing 1237 delegates to clinch the nomination, Trump now has 428; Cruz has 315; Rubio has 151; and Kasich 52. In the Democratic race, Clinton now has amassed 1220 delegates to Sanders' haul of 571 with each of them needing 2383 to lock up the nomination. And despite all that, in the Real Clear Politics averaging of national opinion polls, Trump is down, at 36 per cent; and Cruz and Rubio are climbing at 20.8 points and 18.6 points respectively. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has called for sanctions against Iran after it test-launched two long-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday. Credit:AP Exit polls confirmed the combustible voter anger with Washington and the political process that is driving support for the likes of Trump and, to a lesser extent, Sanders. When CBS News exit-pollsters asked GOP voters whether they preferred an outsider to an experienced politician, 60 per cent in Mississippi and 52 per cent in Michigan opted for an outsider. The most surprising aspect of Democrat exit polls was Clinton's lowest showing to date among black voters in Michigan she beat Sanders in this demographic by 32, down by about half. Donald Trump at the Trump National Golf Club in Florida on Tuesday. Credit:AP Modest as always, Trump managed to rate Jesus Christ as an also-ran, when he spoke at a Florida victory celebration that was as much political event as showcase for Trump resorts, steaks, bottled water, wine and magazines. Flanked by tables of these goodies, the mogul offered this gem on one of the demographics that brought his success. "I tell you, with the evangelicals, they get it. They get me. They understand me. I'll be the best thing that ever happened to them. I mean that. 100 per cent." Republican presidential candidate senator Ted Cruz at a campaign rally in Kannapolis, North Carolina, on Tuesday. Credit:AP Mocking his opponents who had peeled off as the GOP field shrunk from an original 17 to four, Trump jeered, celebrating his two wins on the night despite "$38 million worth of horrible lies" in advertising that was meant to cut him down. Trump's twin wins mean that votes in Ohio and Florida next week, the home states of Kasich and Rubio respectively, could be the establishment's last opportunity to break Trump's stride towards the White House. Both Rubio and Kasich have put their campaigns on the line each declaring they will win at home. Hillary Clinton speaks during a rally at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland on Tuesday. Credit:AP As voting opened on Tuesday, the Rubio campaign was furiously denying a CNN report that key staff had been advising Rubio to quit, to save face by avoiding what they had concluded would be certain defeat if he stayed in the Florida vote. Those denials were buoyed by a new Monmouth University poll, showing that Rubio had closed the gap between himself and Trump in Florida, previously in double digits, to eight points 38-30. Analysts say that if Trump cannot pull off both states, the decision on who is to be the GOP nominee probably will be made on the floor of the Republican convention in Cleveland in July. Lauren Esquivel displays a sign supporting Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in Miami on Tuesday. Credit:AP The race for the Democrat nomination had been expected to stay its now predictable course challenger Sanders would continue to lag Clinton. The marked contrast between the two campaigns Republican; threats, infighting amid a sense of doom; Democrats; issue-focused, agitated civility was borne out in an exchange between commentators Arthur Brooks and Gail Collins in The New York Times before the count began in Tuesday's voting. Brooks: "The [Republican] plot thickened As of now, Cruz is closely trailing Trump in the delegate count Trump is up 384-300. Rubio is a distant third at 151. The Democrats, on the other hand, have gotten enviably boring. At this point, the Clinton campaign's grim march to victory is looking inevitable, right?" Collins: "Arthur, I have already admitted the Hillary-Bernie battle has ceased to be all that thrilling. Really issues, issues, issues. Yawn. I'm sure the Democrats wish they could have all the excitement and colour of Donald Trump stomping toward the nomination over the still-struggling bodies of the most hated man in the Senate and an increasingly juvenile Floridian who's terrified he'll lose his own state." But despite having less than half Clinton's allotted convention delegates, the win in Michigan gives Sanders momentum, particularly as the primary races move into the so-called rustbelt states, where Sanders believes, as was the case in Michigan, white voters are receptive to his stump speech and Clinton has let them down with her past support for free trade agreements. Clinton won decisively in Mississippi. But her supporters across the country could not cheer with her none of the TV networks covered her Mississippi victory speech because Trump was promoting his beef and bottled water at the same time and that's what went to air. On the rare occasions when she speaks to a crowd, as she did in 2011 at the commencement of the Jesuit-founded Fairfield University, in Connecticut, her words are carefully chosen, thoughtful and wise. She is bluster-free and without braggadocio about her professional success as a prosecutor and judge and speaks not of "wins", but of fears and of losses, and how she has overcome them particularly the loss of her husband and parents in the space of a year when she said faith and the Jesuits "quite literally saved my life". Washington: But for her "impressive architectural" hair, as one blogger once put it, and her wealth, she is in some respects the polar opposite of her brother, Donald Trump. He is obsessed with his success as a businessman. "When I say success," she told the students, "I don't speak only of professional success. Success can be something as simple as the warm feeling one gets if you see a stranger that you sense to be lonely and smiling at that stranger and having that stranger return your smile; it can be bringing a child into the world and raising a child to be a good man or a good woman." For Donald Trump, conceding fear is a sign of weakness, to her a sign of strength. "I was the first one in my family to go to college," she said. "I was desperately homesick. I was scared. And I didn't do very well that year. But I graduated, and I went on to be a full-time mother, and only after being a mother for 13 years did I go on to go to law school. My first job out of law school was as one of two women assistant US attorneys in an office of 63 US attorneys, and the first woman to do criminal work appearing only before male judges. Scared? Every day of my life." In other respects, she is just like her brother tough and biting. When a defence lawyer for a Philadelphia mob boss, Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, tried to challenge the character of a star prosecution witness in a 2003 racketeering appeal, she told him what he had was "bupkis". And like the Donald, she's never been much for political correctness. "I stand second to none in condemning sexual harassment of women," she said in 1992. "But what is happening is that every sexy joke of long ago, every flirtation, is being recalled by some women and revised and re-evaluated as sexual harassment. Many of these accusations are, in anybody's book, frivolous .... Frivolous accusations reduce, if not eliminate, not only communication between men and women but any kind of playfulness and banter. Where has the laughter gone?" This is the woman who is on the US Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, is 78 years old and was characterised darkly by Ted Cruz as a "radical pro-abortion extremist", the type of judge he says Donald Trump would bring to the Supreme Court if given the chance. PHILIPSBURG:---- Prime Minister William Marlin, Minister Angel Meyers and their Dutch Technical teams met with the Perfet of Saint Martin, the President of the Collectivite and their French Technical teams on Monday to discuss the Cole Bay Sewage Plant collaboration project. The aim of the meeting was to come to an agreement on the exact location of the Sewage Plant, as well as to discuss the orientation and the joint approach of this project. Ultimately, both parties will proceed with finalizing the estimated cost for this project, as well as the investigation of the preliminary design, in terms of the technology, needed to complete this project. During the meeting, the Dutch side delegation presented a proposal in which the plan is to reclaim about 6000 square meters of land from the Cole Bay lagoon, near the causeway, in order to build an island, on which the Sewage Plant will be constructed. The plant is planned to be submerged in the lagoon water. This plan is similar to how the Port was constructed on the Dutch side of the island. During the meeting the French delegation had some concerns regarding the location of the plant and whether the plan would meet the exact requirements of the European Union. One of the requirements is that the sewage plant must be built at a minimum of 100 meters away from any residential areas. Another requirement was regarding weather conditions situations, and whether the sewage plant can withstand hurricanes, earthquakes and flooding. The Technical teams of the Dutch side explained there is no other on-land possibility within financial feasibility. In addition, the teams stated that due to the densely populated areas on the Dutch Side there are no other locations that would meet the initial requirement. The Dutch and French delegations agreed to have the technical teams of both counties work together to perform an environmental impact study, a risk assessment and a financial overview of the project. The meeting will reconvene within 3 weeks in order to determine if the project is in accordance with all European Union environmental and regulation laws. Pond Island:--- Representatives of this years Milton Peters College (MPC) Math A-lympiad team made a courtesy call on the TelEm Group Building on Pond Island recently to thank management and staff for their continued support as they prepare to compete in the international annual math-solving contest in the Netherlands. The visit was made last shortly before team members, Melissa He, Louisa Halman, Joshua Snijders and Simon Speetjens left St. Maarten for the Netherlands where they will be competing against other talented math enthusiasts from Thursday. They were accompanied by Chaperon, Mrs. Nicole Halman. On behalf of the group, team member, Simon Speetjens, accepted a sponsorship check from TelEm Group Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Mr. Brian Mingo, and Marketing Officer, Chery Rismay, who also presented the team with a sweatshirt each for the trip. On behalf of the team we want to thank TelEm for continuing to support our efforts at the Math A-lympiad once again as a good corporate citizen. It means a lot to us to represent St. Maarten and MPC and we will do our best to bring the winning trophy back to St. Maarten, said Simon. Mr. Mingo wished the students well, noting that support for education is high on the priority list of the company. I would only encourage you to have fun, enjoy the experience of meeting with and competing with your peers and come back with the trophy, urged the Commercial Chief. The MPC Math A-Lympiad team is scheduled to return to St. Maarten next week Tuesday. Linn County voters will have no contested local races in the May 17 primary, while Benton County electors will have several. As of Tuesdays 5 p.m. deadline, no one had filed to run against incumbent Linn County Commissioners Roger Nyquist and Will Tucker. Both are running unopposed in the Republican primary, and no candidates have filed to run on the Democratic side. A number of other Linn County office-holders are also standing for re-election on the May ballot: District Attorney Doug Marteeny, Assessor David Swartzlender, Surveyor Charles W. Gibbs and Treasurer Michelle Hawkins are all running unopposed in nonpartisan elections. On the other hand, six candidates have filed to run for two seats on the Benton County Board of Commissioners. Incumbent Commissioners Jay Dixon and Annabelle Jaramillo are both seeking a fifth four-year term in office and will both face challengers from within their own party in the Democratic primary. Xanthippe Xan Augerot, who recently stepped down as executive director of the Marys River Watershed Council, has filed to run against Dixon for the Position 2 seat, and Oregon State University information technology consultant Andrew Struthers will square off against Jaramillo for Position 3. The winners of those Democratic primary contests will face the GOP nominees in the November general election. Jerry Jackson, a private investigator and Polk County code enforcement officer, has filed to run for Position 2 in the Republican primary. Jackson has mounted three previous campaigns for a seat on the three-member Board of Commissioners. Real estate investor and Corvallis community activist Paul Cauthorn has filed to run as a Republican for Position 3. Both Republicans are running unopposed in the primary. Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson is running unopposed for re-election on the May ballot. Haroldson is seeking his third full term in the non-partisan office. The picture is a bit more complicated when it comes to mid-valley legislative races. State Sen. Fred Girod is seeking re-election in District 9. He is running unopposed in the Republican primary but will face a challenge in the general election from Rich Harisay of Sublimity, who filed to run as a Democrat. District 15 Rep. Andy Olson, R-Albany, is running unopposed in the Republican primary, and no Democrats have filed to run for his seat. District 16 state Rep. Dan Rayfield, a Corvallis attorney, has filed for re-election to a second term in Salem and is the sole candidate in the Democratic primary. Judson McClure, an analyst with the Oregon Department of Transportation, has filed to run in the Republican primary. In District 17, Rep. Sherrie Sprenger of Scio is running unopposed in the Republican primary, while Jeffrey D. Goodwin of Sweet Home is the lone Democratic entrant. District 23 promises to be one of the most interesting legislative races of all. Republican Mike Nearman of Independence, the one-term incumbent, is facing a primary challenge from Beth Jones of Dallas. George Neujahr of Independence has filed to run as a Democrat, and Jim Thompson of Dallas, who held the District 23 seat as a Republican before being pushed out by Nearman in the 2014 primary, has filed to run as an Independent. Another week remains before the filing deadline for ballot measures, but so far it appears there will be at least two local measures on the May ballot. The Philomath Rural Fire Protection District has filed papers for a $3.5 million bond measure to finance the purchase of new fire equipment and the renovation of some facilities. The city of Albany is seeking a renewal of its ambulance, fire and police local operating levy, which would impose a surcharge of $1.15 per $1,000 of assessed value on local property taxes and would raise about $18.6 million over five years. Residents of North Albany, which is in Benton County, will have a chance to vote on that as well. PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament plenary public session which was adjourned on Wednesday, March 2 due to a lack of quorum, will be reconvened on March 10. The plenary public meeting has been scheduled for Thursday at 2.00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg. The agenda point is the draft National Ordinance to establish the National 2016 Budget. Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg. The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org. PHILIPSBURG:--- On Tuesday March 8, 2016 members representing the new St. Maarten airline company, AVA SXM B.V. finalized on its company incorporation and sign off on all legal documentation at the Notary office of Tjon Ajong & Associates. During this visit, AVAs Vice President and Chairman, Mr. Olivier Arrindell review the company bylaws and give the notary an extended explanation on AVAs establishment and aviation plans. Ava SXM B.V. sister company to AVA Curacao B.V. which was organized at the end of 2013 as a new aviation company in Curacao find its self in difficulties in Curacao with PNP Ministers. When ask Mr. Arrindell on why Ava St. Maarten and why now, Mr. Arrindell indicated that AVA SXM B.V. has always been part of the airline triangle business model. Ava Curacao is still moving forward and now in the hands of Attorneys. Through their lawyer Chester Petersons, the legal representatives of AVA Curacao B.V. are appealing the decision of the Minister of Traffic, Transport and Spatial Planning, Mrs. Suzanne Camelia- Romer (PNP) in Curacao. The Minister did not approve their request for an economic permit to start the operations of the airline. This is according to the representatives of the airline. According to AVA Curacao B.V., despite several requests, the Minister still did not give them the documents in which her decision is substantiated. This proves, according to Peterson, that the Minister has no reasonable grounds to reject AVAs request for the economic permit and that she has something to hide. Ava SXM B.V. is part of AVA Airways Jamaica, Ava Haiti S.A. and Ava Brazil S.A AVAs objective is to create an aviation company which adds value to the Caribbean and Latin America air transport for St. Maarten and Curacao by contributing to the economy of the islands. Most important is to create safe, reliable along with additional airlift and more jobs creation for the islands. St. Maarten right now is suffering from a 53% unemployment rate among the youth whereby in Curacao its 42%. This is a very sad state to be in, St. Maarten and Curacao share one Central Bank and one centralized economy. AVA SXM B.V. will make use of the existing aviation laws, but also the new bilateral agreements signed by St. Maarten to create new routes and connect St. Maarten with other destinations directly in turn will create jobs . AVAs confidence in establishing in St. Maarten comes from the positive attribute the island offers not only through its diversity of languages, its geographical position in the Caribbean, the open sky policy, aviation treaties but also St. Maartens commitment to reach FAAs category 1 again. Its time for us to create a new industry, the Aviation Industry of St. Maarten. The President of the AVA SXM B.V. Has already be selected however due to confidentiality agreement sign the identity of the person cannot be disclose at this moment however what I can say is that the person is from St. Maarten. AVA has plans to turned in its documents to the St. Maarten Civil Aviation Authorities, which has to work on the economic Authority (economic permit) and the operation permits (AOC). My title as Prime Minister have not changed my personality, I speak to people anywhere. PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister William Marlin responded to questions posed by SMN News as to why he chose to meet with MP Lloyd Richardson and the Leader of the UPP in his car driving around the island instead of meeting them in his office. Prime Minister Marlin said that he is tired of explaining himself on this matter but stressed that he was having lunch with Minister Gibson on the French side when someone called him and told him to expect a call from MP Lloyd Richardson. Marlin said the brief discussion he had with MP Lloyd Richardson and for him that was not a meeting. The Prime Minister said shortly after he did get that call and MP Lloyd Richardson asked him to meet him at his home, Marlin said when he was asked where to meet the MP he did not object to it because his title as Prime Minister does not change his personality. He said he meets people every day and anywhere because if he has to meet everyone that wants to speak to him in his office then he will never go home. Further to that he said that he is more comfortable speaking to politicians in his car as he drives around the island because if they do meet at a restaurant or any public place they are being disturbed by members of the community who wants to greet them or speak with them about their issues. He also said the drive in Pointe Blanche did not last more than five minutes and it was the two Members of the United Peoples Party that came to them with a number of proposals, one being to form a government with political parties, and to eliminate the independent members of parliament namely the two that form the present coalition because the UPP leader made clear that if he forms the so called national government then he wants control over the Ministry of VROMI and TEATT. Marlin also made clear he was not interested in forming a government because his government is intact. The only delay they have now is to wait until MP Silvio Matser is released from police detention. Marlin also made clear that his government needed the support of the other Members of Parliament for the 2016 draft budget and when he was called he felt it prudent to meet with the Member of Parliament who once support the budget presented by the United Peoples Party while being a member of the National Alliance. Marlin said at no time he was told that MP Heyliger was going to join them and when Heyliger joined them he listened to their proposals and did not comment except to laughing out loud. Marlin reiterated that MP Heyliger wanted them to form a government and then try to postpone the parliamentary elections that is scheduled for September 2016. He reminded that when the National Alliance objected to early elections the UPP that went on a massive campaign even to the Pope saying that the Marlin government were trampling upon the human rights of the people of St. Maarten, that people have a right to vote and this should not be denied. Marlin further stated now that the UPP wants to form a government with the other political parties then it would be a good thing for them to postpone the upcoming elections to 2018. Marlin appealed with the people of St. Maarten to focus on the action plan that his government has in place that will create jobs and will benefit the people of St. Maarten. He even reminded the people that it took the UPP nine months to establish a full cabinet while they plagiarized their governing program from the Red/White and Blue coalition. The road to a financially sustainable hospital- PHILIPSBURG:---- The key criteria for the new national hospital is that it is financially sustainable and catering to the every growing community of St. Maarten. In the two day conference of the Tripartite held on March 3rd and 4th, the focus was re-validating the business plan for the hospital, ensuring that the process consists of sound and logical steps. The conference was a closed session amongst the Tripartite which was represented by members of the Ministry of Public Health, Social & Health Insurances SZV and the St. Maarten Medical Center, alongside Observatory St.Maarten/St. Martin, KPMG, KPMG Plexus, Royal HaskoningDHV and Performation a specialized healthcare company in the Netherlands. It was an inspirational conference, the atmosphere was constructive and professional. We had many promising discussions. It is now a good time to discuss the integrated health care approach whereby our family doctors will continue to play an important role as the gatekeepers for the new hospital. We are on the right path to accessible, affordable and quality health care for the people of St. Maarten! Im also looking forward to the upcoming discussions with the CFT and the Dutch Government to see if we can make use of the capital investment program as included in Governments long term budget plans and to ensure that our new hospital can have an expanded regional function by improving service to our neighboring islands such as Saba and Sint Eustatius. Emil Lee, Minister of Public Health The conference aim was to establish a final re-validation of the main assumptions of the business plan and review the possible considerations and implications this would have for the new hospital. One of the many agenda topics was the type of medical services required on St. Maarten that the new hospital would be able to accommodate. This based on the overall desire to facilitate high quality, accessible and affordable health care that is close to home. It is the aim of the St. Maarten Medical Center to be able to provide first class health care when opening the new hospital. Some of the new services discussed are scheduled to be implemented before the completion of the new building. The branding of SMMC was also included in the sessions. We are already working on a recruitment- and training plan to be sure that we can deliver the desired quality of the health care. This plan will be implemented during the construction period of the new hospital. - Kees Klarenbeek - Director SMMC Optimization of the cooperation with the French side was also discussed, as well as establishing partnerships with other potential health care providers. It was noted that improving the quality of health care services on St. Maarten is not only reliant on a new hospital but also on strong partnerships with outstanding health care providers. During the sessions, parties continued to highlight the optimization of the health care chain on a whole and the introduction of E-Care in 2025. SZV plays a major role in defining the development of the healthcare landscape, it is strategically very important and will play a role on how the organization will serve the community at large. With the new hospital also comes new responsibilities, shared responsibilities. We all would like the best quality of health care for the community of St. Maarten and for this we all must commit to providing such care. One of the next steps will be to discuss with our key stakeholders, the solutions for the need of rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes etc. The care solutions will not stop only by a new hospital. Glen A. Carty Interim Director SZV. The Tripartite Protocol that was signed end of March last year, enabled the current workgroups combined to strategically move forward with the many aspects of the realization of the new hospital, bringing it this far today. The project is in its second phase now and KPMG, Royal HaskoningDHV and ICE are putting together the technical requirements needed to start the tender process for a turnkey developer for the new hospital. The new hospital will be built with the intention to last the next forty years. The key criteria for the design and construction is flexibility, being able to adapt to the future developments within the health care sector, catering to the future needs and the demands. As we continue to optimize the business plan, it remains of utmost importance that all parties continue to work well together like we did for the last year! The Tripartite has gained the assistance of external experts such as Performation and KPMG Plexus which have been a great asset in putting together the many pieces of this very important project. Everyone is really putting in good work into the project and it is exciting to see it grow in the right direction. Henk de Zeeuw KPMG The conference of the Tripartite was one of the many sessions held in relation to the development of the new hospital, safeguarding the development of a sustainable and effective solution for health care on St. Maarten. Upcoming will be sessions with the nurses, doctors and other staff members of the SMMC as well as other key stakeholders and health care providers on the island. Previously: A surprisingly feelsy episode. Bizzaro Samantha: This episode begins Three Months Ago at Lord Technologies. Carlisle Lord enters his creepy room where hes creepily keeping the Jane Doe. A doctor is looking her over and Carlisle Maxwell strokes her hair, like a creep. Did you know that I find this creepy? (M: Only because Im good at subtext.) He hits a button and black liquid flows through her IV, while anxious espionage music plays. She starts coughing and seizing and then her eyes open, black, as weve seen them before. Then Maxwell Carlisle does the Shes alive! Dr. Frankenstein bit. Marines: I groaned so hard they heard it in the Phantom Zone. Catherine: Is it just me or has Peter Facinellis acting gotten worse and worse over the past few episodes? I mean, I dont blame him, I just think hes starting to give up. Samantha: Next up is Yesterday. The girl is strapped to a high tech chair and we cannot see her face. Maxwell is waxing poetic about life and death or some shit by quoting Shelley and touching her hair and omfg Im so uncomfortable. Maxwell Carlisle is a bad dude. (M: I dont believe for a second hes only drinking animal blood.) He kisses her hand and calls her his most perfect creation. We pan to her and it is, of course, the Supergirl Look a Like. She calls him My Lord. I mistakenly brought some blueberry scones with me to munch while I recap, but this opening has killed my ability to eat sweet treats. DEO. We pick up with our heroes, just after the magical news footage that ended last episode. Theyre all watching it at headquarters and Alex is saying that they scanned the area and there was no sign of aliens. Alex and Supergirl almost immediately wonder about the girl that Maxy had at his lab, but Hank shoots it down. Mari: I see very little reason for them to suspect that and slightly more reason but still not a ton for Hank to shoot it down so quickly. But you know. #plot Samantha: This is true. I so badly want the episode to be over, so I jumped straight to FIGURE IT OUT GUYS. CatCo. Kara walks over to Winn to tell him about a meeting and also, oh yeah, theres a clone of her doing bad shit. Winn is not interested, except he actually is. Kara is grinning happily at Winn talking to her, when the elevator chimes and she realizes that she forgot Ms. Grants latte. To her surprise, Cat comes in with her own latte and one for Kara. Hey, she didnt know that Kara forgot. If it were a normal day there would be a lot of lattes in this joint. Anyway, its Karas go to perfect latte so shes obviously weirded out. CatCo Meeting. Cat is asking for headlines and how they are going to pitch the new Supergirl is Bad thing. After a few bad ideas, Kara mumbles that maybe it isnt even Supergirl. Everyone turns to look at her and Cat decides that this is interesting. It shows that they are giving Supergirl the benefit of the doubt. She kicks everyone out of her office, but Kara stays to ask Cat if shes just being nice because she has a date with Adam. Cat feigns innocence, so the answer is yes. Catherine: Whatever, Kara. Cat never wants to think that Supergirl mightve done something bad. Remember when there was a big earthquake and Supergirl disappeared and Cat was like Im sure shes just busy?? Chill down, peasants. Samantha: Cats ultimate belief in Supergirl is wonderful. Kara and Winn and Jimmy are heading to their special secret office headquarters. Kara is talking about how its like Cat was taken over by body snatchers (get it, this episode is called Bizarro?) Kara fills them in on Maxwells hostage coma lady and I am grateful that she is still pursuing this even though Hank said nah. As they are talking, Kara gets a text from Adam saying hes excited for their date. Kara cute giggles and Jimmy asks who the text was from. She does her awkward Kara thing before telling the boys about her date. Jimmy is too Thats great! about it. Lord Technologies and oh god I cannot emphasize how uncomfortable I am. I am probably supposed to be but man, I dont even want to watch these scenes. (C: Seconded. Its super creepy.) Fake Supergirl is in her tech chair with wires attached to her head, that seem to shock her as she watches footage of real Supergirl. She doesnt have much of an expression. Carlisle Holy Creep Lord comes in and evil scientists that Supergirl is bad and needs to be replaced with his Supergirl. Shes kind of in a trance and giving fragmented sentence responses and its just weird. Catherine: Can someone for the love of god tell me what it is that Carlisle Maxwell does at his company? He built a train but now hes building an evil girl? Like? Wtf? What is this company? Why does he know how to do this shit? Samantha: Listen, Im still only vaguely sure I know what Lois and Jimmy do. I cant be responsible for understanding his giant weird company! That one restaurant in National City, where Adam and Kara are beginning their date. He says that his mom got them reservations at some fancy restaurant but Kara clarifies that Cat told her to, but she didnt because it wasnt their style. Adam grins big and tells her that shes amazing. Its sweet. If I have to ship something, Ill ship this. For now. Mari: I think by just saying that youve doomed this ship. Nothing good can last. Samantha: He tells her that it was super sweet how she totally crossed the line and sent him that letter pretending to be his mom. He wants to do something super nice for her too. They grin at each other some more until that pesky news report butts in. The news report is so needy. It tells Kara that a tramway is dangling above a steep fall or something and so Kara HASTOGOIMSOSORRY. Adam is confused and I am not surprised that this happened. She pretends that her grandma fell and she has to get to the hospital. Adam offers to go with her but of course, no. This shit is totally going to sink my newly christened ship in favor of a ship that is in on the secret. (M: SEE?) (C: Boooo! I want her dating someone not Winn.) Supergirl arrives at the scene just as Fake Supergirl gets there. They just stare at each other for a beat too long. Real Supergirl tries to talk to fakie but she just says We kill Supergirl and they start fighting on top of the dangling tram car. Hold up. What the heck is Maxies plan? He wants to replace Supergirl but the news crew and public are obviously going to see these two fighting and know that theres an imposter? If he wants to replace her wouldnt it be smarter to do it covertly? Catherine: NONE OF YOUR PLAN MAKE SENSE, MAXWELL CARLISLE! Samantha: Anyhoodle, they fight until the tram goes flying towards the water and then the real Supergirl saves everyone while the fake Supergirl looks on in confusion. DEO. Supergirl is telling Hank and Alex that fake Supergirl is definitely a person, with a soul, and not an android. Alex says, Hey yo, we have kryptonite! CatCo. Cat and Adam are walking into the offices and Adam is trying to figure out if he did something wrong. Cat assures him that Kara is just skittish. You know what would be cool here? If Cat knew that Kara was Supergirl and could help her cover. (M: A moments of silence for those 5 seconds she did know.) (C: Ssh no, that would be good writing. Where are you two right now? Come back to me.) Cat tells Adam that she hopes she wasnt a disappointing dinner substitute and Adam says she wasnt because its been nice spending time together. Kara runs up with the latte and her and Adam are cute. They reschedule and hug and Cat makes a hilarious face in the background at the awkward. Catherine: New favorite gif. Samantha: Adam leaves and Cat comes over to be weirded out that they havent had their first kiss yet. Kira, you are like a character from a Jane Austen novel: Bizzaro. Okay Cat, take the thing. Catherine: The you said the thing in the thing thing? Samantha: Yes. Kara protests that its not that weird, but Cat clarifies that the Bizzaro remark was directed at the TV, because she named Supergirls evil twin Bizzaro. Katy, is this a comics thing? Catherine: Thank you for asking and giving me a chance to butt in with a comics lesson: Yep! Its a comics thing. Bizarro is a villain from the Silver Age that first appeared in the 50s. Hes basically supposed to be Superman on opposite day. If Superman had been hit in the head a few times. He has the opposite powers of Superman (freeze vision instead of heat vision, flame breath instead of freeze breath, etc.), speaks in opposites and is strengthened by Kryptonite instead of weakened by it (although, in the comics he is vulnerable to blue kryptonite.) He was originally created as a clone of Superman but the clone came out wrong and as a result, Bizarro has chalky white skin and talks like a Speak and Spell. The character has been around for a while and many, many adaptations of him have been done in different continuities. There is now a whole Bizarro family (like the Super Family but bizarre) including Bizarro Lois Lane. Sometimes Bizarro is done quite well, and actually comes off as scary. Most of the time (like here) not so much. Now lesson am over. Samantha: Cut to the Super Crew in their secret hideout. Winn says that he found records of a Jane Doe matching Karas height and weight that was in a coma from a car accident. She was transferred to a private facility called Prometheus Genetics, owned by the illustrious Carlisle Maxwell. Winn also tells us that its actually a total of 7 girls that have been claimed by Prometheus. He hypothesizes that its taken him 7 tries to create the perfect doppelganger. EW. (M: +1) Lord Technologies of Why Are There So Many Scenes Here. Maxwell asks why she didnt kill Supergirl. Bizzaro woodenly says that Supergirl helps people and isnt bad. Okay, I know its supposed to be wooden and Frankensteins monster esque but god this is reminding me of that episode of Buffy, Beer Bad. Ugh. Maxwell says that its natural that she wants to trust Supergirl since they share DNA but she should trust him. Who do you love? Supergirl, or me? Yuck. He pets her hair some more and says that Supergirl is def bad. Later, Alex shows up at Lord Technologies to talk to the reigning creep champion. She straight up tells him that she knows about the girls he treated like guinea pigs and he says that they were completely brain dead and he gave them a chance to live. You go ahead and try to justify your creep, buddy. She demands to know how he got Supergirls DNA and he reminds her and me of the time she gave him Red Tornados arm. It had Supergirls DNA on it from their fights. He rambles about survival of the fittest and her having no proof and that maybe her and Supergirl are close. DEO. Alex fills in Hank and Supergirl. The plan is to arm the agents with kryptonite darts and take her down. Kara protests, saying that Bizzaro is the victim not the perpetrator and they should go after Carlisle. Hank reminds her that they are the DEO and since they dont technically exist, they cant arrest people. Hank walks away and Alex tells Supergirl that Max mentioned something that sounded like he knew they were related. They decide that theres no way he can know and Kara starts texting Adam to cancel their date, but Alex insits that she go. CatCo. Jimmy pours him and Winn a drink, because its cool to drink on the job. I dont even know if its office hours or why theyre there or what time is. Winn asks what his sorrows are but Jimmy just chuckles. Winn asks what hes doing telling Kara that hes happy for her and Adam. Uh, because Jimmy is supposedly in a long term committed relationship? Actually, he just says that he knows she likes Adam and thats what hes supposed to say. Then Winn does it. He drops the f word. The FRIENDZONE word. Its amazing how quickly that shoots up my blood pressure. Look, I have been stuck in the friendzone for so long that Im just thinking about buying some investent property here. But you, you could be with her and you know it. Catherine: Samantha: Jimmy mentions his, you know, girlfriend but Winn insists that its not cool to be with someone when youre into someone else. Mari: I would like to reach into the screen and grab that alcohol for myself. How else are we supposed to bear that scene? Catherine: I like that you guys are back around to hating Winn with me now. Welcome back, friends. Please warm your cold hands on the burning furnace of hatred deep within my heart. Samantha: Kara and Adam are walking around downtown on their date. Adam asks about her parents and Kara tells him that they died. She talks about the Danvers and not being able to feel normal. Adam leans in and whispers in her ear that no one feels normal and then they kiss. I dunno, I ship it, which means it shall crash and burn soon. Also, can Kryptonians and humans procreate? Are we the same species? Mari: Seeing as how most of my Superman knowledge comes from Lois and Clark, Ill just go ahead and say that they tackled this question after Lois and Clark get married. They cant have babies together. Catherine: 4 points for Super knowledge, Mari! They cannot have the babies. Most of the time. Continuity over 80 years is a confusing thing and for every NO SUPERMAN CANT DO THIS thing theres a BUT HE DID IT IN ACTION COMICS #748374 YOU SHITLORD thing. There are continuities where Superman and Lois have a baby or babies. They actually had one in Superman Returns if anyone else saw that you remember. But usually these questions are answered by taking the consensus of all the comics and most of the time when the subjects of kids comes up between Lois and Superman its reveled that he cant get her pregnant because of their different biology. Or hes just been lying this whole time because he doesnt want the responsibility. Who knows? Samantha: Bizzaro Supergirl swoops into the date and snatches Kara and flies away with her. Rude. I bet the News Report TV put her up to this. Adam screams Kara! at the sky. Catherine: This was so abrupt that I actually laughed really loud. One second she was kissing him and the next POOF! She was gone! Samantha: Supergirl tells Bizzaro that shes making a mistake (much like Aaron Burr) and then they shoot laser eyes at each other (also much like Hamilton and Burr). (C: Hmm, Samantha sure does know a lot about history all of the sudden. These kids and their internets.) After the commercial break the fight continues and they are pretty evenly matched. Bizzaro has flame breath instead of Supergirls cold breath. The DEO show up and fill her with kryptonite bullets. It degrades her Supergirl form so that she looks like her skin is peeling and cracking and her eyes go black again. She shrieks that she hates them and flies off. Mari: They ruined her aesthetic. Samantha: DEO. Kara is telling Alex that Maxie definitely knows she is Supergirl because he came after her as Kara. This is bad bad bad. They go to talk to Hank and somehow come to the conclusion that instead of weakening her, the kryptonite made her stronger. Which is not what I got from that scene but okay. (M: Nothing about crackle face said, much power to me.) Shes a mirror image of Supergirl so reversing the ionic charge of the kryptonite she work. They dont tell him that Maxwell knows Karas identity and Hank leaves. Kara insists that they have to take down Max, because she cant eventually face down Alura and Max at the same time. CatCo. Adam and Cat are pacing around, worried about Kara. Kara walks in and asks for a moment alone with Adam. Guys. This feels like my ship has sprung a leak. Ooohhh. Well. I guess Ill go roam the hallways of my building, Cat says, heading out. He looks really sad and asks if shes breaking up with him before they even start dating. Kara says the universe is sending them a sign, but he insists that not everyone is going to leave her. She tells him that she has too much baggage and hes sad and leaves and she cries. If this was just so the Jimmy ship could have more room at sea Mari: Kara should get better at lying. Like, walk in with your clothes ruffled and some hair out of place and maybe a tear or two after you got kidnapped. Samantha: Lord Technologies. Bizzaro is chilling, looking all zombie and creepy. Carlisle Maxwell tells her that Supergirl made her a monster and she should be pissed and go after who Supergirl loves. Kara is out on the balcony of CatCo, being sad, when Jimmy comes out. He asks what happened and she says that she broke up with Adam. He starts to tell her that she can talk to him if she wants, but she half snaps that nothing he says will help so to just leave her alone. He looks taken aback and I laugh for some reason. Lord Technologies. Alex shows up with some agents and arrests Maxwell. He asks what the charges are and shes like Im outside the law, bitch! He threatens to expose Kara as Supergirl and she slams his head onto the table. Its kind of satisfying. Mari: Gif staring! Samantha: CatCo. Jimmy is brooding on the balcony when Bizzaro shows up and kidnaps him. I dont really know why hes the person she thinks Kara loves or how she even knows about their relationship. Catherine: But she runs off with him super fast, too! She loves doing that! Its rapidly becoming her thing. They bring Maxwell to the DEO, and it just seems like a mistake that they take his hood off before hes in a cell or interrogation room, especially when he looks so gleeful at seeing HQ. Hank reprimands her harshly at how shes compromising the organization, but Alex doesnt care because Carlisle came after Kara. An Empty Warehouse That Looks Like The One Jimmy and Supergirl Practiced Punching In. Jimmy is duct taped to a pole. He tries to get his panic button, which is laying on the ground, while Bizzaros back is turned. She turns around before he can get it and they start chatting. Bizzaro says she took him because Supergirl loves him and she knows because she and Supergirl are the same. Huh? I know theyre the same genetically, but at no point was it implied that she had Karas memories or personality. I guess Ill just assume that somehow Max found out the weird details of Kara and Jimmys non relationship and passed it on? And Bizzaro thought that Jimmy was a better bet than her sister or bff? Mari: This was 100% stupid. Catherine: Yep. Although picturing Maxwell Carlisle gossiping with his kidnap victim about Kara love life is hilarious. Samantha: Bizzaro calls herself ugly and Jimmy goes on this weird speech about how we all feel ugly sometimes and theres a part of her that really is Supergirl. People dont love her because of what she looks like on the outside. I love her because of who she is. Its weird because the implication here, I think, is romantic love and sheesh that was fast. Jimmy romantic loves Kara? I was feeling that he cared about her and admired her and like liked her, but full on declarations of love feel weird. I dont know, Im sorry, this isnt working for me. He keeps appealing to Bizzaro and she turns away. He hits the panic button with his heel and Bizzaro gets pissed and shoots fire breath near him. DEO. Supergirl hears the panic button signal and luckily the bizzaro kryptonite is ready. Her and Alex head out. Empty Warehouse. Bizzaro and Supergirl start fighting and keep fighting until Alex gets into position. She hits Bizzaro with the kryptonite. Sorry guys, the fight was boring and not really easy to recap. DEO. Alex and Supergirl go into the hospital-like room that Bizzaro is in. The girls apologize to each other and Hank says that theyre going to put her into a coma and try to help her. Kara holds her hand until she falls asleep. Everyone looks sad and pissed at what Maxwell Cullen did to her. Maxwells holding cell. Supergirl goes in to talk to him and he smarms about how his girl must have come in second. Then he mentions that shes not that different than her cousin so that I can get my drink on. Kara insists that he wont hurt anyone ever again, which of course he will, as this is a comics show. He smugly name drops Eliza and the house she grew up in. Listen, Carlisle, dont mess with cinnamon roll Eliza or Angelica will kick your ass. Kara is pissed and her laser eyes start to glow. Alex comes in and tell her that hes not worth it. Mari: IDK, if anyone is worth lazering for at least a couple of seconds, its him. Catherine: This is sort of out of nowhere but Ive been meaning to bring it up for a few episodes now. The cell that they have for aliens, the one that they put Max in here does it have a toilet? Because its looks like a plexiglass room with a bench. I cant see a toilet. I get that it was built for aliens but aliens pee too, surely. Samantha: Uh well you see the way it works oh gosh my cookies are burning, Ill explain when I come back! (Also, theres a similar conundrum on The Flash so in comics maybe no one pees.) CatCo. Cat is working in her office when Kara comes in to talk about what happened with Adam. Cat says that hes going back to Opal City since theres nothing keeping him here. Theyll visit of course. Cat goes on to say that she thought Kara understood that you have to put people first in order to build a life. Kara tries to explain but Cat tells her that she doesnt want to know and that their relationship should stay professional, only. No more special lattes for Kara. On her way out of the office, she bumps into Jimmy and asks if he wants to go get some food. He cant, because hes picking Lucy up from the airport. Its vaguely feelsy on Jimmys part. Karas apartment. She flies in through the window and goes to the fridge, when theres a skittering noise. She walks into the living room and theres a weird plant on the coffee table. We see, on the ceiling above her, a creepy ass plant thing creeping around. The episode ends with it jumping out at her. I know that last episode was better, but this episode didnt work for me. Sorry, everyone. Catherine: Dont be sorry. This episode was pretty dumb. Mari: Dopplegangers dont always work, you know? Next time on Supergirl: Supergirl battles the plant from Little Shop of Horrors, apparently in S01- E13 For The Girl Who Has Everything. Samantha ( all posts I'm a 28 year old graduated English major and almost librarian. I can often be found singing too loudly (poorly) in the car or spending some time (hours) on Tumblr. I am a lover of Harry Potter, the Spice Girls, and too many other things. Catherine ( all posts I am a 29 year-old human woman who lives in Maine. I'm a freelance writer who mostly spends time that I should be doing that, watching T.V. I also love reading and comic books way too much. ProPlus Design Solutions to Demonstrate Giga-Scale SPICE Simulation Solutions at TSMC 2016 Technology Symposia in North America SAN JOSE, CA (Marketwired) 03/08/16 , the leading SPICE modeling, giga-scale SPICE simulation and design for yield (DFY) solution provider, will demonstrate its giga-scale SPICE simulators and new process and device evaluation tool during TSMC 2016 Technology Symposia this month. The TSMC North America events will be held March 15 in San Jose, Calif., March 22 in Boston, and March 24 in Austin, Texas. Among the products to be demonstrated will be NanoSpice Giga, and MEPro. NanoSpice Giga, the first and only GigaSpice simulator, replaces FastSPICE for accurate verification and signoff of large-block and full-chip memory designs. MEPro, a newly launched tool that bridges circuit design, CAD and process development teams, improves a users understanding of devices and the process platform through a systematic evaluation of device or circuit level performance targets. It gives users a high degree of confidence on process platform selection and adoption, allows easy management of multiple platforms and process revisions, and provides assistance to improve circuit designs. ProPlus will host a webinar Thursday, March 31, at 11 a.m. P.D.T., following the final TSMC Technology Symposium, titled, ProPlus MEPro: A New Tool for Process and Device Evaluation. The 60-minute webinar will be presented by Dr. Bruce McGaughy, ProPlus chief technology officer. It is meant for CAD and circuit design teams using multiple process platforms from different foundries, or those having early access of process platforms with numerous process revisions. To register, go to: For more information about ProPlus Design Solutions, visit , delivers Electronic Design Automation (EDA) solutions with the mission to enhance the link between design and manufacturing. As the leading provider of nano-scale SPICE modeling, the innovative giga-scale SPICE simulation and design for yield (DFY) applications, it provides the industrys golden SPICE modeling platform, the first and only GigaSpice simulator, and the only integrated DFY design platform. Founded in 2006, ProPlus Design Solutions has R&D centers in San Jose, Calif., Beijing and Jinan, China, and offices in Tokyo, Japan, Hsinchu, Taiwan, and Shanghai, China. More information about ProPlus Design Solutions can be found at NanoSpice, NanoSpice Giga, NanoYield, BSIMProPlus, NoiseProPlus, MEPro and Nano Design Environment are registered trademarks of ProPlus Design Solutions. ProPlus Design Solutions acknowledges trademarks or registered trademarks of other organizations for their respective products and services. For more information, contact: Nanette Collins Public Relations for ProPlus Design Solutions (617) 437-1822 ZoomerMedia Limited Announces Agreement for Sale-Leaseback of Property and Buildings TORONTO, ONTARIO (Marketwired) 03/08/16 ZoomerMedia Limited (TSX VENTURE: ZUM) (the Company) today announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its 2.6 acre property and buildings located at 30, 64 and 70 Jefferson Avenue, Toronto to Allied Properties REIT (Allied) for gross proceeds of $31 million and to enter into an agreement to lease the property from Allied. The sale is expected to close March 29, 2016 subject to normal conditions. The Company will use the proceeds from the sale to retire debt and for working capital purposes. About ZoomerMedia Limited ZoomerMedia Limited is a multimedia company that serves the 45plus Zoomer demographic through television, radio, magazine, internet and trade shows. ZoomerMedias television properties include; Vision TV, Canadas only multi-faith specialty television service; ONE: Body Mind Spirit Love Channel, offering programs on exercise, meditation, yoga, natural health and living a planet-friendly lifestyle; JoyTV in Vancouver, Victoria, Surrey and the Fraser Valley, and the newly rebranded HOPETV (formerly JoyTV11), a lifestyle television service out of Winnipeg devoted to broadcasting Christian programming and is available in approximately 6 million Canadian homes. ZoomerMedias radio properties include CFMZ-FM Toronto The New Classical 96.3FM, CFMX-FM Cobourg The New Classical 103.1FM, CFMO-FM Collingwood The New Classical 102.9FM, Canadas only commercial classical music radio stations serving the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), eastern Ontario and Collingwood, CFZM-AM 740 Toronto and CFZM-FM 96.7FM Toronto Zoomer Radio, Torontos Timeless Hits Station. ZoomerMedia also publishes Zoomer Magazine, the largest paid circulation magazine in Canada for the mature market. ZoomerMedia is Canadas leading provider of online content targeting the 45plus age group through many properties, the key one being . ZoomerMedia also has trade show and conference divisions that produce the ZoomerShows, annual consumer shows directed to the Zoomer demographic and ideaCity, an annual Canadian conference also known as Canadas Premiere Meeting of the Minds. Cautionary note on forward looking statements The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Certain statements made in this report are forward-looking statements which may include, without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future results, performance or achievements, and may contain the words believe, anticipate, expect, estimate, project, will be, will continue, will likely result or similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in filings by ZoomerMedia Limited with provincial securities commissions. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors, nor can it assess the impact of all such risk factors on the Companys business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, the following: Given these risks, and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. ZoomerMedia Limited does not intend and does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Contacts: ZoomerMedia Limited George Kempff Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (416) 607-7735 ZoomerMedia Limited Leanne Wright Vice President Communications (416) 886-6873 O3b and SpeedCast Sign Agreement to Improve Connectivity for the Residents of the Republic of Kiribati Advanced O3b satellite network cost effectively delivers fiber like connectivity St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands/Washington DC, USA, March 9, 2016 O3b Networks and SpeedCast International Limited (ASX: SDA) have announced an agreement to provide connectivity over the innovative O3b satellite network. The service will be provided to consumers, businesses and government customers by Amalgamated Telecom Holdings (Kiribati) Limited (ATHKL), a subsidiary of Amalgamated Telecom Holdings of Fiji. The Republic of Kiribati has a population of about 100,000 living on 33 atolls and islands, across 3.5 million square km of ocean. O3b is the ideal solution, as the dispersed geography makes laying undersea fibre cables unreasonably expensive and time-consuming. Existing geostationary (GEO) satellites cant match the O3b networks high throughput and low latency, which is necessary for modern e-commerce, e-government, e-education and e-Health applications. Kiribati is in the final stages of testing the O3b link, and will first deploy the service to Tarawa, the largest island in the country. The multi-year agreement provides flexibility to expand capacity where required, to ensure ATHKL can provide high performance connectivity for HD video, e-commerce, online education, or cloud services. O3bs Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites orbit at 8,062km above the Earth and have a latency of less than 150 msec25% that of the geostationary (GEO) satellite systems connecting Kiribati. The switch to the lower latency, higher throughput O3b service will transform the island nation providing connectivity equivalent to long-haul fiber, while avoiding the exorbitant cost of laying an undersea cable to the island. SpeedCast is happy to partner with ATHKL and O3b to quickly and cost-effectively provide the people of Kiribati cutting-edge technology, enabling economic growth and access to all forms of e-commerce, education and health, said Pierre-Jean Beylier, CEO of SpeedCast. ATHKL will first bring their world class internet connectivity to the people of Tarawa, and, in time, to the rest of the country. O3b and SpeedCast are delighted to support ATHKL in bringing Kiribati into a new era of connectivity, said Imran Malik, VP Asia for O3b Networks. With O3bs high throughput and low latency connection, with value adds from SpeedCast, Kiribati is stepping into the future. This announcement follows the expansion of SpeedCasts O3b-based infrastructure in the Pacific, with customers in Port Moresby and Lae, PNG; Christmas Island, Australia; and Solomon Islands, already benefiting from O3bs high throughput low latency advantage. MariaDB Fortifies Enterprise-Grade Features for OLTP in Spring 2016 Release SAN FRANCISCO, CA and HELSINKI, FINLAND (Marketwired) 03/09/16 , the recognized leader in open source databases for Online Transactional Processing (OLTP), today announced the Spring 2016 release of MariaDB Enterprise. MariaDBs upcoming offering addresses the most pressing enterprise data management challenges. New capabilities defend data against application and network-level attacks, support faster development of high-performance applications, and deliver higher service levels at lower cost. MariaDB also introduced the MariaDB Security Audit service to help customers identify and remedy data security weaknesses. The performance and security enhancements reflect growing use of MariaDB in large, mission-critical applications in on-premise and cloud environments. The new release raises high availability to a new level with connection pooling, automatic failover, and integration of Galera multi-master cluster technology. Customers with mission-critical applications will benefit from over a dozen transaction processing performance improvements that include InnoDB storage engine optimization, memory optimization to boost query response, and numerous enhancements from WebScaleSQL created by the user community. The Spring release provides security at every level in the database. It protects against SQL Injection and denial of service attacks, and transparently encrypts data both at rest in the database and in motion to and from applications. Customers can reduce the risk of data breaches by storing encryption keys in their choice of independent key management systems including ones from Eperi and AWS, and can leverage stronger Kerberos authentication, password validation plugins, and role-based access control. The innovations within MariaDB Enterprise were created in part by collaboration with MariaDB open source community. The companys ability to leverage that vast community for continued innovation and rapid threat identification ensures the continued superiority of MariaDB capabilities at a faster release schedule than proprietary database vendors can offer. Our customers and user community are our inspiration, our guide, and our partners in creating database software that can harness emerging opportunities and anticipate security threats that all companies face. Proprietary solutions just cant keep up, said Michael Howard, CEO of MariaDB. MariaDB Security Audit service helps companies evaluate the security policies, technologies, and practices used with their MariaDB database to identify procedural and technical gaps that create vulnerabilities and increase legal, financial, and brand reputation risk. The service will also assist existing MariaDB users in leveraging the full extent of the solutions security capabilities. With innovations created collaboratively by the MariaDB Open Source community and MariaDB engineering, MariaDB Enterprise Spring 2016 delivers the most high-available, high-performing, secure open source database on the market. The MariaDB Enterprise subscription includes the newest version of MariaDB server 10.1.12, LGPL connectors, MariaDB MaxScale 1.4, developer enablement and DBA productivity tools, database management plugins, and expert 247 support and services to address the needs of mission-critical applications. The MariaDB Enterprise Spring 2016 release, with MariaDB MaxScale, will be available this spring. For more details about features or for pricing information, visit . MariaDB Corporation is a leader in open-source database solutions for SaaS, cloud, and on-premises applications that require high availability, scalability, and performance. Built by the creators of MySQL, MariaDB is the M in LAMP, having displaced MySQL as the default database in all major Linux distributions including Red Hat and SUSE. MariaDB is also included in Microsoft Azure, AWS, Pivotal Cloud Foundry, Rackspace and other cloud stacks. MariaDB has over 9 million users in more than 45 countries, including global brands such as HP, Wikipedia, Virgin Mobile, and Booking.com. For more information, visit mariadb.com. MariaDB is a trademark of MariaDB Corporation Ab. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. James Cameron (415) 800-5367 SmarteSoft and Inflectra Partner to Optimize QA and ALM Portfolios AUSTIN, TX (Marketwired) 03/09/16 , the leader in script-less application testing, today announced an expanded partnership with , a provider of powerful application lifecycle management (ALM) solutions. Working together, the companies deliver the markets most user-friendly and extensible quality assurance (QA) and application lifecycle management solution platform. This expanded collaboration capitalizes on our technical synergy, with SmarteSoft adding exceptional service capabilities to supplement our clients ALM efforts, assuring extraordinary value, said Adam Sandman, director of Client Success at Inflectra. Together, we provide even more market-leading QA and ALM technologies at incredibly attractive price points. Through integration of Inflectras comprehensive ALM technology with SmarteSofts overall QA offering, the companies are delivering the highest levels of application performance and end-user experience. The partnership also provides for new, specialized quality management capabilities to support the more rigorous needs of more regulated clients in industries including healthcare and pharmaceuticals, dramatically reducing resource burdens during application development validations. Inflectra brings an unrivaled understanding of the needs of application development, affording unique advantages in providing our clients the most comprehensive and easy-to-use QA solutions, said Scott Almeda, CEO of SmarteSoft. Providing the ability to easily govern the quality of mission-critical applications through the entire development lifecycle, regardless of complexity, is a win-win for operational efficiency and the end-user alike, and ensures clients can realize peak value from their QA investments. Inflectra Corporation is a privately held software company dedicated to helping its customers large corporations, small businesses, professional services firms, government agencies and individual developers with the means to effectively and affordably manage their software development lifecycles, so as to decrease the time to market and increase return on investment. Inflectra is currently headquartered in the growing technology community of Silver Spring, Maryland located just outside Washington, D.C. To learn more about Inflectra, visit us at or call 866-572-5878. SmarteSoft, Inc., founded in 1999, develops innovative, unparalleled quality assurance solutions for heterogeneous IT environments, driven by a patented script-less testing technology. The companys commitment to providing exceedingly effective and easy-to-use testing solutions allow developers to realize the highest levels of QA for business-critical applications, mitigate the risk of system changes, and achieve significant ROI. SmarteSoft solutions also optimize testing methodologies and results, maximize IT investments, and reduce the operational risks associated with application errors. To learn more about SmarteSoft, visit or contact us at . SmarteSoft Its Science! EVE Online Players Contribute to Human Protein Atlas in Project Discovery Posted by Publisher Software REYKJAVIK, ICELAND (Marketwired) 03/09/16 Todays Project Discovery update has brought genuine and scalable citizen science to EVE Online, the award-winning sci-fi massively multiplayer online game. , in cooperation with the , (Massively Multiplayer Online Science), and students from , has brought the ability to contribute to real-world scientific research to the gaming sphere in a fitting and scalable way within the perfect setting for such an effort the thousands of solar systems of the massive universe of New Eden. Project Discovery (), first announced at EVE Fanfest 2015, is a unique game-within-a-game where hundreds of thousands of EVE Online players can earn in-game rewards for helping to classify proteins from a massive database in an effort to help scientists understand protein function in human cells. Project Discovery makes a perfect addition to EVE, already well known for its innovation, rich history, incredibly creative players, and unique sandbox gameplay design. Many endeavors in scientific research require substantial amounts of human processing on enormous sets of data. Examples of such processing include annotating images to indicate where anomalies are present (e.g., finding stars in an image of the night sky) or classifying images into one of several categories. Performing such tasks computationally is very difficult, but non-experts can learn to do so proficiently with only minimal, example-based training. Project Discovery leverages the human computing power of players in EVE Online. Watch Professor Emma Lundberg from the Human Protein Atlas explain Project Discovery . We were approached by MMOS to see if we could leverage the incredible human capital of EVE player intellect to contribute to scientific research and we were immediately thrilled at the prospect, said Andie Nordgren, Executive Producer for EVE. To see it finally get out of a very successful testing stage and into the hands of hundreds of thousands of players worldwide is a proud milestone for us. We hope our example sets the stage for many other successful collaborations between science and gaming to come. The human body consists of 100 billion cells that, for each individual, carry identical DNA. The DNA within your cells provides the genetic code for 20,000 genes that are translated into proteins. It is these molecular building blocks of your cells and how they are expressed in your various tissues that define who you are. Project Discovery is done in co-operation with , a Swedish research project. Researchers at The Human Protein Atlas are working to identify all proteins our genes are coding for, and their spatial pattern of expression, to ultimately understand their function and connection to disease. Their goal is to create a map where proteins can be identified in different cells and different organs. Over 13 million images of cells have been generated and those images need to be analyzed for them to achieve their goal. Recognizing patterns in all those images would be a massive undertaking for a small team of scientists, but if a large number of gamers participate by playing Project Discovery that task is much less daunting. Players of Project Discovery will be helping the scientists to understand protein function in cells by recognizing patterns in protein localization within colorful fluorescent microscopy images where specific proteins have been marked with fluorescent probes called antibodies. Participants categorize protein patterns from images of cells into different categories of structures in the cell that belong to the nucleus, the cytoplasm and also the periphery of the cell. There are no pre-requisites for contributing to Project Discovery, so everyone from EVE trial-players to savvy veterans can play. There is also no requirement to participate as part of the overall experience of playing EVE those happy to use their spaceships for solar domination may continue to do so without participating in Project Discovery. Controls are in place to verify the validity of crowd-sourced results through consensus comparison and other methods, and new items have been added to the Sisters of EVE loyalty points store to spend accrued analysis kredits on new items including unique clothing and a new type of booster. There were other big changes in todays EVE Online release, including: A huge module revamp including Damage Modules, Warp Disruptors and Warp Scramblers, Damage Controls, ECM, Cap Batteries, Tracking Modules, Stasis Webifiers, Sensor Dampeners, and the merger of Sensor and ECCM Modules New high-strength Heavy Stasis Grapplers for Battleships and Capitals Force Auxiliary skills have been added in preparation for the EVE Online: Citadel expansion Changes to speed and orbit paths Increased and troubling Drifter activity Visit EVE Onlines Project Discovery page: Full patch notes, which cover dozens more improvements, can be found . Follow along with what is happening in EVE with and . As always, the archives all features added to EVE Online and upcoming changes. Refresh your EVE assets with the EVE Online . For interviews, information, or asset requests, please contact What is EVE? This is EVE: EVE Online (PC/Mac) is a captivating science-fiction game in which hundreds of thousands of players compete for riches, power, glory and adventure in a single universe. EVE players build and command a wide variety of starships and traverse vast solar systems interconnected by a sophisticated player-driven economy, forging their own destinies in the meaningful context of other players vying to do the same. Learn more and play the free 14-day trial at . Image Available: Image Available: Image Available: Embedded Video Available: Oh Lamp, nothing about this is easy. My own personal history is a long line of relationships with people who felt more strongly about me than I did about them. That was very deliberate on my part. Then I reconnected with STBXAH (we went to junior high and high school together), and I loved him so, so much. He was sober and working a recovery program then. I had absolutely no personal context for addiction, and did nothing to try to understand what alcoholism was. I just figured that because he was sober, everything would be fine. I dove in headfirst into the first relationship of my life where I felt like I loved someone in equal measure to the way he loved me. He relapsed shortly after we were married, and I spent years with my heart pulverized into love dust. Detachment was very, very difficult for me, too. I think that is totally natural. I do know, though, that if your focus is on being the best ANYTHING to her, then the focus ISN'T on doing what's right for yourself and your child(ren). My STBXAH was absolutely the most important person in our household, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for years. To the detriment of my own emotional well-being, and certainly to the detriment of my children's emotional well-being. Detachment is HARD. Especially at first, it's not about "not fretting or thinking" about it. Because you will fret and think all day and all night. My first steps involved detaching my behavior. I stopped taking the bait for arguments, or for "deep conversations" that inevitably resulted in me being blamed for everything. I had some additional challenges in that my STBXAH was very emotionally abusive, and detachment can trigger outbursts of abuse, but changing my BEHAVIOR was a necessary step before my THOUGHTS started to change. I recently learned during a seminar about conscious and unconscious thinking, in right and wrong ways. When we are engaged in long-term, unhealthy behavior, it is unconscious, wrong thinking (conscious wrong thinking). The first step toward getting better is to acknowledge that your thinking is dysfunctional or wrong or harmful in some ways. Once you acknowledge that, you can start to work on behaviors that enforce conscious RIGHT thinking--deliberately doing things that reflect healthy, functional thought processes and emotional reactions. Eventually, those behaviors become ingrained habits, and you have unconscious right thinking. MARCH 9, 2016 Lukeville CBP Officers intercept $95k in unreported funds A male Mexican national was arrested Wednesday (March 2) for attempting to smuggle slightly more than $95,000 in unreported U.S. currency into Mexico through the Port of Lukeville. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting outbound inspections selected a Chevrolet truck driven by a 45-year-old Mexican national for further inspection. During the search, officers found an ice chest between the front seats concealed compartment containing three packages of U.S. currency hidden beneath ice and food items. The cash was seized. The case have been referred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation. This is a collaborative effort by CBP, HSI, and DEA, said Lukeville Port Director Peter Bachelier. This formation is a "force-continuum" against the war on drugs and its proceeds. Our strategies are stronger and more accurate than ever. Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Nogales CBP Officers seize $77K in hard drugs Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a Mexican national March 2 for attempting to smuggle almost 26 pounds of methamphetamine through the Port of Nogales. Officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred a 21-year-old man from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, for further inspection of his Pontiac sedan and found multiple packages of meth worth nearly $77,000. CBP officers seized the drugs and vehicle, and turned the subject over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. Man with active warrant for felony sex assault arrested Tucson Sector agents arrested two more sex offenders on March 2, one with an active warrant out of Houston, Texas. Ajo Border Patrol Station agents apprehended an individual near Gila Bend, Arizona yesterday. Biometric record checks revealed the subject, a Mexican national, had an active warrant for felony sex assault with a minor out of Harris County, Texas. The subject, charged with sex assault of a child between the ages of 14 and 17, will be transferred to the Harris County Sheriff Department after facing charges related to his illegal entry into the U.S. Tucson Sector agents also apprehended a subject near Naco, Arizona, who was convicted of sexual acts with a minor in 2012. This sexual offender, caught yesterday while attempting to smuggle narcotics across the international boundary, previously served time for sexually engaging with a minor in Ventura County, California. The aggravated felon, who is a national of Mexico, now faces criminal charges for attempting to reenter the United States after deportation as well as attempting to traffic narcotics. Border Patrol agents have arrested, identified and presented four sexual offenders for prosecution during the past five days. Border Patrol agents remain vigilant in their effort to promote safer communities and prevent criminal elements from entering the United States. San Luis CBP Officers seize $168K in hard drugs Customs and Border Protection officers at Arizonas Port of San Luis arrested two individuals for separate attempts to smuggle a combined 56 pounds of methamphetamine on March 1. Officers referred a 40-year-old San Luis man for further inspection of his Ford Mustang. After a CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to the presence of drugs in the trunk and spare tire, officers found more than 35 pounds of meth worth nearly $106,000. Earlier, officers referred a 28-year-old U.S. citizen, living in Mexicali, Sonora, Mexico, for additional inspection of his Ford sedan. A narcotics-canines alert helped officers locate almost 21 pounds of meth worth $62,000. Officers seized all drugs and vehicles, and arrested both subjects before turning both suspects over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. Nogales CBP seizes $30K in marijuana Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a Tucson woman for an alleged attempt to smuggle nearly 61 pounds of marijuana through the Port of Nogales March 1. Officers at the Mariposa crossing referred the 35-year-old woman for further inspection when she attempted to enter the U.S. During the inspection, a CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to the presence of drugs within the gas tank. Officers removed the drugs valued at more than $30,000. Officers seized the drugs and vehicle, while the driver was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. Nogales CBP Officers seize $2.8M in marijuana U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Mariposa Commercial Facility in Nogales, Arizona, seized $2.8 million in marijuana approximately 5,700 pounds from a Mexican national March1 when he attempted to enter the United States. After an alert by a CBP narcotics-detection canine, officers found the drugs co-mingled within a shipment of Italian Squash in a tractor-trailer driven by a 45-year-old driver from Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico. Officers seized the tractor trailer and shipment. The driver was arrested and referred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. The seizure comes a week after a 5,500 pound marijuana seizure at the Port of Nogales, worth an estimated $2.75M, which was identified as electronic items. Douglas CBP Officers seize $123K in marijuana Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of Douglas (Raul Hector Castro POE) arrested a Mexican national for an alleged attempt to smuggle nearly 246 pounds of marijuana worth a combined $123,000 on March 1. Officers arrested the 21-year-old man from Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, after an inspection of his Chevrolet truck led to the discovery of marijuana, the tires and underneath the hood of the vehicle. Officers seized the drugs and vehicle, and turned the subject over to Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Nogales CBP Officers Seize $355K in hard drugs Customs and Border Protection officers arrested two Mexican nationals for alleged attempts to smuggle more than 64 pounds of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine through the Port of Nogales on Feb. 29. Officers at the Mariposa crossing referred the 20-year-old driver for further inspection of his Isuzu SUV and found nearly five pounds of heroin and more than 12 pounds of meth under the rear seats. The drugs have a combined value exceeding $105,000. Later, officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred the 38-year-old driver for an additional search of his Chevrolet sedan. After a CBP canine alerted to the presence of drugs within the vehicle, officers removed a combination of meth, heroin and cocaine from the vehicles rocker panels. The haul consisted of nearly 36 pounds of meth, more than eight pounds of heroin and almost three pounds of cocaine. Combined, the drugs are valued at more than $250,000. CBP officers seized the drugs and vehicles, and turned both subjects over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. Border Patrol Agents provide medical care at checkpoint A man approached Border Patrol agents at the I-90 immigration checkpoints primary lane on the morning of Feb. 29 and said he was having chest pains or possibly a heart attack. Agents directed him to a secondary inspection lane where a Border Patrol Emergency Medical Technician provided care until emergency services arrived. The Whetstone Fire Department responded and transported the man to a local hospital. Border Patrol agents frequently encounter commuters experiencing a variety of medical emergencies due to the fact that many checkpoints are located on roadways in remote areas. A few weeks ago, Border Patrol agents in the same vicinity encountered a person who was disoriented and suffering from a medical emergency. In that incident, agents provided the person with emergency care until he could be airlifted to a local area hospital. Border Patrol agents often transition from law enforcement to providing medical assistance or other humanitarian assistance. All Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents are trained as first responders, but the agency also employs 250 EMTs and 15 paramedics. Checkpoints remain a critical piece of infrastructure and an effective tool in halting the flow of contraband and illegal traffic into the United States. CBP welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. All calls will be answered and remain anonymous. Photo caption: Ajit Jain, author of The A-List, speaking at Carleton University./ Photo Credit: Supplied By Anita Singh Special to The Post Ajit Jain is a three-decade chronicler of the Indo-Canadian community. His role as a journalist and editor for India Abroads Toronto edition and more recently, a contributor to TheIndianDiaspora.com has brought Jain in contact with Indo-Canadian trailblazers as he writes about issues relating to the community and the development of Canada-India relations. This unprecedented, long-time access has given Jain an excellent position from which he developed his most recent book, The A-List. Why The A-List? The A-List is an extension of India Abroads The Power List. It profiles 50 individuals from the Indian diaspora in Canada and three non-Indians, who Jain calls Friends of India. In addition, he profiles six organizations that are active in the social development of India or those working to improve Canada-India relations in this important time of political transition. The A-List, rather than being a mere short-form biography of 50 important people within the Indo-Canadian community, has some underlying themes that are key to the story of Indian immigration to Canada. These are not just people who have made millions, they are people who contribute to the community through their philanthropy and intelligence, Jain says. Defying stereotypes The book does an excellent job at highlighting the diverse successes of the Indo-Canadian community. It tacitly shows how Indo-Canadians have defied the stereotypes that have persevered in the West, assuming Indians excel in only a handful of professions as doctors, lawyers, or computer engineers. Instead, The A-List profiles a range of individuals, including businesspeople (Prem Watsa of Fairfax Investments), politicians (new cabinet members Bardish Chagger, Harjit Sajjan, Amarjeet Sohi and Navdeep Bains), researchers and academics (Baldev Nayar and Dilip Soman), and entertainers (TV personalities Omar Sachadena and Vikram Vij). In each case, Jain has selected individuals that have gone above and beyond the call of duty to become major players in their industries, prolific and engaged beyond their professions to contribute to the larger Canadian community. Jain says that these individuals were selected because we wanted to capture successes by Indo-Canadians nationwide and in all disciplines. Histories of immigration All the Indo-Canadians profiled in The A-List are either first- or second-generation Indians, having first-hand experience in many of the initial culture shocks and challenges inherent in immigration to the West. Language barriers, poverty, cultural isolation, and limited early job prospects play an important role in defining early generations of immigrant communities. Like the individuals profiled in The A-List, immigrants have to overcome these barriers through hard work, dedication and an interest in providing their families with the benefit of a new life in Canada. The book highlights how these individuals have used their immigrant experiences to further their personal successes in Canada. Take Steve Rai, who says the purest form of community policing is found in Indian villages where everyone knows everyone. Rai uses this example to create inroads into communities across the greater Vancouver region. With this experience, Rai has risen in ranks in the Vancouver police department and recently named deputy chief constable the first South Asian to hold this post. Maintaining ties to India Jain does not limit his analysis to individuals that have been personally and professionally successful. He pointedly includes individuals and organizations that have been central to defining better relations between Canada and India. He profiles individuals like professor Mathiew Boisvert from the Universite du Quebec a Montreal who has actively worked to raise interest in Canada on the contemporary culture and religion of people in India. His current work on the Hijira community in Maharashtra examines the social, legal and anthropological elements of this Indian subculture. Similarly, Jain also includes six organizations in this esteemed list, focusing on the work of charitable organizations like AIM for SEVA and Child Haven International, which use their notable profiles in Canada to do work to improve the lives of underprivileged children in India. In each of the stories highlighted in The A-List, Jain weaves a narrative that intimately connects each profiled individual back to India. The next step The A-List is an excellent snapshot that celebrates the best and brightest within the Indo-Canadian community. It does invariably miss a larger narrative on the less bright and shiny side of Indian immigration to Canada an account of the taxi and truck drivers, cleaners and manual labourers who continue to struggle to create a better life for themselves and their families. As successful as the community has become on many fronts, there is an equally notable silent majority in the Indo-Canadian community that continues to face poverty, domestic violence and racism while looking for their opportunity to grow and prosper in Canada. To his credit, this has not gone unnoticed by Jain. His upcoming book, Violence against Women All Pervading, co-sponsored by the Elspeth Heyworth Centre for Women in Toronto, is a journalistic view of the pervasiveness of violent crimes against women, recognizing this prevalence in the Indo-Canadian community. Anita Singh is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Foreign Policy Studies at Dalhousie University. Her research examines the role of diaspora groups and their influence on foreign policy, particularly the Indo-Canadian community and Canada-India relations. This piece was originally appeared in New Canadian Media (newcanadianmedia.ca). See http://newcanadianmedia.ca/item/33547-indo-canadian-a-listers-excel-in-many-ways Large deluxe apartment in Pakistan Located in Islamabad, this spacious property comes in at 2531 square feet. It has three bedrooms with attached bathrooms, a drawing room, TV room and modern kitchen. Residents enjoy access to an open air cafe, health club, kids play area and a prayer room. www.lamudi.pk Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 3 Size: 2531 square feet Price: C$140,053.52 ....OR Affordable condo in Coquitlam This 1 bedroom 1 bathroom home in Coquitlam boasts a great location. Open space layout with laminate flooring. Bright south-facing. Close to schools and all amenities. A few minutes away to new Evergreen Skytrain Line, SFU, Lougheed Mall, and recreation centre while bus stop is outside the building. Free shared laundry. Comes with 1 parking & 1 storage locker. www.locatehomes.ca Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 1 Size: 702 square feet Price: C$149,800 Name: Akshay Wadhwa Ethnicity: Indian Occupation: designer Delhi-based designer Akshay Wadhwa will have his line displayed at Vancouver Fashion Week. His show will be March 18 at 7 pm. Wadhwas brand, Akshay Wadhwa (AW) was founded in 2009. AW incorporates traditional Indian wear with coeval European designs. He is inspired by the simplistic elegance of modern Western styles against the grandiose opulence of the Indian palette. Akshay Wadhwa studied at the Istituto Di Europeo Di Design in Milan. Akshay Wadhwa headed back to his homeland India to establish his own brand. He holds free classes for his artisans children. Akshay Wadhwa champions the development of female artisans in a largely male-dominated industry. He strongly encourages the up skilling of his female artisans by providing them with opportunities for growth and a flexible working environment including work from home. Akshay Wadhwa carries haute couture and pret-a-porter exclusive lines, and caters to clients throughout India and across the globe. For more information, visit www.akshaywadhwa.in Vancouver Fashion Week features designers from over 25 global fashion capitals including Brazil, India, Philippines, UK and the US. From March 14 to March 20, the event hosts over 30,000 guests and industry professionals. It takes place at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver. Tickets available at vanfashionweek.com Jan. 6 committee subpoenas Donald Trump The extraordinary move puts the panel, which the former president has repeatedly criticized as political, into a legal confrontation with Trump. The Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah warned that fighting during a future war with Israel will reach the Galilee, Israel Hayom reported on Sunday, citing Foreign Policy. In the next war, Hezbollah wont stay on the borders, and the Israeli settlements in the north will not be protected from this, said a source close to the terrorist group. Hezbollah will bring the war to them, and Israels biggest concern is over Hezbollahs experience in Syria, as it now has the experience to be offensive rather than just defensive. Another Hezbollah official warned that if Israel and Hezbollah fight again, the resistance wont stay in Lebanon; it will reach the Galilee. White pointed to Hezbollahs acquisition of new air-defense systems and Yakhont cruise missiles, which may pose a threat to Israels air force and enable Hezbollah to strike Israels oil platforms. (During its 2006 war with Israel, Hezbollah fired nearly 3800 rockets into Israel, threatening the hundreds of thousands of Israelis living in the countrys north.) However, both outside experts and sources inside Hezbollah said that it is unlikely that the terror group would attack Israel right now, both due to its current efforts in Syria and the political situation in Lebanon. During a meeting with Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in August, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif boasted that the nuclear deal presented a historic opportunity to confront Israel. Before the deal was completed, former Iranian president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, an ally of current president Hassan Rouhani, said that Israel feared the agreement because it would strengthen Iran. He added that one day Israel would be wiped off the map. Haaretz military correspondent Amos Harel predicted last August that Iran-backed attacks by Hezbollah from Syria would increase in the wake of the nuclear deal. An Israeli defense official told The New York Times in May that the buildup of Hezbollahs terror infrastructure in southern Lebanese villages meant that civilians are living in a military compound, and that their lives were at risk. A few days later, a newspaper linked to Hezbollah confirmed the Israeli assessment. Oak Creek to host outdoor 2022 World Cup watch party A partnership between Morans Pub in South Milwaukee and the city of Oak Creek will offer residents food, drinks, music and games on Nov. 25. Welcome to SwanseaOnline - your home for the best news, sports and what's on coverage of the city. Never miss a Swansea story with our daily newsletter Sign up to comment on our stories here Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Swansea City news | Ospreys news | InYourArea The total solar eclipse of 2016 reaches totality in this still image from a NASA webcast on March 8, 2016 from Woleai Island in Micronesia, where it was March 9 local time during the eclipse. The skies went dark over parts of Indonesia and the Pacific Ocean region Tuesday evening (March 8) as the only total solar eclipse of 2016 took hold. The moon briefly blotted out the sun for observers in a 90-mile-wide (145 kilometers) strip of land and sea the "path of totality" that stretched east across Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi and other islands, all the way to an empty patch of the Pacific northeast of Hawaii. You can see photos of the total solar eclipse of 2016 here from Space.com readers and live webcasts. "We've got totality here!" Paul Cox said Tuesday evening from Sulawesi, where he had traveled to host a live eclipse webcast for the Slooh Community Observatory. [Video: NASA Explains the Total Solar Eclipse of 2016] "I can now see [solar] prominences they are beautiful. Wow!" Cox added. His excitement then ratcheted up even more as he witnessed the "diamond ring effect," in which the sun-moon pair resembles a piece of gigantic sky bling. "That is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." See more The "diamond ring" effect is seen in this view of the March 8, 2016 total solar eclipse, which was captured by the Slooh Community Observatory. (Image credit: Slooh Community Observatory) NASA also webcast live views of the eclipse, in collaboration with the Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco and the National Science Foundation, from Woleai atoll in the Pacific Ocean, part of the Federated States of Micronesia. The total eclipse, which lasted just a few minutes, began at different times at different spots along the path of totality. It was first visible at 7:15 p.m. EST Tuesday (0015 GMT Wednesday, March 9) at the western end of the path (where it was actually Wednesday morning local time), and it petered out in the eastern Pacific at 10:38 p.m. EST (0338 GMT Wednesday). The celestial spectacle also manifested as a partial solar eclipse over a much broader area, giving skywatchers in Hawaii and parts of Southeast Asia, Australia and Alaska a very good reason to look up as long as they did so using eclipse glasses, or other types of eye protection. Total solar eclipses occur when the moon, in its new phase, passes directly in front of the sun from an observer's perspective. The fact that they happen at all is a strange confluence of coincidences: The moon is about 400 times smaller than the sun, but lies 400 times closer to Earth than does the sun, so both objects cover roughly the same amount of sky. Solar eclipses don't occur at every new moon, because the moon's orbit is tilted slightly with respect to Earth's path around the sun. Therefore, the satellite's shadow usually passes above or below Earth. Two to five times per year, however, everything works out, and a solar eclipse results. But not all of these are total eclipses; sometimes, the sun-moon alignment isn't perfect, and a partial eclipse in which the moon appears to take a bite out of Earth's star is the result. And other times, the moon is a little too far away for total obscuration. Great prominences on the sun are visible in this fiery telescope view of the total solar eclipse of March 8/9, 2016 as seen in a NASA webcast from Woleai Island in Micronesia arranged in partnership with the Exploratorium in California. (Image credit: NASA TV) The moon's orbit around Earth is elliptical, and the distance between the two objects varies from about 225,000 miles (362,100 kilometers) at the closest point, called "perigee," to 252,000 miles (405,550 km) at "apogee." Total solar eclipses can only occur when the moon is near perigee, and therefore slightly bigger in the sky. When the moon is near apogee, it can block all but the outer ring of the blazing solar disk, creating an "annular" eclipse, from the Latin for "little ring." Indeed, the next solar eclipse which will be visible from parts of Africa on Sept. 1 will be the annular type. North American skywatchers may feel left out by Tuesday's event and the upcoming African eclipse, but their time is coming. On Aug. 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will be visible from a swath of the north-central United States stretching from Oregon to South Carolina. And most of North America will be able to catch a partial version of this "Great American Eclipse." Editor's note: If you safely captured an amazing photo of today's total solar eclipse and would like to share it with us and our news partners for a story or gallery, send images and comments in to Managing Editor Tariq Malik at spacephotos@space.com. Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. Missions to Mars have never been easy. On March 14, Europe and Russia are scheduled to launch the first phase of the two-part ExoMars program toward the Red Planet. The spacecraft will carry an orbiter and a soft lander; the second phase, scheduled to launch in 2018, will send a rover to the Martian surface. The upcoming ExoMars launch comes just a few years after the failed Russian-Chinese Fobos-Grunt mission, which lifted off in November 2011 but never made it beyond Earth orbit. Since 1960, more than half of all attempted Mars missions have failed. But humanity's exploration of Mars has also had some amazing successes. Here's a look back at the history of robotic missions to the Red Planet. [Journey to the Red Planet: A Mars Missions Time Line] In the beginning Since the 1960s, humans have invaded our neighboring planet Mars with swarms of spacecraft. Only about half of the attempts have been successful. See how many robot missions to Mars have launched in this SPACE.com infographic. [ See the Full Occupy Mars Infographic (Image credit: Karl Tate, SPACE.com Contributor) In 1960, the Soviet Union became the first country to attempt to send a probe to Mars. The then-unnamed probe (it has seen been referred to as Marsnik 1, Mars 1960A and Korabi 4) failed to leave Earth orbit. The Soviet Union suffered a string of 10 failed Mars missions until finally, in 1971, the Mars 3 orbiter reached its destination. This probe studied Mars for eight months before landing on the planet's surface, where it was able to collect 20 seconds of data before shutting off permanently. The United States' first attempted Mars mission was Mariner 3, which launched in 1964. The probe's solar panels failed to open, so it could not take up orbit around Mars. But, Mariner 4, also launched in 1964, succeeded in its mission, becoming the first human-made probe to study the Red Planet up close. During Mariner 4's brief flyby, the probe sent back 22 images and came to within 6,118 miles (9,845 kilometers) of the Martian surface. In 1969, the United States launched two more successful Mars flyby missions: Mariner 6 and 7. In 1971, Mariner 8 was lost in a launch failure, but in November of that year, Mariner 9 became the first artificial satellite to orbit a planet other than Earth. It returned more than 7,300 images of Mars. New ambitions Beginning in 1973, the Soviet Union experienced a period of limited successes with its Mars program. The Mars 4 probe reached Mars but failed to go into orbit, although it did return some images and data. Mars 5 successfully entered into orbit around the Red Planet in February 1974. In March of that year, the Mars 6 orbiter/soft lander reached Mars, but the lander failed on its descent. The lander did manage to return some data from the Martian atmosphere, however. The Mars 7 spacecraft failed to go into orbit around Mars as planned in 1974, and while the mission's lander was released, it missed the planet. According to NASA's history office, Mars 7 and four of the U.S. Mariner probes are now orbiting the sun. In 1975, the United States launched its Viking 1 and Viking 2 orbiter/lander Mars missions. Both Viking 1 and Viking 2 touched down on the planet's surface in 1976. With the exception of the 20 seconds of data received from Mars 3, the Viking landers provided the first on-the-ground data from Mars. Together the two probes went on to collect over 52,000 images. In 1988, the Soviet Union launched the Phobos 1 orbiter and the Phobos 2 orbiter/lander to study Mars' larger moon, Phobos. But controllers lost contact with Phobos 1 before the probe reached its destination. Phobos 2 entered into orbit around Mars but failed before it could drop its lander on the nearby moon. After launching the failed Phobos probes, the nation's Mars missions became much more infrequent. In 1996, Russia (the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991) mounted the Mars 96 mission, which consisted of an orbiter, two landers and two soil probes. But the mission was lost in a launch failure. In the 1990s, the United States experienced two Mars mission successes and a total of four mission failures (this latter tally includes the Mars Polar Lander and the two Deep Space 2 impact probes, which were considered separate missions, even though they were launched together). Among the country's successes was Mars Pathfinder, the first rover on Mars. It landed on the Red Planet on July 4, 1997, and worked for five years longer than expected. In 1998, Japan attempted to launch a Mars mission. The Nozomi probe would have been the country's first probe to reach another planet. Nozomi was scheduled to reach Mars in December 2003, but contact was lost before then. [The Boldest Mars Missions in History] The new century Since 2001, the United States has had a stunning run of seven straight successful Mars missions, including three rovers. NASA's Mars Curiosity rover, which landed in August 2012, continues to provide on-the-ground information about the Red Planet, and the agency's most recent Mars probe, MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution), has helped scientists explain what happened to Mars' ancient atmosphere. Meanwhile, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), launched in 2005, has helped scientists identify locations where liquid water appears to exist on the Martian surface. NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover took this self-portrait on Jan. 19, 2016. Curiosity comes from a long line of Mars missions, some of them successful, many of them not. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS) In 2003, the European Space Agency (ESA) experienced a partial success with the Mars Express mission, which included the Mars Express Orbiter and the Beagle 2 lander. ESA lost contact with Beagle 2, but Mars Express is still orbiting the Red Planet, more than a decade after arriving. India joined the Mars race recently with the Mars Orbiter Mission, also known as Mangalyaan. The probe reached Mars in September 2014 the same month as MAVEN and continues to operate beyond its initial mission time frame. In 2011, Russia and China launched a joint Mars mission called Fobos-Grunt. Due to a malfunction, the spacecraft got stuck in Earth orbit, eventually falling back to Earth. But the March 14 ExoMars launch gives Russia another chance at the Red Planet. ESA leads the ExoMars program and is building most of the hardware; Russia is providing the Proton rockets for both launches, as well as some flight gear and science instruments. The first phase of ExoMars consists of an orbiter that will hunt for methane a possible sign of Mars life in the planet's atmosphere and a landing demonstrator, which test landing technologies for the program's rover, which is scheduled to launch in 2018. Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield.Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos poses with part of a BE-4 engine nozzle during a media tour of the company's headquarters in Kent, Washington, on March 8. KENT, Wash. Blue Origin plans to grow significantly over the next year as the company ramps up development of its BE-4 engine and an orbital launch vehicle, while continuing a series of test flights of its New Shepard suborbital vehicle. In a first-of-its-kind media tour of the company's headquarters here March 8, Blue Origin executives, including founder Jeff Bezos, said that the company's multiple lines of work will lead it to hire several hundred people this year. "We're at 600 people now, and we're going to be, over the next year, going above 1,000," Bezos said. "A lot of the people that we're hiring will be for BE-4 and for our orbital launch vehicle." The total could approach 1,200 employees, he added, counting the company's development of a manufacturing facility and launch site in Florida for its orbital launch vehicle. [See photos of Blue Origin's rocket flights] That projected growth in its workforce is forcing Blue Origin to take several measures to accommodate those new employees. "We're busting out of the seams right now," Bezos said of its headquarters, which covers nearly 28,000 square meters. The company is renovating part of the building to make room for additional offices, and just leased space in a nearby office building. Blue Origin is also planning revisions to the factory floor this year to accommodate development and initial production of the BE-4. That includes a "BE-4 highway" that individual engines will follow during their assembly, culminating in a two-story platform where final assembly of the engines, about six meters tall, is performed. Photo released by Blue Origin to media organizations invited to tour the companys Kent, Washington factory March 8. (Image credit: Blue Origin) Blue Origin plans to carry out initial, low-rate production of the BE-4 at its headquarters, building up to 12 a year for use on the company's own launch vehicle and, as currently planned, United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan launch vehicle. The company plans to later develop a separate BE-4 manufacturing facility for higher-rate production, and is considering a range of potential sites for that factory. Much of the tour was designed to show off the company's progress in developing the BE-4, as company employees discussed progress made on various components of the engine. Bezos and other company officials said they remain on track to start full-scale engine tests by the end of this year. Bezos was less forthcoming about details with the orbital vehicle. "Later this year I'm hoping we'll be in a position to release a bunch of details about the orbital vehicle," including its payload capacity. "It will not be a small vehicle, but it will be the smallest orbital vehicle we'll build." That vehicle, which has the nickname "Very Big Brother," is scheduled to make its first flight by the end of 2019. "We already have significant teams of people working on the orbital vehicle, and we have had for years now," he said, saying work on the vehicle has been in progress for at least three years. Blue Origin released this photo of its offices following a March 8 media tour. (Image credit: Blue Origin) Bezos also said the company plans another test flight of its New Shepard suborbital vehicle "soon," without providing a more specific schedule. That vehicle last flew in January from the company's test site in West Texas, marking the first reuse of a vertical takeoff and landing rocket. Several other New Shepard vehicles are under construction at Blue Origin's headquarters. The company plans to initially build six of the vehicles, which take 9 to 12 months to construct, and then, after completing an extensive test flight program, let the demand for space tourism and research determine how many additional vehicles may be needed. Bezos has provided the vast majority of the funding for Blue Origin to date. Bezos declined to specify how much of his personal wealth he has put into the company, but said it was more than the approximately $500 million invested so far in Virgin Galactic. "Let's just say it's a lot," he said. The media tour is the latest sign that Blue Origin, once known for being extremely secretive about its activities, is opening up. Bezos acknowledged that the company was opening up because it now had hardware emerging from a years-long development "pipeline." "The reason you're seeing this change," he said, "is that stuff is finally coming out of this big long pipeline. It took a long time to get the pipeline filled, and now really exciting cool stuff, not just hype, is coming out the other end." "I've always said that space is really easy to overhype," he said. "We'll talk about Blue when we have something to talk about." Blue Origin workers move a spacecraft component at the companys Kent, Washington, factory. (Image credit: Blue Origin) This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry. Artist's illustration of NASA's InSight lander on the Martian surface. InSight is now scheduled to launch on May 5, 2018, after a two-year delay. NASA has decided to save, rather than scrap, a robotic Mars mission that missed its launch opportunity this month. The space agency is now targeting a May 2018 liftoff for its InSight lander, which will investigate the interior structure of Mars, officials announced today (March 9). (Mars and Earth align favorably for interplanetary missions just once every 26 months.) NASA had been considering ending the mission after a leak in the vacuum chamber surrounding a key instrument which was built by the French space agency, known as CNES couldn't be fixed in time for the planned March 2016 launch. But NASA ultimately determined to press on with InSight. [Photos: NASA's Mars InSight Mission to Probe Red Planet's Core] "The science goals of InSight are compelling, and the NASA and CNES plans to overcome the technical challenges are sound," John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C., said in a statement. "The quest to understand the interior of Mars has been a long-standing goal of planetary scientists for decades," Grunsfeld added. "We're excited to be back on the path for a launch, now in 2018." If all goes according to plan this time around, InSight whose name is short for "Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport" will launch on May 5, 2018, and arrive at Mars on Nov. 26 of that year. Once there, the lander will use two main science instruments to study the Red Planet's interior, gathering information that should shed light on the structure and formation of rocky planets in general, NASA officials have said. One of InSight's instruments is a heat probe designed to hammer itself up to 16 feet (5 meters) underground. The other is the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS), a suite of three seismometers designed to measure subsurface activity on the Red Planet. The launch-delaying problem lies with SEIS, which requires a vacuum environment to make its superprecise measurements. NASA and CNES announced in December 2015 that the spherical vacuum chamber around the instrument was leaking; the problem was traced to a defective weld. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, will build and test a new vacuum chamber for SEIS, whereas CNES will be in charge of integrating the instrument with the chamber, agency officials announced today. "The shared and renewed commitment to this mission continues our collaboration to find clues in the heart of Mars about the early evolution of our solar system," Marc Pircher, director of CNES' Toulouse Space Center, said in the same statement. It's unclear how much the two-year delay will end up costing; NASA officials said they will likely come up with an estimate by August or so, after arrangements have been made with launch providers. The cost of the InSight mission was originally capped at $675 million, and $525 million of that has already been spent, Jim Green, head of NASA's Planetary Science Division, said in December, when the agency announced that the lander wouldn't get off the ground this month. The news about InSight comes less than a week before the European and Russian space agencies plan to launch the first phase of their ExoMars mission: A methane-sniffing orbiter and a landing demonstrator are scheduled to blast off on March 14 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Phase two of ExoMars involves launching a life-hunting rover in 2018. Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. A quarter-scale replica of a NASA space shuttle used in the 1970s for vibration and load testing will go on display at Columbus State University's Coca-Cola Space Science Center in Georgia. The largest sub-scale engineering model of a NASA space shuttle ever built has touched down at a Georgia airport, where the almost five-story-tall test article will be stored until its public exhibit is ready to launch. The quarter-scale space shuttle was delivered on a flatbed truck to the Flightways Columbus hangar at the Columbus Airport on Monday (March 8) to wait for its future display to be funded and built at Columbus State University's Coca-Cola Space Science Center. "An extraordinary artifact from NASA's shuttle program is coming home to Columbus," the center stated in a release. "As a prototype, this [replica] served a vital function in the development of America's space program. As an artifact, it is an irreplaceable part of our nation's heritage." [NASA's Space Shuttle Program In Pictures: A Tribute] Archival photograph showing the stacking of NASA's quarter-scale space shuttle engineering model for testing. (Image credit: NASA/CCSSC) The 30-foot-long (9 meters) orbiter, with its companion 38-foot-long (11.5 m) external tank and twin 37-foot-long (11 m) solid rocket boosters, were built in 1974 to address an issue NASA was facing in proving that its then-new space transportation system could withstand the stresses it would encounter during launch. "One of the most difficult engineering challenges was that this complex, reusable system could not be flown for test purposes without astronaut pilots at the controls," officials at the space science center described. "This circumstance created the dangerous reality that the first time the space shuttle flew, humans would be on board." A full size mockup, Pathfinder, and a prototype, Enterprise, were used for certain trials, but neither could put the entire stack through its paces during vibration and structural load testing. The solution was the quarter-scale test article. The replica was large enough to simulate all of the primary structural elements and joints of the space shuttle, without exceeding the limitations of the available test facilities. "They chose quarter-scale because [if you made a vehicle] that is scaled in proportion ... you had to have some sense about what's important," said Don Emero, chief engineer of the space shuttle program at Rockwell (now Boeing), in a 2010 oral history. "We have lots of small pieces of structure, like vent doors and so forth, that are not necessary to replicate ... they just go along for the ride," Emero continued. "Whereas other things, like the access door to the [orbiter] mid-body, were replicated. The scale is chosen such that you can actually make some fasteners. Once you get a smaller scale, like one-tenth, then you can't even see the fasteners you have to use." The scale replica was tested in a variety of configurations, including variable loading of the external tank and rocket boosters, enabling replication of the most critical stages of the shuttle's flight to space. The orbiter came to Columbus from Canada, where it was on display at the Calgary International Airport for 14 years. NASA awarded the engineering artifact to the Coca-Cola Space Science Center for its permanent display. "Your model, the [prototype] shuttle Enterprise and space shuttles Atlantis, Discovery and Endeavour encompass the [program's] most extraordinary components," wrote Robert Sherouse, transition manager in the Office of Infrastructure at NASA Headquarters, in a letter to the science center. The quarter-scale space shuttle will remain in storage, first at the airport and then at the university until the Coca-Cola Space Science Center can raise the funds to build its new display. See more photographs of NASAs quarter-scale space shuttle at collectSPACE.com. Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2016 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved. The S.S. Rick Husband Cygnus spaceship is seen being prepared for Orbital ATK's OA-6 space station resupply mission, which is scheduled to launch on March 22, 2016. The next U.S. commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to the International Space Station will fly with the name of the late NASA astronaut who commanded the final, ill-fated mission of the space shuttle Columbia. Orbital ATK on Tuesday (March 8) announced that its next Cygnus spaceship is christened the "S.S. Rick Husband." "We're proud to unveil the name of our Cygnus spacecraft the S.S. Rick Husband, in honor of the late astronaut," the Dulles, Virginia-based company wrote on Twitter. [Images: Orbital Sciences' Cygnus Spaceship & Antares Rocket] The announcement coincided with a media tour at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where the supply ship is being readied for its launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on March 22. The Cygnus, which will arrive at the station three days later, will deliver about 7,700 lbs. (3,513 kg) of crew supplies and hardware to support the orbiting outpost's Expedition 47 and 48 crews. The S.S. Rick Husband will also have on board Saffire, an experiment that will light a large-scale fire inside the spent, uncrewed Cygnus to study combustion in the microgravity environment. The first-of-its-type Saffire experiment will be conducted after the ship leaves the station, approximately two months after its arrival. 'A wonderful man' Selected as a NASA astronaut in 1994, Rick Husband died on Feb. 1, 2003 while serving as commander of the space shuttle Columbia. He and his six STS-107 crewmates were lost in flight when the orbiter damaged during its launch 16 days earlier broke apart upon re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere over the skies of Texas. "Rick was a very accomplished astronaut [and] a devoted husband and father," said Daniel Tani, the vice president of mission and cargo operations at Orbital ATK and a former NASA astronaut. "He was really a wonderful man." STS-107 was Husband's second launch into space. On his first, STS-96, in 1999, he flew as pilot of the space shuttle Discovery. "STS-96 was the first space shuttle to dock with the space station," explained Tani. "So Rick was the first pilot to ever dock a shuttle to the space station." Husband's commander on Discovery was Kent Rominger, who now serves as vice president of strategy and business development at Orbital ATK. "Orbital ATK is proud to add Rick's name to our legacy of cargo delivery to this outpost in space, and to honor the memory of this brave and dedicated crew," company officials said in a statement. Fifth namesake, first station builder NASA portrait of astronaut Rick Husband, who commanded STS-107, space shuttle Columbia's last mission, lost in 2003 (Image credit: NASA) The S.S. Rick Husband is Orbital ATK's sixth Cygnus ship to be prepared for launch to the space station and the fifth that will fly under a commercial resupply services contract with NASA. This mission is the first one to be named after an astronaut who participated in building the space station. Since its first launch in 2013, Orbital ATK has christened its Cygnus spacecraft for late NASA astronauts who either worked for the company or made contributions to its goals and missions. Previous ships were named for astronauts G. David Low, C. Gordon Fullerton, Janice Voss and Deke Slayton. The most recent Cygnus, the "S.S. Deke Slayton II," was the second to fly under the name of the original Mercury 7 astronaut who went on to lead the first commercial space launch company, Space Services, Inc. The first S.S. Deke Slayton was lost in a 2014 launch failure of Orbital ATK's Antares booster from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. The next Cygnus to launch after the S.S. Rick Husband is set to mark the company's return to the Virginia spaceport and the return to flight for the Antares rocket. That mission, OA-5, is currently targeted for late May. Watch an overview of Orbital ATK's OA-6 "S.S. Rick Husband" mission at collectSPACE. Editor's Note: Updated to reflect the weight of cargo to be delivered on this individual mission. Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2016 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved. 100 million-degree fluid essential to fusion by Brooks Hays Acton, Australia (UPI) Mar 7, 2016 Some scientists believe fusion power -- the energy that powers the stars -- is the future of sustainable energy. Despite periodic breakthroughs, physicists have struggled to replicate the reaction in the lab. New research suggests scientists may have cleared another hurdle en route to synthesizing nuclear fusion. The key, researchers say, is super hot fluid. During fusion experiments, researchers have been frustrated by failing million-degree heating beams, destabilizing their fusion attempts before any energy is generated. A team of scientists at Australian National University believe they solved the problem using fluid dynamics. "There was a strange wave mode which bounced the heating beams out of the experiment," researcher Zhisong Qu said in a news release. "This new way of looking at burning plasma physics allowed us to understand this previously impenetrable problem." Qu is a theoretical physicist at the ANU Research School of Physics and Engineering and lead author of a new paper on fusion in the journal Physical Review Letters. Earthbound scientists have been attempting to replicate stellar fusion using a strategy called magnetic confinement fusion, in which hydrogen is coaxed into plasma form and heated to temperatures ten times those found inside the center of the sun. The problem is these super-heated beams of plasma sometimes behave in unexpected ways. Qu and his colleagues have developed a model that simplifies how scientists explain and predict the behavior of the super-hot liquid hydrogen. The model makes sense of an unstable wave mode observed during the United States' largest fusion experiment, known as DIII-D. The key to the model is that it attempts to explain the plasma's behavior by treating it as a liquid, instead of a collection of individual atoms. "When we looked at the plasma as a fluid we got the same answer, but everything made perfect sense," said Michael Fitzgerald, Qu's research partner and a physicist at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy in England. "We could start using our intuition again in explaining what we saw, which is very powerful." Researchers believe their new model will ultimately offer a range of insights into the nature of plasma behavior and nuclear fusion. "It will open the door to understanding a whole lot more about fusion plasmas, and contribute to the development of a long term energy solution for the planet," said Matthew Hole, a physics professor at ANU. Voltaire To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. GETTY FAMILY SAGA TRUST PICKED UP AS NEW LIMITED SERIES FOR FX Danny Boyle to Direct First Installment of Simon Beaufoy Scripted 10 Episode Limited Series Focusing on the 1973 Kidnapping of Oil Fortune Heir John Paul Getty III The New Limited Series From Executive Producers Danny Boyle, Christian Colson and Simon Beaufoy Chronicles the Most Notorious Episodes in the History of One of the Twentieth Centurys Richest and Most Dysfunctional Families LOS ANGELES, March 9, 2016 FX has ordered 10 episodes of the first installment of Trust, which will tell the story of John Paul Getty III, heir to the Getty oil fortune, it was announced today by Eric Schrier and Nick Grad, Presidents of Original Programming for FX Networks and FX Productions. Equal parts family history, dynastic saga and satirical examination of the corrosive power of money, Trust is a story that attempts to unlock the mystery at the heart of every family, rich or poor.The first installment takes place in 1973, when the young Getty is kidnapped in Rome and his mafia captors are banking on a multi-million dollar ransom. After all, what rich family wouldnt pay for the return of a loved one? Trust charts the young mans nightmare ordeal at the hands of kidnappers who cannot understand why nobody seems to want their captive back. The Italian police think its a prank and decline to investigate. Pauls father is lost in a heroin daze in London and refuses to answer the phone. Pauls grandfather - possibly the richest man in the world - is marooned in a Tudor mansion in the English countryside surrounded by five mistresses and a pet lion. Hes busy. Only Pauls mother is left to negotiate with increasingly desperate kidnappers. Problem is, shes broke.The limited series is being Executive Produced by Simon Beaufoy, Danny Boyle and Christian Colson. Written by Beaufoy and directed by Boyle, the 10-part limited series will be produced by FX Productions, Cloud Eight Films, Decibel Films and Snicket Films Limited.Simon, Danny and Christian have done a magnificent job of telling the story of the Getty family empire and its tumultuous history with Trust, said Schrier. Simons script wonderfully dramatizes the notorious and bizarre kidnapping of J. Paul Gettys grandson. Its the perfect way to open this limited series, allowing us to see how three generations, including one of the worlds richest men, clash when family, fortune and reputation are in jeopardy.Trust was developed under the first-look deal between FX Productions and Boyle/Colson, who re-unite with Beaufoy following previous collaborations on the movies Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours.Danny Boyle won the Academy Award for Best Directing for Slumdog Millionaire and received two further Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay for 127 Hours.Simon Beaufoy won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Slumdog Millionaire. He was nominated for two further Academy Awards for his screenplays for 127 Hours and The Full Monty.Christian Colson is the Academy Award winning Producer of Slumdog Millionaire. He received two further Best Picture nominations for 127 Hours and Selma. More Business Connecticut residents land on Forbes 2016 billionaires list The number of millionaires in the U.S. keeps growing. That's not a sign that you'll soon be joining them however. The news come at a time when the wealth gap in the U.S. is also wider than ever before. A new report shows that America counted 10.4 millionaires last year. Thats a record for the country, which added 300,000 new millionaires in 2015, according to market research and consulting firm Spectrem Group. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The smartphone/app revolution has allowed many of us to give up the hassle of real-world grocery shopping (Hey there, Peapod!), as well as the perils of looking for Mr. or Ms. Right in a singles bar (Whats up, Tindr?), so why should we have to schlep to a barber shop to get our hair cut? That was precisely what Stamfords Christian Ianucci thought when he looked around last year and realized that no one had yet Uber-ized hair cutting. Without investing in any pricey brick-and-mortar real estate not to mention all of those barber chairs Ianucci created Doorbell Barbers in July and his Haircuts where you want, when you want concept is rapidly expanding from Fairfield County into other parts of Connecticut. I work out of every coffee shop and library in the state, Ianucci jokes as he books new appointments from his temporary headquarters at the Greenwich Library. Its grown faster than I expected, he says. I guess its part of this new model of the on-demand economy. People want more personalized experiences brought to them, too. Since he started the business last summer, Ianucci has taken on five barbers three women and two men and expects to add more staff as business grows outside Fairfield County. Ianucci had been working for various midsized start-ups for the past decade, but decided, at 29, that the time had come to do something more nurturing. The entrepreneur went to cosmetology school with the idea of setting up Doorbell Barbers as soon as he completed his courses. I knew the cost of training barber/stylists would be high, so I thought I should just do it myself. And it seemed like it would be easier to grow the business if I knew all the ins and outs, he says. Doorbell Barbers is competitively priced at $40 for a standard haircut (seniors get a $15 discount) and Ianucci or one of his staff bring all of the equipment they will need to your home or office (including a portable vacuum). I went looking for some of Ianuccis customers and found a very satisfied one in Gabriel Wolff, who was tired of scheduling time for a haircut while running Stamfords Wink Frozen Desserts. I was fed up with my (then) current barber. I didnt like the schedule they were closed Sundays and Mondays, which are good days for me. I wasnt married to them and I wasnt in love with the service, so I went online to look for a nearby barber who wouldnt break the bank, Wolff tells me from a business trip to Montreal. I came across Doorbell Barbers and thought, Why the hell not?, he adds, laughing, of having a barber come to him, rather than vice versa. It was easy, a better cut than the barber I was using and I didnt have to leave my apartment. Cheaper and better and my wife says I cant have anyone else cut my hair now. Ianucci has added traditional beauty parlor services to his line-up makeup, blow outs and puts together package deals for whole wedding parties. He is also setting up group visits to assisted care facilities. Right now, I am being a sponge, soaking up all the feedback I can get, the barber says of following in the footsteps of Uber, which has each transaction rated by its customers in order to guarantee high levels of service. I want to be offering service across the state by the end of the year and bring on 20 to 30 new staff members, Ianucci says. After that, who knows where we will go? jmeyers@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @joesview The U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing a public health alert to notify the public of a recall conducted by Maxi Canada, Inc., a Quebec, Canada, business, involving approximately 103,752 pounds of chicken product that may be contaminated with metal pieces. The chicken nugget item was produced in July 2015, and was imported to the United States between July 30, 2015 and March 5, 2016. The products subject to the public health alert include 38-oz boxes of Yummy brand fully cooked CHICKEN BREAST NUGGETS | 100% All Natural* | Nugget-Shaped Chicken Breast Patty Fritters with rib meat PRODUCT OF CANADA with a Best if used by date of July 18, 2017. The products bear establishment number Canada Est. 348 and UPC number 064563225782. This item was shipped to retail locations in the United States nationwide and can be found at retailers such as Kroger, Wal-Mart, and Safeway. STAMFORD - The city has sold about 230 beach stickers online in the first week of a pilot program designed to save residents a trip to the government center. While only city residents whose cars are registered in Stamford can buy the $25 regular stickers online, seniors and out-of-towners can also take advantage of remote shopping by mailing in their registrations. In the past, mail registration was only available until April 1, but this year the option was extended for the entire beach season from May 1 to Sept. 30. We have given people two options to not to have to come to the windows and purchase them: Online and by mail. We encourage folks to take advantage of it, said Frank Fedeli, who oversees the citys Cashiering and Permitting unit. The idea is to save people the trip. The online tally so far is a drop in the bucket of the roughly 16,000 regular stickers sold each year. Any pilot program starts small, Fedeli said. If we sell 3,000 to 4,000, that would be a good start. More Information To order by mail, send a copy of your motor vehicle registration, a check for the amount of the sticker and a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the Cashiering and Permitting Office, Lobby, Stamford Government Center, 888 Washington Blvd., Stamford CT 06901. Online orders can be made at www.stamfordct.gov/cashiering-permitting/pages/beach-sticker See More Collapse Beach sticker sales total 22,000 to 23,000 each year when senior and out-of-town permits are included. Residents over age 62 pay $7 for a sticker. Residents whose vehicles are registered elsewhere pay $110. Nonresidents pay $250. This is the fifth year since the term was expanded for requiring a sticker on Stamford beaches from the traditional Memorial Day to Labor Day season. Enforcement begins May 1. The earlier you get your sticker the better off you are, Fedeli said. Parking permits are required at Cove Island, Cummings, West Beach, Southfield, Dorothy Heroy Park and Newman Mills Riverbank Walk. The Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services today announced a new toll-free number connecting residents seeking treatment and services for an opioid addiction to local walk-in assessment centers. Residents will now be able to call 1-800-563-4086, 24 hours a day, to connect them or a loved one to a walk-in assessment center in their area. We need to do everything possible to fight addiction - this is no doubt an alarming nationwide trend. This number is a commonsense step that we hope will support those who need it, Governor Malloy said in a news release. We encourage anyone who needs help to get it. When it comes to the talent search, hiring managers dont have as much control as they used to. A November 2015 survey by MRINetwork surveying 600 worldwide workplaces found that the market, at the time of the survey, was 90 percent candidate-driven. Related: 30 Secrets to Hiring the Right People That wasn't -- and isn't -- good, because the skills gap remains, and employers are rejecting candidates, in hopes that the perfect hire will walk through the door. But that kind of persistence for finding perfection is a negative factor in the talent search: A December 2015 study by Elsevier described the costs of persistence as including not just money, but time -- and potentially great hires. Clearly, hiring processes are of date and need rebuilding so that companies can hire the best candidates. Heres how: 1. Revamp branding and the candidate experience. Outdated hiring processes tend to underestimate the power of a clearly defined brand. However, passionate employees love both what they do and what their company stands for. One of the easiest ways to improve branding is to have an engaging online presence. And with the technology available, that's an easy change to make. But the definition of the best type of "online brand" is changing. In late 2015, 61 percent of the 3,894 corporate HR talent acquisition decision-makers surveyed in the Global Recruiting Trends 2016 report called online professional networks, like LinkedIn, an effective branding tool, sharply up from 49 percent in 2012. In late 2015, 47 percent of those surveyed called social media effective, down a tad from 48 percent in 2012. And in late 2015, 68 percent of those surveyed considered company websites an effective tool -- way down from 80 percent in 2012. So, professional networks are up; and company websites are down, when it comes to deciding on what tools are effective. Yet, despite that dip, company websites are helpful for the opportunity they offer for employee feedback, allowing candidates a closer look into what the company is all about. Companies accordingly should try incorporating visual recruiting tools like Zoomforth that allow employees to record video or photo presentations on why they work for their company. Including those employee commentaries on the company's website, hiring portal and social media will do wonders for showcasing the brand. Additionally, companies can use social media to connect and engage with candidates. This means doing more than just auto-post-ing the latest home blog or company news. Instead, companies might consider participating in already established industry groups or starting their own. Persistence may not be good when it comes to an outdated hiring process, but it is essential for revamping a brand to improve the candidate experience. Efforts like starting a LinkedIn group, replying to posts on Twitter or sharing fun office happenings on Facebook will make the brand come to life. Related: 3 Tips for Owning Your Company's Most Important Decision: Hiring 2. Dont be too picky. The top priority for 55 percent of employers is to make key strategic hires, according to the previously mentioned MRINetwork survey. Hires should be taken seriously, but theres a fine line between being strategic and being too picky. Many old-school talent searches have an ideal candidate profile in mind and specific qualifications they want the candidate to fulfill. However, this perfect candidate profile is not entirely realistic when the perfect criteria for the position versus the culture differ. Instead, the new talent search should set realistic expectations and hire based on the potential a candidate can bring to the organization. The skills gap shouldnt be the end of the road if a candidate doesnt check every box on the skill requirements. Instead, companies should focus on the skills candidates do check off and determine which ones can be trained. If there is a check mark next to trainable, and that person aligns with the company culture, the reward may well be greater than the risk. 3. Dont play hard to get. The number-one reason candidates are declining job offers is not location or salary: 44 percent of job offers are being declined because the candidate has already accepted another job offer, according to the MRINetwork survey. The survey revealed that a majority of offers take three-to-six weeks to be presented, leading candidates to accept the first job offered to them. So companies should update their hiring strategy for both a speedier turnaround, and for transparency with their applicants during the process. Even if the process ultimately results in rejection, candidates want to be kept in the loop. So, companies should be honest, and tell candidates how many more interviews will be conducted, how many candidates are being hired, the time frame within which they will hear back and how they will be contacted once a decision is made. These moves not only encourage candidates to consider waiting for the company's hiring decision but, in the long run, better present that company's brand. In fact, 65 percent of the 7,025 respondents in a February 2015 CareerBuilder study said they were less likely to buy from a company they didnt hear back from after an interview. 4. Retrain existing talent Many outdated talent recruiters fall into the habit of automatically posting a job listing publicly once a position opens up. But those recruiters would be wise to start a new talent search by looking internally. Not only does the external talent search cost more and take longer, but internal candidates are already a fit with the culture and day-to-day operations. This decreases the possibility of a new hire leaving when he or she finds the job isn't what it was expected to be. When a new position opens up, then, companies should notify employees of what the position entails and how to apply before the position is made public. When hiring internally, employees can see that their leaders believe in the growth of individuals within, fostering a greater sense of employee loyalty. Its time, then, to leave your own company's outdated hiring practices behind and start anew. Put aside the old "persistence" attitude thats kept the same failed hiring strategy in place, and refocus on revamping your talent search. Related: The Top Skills That Will Get You Hired What are other ways talent searches can improve? Related: 4 Ways to Conduct an Awesome Talent Search 7 Interview Questions That Determine Emotional Intelligence Behavioral Profiles Are Critical to Hiring Success Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY Ever wanted to live completely off the grid? Thanks to the work of the architectural minds behind 1 World Trade Center and scientists from Tennessee, 3-D printing technology could one day be used to do just that. Architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the U.S. Department of Energys Oak Ridge National Laboratory and College of Architecture and Design at the University of Tennessee teamed up to design one of the biggest 3-D printed structures ever created -- the Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy Structure, or the AMIE 1.0, Wired reports. After passing out sample forms and answering a multitude of questions and hypothetical scenarios, Kentuckys clerks seemed to agree that one form is how we should proceed. Then Mrs Davis stood up to speak. We had never met and I had no idea what to expect. To my pleasure, and admittedly my surprise, Mrs Davis agreed with my amendment and my approach. In front of a room full of her colleagues she emotionally acknowledged her role in causing this debate but whole-heartedly endorsed my amendment. As Mrs Davis told the other clerks, they should support my amendment because using two forms just invites problems. I'm sorry the blog has been moribund of late, due to recent changes in my life.I'm going to try to make it more regular.Now here is something somewhat interesting. The Kentucky Legislature has met for the first time since the Supreme Court decision inand, of course, since Kim Davis made herself into a martyr for no good reason.So, the Kentucky Legislature has a bill pending ( SB 5 ) that basically bows to Davis' martyrbation by removal from marriage licenses/certificates forms any authorization statement by the county clerk, signatures by a county clerk or deputy clerk, and a very confusing change concerning the statement that the marriage certificate was recorded.The somewhat interesting thing is that the original bill mandated two separate forms, one for heterosexual couples, where the couple is identified by "bride" or "groom," and one for same-sex couples, identified as "first party" or "second party."Kentucky State Senator Morgan McGarvey suggested an amendment to the bill to eliminate the two different forms. He discussed the amendment at a recent county clerks meeting before the vast majority of Kentuckys clerks, As McGarvey explained his amendment: My own reasoning is simple. One form is easier to handle, less expensive and puts everyone on equal footing. Davis was there and McGarvey explains what happened Well, well, well Davis is finally concerned about the taxpayers of Rowan County. Small progress, I guess. Print might or might not be making a comeback, but in 2016, even many online publications are struggling with revenues. Can chief revenue officers (CROs) -- those senior executive leaders charged with owning long-term strategy for their monetization channels -- save the day? The cash-flow bottleneck comes as a result of content shock, whereby audiences are constantly barraged with media, shortening our attention spans and raising our standards in terms of what captures and holds our focus. Of course, there are monetization challenges to address with the rising share of content consumed via mobile devices. Todays publishers need to figure out how to effectively contend with banner viewability issues, screen size limitations, fat fingers and the reign of snackable and detachable media formats. Related: 3 Steps to Win, Retain and Grow Revenue Then theres the rising prevalence of ad blockers, widespread banner blindness and the general lack of interest among the general public in shelling out for access to the other side of paywalls. Studies indicate that the average click through rate for display ads is 0.06 percent, and ad blocking has grown by 41 percent in the last year. Its more likely youll climb Mt. Everest than click on a display ad. No wonder online publications are left searching for ways to make a buck. Todays CRO doesnt have a particularly easy job. Why it takes a CRO Media consumers are sending a clear message that we want pleasant experiences that take place on our terms without pesky interruptions asking for handouts or touting sponsors products. If online publishers have any hope of making money by connecting with and cultivating loyal audiences, its going to be because theyve successfully crafted and protected these experiences. With more and more publishers turning to their newly recruited CROs for sustainable monetization solutions, these executives are charged with unearthing sellable media placements and products that dont turn people off. Its a tricky, shaky middle ground with precious little precedent. Sales and business development departments at publishers are responsible for meeting monthly quotas, moving units and filling inventories -- not to fight for the user. Thats why at publishing companies, only the CRO is responsible for all aspects of a companys revenue performance, identifying and monitoring the high-gain points and making sure that product, sales and marketing teams are all working towards the same goal. The CRO assesses the risks associated with various strategies, creates a plan for each revenue stream, monitors performance and then circles back around to implement strategies for faster revenue growth. Related: Play Nice: 3 Ways to Get Sales and Marketing to Team Up (Infographic) How publishers are monetizing creatively BuzzFeed is a great example of using custom strategies for native advertising and sponsored content to generate revenue. With business units dedicated to generating share-worthy sponsored content as a service and promoting it via a proprietary machine learning-powered recommendation engine, Buzzfeed is a monetization powerhouse. According to one source, the sophisticated publishers revenue has increased from $4 million in 2011 to $64 million in 2013 to $46 million over just the first half of 2014. Not every media company has access to the resources to create a data-driven monetization machine like Buzzfeeds, though. Somewhat smaller publishers are turning to integration-ready third-party platforms like CodeFuel and Imonomy to generate revenue with advertising in such a way that it becomes part of the user experience. This way, as the shrewd CRO will note, audience members can engage with native and sponsored content -- essentially next-generation ad units -- without being bombarded or interrupted by them. Engagement and monetization suite CodeFuel offers publishers a solution to engage and monetize their audience with technology that taps into user intent signals and allows publishers to promote additional related content. Since the units are fully customizable and can be tweaked to maximize content relevance, this helps to keep the audience engaged and on the site longer for top attention performance. This is the type of solution that speaks to CROs who are familiar with the landscape. Native ads are viewed 53 percent more than banner ads. Moreover, 32 percent of consumers say theyd share a native ad with friends and family compared to just 19 percent of people saying the same of banner ads. When native ads include rich media, conversion rates have been known to increase by up to 60 percent.. If the evolution of our technology world dictates that we need to change course in order to innovate and maximize revenues, says Eyal Ben-Ari, CodeFuels own CRO, then the CRO needs to step forward, align teams and become the much-needed company pioneer. How CROs get everyone aligned Since CROs take a holistic view, managing the entire process from assessment to optimization, they can work with product, sales and marketing to create plans that allow the teams to work in tandem towards the same goals. When sales and marketing teams at publishing companies arent aligned, for example, you may run into issues with marketing making promises the sales team cant keep up with, and thus creating relationship issues with external stakeholders like media agencies and buyers for brands. Marketing can send sales thousands of leads, but if sales can only get a tiny percentage of those leads to convert, the CRO needs to step in. Related: Snapchat Is on Track to Generate $100 Million in Revenue It might not be possible to get all of these departments to play nicely together for the sake of collaboration, but as Chicago consultancy Revenue Storms CRO LaVon Koerner will remind us, with a sound strategy in place, its far easier to make sure everyone in an organization at least aligns what theyre doing with the companys documented goals. Publishers who fail to embrace the changing landscape of content monetization will continue to see nose-diving revenues. Doing so without a CRO is possible, of course, but embracing native advertising as part of a CRO-overseen business can help boost revenues to new heights for the long term. Related: How 'Content Shock' Has Led to the Rise of the Chief Revenue Officer at Financially Struggling Online Publications B2B? C2C? VC-Backed? Read on to Have These and Other Business Models Explained. 5 Financial Challenges and How To Overcome Them in 2016 Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved With hyper-partisan Republican obstructionism kicked up into full gear, several Senate incumbents who looked relatively safe, no longer are. Most Americans want the Republicans to go through the process of giving the president their advice and consent on his Supreme Court nomination rather than just declaring that they will not-- under any circumstances-- even consider anyone he nominates. And no incumbent previously deemed "safe" by the insiders is more likely to feel the sting of public anger on that than 82-year old Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa. New polling from PPP shows that 56% of Iowans want to see the Dcalia seat filled this year and that 66% feel the Senate should see who the president nominates before making a decision on confirming or not. 45% of voters (and 48% of independent voters) say if Grassley refuses confirmation hears it will make them less likely to vote for him, while 31% approve of that behavior and 24% say it won't effect their decision whether or not to vote for Grassley. 54% of Iowans blame Grassley and Mitch McConnell for the gridlock. As we saw on Friday, once Schumer got wind that there might be a real race, he immediately steamrolled over the three grassroots progressive candidates , Tom Fiegen, Rob Hogg and Bob Krause and rolled out his Beltway-centric vision of what a good candidate for Iowa would be: disliked Big Ag relic, Patty Judge. Ed Fallon, a radio host who's show airs in Des Moines and Ames, remarked, sarcastically, "What a relief! Wall Street now has an Iowa Democrat it can get behind for U.S. Senate." He seemed as pissed off as every other Iowan I've spoken to this week. Patty Judge's entry into the race last week was greeted with extensive coverage by Corporate Media, who largely have blown-off the other three Democrats in the race. The Des Moines Register's headline, "Patty Judge challenges Chuck Grassley," says it all, ignoring the reality that Judge is running not against Grassley but against Rob Hogg, Bob Krause and Tom Fiegen in the Democratic Primary. The winner of that race gets to face Grassley in the general election this fall. And it shouldn't be Judge. Her long history of support for Corporate Ag's agenda has hurt and continues to hurt Iowa farmers, our environment, our rural communities. I served with Judge at the Statehouse. I fought her anti family farm agenda when she was Secretary of Agriculture. I ran against her in what was then a five-person primary for Governor in 2006. Patty Judge and I go way back. Her allegiance lies with Big Money, and that reality will become clear as this race heats up. For now, don't let Corporate Media fool you into believing Judge is the de-facto nominee, the only one who can beat Grassley. It is, alas, easy to be fooled, as I discovered running into a friend of mine yesterday. He's bright, progressive, very active in Democratic politics. Yet he told me he was supporting Judge. When I pointed out that Judge was horrible on issues he and I cared about, he agreed, but said he would vote for her because she was the most "electable." How many more times will we fooled on the question of "electability?" Barack Hussein Obama-- by virtue of his name and skin color-- was initially deemed to be thoroughly unelectable. A few shoe-in, absolutely-the-most-electable candidates in recent Iowa history? Jim Ross-Lightfoot, Governor. Jim Nussle, Governor. Bruce Braley, U.S. Senate. Staci Appel, U.S. Congress. Yup. All were presented by Corporate Media and their Party Establishment as so "electable" they didn't even get primary opponents. All got their clocks cleaned in the general election. What voters want is someone with a solid track record to assure us they will challenge the status quo and stand with people against special interests. Among the four Democrats running for the U.S. Senate nomination, there's no-one more tightly bound to the status quo than Patty Judge. A rapid rise in the number of asylum seekers reaching the UK has landed outsourcer G4S with a potential 77 million bill as the companys annual profits were virtually wiped out. G4S signed the Compass contract to house asylum seekers in 2012, but the deal has been plagued by cost overruns. Chief executive Ashley Almanza said the firm was housing 18,000 asylum seekers after a material increase between November and January. This was up almost 10% on a year earlier and around 50% higher than the original assumptions of the deal. We are way above what we thought we would be dealing with, he said. As a result, the company has swelled loss provisions by 20 million to 31 million under the five-year term of the contract, which runs to August next year. If the Home Office decides to extend the contract by an extra two years, then G4S will make an extra 57 million in provisions. That would take total losses on the deal to 107 million. Almanza took over in 2013 in the wake of embarrassing fiascos on deals such as the supply of security guards to the Olympics. He said: Theres just a lot of conflict in the Middle East and north and north-east Africa, and typically more people make these journeys over the summer months, and they arrive on our shores at the back end of the year. That explains the spike in the number of people arriving. G4Ss financial burdens under the Compass deal could increase over the next year as Home Office estimates suggest a 15% rise in asylum seekers this year. Almanza said there was only one thing to do, and that is honour the contract but added that he was utterly confident that the deal would never have been signed under new controls. Certainly any major contract like this would have to have escalated up to the group and subject to proper review and challenge, he said. G4Ss contractor in Middlesbrough has also repainted the red doors of asylum seekers houses in a variety of colours after complaints occupants were being stigmatised. The City took a dim view of the results as G4Ss bottom-line profits tumbled from 145 million to just 8 million, following further hits on a Private Finance Initiative contract, restructuring costs, goodwill, and losses on businesses to be sold. Revenues of 6.4 billion were lower than expected while net debts of 1.78 billion also spooked traders. The shares tumbled 22.2p to 190.5p, or 10%, wiping around 300 million off the market value of the company. Almanza is looking to raise up to 350 million by selling off businesses like the UK utilities arm and its Israeli operations, with up to 61 businesses on the block, as well as clearing up the legacy contracts. O ne of my favourite moments in the church sitcom, Rev, showed the impeccably modern Archdeacon Robert rushing off, as ever, to a chic cultural gathering: I need to get going now. Ive got tickets to watch David Hare read some of his emails at the National. It is a perfectly-pitched gag, funny because it lurks on the fringes of plausibility. If any contemporary man of letters might just read out the contents of his inbox to an audience, it would be Hare. As a playwright of distinction, he has settled in recent decades into the role of dissident-laureate; deploying his drama both to report on the state of the nation (media, financial sector, Labour Party, Iraq War) and to deplore those who in his opinion have vandalised the country he loves. Yesterdays Guardian published an edited version of his Richard Hillary Lecture, delivered last week in Oxford. In this densely argued polemic, Sir Davids central thesis was typically forthright: In its essential thinking, the Tory project is bust. Really? Less than a year after David Camerons unexpected general election victory, as Jeremy Corbyns Labour Party shrink-wraps itself into ever-greater irrelevance, this assertion seems (at best) counter-intuitive. Some of Hares claims are overblown or downright sophomoric. Conservative governments, he says, have launched waves of attacks upon public sector workers, all of whom they openly scorn for the mortal sin of not being financiers or entrepreneurs. This is an absurdly partial way of describing public service reform, as though it were intrinsically immoral to ensure that taxpayers money is well-spent and that the interests of patients, pupils and passengers come first. On occasion, the rhetoric is little more than a tantrum: Hare sneers at David Camerons big society as self-evidently, a palliative, nothing more, the lazy shrug of a faltering conscience. That self-evidently is trying to do far too much work. So it is tempting to dismiss Hares cri de coeur as the foot-stamping outburst of the archetypal knight-luvvie. Tempting, but wrong. Sir David is onto something in his intuition that the Tory project is under stress: not bust, as he claims, but certainly creaking at the joints. Naturally, the general election result masked these tensions: success tends to postpone inquiry. But the EU referendum campaign is already ushering some of the divisions in question into plain sight. If there is such a thing as Cameronism, it is not a project to dismantle the state but to decide upon its priorities. Hare is right that the banks were the principal culprits in the 2008-9 crash. But that financial crisis also forced a global assessment of fiscal realities. In a democratic society, how much of its GDP can the state afford to spend without dire consequences for economic stability and the burden upon future generations? Cameron and George Osborne have pursued austerity for almost six years: a week today, the Chancellors eighth Budget will pursue this trajectory further (alongside much else, of course). No less interesting, however, has been the areas of spending that they have ring-fenced the NHS, international development, pensioner benefits, schools, and defence. But Cameron will be gone before the next election and the battle to succeed him will trigger a fresh round of argument over the proper limits of the state. More or less unopposed by the hibernating Labour Party, Conservatives will be free to pursue their deepest ideological yearnings. Alongside the internal argument about the size of the state runs the disagreement over its powers. Those I have called the Runnymede Tories notably David Davis share Hares alarm at the right to intercept private communications, the intention to curtail freedom of speech. Their Conservative opponents such as Theresa May insist that new powers are necessary to address the metastasising threat of Islamist terrorism. Most pointed of all, as the referendum campaign has already demonstrated, is the Tory split over the nature and destiny of the nation. Hare correctly focuses upon the correlation between free markets and free movement of labour a question that foxes Leavers who (mostly) wish to remain part of the EU Single Market but refuse to accept that this would mean the continued influx of EU workers. But what this referendum is forcing Tories to confront is a question far deeper than Britains precise relationship with Brussels. It is the long-postponed challenge posed by Dean Acheson in 1962 when he observed that Great Britain has lost an Empire and has not yet found a role. Should that role continue to be that of a querulous but committed member of the European club, a pivot between the US and EU power blocs? Or is it time, as the Leavers imagine, to weigh anchor and embrace our true destiny as a smaller, nimble, buccaneering nation? Again, as Labour has chosen the worst possible moment to go off on sabbatical, the battle is being fought within the Tory party, between buccaneering Boris and clubbable Dave. These divisions within Conservatism are hardly peculiar to this country. E J Dionne Jrs fine new book, Why the Right Went Wrong, identifies the central paradox: A broad desire for governments to reduce the levels of economic insecurity and expand opportunity is constrained by a loss of confidence in the capacity of government to succeed. Dionne urges Republicans to embrace once more the imported traditions of Burke and the adaptive optimism of Eisenhower. But today, as Donald Trump celebrates victories in Michigan and Mississippi, this doesnt seem immediately probable. Back in the UK, what Hare identifies as the final malfunction of the Tory project is more like a turf war to define its next manifestation. It is already a strange prospect: a brutal struggle within a party that is untroubled by external opposition. I dare say Sir David will not like the new Conservatism that emerges from the smoke and fire of the political battlefield. But until the liberal-Left parties and their supporters get their act together, they will be in no position to do more than seethe in the stands. F or what began as a few Oxford students objecting to a bit of street furniture, the Rhodes Must Fall campaign has made a lot of headlines. Today the campaigners staged a Mass March for Decolonisation, calling not only for the removal of imperialist iconography as represented by the infamous statue of Cecil Rhodes but a wider decolonisation of the curriculum. A bronze cockerel plundered from Nigeria in 1897 has already been removed from Jesus College, Cambridge after similar protests. This one isnt going to go away quietly. And nor are the attempts to characterise them as a bunch of hyper-sensitive, virtue-signalling fruit loops see the (false) reports that students now have their sights on a statue of Queen Victoria at Royal Holloway. Meanwhile outlandish stories from American universities generate a low hum of moral panic about students. In Maine, Mexican students were offered safe spaces after miniature sombreros were inappropriately worn at a tequila party; in Ohio, activists tried to outlaw sushi on grounds of cultural appropriation. Some of these stories are silly, some are scary, but they all feed into a wider narrative: something alarming is happening at universities, something that has serious implications for free speech. As Lord Patten, the Chancellor of Oxford, declared with reference to Rhodes Must Fall: They contend that people should not be exposed to ideas with which they strongly disagree [They think that] history should be rewritten to expunge the names of those who fail to pass todays test of political correctness. Its true that on one side we have a set of over-sensitive individuals trying to shut down debate in order to impose their subjective understanding of the world. Its just that on the other side there are some reasonable people pointing out that commemorating a genocidaire on a high street is a bit weird. It often takes an outsider in this case South African student Ntokozo Qwabe to point out whats hidden in plain sight. Of course, even the most vehement defender of British Imperialism will admit that Rhodes was a nasty piece of work. However, the Oxford establishment have then done what academics tend to do, which is to intellectualise the problem. (Should we therefore raze the city of Bristol since it is also built upon slave money? NO ONE IS SAYING WE SHOULD DO THIS). Academics are often happier running down epistemological rabbit holes than they are engaging with the concerns of their students. However, Patten went further, essentially telling his students that if they didnt like what he was saying, they should go to a different university. Whats funny about this is that Patten is effectively demanding his own safe space. Any debate that denies the validity of the opposing viewpoint isnt a debate at all. Its a lecture in this case with unavoidably colonialist overtones. The fact that Oxfords line-up of pro-vice chancellors is whiter than the Oscars ceremony really doesnt help his case. Its worth stressing that the protesters have at no point defaced the statue in any way. They have calmly articulated their case and in so doing, they have engaged with history in a meaningful way, and raised questions about Britains imperial past that barely trouble us most of the time. Are sombreros offensive? I dont know, ask a Mexican! Do these students come across as a little naive sometimes? Of course! Theyre students! But it seems to me they have as much to teach us as the Pattens of this world. The BBC displays some seriously terrifying talent to amuse There was something a bit funny about the recent announcement from the controller of BBC TV channels, Charlotte Moore (and its not just her weirdly specific W1A-style job title). She declares that she wants to make shows that are unashamedly popular as if shamefully unpopular were an option. But making big shared moments to unite the nation, well, she might be onto something. Take The Night Manager, which has filled a War-and-Peace-shaped Sunday night void on BBC1. Not only is Tom Hiddleston the most unintentionally amusing serious actor there is, we also have amusing actors Hugh Laurie, Tom Hollander and Neil Morrissey being intentionally unamusing and theres nothing so terrifying as a comedian baddie. But again at the risk of over-complicating things, maybe paying really good writers and actors and directors to do their respective things and presenting the results to as many people as possible is quite a good way of making TV? On one hand Im not that bright An experiment. According to some researchers in Canada, typing with one hand makes you write more clever things. Im typing this with one hand to test the thesis and to be honest I just feel a bit thick, like Im in the slow readers group. As for my lexical sophistication and cohesion, I dunno. I keep doing typos, much as when I write with a pen now, it rarely feels fluid, more just messy and arbitrary. Might the combination of two-hand typing plus copious revisions be more efficient? Or simply more agonising? Power is money for pensioners Britain is not alone in facing a systemic problem with the way its wealth is distributed. A report by the Guardian/Luxembourg Income Study shows how disposable income of 25-29-year-olds fell by two per cent between 1979 and 2010; for 70-74 year olds, it increased by 66 per cent, an unprecedented shift. In France, recent pensioners generate more disposable income than families headed by people under 50; in the US, pensioners have more disposable income than under-30s. A whole generation simply wont have the opportunities (or securities) their parents took for granted. What is to be done? Well, every so often, someone will try something. George Osborne had been proposing a modest reform to pensions tax relief for the wealthiest 15 per cent, which might have raised around 10 billion. However, the accumulation of wealth is matched by an accumulation of political power. The Chancellor was forced to drop this raid on the middle classes amid fears that pensioners would take their revenge over the EU vote. If even the most long-term decision is subject to such short-term cynicism, its hard to imagine the situation changing. N ow that we all know our craft beers from our tins of Fosters, sampling a new IPA alongside a rye whiskey is the next step for connoisseurs. This pairing of a beer and a shot is known as a boilermaker so-called because it was popularised by workers building steam locomotives in the 1800s and its all over London. Kentucky whiskey brand Bulleit was the official boilermaker partner at London Beer Week in February, where the capitals top brewers paired their ales with spicy Bourbons. Its brand ambassador Andrea Montague says that now the UK is starting to realise why the flavours are perfect partners. Bulleit works particularly well for a boilermaker due to its flavour profile rich and slightly spicy with vanilla and nutty notes. When paired with a malt-driven full-bodied style of beer the vanilla and praline notes shine. Paired with a lighter more citrus-led IPA style the characteristics of the bourbon are highlighted. Beaver Lodge in Chelsea has a whole menu of boilermakers, including Asahi Super Dry with Makers Mark whiskey, while The Gallery in West Hampstead favours Islay Souper (Fourpure oatmeal stout and Laphroaig) the roasted malt and creaminess of the stout goes well with smokiness of the Laphroaig. The award-winning White Lyan in Hoxton, known for innovative cocktails made from scratch on the premises, has a boilermaker on its new menu which pairs its own passionfruit ale with the bars Mr Lyan bourbon. Make mine a half and half. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout Review at a glance O f all the Old Masters, none is as enigmatic as Giorgio da Castelfranco, known as Giorgione. We know almost nothing about him. Its clear that he was born in Castelfranco, about 40km inland from Venice, in 1478, and made his reputation in La Serenissima, where he was appropriately the most serene of painters until his early death from the plague in 1510. He was in demand: he got big commissions for frescoes on the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, the home of Venices German merchants, and in the Ducal Palace, the centre of Venetian power. His paintings were much sought after by private collectors as soon as he died, Isabella dEste, Marchesa of Mantua, tried desperately to get hold of a night scene, very beautiful and unusual that she thought was left in his estate. Her correspondent responded that no such painting was left and neither of the owners of night scenes that he knew of were prepared to sell at any price, so much did they enjoy them. Giorgio Vasari, in his Lives of the Artists, fleshed out the myth with the testimonies of those who knew him: he was from humble stock but good breeding, he was musical, and he gained the name Giorgione Big George from the nature of his person and from the greatness of his mind. Perhaps he was Big George in another sense, too he took unceasing delight in the joys of love, Vasari tells us. He was certainly a master of the beautiful and unusual. His most famous painting is La Tempesta, a fittingly mysterious work in which a woman suckling her baby and a standing man with a pole, perhaps a soldier, are captured in an exquisite bucolic setting while a storm, complete with a fork of lightning, rumbles over a distant town. No one can agree what this scene depicts or exactly when it was painted; everyone concurs that it is spellbinding. Natural wonder: Giorgiones Il Tramonto (The Sunset) / The National Gallery Alas, La Tempesta has not travelled from Venice to the Royal Academy, along with some of the other truly great Giorgiones from around the world, such as the magnificent portrait of a young woman, Laura, or the Three Philosophers, both in Vienna they are either too fragile or too central to their museums collections to make the trip. Even despite the inevitable omissions this is not one of those shows that uses an artists name but has meagre evidence of their work. There are still plenty of Giorgiones on view, as well as plenty of possible Giorgiones and lots of ex-Giorgiones, now attributed to Titian and Sebastiano del Piombo, two artists profoundly influenced by him. With so little documented it is difficult to be sure. As many as 250 works were once thought to be by Giorgione but now that number is about 40 and only a few of those are certain. Bernard Berenson, the great Renaissance scholar who seemed to be driven half-mad trying to identify Giorgione paintings, wrote of his subject as a shadowy, fluctuating, half-mythical figure and said that so little is certain of his work that every critic has his own private Giorgione. So it is tempting to walk around this show in a spirit of sleuthery trying to detect the artistic personality that Berenson described thats definitely his; that cant be by him, surely? New sight: La Vecchia has never before been seen in the UK / Mauro Magliani & Barbara Piovan This is somewhat encouraged by placing him in the company of his forebears and followers. The first room is stonking stuff: two undisputed Giorgione portraits next to a couple by Albrecht Durer, an occasional influential visitor to Venice, and a Giovanni Bellini, the pre-eminent Venetian painter before Giorgione made his mark. The only master missing here is Leonardo Giorgione saw his work when he visited Venice, Vasari says, and he was deeply affected by it. You get a sense of Giorgiones mastery immediately. Bellinis portrait, perhaps of the poet Pietro Bembo, is a lovely thing, beautifully balanced, with deep landscape of fields, city and mountains behind the sitter, who gazes out into the distance. He is evocatively portayed yet remote from us. But the earliest of Giorgiones works, Portrait of a Young Man, known as the Giustiniani Portrait, possibly painted when the artist was in his teens, is so much more vividly present. He meets our gaze, his hand resting on the parapet in front of him, entering into our space. He feels warmer, more fleshy, more human than Bellinis man. The comparison with Durer is exhilarating. Either side of another Giorgione masterpiece, the Terris Portrait, are two of the German masters paintings, and though one has suffered from much restoration, the other, a portrait made in Venice of a red-haired German, Burkhard of Speyer, is in prime condition. 'Had he survived beyond his 32 years, perhaps he would have rivalled Titian in taking the physicality of paint to such heights that it defined painting for centuries' Its a virtuosic painting, a showcase for Durers extraordinarily precise skills, his immaculate drawing and miraculous eye for detail the highlights in the eyes, the delicately etched strands of hair, the silky fur trim of his jacket. But, again, how much more intimate Giorgiones softer-focus portrait of a man appears next to Durers face: he looks directly at us, seemingly wanting to connect with us. Because we look into his eyes, we read emotion in them, where Durers subject, looking away from us, is more inscrutable. We learn from Vasari a little of how Giorgione achieved his sensual, palpably fleshy effects: he painted without preparatory drawing and with, by turns, raw and tender paint, directly in front of his subject. Had he survived beyond his 32 years, perhaps he would have rivalled Titian in taking the physicality of paint to such heights that it defined painting for centuries. The blur between Titians early paintings and Giorgiones works are such that numerous former Giorgiones have been attributed to Titian, perhaps most famously the masterpiece in the Louvre, the Concert Champetre, sadly not here. As well as being celebrated as the most painterly portrayer of human flesh, Titian was also a great painter of landscapes as that painting shows but he learned this from Giorgione, who more than any painter of the Renaissance brought the landscape to the fore. In Il Tramonto, the best known of the UKs Giorgione paintings, the figures are again a mystery: tiny amid a deep vista of trees rocks, river, townscape and blue, distant fields and spires, whose tranquillity is only interrupted by a weird St George and the Dragon added to cover up a 20th-century tear in the canvas. Several Giorgiones-turned-Titians feature in a room of devotional paintings. Among them is Christ and the Adulteress, painted in the year after Giorgione died, showing Titian at the point where he begins to master multi-figure compositions. A richly coloured, animated scene, it shows Jesus as he grabs a man in a baying throng calling for an adulterous woman to be stoned, and asks: He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone. Nearby is a lovely Virgin and Child, the Lochis Madonna, with a touching embrace between mother and child: the Virgin leans towards Jesus, who reaches up to play with her hair. Its a remarkably tender painting, shown next to a Virgin and Child with Saints which was also once a Giorgione but is now attributed to Sebastiano del Piombo. 'There is a sense of Giorgiones mastery immediately. Bellinis portrait, perhaps of the poet Pietro Bembo, is a lovely thing, beautifully balanced, with deep landscape of fields, city and mountains behind the sitter, who gazes out into the distance' Like Giorgione and Titian, Sebastiano modernised Bellinis style, yet for all its beauty and harmonious tones the Sebastiano doesnt quite reach the heights of his peers paintings look at the stiffness in the mother and child in comparison with the natural affection exuded by the Titian. Other painters also suffer from comparison with Titian and Giorgione, not least Giovanni Cariani, one of a number of relatively minor painters called Giorgionesque who appear in the show. Cariani is the most interesting because he appears to have so many of the skills without the finesse his figures, whether Virgins, Christs, Saints or disciples, are all formidable brutes. Nowhere is the comparison more telling than in the shows final room, where three bulky Carianis, including an almost surreal Saint Agatha with her severed breasts in a glass dish lead you to Giorgiones great painting of an old woman, La Vecchia. Again, she stares directly at you, inviting you to engage. Shes also speaking and pointing to herself, and on her cuff is written col tempo with time. Youll one day be like me, she seems to say. What a stunning painting, so immaculate in detail, so vivid as a whole. It has never before been seen in the UK and makes a stirring yet sobering conclusion to an absorbing show. As a parting shot it will take some beating. In the Age of Giorgione is at the Royal Academy, W1 (020 7300 8000; royalacademy.org.uk) from Saturday March 10 until June 5 Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout A stuffed giraffe, zebra and chimpanzee were among 18 animals worth 100,000 which were stolen from a taxidermy warehouse in south London. Police have launched a hunt to track down the stuffed creatures after they were stolen from a building in Wandsworth on March 1. Raiders arrived in a Luton van with a grey cab and white body, using angle grinders to force their way into the building between 7.20 and 7.41pm, detectives said. Once inside, they stole a globe along with 18 stuffed creatures including lions and a sloth. Theft: Police want to trace 18 animals / Met Police Detective Constable Edward Bird said: "This was not a random crime. The burglars had come prepared and well equipped. This was a criminal enterprise and these thieves need to be stopped before they commit further crimes. Hunt: The stolen items included a giraffe and chimpanzee / Met Police "The items they stole are of high value and are very distinctive. Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. A n ex-police officer from Luton who trawled social media for young victims has been convicted of a string of sex offences including rape. Mohammad Arshad was found guilty of 17 charges following a trial at St Albans Crown Court, Bedfordshire Police - his former employer - confirmed. The 35-year-old was found guilty of nine counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, three of sexual activity with a child and two of meeting a child following sexual grooming. He was also convicted of one count each of rape, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and paying for the sexual services of a child. The convictions relate to 12 victims, and cover a two-year period. Arshad was a trainee police officer between April 2014 and October 2014 but was suspended when one of the victims came forward. Police who searched Arshad's home found images of teenage girls on his phone and computers. Officers managed to trace a number of potential victims though social media messages. Bedfordshire Police said they have reviewed their vetting process to prevent the likes of Arshad from joining the force again. Deputy Chief Constable Mark Collins said: "Mohammad Arshad effectively trawled social media sites for young girls, befriending them and grooming them in order to meet and then sexually abuse them for his own gratification. He will be sentenced on April 15. P olice are still appealing for witnesses three months on from the death of a woman who was knocked down in a hit-and-run crash in east London. The 37-year-old victim was found lying in Cannon Street Road, Wapping, near the junction with The Highway at 9pm on December 10. The female pedestrian, who was hit by a van which failed to stop, suffered severe head injuries and died at the scene, despite the efforts of police, passers-by and paramedics. A 53-year-old man was arrested after police traced the vehicle to an address in Bethnal Green. A post-mortem examination carried out the following day at Poplar Mortuary gave the woman's cause of death as a head injury. Officers are keen to trace at least two men described as Asian, who assisted an off-duty police officer who was administering first aid to the victim. A vehicle described as a Transit sized van, possibly a maintenance vehicle, was also seen in the area. Police are also looking to trace the driver of a Vauxhall Zafira car that was parked in Cannon Street Road, near to the St George In The East Church parish office, who may have witnessed the crash. The arrested man was taken to an east London police station for questioning and was bailed until a date in early April. Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact the Roads and Transport Policing Command on 0208 597 4874 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. T hree London hospital trusts were today rated as poor in a new safety league table showing the failure of the NHS to learn from mistakes. Barts Health, St Georges and Croydon, plus the West London mental health trust that runs Broadmoor, were all given the lowest score as Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt attempted to seize the safety agenda from junior doctors taking part in a 48-hour walkout. Mr Hunt announced an airline-style system of protecting staff who admit to mistakes and end the scandal of 150 avoidable deaths in NHS hospitals each week. But he was criticised for the timing of todays league table, which came as hospital managers desperately tried to cope with staff shortages that required 1,083 non-emergency operations to be cancelled across London. TODO: define component type brightcove Junior doctors on a picket line outside St Georges in Tooting defended todays action the third in the British Medical Associations battle against imposition of new working hours it claims will harm patient care. Sarah May Johnson, 31, a paediatric junior doctor, said: We feel so strongly that if we dont do this then the NHS is going to suffer and that our patients are going to suffer. Lola Loewenthal, 32, a respiratory and general medicine registrar, said: The system is already near breaking point. We are going to go towards a system where its going to become more unsafe. Protests will continue tonight with a blue light candle vigil to Downing Street at 8.30pm. The official release of the league table by Monitor this morning was delayed as hospital bosses raised concerns over its validity. The Royal Marsden and Guys and St Thomas were among 18 trusts said to be outstanding at reporting safety concerns. M ore than 20 firefighters battled a blaze at a scrapyard in east London after a pile of rubbish caught alight. Four fire engines from Poplar, Shadwell, Millwall and Stratford fire stations were called to Bromley Hall Road in Bow at 7.07pm on Tuesday. A hazard zone was set up by London Fire Brigade after it was discovered eight gas cylinders were also at the site. Heat from the blaze could have caused some of the cylinders to explode, but firefighters cooled the canisters down and removed them safely from the scene. A large pile of rubbish was damaged in the blaze, which was brought under control by 9.24pm, London Fire Brigade said. The cause of the fire is under investigation. A mother-of-two tragically died after doctors failed to notice she had suffered a miscarriage in a hospital blunder. Fauzia Khan, 43, was 16 weeks pregnant with her second daughter when she attended Croydon University Hospital with bleeding and stomach pains. But despite her concerns that she was having a miscarriage, hospital staff did not perform a scan on her unborn child and she was sent home. The foetus quickly became infected, causing sepsis, and Mrs Khan died in hospital three days later on November 27, 2013, after suffering multiple organ failure. Following legal action by her husband Masood Khalid, this month Croydon Health Services accepted out of court that staff failed to assess her unborn childs heart rate when she arrived at their A&E department. Mr Khalid, told the Standard: I was absolutely shocked and devastated when this happened, not just because my wife and the mother of my small children had passed away. Living in this country, you think youre living in a very advanced country and you get the best services, especially from the NHS. I was thinking and my wife was thinking that we were in safe hands in hospital. The standard of treatment she received was absolutely shocking for me and my children. I couldnt believe this kind of thing can happen in a country like the UK. Mr Khalid, who gave up his fledgling marketing business to become a full time father to Umir, seven, and Zaahra, 13, after their mothers death said the children were affected every time they drove past the hospital. Tragedy: Fauzia Khan with daughter Zaahra, son Umir and husband Masood Khalid He said: She was only 43. We had a lot of plans for the future and for our family. All those plans went with her and its a great loss for my children. It happened at the age where they need both parents, especially their mother. The way she was raising them, there cant be any replacement for that. The 46-year-old described his wife as a wonderful, kind-hearted lady who looked after two elderly neighbours alongside her own family. Mr Khaild, of Oakfield Road, Croydon, who launched legal action last September, said: I started all of this because I was shocked and I was of the opinion that this shouldnt happen to anyone else. I hope some lessons can be learned from this and things can improve so more people dont have to suffer like that and more children dont have to live without their mother. Paul Sankey, from law firm Slater and Gordon which is representing Mr Khalid, said: The trust has admitted that had a scan been carried out when Mrs Khan first visited hospital, staff would have realised she had miscarried and was developing sepsis which led to her death. It is of little comfort to Mr Khalid, but the trust has also apologised for its failings and his only wish now is that lessons are learned from the tragedy. Sepsis is common and it can be life-threatening. Early warnings systems should be in place to prevent the condition being missed and it is vital that they are followed to make sure sepsis is diagnosed and treated quickly to avoid lives being needlessly lost. A spokesman for Croydon Health Services said: This is a very upsetting case and we continue to offer our wholehearted apologies and sympathies to Mrs Khans family. We remain in contact with the family and have acknowledged that the care we provided to Mrs Khan was below the standard we should be providing for our patients. He added: "The Trust has admitted a breach of duty in failing to scan Mrs Khan's unborn baby's heart rate and it is probable that a miscarriage would have been diagnosed at the time." Since Mrs Khans death, pregnant women are seen at the hospital A&E more quickly by gynaecological and obstetric specialists and staff are more aware of the dangers of sepsis. A tourist whose upper ear was sliced off when his London sightseeing bus crashed into a tree is planning to sue the tour company for damages. Ireneusz Luszczewski, 49, was enjoying a trip around the city with his young son last August when the double-decker hit an overhanging branch. The impact tore the roof off the bus, sending debris flying across the packed upper deck. Four passengers including a new bride were hospitalised. Mr Luszczewski, known as Irek, was hit in the face by debris and the top half of his left ear was sliced off. Horrific: Ireneusz Luszczewski with his son at the Tower of London on the same day as the incident The Pole is now planning to sue the bus owners, Golden Tours Ltd, and wants to know who was responsible for the crash. At the time of the incident a spokesman said the company was investigating what had happened. I was shocked and terrified when the accident happened, Mr Luszczewski said. I feared for my safety and the safety of my young son. As a result of an accident, which I believe was caused by the negligence of the bus company, I have been left with life-changing injuries and very bad memories. I would like answers to my questions about how this was allowed to happen. Tour bus horror: a branch tore the roof off their sightseeing bus, severing the tourists ear / Rex About 40 tourists were on the upper deck of the partially open-top bus when it hit the tree at around 1.10pm in Woburn Place, near Russell Square Tube station, on August 3. Stunned passengers comforted each other after the crash, which left the section of roof dangling against the side of the bus. Mr Luszczewski was treated by paramedics at the scene and then taken to hospital by ambulance for emergency surgery to re-attach his ear. He has hired personal injury specialists from law firm Irwin Mitchell to investigate who was to blame for the crash. Philip Banks, the lawyer heading up the case, said they are looking for compensation to cover future medical bills and rehabilitation, and damages to help him recover both physically and mentally from this ordeal. Mr Banks added: This horrific incident occurred without warning. Our client was simply hoping to enjoy a pleasant sightseeing tour with his young son. However, this was cut short by a terrifying crash and significant injury to Irek. He has now been left with permanent injuries as a result of an accident which we believe should never have happened. Irwin Mitchell is also looking for witnesses to the crash to back up the claim when it comes to court. The chief executive of Golden Tours Ltd, Nick Palan, referred questions about the crash to the companys insurers, who are handling the case. The insurance broker declined to comment. A London scientist has created an artificial intelligence to work as a recruiter that can avoid bias towards the old boys network of white, male Oxbridge-educated job candidates. Tom Bowless software is intended to replace human headhunters who perform hours of tasks such as searching Google and checking sites like Crunch Base and LinkedIn. It can tell if a candidate has performed particularly well with a company after moving to a new city, and identify rapid career progression. Dr Bowles said that by analysing these factors the AI knows if a person would be right for a company removing unconscious bias towards certain groups that employers may have. The next phase is getting the AI to interview job candidates on video. The AI has been coded so that it continually learns by training itself. The project was commissioned by the London-based Founders Factory, which helps to identify the new generation of digital entrepreneurs. Dr Bowles, who spent a year writing the AIs complex algorithms, said many good candidates were not being identified by recruiters despite being suited for the role. By looking at each individual in the context of what they have achieved, within their relevant field, biases like gender or location can be minimised, he said. AI can have a significant impact on diversity because it doesnt care about someones background, it only sees the potential within them. What I was trying to do was take out the human bias, [for example] the bias of one school versus another. If Id gone to the very best school and the very best university Id probably come out of that situation with a fairly good network. So the chance of me doing well in life would be probably quite strong the network makes a big opportunity for you. He added: We look at how fast people are progressing through their career, are they good at working with people, are they showing promise? Weve got indicators [such as] where theyve relocated and suddenly done very well, where theyve worked with fast-growth companies. In the way you or I might start doing Google searches, the AI does the same. It puts people into a database and it correlates them, and it produces reports. Dr Bowles previously worked on a project at atom-smasher CERN that used its mammoth computing power to collect and analyse data to help fight breast cancer. A British backpacker armed herself with a knife and fought off a sex attacker at a shared house in Sydney, police said. The 23-year-old woman defended herself after a man allegedly entered her bedroom and tried to assault her at around 3pm on Tuesday. She was able to resist the attack but the man then left the room in the boarding house, where up to 20 other people were staying, and returned with a knife. He reportedly stabbed her several times in the upper body before the woman was herself able to arm herself and allegedly stab her attacker in the chest. "The female was able to leave the room and arm herself with a knife and defend herself and allegedly stabbed the male in the chest," Redfern Police Detective Inspector Fitzgerald said. "She did a tremendous act. Obviously her survival instincts kicked in. It was a terrible ordeal for someone to have to arm themselves and resist a person." Blood stains on the door to the Redfern sharehouse where the woman was attacked / Nine Jerry Betrou, who was working in a nearby shop, told ABC News he heard "bloodcurdling" screams. "[I] walked out, seen a girl pushed up against the window, blood coming out of her right-hand side [saying] 'help me, help me'," he said. She was pushed up against the window, she couldn't get out, it was like a cage." The woman, who suffered a punctured lung, is now recovering from emergency surgery in at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, police said. Two police constables suffered minor cuts and grazing while trying to arrest the man after a short police chase. They were taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and have since been released. A 27-year-old Mexican national was taken to St Vincents Hospital under police guard. Police at this stage believe the victim and the attacker were not well known to each other. B uckingham Palace has taken the highly unusual step of complaining to press regulator IPSO about a front-page story in the Sun newspaper claiming the Queen voiced strong Eurosceptic "Brexit" views and wants the UK to quit the EU. The story, headlined Queen backs Brexit, reports a claim that the Queen expressed anger with Brussels at the former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, during a lunch at Windsor Castle in 2011. The former Lib Dem leader and Deputy Prime Minister has dismissed the report as "nonsense". Buckingham Palace insists the Queen is politically neutral in the EU referendum campaign. A Palace spokesman said: We can confirm that we have this morning written to the chairman of the Independent Press Standards Organisation to register a complaint about the front-page story in todays Sun newspaper. The complaint relates to clause one of the editors code of practice. Controversy: Copies of today's Sun carried the news item on the front page / EPA/The Sun Clause one of the Ipso editors code of practice covers accuracy. In particular, the clause outlaws inaccurate, misleading or distorted information including headlines not supported by the text of the story itself. Earlier in the day the palace said it would not comment on spurious, anonymously sourced claims. The Sun newspaper is standing by its story and quoted a senior source as saying that people who heard their conversation were left in no doubt at all about the Queens views on European integration. It was really something and it went on for quite a while. The EU is clearly something Her Majesty feels passionately about, the source was quoted as saying in the newspaper. The Palace insist the Queen remains politically neutral as she has been for 63 years. Clegg wrote on his Twitter feed that the story was nonsense, and he had no recollection of this happening. But a spokesman for Clegg went further: This is categorically untrue. "Nick has no recollection of this conversation and it is not the sort of conversation you forget. It is understood to be the first time the Queen and the palace have made a complaint to the new press regulator IPSO since it was formed. A controversial bronze cockerel has been removed from display at a Cambridge University college after students claimed it had been looted during a 19th century African raid. Jesus College said the Benin bronze, known as the Okukor, had been taken down from its hall and there would be discussions about its future "including the question of repatriation". Last month, the students union passed a motion calling for the statue to be returned to Nigeria, claiming it was stolen by British forces in a "punitive raid" in 1897. Their campaign came after the Rhodes Must Fall group at Oxford demanded that Oriel College take down a statue of British colonialist Cecil Rhodes. A Jesus College spokeswoman said: "Jesus College acknowledges the contribution made by students in raising the important but complex question of the rightful location of its Benin bronze, in response to which it has permanently removed the Okukor from its hall. "The college commits to work actively with the wider university and to commit resources to new initiatives with Nigerian heritage and museum authorities to discuss and determine the best future for the Okukor, including the question of repatriation. "The college strongly endorses the inclusion of students from all relevant communities in such discussion." According to the British Museum, almost 1,000 bronzes were taken after Benin City in present-day Nigeria was occupied by imperial troops in 1897. Some 900 are now in museums and collections around the world. The minutes of the student union meeting said Jesus College was bequeathed the Okukor in 1930 by Captain George William Neville, a former British Army officer whose son had been a student there T he death of a British racing driver struck by flying debris during a race was a "freak accident", an inquest heard today. Justin Wilson, 37, died from his injuries after being hit while he was taking part in the ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania last August. Debris was scattered onto the track in the closing stages of the race when race leader Sage Karan crashed his car into a barrier. The Sheffield-born driver was hit on the helmet by a piece of the car as other drivers swerved to avoid the debris. He was taken to a nearby hospital but died of his injuries a little over 24 hours after the accident. At an inquest at Northampton General Hospital, coroner Anne Ember read out a statement from Mr Wilsons father, Keith, who described the death as a freak accident. It said: The car leading the race crashed and was driving at over 200mph. The driver was unhurt but debris from his car flew high into the air and a large, heavy piece hit Justin on the head as he approached the scene of the accident. "Justin was unconscious, he was extracted from the car and rushed to hospital. He underwent surgery and was kept on a life support machine until the following day. The decision was then taken to switch off the machine and Justin was pronounced deceased. "Justin was a kind, caring and loving son who is sadly missed by all of his family and friends." Mrs Ember concluded Mr Wilson's death was accidental. Wilson formerly raced in Formula 1 for the Inward and Jaguar teams and was competing for Andre Auto sport at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife Julia and two young daughters. T housands of junior doctors in England are due to begin a 48-hour strike today in a row with the Government over new contracts. Junior doctors will provide emergency care only on Wednesday and Thursday, with two further 48-hour strike planned from 8am on April 8 and April 26. Heath Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced he will impose the new contracts on junior doctors after talks with the British Medical Association (BMA) failed to reach an agreement. The BMA is now seeking a judicial review over the imposition of the contracts, which it says is not acceptable to junior doctors. Under the Governments plans, Saturday day shifts would be paid at a normal rate in return for a hike in basic pay. The new contracts will also see 7am to 5pm on Saturday regarded as a normal working day and doctors working on in four or more Saturdays will received a pay premium of 30 per cent. Picket line: Thousands of junior doctors are striking for 48 hours / Ben Birchall/PA Wire More than 5,000 operations and procedures have been cancelled as a result of the strike and hundreds more routine clinics and appointments are likely to be affected, Urgent and emergency care services will be available as normal but hospitals are expected to be under extra pressure, NHS England said. A Additional reporting by Press Association. C abinet minister Michael Gove was today at the centre of a furious storm over the leaking of a private conversation with the Queen which sparked claims that she is a Brexiter. Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood was urged to probe who revealed a version of an exchange between Her Majesty and the then Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. The Queen is said to have told Mr Clegg that the EU was heading in the wrong direction and to have left ministers at the lunch at Windsor Castle in 2011 in no doubt about her views on the union. Mr Gove, who was Education Secretary, Mr Clegg, Cheryl Gillan, the then Welsh Secretary, and Lord McNally, who was justice minister, attended a council at 12.40pm at Windor Castle on April 7, 2011, according to the court circular. Clegg: Queen story is nonsense There is no evidence to suggest who leaked details of the conversation with the Queen or proof that the account published in todays Sun newspaper is accurate. However, many MPs are likely to see Mr Gove as the most likely suspect given that he is one of the leading Out campaigners. Labour this morning asked the Cabinet Secretary to investigate the matter. A party source said: Labour is writing to the Cabinet Secretary to ask him to urgently investigate the serious matter of how alleged conversations between the Queen and Ministers at a private meeting were leaked to the press. Former Liberal Democrat leader Mr Clegg dismissed the Sun story as nonsense, adding: Ive no recollection of this happening & its not the sort of thing I would forget. A spokesman added: This is categorically untrue. TODO: define component type apester However, BBC broadcaster and historian Andrew Marr gave some credibility to the idea that the Queen could favour Brexit. Retweeting the frontpage of The Sun with the headline Queen Backs Brexit, he said: This might be true. None of the three other ministers at the council on April 7 could be contacted. Buckingham Palace insisted the Queen is politically neutral in the EU referendum campaign. A Palace spokesman added: We will not comment on spurious, anonymously sourced claims. The referendum is a matter for the British people to decide. In June last year, a speech by the Queen in Germany was interpreted by some as expressing a pro-EU view. During a state banquet in Berlin in the presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister David Cameron, the Queen said division in Europe is dangerous and that the continent must strive to maintain the benefits of the post-war world. Buckingham Palace said then that the speech, on the eve of a Brussels summit, was not intended to make any political point about the future of the union. A speech last month by the Duke of Cambridge was interpreted by some as a tacit call for the UK to remain in the EU. In an address to Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff, William said the nations ability to unite in common action with other countries was essential in a turbulent world, and was the bedrock of our security and prosperity. A Kensington Palace spokesman said at the time about the speech: This was not about Europe. T he UK has the highest prison population in the European Union, according to a major new report. There were a total of 95,248 people behind bars in this country, figures published by the Council of Europe show. Of the 50 prison administrations examined in the study, only Russia and Turkey had more inmates, with 671,027 and 151,451 respectively. The study, which covers a period up to 2014, also claimed that only Russia spent more on its prisons system than England and Wales. In September 2014 there were 85,509 prisoners in England and Wales, 7,879 in Scotland and 1,860 in Northern Ireland. It was the largest total out of all the 28 EU member states. The next highest population in the bloc was France, which had 77,739 inmates, while there were 65,710 inmates in Germany. England and Wales had a higher-than-average prison population rate, according to the study, with nearly 150 inmates per 100,000 residents. Between 2005 and 2014, the rate rose by 4.9% in England and Wales, by 30.7% in Northern Ireland and 10.7% in Scotland. The rates in France and Germany were 118 per 100,000 and 81 per 100,000 respectively. Lead researcher Professor Marcelo Aebi said of the prison population in the UK: "It is high and it is not improving. "It could be reduced. Look at the length of sentences." The UK had some of the highest proportions of inmates serving life, researchers found, with lifers accounting for 10% of inmates in England and Wales in 2014, compared with an average of 3%. The Council of Europe's annual report on penal statistics said the total spending on prisons in England and Wales was 3.3 billion euro in 2013 - 2.6 billion at today's exchange rates. Only Russia had higher costs at 4.9 billion (6.4 billion euro). Researchers also compiled figures for the average amount spent per inmate per day in 2013. In England and Wales this was 85 at current exchange rates (110 euro). This compared to an average across all nations of 77 per day (99 euro), and was also higher than in France, which spent 78 (100 euro), but lower than Germany (87/112 euro) and Italy (100/130 euro). Costs ranged from 2.68 euros per day in Ukraine to more than 200 euro per day in countries including the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Shadow prisons minister Jo Stevens said: "These shocking figures reflect what we have repeatedly said to the Government; our prisons are overcrowded, understaffed and at breaking point. "The social and economic cost of our prison crisis will continue to increase if we do not tackle head on the underlying failures presided over by this Government. " Additional reporting PA R epublican frontrunner Donald Trump swept to victory in three more states last night as his White House bid gathered further momentum. The real estate mogul, campaigning to be the partys presidential candidate, secured convincing victories at primaries in Mississippi and Michigan alongside caucuses in Hawaii. Rival Senator Ted Cruz added a win in Idaho but Marco Rubio now faces a crucial contest in Florida next week after suffering a drubbing, failing to pick up any delegates in Michigan and Mississippi. Trump, who has been the subject of a series of attacks from other campaigns in recent days, told supporters afterwards: Every single person who has attacked me has gone down. Meanwhile, Democrat Bernie Sanders breathed new life into his bid with a crucial win in Michigan's primary, chipping away at rival Hillary Clinton's dominance. But Clinton breezed to an easy victory in Mississippi and she now has more than half the delegates needed to clinch the Democratic nomination at the party's national convention in July. Speaking last night, she said: We are better than what we are being offered by the Republicans. Loading.... After yesterday's results, Clinton has accumulated 1,214 delegates and Sanders 566, including superdelegates - members of Congress, governors and party officials who can support the candidate of their choice at the convention. Democrats need 2,383 delegates to win the nomination. Loading.... With Tuesday's wins, Trump leads the Republican field with 446 delegates, followed by Cruz with 347 and Rubio with 151. Winning the Republican nomination requires 1,237 delegates. S lovenia tightened its borders today as the EU sought to shut down the route used by hundreds of thousands of migrants to reach western Europe. As Hungary has already put up razor-wire fences on its borders, Slovenias move will force migrants to travel hundreds of miles further north to reach Germany, Sweden or other countries. Slovenia said only migrants seeking asylum there or with clear humanitarian needs would be allowed in. Prime Minister Miro Cerar declared the Balkan route used by refugees from Syria and other war zones, as well as by economic migrants, was now effectively shutting down. He said the EU was stopping the flow of irregular migrants into Europe, which has seen hundreds drown in the Aegean Sea this year and thousands perish in the Mediterranean in 2015. Serbia announced it would shut its borders with Macedonia and Bulgaria to those without valid documents. European leaders are seeking a deal with Turkey to take back thousands of migrants crossing into Greece to gain a foothold in the EU. But Ankara wants 4.6 billion in financial support and is demanding the EU accept a genuine refugee for every person returned to Turkey, the speeding-up of accession talks to join the union and the easing of visa restrictions on its citizens. EU leaders failed to reach an agreement with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at a Brussels summit on Monday. But talks are going on with the aim of sealing an agreement at an EU summit next week. The UN and human rights groups have warned that the migrant return policy may be illegal. Four British ships are being deployed as part of a Nato mission to boost intelligence-gathering about human trafficking gangs taking migrants from Turkey to Greece. The migrant crisis has split the EU and even cast into doubt the future of its passport-free Schengen zone. Eight countries have tightened border controls, leaving thousands of migrants stranded in Greece. David Cameron has refused to offer a safe haven to any of the migrants who have already arrived in the EU. Britain will instead accept at least 20,000 over five years from refugee camps in the Syria region. N orth Koreas dictator Kim Jong-un has claimed his scientists have developed miniature nuclear warheads small enough to fit on ballistic missiles. State media published images showing the supreme leader visiting a nuclear facility and standing next to what the regime claims is a weapon. The claim cannot be verified from images alone but experts have long cast doubt on such assertions. It was made as Iran today reportedly test-fired two ballistic missiles marked with the phrase Israel must be wiped out as the US Vice-President Joe Biden visited Israel. Such phrases have been emblazoned on missiles fired before by Iran but the latest test came after the country recently signed a nuclear deal with world powers, including America. Since the deal, hard-liners in Irans military have fired rockets and missiles, amid US objections, and shown underground missile bases on state TV. Irans launch of two new ballistic missiles, reported by state media, continues a military exercise that has drawn the threat of a US diplomatic response. The Revolutionary Guards fired the missiles from the north against targets in the south-east, it was claimed. Iran has also said it launched several ballistic missiles on Tuesday. In January, the US imposed sanctions targeting Irans missile programme in response to tests that violated a UN resolution. A search has been launched after claims that Madeleine McCann was spotted in Paraguay, according to reports. Local police and officers from Interpol are investigating the alleged sighting, local news outlets said. The hunt was triggered after a man named Miraz Ullah Ali, who was described as a researcher, claimed Madeleine had arrived in the city of Aregua in the past two months and was living there in the care of a woman. Scotland Yard said it was aware of the claims and will make enquiries. Kate and Gerry McCann have also been told of the claimed sighting of their missing daughter, who would now be 12. A spokesman for the family told the Sun: "Kate and Gerry have been made aware of this sighting. "They would encourage anyone who has any information about Madeleine to get in contact with officers from Operation Grange." Local police have reportedly been scouring neighbourhoods with high populations of immigrants. The paper also quoted Sebastian Jara, from Interpol in Paraguay, as saying: "We do not have anything I can add, except that we have begun to move with all our might, but for now we have nothing. "Aregua is a very large and very populated city and this research caught us by surprise." Madeleine disappeared from a flat in the Algarve, Portugal, in 2007 when she was three. There have since been numerous reported sightings in countries across the globe. TORRINGTON, Wyoming The Goshen County Economic Development Corporation has awarded Town of Yoder $20,000 in matching funds from their Infrastructure Investment Fund. The Town of Yoder will utilize this money with County Consensus Block Grant matching funds to upgrade the towns water tower and complete the necessary maintenance to bring it into compliance. This will include sandblasting and re-coating the interior with epoxy, adding an overflow pipe to the tower, and completing required safety changes. This older water tower holds 50,000 gallons and works in tandem with the towns newest water tower that holds 70,000 gallons. This is the only way we can complete projects like this to provide basic infrastructure needs, said Rod Weyrich, the towns maintenance supervisor. We are thankful to have these economic development funds available. There is no way we would be able to raise enough of the money to do it otherwise. Founded in 1987, GCEDCs mission is to facilitate business development, and to position communities for economic growth. GCEDC started the Infrastructure Investment Fund in 2010 as a way to utilize economic development sales tax funds to benefit local communities and existing businesses. The goals of the program are to provide funding for publicly owned infrastructure that serves the needs of businesses and the community. For more information about this program, contact Community Development Director Richard Reyes at richard@goshenwyo.com or 307-532-5162. 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To help you find what you are looking for: Enter Search Term(s): Still cant find what youre looking for? Send us a message using our contact us form. To report a broken link or other problems with the website, please include the URL. Thank you for visiting state.gov. Anthony Tobias Fagiano, 35, was charged with deliberate homicide hours after he turned himself in, telling officers he broke into Darcy Buhmann's house and shot her, police in Bozeman said. Buhmann's ex-husband, Christopher Wood, called 911 to report he received a text from Fagiano that said he had shot Buhmann. The text added: "It's best for you, she'll never be faithful." Police found Buhmann's body in her bedroom closet. She was shot in the head and stomach. Public defender Mary Kramer did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Fagiano told investigators that he took Buhmann's car after the shooting and went to the woods, where he sent texts to several family members about the shooting. A relative urged him to report what he had done to law enforcement, so he drove to the court and police facility in Bozeman, charging documents said. When an officer asked if his girlfriend needed medical attention, he replied, "No man, she's dead. I popped her in the head," court records said. Fagiano told officers he had been in a relationship with Buhmann for about a year and had been thinking about killing her for several months. He said he recently stole a rifle, intending to use it to kill her. He told officers the gun was in a vehicle in the parking lot. Fagiano appeared in court via video, and his bail was set at $1 million. He did not enter a plea. In the given year, the companys capacity utilization of the tube mill division was 52 percent, decreasing from 68 percent in 2014. The tube mill division produced 162,872 mt of pipe , down 20.5 percent year on year, mainly due to the drop in demand in the domestic market as well as in the US market. In the companys merchant bar mill products division, its rebar output increased by two percent year on year to 122,511 mt. Al Jazeera expects to operate on 24 hours basis in its merchant bar mill products division once the various certifications from different agencies are ready and therefore it expects to produce and sell additional 5,000-7,000 mt of rebar products on a monthly basis. This excess production will lead to 60 percent capacity utilization from the present level of 40 percent. Tuesday, 08 March 2016 23:19:19 (GMT+3) | San Diego According to Statistics Canada , municipalities issued building permits worth $6.4 billion in January, a decline of 9.8 percent from the previous month. This decline followed a 7.7 percent increase in December. The value of residential building permits fell 12.5 percent to $4.0 billion in January, following an 11.5 percent increase the previous month. Municipalities issued $2.4 billion worth of non-residential building permits in January, down 4.8 percent from a month earlier. The value of permits for multi-family dwellings fell 21.0 percent to $1.8 billion in January, following a 27.7 percent gain in December. Construction intentions for single-family dwellings were down 4.1 percent to $2.2 billion in January. The value was fairly stable at around $2.3 billion for the last four months. Municipalities approved the construction of 15,704 new dwellings in January, down 13.2 percent from the previous month. The decline mainly resulted from multi-family dwellings, which fell 18.4 percent to 10,194 new units. Single-family dwellings were down 1.8 percent to 5,510 new units. Institutional construction intentions were down 20.2 percent to $573 million in January, the third consecutive monthly decline. Lower construction intentions for educational institutions, nursing homes and other government buildings accounted for the majority of the decline. The value of commercial permits fell 7.1 percent to $1.3 billion in January, following a 12.5 percent increase in December. Lower construction intentions for retail complexes and storage buildings accounted for the majority of the decline. Mackinac Island The weather has been up and down this past week. We had some very nice days, and other were cold,... Outdoors This Week in the Eastern U.P. I know its fall, but, for some reason, the white stuff has started falling already and frost is covering my... West Mackinac Thats all folks, the fall fashion show is over and Mother Natures winter wardrobe is waiting in the wings. In... Absent an angels arrival ASAP, the abandoned and deteriorated St. Marys Infirmary complex on the southern edge of downtown St. Louis will be flattened. Mayor Francis Slays office said the citys building commissioner issued an emergency demolition order Wednesday. The building will be razed to protect public safety unless a buyer comes forward with the ability to stabilize and redevelop the structure, the mayors office said. About a month will be needed to select a demolition contractor. If during that time a suitable buyer emerges, demolition plans can be delayed. If a developer is out there, now is the time to come forward, Slay said in a statement. The City will work through any and all proposals that may come forward until the demolition date has arrived to restore public safety to the immediate area. City engineers believe St. Marys, at 1526-48 Papin Street, cannot withstand more wind, another rainy season or another round of freezing and thawing, Slays office said. In addition to calls for nuisance issues and crimes in and near the complex, fires gutted parts of the infirmary in 2012 and 2015. In a statement, city Building Commissioner Frank Oswald said: We cant wait any longer. We had hoped someone with redevelopment interest could save these old brick buildings, but without a substantial immediate investment, they are too large and too unstable to remain as is. City records show that St. Marys is owned by St. Marys Development LLC. Efforts to reach a company official were unsuccessful. Slays office said the city had worked with the owner for years to find a buyer to fortify what remains of St. Marys and redevelop the site. St. Marys consists of five brick hospital buildings built between 1887 and 1946. In 1933, it became the citys second hospital serving blacks with the citys first racially integrated medical staff, Slays office said. Later that year, Sisters of St. Mary also opened a nursing school for blacks at the hospital. The five-story main building closed in 1979. Part of the complex remained open until 1994 but later suffered vandalism and decay. St. Marys went on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. Andrew Weil, executive director of the Landmarks Association of St. Louis, said he agreed that St. Marys had become a public safety hazard. The real story to my way of thinking is not that this building is being demolished, he said. The real question is how can we prevent important buildings, especially important buildings that really do have a legitimate chance at being redeveloped like St. Marys once did, from deteriorating to the point where they have to be demolished? St. Marys faces demolition despite its suitability for conversion to residences, a location with a wide view of downtown, convenience to highways and transit and availability of historic preservation tax credits to help finance redevelopment, Weil said. Instead of becoming economic assets, St. Marys and other dilapidated buildings get taken down by the city for public safety reasons and another potential piece of our municipal tax base gets turned into a litter-strewn vacant lot, he added. Updated at 12:37 p.m. Wednesday NEW DELHI The Bangladesh central bank says it is working to recover some $100 million allegedly stolen by Chinese hackers from an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Authorities have given few details about how the money disappeared. But Finance Minister A.M.A. Muhith says authorities are considering suing the U.S. bank over the money's apparent transfer to accounts in the Philippines. Muhith said the U.S. bank has "no way to avoid their responsibility." In a statement Wednesday, the New York Fed said it had not detected any hacking attempts, and there is "no evidence that any Fed systems were compromised." "The payment instructions in question were fully authenticated ... in accordance with standard authentication protocols," the statement said. The New York Fed said it has been working with the central bank of Bangladesh since the incident occurred "and will continue to provide assistance as appropriate." The Bangladesh Bank said it managed to recover some of the funds, but gave no details. It has also tracked down those still missing and is working with the anti-money laundering agency in the Philippines, which has been ordered by a court in the country to freeze the accounts while the issue is being investigated. Bangladesh also is working with World Bank cyber and forensic experts, the bank said in a statement. The country's leading Bengali-language Prothom Alo newspaper reported Wednesday that at least 30 transfer requests were made Feb. 5 using the Bangladesh Bank's SWIFT code, out of which five succeeded in effecting transfers. Economist Mamun Rashid, who previously headed Citibank NA in Bangladesh, said he was sure the country would be able to recover the full amount. "Bangladesh is a client of the Federal Reserve Bank. They must take the responsibility for this incident," he said. "But we have to see whether we have lodged our complaint properly." Since hacking has been a threat for years, he said clients should not suffer if depositing with large banks. "A client's right must be protected." __________ Our earlier story, from Bloomberg, posted at 2:32 p.m. Tuesday The Federal Reserve is responsible for at least $100 million stolen from Bangladesh's account, according to Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith. Bangladesh plans a legal fight to retrieve the missing funds, Muhith told reporters in the capital Dhaka on Tuesday. Bangladesh's central bank said Monday that funds had been stolen from an account by hackers, and that it had traced some of the missing money to the Philippines, where it was working with local authorities. "We kept money with the Federal Reserve Bank and irregularities must be with the people who handle the funds there," Muhith said. "It can't be that they don't have any responsibility." A clear picture of the alleged misappropriation of funds has yet to emerge, in a case that appears to span the globe from Bangladesh to the United States to the Philippines, an East Asian country with few economic ties to the South Asian nation. A Federal Reserve Bank of New York spokeswoman said on Monday there was no sign its systems had been hacked after Bangladesh Bank reported the missing funds. There is no evidence of any attempt to penetrate Federal Reserve systems in connection with the payments in question, and no evidence that any Fed systems were compromised, the spokeswoman said. The instructions to make the payments from the account of Bangladesh's central bank followed standard protocols and were authenticated by the SWIFT message system used by financial institutions, the Fed spokeswoman said Tuesday. The Fed has been working with and assisting Bangladesh since the incident, she said. __________ Our earlier report, from Reuters, posted at 1:43 p.m. Monday DHAKA Bangladesh's central bank said on Monday its U.S. account had been hacked and that money had been stolen from it, a claim that its U.S. counterpart, the Federal Reserve, denied. Bangladesh Bank said it had traced some of the money to the Philippines and that it was working with anti-money laundering authorities there. Some of the funds were recovered, it said. The central bank did not say how much money had been stolen and a spokesman declined to comment. The New York Federal Reserve, where Bangladesh has an account along with other foreign central banks, later on Monday denied that its systems were breached. "To date, there is no evidence of any attempt to penetrate Federal Reserve systems in connection with the payments in question, and there is no evidence that any Fed systems were compromised," a New York Fed spokeswoman said in response to queries about the Bangladesh claim. The U.S. central bank's New York branch did not say whether funds had been drained from the account, or whether it was investigating the claim by its overseas counterpart. Bangladesh's central bank has around $28 billion in foreign currency reserves. Some 250 central banks, governments, and other institutions have foreign accounts at the New York Fed, which is near the center of the global financial system. The accounts hold mostly U.S. Treasuries and agency debt. Fed computers have been hacked in the past. There were legal charges in 2014 against a British citizen for breaching its servers and publicly posting information from internal network users. In a broader breach of the U.S. government, details came to light last year about a massive computer hack that put the personal data of some 22 million Americans at risk. Additional reporting by Jonathan Spicer in New York. FORT WORTH, Texas Lockheed Martin is looking to trim about 1,000 white-collar positions from its Fort Worth-based aeronautics division through voluntary layoffs, the company said Tuesday. Buyout offers are being made to mid-level salaried employees throughout the division which includes operations in Fort Worth; Marietta, Ga.; Palmdale, Calif.; Meridian, Miss.; Clarksburg, W.Va.; Patuxent River, Md.; and Edwards Air Force Base in California. About 9,000 employees are eligible for the voluntary layoff from areas including engineering, communications, human resources, finance and supply chain. About two-thirds of those workers are in Fort Worth, said Lockheed spokesman Ken Ross. Lockheed Martin employs about 14,200 in west Fort Worth. Ross said the job cuts will not affect plans to ramp-up production of the F-35 fighter jet, which is expected to require as many as 1,000 additional assembly line workers. Hiring for those positions has not yet begun, he said, but there is no hiring freeze associated with the job reduction program. In a statement, Lockheed said job reductions are necessary to position Lockheed Martin Aeronautics to be competitive in the future marketplace, secure future business opportunities, and keep an infrastructure appropriately aligned with customer demands. The separation offer includes two weeks of pay, plus one week for every year of service at Lockheed, Ross said. Eligibility is based on salary level, not seniority. Interested workers are being asked to apply by the end of the month, and departing employees will be scheduled to leave the company in either May, August or November. The voluntary reductions come as Lockheed Martin is in the midst of a $1.2 billion reworking and expansion of its mile-long assembly plant in west Fort Worth to handle increased production of the F-35. After years of lower-rate production as the company worked through technical problems, Lockheed expects to produce 53 F-35s this year, up from 45 last year, then about 60 in 2017 and as many as 100 in 2018. Lockheed is building the F-35 in partnership with eight other countries Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Turkey. Increased production is expected to reduce the cost per plane. Aeronautics is the largest division within Maryland-based Lockheed Martin, and the F-35 is critical to its future. In 2015, the aeronautics division generated $15.57 billion in sales, or about a third of the corporations revenue, and had operating profit of $1.68 billion. COMMENTARY The 2016 U.S. presidential election is a circus which will produce an outcome and policies that will tend to fatten labor's share of the economy while reducing that of capital. And yes, that means there may be more emphasis not on growing the pie but on how it is divvied up, a factor which might possibly depress longer-term growth and would definitely tend to drive profit margins lower. Super Tuesday is past and now Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump look to be on rails to their parties' nominations. I am assuming Trump loses in a general election, as betting and polling now indicates. If he wins, I wish you the best of luck with your investments. You will need it. I won't spend too much time working through what would happen if his policies, as now laid out, are put in place, because I don't think it is at all likely they ever will be or even that they answer to the term 'policies'. Suffice to say that we will have volatility during the election season, with risk premia rising to take the Trump factor into account. Yet Trump's rise is significant in a way that goes beyond "where have we gone wrong?" soul searching. Investors shouldn't so much worry about what President Trump would do, as he likely won't get a chance, but rather take a hard look at the broader underlying forces which might continue to make themselves felt after his candidacy. And no, I'm not talking about stupidity and folly, though they too won't fly back to New York with him in Trump Force One when this is all over. Hillary Clinton is being forced left of her natural position by both her primary opponent, Bernie Sanders, and by Trump in a general election. While of course she will run against Trump's more outrageous positions on, well, everything, she is smart enough and well advised enough that she will grasp that to win she must appeal to the voters whose economic vulnerability Trump exploits. Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren, have been successful in pushing Clinton to the left in financial services regulation, and given that this too is undergirt by Main Street's sense of being cheated by forces beyond its control, it is likely she'll keep going in this direction as she squares off against Trump. Stronger financial regulation probably means slightly lower growth in the near term, but with the hope that we face fewer destabilizing booms and busts. Longer term that could actually be good for asset prices, but in the near term it means less leverage and is probably a negative for returns. LABOR SHARE Trump's positions on immigration and trade, though ranging from wrong-headed to outrageous, are popular, at least in part, because voters in middle- and lower-income groups have seen their share of the pie decline, not for years, but for decades. Wages and salaries are now 43.8 percent of GDP, up very slightly from all-time lows in 2010 but still in a long-term downtrend which started above 50 percent in 1969. Corporate profit margins have moved in roughly the opposite direction, upward, for roughly the same amount of time and are now not far off of all-time highs. Globalization has been great for capital and for people at the very top in the U.S. with the skills to surf its wave. That it has also been good for many in India, Mexico and China who have been lifted out of poverty is not a point which will get much airing between now and November. What may well get more attention are policies which might protect U.S. jobs, or which might raise U.S. wages, especially in the bottom 80 percent which globalization has hurt. Within this context, it may not be a surprise that the U.S. just imposed a 266 percent tariff on imports of some steel from China and a lesser range of tariffs on six other countries. Though I wouldn't expect a trade war from a Clinton administration, it will be keen to be seen to be willing to fight the corner of U.S. wage earners, and perhaps less sensitive to the competing demands of multinational corporations. I cannot imagine a Clinton administration approaching a trade deal in the same corporate-friendly spirit as the Obama White House took to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Taxation too will probably be more redistributive than in a world where Trump elected to stay home. Trump's longest-lasting legacy might be that he leaves Republican economic orthodoxy of low taxes and hope for growth fatally wounded. These outcomes may be for good or ill, but what they will be is bad for corporate profit margins in aggregate. After almost 40 hours, a heroic filibuster led by Missouri Senate Democrats came to an end Wednesday. The Democrats wanted to block passage of Senate Joint Resolution 39, a bill which purportedly seeks to protect religious liberty, but in fact would enshrine a legal right to discriminate in the Constitution of Missouri. The first half of half of SJR 39 is designed to solve a problem which does not exist. It would prevent penalties being imposed on a religious organization on the basis that the organization believes or acts in accordance with a sincere religious belief concerning marriage between two persons of the same sex, and prevent clergy from being penalized on the basis that such cleric or leader declines to perform, solemnize, or facilitate a marriage or ceremony because of a sincere religious belief concerning marriage between two persons of the same sex. Religious organizations, and clergy like myself, do not need these protections: our religious freedom in these matters is guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. I can already choose to marry whomever I wish, and I cannot be penalized for my choices. If I chose not to marry a couple because they are gay (something I would never do), I would be within my rights as clergy, and the couple would have no legal recourse. This is why clergy can and sometimes do refuse to marry people for a host of reasons: because they were married before (as Catholic Priests sometimes do), because they are marrying outside the faith (as Rabbis might), or because a member of the clergy thinks the couple insufficiently prepared for marriage. It is even legal, though despicable, for clergy to refuse to perform interracial marriages, as did the Rev. Donny Reagan of Happy Valley Church in Tennessee in 2013. Even though race is a protected class under federal law a status LGBTQ people do not enjoy clergy can legally discriminate on the basis of race and refuse to marry an interracial couple if they believe that is required by their religious views. Clergy are in no danger, therefore, of being forced to perform same sex marriages or of being penalized for choosing not to perform them, and nowhere in America has a clergy acting in a religious capacity been successfully sued or penalized for following their faith in this area. The first half of SJR 39, then, is unnecessary and irrelevant, a waste of our lawmakers precious time and of our precious money. The sting, however, is in SJR 39s tail: the second half creates new problems of its own, and is far more dangerous. It declares: the state shall not impose a penalty on an individual who declines either to be a participant in a marriage or wedding ceremony or to provide goods or services of expressional or artistic creation for such a marriage or ceremony or an ensuing celebration thereof, because of a sincere religious belief concerning marriage between two persons of the same sex. This is nothing less than a legal right for businesses and other services to discriminate against LGBTQ people, if those people happen to be planning a wedding. SJR 39 would give a license to discriminate to far more people than the now-proverbial wedding cake baker or florist: goods or services of expressional or artistic creation is an extremely vague phrase, which could encompass wedding dress makers, stationary providers, website designers, caterers, musicians, and even those non-clergy people tasked with performing civil marriage ceremonies (arent their florid words at a ceremony expressional?). While such people could not legally refuse to serve an interracial wedding or a Christian wedding since both race and religion are protected classes under federal law they would, if SJR 39 passes, be allowed to discriminate against a same sex couple wishing to get married. The Missouri Constitution would grant them a specific right to discriminate against a particular minority group: special rights for bigots. It gets worse. The bills definition of religious organization is cavernously wide it is any organization which holds itself out to the public in whole or in part as religious and its purposes and activities are in whole or in part religious. That could be anything. It could be a car dealership which has a mention of the founders religious faith on their website; an adoption agency with a Christian foundation which operates as a nonnprofit; or perhaps a lawyer who promotes their membership of Christian legal associations. All these businesses, under the strict terms of SJR 39, would be exempt from any penalty whatsoever if they acted in accordance with a sincere religious belief concerning marriage between two persons of the same sex. If a gay couple is refused their right to buy a car, their right to adopt a child, their right to get legal representation specifically because they are a married gay couple SJR 39 protects not the couple, but the discriminating business. SJR 39 would enshrine in the Missouri Constitution a special right to discriminate against married same sex couples. This is morally wrong. If SJR 39 comes to a public vote, as now seems likely, I call on clergy in the state to mobilize their congregations against its passing. Our religious freedom is not under threat, and Missouri cannot afford to become the next Indiana, which lost tens of millions of dollars in convention and tourism revenue after passing a similar bill in 2015. The heroic filibuster attempt by Democratic Senators gained positive national news coverage because most people in America as well, I believe, as most people in Missouri understand that discrimination against gay, lesbian, and transgender people is wrong. We should not demean our States constitution by scrawling a right to discriminate into it. James Croft is the outreach director of the Ethical Society of St. Louis, a Humanist community dedicated to inspiring ethical living. A recent story in Bon Appetit has Midwest chefs hot under the collar. Oh, sorry. Hot under the collar is a Midwestern sort of phrase, the kind of thing we rubes out here in corn country might say. I should rather use a hipster term and say it has the chefs raging. The magazine sent Oakland writer John Birdsall to Indianapolis to explore its burgeoning food scene and to determine why it and every other American city that is not located on a coast wants to be just like Brooklyn. It is the most dismissive, elitist, smug and self-satisfied thing I have read in a long time. And I am not alone. A story in Chicago Eater (Chefs in Chicago Dont Need Your Brooklyn Comparisons, Thanks) gleefully invited chefs in that city along with St. Louis own Mike Randolph to thrash the story. In his defense, the writer, Birdsall, later tweeted that he was only tweaking my own coastal snobbery. But he wasnt really tweaking it, he was celebrating it, and in an awfully snobbish way. Im in Indianapolis to find Brooklyn and to see how Americas dominant food trends play out in a place with an emerging restaurant scene, he writes in the story. You could see how that might be offensive. Especially when he airs out all of his condescensions to a 31-year-old chef who had just presented him with a biscuit made from wild rice flour and topped with persimmon butter. I begin to ask him how a kid in Indianapolis has the life experience to produce food at this level, then wonder to myself whether Id be asking the same of a 31-year-old chef in LA or Chicago, he writes. I think we know the answer to that. Throughout the piece, he drops tantalizing hints of what it is that makes the Brooklyn restaurant scene so fabulous that every other city on Earth wants to emulate it. They serve local craft beer. The hipster patrons wear snowflake sweaters from Woolrich, and everybody literally everybody is flaunting freestyle forearm ink. The people there raise their own chickens, wear overalls to take butchery classes and make their own pickles. In the self-absorbed world of Bon Appetit Birdsall makes clear that his story was an assignment these things could only begin in Brooklyn and then spread across the country through some sort of all-consuming envy. Ahem. Beer is certainly as popular in the Midwest as it is in Brooklyn, and we are known to have a brewery or two scattered among us. Here we wear sweaters yes, even sweaters from Woolrich not out of a sense of irony but because we are cold. People even have tattoos here, though the idea of choosing a restaurant because the staff and patrons all sport them seems to me beside the point. Butchering? Overalls? Pickles? Does Birdsall really believe that these things were created in Brooklyn? Does he not know that there are large portions of the United States (they are the parts he looks down upon, literally and figuratively, from his airplane window) where people have been doing, wearing and making them for centuries? Out here, we dont make pickles because trendsetters decided they are cool, we make them because it is a good way to preserve produce and they taste good. We dont see butchery as a brand-new exotic art, we look at it as the time-honored way to turn a large animal into smaller cuts of meat. The farm-to-table movement, which the article does not specifically mention, isnt some wondrous new discovery. It is what farmers have been doing since recorded time. And artisanal bread, also not specified in the article, isnt an amazing Brooklyn hipster invention, its what my grandmother made every day of her life. Birdsall almost gets it toward the end of his story, when he asks what if it isnt so much Indianapolis trying to be Brooklyn, as Brooklyn wanting to capture something of Indianapolis? But its almost a throwaway line, and he does not bother to explore it further. NEW FLORENCE, MO. Police searching for a man charged in a quadruple murder Monday night in Kansas say he may have killed a fifth man, this one in the New Florence area, about 20 miles west of Warrenton. The search for the suspect continued overnight Tuesday, including a swarm of officers at the Days Inn in New Florence about midnight. Police say the suspect Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino was last seen Tuesday morning near New Florence, at the 175-mile marker of Interstate 70 in Montgomery County. Thats west of Warren County and about 75 miles from downtown St. Louis. On Tuesday afternoon, Serrano-Vitorino was charged with four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of four men in Kansas City, Kan., Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome A. Gorman announced. Serrano-Vitorino is a Mexican national who had been deported from the United States, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday night. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) previously deported Pablo Serrano-Vitorino, an illegal alien from Mexico, in April 2004, based on final orders of removal from a federal immigration judge, said the spokeswoman, Gail Montenegro. Mr. Serrano-Vitorino illegally re-entered the United States on an unknown date. Police said Serrano-Vitorinos red 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup was found abandoned Tuesday on the shoulder of eastbound I-70 after an off-duty Jackson County officer spotted it. Highway Patrol Lt. Paul Reinsch said the vehicle was found about 7 a.m. Shortly after that, a 911 caller reported a homicide at a home in the New Florence area. The victim, Randy J. Nordman, 49, was found at his home in the 400 block of Tree Farm Road, which is west of Highway 19 on the south outer road of I-70. His car was not stolen from the home, and there were no other reports of stolen vehicles in the area. Reinsch said a witness who called 911 reported seeing a man running from Nordmans property, launching a manhunt of that area. Authorities said they do not have any indication that the suspect and Nordman knew each other. Nordmans home is near his familys campground and a racetrack for remote-controlled cars. At least 75 troopers were searching for Serrano-Vitorino, along with a SWAT team, police dogs and two helicopters, to determine if he might still be in the area. Similar manhunt in 1986 ends with suspect's suicide Man killed two in Indianapolis before heading west, hiding out in Wright City area. Serrano-Vitorino, 40, is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall and 175 pounds. The patrol says Serrano-Vitorino is armed and dangerous and may have an AK-47. He was last seen wearing a red-and-black flannel jacket, a blue hooded sweatshirt and possibly blue jeans, police say. The Montgomery County School District was put on lockdown about 8 a.m. Tuesday as police searched for Serrano-Vitorino. A woman in the superintendents office said the lockdown affected four buildings in the district and about 1,200 students. Students were dismissed at the usual time, but only to parents and guardians, authorities said. There were reports of long lines of cars as parents picked up their children. It was unclear if Serrano-Vitorino was on foot or in a vehicle. Lock your doors, Sgt. Scott White of the Missouri Highway Patrol advised residents. Make sure you dont answer for anyone you dont recognize. Police said anyone who spots Serrano-Vitorino should call 911 immediately and not approach him. Authorities positioned cars along the outer road for several miles west of New Florence on Tuesday. Kansas slayings Police in Kansas City, Kan., were seeking Serrano-Vitorino after the shooting deaths of four men late Monday. The four men were in their 30s. One of the men managed to call police before he died, but its unclear how the men knew each other or what may have prompted the shooting, Kansas City police Officer Thomas Tomasic told The Associated Press. The owner of the Kansas City home where the four men were shot said he received a call from a tenant at a neighboring house Monday night about a person lying on the porch as if he were dead. Steve Manthe said that when he was allowed into the rental home after 6 a.m. Tuesday, he saw blood on the living room couch and throughout that room, and the television still on. It looked like he just stepped in the door and blew them away, said Manthe, 61, who is retired from the Army. Police in Kansas had released information saying Serrano-Vitorino may have been driving the red Dodge Ram, the vehicle that was later found on I-70 in Montgomery County. They did not release the names of the victims, but the Kansas City Star reported that friends and neighbors identified three as Mike Capps and brothers Clint and Austin Harter. Serrano-Vitorino lived next to the home where the four men were killed, police say. Capps lived at the house where the shootings happened, and the three other victims were friends of his, the Star reported. Friends and neighbors told the paper they knew of no reasons why someone would kill them. Capps was the father of two young sons, the Star reported. Clint Harter had a young child and another on the way. Neighbors told the paper Serrano-Vitorino has a son who is about 8 years old and a daughter. The Associated Press and Kristen Taketa and Jessica Bock of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. NEW FLORENCE, Mo. Randy J. Nordman, the fifth man to die in a bistate killing spree, was a machinist who was transforming his Montgomery County property into a track for radio-controlled race car enthusiasts. Police have found no indications that Nordman knew his killer. They say Nordman was an innocent victim, gunned down Tuesday morning by Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino. Serrano-Vitorino was fleeing a murder scene in Kansas City, Kan., and showed up on Nordmans 32-acre property after abandoning his truck a few miles away along Interstate 70, police say. On Wednesday afternoon, Serrano-Vitorino was charged in Montgomery County with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and burglary in the death of Nordman. He was held without bail in the county jail in Montgomery City. Associate Judge Linda Hamlett set a preliminary hearing for April 28. Its not clear how Serrano-Vitorino encountered Nordman, leaving friends such as Jason Kleweno to speculate. Randy was so inviting, so nice, hed help you out, said Kleweno, of Columbia, Mo. The guy probably knocked on the door and Randy thought he needed help or had broken down. He was probably going to help the guy. Murder suspect charged in Missouri after bi-state slayings Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino surrendered when officers found him lying in a muddy spot near I-70. Serrano-Vitorino had been living in Kansas City, Kan., and was on the lam, police said, after killing four men at a neighbors home the night before. The motive for that quadruple murder remains unclear. Nordman, 49, was slain about 7:20 a.m. Tuesday on his property on Tree Farm Road. The manhunt for Serrano-Vitorino went on for 17 hours more before he surrendered. Two troopers with the Missouri Highway Patrol found him lying face down in a muddy ditch just north of I-70 near Route 19. He was armed, but no one was hurt during the arrest. Nordman lived outside the city limits of New Florence with his wife, Julie. She was unharmed. The area in Montgomery County is about 20 miles west of Warrenton and about 75 miles west of downtown St. Louis. The Nordmans home can be seen from the interstate. Police havent said why Serrano-Vitorino left his truck on the shoulder. Patrol Capt. John Hotz said he didnt know if the truck was abandoned because it ran out of gas or broke down, or for some other reason. Investigators are still trying to answer those questions. Charlie Leon, another friend of the Nordmans, said he figures Serrano-Vitorino saw the home and vehicles parked on the property. Bet hes either looking for a hideout or another car, Leon said. WEEKEND PASSION Kleweno and Leon first met Nordman and his wife about a year ago when they went to the couples property to race radio-controlled cars and trucks. The gas-fueled vehicles they race are about two feet long, weigh 45 pounds and can move at 40 mph. He loved the sound of the two-stroke engine, Leon said. Nordman had installed a track next to his home, and a dirt mound where operators could stand to look down on the action and control it. He worked full time as a machinist for an aerospace manufacturer, then worked long nights at home, six days a week, building the track. Hed have spotlights shining on his property at night so he could keep working, Leon said. Nordman also built a concession stand and made room for a camping area. He called it Empire of Dirt RC Park & Campground. It was half-finished, Kleweno said. Randy put all of his money into that RC park with the intention it was going to take off, Kleweno said. Id go there weekend after weekend to spend time with them. Kleweno said that when a friends radio-controlled car crashed and broke into pieces, Nordman took parts from one of his own cars to share. He said, Here you go buddy, well get you running again, Kleweno said. Randy got a kick out of it. He got a lot of joy out of watching the cars going around the track. This was his weekend passion. The manhunt began in New Florence, Mo., after a woman called 911 to report a confrontation between her husband and an armed stranger. It ended 17 hours later in an Interstate 70 ditch only 800 feet away, after a passer-by was threatened with a gun. Officers arrested Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino, 40, at 12:18 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of I-70 and Missouri Highway 19. He faces five murder charges four for allegedly killing four men near his home in Kansas City, Kan., Monday night, and one in the murder of Randy J. Nordman, 49 the man whose wife had made the frantic 911 call shortly after 7 a.m. Tuesday. Serrano-Vitorino had an assault rifle of the sort used in all five killings when he was arrested, authorities said. He was being held Wednesday night in the Montgomery County Jail, four miles north of New Florence, on the five murder counts while prosecutors in Kansas and Missouri began discussing who would try him first. Serrano-Vitorino is a Mexican citizen who was deported from California in 2004 and re-entered the United States illegally some time later, according to federal immigration officials. A spokeswoman for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency confirmed that he had three encounters with law enforcement in Kansas and Kansas City, including a drunken-driving offense, in 2014 and 2015, but was released each time. Missouri victim in bi-state murders was machinist, RC car enthusiast Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino surrendered when officers found him lying in a muddy spot near I-70. He was armed, but no one was hurt during the arrest. The spokeswoman said the federal agency had issued a detainer on Serrano-Vitorino on Sept. 14, 2015, but he was at large until his arrest Wednesday. The complicated story is as follows, according to authorities and court documents: Four men were fatally shot Monday in a residence in the 3000 block of South 36th Street in Kansas City, Kan., a near suburb of Kansas City. Serrano-Vitorino, who lived on that same block, was listed as wanted, and police said he was driving a red 2002 Dodge pickup. About 7 a.m. Tuesday, an off-duty Jackson County, Mo., sheriffs deputy reported that he saw a red Dodge pickup parked on the shoulder of I-70 near New Florence, about 175 miles east of Kansas City and 70 miles west of St. Louis. A short time later, Nordmans wife made her 911 call. Officers arrived at the Nordman home and found him shot to death in the family garage. His wife said she saw her husband in a confrontation with an armed man and fled to the attic as she called police, then heard a single shot. She saw the assailant run away. Hiding in a ditch With the Missouri Highway Patrol in the lead, about 100 law officers established roadblocks in the New Florence area, where I-70 and Highway 19 intersect. The search continued into the night until a passer-by said a man with a gun had threatened him near the highway intersection. Officers quickly surrounded Serrano-Vitorino, who was hiding in a ditch downhill from the westbound ramp onto I-70 from Highway 19. His hiding spot was between the ramp and the north outer road, site of a service station and a McDonalds restaurant. The Highway Patrol said he did not resist. He looked exhausted, Sgt. James Hedrick said shortly after the arrest. The pickup was found about four miles west of the Nordman home, which is on the south side of I-70 just west of the Highway 19 interchange. The arrest scene is just across the interstate to the north. Officers said they suspected Serrano-Vitorino had used a creek culvert to get on the north side of the interstate. Officers took him to the Montgomery County Jail in nearby Montgomery City, where he was held in lieu of $2 million bail for the four murder charges in Kansas. He was charged Wednesday afternoon with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and burglary in the death of Nordman. A preliminary hearing was set on that charge for April 28. A spokesman for the Wyandotte County prosecutors office in Kansas City, Kan., said Wednesday that talks had just begun over which jurisdiction would try Serrano-Vitorino first. Unless he were to volunteer to be returned to Kansas, extradition would require action by the states governors. In a probable cause statement filed in Montgomery County to support the charges there, the Missouri Highway Patrol said officers found an ammunition magazine in Nordmans garage that would fit the AK-47 rifle seized from the suspect. They also said the gun fit the description of the weapon used in the murders in Kansas City, Kan. Police there had responded to a call for a shooting about 11 p.m. Monday. They identified the victims, all fatally shot, as Jeremy D. Waters, 36, of Miami County, Kan., and Michael L. Capps, 41, Clint E. Harter, 27, and Austin L. Harter, 29, all of Kansas City, Kan. One of them survived long enough to talk to police, who have not disclosed a motive for the quadruple shooting. deported, but returned Federal immigration officials confirmed Tuesday that Serrano-Vitorino was in the U.S. illegally, and provided more information on Wednesday. An official said he was convicted in March 2003 in Los Angeles of making a terrorist threat, sentenced to two years in prison and deported to Mexico on April 5, 2004. They dont know how or when Serrano-Vitorino returned to the U.S., but an official cited three occasions in which the suspect encountered local law officers: On Nov. 21, 2014, he was convicted of driving under the influence in Coffey County, Kan., about 60 miles southwest of Kansas City. An immigration official said agency records didnt indicate the agency was aware of the case. On June 15, 2015, Kansas City, Kan., police arrested him on suspicion of domestic assault but released him. Police there couldnt be reached, and it was unclear whether immigration learned of the arrest at the time. A short time later, police in Overland Park, Kan., a Kansas City suburb, stopped Serrano-Vitorino on a traffic violation. Overland Park police spokesman Richard Breshears said an officer had issued Serrano-Vitorino a ticket for an extinguished headlight. Breshears said the department never put him under arrest. We had no information on his (immigration) status, Breshears said. Serrano-Vitorino was fingerprinted Sept. 14, 2015, the day he appeared in municipal court on the traffic ticket. That fingerprint triggered an electronic notification to immigration, which issued a detainer, or hold order, that same day. But Serrano-Vitorino had already settled his fine and left. Overland Park is in Johnson County, Kan. Immigration alerted the county sheriffs office about the detainer, but Serrano-Vitorino never was in sheriffs custody. John Ham, a spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in Kansas City, said agents were trying to trace the rifle that was taken from Serrano-Vitorino. He said federal law prohibits people in the country illegally from possessing weapons. Kim Bell and Joel Currier of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the location of the domestic-battery arrest on June 15, 2015. Kansas City, Kan., police made the arrest. The manhunt underway Tuesday near New Florence, Mo., recalls a similar one 30 years earlier about 25 miles to the east. In 1986, officers searched woods and farms around Wright City for 11 days looking for Michael Wayne Jackson, a felon who killed three people and wounded a Wright City police officer before crashing a stolen car on Interstate 70 and fleeing on foot. Jackson, 41, of Indianapolis, shot himself Oct. 2 inside an abandoned barn southwest of Wright City, which is 25 miles east of New Florence. Jackson killed two people in Indianapolis, including his federal parole officer, on Sept. 22, 1986, and abducted people as he fled west. In St. Louis, he committed more abductions and vehicle thefts and killed a motorist from O'Fallon, Mo. He abducted yet another victim there, forced the man into a trunk and drove to Wright City, where an officer tried to stop him. Jackson crashed the car into a fence at the interstate rest stop west of Wright City and ran. The man in the trunk was not injured. Officers set up roadblocks and searched the area for days with helicopters and dogs. Officers checking the barn Oct. 2 heard a muffled shot as they entered. They surrounded the barn, fired tear gas and found Jackson's body on a pile of hay. He had killed himself with a shotgun. Melissa Click, the former University of Missouri-Columbia assistant professor, has appealed her firing last month by the university's board of curators. While I have taken the Curators' offer to appeal their decision to terminate me, I do not believe that the process they used to come to their decision was fair, Click said in a statement. In their decision to terminate my employment, the Curators bowed to conservative voices that seek to tarnish my stellar 12-year record at MU, she added. A university spokesman declined to comment Tuesday, saying Click's appeal is a personnel issue. Click's complaints follows those of faculty who criticized the board for not following university procedures last month, before firing her. Typically, the board would make a decision to fire someone after a formal complaint has been filed from a party within the university. That did not happen in Click's case. The board fired Click in a closed-door meeting after she became the focus of state lawmakers, who repeatedly called for her ouster. Click's notoriety sprung up after she was twice caught on video protesting with students angered over the university's perceived indifference to a number of racist incidents on campus. In one video, she was seen calling for muscle to prevent student-journalists from covering a campus demonstration. In another video, Click was captured cursing at a police officer during a protest of Mizzou's homecoming parade. In her statement, Click said the university's punishment was disproportionate to her actions. The board has said Click's behavior did not meet expectations for a university faculty member. Instead of disciplining me for conduct that didn't meet those expectations, the Curators are punishing me for standing with students who have drawn attention to the issue of overt racism at the University of Missouri, Click said. While I have apologized on numerous occasions to numerous parties for my actions on October 10, 2015 and November 9, 2015, I will not apologize for my support of black students who experience racism at the University of Missouri, she continued. Click further said she is happy that a national faculty organization, the American Association for University Professors, is investigating her dismissal. The AAUP frequently investigates instances of conflict between faculty and university leadership. Schools that are found to have violated what the organization describes as generally recognized principles of academic freedom and tenure, are formally reprimanded by being placed on the AAUP censure list. While there is some debate in higher education circles how much bite an AAUP censure carries, being placed on the list is intended to be a black eye to an institution. There are currently more than 50 schools nationwide on the censure list. The University of Missouri-Columbia has halted all merit-based pay increases, instituted a universitywide hiring freeze and is cutting spending by 5 percent in an effort to close an estimated $32 million hole in its budget in the upcoming budget year. The news was announced in a message from Interim Chancellor Hank Foley, who blamed the budget gap on an unexpected sharp decline in first-year enrollments and student retention this coming fall. Mizzou administrators are anticipating 1,500 fewer students enrolling in the fall. Last month, administrators said that enrollment decline alone could lead to a $20 million shortfall. I wish I had better news, Foley said. The university cant close the budget gap with tuition increases because state law ties tuition to the consumer price index. At CPIs current level, if the universitys Board of Curators did vote to raise tuition, it would account for only $2 million in new money, Foley wrote. Foleys announcement comes just one day after the Missouri House of Representatives voted to cut $7.6 million from the University of Missouris network of campuses in Columbia, St. Louis, Kansas City and Rolla. Because of its status as the flagship campus, Mizzou probably would bear a significant portion of that cut. The difficulties in Columbia mirror problems farther east at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where administrators are expecting a $15 million budget shortfall. UMSLs woes are the result of shrinking funding from the state and a steady drop in transfer students. UMSL Chancellor Thomas George has said he expects the school will announce layoffs at some point this year. While Mizzou has, so far, not announced any layoffs, administrators say they still expect to be about $10 million short of balancing the budget, even with the hiring freeze, spending cut and suspension of merit-based pay increases. Mizzous current yearly budget is about $617 million. The university will make up the residual $10 million funding gap using money held in reserve accounts and through additional budget cuts carried into the next year, Foley said. While these budget challenges will affect our ability to deliver teaching, research and service to Missourians in the short term, we also know that we have survived other stressors of this kind before, Foley said. JEFFERSON CITY After six years on the House Education Budget Committee, Republican Rep. Mike Lair says he's learned the only way to get the University of Missouri Systems attention is with dollar bills. And the Missouri House used that method Tuesday to send the system a message as they approved the $27.1 billion budget for 2017 that begins July 1. It needs one more vote in the House before moving to the Senate. That budget would cut the UM System administration, which includes the presidents office and the board of curators, by $7.7 million. An additional $1 million was cut from the UM-Columbia campus and redirected to Lincoln University in Jefferson City to boost its ability to match available federal land grant funding. I think we have their attention, Lair, of Chillicothe, said Tuesday. Lawmakers have been threatening to punish the UM System after racial turmoil on the Columbia campus led to a leadership shake-up last fall. Members of the House and Senate have threatened special audits and called for the removal of Melissa Click, who was recently fired after she was caught on video in November trying to block journalists from recording student demonstrations. The handling of the entire incident screams of a lack of leadership, said Rep. Rocky Miller, R-Lake Ozark, who contemplated an attempt to reduce Mizzous budget to $1. We need real change and we need it done now. Some lawmakers, such as Rep. Gail McCann Beatty, D-Kansas City, expressed their concern over the university cuts. I dont support cutting the universitys budget as a means of punishing them: I dont think thats fair, McCann Beatty said. It ultimately hurts all the students at the university because theyll have no choice but to increase college tuition. The UM System also was excluded from receiving any increase based on performance funding. The states other public higher education institutions would receive a piece of an about $9.4 million increase if revenue growth in the coming year exceeds the Houses revenue growth estimate. Republican House leaders based their overall state budget on an estimated 3.1 percent growth in revenue. This is pared back from Gov. Jay Nixons 4.1 percent growth projections. To address the difference, House Budget Leader Tom Flanigan, R-Carthage, plans to implement a surplus revenue fund, where money will be funneled if the state revenues exceed the 3.1 percent growth rate. Dan Haug, Nixons budget director, estimates the state will reach Nixons projection with about three days left in the budget year. Nixon recommended a $55.6 million increase for all institutions based on performance funding, which would have allowed for a tuition freeze. Rep, Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, who is running for Senate this year, tried and failed Tuesday to provide the UM System a $4.3 million increase based on performance funding in the surplus revenue fund, saying it would ensure the financial issues happening here dont hit students. Rep. Justin Alferman, R-Hermann, agreed with Rowden. He understands lawmakers frustrations with the UM System, but said cutting performance funding is not going to achieve the end goal to resolve this frustration. Rowdens attempt to provide this increase to UM System was met with a resounding no from House members in the chamber. Some lawmakers did not like the fact that Rowden would have taken money away from a transportation department program meant to offset some of its funding woes. That program, known as cost sharing, would allow the department to split the cost of transportation system projects with local communities. The department suspended its cost-share program in 2014 as its construction budget continued to decline. The budget approved Tuesday would provide $30 million to that program in the surplus revenue fund, meaning it only would be funded if revenue growth exceeds the Houses estimate. Other details of the Houses 2017 budget proposal: $71 million increase for the Foundation Formula, which funds K-12 public schools, and leaves the formula $438 million underfunded. Nixon recommended an $85 million increase. $54.1 million for a 2 percent pay raise for state employees. Nixon recommended the same amount. $5 million increase for K-12 transportation. Nixon recommended the same amount. $4 million increase for the need-based scholarship, Access Missouri. Nixon recommended the same amount. $2.5 million increase for the A+ Scholarship. Nixon recommended the same amount. $500,000 increase for the Bright Flight scholarship. Nixon recommended the same amount. $500,000 for the Urban Education Institute at Harris-Stowe State University. The bills are House Bills 1-13. WASHINGTON The Senate is moving toward passage of a bipartisan bill confronting rising prescription drug and heroin abuse that the White House says will do little to fight the problem without more money. If nothing else, a week of debate on the Senate floor has produced startling statistics on the problem. For instance, Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said Wednesday that more than 1,000 Missourians died of opioid abuse in 2014, and that deaths from opioid abuse in St. Louis have tripled since 2007. "The good news is addiction is a treatable disease," he said. Citing state statistics, Blunt also said that 72 percent of Missourians who went through opioid treatment tested drug free in random tests. The problem, Blunt said, is that only about 10 percent of those addicted to heroin or prescription drugs get treatment. Citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studies, Blunt also said that the latest surge in heroin and prescription drug abuse is different from previous ones because it is more likely to happen in rural areas, where addicts are harder to reach. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act would set up a federal task force to create best practices for prescribing opioids and shift federal focus and already authorized spending from punishment to prevention. A vote on final passage could come late Wednesday or Thursday. Similar legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives. The Obama White House, which last month proposed another $1.1 billion to confront what the CDC has labeled an opioid epidemic, has criticized the legislation as having little effect without more funding. But President Obama has not said he would veto the legislation. Last week, Republican senators defeated an attempt to add $600 million in spending to the bill. CLAYTON The leadership of the St. Louis County branch of the NAACP and County Executive Steve Stenger agreed Tuesday to meet to discuss last week's dismissal of the county official overseeing the office of Community Empowerment and Diversity. Branch President Esther Haywood initiated the conversation in an email to Stenger, calling into question the "allegations" surrounding the Feb. 29 firing of Annette Slack. Slack was the first person to oversee a department established to help under-served county residents navigate social services, health, housing and educational systems. "Our branch is disappointed to hear that a well-qualified and hardworking African-American woman has been dismissed during a time when we need all the resources and guidance possible to help empower the community," Haywood wrote. Stenger said he immediately reached out to Haywood to discuss Slack's termination and other issues. "We had a very nice conversation and agreed to meet in the near future," the county executive said. Documents obtained by the Post-Dispatch showed that Slack, a lawyer, used a county computer to draft papers on behalf of legal clients. The documents, copied from the computer, additionally exposed course work for a class Stack taught at Missouri Baptist University, as well as tasks the director performed for her church. Haywood asked in her email that Stenger, when meeting with NAACP officials, also touch on the mission of the Community Empowerment Office and provide updates on resources the county offers to the low-income residents, diversity levels in county hiring and the status of minority participation on county projects. Stenger said he briefed Haywood on the number of minorities in his administration in the Tuesday afternoon conversation. Among the top 13 officials holding administration posts, the county executive said, six are minorities including five African-Americans. Stenger said he hopes to discuss during his meeting with the NAACP a study on diversity in hiring and outsourcing that the county plans to conduct this year. JEFFERSON CITY Missouri House Republicans this week struck out Medicaid funding provided for Planned Parenthood services in next years budget. State Rep. Robert Ross, R-Yukon, spearheaded the move Tuesday to strip almost $380,000 out of the 2017 budget that begins July 1, saying he didnt want any state dollars going toward abortions. That amount is based on 2014 budget year expenditures for Planned Parenthood services, when it covered cervical exams, human papillomavirus vaccines and birth control. There is a whole litany of things on this list that have nothing to do with abortion and simply has to do with womens health care, Rep. Gail McCann Beatty, D-Kansas City, said Tuesday. For the last time, stay out of our uterus. Other states have tried and failed to cut Medicaid for Planned Parenthood services in the past. It is early in the budgeting process, but we are concerned about these attacks on Medicaid patients throughout our state, said Mary M. Kogut, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri. The cut is the latest development in a battle over abortion rights in Missouri. It began last summer after Republican state lawmakers decided to investigate allegations that the abortion and health care provider sold fetal tissue. Attorney General Chris Koster, a Democrat running for governor this year, found no evidence of wrongdoing in Missouri, and a Texas grand jury later indicted anti-abortion activists who shot the videos. There are two Planned Parenthood affiliates in Missouri that oversee 14 centers in the state. Only the St. Louis facility provides abortions. Other services provided include contraception, pregnancy tests and cancer screenings. Several Republicans said women could go elsewhere, such as federally qualified health centers, for the same care. Everyone here needs to understand there are (centers that) ... do exactly the same thing and theyre not allowed to do abortions at all, said Rep. Donna Lichtenegger, R-Jackson. To say we are losing everything with this amendment is ludicrous. Federal law allows Medicaid reimbursement on abortions only when a womans life is in danger or when the pregnancy is caused by rape or incest. The Missouri Planned Parenthood affiliates were reimbursed $126.24 in state and federal Medicaid money in 2015 for those purposes. An official with the Department of Social Services previously said the state couldnt discriminate in distributing Medicaid funds simply because it didnt like the services Planned Parenthood provided. Last year, several states were warned against discriminating against Planned Parenthood by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, citing a 2011 memo that says states cannot terminate Medicaid funding to providers because of the services offered. Federal law allows those on Medicaid to obtain services such as family planning from any qualified provider, and ending Medicaid agreements with Planned Parenthood could conflict with that. Indiana and Arizona have previously battled against Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood in court. Planned Parenthood won both times. Planned Parenthood Advocates in Missouri tweeted Tuesday that Ross cut would lead to poorer health outcomes for folks who rely on us for care. The budget needs one more vote in the House before moving to the Senate for further debate. The bill is House Bill 2011. The extraordinary 36-hour filibuster in the Missouri Senate that ended early Wednesday morning was yet another reminder of the enlightenment of the Founding Fathers, who insisted that matters of state be kept separate from matters of religion. Despite heroic efforts by the Senates eight Democrats, the Senate flunked that test. Missouri is a very Christian state, said Majority Leader Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, after Republicans shut down the Democrats talk-a-thon. Thats true as far as numbers go, but Christians come in many varieties of belief and practice. Its also irrelevant. Religion cannot and must not intrude on public policy. That is the slipperiest of slopes. After ending the filibuster by calling the previous question, a parliamentary trick used in the Senate only 15 times since 1970, the Senate voted 23-9 (term-limited Republican Rob Schaaf of St. Joseph voted with the Democrats) to advance Senate Joint Resolution 39. It would ask Missouri voters if they want to give clergy, wedding vendors and religious organizations the right not to take part, however tangentially, in same-sex marriages. Theres little doubt that if the measure gets on a ballot, it will pass. In 2004, Missourians gave 71 percent approval to a measure banning same-sex marriage. There is also little doubt that courts will throw it out. Baking a cake or providing flowers for a gay wedding does not impose what the Supreme Court has defined as a substantial burden on an individuals ability to act on his beliefs. What a profoundly silly issue this is, having drawn a lot of embarrassing attention to the state. It is far less important than last years furor over Rowan County, Ky., Clerk Kim Davis refusal to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, defying the Supreme Courts ruling that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry. Davis was a public official who had an obligation to follow the law. Few couples will want to mess up their wedding day by giving their money to people who think theyre second-class citizens. Our guess is that very few vendors feel the tug of conscience so strongly that theyll pass up a piece of business. Besides, like most Americans, they have adjusted. As gay Americans came out, social norms changed with lightning speed. Besides, where does it end? What if a florist discovers that the best man at a traditional marriage is gay? Can he put the flowers back in the van? My conscience comes from the Bible, the inerrant word of the Bible, said Sen. David Sater, R-Cassville. Its a conscience protection bill. The senator is welcome to his beliefs. But the Constitution says he needs to leave them in the parking lot. If he cant obey the law of the land, maybe his conscience should tell him to resign. If the execution is carried out, it too will leave a grieving family, in addition to having lost a little boy who might have survived if he could have gotten to the hospital in time. In celebration of Missouri STEM Week 2016, Parameter Security of St. Charles and its CEO Renee Chronister were recently recognized by the St. Charles County Workforce Development Board for being a successful STEM start-up company providing ethical hacking services to businesses and governments around the world as well as accredited training and special events in the growing field of cyber-security, according to a press release. Launched in 2006 by the wife and husband team of Renee and Dave Chronister, Parameter Security went on to graduate from the business incubator managed by the Economic Development Center of St. Charles County in 2012. The companys main services include doing penetration testing as ethical hackers to evaluate technical systems and physical security, providing computer forensic investigative services and operating the Hacker University, which offers accredited information security training to IT professionals and non-professionals. Today, Parameter Security has eight employees, two mascot dogs and offices overlooking the historic St. Charles riverfront. Some of their domestic and international clients include governments, law enforcement agencies and Fortune 500 companies. Information technology is one of the top five growing employment sectors in St. Charles County, said Luanne Cundiff, chair of the St. Charles County Workforce Development Board and president of First State Bank of St. Charles. We are pleased to honor a successful woman entrepreneur during Missouri STEM Week whose company is a recognized world leader in the important field of cyber-security. Parameter Security is a great example of how merging STEM opportunities and entrepreneurship can achieve great things in our community and around the globe. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. Missouri STEM Week was established in 2010 by the governor and state legislature as the first week of every March. It is part of a regional, statewide and national effort to encourage more pursuit of STEM curriculum in schools and more interest in STEM careers. For more information about employment and economic services in St. Charles County, contact the countys Department of Workforce & Business Development at 636-255-6060 and visit www.sccmo.org/Workforce-Business-Development. LONDON MARKET CLOSE: FTSE 100 ends higher; Mordaunt makes UK PM tilt Friday, October 21, 2022 - 17:22 The pound regained some poise on Friday afternoon but remained in precarious territory, after falling below the $1.11 mark in afternoon trade. The pound was quoted at $1.1203 at the close on Friday, down versus $1.1294 at the London equities close on Thursday. It hit an intraday low of $1.1063 not long after midday. Sterling was hurt by continued political uncertainty. Speculation about who will join Penny Mordaunt in throwing their hats in the ring in the race for Number 10 continues. Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, one-time neighbours at Number 10 and 11 Downing Street - but now bitter rivals - have pockets of support from Tory MPs. Adding to the pressure on sterling, disappointing UK retail sales data showed a bigger-than-expected decline in September, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. Retail sales fell 6.9% annually in September, with the decline accelerating from a 5.6% fall in August. It also was worse than FXStreet-cited market consensus, which had expected a fall of just 5%. The pound had initially found some support on Thursday after Liz Truss called an end to her disastrous tenure as prime minister - poking above $1.13 - but has since been dragged lower. The FTSE 100 index closed up 25.82 points, or 0.4%, at 6,969.73 - closing out the week up 1.6%. The FTSE 250 lost 182.38 points, or 1.1%, at 17,206.55, but still managed to gain 1.0% this week, and the AIM All-Share ended down 1.04 points, or 0.1% at 785.40 - but advanced 0.8% over the past five days. The Cboe UK 100 closed up 0.4% at 696.31, the Cboe UK 250 ended down 1.0% at 14,694.15, and the Cboe Small Companies lost 0.3% at 12,240.46. In European equities on Friday, the CAC 40 in Paris lost 0.9%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt gave back 0.3%. The Tories have begun to declare their allegiances in the party's second leadership contest of the year as speculation mounts over who will seek to replace Truss at the helm of the party. Supporters of Johnson are backing the former prime minister to make an extraordinary political comeback, while ex-chancellor Sunak and Commons Leader Mordaunt also have the public support of several MPs. Mordaunt become the first to declare her candidacy, with a pledge to re-unite the bitterly divided party. The leader of the House who finished third in the last leadership election said she had been encouraged by the support she had received from fellow Conservative MPs. There has also been no declaration yet from Sunak, who did not answer questions from reporters as he left his home on Friday morning. Whoever does win will face an immediate test, choosing whether to go ahead with the planned Halloween statement setting out how the government intends to get the public finances back on track, Downing Street has said. Work is continuing in Whitehall, led by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, in preparation for the medium-term fiscal plan to be announced on October 31 along with an updated set of economic forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. However, a Number 10 spokeswoman said it would be up to Liz Truss's successor to decide whether to proceed with that approach and with the same timetable. In London, blue chip miners helped push FTSE 100 higher. Glencore gained 3.6%, Anglo American 3.1%, Antofagasta 2.7%, and Rio Tinto added 1.6%. Retailers, however, were showing weakness after the disappointing UK retail sales data. A profit warning from Adidas did nothing to help the mood either. JD Sports closed down 6.1%, Frasers 4.0%, Burberry 2.2%, and Next shed 2.9%. On Thursday, Adidas lowered annual guidance as it struggles with "deteriorating traffic" in China and high inventory levels. The sports apparel maker said it has needed to turn to "higher clearance activity" to try and shift stock. It lost 9.0% in Frankfurt. Deliveroo gained 3.6%. The London-based online food delivery service said gross transaction values rose 8.3% annually in the third quarter to 1.70 billion from 1.57 billion, though orders fell by 1.1% to 72.8 million from 73.6 million. Deliveroo said the decline in orders was due to a difficult consumer environment. With economic data on Friday showing that UK consumer confidence remains near record lows, this seems unlikely to change anytime soon. InterContinental Hotels gave back 2.2% but reported strong revenue growth in the third quarter to September 30, saying that high global employment levels are boosting occupancy levels. Revenue per available room, or RevPAR, rose 28% year-on-year and now exceeds its pre-pandemic level, being up 2.7% on the third quarter of 2019. In the third quarter of 2022, the average daily rate increased by 13% compared to a year ago and was up 11% on 2019. Chief Financial Officer & Head of Strategy Paul Edgecliffe-Johnson will leave the company in six months time to become CFO of Flutter Entertainment in the first half of 2023. IHG has started the process of finding a new CFO. The euro stood at $0.9802 Friday evening, down against $0.9822 at the close on Thursday. Against the yen, the dollar was trading at JP148.03, compared to JP149.77 late Thursday. The yen was staging a fightback after the open on Wall Street, after nearly hitting JP152 during the Asia session. Stocks in New York opened higher on Friday, with the DJIA up 1.1%, the S&P 500 index up 0.9%, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.6% higher. Brent oil was quoted at $92.84 a barrel late Friday, down from $93.29 late Thursday. Gold was quoted at $1,643.70 an ounce Friday, up against $1,641.90 from Thursday. In the international economics events calendar next week, Monday will be dominated by a slew of composite PMIs, with Japan overnight followed by Germany, eurozone and the UK in the morning then the US in the afternoon. A quiet Tuesday will be headlined by a US house price index. On Wednesday, there is Chinese GDP, retail sales and industrial production overnight, then on Thursday attention will be on the European Central Bank interest rate decision at 1315 BST. Friday will be headlined by a Bank of Japan rate decision. In the local corporate calendar on Monday, there are half-year results from Dr Martens, while education publishing firm Pearson will issue a third quarter update. Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. For better or worse, Gifted Horse is one of the most interesting new American whiskey releases this year. The least expensive edition of the Orphan Barrel series to date cannot be called a bourbon because it is a mix of 38.5% 17-year-old Kentucky bourbon, 51% four-year-old Indiana bourbon, and 10.5% four-year-old corn whiskey also distilled in Indiana. The eyebrow-raising story behind that odd blend is that the components were mixed together by mistake, which turned out so good they decided to release it as a one-time limited offering. For what its worth, this is hardly the first time a cigar or whiskey company has turned a supposed error into a marketing opportunity. (Wild Turkey Forgiven started with an accidental blending of rye and bourbon, and cigar makers regularly find long-forgotten, extra-aged tobaccos.) In any event, the accident resulted in at least over 8,000 bottles (my bottle number was 8,328) which were released at a barrel-strength 118-proof. It sells for $50, although prices have been all over the place relative to suggested retail for the Orphan Barrel releases. The reddish gold whiskey features an astringent nose with red berries, roast corn, and vanilla. On the palate are strong woody flavors, cereal grains, burnt sugar, and tea notes. The finish is relatively short with charred wood. Theres a tannic sharpness to Gifted Horse that isnt due to the proof but from the combination of old, quite possibly over-oaked, bourbon with younger whiskey. Its disappointing because I had high hopes for Gifted Horse. Unlike previous Orphan Barrel releases, which could be fairly criticized for being underproofed, I was hoping this blend would offer fine flavors without being watered down. Despite Gifted Horses shortcomings, the full proof does offer some tasty cigar pairing options. It certainly can stand up to a full-bodied cigar like the PG 25th Anniversary Connoisseur (pictured, review coming soon), Coronado by La Flor, My Father El Hijo, and Arturo Fuente Opus X. Plenty of people have criticized the Orphan Barrel series as more marketing hype than good bourbon, but Ive praised the previous offerings (some more than others) as an actual opportunity to buy ultra-aged bourbon at a reasonable price. Gifted Horse, however, is much tougher to recommend despite its friendlier price. Unless youre more interested in trying an experiment than a fine whiskey, youre better off spending more to find different Orphan Barrel offerings or any number of less expensive bourbons. Patrick S photo credit: Stogie Guys In early 2016 Australia announced that it was giving up on its 22 Tiger helicopter gunships which, since 2004 (when the first one arrived in Australia), never become fully ready for combat. Thats one reason why none of the Australian Tigers were sent to Afghanistan even though other nations with Tigers (Germany, France and Spain) did. These three nations also had problems with their Tigers but in Australia it was worse in part because it took so long to ship spare parts and upgrades halfway around the world. The decision to get rid of the Tigers was reached, in part, because it was realized that Australia has had a much better experience with American aircraft and is looking in that direction for a new recon helicopter (like an AH-6 variant) and more heavy transport choppers (like the CH-47). The Tigers will be sold off to nations who are more impressed with the satisfied Tiger users. Australia expects this process to take five years or more. There are indeed satisfied Tiger users. For example in December 2015 France ordered another seven of them. This came a year after budget cuts forced the military to reduce its planned Tiger force from 80 helicopters to 60. Now there will be 67, mainly because Tiger is more frequently and heavily used (and much appreciated) in Africa (Mali) and the Middle East. The seven additional Tigers are the ground support (HAD) version and will be delivered in 2017 and 2018. These will replace combat losses and lessen the wear and tear on the existing sixty French Tigers. It was in 2013 that France received the first of its 40 HAD Tiger helicopter gunships. The German Army received its first HAD Tigers in 2008. HAD first entered service in 2005 and benefitted from 14 percent more engine power and better protection from ground fire than the original model. While earlier versions were mainly for anti-vehicle work, HAD is more like the current U.S. AH-64 Apache and optimized for ground support and irregular warfare. Development of Tiger began in 1987, before the Cold War ended. So the anti-tank aspect took a while to disappear and get replaced by a gunship optimized for hunting and killing a large variety of targets. Tiger is made by European firm Eurocopter and showed up just in time. Until the arrival of the French and German Tigers, American AH-64s provided gunship support for all foreign troops in Afghanistan. France has used Tigers in Somalia and Mali as well as Afghanistan where they have performed well. Tiger has spent nearly 2,000 flight hours in combat zones so far and a hundred have been delivered to Germany, France (which has ordered 80), Spain (24), and Australia (22). A total of 206 Tiger helicopters have been ordered. So far Tigers have spent over 45,000 hours in the air, most of it for training. The Tiger costs about as much as the AH-64, a ten ton gunship that has been in service since the 1980s. The six ton Tiger has a crew of two and a max speed of 280 kilometers an hour. It cruises at 230 kilometers an hour and usually stays in the air about three hours per sortie. It is armed with a 30mm automatic cannon, 70mm rocket pods (19 rockets per pod), and various types of air-to-ground missiles (eight Hellfire types at once). It can also carry four Mistral anti-aircraft missiles. Germany also cut its order from 80 Tigers to 57. Germany had a lot of problems with Tiger and decided it had better uses for the money, like bailing out the many European nations having financial problems after 2008. In 2012 Germany got four of its new Tiger helicopter gunships ready for service in Afghanistan and these arrived in 2013. These ASGARD (Afghanistan Stabilization German Army Rapid Deployment) models included sand filters, additional defense systems, a mission data recorder, and communications gear able to deal with systems used by allies. In the years before the German Tigers arrived in Afghanistan there were four crashes during training. No one was injured but in some cases the causes were traced to equipment problems not operator error. German troops in Afghanistan wanted Tiger badly but delivery was delayed several times due to various problems. In addition to the ASGARD upgrades, there were problems with the wiring and a number of less serious shortcomings as well. When Tiger finally made it to Afghanistan it performed very well and got high marks from the German troops there. French troops had the same reaction to Tiger. So it appears after the usual initial problems Tiger has become mature and much more reliable, but not for everyone. Government forces are fighting on the outskirts of Sanaa but most of the action is now in the negotiations with the Shia tribes that have always lived in the tribal belt around the national capital. These Shia tribes are not as political or unpredictable as the Shia tribes in the far north that started and still lead the rebellion. The Sanaa Shia did not fight the Shia rebels but they have not been staunch supporters either. The government is offering the Sanaa Shia tribes and the rebels are trying to counter that. The government offer is more likely to be accepted as it is clear that the rebels have lost. At this point its just a matter of what kind of surrender terms can the rebels get. In the north (Jawf province) pro-government Sunni and rebel Shia tribes continue fighting for control of territory and the pro-government Sunni forces continue winning. Since the Sunni tribes gained air support from the Arab coalition and access to training and supplies (weapons, ammo, medical) in early 2015 they have been able to drive Shia tribesmen out of most of Jawf. To the west of Jawf is Saada province, the Shia tribal homeland. North of Jawf is Saudi Arabia. Going into Saada will be a much more difficult fight but the Sunni tribes want revenge for several years of heavy fighting with the Shia. So far this year the Shia resistance has been more determined but the pro-government forces are still taking back control of towns and areas containing key roads. The UN sponsored peace talks, begun in December and scheduled to resume in January are stalled. This comes after a December 15-January 2 ceasefire deal was regularly violated by both sides. Discussions to resume the peace talks are not making any progress but several senior rebel leaders and supporters are seeking to make deals for themselves and their families. This is the way wars end in Yemen. The UN is paying more attention to dealing the growing aid crisis. Food and medical supplies are still at risk of attack by rebels, Islamic terrorists, bandits or Arab coalition warplanes. The peace talks meant to deal with that but the rebels demanded too many concessions, mainly a ceasefire. There are other aspects of this conflict that the UN would rather stay away from. For example the war in Yemen can be described as a four sided religious civil war. On one side you have the Yemeni Shia rebels who are fighting Both AQAP (Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) and ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) who are each fighting to establish their own version of a religious dictatorship in Yemen. Opposed to these three groups are the various separatist Sunni Yemeni tribes. At the moment most of the Sunni tribes are allied alongside the government (some Shia but mainly Sunni Yemenis) aided by a Sunni Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia. This coalition is composed of largely conservative Sunni Moslems who consider Shia, AQAP and ISIL heretics. The Shia rebels are aided by Iran and Shia from the Iran-backed Lebanese Islamic terrorist group Hezbollah. Another foreign faction is the United States which contributes warships for the government blockade and aircraft to track and attack Islamic terrorist leaders from the air. The U.S. shares intel on the Islamic terrorists with the Arab coalition. One reason for this is that at the moment AQAP controls more territory than the Shia rebels. Since late 2014 AQAP has controlled the southeastern the port of Mukalla and much of the surrounding Hadramawt province. In contrast ISIL is scattered in remote locations or urban bases in Aden. This reflects the different strategies of the two groups AQAP believes in slowly expanding while ISIL favors aggressive attacks and boldness. Neither approach has had much success in over a thousand years of use but both remain popular with Islamic radicals. AQAP territory is largely thinly populated desert which the Islamic terrorists have used for bases since 2009, when AQAP was created. That was an aftereffect of al Qaeda being driven out of Saudi Arabia. That defeat was after a bloody terror campaign against the government triggered by the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq. In 2009 al Qaeda ordered its remaining members in Saudi Arabia (several thousand full and part timers) to move to Yemen. The newcomers merged with the al Qaeda organization already there to create AQAP. The new organization also benefitted from hundreds of Iraqi al Qaeda members who arrived after the defeat of al Qaeda in Iraq in 2007-8. Many of the al Qaeda men who stayed behind in Iraq went on to later create ISIL. By 2011 growing unrest in Yemen (against a long-time dictatorship) enabled AQAP to recruit more freely and take over several towns in the south. In response the government launched a major counteroffensive that hurt AQAP very badly. That offensive continued until 2013 when the Shia rebellion became a larger threat to the government. During this period there was growing use of American UAVs in Yemen in part because after 2013 there were few other places for defeated al Qaeda men to flee to. The sanctuary in Mali was destroyed in early 2013 by a French led offensive. The sanctuary in Pakistan (North Waziristan) was hostile to al Qaeda and mainly for local Islamic terrorists. Surviving al Qaeda men were increasingly operating in isolation and under heavy attack. Sometimes, as is happening now in Syria, they attack each other. ISIL is most active in Aden where it regularly carries out suicide bombings and assassinations. March 7, 2016: An Australian warship on anti-piracy patrol stopped and searched a fishing boat 300 kilometers off the coast of Oman and found over 2,000 weapons, most of them AK-47s. It was unclear if the weapons (which seemed to be from Iran) were headed for Somalia or to Shia rebels in Yemen. March 4, 2016: In the south (the port of Aden) a group of ISIL gunmen attacked an old age home run by an Indian charity. The Islamic terrorists killed 16 people (including four elderly Indian nuns) and kidnapped an Indian priest. AQAP promptly denied any involvement but ISIL said nothing and there were soon rumors that ISIL had the Indian priest. March 3, 2016: The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab oil states in the Persian Gulf) declared the Lebanese Shia militia to be a terrorist group. The rest of the world has long identified Hezbollah as an Islamic terrorist organization but the GCC did not because it was (and still is) popular in Arabia to try and support any group that is fighting Israel. Hezbollah and Palestinian groups like Hamas are the only ones doing that actively. In 2013 the GCC criticized Hezbollah for supporting the Assad dictatorship in Syria and Iran accused the Arab of taking orders from the United States and Israel. February 29, 2016: In the south (the port of Aden) an Islamic terrorist suicide car bomber attacked a checkpoint, killing six soldiers and wounding five. February 28, 2016: The United States revealed that it had halted an Iranian arms shipment to Shia rebels in Yemen. February 23, 2016: On the Saudi border Shia rebels fired from Yemen at a Saudi patrol, killing one of the Saudi soldiers. February 22, 2016: In the south (the port of Aden) Islamic terrorist gunmen killed the commander of an army brigade outside the compound of an influential tribal leader the officer had just visited. February 19, 2016: Saudi Arabia is suspending military aid to Lebanon largely because the Lebanese government has been unable to curb Iranian use of Hezbollah fighters in Syria and Yemen and refused to condemn the attacks on the Saudi embassy in Iran. The $3 billion in weapons and equipment is being supplied for by France, paid for by Saudi Arabia and was arranged back in 2013. Deliveries began in early 2015 and were to have been completed by 2018. Training and maintenance services were to continue into the 2020s. In February 2016 the U.S. Air Force announced that the new LRSB (Long-Range Strike Bomber) project had an official designation; B-21. A picture was released which shows, as the new designation implies, an aircraft that is very similar to the B-2. The first of these new aircraft wont enter service until the mid-2020s. The B-21 is yet another effort to replace the 1950s era B-52 and the air force is determined to learn from the problems encountered with the last (B-2) effort, which cost so much the eventual number built shrank from 132 to 21. The USAF insists that each B-21 will cost about $600 million and the entire program $80 billion. About 30 percent of program cost will be for development and the rest for building about a hundred aircraft. The B-21 plan was designed to avoid past problems, especially the endless lawsuits from companies that lost design competitions as well as unpredictable and always escalating costs. Two companies were in competition to be the prime (chief) contractor for the project and the loser, Boeing, has agreed to no more legal challenges to the winning bid from Northrup. The air force and major suppliers agree on the importance of getting the B-21 into service on time and under budget. The B-21 is the latest reboot of air force efforts to create a new heavy bomber. Since the 1990s the air force has been working on the next heavy bomber diligently but without much success. In 2003 the air force announced a development plan that would enable it to start testing a new heavy bomber using very advanced technology by 2037. That did not work out and in 2009 the Department of Defense told the air force that there was be no more money for developing a new heavy bomber. Not for a while, anyway. Models of what the 2003 bomber might look like were released and the "B-3" (officially the NGB, or New Generation Bomber) looked like the B-2. From the beginning there were only two firms willing and able to compete for the new bomber contract; Northrop Grumman and Boeing. Proposals from both firms were for a B-3 that looked like the B-2. For the Northrop Grumman proposal, the main difference was that the stubby wings are "cranked" (moved forward a bit, rather than continuing in a straight line from the body of the aircraft). These derivative designs are apparently still favored because the air force knows it was unlikely to get the money for a radical (and expensive) new design. Until recently they were told they would have a difficult time getting money for a "B-2 Lite." There was also talk of building a B-3 that could operate with, or without, a crew. The air force rejected UAV angle. The air force spent several billion dollars on B-3 development. All was not lost. The B-3 spec called for a smaller and stealthier aircraft that carried a ten ton bomb load (less than half what current heavy bombers haul). This recognized the efficiency of smart bombs, which are more than a hundred times more effective than unguided bombs. The B-2 is a 170 ton aircraft and 43 percent of that is fuel. The B-2 alone weighs 71 tons and maximum weapons load is about 23 tons. The seeming success of the B-3 development work and the stark reality that the B-52s and B-1Bs would eventually wear out got the air force enough support to go forward with the B-21, which will replace the 138 B-52s and B-1Bs. The air force has always believed the political and budget problems could slow down the two decade long air force effort to get a new heavy bomber, but won't stop it. Since the late 1990s the air force has been working on a replacement for its elderly but still very useful B-52s. There are two other heavy bombers in service (B-2s and B-1B) and these two both failed to replace the B-52. The air force is acutely aware of the fact that their first heavy bomber, the B-17 "Flying Fortress," entered production in 1937 and that the current problems getting a new heavy bomber program going means there has been a record long period in which there was no heavy bomber in production or development. In contrast during the sixty year period from the early 1930s to the early 1990s there were fifteen heavy bombers developed. Thirteen of them actually entered service; B-17 in 1939, B-24 in 1942, B-29 in 1944, B-32 in 1945, B-50 in 1947, B-45 in 1948, B-36 in 1948. The B-49 "Flying Wing" cancelled in 1952 but the B-47 entered service in 1952, the B-52 in 1955, B-58 in 1960 and FB-111 in 1969. B-70 development was halted in 1966 but the B-1 arrived in 1985 and the B-2 in 1992. But since 1992 nothing has come of air force efforts to design and develop a new heavy bomber. This is all about trying to improve on the B-52, Since the 1950s the air force has developed six heavy bombers; the 240 ton B-52 in 1955, the 74 ton B-58 in 1960, the 47 ton FB-111 in 1969, the 260 ton B-70 in the 1960s, the 236 ton B-1 in 1985, and the 181 ton B-2 in 1992.) All of these were developed primarily to deliver nuclear weapons (bombs or missiles), but have proved more useful dropping non-nuclear bombs. Only the B-70 was cancelled before being deployed. The B-1 was delayed and almost cancelled, but proved that the air force would do anything to keep the heavy bombers coming. Meanwhile, the most cost-effective bombers continue to be the half century old B-52s, simply because they are cheaper to operate. The well maintained B-52s are quite sturdy and have, on average, only 18,000 flying hours on them. The air force estimates that the B-52s won't become un-maintainable until they reach 28,000 flight hours. Thus these aircraft could serve into the 2030s. The B-1 and B-2 were meant to provide a high tech (and much more expensive) replacement for the B-52, but the end of the Cold War made that impractical. The kinds of anti-aircraft threats the B-1 and B-2 were designed to deal with never materialized. This left the B-52 as the most cost effective way to deliver bombs. The B-1s and B-2s are getting some of the same weapons carrying and communications upgrades as the B-52, if only because these more modern aircraft provide a more expensive backup for the B-52. Since 200 more people belied it was increasingly likely that the next heavy bomber would be smaller (perhaps only 60-100 tons) subsonic, stealthy, possibly uninhabited and familiar looking. The air force learned the hard way (the B-2) that they will have to propose a substantially cheaper aircraft as well, if they ever want to get Department of Defense backing for a new heavy bomber. The B-21 will have to be cheaper and delivered on time. There has not been a lot of that in the air force for many years. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. In the West Bank and Israel the Fatah sponsored knife terrorism campaign continues. Since last October 28 Israelis and over 170 Palestinians and have been killed. This is all about making the corrupt and incompetent Fatah more popular in the West Bank but opinion polls show that many (but not most) Palestinians would vote for anyone but Fatah and Hamas if elections were held right now. Moreover polls show enthusiasm for the knife terrorism campaign is waning. Like many past Fatah publicity stunts the knife terrorism makes life worse for most Palestinians and provides one more reason for foreign investment to stay away from the West Bank. Despite the Palestinian terrorists trying to go after tourists (and sometimes succeeding) the latest Palestinian terror campaign has had little impact on the Israeli economy. In 2015 the Israeli economy grew 3.3 percent while the West Bank economy declined nearly as much. Fatah and Hamas failed to hold another scheduled round of unifications talks in Qatar during late February. The main reason was that too many participants realized that between 2007 and 2014 five earlier unification agreements failed to accomplish anything. Moreover the growing economic and political problems Hamas is having in Gaza are reducing popular support for Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank. This comes ten years after Hamas won control of Gaza via elections. Hamas made a lot of promises back then and the only one it kept was to attack Israel. That was a failure multiple times as were all the promises to improve the economy. Hamas did not win much favor for refusing to hold anymore elections. Turning Gaza into an Islamic terrorist sanctuary was also generally unpopular as were efforts to impose Sharia (Islamic) law and the usual lifestyle restrictions. The Hamas alliance with Iran was and is also unpopular. The latest opinion polls show that 45 percent of Gazans would vote for Fatah if elections were held. That is way up over the past few years. Hamas has also lost a lot of support in the West Bank. The latest opinion polls show that if all Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank were allowed to vote for a new leader of the Palestinian people Hamas would get only 17 percent of the votes. While Fatah would get 39 percent this reminds everyone that most Palestinians still despise Fatah for its decades of corruption and mismanagement. One thing Fatah and Hamas have succeeded at is preventing any more rival political groups from freely operating in the Palestinian territories. Meanwhile Fatah leaders announced that they would never negotiate with Israel again. At the same time Hamas officially (via diplomats from major Moslem nations like Turkey) let Israel know that Hamas was not planning any major attacks and while it as not joining in the Fatah sponsored knife terrorism campaign the Hamas controlled media was praising all the West Bank Palestinians killed while attacking Israelis. Hamas is also still preparing for another war with Israel and constantly supporting anyone else who shares this obsession. Many Islamic terrorist groups still have sanctuary inside Gaza. While not technically a violation of the ceasefire with Israel it is seen as a way for Hamas to facilitate attacks against Israel without having to take responsibility. Both Israel and Egypt disagree which is why access to Gaza remains so tightly controlled by Egypt and Israel. As if Hamas didnt have enough trouble it now has to contend with rumors (apparently true) that the recent execution of a senior Hamas military leader (Mahmoud Eshtewi) was not just about his spying for Israel but also because he was a homosexual and had stolen Hamas money to support that and to pay blackmail to his male lovers. Hamas had kept quiet about the sex and embezzlement but the family of the executed man did not. Hamas said Eshtewi admitted that he supplied Israel with information about where the most senior Hamas military commander (Mohammed Deif) was during the mid-2014 50 Day War with Israel. The subsequent Israeli missile attack wounded Deif and killed his wife and child and other Hamas personnel. A year later Israel confirmed that Deif was still alive and hiding in Gaza. Israel considered Mohammed Deif a mass murderer and have been after him since the 1990s. Hamas would not reveal how Eshtewi was found out but now it is clear that it was first the embezzlement and then the homosexuality and then the Israeli connection. All this was very embarrassing for Hamas as Eshtewi was a Hamas member since the 1990s. Eshtewi was arrested in January 2015 and after months of torture his crimes were found out and confirmed. Egypt continues to insist that it will not intervene militarily in Libya, at least not openly. Egypt does still call for international help, from anyone, to help stop the violence and chaos in neighboring Libya. Egypt has been making this appeal since early 2015 and the response, so far, has been silence. Egypt has carried out some unofficial air strikes but wants an international effort (at least one other nation besides Egypt) to carry out an open and official air support campaign as occurred in 2011. One of the two governments in Libya (Tobruk, the UN approved one) also called for some international help and got the same response as Egypt. In the meantime Egypt has developed closer, and sometimes official, economic relations with the Tobruk government. This includes a deal to buy two million barrels of oil a year from fields Tobruk controls. Egypt probably got a big discount but this deal was probably worth over $50 million to the Tobruk government. Egypt has, since at least 2013, provided the Tobruk forces some covert military support (trainers, advisors, special equipment). That appears to be continuing. What is done quite openly is continually increase security along the Libyan border. So far in 2016 more special operations troops have been sent to the Libyan border to deal with Islamic terrorists and smugglers who are using more innovative methods to get back and forth across the border. Sometimes this means more firepower, finding more obscure routes or a combination of both. Special operations troops are best suited to deal with this. Egypt wants to keep weapons and Islamic terrorists from entering Egypt and stop illegal migrants, some of them new recruits for ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) in Libya, from crossing into Libya. Smugglers still get a lot of people and goods into and out of Libya using the fact that the 1,100 kilometer long border largely runs through thinly populated desert. The desert route is more expensive and many illegals cannot afford it. Egypt has stabilized the Islamic terrorist situation in Sinai but many Islamic terrorists remain active there, especially inside Gaza. Because of this Egypt is now shifting to a longer term solution and is already spending a lot of money on new roads, infrastructure and housing for Sinai. The lack of this sort of thing has caused growing unrest in Sinai for decades. It will take years of better government and lots of local investment to turn this around. In the meantime Gaza has become enemy territory as far as Egypt is concerned. This is one of the few things Egypt and Israel agree on. Egypt continues to go after tunnels from Gaza. This Egyptian effort has eliminated 98 percent of the tunnels over the last few years. But Hamas finds it worthwhile to keep building more deeper and longer tunnels because Islamic terrorists will pay lots of cash to have access to such tunnels. About a dozen of them remain operational and Hamas replaces them as they are discovered and destroyed. While Egypt and Israel allow lots of legitimate goods into Gaza (after carefully screening them for contraband) Hamas still needs access to weapons and ammo, as well as illegal cash donations. Illegal drugs also still have a market in Gaza, even though Hamas officially opposes this sort of thing. The tunnels will take whatever business they can get to remain operational. Outside of Sinai there is a growing perception that Egypt is turning into what it was before the 2011; a corrupt police state. There are growing incidents of police acting in a lawless fashion (murder, kidnapping, torture and corruption). The government responds that any misbehavior is the work of rogue cops or lies being spread by the Moslem Brotherhood. At the same time people are desperate for economic growth and less violence. As happened in the 1990s the Islamic terrorists (at least the more extreme ones like ISIL) are attacking the economy, especially tourism which accounts for 11 percent of the GDP and provides jobs (directly or indirectly) for 12 percent of the work force. ISIL attacks against tourists led to a 15 percent decline in tourist income for 2015. For most Egyptians the most important task of the government is improving the economy, followed by reducing Islamic terrorist violence. March 7, 2016: Off the Egyptian coast French and Egyptian ships and aircraft began several days of joint military exercises. A French aircraft carrier provided most of the French warplanes participating. March 6, 2016: Egypt announced the results of a long investigation into who killed a senior government official (Hisham Barakat, the chief prosecutor) in June 2015. The conclusion was that the killers were Islamic terrorists associated with the Moslem Brotherhood who were hiding out in Gaza under the protection of Hamas. Barakat was killed by a bomb detonated outside his home. No group took credit for the killing but then that is common with many of the terror attacks in the last few years. Many Egyptians believe the government was responsible and such conspiracy theories often turn out to be true in this part of the world. March 3, 2016: Hamas revealed that another of its men had died because of a recent tunnel collapse. Hamas blames the six similar incidents (and twelve deaths) since late 2015 on unusually heavy rain storms. Now Hamas has a problem because a growing number of their men are refusing to work in the tunnels because there is a widely believed (among Gazans) rumor that the real cause of all these tunnel collapses (including the unreported ones that didnt kill anyone) were the result of new Israeli anti-tunnel weapons. This sort of thing has been mentioned in the Israeli media, but mainly in terms of new sensors not devices that could remotely trigger a tunnel collapse. Hamas denies Israel has any such weapon and Israel wont discuss classified military matters (like the new sensors). Hamas also does not like to openly discuss the energetic Egyptian anti-tunnel methods which include digging a canal along the Gaza border and flooding it with sea water to collapse tunnels and make it more difficult (because of the unstable wet sand) to build new tunnels into Egypt. Hamas also adds to the mystery by refusing to release any details of their tunneling activities. That is because a lot of the underground work is on rebuilding combat tunnels destroyed by Israel during the mid-2014 50 Day War. In addition new tunnels are being built. Israelis living near the Gaza border complain that they can sometimes hear (or feel) Hamas tunnel building efforts. In 2014 the Israeli military said they would erect a detection system to locate new tunnels so they could be destroyed. The detection system has been delayed because of defense spending cuts but now the government says the detection system is coming soon. The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab oil states in the Persian Gulf) declared the Lebanese Shia militia to be a terrorist group. The rest of the world has long identified Hezbollah as an Islamic terrorist organization but the GCC did not because it was (and still is) popular in the Middle East to try and support any group that is fighting Israel. Hezbollah and Palestinian groups like Hamas are the only ones doing that. In 2013 the GCC criticized Hezbollah for supporting the Assad dictatorship in Syria. Iranian leaders reacted to all this by accusing the GCC of doing this because of Israeli influence and pressure. February 25, 2016: Iran announced an aid program to Palestinians that would pay $7,000 to the families of Palestinians killed while trying to kill Israelis. Over 120 Palestinians have died that way since September 2015. Iran will also pay $30,000 to Palestinian families who have their homes destroyed by Israel (to encourage families to dissuade their children from being terrorists). Until 2003 Saddam Hussein had a similar Palestinian aid program. February 20, 2016: Iranian officials came to Russia to discuss a multi-billion dollar deal to buy Russian Su-30 jet fighters, Yak-130 jet trainers and Mi-17 helicopters. The Su-30s are a direct threat to any Israeli efforts to bomb Iranian nuclear weapons facilities, an option that Israel still has. Warplanes sales to Iran are still forbidden without explicit permission from the UN. At the same time it was confirmed that Iran is still discussing details of the Russian S-300 anti-aircraft systems sale. This was thought to be a done deal. In December Russian announced that deliveries would be made via the Caspian Sea. Some supporting equipment has already been flown in or came by sea as non-military equipment. Apparently the key S-300 components (missiles and fire control systems) have not been delivered. This is good news for Israel as the S-300s could be more of a threat to Israeli warplanes than Su-30s. February 19, 2016: Saudi Arabia is suspending military aid to Lebanon largely because the Lebanese government has been unable to curb Iranian use of Hezbollah fighters in Syria and Yemen. The $3 billion in weapons and equipment is being supplied for by France, paid for by Saudi Arabia and was arranged back in 2013. Deliveries began in early 2015 and were to have been completed by 2018. Training and maintenance services were to continue into the 2020s. Pershing Square's Stephen Fraidin sent the following letter to Valeant Pharma (NYSE: VRX) following his appointment to the board on Tuesday: Exhibit 99.9 PERSHING SQUARE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.P. 888 SEVENTH AVENUE, 42 ND FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10019 P: 212-813-3700 F: 212-286-1133 March 8, 2016 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. 2150 St. Elzear Blvd. West Laval, Quebec Canada, H7L 4A8 Attention: J. Michael Pearson Dear Mr. Pearson: I am delighted to join the Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (Valeant) board, and I look forward to making a contribution to the company. This letter, intended solely for the benefit of Valeant, contains a series of undertakings by myself, my firm and the investment funds that we advise (collectively, Pershing Square or we). The undertakings in the following two paragraphs of this letter will be effective so long as the confidential information shared with me as a Valeant director or shared with Pershing Square (by me or by Valeant) remains non-public, and the undertakings in the penultimate paragraph of this letter will be effective while I am a Valeant director. All such undertakings are intended to be legally binding on Pershing Square and to address various issues that we have discussed. We are sensitive to Valeants concerns regarding confidentiality and other regulatory issues, and feel that it would be appropriate to restrict ourselves as set forth in this letter in order to address those considerations. To that end, I hereby undertake, consistent with my fiduciary duties and confidentiality obligations as a Valeant director, to refrain from communicating to anyone (whether to any company in which we have an investment or otherwise) confidential information I learn in my capacity as a director of Valeant; provided that I may communicate such information to members of my firm, Pershing Square, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP and our other outside advisors, in each case, who need to know such information for the purpose of advising Pershing Square on its investment in Valeant; provided, further, that Pershing Square shall be (and shall cause such persons to be) bound by the same confidentiality restrictions that are otherwise applicable to me. \ In addition, this letter memorializes that, except as required by applicable law pursuant to the next sentence, all of Pershing Squares personnel have agreed to maintain the confidentiality of Valeants nonpublic information they obtain directly from Valeant or through my service on the Valeant board. In the event that a recipient of such information is required by any court, governmental or regulatory authority, or by legal process to disclose any such information, Pershing Square shall promptly notify Valeant of such requirement and cooperate with Valeant in its efforts to limit any such disclosure prior thereto; provided, that if disclosure is nonetheless legally required, the recipient may disclose such portion of the information as counsel has advised is legally required or advisable to be produced. Pershing Square (i) acknowledges that applicable United States and Canadian securities laws prohibit any person who has material nonpublic information about a company from purchasing or selling securities of such company or from communicating such information to any other person under circumstances in which it is reasonably foreseeable that such person is likely to purchase or sell such securities and (ii) agrees to comply with (and to cause Pershing Square personnel to comply with) the United States and Canadian securities laws in respect of communicating any such information and refraining from trading in Valeant securities while in possession of such information in violation of such securities laws. Furthermore, we agree that, in connection with my service on the Valeant board, I will comply with the policies (as applied to me on a reasonable and good faith basis) applicable generally to directors of Valeant as currently in effect (together with changes to such policies imposed on a reasonable and good faith basis), and except as otherwise agreed between Pershing Square and Valeant, Pershing Square and its controlled affiliates will not engage in the purchase or sale of Valeant securities during Valeant blackout periods under the restriction calendar currently in effect, together with changes to such calendar or unscheduled blackout periods (in either case imposed on a reasonable and good faith basis). Valeant shall not be responsible for compliance by Pershing Square or me with the securities laws, including regulations relating to insider trading. I look forward to working together with you and the board. Very truly yours, Stephen Fraidin /s/ Stephen Fraidin PERSHING SQUARE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, L.P. /s/ William A. Ackman William A. Ackman, Managing Member PS Management GP, LLC, General Partner American Express (AXP) is hosting its investor day tomorrow and Alliance Bernstein analyst, Kevin St. Pierre, poses 10 questions for management. No change to Outperform rating or $77 PT. 1) Is Senior Management on "Thin Ice"? Given disappointing results over the past two years, miscommunications with the investment community, and initial rumblings from activist investors, controversy has heated up as to whether AXP's senior management is on the "hot seat". CEO Ken Chenault is 64 years old, and it would make sense for AXP to begin to establish a succession plan. 2) Is Amex Losing Market Share? Large card issuers have put a renewed focus on their card businesses in light of a benign credit environment and slow growth in other areas of their business. In addition, in light of increased regulatory scrutiny and higher capital requirements, these banks are shifting to a more affluent customer base, which is Amex's main target segment. 3) What Factors are Driving the Accelerated MDR Decline in 2016 vs. 2015? Management guided for an accelerated MDR decline in 2016 versus the 2 bps decline seen in 2015 (2.48% to 2.46%). Amex anticipates this accelerated compression due to the expansion of OptBlue, a greater impact from international regulatory changes, and continued competitive pressures, partially offset by the loss of Costco in the US and the lapping of the Costco Canada loss in 2015. 4) How Will the European Interchange Cap Affect AXP? Though only Amex's GNS business (which operates as a four-party network) is directly affected, Amex's MDR will likely come under pressure as the company renegotiates rates with merchants in 2016. 5) How Will the Company Accelerate Revenue Growth from 4% in 2015 to 6% (or More) LongerTerm? American Express posted FX-adjusted revenue growth of 4% in 2015 (excluding the effects of business travel and Concur) despite continued headwinds from oil prices, sluggish GDP growth and consumer spending, the loss of Costco Canada, and a slowdown in Costco US billed business. Management anticipates revenue growth accelerating in 2016 (exCostco), beginning in the first quarter. 6) How Much of the $1 billion in Cost Saves Will Be Operating vs. Marketing and Promotion? American Express announced that they will take out $1 billion from their overall cost base by the end of 2017. These cost saves will come from total operating expenses, as well as marketing/promotion costs. 7) What Should We Expect in This Year's CCAR, and How Does the Costco Sale Fit In? With the announced sale of the Costco loan portfolio to Citi later this year, American Express will generate an additional ~$1 billion gain. The significant reduction in risk-weighted assets will boost capital ratios. The company plans to leverage this flexibility to support growth in their lending portfolio, spend on growth initiatives, and to fund strategic acquisitions. 8) Is 12%-15% EPS Growth "On Average, Over Time" Still a Reasonable Target? AXP's ability to generate outstanding returns and excess capital is the key to the superior EPS growth. Their ROE of 25%+ allows capital to grow at roughly 20% after dividends. With asset growth of 4-6%, this creates roughly 15% excess capital generation, with which they can repurchase 3% of shares annually providing a significant t boost to EPS. 9) Is Starwood the Next Shoe to Drop? The Marriott/Starwood merger is expected to close in the middle of this year, putting at risk the future of the Starwood/American Express co-brand relationship. It is estimated that the Starwood co-brand partnership accounts for roughly 2% of global billed business. 10) Is the Co-Brand Space Too Competitive for AXP to Succeed? Excluding Costco and JetBlue, AXP's co-brand portfolio accounts for roughly 14% of global billed business and 33% of worldwide loans. Within that, Delta is their largest co-brand relationship, which accounts for 6% of global billed business and 20% of loans as of the end of 2015. Amex renewed their co-brand partnership with Delta in 2014. Other recent renewals include British Airways, Starwood, Iberia, Cathay Pacific, and a new deal with Charles Schwab. For an analyst ratings summary and ratings history on American Express click here. For more ratings news on American Express click here. Shares of American Express closed at $59.43 yesterday. SunEdison (NYSE: SUNE) disclosed the following on Wednesday: Item 1.02 Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement. As previously disclosed, SunEdison, Inc., (the Company) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 20, 2015, as amended by the Amendment to the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the Amendment), dated as of December 9, 2015 (as so amended, the Merger Agreement), with Vivint Solar, Inc., a Delaware corporation (Vivint Solar), and SEV Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (Merger Sub) pursuant to which Merger Sub was to merge with and into Vivint Solar (the Merger). On March 7, 2016, the Company received a letter (the Termination Notice) from Vivint Solar notifying the Company that effective immediately Vivint Solar terminates the Merger Agreement pursuant to Sections 7.01(i) and 7.01(e) of the Merger Agreement. The Termination Notice states that Vivint Solar has the right to terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant to Section 7.01(i) because the Company did not cause the closing of the Merger to occur on February 26, 2016, and that Vivint Solar notified the Company on February 26, 2016, and again on March 1, 2016, that pursuant to Section 1.02 of the Merger Agreement, the Company was required to cause the closing of the Merger to occur on February 26, 2016. Further, the Termination Notice alleges that as a result of the Companys failure to obtain financing (whether pursuant to the commitments it had obtained previously or through alternative arrangements) and cause the closing to occur on February 26, 2016, the Company was (and continued to be) in breach of its obligations under the Merger Agreement, that the Companys representatives informed Vivint Solar that the Company would be unable to cause the closing to occur in the foreseeable future and that as a result the Companys breaches were incurable prior to March 18, 2016, which is the date on which the Merger Agreement becomes terminable by either party. Accordingly, the Termination Notice concludes, Vivint Solar also has the right to terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant to Section 7.01(e) thereof. The Termination Notice states that Vivint Solar reserves all rights under the Merger Agreement and that the Companys failure to consummate the Merger when required pursuant to the Merger Agreement constitutes a Willful Breach of the Merger Agreement (as defined therein) in respect of which Vivint Solar intends to seek all legal remedies available to it. The material terms of the original Merger Agreement and certain related agreements were summarized in the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K (the Original 8-K) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on July 22, 2015, and the original Merger Agreement and related agreements were filed as exhibits to the Original 8-K. The material terms of the Amendment and certain related agreements were summarized in the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 9, 2015 (the Amendment 8-K), and the Amendment and related agreements were filed as exhibits to the Amendment 8-K. As a result of the termination of the Merger Agreement, certain related agreements filed with the Original 8-K and the Amendment 8-K terminated pursuant to their terms, including, but not limited to, the Amended and Restated Voting Agreement, the Amended TERP Purchase Agreement, the Interim Agreement, the Term Facility Commitment Letter and the Bridge Facility Commitment Letter. Item 8.01 Other Events. On March 8, 2016, Vivint Solar filed a complaint (Vivint Solar, Inc. v. SunEdison, Inc., Case No. 12088) in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (the Court) against the Company and Merger Sub (the Complaint). The Complaint alleges (a) that the Company and Merger Sub breached the Merger Agreement by failing to perform their obligations thereunder and that such breaches constitute Willful Breaches of the Merger Agreement for which Vivint Solar may seek damages and (b) that SunEdison and Merger Sub breached the covenant of good faith and fair dealing by, among other things, delaying the securing of financing in order to delay or avoid consummation of the Merger. The Complaint requests that the Court (i) render a declaratory judgment that (A) the Merger Agreement is a valid and binding contract; (B) Vivint Solar has performed its obligations under the Merger Agreement; (C) the Company and Merger Sub have breached their obligations under the Merger Agreement; (D) the Company and Merger Sub were not excused from failing to comply with their obligations under the Merger Agreement; and (E) Vivint Solar has properly terminated the Merger Agreement; (ii) award Vivint Solar damages in an amount to be proven at trial; (iii) award Vivint Solar costs of court and reasonable attorneys fees; and (iv) award Vivint Solar such other and further relief as the Court finds equitable, appropriate and just. Prior to receiving the Termination Notice and the Complaint, the Company and Vivint Solar had commenced discussions regarding a possible negotiated termination of the Merger Agreement. Following the filing of the Complaint on March 8, 2016, the Company cannot predict whether any discussions will continue or, if they do, whether they will result in an agreement to settle the litigation or what the terms of any such agreement might be. Vivint Solar (NYSE: VSLR) announced that it commenced an action in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware suing SunEdison, Inc. (NYSE: SUNE) over its willful breach of the merger agreement between Vivint Solar and SunEdison. Among other things, Vivint Solar is seeking damages for the benefits its stockholders expected in connection with the transaction. Gregory Butterfield, President and CEO of Vivint Solar stated "SunEdison has willfully breached its obligations under the merger agreement and we intend to pursue Vivint Solar's remedies vigorously." North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a ceremony to award party and state commendations to nuclear scientists, technicians, soldier-builders, workers and officials for their contribution to what North Korea said was a successful hydrogen bomb test By Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country has miniaturized nuclear warheads to mount on ballistic missiles and ordered improvements in the power and precision of its arsenal, state media reported on Wednesday. Kim has called for his military to be prepared to mount pre-emptive attacks against the United States and South Korea and stand ready to use nuclear weapons, stepping up belligerent rhetoric after coming under new U.N. and bilateral sanctions last week for its nuclear and rocket tests. U.S. and South Korean troops began large-scale military drills this week, which the North called "nuclear war moves" and threatened to respond with an all-out offensive. Kim's comments were his first direct mention of the claim, made repeatedly in state media, to have successfully miniaturized a nuclear warhead, which has been widely questioned and never independently verified. "The nuclear warheads have been standardized to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturizing them," KCNA quoted Kim as saying as he inspected the work of nuclear scientists, adding "this can be called a true nuclear deterrent". "He stressed the importance of building ever more powerful, precision and miniaturized nuclear weapons and their delivery means," KCNA said. Responding to the KCNA report, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman, Katina Adams, repeated a call on North Korea to "refrain from provocative actions and rhetoric that aggravate tensions." Kim also inspected the nuclear warhead designed for thermo-nuclear reaction, KCNA said, referring to a miniaturized hydrogen bomb that the country said it tested on Jan. 6. Rodong Sinmun, official daily of North Korea's ruling party, carried pictures of Kim in what seemed to be a large hangar speaking to aides standing in front of a silver spherical object. They also showed a large object similar to the KN-08 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) previously put on display at military parades, with Kim holding a half-smoked cigarette in one of the images. South Korea's defense ministry said after the release of the images that it did not believe the North has successfully miniaturized a nuclear warhead or deployed a functioning ICBM. That assessment is in line with the views of South Korean and U.S. officials that the North has likely made some advances in trying to put a nuclear warhead on a missile, but that there is no proof it has mastered the technology. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking by telephone to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, described the situation on the Korean peninsula as "very tense" and called for all parties to remain calm and exercise restraint, China's foreign ministry said. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 but its claim to have set off a miniaturized hydrogen bomb has been disputed by the U.S. and South Korean governments and many experts. Following on from the U.N. sanctions, South Korea on Tuesday announced further measures aimed at isolating North Korea by blacklisting individuals and entities that it said were linked to Pyongyang's weapons program. China also stepped up pressure by barring a North Korean freighter from one of its ports. But a U.N. panel set up to monitor sanctions under an earlier Security Council resolution adopted in 2009 said in a report released on Tuesday that it had "serious questions about the efficacy of the current U.N. sanctions regime." North Korea has been "effective in evading sanctions" by continuing to engage in banned trade, "facilitated by the low level of implementation of Security Council resolutions by Member States," the Panel of Experts said. "The reasons are diverse, but include lack of political will, inadequate enabling legislation, lack of understanding of the resolutions and low prioritization," it said. (Additional reporting by Ju-min Park and James Pearson in Seoul, Jessica Macy Yu in Beijing and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Editing by Michael Perry, Nick Macfie, Grant McCool) AUSTIN, Texas, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- While many companies only send a handful of employees to Austin for SxSW Interactive, glispa is proud and excited to bring its entire international team to the conference for this year's annual company retreat. glispans from around the world represent: 40 countries 24 languages 5,000+ miles traveled 180 tickets to SxSW glispa CEO Gary Lin will also take to the stage on March 14 with the renowned and highly entertaining tech journalist Monty Munford (Forbes, The Telegraph, Mashable and more) for a panel: Never Have I Ever: Why Honesty Is The Best Business Policy. Their discussion will revolve around the important and at times controversial subject of transparency in modern business culture. "We are a fast-growing international company and would like to use SxSW as an opportunity to bring everyone together," said Gary Lin, Founder & CEO of glispa. "We communicate with each other every day across multiple time zones and digital platforms, but uniting at an iconic festival like this is extremely valuable to our culture and morale. We're excited to take full advantage of everything Austin has to offer including its famous barbeque." glispa's company-wide trip to SxSW is an opportunity to connect all its employees from their offices in Germany, Brazil, China, India, Israel and San Francisco. The retreat will not only be a special cultural experience for the majority of glispans who have never been to the U.S., but it will also serve as a networking opportunity, given the high concentration of entrepreneurs and innovators at the festival. While glispans will attend a variety of strategic meetings, team-building exercises and parties during their retreat to SxSW, there will also be ample time for employees to explore the festival for the latest tech disruptions and discover new sources of inspiration within Austin's vibrant cultural scene. With the combination of structured activities and free time, glispa is staying true to its innovative and cross-cultural roots, which have been the catalysts for much of its growth and success. glispa will also host a "Berlin Goes Texas" at the German Haus Party organized jointly by glispa and Openers, Berlin Partner, the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Technology and Research, as well as Factory Berlin. About glispa:glispa is a mobile marketing pioneer empowering our clients to activate global audiences and move markets. Providing a full suite of technology based services - gBoost, gPerform, and gNative - glispa partners with global advertisers helping them outperform user acquisition and monetization goals. glispa also provides monetization solutions working with some of the largest global publishers and app developers. glispa maintains an international reach of about one billion active mobile users monthly. Some of the world's largest mobile brands, including, Gilt, OLX, Baidu, Deezer, Kabam, Match, Zynga and Gumi use glispa's global impact and dedicated, multicultural teams to expand their business and accelerate growth around the world. Major new client wins in 2015 included Twitter, Square Enix and Lazada. Headquartered in Berlin, with offices in Beijing, Bangalore, San Francisco, Tel Aviv and Sao Paulo, glispa employs a multinational team representing 40 nationalities speaking 24 languages. To contact glispa, connect with us:http://www.glispa.com. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160308/342015 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/go-big-or-go-home-berlin-based-glispa-corrals-180-glispans-around-the-world-for-sxsw-300233059.html SOURCE glispa Contract will extend broadband connectivity across East Africa LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Intersat Ltd., a Service Provider of VSAT equipment, has signed a new contract with Avanti Communications, a leading provider of satellite data communications services in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Avantis HYLAS 2 Ka-band satellite will provide Intersat with capacity over iDirect platform, to deliver broadband services to its enterprise, government, and defence customers, as well as to GSM operators. Subrata Roy, Chief Technical Officer of Intersat Ltd., commented: Avantis flexible Ka-band satellite technology enables us to provide our customers with high speed and quality broadband which other bands may not deliver, breaking our customers communication boundaries. Matthew OConnor, Chief Operating Officer at Avanti, said: The flexibility and high quality of Avantis satellite services allow Intersat to provide affordable broadband internet to rural and underserved Africa. --ENDS-- About Avanti Communications Avanti connects people wherever they are in their homes, businesses, in government and on mobiles. Through the HYLAS satellite fleet and more than 180 partners in 118 countries, the network provides ubiquitous internet service to a quarter of the worlds population. Avanti delivers the level of quality and flexibility that the most demanding telecoms customers in the world seek. Avanti is the first mover in high throughput satellite data communications in EMEA. It has rights to orbital slots and Ka-band spectrum in perpetuity that covers an end market of over 1.7bn people. The Group has invested $1.2bn in a network that incorporates satellites, gateway earth stations, data centres and a fibre ring. Avanti has a unique Cloud based customer interface that is protected by patented technology. The Group has three satellites in orbit and a further two fully funded satellites under construction. Avanti Communications is listed in London on AIM (AVN:LSE). www.avantiplc.com About Intersat Ltd. Intersat Ltd. is a leading provider of satellite based data solutions in Africa, offering internet via satellite connectivity to government institutions and the private sector. With headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, Intersat has an established reseller and partner network in 32 African and several Asian countries. Intersat also specialises in turnkey solutions for start-up ISPs, Voice Carriers, and Financial Institutions, as well as setting up several earth stations in Africa. www.intersat.ae This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160309005532/en/ Avanti Communications Media Enquiries [email protected] 44 (0)20 7749 1600 Source: Avanti Communications BOSTON, MA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- VMTurbo, the only application performance control system for the software-defined data center, will be hosting its Second Annual Turbofest Silicon Valley, a day of cloud and virtualization thought leadership discussions. Customers, key partners and industry leaders will engage on the state of the modern data center and future trends in cloud and virtualization. Turbofest Silicon Valley takes place on Wednesday, March 9 at the AWS Loft in San Francisco. "Turbofest Silicon Valley is our first user group event of 2016, following on the success of our Octurbofest in Boston last fall," says Geeta Sachdev, CMO of VMTurbo. "Our Turbofest events have been invaluable in developing deep dialogue with customers, partners and other industry leaders around the world, and are a major force driving thought leadership and product innovation." Key business partners and customers speaking at Turbofest Silicon Valley include Nike, Silicon Valley Bank, Mary Washington Healthcare, RedHat OpenShift and Cisco. Participating industry experts will include Denise Glasscock, Principal of OpenStack Technologies at Accenture, discussing real-world OpenStack demand and migration, and Andrew Spyker, Senior Software Engineer at Netflix, presenting on the video streaming giant's success with open source. Opening and closing remarks will be led by VMTurbo CEO Ben Nye and Founder and President Shmuel Kliger. To follow along with the event, check us out on Twitter using #VMTurbofest, Facebook and LinkedIn. For more information on VMTurbo, visit vmturbo.com. About VMTurbo VMTurbo's Application Performance Control system is trusted by nearly 1300 enterprises to guarantee Quality of Service for any application while maximizing resource utilization in cloud and virtualized environments, including OpenStack. VMTurbo's patented decision-engine technology dynamically analyzes workload demand and automatically matches it to infrastructure supply, taking into consideration application priority and any business or technical constraint. The VMTurbo platform first launched in August 2010, and users today include many of the world's leading financial institutions, social and e-commerce sites, carriers and service providers. Leveraging VMTurbo, our customers, including PNC, Travelport and Thomson Reuters, assure that applications get the resources they need to operate reliably, while utilizing their most valuable infrastructure and human resources most efficiently. To learn more, visit vmturbo.com. Source: VMTurbo, Inc. - MA Chesapeake Energy Corporation's 50 acre campus is seen in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on April 17, 2012. REUTERS/Steve Sisney (Reuters) - Chesapeake Energy Corp (NYSE: CHK) is considering selling some of its assets in Oklahoma's Stack shale field, Bloomberg reported. The company has held talks with advisers and potential buyers, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. (http://bloom.bg/1W9bWec) Chesapeake was not immediately available for comment. The company said last month that it planned to sell assets worth $500 million to $1 billion this year to reduce debt. Asked if Stack shale assets were among those marked for sale, Chief Executive Doug Lawler had then said on a post-earnings call that the company did not have any current plans, but he had not ruled it out. The Stack shale assets Chesapeake is considering selling could fetch $300 million-$700 million, Bloomberg reported, citing one of the people. Chesapeake's shares were up about 7 percent at $4.61 in afternoon trading on Wednesday, mirroring a broad rally in oil and gas stocks due to higher crude prices. (Reporting by Amrutha Gayathri and Vishaka George in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirti Pandey) By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Monday praised a reformist predecessor, Mohammad Khatami, for helping reformists and moderates to triumph in February elections, defying a media ban on any mention of the ex-leader who championed detente with the West. Rouhani and his allies made big gains in Feb. 26 elections to parliament and a clerical body that will elect the next Supreme Leader, though the conservative Islamic establishment retains decisive power in the country. Like Khatami before him, Rouhani faces stiff resistance from conservative hardliners to his efforts to open up Iran to the outside world and to push for political and social reforms. Iran's media are banned from publishing the name or images of Khatami, who was president from 1997 to 2005. But Khatami, still one of Iran's most popular politicians, managed to publish a five-minute video on social media before last month's elections that are credited with swinging the balance in favor of the reformists and moderates backing Rouhani. "No one can silence those who served the nation," Rouhani told a crowd on Monday in Khatami's home city of Yazd in central Iran, referring to the former president as his "dear brother". His remarks, broadcast live on state television, drew prolonged cheers from the crowd. Iran's Interior Ministry has not yet published a final list giving the affiliation of the new lawmakers in parliament, but the results in Tehran and other major cities show the legislature will be more friendly to the pragmatist Rouhani. BAN The opposition website Kalemeh said on Saturday that security agents had not allowed Khatami to leave his house to attend the wedding of the daughter of Mir Hossein Mousavi, an opposition leader under house arrest since 2011. On Sunday, in his first news conference since the elections, Rouhani denied there were any new restrictions on Khatami. Asked about the media ban on Khatami, Rouhani said: "It's a complete lie that the National Security Council has banned the publication of anyone's photo. The National Security Council has no such directive and if anyone claims otherwise, he is breaking the law." But the spokesman for Iran's judiciary promptly reacted to Rouhani's comments and said the ban was still in place. "Khatami's media ban is a judicial order ... Whoever violates it will be prosecuted," Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency. "Rouhani is either too busy to remember the details of the case or he is joking." Under Khatami's successor as president, hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who served from 2005 to 2013, Iran's ties with the West deteriorated sharply over the country's nuclear program. Khatami endorsed Rouhani's candidacy in the 2013 election. Rouhani's government clinched the removal of international sanctions against Iran after agreeing to curb Iran's nuclear program. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin; Editing by Gareth Jones) Kingfisher Airlines Chairman Vijay Mallya speaks with the media after his meeting with Director General of Civil Aviation E.K. Bharat Bhushan in New Delhi March 20, 2012. REUTERS/Parivartan Sharma By Suchitra Mohanty NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian liquor baron Vijay Mallya, under pressure from banks to repay more than $1 billion of debt owed by his collapsed airline, left the country last week, a lawyer for the lenders told the country's top court. More than a dozen state-run banks - led by the country's largest, State Bank of India (NYSE: SBI), - had appealed to the Supreme Court asking that Mallya be stopped from leaving as they step up pressure on the one-time billionaire. On Wednesday, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, representing the banks, told the Supreme Court he had been told by police that Mallya left India on March 2, and asked the court to demand his return. Mallya's exact whereabouts are not known. The court has asked Mallya to reply to a notice issued to him within two weeks, after which it will hear the case again. Details of the notice were not made public. Mallya, an extravagant, larger-than-life personality who billed himself as the "King of Good Times", has become one of India's most famous errant borrowers, with newspapers closely following the fortunes of his yacht, jet and properties. The debt at the heart of his troubles is owed by his Kingfisher Airlines, but was personally guaranteed by Mallya. A spokesman for Mallya's UB Group did not respond to calls and email seeking comment. In a statement on Sunday, Mallya said he had no intention of running away from creditors and was in talks with them for a one-time settlement of the Kingfisher debt. Mallya was last month ousted as the chairman of top Indian spirits maker United Spirits , a unit of British spirits giant Diageo Plc (AMEX: DGE). A separate tribunal on Monday temporarily blocked a $75 million settlement Mallya is due to receive from Diageo. Kingfisher, once India's second-biggest airline, collapsed in 2013, leaving creditors, suppliers and employees unpaid. The airline owed banks 69.63 billion rupees ($1.03 billion) as of the end of January 2014. Including interest and other expenses, its liability is about 90 billion rupees ($1.34 billion), Rohatgi told the Supreme Court. ($1 = 67.2900 Indian rupees) (Writing by Devidutta Tripathy; Editing by Clara Ferreira-Marques and Mark Potter) Protesters against the Nauru detention centre hang from a bridge above a freeway in Melbourne, Australia, February 11, 2016. REUTERS/Tracey Nearmy/AAP MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said on Thursday that Australia's detention of asylum seekers on Papua territory has severely damaged the archipelago's reputation and that the camp would have to close eventually. Australia's coalition government led by the conservative Liberal Party came to power in 2013 on a campaign to "Stop the Boats", adopting tough measures as a deterrent to asylum seekers. Everyone who arrives by boat is detained and sent to the tiny island of Nauru or Papua New Guinea's Manus Island. The government also conducts tow-backs, or turning a boat back to its origin. O'Neill also said that the camp on Manus Island would have to close eventually and that the country did not have the resources to resettle detainees, but that the decision rested with Australia. Responding to a question about whether the detention facilities had hurt PNG's reputation, O'Neill said: "It has done a lot more damage for Papua New Guinea than anything else. "When we saw women and children dying at sea, we stepped up our offer to help, and that's what we have done... At some stage, of course, we need to close the center. These people cannot remain in Manus forever... But it is entirely up to the Australian government." Australia's policy to house asylum seekers offshore has attracted international criticism from human rights groups including the United Nations. While the number of asylum seekers trying to reach Australia is small compared with those arriving in Europe, border security has long been a hot political issue. Australia's High Court last month rejected a legal challenge to the country's right to deport 267 refugee children and their families brought to Australia from Nauru for medical treatment. The detention and likely deportation back to Nauru of a baby girl known as Asha, born in Australia to Nepalese parents, sparked an outpouring of support that could prove a watershed in public opinion against Australia's harsh policies. (Reporting by Melanie Burton; Editing by Nick Macfie) Buildings which were damaged during security operations and clashes between Turkish security forces and Kurdish militants are pictured in Sur district of Diyarbakir, Turkey February 29, 2016. REUTERS/Sertac Kayar DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) - Turkish security forces have concluded operations against Kurdish militants in the Sur district of southeast Turkey's largest city, Diyarbakir, security sources said on Wednesday, after months of conflict which have devastated much of the area. Sur, encircled by UNESCO-listed Roman-era walls, has been one of the places worst hit by fighting between security forces and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) since its two-year-old ceasefire collapsed last July, shattering a peace process. According to the armed forces, 271 militants have been killed in fighting in Sur, where a round-the-clock curfew was declared on Dec. 2 ahead of operations to remove ditches and barricades set up by the PKK in residential areas. Military operations have also recently wound up in other parts of the mainly Kurdish southeast, most recently in the town of Idil, near the Syrian border. The military said on Wednesday 120 PKK fighters were killed in three weeks of fighting there. In the town of Yuksekova near the Iranian border, militants opened fire on security forces removing barricades and ditches on Wednesday, the local governor's office said. It said the shooting had left one civilian dead and another wounded. More than 40,000 people have been killed since the PKK launched its insurgency in 1984. The group, which says it is fighting for Kurdish autonomy, is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and European Union. (Reporting by Seyhmus Cakan; Writing by Daren Butler; editing by David Dolan and Gareth Jones) DUSHANBE (Reuters) - Tajik border guards have been engaged in a firefight with a small group of militants trying to enter the country from Afghanistan, the authorities said on Monday, with losses on both sides. Nine armed militants tried to cross the border near the Panj border post on Saturday, the State Security Committee said in a statement, but were noticed by Tajik servicemen who killed one intruder in an ensuing gunfight. One Tajik border guard has also died from heavy wounds and others were still chasing the remaining militants on Monday. The committee described the militants as a terrorist group, making the incident distinct from regular clashes with drug smugglers on the same border. Tajik security services said in January that as many as 5,000 militants from Taliban and other Islamist groups had amassed near its 1,344 km (835 mile) border with Afghanistan. Russia has a military base in the former Soviet republic, which has a population of 9 million. But it pulled some of its troops away from the border to capital Dushanbe last December and said last month it would downsize the base. (Reporting by Nazarali Pirnazarov Editing by Jeremy Gaunt; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov) By Hugh Bronstein BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - A Uruguayan businessman was stabbed to death in the city of Paysandu near the Argentine border late on Tuesday, an attack characterized as anti-Semitic by the country's main Jewish organization. David Fremd, 54, died from his wounds. An unidentified man was arrested and remained in custody on Wednesday. The head of the Central Israelite Committee of Uruguay (CCIU), which is the country's Jewish umbrella group, told Reuters that the attacker admitted to police that the knifing was motivated by religion. "The information I have is that the attacker told the police that he had converted to Islam and that Allah had asked him to kill a Jew," CCIU chief Sergio Gorzy said. He could not confirm witness accounts carried in the media that the suspect yelled "Allahu Akbar," or "God is Greatest," before the knifing. The CCIU issued a statement condemning the attack and asking the interior ministry to investigate. "The characteristics of the homicide lead us to presume this was an antisemitic attack," the statement said. The suspect appeared to have been acting on his own when he stabbed Fremd, who served as a director of Paysandu Jewish Community, the statement said. Stabbings have been on the rise in Israel, where violence has surged during a visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian who tried to stab them on Wednesday, the military said. The attacks came a day after an American tourist was killed in Tel Aviv by a Palestinian who went on a stabbing spree while Biden held meetings just blocks away. (Reporting by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Alistair Bell) *** Kirby Corporation ("Kirby") (NYSE: KEX) announced the signing of an agreement to purchase the inland tank barge fleet of SEACOR Holdings Inc. ("Seacor") from subsidiaries of Seacor for approximately $88 million in cash. The asset purchase will consist of 27 inland 30,000 barrel tank barges and 13 inland towboats, plus one 30,000 barrel tank barge and one towboat currently under construction. Also, as part of the agreement, Kirby will transfer to Seacor the ownership of one Florida-based ship docking tugboat. Seacor, through its subsidiary SCF Waxler Marine LLC, transports refined petroleum products, petrochemicals and black oil on the Mississippi River System and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The closing of the asset purchase is expected to occur early in the second quarter of 2016 and is subject to certain customary conditions, including regulatory approvals. The acquisition is expected to be paid for using funds available under Kirby's revolving credit facility. David Grzebinski, Kirby's President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The purchase of the Seacor inland tank barge and towboat fleet further expands our inland marine fleet with well-maintained and recently constructed vessels. Operating primarily in the refined products trade, these assets will be complementary to our existing fleet and will allow us to continue to enhance customer service." *** Genesis HealthCare (NYSE: GEN) announced that it has signed an agreement with Compassus, a nationwide network of community-based hospice and palliative care programs, to sell the majority of Genesis' home health and hospice operations for $84 million. The transaction is expected to close within the next 90 days, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Genesis' home health and hospice operations, which were acquired via its February 2015 combination with Skilled Healthcare, are located in California, Idaho, Montana, and New Mexico. In 2015, Genesis' home health and hospice businesses had aggregate revenue and EBITDA totaling approximately $70 million and $9 million, respectively. Any remaining hospice operations in Arizona and Nevada will be closed. "Home health and hospice services are non-strategic businesses for Genesis to operate at this time, and we believe we can better allocate the capital by de-levering our balance sheet," stated George V. Hager, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Genesis. "We are pleased that our home health and hospice businesses will join a respected, quality provider like Compassus." Genesis continues to look strategically to monetize other non-strategic assets, that including the home health and hospice businesses, are expected to generate $100 million to $150 million of after tax cash proceeds. Genesis intends to use the sale proceeds to repay indebtedness. "We are excited to welcome Genesis' home health and hospice businesses to the Compassus family as we share very similar missions and values," said James Deal, Compassus CEO. "As Compassus continues to grow, this further strengthens our ability and desire to provide greater access to a continuum of high-quality post-acute care, including hospice, palliative, and home health care services to even more patients, families and the health care professionals who serve them." *** iMeigu Capital Management Ltd. ("iMeigu") , announces that has submitted a preliminary non-binding proposal ("Proposal") to acquire all of the outstanding Class A common shares ("Class A Shares"), Class B common Shares ("Class B Shares", together with Class A Shares, the "Shares") and American depositary shares ("ADSs", each representing five Class A Share) of E-Commerce China Dangdang Inc (NYSE: DANG, the"Company") in an all-cash transaction for US$8.8 per ADS or US$1.76 per Share. Under the Proposal, iMeigu will acquire all the outstanding Shares and ADSs of the Company in cash for US$8.8 per ADS or US$1.76 per Share (the "Transaction"). It represents a highly attractive premium of approximately 12.6% to the previous preliminary non-binding proposal from Ms. Peggy Yu Yu, Chairwoman of the Board, and Mr. Guoqing Li, director and Chief Executive Officer of the Company (together, the " Insider Buyer ") dated July 9, 2015, to acquire all of the outstanding ordinary shares of the Company not already beneficially owned by the Insider Buyer for $7.812 in cash per ADS. iMeigu will form an acquisition company for the purpose of implementing the Transaction and fund it from its shareholders, investors, partners and banks. Further more, iMeigu has engaged O'Melveny & Myers LLP as its international legal counsel and East & Concord Partners as its PRC legal counsel. As iMeigu has previously stated, the Proposal does, and the Transaction will, provide superior value to the Company's shareholders as compared with the Insider Buyer's proposal. iMeigu recognize that the Company's Board of Directors has formed a special committee to evaluate the Insider Buyer's proposal and iMeigu is positioned to negotiate and complete the acquisition in a timely manner. While iMeigu is fully prepared to pursue the Transaction upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, iMeigu is open-minded and flexible with respect to the potential structure of the Transaction to expedite the process of delivering value to the Company's shareholders, including working with other parties, such as Ms. Peggy Yu Yu and Mr. Guoqing Li, through forming a buyer group with them to implement a "going-private" transaction. The Proposal is Non-binding and subject to further negotiation of definitive agreements and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. This letter is governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of Cayman Islands. To keep up on all the Mergers & Acquisitions data in real-time, go to our M&A Insider page. Property magnates the Chow brothers have bought the troubled Stonewood Homes, offering a "significantly better" deal than their rivals. The company, New Zealand's third-largest home builder, was placed in receivership on February 22, with 110 uncompleted homes and debts to unsecured creditors of around $15 million. KordaMentha receivers Grant Graham and Neale Jackson confirmed the sale on Wednesday to Inno Capital, a company owned by the Michael and John Chow and finance specialist Clint Webber. GEORGE HEARD/FAIRFAX NZ Stonewood Homes was placed in receivership in February, with 100 unfinished homes. It comes as the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) files liquidation proceedings against Stonewood, in a move that is expected to put the companies' management under the microscope. READ MORE: * Stonewood Homes franchisor, Stonewood Christchurch in receivership * Stonewood Homes in 'final stages' of reinvestment * Rebuild chief Warwick Isaacs quits for Stonewood Homes role * Stonewood hires heavy hitters * Stonewood doubles warranty for homes * Chow brothers move Auckland property into NZAX-listed shell company RIS Group * Property magnates Michael and John Chow launch property finance company * Sex barons the Chow brothers launch no-win, no-fee litigation business The Chow brothers, whose assets include commercial property, hotels and strip clubs, said the deal covered both the national franchise rights and the Christchurch franchisee. IAIN MCGREGOR/FAIRFAX NZ Garrit Van T Veen's scaffold company is owed $138,000 by Stonewood Homes. They came out on top after three other parties put in offers. "Stonewood complements our office, retail, accommodation, and car park property portfolio," John Chow said in a statement in Christchurch on Wednesday. "This purchase signals our clear intention to repair recent damage to the brand and to re-establish the Stonewood brand nationally on a very firm footing." Shortly after the company was placed in receivership, 41 of its 85 staff were laid off. Last Thursday, the Chow brothers and Webber met the 44 remaining employees of the company and offered them "new contracts on similar terms", they said in a statement. NOW WHAT FOR AFFECTED CUSTOMERS? The sale takes the 110 affected Stonewood customers a step closer to a solution, but gives no certainty over when their homes will be completed. Some have already braced themselves for months of delays, and have concerns their unfinished homes may be vandalised or stripped bare by angry sub-contractors. In some cases, where minor finishing work was required, homes were handed over to owners, the receivers said in a letter to customers on Friday. "Inno Capital is working case-by-case and I would expect them to complete the lion's share of the contracts," Graham said. Under the terms of the sale, Graham said Inno Capital had the right to take over all remaining contracts. Graham said if the new owners refused to take over a build contract, they would work with the Registered Master Builders Association to ensure the Master Build Guarantee was honoured. Webber, of Inno Capital, said the next step would be to engage with customers of uncompleted homes. "It's vital we provide certainty for customers who have been affected. We have a management team of 11 here in Christchurch to seal the deal but we ask for tolerance from affected parties," he said. Michael Chow said they all understood the stress it would cause families and the elderly, so "we will be prioritising to individual needs". "We also need to talk with Master Build to ensure build guarantees are honoured, and engage with local district councils to ensure building consent processes run smoothly." THE 'PROMPT' SALE Graham said four parties offered to buy parts or the entire business during the sale period. Although he could no disclose the sale sum, Graham said they extracted a "significantly better" price from Inno Capital compared with other offers. Now, the receivers would work through what they believed each creditor was owed. "Our obligation [now] as receivers is to work out what we believe each creditor, or category of creditors, is entitled to receive. That process starts now but it will take time as there are a variety of complex claims." Inno Capital was also expected to retain the current workforce, which had already been cut in half to 44. "A lot of the interest wasn't going to preserve jobs, but hat's a very good by-product of this." After more than a fortnight of uncertainty, the "prompt sale" was the best possible outcome in the circumstances, Graham said. "The successful completion of this sale will provide much-needed certainty regarding the individual status of each build and confirm the way forward for all affected parties, including staff," Graham said. IRD SEEKS STONEWOOD LIQUIDATION Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Inland Revenue has filed liquidation proceedings against Stonewood Homes New Zealand Ltd and Stonewood Homes Ltd, the High Court in Christchurch confirmed. The proceedings were filed on last Thursday. Although it is yet to be advertised, it is understood the hearing will take place on April 21. An IRD spokesman said he was unable to comment due to taxpayer secrecy provisions under the Tax Administration Act. Graham said the proceedings would not affect the receivership and sale of the company. He said the receivers, appointed by secured creditor ASB Bank, had a duty to act in the interests of affected creditors, while liquidators had stronger powers to look at where the company went wrong. "A liquidator, conversely, has a more backward looking role. While they would deal with any assets still to be recognised, in this instance they would look at why the company had failed and the actions of the directors and any voidable transactions that may have occurred." Wellington ratepayers now own the Zealandia visitor centre after councillors approved a deal that allows the Karori sanctuary to repay a $10.3 million loan from ratepayers. The Zealandia wildlife sanctuary has had a major financial weight lifted from around its neck. Wellington City Council has agreed to buy the visitor centre, which cost $16 million to build, and Zealandia will use the proceeds to pay off a $10.3m loan from ratepayers. Councillors voted unanimously to approve the deal on Wednesday, which will require public consultation because it involves transforming the Karori sanctuary from an independent entity into a council-controlled organisation. The 225-hectare sanctuary enjoyed its busiest months on record in December and January, and is on pace to crack the 110,000 visitor mark this year. It is also forecasting an operating surplus of about $300,000 for the year to June its best financial result. But it has struggled to get to that point, and six years after building the visitor centre, the Karori Sanctuary Trust accepts it cannot cover the cost of depreciation on the building or ever pay back the $10.3m interest-free loan that helped fund it. READ MORE: * Zealandia's performance improves ahead of council vote on loan forgiveness * Wellington's rates and debt set to increase as city council eyes big projects * Zealandia gives up on repaying $10m loan from ratepayers Under the new arrangement, Zealandia would continue to pay maintenance on the centre, while its annual grant of $875,000 would be cut by the cost it will take for the council to insure the building. Councillor Iona Pannett said Zealandia had been a success story for Wellington, but such a large visitor centre was not needed and she hoped councillors would learn a lesson from this deal. "At the time we approved the money, Zealandia was in trouble. I distinctly remember feeling like I had a gun to my head. It was not a good decision," she said. "There was probably never any real intention that the money would come back." Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown said that while the size of the centre was questionable, there was no question that Zealandia needed some sort of a visitor centre to become a proper attraction. Most councillors agreed the sanctuary was a great asset for Wellington, particularly in terms of increasing the number of birds in people's backyards, but that lessons needed to be learned from the experience of Zealandia. The transaction will be largely cost-neutral, but it will require the council to find an extra $260,000 in rates each year to fund the centre's depreciation. Trust chairwoman Denise Church said the deal would give the sanctuary confidence it could fund the depreciation on its assets and be sustainable entity from now on. "For now, we feel like we're in a very good place." HOW DID WE GET TO THIS POINT? 2010: The new $16 million visitor centre opens, funded by a $6.5 million grant from the Department of Internal Affairs and a $10 million interest-free loan from Wellington City Council. It is expected to become self-sustaining within two years. The council also gives a $700,000 grant. Projected visitor numbers are 144,000, but actual visitor numbers are only 89,627. 2011: The 172,000 visitor target is again missed, instead nearly hitting 88,000. The sanctuary warns it will use its $1.7m cash reserves within the next few years. The council grant is dropped to $40,000. 2012: Seeks an extra $2.1m over three years from the council. An "enhanced partnership" with the council begins and a new board is appointed. The council agrees to an extra $350,000 funding and $700,000 for the following two years - a $1.75m total over three years. 2013: Zealandia asks for an extra $350,000, which the council approves over two years. It also publicly accepts its projected visitor numbers were overly optimistic and drops its entry fees to boost numbers. 2015: Proposes to sell the visitor centre to the council for $10m, accepting it will never be able to repay the loan. A man has been arrested after allegedly approaching two girls on their way to school, and grabbing one of them. Police have arrested a man after a schoolgirl reported being grabbed on the way to school. Two girls were approached and one of them grabbed by a man on the way to school in Lower Hutt on Monday. The Hutt Intermediate students were walking to school along Trafalgar St in Waterloo when a man grabbed one of the girls by the arm and told her to go with him. Detective Senior Sergeant Glenn Barnett said a 52-year-old man had been arrested in relation to the incident. He said police had a "strong indication" of who the suspect was early on in their inquiry. The man was described as Maori, in his 30s, wearing a light coloured T-shirt and a bum-bag around his waist. He was also smoking. "While we cannot go into details, we are confident that there is no on-going risk to children in the area in relation to this incident." The man has been charged with assaulting a child and will appear in the Hutt Valley District Court next week. He has been bailed to a private address until then. Former local Ivan and wife Beth Hodge have set off on one last tour with their beloved love bug Beetle before retiring it to Auckland's MOTAT. They will be town tomorrow morning from 10am at the i-Site Centre. After taking their beloved Volkswagen Beetle on a world tour, a former Taumarunui man and his wife are on one last journey with one last stop in the old home town. Kiwi adventurers, Ivan and Beth Hodge, have set off on a final expedition around New Zealand in their iconic Beetle before donating the 'love bug' to Auckland's Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT). They will be stopping in Taumarunui at about 10am tomorrow morning at the iSite Centre. The Hodges, now in their 80s, will be sharing insights and tales of their epic adventures and visiting places of personal significance on their 'Bye Bye Beetle' tour around the country. Taumarunui and Marton have strong meaning to the couple because Ivan grew up in the area with his local policeman father, Reece Hodge. His mother hailed from Marton. In 1961 the Hodges bought a new Volkswagen Beetle for 439. With their possessions strapped to the roof racks, they set off into the unknown: across Europe, through communist countries, the Middle East and into the Asian subcontinent. 35 years later, they dusted off the Beetle to retrace their steps and relive the memories on their 'second honeymoon'. They documented their travels in what is now a celebrated chronicle, For Love and a Beetle. Now, married for 57 years, they are embarking on their final journey in the Beetle, this time around New Zealand. "To take the Beetle on the last drive is incredibly emotional because it has been such a big part of our life," Ivan said. "From within a year of our marriage, with so many highlights and exciting things we've done along the way and now we have come to our last ever drive, which is very important to us. "We are sharing the happiness and the New Zealand story with as many people as we can." The Taumarunui community can meet Ivan and Beth at the i-Site Thursday March 10 to have a cup of tea, biscuits, and a chat. For more information on where the couple is going on their tour visit volkswagen.co.nz/news/bye-bye-beetle Salvation Army's David Hope in one of the rooms available at the Emergency Accommodation service recently launched from the former Men's Hostel site. Emergency accommodation is finally on offer in Invercargill - but those who need it most must be willing to help themselves. That's the message from the Invercargill Salvation Army, which tentatively reopened the doors to the former Leven St men's hostel about six weeks ago. As a result of a partnership between the Salvation Army and the Southland Breathing Space Trust, two rooms have been made available at the former hostel. Robyn Edie/FAIRFAXNZ Invercargill Salvation Army Community Ministries Accommodation Services Coordinator David Hope, left, and Corps Officer Captain Perry Bray, in one of the rooms available at the Emergency Accommodation service recently launched from the former Men's Hostel site. But the people in charge are warning that the new service is not a shelter, and is a far cry from the hostel for which the building was once used. READ MORE: * Homeless shelter to open in Invercargill * Homeless shelter may occupy hostel site * Invercargill hostel to close Community Ministries accommodation services co-ordinator David Hope said the new emergency accommodation service was on offer for those in need, but who were wanting to help themselves as well. "We're here to help them find longer-term accommodation, the choices are theirs. We're not going to do it all for them," Hope said. It was hoped that the longest stay of anyone using the service would be between three and five months. A family had stayed for a week until long-term accommodation could be found, he said. Since January, Hope had received 25 expressions of interest in the service. He had helped two of the families into long-term accommodation, he said. Invercargill Salvation Army Corps Officer Captain Perry Bray said there was criteria that applicants needed to meet, and vetting interviews were carried out before the person or family was able to access the service. "If a drunk turns up here at 9 o'clock at night, absolutely sloshed, we're not going to be able to help him. We're just not equipped for that." Hope said the service was not open for just anybody and everybody. "We're not a motel and we're not a camping ground for transients." Bray said one of the best ways to describe the emergency accommodation service was as navigation service. "We help point them in the right direction." Hope said often all that people needed was to be encouraged to tell their whole story, and help to bring all the agencies together which might help them. While the service could be used by almost anyone, Hope said it was unlikely it would be used by people who were in a repetitive cycle of homelessness. "The most people that are going to use this service are not the ones walking around Queens Park. The most people I've seen in the past month are people who are couch surfing or living in cars." Bray said homelessness was "a big beast" and could be defined as someone who was always sleeping on couches at a friend's house, or even those who are living in "dilapidated" houses which were run down or dirty. "You are always going to have people that are going to be on the street. Hopefully this [service will be] filling a gap." Hope said other organisations "do bits" but didn't always look at the bigger picture. He had worked with Work and Income, Housing New Zealand, and even GPs to help bring the organisations together on behalf of someone in need of the service, he said. Bray said those most likely to use the service were those with extenuating circumstances when "life hit". He gave a hypothetical example of a Prime Range Meats worker who may have missed out on three weeks of pay, couldn't pay rent, and was evicted with their family. "They often don't have that rainy day fund ... not to mention to get into a new property you have to stump up with bond." Those were the kinds of people the service would be most likely to help, Bray said. "It's becoming more and more apparent that the 'working poor' is a grey area that is getting bigger and bigger," he said. The mother of a girl who was a victim of paedophile Robert Selwyn Burrett speaks about the impact his offending has had. Her voice has been digitally altered to protect the family's identity. A schoolgirl who was sexually abused by child rapist Robert Selwyn Burrett tried to avoid him but was told to "stop being silly" by teachers, her mother says. The 11-year-old girl, who has permanent name suppression, was indecently assaulted by Burrett in a boiler room at a Christchurch school. She didn't tell anyone because he'd told her not to share their "little secret" and feared he would kill her if she did, the girl's mother Jane* said on Tuesday. "I think he [Burrett] is a dirty old bastard and he needs to be punished. I don't think behind bars is enough...I'd like him to be tortured." Do you have more information about Burrett and his offending? Contact blair.ensor@fairfaxmedia.co.nz READ MORE * Serial child sex offender Robert Selwyn Burrett should 'never get out of jail' * Parents want investigation into teacher Robert Selwyn Burrett's past * Christchurch caretaker raped, violated schoolgirls in underground shed Burrett, 64, has been labelled one of the country's worst sex offenders. Last month he admitted 21 charges, including the rape, sodomy, forced oral sex and indecent assault of a dozen girls, aged five to 12. Some of them were disabled and one was wheelchair bound. Burrett installed a lock and curtains in a caretaker shed at the school to hide his offending, which took place over a two-year period. SUPPLIED Robert Burrett, pictured in the 1980s, began teaching more than three decades ago. One of the disabled children blew the whistle on his predatory behaviour in March last year. Burrett, who was born in Auckland, worked in the education sector for more than three decades and held several senior positions, including principal, at schools in the North Island. He was reportedly forced out of two schools Lake Rotoma School in Rotorua and Pukenui School in Te Kuiti for alcohol abuse, incompetence and inappropriate behaviour with students. IAIN MCGREGOR/FAIRFAX NZ A Christchurch mother is angry Robert Burrett was able to abuse her daughter. Burrett was employed as a casual relief teacher at the Christchurch school, which cannot be named for legal reasons, in 2012 and became its caretaker a year later. He also drove a taxi-bus for disabled children and delivered them to different schools, despite having two drink driving convictions. Victims' families are furious Burrett was able to have contact with children in Christchurch given the previous issues in the North Island. It remains unclear what information various agencies held on Burrett and how it was shared with his employers. The Ministry of Education initially stated it had no record of complaints about Burrett but has since acknowledged there were some issues relating to his behaviour on file. Jane said her daughter mentioned Burrett had given her lollies to do odd jobs for him before his offending came to light. "She just talked about the boiler room a lot. "She said that he [Burrett] touched [her] bottom all the time, but she didn't say much about it. She didn't say she was scared or anything at the time so I just let it go. I wish I had have gone in there and said something." However, Burrett had seemed like "a really nice old man", she said. "It was just really hard to believe." Jane said her daughter recently revealed an incident where Burrett asked her and a classmate to go and "do some stuff with him". "She said to one of the teachers that she was scared, she didn't want to go and they just turned around and said to her, 'What are you being silly for? Don't be silly' and she just off and went with him." That day Burrett tried to put his hand down the girl's pants. "I'm hoping that's the furthest that he got," Jane said. She was angry the abuse had been allowed to continue for so long. The school should have done more to protect her daughter. "He's a monster to the kids. "When we drop our kids off at school we expect they are going to be safe in there...and they're not. I don't even know if they're safe right now." Jane said she was considering removing her children from the school. The school's board chairman declined to comment. Burrett, who has been struck off the teaching register, is scheduled for sentencing at the High Court in Christchurch on April 12. *Jane is not the woman's real name. Warkworth Radio Astronomy Observatory director Professor Sergei Gulyaev and US ambassador Mark Gilbert high up on the 30 metre radio telescope dish at Warkworth. From spacecraft tracking and proving the Big Bang theory, the current US political system and where it may be heading, to keeping track of commercial fish stocks and marine conservation. It would be hard to come up with a more diverse range of topics than those covered by US ambassador Mark Gilbert during a jam packed day around Warkworth and Leigh on March 3. Climbing the infrastructure of the massive 30 metre radio telescope dish at AUT University's Warkworth Radio Astronomical Observatory was first on the list. Delwyn Dickey/Fairfax NZ US ambassador Mark Gilbert gets a massive selfie with Mahurangi College students. Observatory director Professor Sergei Gulyaev and deputy director Tim Natusch gave a rundown on how radio telescopes operate, and how research broadband network the REANNZ handles the massive amounts of data they generate. The observatory holds a contract with US company SpaceX to track spacecraft carrying supplies to and from the International Space Station (ISS). There are much fewer radio telescope sites in the southern hemisphere, with the Warkworth Observatory the last in the Pacific before Mauna Kea Observatories several thousand kilometres away on Hawaii. Delwyn Dickey/Fairfax NZ. Leigh Marine Laboratory director Professor Simon Thrush and US ambassador Mark Gilbert talk snapper size and commercial fishing. "There's very little tracking in the southern hemisphere. So for what they are trying to accomplish its important they have high quality radio telescopes here that they can get very good quality data from," Gilbert says. US government agency the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (Nasa) Commercial Crew Development programme has seen SpaceX, along with Boeing, given the go ahead to develop craft to carry US astronauts to the ISS by next year. There have been concerns funding issues for the programme could see Nasa continuing to rely on Russia to transport astronauts past 2017. While its position makes it likely Warkworth would be used regardless of which company gets the final go ahead, their commercial tracking efforts may not increase unless they can pick up the crewed flights. Funding comes from both private and public funds, Gilbert says. He is upbeat the programme will stay on schedule. "There is already a strong collaboration between Nasa and the New Zealand Government and this is only likely to get closer in the future," Gilbert says Nasa is set to release a second super pressure balloon from Wanaka Airport in April. The last balloon which travels high in the stratosphere cost $160 million. Once launched, the balloon will maintain a height of 33.5km and head east carrying tracking, communications and scientific instruments. It is expected to circumnavigate the globe once every one to three weeks. Auckland based Rocket Lab signed an agreement with Nasa last year to use its people, facilities and equipment, including at Cape Canaveral in Florida, for rocket launch and re-entry efforts with its experimental Electron rocket. Gilbert had completed the Tongiriro Crossing the previous day and admitted to being a bit stiff when he spoke to year 12 and 13 students at Mahurangi College on his next stop. The crossing through our first national park was to commemorate the anniversary of the Yellowstone National Park in the US, the world's first national park, Gilbert says. After explaining the US political system, Gilbert commented on the importance for a president of appointing Supreme Court judges. As life appointments they had long-term influence on US laws. This follows the recent death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, and President Obama's rejection for calls from the right to wait until after the upcoming elections to appoint another. Obama is rumoured tp be visiting New Zealand soon. Student questions focused on the current US election, including the rise of Donald Trump. Gilbert referred to China's President Xi and President Obama re-affirming the dangers of climate change last year and as the two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, and the critical role the two countries have in addressing it. He then referred to the historic United Nations climate change talks in Paris in December where 195 countries, including the US and China, agreed to cut carbon pollution to try and keep temperature rise below 2 degrees. This kind of diplomacy required politicians in the White House who could influence other world leaders, not antagonise them, Gilbert says. US politics has become more partisan in recent years and this polarisation is creating difficulties, he says. Gilbert then speculated on possible changes that might see the creation of a three party system rather than the left-wing Democrats and right-wing Republicans. While the connection to world first natural heritage sites may have been unintentional, the Leigh Marine Laboratory with its glorious views over the Goat Island Marine Reserve was the next stop on his trip, including a tour of the Goat Island Marine Discovery Centre. The marine reserve established in the 1970s was the first marine reserve in the country and likely the first in the world. University of Auckland marine sciences director Professor Simon Thrush discussed the importance of marine research, not just for commercial fishing stocks but also for marine conservation, and the need for more funding. A New Plymouth woman was freed from prison on Thursday after a successful appeal against her prison sentence which was handed down in the New Plymouth District Court last year. A Taranaki woman has been freed from prison after being acquitted of 16 tax charges following a successful appeal. On Thursday, the Court of Appeal quashed all of Fenglan Liu's convictions of aiding her husband Jianbin Wang to commit a $1.184 million tax fraud. No retrial has been ordered. Last November, Liu was jailed for two years and three months after she was found guilty by Judge Allan Roberts following a long-running trial. An appeal was lodged immediately after sentence and was heard by Justices Ellis, France and Stevens on February 18. READ MORE: * Judge delivers verdict in long-running Taranaki tax trial * Million-dollar tax fraud lands Taranaki couple behind bars Last year, Wang pleaded guilty to 57 charges connected to avoiding payment of personal income tax as well GST and PAYE obligations connected to his former company Top International Trading Ltd. The company previously operated Best for Less stores in Whanganui, New Plymouth and Waitara. While Liu was responsible for the day to day running of the Waitara store, the Court of Appeal judgment found there was little evidence to show she had any role with the company or contact with its accountant. The 26-page decision said the evidence prosecuting agency, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), relied on and Roberts' subsequent findings, did not put meet the burden of proof required to prove Liu's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The judgment said the evidence provided at Liu's trial was not enough to show she had in-depth knowledge of the business dealings which related to Wang or Top International Trading Ltd or that she had any intent to help her husband avoid his tax obligations. Despite evidence given at the trial about Liu's "suspicious" behaviour, especially at the time the IRD searched the family home in February 2013, the Court of Appeal ruled it was incorrect to use that as evidence of her direct involvement in the tax evasion. Another important aspect of the case which was overlooked according to the appeal court was Liu's inability to speak or read English. At the trial, evidence was given by Liu's son that she could only speak simple words, However, no finding was made by Roberts on the issue of whether Liu could read or write English nor how this issue might have affected her ability to read correspondence related to the business or the couple's finances. Susan Hughes QC, who represented Liu at the Court of Appeal hearing, said the ruling reflected the lack of evidence the IRD had against the 41-year-old. "I'm very pleased that a woman who should not have been in prison has now been released," Hughes said. She believed the IRD had not been fair in its prosecution of the mother-of-two, a view which found support from the appellate judges, who said they were "by no means confident" about how the case had been managed. The IRD declined to comment on the ruling. Liu's trial lawyer Jo Woodcock said her client's imprisonment had sent "shockwaves" through the family but her children were "very excited" about the appeal outcome. Wang, 47, also appealed against his jail term of three years and nine months but this was dismissed by the Court of Appeal judges. In the ruling, the sentence imposed by Roberts on Wang was described as "lenient" and that a longer prison term could have been justified. Waimate centurion Hilda Davis, her son Laurence, and his wife Ruth have opted for cardboard coffins to keep the cost of their funerals down. More than $9 million was paid to grieving families to help them pay for funerals in New Zealand last year. The cost of funerals in New Zealand became a talking point this week, after news that the parents of Pleasant Point toddler Felyx Hatherley were trying to sell their car to help cover the costs of burying their son. A fundraising page was quickly set up to help Felyx's parents pay for the funeral. Some social media users claimed they had to forego funerals for their loved ones because they could not afford to have one. While funeral costs could mount quickly, a Timaru funeral director said funeral companies would do their best to help families to keep costs down if they were struggling. Betts Funeral Services manager Julian Donaldson said the cost of funerals could range "hugely", depending on what extras the family wanted. When it came to funerals for children, the company only charged enough to cover their costs, he said. "It's a horrible circumstance. "We try and be honest and up front, and if they're honest with us we try and help them." He came across families who were struggling to cope with the costs "every now and then", but it was not a major problem, he said. There were also grants available from government departments that could be put towards funeral costs. An ACC spokeswoman said a funeral grant of up to $6021.11 was available, which could be used for burial, cremation, and related ceremonies. The funeral did not need to be in New Zealand, she said. "This grant can also be used to contribute towards the cost of transporting bodies back to their homelands, or for memorial costs if a body is not recovered." A funeral grant of up to $2008.76 was also available through Work and Income, depending on the financial circumstances of those involved. A Ministry of Social Development spokesman said 4918 grants were paid in the year ending June 30, 2015, totalling $9,095,500. Some South Cantabrians had taken to slightly unusual methods to keep the costs of their funerals down. Waimate centurion Hilda Davis, her son Laurence, and his wife Ruth had all purchased cardboard coffins. Davis said she would prefer the money saved on funerals to go to her children, rather than below the ground, so the family collected modest cardboard caskets at a cost of $300. The rules regarding funerals and burials could be set to change, after the Law Commission released a report in October that found the Burial and Cremation Act 1964 should be ditched for new statutes. The review, requested by the Government in 2010, focused on four areas: death certification, cemeteries and crematoria, the funeral sector and burial decisions. It found the act had "not aged well". Some issues included grappling with changing concepts of when someone was legally dead, outmoded systems for recording deaths, changed ways of dealing with bodies, increased demand for alternatives to traditional funerals, problems with burial grounds, and rightful claims by Maori and other ethnicities to have cultural and spiritual concerns considered. The popularity of destinations such as Queenstown helped push up New Zealand's average hotel room rate in 2015 to $173 per night. The average price paid for a New Zealand hotel room rose 6 per cent in 2015, putting it near the top of a global survey covering 89 countries. Hotels.com's latest hotel price index shows the average nightly rate for hotel rooms increased for 80 per cent of New Zealand destinations. Nationally the average hotel room price for 2015 was $173, up $10 on the previous year. Katherine Cole, regional director of hotels.com for Australia, New Zealand and Singapore said the tourism boom was undoubtedly a major contributing factor in pushing up average room rates. ATHIT PERAWONGMETHA Bangkok offered Kiwis the best value for money hotel rooms according to the latest hotel price index. Most of New Zealand's more than 3,100 hotels were represented on the hotel.com booking website and the index tracked prices in major destinations world wide, she said. Cole initially told Stuff that New Zealand topped the global index with its rise in average hotel room rates, but hotels.com spokeswoman Freya Munro-Goodey later revised that statement. She said New Zealand was second in the Asia Pacific behind Japan, which had a 12 per cent rise, but ahead of Britain, the United States and Canada. READ MORE: * 16 of the best new hotels opening in 2016 * International hotelier Choice Hotels predicts bumper year across New Zealand portfolio * Hotel project to replace luxury apartment scheme * Hotel staff shortages spell trouble for tourism * Five-year high hotel occupancy rates expected to attract international investors * Auckland hotel rates will continue to rise, Hospitality Association says * $200m hotel set for Auckland waterfront * Booking takeover may lift hotel rates Cole said Auckland recorded the biggest increase (12 per cent to $175) nationally. Queenstown and Palmerston North were just one percentage point behind with room rates of ($235) and ($133) respectively. "It's definitely a matter of supply and demand. We don't have very much supply in Palmerston North, so any additional business into the region will obviously end up in a bigger spike than in a larger city," she said. Tourism New Zealand has made a concerted effort to get international visitors to venture off the beaten track and out into the regions. Cole said that was not yet reflected in the hotel index statistics which showed a slight drop in average room rates in Christchurch, Dunedin, Napier and Nelson. "Our data is showing that customers are travelling to the more popular destinations where we are seeing the price increases, such as Auckland." With 15 new hotels scheduled to open around the country over the next couple of years, Cole said the increase in rooms could see prices ease. The value of the New Zealand dollar against the US dollar had hit Kiwi travellers in the pocket. In 2015 New York, Honolulu and San Francisco headed the top 10 most expensive overseas destinations, with a night in the Big Apple costing New Zealanders $341 per night. London, Los Angeles, Nadi, Dubai, Rarotonga, Sydney and Singapore also featured in the top 10. Paris prices showed the biggest fall for the second year in a row to $218 per night, but Cole said Europe continued to be an expensive holiday choice for New Zealanders, which explained why so many were opting for Asia instead. According to the 2015 hotel index, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia were the best value international destinations for Kiwi travellers. Even though prices rose 13 per cent in Bangkok, the average hotel room was still only $103 per night. "Asia offers such great value, so potentially people are not going to Europe any more and are going to Asia for their holidays because they get more bang for their buck," said Cole. "It makes sense that people are avoiding expensive destinations, it's not just the accommodation; it's food, beverages and activities, so it can become a very expensive holiday. In Asia, they can take the family for a couple of weeks and live in luxury." An artist's impression of the inland port and logistics centre planned for Ruakura. Tainui Group Holdings, the property arm of Waikato-Tainui, says work should begin within a year on its huge Ruakura inland port after getting three key resource consents from the Hamilton City Council. The iwi plans to build a huge logistics and lifestyle hub on land near the old Ruakura science centre, which it says will mean less congestion in the central and upper North Island. TGH chief executive Chris Joblin said the decision allowed work to start on the first 13.5 hectares of the inland port and the surrounding 34.5ha logistics area. Supplied The size of Waikato Tainui's planned 500ha inland port and commercial hub superimposed on Auckland's CBD and waterfront. "We have always approached Ruakura as part of a bigger picture a new development larger than the Auckland CBD, bringing fresh life and jobs to east Hamilton, and as a key hub in the upper North Island freight system," Joblin said. The entire 480ha site will also feature the equivalent of more than 52 rugby fields of open space, a light commercial knowledge zone and residential housing. Joblin said a number of years spent master planning and talking to customers and the community had paid off with good connections, such as a dedicated interchange with the new Waikato Expressway. It has already received a number of expressions of interest about hubbing through Ruakura from importers, exporters and logistics players, although it was yet to begin marketing. Joblin said Ruakura's advantage was that people clearly wanted a neutral port, as road and rail connections were configured to the north and east of Hamilton. "The consistent message from importers and exporters is that they want the freedom to choose between ports and shipping lines, and not necessarily be tied into Auckland or Tauranga," Joblin said. "The efficient hubbing of freight will get thousands of trucks off the roads each year and make better use of the Government's investment in rail." TGH said it would call for port operators in the second quarter of this year. They would be managing a port which would eventually be capable of handling up to 1 million twenty foot equivalent (TEU) containers per year. William Durning, chief executive of the Waikato Chamber of Commerce, said the Ruakura development would turbo-charge the contribution of the wider Waikato region to the New Zealand economy. "The Waikato region has a number of strong sectors poised to deliver more economic activity and jobs over the next 30 years. "As a cornerstone development, Ruakura will help unleash this. Ruakura stands to benefit not just our towns, city and our region, but also the overall New Zealand Inc story for decades to come." Nelson Bays Police say outlaw motorcycle gang members coming to Nelson this weekend for the Hells Angels poker run will be closely monitored to ensure they abide by the law. Nelson Bays Area Commander Inspector Mat Arnold-Kelly says Police would have an extra focus on road safety and maintaining public order. We want to send a clear message to gangs that the people of Nelson will not tolerate anti-social behaviour and drugs in our community. Gangs are the main driver of methamphetamine trade in this country and we do not want that here. "I have seen first-hand the devastation methamphetamine wreaks on peoples lives and we all have to commit to disrupting this destructive drug trade. Inspector Arnold-Kelly says people could expect to see a highly visible Police presence throughout the weekend. Source: New Zealand Police. Counties Manukau Police annual Pay Parade and Awards Ceremony is taking place this Friday in Otahuhu. Over 150 staff members will be marching including Police officers, Detectives and Police employees. The parade will begin at 9:30am at Harlech House, 482 Great South Road, and will continue north until we reach Otahuhu Primary School. Police dogs, horses, motorbikes and The Free Wesleyan Church of Tongan, Aotearoa Brass Band will also march in the parade. Counties Manukau Police encourage members of the public to come along to see the parade, which will take approximately 15 minutes. The event will be attended by Minister of Police, Hon Judith Collins, Acting Deputy Commissioner Grant Nicholls, and Mayor Len Brown. Counties Manukau Police District Commander Superintendent John Tims says the occasion is an important tradition. The Pay Parade is a great opportunity to present at our best for the community of Otahuhu and the wider Counties Manukau District. Everyone in the District works together to achieve the best outcome and the parade will demonstrate that sense of unity. The tradition of the Pay Parade comes from the requirement for Police officers to march to the local magistrates office every fortnight in their dress uniform and pass inspection before getting their pay packet. Once the parade is inspected by the Minister, Acting Deputy Commissioner Nicholls, and the Mayor, the District Awards Ceremony will take place at Otahuhu Primary School. This ceremony is an opportunity for Police to recognise the great work and bravery of staff and members of the public. Source: New Zealand Police. Tough economic times in the dairy industry is no reason for Fonterra to delay paying suppliers, says Rural Contractors NZ president Steve Levet. We all understand the dairy sector is undergoing a very, tough period. But this should not be used as an excuse to not pay contractors in a fair and timely manner. UPDATE 10.40pm: Two police officers injured in todays shooting incident at Otakiri in the Bay or Plenty have been discharged from hospital. Another officer has been transferred to Waikato Hospital in a serious but stable condition, while the officer who was shot in the hand will undergo further treatment at Waikato Hospital tomorrow. The police operation at an Otakiri address will continue through the night. No further shots have been fired since this afternoon and the scene will remain cordoned and contained overnight. Acting Commissioner Mike Clement says police are heartened by the messages of support which have been received from people throughout the country. I realise this incident will have caused great shock to the community in the Bay of Plenty and beyond. I would like to reassure everyone that police are doing everything we can to get this situation resolved peacefully. Bay of Plenty staff have told me they have been greatly touched by the messages theyve received from the public and it is heartening to see the support which police receive in these difficult situations. We are also very focussed on providing all the support necessary to our injured staff and their families, said Mr Clement. Police can confirm reports that two dog handlers were involved in this afternoons incident, but no dogs were hurt. UPDATED: Police says one of the four officers shot during an incident today is currently in a serious but stable condition at Rotorua Hospital. Police Deputy Commissioner Mike Clement says it is believed the officers were shot by a lone assailant who is still holed up in a house on Onepu Springs Road near Kawerau. Mothra is guitarist/live samplist Hugh Allan, drummer James Armstrong and bassist Reuben Saffer. The upcoming gig is part of Mothras release tour for their debut album Decision Process andis one of a handful of shows theyve played outside of Auckland during the bands eight year history. Its great to be venturing outside of Auckland, weve never really done that until the release of our debut album, says Hugh. Were really excited and cant wait to hit Mount Maunganui this Saturday. Since forming in 2008, Mothra have supported the likes of Helmet, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Russian Circles, Earth, the Devin Townsend Project and Mono. Hugh describes the bands sound as being very eclectic with moments of ambiance, psychedelia and sludge a reference to the bands use of low tuned guitar and bass. Decision Process by Mothra It took eight years to make Decision Process, which Hugh describes as journey that had its fair share of ups and downs, but on the whole was a thoroughly satisfying experience. It took a long time to make Decision Process. We spent the first year recording the tracks at various studios across Auckland and the rest of the time has been mixing and mastering. We initially worked with Aaron Harris of Isis the American band not the terrorist group and Brandon Curtis who produce a couple of albums for Russian Circles. But just the process of emailing back and forth, sending tweaks, it was not an ideal process for us, so in the end I decided to mix it myself. I had only mixed demos but was determined to give it a go. Once happy with the mixes, Hugh took the album to Chris Chetland of Aucklands Kog studios who then mastered Decision Process. Chris fed the mixes through the studios analogue units which added a lot of life and warmth to the album and played a big part in the final product. Its been huge a learning process for me, figuring out how to get the sound I wanted and putting it all together, but we got the result and were really happy with how the album has turned out. This Saturdays show at Totara Street is guaranteed to be one massive gig just as gigantic as the image which the bands name evokes. For the uninitiated: Mothra is a gargantuan moth - hero to some and a monster to others - which has appeared in several Japanese films since 1961, including numerous Godzilla sequels. I guess in a way, Mothra was a giant divine creature that had a huge magical vibe to is, and in our own way weve got a pretty giant sound too I guess. "But honestly, I took the name from a Godflesh song because it was a word I just really liked the sound of, Hugh says laughing. Mothra with Ant Wars, All Hail the Funkillers and King Fish play Totara Street in Mount Maunganui on Saturday, March 12, from 8pm. R18. Tickets cost $15 and available from Undertheradar.co.nz For more information visit Mothras website at: www.mothraband.com UPDATED: A scene examination is underway as Police Commission Mike Bush holds a briefing following the arrest of a man at the centre of a 22 hour siege in the Bay of Plenty. Mike says its believed three of his staff were shot with a shotgun and one might have been shot with a .22 rifle. Rhys Warren is driven away by police, following his arrest. Photo: Fairfax Media. When asked about the role of family in the operation, Mike says police must work in partnership and the response and the result in the way this turned out "speaks for itself. Taupo area commander Warwick Morehu is being hailed a hero after he entered the property this morning to talk with Rhys Warren. To me the heros are the guys that went to hospital yesterday, says Mike. EARLIER: Police have arrested a man at the centre of a 22 hours armed standoff in the Bay of Plenty. The man was arrested without incident, say police. Renee Wetini says her son had sent text messages to whanau last night saying he did not want to go back to prison. Rhys Warren told them suicide was an option, reports Stuff. "Hes been weighing it up and he doesnt want to go back to prison so he was thinking of shooting himself," says Renee. Warren was 21 years old when he beat up a dog ranger in Kawerau and spent time in prison, she says. Hes been out of prison for nearly two years but Renee says time inside affected him. "I have a feeling that whatever was going on in prison has affected him mentally. "Hes come out of prison and hes loved the freedom." She wanted him to come out freely. "He wouldve been really scared. There were 100 cops here this afternoon, all armed up and everything and ready to go in." Whanau approached police earlier in the day to help get Warren out but they didnt know at the time that officers had been shot. "Hes scared. "He knows what hes done and thats it for him. He has to go back to [prison] but he doesnt want to go back." BREAKING - Police can confirm the individual has been arrested without incident in BOP and is now in custody. More to come. New Zealand Police (@nzpolice) March 9, 2016 "Our priority was always to resolve this without further risk to police staff or the public. This welcome development follows lengthy contact throughout the night with the individual by police negotiators and other police staff," says Police Commissioner Mike Bush. "The individual will be given a medical check and taken to Whakatane Police Station." Police will interview the man in due course about the events that have unfolded in the last 24 hours. "I would like to thank all police staff and those in other emergency services who have worked on this operation," says Mike. "Id particularly like to thanks our colleagues in the New Zealand Defence Force who have provided support. "I would also like to thank the public in the Bay of Plenty and beyond who have sent countless messages of support to the injured officers, and the wider police operation." Mike says its heartening to see the good will received during such events. "I have this morning visited the two police officers who are in Waikato Hospital. I can say they are in good spirits, despite the traumatic events which they have experienced in the last 24 hours." A major police investigation has commenced, which will build a full picture of what led to yesterdays shootings which led to four police staff being injured. "I appreciate there are many questions which will be asked about this event. "We will conduct a thorough and detailed investigation to establish exactly what happened, and act on any learnings which may arise," says Mike. "I can say, however, that the successful resolution of this incident is due to the work of dedicated, professional staff who have worked tirelessly throughout the last 24 hours to achieve a safe outcome. "The safety of the individual in custody, his family, the public and police staff has been our absolute priority from the outset." Earlier: Taupo Police area commander Inspector Warwick Morehu has just walked inside the cordon to speak to the man at the centre of a shooting in the Bay of Plenty. Army lend support to police at the scene. Photo / George Heard In a statement to media this morning, the family say this is what they have wanted all along. Taupo police area commander Inspector Warwick Morehu has just walked inside the cordon to speak to Kawerau gunman https://t.co/41Ji1JvBoy Newstalk ZB (@NewstalkZB) March 9, 2016 Warwick Morehu, with armed forces, will enter the cordon to "collect their son", says a spokesperson for the family. EARLIER: Cordons remain in place around a property near Kawerau this morning after four police officers were shot. Police say the situation at Onepu Springs Road remains unchanged. "The major police operation is ongoing, but no further shots have been fired overnight," says a statement from police this morning. "The priority for police remains resolving the situation peacefully, and ensuring the safety of everyone involved." Cordons remain in place and a large number of police staff, including specialist units, have worked throughout the night. Police are also working with the family of the individual involved to keep them updated about the police operation. The mother of the alleged shooter told Stuff her son had got a job helping build a local geothermal park, where she found out Mongrel Mob gang members were also working. "I told him to finish, which he did because he realised why ... it was too late. I think he was already impressed." Police had no proof the shots had come from the house. They could have easily come from the other side of the road where there was a firing range, she says. Before working at the geothermal park, her son had done a carpentry course and had planned to join the army but was too young. Cordons remain in place on Onepu Spring Road to ensure the safety of everyone in the area. Bay of Plenty Police (@BOPPolice) March 9, 2016 The mans family remain at the cordons and have urged him to surrender. The status of the four injured officers remains unchanged. Two were discharged from hospital yesterday while another two are being treated in Waikato Hospital. One is in a serious but stable condition. Acting Commissioner Mike Clement says police are heartened by the messages of support which have been received from people throughout the country. I realise this incident will have caused great shock to the community in the Bay of Plenty and beyond. I would like to reassure everyone that police are doing everything we can to get this situation resolved peacefully. Bay of Plenty staff have told me they have been greatly touched by the messages theyve received from the public and it is heartening to see the support which police receive in these difficult situations," says Mike. We are also very focussed on providing all the support necessary to our injured staff and their families." Additional reporting - Stuff.co.nz Police cordons at Onepu Springs Road overnight. Photos: Cameron Avery. Rescue helicopters and ambulance with other emergency services at Onepu Springs Road. The popular Bay of Plenty Federated Farmers Free Farm Day is on again on Sunday, March 20, and everyone is invited to visit the McLeods property in Welcome Bay to find out more about farming in New Zealand. Bay of Plenty Federated Farmers is the only province in New Zealand which holds a Farm Day event, with people coming from all walks of life, as well as many overseas tourists, enjoying where the town meets the country experience, says farm day co-ordinator Steve Bailey. Around 270 New Zealand Defence Force engineers and naval personnel have been sent to Fiji to continue support and rebuilding efforts following Tropical Cyclone Winston, bringing the number of New Zealand troops in Fiji close to 500. Commanding Officer of HMNZS Canterbury, Commander Simon Rooke says the multi-role vessel is anchored off Lomaloma, the main village on the island of Vanua Balavu, and is serving as the maritime hub for New Zealands post-disaster recovery operations in Fijis northern outer islands. A profile on San Francisco-born author Robert Frost, an analysis of the Egyptian goddess Isis, and a history of Yellowstone: Land of Fire and Ice are just three of the recent articles famed travel author and The Carlisle resident Georgia Hesse has penned for the communitys monthly newsletter, The Carlisle News. Georgia claims to have been born on the 28 Ranch on Crazy Woman Creek at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming She is a graduate of Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota As a Fulbright scholar at the University of Strasbourg in France, she studied political science and white wines Georgia was the founding travel editor of the San Francisco Examiner (flagship of the Hearst chain) and then the Examiner-Chronicle, a position she held for 20 years She has taught and lectured about travel writing for more than three decades She hosted a weekly travel-music program at San Francisco radio station KKHI, currently KDFC Her articles have appeared in 20 magazines and 38 newspapers She is the author or co-author of 14 books, several of which are guides to France and California, and has contributed to several anthologies She is the eighth woman to have traveled to the North Pole (read more about that harrowing trip here) She has visited all 50 U.S. states, crossed the Atlantic more than 170 times and the Pacific more than 95 times Georgia holds the Ordre National du Merite from the French government and the Chevalier lOrdre de la Republique from Tunisia. She was selected to win the Bay Area Travel Writers 2012 Rebecca Bruns Memorial Award To celebrate Womens History Month, we are profiling some of the exceptional females who are residents at Sunrise Senior Living communities throughout the country. Georgia, who was the founding editor of the San Francisco Examiners travel section, has no shortage of writing and traveling accolades on her distinguished resume. Her sense of adventure and love for travel have inspired many readers throughout the years, and now she serves as a source of inspiration for her fellow residents at The Carlisle, a Bay Area retirement community , each day. Below, find a brief biography of her career highlights:Georgia continues to write, edit and is highly involved in making suggestions and recommendations about the activities program at The Carlisle. Recently, she was asked what advice she has for travel writers who are new to the business. Learn how to write, Georgia said. And then stop, look and listen to the world as it speaks to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please support Super Punch by following the affiliate links and buying from Amazon and eBay . This site also uses tracking cookies.Logo by Adam Koford Download the Super Punch Chimera paper toy. Launched at a gala event in Munich, Germany, the Vision Next 100 is the first in a series of forward-looking concepts, one for each division within the BMW Group that includes BMW, BMW Motorrad, Mini and Rolls-Royce. The concept has been designed to highlight four main capabilities that are set to become major areas of focus in the coming years: autonomous driving, digitalisation, new materials and construction methods, and emotion. BMW says digitalisation will come from further convergence of the auto and tech industries, with fresh ways of interacting with the car, such as artificial intelligence predicting many of our wishes and working away in the background to perform the jobs we delegate to it. New materials will also play a significant role in the evolution of the car, according to BMW, already evidenced by the increasing use of carbon fibre and other composites instead of conventional steel. Looking further forward, technologies such as rapid manufacturing and 4D printing (3D-printed materials that change depending on conditions) will open up new possibilities. During the coming year, the Vision Next 100 concept will visit major cities around the world, starting in Beijing in May before heading to London in June and finally Los Angeles in October. Syracuse, N.Y. The Hotel Syracuse's chandeliers were returned to the historic downtown building on Tuesday following their six-month renovation in Connecticut. Workers with Associated Industrial Riggers, of East Syracuse, hoisted 92-year-old chandeliers back up to the ceiling in the hotel's grand lobby. They also installed newly created, though old looking, chandeliers in the hotel's Persian Terrace room. Artisans at Grand Light, of Seymour, Conn., cleaned and restored the lobby chandeliers and created the new ones for the Persian Terrace. The company has also restored the original chandeliers from the hotel's Grand Ballroom, some of which weigh 700 pounds. Those will be hoisted back into place at a later time. Hotel owner Ed Riley plans to reopen the hotel as a 261-room Marriott Syracuse Downtown this summer following a $70 million renovation and historical restoration. Opened in 1924, the hotel closed in 2004 and was acquired by Riley in 2014. The return of the chandeliers comes just in time. Though there is still lots of construction going on, the Syracuse St. Patrick's Parade grand marshal celebration dinner is scheduled to be held in the Persian Terrace on Friday night. Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148 Nelson, Robert.JPG Robert C. Nelson (New York State Police) UTICA, N.Y. -- A former Alexandria Bay real estate broker who chatted online about drugging, abducting and raping children has been sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison for possessing and distributing child pornography. U.S. District Judge David Hurd imposed the sentence Tuesday on Robert C. Nelson, 55, who pleaded guilty last year to 14 criminal charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Fletcher asked the judge to impose a sentence within the recommended federal guideline range of 17 1/2 to 22 years in prison. She cited Nelson's large collection of child pornography and the fact that he actively traded in child porn with other people. In court papers, Fletcher also cited Nelson's history of chatting online with other people about his "desires to drug children, to abduct children and to engage in forcible rape, including his statement that he would 'like to do one in the back of a van with another man.'" Fletcher called Nelson "an insatiable trader" in child pornography. FBI agents found 1,534 photos and a video of child porn on his computer, she said in a sentencing memorandum. At least 125 of the children in those images were previously identified by law enforcement as victims of child pornography, the memorandum said. By trading images with other child pornographers, Nelson "helped to fuel the fire and sustain the market for the trade in child pornography..., perpetuating the cycle of abuse of children," Fletcher wrote. Nelson's supporters submitted letters to the court praising his "generosity to community members in distress," his dedicated service to St. Cyril's Church in Alexandria Bay, and his service as a volunteer and adviser at River Hospital, according to a sentencing memorandum filed by his lawyer, Emil Rossi. Nelson was also a volunteer firefighter in Plessis, N.Y., the memorandum said. Nelson admitted to FBI agents that he'd been downloading and trading images of child pornography for 10 years, according to court papers. The agency's investigation began in August 2013, when Nelson had sexually explicit chats online with an undercover FBI agent, court papers said. Hurd ordered Nelson to pay $20,000 in restitution and to be on supervised release for 10 years after his release from prison. Contact John O'Brien anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-2187 IMG_0005_2.JPG A married couple, Diane E. and Vincent C. Laporta, were found dead Tuesday, March 8, 2016 in this home at 2235 Dixon Road, Ledyard, Cayuga County. Cayuga County Sheriff David Gould said their deaths have initially been ruled a murder-suicide. (Charley Hannagan | channagan@syracuse.com) Cayuga County Sheriff David Gould today identified a couple found dead of gunshot wounds in their Ledyard home Tuesday as Diane E. and Vincent C. LaPorta. The Cayuga County 911 Center received a call just after 1 p.m. Tuesday that two people were found unresponsive in their home at 2235 Dixon Road. Deputies and state police found the bodies of the Diane LaPorta, 74, and Vincent LaPorta, 81. The husband and wife had apparently died as a result of gunshot wounds, Gould said. Based on the a preliminary investigation of the scene, officials believe it was a murder-suicide, he said. Investigators did not find a note from the couple at the scene, the sheriff said. Gould would not say who investigators believe killed whom, saying the investigation is ongoing. Asked if one of the two was facing a serious illness, Gould declined to answer the question, citing health privacy laws. The LaPortas lived in one half of a two-family house that they shared with members of their family, the sheriff said. "No one heard anything the night before," Gould said, adding that a family member found the couple the next afternoon. At this time detectives with the sheriff's office do not believe that anyone else was involved. The investigation, however, is ongoing, the sheriff said. Responding to the scene along with members of the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office and New York State Police were Poplar Ridge Fire Department, Long Hill Fire Department, Southern Cayuga Ambulance, and the Cayuga County Coroner's Office. SYRACUSE, NY -- The mother of a woman shot and killed by a Syracuse police officer last month said she has filed a complaint with the Citizen Review Board and retained an attorney for possible legal action against the department. Carsundra Ridgeway said she still has many questions about the circumstances and particulars regarding the fatal police shooting of her daughter, Sahlah Ridgeway. Police said Ridgeway, 32, brandished a sawed-off shotgun and refused to drop the weapon when Syracuse police officer Darrin Ettinger shot her Feb. 12. No legal action has yet been filed. Ridgeway's mother said she expects more information to come out. Her New York City attorney, Fred Lichtmacher, said in a phone interview Wednesday that he finds many details of Ridgeway's death to be "troubling" and claimed he has evidence to dispute what police have said. He repeatedly declined to elaborate on what he finds troubling or describe his evidence. He said he was still investigating the case and evaluating options. "Shortly, we'll have a much clearer view of exactly what happened," he said. "There's certainly a lot of questions that need to be answered." Among the evidence Lichtmacher hopes to review is the footage captured by a surveillance camera installed just up the street from where Ridgeway was killed. Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Helterline declined to comment whether the camera was functioning or provide any more details about the shooting, saying it's an open investigation. Ettinger and fellow officer Jeremy Decker are on administrative leave until the case goes to a grand jury. Helterline did not say what the status is of the investigation into the shooting. Sahlah Ridgeway, 32 Ridgeway said she saw her daughter's body, which she said appeared to have been shot four times. Neither she nor Lichtmacher had seen an autopsy as of Wednesday, they said. Lichtmacher said he is still well within the time window to file legal action if he decides to do so. The attorney has brought legal action against NYPD several times in recent months, including on behalf of a black police officer who alleged racial discrimination, an activist and musician whose finger was broken at a protest, and the family of a woman whose police officer boyfriend killed her, the New York Daily News reported. Lichtmacher Ridgeway said she filed a complaint in February with the Citizen Review Board, which evaluates claims of police misconduct and recommends possible disciplinary action to the police chief. Those complaints are not public, but the board said at a recent meeting that it had received one excessive force complaint in February, in addition to others for poor demeanor and other alleged abuses. Police arrived at Sahlah Ridgeway's apartment complex on the 1300 block of Butternut Street around 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 12 in response to a drug-dealing complaint. Ettinger stayed at the front of the building when fellow officer Jeremy Decker ran to the rear. There he saw a group of people, including one woman carrying a shotgun, police said. The woman, later identified as Ridgeway, fled toward the front of the building and Decker alerted Ettinger via radio, police said. That's when Ettinger ordered Ridgeway to drop the weapon multiple times, police said, and then he shot her. Ridgeway's mother said her daughter's death has been devastating and that her daughter is not a "gangster" as many might think. On Wednesday, she said she was still having trouble processing the event. "Right now my emotions are still going up and down, up and down, up and down," she said. Tijuana Flats is opening its first St. Lucie County restaurant March 14 with a week of specials. (PHOTO PROVIDED BY TIJUANA FLATS) By Kelly Tyko of TCPalm My days of wanting to be a regular Aldi shopper are over. The one thing that kept me away from the no-frills discount grocery retailer was its stores didn't accept credit cards. Even though I knew the Germany-based chain had some of the lowest prices around, it was rare for me to shop at Aldi since I prefer to pay with credit versus cash or debit. Many readers have told me they felt the same way. Not anymore. Earlier this month, Aldi started accepting Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express at its approximately 1,500 stores across the country. There are two Treasure Coast Aldi stores currently open 770 S.W. St. Lucie West Blvd. in Port St. Lucie and 4300 N.W. U.S. 1 in Jensen Beach. A second Port St. Lucie store is planned and construction is underway on a Stuart store. Aldi officials have said they want to open stores in Indian River County too. "As Aldi continues to evolve by expanding its product lines and moving into new markets, the way we do business will continue to evolve as well," Aldi CEO Jason Hart said in a news release. "We care about being able to make our customers' shopping experiences simpler and better every time they come to see us; and offering them the convenience of using their credit cards will help us do just that." Previously, company officials said not accepting credit cards and having to pay credit card processing fees was one way it kept prices low. Aldi still does not accept checks. The Aldi new release stated the acceptance of credit cards will have no impact on prices. "Our customers will continue to save money on the high-quality groceries they buy the most," Hart said in the release. Although I'm pleased with the change, I still wonder if Aldi prices will increase in the future. Aldi offers more than 1,300 products under its own store brands and has a warehouse layout and minimal staffing, which officials say contribute to low prices. An Aldi store is smaller than a typical supermarket, closer in size to a Walgreens than to a Publix. The stores carry only the items most often purchased at grocery stores, but don't have bakeries, delis or pharmacies. Other cost-saving measures include bringing your own bags and then bagging your groceries and "renting" a shopping cart for a quarter. You get the quarter back as long as you return it. Last week, I shopped at the Jensen Beach Aldi store and was awestruck. A dozen eggs were $1.49, two pounds of grapes were $3.49 and a five pound bag of grapefruit $1.69. Knowing Aldi has a double guarantee, I also bought some products I never tried before. With the guarantee, if you're not 100 percent satisfied you can bring it back and Aldi will replace the product and refund your money. NEW TIJUANA FLATS OPENING Tijuana Flats is opening its first St. Lucie County restaurant Monday with a week of specials. The new Tex-Mex fast-casual restaurant is at 1359 N.W, St. Lucie West Blvd. in the Shoppes at St. Lucie West plaza. "We are eager to open a location in the city of Port St. Lucie and introduce the brand to St. Lucie County," said Tijuana Flat CEO Camp Fitch in a news release. "Tijuana Flats will be a perfect fit for the community and its patrons." The Orlando-based chain has 117 locations in Florida, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 772-240-7755. Opening week specials include: On March 14, all burritos are 50 percent off. Tuesday is the weekly "Tijuana Tuesdaze" where two tacos, chips and a drink are $5.49. On March 16, tacos and draft beers are $2 each. March 17 is "Throwback Thursdaze" and a burrito, chips and a drink is $5.99 every Thursday. There will be a "Rock Out Party" March 18 with live music from 6 to 8 p.m. and giveaways. March 19 is "Local Hero Day" where police, firefighters, teachers and military with a valid ID get 50 percent off any entree. On March 20, kids 12 and under get a free kid's meal with purchase of any adult entree. Chops Prime Meats and Gourmet Market in Vero Beach comes in handy for a quick, tasty meal for four people. (MARIBETH RENNE/Special to Treasure Coast Newspapers) Now's the time of year when friends and family from cold northern states travel south to enjoy the balmy Florida weather. We love to have them come for a visit, and we take great pride in showing them around our beautiful area. All that running around can wear everyone out and a nice dinner at home can be enticing to guests and hosts alike. That's when markets offering freshly prepared entrees come in very handy. A great example is Chops Prime Meats and Gourmet Market in Vero Beach. It came to our rescue when we were in need of a nice, quick meal for four. Chops offered a variety and many options from which to choose. A container of escarole and bean soup ($13.99) provided a hearty bowl of soup for each person to enjoy as an appetizer. It was loaded with creamy cannellini beans in a thick, flavorful broth. Entrees are advertised to serve two people; however, entrees easily satisfied the appetites of more than two in our party. Chicken Francese ($19) was a delicious entree. Chicken was breaded and sauteed in a lovely, lemon Francese sauce and there was enough for all to sample. The same goes for the veal Marsala ($22). Loaded with mushrooms in a delicate wine sauce, there was enough veal to serve four people. Nine layers of expertly thin lasagna noodles, interspersed with a ricotta cheese mixture, made a delicious lasagna ($15). We got four small servings from this entree. And six large meatballs with tomato sauce ($14) were very meaty and good. Add your own quick salad, and you've got a banquet for four. Chops has many special offers. On Wednesdays, for age 55 and older, you get 20 percent off. Although that's what is advertised, I witnessed younger people also being extended the same great offer without even requesting it. Thursday is the day for a free entree when you buy two entrees. On Saturdays, all frozen meals are 10 percent off and police, firefighters, military and emergency medical technicians always get 10 percent off their total purchase. As the name suggests, Chops also is a full service butcher shop with a beautiful array of cuts of meat. It's great to have Chops in the neighborhood! Maribeth Renne dines anonymously at the expense of Treasure Coast Newspapers for #TCPalm Social. Contact her at maribeth.d.renne@gmail.com or follow @mebpeb on Twitter. Chops Prime Meats and Gourmet Market Cuisine: Butcher, in-house freshly made meals Address: 2190 45th St., Vero Beach Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday Phone: 772-999-5542 Alcohol: No Wheelchair accessible: Yes Fort Pierce campus of Virginia College SHARE By Anthony Westbury of TCPalm Fort Pierce looks to be getting a much-needed economic shot in the arm. The private, for-profit Virginia College plans to open a new campus at 2810 S. U.S. 1 in a 74,000-square-foot building formerly used by Riverside Bank as a computer operations center. The site forms part of a shopping center north of Coral Square Shoppes and east of U.S. 1; existing tenants include Discount Furniture, several substance abuse and mental health organizations and a church. Virginia College, which has 24 other campuses in cities strung across the southeastern U.S., chose Fort Pierce because of a combination of factors, according to Chief Marketing Officer Chuck Trierweiler. "We've been expanding into several new markets," Trierweiler said. "Typically, we look for somewhere with the right population size and where we see a need for more associate degree and diploma programs. We talked to the (St. Lucie) Chamber of Commerce and to both hospitals in the area to gauge their specific (employment) needs, and decided there's certainly a need in Fort Pierce." The new campus, which is slated to eventually accommodate 800 students, should be open for classes by April, Trierweiler said. Initially, the site will open with between 100 and 150 students, with many of the course offerings concentrating on health care careers. Within a couple of years, the Fort Pierce campus could employ more than 100 staff with salaries ranging from $30,000 a year to a president making more than $100,000 a year. Trierweiler described Virginia College as a "career college," with coursework geared specifically toward offering technical training for careers, rather than being a more traditional academic institution. "We try to offer students the fastest way to get a full-time job," Trierweiler said. "Generally, our programs last between nine and 18 months." Virginia College has 22 sites in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, and an online division. It is headquartered in Montgomery, Ala. There are two other Florida campuses in Pensacola and Jacksonville. Why did they choose Fort Pierce over bigger cities such as Orlando, I wondered. "We tend to put our schools into 'mid-tier' markets where we can build strong relationships with the community" and employers, Trierweiler replied. "We tend not to go into the major metropolitan markets for cost reasons. Orlando and Tampa are some of the most expensive markets anywhere and they are very saturated" with other schools. Is the market here ? with existing private players such as Kaiser University in Port St. Lucie and the publicly funded Indian River State College across the Treasure Coast ? large enough for everyone? "We looked at Kaiser and a number of other existing colleges in the West Palm Beach area," Trierweiler said. "We find that between 80 and 90 percent of our students live within 10 miles of their campus, so we certainly feel there's room for us." The new campus will offer both traditional classroom and online courses. There will be six associate degrees and five diploma programs in business administration, general office and medical office administration, several medical assistant courses and one pharmacy technician courses. The campus will also offer cosmetology diploma classes using a 2,600-square-foot cosmetology clinic. The college already has purchased the main campus building, which was once a Zayre's retail store. It also was scheduled to close Friday on the purchase of the nearby former Out of Bounds restaurant. The college plans to use that building as a training site for culinary arts students and to operate it again as a full-fledged restaurant. Trierweiler noted they have successful similar eateries in Mobile, Ala., and Richmond, Va. Depending on the discipline chosen, classes will cost from $18,000 to $30,000 for an average nine-month program, Trierweiler said. A portion of those fees may be eligible for federal grant aid. The college has indicated it will be setting up a recruiting office in Sabal Palm Plaza in the near future, city planning staff told me. Fort Pierce Mayor Bob Benton welcomed the new addition to the city. "It's really nice not to have empty buildings deteriorating," he said, "and it's great to see the old Riverside building used again after being empty for several years, and also to see Out of Bounds come back. It's going to be a real shot in the arm for the city and maybe it will bring in more business into the shopping center there. It's nice to see some positive news." On balance, I agree with the mayor. While there have been some criticisms leveled at similar for-profit private colleges' educational quality, let's give this one a chance to provide much-needed career and trade training and hopefully boost the local economy. Lord knows, Fort Pierce needs it. Anthony Westbury is a columnist for Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers. This column reflects his opinion. Contact him at 772-409-1320 or anthony.westbury@scripps.com SHARE By Staff Report INDIAN RIVER COUNTY A bank robbery suspect who fled authorities in Brevard County was apprehended Wednesday by the Indian River County Sheriff's Office, officials said. John Paul Bertrand, 46, no address available, was taken into custody about 4:30 p.m. along County Road 512 east of Interstate 95. The Brevard County Sheriff's Office contacted Indian River County authorities about the fleeing suspect as he traveled south on I-95, said Indian River County Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Eric Flowers. Bertrand was apprehended after an armed robbery at the TD Bank, 250 E. Merritt Island Causeway in Merritt Island, according to Brevard County Sheriff's officials. A prepared release from Brevard officials said a clerk at the bank said the robber implied he had a weapon. He fled the area on a motorcycle with an undisclosed amount of money. Brevard sheriff's officials said Bertrand possessed evidence relating to the Merritt Island robbery at the time of his arrest. He is suspected of unrelated robberies Wednesday in Indian River County. He is being held without bail in the Indian River County Jail, Brevard officials said. SHARE Dequilla Boggs, 14000 block of 171st Street, Indiantown; grand theft. Malik Clark, 20, 2900 block of Norman Street, Stuart; lewd/lascivious/handling/fondling/assault on a child under 16 without sexual battery. Johnny Cole, 21, Riviera Beach; sale, manufacture, delivery or trafficking in drugs. Shelia Hashemy, 34, Richmond, Virginia; possession of a controlled substance. Sarah Long-Scardigno, 20, 2800 block of Horseshoe Trail, Palm City; possession of a controlled substance. Roshad Reid, 28, Jacksonville; warrant for failure to appear, felony charge. Myles Robinson, 38, 1200 block of Florida Avenue, Stuart; possession of a controlled substance. Morgan Young, 29, 5800 block of Collins Avenue, Stuart; warrant for violation of probation, felony charge. Nicholas Ziehm, 40, Edgewater; warrant for violation of probation, dealing in stolen property, burglary of a dwelling. Christine Smith, 48, 3700 block of Mediterranean Lane, Jensen Beach; possession of a controlled substance (benzodiazepine) without a prescription. Arrested in St. Lucie County. Nicholas Lodge, 19, 1100 block of Letha Circle, Stuart; warrant for violation or probation, burglary of an unoccupied conveyance. Arrested in St. Lucie County. Eriese Tisdale (center) re-enters the courtroom with his attorney Public Defender Stanley Glenn (right) for the conclusion of Tisdale's Spencer hearing Tuesday at the St. Lucie County Courthouse in Fort Pierce. Tisdale earlier exited the courtroom during questioning of his mother, Charmaine Tisdale, while she was being asked about her illegal drug use while she was pregnant with Eriese. To see more photos, go to TCPalm.com. (ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) Eriese Tisdale, cq Charmaine Tisdale, cq Stanley Glenn, cq PHOTOGRAPHED: Tuesday NOVEMBER 17, 2015 By Melissa E. Holsman of TCPalm FORT PIERCE Despite a new Florida law that requires at least 10 out of 12 jurors recommend execution for it to be carried out, prosecutors still want a judge to impose the death penalty as punishment for the man convicted of murdering St. Lucie County Sheriff's Sgt. Gary Morales. In October, a jury voted 9 to 3 in favor of recommending execution for 28-year-old Eriese Tisdale following his conviction for the murder of a law enforcement officer stemming from a Feb. 28, 2013, traffic stop in Fort Pierce. The conviction requires a punishment of death or a term of life in prison without the possibility of parole. The new law signed Monday by Gov. Rick Scott is an overhaul of Florida's death penalty in response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision in January that declared the previous state system unconstitutional. The law was found unconstitutional because jurors served an advisory role while judges had the final say in death penalty cases. That 8-1 ruling came three days before Tisdale was scheduled to be sentenced by Circuit Judge Dan Vaughn, who ordered a delay to give the state and defense lawyers time to advise the court how to proceed in light of the decision. No court date is scheduled, and it's unclear when Vaughn will order Tisdale back to court. He's being held at the Martin County Jail. 10 OUT OF 12 Florida previously required that a majority of jurors recommend the death sentence, but now at least 10 out of 12 jurors must vote in favor of execution. And while judges can lower a death sentence recommendation to life in some circumstances, they will not be able to impose a death penalty without at least a 10-2 jury decision. The new law also requires prosecutors to spell out, before a murder trial begins, the reasons why a death sentence should be imposed. It requires the jury to decide unanimously during the guilt phase of the trial if there is at least one reason, or aggravating factor, that justifies it. In a legal brief submitted to Vaughn, Chief Assistant State Attorney Tom Bakkedahl argued that at his trial the state proved Tisdale "has unqualifiedly earned the imposition of the death penalty." Bakkedahl this week said he hopes Vaughn will consider all sides and then order Tisdale to Florida's death row. "Our position remains the same in that whatever defects existed in the (death penalty) statute at the time of (Tisdale's) trial are harmless in light of the unique factors and circumstances of this case," he said. "We are going to ask the judge to proceed to sentencing. ... I feel we have a good-faith basis to proceed to sentencing and let the Supreme Court review it, and they will." LIFE BEHIND BARS? Death penalty opponents said the law is an improvement, but doesn't completely fix the state's death penalty. Florida is one of only three states that don't require a unanimous jury decision in favor of execution. Public Defender Diamond Litty, whose office represents Tisdale, declined to predict how Vaughn will proceed in light of the new law, but since Tisdale's conviction they've advocated for a life prison term. Litty rejected the notion it would be a harmless error for Vaughn to sentence Tisdale to death when his jury voted 9 to 3 to recommend execution. "I think there's going to be litigation to follow the sentencing whatever he (Vaughn) does," Litty said. "Our argument is the law has changed and the verdict didn't meet the new law's mandates and he should sentence him to life." She said the Legislature should have approved a law that required a unanimous jury decision before a prisoner could be condemned. She predicted the law will be challenged. "I think many of the parts of the new bill are very good ... but to not address the unanimity issue does not make sense to me," she said. "My feelings are if you're really concerned about the victim's family's and closure and all of that, let's makes sure this bill ... is as appeal proof as possible. The way to have done that was to make it a unanimous verdict." The legislation doesn't address the 389 death row inmates who were sentenced under the old law. The state Supreme Court has been asked to decide whether the U.S. Supreme Court ruling should apply to those prisoners. The Associated Press contributed to this report. SHARE Christopher Williams, 42, 1000 block of Avenue L, Fort Pierce; fraud insufficient funds check. Dae'quan Harrison, 20, Kissimmee; carrying a concealed weapon. Brittany Shields, 26, 1500 block of Flagami Road, Port St. Lucie; larceny/grand theft. Scott Edwards, 30, 1500 block of 24th Avenue, Vero Beach; warrants for grand theft, resisting merchant. Enger Granados, 40, Miami; warrant for violation of probation, possession of an altered I.D. card, driving while license suspended, habitual offender. Christopher Bennett, 28, 1400 block of Dow Lane, Port St. Lucie; warrant for violation of probation, battery. Glenn Everest, 61, 500 block of Sixth Street, Fort Pierce; warrant for failure of sex offender to register with the Sheriff's Office. Jesus Acevedo, 24, Miami; warrant for violation of probation, grand theft. Christopher Parr, 26, 1000 block of Majorca Avenue, Port St. Lucie; domestic battery by strangulation. Kenson Jacques, 27, 1600 block of Havana Avenue, Fort Pierce; out-of-county warrant, Hillsborough County, violation of probation, lewd or lascivious battery. Shannon Mcintyre, 39, 700 block of Avenue B, Fort Pierce; warrant for failure to appear, grand theft. Kevin Young, 39, 2500 block of Sunrise Boulevard, Fort Pierce; warrants for workers compensation fraud, grand theft. Michael Hogue, 2000 block of 51st Court, Fort Pierce; warrant for violation of probation, possession of oxycodone, possession of carisoprodol. Bradley Mancher, 30, 100 block of 13th Street, Fort Pierce; domestic battery by strangulation; obstruction of justice tampering in third degree felony proceeding. Keven Zuniga, 19, 1000 block of Jamaica Avenue, Fort Pierce; warrant for court order for revocation of release on own recognizance, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia used to transport drugs. Cody Pyke, 25, 4100 block of U.S. 1, Fort Pierce; warrants for false information to a pawnbroker, dealing in stolen property. Nicholas Lodge, 19, 1100 block of Letha Circle, Stuart; warrant for violation or probation, burglary of an unoccupied conveyance. Justin Hampton, 26, 2300 block of Elizabeth Avenue, Fort Pierce; warrant for battery, prior conviction. Christine Smith, 48, 3700 block of Mediterranean Lane, Jensen Beach; possession of a controlled substance (benzodiazepine) without a prescription. Barbara Babin, 66, Burlington, Kentucky; warrant for violation of probation, grand theft. Cody Grandpre, 24, 600 block of Ixoria Avenue, Fort Pierce; warrant for failure to appear, possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Luke Foster, 25, 3000 block of Galt Circle, Port St. Lucie; possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon; possession of marijuana over 20 grams. Vernon Slifer, 44, 1600 block of Walton Lakes Drive, Port St. Lucie; warrant for petty theft. Yamilet Arocha, 38, 2400 block of Monterrey Lane, Port St. Lucie; producing marijuana; possession with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver marijuana. Raul Becquer, 46, 2400 block of Monterrey Lane, Port St. Lucie; larceny/grand theft of utility services, subsequent offense; possession with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver marijuana possession with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver marijuana. Russell Michel, 36, 1900 block of Providence Place, Port St. Lucie; warrant for court order to revoke bond, petty theft. Joyce Welch, 55, 13000 block of Codorno Court, Fort Pierce; grand theft. Arrested in Indian River County. By Staff Report STUART Stuart police officers will begin carrying the medication Narcan in response to an increase in opiate overdose-related calls. The Police Department will be one of the first law enforcement agencies in South Florida to carry the narcotic antidote, said Cpl. Brian Bossio, public information officer. The drug already is routinely used by paramedics with fire departments in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties, agency officials told Treasure Coast Newspapers in December for its investigation into area drug overdose deaths. In December, the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office was looking into getting the drug into the hands of its deputies. The Treasure Coast Newspapers' investigation found that drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, and the number of people dying because of it on the Treasure Coast and in the state is increasing. In 2015, Martin County's paramedics administered Narcan 108 times in cases in which they suspected drug overdoses. Indian River County administered it 52 times in 2014 and 69 times in 2015, officials said. St. Lucie County rescue workers administered it 144 times in 2014 and 180 times through Nov. 18, 2015. Bossio said Tuesday that in 2014, the Stuart Police Department responded to 75 overdose calls compared with 91 in 2015. A large percentage of these calls were opioid related. Narcan nasal spray, also known as naloxone hydrochloride, is for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose, manifested by respiratory and/or central nervous system depression. The nasal spray is intended for immediate administration as emergency therapy in settings where opioids may be present, Bossio stated. Officers will receive training in mid-March and will begin carrying Narcan by the end of the month. By Lamaur Stancil of TCPalm No charges will be filed against a charter school student who posted a photo of himself on social media holding a BB gun, the Indian River County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday. The photo of the Imagine South Vero Charter School student first appeared on Snapchat about 1 1/2 weeks ago, Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Eric Flowers said. The student is wearing a black mask and is holding a handgun. The photo has the caption "goin 2 the shootin range today (school)."(sic) A second handgun can also be seen in the photo. Flowers said a detective went to the student's home and determined the weapons in the photo were BB guns. The detectives found no actual firearms in the home. "He was punished by his parents and he was punished by the school," Flowers said, though he did not know what type of punishment the student was given by the school. The State Attorney's Office reviewed the case and concluded no actual threat was made in the photo, Flowers said. School officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Tuesday, the photo was posted on Facebook by someone questioning the punishment and if parents would feel comfortable with the student being allowed to go back to the school. The post was shared more than 500 times on Facebook between noon and 6 p.m. Tuesday. Imagine is located at 6000 Fourth Street, Vero Beach, and teaches kindergarten through middle school. SHARE By Elliott Jones of TCPalm INDIAN RIVER COUNTY Early voting is showing a heightened interest in this year's Presidential Preference Primary. So far 14 percent of the eligible voters have turned in ballots for the March 15 primary. Of the county's 75,183 Democrats and Republicans, 10,585 have cast early ballots: 7,572 by mail and 3,013 cast ballots through early voting in person, records show. Early voting started Saturday. The party affiliations in the mail ballots haven't been counted, but among early voters, there is a surge of Republicans, said Supervisor of Elections Leslie Swan. Democratic voting is up, but not by as much as among Republicans, she said, compared to the last presidential primary. The county has 47,067 Republicans and 28,116 Democrats. Only Democrats or Republicanc can vote in the primary, much to the consternation of nonaffiliated voters who are showing up at early voting sites, said Indian River County Supervisor of Elections Lesie Swan. "They are heated when they call to complain to the elections office," about not being allowed to vote, she said. Indian River County has 26,871 voters who are either registered as Independent or are in an "other" category. She said the unaffiliated voters, who are complaining, appear to be newer Florida residents who were unaware of Florida's closed primary system. The last day to request mail ballots for the March 15 primary is Wednesday. So far 15,000 were mailed out. They have to be back by election night. Murky waters from Lake Okeechobee discharges stain the St. Lucie River on Thursday near Palm City and Stuart. The Army Corps of Engineers opened the St. Lucie Lock and Dam on Jan. 30 and Lake O water has been flowing into the St. Lucie River since. (LEAH VOSS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) SHARE By Isadora Rangel of TCPalm TALLAHASSEE Lawmakers have added more money to the state budget to make sure farmers reduce pollution flowing from their land under a new law Gov. Rick Scott signed in January. The House and Senate finalized a $82.3 billion state budget Tuesday and are scheduled to pass it Friday. The chambers reached a last-minute agreement during budget negotiations Monday to add $226,800 to hire two more employees in the division of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to oversee farmers measures to clean runoff from their property that ends up in Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie River. The two new positions are in addition to eight others the House and Senate had agreed to fund earlier this session, bringing the total to 10. The new employees will help the Department of Environmental Protection implement a controversial water bill the Legislature passed in January that changes how the state regulates farm runoff into the lake. Instead of regulating it through permits, the state will rely heavily on farmers reducing pollution through "best management practices," such as reducing fertilizer use. After lobbying by environmentalists, who complained the practices are loosely enforced, lawmakers toughened the bill, making the cleanup plans enforceable and subjecting farmers to penalties if they don't follow the practices. But that required money and more employees to run the Department of Agriculture's Office of Agricultural Water Policy, which oversees best management practices, said Audubon Executive Director Eric Draper. "This will lead to cleaner water," Draper said. "The biggest concern (in the bill) is enforcement." The department has been meeting with environmentalists and the agriculture industry before imposing new rules on how to enforce the provisions in the bill, Draper said. The bill also directs the Department of Environmental Protection to revise and change the cleanup plans if they aren't working. SB 552 was one of the first bills the Legislature passed this session. Former Gov. Bob Graham and other environmentalists asked Scott not to sign the bill. They said it puts agriculture before the environment, even with the added enforcement. The cleanup plans don't offer an accurate account of whether pollution is being reduced and credits polluters for cleaning water with measures they can't prove worked, they said. Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., waves during a campaign event, Feb. 23, 2016 in Kentwood, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) By Bartholomew Sullivan In the race to the White House, 17 Republicans and six Democrats have been winnowed to the real contenders. Florida's presidential preference primary next week, with its winner-take-all stakes in the GOP contest, is sure to finish off a few more. But June 14 is the ultimate finish line, when all 50 states, five territories and the District of Columbia will have chosen their nominees to each party's convention. Each state's delegates the number varies based on the size of the congressional delegation, among other things will vote for a final candidate to vie in the Nov. 8 election to succeed President Barack Obama as the 45th president. Pin worn by one waiting for Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to speak at a campaign rally in Ponte Vedra Beach on March 8. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough) SHARE Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks at a campaign rally in Ponte Vedra Beach on March 8. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough) Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks at a campaign rally in Ponte Vedra Beach on March 8. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough) By Bartholomew Sullivan, bartholomew.sullivan@tcpalm.com WASHINGTON With Marco Rubio's poor performance Tuesday night and Republican opponents demanding he step aside, is Florida's junior senator finally going to abandon his White House bid? Will he before Tuesday's Florida primary? Rubio came in fourth of four candidates in Michigan and Mississippi and third in Idaho and Hawaii. Donald Trump won Mississippi, Michigan and Hawaii and came in second in Idaho. Ohio Gov. John Kasich came in third in Mississippi, Michigan and Idaho. Some Treasure Coast pundits said they suspect if Rubio doesn't do well in Florida Tuesday, that will be the end. "What would be the benefit of him dropping out?" before March 15, asked University of South Florida political science and mass communications professor Susan A. MacManus. "All his supporters have worked tirelessly. Being a quitter is not a good thing in politics." But longtime Republican strategist and former Rubio consultant Steve Ingram said the senator had a very bad night and needs to take stock, and think long-term. "He's got to look at this race and realize no Republican candidate is ever going to get his party's nomination after having only won the state of Minnesota and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico," Ingram said Wednesday. "After last night's disaster, he really needs to reassess not only this race but what continuing on means for his political future, if he is to have one. "If I were advising Marco, I would strongly encourage him to go ahead and get out of the race, even before Florida votes next week," he said. WHAT NOW? Last year, Ingram speculated that Rubio would drop out early and "cruise" to an easy re-election to his Senate seat. With the qualifying deadline of noon June 24, that's still a prospect, but Ingram suggests it no longer would be an easy race to win. There are seven announced GOP Senate candidates, including two congressmen and the lieutenant governor. "Today, I'm not so sure Florida voters feel like they're getting adequate representation from Sen. Rubio." The Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel Tuesday declined to endorse any of the GOP candidates, saying of Rubio that he "has done little but run for office. Then, when he gets in office, he doesn't go to work very much." But Tribune's flagship newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, endorsed Rubio Wednesday, citing, among other things, his foreign policy expertise. The Illinois primary is Tuesday too. Former Florida Republican Party Chairwoman Carole Jean Jordan doesn't expect Rubio to drop out before Tuesday. Who will win Florida's 99 winner-take-all delegates, she said, is "totally up in the air." She voted absentee for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who has suspended his campaign. Jordan said a reliable theory about the Florida vote has been "how go the absentees, goes the election." Florida has been early voting since March 5. FLORIDA Jordan, who serves as Indian River County's tax collector, said she doesn't believe Trump has the personality to be president, but understands his appeal. "Trump is reaching a different demographic in our party that's very concerned with the way things are going. I understand that. My family has a small business. We know times have been difficult. That's what Mr. Trump attracts: people who are looking for a better economy, and for better jobs and for a better place in this country for small business and the middle class." MacManus, who watched the Iowa caucuses from ground-level last month and was reached in Miami Wednesday before attending the Univision-sponsored Democratic debate, said the country's millennial generation is a major influence this election year. That explains the apparent taste for candidates who are "fresh" and "different," she said. "We've had a return to the 1960s, when college campuses were the epicenter of politicking," she said. "Well, guess what? They are again, but for a different reason." "It's not the (Vietnam) war; it's the economy," she said. Students on college campuses see a future of high student debt and meager job prospects. Candidates offering free college tuition and loan forgiveness "grab people's attention." She said if Trump doesn't win in Florida, "it will be the biggest news of the night." She wouldn't be surprised if Kasich's "calm" demeanor proves appealing to Florida's elderly voters. Kasich's Ohio GOP primary constituents, with 66 delegates at stake, also vote Tuesday. CLINTON In the Democratic race between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, MacManus said she was not surprised by Sanders' victory in Michigan or at the pre-election polls being so wrong, which she called "a wake-up call for people who think polls are so good and never wrong." You can't predict turnout, she said. Jordan, reached in Tallahassee, said she was surprised because she thought Clinton would best Sanders in a "big union state" like Michigan. Ingram, the Tampa-based Republican strategist, saw another telling feature in Clinton's loss. "Hillary Clinton severely underestimated the sophistication of Michigan voters when she attacked Sen. Sanders' vote on the auto bailout," he said. "There's no one in this country who understands the details and the ramifications of that issue better than the people of the state of Michigan. "She needs to contemplate a little more, not so much what she says, but the audience to whom it is delivered," he said, "because what works in Georgia or South Carolina isn't necessarily going to float in Michigan." Bartholomew Sullivan, a veteran Washington reporter, heads Treasure Coast Newspapers' D.C. news bureau. Will the tropics remain quiet for the rest of the season? Anthony Westbury is a columnist for TCPalm.com. Anthony Westbury Columnist SHARE Wayne Maris, of Indian River County, took this photo at the new Melody Lane Fishing Pier in Fort Pierce. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) The Melody Lane Fishing Pier has a musical theme commemorating the former Fort Pierce radio station WIRA. The new pier is 10 feet wide and 215 feet long and includes benches, bicycle racks, lighting and a fish cleaning table. (LEAH VOSS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) The people spoke and the City Commission listened. In an astonishing turnabout, Fort Pierce commissioners voted Monday night to deny a new ordinance that would have extended a ban on fishing along most of the riverfront in downtown. More than two dozen black audience members stood up and spoke on behalf of their community and culture and the importance of being able to fish "The Wall" south of Orange Avenue. "I've been fishing (there) for 50 years," Johnny B. Wilson, of Avenue G, told the commission. "My seven kids fish there, too ... all you're doing is hurting our community. You're listening only to people with power and money, not us. ... Don't shut us down, let us live." The city had written the new ordinance to address long-standing complaints from residents and commercial tenants at the Renaissance condominium about fishermen leaving trash, fishing line and fish carcasses along the sea wall on Melody Lane. Commissioner Eddie Becht also mentioned complaints he has received about fishermen blaring music and taking up much of the sidewalk with their coolers and folding chairs. The city opened the new Melody Lane public fishing pier at the southern end of the street only about a month ago. Long in the planning and design stages, the pier always was intended to shift anglers away from the view of condo residents and businesses near Orange Avenue. Yet the new pier simply isn't big enough, fisherman after fisherman told the board. Cramming anglers onto a 220-foot-long structure instead of allowing them to fish along several hundred yards of sea wall will cause conflict, several speakers argued. City commissioners were hearing the ordinance for the second time in two weeks. At the first reading only three people spoke, two of them in favor of the restrictions. The board came to a compromise adding a 300-foot section at the southern end of the sea wall near the pier as a fishing area. This time, rounded up through area churches, the chamber was packed with Lincoln Park residents (and several from Port St. Lucie) infuriated by the restrictions. They handed in a petition with names of more than 300 objectors. Several people brought their fishing poles. "Fishing here has been a positive thing for generations," Ruby Dixon, of Avenue O, told the board. "There are a lot of negative things in Fort Pierce, but this is positive for older folks and young kids. I can't imagine why you'd take away one of the few outlets we have (for enjoying ourselves)." Unable to contain himself, Commissioner Reggie Sessions (the sole "no" vote at the first reading of the ordinance two weeks ago), and black himself, said the city's motives smacked of racism. "Isn't this like the back of the bus?" Sessions asked in a reference to civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks, as audience members nodded in agreement. "It's very simple. It's affecting African-Americans. It's bigotry, racism." It's easy to see why Sessions feels that way. City fathers have been trying to move the fishermen away from their shiny new downtown waterfront for 20 years. They have listened to complaints about trash and loud music while condoning much louder and more problematic downtown festivals and monthly Friday Fest events. Commissioner Tom Perona tried to justify the city's actions by pointing out the need to keep investment flowing into downtown. "We have to find a balance here," Perona argued. "Fort Pierce's evolving. Like it or not, we can't stay in the past." I understand Perona's point, but fishermen along "The Wall" feel pushed out, rather like residents in poor sections feel when wealthier new residents move into a neighborhood, "gentrifying" it. So, when the commission voted down the new ordinance, there was jubilation in the room. It's not unusual for a minority crowd to protest city actions; it is unusual for them to walk out pleased with the outcome. City officials have pledged to look into expanding the fishing pier, adding bathrooms nearby and improving access for the disabled. If this had happened in Port St. Lucie, a commissioner would have suggested they have a workshop on the topic to gather divergent opinions and come to a mutually agreeable solution. That's exactly what needs to happen at Melody Lane. Money and political influence must be tempered by the will of the people. Thank goodness that happened Monday night. It's long overdue. Water churns after gushing through the St. Lucie Lock and Dam in Martin County. (ED KILLER/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) It was nice to see that Gov. Rick Scott's emergency declaration in the wake of the Lake Okeechobee discharges had at least one tangible benefit. Businesses that have been harmed by the discharges can register with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity's Business Emergency Operations Center, and could be eligible for fiscal aid. That's good, and so is the heightened awareness of the ecological catastrophe that may have been fostered by Scott's Feb. 26 declaration. This is government at its best, helping those harmed by forces beyond their control and heightening the public's understanding of the difficulties they face. Unfortunately, Scott's emergency declaration also represents government and politics at its worst. Rather than helping Floridians, the primary goal of the declaration seemed to be laying the blame for the discharges and the harm they have caused at the feet of President Barack Obama. The situation, Scott declared, is the result of inadequate funding by the federal government. The Obama administration, he insisted, must fully fund the more than $800 million in needed repairs to the federally operated Herbert Hoover Dike, which then could safely hold more water and prevent discharges. "Not only is the well-being and health of our families at risk if the Obama administration doesn't immediately begin funding repairs to their federally operated dike, but our housing market, tourism industry and agricultural community will fail if the dike is not repaired and properly maintained," Scott asserted. This is so ludicrous we barely know where to start. First and we hate to break this to the governor Congress, and not the president, controls the purse strings. If it wished, the Republican-controlled Congress could make up for lost time and authorize more money for the dike and for Everglades restoration. So far, it has chosen not to do so. And this is somehow President Obama's fault? Next, Scott's declaration insinuates that if the dike were in tiptop shape, it would naturally be used to hold more water. The Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the dike, would surely permit Lake Okeechobee levels to rise, thus preventing the need for discharges. But the Army Corps of Engineers has never committed to this, with officials saying only that the rehab project will allow the corps to operate the dike with less risk. It won't automatically allow for lake levels to rise. Finally, Scott's suggestion conveniently ignores another possible remedy. What about the 2015 University of Florida study, commissioned by the Florida Senate, asserting that more water storage options both north and south of the lake could help prevent the discharges? At a time when the public and advocacy groups are clamoring for Florida to "buy the land and send it south," Scott is instead pointing fingers and pretending that blaming everything on President Obama will magically shake the money tree, which will then solve all the problems. To be fair, in one respect Scott is correct: Surely the federal government must do more to affect long-term solutions. But our waterways and the local businesses that depend upon them need help now. Floridians require action, not political posturing. Rather than pointing fingers, Scott could engage the debate over buying land in the Everglades Agricultural Area so that water could flow south as nature intended. Despite the Army Corps of Engineers' announcement last week that it would reduce discharges from Lake Okeechobee, the situation remains serious. Unfortunately, Scott has chosen to respond in a profoundly unserious manner. It's time for Scott to roll up his sleeves and demonstrate some actual leadership rather than engaging in partisan fiddling while our estuaries drown in foul waters. If you love a good survival story with twists and turns and real-life drama, make sure to catch Michael Tougias on March 19 when he talks about his writing career - including his bestseller 'The Finest Hours' - at the Emerson Center. A Disney movie based on the book is in theaters now. It recounts the true story of the Coast Guard's most daring rescue - when, in the cold winter of 1952, a team saved 84 men who were left stranded in freezing Atlantic waters after a blizzard caused two tankers to break in half. 'It's a story about survival and how these brave men overcome the challenges of being adrift in wrecked ships, fearful for their lives,' says Tougias. 'It takes a very special type of person to overcome those adversities.' The film was primarily shot on Cape Cod, close to Tougias' home. Getaway He grew up in western Massachusetts and attended college in Vermont before starting his prolific writing career. He's now the author of 24 books, most of them nonfiction stories of heroism and tragedy that highlight human courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable hardship. Lighter approach He took a lighter approach to those themes when he chronicled his misadventures as a young man at his remote cabin in Vermont. 'There's a Porcupine in my Outhouse' won the Independent Publishers Association Award for Best Nature Book of the Year. Tougias continues to return to that cabin where 'sitting on the porch, overlooking the mountains is probably where I do my best writing,' he says. 'There are few distractions and barely any cell phone coverage. 'When I need to take a break from the computer, I simply take a long walk down the hill to the lake and have a nice swim.' Common themes Tougias has written about dozens of true survival stories, all of which have required painstaking research. He has had conversations with hundreds of people. Whether they have escaped a maritime tragedy or attained great professional success, they have provided Tougias with the great stories of success, leadership and inspiration for his speaking tours. One of his lectures, 'Survival lessons and decision making under pressure,' is a compilation of interviews with people who shouldn't be on the planet - each survived a potentially fatal event. Tougias points out that adaptability and inner toughness saved them. 'I saw similarities and personality traits, as well as the process in making decisions,' he says. 'Many times a situation can feel overwhelming, whether it's your job, a traumatic event or in your personal life when you hit the proverbial fork in the road. So many times people put themselves into the position of 'I've come this far so I can't turn back.' 'The individuals who prevail tend to stop, reassess and make a better decision.' At his Emerson Center presentation, Tougias will talk about 'The Finest Hours' and show his own 'mini-movie with high action and excitement.' It includes slides from actual footage of the 1952 disaster, as well as inspirational stories he heard directly from the survivors. Newest book He will also discuss his newest book, to be released in spring 2016, entitled 'So Close To Home.' It details a family's experience during a German U-boat attack in the Gulf of Mexico during World War II. Tougias will speak at 6:30 p.m. on March 19 at The Emerson Center, located in the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Vero Beach, on the southeast corner of 16th Street and 27th Avenue. There is an elevator to the 2nd floor balcony and seating for audience members with physical challenges. You can purchase tickets by calling 772-778-5249, visiting www.theemersoncenter.org or by stopping by the venue. Discounted tickets are available to all members of the U.S. Coast Guard - active duty and veteran - and their spouses. Photos by Stephanie LaBaff Marsha Littlejohn and Karl Zimmermann SHARE Board members Diane & Vinnie Parentela with Friends After Diagnosis Chair Lin Reading. Denise Jiruska, Joan Swiderski, Cassie Ford and Darlene Davis Rickey Sorrentino, Devin Sprenger and Justin Hearl Special Equestrian Lindsay, 12 with Peter & Barbara Hires. By Stephanie Labaff, The Newsweekly Recent studies have shown that equine-therapy can benefit individuals with cognitive, physical, emotional and social challenges. And Special Equestrians of the Treasure Coast is putting that healing power to work. Proof of those benefits was easy to see during the organization's fifth annual Pony Up fundraiser. It was in the joy on the faces of Special Equestrians students Bella Perkins and Lindsay Hires as they did a demonstration ride. BG Polo & Equestrian opened the barn doors to 120 guests for the evening of down-home fun. Guests enjoyed an Argentine barbecue by Charley Replogle of the Ocean Grill; were entertained by comedian Todd Charles and the Last Chance Band; and tried their luck at the live and silent auctions. County Commissioner and auctioneer Wesley Davis kicked off the live action with bidding for a weekend stay in the Ocala BG Polo & Equestrian Club and a bag of "America's Most Wanted" memorabilia, including signed books donated by John Walsh. The star of the long-running television show talked with attendees about the physical and psychological benefits of equine-therapy and the programs provided by the funds raised for Special Equestrians. Silent auction items included a gold horse pendant and chain donated by John Michael Mathews Jewelry and large toy horse from Lily Pad. The event was sponsored by George E. Warren Corporation, Sun Trust Bank and Audrey's 2 U Feed & Tack. Nearly $25,000 was raised at the event. Funds will support nine therapy horses and riding scholarships for individuals with physical, emotional or intellectual disabilities. The instructors are certified and trained through Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International. The program currently has 45 children and adults enrolled in the winter session. Equestrian Special Olympics for our area will be held at Destiny Bound Stables in Fort Pierce on March 12. To learn more about the Special Equestrians of the Treasure Coast call 772-562-7603, email vickiep@aol.com or SpecialEquestriansTreasureCoast.org. Their barn is located at 7280 53rd St., Vero Beach. The bronze cockerel, or Okukor, which had previously stood in Jesus Colleges hall has been removed, following protests from students. The cockerel was looted from Benin, in modern-day Nigeria, in the 19th century. It is yet to be decided if it is to be repatriated. In February, the Jesus College Students Union unanimously passed a motion that the student body would suggest to the master that they supported the repatriation of the Benin Bronze. Todays announcement follows a meeting of the college council at Jesus. A University spokesperson said Jesus College acknowledges the contribution made by students in raising the important but complex question of the rightful location of its Benin Bronze, in response to which it has permanently removed the Okukor from its hall. The spokesperson also said that the college will work to create new initiatives with Nigerian heritage and work with museum authorities to discuss and determine the best future for the Okukor, including the question of repatriation. The Okukor was one of hundreds of artifacts stolen from the Benin Empire in the Punitive Expedition of 1897. The cockerel is the emblem of Jesus, appearing on its college crest. The Cambridge Student understands that the Benin Bronze Committee will soon be releasing a statement on todays decision. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Country of Origin: Taiwan Leaf Appearance: deep green, tightly rolled Ingredients: oolong tea Steep time: 30 seconds Water Temperature: 212 degrees Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan Liquor: pale gold This is the first tea that Ive had from LaLa Shan in Taiwan. Doesnt it sound like the name for a magical tea wonderland? The owner of the company showed me photographs of the farm where this tea is produced and the mountain views were absolutely breathtaking. Needless to say, LaLa Shan has now been added to the tea travel bucket list. Xin Mu Chas website explains that the region is similar to Ali Shan and Li Shan but the weather is generally a bit cooler. An elevation of 1,500 meters makes this tea a true high mountain oolong. It was made from Qing Xing, also known as green heart, one of the oldest and most widely spread Taiwanese tea cultivars. My senses were flooded with the wonderful aroma of the leaves as soon as I opened the sample packet. All I could think was, now thats what tea should smell like!. The mouth-feel was buttery and thick with a smooth and pleasant finish. Heady floral aromas reminiscent of orchid and honeysuckle flooded all of my senses. There some vegetal notes in later infusions but dont let that scare you. They were more like sweet sugar snap peas than broccoli or other less popular veggies. This tea lingered in my palate for what seemed like forever. I adore watching the leaves unfurl with an oolong like this one. Those tiny little balls slowly transformed into large, beautiful and intact leaves. Nonpareil Taiwan LaLa Shan Oolong Tea sample provided for review by Xin Mu Cha. dark.knight Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Beans Town Posts: 1,848 Thanked: 8,319 Times Re: On BMW's 100th Birthday, Mercedes invites BMW employees to discover the history of the automobil This is kind of a healthy competition between the big 2 of Germany and they understand that perfectly because most German giants have an almost similar past in terms of ownership or funding or both. Mercedes Benz aka Benz Patent Motorwagen+Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft invented the first gasolene powered automobile, driven by the Fuhrer himself. BMW formerly Rapp Motoren werke/ Bayerische Flugzeugwerke Aktiengesellschaft was funded by the Nazi military to build aircraft engines initially but that stopped at the end of WW and they diversified into motorcycle building, the 3 wheeler car Isetta (licensed from Italy) and then the cars we know of today starting with the BMW Dixi. VW was the pet project of the Fuhrer to enable common people to afford cars and drive them hence the name Folks-wagen Beetle their first car. AUDI aka Auto-Union formerly, used to make chassis and supply them to Gottlieb Daimler for his cars. Later Auto Union was merged with 3 companies holding various interests in automobile manufacturing hence the four rings logo. All these companies personify their tagline, Audi with Vorsprung durch Technik (progress with technology), BMW with Freude am Fahren (joy in motion) and Mercedes with The Best or Nothing. The Chicago Board of Education on Wednesday voted unanimously to make computer science a graduation requirement for all high school students beginning with next years freshmen. Chicago Public Schools has become a national leader in computer science education since Mayor Rahm Emanuel launched the Computer Science for All initiative for grades K-12 in 2013, the board said. The five-year plan aims to make computer science a core subject taught in schools. It includes a partnership withCode.org to provide the curriculum and prepare teachers. The White House last month launched a nationalComputer Science for All program. Exposing students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, education early will provide critical skills and training for success in their careers and in life, CPS said. Demand for computing skills will be greater than the supply of qualified job takers, according to CPS. That will create a gap of 1 million job openings by 2024. While there were nearly 600,000 job openings in computing, universities produced fewer than 40,000 computer science graduates last year, the board said. To help close that gap, Chicago public school students will be required to complete one credit of computer science education as half of the two-credit career education requirement. Rahm Emanuels decision to require computer science in Chicago Public Schools should be lauded. These young men and women will now have the benefit of access to a discipline that would have simply been out of reach before, said Colleen Ganjian, president ofDC College Counseling. Education Sound The boards decision will produce long-term gains, she told TechNewsWorld. If students choose not to pursue computer science after high school, the exposure will make them stronger candidates in the college admissions process. It also will introduce them to a variety of other career paths. Schools need to embrace STEM to meet growing demand for better career training. Theres an increasing necessity for schools nationwide to better prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow by encouraging STEM, according to Sidharth Oberoi, president ofZaniac. Providing exposure to students at a younger age is key to enabling better decision-making for individuals when they reach college or enter the workforce. The more extensive knowledge a student has, the greater the opportunity he or she has for higher salaries as well as the potential to have a larger impact on the betterment of society, he told TechNewsWorld. Computer science education is an essential ingredient in the STEM formula and in todays education, noted Stephen Nichols, CEO ofGameSalad. It allows for experimentation and rapid iteration and provides students with a platform to utilize and learn the fundamental concepts of software development and programming. A true computer science education will foster creativity and enrich the lives of students around the world and help set them up for future success, he told TechNewsWorld. STEM Plus One Eagle Academy Public Charter School took that concept further by expanding the STEM concept to include the arts in its STEAM curriculum. STEAM Exploratorium is designed to challenge young students to create, solve problems, experiment, test, adapt, collaborate, explain and develop a sense of curiosity as they learn skills and strategies for the challenges of the 21st century, according to Executive Director Cassandra Pinkney. The process fosters engineering and technological literacy among students an all-important skill set in tomorrows world, she told TechNewsWorld. School officials are adamant about exposing students to STEAM while they are young and curious, Pinkney said. The goal is to inspire students to continue pursuing the sciences throughout their academic and professional careers. Essential Component The Chicago school boards action requiring computer science credits is important in furthering the intent of the Computer Science for All initiative. It will go a long way to increase the number of STEM candidates, noted Steven Rothberg, president ofCollege Recruiter. The more students who are exposed to science, technology, engineering and math courses in high school, the more students who will choose to major in those fields in college, whether they attend a one-year technical/vocational school, a two-year community college or a four-year university, he told TechNewsWorld. Exposure to computer science is critical before students enter college. In order for the U.S. to successfully compete in a global market economy, schools must present technological and computer skills early on, according to J. Luke Wood, associate professor in theCommunity College Leadership program at San Diego State University. This move sets Chicago as a national leader in preparing students for readiness in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Our nation is not prepared to compete in the emerging world economy. Our ability to do so cannot solely rely upon bringing in talent from other nations, he told TechNewsWorld. That will require our nation to better prepare students who have been historically underrepresented and underserved in education, Wood said, particularly students of color. The GermanCartel Office on Wednesday announced the launch of an investigation into Facebook over allegations that it abused its market position by infringing data protection rules, specifically in connection with the terms of service governing user data. The investigation is aimed at Facebook Inc. USA, the companys Irish subsidiary, and Facebook Germany GmbH in Hamburg. The office, or Bundeskartellamt, is looking into whether Facebooks terms of service violate data protection provisions. Dominant companies are subject to special obligations, said Andreas Mundt, president of the Bundeskartellamt. These include the use of adequate terms of service as far as these are relevant to the market. User data is hugely important at advertising-financed Internet services such as Facebook, Mundt added. The investigation will look into whether users are adequately informed about the type and extent of data collected. Questionable ToS Facebooks terms of service could be imposing unfair conditions on users, the office said. The company collects a large amount of personal user data, and users are required to agree to the terms of service, which often are difficult to understand, the Bundeskartellamt said. The company has complied with the law and will work with the Bundeskartellamt to answer its questions, a Facebook spokesperson said. The office is conducting the investigation with the cooperation of data protection officers, consumer protection offices, the European Commission and authorities in other EU member states. The Working Group on Competition Law met at the Bundeskartellamt in October and to discuss dominant digital and social media platforms such as Facebook, Google and Amazon. Rules of Competition Germanys investigation may not be about Facebook violating any rules regarding data protection, but rather about competition, said Susan Schreiner, an analyst atC4 Trends. This is the first time that a company has amassed the sheer volume of data, she told the E-Commerce Times. In todays world, where data is the new currency, is this about user data ultimately translating into market power and giving Facebook an advantage over German and other EU Internet companies? German regulators are focusing on two central issues, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. First is the way Facebook dominates social markets via four of the eight most popular social apps/services, including Facebook, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram, he told the E-Commerce Times. The second is the companys business model, which is largely based on selling advertising informed by information about Facebook users. If Facebooks business is as clean as the company claims, then it shouldnt be a problem, King said. However, rival companies have faced similar allegations and defended their practices, facing months of painful inquiries and eventual penalties. French Investigation Facebook has come under scrutiny in various European countries in recent months, as officials have examined issues including the security of data that could be transferred to the U.S. and be subject to U.S. government surveillance. The French data protection authority, the CNIL, last month sent a formal notice to Facebook requiring it to comply with the French Data Protection Act within three months, specifically regarding the browsing data of Internet users who do not have a Facebook account. The company has 30 million users in France, according to the office. The office also found that Facebook collects information on the sexual orientation and religious and political views of users without their explicit consent and sets cookies that have an advertising purpose without proper consent. If Facebook fails to comply in the French case, the chair could appoint a rapporteur who might refer the matter to the CNIL select committee regarding sanctions. Protecting the privacy of the people who use Facebook is at the heart of everything we do a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement provided to the E-Commerce Times by media rep Arielle Aryah. We are confident that we comply with European data protection law and look forward to engaging with the CNIL to respond to their concerns. Reviews of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge came out Tuesday, and they were overwhelmingly positive. Head of the Smartphone Class, concluded Geoffrey Fowler in The Wall Street Journal. On the edge of perfection, summed up Dan Seifert for The Verge. Inching Toward Perfection, suggested Darren Orf on Gizmodo. Samsung last month introduced the S7 line at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and there was a lot of talk about how unimpressed folks were during the introduction, recalled Wayne Lam, a principal analyst at IHS Technology. Still, Ive been really impressed at the added design improvements Samsung has made with the S7, he told TechNewsWorld. What Reviewers Like About It The S7 camera scored high with reviewers. It beats the iPhone 6s Plus in every low-light situation Ive tested, Fowler enthused. The 12-MP camera is lower resolution than its S6 counterpart, but each pixel can capture 95 percent more light. Samsungs camera app is one of the best available for Android, The Verges Seifert wrote. He liked the cameras launch speed, and said the camera produced brighter, sharper images than the iPhone 6s Plus and was faster to autofocus, especially in poor lighting. The S7 screen is a stunner, packing in more than three times as many pixels as the iPhone 6s, Fowler wrote. And its blazing fast processor is well-suited for the new world of virtual reality. The S7s SD card slot also won kudos, as did the return of the water-resistant capability, which was available on the Galaxy S5 but was removed from the S6. Battery life always a problem for Samsung smartphones has improved considerably, a huge plus. Reviewers also liked the S7s design, look and feel. The past several versions of the Galaxy S series left something of a bitter taste in users mouths for multiple reasons, remarked Ramon Llamas, a research manager at IDC. What the S7 line does, and does smartly, is it comes back to the basics and does the basics well. Samsung is hitting the right notes with improved battery life, external storage capacity and the quality of the camera, he told TechNewsWorld. At the end of the day, you want the phone to work and all the bells and whistles dont matter otherwise. What Bugged the Reviewers The glacial pace at which TouchWiz receives official Android updates continues to make it difficult to whole-heartedly recommend software that will a.) be late to update its device with the latest build of Android and b.) not even implement some of Androids best features, like adaptable storage, noted Gizmodos Orf. Its not a deal breaker overall for the S7, but definitely a checkmark in the cons column. The S7 doesnt allow the use of third-party apps, including some of the built-in Android apps for Always On notification, he pointed out. Also, it cant quite match the load speeds of iOS when it comes to opening big apps and detailed documents. Carrier bloatware is another issue. Verizon adds 13 apps, for example. the phone Seifert tested had two email, two photo and two text-messaging apps; three music players; two voice control systems; and two app stores. The apps can be disabled but not entirely removed. The edge feature that gives the Galaxy S7 edge its name doesnt feel necessary, Orf said. My home screen is already a shortcut to the apps I use most. I dont really need a shortcut on top of a shortcut. No. 1 With a Bullet? Samsung is taking another page out of Apples playbook, IHS Lam pointed out, with the S7 being a similar product strategy to the iPhone 6 and 6s iterations. The S6 was a brand new design philosophy and the S7 a further refinement. However, the iPhone is still very much the leader and in demand, maintained Susan Schreiner, an analyst at C4 Trends. That said, the S7 appears to have been optimized for Samsungs mobile Gear VR ecosystem, she told TechNewsWorld. We expect that the Gear 360 camera [will] let users finesse VR content creation and limited editing on the device. Microsoft on Tuesday announced plans to release a version of its enterprise database product SQL Server 2016 for Linux. Bringing SQL Server to Linux is another way we are making our products and new innovations more accessible to a broader set of users and meeting them where they are, said Scott Guthrie, executive vice president for Microsofts cloud and enterprise group. With a Linux version, SQL Server will be able to deliver a consistent data platform across Windows Server and Linux, in the cloud and on-premises, he noted. SQL Server for Linux also will bring to Linux users features such as mission-critical performance, industry-leading total cost of ownership, security, and hybrid cloud innovations such as Stretch Database, which lets customers access their data on-premises and in the cloud whenever they want, Guthrie said. Microsoft has made a preview of SQL Server for Linux available. The final product is expected to ship in mid-2017. Delivering on Hybrid Cloud Microsoft believes that creating a Linux version of SQL Server will have a number of benefits for the product. Customers will be able to build and deploy more of their applications on a single data management and business analytics platform, Microsoft said in a statement provided to LinuxInsider by spokesperson Jennifer Reynolds. Customers also will be able to leverage existing tools, talent and resources for more of their applications, the company noted. Whats more, partners with applications built on SQL Server will be able to serve more of their customers environments, expanding their addressable market, Microsoft said. With Microsoft bringing SQL Server to Linux, enterprises will be able to further integrate disparate platforms to deliver on the promise of the hybrid cloud, while increasing the choice that developers, customers and partners have as open source continues to form the foundation of the platforms of the future, said Mike Ferris,Red Hats director of business architecture. Expanding SQL Server Market Offering a Linux version of SQL Server is all about expanding market opportunities for Microsoft, noted IDC analyst Al Gillen. Its about capturing opportunities on Linux servers that Microsoft today doesnt have any offerings for, he told LinuxInsider. Thats an important piece of the market, Gillen continued, but its not huge. Its not going to double Microsofts volume or anything like that. The move is also about garnering mindshare with customers, he added, so that customers moving to a Linux platform will continue to think of Microsoft as a provider of the services and software that they need to run their businesses. If those customers choose to use SQL Server in their on-premises Linux deployments, then when they move to the cloud, Microsoft hopes it can sell them on using Azure, the companys cloud offering, Gillen said. If they get the customers to use SQL Server, they have the opportunity to keep these guys as customers going forward, he said. Brave New World for Microsoft SQL Server for Linux is an expansion play by Microsoft, according to Jack E. Gold, principal atJ.Gold Associates. Theres a pretty substantial Linux community out there that Microsoft would love to sell its database to, he told LinuxInsider. The move is also a recognition that the company is competing in a mixed vendor world. A fair number of Microsoft shops arent pure Microsoft anymore, so increasingly companies that are deploying Linux in their infrastructure have had to look for a mixed database environment. Microsoft is trying to solve that for them, Gold said. In addition, Microsoft is going to start running Linux on Azure, so it wants SQL Server to run there too, he said. The bottom line to all of this, Gold said, is that with [Microsoft CEO Satya] Nadella in charge, Microsoft is starting to listen to their customers, rather than telling customers what they should deploy. Coup for Linux Microsofts embrace of Linux is part of a larger trend at the company, noted Jim McGregor, principal analyst atTirias Research. There was a large internal battle over whether applications should be decoupled from Windows. Now they realize they have to be more flexible in a changing environment, he told LinuxInsider. Not everything in todays infrastructure is running Microsofts operating system, McGregor said. By being more flexible, it opens up the market for them. In addition to benefiting Microsoft, SQL Server for Linux has some benefits for the open source operating systems community, too. Microsofts announcement that they plan to bring SQL Server to Linux is further validation of the power and acceptance of open source in enterprise environments, Red Hats Ferris told LinuxInsider. It gives Linux even more credibility than it already has, IDCs Gillen noted. If Microsoft is convinced that Linux is a platform that needs to be supported, what does that say about Linux? It says its a respected and powerful platform. Kaspersky Lab, India along with its National Distributor for B2B Comguard Infosol, concluded a partner meet for SMBs and mid-level enterprises in Lucknow this Friday. Held at Hotel Golden Tulip, the existing & new partners of Kaspersky Lab convened to discuss developments and chart out a mutually beneficial growth map. Kaspersky Lab and Comguard have been strong allies, forging a solid partnership and creating their own success story. The Partner meet was attended by over 30 Partners from across Lucknow, where Kaspersky Lab along with Comguard discussed several key issues. At the top of the Kaspersky Lab-Comguard agenda was to discuss the road map for 2016 and present the solutions to the partners. One of the major points was to maximize the opportunity created by the DGS&D rate contract that was bagged by Kaspersky Lab. Through this deal, Kaspersky Lab will provide its world-class cyber security product, the Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business Select, to protect vital cyber systems in government institutions & verticals including State, Central, PSUs, Defence and other departments. With this, it becomes an important contributor to the countrys ambitious Digital India movement. Kaspersky Lab discussed its roadmap to deliver the same so as to provide optimal results. The recently announced partner incentive program March For Rewards, was discussed and it was appreciated by the partners. The various program features and benefits were discussed at length. There was a round of applause and celebration to commemorate Kaspersky Lab being announced Leader at Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms for the fifth consecutive year. It is a commendable feat, in a market as dynamic and fast growing as cyber security. Altaf Halde, Managing Director South Asia, Kaspersky Labsaid Our partners are the most critical part of our success in the country. This partner meet gave us an opportunity to get on board new partners as well as it was a learning experience on the new solutions for the existing partners. This meet was particularly vital because we had the DGS&D contract details to share, our March For Rewards program to announce and the Gartner MQ award celebration. It has been very fruitful and were looking forward to a great year ahead! Harish Rai, Country Manager of Comguard Infosol said, Partner meets like these plays a very vital role as it accelerates business growth and strengthens the understanding of the industry as a whole. With Kaspersky, we look forward to an exciting year ahead. The contract is a great win and indeed a big responsibility. As their national distributor, Comguard is committed towards taking the lead in making this opportunity count. It was a very fruitful meet and our plans for the next few months are neatly laid out. Kaspersky Lab and Comguard continue to build a strong business relationship, leading to great service and penetration. From this Lucknow meet begins a road of many opportunities. The meeting concluded on an optimistic note, with all partners positive of the coming financial year. Technuter.com News Service Yesterday Nvidia launched a new set of drivers for their GeForce graphics cards, and it hasn't been the smoothest release so far. Many users have reported issues with the 364.47 build, particularly with the installer, causing Nvidia to quickly release a fix that you should install instead. The main issue with the 364.47 drivers concerned its installation process, with some users experiencing a crash during the express installer that breaks their system. As the crash would then prevent affected users from booting into Windows, they'd have to either boot into safe mode and roll back to a previous driver version, or revert to a previous point using system restore. Nvidia became aware of the issue shortly after users posted about their struggles on Reddit and other forums, and has released a new driver that includes a fix. Version 364.51 is still in beta at the moment, pending WHQL approval from Microsoft, but you should grab this version instead of 364.47 to ensure there's no issues during the installation process. Aside from the fixes to the installer, the 364.51 driver is identical to 364.47 in its feature set. On a less critical note, The Tech Report has discovered that the high-refresh-rate power bug that plagued earlier versions of Nvidia's GeForce driver has appeared once again, at least in version 364.47. Using an Asus PG279Q, a GTX 980 Ti, and a refresh rate of 135 Hz, the site managed to get the GPU idling at 925 MHz, which is well above the standard idle clock speed of 135 MHz. The increased clock speed at higher refresh rate causes a pretty significant increase in idle power consumption. The test system used by The Tech Report rose from around 85W to around 140W due to the issue, which will have an effect on a user's power bill over time. Hopefully Nvidia can identify the issue and roll out an update in the near future. When it was first introduced back in 2010, using video communications app Skype on a smart TV sounded like a good idea. The application was available to download on many sets, and even came preloaded on some televisions from certain manufacturers. But now, owner Microsoft has announced that it is dropping support for Skype TV software. The Redmond company's decision was discovered on a Skype support page by the BBC. It states that, starting in June 2016, the application will no longer be supported and will no longer receive updates. The document goes on to say that "TV manufacturers may remove the Skype for TV application from some or all of their models" after this date. Microsoft says that the main reason behind the decision to end TV support is because the majority of those who use Skype now do so via a mobile device, even when they are in a room containing a Smart TV that has the app installed. Over the years, users have changed the way they use Skype, with the majority accessing it from a mobile device - including when in the living room. We want to make sure we prioritize delivering the best possible experience to the platforms our users are asking for, which is why we've decided to focus our efforts in other areas while supporting key functionality on Skype for TV for as long as possible. If you are a fan of the Skype TV app, you'll still be able to use it after June 1 - even though it won't be receiving any more updates. But it's more than likely that the application will stop working completely on all smart televisions before the end of this year. To our Christian-Zionists Pro-Israel Blog in Dutch and English language. We are based in The Netherlands, Europe. 1. Please share & link our blog with others. 2. Check out our archive in left column. 3. Search articles in left above search-box. 4. Send us your relevant news (to our e-mail). 5. If you feel to support our work for the Lord, or like to donate - then e-mail us. A blessed Shalom from us! Am Yisrael Chai ! Smartphone sales in developed nations are slowing as markets are starting to peak, a realization that is prompting handset manufacturers to borrow a page from the playbook of wireless providers and provide their own financing / early upgrade programs. Apple introduced an iPhone upgrade program with the launch of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus last September and as expected, rival Samsung is now following suit. Reuters notes that Samsung introduced an upgrade program that'll go live in South Korea this week, allowing customers to upgrade to a new premium smartphone every 12 months. Using the new Galaxy S7 / S7 Edge as an example, a customer could sign up for a 24-month installment plan from Samsung and pay a monthly fee of 7,700 won ($6.35) on top of the cost of the device. After 12 months, the customer could turn in their phone in exchange for the next flagship and restart the installment plan or keep paying for another year and eventually own the device outright. Early upgrade options allow consumers to always have a "new" smartphone. The drawback, however, is that you're essentially leasing a smartphone and will always be making a device payment without ever having anything to show for it at the end of the day. Those that stick with a phone over the long haul or pay for it in full at the time of purchase will of course be left with a device they actually own which can be kept as a backup, sold, passed down to a friend or family member or used until it breaks. Samsung is also offering a similar program for its latest devices in the UK but the company hasn't said if it'll be expanding the program to the US or any other regions. Supervolcanoes that can unleash huge amounts of magma are found in populated regions all over the world including the United States, so what would happen if an eruption occurs? How would people save themselves? Your survival instinct may tell you that the best thing to do would be to run away from flowing hot molten rock. New evidence gathered by researchers from an ancient eruption site suggests that this could be a feasible thing to do. For their research published in the journal Nature Communications on March 7, University Of Buffalo volcanologist Greg Valentine and colleagues conducted a study of the Silver Creek caldera that erupted 18.8 million years ago, flooding parts of what are now Nevada, California and Arizona with river-like currents of hot ash and gas known as pyroclastic flows. Pyroclastic flow is considered as the real killer during volcanic eruptions and not lava. A pyroclastic flow was responsible for wiping out the Roman town of Pompeii. It also killed about 29,000 people when Mount Pelee on Martinique erupted in 1902. By conducting an analysis of the rocks that were trapped in volcanic ash, the researchers found that the rivers of gas and ash coming from the supervolcano were not fast-moving jets as earlier believed but likely traveled at a speed ranging from 10 to 45 miles per hour. It may be difficult to sustain this speed on foot but it is possible with a car. Valentine said that although not everyone would be able to outrun a volcano, there are a few that could. "It's really interesting how you can have such a violent eruption producing such slow-moving flows," said Valentine. "They still devastate a huge area, but they're slow and concentrated and dense." A supereruption will likely come with some warnings such as more frequent tremors and earthquakes. While authorities may urge people to evacuate once volcanic activities heighten, the new findings suggest that those who live near a supervolcano may still have a few hours to evacuate once the disaster starts. "We want to understand these pyroclastic flows so we can do a good job of forecasting the behavior of these flows when a volcano erupts," Valentine said. "The character and speed of the flows will affect how much time you might have to get out of the way, although the only truly safe thing to do is to evacuate before a flow starts." 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Following a failed joint mission with Russia in 2011, China is eyeing to launch a Mars exploration in 2020 as an independent probe of the Red Planet, a top national political adviser and space scientist says. The China mission is expected to reach the planet in 2021 after a flight of up to 10 months, announced Ye Peijian Friday in Beijing during an annual session of the countrys political advisory body. "Consensus has been reached among policymakers and leading scientists," he said in a China Daily report. The countrys planned Mars landing will coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of Chinas founding and will occur a decade after the failed joint mission, where the Russian launch vehicle that carried Yinghuo-1 crashed into the Pacific. The United States, India, Russia, and the European Union afterwards stole the march. The Mars probe is one of the 10 major orders that Chinas next-generation heavy lift rocket, called Long March 5, has received. This was revealed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., which serves as the main contractor of its national space missions. Its structure and size will be similar to but will have distinct differences from Change-3, which is Chinas first lunar lander launched in 2013. Back in November 2015, China also unveiled a model of its orbiter as well as landing rover at the China International Industry Fair held in Shanghai. Research and preparations are now underway to set the communications between Earth and the Mars rover, and to manage the extreme environments on the destination planet. Ye as well as other Chinese scientists have been lobbying for an independent Mars exploration project for the last few years now. The Change-3 programs chief scientist added, too, that the Chinese government has not approved the plan to send its astronauts to the moon. On the other hand, the Change-5 lunar mission is poised to bring soil from the moon in 2017, while the core module of the anticipated space station will be unveiled in 2020. Renowned American astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin said in February that humans will successfully reach Mars by 2040 a very realistic plan, although staying on the planet is an altogether different story. He called for international collaboration to make the manned Mars mission happen. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. DNA profiling technique has helped the U.S. government to convict timber thieves involved in a landmark case. The technique was developed by the forest DNA forensics team at the University of Adelaide in Australia, who cannot be any more prouder. "This project has been a fantastic team effort here at Adelaide and we are all really proud that our work has helped secure such a landmark conviction," says researcher Eleanor Dormontt, Ph.D. Convicted! Four suspects pleaded guilty for illegally taking away Bigleaf maple wood in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. What made the case monumental is the fact that it is the first instance the U.S. government summoned a party for unlawful interstate commerce of wooden goods under the Lacey Act. The Lacey Act was created in 1900 to prosecute illegal traffickers of wildlife materials. In 2008, the said law was amended to include plants and plant products such as timber and paper. Developing DNA Key Markers The DNA evidence that the Australian researchers came up with was one of the key factors that helped convincing the court to rule against the timber thieves. The scientists from the university's Environment Institute developed the method by creating DNA markers for the Bigleaf maple. They collaborated with the U.S. Forest Service, World Resources Institute and timber-monitoring experts from the Double Helix Tracking Technologies. Together, these teams created the world's first DNA profiling resource index for the said wood species. Their work is recognized to be the only technique that has been verified for court use. How Does It Work? Humans each has a totally unique set of fingerprints, which is used as proof of identification or perhaps validating an identity. Trees have this unique characteristic too. The scientists used this concept to match bits of cut wood with the end piece of the trees where the wood originated. Such method may also help consumers to confirm if the wood they are buying was gathered under legal procedures, says Professor Andrew Lowe, who is also the chair of the university's Conservation Biology. According to their records, the chance of having two trees with the same DNA profile is about one in 428 sextillion. For comparison, the entire universe is said to have approximately 70 sextillion stars. Timber Theft Problem Theft of Bigleaf maple has been a continuous public problem in the Pacific Northwest. This is because of the potential profits that different sectors may reap from the wood products. In fact, a log, when milled, may cost more than $100,000. Illegal logging is a global problem that contributes to the devastation of forests and vulnerable human populations. Tree profiling may offer significant help to halt illegal logging and assist lawful forest sectors. The DNA indicators created and used by the team was published in the journal Conservation Genetics Resources. Photo: Miguel Vieira | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. With the latest total solar eclipse happening on Tuesday and Wednesday, stargazers are already gearing up to look to the skies to witness this rare celestial event. However, not everyone will be able to see the moon make its transit in front of the sun on Wednesday because its timing only favors those living in Australia and Southeast Asia. Fans of space events in North America will get their chance to see the next solar eclipse next year on Aug. 21. This is slated to be the first such total solar eclipse to be visible in the continental United States since the last one occurred in 1979. If you happen to miss the event next year, you'd have to wait seven years for the next one, which is expected to occur on April 8, 2024. What Is An Eclipse? An eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon where an object in space either passes in front or behind another body, effectively blocking the viewer's sight of that object. A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon moves behind the Earth and settles into its shadow, while a solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves directly between the Earth and the sun, casting a shadow over the planet and obscuring people's view of the sun. Solar eclipses happen only when the dark side of the moon is facing the planet during a new moon phase. How To Find Out When The Next Solar Eclipse Will Be Researchers at NASA have developed a comprehensive map that shows when and where the next few solar eclipses will occur over the next three decades. One map in particular features upcoming events that will be visible to residents of the United States. The solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017 will be most visible to people living in Kentucky and Missouri, where it is expected to reach its greatest point and longest duration. Residents of North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho and Oregon can also catch a glimpse of this celestial event. The next solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 can be seen by Americans living Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Vermont and Maine. Its greatest point and longest duration, however, is set to occur over the Mexican state of Durango. Photo: Yutaka Tsutano | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. There is still no specific treatment or vaccine for the Zika virus infection, but a new drug being developed by North Carolina-based company BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is yielding promising results. In a new preclinical study, a dose of the company's antiviral drug BCX4430 improved the survival rates of mice that were infected with Zika. Two doses of BCX4430 were tested against an oral antiviral called ribavarin and a placebo to figure out their effect on the survival of immune-deficient mice. Seven out of the eight mice that were given the standard dose of BCX4430 survived. None of the mice that received a low dose of ribavarin or a placebo lived after 28 days. BCX4430 is an inhibitor that has been found to be effective against more than RNA viruses in nine different families: togaviruses, coronaviruses, filoviruses, bunyaviruses, paramyxoviruses, arenaviruses and flaviviruses. The Zika virus is a flavivirus. The study was conducted by researchers from Utah State University under a program by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (Niaid). The drug's development is being funded by the United States Health and Human Services' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (Barda) unit. The findings of the preclinical study will be presented at a World Health Organization (WHO) meeting in Geneva, Switzerland this week. The Zika virus was first detected in Uganda nearly 70 years ago, but an outbreak in Latin America made headlines in 2015. The mosquito-borne virus, which is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, has been linked to a surge in cases of microcephaly in Brazil. In January, the Brazilian government announced that it would be funding biomedical research focused on developing a Zika virus vaccine. The country also advised women to hold off on plans of getting pregnant because of the threat of infection. Meanwhile, previous research suggests that, aside from the A. aegypti, another mosquito species may possibly be a carrier of the Zika virus. The species, which is known as Culex quinquefasciatus, may potentially transmit the virus through biting, researchers said. "We saw an ease of infection and an ease of dissemination of the virus to the salivary glands," said Constancia Ayres, lead author of the study. Culex mosquitoes favor bird blood, but some of its species bite humans as well. Scientists have yet to confirm if Culex mosquitoes in the wild are already carrying the virus. Photo: Agencia Brasilia | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A new study shows that almost half of mobile device owners in the United States have broken or lost their devices. On average, phone owners have either broken or even lost two devices. Millennials have a higher number of dropping incidences as compared to Gen Xers or Baby Boomers. According to the study, millennials drop their devices on an average of two times a week, which makes up over 200 falls a year. The study, which was conducted by Verizon and KRC Research, also compared the number of times that the devices got broken or were lost between parents or those who have kids and then those who don't have kids. It seemed like parents with kids are more likely to break their phone or lose it by more than 1.5 times. With more than 1,000 phone owners covered in the survey, it was also found that a higher percentage of users have broken their phones in the most "unique" way that made them earn the "recognition" of belonging to the "Worst Phone Owners in the United States." When the users were asked with the question "What is the most embarrassing way you or someone you know has broken or lost their mobile phone," they gave the following responses. "My friend dropped her phone in the foot bath while getting a pedicure." "Went in the ocean for a swim with phone in swimsuit pocket." "When I was texting at the mall, I fell into a water fall." "A friend of mine had her mobile phone in one hand and a ball in another one. She was supposed to throw the ball to her child in the swimming pool and she threw the cell phone!!!" "My brother dropped his phone in the toilet while he was going to the bathroom and texting." "Threw it at the wall after the New York giants lost their 6th game in a row." It turned out that the top responses involved owners dropping their devices in water (43 percent); sending their device through the wash (42 percent); throwing their devices (22 percent); finding their pet chewing the device (20 percent); dropping their devices out of a window (20 percent) and tripping and landing on the device (20 percent). Most mobile phone owners also seem to avoid taking responsibility to whatever happens to their devices. One out of three device owners would usually decide to just replace their phones as a way to "escape" from explaining to anyone about what actually happened. Then when they do try to explain, about 14 percent would simply lie about how the device was broken. Though a number of manufacturers have created innovative mobile phone cases that promise to keep one's phone protected from accidental drops, there are times when these things may not be enough. Verizon is giving its customers until March 10 to sign up for its Total Mobile Protection program, which includes comprehensive coverage for device losses and theft along with physical or water damage. The company also encourages users to access their Verizon Support and Protection (VSP) app, which offers one-tap access to its tech support service. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Scientists have discovered for the first time an ancient winery in a Middle Bronze Age palace. Its wines, a symbol of power in Canaan cities, probably helped the ruling family impress elite families, foreign guests, and visitors from neighboring states. The excavations of the Canaanite palace at tel Kabri in Israel dates back 3,850 years during the Middle Bronze Age, or about 1950-1550 BCE. Professor Assaf Yasur-Landau, one of the directors of the excavation, said that while all the residents of the Canaan city could create simple homemade wines, the wine found was enriched with oil from Lebanese cedars, Western Anatolian tree resin, and flavorings such as resin from honey and the terebinth tree. That kind of wine could only be found in a palace, says Yasur-Landau, who also presented the full findings during an excavation conference at the University of Haifa. In 2014, about 40 massive, nearly full jars were found in one of the storerooms, with chemical analysis showing that they were home to specially flavored wines. For researchers, that was a huge enough quantity to find in a Bronze Age palace. The 2015 excavation led the team to a passage to another structure coming from the northern opening. Results indicated that jars from the first room were wine-filled, and some earthen containers from the other rooms also contained wine. Other jars appeared to be washed clean, while some contained only resin. This meant that some of the recently unearthed storerooms were reserved for mixing wines and different flavorings, as well as storing empty containers to be filled with the mixture. We are starting to think that the palace did not just have storerooms for finished produce, but also had a winery where wine was prepared for consumption, says Yasur-Landau. Based on ancient Ugaritic files, the wine found in the storeroom can be valued at least 1,900 silver shekels, something that could very well pay for three merchant ships at that time. Ordinary laborers of that era would need to toil for 150 years to earn the said amount. Paired with previous evidence from goat and sheep samples, the new discoveries showed how ruling groups formed extravagant banquets to strengthen their power. It was not typical during that period, for instance, to mix wine beforehand, therefore making the luxury of a winery necessary to serve high-quality wines immediately to palace guests. The banquets made up of wine and choice cuts of goat and sheep, connected the rulers to important families, as well as foreign envoys and guests. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Microsoft may finally be ready to roll out Windows 10 Mobile this month, as the company reportedly confirmed a March release in an email to partners. Windows Phone 8.1 users have long been waiting for the update to Windows 10 Mobile, but the rollout faced several delays. With several tentative timeframes and false alarms, users are understandably starting to get frustrated that Microsoft has yet to release the update. Last year, Windows 10 Mobile was expected to roll out in December for existing devices, but that obviously did not happen. A February release was then rumored and Microsoft Mexico even announced a Feb. 29 release date, but later acknowledged that it was not accurate. More recently, Vodafone Italia hinted at a March 7 launch date, but again, that date has come and gone with no update in sight. However, it seems that a March release is in the cards after all, at least if the latest news proves to be accurate. VentureBeat now reports that it saw an email Microsoft sent to partners, notifying them that it now targets a March rollout for Windows 10 Mobile. The update will reportedly arrive after the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, which launched with Windows 10 out of the box, receive their regular monthly service updates. The publication further points out that this upcoming release will separate the upgrade from the service update, hence the scheduled rollout after the Lumia 950 and 950 XL get their treats. "In other words, whereas the February rollout would have seen the update bundled into the upgrade, in March they are expected to be two distinct processes," VentureBeat explains. At the same time, it's also worth reiterating that some Windows Phone 8.1 devices will first need firmware updates to get Windows 10 Mobile, as Tech Times previously reported. Lastly, VentureBeat adds an intriguing tidbit of information. Windows 10 Mobile will apparently see a passive rollout at first, which means that users would have to initiate the update manually from their settings. Later on, Microsoft will push the firmware to eligible devices with an active OTA release. It remains to be seen whether it will really happen this time or it's just another false alarm, but we're keeping our fingers crossed for a Windows 10 Mobile release this month. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Photography fans who own a Windows 10 Mobile phone will be happy to know that Instagram finally rolled out for devices carrying Microsoft's latest mobile OS. Having a native Instagram app tailored for Windows 10 Mobile means that users can finally stop using unofficial (and potential dangerous) apps to access Instagram on their devices. It should be mentioned that Instagram for Windows 10 Mobile is still in beta testing, but it still offers a number of nifty features. For one thing, one feature emulates Apple's Peek and Pop 3D Touch display. This allows you to press and hold an image so that you can preview it. Android device owners would recall that the functionality is present in their variant of the app, as well. Now, Windows 10 Mobile is the third biggest ecosystem to get the Peek and Pop feature for Instagram. There are some understandable loose ends in the app, proving that beta testing exists for a reason. Instagram promised to resolve an issue where users cannot log in with their Facebook accounts and are also unable to use the "share to" function. A number of complaints target the fact that the app crashes more often than not and the slow pace at which the app works altogether. The company assures its fans that both videos and photos will be editable with aid from free of charge, specially-tailored filters. Once you have an Instagram account, you can send photos and share video messages with your friends. What is more, 10 creative tools will come in handy to those who want to tap into their creativity. Users will be able to modify the highlights, perspective and shadows of pictures, alongside contrast, brightness and saturation. The Windows 10 Mobile version of Instagram is a ported variant of its iOS counterpart. The porting came to be via Project Islandwood, one of the four Windows Bridge programs which allow coders to transplant their apps from other ecosystems to Windows. The app currently scores a 3.9/5 rating, based on 620 reviews. As early as October 2015, Universal Apps were promised by Facebook's founder, Mark Zuckerberg. The release of the Instagram Beta for Windows 10 Mobile shows that the social media company is committed to closely cooperate with Microsoft. We look forward to seeing more results from the companies working together and this Instagram Beta for Windows 10 Mobile looks promsing. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Human Rights abuses in Russia under President Vladimir Putin have deteriorated significantly in the last year said Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Rob Berschinski. The Russian Government has stepped up efforts to suppress political opposition, suffocate civil society, silence independent voices, and stigmatize members of minority groups. The list of non-governmental organizations that have been designated as so-called "foreign agents" has risen to over 120, including the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers, the election monitoring group Golos, and human rights organization, Memorial. The "undesirable foreign organizations law introduced last May has already led to the banning of four significant foreign donor organizations and a decision by two foundations that were major funders of Russian civil society to cease their operations there. Pressure also continues on independent media outlets, the national blacklist of blocked websites is growing, and state propaganda is becoming more virulent. Those who attempt to speak out against these alarming trends, or question government policy, especially regarding Russia's aggression in Ukraine, are subject to harassment, prosecution, and physical threats. Late last year, a court sentenced activist Ildar Dadin to three years in prison for participation in peaceful protest. The climate of impunity in Russia had deepened, said Deputy Assistant Secretary Berschinski. While arrests have been made in the murder case of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, the organizers of this crime have yet to be brought to justice. The best way to honor the memory of Mr. Nemtsov, said Deputy Assistant Secretary Berschinski, is to support human rights, democratic principles in Russia, and international norms. The Obama Administration will continue to uphold those norms. Sanctions will remain in place for Russias aggression in eastern Ukraine until Russia fulfills its commitments under the Minsk agreements. And the sanctions imposed on Russia for its occupation of Crimea will remain in place until that occupation has ended. In addition, the United States will continue to speak out publicly against repressive laws and practices in Russia that impede the work of civil society and independent media. The United States will also continue to hold Russians accountable for their roles in the imprisonment and death of Sergei Magnitsky and other gross violations of human rights. It is in America's interest to see a strong, prosperous, and democratic Russia emerge a Russia that can be a reliable partner in support of global peace the type of Russian dream to which Boris Nemtsov and many other activists have devoted their lives. German prosecutors want to get down to the roots of Volkswagen's emissions scandal ... and it seems like they're making progress. The New York Times reported Tuesday that the country's prosecutors have beefed up their investigation in the automaker's emissions cheating scandal, increasing the number of suspects from six to 17. Although none of the suspects' names or titles were revealed, nobody on the list is a current or ex-member of VW's management board. Klaus Ziehe, a spokesperson for the state attorney's office in the Braunschweig section of Germany, near VW's headquarters, also told the Times that prosecutors haven't ruled out top management being involved in the compromising of 11 million vehicles worldwide. "We are looking at all levels, including the management board level," Ziehe told the Times. This follows Monday's news that the French anti-fraud authority deemed the automaker's emissions cheating scandal indeed intentional. France's findings stand in direct opposition to VW vowing to not have premeditated cheating software in its affected diesel models. "The management board of Volkswagen had no knowledge either of the programming of the impermissible software nor of its later use in affected diesel motors," the automaker last claimed in a court filing marked Feb. 29, 2016. While the investigation continues in France and Germany, United States regulators are also conducting a separate inquiry to pinpoint the root of VW's emissions scandal that affected nearly 600,000 vehicles in the country. That being said, while the recall to fix 8.5 million compromised vehicles in Europe is already underway, VW has yet to reach an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) over a proposal for how it's going to recall nearly 600,000 vehicles in the States. In January, the EPA and CARB rejected VW's proposed fix. While these investigations and recalls play out, VW is trying to push toward a healthier future. "Together, we must make the necessary changes to safeguard the future of Volkswagen," company CEO Matthias Mueller said, as reported by the Times. "Volkswagen is more than just a crisis." 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Congress wants to hear where Google and automakers developing self-driving vehicles are with autonomous technology. On Tuesday, Senator John Thune, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, announced that the director of Google's Self-Driving Car Project, Chris Urmson, will testify before Congress next Tuesday (March 15) to discuss steps being taken to develop safe and effective autonomous vehicles. Urmson won't be alone, either, as auto executives working in the self-driving space from that of General Motors, Delphi Automotive PLC and Lyft will also be on hand to share "advancements in autonomous vehicle technology and its anticipated benefits for Americans," according to the Committee, as reported by Reuters. If you're wondering why Lyft will be present, in January, General Motors vowed to invest $500 million in the ride-hailing app to develop an on-demand fleet of autonomous cars. This meeting comes just over a month since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (Nhtsa) ruled that the artificial intelligence system steering Google's autonomous car could be considered a driver under federal law, paving the way toward self-driving vehicles possibly impacting roads around the 2020 wheelhouse that many automakers have targeted. Ten days after that Feb. 4 announcement, though, Google's self-driving car hit a bus in Mountain View, Calif., demonstrating that there's still work that needs to be done. Google immediately responded, saying it tweaked its software following the accident to avoid similar incidents in the future. According to Reuters, the Congressional committee is calling auto execs up to testify to gain insight "on the appropriate role of government in promoting innovation including removing unnecessary hurdles, and their strategy to grow consumer adoption of this new technology," the Committee announced, as reported by Reuters. Although several automakers have circled 2020 as the target year for autonomous vehicles to be available to the public, auto execs working on self-driving development for both Toyota and Mercedes-Benz expressed skepticism to Tech Times about fully-autonomous vehicles being ready by then suggesting that it's more likely that we'll see improvements in driving-assistance features instead. It should be intriguing to see what Urmson has to say before Congress in particular, and how much weight it carries for the overall development of autonomous cars. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. SeaWorld killer whale Tilikum is very sick, the company announced Tuesday. The reason for his deteriorating health is said to be bacterial infection in the lungs. The whale has become more and more lethargic over the last few weeks and has not responded to treatments so far. Tilikum's Care SeaWorld does not know what will become of Tilikum because the outcome of the current situation remains very uncertain. However, the company assures that it is doing its best to keep the whale as comfortable as possible. SeaWorld spokesperson Aimee Jeansonne Becka says Tilikum's health is degrading, but the company is trying to be more transparent about his condition so that the public is informed of SeaWorld's actions and the amount of care that its staff is rendering to the whale. "It has been our duty and passion to make sure we give him the utmost care we possibly can," says SeaWorld's Animal Training Supervisor Daniel Richardville. Right now, Tilikum is receiving medications for bacterial infection, but it appears that that the bacteria that has hit the whale is highly resistant to treatment. Experts have not determined a cure for the whale's current condition. The veterinarians at the marine animal park prioritize how they can make Tilikum comfortable and experience an enriching life. Tilikum is believed to be around 35 years old, which is already close to the average life expectancy of male whales. Like other old animals embattled with deteriorating health, the whale's condition may persist to change. The company assures that it will keep Tilikum's fans and friends informed of the latest developments via the company's website. Tilikum's Dark Life Tilikum came from Sealand in Canada 23 years ago, but it was collected from the ocean in 1983 at the age of two years old. In 2010, Tilikum killed its trainer Dawn Brancheau in front of SeaWorld guests in Orlando. The animal was also involved in another worker's death in a different sea park in 1991 and in a death of a guest who trespassed the tank and climbed on the whale's back in 1999. Such events have sparked up whale captivity bans, which SeaWorld strongly opposed. PETA President Ingrid Newkirk says that if Tilikum never sees the ocean again, its blood will be on SeaWorld's hands and walls of its prison tank. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A century and a half have passed since the Civil War ended and many relics of the conflict are being discovered. Archaeologists found a shipwreck in the form of a large iron-hulled Civil War-era steamer off the coast of North Carolina in the Atlantic Ocean on Feb. 27. The shipwreck discovered by a team from the Institute of International Maritime Research and Underwater Archaeology Branch of the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology is likely one of three Confederate blockade runners known to have been lost in the area. "A new runner is a really big deal," said Billy Ray Morris, director of the state's underwater archaeology branch. "The state of preservation on this wreck is among the best we've ever had," he added. The archaeologists discovered the shipwreck during sonar operations 27 miles downstream from Wilmington at the mouth of the Cape Fear River. This is the first Civil War ship found in the area in many decades. The archaeologists added that they are in the process of identifying the vessel since three blockage runners were recorded lost in the particular area: Spunkie, Agnes E. Fry and Georgianna McCaw. Morris, however, suspects that the shipwreck is Agnes E. Fry considering its size. The shipwreck found was 225 feet long, which is bigger than the two other vessels. They plan to conduct further investigation on March 9 when a dive team surveys the area. "It is almost guaranteed to be one of those three blockade runners," Morris said. "This one is spot on for where one of those runners ought to be. It's the right shape." The Anaconda Plan During The Civil War Confederate blockade runners were used during the Civil War to infiltrate the wall of the Union naval vessels blocking Wilmington port. They aimed to prevent supplies from reaching the Confederacy and block the export of cotton and other goods. Part of the Union's "Anaconda Plan," the blockage played a major role in helping the Union win the war. Former General-in-Chief Winfield Scott recommended this strategy to former President Abraham Lincoln to end the Civil War as painlessly as possible. The name anaconda was used because like the snake, the strategy uses the same mechanism: trap the prey until it surrenders. The Anaconda Plan allowed Union troops to surround the rebelling states to pacify the revolution. The troops were located at southern ports and blocked the Mississippi River from Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico. Southern sea routes were also blocked. This forced the revolutionaries from the South to withdraw from the war. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Aside from supplies of a breakfast sandwich being pulled out, another Starbucks product is being voluntarily recalled over potential allergens that were supposedly undisclosed on the label. The food item, which is called Cheese & Fruit Bistro Boxes, is supplied by Gretchen's Shoebox Express and have an "enjoy by" date of March 4, 2016. Boxes of the product sold in Washington State may have contained cashews. If they do have cashews, it's bad news for people who are allergic to tree nuts because it may trigger serious and life-threatening reactions. People who are not allergic can still enjoy the product. Meanwhile, a Starbucks breakfast sandwich was recalled by Massachusetts-based supplier Progressive Gourmet due to Listeria monocytogenes concerns. The move follows a routine testing that discovered listeria in the company's production facility. As of today, no illnesses have been reported due to both products. Progressive Gourmet will conduct further investigation together with the state's health department and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The 6-ounce breakfast sandwich, which contains sausage, egg and cheddar cheese, is wrapped in clear plastic and marked with an "enjoy by" date of Aug. 7, 2016. The sandwich was sold in 250 stores across three states in the South on March 3 and March 4. As soon as Starbucks was informed of the issue, the company immediately removed the products from the stores that might have received them. "This recall is being issued out of an abundance of caution," a Starbucks representative told ABC News. The company spokeswoman said the listeria was detected on a food contact surface at the production facility of the supplier. "The product itself has not tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. No other products are affected because of this issue," the spokeswoman added. The FDA said listeria can cause severe and sometimes fatal infections in elderly people, children and people with weakened immune systems. Pregnant women are at risk of miscarriage or stillbirth. The symptoms of listeria infection include fever, gastrointestinal symptoms and muscle aches. Listeria is responsible for at least 1,600 yearly hospital admissions in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Photo: Marco Pakoeningrat | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Pharmaceutical firm Amarin Corp. Plc has reached a legal settlement to promote its fish oil pill for unapproved uses. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration decides not to appeal the ruling that the company has the First Amendment right to make truthful, non-misleading claims about its products. Back in August, U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer through a preliminary injunction allowed Amarin off-label promotion for Vascepa, a drug used to lower fat levels. [T]he court held the FDAs restrictions on such speech were more extensive than necessary, and thus breached the First Amendment, read part of the ruling. Now under a settlement between Amarin and the FDA, the regulatory agency agrees to adhere to the earlier court decision, said Amarin last Tuesday. In its statement, the FDA clarified that the settlement pertains specifically to this situation and does not herald a new legal precedent. It reiterates its role of protecting Americans through ensuring that medical products meet the rigorous legal standards for safety and effectiveness for their intended uses. Drug companies are legally barred from making marketing drugs for off-label uses, yet the limits of commercial speech remain at the center of their ability to distribute marketing materials and information about their products. In 2012, the FDA approved Vascepa for use among patients with extremely high triglyceride levels. It rejected a second use that would have allowed Amarin to market the same drug for patients with lower triglycerides who also take statins, a class of cholesterol-lowering medications. The agency sought more data on the effectiveness of lowering triglycerides in reducing heart problems in those patients. In May last year, Amarin hit back with a lawsuit, arguing that FDAs effort to stop it from sharing off-label information violates its free speech protections. The federal court ruling in August sided with Amarin. Experts and public health advocates feared that this settlement would prompt companies to pursue legal action against the FDA, and pave the way for the drug firms to sell their products for conditions which they have not been tested for. The American Medical Association showed that in the last decade alone, pharmaceutical companies have shelled out over $16 billion in settlements for off-label promotion. Attorney Lisa Dwyer, though, believed that the settlement had its limitations and would apply to Amarin alone. It has not reached a point where one should extrapolate to other companies, she said. According to a 2012 study, up to three-quarters of results from published pre-clinical trials could not be reproduced, while a separate study showed that 41 percent of the time, scientists were unable to corroborate 34 claims from typically cited published trials. Read here the proposed settlement order (PDF), which is subject to court approval. Photo: Brian Turner | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Home Depot agrees to pay $19.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that a massive data breach in 2014 caused. The incident affected more than 56 million customers, exposing the credit card information of everyone caught up in the whole matter. The retailer's plans include setting aside a $13 million fund to compensate consumers for out-of-pocket losses and allocate $6.5 million for at least 18 months of identity protection services for cardholders. As part of the safeguarding effort, Home Depot is looking into hiring a chief information security officer to lead the company's push to considerably improve data security in the span of two years. It should also be noted that Home Depot says that it's not admitting liability with the settlement offer, which requires court approval. "We wanted to put the litigation behind us, and this was the most expeditious path. Customers were never responsible for any fraudulent charges." Stephen Holmes, a spokesperson for the home-improvement retailer, says. Using custom-built malware and the login credentials of a third-party vendor, the hackers were able to infiltrate the computer network, gaining access to customers' credit card information. The breach took place between April and September 2014. The intruders placed the malware in the self-checkout machines of Home Depot in the United States and Canada, and that's how they stole the personal and sensitive details. Aside from the credit card information, 53 million email addresses were compromised as well. This incident is comparable to the hack into another retailer Target back in 2013. It also exposed the credit card information of about 40 million customers and the personal data of approximately 70 million others. Target agreed to pay $10 million to settle the lawsuit. However, the case of Home Depot is among the largest ones that ever occurred, which is obvious enough based on the figures alone. Roughly 57 class-action lawsuits were proposed and filed to courts in the United States and Canada because of the data breach involving Home Depot. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Lockheed Martin is asking 1,000 mid-level employees in its aerospace arm to consider leaving their jobs on their own. Through this voluntary layoff program, the company hopes to reduce about 0.8 percent of its entire workforce. The company, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, has a global presence and its divisions dip into the sectors of aerospace, defense, security and advanced technology. This voluntary layoff program only targets its aerospace divisions at its U.S. locations. "The action is necessary to position Lockheed Martin Aeronautics to be competitive in the future marketplace, secure future business opportunities, and keep an infrastructure appropriately aligned with customer demands," the company says. The locations to which the company is extending the voluntary layoff program include Fort Worth in Texas, Marietta in Georgia, Meridian in Mississippi, Clarksburg in West Virginia, Patuxent River in Maryland, and Palmdale and Edwards Air Force Base in California. The voluntary layoff program is believed to have been extended to 9,000 eligible employees in the supply chain, human resources, finance, engineering and communications divisions of the locations listed above. Lockheed Martin didn't reveal any plans to incentivize the voluntary departure of the 1,000 employees it'd like to see leave, but the company is expected to buy out the volunteer. Counting the workforce of its subsidiary Sikorsky Aircraft, the company employs about 126,000 employees worldwide, according to Lockheed Martin. While the company continues to win prized contracts from the U.S. government, bids from Lockheed Martin and partner Boeing to build the U.S. Air Force's next-generation bomber, the B-21, were turned down last November. The contract, valued somewhere between $55 billion and $80 billion, was awarded to the builders of the B-2 Spirit, Northrop Grumman. Boeing and Lockheed Martin challenged the awarding of the contract to Northrop Grumman, but the pair recently withdrew their challenge. Lockheed Martin's current slimming effort to its aerospace division, its most profitable arm, may have more to do with the construction of F-35 warfighters than to do with building B-21 bombers. The company is expected to produce eight more F-35s this year in addition to the 45 it put out last year. For 2017, the U.S. government is expected to order 63 F-35s. However, that's less than the 68 jets Lockheed Martin originally expected to build next year. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Seagate has announced the fastest solid-state drive (SSD) in the world, which is capable of transferring data at up to 10GB/s. The company has not detailed the read and write rates but it suggests that the new SSD is about 4GB/s faster when compared to the previously fastest SSD in the market. "Your data is only as good as how easily you can access it and put it to use," says Brett Pemble, Seagate's general manager and VP of SSD Products. "Seagate is committed to providing the full spectrum of technologies to help meet the diverse needs of organizations so they can unlock this value." Pemble says that the SSD can be used for business application as well as consumer cloud. The SSD is aimed at improving the increasing demand for fast access to data. Companies like YouTube, Netflix, Hulu and more are looking for ways of maximizing the speed at which they deliver content to users. Previously these companies could get up to 6GB/s data throughput; however, the new SSD is capable of delivering up to 10GB/s. The data storage company says that the latest SSD is based on the non-volatile memory express (NVMe) interface, which was developed by a cooperative of over 80 companies and released in March 2011. The NVMe specifications are beneficial as it reduces the layers of commands that are present in several other standards like serial ATA (SATA), for creating a simple and faster language amongst flash devices. The Nytro XP6500 flash accelerator card was Seagate's previous fastest SSD. It has an 8-lane PCIe SSD, which had up to 4TB capacity and 4GB/s data transfer speed. Seagate's new 10GB/s SSD technology houses 16-lane PCIe slots. The company is also working on another 8-lane PCIe slot unit, which will performs at up to 6.7 GB/s and will be the fastest in the 8-lane card category. The 8-lane and 16-lane SSDs with high data transfer speed has been made available to the company's Seagate original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and both of them are estimated to be commercially available this summer. SSD is one of the significant components of a modern gaming PC. Applications and operating systems stored in SSD load very fast and a faster SSD means boost in performance. Some experts consider SSDs more reliable and faster than hard disk. Seagate hopes that its new SSD will be welcomed well in the gaming industry. The company has not yet confirmed the price of the new SSD but customers can expect a premium price tag for Seagate's fastest SSD ever. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Private space company Blue Origin is eyeing crewed test flights of its reusable suborbital space vehicle starting 2017, its founder Jeff Bezos revealed Tuesday during a press tour of its Seattle manufacturing facility. Bezos, who cited a target date on Blue Origins commercial flights for the first time, also said that thousands of individuals have shown interest in paying for a space trip aboard a suborbital craft. Well probably fly test pilots in 2017, and if were successful then Id imagine putting paying astronauts on in 2018, Bezos said. The companys first reusable rocket went missing in April 2015 while being tested, although the capsule went back safely to the ground. A second ship will undergo two test flights, with Blue Origin now producing its next two vehicles, now involving windows for its paying flight customers. Blue Origin is expecting to create six New Shepard vehicles designed for self-flying six persons to over 62 miles above Earth, which can offer the weightlessness experience for a couple of minutes and a view of the planet against space. The Amazon.com founder is now channeling resources to the tune of billions of dollars into around 600 employees and high-tech machinery for the mission in the Seattle facility, formerly a Boeing airplane parts site. While Bezos is expecting his childhood dreams of spaceflight to eventually turn profitable, Blue Origin is not yet taking deposits. Thus it is still unclear whether the interest in space travel will turn into actual sales. According to Bezos, he has already invested over $500 million in the company he launched in 2000, which is also on the way to employing around 1,200 people in 2017. Other companies are already charging for commercial spaceflight. Virgin Galactic of renowned mogul Richard Branson is flying people on its six-passenger SpaceShipTwo for $250,000. The spaceship is expected to start test flights soon. Right now, the real money for Blue Origin is in selling rocket engines. The firm is supplying them to United Launch Alliance and Orbital ATK. Part of Bezos vision, too, is to make space launch costs low enough to eventually make a Mars colony possible. Like other private entities like SpaceX, Blue Origins goal is to make spaceship reusable as one cannot afford to throw the hardware away, Bezos added. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Society of Professional Journalists in its voluntary Code of Ethics says that journalists should seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently and be accountable. Distorting and mischaracterizing statements of officials so as to produce an inflammatory article seemingly aimed at provoking violence is not in keeping with professional journalism. In a polemic entitled Cibitoke: An image that has ended the Illusion (of the concept of) Sindumujua or I am not a Slave that was published by www.Burundi-24.com on February 21st, the publication mischaracterized the statements and actions by U.S. officials, including the president of the United States, Barack Obama.Neither the tone of the article, nor the significant misleading and inflammatory statements, can be characterized as meeting the internationally generally recognized standards of free, independent, and professional media services. The United States Embassy in Burundi, in an open letter published on its website, strongly condemned the intent apparent in the article to provoke anti-Rwandan sentiments, possibly including violence. In this regard, the Embassy noted that the President of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza, had himself condemned hate speech or violent language on February 20 in Cibitoke. The Embassy further noted, moreover, that unlike the author or authors of the article, President Nkurunziza affirmed in Cibitoke that all Burundians, including those who have fled the country, must participate in inclusive political dialogue regarding the path to peace for Burundi. The assertion in the article that civil society triggered the insurgency suggests that www.Burundi-24.com believes that all elements of civil society that do not share its views should be excluded from the dialogue despite President Nkurunzizas call for inclusive dialogue. In its open letter the U.S. Embassy emphasized that the U.S. Ambassador to Burundi, Her Excellency Dawn Liberi, and the U.S. Special Envoy, Mr. Thomas Perriello, went to Cibitoke on February 20 to express the U.S. Governments continued solidarity with all Burundians, regardless of political orientation, who seek the chance to educate and raise their children in a secure, pluralist Burundi. A free press is essential to building a free and stable civil society. Journalists play an invaluable role when they follow the canons of their profession and provide the public with reporting that is fair and accurate and commentary that is responsible. The World Health Organization (WHO) advises pregnant women to stay away from areas affected by Zika virus infection. On Tuesday, members of the Emergency Committee (EC) gathered by WHO Director-General Margaret Chan had their second meeting to discuss about the cases of microcephaly and neurological disorders in Zika-affected areas. Stepping Up At Once The Tuesday meeting came only five weeks after the first gathering on Feb. 1. The committee focused on the new reports suggesting stronger links between Zika virus and serious complications. This resulted in the team posing more vigorous and finely tuned proposals. One of the recommendations is to firmly advise pregnant women to stay away from Zika-affected areas. "Pregnant women should be advised not [to] travel to areas of ongoing Zika virus outbreak," the WHO statement reads. With the current analyses being made by the committee, Chan says there is no need to wait for a solid scientific evidence to carry out powerful public health interventions. Committee chairman Dr. David Heymann agrees that they need to step up now given the accumulating data suggesting links between Zika and birth defects, particularly microcephaly. He adds that their enhanced regulations may aid other countries that are also currently making their own recommendations. Other Travel Measures Pregnant women whose husbands or sexual partners travel or live in locations with Zika outbreaks should ensure that they follow safe sexual practices or abstain from sexual contact throughout the duration of pregnancy. For pregnant women who have already travelled to places with Zika virus cases, authorities must provide counselling services and follow up such patients regarding birth outcomes. Authorities must provide updated information about possible risks and preventive measures to travellers going to countries with known Zika outbreaks. Airports must also follow vector control protocols set by WHO and countries may want to consider disinfecting aircraft. Other Recommendations WHO also recommends improving risk communication in Zika-affected areas to respond to public concerns, enhance community participation, boost reporting and guarantee the correct implementation of vector control and personal protective interventions. Locations with known Zika cases must be prepared with materials and health services required to manage neurological signs and symptoms and birth defects. For the area of research, WHO recommends giving priority to the formulation of new diagnostic techniques for the virus. This is to assist monitoring and control measures, particularly supervision of pregnancy. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. People living in the surrounding areas of the Chernobyl power plant in the Ukraine continue to eat food contaminated with radiation from the nuclear accident that occurred thirty years ago, according to a new study by Greenpeace. The environmental group's report, "Nuclear Scars", reveals how the nuclear mishaps in Chernobyl and Fukushima in Japan continue to impact the lives of millions of residents living near the two power plants. It is based on data gathered by Greenpeace from various scientific researches, survivor profiles and monitoring of radiation levels in the Ukraine, Russia and Japan. While recent scientific tests carried out in affected areas near Chernobyl found that the overall contamination levels concerning strontium-90 and caesium-137 isotopes have dropped relatively over the past few years, they continue to exist, especially in forests. This means that residents are still exposed to high radiation levels that were brought on by the nuclear plant explosion in April 26, 1986. "It is in what they eat and what they drink. It is in the wood they use for construction and burn to keep warm," the researchers wrote in the report. Greenpeace said that because of the economic struggles and the pro-Russian insurgency the Ukraine has been going through in recent years, its government no longer has enough money to fund programs that could help keep people safe from radiation. Meanwhile, Russia and Belarus, two other countries affected by the 1986 nuclear disaster, are also going through some financial hardships of their own. In its analysis of grain samples, Greenpeace found that some affected areas even have increased levels of radioactive contamination. The group warns that people living in these places will continue to suffer the effects of nuclear radiation on their health as long as the contamination persists. "Thousands of children, even those born 30 years after Chernobyl, still have to drink radioactively contaminated milk," Greenpeace said. In Japan, forests around the Fukushima power plant site have served as repositories for the radioactive contaminants that were produced during the nuclear disaster in 2011. Unless these contaminants are eliminated, Greenpeace said they will continue to pose a significant health risk to residents for years to come. The environmental group said that the decontamination efforts made by the Japanese government in the years following the nuclear accident have not been enough, leading to the possibility of recontamination in areas that already been declared radiation-free. Photo: Stefan Krasowski | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Verizon is angering its customers once again, after the carrier decided to remove the Samsung Pay mobile payments app from the latest Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge handsets. Samsung's latest flagship smartphones come with a slew of neat specs and features to compete at the high end of the smartphone market, and Samsung Pay is one of them. For some reason, however, it seems that Verizon Wireless demanded that Samsung Pay be removed from the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. While it's not that uncommon for carriers to slightly modify their versions of various smartphones, removing a popular and useful feature like Samsung Pay seems like an unwarranted, bad move on Verizon's part. In this mobile-driven world, mobile payment solutions are increasingly gaining ground and becoming more popular because they offer a simple, reliable and secure way of paying for one's purchases with minimum hassle. Verizon has pulled some shady schemes on several occasions in the past, making users frustrated with various practices, but this could well be the cherry on top. Big Red has yet to offer a statement regarding its decision, but some speculation hints at a potential reason behind this move. "Why? Well, given that Verizon is a member of the now-defunct Softcard group that is currently partnered with (read: taking money from) Android Pay, it seems probable that Samsung wasn't willing to cut Verizon in on Samsung Pay revenue - if there is any - to the degree they desired," Android Police points out. "And so, Verizon strong-armed Samsung into removing the app." At this point, heading over to Google Play to search for a "Samsung Pay" app on the Verizon Galaxy S7 or S7 edge retrieves no results. However, it seems that the app may eventually become available for download via Google Play or Galaxy Apps in a few days, as Samsung will kick off a big promotion for Samsung Pay on March 11. It remains to be seen whether the mobile payments app will indeed become available for download for the Verizon Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, but one thing's for sure: the app is definitely not preloaded as it should be, and Verizon should offer at least some explanation as to why it chose to remove it in the first place. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. George Martin, lovingly referred to as the "Fifth Beatle," has died. He was 90 years old. Beatles drummer Ringo Starr took to Twitter to share the sad news, which was confirmed by a representative from the Universal Music Group. Martin was born in Highbury, London on Jan. 3, 1926. Like many children, he took part in a few piano lessons but mostly learned how to play by himself, fueled by "fantasies of being the next Rachmaninoff." He studied music further after leaving the Royal Navy in 1947 and joined EMI's Parlophone Records in 1950. It was in 1962 when he met The Beatles. Martin wasn't particularly blown away by the group and was more impressed by their personality than their musicality. Nevertheless, he signed them on and became The Beatles' closest collaborator. In "All You Need Is Ears," an autobiography he released in 1979, Martin described his relationship with the band, chronicling their discovery and the creative process they followed. He produced almost all of their music, including The Beatles' biggest hits like "Love Me Do," "Eleanor Rigby" and "Yesterday." When he wasn't with The Beatles, Martin was producing records for pop acts in Britain like Shirley Bassey, Gerry and the Pacemakers and Cilla Black. The producer slowly eased into retirement as he gradually lost his hearing, but not before rendering one of his best works: Elton John's "Candle in the Wind," which was released in 1997 and went on to become the best-selling single of all time. Martin also received an Academy Award nomination for his work on "A Hard Day's Night, the 1964 classic directed by Richard Lester, and two Grammys for helping develop "Love," a Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil show inspired by the Beatles. According to John Whittingdale, Britain's culture minister, Martin was the "elder statesman of British pop music and creative genius." Aside from Ringo Starr, others in the music paid their tributes to Martin on Twitter. John Lennon's son with Yoko Ono, Sean Ono Lennon, took to Instagram to bid farewell to the Fifth Beatle. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Android 6.0 Marshmallow is heading to LG V10 devices, and reports from Turkish users show that the update already reached some of them. The over-the-air update for LG V10 is pretty hefty, so you might want to download it via Wi-Fi. It has 800 MB and it will set your software version to V20b, with the build number MRA58K. Marshmallow brings the Android Doze, which offers more power per recharge for LG V10 users. Additional goodies come in form of Direct Share, an adequate real silent mode, a dynamic automatic brightness adjustment and reorganized app settings and permissions. The QMemo+ feature now is dubbed Capture+, while the LG Bridge is now called LG AirDrive. It should be noted that this is Android 6.0 and not 6.0.1, meaning that all functionality is here, but the latest emojis are not. The update does come with a few rough edges, though. The Knock Code was revamped to ask for six taps in at least three different quarters. This means that instead of simplifying things and bolstering security, LG actually made it more difficult for users to unlock their own devices. Now, LG V10 owners have to enter a complicated pattern which takes more time and is more prone to errors. The initial purpose of rethinking Knock Code might have been positive, but the number of reported wrong recognitions heavily shadows the experience. Although it initially seemed that the Knock Code is a faster, more natural way for users to start using their devices, it seems to be just as demanding and time consuming as having screen patterns and PIN codes. LG might not have the largest number of smartphones on the market, but it focuses on keeping its flagship devices up to date with the latest Android OS variant. The update for LG V10 was an unexpected surprise from the company, after the G4 experience. The LG G4 was supposed to start getting Android 6.0 Marshmallow in October, in Poland, but the release date was delayed. In the United States, G4 owners who had Sprint subscriptions got the update in December and subscribers of U.S. Cellular had to wait until January. The last to make the transition to Android 6.0 were the clients of T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T. Also, international G4 models got the Marshmallow as late as February 2016. LG did not make any official comment on the official release of Marshmallow for V10 devices in the United States, but the update rollout in Turkey sparks hopes of a speedy process. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Even if you're a huge fan of the female-fronted Ghostbusters reboot, you might've missed the news late last year that Sony started developing a film with its animation division. While a producer has been partnered with a project since then, it looks like the movie has finally secured its director: phone game veteran Fletcher Moules. If the name of the director sounds familiar, there's a good chance you're a fan of the app game Clash of the Clans Moules is responsible for animating its TV commercial spots. Moules' past credits also include work in the creature department for the Star Wars film Attack of the Clones and as the art director for LEGO Star Wars: The Padawan Menace. As the Hollywood Reporter mentioned in its exclusive on the latest animated Ghostbusters movie news, the animated film "spinoff," so to speak, in addition to the reboot, is similar to the route DiC Enterprises took with its own cartoon series The Real Ghostbusters. The show, which was distributed by Sony Television and ran from 1986 to 1991, proved to be popular among young viewers, so perhaps Sony is trying to milk the franchise for all it's worth. While a writer still remains unattached to the project, two other names have already been thrown in the mix: Ivan Reitman was named last fall as the producer, and Dan Aykroyd, who starred in the original Ghostbusters movie, will also be overseeing production. About that "no writer yet" bit: it's also not entirely clear as to whether the animated movie, like The Real Ghostbusters before it, will be a continuation of the adventures of the Ghostbusters featured in the live-action films or will follow an entirely new crew. Considering THR also mentioned that the "other" Ghostbusters project, with Captain America: The Winter Soldiers duo Joe and Anthony Russo and actor Channing Tatum, might still become another movie, the cartoon version might somehow tie into that. Either way, it remains to be seen what exactly Moules' film will grow to resemble, or if it'll become a creature all its own. If you're feeling a little nostalgic, check out the opening credits for the Real Ghostbusters cartoon in the video clip below. Source: The Hollywood Reporter 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. For new Shelby GT350 Mustang owners, the prospect of just getting behind the wheel and driving the roaring beast can be intimidating. Yeah ... its 5.2-liter V-8 engine, pumping out 526 horsepower, will have that effect on you. Sensing this, Ford announced Wednesday that it's offering owners of the 2015 and 2016 Shelby GT350 and GT350R Mustang a complimentary hands-on "Track Attack" lesson with the automaker's Performance Racing School instructors at its Utah Motorsports Campus in Tooele, Utah. The aim of the program is simple it is for drivers, regardless of their skill level, to understand the ins and outs of their revved-up car's performance. Ford says the experience will have drivers focusing on pinpointed dynamics of the GT350 and GT350R, while teaching them high-performance skills, including braking, cornering techniques and shifting. "GT350 is a car that needs to be experienced on a closed road course," Ford Performance's marketing manager Jim Owens said in a company press release statement. "The program is designed for owners to learn how to get the most out of their car so they can appreciate the unique performance Shelby GT350 delivers, while also gaining driving skills and experience. It's going to be a ton of fun." The "Track Attack" program, which begins next month, will start with an evening reception for new GT350 and GT350R owners before the one-day performance driving school lesson. In addition to the on-track driving tutorials with Ford Performance Racing School instructors, drivers will also be in a classroom to further boost their knowledge about the vehicles. Sure beats reading an owner's manual, right? Ford says that, for those owners who crave more, the option for a second "Track Attack" day will be available as well. The only catch is owners having to cough up their own money to fly or drive out to Utah, and not to mention, cover lodging costs. Still, it seems this would be an event to remember. "Regardless of a person's driving ability, this will be an unbelievable experience," Dan McKeever, president of the Ford Performance Racing School, said as part of the company's press release statement. "From the weekend track warrior to the car collector, this program provides the skills needed to really enjoy Shelby GT350 Mustang in the environment for which it is designed." A complete list of the "Track Attack" available dates are listed here. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In 2013, Syfy set the world on storm literally by airing a movie that combined the horror of Jaws with the terrifying weather of Twister, which was simply known as Sharknado. In spite of its low budget and laughable plot, that movie went on to become one of the biggest hits for the network. Not only did its ratings soar through the roof, but it became one of the most talked-about films ever on social media. The beauty of Sharknado was that it never took itself too seriously, which is one of the reasons it was so successful. Of course, that success meant that there was also a Sharknado 2 and a Sharknado 3, two films that also captured audiences' imaginations, funny bones and social media time. Last summer, Syfy announced that it wasn't done with the Sharknado franchise and announced a fourth film in the series. On Wednesday, the network released its first casting announcement, along with a few details about what fans can expect from the next movie. Sharknado 3 ended on a cliffhanger, with fans not knowing if April survives the events of that film. Syfy immediately started a social media campaign after the movie aired with hashtags #AprilLives and #AprilDies to decide the character's fate. Fans will finally learn what happens to her in Sharknado 4. "Syfy and The Asylum announced today that Ian Ziering will slay again in Sharknado 4 (working title), reprising his role as shark-fighting hero Fin Shepard, while Tara Reid is set to return as April Wexler to reveal the outcome of the fan-voted #AprilLives or #AprilDies social campaign," wrote Syfy in an email press release. "The fourth addition to the hit global franchise also sees the return of David Hasselhoff as Gil Shepard and Ryan Newman as Claudia Shepard." However, that's not all, because Syfy also announced additional casting for the film, offering up a few hints about the movie's plot, including information on when Sharknado 4 takes place: five years after the events of Sharknado 3: Oh, Hell No. Gary Busey will play April's father, Wilford, a lead scientist for the robotics division of a company called Astro-X. In Living Color's Tommy Davidson will play Aston Reynolds, a "playboy tech millionaire" who has the know-how to prevent tornadoes. Hannah Montana's Cody Linley is Matt, Fin and April's oldest son, who is now in the army. Imani Hakim (Everybody Hates Chris) is Gabrielle, Matt's best friend and a fellow soldier. Masiela Lusha (George Lopez) is Gemini, Fin's cousin. Finally, former '80s supermodel Cheryl Tiegs is Raye, Fin's mom. "Currently filming, Sharknado 4 will include a plethora of additional outrageous and surprising cameos to be announced soon," writes Syfy. "Stay tuned ..." 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. During the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2016 in Las Vegas this past January, Ford announced that it's tripling the size of its self-driving testing to speed up the overall development of its autonomous technology. Just over two months later, Toyota seems to be following suit. On Wednesday, the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) announced that the 16-member software engineering team from Jaybridge Robotics will be joining TRI's autonomous vehicle development unit at its Cambridge, Mass. headquarters. "TRI's mission is to bridge the gap between research and product development in many areas, including artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous passenger vehicles," TRI CEO Gill Pratt said, as part of the automaker's press release statement Wednesday. "The 16-member Jaybridge team brings decades of experience developing, testing, and supporting autonomous vehicle products which perfectly complements the world-class research team at TRI." Jaybridge is equally excited about the challenge in helping TRI achieve its autonomous driving goals, even if it means stepping out of its normal comfort zone of expertise. "Where Jaybridge has historically limited its focus to industrial applications such as agriculture and mining, TRI is going after the big one helping to reduce the nearly 1.25 million traffic fatalities each year, worldwide," the company's CEO Jeremy Brown said. "We couldn't be more excited." During CES 2016, Pratt told Tech Times that, while he expects accelerated improvements in the development of both driver-assistance features and self-driving vehicles, he doesn't expect fully-autonomous cars to be ready for 2020, the year that several automakers have targeted. "I am skeptical that we will be done with both in four years," Pratt said back in early January. "That's a very short time and we have a long way to go [with the full development of autonomous cars]. And again, just because we are 90, 95 percent of the way there doesn't mean if you've been climbing a mountain and you've been walking through the foothills and that's 95 percent of the miles you have to go that the last five percent when you have to climb up to the peak ... that's the hard part. It's going to take us a lot longer to get up the rest of the way of the peak than it has been the easy part." Well, perhaps the assistance from Jaybridge Robotics can help push TRI over the top a little faster. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The world has been talking about email this week, since the death of an American programmer, Ray Tomlinson, on March 5. This past week, Tomlinson has been variously called emails godfather, father and inventor, for having created a message transfer system between two computers in the same room in the 1970s, as an employee of a defence contractor. Most memorably, he is credited with having chosen the @ sign. But remember Marconi, famous for inventing radioand the world later realized that Jagadish Chandra Bose was the real inventor (see this MIT paper)? Email has an Indian-origin creator too: Mumbai-born VA Shiva Ayyadurai. Once again, top academics, including the venerable Noam Chomsky at MIT, have come forward to validate this. But there are two key differences. Bose didnt live on to stake his claim in history, while Ayyadurai has been fighting a losing battle to set the record straight. But most importantly, he has US government documentation to support his claim. As a high school student in 1979, Ayyadurai, then age 14, developed an electronic version of an interoffice mail system, which he called "EMAIL" and copyrighted in 1982. Ayyadurais EMAIL started as a system of electronic message management that digitized the old fashioned process of writing a memo, routing a memo with TO, CC (carbon copies ) and BCC, and storing memos in folders. He developed this software at the College of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 1978. The United States Government certified the official copyright on EMAIL on August 30, 1982, for Dr V A Shiva Ayyadurais 1978 invention. At that time, computer software and code could not be patented in the USA. VA Shiva Ayyadurai went on to earn four degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), including a PhD. Email transformed our business communication and collaboration like no other technology. Its probably the longest-surviving of Internet tools, in its various forms and designs. Email evolved over the next decade, but the fundamentals stayed as they were in 1978, with one notable addition: the now-ubiquitous @ between the name and the host server, courtesy of the late Ray Tomlinson. Why does academic credit matter? The answer is because the journey matters, the motivation matters and history matters to generations of inventors, dreamers and entrepreneurs who deserve to know the truth: Big change happens in small places when opportunity meets people who are driven to find answers. Thats how email as we know it came to be. Ray Tomlinsons work and selection of the @ identifier advanced email between outside computers, and used TCP/IP as the basic building block of this communication system. Electronic messaging existed prior to that, within networks (which we now call intranets) and non-TCP/IP systems. The story of email exemplifies the journey of a team that included a precocious Indian-born teenager eager to be useful in America--grateful for the later opportunity to earn four degrees at MIT, after inventing and copyrighting the EMAIL system--and human desire to solve problems. For far too long, we have all been led to be believe that communications greatest innovations came out of defence research, inspired from the needs of war. Great innovations can be inspired to advance life, not just retrofitted from defence technologies. EMAIL was created in a place of light and cooperation and it is important for people across the world to understand and appreciate this. Telling the truth about the invention of email in Newark, New Jersey, therefore, is a historical imperative toward breaking this blind belief in the supremacy of defence research to reveal a fundamental truth: innovation can occur, anytime, anyplace by anybody, and war and profit are not its necessary and required impetus. Despite much coverage in the US and global media as the inventor of email, including in Time (see The Man Who Invented Email), Ayyadurai has been attacked in the US as an imposter, someone who merely registered a program called EMAIL, rather than invent email. To them, MITs Noam Chomsky has this to say: Email, upper case, lower case, any case, is the electronic version of the interoffice, inter-organizational mail system, the email we all experience today and email was invented in 1978 by a 14-year-old working in Newark, NJ. The facts are indisputable. Arvind Gupta (@buzzindelhi, [email protected]) is a technology entrepreneur and an Eisenhower Fellow for Innovation. Prasanto K Roy (@prasanto, [email protected]) is a senior technology journalist, head of Media at Trivone, and former chief editor at CyberMedia. Email Chinese teen couple sold their 18-day-old baby daughter online to buy an iPhone We had previously reported how people in China went to the extent to sell their sperms and kidneys to get a hand on the new launched iPhone 6s/6s Plus. Now, in a shocking incident, an unusually greedy Chinese couple allegedly sold their newborn 18-day-old baby daughter for $3,530 (23,000 Yuan) to buy an iPhone and a motorbike. When the child was 18-days-old, the babys father A Duan and mother Xiao Mei their names have been changed used the popular messaging app QQ to sell the baby. The father of the child reportedly found a buyer on the social media and negotiated the entire deal without the consent of the childs biological mother. The buyer allegedly said he was purchasing the child for his sister. The child is currently living with the mans sister, as the biological parents are unable to raise the child due to their poor economic conditions. The biological mother reportedly worked many part-time jobs while the father spent his time in internet cafes. The couple met at work back in 2013 and, after plans for their marriage were shelved with neither party meeting the legal age, their child was born following an unwanted pregnancy. Both parents were 19 at the time and being short of money, they were finding their young daughter a financial burden, so A Duan was keen to sell her in order to purchase material goods. The parents, from Tongan, in the eastern coastal province of Fujian, sold the child a year ago, according to the Xiamen Daily News. The original father was arrested after the new father handed himself into authorities. A Duan was handed a three-year jail term. The babys biological mother was tracked down by police investigating the illegal sale. I myself was adopted, and many people in my hometown send their kids to other people to raise them. I really didnt know it was illegal, she said, according to London newspaper The Telegraph. Mei has received a two-and-a-half year suspended sentence, the report said. Child trafficking has been a long-standing problem in China, but despite the efforts of the authorities, the sinister practice is thriving, leading to thousands of families being torn apart. According to the Chinese media, as many as 2,00,000 boys and girls are kidnapped in China every year and sold openly online. FBIs claim that it requires Apples help to unlock iPhone is bullshit, Snowden says The Apple vs.FBI fight over unlocking of San Bernardino shooters iPhone has reached epic proportions with both sides claiming their version to be true. However not all believe that FBI doesnt have the knowhow to crack the iPhone without Apples help. Former NSA contractor and serial whistleblower, Edward Snowden is one of them who believes FBI has all the possible resources to hack an iPhone without Apples help. Speaking at Common Causes Blueprint for Democracy conference today, Edward Snowden spoke about surveillance, personal liberties and of course, the San Bernadino shooters iPhone. The FBI says Apple has the exclusive technical means to unlock the phone, Snowden said. Respectfully, thats bullshit. In the link provided by Snowden, Daniel Kahn Gillmor of the American Civil Liberties Union argues that FBI is more than capable of unlocking the San Bernardino shooters iPhone. And Gilmore isnt the only one, iOS security researcher Jonathan Zdziarski had written last week detailing the FBIs missteps in the San Bernadino case. Most notably, the changing of the iCloud password that prevented the FBI from retrieving an unencrypted iCloud backup directly from Apples servers. While Gillmor and Zdziarski may have their reasons to believe FBI is lying on the issue, many other researchers have proposed ways and means for FBI to hack into the shooters iPhone. But all of the methods suggested by them are either expensive and time-consuming or may brick the shooters iPhone leading to physically destroying the memory, and evidence. You can listen in to what Snowden had to say at the Common Causes Blueprint for Democracy conference : This obituary has been republished to mark 50 years since the release in the UK of the album Abbey Road by the Beatles. Sir George Martin, who died on March 8 2016 aged 90, will forever be associated with the music of the Beatles which he helped to create; his work with them redefined both the expectations of pop and the very role of the producer. While the importance of Martins aural contribution to the records made by the group has always been acknowledged he was regularly hailed as the Fifth Beatle it has not always been appreciated how vital he was to their early career. It was to Martin, then head of Parlophone Records, a subsidiary of EMI, that Brian Epstein turned in 1962 when every other label had rejected the band, and it was Martin who signed the Beatles after meeting them in June of that year. In giving them a deal, Martin was going against the conventional wisdom of the early pop business. Up to that point, no group had enjoyed the success of individual singers such as Elvis Presley and Tommy Steele (whom Martin had turned down); indeed, when Epstein came to him, Martin was looking for a rival to Cliff Richard. In June last year, a speech by the Queen in Germany was interpreted by some as expressing a pro-EU view. During a state banquet in Berlin in the presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister David Cameron, the Queen said "division in Europe is dangerous" and that the continent must strive to "maintain the benefits of the post-war world". At the banquet at the Bellevue Palace, the official residence of the German president, the Queen said: The United Kingdom has always been closely involved in its Continent. Even when our main focus was elsewhere in the world, our people played a key part in Europe. In our lives, we have seen the worst but also the best of our Continent. We have witnessed how quickly things can change for the better. But we know that we must work hard to maintain the benefits of the post-war world. We know that division in Europe is dangerous and that we must guard against it in the West as well as in the East of our continent. That remains a common endeavour. Buckingham Palace said then that the speech, on the eve of a Brussels summit, was not intended to make any political point about the future of the union. "The Queen's speech speaks for itself on the threats of division and the benefits of unity," a Palace spokesman said at the time. "As ever, the Queen is above politics and is politically neutral on the EU." We've noticed you're adblocking. We rely on advertising to help fund our award-winning journalism. We urge you to turn off your ad blocker for The Telegraph website so that you can continue to access our quality content in the future. Thank you for your support. The Venezuelan government celebrated on Friday the arrival in the country of the last five crew members of the Emtrasur aircraft that had been held in Argentina since June 6. | Read More Think of it as an electric oasis a place to stop and recharge your electric vehicle as you caravan across the high desert to pay homage to the lords of government in Carson City or do whatever they do in Reno. Only, you cant get there from here. According to media accounts, Gov. Brian Sandoval took time this past week to travel to Beatty, presumably not by electric car, to dedicate the states first electric car recharging station. Three more are planned along the 450 miles of Highway 95 between Las Vegas and Reno. It is dubbed the Electric Highway by the word crafters in state government. We are apparently to pay no attention to the fact most electric cars have a range of less than 100 miles before requiring a recharge and the distance from downtown Las Vegas to Beatty is nearly 120 miles. (We doubt it was intentional that Beatty was chosen to be the first because it is the jumping off point for Death Valley and the ghost town of Rhyolite, such symbolism is usually lost on bureaucrats.) To demonstrate this recharging station for the assembled press, Sandoval recharged a Ford Focus from the state Department of Transportation fleet in Las Vegas. Since the car has a range of only 76 miles, it had to be hauled to the ceremony from Las Vegas. And even if your electric car could reach the recharging station at Eddie World in Beatty, plan on spending a little time at Eddie World, because most of the outlets require four hours to recharge, though a couple can do an 80 percent recharge in half an hour. But we doubt there will be long lines for those speedy outlets, since few will be able to coast that far. But once you have charged your typical electric vehicle you can get as far north as, say, Goldfield, where you can call for a tow truck to take you the next 26 miles to the next recharging station, if and when it is built in Tonopah. After your half-hour to four-hour layover in Tonopah, someday, you might make it as far as Mina or Luning before calling for a tow to the next recharging station in Hawthorne 103 miles from Tonopah. But after the layover in Hawthorne, you just might make it to the next station, if and when it is built, in Fallon, a mere 71 miles away, but youll be cutting it close. Then there is Nevadas weather factor. Researchers have found that the range of an electric car drops more than half when the temperature dips below 20 degrees Fahrenheit and by a third when temperatures rise above 95 degrees. But if can get there, you can charge up your expensive electric toy for free courtesy of the state and the local electric utility for the next five years. According to the Governors Office of Energy, these recharging stations are being paid for by taxpayers and the ratepayers of NV Energy and Valley Electric Association, to the tune of $15,000 apiece or so, plus that free electricity. This really is significant for us, the governor was quoted as saying. Just think about it. This is the first electric highway in the United States. And when I talk about the New Nevada, its significant steps like this that show the rest of the country that we are tech savvy, especially when it comes to electric cars and autonomous vehicles. Absurd. The state is planning a second phase, which calls for stations on Interstate 80 targeted for Fernley, Lovelock, Winnemucca, Battle Mountain and Elko as well as a station in Austin on U.S. 50 and at the junction of Interstate 15 and U.S. 93. Additional stations are planned for Wendover, Eureka, Ely and Lincoln County. OK, Tesla Motors, the recipient of $1.3 billion in state tax abatements and credits for its battery factory near Sparks, does have a couple of models that are supposed to get more than 200 miles per charge, but they cost upwards of $75,000. Robbing from the poor to give to the frequently idle while recharging rich. back better "He's Black Council,", I said. "Or maybe stupid," Ebenezar countered. I thought about it. "Not sure which is scarier." Ebenezar blinked at me, then snorted. "Stupid, Hoss. Every time. Only so many blackhearted villains in the world, and they only get uppity on occasion. Stupid's everywhere, every day." Ebenezar McCoy This deprecation of individual freedom was objectionable to me. I am convinced now, as I was then, that man is an end because he is a child of God. Man is not made for the state; the state is made for man. To deprive man of freedom is to relegate him to the status of a thing, rather than elevate him to the status of a person. Man must never be treated as means to the end of the state; but always as an end within himself." Dr. M.L. King Jr. Y'all got on this boat for different reasons, but y'all come to the same place. So now I'm asking more of you than I have before. Maybe all. Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again. Maybe on another world, maybe on this very ground swept clean. A year from now, ten? They'll swingto the belief that they can make people.... And I do not hold to that. So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave. - Capt. MalGeek with a .45A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition Pablo Iglesias (right) and Inigo Errejon during last weeks investiture session in Congress. ULY MARTIN (EL PAIS) More information Nine new resignations deepen internal crisis within Podemos group The crisis that broke within Podemoss Madrid branch on Monday illustrates the divisions among leaders of the anti-austerity party. When regional organization secretary Emilio Delgado announced his resignation citing disappointment with Podemoss Madrid chief, Luis Alegre, it pointed to a deeper dispute over party control and ideology, particularly on the subject of how to deal with the Socialists (PSOE). At the bottom of all this is a fundamental debate over how to handle the negotiations to find a new Spanish leader Observers of the partys internal debate over the best strategy to pursue in the negotiations to find a new prime minister feel that there is a growing confrontation between supporters of party leader Pablo Iglesias, and adherents to the theories of his number two man, Inigo Errejon. Party reaction to Delgados resignation has been mixed. Official Podemos sources told EL PAIS that the party would ask Delgado to give up his seat in the Madrid Assembly. But sources close to Errejon denied this claim. Errejon himself personally defended Delgado, praising his work as a regional deputy. At the bottom of all this is a fundamental debate over how to handle the negotiations to find a new Spanish leader following an inconclusive election that yielded a fragmented Congress. With no one party strong enough to command an overall congressional majority, the Socialists have been trying to secure support for their candidate, Pedro Sanchez, among Spains leftist forces. The Socialists could theoretically be open to a coalition government with Podemos and other parties but on condition that Podemos drops its idea for a self-rule referendum in Catalonia, among other proposals. With Socialist leader Sanchez standing a chance to become the next prime minister of Spain, Podemos must decide whether it teams up with him or not, and under what conditions. Some Podemos members are highly aware that in the past, smaller parties that made deals with the Socialist Party ended up absorbed and deactivated by the latter. The United Left is a case in point. These members feel that Podemos should say no to Sanchez, especially since Podemos received only 300,000 fewer votes than the Socialists at the December election. Some people want to become a part of [state] management quickly, even if the circumstances are not ideal, while others will want to keep consolidating positions that represent change, and will not be in such a rush to submit to policies that are not their own, explains Podemos co-founder Juan Carlos Monedero, who himself resigned in April of last year citing ideological differences. But Podemos is also divided over how to build a party that does not turn a deaf ear to its grassroots members, a vice they see as affecting old-style parties. In this other debate, one school of thought favors a more disciplined party that will lead to greater efficiency, while another current feels that grassroots participation in party decisions should carry more weight, the way it did at the beginning. Regional leaders in the Basque Country, Galicia and Cantabria have already confronted national leaders for allegedly overstepping their powers and trying to decide over their territorial affairs. English version by Susana Urra. Entries open for the IET India Scholarship Award Hyderabad, March 9 (INN): The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) opened registrations for the fourth edition of its prestigious India Scholarship Award, an annual grant with a combined prize of Rs. 8 lakhs. The award, designed to reward and celebrate individual excellence and innovation among undergraduate engineering students, including women engineers will this year focus on the theme 'Sustainable & Scalable Innovations in Energy Conservation, Water & Personal Hygiene in rural India.' The IET India instituted the annual IET Scholarship Awards in 2013 to underscore the organisation's commitment to India's engineering community and to incentivise young people entering the engineering and technology profession. B.Tech students in 2nd and 3rd year engineering from AICTE/UGC-approved institutions across the nation can apply for the scholarships across two categories - General and Women. Lateral entry students who join B.Tech programme in 2nd year are also eligible to apply. Entries for this year will close on April 30, 2016. For more details please visit 'http://scholarships.theiet.in The past three editions of the India Scholarship Award received excellent response from the engineering community with over 12,000 entries from students across India for 2013 - 2015. The India Scholarship award evaluates participants across rigorous parameters that include academic performance, extracurricular activities, range of outreach activities and their ability to come up with engineering solutions to solve problems impacting society. 'This is the fourth edition of the IET India Scholarship Award, which is focused on finding the engineering leaders of tomorrow. We want the winners to have an ability to use their learning to create feasible technical solutions to solve the myriad challenges faced by society today. Just like every year I am very excited about students who will apply and look forward to meeting them and listening to their ideas. We have received tremendous response for the previous editions and we hope to see the momentum continued this year as well' said Shekhar Sanyal, Director and Country Head, IET India. The IET India had set up the IET India Advisory Committee in June 2012, to build a strong framework for IET India Scholarship Awards. Members of the Advisory Committee include VCs, Directors and senior academicians of India's premier engineering institutions. For more details on the Advisory Committee, please visit http://scholarships.theiet.in/committee. News Posted: 9 March, 2016 A student watches the tribute to the late German exchange students. Cristobal Castro Germanwings flight 9525 departed from Barcelona at 10.01am on March 24, 2015. On board were one pilot, one co-pilot, four crewmembers and 144 passengers en route to Dusseldorf (Germany). At 10.41am the co-pilot, a 28-year-old German national named Andreas Lubitz, deliberately crashed the aircraft into the French Alps. There were no survivors. Lubitz ended his own life and that of 149 innocent people. Among the victims were 16 students and two teachers from Josep Konig High School in Haltern am See (Dusseldorf). The group of 16-year-olds was returning home after participating in a student exchange program at a high school in the Catalan town of Llinars del Valles (Barcelona). In order to avoid any comparisons, the German students this year flew out of Cologne, not Dusseldorf It had been a memorable week filled with classes and visits to the cities of Barcelona and Girona. Tired but happy, the exchange students had said goodbye to their new Catalan friends. It was to be their last farewell. This Tuesday morning, 16 days before the first anniversary of the Germanwings tragedy, 23 schoolmates of the deceased students traveled to Giola High School in Llinars del Valles to take part in this years exchange program. The airline tragedy has not severed the bonds that link the two education centers separated by 1,500 kilometers, which have been participating in the student program for over 15 years. This year, there are more Germans here than ever, smiled a students mother outside the school door. In order to avoid any comparisons, the German students this year flew out of Cologne, rather than Dusseldorf. Chaperoned by two teachers, the new group of teens came off the bus that drove them from Barcelona airport and visited the same classrooms that their colleagues had sat in a year ago. Outside the school, the entire school faculty, with principal Silvia Genis at the helm, was waiting for the Germans to arrive. An emotional tribute included the inauguration of a new promenade flanked by 16 cherry trees and two cypresses, representing the students and their two teachers There was an emotional tribute to the dead teens that included the inauguration of a new promenade flanked by 16 cherry trees and two cypresses, representing the students and their two teachers. Those trees were planted by the schoolmates of those youths, who will be with us forever in this space made for meeting and for reading, said the school principal. The spot has been named El paseo de los alemanes (The Germans promenade). The principal of the German high school, Ulrich Wessel, was also present at the ceremony. The scars are very deep, and even more so now that the date on which our students died is approaching, he said. The mayor of Llinars del Valles, Marti Pujol, admitted that the deaths had deeply affected his town. We cannot bring them back to life, but we can remember them and ensure that they are always present among us, he said. English version by Susana Urra. A Zara store in Nice, France. Andrey Rudakov (Bloomberg) Inditex, the worlds largest fashion company, reported sales worth 20.9 billion in 2015, representing a 15.4% rise from the previous year. The Spanish textile giant, which owns Zara, Massimo Dutti and six other brands, posted a net profit of 2.88 billion, up 15% from 2014. All eight brands experienced sales growth last year, particularly Zara Home, which saw a sales increase of 21.5% on the back of new store openings. It was followed by the groups best-known brand, Zara, whose sales grew 17.5% last year. Sales in Spain, its biggest market in terms of stores, only represent 17 percent of the total The results confirm stock market analysts forecasts that Inditex would break the barrier of 20 billion in sales for the first time. The Arteixo-based group opened 330 new stores in 56 countries last year, bringing the total to 7,013 outlets in 88 markets. Inditex also hired 15,800 new workers, boosting its total global staff to 152,854. Job creation in Spain is worth underscoring, as 4,120 new jobs have been created, said the company. Sales in Spain, its biggest market in terms of stores, only represent 17% of the total, compared with 19% in 2014. In the fiscal year ending January 31, the company invested 1.5 billion in stores, technology, logistics plants and other improvements. In a statement, Inditex insisted on the relevance of its contribution to the Spanish economy, where the group has more than 7,500 suppliers who generate around 50,000 indirect jobs and invoiced Inditex for 4.1 billion in 2015. Greater dividend payout Inditex has also released information about executive pay in 2015. Chairman Pablo Isla made 12.17 million, a 53% rise over his 2014 income, thanks to a 5.5 million payout for a variable retribution payable in May. This makes Isla one of the best-paid Spanish executives in 2015, behind Angel Cano of BBVA bank and Juan Bejar of construction giant FCC. Inditex founder Amancio Ortega, Spains richest man, will receive 1.1 billion this year in dividend payouts. Ortega still owns 59.29% of the companys shares. For the first time, Inditex will pay its employees a new bonus thanks to last years strong growth. The incentives plan involves sharing out 10% of the profit growth among the more veteran workers. The company said that next April it will pay out 37.4 million to around 78,000 workers who have been with the company more than two years. The company also said it will raise its dividend payment by 15.4%, to 0.60 a share. Expansion is set to continue this year, with plans for 400 to 460 new stores, including in five new markets: Vietnam, New Zealand, Paraguay, Aruba and Nicaragua. The company added that it hopes to have online stores offering all of its brands across Europe and Turkey by the end of this year. English version by Susana Urra. Former Congressman quits promoting Azerbaijans interests in Washington By Harut Sassounian Publisher, The California Courier www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com Here is news that you dont hear every day: a former Congressman stops working for a foreign client after not receiving his pay for a year! This is exactly what happened to Cong. Dan Burton (Republican-Indiana) who quit last week as chairman of Azerbaijan America Alliance, a powerful Azeri propaganda outfit in the United States, after waiting a whole year to get paid. What were his Azeri masters thinking? How could they cheat one of their agents in Washington? This is a good way to get your lobbyist turn against you! Lobbyists promote a clients interests, not because they support its cause, but to make money. Personal financial gain was the only reason why Cong. Burton was backing one of the worlds most repressive and corrupt governments. When the money stopped, there was no longer a reason for him to promote Pres. Aliyevs dictatorial regime. The Azerbaijan America Alliance was founded by tycoon Anar Mammadov, a 34-year-old billionaire playboy. Interestingly, Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump had lent his name for a substantial fee to a luxurious hotel built by Mammadovs company in Baku, Azerbaijan. Reporter Carl Schreck and Radio Free Europe & Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) obtained a copy of the e-mail Cong. Burton sent on March 1, 2016 to James Fabiani whose Washington-based firm does lobbying work for the Azerbaijan America Alliance. As I have not heard from you or Anar, and have not been paid for a year, please consider this e-mail as a letter of resignation as Chairman of the Azerbaijan America Alliance, Cong. Burton wrote. Here are further details from this scandalous affair disclosed by RFE/RL: Burtons resignation follows months of speculation about the fate of the Azerbaijan America Alliance, a prominent pillar of a broader Azerbaijani lobbying campaign in the United States to portray Azerbaijan as a stable energy and security partner for the West. The lobby involves both private and state money. Bakus detractors accuse President Ilham Aliyevs government and its proxies of trying to paper over an abysmal human rights record with caviar diplomacy, using gifts, vacations, and other expensive incentives to gain friends and curry favor with foreign officials. Aliyev recently removed broad powers from the Transport Ministry, overseen by Mammadovs father, suggesting the familys influence in the government is waning. Several reports in the Azerbaijani media since August have cited unidentified sources as saying that Mammadov planned to shutter the Azerbaijan America Alliance due to financial difficulties amid the broader economic crisis Azerbaijan is grappling with due to plunging energy prices. Over the past five years, the Azerbaijan America Alliance has poured a total of $12.3 million into U.S. lobbying efforts, according to the public-interest website Opensecrets.org, having wined and dined Washingtons elite and pushed Bakus interests in meetings with senior members of Congress. The organization, which is not formally affiliated with the Azerbaijani state but has hewn closely to the Aliyev governments line, has continued this spending, paying $1.46 million for U.S. lobbying services in 2015, most of which went to Fabiani & Company, according to public lobbying disclosures. The group spent $430,000 for its 2012 dinner, which was attended by then-House of Representatives speaker John Boehner and 15 other members of Congress, including Burton, according to a 2013 filing under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Burton was named chairman of the Azerbaijan America Alliance in February 2013, a month after he left office after a 30-year career in Congress. He told RFE/RL this week that Fabiani introduced him to Mammadov, chairman of Garant Holding, a conglomerate with interests that include construction firms, hotels, and insurance companies. Investigations by RFE/RL have previously revealed that Anar Mammadovs business interests are tied to the ministry overseen by his father, Ziya Mammadov. Burton said that he did not engage in lobbying during his time with the Azerbaijan America Alliance, but that he would occasionally invite members of Congress to social functions staged by the group. He also published opinion articles supporting the Azerbaijani government. Last May, I ran into Cong. Burton in the lobby of a New York hotel. I complained to him about his ongoing efforts on behalf of Azerbaijan and his votes against resolutions on the Armenian Genocide during his tenure in Congress. He gave me his business card, asking me to contact him. I did not, and have no plans to do so now that he is no longer working as a propagandist for Azerbaijan! SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Google Ad Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully Google Ad The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens ANCA Issues National Call to Action to Stop Taxpayer Funding of Aliyevs Aggression Former Victorian Liberal premier Jeff Kennett has savaged Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's government for having a gutless approach to policy making and considering an early double-dissolution election, which he says is driven exclusively by self-interest. Mr Kennett said that Mr Turnbull's stances on gay marriage and negative gearing expose his lack of courage and conviction and are a failure to take advantage of a mandate. "When they changed leaders, I thought we were in for a period of government, a period of stability, a period in which policy was going to be annunciated," Mr Kennett told Sydney radio station 2UE on Wednesday morning. "This talk about an early election is an indication, sadly, that the government does not have a plan for the future of the country and they are trying, I think, to use this talk of a double dissolution, an early election, simply to cover up their own failings." An Iranian refugee at Nauru claims he was slashed in the head with a large knife normally used to cut down coconuts, in an alleged attack that raises further doubt over of the safety of refugees on the island. Nauruan police say there is no physical evidence of an attack and the refugee refused to provide a statement to police. This is despite the emergence of photos purportedly showing the man's injuries, and an unverified police statement sighted by Fairfax Media. The man, who lives in the Nauruan community, told Fairfax Media he did not wish to be identified for fear of worrying his family in Iran. He alleged that he was leaving his home on Saturday evening when he was attacked by two Nauruan men riding a motorbike. The parents of a young boy who died from meningitis allegedly tried to treat their son with home remedies - including olive leaf extract, whey protein and water with maple syrup - before taking him to a doctor, police allege. Canadian couple David and Collet Stephan, aged 32 and 35, are accused of only seeking medical treatment for their 19-month-old son, Ezekiel, when the boy stopped breathing. Ezekiel died from meningitis five days after being flown to Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary in March 2012. The couple, who run a nutritional supplements company, have pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to provide the necessities of life for Ezekiel. Detroit: Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump rolled to big wins in Michigan and Mississippi on Tuesday, brushing off a week of withering attacks from the party's establishment to solidify his top status as four US states voted in nomination contests. Mr Trump's convincing wins over Ohio governor John Kasich, Texas senator Ted Cruz and Florida senator Marco Rubio increased the pressure on the party's anti-Trump forces to find a way to stop the businessman's march to the nomination ahead of several key contests next week. Mr Trump had split four contests on Saturday with the conservative Senator Cruz, who had positioned himself as the prime alternative to the brash New York billionaire in the race to be the party's candidate in the November 8 election. The Australian National University is seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in private investment to overhaul its student accommodation. The ANU will on Thursday morning call for expressions of interest from investors in nine ANU residences: the new SA5 building currently under construction, Burton & Garran Hall, Graduate House, Toad Hall, Ursula Hall, Davey Lodge, Lena Karmel Lodge, Kinloch Lodge and Warrumbul Lodge. The ANU is calling for expressions of interest from investors in several student residences, including Ursula Hall. Credit:Karleen Minney In return for their capital, investors would receive a 30-year financial concession, or lease arrangement, over the student accommodation. They would also receive a guaranteed return on investments based on student numbers. A childcare worker has pleaded guilty to subjecting children to unreasonable discipline at a north Canberra childcare centre. Una Masters, 61, was among four workers police charged last October over allegations of excessive force on children at Northside Community Service's Civic Early Childhood Centre in Dickson. Una Masters, 61, leaves the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday with a supporter, right, and lawyer Peter Woodhouse. The offences were alleged to involve children as young as one and dated back to 2014. Masters entered guilty pleas to four charges of subjecting a child to unreasonable discipline related to two children for offences that took place between January 2014 and February last year. Danny Klobucar, 27, pleaded not guilty to murdering Miodrag Gajic, 71, at the front door to his Phillip unit, and his ACT Supreme Court trial has entered its third week. Anthony Klobucar also told a court his nephew appeared "scattered, agitated, restless", and had claimed he was helping police with a major operation to nab paedophiles, when he saw him late on New Year's Day in 2014. The uncle of accused killer Danny Klobucar noticed a dark smudge he thought looked like blood on his nephew's shoe the same day he allegedly bashed a Canberra grandfather to death, a court has heard. The Crown alleges Mr Klobucar met Mr Gajic for the first time on December 30 when he visited the Mansfield Place unit in an attempt to buy cannabis. He is then alleged to have returned a couple of days later to kill Mr Gajic before he dragged his body back into the hallway, took his phone, and left a bloody footprint at the scene. Mr Klobucar had allegedly become convinced Mr Gajic was a paedophile and the trial has heard evidence his mental state had deteriorated in the months leading up to the killing. His legal team, led by John Purnell, SC, and Ray Livingston, is relying on a defence of mental impairment, in the event that the jury finds Mr Klobucar guilty. On Thursday, Anthony Klobucar, who spent time with the accused at his father's Chapman house the night of January 1, said he had been happy to see his nephew "but not in the state he was in". Andrew Barr made an impassioned defence of the Safe Schools program on Wednesday, saying he knows enough about being gay in school to know how important it is for gay and gender-diverse teens to be told they are normal. "Let me make some clear and definitive statements. It is OK to be gay, it is OK to be lesbian, it is OK to be bisexual or intersex, there is nothing wrong with you," he said. "You are not abnormal, you do not deserve to be discriminated against." Chief Minister Andrew Barr: "It's OK to be gay, there is nothing wrong with you." Credit:Jeffrey Chan Mr Barr, speaking during a debate on the Safe Schools program in the ACT Parliament, said 23 public schools in Canberra about a quarter of schools and one independent school had joined the program, aimed at reducing bullying of gay, intersex and gender diverse students. His message to LGBTI kids was "your rights and your feelings matter to us". The Property Council of Australia has appointed Liberal Party adviser Merlin Kong its new ACT executive director. Mr Kong has been a policy and strategy adviser to the ACT opposition for more than six years. Mr Kong has been a policy and strategy adviser to the ACT opposition for more than six years. Formerly he was a trade and investment manager in the ACT Chief Minister's department and has worked in private enterprises and other roles in Australia and overseas. Property Council chief executive Ken Morrison said Mr Kong was ideally suited to the role. Bereaved parents want to know cause of their children's death (video) Although military officials in Armenia claim that military reforms are under underway in the country, investigation of a number of non-combat deaths has not produced any results yet. These deaths in the ranks in peacetime have again stirred public debate, with desperate parents demanding fair investigation into their sons' deaths. The case of Valerik Muradyan, who was found dead in a military unit stationed in Stepanakert in 2010, was discounted in December 2015. Valeriks mother Nana Muradyan, learnt about it from an Armenian lawmaker instead of the law enforcement agencies. She does not believe that official version that her son was electrocuted. We have disputed the decision but to no avail. Before his death, my son told me on the phone that he had witnessed the theft of fuel, the thieves offered him money in exchange for his silence, but he refused to take it. Four days later, we learnt that our son had been killed in his military unit, says Nana Muradyan. The circumstances of the death of Artur Ghazaryan, who was killed in a military unit in Hadrut in April 2011, also remain unknown. A criminal case was initiated after his death on charges of causing the serviceman to commit suicide but later the case was dropped due to absence of corpus delicti. I have a witness Grigor Arsenyan who witnessed the murder of my son. He used to work in the police but was soon dismissed, Artur mother said today. These people want to know the cause of their childrens deaths but they have been presented unreliable hypotheses for many years. The deaths are not disclosed for other reasons, says human rights advocate Avetik Ishkhanyan. Brisbane has secured a major international Asian aviation conference, to be held in 2018, which will attract more than 1000 airline, airport and tourism delegates from 100 countries to the Queensland capital. Routes Asia, which was most recently held this week in Manila, was set up as an airline and airport networking event in 1996 to open up new opportunities for air links between cities. Brisbane has been selected to host Routes Asia 2018, which will bring together airline and airport executives. Credit:Robert Rough Brisbane Airport Corporation chief executive Julieanne Alroe said it was an honour for Brisbane to have been chosen to host what she called the "largest and most important route development event" for aviation companies that did business in Asia. "Dozens of influential cities from across Asia bid for the chance to host delegates for the Routes Asia conference and it is a reflection of Brisbane and Queensland's growing importance and profile that it has been chosen for this event," she said. The federal government accepts that superannuation is not intended to be a support for the accumulation of wealth that can be passed down to generations. An admission that opens the door to a future crackdown on super tax breaks for the wealthy, even if these are now off the table ahead of the May budget. "No one has a right to a super tax concession. It is a gift that the government should only provide when it makes sense," Assistant Treasurer Kelly O'Dwyer said on Wednesday. "The government accepts the financial system inquiry's recommendation that the objective of the superannuation system is to provide income in retirement to substitute or supplement the age pension," she told a gathering of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia in Melbourne. The Australian coal sector is set for a dramatic shake-out this year with imminent asset sales pending, mine shutdowns increasingly likely and further job losses inevitable as mining companies struggle to deal with stubbornly low commodity prices, according to consultancy IHS. Uncertainty hangs over the future of Peabody Energy's mines in Australia as administration looms for the US company, while Anglo American's exit from coal has the potential to force a collapse of the quarterly benchmark pricing system for coking coal, according to Marian Hookham, senior manager at IHS' coal arm. Further job losses are inevitable as mining companies struggle to deal with stubbornly low commodity prices. Credit:Michele Mossop At a seminar in Sydney on Wednesday, Ms Hookham pointed to likely imminent deals, including the sale of Vale's stakes in the Eagle Downs coking coal deposit and the Carborough Downs mine in Queensland, with AMCI, the private firm run by Hans Mende, the likely buyer. Meanwhile the sale of Anglo's Foxleigh mine in Queensland, which has been on the market for some time, should be finalised within weeks, despite some major players who have studied the asset describing the mine as expensive and with heavy rehabilitation liabilities, she said. As the possibility of Donald Trump winning the US presidency becomes more realistic by the day, local investors are starting to ponder what a Trump presidency could mean for the Australian sharemarket. The chief investment officer of Australian Foundation Investment Company, Mark Freeman, believes he might have found the answer. Referring to the large wall that Mr Trump has vowed to build along the border of the US and Mexico if he wins office, Mr Freeman told AFIC shareholders that building materials companies could thrive under a future President Trump. "One of the stocks we might have to look at is Boral, because they manufacture bricks in the US and they will need a lot of bricks to build that wall," he told AFIC shareholders on Wednesday. Fifteen years ago, if you were a woman in Afghanistan, you could be beaten for laughing in public or if your shoes made noise. You could be beaten or killed for going out alone, unaccompanied by a male guardian. Covered by burqas, women became strangers. Waiting in bread lines in Kabul, they learned to recognise each other from the sound of their voices and the faces of male children with them. Today, one of those women, Nasima Rahmani, is a leading lawyer and educator, working toward her PhD. And she is not alone. Women in Afghanistan are changing their lives and their nation. Fifteen years ago, barely 5000 girls were enrolled in primary school. Soon that number will exceed three million. Some 36 per cent of teachers are women. Afghanistan's first lady, Rula Ghani, has launched a project to establish a female-only university, run by women. In government, women hold 69 seats in Parliament. There are four female government ministers and two female provincial governors. Thousands of women have started their own businesses. Nasima Rahmani is a leading lawyer and educator, working toward her PhD. Credit:Robert Peet On Tuesday, International Women's Day, the George W. Bush Institute released a new book, We Are Afghan Women: Voices of Hope. The book recounts inspiring stories such as Rahmani's, reminding us of both the challenges Afghan women have endured and the incredible successes they have achieved. It is hard to find another country where women have made such substantial gains against such overwhelming odds in so short a time. In the US, women won the right to vote in 1920 but it wasn't until 1969 that nearly all of the elite Ivy League universities started admitting women. By 1961, only 20 women were serving in Congress. In the age of Twitter and Instagram, it can be hard to remember that real change takes time. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are over-represented in the child protection systems of every state and territory at unacceptable levels. Our kids are nine times as likely as non-Indigenous children to be subjects of a care and protection order or in out-of-home care. Nearly 20 years after the Bringing Them Home Report documented the experiences of the stolen generations, the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children continues to be a source of great pain for our people. It is a fundamental right of all children to be protected from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. This tragedy has heightened my conviction that the lives of all of our children in Australia are precious and should be protected at all costs. The recent death of a 10-year-old in the Kimberley is a tragedy and I pass on my condolences to her family at this particularly distressing time. Mick Gooda: "Culture is not a perk for our children, it is a lifeline." Credit:Peter Eve/Yothu Yindi Foundation Addressing the burgeoning number of our children entering care requires greater effort from us all. These efforts must be guided by faithful application of the rights of the child, enhanced participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and agencies in the design of services, and better resourcing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child and family services to effectively deliver these supports in their communities. It is a fundamental right of all children to be protected from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. The safety, welfare and wellbeing of children and young people is of paramount importance to any just society. But the road to safety is not always as clear-cut as we might hope. We need to acknowledge that removing at-risk children from their families does not guarantee their safety, and may also compromise their quality of life and access to opportunities. We know that educational and developmental outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the child protection system are often poor. We also know that there is a significant overlap between children in the child protection system and those in contact with the criminal justice system. Importantly, however, and something that is often missed from this discussion is that the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children and young people is inextricably linked to their culture and community. As my Victorian colleague, Andrew Jackomos argues, our children's enjoyment of their cultural rights directly affects their meaningful enjoyment of all other rights; culture is not a perk for our children, it is a lifeline. When I saw that Padma Lakshmi had exposed in gritty detail the ins and outs of her three-year marriage to Salman Rushdie, I wanted to do two things: give her a hug because she went through it, and buy her a drink because she left him. To say her account of Rushdie's behaviour during their marriage is unflattering would be an understatement. In an interview to promote her memoir Love, Loss and What We Ate, published this week, the former model described her ex?husband as a man who appeared needy; who was begrudging of her success; and who wanted her at his beck and call. As their marriage soured, she claimed that he once referred to her as a "bad investment". Salman Rushdie and Padma Lakshmi during Fashion Week in New York in 2006. Credit:AP I immediately recognised the relationship described. Most women know these men. The kind of men who claim they "love women" ("I love my mother!", "I love their smell!", "What would the world be without women?"), but what they mean is, they love the idea of a woman. They love women as a figment of their imagination; vanilla?scented and stress-free. There to listen to them and nourish them. This figment doesn't have problems or goals of her own. She doesn't bleed, cry or complain. She is merely an accessory to his life; an extra in his film. And - here's a sentence I never thought I'd write - we have all dated a Salman Rushdie. A man who showers you with attention at the beginning, who makes an art of courtship when you're nothing but a dazzling appendage on his arm, but seemingly loses interest when it isn't all about him. MACHU PICCHU Sydney Theatre Company Wharf 1, March 8. Until April 9 We didn't know it at the time, but on the eve of the premiere of her excellent Kryptonite in 2014, playwright Sue Smith was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Darren Gilshenan and Lisa McCune as husband and wife Paul and Gabby in Machu Picchu. Credit:Brett Boardman This play, named for the Inca city so admired by its lead characters, is Smith's tragicomic response to that experience; a play about the fragility of our lives, about what fulfillment means, and about the strength that can be drawn from solid foundations. Our perspective on all this is that of a loving, middle-aged, middle class couple, Paul and Gabby (Darren Gilshenan and Lisa McCune), who, on the surface at least, appear to have everything going for them. They have been happily together since university. They have satisfying careers in engineering. They have a daughter, Lucy (Annabel Matheson) studying to be a doctor. They have close friends in Marty and Kim (Luke Joslin and Elena Carapetis), whose own problems make Paul and Gabby's life seem just that little bit more charmed. Then, one night, fate (in the shape of a hapless kangaroo) intervenes with dizzying speed and violence. From this moment forward, every aspect of Paul and Gabby's life must be renegotiated, if not completely reinvented. But not before Paul makes up his mind as to whether his life is worth living at all. Smith's tragicomic tone recalls Clark's, too, though in Machu Picchu gallows wit is layered with weird waking dream elements that include the voice of Paul's hitherto mute middle toe and an appearance from the King of Rock'n'Roll. Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective comes to mind at times. Round Two of Monique and Lauren's Showdown at MKR Corral takes place in Adelaide, best known as the city where tourists are lured to be murdered by Nick Cave. Although the centrepiece of this episode will be the vicious verbal volleys between the policewomen and Carmine and Lauren's Team Lemonmouth, the instant restaurant itself belongs to Rosie and Paige, two women who have managed to get onto My Kitchen Rules despite apparently being nice people who other human beings might enjoy spending time with. They must've lied a lot at the audition. Rosie and Paige are cooking Middle Eastern food, and why not? There are many answers to this question, but they've never heard any of them. Pete loves the sound of the menu, and as we all know, we eat with our ears. As Rosie and Paige shop, the Bangles' Walk Like An Egyptian plays. Because it's ... it's Middle Eastern food. And Walk Like An Egyptian is ... it's about ... I guess we've just got to kind of let this stuff wash over us. The instant restaurant is called "Big Grub", in recognition that most of the guests are maggots. Rosie and Paige begin preparations by making dukkah, which is a great opportunity to break out the line, "dukkah? I hardly know her!" But nobody does, which is a bit disappointing I really thought Paige would back me up here. Suddenly, the kitchen becomes a place of dark sorcery when Rosie finds a double-yolked egg, to which Paige responds with a brief joyous dance. It's likely to be the highlight of the entire night. "We have not got enough done in prep time," says Rosie, but then I think not getting enough done in prep time is written into the contestants' contracts. I've certainly never seen anyone get enough done in prep time. The guests arrive and are amazed at how short Paige is, having apparently not noticed her the last four nights. Rosie explains that the idea of the instant restaurant is "when friends become family", which is pretty ironic given that two of the guests are about to disembowel each other. The popular dating reality series has left its Hunters Hill mansion in Sydney and is moving to the semi-rural NSW suburb of Glenorie - population 3405. Yacht cruises and waterfront dates have been a huge part of The Bachelor Australia since it first hit our TV screens three years ago, but that's all about to change. That's right. Channel Ten producers and crew members have descended on the town an hour outside of Sydney's CBD, and will be joined in coming weeks by make-up artists, fire wardens, a handful of unlucky-in-love women and one mystery bachelor. The Glenorie mansion where The Bachelor season four will be set. Credit:Google Maps Aerial photos taken this week show the Glenorie property has been besieged by production trucks and is decked out with filming equipment and poolside couches for hook-ups and break-ups. In terms of their digs, the Bachelor contestants haven't downgraded by any means. The Abbott Place home is set on two hectares and boasts sprawling grounds, a swimming pool and a tennis court. Strahan was a fan favourite in the inaugural season of The Bachelorette Australia, but was sent home empty-handed in an emotional semi-finale. Unfair advantage? One blonde contestant is best friends with The Bachelor Richie Strahan's first cousin. Credit:Network Ten The 30-year-old rope technician from Western Australia has been confirmed as the nation's next Bachelor after being sent packing by Sam Frost last year. He won Australia's heart as a shy finalist on The Bachelorette Australia, now Richie Strahan will get another chance at finding his forever girl. Frost later revealed Strahan was her real runner-up - not Michael Turnbull - but didn't want to take him all the way to New Zealand only to break his heart. "As long as he learns how to speak properly, he'll be fine:" McManus said about upcoming Bachelor, Richie Strahan. Credit:Channel Ten "It killed me but I didn't want to take Richie through to the finale because I would have struggled to let him down that way, I think it was better that he left when he did," Frost told NW magazine. "It was absolutely awful but Richie and I have a lot of respect for each other and think the world of each other so that's amazing." After being revealed as the latest suitor, Strahan said he was nervous and excited to meet his dream woman, and wasn't perturbed by his time on The Bachelorette Australia. Those are strong numbers by anyone's measure and it has the key stakeholders in the production Screen Queensland, Matchbox Pictures, R&R Productions and broadcaster the Seven Network popping the champagne corks. The series wrapped up on Tuesday night with an average metro and regional audience of more than 1.4 million viewers. Its average ratings across the series in the five capital cities was over 933,000 viewers. Queensland-shot series Wanted is proudly spruiking itself as Australia's new number one drama. The chorus of popping sounds could continue with more television drama projects tipped for Queensland as a result of the success of Wanted with Screen Queensland in talks with a variety of producers to create work here and the series producer Matchbox Pictures making plans to undertake more work in the Sunshine State. "We are excited the top drama in the country took place here in Queensland," Screen Queensland boss Tracey Vieira said. "We always hope for the best and I know Matchbox and Seven had high expectations, but we were all blown away in the end." The series, which premiered on February 9, was the first foray into producing for Rebecca Gibney and her husband Richard Bell under their R&R Productions banner. The entire series was shot on location in Queensland and all post production happened in the sunshine state. Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is facing a potentially dangerous, multi-pronged attack in his seat of New England, with the challenge of Tony Windsor to be augmented by a high-profile candidate representing the Greens. Mr Windsor is set to announce his intention to again contest New England at a press conference in Canberra on Thursday, less than three years after his retirement from politics. Fairfax Media can reveal the race for New England will get more crowded, with NSW upper-house MP Jeremy Buckingham close to announcing a dramatic switch to the federal sphere to contest the seat. The federal government is cautiously eyeing a windfall gain from soaring iron ore prices in recent days, fuelling hopes of billions of extra dollars flooding into Canberra, but the financial improvement is not being matched by a rise in political certainty. The optimism comes as Malcolm Turnbull continued to leave room for an earlier budget to facilitate complex double-dissolution election timing, declaring only that the government is "working towards" a May 10 budget as scheduled. His wording appeared to stop deliberately short of an iron-clad commitment to the May 10 date - amid speculation that an alternative plan of May 3 is under active consideration. Confusion over the actual date has reached comical proportions, sparking a social media flurry on Wednesday as media companies and other budget attendees moved to book scarce accommodation and favoured Canberra restaurants for both dates. Senior Liberal National sources have cast doubt on speculation Campbell Newman could make a political comeback and run in the next federal election, despite the former Queensland Premier reportedly failing to rule out interest in the seat of Brisbane. But the Labor candidate Pat O'Neill said he would relish a fight against the former leader whom voters turfed out of office after just one term only a little more than one year ago. Outgoing MP and moderate Teresa Gambaro, was accused of throwing an epic dummy spit in announcing her retirement from the marginal seat, where her name recognition plays a major part in the LNP's vote in the electorate. Michael Pezzullo, the man who presides over the Kafkaesque Department of Immigration and Border Protection, could be fairly accused of many unflattering things. But being a Holocaust denier is not one of them. In fact, the Twitter storm that erupted after Mr Pezzullo issued a press statement on Tuesday and Labor's attempts to get leverage from the controversy shows how knee-jerk antagonism in the asylum seeker debate so often wins out over reasoned examination of the government's failed policy logic. Pezzullo, in a far-reaching and belated attempt to respond to recent media reports, addressed comments by Dr Michael Dudley who wrote that "public numbing and indifference" towards state abuses in Nazi Germany resembled that enabling Australia's immigration detention centres. Dr Dudley's comments originally appeared in the Australasian Psychiatry journal and Fairfax Media reported them almost three weeks ago. Why the department waited so long to respond is a mystery, and reflects its frequent inability to react swiftly and proactively to adverse media coverage (hello Australian Border Farce). Okay now to federal politics. Could you hear the raucous laughter descending from Queensland last night? That was the sound of all the Labor people you know physically rubbing their hands together while shrieking with glee at the thought of Campbell Newman making a tilt at federal politics and running for the seat of Brisbane being vacated by Teresa Gambaro. The unpopular (make that loathed) Newman was booted from office only a year ago after just one term and lost his own seat to match. So while the former Queensland Premier is high-profile, he's not exactly star-candidate material. I had a chat to Pat O'Neill, the Labor candidate and he seemed in chirpy spirits about the prospect of a battle with Newman. For what it's worth, LNP figures were privately confident Trevor Evans would end up being pre-selected, which begs the more interesting question, who's behind the Campbell speculation? 3. Windsor comeback confirmed There's going to be some fascinating battles in specific seats to watch this election. Sophie Mirabella trying to claim back Indi in Victoria is one. The other will be Tony Windsor's contest against Nationals Leader Barnaby Joyce in New England, NSW. 4. Sanders prolongs Clinton's campaign Bernie Sanders has staged a shock win over Hillary Clinton meaning his campaign lives on to fight another round. Trump surged but not sure his endorsement of Adam Scott is one the Australian golfer particularly needs. The last line of Kehoe's piece quoting a CNN commentator wondering if she's watching a political or advertising campaign rings especially true after watching this mash-up of The Donald. Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham has warned the nations' universities that "he will act" if the university sector fails to address falling entry standards after a Fairfax Media investigation revealed the practice of admitting students below minimum entry cut-offs was endemic. Speaking to the Universities Australia conference on Wednesday night Mr Birmingham criticised universities for defensively claiming there was "nothing to see here" and said that entry requirements are seen by students as "opaque as a double frosted window". "I will defend the defensible but if I need to act, I will. I don't want to micro-manage. I don't want to be sitting in your Chancellery building negotiating on every place and mission change," he said. Plans to build the state's tallest residential building have moved forward but the sky might still prove to have its limits. A design firm has been appointed for the Aspire tower, which would be a 300-metre high apartment block in the heart of the multibillion-dollar Parramatta Square development project. The Australian architects, Bates Smart, were on Wednesday announced the winners of a design concept competition for the more than $700 million building which would be only slightly smaller than Sydney Tower. But a 90-storey Aspire tower might yet be a castle in the sky. Aviation authorities have not given their approval for the construction of the building, which would also become one of the tallest overall in Sydney. The parliamentary committee examining the corruption watchdog's failed pursuit of Crown prosecutor Margaret Cunneen has been advised it has no power to publicly release explosive phone taps and other investigation material. It is understood legal advice to the committee conducting the inquiry says nothing in the federal Telecommunications (Intercept and Access) Act prevents it from releasing the material, but the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act does. Margaret Cunneen was the subject of an ICAC investigation. Credit:Daniel Munoz This is because Section 64 (2) of the ICAC Act states that the committee cannot use its hearings to reconsider matters ICAC has investigated. MPs on the committee were given a briefing on the NSW Crown Solicitor's advice on Wednesday and are due to formally consider it before the next scheduled public hearing on Monday. A gang that defrauded Medicare of more than $320,000 has been broken up after a six-month investigation, police say. Police claim the four-person syndicate, from Sydney's south-west, used stolen and falsified medical records. Strike action will affect Centrelink and Medicare on Friday. The investigation started in September last year after police executed an unrelated search warrant at a home in Rosemeadow. During the search, police found patient records allegedly stolen from medical facilities in Campbelltown, Mount Annan, Harrington Park, Eagle Vale and Holsworthy. The estranged husband of Sydney hairdresser Leila Alavi has pleaded guilty to murdering her. Mokhtar Hosseiniamraei, 34, was charged with murdering his 26-year-old wife with a pair of scissors in a car park in Auburn on January 17, 2015. Auburn stabbing murder victim Leila Alavi. Ms Alavi had allegedly arrived to work at Benjamin Hair Studio when Hosseiniamraei contacted her and asked her to meet him in the Auburn Shopping Village's car park. When she failed to return to work, a colleague went to see if she was still talking to her husband downstairs, instead finding the apprentice dead in her Holden Astra, police said. The Premier may be continuing to threaten an early election, just over one year into her term, warning MPs "they don't want to push me on this one", but that's not what her ministers have been told to say. Despite admitting to not having any legislation currently before the House which could see her follow through on her vow to "get the support of Queenslanders" if her jobs legislative agenda is blocked, Ms Palaszczuk did not mince her words about heading back to the polls if pushed. That's "the last thing" Mines Minister Anthony Lynham said he wanted. "I do not want an early election; I want jobs, I know the Premier wants jobs," he told ABC radio on Wednesday. One of south-east Queensland's worst road bottlenecks could be unlocked with the state government offering $200m to get the final 7km section of Ipswich Motorway widened. Queensland and consecutive federal governments have for almost four years argued 'who should pay how much' to widen the section of the Ipswich Motorway between Darra and Rocklea to six lanes. Main Roads minister Mark Bailey on Wednesday morning described the section as a "morning and afternoon car park." He said if agreement could be reached with the federal government, preliminary work could start within two months. The Department of Justice blew almost $60 million on a new IT system that was dumped without being launched. Now the Department of Justice and Regulation is relying on an old system that was considered insufficient 10 years ago, according to an Auditor-General's report tabled in Parliament on Wednesday. The justice department's bungled system was one of six public sector information and communications technology projects examined. The financial watchdog found the department's infringement management and enforcement system was originally budgeted at $24.9 million and due by October 2009. However, the project cost ballooned to $59.9 million in taxpayer funds before it was terminated in March last year. "This is simply not acceptable," acting Auditor-General Peter Frost said. Former education minister Bronwyn Pike has been snared in phone taps telling a key figure in the Ultranet scandal that "things get blown up" after he discussed a suspicious $1 million payment. In a secret phone recording obtained by the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission, former education department deputy secretary Darrell Fraser told Ms Pike he had given $1 million to Ultranet provider CSG "on the quiet". The former state Labor MP responded; "but you know how those things get blown up". Ms Pike the first former minister to front an IBAC hearing said on Tuesday that her role as minister was "very hands off". Casino gamblers are three times more likely to be problem gamblers and moderate risk gamblers than other punters, new research reveals. Despite the problem gambling risk, the casino industry does not report on its consumer protection initiatives and so it is not known whether responsible gambling initiatives like pre-commitment are effective, the report said. Casinos are a higher risk for problem gambling according to new research Credit:Peter Morris The new findings come as the Greens demand the release of a secret Crown casino problem gambling report that examined spending patterns. Crown, the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation and the Andrews government are all refusing to release the Crown report. Hundreds of millions of dollars in education department grants are being given to private schools with no measures to track how the money is being spent, an auditor-general's report has found. The state's financial watchdog has found little evidence that the money, estimated to be $676 million this year, is being used appropriately by the schools. State education minister James Merlino says the government is strengthening reporting and accountability requirements for private schools. Credit:Damian White More than a third of Victorian students go to private schools. In a scathing report, acting Auditor-General Dr Peter Frost said the education department had "weak" funding agreements with the schools, no performance measurement or targets, and that the schools were unable to prove funds were spent as they were intended. Accounts featuring people brawling in Perth have resurfaced on Facebook and Twitter, with the administrator bragging that bans are ineffective. "Jacks cant [sic] do anything because no laws have been broken!" the page posted on Facebook on Wednesday, hours before administrators yet again banned the account. "And dont [sic] worry, if facebook bans me i'll go to instagram, then when they shut me down i'll go to liveleek, then dailymotion, then pintrest [sic] haha they'll never stop these vids getting out! "i'm working on a snapchat too so stay tuned." Jakarta: Six Bangladeshis were returned to Indonesia on Indonesian fishermen's boats after being intercepted by the Australian Border Force, according to an Indonesian police officer. East Nusa Tenggara water police chief Teddy J.S. Marbun told Fairfax Media the six Bangladeshi "suspected illegal immigrants" left Kupang with two Indonesians on March 3. "They made it to Australian (waters) but their boat sunk," he said. "The eight people then were rescued by an Australian customs ship for three days." Indonesian crewmen Isai Rano (left with blue towel) and Lajimu (right) from Kupang at the East Nusa Tenggara water police office. Credit:Joy Christian Mr Teddy said the men were then transferred onto nearby Indonesian fishing boats that were fishing near Ashmore Reef. "They can't understand each other's language, so they just used sign language," Mr Teddy said. "The fisherman were given fuel and supplies, they know if you breach Australian waters, they will turn you back. So they took the eight people back." Brussels: European Union plans to return tens of thousands of migrants from Greece to Turkey are likely to violate international law, the UN said as the grand bargain appeared in danger of unravelling. German chancellor Angela Merkel's deal with Ankara to end the migrant flow across the Aegean faced serious criticism from allies, who objected to offering visa-free travel for Turkish citizens. There were also grave doubts about how migrants determined to reach Western Europe could be forcibly removed in large numbers. Under a deal provisionally agreed on Monday, Turkey will accept the rapid return of any migrants who travel by boat to the Greek islands. For every Syrian removed from Greece to a Turkish refugee camp, one will be sent from Turkey directly to an EU state, to discourage the use of people traffickers. BMW Celebrates 100 Year Centenary With Vision Next 100 Concept By Henny Hemmes Senior European Editor The Auto Channel MUNICH, March 8, 2016 Yesterday, BMW kicked-off its celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the company with the presentation of an exceptional concept car, the BMW Vision Next 100. It was introduced on a wide screen at a press conference in the new residence of BMW Group Classic in Munich, where the company was founded, followed by a live presentation during a special show in the Olympia Hall, close the BMWs headquarters. Ease and Boost Mode The car has been developed under supervision of Adrian van Hooydonk, BMWs Head of Design with two things in mind: BMWs motto Driving Pleasure, as well as autonomous driving. According to Van Hooydonk, the concept car shows how BMW intends to shape its future. Our DNA lies in the development of sporty four-seaters and this is translated in this concept car. The interior is very spacious with two front seats, that can swivel around when the car is in 'Ease mMode for autonomous driving. Because BMW goal is to build cars that are fun to drive, the future cars will feature a 'Boost Mode' to offer a dynamic driving experience. The choice will be up to the driver. Flexible For the Vision Next 100, the development team has used 4D printing, new manufacturing processes, new materials and new high-tech connectivity and safety systems for autonomous driving. The sleek design with the covered wheels results in the lowest drag coefficient in the industry of 0.18. The wheels can be turned thanks to the elastic material of the wheel covers, that adapts to steering movements, while the body can stretch during driving. This feature is called Alive Geometry. This concept car also has an head-up display covering the full winds screen and it has aa frame of more than 800 moving triangular, organic LEDs. The dream for the future is equipped with a lot of features that we at some point will see again in BMWs in the not too distant future. Roots Not many people will have known that the foundation of BMW AG was laid in 1916 as a producer of aircraft engines. To be exact, on March 7 the company started as Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG. It was in the middle of the First World War and there was an excellent business case for such engines. This heritage is visible by the blue and white propeller in BMW roundel. In 1922, the Treaty of Versailles that ended the war, prohibited aviation industry in Germany and the company started to build motorcycles as Bayerische Motoren Werke AG in 1923. The first motorcycle was on display at the Geneva Motor show last week. Picking itself up again In 1928, following the acquisition of Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach (FE), BMW began producing cars. The first model was the BMW Dixi, the brand name of FE. It was an Austin 7 that was built under license, which expired in 1932. a year later was the first genuine BMW model, the 303 Coupe is a fact. Meanwhile, Germany had initiated its armament policy and BMW once again started building aircraft engines. After WW2, the end of BMW seemed near, but again the company recovered by producing motorcycles and offering maintenance for American military vehicles. The first new car model, the 501 sedan, came seven years after the war, followed by the Isetta a small three-wheeler with a front-opening door, of which still 166 thousand units were sold. Meanwhile, the company needed to shake off its wartime past and after a number of erroneous strategic decisions, the end was in sight again and a takeover by Daimler-Benz was looming. This danger was averted when in 1961 an initiative of industrial investors led by Herbert Quandt resulted in the financial turnaround. This resulted in the first new model of the so-called Neue Klasse (BMW 1500, 1600, 1800 and 2000), which established BMW's name as a manufacturer of sporty sedans. The Quandt family is still a major shareholder. The start of the Centenary was witnessed via live stream as from 3.00 p.m. European time by all 116 thousand employees of BMW offices and the 30 plants world wide. For the show in the Olympia Hall in Munich, BMW had invited more than two thousand guests. The celebrations will be continued during a world tour, that stops in Beijing on May 5, in London on June 16 and in Los Angeles on October 10. BMW AG promises to unveil Mini and Rolls Royce concept cars that will provide a look into the future. Businesses plea to speed up TfN infrastructure plans BUSINESS groups have urged Transport for the North (TfN) to do anything to speed up the improvement of infrastructure improvement in the region. The organisation, which was given statutory backing in Chancellor George Osbornes Autumn Statement , published its strategic report earlier in the week. It hailed billions of pounds of investment guaranteed for rail, road and smart ticketing in the region. TfN chairman and former CBI boss John Cridland said he was delighted with the progress of the bodys ambitious plans. He added: Our vision to rebalance the economy will greatly benefit residents of the north and the United Kingdom as a whole. Looking to the future well build on our research, which is underpinned by the first Independent Economic Review for the North, to devise a prioritised investment programme. However, business representatives for the region questioned the pace of delivery of much-needed improvements. Richard Threlfall, partner at KPMG and spokesperson for recently-formed Business North, said the group welcomed TfNs continued focus on the benefits of better transport to the regions employment market. But he added that the report provided a useful reality check on the plans. Mr Threlfall said: Its sobering to note none of the projects will be delivered by the end of this Parliament. While were aware infrastructure doesnt happen overnight, Business North would welcome anything that can be done to speed things up. He added that the group is not convinced the proposed combination of new and upgraded rail and road routes is ambitious enough to support the Northern Powerhouse. Sarah Green, CBI Director for Nations and Regions, said TfN must move from planning to delivery to maintain momentum for the changes. Its in everyones interests for politicians to take a long term view and invest in truly transformational infrastructure across the North of England, she said. Earth Is Now Our Only Shareholder If we have any hope of a thriving planetmuch less a businessit is going to take all of us doing what we can with the resources we have. This is what we can do. Read Yvons Letter Free Shipping on Orders Over $99 Orders are shipped within 1-2 business days and arrive within 3-10 business days. Need it sooner? Concerned about the environmental impact? Flexible shipping options are available. More Details Its a scene out of black-and-white newsreels, yellowing clippings in the morgue of a newspaper, static-filled recordings from old radio broadcasts: A presidential candidate comes to a national convention only to find himself outmaneuvered by the skillful machinations of his foes. If thats what those trying to stop Donald Trumps nomination have in mind, they have to look back 64 years; and what they will find offers cold comfort. The last time a nomination was actually decided by the manipulation of convention rules, it was the party insiders who found themselves on the losing end of the fight. When the Republicans gathered in Chicago in 1952, backers of Ohios Sen. Robert Taft had every reason to believe they would finally turn back the Eastern internationalist wing of the party after losing at three straight conventions. Yes, the Easterners candidate, General Dwight Eisenhower, was a national hero; yes, Ike had outpolled Taft in New Hampshire before he had even formally entered the race. But the Ohioan had rallied to win a series of primaries and had actually won more votes than Eisenhower. More importantmuch more important in those days when primaries did not choose the majority of delegatesthe Taft forces were in solid control of the Republican Party machinery, including the National Committee and the Credentials Committee. This was crucial, because three statesGeorgia, Louisiana, and Texaswere presenting competing delegations to the convention. The challengersdominated by Eisenhower supporterscharged that the regulars had chosen delegates through chicanery, holding rump meetings without any notice, ignoring state party rules. The regulars countered that the challengers were simply sore losers, seeking to win in Chicago what they could not win at home. What was clear from the beginning was that whoever won the fight over these delegations would almost surely win the nomination. The men behind Ikes uphill battle more or less symbolized the Eastern GOP establishment: New York Gov. Tom Dewey, whod lost the presidency in 1944 and 1948; former Republican chair and Wall Street lawyer Herbert Brownell; Gen. Lucius Clay, former military commander of occupied Germany; and Massachusetts Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge. They had a crucial ally in Louisiana attorney John Minor Wisdom, who would be presenting the challengers case to the relevant committee, to the convention itself, and, crucially, to the broader public. The only way the Eisenhower forces could win their challenges, they realized, was to frame the argument not as a matter of rules and regulations, but as a matter of fair play, in a way that would resonate with Republicans back home. And those Republicans would be watching becausefor the first timetelevision was going to be a major convention payer (It was present in 1948 in Philadelphia where both parties held their conventions to accommodate the newcomer, but was a novelty, more or less confined to the Northeast corridor.) By 1952, TV was in half of American homes, and coast-to-coast live broadcasts had arrived the year before. Through the use of carefully prepared presentations, complete with visual aids, and through persistent demands that the committee deliberations be broadcast live, Eisenhowers forces managed to throw the Taft side on the defensive. Even though Team Taft won the credentials fights at the National Committee and in the Credentials Committee, the tide of public opinion was against them. And Ikes forces knew it, repeatedly rebuffing all offers of compromise. By the time the fight reached the convention floor, the die was cast. It was left to Taft champion Ev Dirksen, the sorghum-voiced senator from Illinois, to offer one of the more memorable moments in convention history when he pointed his finger directly at Tom Dewey and thundered: We followed you before, and you took us down the road to defeat! as the convention erupted in cheers, boos, and catcalls (you can see his entire 24-minute speech here.) When the delegates voted 607-531 to overturn the Credential Committee and seat the Eisenhower delegations, the fight for the nomination was effectively over. Ike won on the first ballot the next day. The 52 credentials fight would echo through the next quarter-century of American history. A young California senator, Richard Nixon, who had allied with Ikes forces, was rewarded with the vice presidency. The states governor, Earl Warren, was named Chief Justice of the United States a year later. The Louisiana lawyer who had argued the credentials case so brilliantly, John Minor Wisdom, was put on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, where he played a major role in advancing the legal claims of the civil rights movement. And Henry Cabot Lodge put so much effort into Ikes election that it may have cost him re-election in 1952; he was defeated by a young congressman named John F. Kennedy. This long-ago fight also has some lessons for those hoping to derail a Trump nomination through the creative use of convention rules and machinery. If Eisenhowers forces were able to use the medium of TV to galvanize public opinion in 1952, imagine what Trumps supporters could do with the tools of social media to draw attention to insider tactics and machinations. Imagine the pressure that could be brought on party and elected officials, if their goal amounted to denying the nomination to a candidate who came to the convention with more delegates than anyone else. If in fact most Republican voters this season have been saying no to the traditional sources of powerand the combined votes for Trump, Cruz, and Carson suggest they haveeven a successful attempt to decide the nominee a the convention may wind up as the ultimate pyrrhic victory. American Crime is nothing if not ambitious. Over the course of its second season, which ends Wednesday night, the series tackled teenage bullying, homophobia, male rape, sexual identity, privilege, economic disparity, mental health, school shootings, education reform, and racisma flood of weighty topics that should have drowned the series under a swell of patronizing didacticism and lack of focus. Instead American Crime confronted issues through a lens in which liars arent always bad people, victims arent always virtuous, gays arent always saints, homophobes arent always cruel, racists arent always malicious, and even a school shooter isnt necessarily a monster. Its a rare depiction of the real world, which is frustratingly shaded in gray and absent of binaries, even if mass media demands that we think of it in such stark terms. Its no wonder that acting powerhouses like Felicity Huffman, Regina King, Timothy Hutton, Hope Davis, and Lili Taylor flocked to the series. At the center of the troupe is 21-year-old actor Connor Jessup, whose journey through playing what amounts to the role of a lifetime has been unusual for one very big reason. Before filming, I was aware of almost nothing, he says. John Ridley (12 Years a Slave), who created American Crime, is so top secret about the show that cast members receive redacted scripts that show only their scenesand only when its time to begin production on that episode. Plots, arcs, storylines, and twists are completely unknown to the actors until its time to stage them, so that the actors only know as much as their character does in a certain scene. That meansheres where SPOILERS beginthat when Jessups character, high schooler Taylor Blaine, shoots a classmate on campus at school, Blaine had no idea that would happen until he read that weeks script. I knew nothing, Jessup reiterates. I literally, really knew nothing. The audition, there was no breakdown. No, This is what the plot is about and here is your characters place in it. In other words, Jessup had no idea that he was about to play the most interesting, distressing, vital, and tragic role in what would be one of the most critically respected TV shows of the year. He had no idea that Taylor Blaine, his character on American Crime, would end up where we see him ahead of Wednesday nights finale: in jail after killing a classmate, awaiting his own fate. Heres how he got there. In the premiere of American Crime Season 2, incriminating photos of Taylor incapacitated at a party circulate the fancy prep school he attends on scholarship, where he is bullied for being W.T.white trash. When the school suspends him for violating the behavior code, he tells his mother (played by Lili Taylor) that he was drugged and raped by a male member of the schools basketball team, which hosted the party. Quickly we learn that things are, as in real life, not that cut and dry. Taylor and the boy, it turns out, had been sexting before the party, which the school and law enforcement says discredits Taylors claim. The boy, Eric (played by Joey Pollari), is ostracized by his friends and family after they learn hes gay, which leads him to attempt suicide. Erics basketball teammates jump and attack Taylor in retaliation, blaming him for the dark cloud that has settled above their charmed lives. At rock bottomthe rape accuser no one will believe, now physically bruised and beatenTaylor takes drugs, steals a gun, and, while veering in and out of hallucination, makes a hit list. He heads back to the prep school and encounters the student who orchestrated the violent attack. Taylor shoots him. On Wednesday night we will find out what fate will befall Taylor, now in jail and ready to take responsibility for his actions, and get one last glimpse at the ripple effects of the entire communitys actionsthe ways they failed their children in a frenzied panic of scapegoating. Before it airs, we spoke with Jessup about what to expect, playing a character with this many twists, the power of Taylors sexual identity, humanizing a school shooting, and the cathartically traumatic experience of watching American Crime. How much did you know about where Taylor was going when you signed on? I was aware of almost nothing. None of us knew anything that was going to happen. We didnt even know what had happened, really. He never sat me down and said this is really what went down at the party. It was a lot of operating in the dark, which is both scary and, in a weird way, kind of liberating. There werent even details about things like his sexuality? No. But if you think about the show, its not something thats revealed or really explored in the show at all until Episode 4, I think. So no, I had no idea. Playing a gay character or playing a school shooter are kinds of roles that many actors have conversations about before deciding that theyre willing to take them on and humanize them. Yet you had no idea about either going in. Yes. I guess thats true. That always surprises me still. You hear ofnot just for this, but other things Ive been inactors turning down auditions for things because of stuff like that. Its never really made a lot of sense to me. I would turn it down if it was bad. Thats one thing. But this show was a proven product. And it was John, and Felicity and Tim and Lili, I had no doubt that no matter what they did and how they did it that it was going to be done with dignity and class and thoroughly and well. That never crossed my mind. And Im not just saying it. It really didnt. There were a lot of other things that crossed my mind, like quivering fear. Quivering fear? When I did find out what happened in 7 [the shooting episode], when I read the script, it was less like, Is this something I want to be approaching? It was, I need to go back and look back at the scripts and lists of scenes to see if Ive done enough to lay the ground for that. You dont want to be the character who plays that scene with that shift and everyone goes, Oh now hes lost me. Is there enough so that it seems solid? That was the main concern. That had nothing to do with the actual questionability of the content of it or anything. Did finding out information down the line, like that he is gay, change your performance at all? No. I dont think so. I never assumed that he was straight. Im trying to think backits weird because I remember very specifically when I found out about the shooting plot. Thats when I read the script for 7. But I have no memory of any moment when I found out about sexuality. I dont remember any moment or script. It just happened. I dont have a strong memory one way or another. This is a rare depiction of gay teens. They arent sainted or celebrated. Its not as rah-rah about acceptance as weve, in a very good way, become used to in TV. These characters are messy, complicated, and really struggle with their sexual identity. There are quite a few gay characters on TV right now, but the tone is generally very reverential. They are always the cleanest, most spotless. Its a weird canonization of it, as a way to avoid of stepping on fragile territory or walking on egg shells. Theres obviously value in that. Theres been a lot to open the conversation. What I appreciate or admire about what Johns done is that people who are gay, straight, or anything in between are people. And people are fucked up. Hes able to pull it back into that space, thats walking a tightrope. I thought he walked that tightrope with extreme assurance through the whole season. Theres also the different ways the community reacts to the news that these two students are gay. The spectrum from bigotry to skeptical acceptance that isnt as black-and-white as were used to seeing on TV. Like with every issue in that show, its looked through a lot of different eyes. Its a multifaceted and very accurate look. Its very easy when you spend your time in East Coast or West Coast cities surrounded by arty, liberal friends to get an image of how people react to it, which is a non-reaction. The truthits changingbut its not like that everywhere. Cities in the Midwest and cities in the South and cities in flyover countries have a very different approach to things. There are a lot of different types of people who react in a lot of different types of ways. The other huge thing is the school shooting. How did you react when you found out thats where they were taking Taylor? My first, immediate reaction was fear. Thats a twist. Thats a turn. You want to make sure when its something like that that it is solid. That it has a foundation. That when youre watching it, it doesnt feel like they pulled it out of thin air and handed it to him. That was my first thought: How can I build this into what Ive been doing and does it work and can I keep a sense of continuity? Did John Ridley have a conversation with you about why he went this way with Taylor, to the point that he would shoot someone? He didnt really. He doesnt have to, of course, justify his choices to me or to anyone. I have my own theories and my own opinions on it. I think its a story of someone whos backed into a corner over and over and over again and hit rock bottom. I think something has to happen. Thats a very extreme thing to happen. Those things might not be the normal experience, but things do happen. I do think he is also invested in the challenge of taking something so terrible and attempting to humanize it. Its a really bold thing to do. We spent that whole season getting to know and root for Taylor and knowing hes not a monster. When he shoots someone, it forces us to re-evaluate the way weve been conditioned to think about school shooters. Obviously if you watched the first season you know that John enjoys playing with expectations. You see Eric, whos closeted and struggles with identity, and John presents him as kind of an asshole. Then theres Taylor, who all season has been playing the victim and is the most sympathetic character, I think. If you know John and you see a character whos been that sympathetic for that long, watch out. I think he has more eloquent reasons. But I think even from a dramatic and a narrative standpoint, he enjoys that rhythm. Going into the finale, what is Taylors mindset? He seems resigned. Its not very good. Hes sort of defeated in a way that is even different than before. Before it wasnt so much defeated as it was avoiding. He kept trying to avoid it. I just want it to be over. I want it to be done. Move away from it. Stop talking about it. He just kept trying to duck and dodge it. And then obviously in 7 he tried to confront it and that failed miserably. Well, failed tragically. And since then its like all the air is sucked out of it, I think. He is now stuck on the idea of taking responsibility and trying to reassert himself, but he doesnt really know what that means. Hes sort of out of breath and left grasping. So what should we expect from the finale, then? I think what a lot of the finale is about, and what the show is about, in general, is choice. All season longand with Eric and a lot of the charactersyouve seen Taylor struggling to find any way, any part of his life, in which he has a choice. It seems like things keep happening to him. Horrible things just happen to him and he has to react, or not react. He tries to make a choice in episode 7 and you see what happens. So I think thefinale is about trying to find a way and a place and an avenue through which Taylor can make choice again, even if its a choice between two terrible things. If its some way to recapture volition and power and control, thats where Taylor is going. Im sensing theres not exactly going to be a Happily Ever After. If youre familiar with American Crime, I dont think anyone is going to be like, Oh, they dropped the case against you! Lets go party! Its not going to be riding off into the sunset, everything is good, its all a dream. Hes part of a system now, and within that system theres different roads and some of them are more positive than others. The finale is trying to decide which one of them is the best. What about what happened at that party? I cant even decide if I want to find out what really happened, to be honest. I dont know if it would be satisfying. I dont think you should expect it (laughs). Lets be realistic. The show lives so much in ambiguity and in conflicting stories. To suddenly in the end say this persons story was true and this persons wasnt would sort of be defeating the strength and primus of the show. It might be giving you a moment of relief and satisfaction. But it wouldnt be worth it. Dont be fooled: The real future of the Republican Party isnt a struggle between GOP frontrunners Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. Its between authoritarians, who prize order and control uber alles, and libertarians, who push for increased autonomy and freedom of choice in how to live, work, and thrive. Ive been thinking a lot about this since interviewing Edward Snowden in late February at The Free State Projects Liberty Forum in Manchester, New Hampshire. Joining a crowd of 500 anarchists and libertarians via a Google hangout, the National Security Agency whistleblowerwho is condemned equally by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Republican national-security hawksstressed that the conventional right-left, conservative-liberal binary misses a larger truth. I do see sort of a clear distinction between people who have a larger faith in liberties and rights than they do in states and institutions, said Snowden. And this would be sort of the authoritarian/libertarian axis in the traditional sense. And I do think its clear that if you believe in the progressive liberal tradition, which is that people should have greater capability to act freely, to make their own choices, to enjoy a better and freer life over the progression of sort of human life, youre going to be pushing away from that authoritarian axis at all times. Because authoritarianism is necessarily about the ordering and control of society. Now they can argue that that will produce a better quality of life, but it cannot be argued that it would provide a freer life. Trump and Cruzs authoritarian tendencies are in clearest view when it comes to the issue of deporting undocumented immigrants. The case they make against undocumented immigrants is all about ordering and controlling society. Within minutes of his announcement for presidency, Trump made it his signature issue by notoriously equating Mexicans with rapists, drug dealers, and disease. The response among establishment conservatives at places such as National Review, which devoted a special issue in January to slagging The Donald, was that Trumps insane call to deport all undocumented immigrants and then allow some of them to re-enter the United States after the border was secured amounts to a poorly disguised amnesty. Cruz has gone even farther. He attacks Trumps plan as weak (to use a word the billionaire is overly fond of). The biggest difference, Cruz told Fox News Bill OReilly last month, between Donald Trump and Marco Rubio and myself is that both Donald Trump and Marco Rubio would allow those 12 million people to become U.S. citizens I will not. When asked by OReilly whether a President Cruz would round up 12 million illegal aliens, the senator responded, Yes, we should deport them federal law requires that anyone here illegally who is apprehended should be deported. When pressed by OReilly if that meant going door to door and workplace to workplace, searching for illegal immigrants all over the country, Cruz said, Of course you would, thats what ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] exists for. Both Trump and Cruz emphasize the role of following the law as a main justification for rounding up undocumented immigrants, who in reality neither steal jobs from native-born Americans nor lower our wages. Undocumented immigrants also cause less crime than people born here. Invoking the law as a motivating factor for a policy that would radically empower the federal government to bust into every aspect of daily life is authoritarian thinking in action. Especially when its coming from candidates who otherwise vilify the federal government as inept, inefficient, and incompetent. Since Rand Pauls presidential run fizzled, there hasnt been anything remotely approaching a libertarian voice on the GOP debate stage or a libertarian choice for primary and caucus voters. The senators failure to launch led to any number of understandable and yet erroneous grave-pissings about how libertarianism died with Pauls withdrawal. Indeed, two of Pauls congressional proteges, whom I spoke with at the recent International Students for Liberty Conference in Washington, suggest that the libertarian wing of the Republican Party, however clipped at the moment, is not going gentle into that good night. Thomas Massie, who represents a district in northern Kentucky, grants that when it comes to the 2016 election, I dont think there is a good outcome possible given the candidates remaining. He bristles as much at the idea that Trump, Cruz, or even Rubio will be a candidate for president as the notion that Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton will be on the ballot. Yet Massie, a patent-holding MIT engineering grad who built a 3D-imaging company before running for office, is bullish on privacy protections that would prevent the government from forcing Apple to unlock its iPhones and tech makers to create backdoors for federal spooks. He also says that every election cycle brings 12 to 20 newly elected people to Washington who are serious about reducing the size, scope, and spending of the federal government. One of his missions is to figure out how to keep them from getting whipped into voting for things they never intended to vote for. Justin Amash represents Gerald Fords old district in Michigan and is a leading member of the Houses Freedom Caucus, which spends as much of its energy battling the GOP establishment as it does anything coming out of Barack Obamas White House or from congressional Democrats. Amash says that Trump presents a kind of threat to our system that is maybe in some ways bigger than what the Democrats present. Trained as a lawyer, Amash says that Trump cares about power, he doesnt really care about things like the Constitution. Like Massie, Amash was all in for Rand Paul originally and he too believes that theres enough bipartisan support for strong encryption legislation. Unlike Massie, Amash has endorsed Ted Cruz as someone he can persuade. While his endorsement letter spelled out all the ways in which Cruz is no libertarian, Amash says that Alberta Ted is at least a constitutionalist, a constitutional conservative, and a person I can work with and a person I can persuade. There are other libertarianish forces at work within the Republican Party that are pushing back against authoritarian tendencies (which inevitably attach themselves to the presidency). Mike Lee, the Utah senator who was one of Rand Pauls wingmen during his 2013 filibuster of John Brennans nomination to head the CIA, has started the Article I Project, which seeks to restrain presidential power and return primacy of policy-making to Congress. Lees gesture isnt simply a partisan attack on a Democratic White House masquerading as a principled commitment to the separation of powers. Lee has lambasted both Cruz and Rubio for flip-flopping on criminal justice reform and opposing privacy and encryption standards. Hes joined in the Article I Project by characters such as Arizonas pro-immigration Sen. Jeff Flake. Flake, who calls himself an unapologetic member of the Gang of Eight, for years has pushed for an actual budget process with votes on individual spending bills as one way to decentralize power. This is not just a partisan issue, Flake told The New York Times. There is an accumulation of power in the executive branch that is unprecedented. That libertarian critique wont go away even if a Republican manages to win the White House. Indeed, a GOP victory might even embolden the House Freedom Caucus, which continues to push for net spending cuts, and Article I Project senators to force the Party of Lincoln to get serious about living up to its small-government, pro-individual liberty rhetoric. Theyll find support, too, in the latest Gallup Governance Survey which sorts the electorate into one of four categoriesconservative, liberal, populist, and libertarianbased on responses to questions about government trying to do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses and whether you think government should not favor any particular set of values. For the first time, libertarians ranked highest, at 27 percent. Conservatives came in next (26 percent), followed by liberals (23 percent), and populists (15 percent). That may not be enough to sanction Edward Snowdens optimistic take on the rise of freedom around the globe. In the New Hampshire interview, he flatly declared, The individual is more powerful today than they ever have been in the past. But the pushback against authoritarianism within the Republican Party and the rise of libertarian sentiments among the American public at large should give aid and comfort to those of us who want to live in a country and world in which all of us have greater capability to act freely, to make their own choices, to enjoy a better and freer life. Brazil already was engulfed in a debilitating crisis: The economy is in free fall after shrinking 4 percent last year, and unemployment is rising. Then, last week, former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was held for questioning by federal authorities investigating a major corruption scandal involving state oil giant Petrobras, and fresh allegations now link current President Dilma Rousseff directly to the case. The opposition has called for national mass demonstrations on Sunday, pushing for Rousseffs impeachment. The still-popular Lula, saying he was disrespected, has tried to turn his detention into an opportunity, playing the victim of Brazilian elites and rallying supporters. He called on his own followers to take to the street. But it is uncertain that his efforts will succeed. The former president, a charismatic and resourceful politician, has been on the defensive for months, under mounting suspicion of criminal activities and personal enrichment involving murky deals with friends, allies, and close relatives. In recent weeks key figures involved in the scandal, such as Rousseffs former leader in the Senate and senior business executives from Petrobras supply companies, reached plea agreements with federal authorities, and information started to leak incriminating the present and past presidents. Political tensions are rising to dangerous levels and have pushed the crisis to uncharted territory, with no clear outcome in sight, even thought polls have shown consistently that the investigations into Petrobras by federal law enforcement officials enjoy ample support in society. The problems are compounded by the bigger predicament in which Brazil finds itself: the exhaustion of its variety of state capitalism and political system, long controlled by self-serving politicians with not much to offer. This in a country already facing its longest recession in more than 80 years and a health emergency brought on by the Zika virus epidemic just as it prepares to attract global media attention as host to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August. If Brazilians are able to compromise and negotiate their differences, as they have always done, there may brighter side to the story. The massive investigations into Petrobras signals a significant change in public attitudes toward corruption, which has been tolerated since before Brazil became independent from Portugal in 1822. As of last Friday, 80 notable politicians, business executives, and associates had been convicted in federal courts of embezzling public funds, conspiracy, and money laundering, and had served or were serving hard time. The onslaught cost Petrobras an estimated $3 billion and the evaporation of most of its peak market value, which was $330 billion in 2011, and that was compounded by the fall of international oil prices. Among the convicted are the CEOs and senior executives of Brazils largest construction firms, among them Odebrecht, OAS, UTC, and Andrade Gutierrez, once considered beyond the reach of the law. Shady political operators and former senior managers of Petrobras who had gotten their jobs thanks to connections to the leadership of Lulas and Rousseffs Workers Party and two other key parties in the countrys governing coalition are also serving time or under house arrest for fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy. Also targeted for criminal investigation are no fewer than 38 members of Congress, among them the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and the president of the Senate. The accusations against Lula stem from the regular use by his family, since he left the presidency in 2010, of a country house in the mountains near Sao Paulo that was renovated by two of the construction companies under criminal investigation in the Petrobras case. In a separate inquiry, the former president and his wife face questions about the ownership, which they denied, of a luxurious triplex apartment at a Sao Paulo beach resort built by construction firms also caught up in the Petrobras case. In late February, the chief campaign adviser for both Lula and his successor, President Dilma Rousseff, was arrested on charges related to millions of dollars in unreported income received for political campaign work done in half a dozen countries whose governments had ties to the Workers Party and Brazilian construction companies. The law enforcement offensive is led by a new generation of who grew up in the environment of political freedom and democracy, reinstated in Brazil in 1985, that also produced Lulas Workers Party. They are well paid and well educated. Many hold graduate degrees from American and European universities. Their actions are anchored in the constitution adopted in 1988 and in judicial reforms started in 2004 with the creation of institutions of external control of the judiciary branch of government. Three decades of democratic rule in Brazil have produced meaningful institutional progress toward establishing a universal and effective rule of law in South Americas largest nation, Matthew Taylor of American University told a conference held at the Wilson Center in May 2015. Prosecution of corrupt politicians actually started a decade ago. In 2005, a federal representative allied to the Lula government revealed that higher-ups in his administration had set up a scheme to buy votes in Congress by paying its members fat monthly stipends to ensure their loyalty. But it took seven years to investigate the Mensalao (monthly allowance), as the case was dubbed. Finally, in 2012 it reached the Supreme Court, which has jurisdiction over criminal cases involving federal elected officials and cabinet members. (The trial was presided over by Justice Joaquim Barbosa, the first and only black judge ever to reach the highest court in this country that has the worlds second-largest population of African heritage after Nigeria.) The trial was televised live for weeks to a mesmerized nation. Twenty-five defendants were convicted. Twelve of them were sentenced to prison terms, including the chief minister of Lulas cabinet, the president and the treasurer of his Workers Party, and the speaker of the House. Sergio Fernando Moro, a 44-year-old federal judge from the Southern state of Parana who assisted the Supreme Court in the Mensalao trial, would emerge as a key actor in the Petrobras case. Working on knowledge gained in the Mensalao investigations, in March 2014 Moro and a team of prosecutors launched an inquiry into suspiciously large money transactions detected at a car wash, or lava jato, in Brasilia. By then, the Brazilian judicial system had gained some muscle. Under pressure from major street protests that shook the nation in mid-2013, Congress had passed a law expanding the latitude of prosecutors to negotiate American-style plea bargains with willing defendants. At the end of 2015, more than 40 of them had signed agreements to reveal what they knew in exchange for reduced sentences. The information provided allowed prosecutors to piece together and expose a massive conspiracy carried out over a decade to defraud Petrobras, Brazils largest company. More than 230 persons and 16 companies were investigated. International cooperation between Brazilian prosecutors and colleagues in the Unites States, Switzerland, Holland, Italy, and other countries was key to the outcome. The U.S. Security and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department told Petrobras in early 2015 that the company was under investigation for possible violation of American securities laws and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. In September 2015, Patrick Stokes, the head of the Justice Department FCPA unit, spent four days in meetings with Moro and members of the Lava Jato task force. Tired of dealing with the ingrained culture of corruption and bureaucracy their businesses face to operate in Brazil, senior executives of local foreign subsidiaries say they applaud the investigations. They enjoy growing support from Brazilian executives as well, particularly among the younger generation. Lava Jato has not been free of criticism. In mid-January, 105 lawyers representing dozens of defendants published a manifesto in Brazilian newspapers protesting against the conduct of Moro and prosecutors. They compared the investigations to the Inquisition and accused the judge and prosecutors of violating their clients presumption of innocence and right to due process. The sharpest criticism was against Moro himself, for allegedly abusing the power to imprison defendants temporarily in order to force them to sign plea agreements. The attacks against the judge and prosecutors intensified after Lulas detention. Moro reacted with a note saying that the action had been carried out only to clarify the truth and does not mean anticipation of guilt. The Lava Jato prosecutors said that 117 similar actions had been executed previously without criticism. Reminding the country that Lula is not above the law, they added that the former president deserves respect in the exact measure it is owed to any other citizen. The earlier protest by lawyers against Lava Jato was countered by associations of federal judges and prosecutors, reminding the public that Moro and colleagues acted under the supervision of the Supreme Court. The Chief Federal Prosecutors office clarified that of the 413 motions to superior courts appealing Judge Moros decisions only 16, or less than 4 percent, were accepted and found to have some merit. Federal prosecutor Carlos Fernando dos Santos Lima added that up to 80 percent of the Lava Jato defendants who are cooperating with the investigations signed plea agreements without going to jail. The lawyers uproar quickly died down. A recent 7-to-4 ruling by Brazils Supreme Court has strengthened the prosecutors hand. It declared that convicted criminals should be remanded to prison after losing the first appeal. Until now, those convicted were allowed to remain free until the end of the appeals process, which can take years. The Supreme Court decision closes one of the windows of impunity in Brazils penal process, said Judge Moro, who had advocated the change. Actions by Moro and colleagues in the Federal Judiciary and the Public Prosecutors office in the Lava Jato and other corruption investigations launched since have gained ample public support. According to opinion surveys carried out in September 2015 and January 2016 by Ideia Inteligencia, a polling firm from Sao Paulo, almost nine in 10 Brazilians support the Lava Jato operation despite its negative impact on the countrys economy. Asked whether they would support the suspension of the anti-corruption investigations if that helped to improve the economic situation, 88 percent said no. These numbers suggest that a change of attitude toward corruption is under way in a nation once known for the impunity enjoyed by people in positions of economic power and political influence. It may be too early to call it a cultural change. But the passivity once expected of law enforcement officials in the face of revelations of wrongdoing is a thing of the past. It is gradually being replaced by the new disposition of judges, prosecutors, and the federal police to assert the rule of law. This was highlighted last September by the head of the Federal Police. Asked by a newspaper reporter to comment on former President Lulas complaint that the Ministry of Justice had lost control of the Federal Police, its director general, Leandro Daiello, explained that even though the Federal Police is under the administrative jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice, The Federal Police is controlled by the law. The reporter insisted that federal agents were acting in ways that would lead to investigations of President Lula and other former and current authorities. We investigate facts, not people, Daiello replied. Where those facts take us is a consequence of the investigation itself, as painful as it may be. The Iraqi man being held and interrogated by U.S. officials is a suspected mid-level Islamic State operative whose knowledge of the groups chemical weapons program allowed coalition strikes to destroy at least two related facilities, two defense officials said. The man has been detained for roughly a month, according to the officials. And in that time, they said, he has given the U.S. the most in-depth understanding of ISISs chemical attack capabilities and aspirations. They have gotten a lot of information from this guy, a third defense official explained. A lot. It was based on his information that the coalition conducted at least two strikes this week in Iraq, which targeted ISISs chemical program, according to one defense official. According to a March 5 press release from Operation Inherent Resolve, the American-led coalition struck an [ISIS] weapons production facility near Mosul, which was suspected to be part of ISISs chemical weapons program. And in a March 7 press statement, the coalition said it struck an ISIS tactical unit near Mosul, which also was believed to be related to the program. Since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, ISIS has deployed two kinds of chemical weaponscrude chlorine and mustard agent. The group is believed to have acquired crude chlorine when the group was known as Al Qaeda in Iraq. How it acquired the mustard agent is unclear, as it could have either acquired from someone else or developed it on its own. The terror group is suspected of launching as many as 20 chemical weapons attacks across Syria. Independent organizations that have researched such claims have only confirmed ISISs use of such weapons in a few of those cases. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons concluded ISIS used mustard gas in three instances in August 2015in an attack on the city of Marea in Aleppo province and in two attacks in Iraq near the Kurdish capital of Irbil. The organization concluded that in the Marea attack, a non-state actor had allegedly used a chemical weapon. The Syrian regime also is suspected of using chlorine in attacks against opposition forces. There are growing concerns that ISIS would like to launch similar attacks on the United States. Just last month, James Clapper, the director of National Intelligence, said at a security conference in Munich that ISIS would like to use chemical weapons in an attack on America. It is very clear aspirationally they would like to do more and it is a concern to us in the United States because the indications are that they would like to use chemical weapons against us, Clapper told attendees of the 52nd Munich Security Conference. The Daily Beast has known about the mans cooperation with U.S. officials since last week. But the U.S. military asked the Beast to withhold that information, saying ISIS was not aware that the man was in U.S. custodyeven weeks after his detentionand that publishing details of his detention would endanger the destruction of the facilities and the U.S. troops that captured him. The officials would not elaborate on the mans role in ISIS, the depth of his knowledge of ISISs chemical weapons program, or where he was captured in Iraq. However, the International Committee for the Red Cross has been able to visit the detainee but in accordance with our confidential approach, we are not in a position to comment on the individuals identity, location, or conditions of detention, Trevor Keck, the deputy spokesperson of the Washington Delegation of the ICRC, told The Daily Beast. The Red Cross visits people held in detention facilities run by various authorities in Iraq, Keck said, in order to monitor their treatment and conditions of detention. The ICRC in Iraq conducted 241 visits to more than 37,000 detainees held in 87 places of detention since 2015, and has had follow-ups with 922 detainees on issues related to treatment, health and judicial guarantees, Keck said. Once detainees are handed over to Iraqi authorities, what happens to them is less clear. The Daily Beast previously reported that six ISIS fighters who were captured in Iraq last year by Kurdish forces and taken into their custody were tortured. U.S. forces participated in the raid that netted the ISIS fighters. The detainee is at least the second alleged Iraqi ISIS fighter captured and held by the U.S. since coalition airstrikes against ISIS began. UPDATE: On Wednesday, an official confirmed the Iraqi mans identity as Sulayman Dawud al-Bakkar, who once worked for Saddam Husseins Military Industrialization Authority. The U.S. was previously holding another ISIS fighter, Umm Sayyaf, the wife of the groups former oil operations chief. She was captured during a U.S. raid targeting her husband, who was killed during that operation. While in custody, she provided valuable intelligence about ISISs operations, U.S. officials said. Indeed, Umm Sayyaf gave up so much information that U.S. officials have renewed their focus on interrogating ISIS operatives rather than just depending upon airstrikes in the regions controlled by ISIS. By the end of last year, the U.S. military began sending in Special Forces assigned to expeditionary task forces that were designed, in part, to compare high-value ISIS leaders in Iraq and Syria. The U.S. military, however, has no plans to hold such detainees but rather intends to release them to Iraqi custody once officials complete their interrogations. War was just an experiment for two of the U.S. militarys oldest and most unusual warplanes. A pair of OV-10 Broncossmall, Vietnam War-vintage, propeller-driven attack planesrecently spent three months flying top cover for ground troops battling ISIS militants in the Middle East. The OV-10s deployment is one of the latest examples of a remarkable phenomenon. The United Statesand, to a lesser extent, Russiahas seized the opportunity afforded it by the aerial free-for-all over Iraq and Syria and other war zones to conduct live combat trials with new and upgraded warplanes, testing the aircraft in potentially deadly conditions before committing to expensive manufacturing programs. Thats right. Americas aerial bombing campaigns are also laboratories for the military and the arms industry. After all, how better to pinpoint an experimental warplanes strengths and weaknesses than to send it into an actual war? The twin-engine Broncoseach flown by a pair of naval aviatorscompleted 134 sorties, including 120 combat missions, over a span of 82 days beginning in May 2015 or shortly thereafter, according to U.S. Central Command, which oversees Americas wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Central Command would not say exactly where the OV-10s were based or where they attacked, but did specify that the diminutive attack planes with their distinctive twin tail booms flew in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led international campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The Pentagon has deployed warplanes to Turkey, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries. There are plenty of clues as to what exactly the Broncos were doing. For one, the Pentagons reluctance to provide many details about the OV-10s overseas missions implies that the planes were working in close conjunction with Special Operations Forces. In all likelihood, the tiny attackers acted as a kind of quick-reacting 9-1-1 force for special operators, taking off quickly at the commandos request and flying low to hit elusive militants with guns and rockets, all before the fleet-flooted jihadis could slip away. The militarys goal was to determine if properly employed turbo-prop driven aircraft would increase synergy and improve the coordination between the aircrew and ground commander, Air Force Capt. P. Bryant Davis, a Central Command spokesman, told The Daily Beast. Davis said that the military also wanted to know if Broncos or similiar planes could take over for jet fighters such as F-15s and F/A-18s, which conduct most of Americas airstrikes in the Middle East but are much more expensive to buy and operate than a propeller-driven plane like the OV-10. An F-15 can cost as much as $40,000 per flight-hour just for fuel and maintenance. By contrast, a Bronco can cost as little as $1,000 for an hour of flying. Indeed, that was the whole point of the OV-10 when North American Aviation, now part of Boeing, developed the Bronco way back in the 1960s. The Pentagon wanted a small, cheap attack plane that could take off from rough airstrips close to the fighting. By sticking close to the front lines, the tiny planes would always be available to support ground troops trying to root out insurgent forces. The Bronco turned out to be just the thing the military needed. The Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps deployed hundreds of OV-10s in Vietnam, where the tiny planes proved rugged, reliable, and deadly to the enemy. After Vietnam, the Navy retired its Broncos and the Air Force swapped its own copies for jet-powered A-10s, but the Marines hung onto the dependable little bombers and even flew them from small Navy aircraft carriers before finally retiring them in the mid-1990s. Foreign air forces and civilian and paramilitary operators quickly snatched up the decommissioned Broncos. They proved popular with firefighting agencies. The Philippines deployed OV-10s to devastating effect in its counterinsurgency campaign against Islamic militants. The U.S. State Department sent Broncos to Colombia to support the War on Drugs. NASA used them for airborne tests. Thirty years after Vietnam, the Pentagon again found itself fighting elusive insurgents in Afghanistan, Iraq and other war zones. It again turned to the OV-10 for help. In 2011, Central Command and Special Operations Command borrowed two former Marine Corps Broncosfrom NASA or the State Department, apparentlyand fitted them with new radios and weapons. The Defense Department slipped $20 million into its 2012 budget to pay for the two OV-10s to deploy overseaspart of a wider military experiment with smaller, cheaper warplanes. There was certainly precedent for the experiment going back a decade or more. During the 1991 Gulf War, the Air Force deployed a prototype E-8 radar plane to track Iraqi tanks across the desert. The Air Forces high-flying Global Hawk spy drone was still just a prototype when the Air Force sent it overseas to spy on the Taliban and Al Qaeda in late 2001. Satisfied with both aircrafts wartime trials, the military ultimately spent billions of dollars buying more of them. Not to be outdone, in November 2015 Russia sent Tu-160 heavy bombers to strike targets in Syriathe giant bombers very first combat mission, and one that many observers assumed was really meant as a test of the planes combat capabilities in advance of a planned upgrade program. Such combat experiments dont always please everyone. When the Pentagon proposed to spend $20 million on the OV-10s, Sen. John McCain, the penny-pinching Arizona Republican who now chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, objected. There is no urgent operational requirement for this type of aircraft, McCain said in a statement. Lawmakers subsequently canceled most of the Broncos funding, but the military eventually succeeded in paying for the trial by diverting money from other programs. The OV-10s proved incredibly reliable in their 82 days of combat, completing 99 percent of the missions planned for them, according to Davis. Today the two OV-10s are sitting idle at a military airfield in North Carolina while testers crunch the numbers from their trial deployment. The assessment will determine if this is a valid concept that would be effective in the current battlespace, Central Command spokesman Davis said. Lt. Gen. Bradley Heithold, the head of Air Force Special Operations Command, has already hinted that the military will stick with its current jet fighters for attack missions. At a February defense-industry conference in Orlando, Heithold said the OV-10s have some utility, but added that its too expensive to pay for training and supplies for a fleet of just two airplanes. Typically, the Pentagon buys hundreds of planes at a time, partly to achieve economies of scale. Yes, the OV-10s are cheaper per plane and per flight than, say, an F-15. But for those savings to matter, the military would need to acquire hundreds of Broncosnot two. And thats not something that planners are willing to do quite yet. Which is not to say the tiny attackers combat trial was a failure. To know for sure whether the Vietnam-veteran OV-10s still had anything to offer, the military had to send them back to war. And lucky for testers, theres still plenty of war going on. Havana Club launches super-premium collection Pernod Ricard premium rum brand Havana Club has launched the Havana Club Tributo Collection. This new series of limited editions created with exceptional rum reserves will be unveiled annually at the Cuban Habanos Festival. With only 2,500 bottles of each rum being released, the Havana Club Tributo Collection is expected to appeal to spirits connoisseurs and collectors. As a tribute to the best that Cuban rum has to offer, Havana Club Maestro Ronero, Asbel Morales, will select the finest aged bases from cellar reserves to cr eate each release. The 2016 limited edition is led by a base of rums aged in 80-year old casks, which has been blended with other rums to give an aromatic and intense taste with defining notes of dried tropical fruits and a deep amber colour. The packaging presents distinctive luxury blue and gold cues that enhance on-shelf standout. The signature of Maestro Ronero Asbel Morales and the individual number of each bottle is displayed on the detailed premium label. Nick Blacknell, marketing director at Havana Club International, comments: We are very excited to unveil the Havana Club Tributo Collection as the global appetite for super-premium rum grows and consumers begin to discover the great range of styles that this spirit has to offer. We are certain that the series of limited editions will appeal to rum drinkers as we continue to build on our leadership of the super-premium and above rum category. Asbel Morales comments: Creating the Havana Club Tributo Collection is a fascinating process, as each release will provide a new and unique taste experience, achieved through experimentation with rum bases from our reserves. By blending rums using very old and rare casks, we have been able to create an expression for 2016 with a luxurious amber glow, full-bodied fruit flavours and a long aftertaste. The Havana Club Tributo Collection 2016 is bottled at 40% ABV and will be available in 10 markets, including Cuba, UK and China, from March 2016 at the RRP of US$350. 9 March 2016 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor If someone needs emergency medical services in the town of Washington, it can often mean a long wait. The Brenham Fire Department -- almost 20 miles away -- has to send someone to the community, which has relied on limited volunteer fire station resources since the 1970s. On Sunday, however, Washington's small VFD officially began fundraising at the Texas Independence Day Celebration. The goal is to build a large new fire station -- one that will be able to house emergency services, more fire engines and training facilities. Washington County is serviced by six volunteer fire departments and Brenham's city fire department. The VFDs are funded mainly through citizens' donations and operate as nonprofits, Washington County Judge John Brieden said. Though they do receive some money from the county itself, as well as the Texas A&M Forest Service, these fire departments operate independently, with both a chief and a president presiding over each department. Since its creation in 1972, the Washington VFD has served the townspeople and protected the Washington-on-the-Brazos state park with limited resources. The department's five fire trucks are crammed into a storage barn that was built to house two engines. According to Washington VFD Chief Clyde Miller, volunteer firefighter Robert Jensen donated several acres of land just off Texas 105 and F.M. 1155 to the department and Glenn Fuquq Inc. and MBC Management have donated excavation and engineering services. This new facility will house more fire trucks, potentially facilitate an EMS location, and provide a training center for firefighters as well as the public. Miller hopes housing and kitchen amenities will be added so full-time firefighters can be hired. Miller noted the department will still make use of the barn they work from, and the addition of the new station should cost little extra to maintain. He hopes the training facilities in the new station will also be of service to the locals and can host safety classes and CPR courses. "Our part of the county on the east has been expanding faster than we can keep up with," Miller said. "Some day soon, though, we'll have full-time paid firefighters like they have in Brenham, so prepare for that." Miller said the department has been saving up funds over the years, but still needs to raise around $350,000. He said he hopes to receive this money through a grant from the Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative and from fundraisers and donations from the community. He hopes within the next 30 days, the department will have received $150,000 in donations so the cement slab can be laid. The goal is to have the station finished by summer 2017. "They have an ambitious plan," Brieden said. "It's not going to be a little, bitty building ... What makes these volunteer fire departments work is that they talk to the community and tell them when they need support. The people in the community have been generous." Donations to Washington VFD can be made at www.gofundme.com, by searching the name "Washington Texas VFD," Those interested can also visit Facebook.com/wtxvfd. January 1, 1939 - March 7th, 2016 Virginia spent 77 years creating memories. These memories will be cherished by family, friends and future generations. Raised in Jackson, Mississippi by her mother and her grandmother, she had an independent "can do" personality at a very young age. From dancing and singing for WWII servicemen at USO clubs starting at 4 years old, she was very active in theater, band and scholastic achievements. In High School, with the help of a mother who worked 2-3 jobs and scholastic scholarships, she went on to graduate from Millsaps College in Jackson with Highest Honors. She met her future soulmate in High School and they married in 1959 upon his graduation from Texas A&M. Memories creation would shift into overdrive for the next 57 years. Her first move was to Ft. Benning, Georgia where son Ed entered the family and began to create memories. Other exciting locations and adventures included Mineral Wells, Texas and Ft. Rucker Alabama while her husband flew Army helicopters. In 1962 she moved to Memphis with Larry as he embarked on a 30 year career with Kraft Foods. Several moves with Kraft created memories and special friends. In Greenville Mississippi daughter Virginia "Ginny" joined the family. Moving to El Paso, San Antonio, Houston and Dallas provided lots of memory opportunities. Many different careers including stay at home Mom, home decorating business, creating a drapery business, Obtaining advanced education degrees, 20 years of teaching and school administration produced a multitude of memories. One final move to Aggieland in 1995 and building a "Mississippi" style home with wrap around porches and 20 more years of the good life. Retirement memories can be even more fun. Sporting events, traveling and lots of volunteer work including the George Bush Library , helping build the Aggie chapter of the Kappa Delta Sorority, new church startup, growing her Antique business, and woman's club activities all created more memories. For Maria, Ginny, Tina, Ed, Pat, Leigh, David and Daniel, it is your turn to create memories with your love ones. And it is not a bad idea for the rest of us as well. The Family sends a special thank you to Hospice Brazos Valley, Dr. Wade Richardson at Scott & White, M.D. Anderson Sarcoma Center and many friends who provided so much Love and Support. Services will be held on Saturday March 12th at 10:00 am at Christ United Methodist Church, 4201 Hwy 6 south, College Station, Texas 77845. In lieu of flowers, we would like to suggest you donate in memory of Virginia to her Kappa Delta Scholarship fund at Millsaps and Texas A&M via "Kappa Delta Foundation, 3205 Players Lane, Memphis, Tenn. 39125 for Virginia Cowan Pierson scholarships (www.kappadelta.org) or your favorite charity. The suggestion Republicans should back Hillary Clinton is laughable It's appalling that Joel Mathis (Eagle, March 4) calls for Republicans to sit out this election (laughable). He also says that, even though the Democrats defend abortion, we "principled" Republicans should embrace Clinton (despicable). A person who is pro-life is not merely a person of principles, because we have so much medical science to support what we have believed all along regarding life and it's origins either in the womb or as an alleged single-celled organism. Regarding destructive forces, i.e. Trump, I say the most destructive force is abortion. It literally divides and conquers life. What if Hillary had been aborted, or Trump or Joel Mathis? Or me? How many people have we never had the chance to know or meet because so many women have aborted their unborn children. It's time for women to rethink this issue, and choose life. DEBORAH SIMPSON College Station Returning 'Blondie' and 'BC' to The Eagle would please readers The response The Eagle has received from its subscribers concerning the cancelation of Blondie and BC should indicate the desires of its readers, most of whom fall in an age group which does not depend on their electronic devices for news and information. I have been a subscriber for many years and have continued subscribing even though the paper continues to become thinner and with less local news. Many times I questioned the usefulness of this paper. I am not alone in this opinion. I suggest that returning the two canceled comics to the paper would be beneficial to The Eagle's business and give its subscribers an enjoyable bit of reading each day amid all the shootings, fighting, accidents, etc. DeAUN ESTES Bryan Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump are caught in the culture wars Enter Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Although poles apart in their personal lives, personal histories, political beliefs, both appealed to distinct segments of the Republican and Democratic parties. Below the surface, the forgotten classes of both the right and the left of the political spectrum are angry, confused, with no resolutions in sight. If I were to argue for the possibility of a cataclysmic upheaval, a race war, a revolution, or widespread unrest, I would make the case as follows. Profound division, and anger, permeate white, black and brown America. It is not politics as usual. It verges on hatred between the far left socialist progressives, who truly believe the bigger the government the greater the benefits, and the right, more traditional on fiscal and personal responsibility, lower taxes, smaller government, national security, and the Constitution. The disputes between the left and right are not about details. At stake are crucial explosive matters such as the de-Christianization of the country, the ever tightening government control of behavior, of social decay, the replacement of merit by racial and sexual patronage, and the relentless imposition of progressive ideology rejected by traditional America. The crucial questions of legal and illegal immigration, debt reduction, intrusive EPA regulations, the Supreme Court, the president's and the national response to the threat of the Islamic jihadists terrorists, the financial health of the country, and the centralization of power with the federal regulators, all contribute to the culture war now raging. Bernie Sanders is the socialist fly in the Democratic soup. Donald Trump is the grumpy old man not invited to the party. "Hope and change" could be for real. You think? DUDLEY JONES Bryan In September, 2015, six young people initiated a lawsuit in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania against Governor Tom Wolf and six state agencies including the departments of Environmental Protection, of Conservation and Natural Resources, and of Agriculture. The youngsters want to compel state authorities to properly address the causes and effects of climate change, using a little known principle of customary law called the Public Trust Doctrine to underpin their case. They claim that the defending agencies are failing in their lawful duty by not doing enough to regulate Pennsylvania's carbon dioxide emissions, and are therefore not safeguarding the atmosphere for the well-being of present and future generations. This type of legal action is known as Atmospheric Trust Litigation. Groups of frustrated citizens, tired of authorities' lack of action to deal with climate change are challenging their incompetency in the courts. There are pending lawsuits, similar to the Pennsylvania case, right across the United States and also in the Philippines, the Ukraine, Uganda and the Netherlands. Although little used, the Doctrine is applicable in many countries The Public Trust Doctrine is incorporated in the constitutions of many nations: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda and the United States. It obliges governments to manage natural resources and the commons in the best interests of their citizens and has three main elements: 1. Common natural resources cannot be privately owned, and instead are held within a Public Trust. 2. Governments are merely trustees, and must therefore make sure that the natural capital 'fund' of the Earth is respected and maintained in the long term. 3. The beneficiaries of the Trust (both present and future citizens) can hold the trustees accountable for its mismanagement. As a protector of nature, the Doctrine is emerging as a formidable force for change. In 1970, American law professor Joseph Sax re-invigorated the quiescent principle in his article The Public Trust Doctrine in Natural Resources and later in the book Defending the Environment. Sax urged people to use the doctrine to pressure authorities to fulfil their duty in protecting and preserving natural resources in the wider public interest, and not for the economic benefit of a minority. He broadened the doctrine's scope beyond rivers and seashores to include other natural habitats and features: land, air, wildlife, seas, forest, lakes, wilderness and archaeological sites. Clearly some new-born kits must have starved to death but this was just considered to be just the tip of the iceberg by RZSS. The farmers had been told that under the current state of Scots law, (ducking through a loophole to avoid EU law) shooting was legal, at any time, but 'possession' wasn't. They were told to let SNH know and the carcass would be collected by someone with a license. This story broke in the Herald on 24th November. The Scottish Green Party's Alison Johnstone MSP asked Parliamentary Questions, some weeks passed, and the answers to these and a Freedom of Information request revealed the whole story. The Herald ran it again with hard data and increased outrage, the BBC covered it, OneKind picked it up, and an article I wrote on The Ecologist, 'Scotland's wild beaver 'shoot to kill' policy is illegal and wrong', attracted widespread attention. Word spread around social media and public outrage grew. At the time of writing more than 35,000 people had signed a 38 Degrees petition for legal protection of beavers in Scotland, and a Care2 petition inspired by the Ecologist article - 'To stop UK floods: plant trees, and stop shooting beavers!' has so far attracted an astonishing 238,352 signatures. Meanwhile a poll run by the Herald sat at 98% in favour of protection of beavers with 2% against. A farmer rumoured to be shooting beavers faced calls for a boycott of his farm-shop: many people are furious. Bafflingly, at the time of writing, the Minister Dr Alieen McLeod MSP is still hanging fire on this issue. She seems to have gone from careful consultation to decision paralysis while the cruelty continues and we enter another breeding season. It is curious and frustrating that the lobbying of the National Farmers' Union of Scotland and Scottish Land & Estates on behalf of a dozen or so farmers - few of whom are likely to be SNP voters - seems to carry so much weight with government. Non-farmers find it difficult to empathize with farmers over rural matters Of course, for these farmers the presence of beavers is something real in a way that for the majority of people it isn't. They have to deal with beavers busily trying to re-wild their land, to slow the flow of water in their ditches which are meant to hurry water off the fields as fast as possible. They have to confront the beavers' desire to create wildlife-rich, bee-loud, water-purifying wetland habitat by backing water up into the edges and hollows of their valuable arable fields, and they are not over the moon about it. So why do non-farmers have so little sympathy for these hard pressed rural businessmen, not only in the cities, but also in the countryside? Why don't farmers attract the political support and solidarity they might expect? Is it because people just don't understand, or is it something more? In truth it's a bit of both. Lots of busy people, particularly in cities, don't have much time to focus on what can seem like obscure rural matters, but they do know how they feel about beavers and other wild animals, and animals in general and it seems obvious that farmers should not be given a free rein to shoot beavers or any other animal whenever they feel like it, breeding season or no, whatever problems they are having. Many people, some but not all of whom live in the countryside, have a deep sense that much of what goes on in farming, perhaps especially in the arable acres of the low ground and floodplains, is not as it should be. Farming methods were historically better for the environment. People are unhappy in the way that it's changed Back in the day when all farming was organic and involved rotation, when crops were fertilised with animal manure and nitrogen was enhanced by growing clover, farming was not just more resilient, better at conserving the soil, less likely to pollute waterways and destroy wildlife habitat, it was regenerative, tapping into nature's own cyclical rhythms. People remember more farmland birds in the past, more butterflies, more flowers, and more bees. Now they see farming methods which use artificial fertilisers produced by the use of large amounts of fossil fuels, raided from the earth, set alight and polluting the sky. They see huge tractors with deep ploughs churning the earth, and they see brown water flowing off the land in times of flood and brown dust blowing in the air in dry summers. They worry that the very soil on which our food security depends, is in danger of impoverishment, and of being blown away or washed out to sea. They worry rightly. This kind of farming which has been the prevalent kind for the last 50 years, is extractive not regenerative. According to a Sheffield University study published in the Farmers Weekly it has left us with soils that in many cases just have 100 harvests left. The farmers themselves are not altogether to blame for the situation in which they find themselves - history has after all brought us to this point. And now the growing power of the often badly behaved multinational supermarkets has squeezed their farm-gate prices to a point where many are struggling to make a living, and high percentages of their vegetables are rejected for being the wrong size or shape. But insulated by their self-sufficient social lives, sound proofed tractor cabs and selective reading, they perhaps don't altogether realise how fed up people are with subsidising them and listening to their complaints, even if legitimate, about beavers, flooding, supermarkets or anything else. The changing face of sheep farming as a result of globilization Meanwhile uphill, on the sheep farms, we landowners are also under scrutiny from the progressively larger sector of the public that is getting its head round the thorny questions of flood prevention and biodiversity loss in the uplands. Sheep farming has been carried out in some of our hills for hundreds of years, often responsibly and with great dedication, and some sheep farmers are not surprisingly upset to be told they are 'sheepwrecking' the countryside. But as globalization hits the price the farmer gets for lamb it becomes difficult to justify economically such a highly subsidized traditional activity, and as climate change progresses it becomes harder to defend environmentally, especially in our highest and most vulnerable landscapes. Monbiot tells us the hills are too bare and lack "hydraulic roughness" for absorbing floodwaters which would also provide more varied habitat for wildlife. The EU's conditions for the receipt of the Basic Area Payment insist on the exclusion of 'permanent ineligible features' i.e. woodlands, scrub, reed-beds etcetera, and many farmers and landowners, and their trade bodies are still lobbying for, and defending the status quo. Sheep farmers know how to create a beautiful grassy sward, and may well be aware and appreciative of the wildlife that exists on their land, but many disapprove of certain forms of vegetation, such as brambles, seeing them as the vegetational equivalent of vermin, rather than hydraulic roughness, habitat for wildlife or nurse crops for naturally regenerating scrub and trees - the beginning of a new succession. It's true that some areas have got a bit bushier as stocking levels have gone down since the bad old days of headage payments, but there is a long way to go. A tradition of treeless hills, previously considered both inevitable and iconic is being seriously questioned on both scores. Norway and Scotland - so similar, and yet so different Duncan Halley, a former Scotsman who has become Norwegian (possibly in exasperation with just this sort of thing) has recently been giving lectures and taking people on study tours to show how Norway and have had trees on the hills for flood and landslide prevention and habitat, if only our land management history were different. With almost identical geology, climate and landforms, steep sided Norwegian glens are covered in vegetation where ours are bare. But with different management ours could be too. These upland wooded areas could then provide habitat for, amongst other species, beavers, which would then help to slow down flooding by building dams. Their biodiverse wetlands could generally be prevented from occurring in the middle of top notch arable fields by the application of various forms of mitigation. As Skip Lyle, US mitigation expert assumed before he invented his 'beaver deceiver', humans have invented a lot of clever stuff, so it can't be beyond us to outwit the beaver. Add to this questions the impact of grouse shooting on both habitat and wildlife, as covered Mark Avery's book 'Inglorious' and its worst crimes investigated and recorded by 'Raptor Persecution Scotland's' Blog, and the ways in which dysfunctional deer stalking can push deer number upwards adding to overgrazing, and you have conflict relating to almost all forms of land-use in Scotland and in many parts of England too. As organisations like Nourish Scotland know all too well, we need to take a long hard look at agriculture and try and be more rational and less traditional in our approach. We need to look back, but also forward to new kinds of farming being tried around the world. 'With climate change, everything has to change' We need to consider the true costs of various kinds of farming and see whether they can really justify the impacts they have by the food security they offer us. Ask again whether it's true that higher productivity of industrial farming really gives it the edge over organic farming. Look at the possibilities for influencing what people eat and steer them towards food grown in the least extractive, most regenerative ways. With climate change, its causes and its effects, fossil fuels and flooding, or drought or storms, everything has to change. We can't go on as we are just watching it get worse and we farmers and landowners, who after all have a far bigger impact than most people, a far greater chance to make a difference for good or bad, really need to start listening to what the rest of the population are saying and change our ways before things get any worse. Just for a small but symbolic start let's hope by the time you are reading this beavers will be legally protected in Scotland and the farmers will be applying their pragmatic minds to the question of mitigation rather than getting their guns out of the locked cupboard and heading for the water's edge at dusk. Louise Ramsay is a businesswoman, environmentalist and writer based in Perthshire, Scotland. She has among other things been involved in the reintroduction of beavers to Scotland. Tweets at @TayBeavers. This article was originally published by openDemocracy under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial International licence. Also on The Ecologist: Exxon twisted the facts to further its own agenda So here's what happened. Exxon used its knowledge of climate change to plan its own future. The company, for instance, leased large tracts of the Arctic for oil exploration, territory where, as a company scientist pointed out in 1990, "potential global warming can only help lower exploration and development costs." Not only that but, "from the North Sea to the Canadian Arctic," Exxon and its affiliates set about "raising the decks of offshore platforms, protecting pipelines from increasing coastal erosion, and designing helipads, pipelines, and roads in a warming and buckling Arctic." In other words, the company started climate-proofing its facilities to head off a future its own scientists knew was inevitable. But in public? There, Exxon didn't own up to any of this. In fact, it did precisely the opposite. In the 1990s, it started to put money and muscle into obscuring the science around climate change. It funded think tanks that spread climate denial and even recruited lobbying talent from the tobacco industry. It also followed the tobacco playbook when it came to the defence of cigarettes by highlighting 'uncertainty' about the science of global warming. And it spent lavishly to back political candidates who were ready to downplay global warming. Its CEO, Lee Raymond, even travelled to China in 1997 and urged government leaders there to go full steam ahead in developing a fossil fuel economy. The globe was cooling, not warming, he insisted, while his engineers were raising drilling platforms to compensate for rising seas. "It is highly unlikely", he said, "that the temperature in the middle of the next century will be significantly affected whether policies are enacted now or 20 years from now." This wasn't just wrong, but completely and overwhelmingly wrong - as wrong as a man could be. Sins of omission In fact, Exxon's deceit - its ability to discourage regulations for 20 years - may turn out to be absolutely crucial in the planet's geological history. It's in those two decades that greenhouse gas emissions soared; as did global temperatures until, in the twenty-first century, 'hottest year ever recorded' has become a tired cliche. And here's the bottom line: had Exxon told the truth about what it knew back in 1990, we might not have wasted a quarter of a century in a phony debate about the science of climate change, nor would anyone have accused Exxon of being 'alarmist.' We would simply have gotten to work. But Exxon didn't tell the truth. A Yale study published last fall in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that money from Exxon and the Koch Brothers played a key role in polarizing the climate debate in this country. The company's sins - of omission and commission - may even turn out to be criminal. Whether the company 'lied to the public' is the question that New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman decided to investigate last fall in a case that could make him the great lawman of our era if his investigation doesn't languish. There are various consumer fraud statutes that Exxon might have violated and it might have failed to disclose relevant information to investors, which is the main kind of lying that's illegal in this country of ours. Now, Schneiderman's got back up from California Attorney General Kamala Harris, and maybe - if activists continue to apply pressure - from the Department of Justice as well, though it's highly publicized unwillingness to go after the big banks does not inspire confidence. Here's the thing: all that was bad back then, but Exxon and many of its Big Energy peers are behaving at least as badly now when the pace of warming is accelerating. And it's all legal - dangerous, stupid, and immoral, but legal. Exxon finally admits global warming is occurring - but there's no big problem On the face of things, Exxon has, in fact, changed a little in recent years. For one thing, it's stopped denying climate change, at least in a modest way. Rex Tillerson, Raymond's successor as CEO, stopped telling world leaders that the planet was cooling. Speaking in 2012 at the Council on Foreign Relations, he said, "I'm not disputing that increasing CO2 emissions in the atmosphere is going to have an impact. It'll have a warming impact." Of course, he immediately went on to say that its impact was uncertain indeed, hard to estimate, and in any event entirely manageable. His language was striking. "We will adapt to this. Changes to weather patterns that move crop production areas around - we'll adapt to that. It's an engineering problem, and it has engineering solutions." Add to that gem of a comment this one: the real problem, he insisted, was that "we have a society that by and large is illiterate in these areas, science, math, and engineering, what we do is a mystery to them and they find it scary. And because of that, it creates easy opportunities for opponents of development, activist organizations, to manufacture fear." Right. This was in 2012, within months of floods across Asia that displaced tens of millions and during the hottest summer ever recorded in the United States, when much of our grain crop failed. Oh yeah, and just before Hurricane Sandy. We're no longer talking about outright denial, just a denial that much really needs to be done. He's continued the same kind of belligerent rhetoric throughout his tenure. At last year's ExxonMobil shareholder meeting, for instance, he said that if the world had to deal with "inclement weather," which "may or may not be induced by climate change," we should employ unspecified "new technologies." Mankind, he explained, "has this enormous capacity to deal with adversity." The carbon tax and the political stonewall In other words, we're no longer talking about outright denial, just a denial that much really needs to be done. And even when the company has proposed doing something, its proposals have been strikingly ethereal. Exxon's PR team, for instance, has discussed supporting a price on carbon, which is only what economists left, right, and centre have been recommending since the 1980s. But the minimal price they recommend - somewhere in the range of $40 to $60 a ton - wouldn't do much to slow down their business. After all, they insist that all their reserves are still recoverable in the context of such a price increase, which would serve mainly to make life harder for the already terminal coal industry. But say you think it's a great idea to put a price on carbon - which, in fact, it is, since every signal helps sway investment decisions. In that case, Exxon's done its best to make sure that what they pretend to support in theory will never happen in practice. Consider, for instance, their political contributions. The website Dirty Energy Money, organized by Oil Change International, makes it easy to track who gave what to whom. If you look at all of Exxon's political contributions from 1999 to the present, a huge majority of their political harem of politicians have signed the famous Taxpayer Protection Pledge from Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform that binds them to vote against any new taxes. Norquist himself wrote Congress in late January that "a carbon tax is a VAT or Value Added Tax on training wheels. Any carbon tax would inevitably be spread out over wider and wider parts of the economy until we had a European Value Added Tax." As he told a reporter last year, "I don't see the path to getting a lot of Republican votes" for a carbon tax, and since he's been called "the most powerful man in American politics," that seems like a good bet. The only Democratic senator in Exxon's top 60 list was former Louisiana solon Mary Landrieu, who made a great virtue in her last race of the fact that she was 'the key vote' in blocking carbon pricing in Congress. Bill Cassidy, the man who defeated her, is also an Exxon favourite, and lost no time in co-sponsoring a bill opposing any carbon taxes. In other words, you could really call Exxon's supposed concessions on climate change a Shell game. Except it's Exxon. The never-ending big dig Even that's not the deepest problem. The deepest problem is Exxon's business plan. The company spends huge amounts of money searching for new hydrocarbons. Given the recent plunge in oil prices, its capital spending and exploration budget was indeed cut by 12% in 2015 to $34 billion, and another 25% in 2016 to $23.2 billion. In 2015, that meant Exxon was spending $63 million a day "as it continues to bring new projects on line." They are still spending a cool $1.57 billion a year looking for new sources of hydrocarbons - $4 million a day, every day. As Exxon looks ahead, despite the current bargain basement price of oil, it still boasts of expansion plans in the Gulf of Mexico, eastern Canada, Indonesia, Australia, the Russian far east, Angola, and Nigeria. "The strength of our global organisation allows us to explore across all geological and geographical environments, using industry-leading technology and capabilities." And its willingness to get in bed with just about any regime out there makes it even easier. Somewhere in his trophy case, for instance, Rex Tillerson has an Order of Friendship medal from one Vladimir Putin. All it took was a joint energy venture estimated to be worth $500 billion. We're about to blow a hole in our 'carbon budget' But, you say, that's what oil companies do, go find new oil, right? Unfortunately, that's precisely what we can't have them doing any more. About a decade ago, scientists first began figuring out a 'carbon budget' for the planet - an estimate for how much more carbon we could burn before we completely overheated the Earth. There are potentially many thousands of gigatons of carbon that could be extracted from the planet if we keep exploring. The fossil fuel industry has already identified at least 5,000 gigatons of carbon that it has told regulators, shareholders, and banks it plans to extract. However, we can only burn about another 900 gigatons of carbon before we disastrously overheat the planet. On our current trajectory, we'd burn through that 'budget' in about a couple of decades. The carbon we've burned has already raised the planet's temperature a degree Celsius, and on our present course we'll burn enough to take us past two degrees in less than 20 years. Its willingness to get in bed with just about any regime out there makes it even easier. At this point, in fact, no climate scientist thinks that even a two-degree rise in temperature is a safe target, since one degree is already melting the ice caps. (Indeed, new data released this month shows that, if we hit the two-degree mark, we'll be living with drastically raised sea levels for, oh, twice as long as human civilization has existed to date.) That's why in November world leaders in Paris agreed to try to limit the planet's temperature rise to 1.5C, or just under 3F. If you wanted to meet that target, however, you would need to be done burning fossil fuels by perhaps 2020, which is in technical terms just about now. That's why it's wildly irresponsible for a company to be leading the world in oil exploration when, as scientists have carefully explained, we already have access to four or five times as much carbon in the Earth as we can safely burn. We have it, as it were, on the shelf. So why would we go looking for more? Scientists have even done us the useful service of precisely the kinds of fossil fuels we should never dig up, and - what do you know - an awful lot of them are on Exxon's future wish list, including the tar sands of Canada, a particularly carbon-filthy, environmentally destructive fuel to produce and burn. Exxon's business strategy and the race to find fossil fuels Even Exxon's one attempt to profit from stanching global warming has started to come apart. Several years ago, the company began a calculated pivot in the direction of natural gas, which produces less carbon than oil when burned. In 2009, Exxon acquired XTO Energy, a company that had mastered the art of extracting gas from shale via hydraulic fracturing. By now, Exxon has become America's leading fracker and a pioneer in natural gas markets around the world. The trouble with fracked natural gas - other than what Tillerson once called "farmer Joe's lit his faucet on fire" - is this: in recent years, it's become clear that the process of fracking for gas releases large amounts of methane into the atmosphere, and methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. As Cornell University scientist Robert Howarth has recently established, burning natural gas to produce electricity probably warms the planet faster than burning coal or crude oil. Exxon's insistence on finding and producing ever more fossil fuels certainly benefited its shareholders for a time, even if it cost the Earth dearly. Five of the ten largest annual profits ever reported by any company belonged to Exxon in these years. Even the financial argument is now, however, weakening. Over the last five years, Exxon has lagged behind many of its competitors as well as the broader market, and a big reason, according to the Carbon Tracker Initiative (CTI), is its heavy investment in particularly expensive, hard-to-recover oil and gas. One degree is already melting the ice caps. In 2007, as CTI reported, Canadian tar sands and similar 'heavy oil' deposits accounted for 7.5% of Exxon's proven reserves. By 2013, that number had risen to 17%. A smart business strategy for the company, according to CTI, would involve shrinking its exploration budget, concentrating on the oil fields it has access to that can still be pumped profitably at low prices, and using the cash flow to buy back shares or otherwise reward investors. That would, however, mean exchanging Exxon's Texan-style big-is-good approach for something far more modest. And since we're speaking about what was the biggest company on the planet for a significant part of the twentieth century, Exxon seems to be set on continuing down that bigger-is-better path. They're betting that the price of oil will rise in the reasonably near future, that alternative energy won't develop fast enough, and that the world won't aggressively tackle climate change. And the company will keep trying to cover those bets by aggressively backing politicians capable of ensuring that nothing happens. Can Exxon be pressured? Next to that fierce stance on the planet's future, the mild requests of activists for the last 25 years seem ... well, next to pointless. At the 2015 ExxonMobil shareholder meeting, for instance, religious shareholder activists asked for the umpteenth time that the company at least make public its plans for managing climate risks. Even BP, Shell, and Statoil had agreed to that much. Instead, Exxon's management campaigned against the resolution and it got only 9.6% of shareholder votes, a tally so low it can't even be brought up again for another three years. By which time we'll have burned through ... oh, never mind. What we need from Exxon is what they'll never give: a pledge to keep most of their reserves underground, an end to new exploration, and a promise to stay away from the political system. Don't hold your breath. But if Exxon seems hopelessly set in its ways, revulsion is growing. The investigations by the New York and California attorneys general mean that the company will have to turn over lots of documents. If journalists could find out as much as they did about Exxon's deceit in public archives, think what someone with subpoena power might accomplish. Many other jurisdictions could jump in, too. At the Paris climate talks in December, a panel of law professors led a well-attended session on the different legal theories that courts around the world might apply to the company's deceptive behaviour. When that begins to happen, count on one thing: the spotlight won't shine exclusively on Exxon. Now the cover ups are being investigated - could Exxon be liable? As with the tobacco companies in the decades when they were covering up the dangers of cigarettes, there's a good chance that the Big Energy companies were in this together through their trade associations and other front groups. In fact, just before Christmas, Inside Climate News published some revealing new documents about the role that Texaco, Shell, and other majors played in an American Petroleum Institute study of climate change back in the early 1980s. A trial would be a transformative event - a reckoning for the crime of the millennium. But while we're waiting for the various investigations to play out, there's lots of organizing going at the state and local level when it comes to Exxon, climate change, and fossil fuels - everything from politely asking more states to join the legal process to politely shutting down gas stations for a few hours to pointing out to New York and California that they might not want to hold millions of dollars of stock in a company they're investigating. It may even be starting to work. Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin, for instance, singled Exxon out in his state of the state address last month. He called on the legislature to divest the state of its holdings in the company because of its deceptions: "This is a page right out of Big Tobacco, which for decades denied the health risks of their product as they were killing people. Owning ExxonMobil stock is not a business Vermont should be in." The question is: Why on God's not so green Earth any more would anyone want to be Exxon's partner? Action: BreakFree2016, May 4-15 - a global wave of mass actions will target the world's most dangerous fossil fuel projects, in order tokeep coal, oil and gas in the ground and accelerate the just transition to 100% renewable energy. Across the world, people are showing the courage toconfront polluters where they are most powerful - from the halls of power to the wells and mines themselves. Bill McKibben is a writer and journalist. His books include The End of Nature, Enough: Staying Human in an Engineered Age and Wandering Home. This article was originally published by openDemocracy and is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International licence. The autonomous territorial government of the indigenous Wampis people (Wampis GTA) have submitted a formal complaint to Peru's regulatory body for the environment (OEFA). In it they accuse the state oil company, Petroperu, of gross negligence for its failure to prevent and contain the oil spill in the Wampis community of Mayuriaga. The Wampis GTA demand that the pumping of oil along a branch of the pipeline is suspended immediately as a preventative measure. The spill was only last month and according to OEFA reports, affected an area of 400m2 of land immediately adjacent to the pipeline before flowing into the Cashacano River which itself flows into the river Morona. Wrays Perez Ramirez, recently elected Pamuk or President of the Wampis GTA said: "This oil spill has already resulted in severe and irreparable harm to the community lands of Mayuriaga and to our collective territory as a people. Responsibility lies squarely with Petroperu who have acted with complete negligence." The complaint documents contamination along the length and both banks of the Cashacano River to its confluence with the River Morona from where the spill extended a further 1.5 hours travel downriver. The reports - (in Spanish) are referred to in Resolucion Directoral 012-2016-OEFA/DS. The latest in a string of disasters from the company OEFA's final resolution, which also referred to another spill on the Chiriaco River from the same pipeline only a month earlier highlights that "the affected bodies of water and soil support the subsistence livelihood of the native communities and surrounding populations" "For this reason both incidents represent a high risk of adverse impact, not only to the Inayo and Cashacano tributaries and to the Chiraco and Morona rivers but also to the lives and health of those people who live in areas adjacent to these spills". In its report OEFA clearly establishes that the cause of these spills "both of which are from the Northern Peruvian pipeline operated by Petroperu... are the result of deterioration of the pipeline... due to failures caused by external corrosion which makes evident that Petroperu is not adopting the necessary measures to prevent spills that have environmental impacts." OEFA's damning conclusion is that these spills are "not isolated cases" and have documented 20 failures since April 2011 when OEFA assumed its operations. A Thursday presentation by Lt. Mike Bowman couldnt come at a better time. At Crossroads Ruritan Club in Ferrum at 7 p.m. Thursday, Bowman will be offering a presentation on internet safety. The program is specifically geared toward parents, and it aims to teach parents how to safeguard various social media programs in order to help their children avoid dangerous situations. The value of such a program is clear in light of the recent incident involving 13-year-old Nicole Lovell of Blacksburg, who authorities believe formed an online relationship with an 18-year-old Virginia Tech student that ended in her tragic death. According to a recent survey from the Pew Research Center, teens are spending more time chatting online than we might think. Seventy-nine percent of all teens chat with their friends through instant messaging services, and 27 percent do so daily; 59 percent of all teens video chat with their friends; and 42 percent of all teens spend time with friends on messaging apps, such as Kik. Kik is particularly worth mentioning, as that is the messaging app authorities believe Lovells alleged killer used to communicate with her. According to statistics provided by Kik, the company estimates that 40 percent of U.S. teenagers use their app. It has been criticized as being unsafe for minors due to its anonymity features and what some believe are weak parental control mechanisms. Snapchat is another program Bowman said he plans to discuss, which also has come under fire. Snapchat allows users to share photos and videos with friends. One of the draws of Snapchat is that these photos and videos cannot be saved by another user, and Snapchat deletes the photos and videos from their servers after a set amount of time. Of course, where theres a will, theres a way, and some enterprising users have figured out ways to save those photos and videos. It doesnt take too much consideration to figure out why such a program might be as appealing to teens. Ultimately, programs like Kik and Snapchat are tools, and theres nothing inherently wrong with them. In an interview, Bowman compared giving teenagers free rein on the internet with setting them loose to play on Interstate 81. Thats an apt metaphor. Interstate 81 is a tool as well, and a useful one. But all tools can be dangerous in the hands of someone without the wisdom and experience to use them properly. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of parents to keep an eye on the social media programs that their children are using. For those who feel overwhelmed by the task, Bowmans presentation on Thursday should help make the challenge more manageable. For most of his life, alcohol was a part of each day, Ronald Lee Bowker said Monday in Franklin County Circuit Court. The 52-year-old electrician said he tried Alcoholics Anonymous but claimed it just didnt work for him. He sought medication that might curb his thirst but said his doctor wouldnt prescribe it. He told a probation officer his father had always been a heavy drinker and, before that, his grandparents, too. I just couldnt get away from it, Bowker recalled. His brand of choice was Icehouse a lager with a percentage of alcohol by volume that is somewhat higher than most domestic beers and he told his probation officer he usually drank five or six 24-ounce cans every night. Bowker was driving drunk on the afternoon of April 24 when his 1999 Chevrolet Silverado crossed the centerline on Burnt Chimney Road and collided head-on with a 2011 Ford Crown Victoria. The driver of the Ford, 58-year-old Trinkle Lee Cook of Moneta, was killed. Bowker, who was tested nearly three hours after the crash, had a blood-alcohol content of 0.23 percent. In Virginia, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.08 percent or more. Bowker pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and DUI in December. At a sentencing hearing Monday, Judge Clyde Perdue ordered Bowker to serve seven years in prison six years for the manslaughter charge and 12 months for drunken driving. He must pay a $500 fine, will be on probation for 10 years after his release and will carry four years in suspended time. The sentence Perdue delivered was a significant departure from judicial guidelines which, according to probation officer Denise Teehan, ranged from 10 months to just under three years. Bowker told Teehan he has at least four previous DUIs, all misdemeanors, but he said they were all at least 15 years old, and they could not be verified or factored into the calculations. Cases older than 10 years are often purged from General District Court records. Bowkers criminal record was otherwise clean. Its appalling to the commonwealth that the guidelines could be so low, even with the loss of life, Franklin County assistant prosecutor Kim Banta said during the hearing. He voluntarily chose to drink and drive. At the sentencing hearing, Bowker asked that he be allowed to enter a behavioral correctional program for his alcohol abuse, a request that was granted. Its unfortunate that its taken this experience, of taking another life, to open his eyes, Banta said. Defense attorney Arthur Donaldson said Bowker, as a single parent, had raised two daughters from childhood through high school. I think its a remarkable job, considering his alcoholism, he said. Donaldson added that the crash had occurred extremely close to where Bowker lived: Home to him was a quarter-mile down the road, and he didnt make it. Last week in Roanoke Circuit Court, a judge approved a wrongful death settlement that stemmed from the crash. After legal fees, Cooks family will receive about $16,350, paid by Bowkers insurance company. According to the settlement, Bowker had carried only about $25,000 in liability coverage and had no other significant assets. Franklin County residents can now obtain a bachelors degree in Rocky Mount, thanks to a recent agreement between The Franklin Center and Mary Baldwin College. The Franklin Center on Claiborne Avenue already offered GED certificate programs and the ability to obtain associate degrees through a partnership with Virginia Western Community College. Our goal is to provide as many options for the adult as we possibly can, said Kathy Hodges, executive director of The Franklin Center. Students can get their associate degree, and this fills in the gap and gives them the opportunity to go to the next step and get a bachelors degree right here in Rocky Mount. Mary Baldwins residential campus in Staunton is a womens college. However, the colleges satellite offices, which now total eight with the addition of The Franklin Center, are open to both men and women. The programs are geared toward working adults with classes at The Franklin Center, as well as many online offerings. Life is hard enough so we make it as easy as we can, said Greg Anderson, assistant director of admissions at Mary Baldwin College. Anderson is at The Franklin Center weekly to meet with students and discuss education options one on one. Mary Baldwin classes at The Franklin Center currently include Social Work Practice 1, with Human Resource certificate programs and possibly education courses for the fall semester. Students can also take courses offered by Mary Baldwin Colleges School of Health Sciences, including RN and BSN programs, which are completely online. We hope to start an MBA program in the future, said Anderson. And all right here in the community, Hodges added. There are multiple financial aid offerings to help offset the costs of getting a degree, including Virginia Tobacco Commission scholarships, Community Leadership Scholarships, local economic training grants, and many more. Information on these grants can be found on The Franklin Centers website www.thefranklincenter.org and the Mary Baldwin College website www.mbc.edu. Anderson also pointed out that the school is military friendly and is a Yellow Ribbon School, where Mary Baldwin offers financial aid that is matched by the Veterans Administration. Andersons goal is to continue to grow the relationship between The Franklin Center and Mary Baldwin College. Franklin County residents dont have a whole lot of options here to obtain a higher education, he said. This really bridges the gap. It puts it right in front of them. What more can you ask for? Youve got everything you need right here. The Franklin Center for Advanced Learning & Enterprise is managed by the Franklin County Workforce Development Consortium, a partnership offering employment, training and education services to employers and citizens of Franklin County. Until Monday morning, Dalton Owens of Roanoke-based Atomized Concepts was busy putting the finishing touches on the LOVEwork sculpture that was to be installed in a ceremony later that day at Westlake Towne Center on Virginia 122 near Westlake Corner. I set them outside to finish drying, Owens said of the letters O, V and E. The L was completed last year and unveiled at the premiere of the lakes 50th anniversary documentary film produced by Blue Ridge Public Television. That was around 4 or 4:15 a.m., before Owens left for work. When he returned home five hours later, around 9:30 a.m., the letters were gone, he said. Owens has no idea what happened to them. I dont have a clue. I just dont know what anybody would do with them, he said. Owens said he filed a report with the Roanoke Police Department. The letters, taken from a driveway in northwest Roanoke, were described to police as being 4 feet wide and 4 feet high, weighing about 40 pounds each, said Roanoke police spokesman Scott Leamon. Leamon said anyone with information may call the department at (540) 344-8500, or send a text to CRIMES (274637). Texts should start with the keyword phrase RoanokePD: to ensure the message is properly routed. There is no dollar amount that Owens could put on the letters, either, as he had agreed to donate his time and materials for the letters. Its priceless, Owens said. Its kind of like a lost print. The project is part of Virginia Tourism Corp.s LOVEwork promotion featuring oversized letters that spell LOVE a reference to the Virginia is for Lovers tourism slogan that are placed at tourist spots throughout the state. Wirtz resident and former television news anchor Karen McNew McGuire came up with the idea of installing LOVE letters at the lake for the 50th anniversary. After securing support of Virginia Tourism Corp., which offered up to $1,500 in reimbursement for the creation, McGuire contacted Owens, whose specialty is Fiberglas sculptures. McGuire also worked with The Willard Cos. to secure the spot in front of Westlake Towne Center and in getting a base to mount the letters on. The base was built and donated by Smith Mountain Building Supply. The pictures people take in front of the sign will be a major marketing tool for the Smith Mountain Lake area, said Lee Willard, vice president of The Willard Cos. It is only fitting that it is being erected the year of the 50th anniversary. Vicki Gardner, executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce, said she was sad to hear the letters had gone missing. I was so shocked when I heard that, she said. I cant even guess what happened. In an email announcing the cancellation of the ribbon cutting, which was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday, McGuire wrote that if the letters arent recovered, Owens will start from scratch. We have canceled today's unveiling and if he doesn't hear anything in the next 24 hours, he is going to start making them over again and hopes to have them ready in about two weeks, McGuire wrote. Staff writer Casey Fabris contributed to this report. SHARE By Erin Schmitt of The Gleaner The Henderson City Commission will be taking a closer look at the area known as the Gateway Zone. The Gateway Zone was designated by the Henderson City-County Planning Commission to provide a walkable mixed use area for pedestrians and the traveling public. The area was previously zoned as general business and light industrial. The Gateway Zone stretches along the Second Street corridor from the railroad tracks to Ingram Street. When I-69 is built, officials believe this will be the most logical point for visitors to come to downtown Henderson. Alan Taylor, who owns property at the Carlisle and Second streets intersection, spoke at the city commission meeting Tuesday night about the Gateway Zone. He's requesting that the city eliminate everything east of the Carlisle intersection from the Gateway Zone and switch it back to its original designation. Taylor's property and others like it at the intersection are open span steel and concrete buildings. He's had three people make offers on his building since August. "I've had to turn them down because of the restrictions in the Gateway Zone," he said. City Attorney Dawn Kelsey informed Taylor he has the right to go before the Planning Commission and ask for his property to be rezoned. The city commission would need to talk with the Planning Commission staff and then take action on whether to rezone the whole area that Taylor requested. The city commissioners plan to study the request and have further discussion at an April work session. Proclamation: A proclamation honoring the late Henderson County Judge-executive Hugh McCormick was read. Mayor Steve Austin presented the proclamation to the judge's widow, Tina McCormick. Firetruck: The city commission authorized the Henderson Fire Department to purchase a used 1997 Ford Rescue Truck from the Freehold Township Fire District No. 2 in New Jersey in the amount of $44,000. The purchase of truck, which has 14,572 miles on it, is contingent upon the vehicle passing an independent fleet mechanic's safety inspection. The Board of Fire Commissioners in New Jersey was expected to review and authorize the sale Tuesday night. The truck will replace a 1996 Ford Rescue Truck with 52,000 plus miles and possibly one or more buses used at fires and to transport the dive team. The older truck will be sold. Reimbursement resolution: The commission approved a reimbursement resolution that will allow the city to obtain reimbursement from 2017 Bonds. These bonds are for financing capital improvements for a new public works facility, replacement of the 911 system and radio tower infrastructure. Annexation: The board approved a second and final reading of an ordinance annexing a 61.343 acre property located along U.S. 60-East, Barret Boulevard and Kimsey Lane. The Henderson City-County Planning Commission recommended the property be zoned City Highway Commercial from County Agricultural during a January meeting. Dixon Hall: A two-year lease between the city and the Housing Authority for the Dixon Hall facility located on South Adams Street was approved. The building is used as a police substation for the Henderson Police Department. Asphalt: Rogers Group Inc. was awarded a contract for asphalt and related street services. The Hopkinsville-based business had the low bid of $244,777.40 out of five firms. Meetings: The next board meeting will be 5:30 p.m. March 22. There is a work session at 5 p.m. SHARE KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) A man suspected of fatally shooting four people at his neighbor's home in Kansas before killing another man about 170 miles away in rural Missouri was taken into custody early Wednesday morning after an extensive manhunt, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said. Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino was captured just after midnight Wednesday, patrol Lt. Paul Reinsch said. Reinsch said he had no other details, but another patrol official told The Kansas City Star that Serrano-Vitorino was found lying on a hill just north of Interstate 70 and that no shots were fired. "He looked exhausted," Sgt. James Hedrick told The Star. The Star reported the area where Serrano-Vitorino was apprehended is near a McDonald's restaurant and several motels. Serrano-Vitorino, a Mexican national who authorities said was in the country illegally, is accused of fatally shooting four men late Monday night at his neighbor's home in Kansas City, Kansas. He was also wanted in connection with the shooting death of 49-year-old Randy Nordman in Montgomery County, Missouri. Serrano-Vitorino was jailed in Montgomery County, a jail official said. He referred questions about whether Serrano-Vitorino had an attorney to the sheriff, and calls to the sheriff's office rang unanswered early Wednesday. The Associated Press could not immediately reach representatives for the Kansas City, Kansas, police department. The manhunt that included helicopters, police dogs and at least one SWAT team began late Monday after the first shooting. One of the four men managed to call police before he died, but it's unclear how the men knew each other or what may have prompted the shooting, Kansas City police officer Thomas Tomasic said. The manhunt shifted Tuesday, when a truck Serrano-Vitorino was believed to be driving was found about 7 a.m. abandoned along I-70 in central Missouri, about 80 miles west of St. Louis. About 25 minutes later, sheriff's deputies responded to a shooting about 5 miles away at a Montgomery County home and found the body of 49-year-old Nordman, according to the patrol. Reinsch said Tuesday that a witness who called 911 reported seeing a man running from Nordman's property, launching a manhunt of that area. The patrol warned that Serrano-Vitorino might have been armed with an AK-47. Reinsch said investigators weren't aware of any connection between Serrano-Vitorino and Nordman, whose home is near his family's campground and a racetrack for remote-controlled cars. Authorities haven't released the names of the four Kansas victims. Serrano-Vitorino was charged with four counts of first-degree murder in their killings, Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome Gorman said. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement Tuesday night that Serrano-Vitorino, of Mexico, had been deported from the U.S. in April 2004 and illegally re-entered "on an unknown date." ICE said it would place a detainer on Serrano-Vitorino if he is taken into custody. Caption 1: This undated photo provided by the Kansas City, Kan. Police Department on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 shows Pablo Serrano. Serrano is suspected of fatally shooting four people at his neighbor's home in Kansas before killing another man about 170 miles away in a rural Missouri house not far from where his truck was found abandoned. (Kansas City, Kan. Police Department via AP) Caption 2: Police search for a murder suspect near New Florence, Mo., on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in the area around the intersection of Stave Mill Road and Highway 19, just south of Interstate 70. Dozens of officers searched farmland in central Missouri on Tuesday for a man suspected of killing a man at a nearby house just hours after fatally shooting several people at his neighbor's home about 170 miles away in Kansas. (Cristina Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Caption 3: Police walk near a house where a man was found murdered on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, near New Florence, Mo. (Cristina Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Caption 4: Police gather near the house where a man was found murdered on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, near New Florence, Mo., just south of Interstate 70 near the intersection of Highway 19. Dozens of officers searched farmland in central Missouri on Tuesday for a man suspected of killing a man at a nearby house just hours after fatally shooting several people at his neighbor's home about 170 miles away in Kansas. (Cristina Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT What you need to know about Powerball and the $580 million jackpot Here's everything you need to know about Powerball from how to play for the lottery jackpot to when the next drawing will be. Federal appeals court temporarily blocks Biden student debt relief plan A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked the Biden Administration from moving forward with its student debt relief program aiming to forgive billions of dollars in student loans. Faster loading time (lower bounce rates from) A faster loading ensures that your site visitors don't leave your site when it starts to load for too long. 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But the costs arent much higher, and if youve outgrown your shared account, or want the value of the advantages listed above, then its time to upgrade. Another reason might be a lack of technical knowledge, making VPS servers harder to set up, manage, and secure. But thats why managed VPS hosting is such a good choice. On vacation, I like to enjoy a leisurely hour in a cafe with coffee and a sweet. Whether I'm outside people-watching or inside and cozy, cafes in European cities are available to fulfill my wish. But here at home, cafes are hard to come by. The idea has never caught on in America where our hustle-bustle lifestyle squeezes out that kind of time. Even Starbucks, architect of our coffee craze, hasn't created a relaxed Euro-style cafe culture. Our coffee shops are hurried places; they're more about having elaborate drinks and scanning your device, than finding a place to sit in comfortable quiet or to be with others. Getting things done while getting coffee on-the-go is what it's all about. Indolence doesn't seem appropriate. I'm thinking about all this in a charming cafe in Norwalk, with a cup of coffee, an indulgent sweet, and a quiet atmosphere. (Just thinking, not on my device.) There are three new establishments here in Norwalk that are each worth a visit for a relaxing European-style coffee break. Cafe Dolce at 345 Main Ave (across from McDonalds) is the creation of partners Zoltan and Norbert. Originally from Hungary, now seasoned veterans of the Manhattan food scene, they came to Norwalk to open their dream cafe. Polished concrete floors, exposed brick, a wall-sized photo of a Budapest church plaza, and tables made by hand from reclaimed wood and scrap iron, give it a hip European vibe. But it's the pastry case -- chock-a-block with gorgeous cakes, cookies, and pastries -- that will make your head swivel and your tummy growl. Choosing is a real problem, and a return visit for another taste is almost guaranteed. Norbert encouraged us to try their newest additions, a chocolate mousse cake with tart cherries and a white chocolate cake with strawberries. Yum! I can also recommend the Dobos and the Esterhazy cakes for an authentic Hungarian experience, Zoltan, creator of these confections, honed his craft for 10 years at the best Hungarian bakery on the upper west side. Norbert, a New York restaurant industry veteran, is just back from two years in Europe perfecting his coffee expertise. He's thinking about opening an academy for baristas to share his know-how. Open all day, seven days a week, you can get morning croissants, lunchtime paninis and crepes, and afternoon sweets all with expertly prepared drinks. Try the Cascara -- a coffee and cherry flavored tea -- local cider, a fruit shake, or some of Norbert's expertly brewed coffee. Don't wait. Soon there will be a line out the door, if I'm any judge. Capri's Cuisine, 170 Main Ave (across from Dairy King) is a welcoming cafe with food from Uruguay and Argentina. Sweets are the specialty, with a showcase of handmade pastries, including Alfajores -- tender, crumbly sandwich cookies filled with dulce de leche and dusted with coconut -- the iconic sweet of the region. Capri's special Chaja is a softball sized confection of cake, dulce de leche, peaches, whipped cream and crumbled meringue. You can get an individual one (big enough for two) or a large one for a dinner party or a unique birthday cake. This is a place to unplug and talk -- no internet connection available, like the sign says. Coffee, espresso, or cappuccino are great with the desserts. We had a selection of four small bites to get an idea of the range of flavors, an alfajores cookie, of course, dulce de leche dipped in chocolate on a cookie, a long sugar dusted pastry and a cherry and chocolate topped cookie in addition to our Chaja. I just can't resist. The comfortable space is dominated by the decades-old tile wall advertising fruit, fish, meat, and poultry that was uncovered during renovation. There are also freshly made empanadas: beef, chicken, or spinach and cheese. We took some home for supper. The friendly proprietor is eager to talk about her creations, a wide smile beaming across her face as she describes each one. It's a warm and inviting place, great for a morning pastry, lunch or an afternoon break. Sweet Sabrina's at 158 Main St. (across from Duchess) fulfills the childhood dream of Vera Pastorello who grew up next to a bakery in Germany. Open for two years, it is the veteran of these three Main Street cafes. White tablecloth seating under a crystal chandelier surrounds the showcase filled with picture-perfect cakes, cookies, and tarts. Flakey croissants and muffins made with fresh fruit are morning favorites. Grab a seat in the window and watch the world go by. Cheesecake, fruit tarts, Hazelnut Mousse Crunch, chocolate mousse cakes, tiramisu, lemon meringue tarts, biscotti, macaroons, and cookies in all shapes and colors make the choice of an afternoon sweet as difficult as picking your favorite color. The only solution is to keep coming back until you've tried them all. In the next few weeks, Sabrina's will introduce a full lunch menu, in addition to their already popular Sunday brunch, to round out the day's offerings. I'm sure it will be delicious, but I'm still thinking about my afternoon pick-me-up in their sleek dining room with the aromas of baking in the background. I heard that Starbucks is getting ready to invade Italy. I wonder how the Italians will react. In the meantime, cafe culture has come to Norwalk, and I plan to enjoy it! Maybe I'll see you some afternoon, as I'm happily relishing my coffee and sweet. Frank Whitman's Not Bread Alone runs Thursdays in The Hour. He may be reached at notbreadalonefw@gmail.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SUNOL, Calif. (AP) -- A commuter train struck a tree and derailed in storm-soaked Northern California, plunging its lead car into a rain-swollen creek and sending passengers scrambling in the dark to get out of the partially submerged car. Nine people were injured, four seriously, the Alameda County Fire Department said. A mudslide most likely swept the tree onto the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) train tracks Monday evening, Union Pacific spokesman Francisco J. Castillo said. The train was traveling 35 mph in the 40 mph zone, said Steve Walker, an Altamont Corridor spokesman. The first car was carrying six passengers and one crew member when it fell into Alameda Creek, Walker said. Rescuers battled the creek's fast-moving currents Monday night to pull riders to safety, Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly said. "It was dark, wet. It was raining. It was very chaotic," Kelly said. "This is an absolute miracle that no one was killed, no passengers or first responders." The San Francisco Bay Area has been inundated with thunderstorms in recent days that have swamped roadways and creeks. On Monday, some San Francisco Bay Area roads were under more than a foot of water. Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties saw about 11 inches of rain during the weekend. The ACE No. 10 commuter train was traveling from San Jose to Stockton when the first two cars went off the tracks in Sunol, a rural area of Alameda County about 45 miles east of San Francisco. One toppled over, while the other remained upright. Passengers described a harrowing scene. Rad Akhter said he was in the front car that fell into Alameda Creek and saw a woman lying in mud just under a train car hanging off the tracks. "We were all just panicking," Akhter, who waited wrapped in a blanket for a ride home, told San Jose television station KNTV. Passenger Russell Blackman told KGO-TV he was in the second car, which stopped near the creek. "Our car went off the track and stopped right at the edge, which was a blessing," Blackman said. "I was thrown out of my seat. I hurt my shoulder, but I'm not going to complain." Images posted on Twitter by Alameda County Fire Department showed that car on its side about half-submerged in the creek. Passengers were evacuated and checked by paramedics. The uninjured riders were taken to the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, the department said. Altamont Corridor Express said it sent buses to take passengers to their destinations. The ACE No. 10 train, which travels from Silicon Valley to central California, stopping in eight cities along the way, was carrying 214 passengers, officials said. ACE has had only one other derailment in the past decade. All ACE trains traveling from Silicon Valley to the Central Valley were canceled on Tuesday. ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that the passenger's first name is Rad, not Rak. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NORWALK -- Along largely partisan lines, Common Council members on Tuesday evening killed Norwalk's participation in a study aimed at better coordinating snow-plowing with surrounding communities. "I don't see the benefit of this. Look, you say, 'It's not your money you're spending,' which is correct. It's not the city of Norwalk's money," said At-Large Republican Councilman Douglas E. Hempstead. "But it is $230,000 or $240,000 of state tax money which we're all paying for something we never asked for in the first place. It's created this regional government, again, that wants to dip its hand into local." At issue was whether to support the Western Connecticut Council of Governments (WestCOG) in its application for a $254,782 state grant to perform a Regional Snow Plow Routing Study. Under the proposal, WestCOG would acquire software and contract with a vendor to perform an "optimization analysis" concerning snow plowing. "I believe they're going to analyze each and every one of our 26 routes and they'll look at all the routes and how better we can do them by rearranging maybe some of the routes for us," said Director of Public Works Bruce J. Chimento. The American Public Works Association found that optimized snowplow routing could save roughly 12 percent on total snowplowing costs, according to WestCOG. Mayor Harry W. Rilling said the city, at this point, was not being asked to participate in "joint snow removal" but instead to participate in a study to see if a joint snow-removal program is feasible. "If the study came back that it's a good idea, or if it comes back that it's not a good idea for Norwalk, at that time we have the right to either participate or not participate," Rilling said. Hempstead and fellow Republicans Richard J. Bonenfant, Michelle A. Maggio and Shannon O'Toole Giandurco as well as Democrats Michael Corsello and Steven Serasis voted against the resolution. Democrats Nick Sacchinelli, Eloisa Melendez, Travis L. Simms, John Kydes and Thomas P. Livingston voted 'Yes.' Democrat Phaedrel L. Bowman abstained from the vote. In November 2014, the council approved Norwalk's entry into WestCOG, a regional planning entity that now comprises 18 towns and cities from Greenwich to the Housatonic Valley. Citing potential costs to Norwalk, Hempstead and three Democrats voted against the entry. Council members on Tuesday evening approved the discontinuance of a 134-foot section of Isaac Street to accommodate Wall Street Place. Developer POKO Partners needs the stretch of roadway to unite two parcels and thus permit 18 additional housing units to be built under the approved Land Disposition Agreement for the redevelopment project. Bonenfant voted 'No' after concluding that POKO Partners stands to gain an additional rental income through the street abandonment. "If he gets $1,500 a month times 18 times 12 months in a year, you're looking at $324,000 each year he's getting in extra income because we're giving him something for free," Bonenfant said. "I have a little problem with that." Corporation Counsel Mario F. Coppola said the public would not lose use of the roadway after the abandonment. "It was part of the plan," Coppola said. "Furthermore, it was my understanding that the city will retain an easement over the street to allow for the continued use of traffic to pass and re-pass over the street." Members of The House of Prophecies and Prayer left City Hall pleased after the council approved the placement of signs reading "Pastor Sadie Miles" at the corners of Elm and Berkeley streets as well as West Avenue and Berkeley streets. The action amended an earlier approval, which would have resulted in one sign being placed on the church property at 2 Berkeley St. In still other business, council members approved unanimously the appointment of former Mayor Alex Knopp to the Norwalk Public Library Board, Jalin T. Sead to the Norwalk Fair Housing Commission and Michael L. Witherspoon to the city's Zoning Commission. The school board on Thursday will be asked to approve a three-year contract with Tawana Grover as the next superintendent of Grand Island Public Schools. The base salary for Grover will be $240,000. When the board was seeking candidates to succeed Rob Winter, who is retiring after a 38-year career in education, it established a salary range of $240,000 to $260,000. Winter, who has been in the district for five years, has a base salary of $251,227 for the 2015-16 school year. However, the district also picks up additional costs for the superintendent, meaning the compensation for Grovers first year as superintendent has a total cost of $301,849. That first year includes a one-time expense of $9,231 for days Grover will spend talking with district administrators and staff as she makes the transition from the DeSoto, Texas, Independent School District to GIPS. The total cost also includes one-time relocation expenses of $10,000. Without those one-time costs, the total cost of Grovers second-year contract would be $281,573. The 2015-16 total cost of Winters contract is $293,889. The school board also is scheduled to take action on several items it discussed during its February meeting. One of those is giving final approval to a contract with District Management Council for a long-range study of the future of Grand Island Senior High, which has about 2,200 students. While many people assume that means DMC will look at the possibility of building a second high school, the consultant will be looking at several possibilities for high school education. Those possibilities include online learning, a freshman academy, early college, high school academies for specific academic or career disciplines, alternative settings, smaller schools and learning provided through 21st century career and business partnerships. DMC is scheduled to conduct background research on district enrollment trends, space needs and best national practices during the spring and summer. Next fall, DMC will gather input from community and district stakeholders. It is expected to create a plan by winter 2017. The contract being presented Thursday says DMC will do the work for $175,000. The board also will be asked to give final approval to the staffing plan for the 2016-17. District officials already had permission to move forward with adding an eighth-grade teaching team at Westridge Middle School. When all middle school staffing requests are added together, the total is more than $491,000. All K-5 staff increases amount to a cost of more than $330,000 for the coming school year. High school staffing will increase by more than $198,000. Staffing costs at Career Pathways Institute will go up almost $65,000, while staffing costs for Central Nebraska Support Services Program will go up more than $77,000. The proposed total for all staffing requests is more than $1.34 million. Final approval also will be requested for a three-year renewal with Ombudsman to provide alternative high school education. The first-year cost is $536,410, or a per-slot cost of $7,663 for 70 slots. The second-year cost will be $544,460, or a per-slot cost of $7,778, and the third-year cost will be $552,650, or a per-slot cost of $7,895. Also scheduled to receive final approval is a proposed one-year contract extension to spend $112,600 to continue using Steve Shannon to help oversee construction of building projects approved by voters as a result of the September 2014 bond issue. The board also is scheduled to get information for the first time on a number of issues, many of which will be brought back at the April meeting for final approval. Those include a review of building projects, including maintenance and renovation work; discussion of adopting a new language arts digital software curriculum called myPerspectives at a total seven-year cost of $433,475; reviewing multi-year contract proposals for a secondary Internet connection for the district; reviewing a multi-year contract proposal for digital telephone line service PRI for installation at Grand Island Senior High; and a pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade technology plan. Finally, a number of Grand island Senior High students will be recognized for artistic or athletic accomplishments. The artistic accomplishments include students who won one or more Nebraska Scholastic Art Awards Gold Key awards, as well as those who earned spots in the National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition. Honorees include: Nebraska Scholastic Art Awards Gold Key Cynthia Contreras, Marco Garcia (4), Emily Harders (2), Madison Levander, Santiago Lezama, Juan Martinez, Becca Meyer, Erick Murcia-Guardado, Kelly Reed, Raul Ruiz, Jasmine Tapia, Alisha VanNatta and Jonathan Vargas. National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition Emily Harders and Erick Murcia-Guardado. Those being honored for athletic accomplishments are Gage Grinnell for winning the 2016 state Class A wrestling championship in the 285-pound division and swimmer Matt Novinski for winning the state championship in the 100-meter backstroke and 100-meter butterfly. If You Go What: Grand Island school board When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday Where: Kneale Administration Building, 123 S. Webb Road On the agenda: Approval of contract for new Superintendent Tawana Grover; request to approve contract with District Management Council to look at long-range future of Grand Island Senior High; approval of remainder of staffing plan for 2016-17 school year; three-year contract renewal with Ombudsman for alternative high school education; and extension of construction management contract with Steve Shannon. There also will be first-time discussion on proposed district maintenance projects; discussion of adopting of new seven-year digital arts language arts curriculum; secondary Internet connection; and digital secondary phone line connection. Phillies win pivotal NLCS Game 3 behind Segura's clutch hit Kyle Schwarber hit a leadoff homer in the first inning and Jean Segura's two-run single led the Phillies over the Padres in Game 3. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville announced that the late Captain John E. Tipton will be the first inductee from SIUE to the United States Army ROTC Hall of Fame. The enshrinement will take place in the Morris University Center Goshen Lounge at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 13 and also serve as celebration of the Army ROTCs 100th anniversary. Captain Tipton is remembered by those who served with him as a dedicated individual, an outstanding leader and a consummate professional, said Lt. Col. Scott Reed, SIUE professor of military science. The care of his soldiers was always his highest priority. He always went the extra distance to ensure his soldiers were taken care of. He left a lasting impression about what true leadership entails. A Granite City native, Tipton enlisted in the U.S. Army directly from high school in 1989 and served in Operation Desert Storm. He later enrolled in SIUEs Army ROTC program, where he continued his exemplary service and graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate before becoming an infantry officer in the Army. Tipton served as Company Commander of the Alpha Company and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division based in Fort Riley, Kansas. In September 2003, he was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On May 2, 2004, an explosion fatally wounded Tipton. The Capt. John E. Tipton Graduate Student Endowed Scholarship in Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona arose from his life of service, generosity, fortitude and leadership. The scholarship is awarded to students who exemplify the characteristics of excellence in academics, scholarship and extracurricular activities embodied by Tipton. Captain Tipton continues to touch the lives of the individuals with whom he came into contact, Reed said. His selfless service, character and sense of duty left an enduring legacy for those in the Army ROTC to live up to. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Wed, March 9, 2016 In order to honour the Indonesian alumni of British education, the British Council (BC) Indonesia recently held the UK Alumni Awards 2016, the first time the awards have been presented in the country. The United Kingdom is one of the main destinations for Indonesians pursuing a higher education abroad. Education and Culture Ministry data show that at least 3,000 Indonesian students travel to the UK every year to study there. The award ceremony itself was conducted in the Kempinski Ballroom in Central Jakarta on March 3 and started at 7 p.m. The awards were divided into three categories: professional achievement, entrepreneurial and social impact awards. The professional achievement award recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves through exemplary leadership and achievements in their careers. There were three finalists in this category, namely Presidential Office deputy chief of staff for analysis and oversight of priority programs Yanuar Nugroho, University of Indonesia information technology (IT) director Betty Purwandari and University of Surabaya rector Joniarto Parung. The entrepreneurial award recognizes alumni who are active in opening new job opportunities in Indonesia, with fashion businesswoman Theresia Alit Widyasari and human resources consultancy Daily Meaning founder Alexander Sriewijono as finalists. The social impact award is for those who have instigated positive social change and improved the lives of people in Indonesia. Finalists were urban planner Ahmad Rifai, writer and education activist Ahmad Fuadi and environmentalist Yuyun Ismawati. The panel of judges consisted of BC Indonesia country director Sally Goggin, British Embassy Jakarta political counsellor Louise Clarke, CNN Indonesia senior anchor and director Desi Anwar, Ciputra Group senior director and Ciputra University Entrepreneurship Center president Antonius Tanan and Yayasan Cinta Anak Bangsa foundation founder and chief executive officer Veronica Colondam. 'It is wonderful to see the achievements of the alumni, and I thank everybody who made today happen. Hopefully, this will become an annual event where we reflect the unifying function of education. In education, there is connectivity, where transfer of knowledge from one person to the next is made possible,' Goggin said in her opening remarks at the event. She added that international education could create alternative pathways leading to understanding among different nations, as a lack of understanding among different peoples and different cultures was damaging societies across the world. British Ambassador to Indonesia, Timor Leste and ASEAN Moazzam Malik echoed Goggin's remarks on the role of education in enabling the transfer of knowledge among people from different parts of the globe. 'International education is important because every country is going to be good at something, and we need to learn different things from different countries. Britain is particularly strong with the tradition of academic learning, not only in terms of pure knowledge but also applied knowledge,' Malik said in his speech during the event. According to Malik, as a G20 nation with great potential for growth alongside China and India, Indonesia needs quality education to groom its future leaders by investing in talented people. Goggin said that hopefully after studying abroad, international alumni would be able to bring about positive changes at home. Particular areas in which positive changes can be achieved include entrepreneurship, which helps open jobs and lays the foundation of the economy, and social entrepreneurship, where people are able to serve the underprivileged in a sustainable way through cooperation forged with the government and the business sector. The Award Recipients The award recipients of the three categories were Betty Purwandari for professional achievement, Theresia Alit Widyasari for entrepreneurship and Ahmad Fuadi for social impact. The award signifies the powerful position of teachers to inspire their students to pursue knowledge across the globe, Ahmad said. This is related to his own personal experience, as it was a teacher at his Islamic boarding school in Gontor, East Java, who inspired him to study in Britain by telling the students about his own experience of living in England. Meanwhile, Betty said the award was the result of not just her own hard work but also the collaboration she forged with colleagues at the University of Indonesia (UI) and her peers in the field of IT in different countries. 'I learnt how to network and engage in effective teamwork while studying in England. Now, while implementing UI's new IT master plan after it hadn't been upgraded for 15 years, I have put these skills into play,' she said. 'I also capitalize on the contacts I've made with IT professionals throughout Asia, particularly at the National University of Singapore (NUS), to get a benchmark against which my project here in Indonesia is being measured. The final goal of this project is to boost UI's standing among international universities in terms of IT,' she added. Finally, Theresia Alit Widyasari, who was unable to attend the ceremony because she was ill, delivered a message through a close friend. 'As an entrepreneur, it's okay to be hit by competitors ' as long as you stay innovative and creative, you will survive with your brand,' she said. (+) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Djemi Amnifu (The Jakarta Post) Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara Wed, March 9, 2016 Indonesian authorities have arrested six Bangladeshi asylum seekers and two Indonesian people smugglers after their boat capsized on its way to Australia, an official said on Wednesday. East Nusa Tenggara Water Police director Sr. Comr. Teddy Marbun said the Australian Navy had handed the asylum seekers and the boat's crew to Indonesian authorities on Tuesday. 'We then arrested them,' Teddy told thejakartapost.com, adding that the Indonesians, Isai Rano, 34, and Lajimu, 36, were helping the asylum seekers sail to Australia, a service for which the Bangladeshi men had paid Rp 92 million (US$6,990). Isai Rano, the skipper, said that the boat had departed on March 3. 'Our boat capsized after sailing for three days and then we were saved by the Australian Navy. We were interrogated for another three days on the Navy's ship while it sailed around to enter the Indonesian waters.' Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Elena Becatoros (The Jakarta Post) Idomeni, Greece Wed, March 9, 2016 Despair and confusion spread through the camp at the Greek-Macedonian border Tuesday as thousands of stranded refugees were forced to acknowledge that the route through Europe that had carried their hopes and dreams was now shut. The dozens of people crammed together at the front of the line to the border crossing looked at the closed gate and razor wire in disbelief. One young Syrian muttered he had been in the tent at the crossing for five days without sleeping. It was his 15th day at the Idomeni refugee camp. One woman broke down, crying and screaming as she held her baby in her arms while a man tried to calm and comfort her. Refugees asked reporters what had happened in Brussels, and asked what they could or should do next. European Union leaders who held a summit with Turkey said early Tuesday they hoped they had reached the outlines for a possible deal with Ankara to return thousands of migrants to Turkey, and said they were confident a full agreement could be reached at a summit next week. They also said the "irregular flows of migrants along the Western Balkans route have now come to an end." Nobody has crossed through the Idomeni border gate since early Monday morning. The nail in the coffin for the main Balkan migration route came late Tuesday evening, when Serbia's Interior Ministry said Slovenia will demand valid EU visas at its borders as of midnight Tuesday. That means Serbia will act accordingly and close its borders with Macedonia and Bulgaria for those who do not have valid documents. Nearly 14,000 people, who all risked their lives to get to Greece, have waited for days and weeks in the cold, rain and mud at the overflowing refugee camp in Idomeni, ripping branches off trees to use as firewood. About 100 people boarded two buses, one Tuesday morning and one in the evening, bound south for Athens and whichever refugee camp might have room for them. Greek authorities have said they will not forcibly evacuate people from Idomeni. Some said they still had hope. "I will just wait," said Aslan al Katib, a 21-year-old Syrian format engineering student from Damascus who hopes to reach Germany. "We want to continue our journey." Al Katib said he had worked for months in Turkey, stacking heavy boxes in a factory making baby strollers, working 12 hours a day, six days a week for little pay, to finance his journey across Europe. "Trust me, I worked hard for this. And for what? They say 'we are closed, we don't want to let you pass.'" He said he wanted to finish his studies in Germany, learn German and then repay Germany by working hard for the country, and ultimately go home to Syria when the war is over. "It's a bad situation. What are we now to do? What are we waiting for?" al Katib questioned. "I work hard. Just give me security." Human rights and aid organizations criticized the EU-Turkey plan. "European leaders have completely lost track of reality, and the deal currently being negotiated between the EU and Turkey is one of the clearest examples of their cynicism," said Aurelie Ponthieu, humanitarian affairs adviser on displacement for the Medecins Sans Frontiers medical aid organization. "For each refugee that will risk their life at sea and will be summarily sent back to Turkey, another one may have the chance to reach Europe from Turkey under a proposed resettlement scheme. This crude calculation reduces people to mere numbers, denying them humane treatment and discarding their right to seek protection." Twenty-year-old Samih Samman, 20, from Damascus, said he had been in Idomeni for 15 days. "I don't know what to do any more. I spend my days in a large tent along with my mother and my two brothers," who are aged 16 and 10. "I hope they will allow at least the families to go through." The developments came after a particularly miserable night, with strong wind and driving, heavy rain. With the official camp overflowing, thousands of people have set up small tents donated by aid agencies in the surrounding fields and along the adjacent railway tracks. And still more people arrive each day, many walking for miles from a nearby petrol station where buses from Athens stop. The overnight thunderstorm turned parts of the field into a muddy swamp, with refugees lighting small campfires to dry out their wet clothes and blankets in the morning fog. "Everything here is like a big casino and they play, dirty play. We are the playing cards. No one looks at us as humankind," Syrian Abu Haida said of the results of the summit in Brussels. "We have dreams, life, children." (bbn) Nicolae Dumitrache and Costas Kantouris in Idomeni, Greece, contributed. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jakarta Wed, March 9, 2016 The House of Representatives has outlined a policy to digitize broadcasting in a draft revision of the 2002 Broadcasting Law, which could make it easier for the government to control television programs in the future, according to an expert. The revision was first proposed to the House in 2010, but has yet to make it into law. Last January, the House's Legislation Body included the same bill in the 2016 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas). The House then started work on the draft before eventually discussing it with the government. 'The migration of analog to digital TV broadcasting is one of the main points in the revision of the law,' lawmaker Meutya Hafid said on Monday. After the migration, the government would be able to allocate the 700-MHz band ' which is now used for analog TV broadcasting ' to develop broadband in a bid to provide faster internet, Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara said in 2015. The government would also be able to more easily control broadcasting content, said Hargyo Tri Nugroho, an information and communications technology lecturer at Multimedia Nusantara University, on Tuesday. 'With the use of beat stream in digital broadcasting, the government could censor or block content easily,' he said. 'So you couldn't watch some digital content if you had no permit.' On the other hand, the quality of digital TV broadcasting would be better than analog, he added. Data packages would be sent with a transmitter to digital TVs across Indonesia, even in remote places. It is different to analog broadcasting, which can be interrupted by bad weather or tall buildings. 'Both providers and consumers need to change their infrastructure. The providers have to buy new transmitters, and the consumers need to buy new digital TVs or at least use converters for their old analog TVs,' Hargyo said. 'They all need to adapt to digital TV broadcasting.' (vps/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Erika Anindita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 9, 2016 The government and the House of Representatives have agreed to establish the National Disabilities Commission (KND), an institution that will take responsibility for improving the welfare and rights of people with disabilities in Indonesia. The agreement was made during a recent meeting between government officials and House Commission VIII overseeing religion, social affairs and women's empowerment to discuss a bill on the welfare of people with disabilities. "The establishment of the commission will be stipulated in the draft bill that is being discussed,' Commission VIII deputy chairman Ledia Hanifa Amaliah told thejakartapost.com recently, adding that the commission's formation would be detailed by a presidential regulation. She expressed hope that the deliberation of the bill could be completed in under two years, so that the commission could be established soon after the approval of the law. The government initially rejected that such an establishment was stipulated in the bill on disabled people's welfare, saying it would burden President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo, but government representatives later agreed with the House's initiative. The Commission VIII working committee has finished drafting the bill, which will be conveyed to an editorial team for improvement,' Ledia added. "We agreed that the government, the regional administration, state-owned enterprises and provincial administration-owned enterprises must put aside 2 percent of jobs for disabled people," Ledia said, adding that private institutions would be required to allocate 1 percent of their employment opportunities. The bill is a follow-up to the government's ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and will replace the current law issued in 1997. Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa in January said the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities did not require the government to establish a law. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Hyung-jin Kim (The Jakarta Post) Seoul Wed, March 9, 2016 North Korea caused a new stir Wednesday by publicizing a purported mock-up of a key part of a nuclear warhead, with leader Kim Jong Un saying his country has developed miniaturized atomic bombs that can be placed on missiles. The North's Rodong Sinmun newspaper carried photos on its front page showing Kim and nuclear scientists standing beside what outside analysts say appears to be a model warhead part ' a small, silverish globe with a ballistic missile or a model ballistic missile in the background. The newspaper said Kim met his nuclear scientists for a briefing on the status of their work and declared he was greatly pleased that warheads had been standardized and miniaturized for use on ballistic missiles. Information from secretive, authoritarian North Korea is often impossible to confirm and the country's state media have a history of photo manipulations. But it was the first time the North has publicly displayed its purported nuclear designs, though it remains unclear whether the country has functioning warheads of that size or is simply trying to develop one. South Korea's Defense Ministry quickly disputed the North's claim that is possesses miniaturized warheads. It called the photos and miniaturization claim an "intolerable direct challenge" to the international community. The photos come amid heightened tensions after the United Nations imposed harsh sanctions on North Korea for its nuclear test and long-range rocket launch earlier this year. North Korea warned Monday of pre-emptive nuclear strikes after the United States and South Korea began their biggest-ever war games, which are to continue until the end of April. North Korea has previously said it has nuclear warheads small enough to put on long-range missiles capable of striking the US mainland, but experts have questioned those claims. The round object shown in the photos appears to be a model of a warhead trigger device which would contain uranium or plutonium, according to nuclear expert Whang Joo-ho of Kyung Hee University in South Korea. He said it was obviously a model because Kim and others would not stand near an actual device because of concerns about radioactivity. In the photos, no one is seen wearing radiation suits for protection. Several other analysts agreed that the object appears to be a model warhead part. But expert Taewoo Kim at South Korea's Konyang University said it looks more like a bomb that could be released from planes like the plutonium bomb the United States dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki during World War II, rather than the type installed on missiles. Whang said it was impossible to judge from the photos if North Korea has mastered the miniaturization technology because it is not known if the object is real or not. But he said its shape is similar to parts used in nuclear warheads developed by other countries. Also shown in the photos is a KN-08 ballistic missile or its model, which reportedly has an estimated range of 10,000 kilometers, according to South Korean analysts. The KN-08, which North Korea showed off in 2012, is said to be capable of being launched from a road-mobile vehicle, which would make it difficult to monitor via satellite. The South Korean Defense Ministry said it believes the missile hasn't been proven functional. North Korea says it tested its first H-bomb on Jan. 6, followed last month by the launch of a rocket that put a satellite into orbit but which violated UN resolutions because it employs dual-use technology that could also be applied to long-range ballistic missiles. North Korea's development of smaller nuclear weapons and long-range missiles has long been a matter of concern and could shake up the security balance in Asia. ___ Associated Press writers Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul and Eric Talmadge in Tokyo contributed to this report. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Anji Jakmiko and Stephen Wright (The Jakarta Post) Palembang, South Sumatra Wed, March 9, 2016 People gazed at the sky in wonder and cheered while others knelt in prayer as a total eclipse of the sun unfolded over Indonesia on Wednesday, briefly plunging cities into darkness and startling wildlife. The rare astronomical phenomenon was witnessed along a narrow path that stretched across 12 Indonesian provinces encompassing three time zones and about 40 million people. A partial eclipse was visible in other parts of the Indonesian archipelago, a swath of Asia and in northern Australia. Thousands of eclipse-chasers flocked to Indonesia from abroad and the government, which has been the promoting the event for more than a year, forecast a substantial tourism boost. Some tour groups chartered ships to view the eclipse, which began in the Indian Ocean and ended in the Pacific, at sea. A dozen Americans joined a commercial flight from Anchorage, Alaska to Honolulu because its flight path would rendezvous with an eclipse sweet spot north of Hawaii. Thousands of men, women and children gathered in Sigi Biromaru, a hilltop town of Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province, shouted and clapped as the sun transformed into a dark orb for more than two minutes. Hundreds of others prayed at nearby mosques. "The sun totally disappeared. How amazing this sunny morning suddenly changed to dark," said Junaz Amir, a Sigi resident who witnessed the eclipse with his family using special glasses that protect eyes. In Ternate, one of the last cities in the eclipse's path, some residents said they were viewing it by looking at the reflected image in bowls of water. Experts say the total eclipse can be viewed with the naked eye but specific filters should be used during its partial phases to avoid permanent damage to the retina. Most eclipses are partial but when the moon is close enough to the Earth, the sun is completely eclipsed by the moon's shadow and only a spectacular ring of rays known as the corona is visible. The last time a total eclipse occurred over Indonesia was in 1988. Unfounded fears and misinformation caused panic, with people papering windows and keeping children indoors. Cloudy skies in parts of Indonesia dampened the spectacle for some. In Palembang, a Sumatran city of more than 1.4 million, thousands of residents from mothers carrying infants to old men gathered at its landmark Ampera bridge from well before dawn. But the total eclipse was only briefly visible if at all. "Too bad we cannot see when the total solar eclipse occurred, but the dark atmosphere when it happened made us feel happy," said Palembang resident Martha Sembiring. There was also disappointment for a group of six eclipse chasers who traveled from Canada and the US to Kalimantan. "Unfortunately we got nothing because we had rain showers and solid cloud," said optometrist Ralph Chou who was hoping to see his 19th total solar eclipse. Chou, a Canadian who helped develop the international standards for eclipse filters, said there were still impressive effects of light and darkness and birds appeared confused and disorientated by dark falling again after dawn. The previous total solar eclipse was in March last year and was best viewed on Norway's Svalbard islands near the North Pole. The next total eclipse will occur in August 2017 and be visible over a slice of North America. The entire eclipse, which began with the first patch of darkness appearing on the edge of the sun, lasted about three hours. For the viewer, the length of time the sun was totally eclipsed depended on their location along the path. On land the durations were mostly between one and three minutes. In the capital Jakarta, thousands of residents packed a planetarium at a downtown park where officials distributed about 4,000 filtered viewing glasses that quickly ran out. The eclipse, which from the vantage point of Jakarta produced an impressive crescent, was also streamed on monitors around the planetarium. Scientists from NASA and Indonesia's aerospace agency observed the eclipse from Maba in the Maluku islands. (bbn) Wright reported from Jakarta. Ali Kotarumalos and Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, George Rajaloa in Ternate, Abdy Mari in Sigi Biromaru and Rachel D'oro in Anchorage contributed. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Lansing, Michigan Wed, March 9, 2016 Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton looked to pad their leads in Tuesday's primary contests in Michigan and Mississippi, eager to turn their attention toward a general election fight for the White House. Trump is facing a barrage of criticism from rival candidates and outside groups desperate to block him from becoming the Republican nominee. While the real estate mogul holds a solid lead in the delegate count, his recent losses to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz have raised questions about his durability and have given fresh hope to other competitors. Ohio Gov. John Kasich tried to mount a strong challenge to Trump in Michigan, Tuesday's biggest delegate prize. Kasich has yet to win a primary but hoped a good showing in Michigan would give him a boost heading into next week's crucial contest in his neighboring home state. Speaking to a crowd in Lansing, Kasich said a strong showing in Michigan would show the country "that it's a new day in this presidential campaign." To that end, Kasich and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio were using recorded phone calls from Mitt Romney to appeal to voters as they headed to the polls. Romney, the 2012 Republican standard-bearer, has not endorsed a candidate but has vowed to help challengers to Trump, who he says would be dangerous for the country. Idaho and Hawaii also held Republican contests. At stake Tuesday were 150 delegates for the Republicans and 179 for Democrats. Clinton entered Tuesday's primaries with the Democratic nomination in sight. After a shaky start in early voting states, she's pulled off commanding wins in states with large black populations, showcasing the limits of rival and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' appeal. Sanders is strong with young people and white, blue-collar voters, drawn to his calls for free college tuition and breaking up Wall Street banks. Michigan, with big college towns and a sizeable population of working-class voters, should be a good fit for Sanders. But Clinton has led in polling. Tuesday's contests are a prelude to next week's high-stakes primaries in Florida and Ohio. Like Ohio's Kasich, Marco Rubio must win his home state in order to remain a viable contender. Rubio has received endorsements from a steady stream of senators, governors and other high-profile Republican officials. But his backing from voters has lagged, and he entered Tuesday's contests with just a pair of victories in the Minnesota caucuses and Saturday's Puerto Rico primary. If Rubio and Kasich can't win at home, the Republican primary looks to become a two-person race between Trump and Cruz. The Texas senator is sticking close to Trump in the delegate count and with victories in six states, he's arguing he's the only candidate standing between the brash billionaire and the nomination. Some mainstream Republicans have cast both Trump and Cruz as unelectable in a November face-off with the Democratic nominee. But they're quickly running out of options and are increasingly weighing long-shot ideas such as a contested convention or rallying around a yet-to-be-determined third-party candidate. Heading into Tuesday, Trump led the Republican field with 384 delegates, followed by Cruz with 300, Rubio with 151 and Kasich with 37. Winning the Republican nomination requires 1,237 delegates. Among Democrats, Clinton had accumulated 1,134 delegates and Sanders 499, including superdelegates. Democrats need 2,383 delegates to win the nomination. (bbn) Editorial: Manhattan Republicans have recruited an excellent candidate to run for Sheldon Silvers former Assembly seat. Residents of the 65th Assembly District should take the time to get to know Lester Chang over the next six weeks: Theyve got a chance to upend New York politics. [Post] The de Blasio administration is backing away from changes in the sliver law as part of its controversial rezoning plan. [Politico New York] Former Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan takes a victory lap, proclaiming at end to New York Citys bike wars. [New York Magazine] Having forced the Stage Deli out of its 2nd Avenue space, Icon Realty is advertising the 600 sq. ft. storefront for $15,000/month. [EV Grieve] Cindy Adams is hopelessly lost on the Lower East Side, lured to the new Metrograph Theater for its celebrity-centric opening. On Page 6, she writes: New York stretches 12 miles. This things 13 miles away. A next nearest land clip is Shanghai. Were talking Ludlow Street. Even my GPS replied: Where? It features sodas, beer, wine, old-fashioned movie candies. Eventually a restaurant because by the time you schlep there youre starving. [Post] Happening Today: There was huge interest yesterday in our story about a robbery that occurred in the Delancey Street subway station late last month. Cops are looking for three suspects. It is likely one of the topics that will come up tonight when the 7th Precinct holds its monthly Community Council meeting. 19 Pitt St. (at Delancey Street), 7:30 p.m. New Yorks Presidential Primary will be held April 19, but its not the only choice voters will be called on to make that day. Theres also a special election to fill Sheldon Silvers seat in the 65th Assembly District. But youve got to be registered in order to cast a ballot. The governors office yesterday sent out a reminder that there are still a couple of weeks to register. The deadline is March 25. You can register through the Department of Motor Vehicles website, or you can fill out an application and return it to the New York City Board of Elections. More info on that here. The 65th Assembly District includes most of the Lower East Side (below East Houston Street) and other downtown neighborhoods. One thing you cant do is switch political parties. That deadline passed in October. 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At the scene was the body of a 40-year-old Estonian man who staff at the range named only as Andres with the .45 STI Eagle handgun he had rented still in his right hand. A staffer at the shooting range said that the man looked stressed. He smoked several cigarettes before he went into the shooting range and fired seven consecutive rounds into the target then shot the eighth round into his head, the staffer told The Phuket News. The man had left two handwritten notes: one for police to contact his Thai wife at a hotel on Sainamyen Rd in Patong and the other to his sister written in Estonian. Thung Tong Police have yet to comment on the incident. Top suspect unravels gun shop heist plot BANGKOK: A Chinese man who allegedly masterminded a botched gun shop heist in Bangkok last Friday (Mar 4) was taken to Pattaya yesterday (Mar 8) to pinpoint shops which sold fake weapons and vehicles used in the robbery. crimeChinesepolice By Bangkok Post Wednesday 9 March 2016, 09:35AM Zheng Yang, 30, a Chinese man, was taken from the temporary military prison at the 11th Military Circle in Bangkok to help to unravel the botched BB-gun raid that turned deadly. Photo: Pornprom Satrabhaya Police yesterday escorted Zheng Yang, 30, from the temporary military prison at the 11th Military Circle to Pattaya in Chonburi province to point out the outlets which provided BB guns and rental motorcycles used in the heist. Metropolitan Police Bureau acting commissioner Sanit Mahathaworn said the shops will be checked against the account which Mr Zheng gave during questioning. Mr Zheng was caught on Saturday (Mar 5) at Nakhon Sawan railway station on a train heading from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. At least five men carrying BB guns and knives attempted to rob the Interarms gunshop in the Wang Burapha area on Charoen Krung Road in Phra Nakhon district last Friday. As the robbers tried to flee, a police officer fired at them after they pointed their BB guns at him. The officers shots killed Wu Xingjun, 40, and injured Sun Junwei, 27, Li Kunpeng, 26, and Ma Geng, 34. Pol Lt Gen Sanit said the motive for the robbery could be gun trafficking. However, the probe will also be widened to find other possibilities. He said police were also waiting for information from Chinese authorities to check whether the suspects had criminal records in their home country. Meanwhile, Mr Sun, who has been discharged from Police General Hospital, was also taken to the gun shop to re-enact the crime yesterday. Police also asked the court to move the three other suspects to the temporary military prison to help the investigation. Officers also revoked the visa of Su Su, 29, a Chinese man arrested in Phuket on Saturday, after investigators found he supplied a telephone SIM card to one of the suspects. It was one of many cards found in his possession. Mr Su denied being involved in the robbery but his possession of so many SIM cards raised suspicions. He was later found to have supplied the cards to tour companies which distributed them to Chinese tourists. Officials are in the process of deporting him back to China. He was also banned from entering Thailand for five years. Read original story here. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe OTTAWAJustin Trudeau is about to be the man of the moment in Washington. But official Washingtons attention span is notoriously fickle and the prime ministers challenge will be to parlay the South Lawn pomp and the red carpet into enduring Canadian influence after Barack Obama leaves the White House. So the Trudeau team has turned this into a three-day festival of dinners, parties and after-parties with wait lists for all. Washington only rarely pays attention to Canada so once you get your moment in the sun, why not maximize it? says Maryscott Greenwood of the Canadian American Business Council. The Canada-U.S. dynamic is largely shaped by the personal comfort level between president and prime minister. A look back at bilateral relations since the last state dinner, when Bill Clinton hosted Jean Chretien, reveals that dynamic is often absent and the oft-heard pabulum about enduring, neighbourly, warm relations can be a mirage. Heres a brief history lets start in 2000. That year, as a 28-year-old Justin Trudeau burst onto the national scene with the eulogy at his fathers funeral, Al Gore and George W. Bush were locked in a historically tight presidential race and fallout from a Canadian faux pas was still churning. Raymond Chretien, the Canadian ambassador to Washington, had touched the third rail of bilateral relations, signalling that Canada preferred the election of Gore over Bush. When Bush won, he broke convention and made his first visit to Mexico. Then came Sept. 11, 2001. Prominent U.S. politicians, loudly and wrongly, proclaimed the attackers arrived from Canada, Bushs envoy to Ottawa suggested a continental security perimeter, the border thickened overnight and Bush snubbed Canada by ignoring this countrys help to Americans stranded in the wake of the attacks. Things worsened when Jean Chretiens communications director was overheard calling Bush a moron in his search for a coalition of the willing to invade Iraq. A Liberal MP, Carolyn Parrish, upped the ante by calling the Bush administration bastards, then stomping on a Bush doll on the CBC. Bush cancelled a trip to Canada, then, when he finally arrived in his second term, Canadians gave him a single-finger salute along his motorcade route. Bush thanked those who waved with all five fingers, then promptly sandbagged prime minister Paul Martin by publicly calling on Canada to support a missile shield after Martin received assurances that wouldnt be raised on his turf. Bush had better relations with Stephen Harper but betrayed the depth of their relationship in a 2006 meeting, calling him Steve no one else ever had. Then a press conference ended in cringe-worthy fashion as reporters sang Happy Birthday to the U.S. president and three of their colleagues were ushered to the stage as Harper looked on awkwardly. Harper stood with a frozen smile as Canadians heaped adoration on the newly elected Obama in front of the Centre Block, but that relationship ultimately foundered with Harper calling Obamas approval of the Keystone XL pipeline a no-brainer and Obamas Ottawa envoy, Bruce Heyman, was placed in deep Conservative chill. Now, everyone wants a piece of the Canadian prime minister. The Canada-U.S. relationship is built on a series of small agreements, and so it is that three U.S. senators used the Trudeau visit to call for a levelling of the playing field on duty-free cross-border purchases to help small American businesses, and the New Hampshire Congressional complained lack of Canadian restrictions on opioids including oxycodone meant drugs flowing across the border. A good Obama-Trudeau relationship means these issues may end up on the desk of the relevant Canadian ministers. There will be movement on customs pre-clearance and entry-exit tracking and the environmentmethane and vehicle emissions, bringing greener technologies to the North measures Obama can take through executive orders. But both men know there is a larger legacy available to Obama and Thursdays state dinner is a precursor to a so-called Three Amigos summit to be held this year in Canada for the first time in nine years. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto would be anxious to burnish his environmental credentials by signing on to such an accord. A continental agreement is one thing, a hemispheric agreement is a greater legacy, says Carlo Dade, a trade and investment specialist with the Canada West Foundation. The Mexican relationship is the next rock to be moved by Trudeau. It was Harper, tired of questions on Keystone on one side and Mexican anger with visa requirements on the other, who cancelled the last three Amigos summit. Trudeau has pledged to end the visa requirements for Mexico and has already discussed common environmental policy with Pena Nieto. This will be the next step in this hemispheric relationship after Thursdays red carpet is rolled up. Tim Harper is a national affairs writer. His column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. tharper@thestar.ca Twitter:@nutgraf1 Read more about: SHARE: It took jurors only a day to return with a verdict against Cindy Ali: Guilty of first-degree murder. The evidence that Ali, who professed to be a God-fearing church-going lady, had smothered her daughter a 16-year-old girl who suffered from cerebral palsy, couldnt speak or walk or feed herself, needed round-the-clock care was compelling, and the defendants claims of a violent home invasion, with intruders who somehow caused the teenager to stop breathing, a tissue of lies elaborately but clumsily constructed. A wicked crime committed against a helpless victim, by her own mother. This jury was clearly convinced by the prosecutions argument that Cynara Ali, whod survived far beyond the three years predicted by doctors when the condition was diagnosed, had become such a burden to the accused that she placed a pillow over the girls face, then called 9-1-1 with her tall story about two well-dressed black men, Jamaican accents, a mysterious package they were seeking. First-responders, who managed to get a pulse from Cynara the teen was taken off life-support a day later were suspicious from the start. There were no footprints either inside or outside the Scarborough townhouse, on a snowy day, as one later testified in court. And then there was that ridiculous letter which the family purportedly received a couple of weeks later, allegedly from the assailants, helpfully explaining theyd worn shoe covers, thus left no footprints behind. Signed off with a smiley face. Cindy Ali pleaded not guilty so well never know for certain why she did what she did. An appeal is planned and automatic for first degree convictions, which carry a prison term of life with no parole eligibility for 25 years. But the Crown presented several theories for the crime, from mounting debts to mounting resentment towards a child who would never be anything other than an encumbrance. A child who was nevertheless capable of laughter and communicating some of her feelings, such as hunger and pain. Under different circumstances, yet not profoundly different, in a future dystopian Canada where death has lost its sting, its taboo heft, Cynara Ali might very well have been put to death, by a willing physician, if her condition was deemed so irreversibly dire, her life so absent of quality, her suffering unendurable, her decision-makers-by-proxy convincing. And nobody could call it murder, then. It would be assisted dying as an act of compassionate homicide. Alarmist? Imagination run amok? That dreadful scenario is not so great a leap from where were already heading . It is precisely why the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, faith-based organizations and other advocates for the most vulnerable amongst us took impassioned positions against physician-assisted dying before the Supreme Court of Canada, warning of a slippery slope of sanctioned euthanasia. In a landmark ruling, the Court last year unanimously struck down the ban on doctor-assisted suicide for competent, consenting, severely ill adults suffering from either physical or psychological pain -- who want to control the time, place and manner of their death but are incapable of hastening that death without a helping hand. Remove the delicate language and its still euthanasia. I refuse to call it death with dignity, which implies that suffering, a deeply straitened existence, is undignified and a life in extremis a state of grace for some religions of lesser value. The Supremes concluded 9-0 that prohibiting aiding or abetting someone to commit suicide violates Charter rights. They gave the government 12 months to craft a regulatory framework for physician-assisted suicide. June is the deadline. But the Court was exacting about parameters. Medical professionals should not be forced to assist in suicides if it goes against their freedom of conscience, morals or religion. Only competent adults and not necessarily terminally ill could avail themselves of the end-of-life option. Already, though, we have a joint Senate-Commons committee report that over-reaches limitations envisioned by the Supreme Court. The report treats assisted dying its authors prefer the neologism MAID (medical assistance in dying) with far too much casualness, pushing the ethical boundaries beyond what the justices had contemplated and sorely lacking in safeguards to prevent voluntary euthanasia becoming (borrowing a phrase from a recent column by my colleague Thomas Walkom) a new medical growth industry. The reports 21 recommendations give short shrift to protections for persons with underlying mental health issues who may not be competent to make an informed request and might be vulnerable to coercion. It would permit those diagnosed with crippling illness such as dementia to pre-select their death, a measure not permitted in Quebecs existing right-to-die law. Every publicly-funded hospital in the country would be required to offer euthanasia services. Under amendments to the Criminal Code, all medical practitioners doctors, nurses, even pharmacists (under special circumstances) would be allowed to kill people. At minimum, the committee said, an objecting practitioner must provide an effective referral for the patient. And, most worrisomely, after three years under these suggested protocols, assisted suicide could be extended to competent, mature minors of any age. A minority-view report was issued by MPs on the committee, exceedingly troubled by some or all of these recommendations. Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, is so horrified about the legislation which might ensue that he delivered a sermon on Sunday at St. Pauls Basilica shared through videotapes or written statements with congregations at 225 churches across the diocese urging both the protection of vulnerable groups such as the disabled and exemption for doctors, nurses and Catholic hospitals from having to provide a service in intrinsic violation of their religious beliefs. Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast told the National Post that Catholics 13 million Canadians who pursue doctor-assisted suicide a morally great evil might be denied sacraments and other last rites. Dr. Jeff Blackmer, vice-president of medical professionalism with the Canadian Medical Association, also expressed disappointment that the committee didnt incorporate their argument that doctors who oppose assisted dying on grounds of conscience should not be required to refer patients to willing colleagues. The CMA had proposed an alternative for the creation of a central directory of physicians agreeable to facilitating assisted death. Blackmer even raised the possibility that some doctors would rather retire or move to the U.S. if the committees proposals are enshrined in law. Ottawa has given no indication when new legislation will be tabled and, of course, the Liberals are under no obligation to accept the committees recommendations. Its doubtless true that the committees report has contributed to the national conversation about assisted dying. But some of these ugly recommendations are completely at odds with the Supreme Courts guidance and public tolerance. They should be smothered in the crib. Rosie DiManno usually appears Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. SHARE: Defence chief Gen. Jonathan Vance this week came out in favour of modernizing Canadas armed forces with drones, including ones capable of striking at enemies abroad. The unmanned vehicles have been used increasingly by the U.S. as a way of limiting military and civilian casualties. But critics say that such a move needs a down-to-earth assessment. First you need an ethically defined foreign policy. Then you have to know what kind of interventions you expect that you can realistically make, says Prof. Derek Gregory of University of B.C., an expert in aerial warfare. If youre going to join the big boys, you have to know why. There are also doubts about the value of drones against terrorism. All the evidence weve gathered is that they killed large numbers, and the remaining population is terrorized and traumatized, says Kat Craig, legal director for the counterterrorism team at the London-based charity Reprieve. Drones are not a silver bullet. Some factors for Ottawa to consider: Loss of control Will Canada decide on its own drone targets? Thats unlikely, as Ottawa has always worked closely with NATO and the U.S. in coalitions of the willing. But taking the initiative from the U.S. in a program of deadly force could have unintended consequences. For one thing, President Barack Obama, who has expanded the drone program, will be out of office soon. A new president, warn Jameel Jaffer and Brett Max Kaufman of the ACLU, in the New York Times, will inherit a sweeping power to use lethal force against suspected terrorists and militants, including Americans. And, possibly, Canadians. It could also lead to wider collateral damage to civilians. Targeting If Canada adopts U.S.-designated targets it will be in murky territory. The CIA maintains a covert program that only came to light through leaks and freedom-of-information requests. But strikes are also carried out by the military under the similarly secretive Joint Special Operations Command. Nor is it clear who is being targeted only terrorist kingpins, or fellow travellers? In Somalia this week, rank-and-file fighters from the terror group al-Shabab were also killed in larger numbers than ever before. If Canada goes it alone, it would have to sort out the same problems of who should be targeted and by what lines of command. Intelligence Drone targeting relies heavily on intelligence from the ground. In countries like Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan, that means developing trusted sources of information whose reliability is difficult to test. Spotters may be subject to local pressures, or executed if they are discovered. They may also be acting on information based on local resentments. Although satellite surveillance of suspects can be highly accurate, without deep knowledge of the region, society and language, it may be impossible for command and control personnel to be sure they are aiming only at high value targets. Civilian casualties The debate between the ethics and effectiveness of aerial bombing from warplanes, versus drone strikes has taken off since the beginning of the drone program in the early 2000s. Obama chose drones as a way of limiting civilian casualties and sparing U.S. military personnel. But monitors of drone deaths have noted hundreds of dead civilians, although counts are notoriously difficult because the U.S. has classified drone casualties as militants. The numbers may or may not be clearer soon when the U.S. tables promised figures for those killed in strikes, including civilians. Blowback Civilians have died, but in my firm opinion the death toll from terrorist attacks would have been much higher if we had not taken action, said former CIA director Michael Hayden in the New York Times. But for people living under the threat of drones, witnesses say theres more grief than gratitude. People arrested for foiled terrorist attacks have cited drone warfare as a motive. In my overwhelming experience in countries where there is a secret drone war, theres little benefit and a huge amount of destruction, despair and death, says Craig of Reprieve. Theres horrific poverty and theyre breeding grounds for terrorism. Recruiting and training If Canada operates a drone program it will need to hire pilots, who are likely to be young recruits familiar with the technical side of targeting and carrying out strikes, but unprepared for the stresses of a job that involves the life and death of strangers. In spite of their safe distance from the battlefield, pilots are under psychological pressure from isolation, secrecy, guilt and the boredom of long hours of surveillance. They will need psychological support and monitoring to prevent leaks of classified information. Ottawa will also need analysts, technicians, maintenance crews and command centres. Liability and rule of law When is it lawful to kill someone remotely in another country perhaps one with which Canada is not at war? In the U.S., Obama has used constitutional responsibility to protect Americans from terrorism and the national right to self-defence as legal justifications. That still leaves vexed legal questions such as the option to capture and try suspects instead of killing them without recourse to due process. It could also leave Ottawa open to prosecution, such as a case against CIA officials for wrongful civilian deaths in Pakistan in 2009. And it would make Canadian leaders responsible for individual life-and-death decisions. Cost Canadians have been staggered by the escalating price of fighter jets. But drone warfare is far from cheap, including repairs and maintenance. Experts say theyre more expensive than manned F-16 fighter jets to maintain, and take up to 170 personnel to keep one combat mission in the sky at a time. You cant just buy one, says UBCs Gregory. Combat air patrol is four drones because they have a short range. Theyre also susceptible to weather, even clouds. Confusing a military drone with a hobby drone is a mistake. This is big kit. Read more about: SHARE: When Nick Volk graduated from Harvard University with a degree in international relations, no one would have guessed hed wind up in Toronto building affordable housing. He wanted to join the U.S. navy, see the world, immerse himself in other cultures and spend his left as a globe-trotting diplomat. Most of that came true. The day after his convocation, the 21-year-old New Yorker headed to a naval recruiting office and signed up. Over the next three years, he saw much of the Far East. Still eager for adventure when he left the navy, he spent six months backpacking through the Philippines, Southeast Asia and India. At 24, he returned to the U.S., married the woman hed left behind and joined the U.S. Foreign Service. He and his wife Barbara served in Cambodia, Thailand and Bangladesh. In 1964, Volk returned to Washington to find out where he would be posted next. To his surprise, it was Toronto. He was to become the U.S. consulates communications director. Volk didnt expect to stay long. But he and his wife fell in love with the place. Five years later the State Department wanted to pack us off again, so I quit. He got a job in public relations at the CBC and stayed 23 years. Two of his six children were born in this country. He became president of the Harvard Club of Toronto and director of the Harvard Alumni Association in Canada. Things were going swimmingly until his wife came home one day and said: How about helping the poor? Youve been helping the rich. Brought up short, Volk volunteered at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic charity that provides food, clothing, furniture and friendship to people in need, and volunteered. What he saw on his visits appalled him. I was going into some dreadful places that I couldnt imagine people living in. So I said, thats it, Ive got to build housing. Volk had no knowledge of the construction industry, no experience raising funds, no training in engineering or design and no obvious qualifications to be a developer. The two things he had were research skills and the ability to connect with people. He found a real estate agent who came up with a 1.5-acre plot in East York (formerly occupied by a warehouse and strip mall) for $92.3 million. He lobbied then-premier Bob Rae to provide $23 million and hired an architect, took bids from construction companies and awarded the contract. He worked with the city of Toronto, the province and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to create a 164-unit affordable apartment building with big meeting rooms and plenty of common space so the residents could get to know each other and their children could play safely. Gower Place opened in 1994 to some doubt and a fair amount of acclaim, he recalled. The doubt evaporated in 2000 when the project won an award of excellence from the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association for responding to tenant and community needs with imagination and insight. But Volk had already moved on. He joined a Habitat for Humanity house building crew in Waterloo. The U.S-based charity, championed by former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, was in its infancy in Canada. It had one branch with a clerk. Volk became chairman of its Canadian board and hired a talented young manager named Neil Hetherington who built the organization into one of the most dynamic and respected housing charities in the country. Now a proud Canadian citizen, Volk is embarking on his latest project, a 250-unit non-profit housing development in East York designed to meet the needs of mother-led families. He is working with East York East Family Resources (EYET) which has 30 years of experience in the neighbourhood and the Daniels Corp., a leading developer of non-profit housing. He aims to keep rents at 25 per cent of the market rate by using land owned by the city, tapping into federal and provincial infrastructure funding and private mortgage financing plus personal and corporate donations. I keep pushing every button I can find. Volk has little patience for people who say theyd like to volunteer but they dont have the time, the right skills, the right connections or the physical stamina. He had a full-time job when he started. He knew next to nothing about housing. He is in his 80s now and has no intention of slowing down. His advice to those still hovering on the sidelines: Find a need. Ask what you can do to help. And do it. Carol Goars column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Correction - March 9, 2016: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said Nick Volk's four children were born in Canada. SHARE: (Photo: CPV) At the reception, Tsutomu Takebe informed the host of the progress of the Vietnam-Japan University project. He said the university will open its first master course on September 9th, expressing his hope that Nhan, one of the first Vietnamese politicians who prepared the ground for the project, will make further efforts to boost the its operation. Delighted at the fine development of the Vietnam-Japan Extensive Strategic Partnership, the VFF President affirmed that Vietnam attaches special importance to the nations ties and believes the relationship will grow further, bringing benefits to both countries and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. Regarding the Vietnam-Japan University project, Nhan confirmed that Vietnam is willing to coordinate with Japan to put the university into operation effectively. Also at the event, the two sides exchanged views and experience in the agricultural sector, especially advanced cooperative and private agricultural enterprise models./. At the meeting, the country aims to promote the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy of the King, in order to accelerate implementation of its sustainable development goals. Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai will chair discussions about solutions to global challenges such as global economic fluctuation, epidemics, natural disasters and terrorism. How to promote medical tourism and propel dialogues between Asian countries is also a main agenda to push forward regional prosperity and develop all together. The Asia Cooperation Dialogue consists of 33 countries from the Asian region, including ASEAN. Nepal is expected to become an official member of the group in the upcoming meeting./. Tsakonas is in favour of a holistic and structured approach. "We need to come up with a strategy to tackle the refugee crisis without trying to resolve regional conflicts. We don't have a solution to the problem," admits the Greek economist, who foresees an opportunity for ageing Europe. "In what is a globalized economy, we have 200,000 immigrants at our disposal. Among them are qualified people," he adds, delighted at the attitude of Angela Merkel.Climate change could even exacerbate the situation and increase the number of would-be immigrants. According to Tsakonas, this is a threat for countries in the South. Desertification in North Africa could increase the risk of conflict. An increasing scarcity of water resources, shortages of power, food security and natural disasters could destabilize countries in an already-unstable region. "There is an interdependence with the other challenges Arab countries are having to face," sums up Tsakonas.*To find out more on the conference and Prof. Tsakonas' presentation "The migration/refugee crisis in the Mediterranean: EU perspectives and strategies", click here McDonald's (MCD) all-day breakfast menu is old news to IHOP President Darren Rebelez. "We're not really worried about that. We've been doing breakfast all day for 58 years," he said. "We believe we offer a different occasion and experience for the guest -- 80% of our items are customized by our guests and by the cooks so we have the ability to create a unique item." McDonald's launched its around-the-clock breakfast lineup back in October as part of a larger effort to revamp the fast-food giant under CEO Steve Easterbrook. "The fact that all of these players are getting into breakfast all day and elevating that awareness we think plays to our benefit," Rebelez added. IHOP is part of the publicly traded DineEquity (DIN) . Its shares are up 10.3% since the start of the year. For 2015, IHOP's comparable-store sales in the U.S. rose 4.5%. Rebelez attributes the increase to the launch of new products, such as its Criss-Croissant, which is cooked in a waffle iron. IHOP also launched double-dip French toast, which is brioche bread dipped into a vanilla batter and then coated with an oatmeal topping. "We're continuing to innovate and evolve all the time," Rebelez said. Amid the rise of niche restaurants targeting the health-conscious consumer, Rebelez said that although IHOP hasn't experimented with gluten-free pancakes, it has a section on the menu with items under 600 calories. Meanwhile, consumer spending has been soft, despite the steep decline in gas prices over the past 18 months. "Anytime there's softness with the consumer, it's a concern of ours," he said. "We really haven't seen that reflected in our business yet and we think it's because we're offering a unique experience. Breakfast foods tend to be a little bit less expensive than other alternatives." As Marco Rubio's candidacy continues to lose momentum, John Kasich, the Ohio governor, is fast emerging as the mainstream Republican's best choice for a presidential nominee. Yet even as his mix of competency, experience and traditional conservative economics has bolstered his campaign, the former U.S. congressmen finished a narrow third to Texas Senator Ted Cruz in a Michigan primary Tuesday won by Donald Trump. Trump won with 37% followed by Cruz at 25% and Katich with 24%. Exit polls showed trade and jobs were the biggest concern of voters, both Democrats and Republicans. On trade, a particularly sensitive issue in a region that has steadily lost manufacturing jobs over the past two decades, Kasich stressed a middle course, generally supportive of international agreements while promising to safeguard the interests of U.S. workers. Yet even that middle position ran second to Trump's volatile mix of nationalism and protectionism. While backing the notion that corporate expansion abroad increases profits, Kasich has said that too often trade partners are taking advantage of the U.S. through currency manipulation. "We have, in some ways, been saps," Kasich said on NBC's Meet The Press in January. "We can't have people coming in here and dumping stuff and destroying our jobs in this country. That's where I grew up! I grew up with steel workers." Trump, meanwhile, has all but promised a trade war with China and Mexico whereas Kasich has registered his support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. Like the Obama administration, Kasich's support for the 12-country agreement, which includes Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam, is rooted in commerce as much as global security. "The TPP, it's critical to us, not only for economic reasons and for jobs, because there are so many people who are connected to getting jobs because of trade, but it allows us to create not only economic alliances, but also potentially strategic alliances against the Chinese," Kasich said at the November 10 Republican debate, held in Milwaukee. "They are not our enemy, but they are certainly not our friend." As a congressman, Kasich in 2000 voted to make permanent normal trade relations with China. Kasich would like to toughen the complaint process by which U.S. companies are able to promptly get a ruling on unfair trade practices. While intellectual property theft and cyber attacks are included among those infractions, currency manipulation has become the rallying cry across party lines. "For too long, what happens is somebody dumps their product in our country and take our people's jobs," he said during a Republican debate in January in South Carolina. "And then we go to an international court and it takes them like a year or two to figure out whether they were cheating us. And guess what? The worker's out of a job." Skepticism about trade was a decisive factor in the Michigan election. And while Trump repeated his pledge to renegotiate trade treaties, Bernie Sanders defeated Hillary Clinton, arguing that the North American Free Trade Agreement had been a disaster for U.S. workers. More than 800,000 manufacturing jobs have evaporated as a result of NAFTA, Sanders said, citing data from the Economic Policy Institute. BMW (BYMOF) exhibited a prototype driverless car to demonstrate what one may look like and to signal that the Munich-based automaker is assigning high priority to such technology for future models. The maker of premium sporty cars -- one of the most profitable in the global industry -- had been cautious under its previous CEO, Norbert Reithofer, about the role of driverless technology and artificial intelligence in personal transportation. BMW models often are used by other manufacturers as benchmarks because of the brand's popularity among well-to-do buyers. Because BMW's highly successful marketing campaigns are oriented toward persuading customers of the brand's superior driving characteristics, the company likely now must undergo a broad rethinking of how it sells, to whom and with what message. German rival Volkswagen (VLKAY) , Toyota (TM) , as well as U.S. giants Ford (F) and General Motors (GM) , have stepped up research and development in pursuit of driverless technology, which is expected to start appearing over the next few years. In January, GM announced that it was delaying for several months its "super cruise" technology for the new Cadillac CT6 sedan until 2017, which will allow drivers hands-off highway driving under certain conditions. GM gave no reason for the delay. VW's Audi and Daimler's Mercedes-Benz brand already are offering a similar feature. Ford reportedly was pursuing a driverless technology alliance with Alphabet (GOOG) . Nissan's CEO (NSANY) Carlos Ghosn has forecast 2020 as a year when his company will offer a vehicle that can drive itself, under certain conditions. BMW's Reithofer retired last year, replaced by Harald Krueger, who said he is an advocate for zero-emission electrification of vehicles, as well as driverless technology, as soon as possible. BMW's concept, called Vision 100, was unveiled Monday in Munich. "We are moving from the Ultimate Driving Machine to the Ultimate Driver, where technology is making any driver a better driver," Adrian van Hooydonk, BMW's chief designer, said at the event. Shortly after a New York Times story in October 2010 first publicized the existence of the Google self-driving car project, BMW's Reithofer was asked at a press conference about the technology. "Why would people want to have one of our cars driven for them instead of enjoying the experience?" he scoffed. Immediately following the news that Google intended to create a driverless car, most automakers accelerated their research in the field. Since then, the auto industry has embraced the reality that systems combing software, sensing equipment and artificial intelligence can drive cars safely in most conditions. The technology is likely to be commercialized more quickly than once thought, auto executives say. The advent of vehicle sharing and ride-sharing ventures, as well as the growth of Uber and Lyft, offer a glimpse of how smartphones could change the way vehicles are used and owned. Doron Levin is the host of "In the Driver Seat," broadcast on SiriusXM Insight 121, Saturday at noon, encore Sunday at 9 a.m. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover the Someone forgot to tell Editas Medicine (EDIT) about the hostile environment for biotech initial public offerings. Defying all conventional wisdom, the gene editing startup's first month as a publicly traded company has been spectacular. With Monday's $41.87 close, Editas shares have risen 162% from the IPO price of $16. On Monday alone, Editas shares rose more than 7% while the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index fell 3.5%. Only five IPOs have hit the market so far this year, a number that's down more than 80% from last year, according to Renaissance Capital. Of this small IPO class of 2016, Editas has been the most successful by far, measured by stock performance. And Editas has managed to outperform expectations even though it is still two years away from advancing a gene-editing therapy into human clinical trials. The company is also in the middle of a legal battle with competitors over intellectual property claims to the gene-editing technology known as Crispr. Why, then, is Editas' stock price rising while many biotech stocks stagnate? Credit the company's investment bankers for managing the financing process so well. "While Editas may have an exciting technology platform, the IPO was done with the help from insider purchases. The low tradable float should make investors cautious," said Kathleen Smith, manager of IPO ETFs at Renaissance Capital. It's nice to have friends willing to buy and support your stock. For Editas, this started before the IPO when the company raised $163 million in a preferred stock offering bought by Google Ventures, Bill Gates, Fidelity Investments and venture capital firms Flagship Ventures and Polaris Partners. Since the Editas IPO priced on Feb. 2, two other early hedge-fund investors in the company, Viking Global Investors and Deerfield Management, have bought more stock and now own 7.5% and 5% of the company, respectively, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings. With most of Editas' outstanding shares controlled by insiders who can't sell, the available supply of stock that is available to trade is relatively small, which in turn, supports the price. "You can't get a borrow, so there's no real way for the stock to go down," said another hedge fund investor, who asked not to be identified by name. Borrow refers to company shares available for short-selling. When Editas' shares become more freely tradable, he expects the stock price to fall. If or until that happens, the Editas IPO honeymoon will continue. The company carries an enterprise value today on par with gene therapy developer Bluebird Bio . Adam Feuerstein writes regularly for TheStreet. In keeping with company editorial policy, he doesn't own or short individual stocks, although he owns stock in TheStreet. He also doesn't invest in hedge funds or other private investment partnerships. Feuerstein appreciates your feedback; click here to send him an email. Ted Cruz may be widely disliked in the U.S. Senate, but among Republican voters he's emerged as the leading alternative to Donald Trump. And if the party's well-funded and determined anti-Trump movement is effective, both in the primaries and at a contested convention, the Texas senator could find himself in the unlikely position of being embraced, however uncomfortably, by the Republican establishment. Cruz's second-place finish in Michigan on Tuesday was in owed in part to the tumbling campaign of Marcos Rubio, whose disappointing fourth-place finish with a mere 9% of the vote, augers poorly for next week's primary in Florida, his home state. The senator's conservative religion-focused campaign found a solid bloc of voters, enough for 25% to Trump's 37%. About three-quarters of Republican Michigan voters identified as white evangelicals, as exit polls conducted by CNN showed. Nearly 8 in 10 white evangelicals voting Republican said it was important that a candidate share their beliefs. Cruz rode a similar bloc of voters to victories in Iowa and Texas. Elsewhere, Cruz won the Idaho primary and finished second to Trump in Mississippi and Hawaii. Coming on wins over the weekend in Kansas and Maine, coupled with Marco Rubio's disappointing finishes across four states on Tuesday, Cruz's candidacy is becoming the strongest to match Trump. That Cruz was also able to finish ahead of regional favorite, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who came in third in Michigan with 24%, is sure to force Republicans in Congress, widely unhappy with Trump's ascendancy, to either support his candidacy or sit out the election. Capping off a successful stretch, Cruz picked up an endorsement from a former rival, business executive Carly Fiorina, who catapulted into contention nationally among Republicans on the strength of her debate performances early on in the process. In an odd pairing, Cruz stands to benefit from the mainstream Republican effort to buy television advertising in those states aimed at convincing voters that Trump is either unfit to be president or not sufficiently conservative. Trump on Tuesday lashed out at his detractors, asserting that millions of dollars in TV advertising money is being spent to spread "horrible lies." And indeed, it appears that those attack ads are slowing Trump's campaign. An ABC News/Washington Post poll published earlier this week showed Trump's support nationally dropping from its December peak. The Texas senator also leads Trump in a one-on-one contest. The problem for Cruz, and the anti-Trump campaign, is the schedule of upcoming primaries, which favor the New York real-estate-developer-turned-Reality-TV-star. On Tuesday, Florida will hold its winner-take-all 99-delegate primary, a critical step toward amassing the 1,237 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination. Additionally, Illinois and Ohio, where Trump also leads in polls, vote on March 15. Trump currently holds 458 delegates to Cruz's 359. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are headed to Miami for the next Democratic presidential debate, and given some surprising primary results this week, the event has taken on new urgency. The former secretary of state and the Vermont senator will debate for the second time in four days Wednesday at Miami Dade Community College. The showdown, set to start at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time, will be hosted by Univision and the Washington Post and broadcast in both English and Spanish. The event comes on the heels of what was a surprising evening in primary voting on the Democratic side. Clinton, who polls showed with a double-digit lead in the days heading into the Michigan primary, suffered a stunning defeat by Sanders in the Wolverine State. The senator narrowly defeated the former first lady with about 49.9% support compared to her 48.2%. In an email to supporters, the Sanders camp called its Michigan win a "major, game-changing victory" for its campaign. "What tonight means is that the Bernie Sanders campaign, the people's -- the revolution -- the people's revolution that we are talking about, the political revolution that we are talking about, is strong in every part of the country, and frankly, we believe that our strongest areas are yet to happen," Sanders said in a speech delivered at a rally in Miami Tuesday evening, emphasizing that he expects to do well in primary voting on the West Coast as well. The night wasn't an all-around victory for Sanders, however. Clinton landed a sizable victory in Mississippi, which also held its Democratic and Republican primaries Tuesday, pulling in 82.6% of the vote compared to Sanders' 16.5%. In an email to supporters of her campaign sent Tuesday, Clinton's team made a nod to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, who notched primary wins in Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii and came in second to Ted Cruz in Idaho (Hawaii and Idaho will hold Democratic primary voting later this month). "The forces trying to drive us apart are strong. But I believe our campaign and our country should be about breaking barriers and building on what made America great in the first place," the email reads. "America's diversity is a strength, not a weakness. Trying to divide this country between 'us' and 'them' is simply wrong. Our mission is to do as much good as we can for the most people we can -- we have to open our hearts to helping others." Tuesday's primary surprise in Michigan doesn't doom Clinton's campaign, but it does demonstrate that all is not said and done in the Democratic race. In a separate email sent Wednesday morning, camp Hillary had a more somber tone, albeit not defeated. "We've all known that this primary isn't over, and last night's results reminded us we still need to fight for every last state and delegate," the email reads. Wednesday's debate will give Clinton a chance to continue her fight for the nomination against Sanders, who at Sunday's presidential debate in Flint, Mich. showed more bite than he has in showdowns past. He hit her on his usual talking points -- her super PAC, Wall Street ties and speeches at Goldman Sachs -- and made a strong attack on her previous support of free trade and agreements like NAFTA. After Clinton discussed her "carrots and sticks" approach to keeping jobs in the United States, Sanders retorted: "I am very glad ... that Secretary Clinton discovered religion on this issue, but it's a little bit too late. Secretary Clinton supported virtually every one of the disastrous trade agreements written by corporate America." The former New York senator came with her own ammo on Sanders, calling him out for voting against the auto bailout in 2009. "If everybody had voted the way he did, I believe the auto industry would have collapsed, taking four million jobs with it," she said. At tonight's debate, both Clinton and Sanders will be looking ahead to primary voting in states like Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio next week. According to RealClearPolitics averages, Clinton holds a comfortable lead nationally and state-by-state, but given yesterday's Michigan shocker, it could still be anybody's game. Americans are still lagging behind in their savings although gas prices reached record lows and other discretionary items have also declined. That's in part because, consumers, especially Millennials, are faced with large amounts of student loans and credit card debt. Despite the fact that gasoline prices have stayed under $2.75 a gallon in many states for over a year and mortgage rates have stayed below 4% for over 52 weeks, consumers are still struggling to save with low wage growth and rising health care costs. The average household saved $660 in 2015 from lower fuel prices and is predicted to save $300 this year, said Timothy Hess, a lead analyst for the Energy Information Administration, the independent statistical arm of the Department of Energy based in Washington, D.C. Gasoline consumption increased slightly in 2015 by 3% from the previous year after a trend of flat to declining in recent years. The amount of household debt has grown modestly during the last three months of 2015, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in a February report. Consumers are keeping up with their payments of auto loans, mortgages, credit cards, student loans and home equity lines of credit with only 5.4% of debt in a stage of delinquency, which is the lowest rate since the second quarter of 2007. Homeowners are paying their mortgages on time, and only 2.2% of them were delinquent 90 days or more, a slight improvement from 2.3 % in the third quarter. Since 2008, these delinquencies have dipped to their lowest level. Non-housing debt balances have been rising, but the same cannot be said for mortgages, said Andrew Haughwout, senior vice president at the New York Fed. Mortgages are being paid down faster, helping to offset the generally rising volume of originations. Why Consumers Arent Saving Wage growth has remained anemic across many industries, and the average consumer is still living very close to the edge with little or no personal savings, said Bruce McClary, spokesman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization. Credit card debt rose from last year, and the rates of auto debt have continued to increase since mid 2011, the New York Fed said in a report. Only 52% of consumers have more emergency savings than credit card debt, according to a recent Bankrate report. The percentage has remained unchanged since 2011, reflecting a lack of progress despite the stock market making massive gains and the unemployment rate plummeting. Only two-thirds of Americans said in a 2015 Gallup poll that they have enough money to live comfortably with 67% of Baby Boomers agreeing to this sentiment compared to 62% of Millennials and 61% of Gen X-ers. The amount of debt Americans carry is staggering and grows every day, said John Fleming, chief scientist of marketplace consulting and human sigma at Gallup. The glaring issue is that Millennials who lack enough money to live comfortably are relying on credit card debt to survive. They have three times the amount of credit card debt compared to other age groups and also have 8% more total consumer debt, the report said. These same Millennials also maintain more auto loan and personal loan debt compared to Millennials who earn enough money. A third of consumers told the NFCC in a poll that they have no money saved for emergencies, which means many of them wind up forced to use credit cards to fund unexpected car repairs or if they become ill. Without a cash safety net, people often turn to the most readily available source of credit to cover everything, even the most basic living expenses, said McClary. While the minimum payments may be affordable at first, they will increase as the balance grows due to continued credit card use. Faced with $1.3 trillion in student loan debt, Millennials are also saddled with large amounts of credit card debt. Many college graduates start their professional lives with little or no savings, jobs paying at the bottom of the scale and a mountain of college debt to repay, he said. Piling high interest credit card debt on top of everything else is a recipe for financial disaster. Paying down debt remains a priority for many consumers with 49% who plan to save the money from their tax refunds instead of shopping, the highest percentage since the survey was conducted by the National Retail Federation, the Washington, D.C. retail trade group. The survey showed that 65.5% expect to receive a refund with 34.9% who plan to use the money to pay their debt and 22.4% said the extra money will be used for their everyday expenses. For Millennials or those ages 25 to 34, 52.3% will save the refund money while 45% will use the money to pay their debt. Items That Are Cheaper Now Mobile phones, flat screen TVs and computers have all declined in prices over the past five years, and the proliferation of online and mobile shopping has made comparing prices and bargain hunting for clothing and even mundane household items much easier. The recent rebound in the stock market from the lows of January could lead to a manifestation of the wealth effect among consumers, said Robert Johnson, president of The American College of Financial Services in Bryn Mawr, Pa. When the stock market is in a bullish cycle and rising, consumers often feel wealthier and the likelihood of them making discretionary purchases tends to rise. The same effect comes into play with the real estate market is robust and homeowners believe they have an increased amount of home equity, he said. Gallup has asked Americans since 2001 whether they enjoy saving or spending money. During the Great Recession in 2009, only 39% of Americans enjoyed spending money more than saving it -- a percentage that dipped to 35% in 2014. By 2015, the spending preference rose to 37%. The current research indicates that 39% of consumers said they enjoy spending money more than saving it. People are more willing to make both big ticket purchases such as a new car and smaller purchases like new clothes because they feel wealthier, Johnson said. Likewise when the stock market or real estate markets are bearish, people feel poorer and are unwilling to make discretionary purchases. Of course, that psychological approach can lead to false confidence: instead of socking away money for a rainy day as a cushion against hard times, Americans are spending. When they don't take advantage certain opportunitis to capitalize on savings when expenses are cheaper or when they're overwhelmed by the challenge of stagnant wages and rising costs in other categories, that's a dangerous proposition that can lead them down the path of incurring debt. Honda (HMC) took the wraps off its latest U.S. factory, a small plant in Marysville, Ohio, intended as a showplace for manufacturing the Acura NSX supercar, which goes on sale in a month or so. Honda, the first Japanese automaker to build cars in the U.S. in 1982, is trying to revitalize its Acura luxury brand with the latest generation of NSX. The first NSX, a low-slung two-seater meant to compete with Ferrari and Porsche models, was introduced in 1990 and discontinued in 2005. Journalists have been touring Acura's Performance Manufacturing Center, though Honda has embargoed details of the assembly process until March 17. The factory is likely to be open to prospective NSX customers and perhaps the public, much like European factories owned by Ferrari and Porsche that operate tours. The facility is located near Honda's existing factories and research center, about 40 miles from Columbus, Ohio. "All the details of when and how we will allow non-Honda personnel into the plant haven't been decided," said Sage Marie, a Honda spokesman. "We are bringing attention to our elite brand and the top vehicle in its model line." Honda, which was the first Japanese automaker to introduce a luxury automobile in the U.S. with its Legend sedan in 1986, has been frustrated in its quest to elevate Acura to the same prestige and desirability as Lexus, Audi and other elite brands. Last July, Honda replaced Mike Accavitti, a former Cisco Systems and Chrysler marketer, as head of the brand with Jon Ikeda, a Honda designer. The automaker's recently promoted CEO, Takahiro Hachigo, last week announced a broad shakeup of top global management aimed at improving quality and energizing the automaker in the wake of massive recalls of its vehicles due to faulty airbags made by Takata. With higher prestige and stronger demand from wealthier consumers, automakers are able to charge more for luxury-branded vehicles and realize higher profit margins than for mainstream brands. General Motors (GM) is in the midst of revitalizing its Cadillac brand in an effort to improve the division's financial results. Year-to-date sales of Acura models in the U.S. are down 7.8%, though roughly equal to Audi, which are up 2.5%. The U.S. new-vehicle market is up 3.4% through March 1. Honda likely is modeling its effort to upgrade Acura on European luxury brands like Volkswagen's (VLKAY) Porsche brand, which has built an extremely classy plant in Leipzig, Germany, that features glass, wood, high-end lighting and other features usually found in showrooms rather than in factories. Porsche customers can watch the assembly of the brand's Cayenne, Macan and Panamera models, as well as visit test tracks oriented toward driving instruction, complete with restaurants where gourmet meals are served. But Honda, which is known more for the utilitarian nature of its products and the egalitarian spirit of its workforce, may find the elitist nature of German luxury brands challenging to emulate. Doron Levin is the host of "In the Driver Seat," broadcast on SiriusXM Insight 121, Saturday at noon, encore Sunday at 9 a.m. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. Shares of EQT Midstream Partners (EQM) are only down 7% in the past year, far less than most other pipeline players. Libby Toudouze, portfolio manager and partner at Cushing Asset Management, said EQT is outperforming its MLP peers because of strength in its downstream-related business. "More than 80% of EQT's business is fee-based and they are a demand-pull pipeline, which means they are going to the downstream users," said Toudouze. "That part of the business is doing very well and we are seeing some volume increases because prices are so cheap." Sunoco Logistics Partners (SXL) is down 35% in the past year, pushing its yield to almost 7%. Nevertheless, Toudouze said the Philadelphia, PA-based natural gas transporter has a big natural gas liquids business that will help turn around the company's fortunes. "They are in a fantastic position to be the dominant player in exporting natural gas liquids to Europe," said Toudouze. "They continue to grow their cash flows and distribution, yet the stock price has taken a big hit." Shares of VTTI Energy Partners (VTTI) have dropped 23% in the last 12 months. The London-based crude oil terminal and storage company yields 6.3%. Toudouze said its storage business is performing well due to the excess supply of crude oil in the global marketplace. "They grew their distribution last year 15% and they expect to be able to grow it the next two years," said Toudouze. "You don't see that reflected in the stock price, but the operating business is actually doing very well." Finally, Toudouze is positive on shares of Targa Resources (TRGP) although they are down 71% in the past year due to the company's commodity exposure. The Houston, Texas-based natural gas processor and transporter yields 12.3%. "They have access to the capital markets and they just rolled up their MLP into their GP, which will allow them to save some cash and deleverage a little bit," said Toudouze. "We believe they have a good business going forward." NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Pfizer (PFE) stock is climbing by 1.18% to $29.70 in afternoon trading on Wednesday, after the biopharmaceutical company entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement with Goldman Sachs (GS) to repurchase $5 billion of Pfizer's common stock. An accelerated share repurchase is an agreement between a public company and investment bank in which the public company can buy shares of its common stock at a quickened pace, TheStreet's Jim Cramer and Jack Mohr explain. About 136 million of the shares to be repurchased will be received by Pfizer tomorrow. The repurchase will diminish the amount of Pfizer shares outstanding in the market, therefore boosting the stock price. Since Pfizer will pay 11.3 shares per share of Allergan (AGN) stock, according to the terms of the companies' pending merger, the repurchase will consequently raise the implied deal price for Allergan shares, Cramer and Mohr wrote this morning. "Today's news validates our long-held view that the disconnect between the merger's intrinsic value and current market value is fundamentally illogical," Cramer and Mohr contend, adding that the combined company will "create significant value for shareholders on both sides." (Pfizer is held in the Dividend Stock Advisor portfolio. See all holdings here.) Separately, TheStreet Ratings team rates the stock as a "hold" with a ratings score of C. Pfizer's strengths such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and expanding profit margins are countered by weaknesses including deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity and weak operating cash flow. You can view the full analysis from the report here: PFE TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this article's author. PFE data by YCharts NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of Cliffs Natural Resources (CLF) are down 1.1% to $2.69 on Wednesday afternoon as iron ore prices decline. Ore with 62% content delivered to Qingdao dropped 8.8% to $58.02 a dry metric ton, according to data from Metal Bulletin cited by Bloomberg. The price decreased 0.2% yesterday. On Monday, iron ore prices soared 19%, to the highest since June on investors' hopes that the Chinese government would boost economic growth. "We have seen this surprising blip on Monday into the $60s, we don't think it will stay there and it will come back," Morgan Ball, managing director of junior producer BC Iron, told reporters in Australia, according to Bloomberg. "You may see it settle in that $45-to-$55 range, which is a number that is potentially interesting to us," he added. This week's fluctuations have been propelled by shifts in futures in China, Cliffs Natural Resources CEO Lourenco Goncalves told Bloomberg. The price is controlled by the futures market and speculation on the Dalian exchange, Goncalves noted. "It has no correlation at this point with the physical market," he said. Cliffs Natural Resources is a Cleveland, OH-based mining and natural resources company. Separately, TheStreet Ratings Team has a "Sell" rating with a score of D on the stock. This is driven by several weaknesses, which should have a greater impact than any strengths, and could make it more difficult for investors to achieve positive results compared to most of the stocks covered. The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its feeble growth in its earnings per share, weak operating cash flow, generally disappointing historical performance in the stock itself and poor profit margins. Recently, TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this articles's author. You can view the full analysis from the report here: CLF CLF data by YCharts NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Allergan (AGN) stock is climbing 1.41% to $288.59 in afternoon trading Wednesday as the pharmaceutical company is set to benefit from Pfizer's (PFE) share repurchase. Pfizer has entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement with Goldman Sachs (GS) to repurchase $5 billion of Pfizer's common stock. The accelerated share repurchase agreement will immediately reduce the number of Pfizer shares outstanding in the market, consequently boosting the value of Pfizer's price per share, TheStreet's Jim Cramer and Jack Mohr explained this morning. Under the terms of Pfizer and Allergan's merger agreement, Pfizer will pay 11.3 shares per share of Allergan (AGN) stock. When the price of Pfizer shares increases, so too will the implied deal price for Allergan shares. "Today's news validates our long-held view that the disconnect between the merger's intrinsic value and current market value is fundamentally illogical. That said, there isn't much else to do other than wait," Cramer and Mohr state. The merger is expected to close during the second half of 2016. (Facebook is held in Jim Cramer's charitable trust Action Alerts PLUS. See all of his holding with a free trial (link).) Separately, TheStreet Ratings team rates the stock as a "hold" with a ratings score of C. Allergan's strengths such as its robust revenue growth, growth in earnings per share and increase in net income are countered by the fact that the stock has had a decline in price during the past year. You can view the full analysis from the report here: AGN TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this article's author. AGN data by YCharts With the added boost of an upgrade from Wolfe Research and a price increase from Credit Suisse, Chevron (CVX) is adding another 6% of upside today. This powerful surge extends the stock's rally off this month's low to nearly 12%. Chevron is now challenging heavy resistance near the December peak as it leaves layers of support behind. The stock appears to have a solid foundation underneath as it finally begins a fresh bull leg. After mounting a huge recovery move off the August low, Chevron ran into a wall near its declining 200-day moving average. The stock failed near this key long-term indicator as November began. Soon after, Chevron began a steady decline that featured three straight lower monthly highs, two of which were also capped at the 200-day. A little over three weeks ago, the stock hit the 200-day and pulled back, for what now looks like the last time. Chevron's fade following the Feb. 22 test of the 200-day was well-contained. The stock confirmed a higher monthly low late in the month and now has a second straight higher monthly low in place. This improving action set the stage for this week's convincing takeout of the heavy resistance zone near $90. With this level now cleared, Chevron has left behind major support near the January/February highs. If Chevron needs a pullback before taking out the December high, patient investors should focus on the $90 area. A fade back down to this solid support area, which includes the previous two monthly highs, would provide investors with a very low-risk entry opportunity. Click here to see the below chart in a new window. Disclosure: This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author was long CVX. Research out of the University of Arizona is a wake up call: we toss 10% of the food we buy, claimed researcher Victoria Ligon, who quantified that waste at $400 per person. Put another way, when you spend $100 at Whole Foods, you probably just wasted a tenner. That is bad for your wallet. It also is bad for the planet. And it certainly does not help the tens of millions of Americans - and billions globally - who are chronically hungry. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) - which insisted that by its count maybe 40% of food is wasted - quantified the impacts: This amounts to approximately 25% of all freshwater, 4% of the oil we consume, and more than $165 billion all dedicated to producing food that never gets eaten. In other words, its not just a browned banana shoved down the garbage disposal. Its an economic and environmental problem. Note: experts squabble about how much food is wasted. Said Meghan Stasz, senior director, sustainability at the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and subject matter expert at the Food Waste Reduction Alliance (FWRA): Data around food waste is really difficult to get. Short of sorting through the trash at every home and apartment food waste, estimates are just ballpark guesses. Even so, Stasz pointed the finger of blame at us: The largest contributor of food waste is coming from consumers in their homes. Why? Restaurants make money selling food, not wasting it. Probably it is no coincidence that most buy perishables daily. As for grocery stores, they may have significant product approaching toss by dates - but they have gotten skilled at giving it to food banks and soup kitchens, so not much actually hits the dumpster anymore. The big question: how can we waste less? It starts with buying less of course - but that may also mean shopping more often, according to Ligon at the University of Arizona. Her point: shop once weekly and maybe you buy six tomatoes and three heads of lettuce but five days later one of the tomatoes is a rotten squishy mess and half of the last head of lettuce is a brown disaster, so you toss them. Buy two - or even three - times a week and, very probably, waste caused by fruits and vegetables and processed food rotting will plummet. Remember, that is a key to how restaurants minimize their waste. The same approach - frequent shopping - likely will slash at home waste too, suggested the experts. And whatever you do, just stop buying crates and boxes of perishables at big box stores. So much of it inevitably gets tossed. So, what else can we do to eat more of what we buy before it spoils? Marianna Milkis-Edwards, a 27-year-old in Phoenix who identified herself as an aspiring food entrepreneur, offered advice to gamify your eating. In my own kitchen, where the fridge is always stocked with produce, I treat it as a game," she said. "Every time I open the fridge, I note the produce that sits on the shelves and let my mind work on figuring out how to put together a dish that will use all of it up. I think it is extremely important to shop your fridge first before heading out to a supermarket. You can do still more. Advice from multiple experts is that if items in your pantry are nearing expiration dates and you dont plan to eat them, take a page from the grocery stores and donate the goods to soup kitchens. Most will be happy for the items even if the sell by date is today. More advice: if an apple is bruised, dont toss the whole piece of fruit. Cut out the bad part and eat the rest. Ditto for any fruit or veggie in your fridge. Almost always there will be edible parts. Use your past-prime or bruised fruit as a dessert or yogurt topping by cooking it down in a saucepan or using it in a muffin recipe, said Anna Castellani, the founder of Foragers Market, a craft grocery in New York City More advice: start composting waste and know that there are even composting sets for apartment dwellers. That turns waste food into something that in fact is very useful. The prime take-away: get conscious about what you buy. Keep a mental inventory. Plan consumption. And accept that whenever edibles are tossed its a loss - for your wallet and also the planet. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held TK positions in the stocks mentioned. Stocks in Europe and Japan are preferable over U.S. equities, but it is not solely because their central banks are piling on the monetary stimulus to support their economies, said Luca Paolini, chief market strategist at Pictet Asset Management. "We see an improvement in corporate earnings and valuations are also much better in Europe and Japan," said Paolini. "And we see more upside on margins, especially in Europe, compared to the U.S. where corporate margins are actually falling." In his view, Japanese equities remains very attractive because corporate profitability has held up well, even though valuations have not yet expanded. Meanwhile in Europe, corporate profit margins should receive a boost from low energy costs and a recovery in exports, according to Paolini. He said he expects monetary policy will also become more expansionary with the European Central Bank delivering more stimulus at its upcoming meeting, including the purchase of senior bank debt to alleviate the funding pressure in the sector. In terms of sectors, Paolini said consumer discretionary and technology companies are preferable as they stand to benefit from a rise in consumer spending. Consumer staples, meanwhile, look unattractive in his view as they are trading at their most expensive levels ever relative to other industry sectors. On the fixed income side, Paolini said valuations for U.S. high-yield bonds look particularly attractive. He said the market is mistakenly pricing in bond defaults climbing to around 13% despite positive trends in the economy such as lower energy costs and a buoyant consumer. As for currencies, emerging market local currency bonds are attractive, according to Paolini. He said proprietary indicators suggest economic activity has picked up considerably over the past three months across emerging markets, and manufacturing-based countries within Asia should lead the recovery over the coming months. Meanwhile, he said the British pound will most likely decline further in the lead-up to the UK referendum on EU membership. With the IRS tax deadline a month away, many Americans are worried about filing their returnsand who will do the math to determine how much they owe or will have refunded. That generally means depending on a paid preparer to do their bidding with the Internal Revenue Service. And even though 2015 federal returns won't be due until April 18 and even April 19 in Maine and Massachusetts -- thanks to Emancipation Day and Patriots' Day, respectively -- that extended deadline past the normal April 15 wont free filers from the stress of this obligationor ensure that theyll get a fair shake from tax preparers, who range from chains such as H&R Block to mom and pop operations. In fact, The Consumer Federation of America (CFA), which commissioned a multi-year poll in response to concerns about frequent errors and fraud committed by paid tax preparers used by millions of Americans, found that the risk of getting less than youre entitled to from a prepare-filed return can be huge. Errors on tax forms put consumers at risk of fines and lost tax refunds, yet few states have taken action to ensure that tax preparers are licensed and trained and disclose what are often high and unpredictable upfront list fees, said Tom Feltner, the CFAs director of financial services. The CFA used "mystery shoppers" to test tax preparers and found what it called incompetence and fraud in 24% of preparer-filed tax returns examined from the 2008 tax year. Those percentages jumped to 44% in 2011 and 93% of returns in 2015. The existence of a significant amount of preparer errors was also found by the federal governments General Accountability Office (GAO) in 2014, when it sent undercover investigators to 19 randomly selected tax preparation firms. Only two of the 19, or 11% of the returns examined, had the correct refund amount. Despite the epidemic of problems with paid preparers, which federal and state governments are aware of, only four statesCalifornia, Maryland, New York and Oregonhave mandatory standards for paid tax preparers who are not enrolled agents, lawyers or Certified Public Accountants. Much of the existing problems stem from a 2014 court decision, when a federal appeals court in the District of Columbia ruled that the IRS did not have the right to regulate tax preparers without action from Congress. Consumer advocates have redoubled their efforts to get state government to take up the slack, since state legislatures have the authority to implement rudimentary consumer protections for taxpayers without federal ascent. You wouldnt give your Social Security number to your hair stylist or your bank account information to a hot dog vendor, said Ali Mickelson, director of tax and legislative policy for the Colorado Fiscal Institute. Yet these people are more regulated than tax preparers entrusted with your most sensitive financial information. Meanwhile, the business opportunity for these largely unregulated preparers continues to grow. With budget cuts at the IRS that limit customer service, more and more people will need to consult a paid tax preparer to get help with their taxes, said Linda Sherry, San Francisco-based Consumer Action's director of national priorities. New consumer protections must be adopted to prevent errors and fraud and ensure that taxpayers can rely on the advice they are paying for. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. FILE - In this March 3, 2016 file photo, Officer William Porter, right, one of six Baltimore city police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray, arrives to Maryland Court of Appeals in Annapolis, Md. Marylands highest court has ruled on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, that Porter must testify against his colleagues while he awaits retrial. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Lee White speaks during a news conference Monday, March 7, 2016, with a photo of Kyle Andrew Odom in the background in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. An Idaho pastor who led the prayer at a weekend campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz was gunned down outside his church the following day but was expected to survive. The Coeur d'Alene Police Department said it is looking for local resident Odom, 30, a decorated former Marine who should be considered armed and dangerous. (Kathy Plonka/The Spokesman-Review, via AP) Danielle Jackson fills out her ballot during the primary election at the Fort Gratiot Township Hall on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 in Fort Gratiot, Mich. Presidential candidates in both parties were looking to Michigan on Tuesday for one of the largest delegate hauls in the bruising nominating contests. (Jeffrey M. Smith/The Times Herald via AP) Hospital acquires new surgical robotics technology Burke Health announced the purchase of new robotics technology for use during spine surgical procedures last week. The Globus ExcelsiusGPS is a revolutionary robotic navigation platform system designed to be intuitive and streamline the surgical workflow. Real-time tracking of instruments and implants, along with audible, visual and tactile feedback, enables... County center wins senior trike Local seniors now have access to an adult tricycle. Director Kimberly Mathis attended the Move Augusta Senior Expo and Bike Rodeo sponsored by Augusta Urban Ministries October 8. The event, held at The Salvation Army Kroc Center, was aimed at people over 50 years old, and included resources and health... 4-H Food Challenge Team takes State For the first time, Burke County 4-H decided to put together a junior food challenge team this summer. Teams are compromised of 2-4 students in the 6th-8th grades. This competition is very competitive and teams must advance to state after the district competition. Our team started practicing weekly in July... County rehashes trash problem I am bringing up the trash again, Commissioner Evans Martin said during the October 11 meeting. We have to do something about the trash. Martin asked that the record show that he wants to do something about the countys dumpster sites. He made a suggestion that eliminating 10 sites would... Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said Tuesday he is hopeful that missing Flight 370 will still be found as lawmakers observed a moment of silence in Parliament to mark the second anniversary of the planes disappearance. Najib said the wing part found on Frances Reunion Island last July was evidence the flight tragically ended in the southern Indian Ocean. An ongoing search is expected to be completed later this year and he said Malaysia remains hopeful that the plane will be found. If the search turns up nothing, he said, Malaysia, Australia and China will hold a meeting to determine the way forward. The search has been the most challenging in aviation history, Najib said in a statement. We remain committed to doing everything within our means to solving what is an agonizing mystery for the loved ones of those who were lost. The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 jet vanished mysteriously with 239 people on board while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. After two years, it remains one of the biggest mysteries in modern aviation. The Australian-led search effort has spent more than $130 million looking through a vast area of the Indian Ocean nearly 4 miles (6.5 kilometers) deep. Investigators have said the search will end by June unless fresh clues are found. Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said crews have combed about three-quarters of the 120,000-square-kilometer (46,000-square-mile) search zone. He said the government is waiting for verification of two more possible pieces of debris, which were discovered recently in Mozambique and Reunion island. The international investigating team issued an interim statement as required by international aviation laws on the anniversary of the planes disappearance, but didnt provide any fresh clues about the cause. The statement said a final report will be completed only when the aircraft wreckage is located or the search for the wreckage is terminated. Families of those on board have appealed to authorities to keep the search alive. In Beijing, a large group of Chinese relatives gathered at a Buddhist temple Tuesday, burning incense and praying to deities for their loved ones. My hope is that they will find the plane. I also hope that the Malaysian side will not stop the search and that they will continue until they find the plane. I heard they are going to stop. That cannot happen, said Zhang Qian, whose husband, Wang Houbin, was among 153 Chinese citizens on the plane. Some still held on to hope that their loved ones are alive, with several relatives holding placards that read Mom is waiting for you and Pray for the planes safe return. We think our relatives are alive. We know this feeling is not very scientific, but we strongly believe this, said Dai Shuqin, a 62-year-old woman whose younger sister was on the flight. (AP) YWN-ISRAEL reported that prominent roshei yeshiva have released a letter clearly spelling out the prohibition of chareidim attending institutions of higher education. Prominent roshei yeshiva including HaGaon Rav David Cohen Shlita (Chevron), HaGaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch Shlita (Slobodka), HaGaon Rav Yigal Rosen Shlita (Ohr Yisrael), HaGaon HaRav Aviezer Filch Shlita (Tifrach), and HaGaon HaRav Nosson Zuchovsky Shlita signed a letter expressing adamant opposition to chareidi women entering higher education. The rabbonim explain that in line with guidelines set forth by gedolei yisrael, there is an Infiltration of unacceptable content and venues in these programs. A number of people interviewed with Mordechai Lavi on Kol Chai Radio on Tuesday morning, 28 Adar-I. following is a synopsis of the main points made during their interviews. Nati Gamliel is the spokesman of the chareidi student bodies in the Ono Academic College and Bar Ilan University. Shmuel Chaim Peppenheim, a resident of Ramat Beit Shemesh, is often viewed as an unofficial spokesman of the Eida Chareidis. He grew up in Meah Shearim and is somewhat of a renegade. While still a member of this community, he has received a secular education as he indicates in the interview. He is also a journalist and has written a biography of Rabbi Amram Blau of Neturei Karta. Attorney Rav Dov Halbertal is a university lecturer and was often a spokesman for Maran HaGaon HaRav Sholom Elyashiv ZTL, having been very close to the late gadol hador during the last years of his life. He attended Netiv Meir High School and learned in Yeshivat Har Tzion in Gush Etzion prior to becoming chareidi. He began studying dayanus and then entered law school. Kol Chai: Why are the gedolim speaking out so harshly? Do you understand why now? Gamliel: There is disagreement in this area. I have been involved for about six years and I have learned there are rabbonim who agree, while others, even prominent gedolim instruct talmidim to continue learning higher education. Correct, this is on an individual level, not the tzibur at large. Kol Chai: Being in the heart of the higher education world, can you at least understand the concern of gedolim? Gamliel: I personally do not understand. I am familiar with a number of institutions of higher education that offer a bachelors and the atmosphere for the chareidi programs are exactly what they should be and not at all compromising conditions regarding the spiritual concerns of these students. Kol Chai: Shmuel Chaim, can you explain where the issues are? Peppenheim: The content at times is the issue, which includes how we portray the past including the enlightenment era and so forth. There is no escaping this and there is no denying this is part of every curriculum. Much of what is taught is apikorsus and this chas vsholom brings some people to thinking and questioning what they learned in the past in their chareidi world and what they are taught today. Almost everyone attending higher education is subjected to problematic content at some point and this is unavoidable. Kol Chai: What do you say about the strong position of gedolei yisrael? Peppenheim: Their words are strong and difficult to hear for those who received or in higher education. It is difficult for them to adhere to the words of the gedolim. However, nothing here is now for this discussion and debate has been taking place for years. I have received higher education but currently, I am not enrolled. Hence, I have to think about your question, which is not a simple one to answer. This argument took place among gedolei yisrael for years and it is unfortunate that it now appears in absolute terms in chareidi newspapers. Today there are about 10,000 chareidim in higher education today. What will become of them? This matter is not as simple as some believe it to be. Kol Chai: Are you going to stop in higher education? Peppenheim: You cannot ask like this. There are many elements involved. The fact that I am from Eida Chareidis roots is irrelevant for this impacts many people from all walks of chareidi life and the matter is far more complicated and demands a broader response. We must understand the colleges are not built by chareidim but others, and while curriculum and atmosphere is designed to meet the needs of chareidim, there are issues and there are problems. Add this to the fact the gedolim are most concerned over the intrusion of technology into our lives and they fear the widespread impact this will have on Jewish homes and families. Gamliel: My head is not in the sand and I am aware there are institutions with problems. However, I feel we the chareidim are to blame for as a tzibur we are not acting to create the institution that will meet the standards of gedolim for we need the tools to permit people to make a living. Kol Chai: We cannot just say we need to make a living. There are things that are prohibited and having to make a parnasa is not a heter to engage in things that are prohibited. Even regarding parnasa there are limits as to what is permitted. Maran HaGaon HaRav Sholom Elyashiv ZTL released a letter five years ago that was crystal clear and it is forbidden for all, men and women to enter higher education. Gamliel: There is still a difference between the tzibur and an individual who has permission as mentioned earlier. There are about 10,000 students today and about 9,000 graduates already, which is divided 50/50 between men and women. Kol Chai: Can you tell me honestly if you have changed as a result of higher education? Peppenheim: Yes. As a result, I am closer to the yekke part of the Eida Hashkafa of Torah Im Derech Eretz and further from other aspects. The Eida is a mixture of four hashkafos and today I identify more with R Shimshon Refael Hirsch ZTL. One cannot deny that I have changed as does everyone. One does not leave college the same way one enters, speaking about chareidim and there is a change. Kol Chai: For years you are introduced as one who was extremely close to Rav Elyashiv yet you are a product of the university system and a lecturer in universities. Halbertal: One must differentiate between the individual and the tzibur. In addition, I come from a different background (dati leumi) and for me, I was there, which is different from the present. Listen to what the rabbonim hear how we constantly hear we want to bring the chareidim into the workplace, to integrate them into the nation which is the opposite of what the rabbonim want and what we need. Then we can address the matter of mixed classes and campuses. One cannot deny there are serious issues that must be addressed pertaining to attending an institute of higher education. The big picture is that this changes the person and the level of commitment and adherence to Torah and Mitzvos, not just the individual, but the entire household Take for example one who never had an iPhone or internet. Yesterday he lived without it. In actuality, he was not even aware it existed or what it was and today, he cannot live without it. We cannot deny the impact, long lasting, and the issue is complex and not one that impacts the tzibur at large. Anyone attending college will change for it is simply a psik reisha and this is indisputable. One cannot say there are not exceptions but I am speaking in general terms from my experience and that of many others whom I know. If the higher education institutions in Israel open their doors to the chareidi tzibur at large, the torah world will collapse. To state there are 10,000 students from the chareidi community in colleges and universities today is also not accurate for they are not all what we would call chareidi. Kol Chai: I guess you can compare this to Nachal Chareidi in the IDF where most are no longer what is called a chareidi in Israel either. END A student who did not wish to be identified told Kol Chai Radio after hearing Halbertal that in addition to everything he said, one must realize you are sucked in, explaining one must have internet and WhatsApp already you are in another place, one that is foreign and dangerous. She concluded I know for I did it and one does not emerge the same person. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) In an effort to prevent New York State from providing financial support to the Islamic Republic of Iran, Assemblymembers Nily Rozic (D-Fresh Meadows), Todd Kaminsky (D- Five Towns) and Phil Goldfeder (D Far Rockaway) have sponsored legislation that would continue efforts to bar Iranian access to state funds and contracts. This proposal comes amid strong opposition to the Obama Administrations Iran Deal and escalating violence perpetrated by Iranian-backed groups in the ongoing Syrian Civil War. This bill is about ensuring New York State can exercise its legal authority in prohibiting companies from doing business in Irans energy sector, said Assemblywoman Nily Rozic, who is the first Israeli member elected to the State Legislature. In keeping existing sanctions against Iran, we are sending a strong message that the State will not stand for any threat against the security of its citizens and disruption of global stability. Recently, Iran held our soldiers and fellow Americans hostage, pledged to compensate the families of terrorists who perpetrate horrific acts of terror in Israel, and intends to get its hands on nuclear weapons to carry out more atrocities, both against our allies abroad, as well as right here at home, said Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky. It is time for us to act and ensure that the worlds leading state sponsor of terrorism does not have the fiscal means to acquire nuclear capabilities and inflict more harm upon the world, and thats exactly what this bill will do. Iran is a leading sponsor of terrorism as well as a major threat to global stability, and the recent Iran Deal has only emboldened them to continue their dangerous activities. When Washington fails to act, our great state must be prepared to stand up to this terrorist menace, said Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder. The New York State Iran Divestment Act will ensure that our families hard-earned tax dollars do not go towards Irans efforts to undermine countries across the Middle East and threaten Israels right to exist as a Democratic, Jewish nation. I am proud to lead this effort and I urge all my colleagues to join in support. The bill would build on New Yorks long history as a leader in applying pressure to Iran and its leadership. According to the legislation, it would update the Iran Divestment Act of 2012 to ensure that laws provisions would remain in effect regardless of recent negotiations between the Obama Administration and Iranian officials to end long-running sanctions in exchange for a halt to Irans nuclear weapon. Under the 2012 Act, the State Office of General Services (OGS) is required to identify individuals or entities that invest more than $20 million in goods services or credit in the Iranian energy sector. Those identified and added to the OGS list are then prohibited from entering into or renewing contracts with New York State and local governments. This list can be found on the OGS website. Kaminsky, Rozic and Goldfeder have been a staunch supporters of efforts to fight terrorism and keep in place state sanctions and divestment against the Iranian regime. Last fall, they led a bipartisan coalition urging Governor Cuomo to continue state sanctions against Iran. This push came just days ahead of the vote in Congresss on President Obamas proposed Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to lift international sanctions. Sadly, our families in New York know the threat of terrorism all too well. It would be irresponsible of us not to do everything in our power to prevent state sponsors of terrorism like Iran from spreading evil across the globe. Cutting their funding off at the source is an important step, concluded Goldfeder. (YWN Desk NYC) Federal prosecutors will not bring criminal charges in the case of an unarmed black teenager who was shot to death in his home by a white New York City police officer, officials said Tuesday. The U.S. attorneys office in Manhattan said prosecutors found insufficient evidence to pursue federal charges in the 2012 death of Ramarley Graham and have officially concluded their investigation. The 18-year-old was shot in the bathroom of his Bronx home by an officer who had barged inside during a drug investigation. He was killed in front of his grandmother and 6-year-old brother. In a statement Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said his office conducted a thorough and independent investigation, but determined there is insufficient evidence to meet the high burden of proof required for a federal criminal civil rights prosecution. Prosecutors have said police first encountered Graham when they spotted him and two other people walking into a Bronx bodega in the afternoon of Feb. 2, 2012 and then immediately walking out. The officers, who were conducting a street narcotics investigation, said they saw Graham adjusting his waistband and told fellow officers they believed he had a gun. Police followed him to his Bronx home. An officer made his way into the home and forced his way into a bathroom and shot Graham once. Richard Haste, the officer who shot Graham, said he fired his weapon because he thought he was going to be shot. No weapons were found in the apartment. Haste was initially indicted in the Bronx on a state manslaughter charge, but a judge dismissed the case after determining that prosecutors improperly instructed grand jurors. A new grand jury declined to re-indict the officer. After the shooting, Haste was stripped of his badge and gun and assigned to the departments fleet services division, officials said, but an internal disciplinary proceeding against him has been on hold pending the outcome of the federal investigation. In that time, Haste has received raises guaranteed by his union contract. A spokesman for the New York Police Department said Tuesday that Haste is currently on modified assignment. Hes gratified that the federal government has properly determined that there were no civil rights violations, Hastes attorney, Stuart London, said. There never were any winners in this case because there was a loss of life. Grahams family received a $3.9 million settlement from New York City. Last month, Grahams parents and civil rights activists held an overnight protest at Bhararas office, sleeping on the concrete steps of the Manhattan office building, protesting what they believed was a lag in the investigation. They have also repeatedly sent letters to local and federal officials calling for Haste to be fired. Grahams father, Frank Graham, told the New York Daily News that Tuesdays decision was heartbreaking and frustrating. But well just move onto the next fight which is firing the officers immediately, he said. The Rev. Al Sharpton, who delivered the eulogy at Grahams funeral, said the decision to not pursue federal charges against the officer was very painful for Grahams family and the public. Grahams death has been cited during numerous demonstrations after grand juries in Missouri and New York declined to indict police officers in the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner on Staten Island. The deaths fueled a national conversation about policing and race. A federal grand jury is currently hearing evidence in Garners case. (AP) In the long, bitter and testosterone-rich rivalry between the New York Police Department and the FBI, few things aggravated the G-men more than the repeated towing of their cars by the local cops. And the practice was one of the first things that NYPD Commissioner William Bratton banned when he took over in late 2013 and tried to defuse tensions with his most important counterterrorism partner. Relations between the NYPD and the FBI, never warm, deteriorated sharply after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks when the countrys largest police force transformed its own intelligence division and expanded its counterterrorism work well beyond the city limits, brushing up against the bureaus prerogatives. But Bratton, who has hired some prominent FBI personnel into the NYPD, has purged much of the bad blood, drawing praise for ending turf wars that potentially endangered the city. If there is a glitch in this one . . . thats going to be a big deal, said John Miller, the NYPD deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism who also spent years working for the FBI. Its a no brainier to work together, said Diego G. Rodriguez, a Queens native whos in charge of the FBI New York Field Office, adding, I dont know how to do business any other way. I am from here. Under the previous police commissioner and his chief of the intelligence division, the NYPD saw the FBI as more rival than partner. The NYPD tried to limit the FBIs visibility into its intelligence operations, raising concerns among federal agents that some investigations werent being done properly. But with the arrival of Bratton, FBI officials now have a seat at the NYPDs weekly intelligence collection meeting. The FBI and NYPD have also swapped intelligence analysts as part of a 3-month-old pilot program; previous exchanges involved investigators. Miller said the relationship benefits from his time working at the FBI. It helps to speaks fluent FBI, he says. The NYPD also hired Peter Donald, a former FBI spokesman in New York, as director of communication, a key role in handling crises and reducing friction. More importantly, the two sides are working together, officials said. Last summer as the number of terrorism suspects linked to the Islamic State spiked, the Joint Terrorism Task Force struggled to keep pace and found itself with more suspects than surveillance teams. Miller then shifted some of his teams doing lower-priority cases to help out. We benefit from John, said Carlos Fernandez, one of the FBIs most experienced counterterrorism agents, who overseas the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the largest in the country. The FBI also benefits from the NYPD. The police department has more than 100 officers on the JTTF, working among the 17 counterterrorism squads. About 25 percent of the officers on the task force are from the NYPD. Also helping to soothe relations are changes in the way the NYPD Intelligence Division conducts its operations, a flash point in previous years. After Muslims in New York successfully sued the police department, saying their constitutional rights were being violated by police surveillance practices, the NYPD, in response, updated its investigative guidelines, bringing them closer in line with the FBIs. Still, some of the old tensions can resurface. When a Muslim convert attacked four NYPD officers with a hatchet in 2014, Bratton called the incident a terrorism act. Police officials pointed to suspects extensive online history, but the FBI was more skeptical because his last overt contact in the days preceding the attack was with a black extremist not connected to a terrorism group. Police officials were irritated that the FBI didnt immediately back its assessment, a former bureau official said. FBI Director James B. Comey later said, There is no doubt it was terrorism. We had that conversation and moved on, Miller said. We made our point. Miller added that disagreements are inevitable, but they dont spill into the tabloids as they used to, with each side sniping at the other. Its a collective result of all this lowering of testosterone, Miller said. Perhaps the best evidence that the FBI has buried its grievances was the promotion in June 2014 of Paul Ciorra to become chief of operations of the Intelligence Division. Ciorra was at the center of one of the worst moments in NYPD-FBI history when police officers, without informing the bureau, approached an imam about a terrorism suspect involved in a plot to attack the subway system. The imam tipped off the suspect and enraged FBI agents who feared the investigation had been compromised. While not at fault, Ciorra was blamed and sent to the highway division. When Miller was considering candidates for the job in the intelligence division, he called the FBI to see if Ciorra was still radioactive and was told that it was all in the past. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Adam Goldman [COMMUNICATED CONTENT] Yosef Segal is a penniless orphan who has been fatherless since the age of 8. He acted with unbelievable mesiras nefesh on behalf of the klal when he tried to change a hideously biased law against frum people in Eretz Yisrael. For many years the Israeli government gave social security for orphans to Arabs until the age of 20, but to frum people only until the age of 18! Many askanim tried to fight this shocking bias but to no avail. Yosef Segal, himself an impoverished orphan, decided to lobby the Knesset single handedly in an attempt to change this law. He wanted to help both his struggling mother and all frum almanos of Eretz Yisrael. From the age of 17 until the age of 20, he went regularly to the Knesset, spoke to everyone possibleand finally succeeded. All the while, he remained a Ben Torah with shtark sheifos in learning. The new law is named for him Chok Segal giving frum children who have lost a parent, social security until the age of 20. YOSEF SEGAL IS NOW GETTING MARRIED TONIGHT!! Both for his great mesirus nefesh on behalf of the klal, and simply because he is a poor orphan, he deserves the help of the klal in return. All of the almanos of Eretz Yisrael benefitted from a fund of millions of shekels thanks to his devotion. Lets help him build his new life bsimcha and bkvod. Tax deductible checks can be made out to: American Friends of Kupat HaIr, Fund #4028 4415 14th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11219 Hotline (24 hour): 1-888-587-2842 Link to donate below Democrats won three of four special House elections on Tuesday, dealing a blow to Republican takeover attempts and solidifying power in the last legislative chamber in the South the party still controls. Just four months ago, the party lost four of six statewide elected offices in a debacle that led to two of its members switching parties in the House in what looked like the beginning of a Republican power grab. But Tuesdays victories energized a Democratic party that once dominated Southern politics with its coalition of conservative, mostly rural Democrats who preach states rights and limited government. The rebirth of the Democratic Party occurred tonight, House Speaker Greg Stumbo said. Democrats successfully defended seats in Greenup County near the border with Ohio and West Virginia and Christian and Trigg counties near the border with Tennessee. Those seats were vacated when new Republican Gov. Matt Bevin appointed their representatives to a pair of well-paid state jobs, sensing an opportunity to build on the momentum of his unexpected election in November. But Republicans failed to hold a seat in central Kentucky that was vacated by a popular young conservative who was elected the states agriculture commissioner in November. Republicans only win of the night came in Boyle and Casey counties, where attorney Daniel Elliott defeated former Navy fighter pilot Bill Noelker The victories give Democrats 53 of 100 seats in the House of Representatives. However, Republicans will try again in November, when all 100 seats will be up for re-election. With 91 Republicans on the ballot this fall, and with either Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton on the ballot as well, we like our odds in November, Bevin wrote on his Facebook page. In Greenup County, Democrat Lew Nicholls defeated Republican Tony Quillen in a district that hinged on union politics. Nicholls credited organized labor and public school teachers for powering him to victory in what he described as a rebuke of new Republican Gov. Matt Bevins policies. There was a lot at stake, and these are stakeholders in our community and they got out and they worked hard, Nicholls said. The victory by Democrats assures they will have at least the 51 votes they need to pass a budget that will most likely roll back most of Bevins proposed $650 million in spending cuts. Bevin has proposed using the savings to begin to pay down the states multibillion-dollar pension debt. But college and university presidents said the cuts would force them to raise tuition and could cause the elimination of some academic programs, while K-12 advocates said the cuts would hurt public preschool options. The Republicans are not funding education like they should in Frankfort, said 67-year-old Janet Covington, who voted for the Democratic candidate in Scott County on Tuesday. The winners can take the oath of office immediately after the State Board of Elections certifies the results at 1 p.m. on March 15. That just happens to be the day House Democrats plan to release their proposed budget. State Rep. Sannie Overly, who lost to Gov. Matt Bevin in November as Democratic nominee Jack Conways running mate, said in a news release the results were a repudiation of Gov. Bevins efforts to dismantle public education and health care. But later, Stumbo seemed to walk those comments back in anticipation of working with Bevin and the Republican-controlled Senate to pass a budget in the next few weeks. Were not in any way, form or fashion going to say that this is some sort of repudiation of Gov. Bevin. He has not been in office that much, Stumbo said. What it says is that people in Kentucky want us to work together. Democrats poured all of their resources into Tuesdays special elections, including Democratic President Barack Obama. The president recorded a robo call urging voters to elect African-American Democrat Jeffrey Taylor in Hopkinsville because Jeff Taylor will protect your health insurance, not take it away, according to a report in The Richmond Register (http://bit.ly/1RyS0xG). Hopkinsville, where Taylor lives, has one of the largest African-American populations in the state. Taylor won convincingly over Republican Walker Thomas, the owner of a local roller rink. (AP) Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has won the Republican presidential primary in Idaho, adding a seventh state win to his tally in the 2016 White House race. He finished ahead of GOP front-runner Donald Trump, who earlier Tuesday won the days two biggest prizes the primary elections in Mississippi and Michigan. Still to come are the results from the GOPs caucuses in Hawaii. Theyll wrap up at 1 a.m. Eastern time, with results to follow a few hours later. (AP) Coming off what may be his worst night of the primary season, Marco Rubios make-or-break moment has arrived. And the Florida senator, a home-state underdog with a week to prove he belongs in the 2016 presidential race, insists Florida will be his salvation. It has to happen here, and it has to happen now, he told a swelling Sarasota crowd Tuesday evening. Rubios challenge is to overtake Republican front-runner Donald Trump in Florida and beat back a late push from Ted Cruz, who senses an opportunity to sink Rubio even if he cant win the state himself. Rubio and his GOP opponents know a loss next Tuesday in Florida would force him out of the 2016 contest and scar his future political ambitions, should he have any. Rubios march for survival got steeper Tuesday night after fourth-place finishes in both Michigan and Mississippi. This is do-or-die for Rubio, said die-hard supporter Jim Wilson, who follows the young senators campaign across the country in his pickup truck. Suddenly reduced to a single-state strategy, Rubios team says he will campaign in Florida and nowhere else for the next week, even as four other states also prepare to host primary elections Tuesday. At the same time, his allies are pelting Trump with an avalanche of negative ads on Florida TV that reinforce the same message Rubio and his army of volunteers offer to anyone who will listen: Trump cant be trusted Who I am and what I stand for is the opposite of Donald Trump, said 20-year-old Florida State University junior Letty Burgin, who has sacrificed this weeks spring break to help save Rubios campaign. Even if hes the underdog, and even if hes supposed to lose, Burgin said of Rubio while knocking on doors in a Tampa-area neighborhood on Tuesday, I will give everything I have. Spokesman Alex Conant says the Rubio campaign has seven fully staffed offices in the state backed by 40 full-time staffers and countless volunteers. Trumps ground game in Florida largely remains a mystery, as was the case in other states. While he is a distant third in most polls, Cruzs campaign opened 10 Florida offices last week and boasts more than 10,000 volunteers in the state, although just a handful of people were inside Cruzs Tampa office Tuesday afternoon. A Cruz official was also dispatched to Rubios Sarasota rally on Tuesday evening, part of a statewide bracketing operation. The best thing Marco Rubio can do right now is pull out before Tuesday, Rebecca Hagelin, the national co-chair of Women for Cruz, said as Rubio posed for pictures with giddy supporters across the room. Hes not going to win anyway, which is going to be devastating to his career. By necessity, Rubio is embracing the challenge. Ive always been an underdog. I didnt inherit money or a Rolodex from my parents, Rubio told hundreds of supporters in a Sarasota airplane hangar, one of many references to Trump on the night. My whole life Ive had to scratch and claw and earn each and every step of the way. A win in Florida would essentially reset the race, Rubios team says. And with at least a three-person field for the foreseeable future, they are convinced that no one will reach the 1,237 delegate threshold to secure the nomination outright before the partys national convention in July. If Rubio loses the state, it will not be for lack of outside financial support. The pro-Rubio Conservative Solutions PAC has spent more so far on Florida advertising than the combined total of all the other campaigns and super PACs. The group is on pace to spend nearly $7.8 million in the state, mostly on ads attacking Trump. Three other anti-Trump groups plan to spend a combined $4.2 million attacking the billionaire front-runner before the March 15 primary, according to data from Kantar Medias Campaign Media Analysis Group. For his part, Trump has spent more than $700,000 through Tuesday and plans to spend an additional $1.3 million. Part of that spending will go into an ad called, Corrupt Marco, which criticizes Rubio for loose spending and labels him an all-talk, no-action politician. The stakes couldnt be higher, says Burgin, who knocked on 16 doors Tuesday afternoon in a Republican enclave known as Fish Hawk. Neighborhood resident, Katie Bible, was the only friendly face Burgin found. Just a handful of people answered their doors. There are five of us in this house voting for Marco Rubio, an excited Bible said. Im sure as hell not voting for Donald Trump. (AP) The Jewish Agency for Israels Fund for Victims of Terror has announced that it will provide financial assistance to more than one hundred individuals and families affected by terror attacks since October, as well as to some twenty families who have lost loved ones in the attacks. The aid has been made possible by contributions from The Jewish Federations of North America, Keren HaYesod-UIA, individual Jewish Federations, and individual donors, and will total approximately $1 million (NIS 4 million). Any Israeli citizen or foreign national recognized by the government as a victim of terror is eligible to receive Jewish Agency assistance. The Fund for Victims of Terror operates in partnership with the Ministry of Defense and the National Insurance Institute. Chairman of the Executive of The Jewish Agency Natan Sharansky said: The support provided by Jewish communities around the world is not only financial in nature. This is an expression of Diaspora Jewrys solidarity with the people of Israel, which is also manifested by the hundreds of thousands of Jews who visit Israel, the tens of thousands of Jewish young people who participate in Israel experience programs, and the record number of Jews who choose to immigrate to Israel even now. Each family will receive financial assistance of up to NIS 25,000 meant to supplement government support for victims of terror. Families who have lost loved ones in terror attacks and those physically or emotionally affected will be able to use the financial aid for rehabilitation, supplemental treatment, the purchase of medical equipment, personal empowerment, and other purposes. The first ten families will receive financial assistance in the coming days, and altogether more than one hundred families are expected to receive Jewish Agency assistance. In addition to the supplemental assistance, the fund offers emergency assistance of NIS 4,000 to any family affected by terror in order to help them address immediate needs in the aftermath of an attack. Since the beginning of the current wave of terror, such assistance has been provided to approximately seventy families across Israel. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) On Wednesday, March 9th, 2016 the White Shul in Far Rockaway, NY will be hosting the entire Far Rockaway, Five Towns, and Queens community for an evening of inspiration and chizzuk. This major event, entitled Tips and Tools for Turbulent Times, is an opportunity to gain insights and inspiration as we face personal obstacles, family challenges, community tragedies, and devastating world events. Twelve local social service agencies have joined together to provide this once in a lifetime opportunity to the community at large. The organizations sponsoring this event include Achiezer, Amudim, Bikur Cholim, Chai Lifeline, Hatzalah, Madraigos, Magen, MASK, New Horizon, OHEL, Project Extreme, TOVA, and has been made possible by Chazaq, Gourmet Glatt, the While Shul, and Councilman Bruce A. Blakeman. When planning this event and deciding which challenges are currently facing our community, each organization brought a different issue to the forefront. As the topics of abuse, molestation, addictions, divorce, bullying, technology and off the derech children were discussed, we understood that to only address one topic would not be doing justice to the broader challenges the Jewish people are currently facing. Therefore, we are partnering together to bring to this community one major event which will address and discuss every challenge we are currently facing. Unfortunately there are no longer any families that have not been touched by tragedy in one form or another. Every person can benefit from this night of chizzuk, inspiration, insight and take home tools for facing the world at large. The event will feature two highly acclaimed speakers. Rabbi Ephraim Shapiro, who will be flying in from Florida to address our community and Yitzi Horowitz, a clinical social worker and psychotherapist who works closely with families and schools in our community. Rabbi Shapiro is a noted lecturer and author and will provide tremendous insight and chizzuk into the increasingly challenging times we are facing both on a communal and personal level. Yitzi Horowitz will be speaking to us as parents, educators and mental health professionals. He will be providing further tools on how to face these troubling times and insights on how to help our children. As a member of our community you, your family members and your friends have benefitted countless times from the amazing organizations sponsoring this event. We therefore are looking forward to your support in attending this event which is being provided completely free of charge. We look forward to your presence and know that each and every single person who attends will be further strengthening and unifying our community as we face a very troubling and scary world. (YWN Desk NYC) Promise: Investors believe Barclays has reneged on a commitment made by chairman John McFarlane, pictured, to increase dividend pay-outs Disgruntled Barclays investors have demanded to speak with the banks deputy chairman over its decision to slash the dividend in half. A string of major institutional shareholders want to meet Sir Gerry Grimstone, who is the banks top independent director. They believe Barclays has reneged on a commitment made by chairman John McFarlane to increase dividend pay-outs. In a letter to investors in September, McFarlane said the bank is taking action to accelerate earnings growth n order to have the capacity to invest in the business and to increase dividends. But the bank stunned investors last week when it announced the dividend would be cut from 6.5p to 3p this year and next. One investor told Sky News: Its the latest in a long line of equivocations from Barclays, and we think it makes much of what the company says difficult to believe. The bank rubbed salt in the wounds by paying out 1.7billion in bonuses and just 1billion to shareholders in the form of dividends. Barclays has attempted to reassure long suffering investors, with chief executive Jes Staley pledging to introduce higher pay-outs in future. The bank said the cuts were necessary to pay for its plans to get rid of 55billion of troublesome non core assets more quickly. This includes offloading its Barclaycard operations in Spain and Portugal and its investment banking business in Asia. The row comes as Grimstone yesterday said he is in favour of bankers waiting up to ten years to collect bonuses paid in shares. Describing himself as a huge supporter of share-based remuneration, he said this would make senior employees more accountable for their actions. But the 66-year-old City grandee warned global banks would leave London if pay was cut dramatically. Outsourcing giant G4S has warned that it could lose a further 57million if the Government extends a key contract to house surging numbers of asylum seekers, after further big provisions in 2015. The firm revealed a 31million provision on the loss-making contract in its 2015 results, up 20million on the previous year, as the number of asylum seekers it handled increased by 9.6 per cent year on year. But G4S estimates that, if the five-year government contract - due to end in 2017 - is extended for two more years it would cost the group a further 57million. Big cost: Outsourcing giant G4S has warned that it could lose a further 57million if the Government extends a key contract to house surging numbers of asylum seekers, after further big provisions in 2015 The group saw its underlying pretax profits rise by 14.7 per cent to 327million in 2015 as the business signed new contracts across the globe and saw revenues increase by 4 per cent to 6.4billion over the same period. But G4Ss statutory profits fell to 8million, down from 145 million a year ago, reflecting large writedowns and charges, sending its shares on the FTSE 250 index tumbling by 11 per cent, or 24.2p to 188.5p. It booked the charges on a mixture of restructuring costs, onerous contracts, losses on sold businesses and non-cash writedowns. The firm said its sales in the UK fell by 3 per cent last year and, in total, it increased charges on the number of loss-making contracts in manages in Britain to 65million. G4S pledged to sell more businesses and booked 255 million of costs as the group continues an overhaul to move away from its scandal-ridden past. The group is being overhauled by chief executive Ashley Almanza, who took the helm in 2013 following a spate of scandals, including one over a government prisoner tagging contract in 2013 and its failure to supply adequate security for the London Olympics in 2012. The firm said it expects to sell businesses with combined revenues of around 400million in the next 12 to 24 months, with the areas it plans to leave including UK children's services and US youth justice services. Mr Almanza said: Against a background of economic uncertainty, demand for our services has remained resilient and revenues grew in all regions apart from the UK. G4S said the total value of the contracts it signed across the group in 2015 jumped by more than 14 per cent to 2.4billion, including contract retention rates of over 90 per cent. The firm said its sales grew by 8.6 per cent in emerging markets, rose by 5.8 per cent in the US, and were up 3 per cent in the rest of Europe. It added that sales growth accelerated in the second half of last year, and the business expected to make good progress in 2016. Steve Clayton, Head of Equity Research, Hargreaves Lansdown said: G4S has described its underlying trading as positive however legacy contracts are proving onerous. Despite an underlying increase in revenues, net debt ended the year 180m worse than market expectations. He added: The group has divested 23 businesses since 2013, raising proceeds of 281m. Further identified disposals of between 250m and 350m are expected over the next 12-24 months. The son of the inventor of Mr Whippy ice cream is set to scoop a 75million windfall when Hotel Chocolat floats on the stock exchange. Angus Thirlwell, whose father Edwin first developed the trademark white ice cream sold from vans in the 1940s, is the founder of the upmarket chocolate firm. Hotel Chocolat is one of the last remaining British-owned chocolate makers after rival Cadbury and Thortons were both sold to foreign owners. Angus Thirlwell is set to scoop a 75million windfall when Hotel Chocolat floats on the stock exchange The firm is expected to have a market value of 150million and raise 50million from the float, which it will use to expand its factory in Oxfordshire and increase online sales. Thirlwell, 53, has a 50 per cent stake in the firm, valued at around 75million. Hotel Chocolat began in 1993 under the name ChocExpress as a mail-order firm before going upmarket. It has 84 stores and posted operating profit of 7.9million in 2015 on sales of 81.1million. It has a cocoa plantation in the Caribbean where chocoholics can pay 10,000 to spend a fortnight at its luxury hotel. It also created Rabot1745, a restaurant in Londons Borough Market where all dishes are cocoa themed. The firm will list on the Alternative Investment Market by the end of June. Thirlwell had previously funded expansion with two sets of innovative chocolate bonds, where interest was paid to investors in chocolate. You never know, but after a ten-year wait, AIM-listed Proxama, whose chairman David Bailey is a former Phillips & Drew/UBS stockbroker, could have finally hit the big time. Shares of the company, which specialises in technology for cell phones, closed 0.2p or 23 per cent higher at 1.08p as penny-share punters filled their boots on hearing that the London-based business is partnering with pre-eminent search engine Google in a potentially game-changing deal. It is teaming up with Google to deliver mobile advertising on London buses using Google's new Eddystone technology. This removes the need for a pre-installed app and gives them access to a much larger share of the smartphone market. Tie-up: Proxama is teaming up with Google to deliver mobile advertising on London buses using Google's new Eddystone technology Its My Stop technology will deliver real time transport updates to the mobiles of London's 6.5m daily bus passengers when they use the Chrome browser, with advertising relevant to the shops, bars and restaurants nearest to them at the time. Initially focused on London bus passengers, the service will provide them with real-time route updates, reminder notifications when their chosen stop approaches and serve them 'contextual' advertisements. As one long-term believer said: 'Being kissed by Google counts for a lot and its market capitalisation of only 11.5million leaves plenty of upside. Investors should also not fear any fundraising in the short-term as Proxama must be on the cusp of going seriously cash positive'. Still on AIM, Pantheon Resources firmed 3p to 132p after announcing its long-awaited, well-supported fundraising. It raised 21million via a placing of 18.4m shares at 115p a pop. The offer was apparently heavily oversubscribed and the funds raised will be used to drill three wells on the Company's Texas acreage and for further well development. New institutions supported the placing. Amerisur Resources, on the other hand, dipped 3.25p to 26.25p after raising 24.6million by way of a placing to fund further drilling in Colombia and to take advantage of low industry costs. Dealers said the fundraisings are the first two sizeable ones of 2016 for the E&P sector and coincide with the recent rally in the oil price. Cairn Energy gushed 22.5p or 13 per cent to 192.1p after reporting further successful test well results offshore Senegal with flow rates up to 5,400 barrels of oil per day. Cairn said further appraisal activity is expected to lead to future revision of estimates. Broker Jefferies lifted its price target to 230p from 170p. UK manufacturing production data exceeded expectations and gave the Footsie an early lift before it closed 20.88 points better at 6146.32. The FTSE 250 was dragged 62.42 points lower to 16,591.61, not helped by disappointing trading statements from two constituents. All Bar One pub and restaurant group Mitchells & Butlers lost 22.4p to 267.6p on trading worries. Wall Street rallied 70 points by lunchtime ahead of today's European Central Bank meeting at which it will make a decision on policy. Many are of the opinion that boss Mario Draghi will announce an increase in its stimulus programme. International bank Standard Chartered cheapened 11p to 469.5p after Investec banking guru Ian Gordon downgraded to sell from hold and his target price to 445p from 460p. He says that given a revenue outlook for 2016/17 that appears even worse than he had previously anticipated, and with relatively limited net cost reduction near-term, he believes the bank will be loss-making in 2016 and he continues to see management's 2018 8 per cent return on equity target as unrealistic. Clients of Haitong Research hung up on TalkTalk Telecom, 13.2p easier at 238.8p, after the broker advised them to take profits. The stock has performed well in recent weeks because the dividend is probably not at risk, but the news flow from Ofcom will clearly turn negative as the shares go ex-dividend in July 2016. It is also of the opinion that the fallout from TalkTalk's poor care of its customers' data is far from over. Better-than-expected full-year results with revenues up 12 per cent to 68.7million and pre-tax profits 13.6 per cent higher at 8.6million helped ceramic tableware and giftware group Portmeirion climb 47.5p to 1127.5p. Interquest, the specialist recruitment company, eased 2p to 80p despite excellent results including a 3p dividend. After touching 17.5p, Andes Energia closed 0.25p up at 17p. The Argentine and Colombian oil producer reported strong production results for January producing 3,487 barrels of oil per day, up from 3,287 in December. Production in Argentina is up 10 per cent month on month. Broker WH Ireland described It as the sort of breakthrough Software Radio Technology has been pursuing for some time. Its shares rocketed 13.25p or 72 per cent to 31.75p on the announcement that it has entered into a major agreement for the supply of a significant maritime domain management system for a big Asian country. Pension saving should be made more 'fun' so that people are encouraged to increase the amount they put away for retirement, the pensions minister suggested today. Baroness Altmann suggested that it is not enough for people to automatically be enrolled into pension schemes, they need to be actively engaged in saving otherwise they could end up just opting out. The minister was speaking to the Commons Work and Pensions Committee about how to ensure people have enough cash for a comfortable retirement. Another idea considered was a 'pensions dashboard' where savers would be able to see all of their pots in one place to help to see how well-prepared they are for retirement. Planning for the future: Baroness Altmann proposed the use of technologies such as apps to engage people in saving for retirement However Baroness Altmann warned that pensions dashboards are some way off as some providers can't even provide their customers with a standard statement of what pension they've got. She said work is being done to come up with a standard form where anyone can be given information on their pension in one place. The proposals come after a recent review of the nation's pension saving for the Labour Party recommended that people should be putting 15 per cent of their lifetime earnings towards retirement. A new system of auto-enrolment means that all workers must contribute a minimum of two per cent of earnings towards a pension, including contributions from workers, employers and tax relief. However experts warn that saving the bare minimum will leave workers a long way short of a comfortable retirement. Minimum contribution levels are gradually increasing, to eight per cent in 2019, by which time it is hoped many people will be firmly in the habit and so will not drop out. Game changer? Moneybox aims to help people save their digial 'spare change' from everyday card transactions into a stocks and shares ISA However Baroness Altmann suggested that this passive way of increasing the nation's retirement savings is not the 'whole solution' to ensuring people can afford to stop working. She told the committee: 'What's happened too frequently in the past is that pension providers have relied on somebody else, whether it's an employer, the government or a financial adviser bringing them the customers' money - and they don't engage enough with the end customer. 'Auto-enrolment is their chance now to engage with the end customer and make the customer feel that they've had a good experience - good service, good products and want to do more. 'Just like any other industry - if you go and shop somewhere and your customer's had a good experience, they'll come back to your shop. If they feel they've been roughly treated, or unfairly treated, they'll say: 'No thank you.' 'So we need to get to 2019 at the full rate with the majority of people who are in pension saving thinking: 'My provider's done a good job for me. When I can I want to do more.' 'Because if we just say the next area of auto-enrolment is we're going to move gradually up to 15 per cent, say ... however much the government was to increase the auto-enrolment minimum from the current level, if people are not happy they'll just opt out.' She continued: 'We have to help the pension providers, and many of them are, step up to the plate and engage customers in ways they haven't done before. 'Make it a bit of fun, apps, gamification, they are starting to do that, products and services that these customers, who are coming in, and staying in at the moment, the opt-out rates are 10 per cent or so, feel: 'This is a good thing for me, I'm happy to be here and I want to do more when I can.' There have already been some moves within the industry to 'gamify' saving and investing. Moneybox is a soon to be launched investing app that uses easy to understand characters to describe risk and the opportunity to round-up the spare change from everyday spending into an Isa. It fits with what the Pensions Minister has called for and aims to launch with an investing account and Isa but hopes to offer pensions in the future. Industry experts welcomed news that a standard format for a pensions dashboard was being considered, but called for greater urgency. Steve Webb, former pensions minister and director of policy at Royal London said: 'It is good news that the Minister is talking about getting regulators and industry together to talk about standards for a pensions dashboard. With millions of fragmented small pots being built up under automatic enrolment, there is a growing need for a single place where people can see all of their pensions, including their state pension, in one place. The future of pension saving? The pensions minister suggested apps could help improving saving for retirement 'Whilst government does not need to deliver the pensions dashboard, it does need to make it happen. We now need regulators and government to give us a timetable which will turn good intentions into effective action'. Gareth Shaw, head of consumer affairs at Saga Investment Services, suggested that there were reasons beyond gamification why people are not engaging in pensions. 'One of the biggest reasons people don't engage with pensions is that the government is continuously changing the rules,' he said. 'In the past few years, there have been reductions in both annual and lifetime allowances, changes to the way you can access your pension and there's still further tinkering expected in the forthcoming Budget. 'If the expectation is for people to commit to saving for the long term, the government must give people the confidence to do so, not leave them fearing that what they save today will look wildly different when they finally come to claim their pension. 'It must, therefore, consider slowing down the pace of its reforms to give consumers the time to plan and make the most of their retirement savings.' Baroness Altmann also discussed the need to make sure money being put into pension schemes is secure. Thousands of smaller employers are currently coming on board with auto-enrolment, many of whom have little previous experience of pension schemes. Particular concerns have been raised around master trust schemes which manage pensions. Baroness Altmann said legislation is needed, adding: 'In most cases, the assets may be protected. But we want to make sure that if any of these trusts wind up, the costs of wind-up don't fall on the members' assets.' Andrew Warwick-Thompson, executive director for regulatory policy at the Pensions Regulator, recently said there is a risk that some pension schemes may 'fall over in the future'. LOBAMBA Finance Minister Martin Dlamini has revealed that new vehicles will be purchased for the use of 14 Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) heads of state when they attend the 36th SADC Summit in August this year. The minister further informed Members of Parliament (MPs) that a total of E50 million had been set aside for the summit. Initially, E92 million had been allocated for the summit, but after consultation with the various committees which we were working with we managed to slash it to E50 million, said Dlamini. He did not, however, disclose if the E50m included the E14m donor funds to be sourced from the Republic of China on Taiwan, which was highlighted in the budget estimates . The minister said, however, he was not privy to the finer details of the summit, but he knew that the only new cars would be for the heads of State. Dlaminis response comes after MPs on Monday had warned government against the purchase of new cars. The matter had been raised by Lobamba Lomdzala MP Marwick Khumalo during the debate of the budget speech. Nkwene MP Sikhumbuzo Dlamini also questioned who the country was trying to please by hosting this summit. He said he did not really understand who government was trying to impress, especially with the purchase of new vehicles. Meanwhile, Khumalo said he had heard through the grapevine that government wanted to purchase new cars to be used by the delegates during the Summit. Rumour has it that government wants to purchase brand new cars and I hope that this will not be the scenario and I propose to government that we at least rent these top-of-the-range vehicles, said Khumalo. He said he was reminded of a time when the country had purchased many luxury vehicles which eventually ended up being exposed to bad weather conditions at the Central Transport Administration and later auctioned at very depreciated value. MBABANE The Auditor Generals (AG) report has raised a number of issues where school head teachers are allegedly abusing school funds. St Marks Primary School is said to have collected over E600 000 in top-up fees without the approval of the Ministry of Education and Training. According to the Auditor General, Phestecia Nxumalos report for the financial year ended March 31, 2015, the top up fees amounted to E631 371 for the year 2013. The school is said to have contravened Section 12 (1) of the Free Primary Education Act No.1 of 2010. The act requires that the committee of a public primary school intending to ask parents to top up school fees, over and above the fees paid to the school by government, should submit a written request with justification to the minister, for his approval before implementing such top-up fees. The committee shall only implement the top-up after having received the ministers approval in writing. Since the ministry did not approve top-up fees, and was not aware of the monies actually collected, the funds collected were not authorised, the AG said. The fees were collected from parents of children between Grade I and Grade V. The report shows that E50 174 was the least amount collected and it was from the Grade Is and the highest amount collected was from Grade III, and it amounted to E159 401. The report also shows that the school receipted income amounting to E41 700, using unauthorised receipts. The report states that the receipts were not issued by the regional education office, in respect of the school books. The receipts used were not found at the school, as a result admission forms were eventually used to compile the amount not accounted for. Thus accountability was not demonstrated regarding income collected at the school, the AGs report reads. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Bill Parry Community leaders and students from PS/IS 78 joined City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) last Friday in calling for the city Department of Transportation to erect a stop sign at the corner of 5th Street and 46th Avenue. During the rally, protesters raised a homemade Peoples Stop Sign to bring attention to needed traffic safety improvements that Van Bramer has been calling for at the intersection since 2012. Weve been advocating for a stop sign at this intersection for four years. Its time for the DOT to step up and protect our children from speeding cars and reckless drivers, said Van Bramer, the Councils majority leader. Today, weve taken matters into our own hands by installing the Peoples Stop Sign. I hope DOT hears our message loud and clear and commits to protecting our children now before its too late. Nearly 600 students attend PS/IS 78, located on the corner of 46th Avenue and 5th Street, and dozens of families frequent the NY Kids Club, a preschool across the street. Cars, taxis and trucks speed down 46th Avenue towards Center Boulevard, endangering residents, including seniors and children. This is a scary intersection and theres absolutely no reason why there shouldnt be a stop sign, said Jen Theien, president of the Gantry Parents Association. There are infants and toddlers from the New York Kids Club, and students from second to eighth grade at PS/IS 78 across the street. This has been a concern for many people in this community, and we should take care of the situation now before something really bad happens. Van Bramers office first requested a four-way stop sign at this intersection in May 2012, in response to constituent complaints. The DOT responded that the intersection did not meet the criteria for a stop sign. Van Bramer requested traffic calming measures again in 2013 and 2014. DOT has yet to accommodate the communitys request for traffic safety improvements. A DOT spokesman said the agency studied the area for additional stop controls several times in recent years in response to community requests. This location does not meet the criteria for an all-the-way stop, he said. DOT is, however, already in the process of looking into other enhancements in this area. Meanwhile, the Hunters Point residential boom continues unabated. Nearly 6,450 housing units have been added in the last decade with another 4,350 units under construction or planned for the neighborhood, according to the LIC Partnership. This prolonged, much-needed stop sign will ensure that each child can make it to and from school safely, state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) said. Enhancements, such as these, demonstrate our commitment to making investments in our local infrastructure. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Philip Newman The MTA will add more than 2,000 ultra-modern buses to its fleet with the first 75 of them going to Queens, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday. The state of New York contributed $8.3 billion for the new buses, adding to the MTAs $26.1 billion to pay for the new fleet. By the end of 2017 all express buses will be equipped with Wi-fi and USB-charging ports, the MTA said. The transit agency, which oversees the buses, subways and commuter railroads, said 75 of the new buses will make their debut in the second and third quarters of this year in Queens, and over the next two years another 70 buses will begin operating in Brooklyn, 209 in the Bronx and 18 in Manhattan. The rest of the new buses will be parceled out to all the boroughs between 2018 and 2020. Digital information screens will also be provided to customers with travel information to reduce anxiety about missing stops and better enable customers to plan and arrive at destinations on time, the MTA said. Cuomo said the new buses reflect a new approach by the MTA. Were reimagining the MTA to improve services for all New Yorkers, the governor said. Todays world demands connectivity and were meeting that challenge with state-of-the-art buses and a major overhaul of the MTAs bus fleet. Airport development adding to economy, jobs in the region Pittsburgh may always be known as the Steel City, but a wave of new industries are popping up near its airport to redefine business in the region. SHARE Kayley Herpeche, a sixth-grader at Zundy Elementary School, submitted the winning design in the Wichita Falls Police Department's D.A.R.E. "Keepin' it Real" art contest. Kayley's design is now featured on the tailgate of the D.A.R.E. pickup. n n n Stephen Wolf, of Sheppard Air Force Base, earned his Master of Ministry degree in December from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. n n n Chillicothe High School has been selected by Educational Results Partnership and the Institute for Educational Productivity as one of 713 public schools in Texas selected as a 2015 honor roll school. Schools receiving this distinction have demonstrated consistent high levels of student academic achievement, improvement in achievement levels over time and reduction in achievement gaps among student populations. For High Schools, the Honor Roll recognition also includes measures of college readiness. n n n Randy Wyatt, a junior at Electra High School, will represent Region 9 in the 2016 Citizen Bee on April 16 in Austin. Runners up included Adam Henry and Kelsey Thomas, also of Electra High School. The Texas Citizen Bee is a statewide civics education competition sponsored by Law Related Education funded by the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation. The event, organized by the State Bar of Texas, offers teachers and high school students an way to study America's heritage. Students receive a study guide created by the Bill of Rights Institute that covers the U.S. Constitution and other important documents, people, issues, civic values, and skills. State-level winners receive college scholarships. Times Record News file photo A portion of the Wichita Falls Hike/Bike Trail, also known as the Circle Trail, is seen near the Wichita Bluff Nature area. The city is terminating a contract with a company for work on a portion of the trail from the nature bluff nearly to Lucy Area. City said after more than a year of work, the company is only 53 percent finished and there are defects left un addressed. SHARE By Claire Kowalick of the Times Record News For the first time in more than 16 years, the city of Wichita Falls chose to cut ties with a company due to material breach of contract. Public Works Director Russell Schreiber said Tuesday the city contracted with Mega Contractors, formerly known as Mega Prime Contractors, November 4, 2014. The agreement was for about $1.3 million for Phase 1 of a portion of the hike/bike trail (Circle Trail) from the Wichita Nature Bluff area nearly to Lucy Park. The contract was for a 365 day job with the original completion date of January 19, 2016. Even accounting for a couple weather days, the project was only 53 percent complete at the beginning of March. City Attorney Kinley Hegglund said in his 16 years at the city it has never had to terminate a contract. He noted at least four areas of the contract in which Mega was in material breach: Mega had not completed enough work to get the project completed on time. There was insufficient staff for Mega to complete the project on time. Mega did not have adequate funds to complete the project. Mega failed to correct defects in work, including Spur A of the trail, and some electrical problems. Hegglund said at Mega's current pace, the project would take more than two years to complete and that was unacceptable. "This is not just weeks, but months and months that these problems have been left unaddressed," the attorney said. "Altogether, there is very legitimate basis for the council to take this action today." A resolution was unanimously approved by council at a brief special session Tuesday morning to terminate the contract. The next move is for the city to deliver notice to Mega and their surety company. Mega will be asked to vacate the city premises and the surety company will begin the process of completing the job. Hegglund said city staff will meet Thursday to review the project with a consultant hired by an attorney representing the surety company. "We hope to get someone working on it ASAP. I can't answer as to a time line. We hope in 30-45 days," he said. Assistant City Attorney Julia Vasquez said the city generally meets with all contractors weekly about projects and Mega was warned on multiple occasions that the city had concerns about the work. She said there are more than a dozen Mega sub-contractors that have not received payment from the company and Vasquez said there have been similar complaints about the company from several Texas municipalities. Mega will receive payment for the portion of the $1.3 million project it did complete, but Vasquez said this upset will likely cause the project to cost the city more than originally budgeted. Albany As the state moves toward ambitious clean energy goals backed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, energy regulators tackle two important issues this month how nuclear power will figure into the mix and how much it might cost to transform the state's energy supply. On Wednesday, the state Public Service Commission will discuss how to provide some sort of subsidy for nuclear power under the proposed Clean Energy Standard, which will require the state to produce half of its electric power from renewable sources by 2030. Currently, the state gets about 27 percent from renewables, not including nuclear, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Natural gas is the single largest source of electricity at 37 percent. Nuclear comes next at 35 percent. While Cuomo is working to close the Indian Point nuclear power plant in Westchester County, citing safety concerns because of the large population nearby, he also wants New Orleans-based Entergy, owner of the James A. FitzPatrick nuclear plant near Oswego, to reverse plans to close the 40-year-old facility by late 2016 or early 2017. Another nuclear plant, the Robert E. Ginna plant near Rochester, is slated to run through at least 2017 after the state reached a 2014 deal to subsidize its money-losing operation. FitzPatrick is one of four nuclear plants in the state, and supplied about 15 percent of the state's nuclear-generated electricity in 2010, according to federal Energy Information Administration figures; Indian Point supplied nearly 40 percent of that total. The state's fourth plant is Nine Mile Point, in Oswego. A coalition of labor and industry groups, supported by the Oswego County Industrial Development Agency, also is pushing FitzPatrick to stay open. But some renewable energy advocates have questioned how nuclear, which relies on uranium mining for fuel, could be considered renewable. And on March 21, commission staffers will take on another controversial issue how much it might cost to reach the governor's clean energy goals. That meeting will consider an "estimated range of costs" that rely on factors including energy efficiency, cost of new renewable energy projects, and future trends in electric prices, according to a PSC notice. Other items to be considered include "energy storage, electric vehicles, geothermal heat pumps, biogas technologies and fuel cells," the notice continued. A coalition of the state's largest industrial energy consumers urged the PSC to give more time for comments on the energy goals, since the cost impact study was still being worked up by PSC staffers. Initial reactions to the plan are due March 14 and March 28. "The impacts of this mandate on electric customers are unknown, but may be substantial or even staggering," wrote Michael Mager, counsel to the coalition, called Multiple Intervenors. Having a state deadline for comments before cost estimates have been released is "akin to asking a prospective homeowner to visit a large number of houses for sale and to make a decision thereon without having any information as to the prices of the various houses," he added. The coalition represents about 60 members, including Alcoa, Cornell University, Corning Inc., Occidental Energy Ventures Corp., Praxair Inc., Quad Graphics Inc., State University of New York, and Wegmans Food Markets Inc. The request for additional comment time was also supported by The Business Council of New York State. bnearing@timesunion.com 518-454-5094 @Bnearing10 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany An energy trade association blames the Village Voice for helping push the Cuomo administration's war on energy sales companies. The companies, also known as ESCOs, or energy service companies, say a Feb. 2 article in the alternative weekly, swayed Cuomo to introduce tough new consumer protection rules that the state's Public Service Commission subsequently approved. The ESCOs last Friday managed to get a temporary restraining order blocking the new rules, which they said would effectively put their members out of business. In a court filing in state Supreme Court in Albany, the ESCOs, led by the Retail Energy Supply Association, claimed that Cuomo had been influenced by a recent news story, believed to be a Feb. 2 Village Voice article about industry ills written by Jon Campbell. "Approximately three weeks ago, a news article was published heavily criticizing the commission and the governor for allegedly allowing certain ESCOs to engage in deceptive marketing practices and unfair business practices," the March 3 filing made by the Albany law firm Harris Beach states. "Either the commission was so fixated on taking swift action with respect to the bad press coverage that it failed to recognize it lacks authority to regulate ESCO prices or it is attempting to stealthily expand its authority." ESCOs sell electricity and natural gas "supply" to utility customers, who can either choose their utility or an ESCO for the supply, which accounts for about half of the typical utility bill. The ESCOs say they have 1.4 million customers statewide. Most sign up with door-to-door salespeople or through direct mail. The PSC claims that in the month of January alone, consumers who used ESCOs overpaid by $17 million. The PSC also found that complaints were up in January by 30 percent over the same month in 2015. The new rules prohibit ESCOs from selling electricity unless it is sold at a cheaper rate than the utility, or if it is generated from at least 30 percent renewable energy sources such as solar or wind energy. A spokesman for the association, the ESCO trade group, did not respond to a request for comment. PSC spokesman James Denn said the PSC has been investigating the industry for years and pushing for reforms. Denn noted a recent filing by the Public Utility Law Project objecting to calls from the ESCOs to delay the new rules. "The reforms instituted by the Feb. 23 order have been foreshadowed for years, and if the ESCO industry chose not to put contingency plans into place, that is unfortunate for them," PULP's executive director Richard Berkley wrote in a Feb. 29 filing with the PSC. On Feb. 23, the Village Voice published a story entitled "After Voice Investigation, Major Reforms Announced in Retail Energy Industry" that was also authored by Campbell. When contacted through his Twitter account on Tuesday, Campbell, an award-winning journalist, said he had realized his story had a major impact on state policy. "I have been hearing that from some," he said. lrulison@timesunion.com 518-454-5504 @larryrulison Jonathan Prime "In the Heart of the Sea": A real-life battle with a huge whale serves as the inspiration for "Moby Dick." Ron Howard directs and Chris Hemsworth stars. Howard not only recounts the telling of the whale of a tale to Herman Melville by one of the last survivors of the ill-fated mission, but he also focuses on the brutality of the whaling industry and the men who went through the ordeal. "The Peanuts Movie": Charlie Brown and the gang are back for more adventures, including Snoopy's heroic flying. The animated film from the company that produced "Rio" and "Ice Age" is a loving tribute to the characters first introduced through the creative talents of Charles Schulz. It has a colorfulness and energy that will introduce a new generation of fans to this gang, while adhering to the deep emotions with which Schulz infused his work. I was lured over the Normanskill and into Delmar by word of Extra Napkin, a Euro-flavored burger-grill-salad joint. Images have circulated on social media of smiling Extra Napkin customers clamping padlocks onto wires mounted on the restaurant's walls, so I'm navigating a little strip plaza opposite Hannaford on Delaware Avenue. It might sound disingenuous to review a restaurant so clearly geared for takeout. Guests pop in for fresh-pressed raw juices ordered by number (the amount of fiery ginger in my No. 7 could put hair on your chest), and demolish burgers in speedy lunch-break bites. There are just two small tables, a handful of seats, no bathroom for patrons (you can go next door), and service is at the counter with fast-food menus overhead. Entering, you pass a curious scene: a bicycle, painted white, beside a whitewashed bench, is there not in tribute to some unlucky cyclist but as a symbol of welcome. Such are the details. Walk through the doors, and it's clear Extra Napkin hinges on a whole lot of love. You've seen European bridges bristling, sometimes to the point of structural fatigue, with padlocks of love. For $2.50 you can tether your affections to wires rigged to Extra Napkin's walls while absorbing the Euro-pop and Ecstacy-laced Ibiza anthems keeping the kitchen on its feet. The cabled trusses of the Brooklyn Bridge stretch from floor to ceiling in mega digital graphics and storm cloud gray paint pops with Marvel comic art and a stenciled sign urging you to, "Lock up your love and go and throw away the key." The love is sincere. Ayhan and Tony Celik, Turkish brothers who bought neighboring Mercato's Pizzeria in 2008, have joined forces with their sister Aynur Celik Kildiz, a digital design major, and brother-in-law, Sedad Kildiz. The result is a fast-food New York-Euro-Middle Eastern mash-up that happily romps beyond American hot dogs and fries into the healthier realm of build-your-own salads, wraps and a raw juice bar, and posits American burgers beside kofte and kebabs. More Information Extra Napkin 159 Delaware Ave. Delmar Phone: 475-7575 Web: extranapkin.com Cuisine: Build-your-own salads, burgers and wraps, excellent Turkish mixed grill. Ambiance: Family-friendly, fast food in a Euro-pop setting. Buy a padlock and find fame among Extra Napkin's Facebook family. Online ordering coming soon. Price: $-$$ Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily. Credit cards: All major. Parking: Front and rear parking lots. Handicapped accessible: Yes. (No restroom.) Price ratings for inexpensive eateries based on average of entree costs: $: $9.95 and less $$: $9.95-$15.95 $$$: $15.95 and higher See More Collapse After eight years running Mercato's, the brothers Celik (sounding fantastically like characters from a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale) are confident they know neighborhood tastes and Extra Napkin will fill the gaps. Chef Ayhan Celik, a graduate of Schenectady County Community College culinary arts and hospitality management programs, is the man behind the flavor profiles of scratch burgers and Mediterranean cold-meat wraps affectionately named after local towns. Roast beef and mustard sounds familiar in the Selkirk wrap ($8.99) until you find it's rolled up with cream cheese, onions and tomatoes in a vaguely Middle Eastern twist. There's European union in homemade hummus and tzatziki, skewered kebabs and the sight of pretty French macarons ($3.99 for four) in a cake stand on the counter. The thick-cut fries, crisp with fluffy soft middles, are chip-shop perfection unless Mickey D's is your benchmark. Extra Napkin stops short of offering gyros or falafel but, with the menu still in its soft-testing phase, they may yet come. This isn't the place for juicy, urban, artisanal burgers, though meals do come out on the almost mandatory hip metal trays. We bite into densely compact patties, cooked through and cradled in shiny brioche buns slightly too big for the job. It occurs to me the beef is as firmly pressed as the lamb kofte the ground meats are from Ferraro Foods in New Jersey but with toppings cleverly layered on the bottom the catcher's mitt bun holds everything in. (To me this was as much a revelation as learning monkeys open bananas from the non-stalk end.) The Delmar ($6.99) is an American classic with lettuce, ketchup and pickles; the Albany ($6.99) is stacked with caramelized onions and mushrooms. Both are slathered in Extra Napkin's top-secret sauce, a cross-cultural blend of mayo, ketchup and seven seasonings with the blue-collar star power of Thousand Island dressing. The Lark ($5.99), a ground chicken burger, is breaded, deep-fried and finished on the grill with surprisingly crisp and juicy results. It's all wonderfully sloppy and deserving of the extra napkin dispensers on every table. No need to analyze the finer points of frozen boneless chicken wings shaken into the fryer from a food-service bag, though the $9.71 price tag, with tax, seems steep. Compare that to the kofte and kebab mixed grill that comes with rice, pita bread, hummus and a colorful salad, in all a veritable one-person bonanza for $12.99. You couldn't ask for a friendlier crew. Catch anyone's eye and they want to know how you're enjoying the food. Even as the music makes it fractionally hard to chat, the smiling team is grooving away, wiping down counters and squeezing the life out of fruit and veg in a whinnying industrial press. It's a bit like Europeans in skinny jeans and New York T-shirts, an endearing embrace of the Empire State. This kind of (mostly) fresh fast food could be love at first bite. Susie Davidson Powell is a freelancer writer from East Greenbush. Follow her on Twitter, @SusieDP. To comment on this review, visit the Table Hopping blog, blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany Police in Troy hope an autopsy tentatively scheduled for Thursday will help them determine whether a body found in the Hudson River is that of a missing Rensselaer County man. Matthew A. Labounty, a 21-year-old from Poestenkill, was last seen Christmas Day in the area of Adams and Fifth streets in Troy, police said. On Wednesday, the body of a white male was found partially submerged in a marshy area of the Hudson River along the edge of the Corning Preserve. Troy detectives and firefighters joined Albany police in recovering the body because Troy authorities have been leading the investigation into what happened to Labounty, Troy Police Capt. Daniel DeWolf said. "The identity of the body has not yet been confirmed," DeWolf said Wednesday. He said the autopsy will take place at Albany Medical Center Hospital. Police do not suspect foul play in the death of the man, whose body was located along the western edge of the river near the preserve's boat launch. Dave West of Albany said he was shocked to see a fully-clothed body in deep mud while taking his daily walk along the river about 10:30 Wednesday morning. As the sun glistened off the river and a small crowd gathered behind yellow police tape, two distraught women appeared one who identified herself as Labounty's aunt and pleaded for information. Troy firefighters lowered a rescue boat into the water to recover the body. Several minutes later, the five-man team returned with a body wrapped in white. The body was taken away by the coroner. A man and a woman who stood inside the police tape were comforted by police detectives after investigators examined the body. Described as 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, Labounty was last spotted on video walking south on Fourth Street toward the Menands Bridge at 2 a.m. Dec. 25. dyusko@timesunion.com 518-454-5353 @DAYusko Albany A former leader of the Glenville-based 109th Airlift Wing will become the state's top military commander in April. Maj. Gen. Anthony German, who leads the New York Air National Guard, will succeed Maj. Gen. Patrick Murphy as adjutant general of New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday. German, 57, lives in Oneonta and serves as assistant adjutant general. His promotion will put him in charge of the New York Army National Guard and the state's nearly 20,000-member military force. Serving under his leadership will be 10,300 members of the National Guard, 5,600 members of the Air National Guard, 2,900 members of the New York Naval Militia and 600 with the New York Guard, a force that assists the National Guard during emergencies. German said Wednesday that he was humbled by the opportunity to be New York's 53rd adjutant general. "In the past decade, the men and women of the New York Army and Air National Guard have been in combat in Afghanistan, responded to natural disasters here at home and served around the world, and they have done it all well," German said. He called Murphy an outstanding leader and mentor. Former Gov. David Paterson appointed Murphy, 58, of Clifton Park, to adjutant general in 2010. Murphy is leaving to work as director of strategy, plans, policy and international affairs for the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C. German was commissioned in the Air Force as an aircraft navigator in 1983 and joined the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing at Stratton Air National Guard Base in 1989. He led the wing from 2006 to 2010 before serving as chief of staff of the New York Air National Guard for five years. A master navigator with nearly 5,000 flying hours, German played a key role in coordinating the state's emergency responses to tropical storms Irene and Lee in 2011 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012. German graduated from SUNY at Oneonta, the U.S. Naval War College and the Senior Reserve Component Officer Course, Carlisle Barracks, Pa. He will earn $120,800. "Gen. Anthony German has a distinguished record as a National Guard leader dedicated to serving our nation and state," Cuomo said. "He brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge in military affairs and in his new role will continue his commitment to strengthening the readiness of our military." dyusko@timesunion.com 518-454-5353 @DAYusko This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany Saturday's St. Patrick's Day Parade will include a new family-friendly festival, the city said. The Irish American Family Festival will feature live Irish music and step dancing from noon until 5:30 p.m. in Academy Park across from City Hall. The Irish Heritage Museum is the sponsor. The festival joins the North Albany Limericks and Albany St. Patrick's Day parades. This year, special viewing areas are reserved for those who want to eat lunch downtown before the parade. City officials, the Irish Heritage Museum, parade organizers and local business owners joined Mayor Kathy Sheehan for the Wednesday announcement. Timothy McSweeney, president of state's Ancient Order of Hibernians, is the parade's grand marshal. He is with the Albany County Sheriff's Office and a 22-year veteran of the Selkirk Fire Department. Announced Wednesday: Albany's three Business Improvement Districts will have reserved viewing areas along the parade route for people who want to go to lunch before the parade and have viewing spots to see the parade. The four designated viewing areas are in front of the former Key Bank on the corner of Lark and Washington, on the west side of Academy Park in front of City Hall, in front of the Fuze Box, 12 Central Ave., and Water Works Pub, 76 Central Ave. The Albany Parking Authority will provide parking at the Riverfront and Quackenbush garages, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., for $5. A police hotline, (518) 300-0570 is available to report non-emergency incidents during the parade. The police department will enforce the city's open container law, which forbids drinking in public. The North Albany Limerick Parade runs from noon to 1 p.m. It begins and ends at North First Street at the North Albany American Legion Post. The Albany St. Patrick's Day Parade, from 2 to 4 p.m. , begins at Central Avenue and Quail Street and heads east on Central Avenue to Washington Avenue to State Street to Lodge Street. Those streets and some nearby roads will be closed for part of the day and parking will be restricted in the area. About 25,000 people are expected to be in or watch the parade, the city said. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin, also known as the Easter Rebellion, which is considered the beginning of the modern movement for an independent Irish Republic. The Irish Heritage Museum will hold a series of events in the coming weeks to mark the event. Info: irish-us.org/. The Parade Committee designated the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York as its sponsored charity in commemoration of the Great Hunger. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Watervliet A disgraced former police officer, who is listed on the state sex offender registry for life, is in the middle of a contract dispute between the city and the police union over whether he resigned or retired, officials confirmed. At stake for the Joshua Spratt is $20,000 in benefits that he would receive if he retired from the Watervliet Police Department. Spratt is the second former Capital Region police officer to recently plead guilty to a crime and claim retirement in order to receive benefits. The other is former Troy Officer Brian Gross, who pleaded guilty to tipping off drug dealers about a planned police raid. Spratt, of Slingerlands, was arrested last summer and pleaded guilty in October in state Supreme Court to third-degree criminal sex act, a felony, for having oral sex with a Watervliet High School student during the prior school year. He was the school resource officer for the district at the time. At the core of the dispute is the two-sentence letter Spratt submitted Oct. 5, 2015, days before his guilty plea. "I hereby retire from the Watervliet Police Department effective immediately," Spratt wrote. "It has been my honor and privilege to serve the Department and the citizens of Watervliet." A copy of the letter was obtained by the Times Union through a Freedom of Information request. "We consider his letter as a letter of resignation," said Mayor Michael Manning. The city considers retirement to come with a minimum of 20 years of service. Spratt served 10 years with the department. According to the city, Watervliet officials were never notified by the state that he retired. An officer is entitled to vacation, personal and compensatory time upon resigning. When he retires, he would also receive sick time payments, officials said. "It's the principle here," Manning said about fighting Sprague's retirement benefits. "We're in a sad situation." Spratt is in the Albany County jail serving a six-month term. He is scheduled for release on May 3 when he will be placed on probation for 10 years, according to the Albany County Sheriff's Office. In January, Justice Thomas Breslin ordered Spratt classified as a Level 2 sex offender, which means he is considered to be a moderate risk to commit another sex crime. Officer Dan Mahar, the Police Benevolent Association president, and Mark T. Walsh, the PBA attorney, could not be reached for comment Monday. Spratt's arrest came as the city police department found former Officer Nicholas Pontore had been implicated in a state attorney general's drug investigation of a Troy street gang, the Young Gunnerz. Pontore is serving a two-year prison sentence for buying cocaine. Before his drug arrest, Pontore had given the police department evidence that led to Spratt's arrest. In addition, two other officers, Sgt. John P. Brant and Officer Sam Razzone, are facing potential dismissal for not reporting allegations of sexual misconduct. In Troy, the city is contesting Gross's claim for lifetime health insurance for having retired with 10 years of service. The case was presented to an arbitrator last month. Gross, of North Greenbush, was sentenced in September in Rensselaer County Court to probation for three years, 100 hours of community service, $5,500 in restitution and a $1,000 fine. He pleaded guilty to divulging evidence secured by eavesdropping to its intended target and official misconduct, both misdemeanors. Late last year, the City Council refused to approve an agreement with the Troy PBA that would give lifetime health coverage to any officer who left after 10 years with the police department. kcrowe@timesunion.com 518-454-5084 @KennethCrowe This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate "We're more popular than Jesus now," said John Lennon during an interview with the London Evening Standard 50 years ago today on March 4, 1966. The words would turn Christians across America against the Beatles, easily the biggest pop music act in the world at the time. Lennon made the remark to journalist Maureen Cleave for a series called "How does a Beatle live?" The full quote was: "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that. I'm right and I'll be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now. I don't know which will go first, rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me." No one in Great Britain paid much attention when the story ran. But, months later, when the teen magazine Datebook across the pond splashed the "more popular than Jesus " quote over its front page without context, America's Bible Belt took notice. It was not pleased. Beatles records and memorabilia were burned in bonfires. Disc jockeys refused to play the band's 45s (vinyl singles). The reaction and criticism dampened the Beatles' enthusiasm to tour the U.S. in August. But the tour went on despite the protests. The band received threats over the phone and faced picketing by the Ku Klux Klan, which at one venue nailed a Beatles album to a wooden cross. In Memphis, someone set off a firecracker on stage, further wracking nerves. Manager Brian Epstein pressed Lennon to make an apology for the "more popular" remark. A reluctant Lennon told a reporter, "If you want me to apologize, if that will make you happy, then OK, I'm sorry." By the end of August, the Beatles had had enough of touring. The band's concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on Aug. 29 was its last. From then on, they would perform together in the studio. See mostly candid Beatles photos from 1966 in the above gallery. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany An Albany Medical Center surgery and pediatrics professor started a crowdfunding website so that surgeons with ideas for medical innovations can receive financial support from people in the know an online community of surgeons and other medical professionals. Dr. Allen Carl's start-up, Bright Board LLC, will bridge the gap between surgeons' ideas for new practices and the money to make these ideas a reality. Carl said he believes that innovation can come from peer collaboration, education and investment, which can improve patient outcomes. The idea emerged when Carl noticed a changing industry landscape that was not as welcoming for young surgeons with ideas, he said. Groups with the ability to invest often support people they know or surgeons who agree to use their products, he said. "I think this is an impediment," he said, "to the younger people who are coming up." Impressed by the flood of ideas to Quirky, Inc., a Schenectady-based crowd-sourcing invention platform that was backed by General Electric, Co., Carl realized that these ideas could receive more attention through a platform that would indicate that certain products were backed by a coalition of surgeons. If a crowd-funding model were popularized, he said, surgeons with deep prior knowledge would be throwing their weight and experience behind models that they saw as having potential. This would then mean that engineers would not be solely responsible for vetting projects. "This crowd of physicians are in the trenches all the time," he said. "The view is such that the crowd isn't heard, and if I could get the crowd to be heard, maybe that could be more beneficial for patient care." Carl and his cofounder Christian DiPaola, an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery and physical rehabilitation at UMass Memorial Health Care, self-funded the project and site with $50,000 and have begun alpha testing it with associates, including fellow surgeons, Carl said. The Albany Scoliosis Brace Project is one innovation to explore on the site. The brace, which Carl said is more comfortable than models that exist today, would do the job of the two traditional braces and therefore ease a financial burden on patients. Forums on brace features and utility are listed on the project page, allowing members to comment with ideas and criticisms. Through the listing, "a group of surgeons who we trust can move through it and give us their input," Carl said. So far, in about a dozen patients, he said, the brace works effectively. The next step for Bright Board is to grow the team. Carl said he seeks a colleague with deep business experience, qualities that he and his current partner, he said, do not have. Carl presented on Wednesday as part of Start Up Tech Valley's meetup at Brown's Brewing Company's Revolution Hall, and after the event, he spoke to groups of engineering students as well as people with companies that build Web design, he said. "We did get some exciting feedback," he said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Cary Hagan, an adviser to Bright Board, said that the concept solves a problem that has troubled the medical device industry for years. "I was struck that no one had thought of this before," said Hagan, the CEO of Intrinsic Therapeutics, Inc., in Woburn, Mass. After working in a large corporate environment for years, Hagan said, he understands surgeons face deep challenges in getting new ideas on the market. He said medical devices, regardless of fields, would see a more efficient path to market through this type of resource, which also instructs surgeons on how to patent their ideas. What a site like this needs, he said, is momentum in ideas and Web traffic. "In one place, all companies, all surgeons, all stakeholders have the chance to view and have a voice in the process," he said. "I like the idea of democratizing the process now where all of these companies have the same shot of accessing these new ideas." lellis@timesunion.com 518-454-5018 @lindsayaellis This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Washington At Bethlehem Central High School, Kate Hoit was a cheerleader who discovered an affinity for punk rock at Valentine's in Albany. (The club is gone, though the affinity endures.) She graduated in 2002, just eight months after the 9/11 terror attacks plunged the nation into war. Hoit joined the Army Reserves less out of patriotic fervor than a vague notion it would be good training for a career in federal law enforcement. "I wanted to be something more than myself," she said. "But I was naive about deploying." What followed was a gradual awakening to the challenges all veterans particularly women face going overseas to war zones and (hopefully) returning to a world that's largely stayed the same while they've become new people. Hoit's own role in helping veterans cope with that change won special recognition last week from First Lady Michelle Obama at a Women's History Month Event at the U.S. Capitol. Hoit served a tour in Iraq in 2004-2005 as an Army photojournalist, "documenting war on the front lines, riding in convoys and taking cover from mortar fire," the first lady said of her. (Hoit modestly said of the danger-zone dimension that it "wasn't too bad.") The first lady also recalled how Hoit, upon her return, walked into a veterans' hall in the Washington suburbs only to have a bartender offer her a membership application for military spouses. Hoit, now 31, ultimately graduated from the University at Albany in 2010 with a major in journalism and a minor in sociology. For the past year and a half, she has worked in the Washington area as communications director for "Got Your 6," named after the military-language equivalent of "got your back." The organization works "to normalize the perceptions of veterans and create opportunities for them to serve here at home." Hoit herself never suffered post-traumatic stress syndrome, which often involves deep depression and flashbacks to stressful times under fire. But her years of service definitely changed everything. "My time in the Army placed my life on a trajectory and without a doubt I would do it all over again," she said. "Through my service, I found my voice and passion." Being a woman veteran "is something that I'm deeply proud of and believe the stories of our service need to shared," she added. "And I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the women who served before me (in previous wars). Without their triumphs and sacrifices. I might not have the opportunities I had in Iraq." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. On the day of the event last week, "I was super-nervous," Hoit recalled. "Obviously, the first lady is beautiful and stunning." But Michelle Obama was quick to lighten the mood, calling her out for "rocking a great jacket," a reference to Hoit's fashionable black Rachel Roy asymmetrical Moto jacket. "I was thinking, 'What do I do?' because she was pointing at me," Hoit said. "So I grabbed the sides of my jacket (the lapel area) and showed it off a little bit. I couldn't just sit there! It totally put me at ease." Hoit was in the news closer to home last fall, when the Times Union reported on her social media effort to find companionship for her mother, Diane Hoit, whose husband has been grappling with the ravages of Alzheimer's Disease for a decade. The #DateDiane campaign eventually attracted media attention around the country. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany At 55, Randella Elston was laid off in October after 12 years from an $18-an-hour job with a construction data company when the firm was sold and her computer-based position was outsourced to the Philippines. "It was depressing," she said. She hadn't felt that low since she arrived in Albany by train 15 years earlier from North Carolina with her young son and a single suitcase. Her marriage had broken up and she quit a social work college degree program in North Carolina in her senior year. That was after 10 years in the Air Force where she worked as a physical therapist in, of all places, the Philippines. A parishioner at Union Missionary Baptist Church told Elston about an adult education scholarship being offered by the Capital South Campus Center across Morton Avenue on Warren Street. More Information Contact Paul Grondahl at 518-454-5623 or email pgrondahl@timesunion.com See More Collapse She stopped by and met education coordinator Mary Edwards, a dynamo with a drill sergeant's tenacity and a preacher's heart. Edwards believes everyone deserves a second chance even a third or fourth if needed. "I take the person where they are and help them get to where they want to be," said Edwards, a former administrator at New Covenant Charter School. She now works with some former students as young adults looking to advance their education or improve job skills. Elston won a scholarship to Bryant & Stratton College and will complete a certificate in medical coding in September. After she passes a rigorous test, she expects to find a job in the growing field with an hourly wage in the $18 range, with potential for advancement. "I'm so appreciative of this center and the new opportunity it's given me. I'm blessed," said Elston, who is remarried. She juggles school with raising two children, one stepchild and two foster kids. Elston's experience has been replicated dozens of times during the first year of classes and workforce training at the Capital South Campus Center. The $6 million, three-story, 18,000-square-foot multi-use facility was built with a $5 million HUD grant. Owned by the Albany Housing Authority and run by the Trinity Alliance of the Capital Region, it's a collaboration involving local colleges, businesses and community groups. Located a block from the Executive Mansion on Eagle Street within sight of the gleaming towers of the Empire State Plaza, it's a beacon of hope and opportunity in a predominantly poor and African-American neighborhood of the South End. In the last six months of 2015 at the center, 426 people completed a career advancement course and developed an individual education or employment plan. Of those, 161 completed a certificate, found a job or enrolled in college. In addition, 81 people earned high school equivalency diplomas, 60 completed English as a Second Language courses and more than 50 children participated in an early childhood language development program called Race to 10,000 Words. "This is only the beginning. We had a good first year, but this has the potential to be a jewel in the crown of the city," said Harris Oberlander, Trinity Alliance's CEO. "There's nothing else like it anywhere." "It's a continuous work-in-progress," said Kat Brown, development and marketing director for Trinity Alliance. She helped secure a $100,000 matching grant from the Key Bank Foundation and $50,000 from Albany County recently. "We listen to what the community needs and we respond." As an example, a brand-new second-floor classroom is being torn out, gutted and transformed into a nanotechnology clean room with a $500,000 grant. Training for lab technician jobs will be done through a SUNY Polytechnic Institute partnership. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. "They came to us because they have jobs they need to fill and we have a pipeline of eager workers," Oberlander said. Lanny Davenport, 26, of Albany, will begin an electrical engineering program at Hudson Valley Community College in August with help from Edwards and the center. He's earning $14 an hour driving a medical ambulette, but wants to work with fiber optic networks again as he did during four years in Army communications. The father of a three-year-old son burned out working 12-hour shifts as a restaurant line cook and the driving job also has bad hours and limited advancement. "Without this center, I'd be stuck in a dead-end job," said Davenport, who lives in the South End. "This is what we need in the inner-city because it helps us step up to new opportunities." "Mary gave me the push I needed," sad Taylor Johnson, 35, a barber who lives in West Hill. He'll complete a fitness specialist certificate at Hudson Valley Community College in May and plans to work as a personal trainer and to open his own barber shop. "I was a late starter, but I'm catching up in a hurry thanks to the center." For Jermal Greenwood, 46, who grew up in a Morton Avenue high-rise, Edwards helped him transfer disputed credits and he expects to complete a bachelor of science degree in December from Empire State College. He works full-time on the night shift for $19.75 an hour at the Freihofer's Baking Co. plant. "The center saved me more than a year of college expenses, helped me graduate sooner and got me back on track," said Edwards, a single father of two sons. "A college degree is extremely important to me. It makes me proud." pgrondahl@timesunion.com 518-454-5623 @PaulGrondahl This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Washington County will be the place to be if you want make an online purchase without the risk of being ambushed when you arrive to pick up your item. That is, unless an attacker is really brazen or foolish. Sheriff Jeffrey Murphy announced that a new "safe transaction zone" will be ready by the end of the month in a marked area of the parking lot of the county's Law Enforcement Center. There, online customers will be able to meet the people selling them items without the fear that they are being set up to be robbed, fleeced or assaulted. "Cameras already cover the entire building and additional high definition cameras will be installed to focus specifically on a marked transaction area," the sheriff announced on the office's website and Facebook page. "The marked areas will have signs identifying the area and will be located near the handicapped parking spots in the front of the complex." Sheriff's deputies will not participate in any exchanges or act as witnesses, but it would seem to take a rather shameless criminal to risk targeting a victim at a police station with surveillance cameras rolling. "With high definition video cameras and sheriff deputies nearby if needed, the hope is that the area will be safer for buyers and sellers and will deter criminals who want commit crimes against others," the sheriff's office said. "In the event a crime is committed, evidence in the form of high definition video surveillance footage will give deputies solid leads when handling the case." Even with the cameras, police encourage people to use the designated area and have the transactions during daylight. And if a seller refuses to meet at the police headquarters? "If somebody is not willing to come to the sheriff's office to complete a transaction," the office said, "it is probably not legitimate." Former prosecutor joining law firm Tina Sciocchetti, a former longtime federal prosecutor in Albany who left the office in 2012 for a newly created position at the state Education Department to prevent test cheating scandals, has joined the firm of Nixon Peabody as a partner. Sciocchetti, a Schenectady native and Union College graduate who earned her law degree from Northwestern University, recently began work as a partner in Albany in the firm's government investigations and white collar practice, but is practicing nationally. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Sciocchetti spent more than 17 years in the Justice Department, working as an assistant U.S. attorney in Albany on several high-profile prosecutions, including the IFCO case, in which top executives of a Texas pallet-making company hired illegal immigrants at plants across America, including one in Guilderland. In 2009, Sciocchetti was a finalist for the job now occupied by Northern District U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian. In 2012, Sciocchetti was hired at the Education Department to oversee a unit probing teacher and administrator misconduct, including test integrity violations "Tina brings a unique perspective to our clients given her experience as a former federal prosecutor," said W. Scott O'Connell, a firm partner who chairs Nixon Peabody's Litigation Department. "Tina also has deep experience in data privacy from her role as a top New York State Education Department official. As businesses and organizations of all sizes and industries are facing increasing threats to their data, Tina's leadership in this area will be an asset to our clients as we work with them to manage, mitigate, and respond to cyber threats." rgavin@timesunion.com 518-434-2403 @RobertGavinTU THE ISSUE: Federal prohibition of marijuana denies suffering military veterans treatment options. THE STAKES: The Department of Veterans Affairs should change its rules to allow marijuana therapies where the drugs are legal. More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse Some U.S. military veterans and their advocates found long ago that certain illnesses common among war vets, like chronic pain or post traumatic stress disorder, may benefit from treatment involving medical cannabis. If only they and their doctors could talk about it. While medical marijuana is legal in 23 states, including New York, the federal government still classifies it as a Schedule I drug, officially regarded as having no accepted medical use. That blocks federally funded research on the drugs derived from marijuana. It's also why, when a veteran wants to explore possible medical marijuana treatments, physicians at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals are basically muzzled. Even in states where cannabis or cannabinoids are legal, the physician responsible for the primary care of the veteran may not recommend or even discuss treatments involving marijuana. That leaves any veteran who wishes to pursue the option to find a non-VA doctor just to consider what many have discovered to be effective treatments. Even then, the VA or private insurance will not cover the costs. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., is calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs to change its rules and allow its doctors to discuss medical marijuana with patients in the states where medical marijuana is legal. Although the VA had an opportunity to revise its rules last month, it told the senator's office it does not intend to change its policy. Old notions die slowly. In a society inculcated with the view of marijuana as a dangerous drug, many people seem unwilling to recognize that its controlled use under a physician's care can help ease patients' suffering. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Getting marijuana reclassified a Schedule II drug, recognizing its "accepted medical use," would be a sensible first step. Sen. Gillibrand was part of last year's bipartisan effort for the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States Act, which would lift the ban on federally-funded research into medicinal benefits of marijuana, and allow VA doctors to recommend it. States would be able to import non-psychotropic cannabidiol drugs, which are already used successfully to treat epilepsy and other seizure disorders. Banks and credit card companies would also be freed to handle transactions at state marijuana dispensaries. Unfortunately, the bill is stuck in committee. Meanwhile, as New York slowly rolls out its own strictly limited medical marijuana program, it must also step up to help veterans by expanding the list of ailments that the state Department of Health authorizes for marijuana treatment. The list now includes chronic pain but not PTSD. Until the law changes, the VA should relax its arcane rules at least in the 23 states where medical marijuana is legal. Physicians in veterans hospitals and clinics should not be kept from helping men and women who have served in our nation's military. Our veterans deserve better than to suffer unnecessarily because of the politics surrounding marijuana. John Carl D'Annibale Regarding "Another voice to raise age of criminal responsibility" (Feb. 27), Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox is correct about one thing: He can't speak for the rest of law enforcement. It is not a matter of being afraid of change as Cox suggests. The vast majority of law enforcement organizations in New York are opposed to the "raise the age" legislation for very valid reasons. There are already special accommodations for criminal defendants between the ages of 16 to 18. For example, the youthful offender statute allows for felony crimes to be adjudicated with no jail time and a sealed record for people in that age range. Community Alert - The Moycarkey/Littleton/Two-Mile-Borris Community Alert are undertaking the responsibility to join in the pilot scheme which has been up and running successfully for 18 months. It is open to anyone who wishes to receive a text to alert them to any activity in the area. Community Alert - The Moycarkey/Littleton/Two-Mile-Borris Community Alert are undertaking the responsibility to join in the pilot scheme which has been up and running successfully for 18 months. It is open to anyone who wishes to receive a text to alert them to any activity in the area. We were told at our meeting by James ONeil (Muintir Na Tire rep) that rural criminal activity stats show a decline in criminal activity where the scheme is in operation nationwide. Representatives from the Community Alert group will call door to door with information and a simple form requiring a discretionary one off donation should you wish to opt in to the Community Alert scheme. Be alert! Be aware! Be involved! St. Patricks Day Parade - The 17th annual St. Patricks Day Parade in Littleton will take place on Sunday, March 17th at 10.30 a.m. All groups, clubs, organisations and individuals from the parish and surrounding areas are invited to enter a float. Prizes will be awarded in a number of categories and a special Memorial Trophy in memory of the late Pat Houlihan will be presented this year. Pat had been an esteemed member of our committee for 16 years and was also Treasurer and Master of Ceremonies at all our parades passed away in December 2012. The Memorial Trophy, donated by his wife Maura, will be awarded as the committee special prize. This years Parade Grand Marshall will be Mrs Jo Jo Treacy who was a teacher at St. Kevins National School in Littleton for over 40 years. Anybody interested in helping with parking and stewarding on the day is asked to contact committee secretary JJ OSullivan on (086) 2622307. Masses - This Sunday, 17th March (St. Patricks Day), Masses as follows: St. James Church, Two-Mile-Borris at 10 a.m. (Please note change of time for St. Patricks Day only). St. Kevins Church, Littleton, 9 a.m. and 12 noon. St. Peters In Chain Church, Moycarkey at 11 a.m. Recent Deaths - Ellen (Nellie) Flanagan, Curraheen, Horse & Jockey; Annie Latham (nee Shelley) formerly of Ballycahill; Ann Buckley, Shankhill, Co. Dublin, mother of Marian Dunphy, Noard. Clothes Collection - Clothes collection for the Missions from Moycarkey Church on this Thursday, 14th March before 12 noon. 50th Birthday - To mark the occasion of his 50th birthday, celebrations for Fr. Joe Tynan C.C. Moycarkey-Borris will be held in the parish over two weekends. A music night will be held in Darmodys Lounge, Littleton on Friday, 22nd March commencing at 9 p.m. Then on Easter Sunday, 31st March Concelebrated Mass will be held in the Church of St. James, Two-Mile-Borris at 6 p.m. followed by a reception in Corcorans Lounge. For the latter event anyone wishing to help out with the catering should contact Josephine Cantwell, Turnpike (087) 7440902, (0504) 44533 or Phyllis Galvin, Blackcastle (086) 0746747, (0504) 44513. Months Mind Masses - Mass for Padraic Stapleton, Ballycurrane, Thurles will take place on this Friday night, 15th March at 7.30 p.m. in St. James Church, Two-Mile-Borris and for Sarah Ryan, Graigue on Sunday, 17th March in St. Peter in Chain Church, Moycarkey at 11 a.m. Table Quiz - Moycarkey Coolcroo A.C. will hold a Table Quiz in Bannons Lounge on this Friday, 15th March at 9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on the night. 20 euro for table of 4, good support appreciated. The Late Ellen Flanagan - The death has taken place of Ellen (Nellie) Flanagan, Curraheen, Horse & Jockey on March 5th. Her remains were removed from Egans Funeral Parlour to the Church of St. Peter in Chain, Moycarkey. Requiem Mass was on Saturday at 11.30 a.m. followed by burial in St. Peters Cemetery. Celebrants were Fr. George Bourke P.P. and Fr. Joe Tynan C.C. Deeply mourned by her husband Andy, daughters Julia and Helen, sister Margaret (Healy), grandchildren, nephews, nieces, relatives and a wide circle of friends. May she rest in peace. Maybe some of the tension of recent meals can be attributed to the way we have been dining for the last seven months: cramped, sealed in by... [March 08, 2016] Case Against Dole Food Company Alleging Paramilitary Payments in Colombia Dismissed With Prejudice Dole Food Company, Inc. today announced that the Los Angeles Superior Court dismissed with prejudice the case Perez v. Dole Food Company, Inc. The lawsuit, which was filed in 2009, had been brought by 167 Colombian plaintiffs claiming that Dole had funded violent paramilitaries (the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia or AUC) during Colombia's civil conflict. Recently the Court awarded Dole tens of thousands of dollars in sanctions for the plaintiffs' and their counsel's "misuse of the discovery process" and separately ordered discovery into witness payment issues and a forensic investigation of plaintiffs' counsel's laptops and other electronic devices. Rather than defend themselves against Dole's claims that plaintiffs' counsel paid for fabricated testimony and engaged in other serious witness tampering, plaintiffs and their counsel chose instead to abandon their false allegations and dismiss the case with prejudice. Genevieve Kelly, Dole's Vice Presiden, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, stated: "This is a long overdue dismissal of a case that should never have been brought in the first place. These plaintiffs' lawyers acted in bad faith throughout almost seven years of litigation in trying to extract undeserved payments from the Company and making false and inflammatory accusations." Johan Linden, Dole's President and Chief Operating Officer, also stated: "Dole did not fund the AUC, and all assertions to the contrary are completely outrageous. Dole fought back every step of the way and brought to light the abuse of legal process, which led to the plaintiffs abandoning their case with prejudice." About Dole Food Company, Inc. Dole Food Company is one of the world's largest producers and marketers of high-quality fresh fruit and fresh vegetables, Dole is an industry leader in many of the products it sells, as well as in nutrition education and research. For more information, please visit www.dole.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160308006820/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 09, 2016] Xerox to Help New Jersey E-ZPass Enhance Customer Experience, Simplify Operations The New Jersey E-ZPass Group has awarded Xerox an eight-year contract to enhance its E-ZPass System customer support. Xerox will provide a state-of-the-art customer service center, violations processing, and financial back-office services for the New Jersey E-ZPass System. Once fully operational, drivers will be able to contact support representatives through phone, e-mail, fax, a mobile application, web and online chat functions. Additionally, all customer correspondence will be presented in a single, dynamic dashboard, allowing agents to view past customer information and tailor the support as needed. As one of the largest tolling facilities in the country, the New Jersey E-ZPass System processed more than 608 million electronic toll transactions in 2015, and manages 2.5 million active accounts and 5 million active transponders. "When drivers go through the New Jersey Turnpike Authority's toll services and E-ZPass gateways we want to deliver a smooth experience every step of the way, from paying tolls to contacting customer service," said Don Hubicki, group president, Xerox State Government Services. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is the lead agency of the New Jersey E-ZPass Group, whose members collect electronic tolls through the New Jersey E-ZPass System. The Group consists of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the South Jersey Transportation Authority, the Delaware River Port Authority, the Delaware River and Bay Authority, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, and the Burlington County Bridge Commission. Xerox is a leading provider of transportation technology services worldwide, including tolling, parking, mass transit and photo enforcement services, supporting governments in more than 30 countries. Click to Tweet About Xerox Xerox is helping change the way the world works. By applying our expertise in imaging, business process, analytics, automation and user-centric insights, we engineer the flow of work to provide greater productivity, efficiency and personalization. We conduct business in 180 countries, and our more than 140,000 employees create meaningful innovations and provide business process services, printing equipment, software and solutions that make a real difference for our clients - and their customers. On January 29, 2016, Xerox announced that it plans to separate into two independent, publically-traded companies: a business processing outsourcing company and a document technology company. Xerox expects to complete the separation by year-end 2016. Learn more at www.xerox.com. Note: To receive RSS news feeds, visit http://news.xerox.com. For open commentary, industry perspectives and views visit http://twitter.com/xerox, http://www.linkedin.com/company/xerox, http://simplifywork.blogs.xerox.com, http://www.facebook.com/XeroxCorp or http://www.youtube.com/XeroxCorp. Xerox and Xerox and Design are trademarks of Xerox in the United States and/or other countries. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160309005141/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 08, 2016] Walking Assist Devices Market by Product Type , and Region - Global Forecast to 2020 NEW YORK, March 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The global walking assist devices market is expected to reach USD 6.57 billion by 2020, at a CAGR of 3.9% from 2015 to 2020. The purpose of this report is to cover the definition, description, and forecast up to 2020 of the Global Walking Assist Devices Market. It involves deep dive analysis of market segmentation which comprises of products and geography. The report also gives deep insight of strategic analysis of key players in the market. The walking assist devices market is segmented on the basis of product, and segmented into Gait Belts & Lift Vests, Canes, Crutches, Walker, Wheelchairs, Power Scooters. The walking assist devices market has been segmented by geography, which includes major regions such as North Americas, Europe and Asia-pacific. These regions are further segmented into U.S., Canada and Mexico. Similarly, the Europe region is further segmented into Germany, France, U.K., Spain and Italy. In Asia-pacific, the major countries included are China, India, Japan, Australia and Republic of Korea. Globally, North America contributed the largest share in the walking assist devices market in 2014. The large share is attributed to rising aging population, increasing technological advancements & product leasing, and increasing incidences of debilitating neurological diseases & injuries which have led to increase in usage of walking assist devices in the recent years. The trends in patient community will influence the growth of the walking assist devices market. For instance, according to the World Health Organization, the global population in the age group of 65 years and above is projected to grow from 524 million in 2010 to nearly 1.5 billion by 2050. Between 2010 and 2050, the elderly population in the emerging countries is projected to increase by more than 250 percent as compared to 71 pecent increase in the developed countries. The increase in elderly population across the globe is one of the factors that has led to increase in usage of walking assist devices, such as canes, crutches, wheelchairs, and power scooters. The report also provides a detailed competitive landscaping of companies operating in this market. Segment and country specific company shares, news & deals, M&A, segment specific pipeline products, product approvals and product recalls of the major companies are detailed. The major players profiled in the global walking assist devices market report include Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Permobil Inc., GF Health Products, Inc., Invacare Corporation, Besco Medical Co., LTD., Betterlifehealthcare Ltd., C.T.M. Homecare Product, Inc., Ottobock, Ossenberg GmbH, Pride Mobility Products Corp., Aetna Inc., Sunrise Medical - LLC, and Karma Healthcare Ltd., among others. Reasons to Buy the Report: From an insight perspective, this research report has focused on various levels of analysis, namely, industry analysis -, market share analysis of top players, supply chain analysis, and company profiles. All of these together comprise and discuss the basic views on the competitive landscape, usage patterns, emerging- and high-growth segments, high-growth regions and countries and their respective regulatory policies, government initiatives, drivers, restraints, and opportunities of the walking assist devices market. The report will enrich both established firms as well as new entrants/smaller firms to gauge the pulse of the market, which in turn will help the firms to garner a greater market share. Firms purchasing the report could use any one or a combination of the below mentioned five strategies to strengthen their market share. The report provides insights on the following pointers: - Product Analysis and Development: Detailed insights on upcoming technologies, research and development activities, and new product launches in the Global walking assist devices market are provided. - Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative emerging markets is provided. The report also analyzes the markets for walking assist devices across various regions, exploits new distribution channels, new clientele base and different pricing policies. - Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investment decisions in the Global walking assist devices is provided. Detailed description regarding the related and unrelated diversification pertaining to this market is also provided. - Competitive Assessment: An in-depth assessment of market shares and company share analysis of the key players is forecast till 2020. The business strategies and manufacturing capabilities of leading players are covered. Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p03672405-summary/view-report.html About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. http://www.reportlinker.com __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/walking-assist-devices-market-by-product-type--and-region---global-forecast-to-2020-300233006.html SOURCE Reportlinker [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 08, 2016] Discovery Communications Announces Pricing of Senior Notes SILVER SPRING, Md., March 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Discovery Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) (the "Company") announced today that Discovery Communications, LLC ("DCL") has priced an offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of its 4.900% senior notes due 2026 (the "Notes"). The Notes were priced at 99.633% of their principal amount to yield 4.947% to maturity. The sale of the Notes is expected to close on March 11, 2016, subject to customary closing conditions. The Notes will be unsecured and will rank equally with all of DCL's other unsecured senior indebtedness. The Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed on an unsecured and unsubordinated basis by the Company. DCL expects the net proceeds from the offering of the Notes to be approximately $493.9 million after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated expenses related to the offering. DCL intends to use the net proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes, including the acquisition of other companies or businesses, repayment and refinancing of debt, working capital, capital expenditures and the repurchase by the Company of its capital stock. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Mizuho Securities USA Inc., and RBC Capital Markets, LLC acted as joint book-running managers for the offering. Barclays Capital Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LC and Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as co-managers for the offering. DCL has filed a registration statement on Form S-3 (including a prospectus) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for this offering. Prospective investors should read the prospectus forming a part of that registration statement and the prospectus supplement related to the offering and the other documents that DCL has filed with the SEC for more complete information about DCL and this offering. These documents are available at no charge by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, these documents will be made available upon request by DCL or by any underwriter or dealer participating in the offering. Interested parties may obtain a prospectus by contacting one of the joint book-running managers at: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, 222 Broadway, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10038, Attention: Prospectus Department, telephone toll-free at 1-800-294-1322, email: [email protected], or J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10179, Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk, 3rd Floor, telephone collect at 1-212-834-4533. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of the Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the Company's expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future, and can be identified by forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "continue," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should," "will" and "would" or similar words. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding the completion of, and use of proceeds from, the offering. These statements are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof, and actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied, due to market conditions, as well as risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business, which include the risk factors disclosed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 18, 2016. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160217/334559LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/discovery-communications-announces-pricing-of-senior-notes-300233037.html SOURCE Discovery Communications, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 09, 2016] Midea Introduces Updated M-Smart, Giving Homeowners the Power to an Intelligent Lifestyle SHANGHAI, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire / -- Midea, the household appliance manufacturing giant, announced on March 8 updates to M-Smart, a smart home system designed for the future of family living, on the eve of AWE (Appliance & Electronics World Expo) 2016, the most important event in the Chinese household appliance industry. Midea's CTO Zack Hu, together with the chief architect of M-Smart Li Qiang, illustrated Midea's smart household products, and the intelligent ecology of M-Smart respectively, showcasing the open cooperation strategy, leading to an unprecedentedly interconnected experience. Covering more than 30 product categories, with over 200 million annual household units, Midea is China's biggest manufacturer of consumer appliances. The average Chinese household has 2.5 units of Midea products. Thirty million Midea smart products are expected to be shipped in 2016. The smart home market could reach US$ 100 billion in the coming 3-5 years, as many market studies indicate. With he No.1 shipments of household appliances worldwide, Midea has sufficient resources to score successes in its smart home scenarios and users' need design. By becoming better known worldwide, Midea is establishing itself as an ecological technology leader with M-Smart, and building an image as the Master of Intelligent Hardware. More than 50 partners including Huawei, COFCO, IBM, and OnStar are on board. Midea also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with GM OnStar, pioneering the intelligent ecology between the smart mobility of connected vehicles and smart home systems in China, which would be first seen in the latest generation Buick LaCrosse. It is also the first example of interconnected cross-category intelligent devices in China. Up to now, Midea M-Smart has helped many smart home big players achieve open access; these include Huawei, Tencent, Xiaomi, TCL, LeTV and OnStar etc., allowing consumers to manage their household appliances more efficiently. IBM, Alibaba Cloud, and Amazon also formed a "Band of Brothers" alliance with Midea, so as to establish an ecosystem of household appliances and offer individualized services throughout the entire process, from operation systems to cross-category intelligent usage, to cutting-edge after-sales service. For more information: http://www.midea.com/global/?mtag=40005.1.7 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/midea-introduces-updated-m-smart-giving-homeowners-the-power-to-an-intelligent-lifestyle-300233207.html SOURCE Midea Group [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 09, 2016] ResellerClub to Offer HostGator Shared Hosting NEW YORK, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ResellerClub, part of Endurance International Group's family of brands and a leading provider of cloud technology, web hosting and web presence solutions, today announced that HostGator shared hosting is now available through its platform. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130522/614177 ) This collaboration between two Endurance companies brings the best of HostGator shared hosting to ResellerClub customers, providing them with an affordable hosting option and adding to the company's suite of web presence solutions. Similar to other products available through ResellerClub, HostGator shared hosting can be purchased directly through the ResellerClub platform. "We recognize the power of the platform we have, and the best way to deliver value, especially to our web designer and developer customers, is by offering them more choices," said Shridhar Luthria, General Manager, ResellerClub . "This partnership with HostGator is a huge step in that direction, and this is just the beginning. We are actively looking to integrate more hosting variants from HostGator and add more brands as well. Our goal is to become a complete, one-stop-shop where clients can get the brand, the flavor and the plan they want; all from the comfort of their ResellerClub control panel." Through additions to its suite of services, ResellerClub also aims to bridge gaps between customers around the world, specifically those in non-English speaking markets. HostGator shared hosting provides developing markets with locaized features, including language interfaces, support and payment options. "We're thrilled to collaborate with ResellerClub, because it provides access to an extensive network of customers who can benefit from HostGator's shared hosting," said Adam Farrar, General Manager, HostGator. "The ResellerClub channel allows us to power even more small businesses on our state-of-the-art hosting, and we hope to bring more products to the ResellerClub platform in the future." For more information, visit: http://www.resellerclub.com/, and for more information on HostGator's U.S. offerings, visit: http://www.hostgator.com. About ResellerClub The ResellerClub platform powers some of the world's most popular web hosts, domain resellers, web designers and technology consultants. ResellerClub provides scalable and secure shared hosting, reseller hosting, VPS solutions and dedicated servers, in addition to a comprehensive suite of gTLDs, ccTLDs, new gTLDs and other essential web presence products. About HostGator HostGator is an international provider of cloud-based web presence solutions, committed to delivering reliable services backed by first-class support and guidance. Founded in 2002, HostGator is the perfect web partner for business owners and individuals seeking hands-on support. Based in Texas, HostGator has offices in Houston and Austin, and offshore enterprises in Brazil and India. For more information, visit http://www.HostGator.com. About Endurance International Group Endurance International Group is a publicly traded technology company that helps power small and medium-sized businesses online. Through its proprietary cloud platform, Endurance provides web presence solutions including web hosting, eCommerce, eMarketing and mobile business tools to over 4.7 million subscribers around the globe. The company's world-class family of brands includes Bluehost, HostGator, iPage, Domain.com, A Small Orange, Constant Contact, MOJO Marketplace, BigRock and ResellerClub among others. Headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, Endurance employs more than 3,700 people across the United States in Utah, Texas, Washington and Arizona and in the United Kingdom, India, Israel and Brazil. For more information on how Endurance can help grow your business, visit endurance.com, follow us on Twitter @EnduranceIntl and like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/EnduranceInternational. Endurance International Group and the compass logo are trademarks of The Endurance International Group, Inc. Other brand names of Endurance International Group are trademarks of The Endurance International Group, Inc. or its subsidiaries. India Contact Karthik Balachander ResellerClub +91(22)3079-7676 extn: 7791 [email protected] U.S. Contact Dani LaSalvia Endurance International Group (781) 852-3212 [email protected] SOURCE ResellerClub [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 09, 2016] Brain Mapping Expert Tells Wall-Street.com It's Time Voters Know What's Really Inside The 'Make America Great Again' Cap Trump Wears MIAMI, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In today's financial website Wall-Street.com (www.wall-street.com), a leading expert on brain mapping suggests no voter can really know Donald Trump or any of the other presidential candidates for that matter, without knowing their "brain maps." "If America truly wants better leaders, we need to replace archaic political debates with the truth through revealing brain maps," Wall-Street quotes Geoff Cole, clinical director of Pathwaves here in Miami. "Sure political debates are fun to watch, but how revealing are they about the candidates? Is there a better way for voters to know their candidate? Fortunately there is, but we're not using it in presidential politics. "It's called brain mapping and it provides much greater insight and understanding about someone. Want to really know what Donald Trump is like? How stable and trustworthy he is? What really bothers him? You can check his brain map." According to Cole, America's elctorate would be much better informed if all presidential candidates allowed him to map their brains. "We do it every day to people, about whom we learn so much from the technological process. Brain mapping presidential candidates should be a perquisite," he said. Cole believes voters are sick and tired of politicians attacking one another as almost a strategy to keep under wraps what they are truly like, what they really feel and what kind of a leader they will really be if elected. It's time for technology and clinical experience to open our eyes and the door to truth about presidential candidates. How stable are they? How honest? "If I could brain map Trump or Hillary Clinton, I could bring about the transparency Obama only proclaimed, but never delivered. Brain maps could bring transparency to a whole new level. The Cole Brain Map Analysis identifies many causes of psychological, behavioral and personality driven characteristics of the candidates. Most, if not all, of Mr. Trump's smiles and happiness seem to come from success. Cole believes Trump's Brain Map would show that every lobe (except for the Frontal Lobes) is much the same as the Temporal Lobes of many of the candidates. His entire brain would be right side dominant Beta (and probably Gamma) Waves with left side dominant imbalanced left side Delta and Low Delta Waves. This would change a bit in the Frontal Lobes. Media contact: Adrienne Mazzone 561-702-4999; [email protected]. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brain-mapping-expert-tells-wall-streetcom-its-time-voters-know-whats-really-inside-the-make-america-great-again-cap-trump-wears-300233239.html SOURCE Wall-Street.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 09, 2016] Is Your Enterprise Infrastructure Secure? Interop Las Vegas Helps IT Pros Defend Data & Networks Against Latest Threats SAN FRANCISCO, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- One of IT's most complex and dynamic challenges, information security, will be a hot topic at Interop Las Vegas 2016. A dedicated conference track will highlight best practices to protect networks from the latest crop of vulnerabilities, while hands-on workshops will take deeper dives into more sophisticated threats and how to respond when your organization is compromised. Interop Las Vegas will celebrate its 30th anniversary as the top independent networking and IT conference, returning to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center May 2-6, 2016. For more information and to register, visit: interop.com/lasvegas. As today's IT environment has become faster and more functional than ever, it has also become increasingly more challenging to secure. Interop's Security Track will present a range of in-depth sessions to provide insight into the progressive strategies and technologies to protect data and networks. It will also address the changing needs of security as enterprise infrastructure expands across the cloud, the Internet of Things, and the digital economy. To see the full list of sessions within the Security Track, visit interop.com/lasvegas/conference/security.php "The threat of a breach has become one of the largest, yet least predictable, risks that an enterprise faces," said Tim Wilson, Interop Security Track chair, and co-founder and editor-in-chief of Dark Reading. "At Interop, we will be offering attendees a chance to learn and interat with some of IT security's top experts and learn what they can do to minimize that risk and mitigate some of the industry's most current threats." Try your hand at Penetration Testing during Hands-On Hacking Workshop An important step to defending an enterprise against intruders is to identify the network's exposed weaknesses. In an immersion into offensive security, attendees will get their hands on a virtual machine pre-loaded with offensive security tools including nmap, Metasploit, Arachni, and phishing frameworks. They'll learn practical skills that students will be able to apply immediately upon returning to work. Monday, May 2 | 8:30am 5:00pm Led by John Sawyer | Senior Security Analyst, InGuardians Assess Risk & Learn How to Respond to a Breach at the Dark Reading Cyber Security Summit The ultimate two-day crash course will cover everything you need to know about IT security challenges but were afraid to ask. As top executives worry that their organization might be the next victim of a public data breach, it's up to the IT professional to answer key questions about today's threats and defense, such as: How can you measure the risk you currently face? How can you minimize the security impact of mobile devices in the enterprise? Are cloud services safe? What are the best ways to prevent insiders from leaking critical information? What should you do if you suspect a major compromise of your data? Session details for the two-day workshop: Monday & Tuesday, May 2 & 3 | 8:30am 5:00pm & 3 | Led by Tim Wilson | Editor-in-Chief, Dark Reading and Interop Security Track Chair Want more information about IT security? See Interop Security Track Chair Tim Wilson's interview about collaboration between networking and security pros: http://ubm.io/NWsecurity For more information and to register for Interop, visit: interop.tech.ubm.com/lv/2016 Media Registration: interop.com/lasvegas/media-center Connect with #Interop: Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Instagram | YouTube About Interop Interop is the leading global IT infrastructure event series, offering in-depth education alongside a showcase of emerging technologies in an independent, vendor-neutral environment. For 30 years, Interop has brought the IT community together to explore the latest in network infrastructure, encouraging collaboration, and interoperability. Through dynamic conference programs, Interop helps professionals at all career levels leverage the network, systems and applications that enable business innovation. The Interop Expo and InteropNet Demo Lab provide immersive, hands-on experiences, while connecting enterprise IT buyers with leading suppliers. Interop Las Vegas is the flagship event held each spring, with an annual event in Tokyo and Cloud Connect China in Shanghai. For more information, visit interop.com. Interop is organized by UBM Americas, a part of UBM plc (UBM.L), an Events First marketing and communications services business. For more information, visit ubmamericas.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160308/342123LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/is-your-enterprise-infrastructure-secure-interop-las-vegas-helps-it-pros-defend-data--networks-against-latest-threats-300233188.html SOURCE Interop [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 09, 2016] Australian Department of Defence Extends Contract with Unisys to Provide IT Support Services to Regional Operations Nationwide SYDNEY, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) today announced that its Australian subsidiary has signed a two-year contract extension, estimated to be worth approximately AUD$74 million (US$54 million), with the Australian Department of Defence to provide IT support for 100,000 end users at approximately 450 Defence locations across Australia. Under the contract, which runs until October 2018, Unisys will continue to provide IT support to all sections within the Australian Department of Defence. Unisys also provides support for joint service and international military exercises such as Talisman Sabre, as well as emergency disaster responses including floods and bushfires. Since taking on the contract in 2008, Unisys has standardized Defence Department IT support processes nationally, and provides a flexible workforce model based on man-hour capacity and prioritized services. The model offers the Department price predictability, control over where workforce efforts are focused, and transparent reporting about how the workforce has been used. "We are delighted to continue our work with the Australian Department of Defence," said Lysandra Schmutter, Public Sector Lead, Unisys Asia Pacific. "Our renewal with the Department of Defence is a testament to the value we collectively have brought to provide a high quality of services and insights to support the critical operations across their bases nationwide. Our focus is on the critical role of base operations in defense and ensuring they are excuting efficiently and effectively at all times. Unisys has a strong history and experience working with public sector organizations. More than 300 government agencies worldwide use Unisys solutions. In Australia, Unisys supports federal and state government departments and agencies including the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Australian National Audit Office and the Queensland Department of Education and Training. Forward-Looking Statement Any statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements rely on assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. In particular, the estimated value of the two-year extension is based on various assumptions concerning the number and type of devices to be serviced by Unisys and the man-hour capacity required. Fees change based on the number and type of devices in use, man-hour capacity utilized and task prioritization, which may vary from the current forecast. In addition, the Australian Department of Defence has the option to terminate the contract prior to the expiry of the two-year contract extension period. Accordingly, the estimated value of the two-year extension is not guaranteed. Additional discussion of factors that could affect Unisys future results is contained in periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. About Unisys Unisys is a global information technology company that works with many of the world's largest companies and government organizations to solve their most pressing IT and business challenges. Unisys specializes in providing integrated, leading-edge solutions to clients in the government, financial services and commercial markets. With more than 20,000 employees serving clients around the world, Unisys offerings include cloud and infrastructure services, application services, security solutions, and high-end server technology. For more information, visit www.unisys.com. Follow Unisys on Twitter and LinkedIn. RELEASE NO.: 0309/9400 Unisys and other Unisys products and services mentioned herein, as well as their respective logos, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Unisys Corporation. Any other brand or product referenced herein is acknowledged to be a trademark or registered trademark of its respective holder. UIS-C To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/australian-department-of-defence-extends-contract-with-unisys-to-provide-it-support-services-to-regional-operations-nationwide-300233349.html SOURCE Unisys Corporation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 09, 2016] Datamonitor Healthcare Showcases Benefits of $100m Informa (INF.L) Investment Program NEW YORK, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Clients of Datamonitor Healthcare are benefiting from the Informa-wide Growth Acceleration Plan, which includes a $100m+ investment program that, within Datamonitor Healthcare, has led to a 200% increase in global analyst resources, new cutting-edge sales forecasting tools, and fastest-in-market client support functions - all designed to give clients a competitive edge in the pharmaceutical marketplace. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160309/342233LOGO ) Datamonitor Healthcare (DMHC) - the market-leading intelligence, analysis, data and information service for the global pharmaceutical industry - forms part of Informa's unrivalled Pharma Intelligence business that also includes Scrip Intelligence, Citeline, BioMedTracker and The Pink Sheet. "Datamonitor Healthcare offers our clients full analysis - including large scale primary research studies and patient based forecasts - for 68 disease indications and we will continue to expand our offering during 2016 and beyond," explains Linda Blackerby, Head of Pharma Intelligence at Informa. "This is significantly more than any comparable provider and our intelligence represents more than 90% of the value of branded prescription medicine sales in the world's seven major markets." "We are proud of our unrivalled position as the industry's leading provider of market intelligence, forecasting, data and information, but we are not resting on our laurels," adds Blackerb. "Our use of this Group-wide investment program - which ensures that DMHC market forecasts are updated in hours or days as opposed to weeks - provides our clients with ever-greater competitive advantage, as they seek to make better decisions, faster." A key element of DMHC's investment is a state-of-the-art interactive forecasting tool that has been built in collaboration with a leading analytics technology provider. The proprietary forecasting tool puts clients in the driver's seat by providing users with event-driven forecasting updates within 48 hours - weeks, or in some case months, faster than comparable services. In addition, Pharma Intelligence's raft of support and analyst services provides Datamonitor Healthcare users with immediate answers and direct one-to-one access to experts around the world. "Our DMHC Live Support system responds to client queries in minutes and our newly launched Research Concierge allows easy, fast and tailored access to resources across the Pharma Intelligence business," says Blackerby. "These services are now available in addition to our highly acclaimed and successful Ask-the-Analyst service that puts client in direct contact with our global analyst team." Datamonitor Healthcare: The Numbers Benefiting from Informa's $100m+ company-wide investment program Intelligence, data and analysis across 68 disease indications Market intelligence covering more than 90% of the industry in value terms Updated market forecasts in 48 hours -weeks faster than nearest comparable service 200% increase in global analyst resources DMHC Live responds to client queries in minutes; nearest comparable service is hours. "Datamonitor Healthcare is proud to be the market leader in providing intelligence, analysis, data and information for the global pharmaceutical industry," says Blackerby. "Our significant investment in the people, products and services that help our clients make the best decisions for their businesses ensures that we remain the 'must-have' resource for our industry." Please visit http://www.datamonitorhealthcare.com or http://www.pharmaintelligence.informa.com for more information on the cutting-edge resources, tools and market intelligence that provide our industry with the competitive edge. About Informa PLC Informa operates at the heart of the Knowledge and Information Economy. It is one of the world's leading business intelligence, academic publishing, knowledge and events businesses. With more than 6,500 employees globally, it has a presence in all major geographies, including North America, South America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. SOURCE Datamonitor Healthcare and Informa Business Intelligence [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 09, 2016] Lockheed Martin's MUOS Production Line Ships Fifth Secure Communications Satellite to Florida for May Launch CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla., March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) delivered the fifth Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on March 3, prior to its expected May launch. MUOS images can be downloaded here: http://ow.ly/ZfzPK The spacecraft will be the third MUOS satellite launched in a 16-month span, a cadence that demonstrates the production line concept put into place for the delivery of this five-satellite build. MUOS-5 is the latest addition to a network of orbiting satellites and relay ground stations that is revolutionizing secure communications for mobile military forces. Users with operational MUOS terminals will be able to seamlessly connect beyond line-of-sight around the world and into the Global Information Grid. MUOS' new capabilities include simultaneous, crystal-clear voice, video and mission data, over a secure high-speed Internet Protocol-based system, similar to today's smart phones. MUOS-5 will complete the Navy's baseline constellation and serve as an on-orbit spare for the system, ensuring the network is always available to support U.S. and allied mobile forces. "As MUOS-5's launch approaches, MUOS-4 is preparing to begin operations on-station, enabling MUOS' near-global coverage," sad Mark Woempner, program director of Lockheed Martin's Narrowband Communications mission area. "We are proud that we will soon be providing our mobile forces access to the system's enhanced communications capabilities from nearly anywhere, including further into polar regions than ever before." Lockheed Martin manufactured MUOS-5 at its Sunnyvale, California facility. For its trip to Florida the satellite was loaded aboard a C-5 Galaxy aircraft at nearby Moffett Federal Air Field by the 60th Air Mobility Wing of Travis Air Force Base. Astrotech Space Operations, a Lockheed Martin wholly-owned subsidiary in Florida, will complete MUOS-5's pre-launch processing. The satellite joins MUOS-1, MUOS-2, MUOS-3, and MUOS-4 already on orbit. All four required MUOS ground stations are complete. More than 55,000 currently fielded radio terminals can be upgraded to be MUOS-compatible, with many of them requiring just a software upgrade. Once fully operational, the MUOS network will provide 16 times the capacity of the legacy ultra high frequency communications satellite system, which it will continue to support, and eventually replace. For additional information, photos and video visit: www.lockheedmartin.com/muos About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that - with the addition of Sikorsky - employs approximately 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. Media Contact: Chip Eschenfelder, +1 303-977-8375; [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lockheed-martins-muos-production-line-ships-fifth-secure-communications-satellite-to-florida-for-may-launch-300233327.html SOURCE Lockheed Martin [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Consumer Watchdog also reiterated its call to the California DMV to amend its regulations and require that police investigate all self-driving robot car crashes and that video and technical details of the incidents be made public. "Google is using our public roads as their private laboratory," said Simpson. "When something goes wrong, they need to release everything. It's the morally right thing to do even if it's not yet required." California law requires that self-driving vehicles being tested in the state have a driver behind a steering wheel and brake pedal, capable of taking control when necessary. The DMV has just proposed regulations covering the general use of self-driving cars in the state, and continues the requirement that a driver be behind the steering wheel capable of taking control. Google is opposing the requirement. Consumer Watchdog said that Google's own test results demonstrate the need for a driver who can intervene. A required report filed with the DMV showed the self-driving robot car technology failed 341 times during the reporting period. The self-driving technology could not cope and turned over control 272 times, while the test driver felt compelled to intervene 69 times. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consumer-watchdog-demands-google-release-its-video-of-crash-it-caused-with-bus-300233565.html SOURCE Consumer Watchdog [March 09, 2016] Visteon Names Brett Pynnonen Vice President and General Counsel VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich., March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Visteon Corporation (NYSE: VC) has named Brett Pynnonen vice president and general counsel, with responsibility for the company's global legal and compliance activities, effective March 14. He replaces Peter Ziparo, Visteon's general counsel since April 2014, who is leaving the company after more than 13 years of service. Pynnonen joins Visteon from Federal-Mogul Holdings Corporation, a global automotive supplier, based in Southfield, Michigan, where he was senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. Prior to joining Federal-Mogul in 2007, Pynnonen was general counsel and secretary of Covansys Corporation. Before that, he was an attorney at the law firm of Butzel Long, based in Detroit, Michigan. "Brett's extensive legal experience in the automotive industry, international experience and deep expertise in compliance and corporate transactions, along with his outstanding reputation, make him an excellent addition to our leadership team as we drive toward future growth," said Visteon President and CEO Sachin Lawande. "I thank Peter for his manycontributions to Visteon, particularly during our transformation to a technology-driven company focused on vehicle cockpit electronics." Pynnonen earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Western Michigan University, and a juris doctor from The Ohio State University. About Visteon Visteon is a global company that designs, engineers and manufactures innovative cockpit electronics products and connected car solutions for most of the world's major vehicle manufacturers. Visteon is a leading provider of instrument clusters, head-up displays, information displays, infotainment, audio systems, and telematics solutions; its brands include Lightscape, OpenAir and SmartCore. Headquartered in Van Buren Township, Michigan, Visteon has nearly 11,000 employees at 50 facilities in 19 countries. Visteon had sales of $3.25 billion in 2015. Learn more at www.visteon.com. Follow Visteon: www.twitter.com/visteon www.youtube.com/visteon http://blog.visteon.com www.google.com/+visteon www.linkedin.com/company/visteon https://www.facebook.com/VisteonCorporation https://www.instagram.com/visteon http://www.slideshare.net/VisteonCorporation https://vine.co/u/1264235937429684224 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20001201/DEF008LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/visteon-names-brett-pynnonen-vice-president-and-general-counsel-300233492.html SOURCE Visteon Corporation Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi answers questions at a press conference on the sidelines of the fourth session of China's 12th National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, March 8, 2016. Wang talked about China's foreign policy on international and regional issues. (Xinhua/Li Xin) BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China's recent flurry of diplomatic activity has surprised some international observers and been widely welcomed around the world, serving domestic interests while expanding global participation. As the country enters a decisive five-year developmental phase, diplomacy has become more meaningful in achieving the strategic blueprint. On the sidelines of the annual legislative session, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met the press on Tuesday and talked about matters ranging from the South China Seato the Korean Peninsula. HORIZONS NEW China has been actively breaking new diplomatic ground under the leadership of President Xi Jinpingwith new thoughts, policies and measures, Wang said. "We are on the path to major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, helping realize the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation and build a community of common destiny for all mankind," Wang said. President Xi delivered a New Year message asserting China's new role on the global stage. "The world is so big and faces so many problems," Wang said on the press conference, quoting Xi. "The international community wishes to hear China's voice and China's solutions; China cannot be absent." The Chinese currency, renminbi, has been included into the International Monetary Fund basket of reserve currencies and China became in January a member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, both of which indicate China's rising presence in global financial activities. "We are not trying to build a rival system," Wang said, "on the contrary, we are trying to play a bigger role in the existing international order." NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH Regional issues on such as the South China Sea and the Korean Peninsula require careful handling. China will continue to advocate denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and has both the responsibility and capability to implement the United NationsSecurity Council resolution, Wang said. Wang said of the South China Sea, "Freedom of navigation does not mean doing whatever you want." "The South China Sea remains among the world's safest and most open seaways," he said. China is acting in line with international law by refusing to accept an arbitration claim filed over the South China Sea by the Philippines, whose "obstinacy" is clearly the result of behind-the-scenes political manipulation. On the Belt and Road, Wang declared that the initiative should not be seen as Chinese expansionism, but rather as an exercise in opening up. The initiative has already brought forth the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and improved industrial cooperation between China and nearly 20 countries. MULTI-POLAR WORLD China and the United Statesare building a new model of major-country relationship without confrontation or conflict, based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation, Wang said. China has no intention of supplanting the United States, but given the friction over maritime issues, both sides could clearly do more in terms of cooperation. The economic slowdown will not affect investment and aid promises made at December's Johannesburg meeting of the forum on China-Africa cooperation, Wang said. On China-Europe relations, Wang said recent progress was not an expediency but a necessity. China regards Europe as an important pole in a multi-polar world, he said, and Europe has come to view China's rise in an objective and sensible way. There has been simultaneous and mutually complementary development of relations between China and various European countries, exemplified by Xi's state visit to the United Kingdom. Relations between China and Russiaare mature and stable and the two sides have a strong desire to strengthen win-win cooperation, Wang said. Wang pulled no punches when he accused Tokyo of "double dealing," saying that there is little ground for optimism in bilateral relations, despite signs of improvement. On one hand, Japan's leaders regularly produce easy platitudes about their desire for better relations, while on the other they make trouble for China at every turn. China's policy on the Middle East has nothing to do with expanding its sphere of influence or establishing proxies, but is about facilitating peace talks from an objective and impartial stance. The Belt and Road will deepen mutual pragmatic cooperation in this region. Wang expressed his confidence in China-Myanmar relations, saying that the friendship is "strong and dynamic." China wants even closer relations with all ASEANmembers, building a community of common destiny for the benefit of all. 4 1 [ Editor: Jiaming ] Best VPN deals in October 2022 VPN Don't want to pay full price for a VPN? These VPN deals offer huge savings on all the very best providers all you need to do is pick which one! We saw three surprising things at Canonicals booth at Mobile World Congress 2016, and each has to do with conversion. By "conversion," I mean a mobile device equipped with Ubuntu Core a shared code base that enables apps to run on mobile and desktop, whether designed for touch or mouse and keyboard input that can connect to an external monitor and see the apps optimized for the larger display. If that sounds a lot like Microsofts Universal Apps and Continuum, that is because its the same concept. But as Microsoft is struggling to finish and polish its software, Canonical went ahead and did it better. A Midrange Tablet Impresses Even after an impressive web demo ahead of the show wherein Canonical demonstrated a tablet running a PC-like experience with a mouse and keyboard, I had little optimism that the BQ Aquaris M10 Ubuntu Edition tablet would be able to multitask as Canonical proclaimed it could. The specs just seemed too middling: a MediaTek quad-core MT8163A (up to 1.5 GHz) and 2 GB of RAM? I was wrong. Richard Collins, Ubuntu Mobile Product Manager for Canonical, walked me through a demo of the tablet in action. It had a mouse and keyboard connected via Bluetooth, and he swiftly opened up a number of applications. In the video, you can see that he has a web browser running in addition to a music player, contacts, email and more. Touch Mode He started off showing me touch mode, wherein you can swipe in from the left to show a list of app icons. When you tap to open an app, you can then do a three-finger drag to stick it on the left side of the screen, so you have one larger window and one smaller window -- whats called the Side Stage. (This, versus the larger Main Stage window of the tablet.) You can interact with both open apps at once. If you want a Side Stage app to appear on the Main Stage, you can just three-finger drag it to the larger area. When you slide in from the right, you can see all your open apps in tiles, and you can tap any to bring them to the forefront. Within the Side Stage, you can actually swipe from the right to toggle through your open apps, too. Desktop Mode Then he brought the mouse and keyboard into the conversation. You can, by the way, use the touch gestures even while the mouse and keyboard are connected. To engage the mouse-and-keyboard-friendly mode, you bring up a panel and toggle on "Desktop Mode." In Desktop Mode, you can see all your open apps in windows, just like on any PC desktop. All the same apps you had running in Touch Mode are still open; they just automatically optimize themselves for the Desktop Mode. This change happens instantly -- so quickly that if you blink, youll miss it. Just like on a regular PC, you can click and drag the windows around as you see fit. And you still get the app icon list on the left side of the display -- you just mouse over, and it will pop out. Collins opened LibreOffice as well as a spreadsheet. It took maybe a beat longer to open than such an application would on a regular PC. At this point, he had LibreOffice, Scopes, System Settings, Music, the web browser, Contacts and xChat GNOME all running. After I shut the camera off, by the way, I dug in there to see if I could choke the system. I hit play on the music app, opened up the camera so the live view was up, loaded a couple of web pages, and pulled up a spreadsheet and started typing. There was simply no lag. In terms of responsiveness, it felt as if I was on my regular laptop. The web pages even loaded more quickly on the tablet than they sometimes do on my laptop. I clicked back and forth between open applications. Smooth as mantequilla. The only limitation I saw at this point is that theres no support for a dual-display mode. Therefore, you can use the tablet like a PC, or connect the tablet to an external display and use it as a PC, but you cant do both. Canonical told me that this is a limitation of the chipset, but that in theory, with the right hardware, [dual display] will be possible in future. Just Some Old Smartphone Acting Like A PC I was sufficiently impressed by the Aquaris M10 Ubuntu Edition tablet demos multitasking performance, but Collins had another surprise in store when we switched to the smartphone-as-PC demo. Thanks to Ubuntu Core, you can connect a smartphone to an external monitor, and the phones open applications will show up as windowed, desktop-looking apps. As with the tablet, you cant get a dual-screen experience. However, Canonical cleverly found a way to use the smartphones touch display as an input device. The phones display is off, but in the video (above), you can see that you can use it to move the mouse cursor around just as you would on any laptop touchpad, and you can perform taps and a two-finger scroll. (When connected to an external display, the tablet offers the same.) Connect yourself a keyboard, and youre all set with a hybrid laptop/desktop input experience and a PC-like environment on your monitor. However, its not as fluid as the tablet experience. Theres a small amount of mouse input lag, for example, and the apps didnt seem to respond quite as readily as one would like. That would be more disappointing if the attached smartphone powering the experience was a high-end device, but effectively, they were using just some old smartphone. It was, in fact, a Nexus 4--a phone so old that you cant even buy it anymore. I pressed Collins on the minimum required specs for this experience, and I seemed to have stumped him, as he didnt have a ready answer. But then he made this point: Canonical hasnt bothered to define minimum requirements because there are so few phones available that cant run it. All a handset really needs, Collins said, is 2 GB of RAM. The rest is gravy. The Nexus 4 was used just as a prototype, and Collins told me that another handset was coming this year that should fully support this experience. Around that time, a dual-display feature should become available, as well. Odd, might be your next thought, Why not just use that recently-announced, high-end Meizu Pro 5 Ubuntu Edition smartphone? A High-End But Hamstrung Handset That thought would make sense--the Meizu Pro 5 is a fairly powerful device, and it has a USB Type-C port that should make it ideal for pumping its contents to an external display. But theres one great big problem: Inexplicably, the phone doesnt support video out through the Type-C port. Regarding this oversight, Collins said, This is a chipset dependency and requires the chipset supplier to enable video support for the USB Type-C component on the Board Support Package. We expect chipset manufacturers to fully enable USB-C type functionality for future boards. He continued, There are alternative technologies we are evaluating and expect products in the near future. One of these potential solutions, he said, is Wi-Fi Direct, which could potentially turn any Ubuntu phone into a convergence phone. For now, though, the Pro 5 is just an Ubuntu phone. Image 1 of 2 Image 1 of 2 Basically an iPhone 6 clone in terms of design, the Pro 5 has a Samsung Exynos 7420 SoC with a Mali T760 GPU, 3 GB or 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM, 32 GB or 64 GB of UFS 2.0 storage, and a rear 21.16MP camera (with a Sony IMX230 sensor). Being an Ubuntu phone, it uses Scopes; the UI design is intended to keep people in the experience as opposed to bumping them off to web-based apps, and to that end, many apps have a unified Ubuntu look, like the SoundCloud app in the video. Enabling Convergence Collins said that devs can enable this Ubuntu-on-any-screen capability fairly easily, using Canonicals SDK. Our SDK has UI components, which when used to create applications to run on Ubuntu devices will allow the app to dynamically change so that it can be used for touch as well as mouse control and input, he stated. This is a both a design and a technical solution we have introduced to allow any app to be relevant for convergence. So, yes, devs have to go into their apps code and add a few lines, and that means currently not all apps can switch from touch mode to desktop mode as smoothly as the ones I saw demoed. Surely, that will lead to a certain amount of consternation for users, but as demand increases, the number of enabled apps should follow quickly. What Canonical is doing here is all the more impressive because of the issues Microsoft appears to be having in implementing its own convergence experience for mobile devices using Windows 10 and Continuum. Windows 10 for phones is still not finished, and as Collins noted, The mobile version [of Windows 10] has the ability to display certain apps to a desktop, but still remains a mobile OS at its core. He added, Continuum is therefore a solution for the Win 10 mobile OS variant which only works for certain apps. It is a feature of their mobile OS and is not therefore based on true OS convergence in the same way as Ubuntu. Canonical itself still has some work to do. More apps need to get the convergence treatment, and we need to see more available devices, Further, getting video-out capabilities on these higher-end Ubuntu phones is crucial--there's no two ways about that--and adding dual-display support for both phones and tablets will take the experience to a more compelling level. Even so, Canonical has proven that its work with Ubuntu Core and the convergence paradigm is impressive and promising. Seth Colaner is the News Director for Tom's Hardware. Follow him on Twitter @SethColaner. Follow us on Facebook, Google+, RSS, Twitter and YouTube. Samsung announced its latest image sensor for its own high-end smartphones, such as the recent Galaxy S7, that comes with 1.4m pixels and Dual Pixel technology for much faster autofocus. Samsungs Galaxy S7, much like the latest Nexus devices, adopted a lower-resolution sensor that offers better low-light performance because of the resulting larger pixels. Somewhere around 12MP seems to be the optimum resolution for smartphone cameras right now, because the fewer pixels there are, the easier it is to do computational photography. When there are fewer pixels, less processing power is required to combine pictures or add various effects to them in real time. Another big improvement for Samsungs new sensor is the addition of the Dual Pixel technology, usually found in DSLRs. The technology enables significantly faster autofocus by employing two photodiodes on the left and right side of a pixel. The photodiodes then convert the light into measurable photocurrent for phase detection. That means that each and every one of those 12 million pixels will be capable of detecting phase differences of perceived light, resulting in the faster autofocus. With 12 million pixels working as a phase detection auto-focus (PDAF) agent, the new image sensor brings professional auto-focusing performance to a mobile device, said Ben K. Hur, Vice President of Marketing, System LSI Business at Samsung Electronics. Consumers will be able to capture their daily events and precious moments instantly on a smartphone as the moments unfold, regardless of lighting conditions, he added. Samsungs new sensor also employs the ISOCELL technology, which isolates every pixel from one other to reduce color cross-talk and improve image quality. Just a few years ago, most people thought that a phone camera could never achieve the performance of a DSLR. Although were not quite fully there yet, the adoption of what were typically DSLR technologies into smartphone sensors has increased lately. Weve seen larger sensors (in some devices), higher quality lenses, optical image stabilization, phase detection autofocus, laser autofocus, optical zoom, and now Dual Pixel technology, too. As smartphone chips achieve higher and higher performance, computational photography will only play a bigger role as well -- perhaps an even bigger one than in DSLRs. This could level the playing field somewhat and reduce other natural shortcomings that smartphone cameras have (such as the physical size of the sensors) compared to DSLRs. Lucian Armasu is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware. You can follow him at @lucian_armasu. Follow us on Facebook, Google+, RSS, Twitter and YouTube. The saga surrounding Maitreya Festival seemed to be pretty cut and dry. Organisers failed to provide necessary documentation to receive the appropriate permits to hold their event so council said no. An appeal at VCAT ruled in favour of council and it looked as though Maitreyas 10th birthday celebrations had gone up in smoke. But the festival wasnt having any of it and quickly mobilised and counterpunched. We have secured a fantastic new venue just down the road from the lake! organisers wrote on Facebook. This means we can still support the AMAZING community in CHARLTON who have supported the event and its patrons SO MUCH! However, just as things were looking up, it became apparent that Maitreyas new venue may not be on the level. Organisers soon issued a new post in which they revealed the location was secret and punters would be directed to a checkpoint on the day of the festival. Victoria Police soon caught wind of this and issued an official statement, warning punters not to attend the festival. Victoria Police strongly discourages event organisers from proceeding without the appropriate authorisation, they wrote. As the Maitreya/Maitreyah Festival is unauthorised and several support agencies (eg St Johns) have withdrawn services for the Festival, Victoria Police warns organisers and attendees, that your personal safety could be compromised by attending. Organisers responded to the polices warning in a statement to inthemix, assuring all punters attending this weekend that the festival is safe and secure and will provide a massive benefit to the local community. NEWS from the FRONT LINES! After all our efforts to mediate an work with the council The court has ORDERED that we Posted by Yourtreya Festival onThursday, March 3, 2016 The statement by Victoria Police today is not helpful, but also shows the sort of things that we go through to be able to peacefully get together under the banner of dance music, organisers wrote in the statement. Our event is better planned than anything else that happens in this community, is better resourced to keep our patrons healthier and happier than any other in the are, and offers the opportunity for the community to earn a years worth of cash in a weekend. The local people of Buloke Shire will definitely vote out there council after the event, perhaps they will vote out the police also now? We really are surprised with the way things have turned out, as we continue to plan a safe community event, and have agreed to pay the Police bill of $20,000 for their presence at the event this year. We deep down believe they will still come and do their bit to help keep a safe place, but ultimately the event is safe and secure without Victoria Polices blessing and people should be encouraged to come experience it. Fans have taken to Maitreyas official Facebook page to voice their concerns, with many still confused about the status of the festival and what the chances are that it will be shut down by police and tickets will become void. Firstly, when youve got 10,000 people, theres no such thing as a secret location, Darren Sanicki of GI & Sanicki Lawyers tells Tone Deaf. Everyones going to know where it is in 30 seconds. A message relating to the Maitreya/Maitreyah Festival. Victoria Police is monitoring the situation regarding the Posted by Victoria Police onSunday, March 6, 2016 I think the whole idea of a secret festival, it sounds sort of sexy and fun, but I think logistically it just isnt possible. I mean, now that theyve had the publicity and its public knowledge they dont have permits in place, I cant imagine theres any vendors that will do any business with them. I understand they want to be defiant and all of that, but if they try to put on this festival theyre crazy. We asked Darren about the potential ramifications of holding an unsanctioned event, including what would happen if a punter were to injure themselves or if the event gets shut down and ticket-holders are left out of pocket. Well, if the event is unsanctioned, and uninsured, and one thing goes wrong, the organisers are pretty much finished, he said. Theyre going to be wiped out financially, because they wont be covered by insurance. So anything that happens someone slips and hurts themselves, or needs urgent medical assistance and there are no paramedics on site, or any event involving property damage, these guys arent covered. Whilst St Johns Ambulance have pulled their involvement with the festival, organisers recently announced that they have partnered with private medical services company Emergency Medical Management to cover the festival. If something happened and someone got hurt they would be well within their rights to sue the organisers straight away, which they can do anyway, but thats why you get insurance for these events. No insurance company would go near [an unsanctioned event]. Theyre risking everything. [include_post id=472703] Should the event not proceed, punters are entitled to a refund. The odds of whether they get it or not, I dont know. Im unsure as to the organisers situation in regards to where the money is but if any punters are out of pocket, theyll no doubt go after them. But if organisers arent forthcoming with refunds, as was reportedly the case with Soundwave festival, Darren says punters will be left with little comfort, even if they were successful in suing the organisers. It should of course be noted that Maitreya tickets are sold direct to punters from the Maitreya website without a third-party ticketer. Youll have to sue them, you can report them to consumer affairs, you can take them to VCAT or the Magistrates Court, and probably one lawyer will put their hand up and represent all those who lost money in one hit, said Darren. But unless these guys have got the money youre unlikely to get it. This is more so the case if they dont have insurance in place. Maitreya Festival is still scheduled to take place this Friday, 11th March. Seriously, Virgin Australia, we love you guys and all youve done for the Australian music community, but youve been making it really hard to like you lately. We dont know if youve noticed, but your baggage handlers suck at handling musical instruments. Weve previously documented cases of Virgin baggage handlers ignoring the Handle With Care stickers on instrument cases and the subsequent social media fallout from the artists once they open up said cases to reveal damaged and scuffed instruments. However, the message still hasnt gotten through. Most recently, local trio Woodlock took to their official Facebook page to bemoan the state of their equipment, including a kick drum and guitar case, after a flight from Perth to Brisbane via Sydney. We were shocked when we arrived at the Optus Yestival site on Sunday morning and took our kick drum out of its case to discover it had been severely damaged on our flight from Perth Sydney Brisbane, the band wrote on Facebook. Not only that, when we left Brisbane and arrived home in Melbourne we discovered that MORE damage had been done, this time to our guitar case. We havent been able to get a straight answer from anyone and kept being told to talk to different airports, and its rare that anyone even answers the phone. Being full time musicians, we dont have the disposable income to be able to afford to buy brand new equipment to replace what has been damaged. We would really love someone to communicate to us over the phone regarding this matter ASAP rather than a computer or an answering machine. Speaking to Tone Deaf, Woodlock manager Ash Hills revealed it wasnt until Woodlock took their complaints to social media that they actually heard back from Virgin Australia, describing the situation as extremely disappointing. Please share:Dear Virgin AustraliaWe were shocked when we arrived at the Optus Yestival site on Sunday morning and Posted by Woodlock on Monday, March 7, 2016 After realising the first lot of damage on Sunday morning I was on the phone to Virgin straight away and directed to the Brisbane Baggage Department who I only managed to get through to on my 10th-ish time calling, I had also sent numerous emails and filled out complaint forms, she said. I was directed to numerous people, from Brisbane to Melbourne and back and forth. The boys were also offered no help at either airport except for a business card with a PO Box address on it, this is when we decided to go public on social media. Within 20 minutes of the post going live I had received a comment from Virgin asking us to private message them as well as an email from someone in the CEOs office. Within five minutes of that email I had a phone call from someone in the same office. As I mentioned on the phone to him, its extremely disappointing that it takes taking something like this public to get their attention. The contact from Virgin was of course, very apologetic and theyve offered to replace all of the damage equipment and even any rental costs in the interim. [include_post id=460092] He has also said they are going to look at the procedures currently in place, as they dont seem to be working. So overall a pretty positive response from Virgin, but as I said, disappointing that it takes a call out on social media to get a response. According to Ash, the damaged equipment includes a Maton guitar case that was severely damaged and a Mapex Kick Drum, a limited edition series that they no longer make, putting the total cost of the damage in the thousands. Virgin have already replaced the guitar case, its currently in transit, Ash said. Were trying to figure out what to do about the drum its looking like well need to replace the whole kit instead of just the one drum. Whilst the band are no doubt thankful the issue was eventually resolved, its unfortunate that the band had to go public with the incident before even receiving a response. It also begs the question: what would a musician without the considerable social media following of Woodlock need to do? As we reported this morning, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are back in a big way. With the release of their eagerly anticipated eighth album, Nonagon Infinity, just on the horizon, the band have now dropped a new single and music video. Gamma Knife premiered this morning alongside pre-orders for the vinyl edition of the bands new album. Just 1,500 copies were available for pre-order and the band managed to sell every single one in less than two hours, forcing them to release another 1,500 limited edition vinyl copies. Eric, whos our drummer, runs Flightless, so he sort of just put it up this morning and an hour and a half later or two hours later he messaged me saying, Hey dude, all the vinyl is gone,' frontman Stu Mackenzie tells Tone Deaf, fresh off the bands latest UK run. And I was like, Holy shit, thats crazy. I think weve got a bunch more, like a second variation were going to chuck up, but then thats it. Well have a bunch going to stores, but thats it for the Flightless edition, so maybe we didnt do enough copies, I dont know. Its pretty surprising. When pressed on whether the band, one of Australias most loved and prolific exports in recent years, were really surprised to see the demand, Stu admits theyve never seen so many of their records move so quickly, leaving him at a loss for why it went down this time. Flightless [the bands label] copies are all sold through Bandcamp, its super easy to use. We send stuff to stores and stuff now and they do their own thing. I guess the last couple of records, weve sort of pressed more copies, explains Stu. The earlier ones were only runs of 300 or 500 or something like that. Theyre harder to come by now. Indeed, King Gizzs cult following has seen collectors from around the world hunting down multiple versions of their albums. I dont know if it means we wouldve charted if ARIA did count the sales, but I sort of dont really care about that. We have a label in the US and the UK now and they do vinyl runs with different variations and stuff, says Stu. Its getting more and more confusing. Were getting heaps of people in the US and UK and even Japan and South America buying our records. But I mean, those labels are getting Australians buying US and UK versions, because theres people who want to collect all the variations. I think its probably around 50 percent Aussie on our end. So will the 1,500 records translate into chart success for the Melbourne psych rockers? I believe that ARIA dont count Bandcamp sales, which is sort of funny, says Stu. I dont know if it means we wouldve charted if they did count them, but I sort of dont really care about that. I dont know, if ARIAs listening, I think thats lame. Im not sure what their reasoning is, but to me Bandcamp is a pretty awesome tool, especially for artists who want to take control of their own careers. [include_post id=473419] To me, selling physical product is not really a way to make money. If you can, thats very fortunate, but I think in this day and age its not really something you want to rely on. Obviously, its a handy bonus. But pressing records is super expensive as well and time-consuming and a lot of effort goes into even the artwork involved and the record itself. Once you tally up the time and the costs involved, it doesnt really add up to many dollars. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizards eighth album, Nonagon Infinity, is available to buy 29th April. Check out the video for the albums first single, Gamma Knife, below. Get more info or get the album via the King Gizz website. "It took a Republican procedural move called a "previous question" to cut off debate and force a vote . . ." The fight against "religious exemption" in Missouri is now at a conclusion thanks to a GOP legislative maneuver that ended an EPIC Democratic Missouri protest.Check the links and remember that Missouri politicos from both parties promised and never delivered a jobs bill 5 years ago.You decide . . . FAIR PLAY . . . THE ILLEGAL ALIEN SUSPECT IN A KILLING SPREE THAT SPANNED BOTH KANSAS AND MISSOURI NOW BRINGS THE DEBATE OVER IMMIGRATION TO THE FOREFRONT AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY STAYS LOSING ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE!!! "With the Missouri primary this Tuesday, this story will go national and be used by candidates in their argument to seal the border!!!! (TKC: Or build the wall?!?!) An illegal alien (the government's own term) was supposed to be deported but because of an ICE mix-up is set free and ends up murdering FIVE people!!!!!" In the aftermath of a tragic Kansas City, Kansas spate of murders and a recent arrest; the conversation now turns to the divisive subject of the immigration status of the suspect.To wit . . .Here's the only real headline that matters in this story for the more "strident" news readers. Checkit:Thanks to a lot of you for sending e-mails on this topic . . . Here's one from a Kansas City newsie insider:And in the context of this story, for better or worse, let's not forget that it's only Donald Trump that's taking on the topic of Mexican murderers and criminals head on . . .These are uncomfortable and politically incorrect facts but they're part of the conversation that speak to the constant question:It's might not be (just) because he's stirring up hatred or discussion of tragic topics but because he's unafraid to address the underlying controversy and that already exists among Americans. Also, he has memorable hair.And so,but let's not pretend that this unfortunate fact is at the forefront of the discussion for a great many people who mourn the loss of recent killings.Check the links:You decide . . . Of the 750 Greek employers surveyed, 18% expect to increase staffing levels, 8% forecast a decrease, 70% anticipate no change to their current payrolls, while 4% answer Do not know with regards to anticipated employment changes Employers in Greece report cautiously optimistic hiring intentions for the April-June 2016 time frame according to the quarterly Manpower Employment Outlook Survey released today by ManpowerGroup Greece. Of the 750 Greek employers surveyed, 18% expect to increase staffing levels, 8% forecast a decrease, 70% anticipate no change to their current payrolls, while 4% answer Do not know with regards to anticipated employment changes Once the data is adjusted to allow for seasonal variation, the Outlook stands at +5%, for the second consecutive quarter. When compared with 2Q 2015, employers report a decline of 4 percentage points. This quarters survey reveals: The modest hiring pace is forecast to continue in the April-June time frame, with Greek employers reporting a Net Employment Outlook of +5%, based on seasonally adjusted data. Hiring plans are unchanged when compared with the prior quarter but are 4 percentage points weaker year-overyear. Payrolls are expected to increase in seven of nine industry sectors and both regions during 2Q 2016. When compared with 1Q 2016, hiring intentions weaken in five sectors while remaining relatively stable across the two regions. Year-over-year, Outlooks are weaker in five sectors and both regions. The strongest of the nine sector labor markets is forecast for the Finance, Insurance, Real Estate & Business Services sector, with an Outlook of +13%. The Outlook remains relatively stable when compared with the previous quarter and is unchanged year-over-year. Job seekers can expect the weakest hiring pace in two sectors with Outlooks of -8%: In the Construction sector, the Outlook declines by 3 and 12 percentage points from 1Q 2016 and 2Q 2015, respectively. Electricity, Gas & Water sector employers report considerable declines of 12 and 15 percentage points quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year, respectively. Greater Attica employers report the stronger of the two regional Outlooks, standing at +6% for the second consecutive quarter. However, hiring intentions decline by 5 percentage points year-overyear. In Northern Greece, the Outlook stands at +2%, remaining relatively stable quarter-over-quarter but declining by 5 percentage points year-over-year. Large employers forecast an active hiring pace in 2Q 2016 and some job gains are expected in the Medium- and Micro-size employer categories. However, Small employers report uncertain hiring plans ManpowerGroup - Net Employment Outlook Evolution in Greece Our survey reveals that the Greek employers remain cautiously optimistic for the upcoming quarter of 2016, with an Employment Outlook standing at +5%. Although the hiring pace is still modest, the fact that it has not decreased should be viewed as a positive sign in a highly disruptive market that leaves no room for unrealistic optimism. Hirings are expected to increase in seven of nine industry sectors, demonstrating once again the perseverance of the business community to move despite the structural and systemic obstacles that still exist, stated Dr Venetia Koussia, ManpowerGroups Managing Director. Manpower Employment Outlook Survey 2Q 2016 In a time when it has become clear that tackling the issue of employment is a prerequisite for growth and prosperity, there is an eminent need to keep this cautiously optimistic climate ongoing. It will take however a coordinated and collective effort of all stakeholders involved, in order to forge sustainable and practical solutions that will allow talents to be nurtured, potentials to be unleashed, and eventually our economy to find its way back to recovery, highlights Dr Koussia. Sector Comparisons Workforce gains are forecast for seven of the nine industry sectors during the coming quarter. The strongest labor market is anticipated by Finance, Insurance, Real Estate & Business Services sector employers who report a Net Employment Outlook of +13%. Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry & Fishing sector employers report cautiously optimistic hiring plans with an Outlook of +10%, while Outlooks stand at +7% and +6% in the Wholesale & Retail Trade sector and the Manufacturing sector, respectively. However, employers in two sectors the Construction and the Electricity, Gas & Water Supply sectors expect a sluggish hiring pace, reporting Outlooks of -8%. Outlooks weaken in five of the nine industry sectors when compared with the previous quarter; the most notable decline of 12 percentage points is reported in the Electricity, Gas & Water Supply sector, while Outlooks are 7 and 3 percentage points weaker in the Restaurants & Hotels sector and the Construction sector, respectively. Elsewhere, hiring prospects strengthen in three sectors. The Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry & Fishing sector Outlook improves by 8 percentage points while an increase of 7 percentage points is reported for the Wholesale & Retail Trade sector. Employers in five of the nine industry sectors report weaker hiring intentions when compared with 2Q 2015, with the most noteworthy declines of 20 percentage points being reported in both the Restaurants & Hotels sector and the Transport, Storage & Communication sector. The Electricity, Gas & Water Supply sector Outlook decreases by 15 percentage points and a decline of 12 percentage points is reported by Construction sector employers. Meanwhile, hiring prospects strengthen in three sectors, most notably by 9 percentage points in the Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry & Fishing sector. Regional Comparisons Employers in both Greek regions expect to increase payrolls during 2Q 2016. A modest hiring pace is forecast in Greater Attica where the Net Employment Outlook stands at +6%, while Northern Greece employers report a cautious Outlook of +2%. Hiring prospects remain relatively stable in Northern Greece when compared with the previous quarter, and are unchanged in Greater Attica. Year-over-year, employers in both regions report weaker hiring intentions with Outlook declines of 5 percentage points. Organization-Size Comparisons Large employers expect an active labor market in 2Q 2016, reporting a Net Employment Outlook of +21%. Elsewhere, some payroll gains are forecast in both the Medium- and Micro-size categories, with Outlooks standing at +5% and +2%, respectively. Meanwhile, Small employers report uncertain hiring plans with an Outlook of -1%. When compared with the previous quarter, Outlooks strengthen for Large- and Micro-size employers, with increases of 3 and 2 percentage points, respectively. Meanwhile, Small employers report a slight decline of 2 percentage points. The Outlook for Medium employers remains relatively stable. Year-over-year, Large employers report an improvement of 9 percentage points. However, Outlooks weaken in the remaining three categories. Small employers report a decline of 9 percentage points, while decreases of 6 percentage points are reported for both Micro- and Medium-size employers. International comparisons ManpowerGroup interviewed over 58,000 employers across 42 countries and territories to forecast labor market activity* in Quarter 2 2016. All participants were asked, How do you anticipate total employment at your location to change in the three months to the end of June 2016 as compared to the current quarter? ManpowerGroups second-quarter research reveals that job gains are expected in 39 of 42 countries and territories during the April-June time frame. However, despite little indication of labor market contraction, hiring intentions in most countries and territories continue to remain modest. In fact, some key labor markets, such as Germany, France and Italy, are clearly struggling to gain traction amid the current economic uncertainty. Faced with the slowdown in China and ongoing turmoil in commodity markets, most employers across the globe appear to be taking the measured approach of adding staff only when needed. Despite some anticipated job gains, actual job growth is expected to slow by varying degrees with employers in a slim majority of countries and territories scaling back their hiring plans in both quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year comparisons. Hiring plans strengthen in only eight of 42 countries and territories when compared with the first three months of 2016 and weaken in 22. Outlooks improve in 12 countries and territories when compared with Quarter 2 2015 but decline in 23. Second-quarter hiring confidence is strongest in India, Japan, Taiwan, Colombia and Guatemala, while the weakest hiring prospects are reported in Brazil, France and Italy. The Quarter 2 2016 survey included interviews with nearly 20,000 employers in 24 countries in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. Employers in 22 of 24 countries plan to add to their payrolls during the April-June time frame, however the hiring intentions are weaker in a quarter-over-quarter comparison in 11 countries, and improved in only five. Outlooks decline in 13 countries year-over-year and improve in only six. The regions strongest second-quarter forecast is reported in Bulgaria, while the weakest forecasts are reported by French and Italian employers. About the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is conducted quarterly to measure employers intentions to increase or decrease the number of employees in their workforces during the next quarter. ManpowerGroups comprehensive forecast of employer hiring plans has been running for more than 50 years and is one of the most trusted surveys of employment activity in the world. About ManpowerGroup ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) is the world's workforce expert, creating innovative workforce solutions for nearly 70 years. As workforce experts, we connect more than 600,000 people to meaningful work across a wide range of skills and industries every day. Through our ManpowerGroup family of brands Manpower, Experis, Right Management and ManpowerGroup Solutions we help more than 400,000 clients in 80 countries and territories address their critical talent needs, providing comprehensive solutions to resource, manage and develop talent. In 2016, ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the sixth consecutive year and one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies, confirming our position as the most trusted and admired brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup makes powering the world of work humanly possible: www.manpowergroup.com RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Main opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that Greece should take lessons from Cyprus on how to correctly implement the measures of its bailout programme Main opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday that Greece should take lessons from Cyprus on how to correctly implement the measures of its bailout program, following a meeting with the leader of the Democratic Rally party, Averof Neofytou, in Nicosia. Its a particularly important day for Cyprus, as todays Eurogroup will confirm the countrys exit from the memorandum after three years of systematic effort, Mitsotakis said in joint statements to the press. He continued to say that, unlike Cyprus, Greece is still in the grip of a third program, from which it is not expected to come out soon. He added that it is therefore extremely important to take lessons from Cyprus and see what our Cypriot brothers did correctly and most importantly, how they implemented consistently a program by telling the truth to people, how they created a bipartisan consensus on necessary reforms and how they achieved fiscal consolidation without increasing taxes. Source: ANA-MPA RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Bookings from Germany remain at the 2015 level. The security issue is important criterion for tourists than the refugee story Approximately 10,000 exhibitors from 187 countries around the world participate in this year's International Tourism Fair (ITB) in Berlin. As the world's largest exhibition of its kind, it remains the industry's barometer for the whole year. Based on the evidence so far, ITB shows that the number of German tourists who will come to Greece this year will remain around the 2015 level of about 2.8 millions. In other words, the refugee crisis does not seem to have serious negative consequences on Greek tourism, as noted in the following Deutsche Welle report: Security remains the most decisive factor According to Norbert Fimpich, President of the German Association of Travel Agencies (DRV) there are currently two prevailing trends in the global tourism market: "While many destinations record a noticeable rise in bookings from Germany, for others there is great reluctance. This obviously has to do with recent horrible events raising the question of each destination's security." In particular, countries hit by terrorist attacks such as Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia face a significant drop in bookings from Germany. By the end of January, bookings for these countries were at least 40% lower than the same period last year. Mr. Fimpich does not, however, exclude the possibility for this situation to change for the better, if the security situation is stabilized. This development mainly benefits destinations in Western Europe. Portugal recorded an increase in bookings of 20% from Germany, the Canary Islands 21%, the Balearic Islands and the rest of Spain 4%, Italy 6%, and, it should be noted, Bulgaria 9%. With regard to destinations outside Europe - a significant increase was recorded for the Caribbean and especially Cuba which will be visited during 2016 by 46% more Germans than last year. Greece on par with 2015 But, what about tourism in Greece? Will the refugee crisis affect it negatively? The answer Norbert Fimpich gives to Deutsche Welle is clear: "No. Regarding the course of bookings for Greece so far, we have not found any important consequences of the refugee issue." Travel agents who know the German market admit that January bookings for Greek destinations were significantly lower than last year. But during February, the situation improved. The reason for the positive development was the impression created in the German public that the refugee issue has no implications on the country's safety. Attractive tourist destination As Michael Frentzel, the chairman of German Tourism Industry Association (BTW) assures DW, Greece is still one of the most attractive tourist destinations for German tourists. Based on current bookings, it should be expected to rise. This concerns mainly "islands that are related to a lesser extent with the refugee drama and for which there is still a great demand from Germany." It applies especially to destinations such as Rhodes, Crete and Corfu, but not on Lesbos and Samos. Even reservations ofr Kos have been satisfactory. "Keep Schengen" An issue of great importance for tourism in Europe is preserving the free movement of travelers. Limiting this freedom would have a negative impact on tourism. Categorically, Michael Frentzel rejects on behalf of the German tourism industry any thoughts of abolishing Schengen or closing the border with Greece: "As a tourism industry, we have benefited greatly from free movement and a single currency, the euro. We hope that the measures that have been adopted along the Balkan route will be only temporary and that the protection of the EU's external borders to Schengen will be restored. This will also be a great relief for Greece." Source: Deutsche Welle RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Tourexpi, turizm haberleri, Reiseburos, tourism news, noticias de turismo, Tourismus Nachrichten, , travel tourism news, international tourism news, Urlaub, urlaub in der turkei, , holidays in Turkey, , global tourism news, dunya turizm, dunya turizm haberleri, Seyahat Acentas, This site is best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0+, at a minimum screen resolution of 1024 x 768. US-based Crane Worldwide Logistics, a global player in the freight management and contract logistics services sector, has signed a new deal with Intertruck Group. Crane Worldwide Logistics has been awarded a contract to manage over 35,000 individual line items of heavy-duty spare parts for Intertruck in its state-of-the-art facility in Dubai, UAE, said a statement from the company. The Netherlands-based Intertruck Group, member of the Unipart Group of Companies, is an internationally-operating supplier of truck, trailer, bus and off-highway vehicle parts. It has become a leading worldwide player with subsidiaries in Germany, Zambia and Dubai. Crane Worldwide Logistics presented a bespoke solution to Intertruck that identified core cost reduction in the storage of heavy-duty parts including a shelving environment to house individual piece items, added a statement. The rising facility costs in the UAE is putting significant pressure on manufacturers and their storage capabilities, it said. The contract began at the beginning of February 2016 and will be in place for three years, it stated. Marcel van Eeuwen, CEO, Intertruck Group, said: Our companys brand range has now grown to over 10,000 products. We are reaching the point that using a third party logistics provider will guarantee the best service level for our customers. Dubai-based DP World Group chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem has held discussions with senior Philippines officials on trade and business opportunities. During the meeting held in Manila with the Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, discussions revolved around the governments plans for development of the maritime sector, privatisation and efforts to develop infrastructure. Bin Sulayem said: We had a cordial and fruitful meeting with HE Jose Rene Almendras who expressed great support of DP Worlds operations in the Philippines and praised our contribution to the economic growth of the country. The Philippines is a strategic location for DP World and a key part of our Asia Pacific region operations. We are keen to share our experiences and apply our proven expertise in the marine, logistics and trade sectors to further develop our partnerships there. We look forward to building on our excellent relations in the future. DP World operates four terminals in the Philippines and is a partner in Asian Terminals Inc (ATI), which operates the modern South Harbour in Manila, the capital. ATI is the sole container terminal and multi-cargo port operator of South Harbour, the Philippines key terminal in the countrys biggest market providing services for containerised and non-containerised cargoes and passengers. The company also provides integrated port solutions to customers through facilities outside Manila which include: * Port of Batangas a modern seaport located 110 km south of the capital. It handles passengers, ro-ro transport, bulk and break-bulk cargo and Batangas Container Terminal has an annual throughput capacity of 300,000 TEUs. * Inland Clearance Depot (ICD) located 36 km south of Manila, it serves as a strategic link between manufacturing hubs of South Luzon with the port gateways at Manila South Harbour and Batangas Port. * Port of General Santos located in the southern Philippines, a multi-cargo terminal which serves as an ideal gateway to the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines regions. - TradeArabia News Service National Iranian Drilling Company (NIDC) is in negotiations with Chinese firms aiming to supply some of the equipment for their oil projects in Iraq, a report said. Talks are also underway with European companies on collaboration in Iraq, Heidar Bahmani, managing director of NIDC, was quoted as saying in the Iran Daily report. Negotiations are also being held with Kuwait on joint projects in Iraq, he added. We were not able to transfer drilling equipment to neighbouring countries during the sanction years while this issue has been fully resolved with the elimination of sanctions thus clearing the way for more our visible presence in Persian Gulf littoral states, Bahmani was quoted in the report, which cited Mehr News Agency. "Currently, an agreement is being sealed with Italians based on which the European side will undertake the investment while NIDC will carry out the drilling activities, he revealed. "Talks are also being held with Singaporean firms on implementing offshore projects with Singapore providing finance and Iran offering equipment and facilities." The number of drilling rigs in Iran will reach 80 in the year to March 2017, he added. Mall of Qatar, the largest shopping and lifestyle destination, has signed a lease agreement with Azadea Group Holding, a premiere fashion and lifestyle retail company, enabling Azadea to feature 15 of its most renowned global brands. Rony Mourani, general manager of the Mall of Qatar, structured the signed agreement with Said Daher, CEO of Azadea Group. As per the agreement, Azadea Group will feature brands that include an assortment of fashion, homeware, F&B and sportswear, in over 10,000 sq m within the mall. Set to open in August 23, visitors to the Mall of Qatar can experience Azadeas new concept stores that will offer them the opportunity to select from a range of international brands including Zara, Zara Home, Massimo Dutti, Oysho, Pull & Bear, Bershka, Virgin Megastore, Paul Cafe, Intimissimi, Calzedonia, Kiko, Salsa, I am, Peal Juice and a new entry into Qatars market: Eataly the largest Italian marketplace in the world, comprising a variety of restaurants, food and beverage counters, bakery, retail items, and a cooking school. Rony Mourani, general manager of the Mall of Qatar said: "While choosing a retail partner we ensure that it is in line with our promise of getting top brands that will add real value to Mall of Qatar. Azadea Group is exactly the right fit, as it will showcase a large variety of choices and brands all under one roof. With the Azadea Group on board, we have every confidence that this world-class retailer will offer a unique shopping experience to the discerning Qatari shoppers. Said Daher, CEO of Azadea Group, said: We have a strong belief in the development strategy of the state of Qatar and we are proud to be part of its promising vision. At the Mall of Qatar we are sure that we will grow further with our partners and hopefully stand out as a primary fashion, F&B and lifestyle provider. TradeArabia News Service Kuwait's government plans legislation that will let the private sector manage commercial ports and the country's international airport, with the government retaining its ownership of the assets, a senior government official told Reuters on Tuesday. Like other Gulf states, Kuwait is under heavy pressure to cut costs and improve the efficiency of its economy as low oil prices cause it to run a state budget deficit. There is an urgent need "to revitalise the ports, whether sea or air, for commercial business", Minister of Commerce and Industry Yousef al-Ali said on the sidelines of a business conference in Kuwait. "We need to develop the management and transfer it to the private sector." Current law only allows for the transfer of ownership in state assets. Although Kuwait has discussed outright privatisation, it has run into political and technical obstacles, so officials are now talking of simply transferring management. Ali did not specify when the new legislation would be passed. If the law is amended, it will provide Kuwaiti companies such as logistics giant Agility, KGL Logistics and Jazeera Airways opportunities to get involved, said Mustafa Behbehani, chairman of the Kuwaiti Gulf Group for Administration and Economic Consulting, a local firm. "They have the experience to manage the airport and the ports and they operate abroad - Agility has international operations, and KGL and Jazeera as well," he said. Reuters News Oct 21st, 2022 at 12:40 Spending on IT this year by the UK travel sector is projected to hit 1.98 billion, the highest level seen in data analysed covering the last 15 years... Taj Mahal trip from New Delhi is a great way to visit the historic and wonderful city of Agra (TRAVPR.COM) INDIA - March 9th, 2016 - India is a country that is rich of history and is well known for its cultural heritage and diversity. This attracts tourist from all over the world to India as they are keen to explore this country and the famous historical destinations. The advancement and improvement in global connectivity has ensured that many more people are visiting and keen to know about India and its culture. But the rapid pace of life has meant that people are keen to wrap up their travel as early as possible. For many tourists same day Taj Mahal trip from New Delhi is a great way to visit the historic and wonderful city of Agra. The best part about Agra Delhi same day tours is that you can complete your journey in one day and visit one of the most globally admired historical masterpieces. The recently inaugurated Taj Expressway has made it a breeze to travel between Delhi and Agra. Agra Delhi same day tours have become easier for a large number of foreign tourists after the opening up of this access controlled expressway. You have the option of going to Agra on a car, a luxury bus or any vehicle of your choice for same day Taj Mahal trip from New Delhi. The expressway has also made it very easy for weekend travelers to go for Agra Delhi same day tour. This world class highway is also expected to promote tourism in this region and lead to the economic development of surrounding places. Agra is one of the most important cities in India and has also been the capital of the country during Mughal rule. The city is located on the banks of River Yamuna and it is one of the most populated cities in Uttar Pradesh. It has always been an important place and the city is full of historical destinations and monuments. Taj Mahal is easily one of the most famous attractions and a visit to Agra is incomplete without going there. The city also boasts of Agra Fort and Fathehpur Sikri and both these are UNECSO World Heritage Sites. Some other notable attractions in Agra are Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, Tomb of Akbar the Great and Jama Masjid. These historical attractions can make Agra Delhi same day tours pone of the most cherished experiences of your life. Delhi Head Office Loyal Tours and Travels Pvt. Ltd F1/131, 2nd Floor, Pragati Bhawan, Mohammadpur , Bhikaji Cama Place, Behind Hyatt Hotel, New Delhi- 110066, India Tel no. : +91 11 44994499 (30 Lines) 26175941, 26106932 Fax no.: +91 11 4499 4450 Mobile No: +91 9971944211 , +919911116302 E-mail id:info@loyaltours.in, Sales@loyaltours.in, domestic@loyaltours.in, ashok@loyaltours.in, ### Search News Archive : Fast Travel News Promotion Via Search, Social Media + Email Follow Us On : TRAVEL AUTHENTIC ASIA OFFERING CUSTOMIZED TRIP TO VIETNAM Industry: Tour Ops Travel Authentic Asia, an Asia based travel management company offering Vietnam customized tours that are affordable and convenient. (TRAVPR.COM) VIETNAM - March 9th, 2016 - Vietnam has rapidly turned out to be one of the most sought-after destinations for tourists worldwide, so it is no surprise that Vietnam trips have turned out to be so enviable. Vietnam provides world tourists an economical yet really interesting destination where they can explore the best of Asia without losing comfort and luxury. There are a great many number of renowned destinations in Vietnam, and there are special Vietnam trips to meet the traveling plan of everyone. The Director General of Travel Authentic Asia said Our pioneering tour itineraries are emphasized on taking tourists off the beaten path to the less explored destinations, splendid landscapes and to explore the real culture and local life. We pride ourselves on being as the leading tour agency in Vietnam who offers tourists the flexibility and attention to whats essential for the completion of their tour expectations. Any traveler can dream an exceptional vacation with us. Custom is not complicated: in fact, more than 6o percent of our tourists, tour Asia on a custom journey. And here is the beauty, the journey departs on dates of your choice and you tour only in the company of your loved ones to destinations entirely up to you. You decide your Vietnam custom trips, the trip duration & focus. The sort of Vietnam lodging is similarly up to you, as are included meals. All tours are escorted by expert local drivers and guides, all for about the expense of a group departure. Our bi-lingual travel consultants and guides will develop a memorable trip with their exceptional knowledge, sense of humor and great attention to your adaptability. We believe that from the moment you start planning your trip with our tour consultant, to the time our guides ensure youre safely on your way home while having personalized and quality service from us. Our customized trip hovers around Vietnams mesmerizing landscapes, friendly people, vibrant cuisines and well documented histories. Just let us know your travel plan and we will customize it says the chief spokesperson at Travel Authentic Asia. Any Vietnam trip that you think to cash on will have incredible scenery. In just this one nation, youll discover open fields, gargantuan mountains, and a blend of climates. All these will add a thrill to your travel experience. About Travel Authentic Asia: Travel Authentic Asia is a leading destination management company in Asia offering a wide range of tour packages to destinations like Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and several other Asian countries. Website : http://www.travelauthenticasia.com/ ### Please contact the person or company listed above for information regarding the content of this press release. TravPR.com are not the issuers of this press release and are not responsible for the accuracy of the content. Share Release : CONTACT INFORMATION Name: Le Xuan Son Company: Travel Authentic Asia Phone: +84 9 12221442 Email: travelauthenticasiamkt@gmail.com Web: PRESS RELEASE TAGS Search News Archive : Fast Travel News Promotion Via Search, Social Media + Email Follow Us On : VISA-FREE ENTRANCE GRANTED BY VIETNAM FOR NATIONALS FROM SEVEN COUNTRIES Industry: Visas Vietnamese government implements 15 day Visa exemption for residents from Japan, Korea, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Russia and Finland. Visa-Vietnam.org offers visas faster for extended stay. (TRAVPR.COM) VIETNAM - March 9th, 2016 - Vietnam generously grants Visa-free entrance for foreign nationals specifically from seven countries such as Russia, Japan, Korea, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. Visa requirement is waived for those travellers staying in the country for 15 days or less. The policy will remain effective until December 31, 2019, and then may be extended further in line with the laws of Vietnam. For those travellers aiming to stay beyond the said period, Visa-Vietnam.org helps attain visa without delay. Visa-Vietnam.org is a renowned travel agent in Vietnam, offering Vietnam visa at reasonable prices. Prompt delivery and faster processing times have been the major selling points of the firm. With their quality services, they have been successful in generating a great customer base since its inception. The company expressed content over the decision put forward by the government regarding free-visa entrance to Vietnam for Finland. "Apart from our excitement towards the government's decision of waiving visa requirements for countries such as Japan and Korea, we are particularly happy for European countries like Finland," expressed a spokesperson. "It is prospects like these that bring the world together and let people from the west discover the beauty & culture of the east," furthered the spokesperson. Notably, the government also indicated that a foreigner who is eligible for visa exemption upon entry under unilateral visa exemption scheme must have a passport that remains valid for at least 6 months, and the interval between the entry date and the previous exit date must be at least 30 days. Visa-Vietnam.org is legally registered with the Vietnam government, thus offering a service that is not just reliable but trustworthy too. Customers can apply for visas online through their Visa on Arrival program that will be processed promptly in a way that customers can avail them stamped upon arrival at the airport. "For those looking to indulge in the luscious greens of Vietnam, 15 days wouldn't be sufficient. For a prolonged stay, we can offer our customers legally stamped visas at best prices. Even better, frequent customers can avail Vietnam visas from us at heavily discounted prices." All their services are backed by full refund guarantee to protect customer interests and value their satisfaction. This is an enough proof that the company showcases to emphasize that their services meet high quality standards. About Nam Thang Travel Co., LTD: Visa-Vietnam.org offers Vietnam visas at affordable rates with easily accessibility and faster processing times. They offer urgent visas post free visa-entrance period to Vietnam for Finland & 6 other countries enlisted by the government. ### Please contact the person or company listed above for information regarding the content of this press release. TravPR.com are not the issuers of this press release and are not responsible for the accuracy of the content. Share Release : CONTACT INFORMATION Name: Ta Hoai Nam Company: Nam Thang Travel Co., LTD Phone: 84966569956 Email: visavietor@gmail.com Web: PRESS RELEASE TAGS We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best productslearn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. We deeply researched sustainable tea production and taste tested dozens of brews to find the best organic teas. Our search has taken us beyond the tea tree as well, including our picks from the best organically grown herbal and chai teas. From punchy English breakfasts to earthy rooibos sweetened with vanilla bean, there's an organic certified tea that's right for you. Sporting a variety of organic certifications from bodies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), we've looked for teas with verified practices for promoting soil health without artificial fertilizers or pesticides. Want a more soothing start to the day with a cup of breakfast tea? Or do you prefer a mug of peppermint herbal tea to relax before bed? Whatever your tea habits, it's possible to find a perfect match that also adheres to organic standards, thanks to the plethora of growers practicing soil-friendly tea cultivation. Best Overall: Arbor Teas Organic English Breakfast Tea 5 Arbor Teas View On Arborteas.com English breakfast tea is a blend of black teas meant for daily drinking and as an accompaniment to a hearty breakfast. It's often combined with milk or lemon. As such, English breakfast tea is more about consistency than wowing the sipper. This means that you've most likely experienced English breakfast teas as a bland tea bag from a major brand. Let the Organic English Breakfast Tea from Arbor Teas change your mindbreakfast tea doesn't have to be boring. A blend of organic black teas grown in both high and low elevation areas of India, this organic English breakfast tea is well-rounded, with a medium-body flavor that's both distinct and unassuming enough for daily drinking. Arbor Teas are both USDA certified organic by the Global Organic Alliance and certified Fair Trade, combining sustainable agricultural practices with robust labor protections, making it our top overall choice. Arbor Tea also minimizes their carbon emissions by using sea freight (instead of more carbon-costly air shipping), powering its packaging facility with solar panels, and purchasing carbon offsets in a partnership with the Carbon Fund. Even the packaging can be composted. Available in a "Bulk" 10 ounce size (enough for 125 servings), "Regular" 3.5 ounces (44 servings), or a "Sample" package with enough for eight cups, Arbor Teas' Organic English Breakfast Tea is ready to become your daily cuppa, or something unpretentious to serve guests with a splash of milk. Arbor Teas also has a decaf version available. Best Budget: Traditional Medicinals Organic Botanical Blends Blood Orange Tea 5 Amazon View On Amazon View On IHerb View On Luckyvitamin.com This caffeine free, botanical blend herbal tea includes a diverse blend of organic herbs, but derives its flavor most from subtly sweet orange peel, tart hibiscus, and the floral, hay notes of meadowsweet, a wildflower in the rose family. With a sweet zing, perfect for after-dinner drinking, Traditional Medicinals Organic Botanical Blend Blood Orange Tea is a fantastic alternative to lemongrass tea. Traditional Medicinals is a California Certified Green Business and a certified B Corp, which means it's been audited for both its social and environmental performance. The many herbs it uses in its tea blends are organic, according to the standards of the nonprofit California Certified Organic Farmers organization. Its tea bags are made from sustainably harvested hemp and Forest Stewardship Council approved wood pulp, making them compost-ready. While its Blood Orange tea has a delightful and soothing flavor, with a complex herbal profile, we were unable to verify its description as a "Digestive Support" supplement. Meadowsweet has traditionally been used to treat acid indigestion, but there's little scientific validation for this use. While one study found that chemicals in meadowsweet may act as an anti-inflammatory (meadowsweet was once used in the synthesizing of aspirin), other research into its health effects were too low quality to draw conclusions. Traditional Medicinals tea is not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration for specific health benefits. Since Traditional Medicinals is one of the largest and oldest "wellness tea" sellers in the United States, its products are affordable and widely available in grocery stores. Best Splurge: Fire Belly Tea The Crowd Pleaser 5 Fire Belly Tea View On Firebellytea.com Our taster found that The Crowd Pleaser truly lives up to its name. Its a rich black tea with just a hint of almond and vanilla, which comes from the real thing, not added or artificial flavors (note that may be a problem for those with nut allergies). The vanilla is sourced from Madagascar and the blend is rounded out with sweet blackberry leaves. This loose leaf tea is certified USDA Organic. All of Fire Bellys teas are packaged in fully compostable, plant-based bags, which are made materials that are derived from eucalyptus and cassava root. You can choose to get a recyclable box, if you want an elegant display option and for gift packaging, or select refill bag for the least possible packaging. For the elevated flavor and the commitment to sustainability, this is a luxurious brew thats fully worth splurging on. I have totally fallen in love with this tea, and often find myself craving it when I wake up in the morning. It has just a touch of sweetness, which pairs beautifully with milk if you like, but leave nothing to be desired all on its own. ~ Margaret Badore, Treehugger Associate Editorial Director Margaret Badore / Treehugger Best Rooibos: Tealeaves Organic Vanilla Rooibos Tealeaves View On Tealeaves.com Thanks to caramel notes and delicate vanilla beans sourced from Madagascar, this organic, loose leaf rooibos is earthy and rich, with a gentle sweetness embedded in its complexity. It's also caffeine-free, making it a good pick for evenings, or any time you just want to sit back and relax, but still has some of the full-bodied experience as a good black tea. Tealeaves Organic Vanilla Rooibos is also a relatively affordable way to bring home a little luxury. The brand is known for supplying custom blends to Four Seasons Hotels and Michelin-star chefs. All Tealeaves teas, including its Organic Vanilla Rooibos, are certified organic by the British Columbia Association for Regenerative Agriculture (BCARA). The company also supports international biodiversity initiatives. Its tea packaging is plastic-free, employing a combination of recyclable and compostable materials. The Best Zero-Waste Tea Accessories of 2022 Best Green: Mighty Leaf Organic Spring Jasmine Tea Peets View On Walmart View On Amazon View On Peets.com Mighty Leaf's Organic Spring Jasmine Tea combines the sweet grass piquancy of green tea with jasmine buds, for a floral accent that creates an intoxicating aroma. Sourced from small-scale farms in China, Mighty Leaf has produced a blend that's complex, but still suitable for daily drinking. USDA certified organic, the Organic Spring Jasmine Tea one of Mighty Leafs selection of 17 organic loose leaf teas, which are also 100% non-GMO. Mighty Leaf also partners with non-profit She's the First, which supports educational initiatives and provides scholarships to girls, including the young women who make up the bulk of the workforce at the Chinese tea estates providing organic green tea leaves to Mighty Leaf. Mighty Leaf Organic Spring Jasmine Tea is available both loose leaf or in tea bags. The 8 Best Travel Mugs of 2022 Best Black: Numi Breakfast Blend Amazon View On Amazon View On Numitea.com Combining black teas from Fair Trade farms in India, Sri Lanka, and China, drinking Numi's blend is like going on a world tour every morning. With its combination of Assam, Ceylon, Chinese Keemun and Darjeeling, Numi Breakfast Blend is full-bodied and complex. Flavor notes include malt, citrus, ripe fruit, and a floral aroma. Numi's teas are Fair Trade and USDA certified organic. Through its own foundation and other initiatives, the brand supports water access internationally and food relief domestically, delivering more than 637,000 pounds of fresh produce during the Covid-19 pandemic. Numi is also a certified B Corp. Best White: Tielka Moonlight White Tea Tielka View On Tielka.com White tea comes from the same tea treeCamellia sinensisas black and green tea, but is minimally processed and typically harvested earlier in the season for young buds and leaves. Unlike green tea leaves, which are rolled, or black tea leaves, which are dried until they turn black (a process called oxidation), white tea leaves are minimally dried. This results in a pale yellow tea that has a light, slightly sweet flavor. Tielka's Moonlight White Tea is single origin, comprised of leaves from China's mountainous Yunnan Province. The leaves are harvested by hand in early Spring. It is both Fairtrade certified and certified organic according to both Australian and European Union standards. Best Chamomile: Tealeaves Organic Chamomile Flowers Tealeaves View On Tealeaves.com The perfect post-lunch or bedtime cuppa, this tea is made from the buds of the chamomile plant, a member of the daisy family. Expect herbaceous notes with a gorgeously mellow aroma of apples and honey. This herbal infusion is both luxurious and fully sustainablecertified organic by the British Columbia Association for Regenerative Agriculture. While chamomile has long been used in traditional medicine, there is no comprehensive scientific evidence for any specific claims. But it's hard to deny the relaxing feeling that comes with sipping this signature herbal tea. Best Chai: David's Tea David's Chai Organic 4.9 David's Tea View On Davidstea.com While "chai" simply means tea in many languages, for many English speakers the term refers to the spiced tea blends that originated in India, typically served sweetened and with milk. This aromatic blend of cinnamon, clove, ginger, and cardamom is blended with a quality black tea for a rich chai that's inspired by traditional marsala blends. All of the ingredients DavidsTEA incorporates in its David's Chai Organic are USDA certified organic. This cup offers zestful spice and easy drinking, but if you prefer a more mellow and sweet blend David's Tea also offers a lovely organic vanilla chai, although our testers note that blend may be too sweet for some. Best Peppermint: Harney & Sons Organic Peppermint Loose Tea Harney & Sons View On Amazon View On Harney.com This delicately minty tea is USDA certified organic and made from peppermint leaves harvested in Oregon. Available as a loose leaf tea or in tea bags, this peppermint peppermint tea provides all the soothing kick of the peppermint plant, without the candy cane sweetness of too many other peppermint tea varieties. Plus, it's just as good when brewed cold as it is hot. In addition to its organic, locally-grown ingredients, Harney & Sons is also a member of the 1% For the Planet initiative, donating a percent of its total sales to a raft of non-profit environmental organizations. Tribune News Service Bathinda, March 8 About 18 villages here today heaved a sigh of relief after getting an assurance from the Army that it would remove a net from the Bathinda distributary of the Sirhind canal that passes through the Bathinda cantonment. Residents of villages were at loggerheads with the Army in the cantonment that had placed the net in the Bathinda distributary of the Sirhind canal. Panchayats of villages, including Gehri Buttar, Jodhpur Romana, Gehri Bhagi, Mehta, Shergarh, Bhagwangarh, Gurusar Sainewala, Phullomitthi, Sangat Kalan, Jassi Bagh Wali, Kishanpura, Naruana, Jai Singh Wala, Baho Sivian and Meeya today gathered here and approached the Bathinda Deputy Commissioner for the second time to get the issue sorted out. Hamir Singh, sarpanch, Jai Singhwala village, said: The villages at the tail end, including Jai Singh Wala, Phullow Mithi, Sangat, were facing too much issues as there was no water for irrigation. Shortage of drinking water was also being faced by residents. We have earlier approached the executive engineer but to no avail. However, today the DC had assured to address our grievance. Executive Engineer (Irrigation) Upkaran Singh said: Farmers approached us two months ago and we had written a number of times to the Army and had even held meetings with them in this regard but today with the intervention of the DC, the matter has sorted out. After the Pathankot terror attack, the Army in the Bathinda cantonment put up the net in Bathinda distributary, which used to get blocked after a few hours following waste and weeds gathering around the net. The cleaning of the Sirhind canal is not being done by the Irrigation Department due to lack of funds. However on Tuesday, Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Basant Garg met the GoC, Army Sub Area, Major General Jaggi, who assured to remove the net from the distributary. I met Maj Gen Jaggi today and discussed the matter. The flow of water was halted due to the waste collected around the net and residents faced problems due to the same. However, Army officials had assured us to remove the net from the canal, the DC said. New Delhi, March 9 Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) today launched in the Japanese market the premium hatchback Baleno which has been manufactured in India by its subsidiary Maruti Suzuki India. It is for the first time that MSI-made model is being exported to Japan where its parent SMC is based. SMC has launched the all-new hatchback Baleno in Japan with 1.2 Dualjet naturally aspirated engine, the Japanese firm said. The 1.0 Boosterjet variant of the vehicle will be launched on May 13, it added. Maruti Suzuki MD and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa said: Launch of Made in India Baleno in Japan is a proud moment for all of us. This reaffirms Maruti Suzukis manufacturing potential and growing importance of Maruti Suzuki India Limited in Suzuki Motor Corporations global business strategies. The Baleno is a model developed with Suzukis expertise in building compact cars in pursuit of the ideal compact hatchback. The model embodies a harmonious and high-level combination of the elements expected in a compact car, including design, comfort, and driving and safety performances. PTI G Parthasarathy IT is a truism that in any country including India, the coastal population inevitably focuses attention on maritime security, while those far from the sea remain fixated on land borders. Indias security challenges across its land borders with Pakistan and China have only accentuated this trend. Moreover, with its focus on import substitution, rather than export promotion, Indias share in world trade fell significantly in the first four decades after Independence. With its economy collapsing in 1990, India was forced to drastically change its outlook towards domestic, regional and global economic issues. What followed has been the growing integration of India with the global economy, and its emergence as a constructive and increasingly important partner, with a growing market for trade and investment. We have since moved from an economy afflicted by what was once pejoratively described as the Hindu rate of growth to becoming a vibrant, emerging economy. Foreign trade and investment have inevitably become focal points for accelerated economic growth in India. We have wisely embarked on increasingly integrating our economy, with the fastest growing economies of the world, in East and Southeast Asia. We now have Comprehensive Economic Partnerships with the 10 members of ASEAN, ranging from Myanmar to the Philippines, as also with Japan and South Korea. We are negotiating a free trade agreement with Australia and have endeavoured to undertake similar arrangements with our SAARC partners. Moreover, ASEAN-led forums like the East Asia Summit have led to an Indian strategic role across the Bay of Bengal, which traverses the Indian Ocean and western Pacific, crossing the disputed waters of the South China Sea. Progress on economic integration in South Asia has, however, been slow, primarily because of Pakistani recalcitrance. Significantly, tensions and disputes with China have not adversely affected a blossoming trade and investment relationship between India and China the worlds two most populous countries. Despite these developments, India cannot ignore the fact that China has acted as a spoiler in every effort New Delhi has made to enhance its role in its eastern neighbourhood. Beijing vigorously opposed our participation in economic and security forums linked with ASEAN, including the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit. China continues to maintain links across its borders with Myanmar, with some of our northeastern separatist outfits. We are now steadily moving towards a more proactive response to counter these Chinese efforts. Our aim remains to develop viable security architecture across and beyond our eastern shores. Concerns about Chinese military bases and inroads across the Bay of Bengal will continue. But, concerted diplomatic efforts, with partners like the US and Japan have enabled us to strengthen the security of our eastern sea-lanes. China has not succeeded in its efforts to secure a predominant role in Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or the Maldives. This will, however, remain a continuing challenge for us. While India has fashioned policies to safeguard the security of its eastern shores, the same cannot be said for what is transpiring in our western neighbourhood, across the Arabia Sea. It is here that we cannot now overlook the implications of Chinas new thrust, at not only establishing a virtually permanent presence in the Indian Ocean, but also by its doing so in collusion with Pakistan. New Delhi should carefully note Chinese moves to outflank us on our western shores, through a network of roads and ports. The Chinese strategic objectives are based on a Silk Road Economic Belt that links China with Central Asia, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, the Persian Gulf States, Russia and the Baltic States. Beijings 21st century Maritime Silk Route, in turn, extends from Chinas coast to Europe through the Indian Ocean. China is simultaneously building ports across the Indian Ocean, in Asia and Africa. What India cannot afford to ignore is that while the silk road envelops both its eastern and western neighbours, this road links up with the Maritime Silk Road and the Indian Ocean, in the Pakistani Port of Gwadar, located at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. Gwadar is perilously close to Indias sea-lanes, linking India to the oil-rich Persian Gulf, from where we get over 70 per cent of our oil supplies. China has now secured virtual control of the port facilities in Gwadar, after pledging $46 billion to Pakistan, to promote its ambitious silk route projects. Over a decade ago, then Pakistan President Musharraf told an audience in Islamabad, just after the visit of then Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji, that in the event of a conflict with Pakistan, India would find the Chinese navy positioned in Gwadar. Given its difficulties in obtaining bases in countries like Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, China feels Pakistan is a crucial partner, in its quest to have base facilities, strategically positioned close to the Straits of Hormuz and astride Indias vital sea-lanes to the Persian Gulf, where around seven million Indians live. China has simultaneously commenced an effort to strengthen Pakistans navy, with the supply of four frigates and eight submarines, to reinforce these efforts. Chinas interest in having a military presence astride the Straits of Hormuz arises from the fact that this narrow 2-mile-wide corridor is the route for the transportation of 17 million barrels of oil per day (mbpd), with 15.2 mbpd traversing thereafter through the Straits of Malacca, which includes 80 per cent of Japans oil supplies. The entire Indian Ocean Region, extending to the Gulf of Aden, accounts for 40 per cent of the worlds oil production and 57 per cent of the worlds oil trade. Not surprisingly, the US has positioned its powerful 5th Fleet in Bahrain to oversee the security of these vital sea-lanes. The nature and extent of US interest in this region could well change, as the US itself is becoming a net exporter of oil and gas. Moreover, apart from the rivalries of external powers, stability in this region is being adversely affected by Iranian-Saudi rivalries, which have a sectarian dimensions. Ideally, it would be useful if the major Asian oil importers India, China, Japan and South Korea cooperated on developments that threaten the security of vital sea-lanes and energy corridors. But, given existing tensions and suspicions, this may be too much to expect anytime soon. Majid Jahangir and Suhail A Shah Tribune News Service Srinagar/Anantnag, March 9 Two Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants, including a Pakistani national wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with last years Udhampur attack, were killed in a gunfight with security forces in south Kashmirs Pulwama district today. The gunfight broke out in the afternoon close to the Air Force base at Awantipora. Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Gujarat were put on high alert earlier this week following reports of a possible terror strike by the LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed. The counter-insurgency operation was launched after joint teams of the Special Operations Group of the J&K Police, Army and CRPF cordoned off an agricultural field in Padagmapora village in Awantipora, Pulwama, 32 km from here. They had intelligence inputs that 11 militants, including a few commanders of the LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen, were meeting in the area. We received a tip-off about the presence of militants in the area and contact was established, after which two terrorists were killed, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Javed Mujtaba Gilani, told The Tribune. One of the slain militants was identified as Abu Okasha, who was wanted by the NIA in last years Udhmapur attack. The identity of the other slain militant is being established, he said. Abu Okasha, a resident of Bahawalpur in Pakistan, was one of the handlers of the Udhampur attackers along with another Pakistani militant commander, Abu Qasim, killed last year. Abu Okasha, Naved and Noman, all Pakistani militants, had infiltrated last year and two of them had carried out the attack on a BSF convoy in Udhampur on August 5 last year. Naveed was later arrested while Noman was killed in the attack. The IGP ruled out that the militants were planning any attack on the Awantipora Air Force base. They had no such plans, he said. Searches were underway in the area. Police sources said many militants managed to escape when the cordon was being laid around the agricultural field. The militants opened indiscriminate fire in a bid to flee. Many of them managed to do so, said a police official. Two of them were again trapped in an open paddy field in the nearby Wandakhpora village. When the gunfight was under way, resident tried to take out a march, which was foiled by the police. Earlier in the day, security forces recovered an AK-47 rifle after a brief gunfight with militants in central Kashmirs Ganderbal district. The sources said they had inputs about the presence of militants in the Wanihama area, after which an operation was launched. The militants fired at security forces and managed to flee the area. The militants left behind an AK-47 rifle, which was recovered by the police. New Delhi, March 9 An Indian medical student, who was in a coma at a trauma centre after being attacked by local goons in Russian city of Kazan, has died, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today. I am pained to inform that Yasir an Indian medical student from Srinagar has succumbed to his injuries in Russia, Swaraj tweeted. Yasir was admitted to a trauma centre in Kazan the capital city of Russian province of Tatarstan. Yesterday, Swaraj had directed Indian Ambassador in Russia Pankaj Saran to extend all possible help to Yasir after receiving an SOS through a tweet that the student was in a hospital in coma after being attacked by local goons, who also took away his money and documents. She had yesterday said the Indian mission will take up the case with the Russian authorities. "I have got complete report on Yasir. An Indian doctor is treating him in Kazan Trauma Centre in Russia. Our Embassy officials will go and see Yasir in hospital tomorrow. We will bear all expenses on his treatment," she had said in a tweet yesterday. PTI Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Srinagar, March 9 The External Affairs Minister responded quickly to an online SOS on Tuesday midnight to save the life of a Kashmiri youth studying medicine in Russia. The youth was seriously wounded in an attack by thugs and remained in coma. However, nearly 16 hours later, the efforts to save the student failed as he succumbed to his injuries. Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj initiated quick action to save the life of the Kashmiri student, identified only by his first name Yasir. The student, a resident of Srinagars Hassanabad locality, was in coma and under treatment at the Kazan Trauma Centre in Russia, according to the SOS message. The External Affairs Minister received the SOS on Twitter in which she was informed about the medical student who has been attacked by local goons in Russia. He is in coma. Lost his money and documents too. SOS, the message addressed to the Union Minister read. Sushma immediately got in touch with the Indian Ambassador in Russia, who contacted the hospital where the student was admitted. At 11 pm, two hours after the message was sent to Swarajs Twitter account, she replied with an assurance that the government would bear the expenses of Yasirs treatment. I have got complete report on Yasir. An Indian doctor is treating him at Kazan Trauma Centre in Russia, Sushma said. Our Embassy officials will go and see Yasir in hospital tomorrow. We will bear all expenses on his treatment, she added. Sushma said she was pained by the incident and would take it up with the Russian authorities. The instant response of the External Affairs minister was appreciated by many on Twitter. At 3.40 pm today, nearly 16 hours after the SOS was sent, the Union Minister said the student had succumbed. I am pained to inform that Yasir an Indian medical student from Srinagar has succumbed to his injuries in Russia, she said. Manas Dasgupta Ahmedabad, March 9 As many as 310 Asiatic Lions, declared as endangered species, had died in its only abode, the Gir sanctuary in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, in the past five years, Forest Minister Mangubhai Patel informed the state Assembly in a written reply to a question by a Congress member. Along with lions, 547 leopards had also died in the sanctuary during the same period. The minister, however, claimed that only 25 of the Asiatic lions had died unnaturally; 10 of them perishing in unprecedented heavy floods in parts of Amreli and Bhavnagar districts last year. Other causes for unnatural deaths included falling in open wells, electrocution caused by electrified barbed wire, fencing by farmers to protect their agricultural produces from wild animals and accidents on the railway tracks passing through the sanctuary. The road accidents on the highways passing through the forest also accounted for a few unnatural deaths, he said. Besides lions, 121 leopards also faced similar unnatural deaths including four being hit by passing goods train, he added. To prevent such accidents, the government was constructing speed-breakers on the highways passing through the forest areas and parapet walls around the open wells, fencing the railway track on both sides and increased vigil against the farmers electrifying the barbed wire fencing, besides imposing heavy penalty on the farmers ignoring the government order, the minister said. New Delhi, March 9 External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said that 40 Indians held as captives by terrorists in Iraq are alive and assured that the government is making all efforts to bring them back. About 40 Indians from Punjab are believed to be held as captives in Iraq since last year. One of them who claimed to have escaped from there had earlier made a claim that the others might have been killed. During the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Swaraj said that if they were stranded, the government would have brought them long back but they are in the captivity of terrorists. "I completely don't believe that those people are dead ... If we believed that boy's version then I would have told this House that all are dead. But we don't believe the boy's claim and that is why we are searching for the people," she said. Referring to a recent meeting in which foreign ministers from Arab countries and 15 ministers participated, Swaraj said the heads of two major nations told me that the Indians were alive. The Minister came in for praise from some members in the House for the handling of problems faced by Indians abroad, including rescuing them and ensuring their return home. BJD and AAP members appreciated Swaraj for her efforts, with BJD Baijayant Panda saying the response from the Ministry has been "outstanding" and there has been a dramatic improvement in this regard. Meanwhile, Swaraj said there has been no "big exodus" of Indians from foreign countries in the wake of steep fall in crude oil prices which has adversely affected job prospects. She was responding to a query on what action the government plans to take as many companies overseas were sending back Indians amid decline in oil prices, a matter of concern to Kerala that has a large number of NRIs. This is a future problem and the government is aware about it, Swaraj said. Emphasising that welfare of Indians living abroad was a priority for the government, Swaraj said it is working from all sides to address problems faced by them. Whenever such problems are brought to her notice, "I look at it personally and in case of emergency situations, we try to address the issue within 24 hours", she said. In such situations, "I don't look at a person's language, state or religion. For me, they all are Indians," Swaraj said while expressing confidence that such problems would be resolved completely. Besides thumping of desks by members from Treasury benches, BJD's Baijayant Panda and AAP members Dharamvir Gandhi and Bhagwant Mann appreciated the Minister for helping Indians facing difficulties in foreign countries. The AAP members thanked her for taking speedy action in ensuring the rescue and return of around 19 people, hailing from Punjab, from Saudi Arabia. Opposition members, including those from the Left, were seen thumping benches. In response, Swaraj said she thanked them for thanking her. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan too was heard saying that it was the Minister's day today. Expelled RJD member Rajesh Ranjan appreciated Swaraj for replying to questions in Hindi. Mahajan remarked that his wife and Congress MP Ranjita Ranjan would give her bike to the Minister, leaving members in a peal of laughter. Ranjita Ranjan had ridden a motorbike to Parliament yesterday on the occasion of International Women's Day. PTI Tribune News Service Dehradun, March 9 The Opposition benches allowed the Governors address in the House to go peacefully at the start of the Budget session today but outside the House it termed it as a pack of lies. Leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt criticised the government for blaming the Central Government for incurring a loss of Rs 1,500 crore after the funding pattern of the 14th Finance Commission was changed. For once, the Uttarakhand Government should stop blaming the Central Government for causing a loss of Rs 1,500 crore after the new terms and conditions came into effect under the 14th Finance Commission. Uttarakhand received Rs 27,000 crore extra under the new plan worked out for sharing of taxes between the Centre and the state, he said. Bhatt said the state had been slow in submitting plans. It has received Rs 37,000 crore for roads and Rs 11,000 crore for strengthening the Char Dham route. The government should tell people how it has managed to utilise these funds, he added. Bhatt said the government was trying to project itself as a well-wisher of members of the SC, ST and Muslim communities, when it had failed to spend 28 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively, of the state Budget earmarked for them. He criticised Harish Rawat for presenting wrong information like filling of 30,000 posts through the Public Service Commission and subordinate services as claimed in the Governors address. Chief Minister rebuts Oppositions charge Meanwhile, Chief Minister Harish Rawat rebutted Ajay Bhatts charge and said it was a testimony to the governments commitment to the all-round development of the state. Rawat told mediapersons that the Governors address had highlighted the steps taken by his government in various sectors for growth and development of the state. We have completed around 80 per cent of works and the remaining 20 per cent will be carried out in the coming days. These will figure in the Budget ahead, he said. Rawat added the change in funding pattern had caused a loss of Rs 1,500 crore. The Centre has withdrawn funding under the SPA, SCS and NCA leading to a loss of Rs 1,500 crore, he said. Asked whether the Opposition would support the Budget session, Rawat said a responsible Opposition was expected to raise issues on the floor of the House so that the government was held accountable, I am hopeful that the Opposition will lend support and not behave the way it did during the Gairsain Assembly session, he said. On the issue of smart city voting and doubts being raised about the voting process being rigged, he said options had been given to the people. Dubai, March 9 Iran test-fired two ballistic missiles today with the phrase Israel must be wiped out written in Hebrew on them, state media reported, a show of force by the Islamic Republic as US Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel. Such phrases have been emblazoned on Iranian missiles before, but this test comes shortly after the implementation of a nuclear deal with world powers, including the US, and follows similar drills in recent days. Hard-liners in Iran's military have fired rockets and missiles despite US objections since the deal, as well as shown underground missile bases on state television. There was no immediate reaction from Jerusalem, where Biden was meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who strongly opposed the nuclear deal. Biden, speaking next to Netanyahu, did not acknowledge the missile launch directly but he issued a strong warning to the Iranians. AP Dubai, March 9 Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) test-fired two ballistic missiles on Wednesday morning, the Fars and Tasnim news agencies said, defying a threat of new sanctions from the US. The launches followed the test-firing of several missiles on Tuesday, which the US State Department said it would raise at the UN Security Council. The US legislature also said it would push for more unilateral sanctions. Two months ago, Washington imposed sanctions against businesses and individuals linked to Irans missile programme over a test of the medium-range Emad missile carried out in October 2015. The two Qadr H missiles were fired from northern Iran on Wednesday hit targets in the southeast of the country 1,400 km (870 miles) away, the agencies said. The missiles fired today are the results of sanctions. The sanctions helped Iran develop its missile programme, Brigadier General Hossein Salami, deputy commander of the IRGC, was quoted as saying by Fars. The IRGC, a powerful force that reports directly to the supreme leader, is deeply suspicious of the United States and its allies. It maintains dozens of short and medium-range ballistic missiles, the largest stock in the Middle East. Washington fears those missiles could be used to carry a nuclear warhead, even after Iran implemented a nuclear deal with world powers in January that imposes strict limits and checks on its disputed nuclear programme. Washington said the fresh missile tests would not violate the Iran nuclear deal itself, under which Tehran would receive relief from economic sanctions. The deal was endorsed in resolution 2231. Irans missile programme is subject to a UN Security Council resolution that calls on the Islamic Republic not to develop missiles designed to be capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Iran says its missiles are solely a conventional deterrent. Reuters Idomeni, March 9 Six-day-old Asima lies on her back a few metres away from a line of public toilets used by crowds of refugees and migrants stranded at a muddy border outpost in northern Greece. She is one of the youngest of thousands of children trapped in what aid workers say is a petri dish of filth and festering infections, as European leaders work out what to do with the growing masses fleeing conflict zones and heading to Europe. Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says there are at least 40 pregnant women in Idomeni camp on the Macedonian border, and 40% of its population are children. There are many babies at the camp, and they are vulnerable to respiratory infections, said Christian Reynders, deputy coordinator for MSF at Idomeni. Refugees set fires at night to keep their families warm. They burn everything, wood, plastic bags, old clothes. The smoke is toxic and we are afraid that respiratory infection especially for newborn babies might create permanent problems to their breathing system, he added. MSF doctors see about 60 children a day suffering from the results of the humidity and smoke. By the latest count, there were about 36,000 refugees stranded in Greece, their plans to travel further north blocked by border shutdowns throughout the Balkans. Reuters Detroit, March 9 Donald Trump on Wednesday grabbed two key US states, overcoming fierce efforts within his Republican party to blunt his momentum in the White House nomination race, while Bernie Sanders breathed new life into his campaign by chipping away Hillary Clintons dominance in the contest. Trump, the 69-year-old real estate tycoon, won two key states of Mississippi and Michigan in the second Super Tuesday showdown. Celebrating his two victories, Trump criticised the establishment Republicans who have led recent attacks on him, including heavy negative advertising. In Mississippi, he received the support of nearly 50 per cent of the Republican voters. He was followed a distant second by Senator Ted Cruz with 35.2 per cent of the votes counted. In Michigan, Trump received 37.2 per cent of the Republican votes. To the surprise of many, Cruz was pushed to the third spot by the Ohio Governor John Kasich in the state, who received 25.5 per cent of the votes. Cruz gained the support of 23.7 per cent of the votes. Cruz won a Republican-only race in Idaho and Hawaii results are expected later in the day. Clinton had an impressive win in the US State of Mississippi, as a result of which she was able to have more delegates in her kitty as against Sanders. She won Mississippi by 88 per cent to 10 per cent, bolstered by her overwhelming support among African-American voters. However, her defeat in Michigan, which includes the auto Capital of Detroit, and its neighbourhood, at the hands of 74-year-old Sanders albeit by a narrow margin is an indication of the challenges she might face in the rest of her presidential campaign. Clinton was expected to have an easy win in Michigan, where according to some polls she was leading by more than 20 points. But when results came in, Sanders won the support of 50 per cent of the Democratic voters, while 48 per cent supported Clinton. The victory in Michigan has given Sanders campaign a bounce ahead of the vital March 15 primaries in Florida, Ohio and three other big states. People of Michigan have defied the pundits and pollsters, Sanders said in a statement. Despite the upset in Michigan, Clinton still has a lead in the number of delegates, which is crucial for winning the partys presidential nomination. Some 21 states have so far had their say in the Democrat primaries and caucuses, with Clinton winning 12 and Sanders claiming nine. Of the 4,763 delegates, she needs 2,382 delegates to become the partys first ever women presidential nominee. So far she has support of 1,215 delegates, which includes 739 won through the primaries and 461 the support pledge by super delegates. Sanders has 566 delegates, including 535 delegates, through the primary election. Clinton has so far has won 12 states, while Sanders has won nine states. In the overall race for delegates, Trump has 446, Cruz 347, Rubio 151 and Kasich 54. He needs least 1,237 votes from a total of 2,472 delegates. Trump has won in 14 states, out of a total of 20 primaries. Cruz has won seven, including his home state of Texas, the largest state to vote to date. Rubio has so far won just one state. After registering impressive primary wins, Trump exuded confidence of easily defeating his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the November presidential elections. I am going to beat Hillary (Clinton). Hillary is going to be very, very easy to beat. She is a very easy target, if she is allowed to run. If the government does its job properly, she would not allow to run, Trump told reporters at a late night news conference in Florida. I am going to clean the slate, Trump said. Asserting that he is a Republican unifier, he urged the party establishment to embrace his movement and the massive support that he is getting. This he said would help the Republican party to win the presidential elections. Trump claimed that he would win some of the States like New York where the Republican party normally does not win. In his victory-speech-cum-press conference, the New Yorker said his rivals Cruz, Rubio and Kasich have not done well. Responding to questions, he attributed his impressive wins to his distractors who are running advertisements against him and Mitt Romney, the former presidential candidate, for criticising him. Trump said so far he has spent just $25 million as against $160 million by some of his opponents. PTI Sydney, March 9 Washington is in talks to station its strike bombers in Australia, according to a US general, amid concern about Chinas military expansion in the South China Sea. General Lori Robinson, commander of US Pacific Air Forces, said negotiations were under way to have American B-1 bombers and aerial tankers temporarily stationed in northern Australia. Were in the process of talking about rotational forces, bombers and tankers out of Australia and it gives us the opportunity to train with Australia, she said according to national radio aired Wednesday. It gives us the opportunity to strengthen the ties we already have with the Royal Australian Air Force and it gives the opportunity to train our pilots to understand the theatre and how important it is to strengthen our ties with our great allies, the RAAF. The US has been pursuing a foreign policy pivot towards Asia, which has rattled China, and already stations Marines in Australias north. Last May, Assistant Defense Secretary for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs David Shear raised the prospect of B-1 bombers in Australia when he appeared before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. But his comments were played down by Australias then prime minister Tony Abbott, who said Shear had misspoken. Current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull would not be drawn on the specifics of the discussions when asked about the bombers. Well, we have rotation of American military forces through Darwin and through Australia all the time, he said Wednesday. So we have a very, very close defence relationship with the US. Im not going to comment on a particular element of that, but I can just assure you that everything we do is in this area is very carefully determined to ensure that our respective military forces work together as closely as possible in our mutual national interests. Beijing claims almost the whole of the South China Sea, through which a third of the worlds oil passes, and tensions have been rising as it asserts its territorial claims. A US official last month said Beijing had deployed surface-to-air missiles on Woody Island in the disputed Paracels chain. Reports also surfaced recently of probable radar installations on reefs in the nearby Spratly islands. Washington has in recent months sent warships to sail within 12 nautical milesthe usual territorial limit around natural landof a disputed island and reef transformed into an artificial island. AFP tricountyleader.com expired on 09/23/2022 and is pending renewal or deletion. Backorder Domain The owner of a Texas biodiesel company has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined $138 million in restitution and forfeiture for biofuels fraud. Philip Joseph Rivkin created and sold more than 60 million false biodiesel credits under the federal renewable fuel program. He faked the production of millions of gallons of biodiesel at a Houston-based refinery, according to Dallas News. Rivkin pleaded guilty in June to the charges of making a false statement under the Clean Air Act. He sold the credits known as Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) to customers since 2009. No biodiesel was ever produced was ever produced at the facility, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Rivkin operated multiple companies in the fuel and biodiesel industries out of Texas. Refiners are required to use predetermined annual volumes of biofuels under the federal renewable fuel program. Compliance with the program is followed via the RIN certificates that are affiliated with each gallon of biofuel. BRUSSELS The United Nations and human rights groups voiced deep concerns Tuesday about the European Unions plans to send thousands of migrants back to Turkey amid fears the country cannot properly provide for them. EU and Turkish leaders agreed overnight to the broad outlines of a deal that would essentially outsource Europes refugee emergency. People arriving in Greece having fled conflict or poverty would be sent back to Turkey unless they apply for asylum. For every migrant sent back, the EU would take in one Syrian refugee, thus trying to prevent the need for people to set out on dangerous sea journeys, often arranged by unscrupulous smugglers. Turkey stands to gain billions of dollars in refugee aid, faster EU membership talks and visa-free travel for its citizens within four months. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that under the proposed deal, which was welcomed by all 28 EU countries, migrants who enter Europe illegally will be sent back and have to join the end of the queue to enter Europe. But the U.N. and rights groups are not convinced that Turkey is a safe destination. More than 2.7 million refugees, many from Syria, are in Turkey. Most are housed by Turkish families or live out in the open, and few have government-funded shelters. U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told EU lawmakers he had deep concerns about the proposed plan. Amnesty International warned that the plan, whose details are to be worked out at a March 17 summit in Brussels, is legally flawed. Europes attempt to have Turkey designated as a safe country is alarmingly shortsighted and inhumane, the group said. Turkey has forcibly returned refugees to Syria, and many refugees in the country live in desperate conditions without adequate housing, said Iverna McGowan, head of Amnestys European office. By no stretch of imagination can Turkey be considered a safe third country that the EU can cozily outsource its obligations to, she said. The medical aid group Doctors Without Borders said the deal is cynical and a sign that European leaders have completely lost track of reality. Clearly, Europe is willing to do anything, including compromising essential human rights and refugee law principles, to stem the flow of refugees and migrants, said the groups humanitarian adviser Aurelie Ponthieu. Separately, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said hes worried by Europes increasingly tough asylum policies, growing anti-refugee rhetoric and attacks on migrants. Extreme right-wing and nationalistic political parties are inflaming the situation where we need to be seeking solutions, harmonious solutions based on shared responsibilities, Ban said on a visit to Berlin. Speaking after meeting with Merkel, Ban said he is deeply worried by growing anti-migrant and anti-refugee rhetoric and by violent attacks against these communities. The U.N. chief said the EU can do much more to manage the refugee influx, which pales next to the efforts of Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan to take in more than 5 million people between them. Europe has been overwhelmed by the arrival of more than 1 million people in 2015 and more than 140,000 whove entered so far this year, mostly into Greece via Turkey. In response, nations along the migrant route have built barriers and tightened border controls. Often these unilateral moves have complicated already chaotic migrant movements, putting more pressure on European neighbors and weighing on countries along the route through the Balkans north out of Greece. Thousands of migrants are stuck at Greeces northern border with Macedonia at a makeshift and overcrowded camp near Idomeni. Many had risked their lives crossing the Aegean Sea in rickety boats. Heavy, overnight rain had turned much of the camp into a muddy swamp, with people trying to dry their clothes and blankets at small fires. Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar said the EU summit sent a very clear message to all traffickers and all irregular migrants that this route no longer exists, it is closed. He said Slovenia would soon allow passage only to those migrants with documents required by EUs Schengen-member states. He did not specify the required documents. The issue of whether the Balkans route is actually closed was a major point of contention at the summit, with Germany and other partners arguing it was not. The Starlight Civitan Club is all about helping its community. One big annual event is Clergy Appreciation Week. According to the members, Civitan Clubs believe religions are the key to creating good will in the community. On Feb. 24, the local chapter visited BAMA, an organization of local pastors and chaplains, and provided lunch for Clergy Appreciation Week. Tradition calls for their sharing The Saga of the Four Chaplains. As the pastors enjoyed lunch, they heard the story of Lt. C.V. Ppoling, Lt. A.D. Goode, Lt. G.L. Fox and Lt. J.P. Washington, who did all they could to calm the frightened, tend the wounded and guide the disoriented toward safety, as the ship they were aboard was rapidly sinking. One witness said he was floating in oil-smeared water surrounded by dead bodies and debris. I could also hear the chaplians preaching courage. Their voices were the only thing that kept me going. When lifejackets ran out, the removed their own jackets and gave them to others. As the ship went down, the Civitans shared, suvivors in nearby rafts could see the four chaplains arms linked and braced against the slanting deck. Their voices could also be heard offering prayers. The Civitan goal at the international level is raising funds for the Civitan International Research Center which offers treatment and supports research for the treatment of mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. In Broken Arrow, the club works with many other deserving causes, including, among many others, Home own Hospice and Broken Arrow Neighbors. The Starlight Civitan Club meets at 6 p.m. the first and third Thursday of each month at Lone Star Steak House, 101 E. Albany in Broken Arrow. For information call Dale or Linda deReign at 918-455-7295. BAMA, the Broken Arrow Ministerial Alliance meets at noon the last Wednesday of the month at Harvest Church just north of 91st and Main. Tulsas transit leaders discussed the future of transportation for Oklahoma at a forum Tuesday night, focusing on Vision Tulsas permanent tax proposal. The discussion centered on the needs to improve transit, as panelists pointed at frequency as the major attraction for riders. Debbie Ruggles, assistant general manager for Tulsa Transit, said Vision would add frequency on major new routes the planned Peoria and Route 66 Bus Rapid Transit line. But adding frequency systemwide never made the cut. We did ask for, in the funding package, to improve all our routes to 30 minutes, Ruggles said. Unfortunately, that was the part that was not funded. Obviously, our plan is to, as additional funding becomes available, make incremental changes to that. Oklahoma Watch hosted the forum at Central Center in Centennial Park as part of its Watch-Out Forum series. Tuesdays panel featured Ruggles and James Wagner, Indian Nations Council of Governments transportation programs coordinator. About a ninth of the 0.55 percent sales tax, or $102 million during the first 15 years, would become a permanent tax for transportation. Of that tax, 44 percent would go toward street maintenance and 56 percent would go toward transit operations and capital. That leaves about $57 million for transit over the first 15 years of the tax, and Ruggles broke down the major expenditures in response to a question from the audience. About $12 million would go toward the Route 66 BRT for capital; $14 million would go toward beginning plans for a downtown transit hub; and $1.5 million annually would go toward operation of the BRT routes, Ruggles said. Another focus of the forum was on the return on investment from transit. A lot of times we think of public transportation as only a cost, Ruggles said. But it is a real investment in the community. Wagner referenced an idea called the One-less Car Theory, which he said emphasizes the investment transit makes in a community. Wagner said each car in the nation represents an average of $8,000 per year cost between gas, maintenance and the actual purchase of the car. If just 5 percent of the households in the city of Tulsa had one fewer cars, that means $64 million more in the local economy, Wagner said. Further, Wagner said a single household could save $150,000 over a childs lifetime by having one less car. I dont think we are to the point yet where we have a really significant amount of population that can really do without a car in a household, Wagner said. But I do think we are getting to the point where these investments can have one less car. WASHINGTON (AP) Bernie Sanders won the Democratic presidential primary in Michigan on Tuesday, claiming victory over Hillary Clinton in an industrial Midwest state where voters expressed concerns about trade and jobs. Democratic front-runner Clinton easily carried Mississippi earlier Tuesday. Despite his close win, Sanders won't see any real gains in delegates for the night. And Clinton has now earned more than half of the 2,383 delegates needed to clinch the Democratic nomination. With 130 Michigan delegates at stake, Sanders will win at least 63 and Clinton at least 52. His gains will be canceled out by Clinton's earlier win in Mississippi. She already entered the night with a 196-delegate lead over Sanders based on primaries and caucuses alone. Democrats award delegates in proportion to the vote, so Clinton was able to add on a good chunk of delegates even after losing Michigan. Including superdelegates, her lead becomes even bigger at least 1,214 to Sanders' 566. Still, Sanders can claim a small streak of wins going into a pivotal batch of delegate-rich contests next week. Sanders said the Michigan contest signaled that his campaign "is strong in every part of the country, and frankly we believe our strongest areas are yet to happen." Clinton glossed over her race with Sanders and instead jabbed at the Republicans and their chaotic nomination fight. "Every time you think it can't get any uglier, they find a way," she said. "As the rhetoric keeps sinking lower, the stakes in this election keep rising." The party's two primaries had 179 delegates at stake. The economy ranked high on the list of concerns for voters heading to the polls in Michigan and Mississippi. At least 8 in 10 voters in each party's primary said they were worried about where the American economy is heading, according to exit polls conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press and television networks. Among Democrats, 8 in 10 voters in both states said the country's economic system benefits the wealthy, not all Americans. Sanders has sought to tap into that concern, energizing young people and white, blue-collar voters with his calls for breaking up Wall Street banks and making tuition free at public colleges and universities. Michigan has big college towns and a sizeable population of working-class voters, a good fit for him. The results in Mississippi underscored Clinton's overwhelming strength with black voters and Sanders' stunning inability to draw support from voters who are crucial to Democrats in the general election. Clinton carried nearly 9 in 10 black voters in Mississippi, mirroring her margins in other Southern states with large African-American populations. OKLAHOMA CITY A coalition composed almost equally of Republicans and Democrats pushed through legislation Tuesday aimed at reducing pay discrimination, particularly against women. Twenty-nine of the Houses 30 Democrats joined 30 Republicans to pass House Bill 2929, by Rep. Jason Dunnington, D-Oklahoma City, 59-32. Ten members, including one Democrat, did not vote. All opposition came from Republicans. State law already bans wage discrimination against women, but a staff analysis of HB 2929 says no employer has ever been fined under the existing statute. Dunningtons bill prohibits retaliation against employees for sharing compensation information, thus making it easier to learn of possible pay inequities. HB 2929 now goes to the Senate, where it is sponsored by Republican Kyle Loveless of Oklahoma City. Also Tuesday,: the House voted 56-40 to require law enforcement agencies to obtain warrants for unmanned aerial surveillance. HB 2337 author Paul Wesselhoft, R-Oklahoma City, had to defend himself against accusations of being anti-cop and in cahoots with the American Civil Liberties Union. This horrible bill is an attack on law enforcement, said Rep. Scott Biggs, R-Chickasha. I cannot vote for a bill that is supported by an organization (ACLU) that wants to keep religion out of the schools. I dont think the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is anti-law enforcement, said Wesselhoft, referring to federal protections against unlawful search and seizure. He said the bill is also supported by several conservative organizations. Wesselhofts bill would require law enforcement to obtain warrants only for surveillance drones, and allows for after-the-fact warrants in emergency situations. HB 3167, by Speaker Jeff Hickman, would repeal uniform speed limits from rural highways and turnpikes and allow state officials to set them according to engineering and traffic investigations. The measure passed 86-8, with seven members not voting. Another Hickman bill, HB 3159, would require 85 percent offenders in the corrections systems to receive parole hearings as soon as they are eligible. Such inmates are known as 85 percent offenders because they must serve at least 85 percent of their sentences before becoming eligible for parole or early release. Corrections officials say some inmates serving such terms choose to serve their full sentences rather than go before the parole board so they can leave prison without supervision. The Tulsa Farmers Market will continue to sell flowers, produce and other locally produced wares starting April 2 on Cherry Street. While board members and staff of the market have yet to find long-term indoor space for the market and with scheduled construction on 15th Street slated for July it wont stop vendors from setting up shop in the spring, said Kris Hutto, Tulsa Farmers Market administrator. The customers and local businesses didnt want us to leave the community, she said. People want us on Cherry Street. While an indoor location would offer protection from the elements, the search is ongoing and wont postpone any of the scheduled markets. The community has been supportive of the Cherry Street Farmers Market, and Christ the King Church will allow the market to use its parking lot if roadwork begins sooner than planned. Its still located on Cherry Street, Hutto explained, just a block south on Quincy Avenue between 15th and 16th streets. We will be able to accommodate all of our vendors within the parking lot and possibly extending onto Quincy, she said. Even if people come looking for the market, we will still be visible. Beverly Wissen, who owns Scissortail Provisions with her husband, Dale, said she believes loyal customers will continue to visit the market no matter where they set up. People come because they like to, regardless of walking from 15th Street, she said. Im a big believer in the right thing happening at the right time. Its the biggest market in Oklahoma. Im sure there is someplace for us to go if we need to. She said theyre flexible and enjoy being a part of the market. Theyve been part of the market for years with Palace Cafe and last year started on their own. The Cherry Street Farmers Market offers customers and vendors a central location and one that is easily accessible, Wissen said. In the meantime, Hutto is confident the city, area businesses, vendors and customers of the farmers market will continue to work together with the Cherry Street Farmers Market, which will kick off its 18th year on April 2 when the market re-opens. It will operate from 7-11 a.m. Saturdays through October. We are grateful to Christ the King for this convenient alternative for our community, she said. The Brookside Farmers Market will host its last Saturday market March 26 in the parking lot of Whole Foods on 41st Street. It will resume April 20 for the Wednesday morning markets through October. The next farmers market is from 8:30-11 a.m. Saturday. For information about the Tulsa Farmers Market, visit tulsafarmersmarket.org. While the Okmulgee police chief confirmed just after 10 p.m. Friday that the remains were those of four men, he could not confirm that they were the bodies of the four local men who had been missing since Sunday. State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister on Tuesday said she questions the timing of lawmakers proposals to create private school voucher programs given the state of Oklahomas budget woes. Hofmeister was speaking at a luncheon of the Republican Womens Club of Tulsa County when she was asked point-blank for her opinion on the topic of education savings accounts, which are being championed by many of her fellow Republicans in the Legislature, as well as Gov. Mary Fallin. Is this the right year, is this the right time to start a new government program? Hofmeister responded, noting that studies have shown the cost to her state agency alone would be $800,000 to $1.5 million, regardless of how many children participated. We have to know what thats going to cost and what thats going to mean in terms of ramping up to do something. Hofmeister said that while there has been a great deal of debate about the potential costs, the fact is that if state funding remains level and the number of students receiving public funds for education goes up, Oklahomas per-pupil expenditures would decline. She also said she supports parents choice to homeschool their children or to take advantage of the existing choice afforded them within the public school system to transfer their child from one school site to another. Hofmeister said her focus is on the state budget crisis and the unprecedented teacher shortage and making certain that our kids in the classroom all 692,000 of them have what they need to succeed. She was referring to this years total student enrollment in public schools. Last week, state officials announced that the revenue failure for the current fiscal year had worsened so they cut another 4 percent in funding for all state-appropriated agencies, including the Oklahoma State Department of Education. That cut is compounding the 3 percent cuts announced in December. Common education was cut $46.7 million in December and an additional $62.3 million last week. Hofmeister on Tuesday said she was grateful to the governor for proposing to use $51 million from the states rainy day fund to help offset cuts for public schools. Luncheon attendees also asked for Hofmeisters take on administrative costs and local superintendent salaries. She responded that state law already caps administrative cost and that she is committed to first reviewing what costs arent included in those calculations, as well as what administrative reporting requirements she and the Legislature could cut down on to help local districts economize. As for superintendent salaries, Hofmeister said: One of the things we have to think about as conservatives is local control. Locally elected officials make decisions about who they want to hire and what they need to do to be competitive. Where I have a real problem is not bringing your teachers up (in salary) when you only have 13 and always taking a raise. She added that more scrutiny on school audits is desperately needed. I want to be hawkish on fiscal accountability because I dont think we are doing what needs to be done on audits, Hofmeister said. DALLAS A large storm system took up residence over parts of the South on Wednesday, drenching areas already inundated with heavy rainfall this week. Two people have drowned in Oklahoma and Texas, and the rain is expected to stay in the forecast for much of the week. A flash flood warning is in effect for parts of eastern Texas, southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana, and forecasters said some of the areas could see damaging winds and isolated tornadoes on Wednesday as well. Flash flooding was expected from the Texas Gulf Coast to southern Illinois, with the heaviest rain likely to fall in southeast Texas and the Ozark and Ouachita mountains of Arkansas, the National Weather Service said. In rural southeastern Oklahoma, a 30-year-old man drowned Tuesday night after trying to drive his SUV across a low-crossing bridge that was covered by floodwaters. In Texas, a 22-year-old man drowned Monday night after his canoe capsized in Dickinson Bayou, southeast of Houston near Galveston Bay. Up to 7 inches of rain was expected through Wednesday and up to 12 inches by the end of the weekend along the Texas-Louisiana border and central Arkansas. Flash flood watches have been issued Wednesday for areas from Port O'Connor, Texas, to near Springfield, Illinois. Some flooding was reported late Tuesday in northwestern Louisiana between Shreveport and Minden, with up to 80 homes and a nursing home being evacuated. No injuries have been reported. The flooding comes after recent severe thunderstorms raged across parts of Central and North Texas. A tornado struck a mobile home park in the North Texas town of Tolar on Monday morning, smashing some homes and injuring two people after two other tornadoes late Sunday injured two people in the North Texas towns of Stephenville and Cool. Storm winds damaged dozens of boats Tuesday at Lake Benbrook near Fort Worth, Texas, dismasting some of them and tossing picnic tables into the lake. The system is not related to one that brought powerful thunderstorms to much of California on Monday, walloping the Sierra Nevada with blizzard conditions and briefly knocking out power at the Los Angeles airport. OKLAHOMA CITY - An Oklahoma City man who moments before had been eating dinner with his family was shot in his apartment Tuesday after a group of men accused him of belonging to a rival gang, Oklahoma City police reported. Traveon Tatum had just gotten off work at Burger King and was eating with his wife and children, ages 3 and 5, when the men began banging on the door of his apartment at 3654 N Lottie Ave., according to a police report. Tatum's wife told police one man asked if Tatum was a member of the bloods, adding that he had seen Tatum driving the red car in the driveway. Tatum denied involvement with any gang and told the men the car belonged to his wife. One of the men then shot more than a dozen times into the apartment, striking Tatum in the middle of his chest and his upper right leg. Tatum was taken to OU Medical Center where he remains in stable condition, said Sgt. Ashley Peters. Russia has warned North Korea that threats to deliver preventive nuclear strikes could create a legal basis for the use of military force against the country, suggesting that even Pyongyangs few remaining friends are growing concerned about its increasingly confrontational stance. The Russian foreign ministry statement, which follows a North Korean threat to annihilate the US and South Korea, also criticises Washington and Seoul for launching the largest joint military drills yet to be held on the peninsula. We consider it to be absolutely impermissible to make public statements containing threats to deliver some preventive nuclear strikes against opponents, the Russian foreign ministry said in response to North Koreas threats. Correction:The editorial originally incorrectly report the proposed terms in office of gubernatorial appointees to the Judicial Nominating Commission. The editorial has been corrected. The Legislature finally may get its say in how appellate judges are selected if a measure passed by the House also clears the Senate and is signed off on by the governor. Voters, however, would have the final word on changing the Constitution regarding appellate judicial selection. Lawmakers have made no secret of their displeasure with several Supreme Court decisions, some of which overturned legislative action in recent years. Under the House measure passed last week, the Judicial Nominating Commission which vets applicants would forward names of all qualified candidates (instead of three names) to the governor when a judicial vacancy occurs. A committee of five House members and five senators would confirm or reject the governors nominee. The minority party would have a member from each chamber. For the past four years, the Legislature has pushed relentlessly and unsuccessfully for judicial reform, including proposals to change the Judicial Nominating Commission composition and to expand the selection role of the Legislature. Lawmakers also proposed imposing judicial term limits and requiring retirement at 75. Under the House proposal, selection of trial court judges would remain the same. They would run for office in nonpartisan elections and the governor would fill interim vacancies. The last major changes in judicial selection occurred more than 40 years ago following an Oklahoma Supreme Court scandal. A compromise apparently was reached in the House recently to leave the composition of the 15-member Judicial Nominating Commission intact but to make the service of the governor's appointees subject to the pleasure of the governor. Past efforts to change commission membership, met with ferocious resistance and for a reason. No major scandals in the courts have occurred since the earlier reform, leading to the question of why tamper with system that works? The answer seems obvious, but it will be up to Oklahomans we hope with a discerning eye to decide how great a role the Legislature should play in judicial selection, or if the latest reform is simply a subterfuge to politicizing the courts. The FBI tells us that its demand for a back door into the iPhone is all about fighting terrorism, and that it is essential to break in just this one time to find out more about the San Bernardino attack last December. But the truth is they had long sought a way to break Apple's iPhone encryption and, like 9/11 and the PATRIOT Act, a mass murder provided just the pretext needed. After all, they say, if we are going to be protected from terrorism we have to give up a little of our privacy and liberty. Never mind that government spying on us has not prevented one terrorist attack. Apple has so far stood up to a federal government's demand that it force its employees to write a computer program to break into its own product. No doubt Apple CEO Tim Cook understands the damage it would do to his company for the world to know that the U.S. government has a key to supposedly secure iPhones. But the principles at stake are even higher. We have a fundamental right to privacy. We have a fundamental right to go about our daily life without the threat of government surveillance of our activities. We are not East Germany. Let's not forget that this new, more secure iPhone was developed partly in response to Ed Snowden's revelations that the federal government was illegally spying on us. The federal government was caught breaking the law, but instead of ending its illegal spying it's demanding that private companies make it easier for it to continue. Last week, we also learned that Congress is planning to join the fight against Apple -- and us. Members are rushing to set up yet another governmental commission to study how our privacy can be violated for false promises of security. Of course they won't put it that way, but we can be sure that will be the result. Some in Congress are seeking to pass legislation regulating how companies can or cannot encrypt their products. This will suppress the development of new technology and will have a chilling effect on our right to be protected from an intrusive government. Any legislation Congress writes limiting encryption will likely be unconstitutional, but unfortunately Congress seldom heeds the Constitution anyway. When FBI Director James Comey demanded a back door into the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone, he promised that it was only for this one, extraordinary situation. "The San Bernardino litigation isn't about trying to set a precedent or send any kind of message," he said in a statement last week. Testifying before Congress just days later, however, he quickly changed course, telling the members of the House Intelligence Committee that the court order and Apple's appeals, "will be instructive for other courts." Does anyone really believe this will not be considered a precedent-setting case? Does anyone really believe the government will not use this technology again and again, with lower and lower thresholds? According to press reports, Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. has 175 iPhones with passcodes that the City of New York wants to access. We can be sure that is only the beginning. We should support Apple's refusal to bow to the FBI's dangerous demands, and we should join forces to defend of our precious liberties without compromise. If the people lead, the leaders will follow. Ron Paul is a former congressman and presidential candidate. He can be reached at the RonPaulInstitute.org. It's Divali time so at TV6 over the next few days, we bring you some of the interesting aspe On Friday BBC World News celebrates its 25th birthday with a special on-screen look. BBC Global News Ltd CEO Jim Egan said, The world has changed dramatically for all of us in the past 25 years and so has the way we get news from the field to our viewers. But our commitment to providing accurate, impartial news of the highest quality to international audiences is unwavering. Were proud that, in a world of great uncertainty and in a news industry which is every bit as volatile, BBC World News continues to grow and is the most trusted source of global television news available anywhere. The English language channel originally launched with a half hour news bulletin as World Service Television (WSTV) on Monday 11th March 1991, when it replaced BBC TV Europe. At the time it inherited 700,000 subscribers but nowadays the channel is available in 433 million households across the world. Eight months later, WSTV became a 24 hour news operation and launched in Asia the start of its rapid growth which would eventually see it become available in more than 200 countries and territories. In 1995 it relaunched as BBC World before changing its name to BBC World News in 2008 and moving to a new 24/7 multi-platform building dubbed the worlds news room in 2013. The original news team comprised of six journalists from the World Service team and six from television news. Today, BBC World News has access to the expertise of thousands of journalists based in over a hundred cities and state-of-the-art studios across the world. BBC World News Timeline 1991 World Service Television launches with its first half hour bulletin across Europe. Seven months later, new deals make the channel available across Asia and the Middle East. In November, BBC World Service Television becomes a 24 hour channel. 1992 The channel becomes available in Africa for the first time. 1995 World Service Television relaunches as BBC World and starts a new translation service for Japanese audiences. 1996 BBC World launches in Latin America and is awarded terrestrial frequency in Berlin, the first foreign broadcaster anywhere to be granted such a licence. 1997 BBC News launches its website BBC.com. 1998 BBC World moves to the worlds first ever 24-hour fully digital newsroom and begins broadcasting bulletins on public service stations across the US. 2002 BBC World distribution exceeds 100 million full-time homes for the first time. 2003 BBC World becomes available full-time in United Nations headquarters in New York. 2004 BBC World becomes available in more than a million hotel rooms globally. 2005 BBC launches its User Generated Content Hub to address the increasing amount of footage being submitted by members of the public. 2007 BBC World News America launches on BBC World and public television, delivering in-depth reports and analysis on major international news stories across the U.S. 2008 BBC World changes its name to BBC World News and brings the channel closer to the BBCs TV, radio and online and newsgathering teams. 2009 BBC World News launches an app on tablets and smartphones in 16 European countries. 2010 BBC World News extends its app to 15 new countries, including Australia and New Zealand. 2012 The BBCs commercially funded bbc.com/news and BBC World News services are merged under BBC Global News Ltd. 2013 BBC World News relocates to a state-of-the-art multimedia newsroom alongside the World Services 29 language services, the BBCs domestic news teams and all of the BBCs London-based TV, radio, online and social media teams. The building houses 3000 journalists, production and operational staff and means that the UK and global services are co-ordinated from one location, enabling colleagues to share production and coverage of breaking stories around the world. Two brand new HD studios transform the range and quality of output, offering full HD production, virtual reality and enhanced graphics. Robotic cameras mounted on a track give programmes dynamic movement, fluidity and an exciting range of camera shots. 2014 BBC is identified as a leader in global breaking news and the most-shared news brand on Twitter. It launches Outside Source an innovative, interactive news show for the digital age which uses state-of-the-art touch screen technology to access a plethora of visual, aural and social media sources which bring the latest stories of the day to life. 2015 BBC launches a new version of its international app, offering personalised news covering over 50,000 topics, and pilots new virtual voice-over technology to produce voiced and subtitled online news packages in different languages. 2016 BBC World News celebrates its 25th anniversary with record figures of 85 million viewers per week. Ruby Rose will receive a special award from the US advocacy group GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). The Orange Is the New Black actress will receive the Stephen F. Kolzak Award, awarded to someone who has made a significant difference in promoting equality and acceptance. Previous recipients have included Laverne Cox, Wanda Sykes, Chaz Bono, Robert Greenblatt, Melissa Etheridge, Bill Condon, Todd Haynes, Alan Ball, Ellen DeGeneres and Ian McKellen. Ruby Rose is captivating audiences across the world, using her voice to transform conversations about gender and inclusion, said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. Through her visibility and outspoken advocacy, Ruby is breaking ground and inspiring dialogue that advances acceptance for people of all genders. Its a big turn-around for the Aussie who only three years ago indicated she was losing a battle with depression. Award-winning actress Ruby Rose captured mainstream attention with her breakout role on Netflixs critically-acclaimed hit show Orange Is the New Black. Roses character, inmate Stella Carlin, was introduced in the third season as a romantic interest for Piper, the series lead. Identifying as a lesbian and gender fluid, Rose has encouraged understanding of gender identities outside of the traditional binary. In 2014, she wrote, produced, and starred in the short film Break Free, a tribute to gender nonconforming people that became a viral hit, garnering more than 17 million views on YouTube. Rose is an outspoken advocate for the LGBT community, tirelessly voicing her support for marriage equality, standing against bullying, and advocating on behalf of transgender and gender nonconforming people. Rose is also a fervent supporter of youth mental health, womens rights, and animal welfare. Rose will next be seen starring in Paramount Pictures XXX: The Return of Xander Cage opposite Vin Diesel, on January 20, 2017; alongside Milla Jovovich in Resident Evil: The Final Chapter out January 27, 2017 by Sony Screen Gems; and John Wick: Chapter Two, with Keanu Reeves from Lionsgate which will hit theatres on February 10, 2017. Roses talent also extends across fashion and music. She has graced the pages of Elle, Vogue, InStyle, GQ, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, LOfficiel and Nylon, among many others. On the music scene, Rose became a VJ for MTV Australia in 2007, which earned her an ASTRA award, and she has performed as a DJ throughout the world. She will be presented with the award at the Beverly Hilton on April 2, 2016. The Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine has obtained consent of Chinese partners to reformat the Air Express project to build a rail link between Kyiv city and the Boryspil International Airport. The press service of the ministry reported that the proposals to reformat the project were presented to a Chinese delegation headed by Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Zhang Xiyun. Infrastructure Minister Andriy Pyvovarsky said that the necessity to reformat the project had appeared due to the radical change of the geopolitical and economic situation in Ukraine. "Now the issue of the largest efficiency of using the resources is the most important. When the [Air Express] project appeared, the Boryspil airport was actively developing, and the Kyiv city and region's potential was enough to justify the need in the project. However, today it would be unfeasible international its initial form. It is would be better for Ukraine to return funds provided for construction or change the focus," the minister said. In turn, acting Board Chairman of Ukrzaliznytsia Oleksandr Zavhorodniy said that, taking into account the social importance and the necessity to develop transport connection between the Boryspil airport and Kyiv, it is proposed to implement the light version of the Air Express with the simplified construction scheme. "Cutting the term and the cost of the project, we would be able to release a part of credit funds to electrify railway sections in eastern Ukraine that would bring transport flows to the airport," he said. Executive Director of the China Machinery Engineering Corporation Sun Bai said that the corporation is ready to support the changes proposed by Ukrzaliznytsia, although the final decision will be made by the Chinese government. Chinese specialists are to study the new project in details and discuss it with Ukrainian railway specialists. The experts of the two countries are to draw up new technical documents, amend the budget and construction plans. Then the project is to be defended at the Chinese government. Ambassador Xiyun supported the action plan. The Air Express national project is comprised of the construction of a passenger rail link between Kyiv and Boryspil International Airport and the related construction of other infrastructure objects in Kyiv region. It is aimed at ensuring the development of transport infrastructure, strengthening the competitive position of Ukrainian airlines, and raising the investment and tourist attractiveness of the country. Since June 2015, the project has been under the management of the Ministry of Infrastructure. 11:29 a.m., March 9, 2016--Four early-career researchers have won University of Delaware Research Foundation Strategic Initiative (UDRF-SI) grants to pursue studies in eye health, alternative energy, environmental health and cybersecurity. The competitive grants, awarded annually by UDRF, are provided as seed money for projects that support the goals of the University's strategic initiative "Delaware Will Shine" and show potential for success and the ability to draw additional grant support. Each researcher receives $45,000 in support. The 2015-16 UDRF-SI awards went to: Salil L. Lachke, assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, for his study of cataracts and genetic associations. Kalehiwot Nega Manahiloh, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, for a microscopic study on the saturated hydraulic conductivity of soil and biochar mixtures. John Newberg, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, for his study of how catalytic surfaces change under operating conditions. Chengmo Yang, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, for her work on securing cyber platforms against hardware trojans. Salil Lachke Lachke's research focuses on eye disorders, including cataracts, which are a leading cause of blindness around the world and are at the center of this study. Specifically, he is looking at the genes associated with maintaining transparency in the eye's lens. He developed an online gene discovery tool called iSyTE (integrated systems tool for eye gene discovery), which is hosted at UDs Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology. He and his lab already have identified several genes that, when defective, appear to contribute to the formation of cataracts and this study will test that hypothesis and further define the role of two specific genes Mafg and Mafk while also mapping out a gene regulatory network for future analysis of the massive quantity of data collected. The work is expected to further expand what is known about lens-related genetics and shed light on other genetic links to cataracts, in turn contributing to defining a genetic circuit for lens development and maintenance. Lachke earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Pune, India, and his doctorate at the University of Iowa. He did postdoctoral work at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital before joining the UD faculty in 2011. In 2012, he was named a Pew Scholar in Biomedical Sciences, a prestigious award by the Philadelphia-based Pew Charitable Trusts in recognition of his innovative work, and in 2013 was selected as a Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow by a committee of U.S. National Academy of Sciences members. His research also has drawn support from the Fight for Sight Foundation, the Alcon Research Institute, the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, INBRE Delaware, and the National Eye Institute and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health. Kalehiwot Manahiloh Manahiloh's research focuses on unsaturated soil mechanics, nondestructive investigation of geomaterials, and micromechanics. Specifically, this study focuses on investigating the microscopic features found in mixtures of soil and biochar, a type of charcoal used as a soil amendment. Biochar may be a promising piece of strategic response to climate change because of its ability to store carbon dioxide. Estimates suggest that converting agricultural waste into biochar could remove 4 of the 43 gigatons of carbon dioxide produced by humans each year. Biochar also enhances moisture- and nutrient-retention properties of some soils. But it cannot be applied broadly yet, because it is not clear how to predict its influence on soil hydrology. It has produced good results in some soils, but has been detrimental in others. Manahiloh's study would look at how soil-biochar mixtures respond under saturated flow conditions, using X-ray CT scans and digital imagery to test two hypotheses about how biochar affects the soil's water conductivity. The research could have important implications for work on alternative energy and environmental solutions, and could have a significant economic impact for the U.S. poultry industry. Manahiloh earned bachelor's and master's degress at Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) University and his doctorate at Washington State University in 2013. He joined the UD faculty in 2013. John Newberg The Newberg research group focuses on energy and environmental sciences at the molecular level. A major part of that work is studying the effect water has on surfaces and whether it enhances or inhibits chemical changes. In this study, Newberg and his lab are exploring ways to convert carbon dioxide into liquid fuel, specifically exploring the surface chemistry of silver particles on titanium dioxide while it is performing as a photocatalyst (a catalyst triggered by light) in a carbon-dioxide reduction process. The work is done at nanoscale, using an ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy system that he says provides a "unique set of eyes." The uncommon technology enables researchers to see what is happening on surfaces during catalytic processes. The work will advance UD's catalysis research and its significance for alternative energy and environmental solutions. Newberg earned his bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees at the University of California (Berkeley, Davis and Irvine, respectively), worked as a senior engineer for Intel Corp. where he was part of the team that developed flash memory, and was a postdoctoral fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab before joining the UD faculty in 2012. Chengmo Yang Yang's research has focused on computer architecture and embedded systems, with emphasis on reliability and efficiency. In this study, she and her lab will continue to work on ways to defend against "hardware trojans," malicious circuits that attack embedded devices in the Internet of Things and render them untrustworthy. Because computer hardware is designed, fabricated and tested by many different companies around the world, with various functions outsourced to business partners, hardware platforms are vulnerable to attack through rogues that infiltrate third-party design teams. Their work can cause catastrophic, cascading failure of smart grids, health data, manufacturing, "smart cities" and just about anything else connected to the Internet. It is important to check if someone along the line has inserted something that could leak confidential information or disrupt other functions, Yang says. Specifically, the study will focus on developing a vendor-diverse monitoring process that allows individual nodes to keep an eye on neighboring nodes to ensure those neighbors are not colluding against them and also to contribute to a comprehensive detection system that covers the entire connected framework. Yang completed her undergraduate work at the Peking University in Beijing, China, and master's and doctorate work at the University of California, San Diego. She joined the UD faculty in 2010 and received the prestigious National Science Foundation Early Career Award in 2013. Article by Beth Miller Photos by Evan Krape Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn and Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian at a meeting in Teheran discussed key directions of cooperation in energy sphere and focused on the projects that could be implemented in the near future. The press service of Ukraine's energy and coal industry ministry reported this. Im astonished at the objectness of discussion that the Iranian side shows. In fact, immediately after the talks, meetings with representatives of Ukrainian companies are held, including discussions on particular issues and detailed development of projects, Demchyshyn said, when commenting on the results of the talks. Ukraine and Iran agreed on the projects of Ukrainian companies participation in the modernization of Iranian energy infrastructure, heat- and hydrogenation. In particular, the sides discussed the construction and improvement of 400 kV power grids. iy Ukraine will send a trade mission with business representatives to Iran in May-June of the current year. trade This was agreed at a sitting of the interdepartmental Ukrainian-Iranian commission on trade and economic cooperation, Deputy Economic Development and TradeMinister and Ukraines trade representative, Natalia Mykolska wrote on her Facebook page. We have agreed on the organization of a visit to the regions by a trade mission with Ukrainian business to Iran (Teheran and regions) under the patronage of the Iranian Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Trade. Weve drafted a plan of possible solution to the issue with payments from Iran and to Iran, reads a report. In addition, the sides in the scope of the visit signed a Memorandum on mutual understating of the fifths sitting of the Interdepartmental Ukrainian-Iranian joint commission on trade and economic cooperation that determines all directions of the cooperation between Ukraine and Iran. iy The unlawful continuing detention of Ukrainian citizen Nadia Savchenko in Russian prison is a violation of the Minsk agreements on the settlement of the crisis in eastern Ukraine, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said on Tuesday. "Her unlawful continuing detention is a clear violation of Russia's commitment under the Minsk agreements, and she should be freed at once," Biden said in a statement posted on the White House. "Nadia has been unjustly imprisoned in Russia since 2014detained and facing trial on trumped up charges. Nadia was proudly serving her country as a member of the Ukrainian armed forces, fighting in the eastern part of the country when she was abducted by separatists and taken across the border against her will," the vice president said. He called on Russia to drop all charges against Savchenko and release her at once. "Nadia deserves to go home to her family and friends and join her fellow Rada members to begin shaping a new Ukraine," Biden said. The Russian Federation has been spending plenty resources to discredit Kyiv before the referendum on the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine, which is scheduled for April 6 in the Netherlands. Advisor to the Chairman of the Security Service of Ukraine Yury Tandit told viewers of 112 Ukraine TV channel. "We have just spoken with our Dutch colleagues and exchanged information, given the necessity now to talk about the referendum that will be held in early April while the intelligence services of the Russian Federation are doing their best to discredit our country," said the official. According to Tandits information, the Dutch intelligentsia takes pro-Ukrainian position, but Moscow is spending "enormous resources" to discredit Ukraine. Ukrainian doctors, who flew to Russia to examine Nadiya Savchenko, have not yet received permission from the Russian side. First Deputy Health Minister of Ukraine Oleksandra Pavlenko posted this on Facebook. "Our doctors, who were sent for medical examination of Nadiya Savchenko, do not sleep for two days. The Russian side has not yet issued permission for the access of doctors to the patient. We are waiting. We are in constant contact with the Foreign Ministry and the doctors," she wrote. Earlier, the Donetsk City Court, Rostov region, Russia refused to give permission for a meeting with Nadiya Savchenko to Ukrainian consuls, her sister and mother, and Ukrainian doctors for examination. ol Chisinau Theoretical Lyceum I.S. Nechuy-Levytsky hosted XXVI-Republican competition on the Ukrainian language and literature "Our language is like a red berry" during the Shevchenko memorial days. The olympiad was held with the organizational assistance of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Moldova and the Ministry of Education, UKRINFORM's own correspondent in the Republic of Moldova reports. "It is very symbolic that the school competition is traditionally held in early spring when all nature wakes up and wakes up in generations love for their native Ukrainian language, their own culture and traditions. By learning the history of the Ukrainian language and literature you grow as people and become the embodiment of the Ukrainian essence," said Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Moldova. The head of Ukrainian diplomatic mission stressed the importance of the efforts made by the Moldovan leadership and social organizations of Ukrainians in Moldova for the preservation and development of the Ukrainian language in the host country, he informed about the prospects of higher education in Ukraine and wished success to the young school students and outstanding academic results. The Ambassador also expressed his gratitude to the teachers of the Ukrainian language and literature in schools and high schools in Moldova. | By Chris Zang Led by robberies, which dropped nearly 60 percent, serious crime at UMB fell in 2015, according to recently released statistics from the UMB Police Force. Robberies, incidents that involve violence or the threat of violence, dropped from 12 in 2014 to five in 2015. Aggravated assault, which includes the use of a weapon, dropped from eight in 2014 to seven in 2015, and simple assault fell from 16 to 15 in 2015. Antonio Williams, MS, police chief and associate vice president of public safety at UMB, was encouraged by the 2015 statistics. I basically mandated to our department that we have to reduce violent crime on the campus. So I was certainly encouraged, Williams says. Im not happy yet, but the numbers are moving in the right direction. Asked about the reasons for the huge drop in robberies, he cited improved strategies, increased visibility of the UMB Police Force, and especially making additional riding escorts available. Antonio Williams, MS, UMB Chief of Police, Assoc. VP of Public Safety Back in October 2014, we added a second van to the riding escort program, Williams recalls. It was my desire that anyone who wants a ride can get a ride. If people dont feel comfortable walking around in the evening, it was my desire that people dont have to walk around in fear. When it gets dark, get a ride [by calling 6-6882], and it really helped. Additional police personnel and expanded boundaries and times also strengthened the riding escort, which served 13,621 riders in 2015, twice that of the year before. Murders, rapes, and arsons remained at zero in UMBs year-end crime statistics. Stolen vehicles fell from three in 2014 to one in 2015. But not all the numbers were favorable. Due to an uptick in thefts (from 68 in 2014 to 79 in 2015) overall crime incidents were the same in 2014 as in 2015 (109 incidents each year). Williams said mobilizing greater forces outside, especially after the unrest in April, and less in the buildings themselves, which is where thefts occur, contributed to the increase. We have limited resources and we took more of those resources and put them outside because people were telling me, Chief, I dont feel safe walking in this location or that location. We try to be responsive to our community. Im concerned about thefts, like all crime. Now that violent crime is down, people are more concerned about other types of issues, like theft or crossing the street or street signs that have fallen down. Lowering thefts will be part of an anti-theft initiative Williams will be rolling out in the months ahead. For now, he offers the following suggestions. Its a two-fold thing. Part of it is what can the community do and then what can the Department of Public Safety do. I believe we still need to emphasize the message of people keeping valuables in their possession. Dont leave valuables unattended. Also take advantage of programs like Operation Identification, where laptops and larger items can be engraved. And resources like CITS [Center for Information Technology Services], which can provide information about laptop tracking software, such as LoJack for computers. Deputy Chief Milland Reed, MS, spoke at Dr. Permans November Q&A about how new policing strategies, with an emphasis on employees arrival and departure times, have been effective. Williams hopes to grow on those successes. "We look to break something out every year, he said. We certainly try to be accommodating to our community. So well be breaking something out shortly to help people have some tools and some avenues to help take part in reducing thefts around the campus. Though thefts went up in 2015, the 79 incidents pale beside the 139 and 120 thefts on campus in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Is Williams surprised by the improving numbers, especially in a year when there was civil unrest and rising crime in the city? No. I was not surprised, he says. We have a track record here of being rather successful at keeping some of the things that happen around the city, in general, away from our campus. Some of that is due to the efforts that we put in as a public safety department. I believe some of that can be attributed to our community members being more cognizant, as well, and then theres also another piece that I hear from time to time on the street, that certain people feel we have a good reputation as a University and as a public safety department, and that contributes to the notion that its not so easy to commit crimes on this campus. Williams is looking forward to crime stats dropping further as well as to improvements to the police station itself. We got approval from the regents to complete our renovation project next door at 222 N. Pine St. Thats going to involve building a brand new communications center, which should open in 2017. Theres also going to be a new emergency operations center. Williams also is very proud of his police force. I would certainly say that the dedication and commitment of not just the sworn people, but the entire department, really helped improve the conditions on the campus, says Williams, who just hired three lieutenants to bolster his force. Its a holistic approach. People see the officers on the street, some of the security people, but its a combination. Also the communications people and the administrative staff. Theyre critical, because theyre the ones that most of the public interacts with. It took a combined effort of the entire department to get the results that we have, but also to take us forward to improve, and we will improve. A quick Google search of psychological condition where human believes he is an animal opens up a whole bunch of links to different disorders. For instance, clinical lycanthropy. It is defined as a rare psychiatric disorder where a person believes that he (or she) can transform into, or has transformed into, or is a non-human animal. Google offers up another suggestion species dysphoria. According to Wikipedia, this is the experience of dysphoria and, sometimes, dysmorphia associated with the feeling that ones body is of the wrong species. However, trying to understand the unusual story of a 20-year-old woman, Nano, from Oslo in Norway would probably take more than just a customary Google-search. Nano believes that she is a cat trapped in a human body. In other words, she is certain that she was born in the wrong species. In a special feature on NRK P3 Verdens Rikeste Lands YouTube channel, Nano opens up about how she lives her human life as a cat. She claims to possess many feline characteristics such as a heightened sense of hearing and a strong aversion to water. She embraces her true identity by wearing a pair of cat ears and an artificial tail. In addition to that, Nano showcases her near-perfect meows, which is how she chose to begin her 3-minute-long interview. Nano claims she first realized that she was a cat when she was 16 years old. This was the time, she says, that doctors and psychologists found out what was the thing with me. Under my birth, there was a genetic defect. As Nano walks through Oslos central station, the reporter asks her to identify things that she can see or hear which would be imperceptible to human senses. Nano quickly zeroes in on the sounds of suitcases rolling on the ground, keys clinking in pockets and people with ice crampons under their shoes. This increased hearing ability is one of the greatest advantages of being a cat, according to the Norwegian woman. She also claims to possess night vision. I can see better in the dark than in daylight. Thats no problem, she says. I have been running a lot after animals that can be seen in the shadows. However, Nano has never managed to catch a mouse, despite her best efforts. Advertisements Her relationship with mans best friend is also predictably strained. She hisses when she sees a dog and explains that its because of their behavior and my instinct is automatically reacts by hissing. Her habits and mannerisms closely reflect those of a cat, as she is seen crawling on all fours and wearing a pair of pink paws with which she rubs her face, as though she were grooming herself. She confesses that she loves sleeping in the sink or on the windowsill. At one point, the reporter asks Nano if she was just born in the wrong species. Nano confirms that thats what it is. Surprisingly, Nano has found the purrfect companion and introduces the reporter to her best friend, Svein. Svein, she claims, has many different personalities and one of them is a cat. While interviewing Svein, he reveals that the two of them often communicate by mewing. To demonstrate, Nano lets out a series of meows that are, apparently, supposed to translate as Come on, lets go, and Svein confirms he understood every single one of them. Suddenly I start meowing or she does, and then we answer each other and communicate by cat language, he says. In the end, Nano says that her life as a cat is certainly exhausting but one that you eventually get used to. Even though her psychologist has told her that she could eventually grow out of this phase, Nano is skeptical that that will happen. This 3-minute-long video, posted on January 26, 2016, has 3,506,937 views so far. However, it probably raises many more questions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWeBunPiIzo [source: dailymail.co.uk Austria's AV Handel, Vertretung und Beteiligung AG, under control of Andriy and Serhiy Kliuyev who fled from Ukraine, on March 8 filed an application on the start of bankruptcy procedure to the arbitration court of Vienna, Austria's KSV1870 association for protecting rights of creditors has reported. "According to information from the debtor, total liabilities reached EUR 111.81 million," KSV1870 reported on Tuesday. The Kliuyev brothers failed to receive credits to pay debts and replenish working capital of the company using own funds, as their accounts are frozen due to sanctions imposed by the U.S. and the EU. KSV1870 said that 28 creditors suffered from financial insolvency of the debtor. Deutsche Welle reported, referring to KSV1870, that the bankruptcy procedure was also launched for two subsidiaries of SLAV Group, and over 90% of the debts are owed to China's CNBM International. Deutsche Welle said that SLAV has assets of around EUR 80 million and they are mainly assets of Ukrpidshypnyk Industrial-Investment Corporation. Ukraine and Iran have signed a Memorandum of Understanding during the 5th session of the Intergovernmental Ukrainian-Iranian Joint Commission for Economic and Trade Cooperation, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister, Regional Development, Construction, Housing, and Utilities Economy Minister, Chairman of Ukraine's delegation in Iran Hennadiy Zubko has said. The document defines specific terms and agents in charge for all the areas of economic cooperation of the countries, the press service of Zubko's ministry said. "It is very important that we have decided on the transition to the implementation of specific joint projects and cooperation," Zubko commented on the signing, which took place on Monday in Tehran. The minister said the two countries would increase trade in agricultural sector, while Iran was ready to set up joint enterprises, and develop processing of agricultural products in Ukraine. Ukraine also offered Iran to invest in its forestry, cooperate in the fishing sector, and team up in the development of infrastructure and logistics needed to facilitate trade in agricultural products, Zubko said. "Ukraine invited Iranian investors to participate in the privatization of Ukrainian enterprises. We have agreed to establish a joint committee on investments for the development of various forms of investment cooperation, including public-private partnership," the minister added. He also said Ukraine and Iran would continue to cooperate in the banking sector, and would launch the Joint Ukrainian-Iranian Business Council. Its first meeting is to take place in Tehran, Zubko said. Besides, the minister stated that Kyiv and Tehran were interested in further cooperation in the coal production and metallurgical sectors. Zubko said the countries would also expand cooperation in the production of passenger and cargo cars, subway carriages, while trade in the car production sector would also grow. What is more, the parties would expand cooperation in the aviation sector, in particular they would modernize the An-140-100 aircraft and jointly start its serial production. The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has decided to revoke the banking license and liquidate Avant-Bank, the NBU reported on its website. "The National Bank of Ukraine on February 25, 2016 at the suggestion of the Individuals' Deposit Guarantee Fund adopted resolution No. 109 to revoke the banking license and liquidate PJSC Avant-Bank," reads a statement. According to the report, the bank was classified as problem in the beginning of December 2015. "At the end of the year the liquidity of PJSC Avant-Bank deteriorated significantly. At the same time, we've started receiving complaints from individuals and legal entities with respect to the bank's non-fulfilment of its obligations. The regulator explained the decision was made on the basis of the bank shareholders' having no clear plans for the restoration of the bank's liquidity and the failure to perform customers' operations in the period established by the legislation," reads the report. A group of the Ukrainian doctors so far has not received a permission from the Russian authorities to visit Ukrainian pilot and parliamentarian Nadia Savchenko, who is detained in the Russian detention facility, First Deputy Health Minister of Ukraine Oleksandra Pavlenko said. "Our doctors, who were sent for a medical examination of Nadia Savchenko, have no sleep two day long. A permission of the Russian party for doctor's access to the patient hasn't been granted yet. We're still waiting. We're in a constant touch with Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and doctors," she wrote on her Facebook account. World's Only Institution Dedicated Solely to the Diagnosis, Treatment, Research, and Cure of Bladder Cancer Announced Awardees BALTIMORE, MD. March 7, 2016 A total of $500,000 was awarded to ten bladder cancer projects by The Johns Hopkins Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute it was announced today. A study of obesity and related metabolic changes on bladder cancer incidence and deaths, and a plan to use stem cells to grow novel urinary tubes are the research projects awarded funding. Awardees include researchers from University of Leeds, U.K. to the University of Chicago to the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. The institute was established in 2014 with a $15 million gift from Baltimore-area commercial real estate developer Erwin L. Greenberg and his wife, Stephanie Cooper Greenberg, and a $30 million investment from the Johns Hopkins University. The faculty of JHGBCI is dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of bladder cancer and improving its treatment. The institute is a collaborative initiative of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, the Brady Urological Institute, the Bloomberg School of Public Health and the School of Medicine, aims to develop new clinical strategies for combating bladder cancer through intensive, collaborative and innovative research, awards individual grants of up to $50,000 each to encourage young investigators to take on research that advances the science and treatment of bladder cancer and to leverage existing resources and expertise. The grants, renewable for up to three years, are awarded in the following areas: genetic and epigenetic approaches; immunotherapy; targeted therapies; patient care, prevention and screening; and pioneering studies. This is the second year of grant awards for the institute. I am really excited about the tremendous group of investigators that the institute will be funding, says William B. Isaacs, Ph.D., a genitourinary cancer expert at the Johns Hopkins Brady Urologic Institute and Kimmel Cancer Center. We have projects by outstanding and inspired new investigators, a very talented young epidemiologist, and perhaps the most seasoned bladder cancer investigator in the world, in addition to a prostate cancer molecular biologist who has been enticed to join the fight against bladder cancer. In addition, four of last years funded investigators will receive additional support for another year, as they were judged to be making excellent progress on their research projects. I am confident that this group of investigators will make major inroads in bladder cancer both in the short term and well into the future. The awardees include six new projects and four renewed projects. The new recipients and their projects are: Corinne Joshu, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and assistant professor of oncology at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, for Investigating the Influence of Obesity and Metabolic Perturbations on Bladder Cancer Risk Joshus project will explore the potential influence of obesity and its associated metabolic changes on bladder cancer incidence and mortality. She will analyze data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC), a long-term epidemiologic study of 16,000 men and women from four U.S. communities. ARIC participants have undergone repeated clinical visits, where measures of body size, and metabolic, lipid and inflammatory markers have been collected. They have been followed for health outcomes, including well-characterized bladder cancer, for over 25 years. Margaret Knowles, Ph.D., professor of experimental cancer research at the University of Leeds, United Kingdom, for Characterization of Gender-Related Mutation of KDM6A/UTY in Bladder Cancer Knowles will look to identify gender-related molecular features of bladder cancers and develop relevant in vitro models. Her group already has identified mutations in the tumor suppressor gene KDM6A in more than one-half of low-grade stage Ta bladder tumors, and data suggest that bladder cancer in females has distinct epigenetic features. Now, she will conduct a more comprehensive analysis of mutations and alterations in KDM6A in tumors of all grades and stages from both men and women, and in a related gene, UTY, in males. Anirudha Singh, Ph.D., assistant professor of urology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, for Regenerative Urology: From Micro Ureters to Mini Bladders Singhs laboratory has developed a collagen molding technology that mimics the features of processing methods that shape synthetic plastics into desired structures. They plan to engineer hollow and tubular collagen systems ranging from microsized tubings similar to ureterlike structures to complex seaweed or grapelike structures as multiple minibladders for regenerative urology applications. Specifically, they plan to develop biologically functional artificial urinary tubes by seeding the scaffolds with stem cells derived from human fat tissue that can result in the formation of cell layers normally seen in urinary tissues. Alexander Baras, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of pathology and urology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, for Characterization of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Response Predictors and the Immunological Microenvironment in Muscle Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder Baras will develop and validate biomarkers of response to treatment with conventional cisplatin-based chemotherapy given prior to surgery in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, looking at expression of certain proteins and at DNA sequencing. He also aims to characterize how the interaction of muscle-invasive bladder cancer and the immune system impacts response to cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The results could enable therapy to be tailored so only patients likely to benefit from the treatment will receive it. Shawn E. Lupold, Ph.D., associate professor of urology, oncology, and radiation oncology and molecular radiation sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, for Identification and Characterization of Genetic Factors That Contribute to Exceptional Therapeutic Responses in Locally Advanced Bladder Cancer Lupolds project will use technology called high-throughput RNA interference screens to look for genes that, when deactivated, contribute to a better response to cancer treatment. During the study, Lupolds team will look at 40 genes commonly mutated and deleted in bladder cancers. In the lab, bladder cancer cells will be pretreated with genetic material called small interfering RNA to knock down individual gene function, and then will be treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Cells that respond very well or very poorly to treatment may predict genetic mutations associated with exceptional response or therapeutic resistance, potentially helping identify new genetic markers for personalized bladder cancer therapy. Michael Johnson, M.D., instructor of urology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, for Rapid Lymphocyte Enrichment and Expansion Using Tumor-Specific Neoantigens in Urothelial Cell Carcinoma Johnson and colleagues will use a novel technique to expand immune cells that are designed to recognize cancer. They will perform genome sequencing on bladder tumors to predict protein sequences that are specific to tumor cells and capable of initiating an immune response (neoantigens). Then, using artificial antigen presenting cells (aAPCs), they will isolate and expand populations of white blood cells that recognize neoantigens in blood, lymph nodes and tumors. Their hypothesis is that T cells can be activated with tumor-specific proteins, and the combination of neoantigens and aAPCs can be used to pursue personalized cancer immunotherapies, such as cancer vaccines. The awardees of renewed grants, and their projects, are: Trinity Bivalacqua, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of urology, surgery and oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and director of urologic oncology at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, for Nanoparticle Approaches to Improving the Immunologic Response to Intravesical Therapy for NMIBC (Nonmuscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer) Bivalacqua and colleagues will continue work on the development of nonadhesive, biodegradable nanoparticles loaded with chemotherapy and other solutions in the treatment of bladder cancer. His team created rat models of bladder cancer and will continue characterizing the tumors by analyzing gene and protein expression. They also have started comparing the delivery of cisplatin (chemotherapy) versus Bacillus Calmette-Guerin the main biological treatment for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer in these models and will measure the difference in the resulting numbers of immune cells activated in the bladder to prevent tumor recurrence and progression. Additionally, the group will continue work demonstrating that cisplatin-based nanoparticle therapy can be localized to the bladder, sparing other healthy tissue. They will use the therapy alone and in combination with gemcitabine to demonstrate the ability to prevent cancer progression in murine models of bladder cancer. George Netto, M.D., professor of pathology, urology and oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, for TERT-Promoter Mutations Assay for Early Detection and Monitoring of Bladder Cancer Netto will continue work on a noninvasive, urine-based test to identify mutations in the on/off switch of a gene called telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), which is present in a range of bladder cancer precursor lesions. His team sequences patients bladder tumors to identify TERT promoter mutations and compares the information to the presence or absence of the same mutations in patients urine. As of last summer, the group had sequenced 1,167 samples 758 urine samples and 409 bladder tumor samples for TERT mutations. They will assess 1,000 additional urine samples in the next year. The team also developed an expanded genetic assay to include alterations in 11 additional genes that are commonly mutated in bladder cancer. In 169 bladder cancers sequenced using the new assay, at least one alteration has been found in over 90 percent of tumors. They will test the complete set of collected urine samples and corresponding tumor samples using the new assay. Peter ODonnell, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, for Genetic Diversity of T Cell Receptors Impacting Anti-Tumor Effects in Bladder Cancer In their first year of funding, ODonnell and colleagues genetically characterized the T cell receptors of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TILs), white blood cells found in tumors that kill cancer cells. They also found that patients whose TILs had low genetic diversity in the receptors had significantly longer recurrence-free survival. Building on that work, the team now plans to study bladder cancer tissue samples to look for potential key proteins that may drive the expansion of T cells against tumors. They also will take blood samples from patients with and without bladder cancer recurrence to see if artificial proteins genetically engineered in the lab can stimulate the expansion of T cell populations. Armine Smith, M.D., assistant professor of urology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, for Pilot Study of TRAIL and BCG Combination Therapy in Bladder Cancer Smith and colleagues are looking to characterize chemical pathways that are dysregulated in cell lines resistant to BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin), the main biological treatment for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer. They also are beginning use a combination of BCG and a protein called TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand), which kick-starts the process of cell death, to treat mice with tumors that either have never been treated with BCG or that are resistant to BCG. They will also look for levels of TRAIL receptors in stored tissue samples from bladder cancer patients. Applications will be made available online this summer for the next round of funding, Isaacs says. The URL is http://pilotprojects.onc.jhmi.edu/. The Johns Hopkins Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute is the first of its kind in the world dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of bladder cancer and improving its treatment. Its experts include multidisciplinary research teams from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and faculty members from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicines Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, the Brady Urological Institute of The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Johns Hopkins departments of Pathology and Surgery. This Site Is Under Construction and Coming Soon. This Domain Is Registered with Network Solutions At a meeting between Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, particular attention was given to the prospects for the two countries' cooperation in trade, economy, investment, energy and transport, the Ukrainian president's press office said on Wednesday. "Poroshenko and Davutoglu agreed to establish closer cooperation on issues relating to joint participation in developing energy infrastructure and international energy corridors. The Ukrainian head of state also expressed his readiness to allow Turkey to use Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities for gas storage," the spokesperson said. Poroshenko also said that, to increase bilateral trade, it is important that the two countries open their markets to each other, and therefore speed up the talks over a free trade agreement between Ukraine and Turkey. "The parties noted the importance of ensuring full use of Ukraine and Turkey's transit potentials. In this context, the Ukrainian president and the Turkish prime minister agreed to broaden cooperation in the sphere of international transportation services," the spokesperson said. All the latest Uttoxeter news Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade has informed that Argentine Products company (Argentina) is interested in exports of Ukrainian unrefined sunflower oil. According to a report on the ministry's website, goods will be mainly supplied to the Middle East. The contact data of the company are also posted on the website of the Economic Development and Trade Ministry. As reported, Ukraine is the largest producer and exporter of sunflower oil in the world. The main consumer countries are India, China, the EU and the Middle East. The Ukroliyaprom association expects that sunflower oil production in Ukraine in the 2015/2016 marketing year will stand at 4.2 million tonnes, exports will increase by 2.6%, to 3.9 million tonnes compared to the previous marketing season. Militants have conducted 43 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, including 37 attacks conducted in the Donetsk sector and five in the Mariupol area, the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) press center wrote on Facebook on Wednesday morning. Kyiv reported twelve mortar attacks on army strongholds near Opytne, Avdiyivka, Luhanske and Zaitseve. Militant infantry combat vehicle shelled Ukrainian army positions near Luhanske. Small arms, machineguns and various types of grenade launchers were used against Ukrainian army strongholds near Pisky, Myronivske, Novhorodske, Troitske, Krasnohorivka, Mayorsk and Verkhniotoretske. Militants were active near Shyrokyne, Starohnativka and Maryinka in the Mariupol area. "At about 7 p.m., a sabotage-and-reconnaissance unit approached a Ukrainian army observation post near Triokhizbenka in Luhansk region to a distance of 200 meters and opened small arms fire. The post personnel returned fire," it said. Prior to buying a real estate property on the primary housing market in Kyiv, one should check the legality of construction of the house on the website of state city administration, a press service of Kyiv City State Administration quotes Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko as saying. "As soon as we learn about the launch of the illegal construction, we go for that place and halt the building works. However, a lot of 'speculators', who attempt to build the houses without any permissions, works on the building market of Kyiv. That's why I appeal to all Kyiv citizens: prior to buy the real estate property, a buyer should obligatory verify the legality of building of the house on the website of the city administration not to fall into hands of swindlers," Klitschko said. The mayor stressed that in the cases when the illegal house has already been built and people already have been living there, the authorities are looking for a compromise how to put it into operation, and how to make the owners not to lose it since the budget has no means to compensate a cost of the illegally built house the owners of the houses. Besides, the mayor said he hopes for efficient work of law enforcement agencies, who received a lot of materials about illegal buildings. To verify the legality of the built house in the capital one may at http://monitor.mkk.kga.gov.ua/ The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has passed the text of a memorandum of cooperation to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NAB), and Kyiv is currently analyzing it, NAB Director Artem Sytnyk has said. "As concerns cooperation with the U.S., we have communicated with FBI officials who have handed us the text of a memorandum of cooperation. We are analyzing the document. We already have their representative, his workstation, and the necessary equipment here to convert criminal cases into an electronic format. That is, the agreements reached in the U.S. have started being implemented," Sytnyk said in an interview published in the Dzerkalo Tyzhnia. Ukraine weekly publication. Asked whether U.S. financial intelligence agencies are sharing relevant information with the NAB, Sytnyk said, "In any case, we are talking about cooperation with the FBI. If we ask them about something, they might engage financial intelligence as well." Members of the European Parliament have sent a letter to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini offering to introduce personal sanctions against those involved in the imprisonment of Ukrainian parliamentarian and pilot Nadia Savchenko, MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski said on his Twitter account. The letter, which was also posted on the MEP's microblog, suggest s that sanctions should be introduced against 29 Russian citizens, in particular these sanctions should include prohibiting issuance of EU visas to them, freezing their assets, and confiscating their property in the EU countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin is fist on the list of those suggested for sanctions. The letter was signed by 57 MEPs. KYIV. March 9 (Interfax-Ukraine) Members of the European Parliament have sent a letter to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini offering to introduce personal sanctions against those involved in the imprisonment of Ukrainian parliamentarian and pilot Nadia Savchenko, MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski said on his Twitter account. The letter, which was also posted on the MEP's microblog, suggest s that sanctions should be introduced against 29 Russian citizens, in particular these sanctions should include prohibiting issuance of EU visas to them, freezing their assets, and confiscating their property in the EU countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin is fist on the list of those suggested for sanctions. The letter was signed by 57 MEPs. The United States Commerce Department puts export restriction on ZTE. The sanction was imposed for violating export restriction to Iran. With the restriction, all U.S. companies that supply components to the Chinese company have to acquire export license first before shipping their products. Commerce Department imposed restriction on ZTE Corp for alleged violations of U.S. export controls on Iran. United States found out that ZTE was acting on the opposite direction of U.S. national security interest. ZTE was discovered to establish a front companies to evade U.S. controls on high-tech exports to Iran. The company was allegedly developing scheme to re-export controlled items to Iran contrary to United States law. ZTE was coordinating the scheme with three other entities, including one in Iran. With this restriction, the Chinese telecoms company will not be able to freely acquire U.S. products and any American-made equipment or parts. The restriction will take effect on Tuesday. "This is a significant new burden on trade with ZTE," said senior offcial at the U.S. Commerce Department to Reuters. The official refrained to comment on U.S. government further action against ZTE. Notice from the Commerce Department will be published next week in the U.S. Federal Register, which also mention that license applications generally will be denied. Nevertheless, ZTE can appeal against the action. Chinese government was strongly opposed the sanction. China's commerce ministry said that ZTE's technology purchase has helped U.S. to provide tens of thousand jobs in United States. The ministry said export restriction would obstruct that. "The U.S. move will severely impair normal commercial activities of the Chinese firms. China will continue to engage with the U.S. side on the issue," said a written statement issued by China's ministry as quoted by Shanghai Daily. Another high ranking official, Foreign Minister Wang Yi as quoted by Japan Times, on Tuesday said, "We don't think this is the right approach." he said in a news conference on Tueday during meeting of China's national legislature. "This approach will only hurt others without necessarily benefiting oneself," he added. Meanwhile ZTE issued a written statement, pledging to cooperate with U.S. authorities. The company said, "ZTE is fully committed to compliance with the laws and regulations in the jurisdictions in which it operates. ZTE has been cooperating, will continue to cooperate and communicate with all U.S. agencies as required. The company is working expeditiously toward resolution of this issue." Although ZTE and other China-based company are developing their own technology, but they still depend on American suppliers for chipsets and components. Therefore, restriction will harm both U.S. suppliers and ZTE alike. As Commerce Department imposed export restriction on ZTE, the Chinese company will not be able to acquire U.S. products freely. American suppliers will have to acquire export license prior to shipping their product to ZTE. Mark Feygin, a lawyer for Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko, said he is hoping she will be acquitted. "She may be acquitted. The defense lawyers have proven that Savchenko is innocent," Feygin told reporters on Wednesday. He said the defense lawyers for the Ukrainian pilot were unable to convince her to stop her dry hunger strike. "Now they should promise to let Savchenko serve her sentence in Ukraine. Until Savchenko hears a clear response on this matter we can't convince her to stop her hunger strike," Feygin said. Nikolai Polozov, another lawyer for the Ukrainian pilot, told reporters the health of Savchenko, who is charged with involvement in the death of Russian journalists, deteriorated during her dry hunger strike. "She has developed heart problems, her heart is racing. She has a fever and is running a high temperature. The chances are high that Savchenko will stop her hunger strike if she is promised a return to Ukraine," Polozov said. Polozov said the defense lawyers have been convinced from the very start that Savchenko will eventually return home. The world's top tech elites reportedly join in a secret meeting to devise an end to Donald Trump presidential run. Among those who are involved is Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google co-founder Larry Page, and Tesla and SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk. The top tech executives met with top Republican representatives to discuss the matter, as reported by the Huffington Post. The agenda to stop the Republican fron-runner Donald Trump was talked over at the American Enterprise Institute's annual World Forum, in Sea Island, Georgia. Besides the tech elites, the Republican party leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Paul Ryan, GOP Sen. Tom Cotton, political guru Karl Rove, Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Fred Upton, Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price, Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, and other representatives, were also at the meeting. The billionaire GOP donor Philip Anschutz, whose company owns a stake in Sea Island, was also there. And even though the confab was closed to the press, the publisher of The New York Times Arthur Sulzberger was also at the meeting. An email report from the gathering written by Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol stated as quoted by Gizmodo, "A specter was haunting the World Forum - the specter of Donald Trump. There was much unhappiness about his emergence, a good deal of talk, some of it insightful and thoughtful, about why he's done so well, and many expressions of hope that he would be defeated... The key task now, to once again paraphrase Karl Marx, is less to understand Trump than to stop him." The exact points of discussion were not disclosed and is regarded as highly secretive, including the tech elites' input to the meeting. However, as Apple Insider reported, at one point of the meeting, the a dispute between Apple and the FBI about the company's resistance to help the agency unlock a terrorist's iPhone emerged. Sen. Tom Cotton and Tim Cook was involved in a fierce debate on that matter. Last month, Trump called for a boycott of Apple products until the company agrees to provide assistance to the FBI on that matter. It's not confirmed that the tech CEOs was actually at the World Forum meeting. However, it's reported that some private jets departing from the island landed back in San Jose, California, which is considered to be the Capital of Silicon Valley. Among the reported tech executives to attend the forum was Tim Cook, Elon Musk, and Larry Page, helping Republican representatives plot end to Donald Trump's presidential run as the GOP's front-runner. The director of UK Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) calls for closer cooperation and collaboration between intelligence agencies and tech companies over encryption issues. GCHQ director Robert Hannigan addressed the issue in a speech in Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston. Hannigan has expressed his concerns over encryption and other cyber security issues faced by the intelligence, agencies, police, and U.S. agencies and bureaus shortly after he was appointed as GCHQ director. In a post published at Financial Times, he wrote about a new generation of terrorists and criminals take advantage of the extraordinary opportunities offered by the internet and the web. And once again, as tech giant Apple and the FBI are involved in a legal dispute over encryption issues, Hannigan seek to open a discussion and encourage collaboration to help solve such problems. The legal battle between Apple and FBI began when the tech company defied the court order demanding it to provide assistance for the FBI to help bypass an iPhone's encryption owned by one of the San Bernardino shooters. Realizing that the UK and US are facing a similar problem, the GCHQ director called for a close collaboration between agencies in the two countries. "We need a new relationship between the tech sector, academia, civil society and government agencies. We should be bridging the divide, sharing ideas and building a constructive dialogue in a less highly-charged atmosphere," he said, as quoted by the BBC. In the speech, Hannigan also noted that he is not speaking in favor of banning encryption nor the existence of mandatory 'backdoors'. Instead, as reported by The Guardian, he told the audience that it was a moral issue, "Defining what is reasonable and practical, of course, immediately engages proportionality. Does providing the data in clear endanger the security of others' data? The unwelcome answer which dissatisfies advocates at both ends of the spectrum is: it depends." Hannigan's aim with the speech is to state the importance of clarity and term of references regarding encryption. According to The Register, he also noted that the importance of encryption grows as more of our private lives move online and the economy becomes increasingly dependent on digital currency and block-chain systems. As the debate is not about whether the best practice is to provide or not provide backdoors, Hannigan emphasized that what important for the issue is practical cooperations between authorities and industries. Both will need a clear framework that needs to be implemented by commercial providers. Perry Capital LLC, a New York based $10 billion hedge fund is preparing for another credit event like 2008. The multi-dimensional hedge fund is led by Goldman Sachs alum Richard Perry. The hedge fund has reportedly purchased credit-default swaps (CDS) worth $1 billion on about 10 investment grade corporate bonds during last month. Standard & Poor's has rated the investment-grade bonds at BBB or higher. Meanwhile, Moody's has rated the bonds at Baa3 or higher. Bond issuing companies with such ratings are seen to have the safest balance sheets. However, Perry stands in profit even those companies are downgraded by the rating agencies, reports Business Insider. Perry finds interesting examples of some companies with different ratings of investment grade, where the rating agencies lag behind. He observes opportunities of buying protection on some of those companies with probable credit events. He remains alert for making investment in those companies whenever credit even takes place, as he did in 2008. The big short already availed by the investor during investment is expected to provide protective shield, reports Yahoo finance quoting Perry while addressing the University of Texas Management Co.'s 20th anniversary event on Friday in Austin, Texas. It's been 20 years since Sanofi and Merck & Co. joint ventured to market their vaccines in Europe. Now, they are planning to part ways as the output does not bring enough revenue for the two companies as announced on Tuesday. The joint venture was known as Sanofi Pasteur MSD. The joint venture where each company holds 50% will be divided and inserted back into the parent's operations. By the end of the year, the disunion will be concluded if there are no problems or difficulties are encountered with local labor laws or regulators. Last year, the Sanofi Pasteur MSD had earnings of about 824 million euros and provides nearly half of Europe's flu vaccines including shots that treat shingles and Gardasil which is a cervical cancer vaccine, according to Bloomberg. "We believe that focusing our efforts on opportunities unique to our respective companies will better position us to drive growth, execute in a more efficient manner and optimize vaccine coverage," Paris-based Sanofi and Kenilworth, New Jersey-based Merck said. The chief executive of Sanofi, Olivier Brandicourt, is cost-cutting and restructuring the company's portfolio. Sanofi has been considering of exchanging Merial, its animal medicines business with Germany's Ingelheim's consumer health unit, as reported by the Financial Times. A statement on Tuesday was released saying: After carefully considering our individual strategic priorities, alongside the economic and regulatory environments for vaccine operations in the European Union, we have mutually agreed that it is in our best interest to manage our vaccine products portfolio independently. Despite the falling revenue, the company pursued their parting ways as sales at the joint venture dropped in recent years. The 2015 sales declined to $923 million which is an 18% slip from $1.13 billion a year earlier based on Merck's recent regulatory filing, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. It's the end of the line for both drug makers Merck & Co. and Sanofi SA which partnership will totally dissolve by the end of the year if no problems occur. Without anything in particular, both companies mentioned that any affliction on employees shall be responsibly taken care of. Lockheed Martin will cut workers from its aeronautics division. The company offered voluntary lay off to its employees in Texas, Georgia, California, Mississippi, West Virginia and Maryland. The Bestheda, Maryland-based company is the largest defense company in the world, and its aeronautics division, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company is the unit that produce military aircrafts. Its aircraft division is famous for its military transport aircraft C-130 Hercules, fighter aircraft F16, stealth attack aircraft F-117, tactical fighter F-22 and multirole fighter F-35. Following a continuous budget pressure from Pentagon and Congress, Lockheed Martin will trim its overhead cost in its aeronautics division. Bloomberg reported that in last October Lockheed Martin Chief Executive Officer Marillyn Hewson told investors, "We are always looking at our business structure and looking at different excursions we should take in order to keep our business competitive within the business environment that we operate in." Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company is the largest division and generate one-third of the company's revenue. Bloomberg Intelligence defense analyst Douglas Rothacker said in an e-mail that Lockheed Martin is looking to bolster its profit margin in aeronautics and speed up the production of F-35 as the largest weapons system of Pentagon. Following the announcement, ABC News reported on Tuesday, Lockheed Martin's stock was up more than 2% in after-hours trading. The company started to face a drawback in its military contract last year. When Air Force selected competitor Northrop Grumman to be contractor to develop B-21 long range stealth bomber in October 2015. Lockheed Martin and Boeing Co. questioned the decision and submitting formal complaints to the Government Accountability Office. Following the complaint, Los Angeles Times reported GAO rejected protest from Lockheed Martin and Boeing last month. GAO upheld the Air Force decision and said that review from Air Force for the bids was reasonable. The federal agency also said there is no reason to reject the deal. In the next step, Air Force has announced seven subcontractors to accompany Northrop Grumman to build the new B21 bomber in an 80 billion program. The seven subcontractors are Pratt & Whitney, BAE Systems, GKN Aerospace, Janicki Industries, ATK Inc., Rockwell Collins Inc. and Spirit Aerosystems. Lockheed Martin has been under scrutiny by Congress for years especially with delays in F-35 program, When Pentagon selected the company to be contractor for F-35 program in 2009, Lockheed Martin experienced multiple cost overruns and developmental delays. Such delays degrade company's credibility as U.S. defense contractor. In order to strengthen its revenue, Lockheed Martin decided to cut 1,000 jobs in its aeronautics division. Lockheed Martin offers voluntary lay off to employees in Texas, Georgia, California, Mississippi, West Virginia and Maryland. Imperial Oil Ltd, a Canada-based petroleum company, said it has entered into an agreement to sell its 497 Esso retail fuel stations for about C$2.8 billion. The company said it will sell its gas stations to five Canadian fuel distributors. This transaction reflects the company's aim to widen its refining and oil sands businesses. With regard to this transaction, Alimentation Couche-Tard, a distributor based in Canada, will buy stations in Quebec and Ontario, while 7-Eleven Canada will acquire gas stations in British Columbia and Alberta. In addition, Wilson Fuel will purchase stations in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, while Parkland Fuel will buy sites in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Harnois Groupe petrolier will acquire stations in Quebec. Energy firms across the globe are seeking to disperse their assets in order to sustain the poor oil market. The ongoing slump in oil market has led many oil companies to a miserable condition. Experts attributes this slump in oil prices to over supply from OPEC countries and arrival of Iran to the international oil market. But, there is steep fall in demand from oil consuming countries like China. This transaction will enable Esso brand stations to have a robust presence in the country and also ensure continuous development to benefit its shareholders and consumers, according to Rich Kruger, chief executive officer of Imperial. Currently, Imperial Oil operates over 1700 Esso brand stations in Canada. Imperial Oil has been considering the sale of its fuel sites from January, 2015. The company will continue to provide fuel to its gas stations even after the sale. Brian Hannasch, CEO of Courche-Tard, said that the acquisition property will help the company to widen its business network and extend its customer base. As part of the sale deal, Couche-Tard will acquire Imperial's 279 stations in Quebec and Ontario for nearly $1.7 billion. In February, Imperial Oil reduced its budget for 2016 to C$1.8 billion, down from 2015 spending of nearly C$3.6 billion. In addition, the company reported earnings of C$102 million during the final three-month period of 2015, down 85% from the previous year period, as reported by THE GLOBE AND MAIL. The transaction, which is subject to governing approvals, is anticipated to close within the end of 2016. The company noted that Parkland Fuel will manage the operations at the On the Run/Marche Express inside the Esso network. Moreover, loyalty and other marketing programs in Esso brand stations will remain unaltered after the completion of the transaction. Micheal Kay, Bloomberg Intelligence researcher, said that Imperial Oil is curbing its investments due to weak oil-sands prices and that mere cost reduction strategy does not help in the long run to withstand the falling energy prices. Imperial Oil manages three oil refineries in Canada. The sale deal will help Imperial Oil to concentrate on its main refining business. The company believes to boost its business portfolio with this sale proceeds. Cisco Systems Inc has decided to invest $500 million in Germany and $150 million in Slack Technologies Inc. Cisco will work closely with German public sector companies on technology projects and help technology startups build apps that work with Spark eco system. The San Jose-based Cisco Systems Inc has firmed up two investment plans. As part of this, it'll invest $500 million in Germany in the next three years and $150-mln to business messaging specialist Slack Technologies Inc. The technology giant has already bought Synata, a San Francisco-based data-searching startup. Market Watch reports that Germany has been a major market and is offering business potential to technology companies in data security and privacy space. Cisco will help Germany speed up the country's digitization program, which covers investments in startups and venture funds. It will also collaborate with public sector companies on technology projects. Currently, Cisco is in the process of providing its popular Slack service with Spark, its own collaboration tool. This facilitates employees to post messages in a fashion designed to cut down on email. Cisco has integrated Spark with its voice and videoconferencing offerings. Cisco is investing $150 million on cloud collaboration and Cisco Spark ecosystem which is for developers to get innovative ideas from the outside. Cisco Spark service is considered to be the industry's first integrated cloud-based collaboration service. Cisco Network, a platform for developers, has created a fund to invest $150 million in Cisco Spark ecosystem. The fund covers direct investments, joint development, enhancements and developer support, as reported by Cisco the network. Rowan Trollope, Cisco senior vice president who also oversees its collaboration offerings, said that the $150 million Spark Innovation Fund would focus on helping companies in building apps. The activity of fund will be developing apps that work with Spark or otherwise fostering an 'ecosystem' around the service. Trollope said "In some cases, Cisco will take equity stakes in startups, in other cases it may fund joint development projects or take other steps to help developers." Cisco is the biggest manufacturer of networking equipment. The technology major has been forging alliances with the US and other foreign government agencies, also playing a key role in formulating technology policies and handling major procurements. Cisco decided in 2015 to invest over $10 billion in China as part of its long-term plan for the world's second largest economy, as reported by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). Spark team will enhance its research and security applications. Meanwhile, Synata technology includes capability to search through documents that have been store in an encrypted form, which is much advanced compared with conventional search engines. Crowdfunding website Indiegogo teams up with numerous of organizations to help support more female-led campaigns. The company is trying to create diversity on successful campaigns on the platform and is focusing on female entrepreneurs, in the time of the International Women's Day on Tuesday. In its pledge to a full year of extra support for women-run crowdfunding campaigns, Indiegogo partners with Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network, Girls In Tech, Blooming Founders, Trep Life, also Lipstick and Politics. Not only funds, the company will also host events on supporting female throughout the year and offer optional "one-on-one consultations" and "campaign mentoring from Indiegogo's dedicated support team", as reported by Venture Beat. In a blog post that announces the new program and partnership, Indiegogo also stressed the importance of supporting more female-led crowdfunding campaigns, especially for entrepreneurs. "Seeing women break into business by Indiegogo is inspiring, but there is still much to be done. We've always been committed to improving diversity in entrepreneurship because we believe that the world is better when more ideas are given the opportunity to succeed, and this year we're launching key initiatives to encourage even more," the company wrote. For Indiegogo, women are also a potential and remarkable group that is worth giving support for. The company found that the same women who are often turned down by VC after VC are responsible for 47 percent of successful campaigns via the website. Indiegogo also cited a recent study from the Haas Business School at UC Berkeley that concludes that women may actually raise more money than men do in crowdfunding because of the more inclusive and positive language they use, which makes contributors feel like they are an integral part of the teams. Startups noted how Indiegogo has contributed in promoting gender equalities from business and funding. As Indiegogo co-founder, Danae Ringelmann puts it, "Because it's a completely open platform Indiegogo has broken down gender inequalities and removed bias from the funding equation. We're really proud of building a platform where all ideas are welcome and have a chance to thrive." Lipstick & Politics founder Mira Veda, who also participates in the initiative, underlined how women still face a multitude of challenges in business and leadership. She noted that even though there are 9.4 million women own businesses, support and career advancement is negligible. That's why such initiatives are crucial in building a productive platform for both genders. With the newly-launched initiative to support female-led crowdfunding campaigns, Indiegogo is determined to open more opportunities for women to thrive especially in business. With supports from other female-supporting organizations, female-led campaigns that use Indiegogo will be offered supporting events, consultation sessions, and campaign mentoring. Owner of New York Stock Exchange, Intercontinental Exchange prepare its bidding on London Stock Exchange. The bid came amidst merger talk between London Stock Exchange and Deutsche Boerse, which may be disrupted by Brexit issue. London Stock Exchange (LSE) and Frankfurt-based Deutsche Boerse have been trying to merge for 16 years. According to The Guardian, this was their third attempt in a 20 billion ($28.3 billion) deal to combine trading operation between LSE and German exchange's Eurex derivatives business. If the merger is successful, it will create the third world-largest exchange operator in terms of stock market value. In the midst of the talk, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) on Tuesday said to make offer for LSE. ICE is the owner of New York Stock Exchange. However, Intercontinental Exchange had not made any approach to LSE and it also had not decided to continue the offer. Following the announcement from ICE, shares in London Stock Exchange jumped to nearly 9%. Bloomberg reported that CME Group, owner of New York Mercantile Exchange and Commodity Exchange has also interest to make an offer. The deal will have the potential to scramble the industry, as all parties related are four of top-five exchanges in the world. Merger between LSE and Deutsche Boerse will create a strong contender to challenge CME and its $32 billion market valuation. Irish Times reported the combination between London Stock Exchange and CME will create a company in a similar scale with Intercontinental Exchange. While if ICE win, combination between LSE and NYSE will put a more than $10 billion in market cap between ICE and CME. Whereas for CME, winning the bid will give it a commanding presence in Europe. Analyst at Morningstar Inc. in Chicago Michael Wong told Bloomberg regarding the bidding war, "I can see it being contentious. Everyone has something to gain, and arguably they'll be blocked from stronger competitive positioning if they're not the acquirer of LSE." Nevertheless, Brexit issue might have been disrupting factor for merger between Boerse and LSE. Those who win the bid will have control over the biggest equities exchange in Europe. One issue which could hinder the merger is regulatory approval. Previously, regulators in European Union blocked the planned merger between NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Boerse in 2012. That deal was vetored due to possibility of creating a near monopoly in European exchange-traded derivatives. Wong predicted, European regulators may act differently with Deutsche Boerse and LSE merger, because it would connect London market to European Intercontinental Exchange prepare its arsenal to place a bid on London Stock Exchange. Meanwhile, London Stock Exchange and Deutsche Boerse are in the middle of their third merger negotiation in 16 years. The state backed venture funds of China have raised around 1.5 trillion ($231 billion) during 2015. Zero2IPO Group, a consultancy firm has revealed that the fund under management has grown triple to 2.2 trillion ($338 billion) in a single year. The Chinese venture funds have appeared as the biggest pot of money across the whole world. They are five times in volume compared to the sum raised by other global venture firms during last year, reports China Economic Review citing data revealed by Preqin Ltd., a London based consultancy firm as the source. The funds are known as government guidance funds wherein local and central agencies play some roles. There are 780 such funds while leaving no set model for management or funding in China despite going through a lot of experiments. Major portion of their capital comes from tax revenue or state-backed loans, according to a report published in Bloomberg. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry is expecting the Trilateral Contact Group for Ukraine to converge on Friday, ministry information department head and press secretary Dmitry Mironchik has told Interfax. The political subgroup will meet in Minsk on Wednesday, and the other subgroups will convene their meetings on Thursday, the press secretary said. Darka Olifer, the press secretary of Ukrainian representative to the Trilateral Contact Group, Ukraine's Second President Leonid Kuchma, confirmed on Facebook that the meeting would take place in Minsk on March 11. Drybar, a salon chain based in California, is set to open its 57th salon in the ritzy Tysons Corner mall of Virginia. Alli Webb, the founder of Drybar, aims to open 70 Drybar salons across the country and one in the region of Vancouver BC within the end of 2016. She is also looking forward to widening her business across the Canadian provinces in the following year. Drybar offers only blowouts services, no color, and no cuts as stated in its tagline board. Currently, the salon chain serves over 50,000 women each month across the nation. Webb started Drybar six years before when she opened the first salon in Brentwood, Calif. Before becoming a successful woman entrepreneur, Webb started her business journey as a mobile hair stylist peddling around Los Angeles traffic to meet her clients at their home. However, in late 2009, the hairstylist with the help of her brother Michael Landau opened her first salon in Brentwood. Michael invested $250,000 into the business while Webb along with her husband poured in their savings amount of $50,000. Initially, the founders started with a price tag of $40 for blowouts service, which was increased to $45 lately. Alli Webb told Forbes, "I say that with a lot of humility. It's such an easy luxury that can change your day." Drybar has 13 salons in New York, with a new one scheduled to open in 2016 at Brooklyn's pricey Boerum Hill. The salon also sells products like blow dryer under the brand name of canary yellow. Meanwhile, SEPHORA, a beauty retailer, has invited nearly eight female entrepreneurs to partake in inaugural of SEPHORA Accelerate Cohort. The participants include Candace Mitchell of Myavana, Carolina Grove of Stylerz, Danielle Cohen-Shohet of Glossgenius, Thrive Causemetics' Karissa Bodnar, Laxmi's Leila Janah, Sahajan's Lisa Mattam, Eu Genia Shea's Naa-Sakle Akuete and One Love Organics' Suzanne LeRoux. According to SEPHORA, women entrepreneurs lack exposure to financing, business contacts and instructions, compared to male entrepreneurs. Even in beauty market women, entrepreneurs lack business exposure. SEPHORA Accelerate Cohort is designed with an aim to create a network of female entrepreneurs of beauty sector. This program will enable female organisers to improve their business brands. BLACK ENTERPRISE narrates the business journey of Miko Branch, a hairstylist, who along with her sister Titi managed to start a multimillion dollar salon. She started her career in her salon at SoHo neighbourhood in New York. According to Branch, anyone can turn their skills into a business, there is no need for degrees or money in the play, but, what is more, essential is a vision to build a business empire. Women-based trades comprise 36% of total businesses in the US. The number of US female founders has been increasing during the period from 2002 and 2012. The increasing number of Drybar salons mirrors the trend in female-owned businesses. Star File photo The administration building at Oxnard College. SHARE CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Cynthia Azari CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Jerry Buckley CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Jim Limbaugh By Jean Moore of the Ventura County Star The three finalists for president of Oxnard College include the campus' current interim president, Jim Limbaugh. The other finalists are Cynthia Azari, interim president of Fresno City College, and Jerry Buckley, assistant superintendent/vice president of academic affairs at College of the Canyons. The college will host a public forum on March 15 where the finalists will speak and answer questions. The forum begins at 4:30 p.m. in the college's Performing Arts Center, 4000 S. Rose Ave. Limbaugh came to Oxnard College in July 2015, succeeding President Richard Duran, who retired. Before coming to Oxnard he was chancellor of Montana State University-Northern. Limbaugh earned his doctorate in educational policy and leadership from the University of Maryland. Azari has also served as president of Riverside City and Fresno City colleges. She has a doctorate in educational leadership from Seattle University. Buckley has also been vice president of instruction for the San Diego Community College District and the accreditation liaison officer for San Diego Miramar College. He earned his doctorate in education from San Diego State University. SHARE STAR FILE PHOTO By Kathleen Wilson of the Ventura County Star Ventura County supervisors Tuesday approved a Laura's Law program, which allows court-ordered outpatient treatment of people with severe mental illness. The unanimous vote makes the county the 13th in California to adopt Laura's Law. The legislation is named after Laura Wilcox, a 19-year-old woman who was shot to death in 2001 along with two other people by a mentally ill man in Nevada County. About 60 people turned out for the board hearing in Ventura, including parents of mentally ill adults and advocates who pleaded with the county panel to start the program. Officially called Assisted Outpatient Treatment, it is intended for people who don't believe they have a mental illness and refuse treatment. Roberta Griego of Ventura begged the board to pass the program. Griego said she and her husband Ernie have seen Ernie's son deteriorate and sink into homelessness for years. The 34-year-old man doesn't believe he has a mental illness, she said. "If it continues on, I am not sure where this will end up," Griego told the board. The law allows judges to order outpatient treatment for mentally ill people who have refused treatment, are "substantially deteriorating" in their conditions, and have a history of involuntary hospitalizations or violent acts. A clinical specialist must also find that they are unlikely to survive safely in the community without supervision. They do not have to be a danger to them selves or others or gravely disabled, conditions that allow them to be held for up to 72 hours in a psychiatric hospital. The law does not force individuals to take medication, but proponents say a judge's order can result in increased cooperation. Advocates, a mental health client, police officers, and a manager from the District Attorney's Office and others said they supported the program. No one spoke in opposition. Supervisors praised the idea but also warned against excessive hopes for what the program would accomplish. Other concerns included funding and enrollment limits, and finding housing. "You cant get someone off the streets and help them unless you get them off the streets," Supervisor Linda Parks said. The law was enacted in 2002 without a funding source and few counties have offered programs until recently. But interest has grown since Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill allowing the proceeds of an income tax on millionaires to be used. Ventura County's plan calls for spending $600,000 from that tax for 12 months, which would allow 20 people to get help. The pilot program is expected to start during the 2016-17 fiscal year, officials said. Another $300,000 could be allocated in the following fiscal year. Routine evaluations will be done to determine whether the program reduces rates of hospitalization and incarcerations, and saves tax dollars. A panel began evaluating the possibility of starting a Laura's Law program almost two years ago amid concerns over its mandatory nature from defense attorneys and others. But relatives of people with serious mental illness urged its adoption. After 10 months of study and deliberation the panel voted last year to recommend Ventura County adopt Laura's Law. An advisory board recommended in June that the program be started, and officials had projected bringing the idea to the Board of Supervisors within weeks. The rollout was delayed to do further study, officials said. WENDY LEUNG/THE STAR Nancy Reagan's motorcade arrives at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley Wednesday. SHARE By Staff Reports A crowd of people gathered near the Reagan Library in Simi Valley on Wednesday to pay their respects to Nancy Reagan. A hearse carrying the coffin of the former first lady arrived at the library about 11 a.m. Public viewing was scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., with shuttles carrying visitors to the library. Reagan, 94, died Sunday of congestive heart failure at her Bel-Air home. Firefighters lined overpasses to salute Reagan as a motorcade made its way from a mortuary in Santa Monica to Simi Valley. Bouquets of flowers and U.S. flags surrounded a sign at the entrance to the library, where flags were flying at half-staff. Desolyn Yorke stood on Madera Road, cellphone ready for the motorcade to arrive. "I want to take a picture of it so bad," said the Simi Valley woman who immigrated from Belize. Like many, she spoke of the romance between Reagan and her husband, former President Ronald Reagan. "That's what love is supposed to be." Reagan will lie in repose Wednesday and Thursday. She will be buried next to her husband after a private funeral Friday. SHARE Any time a government agency goes above and beyond to promote transparency to help the public see when and how public business is being conducted it's cause for celebration. Too often when there's a choice between more or less openness, our local, state and federal officials err on the less side. So the Ventura County Board of Supervisors should be congratulated for deciding to publish draft agendas eight days before its regular Tuesday meetings. County managers recommended the move, and the board unanimously agreed Tuesday. The Brown Act, California's open-meetings law, requires agendas to be published at least 72 hours before a public meeting. Supervisors were already exceeding that, publishing their agendas on the Thursday morning before the Tuesday meeting about five days' notice. Now, the eight-day policy will make Ventura County a leader in the state for public notice and access. Officials looked at the other 57 California counties and the 10 cities in Ventura County and found only three the city of Ventura and Kern and San Luis Obispo counties that publish draft agendas in advance and make them available to the public. For many people following an issue or public agency, an agenda often provides the only notice that something of interest is about to be discussed, especially on the local level. It may be a controversial housing project, a proposed water rate increase, a new ordinance on raising chickens. Or it may be something out of the blue that nobody was expecting. News reporters especially rely on agendas to see what city councils, school boards and special districts are up to, so they can convey that information to the public before the meeting and encourage public participation in government. In the old days, reporters would camp out in front of city hall three days before a meeting, waiting for the agenda to be posted on the window. These days, they and anyone else can view them online. Ventura County history is replete with controversial issues being posted on city council and other agendas without much notice a Lake Casitas ban on outside boats in 2008, Thousand Oaks Boulevard development guidelines in 2009, Ojai hedge-trimming rules last year. The practice can leave elected officials and the public with too little time to review accompanying staff reports and other related matters. Lynn Jensen, executive director of the Ventura County Coalition of Labor, Agriculture and Business, spoke Tuesday to support the Board of Supervisors proposal. The coalition complained of too little notice about major policy issues in the past. In fact, the move stemmed partly from an August dispute over Supervisor Steve Bennett's proposal to stop public funding of some sidewalk repairs. Supervisor Linda Parks said she had learned of the matter only a few days earlier and asked for at least two weeks' notice on controversial items. Under the proposal approved Tuesday, the draft agenda would list items to be discussed at the next board meeting but not include the detailed staff reports. Those would be part of the official agenda released later in the week. The draft agenda also would list items of high public interest to be discussed at some point in the future. The measure would not prevent an item from being placed on the agenda later in the week if necessary. But with this new commitment to transparency, we assume that would be the exception rather than the rule. Tacos & Tequila (T&T) at Luxor Hotel and Casino will spice up Valentines Day with a specialty prix fixe menu, priced at $58 per couple, available exclusively on Friday, Feb.14. Prepared by Corporate Executive Chef Saul Ortiz, guests will fall in love with T&Ts irresistible Valentines Day menu. The menu begins with a sampler for two including Chicken Quesadillas, Beef Flautas and a Shrimp Ceviche Shot. For the main entree, guests may choose between the Enchilada Trio with cheese, chicken divorciadas and beef barbacoa; The Taste of T&T featuring Pork Carnitas, a Chicken Tamal and Chile Relleno; or the Combination Taco Platter with steak, chicken and carnitas tacos. All entrees are served with a side of Mexican black beans and rice. For dessert, lovebirds may sweeten things up with a sampler that includes traditional Mexican Flan; a Chocolate Morenita Sundae, made with a chocolate brownie and topped with cinnamon ice cream and cajeta sauce; and a decadent Tres Leches Cake. Couples may also choose to add a Milagro Tequila Flight including Silver Reposado and Anejo, for an additional $15. Celebrated Japanese rock superstars ONE OK ROCK have announced their return to the USA for a tour in support of their debut American release, 35xxxv Deluxe Edition. The tour will open on March 20 in Sacramento and hit Vinyl Las Vegas in the Hard Rock Hotel on March 23 (Photo credit: Kazuaki Seki). The tour will also feature tour headliners, Issues, with support from Crown The Empire and Night Versus. All tour dates listed below. Tickets for Vinyl Las Vegas are on sale now. Cry Out by ONE OK ROCK httpvh://youtu.be/LTptXnxQotw VIP Upgrade Packages will also be available beginning February 12. All packages include a Meet & Greet with ONE OK ROCK, with a photo opportunity, plus one signed copy of the bands new album 35xxxv Deluxe Edition and a VIP tour laminate. All packages are $75. You must already have a ticket to the show to purchase the VIP Upgrade package. ONE OK ROCK toured the U.S. this past Sep/Oct selling out their own headline shows before joining up with All Time Low which won a new legion of fans coast to coast. Last Dance by ONE OK ROCK httpvh://youtu.be/6j4vxu8dnp4 Formed in 2005, ONE OK ROCK is one of Japans most beloved rock bands, fusing emo, rock, and metal into their sound. The band is made up of vocalist Taka, guitarist Toru, drummer Tomoya, and bassist Ryota. Together they have released seven albums in Japan, the last four of which have all charted in the Top 5, including 35xxxv, which debuted at No. 1. 35xxxv was produced by John Feldmann (Good Charlotte, All Time Low), who also mixed ONE OK ROCKS 2013 album JinseixBoku=, and mixed by renowned engineer Chris Lord-Alge. The U.S. Deluxe Edition of the album features all English language vocals, plus two bonus tracks not available on the Japanese edition and altered artwork. The media are already praising 35xxxv Deluxe Edition: The Tokyo-based quartet spare no effort mining elements of metal, pop punk and hardcore, further refining these influences into songs that are charming as they are jarring. At heart, ONE OK ROCK exudes a passion and focus that easily makes many of their peers (and influences) seem completely jaded. Alternative Press Magazine ONE OK ROCK, one of Japans most beloved rock acts opened the show but quickly became a crowd favorite. This band may be new the the U.S., but telling by the reaction of the crowd, ONE OK ROCK is one to watch. ConcertUpdater 35xxxv Deluxe Edition has heart and lasting impact. 35xxxv is great for post hardcore and pop fans looking for something to expand their horizons. Outburn Magazine Click here to order through Amazon. Click here to order via iTunes. As a live attraction, ONE OK ROCK will blow you away with their unrelenting energetic showmanship and virtuosity as musicians. Dont miss ONE OK ROCK on tour this spring: Sun Mar 20 Ace of Spades Sacramento, CA Tue Mar 22 House of Blues San Diego, CA Wed Mar 23 Vinyl Las Vegas, NV Thur Mar 24 The Marquee Tempe, AZ Sat Mar 26 The Aztec Theater San Antonio, TX Sun Mar 27 House of Blues Dallas, TX Mon Mar 28 House of Blues Houston, TX Tue Mar 29 House of Blues New Orleans, LA Thur Mar 31 New Daisy Theater Memphis, TN Fri Apr 1 The Ready Room St. Louis, MO Sat Apr 2 Deluxe at Old National Center Indianapolis, IN Sun Apr 3 The International Knoxville, TN Tue Apr 5 The Masquerade Heaven Atlanta, GA Wed Apr 6 The NorVa Norfolk, VA Fri Apr 8 Theater of Living Arts Philadelphia, PA Sat Apr 9 Baltimore Sound Stage Baltimore, MD Mon Apr 11 Irving Plaza New York, NY Tue Apr 12 House of Blues Boston, MA Wed Apr 13 Upstate Concert Hall Clifton Park, NY Fri Apr 15 Phoenix Concert Theater Toronto, ONT Sat Apr 16 Mr. Smalls Theater Millvale, PA Sun Apr 17 Royal Oak Music Theater Royal Oak, MI Mon Apr 18 House of Blues Chicago, IL Vietnams digital economy has seen significant growth over the last decade and is expected to be valued at US$57 billion by 2025. The countrys digital... Committee of Permanent Representatives in the European Union (COREPER) on Wednesday agreed to prolong by six months the restrictive measures on the lists of Russian and Ukrainian citizens and organizations whom the EU considers to be involved in the sabotage or a threat to the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, a European diplomatic source told Interfax. The decision was made on 146 private individuals and 37 legal entities from Russia and Ukraine and it is now expected to be approved by the Council of European Union on Thursday, the source in Brussels told Interfax. The source earlier said three people had been removed from the list of private individuals due to their death. The targeted sanctions mean the freezing of the funds of the persons and organizations included in the "blacklists," in the banks of the EU countries and a ban on visas to enter the EU. File photo of IMF Deputy Managing Director David Lipton. (AFP/Mandel Ngan) ASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund strengthened its call for concerted action to forestall a global economic slide on Tuesday, warning of the increasing risks of policy inertia. IMF Deputy Managing Director David Lipton said that there is an increasingly "dangerous" view that policymakers worldwide have exhausted their options for boosting growth or have simply lost their will. To counter that, he said, leaders must expand efforts, including fiscal and monetary stimulus and urgently needed structural reforms, to support growth. Fiscal policy - government spending and tax breaks - "has to take a more prominent place in the policy mix," Lipton told a conference of the National Association for Business Economics. "The burden to lift growth falls more squarely on advanced economies" which have fiscal room to move, he said. "The downside risks are clearly much more pronounced than before, and the case for more forceful and concerted policy action, has become more compelling," according to his prepared remarks. He said the Fund's most recent projections for growth "may no longer be applicable" amid a pullout of capital from emerging economies and a sharp contraction in global trade. "Moreover, risks have increased further, with volatile financial markets and low commodity prices creating fresh concerns about the health of the global economy," he said. Lipton said the turbulent downturn in global markets is a reaction in part to worries that policymakers have run out of options, or lost their resolve. "For the sake of the global economy, it is imperative that advanced and developing countries dispel this dangerous notion by reviving the bold spirit of action and cooperation that characterized the early years of the recovery effort." Possibly most disconcerting, he added, "is that the rise in global risk aversion is leading to a sharp retrenchment in global capital and trade flows." He warned countries against trade protectionist and weak-currency tactics to boost their growth, calling those "zero sum economic policies" that, over the long run, "will make all countries worse off." Last month the IMF warned that the world economy is "highly vulnerable" and called for action from the Group of 20 leading economies. But G20 finance chiefs, meeting in Shanghai, disagreed over concerted action, with Germany for one rejecting further fiscal and monetary efforts to spur economic activity. The worries were underpinned by data from China on Tuesday showing sharp falls in exports and imports in February. Duong Noi Urban Area in Ha Dong District, Ha Noi. Problems exist in modern urban areas: technical and social infrastructure are not synchronized while qualifications and managerial capacity are less than required.-VNS Photo Doan Tung To transform new urban areas into a sustainably developed and livable environment, mechanisms, policies and implementation must be changed. According to many experienced urban programming experts, certain problems exist in modern urban areas: technical and social infrastructure are not synchronized while qualifications and managerial capacity are less than required. All of these problems create consequences. Ha Noi's Department of Planning and Architecture experts have demonstrated big shortcomings in developing new urban areas in the city. Those areas were not constructed in line with each other nor with a bigger long-term vision of the whole city. The connection between new urban areas in the north and northeastern ofHong (Red) River, including Bac Thang Long, Sai Dong, Thach Ban and Dang Xa was poor, making them quite isolated from each other. Urban areas in the western and southern of the city which have built both residential and resettlement areas are now facing overpopulation. Investors in the majority of urban areas have developed most of the land available. New urban areas usually provide living space for as many people as possible, while land usage for traffic, trees, sports, schools, cars and parking is kept to a minimum. These calculations have led to overpopulation. Meanwhile, connections between the city centre's infrastructure and surrounding areas were ignored or neglected. Several projects cannot even be implemented because of failure to plan properly. Responsibilities Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Dinh Toan, said that the role and responsibility of real estate enterprises in planning and policy making needs to be addressed. Such enterprises implement planning and policy schemes, contributing to urban area development. A legal framework for sustainable development is needed, according to urban development experts. Legal remedies must solve pressing issues, including poor land management, lack of comprehensive infrastructure and urban services projects, environmental pollution, and land clearance. The government needs to support real estate investment companies in raising capital to develop new urban areas. And the government needs to enforce building standards in urban construction. The government should also issue regulations on investment and construction management of new urban areas, to ensure implementation according to the approved plan. Rather than handwriting records, which can be time-consuming and prone to error, health workers in the Mekong delta province of Ben Tre now use a computer or smart phone to monitor vaccine stocks; register pregnant women and newborns; and track what vaccines they have received. They can also remind pregnant women and mothers via text message to get vaccinations for them and their child. Immreg is one of four initiatives to have won a share of the third annual GSK and Save the Children Healthcare Innovation Award (HIA). The initiative was highlighted at a roundtable discussion held yesterday with stakeholders and policy makers convened by GSK and Save the Children, to discuss the impact of the award on health innovation trends in Vietnam. According to Nguyen Tuyet Nga, PATH Vietnam programme team leader, Immreg has cut the time it takes to generate monthly lists of children due for vaccination from one to two days to just 5-30 minutes. Notably, rates of full immunisation in the first year of life increased from 74.3 to 77.8 per cent during a one-year pilot and the on-time vaccination rate improved between 10 to 14 per cent. As well as recognising innovations that help reduce child deaths, this years award adopted a special focus on strengthening health systems and recognised innovations that have been proven to help increase access to public healthcare for pregnant women, mothers and children under five. James Strenner, general manager, GSK Vietnam said, To bring life-saving healthcare to the most vulnerable in our communities, there is a clear need for innovative partnership and breakthrough ideas, and more importantly the sustainability and expansion capability of these innovations. As a global healthcare company, GlaxoSmithKline is delighted that this award to PATH, the largest share of the third HIA, demonstrates that Vietnam is a hub for innovation and highlights the vital work being done to help save childrens lives. GSK is one of the worlds leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. Immreg is an innovative intervention that has the potential to save the lives of many children and babies and is a great example of a sustainable programme that addresses critical health issues. We are very pleased that through the recognition and funding from the Healthcare Innovation Award, Immreg can be expanded and replicated to protect even more vulnerable children, said Gunnar Andersen, country director, non-profit organisation Save the Children Vietnam. In 2013, GSK and Save the Children launched the first $1 million Healthcare Innovation Award to identify and reward innovations that have proven successful in reducing child deaths in developing countries. The Healthcare Innovation Award is a great example of how innovation is a crucial part of the GSK and Save the Children partnership, through which the two organisations are combining their resources, voice and expertise to help save one million childrens lives. The partnership has sought to identify innovations that are making a tangible difference to childrens health, and enable them to share and replicate their approach, through the award. Back again: Pianist Dang Thai Son, one of the worlds leading pianists, has returned to Viet Nam to perform in two concerts on Wednesday and Thursday at the Ha Noi Opera House. - Photo dangthaison.info He will join the Viet Nam National Symphony Orchestra in a concert of French music on Wednesday. He will perform Symphony No. 8 in G-Major, Op. 88 by A Dvorak, Ballade, Op. 19 by Gabriel Faure, and Piano Concerto for the Left Hand by Maurice Ravel. On Thursday, Son will perform a special concert of Frederic Chopins music. He will play Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, with which he won the Gold Medal of the International Chopin Piano Competition 35 years ago in Warsaw. Im under pressure in performing this piece because people expect much from me, he said. They wait expectantly to see how I will play it after 35 years. Time passes, many things change. Audiences want to see how I have changed. I can perform a piece hundreds of times. But each time, I bring different feelings to the audience. For me, it's a one-way itinerary, no cliche. Son selected Symphony No. 8 in G Major, Op. 88 by A Dvorak to open the Wednesday programme because of its cheerful melody. The concerts will take place on International Womens Day (March 8). So I want to bring a gift for all women, something cheerful, romantic and inspirational about love, he said. Son was born in Viet Nam in 1958. Thirty-five years ago, he was the first Asian pianist to win the International Chopin Competition, one of the rare competitions dedicated exclusively to the works of a single composer. Since then, his international career has taken him to over forty countries, to play such world renowned halls as LincolnCenter (New York), Barbican Center (London), Salle Pleyel (Paris), Herculessaal (Munich), Musikverein (Vienna), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Opera House (Sydney), and Suntory Hall (Tokyo). Now hes based in Canada but Son comes home annually to perform in Viet Nam. Model Ninh Hoang Ngan poses in a photo taken in Ho Chi Minh City. TNS is part of Kantar, a data investment management division of WPP, and one of the world's largest insight, information and consultancy groups. Today in Vietnam, as they have done throughout the countrys history, women play a vital role in all aspects of society, says David Watts, research director and head of qualitative research at TNS Vietnam. As the pressures of modern life grow and women strive to balance tradition with modernity, there is an important role for manufacturers to play in understanding and empathizing with their changing lives, to develop more relevant and beneficial products, and to form deeply connected brands. The changing lives of women in Vietnam According to TNSs research, while there are more opportunities available for women today than in the past, this also leads to additional stress and responsibilities. Women are now much more able to prove their abilities and succeed in the workplace, especially in urban areas, however traditional family and household responsibilities still remain. This means busier lives and better time management are required to maintain their personal and professional lives. Photo: Tuoi Tre Women today are attempting to balance both tradition and modernity, while enjoying the best of both. In todays Vietnam, women feel more able to experiment and define themselves how they want as norms evolve and change. Increasingly, women are engaging with a range of activities previously considered uncommon. For example going to beer clubs with friends or colleagues, where old stigmas attached to drinking have all been removed. In addition, women today are much more likely to be meeting up with friends at events, traveling for work and dating more casually than in previous generations. Todays woman feels more empowered to express herself in thought and action. However, more traditional values around caring for a family and respecting elders continue to be upheld and remain a core part of their identity. A woman prepares meals for her son. Photo: Tuoi Tre At the same time as maintaining social traditions, women still face pressure to be up to date and informed. With much greater access to information than in the past via new media and the Internet, as well as through the ever-present influence of friends and relatives, women are expected to use this information in their important role as nurturers. For example, as the Vietnamese market becomes increasingly flooded with new products, there is growing awareness of health and safety threats in food and other household items. Being well informed is an important part of fulfilling a womans responsibilities, and so the modern Vietnamese woman is expected to make smart decisions for herself and her loved ones. As the main food shoppers, for women with families, balancing the budget is also important. However as the economy changes, increasingly they are seeing less and less in their baskets for their money. It therefore follows that it is women who are becoming more and more discerning in terms of the brand value choices they make every day. The role of digital media and the way it has shaped womens behavior in Vietnam are significant. With increasing engagement online, searches for information about worldwide trends, products and services are commonplace, as is the need to connect socially and express themselves via social media. The rapid growth in smartphone ownership, with 72 percent of urban women currently owning smartphones, has been an influential factor in the evolution of modern Vietnamese women, keeping them up to date and connected. Socializing online now takes up more time for young women than socializing in real life. With the growing popularity of social networking, women can now express themselves more easily in public forums, often becoming a cathartic channel to share deeper emotions, challenges and pressures, as well as offering empathy and support to others. A woman uses a hi-tech device in her work. Photo: Tuoi Tre As women become increasingly busy and time poor, convenience and efficiency become more important. Women value products and services which allow them to complete their daily tasks quickly and effectively, without feeling they are taking shortcuts or neglecting their role. Compared to the past, women are now more open and receptive to options which free up their time to focus on more important things, including spending quality time with the family or pursuing personal hobbies. The modern Vietnamese woman differences in life stages Through this qualitative research, TNS has observed differences throughout the various life stages of Vietnamese women. For young women aged 18-22, there is a trend towards exploration and a yearning for freedom and self-expression. For women who are considered young adults (23-30), it is a time for proving themselves in careers and establishing a family. Along with opportunities granted to them in the professional realm, there is also a desire to consolidate their personal image as well as engaging socially with their peers. Women aged 31 to 45 are focused more on family responsibilities (often combined with work) and experience the most pressure balancing home and work life. This is where the stress of balancing tradition and modernity reaches its peak. A mother reads a book with her daughter. Photo: Tuoi Tre Finally, as Vietnamese women progress beyond age 46 one can see a general trend towards a more health-conscious attitude and a bigger focus on self-actualization, with greater clarity about themselves, their needs and how to express them. Young women are particularly important in this time of transition, as it is them who change trends and become pioneers in evolving the role of women. TNS said it expects the modern Vietnamese women to continue to evolve, with greater exposure to information and the outside world, while core Vietnamese values and traditions will also continue to remain relevant and important to their identity. The younger generation is important to watch as future shapers, building on the changes and new opportunities provided by previous generations, but with greater freedom than in the past to forge their own identities, the research company said. Eight Ukrainian troops have been wounded in Donbas in the past 24 hours, Andriy Lysenko, an official with the Ukrainian presidential administration on issues relating to the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) conducted by Kyiv authorities in Donbas, said. "None of our troops have been killed in action in the past 24 hours. But eight have been wounded," he told a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday. Lysenko said a clash had occurred on the Luhansk track between the village of Triokhizbenka, Novoaidar district of the Luhansk region, and the city of Krasny Lyman, Donetsk region. He said militants had tried to take over a Ukrainian observation point, but the Ukrainian military repelled the attack and militants had to retreat behind the river Siversky Donets after a 30-minute exchange of fire. On the Donetsk track, the situation was not calm on the Svitlodar Arch, in the Horlivka area and on the Avdiyivka-Opytne-Pisky section. Militants used mortars and armored vehicles there ten times. All in all, 37 attacks were registered on that track. On the Mariupol track, militants breached the ceasefire regime in Maryinka, Starohnativka and Shyrokyne. Militants opened mortar fire twice and opened sniper fire. There were five attacks on Ukrainian military positions on that track. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is interviewed by the news media following a news conference at the Trump National Golf Club, Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Jupiter, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Loretta Lynch tells White House not to consider her for Supreme Court Three Ukrainians have been killed in an air crash in Bangladesh, and another one is in critical condition in the hospital, said Yevhen Ihnatovsky, First Secretary at the Consular Service Department of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. "According to the latest data at the Ukrainian Embassy to India, three Ukrainian citizens were killed in the air crash, and another one is in critical condition at a local hospital where he is receiving all possible medical assistance. The Ukrainian Embassy to India is in contact with the Bangladeshi law enforcement authorities to ascertain the circumstances and causes of the crash. So far there has been no official information on the matter," Ihnatovsky told Channel Five on Wednesday. Editors Note: Following the gains made by Cambodias opposition at the July 2013 national elections, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party promised deep reforms across a number of sectors. In September of that year, two new ministers were appointed at key ministriesSun Chanthol at the Commerce Ministry and the new Minister of Education Hang Choun Naron. The latter subsequently oversaw a tightening of rules in the cheating-ridden nationwide examinations for high school students, drawing media attention and ultimately widespread praise. But there has been no deluge of other visible reforms, and the scope and impact of the reform effort has become a matter of political debate. Critics say those reforms that have taken place have been shallow and limited. It is argued that some reform effortslike the exam crackdownhave been of the low-hanging variety, while more tricky areas in need of reformthe judiciary and the military, for instancehave not been touched. In an effort to understand the nature and progress of these reforms, the Asia Foundation in early 2015 launched the Reform Inventory Initiative (RII), a first-of-its-kind annual ministry-by-ministry review. Results gathered from 12 responsive ministries were published online early this year (accessible here). VOA Khmers Soeung Sophat spoke to Silas Everett, Cambodia country representative for the Asia Foundation, to find out more about the findings. This interview has been edited for space and clarity. The issue of reform in Cambodia is often viewed through different narratives, which vary depending on political interests. Could you walk us through how you conducted your analysis of reforms in that context? What you are alluding to in terms of the narratives around reform, I think, is incredibly important. And really in September 2013, after the national election and the very close results, it put a new emphasis on reform. When we start to look at which ministries are really undertaking reforms, of the 27, we were essentially able to find information on 12 of the ministries. That helps us narrow down into the ministries where the reform is taking place. Our process was, first, doing a lot of desk research. We went online and went to the ministries websites and social media pages and then we followed up with a lot of interviews. We talked to [officials] from the ministers down to their chiefs of staff, down to technical people, as well as consultants that work with the ministries, to gather information, plans, and reports and laws and prakas and other things that are related to the reforms. From that process, we then met with a large group of advisers. We formed an advisory group that consisted of people in the private sector and from development partners down to the civil society organizations. For Cambodia, it was quite an extensive group of people who supported us to identify what they thought was really where the rubber met the road in terms of reform. And that was really helpful getting that guidance and insight because those were the organizations that are really close to the importance of those reforms for people in Cambodia. What do you think are the most promising reforms? The most promising reforms that were seeing are really coming out of the education and health sectors. The stricter monitoring of the national exam in 2014, when that got put in there was initially some backlash from students that didnt manage to passthere was an 87 percent pass rate in the previous years and then with the stricter monitoring it went down to about 25 percent on the first round. So there were a number of people that were disgruntled with it. But by and large when we went out there and did some polling, we found that almost all Cambodians96 percent of those that we spoke withhad really agreed with the ministrys tougher stance on the exams. And I think the reason why the reform is happening is because people really care about education in Cambodia. Its not just general public, but the private sector needs education, needs the skilling of human resource base in order to take advantage of the regional and global supply chains. For the implementation of the reform itself, its a way for the government to really take the front foot forward and be able to deliver critical service. And I think in that sense, it gets a lot of positive reaction. If you look at the Ministry of Educations Facebook page, its by far the most popular right now for a government agency in Cambodia. I think thats really because there are young people and they are curious about whats going on from exam results to just following of the progress that has been taken in that ministry. Then, for health, its another area, of course, that is critical to make sure that theres a healthy population, healthy workforce and again, thats a confluence of the interests of both in terms of the value of extending the services to peoplelooking forward to the next election, looking forward to being able to catalyze and use the human resources for economic progress and development in the country. Was there anything that surprised you from the initiatives findings? One of the things that I did find [that is] important to reflect on was that in the ministries that we met with, many of them had reforms but nobody knew about them. And sometimes, even in the ministries, people werent really aware of what was happening with those reforms. We just cursorily asked about communications functions within the ministry, and I think it is one of the priorities right now for the government is to be able to really catalogue and be able to project more of what actually happening within the ministries. One takeaway was the need to strengthen and step that up. The other one was in terms of the impacts of the reforms themselves. We would oftentimes get a name or a list or description of the reform, but information on the actual impact of that reform was really hard to find. I think part of it is, again, in terms of on the evaluation side of getting more down into: what is the actual impact of the reform, and then being able to tell that story through improved communication within the ministries. When government institutions take on reforms by themselves, who holds them to account and the measure impacts? That, from an external perspective, is very difficult to do, but from an internal perspectivefrom inside the ministries themselvesthere are a number of things that they can do. One example is in terms of the increase in salaries that took place at the end of 2013 for civil servants, to be able to take a baseline of productivity within a particular ministerial service function and then, after the salary increases, go back in and say: was productivity increased in that particular service function? Thats something that can be done readily and fairly easily, working with line management within the ministries. There is a lot of public interest in how these reforms are going, and there have been concerns that some critical areas, like the judiciary and the military, are not reforming enough. What are your findings so far with regard to that? And how can the public find out more about it? Basically, our methodology was whether or not we can get access to the information through doing the desk research, through submitting official letters, through making meeting requests. We were able to get 12 out of 27 ministries. We hope that changes. We hope that its easier as we go forward that we see the Reform Inventory Initiative being able to really be seen as something that is of service to getting the good information about whats taking place. I think its really easy to look at the glass as half empty here. We really, I think, are very optimistic. When I look at where the reform inventory is actually able to dig out some of the reforms that are really making an impact, when we really look at those, Im very optimistic when I see that. I think the idea is that one question is: What is it that the public really cares about in terms of reform? What are the critical reforms that they actually want to see moving and understand and everything else? And I think theres a lot of roles that the government can play, civil society can play, and donors, to better educate the public about whats really important. You take decentralization, for example, one of the governments three main reform areas, and decentralization is absolutely critical for people to understand at this point because you need the demand side there for it. But its complicated. Its complex. So, I think, putting that emphasis on communications actually right now for Cambodias development is one of those critical areas, but its something that not one single ministry needs to doall the ministries need to do it. I think from civil society to development partners, its something that should be encouraged. I am encouraged to see Facebook and social media becoming a lot more widely adopted. Thats a very significant trend for Cambodian and a good sign, I think, that there is an opening there for the future. From your findings, are the reforms fast enough for the public? The interesting thing about our findings, from the Reform Inventory Initiative that the Asia Foundation supported, was that that the engagement of the public, oftentimes, on the reforms was relatively minimal. The Asia Foundation does a regular annual public opinion poll. We ask about reforms that are taking place to try to understand what it is that people care about and what people see on the ground. And the findings are that it largely resonates around infrastructure, to see physical things change. Its a lot harder to see change happening in services. Services take a long time to improve and yet those were the two areas that I had mentionedhealth and educationwhere people noted the most improvement on social services. Do you have any recommendations to the government or the public on what should be the priorities when we think about reforms in Cambodia? I think giving a better picture to the public about what the reform actually means will go a long way to getting buy-in from the general public for the reform. Its to move from being in a situation where the general public is either giving a thumbs-up or a thumbs-downwhich I dont think is that helpfulto getting the public engaged in what is actually taking place. Then, the public can get more engaged, citizens can get more engaged in all of the aspects of the implementation of the reform. In the words of development speak, [you have to] co-create a service. It actually requires both the provider and the recipient to be able to provide the service effectively. So I think when it comes down to speed, I would put the emphasis really on getting the public up to speed on what the reforms actually are, and working and listening and spending a lot more time to make sure that theres communication there between the frontline providers and citizens as well as within the ministries themselvesbetween those that are actually providing the services and those that are making policies. With that all said, its still important to chip away at the big reforms, the ones that you had mentionedthe justice system sector, security sector, I would throw in there the civil service as wellreforms in those areas. Those are big reforms that take a long period of time. Theres plenty of research. Theres plenty of global information that those things take a really long time. But now is the time to start chipping away. Its important that there is a conversation that gets started and it doesnt necessarily need to be only civil society always raising these issues. It can be reform the government itself initiates. I think for the government, it would buy a huge amount of confidence and support that it really is trying, it really is undertaking the reform efforts really deeply to heart. So the public can act as a check on the governments reforms, so long as they have information about whats actually going on with the reforms? When dealing with very complex systems, including the economy, both Cambodias economy and how it links to regional and global economy, I think we also have to look at it in that light. I think in terms of Cambodias overall relationship with its neighbors and the global powers, the international communityall of that matters. I think the checks and balances come from many different angles, but I think at the end of the day, the incentives are really important to look at. Its important to look at what the drivers of change are. 2013 national electionsthat clearly provided a lot of incentives moving up to the 2017, 2018 elections. Theres more incentives out there and I think there is need to look at education more broadly. Tertiary education, for example, is one of the main drivers of change for Cambodias development future. Its really going to be investing in young people to be able to participate not just in social-political life, but economically. And moving forward for the next decade, looking at the demographics in Cambodia, thats going to be a huge shift and I think now is the time to start preparing for that. A ruling party spokesman has dismissed a report suggesting Prime Minister Hun Sen had artificially inflated the number of likes on his Facebook page, but observers said the claim that he may have paid for his online popularity was damaging. Just days ago, Hun Sen announced that he had reached 3 million likes on the site, joking that his popularity made him the Facebook Prime Minister. He only properly joined Facebook about six months ago, but appeared to have overtaken opposition leader Sam Rainsys 2.2 million likes. However, in a report on Wednesday, citing figures from media analytics company socialbakers.com, the Phnom Penh Post newspaper said that only about 20 percent of his recently added fans were users in Cambodia. Many of the likes came from countries whose the people have little reason to give support to Cambodias long-term ruler. Many likes in the past 30 days came from India, as well as the Philippines, Burma, Indonesia, Turkey and Mexico, the report said, raising the possibility that the prime minister had been buying his popularity on the site. Chok Sopheap, executive director at the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said she was surprised by the report, adding that it raised concerns about the transparency of Facebooks likes function, which has been used by Cambodian politicians to compete for popularity. The report is a wake-up call for social media users concerning the techniques to make gains in terms of popularity, said Chok Sopheap. I believe some politicians and institutions have used money to broadcast themselves, Sopheap added. However, she said, the social media site should not anyway be used as a gauge of a politicians popularity. It was more important that politicians be judged on their effectiveness in their duties, she added. The real concern is that the users themselves have to understand that the number of likes they gain on Facebook does not really reflect the popularity or that theres full support for them, Sopheap said. Nget Moses, head of the ICT department at human rights group CENTRAL, explained that Facebook users could pay money to advertise their Facebook posts or page, a mechanism known as boosting. We cannot use money to buy likes, he told VOA Khmer. However, what we can do is pay money to boost our page or posts in order to reach a wider audience, as well as select where the page or the posts can be most seen. The location will imply where we obtain the most number of likes from, and it means that is the country where the page or the post can be seen the most. This appears on the account of the users. The expert suggested that the administrators of Prime Minister Hun Sens Facebook Page could release reports and the data behind the page for the sake of accountability and transparency. Sok Eysan, spokesman for the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party, dismissed the report, insisting that the prime minister had no reason to artificially inflate his online popularity. We dont believe it, and we cannot accept whats spoken informally outside, he said. Some alleged that the Cambodian government even hired people to like. I just want to say that theres no use in having other people overseas like the page because there is not much benefit borne out of that. The main concern is the interest of the Cambodian people. The people want to propose this and that, and the government needs to find solution for them. Thus, its mostly Cambodian people within the nation. Hun Sen, who has been in power for more than 30 years, has recently announced that Cambodians can send messages directly to his own Facebook page in order to raise concerns and issues. He also urged officials to create their own Facebook pages, and accounts for government institutions, so that the publics concerns could be collected and addressed. Political observers believe Hun Sen is hoping that he can harness Facebook to gain popularity in preparation for important commune elections in 2017 and national elections the following year. Authorities in Afghanistan's restive southern province of Helmand say a group of at least 10 heavily-armed Taliban fighters have staged a coordinated assault, triggering a gun battle with security forces. The attack early Wednesday in the Gereshk district targeted the police headquarters and offices of the Afghan spy agency. Casualties on both sides A senior provincial security official, Abdul Jabbar Qahraman, told VOA that security forces have killed nine assailants during a gunfight to eliminate the remaining militants. He went to on to assert that all the assailants were foreign nationals and there were suicide bombers among them. The militant siege has left at least three security personnel dead while several others wounded, said Qahraman. A Taliban spokesman, Qari Yosaf Ahmadi, claimed responsibility for the assault, saying it has inflicted heavy casualties on Afghan security personnel. The fighting prompted provincial authorities to close the main Kandahar-Herat highway, which links the southern region to western Afghanistan. Reports say thousands of passengers have been stranded because of the road closure. Helmand, which borders Pakistan, is Afghanistan's largest province and a major poppy growing area and is a Taliban heartland. The insurgency has overrun many of the 14 districts of the province after months of fighting. Protecting narcotics, crime Narcotics produced in Helmand and surrounding southern provincesis a main source of income for the insurgency, according to the United Nations. Former Afghan army chief, Sher Mohammad Karimi told VOA that Taliban advances in Helmand are mainly encouraged by a traditional network of gangs involved in illegal narcotics business and other criminal activities. The dont want law and order because if there is law and order they cannot do business. So, it is not just [the] Taliban. [The] Taliban is a part of it because they may get some benefits from their illegal assets," Karimi explained. "So, that is why it makes it difficult for the government to control because in that area most of the people are involved in narcotics and their smuggling. Meanwhile, reports say deadly clashes between rival Taliban groups in the western Herat province have left up to 70 militants dead, including senior commanders. The fighting in the Shindand district erupted earlier this week and involved militants loyal to Taliban chief Mullah Akthar Mansoor and a splinter faction headed by Mullah Mohammad Rasool, provincial authorities told local reporters on Wednesday. Fighters from Helmand and western provinces of Farah and Nimroz have also arrived to reinforce their respective ranks. Taliban spokespeople were not available immediately for comments on the alleged clashes in Herat, which borders Iran and where clashes between the rival Taliban groups three months ago had killed dozens of militants. Six months after fleeing a Taliban assault on her city, the owner of an Afghan radio station devoted to women's rights is back home and returning to the airwaves. Zarghona Hassan is a lifelong activist and the founder of a radio station in Kunduz that until last year reached hundreds of thousands of listeners across northern Afghanistan, where the vast majority of women are illiterate and largely confined to their homes. Radio Shaesta - Pashto for "beauty'' - had sought to educate women about their rights and address taboo subjects like reproductive health and domestic violence. A program called "Unwanted Traditions'' took a critical look at centuries-old Afghan customs, like the forced marriage of young girls in order to resolve disputes. "Introducing Elites'' featured interviews with women who have succeeded in politics and activism, and those who have helped other women in their communities. "We have had an enormous impact on the lives of women, raising their awareness of their rights, of what they can achieve, encouraging women to take part in politics, to vote and to put themselves forward for provincial council seats,'' Hassan said. Programming also encouraged women to take an active role in ending the country's 15-year war by exhorting their brothers and sons to lay down arms, she said. Radio is a powerful medium in Afghanistan, where the literacy rate is less than 40 percent and much of the population lives in remote communities. Wind-up radios requiring no batteries are popular and widely accessible in communities where electricity is erratic or non-existent. In northern Afghanistan, where just 15 percent of women can read and write, radio is a rare portal to the outside world. The U.N. Development Program says Shaesta reached up to 800,000 people. "I've met illiterate women weaving carpets with the radio on because they can listen and it doesn't interrupt their work,'' Hassan said. "I once met a farmer out in his field who had a radio hooked over the horn of one of his cows.'' Hassan often invited Islamic scholars onto her programs to give their seal of approval. But the Taliban, who espouse a harsh version of Shariah law, view her and other women's rights activists as purveyors of Western influence who threaten the country's moral fabric. She has received more death threats than she can count, one of which even specified an exact date. So when the insurgents stormed into Kunduz on Sept. 28, she knew she had to run. "The Taliban had a list of all the women who were working in the government, civil society, media, women's organizations,'' she said. "I knew they were going to come for me.'' She hid in a relative's basement for two days before donning an all-covering burqa and fleeing the city. The Taliban held Kunduz for three days, during which they looted businesses and hunted down activists and journalists. Afghan forces backed by U.S. airstrikes pushed them out more than two weeks later, but by then the militants had looted Shaesta and burned it to the ground, along with another radio outlet run by Hassan that was oriented toward youth. Now, six months later, she has returned to Kunduz, and Shaesta has come back on air in time for International Women's Day on March 8. She was able to rebuild the station with a $9,000 grant from the UNDP, which said it hopes to encourage a "courageous voice for change.'' "Women's rights are a key lever toward improving the lives of the entire community,'' said UNDP country director Douglas Keh. "When women and girls have the same opportunities [as men and boys] in education, and the same economic opportunities, society as a whole benefits.'' The next Einstein will come from Africa. At least that is the premise of a global gathering of scientists, government representatives and innovators in Senegal this week. The organizers of the Next Einstein Forum say sub-Saharan Africa currently contributes just one percent of the world's scientific research output. But that, they say, is not for lack of ingenuity, but rather lack of opportunity on the continent. Senegalese President Macky Sall and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame opened the forum in Dakar with pledges to invest more in scientific education and research. In recent years, both countries have opened specialized institutions for science, math and technology. Flavia Schiegel is UNESCO's Under Secretary General for the Natural Sciences. She says brain drain is a problem. "Well, I think if Africa and African countries, like Senegal or Rwanda explained today, can actually bring a future to young people, the opportunities for good professional careers, I would say these young people either would not leave or they would come back again to be reunited with their families and friends in their home countries," Schiegel said. Need for basics Ghanaian researcher Victor Osei, a forum participant, says scientists who remain in Africa encounter daily challenges. "If you are scientist doing a science project, you obviously need certain things to be available, the least of which might be something probably like electricity. I can't imagine a science research project that has to be stopped because there is no good supply of electricity for instance, said Osei. These are all things that when we talk about the enabling environment, we need to think about," he added. Organizers of the forum say today the continent loses out on about $4 billion each year when Africans go abroad for jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. But the managing director of the Next Einstein Forum, Arun Sharma, says Africa is poised for a scientific boom. "I think there is also a huge amount of political will which is now coming up, and it's clear that the politicians, not all the politicians but many of the decision makers, are recognizing the necessity for science and technology to be a driver for Africa," he said. Sharma added that the goal of this week's forum is to showcase the work of young African scientists and help connect them with opportunities for education and funding. Vietnam's social network users have welcomed a plan to establish an informal naval coalition led by the United States, expressing hope it will contain China's expansion in the South China Sea. The chief of the U.S. Pacific Command, Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr., proposed last week to join the navies of Japan, Australia and India in preserving freedom of navigation in contested waters. The call was made as China expands land reclamation efforts in an assertive push that worries Vietnam, one of the South China Sea's maritime claimants. Social media user Vo Tan Hung told VOA's Vietnamese service that Beijing "must reconsider its aggressive moves in the contested waters if the coalition is born." Some go further by likening members of the prospective naval quartet to "quadrilateral pillars," a reference to the four top jobs in Vietnam's political system. Earlier plan Japan, which disputes Beijing's role in the East China Sea, floated a similar proposal in 2007, but the idea was dropped in the face of Chinese protest. While Australia is reportedly considering Harris' idea, the positions of India and Japan are unclear. Responding to the suggestion, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Beijing had "no objection to normal exchanges and cooperation between relevant countries, but such cooperation shall not target a third party." Meanwhile, Duong Danh Dy, an expert on China-Vietnam relations, said the birth of the group "will benefit Vietnam." "Beijing cannot disregard its smaller neighbors like Vietnam in the presence of regional powers," he said. "China cannot do whatever it wants." While top Vietnamese officials say they are sticking to their foreign policy of not siding with other countries to counter any third nation, the Southeast Asian country has been strengthening defense ties with a number of countries, including the Philippines, which is among the most vocal claimants to the disputed waters. After the USS Curtis Wilbur, an American destroyer, sailed near an island controlled by Beijing, but also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan, Vietnam's Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying Hanoi respected "innocent passage" of ships through territorial waters in accordance with international law. Some observers said Hanoi's statement appeared to support regional freedom-of-navigation exercises by its former foe. More military spending Apart from expanding its relations with world powers, Vietnam has also boosted military spending, becoming the world's eighth-largest arms importer from 2011 to 2015, according to a recent report published by the Stockholm-based International Peace Research Institute. Tran Bang, veteran of the Sino-Vietnam border war, said the move shows Vietnam's clear awareness of its foreign threats, China in particular. "Beefing up defense capability is necessary for Vietnam to defend itself," Bang said. "It is right to do so as its giant neighbor [is] ready to make aggressive moves at any time." In related news, Vietnam opened Cam Ranh, its strategic port facing the South China Sea, on Tuesday, with President Truong Tan Sang saying it "would play a part in stabilizing regional peace." Two Japanese warships are expected to make a port call there after escorting a submarine in a visit to the Philippines next month, Vietnamese media reported. Tokyo and Hanoi agreed last year to conduct their first ever joint naval exercise. Cambodia's ruling party spokesman has dismissed a report suggesting Prime Minister Hun Sen artificially inflated the number of "likes" on his Facebook page, but observers say the claim that he may have paid for his online popularity is damaging. Just days ago, Hun Sen announced he had reached 3 million likes on the renowned social-media platform, joking that his popularity made him "the Facebook Prime Minister." While he joined Facebook only some six months ago, he appeared to have overtaken opposition leader Sam Rainsy's 2.2 million likes. Rainsy has been on Facebook for at least five years. However, in a Wednesday report citing figures from media analytics company socialbakers.com, The Phnom Penh Post newspaper said that only about 20 percent of Hun Sen's recently added fans were Cambodia-based users. Many of the likes came from countries whose citizens would have little reason to support Cambodia's long-term ruler. The report also said a great number of likes posted in the past 30 days came from India, the Philippines, Burma, Indonesia, Turkey and Mexico, raising the possibility that the prime minister had been buying his popularity on the site. Likes vs. popularity Chok Sopheap, executive director at the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said she was "surprised" by the report, adding that it raises concerns about the transparency of Facebook's "likes" function, which has been used by Cambodian politicians to compete for popularity. "The report is a wake-up call for social media users concerning the techniques to make gains in terms of popularity," said Chok Sopheap. "I believe some politicians and institutions have used money to broadcast themselves." However, she added, a politician's popularity shouldn't be judged by social media activity alone, but by their effectiveness as public officials. "The real concern is that the users themselves have to understand that the number of likes they gain on Facebook does not [accurately] reflect their popularity or [whether] there's full support for them," Sopheap said. Nget Moses, head of the Internet technology department at Phnom Penh-based CENTRAL, an online rights advocacy group, explained that Facebook users could pay money to advertise their Facebook posts or page, a mechanism known as "boosting." "We cannot use money to buy likes," he told VOA Khmer. "However, what we can do is pay money to boost our page or posts in order to reach a wider audience, as well as select where the page or the posts can be most seen. The location will imply where we obtain the most number of likes from, and it means that is the country where the page or the post can be seen the most. This appears on the account of the users." Support for prime minister The expert suggested that the administrators of Prime Minister Hun Sen's Facebook Page could release reports and the data behind the page for the sake of accountability and transparency. Sok Eysan, spokesman for the ruling Cambodian People's Party, dismissed the report, insisting that the prime minister had no reason to artificially inflate his online popularity. "We don't believe it, and we cannot accept what's spoken informally outside," he said. "Some alleged that the Cambodian government even hired people to like. I just want to say that there's no use in having other people overseas like the page because there is not much benefit borne out of that. "The main concern is the interest of the Cambodian people," he added. "The people want to propose this and that, and the government needs to find solutions for them. Thus, it's mostly Cambodian people within the nation." Hun Sen, who has been in power for more than 30 years, recently announced that Cambodians can send messages directly to his own Facebook page in order to raise concerns and issues. He also urged officials to create their own Facebook pages along with accounts for government institutions, so that the public's concerns could be collected and addressed. Political observers believe Hun Sen is hoping that he can harness Facebook to gain popularity in preparation for important commune elections in 2017 and national elections the following year. Cuban cigar monopoly Habanos S.A. has compensated for a series of bad harvests by using genetically improved seeds and the renewal of weather-damaged land in Cuba's western tobacco-growing region, company officials said last week. The weather phenomena El Nino led to Cuba's worst drought in a century in 2015, followed by heavy rain during the northern winter, which is normally a dry period in Cuba. That has raised concerns among farmers and aficionados that the island's supply of its famous cigars might suffer at a time of increased demand resulting from detente with the United States. Unusual weather has also affected competitors elsewhere in the Caribbean, said Leopoldo Cintra, commercial vice president of Habanos. The industry in Cuba has compensated with a "comprehensive plan" including genetically improved seeds that produce tobacco plants more resistant to drought and unseasonable rains. Cintra also mentioned unspecified technology and the "recovery" of land. Farmers have reported replanting crops wiped out by rain. Cigar experts say this year's annual harvest, which is coming to an end in March, will be the fourth substandard harvest in a row, a claim Habanos executives did not dispute. "We think the impact will be minimal," said Javier Terres, vice president of development, who joined Cintra at a news conference to begin Cuba's annual cigar festival. "What's more, we think ... there will be a positive recovery in our business," Terres said. Habanos, a joint venture between the Cuban state and Imperial Brands PLC, does not report production figures. It said revenues reached $428 million in 2015, a four percent increase versus 2014 when measured at a constant exchange rate. The company says it has a global market share of 70 percent excluding the United States, where Cuban products remain illegal. U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced in December 2014 they would seek to normalize relations after more than half a century of Cold War animosity. Detente has led to international buzz about Cuba and a tourism boom. The number of visitors rose 17.4 percent to 3.52 million in 2015, with American visitors up 77 percent to 161,000. That had a negligible impact on sales but was good for branding, Cintra said. The real impediment to sales is the U.S. embargo, which Obama wants to remove but Congress has left in place. Terres said Habanos would be "thrilled" to compete in the United States but declined to speculate about the prospects. German officials have appealed to Russia urging to immediately free Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko, speaker of the German parliament Steffen Seibert said. He has said that trials over Savchenko violate a spirit and a letter of the Minsk Agreements, that's why Germany along with its partners call for immediate release of Nadia Savchenko in regard to humanitarian reasons. The criminal case regarding Savchenko, who is accused of killing of Russian journalists, is considered by Donetsk City Court in Rostov region. On March 9, it was informed that the verdict will be passed on March 21-22. Humanitarian disaster is looming in the western Iraq city of Fallujah, an Islamic State stronghold under siege by security forces, where tens of thousands of people face food shortages, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said Tuesday. There is no flour, rice, sugar or oil available in Fallujah and the prices of the little food that is left have risen sharply, the agency quoted Fallujah residents as saying. Fuel and cooking oil are no longer available and the price of a kilo of flour jumped to 24,000 IQD ($20) in January, up more than 800 percent from December, the WFP said. The Iraqi army, police and Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias backed by airstrikes from a U.S.-led coalition imposed a near total siege late last year on Fallujah, located 50 km (30 miles) west of Baghdad in the Euphrates River valley. "The humanitarian situation in Fallujah is dire and residents need immediate assistance," WFP spokeswoman Marwa Awad told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "We are aware that no food is going into the city and that militant groups are controlling the remaining food supplies." Iraq not seen as priority It has been too dangerous for the WFP to reach the area since September, when it delivered a one-month supply of food to 400 families in Garma, 10 km (6 miles) from Fallujah, she said. "We are deeply concerned about the worsening humanitarian situation inside Fallujah, where many people require immediate food assistance," Awad said. "We are ready to help, but we are on standby until ... the authorities give the green light to go in." Of the estimated 30,000 to 60,000 residents of Fallujah, a "significant number" are surviving on potatoes and other local food, after moving toward rural areas on the outskirts of the city, Awad said by phone from Iraq. "We call on all parties to allow access to prevent a humanitarian disaster," she said. "Sadly, everyone is focused on Syria and Yemen, and the international community is no longer prioritizing Iraq. That's the problem." In January, 32 people were reported to have died from starvation in Syria in areas that had been under siege for months. Fallujah, a long-time bastion of Sunni Muslim jihadists, was the first Iraqi city to fall to Islamic State, in January 2014, six months before the group swept through large parts of northern and western Iraq and neighboring Syria. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders scored a surprise victory Tuesday in the northern state of Michigan, defeating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the state's Democratic presidential primary. Many polls showed Clinton heavily favored to win the state, but Sanders got enough votes for a narrow win. Clinton did easily win the other Democratic primary held Tuesday in the southern state of Mississippi. Sanders said the Michigan victory means his "political revolution" is strong across the country, and that he believes the areas where his campaign is strongest are the ones that have not yet voted. He highlighted his message against corrupt campaign financing, an unfair economy and broken criminal justice system. Clinton told voters in Cleveland, Ohio -- one of the five states holding a Democratic primary next week -- that she is proud of the campaign she and Sanders are running. She compared it to the Republican campaign, where she said the candidates are tearing each other down. In the Republican race, businessman Donald Trump won by large margins in both Michigan and Mississippi, while Florida Senator Marco Rubio finished a distant fourth place in each race. Republicans also competed in Idaho and Hawaii. The usually plain-speaking and often harsh Trump was uncharacteristically subdued in thanking voters for their support, but he mocked Cruz, who has called himself the only candidate who can beat Trump. Republican leaders have launched an intense effort to try to stop Trump, saying he is too unpredictable and would lose in November if Clinton is the Democratic nominee. Trump dismissed efforts to stop his campaign, saying: "It shows you how brilliant the public is." Several anti-Trump organizations plan to spend at least $10 million in the next week on television advertisements, primarily in Florida and Illinois, two big states where Republicans are holding primaries on March 15. Rather than respond to the ad campaign against him with television ads of his own, Trump said he would continue attacking his opponents through Twitter. "We cannot let the failing Republican establishment, who could not stop Obama, ruin the movement with millions of dollars in false ads!" Trump said Monday. For the Democrats, Clinton has a large lead in the delegate count over her only rival, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Sanders enjoys wide support among young voters and has appealed to them not to stay home on election day. One-hundred-50 Republican delegates are up for grabs in all four states Tuesday. The Democrats have 189 delegates at stake. The delegates and their pledges of support are the key to securing the party's nomination at this July's conventions. As Islamic State militants gain territory in Libya, Morocco is facing a growing threat from IS, government intelligence reports and analysts say. Moroccan authorities said Monday that an IS cell was broken up as it planned to unleash explosives in public places. The news followed the arrest in February of suspected IS militants who were allegedly plotting biological attacks. According to recent reports, jihadist Moroccans are joining IS in Libya and are increasing communication and coordination with sympathizers back home. "In 2015, reports indicated that up to 300 Moroccans were training in Libya. So it stands to reason that these militants will one day seek to return home and plan attacks when they do," said Sarah Feuer, a North Africa analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Moroccan authorities have uncovered a growing number of cells claiming ties with IS, she said. Moroccan security forces recently arrested a group of militants who allegedly were trying to carry out attacks against government institutions and military leaders. The group of 10 men had pledged allegiance to IS leadership in Iraq and Syria and had received weapons from IS in Libya, Moroccan officials said. "This group was operating based on Daesh [IS] strategies," Abelhak Khayyam, the chief of Morocco's Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation, told reporters. He said they were recruiting children, including a 16-year-old French citizen, for a planned suicide attack. Violence target Amid the turbulent security situation in many parts of North Africa, Morocco is a candidate for violence, analysts said. "Terrorists are constantly on the move," said Said Nachid, a terrorism expert based in Rabat, Morocco's capital. "They look for new areas in volatile regions to control. And if there's not volatility, they would create it themselves. Morocco could be a target of theirs." Analysts said that despite strict government censorship, local mosques have mobilized young people and are exploiting their socioeconomic grievances. "These [Moroccan jihadists] are mostly disenfranchised young people who were easily deluded by extremist rhetoric in mosques," said Nachid, who wrote a book about trends of global terrorism. Morocco, a majority Muslim nation, has often been targeted by terrorist attacks. The last one was in 2011 in Marrakesh, in which at least 15 people were killed. The Moroccan government has increased its security collaboration and intelligence sharing with Western governments since last year's terrorist attacks in France. A number of men of Moroccan background were involved in the violence, police reported. The growing relationship with the West, however, could be a disadvantage for the Moroccan government because it could agitate anti-Western jihadist groups, analysts said. "The rise of sleeper cells is a direct threat to the government," Nadia Afettat, a Spain-based Moroccan affairs analyst, told VOA. "One goal of terror networks in Morocco is to pressure the government to retreat from intelligence cooperation on terrorism with other Western nations." In Kenya, militant groups such as al-Shabab and the Islamic State continue to lure young Muslims. To fight back, a local organization has launched a de-radicalization program to train imams and work with the affected youth. The program, called BRAVE - short for Building Resilience Against Violent Extremism, has reportedly already reached 2,000 young people. For those trying to counter the message of radicals, such as clerics and imams or youth not affiliated with a terror group, the program offers four-day training "modules." For radicalized youth, those who have joined a militant group like al-Shabab, the program takes anywhere from six months to three years. In 2013, a U.N report linked one of the officials at Riyadha Mosque in Pumwani to terrorist funding. Imam Aizadin Omar has been at his mosque for five years and the BRAVE program trained him how to detect and counter extremist leanings in his community. "Before these youth accept to be de-radicalized, it takes time and you have to go step by step. Then there are those who are deeply radicalized and changing them back is quite hard but by Allah's grace we manage eventually," Omar said. Abdul Mwangi was among young men who attended sermons in other mosques where radical preachers called on people to devote their lives to jihad. He said he shied away from that line of thought after going through the BRAVE program. What I can say for myself and [the] other youth [is] even if you tell me something [the] Quran says, yes I will accept, but I will not do anything [in terms of] implementation before I go back to the Quran and confirm [what is being preached] for myself, Mwangi said. BRAVE has trained about 150 clerics and imams like Omar. But the founder of the program, Mustafa Ali, says some are still staying away, fearing reprisals. "Many Kenyans, particularly the Muslims, have been intimidated by the violent extremist groups to such an extent that they do not want to talk about violent extremism. They do not want to talk about intimidation," Ali said. De-radicalization programs are not new. Saudi Arabia has run one since 2004. Both Nigeria and Mauritania have them. But there is a lot of debate as to whether they actually work. Experts, like security analyst Andrew Franklin, say root causes like unemployment must also be addressed. "De-radicalization programs are dealing with symptoms rather than causes of the problem. The real question is simply what causes the people, youth particularly, to move from being alienated, marginalized and the like, [to] picking up weapons - in other words being radicalized - to going off and to fight, to join terrorist groups or subversive groups, insurgent groups?" Franklin asked. As prisons across Africa fill up with terror suspects, observers believe that is a question the continent cannot afford to dismiss. United Nations Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura says substantive talks on a political transition in Syria are expected to begin on Monday and will not last beyond March 24. He commented from Geneva on Wednesday as the second round of proximity talks between the Syrian government and the opposition formally opened - although the key players had not yet arrived. The U.N. attributed some delays to logistical arrangements and said delegations were expected to arrive over the course of the next few days. When the talks are fully under way, the focus will be on new governance, constitution and elections, the future elections in 18 months time, de Mistura told reporters. He said humanitarian and cease-fire issues would be discussed, ahead of next week's expected start of talks on a political transition. In a statement to VOA, the main Syrian opposition group said it would be a no-show for discussions Wednesday. "HNC [High Negotiations Committee] is discussing whether to attend the talks this week," said a spokesperson for the group. The Syrian government also indicated that it will not join until later, an indication that the proximity talks may not be fully under way until March 14. 'Not disconcerting' The State Department said it is not overly concerned about the staggered resumption of talks, a situation that is similar to what occurred when talks were launched in February. It certainly is not disconcerting to us, said State Department spokesman John Kirby. What matters is that they do resume and we do get some dialogue going. Former ambassador to Syria Robert Ford also said the exact resumption date is not a big issue, but he added the Syrian opposition could be swayed to pull back from talks if a current cease-fire erodes. I would be more concerned about whether the cessation of hostilities holds, said Ford, an analyst at the Middle East Institute. He said another concern is whether the Syrian government will approve allowing more humanitarian convoys to enter besieged areas. Focus on aid, cease-fire A U.N. spokesman said de Mistura on Wednesday will focus on discussing humanitarian and cease-fire issues with representatives. The U.N.-facilitated proximity talks got off to a rocky start in early February before bogging down, partly due to opposition complaints of Syrian and Russian airstrikes that appeared to target Syrian rebels instead of Islamic State militants and other terrorists. Later in the month, the 17-nation International Syria Support Group crafted a plan for a partial cessation of hostilities that took effect February 27. Although the Syrian regime and the opposition have both reported violations, the overall level of fighting has diminished as a result of the truce, which does not include terrorist groups. The U.N.-hosted talks between the government and the opposition are designed for the two sides to reach an agreement on a political transition in Syria, a move that could help end that country's five-year civil war, which has resulted in 250,000 deaths and left millions of civilians displaced. More than 500 delegates from over 50 countries attended the International Water Resources conference in Vientiane, Laos last week focusing on water resources and hydropower development across Asia. The conference centered on the development and engineering of regional hydropower with China, India, Russia, Malaysia and Pakistan boasting some of the largest dams and power plants globally. But environmentalists fear the impact of increasing numbers of proposed dams on the regions river systems and communities, especially along the Greater Mekong River. Among the highlights was Asias potential in developing clean renewable energy, with the associated water storage seen as providing benefits to local communities. In an address to the conference, Naruepon Sukumasavin, the regional intergovernmental Mekong River Commission director of planning, said hydropower was recognized as an important development opportunity for the region. But Naruepon said the accelerating pace of hydropower development also posed challenges for regional cooperation. Environmental concerns According to conference documents, Laos, one of the poorest nations in the region, is moving forward with the construction of over 350 hydropower projects with private sector backing and will add more than 26,000 megawatts of new capacity to the regional grid. Laos has already been engulfed in controversy over construction of the $3.8 billion Xayaburi dam in northern Laos along with the planned $600 million Don Sahong dam for the Siphandone (Khone Falls) in Chamapasak province, just two kilometers upstream from the Lao-Cambodia border. Environmentalists say the Don Sahong dam will damage vital fisheries while Vietnam raised alarm over the dams impact on water flows to the Mekong Delta, the nations rice bowl and home to 20 million people. Producing electricity Laos said some 50 projects of around 4,000 megawatts are being implemented largely for domestic supply while more than 20 schemes are in the pipeline for electricity exports totaling 15,000 megawatts. Agreements, the government says, have already been signed with Thailand covering the purchase of 7,000 megawatts of power. Concerns that local opinions about the dams will be ignored But activists, such as Premrudee Daorung, coordinator with Project Sevana South East Asia, says the high profile role of the private sector undermines the ability of local communities to raise concerns over the impact the dams will have on the environment. The concern is that the private sector will never really pay attention to the laws of the resources, all they want is the benefit. So they dont care what is going to happen to the river, she said. The question is how can the local people in the area get information or getting even to complain on the project if they want to? Premrudee said the concern is the region has entered an era of big investment in water resources led by the private sector rather than the government, a trend she describes as very dangerous, especially on issue of public accountability. Australian international lawyer professor Ben Saul from Sydney University, co-author of a book assessing the role of international agreements in settling the environmental debate for dams in the Mekong Region, said the outlook to monitor dam development is pretty bleak. Yes, theyre never going to stop dams and I think thats fantasy land at this point in any country apart from Thailand to think that dams will just stop as a result of [treaties]. But [the law] leads to improvements in resettlement programs, better compensation for villages, if it leads to fish ladders being installed even if the fish cant swim up them at least there is more attention to environmental problems, he said. Dam construction in the Mekong River region remains a highly polarized debate. Groups such as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) are warning of the impact on communities and local food supplies affecting millions of people across the region. But the Lao government says it remains committed to what it terms developing clean, renewable hydropower. A meeting between Latin American oil producers on Friday will seek to unify the region in backing an output freeze or other measures to bolster prices ahead of a possible OPEC, non-OPEC meeting in Russia later this month, Ecuador's oil minister said. Friday's meeting in Quito will involve the region's main exporters Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico. The meeting is the first significant sign that non-OPEC producers Colombia and Mexico are involved in an effort to halt the price decline. "What's the idea this Friday? To have a meeting, come up with a manifesto to say that all Latin American countries OPEC and non-OPEC are willing to do something: freeze the production ceiling, cut if necessary, and join any OPEC initiative," Carlos Pareja told a local radio station. "If the whole oil world decides to take action, believe me this problem will be solved." Ecuador and Venezuela have pushed hard for the OPEC, non-OPEC meeting because they have suffered more during the recent price plunge than most producers given their heavy reliance on oil. Global prices have fallen 70 percent since mid-2014. "There is talk of an OPEC, non-OPEC meeting in Russia from March 20 or 21," he said. "Our proposal is to unite in a decision aimed at better prices and stabilizing the market." One of the U.S. Republican Party's leading voices on foreign affairs says the civil war in Syria and the flow of migrants into Europe constitute one of the most serious crises the West has faced in the last 70 years. Senator John McCain, an Arizona Republican who was the party's presidential nominee in 2008 and is now chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told VOA's Serbian service that Europe's migrant crisis is a direct result of what he called the "failure" of U.S. policy in the Middle East. "The United States' failure in Syria and Iraq has had a significant impact on the cause of the flow of refugees," he said. "If the United States had gotten rid of [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assad and kept Iraq under control, we wouldn't be experiencing the refugee crisis that we are today." The U.S. began pulling its military forces out of Iraq in December 2007, completing the withdrawal by December 2011. Since August 2014, the U.S. has carried out more than 8,000 airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. McCain said he agreed with NATO's supreme military commander, General Philip Breedlove, who told the Armed Services Committee this month that Russia and the Assad government were "deliberately weaponizing migration in an attempt to overwhelm European structures and break European resolve." Russia's air force began bombing Syrian rebels last September on behalf of the Assad government. "The United States of America, by our failure to lead, allowed Russia into a position of influence, at least for the first time since 1973, when [then Egyptian President] Anwar Sadat threw the Russians out of Egypt," McCain said. "So the predominant influence now in Syria is Russia, Hezbollah, Iran and various other factions that are now dominating and establishing themselves in a way that it is very unlikely that Bashar Assad will leave anytime soon. This is one of the most serious crises that Europe and the United States have seen since the end of World War II." Cessation of hostilities While 250,000 people have been killed and millions of civilians have been displaced in Syria's five-year civil war, the violence there has diminished since a partial cessation of hostilities went into effect late last month. In addition, the United Nations is hosting talks between the Syrian government and the opposition, with the aim of achieving a political transition. Asked about the crisis in Ukraine, McCain said the Ukrainian government had not taken sufficient steps to crack down on endemic corruption, and that this was contributing to political instability. "There has not been the elimination or even strong efforts to eliminate corruption, which is making the people very dissatisfied," the senator said. Still, McCain said it was "shameful" that the United States has not given Ukrainians "even weapons with which to defend themselves," while Russian President Vladimir Putin "continues to ratchet up" pressure on eastern Ukraine. According to the U.N., more than 9,000 people have been killed and more than 20,000 wounded since Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine began fighting the central government in early 2014. Theres nothing small about Akanksha Hazaris ambitions. Rising from living aboard a merchant ship to make ends meet with her family, to earning degrees at Princeton and Cambridge universities, Hazari says she wants to accomplish big things. At the top of that list: helping the many millions living in Indias poorest slums get access to clean water and sanitation, education and improved health care. But Hazari doesnt just dream big. In 2012, the 30-something Hazari developed a mobile phone application thats helped tens of thousands of poor residents in Mumbais shantytowns to improve their lives and educate their children in just a few years. Its called m.Paani m for mobile and paani an Indian word for water and its earned Hazari numerous awards, including the prestigious Hult Prize awarded by former president Bill Clinton and, this week, the Global Leadership Award from the womens empowerment organization Vital Voices. Now, Hazari says shes ready for the next step: she wants to take her idea out of the slums of India and spread it across the developing world in Asia and Africa, all to help millions lift their quality of life. Smart phones and Coca-Cola m.Paani is a mobile based loyalty program, says Hazari, the firms CEO. It takes two things that are working technology and the reach of corporate brands and uses that to solve what should be the most important problem, access to basic services like clean water. It works like this: m.Paani members use their mobile phones to buy the basics of daily life things like food, soda, clothing, soap and such. Each time a purchase is made through one of m.Paanis corporate partners or at affiliated local stores, the buyer earns a number of credits based on how much they spend. Those credits, says Hazari, accumulate like dollars in a wallet. You keep saving these credits and then can redeem them for things like a water filter or English learning books for your child, or most recently a school that was actually giving points to incentivize parents to send their children to school, she told VOA. The idea came to her in 2010 as she traveled through some of Indias poorest and most remote regions, and she noted two surprises. First, wherever I went, even the most uneducated farmer in the poorest part of the country had a mobile phone. The second thing was that in every village, no matter how poor or remote, there was a little store that always had products on the shelves. Why was it, Hazari wondered, that society could put a smart phone in everyones hands and Coca-Cola on every markets shelves, but not address basic services such as sanitation and medicine? It was then that Hazari first conceived of using the ubiquity of mobile phones to leverage the market buying power of millions of people on whom corporations had already spent billions of dollars building loyalty and brand identity. These phones are not a luxury, she said; theyre a necessity. It fundamentally increases what youre getting. WATCH: VOA interview with App creator Akanksha Hazari The Misunderstood Poor Akanksha Hazaris life has not always been an easy one. Her parents struggled financially early on; for a time, she even lived with her mother aboard a merchant ship where her father worked. In time, fortunes changed. The family prospered and moved to Hong Kong. Akanksha became a professional squash player before pursuing advanced university studies. My mothers dream was that I go to college, she told VOA. But I dont think she knew she was my role model. One of the things she raised with me I remember hearing this every day the value of your life is measured by the impact you have on the people and the world around you. Make sure you live a valuable life. Thats a key driver for me. While corporate reward programs, like those used in casinos and airlines, are nothing new, theyve almost exclusively targeted wealthier segments of society until now, says Hazari. Theres a lot of misconceptions about the poor, she says. People do have an income whether its $2 or $4 a day, there is an income there thats being spent. What were saying is why cant we tie that to creating a second wallet based on the same spending, thus rewarding both the buyers and the corporations. Today, m.Paani members number in the tens of thousands in India, based on little more than word of mouth, and Akanksha Hazari is eager and ready to take it wherever it might do some good. If theres an emerging market somewhere India, Nigeria, Kenya, or anywhere else we want to be there in five years. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden criticized the Palestinian Authority for remaining silent after a Palestinian went on a stabbing rampage Tuesday in Jaffa, near Tel Aviv, killing an American tourist and wounding 10 other peopled. "Let me say in no uncertain terms: The United States of America condemns these acts and condemns the failure to condemn these acts," Biden said Wednesday. The ruling Palestinian Fatah party praised the attack, describing the assailant who was killed by police as a heroic martyr. Earlier Wednesday, Biden condemned a wave of almost daily Palestinian stabbings, shootings and car rammings that have targeted Israelis during the past six months. "There can be no justification of this hateful violence," said Biden, who is visiting Israel. This cannot be viewed by civilized leaders as an appropriate way in which to behave. It is just not tolerable in the 21st century. Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden called Tuesday's deadly stabbing of an American a "heinous terrorist act." He said civilized leaders cannot see the violence as appropriate behavior. Netanyahu said "nothing justifies these attacks" and criticized Palestinian leaders for not condemning them. The Palestinian Authority said the attacks are a grassroots response to nearly 50 years of Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Violence 'has to stop' Biden called for progress on Israeli-Palestinian peace, saying the work toward a two-state solution is not easy, but that the current violence and retribution "has to stop." He also reiterated U.S. commitment to Israel's security and vowed to act if Iran violates the nuclear agreement it made with the United States and five other world powers. The vice president also met Wednesday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He travels Thursday to meet with Jordan's King Abdullah II. On Wednesday, Israeli police shot dead two Palestinian gunmen who carried out shootings in Israel that seriously wounded one person. In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian man who tried to stab soldiers at a checkpoint. 'Senseless' attack On Tuesday, a Palestinian killed American tourist Taylor Allen Force and wounded 12 Israelis. The State Department called that attack "senseless." At the time of the stabbings, Biden was meeting a few kilometers away with former Israeli President Shimon Peres who condemned Tuesday's violence and said successful peace talks are the only answer. "Terror leads to nowhere, neither to Arabs nor to us," Peres said. "The majority of the people know there is no alternative to the two-state solution...and we shall follow with our strength and dedication to make from it a new reality." U.S. President Barack Obama has said there will be no comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement before he leaves office next January. The White House also has said Biden is not bringing any new peace initiatives during his talks in Israel. Wave of violence Israel has blamed Abbas and other Palestinian leaders for inciting the six-month wave of violence that has killed 28 Israelis, two Americans and an Eritrean along with at least 177 Palestinians. Police and bystanders have killed most of the Palestinians while they tried to stab Israelis or run them over with cars. Rumors that Israel was planning to take over an East Jerusalem holy site revered by both Jews and Muslims sparked the violence. But Palestinians say they are fed up with Israeli settlements in lands they want for a future state, a lack of economic opportunities, weak leadership, and a dim outlook for peace. WATCH: Related video clip Russia was prepared to allow Ukrainian doctors to visit Ukrainian woman Nadia Savchenko held in custody on an exceptional basis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Pavlo Klimkin. "However, Savchenko's challenging behavior during a court session held on the same day and her offensive remarks to the court changed the situation, making it impossible to carry out such a visit," the Ukrainian minister was told, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday evening. The casket bearing former U.S. first lady Nancy Reagan has been moved to the presidential library in California of her late husband, President Ronald Reagan, where she will lie in repose. Members of the public will be allowed to pay their respects Wednesday afternoon and on Thursday before a private funeral on Friday. First lady Michelle Obama is planning to attend the funeral, as are three former first ladies: Hillary Clinton, who is now the leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2016 campaign, Laura Bush and Rosalynn Carter. Former President George W. Bush will also attend. People in Southern California watched from freeway overpasses as a motorcade transported the casket from a suburb of Los Angeles to the library on a hilltop in Simi Valley. Some of the onlookers waved American flags while others stood with hands over their hearts. Prayers were offered in a private ceremony at the library. Nancy Reagan died Sunday at 94 of congestive heart failure. She will be buried alongside her husband, the country's 40th president, who was the American leader for eight years in the 1980s. He died in 2004, a decade after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. A few miles east of Diffa, the regional capital, the national guard of Niger patrols in the sand, aiming to secure the border with Nigeria and prevent militants from striking on Niger soil. Ready to open fire with their rifles, the soldiers are looking for any potential threat. Boko Haram militants from Nigeria could be anywhere. The jihadist group has been damaged, but still has the ability to attack by suicide mission or with improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Lieutenant Moussa Daouda Rabiou, the commander of the village of Assaga position, is "extremely cautious with mines, he tells VOA. We trained our men and with our vehicles, we don't follow the road if there is any suspicious footprint." The patrol is advancing toward the Nigerian border, with soldiers on foot and jeeps, carrying cannons, progressing slowly. In the village of Zenamn Kelouri, villagers have started to return. The U.N. refugee agency estimated in January that 100,000 people were driven from their homes in southeast Niger in attacks by Boko Haram. The UNHCR said 170 villages had been emptied. Moussa Kadre, age 90, never left. His children bring him food from the nearby refugee camp. "I want to thank our security forces, he tells VOA. Asymmetric war The army of Niger keeps secret the number of soldiers who have been deployed along the border. But, according to VOA sources, there are at least a thousand for the entire Diffa region. The army has managed to earn the trust of the population, which is the first line of defense to fight Boko Haram. The militants are just on the other shore of the Komadougou River, the natural border between Niger and Nigeria. The Nigerian army has not permanently retaken Damasak or Malam Fatori, so Boko Haram still can launch operations into the Diffa region. "I can assure you that the Nigerian army is very active; it is operating, says Colonel Abdou Sidikou Issa, the deputy chief of staff for the Niger army. We coordinate the fight together. You cannot say there are uncontrolled zones." While the army of Niger has the right to pursue militants into Nigeria if a direct threat is detected, Boko Haram is usually invisible until it strikes. Niger's opposition coalition said Tuesday that its candidate, Hama Amadou, would not contest a runoff election March 20, increasing the chances that President Mahamadou Issoufou will win a second term. Amadou has been in prison since November on charges relating to baby-trafficking. He says he is innocent and a victim of political repression. The government denies wrongdoing and says it follows the law. "The Coalition for an Alternative has decided to suspend its participation in the electoral process and asks its representatives to withdraw from the electoral commission," it said in a statement. The coalition denounced Amadou's detention and justified its decision to withdraw by saying the constitutional court had not followed procedure when it announced definitive first-round results Tuesday and had also not proven its independence. The coalition, which unites about 20 political parties including Amadou's MODEN, also asked its deputies to cease activities at the National Assembly. Issoufou fell just short of outright victory in the first round Feb. 21 and was expected to win the runoff as several smaller parties have said they will support him. He campaigned on a promise to clamp down on Islamist militants and revive the economy in Niger, one of the world's poorest countries. The Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which is based in Nigeria, has staged a series of cross-border attacks in Niger's southeastern Diffa region, forcing the government to impose a state of emergency there. Niger produces uranium and oil, but is ranked last in the United Nations' Human Development Index and has one of the world's highest fertility rates. It ranks 114th out of 142 countries in the 2015 prosperity index run by the British-based Legatum Institute. South Korea's military says North Korea has fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, apparently a response to continuing military exercises by South Korea and the United States. The South Korean Defense Ministry says the missiles were fired early Thursday morning from North Hwanghae Province. They traveled about 500 kilometers and fell into the water off the country's east coast, officials in Seoul said. Such firings are not uncommon when animosity rises on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea hates the massive military drills by Seoul and Washington, calling them a preparation for invasion. Pyongyang also said Thursday it will "liquidate" all remaining South Korean assets on its territory, referring to two abandoned joint projects: the Kaesong industrial complex and the Mount Kumgang tourism resort, both inside North Korean borders. The North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea also said it is nullifying all agreements with South Korea on economic cooperation and exchange programs, and threatened military and economic actions against the South Korean government. The statement was carried by the North's official KCNA news agency. South Korean assets left at the Kaesong facility are valued at $663 million. It is not clear how the North plans to dispose of them. Pyongyang also is angry about tough United Nations sanctions imposed following its recent nuclear test and long-range rocket launch. North Korea has a large stockpile of short-range missiles and is developing long-range and intercontinental missiles. The North fired six rockets into the sea last week, supervised by leader Kim Jong Un, who ordered his military to be prepared to launch pre-emptive attacks against its enemies. On Wednesday, Kim said his country has miniaturized nuclear warheads to mount on ballistic missiles. The U.S. State Department declined to comment. Pat Conroy, author of works including "The Prince of Tides'' and "The Great Santini,'' was remembered Tuesday as a "marsh-haunted boy'' who battled sorrow and tragedy to create stories set on the South Carolina coast that enriched the lives of readers worldwide. "He was the best storyteller of our time and quite possibly of any time,'' longtime friend Alex Sanders, a former president of The College of Charleston, told nearly 1,200 people attending a funeral Mass. "A legion of readers all around the world were enchanted and hung on every word of his characters and the atmosphere of the South Carolina Lowcountry.'' Conroy, who sold 20 million copies of his works, died last week at the age of 70 following a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He arrived in South Carolina with his family when he was 16 and his writings would subsequently reflect the vistas of the state's southern coast. "When he crossed the Whale Branch Bridge and glimpsed the tidal marshes of the Lowcountry, he was a marsh-haunted boy from that point on,'' Sanders said. He said Conroy "took us to that magic and unique place on Earth.'' Conroy's plain, unadorned wooden casket was brought into the sanctuary while a soloist sang "The Water is Wide,'' the name of another Conroy novel based on his experiences teaching impoverished children on nearby Daufuskie Island. The sanctuary, which seats 1,200, was nearly full and several hundred people had gathered an hour before the service. A bagpiper played as the casket was taken outside the church following the Mass. The burial was private. Conroy's life was marked by an often acrimonious relationship with his father. He also experienced the suicide of his youngest brother, divorce, depression, and health issues including diabetes and back surgery. "If Pat's family didn't have tragedy and sorrow - if Pat did not fight demons - his writings would never have been read,'' Monsignor Ronald Cellini said in his homily. "The beauty of Pat Conroy and his writing is truly a foretaste of the beauty we call heaven.'' Before the service, a group of 30 members of the 2001 graduating class of The Citadel, Conroy's alma mater, gathered beneath trees shrouded with Spanish moss, each wearing a class ring. Conroy, who had been estranged from the state military college in Charleston for years after he wrote books based on his experiences there, later was reconciled with the school and invited to give the graduation address in 2001. During that address, Conroy invited members of the class to his funeral. "I want you to say this before you enter the church at which I'm going to be buried. You tell them, "I wear the ring,'' the author said at the time. Conroy is survived by his wife, Cassandra King; daughters Melissa, Jessica, Megan and Susannah Conroy; and five step-children: Emily Conroy, and Jason, James, Jake Ray, and Gregory Fleischer. A surprising win by Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders in Michigan and a resurgence by Donald Trump in three of four Republican primaries marked the halfway point of the U.S. presidential campaign before key winner-take-all votes in five states next Tuesday. On the Republican side, Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio head into a Thursday debate searching for new ways to take voters away from front-runner Trump. Voters pushed back against the "Never Trump" effort led by 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, increasing Trump's delegate lead with wins in Michigan, Hawaii and Mississippi. "By winning three out of four, I think Trump re-establishes some of the momentum he's lost over the last 10 days or so, but I think the numbers still show that Trump has a way to go," said political analyst Stu Rothenberg. Cruz will look to build momentum after an endorsement Wednesday from former Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina following his primary win with conservative voters in Idaho. John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, says Cruz continues to do well in smaller states and caucus votes that play to his campaign's strategy on the ground. "But in the end of the day, the states that Cruz does well in and the states Trump does well in are very different states and that win goes to Trump," Hudak said. Rubio will look to recover from a week of trading insults with Trump that appears to have done little to change voters' minds. He has fallen behind Trump in polls in his home state of Florida, and must do well in next Tuesday's vote to remain in the race. "His schoolyard theatrics from his last debate performance blew up in his face," Hudak said, adding that Rubio will have to figure out a new strategy heading into Thursday's debate to get "the traction that he needs." Ohio Governor John Kasich has long touted the vote in his home state as the turning point for his campaign when voters there head to polls next Tuesday. The Republican winner in Florida next week gets all of its 99 delegates, while Ohio's winner gets all of its 66. Most of the 69 delegates in Illinois go to the victor there. Businessman Trump had about 450 delegates after Tuesday, compared to about 350 for second place Cruz of Texas. Their ultimate goal is to amass 1,237 to claim a majority and the Republican nomination. A surprising win The Democrats have been down to a two-candidate race for more than a month with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leading Senator Sanders of Vermont in the delegate count. She has a little more than half of the 2,383 needed to be the Democratic nominee, while Sanders is roughly one-quarter of the way there. Democrats walk away from state contests with a proportion of delegates based on the vote, so to make up ground, Sanders not only needs to win states, but also win them by a large margin. "His victory doesn't change the math," said analyst Rothenberg of Sanders' unexpected win in Michigan. "He would have to start to win primary after primary after primary to shake the superdelegates free, or at least so that his supporters question the fairness of superdelegates." While Sanders had the big win Tuesday night, Clinton ultimately netted more delegates and increased her lead heading into next Tuesday's vote. She leads Sanders among likely Florida Democratic primary voters 62-32 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday. Her lead is especially strong among female voters, with 69 percent saying they would support her over Sanders' 24 percent. Clinton's lead is smaller heading into the other major primary contest in Ohio, where she leads Sanders 52-43 percent among likely Democratic voters. The survey found small amounts of undecided voters in each state, suggesting those numbers would remain steady for the vote. The party nominees will not be made official until the Republicans and Democrats hold their conventions in July. In many election years, the winner clinches the nomination before all the states have voted. By this point in 2008, Republican John McCain had clinched his party's nomination. In 2000, victories in several March 15 primaries assured both Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore of their party nominations. This year, the calendar after March 15 is fairly quiet with the rest of the month featuring only a few contests. Things become busy again with the April 19 primaries in delegate-rich New York, and again a week later as candidates compete in five states on the same day. With Kim Jong Un saying his country has a miniature nuclear warhead that can fit on a missile, North Korea's often bellicose international messaging is in the spotlight, again. VOAs Brian Padden in Seoul recently spoke to an authority on North Korean propaganda to discuss how North Koreas public diplomacy outreach has done a very poor job of defending itself against world condemnation following the countrys fourth nuclear test and recent long-range rocket launch. PADDEN: I am speaking to Brian Myers, Associate Professor of International Studies at Dongseo University in South Korea. His 2010 book The Cleanest Race: How North Koreans See Themselves and Why it Matters, is an examination of the propaganda produced in North Korea for internal consumption. Thanks for doing this today Brian. Myers: Sure thing. PADDEN: After the U.N. imposed new tough sanctions last week on North Korea, its military responded by firing projectiles into the sea and the countrys Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un ordered the military to be prepared to use nuclear weapons. North Korea announced it will boycott the UN human rights council. Its state media made graphic and derogatory comments about South Korean President Park Geun-hye and a US student being detained in North Korea was marched before cameras to confess his crimes for trying to steal a propaganda sign. Why does North Korea present itself to the world so poorly, through threatening, through scornful personal attacks and with implausibly staged confessions? Myers: I think we need to keep in mind that North Korea has always been an ultra nationalist state. I deferred from many Pyongyang watchers In that I do not consider this to be a communist or a failed communist state. Its an ultranationalist state, which is mainly interested in influencing the South Korean nationalists left, which is very different from the left wing in the United States. The sort of crude idiom which we Americans would associate with Donald Trump or Rush Limbaugh is here in South Korea More the traditional province of the left which has mocked president Park Geun-hye itself in language and satirical art that an American would consider really beyond the pale. When she was running for president in 2012, there was a revolting painting of her on a gynecologist chair with her legs spread apart. And many on the left here found that hilariously funny. So Pyongyangs rhetoric does not of appall its target outside audience to quite the same extent as it appalls to maybe Americans and Western Europeans. And I should also point out that the Korean word me-yung which features prominently in North Korea propaganda does not have quite as harsh a ring as the English word bitch has. Its bad but not that bad. As for the bellicosity and the belligerence, North Korea is I think quite frustrated by the Wests persistence in regarding it as a communist state because that misperception leave the west to assume that North Korea is not that much of a threat. The communists had nuclear weapons for decades and never used them. And this is why even now Washington seems to think the worst-case scenario is that the North Koreans are going to sell atomic material to terrorists. So this rhetoric is the Norths way of saying to Washington, You guys better keep us on the front burner because we are just as ready to fight and die as your enemies in the Middle East are. Padden: Are these provocations and public confessions more aimed at an internal audience and are they still effective in present day when more outside information is able to get into the North? Myers: Lets remember that confessions have a very long history going back to the Korean War. The regime has always reveled in showing images and footage of Americans crying and begging for mercy. If you go to the war museum in Pyongyang, youll see a lot of prominent space devoted to this kind of thing and the attention to the USS Pueblos crew in 1968 resulted in a year-long feast of this kind of stuff. Kim Il Sung always said the Korean people should not be afraid of The Yankees. They should realize that the Yankees can be beaten and these images serve that end. Now its true that the North Korean people do have more access to outside propaganda then they used to. And I think this is one reason perhaps paradoxically why the North Korean export propaganda is much more bellicose than it used to be. In the old days the regime could make very peaceful noises to the outside world and very bellicose racist noises in what I call megaphone propaganda, the sort of thing that North Koreans get in their farms and factories. But now as more and more North Koreans access outside sources of information, the regime is under much more pressure to speak in one voice. And that means making much the same warlike and often racist noises in export propaganda that it has always made on the home front. Padden: North Korea may have a case to make that it needs nuclear weapons to deter what they see as a threatening outside force, that the US already has nuclear weapons, but it makes the case so poorly, with this bellicose language. Is the leadership so isolated or out of touch that they dont realize they could do a better job of communicating? Myers: I think we need to realize that they take their ideology just as seriously as radical Islamists take their own ideology. You can argue that the Islamic state could do a better job of presenting itself to the outside world. And yet it behaves the way it does because it genuinely perceives itself as righteous, as doing what has to be done. And with the North Koreans I think its the same thing. Those are ultra nationalists who are genuinely outraged by the presence of Americans troops in South Korea, who remain genuinely committed to reunifying the peninsula. And this is the problem with ultra-nationalists everywhere is that its very difficult for them to put themselves in the shoes of other nations, of other races and has great difficulty presenting itself in a sophisticated way to them. But Im not sure they are actually hurting their image too much. There are plenty of soft liners still out there in the west who spin this belligerent rhetoric as the expression of a genuine fear of American attack, or even as a tragically counterproductive cry for dialogue. And many people take his rhetoric as an excuse to say to the Obama administration We really got to start talking to these people on their own terms before something horrible happens. Padden: Is it the case that this strategy of provocations worked in the past and is the situation different now with Washington, Seoul and even to a degree Beijing less willing to compromise? Myers: The west really has habituated not just against the nuclear tests and the missile tests themselves, but also against this language. North Korea has been at very high pitch of warlike rhetoric for the past 20 or 30 years, and I think it is certainly the case that the outside world is not as worried about North Korea as it was in the early days of the nuclear crisis in the 1990s. PADDEN: All right. Thank you very much. Myers: Thank you. For the refugees camped out on the Greek-Macedonian border, the day begins with hope as it has every day for weeks. Maybe today the Macedonians will open the border. Maybe today it wont rain and clothes and tents can be dried out. Maybe today there will be more food. Maybe. Hope is all they have to drag them through days that swing between monotonous boredom hunched in their tents when it pours and a frantic scramble to get food and to repair tents when the sun shines. Hope is what draws the newcomers, 500 to 1,000 a day. Hope was high on Monday. The refugees believed the summit between European Union and Turkish leaders would produce some good news for the estimated 16,000 refugees, mostly Syrians and Iraqis, camped in the muddy fields outside this small village. And they still think some deal has been made that will allow their immediate passage north to the countries they most want to settle in: Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. Few understand that the EU and Turkey have provisionally agreed to a deal calling for the EU to resettle one Syrian refugee from Turkey in return for every Syrian refugee Turkey takes back from Greece. Nor have they understood the implications of a Turkish proposal to accept the return of all war refugees and economic migrants who cross the Aegean to reach Greece in order for EU countries to resettle asylum-seekers they will take directly from Turkey. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has said he finds the proposal "interesting." EU leaders are due to meet next week to finalize a plan that has provoked the anger of UN refugee chiefs and rights groups. The UNs refugee agency has warned any blanket return may violate international law. Prospect of resistance If enacted, the plan is likely to provoke not just anger among those here. The few refugees who do understand some of the plans under review say they will resist. "Theres war in Syria; there will be war here," said Abdul, a 32-year-old father of two toddlers from Idlib. "I didnt risk the journey here a sea crossing with my wife and kids to be taken back." A blanket return of refugees would prompt uncomfortable historical echoes of the forcible population swaps of Christians and Muslims between Greece and Turkey following the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-22. Reporters are questioned frequently about what they have heard. "Will the border open today?" refugees ask with words or gestures, bringing their hands together or separating them. "No" prompts a sad, reciprocal shake of the head and sometimes some muttering. Rumor spreads like wildfire here. It took less than an hour for this one to circulate: An Egyptian journalist told some refugees that they'd soon be moved to other Greek camps, from which the European countries that wanted them would conduct airlifts. Police presence grows The number of police at the squalid, makeshift camp has increased noticeably this week. One policeman confided to VOA of growing anxiety about a reaction possibly a violent one when refugees, with hopes buoyed by the summit, learn they are not going to be airlifted out and deposited in their country of choice. "We dont want a repeat of what happened the other day," he said, referring to the February 29 clash between some refugees and Macedonian border guards. Asylum-seekers had shaken the razor-wire fence blocking their way, prompting the guards to fire rubber bullets and tear gas. High tension Tension remains high in the under-resourced camp. Tempers and anger can flare rapidly. With a respiratory infection raging through the camp, sickening kids, parents anger is rising, as is their anxiety for their childrens well-being and their dismay at the insufficient numbers of doctors available. "We queue for hours to see anyone," said Hanan from Palmyra. She has three young children, all ill. The youngest, age 2, is feverish and has been coughing and wheezing for days. In the last few days, several fistfights have broken out in the long, meandering and time-consuming queues for free food being handed out by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders. The French medical charity has found itself substituting for the absent Greek authorities and, while doing the best it can, has become overwhelmed. The charity has appealed publicly for other Western NGOs to step forward and help. A local Greek charity called Praxis is on the ground but lacks sufficient experienced staff. The International Rescue Committee at midweek sent an exploratory team to see what they could contribute. In the meantime, theres a small presence by the U.S.-based Save the Children, which this week released an undercover report estimating that more than 250,000 youngsters live in fear in besieged areas of Syria. UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency, has an even smaller presence, and at least one MSF worker alleged its representatives spent most of their time briefing the press. "They arent actually doing very much," the MSF worker told VOA. A Praxis worker said: "What is happening here is disgracing Europe it is shaming Europe." Media as a safety valve One portly, middle-aged woman from the Syrian city of Aleppo charged up to a group of reporters Wednesday in tears, waving a cardboard box. She angrily explained that's all she got after asking for something to waterproof her tent and waiting in line for an hour and a half. "See how we are treated," she screamed, demanding that reporters do something about it. Her rage mounted when the sheepish journalists explained there really wasnt anything they could do. But refugees generally remain friendly to reporters and news photographers. The kids follow the media around, demanding to have their pictures taken. But some adults show unease with cameras shoved in their faces; many photographers who lack Mideast experience seem oblivious to the highly reserved, private nature of more traditional women from the region. Most reporters are bracing for the likelihood that refugees will tire of the media attention, feeling that they are being treated as circus acts. For now, though, the media offer a safety valve through which the refugees vent their lamentations and complaints. Camp entrepreneurs Among those complaining Wednesday were some enterprising refugees and locals who have been selling basic foodstuffs from bread and fruit to soft drinks and processed cheese from stalls set up on crates or from the back of cars. They said police have hassled them, telling them they must stop trading. Says Semaan, a Syrian from Aleppo who has been selling soft drinks: "I think they want to make refugees even more uncomfortable, to pressure them so when the time comes to move them away, they might not resist." Two of the five people missing from Hong Kong's Causeway Bay Books store returned to the city over the past several days, but police said they were refusing to cooperate with investigators. All five booksellers, including owner Gui Minghai, were thought to have been abducted and taken to Beijing for selling literature banned in mainland China. Cheung Chi-ping asked Hong Kong police to cancel his missing-person case two days after his fellow bookseller, Lui Por, returned to Hong Kong and made the same request. Both men requested no further help from the government or police and "refused to disclose other details," police said. A third bookseller, Lam Wing-kee, is expected to return to Hong Kong shortly. In February, all three appeared on pro-Beijing TV to confess their wrongdoings, explaining that they had been detained for illegal book trading in mainland China. Pro-Beijing Phoenix TV reported that Gui was found selling a large number of political books banned in mainland China through online channels, "conducting illegal business for illegal benefits." The report said Gui admitted his guilt and that the three others confessed to "acting with Gui's orders." The fifth bookseller, Lee Bo, who appeared in a separate Phoenix TV interview February 29, said that he voluntarily went to the mainland to assist in a Chinese investigation that required him to furnish evidence against people whom he declined to name. Lee, who is a dual British-Hong Kong citizen, also said he planned to renounce his British citizenship. Links to publisher Lee went missing December 30 last year, months after his publishing associates disappeared. The men were all associated with publisher Mighty Current, which specializes in books on political scandals involving China's communist leaders and other sensitive topics that are banned in mainland China. The disappearances also drew concern that China was eroding the "one country, two systems" principle under which Hong Kong has been governed with civil liberties such as freedom of the press. "In fact, this case is a political event, concerning a publisher and a writer engaged in political writing and political books publishing," said Bei Ling, a poet and longtime friend of Gui. "I would call it the most serious political event since 1997, when Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule. "If someone violates the law in Hong Kong, they should be sanctioned by the law in Hong Kong," he added. "How can they be abducted from Hong Kong and Thailand to mainland China for law enforcement?" Gui was believed by diplomats familiar with the case to have been abducted or coerced from Thailand. Bei said that all five involved in the case spoke of their "crimes" under tight control of the Chinese police, which indicates, he said, that Chinese authorities are determined to reveal only their version of events, regardless of fact. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders scored a surprise victory in Tuesday's Democratic primary in the northern state of Michigan, while Republican Donald Trump widened his lead with victories in Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii. Many polls showed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton heavily favored to win in Michigan, but Sanders got 50 percent of the vote. Clinton did easily win the other Democratic primary held Tuesday in the Southern state of Mississippi. Sanders said the Michigan victory means his "political revolution" is strong across the country, and that he believes the areas where his campaign is strongest are the ones that have not yet voted. "As more people get to know more about who we are and what our views are, we're going to do very well," he said. WATCH: Video report by VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone: Matt Grossmann, director of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University, said a key was the popularity Sanders has with young people, who are often harder for pollsters to reach but turned out to vote in Michigan. Minority votes Sanders also reversed some of his earlier struggles with appealing to minorities. "This is a very important statement that he can compete with Clinton beyond his base of young white liberals, that he can compete for at least some minority votes, that minority voters in the North might vote differently than those in the South," Grossmann said. Clinton told voters in Cleveland, Ohio -- one of the five states holding a Democratic primary next week -- that she is proud of the campaign she and Sanders are running. She compared it to the Republican campaign, where she said the candidates are tearing each other down. "Running for president shouldn't be about delivering insults, it should be about delivering results for the American people," Clinton said. Delegate counts are what ultimately matters in these races with candidates trying to amass the majority they need to secure their party's nomination. Clinton had a big lead going into Tuesday, and despite losing in Michigan, she earned roughly the same number of the state's delegates as Sanders. Grossmann said Sanders needs to start winning by 20 percent margins to make up ground. US Presidential Candidate Delegate Count Delegate Count Here is an estimated delegate count for each candidate: Republicans Donald Trump: 621 Ted Cruz: 396 John Kasich: 138 Democrats Hillary Clinton: 1,561 Bernie Sanders: 800 Total delegates needed for party nomination: Democrats: 2,383 Republicans: 1,237 * As of March 16, 2016 Ohio Governor John Kasich has a similar problem, sitting in fourth place in terms of Republican delegates. He finished third in Michigan, just behind Cruz, with about 24 percent of the vote. Kasich is banking on scoring a big batch of delegates next week when Ohio holds a winner-take-all primary. "I think Kasich did well enough for him to go into Ohio and have people consider him a legitimate candidate there," Grossmann said. "The problem has always been where does he go from there and how on Earth does he make up the massive delegate deficit he currently has with all of the candidates but especially with Donald Trump?" Second place Cruz sits in second place in terms of Republican delegates and won more with a victory Tuesday in the western state of Idaho. Trump came in second there. Third in the Republican delegate count is Florida Senator Marco Rubio who had a poor showing Tuesday with distant fourth-place finishes in Michigan and Mississippi. Rubio is also counting on his home state next week to deliver a boost with its 99 winner-take-all delegates. "I believe with all my heart that the winner of the Florida primary next Tuesday will be the nominee of the Republican party," he told supporters. Rubio predicted a win, but Grossmann said there is not much of a sign that will happen, and that he thinks if Rubio does not drop out of the race before the March 15 primary, he will do so afterward. "You'll start to see some of his supporters start to go to Kasich in other states," Grossmann said. Republican leaders have launched an intense effort to try to stop Trump, saying he is too unpredictable and would lose in November if Clinton is the Democratic nominee. Several anti-Trump organizations are also spending millions of dollars in the next week on advertisements, mainly in Florida and Illinois. Dismisses attack ads But Trump has dismissed those efforts, pointing to his continued success in elections. "There's only one person who did well tonight -- Donald Trump," he said Tuesday. Trump predicted victory in Florida, which he called his "second home" and where he holds a lead in polls over Rubio. On Thursday, March 10, at 11.00, the press centre of the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency will host a press conference entitled "Ukrainian Business Forum: Urgent Measures to Overcome Socio-Economic Crisis and Develop Future Strategy of Country's Growth." The participants include: Head of Ukraine's Anti-Crisis Council of Non-Governmental Organizations, ULIE President, Anatoliy Kinakh; MP, co-initiator of the Ukrainian Business Initiative Association Serhiy Taruta; Deputy Head of Ukraine's Council of the Federation of Employers Dmytro Oliynyk; MP, Head of Ukraine's Council of Entrepreneurs under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Leonid Kozachenko; and co-founder of Mykhaylivsky Club Serhiy Ivanov (8/5-A Reitarska Street). Accreditation by phone: (044) 536 9632, (096) 950 7565. Thousands of migrants trying to reach northern Europe are now stranded in Greece after Macedonia closed its border Wednesday, police officials said. The decision comes a day after Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia closed their borders to transiting migrants, with exceptions being made only for asylum-seekers. It effectively closes the so-called "Balkan route" taken by many migrants headed for wealthier nations in western Europe, with Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar saying, "The [Balkan] route for illegal migrations no longer exists." Slovenia's action is in line with a decree made Monday at a European Union meeting in Brussels that EU members must return to enforcement of the open-border Schengen agreement, which says nations can bar entry to any migrants who do not plan to apply for asylum in that country. Pressure on EU, Turkey The new measures put extra pressure on the European Union and its neighbors to handle the crowds of migrants already awaiting help within the EU and in Turkey, where 2.7 million migrants are waiting to continue their journey. It also exacerbates a dire situation on the Macedonian border. Greek officials said nearly 36,000 migrants and refugees are stranded in the country, including more than 14,000 mainly Syrian and Iraqi refugees stuck in a muddy, unhygienic camp near the Idomeni border crossing with Macedonia. EU leaders and Ankara said Tuesday they had reached a possible deal that would return the thousands of migrants who arrived in Greece from Turkey. After months of disagreements and increased bickering among the 28 EU nations, the leaders said they agreed to give Turkey more than $3 billion in additional funds to help with the nearly 3 million Syrian refugees it is hosting. The EU leaders also agreed to swiftly ease visa requirements for Turks and speed up Ankara's EU accession talks in exchange for its help in stemming migration flows to Europe. Resettle refugees In addition, the deal calls for the EU to resettle one Syrian refugee from Turkey in return for every Syrian refugee Turkey takes back from Greece. However, UNHCR refugee coordinator for Europe Vincent Cochetel, who said he did not know the details of the proposed deal, told VOA he worries it may lack safeguards to protect asylum-seekers. Collective expulsion of foreigners is prohibited under the European Convention of Human Rights," Cochetel said. "An agreement that would be tantamount to a blanket return of any foreigners to a third country is not consistent with European law, is not consistent with international law. All eyes are now on March 17 and the start of a two-day summit to finalize the commitment and agree on a deal that the leaders hope will allow for a return to normalcy along their borders by the end of the year. Europe is struggling to handle its largest refugee crisis since World War II. Last year, more than 1 million refugees and migrants made the perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea from Turkey to Europe, and roughly 142,000 have arrived so far this year, most of them arriving in Greece. South African President Jacob Zuma continues his three-day state visit to Nigeria Wednesday intended to strengthen the relationship between Africa's two leading economies. Garba Shehu, special assistant on media and publicity to President Buhari says President Zuma's visit is valuable because the two nations have a great deal to learn from each other, especially at a time when Nigeria is trying to diversify its economy from a dependence on oil to agriculture and mining, two areas he said in which South Africa has achieved a lot of progress. He also said the two leaders are discussing security cooperation, including arms manufacturing. Talks between the two leaders come amid some controversy on another security issue. Buhari accused the South African mobile phone company MTN Tuesday of fueling the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria by its failure to disconnect unregistered users. Shehu said while Buhari did not directly accuse MTN of aiding Boko Haram, the company was negligent even after repeated warnings from the Nigerian government to disconnect unregistered SIM cards by the middle of last year. "What he said is that they were slow in carrying out the registration of their own subscribers, and by default that of course led to the usage of telecom's platform by just anyone, including terrorists. And he said the implication of that is that the action of the company may have aided the killing by Boko Haram of more 10,000 Nigerians," Shehu said. Nigeria's grapple with MTN appears to be a familiar one in an age of advancing technology and the desire for individual privacy and national security. U.S Federal investigators are suing technology giant Apple, the maker of the iPhone, to force the company to provide access to the iPhone device used by one of the shooters in the December attack that killed 14 people and wounded 22 others in San Bernardino, California. Shehu said Nigeria's dispute with MTN is different. "In the case of the Nigerian incident, it is very clearly stated that each must profile and register all of their subscribers, and the law clearly states that if you fail to register within a given deadline, you must be charged so much money for each individual that you did not register. So it's a law and order situation. The MTN was negligent in this exercise, even after repeated warnings and deadline extensions, they simply ignored the government regulation," he said. Police in Somalia say a car bomb exploded outside a tea shop near a police building in Mogadishu Wednesday, killing at least three officers. Mogadishu police commissioner Ali Hersi Barre said the driver of the car was taken into custody and was seriously injured by the blast. Barre said police are investigating. Beledweyne attack Wednesday's attack followed one on Monday in the city of Beledweyne, in which at least six people including two African Union soldiers were injured in an explosion at an airport. In an interview with VOA's Somali service, Beledweyne police commander Colonel Ali Dhuh Abdi said an explosion occurred at the entrance of the airport, while security forces thwarted others. A laptop packed with explosives exploded at the front gate of the airport, as the security officers were trying to inspect a car carrying the device, injuring four Somalis and two Djiboutian African Union peacekeepers, Abdi told VOA. He said the security officials immediately discovered another bomb. Following the explosion we immediately launched a security operation to ensure that all passengers at the airport were safe and fortunately we found a printer, which had a bomb implanted, Abdi said. Abdi said police arrested 20 suspects in connection with Mondays explosion. WATCH: Video footage from scene of bombing Similarities to Daallo airline incident He said the explosion had the hallmarks of another incident last month when a blast occurred inside a Daallo airline flight bound for Djibouti. In that explosion, a passenger believed to be the bomber fell out the hole created by the blast and died. Militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for that attack. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the Beledweyne explosion. When young, charismatic Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives Thursday in Washington for a state visit and meets with President Barack Obama, the two leaders will discuss ways to deepen their bilateral relationship. While Trudeau's progressive policies are more in line with the Obama administration than those of his conservative predecessor, the two nations have charted different courses on the issue of accepting Syrian refugees. Under Trudeau, Canada has begun implementing a program to resettle 25,000 refugees. Trudeau says it is important because "it defines us as a nation." I think he was referring to a very long tradition of values of welcoming people in need around the world," Canadian immigration activist Cathleen Farrell explained. "So the refugee class is an important class of people who Canadians have long received. And I think he was trying to express a lot of what the general public feels. Obama has proposed admitting 10,000 Syrian refugees this year, a move that has met stiff political resistance. . Security concerns following the San Bernardino and Paris terrorist attacks have been raised by politicians, especially in the presidential campaign. Republican presidential candidates like Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz have called for restrictions on Syrian refugees. I am leading the fight in the U.S. Senate to stop President Obama and Hillary Clintons plan to bring to America, tens of thousands of Syrian Muslim refugees. Why, because the administration itself admits it cannot vet these refugees, Cruz said in a November debate. But refugee advocates like Lavinia Limon with the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants reject that notion. Refugees are the most vetted people of anyone who is admitted to the United States," she said. "The Paris bombers were Belgian and French citizens. They could take part in a visa waiver program which means they could just buy an airplane ticket. Cathleen Farrell says there was some anti-immigrant feeling in Canada. But the story of Aylan Kurdi, the three-year-old boy who drowned last year off the Turkish coast as his family was trying to reach relatives in Canada, shocked the country. I think that hit people very hard in Canada," she said. "They felt sorrow and they felt shame. As Trudeau and Obama meet in Washington, their talks will focus on trade and climate change. But the refugee issue is likely to come up. The Obama administration has applauded Canada's policy of welcoming Syrian refugees. Late night television in the United States is filled with ads for the latest slicing and dicing machines for the kitchen, but Donald Trump, the front-running Republican presidential candidate, literally brought the red meat to prime time television Tuesday as he basked in his latest nomination election victories. Trump crowed about his wins as he stood next to a table filled with raw beef on a cutting board and packages of bottled water, both from brands he owns, and a collection of red and rose wines from a vineyard he owns in Virginia clearly labeled as Trump vintages. "You have the water, you have the steaks...," Trump said, sounding like a TV ad pitchman. His fading challengers have taunted the billionaire real estate mogul over his many now-defunct businesses. They include casinos that went bankrupt and are boarded-up and a real estate training course he called Trump University that is embroiled in charges from former students that he defrauded them into paying thousands of dollars in tuition fees and got little in return. Trump has dismissed the attacks, noting his successful big city office, hotel and resort ventures. Maybe, he said, he would hold his next victory news conference in one of them in Chicago, as voters in the state of Illinois head to the polls on March 15 for primaries. U.S. defense officials say an Islamic State operative captured by American special-operations forces is a key figure in the militant group's chemical-weapons program in Iraq, where new gas attacks by the terror group were reported Wednesday. The unidentified suspect's detention was reported last week, but his link to chemical weapons was not disclosed until now by defense officials who requested anonymity. The Islamic State agent was captured during raids in Iraq and Syria by a U.S. "expeditionary targeting force," assigned to gather intelligence and identify high-ranking IS leaders. A Pentagon spokesman, Captain Jeff Davis, would not comment on recent operations but made general remarks about the "expeditionary targeting force." One of the goals, one of the missions we anticipate they they will do is that they will capture a small number of ISIL leaders," he said, using another acronym for Islamic State. "The detention of these we anticipate to be very short term. It will be coordinated with Iraqi authorities. Officials in Iraq told VOA Wednesday that Islamic State fighters fired rockets loaded with mustard gas, also known as sulfur mustard, into a town north of Baghdad late Tuesday and early Wednesday. Iraqi and Kurdish officials said dozens of civilians were injured by the attack on Taza Khurmatu, a town whose residents are mostly Shi'ite Muslim ethnic Turkmens. The rockets spread a garlicky smell and caused nausea and vomiting," according to Soran Jalal, head of Taza Khurmatus civil defense office. He told VOA that investigators confirmed the weapons carried mustard gas. A commander in Kirkuk, the Kurdish population center north of Turkmen town, estimated about 30 people required hospital treatment. Lieutenant Muhammad Qadir told VOA at least five of the wounded had facial burns caused by chemical agents. Separately, a police official in Kirkuk, Brigadier General Sarhad Qadir, said it was determined the rockets were fired into Taza Khurmatu from territory controlled by the Islamic State group. U.S. officials are aware of the group's use of such weapons. We know that they have used chemical weapons on multiple occasions in both Iraq and Syria and we should have no misconceptions. This is a group that does not observe international laws or international norms. They have demonstrated they will stop at nothing to inflict death and destruction on innocent people, Pentagon spokesman Davis said. Sulfur mustard - its usually in a powdered form and its put into artillery shells, rockets. And when those blow up it creates a dust cloud that can primarily aggravate but in large doses can absolutely kill. U.S. officials say Islamic State is still developing its chemical weapons program, so some reports about the terror groups use of chemical weapons on the battlefield is still largely about fear. Islamic State fighters still find it easier to manufacture and use improvised explosive devices (IEDs) or to use suicide bombers to inflict casualties, according to the American officials. The United States signaled Wednesday that it is moving toward a new package of military assistance to Israel, its closest Middle Eastern ally, even as relations between U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remain fraught with tension. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, in Jerusalem for a meeting with Netanyahu, said the Jewish state's regional military superiority must be preserved with both the quantity and quality of its weaponry. The two countries are negotiating a new U.S. defense aid pact to replace the $3 billion-a-year agreement that expires in 2018. The Israelis are seeking $4.5 billion annually from Washington; the U.S. is targeting a figure of about $3.7 billion. Netanyahu said in January that the two countries are finalizing details for a 10-year package. Biden said the assistance is necessary because Israel is in a "very, very tough neighborhood, a tough and changing neighborhood. We are committed to making sure that Israel can defend itself against all serious threats, maintain its qualitative edge with a quantity sufficient to maintain that." Biden told reporters that Obama has "done more to help bolster Israel's security than any other administration in history." But whether a new aid package is completed before Obama leaves office next January is an open question. Israeli aides hinted last month that they may wait to complete a deal until his successor is sworn in. Rocky relations The relations between Obama and Netanyahu have been contentious. The latest dispute unfolded this week, when the White House said it found out through news accounts that the Israeli leader had decided not to make a trip to Washington next week for a meeting with Obama after first suggesting the get-together. Nonetheless, David Makovsky, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told VOA the U.S.-Israeli friendship has thrived despite the prickly Obama-Netanyahu relationship. "Everyone has talked about the rockiness and the relationship between President Obama and the prime minister, while pointing out that the security relationship has survived and thrived, despite the political differences," Makovsky said. "But I don't know if in the eighth year of an eight-year year term there is great expectation of any grand turnaround at this point." Even so, Makovsky concluded, "I think these are two countries that understand joint values and the U.S.-Israel relationship is really too big to fail. It's grown in breadth and depth, the security relationship is very vibrant, very strong. So it's a kind of [like] A Tale of Two Cities, you know: the best of times and the not exactly best of times." Netanyahu's office said he called off next week's trip to Washington because he did not want to upstage the current Republican and Democratic presidential nominating elections, even though Obama is not on the ballot. Leaders past spats The United States has been a staunch ally of Israel for the duration of its nearly seven-decade existence in the turbulent Middle East, but there have been year-by-year conflicts between Obama and Netanyahu, both of whom assumed power in early 2009. When the two leaders first met at the White House seven years ago, White House officials were irked that Netanyahu avoided endorsing Palestinian statehood, a U.S. priority that Obama now acknowledges will not become a reality before he leaves office. Later the same year, Obama said in a Cairo speech that the United States "does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements" in the West Bank housing communities that Israel has expanded over the years even as the world community has denounced the new construction. In March 2010, when Biden was on another trip to Israel, the Israeli government announced plans for a new 1,600-home settlement. Later the same month, when Netanyahu was in Washington, he was denied the normal formalities accorded a foreign dignitary, including the ritual handshake. By 2011, a peeved Obama was caught on a live mic complaining about Netanyahu in a conversation with then-French President Nicolas Sarkozy. "You may be sick of him, but me, I have to deal with him every day," Obama said. Four years ago as Obama sought re-election, the White House viewed Netanyahu as a key supporter of Obama's Republican opponent, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who was openly welcomed by Netanyahu on a visit to Israel. There were new tensions last year as Obama and five other world leaders negotiated a nuclear agreement with Iran that curbed its development of nuclear weaponry in exchange for lifting sanctions that had sharply diminished Tehran's economy. Netanyahu, a staunch foe of the deal, accepted a Republican invitation to address Congress to denounce the deal as it was being negotiated. Obama refused to meet him while he was in Washington for the speech. The two leaders subsequently met at the White House after the nuclear deal was completed, shook hands and moved on to discuss the two countries' mutual interests in curbing Middle East turmoil. The last batch of U.S. states do not hold their presidential primaries until early June, but the nominating contests are about half over. After Tuesday's events in Michigan, Mississippi, Idaho and Hawaii, 23 of the 50 states have made their choice for the Republican nominee and 21 in the Democratic race. An especially important group of five states hold their votes next Tuesday, March 15. US Presidential Candidate Delegate Count Delegate Count Here is an estimated delegate count for each candidate: Republicans Donald Trump: 621 Ted Cruz: 396 John Kasich: 138 Democrats Hillary Clinton: 1,561 Bernie Sanders: 800 Total delegates needed for party nomination: Democrats: 2,383 Republicans: 1,237 * As of March 16, 2016 The Republican winner that day in Florida gets all of its 99 delegates, while Ohio's winner gets all of its 66, and most of the 69 delegates in Illinois go to the victor there as well. Florida Senator Marco Rubio's campaign has been clinging to the prospect of getting a boost from his home state, but with his continued string of bad performances, even that could be too little, too late. The same goes for Ohio Governor John Kasich in his state. Businessman Donald Trump had 458 delegates after Tuesday compared to Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who trails in second place with 359. Their goal is to amass 1,237 to claim a majority and the Republican nomination. The Democrats have been down to a two-candidate race for more than a month with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leading Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in the delegate count. Clinton, with 1,221 delegates after Tuesday's elections, has a little more than half of the 2,383 needed to be the Democratic nominee, while Sanders is roughly one-quarter of the way there, with 571. Clinton leads Sanders among likely Florida Democratic primary voters 62 to 32 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday. Her lead is especially strong among female voters, with 69 percent saying they would support her over Sanders' 24 percent. Clinton's lead is smaller heading into the other major primary contest in Ohio, where she leads Sanders 52 to 43 percent among likely Democratic voters. The survey found small amounts of undecided voters in each state, suggesting those numbers would remain steady for Tuesday's vote. For Sanders, there is no big candidate payday available. In state contests, Democrats receive a proportion of delegates based on the vote, so to make up ground he not only needs to win states, but also win them by a large margin. Nominating conventions The party nominees will not be made official until the Republicans and Democrats hold their conventions -- the Republicans in Cleveland July 18-21, and the Democrats in Philadelphia July 25-28. In many election years, the winner clinches the nomination before all the states have voted. By this point in 2008, Republican John McCain had already secured the nomination. In 2000, victories in several March 15 primaries assured both Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore of their party nominations. This year, there are only a few state contests after March 15. Things get busy again with the April 19 primaries in delegate-rich New York and again a week later as candidates compete in five states on the same day. U.S. military officials are denying that U.S. forces saw any ground action in a raid targeting al-Shabab militants in Somalia early Wednesday. U.S. officials initially characterized the raid in the town of Awdhegle as a joint operation with the Somali National Army. But Pentagon officials now say that while U.S. helicopters were used in the raid, U.S. personnel "did not go all the way to the objective." The chief of police in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region says forces in the raid killed 15 militants and took six others into custody. Abdi Ibrahim Shamow told VOA's Somali Service that senior al-Shabab officials had been meeting in the town to organize militias for attacks against Somali government forces and African Union troops. A local official said helicopters dropped between 60 and 70 soldiers outside Awdhegle just after midnight Wednesday. The official, Mohamed Aweys Abukar, told VOA the troops then attacked three or four targets in the town, inflicting a number of casualties on the militants. Al-Shabab said one of its fighters was killed in the raid. The al-Qaida-linked group said its forces put up stiff resistance and eventually forced the troops to retreat. This was the second time in five days U.S. forces were involved in an attack against Al-Shabab. On Saturday, U.S. aircraft fired missiles at an Al-Shabab training camp in the Hiran region, north of Mogadishu. The Pentagon said the attack killed around 150 militants who were training for a large-scale attack against AU troops and U.S. military personnel in Somalia. Al-Shabab confirmed the aerial attack but said the death toll was exaggerated. Rights activists in Zimbabwe marked the one-year anniversary Wednesday of the disappearance of journalist and fellow political activist Itai Dzamara. The activists, marching in Harare, called for the return of Dzamara, who was abducted after a series of demonstrations against the rule of President Robert Mugabe. Former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai addressed the activists, saying that Dzamara's disappearance represented "the unacceptable face of this government that just embarks on abducting people just because they have a different view." The march materialized after activists took the government to court for initially barring the protest. Police maintained a heavy presence during the event but did not deter activists from accusing Mugabe's government of continuing to disrespect human rights. Human rights lawyers say the government has not complied with a High Court order compelling security forces, including the p olice, to look for Dzamara, but Zimbabwean police spokeswoman Charity Charamba dismissed the accusation, saying the critics were "not informed." "We have been doing quite a lot behind the scenes to establish who could have abducted him and where is he," Charamba said. "But we have failed so far. But still we are appealing for information from anybody else who might have knowledge of where Itai Dzamara is." She said the government had put up a $10,000 reward for information about Dzamara. Itai Dzamara's brother Pattison said he was skeptical of the police response. "For them to actually fail to come up with at least one explanation, that is very curious," he said. "It only cements our suspicion [about] what we believed happened. It is police, it is the state security agents whether this was sanctioned from the top or its elements within the system, it is boiling to one thing: The system is responsible. [The ruling] ZANU-PF [party] and security agents are responsible for this." No African government has voiced concern about the missing activist; only Western institutions and governments have spoken up. On Wednesday, the European Union, Canada and the United States issued statements calling for Harare to scale up efforts to locate Dzamara. As victims of enforced disappearances and human rights defenders marked a year since the alleged abduction of human rights activist Itai Dzamara, some victims blamed the state for the abductions and said without holding past abductors accountable for their actions, disappearances of innocent Zimbabweans will continue. Speaking to Studio 7 at the launch of a Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights publication titled "Enforced disappearances. An information Guide for Human Rights Defenders and CSOs, Concelia Chinanzvavana, who was abducted during the 2008 elections in Mashonaland West province after contesting as an MDC candidate, said failure by government to punish those who abduct innocent Zimbabweans shows that the state is complicit in the abductions and the heinous act will continue. This issue of enforced disappearances has been an ongoing problem in Zimbabwe because we do not follow the rule of law and constitutionalism. If it was that then people would be afraid to carry it on because they would know one day I would be prosecuted in my own right or one day I would have to answer for this but now because they are protected maybe because they support the ruling party they do not care. We are hopeful that with the coming of the NPRC (National Peace and Reconciliation Commission) we will have somewhere to go and interrogate this and then it can be looked into on a permanent basis. Jestina Mukoko, another victim, who says she never thought she would live to tell the story after being held incommunicado for three weeks concurred. She said, The new constitution and the constitution then (2008) it was the role of the state to protect its citizens. Where is the state now when we have a long list of people who have disappeared? I do not see the state's commitment in ensuring these people are brought to safety and as a result I don't think I can be blamed if I see them being complicit in all this. Even from my case the police professed ignorance on my whereabouts. A whole government minister revealed that the identity of those the police had said should be arrested for kidnapping me could not be revealed as they were acting on behalf of the state. Mukoko was bundled into a vehicle at her home in Norton by state security agents. She was allegedly tortured while in detention. Some MDC-T activists like Tonderai Ndira and Beta Chokururama were allegedly abducted and killed in 2008 by suspected state agents and up to now no-one has been arrested in connection with the abductions and subsequent killings. Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights senior programs manager, Dzimbabwe Chimbga, told Studio 7 that from the cases of abductions that they have handled, the state which is supposed to protect citizens is suspected to be committing against its own people. From the pattern that is there, the cases we have worked on including that of Jestina Mukoko, Concelia and Emmanuel Chinanzvavana and many other cases it is quite clear from judgments that have come out that it is the hand of the state. Chimbga said the publication seeks to minimize the risk of enforced disappearances and that even the state would use it to protect its own citizenry. This is a publication on enforced disappearances motivated by the history of enforced disappearances in Zimbabwe. We have had a long list of people who have disappeared either because of political inclinations or because they are working as human rights defenders and the book articulates international, regional and domestic guidelines on human rights protection against enforced disappearances. It also speaks to what should be done where cases of enforced disappearances have been done. We hope the publication will be used by everyone in acquainting themselves on these crimes committed which are crimes against humanity. Dzamara is among some local people who are still missing. Others are civic society workers, Paul Chizuze, and Patrick Nabanyama, who was an election agent of former Education Minister David Coltart. Senior officials in the Ministry of Information were not reachable for comment. Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has assured the international monetary fund that Harare will reduce its public sector wage bill and improve fiscal discipline. But a leading economist says Harare and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are focusing on the wrong issues. Chinamasa told a visiting IMF team in Harare on Wednesday that the public sector wage bill would be slashed from 82 percent of government spending currently to 52 percent of expenditure by 2019. The IMF team has been in the country since February 24th. The IMFs head of mission to Zimbabwe, Domenico Fanizza, said Harare has met its targets. Harare has also set an ambitious plan to repay arrears amounting to $1, 8 billion to international lenders by April this year. Senior economics lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe and a government consultant, Dr. Gift Mugano, told Studio 7 that focus must be on growing the economy not just the wage bill. Its not about cutting expenditure for Zimbabwe. Its about addressing the root causes of where we are. We should not be cutting. We should not bemoan the expenditure of 83% as a big problem. I am quite concerned that the IMF is making a lot of problems about this issue without providing solutions which must be centered on productivity. "You cannot make an argument over a budget of US$4 billion, which is the size of a company in South Africa. We have no budget to talk about. If we raise our national budget to $8 billion ... This budget (civil servants) will remain the same. It will align itself by 50% without cutting anything. Meanwhile, the IMF says economic difficulties have deepened in Zimbabwe. In a statement to mark the end of a Staff-Monitored Program visit to the nation, the IMF said Zimbabwe cannot wait and needs to act now. It noted that the El Nino-induced drought has hit the economy hard, adding that lower commodity prices and the appreciation of the U.S. dollar have compounded difficulties. The IMF said policy action is needed to reverse this trend. Once the SMP is completed successfully as an initial step toward reform and re-engagement with international partners a comprehensive and ambitious economic transformation program is needed to revive the Zimbabwean economy and to cement support among international partners. It also pointed out that the authorities have met all quantitative targets and structural benchmarks under the third and final review of the Staff Monitored Program. Moreover, said the IMF, Zimbabwe has started to develop a medium term economic transformation program, in line with the broader reform agenda presented at the Lima meetings on arrears clearance in October 2015. As a result, it said fiscal discipline is the key priority. Given the lack of resources, the authorities need to keep the cash primary accounts close to balance. Former Prime Minister and Movement for Democratic Change leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, joined the Dzamara family and thousands of politicians, civil society activists and ordinary Zimbabweans in commemorating a year after pro-democracy activist, Itai Dzamara of the Occupy Africa Unity Square, was abducted by unknown assailants in Harare. The commemorations began late in the morning at Africa Unity Square in central Harare with family members, activists and politicians, mostly lawmakers from the Tsvangirai MDC formation, singing and dancing calling for the state to find Dzamara. Shortly before the march began, Tsvangirai addressed the gathering and accused the Zanu PF government of abducting citizens that had different opinions with the ruling elite. He said forced disappearances must stop immediately and government must account for all missing people like Itai Dzamara. As we remember Itais disappearance all we are calling for is lets put a closure to Itais case, lets have the finality Is he alive, is he dead? We just want to know the finality of it and I am sure for all of us it is one thing that we will demand this government and we will hound this government for ever and ever until they bring Itai to us dead or alive, said Tsvangirai. He said it was disappointing that the government was now afraid of its citizens, hence its alleged abduction of those with different opinion. Itai Dzamaras disappearance represents the unacceptable face of this regime, the unacceptable face of a government that just embarks on abducting people just because they have a different view. Former Zanu PF lawmaker and Youth Advocacy for Reform Democracy director, Themba Mliswa, concurred with Tsvangirai adding that Zimbabweans must fight for their rights. Mliswa appealed to lawmakers to defend peoples rights noting that he only realized the importance of human rights when he was kicked out of the ruling party. Mliswa said his organization stood by the Dzamara family. How many Zimbabweans believe in what we are doing for Dzamara, if you cannot be here today are you then prepared to continue fighting? Senate human rights thematic committee member, Senator Michesk Marava, said the Dzamara family should know that the nation was behind them. The Dzamara family should stay put, they should stay quiet, and they should just watch the job being done by Zimbabweans as is what is happening right now, said Marava. Political activist, Tendai Lynette Mudewe, said the commemorations were successful and such activities must be held regularly until Dzamara has been found. We would want to urge our partners Occupy Africa Unity Square and the Itai Dzamara Trust to keep on having these activities to put pressure on the government, said Mudewe. Family representative, Patson Dzamara who led the march together with Tsvangirai throughout the city to Rotten Row and back to Africa Unity Square, said the family will not tire until his brother is brought back home. Tsvangirai joined the procession up to Angwa Street before breaking off to pursue other business at his offices. Itai Dzamara Trust chairperson, Bishop Ancelimo Magaya, called on the government to stop the suspected abduction of citizens and ensure that they are safe as required by the constitution. Dzamara, a former journalist and pro-democracy activist, was abducted by suspected state security agents and up to now there has been no trace of him. The High Court ordered the state to look for the missing activist and submit regular reports to relevant authorities. As the commemorations were taking place, Zanu PF lawmakers were caucusing at the party headquarters. Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo could not be reached for comment. Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently told the National Assembly that his party and government were concerned about Dzamaras disappearance but the family says they hold them responsible for his abduction. Meanwhile, in statement to mark one year of Dzamaras disappearance, the United States Embassy in Harare said it remains deeply concerned about Dzamaras whereabouts and wellbeing, noting that Zimbabwe should fully investigate cases of politically-motivated violence and abductions to ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted and victims receive justice. Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. BEIJING, March 8 -- China's recent flurry of diplomatic activity has surprised some international observers and been widely welcomed around the world, serving domestic interests while expanding global participation. As the country enters a decisive five-year developmental phase, diplomacy has become more meaningful in achieving the strategic blueprint. On the sidelines of the annual legislative session, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met the press on Tuesday and talked about matters ranging from the South China Sea to the Korean Peninsula. HORIZONS NEW China has been actively breaking new diplomatic ground under the leadership of President Xi Jinping with new thoughts, policies and measures, Wang said. "We are on the path to major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, helping realize the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation and build a community of common destiny for all mankind," Wang said. President Xi delivered a New Year message asserting China's new role on the global stage. "The world is so big and faces so many problems," Wang said on the press conference, quoting Xi. "The international community wishes to hear China's voice and China's solutions; China cannot be absent." The Chinese currency, renminbi, has been included into the International Monetary Fund basket of reserve currencies and China became in January a member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, both of which indicate China's rising presence in global financial activities. "We are not trying to build a rival system," Wang said, "on the contrary, we are trying to play a bigger role in the existing international order." NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH Regional issues on such as the South China Sea and the Korean Peninsula require careful handling. China will continue to advocate denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and has both the responsibility and capability to implement the United Nations Security Council resolution, Wang said. Wang said of the South China Sea, "Freedom of navigation does not mean doing whatever you want." "The South China Sea remains among the world's safest and most open seaways," he said. China is acting in line with international law by refusing to accept an arbitration claim filed over the South China Sea by the Philippines, whose "obstinacy" is clearly the result of behind-the-scenes political manipulation. On the Belt and Road, Wang declared that the initiative should not be seen as Chinese expansionism, but rather as an exercise in opening up. The initiative has already brought forth the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and improved industrial cooperation between China and nearly 20 countries. MULTI-POLAR WORLD China and the United States are building a new model of major-country relationship without confrontation or conflict, based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation, Wang said. China has no intention of supplanting the United States, but given the friction over maritime issues, both sides could clearly do more in terms of cooperation. The economic slowdown will not affect investment and aid promises made at December's Johannesburg meeting of the forum on China-Africa cooperation, Wang said. On China-Europe relations, Wang said recent progress was not an expediency but a necessity. China regards Europe as an important pole in a multi-polar world, he said, and Europe has come to view China's rise in an objective and sensible way. There has been simultaneous and mutually complementary development of relations between China and various European countries, exemplified by Xi's state visit to the United Kingdom. Relations between China and Russia are mature and stable and the two sides have a strong desire to strengthen win-win cooperation, Wang said. Wang pulled no punches when he accused Tokyo of "double dealing," saying that there is little ground for optimism in bilateral relations, despite signs of improvement. On one hand, Japan's leaders regularly produce easy platitudes about their desire for better relations, while on the other they make trouble for China at every turn. China's policy on the Middle East has nothing to do with expanding its sphere of influence or establishing proxies, but is about facilitating peace talks from an objective and impartial stance. The Belt and Road will deepen mutual pragmatic cooperation in this region. Wang expressed his confidence in China-Myanmar relations, saying that the friendship is "strong and dynamic." China wants even closer relations with all ASEAN members, building a community of common destiny for the benefit of all. Smith was charged with first degree murder in the deaths of 18-year-old Haile Kifer and 17-year-old Nick Brady after they broke into his home. President Xi Jinping vowed on Tuesday to show "zero tolerance" toward election fraud. He made the remark when he joined a panel discussion of lawmakers from Hunan province, where a high profile vote-rigging case was reported in 2013. That year in Hengyang, the second-largest city in the province, 56 provincial legislators were found to have offered 110 million yuan ($16.9 million) in bribes to hundreds of city lawmakers and election staff members to get elected. According to the Electoral Law, lawmakers at the county and township levels are directly elected by the public, while lawmakers at the provincial or city levels are elected by the legislative body at the level below them. Since legislative bodies will hold elections this year and next, "We need to draw profound lessons" from the Hengyang electoral fraud case, Xi said. It has become the norm for top leaders to join panel discussions held by some delegations during the annual sessions of the top legislature and advisory body, to listen to opinions from the grassroots. During the panel discussion, Xi elaborated on the electoral system, in addition to economic growth and social affairs. The president called for strict legal procedures, an effective electoral mechanism and good discipline in a quest to eradicate election fraud. Fu Ying, spokeswoman for the annual session of the top legislature, once called the Hengyang case the worst in the history of the people's congress system. After the scandal was exposed, the Hunan provincial legislature disqualified the 56 provincial lawmakers in late 2013, and 512 city lawmakers who had taken bribes were asked to resign. Those involved were either sentenced to prison or given administrative and Party punishments. Hunan has taken the case as a lesson and will crack down on any such misbehavior during the coming elections, said the province's Party chief, Xu Shousheng. Zhan Zhongle, a professor of administrative law at Renmin University of China in Beijing, said officials need to reflect on the anti-corruption mechanism during the upcoming elections and try to perfect the electoral system gradually. Xi's remarks mean that more detailed arrangements are expected in an effort to improve supervision over the elections, Zhan said. Im sad to report that this weeks episode felt a little lackluster. Part of the reason is me, though. As one of the only shows on television featuring a Chinese family, I really want the show to just go in on capital-I Issues. Thats the stuff that makes me cry and laugh and yelp in happy recognition. But, a sitcom is a sitcom. Done any other way, Fresh Off the Boat would be too emotionally exhausting, so I get the need for episodes like Hey, Jealousy. Always focusing on the Huang familys otherness would take away from the talent of the cast and the writers, and make the show feel more like an after-school special than a half-hour of very good television. So, Ill take what I can get. That said, Hey, Jealousy is nonetheless a pretty solid episode, proving further that if the Jessica Huang on TV were a real, live person, I would fear and admire her in equal measure. She is inspirational. So, heres the thing: Jessica and Louis spend a lot of time with each other, but they dont spend much time apart, though not for lack of trying. Jessica and Honey try to have book club and wine time and girl talk, but Louis keeps interrupting. Hes alarmingly friendless, and its high time that changes. The problem? He doesnt know where to meet people because meeting people when youre grown is really, really hard. Back in D.C., he had Hank, who would gladly engage in spirited debates about the merits of Pomeranians versus poodles while playing pool. In Orlando, hes got his work peeps and not much else. Jessica needs her alone time, and if theres one thing weve learned, shell do whatever she can to make that happen. So, she resurrects Black Ball Betty a pool cue, you pervs, this is a family show hands Louis turn-by-turn directions to the nearest pool hall, and hopes for the best. Cue Tips is a seedy, dark, smoky place full of unfettered, terrifying masculinity. Louis, earnest and kind, walks inside carrying his pool cue in its very own case. Even if the gentleman with the very long beard who approaches Louis is intimidating, he doesnt let it show, because it turns out he made a friend. However, that friend is a woman named Tony (played by Angelique Cabral). As a woman who clearly subscribes to the When Harry Met Sally school of thought that men and women cant just be friends, Jessica is distraught that her husband is hanging out as friends, mind you! with a woman who is clearly trying to steal her man. So, like any sane person, Jessica tags along with Louis to Cue Tips to suss out the situation. Tony is both attractive and really good at pool. Naturally, she makes her entrance to Black Velvet, a song that could make everything from picking a wedgie to using a toothpick look sexy, which doesnt really do much to help Louiss case. Jessicas beautifully wrought breakdown upon seeing Tony for the first time is an accurate portrayal of jealousy, but the power of her presence does nothing to compel Tony away from her husband. They just want to play pool. Yes, pool is a game that film and television have rendered inappropriately sexy, what with the bending over and the leaning and the pool cues and all, but its just a game. Its just a game. After a quick lie about Mitch getting locked in Cattlemans, Jessica hustles her husband out and puts it all out on the table. Yes, she lied to get him away from Tony. Apparently, women are to be kept away from married men because I guess they cant be trusted? She lays down the law: Louis can only hang out with Tony during daylight hours, they can only share clear soups or broths as food items, and he has to keep his wedding band in plain sight at all times. And if he cant do that, well, maybe he should let Jessica be his pool buddy? This plan does not work, obviously. Even though Jessica shows up in leather pants and some red heels, she has to put on her emergency Keds and play Amy Grant on repeat just to feel comfortable. Also, shes horrible at both pool and the kind of breezy, aimless conversation other people have with their friends. No one has any fun, but eventually, it all works out. Louis and Tony can play pool together, but only under the watchful eye of the benevolent women of the Denim Turtle. While Jessica is wrangling her jealousy issues and tamping down the crazy within, Eddie is also dealing with his own problems in a manner that befits a middle-school boy with a comically inflated ego. Hot Chris dumped Nicole via an expertly deployed Terminator 2 reference, so shes back on the market, but she just wants to be friends with Eddie. Because he is a boy with the confidence of a man, hes determined to have his cake and eat it too. Hell get ice cream with Nicole without telling his actual girlfriend, Allison, because as per Maury, single chicks cant be friends with dudes. The trick is that hes got to keep the girls apart to avoid the inevitable catfight for his affection, or something. Keeping them apart works for one day, especially with Trent and his on-command nosebleeds coming through in a pinch, but Eddie sees the two women in his life exchanging Claires jewelry and talking, which means all of the work hes done to keep them apart is ruined. Also, Allison used to have a crush on his best friend, Dave. When Eddie sees Dave and Allison chopping it up by the ice-cream truck after school, his inner green-eyed monster lurches to life. This is where our intrepid hero makes several wrong moves. First, he assumes that Dave and Allison are flirting when really, theyre just chatting. Second, he interferes by saying mean things to Dave about his absent father. Third, Nicole walks up to eat some ChocoTacos with her good friend Eddie, and just like that, hes caught red-handed. If Allison cant be friends with Dave because hes a dude, why does Eddie get to hang out with Nicole, a girl whom he probably wouldve proposed to, if only hed had a ring? Turns out, Eddies just doing what a 13-year-old boy does best hes being a jerk. He apologizes to Dave, clears the air with his girlfriend, and all remains well in Orlando for at least one more day. Authenticity Index: + 35 stacks of quarters at the pool table for Jessicas attempt at an apology. I was almost not right is precisely how I feel when Im actually, probably, maybe wrong. Pride! Its a tricky mistress. + an infinite amount of cue chalk for the crap that Jessica carries in her purse. I saw crumpled tissues, Tic-Tacs, a mysterious food item wrapped in a napkin, and a plastic bottle of what I hope was soy milk. Maybe Kevin Spacey is about to be killed off, and Ill look like a fool in front of the whole internet for saying this, but Frank is definitely going to survive. And because we know Frank will survive, the drama swirling throughout this episode his livers failure to regenerate and his somehow not-top-spot on the donor list does not translate to the world outside of the series, where you and I reside. And with extremely limited exceptions (the series finale of My So-Called Life comes most readily to mind), dream sequences are not the best choice of storytelling device. The symbolism of a dream sequence, as is HoCs house style, is often clunky as hell or outright meaningless. (Remember those origami birds from season one?) So, Frank hallucinates some Civil War reenactors, while the machinery of modern medicine bleep-bleeps all around him, and that is his arc for the episode. He also hallucinates being on his rowing machine. These scenes are beautifully shot the sound is fantastic, too but they add little-to-nothing to the story. Onward to the conscious! Doug, of course, hears that Frank needs a liver and is like, KILL ME IF YOU MUST, I SHALL CARVE MY LIVER OUT WITH MY OWN FINGERNAILS. I could not hold back my laughter when he was late-night Googling about living liver donations, and then I laughed even harder when, duh, the doctor reminds Doug that he is a recovering alcoholic and his liver is about as useful as a dried-out hunk of Play-Doh. Donald is crushing on Claire so hard hey, no judgment there and even though her brief foray into international politics went very, very badly, he believes only her guidance can help him through a call with Petrov. She offers to listen in while G-chatting him on the side, like a modern-day Mean Girls. It is with Claire de Bergerac at his virtual side that Donald gets Petrov to drop the vice from Mr. Vice-President. Later, Donald tells Claire he was devastated but relieved when his wife died. When my father died, it destroyed me, Claire said. But when I think about mother, I feel nothing. She says she feels the same about Francis. Is she flirting with Donald? Bold choice. Id trust you with my goddamn life, Claire, Donald says. Yikes. The best element of this episode is the reveal of Lucass suicide note. It gives us a long overdue gift: The return to the shows central issue, which, like Zoe Barnes on the Metro tracks, was hastily abandoned at the beginning of season two. Will anyone connect the dots of these murders, or dig into the death of Peter Russo? Or must we, as I fear, return instead to the insufferable Raymond Tusk, negotiations with China, and the rest of the stuff that I would fast-forward if I were not your valiant recapper, studying every moment of this series so you can spend half the episode checking Instagram? I am so grateful for the return of Kate and Tom, the competent reporters who are down but not out. I have faith that they will keep investigating all the allegations in Lucass note, because if that thread gets dropped again, why are we even watching this show? The one irritating thing about Toms conversations with Kate and with Claires statement to the press is how they all keep relying on this idea that mentally-ill people will snap, which is, to use a technical term, not a thing. Remy is wrenched out of Florida, where we find him waiting in long gas lines (bummer), deciding not to tell Jackie he misses her (sad, but probably the right call), and talking to his parents in French (so adorable, 10/10, would watch an entire episode of these interactions). Blackmailed by Leann, he returns to the White House and ugh, a thousand times ugh pulls Raymond Tusk out of the archives and into the Oval Office. Its rough days for Heather Dunbar, who has to figure out the correct optics for campaigning against a sitting president in a coma, and Attorney General Martha, who has no choice but to tell Doug about her Lucas-centric conversation with Heather. That will not be good for either of those ladies. Speaking of people having a rough time, lets talk about Doug and Seth. Doug invites Seth over to his apartment so they can finally just make out already oh, nope, sorry. I mean, so Doug can tell Seth that his job is safe for now. Then Doug, very brolike, is all, Can I get you anything? and Im thinking, ricin in the water, but no, Doug goes the route of JAMMING THE GLASS OVER SETHS MOUTH TO SUFFOCATE HIM. If I cant have your loyalty, I will have your obedience. Blink if you understand. Doug then uses the same glass to offer Seth some water. In response, Seth utters the truest words ever spoken in this series: Youre fucked up. He walks out. I hoped that he would go immediately to the airport (like immediately, do not pass go, do not collect $200) and board a plane to some distant paradise place with no cell service. But, no: Seth is back at work the next day, saying hi to Doug in the hallway like no one just almost-murdered anyone. Doug might be able to glass-suffocate Seth into submission, but he cant control Claire. Youve forgotten your place, Douglas, Claire says, reminding us all that using someones full name is a great, easy power play. Doug is so sad. Even though he is Franks work wife, and he actually loves Frank, Claire is still his real wife and cannot be dethroned. This explains why you probably roll your eyes at magic. Photo: David M. Benett/Getty Images In the second installment of J.K. Rowlings North Americanwizardry history lesson, now live on Pottermore, she delves into the most well-known tragedy in American witchcraft: Salem. After settling in the New World and living among Native American witches and wizards, immigrants who practiced magic were quickly persecuted by their non-magically blessed peers, the Puritans. Enter the Scourers, an immoral group of wizards who, without any kind of Ministry of Magic to regulate magic in America yet, took it upon themselves to govern the small wizarding population however they saw fit. Far away from the jurisdiction of their native magical governments, many indulged a love of authority and cruelty unjustified by their mission, Rowling writes. Such Scourers enjoyed bloodshed and torture, and even went so far as trafficking their fellow wizards. On their power trip, at least two Scourers, Rowling says, were partly responsible for the Salem Witch Trials, which massacred a number of utterly innocent witches, as well as some non-magical settlers. Salem, Rowling reveals, altered the course of history for American wizardry. It caused a mass exodus of witches and wizards from America and scared most pure-blood families still overseas from emigrating to the New World. For that reason, the majority of subsequent American wizards were Muggle-born, which prevented pure-blood elitism from taking over in North America the way it did in Europe (later perpetuated by Voldemort and his cult of Death Eaters). The wizards who did stay established the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) in 1693, whose first order of business was executing any Scourer convicted of murder, of wizard-trafficking, torture and all other manners of cruelty. But some Scourers escaped and infiltrated the non-magical community, eventually starting non-magical families (any wizard children were winnowed out). Secretly embedded in the Muggle world, they instilled in future generations of North American No-Majs, a belief that magic and wizards were real and ought to be exterminated. So the next time someone tries to shame your Harry Potter obsession, assume the Scourers brainwashed their family centuries ago. Lilly Wachowski, half of the Wachowski filmmaking duo, penned an open letter Tuesday coming out as a transgender woman. Chicagos Windy City Times published the piece, which delves into Lillys decision and explains how she was pressured by Britains Daily Mail into spreading her announcement prematurely. I just wanted needed some time to get my head right, to feel comfortable. But apparently I dont get to decide this, Lilly (formerly known as Andy) wrote. Im out to my friends and family. Most people at work know too. Everyone is cool with it. Yes, thanks to my fabulous sister theyve done it before, but also because theyre fantastic people. Without the love and support of my wife and friends and family I would not be where I am today. (Lillys sister, Lana, came out in 2012; the siblings most recent project was Netflixs Sense8.) The letter goes on to underline the dangers of forcibly outing those in the transgender community, and includes some of Lillys thoughts on gender binarism, bathroom bills, and queer and gender theory. Heres another excerpt: I am one of the lucky ones. Having the support of my family and the means to afford doctors and therapists has given me the chance to actually survive this process. Transgender people without support, means and privilege do not have this luxury. And many do not survive. In 2015, the transgender murder rate hit an all-time high in this country. A horrifying disproportionate number of the victims were trans women of color. These are only the recorded homicides so, since trans people do not all fit in the tidy gender binary statistics of murder rates, it means the actual numbers are higher. And though we have come a long way since Silence of the Lambs, we continue to be demonized and vilified in the media where attack ads portray us as potential predators to keep us from even using the goddamn bathroom. The so-called bathroom bills that are popping up all over this country do not keep children safe, they force trans people into using bathrooms where they can be beaten and or murdered. We are not predators, we are prey. Im out to my friends and family. Most people at work know too. Everyone is cool with it. Yes, thanks to my fabulous sister theyve done it before, but also because theyre fantastic people. Without the love and support of my wife and friends and family I would not be where I am today. But these words, transgender and transitioned are hard for me because they both have lost their complexity in their assimilation into the mainstream. There is a lack of nuance of time and space. To be transgender is something largely understood as existing within the dogmatic terminus of male or female. And to transition imparts a sense of immediacy, a before and after from one terminus to another. But the reality, my reality is that Ive been transitioning and will continue to transition all of my life, through the infinite that exists between male and female as it does in the infinite between the binary of zero and one. We need to elevate the dialogue beyond the simplicity of binary. Binary is a false idol. Snowden (L); Joseph Gordon-Snowden (R). Photo: Getty Images, Open Road It turns out that Oliver Stones long-delayed Edward Snowden biopic, Snowden, which was moved from last fall to a release later this year, was just as hard to make as you might have expected a movie about an international fugitive to be. Shooting for the film, which stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shailene Woodley, moved to Germany because we did not feel comfortable in the U.S., Stone said in a recent talk at the Sun Valley Film Festival about the project, and several companies with ties to the U.S. refused to collaborate on the project. Still, Oliver Stones the kind of guy who commits, and the director decided to double down on the cause and travel to Moscow, where Snowden has been living in exile, for several clandestine meetings over the past year. What did Stone learn from Snowden during those meetings? (You know, aside from all the secrets) Hes a night owl, and hes always in touch [with the outside world], and hes working on some kind of constitution for the internet with other people, Stone said. So hes very busy. And he stays in that 70-percent-computer world. Hes on another planet that way. His sense of humor has gotten bigger, his tolerance. You didnt need to travel to Russia for the humor part, Oliver, you could have easily found a sample of Snowdens searing wit on Twitter. Ms. Clark cannot object, says opposing counsel in the child-custody hearing that opens Marcia, Marcia, Marcia, and with that directive, the episode gets its theme. In this specific instance, opposing counsel is correct: Marcia Clark cannot object because shes the defendant in a case brought by her ex-husband, Gordon, whos seeking primary custody of their kids while the Simpson trial commands her attention. But the metaphor stands. The Simpson trial has turned Clark into a celebrity against her will and theres nothing she can do about it. The People vs. O.J. Simpson has been great about showing us the behind-the-scenes dirt we couldnt see during the trial, but its also been valuable for giving us a fresh perspective on what we could see. Clarks sexist treatment by the media has been an ongoing concern for the show, and Marcia, Marcia, Marcia gives the issue its fullest airing yet. It all happened right in front of us: the withering assessments of Clarks hairdo and fashion sense, the second-guessing of her prosecutorial acumen, the gross tabloid revelations, the sexist remarks in open court. And it was coming at us, too, through the relentless drumbeat of 24/7 trial coverage on cable news, radio, newspapers, and anywhere else where opinions and speculation could be magnified. Clark didnt face public scrutiny alone, of course, but The People vs. O.J. Simpson has consistently underlined certain words (frumpy, shrill, bitch) that are often applied to women in the public eye. Behind the scenes, Marcia, Marcia, Marcia guesses what it must have been like for Clark at the time in a word, devastating but then and now and forever, were guilty of talking about celebrities as if theyre not also human beings. For the Dream Team, the attention was certain to be a net positive: As Robert Shapiro told F. Lee Bailey while informing him hed be working pro bono, Youll be dining out on this case for years. Cochran took some heat for being flashy (read: black), but no one was going to question F. Lee Baileys haircut or Barry Schecks vocal tone or Robert Shapiros soft appearance. Those types of judgments were reserved for Clark. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia is about the gross attention she receives from the tabloid press, starting with the hair and clothing and ending with the nude beach photo her second ex-husband leaks to the National Enquirer. But its also about the stresses bearing down on Clark from other sources: A once-bulletproof case continues to unravel with the testimony of Det. Mark Fuhrman, whose racist statements are poised to set fire to her mountain of evidence. Her 70-hour workweeks leave her vulnerable to Gordons argument that shes unfit to care for their kids. And the support she should be getting from Gil Garcetti dissolves into a passive-aggressive offering of media consultants and a wholly unsympathetic attitude about her obligations as a mother. Against this backdrop, we hear testimony from Denise Brown (Jordana Brewster), Nicole Browns sister, who breaks down on the stand while talking about O.J.s openly abusive treatment of Nicole and his insistence that she was his property. Brown relays an incident where O.J. grabbed her sisters crotch and declared, This is where babies come from and this belongs to me. That may be a Flintstone-ian expression of the patriarchy, but the way it filters through the defense team is a telling indication of what Clark and the prosecution are up against. Shes overdoing it, says Cochran. Shes crying on cue and theyre feeling it. Hes not saying Denise is lying here; hes saying that talk of O.J.s abuses are not resonant, which is a much different matter. If theres little sensitivity for what Nicole Brown experienced as a woman, then surely theres nothing in reserve for Clark. Shes expected to absorb this sexist treatment. Coming off last weeks Christopher Dardenfocused hour, Marcia, Marcia, Marcia intensifies the bond between the two prosecutors as they duck public criticism and burrow into the foxhole together. This has the making of a classic wartime-love affair, the kind that typically happens when the bombs are dropping overhead. The creators of the show seem to be embracing the real-life Dardens recounting of the relationship as more than just friendship, and Brown and Paulsons chemistry together make it a shippers delight. The kindnesses that Darden extends to Clark during this episode, especially as Gordon takes their custody battle public and the press registers a guilty verdict on her new haircut, are as moving as anything weve seen so far. Hes the only person who knows what shes going through. Hes the only one who cares. The episode also casts Cochran in a much less flattering light and, by extension, it criticizes a culture that doesnt take violence against women seriously. Cochran sneers at Denise Browns sob story while, behind the scenes, he takes unsavory steps to paper over allegations of spousal abuse in a previous marriage. Sexism certainly played a part in Clarks sour celebrity, and The People vs. O.J. Simpson makes it as much a part of this trials toxic stew as race, class, and celebrity. There wasnt enough awareness of its effect at the time, but with 20-plus years of hindsight, we can see cruel prejudice more clearly now. Grievances that were once denied or minimized are now starkly apparent. Ms. Clark cannot object. Dancing Itos: Damian Lewis as the tormented lead in The Forsyte Saga. Photo: PBS Oh, Downton Abbey. Well miss your soapy shenanigans, class dynamics, romance, and yes, even your most miserable moments. And after six seasons, were going to need something to fill that upstairs-downstairs void in our lives. To assist in smoothly transitioning to a post-Crawley life, weve highlighted 11 Downtonesque shows that are excellent contenders to be your next favorite period drama. Sit back, ring a bell for some tea, and enjoy. Upstairs, Downstairs, 19711975 If you want something as narratively and spiritually close to Downton as possible, Upstairs, Downstairs is by far your best bet. Aired in the 1970s, this was arguably the first drama that specifically focused on the class dynamics between the upstairs masters and their dutiful downstairs servants but instead of a country estate, the setting is a posh metropolitan townhouse in the Belgravia section of London, owned by the wealthy Bellamy family. Everything, from the titles to the time period to the parlance, will inevitably have you nostalgic for the Crawleys. (For those looking for something more updated, a much more glamorous version was rebooted in 2011 and lasted two seasons.) The Paradise, 20122013 Set in the late 19th century, The Paradise follows a young Scottish woman who decamps to northern England to work at the countrys first high-class department store, and the interactions she faces with the various employees and often stuffy customers. (Not to mention, the blossoming yet taboo romance that ensues between her and the widowered store owner.) Dont let the beautiful costumes fool you, though the retail world often gets nastily cutthroat. How modern! Grand Hotel, 20112013 Grand Hotel is often referred to as the Spanish Downton Abbey and its easy to see why. The premise is simple: A young man passes himself off as a waiter at the luxurious Grand Hotel in Spain to investigate the mysterious disappearance of his maid sister. He soon falls in love with the owners daughter, who agrees to help him find out the truth about her disappearance. In between the sleuthing, you follow the daily lives of the hotels spirited servants, the ruthless familial owners (the matriarch has a huge penchant for violence), and the colorful grandees who visit. Its a fun, sexy time in 1905 Spain. (Another British show of similar nature, The Grand, depicts the many exploits of a family-owned Manchester hotel.) The Forsyte Saga, 20032004 This is a family (and romantic) drama on major steroids. Adapted from John Galsworthys trilogy of novels, The Forsyte Saga follows three generations of an upper-middle class British family as their social and economic powers fluctuate wildly between the 1870s and 1920s. The seemingly constant woman-swapping, as well as the Forsytes struggle to remain relevant in a vastly changing society, result in a dark and complex narrative. A dapper, pre-Homeland Damian Lewis stars as the tormented leading role. Mercy Street, 2015 Moving across the pond, the Civil War-set Mercy Street breaks down opposing war barriers and chronicles the nurses and doctors some Union, some Confederate, which nicely provides a pseudo-upstairs-downstairs dynamic who work together in a chaotic hospital in Alexandria, Virginia, to help treat war patients. This medical procedural may not be superglamorous or peppered with dignified accents, but the melodramatic elements (the rich family that owns the building has money problems, for instance), coupled with historical commentary about race and feminism, make for a poignant period drama. Plus, it stars a post-How I Met Your Mother Josh Radnor as Dr. Jed Foster. Cranford/Return to Cranford, 2007, 2009 If youre thinking to yourself, You know, Id love to watch a show with a lot of Dowager Countess-like characters that also has an underlying spirit reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice, look no further than Cranford (season one) and Return to Cranford (a two-part season two). The show, led by the always-wonderful Judi Dench, follows a small fictional village in 1840s rural England run by a formidable group of mostly single and widowed women. They gossip, try to initiate romance, meddle in other peoples business, and, most of all, keep to tradition and hate change. Its positively delightful. To seal the deal even more, Downton favorites Michelle Dockery and Jim Carter both pop in for supporting roles. Mr Selfridge, 2013present A good dark romp of a period drama, Mr Selfridge tells the story of the highly exuberant yet deeply troubled American retail magnate Harry Selfridge (Jeremy Piven) who, in his own words, is giving the world style, glamour, and razzmatazz by founding the high-end U.K. department store Selfridges in the 1910s. The natural dynamic of the stores dedicated employees including those in fashion, beauty, accessories, and even the loading bay as well as Selfridges many distressing misadventures with money and women and his slow decline in status, makes for captivating television. North & South, 2004 North & South is a four-part miniseries that chronicles the abrupt change in life for a middle-class young woman from the south of England, when her clergyman father decides to leave the Church of England and move the family to a northern industrial town. What follows are her many attempts to adjust to the new living conditions, which isnt helped by a slow-burning love affair between her and a brooding and emotionally restrained local mill owner. Think of it as a hybrid of the romance in Pride and Prejudice and the working-class realism of a Dickens novel. (Brendan Coyle, Mr. Bates himself, also has a sizable recurring role.) Call the Midwife, 2012present Set in Londons gritty East End in the 1950s and 1960s, Call the Midwife follows the intertwining lives of midwives and nuns as they all live together in an Anglican nursing convent called the Nonnatus House. The countless deliveries and nursing duties put upon them on a daily basis are often difficult and fatiguing to watch especially as their district, Poplar, is appallingly medically deprived but the shows underlying sentimental spirit is one of relentless optimism and tight-knit sisterhood. Lark Rise to Candleford, 20082011 You dont see many shows, period drama or otherwise, where a post office is a key setting. Lark Rise to Candleford wonderfully tells the story of a young girl who moves to a booming market village in Oxfordshire to begin an apprenticeship at the local post office under the helpful guidance of her mothers cousin. Beyond the postmistress narrative, the show follows the daily lives of the various residents of competing local communities the modest Lark Rise and the more well-to-do Candleford in the late 19th century. (As you can glean from the shows title, our protagonist moves from her native village to the other town for the job.) Brendan Coyle shows up once again in a supporting role. A Place to Call Home, 2013present The melodramatic A Place to Call Home follows a woman who returns home to her native Australia following the end of World War II (and a 20-year stint as a nurse in Europe), and falls in love with a charming widower on the ship home. However, as the two grow closer to each other back on the mainland, his mother the matriarch of the powerful and privileged Bligh family in rural New South Wales does everything in her power to make the relationship go away. Its a racy yet breezy drama, complete with gorgeous 50s-era costumes, conflicting loyalties, and seemingly never-ending secrets. Bonus: Sesame Street Alright, this is technically a sketch, but we could watch Grover running up and down a staircase all day. Shipping lanes in the South China Sea are among the safest and freest in the world, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday, emphasizing that freedom of navigation "does not give some countries the right to do whatever they want". "If someone wants to muddy the waters in the South China Sea and to destabilize Asia, China will not agree to it, and I think the majority of countries in the region will not allow that to happen," Wang said at a news conference on the sidelines of the two sessions of the top legislature and political advisory body. Wang stressed that China's buildup of defense facilities on its own islands and reefs is fully within its international rights and that the country is not militarizing the seas. China is neither the first country to deploy weapons on the Nansha Islands nor the one with the most weapons operating in the South China Sea or conducting the most military activities there, Wang said, adding that "the label of militarization is more suited to some other countries". Zuo Xiying, an international studies specialist at the National Academy of Development and Strategy at Renmin University of China in Beijing, said the United States is using fears over freedom of navigation as a ruse to level accusations against China. Zuo also said a certain country, by resorting to an arbitration process, is falsely claiming that China is violating international law. "China should clarify the situation and tackle the issue,'' Zuo said, adding that Wang has drawn a firm line on the issue by stating Beijing's position. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is expected to rule in May on a case filed by the Philippines concerning the South China Sea. Beijing will not accept the arbitration, Wang said. The dispute should be settled by the countries directly involved through consultation and negotiation, he added. By not accepting the arbitration case, the Chinese government is acting entirely in accordance with the law, whereas the Philippines taking it to arbitration is "unlawful, unfaithful and unreasonable", the minister said. He said the Philippines' move was a result of behind-the-scenes instigation and political manipulation. "Some people are trying to make waves (in the South China Sea) and some others are flexing their muscles there. But history will prove who are just passers-by and who is the real host," he added. Wacos maker of fine whiskey, Balcones Distilling, keeps receiving accolades from the industry. It most recently won three titles from the 2016 World Whiskies Awards in New York City. Its True Blue 100 received Worlds Best Corn Whisky, the highest-tier award in the category. Its 1 Single Malt was named the Best American Single Malt, and its 2015 Staff Selection Single Barrel received Best Single Cask American Single Malt. The World Whiskies Awards is one of the most venerable spirits competitions in the world, Balcones Head Distiller Jared Himstedt said. We are excited and humbled to have our whiskeys recognized by them. Our staff is especially honored for the Best Single Cask American Single Malt award received by their personally chosen cask of whiskey. Balcones was founded under the 17th Street Bridge in downtown Waco and has relocated to a new distillery in the old Texas Fireproof Storage building at 225 S. 11th St., which dates back to 1923. Renovations and the installation of new equipment will give Balcones four times the spirit distilling capacity. The company has won more than 160 awards and accolades since 2009, with 50 coming in 2015 alone. More awards for Balcones Waco-based Balcones Distilling has received yet another official toast for the quality of its whiskey. TheFiftyBest.com recently sponsored an American single malt whiskey tasting in New York City, where 21 contenders were evaluated for the Best American Whiskey awards for 2016. Balcones received a Double Gold medal for its Texas Single Malt Whisky, the highest honor bestowed. The judges described the spirit as sweet, elegant, smooth and gentle, according to a news release. We are honored to be acknowledged by The Fifty Best, said Jared Himstedt, head distiller for Balcones, in a prepared statement. This is the first time they have evaluated American single malts, and we are very pleased to have placed so well in their blind tasting. The contests panel of 15 judges sampled the single malt whiskeys and rated them individually on a scale of 1 to 5. The whiskeys were poured into fresh glasses from new sealed bottles and served at slightly above room temperature to ensure the true essence of the spirits was not compromised. TheFiftyBest.com is an online guide to fine living, featuring ratings from judges, including journalists who write about wine and spirits, spirits professionals, retailers, mixologists, spirits consultants and connoisseurs, Balcones publicist Jade Magalhaes said. Balcones, founded in 2008, has won more than 160 awards and accolades since 2009 and more than 50 in 2015 alone. Distillery of the Year Waco-based Balcones Distillery has again come home with a barrel full of awards for its whiskey. It was named the American Craft Whiskey Distillery of the Year at the annual Wizards of Whisky Awards, an honor reserved for the highest-scoring whiskey makers in a particular region of the world. Balcones Staff Selection Single Barrel, a limited edition of the distillerys Texas Single Malt, was named the American Craft Single Malt of the Year. In all, the distillery earned three gold medals, one each for Texas Blue Corn Bourbon, Texas Single Malt and Staff Selection Single Barrel. It also earned a silver medal for True Blue 100. In addition to these medals and titles, the Staff Selection Single Barrel was recognized as a runner-up for World Distiller of the Year, World Whisky of the Year and Single Malt Whisky of the Year, according to a news release the company published after its victories. Having our whiskies recognized at such a prestigious competition by impartial judges is an honor, Balcones Head Distiller Jared Himstedt said. These awards affirmed the art and passion we put into our expressions and drive us to keep striving for excellence. More information about the distillery and the awards it has received is available at balconesdistilling.com. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in McLennan County will have a kickoff event for its annual free Walk Across Texas program at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Cameron Park Redwood Shelter, 2300 Cameron Park Drive. Participants can register as a group of up to eight people or as solo walkers and compete with other teams and individuals to see who can walk the most miles over eight weeks, from Monday to May 8. To register online, visit http://walkacrosstexas.tamu.edu (enter March 14 start date). For more information, call 757-5180. China Spring dinner China Spring ISD Education Foundation will have its annual Pride of China Spring dinner at 6 p.m. March 17 in the cafeteria at China Spring High School, 7301 N. River Crossing in China Spring. The top 10 percent of the 2016 CSHS graduating senior class and distinguished alum Yolanda Anderson will be recognized at the event. Tickets for the catered dinner cost $15, or $150 for a table of eight. Proceeds will benefit student scholarships and academic grants for teachers. For reservations or more information, call Judy Hull at 495-2828 or email csisdef@hotmail.com. Historical Commission McLennan County Historical Commission will meet at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Commissioners Courtroom at the McLennan County Courthouse. Agenda items will include the Texas Independence lecture scheduled for April 21, a bus tour of historical markers in the county and an update on the Jesse Washington marker. For more information, call Van Massirer at 486-2366 or email vmassirer@yahoo.com. Friends of Peace Waco Friends of Peace/Climate will screen the documentary Earth Underwater at 6 p.m. Thursday at Poppa Rollas Pizza, 703 N. Valley Mills Drive. The film illustrates the projected loss of islands and cities secondary to sea level rise, and engineering solutions to these climate-change impacts. The lecture will include a pizza and salad buffet. For more information, visit www.friendsofpeace.org. Parkinsons support Heart O Texas Parkinsons and Caregivers Support Group will meet at 3 p.m. Thursday at Community Fellowship Church, 2001 N. Valley Mills Drive. Speaker Jo Bidwell will talk about The Basics of Parkinsons Disease and provide free literature for attendees. For more information, call 732-0000. Caladium bulbs Historic Waco Foundations Earle-Napier-Kinnard House is accepting orders for its annual caladium bulb fundraiser. Cost is $12 for 10 No. 1-sized bulbs, in red, white or pink. Bulbs will be available for pickup April 16. To place an order, call 741-0452 or 848-4177. Submit items for Briefly in printed or typed form to Briefly, P.O. Box 2588, Waco 76702-2588; fax to 757-0302; or email to goingson@wacotrib.com at least one week before an event. The McLennan County Elections Commission on Tuesday placed blame for the disenfranchisement of 606 voters in last weeks primary on the company that sold the county its election equipment 10 years ago. Elections workers were not prepared ahead of time to operate the equipment correctly, leading to voters getting the wrong ballot on Election Day, County Judge Scott Felton said. Hart InterCivic, the countys vendor, did not send a reminder to elections officials about the procedures needed for running a joint primary election using vote centers, which allow anyone in the county to vote at any polling place, said Felton, who is also chairman of the elections commission. There also were issues with retraining, he said. County officials realized the need for new procedures before Election Day and worked with Hart InterCivic, but workers did not follow the new protocols, Felton said. Is it to the extent that the commission recommends new leadership or whatever in that role? he said, referring to Elections Administrator Kathy Van Wolfe. It doesnt appear that way. When other Hart InterCivic customers switched to countywide vote centers from precinct-specific polling locations in 2012, the company sent reminders about the new procedures for election workers, said Rich Geppert, Hart InterCivic manager of professional services. We didnt do that for this election, Geppert said. County Clerk Andy Harwell, vice chair of the elections commission, asked Geppert if Hart InterCivic felt responsible. We should have sent out reminders, Geppert said. This year was the first joint primary election McLennan County has run using vote centers. Learning process Felton said Van Wolfe justified the issues, described the mistakes that happened and said this was a learning process for the county. On March 1, more than 600 people in four McLennan County polling locations either received a ballot that included the incorrect county commissioner race or left off a county commissioner race that should have been included. Two out of the four county commissioner seats were up for election this year Precinct 1 and Precinct 3 and both drew challengers. Precinct 1 Commissioner Kelly Snell beat challenger Cory Priest by 29 votes in the primary election. Precinct 3 Commissioner Will Jones beat challenger Ben Matus by 821 votes. Priest has since called for a recount, which is scheduled for Wednesday. He plans to file a lawsuit to get a new election, as hundreds of people received the wrong ballot. Harwell said the vendor should have assisted McLennan County well in advance of the election. Harwell said he thinks Hart InterCivic is a good company, and with better communication between the group and the county, he feels confident this problem can be avoided in the future. I dont know why in this case they dropped the ball, he said. Vote centers Van Wolfe said that before implementing vote centers, the county used precinct-based polling locations. There have since been three general elections with vote centers. Vote centers allow for anyone in the countys 91 precincts to vote at any location, she said. But this was the first primary election using vote centers in McLennan County, she said. Van Wolfe said she had a conversation Feb. 3 with one of the countys vendors, who pointed out the countys election equipment might not work the same way on Election Day because of the systems scanners. Van Wolfe said at that point she already had sent out 3,000 mail-in ballots. She said she had to decide how to move forward. She opted to train election judges how to manually add voter precinct and party to the system to find the correct ballot, instead of using the scanners that automatically did the work. But some people working the polls wrote a ballot-style number instead of a precinct number, resulting in the wrong ballot being given to voters, Van Wolfe said. Ive had people saying to me that there was somebody missing on the ballot or the race wasnt on the ballot, she said. The ballot was correct. The workers just gave up the incorrect ballots to voters. Van Wolfe said ballot issues occurred at First Assembly of God Church, the Mart Community Center, Cesar Chavez Middle School and Fellowship Bible Church. Geppert, with Hart InterCivic, said a few other counties also had this issue, but they discovered the problem early on and were able to adjust properly. He said the company cant change the current software because of its certification. There are just three vendors in Texas certified to have voting equipment, Van Wolfe said, adding the other two also had problems. She said it also would cost the county about $1 million to purchase new election equipment. The human error was made from the beginning to the end, Van Wolfe said. I came here 10 years ago, and we started from the ground up and rebuilt that office. What I have in place is my integrity. Commission member Jeb Leutwyler, outgoing McLennan County Republican Party chairman, said he was not entirely satisfied by the information provided by Hart InterCivic. They never did say, We do take part of the blame for this, Leutwyler said. He feels certain that if the county had the proper information further ahead of the election, there never would have been a problem, he said. But the county now knows what it needs to do to keep this from happening again, which is what is important, Leutwyler said. Snell, who attended the meeting, said he was not happy with the information presented. He said no one clearly identified who was at fault for the snafu on Election Day, whether it was the software, the company, the Elections Office or something else. Snell said if a lawsuit is filed in the future regarding the election, the county needs to establish the cause of the problem. Snell said he hopes the elections commission gets more information before coming before commissioners with any type of recommendation. Felton said this is the commissions first meeting in more than three years. He said the state statute describing the commission is contradictory and vague, but its primary focus is to appoint or evaluate the existing elections administrator. Defending Van Wolfe Felton has asked for public input, and several of the documents submitted are emails from individuals coming to Van Wolfes defense. Tammie Hartgroves, Precinct 63 Democratic Chairwoman and past president of the Texas Democratic Women, wrote that Van Wolfe should not bear the sole responsibility for the mishap. Hartgroves said the county should upgrade its voting equipment and do a better job of educating election workers and the electorate. Voter apathy is rampant. When incidents, such as what occurred on March 1, 2016, happen, voters begin to doubt the integrity of the election and feel as their vote is not going to be counted or worse that the election is rigged, she wrote. Waco-McLennan County NAACP President Peaches Henry wrote that mistakes happen and that she doesnt think the errors were malicious. Henry said the commission should take this opportunity to address issues regarding voting equipment, training of poll workers, diversity among poll workers, frequent changes in voting locations and voter education. Former Democratic Party Chairman David R. Schleicher, with Schleicher Law Firm, said he was out of the state all week and could not attend the meeting. But as someone who has known Kathy Van Wolfe both in my role as a candidate and as a local party chair, I wanted to share my views on her tenure (and am doing so without any prompting from her), Schleicher wrote the commission. She is experienced, highly competent and was so evenhanded that I cannot be certain to this day which political party she prefers. Losing her, particularly before the November election, could do great harm to the county and its voters. Dear Baylor Alumni Association Members: I am pleased to report that on March 7, 2016, the Baylor Alumni Association (BAA) reached an agreement with Baylor University resolving our legal differences and putting an end to nearly two years of litigation. The BAA Board of Directors believes this settlement agreement represents the best possible outcome for our members and the entire Baylor family, and we hope you will support our effort to bring this litigation to an honorable conclusion. Unlike the Transition Agreement rejected by BAA members in 2013 (Link), this settlement agreement does not abolish the BAA or require the organization to turn its assets over to the University. Rather, the BAA will live on and continue to exist as an independent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit entity. The BAA will continue to connect, engage and inform Baylor alumni, award scholarships to deserving children and grandchildren of Baylor graduates and, most importantly, continue to add transparency to the Baylor family dialogue by publishing the Baylor Line magazine with editorial and operational independence bolstered by an agreement more solid than the current license agreement. Under the settlement agreement, the BAA will change its name to one of several options probably The Baylor Line Foundation --- and will not hold itself out as an alumni association. But this agreement also ensures that the thousands of proud alumni who have purchased Life Memberships over the years will continue to receive the benefits that come from that long-term commitment, including their lifetime subscription to the Baylor Line. The settlement agreement will also usher in a new era of governance at Baylor University. Under the agreement, all Baylor alumni will now have the right to vote in elections to name three members of the Board of Regents to full voting seats. Never before in Baylors history have the alumni had the right to directly elect members to the Board of Regents. These new Alumni-Elected Regents will have the same rights and duties as all other voting regents, and will bring fresh, new ideas and opinions to the Board something we believe is critical to a healthy and successful Baylor going forward. The first three Alumni-Elected Regents will be selected by consensus of the BAA Board and the Baylor Board of Regents to serve staggered terms of one, two and three years. As each term expires, all Baylor alumni will vote to elect the Regent who will serve a three-year term. Each Alumni-Elected Regent will be eligible, like other Regents, to serve three consecutive terms. The settlement agreement provides that this alumni-election process will remain in place for at least 20 years. Alumni-Elected Regents can be removed only for cause and will have a right to submit unfair removal to an arbitration panel. This ensures that the Alumni-Elected Regents do not serve at the pleasure of the other Regents, but remain accountable to the Baylor alumni who elect them. Finally, the University will pay the BAA $2 million to use in any way that furthers the organizations charitable purposes, including awarding scholarships, publishing the Baylor Line, securing a new location for our headquarters, and communicating with alumni. In exchange, the BAA will waive its rights to a replacement for the Hughes-Dillard Alumni Center, which was razed by Baylor in the summer of 2013. As a next step, the BAA plans to submit a name change and other changes to align the BAA bylaws with this new era of cooperation with Baylor to a vote of our members. More information about voting, including electronic voting, will be coming to you shortly. If for some reason the parties cannot agree on the initial three Regent selections, the settlement will be void. Also, if BAA members reject the BAAs new name, Baylor will have the right to render the entire settlement agreement null and void. In our ongoing effort to be fully transparent, we have posted a more detailed overview of the settlement agreement; the agreement itself; and the Baylor press release on the BAA website at btl.bayloralumniassociation.com/settlement (link) In closing, several people deserve special thanks for producing this mutually agreed-to settlement. U.S. District Judge and Baylor law graduate Ed Kinkeade73, J.D. 74, has spent countless hours over almost six months providing leadership and friendship in helping the parties negotiate a resolution to this dispute. Judge Kinkeade got involved at the request of his friends BAA Director Lyndon Olson 69 and Baylor President Ken Starr. Judge Kinkeade encouraged, cajoled and hounded us. When negotiations took a few wrong turns, he forced us back to the table. That the parties have reached agreement is a testament to Judge Kinkeades vision, tenacity and his sheer love for Baylor University. Our counterpart in this months-long negotiation has been Baylor Regent J. Cary Gray, 79, 80; J.D. 83. Although we have had a few tense, adversarial conversations, Cary is a good and honorable man who brought enormous energy, time and legal skill to the very difficult process of resolving this dispute. Baylor alumni are fortunate to have a leader like Cary serving so diligently on the Board of Regents. The members of the BAA Board of Directors have also spent hours overseeing informal settlement discussions. The BAA Board has been engaged and informed about the evidence related to the lawsuit, the legal strategies, and every stage of the settlement negotiations. The BAA Board was remarkably unified throughout the litigation and settlement discussions and approved this settlement agreement without any dissenting vote. Judge Gary Coley, J.D. 93, deserves special recognition for helping both sides understand the urgency of making one last attempt to settle our differences to avoid an unpleasant public trial. With the months-long settlement negotiations seemingly at impasse, Judge Coley ordered the parties to come to his courtroom on February 11 for a mandatory final settlement negotiation. The parties negotiated for about nine hours in Judge Coleys courtroom, then for another eleven hours on Sunday, February 21, at Pat Neff Hall. We left Pat Neff at 1:15 a.m. Monday morning with a near-final agreement. The BAA is proud of its long and storied 157-year association with Baylor University. With this lawsuit behind us, we look forward to ushering in an exciting new chapter for our members and for Baylor, an institution we all hold dear. We are eager to move forward together united as one Baylor family. Sincerely, Tom Nesbitt 94 President WAHOO Saunders County Democrats preference for a presidential candidate Saturday matched up with the rest of the state. Bernie Sanders grabbed 57 percent of the states overall vote to claim the win in the Nebraska Democratic caucuses. Hillary Clinton, who remains the frontrunner in the national race with a strong delegate count, took 43 percent of the votes in Nebraska. In Saunders County, 63.51 percent, or 181 votes, went to Sanders, compared to Clintons 36.49 percent, or 101 votes. There were five locations in the county for caucuses. Saunders County Democrats Chairman Martha Hunter of Ceresco said she had heard good reports from the caucus sites. Overall, the process seemed to go well. Hunter said everyone participating had an opportunity to have their voice heard and offer support for their candidate. They left knowing they took part, she said. They maybe didnt leave happy, but they left energized. That energy was visible at the Wahoo caucus as Ashley Else was the first one to grab the microphone and stump for her candidate. She said she believed in Sanders because of his promise for change. I am voting for Bernie Sanders because I believe in real change, she told those gathered in the gymnasium of Wahoo High School. Sanders supporters outnumbered Clinton supporters about three to one at the Wahoo caucus. But the Clinton supporters were passionate about their candidate too. Jim Splitt spoke to the need to have experience in office, which is why he said he supported Clinton. However, he didnt dismiss Sanders as an unqualified candidate for the party. I think we have two wonderful people, and we cant be wrong no matter where we stand today, Splitt said. Nancy Meyer of Cedar Bluffs, who took part in the caucus at the Cedar Bluffs Senior Center where 33 Democrats reported, said the party had good candidates this year. We have two really strong candidates, as opposed to the other side, said Meyer. Hunter said there was interesting discussion and debate that took place in Ceresco, where 51 votes were counted. There was energized enthusiasm for the candidates, she said. That is exactly one of the reasons that the caucus method was put into place by the Nebraska Democratic Party in 2008, said Ken Havelka, who served as the caucus team leader in Wahoo. Havelka said the first goal was that the candidates would come to Nebraska and share their campaigns with the voters. This year, Sanders and Clinton have made stops in Nebraska. The second goal was to get voters engaged. We want active, involved members, Havelka said. So these goals have been met, and we are a stronger party. Steve Mayfield, who served as chairman at the Yutan caucus, agreed the caucus process energizes the party. It makes it a more social event. If you just go in and vote, then theres a disconnect, he added. Meyer said caucusing brings a connection between federal and local politics. Its opposite of primary and general voting. Youre supposed to talk about politics and candidates and how things affect them on a local level, said Meyer. Steve Daharsh of Wahoo said he liked taking part in the caucus on Saturday. When the caucus started, he was one of five people standing in the middle of the gym in an uncommitted group. By the time the final vote was taken, Daharsh had moved into the Sanders corner. He said he was leaning a little toward Sanders at the start. But, I wanted to hear both arguments, Daharsh said after the caucus. I wanted to hear the people speak about their viewpoints and then make a decision. This was the first time that the Wahoo resident has taken part in a caucus. Daharsh, who also helped with caucus registration Saturday morning, was also elected as a delegate to the county convention May 28. He said he liked that the presidential choice was done through participation, rather than just checking an oval in the voting booth. That interactive process suited a government teacher Saturday morning too. Phyl Woodburn lives within the Wahoo caucus voting precincts and teaches government at Yutan Public Schools. He said he has been talking to his students about the voting process and didnt want to miss an opportunity to lead by example and participate in the caucus. He said he believes in the caucus method. It becomes a means to talk to like minded people, Woodburn added. Woodburn attended the 2008 caucus that was held at the Wahoo Heritage Inn. Prior to the start of Saturdays activities, he said this years caucuses seemed a little less energetic than in 2008. (In 2008), it was wall to wall, elbow to elbow and people were excited, he said. Hunter said she was pleased with the attendance Saturday, but had hoped for a few more participants. That same sentiment was expressed by Shawn Otte, one of the caucus committee members at the Wahoo caucus, where 65 participated and 12 absentee cards were submitted. She said participation might have been lower than expected because of the specific time frame the caucus method uses. Its completely different than the primary, when they can go anytime between 8 (a.m.) and 8 (p.m.), she said. Otte said many people may not be aware of the caucuses yet or that this was the day to cast their vote for the presidential nomination. Some people did take advantage of the absentee voter card offered by the states Democratic party and absentee preference card votes were added in at each caucus. The Ashland caucus gathered the most people, as 76 attended. There were 10 absentee votes. It went really well, said Ashland Caucus Chair Jack Eager. We had some really good discussion. Eager said the number of people caucusing in Ashland surpassed 2012, when Barack Obama ran for reelection, but did not reach the numbers achieved in 2008. At that time, more than 90 people attended the Ashland caucus. Mayfield wasnt disappointed with Saturdays turnout of 35 people in Yutan. In 2008, I think there were only three sites for caucus, he said. I thought having five sites might spread us a little thin, but Im very happy with the turnout. Saturdays caucuses drew a mix of first time attendees and those who took part in the two previous ones. Julie Nygren of Ashland was a newcomer to the caucus process. This is my first time participating, but I feel this is a way I have my say in who leads our country, she said. Jeff Borreson would not have missed the opportunity to attend another caucus. I went with my parents, when they went to vote, he recalled about his childhood. So, I have always gone to elections. The first time he was old enough to vote himself was at the 2008 caucuses. This years caucus was just as important to him. With the Primary Election not until May, Borreson said the states Democrats had the ability Saturday to make a difference in the partys nomination. This is an important time, he said. One of the trends noted by both the county and state Democratic organizations is that the caucuses are drawing younger people to the voting process. There were several younger voters in attendance in Ashland, including several college-aged students and four or five high school students, some who are not yet 18, but are eligible to vote in Novembers general election. I was really encouraged to see a lot of younger people there, Eager said. Otte said that is one of the reasons she likes the caucus method too. The best part about all of this is the enthusiasm from the young people who want to participate and learn about government, she said. (Staff Reporters Suzi Nelson, Sam Farmer and Camee Schofield contributed to this report.) Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking about the Korean Peninsula during a wide-ranging news conference on Tuesday. PHOTOS BY FENGYONGBIN/ CHINA DAILY Maintaining stability on the Korean Peninsula is a priority as a renewal of negotiations is sought, says foreign minister China is displaying flexibility on resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, according to experts, while Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing is "open to any initiatives" that could help bring the issue "back to the negotiating table". At a news conference on Tuesday in Beijing during the annual two sessions, Wang said that those involved "have also suggested some ideas, including flexible contacts allowing three-party, four-party or even a five-party format". After the Democratic People's Republic of Korea conducted a nuclear test and a rocket launch earlier this year, China called for an easing of tension and a restarting of the Six-Party Talks. Wang said UN Security Council Resolution 2270, which recently expanded sanctions against the DPRK, must be implemented in its entirety. He also said sanctions are necessary and "maintaining stability is the pressing priority, and only negotiations could provide a fundamental solution". The Six-Party Talks on the peninsula nuclear issue involving China, the DPRK, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan were launched in 2003 but stalled in 2008. Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said Wang's latest response "shows both a sense of duty and flexibility", because "no matter what the format of contacts will be, the goal is to achieve negotiation and avoid war". Ruan said that one of the implied messages is that "Pyongyang should be part of the expected contacts because such contacts without the DPRK will be of no use". BEIJING, March 8 (Peoples Daily) -- The Group of Twenty (G20) Hangzhou summit will be held on Sept. 4 and 5. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the summit will stress innovation, reform and development. China will make breakthroughs for the summit by trying to discover new force of growth through innovation, inject new momentum to the world economy through reform and create new prospects through development, Wang said. For the first time, China will make innovative growth a key topic in the G20 summit agenda.China also stresses the importance of structural reform, encouraging major economies to reach new consensus and work together to pull the world economy back to the track of strong recovery. At the same, China prioritizes development issues in macropolicy coordination and encourages G20 members to show leadership in implementing the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to promote inclusive and interconnected development of the world, Wang said. Last week marked the opening of China's annual two sessions, or the annual plenary meetings of the mainland's top legislative and consultative bodies. These meetings offer an opportunity to observe China's economic and political trends, including the 13th Five-Year Plan, poverty alleviation and charity law, supply-side reform and reform of the judicial system, the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, green development, and the anti-corruption struggle. Yet, public attention has been focused on China's new target of 6.5-7 percent growth for 2016. Typically, it has given rise to two misguided interpretations. One focuses on China's domestic economy, another on China's role in the world economy. The first misreading implies that the new target is the direct result of China's economic slowdown. In reality, the range target is not unique. It was used in 1995 and, in the past two years, growth targets have been preceded with the word "about." In other words, since the global crisis of 2008-2009, the growth target has been regarded more as a flexible guideline. In 2015, China's economy grew by 6.9 percent. Internationally, the performance was portrayed as the "slowest in 25 years." And yet - as I have shown before - the deceleration signals the eclipse of the mainland's industrialization. China's slower growth is consistent with its post-industrial era. In the past few years, Premier Li Keqiang has pushed structural reforms to support a medium-term rebalancing toward consumption and innovation. He has shunned another huge stimulus, which would contribute to government debt, favoring targeted fiscal measures. Finally, he has promoted gradual deleveraging to reduce local government debt, which accumulated after the 2009 stimulus. The new target does not undermine these priorities. On the contrary, it ensures greater flexibility in implementation - and that's vital amid increasing international uncertainty. The second misreading implies that China's growth deceleration is the primary cause of diminished global growth prospects. In this view, since China played a critical role fueling global growth after the 2008-9 crisis, the current global slowdown should be attributed to China as well. Moreover, the addition of $72 billion to the budget deficit is seen as further evidence of China's debt escalation. Yet, in relative terms, that addition means a deficit of 3 percent of the GDP, instead of 2.4 percent in 2015. In relative terms, it matches the decrease in China's defense expenditure, which will fall to 7.6 percent of GDP from 10.1 percent in 2015. If anything, these budget items simply reflect China's balancing act between economic growth and pushing ahead with reforms. What about China's role in the diminished global growth prospects? After the global crisis, the mainland did account for half of the global GDP growth, thanks to its huge stimulus. The contribution spared the international economy from a global depression. Well, today, China's economy accounts for almost 15 percent of the world's GDP, but its growth continues to account for some 25 percent of global GDP growth. In contrast, the major advanced economies - the US, Europe and Japan - barely achieve 0.5-2 percent growth. However, they still account for more than 52 percent of the world's GDP - more than twice as much as China. Under these circumstances, the argument that China's growth deceleration fuels global uncertainty is flawed. While growth is decelerating in emerging economies, it has virtually halted in major advanced economies, despite more debt-taking. According to the credit rating agency S&P, global sovereign borrowing will soar to $6.7 trillion in 2016. The US, Europe's core economies and Japan account for more than 72 percent of all commercial borrowing across the world. In view of population and economy, the role of the US (34 percent) and particularly Japan (24 percent) is grossly disproportionate. In contrast, the role of the BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - is less than 13 percent of the total. While China's share of borrowing (5.1 percent) is significant, it is about a seventh of that of the US. Moreover, in the coming decade, China has the potential to grow 2-3 times faster than major advanced economies, as long as market-oriented structural reforms prevail. In view of the global economy, the real risk remains in major advanced economies - not just in emerging economies. The author is the founder of Difference Group and is visiting fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (China) and the EU Centre (Singapore). I cant stay home. I move the worlds cargo, declared Rudy Moreno of Los Angeles/Long Beach ILWU longshore Local 13. His words were later memorialized in The Dispatcher, the unions newspaper, in the January 2021 issue dedicated to Moreno and other members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union who had already lost their lives [] The "Weishanhu" supply ship of the 14th escort taskforce of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy arrives in the Port of Djibouti of the Republic of Djibouti on the afternoon of June 6, 2013, local time, beginning its 3-day-long replenishment and recuperation. (Photo/CNR) What China plans to build in Djibouti are logistics facilities which should not be regarded as military base in respect of functions and scales, a military expert told Global Times. China is not the first country to build relevant facilities in Djibouti and this is not the first time that Djibouti has opened to foreign military, said Zhang Junshe, a senior researcher at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute. The U.S., France and Japan have already built military bases in the area, Zhang added. As Djibouti is one of the closest major ports to Somalia, China decided to build supplementary facilities there to provide its escort fleets with food, water and oil. At a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress on March 8, Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, said China has so far dispatched 22 batches of escort fleets to Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia coast to carry out escort missions to counter piracy. These fleets had experienced difficulties that affected the "rest and reorganization of the servicemen and the supply of oil", according to the Foreign Ministry. Zhang also mentioned that China's fleets used to dock at ports of other countries through diplomatic approaches. "China will not seek military interference into regional and other countries' affairs and not seek military expansion," Zhang said. "China has long insisted on a defensive defense policy." China is trying to build necessary infrastructure and logistical capacities in regions with a concentration of China's interests, which is reasonable, logical and consistent with international practices, said Wang. On Feb. 25, China's Ministry of National Defense confirmed that construction of relevant infrastructure and facilities had begun. Defense ministry spokesman Wu Qian said workers had been sent to the site. In December 2015, the Ministry of National Defense confirmed that China and Djibouti had reached an agreement on the outpost. Brisbane and Sydney have urged the AFL against making kneejerk changes to the northern academy bidding system to appease rival teams that were "asleep at the wheel" last year. Lions chief executive Greg Swann said any push for the complicated points-based system to be altered this year would be "ridiculous," given clubs were already planning around it. Northern recruits: Matthew Kennedy of the Giants, Callum Mills of the Swans and Jacob Hopper of the Giants were key draft picks. Credit:Daniel Kalisz The bidding system was one of several points of discussion at a recent meeting of the player movement advisory group, with some clubs believing the northern clubs rorted the new system. Brisbane, Sydney and Greater Western Sydney all traded down the draft order to turn well-placed selections into multiple later picks that equalled more points under the new system. In 2010 trainer Dawn Brancheau died after being attacked by Tilikum. Credit:Corbis Male orcas in the wild have an average life span of 50 to 60 years, but the expectancy for killer whales in captivity is much shorter. Tilikum is believed to be about 35; the median survival rate for orcas in US marine parks is just 12 years. If Tilikum dies, he will be remembered for a number of things: the three human deaths - among them, the violent death SeaWorld darling Dawn Branchaeu - to which he has been linked, the documentary that spurred a movement to have him freed and the complicated questions he has inspired about humans' relationship to the animals we attempt to control. Before Tili, there was Namu, the first orca to be captured and trained. Then there was Shamu (a portmanteau of "she" and "Namu"), who starred in eponymous and iconic killer whale shows. And who could forget Keiko, the orca who starred in Free Willy? Yet none of these former aquatic stars have attracted quite the same mixture of scandal and sympathy as the energetic killer whale whose name means "friend" in Chinook. In November 1983, Tilikum was found with two female orcas in the icy waters of west Iceland. He was netted as part of an extensive capture network organised by the Don Goldsberry, who created the original Shamu shows with Ted Griffin. According to Outside Magazine, the killer whales were housed in a concrete holding tank for nearly a year before being transferred to Sealand of the Pacific, a marine park near Victoria, British Columbia. The conditions at Sealand were poor. The killer whales were confined to pools less than six metres deep, and Tilikum had to contend with two aggressive roommates (females are dominant in the orca world). It was there that the first death occurred. Eight years after Tilikum and the two female orcas were taken from the wild, a 20-year-old part-time trainer named Keltie Byrne slipped and fell into their tank. "She tried to get back out and the other girl tried to pull her up, but the whale grabbed her back foot and pulled her under," a witness told CNN in 1991. "And then the whales - they bounced her around the pool a whole bunch of times, and she was screaming for help." Byrne, a marine biology student and a competitive swimmer, had plenty of experience in water. But none of that mattered when faced with several tonnes of killer whale. Byrne drowned before anyone could save her. She was the first trainer to be killed by orcas at a marine park, Outside reported, but she wouldn't be the last, or even the last one with which Tilikum would come into contact. And yet, a former employer at Sealand recalled to CNN that Tilikum was very "easy to work with". "He was very easygoing, he learnt quickly," Colin Baird said. "You know, he was probably my favourite of the three." Sealand's business prospects never recovered from the incident. It closed in 1992, a year after selling its killer whales to SeaWorld. To observers, it may have seemed a curious decision on SeaWorld's part. Why would it want, after all, three orcas that had just been involved in a high-profile tragedy? A major factor was Tilikum's virility. In an attempt to distance itself from capture methods that were coming under fire, SeaWorld was focusing its energies on establishing a strong captive breeding network. The park discovered that Tilikum had impregnated both of the female orcas at Sealand, indicating that his sperm could be of great use. Today, Tilikum is regarded as prolific in his capacity for insemination, having sired 21 offspring (10 of which are still alive). But even this achievement has been questioned. Given his violent tendencies, was it a good idea to continue spreading his genes? As The Washington Post's Michael O'Sullivan wrote in his review of Blackfish, "A dog that had bitten that many people would have been euthanised long ago and not sent to a stud farm." SeaWorld was a major upgrade for the Sealand killer whales, with some of the best facilities for marine animals in the world. And yet, tragedies continued to unfold. In 1999, the body of 27-year-old Daniel Dukes was found lying across Tilikum's back. He had recently been released from a county jail, and appeared to have sneaked into the park at night. By the time they found Dukes, he had drowned. Ric O'Barry, a marine mammal trainer of 40 years, told Orlando Weekly that, regardless of what caused Dukes' death, the orcas' lifestyle was less than ideal, despite SeaWorld's numerous amenities. "They're bored," O'Barry said of the killer whales. "We literally bore them to death. It's like you living in the bathroom for your life." Experts say it was something more than boredom that led to the death of star trainer Dawn Brancheau. The word orca researcher Ken Balcomb used in Blackfish was "psychotic". Brancheau had wanted to work with killer whales since she was nine, when she took a trip to SeaWorld with her family, Outside reported. She trusted the animals, she was comfortable around them, and, at age 40, the "vivacious" blonde was "literally the poster girl for the marine park ... appearing on billboards around the city". In February 2010, Brancheau had just completed a show and was feeding Tilikum when he suddenly grabbed her by the hair and started "thrashing" her around the tank, the Associated Press reported at the time. To many onlookers, the attack looked deliberate. "We don't know for sure what motivated Tilikum," former trainer Jeffrey Ventre told Outside. "But there's no doubt that he knew exactly what he was doing. He killed her." As with the others, Brancheau was dead by the time they got hold of her body. Tilikum was retired from doing shows, but not for long. He returned to public performances in the spring of 2011. Two years later, Blackfish was released, documenting the plight of killer whales at marine parks across the country. Tilikum instantly became a cause for viewers, who called for his release and rallied around the demand to "Free Tili", despite the difficulties of ensuring a captive orca's survival in the wild. Stunning and bizarre photos from China have revealed the latest training and promotional techniques of aviation schools as a group of flight attendants performed martial arts on a mountain top. Dressed in formal blue uniforms and only missing their high heels, the young women followed the instructions of a Taoist kung fu master as they sought to toughen their resolve. The 'bravery training' was organised more than 6,560 feet above sea level, on the peaks of China's famous Laojun Mountain, located in the city of Luoyang, in central Henan Province. Three young women followed the instructions of a Taoist kung fu master as they sought to toughen up. 'Bravery training' was organised more than 6,560ft above sea level, on the peaks of China's Laojun Mountain. The cabin crew members were guided by a Taoist priest, dressed in black, who demonstrated poses and techniques of martial arts. The three models and flight attendants tiptoed their way across the mountaintop for the stunning photoshoot. And the barefooted hostesses seemed to enjoy the feat on the mountaintop, which was part of a promotion for the aviation school and for the local landscape. The pictures are actually being used to promote the local scenery, surrounded by soaring clouds and greenery. The barefooted hostesses seemed to enjoy the feat on the mountaintop, which was part of a promotion for their company and for the local landscape. The pictures are actually being used to promote the local scenery, surrounded by soaring clouds and greenery, and will also encourage would-be stewardesses during the pursuit of their dream job in the air. The famous Laojun Mountain range forms part of a region that known as the Three Parallel Rivers a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003. It is a biodiversity hotspot and one of the few remaining places where the endangered Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) can still be found. Cabin crew members were guided by a Taoist priest, dressed in black, who demonstrated poses and techniques of martial arts. Planners risk a fierce "density hangover" unless they keep people on-side in the push to combat Perth's urban sprawl through infill, says a Perth sustainability expert. The comments follow the story of Hellen Barnaby of 100 Mill Point Road South Perth, who last week said her home had become a "concrete coffin" after her balcony was walled in by new high-rise being built next door. Several years ago, planning laws were changed to allow increased density on the Mill Point Peninsula. Public consultations were done, but now the high-rises are going up, residents are horrified by a result they say they did not expect. The laws allow zero-setback of high-rises' podiums (the wider part at the base) so they are flush with street and side boundaries. Patrick Norman Pat Chapman is a 34-year-old, Caucasian male who was last known to be in Piedmont which is near the area of Greenville, Missouri on May 10, 2020. Pat had stayed the night with a friend and his wife at their home. In the early morning when the friend woke to go to work. Pat was gone in his own Burgundy color 1995 Ford Escort. That is the last anyone was known to have seen him. The vehicle was later recovered on May 29, 2020 in Mill Spring, Missouri. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (2nd R) joins a group deliberation of deputies from Chongqing Municipality to the annual session of the National People's Congress in Beijing on March 8, 2016. Li Keqiang has praised the fast economic and social velopment of Chongqing. [Photo: Xinhua] Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has taken part in a panel discussion with deputies from Chongqing as part of this year's NPC sessions. As part of his time in the session, Li Keqiang has issued a call for governments across the country to become more efficient. "Where does the economic vitality lie? It lies among our people. How can we stimulate people's vitality? It requires administrative streamlining and further reforms. How could it work if anybody who wants to start a business has to go through complicated procedure? Our government is for the people. So we must be determined to continue improving our services so as to unleash market vitality and people's creativity." In making the statement, Li Keqiang says Chongqing is poised to take on a bigger role in helping to open up markets in central and western China. The municipality of Chongqing is a provincial-sized area on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. It's been tapped as a hub for economic development in China's western and southern areas. From 24 to 26 February 2016, in Abuja, Nigeria, the 6th working session of the regional working group of HR and Training Managers of Customs Administrations of the West and Central Africa Region took place. The importance of the HRM topic and its development in the West and Central African region becomes obvious when regarding the large number of participants. In effect, 35 delegates (including 8 women) participated in the last meeting. The participating countries encompassed 16 countries, namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Cote dIvoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. Furthermore, the vice president (WCA), the Regional Office for Capacity Building for West and Central Africa (ROCB WCA), the three regional training centers of Ougadougou, Brazzaville and Abuja as well as a representative of the World Customs Organization (WCO) participated. The meeting has been jointly organized by Nigeria Customs and the ROCB WCA. The main objectives included: To share experiences and best practices identified in the field of HR. To explore possible regional synergies. To raise awareness of the new activities and initiatives developed under the West African Customs Administration Modernization (WACAM) Project. During this meeting, each administration was asked to present their current state in the HR modernization process, challenges as well as future perspectives. Here, a clear advantage was noticeable for the Customs Administrations which had been befitting from the support of the WCO WACM Project, financed by Sweden. Therefore, many delegates of the participating Customs Administrations showed interest to benefit from the support of the WCO WACAM project on a regional level as soon as possible. The official requests for national support will be sent to the WCO in the upcoming weeks. In order to respond to these needs, it has been agreed to involve regional HR experts from Customs Administrations who have already benefitted from WCO WACAM support as much as possible. For more information, please feel free to contact the WCO WACAM Project Manager, M. Richard Chopra (richard.chopra@wcoomd.org) TAIPEI, March 7-- A clear message was sent out from the top legislature's annual session that the Chinese mainland has strong determination and sufficient goodwill in the development of relations across the Taiwan Strait. A report delivered by Premier Li KeqiangSaturday said the mainland will continue to adhere to the 1992 Consensus as the political foundation for cross-Strait ties and will promote exchanges in diverse fields with Taiwan compatriots. Later that day, President Xi Jinpingexpounded on the mainland's firm stance when joining a group of lawmakers from Shanghai. STEADFAST DETERMINATION "Only by accepting the 1992 Consensus and recognizing its core implications can the two sides have a common political foundation and maintain good interaction," Xi said. The 1992 Consensus clearly defines the nature of cross-Strait ties, and is the basis for the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties in the long run. Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who won Taiwan's leadership election in January, remains ambiguous about her stance on the 1992 Consensus, just stating that she wishes to "maintain the status quo." Chang Wu-yueh, head of the graduate institute of China studies at Taiwan's Tamkang University, said that Xi's words reiterated the significance of the 1992 Consensus in the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations "Without this foundation, it will be extremely hard to maintain the status quo. Meanwhile, the mainland has steadfast determination to address the issue of 'Taiwan independence'," Chang said. In his speech, Xi vowed to resolutely contain "Taiwan independence" secessionist activities in any form, safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity and never allow the historical tragedy of national secession to happen again. "Our policy toward Taiwan is clear and consistent, and it will not change along with the change in Taiwan's political situation," Xi told legislators. Teng Che-wei, head of the Taipei-based non-governmental organization Cross-Strait Public Affairs Association, said that neither side of Taiwan Strait should sabotage the common foundation, or else exchanges across the Strait will suffer. "Tsai has been emphasizing the status quo, but status quo cannot be grown in the air. There must be concrete measures to maintain it," Teng said. GOODWILL FOR FUTURE EXCHANGES Xi also said the Chinese mainland will further promote cross-Strait cooperation and exchanges in all fields, deepen economic and social integration, and enhance the sense of a community of common destiny. The peaceful development of cross-Strait ties needs not only high-level interactions, but also mutual understanding and mutually beneficial exchanges at the grassroots level, according to Chang. "The mainland hopes that bonds between people on both sides of the Strait are not influenced by political divergence and exchanges in all aspects can continue to improve," he said. Micky Chen, chairman of the Management Institute in Taipei, said economic and trade exchanges between two sides of the Strait showed strong momentum in recent years and are still moving forward. Last year, tourists from the mainland accounted for 40 percent in total tourists to Taiwan. The mainland is also Taiwan's largest destination of investment and export. "In recent years, the economic and trade ties is becoming more and more intertwined with other facets of cross-Strait relations, including educational and cultural exchanges," according to Chen. Xi said the results of the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties should be safeguarded by compatriots from both sides. A latest achievement of cross-Strait ties is the return of the head of a 1460-year-old marble Buddha statue back to the mainland 20 years after being stolen. In 1996, the statue's head was chopped off and disappeared from a tower in north China's Hebei Province. In 2014, a follower in Taiwan bought the statue's head at auction and donated it to Master Hsing Yun, founder of the Fo Guang Shan Monastery in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan. Hsing Yun decided to reunite the head and the body, and escorted the statue's head to Beijing late last month himself. The head of a Buddha statue can be chopped off, but the spirit of the Buddha cannot. It's just like the cross-Strait ties, Hsing Yun said. "The sea can not sever our historical bond, nor can it cut off our connection and blood lineage," he said. "The common Chinese cultural traditions can not be chopped off by external forces." Pictured is the signing ceremony of the Greenwood-Ruston overseas warehouse in Greenwood, Moscow, Russia, in July 2015. The ceremony marked the opening of the first large, legal and official overseas warehouse in Russia owned by a Chinese e-commerce company. (Photo: the Official Website of Ruston Express) As Chinas e-commerce experiences boom in cross-border trade, more platform providers and exporters are expanding their logistics systems offshore with overseas warehouses. Their strategic layouts were encouraged in this years government work report delivered by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang last Saturday. We will expand cross-border e-commerce, support construction of overseas warehouses for exports, and promote the development of companies that provide comprehensive foreign trade services, Li was quoted saying when opening China's annual legislative session. The policy is hailed as an attempt by the Chinese government to encourage innovation, optimize e-commerce and facilitate exports. Overseas warehouses are usually built by export companies to facilitate local sale and delivery. This new form of cross-border logistics is set to help addressing problems Chinas online businesses tend to face in expanding overseas operation. Yiwu, home to Chinas largest small commodity market, has set up 17 overseas warehouses last year, covering a total 36,000 square meters. Meanwhile, an overseas warehouse union was founded. Currently, express delivery business has been gaining strong momentum in China. By December 25, 2015, over 20 billion items have been mailed in China, far more than the initial target of 6.1 billion set by Chinas 12th Five-Year plan. Despite the downward pressure Chinas economy is facing, the industry has maintained 54.6 percent annual growth in the last five years. Transnational shipment also increased. Sources say the Chinese government will also improve legislation and tax services to better accommodate cross-border e-commerce. China began a voluntary organ donation trial in 2010 and promoted the practice across the country in 2013. [Photo/Xinhua] Organ donations in China reached a record high last year, after sourcing organs from executed prisoners was banned, said Huang Jiefu, former vice-minister of health. "Organ transplantation in China has made a successful transformation in the past year," Huang said. "It has won recognition by the world." The number of organ donors in China reached 2,766 last year, and more than 10,000 surgeries were performed, outnumbering the total for 2013 and 2014, Huang said. China stopped the use of organs from executed prisoners for transplant surgery on Jan 1 last year, and voluntary donations from citizens have become the only source. Statistics from the National Health and Family Planning Commission show organ donations have been increasing rapidly. The rate for organ donation per million of population reached 1.2 in 2014, a 60-fold increase from the level of 2010, the commission said. The rate was increased to 2.1 per million last year, Huang said. "Last year the success rate of transplant surgery in China was also the highest, as organs were donated from citizens rather than retrieved from executed prisoners," Huang, also chairman of the National Organ Donation and Transplantation Committee, said. The progress of organ donation and transplant in China has also won recognition from the world, Huang said. In last August, Huang became one of 19 receptions of the Gusi International Peace Prize, Asia's leading body to honor contributions to global peace and progress. Huang was rewarded for his remarkable contributions in medicine, including "orchestrating the entire organ transplantation reform, ending the use of executed prisoners' organs, and developing the necessary social, legal and clinical framework to enable large-scale organ donation in China." In August, an international conference on organ transplantation will be held in Hong Kong, where a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the Transplant Society will be held, Huang said. In addition, another international conference on organ donation will be held in Beijing in October, he said. Huang expects major progress in organ transplants and donations in China this year. Huang, who is also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee, said he has made a proposal that kidney transplant surgery should be covered by China's basic medical insurance system, so all those in need can access the service. Kidney transplant is an effective means to treat end-stage kidney diseases, which usually have high costs, and such patients' life quality can be greatly increased after surgery. "China's organ transplantation has become a cause of social interdependence," Huang said. "As all organs are donated free, all people should have equal rights to enjoy the transplant services. Nobody should be rejected just because they are poor." Tianjin mayor Huang Xingguo (left) and Zong Guoying, a senior official from the Binhai New Area of the city, attend a group discussion session that was open to reporters at the NPC's annual session in Beijing on Tuesday. An environmental cleanup in Tianjin is complete following the massive blasts that hit the port last year, and new facilities will be built to improve the local surroundings, city officials said on Tuesday. An environmental monitoring station has been established by the Ministry of Environmental Protection to scrutinize the port and surrounding areas 24 hours a day, said Zong Guoying, a National People's Congress deputy and chief of the Binhai New Area in Tianjin. "All air pollutants are within national standards, according to statistics provided by the ministry and third-party entities," he said. In August last year, a series of explosions tore through the port, beginning in the Ruihai Logistics Co, which was responsible for the safe handling of dangerous goods at the Dongjiang-bonded port in the area. The accident claimed the lives of 165 people and caused a direct economic loss of 6.8 billion yuan ($1.02 billion), an investigation report by the State Council reHuang Xingguo, mayor of Tianjin and also an NPC deputy, told a news conference on Tuesday that the city had checked more than 2,000 enterprises that dealt with dangerous substances and chemicals for four months after the blast. Cards of different colors were given to these enterprises to indicate if they had to halt production and bring their operations up to standard. Blue cards meant no action was required, but yellow and red cards meant they had to immediately check their workshops and processes, Huang said. A new park, seven kilometers long and covering a land area of 34 hectares, is currently under construction in the area and will be completed in May. A maritime park is also being built and is expected to open in December, Zong said. In addition, a new experimental high school will be established near the port to improve the provision of educational services in the area, he said. "We have to learn lessons from this accident and be extremely vigilant about any possible dangers like those that claimed such a large number of lives and destroyed so many imported vehicles," Huang said.vealed last month. Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Field and grass fires have been burning in Graves, McCracken, Calloway Counties By West Kentucky Star Staff & WKCTC Staff Mar. 08, 2016 | 08:30 PM | PADUCAH, KY Name the Nose Cone. That is the name of the Challenger Learning Center at Paducahs contest to choose the right name for the nose cone the center recently received as a donation from the Paducah Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol.Kindergarten through eighth grade students are invited to name this bit of history by participating in the Name the Nose Cone contest that is open now until March 31. Multiple students from one classroom may enter. Entries must be received online.This nose cone went to space on an Atlas rocket sometime between 1963 and 1965. Although it did not orbit the Earth, the nose cone was a test for the U.S. Air Forces Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Program. The nose cone did not carry a missile, but instead was used to test for reentry and the best time for missile detonation.While located in Paducah since 1967, the nose cone has not been on display for several years. Now its location will be outside the Challenger Learning Center, and the CLC staff is asking area students to join the contest to choose a new name for its new home.The student whose Name the Nose Cone entry is chosen will receive a water bottle rocketry program for their class or homeschool group of up to 30 students. The CLC staff can bring the program to the school or the school can chose to visit the center.The winning student and family will also be invited to the nose cone dedication to be scheduled in April.Contest rules and entry details can be found at www.clcpaducah.org . Entries must be received on line at http://www.namecontests.com/cynxwa2k . Any entry that does not follow the rules and guidelines will be automatically disqualified. Judges will be CLC staff and members of the Civil Air Patrol.To learn more about the nose cone, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S2ojqTsy0I The Challenger Learning Center is located on the campus of West Kentucky Community and Technical College. For more information about the CLC programming or the contest, contact Mellisa Duncan, CLC director, at mellisa.duncan@kctcs.edu , 270-534-3097.WKCTC will offer four summer sessions beginning May 16 through August 5. Call 1-855-GO-WKCTC or visit www.westkentucky.kctcs.edu for specific summer class offerings. By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 09, 2016 | 02:32 PM | PADUCAH, KY A Calvert City man was arrested Wednesday morning after police say he fired a gun in the restroom of a local restaurant. Paducah police were contacted March 2 by an employee at Waffle House restaurant on Lone Oak Road, and told that a man had fired a gun into the wall of a restroom the previous night. The employee said there were four customers in the restaurant at the time, but none of them were injured. Detectives said they arrested 24-year-old Travis Shrum of Calvert City Wednesday morning at the Greyhound bus station in Paducah. Shrum reportedly admitted that he had taken a friends gun into the restroom to look at it, and that it accidentally discharged. He told police he had been drinking at the time. Police said that during a search prior to booking Shrum into jail, they found prescription drugs and a marijuana pipe in Shrums possession. Shrum is charged with wanton endangerment, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal mischief, illegal possession of a legend drug and possession of a controlled substance. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 08, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 08, 2016 | 06:23 PM | PADUCAH, KY A man charged with filing a false report after telling police he was attacked on I-24 in February will stand trial in April. Robert Pena appeared in McCracken County District Court on Tuesday, where a trial date of April 25 was set. According to police, Pena told officers he was the victim of an assault on I-24 between Exit 3 and the Ohio River Bridge. He was taken to Massac Memorial Hospital in Metropolis, and was later flown to a St. Louis hospital for treatment. As deputies investigated the allegations reported by Pena, searches found no evidence indicating that an assault had occurred. They said Pena eventually admitted that he had made the story up. Pena was arrested February 23 and charged with falsely reporting an incident. Detectives said they do believe Pena was assaulted, but wouldn't comment due to an ongoing investigation. Moody's Investors Service recently lowered its outlook on Chinas credit rating from stable to negative, but experts in China doubted its credibility and called for cool-headed analysis, citing Chinas sound economic fundamentals. The reasons cited by Moody's for the downgrade included the authorities' capacity to implement economic reforms, rising government debt and falling foreign reserves. According to many analysts, the agency failed to see the big picture of Chinas economy, and ignored the fact that fundamentals supporting Chinas sound long-term economic growth remain unchanged. In addition, Moody's report did not take into account the fact that Chinas economic restructuring has already borne fruits. Its service industry now contributes to about half of the GDP, while consumption keeps driving the expansion of its retail sector. The agency was also criticized for failing to analyze Chinas finance with an updating vision. In the newly released government work report, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledged that China will pursue a more proactive fiscal policy and maintain a prudent monetary policy. He also vowed to increase Chinas deficit rate to 3 percent this year. The move is set to accelerate tax cut, especially the value-added tax reduction in manufacturing industry, so that the industrys global competitiveness can be boosted. Chinas decision makers have also sent a clear message that China will back up economic growth with fiscal expansion. Supported by high savings rate, China is believed capable of maintaining a loose monetary and credit environment by lowering deposit-reserve ratio and using other tools. The latest data released by Chinas National Bureau of Statistics showed that Chinas currency reserves still account for 32 percent of its GDP at the end of 2015 and the countrys deficit rate in 2015 stood at 2.4 percent. This proved that China has better solvency compared with many Western economies. China is already the worlds second largest economy, and the remarkable accomplishments it has scored since it began to reform and open up over 30 years ago proved its capability of implementing economic reforms. "We just have to get through this process, and we can, without question, reinvigorate the economy and ensure its dynamic growth," the Chinese government declared its resolution to achieve economic transformation and maintain medium-high growth in the latest government work report. Rating industry giants including Moody's and Standard & Poor's, though still monopolizing the global market, have often been criticized for lack of transparency and credibility. The EU use to denounce the drawbacks existing in their operating procedures. By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 09, 2016 | 12:21 PM | REIDLAND, KY The McCracken County Sheriffs Department is requesting the public's assistance identifying those responsible for the vandalism of the Confederate monument located at 6900 Benton Road near Traders Mall. Deputies said sometime late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, the Confederate soldier statue was broken loose from its base and overturned, causing about $1800 in damage. The property and display is owned by The Sons of Confederate Veterans. Anyone with information is asked to contact the McCracken County Sheriffs Department at 270-444-4719. By The Associated Press Mar. 09, 2016 | 04:57 AM | GRAND RIVERS, KY The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a $2,500 reward for information about the shooting of a bald eagle in western Kentucky. Officials say the federally protected bird was shot sometime around Christmas in Grand Rivers, an area in the Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area. The area is known for bald eagle sightings and has the state's highest concentration of the large bird. A state conservation officer found the bird's carcass alongside Paradise Road on Jan. 8. Killing or harming a bird carries maximum penalties of up to $100,000 in fines and one year in prison. To provide information on this shooting, contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent at (270) 252-7336, or Kentucky Fish and Wildlife at (270) 890-3300. Rita Redmond was a true lady who felt that every pupil had something to gift to the world Sharing economy to be new driver for China's economic upgrading Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, in the newly released government work report, urged the country to develop a sharing economy. The move is expected to provide new impetus for Chinas economic transformation and upgrading. We need to move faster to develop new technologies, industries, and forms of business, boost the development of a sharing economy through institutional innovations, create sharing platforms, and develop emerging industry clusters such as high-tech and modern service industry clusters, so as to bring about strong new engines," Li was quoted as saying last Saturday. Sharing economy refers to peer-to-peer sharing of access to goods and services. This new business mode, based on resource sharing, can optimize resource allocation and reduce operating cost. Though originated in the West, sharing economy has boomed in China in recent years. It has penetrated into plenty of segmented markets. Emerging services like online ride-hailing and house-renting are such examples. Sharing economy platforms have created a market worth 1.95 trillion yuan in 2015, according to figures co-released by the National Information Center and Internet Society of China. The latest data also predicted that the countrys sharing economy will grow at an annual rate of 40 percent in next five years, and will take up more than 10 percent of China's GDP by 2020. In addition, with annual growth of over 50 percent in the past two years, there are now more than 500 million sharing business providers in China, the report said. Last year, sharing economy has been highlighted in many official documents, implying that Chinas policymakers have been aware of its potential and willing to support the sector. Analysts predicted that sharing economy may bring about unprecedentedly wide range of change in the countrys labor market. Experts also stressed that the country needs to formulate strategic plans to secure innovation and avoid possible problems, so that sharing economy can inject new driving force into Chinas economic restructuring and upgrading. Bristol-based theatre festival Mayfest has announced its 2016 line-up with highlights including the international premiere of Selina Thompson's salt and Spymonkey and Tim Crouch's new show The Complete Deaths. Commissioned by Mayfest, Theatre Bristol and Yorkshire Festival, salt explores themes of grief, ancestry, home and colonialism and follows a journey being undertaken along one route of the Transatlantic Trade Triangle, taking a woman from the UK to Ghana and finally Jamaica (12 to 19 May). Elsewhere in the festival Irish company Dead Centre's Chekhov's First Play will be radically restaged at Bristol Old Vic (12-14 May) prior to an international tour. It Folds by brokentalkers and Junk Ensemble will run in the Old Vic Studio from 20 to 22 May and offers a poignant and humorous portrait of life in a modern city and the events that shape our everyday lives. Inspired by the film Stand By Me, Massive Owl bring their show Castle Rock to the Old Vic Studio on 14 and 15 May, Verity Standen will perform Symphony, an intimate performance for one audience member at a time (18 to 22 May) and Still House's Of Riders and Running Horses returns from 19 to 22 May after a successful run at the 2015 festival. Other highlights include Bryony Kimmings' hit show Fake It 'til you Make It (Tobacco Factory Theatres, 16 to 21 May), Spymonkey/Tim Crouch's new show The Complete Deaths (Bristol Old Vic, 17 to 18 May) which charts all of the deaths in Shakespeare's plays and Greg Wohead's Comeback Special. Mayfest is produced by MAYK, the producing organisation led by Kate Yedigaroff and Matthew Austin. Commenting on this year's programme, the pair said: "At a time when we are being asked to question ideas of place, identity, nationhood and community, it has never felt more important to champion those voices that speak about difference, individuality and defiance. Mayfest 2016's programme celebrates the power and connection of the live event and asks audiences to look closely and carefully at the world around them." Rachel Tackley has been announced as the new executive director of Chichester Festival Theatre. Tackley will succeed Alan Finch when he leaves the theatre in September. As director and CEO of English Touring Theatre since 2008, Tackley will also end her six-year tenure as president of UK Theatre in June to share the leadership of Chichester with new artistic director Daniel Evans from September. Tackley's credits also include chief executive of Milton Keynes Theatre and head of programming for the Ambassador Theatre Group. Commenting on the post, Tackley said: "Chichester Festival Theatre have become by-words for excellence and ambition and I am thrilled and honoured to be the next executive director. I look forward to working with Daniel Evans and the extraordinary team in Chichester to lead the company through its next exciting phase. I relish this opportunity to build on the company's success and to develop the significant contribution that it makes to theatre regionally, nationally and internationally." Finch added: "It's marvellous news that Rachel will be taking up the reins of this wonderful organisation. She brings genuine passion and skill for both the creative producing side of the role and the executive and administrative strategy. I know that she will be warmly welcomed by Chichester's staff, artistic company, audiences and wider community." You can read the recently announced Chichester season here. Loading... Having seen Tracie Bennett's multi award winning Judy Garland in the original West End outing for Peter Quilter's End of the Rainbow, I was a little trepidatious about seeing Lisa Maxwell take on the iconic role in the current touring production. As it turns out, I needn't have worried. Since comparisons are odious, let me get this out of the way right now: at present, Maxwell isn't fully mining the darkness of Judy almost at the end of her fitfully glorious, constantly troubled life in the way that her predecessor did. Bennett left you in no doubt that here was a soul teetering on the brink of personal armageddon. Here, Maxwell is a little too mannered and cute to fully let go, although I suspect that may come later in the tour given how many other aspects of this performance are so on the money. She is a skilled mimic and is probably a more natural vocal fit for the Garland sound than Bennett was. Physically as well, there are times when this Judy almost morphs uncannily into the divine original. Quilter's script is really a good Bad Play. There's nothing here that we don't already know but at the same time we are mostly spared those ghastly "remember that time when..." speeches that weaker bio-plays can be prone to, although the sheer size and familiarity of the Judy Garland story may be a factor in that. But who doesn't want to eavesdrop on an icon behaving badly? The play convincingly makes the point that the only truly satisfying relationship this vulnerable diva ever had was with the spotlight. Quilter's Judy is maddening, adorable, desperate, sexy, tragic, witty, pathetic, even repulsive. Maxwell skilfully and magnetically captures almost all of this, and, I think, will get better and better. The piece as a whole proves compulsively watchable, and is often very funny. As her (so it turns out) final husband Mickey Deans, Sam Attwater is suitably handsome and youthful, if a little uncomplicated. More ambiguity and threat would be helpful in delineating this controlling, often unpleasant character. Gary Wilmot plays Anthony Chapman, the faithful English pianist/friend (the majority of the play is set in the Savoy hotel suite the Garland-Deans occupied during Judy's disastrous final stint at Talk Of The Town in the 60s) and he is a likeable stage presence but feels miscast. This un-flamboyant gay character is devoted to Garland and offers her at one point an idyllic, if impossible, respite from her hectic, toxic life that we know she never ends up taking. It should be deeply moving but is delivered here in such a perfunctory fashion that it barely registers. In the original West End staging Hilton McRae broke our hearts but in this production Wilmot barely bruises. A natural showman and comic, Wilmot seems ill-suited to this sort of low key role. Daniel Buckroyd's production is slick and well-paced, but I do wish the actors weren't so conspicuously miked. It took me a couple of minutes to get on board with the performance as it proves so alienating when every line sounds as though it is coming out of a loudspeaker rather than a human body. I got used to it, but it is a genuine turn off. David Shields has designed an appropriately opulent hotel suite set that transforms seamlessly into the stage of the Talk Of The Town at frequent points in the evening. Ultimately though, it is Maxwell's show and she is pretty magnificent. This is a potent reminder that she was an actress before she became best known as one of TV's Loose Women. End of the Rainbow runs at Churchill Theatre, Bromley until 12 March and then tours the UK. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday urged Shanghai, the countrys financial and trade center, to continue serving as a vanguard and pioneer in reform and innovation. Xis remarks were also seen as a bugle for further reform and innovation across the country. Xi stressed that the courage to continue reform and pioneering spirit to innovate is especially important as China, the country standing at the beginning year of its 13th Five Year Plan, strives to build itself into a moderately prosperous society. Xi made the remarks when he joined a panel meeting of Shanghai deputies, who were deliberating the government's work report, at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress. Shanghai should tap its courageous, pioneering spirit and youthful vigor to be innovative in the way it advances reform, Xi said, calling on the city to serve as a "pioneer" in this regard. He urged the city to put into practice the innovative, coordinated, green, open and sharing developmental philosophy, and strengthen systematic integration of measures for comprehensively deepening reforms. Supply-side structural reform should be given priority, according to him. Xi also emphasized innovative development when he attended the deliberating meeting of the coastal city in the past three years. The city, often chosen as testing ground for new opening-up policies, has put Xis requirements into practice by introducing reform and innovation strategies. Shanghais economic growth is now picking up, and the growth of strategic emerging industries has greatly outpaced that of the traditional ones. With service sector contributing to 67 percent of its total output value, its economy no longer relies on heavy chemical industry, real estate or traditional processing industries. Besides Shanghai, the rest of China is embracing an entrepreneurship and innovation wave. In this years government report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang, the word "innovation" was mentioned 61 times, up from 38 times in last year's version. The report vowed to build national science centers and technological innovation hubs, and help develop internationally competitive enterprises, pledging that by 2020, China's R&D investment will account for 2.5 percent of the GDP. It also promised a 60 percent increase in the contribution of scientific and technological advances to economic growth. Moreover, it emphasized that platforms will be created for crowd innovation, crowd support, crowd-sourcing, and crowd-funding, and mechanisms will be built to encourage new types of business start-ups and innovation through cooperation between enterprises, institutions of higher learning, research institutes, and makers. We will establish demonstration centers for business startups and innovation and encourage the development of a business startup service industry as well as angel investment, venture capital, industrial investment and other investment, the report added. Besides, China will also adopt more active, open and effective policies to attract talent from overseas. Many efforts were also made to encourage innovation previously. Premier Li Keqiang proposed a strategy of "mass entrepreneurship and innovation" at the Summer Davos Forum in 2014. Since May, 2013, at least 22 documents have been released by the central government to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation. Concrete measures were also introduced. The Central Economic Work Conference held at the end of 2015 also made clear that China will continue to implement the strategy of innovation-driven development and promote mass entrepreneurship and innovation. Reform and innovation will inspire creativity and new growth engines while facilitating upgrading in traditional industries and growth in emerging ones, said the statement issued after the conference. In 2015, China saw a 21.6 percent rise in the number of newly registered enterprises, which means that 12,000 startups were set up every day in the year. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently urged a new type of government-business relations characterized by sincerity and honesty. NPC deputies and political advisors attending the ongoing two sessions believed that the new definition will help rectify some problematic official-businessman relations. President Xi elaborated on the connotation of the two words at a panel discussion of political advisors from the China Democratic National Construction Association and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce during the 4th Session of the 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. According to Xi, sincerity means that government officials should maintain magnanimous contacts with private business owners, and help them solve practical problems. Meanwhile non-public entrepreneurs are obligated to offer their honest opinions when communicating with government officials. Honesty refers to the fact that government officials need to be aboveboard and ethical to stamp out excessive greed. Abuse of power is strictly prohibited. Business owners should always abide by the law and never collude with government officials. Government-business relations have always been a sensitive topic given that recent years have seen several backroom deals between officials and business people. Deputies hailed the new definition given by Xi, believing that the new definition will provide guidance for the government and businesses in dealing with their ties. Xi previously urged aboveboard and legitimate relations between officials and businessmen on many occasions, criticizing collusion. China has undertaken multiple actions to build the new type of government-business relations since the 18th Communist Party of China National Congress. For example, serving Party or government officials are not allowed to hold positions in enterprises. In the past two years, the Organization Department of CPC Central Committee has removed 63,000 officials from their company positions. The Supreme Peoples Procuratorate also issued documents recently to investigate duty crimes that violated the legitimate rights of non-public enterprises. Analysts also predicted that as Xi proposed the new definition, coupled with detailed regulations, those problematic official-businessman relations will be rectified. As a result, government officials will use their power under the rule of law to serve the people, and businessmen will not depend on connections as called guanxi when doing business. Mephisto Bookstore is located in Shanghai. (Photo/Youth.cn) Pan Caifu, a famous Chinese columnist, has theorized that sleeping in bookstores will become a major trend in the future. Bookstore owners will become landlords and host book-loving backpackers. In reality, this dream has already been partially realized in Europe. A small bed that some famous writers including Ernest Hemingway slept in was placed in the Shakespeare Bookstore in Paris. Lian Zhen, founder of Fengyasong Bookstore in Quanzhou city, is also paying attention to this phenomenon. As a girl with a deep interest in traveling, it is a must for her to find bookstores and snack streets when she arrives in any new city. "Sometimes I spend a long time searching for a famous bookstore in a strange city, but I'm always in a hurry to see the next thing. It would be a fantastic experience if I could stay overnight in a bookstore and have a good sleep," said Lian. The old books displayed in Mephisto Bookstore. (Photo/Youth.cn) Affected by e-books and e-commerce, many bookstores are indeed going through a tough time. Inspired by the booming development of the sharing economy in recent years, Wu Zhichao, founder of Mephisto Bookstore in Shanghai, together with three partners, has tried using one or two rooms as sleeping accommodations. The business hours of the bookstore are usually from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. During this time, customers can enjoy the space to drink coffee and tea, see visitors and chat with friends. Readers could sleep in the beds of the bookstore. (Photo/Youth.cn) Sleeping in bookstores expands the possibilities of sleeping accommodations, no longer limiting them to standard hotels and apartments. Meanwhile, the short-term rent-sharing platform provides more choices to travelers with regards to space, location and landlords, which creates more freedom and possibility. A tent is set up in the Fengyasong Bookstore. (Photo/Www.fjsen.com) Will China's bookstore owners accept these changes? Pan Caifu did a promotional tour for The Light of City in Nanjing, Hangzhou, Yangzhou, Xiamen and Quanzhou over the course of a week. During the press conference for The Light of City, founders of ten bookstores made plans to build lodgings in nine cities in China. Sleeping in bookstores may be common in China one day in the future. This article was edited and translated from . Source: Www.youth.cn Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. VICTORIA More than 130 scientists have signed a letter saying federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna should reject a flawed environmental draft report for a proposed $36-billion liquefied natural gas plant on British Columbias northwest coast. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency released a draft report last month, finding the proposed Pacific NorthWest LNG project in the Lelu Island, Flora Bank area of the Skeena River estuary poses minimal risk to fish. The federal government is expected to make its final decision this month on the agencys project permit. The scientists said in the letter to McKenna that the draft report is scientifically flawed and represents an insufficient base for decision-making. We urge you to reject the CEAA draft report. However, B.C.s Natural Gas Development Minister Rich Coleman said the scientists reached the wrong conclusion. To have a group of people write a letter and just say, We disagree, I dont think theyve gone and done the work to quantify their opinion, Coleman said. Quite frankly, the only opinion thats going to matter is the opinion of the federal scientists who theyve hired, who worked with the project for a long time on the details. The letter identified five primary flaws in the draft report including misrepresenting the importance of fish, especially salmon, in the area, disregarding science not funded by the project proponent and assuming a lack of information equates to few risks. The CEAA draft report for the Pacific NorthWest LNG project is a symbol of what is wrong with environmental decision-making in Canada, the letter said. An obvious risk of a flawed assessment is that it will arrive at an incorrect conclusion. The letter also said industrial development proposed by the project is associated with lasting damage to the salmon population in the second-largest salmon-producing watershed in Canada. Otto Langer, a former Department of Fisheries and Oceans habitat assessment expert, signed the letter to McKenna. A natural eel grass salmon habitat such as Flora Bank cannot survive if it is subjected to pile driving, dredging, lights, ship and dock noises, spills, said Langer in a statement. We must keep industry out of this area. Pacific Northwest LNG, backed by Malaysian energy giant Petronas, has proposed to build an LNG export terminal at Lelu Island, near Prince Rupert. It is billed as the largest private-sector investment in B.C.s history and estimated to create 4,500 construction jobs. The 257-page draft report said the project would likely harm harbour porpoises and contribute to climate change, but could be built and operated without causing major ecological damage. A coalition of First Nations, environmentalists and Opposition New Democrats signed a declaration demanding a protection zone near the proposed project zone. Some area hereditary First Nations chiefs said the project is a threat to a centuries-old salmon-fishing culture, but other elected chiefs said they were awaiting further scientific reports and rejecting the project as premature. This letter is not about being for or against LNG, the letter is about scientific integrity in decision-making, said Jonathan Moore, a coastal science and management professor at Simon Fraser University. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 08/03/2016 (2419 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. One century after some Canadian women won the right to vote in Manitoba, the Royal Canadian Mint has released a new $1 coin in celebration. The coin was unveiled Tuesday afternoon at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg.The coin features a 1916-era picture of a woman and a child with the woman casting a ballot as the child looks on. On the coin, the inscription reads Womens right to vote and Droit de vote des femmes and 1916-2016. Indigenous women in Canada had to wait until 1960 to have the right to vote. A permanent reminder, you put your hand in your pocket and you can have something that reminds you of a fundamental human right that we have, said Lila Goodspeed, chairwoman of the Nellie McClung Foundation, who was among the dignitaries present for the event. WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Lila Goodspeed, chairwoman of the Nellie McClung Foundation, at the unveiling of the new $1 coin celebrating the 100th anniversary of womens right to vote. I think some of our younger people may not even know (that it was 100 years ago that the first women won the right to vote in Canada) so this coin may not even be a reminder. It may be a first time (for them to know the history of womens right to vote in Canada). Any celebration is worth it. A total of five million Womens Right to Vote $1 coins are now available across the country. The unveiling of the coin also took place on International Womens Day, and the coins are being produced in Winnipeg at the Royal Canadian Mint. An official ceremony was followed by a public coin exchange at the CMHR where visitors could trade their change for the new commemorative circulation coin. Nicole Collette, 71, came to the CMHR Tuesday specifically to attend the unveiling of the new coin. I wanted to come because the womens right to vote was established in Manitoba first, and so its a great anniversary to celebrate, and I wanted to exchange some coins, said Collette. I got 20. Im going to give them to all my nieces, a sister, a sister-in-law, a girlfriend in Toronto and after that Ive got some more friends, so well see who else! She said its important to remember women havent always had the right to vote. Winnipegs Nellie McClung, Lillian Beynon Thomas, Francis Marion Beynon, E. Cora Hind and others led the charge for political equality over 100 years ago. WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Nicole Collette exchanged $20 for 20 of the new $1 circulation coins celebrating the 100th anniversary of a milestone in the history of womens right to vote in Canada. The design unveiling event was held at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights Tuesday. Ashley Prest story March 8 2016 We didnt have the right to vote, thats the way it was back then, and somebody had to fight for it, and these women fought for it, Collette said. ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A potentially explosive civil court case is stuck in a holding pattern while justice officials determine whether there are legal grounds for it to proceed. The family of Winnipeg homicide victim Kaila Tran recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against her ex-boyfriend, Drake Moslenko, in which they accuse him of being the mastermind behind the June 2012 attack. Tran was jumped outside her St. Vital apartment block and stabbed at least 31 times. Moslenko was previously charged with first-degree murder only to have the Crown drop the charge in 2014. He has since collected $50,000 in life insurance, which was taken out by Tran, and is seeking to pocket another $55,000 from a second policy currently tied up in courts. WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Drake Moslenko was Kaila Trans boyfriend when she was slain. It was alleged he plotted to have her killed. He was charged with murder, but the charge was later stayed. Lawyers acting for the Tran family appeared in court Tuesday, seeking the green light to commence the unusual action which essentially seeks to have the civil court do what the criminal court didnt and find Moslenko culpable. But lawyers on behalf of Moslenko are balking at the application, saying it wasnt filed within the two-year period normally required for civil action. They want it dismissed. Queens Bench Justice Vic Toews reserved his decision following several hours of legal arguments. Its a horrific case, but also an interesting one from a point of law, said Toews. Moslenko did not appear in court for the hearing. The Tran familys lawyer, Jamie Kagan, said no time limitation should apply in this because it involves a domestic assault situation. In the alternative, he said if a time limit does apply it should be waived because the lawsuit is based on new information which only came to light within the past two years. Specifically, Trans family points to recent disclosure from the Crown and police that they say wasnt used against Moslenko in court, but certainly implicates him. Family members recently sent a letter to Manitoba Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh, demanding a judicial review into why the Crown elected not to proceed with the case against Moslenko. They are calling for Mackintosh to appoint a senior prosecutor, preferably from outside the jurisdiction, to review how the department handled Moslenkos case. They want the results made public. The man Moslenko allegedly hired to carry out the killing, Treyvonne Willis, was found guilty of first-degree murder last year and received a life sentence with no chance of parole for at least 25 years. He admitted to ambushing and repeatedly stabbing Tran, 27, in exchange for getting off the hook from a drug debt. Willis is appealing the verdict, claiming he gave a false confession. In their civil court affidavit, the Tran family claims the lead homicide detective assured them the charge against Moslenko would be reinstated after it was withdrawn at the preliminary hearing. They also say police and the Crown have told them about a second videotaped statement from Willis in which he directly implicates Moslenko in the killing. The taped statement was never used against him in court. Moslenkos name came up several times during the trial against Willis. Police repeatedly tried to get Willis to implicate Moslenko during a videotaped interrogation that was shown to jurors. He said he would be in danger if he started dropping names. Police suggested Moslenko arranged the hit. Willis denied that. He also said he was never told why Tran had to be killed. The Crowns key witness, Tremaine Sam-Kelly, testified Moslenko knew about the plot to kill Tran, who was going to be targeted because she was a snitch against her boyfriend. He said Willis was offered a way out of a drug debt if he carried out the killing. Sam-Kelly didnt say who made the offer to Willis. www.mikeoncrime.com Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The arrival of a little one is an emotional experience for a family. It is an event filled with hopes and dreams as well as anxiety that all will be well. When a baby is born in Canada, he or she undergoes newborn screening. Many parents may not even be aware of this testing at all. However, it plays a critical role in the diagnosis of rare disease and essential treatment that impacts the life of a child. Although it is heartbreaking to hear your child has a disorder or disease in those first few days after birth, it is sadder still for those who do not learn early enough their child requires treatment. Unfortunately, this is the case for far too many Canadian families. Newborn screening in Canada is a patchwork some provinces and territories test for a large number of conditions, while others test for shockingly few. Jian Far Photography Aria was born with a rare genetic disorder. Because of early newborn screening her diagnosis was made early and her life was likely saved. But not all children in Canada receive the same screening. Our family is one of the lucky ones. Because of newborn screening, our little one was diagnosed with a rare autosomal recessive disease within days of her birth called glutaric acidemia type 1 (GA-1). As is often the case with these types of diseases, no one in the family has this disease, and her diagnosis came as a shock to us all. If she had been born in Newfoundland and Labrador, we may have lost this angel or, at least, her future would look very different. In the absence of newborn screening, diagnosis of many metabolic conditions occurs when children present with irreversible brain damage. Without early and ongoing treatment, children with GA-1 are at risk for severe complications, including mortality, brain damage, developmental delays, paralysis and painful muscle contractions. At present, only Manitoba, Nunavut, Saskatchewan and Ontario have comprehensive metabolic screening. Federal leadership led the United States to adopt a universal newborn screening program in 2008. I urge the Canadian government to do the same and ensure every child in Canada has access to the early diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases that comprehensive newborn screening affords. Of course, early diagnosis is only the start of a long journey for those with rare diseases. Nearly two-thirds of those with rare diseases are children. For about half of those families, there is no known previous history of a rare disease and hence, the diagnosis would have come too late in the absence of newborn screening. This also means families have no previous knowledge regarding the disease, treatment options or support resources. Because each specific rare disease affects only a small number of individuals, scientific understanding and clinical expertise may be limited across the country, and treatment protocols vary substantially. The fragmented approach to rare diseases across the country means Canadian families affected by rare illnesses face extraordinary challenges, including inconsistent care, unnecessary surgeries, social isolation, financial hardship and early death. Lest you think given the rarity of these diseases, it doesnt impact enough Canadians to merit federal attention, approximately three million Canadians have a rare disease, according to the Canadian Organization for Rare Disease (CORD). The number of those with a rare disease is on par with diabetes and all cancers combined. In Canada, disability and death due to cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes have dropped by up to 50 per cent following the implementation of public health strategies. Canada is lagging behind more than 35 other countries in its approach to rare diseases and newborn screening. Almost every other developed country has adopted appropriate strategies and policies to help support those living with rare diseases. Now is the time to act to provide diagnosis, hope and treatment to all Canadians and their families who are impacted by a rare disease. On March 10, representatives of CORD will be attending Parliament to raise awareness among the general public and decision-makers about rare diseases and their impact on patients lives. I call upon all Canadians to demand our representatives in the federal government meet with the representatives of CORD and move forward to guarantee universal access to newborn screening across Canada and to establish a rare disease strategy. Pauline Pearson is a Winnipeg resident and a proud new grandmother. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba Hydro has a policy of not telling people when it has awarded a contract without tender. And it sure doesnt like explaining its decisions when a contract that escaped the bidding process is made public. Hydro, and all other Crown corporations, should be held to a higher standard of transparency. The provincial government was given its marching orders in 2014 to clean up its own practices with untendered contracts. The provincial auditor general found, in a small sampling of departments and agencies, more than half the untendered contracts did not meet acceptable reasons, although some made sense. A smaller portion of the bunch showed more cause for concern jobs went untendered simply because a department wanted to work with a certain vendor or because an agency waived the rules for expedient reasons. Those kind of reasons look arbitrary, giving too much discretion to decision-makers. Thats how cries of favouritism arise and it underscores the basis of public tendering and disclosure of the bid winners. Yet the auditor general found the province was pretty stingy in releasing information on untendered contracts. Hard copies were available for inspection in the legislatures reading room, during business hours but were not made available online. That makes it tough for regular scrutiny by watchdogs or for other bidders wondering why they didnt get the job. Manitoba Hydro: untendered contracts are not public That is changing. Departments are required to hold to the rules outlined in the procurement administration manual. The government is now posting all contracts worth more than $10,000 on its website. The data base is searchable, although not as easily as the auditor had hoped in order for it to be really useful to Manitobans. So theres progress, but its slow. The Crown corporations, however, are not held to those rules. They follow their own policies, which also are not public. The untendered contracts are not disclosed publicly and theres no compulsion to explain why a job wasnt put out for bids. That doesnt make a lot of sense, and the controversy over the Hydro untendered contract in 2014 to Tetra Tech, an engineering management consultancy firm, shows why. The job, to provide project management for the $6.5-billion Keeyask generating station under construction, is valued at up to $85 million over the life of that job. Initially, Hydro refused to give specifics on why Tetra Tech was chosen. The utility had asked for expressions of interest on the national procurement site MERX; six firms responded but only two were seen as candidates. Insead of asking the two for bids, Tetra Tech was chosen. Hydro said it was for compelling reasons that could not be disclosed for competitive reasons. The government came under fire, however, and Hydro changed course, deciding it needed to be more transparent. It explained that of the two firms, only Tetra Tech could start when Keeyasks construction got underway, in the spring of 2015. How does that qualify as competitive reasons worthy of non-disclosure, typically proprietary information a firm does not want its competitors to have? Hydros policies on untendered contracts should be posted on its website, as should all untendered contracts awarded above a certain value. Same goes for all agencies and Crown corporations. Understandably, emergencies and sole suppliers of services or products will mean the tendering process is put aside, but the department or Crown should be prepared to explain its decision publicly. If the provincial government sees reason for Crown agencies to write their own policies on tendering, it should see at least why policies and practices need to be public, open to review and questions. When alls above board, fair and defensible, theres no problem explaining decisions, right? A house caught fire Tuesday afternoon in east Winona. No one was home at the time and no injuries were reported, though arriving firefighters were able to rescue a dog that was inside. The fire at 407 East Howard St. was reported shortly before 5 p.m., with flames and smoke coming from the rear of the single-story structure. The Winona Fire Department responded and had the fire under control within a half-hour, with the Winona Police Department assisting by blocking off portions of the road. Winona Fire Captain Joel Corcoran said that when firefighters arrived, there was smoke coming through the attic and flames on the outside of the house. The corner of the garage was also burned, and a hole was cut in the roof to allow smoke out. Corcoran said that there was moderate damage to the back of the house, but it did not appear to be a total loss. The cause of the fire was under investigation Tuesday. Linda Gudmastad, who has lived in the house across the street for 30 years, said she first smelled something a little before 5 p.m. At that point, Gudmastad said, there were flames coming out of the homes side door and there already smoke in the area. Gudmastad said she didnt know who all lived in the house, but said she had met several younger people who she described as helpful, polite. Theyre nice kids, Gudmastad said. Jerome Christenson wrote an excellent column about the sexual abuse cover up in the Roman Catholic Church (Daily News, March 2). While that column may have been motivated by viewing the recent award-winning movie, Spotlight, it was much more personal and real. In that column, Jerome says, We owe it to the children never to forget. He is so right. My wife and I attended the movie Spotlight about two weeks ago. We came out of the theater in silence. Everyone who was there was silent. Ive never left a theater where it felt like everyone was dumbstruck by the events of the movie. As many of you may know, I have been vocal in a very public way about the Catholic Churchs response to the sexual abuse crisis. I wrote my first public letter in the Daily News on the subject in May 2007, but I was still unaware of the absolute corruption that was the coverup in Bostonuntil seeing this movie. Today 15 years after the Boston story hit the papers, 30, 40, 50, 60 years after the modern sexual abuse coverup scandal began the Roman Catholic hierarchy still does not get it. Even as I write this, Cardinal George Pell (formerly of Australia) and retired Bishop Joseph Adamec (Pennsylvania) are defending their illegal behaviors. Cardinal Law remains safely in the Vatican and has not been called to account for his illegal activities. Perhaps even more incredulous is that newer bishops not involved in the previous coverup activities in their dioceses are actively defending the behaviors of their predecessors, in many instances driving their dioceses into bankruptcy in order to do so. Apologies are shallow or two-faced. For instance: Archbishop Jerome Listecki (Milwaukee) appears to have reached out to sexual abuse survivors simply as a tactic to ensure that his bankrupt archdiocese would not be obligated in any way to those who came forward. What is even more disturbing to me is that Pope Francis a truly great and humble man has also failed the Church when it comes to the sexual abuse coverup. He looks the other way, appoints bishops with jaded sexual abuse coverup histories to new positions, and appears unwilling to walk the talk. I hope all members of the Roman Catholic Church, lay people, priests, and bishops alike, take time to go to this movie and remember that what happened in Boston is still happening all over the world. While the Church appears to be attempting to deal with ongoing sexual abuse, it is ignoring and even fighting to continue the coverup of past activities, which leads to further emotional and even physical damage to those who were abused by priests in the past. To paraphrase a line from the movie Spotlight: Weve got two possible histories here: a history about the demise of the Roman Catholic Church as the moral leader of Christianity, and a history about how the Church struggled and succeeded in redeeming its relevance in the twenty first century. Which will it be? Today 15 years after the Boston story hit the papers, 30, 40, 50, 60 years after the modern sexual abuse coverup scandal began the Roman Catholic hierarchy still does not get it. On Feb. 26, Minnesota state economists revealed our states latest fiscal numbers. They found Minnesota has a $900 million budget surplus, down from a previous budget projection of $1.2 billion, but a significant budget surplus nonetheless. So what should be done with your money? Last session, we approved legislation to fund government at the highest levels of spending in the history of the state. The spending decisions until June 30, 2017 have been made. Government is fully funded. Our budget reserves are also flush with cash, as we recently added another $600 million to our rainy day fund in November. With roughly $2 billion set aside, our reserves are also at the highest level in state history. In short, government is fat and sassy in every measure. One forecast note worth mentioning: our economic experts found that revenue collections were down by $427 million. They noted that wage growth was lower from the November forecast, as was the collection of sales tax receipts, down $311 million from the previous projection. That means the Legislature should be looking at ways to provide tax relief so they can spend more of their hard-earned money. Next session, I will be pushing for relief in two areas. The first would address the State General Tax, repealing the first $500,000 of value for every small business in every Minnesota community. In other words, if youre a million dollar company in the suburbs, youre still going to have tax obligations. But if youre a Main Street hardware store owner in Goodhue County and your property is valued at $350,000 this special tax would disappear, saving you thousands of dollars annually. I will also advocate for halving school construction property tax liabilities for every farmer in every township in Minnesota. For the average farmer, an approved levy can cost thousands of dollars depending on the number of acres they own, and they currently pay ten times as much as their city cousins do toward school construction, so this is an extremely critical issue in rural Minnesota. Other tax relief choices were also approved by the Minnesota House. They include income tax cuts for social security and the pensions of veterans. Theres also a provision to conform the estate tax with federal estate tax exemption, so families can pass on their farms or their businesses to their children. All are worthy of discussion, in my opinion. The 2016 session will be about choices. Government is fully funded, yet the appetite is there among our liberal friends to continue its growth. Do you want to continue feeding the stuffed bellies of special interests, or would you prefer that your money stay in your pocket? For me, the answer is very simple: I want you to keep more of your money, and I will be fighting for tax relief proposals that give you that opportunity. In short, government is fat and sassy in every measure. All your work has made a real difference, Linda, my staffer, told Mrs. Gifford. She and her husband traveled to Madison to personally deliver letters to every Senator. Well, arent you nice, Mrs. Gifford responded. You just made my day! Twenty-eight minutes before the vote on a bill that would make significant changes in high-capacity well rules, the Senate Agriculture, Small Business and Tourism committee clerk came to my office and said that bill was removed from the list to be voted out of committee. As he left our office, he passed Barbara Gifford and her husband, Jim, who came to ask me to vote against the bill. For the moment, it looked like the Giffords were successful. Senate Bill 239 is one of three bills that would alter the way Wisconsin grants permits to drill a high-capacity well a well that pumps 70 or more gallons per minute of groundwater. The bill prevents the DNR from reviewing existing high-cap well permits making them approved forever. Wisconsins Constitution protects our water for the use of all residents. This bill would change things to first come, first serve or, as one farmer described it to me, the first one with the straw in gets to keep the most water. Mrs. Gifford lives in a part of the state where high-capacity well operations have shrunk lakes, dried up springs, slowed flowing rivers and reduced drinking water supplies. Some lawmakers did the hard work of balancing policy between the use of water for industry and agriculture and water supplies for drinking and recreation. Senators Cowles (R-Green Bay) and Miller (D-Monona) each wrote thoughtful bills to make real strides in solving the problem. But SB 239, which is being rushed through the Legislature, simply gave everything to industry with little thought to the future or the Wisconsin Constitution. Even with little notice about the committee vote, Mrs. Gifford and her friends slowed the bill by their public advocacy. Speed and secrecy dominate Wisconsins Capitol these days. The practice to vote bills out of committee the same day of its public hearing has regrettably become routine. Public input from folks like the Giffords is vital in a democracy. Public input answers the question, What will this bill do? Lawmakers often learn a bill will do things the author never intended. One bill with unintended consequences is Senate Bill 747, which changes the practice of massage therapy, authored by Senator Harsdorf (R-River Falls) and Representative Tittl (R-Manitowoc). The bill appeared on the official Senate Agriculture, Small Business and Tourism committee calendar just one day before the public hearing. The public hearing and the vote out of committee happened the next day and left dozens of unanswered questions. The bill would make it a crime with possible 90 days jail time for anyone who practiced massage therapy or bodywork without a license. I had only a short time to talk with massage therapists about the bill. After I explained what the bill did, both women I called said WHAT? Put massage therapists in jail? That makes no sense. Indeed. Senate Bill 747 would add a number of activities to the practice of massage therapy. Using elastic supportive tape, kneading soft tissue, stretching, even giving advice for self would require a license. If you did these things without a license, you might go to jail. No one knew how much this would cost. The bill should not be here, before us now because we dont know the cost, reminded Senator Erpenbach. Senator Taylor pleaded with the committee chair to postpone the vote. We may be able to come up with a solution but we cant do this with a quick hearing and exec in one day. Like many Senators, she had two hearings scheduled at the same time and a host of other issues demanding attention. I cant get input [from constituents], Senator Taylor told the committee. Seriously, I hope we would delay this. The bill passed on a party line vote. Speed and secrecy almost always leads to poor legislation. Public hearings exist to gather the publics ideas, expertise and values. The result of sharing information between lawmakers and the public is better decisions for everyone. Last year, at least 278 children unintentionally fired a gun and injured or killed someone. Kids such as the 5-year-old in Missouri who was playing with his grandfathers handgun when he fired it, killing his infant brother. Or the 3-year-old Ohio boy who found his mothers handgun in her purse and discharged it into his own chest. Or the 4-year-old son of an Alaskan state trooper, who found his dads personal weapon and was looking down the barrel when it went off. In isolation these tragedies seem like random accidents, but together they form a pattern one we can interrupt if we track the data and test the most promising solutions. We need a more complete picture of this phenomenon than we have today. It is well established that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the authority on fatal injuries nationwide, undercounts the number of children killed in unintentional shootings by nearly 50 percent, likely because of misclassifications by medical examiners. To fill this gap, the organization where I direct research, Everytown for Gun Safety, began tracking news reports in which a child 17 or younger unintentionally fired a gun and harmed someone. In 2015, we found 278 incidents resulting in at least 88 deaths and 194 injuries though there may well have been more. Even in our imperfect data, the patterns we see play out are striking. Three-year-olds pull the trigger more than kids of any other age. Nearly two-thirds of the shootings occurred where the child was almost certainly believed to be safe in their own home or that of a relative. The frequency of these shootings varies between states by several orders of magnitude: controlling for population, the highest rate was in Alaska, 30 times the rate in California. Our analysis also reveals how we might prevent some of these tragedies. The common denominator in most incidents was irresponsible gun storage: Adults who do not secure their guns put children at disproportionate risk. According to surveys, fewer than 15 percent of gun-owning households with children store their firearms unlocked and loaded or with ammunition but such households accounted for nearly two-thirds of the unintentional child shootings we tracked. Treating unintentional child shootings as crimes rather than blameless accidents or twists of fate is one way of incentivizing more responsible gun storage. Of unintentional child shootings in 2015 that could have been prevented by safe storage, prosecutors brought negligence charges against only a quarter of known gun-owners. That needs to happen more consistently. Nearly 30 states have adopted child access prevention laws, which vary in character but generally hold the owner criminally liable if a gun winds up in a childs hands. Research suggests these statutes have an effect. In Florida, which passed a strong law and rolled it out with a major public education campaign, the rate of unintentional child shooting deaths fell 51 percent over the next decade. Such laws are also associated with reduced rates of suicide among 14- to 17-year-olds. Peer-to-peer educational programs also the have potential to shift social norms on responsible firearms storage. Organizations across the political spectrum have run public education campaigns dedicated to safe storage, including Moms Demand Actions Be SMART curriculum, the Brady Centers Ask campaign, and the firearm trade industrys Project ChildSafe. But to measure the effectiveness of any individual law or campaign, it is critical to know how gun storage behavior has changed over time state by state. And here again, the CDC data are incomplete. After an onslaught of criticism by the gun lobbys allies in Congress, in 2004 the CDC stripped questions about gun ownership and storage practices from its national survey. Although the surveys state coordinators could reintroduce those questions nationwide, they have failed to do so. Unintentional child shootings account for just a fraction of the nations tens of thousands of annual gun injuries and fatalities, but few shootings cry out as loudly for prevention. With better data, evidence-based laws and informed campaigns to shift public behavior, we can keep even the most curious kids from accessing guns while unsupervised. And that will save lives. Okay, I get it. People against frac sand mining want to keep it in our face until they get what they want. Enough of the constant letters to the editor in the Daily News. Personally, I hope the Winona County commissioners vote down any frac sand mining ban. I really think that this is about fracking and not about frac sand mining. Some people just cant come to grips about the use of fossil fuels to run our society. I just got my mailer from the Land Stewardship Project, which is all about the opposition to frac sand mining. Well, I can think of a lot more urgent concerns that affect our land more than frac sand mining. How about the explosion of row crops, particularly corn, that adversely affect the land around us? For the most part, contour strips and cover crops are a thing of the past. Tough to run a 30-row planter on a contour. Drive around after a rain, and see the washing of soil out of farm fields into creeks and rivers that end up running brown like chocolate milk. How about the practice of spreading manure on top of snow in the wintertime, just to have it wash downstream when it thaws in the spring? Ever see the wind blow in the spring, and it seems like the sun is a haze with the dust of farm fields in the air. How about in the fall, when crops are being harvested? Just hazy with dust and whatever herbicide/pesticide used during the year is now blowing around in the air. Want to do some real land stewardship? Try to stop some of this. Oh, how about those country roads? All the dusty mines used to produce crushed rock. Try driving around on these roads with the constant dust. Any health hazards from silica there? Ever see the multitude of semi loads of harvested corn on county roads and highways? Wonder what that does to the roads over time. If you really hate fossil fuels, dont use them. Go back to using horses fed of course on non-fossil fuel generated feed. Fracking has been an absolute winner in reducing gasoline and natural gas costs. If you dont like fracking, just say so, instead of trying to make frac sand mining the scapegoat. Frac sand mining is an economic boom for farmers, laborers, and truckers in this area of southeast Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Its impact on the environment is much less what the Land Stewardship Project would lead us to believe. They would just like us to overlook the traditional, family farm's environmental problems in favor of the new bogeyman: fracking. After a week in which the debate has diminished to discussing the size of Donald Trumps hands, its a challenge mustering up excitement for the Grand Old Party. The reality TV behavior is disheartening as we continue to vote real conservatives off the island. Last weeks Republican debate didnt highlight conservative policies; it displayed how low the process has descended. Hopefully the remaining candidates will consider raising themselves above the kindergarten antics that made up last weeks reality TV version of American politics. During the debate, Donald Trump, the master of childhood name-calling and bullying, was rankled because one of the other kids on the playground made fun of his hands. Trump took the moment, with the assistance of Marco Rubios campaign one-liner earlier in the week, to highlight the size of his manhood. ABC News reported Rubios insult was a reference to an article about 30 years ago when Graydon Carter, the editor of Vanity Fair magazine, described Trump in 'Spy magazine' as a short-fingered vulgarian. Trump was upset then and remains upset about it today. Trump, on the other hand, routinely diminishes Rubio for what he perceives to be his diminutive size. Rubio is, for the record, 5-foot 10 inches. These insults have absolutely nothing to do with American policy and wont persuade me to vote one way or the other in Aprils upcoming primary. Trumps name-calling and insult-ridden campaign is absolutely frustrating. It would be more beneficial for him to stop mimicking Don Rickles and start emulating Ronald Reagan. Instead, Trump keeps bullying the other kids and recoils when someone strikes the bully back. After victories on Super Tuesday, the bully Trump held a press conference and publicly stated that Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan will get along with him or pay the price. Seriously, this is what we have reduced our party to threatening others in the name of winning. The last remaining hope is that the primaries will soon be over and, because our 24-hour news cycle, this all will be old news by the time we hit the convention in Cleveland. Despite Mitt Romneys attempt to enter into the fray (and probably doing more harm than good), the convention will rally around the candidate who gets the most delegates. The argument has been made that Trumps rise is the result of the failure of the Republican Congress. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should have moved Republican bills forward despite knowing a veto from President Barack Obama was imminent. The electorate simply wanted to see more effort, but is this really what has caused the rise of Trump? Its only a part of what is happening. Trump has garnered only three out of every 10 votes. His wins come mostly in states where there are open primaries. In states where the primaries are closed, meaning you have to be a registered Republican before Election Day to cast a ballot, Trump is losing one to five. That means in the other states where, like Wisconsin, you can vote in either party on primary day, Trump is doing much better. On March 1, seven states saw a 52 percent increase in Republican votes over 2008. In those same states, the Democrats saw a drop of 20 percent in the primaries. Oddly enough, Clinton won five of those states by an average of 65 percent while Sanders won Vermont by 86 percent. Do you really think its a coincidence that, in states where a clear Democrat victor was predicted, Democratic turnout dropped while Republican turnout increased? Would Republicans seriously support a man who likes Obamacares individual mandate, attacked George W. Bush for lying about the Iraq war despite worldwide agreement on the intelligence and supports Planned Parenthood? Sure there are a lot of new voters that are fed up with Washington who are voting for Trump, but it isnt the Republican Party majority that is overwhelmingly supporting a man who accepts support from the Ku Klux Klans David Duke. Trump may have about 35 percent of the vote, but that means 65 percent are voting for anyone but Trump. Conservatives have long wondered how weve ended up with moderates like Romney and John McCain, but they now have to be asking, How are we ending up with a guy like Trump? Its the open primary process. States with open primaries have allowed the process to be hijacked by a reality TV star and, quite possibly, the left. Its time for GOP leaders to close this loophole and to stop voting true conservatives off the island. JUNEAU | A 48-year-old Theresa man pleaded not guilty to theft charges after he allegedly stole prescription pills from his neighbor and shoplifted sunglasses from a gas station. Robert McCaigue is charged with one felony count of possession of narcotic drugs and three misdemeanor counts of theft of movable property valued at less than $2,500, retail theft and resisting or obstructing an officer. If convicted of all charges he faces up to 5 years in prison and $40,000 in fines. McCaigue entered a not guilty plea before Judge Joseph Sciascia. He also requested a substitution judge. The motion was granted and a different judge will be assigned to the case. McCaigue is currently out of jail on a $250 cash bond with the conditions that he not have any contact with his victims or use or posses any controlled substances without a prescription. According to the criminal complaint, on Dec. 16 at 3:40 p.m. officers were dispatched to the 300 block of Arizona Drive in the village of Theresa for a theft complaint. The complainant said that between 25 and 30 of her prescription Oxycontin pills were stolen that morning. She said that McCaigue had been at her residence that day and she noticed the pills missing after he had left. She believed he had taken the pills. Officers made contact with McCaigue at the Shell Gas Station, 213 N. Milwaukee St. Officers noticed that McCaigue got extremely nervous when they began to question him about the theft and kept saying that he wanted to leave. McCaigue attempted to get into his vehicle and was stopped but officers. McCaigue continued to resist officers and would not comply with verbal commands. According to the complaint, McCaigue told officers that he had just stolen a pair of sunglasses from the gas station and did not want to get caught. Officers located a metal pill case containing a Percocet pill and 21 Oxycontin pills. Deer hunters in Wisconsin no longer need to wear identifying tags on their backs under a law signed this month by Gov. Scott Walker. Backtags gave conservation wardens and police officers a fast way to determine if a hunter was properly licensed, and an easy method for identifying those who trespass or break other laws, but lawmakers said they were ineffective, troublesome and cost money. I believe the vast majority of Wisconsin hunters are ethical, and requiring a backtag is not going to change their ethics, said the laws lead author, Rep. Joel Kleefisch, a Republican from Oconomowoc who likes to hunt. Those who go into the woods to break the law are going to find a way to do it, backtags or not. Wisconsin was one of only two states requiring backtags. Kleefisch said the hunters group Safari Club International asked for the law. He said he wasnt sure if the National Rifle Association joined Safari Club in asking him to introduce the bill. Those groups, another firearms group and an organization for bear hunters also registered in favor of the legislation, which removes the only backtag requirements for Wisconsin hunters. Kleefisch said he worked with the state Department of Natural Resources in drafting the law. But in its written testimony to two Legislative committees, the DNR advised lawmakers that backtags appeared to deter people from hunting without licenses, and they were occasionally a factor in catching violators. Conservation wardens used binoculars to read the tags of hunters from a distance allowing them to check for compliance more quickly than if they needed to approach and speak with each hunter individually. With the new law, it will take more time to check the same number of hunters for proper licensing, and that could have a cost for hunters, too, the agency said in its testimony. In-person license checks may cause hunters to search for their licenses in their bags or pockets, which may include digging through several layers of clothing during cold winter hunts. From the hunters perspective, this may increase the duration and unpleasantness of in-person license checks. But the tags caused other inconveniences, said Sen. Terry Moulton, R-Chippewa Falls, who sponsored the Senate version of the bill. Hunters usually pinned tags in place between layers of clear plastic that could make noise when blown by the wind, Moulton said. The law required tags to be worn on the outermost garment, so hunters would need to pin and unpin them from backpacks, vests and jackets, as they changed gear, he said. You had to keep punching holes in your clothes and it was just a nuisance, said Moulton. He said he was happy to offer the companion to Kleefischs bill because he had heard complaints about tags from customers of a store he owns that sells archery equipment and other sporting goods. But Tom Thoreson, a retired DNR deputy chief warden, said he caught hunters trespassing who hid their licences to make it more difficult to identify them. And in 2004, backtags helped quickly identify a man who shot six hunters to death in Sawyer County before he could hurt anyone else, Thoreson said. Chai Soua Vang of St. Paul, Minnesota, fatally shot six white hunters after being found trespassing on land in Sawyer County. He testified the victims shouted racial epithets at him and one opened fire first, but two wounded survivors said Vang shot first. State Supreme Court candidates Rebecca Bradley and JoAnne Kloppenburg clashed Wednesday over who would let their personal political beliefs or connections cloud their ability to fairly interpret the law. The two met at a Milwaukee Bar Association forum their first meeting after revelations this week of Bradleys controversial college-era writings, including a new one Wednesday in which she supported a scholars suggestion that women could be partially responsible for date rape. For the third day in a row, Bradley apologized for making anti-gay comments in opinions written in 1992 and published in the Marquette University student newspaper. She said her worldview had changed in 24 years after listening to people who have experienced terrible prejudices and unfairness in their lives. You realize how wrong you might have been when you thought you knew everything at the age of 20, Bradley said at the forum. But Kloppenburg rejected Bradleys claim that she had changed her views. Justice Bradley talks about change and talks about this being, now is now, then was then, but her career does not show much evidence of changes, Kloppenburg said, citing Bradleys involvement in the conservative Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies and the Republican National Lawyers Association. Bradley shot back saying she upholds the law regardless of her personal views, and said Kloppenburg espouses a judicial philosophy that aims to inject her personal preferences on public policy into her decision-making as a judge. She has explained this by saying she thinks it is our job as judges to promote a more equal society, said Bradley. Thats a very nice sentiment but Im not sure what that means because somebodys idea one judges idea of what is promoting an equal society can vary greatly from the next judges idea. The forum took place after the unearthing of controversial opinion pieces Bradley wrote while in college. Most of the examples were released this week by liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now. The Wisconsin State Journal uncovered other controversial writings in a review of the Marquette Tribune, a student newspaper. Bradley apologized in an interview with the State Journal for anti-gay letters and a column that One Wisconsin Now released Monday. She said those opinions no longer reflect her current views. Bradley, a current justice appointed to the high court last fall by Gov. Scott Walker, and Kloppenburg, an appeals court judge, are facing off in the April 5 election. The position is nonpartisan, but Bradley is backed by conservatives while Kloppenburg is supported by liberals. Role in date rape The new Bradley column that OWN revealed Wednesday denounced the rise of feminism. In it Bradley wrote that scholar Camille Paglia legitimately suggested that women play a role in date rape. Bradley wrote the column, Awaiting feminisms demise, in 1992 for the Marquette Journal, a student-run magazine. In it, she argued that the feminist movement had gone too far and was largely composed of angry, militant, man-hating lesbians who abhor the traditional family. In the column on feminism, first reported by The Capital Times, Bradley wrote that Paglia had been banned from speaking at several colleges after legitimately suggesting women play a role in date rape. In a 1991 column in Newsday, Paglia argued society had stopped punishing rape properly and feminism had erroneously taught women they could do anything, go anywhere, say anything, wear anything. She said women will always be in sexual danger and should avoid getting drunk and being alone with men to prevent being raped. A woman going to a fraternity party is walking into Testosterone Flats, full of prickly cacti and blazing guns, Paglia wrote. If she goes, she should be armed with resolute alertness. She should arrive with girlfriends and leave with them. A girl who lets herself get dead drunk at a fraternity party is a fool. A girl who goes upstairs alone with a brother at a fraternity party is an idiot. Feminists call this blaming the victim. I call it common sense. The only solution to date rape is female self-awareness and self-control. A womans No. 1 line of defense against rape is herself. A spokesman for Bradleys campaign did not respond to a request for an interview or comment. Bradley was not asked about the magazine column at the forum. One Wisconsin Now research director Jenni Dye said in a statement that Bradleys 1992 comments disqualify her from being a Supreme Court justice. It is abhorrent to blame the victim of a sexual assault, whatever the circumstances, Dye said. At the forum, Bradley and Kloppenburg agreed on a number of issues, including the fact that there are certain situations that make it appropriate for a justice to not reveal reasons for which they recuse themselves from cases. If the justice had previously been involved in a case before the Supreme Court as a trial attorney, for example, it would make sense to recuse but not reveal why because of attorney-client privilege. The two disagreed on whether a justice should leave the bench during the oral arguments of a case, however. On Feb. 24, Bradley left oral arguments to speak at an event hosted by business lobby Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. The WMC has spent millions on Supreme Court races, typically on conservatives. Bradley said its common for justices to leave due to scheduling conflicts and said she didnt leave until her questions were answered and that she watched video of what she missed. But Kloppenburg said it is inappropriate for a justice to leave to attend an event that could benefit his or her campaign. The village of Sauk City is reaching out seeking real estate developers willing to help revitalize its commercial district on Philips Boulevard. The board and plan commission intend to advertise development opportunities utilizing the villages newest tax incremental finance district. During a March 1 meeting, the village board and plan commission discussed ways to generate interest in the seven acres that border Phillips Boulevard to the south, Van Buren Street to the north, Spruce Street to the east and Birch Street to the west. The villages plan includes 30 residential sites, most of which are in the area of the former Spruce Street School that a potential developer could raze to make way for homes. Village president Jim Anderson said the lot sizes for proposed new residential properties has not yet been determined. Theyll be similar to the size of the surrounding lots in that area, Bongard said. Theyll be comparable to what is along Birch or Maple streets. Eighty percent of the TIF area is focused on commercial property, including the former Dairy Queen and McFarlanes former tire service shop. The village purchased the former Dairy Queen property in November, and for the next two years, Cody Wood is renting the site for his Wood BBQ restaurant, slated to open next month. The states tax incremental finance program been used as an economic development tool that allows developers to work with local governments and create a district in which property tax payments are withheld from the taxing entities to pay for the infrastructure and development of new commercial properties. Taxing entities like the village, school districts and the county do not receive money from tax collections for the life of the district. Once 15 or 20 years pass and a district is closed, however, its often seen as a windfall for those taxing entities in increased property taxes. Village leaders hope the program is the main attraction to potential developers. Bongard told the board and plan commission that selection of developers could be completed by late summer, with negotiations conducted through the fall and winter with a goal to potentially begin a project next summer. Do you do any means testing to see their personal finances and to see if they need a TIF? resident Mike Putnam asked. Part of state TIF law has whats known as a but for clause that means villages establish TIF district because its the only way certain properties will be developed. It is impossible to do this project without a TIF, Anderson responded. Weve gone through this process as long as Ive been on this board for 22 years. We dont just decide that tomorrow were going to do a TIF. Plan commissioner Joyce Frey said she lives in the neighborhood adjacent to the TIF district. Were putting out a request for proposals to see what we get back, Frey said. We want to preserve the neighborhood and thats our goal. Among the many six-foot tall green banners at the Sauk City Public Library is a World War II-era image of the Womens Army Corps. Juanita Goold Wilke, of Baraboo, who served in the Womens Army Corps, told a Wisconsin Veterans Museum interviewer, Nobody paid any attention to us. We were just ordinary people working with a general and we did, you know, and nobody paid any attention to the fact that wed been cryptographers. Nobody. The photo is part of a traveling exhibit the library is hosting through the month of March from the Veterans Museum called Working Warriors: Military Life Beyond Combat. The library is among several locations around the state that will host the exhibit. We have so many people in the community who have a strong interest in Wisconsin and local history, library director Emily Judd said. While the exhibit includes images of enlisted men and women all around the state, some local WWII memorabilia also will be on display. The displays are located throughout both floors of the library and can take 30-45 minutes to walk through and read them all. We put them whereever we could fit them because theyre quite large, Judd said. The banners have captions that tell stories of military people working jobs like ambulance drivers, supply clerks, administrative assistants, mechanics and doctors. As part of the exhibit, Kevin Hampton, curator of History at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum will give a presentation called Serving from Sauk: Stories of Sauk County Citizens in the Military at 6:30 p.m. March 24. The most significant aspects of military history are the stories of the men and women that made the history, Hampton said. Hampton will share some of those stories from the museums collections of veterans from Sauk County from the Civil War through WWII. The exhibit is funded partly by the Wisconsin Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities. We hope this exhibit and accompanying presentation will appeal to the many community members with a strong interest in local and Wisconsin history, as well as anyone who admires and appreciates our veterans, Judd said. As the worlds population continues to grow, the increase in people places a greater demand for and greater stress on, fresh water supplies. Throughout the world the availability of fresh water is at best remaining the same, or at worst, declining. In either case, this means that the amount of fresh water available to any one individual is shrinking. In the United States at least 40 states will see some type of water stress within the next 10 years. Here in the U.S., the drought conditions in the southwest get the lions share of the headlines, but states throughout the country are already looking at the availability of water and the increased demands placed on a finite amount of fresh water. Ninety percent of all central Floridians draw their water from the Florida aquifer with 800 million gallons a day pumped from the aquifer. Yet as the population of Florida continues to grow, it has been estimated that to safely preserve this underwater pool, only 50 million gallons a day can be used. The water is being used far faster than it is being replaced. Studies have shown that Orlando is already using as much water as it can from the aquifer yet the population of the Orlando area continues to boom. A Florida state representative has stated that Florida has a 30-year growth and construction plan, but may not have enough water to last four years. Floridas problem is compounded by its location. As fresh water is pumped from the ground, there is the very real danger that salt water will seep into the depleted aquifers. This would mean that the fresh water that remained would be undrinkable as it became tainted with salt water. Texas is currently experiencing moderate to exceptional drought conditions. This is the first time the entire state has experienced some level of drought since records have been kept, dating back almost 120 years. The crisis has been severe enough that the voters of Texas approved the use of $2 billion from the state rainy day fund to help organize and implement a statewide conservation plan. Kansas is also experiencing its own situation. While a normal amount of rain over the last year has helped alleviate their immediate problem, the long-term forecast is disturbing. Particularly troubling is a report issued by the state of Kansas just a little over a year ago that shows that the Ogallala aquifer is being pumped far faster than first thought, and at the current rate the largest underground water supply in the U.S. will be 70 percent dry within 50 years. As the aquifer is drained it fills with sediment, so that even if over the next several decades rainfall exceeds normal amounts, the aquifer will not naturally refill. Americas breadbasket is drying up. Consequently, the problem of fresh water is not just an issue of having water to drink, but the ability to grow crops, provide food, and nourish the country. The whole economy is being put at risk. These examples are not unique to the U.S. Saudi Arabia is rich with oil, but its natural aquifer has dried up and for the first time in the countrys history, it has had to import wheat to make bread. Its drinking water comes from several desalination plants. Australia is the driest continent that has people and they are experiencing the worst drought in the countrys history. The city of Perth has been forced to begin construction of plants to change salt water into fresh because that portion of that country is running out of fresh water. Spains reservoirs are now only at 46 percent capacity. In the northeast of Spain the reservoirs are only 20 percent full. So desperate has Spain become that it has begun importing water from France. From the very first days of the human experience, man was a hunter and a gatherer, moving from place to place to find the three things that one really only needs to survive: shelter, food, and water. As mankind learned to domesticate plants and animals, the tribes could settle in and begin to build communities, always founded near a secure and easily available water source. Cities grew, countries came into being, and having a readily available source of sustenance, mankind explored, invented, and created. All we are, all we have, is because we have water. What we have, we now destroy. We will not die of wars, or diseases, or plague or pestilence. Human kind will die of thirst. USDA announces $1 billion debt relief for 36,000 farmers The USDA announced a program to provide $1.3B in debt relief for about 36,000 farmers who have fallen behind on loan payments or face foreclosure. Wits and Erasmus University launch new PhD in law The joint programme departs from traditional studies that simply examine the content and implementation. The University of the Witwatersrand and Erasmus University Rotterdam (The Netherlands) will offer a new programme in law that will allow candidates to obtain a joint PhD degree from both institutions. The research programme offered through the Wits Oliver Schreiner School of Law and the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) at Erasmus University will focus on a range of topics in international law, society and development. Through the ISS-Wits joint programme, Wits and Erasmus want to champion a socio-legal approach that critiques the social working of law over studies that simply examine the content and implementation of legal norms. Applications to the programme close on 31 March 2016. Professor Vinodh Jaichand, Head of the Wits Law School who was instrumental in the partnership says the introduction of the programme is a culmination of work that began in 2014. The programme draws on the strengths of interdisciplinary research undertaken by the two academic institutions. Wits has a strong record in international law and development research while ISS is recognised for its excellence in the areas of politics, public administration, public policy and international law. The programme bridges gaps of similar programme which tend to follow the traditional research model. A pure legal approach to research tends to fall short of interrogating the socioeconomic challenges facing our society. Furthermore, the international dimension of the partnership research may lead to a comparative approach, especially by reviewing how other African states are addressing similar issues, says Jaichand. For more information please visit: www.iss.nl/JointWitsPhD or send an e-mail to the steering committee at JointWitsPhD@iss.nl China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Don't Assume Baby Boomer Customers Want Only Telephone Support As contact centers become more omnichannel, they have a tendency to target certain channels to certain demographic groups. There is an assumption that older generations Baby Boomers, generally have little patience or understanding of customer support via digital channels, so many companies aim their content and support to grayer Americans via more traditional channels like phone. While the telephone will always be an important part of the customer experience, particularly as more Americans use mobile phones as their primary means of communication, its a mistake to assume that Baby Boomers are only about the telephone. Customers over 50 may not be rushing to Snapchat to share customer experiences as quickly as younger Americans, but they are addicted to email and theyre addicted to their smartphones, so expecting to reach you only by telephone is a mistake. A recent study by Priceonomics found that older adults are as addictedif not more addictedto technology as teenagers. They just use technology in a different way than their children and grandchildren. Another study, this one from Nielsen Global, even found that, despite stereotypes, technology use during non-traditional times mealtimes, for example is actually higher among Baby Boomers then people in the so-called Millennial generation. For Boomers, email is the place they need to be, and now theyve got it on their phones 24/7. Nearly 60 percent of adults check their work email while on vacation, and six percent have checked their email while a spouse is in labor, according to the Priceonomics study. Another six percent have checked email at a funeral, and 10 percent at a childs school event. Analysts argue that the reason Baby Boomers are so addicted to email is that theyre the ones who elevated its importance to begin with. The same people constantly checking their email on their phones are the ones who create the no off-switch work environment today. If this is the case, then older Americans use of social media is also likely to explode. Once a time-wasting distraction, social media is now an important work channel. Knowledge workers look to share information with colleagues and partners on LinkedIn, marketers look for opportunities and influence marketers on places like Twitter (News - Alert) and Facebook, and companies can create viral sales and marketing campaigns in places like Instagram. As business diversified to these channels, older workers will also flee to them. The point here is that by arbitrarily assigning certain communications channels to certain generations, companies are doing themselves a disservice. If your customers are all older, its tempting to skip staffing the social media and mobile app channels with customer support workers. (We cant be everywhere at once, is the usual thought.) But if your customer support foundation doesnt include social marketing and social customer support, and continue robust attention to email, youll be in a poor position to pivot to a broader omnichannel approach when your sixty-something customers decide to embrace newer channels in a big way. Edited by Stefania Viscusi Injunction halts operation of Takahama units 09 March 2016 Share A district court today imposed a temporary injunction against the operation of units 3 and 4 of Kansai Electric Power Company's Takahama nuclear power plant in Fukui prefecture. Kansai said unit 3 will be shut down tomorrow, while unit 4 is currently not in operation. In late January 2015, 29 residents of Shiga prefecture - part of which lies within 30 kilometres of the Takahama plant - filed a petition with the Otsu District Court for a temporary injunction against operation of Takahama 3 and 4. Four hearings were subsequently held. The court's presiding judge Yoshihiko Yamamoto today ruled that the safety of the units cannot be guaranteed - despite Japan's nuclear regulator saying they meet revised safety standards - and issued an injunction against their operation. In a statement, Kansai said that since the petition was filed it has "been requesting dismissal of the petition while claiming and substantiating on the basis of scientific and professional findings that safety of the power station is ensured, including the contents of our explanation at the review meetings." It added, "It is extremely deplorable that our assertion was not understood well by the court, which we can hardly accept." Takahama units 3 and 4 (Image: Kansai) Kansai said it will immediately start the procedure for submitting an appeal against the injunction "after examining the details of the written decision". It said it will make "an all-out effort to assert and substantiate the safety of units 3 and 4 of the Takahama nuclear power plant in order to have the provisional disposition order revoked as early as possible". Takahama 3 and 4 were taken offline for periodic inspections in February 2012 and July 2011, respectively. As with all other Japanese reactors, they were then kept offline until it was determined they met new safety standards introduced in July 2013 in response to the March 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. Kansai submitted a joint application to the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) in July 2013 for the necessary permissions to restart both units. These approvals include making changes to the reactor installations; its construction plan to strengthen the plant; and its operational safety programs for the units. The NRA gave Kansai approval in February 2015 to make changes to the reactor installations at both units. That approval - which meant the NRA considered the two reactors, and the plant as a whole, to be safe for operation - represented by far the major part of the licensing process. Approval of the company's construction plan for unit 3 was given in August, while that for unit 4 was given in October together with approval for Kansai's operational safety plans for the Takahama plant. Following pre-start-up inspections by the NRA, Takahama 3 was restarted on 29 January. Unit 4 was restarted on 26 February, but has remained offline since 29 February following an automatic shutdown of the reactor due to a "main transformer/generator internal failure". Kansai has since been investigating the cause of that shut down. The company said it would comply with the injunction by taking Takahama 3 offline. Kansai said it will begin shutdown operations at the unit at around 10:00am tomorrow and that the unit would be offline by 10:00pm. "It is not possible to estimate the impact of this provisional disposition on performance at present because it is unknown when the provisional disposition order will be revoked and operation of Takahama units 3 and 4 is resumed," Kansai said. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Does vitamin D help relieve pain in people who suffer from osteoarthritis? According to the results of a new study, doctors are thinking not. This might be surprising for some: while vitamin D might often be thought of as potential relief for those who suffer from arthritis in the knees, a new study has found that a supplement of the sunshine vitamin might not reduce pain levels at all. According to UPI, the study was conducted as a means of figuring out how doctors might combat osteoarthritis, a progressive disease that results in loss of cartilage in the knees. Along with this comes, you guessed it: chronic pain. Clearly, this type of ailment is distressing and doctors have been trying to take a crack at relieving its more severe symptoms for a long while now. The use of vitamin D supplements to help reduce the pain levels in osteoarthritis sufferers is already controversial, but doctors deem a remedy necessary. Osteoarthritis can get so bad that it ends up requiring knee replacement surgery, says the team of Australian researchers behind the study. These data suggest a lack of evidence to support vitamin D supplementation for slowing disease progression or structural change in knee osteoarthritis, said lead researcher Dr. Changhai Ding, a professor at the University of Tasmania in Hobart. Previous studies have lead to conflicting results, but the Australian research team in question hoped to find a conclusive answer to the validity of the use of vitamin D. During random testing, it was found that vitamin D failed to have any beneficial effect on osteoarthritis sufferers. However, thats not to say that vitamin D has no benefits at all. Thats not to say that vitamin D doesnt play a role in other aspects of bone health because it does, Roth said. A young man wanted to make a point about racism in the United States, but his plan backfired when he was exposed for a liar by police. 20-year-old Khalil Cavil of Texas was working at the Saltgrass Steak House in Odessa when he claimed he was discriminated against because of his Muslim name. Cavil took Robyn-Lea Gentile By: Mahesh Sarin (Scroll down for video) A teacher was arrested on a charge of sex acts with a student after allegedly admitting to kissing a student because she wanted to take revenge against her fiance, police in Nevada said. Las Vegas police said that they have arrested 23-year-old Robyn-Lea Gentile, a teacher at the Harney Middle School, after being accused of having a relationship with the 16-year-old student. Gentile was charged with two felony counts of sex acts with a student. She was booked into the Clark County Detention Center, and her bail was set at $10,000. According to the police investigation, Gentile met the high school student at a school program. The teacher and the student exchanged 800 text messages and kissed about five times. Gentile would give the student rides twice a week. The kissing happened in the car and outside his home. Gentile told investigators that the relationship made her feel powerful and was motivated by revenge against her fiance, who had been sending text messages to other girls. Bitter conflicts are erupting within the Australian government, just six months after former Prime Minister Tony Abbott was replaced in a leadership coup by his longtime rival Malcolm Turnbull. These are being driven by mounting pressures on two fronts. The first is Washingtons demand for Australia to join its freedom of navigation operations inside Chinese-claimed territorial waters in the South China Sea. The second is growing condemnation by the corporate elite of the governments failure to slash social spending, reduce business taxes and cut workers conditions amid a worsening economic situation. These escalating rifts have burst into the open over the past week, particularly after several calculated interventions by Abbott. On February 26, Abbott delivered a speech in Tokyo calling on Turnbull to directly challenge Chinas territorial claims in the South China Sea by sending a warship or military aircraft within the 12-nautical-mile limit surrounding one of its islets. This would make Australia the only other country to join the provocative US intrusions into the disputed waters. Then, on March 1, Abbott publicly criticised the Defence White Paper, which had just been released by the Turnbull government, for allegedly extending the time for the delivery of a new fleet of submarines to the early 2030sfrom the mid-2020s as initially projected by Abbotts government. Im not just disappointed, Im flabbergasted at this decision, he told the Australian. The submarines form a critical component of a multi-billion dollar weapons spending program outlined in the White Paper, designed to meet Washingtons demands for Australia to play a greater part in the US preparations for a military confrontation with China. Also on March 1, in a Liberal Party parliamentary meeting, Abbott called for the government to take on the savings challenge again. This amounted to an accusation that, under Turnbull, the government had abandoned its drive, launched by Abbotts 2014 federal budget, to implement severe cuts to health, education, welfare and other social programs. In subsequent media commentary, Abbott defended the 2014 budget, which had triggered such public hostility that some of its key features remain blocked in the Senate by the Labor opposition and various other senators who fear the electoral consequences of supporting such unpopular measures. Abbott, who has remained in parliament on the backbenches, is clearly positioning himself for a future challenge for the Liberal Party leadership, angling for the backing of Washington and big business. Abbotts interventions have provoked sharp rebukes by Turnbull and his backers. They initiated an Australian Federal Police investigation into the alleged leaking of the draft White Paper, prepared under Abbott, which has pushed Abbott onto the back foot on his national security agitationforcing him to deny that he leaked classified documents. Turnbull also prevailed upon the heads of the defence department and the armed forces to deny any delay to the submarine timelines, insisting that Abbotts government was advised of the same delivery dates. Last weekend the media serialised a new book, The Road to Ruin, How Tony Abbott and Peta Credlin destroyed their own government. Written by journalist and former government adviser Niki Savva, it claimed that the close relationship between Abbott and his former chief of staff, Credlin, tore Abbotts government apart. For all the books salacious gossip about the pair, however, one of its main indictments was that Abbott himself had backed away from implementing the austerity offensive being demanded by big business. According to Savva, Abbott postponed the early release of his governments National Commission of Audit report in 2014, which was chaired by former Business Council of Australia head Tony Shepherd. Designed to justify deep cuts in the 2014 budget, the report set out a blueprint for the wholesale destruction of the countrys post-World War II social welfare system. It advocated cutting the minimum wage, dismantling the Medicare health insurance scheme and scrapping much of the current unemployment, pension, disability, child care, family and other welfare entitlements. Savvas book alleged that Abbott was extremely nervous about its impact, describing it to Shepherd as politically dangerous. She reported that Shepherd wanted to get the bloody thing out in order to lay the groundwork for a savage budget, with the audit commission taking the early blast of unpopularity of the findings, but the prime ministers office delayed. Underpinning these recriminations are divisions, not just within the government, but throughout the entire political establishment. These centre on how to balance between Australias longstanding military ally, the United States, and its largest trading partner, China, and how to impose brutal cuts to the living standards and social conditions of the working class. Turnbull is no less committed than Abbott to the US-Australian alliance. But Abbott aggressively placed Australia on the frontline of the renewed US war in the Middle East, its confrontation with Russia over Ukraine, and its military and economic pivot to Asia against China. Turnbull, a former investment banker with connections in China, has been less forthright. In fact, he warned in 2011 against a doe-eyed fascination with the leader of the free world and only signalled his support for the confrontational US strategy last year, as he was preparing his challenge for the leadership. Both men are also dedicated to delivering the austerity measures spelled out by Shepherds audit report. When he ousted Abbott, Turnbull accused the latter of failing to provide the necessary economic leadership. But for all Turnbulls socially progressive credentials and glib political salesmanship, he has proven no more successful than Abbott in overcoming popular opposition to the austerity agenda. In recent weeks, he has backpedalled away from proposals to increase the regressive Goods and Services Tax and to slash health and education outlays in order to reduce the corporate tax rate. Aided by a deal with the Greens to change the Senate voting system, which is aimed at preventing small parties and Independents from winning Senate seats, Turnbull is reportedly considering an early double dissolution federal election on July 2. Such a manoeuvre could pave the way for pushing deep spending cuts through parliament, once the election is over. But it could also backfire, boosting support for candidates appealing to the widespread hostility toward all three establishment partiesLabor, Coalition and Greens. Regardless of any election outcome, the underlying divisions will continue to deepen. The rifts besetting this government are similar to those that lay behind the Washington-backed coup of June 2010 that deposed Kevin Rudd as Labor prime minister and installed Julia Gillard. Like Turnbull, Rudd had suggested that Washington should make concessions to Beijing to avoid escalating conflict, whereas Gillard lined up unequivocally behind the pivot. She also began implementing attacks on education and other social spending. Labors leaders are clearly seeking backing in Washington to return to office. Stephen Conroy, Labors shadow defence minister, has demanded that Australia join the US operations in the South Sea China and denounced Turnbull for refusing to be as forthcoming as Abbott in undertaking such pro-US missions. Australian capitalism is being shaken by the collapse of the China-driven mining boom that temporarily shielded it from the full impact of the 2008 global breakdown. At the same time, Washington is intensifying its insistence on a government that will unequivocally commit to full participation with the US war-drive in the South China Sea and throughout the Indo-Pacific region. More than a thousand Boston Public Schools (BPS) students walked out of classes Monday to protest planned budget cuts to close a projected $50 million budget shortfall for the 2016-2017 school year. Schools across the district face the loss of teaching positions, extracurricular activities, librarians, music and arts classes and language programs. Students walked out of classrooms at high schools and middle schools across the city at 11:30 a.m., and made their way to the Boston Common. They rallied at the State House, where inside a hearing on state funding to education was taking place, and then moved through downtown to Faneuil Hall. Students chanted Save BPS, What do we want? Education! and You say cutbacks? We say fight back! as they made their way through city streets. A BPS notice sent out to parents indicating students would be marked absent it they walked out did little to dissuade many from participating in the protest. According to Mayor Marty Walsh, a Democrat, the city of Boston anticipates allocating $1.27 billion for public schools in fiscal year 2017. Although this is a $13.5 million increase over current year spending, it still leaves a shortfall of as much as $50 million. Republican Governor Charlie Bakers budget for Massachusetts includes $213.9 million in state aid to BPS for next year, up only 0.6 percent over this year. Walsh claims that the $50 million budget shortfall is an overestimate, and that increased charter school reimbursements the city is asking for from the state may somewhat reduce it. Schools have already been notified of the cuts they face next year. Boston Latin School parents in collaboration with the Citywide Parent Council Budget Subcommittee have drawn up a list of cuts anticipated next year at 21 high schools across the district. Brighton High School is losing $434,000 in funding. History, math, physical education and language arts teachers and a librarian are slated to lose their jobs, along with other administrative positions. Brighton High students Naomi Chaney and Sonome Braxton took part in the Monday protest. There have already been cuts made, Sonome said. They already told us the teachers that will be leaving. I know they are cutting a history teacher, some guidance counselors. And its not because there are less students, we have a good amount of students. I feel the protest is good, but I feel like theyre just not hearing us. Sonome and Naomi were also concerned about the threat to MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority) passes for students. BPS pays the transit agency to provide M7s, free passes for students who live more than a mile away from their schools. I hear that theyre trying to cut off M7s, Sonome said. M7s are really important. If they cut it off, how are we going to get to school? If we had to pay for the bus every day, without a job, thats just not possible. Later Monday, the MBTAs fiscal and management control board voted to raise fares an average of 9.3 percent for riders across the system beginning July 1. The student passes will remain intact, but BPS will pay an average of 5.4 percent more per ride for student fares. In a letter circulated on Twitter last week, Snowden student Jailyn Lopez urged all BPS students to participate. No matter what class youre in get up and walk out of school, the letter read. Lets stand up for our future, if we dont then no one will. Snowden faces a loss of $370,000 in funding, which means elimination of the Japanese program, loss of a part-time librarian, calculus teacher, guidance counselor, and the reduction of two English teachers to part-time status. Simon Mariano, a freshman at Snowden, told WBUR, Were losing our Japanese class. Were losing somebody in the math department, somebody in the guidance department, and I think there was one more a librarian. Schools across Boston face similar cutbacks, as BPS proposes $10 million to $12 million in cuts to the districts per-pupil funding formula. High school students, along with students with autism and emotional impairments, face some of the biggest cuts. Governor Baker, a strong proponent of charter schools, has also short-funded charter school reimbursement by $28 million, leaving the district with a deficit. In February, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to grant four Boston charter schools request to expand, adding more than 1,000 charter seats to city schools. While siphoning off increasing numbers of students to the charter schools, the public school system is paying the cost. In a statement on its Facebook page, the parent group Quality Education for Every Student estimates BPS will lose $17 million per year due to the seat expansions. Mondays protest was part of a growing movement by students and teachers to unite against budget cuts that are targeting teachers jobs and school conditions. Earlier this year, Detroit Public School teachers defied their union leadership and launched a series of sickouts, calling attention to pay and benefit concessions, as well as exposing the dilapidated state of school buildings. Detroit Public Schools students subsequently walked out or called in sick to show their support for the struggle begun by teachers. Student walkouts have also occurred in Chicago where teachers face job cuts and an attack on their pensions. Students and teachers concerns have largely been ignored or marginalized by teachers unions, which have collaborated with the Democratic administrations imposing the budget cuts in many large urban school districts. On February 28, the United States Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control announced it had reached settlements with several companies, including two Cayman Islands-based subsidiaries of the giant US oilfield services company Halliburton, over violations of the more than half-century-old US economic embargo against Cuba. Josefina Vidal, Director General of the United States in the Cuban Foreign Ministry, took to Twitter to say that strict implementation of the blockade continues, US imposes new fine, now vs Halliburton, later saying that the embargo continues to be the principal violation of human rights of Cubans. Under the agreement, Halliburton has agreed to pay $304,706 for actions undertaken by its subsidiaries in Angola in 2011. Halliburton had provided goods and services for oil and gas exploration and drilling to an Angolan oil and gas drilling consortium in which Cubas state-owned oil company Cuba Petroleo maintains a miniscule 5 percent ownership stake. Other companies receiving fines included the French-owned CGG Services and its Venezuelan subsidiary, Veritas Geoservices. Despite both companies being non-US companies, they agreed to pay $614,250 for having used spare parts, equipment and other goods of US-origin while working on Cuban offshore oil projects. Cubas Foreign Ministry complained that this confirmed the extraterritoriality of the embargo which has a deterrent effect not only on foreign entities but also on U.S. ones. Although the violations named so far refer to activities undertaken before the normalization of diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba that went into effect on December 17 of last year, the nearly 55-year embargo remains largely in effect. The Cuban government has stated that the continued sanctions are incongruous in the current context of relations between the two countries and corroborates that to move forward toward normalization of bilateral ties it is essential to lift the blockade. Embargo limitations remain in place despite a well-publicized easing of some restrictions, such as the resumption of commercial airline flights. The Commerce Department also issued new rules in January allowing certain kinds of exports in cases where it says the Cuban people stand to benefit, but these still require authorization on a case-by-case basis. Based on already loosened restrictions, the Commerce Department issued 490 authorizations in 2015 for US companies to do business in Cuba, worth up to $4.3 billion. While there has been a major push for an end to the embargo from large US corporations who are eager both to exploit Cubas educated and cheap labor force and to sell into a market with deep needs for goods and infrastructural improvements of all kinds, ending it would require legislative action from the US Congress, where the Republican leadership is largely opposed to such a move. The steady drumbeat towards an end to the embargo has been picking up, however, with more and more corporate sectors salivating at the possibility of entering into an economic space where sections of US businesses would have no real competition. Some of the most vocal so far have been the largest agribusiness giants, including ADM and Cargill, which have organized themselves as the US Agriculture Coalition for Cuba (USACC). Caterpillar recently named Rimco, a Puerto Rican company, as its dealer in Cuba in anticipation of an end to the embargo. Philip Kelliher, vice president of the companys Americas & Europe Distribution Services division said, Cuba needs access to the types of products that Caterpillar makes and, upon easing of trade restrictions, we look forward to providing the equipment needed to contribute to the building of Cubas infrastructure. For its part, Cuba is in a hurry to normalize relations with the United States due to its own perilous financial situation and the crisis overtaking its main source of foreign aid, Venezuela. Venezuela has for years been propping up the Cuban economy through subsidized shipments of oil, but its ability to provide oil through this relationship has been undermined severely by the fall in oil prices. A Barclays report based on the tracking of oil tankers by Petrologistics estimated that shipments of oil from Venezuela to Cuba have fallen from 99,000 barrels per day in 2012 to 55,000 barrels per day, though the Venezuelan government has denied that any substantial drop has occurred. Given its desire to lift the embargos restrictions on the penetration of the Cuban economy by US capital, the government of President Raul Casto is prepared to defend the actions of Halliburton, one of Yankee imperialisms most sordid actors. Halliburton, whose CEO from 1995-2000 was former US Vice President Dick Cheney, was intimately involved in the criminal invasion and occupation of Iraq from 2003 on. Halliburton was famously awarded a $7 billion dollar no-bid contract prior to the start of the war, as part of the carving up of Iraqs oil industry. Washingtons continued acts of enforcement make clear that the US government intends to approach any further negotiations toward an end to the embargo with a clear message that Cuba stands in a decidedly subservient relationship to its larger neighbor. For its part, the Castro government has decided that the only way it can continue its privileged position in Cuban society is to turn to American imperialism and attempt to transform Cubas economy along Chinese linesthat is, brutal capitalist exploitation overseen by a Stalinist police-state infrastructure. Australian Labor Party leader Bill Shorten earlier this year unveiled a new school funding plan, Your Child, Our Future, based on the former Labor governments Gonski model. Shorten boasted that Labor will increase school spending by $37 billion over the next decade if it wins the federal election due later this year, representing the most significant improvement in schools education in Australia for two generations. The Australian Education Union (AEU) has enthusiastically endorsed the policy, and is preparing a $2 million pro-Gonski television advertising campaign while also organising teachers to door-knock for Labor in 18 marginal electorates across the country. The Labor Party and teacher unions campaign is a fraud from start to finish. The proposed funding increaseitself grossly inadequate compared to the real needs of a crisis-stricken public school systemis so much hot air in an era of bipartisan commitment to austerity spending cuts. Shorten has been careful to allow himself ample room for manoeuvre. Of the headline $37 billion spending figure promoted by Labor and the unions, just $700 million (less than 2 percent) has been allocated for the first two years of a potential three-year Labor government. In 2018 and 2019, another $4.5 billion will supposedly be allocated, with the remainder of the $37 billion spread annually up to the year 2025. While significant school funding increases will remain a mirage on a distant horizon in the event that Labor wins the next election, a series of reactionary measures will be immediately enacted, attacking teachers job security and undermining the public education system. Labors funding policy states that the promised additional money is not a blank chequeit comes with strict obligations and benchmarks on systems, schools and teachers school funding is an investment, and we want to see the best possible return for every student, and as a country. Labors shadow education minister Kate Ellis accused the Liberal-National coalition government of believing in no strings attached funding to our schoolsthat will not continue under Labor. She added: This is about restoring accountability and transparency What we need to do is invest in evidence based policies, spend more money on the programs which we know make a difference and stop spending money on those that dont. Ellis comments are code for an extension of the US-style assault on the public education system that lay at the very heart of the former Rudd and Gillard Labor governments education revolution. At the same time as she and Shorten are attempting to win public support by promising school funding increases, behind the scenes they aim to win the backing of the corporate elite by promising to accelerate that agenda. Gillard, with the collaboration of the Australian Education Union, introduced NAPLAN (the National Assessment ProgramLiteracy and Numeracy), the countrys first national standardised testing system. As intended by its designers, NAPLAN has been the key mechanism for accelerating the shift of students from the public school system to the private. More than 40 percent of secondary students now attend private schools. The proportion of students in the private sector was already steadily ratcheting higher in the last four decadesfollowing the Whitlam Labor governments decision to funnel federal public funding to Catholic and other private schoolswith total primary and secondary students in the private sector increasing from just over 20 percent in 1970, to 28 percent in 1990, 31 percent in 2000, and 34.5 percent in 2010. As well as speeding up this trend, the NAPLAN standardised testing regime has narrowed the curriculum, promoted regressive drill and kill teaching practices, allowed the targeting of so-called underperforming public schools for closure or amalgamation, and has been used to victimise and sack teachers targeted for alleged underperformance. These processes will drastically worsen under a Shorten Labor government. Shorten and Ellis refer to benchmarks, returns on investment, and evidence based policiesterminology that is drawn from the corporate world, reflecting the underlying agenda behind the assault on public education. The entire school system, instead of being oriented towards childrens intellectual, cultural and creative development, is being more and more closely geared to the immediate demands of big business and finance capital. The Labor Partys education benchmarks for students and teachers are all based on the premise that NAPLAN and other standardised test scores are the arbiters of school and student success. All of Labor and the AEUs claims that the Gonski funding model was aimed at boosting education funding to meet student need and achieve an equitable school system have proven to be entirely false. The agenda was always to undermine the public education system in the guise of accountability and transparency. In 2011, three years after introducing NAPLAN, the former Labor government commissioned a report into school funding, carried out by the chairman of the Australian stock exchange David Gonski. Not only did the Gonski report ensure that Australia would remain one of the few advanced capitalist countries that publicly funds private schools, Gillard responded to the paper by insisting that private schools would never have a cent of their government funding cut under Labor. This entrenched the lavish public funding of the wealthiest elite schools that the previous Howard Liberal-National coalition government had extended, and at the same time underscored the lie of Labors claim to be allocating school spending based on student need. A stark class divide wracks the Australian education system. According to figures published by the Save Our Schools organisation, between 2009 and 2014, public school funding per student fell by 3 percent while private school funding increased by 10 percent. In some schools the disparity over this period was even greater. In Melbournes Korowa Anglican Girls School, for example, where families pay up to $32,000 a year for tuition, government funding increased by 38 percent. At the same time, government funding was slashed by 18 percent for students in the working-class public school of Corios North Bay P-12 College. Shorten has now declared that every school will receive more funding under a future Labor government and has boasted of the support expressed for his policy by the Catholic and independent school lobby groups. No faction of the Labor Party has any problem with funnelling vast public funds to elite private schools, or to Catholic and other religious institutions, in blatant violation of the basic democratic precept of the separation of church and state. Under the previous Gillard Labor government, the additional allocated school funding amounted to $14.5 billion over six years, a fraction of the extra $6.5 billion per year recommended in the Gonski report. Most of this was allocated to the final two-year period, in other words, it was left to be cut by Gillards successor while the initial investments were financed via multi-billion dollar cuts to the university sector. In addition, Gillard tied school funding to numerous conditions that included the implementation of so-called school improvement schemes and annual teacher performance reviews that have confronted public school teachers targeted for removal with Orwellian administrative sanctions carried out by principals and AEU bureaucrats working in tandem. Kate Elliss recent accusations that the Liberal-National coalition government has been allowing no strings attached funding leaves no doubt that a future Labor administrations measures would be even tougher. The teachers unions have functioned as the enthusiastic enforcers of this agenda, under Gillard and now under Turnbull and will continue their role if Labor wins the forthcoming federal election. Shorten addressed the AEUs federal conference on February 26 and declared that when we talk about education policy we do not sneer about the role of the union in helping us form good policy. These remarks underscore the fact that ordinary teachers cannot take a single step forward in defence of the public education systemand the rights of teachers, parents and students alikewithout taking up a fight independently of, and in opposition to, the entire political establishment and its trade union accomplices. British Gas, the UKs largest domestic energy company, has reported a 31 percent increase in profits for 2015. The firms profits rose to 574 million from 439 million the previous year. British Gas supplies energy to 10 million domestic customers and is part of the Big Six private energy firms operating in the UK. Iain Conn, chief executive of Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, defended the profits increase under conditions in which there has been a sharp fall in the wholesale price of gas. He said, We saw a very mild 2014 and we saw a more normal 2015 so therefore the amount of energy that our customers used went up and therefore the actual total profit went up. Conn claimed that savings due to the falling wholesale price of gas had been passed onto the consumer. This was challenged by David Hunter, an energy analyst, who said, With prices slashed by only 5 percent, standard tariffs are barely more competitive than they were, and still a long way off the fall in wholesale prices. With these tariffs still up to 450 a year more expensive than the best deals, consumers are being left out of pocket. In recent years, British Gas annual profits averaged 584 million. According to estimates by the Competitions and Marketing Authority (CMA), which has been conducting an investigation into the UKs energy suppliers, consumers overpaid by 4.2 billion a year between 2009 and 2013. As its soaring profits were declared, British Gas announced it would cut another 500 jobs, mostly in its energy efficiency business. These will affect jobs at sites in Leeds, Oxford and Leicester. A total of 28,000 people work for British Gas in the UK and the latest cuts follow the announcement in July 2015 by Centrica that it will slash 6,000 jobs. Centrica, which also operates in several other countries, said most of the jobs would go in Britain. As with the latest job cuts, last years were announced alongside huge profits. In the first half of last year, Centrica recorded a doubling of profits to 1 billion. Half of this came from its British Gas arm. The job losses are part of a restructuring operation, with the firm planning 750 million of annual cost cuts by 2020. Conn announced that he expected to achieve 200 million in savings by the end of 2016. This will be carried out in large part by cutting 3,000 jobs, with 2,000 of those are expected to come from the UK, including jobs in the North Sea. Millions of customers struggling to pay skyrocketing bills will be disgusted with the comments of Mark Hodges, Managing Director of British Gas , who said of the latest job cuts, We must ensure that our costs allow us to be more competitive for our customers. On the news of its profit surge and job losses statement, the share price of British Gas rose nearly 7 percent. Further job losses among the Big Six were announced Tuesday, with 2,400 jobs to go at Npower. These represent a fifth of its global 11,500 workforce. Npower is owned by German group RWE and employs 7,500 in the UK. Npower is making the redundancies in response to a loss of 99 million in its domestic energy business for 2015, compared to a profit of 183 million a year earlier. RWE said the cuts were part of a "radical restructuring. In December, Npower was fined 26 million by the energy regulator, Ofgem, for failing to treat customers fairly. This was the second such fine levied against the firm. As is now routine, the trade unions proposed nothing to defend a single job. When the 6,000 job losses were announced at Centrica, GMB national officer Gary Smith could have been speaking for the company when he said it was a day of deep concern across British Gas, but the focus on the long-term and investment in customer service gives us room for optimism over front-line jobs. Paresh Patel of the Unite union said only that any compulsory job losses should be kept to a minimum and the reduction of the workforce should be made either through natural wastage or voluntary means. Such is the high cost of energy in the UK today that millions of families face the scourge of fuel poverty. Research published by the National Childrens Bureau last month found that there are now almost four million children in England alone living in fuel poverty. It documented that 10 million per year was being spent on treating patients with health conditions caused or worsened by living in cold, damp housing. Tragically, the report records that 117,000 people have died as a result of living in the cold and damp. These conditions are the direct result of privatisation of the electricity industry, began in 1990 under the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher. Since then, the privatised companies have reaped billions and billions in profits, as bills for households have shot through the roof, with millions of people simply unable to pay mounting fuel costs. The Blair-Brown Labour governments from 1997-2010 maintained the privatised monopoly of the big energy firms. In his campaign for the Labour Party leadership last year, Jeremy Corbyn promised that a Labour government would bring the energy industry under government control. He said in one speech, I would want the public ownership of the gas and the National Grid I would personally wish that the big six were under public control, or public ownership in some form. The Financial Times noted, That would have seen a Labour government nationalising British Gas, SSE, Eon, Scottish Power, EDF, Npower and the National Grid. Corbyn, who has since retreated on all the main planks he was elected on, ditched this policy even before a month was out. On September 29, Lisa Nandy, Labours shadow energy secretary, told the partys annual conference, Jeremy and I dont want to nationalise energy. We want to do something far more radical. We want to democratise it. This deliberately amorphous statement boiled down to a policy, said Nandy, of communities around the country being encouraged to generate their own clean energy, via community-based energy companies and cooperatives. Labour under Corbyn remains a party of big business, with the FT commenting that Corbyns climb-down was the latest example of his radical ideas disintegrating on contact with the rest of the Labour party [leadership]. According to the Guardian, the Competitions and Marketing Authority, following an 18-month investigation into the activities of the main energy suppliers, is expected to announce next week that it has ditched plans to introduce a wide-ranging price cap on energy bills after fierce lobbying from the big six suppliers. The newspaper noted that the watchdog has already retreated from other, bolder moves that it threatened to make, including the breakup of large firms such as Centrica and SSE that dominate the wholesale as well as the retail markets. In response, shares in Centrica rose by 4.5 percent. Centrica was already relaxed about whatever the CMAs review would conclude with Ian Conn stating in February, I dont really fear the outcome. With Donald Trump continuing to win the majority of primary contests, the American ruling class is beginning to respond to the possibility, if not likelihood, that the real estate speculator and former television host will be the Republican candidate for president in the November general election. A March 5 column by the New York Times Nicholas Kristof, Donald the Dangerous, is characteristic of the Democratic Partys response to the Trump campaign. Focusing on foreign policy, Kristof gives voice to the concerns within the foreign policy establishment over the implications of a Trump presidency. The Times columnist epitomizes the bankruptcy of what passes for left and liberal politics in the United States. A strong backer of the Obama administration, he has made a career promoting US wars of aggression as crusades in defense of human rights and democracy, cheering on the wars in the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria. The basic tenor of his comment is given by the quote from former Bush administration official John Bellinger III at the beginning of the piece: Trump is a danger to our national security. Here, national security is a code word for the global interests of the American ruling class. He goes on to cite approvingly a number of other Bush administration officials, including former secretary of homeland security Michael Chertoff, former national security adviser Peter Feaver, and former deputy secretary of state Robert Zoellick. Kristofs column exemplifies the dishonesty and hypocrisy that characterize the denunciations of Trump by the Democratic Party (and Republican Party) establishment. It is an effort to cover up the fact that the Trump phenomenon is a product of the permanent state of war abroad and all of its reactionary consequences domestically, for which the Democratic Obama administration is no less responsible than its Republican predecessor, and for which media mouthpieces of the Pentagon and the CIA such as Kristof bear an immense political responsibility. On the war in Syria, for example, Kristof writes: Trump said last year that he would unleash ISIS to destroy Syrizas government. That is insaneand Trump wants ISIS to capture Damascus? But as Kristof well knows, ISIS was the result of the wars in Iraq, Libya and Syria that he himself supported, and Washingtons utilization of jihadist forces linked to Al Qaeda as mercenary proxies in US imperialisms regime-change operations. In Syria, the main component of Kristofs so-called democratic revolution against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is the al-Nusra Front, Al Qaedas Syrian branch. Kristof writes that a second major concern is that Trump would start a trade war, or a real war, with China. But only days before Kristofs column was published, the Obama administration dispatched a naval flotilla to carry out a patrol near Chinese territorial waters in the South China Sea, adding to the almost daily saber-rattling provocations that are part and parcel of the administrations anti-Chinese pivot to Asia. US military commanders openly talk of possible war, including nuclear war, with China, while the US and NATO flood troops and arms to right-wing regimes bordering Russia. Kristof criticizes Trumps belligerent stance toward North Korea even as the Obama administration mounts the Operation Key Resolve Foal Eagle war game exercise with South Korea involving over 300,000 soldiers near North Koreas border. Trump is a risk to Americas reputation and soft power, Kristof writes. Both Bush and President Obama worked hard to reassure the worlds 1.6 billion Muslims that the US is not at war with Islam. Trump has pretty much declared war on all Muslims. What cynicism! In the course of the war on terror, the Bush and Obama administrations have killed an estimated one million citizens in mostly Muslim countries. Entire societies have been destroyed by what Kristof calls US soft power. His primary concern is that Trumps openly anti-Muslim comments will alienate US allies in the region, including Turkey and the reactionary Gulf monarchies. Finally, on Trumps open support for torture, Kristof writes, It was a good sign that on Friday [Trump] appeared to reverse himself and pledged that he would not order the US military to commit war crimes, yet thats such an astonishingly low bar that I cant believe I just wrote this sentence! Trumps backing of waterboarding, and his proposal to kill the family members of suspected terrorists, is, in fact, less a political novelty and more a public declaration of the criminal policy that has been pursued under both Bush and Obama. Just this week, the White House ordered the massacre of 150 people in Somalia with the justification that they were members of the Al-Shabaab organization, without providing any evidence or even making a pretense of following international law. The discussion over whether or not the US should openly commit war crimes speaks to the debased character of the entire bourgeois political system out of which Trump has emerged. He is the personification of the toxic runoff from the war on terror that Kristof and the Democratic Party establishment have promoted for fifteen years. Trump is the product of the militarism and jingoism propagated in connection with the neocolonial wars carried out under the banner of the war on terror, combined with deepening social polarization and the economic distress resulting from relentless attacks on the jobs and living standards of working people. The fact that Trump, whose politics have a fascistic character, has been able to capitalize on broad and deep anger against the entire political establishment and attract sections of mainly white workers is the result of the bankrupt and reactionary political culture of the so-called left that Kristof personifies: a culture of complacency, hypocrisy and contempt for the working class and its concerns. Behind their obsession with issues of identityracial, gender and sexual orientationthe Democratic Party and its left periphery, Kristof included, support brutal wars abroad and ceaseless attacks on the democratic and social rights of the working class at home. The New York Times reported Tuesday that US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has provided the White House with a detailed plan for expansive military operations throughout Libya. The proposal was presented by Carter to President Barack Obamas top national security advisers on February 22. Drawn up by the Pentagons Africa Command and the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), the operation would reportedly involve airstrikes on 30 to 40 targets determined to belong to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Citing anonymous government officials, the Times reported that once the plan is approved by Obama, warplanes will launch attacks on alleged ISIS training camps, command centers and munitions depots while also providing air cover to various US-backed militias, which include Islamist elements similar to ISIS. Typically, the Times report failed to mention that the Obama administration bears responsibility for the destabilization of Libya and the growth of ISIS and other Islamist militias across the region. Under the pseudo-legal guise of the responsibility to protect anti-government protesters in Benghazi from a supposedly impending massacre, the US and its imperialist allies in Europe launched a regime change operation in 2011 to oust Muammar Gaddafi, the longtime leader of the oil-rich country. Spearheaded by Hillary Clinton, then Obamas Secretary of State, the supposedly humanitarian operation resulted in the deaths of approximately 30,000 people; the brutal lynch-mob murder of Gaddafi; the de facto partition of Libya between multiple competing factions; and the destabilization of countries throughout the Middle East and West Africa. Since 2011 the United States and its allies have repeatedly launched air strikes and Special Forces raids in Libya, something which US officials have insisted will continue regardless of plans for wider military operations. Last month the US launched an airstrike on an alleged ISIS training camp in western Libya near the border with Tunisia, killing as many as 50 people. At a televised town hall event hosted by Fox News Monday night, Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner in the 2016 presidential primaries, once again led the charge for intervention, stating that she supports the deployment of US Special Forces to Libya and favors the expansion of American military operations. We already are, as you know from the headlines and the stories, using Special Forces, using air strikes to go after ISIS leaders, Clinton told the audience. We ought to be supporting [Libyans], not only with Special Forces and air strikes against terrorists, but helping them secure their borders and deal with some of the internal challenges they face. While the official position of the US and its European allies is that they will wait to launch military operations until the formation of a national unity government in Libya, hundreds of Special Forces troops have already been deployed covertly to Libya for the last several weeks to lay the groundwork for a much larger assault. Aircraft from the US, France and Great Britain have also been flying reconnaissance flights over the country. Soldiers from the US, Britain, Italy and France have been deployed to Misrata in the west and Benghazi in the east to train and arm militias which, in addition to fighting each other for control of the country, are confronted with a growing branch of ISIS centered in the city of Sirte. The main groups receiving support are the Libya Dawn, which includes fighters linked to Al Qaeda, loyal to the Islamist General National Congress based in Tripoli, and the forces loyal to the Council of Deputies based in Tobruk, including those under the command of the CIA-backed Libyan general Khalifa Hifter. Italy in particular is playing a crucial role in preparing for the opening of renewed military operations in its former colonial possession. A joint military operations center has been established in Rome, and an agreement was reached in February to allow the United States to carry out airstrikes in defense of Special Forces deployed in Libya, using manned aircraft and drones stationed at Sigonella airbase in Sicily. Last Friday US Ambassador to Italy John Phillips told Corriere della Sera that Italy was preparing to deploy 5,000 troops to Libya to fight ISIS. We need to make Tripoli safe and ensure that ISIS is no longer free to strike, he stated. Italian Prime Minister Mateo Renzi responded over the weekend in a televised interview denying that Italy was preparing an invasion but left the door open to a wider military intervention. If there is a need to intervene, Italy will not back down, Renzi stated. But this is not the situation today. The idea of sending 5,000 men is not on the table. Despite Renzis public denials, the Italian government has already deployed at least 40 secret service agents and 50 Special Forces troops to prepare the ground for a much larger operation. According to a western diplomat in Rome quoted anonymously by the Financial Times, Italy is in pretty good shape operationally once they have the green light to go in. They have a clear model for what they would like to do. A main factor in the current press for expanded military operations in Libya is the broader effort to block hundreds of thousands of refugees who continue to flee to safety in Europe from their home countries in the Middle East and North Africa, areas which have been devastated by a decade and a half of imperialist military intervention. Clearly the spring approaching and the prospect of a new influx of refugees from Libya are accelerating western plans to agree on a military intervention and its outlines, IHS Country Risk MENA senior analyst Ludovico Carlino told Tunisia Live late last month. In recent days the European Union and NATO have ramped up military operations in the Aegean Sea, seeking to push back those refugees, mainly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, seeking to reach Greece by boat from Turkey. Mental health care in England is now so poor and underfunded that lives are being ruined, a review says. The report, The Five Year Forward View For Mental Health, from the Independent Taskforce to the National Health Service (NHS) in England, found that many people were getting no help or inadequate care, with patients, including young children, being sent across the country for treatment. The figures are stark considering the scale of the problem and the impact each year on hundreds of thousands of people who are affected by mental illness. Mental health still receives just 13 percent of NHS funding, despite accounting for more than a fifth (23 percent) of the UKs disease burden. It is estimated that more than 11 billion worth of extra funding for mental health would be required to bridge this gap. Since 2010, there have been severe cuts to staff with 5,000 fewer mental health nurses and 8 percent fewer mental health beds. Mental health problems account for the single biggest cause of disability in the UK. In any given year, one in four people will be affected by a mental health problem, yet 75 percent receive no help. Mental health services for children and young people in England were cut by 35 million last year alone. The impact of the lack of services for young people is significant, with 50 percent of all mental health problems being established by the age of 14. One in 10 children between the ages of 5 and 16 have a diagnosable problem, with children from low-income families being at the highest risk, a figure two thirds higher than those from the highest income bracket. The impact on children in later life can be immense. Those suffering with conduct disorder and persistent disobedient, disruptive behaviour are three times more likely to become a teenage parent, twice as likely to leave school with no qualifications, and 20 times more likely to end up in prison. Many people receive no support, and those who do receive support in the form of psychological therapies are not seen immediately, with the average wait time 32 weeks. There are a significant number of armed forces veterans struggling with mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Some 50 percent of those with mental health problems seek help from the NHS. Many of those seeking help are rarely referred for specialist care. Older people are affected by high rates of depression, with 40 percent of older people living in care homes being affected and one in five older people living in the community. The rate of suicide is rising, coming after years of decline. In 2014, 4,882 men committed suicide in England, with a marked increase amongst middle-aged men. Suicide is now the major cause of death in men between ages 15 and 49. Two thirds of all people with mental health problems receive no support at all, and of those helped, few have access to the full range of interventions that should be available. Some 90 percent of adults suffering with severe mental health problems are supported by community services. However, there are long waiting times for some of the key interventions recommended by NICE, including psychological therapy. For those people who require crisis care, the Care Quality Commission found that only 14 percent of those they had surveyed felt they had been provided with the right response. Only 50 percent of community mental health teams were able to offer help to people on a 24/7 basis. Only a small number of Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments in hospitals were able to offer help via a casualty liaison mental health service. Those younger than 16 who presented at a casualty department would be referred directly to children and young peoples services, but could only be seen when these services were open during office hours. At weekends, this would mean a young person having to wait. So run down is provision that the report points out many people in crisis come into contact with mental health services via the police. The issue of inpatient psychiatric care and the increased numbers of those being detained under the mental health act place increased pressure on already overstretched services. The number of inpatient beds has decreased by 39 percent overall between 1998 and 2012. This has led to bed occupancy rising for the fourth consecutive year to 94 percent. Many acute wards are not always the safest and most therapeutic environment to be in when trying to recover. The pressure exerted on bed spaces has been made worse by the lack of crisis care and early intervention services. This in turn leads to a shortage in psychiatric beds, with 2,000 acutely ill patients a month being sent out of area. The report points to a number of recommendations that include being able to provide a seven-day, 24-hour service, with the expansion of home treatment and crisis resolution teams. The Conservative government claims that it has invested up to1 billion in mental health services. However, this is not new money, but part of the 8.4 billion that Chancellor George Osborne was forced to promise, before the last election, would be made available to the NHS. The running down of mental health services has continued alongside cuts to many of the services in the community that have provided support for people with mental health problems. Drop-in centres, youth services, befriending projects and Sure Start childrens centres have suffered funding cuts. At the same time, unwell welfare claimants are being forced into finding work by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), via the notorious Work Capability Test. Money is no longer centrally allocated for health care, including mental health services. Since the 2012 Health and Social Care Act, money is devolved to local Care Commissioning Groups. These groups are usually led by general practitioners (GPs), who have limited budgets and will likely spend it on contracting for existing services. No more money is being provided to develop and improve mental health services, and what money there is will be barely enough to support already struggling and overstretched services. Mental health services, as with all aspects of social welfare, are being cut and being pushed to the breaking point, with those in need becoming increasingly unwell, as they cannot access appropriate services when they need them. To compound this, health care workers are not able to deliver quality care due to lack of resources. The only way to prevent the total destruction of mental health care services, and to improve them to a level that is needed, is through a massive investment programme to fully fund and develop services. This can only happen when the wealth generated in society is used for the common good, and not for gratuitous accumulation for personal gain. Senator Bernie Sanders won an upset victory over former secretary of state Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential primary in Michigan, taking 50 percent of the vote compared to 48 percent for Clinton. Billionaire Donald Trump won the Republican primary in the state, taking 38 percent of the vote, with Texas Senator Ted Cruz edging out Ohio Governor John Kasich for second place, with each winning about 25 percent. Turnout was significantly higher in both the Democratic and Republican primaries than in previous statewide votes in Michigan. The Democratic vote was up 75 percent from the last contested primary, in 2008. The Republican vote was up 20 percent from the 2012 primary. The victory for Sanders was powered by an 81 percent margin among voters younger than 30. Sanders won nearly every county outside the Detroit metropolitan area. He more than doubled his support among African-American voters, from 15 percent in recent primaries in the South to over 30 percent. Besides Michigan, by far the biggest state to vote Tuesday, there were Democratic and Republican primaries in Mississippi and Republican-only contests in Idaho and Hawaii. Hillary Clinton swept the Mississippi Democratic primary, winning 83 percent of the vote to 16 percent for Sanders. Trump won the Mississippi Republican primary more narrowly, taking 48 percent to 37 percent for Cruz. Cruz won the Idaho primary easily, winning 42 percent of the vote to 29 percent for Trump. No results were available from Hawaii at the time of writing. The results of the voting in Michigan, the first large industrial state in the Midwest to hold a presidential primary, intensifies the political crisis wracking both of the big-business parties, which together exercise an effective political monopoly in the United States. Sanders, a self-styled democratic socialist, defeated the consensus choice of the Democratic Party establishment. The fascistic billionaire Trump won the Republican contest, while the campaign of Florida Senator Marco Rubio, backed by the bulk of the party leadership, has collapsed. The victory of Sanders, in particular, came as a shock not only to the Democratic Party leadership and the corporate-controlled media, but to Sanders himself. The candidate left Michigan for a series of rallies in Florida and his campaign did not hold the traditional rally for supporters to watch the vote and celebrate the victory, because it did not expect to win. This is one more demonstration of the vast political gulf separating working people and youth from all the parties and candidates of the corporate-financial elite. Exit polls from Michigan found that of voters participating in the Democratic primary, 91 percent said the most important issue was health care, inequality or the economy, while only 9 percent said it was terrorism or national security. In addition, 85 percent said the US economic system favors the wealthy and 86 percent said they were worried about the US economy. As former Obama campaign chief David Axelrod said on CNN, the vote showed that among working-class whites, and actually among minorities too, there are deep concerns about how the economy is run. Other media pundits noted that the Clinton campaign now faces an uncertain future in a series of contests in industrial states such as Ohio, Illinois and Missouri next Tuesday, as well as elsewhere in the Midwest and in Appalachia in later weeks. While the Sanders vote in Michigan showed the growing opposition to big business among working people and youth, the Trump vote in the same state underscores the dangers facing the working class. Trumps campaign has taken on an increasingly open fascistic character, with attacks on immigrants and minorities, particularly Muslim-Americans, threats of violence, and even, in the past week, appeals at rallies for supporters to stand up and pledge their allegiance to the candidate by raising their arms in a manner reminiscent of the spectacles staged by Mussolini and Hitler. In the Michigan campaign especially, Sanders and Trump made similar appeals to economic nationalism, with both the left Democrat and the ultra-right Republican identifying trade deals, and not the capitalist system, as the cause of mass unemployment and wage-cutting, and attacking corporations for moving jobs to Mexico, China and other countries. Clinton joined in this orgy of chauvinism, denouncing corporations that did not practice patriotism in their economic decision-making. Trump has taken advantage of the right-wing record of the Obama administration and the Democratic Party to exploit the economic grievances of a large layer of lower-income white workers by providing a scapegoat in the form of immigrants, Muslims and other minorities. The Democratic Party long ago abandoned social reform policies that addressed, if only in a limited way, the class interests of working peoplefor good-paying jobs, health care, education, housing, etc.in favor of catering to privileged layers of the middle class concerned with issues of lifestyle, race, gender and sexual orientation. At the same time, despite the incessant media promotion of the billionaire demagogue, there are definite limits to the support for Trump. Exit polls in Michigan found that 50 percent of Republican primary voters found him untrustworthy, 47 percent would be dissatisfied if he became the nominee, and 44 percent found his campaign the most unfair of all the candidates. Two new national polls found Trump with 34 percent support among registered Republicans and independents who lean Republican (Washington Post-ABC) and an even lower 30 percent among the same group (NBC-Wall Street Journal). The author also recommends: Sanders pushes trade war policies: Left demagogy and nationalism dominate Democratic debate in Flint [8 March 2016] What political conclusions must be drawn from Trumps Super Tuesday? [3 March 2016] The American political and media establishment has responded in predictably fawning and dishonest fashion to the demise on March 6 of Nancy Reagan, the widow of former president Ronald Reagan, who died in 2004. Nancy Reagan was heartily disliked by considerable sections of the American population during her eight years in the White House because of her extravagant spending on herself and her aristocratic tastes and lifestyle, which earned her the nickname Queen Nancy. The Reagan presidency generally is associated with social reaction and attacks on the working class, military aggression and political conspiracy. In the interests of continuing and deepening the decades-long, bipartisan policies of social reaction and war, the American ruling elite feels obliged to perpetuate the official mythology about the former president and extend it to his wife. This is no less true for what purports to be the left wing of the political establishment, concentrated in the Democratic Party, than for the Republican right. While the effusive and absurd adoration of the former first lady does not come as a surprise, that does not make the spectacle of intellectual cowardice and debasement less repulsive. Every candidate for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations chimed in with unstinting praise for the late Mrs. Reagan. The iconoclast Donald Trump exclaimed on Twitter, Nancy Reagan, the wife of a truly great president, was an amazing woman. She will be missed! His rivals, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Florida Senator Marco Rubio commented publicly along the same lines. Ohio Governor John Kasich asserted that the relationship between Ronald and Nancy Reagan was one of our nations great love stories and a model of shared devotion to our country. The nausea rises in ones gorge Bill Clintons office released a statement on behalf of both Clintons paying tribute to Reagan: Nancy was an extraordinary woman: a gracious First Lady, proud mother, and devoted wife to President Reaganher Ronnie. The socialist Bernie Sanders joined in, declaring, No matter your party or political ideology, this is a sad day for America. Nancy Reagan was an exemplary first lady. A devoted partner, she was her husbands most trusted adviser and, as such, served our country well Nancy Reagan had a good heart, and she will be dearly missed. The Obama White House expressed similar regrets. This type of cliched drivel was repeated in hundreds of broadcasts and newspaper editorials. A few typical headlines: Nancy Reagan earned the gratitude of a nation, Nancy Reagan set standard for first ladies, President Reagans irreplaceable partner, With grace and love: Nancy Reagan devoted to her husbands goals as public figure, etc., etc. On his program March 6, CNNs Wolf Blitzer gushed about what a very sad time and really, really sensitive moment it was. Blitzer could not restrain himself, referring to Mrs. Reagan as a wonderful, loving wife, this loving wife, a wonderful woman, and further noting that she had led a wonderful life and that she and her husband had a wonderful, wonderful marriage. It would not be difficult to prove that the flattery of Nancy Reagan is absurd nonsense. From all objective accounts, and even reading between the lines of some of the more laudatory ones, one obtains a picture of an extremely limited young woman who ultimately became something quite odious as the companion, from the early 1950s onward, of the politically ambitious Ronald Reagan. Anne Frances Robbins was born in New York City in 1921, the daughter of an itinerant actress and a car dealer, who left the family soon afterward. Nancy, as she was always known, was shipped off to an aunt at the age of two and grew up in unstable, not especially happy conditions. A bit of a female Clyde Griffiths (from Dreisers An American Tragedy ), the girl apparently longed for security and social status. Her mother married a conservative neurosurgeon, Loyal Davis, in 1929, and Nancy subsequently campaigned to be legally adopted by him, although her father was still alive. Thus Nancy Davis (as she eventually became) grew up in quite privileged conditions in the Chicago area during the Depression. She never saw a poor person, one observer notes, unless she went downtown. After attending Smith College, Davis, using her mothers connections in the theater and film world, made her way into acting. She made a dozen or so films in Hollywood, and also appeared in a number of television programs. Not a terrible actress, but never a dynamic or forceful one, Davis-Reagan played an appropriately minor role in what was probably the most memorable film in which she appeared: East Side, West Side (1949), directed by Mervyn LeRoy, with Barbara Stanwyck, James Mason, Ava Gardner, Van Heflin, Cyd Charisse and the soon-to-be-blacklisted Gale Sondergaard (wife of Herbert J. Biberman, director of Salt of the Earth, 1954). By the end of her film career in the mid-1950s, Nancy Davis was already wed to Reagan (they married in 1952). The story goes, although it is disputed by some sources, that Davis met Reagan, who was president of the Screen Actors Guild, in 1949 when she sought his assistance in having her name removed from the Hollywood blacklist. She had apparently been confused with another Nancy Davis, with more left-wing proclivities, and was fearful that her career would be harmed. The union with Reagan at the height of the Cold War anticommunist witch-hunt, whatever its immediate origins, had a social significance. Reagan began political life as a New Deal Democrat. Howard Fast, the left-wing novelist, insisted to Reagan biographer Edmund Morris that the future president had applied to join the Communist Party at one point, but was turned down as too much of a flake. In the postwar period, Reagan, along with many others, shifted rapidly to the right, testifying to his anticommunist beliefs before the House Un-American Activities Committee in October 1947, at the time of the birth of the infamous blacklist. In his testimony, speaking of Hollywoods Communists, Reagan explained, I detest, I abhor their philosophy, but I detest more than that their tactics, which are those of the fifth column [associated with internal clandestine attacks and treason]. Reagan and his wife moved even farther to the right in the 1950s and early 1960s, associating and ingratiating themselves with an extremely wealthy and reactionary set prominent in California Republican politics. Reagan was first elected governor of the state in 1966. Limited as the Reagans may have been as performers, there is no doubt their skills and film industry experience came in handy when faced with their particular challenge: disguising their ultra-right, antidemocratic views (Ronald Reagan allegedly indulged in racist and anti-gay humor, even jokes about AIDS, in private) and presenting, at least in his case, a folksy, populist visage to the public. For her part, Nancy Reagan was obliged to pretend for years that she felt something other than a profound antipathy for the mass of the population, from whom she had been trying to separate herself, with considerable success, since her psychologically stressful, economically unsteady childhood. The unceasing need to dissemble helps explain the disingenuousness and artificiality of her public behavior. In a piece for the Saturday Evening Post in June 1968 (Pretty Nancy), novelist Joan Didion referred to Mrs. Reagan as having the smile of a good wife, a good mother, a good hostess, the smile of someone who grew up in comfort and went to Smith Collegethe smile of a woman who seems to be playing out some middle-class American womans daydream, circa 1948. Didion suggested that Nancy Reagans smile was a study in frozen insincerity. As the wife of the president from 1981 to 1989, Mrs. Reagan, as noted above, made a name for herself chiefly as a spender of money. In January 1981, she and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Michael Deaver staged, one commentator suggests, the most extravagant inauguration since the Gilded Age. The New York Times noted in August 1981 that Mrs. Reagan arrived here last January with a $25,000 [$68,500 in 2016 dollars] inaugural wardrobe that included a $10,000 dress and a $1,650 handbag. Since then, such luxuries have become the First Ladys signature. This was in the midst of a devastating recession and a historic wave of social spending cuts carried out by the administration. The Los Angeles Times noted in its obituary, Reagan was widely criticized for her extravagance during the economic downturn, and she took her biggest drubbing for commissioning $200,000 worth of china for the White House in 1981. Nancy Reagan was also renowned for her famous Just say no line, a response in 1982 to a schoolgirls question as to what she should do if offered drugs. In the first place, the reply callously suggested that drug abuse was purely a matter of personal responsibility and had nothing to do with the social and economic blight that had descended on the country. In that sense, Mrs. Reagans remark was an element of the overall effort to deprecate and demonize the poor. Furthermore, the war on drugs under the Reagan administration took on quite sinister characteristics, both in terms of mass incarceration in the US (the number of arrests for drug offense rose in the 1980s by 126 percent) and the justification for American imperialist intervention in Latin America (in 1982, Vice President George H. W. Bush began pushing for CIA and US military involvement in drug interdiction efforts). There is nothing to celebrate about this lifeand yet it is being widely celebrated. We explained at the time of Ronald Reagans death in 2004 that the tributes being paid to him were in essence, a celebration of the services he rendered to the rich. The overriding goal of his administration was the removal of all legal restraints on the accumulation of personal wealth. The genuflection of every American politician before the supposed greatness of the Reagans is an element of the political vetting process, and each figure who aspires to the highest offices knows this. Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico of the social democratic Smer-SD focused the entire campaign for parliamentary elections on the issue of refugees. Although only 333 asylum applications were made last year and just 8 acceptedin a country with a population of 5.4 millionFico sought to divert attention away from the social crisis by waging a sustained propaganda campaign against refugees and Muslims. The result was a pronounced shift to the right. While Ficos party lost its absolute majority, falling from 45 to 28 percent of the vote, a number of far-right parties, including one openly fascist organisation, passed the 5 percent hurdle and will have representation in parliament. Eight parties are now represented in parliament, making the formation of a stable government virtually impossible. There will also be consequences for the European Union (EU), since Slovakia assumes the EU presidency for six months beginning in June. Fico is likely to continue as prime minister, as Smer-SD remained the largest party with 28 percent of the vote. But the party requires at least two coalition partners to form a majority government. The second-strongest party is the right-wing liberal SAS. SAS leader Richard Sulik is a vehement critic of the EU and advocates radical measures against refugees. New right-wing parties represented in parliament include Siet, led by former presidential candidate Radoslav Prochazka, Sme rodina (We are one Family) of millionaire Boris Koller, and the extremist Our Slovakia of provincial government leader Marian Kotleba. Kotlebas party, which won less than 2 percent of the vote four years ago, received 8 percent this time around. It is openly racist, functions on the verge of illegality and is notorious for its attacks on Roma and refugees. The 36-year-old neo-Nazi Kotleba most often appears in public wearing a black uniform, and his supporters refer to him as fuhrer. He has appeared in court on numerous occasions for spreading racist propaganda, but has always been exonerated. Two previous parties led by him were banned for violating the constitution. Kotleba conducted his election campaign with propaganda tirades against Roma and the EU. He denounced Roma as parasites, anti-social and murderers, who live off state aid, and he demanded the withdrawal of all social benefits. He called for withdrawal from the EU and NATO, which he described as a terrorist organisation, as well as the reintroduction of the Krone as the currency. The party Ordinary People (Olano) of Igor Matovic was also able to increase its support. It was formed in a split from the SAS five years ago and also agitates against refugees. With 11 percent support, it emerged as the third-strongest party. Fico at first planned a coalition with the right-wing Slovakian National Party (SNS), with which he formed a coalition government in 2006. But the SNS, which was not represented in parliament in 2012, achieved just 9 percent of the vote, not enough to establish a coalition. Two Christian Democratic parties also suffered disastrous results: The SDKU, which led the government three times prior to 2012 and provided two prime ministersNikulas Dzurinda and Iveta Radicovaobtained less than 1 percent of the vote and will no longer be in parliament. In addition, the Christian Democratic KDH, led by former EU commissioner Jan Figel, failed to make it into parliament for the first time since the collapse of the Stalinist bureaucracies in Eastern Europe. Prime Minister Ficos election campaign, focused entirely on agitating against refugees, played directly into the hands of right-wing forces. Although Slovakia is situated on the edge of the Balkan route and has been affected far less than some neighbouring countries by refugees travelling through the country, Fico, together with Hungarian prime minister Victor Orban and Polish prime minister Beata Szydo, are among the leading anti-refugee agitators in the Vysegrad Group. Slovakia challenged the implementation of obligatory quotas for the distribution of refugees within the EU. In the election campaign, Fico vowed that he would not permit even a single Muslim to be brought here via EU quotas. He also utilised the Paris terrorist attacks and the alleged assaults in Cologne, Germany, over the New Year as the basis for a repugnant anti-refugee campaign. He visited the Greece-Macedonia border, where thousands are suffering under unspeakable conditions. This was not disgusting, he declared, but rather a danger. Fico is targeting refugees to divert attention from the social problems in the country. Due to the sharp rise in social inequality, a series of protests by teachers and nurses took place in recent weeks, demanding better equipment for schools and health care institutions as well as wage increases. At the end of January, thousands of teachers began an unlimited strike. Around 600 nurses have handed in their resignation to protest the unsustainable conditions in Slovakian hospitals, and because hospital workers are forbidden by law from striking. The average wage for a nurse is between 500 and 800. The protest had a huge impact. In the cities Zilina and Presov, in particular, patients had to be turned away and operations postponed. Ficos anti-refugee campaign avoided dealing with the genuine concerns of ordinary Slovakians. Despite the mass anger at the terrible conditions in the education and health care systems, the government ignored the loud protests by teachers and nurses. Around 11,000 teachers at 700 schools across the country took part in the strike. They were supported by students and parents. The education sector has fallen victim to the brutal austerity measures of recent years. On average, teachers wages are less than 1,000 per month. Hundreds of posts are vacant, and workloads are enormous. Even a poll conducted by a government-linked institute found that 52 percent of the population supported the teachers demands. Above all, the widening wealth gap between the booming Bratislava region and the impoverished east of the country was the main reason for Ficos declining popularity, according to political scientist Marian Lesko. It demonstrates that after two terms in office, voters have had enough of the social democrats and an all-powerful Prime Minister, Faced with the approaching presidency of the EU, talk is growing about the formation of an independent government of experts in Bratislava or a coalition including Smer-SD and a large percentage of the right-wing parties. There is broad-based unity among all eight parties represented in parliament on the refugee issue. All are opposed to a quota system that would compel the country to accept refugees. 6 years, 7 months ago by Scott Hardy County ready to call special Board Mtg later this month Adams County Board members are optimistic that an agreement with the City of Quincy to have the QPD share space in a new downtown Jail can be reached by the end of the month. Scott Hardy has more. 6 years, 7 months ago QPD Lacey C Hills (23) 1038 Payson Ave for Driving While License Suspended at 2/Maine on 3/9/16. Released on NTA. Spencer L Coats (18) LaGrange, MO for Fighting at 4122 Broadway on 3/7/16. Released on NTA. Landon M Huston (29) 513 Hampshire Apt 524 for Shoplifting at 620 Broadway on 2/26/16. Released on cash bond. Joann M Frieden (46) 5205 Hinton Ct. N for Speeding at Gardner & Maiden Ln on 3/8/16. Released on PTC. Harley D Foster (22) Homeless for Improper Walking on Roadway and FTA-Public Drinking. He was located at 36/Meadowbrook on 3/9/16 and lodged. Travis L. Hopkins, 42, of Minot, ND for Trespassing at 527 Broadway (Lampe Hi-Rise) on 03-07-16. NTA Cohl M. Cook, 21, of 4506 Woodland Trail for Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident at 20th & State on 03-07-16. PTC Timothy D Reinberg (28) 2001 Locust Driving While License Revoked, Operating Uninsured Vehicle and Possession of Cannabis at 5th & Locust. USC Diabolique D Benton (18) 401 Oak for Possession of Cannabis at 5th & Locust. NTA Michelle Rogers (24) 931 N 5th for Truancy, FTA Interfering and FTA Fighting at 6th & College. Lodged Sara R Sompolski (24) 512 Hampshire Apt A for Speeding at 30th & Harrison. PTC Lawerence L Wagner (50) 525 Adams for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol at 2739 Chestnut. USC Kimberly L Harvey (48) 925 N 3rd for Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Cannabis at 200 Maine. Lodged Brian M Sicler (40) Homeless for Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Hypodermic Needles at 200 Maine. Lodged Jordan M Story (28) 2428 College for FTA Leaving the Scene of an Accident, FTA Operating Uninsured Vehicle, FTA Improper Use of Registration, FTA Operating Vehicle with Suspended Registration and FTA Improper Lane Usage at 200 Maine. Lodged Kelly L Voss (44) 1116 Rhapsody Rd and Gordon L Hultz (42) 1541 N 1400th for Fighting at 1116 Rhapsody. NTA Tevin T Johnson reported the theft of a Television from his residence. THOMAS Co., GA (WTXL) - A former Thomas County teacher has been arrested after deputies say he had obscene contact with a child online. According to the Thomas County Sheriff's Office, Grady Jewell Jr. was arrested Tuesday and charged with one count of obscene internet contact with a child. Deputies say a school counselor was told that Jewell was sent inappropriate messages to a student. Jewell had been teaching at Berrien Middle School but according to the Superintendent there, he resigned from the district on March 3. Berrien Schools had him listed as an 8th grade language arts teacher on their website. MIAMI, FL. (AP) - A Miami-Dade County study in Biscayne Bay found high levels of a radioactive isotope linked to water from canals at Florida Power & Light's Turkey Point power plant. The Miami Herald reports that county commissioners called for quicker action and closer scrutiny during a meeting Tuesday. Lee Hefty, the county's chief environmental regulator, said he plans to issue a violation against the utility. The study released Monday by County Mayor Carlos Gimenez says water sampling in December and January found tritium levels up to 215 times higher than normal in ocean water. The study comes two weeks after a Tallahassee judge ordered FPL and the state to clean up the nuclear power plant's cooling canals. FPL spokeswoman Bianca Cruz said Tuesday that the utility is working to improve conditions at the canals and analyzing data from various sample points. On January 12 of this year, the president, the prime minister, the chief of staff, and the commander of the navy attended a ceremony to mark the arrival of the German-made INS Rahav submarine. During his speech, Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked German Chancellor Angela Merkel for "strengthening (Israel's) maritime forces." Newly revealed information brought to light an embarrassing incident during the submarine's delivery. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter On December 17 of 2015, NDR, a German television station, revealed that two Mossad agents had been sent to secure and accompany the INS Rahav on its journey to Israel from a shipyard in Kiel through the Northeast Passage and open seas. According to the NDR report, the two agents drove to the town of Quarnbek, located along the Northeast passage. On their way to the sea, they encountered a locked fence with a sign reading "no entry." They disregarded the sign, picked the lock, and proceeded to the sea. However, after driving a few meters, their Ford Focus became mired in the muddy road. The agents tried to extract the vehicle from the mud, but failed despite their best efforts. The German TV report on the Mossad's mishap in Kiel X The mayor of Quarnbek where the vehicle was stuck Darkness fell and the agents began looking for help from locals. Meanwhile, an elderly woman noticed them, suspected something was wrong, and called the local mayor, Klaus Langer. "The woman asked the two men what they were doing," said Langer, who arrived at the scene and called police. "They told her that they came to survey the area since a sailing competition is supposed to take place in the passage this summer." The northeastern canal, where INS Rahav passed through The police arrived quickly, searched the car, and found two pistols. At this point, the Israelis identified themselves as agents with diplomatic immunity and permission to carry weapons. Moreover, they provided the police with their passports and other documents confirming their identity and mission. The invoice Rainer Wetzel, a local police officer, told NDR that authorities had known about Israeli agents' activities and police were informed of their names in advance. Nonetheless, Mayor Langer was not pleased that authorities chose not coordinate with him. "People in our community are concerned," said Langer. "The residents are asking themselves how young men can roam freely here as part of secret intelligence activities, especially armed with pistols." Langer added that the rescue of the vehicle was delayed for a long time and he called in a team of volunteers from the local fire department to help. "We had to summon an additional forklift, which also got stuck in the mud, and then we had no choice but to ask a local farmer to bring his tractor," said Florian Molt, one of the firefighters. "He tied the tractor to the vehicle using a rope and pulled it out of the mud." At the end of the extraction, the Germans said, "Everything happened quickly. The Mossad agents said thanks and continued on their mission." But the local municipality refused to absorb the costs of the extraction, and Mayor Langer sent the Israeli Embassy in Berlin an invoice for 1263.01 Euros. The Israeli embassy did not look kindly on what they said were inaccuracies in the German report. A letter sent to the mayor expressed surprise that media outlets were approached instead of the embassy. According to the letter, the invoice was dated March 3, and the story was aired on March 4. However, the embassy said that the letter only reached it on March 7, raising the suspicion that the mayor chose to first raise the issue in the media before it could be corrected. Three terror attacks hit the cities of Jaffa, Jerusalem and Petah Tikvah within an hour and a half on Tuesday afternoon and early evening, with one person murdered and 14 wounded. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter A 29-year-old tourist from the US was murdered and eleven others were wounded in a terror attack at the Jaffa Port area early Tuesday evening. The terrorist, Bashar Masalha, a 22-year-old Palestinian from Qalqilya, was shot to death by police that arrived at the scene. Pool of blood on the Jaffa boardwalk (Photo: AFP) The terrorist arrived at the Jaffa Port on Tuesday evening, where he stabbed several people. He then turned right, running towards the Clocktower Circle, then turned left and continued running hundreds of meters north along the boardwalk towards the Manta Ray restaurant, stabbing others as he went. US Vice President Joe Biden was in the area at the time of the attack - visiting the Peres Center for Peace located approximately a mile away (2 kilometers) from where the first stabbing occurred. Jaffa terrorist running along the Jaffa boardwalk as he attacks passersby X Twelve people were taken to hospitals in the area - three in serious condition, three in moderate condition and the rest were lightly wounded. One of the victims, a US citizen, was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon. Six were taken to Ichilov Hospital at the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv - one of them a pregnant woman in moderate condition, and two in light condition who will be released later Tuesday evening. Two more were taken to Wolfson and four were taken to the Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer - one seriously wounded, two moderately, and one lightly. Another person, believed to be the friend of the murdered tourist, was being treated for shock. Blood at the scene of the attacks in Jaffa (Photo: Noam Dvir) Security forces in Jaffa looking for possible accomplice (Photo: Reuters) Yosef, an eyewitness, said that he tried to strike the terrorist with an aluminium rod. "The terrorist, who was young and wearing a hoodie, came from the Jaffa Port area," Yosef said. "Once he was on the boardwalk, he attacked a tourist couple. The woman was stabbed several times, tried to flee, and fell. The terrorist then continued to stab the man, and stabbed him in the leg. I was in my car. I ran towards the terrorist, took the aluminum rod, and hit him in the back. He tried to stab me, then he ran." The aluminium rod Yosef used to hit the terrorist (Photo: Noam Dvir) According to a second eyewitness, "I was in my office and I heard screams. I saw a young man wearing a hoodie who was attacking a woman. She was a tourist. There were screams and then a man carrying an aluminium rod ran towards them. The terrorist got scared and ran north. The man with the aluminium rod stopped, and together we started administering first aid to the tourist. I called Magen David Adom and they told me to apply preassure on her wounds." Knife used by the terrorist in Jaffa (Photo: Noam Dvir) Tel Aviv-Jaffa Mayor Ron Huldai condemned the attacks, saying "The attacks today in Jaffa join the attacks carried out in Petah Tikva and Jerusalem. We are in a period of prolonged, ruthless terror attacks which have no sign of stopping. The perpetrator was an illegal alien, and the Jaffa community condemns these attacks. We will not let murderous terror defeat us." Meanwhile, Hamas officially praised "The heroic attacks in Tel Aviv (Petah Tikva - ed.), Jerusalem, and Jaffa which were carried out by Palestinian youths. The resistance operations today prove that plots to abolish the Jerusalem intifada are doomed to fail. The intifada will go on to achieve its goals." In a situation assessment attended by Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh and the Tel Aviv District Commander Moshe Edri, the Israel Police decided to increase its presence and operations in Tel Aviv-Jaffa. In addition, police raised the alert level throughout the country, and are requesting the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity, but to maintain their daily lives. Police said that each of the attacks was carried out by "lone wolves" acting of their own accord. While noting that security forces were able to identify and thwart many potential attacks over the past several weeks, police said there was no warning that Tuesday's attacks were about to happen. US Vice President Biden's visit could also have acted as a general trigger for these specific events, and police are reviewing their operational procedures beyond the securing of the event itself. Policemen wounded in shooting attack in Jerusalem Earlier in the day, a terrorist opened fire with a Carl Gustav rifle at police officers operating on Salah e-Din Street near Herod's Gate in Jerusalem's Old City, wounding one of them seriously. The terrorist then escaped, and as a police and Border Police force was pursuing him, he fired at them and seriously wounded another policeman. The force returned fire and killed the terrorist. Security forces searched the area for a possible accomplice, and later in the evening raided the village of Issawiya. Terrorist opens fire at police in Jerusalem (: , tps ) X The two policemen were wounded by gunfire in the neck and head and evacuated to the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem's Ein Karem where one, 49, remains in very serious condition and in danger of losing his life, while the other, 31, is now in moderate-to-serious condition and stable. Scene of the shooting in Jerusalem (Photo: Hillel Meir, TPS) Two heroes in Petah Tikva Less than an hour earlier in Petah Tikva, a terrorist stabbed an ultra-Orthodox man who was entering a store on Baron Hirsch Street. Yonatan Ezriyahav, 39, was caught by surprise when the terrorist, Abdel Rahman Radar, attacked him from behind with a knife, stabbing him in his upper body. The attack was documented in its entirety by security cameras. In the video, Ezriyahav is seen going into a shop called "Sweet and Spicy," as the Palestinian terrorist follows behind him. He then lifts his shirt up, takes out a knife, and begins stabbing Ezriyahav. Ezriyahav, a father of five from Yavne'el in northern Israel, originally arrived at the Petah Tikva market to hand out leaflets about Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. "I was in the store, and all of a sudden, someone jumped on me," Ezriyahav recounted. "I didn't understand what he was doing, until someone yelled 'terrorist!' and I realized (what was going on) and saw the knife. I felt it in my neck, and I asked 'what happened to me?' I thought it was the end." Interior Minister Aryeh Deri visiting Ezriyahav (Photo: Avi Mualem) While the terrorist was stabbing Ezriyahav, the store owner leapt from the entrance, grabbed the terrorist's arm, and helped Ezriyahav overtake the terrorist. "It took me a bit but I pulled myself together and when I realized it was a terrorist I realized that I need to fight him so that he wouldn't kill anyone else," Ezriyahav continued. "I said 'If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? But when I am for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when?'" Ezriyahav then took the knife out his neck and began to stab the Palestinian terrorist multiple times while the terrorist was on the ground. An eye witness at the scene said that "It all happened in a matter of seconds. Two people ran to the victim, and they tore his shirt and tied it around his wounds to try and stop him from bleeding out. Then they sat the victim in a chair. The store owner is a real hero. He fearlessly jumped onto the terrorist." "A lot of people came up to the store owner and called him a hero," Yoav Levi, a Petah Tikva resident said. "Everyone came to pat him on the back, but he was in shock. I told him 'you're my hero, you're everyone's hero.'" Eventually, Ezriyahav was evacuated to the hospital, and the Palestinian terrorist died of his wounds. The Palestinian terrorist, Abdel Rahman Radar, is from the village of Zawiya in the West Bank - not far from Qalqilya, were the Jaffa attacker was from. Tuesday was his 17th birthday. Foiled attack in Jerusalem Earlier, a Palestinian woman tried to stab police officers in Jerusalem's Hagai Street, which has seen several stabbings in the past few months. According to the police, the terrorist approached Border Police officers on Hagai Street, drew a knife from her back, and tried to stab them. Scene of the attack in Jerusalem (: ) X The woman, a resident of East Jerusalem aged around 50, was shot and fatally wounded. No one else was hurt. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. Scene of the attack in Jerusalem Two terror attacks occurred on Hagai Street in October. In the first, a Palestinian terrorist stabbed to death Nehamia Lavi, 41, a 23-year resident of the Old City and a father of seven; and Aharon Bennett, who wife was also seriously wounded in the stabbing, while his two-year-old son was lightly wounded. A few days later, an 18-year-old Palestinian attacked an Israeli with a knife, lightly wounding him. About half of Jewish Israelis believe Arabs should be expelled or transferred from Israel, according to an extensive survey conducted by the Pew Research Center and whose results were revealed on Tuesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Pew surveyed more than 5,600 Israeli adults in face-to-face interviews from October 2014 through May 2015 in what it described as a first-of-its-kind poll of Israelis on a wide range of religious, social and political issues. Nearly four fifths 79 percent of Arab Israelis say there is major discrimination against Muslims in Israeli society. Jews believe the opposite. The vast majority, 74 percent, says they do not see much discrimination against Muslims in Israel. At the same time, public opinion among Jews is divided on the question of whether Israel can be a national home for the Jewish people while maintaining the Arab minority in the country. Nearly half of Israeli Jews, 48 percent, say Arabs should be deported or exiled from Israel. Religious people tend to be particularly supportive of such a move: about 71 percent agree that Arabs should be expelled. Secular Jews tend to go the other way: 58 percent opposes the idea of expelling Arabs, including 25 who are completely opposed. But some secular Jews agree about one third would support expelling Arabs from Israel. Religious distribution According to the survey, there is a majority of religious and traditional Jews in Israel: Only 40 percent of Jews in the country are secular, while 23 percent are traditional, 10 percent are Orthodox and eight percent are ultra-Orthodox. In addition, 10 percent of the population is not Jewish: 14 percent are Muslim, two percent are Druze, two percent are Christian and one percent do not have a religion. In comparison, the first census in Israel, conducted in 1949, showed that 86 percent of the population was Jewish, nine percent was Muslim, three percent was Christian and one percent was Druze. But in 2014, only 75 percent of the population was Jewish, while the rate of Muslims in the population doubled to 18 percent, and the rate of Christians dropped to two percent. The proportion of secular people remained mostly stable throughout the years, while the rate of traditional Jews - who often only display a moderate level of religious observance - dropped the most. Among the Jewish population, the biggest growth over time was among the ultra-Orthodox. Nine percent of Jewish Israelis in 2013 defined themselves as ultra-Orthodox, signifying a six percent rise within a decade. Between 2002 and 2012, the proportion of Jews aged 20 and over who considered themselves Orthodox jumped from 16 percent to 19. A significant factor for these trends is the size of the family, with 28 percent of ultra-Orthodox respondents aged over 40, both men and women, saying they had seven or more children. For the sake of comparison, only few among the Orthodox (five percent), the traditional (two percent) and the secular (one percent) respondents said they had seven or more children. As a result of the differences in the birth rates, the rate of secular Jews is smaller among adult Jews aged 30 or younger (44 percent) than among adult Jews over 50. Religious observance Previous studies show a drop in the rates of Israeli Jews who report a moderate level of religious observance in recent years, going down to about one third (34 percent), compared to surveys conducted by the Guttman Center for Surveys in 1991-2009, which found a rate of four in ten moderately observant Jews - meaning roughly 40 percent. Secular Jews see their Jewish identity mostly as a matter of heritage or culture, and this reflects in their beliefs and customs. Few secular respondents go to synagogue every week or pray regularly, and 40 percent said they do not even believe in God. However, wide swaths of secular Israelis observe what could be described as cultural aspects of religion. For instance, 87 percent of secular Jews say they hosted or participated in a Passover Seder in the past year, and about half of them, 53 percent, say that they light Shabbat candles sometimes. Only 20 percent of secular Jews fasted for the entirety of the latest Yom Kippur, compared to 99 percent of ultra-Orthodox Jews, 98 percent of Orthodox Jews, and 83 percent of traditional Jews. Those who define themselves as traditional are not uniform in their prayer habits. About one in five say they pray every day (21 percent). 15 percent say they pray at least once a week. About a third say they pray once a month or infrequently (32 percent). About three in ten traditional Jews say they dont pray at all (31 percent). Almost all secular Jews drive on the Sabbath (95 percent). One this subject as well, traditional Jews are more divided, with a slightly higher percentage saying they do drive on the Sabbath (53 percent), over those who say they do not (41 percent). Jewish and democratic state Most Jews, across the religious spectrum, agree that Israel can in principle be a simultaneously Jewish and democratic state. However, they are divided on the question of what has to happen in practice when democracy clashes with the Jewish Halakha (Jewish religious law). The vast majority of secular Jews (89 percent) say that democratic principles should be given priority over religion, while the same kind of majority among the ultra-Orthodox public (89 percent) say that religious law must be given the higher spot. The groups are also divided on what the essence of Jewish identity is. Most ultra-Orthodox Israelis say that being Jewish is mostly a religious matter, while more secular Jews tend to say its a matter of heritage and culture. For some, Jewish identity is also tied to Israeli national pride. Most secular Jews in Israel say they see themselves as Israeli first and only then as Jews, while most Orthodox Jews say they see themselves as Jewish first and Israeli second. More than three quarters of Israeli Jews, 76 percent, believe anti-Semitism is common and only growing throughout the world. About nine in ten say a Jewish state is crucial for the long-term survival of the Jewish people. Religion and the state Most ultra-Orthodox and religious Jews (86 percent and 69 percent, respectively) support making Jewish religious laws Israels official legal code. In comparison, most traditional (57 percent) and the vast majority of secular Jews (90 percent) oppose such a move. For example, a clear majority of ultra-Orthodox and religious Jews say public transportation should stop on Shabbat, while 94 percent of secular Jews oppose this. Traditional Jews are split, with 44 percent supporting the position and 52 percent who think certain transportation options should be available in at least some places. Intermingling of men and women in public is another divisive point. A strong majority of ultra-Orthodox Jews, 62 percent, supports gender segregation n public transportation used by the ultra-Orthodox public. Among secular Jews, only five percent support this policy. The vast majority of secular Jews, 93 percent, oppose enforced gender segregation on public transportation, even if the transportation serves ultra-Orthodox people. he ultra-Orthodox strongly oppose allowing non-Orthodox rabbis to conduct marriages in Israel, while most secular Israeli support altering the existing law in order to permit Reform and Conservative rabbis to preside over weddings. Another finding was that the children of immigrants from the former USSR are more religious than their parents: 70 percent of second-generation immigrants say they believe in God, higher than the 55 percent of first-generation immigrants from the former USSR. In general, more religious Jews count themselves among the political right (56 percent) than the center (41 percent). The ultra-Orthodox, however, tend to split between the ideological center (52 percent) and the right (47 percent), which is also the case among traditional Jews. Most secular Jews, 62 percent, define themselves as leaning towards the political center. Secular Jews are more likely to consider themselves on the left end of the political spectrum but only 14 percent define themselves that way. Concern over divisions "This survey must be placed before the decision makers in Israel, before the government of Israel. It points to the need to address our problems at home, more than ever," President Reuven Rivlin told representatives from the Pew Center who presented him with the report on Tuesday. When I spoke in June last year at the Herzliya Conference, about the four tribes of Israeli society, I wished to place a mirror for us to look into. Looking at us as a society, it is clear we believe Israel is in one breath a democratic and Jewish state. The idea that the State of Israel could be democracy only for its Jewish citizens is unconscionable and we must find a way to address this." Rabbi David Stav, founder of Tzohar Rabbinical Organization, said that the study "serves as a further wakeup call to the position that we have been advocating for the past two decades; Israeli Jews wish to practice their Judaism but want to do so in a manner that is not coercive or manipulated by the institutions of the State." "Most troubling, the study drives home the reality that if we don't find a manner to address these concerns over coercion, we are essentially creating a recipe for two Jewish nations within one state," he added. NEW YORK - Tairod Pugh, a US Air Force veteran, spent months downloading violent Islamic State videos before boarding a one-way flight from his home in Egypt to Turkey in January 2015. His intention, federal prosecutors said at the close of his trial in New York on Tuesday, was to cross into Syria and join the militant group's fighting force. "He knew his skills as an airplane mechanic would be useful to ISIS," said Assistant US Attorney Tiana Demas, using a common acronym for Islamic State. But Pugh's defense attorney, Eric Creizman, told jurors that the fact Pugh shared "repugnant" views on Islamic State did not make him guilty of a crime. His visit to Turkey was an effort to find new employment, Creizman said. "Mr. Pugh never had any intention of going to the Islamic State," he said. "Where is that evidence?" The case against Pugh, 48, is only the second of more than 75 Islamic State-related prosecutions brought by the US Department of Justice to reach trial. Prime Minister Netanyahu continued to absorb heavy criticism from his political foes Wednesday, following three terror attacks on Tuesday in which an American tourist was murdered, and Wednesday'a terror attack in Jerusalem. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "This is an impotent government. We have been in the midst of a third intifada for a while," said Knesset Opposition Leader Isaac Herzog Wednesday morning. Herzog was speaking while standing in the area of Jaffa where American tourist Taylor Allen Force was killed Tuesday in a stabbing attack. "Only when we separate from the Palestinians will there come a stop to Jews being murdered," he said, "I warned in August that there would be a third intifada, which would be based on young, brainwashed terrorists. To stop them we need to put up a barrier. When there's a barrier, the mind cools down." Yisrael Beytenu party Chairperson MK Avigdor Lieberman gave an interview to Ynet, saying, "First of all, we need to understand that we have a Prime Minister who's very strong with words, strong on screen, and a zero on action. Why does he need to wait six months to start, Tuesday night, to more severely punish illegal workers, as well as their employers and transporters. Why did he have to wait six months to fix holes in the fence." Herzog and Lieberman. Heavy criticism of Netanyahu. (Photo: Motti Kimchi, Gil Yohanan) Lieberman added, "Abu Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) is playing a double game he condemns (the attacks) to Vice President Joe Biden, but pays a monthly stipend to the terrorist from Qalqilya who killed and wounded people in Jaffa yesterday, starting today his family gets a stipend from Abu Mazen, out of money we sent them. We have a diplomatic and security escalation. It will end in September at the UN General Assembly. After the meeting with Biden, the French initiative will come, then the Quartet. Shortly ahead of September, Abu Mazen will escalate violence in the field. Open the official Palestinian radio and television stations, which we fund, there's wild incitement there." Minister of Tourism Yariv Levin (Likud) responded to the criticism, saying, "I think Lieberman's statements are irresponsible, cheap politics, in a time that calls for unity and for everyone's backing up of security forces." Iran launched two ballistic missiles Wednesday at targets that stood 1,400 kilometers away, Iranian news agency Fars reported. The missiles reportedly bore the writing "Israel must be wiped out" in Hebrew. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Brig. General Amir Ali Haji Zada, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's air corps, said Wednesday that Iran's missiles belong to the Palestinian people, the Lebanese people, the Syrian people, the Iraqi people, the Islamic world, and all of the oppressed people of the earth. Two ballistic missiles launched. Brigadier General Hossein Salami, Deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guard, told journalists on Wednesday that Israel would collapse very soon. He boasted about Iran's large reserve of missiles that could be readily launched, toward a variety of targets and ranges. Salami said that the accumulation of missiles was the result of sanctions imposed on Iran, and that the more sanctions were imposed, the more missiles would be manufactured. He added that the missiles were ready for launch if Iran's enemies were to implement what he called their aggressive intentions. US Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday she was "deeply concerned" by reports that Iran had tested multiple ballistic missiles and said the country should face sanctions for its actions. "This demonstrates once again why we need to address Iran's destabilizing activities across the region, while vigorously enforcing the nuclear deal," Clinton said in a statement. "Iran should face sanctions for these activities and the international community must demonstrate that Iran's threats toward Israel will not be tolerated," she said. At a daily press briefing with reporters, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said it would not be a surprise if there are additional missile launches over the next several days. "We will continue to redouble our efforts with our allies and partners in the region to try to limit Iran's ability to continue to develop their missile program," Earnest said. US Vice President Joe Biden criticized the Palestinian Authority on Wednesday for not condemning the terror attack that took the life of an American citizen, at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Let me say in no uncertain terms: The United States of America condemns these acts and condemns the failure to condemn these acts. This cannot become an accepted modus operandi, Biden said during the conference. US Vice-President with PM Benjamin Netanyahu at joint press conference (: ) X This cannot be viewed by civilized leaders as an appropriate way in which to behave. It is just not tolerable in the 21st century. Theyre targeting innocent civilians, mothers, pregnant women, teenagers, grandfathers, American citizens. There can be no justification for this hateful violence and the United States stands firmly behind Israel when it defends itself as we are defending ourselves at this moment as well, Biden continued. Vice-President Joe Biden, left, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at press conference (Photo: GPO) Biden mentioned that his wife and kids were dining not very far from where the attack took place. I dont know how exactly whether it was 100 meters or 1,000 meters, he stated, but it just brings home that it can happen, it can happen anywhere, at any time. Just before these remarks Netanyahu stated at the conference that nothing justifies these attacks. But unfortunately President Abbas has not only refused to condemn these terrorist attacks, his Fatah party actually praised the murderer of this American citizen as a Palestinian martyr and a hero. Now, this is wrong. And this failure to condemn terrorism should be condemned itself by everybody in the international community. In the wake of another confrontation between Washington and Jerusalem over Netanyahu's decision to cancel his trip to the White House, the prime minister emphasized the importance of the strong ties between Israel and the United States saying: I believe that to fight terror, all civilized societies must stand together. And while Israel has many partners in this decisive battle, we have no better partner than the United States of America. Its a partnership anchored in common values, confronting common enemies and striving for a more secure, prosperous and peaceful future. The spontaneous intifada of the young that we are in the middle of is different from all the conflicts Israel has experienced since its founding and even before that. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter There is no single motivation for the young people who go out to stab, run over, and shoot sporadically. The success of one or two terrorists is disseminated and empowered within minutes on social media networks and mass media outlets, becoming a model for imitation. There terrorists also have many modi operandi. They work alone and in pairs, using knives, scissors, IEDs, and improvised weapns. Anything goes. This chaotic model is very difficult to thwart, and stopping an attack is random, because someone encountering a terrorist is not always an armed security guard. Anything goes: knife and contents of teenage attacker's bag Yishai Montgomery, who on Tuesday struck the terrorist in Jaffa in the head with a guitar, is an example. Yonatan Azrihav of Petah Tikva, who pulled the knife from his neck and plunged it into the terrorist, did not practice and did not know such a thing could happen to him. They acted instinctively. In both previous intifadas, the IDF and intelligence community responded with deterrence, intelligence, and offensive military action. Intelligence made it possible to thwart attacks; deterrence made the Palestinian population and leadership rein in terror operatives; and the military action contributed to both intelligence and deterrence. Thats how the second intifada (and the first, to a large extent) was ultimately overcome. Photo: Eli Mendelbaum In the current intifada, there is no intelligence, no deterrence, and no targets or objectives for offensive military action. There is no deterrence because the methods we have already used and the iron fist offered by Lieberman have been exhausted. They are no longer effective. The young Palestinians simply do not care in many cases about what might happen to their families, and theyre not prepared to die. They want to die. Against this, Israel has no means or diplomatic or military method that can put an end to this intifada within a few weeks or month. At most, Jerusalemites are praying for a miracle to dampen" it. We must admit that in the face of this intifada, we Israelis are helpless at the moment. There may not be hundreds of dead and thousands of wounded like in the second intifada, but its not possible to continue a daily routine and live without reasonable personal security over time. Whats worse, the spontaneous youth intifada in its current pattern could in a moment, in the flash of one incident, it become a general armed popular intifada that would include Fatahs Tanzim, whose members are armed. In such a situation, we must dismantle the pattern of terror into its components and try to find a response for each element. If only it were possible to block the Palestinian social media networks and the Palestinian and Arab media outlets, which are overflowing with incitement. Its nearly impossible. Palestinian incitement: terror attacks portraye as heroic acts An attack of the mind is therefore necessary in an attempt to convince the Palestinians that the spontaneous terrorism is not an act of heroism, but rather an act of foolishness. Its possible, even in a society that sanctifies the martyr and provides a halo of courage to his or her personal despair or mental disorder. Abbas and Fatah leaders can order an end to incitement in schools and the media, but Israel needs to offer them a deal that will encourage them to take such steps. Israel could release Fatah prisoners, who have been sitting Israeli prisons for many years and announce a freeze on building settlements outside of consensus settlement blocs. Israel must make a concession to the Palestinian leadership so that they are motivated to tell their youth to stop destroying their futures and dreams. Israel could also approach local leaders in Jerusalem, where the PA is almost nonexistent, and in tandem with teachers offer incentives to them to convince their youth to stop carrying out attacks. The intelligence services can undertake greater efforts to foil attacks. The fact that most terrorists use improvised weapons indicates that there is welding shop or a garage where they are crafting such weapons. The Shin Bet can reach those locations, if it makes an effort. More than anything avoid forceful measures that will only increase despair and anger among the youth and bring older people out to the Palestinian street for a full-on popular uprising that would exact much heavier price.. One last thing: If Israel does not find a way to provide security to its citizens in light of the wave of terror, it needs to at least give them "a sense of security" by increasing security forces in public places. Such a step would accomplish two objectives: It will encourage terrorists to confront armed individuals, who are able to confront them. It will cause citizens to leave their homes out of a sense, perhaps illusory, of being safe. This intifada is motivated by psychological, religious, and cultural factors. This is an intifada whose generator is, in short, of the mind. It must also be thwarted this way. France's foreign minister sought support from Arab states in Cairo on Wednesday for an initiative to relaunch talks between Palestinians and Israelis by the summer and prevent what one diplomat called the risk of a "powder keg" exploding. "It is a powder keg waiting to explode," said a senior French diplomat ahead of a visit by Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault to Egypt to discuss the issue with Arab ministers, referring to rising violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories. "Everybody sees it, and yet nobody is doing anything. We know this isn't going to be resolved in three months, but it's imperative to give a new political horizon to the process." About Epworth Village Inc. We are a non-profit organization dedicated to providing hope & healing to youth & families across Nebraska through Child Welfare Group&... YORK The case against a 30-year-old Columbus man has been bound over to District Court, in which he is accused of felony domestic assault, strangulation and child abuse. According to court documents, the York County Sheriffs Department was dispatched to a property in Gresham. When a deputy arrived, he alleges he found a woman holding a small child, with bruises and swelling throughout most of her face, bleeding profusely from the forehead and nose, as well as a pool of blood in the living room. The deputy continues in his report, which was filed with the court, that the woman said she had been assaulted by James R. Kemp. The woman was transported by ambulance to a hospital, where the deputy interviewed her further. She allegedly told investigators that Kemp punched her, slammed her head into the floor, grabbed her neck with both hands and she was not able to breathe. The deputy says the alleged victim had an opportunity to dial 911 . . . and upon doing so, she alleged Kemp ran from the scene and likely was on his way to Columbus. Later, the sheriffs department was informed that the Nebraska State Patrol was pursuing Kemp and he was shortly thereafter taken into custody. According to the court documents, Kemp said the woman started the fight by punching him and he was acting in self-defense when he accidentally touched her neck and fell on the floor. It was alleged that the young child was present during the altercation. Kemp was charged with three Class 3A felonies. A preliminary hearing is pending in York County District Court. 5/6 Council tends to enlisted well-being 910th Airlift Wing Command Chief Master Sgt. Robert Potts advises Staff Sgt. Kathy Gibbins, 5/6 Council president, during a meeting here, March 5, 2016. The 5/6 Council, which holds quarterly meetings, hosts events to benefit the morale and well-being of enlisted personnel at YARS. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Rachel Kocin) This has been a long time in the making, but in our continuing pursuit to bring only the best of firearms, 2nd Amendment and defence related news to our readers, we are very excited to announce the next step in our evolution as a company. As of 2020, Minuteman Review is now the proud owner and operator of Your Defence News, a website with a long history of breaking huge news stories and investigative journalism. We hope you are equally as excited as us. This means that now the teams of Minuteman can combine with the firepower of Your Defence News to stay at the absolute forefront for our readers. Keep an eye. Big things are coming soon. We couldn't be more excited. In the meanwhile, here are some of our most popular posts and categories to keep you busy. Happy shootin' my friends! Buying Guides: Firearms Firearm Accessories Ammunition Gun Safes Scopes & Optics Hunting Air Rifles Best AR-15 Best AR 15 Scope Best Hunting Rifle Best Gun Safe Best AK 47 Best AR 10 Best Glock Triggers Best Glock Best Home Defense Shotgun While there may be some seasonality to the February figures as market activity picks up after the Christmas and New Years slump passes, REIWA president Hayden Groves said the figures are still a positive for Perth. [Our] data shows sales activity in Perth lifted 16 per cent over the month and five per cent when compared to November 2015, Groves said. Weve also seen that weekly sales over the last three weeks are higher than they were at the same time last year. While its too early to call this a trend its a good indicator that mobility in the market is beginning to improve, he said. Across the city, the Central sub-region saw the largest increase over the month with a 37% increase in sales, followed by the North West where sales increased 24% over the month. Baldivis in the South West sub-region and Canning Vale in the South East sub-region were the top selling suburbs in February, followed by Scarborough in the Central sub-region, Groves said. Along with sales, residential listings in Perth also increased around 3% during February, though they remain lower than compared to the end of 2015. This is a marginal increase given the time of year, but its significant to note that listings are now 8% lower than they were in November which suggests this could be the early stages of a correction in a market of prolonged higher than average stock levels, Groves said. In the three months to the end of February, REIWAs figures show a 1.1% increase in Perths median house price to $529,000. Looking at the citys rental market, rental listings declined 3% over the month, while median weekly rents remained steady at $400 and $380 for houses and units respectively. While tenants are still in a good position to secure a competitively priced lease in Perth, its encouraging for investors that rent prices are appearing to steady in 2016, Groves said. The Global and United States Hydrobike Market Report has been published by QY Research recently. Hydrobike Market Analysis and Insights This report focuses on... A Florida doctor swore by the controversial stem cell treatment as a cure for blindness. While standard doctors will claim that there is still no treatment for vision loss, the doctor claimed that he already found it. According to Dr. Jeffrey Weiss of Margate, Fla., he already provided the stem cell treatment for more than 100 people with vision loss problems and they were all effective in restoring their vision. His procedure often involves him extracting bone marrow from his patients and then injecting this into their eyes. The Baltimore Sun reported that what was remarkable about the doctor's claim is that he is not affiliated with any university or government institution. Therefore, he did not have the chance to test out his stem cell theories on lab animals or through controlled clinical trials. And yet, he said the treatment was applied to 278 blind humans...and it worked. If the medical community will be hard pressed to believe this, it is worrying that some patients desperate to finally see will likely believe these untested claims. He have patients backing his claim though. According to Vanna Belton, who paid $20,000 to be given the stem cell treatment, her optic neuritis was cured because of this. Despite her claims, the medical community still has its doubts. Advertisement Dr. Alexis G. Malkin, who examined Belton prior and after the controversial procedure said that the treatment did not restore the patient's 20/20 vision. The doctor said that Belton can still be considered legally blind. At best, Belton will only be able to see with the use of eyeglasses or contact lenses. Also, because no one understands why Belton lost her vision in the first place, it is also difficult to say if the stem cell treatment is the one that "cured" her. People with vision loss might be provided with hope on news about this treatment. However, until further research can be done, they should remain cautious. They should certainly not lose hope, because scientists are said to be closing on the cure already, even if not yet today. For example in the UK, Ulster University has received additional funding to develop a revolutionary treatment for a eye condition that led to blinds of more than 250,000 British people alone. Sign up to get the latest news delivered to your inbox every week! NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly triumphantly made his return on the surface of the planet just this week. Together with Russian cosmonaut, Mikhail Kornienko, the pair started the long journey back to Earth in the afternoon of March 1 aboard the Russian Soyuz space capsule piloted by commander Sergey Volkov. Following 25 minutes of free-falling, the Soyuz launched its parachutes upon hitting the Earth's atmosphere. Subsequently, rockets were launched minutes before the capsule touched the ground in order to slow it down further. Since the landing, Kelly has undergone several medical tests in order to ascertain his health following the journey. He has then spoken about his groundbreaking experience of staying a year in space. In a press interview at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Kelly explained how much he missed being on Earth. He claimed that being aboard the International Space Station for a year seemed like an eternity. Advertisement "It seemed like I lived there forever," gushed Kelly during the press conference. Kelly has also revealed that he feels very different in touching down this time as opposed to all the other times he has been to space. He claimed that the lengthy mission has caused him more fatigue and muscle soreness. "I'm kind of surprised how I do feel different physically than the last time, with regards to muscle soreness and joint pain. That was something that was kind of unexpected," explained Kelly. During the interview, the astronaut also explained some of the daunting things he has observed in his stint in space. Kelly states that from afar the Earth looks very fragile. Pollution over most parts of Asia is very prevalent and the California fires during the summer were extensive. "The predominant thing is you just notice how thin the atmosphere is, how fragile it looks" Claimed the astronaut. Sign up to get the latest news delivered to your inbox every week! The recent outbreak of the Zika virus initially started in April last year in Brazil. It has yet to be a year since the outbreak begun but already the mosquito-borne disease has been declared as a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization or WHO. While the Zika disease is a relatively benign illness with symptoms resembling the common cold, the concern stems from the suspected relationship between the virus and birth defects like microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome. The disease, which is transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, has since spread to most of South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. A few countries have issued travel warnings in order to halt further transmission of the zika virus. Unfortunately, it seems like the strides were enforced a little too late. Advertisement Recently, officials from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or US-CDC confirmed that a US resident, who travelled in the Philippines for four weeks, have developed Zika symptoms a week before returning to America. "We were informed that shortly after returning home to the US, an evidence of Zika virus infection was detected from the patient. Currently, we are coordinating with US-CDC for the profile of the patient, including information on places she visited in the Philippines," announced Janette Garin from the US-CDC. Officials from the Philippine's health department have yet to uncover how the American contracted the disease while in the country. The American, who recently presented Zika symptoms, is the first recorded case of the disease in the country in the last few years. The last instance of Zika was charted in 2012. The 15 year old boy infected by the virus three years ago eventually recorded from the virus in three weeks. Sign up to get the latest news delivered to your inbox every week! Clinical drug trials are undoubtedly an important aspect of developing pharmaceuticals. The concept however is by no means modern. Records detailing the use of drug trials date back to The Book of Daniel which describes an experiment involving "the King's meat" over a period of ten days. Since the ancient times, many strides have been made in order to conduct these experiments on human beings efficiently and safely. Unfortunately, unforeseen accidents during these trials still happen. In fact just recently most medical professionals were rocked by the news of a casualty involving a French drug trial. Late in January, reports confirmed that a man was pronounced dead following his involvement on a clinical drug trial conducted by French company, Biotrial International. The trial was conducted last January 7, 2016 in order to study the effects of a painkiller developed by Portuguese pharmaceutical company, Bial. 90 individuals participated in the experiment. Aside from the fatal casualty, five other participants were sent to the hospital after the trial. Biotrial International and Bial have since launched an investigation surrounding the unfortunate recent incident. Recently, the results of the investigation have been finally revealed. Advertisement In a report published early this week, a group of experts explained that a substance called BIA 10-2474 is the root cause for the altercation. The substance caused a peculiar brain reaction which the researchers have never seen before. "It is clearly the molecule that is the cause. The common element between the victims is indeed that molecule," explained Dominique Martin, director general of the drug safety agency who has been key to the investigation These scientists have also ruled out any manufacturing issues and any genetic similarities between the victims. Bial has explained that no concerns have been raised surrounding the BIA 10-2474 during any pre-clinical tests the company has conducted. "The results obtained in these pre-clinical didn't raise any issue regarding the toxicity/dangerousness of the molecule" read a part of the company's statement. Sign up to get the latest news delivered to your inbox every week! The rise in cases of dementia is undeniably one of the most daunting issues people have to face at present. According to experts, the largest hike in recorded dementia sufferers is expected to happen over the next twenty years. At present, it affects over 44 million people worldwide. The medical field have since made significant strides in researching and uncovering more information about the disease. Despite the advancements made in dementia research however, it is unfortunate that people who take care of dementia sufferers are often overlooked. Studies show that over 20% of dementia carers have gone from working full-time to part-time because of their new responsibility. Moreover, 62% of them say that they experience emotional duress in fulfilling their new role. While instances of dementia are only bound to increase in the next few years, scientists have unveiled a new technology that might spare individuals of having to take care of these embattled patients. Advertisement Researchers from Singapore's Nanyan Technological University recently showcased a robot which they hope one day could give assistance to the elderly. The new humanoid robot, which the team named Nadine, is peculiarly human-like with her brown hair, soft skin and expressive face. Aside from the impressive aesthetic features, Nadine is also capable of expressing a wide range of emotions and recalling past conversations. "If you leave these people alone they will be going down very quickly. So these people need to always be in interaction," explained Nadia Thalmann, creator of the recently unveiled robot. Nadine has yet to be available in the market. However, Thalmann's team has since announced their intention to develop another robot that would conversely cater to children. "A child has toys but they are usually passive. This robot will be an active toy which interacts with the child. It will be able to remember what the child likes" explained Thalmann. About ZVTS Even with the Biden Administration adults in charge and Democrats in control on Congress (barely), there remains an increasingly crumbling global economy imperiling the world, rising nationalism and deadly racism across Europe and Asia, a seemingly endless war against terror, a federal government nobody trusts or believes in, global climate change putting us on the brink of destruction and a Village media that barely does its job on even the best day. Needless to say there's a lot of Stupid out there when we need solutions . Dangerous levels of Stupid. Into the fray, dear Reader. Tray tables, crash helmets, arms inside blog at all times. LIVE-2 Inning |22-26 AUSTRALIA VS NEW ZEALAND AUS 34/3 VS 200/3 NZ Australia need 167 runs in 90 balls at 11.13 rpo New Delhi: Congress in Assam today moved the Election Commission demanding rescheduling of the March 21 Rajya Sabha elections as the date is clashing with nomination process of assembly polls in the state beginning next month. In a memorandum submitted to the Commission, the state unit of Congress said March 21 is the last date of withdrawing nominations for the first phase of assembly elections on April 4 and the last date of filing of nominations for the second phase of polls on April 11. Biennial elections to 13 Rajya Sabha seats in six states, including Assam and Kerala, will be held on March 21. Twelve of the 13 seats are falling vacant in April. In Assam, both the seats falling vacant belong to Congress. Rajya Sabha members are elected by the elected members of the Legislative Assembly in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. The party said since MLAs would be busy with electioneering and nomination process, they would find it difficult to reach Dispur to cast their votes for the Rajya Sabha polls. It said difficult terrains would make it problematic for MLAs to reach Dispur in the middle of assembly poll process. New Delhi: In a shocking incident, a middle-aged man on Wednesday threatened to immolate himself near Parliament House. The man, identified as Hari Singh Dilbar, was whisked away immediately and later detained for questioning at Parliament Street police station. During questioning, Hari Singh told police that he decided to take the extreme step in order to seek justice for his sister and niece who, he claimed, were murdered by criminals in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan, a senior official said. No inflammable material or object was recovered from the possession of the resident of Sirsa district of Haryana. Singh stood at the parking site for media at Vijay Chowk and while being whisked away after the incident reported around 12.30 pm, he told some reporters that his brother-in-law would also jump off from a water tank in Sirsa around the same time. However, this claim is yet to be verified by Delhi Police which is in touch with its counterparts in Haryana, the official said. The police are likely to take Singh for a medical examination and question his relatives, the official added. New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday welcomed National Green Tribunal's verdict over organising of Art of Living's World Cultural Festival. Tweeting about the verdict, Kejriwal said, Now that NGT has given its verdict, all politics and controversies around Art of Living event should be put to rest. Now that NGT has given its verdict, all politics n controversies around AOL event shud be put to rest(1/2) Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 9, 2016 Further hailing the event, he wrote, It's a huge cultural event wherein people from 155 countries are coming. Delhi welcomes all guests. Its a huge cultural event wherein people from 155 countries are coming. Delhi welcomes all guests(2/2) Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 9, 2016 The National Green Tribunal today cleared the decks for the three-day cultural extravaganza of Art of Living on the flood plains of Yamuna river from Friday but imposed a fine of Rs five crores on it as environmental compensation. After posing tough questions, the tribunal also slapped fine of Rs five lakh on DDA and Rs one lakh on Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) for not discharging statutory functions. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, asked AOL, headed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to deposit Rs five crores as environmental compensation before the event begins on March 11. (With PTI inputs) My Favorite Quotes Recent Quotes Portfolio Summary Your most recently viewed tickers will automatically show up here if you type a ticker in the Get Quotes box on the top of the page. Zee Media Bureau New Delhi: Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living Foundation's World Cultural Festival is slated to commence on March 11th till March 13th, 2016. Ever since the festival's announcement, Sri Sri has continuously found himself in a spot with legal issues concerning the Yamuna river, where the event will take place. For those who are unaware, let us fill you in on the reason. The Yamuna river is a sacred water body and has always been in the news for the way it's being polluted. Conscious efforts by various NGO's, till date, are being made to keep it clean. In the midst of all this, the organisers of the World Cultural Festival, that is the Art of Living Foundation, decided to convert over 1000 acres of land on the banks of the Yamuna into a makeshift river for the festival. This move caused an uproar among the population as well as the legal authorities, since they feel that the organisers have damaged the flood plains. A group of experts who assessed the site said that heavy losses had been caused to the land next to the river. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has said that the festival will cause no harm to the river and that safe distance will be maintained. However, after thorough inspection of the venue, the NGT has said that Sri Sir Ravi Shankars Art of Living foundation must pay atleast Rs 100 crore for damaging flood plains during his mass festival on the banks of river Yamuna river. According to a report in India.com, NDTV quoted Professor CR Babu, appointed by the National Green Tribunal to review the damaged sites, said that damage has been caused to large acres of flood plains. He also said that around Rs 100 to 120 crores will be required to revive the lands. The upcoming festival already boasts of over 3 million participants from around the globe and the main concern here is that the congregated population during the three-day festival will pollute the river. Beijing: Organ donations in China reached a record high last year, after sourcing organs from executed prisoners was banned, the media reported on Wednesday. "Organ transplantation in China has made a successful transformation in the past year," said Huang Jiefu, former vice-minister of health. The number of organ donors in China reached 2,766 last year, and more than 10,000 surgeries were performed, outnumbering the total for 2013 and 2014, the China Daily cited Huang as saying. China stopped the use of organs from executed prisoners for transplant surgeries on January 1, 2015, and voluntary donations from citizens have become the only source. Statistics from the National Health and Family Planning Commission show organ donations have been increasing rapidly. The rate for organ donation per million of population reached 1.2 in 2014, a 60-fold increase from the level of 2010, the commission said. The rate was increased to 2.1 per million last year, Huang said. In August, an international conference on organ transplantation will be held in Hong Kong, where a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the Transplant Society will be held. In addition, another international conference on organ donation will be held in Beijing in October. Huang expects major progress in organ transplants and donations in China this year. Zee Media Bureau New Delhi: 9th March every year, marks the national No Smoking Day in the United Kingdom, celebrated primarily to raise awareness about the dangers and effects of smoking. Urging smokers to kick the butt, No Smoking Day also pushes them to seek support and professional help to aid them in taking the leap. Even though, this day is celebrated in the UK, we take this opportunity to tell you a few myths and facts about smoking, because cigarette smoking, like many other activities, is something that shouldn't need just a day to raise awareness about. Especially when, according to certain reports, smoking in India is on the rise. Below are five myths that many smokers believe to be true, but the reality is quite different. Check them out! 1. Switching to mild cigarettes will cut my risk: You couldn't be more wrong. Smokers who switch to brands labeled "light" or "mild" ineluctably make up for the lower levels of tar and nicotine by inhaling smoke more deeply or by smoking more of each cigarette. You ultimately end up inhaling the same amount of killing components in tobacco smoke. 2. I've smoked for so long, the damage is already done: This is one thing every non-smoker must have heard their smoker friends saying. Smokers tend to throw this line at you every time you try to get them to quit. But, this is not true. Let us give you a good comeback with the facts. Even though the damage caused by smoking is cumulative, quitting smoking at any age provides you with health benefits, for example, it will cut your risk of getting a heart attack by 50% within a year of quitting. 3. I'll gain weight if I quit: If you feel that your weight issues are more important than your life, then you are way beyond being on the right track. This means that you need to prioritize, because this is nothing more than a myth. According to experts, smokers who quit only gain an average of 14 pounds (6.35 kilograms), but the risk of carrying that extra baggage is miniscule compared to the risks that surround you if you continue to smoke. 4. Cutting back on smoking is good enough: Reality check You're still smoking! This is not an effective strategy. If you've cut back that probably means that you're still smoking more of each cigarette and inhaling the smoke more deeply than you used to. And what's more, you're also receiving the same amount of toxic smoke that you did when you were apparently smoking more cigarettes. 5. I tried quitting once, but failed: Biggest myth ever. Quitters never win, or haven't you heard that yet? Don't let failure deter you from your goal of kicking the butt for good. Especially when you know it's not good for you. Just keep trying. It may take time, but it will happen. Also, never hesitate in asking for support to help you reach your goal. New Delhi: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) rebels, who left the RSS' student outfit citing differences over its handling of the JNU row, on Tuesday burnt a copy of the ancient legal text Manusmriti despite the varsity administration denying permission for the same. Weeks after the controversial event against Afzal Guru's hanging was held on campus, five ABVP rebels joined by left-backed All India Students Association (AISA) and Congress-affiliated National Students Union of India (NSUI) burnt the text at Sabarmati Dhaba, which was also the venue of the earlier event. While three of the organisers were former ABVP office-bearers, two of them are still with the party but differ with their stand on Manusmriti. The university authorities maintained that they had denied permission for the event and the security was briefed about the same. "We had denied the permission for the event but in response the students submitted in writing that they will still go ahead with the event. We have got the programme videographed," a varsity official said. Asked about whether the varsity will consider it as an "offence" on part of student's, the official said, "we will see tomorrow". Giving clear indications of rift within ABVP, Jatin Goraih, the vice president of outfit's ABVP unit, said, "we had suggested during our party meeting to have a Manusmriti burning event to answer all the left parties' allegations about ABVP being insensitive to the interest of dalits. But there were disagreements and the party ignored us". "But my conscience said I should. This is not a political cause, but a social one on the occasion of women's day as the book has highly derogatory content about women. Since I decided to go ahead with it, the party is free to take its call whether they will expel me or not. I will not resign," he added. Pradeep Narwal, who was ABVP's joint secretary at the university, resigned along with Rahul Yadav and Ankit Hans, president and secretary, respectively, of the ABVP unit in the School of Social Sciences at JNU, citing differences on the two-millennia-old book and the "oppression unleashed by the government" on JNU protesters, sharpening the divide since Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide. Narwal yesterday narrated the "derogatory" text from the book before burning and said he was warned by teachers not to do so but he is not scared of being slapped with sedition. "We were not allowed to conduct the event. My question to the Vice Chancellor is whether he subscribes to the thoughts propagated in Manusmriti. A teacher today told me that I should not do so as I will be charged with sedition. I am not scared of it," he said while addressing the students. "Asking for 'azaadi' from the government is not anti-national or seditious," he said, as he shouted slogans of 'brahamanwad murdabad'. While students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar and general secretary Rama Naga, who have been charged with sedition in connection with the February 9 event, gave yesterday's programme a miss, former JNUSU VP Anant Prakash was present. Responding to the rift in the Sangh student body, JNUSU Joint Secretary Saurabh Kumar Sharma, who is the lone ABVP member in the union, said, "it is there wish, if they want to burn they can burn. We are against anti-India activities and they are trying to divert the attention from February 9 event." "Manusmriti has been rejected by Hindus long ago and it's a mere book now. If they want to burn a book let them. It's the left who don't want us to not believe in Manusmriti," he said. ABVP later issued a statement, saying it believes in democratic and equal rights for all the sections of society. "ABVP strongly supports individual rights and freedom of expression where it gives full freedom to any of its members to condemn and criticise anything to any extent unless it does not hamper the unity and integrity of India," it said. "The excerpts burnt by one of our activists were anti-women and anti-SC-ST and OBC. These excerpts are totally irrelevant and had received stark criticism even from Kautilya. The person who burnt these excerpts is a member of ABVP and we will continue working for the cause of nation building together in future," it added. Washington: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, India and the US have agreed to deepen their collaboration against Pakistan-based terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), responsible for several terrorist attacks in India. Indian Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and the US National Security Advisor Susan Rice agreed to do so at a meeting at the White House here on Tuesday to review preparations for the March 31-April 1 Nuclear Security Summit (NSS). Modi is expected to have a bilateral meeting with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the 50-nation summit. There is widespread speculation that he may also meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, who too has been invited to NSS. While LeT is held responsible for the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, JeM is blamed for the January 2 attack on the Indian Air Force station at Pathankot. Rice and Jaishankar also "affirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation on climate change, trade, and defence", according to a statement by National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson Ned Price. "They also discussed US-India collaboration against Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and other terrorist threats," it said. "Building on their leaders' commitment to make the US-India partnership a defining relationship for the 21st Century, they agreed to deepen their already close collaboration on these issues." The last time Indian and Pakistani premiers met was on December 25, 2015, when Modi made a surprise visit to Lahore, a first by an Indian prime minister in over a decade. Modi briefly attended Sharif's grand-daughter's wedding ceremony and then held a brief meeting with his Pakistani counterpart. The attack on the Pathankot airbase came a week later leading to the cancellation of foreign secretary level talks between India and Pakistan. During his visit to Washington last week, Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz expressed Islamabad's "gratitude" to Secretary of State John Kerry and Obama for their "consistent support to the revival of Pakistan-India dialogue". He also affirmed Pakistan government's commitment to acting against all terrorist groups without any distinction. Shimla: Congress leader Anand Sharma on Wednesday filed his nomination for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in his home state Himachal Pradesh. Sharma, the Deputy leader of Congress in the Rajya Sabha had resigned from the upper house on Monday to contest the Rajya Sabha election from the seat, which will fall vacant after BJP member Bimla Kashyap's term expires on April 2. Four sets of nomination papers were filed by 40 MLAs, including chief minister, his cabinet colleagues, Chief Parliamentary secretaries, party MLAs and four independents. Sharma's election to Rajya Sabha for the third time from Himachal is a foregone conclusion as the opposition BJP with 27 members in the 68-member house is unlikely to field its candidate. Earlier Sharma was elected to Rajya Sabha in 2014 from Rajasthan. Now he has been nominated by Congress high command to contest from Himachal Pradesh. The Congress deputy leader was a cabinet minister in Manmohan Singh government and later became the deputy leader of the party in Rajya Sabha after the UPA government was ousted in 2014. The last date for filing nominations is March 11. Scrutiny would take place on March 12 and if required, the voting would be held on March 21 and results would be declared the same day. New Delhi: As the fate of Art of Living foundation's mega event 'World Culture Festival' planned on the Yamuna flood plains continues to remain in limbo, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Wednesday appealed to the political parties not to politicise the programme. While appealing to the political parties, the noted spiritual guru tweeted: It is to unite all cultures, nations, religions & ideologies. Let's come together! Sri Sri's reaction comes after, the Opposition today criticised the government in the Rajya Sabha for using Army personnel for a three-day World Cultural Festival being organised by Art of Living on the Yamuna flood plains here. Meanwhile, in what could bring in more trouble for SRi Sri, the Ministry of Water Resources today informed the National Green Tribunal that it has not granted permission for 'World Cultural Festival' scheduled from March 11 to 13. The three-day event will be held on the floodplains of the Yamuna river near DND toll bridge and massive construction is underway for the festival starting March 11. The event, being held on the 35th anniversary of the Art of Living foundation. The programme that is expected to be attended by 35 lakh people from 155 countries. Imphal: Irom Sharmila, who has been on fasts unto death since November 4, 2000, to demand the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, has rejected state Social Welfare Minister Akoijam Mirabai`s appeal to call off her hunger strike. Also the Congress government in Manipur is in a damage control mode as Mirabai embarrassed it with her "misleading statement" before Sharmila that the state government`s request for repealing the AFSPA was not being paid heed to by the Centre. The incident occurred when on the occasion of the International Women`s Day on Tuesday two women legislators -- Mirabai and Okram Landhoni, wife of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi - visited Sharmila in her security ward of J.N. Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal. During the brief meeting, Sharmila wanted to know from the visiting leaders if she was asking for something impossible. "Am I asking for the moon? The role of women in making the society peaceful and vibrant is well-known. Though I have been on fast for 16 years, the state government has turned a blind eye and it is very disappointing. Tripura has shown that the AFSPA can be lifted any time," Sharmila said. Mirabai tried to mollify her by saying: "It is the central government which shall lift the AFSPA. The state government has been constantly exerting pressure on the Centre to lift it. So you must call off your hunger strike and all of us could continue demanding the same." It sounded incredulous to Sharmila who is well-versed with law and human rights movement. Besides all sections of people were taken aback by the minister`s statement. Many sections in Manipur are asking whether it is a case of taking the people for a ride or the minister herself is unaware of the law. Advocate and human rights activist Khaidem Mani told IANS Mirabai is perhaps not aware of the clear-cut legal provisions. "The state cabinet is competent enough to lift the Disturbed Areas Act under which the AFSPA is imposed." When the Manipur government lifted the AFSPA from seven assembly segments in Imphal on August 12, 2004, the state cabinet took the decision and no permission was sought in advance from the Centre. "Tripura government did not seek permission or approval from the centre while lifting it from that state," Mani said. Sharmila has made it known that there is no question of calling off her fast unless the AFSPA is repealed. The court of chief judicial magistrate released her twice. However, within two days she was re-arrested as she resumed her fast instead of going home. Sharmila is facing charge of attempt to suicide in the court of the chief judicial magistrate, Imphal West, and the Patiala House Court, Delhi. New Delhi: A demand for stern action against some newspapers and TV channels for publishing "false" reports of rapes at Murthal during the recent Jat agitation in Haryana was made in the Lok Sabha today. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Dushyant Chautala (INLD) asked the government to take suo motu cognisance of the reports carried by certain newspapers and TV channels and take action. Noting that media is considered the fourth pillar of democracy, he regretted that a section of the media was now resorting to "tampered" videos to spread false information. Expelled RJD member Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav lamented the way social media was seeking to divert national discourse by giving a slant through its version and or ideology and said it was a matter of serious concern. This was seen in the Murthal case, as also in the suicide of Rohith Vemula and the incidents in JNU, he said. Raising another issue, K C Venugopal (Congress) drew the government's attention to an attack on a church in Raipur in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh. Venugopal said the matter was serious as the attack took place when prayers were being offered at the church. However, BJP members from Chhattsigsarh said the government had taken immediate steps and arrested the culprits. New Delhi: Even as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) is expected to give its ruling on the World Culture Festival on Wednesday being organised here by the Art of Living Foundation of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Delhi Police is reported to have red flagged the event. As per a report in The Indian Express, the police has warned that the event, expected to be attended by nearly 35 lakh people on the banks of Yamuna river, may witness stampede, pandemonium and utter chaos due to shortcomings in the arena. The police has raised the concerns in a letter to the Ministry of Urban Development and said they need to be addressed immediately. The police issued the warning after inspecting the venue on March 01. According to the police, the stage for the event - being billed as the world's largest temporary stage - lacks structural stability certificate. It may be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will inaugurate the event, and other VVIPs will be seated on the stage. As per the police, the Central Public Works Department, the Delhi government and the Delhi Development Authority have all declined to issue the mandatory structural stability certificate for the festival stage. The Prime Ministers security wing of Delhi Police had taken up the matter with the CPWD to give structural stability certificate, but they have refused to give them the certificate, saying they should take up the matter with the Delhi PWD or DDA for such certification. But it has been learnt that even the Delhi PWD and DDA are not willing to give any kind of certification to them, police said. The report said the police warned of the possibility of pandemonium which is bound to result in utter chaos leading to total breakdown of law and order. Expressing concerns over preparations at the venue, the Central government has also issued an advisory, asking the police to put in place adequate measures to prevent any stampede-like situation during the event. The Delhi Police has also expressed concerns over the fact that only two pontoon (floating) bridges are being built on the Yamuna river for the event, instead of the seven originally planned. On inspection of the pontoon bridge which has been put, it was found that the condition is very poor and it is not stable, the police letter said. As per field craft estimates, approximately 15,000 people can cross one pontoon bridge in one hour. The organisers have been informed that only two pontoon bridges will be grossly inadequate to cater to 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh people to reach the venue. So at least four pontoon bridges are required to be put up by the organisers through the Indian Army or Irrigation Department of Uttar Pradesh for ensuring smooth and safe passage of the invitees, police said. The letter even warns of the distinct possibility of people falling in the river since the bridges don't have wire-meshing. Police have also described as inadequate the parking space at the venue. Meanwhile, apart from the Delhi Police, the Special Protection Group (SPG) - that secures the Prime Minister - has also said after an inspection that the venue is not secure enough for Narendra Modi. It may be noted that President Pranab Mukherjee, who was also due to attend the event, has now declined. New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday pulled up the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) over the World Culture Festival being organised here by the Art of Living (AOL) Foundation of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Resuming its hearing on the matter, the NGT asked the ministry why permission was not sought from it for such a huge event being organised on the banks of river Yamuna. Will such huge activity not require your permission, the NGT asked MoEF. The tribunal further asked the ministry why it had failed to submit an affidavit as asked by it regarding environment clearances. The NGT also posed a question before the ministry asking why did it think the massive stage being built for the event is temporary in nature. Who will ensure the structure is removed after the March 11-13 festival gets over, asked the NGT, while stating its patience should not be tested. The tribunal further directed the ministry to file an affidavit on the matter. Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, however, said they have given the affidavit NGT asked for. Matter is with NGT, I will not speak, Javadekar told reporters. Meanwhile, the Water Resources Ministry today informed the NGT that it had not given any permission for the mega event. The NGT today also asked the Centre, the Delhi government and the Delhi Development Authority whether any environment impact assessment was carried out regarding preparation and consequential effects of event. The NGT further asked the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) if it can allow putting enzymes in river Yamuna without examination. The AOL has said that it will put enzymes into river Yamuna near the event venue to clean it. Also today, the Delhi government informed the NGT that the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has asked AOL to build a separate stage for the PM due to issues over structural safety of the main stage. The Art of Living's counsel, meanwhile, stated during the hearing that there will be no activity which will violate the NGT order. The counsel assured that they will maintain sufficient distance from river while carrying out activities. Ahead of the NGT hearing, the Delhi Police in a letter to the Ministry of Urban Development red flagged the event saying the festival, expected to be attended by nearly 35 lakh people, may witness stampede, pandemonium and utter chaos. The police further noted that the stage for the event - being billed as the world's largest temporary stage - lacks structural stability certificate. It may be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will inaugurate the event, and other VVIPs will be seated on the stage. New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal will on Wednesday resume hearing on the pleas seeking cancellation of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's cultural mega-extravaganza on the ecologically fragile Yamuna flood plains. The March 11-13 "World Culture Festival" is expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The mega-event marking 35 years of the foundation ran into fresh trouble after Army men were seen helping the non-governmental organisation in the construction process ahead of the programme. However, the Defence Ministry defended its decision that was apparently taken after the Delhi Police expressed fears about the likelihood of a stampede at the venue. "Public safety is a government concern, and the Delhi Police said there could be a stampede with the huge crowd gathering there," a source close to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told IANS. The Art of Living Foundation, which is organising the event, may not be charged for the construction of at least six floating bridges by the Army as there is yet no policy in place for it, the source added. Earlier, the Delhi government, the central government and the event organisers sought more time to reply to the green court's queries on the environmental impact of the fiesta taking place over some 1,000 acres of land upstream of the DND elevated bridge and on the right bank of the river. Green activists have raised an alarm that the event violates environmental laws and the mega construction work -- including tents, hutments, barricades, and pontoon bridges -- will pollute the river and alter the flood plain. The construction also included a massive 40-feet-high, multi-floor stage mounted on steel rods over seven acres of land. The green court asked the Union Environment Ministry if it had given clearance for altering the river's flood plain. It also asked Delhi Development Authority (DDA) how it had given the nod to the event without conducting any environmental impact study. The organisers dismissed the concerns in defending the event for which permission had already been given by the Delhi government. "We have got permissions from more than 30 departments and ministries," defence lawyer Akashama Nath told the green tribunal. "How could we carry out a study when the Environment Ministry didn't ask for it," the lawyer replied when the tribunal sought the report. The organisers informed the court that they were expecting not more than three lakh people -- as against 35 lakh reported earlier -- for the event. Ravi Shankar, the godman behind the event, said not a single tree had been cut and ecological stability had been maintained during the preparations for the event. "We are asserting that we will turn the place into a beautiful bio-diversity park once we are finished with it. Since 2010, our volunteers have been working hard to clean the river and around 512 tonnes of dirt and garbage has been fished out," Ravi Shankar told reporters here. "We want to save the Yamuna. We have not cut a single tree and have maintained ecological stability. We want to see the Yamuna transformed into a beauty again," he said. (With IANS inputs) New Delhi: For the second year in a row, the government faced embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday as Opposition parties joined hands to force an amendment to the motion of thanks on the President's address, despite an appeal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to approve it unanimously. The amendment added a line to the motion of thanks, saying the Rajya Sabha regretted that the president's address did not mention that the government is committed to securing the fundamental right of all citizen to contest elections at all levels. The motion of thanks read: "The members of the Rajya Sabha assembled in this session are deeply grateful to the president for the address he has been pleased to deliver to both houses of parliament assembled together on February 23 2016... but regret that the address does not mention that the government is committed to securing the fundamental right of all citizen to contest election at all level, including panchayat, to further strengthen the foundations of democracy which also forms part of the basic structure of constitution and is consistent with the spirit of the 73rd amendment to the constitution intended to expand and encourage the poor and the marginalised without embossing education or any limitation on the right to contest election." The motion of thanks is a message sent to the president separately by the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha for his address to the joint sitting of both the houses at the beginning of the budget session every year. The address itself is prepared by the government, but read out by the president. Traditionally, the motion of thanks has been passed without changes, but last year, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury moved an amendment which was passed, and this time it was leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad who moved the amendment. This was despite the prime minister's appeal. The prime minister, in his reply to the debate on the motion of thanks, said: "I will appeal to the members, trusting the president's vision, withdraw the amendments and pass the motion of thanks unanimously." However, that was not to be. Azad moved the amendment with reference to the education qualifications set for panchayat elections in Haryana and Rajasthan, even as the two states were not mentioned in the motion. Leader of the house Arun Jaitley argued that the amendment could not be moved as it referred to an issue that came under the state subject. "If we put this to vote, every state will have the right to move resolution criticising the decisions made by parliament," Jaitley said. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu also pointed out that the right to contest election was not a fundamental right, unlike the right to vote. He said that the Centre had no role in the decision. Despite the government's attempts, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien permitted the amendment as it did not refer to any state. "There is no mention of any state legislature. If there was a direct mention, we could have considered it in a different way," Kurien said, deciding to put the amendment to vote. It was then passed by the upper house after a division, which involved electronic voting. As many as 94 of the 155 members present in the house voted in favour. The opposition members were seen cheering the verdict, as the treasury benches appeared glum. Interestingly, none of the Bahujan Samaj Party members were present in the house at the time of voting, even though its supremo Mayawati was present during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech. In 2015, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury had moved a motion regretting that there was no mention of corruption and black money in the president's speech. Azad, during the course of the debate, had asked the Centre to bring in legislation to roll back the provision on minimum educational qualifications, made mandatory for fighting panchayat elections in Rajasthan and Haryana. Modi, in his reply, snubbed Azad, and said the parties protesting the imposition of minimum qualifications should give 30 percent tickets to illiterate candidates in the coming assembly polls (in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry). "There is attempt to bring qualitative change in politics. Some are giving it political colours. Those who say what about those who remained uneducated, I will urge them to give 30 percent tickets to illiterate candidates," Modi said. New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday spoke in the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in the Rajya Sabha. Here are top 10 quotes from the PM's speech:- 1)- PM Modi takes a jibe on Congress "There is a funny thing about death, no one blames death. People blame the reason - like cancer, etc- why people died. Sometimes I feel Congress has a boon like that. It'ss always said "attack on opposition", never reported as "attack on Congress. Like death, Congress never gets a bad name. " 2)- PM Modi's dig at Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress "I am grateful to Ghulam Nabi Azad, he brought a record of people who didn't have accounts under Jan Dhan Yojana. He worked as if with a microscope; 'Accha hota ki jab satta mei the to binocular lekar bhi kaam kar lete' (If they - Congress - had done their work even with binoculars, they would have been able to do a good job)." 3)- PM invokes Indira Gandhi to attack Congress "There are two kind of people - one who work, and others who just take credit. Indira Gandhi had asked people to strive to become the first kind as the competition is very less there." (Duniya mein do tarah ke log hain, ek karya karne wale aur doosre jo uska shrey lete hain; Aap inmein se pehli tarah ka vyakti banne ka prayas karein, kyunki iss mein competition bahut kam hai, ye baat Indira ji ne kahi thi." 4)- PM Modi's dig at Manmohan Singh "I am not an economist like Manmohan Singh, that's why I am not that knowledgeable. But I know some things." 5) - PM Modi bats for girl child education, says we must give impetus to India's progress' "In peak summer, we in Gujarat would to go to the villages and campaign for girl child education. We need to worry about lack of education facilities and overcome the challenges in this sphere." "This is the Upper House. There are stalwarts in this House amd what happens here influences other assemblies as well. This is a Chamber of Ideas and it must guide the nation. Coordination between both Houses is essential. Nation is waiting for us to pass many Bills. Let us pass those bills passed in the Lok Sabha as soon as possible and give impetus to India's progress. Effective and last mile delivery is what we are working on." 6)- 'Focus on transperancy, governance, decentralisation' "We need to shift from incremental improvements to a quantum jump and that is what we are trying. We have focussed on policy-driven governance and given an importance to transparency. We are focussing on accountability. I am reviewing infra projects and seeing projects are stalled for decades. Decentralisation is the third aspect of good governance." 7)- 'Subsidy only for needy' "Government is ensuring that benefit of subsidy goes only to those who are deserving of it, it's not issue of saving money." 8)- 'Double farmers' income by 2022; Rashtriya Krishi Bazaar to be launched' "We should aim to double the income of farmers by 2022." PM Modi emphasised on doubling agriculture income and value addition, more productivity in agriculture. On 14th April, 'Rashtriya Krishi Bazaar' will be launched, PM Modi announces in Rajya Sabha 9)- 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is becoming a mass movement' "Cleanliness is becoming a mass movement (Swachhata Jan andolan ban ne ki disha mein ja rahi hai). For the first time Parliament debated on it. Government may be criticised but issue is being discussed. (Hamari Parliament ne swatantrata ke baad kabhi swacchta pe debate nahi kari thi, ab 2-3 ghanta debate hoti hai). Cleanliness helps the poor the most. Due to lack of cleanliness the poor are forced to spend more money on medicines." 10)- PM recites Nida Fazli's poem PM Narendra Modi concluded his speech in Rajya Sabha with "Safar Mein Dhoop To Hogi" by Nida Fazli. Thiruvananthapuram: A senior BJP leader on Wednesday denied media reports about union HRD Minister Smriti Irani allegedly behaving rudely with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in January. The chief minister had gone to meet her in her office in Delhi to seek funds for the off-campus centre of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) at Malappuram in the state. "The United Progressive Alliance government during the last leg of its second term in office sanctioned five off-campus centres of AMU due to vote bank politics. For necessary amendments to the law, the Congress will have to cooperate in the Rajya Sabha. "As things stand today, these five AMU centres do not have any legal sanctity and cannot be given any help by the Centre," former state BJP president V. Muraleedharan told reporters here. Media reports said that when Chandy sought her help on the matter, the union human resource development minister allegedly told him bluntly that he could take back more than 300 acres of land the Kerala government had allotted to the AMU off-campus centre at Malappuram. On his part, Chandy told IANS that he did not wish to comment. This question could be put to others present along with him during the meeting with Irani, he added. Chandy was accompanied by senior leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League. New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Tourism Mahesh Sharma on Wednesday said that World Cultural Festival organised by the Art of Living Foundation and spiritual guru Sri Ravi Shankar will give a boost to the nation's tourism sector. Sharma told ANI, "With the kind of feeling this cultural festival is being organised, it is a very good opportunity for India to showcase different cultures of the world. This will help different countries understand our tourism policies. Moreover, the tourism sector will also gain benefit out of the event." When asked about environment controversies related to the event, Sharma said, "Those who want to politicise and oppose it, can go ahead and do it. We organise such an event where we invite different countries, we should all support such events they give boost to the tourism industry. As far as environmental issues are concerned I don't want to comment on it." The opposition raised the issue of the Indian Army's involvement in the construction of pontoon bridges for the World Culture Festival, creating an uproar in the Rajya Sabha. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury hit out at the Centre asking why was the Army being roped in for a private event following which the Opposition MPs raised slogans of 'Army ka galat istemaal mat karo, raksha karo'. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said that he was concerned about the event as the Delhi Police had also raised security concerns. Meanwhile, the National Green Tribunal continued the hearing on the plea seeking to stop construction of temporary structure for event where the Water Resource Ministry informed NGT that they did not given any permission for the event. Thiruvananthapuram: Hoping to make its presence felt in the hitherto bipolar political scenario in Kerala, the BJP on Wednesday sewed up an alliance with Bharat Dharama Jana Sena, the new party formed by Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, a powerful organisation of the backward Ezhava community. The tie-up was announced by the state leaders of BJP and BDJS at a joint press conference here today. "Both parties agreed to face the coming polls together," BJP state president Kummanom Rajasekharan and BDJS state president Thushar Vellappally said. Rajasekaran claimed NDA has become a force in Kerala and that talks on seat sharing and a common programme for NDA will be carried out in the coming days. "We expect to complete the seat sharing and finalisation of list of candidates in the next 10 days," he said. Only after completion of talks would it be clear how many seats out of 140 assembly segments would BJP contest, he said. Claiming that people of Kerala are fed up with successive Congress led UDF and CPI(M) headed LDF regimes,he said NDA has emerged as the political alternative to both these Fronts. NDA would be further expanded in Kerala, he said, adding that talks are in progress with some more political parties. Thushar Vellappally, son of Vellappaly Natesan, General Secretary of SNDP, the strong-man behind BDJS, said there was no confusion in both parties coming together and "we are with the party that stands for social justice to all". Thushar said he would not contest the polls. Rajasekharan claimed BJP's vote share in Kerala had increased from six percent a few years ago to 15 percent in the last civic polls. "Definitely an attempt will be made by UDF and LDF through a secret understanding to thwart BJP's chance to open an account in the state in the Assembly," he said to a question. Taking a dig at Congress and CPI(M), he said they already have a tie up in West Bengal and wondered what prevented them from going together in Kerala. Rajasekharan alleged that both Fronts were actually cheating the people with their politics of "fixing". "People are dissatisfied with their rule and want a change", he added. He also rejected reports that BDJS had bypassed state BJP leaders and directly held talks with the national leadership on a tie-up. "What is wrong in BDJS Chief Natesan meeting BJP National President Amit Shah?",he asked referring to the recent meeting between the two leaders on formation of the NDA in Kerala. Rajasekharan said noted film star Suresh Gopi has said he is not interested in contesting the polls, but would be a star campaigner for the NDA. On the statement of former BJP leader PP Mukundan that he wants to return to the party, Rajasekharan said "the party welcomes all those who wish to come back." Mumbai: Overtly endorsing violence in Maharashtra, MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday urged his party followers to burn the newly-registered autorickshaws run by non-Marathis. As per a report in Times of India, Thackeray also slammed BJP-Shiv Sena government for favouring Bajaj Auto in the matter. "Now, think of the volume of kickbacks in the entire deal and you will realise that there is no difference between the Congress and the BJP. Only labels have changed. In that case, they (the Congress) were better," "As many as 70,000 new auto-rickshaws are set to ply in the city. Licences and driver's badges for nearly 70% of these rickshaws will be given to 'outsiders'. Our Marathi boys and girls are being ignored by the state government. As a mark of protest, MNS activists should set ablaze such auto-rickshaws," Thackeray was quoted as saying by TOI. He further went on to say that if an MNS activist spots a new rickshaw with a new, shining number plate, he should request the passenger to step out and burn the auto. BMC elections are scheduled to be held in 2017 and the outrage by MNS chief is seen as a political stunt to revive the party before the polls. His party had poorly performed in the General and State elections. Agartala: The Tripura wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has rejected suggestions that it intends to form an alliance with the Congress Party before the forthcoming assembly elections in West Bengal. CPI-M state secretary Bijan Dhar described the Congress Party as a political institution of `monopolists, landlords and capitalists`. The party also declared its candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from the state."In general, the political strategy of our party which is the outcome of the 21st party congress, there is no scope of an alliance with the Congress Party. From this very point, the election strategy has been formulated and naturally with Congress which still is an all India party of the monopolists, land lords and capitalists there is no chance of any alliance," Dhar said. "Especially in states like West Bengali, Kerala and Tripura, there is no scope for any alliance or working from a common platform. There is only one point that we have to remove Trinamul Congress and revive democracy as we have seen in Tripura and so trying to bring all those forces and people together," he added. He, however, kept the door open for the Congress and added that at present alliance with Congress is not required but may be necessary in the future to fight `upcoming fascist forces`. The CPIM state secretary of Tripura said, "To fight back fascist forces, upcoming fascist forces then it will be taken but at present as decided by the central committee we are not going to align with Congress." When asked about the clear standpoint of the CPIM about Left-Congress alliance in Bengal, Dhar viewed that his party in the West Bengal is trying its best to `topple semi-fascist government` while in Kerala the fight is against the Congress and UDF and similar is the fight in Assam where the Congress is in the government and also with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Later he announced that unanimously Jharna Das Baidya, the sitting MP has been chosen as its candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from the state.The Left Front has 50 of the total 60 seats in the Tripura State Assembly. Islamabad: Pakistan along with its "all-weather" ally China has successfully blocked India's bid to become a member of the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group, Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has said. India has been seeking membership to the 48-member nuclear club, whose members can trade in and export nuclear technology. NSG is a powerful multinational body concerned with reducing nuclear proliferation. Pakistan with the cooperation of China had successfully blocked India's bid to seek membership of the NSG, Aziz told the Senate yesterday. While countries like the US have backed India's membership in the NSG, China has remained ambiguous on the issue. China's Foreign Ministry had called for "prudence and caution" over expanding the NSG. Asked whether China wants to back any other country's entry into NSG, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying had said, "as for the expansion of the group, the members should make the decision on consensus after thorough discussions. India's inclusion into this group is an internal matter of the group. It needs prudence and caution and thorough discussions among all members." "We support such discussion and we also support India's inclusion into this group if it meets all the requirements," she had said in January last year. In November, media reports said China had assured Islamabad that if India is granted membership of the NSG, China would ensure that Pakistan also joined the group. Pakistan has been saying that if it is deprived of NSG membership while India is accommodated, it would be taken as discrimination and lead to an imbalance in the region. Chinese and Pakistani leaders have views their relationship as "all-weather". Islamabad: The kidnapped son of a slain Pakistani governor was reunited with his family on Wednesday after nearly five years in captivity, smiling for photographs with his mother after he was flown to his home city of Lahore. Sporting a freshly-trimmed beard, Shahbaz Taseer appeared healthy as relatives greeted him at the airport just over a week after his father`s Islamist killer was hanged. "We`re very, very, very happy and this is the start of a new life for us," his sister Sanam Taseer told AFP over the phone. "It`s a beautiful day." "We`re so happy," added his aunt Ayesha Tammy Haq. The circumstances surrounding Taseer`s freedom from captivity remain murky. On Tuesday authorities announced that, acting on a tip-off, they raided a compound in the Kuchlak district of restive southwestern Balochistan province, where they found Taseer alone. It was not immediately clear when the raid took place. However the owner of a roadside restaurant in Kuchlak told reporters that Taseer was recovered after he came to his restaurant on foot Tuesday evening. There he ordered food then made a phone call, and personnel from paramilitary group the Frontier Corps came and picked him up. Taseer had been abducted by Islamist gunmen from the city of Lahore in August 2011, months after his father was killed for opposing the country`s controversial blasphemy laws. The governor`s assassin, Mumtaz Qadri, was hanged on February 29 in what analysts described as a "key moment" in Pakistan`s long battle with extremism. The execution, together with Shahbaz`s release, have come as welcome news to Pakistan`s long beleaguered liberals who have grown more accustomed to attacks since an Islamist insurgency rose up against the state more than a decade ago. "So used to condemning & condoling... not exactly sure how to react to good news... Allahu Akbar. God is Great. Welcome home @ShahbazTaseer," tweeted Bilawal Bhutto, son of assassinated premier Benazir Bhutto. During his custody, Taseer was moved between locations in the tribal areas and militant outfits, according to multiple rebel commanders. A Taliban commander in the country`s northwest told AFP late Tuesday that Taseer was initially abducted by the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi sectarian group that is mainly based out of Punjab, which handed him over to the Pakistani Taliban. "Militants from Lashkar-e-Jhangvi picked him up and then he was handed over to TTP," the commander said. Taseer spent most of his time with TTP fighters who kept him in separate locations in North and South Waziristan, and in areas close to the Afghan border, he added. Two other militant commanders said he was later handed over to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan which maintains close ties to Al-Qaeda. The militant sources said Taseer was treated well and played sports with his captors. "Taseer liked to play cricket and so militants had provided him a bat and ball which he was playing with militants," one commander told AFP. Chennai: In a bid to reach out to the voters of Tamil Nadu ahead of the May 16 Assembly polls, PMK's Chief Ministerial candidate Anbumani Ramadoss will hold seven meetings in seven cities where he will discuss his party's strategy for state's growth and take questions from people. The interactive meetings, titled 'Tamizhaga Valarchi Patri' (About Tamil Nadu's Growth), will include PMK's pet theme, of that of implementing prohibition, the party said today. Ramadoss will hold meetings in Vellore, Salem, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Chennai and discuss with the people issues concerning urban development, agriculture and total prohibition, it said. In the meetings scheduled between March 10 and 16, he will also talk in detail about how government departments had 'suffered' in the last 50 years, where the state was alternatively ruled by DMK and AIADMK, it said. Jerusalem: A Palestinian went on a stabbing spree along the Tel Aviv waterfront on Tuesday leaving an American tourist dead and 12 people wounded, police said, as US Vice President Joe Biden arrived in the city. The attacker, around 21 years old, was from the town of Qalqilya in the occupied West Bank and was shot dead by police, Israeli authorities said. Video showed a man running down a road and lunging at someone through a car window while being chased. The attack caused panic, and one witness told Israeli television he hit the assailant with his guitar, with a hole visible in the wood of his instrument. Police said the attacker wounded a number of people in the Jaffa port area, a tourist zone of Israel`s commercial capital, before going on toward a restaurant and stabbing others. Around a 15-minute walk from where the stabbing occurred, Biden met former Israeli president Shimon Peres. "I heard two guys screaming that there was an attack," said a woman who gave her name as Emily. "I ran in the opposite direction and ran into a man who was on the ground in his blood." She said she "covered him with my jacket. He was badly injured and we waited together for the ambulances to come." The US State Department, which identified the dead American as Taylor Allen Force, a 29-year-old native of Texas and a US Army veteran, denounced the attack. "The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms today`s outrageous terrorist attacks," it said.Violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories since October has killed 184 Palestinians and 28 Israelis. Most of the Palestinians were killed while carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. Others were shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes or demonstrations. Biden is due to meet separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Wednesday. When meeting Peres on Tuesday, he spoke of an "unvarnished, complete commitment to the security of Israel. And I hope we will make some progress." The White House has said Biden will not be pursuing any major new peace initiatives during his visit despite the wave of violence. The number of attacks had diminished recently, but there were four separate assaults Tuesday. Two occurred in Jerusalem, including one that saw a Palestinian shoot and seriously wound two Israeli police officers before being shot dead. Earlier, a Palestinian woman attempted to stab Israeli police forces in Jerusalem`s Old City before being shot dead. Also on Tuesday, a Palestinian stabbed an ultra-Orthodox Jew in a liquor store in Petah Tikva near Tel Aviv. The victim and owner of the shop pounced on the attacker, seized his weapon and killed him, police said. Police said they suspected it was a "terrorist" attack but had not excluded other possible motives. Before Tuesday`s violence, Biden`s visit had been overshadowed by a new blow to the rocky relationship between US President Barack Obama and Netanyahu. Netanyahu`s decision not to accept an invitation for talks with Obama in Washington later this month "surprised" the White House, which first learned of it through news reports. Biden`s visit comes with Obama having acknowledged there will be no comprehensive agreement between Israelis and Palestinians before he leaves office in January 2017.Talks are expected to include discussions on a defence aid package, currently worth some $3.1 billion annually in addition to spending on projects such as missile defence. Biden and Netanyahu also plan to talk about the fight against the Islamic State group. But while Obama has resigned himself to not achieving any major breakthrough in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there have been suggestions he may seek to somehow kick-start peace efforts at a complete standstill for two years. That has included speculation the United States could break with traditional practice and support a UN resolution related to resolving the conflict, which Israel strongly opposes. The United States has traditionally vetoed resolutions at the UN Security Council opposed by Israel. After his visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, Biden will travel to Jordan. Berlin: Chancellor Angela Merkel`s party risks a drubbing at key state elections Sunday as voters punish the German leader for her liberal refugee policy, while the right-wing populist AfD eyes major gains as it scoops up the protest vote. More than 12 million voters are due to elect three new regional parliaments for the southwestern states of Baden-Wuerttemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, as well as eastern Saxony-Anhalt in the so-called Super Sunday polls. The elections are the biggest since a record influx of refugees to Germany, and disgruntled voters are expected to seize on the opportunity to hit the ruling coalition where it hurts. "These elections are very important... as they will serve as a litmus test for the government`s disputed policy" on refugees, Duesseldorf University political scientist Jens Walther told AFP. Surveys in the run-up to the polls have shown Alternative for Germany (AfD) steadily gaining momentum, with the latest published Monday by Bild daily showing backing reaching double-digit levels in all three states. Merkel`s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was meanwhile bracing for a poor showing, particularly in its traditional stronghold of Baden-Wuerttemberg, with the Bild poll showing support sliding by 10.5 percentage points to 28.5 percent -- putting it for the first time behind the Greens, while the AfD snatched 12.5 percent. "These are numbers that really hit us," said Guido Wolf, the CDU`s leading candidate in the southwest, adding that Sunday`s was the "most difficult election campaign" the party has had to run. In Rhineland-Palatinate where the fortunes of the CDU had been rising, leading candidate Julia Kloeckner -- who some believe could be Merkel`s successor -- is expected only to help the party to a tie with the Social Democratic Party (SPD), at 35 percent. In Saxony-Anhalt, where the CDU still has a large lead in the Bild poll with 29 percent, AfD has a stunning 19 percent that almost draws it equal with the second placed Left Party, on 20 percent.Merkel has been under intense pressure to change course and shut Germany`s doors after 1.1 million refugees -- many of them Syrians -- arrived in Europe`s biggest economy last year alone. But she has resolutely refused to impose a cap on arrivals, insisting instead on common European action that includes distributing refugees among the EU`s 28 member states. Barely a week before the polls, Merkel told activists to take heart despite falling support for the party, saying: "It will pay off in the end." But public opinion towards her stance was divided, and AfD has capitalised on the darkening mood. AfD began life in 2013 as an anti-euro party, but has since morphed into one that sparked a storm in January after suggesting police may have to shoot at migrants at the borders. In what could be a preview of Sunday`s polls, local election results published Monday in Hesse show support for AfD reaching 13.2 percent, propelling it to become the third biggest party in the western state. Although the upstart party has seats in five regional parliaments and is represented in the European Parliament, it has so far made its biggest gains in former communist eastern states that still lag western Germany in jobs and prosperity. But its inroads into western states have sparked alarm in a Germany mindful of its Nazi past. With an eye on the upcoming polls, Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel warned voters that "we have a lot to lose if we deal carelessly with social stability and democracy". Merkel herself described AfD as a "party that does not bring society together and offers no appropriate solutions to problems, but only stokes prejudices and divisions", while Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble branded them a "shame for Germany". Some 142 civic groups, including police unions, Jewish and Muslim organisations and aid groups, also published a joint appeal urging voters to turn up at the polls as a show of strength "against all forms of hate, racism, prejudices or violence". Madrid: The Balkan trail from Greece to northern Europe used by floods of migrants was blocked Wednesday after a string of nations slammed shut their borders, hiking pressure on the EU and Turkey to nail down a "game-changing" grand bargain. Slovenia and Croatia, two of the countries along the well-trodden route, said late Tuesday that no migrants wishing to transit towards other countries would be allowed to enter. Serbia indicated it would follow suit. EU member Slovenia said that from midnight (2300 GMT), the only exceptions were for people wishing to claim asylum in the country or for migrants "on humanitarian grounds and in accordance with the rules of the Schengen zone". Prime Minister Miro Cerar said the move meant that "the (Balkan) route for illegal migrations no longer exists." Croatia`s Interior Minister Vlaho Orepic called it a "new phase in resolving the migrant crisis". The measures follow Austria`s decision in February to cap the number of migrants passing through its territory, and Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz late Tuesday welcomed the news. "This is putting into effect what is correct, and that is the end of the `waving through` (of migrants) which attracted so many migrants last year and was the wrong approach," Kurz told public television. "As Europe we must help Greece but we have to make sure that arriving in (the Greek island of) Lesbos doesn`t mean a ticket to Germany," he said. In Greece, however, the tightening of border restrictions in recent weeks sparked by Austria`s move has created a bottleneck at the border with Macedonia where more than 13,000 people were stranded, according to state agency ANA. There was no official reaction from Athens to Slovenia and Croatia`s moves but a Greek government source told AFP on Wednesday that it now considered borders through the Balkans as "de facto closed". The authorities were trying "to convince the refugees that are stuck to go temporarily to welcome centres throughout Greece," the source said.More than a million people have crossed the Aegean Sea into Greece since the start of 2015, many from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq and most aiming to reach wealthy Germany, Austria and Scandinavia. District of Columbia: Bernie Sanders has won the Democratic primary in Michigan, US networks said, in an upset for frontrunner Hillary Clinton who was predicted to win the northern state. "This has been a fantastic night in Michigan," Sanders said shortly before the race was called in his favor in the industrial state, one of four holding White House nominating contests on Tuesday. With 97 percent of precincts reporting, the Vermont senator who has energized young voters with calls for greater economic equality took 50.1 percent of the Michigan vote, against 48 for Clinton. The former secretary of state earlier claimed a big victory over Sanders in Mississippi, continuing a winning streak in the southern United States where she has so far cornered the large African American vote. In the Republican camp, frontrunner Donald Trump scored major victories in both Michigan and Mississippi, extending his lead in the US presidential nominations race ahead of crucial contests next week. Republican voters also had their say in a primary in Idaho, where the race was still too close to call, and a caucus in Hawaii. Gauteng: A South African court Wednesday temporarily abandoned a rape case against the grandson of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela after the prosecution brought an application to "provisionally withdraw prosecution." The 25-year-old was accused of raping an underage girl at a pub in Johannesburg last year. Under South African law, a suspect`s identity cannot be revealed until the accused pleads to the charge. The National Prosecuting Authority said withdrawing the case for now was in the best interest of the trial as they were probing new evidence linked to the case. "We have now obtained new information that requires further investigation," prosecution spokeswoman Phindi Louw told journalists. Louw said withdrawing the case did not mean that the accused was "off the hook". "The charge could be reinstated at a later stage, pending our investigation," she said. According to the prosecutor, the 15-year-old complainant was said to be "seeking mechanisms to cope with the trial." Mandela`s lawyer had previously argued that the sex was consensual and that the girl was 16 years old, the legal age for consensual sex. The icon`s grandson was arrested in August 2015, and spent 10 days in custody before being freed on bail. He is the latest Mandela family member to be embroiled in legal trouble likely to tarnish their name. Several Mandela family members were in court to support the man who appeared relieved after the magistrate`s ruling. Michigan: Republican frontrunner Donald Trump scored two major victories Tuesday in the states of Michigan and Mississippi, extending his lead in the US presidential nominations race ahead of crucial contests next week. His Democratic counterpart Hillary Clinton also claimed victory in the southern Gulf state of Mississippi over her rival Bernie Sanders, thanks to a strong turnout by African-American voters. "Thank you Mississippi!" Hillary and Trump posted in identical tweets. But in the northern industrial state of Michigan, Hillary found herself narrowly trailing Sanders, the Vermont senator who has energized young voters with calls for greater economic equality and denunciations of what he sees as a corrupt US political system. Hillary has now won 12 out of 21 contests, with Trump prevailing in 14 out of 22 races as the two inch closer to the tipping point in their respective nomination races. US networks called the Gulf state of Mississippi for Hillary immediately after polls closed there, with exit polls reportedly showing very high participation among African-American voters. Blacks comprised a stunning 69 percent of the Democratic vote there, with an overwhelming 89 percent of that demographic casting ballots for Clinton. Mississippi Republican voters are also overwhelmingly evangelical, a group Trump has claimed to do well with. Early results showed Hillary`s rival, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, leading by four percentage points in Michigan with 21 percent of the vote counted, while Trump was ahead of Ohio Governor John Kasich by 12 points. Senator Ted Cruz, who has emerged as the most viable alternative to Trump at least in terms of the all-important delegate count, was third. Marco Rubio, the senator whom mainstream Republicans rallied behind as the man to topple Trump, trailed in fourth. "They didn`t do so well tonight, folks," Trump said in a victory speech in Florida. "Only one person did well tonight: Donald Trump." In a somewhat bizarre scene, Trump spent several minutes hawking his products -- a steaks company, a winery, Trump vodka, even his Trump University -- which establishment critics had berated as examples of failed Trump businesses. Republicans were voting Tuesday in two other states as well: a primary in Idaho and a caucus in the island state of Hawaii. But the big prizes for both parties in terms of delegates and visibility unquestionably are Michigan and Mississippi -- two diverse states with different economies and demographic makeup. By claiming both, Trump solidifies his claim that he has the broadest appeal among the Republican electorate as he marches toward the nomination. But a new Washington Post poll of Republican-leaning registered voters shows Trump with 34 percent support, compared with 25 percent for Cruz, 18 percent for Rubio and 13 percent for Kasich. That is a tighter race than in January, when the Post showed Trump up 16 points against Cruz and 26 against Rubio. But Trump has tightened his grip on the lead, winning 14 out of 22 state contests so far, in regions as varied as the industrial northeast and the deep south bible belt. Cruz, the 45-year-old champion of the religious right, Cruz has done well in delegate-rich Texas and nearby states and is nipping at the billionaire real estate mogul`s heels. Rubio, 44, has the backing of the mainstream Republican anti-Trump camp -- which sees Cruz as too uncompromising to unite the Republican Party -- but he has underperformed and trails in third place.Next week`s primary in Rubio`s home state of Florida, a winner-take-all contest with 99 delegates at stake, is widely seen as a must-win if he is to remain a viable contender. Meanwhile Cruz insisted that he is the best alternative to Trump. "Of course Donald is upset and I will predict he will engage in more attacks," Cruz told reporters in North Carolina. "They will be more personal and nasty, and we will not respond in kind but focus on issues, substance and policy because that`s what voters expect in the end." A total of 150 Republican delegates are up for grabs Tuesday out of 1,237 needed to win the party`s nomination. As of Monday Trump has 384 delegates, compared with 300 for Cruz, 151 for Rubio and 37 for Kasich. Hillary was hoping Tuesday could be the day she pivots toward the GOP. "The sooner I could become your nominee, the more I could begin to turn our attention to the Republicans," she said at a rally Monday in Detroit. Hillary has amassed 1,130 delegates, compared to 499 for Sanders, thanks in part to the hundreds of so-called "superdelegates" -- elected officials and party operatives with a vote at the national convention in July -- who have committed to Hillary in addition to the delegates won in primary contests so far. A candidate needs 2,382 delegates to win the Democratic nomination. Kabul: At least eight people were killed on Wednesday after Taliban militants attacked government offices in Afghanistan`s Helmand province, an official said. The gunbattle started at 6.00 a.m. in Gereshk district, Xinhua news agency reported. "Those killed were seven attackers and one policeman," said a senior provincial security official. The militants seized a building and fired on a district governor office, a police station and the nearby educational department in the key district located in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah. "The initial information said 10 men armed with weapons and suicide jackets were involved in the attack. They arrived by vehicles and took position in separate locations in the district before security forces push them back," the official said. The militants also attacked several security checkpoints in outer parts of the district. They tried to take control of the buildings and overrun the district, a security official said. Frankfurt: The net has widened in the investigation into the massive emissions-cheating scandal at auto giant Volkswagen, with German prosecutors adding more suspects to their list, while France launched a probe of its own. Prosecutors in Paris yesterday said they had opened an investigation into "serious fraud" against the embattled German carmaker on February 19, assigning three magistrates to head it. The probe follows a preliminary inquiry that started in early October. Serious fraud office chief Nathalie Homobono said investigators had already established that Volkswagen had cheated "with intent". At the same time, German prosecutors said the number of suspects under their own investigation had increased from six to 17, but that no former or current board members are involved. VW, which until recently had ambitions to become the world's biggest carmaker, is battling to resolve its deepest- ever crisis sparked by revelations that it installed emissions-cheating software into 11 million diesel engines worldwide. The software, known as a "defeat device", limits the output of toxic nitrogen oxides to US legal limits during emissions test by regulators. But when the vehicles are in actual use, the software allows them to spew poisonous gases at up to 40 times the permitted levels. Nitrogen oxide is a pollutant associated with respiratory problems and defeat devices are prohibited in the United States, where the VW scam was originally exposed, as well as in other countries. On top of still unquantifiable regulatory fines in a range of countries, VW is facing a slew of legal suits, notably in the US and Germany, from angry car owners, as well as from shareholders seeking damages for the massive loss in the value of their shares since September. In the wake of the announcement of a widening of the probe yesterday, VW shares were among the biggest losers on the Frankfurt stock exchange, shedding 2.9 per cent by late afternoon while the overall blue-chip DAX index was down 0.5 percent. Volkswagen France said it would continue to cooperate with authorities, but said the French probe must proceed under a presumption of "innocent until proven guilty". Washington: Billionaire Donald Trump notched a pair of easy victories Tuesday in the Republican presidential nomination race, as Democrat Hillary Clinton suffered a surprise loss to Bernie Sanders in one of the two major states at stake. Trump shrugged off a barrage of negative advertising and intense efforts by the party establishment to derail his White House campaign to win primaries in Michigan and Mississippi, signaling to his rivals he can survive anything they throw at him. "I don`t think I`ve had so many horrible, horrible things said about me in one week, $38 million worth of horrible lies," Trump told a crowd in Florida as he celebrated his victories. "I think we ought to use that money to fight Hillary Clinton and the Democrats." It was not a clean sweep for Trump, however. He came second to Senator Ted Cruz, his nearest Republican competitor, in Idaho. A fourth Republican vote was taking place in Hawaii, with results expected later. Clinton, the former secretary of state, handily defeated Sanders in the southern Gulf state of Mississippi, thanks to a strong turnout by African-Americans who comprised a majority of Democratic voters there. But she slumped to defeat in the industrial rust belt state of Michigan, where Sanders was ahead by two percentage points with 93 percent of precincts reporting. "This has been a fantastic night in Michigan," Sanders said shortly before the race was called in his favor. Despite the upset, Clinton received a psychological boost by passing the halfway point in the all-important race to reach the 2,382 delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination. But even with the delegate math in Clinton`s favor, Sanders`s strong showing will re-energize his campaign, and raise questions about her ability to win key industrial states in the general election, such as Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Sanders, a US senator from Vermont and self-described democratic socialist, has energized young voters with calls for greater economic equality and denunciations of what he sees as a corrupt US political system.Clinton has now won 13 out of 22 nomination contests, with Trump prevailing in 14 out of 23 races as the two inch closer to the tipping point in their respective races. Rubio, the senator whom mainstream Republicans rallied behind as the man to topple Trump, suffered another poor showing, facing the prospect of receiving zero delegates from either Michigan or Mississippi, the two main prizes of the night. Trump has already called on Rubio to drop out of the race, but the senator has vowed to stay in at least until his home state of Florida -- which with 99 delegates at stake is a major prize on the primary calendar -- votes on March 15. "They didn`t do so well tonight, folks," Trump said in a victory speech in Florida, referring to his Republican rivals. "Only one person did well tonight: Donald Trump." The braggadocious Trump`s caustic style has angered some voters -- and fellow Republicans -- but he insisted Tuesday he could draw millions more to his movement. "We`ll take many, many people away from the Democrats," he said. "We`re seeing that. We had people come over here who have never voted Republican." In a bizarre scene, Trump spent several minutes hawking some of his companies` odder products -- water, steaks, wine, Trump vodka, even his Trump University -- which establishment critics had berated as examples of his failed enterprises. With his latest big wins -- claiming 47.3 percent in Mississippi and 36.5 percent in Michigan based on near-final results -- Trump solidifies his claim to have the broadest appeal among the Republican electorate as he marches toward the nomination. But a new Washington Post poll of Republican-leaning registered voters shows Trump with 34 percent support nationwide, compared with 25 percent for Cruz, 18 percent for Rubio and 13 percent for Kasich. That is a tighter race than in January, when the Post showed Trump up 16 points against Cruz and 26 against Rubio. Cruz, the 45-year-old champion of the religious right, has done well in delegate-rich Texas and nearby states and is nipping at the billionaire real estate mogul`s heels. A total of 150 Republican delegates were up for grabs Tuesday out of 1,237 needed to win the party`s nomination. As of Monday Trump has 384 delegates, compared with 300 for Cruz, 151 for Rubio and 37 for Kasich. Trump is expected to win dozens more after Tuesday. Clinton was hoping Tuesday could be the day she pivots toward the GOP. "Every time you think it can`t get any uglier, they find a way," she told supporters at a rally in Ohio. "And as the rhetoric keeps sinking lower, the stakes in this election keep rising higher. "Now, running for president shouldn`t be about delivering insults. It should be about delivering results for the American people." Dubai: Iran test-fired two ballistic missiles today with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written in Hebrew on them, state media reported, a show of force by the Islamic Republic as US Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel. Such phrases have been emblazoned on Iranian missiles before, but this test comes shortly after the implementation of a nuclear deal with world powers, including the US, and follows similar drills in recent days. Hard-liners in Iran's military have fired rockets and missiles despite US objections since the deal, as well as shown underground missile bases on state television. There was no immediate reaction from Jerusalem, where Biden was meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who strongly opposed the nuclear deal. Biden, speaking next to Netanyahu, did not acknowledge the missile launch directly but he issued a strong warning to the Iranians. "A nuclear-armed Iran is an absolutely unacceptable threat to Israel, to the region and the United States. And I want to reiterate which I know people still doubt here. If in fact they break the deal, we will act," he said. The semiofficial Fars news agency offered pictures today it said were of the Qadr H missiles being fired. It said they were fired in Iran's eastern Alborz mountain range to hit a target some 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) away off Iran's coast into the Sea of Oman. The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which patrols that region, declined to comment on the test. Fars and state media reported the Hebrew inscription on the missiles. Soldiers often write slogans or messages on rockets and missiles. During Israel's 2006 war with Lebanon's Hezbollah militants, Israeli children were photographed writing messages on artillery shells in a community near the border. More recently, pictures emerged online of U.S. Missiles bound for Islamic State group targets that had "From Paris with love" written on them, referring to last year's attacks. Fars quoted Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division, as saying the test was aimed at showing Israel that Iran could hit it. "The 2,000-kilometer (1,240-mile) range of our missiles is to confront the Zionist regime," Hajizadeh said. "Israel is surrounded by Islamic countries and it will not last long in a war. It will collapse even before being hit by these missiles." Baghdad: US special forces captured the head of the Islamic State group's unit trying to develop chemical weapons in a raid last month in northern Iraq, the first known major success of Washington's more aggressive policy of pursuing the jihadis on the ground. The Obama administration launched the new strategy in December, deploying a commando force to Iraq that it said would be dedicated to capturing and killing IS leaders in clandestine operations, as well as generating intelligence leading to more raids. US officials said last week that the expeditionary team had captured an Islamic State leader but had refused to identify him, saying only that he had been held for two or three weeks and was being questioned. The two Iraqi officials identified the man as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, who worked for Saddam Hussein's now-dissolved Military Industrialization Authority where he specialized in chemical and biological weapons. They said al-Afari, who is about 50 years old, heads the Islamic State group's recently established branch for the research and development of chemical weapons, two senior Iraqi intelligence officials told the Associated Press. He was captured in a raid near the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, the officials said. They would not give further details. The officials, who both have first-hand knowledge of the individual and of the IS chemical program, spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to brief the media. No confirmation was available from U.S. Officials. The US-led coalition began targeting IS' chemical weapons infrastructure with airstrikes and special operations raids over the past two months, the Iraqi intelligence officials and a Western security official in Baghdad told the AP. Airstrikes are targeting laboratories and equipment, and further special forces raids targeting chemical weapons experts are planned, the intelligence officials said. They and the Western official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the press. Washington: An Islamic State commander described by the Pentagon as the group's "minister of war" was likely killed in a US air strike in Syria, US officials said on Tuesday, in what would be a major victory in the United States' efforts to strike the militant group's leadership. Abu Omar al-Shishani, also known as Omar the Chechen, ranked among America's most wanted militants under a US programme that offered up to $5 million for information to help remove him from the battlefield. Born in 1986 in Georgia, which was then still part of the Soviet Union, the red-bearded Shishani had a reputation as a close military adviser to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was said by followers to have relied heavily on Shishani. The strike itself involved multiple waves of manned and unmanned aircraft, targeting Shishani near the town of al-Shadadi in Syria, a US official said. The Pentagon believes Shishani was sent there to bolster Islamic State troops after they suffered a series of setbacks at the hands of US-backed forces from the Syrian Arab Coalition, which captured al-Shadadi from the militants in February. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said the US military was still assessing the results of the strike, but acknowledged its potential significance. Shishani "was a Syrian-based Georgian national who held numerous top military positions within ISIL, including minister of war," Cook said, using an acronym for the group. Cook said Shishani's death would undermine the group's ability to coordinate attacks and defend its strongholds. It would also hurt Islamic State's ability to recruit foreign fighters, especially those from Chechnya and the Caucus regions, he said. Several US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed optimism that the strike was successful, although none were prepared to declare Shishani dead with certainty. The first official said initial assessments indicated Shishani was likely killed along with an additional 12 Islamic State fighters. An official in the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which has been fighting Islamic State in the al-Shadadi area, said it had received information that Shishani was killed but had no details and had been unable to confirm the death. The official declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter. Once fought for Georgia Born with the name Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, Shishani once fought in military operations as a rebel in Chechnya before joining Georgia's military in 2006 and even fighting against Russian troops before being discharged two years later for medical reasons, the first US official said. He was arrested in 2010 for weapons possession and spent more than a year in jail, before leaving Georgia in 2012 for Istanbul and then later to Syria, the official said. He decided to join Islamic State the following year and pledged his allegiance to Baghdadi. The State Department said Shishani was identified as Islamic State's military commander in a video distributed by the group in 2014. The strike would be one of the most successful operations to take out Islamic State's leadership in Iraq and Syria since May, when US special operations forces killed the man who directed the group's oil, gas and financial operations. In November, a US air strike killed Islamic State's senior leader in Libya, known as Abu Nabil. Washington: The Islamic State group's battle-tested equivalent of a defense minister is believed to have been killed in a US air strike in northeastern Syria, a US official here said. The target of the March 4 attack was Omar al-Shishani, a red-bearded Georgian fighting with the jihadist group in Syria, the Pentagon said yesterday, cautioning that results of the operation were still being assessed. A US official speaking on condition of anonymity later said Shishani "likely died" in the assault by waves of US warplanes and drones, along with 12 other IS fighters. Al-Shishani is the nom de guerre of Tarkhan Batirashvili, who ranked among the most wanted under a US program with a USD 5 million bounty on his head. The United States stopped short of declaring him dead. The lack of a US presence on the ground makes it difficult to assess the success of operations targeting militants in Syria, and Shishani's death has been falsely reported several times. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook described Shishani as "a battle-tested leader with experience who had led ISIL fighters in numerous engagements in Iraq and Syria." His death, if confirmed, would hinder IS's foreign recruitment efforts, especially from Chechnya and the Caucasus regions, and its attempts to defend its strongholds in Syria and Iraq, according to the Pentagon. Shishani's father, Taimouraz Batirashvili, told the Russian news agency Interfax that he was unable to confirm the death. "I know nothing about the death of my son. They announce his death almost every month." The US Treasury designated Shishani a foreign terrorist fighter in 2014, and said he maintained "unique authority" within IS. The Georgian was "the ISIL equivalent of the secretary of defense," the US official said, using an alternative acronym for the group. In the recent assault, waves of US aircraft struck near Al-Shadadi, a town in northeastern Syria that was retaken from IS last month by local anti-IS fighters allied with the US-led coalition. The US official said it was "unusual and noteworthy" that Shishani had traveled from IS's self-proclaimed capital of Raqa to Al-Shadadi. "This was likely to bolster the sagging morale of ISIL fighters there, who have suffered a series of defeats by Syrian Democratic Forces," the official said, alluding to one of the local, US-allied fighting groups. Rome: Immigrants from outside the European Union pay enough social contributions to fund the pensions of 600,000 retired Italians, research has revealed amid controversy over the cost of managing a wave of new arrivals. Non-EU immigrants are also responsible for establishing nearly one in five new companies registered in Italy, according to figures included in the country`s 2015 Legal Yearbook, due to be published on Thursday. The figures were collated by one of the review`s editors, Roberto Garofoli, a magistrate who is currently Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan`s chief of staff. Using ministry data, Garofoli calculated that non-EU immigrants paid some eight billion euros into Italy`s welfare coffers in 2014, but took only three billion out in pensions and other benefits. The balance was enough to finance 600,000 annual pensions, he noted in an essay calling for a "pragmatic" discussion of the costs and benefits of immigration. Non-EU immigrants also contributed some 6.8 billion euros in income tax, owned 18.1 percent of the new companies registered in 2014 and were proportionately more likely to register for VAT payment than any other section of society. But the positive benefits of mostly-youthful immigration into an ageing society like Italy are being substantially eaten into by the cost of coping with the current migration crisis. More than 320,000 asylum-seekers and other migrants arrived in Italy in 2014 and 2015, most of them rescued from people smugglers boats off Libya. Garofoli said managing the influx had cost 3.3 billion euros in 2015, the bulk of which would recur each year for the foreseeable future. According to official data, Italy has a population of just under 60 million people, including five million legal residents who are not Italian citizens. Jerusalem: US Vice President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that the United States would take action against Iran if long-range ballistic missile tests Tehran said it carried out were confirmed. "I want to reiterate, as I know people still doubt, if in fact they break the (nuclear) deal, we will act," Biden said during a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories. "All their conventional activity outside the deal, which is still beyond the deal, we will and are attempting to act wherever we can find it." Iran fired two more long-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday as it continued military tests in defiance of US sanctions and fresh warnings from Washington. Coming just weeks after the implementation of Iran`s historic nuclear deal with world powers, this week`s multiple missile tests were described by Iran`s powerful Revolutionary Guards as a show of force in the face of US pressure. After similar tests on Tuesday, Washington warned it could raise the issue with the UN Security Council and take further action after US sanctions were imposed in connection with Iran`s missile programme in January. Ballistic missile tests have been seen as a way for Iran`s military to demonstrate that the nuclear deal will have no impact on its plans, which it says are for domestic defence only. The hard-fought deal, which saw international sanctions lifted in exchange for curbs on Iran`s nuclear ambitions, did not extend to its missile programme. Biden spoke after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who forcefully opposed the nuclear accord with Iran, his country`s arch-foe. Paris: High school pupils and workers protested across France Wednesday against deeply unpopular labour reforms that have divided the Socialist government and raised hackles in a country accustomed to iron-clad job security. Teenagers and students were expected to be among the most vocal demonstrators against reforms they fear will render their future even more unstable, and gathered from early morning despite pouring rain in many cities. Pupils blocked entry to several schools in Paris at the start of the day of protests that was compounded by a rail strike over a wage dispute that left many commuters stranded for hours. France`s government has faced massive blowback -- including from within its ranks -- to measures that would give bosses more flexibility in hiring and firing. The reforms aim to bring down a record 10.2-percent unemployment rate, which is more than double that for young people. The proposed new law also cuts overtime pay for work beyond 35 hours -- the working week famously introduced in the 1990s in an earlier Socialist bid to boost employment. In some sectors, young apprentices could work 40 hours a week. William Martinet, president of the Unef student union, said the proposals "betrayed the youth." An online petition against the El Khomri draft law, named after Labour Minister Myriam El Khomri, has attracted more than a million signatures, while a poll showed seven in 10 people were opposed to the planned changes. President Francois Hollande, who campaigned on a promise to improve the prospects of young people, said on the eve of the protests that he wanted to help them "have more job stability". "We must also give companies the opportunity to recruit more, to give job security to young people throughout their lives, and to provide flexibility for companies." Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Monday kicked off three days of talks with unions in a bid to salvage the law, after the chorus of opposition derailed a plan to submit the proposals to the cabinet this week. The turmoil created by the proposals has struck yet another blow to Hollande and Valls, who have come under attack from leading members of the Socialist party for being too pro-business and shifting to the right. Berlin: Sailors on a round-the-world race found and left a dead German whose body was discovered on a yacht adrift off the southern Philippines, event organisers said. The LMAX Exchange team saw the yacht about 870 kilometres (470 nautical miles) west of Guam on January 31 and a crew member discovered the decomposing body in the cabin, the Clipper Round the World Race said in a statement. "In the spirit of the Clipper Race and the crew of team LMAX Exchange, we put the racing aside in the hope of assisting the stricken vessel and any fellow sailors marooned," it said, quoting a statement put out by the team. Organisers relayed the discovery to the US Coast Guard in Guam before instructing the team to carry on racing as it could provide no further assistance, it added. The boat then drifted for 25 days across more than 1,200 kilometres of water before Filipino fishermen found the dismasted and listing white-hulled vessel off the east coast of Mindanao island. Filipino police said the by-then mummified body found slumped over a table in the cabin was likely that of German national Manfred Fritz Bajorat, the presumed owner of the 13-metre (44-foot) yacht. "(I)t was out of respect that we chose not to publicise the full details of the finding. We hoped to avoid causing unnecessary alarm within the international sailing community by announcing the death of a then unknown sailor," the race organisers said. The Clipper race announcement, published on its website on Tuesday, appeared to put in doubt a Filipino police autopsy findings the man had died of a heart attack about a week before the fishermen found him. The US embassy in Manila referred AFP`s requests for comment to the US Coast Guard in Hawaii, which did not immediately reply to emailed questions. Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo told AFP he was unaware of the case having been relayed by the US authorities. Bajorat was a 59-year-old veteran yachtsman who left his native Germany two decades ago and was then widowed several years ago, Germany`s Bild daily earlier reported, quoting an old friend. Bajorat had told the friend a year ago that he wanted to go on another around-the-world trip, Bild added. Police in Barobo town, where the yacht was taken, told AFP on Wednesday their superiors were not available to discuss the case. Idomeni: For the past three days, 15-year-old Ola has clung onto a scrap of cardboard bearing the number 22, hoping her turn will finally come to cross the sealed metal fence on the Greek-Macedonian border. But with other countries on the winding refugee trail to northern Europe announcing a near-complete border shutdown, that chance now seems remote. "We are hoping a miracle will happen," says the Syrian youngster from Aleppo, who has lived in a tent at Idomeni with her mother and two younger brothers for two weeks. "We thought Germany wanted us. That`s why we took the boat and came here." Macedonia on Wednesday confirmed it had not allowed any refugees through, but insisted the border was not closed. "The authorities have decided to allow in an equivalent number of migrants who can leave (Macedonian) territory," police spokeswoman Natalija Spirova told AFP. Slovenia and Croatia, two of the countries along the route used by hundreds of thousands of people in recent months, barred entry to transiting migrants from midnight. Serbia indicated it would follow suit. EU member Slovenia said that the only exceptions were for people wishing to claim asylum in the country or for migrants "on humanitarian grounds and in accordance with the rules of the Schengen zone," Europe`s 26-country passport-free zone. The measures follow Austria`s decision in February to cap the number of migrants passing through its territory, which has led to a gradual tightening of borders through the western Balkans. Coupled with a steady flow of new arrivals from Turkey, the border restrictions have blocked more than 14,000 mainly Syrian and Iraqi refugees in an unhygienic camp operated by beleaguered aid groups. Recurring rainfall has turned the area into a bog. Yuso, a 20-year-old Syrian travelling with his brother, says he is aware of the new restrictions but will soldier on nonetheless."We know about Slovenia but we`ll try to cross the border, we have nothing else to do," he says. With people routinely falsifying their queue number to skip the line for border passage, women have to intervene to stop the simmering tension from breaking into open violence. Hundreds are waiting to see a doctor or to get a sandwich. In contrast, there are only 100 people queueing in front a UN refugee agency stand to request relocation to another EU state. This process can take months, and refugees have no say in which country they will eventually end up. The European Union has in place a scheme to relocate some 160,000 asylum seekers from Greece and Italy, but so far, fewer than a thousand have left. So it`s no surprise that given the option -- and the money -- most here would pay a smuggler to get them through the fence. "Some people crossed yesterday through the forest. But we can`t go with the children," says Mirvat, a 30-year-old teacher from Aleppo travelling with her three children. Her husband is missing in Syria. "In Syria there is a war. We can`t stay there or in Turkey where there is no money to live. We want to go to Germany and have a decent life," says Mirvat. Ola says she has seen traffickers demanding 2,500 euros ($2,700) per person to provide EU documents and passports to European countries. The Greek government says there are nearly 36,000 migrants and refugees stranded in the country, but police in the north said there were another 4,000 people unaccounted for. im-jmi/hec/jph/mt Riyadh: Yemen`s Iran-backed rebels have freed a Saudi soldier in return for seven detained Yemenis as part of a tribal-mediated border truce agreed by both sides, the Riyadh-led coalition said Wednesday. The agreement reached during a visit by a Yemeni tribal delegation to the kingdom is the first of its kind since the Saudi-led coalition began a military campaign against the rebels in March last year. The frontier between war-ravaged Yemen and its northern neighbour has seen many deadly incidents over the past 12 months. Yemen`s delegation sought to negotiate a truce "along the border with the kingdom to allow the entry of medical and humanitarian aid to Yemeni towns near the theatre of operations", the coalition statement said. Coalition forces have responded by allowing aid to flow through the Alb border crossing, said the statement published by the official SPA news agency. Saudi soldier Jaber al-Kaabi was handed over to the coalition in exchange for seven Yemenis who were detained by Saudi authorities at the border, it added. Sources close to negotiators said on Tuesday that the Shiite Huthi rebels had sent a delegation to mainly Sunni Saudi Arabia to discuss a truce along the frontier. The coalition "welcomes the continuity of calm" which would help "reach a UN-brokered political solution". it said. The United Nations is pushing for peace talks between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Huthis and their allies, but those efforts have been deadlocked over disagreements on a ceasefire. More than 90 people -- both military and civilian -- have been killed on the Saudi side of the border by fire from Yemen during the conflict. Northern Yemen is controlled by the Huthis, who have allied with troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. The UN says that more than 6,000 people have been killed in Yemen since the coalition began its campaign of air strikes. Riyadh: Yemen's Iran-backed rebels have freed a Saudi soldier in return for seven detained Yemenis as part of a tribal-mediated border truce agreed by both sides, the Riyadh-led coalition said today. The agreement reached during a visit by a Yemeni tribal delegation to the kingdom is the first of its kind since the Saudi-led coalition began a military campaign against the rebels in March last year. The frontier between war-ravaged Yemen and its northern neighbour has seen many deadly incidents over the past 12 months. Yemen's delegation sought to negotiate a truce "along the border with the kingdom to allow the entry of medical and humanitarian aid to Yemeni towns near the theatre of operations", the coalition statement said. Coalition forces have responded by allowing aid to flow through the Alb border crossing, said the statement published by the official SPA news agency. Saudi soldier Jaber al-Kaabi was handed over to the coalition in exchange for seven Yemenis who were detained by Saudi authorities at the border, it added. Sources close to negotiators said yesterday that the Shiite Huthi rebels had sent a delegation to mainly Sunni Saudi Arabia to discuss a truce along the frontier. The coalition "welcomes the continuity of calm" which would help "reach a UN-brokered political solution". It said. The United Nations is pushing for peace talks between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Huthis and their allies, but those efforts have been deadlocked over disagreements on a ceasefire. More than 90 people - both military and civilian - have been killed on the Saudi side of the border by fire from Yemen during the conflict. Northern Yemen is controlled by the Huthis, who have allied with troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. The UN says that more than 6,000 people have been killed in Yemen since the coalition began its campaign of air strikes. Business MarketWatch Pros warn there are just as many who have lost trying to game the strategy. Here's what you may want to do instead. OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada will feature a woman on an upcoming bank note and the country is seeking nominations from the public on which iconic female should receive the honor, the government said on Tuesday. Although the Queen of England is featured predominantly on Canada's currency, the new note will showcase a Canadian - either by birth or naturalization - who has shown leadership or achievement in the service of the country. Finance Minister Bill Morneau in making the announcement noted that, with the exception of the queen, women have "largely been unrepresented" on Canada's bank notes. Celine Dion need not apply - to the chagrin of at least one Twitter commentator - because candidates also must have been deceased for at least 25 years. Nominations submitted to the Bank of Canada will be reviewed by an independent advisory council made up of academics and other experts that will draw up a short list to be submitted to the finance minister. The new note will be issued in 2018. Following the announcement, which coincided with International Women's Day, the Bank of Canada tweeted that the first name submitted was Canadian suffragist Nellie McClung, who died in 1951. The Bank of Canada did not specify which bank note would feature the iconic woman. The move follows in the footsteps of the United States, which last year announced it would feature the face of a woman on a redesigned $10 bill to be unveiled in 2020. (Reporting by Leah Schnurr; Editing by Matthew Lewis) The logo of Toshiba Corp is seen at the company's news conference venue in Tokyo in this May 17, 2012 file photo. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao/Files By Junko Fujita and Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp <6502.T> has granted Canon Inc <7751.T> exclusive negotiating rights for its medical equipment unit after a hotly contested auction, with a report putting Canon's offer at more than $6 billion. The conglomerate put Toshiba Medical Systems Corp on the block to help fund restructuring after a $1.3 billion accounting scandal, attracting a bevy of suitors, particularly Japanese imaging companies seeking to expand beyond cameras to more lucrative products and services. The second round of bidding, which saw offers go much higher than first estimated, included Fujifilm Holdings Corp <4901.T>, and Konica Minolta Inc <4902.T> which teamed up with European buyout firm Permira, sources familiar with the matter said earlier. The Nikkei business daily said Canon had won prime position to take the unit, not only because its bid topped 700 billion yen ($6.2 billion), but also because there was little overlap between the two firm's medical equipment businesses, raising few anti-trust concerns. Canon and Toshiba declined to comment on the size of the offer. "I think the bid is clearly positive for Toshiba if the number is right," said Damian Thong, a Macquarie Group analyst who previously assumed the unit to be worth no more than 400 billion yen. "It would be a good way to shore up its equity capital base which would be otherwise be a concern for lenders and investors," he said. Toshiba last year admitted to overstating profits from 2009, and is asking lenders for additional loans of about 200 billion yen ($1.8 billion), sources have told Reuters. PRICEY BUT PROFITABLE Toshiba Medical is a particularly attractive target due to its position as the world's second-largest manufacturer of CT scan machines. The company, which also makes X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems, had revenue of 405.6 billion yen in the past financial year. Story continues Canon, which makes X-ray machines and eye examination devices, has been trying for years to expand in high-margin medical devices particularly as demand for cameras has declined with the advent of smartphones. But it has not made as much headway as hoped for in an industry dominated by the likes of Siemens . "It might be a little pricey, but will generate profits in the first year," said IwaiCosmo Securities senior analyst Kazuyoshi Saito. "It is more reasonable than Hon Hai paying about the same for Sharp," he added, referring to the estimated $5.8 billion offer the Taiwanese company has made for the struggling Japanese electronics maker. The deal comes a year after Canon announced a $2.8 billion takeover of Swedish network video surveillance leader Axis. ($1 = 112.52 yen) (Reporting by Junko Fujita and Makiko Yamazaki; Additional reporting by Ayai Tomisawa, William Mallard and Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) If the Alberta government really wants to do something about diversification, it should focus on its own coffers, and not on trying to create jobs, says one economist. Alberta's workforce is already "very diverse" compared to other provinces, whereas government revenues lean heavily on a few specific industries, said University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe. Just 6.8 per cent of workers in the province are involved in mining, oil and gas industries, according to Statistics Canada. Even when you account for the related jobs and support activities in other sectors, that only amounts to 14 per cent, said Tombe. In comparison, roughly 25 per cent of household and business income in the province comes from oil and gas, he said. "[The government is] not really addressing what I think the biggest diversification challenge is, and that's ... volatile government revenue sources." Picking winners doesn't work, Tombe says Tombe said the government's diversification efforts have been focused on trying to subsidize particular industries and even companies, and somewhat fruitlessly. At the beginning of February, the government announced a new $500-million royalty credit program to build petrochemical plants over the next 10 years. Considering that Alberta's economy is worth $350 billion per year, Tombe said that initiative would hardly make a dent. "The government's ability to affect the structure of the economy is very limited, but their ability to control their own budget, the sources of government revenue, whether or not we're exposing government coffers to income risk, that's something they can directly control," he said. Rather than pick winners and losers, the government should be lowering corporate income taxes to attract new investment of every kind, Tombe said. He also wants to see the government tackle its growing deficit by generating revenue from more stable sources, though Premier Notley has been adamant that she will not introduce a provincial sales tax. "The bigger risk is that when and if oil prices return, we'll simply have a large amount of royalties that the government will be dependent on, and we won't be off the royalty rollercoaster," Tombe said. with files from CBC's Alberta at Noon BC Green Party MLA Andrew Weaver has introduced a private member's bill that would require universities and colleges to have policies on sexual violence. "It is estimated that one in four female university students will be sexually assaulted during their relatively short time they spend on campus," said Weaver in Victoria. "This bill requires colleges and universities to have sexual violence policies that set out the process that would apply when incidents of sexual violence are reported." Very few private members bills, particularly from opposition parties, become law, but if passed, the "Post-Secondary Sexual Violence Policies Act" would ensure that students are involved in establishing policies on each college or university campus. UBC is currently in the process of creating a campus sexual assault policy after a string of high profile sexual assault accusations exposed the school's lack of action and guidelines around the issue. And last month Saanich police arrested a male University of Victoria student in connection with a series of sexual assaults on campus. Police say four women came forward claiming they had been sexually assaulted in and around the University of Victoria by a fellow student they knew well. The student has now been banned from campus. Kenya Rogers, UVic's student society's director of external relations, says she hopes to be at the table to discuss any policy changes at a provincial level. "I think it is a really great step forward forward," says Rogers. "I think the institution plays a whole role because campus communities are different. But there needs to be overarching incentives do this work. Right now, every institution is approaching it in a new way. Every case is approached in a new way because there is no framework to deal with it." Weaver is a former professor at the University of Victoria. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Huseyn Valiyev - Trend: During the next 12 years, Azerbaijan's incomes from the operation of the AzerSky low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite will exceed $200 million, according to the Azerbaijani government's forecasts. The forecasts were included to a report on the work of the Cabinet of Ministers in 2015, which will be discussed by the Azerbaijani parliament March 15. Earlier, Azerbaijan's satellite operator AzerCosmos signed a loan agreement with Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Mizuho Bank Ltd. to get funds for the purchase of a terrestrial station to control AzerSky. The loan amounted to 132 million euros. The AzerSky satellite was handed over to Azerbaijan in line with an agreement inked Dec. 2, 2014 at the BakuTel exhibition by AzerCosmos and the Airbus Defence and Space. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @h_veliyev By Brad Haynes and Anthony Boadle SAO PAULO/BRASILIA (Reuters) - Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was briefly detained for questioning on Friday in a federal investigation of a vast corruption scheme, fanning a political crisis that threatens to topple his successor, President Dilma Rousseff. Lula's questioning in police custody was the highest profile development in a two-year-old graft probe centered on the state oil company Petrobras , which has rocked Brazil's political and business establishment and deepened the worst recession in decades in Latin America's biggest economy. The investigation threatens to tarnish the legacy of Brazil's most powerful politician, whose humble roots and anti-poverty programs made him a folk hero, by putting a legal spotlight on how his left-leaning Workers' Party consolidated its position since rising to power 13 years ago. Police picked up Lula at his home on the outskirts of Sao Paulo and released him after three hours of questioning. They said evidence suggested Lula had received illicit benefits from kickbacks at the oil company, Petrobras, in the form of payments and luxury real estate. The evidence against the former president brought the graft investigation closer to his protege Rousseff. She is already fighting off impeachment for allegedly breaking budget rules, weakening her efforts to pull the economy out of recession. Rousseff expressed her disagreement with the police taking her mentor into custody, saying it was "unnecessary" after his voluntary testimony. But she repeated her backing for institutions investigating corruption and said the probe must continue until those responsible were punished. News of Lula's brief detention sparked a rally in Brazilian assets as traders bet that the political upheaval could empower a more market-friendly coalition. The real currency rose over 3 percent against the U.S. dollar before settling to a 1 percent gain. The Bovespa stock index <.BVSP> rose 4 percent, led by a 10 percent surge for the state oil giant Petrobras, formally known as Petroleo Brasileiro SA. "Ex-president Lula, besides being party leader, was the one ultimately responsible for the decision on who would be the directors at Petrobras and was one of the main beneficiaries of these crimes," police said in a statement on his detention. "There is evidence that the crimes enriched him and financed electoral campaigns and the treasury of his political group." Lula was indignant, slamming investigators for "disrespecting democracy" and running what he called a media circus rather than a serious investigation. He told supporters at Workers' Party headquarters he had already answered the questions that police asked him on Friday and reiterated that he was not the owner of luxury real estate that investigators have suggested he received as bribes. Rousseff has also repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Her labor minister, Miguel Rossetto, said in a public statement that the detention was "a clear attack on what Lula represents." "This is not justice, this is violence," he said. Underscoring the deep political passions surrounding the former president, TV images from the street outside Lula's home on Friday showed his supporters clad in red shirts exchanging chants, insults and even blows with opponents. Dozens of police arrived to break up the altercations, clearing the street by force. Pro-Lula protesters also gathered in a noisy protest outside federal police offices at a Sao Paulo airport where he was taken for questioning. "VIOLENCE IN THE STREETS" As the founder and figurehead of his party, Lula's image has been central to huge street protests over the past year, both for and against Rousseff's impeachment, and powerful unions have marched repeatedly in his name. A presidential aide who had not been authorized to comment publicly called the accusations against Lula a "turning point" in a long-simmering political crisis. "This breaks with standard procedure. If they do not quickly present concrete proof against Lula, there is going to be violence in the streets. It could be a real war," the aide said. Lula, 70, was a model for a wave of leftist presidents in Latin America as his government coupled healthy economic growth with popular social programs that lifted more than 30 million people out of poverty during his presidency from 2003 to 2010. Yet investigators say much of the corruption at Petrobras happened during that period. On Friday, they called him and Rousseff the chief political beneficiaries of a scheme to fund Worker's Party campaigns with bribe money. In an online survey conducted on Friday by pollster Ipsos, 97 percent of respondents already knew of Lula's interrogation. One in four said his errors could not compare with the good things he had done for the country, while half disagreed. Federal prosecutors who ordered Friday's raids said there was evidence that the former president personally received funds from the graft scheme at Petrobras through work on a luxury beachside penthouse and a country home. Despite Lula's denials, prosecutors say doormen, OAS engineers and third-party contractors all said the condo in Guaruja, along with at least 1 million reais ($270,000) in improvements and furnishings, was intended for his family. Investigators also say Lula acquired two country estates in Atibaia worth 1.5 million reais, between 2010 and 2014, from businessman Jose Carlos Bumlai and builders Odebrecht and OAS. Odebrecht representatives said the company was collaborating with a search and seizure operation at its headquarters in Sao Paulo on Friday. OAS declined to comment. "The suspicion is that the improvements and the properties are bribes derived from the illegal gains made by OAS in the Petrobras graft scheme," the prosecutors' statement said. Prosecutors are also investigating payments to Lula by companies involved in the Petrobras scandal that were treated officially as donations and fees for speaking appearances. Police said they carried out dozens of search and arrest warrants in the latest round of the investigation named Operation Carwash, after the small-time money laundering investigation that spawned the probe. Some 200 police and 30 auditors from the federal tax office took part. Brazilian media reported on Thursday that ruling party Senator Delcidio Amaral, a major legislative ally for Rousseff before he was arrested in November, allegedly tied the president and Lula to the scandal engulfing Petrobras in a 400-page plea bargain made with prosecutors. In a news conference on Friday, Rousseff denied details of his reported testimony, saying the allegations lacked credibility and were aimed at doing her political damage. The president's opponents in Congress are seeking to impeach her on the grounds that she deliberately broke budgetary laws to boost government spending as she ran for re-election in 2014. ($1 = 3.7 Brazilian reais) (Additional reporting by Daniel Flynn, Alonso Soto, Maria Pia Palermo and Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Kieran Murray, Frances Kerry, Grant McCool) The image of an iconic Canadian woman will appear on the next issue of bank notes, Prime Minister Trudeau announced today. "A Canadian woman will be featured on the very first of the next series of bills expected in 2018," Trudeau said. "Today, on International Women's Day, the Bank of Canada is taking the first step by launching public consultations to select an iconic Canadian woman to be featured on this new bill." - CBC Forum: Here are the Canadian women you think should be on the new bank note The government and the Bank of Canada did not indicate which denomination would showcase the iconic female Canadian. Finance Minister Bill Morneau, who stood alongside the prime minister with other members of the Liberal caucus and former Mississauga, Ont., mayor Hazel McCallion during the announcement, noted that it is "high time to change." "One of the very first things I had the honour of doing as the new finance minister was asking the governor of the Bank of Canada, Stephen Poloz, and his colleagues at the bank whether it's in fact possible to put a woman on the bank note," said Morneau. The finance minister said he was told the central bank had been looking into the possibility for some time and was keen to support the initiative. How to nominate From now until April 15, Canadians can visit the Bank of Canada's website to submit nominations for the woman they think should appear on the bill. The nominees can be any Canadian woman, either by birth or naturalization, who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, achievement or distinction in any field, said a release from the central bank. The nominees cannot be a fictional character and must have died prior to April 15, 1991. Once the nomination period is over, an independent advisory council made up of academics and cultural leaders will review the submissions and present a short list to Morneau for his consideration. 'Long overdue' Story continues The news was welcomed by Victoria-based Merna Forster, a historian who has been leading a long-running campaign to get a woman on Canadian bank notes. "Wow! I'm thrilled that we'll finally see a Canadian woman on the face of our bank notes," Forster said in an email to CBC News. "Long overdue. This is an important step, and I hope we can look forward to gender equality on Canadian notes as in Sweden and Australia." Can't see the forum discussion? Click here Forster said she'd like to thank the more than 73,000 people who supported her long campaign as well as the Bank of Canada, Trudeau and Morneau for what she described as "a memorable International Women's Day. Fantastic!" B.C. MP Sheila Malcolmson, the NDP's critic for Status of Women, said her party has been fighting to make Canadian currency reflective of the country's diversity for years, and added that representation on bank notes is not the only issue that requires redress. "It would be great to see a woman on a hundred dollar bill but it'd be even better if women didn't only make $72 for every $100 men make for work of equal value. That's why it's time to close the wage gap," Malcolmson said in an email. Once people have visited the central bank's nomination website and submitted their nomination, the bank is encouraging them to tweet out their choice using the hashtag #bankNOTEable. BEIJING (Reuters) - China hinted on Tuesday that it was planning more global bases following the setting up of its logistics centre in Djibouti, what the Horn of African country's government calls a military facility that will be China's first overseas. China plans to use it to support is anti-piracy operations in the waters off the strife-torn nations of Somalia and Yemen. Beijing has been keen not to call it a military base, but state media increasingly uses this language to refer to it. China's Defence Ministry said last month building had begun on the base, something China describes as naval "support facilities" in Djibouti, which has fewer than a million people but is striving to become an international shipping hub. Djibouti, strategically located at the southern entrance to the Red Sea on the route to the Suez Canal, is already home to U.S. and French bases, while other navies often use its port. Asked about Djibouti at his yearly news conference on the sidelines of China's annual meeting of parliament, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China was fulfilling its international obligations to protect shipping. "We are willing to, in accordance with objective needs, responding to the wishes of host nations and in regions where China's interests are concentrated, try out the construction of some infrastructure facilities and support abilities," he said. "I believe that this is not only fair and reasonable but also accords with international practice," Wang said, without elaborating. China, the world's second-largest economy, is seeking to expand its capacity to respond to growing threats to its interests abroad. President Xi Jinping is reforming the military and investing in submarines and aircraft carriers, as China's navy becomes more assertive in its territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas. China is also expanding its peacekeeping role, with Xi pledging in September to contribute 8,000 troops for a United Nations stand-by force that could provide logistical and operational experience the military would need to operate further abroad. While China has been getting more involved diplomatically in trouble spots such as the Middle East, it is adamant that it does not interfere in the affairs of other countries, and is the only permanent member of the U.N. Security Council which has not taken military action in Syria. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick Macfie) By Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - The South China Sea is one of the world's freest and safest shipping lanes, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday, arguing that Beijing's control over the disputed waters was justified because it was the first to "discover" them. China has come under fire from the United States and its allies in recent months over its land reclamation activities in the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes annually. The U.S. Navy has carried out freedom of navigation exercises, sailing near disputed islands to underscore its rights to operate in the seas. Those patrols, and reports that China is deploying advanced missiles, fighters and radar equipment on islands there, have led Washington and Beijing to trade accusations of militarizing the region. The freedom of navigation does not equal the "freedom to run amok", Wang told his yearly news conference on the sidelines of China's annual parliament meeting. "In fact, based on the joint efforts of China and other regional countries, the South China Sea is currently one of the safest and freest shipping lanes in the world," Wang said. "China was the earliest to explore, name, develop and administer various South China Sea islands. Our ancestors worked diligently here for generations," Wang said. "History will prove who is the visitor and who is the genuine host," he said, adding that China would "consider inviting" foreign journalists to islands under its control when the conditions are right. China was neither the earliest country to deploy weapons to the South China Sea nor the country with the most weapons there, Wang added, without saying which country was. Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, but Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have overlapping claims. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter has warned of "specific consequences" if China takes "aggressive" action in the region. He has said the U.S. military was increasing deployments to the Asia-Pacific region and would spend $425 million through 2020 to pay for more exercises and training with countries in the region that were unnerved by China's actions. Wang was also asked about the Philippines case against China in an arbitration court in The Hague on the South China Sea dispute. Manila has asked Beijing to respect the decision, which is expected in May. China refuses to recognize the case and says all disputes should be resolved through bilateral talks. Wang repeated that China was quite within its rights not to participate and accused unnamed others of being behind the case. "The Philippines' stubbornness is clearly the result of behind-the-scene instigation and political manipulation," he said, without elaborating. (Additional reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Michael Perry) European and Turkish leaders have agreed to stem the flow of migrants and refugees who are reaching the EU through the Balkans. Following talks in Brussels, European Council President Donald Tusk said "the days of irregular migration to Europe are over". He added: "The flow of migrants passing from Turkey to Greece remains much too high and needs to be brought down significantly." Turkey has confirmed it will begin to take back migrants who are apprehended in the Aegean Sea, where hundreds have drowned during desperate attempts to reach Greek islands. It will also implement an agreement "to accept the rapid return of all migrants not in need of international protection crossing from Turkey into Greece". A statement released after the meeting added: "The Heads of State or Government agreed that bold moves were needed to close down people smuggling routes, to break the business model of the smugglers, to protect our external borders and to end the migration crisis in Europe. "We need to break the link between getting in a boat and getting settlement in Europe." Mr Tusk said the EU has agreed to look at resettling some of the millions of refugees currently in Turkey. A "one in, one out" system was proposed at the summit - where one Syrian refugee would be resettled in the EU for every person who was sent back to Turkey from Greece. The European Commission's President, Jean-Claude Juncker, added that refugees who attempt to reach Europe illegally will be put on the bottom of the list for resettlement. Sky's Europe Correspondent, Mark Stone, said clamping down on the well-trodden migration route will be "very difficult to try and put into place", as some EU courts may rule the measures proposed are not legal. Another proposal will see Turkey and the EU work together to improve humanitarian conditions inside Syria, identifying "safe zones" where refugees can live. Story continues Ahmet Davutoglu called for 3bn (2.3bn) of EU funds already pledged for refugees to begin being used in the coming days - and warned Ankara will need a further 3bn to cope with Syrian refugees who have crossed the border into Turkey. Greece's Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, said he believes many leaders were surprised at Turkey's "attractive proposals" for managing the migration crisis. A two-day summit will begin on 17 March to finalise each commitment, but any agreement made with Turkey will come with conditions. The country wants talks which advance its long-standing goal of joining the European Union, as well as visa-free travel for Turkish citizens travelling into the Schengen zone. EDF's finance director has resigned over the company's plans to build two nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point. Thomas Piquemal is said to have quit because he thinks the 18bn project could jeopardise the company's financial situation. In fact, Hinkley Point will cost more than the entire market value of EDF, whose share price has plummeted over the last year. The plant, in Somerset, would be the first nuclear power plant to be built in Britain in two decades. EDF is financing two-thirds of the project, with the rest coming from Chinese investment. EDF said in a statement on Monday morning it was appointing Xavier Girre to take over as the group's chief financial officer, with immediate effect. Chairman Jean-Bernard Levy added: "With the support of its shareholder, the state, EDF can confirm that it is looking to invest in two reactors at Hinkley Point under the best possible financial conditions for the Group, with the objective of making a final investment decision in the near future. "EDF relies on very strong operational results, the internal transformation and the savings plans launched in 2015, and on investments in support of the energy transition and the renewal of the nuclear industry." After an Anglo-French summit last week, EDF, which is 85% owned by the French government, confirmed it was still working on its plans for the new reactors, and that it was making good progress. The project was first announced in 2013, and has been delayed several times . It is seen as vital for Britain's energy industry, as the UK's current reactors are due to be decommissioned in 2023, and would supply 7% of the UK's energy needs. Last week, Labour warned that the government should not rely solely on Hinkey Point given the delays to the project, and the fact a final investment decision has still not been announced. Today Shadow Energy Secretary Lisa Nandy, said: "With growing scepticism over whether it will now be built, ministers must tell us: what is their plan B?" Story continues John Sauven, director of Greenpeace, also had concerns: "Alarm bells should be ringing deafeningly loudly in the offices of the French and UK governments this morning," he said. "The Chief Finance Officer's decision to quit over EDF's apparent commitment to push ahead with the controversial Hinkley nuclear power deal should be of huge concern. "If the finance chief thinks the project will be a disaster, the optimism from both governments that the deal will be imminent is irrational." The French energy giant has blamed its sliding profits on the investment programme. It has already spent 1bn developing the Hinkley Point site. It has also come under pressure in France to increase its domestic investment instead, and last month Reuters reported that EDF's unions, which have seats on the company's board, would vote against the project and push for it to be delayed. Both the French and British governments today confirmed they remained committed to the project. Today in One Paragraph Presidential nominating contests are being held in Michigan, Mississippi, Idaho, and Hawaii. Ted Cruzs campaign announced that Neil Bush, the brother of former presidential candidate Jeb Bush, has joined Cruzs finance team. The oldest inmate at Guantanamo Bay made his case for parole during a government hearing. The United Nations refugee agency criticized an agreement reached between the European Union and Turkey that would send refugees back to Turkey. And the Maryland Court of Appeals has ordered Baltimore Officer William Porter to testify against five other defendants in the Freddie Gray case. Top News Super Tuesday: Round 2. Voters of both parties are casting their ballots in Michigan and Mississippi, and Republicans are participating in the Hawaii caucus and Idaho primary. Candidates from both parties are vying for Michigan, where polls show Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in the lead. Join us as we follow the contests in real time here. (The Atlantic) Recommended: Why Did Carly Fiorina Endorse Ted Cruz? Bush Brother Joins Team Cruz. Neil Bush, the younger brother of former President George W. Bush and former Florida governor Jeb Bush, has joined Ted Cruzs fundraising team, according to the Texas senators campaign, which also announced a handful of other adds. (Theodore Schleifer, CNN) Oldest Gitmo Prisoner Gets Parole Hearing. After more than a decade behind bars, 68-year old Saifullah Paracha made his case for parole before a panel of government officials via video conference. According to the Pentagon, Paracha assisted al-Qaeda with financial and military transactions, but Parachas lawyer, David Remes, says he is no longer a threat: This is not the man who was seized 14 years ago. The board has to make a fresh assessment. (Ben Fox, The Associated Press) EU, Turkey Deal Questioned. The proposal to send refugees back from the European Union to Turkey violates international law, according to the United Nations and rights groups. Turkey offered to accept the migrants in exchange for over $6 billion from the EU, but the Europe regional director of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said that a blanket return of any foreigners to a third country is not consistent with European law, is not consistent with international law. (Al Jazeera) Story continues Victory for the State. The Maryland Court of Appeals has ordered Officer William Porter to testify in the case against five of his fellow Baltimore officers charged with involvement in the 2015 death of Freddie Gray. Porter, who has pleaded not guilty, was the first to be tried, but his case ended in a hung jury. (David Graham, The Atlantic) Recommended: Bernie Sanders's Revolution Tomorrow in One Paragraph. Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton are back on the debate stage in Miami at 9 p.m. ET. Itll be hosted by Univision and The Washington Post. Marco Rubio will be campaigning in his home state of Florida, Donald Trump is in North Carolina, and John Kasich will be on the trail in Illinois. Follow stories throughout the day with our new Politics & Policy page. And keep on top of the campaign with our 2016 Distilled election dashboard. Top Read Any candidate aside from Trump or Senator Ted Cruz has one big problem: GOP rules. The party requires that any candidate for the nomination has already won a majority of delegates in at least eight states. So far, only Trump has done that. Those rules can be changed, however, depending on how worried the party gets about the candidates remaining once the convention in Cleveland rolls around. Vices Sarah Mimms on what a contested convention might look likeand what it would mean for Donald Trump. Top Lines Ignoring White Poverty. During Sundays Democratic debate, Bernie Sanders failed to acknowledge the struggle of poor, white Americans, The National Reviews Kevin D. Williamson argues, which is fueling the resentment felt by many of Donald Trumps supporters. A Nation of Second Chances. Read how a once-homeless teenager from Maine went from serving time in a federal penitentiary to interning at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. (Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post) Top Views Today is Day One. This New Yorker video follows Hla Oo, a 40-year-old Burmese refugee, as he arrives in the United States after seven years of waiting. (Sky Dylan-Robbins) We want to hear from you! Were reimagining what The Edge can be, and would love to receive your complaints, compliments, and suggestions. Tell us what youd like to find in your inbox by sending a message to newsletters@theatlantic.com. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend: Some $696.1 million has been allocated since the beginning of construction to finance the construction of a new generation drilling rig in Azerbaijan, the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) told Trend. "Some $287.6 million has been allocated for this project in 2015," SOFAZ said. The cost of the drilling rig construction project is $1.116.7 billion. SOFAZ is the owner of 90 percent of the equity in "Azerbaijan Rigs" LTD, established for the construction of a new platform. The remaining 10 percent of a share in the company are owned by SOCAR. The first new generation rig will be built for the needs of SOCAR. The drilling operator will be "Caspian Drilling Company" (CDC), in which SOCAR owns 92.44-percent share. Singaporean "Keppel FELS Limited" company has been chosen as the contractor of the rig construction, with which the CDC signed an agreement for the construction work last June. The new rig will be designed to drill wells up to 8,000 meters at the depth of 1,000 meters. The new rig can be commissioned in early 2017. Earlier, Khoshbakht Yusifzade, SOCAR's First Vice-President, said French Total would first receive a new generation rig for drilling operations at the Absheron field in Azerbaijan. As of Jan. 1, 2016, the assets of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) decreased by 9.5 percent compared to 2014 ($37.1 billion) and amounted to $33.57 billion. SOFAZ was established in 1999, and its assets at that time amounted to $271 million. Based on SOFAZ's regulations, its funds may be used for the construction and reconstruction of strategically important infrastructure facilities, as well as solving important national problems. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov By Humeyra Pamuk and Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders welcomed Turkey's offer on Monday to take back all migrants who cross into Europe from its soil and agreed in principle to Ankara's demands for more money, faster EU membership talks and quicker visa-free travel in return. However, key details remained to be worked out and the 28 leaders ordered more work by officials with a view to reaching an ambitious package deal with Turkey at their next scheduled summit, on March 17-18. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron among others hailed the surprise Turkish proposal at an emergency summit in Brussels as a potential breakthrough in Europe's politically toxic migration crisis. More than a million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and beyond have flooded into the EU since early 2015, most making the perilous sea crossing from Turkey to Greece, then heading north through the Balkans to Germany. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told EU leaders that Ankara was willing to take back all migrants who enter Europe from Turkey in future, including Syrian refugees, as well as those intercepted in its territorial waters. "With this game-changing position in fact our objective is to discourage illegal migration, to prevent human smugglers, to help people who want to come to Europe through encouraging legal migration in a disciplined and regular manner," he told a news conference after the summit. In exchange for stopping the influx, he demanded doubling EU funding through 2018 to help Syrian refugees stay in Turkey and a commitment to take in one Syrian refugee directly from Turkey for each one returned from Greece's Aegean islands, according to a document seen by Reuters. He also asked to bring forward EU visa liberalization for Turks to June from end-2016 and to open five more negotiating chapters in Turkey's long-stalled EU accession process. The EU leaders agreed to the earlier target date for visa-free travel provided Ankara meets all the conditions including changing its visa policy towards Islamic states and introducing harder-to-fake biometric passports. They left open how much additional aid they would provide for refugees in Turkey and made only a vague reference to preparing for a decision on opening more areas of membership talks - a particularly sensitive issue for Cyprus. European Council President Donald Tusk, who chaired the summit, said the outcome would show migrants that there was no longer a path into Europe for people seeking a better life. "The days of irregular migration to Europe are over," he told a joint news conference with Davutoglu. Merkel, who requested the special summit to show results before regional elections in Germany next Sunday, said: "The Turkish proposal is a breakthrough, if it is implemented, to break the chain from getting into a boat to settling in Europe." Desperate to end the influx of Syrians, Iraqis, Afghans and others, EU leaders brushed off warnings from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees that the EU should not shut its doors and should be willing to take in hundreds of thousands more refugees from Turkey. Davutoglu said the summit showed how indispensable Turkey was for Europe, and Europe for Turkey. At a preparatory meeting with Merkel and Rutte on Sunday night, he demanded double the 3 billion euros ($3.29 billion) earmarked so far to support Syrian refugees in Turkey. Diplomats said Merkel and Rutte pressed hard for a deal on the Turkish plan but met resistance from central European states opposed to taking refugee quotas, as well as from Greece and Cyprus which have conditions for the Turkish accession talks. Three days after the Turkish government seized the best-selling opposition newspaper Zaman, the leaders said they had discussed the situation of the media in Turkey with Davutoglu. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said he had insisted on a reference to media freedom in the final statement. USE FORCE? Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo, one of several central European leaders who has resisted pressure to accept a quota of refugees, said the Turkish proposal, if honored and implemented, would be a big step toward solving the migrant crisis. The EU leaders pledged to help Greece cope with a backlog of migrants stranded on its soil and welcomed NATO naval back-up in the Aegean Sea to help stop people smugglers. Merkel refused to endorse border closures by Austria and Balkan neighbors that have stranded over 30,000 migrants in Greece, but the statement noted: "Irregular flows of migrants along the Western Balkans route have now come to an end." The German leader, facing a possible political backlash in three regional polls over her welcoming of the refugees, said the question of Turkish EU membership was "not on the agenda today" but strategic cooperation with Ankara was in Europe's vital geopolitical interests. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said the bloc must speed up the process of relocating asylum seekers from Greece to other EU countries as promised last September. EU states have so far taken in only a few hundred of a promised 160,000 people and central European countries have rejected the whole principle. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had begun patrols in the Aegean to support efforts to locate migrant boats, overcoming territorial sensitivities in Greece and Turkey to patrol in the waters of both NATO states. "NATO is starting activities in territorial waters today," he told a joint news conference in Brussels with Davutoglu. "We are expanding our cooperation with the EU's border agency, Frontex, and we are expanding the number of ships in our deployment," he said, adding that France and Britain had agreed to send ships to the Aegean. Germany is leading the NATO mission that was agreed on Feb. 11, which also includes ships from Canada, Turkey and Greece. Until now, ships had been in international waters. Britain's Cameron said he was sending a naval force to the Aegean to join the NATO force even though Britain is outside the Schengen zone of passport-free travel and has refused to take any share of the migrants from Europe. While Cameron stressed Britain would take no part in any common EU asylum policy, further migrant chaos could damage his efforts to win a June referendum and keep Britain in the EU. ($1 = 0.9122 euros) (Additional reporting by Francesco Guarascio, Robert-Jan Bartunek, Renee Maltezou, Philip Blenkinsop, Jan Strupczewski, Alissa de Carbonnel, Paul Taylor, Alastair Macdonald and Robin Emmott in Brussels; Writing by Alastair Macdonald and Paul Taylor; Editing by Sandra Maler) By Sujata Rao LONDON (Reuters) - Barclays' decision to sell down its stake in a Johannesburg-listed venture is a consequence of past mistakes at European banks rather than a reflection of Africa's future prospects, South Africa's finance minister said. Emerging markets are often "victims of policymaking" by developed nations and it is wrong to blame them entirely for recent problems such as the collapse in economic growth and the huge capital outflows they face, Pravin Gordhan told Reuters. Recent news that Barclays Plc would sell a 62 percent stake in Barclays Africa, reducing it to a minority holding, was seen by many as another blow for a continent hit hard by China's slowdown and low commodity prices. But Gordhan rejected that idea. "Barclays is not about Africa," he told Reuters on Monday on the sidelines of an investment roadshow in London. "It's about Europe and European banks and the way they mismanaged their affairs and...found themselves in difficulties in terms of capital requirements that the financial stability board established by the G20 and British authorities required of them for overseas operations." He was referring to rules brought in after the 2008 financial crisis that make it more expensive from a capital perspective for banks to hold stakes in other banking organizations. These rules would force more European banks to retreat from overseas markets in coming years, leaving U.S. and possibly Chinese lenders in the fray, he predicted. Barclays' Africa chief has also said Barclays' move did not reflect on Africa, noting a 10 percent annual profit rise and 17 percent return on equity (ROE) there. The parent company has cut back across emerging markets, aiming to become a "transatlantic" bank with a U.S. and UK focus. But in pounds, the numbers look less rosy. ROE for instance falls to 8.7 percent, below the parent bank's 11 percent target. Legacy issues are also hurting: Barclays has doubled its provisions against regulatory missteps. "Barclays Africa will expand its operations and customer base and create more service centres in different parts of Africa... it will remain as an entity and thrive. What changes is the ownership of the enterprise," Gordhan added. World powers need to find ways to direct surplus capital into long-term projects such as infrastructure rather than into short-term yield-seeking trades, he urged. "Yes there are domestic issues each of the EMs have, but it's wrong to point fingers at EMs when all of us recognise that the side effects or the ramifications of the 2008-2009 great recession are still being felt around the globe," Gordhan said. "Whenever it's convenient, emerging economies become less favoured and become victims of policymaking within advanced economies," he added. South Africa embodies many of emerging markets' problems. Appointed last December after the sudden sacking of a predecessor, Gordhan is battling to boost South Africa's growth which is running below 1 percent and to persuade ratings agencies not to cut his country's credit rating to junk. Investors appear unconvinced however, despite Gordhan's prudent budget unveiled last month. A public spat between him and revenue service chief Tom Moyane has sapped confidence, and there are worries about whether Gordhan has the full backing of President Jacob Zuma. Gordhan noted that his roadshow incorporated government officials, private sector leaders and representatives of South Africa's powerful trade unions, indicating a shared understanding of the country's challenges. "We understand growth is the key issue, if that denominator changes everything changes with it," he said, adding that the budget's fiscal measures demonstrated the government's determination to act on the deficit. On the alleged clash with Moyane, Gordhan said only: "Mr Moyane is merely the administrative head of an entity and you cannot equate a minister in a government with the head of an administration." "The president a week ago expressed confidence in the minister of finance, that's why the minister is here with his team and private sector team to meet with people who are invested in the South African economy," he added. (Reporting by Sujata Rao; Editing by Hugh Lawson) By Jane Wardell SYDNEY (Reuters) - Fijian authorities were still trying to reach remote areas of the country's archipelago on Tuesday to assess the damage, two days after a powerful cyclone tore through the Pacific island nation, killing at least 29 people. There are fears the death toll could rise in the nation of 900,000 people when communication resumes with the smaller islands where thousands of people live in tin or wooden shacks in low-lying areas. Aerial footage of outlying islands taken by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and posted on the Fiji government's official website, showed whole villages flattened and flooded after tropical cyclone Winston tore through late on Saturday with wind gusts of up to 325 kph (200 mph). Authorities have warned of "catastrophic" damage to Koro Island, Fiji's seventh-largest island. "I am concerned by the devastating impact on Fiji of Tropical Cyclone Winston," Stephen O'Brien, the United Nations' Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said in a statement after speaking with Fijian authorities. "Whole villages have been destroyed, homes and crops have been damaged, power lines have been cut and more than 8,100 people are currently sheltering in over 70 evacuation centers." The Fijian government said it would send boats to remote locations in the archipelego of 300 islands on Tuesday to provide urgent aid, amid growing fears of a widespread health crisis following destruction of crops and tainted water supplies. An Australian government emergency response team arrived in Fiji overnight over the main airport at Nadi was reopened. An aeromedical evacuation team is being sent to the outer islands on Tuesday to provide urgent support and supplies, including water and hygiene kits, medicines and access to shelter. Both Australia and New Zealand are deploying aerial surveillance flights on Tuesday. Food and water supplies are a growing concern even in areas such as the capital of Suva that did not suffer as much damage as the more remote regions. The Consumer Council of Fiji has urged traders not to sell food and other perishable items that have gone bad due to the effects of the cyclone. Winston has weakened to a tropical storm as it heads toward Vanuatu, which was devastated almost a year ago by Category 5 Cyclone Pam. Rumble This video shows the incredible behaviour of a caring mother elephant on high alert, quickly stopping her adorable baby which was curiously straying away from her towards a vehicle full of safari tourists. Going on safari in the Kruger National Park is a life changing experience. Driving around multiple tarred roads, slowly scanning a massive area of wilderness is all part of the thrill. You never know what will be around the next corner or what animal will suddenly appear from the bush onto the road. Its an exciting experience and one of the must-see animals for most tourists are elephants. Not only are they the largest land mammals on our planet and fairly intimidating, elephants are also one of the most intelligent and emotionally intelligent animals that roam this planet. Seeing these giants in the wild is always a sight to remember. The video shows an incredible moment filmed in the Kruger National Park when a safari vehicle full of tourists found a large elephant cow and her adorable calf next to the road. The safari vehicle stopped and it looked like the mother elephant and her baby wanted to cross the road. The baby elephant was the cutest thing alive in the wild right at that moment. While the elephant cow remained focussed on crossing the road, her baby took notice of the safari vehicle and curiously started straying away from its mother towards the vehicle. The caring mother elephant immediately went into high alert and quickly took her trunk and stopped her baby from going any closer to the safari vehicle. The mother elephant gently used her trunk to guide her baby back and into the right direction. It was incredible to see how quickly the elephant cow became protective over her baby. The elephant calf listened to its mother and in a well-behaved manner, walking on the opposite side of its mother, continued to focus and follow its mother as it should. This is crucial for the survival of the calf in the wild. The gestation period of an elephant is twenty-two months, so it is very understandable that an elephant calf is seen as a huge investment and there will always be a mother around, ready to protect her calf from any potential danger. Even though the tourists were not a direct threat, the mother elephant knows all to well that there are humans that still pose a danger for them in the wild. The mother of such a small calf is definitely not something to mess with at all and its best never to get too close to a mother and her calf. By Mohammed Ghobari and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin CAIRO/DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran-allied Houthis and their Saudi foes have begun talks to try to end Yemen's war, two officials said, in what appears their most serious bid to close a theater of Saudi-Iranian rivalry deepening political tumult across the Middle East. A delegation from Yemen's Houthi movement is in neighboring Saudi Arabia, they said, in the first visit of its kind since the war began last year between Houthi forces and an Arab military coalition led by Saudi Arabia, a foe of Tehran. The reported talks coincide with an apparent lull in fighting on the Saudi-Yemen border and in Saudi-led Arab coalition air strikes on the Houthi-held Yemeni capital Sanaa. Underlining the regional rifts, a senior Iranian military official meanwhile signaled that Iran could yet send military advisers to Yemen to help the Houthis. Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri, deputy chief of staff of the armed forces, suggested Iran could support the Houthis in a similar way it has backed President Bashar al-Assad's forces in Syria, in an interview with the Tasnim news agency. Asked if Iran would send military advisers to Yemen, as it had in Syria, Jazayeri said: "The Islamic Republic ... feels its duty to help the people of Yemen in any way it can, and to any level necessary." Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of backing Yemen's armed Houthi movement, which drove the internationally-recognized government into exile, triggering a Gulf intervention in March. SIX THOUSAND KILLED The United Nations says nearly 6,000 people have been killed in Yemen's fighting. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced. The two senior officials from the administrative body that runs parts of Yemen controlled by the Houthis said the Houthi visit to Saudi Arabia began on Monday at the invitation of Saudi authorities, following a week of secret preparatory talks. The Houthi delegation in Saudi Arabia is headed by Mohammed Abdel-Salam, the Houthis' main spokesman and a senior adviser to Houthi leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, the officials said. Abdel-Salam previously led Houthi delegates in talks in Oman that paved the way for U.N.-sponsored talks in Switzerland last year. A spokesman for the Saudi-led Arab coalition fighting to restore President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power could not immediately be reached for comment. A Saudi foreign ministry spokesman could also not be reached. Like Syria, Yemen is contested turf in Shi'ite Muslim Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia's power struggle across the Middle East, which has played out along largely sectarian lines. Tehran views the Houthis as the legitimate authority in Yemen but denies providing any material support to them. The Houthis say they are a fighting a revolution against a corrupt government and its Gulf Arab backers. (Additional reporting by Sami Aboudi, Yara Bayoumy, Editing by William Maclean and Ralph Boulton) Iran has test-fired two ballistic missiles it claimed were designed to be able to hit Israel. The launch of the rockets, which had the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written in Hebrew on them, came as US Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel for talks. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the show of force aimed to "show Iran's deterrent power and ... ability to confront any threat". Israeli officials had no immediate response to the Iranian launches. The two Qadr missiles fired from northern Iran hit targets in the southeast of the country 870 miles (1,400km) away, according to Iranian agencies. The nearest point in Iran is around 621 miles (1,000km) from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. "The reason we designed our missiles with a range of 2,000km is to be able to hit our enemy the Zionist regime from a safe distance," Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh was quoted as saying by the ISNA agency. He added: "We will not be the ones who start a war, but we will not be taken by surprise, so we put our facilities somewhere that our enemies cannot destroy them so that we could continue long war." The launches took place in defiance of a threat of fresh sanctions by the US. Earlier this year, Washington imposed penalties on businesses and individuals linked to Iran's missile programme over a test of the medium-range Emad missile carried out in October 2015. The Revolutionary Guards, which reports directly to Iran's supreme leader, has dozens of short and medium-range ballistic missiles - the largest stockpile in the Middle East. The US is concerned the rockets could be used to carry a nuclear warhead at some point in the future. This is despite Iran implementing a deal, agreed with world powers, that imposes strict limits and checks on its disputed nuclear programme. Tehran claims its missiles are solely a conventional deterrent. Washington has said the latest missile tests were not in breach of the nuclear agreement itself, under which Iran saw the lifting of crippling economic sanctions. Story continues Iran also has fired rockets near US warships and flown an unarmed drone over an American aircraft carrier in recent months. In January, Iran seized 10 US sailors when their two vessels ended up in Iranian territorial waters due to a "navigation error". They were held for about 15 hours before being released. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend: The US Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide expert assistance to the Coordinating Council on Transit Freight of Azerbaijan in expanding the functionality of the Council's electronic portal, Azerbaijani deputy minister of economy, Sahil Babayev told reporters March 9. He said the expansion of functionality of the e-portal (transit.az) is in the plans of the Council. Babayev added that the Council's website can turn into a single large portal with participation of all the countries that are the member of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route stretches to Europe from China, through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. The first test container train arrived at the Baku International Sea Trade Port from China via this route in early August. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Ukraine signed a protocol Jan. 14 to set competitive preferential tariffs for cargo transportation on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov TEL AVIV (Reuters) - At least one person was killed and nine others were wounded by a Palestinian wielding a knife in the popular Jaffa port area of Tel Aviv on Tuesday, authorities said, while U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was in a meeting a few kilometers away. The attack took place along a boardwalk near a beach popular with tourists. The Magen David Adom ambulance service said four of the wounded had severely injuries. "A terrorist, an illegal resident who came from somewhere in the Palestinian territories, came here to Jaffa and embarked on a run ... along the boardwalk. On his way he indiscriminately stabbed people," Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai told Army Radio. He said a police officer had eventually caught up with the attacker and shot him dead. Biden arrived in Israel late on Tuesday for a two-day visit, and was meeting former Israeli president Shimon Peres in Jaffa around the time of the boardwalk attack. Three Palestinian assailants were killed earlier on Tuesday after carrying out separate attacks against Israelis. (Reporting by Rami Amichay; Writing by Ari Rabonovitch; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Canada will seek to admit a record number of immigrants as the Liberal government shifts its focus on family reunification and the settlement of refugees, says Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister John McCallum. "This plan sends a message about the importance of family," McCallum said in Brampton, Ont., on Tuesday. "It outlines a significant shift in immigration policy towards reuniting more families, building our economy and upholding Canada's humanitarian traditions to resettle refugees and offer protection to those in need." McCallum said Canada will admit between 280,000 and 305,000 new permanent residents in 2016, a record increase from the 260,000 to 285,000 newcomers the previous Conservative government had planned to welcome by the end of 2015. The Liberal plan will see Canada admit: - 151,200 to 162,400 caregivers, provincial nominees, and other skilled workers under the economic stream. - 75,000 to 82,000 spouses, partners, children, parents and grandparents of Canadians under the family reunification plan. - 51,000 to 57,000 refugees, protected persons and others admitted for humanitarian reasons. The Liberal plan also includes admitting 18,000 privately sponsored refugees, "three times more than in earlier years," McCallum said. The government has resettled some 25,000 Syrians, a mix of government-assisted and privately sponsored refugees, in four months. The Liberals have also pledged to resettle another 10,000 government-assisted Syrian refugees by the end of 2016. Reviewing sponsorship conditions McCallum said the government will review some of the conditions imposed on Canadians looking to sponsor their children and spouses living overseas, making family reunification a priority. "The government of Canada will make family reunification an important priority because when families are able to stay together, their integration to Canada and ability to work and grow their communities all improve," McCallum said in a much-anticipated report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday. Story continues "We will work to restore the maximum age for dependants to 22 from 19 and re-examine the two-year conditional permanent residence provision for sponsored spouses." In its annual report to Parliament, the Liberal government is also pledging to: - Eliminate the $1,000 labour market impact assessment (LMIA) fee for families looking to hire caregivers for family members with physical and mental disabilities. An LMIA is a document employers must file to prove the need to hire a foreign worker over a Canadian one. - Review the express entry system launched in January 2015 "to provide more opportunities" for applicants who have Canadian siblings. - "Expand and monitor the use of biometrics" to verify the identity of all temporary and permanent residents who need a visa or permit to enter Canada. Fewer economic immigrants Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel denounced the government's decision to admit fewer economic immigrants. "These cuts to economic immigration come at a time when our workforce is aging, our economy is slowing, and refugees are waiting for months to have long-term affordable housing," Rempel said during question period, She said the government's changes to the caregivers program would "leave the most vulnerable Canadians without care." While the Liberals have doubled the cap to 10,000 parent and grandparent sponsorship applications, they hope to issue up to 20,000 visas a target that remains unchanged from last year. NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan said she is "disappointed" to see the level for parents and grandparents sponsorship stay the same as it was under the Conservatives. "With the doubling of applications and the same level as the Conservatives, we can expect the wait times to get even worse," Kwan said in a written statement to CBC News. The Liberals have budgeted an additional $25 million to reduce application processing times in 2016-17, followed by an additional $50 million a year for the next three years. Some 'significant barriers' remain The government has also committed to reviewing express entry but immigration lawyer Mark Holthe said there is little in the report to suggest there will be significant changes for international students or temporary foreign workers who were hit the hardest by the new system launched by the previous Conservative government in 2015. "There was token lip service to the value of each of these groups within Canadian immigration policy, but in the end, nothing was done to address the significant barriers they face in qualifying for permanent resident status in Canada," said Holthe, a partner at the law firm of Holthe Tilleman in Calgary. According to the annual immigration report tabled in Parliament Tuesday, "Canada's immigration system balances compassion with economic opportunity." Holthe said he would like the new plan to provide "equal chance at immigration for temporary foreign workers, international students, family members and refugees alike." The Department of Immigration plans to spend $1.7 billion in 2015-16, up from $1.3 billion in 2014-15. The increase is attributed to the Liberals' commitment to fast-track the resettlement of 25,000 Syrian refugees. Planned spending is forecast at $1.6 billion in 2016-17. One little piece of a wing has been found, along with perhaps a part of a tail section. Beyond that, the fate of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 remains an aviation mystery, two years after the Boeing 777 went missing on its way to Beijing. Many questions remain after the plane's disappearance in the early hours of March 8, 2014. With all the satellite surveillance and tracking technology available today, how could a jetliner simply vanish? And why hasn't it been found, even after a wing flap was discovered washed up on a remote island in the Indian Ocean? Here's a look at what is known about Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, as well as some theories about what might have happened. What we know Departure time The plane took off from Kuala Lumpur at 12:41 a.m. local time on March 8, 2014, carrying 239 people. The original destination was Beijing, with arrival scheduled for nearly six hours later, at 6:30 a.m. local time. Last ACARS message Malaysian authorities say that at 1:07 a.m., the plane sent its last message via the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), an automated system that relays performance data about each flight (including turbulence, fuel usage and any maintenance concerns) to the airline. Sign-off from the cockpit Malaysian authorities reported having audio of either the pilot, Capt. Zaharie Ahmad Shah, or his first officer, Fariq Abdul Hamid, saying, "All right, good night" in a transmission to air traffic control. The Malaysian government later changed its account of the final voice transmission, saying the last words received by controllers at Kuala Lumpur's international airport at 1:19 a.m. local time on March 8 were "Good night Malaysian three-seven-zero." Transponder disabled After 40 minutes of flight time, at about 1:21 a.m., the plane's transponder stopped transmitting and ground control lost contact with the aircraft. Last confirmed position At 2:14 a.m., just over one and a half hours after the plane departed Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian military radar identified the plane in the northern part of the Strait of Malacca. Story continues Last satellite signal ACARS continued to transmit "pings" to satellites for four to five hours, a senior U.S. official told CNN. The last signal was picked up by a satellite at 8:11 a.m., which suggests MH370 had deviated from its northward course to Beijing and was somewhere in a geographical radius spanning from Kazakhstan to the Indian Ocean west of Australia. Search area Search efforts have been adjusted several times, but have focused on a 120,000-square-kilometre expanse of remote waters west of Australia. The plane is believed to have crashed in that area after flying on autopilot for hours before running out of fuel. In December 2015, the Australian-led search efforts were refocused on the southern reaches of the search zone, based on a new analysis of the flight's last hours. Debris discoveries In September 2015, French investigators formally identified a washed-up piece of airplane debris found three months earlier on a remote island in the Indian Ocean as part of Flight 370. The wing part, called a flaperon, was found on Reunion Island and later identified using maintenance records and a serial number. Debris that washed up in Mozambique in late February 2016 was tentatively identified as being from a Boeing 777. Officials say debris from Flight 370 could reach Mozambique, a coastal country in southeastern Africa about 6,000 kilometres from the area where the plane is believed to have crashed. 4 theories about flight MH370 The mysterious disappearance of MH370 sparked speculation from experts and amateurs alike. Here are some of the theories. Passengers and crew suffocated On June 26, 2014, the Australian Transport Safety Board released a 55-page report that concluded the passengers and crew suffocated on-board, and that the plane eventually fell into the ocean. The report said investigators came to this conclusion by comparing the conditions on the flight with previous disasters, but offered no evidence from within the aircraft. The investigators noted, among other things, the lack of communications and the steady flight path. "Given these observations, the final stages of the unresponsive crew/hypoxia event type appeared to best fit the available evidence for the final period of MH370's flight when it was heading in a generally southerly direction," the ATSB report said. Hijacking When flight MH370 went missing, some observers suggested it might have been hijacked by extremists with a political agenda. After satellite data showed that MH370 had made a sharp westward deviation from its intended destination, some took this as proof of a mid-air takeover. No extremist group has claimed responsibility for such an act. Sabotage Flight MH370's seemingly deliberate change of course also spurred theories that it may be a case of sabotage. On March 14, 2014, a senior Malaysian police official said, "What we can say is we are looking at sabotage, with hijacking still on the cards." Mechanical failure Chris Goodfellow, a Canadian pilot with 20 years' experience, posited a more straightforward theory that was reprinted in Wired magazine. Goodfellow wrote that "there most likely was an electrical fire" that forced the pilot to "make an immediate turn to the closest, safest airport." Based on the satellite data about where Flight MH370 was heading after it turned off its course to Beijing, Goodfellow determined that the pilot's intended destination was a 4,000-metre airstrip on Pulau Langkawi, an island in northern Malaysia. A Manitoba provincial election candidate is funding part of his campaign by means unique to rural Manitoba. Damian Dempsey , a cattle farmer and Canadian Food Inspection Agency inspector from Arden, Man., is running as an independent candidate in the Agassiz constituency. Arden is a small village 158 km northwest of Winnipeg near the town of Neepawa, Man. "I sold some calves," he said, chuckling. "I'm not sure if anyone else has done that." Dempsey said he sold 15 head of cattle as a way to build up funds for his run, admitting that he won't be able to use all of the money from the cows for his election campaign. "I can only put down $3,000 of my own money," Dempsey added. "I'm restricted by campaign donation legislation." Dempsey said he was inspired to get involved with politics after seeing similarities between politics in England in the 1970's and the current state of Manitoba's government. "The Manitoba government is living well beyond their means," he said. "It would harm everybody." He compared the current NDP government's policies to policies in England in the 1970s that he said damaged and divided the nation. "It's one of the main reasons I wanted to get involved." He emigrated from England in 1993. He's on an unpaid leave from the CFIA from now until the election wraps up. Dempsey said he's been considering running for office for about two years only decided recently to file his paperwork. Advantages to running as independent He believes not being affiliated with one of the major political parties has it's advantages. "They haven't got to worry about political interests," he said. "They can worry about their own constituents interests." And while he might not have the funding or guidance from a political party, he's optimistic about his chances. "I'm always optimistic... I guess I'm kind of like the underdog because I don't have a party machine backing me," Dempsey said. "I've got a small group of friends. I'm a farmer, I'm used to hard work." Story continues He said he's had good response from constituents he's talked to in the area so far. The Agassiz constituency is currently represented by Progressive Conservative MLA Stu Briese. He isn't seeking re-election and party faithful nominated former Gladstone mayor Eileen Clarke to run in his place. The NDP and Liberal Party haven't confirmed candidates for the constituency, according to Elections Manitoba. BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Britain's Andy Murray won a gripping five-set match against Japan's Kei Nishikori to secure a 3-1 Davis Cup win for the champions and a quarter-final with Novak Djokovic's Serbia. Murray, whose heroics helped clinch the title against Belgium last year, was pegged back after taking the first two sets, but eventually prevailed against the world number six 7-5 7-6(6) 3-6 4-6 6-3 in four hours and 54 minutes. It was Murray's first event back on court since the birth of his daughter, but any doubts over his fitness were dispelled as he once again carried Britain's hopes almost single-handedly, winning three matches, including the doubles, in three days. "I am lost for words at this stage; he (Murray) is a man of steel, isn't he?" Britain's captain Leon Smith said. "What Andy managed to do was astonishing since he hasn't played since the Australian Open final." After his exertions, Murray said he was keen to get back to his family. "It's (wife) Kim's first Mother's Day, so it will be nice to get to see her this evening. I'll try to get back for bath time and to put her to sleep -- the baby, not Kim." Murray has been dogged by the shadow of Fred Perry for much of his career, but victory over Nishikori allowed him to put another Perry milestone behind him. Having become the first British man since Perry to win a grand slam and then Wimbledon, Murray surpassed the former great by improving his unbeaten streak in Davis Cup singles and doubles rubbers to 14. The win was the joint-longest match of Murray's career along with his 2012 U.S. Open final triumph against Novak Djokovic, who he will now face in the quarter-finals in Serbia in July. World number one Djokovic was also involved in an epic tussle on Sunday and took almost five hours to beat Mikhail Kukushkin in five sets. That drew Serbia level at 2-2 against Kazakhstan before Viktor Troicki finished off the tie by beating Aleksandr Nedovyesov in the deciding rubber. (Reporting by Toby Davis; editing by Ken Ferris; editing by xxx) By Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country has miniaturized nuclear warheads to mount on ballistic missiles and ordered improvements in the power and precision of its arsenal, state media reported on Wednesday. Kim has called for his military to be prepared to mount pre-emptive attacks against the United States and South Korea and stand ready to use nuclear weapons, stepping up belligerent rhetoric after coming under new U.N. and bilateral sanctions last week for its nuclear and rocket tests. U.S. and South Korean troops began large-scale military drills this week, which the North called "nuclear war moves" and threatened to respond with an all-out offensive. Kim's comments were his first direct mention of the claim, made repeatedly in state media, to have successfully miniaturized a nuclear warhead, which has been widely questioned and never independently verified. "The nuclear warheads have been standardized to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturizing them," KCNA quoted Kim as saying as he inspected the work of nuclear scientists, adding "this can be called a true nuclear deterrent". "He stressed the importance of building ever more powerful, precision and miniaturized nuclear weapons and their delivery means," KCNA said. Responding to the KCNA report, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman, Katina Adams, repeated a call on North Korea to "refrain from provocative actions and rhetoric that aggravate tensions." Kim also inspected the nuclear warhead designed for thermo-nuclear reaction, KCNA said, referring to a miniaturized hydrogen bomb that the country said it tested on Jan. 6. Rodong Sinmun, official daily of North Korea's ruling party, carried pictures of Kim in what seemed to be a large hangar speaking to aides standing in front of a silver spherical object. They also showed a large object similar to the KN-08 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) previously put on display at military parades, with Kim holding a half-smoked cigarette in one of the images. South Korea's defense ministry said after the release of the images that it did not believe the North has successfully miniaturized a nuclear warhead or deployed a functioning ICBM. That assessment is in line with the views of South Korean and U.S. officials that the North has likely made some advances in trying to put a nuclear warhead on a missile, but that there is no proof it has mastered the technology. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking by telephone to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, described the situation on the Korean peninsula as "very tense" and called for all parties to remain calm and exercise restraint, China's foreign ministry said. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 but its claim to have set off a miniaturized hydrogen bomb has been disputed by the U.S. and South Korean governments and many experts. Following on from the U.N. sanctions, South Korea on Tuesday announced further measures aimed at isolating North Korea by blacklisting individuals and entities that it said were linked to Pyongyang's weapons program. China also stepped up pressure by barring a North Korean freighter from one of its ports. But a U.N. panel set up to monitor sanctions under an earlier Security Council resolution adopted in 2009 said in a report released on Tuesday that it had "serious questions about the efficacy of the current U.N. sanctions regime." North Korea has been "effective in evading sanctions" by continuing to engage in banned trade, "facilitated by the low level of implementation of Security Council resolutions by Member States," the Panel of Experts said. "The reasons are diverse, but include lack of political will, inadequate enabling legislation, lack of understanding of the resolutions and low prioritization," it said. (Additional reporting by Ju-min Park and James Pearson in Seoul, Jessica Macy Yu in Beijing and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Editing by Michael Perry, Nick Macfie, Grant McCool) Alberta parents whose toddler died of meningitis were told to visit doctor, trial hears An Alberta couple whose son died of meningitis after being treated with homeopathic and naturopathic remedies were told to take their son to a doctor a day before his death, court heard Tuesday. David Stephan, 32, and his wife, Collet Stephan, 35, have pleaded not guilty to failing to provide the necessaries of life for 19-month-old Ezekiel, who died in March 2012. As the trial continued for a second day in Lethbridge on Tuesday, David Stephan kept his arm wrapped around his wife's shoulders for most of the day. Just days before his death, Ezekiel fell asleep in the bathtub, the court heard. Worried, his mother called a friend who is a registered nurse. That friend, Terrie Meynders, told the court she didn't see anything obviously wrong with the toddler, who was sleeping when she came by. - MORE ALBERTA NEWS | No snow? No problem. Extreme snowboarder grinds through downtown Calgary - MORE ALBERTA NEWS | Norway's most famous man comes to Canmore (and he's not a movie star) 'Knowledge is power' However, Meynders said she told Collet Stephan it could be meningitis and she should take the boy to see a doctor. "I always say that knowledge is power," she told the court. "In my mind, if he was sick, it would be helpful to find out why." The court heard that the Stephans did not seek medical help until the next day, when the toddler stopped breathing. Ezekiel was airlifted to a hospital in Calgary and, after five days, doctors took him off life-support. The Stephans are charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life by failing to get their child medical attention. In the days leading up to his death, they had treated Ezekiel with a number of homeopathic remedies, including water with maple syrup, juice with frozen berries and finally a mixture of apple cider vinegar, horseradish root, hot peppers, mashed onion, garlic and ginger root as his condition deteriorated. Would now go to doctor 'without hesitation' Story continues A social worker who interviewed the couple in hospital while their brain-damaged toddler was on life-support testified that she asked the Stephans what they would do if their other son became sick. They told her "without hesitation" that they'd bring him to a doctor, she said. The trial continues in Lethbridge. - MORE ALBERTA NEWS | Alberta doctors educate peers and patients about unwarranted medical tests - MORE ALBERTA NEWS | Young adults with diabetes unfairly denied federal disability tax credit, advocates say Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 Trend: Official exchange rate of manat, the Azerbaijani national currency, against the US dollar was set at 1.6315 manats for March 10, said the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) March 9. The average rate of manat was set following the interbank transactions on the Azerbaijani currency market, said the CBA. The State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) sold $50 million to 24 local banks through the auction held by CBA March 9. ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan has played down the Taliban's rejection of proposed peace talks with the Afghan government, saying on Tuesday that it hoped for progress "in coming days". Sartaj Aziz, foreign policy adviser to Pakistan's prime minister, said his country, the United States and China would use their influence to persuade the Taliban to come to the table to try to end a nearly 15-year-old war. "I hope in the coming days some progress (can be made) ... at some level, and once we start, we hope they will gather momentum," he told a press briefing in Islamabad alongside British Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond. Officials had said they expected direct peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban to begin in early March following a meeting of the so-called Quadrilateral Coordination Group, made up of representatives of Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States, in February. But the Taliban, which calls itself the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said last week it would not participate. The group said it would only join talks once all remaining foreign troops left Afghanistan, its leaders were removed from a U.N. terrorist blacklist and its prisoners freed from Afghan jails. Pakistan's Aziz said he felt the Taliban could be persuaded. "Many of the preconditions that they are looking for can come as a result of negotiations and not in advance of them," he said, adding that the Afghan government had in the past expressed willingness to exchange prisoners. Violence has increased in Afghanistan since the withdrawal of most foreign combat troops in 2014, leaving the newly trained Afghan police and army to fight the Taliban. Last year, the Taliban captured a provincial capital for the first time since their hard-line Islamist government was toppled by a U.S.-led invasion in 2001. (Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) By Tatiana Jancarikova BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - Slovakia's largest opposition party said on Tuesday it is ready to start talks with five other parties on forming a center-right government if current Prime Minister Robert Fico cannot put together his own coalition. Richard Sulik, head of the anti-immigration Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party, told reporters he believed he could find 87 seats in the 150-seat parliament. "We are ready to seek what we have in common and we're ready for compromise," said Sulik, an economist who authored a liberal tax reform in 2004 that was widely credited with attracting foreign investors to Slovakia and spurring growth. Sulik wants to reinstate the flat tax, after Fico's governments partially dismantled the system, and to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples. He also proposes to legalize euthanasia and the use of marijuana. Fico has the first chance to form a new cabinet after his leftist Smer party won Saturday's national election but lost its majority in parliament. He will receive the mandate from President Andrej Kiska on Wednesday. With six out of seven other parliamentary groups taking an initial position they would not join a Smer-led cabinet, Sulik may be able to form only a very wide and possibly unstable center-right coalition. Sulik's party, a member of the same right-wing European Parliament faction as Germany's right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), brought down the previous center-right cabinet in 2011 by refusing to approve a bailout for Greece. Like most Slovak political parties, SaS has said it will refuse to accept migrants under a system of quotas approved by the European Union last year. Forming a center-right cabinet would not be easy either. Sulik would have to reconcile Most-Hid (Bridge), which seeks a more prominent role for Slovakia's Hungarian minority, and the Slovak National Party (SNS), which has campaigned against giving them more rights. Its founder threatened at a 1999 rally to wipe out Budapest with tanks. The SNS has significantly toned down its image under its current leader Andrej Danko and Most-Hid said on Monday it could take part in talks involving the party. However, Danko said on Monday he would not participate in informal talks with Sulik or other center-right leaders for the time being and would talk to Fico first if he accepts a formal mandate that the president is expected to offer on Wednesday. Danko also told reporters he could talk to any other leader who is offered the mandate, a sign that they might eventually be able to break the political deadlock. (Reporting by Tatiana Jancarikova; Writing by Jan Lopatka; Editing by Catherine Evans/Ruth Pitchford) DUSHANBE (Reuters) - Tajikistan, which sits on Central Asia's main water source, warned its citizens and neighbours in the region on Tuesday of a potential drought this year and urged them to stock up on food. Amu Darya, the biggest river in ex-Soviet Central Asia, originates in mountainous Tajikistan, the region's poorest country, which uses its tributaries to generate electric power and irrigate farmland. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, located downstream, have repeatedly complained they do not receive their fair share of the river's resources, because Tajikistan is filling up its reservoirs to ensure there is enough for the winter. "Snowless winter and early spring this year are harbingers of a potential drought," President Imomali Rakhmon told a government meeting on Tuesday. This could threaten food security, he said, ordering the cabinet to make sure there were enough food stocks for the 8.5 million population. A drought could worsen the already strained ties between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the region's most populous nation which depends heavily on agriculture. During the Soviet period, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, also rich in water resources, received energy supplies in winter in exchange for providing their neighbours Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan with water in the summer. Since the 1990s, the system has fallen apart and Dushanbe and Bishkek have little incentive to let the water flow during the hot months when they need less power. The potential water crisis also comes at the time when economies across the region are struggling with the effect of low oil prices, which pushed their key partner Russia into recession, and a slowdown in China. (Reporting by Nazarali Pirnazarov; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Richard Balmforth) By Thomas Escritt THE HAGUE (Reuters) - A small chain of Pacific islands - some of which were once vapourized by atomic bomb tests - sought in court on Monday to force India, the world's second-most populous country, to get on board with nuclear disarmament. The tiny republic of the Marshall Islands, which has a population of less than 70,000 people, says that the world's nine nuclear weapons states have violated various obligation to negotiate in good faith to dismantle their nuclear arsenals. Three of them - India, Pakistan and Britain - are bound by previous commitments to respond to cases brought at the International Court of Justice. India was the first to be heard, on Monday, followed during the week by Pakistan and Britain. They say the claim is beyond the jurisdiction of the court in The Hague Nobody expects the Marshall Islands to force the three powers to disarm, but the archipelago's dogged campaign highlights the growing scope for political minnows to get a hearing through global tribunals. The island republic, a U.S. protectorate until 1986, was the site of 67 nuclear tests by 1958, the health impacts of which linger to this day. "Several islands in my country were vaporized and others are estimated to remain uninhabitable for thousands of years," said Marshallese minister Tony deBrum, describing seeing the sky "aflame" from a test 200 miles distant as a nine-year-old boy. "Many died, suffered birth defects never before seen and battled cancer from the contamination," he added. The other nuclear powers - including declared powers China, France, Russia and the United States and undeclared nuclear states Israel and North Korea have not responded to the suit the islands filed last year. The islands say the declared states are bound to negotiate disarmament by the 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, while the other states face similar obligations under customary international law. "It is a shame that the other six nuclear armed states have decided that for them there was no need to respond," said Phon van den Biesen, lawyer for the Marshall Islands. "Once the threshold to the use of nuclear weapons is crossed, the law will be a joke and justice will be just a relic of the past." (Reporting By Thomas Escritt Editing by Jeremy Gaunt) Thousands of people cheered or knelt in prayer as a total eclipse of the sun plunged Indonesia into darkness. The rare event was witnessed across 12 provinces in the country, encompassing three time zones and some 40 million people. Other parts of the Indonesian archipelago, Asia and northern Australia enjoyed a partial eclipse. Thousands of amateur stargazers had flocked to Indonesia and tour groups chartered ships to view the eclipse, which started in the Indian Ocean and ended in the Pacific. A dozen Americans boarded a flight from Anchorage in Alaska to Honolulu to take advantage of a sweet spot for viewing the eclipse north of Hawaii. A total eclipse occurs when the moon is close enough to the Earth for the sun to be completely covered by its shadow, leaving only a ring of rays known as the corona visible. Thousands of men, women and children who gathered in Sigi Biromaru, a hilltop town of Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province, shouted and clapped as the sun transformed into a dark orb for more than two minutes. Hundreds of others prayed at nearby mosques. Birds appeared confused and disorientated as darkness fell again shortly after dawn. "The sun totally disappeared. How amazing this sunny morning suddenly changed to dark," said Junaz Amir, a Sigi resident who witnessed the eclipse with his family using special protective glasses. In Palembang, a Sumatran city of more than 1.4 million people, thousands gathered at the Ampera bridge from well before dawn. But the total eclipse was only briefly visible if at all due to cloud. "Too bad we cannot see when the total solar eclipse occurred, but the dark atmosphere when it happened made us feel happy," said Martha Sembiring. There was also disappointment for a group of six eclipse chasers who had travelled from Canada and the US to Kalimantan. Optometrist Ralph Chou, who had been hoping to see his 19th total solar eclipse, said: "Unfortunately we got nothing because we had rain showers and solid cloud." The entire eclipse lasted for around three hours, while the length of time the sun was totally eclipsed varied between one and three minutes for viewers on land. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Monday renewed its appeal to the Taliban to join peace talks and said Afghan and U.S. forces would have to prepare themselves for the prospect of increased violence in the spring and summer if the insurgent group did not agree to negotiations. The Taliban said on Saturday it would not take part in peace talks brokered by representatives of Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States, casting doubt on efforts to revive negotiations. State Department spokesman John Kirby said the United States backed a call by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani for the radical Islamists to join talks with the Kabul government. "They have a choice. Rather than continuing to fight their fellow Afghans and destabilizing their country, they should engage in a peace process and ultimately become a legitimate part of the political system of a sovereign united Afghanistan," Kirby said. "There is and should be a sense of urgency around getting these talks up and running," he told a regular news briefing. "If there's no peace process in place and the Taliban's not willing to come to the table and talk about a reconciliation ... we would and the Afghan security forces would have to prepare themselves, for the potential for increased violence in the spring and summer months. "It's the so-called fighting season, and we've seen this before, when the weather warms up. ... I want to stress that's not what we want to see." The Taliban, ousted from power in a U.S.-led military campaign in 2001, has been waging a violent insurgency to try to topple Afghanistan's Western-backed government. Following a meeting of the so-called Quadrilateral Coordination Group in February, officials said they expected direct peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban to begin in early March. A previous peace effort broke down last year following the announcement that the Taliban's founder and longtime leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, had died about two years earlier. New leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour has laid down conditions for taking part in any talks as he struggles to overcome factional infighting, with some breakaway groups opposing any negotiations. Heavy fighting has continued over the winter from Helmand in the south to Jowzjan province in the north, while suicide attacks have been launched in the capital, underlining the difficulty of restarting the peace process. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Peter Cooney) Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in Moscow March 10, according to the Kremlin's press service, RIA Novosti reported. It is planned to discuss key issues of bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, energy and humanitarian spheres, as well as prospects for development of integration processes in the Eurasian space during the forthcoming talks, according to the press service. In addition, the leaders will pay attention to issues of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes will travel to Miami next week to meet with leaders from the Cuban-American community to allay concerns about Obama's historic trip to Cuba later this month, a White House official told Reuters. "Miami has long been at the heart of the Cuban-American community, and this trip will provide an opportunity to continue the important dialogue about the president's efforts to normalize relations with Cuba," the official said. Rhodes, who helped negotiate the thaw in Washington's relations with the island nation, will meet with human rights advocates, religious leaders, and private sector representatives during his March 11 trip. Obama goes to Havana in mid-March in what will be the first visit by a U.S. president to the Caribbean nation since 1928. Republicans and some leaders in the Cuban-American community oppose the trip, believing it will give legitimacy to the island's Communist government. Rhodes will seek to allay those concerns and discuss what the president hopes to achieve by going to Havana, the official said. Obama plans to meet with dissidents as well as President Raul Castro during his stay in Cuba. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Sandra Maler) By Roberta Rampton and Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are set to discuss new ideas for curbing climate change and expanding trade during an Oval Office meeting this week, White House officials said during a preview on Tuesday. Trudeau, who pledged to repair frayed ties with the United States when he took office in November, will meet with Obama on Thursday ahead of a star-studded state dinner. The White House, which sees a natural partner in Trudeau, hopes the two countries can commit to cut methane emissions from the energy sector by 40 percent to 45 percent from 2012 levels by 2025, and endorse an initiative to stop routine flaring from oil and gas fields, said Todd Stern, the U.S. climate envoy. The commitment of both leaders to addressing this global challenge is clear and I expect under their leadership North America will make significant progress this year, Stern told reporters. Stern said the two countries also are looking at ways to make carbon emissions from the aviation sector "neutral," starting in 2020 through the Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organization. The United States also hopes to accelerate the timetable to phase out HFCs, industrial gases that have far more potential to trap the earth's heat than carbon dioxide, through an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, Stern said. On trade, a hot-button issue for both Democrats and Republicans in the race to succeed Obama in the Nov. 8 presidential election, the leaders are likely to discuss two longstanding irritants, softwood lumber and meat labeling. A deal governing Canadian softwood lumber exports expired last year, and the two nations are talking about a new arrangement, said Mark Feierstein, the White House National Security Council's senior director for the Western hemisphere. "Were open to exploring all options with Canada at this point," Feierstein said, declining to put timelines on when a deal may be reached. The White House also hopes Canada will formally end its World Trade Organization case against a U.S. labeling law that the WTO ruled hurt Canadian beef and pork exports, he said. The United States repealed the law in December. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton and Timothy Gardner; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jeffrey Benkoe) Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 Trend: Armenia's foreign minister once again distorted the essence of the process of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, Hikmet Hajiyev, spokesperson for Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, told Trend March 9. He was commenting on an interview of the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian with Russian media. "It seems Nalbandian has no idea about what is being discussed in the negotiation process," Hajiyev added. "Armenian foreign minister, who states that Yerevan is allegedly, committed to the conflict's settlement with the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, in fact, never finds the courage to refer to the updated Madrid principles, and it is no coincidence," said the spokesperson. It is necessary to remind Nalbandian that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have presented the updated Madrid principles consisting of six paragraphs, according to Hajiyev. He noted that the first paragraph of the updated Madrid principles, which is considered a "road map" for the staged settlement of the conflict, envisages the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories. Instead of making expressions and statements on minor technical issues, Armenia's foreign minister should clarify the issue of withdrawal of his country's armed forces from Azerbaijan's occupied lands as required by the corresponding resolutions of the UN Security Council and Madrid principles, said Hajiyev. However, by keeping Azerbaijani lands under occupation, maintaining the status quo, carrying out illegal settlement, economic and other activities on the occupied territories, Armenia aims to continue the occupation of these territories by imitating the peace process, he added. The spokesperson noted that in accordance with the updated Madrid principles, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs should demand Armenia to withdraw its forces from Azerbaijan's occupied lands. Only in this case, it is possible to achieve progress in the conflict's settlement, Hajiyev concluded. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. By Alistair Lyon (Reuters) - Amid Yemen's misery, two young women living in the war-damaged cities of Aden and Sanaa know they are among the relatively fortunate. They are not starving, their homes have not been destroyed and they have survived bombs and bullets unscathed. But both long to escape the conflict plunging their country ever deeper into catastrophe. Neither can see a way out. "I don't want to lose my life over a dream," says Nisma al-Ozebi, a 21-year-old civil engineering student in the southern port city of Aden. She hankers for a scholarship that would be her passport to a sanctuary in Europe, but adds: "I don't want to leave Yemen and live like a refugee." Yemen's civil war intensified sharply almost a year ago when a Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened with air strikes, a naval blockade and ground troops to counter Houthi rebels intent on seizing the whole country. The Houthis, Zaidi Shi'ite tribesmen now allied with an old enemy, former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, are seen by Riyadh as tools of regional arch-foe Iran, a charge they and Tehran deny. "You feel like death is waiting in every place," says Kholood al-Absi, 27, who lost her job with an oil services company in Sanaa late last year. "From the air it's Saudi planes. From the ground it's Houthis, car bombs, explosions, clashes. You feel the lives of Yemenis are very cheap." Reached by telephone at her home in the capital, she says: "I have a valid passport ... I'm just ready to go." But she admits it's a fantasy for now. Her family would never let her travel as a single woman, even if she had enough money to study abroad and seek a new life. Besides, she can't imagine crowding into a refugee boat for Djibouti. "It's very dangerous, so I think it's better for me to die in my home than to die far away," she laughs. For a graphic on Yemen's displaced population, click http://tmsnrt.rs/1QCEkUG MALNOURISHED CHILDREN About 170,000 people have fled Yemen so far, mostly to Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan. Most of them are not Yemenis, but returning refugees and other foreigners. The United Nations expects another 167,000 departures this year. Given the immense hardships in Yemen, a greater refugee exodus might have been expected. People fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and beyond have flooded into the EU since early 2015 causing a crisis. However, penned in by ocean and desert, with only Saudi Arabia and Oman as direct neighbours, Yemenis have no easy outlets - although Riyadh now allows those already in the kingdom to stay. Flights out are irregular at best. Former havens such as Jordan now demand visas and set tough conditions. Mogib Abdullah, a Yemeni spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, says his countrymen have in the past tended not to migrate for work much further than Saudi Arabia, are culturally reluctant to become refugees, and view getting to Europe as a very difficult option. "People do not really have the courage or means and resources to do it," he says. "I think they will just have to live with the realities they have. They are trapped and they will continue to be trapped, until the warring parties acknowledge that Yemenis deserve a better life at peace in their own country." The war has inflicted a devastating toll on 26 million Yemenis struggling to survive in an already impoverished country beset by acute water scarcity, poor governance and corruption. The United Nations estimates conservatively 6,000 people have been killed, about half of them civilians. It says four-fifths of Yemenis need outside aid. More than half have poor food supply and at least 320,000 children under five are severely malnourished. Upwards of 2.4 million have been forcibly displaced. STOLEN DREAMS Low living standards and education levels in Yemen mean Nisma and Kholood, with their hopes of visas to study in Europe, are the exception, not the rule. But if the war lasts longer, desperation might yet turn a trickle of refugees into a flood. "I was ambitious, I liked to dream, I had many plans in my head," says Kholood of her pre-war life. "But the war has stolen everything from me. I'm just thinking maybe I will die today or tomorrow. I feel like I'm dying but still breathing." The country she once knew has unraveled. "Now there is a big gap between Yemenis. Before, all of us, Sunni and Shi'ite, went to the same mosques, gathered in the same places. This war makes us ask which religion, which party, someone belongs to," she said. Evidence of worsening poverty is stark. "A lot of people are just begging for money and food. Some are well-educated people who lost their jobs and couldn't feed their children. This war has stolen their dignity," Kholood says. "I feel it's unbearable for me, but my situation is better than a lot of people."Kholood said she feels lonely because friends had left Yemen, sad because of relatives who had been killed and lacking purpose without the job she loved. Now, apart from domestic chores, she spends time on Facebook and watching the news, especially a channel that quickly reports the location of air strikes. "When we hear bombs, we go to this channel to see where they are falling," she says. Kholood has no love for the Houthis, but her initial support for the Saudi intervention has soured with the passage of time. "We feel it destroyed Yemen. Saudi Arabia and the other countries supporting it ... are just killing people without feeling any guilt. A lot of innocent people have been killed, civilians, children." MILITARY STALEMATE No end to the fighting is in sight. The Saudi-led coalition, mostly comprising Sunni Muslim Arab states, has failed to win a clear victory despite its air power and resources. The Houthis were pushed out of Aden in July by local Sunni militias backed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The main fighting has moved to fiercely contested Taiz and closer to the Houthi-held capital Sanaa in the north. Yet the battle-hardened Houthis are defiant. Holed up in Aden, Saudi-backed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi enjoys international recognition, but little popular support, even among his fellow-southerners. The war has fueled Sunni-Shi'ite animosities, long muted in Yemen, and deepened rifts between the north and the once-independent south, where separatist sentiment runs high. Among the main beneficiaries of the mayhem are militants of al Qaeda and the newly implanted Islamic State. This unintended, if predictable, consequence of the war worries Saudi Arabia's main arms suppliers, the United States, Britain and France. Yet whatever their misgivings, Western powers provide munitions, intelligence, mid-air refueling and other support for the Saudi-led coalition, despite what a U.N. panel describes as its "widespread and systematic attacks on civilian targets". Critics in Yemen and elsewhere accuse the United States and its allies of willingness to sacrifice Yemeni civilian lives to safeguard arms deals with Gulf states worth billions of dollars and to placate Saudi anger over a fragile Western detente with Iran, a suggestion Western officials dismiss. Caught up in the turmoil are millions of Yemenis, among them Kholood and Nisma, who live in daily fear. With her father and step-mother away in Jordan for medical reasons, Nisma was left in sole charge of her three younger siblings, including her five-year-old brother Mustafa, when fighting erupted near their home in March 2015. The Houthis and their allies were assaulting the airport in Aden, which Hadi had declared his temporary capital after being driven from Sanaa. Street battles raged for the next four months. Few supplies reached the blockaded city. AFGHANISTAN MODEL" Nisma and her siblings moved twice in search of safety. First, crammed into a neighbor's car with a family of five, to an aunt's house after a missile exploded next door. And then a few days later, when rockets and shells pounded their aunt's district, to their grandmother's home. The family, by now reunited, returned home to Aden's Khormaksar district when fighting abated in July and to their surprise found it undamaged, unlike many others. Nisma says a degree of normality has returned, with power and water restored. But she has lost any sense of personal security. "I go out of my house every day expecting I will be killed anywhere, at any time, by any guy," she says. Frequent assassinations and attacks by Islamist fighters, other factions and criminal gangs in the last six months illustrate new risks in a once-cosmopolitan Arabian Sea port. "They say they follow Islamic State, but who knows," Nisma reflects. "If they are bold enough to stop us and tell us to dress as they want, maybe one day they will lock us in our houses. The Afghanistan model is coming here soon." This fear drives her determination to escape a country where any hope for a better future has evaporated. "Everyone is thinking of leaving, but how and where?" (Reporting by Alistair Lyon, editing by Peter Millership and William Maclean) Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Anakhanum Khidayatova - Trend: The 4th Global Baku Forum is very important both for Azerbaijan and globally, Croatia's Charge d'Affaires in Azerbaijan Refik Sabanovic told Trend March 9. The forum will connect many former and current presidents, said Sabanovic and expressed hope that the decision to be made in this event will make some sense in the future for security and many other spheres. The 4th Global Baku Forum titled "Towards a Multipolar World" will kick off March 10. Such topics as international security; regional threats; serious consequences of global economic challenges; climate change and energy policy: role of oil-producing countries; multiculturalism; inter-religious dialogue and mutual integration will be discussed during the two-day forum. The conflicts on ethnic, religious and political grounds, global challenges in the democratic development, education, and environment will also be the topics of the upcoming forum. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum Uber protests in Guadalajara Mexico A protest against Uber in Guadalajara, Mexico, turned violent on Tuesday, as taxi drivers demonstrating against Uber and other ride-hailing services clashed with supporters of the companies and with police. The protest "paralyzed the roadways" in the city after a "massive closure of avenues with at least two thousand vehicles," according to Mexican newspaper La Jornada. The protesters were calling on the local government to punish private vehicles that were offering Uber services, according to Mexico City-based newspaper Milenio, and were asking for the government to develop a fair proposal for the ride-hailing service to operate. "The last thing Guadalajara needs is violence and the events between cab drivers and shopkeepers at the city centre yesterday are regrettable," Uber told Business Insider in a statement, adding that it saw open dialogue as "the way to create regulation that provides legal clarity and customer choice." The tweet below shows taxi drivers amassing in the city center and blocking roadways with their vehicles. The drivers were gathering outside the state congress building. Asi el bloqueo de taxis sobre Alcalde, desde Hidalgo hasta Santuario. Conductores a las afueras del Congreso. pic.twitter.com/iIHQaCFsK1 Movilidad Jalisco (@MovilidadJal) March 8, 2016 The protest was announced last week with the intention of it happening before the state congress discussed the regulation of the ride-hailing services in the state of Jalisco, of which Guadalajara is the capital. A local workers' organization said allowing Uber into the Guadalajara market would be a "severe blow" to the traditional taxi business and that the ride-hailing service would be "unfair competition." Story continues "Uber is affecting us a lot. They're taking the food off our table," a taxi driver in Guadalajara told Vice News in August last year. "I've been working for 23 years but there are people who have been taxi drivers for 50 years, people who are old, who won't find work anywhere else." The demonstration on Tuesday turned violent however, as protesting taxi drivers, supporters of the ride-hailing services, and local authorities clashed on the streets of Guadalajara. "#Disturbance in #taxistasvsuber," the tweet below reads in English, as "people throw objects from rooftops" onto the streets below. Fighting between protesting taxi drivers and merchants and bystanders also erupted in the Plaza de la Tecnologia, in the center of the city. En momentos...@C7Jalisco con @TriniRodriguezL la batalla entre taxistas y comerciantes de Plaza de la Tecnologia pic.twitter.com/qtOlgECZ5C Luis Alberto Fuentes (@jaliscoesuno) March 9, 2016 The clashes in the Plaza de la Tecnologia reportedly started after someone, either a merchant or a shopper, assaulted a protesting tax driver. The taxi drivers responded, after which people, reportedly Uber sympathizers, took to rooftops and began throwing objects at demonstrators below, according to a local official. The violence in the Plaza de Tecnologia led to the arrest of at least 43 people and left one official injured. En minutos la cronica d manifestacion que culmino en batalla campal en #GDL @TriniRodriguezL @C7Jalisco pic.twitter.com/Kl4d3KmQR8 Luis Alberto Fuentes (@jaliscoesuno) March 9, 2016 In response, Uber was offering two free rides up to 100 pesos each, or about $5.60, to users in the city. Uber drivers reportedly took to social media to advertise the deal. Uber told Business Insider that the two-free-ride offer was the same response company has had in similar situations. This is not the first violent incident related to Uber's operations in Guadalajara. In August of last year, several Uber drivers were abducted at gunpoint, with several of them pistol-whipped before having their cars stolen. The abductions came after a series of violent encounters in the city throughout the summer, according to Vice News. Uber began operations in six Mexican cities on March 8, adding to the eight cities it had operated in since late 2013, according to El Financiero. At the end of 2015, Uber reportedly had 1.2 million users in Mexico, serviced by about 39,000 drivers. Uber protest in Mexico City Mexican taxi drivers are not the only ones to push back against the ride-hailing service. In Colombia in November, Uber was given a six-month deadline to formally register its operations or face a ban; the order was followed by a $140,000 fine for "unauthorized taxi services" this month. In January, taxi drivers in France protested against Uber throughout the country, with violent clashes shutting down parts of Paris. This post has been updated with comments from Uber. NOW WATCH: Uber agrees to pay $28.5 million to riders see if you may be eligible for a refund More From Business Insider DGAP-News: ADLER Real Estate AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous ADLER Real Estate AG welcomes clarification of speculations and rumours 09.03.2016 / 08:30 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Corporate News ADLER Real Estate AG welcomes clarification of speculations and rumours - Full and proactive transparency by ADLER vis-a-vis the Takeover Commission and Financial Markets Authority in Austria - Statement clarifying the requests for information by the Austrian authorities Frankfurt/Main, 9 March 2016. Prior to the EGM of conwert Immobilien Invest SE, Vienna, which is scheduled for 17 March 2016, ADLER Real Estate AG, Frankfurt/M., (ISIN DE0005008007) had already been in contact with the Austrian Takeover Commission since mid-February 2016. ADLER's aim has been and remains that of proactively contradicting in advance, the speculative nature of the various rumours currently circulating in order to invalidate all incorrect information which was apparently deliberately released in the market, as well to ensure full and complete transparency vis-a-vis the Takeover Commission. Yesterday, ADLER was informed by the Austrian authorities of the initiation of investigation proceedings regarding the relevant participation thresholds and if they were exceeded. In particular, it will be investigated whether ADLER Real Estate AG and further parties are to be qualified as parties acting in concert in relation to conwert Immobilien Invest SE, Vienna. In this context, ADLER confirms that neither ADLER nor MountainPeak Trading Ltd., the subsidiary holding 22.37% of the shares in conwert, have entered into agreements or have made any arrangements with Petrus Advisers LLP or other parties with respect to conwert. From ADLER's perspective, it is undisputed that there is no acting in concert. ADLER will answer all questions asked by the Austrian authorities which may be helpful to bring clarity to this case, and will continue to act in the best interest of conwert and its shareholders. For enquiries please contact: Press: german communications dbk ag Jorg Bretschneider Milchstr. 6 B, 20148 Hamburg Tel.: +49 40/46 88 33 0 Fax: +49 40/46 88 33 40 presse@german-communications.com Investor Relations: Hillermann Consulting Christian Hillermann Poststrae 14, 20354 Hamburg Tel.: +49 40/32 02 79 10 Fax: +49 40/32 02 79 114 c.hillermann@hillermann-consulting.de ADLER Real Estate AG: ADLER Real Estate AG, headquartered in Frankfurt and with its administrative headquarters in Hamburg, focuses on the acquisition, management and administration of residential property privatisation. ADLER invests primarily in portfolios with residential real estate companies in B-locations of major conurbations with units that achieve a positive cash flow and can demonstrate a sustained appreciation potential. The ADLER subsidiary, ACCENTRO Real Estate AG, is one of the largest privatisers of residential property in Germany. ACCENTRO markets suitably targeted residential property from the holdings of the ADLER Group and procures condominiums for third party owner-occupiers and investors seeking to provide for their retirement. Following the acquisition of Westgrund AG, Berlin at the end of June 2015 and with nearly 50,000 residential units, ADLER is among the top five largest German residential property companies listed in Germany. In addition to the listing on the FTSE EPRA / NAREIT Global Real Estate Index in London and the GRP General Index, shares in ADLER are also listed in the small cap index SDAX of the Deutschen Borse. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 09.03.2016 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: ADLER Real Estate AG Herriotstr. 5 60528 Frankfurt am Main Germany Phone: +49 (0)40 - 29 8130-0 Fax: +49 (0)40 - 29 8130-99 E-mail: info@adler-ag.com Internet: www.adler-ag.com ISIN: DE0005008007, XS1211417362, DE000A1R1A42, DE000A11QF02 WKN: 500800, A14J3Z, A1R1A4, A11QF0 Indices: SDAX, GPR General Index Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg End of News DGAP News Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 443629 09.03.2016 Reno, NV, March 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dakota Territory Resource Corp (OTCQB: DTRC) ("Dakota Territory" or the "Company"), a gold exploration company with a portfolio of properties near the legendary Homestake Mine in the Black Hills of South Dakota, is pleased to announce the results of new research performed by the Company related to the geomorphology and gold deposition processes on the Companys 100% owned Homestake Paleoplacer Project. Across approximately 125 years of production, the Homestake Mine produced in excess of 40 million ounces of gold from the Homestake lode. Research conducted by Dakota Territory and others suggest that millions of years prior to mining, some 10 million ounces of gold eroded from the Homestake lode, flowing northward into a wide, shallow basin in what is now Dakota Territorys Homestake Paleoplacer Project. The latest analysis of the geology of the Homestake Paleoplacer Project, supports our thesis that the Homestake Mine "derivative paleoplacer" exists on the Companys Property, commented Richard Bachman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dakota Territory. The property is permitted for drilling with targets identified to validate and expand upon historic data. Currently finalizing the details, we anticipate our new drill program to commence in the coming months. The Geology The paleo-landscape in the Homestake District during the erosion of the Homestake lode 570 million years ago was a gently undulating, subdued relief surface broken by a U-shaped Ellison Quartzite highland. These units directed drainage to the north and into a broad shallow basin 3 kilometers wide and greater than 7 kilometers in length. Yates Member Greenstone ridges controlled the internal path of the drainage patterns within the basin. The location of the richest gold ore bodies occurs at major drainage deflections caused by the Greenstone Ridges. The Greenstone landforms, being more resistive to weathering, eroded more slowing than other rock. Their higher elevation consequently deflected and otherwise controlled the flow direction of paleo-drainages as well as the location of paleoplacer gold deposits. These Greenstone landforms generally trend in a northerly direction. The gold in the Paleoplacer deposits in the Homestake District is derived from the erosion of the 40 million ounce Homestake Lode which eroded from a low relief lateritic plateau on a regolith surface similar to the erosional regolith surface in the Kalgoorlie area of Western Australia (BMR Journal of Australian Geology & Geophysics, 10, 309- 321). Work on the erosional section in the Homestake District in the area underneath the lode shows partial preservation of a deep weathering profile, which includes saprolite. Gold in the lode deposit prior to erosion into the paleoplacer was likely upgraded, possibly by a factor of 3, by lateritic processes. Dr. Ross R. Grunwald authored a technical report for the Homestake Mining Company in 1973. The report states that the first 330 vertical meters of the Homestake Deposit yielded approximately 30,000 ounces of gold per vertical meter. Given the demonstrated symmetry of the various ore ledges of the Homestake deposit, Dr. Grunwald concluded that some 10 million ounces of gold was eroded from the lode during the erosional event and deposited into ancient drainages on the regolith surface. The extensions of these drainages, which are hidden under cover of younger sedimentary and igneous rocks, is the first target of Dakota Territorys 2016 exploration program. Historic core and reverse circulation holes drilled in 1980s under the leadership of Dakota Territory CEO Richard Bachman during his tenure at Homestake Mining Company were drilled into the erosion surface intersectiong the gold mineralization in debris flow and fluvial conglomerate facies (gold values up to 14.9 grams of gold per tonne). These gold-bearing conglomerate facies extend from the Homestake Lode over a distance of 2 kilometers to Dakota Territorys Homestake Paleoplacer Property. About Dakota Territory Resource Corp Dakota Territory Resource Corp. is a Nevada Corporation with offices located at Reno, Nevada. Dakota Territory is committed to creating shareholder value through the acquisition and responsible exploration and development of high caliber gold properties in the Black Hills of South Dakota. In terms of total historic US gold production, the Black Hills ranks second only to the Carlin District of northeast Nevada, with the gold production of the Black Hills concentrated in a 100 square mile area known as the Homestake District. Dakota Territory maintains 100% ownership of three mineral properties including the Blind Gold, City Creek and Homestake Paleoplacer Properties, all of which are located in the heart of the Homestake District and cover a total of approximately 3,057 acres. The Blind Gold Property is located approximately 4 miles northwest and on structural trend with the historic Homestake Gold Mine. Through its 125-year production history, the Homestake Gold Mine produced approximately 40 million ounces of gold and is the largest iron-formation-hosted gold deposit in the world. In the 1980s and 1990s Homestake Mining Company undertook a $70 million exploration program managed by Richard Bachman, President and CEO of Dakota Territory that was focused primarily on the search for a repeat of the Homestake Mine. This program successfully discovered significant new gold mineralization beyond the confines of the producing mine, demonstrating repeatability and the potential for additional gold deposits in the Homestake iron-formation host. This program also proved the continuous extension of the Homestake iron-formation to a distance of approximately 4 miles from the producing mine and under the Blind Gold Property. Dakota Territory Resource Corp is uniquely positioned to leverage Managements extensive exploration and mining experience in the Black Hills of South Dakota with Homestake Mining Company. For more information on Dakota Territory, please visit the Company's website at http://DakotaTRC.com/. Investor Relations Investor Relations Contact: For more information, please contact Dakota Territory Resource Corp (775) 747-0667 Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) limits disclosure for U.S. reporting purposes to mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. Our property currently does not contain any known proven or probable ore reserves under SEC reporting standards. Our reference above to the various formations and mineralization believed to exist in our property as compared to historical results and estimates from other property in the district is illustrative only for comparative purposes and is no indication that similar results will be obtained with respect to our property. U.S. investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our latest reports filed with the SEC. You can review and obtain copies of these filings at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml. Safe Harbor Statement This release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of words like "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties, including but not limited to: adverse economic conditions, competition, adverse federal, state and local government regulation, inadequate capital, inability to carry out research, development and commercialization plans, loss or retirement of key executives and other specific risks. To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly historical, including statements as to revenue projections, business strategy, outlook, objectives, future milestones, plans, intentions, goals, future financial conditions, events conditioned on stockholder or other approval, or otherwise as to future events, such statements are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. Readers are advised to review our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that can be accessed over the Internet at the SEC's website located at http://www.sec.gov. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Anakhanum Khidayatova - Trend: The IV Global Baku Forum is important because prestigious political leaders and key scientific personalities discuss, analyze and try to find solutions for the most challenging issues of the world, Levente Kozma, the former Hungarian senior foreign policy adviser to country's three prime ministers Peter Medgyessy, Ferenc Gyurcsany and Gordon Bajnai (2003-2010) told Trend in Baku March 9. The IV Global Baku Forum titled "Towards a Multipolar World" will begin its work March 10. Health care issues (Zika virus), education (youth unemployment and the appropriate response from educational system), as well as specific geopolitical and economic issues will be discussed within the framework of the forum, Kozma said. Such topics as international security; regional threats; serious consequences of global economic challenges; climate change and energy policy: role of oil-producing countries; multiculturalism; interreligious dialogue and mutual integration will be discussed during the two-day forum. The conflicts on ethnic, religious and political grounds, global challenges in the democratic development, education, and environment will also be the topics of the upcoming forum. Heads of state and governments will participate and deliver speech in the opening of session 'Global challenges of modern world'. Heads of states and governments, prominent public and political figures, authoritative experts will hold discussions and exchange of views on various topics during the forum. Seven incumbent presidents, 27 former presidents, one vice-president, 23 former prime ministers, a lot of incumbent and former officials, heads of authoritative international organizations, famous politicians and experts will take part in the forum. As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 Trend: A delegation of the Azerbaijani parliament, headed by its speaker Ogtay Asadov, will pay an official visit to Turkey March 10-11, head of the parliament's press service Akif Tavakkuloglu told reporters March 9. During the visit, the parliament's speaker is planned to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. The parties will exchange views on further development of bilateral relations, deepening of mutual fruitful cooperation, situation in the region, and ways of resolving regional conflicts, he added. Ogtay Asadov will also meet with the chairman of the Turkish parliament, Ismail Kahraman. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Anakhanum Khidayatova - Trend: The 4th Global Baku Forum is one of the prestigious forums in the world, former president of Bulgaria, Petar Stoyanov, told Trend in Baku March 9. "I would like to thank the organizers of this prestigious forum, for inviting so many interesting, respectful people to discuss serious challenges we are facing today," he said. "Believe me, this forum is one of the prestigious forums in the world, because you can not see everyday so many well-educated people to discuss the challenges we are facing today," said the former president. "The truth is that we are experiencing a lot of new challenges," said Stoyanov. "Baku is the best place to discuss that because, when it comes to inter-religious dialog, Baku is right here, as here, together with the mosques, you can see Christian churches, Jewish synagogues." Further, Bulgaria's former president noted that Azerbaijan has its own place in combating terrorism. It is very important that this forum will focus on how to combine the efforts and come over this problem, he added. The 4th Global Baku Forum titled "Towards a Multipolar World" will kick off March 10. Such topics as international security; regional threats; serious consequences of global economic challenges; climate change and energy policy: role of oil-producing countries; multiculturalism; inter-religious dialogue and mutual integration will be discussed during the two-day forum. The conflicts on ethnic, religious and political grounds, global challenges in the democratic development, education, and environment will also be the topics of the upcoming forum. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 Trend: Azerbaijan's First Lady and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva met with Italy's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Giampaolo Cutillo on March 9. Mehriban Aliyeva expressed gratitude for successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and Italy in all areas, including politics, economy and energy sector. "I am glad that humanitarian relations are also developing well between our countries," said Mehriban Aliyeva, adding that a number of projects have been implemented in recent years in Italy at the initiative and with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. It was underscored that the objective of arranging these events was to deliver the realities of Azerbaijan to the Italian society. It was also noted that Italians show much interest towards these events and that the work in this direction will continue further. Exchange of opinions also took place at the meeting around the matters of mutual interest. Tashkent, Uzbekistan, March 9 By Demir Azizov- Trend: Uzbekistan and Finland signed a protocol on amendments to the Uzbek-Finnish intergovernmental agreement on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of income tax evasion, the Uzbek foreign ministry's statement posted on its website said. Uzbekistan and Finland signed the agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of income tax evasion was signed in April 1998. The current document was signed in Helsinki March 8, 2016 as part of the Uzbek delegation's visit to Finland. The document was signed by Chairman of the State Tax Committee of Uzbekistan Botir Parpiev and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Timo Soini. The new regulations, meeting the international standards of tax transparency, are being included in the agreement in accordance with the protocol. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Anvar Mammadov - Trend: The State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) sold $50 million to 24 local banks through the auction held by Azerbaijan's Central Bank (CBA) March 9, SOFAZ said March 9. SOFAZ offered $50 million for sale through the auction. Thus, SOFAZ will continue selling foreign currency through auctions in 2016. The foreign currency is sold as part of SOFAZ's transfers to the Azerbaijani state budget, which are envisaged to stand at 7.615 billion Azerbaijani manats in 2016. SOFAZ was established in 1999 with assets of $271 million. As of January 1, 2016, SOFAZ assets reduced by 9.5 percent compared to 2014 ($37.1 billion) and were estimated at $33.57 billion. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Azad Hasanli - Trend: Representatives of member states of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States (Turkic Council) are discussing the potential mechanisms of multilateral cooperation for developing transportation corridors, said the website of Azerbaijan's Transport Ministry. Azerbaijan's Deputy Transport Minister Musa Panahov is attending the third meeting of transport ministers of Turkic Council countries and the eighth meeting of the working group for developing transportation. The events are being held in Turkey's Istanbul city. The participants are also deciding on the spectrum of work necessary for developing the transportation corridors and are discussing the development of relations between Baku, Aktau and Samsun ports. Edited by SI Kanye West clearly enjoys the finer things in life: extravagant marriage proposals, $1,700 sweaters, and marble conference tables. But is he also a fan of affordable, DIY home goods? While his wife was busy posting nudes and beefing with Bette Midler, the rapper-designer caused a minor bout of hysteria Tuesday when he was seen touring the Ikea headquarters in Almhult, Sweden. A video of West strolling casually through the building can be viewed on TeamKanyeDaily. (No word on whether he paused for a napski.) Ikea later confirmed Wests visit. A spokesperson simply said, Thats right, we can confirm that he is there. I dont want to and cant say more than that he is in Almhult at Ikea today. And as to whether West and Ikea will be collaborating on a project? Time will tell. Uh ma gahd. Though, to our knowledge, West has never created any furniture I mean, maybe he made a stool in middle school shop class or something but hes certainly a guy who finds joy in exploring his creativity through various mediums. So far he has made sneakers, leather jogging pants, body stockings, and of course, plenty of music why not mass-produced Swedish furniture? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Ottawa (AFP) - Canadian lawmakers voted symbolically Tuesday to support the government's rejigged contribution to the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last month the withdrawal of Canadian fighter jets from the fight, while tripling the number of special forces training Kurdish militia in northern Iraq to about 210. Canadian CC-150T Polaris refueling and CP-140 Aurora surveillance aircraft were also left to continue to play roles in the coalition. Members of parliament voted 178 to 147 in support of the new mandate on Tuesday, which also included expanding Canada's intake of refugees and humanitarian aid for the Mideast region ravaged by war. Tunis (AFP) - Tunisian forces killed five "terrorists" in an operation near the Libyan border late Tuesday, the interior ministry said, a day after a deadly raid the government has described as an unprecedented assault by the Islamic State group. The swoop by the army and security forces came after 17 suspects were arrested earlier in a manhunt following Monday's dawn attacks in the border town of Ben Guerdane, which left dozens of jihadists dead. "As part of the continuing operation at Ben Guerdane, security forces and the army were able to eliminate five terrorists tonight in the Benniri area," the ministry said in a statement, adding that weapons had been seized. Local media had reported that security forces had surrounded a house where several men were holed up, information that was not confirmed in the brief ministry statement. Analysts said Monday's coordinated attacks showed jihadists are keen to spread their influence from Libya to Tunisia and to set up a new stronghold in the country. Prime Minister Habib Essid said about 50 extremists were believed to have taken part in the dawn attacks on an army barracks and police and National Guard posts in Ben Guerdane. He said 36 attackers were killed and seven captured in a fierce firefight that also saw the deaths of seven civilians and 12 security personnel. Defence ministry spokesman Belhassen Oueslati said 17 other suspects were arrested on Tuesday near a military barracks and handed over to the National Guard for questioning. Essid said the militants "murdered one internal security force member in his own home" and that three civilians and 14 security personnel were also wounded. - 'Rapid response' - "The (security forces') reaction was rapid and strong. We won a battle and are prepared for any others," he said. "Now they know Tunisia is no easy pushover and that it is not so simple to set up an emirate in Ben Guerdane." Story continues On Monday, Essid said the operation's aim had been to create a "Daesh (IS) emirate" in the town. Michael Ayari of the International Crisis Group think tank agreed, saying the attacks were an "extension of the armed conflict so far confined to Libya". Some IS jihadists "consider that Ben Guerdane could become a strategic 'liberated' zone that would include southeastern Tunisia and the Tripoli region", he said. Tunisian authorities had said search operations were continuing in the region on Tuesday and that a night-time curfew imposed in the town after the attack had been well respected. However, witnesses spoke of sporadic gunfire during the day as police and soldiers flooded Ben Guerdane. The walls of one building in which attackers had been holed up were riddled with bullet holes. Essid called for vigilance and promised a full investigation. "There are lessons to be learned from this terrorist attack. There will be a thorough assessment of what happened, and we will draw all the conclusions," he said. "It may be that there was a failure at a certain level, that of intelligence, other elements." - 'Exterminate these rats' - President Beji Caid Essebsi has described the attack on Ben Guerdane as "unprecedented" and said it was "maybe aimed at controlling" the border region, vowing to "exterminate these rats". Residents said the assailants appeared to be natives of the region. They stopped people, checked their ID cards apparently to seek out members of the security forces, and announced their brief takeover of Ben Guerdane as "liberators". It was the second clash in the border area in less than a week as Tunisia battles to prevent the large number of its citizens who have joined IS in Libya from returning to carry out attacks at home. Two deadly IS attacks on foreign tourists last year that have dealt a devastating blow to Tunisia's tourism industry are believed to have been planned from Libya. Jihadists have taken advantage of a power vacuum in Libya since the NATO-backed overthrow of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011 to set up bases in several areas, including near Sabratha. Nantes (France) (AFP) - A Frenchman described as "radicalised" was arrested in Morocco after arriving on a flight with a machete, knives and a gas bottle in his luggage, French authorities said Wednesday. The 31-year-old man, who had previously been under house arrest in France, was held upon arrival in Fez on Sunday, where authorities discovered the items, as well as a black balaclava, in his luggage. He was not challenged as he checked in with low-cost airline Ryanair from Nantes in western France, despite heightened security following an Islamic State group attack on Paris in November that left 130 people dead. Local government officials identified him as convert Manuel Broustail, a former soldier who was expelled from the army in 2014 following a report that he had been radicalised during a mission in Djibouti. He then became the leader of a group of radicalised Muslims in the city of Angers, also in western France, even organising "paramilitary-style training exercises", including one that took place just days before the November attacks, according to French intelligence. He was arrested in November after the attacks and placed under house arrest. The municipality of the Loire-Atlantique region said Broustail was no longer under house arrest when he checked in for the flight, and there was no reason to stop him leaving France. According to photos published in Moroccan media, Broustail's luggage appeared to contain at least four kitchen knives, a machete, two pocket knives, a truncheon, a balaclava and gas bottle. Another photo showed Broustail with a bald head and long, bushy beard. The municipality said France had signalled the man's presence to the Moroccan authorities and that his arrest in Fez "was not a matter of chance". The Dublin-based carrier Ryanair told AFP the case was "the responsibility of Nantes airport security officials who are investigating". The municipality said his hand luggage had contained nothing out of the ordinary, and his checked baggage had not raised alarm bells when passing through electronic detectors as it did not contain explosives. Frankfurt (AFP) - German power giant E.ON on Wednesday said it booked a 7.0-billion-euro ($7.7-billion) net loss in 2015 and warned that "the course ahead will be tougher and longer than anticipated." E.ON said in a statement that "impairment charges of 8.8 billion euros... primarily on generation assets resulted in a substantial net loss of 7.0 billion euros" last year. At an underlying level, however, operating profit was "in line with expectations," E.ON insisted. "We posted solid operating results in a very difficult market environment," said chief executive Johannes Teyssen. "Our numbers reflect the far-reaching structural transformation that our industry is experiencing and that continues unabated in the current year." Operating profit, as measured by earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), declined by 10 percent to 7.6 billion euros, last year. And "underlying net income", adjusted for one-off factors, was steady at 1.6 billion euros, E.ON said. The company said it had succeeded in reducing its net debt "significantly to 27.7 billion euros." And management would propose a dividend payout of 0.50 euros per share for 2015. German power utilities have complained that the country's transition from conventional carbon fuels to greener, cleaner sources of energy is squeezing their margins. The cost of having to close down their nuclear power plants and the heavy subsidies afforded to renewable energy have pushed them deeply into the red, the companies argue. As a result, Germany's two biggest players, E.ON and close rival RWE have had to make huge writedowns on their conventional coal-fired power plants. And they have both decided to split their conventional power operations from their renewable energy divisions. In E.ON's case, the conventional business is being spun off into a unit called Uniper. CEO Teyssen insisted this was "the right response to this transformation. But the course ahead will be tougher and longer than anticipated." Story continues And he warned that as a result of its planned spin-off, it expects the outlook for 2016 "to be significantly lower" than previously predicted. "The difficult market environment will cause, in particular, free cash flow to be below earlier assumptions; future investments and dividends will have to reflect this," E.ON said. "It's right for us to divide our operations into two companies, which will enable them to develop their respective businesses in line with their own strategy," Teyssen said. "Precisely because we're facing huge challenges, we need to take decisive action. Our new setup will give our shareholders more options and E.ON and Uniper's management more leeway." Harare (AFP) - Hundreds rallied in Zimbabwe's capital Wednesday over the shadowy disappearance of an opposition activist a year ago, as the United States led calls for a probe into "politically motivated violence". Zimbabwe's 92-year-old ruler Robert Mugabe, who has led the country since independence from Britain in 1980, has been accused by critics at home and abroad of cracking down on opponents and smothering democracy. Protesters including opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai demanded that Mugabe release information on how Itai Dzamara, a former journalist and harsh regime critic, was seized by unidentified men. Dzamara was the leader of an anti-government campaign group that sought to force Mugabe to resign over the collapse of the economy, largely sparked by the seizure of white-owned farms which led to a dramatic fall in agricultural production. On March 9 last year, Dzamara was bundled into an unmarked car while coming out of a barbers shop and he has not been seen since. "Why should the regime resort to violence whenever the people want to express themselves?" Tsvangirai told the rally in Harare's African Unity square, where Dzamara had staged sit-in protests and was once beaten by pro-Mugabe supporters. "We will hound this government forever and ever until they bring Itai to us alive or dead." The demonstrators danced, sang and shouted political slogans. "Stop abductions now", read a placard at the protest while another demanded that authorities "End forced disappearances now". Several foreign countries have repeatedly pushed the government over the fate of Dzamara, whose family has been holding public prayer meetings and has gone to court in a bid to get some answers. - Government denials - "The United States remains deeply concerned about Mr. Dzamara's whereabouts and wellbeing," the US embassy said in a statement. "The Zimbabwean constitution guarantees fundamental human rights and freedoms for all citizens, including Mr. Dzamara. Story continues "We also encourage the government of Zimbabwe to fully investigate cases of politically motivated violence and abductions to ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted and victims receive justice." The European Union expressed disappointment at that Dzamara's disappearance remained unsolved. "Those responsible for his abduction have yet to face justice," it said. "The EU attaches great importance to strengthening the rule of law, human rights, and the consolidation of democracy in Zimbabwe, as set out in the government's own constitutional reform agenda." The government denied all accusations that it was involved and said it had no information on Dzamara's whereabouts. "(We) will leave no stone unturned in the investigation about the disappearance of this citizen of ours," Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa told parliament Wednesday. "We would not want to have any citizen in this country to suffer or to disappear without any trace." Amnesty International called on the authorities to "genuinely look" for Dzamara. "This appears to be a well-orchestrated plot to silence a well-known government critic, and is a deeply troubling indictment of the state of freedom of expression in Zimbabwe," said Deprose Muchena, the group's director for southern Africa. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend: Azerbaijan intends to set single tariff for cargo transportation with the countries through which the Trans-Caspian transport corridor runs, Azerbaijan's Deputy Economy Minister Sahil Babayev told reporters March 9. He noted that the country has already reached a preliminary agreement with Georgia on the issue. The single tariff negotiations are also underway with Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Turkey, said Babayev, adding that if these plans are fulfilled, the Trans-Caspian transport corridor's competitiveness will rise significantly. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route runs through China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and goes to Europe. The first test container train arrived at Baku International Sea Trade Port via this route from China in early August 2015. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Ukraine signed a protocol Jan. 14 to set competitive preferential tariffs for cargo transportation on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov By Sam Wilkin and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin DUBAI (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton on Wednesday called for sanctions against Iran after the Islamic Republic brushed off U.S. concerns and test-fired two ballistic missiles that it said were designed to be able to hit Israel. Iranian state television showed footage of two Qadr missiles being launched from northern Iran, which the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said hit targets 1,400 km (870 miles) away. Iranian agencies said the missiles were stamped with the Hebrew words, "Israel should be wiped from the pages of history," though the inscription could not be seen on any photographs. Clinton, a former secretary of state under President Barack Obama, said she was "deeply concerned" by the tests, the second round of Iranian missile launches in two days. "Iran should face sanctions for these activities and the international community must demonstrate that Iran's threats toward Israel will not be tolerated," said Clinton, who is ahead in the race to be Democratic nominee at the Nov. 8 presidential elections. Her call for sanctions reflected a tougher line against Iran's recent missile activity than that taken so far by the White House, which said it is aware of and reviewing reports of the Iranian tests, and would determine an appropriate response. "We know that Iran is in a season of carrying out a number of military activities, and so it certainly would not be a surprise if there are additional launches over the next several days," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. The Iranian move on Wednesday came despite warning from the U.S. State Department after Tuesday's missile tests that Washington continues to "aggressively apply our unilateral tools to counter threats from Iran's missile program," a possible reference to additional U.S. sanctions. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke on Wednesday with Iran's foreign minister about the test-firing of two ballistic missiles, a State Department spokesman said. The missile tests underline a rift in Iran between hard-line factions opposed to normalizing relations with the West, and President Hassan Rouhani's relatively moderate government, which is trying to attract foreign investors to Iran. ISRAEL IN MIND Iran's IRGC said the missiles tested on Wednesday were designed with Israel in mind. "The reason we designed our missiles with a range of 2,000 km is to be able to hit our enemy the Zionist regime from a safe distance," Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh was quoted as saying by the ISNA agency. The nearest point in Iran is around 1,000 km (600 miles) from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon told Israel Radio the tests showed Iran's hostility had not changed since implementing a nuclear deal with world powers in January, despite Rouhani's overtures to the West. "To my regret there are some in the West who are misled by the honeyed words of part of the Iranian leadership while the other part continues to procure equipment and weaponry, to arm terrorist groups," Yaalon said. Representative Ed Royce, the Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee, said: Iran is making a mockery of President Obamas vow to confront Irans dangerous and illicit acts. He urged Obama to "aggressively enforce all sanctions against Irans missile programs, support for terrorism and human rights abuses. No more looking the other way. Washington imposed sanctions against businesses and individuals in January over another missile test in October 2015. But the IRGC said it would not bow to pressure. "The more sanctions and pressure our enemies apply ... the more we will develop our missile program," Hajizadeh said on state television. The IRGC maintains dozens of short and medium-range ballistic missiles, the largest stock in the Middle East. It says they are solely for defensive use with conventional, non-nuclear warheads. Tehran has denied U.S. accusations of acting "provocatively," citing the long history of U.S. interventions in the Middle East and its own right to self-defense. (Reporting by Sam Wilkin and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin; Additional reporting by Dan Williams in Jerusalem and Timothy Gardner and Andrea Shalal in Washington; Writing by Alistair Bell; Editing by Hugh Lawson, Andrew Heavens and Steve Orlofsky) Madrid (AFP) - It is the biggest contract Spanish firms have ever undertaken abroad, a high-speed railway linking Islam's holiest cities, Mecca and Medina, in Saudi Arabia -- but sand is covering the tracks and now the building partners are arguing over who should clean it up. Spanish construction and engineering firm OHL, one of the companies behind the project, refuses to remove sand for free in a letter sent to its consortium partners which was published Tuesday by news site El Confidencial. In 2011, Saudi Arabia awarded the contract worth 6.7 billion euros ($7.4 billion) to the consortium of 12 Spanish companies and two Saudi firms for a project which aims to improve transport connections during the annual hajj pilgrimage. The contract is for laying the 444 kilometres (275 miles) of track between the two cities as well as supplying 35 trains and operating and maintaining the line for 12 years. The leading firms in the consortium - train maker Talgo, state-run train operator Renfe and state track operator Adif have extensive experience with Spain's own high-speed network, the world's second largest after China's. The Saudi project is the first such line to be built across a desert. The rail line crosses the Arabian Desert, where sandstorms are frequent and large dunes can suddenly form. In a copy of the letter dated February 7 which was seen by AFP, OHL said it was not "paid to clear the track of sand in order to facilitate the work of other consortium members." Talgo wants to start test runs of its trains on the track. OHL said it was "very willing to carry out extra works to clear the tracks" but only after an agreement with the other members of the consortium is signed spelling out what its exact responsibilities would be. OHL declined to comment on the publication of the letter. Public Works Minister Ana Pastor, who visited the work-in-progress in 2014, downplayed the row. "We knew from the beginning what we would find. This is not a new question and it is up to Spanish engineers to solve this challenge," she told reporters. The high-speed railway was initially scheduled to open at the end of 2016 but the deadline for its completion has been moved to the end of 2017. Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi Arabia and other Gulf monarchies could turn a page and build strong relations with Iran if it respects them and stops "meddling" in their affairs, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Wednesday. "If Iran changes its way and its policies, nothing would prevent turning a page and building the best relationship based on good neighbourliness, with no meddling in the affairs of others," he told reporters in Riyadh. "There is no need for mediation" in such a case, said Jubeir, whose country severed all links with the Islamic republic in January after crowds attacked the kingdom's diplomatic missions in Iran. Jubeir said relations with Tehran had deteriorated "due to the sectarian policies" followed by Shiite-dominated Iran and "its support for terrorism and implanting of terrorist cells in the countries of the region". "Iran is a neighbouring Muslim country that has a great civilisation and a friendly people, but the policies that followed the revolution of (Ayatollah Ruhollah) Khomeini have been aggressive," he said. Jubeir was speaking after a meeting of Gulf foreign ministers and their counterparts from Jordan and Morocco. In a joint statement, ministers meeting in Riyadh urged Iran to respect UN resolution 2231 which endorsed the nuclear deal and included curbs on ballistic missiles, as Tehran defiantly fired two more missiles on Wednesday. The ministers "stressed the importance of implementing the (UN) Security Council Resolution 2231 concerning the nuclear deal, including what concerns ballistic missiles and other weapons," it said. US Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the United States would take action against Iran if the missile tests were confirmed. - Lebanon criticised - Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia and fellow Gulf nations also accuse Iran of supporting Shiite rebels in Yemen, as well as attempting to destabilise their own regimes. Story continues They also support rebels in Syria's five-year-old war while Tehran openly backs the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Gulf nations had recently classified Lebanon's Iran-backed Shiite Hezbollah movement as a terrorist group. Saudi Arabia recently blocked $3 billion in military aid to Lebanon and urged its citizens to leave the country. Jubeir said Lebanon is now run by Hezbollah. "What is disturbing in the Lebanon question is that a militia that is classified as terrorist controls decision-making in Lebanon," he said. Jubeir criticised a recent decision by a Lebanese court to release a Syria-linked former minister who is facing charges of having planned "terrorist" acts. Michel Samaha's release "does not positively indicate that the army is independent of Hezbollah's influence," he said. Asked about further Gulf sanctions against Hezbollah, Jubeir said the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council had decided to look into measures that "would prevent Hezbollah from benefitting from GCC states". Riyadh and its Gulf Arab allies have stepped up sanctions against Hezbollah and its alleged leaders since 2013 in retaliation for its intervention in the Syrian war to support Assad. Last month Saudi Arabia froze the assets and prohibited dealings with three Lebanese nationals and four companies, in its latest action against Hezbollah. Cal/OSHA Cites ExxonMobil for Unrepaired Leak at Torrance Refinery "This is a case [where] a minor repair could have prevented workers at this refinery from exposure to a life-threatening acid," said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum. "These citations and penalties are a wake-up call that refineries must follow strict safety protocols to protect their employees." Cal/OSHA announced March 4 that it has issued citations to ExxonMobil Refining & Supply Company after it found the company did not repair faulty equipment at its Torrance refinery for four years. Proposed penalties in the case total $72,120. The state agency opened an investigation following a hydrofluoric acid leak at the refinery's alkylation unit on Sept. 6, 2015, and investigators discovered the leak was related to a temporary clamp that was installed on a 3-inch nozzle flange following an earlier leak in 2011. The nozzle was not replaced until January 2016, according to the agency. "This is a case [where] a minor repair could have prevented workers at this refinery from exposure to a life-threatening acid," said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum. "These citations and penalties are a wake-up call that refineries must follow strict safety protocols to protect their employees." Cal/OSHA's news release said the three citations issued March 4 include one willful-serious, indicating the employer was aware of the hazardous condition and did not take reasonable steps to address it, and two general citations for ExxonMobil's alleged failure to conduct a hazard analysis and identify and fix the 2011 leak. The release said "ExxonMobil mitigated the leak caused by the faulty clamp within 48 hours of the release. The company also removed tank 5C-31 from service, where the faulty nozzle was attached, to make repairs. Before ExxonMobil was allowed to restart operations in January, a complete inspection of the alkylation unit was conducted to ensure there were no additional leaking flanges or nozzles." Although Cal/OSHA had issued 19 citations with proposed penalties of $566,600 to ExxonMobil after an explosion at the refinery on Feb. 18, 2015, injured four workers, the new citations are not related to that incident. President Aquino has appointed Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras as ad interim foreign affairs secretary, replacing Albert del Rosario, whose resignation took effect last Monday, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said yesterday. Earlier yesterday, Almendras confirmed he was one of those being considered or interested in the position. Sources said the President spoke with two retired ambassadors, who turned him down. One of them is reportedly sick, the sources said. Since there are no more sessions for both houses of Congress, the Commission on Appointments will not have any hearing to confirm the new foreign affairs chief and thus the person will only hold the position for three months in an acting capacity, Aquino said during his visit to the United States last month. The President said he would have to talk seriously to those he was considering because taking on the job would entail a lot of sacrifice. Aquino thanked Del Rosario for serving the department despite his health concerns. I really have to say that he is also one of the blessings bestowed upon me. In an area where I dont really have that much expertise, he took in quite a lot of the burden and really performed his role as adviser. So, tough shoes to fill, the President said. There had been talks within the Department of Foreign Affairs that Ochoa was not in favor of DFA Undersecretary Laura del Rosario to replace her boss, who nominated her to the position, but there were no reasons cited. Undersecretary Del Rosario is a career official and is not related to the retired secretary. Aside from Almendras, the name of presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda was also one of those supposedly being pushed to become head of the department. Lacierda recently engaged journalist Ellen Tordesillas in a word war on social media for writing that he was interested in the position. Lacierda said the story that the administrations standard bearer, Manuel Roxas II introduced him to a Filipino ambassador as your future boss was fiction. Story continues Tordesillas, however, stood by her story. Last month, the President told reporters that Lacierda never mentioned that he would like to be DFA secretary and that he was considering four persons to take the place of Del Rosario. Aquino said two of the four he was eyeing were in sensitive positions. The new Bank Negara Malaysia governor must not be a politician or a Barisan Nasional member, especially when the 1Malaysia Development Berhad controversy still "echoes" around the world, says PAS. Its deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man today said such a person to replace Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz, who was due to retire next month, must be rejected. He also said Zeti's contract as the central bank governor should also be extended if she was needed in the ongoing probe into 1MDB by the central bank, so the scandal could be resolved before she retires. "The central bank is still an institution believed by the people and free of political influence. "With the 1MDB crisis still ongoing, anyone who had served in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's cabinet and a member of any Barisan Nasional party must be rejected if nominated to be Bank Negara governor. "This is important to ensure the image and integrity of Bank Negara is preserved since Najib still refuses to sue The Wall Street Journal (WSJ)," he said in a statement. WSJ published stories surrounding 1MDB and international investigations into the scandal, linking Najib to the money trail since July last year when the business paper reported that investigators looking into the troubled state investment firm found Najib received RM2.6 billion in his personal accounts. The money deposited into his accounts shortly before the 2013 general election was later reported to be a donation from the Saudi royal family and RM2.03 billion of it was returned later the same year, as it was not used. Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali said there was not enough evidence to implicate Najib. Tuan Ibrahim said people must not be distracted from the appointment of the new central bank governor. He said to ensure the people and the international community remained confident of Bank Negara, the new governor must be bold, strict, fair, capable and a person who stood by the truth when dealing within a challenging economy and issues like 1MDB. "Zeti had said before that the central bank must remain an independent body free of political influence. This must be taken seriously. Najib's government must not violate that independence. "But till now, the prime minister has not shown any sign that he agrees with Zeti on this matter. But the people are waiting for him to guarantee that Bank Negara will be free of political interventions. "This guarantee is very important to build investor confidence and protect the integrity of the central bank," he said. March 9, 2016. BEIJING The South China Sea is one of the worlds freest and safest shipping lanes, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said yesterday, arguing that Beijings control over the disputed waters was justified because it was the first to discover them. China has come under fire from the United States and its allies in recent months over its land reclamation activities in the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes annually. The US Navy has carried out freedom of navigation exercises, sailing near disputed islands to underscore its rights to operate in the seas. Those patrols, and reports that China is deploying advanced missiles, fighters and radar equipment on islands there, have led Washington and Beijing to trade accusations of militarizing the region. The freedom of navigation does not equal the freedom to run amok, Wang told his yearly news conference on the sidelines of Chinas annual parliament meeting. In fact, based on the joint efforts of China and other regional countries, the South China Sea is currently one of the safest and freest shipping lanes in the world, Wang said. China was the earliest to explore, name, develop and administer various South China Sea islands. Our ancestors worked diligently here for generations, Wang said. History will prove who is the visitor and who is the genuine host, he said, adding that China would consider inviting foreign journalists to islands under its control when the conditions are right. China was neither the earliest country to deploy weapons to the South China Sea nor the country with the most weapons there, Wang added, without saying which country was. Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, but Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have overlapping claims. US Defense Secretary Ash Carter has warned of specific consequences if China takes aggressive action in the region. He has said the US military was increasing deployments to the Asia-Pacific region and would spend $425 million through 2020 to pay for more exercises and training with countries in the region that were unnerved by Chinas actions. Reuters A French court approved Tuesday extraditing to South Korea the daughter of a tycoon blamed for the deadly 2014 Sewol ferry disaster, although the prime minister must now sign off on the decision. Even if Prime Minister Manuel Valls signs the decree for the extradition of Yoo Som-Na over the catastrophe that killed more than 300 people, the decision can still be contested in France's highest administrative court. A lawyer for Yoo said extradition would be "unjust" and that her legal team would continue to fight. "We're not going to stop there, certainly not," Herve Temime told AFP. Yoo, who was detained in Paris in May 2014, is wanted in South Korea on suspicion that she embezzled millions of dollars from subsidiaries of her family's company, Chonghaejin Marine Co. South Korean authorities believe the alleged embezzlement contributed to safety defects that led to the April 2014 disaster that claimed the lives of 304 people, most of them high school children. Yoo strongly denies the accusations. Her father Yoo Byung-Eun had been the target of a massive manhunt in South Korea after he refused to respond to an official summons following the ferry disaster. The tycoon, who in addition to his substantial business interests also ran a religious group, was found dead in a plum orchard two months after the disaster. An autopsy on his badly decomposed body failed to determine the cause of death. The overloaded 6,825-tonne Sewol was carrying 476 people when it capsized off the southern coast of South Korea. A total solar eclipse swept across the vast Indonesian archipelago on Wednesday, marked by ecstatic sky gazers cheering the spectacle, devout Muslims kneeling in prayer and tribespeople performing rituals. The moon began to move between the Earth and sun at 6:19 am (2319 GMT Tuesday), and about an hour later a total eclipse became visible in western parts of the country. The sun then went entirely dark in a broad arc right across the world's biggest archipelago nation, which straddles three time zones, before the eclipse swept out across the Pacific Ocean. Partial eclipses were also visible over other parts of Asia and Australia, and astronomy enthusiasts across the region gathered on rooftops, beaches and in observatories to witness the phenomenon. Tens of thousands of foreign and Indonesian tourists flocked to the best viewing spots, and special events were organised, from a festival to fun runs and dragon boat races. "It was spectacular," said Daniel Orange, a 52-year-old American tourist from California, who was watching the total eclipse on the small western island of Belitung. "It was very beautiful, there are a lot of people here and when the totality hit, everybody cheered. I got goose bumps." - Tribal ritual - In Ternate, in the eastern Maluku Islands, thousands of people yelled "Glory to God" as the total eclipse became visible, while on the small Mentawai archipelago in the west of the country, hundreds cheered, prayed and hugged one another during the spectacle. The whole eclipse lasted around three hours in Indonesia, but the total eclipse was visible for between just one-and-a-half and three minutes, depending on location. The weather stayed clear in many popular viewing spots, although clouds obscured views in some places. For some of Indonesia's tribes, the eclipse is viewed with apprehension. In Palangkaraya, on Borneo island, Dayak tribesmen performed a special ritual to ensure that the sun, which they view as the source of life, did not disappear entirely. As the total eclipse hit, the tribal chief -- dressed in a traditional costume -- began to chant loudly and was answered by even louder chants from other members of the tribe. For many in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, it was a spiritual experience, and large numbers flocked to mosques to say special prayers. Foreign scientists also descended on Indonesia. A four-strong team from NASA was in Maba, a small town in the Malukus, to observe the eclipse. Other parts of Southeast Asia witnessed substantial partial eclipses. A crowd of about 400 people, including students and families, gathered at a university sports field in Singapore to watch the eclipse, while groups of enthusiasts also converged on beaches and outside their highrise apartments to gaze upwards. In the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, 1,000 school students witnessed the eclipse at the national planetarium. Meanwhile, in the Philippine capital Manila, dozens of people carrying telescopes jostled for space on the roof deck of the country's only space observatory. "People were howling with excitement. For many of them, it's their first time to see a solar eclipse," said Philippine state astronomer Allan Alcaraz. A partial eclipse was also visible in northern Australia, with a handful of astronomy enthusiasts watching the event in Darwin. The total eclipse swept across 12 out of 34 provinces in Indonesia, which stretches about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometres) from east to west, before heading across the Pacific. It passed over the major islands of Sumatra, Borneo and Sulawesi, before sweeping over the Malukus and out into the ocean. The last total solar eclipse occurred on March 20, 2015, and was only visible from the Faroe Islands and Norway's Arctic Svalbard archipelago. Total eclipses occur when the moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, and the three bodies align precisely. As seen from Earth, the moon is just broad enough to cover the solar face, creating a breath-taking silver halo in an indigo sky. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend: The AzeriKimya Production Union of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) has signed a contract with Technip Italy, said SOCAR's website. The contract envisages conducting detailed designing and providing services to support supplies as part of the project for reconstruction of the ethylene-polyethylene plant in Sumgait. The signing ceremony was attended by SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev, Italy's ambassador to Azerbaijan Giampaolo Cutillo and CEO of Technip Italy Marco Villa. SOCAR's president noted that processing installations will be modernized and the new ones will be constructed as part of the plant's reconstruction. This will make it possible to increase the production facilities at Azerikimya, ensure the supply of raw materials to polyethylene and polypropylene production installations and to meet the demand in the country, said Abdullayev. It will also increase the country's export potential, enhance the security of the technological process and the quality of raw materials and finished products, he added. Abdullayev noted that the design and construction work will be carried out in stages until 2019. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov Networking & Wireless Laconia School District Upgrades to Fiber-Based Internet Service Laconia School District in New Hampshire plans to implement high-speed, fiber-based Internet service to support its three elementary schools, middle school, high school and regional technical center. Demand for Internet access has been ramping up in the district as teachers and students make increasing use of online technologies and applications, and Jeffrey Twombly, network manager for the district, wanted to find a local vendor who could provide them with future-proofed service at a competitive price. "We serve approximately 2,000 students and part of ensuring their educational success is having reliable, high speed Internet from a provider upon whom we can rely and trust," he said in a news release. Twombly and his team evaluated numerous vendors before selecting FirstLight Fiber, a provider of fiber optic data, Internet, data center and voice services based in Albany, NY. "FirstLight stood out among all of the potential vendors we reviewed for enabling the bandwidth expansions that we will inevitably need down the road, while also offering the high quality, localized customer service and support we need today," he said. The upgraded Internet service will enable students, teachers and staff to access streaming video, online courses, webinars and other online services well into the future, according to a news release from FirstLight. The company will also provide the most of Laconia School District's facilities with fiber-based voice service. SWNS

Americans are still waiting for their Goldilocks moment four in five say theyve never found their perfect fit for certain items.

According to a new poll of 1,000 people 250 lbs and over and 1,000 people under 250 lbs, 52% struggle to find clothing, mattresses (40%) and bathtubs or shower enclosures (38%) that fit their body types.

In fact, about two-thirds (67%) find themselves struggling frequently with finding items that fit their body size needs.

This was especially true for those 350 lbs and over, as 41% admit they always struggle, compared to only 23% of those under 250 lbs.

Despite frequency, almost three-quarters (74%) of all respondents find themselves feeling frustrated when they are searching for an item that accommodates their needs.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Big Fig Mattress, the survey asked respondents how they go about their everyday lives despite challenges they may face because of their body type.

Results found that seven in 10 respondents feel less confident when they struggle with finding items that fit their size needs.

When asked about other emotions respondents experience, those 250 lbs and over are more likely to feel set apart from others, citing embarrassed (59%) and isolated (53%).

While those who are under 250 lbs tend to lean towards disappointed (51%).

Even so, those 250 lbs and up were more optimistic than those under (35% vs 23%).

The average respondent has crossed off about five brands or retailers because they dont carry products that meet their physical needs.

However, for those who are 250 lbs and over, 72% have eliminated between three and eight stores.

Almost one in five (18%) of those under 250 lbs cited that all stores carry their size, compared to only 2% of those who are 250 lbs and up.

"This survey makes it clear that the 'all' part of 'one size fits all' couldn't be further from the truth," said Jeff Brown, president, Big Fig Mattress. "Almost two in five respondents haven't found something that they felt was made for them. Everybody and every body deserves a long-lasting and comfortable mattress to support a good night's sleep, regardless of your size."

Products made for all body types are an issue no matter what the product, with respondents needing to stand on furniture to reach something (46%) or finding that clothing is either way too long or too short (46%).

And ill-fitting items arent just an inconvenience, 61% of respondents say that clothing, vehicles (59%) and mattresses (50%) that arent made for their body type have a big impact on their quality of life.

More than half of those 250 lbs and over (53%) believe their life is more difficult than for someone who is considered normal sized.

But that doesnt mean respondents are only dwelling on the negative almost half (44%) frequently make light of their struggles.

When asked how they do so, respondents outlined things like, I speak to myself. I'm beautiful and special. I'm impeccable," and Remind myself that if this is the biggest problem I have, then I am doing just fine in life."

The survey also asked about relationship status and how respondents are navigating integrating their lifestyles with another uniquely sized person.

Seventy-four percent of all respondents are in a relationship and living with their significant other.

Almost half (45%) are mixed-size couples, meaning they have a noticeable difference in body size or type.

Because of this, couples face challenges like finding a place to live that accommodates both people (40%), struggling to share a mattress comfortably (40%) and having items that one person uses but the other never would such as step stools (34%).

In the end, more than two-thirds (68%) of all respondents agree that its difficult to navigate a one size fits all world when people have varying body types.

We believe and support being body positive, in body acceptance, and in making positive life choices, noted Brown. Bigger figured people deserve the same level of quality products and choices as everyone else. Its important to accept that all bodies are different and require more from product manufacturers, and I think the data makes that clear.

MOST DIFFICULT ITEMS TO FIND FOR A SPECIFIC BODY TYPE

  • Clothing - 52%
  • Mattress - 40%
  • Bathtub/shower enclosure - 38%
  • Chairs/couch - 35%
  • Bike/scooter - 34%
  • Vehicle - 31%

Survey methodology:

This random double-opt-in survey of 1,000 Americans under 250 lbs and 1,000 Americans 250 lbs and up was commissioned by Big Big Mattress between September 8 and September 21. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).

BEIJING (Reuters) - China hinted on Tuesday that it was planning more global bases following the setting up of its logistics centre in Djibouti, what the Horn of African country's government calls a military facility that will be China's first overseas. China plans to use it to support is anti-piracy operations in the waters off the strife-torn nations of Somalia and Yemen. Beijing has been keen not to call it a military base, but state media increasingly uses this language to refer to it. China's Defence Ministry said last month building had begun on the base, something China describes as naval "support facilities" in Djibouti, which has fewer than a million people but is striving to become an international shipping hub. Djibouti, strategically located at the southern entrance to the Red Sea on the route to the Suez Canal, is already home to U.S. and French bases, while other navies often use its port. Asked about Djibouti at his yearly news conference on the sidelines of China's annual meeting of parliament, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China was fulfilling its international obligations to protect shipping. "We are willing to, in accordance with objective needs, responding to the wishes of host nations and in regions where China's interests are concentrated, try out the construction of some infrastructure facilities and support abilities," he said. "I believe that this is not only fair and reasonable but also accords with international practise," Wang said, without elaborating. China, the world's second-largest economy, is seeking to expand its capacity to respond to growing threats to its interests abroad. President Xi Jinping is reforming the military and investing in submarines and aircraft carriers, as China's navy becomes more assertive in its territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas. China is also expanding its peacekeeping role, with Xi pledging in September to contribute 8,000 troops for a United Nations stand-by force that could provide logistical and operational experience the military would need to operate further abroad. While China has been getting more involved diplomatically in trouble spots such as the Middle East, it is adamant that it does not interfere in the affairs of other countries, and is the only permanent member of the U.N. Security Council which has not taken military action in Syria. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick Macfie) Britain is working with its European partners to help ease the impact of banking restrictions on trade with Iran, Business Secretary Sajid Javid said on Wednesday, adding that the UK had signed a deal to simplify the financing of exports. International sanctions, including banking restrictions, imposed against Iran ended in January under a deal with world powers in which Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program, Reuters reported. But U.S. measures including a ban on dollar trading and a freeze on U.S. banks engaging in trade remain in place. This has left non-U.S. banks and insurers wary of processing transactions with Iran, fearing they may still fall foul of the existing measures and a lack of clarity on what they are able to do. Javid told a conference in London that issues around cash and credit were "quite significant" but that Britain was working with other European nations and the banking industry to try to tackle them or provide clarity on how the guidelines work. "For many firms it's not actually clear what you can or cannot do according to, let's say, U.S. rules. That's why one of the things that as a minimum has to be done quite quickly is to bring some clarity," he said. Britain's trade envoy to Iran, former Chancellor Norman Lamont, outlined the scale of the problem, saying he had struggled to get bank chiefs in London to meet with a recent delegation from the Iranian central bank. "Terrified, they were," he said. "European banks, very much so the British banks, are very frightened of falling foul of what I would call the extra-territorial reach of American law." EXPORT DEAL Britain's export agency and its Iranian counterpart signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday, Javid said. The deal will see UK Export Finance and the Export Guarantee Fund of Iran, the Iranian state-owned credit insurance company, work together to identify opportunities for trade in capital goods, equipment and services, Britain's business ministry said. Other European Union countries including Italy, France and Germany have already struck billions of dollars worth of deals and many within Britain's business community complain that the country has been slower to respond. Shrugging aside such concerns, Javid said "It's never too late". He added that he would lead a British trade mission to Iran later this year, possibly as early as May. Javid said membership of the European Union had been helpful in terms of facilitating the removal of sanctions, but added that Britain's June 23 referendum on whether to remain a member of the 28-nation bloc was not a risk to future trade with Iran. BEIJING (Reuters) - China sees little reason for optimism that relations with Japan will improve, China's Foreign Minister said on Tuesday, accusing "two-faced" Tokyo of constantly seeking to make trouble. China, the world's second-largest economy, and Japan, the third largest, have a difficult political history, with relations strained by the legacy of Japan's World War Two aggression and conflicting claims over a group of uninhabited East China Sea islets. While ties have been thawing, with meetings between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Beijing remains deeply suspicious of Japan, especially of Abe's moves to allow the military to fight overseas for the first time since the war. Speaking at his yearly news conference on the sidelines of China's annual parliament meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said he hoped bilateral ties could improve as the two have a "tradition of friendship". "Thanks to the efforts of wise people on both sides, there are signs of improvement in the China-Japan relations, but there is little ground for optimism," he said. "Of course we want to see the China-Japan relations truly improve, but as a saying goes, to cure diseases, you have to address underlying problems," Wang added. On one hand, Japanese leaders say nice things about wanting to improve relations, but on the other they "create troubles for China at every turn", he said. "This is what I would call a typical case of being two faced." Japan has also been keeping an eye on China's activities in the South China Sea, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga saying in February that Japan was gathering and analysing information on China's moves there with "serious interest". China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. Beijing is feeling public pressure at home to show it can protect its claims to the waters after the United States began conducting "freedom of navigation" operations near islands where China has been carrying out controversial reclamation work and stationing advanced weapons. "All ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) states hope for freedom, democracy and the rule of law," Suga told reporters, when asked about Wang's comments. "Isn't it a rule in the international community that any country can say what it has to say on an unilateral attempt at dominance with force?" Suga reiterated, however, that nothing has been changed to Japan's stance that the door to dialogue with China remained open. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka in Tokyo; Editing by Nick Macfie) By Aleksandar Vasovic KOPAONIK, Serbia (Reuters) - - IKEA [IKEA.UL], the world's biggest furniture retailer, expects to start building its first store in Serbia in the coming weeks, following seven years of delays due to bureaucratic procedures, the company's director for Southeast Europe said. Serbia, a European Union candidate country, has amended a number of laws over the past few years to improve its business climate and introduced subsidies for investors to boost growth and combat unemployment which is running at 17.3 percent. But IKEA, which wants to provide 300 jobs and invest 70 million euros ($76.8 million) in Serbia, had to negotiate a number of bureaucratic obstacles before receiving its construction permit last year. Vladislav Lalic, the Swedish company's Southeast Europe director, said IKEA had encountered numerous problems related to the "huge inefficiency" of administrative procedures. "We have recently, together with the government, formed a work group which supported this (project) ... even in that working group where there was one speaking partner, we had 17 relevant institutions which also took part," Lalic told a business forum at the Kopaonik mountain resort late on Tuesday. Lalic said the IKEA store in the Belgrade suburb of Bubanj Potok would be completed by early 2017. Serbia's economy grew 0.8 percent last year and the government forecasts it will grow by 1.8 percent in 2016, but unless the country continues reforms and attracts investment, it will be condemned to slow growth and high deficits, a top fiscal advisory body has warned. Lalic said despite improvements, there was still a lack of coordination between the general legal framework and by-laws. He also warned about a lack of infrastructure and proper plans, including for the location where the IKEA store will be built. "It took us 35 months to produce the zoning plan ... If a company like IKEA, which is a 32 billion euro business, can face those problems, then ... you can imagine what kind of problems will be faced by other smaller investors." In its 2015 financial year which ended on Aug. 31, IKEA increased revenue by 11.5 percent to 32.7 billion euros, while its net profit was 3.5 billion euros. ($1 = 0.9114 euros) (Editing by Adrian Croft and David Clarke) Around two dozen people have been officially charged over attacks against Saudi property on Iranian soil, a top Judiciary official says, Press TV reported. Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi on Tuesday said that 22 people will soon be sent to court over charges pertaining to damaging the Saudi embassy in Tehran. The assaults on the embassy took place on January 2 during demonstrations by angry protesters censuring Saudi Arabia's execution of top opposition cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Top Iranian officials censured the incident that was followed by Riyadh's severance of ties with Tehran. Saudi Arabia executed Nimr along with 46 others, provoking international outrage, widespread condemnation, and a serious escalation of tensions in the region. The Shia cleric was arrested in 2012 over charges of instigating unrest and undermining the kingdom's security, making anti-government speeches and defending political prisoners, all of which he rejected as baseless. KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia is investigating a second piece of debris found on the small Indian Ocean island of Reunion, suspected to be from missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. The plane disappeared on March 8, 2014, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board, most of them Chinese, in one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries. So far, only a piece of wing, known as a flaperon, discovered in July last year has been confirmed by authorities to belong to the missing Boeing 777. Last week, an American adventurer found a piece of debris on a beach on the African east coast nation of Mozambique. Officials will send that item to Australia for examination. "Currently, we are awaiting verification of two more pieces of debris which were discovered recently in Mozambique and Reunion Island respectively," Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said in a statement. Liow said an interim report will be released by the MH370 investigation team on Tuesday marking the two-year anniversary of the disappearance. (Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Nick Macfie) SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea has tried to hack into email accounts of South Korean railway workers in an attempt to attack the transport system's control system, South Korea's spy agency said on Tuesday. South Korea has been on heightened alert against the threat of cyberattacks by North Korea after it conducted a nuclear test in January and a long-range rocket launch last month, triggering new U.N. sanctions. South Korea had previously blamed the North for cyberattacks against its nuclear power operator. North Korea denied that. South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) said in a statement it had interrupted the hacking attempt against the railway workers and closed off their email accounts. The agency issued the statement after an emergency meeting with other government agencies on the threat of cyberattacks by the North. The agency detected hacking attempts by the North against workers for two regional railway networks this year, the spy agency said. "The move was a step to prepare for cyber terror against the railway transport control system," the agency said. It did not elaborate on what it thought North Korea's specific objective was in hacking into the system. An agency official reached by telephone declined to comment. North Korea has been working for years to develop the ability to disrupt or destroy computer systems that control public services such as telecommunications and other utilities, according to a defector from the North. The United States accused North Korea of a cyberattack against Sony Pictures in 2014 that led to the studio cancelling the release of a comedy based on the fictional assassination of the country's leader, Kim Jong Un. North Korea denied the accusation. In 2013, South Korea blamed the North for crippling cyber-attacks that froze the computer systems of its banks and broadcasters for days. New fears of attacks on South Korea's computer systems came as South Korean and U.S. troops conducted large-scale military exercises which North Korea denounced as "nuclear war moves" and threatened to respond with an all-out military offensive. (Reporting by Jack Kim and Ju-min Park; Editing by Robert Birsel) By Axel Bugge LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal's new centre-right president took office on Wednesday, telling the Socialist government to stick to the budget rigour demanded by Brussels to avoid a return to economic crisis. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa takes over at a time of growing pressure on the government to cut spending further to meet budget goals, which could exacerbate growing friction between the ruling Socialists and their far-left allies in parliament. His inauguration marks a new phase for Portuguese politics as next month he will regain the constitutional powers to dissolve parliament, fire the government and call a new election. Under the constitution, that power is on hold for six months after a national election, which was held in October. While he would need a reason to resort to such measures, it does increase pressure on the government. "We have to be loyal to the commitments we have adopted, especially the ones that are part of our foreign policy, such as the European Union," Rebelo de Sousa told parliament where he was sworn in. "Without rigour and financial transparency the risk of returning to crises is painfully larger." "This will certainly not be an easy presidency," said former prime minister Pedro Passos Coelho, who was ousted by the Socialists after the inconclusive election in October. Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa teamed up with the far-left Communists and Left Bloc in November, uniting around the promise to roll back austerity imposed by the previous conservative government under Passos Coelho. But Costa has also promised to stick to EU budget rules and last month was forced by Brussels to hike indirect taxes by nearly 1 billion euros to tighten the budget further. The EU is pushing for more cuts, but Costa has said they are not necessary. Catarina Martins, who heads the Left Bloc, said Rebelo de Sousa's message was a "conservative vision of the country" even though he attempted to reach out to everybody. "Portugal cannot have its capacity at making decisions, its economy and its jobs increasingly destroyed by decisions that are taken abroad," said Martins after the inauguration ceremony. Filipe Garcia, head of the Informacao de Mercados Financeiros consultancy, said Rebelo de Sousa would initially attempt to strike a conciliatory tone. "The government is likely to last at least until October, but Brussels will put pressure on for more measures, which may cause friction between the parties supporting the government," he said. Concerns surrounding Portugal's public finances contributed to sending bond yields sharply higher in February. They have since reversed somewhat, but at a bond auction on Wednesday the country's borrowing costs rose sharply. President Rebelo de Sousa won a Jan. 24 election, promising to repair political divisions and the hardship of Portugal's 2011-14 bailout. He is a former head of the centre-right Social Democrats and has been a television commentator for many years. Unlike his predecessor, Anibal Cavaco Silva, he has never previously held a top state position. (Additional reporting by Sergio Goncalves; Editing by Andrew Heavens) Tehran, Iran, March 8 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: An Iranian military official has said that there is no obstacle to hinder the delivery of Russia's S-300 defense missile system to the country. "The clear news about the case is that Iran and Russia have reached the agreements needed to do the job and as we speak there is no problem for conveying the S-300 missiles," Masoud Jazayeri, second-in-command of Iran's General Staff of Armed Forces said. "I think the job will be done in the near future," he noted, Tasnim news agency reported March 8. Some Israeli news outlets last week said Russia had been discouraged from delivering the missiles to Iran. After Israel gave Russian President Vladimir Putin intelligence proving that weapons Russia sold to Iran were ending up in the hands of Lebanon's Hezbollah, Putin froze the transfer of S-300 surface-to-air missile systems to Tehran, Breaking Israel News quoted Kuwaiti newspaper Al Jarida as reporting March 5. Jazayeri further explained that Iran and Russia's general agreements regarding the missiles are now to be transformed into minor, executive agreements in order to become practical. The $800-million contract to deliver S-300 to Iran was cancelled in 2010 by then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, falling in line with the UN sanctions imposed on Iran due to its disputed nuclear program. In turn, Tehran filed a currently pending $4 billion lawsuit against Russia in Geneva's arbitration court. However, Russia President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to lift the ban over delivering the long-overdue missile system to Iran in April 2015. Israel has been struck by three terror attacks in the space of two hours after shootings and stabbings in cities across the country. The attack in Jaffa started at the port. Police say the assailant stabbed three people before running off down the promenade and stabbing several others who were sitting in their cars stuck in the rush hour traffic. He then fled on foot towards Tel Aviv but was shot dead by police. One of the victims, named as American tourist Taylor Force, has since died from his injuries. He had been on a faculty trip with other management students from Vanderbilt University, Tennessee. The Jaffa incident came shortly after a gunman opened fire at police in East Jerusalem near the Old City. Two policemen were wounded before the attacker was shot by Israeli troops. The attack took place as US vice president Joe Biden arrived to meet former Israeli President Shimon Peres nearby. "I notified the Vice President on the terrible incident that took place just a few hundred metres away from here in Jaffa," Mr Peres said. "Terror leads to nowhere." Mr Biden's office "condemned in the strongest possible terms the brutal attack which occurred in Jaffa". "He expressed his sorrow at the tragic loss of American life and offered his condolences to the family of the American citizen murdered in the attack, as well as his wishes for a full and quick recovery for the wounded," the statement said. Minutes earlier there had been an attack in the city of Petah Tikva. The victim was stabbed in his upper body. He then managed to wrestle the knife from the attacker before stabbing him to death according to eyewitness reports. The attacks do not appear to have been coordinated but the violence will raise questions about whether Israel is in the midst of a worsening third Palestinian uprising, or Intifada. The stabbings and shootings have been happening on an almost daily basis for the last five months but today's level of violence represents an escalation. Story continues The Palestinian attackers have all appeared to have been acting alone, although Israeli security services claim social media and Palestinian television has been an inciting factor. Since the 'Stabbing Intifada' began in October last year there have been nearly 200 knife attacks and more than 80 shootings. The targets are Jewish Israeli civilians or the Israeli security forces. Analysts say the wave of violence is being driven by the frustration many Palestinians feel at the Israeli occupation and the lack of hope in the absence of a peace process. TAIPEI (Reuters) - In rare public comment on territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Taiwan's defence ministry warned on Wednesday that countries in the region were spending more on bolstering their military strength as tension in the area increased. Taiwan's claim to the South China Sea reflects that of mainland China, with both staking their territorial assertions on maps Chinese Nationalists drew up when they ruled the country before fleeing to Taiwan in 1949. But Taiwan has stayed relatively low-key on the issue unlike mainland China, which has been backing up its claims with the construction of ports and airstrips on remote islands in the disputed waters. "Neighbouring countries have increased their military budgets and weapons procurement and are adjusting some of their military deployments and conducting joint drills at sea," Taiwan Defence Minister Kao Kuang-chi told parliament as he presented it with his ministry's latest defence report. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam also have overlapping claims to parts of the energy-rich waters through which more than US$5 trillion of maritime trade passes each year. Last month, Taiwan's defence ministry cautioned "interested parties" to refrain from taking unilateral measures that would increase tension in the area, after it confirmed Chinese forces had deployed surface-to-air missiles on a tiny island in the South China Sea. The ministry said in its report that Taiwan continued to pay attention to the modernization of China's military, which reflected its determination "to protect its core interest". Beijing considers Taiwan one of its core interest and sees the island as a wayward province to be taken back by force if necessary. (Reporting by J.R. Wu; Editing by Robert Birsel) Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend: A senior Iranian commander has highlighted the country's capacity for producing missiles, saying the Islamic Republic does not have enough space for keeping its home-made missiles. "Our storing missiles capability is less than [our capability in] producing them," ISNA news agency quoted Hossein Salami, deputy commander of the Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as saying. "We have a large arsenal of ballistic missiles with various ranges that are ready to be launched against targets from numerous points in the country," he added. Saying that the IRGC forces launched several missiles on March 8 from underground bases, he added that the IRGC also launched the Qadir missiles on March 9. As part of the ongoing missile drills codenamed Eqtedar-e-Velayat 1, the IRGC hit pre-designated targets by Qadr H and Qadr F ballistic missiles in the country's southern coasts of Mokran on March 9. The IRGC launched the massive missile drills in several bases across the country on March 8. Some western experts have suggested that the missile drills have breached the terms of a July nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers, however, the White House said Iran's recent ballistic missile tests did not violate the nuclear agreement with Tehran. By Alistair Lyon (Reuters) - Amid Yemen's misery, two young women living in the war-damaged cities of Aden and Sanaa know they are among the relatively fortunate. They are not starving, their homes have not been destroyed and they have survived bombs and bullets unscathed. But both long to escape the conflict plunging their country ever deeper into catastrophe. Neither can see a way out. "I don't want to lose my life over a dream," says Nisma al-Ozebi, a 21-year-old civil engineering student in the southern port city of Aden. She hankers for a scholarship that would be her passport to a sanctuary in Europe, but adds: "I don't want to leave Yemen and live like a refugee." Yemen's civil war intensified sharply almost a year ago when a Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened with air strikes, a naval blockade and ground troops to counter Houthi rebels intent on seizing the whole country. The Houthis, Zaidi Shi'ite tribesmen now allied with an old enemy, former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, are seen by Riyadh as tools of regional arch-foe Iran, a charge they and Tehran deny. "You feel like death is waiting in every place," says Kholood al-Absi, 27, who lost her job with an oil services company in Sanaa late last year. "From the air it's Saudi planes. From the ground it's Houthis, car bombs, explosions, clashes. You feel the lives of Yemenis are very cheap." Reached by telephone at her home in the capital, she says: "I have a valid passport ... I'm just ready to go." But she admits it's a fantasy for now. Her family would never let her travel as a single woman, even if she had enough money to study abroad and seek a new life. Besides, she can't imagine crowding into a refugee boat for Djibouti. "It's very dangerous, so I think it's better for me to die in my home than to die far away," she laughs. For a graphic on Yemen's displaced population, click http://tmsnrt.rs/1QCEkUG MALNOURISHED CHILDREN About 170,000 people have fled Yemen so far, mostly to Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan. Most of them are not Yemenis, but returning refugees and other foreigners. The United Nations expects another 167,000 departures this year. Given the immense hardships in Yemen, a greater refugee exodus might have been expected. People fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and beyond have flooded into the EU since early 2015 causing a crisis. However, penned in by ocean and desert, with only Saudi Arabia and Oman as direct neighbours, Yemenis have no easy outlets - although Riyadh now allows those already in the kingdom to stay. Flights out are irregular at best. Former havens such as Jordan now demand visas and set tough conditions. Mogib Abdullah, a Yemeni spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, says his countrymen have in the past tended not to migrate for work much further than Saudi Arabia, are culturally reluctant to become refugees, and view getting to Europe as a very difficult option. "People do not really have the courage or means and resources to do it," he says. "I think they will just have to live with the realities they have. They are trapped and they will continue to be trapped, until the warring parties acknowledge that Yemenis deserve a better life at peace in their own country." The war has inflicted a devastating toll on 26 million Yemenis struggling to survive in an already impoverished country beset by acute water scarcity, poor governance and corruption. The United Nations estimates conservatively 6,000 people have been killed, about half of them civilians. It says four-fifths of Yemenis need outside aid. More than half have poor food supply and at least 320,000 children under five are severely malnourished. Upwards of 2.4 million have been forcibly displaced. STOLEN DREAMS Low living standards and education levels in Yemen mean Nisma and Kholood, with their hopes of visas to study in Europe, are the exception, not the rule. But if the war lasts longer, desperation might yet turn a trickle of refugees into a flood. "I was ambitious, I liked to dream, I had many plans in my head," says Kholood of her pre-war life. "But the war has stolen everything from me. I'm just thinking maybe I will die today or tomorrow. I feel like I'm dying but still breathing." The country she once knew has unravelled. "Now there is a big gap between Yemenis. Before, all of us, Sunni and Shi'ite, went to the same mosques, gathered in the same places. This war makes us ask which religion, which party, someone belongs to," she said. Evidence of worsening poverty is stark. "A lot of people are just begging for money and food. Some are well-educated people who lost their jobs and couldn't feed their children. This war has stolen their dignity," Kholood says. "I feel it's unbearable for me, but my situation is better than a lot of people."Kholood said she feels lonely because friends had left Yemen, sad because of relatives who had been killed and lacking purpose without the job she loved. Now, apart from domestic chores, she spends time on Facebook and watching the news, especially a channel that quickly reports the location of air strikes. "When we hear bombs, we go to this channel to see where they are falling," she says. Kholood has no love for the Houthis, but her initial support for the Saudi intervention has soured with the passage of time. "We feel it destroyed Yemen. Saudi Arabia and the other countries supporting it ... are just killing people without feeling any guilt. A lot of innocent people have been killed, civilians, children." MILITARY STALEMATE No end to the fighting is in sight. The Saudi-led coalition, mostly comprising Sunni Muslim Arab states, has failed to win a clear victory despite its air power and resources. The Houthis were pushed out of Aden in July by local Sunni militias backed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The main fighting has moved to fiercely contested Taiz and closer to the Houthi-held capital Sanaa in the north. Yet the battle-hardened Houthis are defiant. Holed up in Aden, Saudi-backed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi enjoys international recognition, but little popular support, even among his fellow-southerners. The war has fuelled Sunni-Shi'ite animosities, long muted in Yemen, and deepened rifts between the north and the once-independent south, where separatist sentiment runs high. Among the main beneficiaries of the mayhem are militants of al Qaeda and the newly implanted Islamic State. This unintended, if predictable, consequence of the war worries Saudi Arabia's main arms suppliers, the United States, Britain and France. Yet whatever their misgivings, Western powers provide munitions, intelligence, mid-air refuelling and other support for the Saudi-led coalition, despite what a U.N. panel describes as its "widespread and systematic attacks on civilian targets". Critics in Yemen and elsewhere accuse the United States and its allies of willingness to sacrifice Yemeni civilian lives to safeguard arms deals with Gulf states worth billions of dollars and to placate Saudi anger over a fragile Western detente with Iran, a suggestion Western officials dismiss. Caught up in the turmoil are millions of Yemenis, among them Kholood and Nisma, who live in daily fear. With her father and step-mother away in Jordan for medical reasons, Nisma was left in sole charge of her three younger siblings, including her five-year-old brother Mustafa, when fighting erupted near their home in March 2015. The Houthis and their allies were assaulting the airport in Aden, which Hadi had declared his temporary capital after being driven from Sanaa. Street battles raged for the next four months. Few supplies reached the blockaded city. AFGHANISTAN MODEL" Nisma and her siblings moved twice in search of safety. First, crammed into a neighbour's car with a family of five, to an aunt's house after a missile exploded next door. And then a few days later, when rockets and shells pounded their aunt's district, to their grandmother's home. The family, by now reunited, returned home to Aden's Khormaksar district when fighting abated in July and to their surprise found it undamaged, unlike many others. Nisma says a degree of normality has returned, with power and water restored. But she has lost any sense of personal security. "I go out of my house every day expecting I will be killed anywhere, at any time, by any guy," she says. Frequent assassinations and attacks by Islamist fighters, other factions and criminal gangs in the last six months illustrate new risks in a once-cosmopolitan Arabian Sea port. "They say they follow Islamic State, but who knows," Nisma reflects. "If they are bold enough to stop us and tell us to dress as they want, maybe one day they will lock us in our houses. The Afghanistan model is coming here soon." This fear drives her determination to escape a country where any hope for a better future has evaporated. "Everyone is thinking of leaving, but how and where?" (Reporting by Alistair Lyon, editing by Peter Millership and William Maclean) By Mohammed Ghobari and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin CAIRO/DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran-allied Houthis and their Saudi foes have begun talks to try to end Yemen's war, two officials said, in what appears their most serious bid to close a theatre of Saudi-Iranian rivalry deepening political tumult across the Middle East. A delegation from Yemen's Houthi movement is in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, they said, in the first visit of its kind since the war began last year between Houthi forces and an Arab military coalition led by Saudi Arabia, a foe of Tehran. The reported talks coincide with an apparent lull in fighting on the Saudi-Yemen border and in Saudi-led Arab coalition air strikes on the Houthi-held Yemeni capital Sanaa. Underlining the regional rifts, a senior Iranian military official meanwhile signalled that Iran could yet send military advisers to Yemen to help the Houthis. Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri, deputy chief of staff of the armed forces, suggested Iran could support the Houthis in a similar way it has backed President Bashar al-Assad's forces in Syria, in an interview with the Tasnim news agency. Asked if Iran would send military advisers to Yemen, as it had in Syria, Jazayeri said: "The Islamic Republic ... feels its duty to help the people of Yemen in any way it can, and to any level necessary." Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of backing Yemen's armed Houthi movement, which drove the internationally-recognised government into exile, triggering a Gulf intervention in March. SIX THOUSAND KILLED The United Nations says nearly 6,000 people have been killed in Yemen's fighting. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced. The two senior officials from the administrative body that runs parts of Yemen controlled by the Houthis said the Houthi visit to Saudi Arabia began on Monday at the invitation of Saudi authorities, following a week of secret preparatory talks. The Houthi delegation in Saudi Arabia is headed by Mohammed Abdel-Salam, the Houthis' main spokesman and a senior adviser to Houthi leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, the officials said. Abdel-Salam previously led Houthi delegates in talks in Oman that paved the way for U.N.-sponsored talks in Switzerland last year. A spokesman for the Saudi-led Arab coalition fighting to restore President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power could not immediately be reached for comment. A Saudi foreign ministry spokesman could also not be reached. Like Syria, Yemen is contested turf in Shi'ite Muslim Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia's power struggle across the Middle East, which has played out along largely sectarian lines. Tehran views the Houthis as the legitimate authority in Yemen but denies providing any material support to them. The Houthis say they are a fighting a revolution against a corrupt government and its Gulf Arab backers. (Additional reporting by Sami Aboudi, Yara Bayoumy, Editing by William Maclean and Ralph Boulton) KKR has agreed to buy into seeds provider Advanta Enterprises in a deal which values the business at about $2.25bn. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Iran continues sending military forces to Syria, said Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh, a commander of the IRGC Aerospace Division. "We are with the Syrian people, but we help the Syrian nation and government on the request of the Bashar al-Assad government," Hajizadeh said, Tasnim news agency reported March 9. Hajizadeh made the remarks while responding to a reporter's question about halting the dispatching of military forces to Syria. "We have not stopped and will continue doing so," Hajizadeh said. He added that Iran will help the Syrian government as per requested by it. Tehran has always expressed support for the Syrian government since it views the Assad regime as its main strategic ally in the region and as part of an "axis of resistance" against Israel. Western countries accuse Iran of running military operations in Syria, but Tehran denies these accusations. Iranian officials have repeatedly stressed that they only provide military consultations to Syrian forces. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend: On the occasion of the National Tree Planting Week in Iran, the country's President Hassan Rouhani has planted a tree in the compound of the president office aimed at encouraging people and groups to plant and care for trees. Criticizing wrong measures taken in the country regarding environment over the past several years, President Rouhani, called on the country's officials to confront those who destroy forests, IRIB news agency reported. "Unfortunately, the statistics show that wrong measures have been taken regarding deforestation over the past several years in the country," Rouhani said. He further said that the executive and judicial branches of government as well as the nation and media should join efforts to protect the environment, forests and pastures. Iranians annually observe the National Tree Planting week between March 5-12. Last November, the deputy head of Iranian Department of Environment (DOE) within the President's Office, Esmail Kahrom told Trend that the DOE suffered from lack of funds and human resources. He added that lack of funds and human resources prevent the department from taking proper measures to protect the forests. Smuggling of wood, unauthorized cut downs, wildfires as well as unauthorized pasturage of livestock are among the main reasons for deforestation in Iran. Modified On Mar 09, 2016 04:06 PM By Sumit Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has organised loyalty camps all across India. Car owners can now avail a free checkup at these camps, as of today. The event will conclude by March 12, 2016 and along with free checkups, the automaker is also offering a free car wash. Fiat is giving discounts of up to Rs. 1.25 lakh on new models, throughout the duration of the camp. The discount works towards as being an added attraction, along with being a contributor towards garnering public's attention. To make the initiative even more lucrative, a 10 percent discount is being provided on labour charge. Vehicles which are older than three years, get spare parts at adiscounted rate of 15 percent, while the newer ones get a discount of 5 percent during the 4-day event. The Italian-American brand expressed that customer satisfaction is of foremost importance to the company. Expressing his pleasure over the initiative, Mr. Kevin Flynn, president and managing director of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles India Operations said, The year 2016 marks an important year for FCA India as we foresee interesting times ahead in our long term goal to widen our existing customer base in India and retain existing Fiat consumer. The nationwide Fiat Loyalty Camps is not only a part of our extensive strategy to connect Fiat owners to the brand but also an effort to strengthen our relationship with our valuable customers. We are committed to provide world class products and services to our customers here and 100% customer satisfaction remains our constant endeavour. Fiat recently showcased its lineup at the Indian Auto Expo 2016. Some of its products are even making headlines at the Geneva Motor Show 2016. The carmaker also launched the Punto Pure recently at the Indian automobile event, with a price tag of Rs. 4.49 lakh. Also Read: Mahindra Announces Free Service Camp Published On Mar 09, 2016 09:35 AM By Akshit Jaguar Land Rover India has inaugurated a new dealership in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Located at an easily accessible location within the city, the 3S (Sales, Service and Spare parts) facility has a 12 bay workshop with the body, paint and Approved facility (for Certified Pre-owned vehicles). Inaugurated by Cyrus P. Mistry, Group Chairman, Tata Group, the showroom is the JLR's 5th dealership in Maharashtra. Jaguar Land Rover now has a distribution network of 23 outlets in 22 major cities across India. The dealership will retail the entire range of Jaguar Land Rover. The Jaguar lineup includes the XF, XJ, F-Type and the recently-launched XE. The models on offer from the Land Rover stable will be the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Discovery 4, new Range Rover Evoque and the new Discovery Sport. This dealership facility has been designed to provide the highest quality of sales and after-sales services that has highly trained technicians to help serve customers better and reinforce Jaguar Land Rovers vision of setting a new benchmark for excellence in customer experience, JLR said in a statement. Commenting on the occasion, Rohit Suri, President, Jaguar Land Rover India Ltd (JLRIL), said We are delighted to introduce a new dealership facility in Aurangabad. This fifth showroom in the State of Maharashtra reiterates our commitment to tap the growing potential of premium cars and strengthens our foothold in the region. Unlike customers of other premium German brands, JLR customers in Aurangabad and surrounding areas need no longer be dependent on Mumbai or Pune workshops for servicing of their cars. They will be able to access, a state of art JLR workshop & spare parts store right at their doorstep." Also Read: Range Rover Evoque Expert Review Modified On Feb 22, 2017 06:25 PM By Sumit for Tata Tiago 2015-2019 Tata will be commencing the bookings for its to-be-launched hatchback, the Tiago, from tomorrow, i.e. March 10, 2016. The car can be booked for a token amount of Rs. 10,000. Expected to be launched on March 28, 2016, this vehicle will play a crucial role in reviving Tata Motors from the sales slump it is currently witnessing. Tata is also giving people a chance to meet its brand ambassador and football legend, Lionel Messi. Those who book the Tiago can enter a contest to meet the Argentinian footballer. The ones who come up with the most creative answer to I love Tata TIAGO because" will make it to the first list of qualifiers. Finally, 5 winners will be given a chance to go to Barcelona and meet the man himself. The winners will also be allowed to take one person of their choice along with them. Previously called 'Zica', the Tiago is the replacement for the ageing Tata Indica eV2. Stepping into the Indica's shoes is no easy task, which explains why Tata is taking its own sweet time to launch the hatchback. The Tiago will be placed between the Bolt and the Nano and will compete against the likes of the Hyundai Grand i10 and the Maruti Suzuki Celerio. Although the rivals are well settled in this segment, Tiagos new Impact design philosophy and a plethora of features will ensure the customers that they have a good alternative. The car comes with safety features like ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System), EBD (Electronic BrakeForce Distribution) and Corner Stability Control, and also gets refreshed interiors including a Harman music system with 8-speakers. The Tiago will be offered with a diesel, as well as a petrol engine. The diesel motor is an all-new 1.05-litre three-cylinder unit which is capable of generating 69bhp of power with a peak torque of 140Nm. On the other hand, the petrol is a 1.2-litre inline 3-cylinder unit, churning out 84bhp and 114Nm. The carmaker showcased the Tiago and its sedan sibling, Kite 5, at the Indian Auto Expo 2016. Both the offerings recently surfaced at the Geneva Motor Show as well. All that is left to know, is the pricing. If Tata does manage to hit the sweet spot with the pricing, the Tiago looks all set to repeat the Indica's success story. Watch First Drive of Tata Tiago Also Read: Will Tiago Make a Difference? Battle of Hatchbacks: Tiago vs Beat vs Celerio vs i10 Tata Tiago: Will It Change Tata Motors' Fortunes? Tehran, Iran, March 9 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: The IAEA Board of Governors has welcomed Iran's adherence to its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran Ambassador to the IAEA Reza Najafi said. It was also agreed that IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano continue to provide reports as he has, he told IRNA news agency March 9. Two days earlier Amano presented IAEA's report on Iran, saying the body had no indications of a diversion of nuclear material toward non-civilian purposes. "The Agency has found no indication of the diversion of declared nuclear material from peaceful nuclear activities in Iran," Amano said in his introductory statement to the Board of Governors on Monday. "Iran's Additional Protocol has been provisionally implemented since January 16th, 2016," he added. The JCPOA, reached between Iran and the group 5+1 (the US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany), was put to force on January 16, ending a long dispute over Iran's nuclear program. Elsewhere in his remarks, Najafi said that there are no special inspectors in Iran, but rather some inspectors as regularly assigned by the IAEA for all countries. Home Depot agreed to a multimillion dollar settlement with a class of up to 53 million consumers whose payment card or email data was stolen during the retailers 2014 data breach, according to new documents filed in a Georgia District Court. The chain of home improvement stores agreed to pay $13 million to consumers for out-of-pocket losses, unreimbursed charges and time spent dealing with accounts affected by the data breach, as well as at least $6.5 million to provide class members with 18 months of identity protection services. In addition, the retailer will also pay up to $8.775 million in plaintiffs attorney fees and expenses. The Scottish government has been accused of pushing the panic button after it finally came up with extra money for cash-strapped farmers. A botched 178m IT system means nearly half of the countrys farmers are still waiting for their share of 400m worth of BPS payments, which were supposed to begin arriving in December. Now up to 200m of public funds will be used to provide cash support while delayed BPS claims are being processed, the Scottish government has announced. See also: Scottish farmers to get LFA support cash as crisis deepens Hundreds of Scottish farmers and crofters are planning to protest outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on Thursday (10 March) to highlight the deepening cash crisis in Scotlands countryside, which has starved the rural economy of hundreds of millions of pounds. By Monday (7 March), 10,164 first instalments worth about 80% of basic and greening payments had been made. This equates to almost 56% of eligible claims. The Scottish governments pledge means any farmers and crofters who have not received their first instalment by the end of March will automatically receive a cash advance out of the national fund, worth 80% of their BPS claim. Poor prices and market conditions Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the move before a meeting with NFU Scotland leaders on Tuesday. She said: The transition to a new, more complex CAP that is affecting payment schedules right across Europe is happening as farmers and crofters are dealing with poor market prices and challenging weather conditions. We are less than halfway through the payment window allowed by Europe, and the majority of Scottish producers more than 10,000 have already received a subsidy payment. However, payments are not being made as quickly as we would like. I very much recognise the cashflow issues facing Scottish agriculture, which underpins our 14bn food and drink industry. That is why the Scottish government has earmarked up to 200m of national funds so that any farmer or crofter who has not received an instalment by the end of March receives a nationally-funded payment from the Scottish government in April. Scottish rural affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead confirmed that this would also enable Scottish Beef Scheme payments to be made in the middle of April, in line with previous years. He said: We are continuing efforts to speed up progress, such as taking on extra staff, but given the current difficulties facing Scottish agriculture, the Scottish government will use national funds to ensure farmers and crofters will receive support, totalling hundreds of millions of pounds, in the coming weeks. Flawed CAP computer system Both the Scottish Conservatives and NFU Scotland have called for a full and independent inquiry into BPS payment delays and the Scottish governments flawed 178m IT system, which the union said was not fit for purpose. The Scottish Conservatives accused ministers of panicking, and acting too late to help farmers. Scottish Conservative rural affairs spokesman Alex Fergusson said: The SNP has well and truly pushed the panic button. Its taken far too long for the Scottish government to act, and that has hurt rural Scotland. It was first warned two years ago that this IT system was not fit for purpose, and that has proved to be the case. An extra 200m fund will not address that issue, and that is why we still need a full, independent inquiry into this. Although it has taken too long, we do welcome the support package, which appears to have come as a result of pressure from the Scottish Conservatives as well as the farming community. Union demands met Speaking after meeting the first minister, NFU Scotland president Allan Bowie said: The log jam has broken. For months, NFU Scotland has been looking for focused thinking and clear leadership from the Scottish government to resolve this farm payments crisis for the benefit of the whole rural economy. We welcome the first ministers involvement and intervention and finally we have clear timelines drawn when all Basic Payment Scheme claimants will receive the majority of their claims; when hill farmers and crofters will receive the majority of their Less Favoured Areas scheme money and beef payments have been promised in mid-April. That meets many of the demands NFU Scotland has raised with the Scottish government as a direct result of the cashflow crisis that has emerged in recent months. I praise the efforts of all those farmers, crofters and trade representatives who have taken time to brief politicians in the past few weeks. The flawed IT system to deliver CAP payments, funded by 180m of taxpayers money, desperately needs to be addressed and investigated and that must happen in due course. Not least because the 2016 scheme is expected to open for electronic applications in a few days time. Right now, lets focus on getting this vital money into circulation, fill the 300m hole that has been created in Scotlands rural economy and lets get Scotlands farmers and crofters back to the job of producing food and doing business again with all those trades that rely on a thriving agricultural sector. Farmers and crofters who have submitted a basic, greening or Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) application in 2015 will be sent a letter explaining what their government plans to do and what it means for them. Applicants should read the terms and conditions in the letter carefully when it arrives. Any queries should be directed to the Rural Payments customer helpline on 0300 300 2222. Rural business leaders have again urged the government to prepare a plan B that would give farmers certainty in the event that the UK votes to leave the European Union. The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said farm jobs and investment would be at risk unless ministers prepared for the possibility of an EU exit following the in-out referendum on 23 June. See also: Farm leaders demand answers to great unknowns of EU exit Ministers must be ready to give immediate commitments to farmers and rural businesses after the referendum on key issues vital to the continued health of the rural economy, said a CLA report. Published on Wednesday (9 March), the report sets out what the CLA describes as critical elements that the government should be planning for whatever the outcome of the in-out referendum. The document is called Leave or Remain: The Decisions that Politicians must make to support the Rural Economy (PDF). It emerged earlier this year that no Defra officials are working on plans for agriculture should the UK decide leave the EU. The CLA report calls for reassurances on EU trade, direct payments, regulations and access to labour. But the government argues that it is up to leave campaigners to make the case for an EU exit. Farmers need certainty CLA president Ross Murray said: Whatever your views on the future of the UKs relationship with the EU, it is clear that the rural economy has been shaped by agricultural and environmental policies drawn up at EU level since we joined. Through the single market, Europe is an important destination for our products. The EU manages vital direct land management payments to farmers, and workers from the EU are critical to our agricultural labour force. For more than 40 years, the EU had provided the regulatory framework that governed the way UK farming businesses operated, said Mr Murray. It was also the basis of significant investment decisions. Farmers needed certainty and answers. Most urgently, farmers needed confirmation that CAP payments would continue until the end of the budget period in 2020, said Mr Murray. If the UK votes to leave, there are immediate commitments that will need to be made by government to ensure the continued health of farming. Defra minister George Eustice is campaigning for the UK to leave the EU a position which puts him at odds with Defra secretary Liz Truss, who believes the UK should remain an EU member. Mr Eustice has outlined his own fledgling plans for agriculture following an EU exit. But industry leaders have cast doubts on the viability those proposals. Acknowledging that government may not wish to reveal its own official plans before polling day, Mr Murray said it was still critical to know that the right plans were being formed. Failure to plan for Brexit will put rural jobs and investment in the rural economy at serious risk, he added. If the UK votes to leave, ministers will need to confirm they will develop a UK agricultural policy that ensures the necessary investment in farming and land management continues outside the CAP, up to 2020 and beyond. The CLA report does not advocate a position on whether the UK should leave or remain in the EU, but sets out what the organisation believes ministers must decide and by when. Mr Murray said: If we vote to remain, there are still critical commitments that ministers will need to make. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend: Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) test-fired two ballistic missiles on the last day of the ongoing missile drills codenamed Eqtedar-e-Velayat 1. On March 9, the IRGC hit pre-designated targets by Qadr H and Qadr F ballistic missiles in a range of 1,400 km in the country's southern coasts of Mokran, state-run IRINN TV reported. According to the report the missiles are capable of striking targets within the 2,000 km range. The IRGC launched the massive missile drill in several bases across the country on March 8. Iranian media have not provided further details on the locations from where the missile launches took place. Some western experts suggested that the missile drill has breached the terms of a July nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers, however the White House said Iran's recent ballistic missile tests did not violate the nuclear agreement with Tehran. Tehran held a similar drill last May and tested a series of its newest domestically-made missiles. According to Iran's media reports, the country has made great achievements in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems in recent years. Monterey 8 Fundraiser (Slam Poets, Music, and More!) Date: Saturday, March 12, 2016 Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Event Type: Concert/Show Organizer/Author: Direct Action Monterey Network Location Details: Old Capitol Books, 559 Tyler Street, downtown Monterey Saturday 12 March 2016, 7pm: Slam poet Brian Sheffield is back in Monterey and will be sharing his gritty verse to raise money for the Monterey 8. Brian Sheffield, a Monterey local and CSUMB alumnus, has been living in New York for over a year and making a name for himself. Attending local open mics and poetry slams, it wasnt long before Sheffield was invited read at events and publish in New Yorks literary journals and magazines. In the past few years, his work has appeared in the Outcryer, the Ishaan Literary Review, The Waggle Magazine, The Monterey Poetry Review, Hot Mess Zine, The Lone Cypress, and is in the poetry anthology Before Passing. Brian Sheffield has published three chapbooks: Songs from Heavens Crooked Teeth, Sin(g), and an untitled chapbook that you can read here. Check out his performance of Dear God at Rimes of The Ancient Mariner August 26, 2015 at Three of Cups Lounge, New York: Brian Sheffield will be joined by other poets and musicians, TBA. This event is a fundraiser to raise money for the Monterey 8 the group of CSUMB students and alumni who were arrested last year at the Black and Brown Lives Matter demonstration in Monterey. Suggested donation $10 (no one turned away for lack of funds) All donations will go to support the Monterey 8. Solidarity with revolutionary Rojava! Date: Sunday, March 13, 2016 Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Event Type: Other Organizer/Author: Ron Kelch Location Details: Niebyl-Proctor Library 6501 Telegraph Ave. (at Alcatraz) Oakland, Ca. In Rojava, Kurds brought a new life to an archaic communal form. Equality for women became a crucial aspect of a social revolution. See Witnessing Revolution in Rojava by Paul Z. Simons in current issue of News & Letters (newsandletters.org). It is a contrast to the crucible of death that Syria has become at the hands of old counter-revolutionary nationalisms and imperialisms, the most vile of which is the Islamic State. All state players are united in trying to erase the revolutionary humanist challenge to Assad awoken by Arab Spring. Can Rojavas revolution afford to stop at Bookchins democratic confederalism, adapted by Ocalan as the opposite to the vanguardism of Marxist-Leninism? What about the revolutionas internal contradictions, for example, Kurds participation in Putins blitzkrieg against human forces fighting Assad in Syria? What do we need to finally break the cycle of revolutions that transfrom into their opposite? Santa Cruz City Council votes down change to sleeping ban law by zh The Santa Cruz City Council voted 5 to 2 against a change to the law that would decriminalize public sleeping, covering with a blanket, and sleeping in a vehicle. The Santa Cruz city council voted 5 to 2 opposed this evening against an amendment to the city law Municipal Code 6.36.010, also known as the camping ban. The proposed amendment would have removed references to sleeping and covering up with a blanket from the text of the law, as well as removing references to sleeping in cars. Effectively, these changes would have made it legal for people sleeping outdoors to do so without fear of citation by police. Ex-mayor Don Lane brought the amendment forward with an effort to allay community fears that such a change would lead to sudden influxes of people into the community or increases in behaviors many commonly associate with unhoused people. Councilmember Lane specifically referred to camping, public defecation and urination, and littering, with the point that laws already exist in the Santa Cruz municipal code that make these behaviors illegal. Thus, the proposed amendment to the camping law would have little effect on the tools that the police force already uses to control such activity. Other councilmembers had many questions and concerns for Lane. They discussed issues of encouraging houseless people to come to Santa Cruz, maintaining tools for police to use to discourage houselessness in general, and whether city resources could be better spent on assistance programs over decriminalization efforts. Considerable bad feeling followed some of their questions, as the crowd of people present for the council's discussion was almost overwhelmingly in support of Lane's proposed change. The council chamber was entirely packed, with completely full benches and many people standing in the rear and along the walls. Very few people spoke against the change during the public discussion period, though some were present. Common sentiments from those who spoke against the amendment included fears of increased presence of car sleepers in local neighborhoods, revulsion at public defecation or urination, and the idea that more houseless people would come to Santa Cruz if sleeping were decriminalized. Supporters of the amendment spoke repeatedly about the morality of criminalizing people for sleeping outdoors given no other alternatives, the negative effects of sleep deprivation on houseless people trying to keep themselves healthy enough physically and mentally to get off the street, and fears of lawsuits against the city or loss of federal money due to new funding criteria from the department of Housing and Urban Development. Councilmember Lane also mentioned HUD in his presentation. He referenced a consultant hired by the city to deal with applications for funding, who stated in an email that criminalization laws were likely to negatively impact Santa Cruz's application for money from HUD. Councilmember Rochelle Noroyan questioned the city manager and city attorney on this point, who responded that the possibility of losing large sums of money was unlikely, given that this particular issue was worth only a few points in the city's application for Continuum of Care funding. Continuum of Care is the series of programs and bodies shared between the city and county that provide services for houseless people. Several angry outbursts occurred during the meeting. In particular, one person present yelled out at Councilmember Pamela Comstock You need to get off it lady! You don't know what it's like, you're just out there! Comstock had, just before this outburst, made the assertion that the average of forty camping tickets given per week by Parks and Recreation rangers was not excessive. After the council voted, the room erupted in angry mutterings which built rapidly to chants of Shame on you! Shame on you! Several members of the assembled crowd stood at the rail between the council and audience benches and shouted at the councilmembers as they exited the chambers. They appeared to fluster the councilmembers to no small degree; Councilmember Comstock actually flipped one angry community member her middle finger on her way out. A lot of energy was present among the people waiting around after the council session. Clearly this issue was not put to rest last night and it's likely that Santa Cruz will be in for more activity around the camping ban in the near future. Nyquist Pedigree Fine for Kentucky Derby 142: Undefeated Nyquist currently competes for the top spot in many Kentucky Derby (GI) Top 5 or 10 lists, but only by default. The skeptics focus heavily on his pedigree which features Uncle Mo on top and a Forestry mare on the bottom. For many handicappers, those two names alone eliminate him from consideration. If successful in the Derby, the talented colt owned by Reddam Racing and trained by Doug ONeill, will prove experts wrong. Yet, at first glance, his pedigree is not that bad, or at least lacks enough evidence to disqualify him. For instance, think about Uncle Mo and his progenys record at 10 furlongs. None of them ever tried it! Without evidence of his foals at longer distances, the sires actual record and pedigree must be analyzed. Admittedly, Uncle Mo ran as a precocious type who seemed better at shorter distances. He swept all three starts as a 2-year-old colt in 2010, including the one-turn Champagne (GI) and two-turn Breeders Cup Juvenile (GI). When he returned next spring at Gulfstream Park in a race timely written for him in the Timely Writer Stakes, he won a one-turn event again easily over Rattlesnake Bridge, who turned out to be a decent horse. The special aura came off though in the Wood Memorial (GI) at Aqueduct, where he faded to third and lost to Tobys Corner. Perhaps the Timely Writer, which appeared to be a good idea at the time, did not prepare Uncle Mo sufficiently for a more challenging prep such as the Wood Memorial. He almost won the Gulfstream race too easily. Uncle Mo went on the bench with a mysterious liver problem and came back in August, where he finished a fine second in the Kings Bishop Stakes (GI) at Saratoga. Trainer Todd Pletcher sent him to the Kelso Handicap a month later, and Uncle Mo displayed his brilliance again in the mud going one-turn around Belmont Park. Horses who run in high-level one-turn dirt races around late summer and fall normally point towards the Breeders Cup Sprint (GI) or Dirt Mile (GI). Instead, Pletcher and owner Mike Repole decided to give the 10-furlong Breeders Cup Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs a try, off a one-turn Belmont prep race with only four horses. Unfortunately, Uncle Mo finished 10th. The race chart looks a bit unusual, in that the entire field was separated by a few lengths at the end. Also, besides Game On Dude, closing horses dominated the finish. Without one more 10-furlong race to study from Uncle Mo, it is difficult to state he was not able to go the distance. In addition, horses who ran as a sprinter or miler in their careers sired Kentucky Derby winners before. Elusive Quality, whose big graded stakes victories came in one-turn grass races at Belmont Park, sired 2004 Derby champion Smarty Jones. Also, sprinter/miler Distorted Humor sired 2003 Derby victor Funny Cide. As for Nyquists dam side, it is not as poor as initially expected. Even Steve Haskin of Blood-Horse dismissed critics of the bottom half of Nyquists family in his blog. Nyquists broodmare sire is out of a Pleasant Colony mare, his second dam is by Seeking the Gold, and his bottom line traces to (two-mile) Jockey Club Gold Cup winners and Hall of Famers Buckpasser and Arts and Letters, the award-winning turf writer wrote in his most recent Derby Dozen column. Seeking Gabrielle, the dam of Nyquist, raced in claiming races (which means her record has less credibility in determining her favored distances) and only has one other unraced 2-year-old filly. The dam of Seeking Gabrielle, Seeking Regina, won two races and they were both sprints. However, she had only one attempt at route, and it came in a one-turn Belmont race versus the elite-filly Flanders. Seeking Regina had an extensive broodmare career. Her other daughter Seeking It All placed in a couple of graded stakes races at Saratoga, but she won a one-turn route at Belmont next year by over seven lengths. Furthermore, another foal named Seeking No More had enough stamina to last in a steeplechase event over two miles! Yet another one of Seeking Reginas foals, Seeking the Sky, produced a top-class one-turn dirt horse named Sahara Sky. While Sahara Sky struggled in two-turn routes, his last effort came in the San Diego Handicap (GII) at the twilight of his career, and a couple of his previous tries were in grass races. On the assumption Nyquist fares well in his nine-furlong debut (the Florida Derby at Gulfstream) coming soon, bettors should not be so quick to dismiss Nyquist based on pedigree. It is easy to become caught up believing what others believe. Ignore what anyone else wrote, study the family and come to a unique conclusion. San Francisco, CA A San Francisco family who filed an A San Francisco family who filed an asbestos lawsuit against Ford Motor Co. has been given the go ahead to continue their lawsuit against Ford and two other defendants. A state appeals court reinstated the lawsuit finding that the family provided enough evidence that a jury should decide whether or not Ford was responsible for the victims asbestos exposure, which resulted in his developing mesothelioma. Gene Lepores asbestos story began in 1974, when he was hired as a civilian trainer at the Coast Guard base in Port Hueneme, according to(2/9/16). During that time, Lepores duties involved regularly stopping at a vehicle repair shop to oversee the work of mechanics. It was at the vehicle repair shop that he was allegedly exposed to asbestos from vehicle brakes.In 2010, Lepore died of mesothelioma, a fatal lung condition linked to asbestos exposure. Before he died, however, Lepore filed a lawsuit against Ford and other defendants, alleging his exposure to asbestos in their products resulted in his mesothelioma. In 2012, that lawsuit was dismissed, with the Superior Court Judge finding that the plaintiffs did not prove that Lepore was in the vicinity when Ford products, or the products of other defendants, were being repaired. But an appeals court recently disagreed with that finding and reinstated the lawsuit against Ford, Navistar and Kelsy-Hayes. The dismissal of the suit against Gibbs International was upheld.Lawsuits were reportedly initially filed against more than 12 companies, with many of those already reaching settlements with Geraldine Lepore and her children.Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is used in a variety of products, including insulation for pipes, vehicle brakes and building materials. It has been linked to mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. According to OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration), there is no safe level of asbestos exposure and use of asbestos is regulated by OSHA and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).Asbestos exposures as short in duration as a few days have caused mesothelioma in humans, OSHA notes. Every occupational exposure to asbestos can cause injury of disease; every occupational exposure to asbestos contributes to the risk of getting an asbestos related disease.Workers who have been exposed to asbestos as part of their job duties have filed lawsuits against their employers and the makers of products that contain asbestos, alleging they were not properly warned about the risks of asbestos and were not provided proper protection from asbestos exposure. Request Legal Help Please complete this form to request a review of your complaint by an attorney. First Name Last Name Email Address Phone Number Zip/Postal Code Defendant (Who caused the harm?) 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Doing so places you under no obligations and does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Receive our weekly newsletter from our sister publication LawyersandSettlements with the latest lawsuit news and legal information. The Astros reached agreement with manager A.J. Hinch on a revised contract at some point earlier in the offseason, Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle reports. His new agreement is said to increase his earnings and put[] him in position to remain with the club longer. All told, says Drellich, Hinch now appears to have a guaranteed term that runs through 2018. Precise details remain hazy in large part because the exact terms of Hinchs original contract were never entirely clear. Reports at the time pegged it at three years and an option, but he has suggested that may not have been the case. Regardless of whether this deal is properly termed an extension, or whether it is just includes the exercise of an option year, it obviously reflects an enhanced commitment from the organization. Hinch impressed on all fronts last year, bringing a broad skillset to the job and drawing positive reviews from GM Jeff Luhnow and owner Jim Crane. The proof was in the pudding, of course, as the new-look Stros surged to the post-season and very nearly took the AL West. With a host of exciting young players returning, and a few key additions plugged in over the winter, expectations are high in Houston for 2016. That doesnt mean a repeat will be easy; the entire American League has hopes of contending, and the western division in particular seems wide open. Tehran, Iran, March 9 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: Iran has released some 40 million cubic meters of water from the Mahabad Dam to rescue the Urmia lake, which is under threat of drying out completely. Announcing the news, Mahabad City Water Management Organization Director Mohammad Abdollahi said the sluices were opened a day earlier and will remain open for 25 more days, IRNA news agency reported March 9. "Right now over 178 million cubic meters of water is stored behind the dam which is 80 million more than last year," he stated. On the same day, Isa Kalantari, director of Staff for Reviving Lake Urmia, said the government has consigned $7 billion to reviving the lake. Welcoming any international help to revive Lake Urmia, Kalantari regretted that the total foreign aid has not surpassed $20 million so far. He added if a ten-year plan goes well, the lake's water level will reach 1,274 meters from sea level by 2025, and the lake will be 4,300 square kilometers wide. Low precipitation and unbridled usage of surface and underground waters has run Iran into a serious water crisis. Lake Urmia is in the northwest of Iran. Over 70 percent of its area has dried up. The level has been declining since 1995. Its area is about 6,000 square kilometers. Lake Urmia needs 3.1 billion cubic meters of water per year to survive. If the lake dries out completely, serious environmental hazards will threaten the lives of people in the area. President Hassan Rouhani has set up a working group for saving Lake Urmia. - FG said all tariff plans introduced by the telecom operators need to be properly investigated to ensure that there are no hidden charges - FG said it would henceforth take advantage of new technology to verify the amount of revenue generated by operators Minister of communications technology, Adebayo Shittu, The federal government has lined up fresh heavy sanctions against telecommunications companies in the country. According to the minister of communications technology, Adebayo Shittu, the government would impose severe sanctions on telecos who defrauded Nigerians through poor quality of service, incessant dropped calls and other unauthorised charges. The Oyo born minister accused the operators of under-declaring revenue and profit, saying the Federal Government would henceforth take advantage of new technology to verify the amount of revenue generated by operators via government regulatory and revenue agencies such as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). This action must stop immediately or else severe sanctions will be imposed on any operators that violate this directive, the minister said. READ ALSO: Bribery: Sarakis media speaks on giving journalists money The minister listed the complaints against the telecommunication operators as extortion of subscribers, incessant drop calls, poor quality of service, dead or salient calls and cross talk, data bundle roll over and call tariff plans. Others are deficiency in data penetration, rollout of 4G/LTE network, under-declared revenue and profit, disengagement of Nigerian tax paying employees through out-sourcing to foreign companies and discrepancy and discriminination against Nigerian employeees by telecom operators. There is a need for all network operators to consider rolling over the monthly unused data by the subscribers to the new month. No operator should wipe out the unused data of any subscriber going forward, Shittu said. He added all tariff plans introduced by the telecom operators need to be properly investigated to ensure that there are no hidden charges. Source: Legit.ng Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 Trend: Kakha Kaladze, Georgian deputy prime minister, minister of energy, said that the Georgian Dream coalition was established to overthrow ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili's team through election, Sputnik Georgia reported March 9. He said that there is nothing tragic if the coalition collapses. "The coalition's main purpose was to replace Saakashvili's regime through election and this happened," Kaladze told Rustavi 2 TV company. The minister said that he would like to participate in the next election with the entire coalition. The Georgian Dream coalition came to power following the parliamentary election of 2012. The next election will be held in the autumn of 2016. The Georgian media reported about a possible collapse of the Georgian Dream coalition in connection with the confrontation within the coalition. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 Trend: Georgia will finalize the agreement with Russian Gazprom company in the coming days, Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze said, Georgia online reported March 9. A verbal agreement with Gazprom has been achieved that the terms will remain the same, and Georgia will receive 10 percent of the natural gas from its transit to Armenia, said Kaladze. The energy minister also touched upon the agreement reached by the Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR and called it "important". "The gas supply has been a relevant topic in recent months," said Kaladze adding that the Energy Ministry negotiated on several fronts in order to provide the country with natural gas and satisfy the existing today need in Georgia. "A very important agreement with SOCAR was finalized last week and it should be welcomed," added Kaladze. He noted that Azerbaijan will increase the supply of gas to Georgia by 463 million cubic meters per year as a result of the agreement. - Nigerian youths should know that nobody is ready to spoon-feed them anymore in the present day Nigeria - A good number of the citizens are blaming President Muhammadu Buhari for the current economic downturns the country is facing - It is high time people thought outside the box and stop to angelise or demonise others One of the things Nigerian youths love doing is to pass the blame for whatever challenges they are facing onto other people. Although, a few people are involved in epicaricacy of these youths, however, one will not shun away from the the fact that these young able-bodied men and women need to look inwards. According to a Chinese Proverb, he who blames others has a long way to go on his journey. He who blames himself is halfway there. He who blames no one has arrived. The above saying is apt for the Nigerian youths. It is highly instructive. This is because you often hear excuses like, I turned to crime because I don't have anyone to sponsor my education beyond secondary school level, or There is no hope for the youths in this country called Nigeria, and so many other unwarranted statements. The economic state of any society or country will always be favourable to some people, while others will be discontented. But the main thing for anyone to do is to know how to use his critical thinking and intuition to remove himself from the web of the day-to-day complaints. A young female carrying a placard indicating her state of lack of job Some of the reasons why Nigerian youths have a role to play in their state of unfavourable situation is stated briefly below: 1. Lack of innovative ideas There is a saying that a person will continue to get the same result over and over several times if he continues to do what he does in the same manner. In today's world, everyone should be IT-complainant. There is hardly any task performed without an input with the use of the computer. In this 21st century, some youths still do not know how to operate the computer. They can not do basic tasks with the computer. They therefore lag behind. These kind of individuals continue to grumble that President Muhammadu Buhari has done nothing since he was sworn in May, last year. While some of their peers dig deep to remove themselves from poverty and do away with complains, they bring no new thing to the table. 2. Unending passion for alcoholic drinks The future of Nigerian youths is really at stake. All sorts of alcoholic drinks have taken over their lives. Some of these alcoholic beverages come with very high alcoholic content which could damage the liver. These youths believe when they take these drinks, they relieve them of all their worries. In the real sense, this is not the case. These drinks add more to their problems, as they think less of how to remove themselves from the pangs of abject poverty. 3. Engaging in different types of gambling activities It is in only in Nigeria an unemployed youth is actively involved in gambling. For instance, a young man who ought to find means to save money in order to start a petty trade will not do so. He will rather prefer to use the money to gamble. At the end of the day, he has no money. He continues to ask for pocket-money from his parents or guardians despite being over 30 years of age. READ ALSO: Who will save Ogun state residents? 4. Extravagant lifestyle Some youths live above their means of livelihood. Some of them inherit their father's or mother's properties but squander them on women of virtue and bad mates. They lack basic money management tips. This habit of theirs continue until all the money is wasted without any tangible investment. They make a U-turn when they are dead broke and blame their family members and relations for their lack of money. Some of them even say their problems are spiritual in nature. 5. Prostitution/fornication It is disheartening to see the rate at which young females are involved in the trade of prostitution. They are called commercial sex workers. When these ladies are sent to school to better their status in the society, they turn to prostitution business in order to make ends meet. Some of them may become infected with all sorts of sexually transmitted infections and venereal diseases like HIV/AIDS, syphilis and staphylococcus. They later become object of ridicule to the men who used to patronise them. 6. Political gangsterism Nigeria is one of the countries that has the highest number of political thugs. No statistics is needed to justify this. This is glaring during election periods in the country. Every politician who is influential has his own groups of thugs, he can unleash on his feeble opponent at anytime he desires. There are always campaign targeted at the youths informing and dissuading them against this heinous act. These youths never listen due to the peanuts these politicians give them to hack down an opponent. Some of these youths most times are killed. With all these, some Nigerian youths still do not heed to the warning that political gangsterism ruins their lives. 7. Choosing bad societal influencers as role models Who do the youths pick as role models? None, but the musicians who sing music which instigate hatred. They follow criminals and other sorts of vicious people, who made names through dubious means. The number of youths who see the likes of Professor Wole Soyinka and the late Chief MKO Abiola as role model is few, compared to those who see the likes of 50-cent and the late Notorious BIG as role models. 8. Living a life of illusion and fantasy There has never been a time in the history of the world where all great men and women who everyone adores achieve greatness on a platter of gold. All these important figures achieved greatness by paying different prices. No pain, no gain. But the youths think life is a bed of roses. It is when they find themselves in a difficult situation either in their career or academics or marital life, that they start blaming others. They do not want to make the hay while the sun is shining 9. Detest for academic brilliancy In some states in Nigeria, the youths there believe it is easier and faster to make money out of school than being in school. Some of them will even cite world's richest man and Africa's richest man, Bill Gates and Aliko Dangote respectively as examples. They use both men as excuses for dropping out of school. One thing such youths fail to realise is that these two men had some sort of education and knowledge about what they do, before they became financially successful and renowned globally. 10. Dumping local culture for habits alien to the society Someone might get amused when you see a Nigerian youth pull down his trousers below his waist in the name of sagging. It is not part of Nigerian culture for any young man or woman to imitate the bad things from the West. The offensive ways in which the youths speak and dress show that something urgent must be done by the youths themselves in order to save the coming generation. Source: Legit.ng An American scholar says that "the plutocrats dominated by the Israeli supporters" are financing Hillary Clinton's campaign for president of the United States, Press TV reported. Professor James Petras, who has written dozens of books on the Latin America and Middle East, made the remarks in a phone interview with Press TV on Tuesday. He was commenting on US Vice President Joe Biden's visit to Israel to discuss a new military aid package. Washington and Tel Aviv are discussing details of a 10-year military aid package that will be larger than the $3.1 billion US package Israel received this year. According to reports, Israeli officials have asked the US to increase its annual military assistance by 60 percent to an average of $5 billion a year over the 2018-2028 period. Biden's visit comes as the relationship between US President Barack Obama and Netanyahu took a new setback over the Israeli premier's decision not to accept an invitation for talks in Washington later this month. Netanyahu cancelled the meeting with Obama, US National Security Counci spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement on Monday. "This visit by Biden fits in with the Obama administration, which has at times had personal conflicts between Obama and Netanyahu, but on the substance of military and economic aid to Israel, [the US] has been exceedingly generous," Professor Petras said. "This despite the fact that Israel has been engaged in a war against the Palestinians, in particular the savage invasions of Gaza which seem not be of importance either to Biden, Obama or Hillary Clinton," he added. "We must remember that the plutocrats dominated by the Israeli supporters [have] been extremely generous in financing Hillary's campaign for president and this new visit by Biden fits in with the attempt by the rightwing of the Democratic Party to undermine the challenge from Bernie Sanders," the analyst stated. Professor Petras said "an increase in military support for Israel is a destabilizing element not only because of Israel's threat to the Palestinians and the land-grabbing but also because it could invite Israel to become more aggressive and threatening to Iran." "And I think it is a very foolish move by Obama and Biden and Clinton to destabilize the agreement that was reached with Iran regarding the nuclear understanding. I think it's a very a bad omen for peace in the Middle East," he concluded. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been a vocal critic of the P5+1 group's nuclear deal with Iran and has focused on derailing it, causing great resentment within the White House. Ties between Obama and Netanyahu have been further strained over the Israeli premier's resistance to the creation of a Palestinian state, which has been a key element of the Obama administration's foreign policy. - Boko Haram fighters have abandoned their camp in Iza, Borno state following aerial bombardment by the airforce - Troops flush out insurgents in ground offensive backed by Mi-35 Helicopter gunships The Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jets have pummeled Boko Haram positions at their camp at Iza, Borno state which made the terrorist scamper into the Sambisa forest. The Mi-35 Helicopter gunships providing close air support for the advancing troops in a ground assault at Iza, Borno state - Photo credits: Daily Post. The air attacks were followed by a ground offensive by troops of 121 Task Force Battalion who consolidated on the gains of the air strikes to flush out the remnants of the insurgents and destroyed their camps. READ ALSO: UN to train 4,000 insurgency victims on vocational skills The Daily Post, citing a statement by Ayodele Famuyiwa, the air force spokesman, reports that the offensive was supported by the Mi-35 Helicopter gunships which provided close air support for the advancing troops. Famuyiwa added that a Beechcraft aircraft also supported the operation with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The combined air and land operation against the Boko Haram sect was conducted during the early hours of yesterday 8 March 2016. The fall of Iza and its liberation by own troops further attests to the recent gains recorded by the military in the combined efforts to rid the country of the menace posed by the religious sect, the statement added. In recent times, Nigerian security forces gave recorded strings of victories against Boko Haram fighters. On Thursday, March 3, troops attacked the spiritual power base of the insurgents at the Alagarno forest, Borno state. In another raid, soldiers on a clearance operations of the remnants of Boko Haram insurgents at Kumshe in Borno state made startling discoveries of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) making factory, rockets and high claibre ammunitions. Meanwhile, Geoffrey Onyeama, the minister of Foreign Affairs has clarified media reports quoting President Muhammadu Buhari as disclosing that Nigeria had joined the Islamic coalition against terror under the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. READ ALSO: Over 2000 people killed in Taraba by herdsmen - Senator Speaking on Monday, March 7, Onyeama said Nigerias membership of the coalition had nothing to do with giving Nigeria an Islamic identity, Daily Trust reports. He explained that the objective of the coalition was to prove that terrorists were not representing Islam. Source: Legit.ng The United States assumes that Iran may carry out more missile launches in the coming days, following reports of several tests Tehran conducted over the course of this week, White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said on Wednesday, according to Sputnik. Earlier this week, according to reports, Iran carried out ballistic missile tests that Washington vowed to discuss with the UN Security Council if confirmed. The US government officials also said that the tests, if verified, would violate UN resolutions but not the terms of the JCPOA. "It certainly would not be a surprise if there are additional [missile] launches over the next several days that are similar to the launches that we've seen already a couple of times this week," Earnest stated during a press briefing. Following the adoption of the Iranian nuclear agreement last July, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2231, which prohibits Iran from engaging in activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Thank you for reading The Cascadia Advocate, the Northwest Progressive Institutes journal of world, national, and local politics. Founded in March of 2004, The Cascadia Advocate has been helping people throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond make sense of current events with rigorous analysis and thought-provoking commentary for more than fifteen years. The Cascadia Advocate is funded by readers like you and trusted sponsors. We dont run ads or publish content in exchange for money. Help us keep The Cascadia Advocate editorially independent and freely available to all by becoming a member of the Northwest Progressive Institute today. Or make a donation to sustain our essential research and advocacy journalism. Your contribution will allow us to continue bringing you features like Last Week In Congress, live coverage of events like Netroots Nation or the Democratic National Convention, and reviews of books and documentary films. Become an NPI member Make a one-time donation Axa Investment Managers - Real Assets launched the Axa CoRE Europe Fund, a new pan-European open ended real estate fund, having initially raised over 500 million from a range of European institutions. Axa CoRE Europe will seek to provide institutional investors with long-term stable income through the acquisition of Core [] Union Investment has secured another high-yield hotel property in Berlin. This is the third purchase of an established branded hotel in the German capital within six months, following the acquisition of andels conference hotel and the Hampton by Hilton planned for a site close to Alexanderplatz. New hotel and retail [] Long before the dinosaurs, hefty herbivores called pareiasaurs ruled Earth. Now, for the first time, a detailed investigation of all Chinese specimens of these creatures -- often described as the 'ugliest fossil reptiles' -- has been published by a University of Bristol, UK palaeontologist. Pareiasaurs have been reported from South Africa, Europe (Russia, Scotland, Germany), Asia (China), and South America, but it is not known whether there were distinct groups on each of these continents. In a new study published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Professor Mike Benton of Bristol's School of Earth Sciences shows there are close similarities between Chinese fossils and those found in Russia and South Africa, indicating that the huge herbivores were able to travel around the world despite their lumbering movement. Professor Benton said: "Up to now, six species of pareiasaurs had been described from China, mainly from Permian rocks along the banks of the Yellow River between Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces. I was able to study all of these specimens in museums in Beijing, and then visit the original localities. It seems clear there were three species and these lived over a span of one to two million years." Pareiasaurs were hefty animals, two to three metres long, with massive, barrel-shaped bodies, short, stocky arms and legs, and tiny head with small teeth. Their faces and bodies were covered with bony knobs. It is likely the pareiasaurs lived in damp, lowland areas, feeding on huge amounts of low-nutrition vegetation. No stomach contents or fossilized faeces from pareiasaurs are known to exist, but in Russia, pareiasaurs have been found with evidence they had made wallows in the soft mud probably to cool off or coat themselves in mud to ward off parasites. The new study confirms that the three Chinese pareiasaur species differed from each other in body size and in the shapes of their teeth. Professor Benton added: "My study of the evolution of pareiasaurs shows that the Chinese species are closely related to relatives from Russia and South Africa. Despite their size and probably slow-moving habits, they could walk all over the world. We see the same sequence of two or three forms worldwide, and there is no evidence that China, or any other region, was isolated at that time." Pareiasaurs were the first truly large herbivores on Earth, and yet their tenure was short. As in other parts of the world, the species in China were wiped out as part of the devastation of the end-Permian mass extinction 252 million years ago, when 90 per cent of species were killed by the acid rain and global warming caused by massive volcanic eruptions in Russia. Without forests, landscapes were denuded of soils which washed into the seas. Shock heating of the atmosphere and oceans as a result of the massive release of carbon dioxide and methane also killed much of life. The end-Permian mass extinction killed off the pareiasaurs after they had been on Earth for only 10 million years. If the Norwegian oil and gas industry is heading into the Arctic, it must be dressed for the occasion. This requires unique specialist technical expertise. Work clothing specifically tailored to Arctic conditions is hard to find. But industrial designers have now joined forces with researchers to create the perfect clothing concept. And they're both consulting with the men and women who have to work in gale force winds in the Barents Sea at temperatures as low as 20 degrees below freezing. "Today, deck operators on oil rigs working in the Barents Sea are still wearing traditional cotton coveralls because work clothing tailored to Arctic weather conditions and associated risk factors simply doesn't exist," says industrial designer and SINTEF researcher Ole Petter Nsgaard. The need for a new generation of work clothing has inspired textile manufacturers Wenaas to invest in research work. Wenaas is a leading supplier of work clothing to the oil and gas industry and aims to develop a clothing concept tailored both to the harsh Arctic weather conditions and the tasks that workers have to carry out. Such clothes must not only provide effective protection against the wind and weather, but must also be durable, fire-proof, anti-static and designed to accommodate the use of hearing protection and communications equipment. This places great demands on both textiles and design. "Wenaas is lending us its expertise and high-quality products so that we can work closely together on this project and learn from each others' experience," says Nsgaard. advertisement Workers set the standard Wenaas selected SINTEF for this project because of the researchers' previous experience in the development of customised clothing for fishermen and fish farm workers, as well as survival suits worn by offshore workers during helicopter transit to and from platforms on the Norwegian shelf. The researchers have chosen to approach this project by letting the workers themselves set the standards. After in-depth interviews with more than 20 technical professionals with experience from operations in the Barents Sea, and observing deck operators at work on a rig over several days, the researchers sat down at their drawing boards with notebooks stuffed with excellent ideas and suggestions. "A major issue that emerged was that an ideal clothing concept would have to meet a set of contradictory requirements," says Nsgaard. "There is a clear need for protection against wind and moisture. The clothing must not only provide protection against a long series of risk factors, but must also be able to withstand rough handling," he says. "Moreover, workers move between tasks of vastly varying levels of intensity. Insulated thermal suits make the wearers sweat too easily when they're very active. Those who have worked under these demanding weather conditions commonly find it difficult to regulate their temperature according to their needs," explains Nsgaard, who is heading SINTEF's contribution to the project. So the task facing the researchers is to develop clothing that not only provides protection against harsh weather conditions, but is also breathable and practical. And, not least, to link clothing development to physiological data accumulated by SINTEF during years of research in its occupational physiology laboratory into how the body responds to the stresses imposed on it under extreme conditions. advertisement After eighteen months of development in close collaboration with Wenaas, the result is a clothing concept that not only protects, but also offers a series of practical and technical subtleties. So what do we call it? "Arctic Protection" -- naturally. "The tasks that this group of workers carry out are so varied that it is essential they are given a lot of freedom of movement," says Nsgaard. "They spend some of their time suspended from climbing harnesses, and this inspired us to study the clothing worn by today's climbers" he says. But the fabrics must be resistant to more than just the moisture from rain and snow. High-pressure hosing of equipment is a good example of a regular job on deck. Layer by layer The clothing concept is divided into several layers with the aim of making it easier to regulate insulation properties according to different weather conditions and work tasks. Priority is also given to practical functions, making it easy to use communications equipment and hearing protection devices. "A common problem today is that face masks and balaclavas are difficult to combine with hearing protection devices without the latter slipping and compromising noise protection," explains Nsgaard. "Our solution is a specially-adapted balaclava made up of "zones" of fabrics of different thicknesses, each with its own function. This means that it works well both beneath a helmet and when wearing ear defenders," he says. As a base layer, researchers have selected something as unconventional as woollen underwear. "There is no fabric that can out-perform wool when it comes to providing thermal protection in wet conditions," says Nsgaard. "Standard woollen underwear is worn by many rig workers today, and they're very happy with its performance. Wool also meets the fireproofing standards required of all layers in contact with the skin," he says. However, when it comes to the intermediate layer, a lot of work has gone into developing a novel and more technical fabric. This is reminiscent of a medium-thick fleece, with a highly three-dimensional and airy structure enabling it to provide adequate ventilation when the wearer is active, and insulation when he or she is at rest. But even here, 50 per cent of the fabric is wool. Major heat loss around the legs The outer layer, or shell, has a waterproof and breathable membrane. A work clothing version of Gore-Tex is one of the textiles currently being tested. Major focus has been directed on the design to ensure that communications equipment is both easily accessible and at the same time not obstructive when the wearer is actively working. The researchers have also spent a lot of time and energy looking into leg coverings. "We've noted that keeping the leg area around and below the thighs warm is critical to a wearer's sense of feeling warm enough," says ystein Wiggen, who is the physiologist responsible for testing the clothing concept. "At the same time it's easy to lose a lot of heat from the legs because they're less sensitive to cold," he says. The clothing concept also includes a new winter glove designed to conform to the natural curvature of the human hand. This enhances mobility and the wearer's ability to grip objects in cold conditions. And in response to requests from workers, the glove has a woolen inner lining and built-in shock absorbance in the sections protecting the knuckles. Every modification tested Throughout its development, the clothing concept has been tested at SINTEF's occupational physiology laboratory. "It's very important to us to be able to document the reasons behind the decisions we've made," explains Wiggen. "Last winter the concept underwent field tests," he says. "We've now carried out some improvements and Wenaas has manufactured a large number of prototype garments ready for a new set of tests at three locations operated by Statoil and Eni Norge. This may well mean that we'll have to make even more adjustments. User involvement is the key to our success with this project," says Wiggen. The research team is hoping that the new clothing concept will seen as relevant to other groups of workers that sometimes have to work under extreme conditions, such as in the construction and mining (especially quarrying) industries, as well as electricians carrying out inspections and repairs in connection with high-voltage power lines. Stanford scientists have discovered a novel way to make plastic from carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and inedible plant material, such as agricultural waste and grasses. Researchers say the new technology could provide a low-carbon alternative to plastic bottles and other items currently made from petroleum. "Our goal is to replace petroleum-derived products with plastic made from CO 2 ," said Matthew Kanan, an assistant professor of chemistry at Stanford. "If you could do that without using a lot of non-renewable energy, you could dramatically lower the carbon footprint of the plastics industry." Kanan and his Stanford colleagues described their results in the March 9 online edition of the journal Nature. Changing the plastic formula Many plastic products today are made from a polymer called polyethylene terephthalate (PET), also known as polyester. Worldwide, about 50 million tons of PET are produced each year for items such as fabrics, electronics, recyclable beverage containers and personal-care products. PET is made from two components, terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, which are derived from refined petroleum and natural gas. Manufacturing PET produces significant amounts of CO 2 , a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. advertisement "The use of fossil-fuel feedstocks, combined with the energy required to manufacture PET, generates more than four tons of CO 2 for every ton of PET that's produced," Kanan said. For the Nature study, he and his co-workers focused on a promising alternative to PET called polyethylene furandicarboxylate (PEF). PEF is made from ethylene glycol and a compound called 2-5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). "PEF is an attractive replacement for PET, because FDCA can be sourced from biomass instead of petroleum," Kanan said. "PEF is also superior to PET at sealing out oxygen, which is useful for bottling applications." Despite the many desirable attributes of PEF, the plastics industry has yet to find a low-cost way to manufacture it at scale. The bottleneck has been figuring out a commercially viable way to produce FDCA sustainably. One approach is to convert fructose from corn syrup into FDCA. The Dutch firm, Avantium, has been developing that technology in partnership with Coca Cola and other companies. But growing crops for industry requires lots of land, energy, fertilizer and water. advertisement "Using fructose is problematic, because fructose production has a substantial carbon footprint, and, ultimately, you'll be competing with food production," Kanan said. "It would be much better to make FDCA from inedible biomass, like grasses or waste material left over after harvest." Turning plant waste into plastic Instead of using sugar from corn to make FDCA, the Stanford team has been experimenting with furfural, a compound made from agricultural waste that has been widely used for decades. About 400,000 tons are produced annually for use in resins, solvents and other products. But making FDCA from furfural and CO 2 typically requires hazardous chemicals that are expensive and energy-intensive to make. "That really defeats the purpose of what we're trying to do," Kanan said. The Stanford team solved the problem using a far more benign compound: carbonate. Graduate student Aanindeeta Banerjee, lead author of the Nature study, combined carbonate with CO 2 and furoic acid, a derivative of furfural. She then heated the mixture to about 290 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) to form a molten salt. The results were dramatic. After five hours, 89 percent of the molten-salt mixture had been converted to FDCA. The next step, transforming FDCA into PEF plastic, is a straightforward process that has been worked out by other researchers, Kanan said. Recycled carbon The Stanford team's approach has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse emissions, Kanan said, because the CO 2 required to make PEF could be obtained from fossil-fuel power plant emissions or other industrial sites. Products made of PEF can also be recycled or converted back to atmospheric CO 2 by incineration. Eventually, that CO 2 will be taken up by grass, weeds and other renewable plants, which can then be used to make more PEF. "We believe that our chemistry can unlock the promise of PEF that has yet to be realized," Kanan said. "This is just the first step. We need to do a lot of work to see if it's viable at scale and to quantify the carbon footprint." Kanan and colleagues have also begun to apply their new chemistry to the production of renewable fuels and other compounds from hydrogen and CO 2 . "That's the most exciting new application that we're working on now," he said. The other Stanford coauthors of the Nature study are graduate student Graham Dick and former postdoctoral scholar Tatsuhiko Yoshino, now at Hokkaido University in Japan. Support for the research was provided by Stanford University through the Center for Molecular Analysis and Design, the Camille & Henry Dreyfus Foundation and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. To help us keep this website secure, please wait while we verify you're not a robot! It will only take a few seconds... Loading... North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast city of Wonsan early on Thursday, flying approximately 500 km (300 miles), Reuters reported with the reference to South Korea's military. North Korea has a large stockpile of short-range missiles and is developing long-range and intercontinental missiles. Reports of the missiles being fired coincide with already heightened tension on the Korean peninsula after the North conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket last month, leading to new UN Security Council and bilateral US sanctions. The North fired six rockets into the sea last week using a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) from Wonsan, supervised by leader Kim Jong Un who ordered his military to be prepared to launch pre-emptive attacks against enemies. Kim said on Wednesday his country has miniaturized nuclear warheads to mount on ballistic missiles and ordered improvements in the power and precision of its arsenal in his first direct comment about nuclear warhead miniaturization. State Department spokesman John Kirby declined to comment on Kim's claim to have miniaturized nuclear warheads and accused him of "provocative rhetoric." "I'd say the young man needs to pay more attention to the North Korean people and taking care of them than in pursuing these sorts of reckless capabilities," Kirby said. The Pentagon said this week it had not seen North Korea demonstrate a capability to miniaturize a nuclear warhead. But Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said the department was working on US ballistic missile defenses to be prepared. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 but its claim to have set off a miniaturized hydrogen bomb has been disputed by the US and South Korean governments and many experts. US and South Korean troops began large-scale military drills this week, which the North called "nuclear war moves" and threatened to respond with an all-out offensive. President Barack Obama meets with Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Manila last November. Trudeau is bringing his star power to the White House this week on his first official U.S. visit. (Susan Walsh/AP) A youthful, appealing liberal with star power who upset the established political order to win office will dine at the White House Thursday night and his name isnt Barack Obama. Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet President Obama, in a meeting of two similar politicians, both with strong progressive instincts yet also with a reflexive degree of caution. The two will discuss an agenda that includes trade, climate change, the fight against the Islamic State and coordination in the vast Arctic frontier, where development, shipping and scientific research vie for priority. Although Canada and the United States are each others largest trading partner and though they share the worlds longest border, Obama never hosted Trudeaus predecessor, the conservative leader Stephen Harper, with an official state dinner, and it has been 19 years since any Canadian leader was treated to the pomp and guest list of a state dinner. Relations are very deep no matter whos in power, but when you have these two leaders who seem to see the world in similar ways and get along at a personal level, it creates a wide highway at many levels, said John McArthur, a Canadian and senior fellow in the global economy and development at the Brookings Institution. Joint steps are most likely to come on climate change and protecting, mapping and monitoring the vast sparsely populated Arctic. And the timing couldnt be more apt. The meeting comes as the Arctic itself is flashing climate-change warning signs. This year the overall extent of Arctic sea ice hit new record monthly lows for January and February, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. Moreover, according to NASA, in much of the Arctic, temperatures in January were more than 4 degrees Celsius, or 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit, higher than average, an anomaly that stunned some scientists. Alaska had its second warmest winter ever, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and once again, the iconic Iditarod dog sled race suffered from a lack of snow. Many Americans have turned to Canada as a refuge in times of crisis, whether those who avoided the draft during the Vietnam War or those who now, perhaps in jest, talk of moving if Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump wins in November. Trudeau, who personally welcomed the first of 25,000 Syrian refugees allowed into Canada at the airport, stands in stark contrast to the GOP candidates vow to bar Muslim immigrants and build a wall on the Mexican border. During an hour-long Huffington Post town hall on Monday, Trudeau made a light-hearted reference to a website called Cape Breton if Donald Trump wins that said it would welcome Americans who might want to flee after the U.S. election. Asked to respond to Trumps views on immigration and national security, Trudeau said Cape Breton is lovely, all times of the year, and if people do want to make choices that perhaps suit their lifestyles better, Canada is always welcoming an opening. But he also added Im not going to pick a fight with Donald Trump right now. But Im not going to support him either, obviously. Trudeau compared Trump to Torontos infamous former mayor, Rob Ford. I prefer to trust that my American friends will exercise their democratic rights with a level of the wisdom of crowds that always ends up coming through in a democracy, Trudeau said. The reality is that we will work alongside our neighbors and allies regardless of the political choices they make. With Obama in office, that is easier for Trudeau. Todd Stern, the State Departments special envoy on climate change, said that the two sides would jointly endorse the Paris climate accord, a ceiling on emissions from aviation at 2020 levels, and an amendment to the Montreal Protocol to limit hydrofluorocarbons, a particularly potent category of greenhouse gases. Trudeau met last week with provincial premiers to try to come up with a national framework. The leaders may also seek to limit black carbon, a type of soot emissions that absorbs light and hastens the melting of snow and ice, particularly in the Arctic, administration officials said. Jake Schmidt, international climate expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said that Canada will likely agree to match the Obama administrations goal of reducing methane emissions from oil and gas operations by 40 to 45 percent by 2025. Alberta province already has a similar target, but Trudeau is expected to extend it nationwide. But Schmidt said that it remains unclear how the United States will meet those targets. Existing and proposed regulations would fall short of those targets, he said. Theres an element of these meetings where agreeing at the highest levels is important, Schmidt said. It keeps the phone lines open. But where are the 12 additional steps you take once leaders show interest? There are some issues where even less progress is expected. Trudeau has pulled a handful of Canadian fighter planes out of the battle against the Islamic State, but he has tripled the size of the small Canadian training contingent to 69 soldiers. In a conference call with reporters Tuesday, Mark Feierstein, the National Security Councils senior director for Western hemisphere affairs, said Canadians do, in fact, remain an essential partner, and were satisfied with their contributions. The two allies continue to share intelligence. Trade is another awkward issue. The Trans Pacific Partnership trade pact negotiated by a dozen nations was sealed just before Canadian elections. In the United States, Obamas best hope for winning passage of the deal might come in a lame duck session of Congress at the end of the year. In Canada, Trudeau is reviewing the deal before submitting it to a parliament he is just starting to do business with. The countries are on different time horizons, McArthur said. Canada and the United States are also negotiating over softwood lumber, a vital Canadian export. An earlier 10-year agreement has expired. The two countries have, over the past quarter-century before the accord, fought often over the issue, with the U.S. lumber industry seeking U.S. government duties and anti-dumping penalties and Canada challenging the penalties at the World Trade Organization and the North American Free Trade Agreement. Feierstein offered little hope of an agreement on softwood lumber, saying only that it was a longstanding and complicated issue and that the Obama administration was open to exploring all options with Canada. Post staff writer Chris Mooney contributed to this article. If you enter into financial deals with family members, be prepared for some uncomfortable and sometimes ugly disagreements. If things go wrong, it does become personal. Recently, I weighed in on the financial situation of twin brothers. They had bought a home together. One brother took off after a few years of sharing the home, leaving his twin to take complete care of the property, physically and financially. When the brother living in the home got married, he refinanced and his twin agreed to sign a quitclaim deed, giving up ownership in exchange for an unspecified share of profits once the home was sold. No sale is pending, but the brother who moved is trying to negotiate after the fact what hes owed based on the homes appreciated value. So whats fair? I dont think they call it sweat equity for nothing. What I thought was fair was to give the brother back his down payment of $20,000, plus a modest return. The brother had walked away from the investment, leaving the responsibility for the mortgage and upkeep to his twin. Now he wants back in. With a vague agreement for money later, why should he get more when he did so little? Some of you thought he does deserve more. I have a feature I call Talk Back in which I allow readers to provide counterarguments to something Ive written. One reader, Valerie from Quartz Hill, Calif., suggested that the fair thing would be to get the home professionally appraised and then decide on a split. Subtract expenses, including refinancing fees, annual real estate taxes, property improvements, etc., and dont forget ongoing maintenance; and offer him half of what is left, she wrote. For reader Christine, the situation hit home. She and her sister also bought a home together. Her sister lives in the house but Christine does not. She says her sister also wanted her to sign a quitclaim deed to refinance the property. I didnt trust her and did not do it. I do not live in the town where the building I own is located, but that does not vacate my right to ownership. . . . The lesson might be: Dont trust anyone to do the right thing: Get it in writing, even if it is your twin brother. One reader suggested that the brothers try mediation. There are nonprofit community-based centers around the country that offer free mediation such as the Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County. Nolo.com provides some good tips on what is involved in that process. Search the site for Why Consider Mediation? Mediation is particularly valuable when your dispute involves another person with whom either by choice or circumstance you need to remain on good terms, according to Nolo.com, so a huge advantage of mediation is its ability to get a dispute resolved without destroying a relationship. Reader Joyce Ellis, a retired California real estate broker, said she has seen a lot of situations like the one pitting brother against brother. Many important issues were neglected between the brothers over time, she wrote. However, in order to reach a fair solution, one must treat it as an arms-length transaction. Ellis offered some very useful questions: From the time the brother left, what has been the fair-market rental value on the property? What is the value of the tax advantages that the remaining brother enjoyed that the departing brother didnt share? What is a fair management credit to the remaining brother, since the absent one didnt have that burden? What is the vacancy factor for that area? What is the value of the improvements made by the remaining brother? When these matters are factored in and then balanced against the appreciation or depreciation in value today, there is likely to be a different picture altogether, Ellis wrote. I imagine some accommodation could be made on each of their parts but, make no mistake, memories are long, and hurts fester. If this matter is allowed to be treated as anything but an arms-length transaction, it will color relationships from now on and rear its head in surprising and painful ways for years to come. Its too late to try and treat the situation as an arms-length transaction. This is exactly why you need to work out all this stuff before you mix your money with a relative. Better yet, perhaps you should just avoid business deals that rely on good faith before or after the fact. At least spell out the arrangement formally in a written contract so that family bonds dont cloud whats financially fair. Readers may write to Michelle Singletary at The Washington Post, 1301 K St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071 or michelle.singletary@washpost.com. To read previous Color of Money columns, go to wapo.st/michelle-singletary. A team from Grey Sloan Memorial travels to a military hospital to perform a risky surgery on Greys Anatomy. From left: Brett Zimmerman, Ellen Pompeo, Sara Ramirez and Chandra Wilson. (Ron Batzdorff/ABC) (All times Eastern.) In the documentary In Search of Frida Kahlo (Ovation at 7 p.m.), musician Emeli Sande travels to Mexico to explore the life of the legendary artist. On Greys Anatomy (ABC at 8), Meredith, Bailey, Jackson, Callie and Jo perform a risky surgery on a veteran at a military hospital. Back at Grey Sloan Memorial, a cheerleading team causes chaos in the emergency room. Wolowitz, Sheldon and Leonard run into issues when they file for a patent for their infinite persistence gyroscope on The Big Bang Theory (CBS at 8), leading Wolowitz to second-guess their partnership. The top six contestants perform live on American Idol (Fox at 8). On DCs Legends of Tomorrow (CW at 8), the team tracks Savage to a small Oregon town in the 1950s, where they discover that the villain is working as a doctor at a psychiatric hospital and probably involved in a recent string of murders. Olivia and the gladiators are called in to handle an incident involving Secret Service agents on Scandal (ABC at 9), and Liv calls Fitz out on his questionable post-split behavior. SERIES PREMIERE: In the two-hour premiere of 60 Days In (A&E at 9), seven innocent volunteers agree to pose as inmates for 60 days at the Clark County Jail in Jeffersonville, Ind., where the local sheriff hopes they will uncover issues and corruption that could improve the jail system. No one, not even the guards, will know their real identities. The documentary El Chapo & Sean Penn: Bungle in the Jungle (Reelz at 9) examines the actors controversial interview with the Mexican drug kingpin. On Shades of Blue (NBC at 10), Harlee and Wozniak get more information about the big score and discover that Donnies silent partner is a DEA agent. On How to Get Away With Murder (ABC at 10), an assistant district attorney has questions for the Keating 5 about the night of Emily Sinclairs murder. Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi visits The Daily Show With Trevor Noah (Comedy Central at 11). Actress Anna Kendrick and U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch visit The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS at 11:35). Brian Fallon performs. Actors Viola Davis and Isla Fisher are on Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC at 11:35), along with musical guest the Suffers. "Pates aux ufs et aux legumes. Nouilles, macaronis." This poster by Leonetto Cappiello shows celebrities of the time holding packages of pasta. It was created between 1901 and 1904. (From the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division) Our spotlight on pasta this week (see the links below) sent us sifting through mounds of pasta data through the ages. We tend to associate pasta and all its silky glories with Italy, but the Italians have others to thank for their iconic dish. Scholars generally agree that pasta spread from Persia to the rest of the world, but exactly when that happened isnt clear. Because pasta in its most basic form is a simple blend of flour and water, a humble recipe for noodles was nothing to write home about, perhaps, and ancient documents recording its history are difficult to find. However, we do know the following: The 5th century Jerusalem Talmud contains a debate about whether boiled dough could be considered unleavened bread. Its unclear whether dough meant noodles (some say it referred to boiled flatbreads), but it does show that boiling was used as a cooking method for dough, even back then. In the 10th century, Persian literature mentions lakhshah (meaning slippery), strips of dough that probably were boiled. Muhammad al-Idrisi, an Arab geographer in the early 12th century, reports that people in Palermo, Sicily, were making strings of dough called trii. Its possible that term comes from the Arabic itriyah or the Greek itria. Durum wheat, seen here growing in Viterbo, Italy, is the wheat of choice for making pasta. (Alessia Pierdomenico/Bloomberg) In 1279, in Genoa, Italy, the possessions of a deceased man named Ponzio Bastone included a bariscella piena de macaronis (a basket full of macaroni). The Oxford Companion to Food asserts that this would indicate the pasta was a durable item and professionally made, indicating in turn that macaroni was well established as food. Italian author Giovanni Boccacio writes in The Decameron (a collection of short stories published around 1351) about a mythical land called Bengodi, where people roll macaroni down a mountain of grated cheese. Francesco di Marco, an Italian merchant, writes in the 14th century about ravioli stuffed with pounded pork, eggs, cheese, parsley and sugar. According to the Encyclopedia of Food and Culture, the oldest and most traditional way that Italians ate pasta was to top it with butter, cheese, sugar, cinnamon and other spices. A sauce of tomatoes didnt come until much later, after the tomato was introduced to the Old World from the Americas. Thomas Jefferson loved macaroni. Here, his drawing of a macaroni machine includes instructions for making pasta (circa 1787). (Thomas Jefferson Papers, Library of Congress) In 1898, Mark Carleton, an agronomist for the USDA, went to Russia in search of rust-resistant wheat and came back with durum wheat, the variety best suited for pasta making due to its high protein content. Today, most Italian pasta is made from American-grown wheat. In his 1932 Futurist Cookbook, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, an Italian poet and founder of the Futurist movement, called for the abolition of pastasciutta, an absurd Italian gastronomic religion. He wrote that pasta is completely hostile to the vivacious spirit and passionate, generous, intuitive soul of the Neapolitans. According to the National Pasta Association, the Americans eat an average of 20 pounds of pasta every year. To put that number in context, according to a 2013 report, Americans on average eat about 23 pounds of cheese and 74 pounds of red meat per year. Ready to make a dent in your 20 pounds of pasta and learn more about this ever-popular food? Read on: These traditional Italian pasta shapes are stunning and easy to make. Heres how. Pestos that break with tradition Why its so hard to make gluten-free pastas, and how some chefs have cracked the code Taste test: Store-bought gluten-free pastas Two Italians find purpose in fresh pasta Why fresh pasta doesnt always beat dried A pasta salad that even pasta salad hater Julia Child might have liked A comforting baked pasta that works for a small household Sources: The Oxford Companion to Food (Oxford University Press, 2014); Encyclopedia of Food and Culture (Charles Scribnerss Sons, 2002); Foods That Changed History: How Foods Shaped Civilization From the Ancient World to the Present by Christopher Cumo (ABC-CLIO, 2015); The Futurist Cookbook by F. T. Marinetti, translated by Suzanne Brill (Bedford Arts, 1989) Like any expecting couple, Brett Pipitone and his wife, Laura, knew that having a child would upend their daily routine. But no research or planning prepared them for their biggest challenge: postpartum depression. It was an incredibly stressful situation, Brett said. After giving birth to their daughter in 2014, Laura found herself wanting to disappear and completely disengaged from her surroundings. Shed call Brett at work in tears, and hed rush home to help. He wound up taking much more time away from his job as an aerospace engineer than hed expected, without any idea of how he could fix things. As many as 1 in 6 women suffer from postpartum depression and/or anxiety. In such cases, the partner who didnt give birth relies on paternity leave or parental leave to be the primary caregiver and manage the household, a sharp contrast to social-media-worthy pictures of dads strolling with the Baby Bjorn, coffee in hand. When partners dont have access to paid parental leave but need time to help at home, they may be forced to take unpaid time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act. FMLA provides job protections for eligible workers who take time off for their own illness or to care for a family member. Eligibility factors include the size of the company or an employees tenure, and people who work for small businesses or in high-turnover positions are often penalized. The nearly 40 percent of workers who do not have access to unpaid family leave are left in a drastic bind, potentially losing their jobs. This is not a role that the husband has any precedent for, said Lynne McIntyre, the manager of Maternal Mental Health Program at Marys Center in the District and the Mid-Atlantic regional coordinator for Postpartum Support International. Traditionally, men were not the perinatal caregivers. They didnt take care of us physically or medically when we were pregnant. Before we became so mobile and started living far from our families, our mothers, sisters and aunts would take care of us after having the baby. [Todays men] are thrown into the wolf pit, like Good luck with that. McIntyre understands from personal experience the stress that partners are put under. After her son Calvin was born in 2004, McIntyre suffered from postpartum depression, and the caretaking role fell to her husband, Herb Caudill. Lynne McIntyre, Mid-Atlantic regional coordinator for Postpartum Support International, and her two sons, Baird, left, and Calvin, Skype with her husband, Herb Caudill, from their D.C. home. (Victoria Milkofor The Washington Post) I was a completely different person, she said. It was really scary for him on so many different fronts. Is this the person I married? Is this our life from now on? Am I going to lose my wife? Did having a baby ruin our life? On top of all that, he was expected to keep going to work and keep performing. Caudill wished he had known more about what to look for and expect when dealing with postpartum depression and anxiety. I had my own prejudices about mental health, that it was someone elses problem that happens to other people, he said. I didnt have the idea that it was possible that something like that could happen to someone like her. Julie Bindeman, a psychologist who treats perinatal mood disorders and who is the co-director of Integrative Therapy of Greater Washington, says that partners will often get between one or two paid weeks off from work for family or paternity leave but that that is not adequate time, even with a standard delivery and recovery period. Add postpartum depression or anxiety into the mix, and partners might find themselves in unfamiliar, stressful roles. Many lack the instinctual ability to fight through. The reaction depends on the individual, Bindeman said. There is a certain type of man for whom the additional stress of just the baby is too much for them. They might retreat into work because its a safer place, a place of control. Some men might be sympathetic to the point and try and work with their wife. Other men might be Florence Nightingale and swoop in, take on the job of both parents, caring for both the wife and the baby. Both McIntyre and Bindeman noted the additional societal expectations that are heaped on men: to return to work as the primary breadwinner and, once back in the office, to act as though everything is normal. Your colleagues may want to see the wrinkly baby picture on your smartphone, but then youd better be done with that, McIntyre said. The partners themselves also face a greater likelihood of developing depression if the new mother suffers from postpartum depression. Its nearly eight times greater, said James Paulson, an associate professor at Old Dominion University who has studied the effects of perinatal and postpartum depression on both men and women. We found that 10 percent of fathers experience depression during pregnancy or postpartum, as compared with 13 to 14 percent of mothers, Paulson said. Both postpartum anxiety and depression are very treatable, Bindeman says. These are not the same as other mood disorders, she explained. With a competent clinician, you can start with therapy. If its severe depression, you can add in medication. A recent government-appointed health panel has called for screening women for depression during pregnancy and after giving birth. Bindeman stressed that women can be treated for postpartum disorders while still breastfeeding and that the Washington area has wonderful psychiatric resources and clinicians with knowledge and background in perinatal mood disorders. The Pipitones have become outspoken about the unexpected effects of postpartum depression on a spouse, sharing their experience with the Its Working Project, an online forum, and have also been speaking candidly to their friends about what postpartum depression looks like and how to seek treatment. When their daughter was born, they sought treatment right away, and Laura improved within a week of getting a prescription. Although most experts are in agreement about the importance of parental leave, many are now seeing just how important that time is for the parents health and for the family to function. When people say paternity leave, they think, Bond with your baby, but thats not what youre doing, Brett said. In more cases than not, its just not possible for the mother to manage the household on her own. Postpartum depression: How a partner can help Understand the experience as an illness: A mother with postpartum depression might feel irritated, angry and even jealous of the normalcy her partner appears to have, said Aimee Danielson, founder and director of the Womens Mental Health Program at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and an assistant professor of psychiatry. Marital conflict is common. Husbands feel they are at fault, or their wives try to blame them when they are not at fault. Understand this is an illness and these are a set of symptoms. Help her get more sleep: There isnt enough therapy or medication to get [a new mother] well without consolidated blocks of sleep, Danielson said. Partners can step in and help with night feeds to give the woman a longer stretch of uninterrupted sleep. We recommend that women try and get a four-hour block of sleep combined with two two-hour blocks of sleep: one at night, one during the day, she said. For families with more financial resources, Danielson recommends hiring a night nurse. Help find treatment: Danielson recommends that partners help set up appointments and even come along for support. The partner can join in the therapy appointment and discuss ways to be supportive, or he can keep the baby in the waiting room so the baby is nearby but the wife still gets that protected space with the therapist. In some extreme cases, Danielson recommends the partner step in and call the doctor on the mothers behalf. Be supportive: The number one way a dad can support his partner is to educate [himself] and be aware of what is going on, Danielson said. With a better understanding, a [partner] can provide emotional support through listening and validating rather than going at this as a problem that he needs to fix, she said. For additional reading, Danielson recommends The Postpartum Husband: Practical Solutions for Living With Postpartum Depression by Karen R. Kleiman and This Isnt What I Expected: Overcoming Postpartum Depression by Kleiman and Valerie Davis Raskin. For help, visit the Postpartum Support International website at postpartum.net. If you are in the Washington area, check out the Perinatal Mental Health Resource Guide at dmvpmhresourceguide.com. And in Virginia, try Postpartum Support Virginia at postpartumva.org. Rebecca Gale is a staff writer for Roll Call and a contributing editor for the Its Working Project. Follow her on Twitter at @beckgale. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, shown on the campaign trail in February, spent more than $1 million in legal fees pursuing a libel lawsuit against a book author, which he lost. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) Donald Trump said last month that he wants to open up the nations libel laws to make it easier for public figures to sue the news media. The Republican Partys leading candidate may have been speaking from personal experience: Trump has already sued a journalist for libel and lost in humiliating fashion. Trump went to court in early 2006, claiming that he had been libeled in the book TrumpNation: The Art of Being The Donald, by Timothy L. OBrien, then a business reporter at the New York Times. The book briefly addressed Trumps claims about his net worth, which was then, as it is now, the subject of a great deal of bluster, speculation and opacity. OBrien concluded that Trump was worth substantially less than what Trump publicly claimed, an assertion that prompted the business mogul to sue OBrien and his publisher, Warner Books. He claimed harm to his business and sought $5 billion in damages. The lawsuit is one of many that Trump has leveled at adversaries and former business partners over the years. But this one may have gone straight to the heart of Trumps brand. Trump pursued it for five years, spending more than $1 million in legal fees, apparently to protect a fundamental aspect of his identity and mythos: That he is not merely very rich but clearly, most sincerely, super rich. More than a decade later, the issue still clearly stings Trump. OBrien, he said in an interview Tuesday, is a whack job, a total nut job . . . one of the sleaziest people Ive ever done business with. He wrote a book knowing it was totally false. He didnt know what the assets were, and he disregarded their value. He really did set out with the intent to harm. To Trumps great exasperation, OBrien showed that there are good reasons to doubt Trumps assertion that he was worth five to six billion dollars in 2005. (In a campaign-disclosure form filed in July, Trump claimed he is now worth more than $10 billion.) Based on documents and interviews with Trump and his associates, OBrien estimated that Trump had inflated his bankroll as much as 20 times over. Subtracting debts and other liabilities, OBrien says, Trumps net worth was pegged at $150 million to $250 million, based on estimates by people with direct knowledge of Trumps finances. The suit may have settled the basic question what is Trump worth? but the public never got a glimpse of the answer. Trump supplied records and documents, including tax returns that he has declined to release during his campaign, but those were sealed by the court. In any case, Trump was unable to show that OBrien had acted with reckless disregard for the truth, the standard for sustaining a libel claim against a public figure. We blew him up on the whole notion that I set out with reckless disregard and malice, says OBrien, now the editor of Bloomberg View. My lawyers drew and quartered him on that issue. The limited public record of the lawsuit includes interesting revelations. One is Trumps admission, under questioning from OBriens attorneys during a deposition, that he relied on his own feelings to assess the value of his holdings. An attorney asked: Feelings? Yes, even my own feelings as to where the world is, where the world is going, and that can change rapidly from day to day, Trump said, according to the court record. Then you have a September 11th, and you dont feel so good about yourself and you dont feel so good about the world and you dont feel so good about New York City. Then you have a year later, and the city is as hot as a pistol. Even months after that it was a different feeling. So yeah, even my own feelings affect my value to myself. The statement effectively validated OBriens skeptical take on Trumps self-reporting, which OBrien characterized as Trumps verbal billions. A superior court judge in New Jersey ruled that Trump had no case and dismissed his suit in 2009. An appeals court affirmed that decision two years later. Ultimately, Trump rationalized his defeat this way: Essentially the judge just said, Trump is too famous, he told the Atlantic magazine in 2013. Hes so famous that youre allowed to say anything you want about him. Well, I disagree with that. Well, not exactly. Both courts cited a lack of clear and convincing evidence to satisfy the basic legal test for libeling someone as well known as Trump: willful disregard for the truth. The appeals court noted OBriens diligent and extensive efforts to research Trumps wealth. Trump said in an interview that he knew he couldnt win the suit but brought it anyway to make a point. I spent a couple of bucks on legal fees, and they spent a whole lot more. I did it to make his life miserable, which Im happy about. OBrien notes that his reporting on Trumps wealth consisted of only a few pages of his 288-page book, which was rife with passages about Trumps checkered business career. So why did Trump ignore the rest and take such offense at the net-worth discussion? Its a measure of his deep insecurity, OBrien said. His wealth and the size of his wealth . . . are integral to how he wants people to perceive him. He looks at the Forbes 400 [list of wealthiest Americans] as the pecking order, and his ego and standing are wrapped up in it. People who are comfortable with their wealth dont need to brag about it. Hes not in that category. As it happens, Trumps lawsuit and the publicity surrounding it did little to help TrumpNation. The book didnt sell particularly well, OBrien said. Trump takes some credit for that. I didnt read the book, he said. I didnt have time to read it. What I did do was make sure people knew it was false. But the author did get one last laugh. In a two-can-play-at-this-game column last year, he facetiously asserted that he, like Trump, was personally worth $10 billion. How did he make such an extraordinary figure? Among other things, OBrien assessed his home at $6 billion, his aging Ford Escape at $3 billion, and his sons Pokemon card collection at $100 million. Absurd, yes. But thats how rich he personally felt at the time. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Turkey's police are conducting search in the office of the Naksan Holding, one of the largest holding companies in the country, Turkish Kanal7 TV channel reported March 9. The holding's management is being suspected of financing the movement of Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic public figure, currently residing in the US. Gulen is accused of being involved in a huge wiretapping scandal in Turkey. Nine employees of the holding have been detained, according to the report. Naksan Holding was established in 1940 and is engaged in polyethylene production. In 2015, Turkey's police conducted search in the office of Koza Ipek Holding, one of the country's largest companies. The management of the company was accused of having links with movement of Fethullah Gulen. On March 1 this year, a court in Turkey issued a decision to shut down the Kanalturk, Bugun TV channels, the 'Bugun Gazetesi', 'Millet Gazetesi' newspapers and the Kanalturk Radyo radio station, which were parts of Koza Ipek Holding. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu The Prince William Board of County Supervisors announced Tuesday that it has reached an agreement with Dominion Virginia Power that satisfies the boards concerns about the utilitys plan to send water from coal ash ponds into a tributary of the Potomac River. The agreement provides enhanced protection for Quantico Creek and the Potomac from treated waters discharged from the ponds at Dominions Possum Point Power Station, the board said. The board is now comfortable that the dewatering of the ponds will be done in a way that provides an additional level of protection and that addresses concerns raised by our residents, the board chairman, Corey A. Stewart (R), was quoted as saying in a statement from the county board. Two months ago, Stewart spoke in vehement opposition to the plan. I just cant say in stronger terms how disgusted we are, he said in January. In its statement Tuesday, the board said its appeal of a state discharge permit is being withdrawn, which appears to clear away a significant potential obstacle to the plan. But it was not clear Tuesday night whether the agreement would satisfy other opponents, including the state of Maryland. Maryland has sent notice of its intent to appeal Dominions permit. Dominion received a permit in January from a Virginia regulatory board permitting the release of treated water into the creek. Dominion sought the permit as part of its effort to permanently seal five ash ponds at the Possum Point plant. Dominion has stopped burning coal to generate electricity at Possum Point and has been seeking to comply with national regulations issued by the Environmental Protection Agency for the safe disposal of coal ash in all its forms. However, environmentalists and Maryland and Northern Virginia officials have complained that the water-treatment standards in the permit are insufficient to protect fish and other wildlife in the area. In a statement Tuesday, Dominion said it had agreed to go beyond federal and state requirements. According to the county, the agreement includes provisions that all water receive advanced treatment, be sampled hourly and be tested by an independent laboratory. Featured at the Environmental Film Festival in the Nations Capital, City of Trees is about a green jobs initiative to plant trees in underserved parks in the city. The festival starts Tuesday. (Meridian Hill Pictures/Courtesy of the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital) THU 10 Fighting Improv Smackdown Tournament Over five weeks, three-person teams from Washington Improv Theater compete to earn the title of reigning improv champions. Opens Thursday with shows at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., continues Friday at 8 and 10 p.m., Saturday at 5, 7 and 9 p.m., Sunday at 5 and 7 p.m., Wednesday at 7 and 9 p.m. Through April 9. Source Theatre, 1835 14th St. NW. 202-204-7770. www.witdc.org. $12-$25. Deer Tick The Providence, R.I., alt-rock band plays an acoustic show. With Mutual Benefit. 8 p.m. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW. 202-408-3100. www.sixthandi.org. $25. FRI 11 110 in the Shade This romantic musical about confidence and courtship is set in 1950s Texas. Opens Friday at 7:30 p.m., continues Saturday and Monday-Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Through May 14. Fords Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. 202-347-4833. www.fordstheatre.org. $35-$69. 1984 Shakespeare Theatre Company stages a multimedia adaptation of George Orwells dystopian novel. Suggested for mature audiences. Opens Friday at 8 p.m., continues Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Through April 10. Lansburgh Theatre, 450 Seventh St. NW. 202-547-1122. www.shakespearetheatre.org. $44-$123. Dream Logic Aura Curiatlas Physical Theatre stages short stories expressed through dance, acrobatics and physical comedy. Continues Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m., closes Sunday at 7 p.m. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. 202-399-7993. www.atlasarts.org. $20. JeCaryous Johnsons Married But Single In this R&B musical, a married woman grows tired of her husbands neglect and rekindles an old flame. Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3, 5:30 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 5 p.m. Warner Theatre, 13th and E streets NW. 202-783-4000. www.warnertheatredc.com. $64.50-$69.50. SAT 12 Saturday Night Shindig The DMV Food Truck Association event includes food and fashion trucks, specialty drinks, and an exhibit about the history of food trucks. Ticket includes tastings from three food trucks and one drink. 5 p.m. Hecht Warehouse, 1401 New York Ave. NE. 202-596-5236. bit.ly/1XXWeEa. $49. LiveArt in a Day 2016 LiveArtDCs third annual fundraising event showcases five new 10-minute plays written and produced within 24 hours, plus performances by three bands and a silent auction. 6 p.m. Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Good Hope Rd. SE. 202-631-6291. www.liveartdc.com. $15 in advance, $20 day of show. Eli Paperboy Reed The blue-eyed-soul sensation performs. With Jeremy & the Harlequins, DJ Robert Fearless and DJ Baby Alcatraz. 7 p.m. U Street Music Hall, 1115 U St. NW. 202-588-1889. www.ustreetmusichall.com. $15. Ballet Flamenco de Andalucia Under the direction of Rafaela Carrasco, the Spanish dance company performs five of its best-known works as part of the Flamenco Festival. 8 p.m. George Washington University, Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW. 202-994-6800. lisner.gwu.edu. $35-$65. Museum Day Live! An annual event sponsored by Smithsonian magazine in which a handful of museums offer free admission. In the District, the list includes the Koshland Science Museum, the National Museum of Women in the Arts and the National Building Museum. Several museums that are always free will host special events. www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday. Free, registration required. SUN 13 Green Days American Idiot The Tony Award-winning rock musical based on Green Days album of the same name follows three friends who must choose between a safe suburban life and following their dreams. Continues Sunday at 3 p.m., Tuesday at 8 p.m. Through April 9. Andrew Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. 202-265-3767. www.keegantheatre.com. $55, age 60 and older $50, 25 and younger $45. DC Independent Film Festival The oldest independent film festival in Washington, showcasing a wide range of features, shorts and documentaries, closes Sunday with a party at 8 p.m. that includes a conversation with French-American actor-director Jean-Marc Barr, music by G-Shift Productions, and an awards ceremony with beer, wine and cheese ($22). Through Sunday. Naval Heritage Center, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 202-338-1198. www.dciff-indie.org. Films $7-$12, seminars and workshops $25. MON 14 Dawn The multi-platinum-selling R&B singer-songwriter, formerly of Danity Kane and Diddy Dirty Money, performs. 9 p.m. DC9, 1940 Ninth St. NW. 202-483-5000. www.dcnine.com. $25, in advance $20. TUE 15 Environmental Film Festival The 24th annual multi-venue showcase offers screenings of more than 140 environmentally themed films from 33 countries, most accompanied by filmmaker or expert talks. Sherpa, Jennifer Peedoms film about a tragic avalanche on Mount Everest, opens the festival at 6:30 p.m. at Carnegie Institution for Science, Elihu Root Auditorium, 1530 P St. NW. $30. Through March 26. 202-633-1000. www.dceff.org. Prices vary. Annie The musical by Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin about a cheerful orphan features songs such as Its a Hard Knock Life and Tomorrow. Opens Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Continues Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Through March 20. National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 202-628-6161. www.thenationaldc.org. $48-$178. WED 16 Moment A man returns to his family home in Dublin and is met with strife from his siblings over his criminal past. Directed by Helen Hayes- and Tony-nominated director Ethan McSweeny in his Studio debut. Opens Wednesday at 8 p.m. Through April 24. Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. 202-332-3300. www.studiotheatre.org. $30-$65, seniors $40-$60, age 29 and younger $25, students $20. John Mayall The bandleader known as the Godfather of British Blues performs. 8 p.m. The Hamilton, 600 14th St. NW. 202-787-1000. www.thehamiltondc.com. $22.50-$32. Miss Tess and the Talkbacks The Brooklyn rock-and-roll bandblends swinging blues, old-fashioned country and rockabilly. With the Bumper Jacksons. 8 p.m. Gypsy Sallys, 3401 K St. NW. 202-333-7700. www.gypsysallys.com. $15; in advance $12. Yamato The Drummers of Japan The 17-piece contemporary ensemble of taiko drums (some six feet wide), cymbals and flutes performs its show Bakuon Legend of the Heartbeat. 8 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. 202-888-0050. www.thelincolndc.com. $35. Compiled by Carrie Donovan from staff reports These were among cases received by the Loudoun County Department of Animal Services. For animal shelter hours and location, and information on adoption, licensing, rabies clinics and low-cost neutering, call 703-777-0406 in eastern Loudoun or 540-882-3211 in western Loudoun. Dog bite incident: Davis Dr. SE, Leesburg (Olde Izaak Walton Park), Feb. 27. A woman trying to stop a fight between two dogs was bitten by a white Australian shepherd-type dog with black and gray markings. A man who was with the attacking dog was described as in his late 30s or early 40s and was wearing sunglasses and a beanie-type hat. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 703-777-0406. A license to thrill: Cedar St., Round Hill, March 1. A caller reported a stray dog. An animal control officer found the dog, which wore a county license. Dog and owner were reunited. Help for injured vulture: James Monroe Hwy., Leesburg, March 2. A motorist reported an injured turkey vulture on the side of a road. An animal control officer took the bird to a wildlife rehabilitation center. It takes a village: Banfield Pet Hospital, Village at Leesburg, 1602 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg, March 1. The pet hospital donated its services to spay and neuter five cats and a dog and perform dental surgery on a cat, among other procedures. This enabled Loudoun Animal Services to spay three rabbits that are now ready to be adopted. Compiled by Sandy Mauck Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Loudoun County Animal Watch Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) is launching a new ad offensive in Baltimore as polls show the Democratic primary race for Marylands open Senate seat getting tight. The ad recycles a message from his fall ad campaign, introducing the congressman as the son of a Baltimore native who fought in both the Maryland state legislature and U.S. Congress for environmental protections, education, gun control, womens rights and Social Security. It adds his endorsement by the Washington Post Editorial Board as a talented successor for Marylands Barbara A. Mikulski. Van Hollens rival, Rep. Donna F. Edwards (D-Md.), has relied on a super PAC run by the Democratic womens group Emilys List to air ads in both Baltimore and the D.C. area emphasizing her progressivism and personal story. On Tuesday, the group announced that it would commit another million dollars to electing Edwards, bringing its ad spending in Maryland up to $2.4 million. The new Emilys List campaign for the first time includes digital advertising that will run on streaming services such Hulu and Pandora. Van Hollen started airing ads in Baltimore in November and stayed on television through January. Emilys List followed with its own campaign for those three months and began a new run of ads at the end of February. The Van Hollen campaign would not discuss the amount of money spent on its new advertising. Initial reports filed with the Federal Communications Commission show a five-figure buy through next week on Baltimore network television. Edwards has reserved a small amount of air time in Baltimore for the last week of the campaign, a first step toward airing campaign ads of her own. A poll released Tuesday by Gonzales Research & Marketing Strategies, taken Feb. 29 to March 4, found Van Hollen leading Edwards among likely primary voters by a statistically insignificant 42 percent to 41 percent. Montgomery County The following information, provided by the Montgomery County Police Department, shows only initial calls for service received by the 911 center. Many of these reported incidents could turn out to be classified under a different crime category or determined to be unfounded. And some calls for service could be resolved with no further action needed. REWARDS FOR INFORMATION Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, a nonprofit organization, pays up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment in connection with felonies. Call the 24-hour hotline at 800-673-2777. Callers may remain anonymous. District 1 Rockville Station Telephone: 240-773-6070 SEXUAL ASSAULT Piccard Dr., 1300 block, 3:19 p.m. Feb. 26. A sexual assault was reported. ASSAULTS Gude Dr. E., 300 block, 11:06 p.m. Feb. 27. Mannakee St., unit block, 1:04 p.m. Feb. 23. Monroe St., 700 block, 6:22 p.m. Feb. 27. Piccard Dr., 1300 block, 11:38 a.m. Feb. 23. Rockville Pike, 200 block, 11:55 p.m. Feb. 23. Rockville Pike, 200 block, 1:43 p.m. Feb. 27. Rockville Pike, 12100 block, 10:08 p.m. Feb. 27. Veirs Mill Rd., 2000 block, 9:42 p.m. Feb. 29. ROBBERY Fallsgrove Dr., 700 block, 8 p.m. Feb. 28. Robbery reported. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Alderbrook Ct., 5600 block, 8:29 a.m. Feb. 24. Avery Rd., 14500 block, 3:51 p.m. Feb. 26. Bunnell Ct. N., 11700 block, 2:45 p.m. Feb. 23. Coddle Harbor Lane, 7800 block, 9:08 a.m. Feb. 24. Darnestown Rd., 12100 block, 2:50 p.m. Feb. 23. Trespassing. Dufief Mill Rd., 13800 block, 10:06 a.m. Feb. 24. Falls Rd., 11300 block, 1:18 p.m. Feb. 27. Fisher Ave., 19500 block, 2:17 p.m. Feb. 28. Fishers Lane, 5600 block, 11:08 a.m. Feb. 23. Frederick Rd., 15500 block, 9:27 a.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. Frederick Rd., 15800 block, 6:23 p.m. Feb. 23. Greenlane Dr., 11600 block, 5:06 p.m. Feb. 26. Theft from auto. Halesworth Dr., 1100 block, 9:33 a.m. Feb. 27. Theft from auto. Halpine Rd., 100 block, 1:31 p.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Helen Heneghan Way, unit block, 1:47 a.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Helen Heneghan Way, unit block, 4:05 a.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Henslowe Dr., 2400 block, 9:20 a.m. Feb. 29. Theft from auto. Hungerford Dr., 400 block, 9:18 a.m. Feb. 25. Trespassing. Hungerford Dr., 600 block, 4:18 p.m. Feb. 25. Maplecrest Lane, 10800 block, 11:55 a.m. Feb. 27. New Hampshire Ave., 6800 block, 4:21 p.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. New Mark Esplanade, 200 block, 7:24 a.m. Feb. 27. Theft from auto. New Mark Esplanade, 800 block, 10:10 a.m. Feb. 25. Paramount Dr., 15800 block, 12:11 p.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Parklawn Dr., 12000 block, 9:11 a.m. Feb. 26. Pebble Hill Lane, 14400 block, 8:01 p.m. Feb. 29. Piccard Dr., 1300 block, 10:39 a.m. Feb. 25. Trespassing. Postoak Rd., 8500 block, 9:38 p.m. Feb. 28. Rockville Pike, 1200 block, 9:17 a.m. Feb. 29. Theft from auto. Rockville Pike, 1300 block, 5:44 a.m. Feb. 27. Trespassing. Rockville Pike, 1600 block, 4:33 p.m. Feb. 29. Rockville Pike, 1700 block, 8:11 a.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Seven Locks Rd., 11800 block, 6:12 p.m. Feb. 24. Theft from auto. Shady Grove Rd., 15700 block, 7:04 p.m. Feb. 23. Shady Grove Rd., 15700 block, 4:21 p.m. Feb. 25. Shady Grove Rd., 15700 block, 2 p.m. Feb. 29. Trotter Farm Dr., 300 block, 1:34 p.m. Feb. 28. Tuckerman Lane, 7900 block, 4:54 p.m. Feb. 25. University Blvd. E., 1300 block, 11:41 a.m. Feb. 27. Upper Rock Cir., unit block, 4:23 p.m. Feb. 28. Western Ave., 5300 block, 5:59 p.m. Feb. 25. Western Ave., 5300 block, 7:34 p.m. Feb. 26. Western Ave., 5300 block, 1:50 p.m. Feb. 29. FRAUD Montgomery Ave. E., 100 block, 7:36 p.m. Feb. 27. VEHICLE THEFT Frederick Rd., 15500 block, 8:59 a.m. Feb. 29. VANDALISM Westmore Rd., 7400 block, 6:48 a.m. Feb. 27. District 2 Bethesda Station Telephone: 240-773-6700 SEXUAL ASSAULT Troy Rd., 11200 block, 8:22 a.m. Feb. 23. A sexual assault was reported. ASSAULTS Florida St., 6800 block, 4:45 p.m. Feb. 26. Greentree Rd., 6300 block, 10:33 p.m. Feb. 27. Grosvenor Lane, 5700 block, 9:19 a.m. Feb. 26. Old Georgetown Rd., 7600 block, 11:03 a.m. Feb. 23. Old Georgetown Rd., 8600 block, 7:19 a.m. Feb. 29. Old Georgetown Rd. and Trade St., 10:23 a.m. Feb. 27. Spencer Rd., 2400 block, 3:42 p.m. Feb. 25. Woodmont Ave., 7200 block, 11:51 p.m. Feb. 27. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Arlington Rd., 7100 block, 3:50 p.m. Feb. 28. Boiling Brook Pl., 11600 block, 1:57 p.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Bradley Blvd., 4700 block, 10:53 a.m. Feb. 26. Theft from auto. Brickyard Rd., 8700 block, 6:59 a.m. Feb. 23. Chevy Chase Dr., 4700 block, 6:33 p.m. Feb. 29. Theft from auto. Connecticut Ave., 7700 block, 1:36 p.m. Feb. 29. Theft from auto. Democracy Blvd., 7100 block, 4:43 p.m. Feb. 24. Democracy Blvd., 7100 block, 6:44 p.m. Feb. 24. Democracy Blvd., 7100 block, 5:44 p.m. Feb. 25. Democracy Blvd., 7100 block, 2:24 p.m. Feb. 26. Democracy Blvd., 7100 block, 4:23 p.m. Feb. 27. Democracy Blvd., 7100 block, 3:28 p.m. Feb. 28. Democracy Blvd., 7100 block, 7:13 p.m. Feb. 28. Dorset Ave., 4900 block, 12:39 p.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. East-West Hwy., 4300 block, 8:41 a.m. Feb. 26. East-West Hwy., 4300 block, 10:23 a.m. Feb. 26. Fairmont Ave., 4800 block, 11:54 a.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Glenolden Dr., 10100 block, 11:58 a.m. Feb. 23. Trespassing. Honeybee Lane, 8800 block, 1:57 p.m. Feb. 26. Theft from auto. Jensen Pl., 7900 block, 1:16 p.m. Feb. 29. Theft from auto. Linden Lane, 2500 block, 3:32 p.m. Feb. 24. Little Leigh Ct., 6400 block, 8:37 a.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. Longridge Ct., 7900 block, 2:02 p.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. Montrose Ave., 10500 block, 8:03 a.m. Feb. 27. Theft from auto. Montrose Ave., 10800 block, 3:37 p.m. Feb. 23. New Hampshire Ave., 6800 block, 4:21 p.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. Newdale Rd., 3900 block, 2:16 p.m. Feb. 23. Theft from auto. Old Georgetown Rd., 10300 block, 8:07 p.m. Feb. 24. Old Georgetown Rd., 11700 block, 9:28 a.m. Feb. 29. Parklawn Dr., 11700 block, 8:28 a.m. Feb. 26. Parklawn Dr., 11700 block, 6:34 p.m. Feb. 26. Ridgefield Rd., 5100 block, 8:36 a.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Rosemary St., 4300 block, 3:04 p.m. Feb. 28. Royal Dominion Dr., 7500 block, 1:20 a.m. Feb. 28. Saul Rd., 3900 block, 9:59 p.m. Feb. 23. Theft from auto. Sinnott Ct., 10000 block, 8:43 a.m. Feb. 25. Split Oak Cir., 8600 block, 7:41 a.m. Feb. 26. Summit Ave., 10500 block, 9:26 a.m. Feb. 28. Theft from auto. Transue Dr., 8900 block, 6:19 p.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. University Blvd. E., 1300 block, 11:41 a.m. Feb. 27. University Blvd. W., 3700 block, 1:43 p.m. Feb. 23. Trespassing. Western Ave., 5300 block, 5:59 p.m. Feb. 25. Western Ave., 5300 block, 7:34 p.m. Feb. 26. Western Ave., 5300 block, 1:50 p.m. Feb. 29. Wetherill Rd., 4500 block, 3:22 p.m. Feb. 28. Theft from auto. Willard Ave., 4700 block, 7:50 a.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Wisconsin Ave., 5400 block, 1:54 p.m. Feb. 23. Wisconsin Ave., 5400 block, 4:09 p.m. Feb. 28. Wisconsin Ave., 5500 block, 10:49 a.m. Feb. 26. Wisconsin Ave., 6800 block, 7:16 a.m. Feb. 23. Wisconsin Ave., 7000 block, 1:32 p.m. Feb. 23. Wisconsin Ave., 7200 block, 11:03 a.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Wisconsin Ave., 7300 block, 4:40 p.m. Feb. 25. Wisconsin Ave., 7300 block, 5:22 p.m. Feb. 26. Wisconsin Ave., 7300 block, 1:52 p.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Woodmont Ave., 7100 block, 5:12 a.m. Feb. 29. Woodmont Ave., 7200 block, 1:23 a.m. Feb. 28. 83rd St., 6400 block, 10:53 a.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. VEHICLE THEFTS Burling Rd., 5400 block, 7:50 p.m. Feb. 24. Dorset Ave., 4800 block, 7:43 a.m. Feb. 25. Stolen vehicle. Park Ave. N., 4600 block, 4:28 p.m. Feb. 24. Stolen vehicle. Park N. and Willard avenues, 10:14 a.m. Feb. 24. VANDALISM Cumberland Ave., 4900 block, 10:31 a.m. Feb. 25. District 3 Silver Spring Station Telephone: 240-773-6800 SEXUAL ASSAULTS Hood St., 8500 block, 12:56 p.m. Feb. 23. A sexual assault was reported. Milestone Dr., 1000 block, 5:18 p.m. Feb. 26. A sexual assault was reported. 13th St., 8000 block, 9:01 p.m. Feb. 23. A sexual assault was reported. ASSAULTS Colesville Rd. and Georgia Ave., 12:36 p.m. Feb. 28. December Way, 11400 block, 5:19 p.m. Feb. 23. East-West Hwy., 1100 block, 4:04 a.m. Feb. 27. Garland Ave., 7900 block, 12:04 p.m. Feb. 24. Georgia and Thayer avenues, 3:28 p.m. Feb. 24. Lockwood Dr., 11400 block, 9:27 p.m. Feb. 23. Lockwood Dr., 11400 block, 4:57 p.m. Feb. 28. Oak Leaf Dr., 11200 block, 1:17 p.m. Feb. 26. Old Columbia Pike, 15600 block, 9:37 a.m. Feb. 28. Piney Branch Rd., 8700 block, 1:24 p.m. Feb. 26. Sligo Ave., 600 block, 6:57 a.m. Feb. 27. Southampton Dr., 500 block, 4:33 a.m. Feb. 27. Stewart Lane, 11600 block, 1:21 p.m. Feb. 26. Treetop Lane, 2000 block, 11:01 a.m. Feb. 25. University Blvd. E., 600 block, 10:15 p.m. Feb. 25. University Blvd. E., unit block, 10:31 a.m. Feb. 23. Wayne Ave., 300 block, 11:37 p.m. Feb. 26. Wilmer St., 9300 block, 3:06 p.m. Feb. 25. 13th St., 8000 block, 3:32 p.m. Feb. 25. ROBBERIES Bonifant St. and Georgia Ave., 6:22 p.m. Feb. 29. Robbery reported. Cherry Hill Rd., 12000 block, 10:10 p.m. Feb. 24. Robbery reported. New Hampshire Ave., 11200 block, 2:43 p.m. Feb. 24. Robbery reported. Quebec Terr., 1000 block, 11:12 p.m. Feb. 23. Robbery reported. WEAPON Arliss St., 8700 block, 7:58 p.m. Feb. 29. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Arliss St., 8700 block, 3:24 a.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Blair Mill Dr., 8000 block, 8:18 a.m. Feb. 24. Theft from auto. Blair Mill Rd., 1400 block, 7:14 p.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Blair Mill Way, 8000 block, 10:05 p.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Bonifant St., 900 block, 1:01 p.m. Feb. 26. Bonifant St., 900 block, 10:18 p.m. Feb. 27. Trespassing. Brookville Rd., 9100 block, 9:25 p.m. Feb. 23. Cameron St., 8700 block, 5:56 a.m. Feb. 23. Trespassing. Carthage Cir., 13900 block, 6:38 p.m. Feb. 29. Castle Blvd., 13900 block, 2:55 p.m. Feb. 26. Castle Blvd., 14000 block, 1:24 p.m. Feb. 24. Theft from auto. Cherry Hill Rd., 12000 block, 2:39 p.m. Feb. 23. Cherry Hill Rd., 12000 block, 5:12 p.m. Feb. 24. Cherry Hill Rd., 12000 block, 2:46 p.m. Feb. 29. Cherry Hill Rd., 12200 block, 10:25 a.m. Feb. 25. Colesville Rd., 8300 block, 5:56 p.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. Colesville Rd., 8300 block, 1:54 p.m. Feb. 27. Trespassing. Colesville Rd., 8400 block, 9:07 a.m. Feb. 23. Trespassing. Colesville Rd., 8400 block, 1:02 p.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Colesville Rd., 8400 block, 2:08 p.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Colesville Rd., 8400 block, 11:22 a.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Colesville Rd., 8400 block, 2:30 a.m. Feb. 27. Colesville Rd., 8500 block, 10:29 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Colesville Rd., 8500 block, 10:44 a.m. Feb. 27. Trespassing. Colesville Rd., 8600 block, 4:43 p.m. Feb. 25. Colesville Rd., 8600 block, 5:30 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Cottrell Terr., 9700 block, 12:35 p.m. Feb. 29. Dixon Ave., 8200 block, 9:11 a.m. Feb. 25. Trespassing. Dixon Ave., 8200 block, 1:52 p.m. Feb. 28. Trespassing. Eastern Dr., 8000 block, 8:18 a.m. Feb. 24. Theft from auto. Ellsworth Dr., 900 block, 7:31 a.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Fenton St., 8100 block, 10:27 a.m. Feb. 24. Fenton St., 8100 block, 12:09 a.m. Feb. 27. Fenton St., 8500 block, 7:45 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Garland Ave., 8800 block, 11:20 p.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Georgia Ave., 7900 block, 9:24 a.m. Feb. 27. Trespassing. Georgia Ave., 8200 block, 3:51 a.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Georgia Ave., 8400 block, 4:24 p.m. Feb. 29. Georgia Ave., 8700 block, 11:02 a.m. Feb. 23. Trespassing. Georgia Ave., 8700 block, 8:10 a.m. Feb. 29. Geren Rd., 8700 block, 12:16 p.m. Feb. 25. Trespassing. Glenview Ave., 8500 block, 7:17 a.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Glenville Rd., 8500 block, 9:34 a.m. Feb. 29. Gracefield Rd., 2800 block, 11:32 a.m. Feb. 23. Theft from auto. Hampshire West Ct., 1400 block, 4:37 a.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. Kilkenny St., 3300 block, 9:46 a.m. Feb. 27. Theft from auto. Lexington Dr., 100 block, 11:23 a.m. Feb. 29. Lorain Ave., 10200 block, 7:25 p.m. Feb. 23. Meadowhill Rd., 10600 block, 1:41 p.m. Feb. 27. Meadowhill Rd., 10700 block, 2:31 p.m. Feb. 24. New Hampshire Ave., 6800 block, 4:21 p.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. New Hampshire Ave., 9200 block, 11:43 a.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. New Hampshire Ave., 10200 block, 3:12 p.m. Feb. 27. New Hampshire Ave., 11100 block, 12:54 p.m. Feb. 28. Trespassing. New Hampshire Ave., 11200 block, 12:18 p.m. Feb. 23. New Hampshire Ave., 11200 block, 6:21 p.m. Feb. 25. New Hampshire Ave., 11200 block, 7:55 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. New Hampshire Ave., 11900 block, 3:26 p.m. Feb. 28. Old Columbia Pike, 11700 block, 7:05 p.m. Feb. 23. Old Columbia Pike, 11700 block, 1:01 a.m. Feb. 24. Old Columbia Pike, 11700 block, 7:42 a.m. Feb. 24. Theft from auto. Old Columbia Pike, 11700 block, 9:26 a.m. Feb. 26. Theft from auto. Old Columbia Pike, 11700 block, 3:59 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Old Columbia Pike, 11700 block, 8:11 a.m. Feb. 28. Theft from auto. Old Columbia Pike, 11700 block, 4:07 p.m. Feb. 28. Theft from auto. Old Columbia Pike, 15600 block, 7:52 p.m. Feb. 27. Old Columbia Pike, 15700 block, 10:27 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Overlook Dr., 1700 block, 5:37 p.m. Feb. 24. Pickwick Village Terr., 9000 block, 12:35 p.m. Feb. 26. Piney Branch Rd., 8700 block, 8:58 p.m. Feb. 23. Trespassing. Piney Branch Rd., 8900 block, 1:44 p.m. Feb. 25. Trespassing. Quebec Terr., 1000 block, 9:07 a.m. Feb. 27. Theft from auto. Ripley St., 1100 block, 4:46 p.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Ripley St., 1100 block, 6:54 p.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Sandy Spring Rd., 4100 block, 12:42 p.m. Feb. 27. Theft from auto. Sandy Spring Rd., 4100 block, 9:01 a.m. Feb. 29. Sierra St., 9400 block, 12:41 p.m. Feb. 26. Silver Spring Ave., 700 block, 10:28 p.m. Feb. 26. Silver Spring Ave., 900 block, 5:28 p.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Thayer Ave., 500 block, 10:54 a.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. University Blvd. W., 100 block, 6:07 a.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. University Blvd. E., 1300 block, 11:41 a.m. Feb. 27. Venetian Rd., 13100 block, 9:40 a.m. Feb. 26. Theft from auto. Wayne Ave., 800 block, 4:36 p.m. Feb. 27. Western Ave., 5300 block, 5:59 p.m. Feb. 25. Western Ave., 5300 block, 7:34 p.m. Feb. 26. Western Ave., 5300 block, 1:50 p.m. Feb. 29. Second Ave., 8600 block, 6:12 p.m. Feb. 29. 10th Ave., 8400 block, 9:56 a.m. Feb. 24. Theft from auto. 11th Ave., 8500 block, 6:06 a.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. VEHICLE THEFTS Automobile Blvd., 3100 block, 6:57 p.m. Feb. 27. Burslem Terr., 14400 block, 11:29 a.m. Feb. 23. Stolen vehicle. Georgia Ave., 8200 block, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 23. VANDALISM Castle Blvd., 13900 block, 11:52 p.m. Feb. 24. Herrington Manor Dr., 12300 block, 12:32 a.m. Feb. 27. New Hampshire Ave., 10200 block, 11:03 a.m. Feb. 29. Piney Branch Rd., 9300 block, 2:33 p.m. Feb. 28. District 4 Wheaton Station Telephone: 240-773-5500 SEXUAL ASSAULTS Georgia Ave., 12100 block, 9:44 p.m. Feb. 23. A sexual assault was reported. Georgia Ave., 14300 block, 6:59 p.m. Feb. 26. A sexual assault was reported. ASSAULTS Connecticut Ave. and Fairly St., 11:40 p.m. Feb. 28. Ennalls and Grandview avenues, 4:18 p.m. Feb. 28. Georgia Ave., 11400 block, 5:04 p.m. Feb. 27. Georgia Ave., 12300 block, 9:04 p.m. Feb. 26. Georgia Ave., 14300 block, 3:26 p.m. Feb. 26. Hanby St., 1500 block, 8:36 p.m. Feb. 23. Weeping Willow Ct., 3200 block, 7:03 p.m. Feb. 28. ARSON Georgia Ave., 11400 block, 6:17 a.m. Feb. 24. Arson reported. Georgia Ave., 13500 block, 10:47 a.m. Feb. 26. Arson reported. ROBBERIES Claridge Rd., 11900 block, 3:48 p.m. Feb. 27. Carjacking. Eastwood Ave., 10800 block, 1:54 p.m. Feb. 26. Robbery reported. Selfridge Rd., 12200 block, 8:14 p.m. Feb. 29. Robbery reported. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Amherst Ave., 11400 block, 8:12 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Arcola Ave., 1100 block, 1:53 p.m. Feb. 25. Aspen Hill Rd., 3900 block, 12:39 p.m. Feb. 29. Aspen Hill Rd., 3900 block, 3:35 p.m. Feb. 29. Bel Pre Rd., 3800 block, 5:56 p.m. Feb. 28. Theft from auto. Clear Shot Dr., 2800 block, 2:57 p.m. Feb. 29. Connecticut Ave., 13500 block, 8:33 p.m. Feb. 29. Connecticut Ave., 13600 block, 3:54 a.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Dayton St., 2100 block, 11 a.m. Feb. 28. Theft from auto. Elkin St., 11500 block, 8:58 p.m. Feb. 25. Trespassing. Ennalls Ave., 2500 block, 5:13 p.m. Feb. 25. Georgia Ave. and University Blvd., 1:45 a.m. Feb. 28. Georgia Ave., 12400 block, 11:31 a.m. Feb. 26. Georgia Ave., 17000 block, 11:07 a.m. Feb. 28. Theft from auto. Georgia Ave., 18000 block, 1:35 a.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Grandview Ave., 11200 block, 1:01 a.m. Feb. 28. Harris Ave., 2600 block, 2:03 p.m. Feb. 27. Highfly Terr., 2200 block, 3:35 p.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Huxley Cove Ct., 13900 block, 4:54 p.m. Feb. 28. Layhill Rd., 14300 block, 11:10 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Layhill Rd., 14300 block, 6 p.m. Feb. 28. Trespassing. Leisure World Blvd. N., 3100 block, 12:04 p.m. Feb. 29. Macduff Ave., 17300 block, 5:32 p.m. Feb. 24. New Hampshire Ave., 6800 block, 4:21 p.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. New Hampshire Ave., 13400 block, 3:55 a.m. Feb. 23. New Hampshire Ave., 13400 block, 3:59 a.m. Feb. 23. Night Sky Dr., 13600 block, 5:04 p.m. Feb. 23. Norwood Rd., 300 block, 9:26 a.m. Feb. 23. Trespassing. Parkvale Terr., 5400 block, 7:56 a.m. Feb. 29. Theft from auto. Randolph Rd., 2300 block, 4:44 p.m. Feb. 26. Theft from auto. Twig Rd., 14400 block, 1:52 p.m. Feb. 27. Theft from auto. University Blvd. W., 1100 block, 3:35 p.m. Feb. 23. Trespassing. University Blvd. E., 1300 block, 11:41 a.m. Feb. 27. University Blvd. W., 2700 block, 2:13 p.m. Feb. 25. University Blvd. W., 2800 block, 9:54 p.m. Feb. 28. Urbana Dr., 2600 block, 2:43 p.m. Feb. 28. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 12:14 p.m. Feb. 23. Trespassing. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 12:59 p.m. Feb. 23. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 6:38 p.m. Feb. 23. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 7:23 p.m. Feb. 23. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 1:50 p.m. Feb. 24. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 5:09 p.m. Feb. 24. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 5:40 p.m. Feb. 24. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 7:35 p.m. Feb. 24. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 7:39 p.m. Feb. 24. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 8:28 p.m. Feb. 24. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 4:40 p.m. Feb. 25. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 12:19 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 1:29 p.m. Feb. 26. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 8 p.m. Feb. 26. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 8:17 p.m. Feb. 26. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 6:12 p.m. Feb. 27. Trespassing. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 8:28 p.m. Feb. 27. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 8:37 p.m. Feb. 27. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 5:39 p.m. Feb. 28. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 11:51 a.m. Feb. 29. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 5:59 p.m. Feb. 29. Veirs Mill Rd., 11100 block, 6:49 p.m. Feb. 29. Veirs Mill Rd., 11600 block, 8:27 p.m. Feb. 26. Western Ave., 5300 block, 5:59 p.m. Feb. 25. Western Ave., 5300 block, 7:34 p.m. Feb. 26. Western Ave., 5300 block, 1:50 p.m. Feb. 29. Wissahican Ave., 4600 block, 12:21 p.m. Feb. 29. Yosemite Ct., 14300 block, 3:03 p.m. Feb. 29. Theft from auto. VEHICLE THEFTS Bauer and Frankfort drives, 9:05 a.m. Feb. 25. Stolen vehicle. Claridge Rd., 12000 block, 5:05 p.m. Feb. 29. Georgia Ave., 10900 block, 6:03 p.m. Feb. 26. Stolen vehicle. University Blvd. W., 2700 block, 1:52 p.m. Feb. 26. VANDALISM Alexander Manor Dr., 16600 block, 3:13 p.m. Feb. 28. District 5 Germantown Station Telephone: 240-773-6200 SEXUAL ASSAULTS Aircraft Dr., 20000 block, 8:32 p.m. Feb. 25. A sexual assault was reported. Gunnerfield Lane, 19200 block, 2:46 p.m. Feb. 25. A sexual assault was reported. Schaeffer Rd., 13900 block, 7:53 p.m. Feb. 23. A sexual assault was reported. Smoke House Ct., 18200 block, 8:59 p.m. Feb. 23. A sexual assault was reported. ASSAULTS Brink Rd., 10400 block, 2:15 p.m. Feb. 24. Century Blvd. and Pinnacle Dr., 7:26 p.m. Feb. 25. Century Blvd., 20000 block, 3:06 a.m. Feb. 27. Clopper Rd., 13500 block, 6:28 p.m. Feb. 25. Crystal Rock Dr., 19500 block, 11:23 a.m. Feb. 23. Crystal Rock Dr., 19700 block, 7:43 p.m. Feb. 29. Father Hurley Blvd., 19200 block, 4:07 p.m. Feb. 26. Father Hurley Blvd., 21000 block, 3:39 p.m. Feb. 29. Mateny Hill Rd., 19200 block, 3:20 p.m. Feb. 24. Middlebrook Rd., 11600 block, 3:08 p.m. Feb. 26. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Amaranth Dr., 19500 block, 12:44 p.m. Feb. 24. Cedarhurst Way, 20300 block, 1:45 p.m. Feb. 26. Century Blvd., 19800 block, 4:13 p.m. Feb. 26. Century Blvd., 20100 block, 2:43 p.m. Feb. 27. Trespassing. Century Blvd., 20100 block, 5:46 p.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Clopper Rd., 12800 block, 7:29 a.m. Feb. 27. Clopper Rd., 12800 block, 3:40 p.m. Feb. 27. Trespassing. Frederick Rd., 19700 block, 1:11 a.m. Feb. 25. Trespassing. Frederick Rd., 19700 block, 5:43 p.m. Feb. 28. Frederick Rd., 20900 block, 10:01 a.m. Feb. 24. Frederick Rd., 20900 block, 3:36 p.m. Feb. 24. Frederick Rd., 20900 block, 2:33 p.m. Feb. 25. Frederick Rd., 20900 block, 4:29 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Frederick Rd., 20900 block, 6 p.m. Feb. 27. Frederick Rd., 20900 block, 11:26 a.m. Feb. 28. Frederick Rd., 24400 block, 1:39 p.m. Feb. 29. Theft from auto. Germantown Rd., 19700 block, 9:41 a.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Germantown Rd., 19700 block, 11:39 p.m. Feb. 28. Trespassing. Germantown Rd., 19700 block, 12:31 a.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Great Park Cir., 12400 block, 9 a.m. Feb. 26. Theft from auto. Kings Valley Rd., 24900 block, 6:26 p.m. Feb. 29. Linden Vale Dr., 23200 block, 3:06 p.m. Feb. 29. Maryland Manor Ct., 11100 block, 8:29 a.m. Feb. 26. Metz Dr., 18200 block, 8:14 a.m. Feb. 29. Theft from auto. Middlebrook Rd., 12900 block, 1:04 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Middlebrook Rd., 12900 block, 4:48 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Middlebrook Rd., 12900 block, 5:40 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Middlebrook Rd., 12900 block, 2:08 p.m. Feb. 28. Trespassing. Middlebrook Rd., 12900 block, 5:53 p.m. Feb. 28. Trespassing. Monarch Vista Ct., unit block, 9:53 p.m. Feb. 26. New Hampshire Ave., 6800 block, 4:21 p.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. Partridge Wood Dr., 19000 block, 8:56 a.m. Feb. 23. Theft from auto. Queens Cross Lane, 19000 block, 8:32 a.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. Ridge Rd., 26000 block, 9:32 a.m. Feb. 29. Ridge Rd., 26000 block, 12:04 p.m. Feb. 29. Seneca Meadows Pkwy., 20600 block, 12:01 p.m. Feb. 23. St. Peter Ct., 12200 block, 5:31 p.m. Feb. 23. Theft from auto. University Blvd. E., 1300 block, 11:41 a.m. Feb. 27. Western Ave., 5300 block, 5:59 p.m. Feb. 25. Western Ave., 5300 block, 7:34 p.m. Feb. 26. Western Ave., 5300 block, 1:50 p.m. Feb. 29. White Pillar Terr., 9500 block, 8:15 a.m. Feb. 24. Wisteria Dr., 12800 block, 4:32 p.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Wisteria Dr., 12900 block, 5:57 p.m. Feb. 23. Trespassing. Wisteria Dr., 13000 block, 12:39 p.m. Feb. 23. VEHICLE THEFTS Glen Willow Way, 18600 block, 7:45 a.m. Feb. 27. Halethorpe Lane, 20200 block, 12:45 p.m. Feb. 24. Stolen vehicle. VANDALISM Frederick Rd., 19700 block, 6:55 p.m. Feb. 27. District 6 Gaithersburg Station Telephone: 240-773-5700 SEXUAL ASSAULTS Downing St., 17000 block, 6:25 a.m. Feb. 24. A sexual assault was reported. Summit Ave. N., 400 block, 8:27 p.m. Feb. 29. A sexual assault was reported. ASSAULTS Battleridge Way, 19400 block, 9:41 p.m. Feb. 28. Beacon Square Ct., 900 block, 9:01 a.m. Feb. 29. Brassie Pl., 19400 block, 9:44 p.m. Feb. 28. Brookridge Ct., 9800 block, 4:16 p.m. Feb. 23. Clopper Rd., 700 block, 2:56 a.m. Feb. 27. Contour Rd., 18300 block, 10:41 p.m. Feb. 27. Duvall Lane, 100 block, 5:11 p.m. Feb. 29. Education Blvd., 100 block, 7:49 p.m. Feb. 29. Lost Knife Rd., 9600 block, 8:26 p.m. Feb. 27. Mastenbrook Ct., unit block, 12:25 a.m. Feb. 26. Montgomery Village Ave., 19300 block, 9:47 p.m. Feb. 23. Quince Orchard Rd., 500 block, 7:37 p.m. Feb. 29. Russell Ave., 700 block, 3:05 p.m. Feb. 28. Summit Ave. S., unit block, 3:10 a.m. Feb. 23. Washingtonian Blvd., 9800 block, 12:22 p.m. Feb. 28. ROBBERIES Coltfield Ct., 19000 block, 9:49 p.m. Feb. 27. Robbery reported. Girard St. and Goshen Rd., 12:32 a.m. Feb. 27. Robbery reported. Lost Knife Cir., 18400 block, 7:56 p.m. Feb. 25. Robbery reported. Market St. E., 800 block, 4:03 p.m. Feb. 29. Robbery reported. Watkins Mill Rd. W., unit block, 2:29 p.m. Feb. 27. Robbery reported. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Barnsfield Ct., 100 block, 8:49 a.m. Feb. 29. Theft from auto. Bureau Dr., unit block, 12:59 a.m. Feb. 28. Trespassing. Christopher Ave., 400 block, 7:25 a.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. Clopper Rd., 900 block, 10:40 p.m. Feb. 23. Club House Rd., 19600 block, 9:18 a.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Deer Park Dr. E., unit block, 11:16 a.m. Feb. 29. Theft from auto. Downing St., 17000 block, 10:05 a.m. Feb. 26. Theft from auto. Elger Mill Rd., 9300 block, 12:50 p.m. Feb. 28. Theft from auto. Elger Mill Rd., 9400 block, 9:59 a.m. Feb. 28. Theft from auto. Ellington Blvd., 200 block, 1:26 p.m. Feb. 27. Trespassing. Fairbanks Dr., 100 block, 2:36 p.m. Feb. 23. Feathertree Terr., 9800 block, 10:45 a.m. Feb. 23. Forest Preserve Dr., 200 block, 3:56 p.m. Feb. 29. Theft from auto. Frederick Ave. N., 100 block, 12:31 a.m. Feb. 25. Frederick Ave. N., 200 block, 2:26 a.m. Feb. 27. Trespassing. Frederick Ave. N., 400 block, 8:33 p.m. Feb. 28. Trespassing. Frederick Ave. N., 400 block, 7:36 a.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Frederick Ave. N., 500 block, 2:26 a.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Frederick Ave. S., 500 block, 2:58 p.m. Feb. 26. Fulks Corner Ave., unit block, 10:48 a.m. Feb. 25. Gaither Dr., 15800 block, 11:34 p.m. Feb. 27. Gaither Dr., 15800 block, 12:27 a.m. Feb. 28. Gallery Ct., 8200 block, 4:12 p.m. Feb. 26. Grand Corner Ave., unit block, 5:05 p.m. Feb. 23. Grand Corner Ave., unit block, 3:26 p.m. Feb. 25. Heartwood Dr., 16600 block, 8:38 a.m. Feb. 23. Judge Pl., 9300 block, 11:09 a.m. Feb. 28. Theft from auto. Lee St., 200 block, 11:10 a.m. Feb. 29. Lost Knife Cir., 18300 block, 9:13 p.m. Feb. 23. Trespassing. Mahogany Dr., 9800 block, 6:42 p.m. Feb. 29. Market St., 100 block, 2:33 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Montgomery Village Ave., 19100 block, 2:41 a.m. Feb. 23. Trespassing. Montgomery Village Ave., 19200 block, 9:29 a.m. Feb. 26. Montgomery Village Ave., 19200 block, 3:46 p.m. Feb. 27. Trespassing. Montgomery Village Ave., 19300 block, 3:15 p.m. Feb. 23. Trespassing. Montgomery Village Ave., 19300 block, 4:44 p.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Montgomery Village Ave., 19300 block, 8 p.m. Feb. 26. Trespassing. Montgomery Village Ave., 19300 block, 1:53 p.m. Feb. 27. Trespassing. Montgomery Village Ave., 19300 block, 5:55 p.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Montgomery Village Ave., 19400 block, 1:11 p.m. Feb. 27. Trespassing. Montgomery Village Ave., unit block, 11:18 a.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Muddy Branch Rd., 200 block, 3:24 p.m. Feb. 28. Muddy Branch Rd., 400 block, noon Feb. 25. Theft from auto. New Hampshire Ave., 6800 block, 4:21 p.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. Pintail Lane, 18800 block, 4:03 p.m. Feb. 26. Professional Dr., 200 block, 8:34 a.m. Feb. 26. Theft from auto. Quince Orchard Blvd., 700 block, 6:35 p.m. Feb. 23. Quince Orchard Rd., 600 block, 3:30 p.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Rothbury Dr., 9100 block, 1:16 p.m. Feb. 24. Trespassing. Russell Ave., 700 block, 4:56 p.m. Feb. 24. Russell Ave., 700 block, 6:36 p.m. Feb. 25. Russell Ave., 700 block, 4:16 p.m. Feb. 26. Russell Ave., 700 block, 7:02 p.m. Feb. 26. Russell Ave., 700 block, 3:16 p.m. Feb. 27. Russell Ave., 700 block, 5:06 p.m. Feb. 27. Russell Ave., 700 block, 5:10 p.m. Feb. 27. Russell Ave., 700 block, 6:45 p.m. Feb. 27. Russell Ave., 700 block, 12:08 p.m. Feb. 28. Russell Ave., 700 block, 12:19 p.m. Feb. 29. Russell Ave., 700 block, 2:13 p.m. Feb. 29. Russell Ave., 700 block, 5:32 p.m. Feb. 29. Shady Grove Rd., 15700 block, 10:14 a.m. Feb. 29. Silkcotton Way, 17700 block, 7:28 p.m. Feb. 25. Streamside Dr., 18300 block, 8:28 p.m. Feb. 24. Summit Ave. N., 300 block, 10:27 p.m. Feb. 29. Summit Ave. N., unit block, 12:20 p.m. Feb. 29. University Blvd. E., 1300 block, 11:41 a.m. Feb. 27. Walkers Choice Rd., 18700 block, 7:45 a.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. Walkers Choice Rd., 18700 block, 7:52 a.m. Feb. 25. Trespassing. Walkers Choice Rd., 18700 block, 10 p.m. Feb. 29. Washingtonian Blvd., 9800 block, 5:04 p.m. Feb. 23. Western Ave., 5300 block, 5:59 p.m. Feb. 25. Western Ave., 5300 block, 7:34 p.m. Feb. 26. Western Ave., 5300 block, 1:50 p.m. Feb. 29. Whetstone Dr., 9700 block, 11:52 a.m. Feb. 28. Theft from auto. VEHICLE THEFTS Dubois Ct., 20500 block, 11:21 a.m. Feb. 27. Stolen vehicle. Firstfield Rd., 500 block, 10:39 a.m. Feb. 23. Stolen vehicle. Sterncroft Ct., 20500 block, 9:47 a.m. Feb. 29. Stolen vehicle. Washingtonian Blvd., 9800 block, 10:34 a.m. Feb. 27. Stolen vehicle. VANDALISM Frederick Ave. S., 500 block, 10:39 a.m. Feb. 25. Takoma Park and other areas ASSAULTS Geneva Ave., 200 block, 6:41 p.m. Feb. 23. Lee Ave., 100 block, 8:48 p.m. Feb. 23. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Albany Ave., 500 block, 9:16 p.m. Feb. 24. Carroll Ave., 7600 block, 9:53 a.m. Feb. 27. Trespassing. Cedar Ave., 7400 block, 11:15 a.m. Feb. 28. Elm Ave., 500 block, 3:32 p.m. Feb. 27. Theft from auto. Flower Ave., 7600 block, 3:50 p.m. Feb. 29. Trespassing. Gude Ave., 6600 block, 8:04 p.m. Feb. 24. Holly Ave., 7200 block, 2:51 p.m. Feb. 23. Maple Ave., 7600 block, 5:37 a.m. Feb. 24. New Hampshire Ave., 6800 block, 4:21 p.m. Feb. 25. Theft from auto. New Hampshire Ave., 7600 block, 11:20 a.m. Feb. 23. Piney Branch Rd., 7600 block, 6:29 p.m. Feb. 28. Sligo Mill Rd., 6400 block, 7:18 a.m. Feb. 26. Theft from auto. University Blvd. E., 1300 block, 11:41 a.m. Feb. 27. Western Ave., 5300 block, 5:59 p.m. Feb. 25. Western Ave., 5300 block, 7:34 p.m. Feb. 26. Western Ave., 5300 block, 1:50 p.m. Feb. 29. VEHICLE THEFT Prince Georges Ave., 6900 block, 6:15 a.m. Feb. 27. Quentin Young, a Chicago doctor and social activist who protested against segregated hospitals, was a personal physician to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights figures who came through the Windy City, and was an advocate for promoting decent health care for all, died March 7 at a daughters home in Berkeley, Calif. He was 92. His death was announced by Margie Schaps, who worked with Dr. Young at the Chicago-based Health & Medicine Policy Research Group, an organization Dr. Young founded. No specific cause was disclosed. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle called Dr. Young a former president of the American Public Health Association and the universal-health-care advocacy group Physicians for a National Health Program a relentless advocate of fairness and justice for all citizens. Quentin David Young was born in Chicago in 1923. His father, a Russian immigrant, operated a construction company, and his mother was from Lithuania. My parents were liberal and uncommonly permissive in letting us pursue what we wanted, he told the Chicago Sun-Times. Drawn to left-wing political groups, he dropped out of the University of Chicago to enlist in the Army in World War II with the aim of combating fascism. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who was a presidential candidate at the time, hugs Quentin Young of the Health and Medicine Policy Research Group before speaking at a union rally in Chicago in 2007. (Brian Kersey/AP) Following his discharge, he received his medical degree from Northwestern University, then became a trainee on the staff of Cook County Hospital. His experience treating botched back-alley abortions led him to become a vocal advocate for legalizing abortion. Its not a choice of abortion or no abortion, but safe abortion or unsafe abortion, he told the Sun-Times. While establishing a medical practice in the Hyde Park neighborhood, he also immersed himself in social activism. He worked to desegregate Chicago hospitals in the 1950s and marched with civil rights workers in the 1960s. Dr. Young helped lead the Medical Committee for Human Rights, a group of health professionals who provided medical care for civil rights and antiwar demonstrators. He helped treat protesters beaten by police during the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago. That year, he was asked to appear before a subcommittee of the House Un-American Activities Committee, which was examining the disruption of the convention. A member of the panel asked if Dr. Young was a communist. My answer to the question is that it is an unconstitutional invasion of my rights and under these circumstances I would never answer, he said. I chastise the chair for daring to ask me that question. After filing suit against the FBI, he discovered that the agency had monitored him for nearly 30 years; he was also the subject of intense scrutiny by the Chicago Police Departments red squad. In 1972, Dr. Young was named director of medicine at Cook County Hospital, which was in turmoil over labor disputes. Amid a strike by interns and resident doctors in 1975, Dr. Young threw his support to the protesters, and the hospitals governing board fired him. He sued successfully to regain his position. According to the Sun-Times, he left in 1980 after accusing the county of malignant neglect of the hospital. He later served as personal physician to Chicago Mayor Harold Washington and author Studs Terkel, and was former governor Pat Quinns doctor, becoming his adviser and friend. In August 2001, Quinn and Dr. Young embarked on a 167-mile walk across Illinois to promote universal health care. The relationship raised questions at times when Quinn, who maintained a tight circle of advisers, appointed him to state posts. Dr. Young withdrew as chairman of the states health facilities planning board after a conflict of interest was discovered. Dr. Young had minority interest in a doctors office that owned property being leased to a health-care system. He had five children with his first wife; their marriage ended in divorce. His second wife, Ruth, died in 2007. A list of survivors was not immediately available. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 9 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Five MPs from the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in Turkey may be deprived of immunity, the Turkish TV channel TRT Haber reported March 9. The MPs, whose names were undisclosed, may be deprived of immunity for having ties with the terrorist organization 'Kurdistan Workers' Party' (PKK), according to the TV channel. In December 2015, Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu criticized the policy of the Peoples' Democratic Party and accused its members of having ties with the PKK. PKK's attacks on military units and police stations in the south-eastern Turkey have become more frequent in recent months. During 2015, more than 200 soldiers were killed in Turkey in the clashes with the PKK. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has continued for over 25 years and claimed more than 40,000 lives. PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by the UN and the European Union. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Nutrition educator Vera Oye Yaa-Anna, right, teaches pre-kindergartners at Leckie Elementary School in Southwest Washington about healthy foods such as avocados. (Courtland Milloy/The Washington Post) Theres a certain optimism that comes from watching pre-kindergarten students learn to cook. To hear 3- and 4-year-olds using words such as ingredients and measurements is a reminder that children are often smarter than their tender years might suggest. You are not babies. You are young chefs, Vera Oye Yaa-Anna, a nutrition educator, told a pre-K class at Leckie Elementary School in Southwest Washington recently. Impressed by their new, grown-up-sounding title, the kids actually began to take on more mature personas, offering a glimpse of the adults under construction within them. What color is spinach? Oye asked. Green! the children screamed, delighted as much by their learning prowess as their chefs outfits, complete with toques. Oye, a native of Liberia, works with Frann Robertson, an early-childhood-education specialist at Leckie. Together, they have built a virtual pre-K curriculum around preparing healthy meals. Food, it turns out, can be a phenomenal teaching tool. Just mention food and you get their undivided attention, Oye said. Everybody likes to eat, and children at this age really enjoy learning how to make something good to eat. Preparing and serving food help the students sharpen their social skills. And, of course, eating healthy can actually jump-start a childs cognitive and physical development. At Leckie, improved nutrition, both on the cafeteria menu and in students choices, is credited in part with recent gains in academic achievement. When we talk about food preparation, were using lots of new words and math skills, Roberston said. She calls the cooking class free-range learning because students get to move from one subject to another, depending on what catches their attention during the process. If students come in feeling sluggish or tired, we talk about the role that food plays in boosting their energy or bringing it down, Robertson said. If you dont feed your mind with knowledge, you will be lost. But if you dont feed your body with healthy foods, your mind wont be able to take in the knowledge you need. They learn how everything works together. The work of Oye at Leckie is funded through the Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative. She began conducting healthy-food workshops throughout the city in 1998 and operates through her nonprofit, Oye Palaver Hut. (Palaver Hut means cultural hub of the village in West African villages.) She incorporates cooking lessons and storytelling designed for children age 2 to 5. How it all began is pretty remarkable. I was telling some kids about the food and culture where I was born, in Africa, and a little boy asked where my food came from, Oye recalled. I told him that I lived on Capitol Hill and asked him, Where do you think I get my food? He said You hunt your food in Rock Creek Park. I said, Whoa, weve got some teaching to do. So she took the children to Eastern Market, bought some fruit and vegetables and prepared a meal. Some of the kids had never seen an avocado and couldnt identify a tomato or broccoli. But they enjoyed the meal and asked her to show them how to make it. Not all kids like the taste of healthy foods. At least not at first. It may take them five times of sampling a certain vegetable and experimenting with herbs and spices before they develop a taste for it, Oye said. Thats because their taste buds have been affected by all of this junk food. The most popular food for kids seems to be fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. So Oye teaches them how to broil chicken and make macaroni from scratch. (She had to explain what scratch means). And she uses guava fruit juice as a sweetener instead of sugar. On the day I visited the school, the students had prepared a special luncheon for Oye as a way of showing their appreciation. The meal included jambalaya, a green salad, and chips and a spinach dip. Whats in this salad that tastes so good? Oye asked. Avocado, the children replied. Oye was clearly pleased. But what she finds most satisfying usually happens when the children are at home, showing off what theyve learned. Theyll tell the parents, No, that came from a box. Let me show you how to make it from scratch; let me show you how to make it real, Oye said. Not babies, not even at 3, but young chefs working on recipes for life. To read previous columns, go to washingtonpost.com/milloy. Patricia Harris found the body of her son, Jonathan, who was 26 when this photo of her son was taken. (Left photo by Dan Morse/The Washington Post; family photo at right) Patricia Harris walked to the witness stand, prepared to talk about her son Jonathans brave life and tragic death. He was always, always a fighter, Harris told the Montgomery County jury. He was strong. The hour-long testimony, during which Harris described how she discovered her sons strangled, beaten body, became the emotional center of a trial that ended Monday with the first-degree murder conviction of Dion R. Sobotker, 33. My son had gone through so much, Harris said in an interview Tuesday. Her sons case, which dates to late 2014, was notable in large part for who he was: 26 years old, not much more than 100 pounds, and a survivor of open-heart surgery and two kidney transplants. His saga was featured several years ago as part of an NBC Today program about organ donation. Dion R. Sobotker, 33, above, was convicted Monday in the slaying of Jonathan Harris. (Montgomery County Police) Sobotker, of Temple Hills, is due back in court May 18 for sentencing. Two others also were arrested in the case. Samantha Parker, who had dated the victim, died of natural causes, and Latoya Morgan previously pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact in a robbery that was part of the killing. The three had driven to Jonathan Harriss apartment in Silver Spring, according to police, and at least two went inside. The intruders stole items including two televisions and a Sony PlayStation, and used one of Harriss credit cards to buy $30.89 worth of fast food. Harriss blood later was found on one of Sobotkers shoes. Earlier: Three charged in Jonathan Harriss suffocation death Harris testified on Thursday, choking up early as she told prosecutor Patrick Mays her sons date of birth: Jan. 30, 1988. My precious, she said quietly. Jonathan had only one kidney yet was in fairly good health until he was 12, when it failed. He was on dialysis for two years before his older brother gave him a kidney. After that kidney failed, Jonathan took part in a program chronicled on the Today show. He was part of a transplant exchange program organized by three hospitals in the Washington area. His mother participated by donating a kidney to a stranger; another stranger donated a kidney to Jonathan. In all, 32 people participated 16 donors and 16 recipients. In an interview, Jonathan said his participation signaled an exciting new chapter in his life. I guess that just means I was put on this Earth for bigger things, better things, he said. Over the next several years, he flourished, his mother said from the witness stand. He was going to community college, delivering pizzas, and writing and performing rap music. His mother had an apartment built in the basement of her home in Silver Spring with a separate entrance where Jonathan lived. We had a philosophy: Give the world the best you have, and the best will come back to you. Thats Jonathan and I, Harris testified. The morning of Dec. 6, 2014, she saw her sons car still parked outside, which was odd, especially since he wasnt answering his phone. She later went down to check on him. I came down the stairs, she said. The door was open, and as I walked in, Jonathan was lying on the floor. She called out his name. Jon! Jon! Jon! I was trying to get some reaction, Harris told the jury. I didnt get any. She called 911. Mays halted her testimony to play a recording of the emergency call. Harriss voice could be heard: I need an ambulance, very quickly. My son, he has fallen. Somebody robbed him. I cant get him to wake up. . . . Oh, my God. Police and paramedics arrived. Harris was outside, she told the jury, when she saw them take a medical bed inside. They came out with the gurney, she said, and it was empty. The riverbank goldenrod, also known as Solidago rupestris, in Virginia. The flowering plant was recently rediscovered in Maryland. (Maryland Department of Natural Resources) A botanist has rediscovered the riverbank goldenrod in Montgomery County, 112 years after the rare flower was last seen in Maryland, the states Department of Natural Resources officials announced Wednesday. It was genuinely exciting, said Wes Knapp, a botanist and ecologist for the agency who found the yellow flowering plant in September. There may have been some woo-hoos and some high-fives. Also known as Solidago rupestris, the riverbank goldenrod is a member of the sunflower family. Knapp said the goldenrod is in Virginia but hasnt been spotted in Maryland since 1903. In September 2014, Knapp went to Great Falls Park in Virginia to see it in its natural habitat. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, he said, And seeing the plant in the field is worth a thousand pictures. Wes Knapp, a botanist and ecologist with Maryland Department of Natural Resources, holds the riverbank goldenrod discovered in Montgomery County. (Maryland Department of Natural Resources) With that visual engraved in his mind, he set off to find the riverbank goldenrod in Maryland. It took nearly a year before he laid eyes on it again. Knapp and some colleagues started their search along Olmstead and Bear islands in Marylands portion of Great Falls Park. They left empty-handed. It was on a second outing last September that he saw them. I knew the habitat and where to look and when to look, Knapp said. He said theres a small patch of about 50 goldenrods near Carderock, just west of Bethesda. And Knapp thinks the flower could have been there all along, or taken root after seeds traveled via wind or rain to Maryland. The flowering plant, which is very rare on the east coast, is found along river edges scoured by floods. It wasnt a guarantee we would find it, added Knapp, who said an expert later verified that the yellow plant was the goldenrod. But Im really happy we did. This is an architectural rendering of what the Maryland Transit Administration says a Purple Line station would look like in downtown Bethesda. (Courtesy of Maryland Transit Administration) Maryland transportation officials are asking Montgomery County to chip in nearly $14 million in additional Purple Line costs. Thats because the cost of building elevators to connect the new light-rail line with the Bethesda Metro station a key element in the light-rail plan has doubled under a state contract recently finalized with a team of private companies. The additional costs add up to a net $13.8 million after other contract savings are factored in. The states $5.6 billion Purple Line contract, which is expected to be approved by the states Board of Public Works in April, puts the cost of building a second entrance at the south end of the Bethesda Metro station at $113.2 million more than double the states estimate of $55 million. [Read about the private team chosen for a $5.6 billion Purple Line contract] Maryland is moving forward with its plan to build a light rail train line between Bethesda and New Carrollton. Gov. Larry Hogan announced a contract proposal on March 2 that would open the 21-stop Purple Line by 2022. (WUSA9) The elevators at Wisconsin Avenue and Elm Street would carry passengers between the street-level Purple Lines western terminus and Metros underground Red Line station. Without the new elevators, passengers transferring from one line to the other would have to walk several blocks to or from the current Metro station entrance at East-West Highway. That additional walk would reduce ridership at what is expected to be one of the Purple Lines busiest stations, transit planners say. So far, Montgomery County has budgeted $205 million for the states Purple Line concessionaire to build three county projects: the Bethesda Metro connection and two recreational trails along the Purple Line tracks. That money also includes $40 million in cash that the county has pledged toward the Purple Lines construction. All but $13.8 million of the elevators additional costs would be offset by unanticipated savings on both trails, county officials say. The contracts cost for the county to rebuild the Georgetown Branch Trail between downtown Bethesda and Silver Spring came in at $58.4 million 39 percent below state estimates. Completing the Green Trail east of downtown Silver Spring to Sligo Creek Parkway also came in at $1.86 million less than predicted. [Obama administration proposes $125 million for Purple Line] With the Purple Lines construction at the top of the countys transportation wish list, local officials say theyll find the extra money, even if it means having to delay other county projects. Were going to make it work, and were glad the project is moving ahead and the state has approved it, said Montgomery County Council member George Leventhal (D-At Large), a longtime Purple Line advocate. If I was going to say anything critical, I guess its that I wish some of the savings that the state incurred were passed on to the county. Maryland officials said the overall Purple Line contract on the 36-year public-private partnership came in $550 million below state estimates. The councils transportation committee is scheduled to consider the additional funding Thursday. The councils deputy administrator, Glenn Orlin, suggested in a memo that the committee hold off on recommending any additional money until county staffers can discuss the changes with the state and the winning bid team in the next two weeks. The 16.2-mile Purple Line would have 21 stations and run two-car trains mostly along local streets between Bethesda in Montgomery and New Carrollton in Prince Georges County. Prince Georges officials say theyre unaware of any state requests for more Purple Line money. The county has pledged $120 million in cash and $10 million in in-kind contributions, such as land, to the lines construction. Senate Republicans broke with their House colleagues Wednesday, opting not to embrace a plan that would have removed about 38,000 workers from the federal payroll. The Senate rolled out a bipartisan reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration that would put additional requirements on people who buy drones and require airlines to be more transparent about the manner in which they impose fees for checked baggage, ticket changes, cancellations and seat selection. Despite its silence on the issue, the $7.1 billion bill leaves alive the House plan to transfer about 14,000 air-traffic controllers and 24,000 other federal workers to a federally-chartered nonprofit corporation. That is because the Senate bill would expire at the end of fiscal year 2017, giving advocates of the spinoff a chance to push for it again with the knowledge that Congress will need to begin working on the next FAA bill almost immediately after the current proposal wins approval. Senate staff members, who briefed reporters on the condition that they not be identified by name, said there was not sufficient support in the Senate for what the House did in committee last month. There are a number of things that people will revisit, a senior staff member said. [House Republicans move ahead with plan to shift 38,000 FAA workers] The bill that emerged from the House Transportation Committee was generally a bipartisan agreement, but the issue of shearing off about 80 percent of the FAAs workforce was bitterly opposed by most Democrats. It also has divided the airlines Delta opposes the shift, while the other large airlines support it and the unions, including the air-traffic controllers, backing the move to transfer its workers. A senior staff member who helped craft the House bill said the Senate was making a pragmatic decision to move the bill forward, unencumbered by a potentially divisive provision. I think they were very interested in following our lead, but two of the Commerce Committee senators are running for president and couldnt be counted on to show for a markup, so [Sen. John] Thune decided to punt, the House staff member said. They figured that was preferable to losing in committee. Both Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) are on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which is chaired by Thune (R-S.D.). The Senate bill does not include a ban on the use of cellphones in flight, one of the provisions in the House legislation. [Cellphones at 37,000 feet?] Although the Senate proposal is so short-term it might almost be another extension, the Senate saw it as an opportunity to make changes in law that would have long-term affects. It would require airlines to state more succinctly and clearly the fees they charge for such things as prime seat selection, checked baggage, changes and cancellations, so that passengers are better able to see the bottom line when they shop for the best ticket price. Airlines also would be required to tell parents at the time they buy tickets whether it is feasible for them to sit with their child. And it mandates that checked-baggage fees be refunded if lost luggage is delivered hours after a flight arrives. The bill also would require that people who buy drones take an online test on their knowledge of restrictions and proper handling of their aircraft. Success with the test would produce a printed verification that the pilot could carry. The FAA already requires registration of drones. The bill requires testing by the FAA to determine whether the distance between seats has become too close to allow for the evacuation of airplanes. It also mandates that the FAA comply with an international ban on the shipment of lithium-ion batteries aboard airplanes, a practice blamed for bringing down two jetliners when the batteries burst into flames. The FAA already has endorsed a global ban on their shipment by the International Civil Aviation Organization. [FAA endorses global ban on batteries that cause fires on planes] The Senate bill will be subject to amendments at a Wednesday session. The current FAA authorization expires March 31, and a three-month extension is expected to pass both houses while lawmakers continue to work on the longer bill. The brouhaha that broke out last month between the Alexandria City Council and the citys public housing authority over demolishing and replacing four run-down apartment buildings has calmed in advance of a Saturday vote to rezone the property. But some tensions remain. The council and the board of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority agreed Tuesday to a six-page plan on how to work together to replace the 74-year-old Ramsey Homes, built as segregated housing for African American defense workers. The plan lists the goals of the city and ARHA, whose board is appointed by the council. It says the two entities will work together to study whether a 53-unit, two-building project is necessary, or whether an alternative such as a single building with 49 units could work. The plan requires, among other things, no surprises, and stipulates that once an issue is resolved, its resolved. Residents opposed to ARHAs original redevelopment plan argued for six hours last month that replacing the 15 low-income apartments at 699 N. Patrick St. with 53 low- to moderate-income units made the project too dense and would sacrifice a historic site. The council rejected ARHAs proposal on Feb. 20, then voted four days later to give the process another chance. To do so, they had to bridge the long-running tension between the council and ARHA, and between the council and the citys new mayor. [Angry council meeting exposes rift over preservation, density] This is not just about Ramsey, said Mayor Allison Silberberg (D), in a nod to ARHAs plans to sell or redevelop many of its other properties around the city in the near future. Were trying here to hit a reset button. The anger that flared between Silberberg and other council members at the Feb. 20 meeting was not in evidence on Tuesday. At the same time, it was clear that the mistrust between the bodies had not entirely evaporated. Silberberg pressed housing officials about how many units they would seek to build and how much green space would be left. It concerns me that theres no certainty as far as density, she said. The mayor later expressed concern that any agreement reached by the council on Saturday could be cited as a precedent in the future by private developers who also want to change zoning without specifying how many units they will build. This has to be an exception to an exception, agreed council member Redella Del Pepper (D). Council member Paul Smedberg (D), the strongest critic of the housing authority, said the city should not need a special agreement for its staff and the authoritys staff to work together. He refused to answer a housing authority commissioners question about whether city money is available to pay for preserving one of the Ramsey buildings. THE DISTRICT Building evacuated at Library of Congress The James Madison Memorial Building of the Library of Congress was evacuated Tuesday afternoon when a sprinkler broke, causing water to pour out, according to the U.S. Capitol Police and a spokeswoman for the library. Patrons and staff were allowed to return to the building shortly before 2:30 p.m., about an hour after the alarm sounded. The Madison building is one of the modern wings of the library, located in the 100 block of Independence Avenue SE. Gayle Osterberg, a spokeswoman for the Library of Congress, said the building was evacuated due to a water flow alarm caused by a damaged sprinkler head. Tasha Jamerson, a spokeswoman for the Capitol Police, said there was a significant amount of water coming out of a broken sprinkler. Police closed several streets in the area; authorities said all streets were reopened about 2:30 p.m. Police suspect that killer used stolen van A woman who was fatally shot Sunday in Southeast Washington has been identified as a 39-year-old resident of Northeast, D.C. police said. Police said they have made no arrests in the killing of Ivy Tonett Smith and the shooting of a man who was wounded in the same incident in the 2800 block of Alabama Avenue SE. The shooting occurred about 12:30 p.m. On Monday, police said they found a gray minivan that had been stolen from a church and that detectives think was used in the attack. The minivan is described as a gray Honda Odyssey with the Maryland handicapped license plate 241-69HT. Acting D.C. police Capt. Anthony Haythe, who heads the homicide unit, said police found the vehicle in the 1700 block of S Street SE, about a mile from the shooting scene. Haythe said the van had been stolen from Mount Ephraim Baptist Church in Largo in Prince Georges County. Cherry blossoms may reach peak earlier Last week, the National Park Service projected that the Districts beloved cherry blossoms would hit peak bloom between March 31 and April 3. But the region has experienced some unseasonably warm temperatures this month, and the Park Service has revised its dates. The agency predicts that the cherry blossoms will reach peak bloom between March 18 and March 23. Peak bloom refers to the point when 70 percent of the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin are in bloom. The average peak bloom date is April 4, so this years peak is expected to be far ahead of the historical average. Although the National Park Service factored above average March temperatures into the original prediction date, potentially record-setting temperatures, averaging nearly 20 degrees above normal for the next week, have greatly accelerated the bloom watch, the agency wrote in a statement. When the Park Service announced the original prediction during a festive news conference March 2, spokesman Mike Litterst warned that dates could change with colder or warmer weather. The early dates can be attributed to a relatively mild December and an unseasonably warm start to March. MARYLAND Hogan digusted at national politics Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said Tuesday that he is completely disgusted with national politics in both parties, Democrats and Republicans, and has no plans to endorse a presidential candidate at this time. Hogan made the comments during a news conference, answering a question about whether he would support billionaire Donald Trump if the mogul wins the Republican presidential nomination. Im trying to focus here in Maryland, Hogan said. I dont know who the Republican nominee is going to be, dont know who the Democratic nominee is going to be and dont know if were going to have a third-party candidate. So its way too early to speculate about who I might consider once I pull that curtain. But Im not going to get involved. Last month, Trump received a surprise endorsement from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), whose own presidential bid had foundered. Christie, a close friend of Hogans and fellow GOP governor of a Democratic-leaning state, had been Hogans choice for the Republican nomination. An 1838 proposed amendment to the Constitution called for prohibiting any person involved in a duel from holding federal office. (National Archive) What if we selected the president by lottery? Or changed the name of the country to the United States of the World? Or limited how wealthy a person could be? How about if we outlawed drunkenness, prohibited divorce, or forbade duelists from holding public office. What say we? All these have been suggested amendments to the Constitution some of the 11,000 proposals made over the years to adjust one of the nations founding documents. Only 27 have been ratified. This week the National Archives marks the 225th anniversary of the Constitutions first 10 amendments, the Bill of Rights, with a new exhibit, Amending America, which opens Friday at the archives building in Washington. Starting with the Bill of Rights, ratified by the states in 1791, the exhibit is a walk through the history of constitutional tinkering things proposed, rejected and approved. It includes 36 documents that have never been displayed before. The Constitution, in Article 5, allows itself to be changed, said Christine Blackerby, a specialist with the National Archives Center for Legislative Archives. What it says is that two-thirds of both houses of Congress have to pass a proposed amendment, she said during a preview of the exhibit Tuesday. Step two is that proposed amendment by Congress is sent out to the states and three-quarters of the states have to ratify it. [Founding fathers papers now online.] One ratified amendment, which instituted prohibition in 1920, was itself amended by the one that repealed it in 1933. Others gave Americans cherished rights, such as freedom of speech, religion and the press, and freedom to assemble and petition. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery. The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. Some of those that were not ratified were unusual such as the one in 1911 that would have given Congress the power to protect migratory birds. Another failed proposal, in 1846, called for presidential election via a lottery system. It called for each state to select its own presidential candidate. Then the name of each state would be written on balls equal to the number of congressmen from that state. One ball would be picked at random, and the candidate from that state would become president. The vice president would be selected the same way. Blackerby said the proposal came amid sectional strains over slavery. This could have been a way to purposefully randomize the presidency, she said. There was lots of discussion over whether the next president would come from a slave state or a free state, and there were people who were talking about secession if the other side won. The lottery may have been seen as a solution. But its kind of a ridiculous thing, she said. An 1860 proposal would have abolished the presidency outright and replaced it with an executive council. One in 1886 would have created the offices of first, second and third vice president. An 1893 suggestion would have renamed the country the United States of the World. Another in 1866 would have changed the name to America. On Feb.24, 1838, Rep. William J. Graves, a Whig from Kentucky, shot and killed Rep. Jonathan Cilley, a Democrat from Maine, in a duel in Bladensburg, Md. Ten days later, an amendment was offered in the House that would let Congress ban anyone who had fought, or arranged, a duel from holding federal office. The proposal failed. In 1978, Congress approved an amendment to give the citizens of Washington, D.C., full representation in Congress. But the states failed to ratify it. Other failed suggestions were more disturbing. Four years before the 13th Amendment abolished slavery in 1865, an amendment proposed in 1861 would have protected it. The Civil War intervened, and the amendment was never ratified. An amendment proposed in 1912 would have banned blacks from marrying whites or people of other races. The 1938 proposal to make drunkenness illegal came after prohibition had been repealed. It didnt go anywhere, and the copy in the archives bears some anonymous commentary in pencil: Why not add . . . that period of time commonly known as Saturday night, is hereby stricken from the calendars of the United States and abolished. . . . Congress and the several states shall have concurrent power to change human nature from time to time in its or their discretion. Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 10 Trend: We support wide-ranging economic reforms in Ukraine held by president Poroshenko, Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart, who is on an official visit to Turkey. The President said that Turkey will continue to support Ukraine in this direction. He underlined that the country has allocated a loan to Ukraine in the amount of $50 million. In addition, he said another 10 million will be allocated for projects in the humanitarian sphere. Recalling that last year the sides set a goal to bring trade turnover to 20 billion until 2023, Erdogan said: "Total population of Turkey and Ukraine is 125 million people. This is a serious market. This means that we can achieve this figure". Erdogan also expressed the hope that the agreement on free trade zone between the two countries will be signed this year. Chinese authorities warn people, especially netizens, against individuals or organizations recruiting online and offering money in exchange for confidential information. (Photo : REUTERS) A number espionage cases involving Chinese soldiers and civilians enticed by foreign spy agencies into stealing sensitive information have been reported by the provincial government of Guangdong. The Global Times reported that these cases were displayed in an exhibition held by Guangdong provincial authorities in Guangzhou on Wednesday, March 2, which showed that overseas espionage agents are using the Internet to gather intelligence and provoke people to defect. Advertisement According to authorities, espionage agents lured some Chinese to betray their country by posting recruitment advertisements online and offering big rewards for information. The report cited the case of Tang who used to be an auxiliary police officer and a delivery man at a Guangdong military troop's service department in 2009. It was discovered in 2011 that Tang had been in contact with overseas agents since 2005, via phone and the Internet. The report said that Tang had gone to Malaysia to undergo training as well as accept missions. When he came back to China, Tang worked with the service department for six year and recruited several soldiers to work for him in espionage. The report said that Tang formed an information network which provided data on military schedules and maneuvers to foreign spies and was rewarded with over 200,000 yuan ($31,000). According to the troop's secrecy department, Tang sent 17 confidential files to espionage agents, including one that was classified as "top secret." Tang was sentenced by the Intermediate People's Court of Foshan, Guangdong, to 15 years in prison and was deprived of his political rights for five years, which means he cannot vote, demonstrate, hold an official post or lead a state-owned organization. Another case was that of Chen, a 20-year-old employee of a shipping company in Guangzhou. According to the report, Chen was contacted in 2013 by a Web user named "BILLLEE" through a QQ group that Chen established. BILLLEE reportedly offered Chen a monthly salary of 3,000 yuan, in exchange for sensitive documents about the shipyard he worked at, including the pictures of the surrounding warships and waters. In 2014, on suspicion of espionage, Chen was transferred by the local national security bureau to prosecutors. The report also cited the case of Zeng, from Ganzhou in Jiangxi Province. He worked in several clothing factories in Shantou, Guangdong, from 1994 onward. In 2010, he agreed to collect military information for intelligence agencies after he lost his job. He recruited other people to do the same in Guangdong and Hainan provinces. Zeng reportedly received over 200,000 yuan from these agents. Zeng was later sentenced to 13 years in prison, the report said. Security authorities of Jiangsu Province had busted three espionage cases in May 2015, in which two suspects, who only had junior high school diplomas, were recruited while looking for jobs online. The PLA Daily reported in April that aside from ex-servicemen and those with a keen interest in military matters, the people most likely to be recruited by overseas agencies are overseas students, university staff members and students, as well as government employees and research fellows. Experts warned netizens against getting paid for taking "only a few photos," which they do not even realize could be an act of leaking state secrets. To prevent Chinese citizens from conducting espionage activities, counter-espionage hotlines were launched in 2015 by the security authorities of Jilin and Hainan provinces, through which citizens and organizations can report suspected espionage. IRAN Ballistic missiles launched during drill Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps launched several medium-range and short-range ballistic missiles in recent days as part of a military exercise, the Guard announced Tuesday. The head of the Guards aerospace division said the missiles had ranges of 185 to 1,250 miles, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency. The longer ends of that range appear to exceed limits that the U.N. Security Council has laid out in resolutions banning Iran from developing missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Meanwhile, the semiofficial Iranian Students News Agency reported Tuesday that Iran has exported heavy water, a key component for one kind of nuclear reactor, to the United States as part of a landmark nuclear agreement. The report quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as saying that 32 tons of heavy water have been sold to the United States since the deal was implemented in January. This is the first high-tech product that Iran has sold to the United States. However, Araghchi also said that since January, Iran has exported 10 tons of 3.5 percent enriched uranium to Russia and imported 140 tons of yellow cake, a uranium ore concentrate convertible to enriched uranium, from Moscow. Those sales are permissible under the nuclear deal. Associated Press SYRIA U.N. official says talks to begin within days The U.N. envoy for Syria will begin holding substantive peace talks with both Syrian government officials and opposition representatives no later than Monday, with preparations toward the talks getting underway this week in Geneva, a spokeswoman for the envoy said Tuesday. The resumption of the peace talks has been expected since a cease-fire took effect Feb. 27. The truce, though limited and tentative, has mostly held. Staffan de Mistura had hoped the talks would officially start Wednesday, but logistics and other issues have meant that delegations are likely to arrive in Geneva over several days, spokeswoman Jessy Chahine said. Meanwhile, the U.N. envoy is to convene on Wednesday two panels aimed at monitoring the truce and pushing for humanitarian aid shipments. The diplomatic push is the most promising effort in years to end the five-year-old conflict, which has cost more than 250,000 lives, displaced 11 million people and given an opening to Islamist militant groups to seize land. The groups have been excluded from the diplomatic efforts. Associated Press Benin heads to presidential runoff: Benins prime minister and a cotton magnate are leading in the presidential election, but neither has the majority of votes to win outright and are expected to face each other in a second round, according to preliminary results. Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou earned 28 percent of Sundays vote, according to the election commission. Patrice Talon, known as the king of cotton, came in second with 24 percent. If the results are validated by the Constitutional Court, Zinsou and Talon will participate in a runoff. Teen raped, set on fire outside New Delhi: A 15-year-old girl was fighting for her life in a New Delhi hospital after being raped and set on fire on the terrace of her familys home in a village near the city, police said. The attack is just one of several recently reported rapes of women and children in India. Police have arrested a 20-year-old man in the latest case. Indian media said the girl had burns on 95 percent of her body. 18 Boko Haram fighters killed, Nigeria says: Troops killed 18 Boko Haram fighters while repelling attacks by the Islamist group on two locations in northeast Nigeria, the army said. The attacks occurred on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest, an army spokesman said. The government has claimed progress in its battle against Boko Haram, which has waged a years-long campaign to impose its version of Islamic law on the country. From news services The writer, a retired neurosurgeon, suspended his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination this month. The Republican presidential field is winnowing. By most accounts, all thats keeping Sen. Marco Rubio from getting drummed out of the race is one date and one state: March 15 and Florida. Thats not much of a firewall for the establishments last great hope. Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.) is faring a bit better, yet everywhere I go, Cruz is the yeah, but . . . candidate. Even when GOP faithful are walked through his conservative credentials or attack-dog approach to the Democratic front-runner, I often see a yeah, but . . . shrug of the shoulders. Lets assume that Donald Trump does, in fact, continue on his remarkable blitzkrieg to Cleveland and secures the right to cross swords with Hillary Clinton in the fall. What happens down-ticket? How will House and Senate candidates run with Trump as their standard-bearer? Will they fall in line? Or will they buck all the attention the GOP nominee can bring to a district or state attention that these candidates may need to win? So much more than the White House is at stake. With such a polarizing figure at the top of the ticket, the political ramifications are not as easy to decipher. Lets walk through some options for down-ticket candidates: Dump Trump: While attractive for several reasons significant portions of the electorate say they would never vote for him this strategy has its downsides. For one, many voters will be turning out for the first time because of Trump. If you are a candidate in a heavily Democratic district or need a boost to tip the scales in your favor, it may not make political sense to shun the presidential nominee. Even if your strategy is to drill down for evangelical Christian conservatives, for example, embracing Trump may help you (see: Jerry Falwell Jr.s Trump endorsement). But what if The Donald then goes off the deep end and forgets that the gospels are part of the Bible? Will any down-ticket candidate be able to ignore that? Trumps lack of consistency on the issues, and even in the rhetoric he uses, makes him unpredictable. This has to give any candidate pause. Lone wolf: What does Sen. Rob Portman (Ohio) do in his critical state? If turnout among African Americans or those ages 18 to 25 falls off just a little from 2012 levels, Republicans can easily win the state. It may make sense for Portman to walk a delicate line and go his own way in the Buckeye State, without truly repudiating or embracing Trump. Will he be able to? You can bet Democrats will try to tie the Trump millstone around Portmans neck. In todays atmosphere of instant coverage and viral news, Im not sure Republican candidates can avoid taking a stand on Trump. Cuddle Trump: I can think of dozens of Republican House (and a few Senate) candidates who relish the idea of Trump campaigning in their districts or states. Think about it: Trump is the personification of vented frustration. He carries the anger and do something attitude these veteran House members have been trying and failing miserably to harness for years. To most of their constituents, these congressmen are part of the problem, so they will run to Trumps side quicker than Chris Christie. Sure, theyll have to dismiss his zany, off-the-wall antics, but theyll largely align to tap into the sentiment propelling Trump. Where this gets tricky, however, is on matters of public policy. Just how would a rock-ribbed Republican handle the dilemma posed by Trumps waffling on Planned Parenthood and other issues? Its okay to be willing to negotiate if youre one man setting the agenda, but House Republicans are part of a larger body. They cant signal gray areas to voters who want absolutes. This will be especially tough for congressmen who won last cycle with less than a five-point margin. The Prius approach: Some candidates will try a hybrid campaign, picking the good that aligning with Trump brings while striking formal, broader contrasts with the nominee beyond merely trashing his goofy mannerisms. I see this avenue having appeal in the Northeast, with its more liberal Republican base, as well as in more populist states such as Minnesota. Candidates such as Sen. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.) will need to acknowledge the furor of the electorate but maintain a statesmanlike demeanor. The Ryan test: To put a finer point on the hybrid strategy, there are many candidates who will be strict disciples of what I have called the Ryan test. Taking a cue from House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (Wis.), they will not condone and, instead, will aggressively attack any Trump policy that directly harms the Republican brand. If Trump goes after free-market principles, the sanctity of life, the rule of law, or taxing and spending discipline, for instance, they will stand to protect these core tenets of the party platform. But this approach, too, brings pitfalls. If mishandled, voters could come to see such candidates as part of the same old country club in need of toppling. There are lots of variables in this political calculation. But as 1,237 delegates begins to look more and more attainable for Trump, expect the GOP party faithful to pivot to the strategic interests of their down-ticket candidates this November. Libyan men take part in a demonstration last month in Benghazi marking the fifth anniversary of the Libyan revolution. (Abdullah Doma/Afp/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images) While I seldom agree with Jackson Diehls foreign policy prescriptions, which consistently prioritize the use of military force over diplomacy, I value the insights they offer into neoconservativism. And as I read his March 7 op-ed, The debate we need on Libya, I even started to get my hopes up that we might at last have found some common ground. Alas, just over halfway through the piece, Mr. Diehl trotted out yet again one of his favorite talking points: In Iraq, jihadist forces were all but wiped out by the U.S. military, which also trained and equipped a substantial national army. Had Obama not prematurely withdrawn all U.S. forces, the Islamic State might never have gained a foothold. As The Posts own Fact Checker, reporters and readers have repeatedly pointed out over the past five years, this claim is utterly false. President George W. Bush signed the agreement mandating the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraq by the end of 2011. Moreover, Iraq publicly declared it would permit U.S. troops to remain only if they were subject to local law, a condition that no U.S. administration has ever accepted. While I support Mr. Diehls call for a serious debate of the U.S. role in the world, that discussion needs to be based in reality not on thoroughly debunked claims motivated by partisanship. Steven Alan Honley, Washington An Afghan woman holds her baby while she walks with other migrants and refugees near the Greek village of Idomeni last week after being turned back from the Greek-Macedonian borders. (Louisa Gouliamaki/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images) In her March 8 op-ed, Afghan womens fragile success, former first lady Laura Bush failed to provide data to show that the vast sacrifice of U.S. lives and money in Afghanistan over the past 15 years has proved worthwhile. Ms. Bush noted that millions of schoolchildren attend school in Afghanistan, but as the U.S. special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction reported in 2015, evidence shows that such numbers are more than likely made-up. This same lack of proof belies parallel triumphant claims of U.S. accomplishment in improving Afghanistans health-care system, infrastructure and overall economy. Ms. Bush referenced a 2013 report from the Rand Corp. that cites improvement in Afghanistan in broad areas, but it also cites similar or greater levels of success in war-torn Congo, Iraq, Somalia and Sudan. No one would argue those nations are models of peace and development. We do know, sadly, that the United Nations reports, for the seventh consecutive year, record levels of civilian casualties in Afghanistan; Defense Department reports indicate that the Taliban is stronger now than at any point since 2001, and in a well-respected poll, the Asia Foundation found that more than two-thirds of Afghans fear for their safety. It is well past time for U.S. politicians to admit our Afghanistan policy has failed. Matthew Hoh, Wake Forest, N.C. The writer is a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy. Experts wonder if smart healthcare can keep up with Chinas aging population as well as the rising demand for healthcare. The countrys new two-child policy is also expected to add some complications. (Photo : Getty Images) Thanks to modern technology, availing healthcare has become considerably more convenient especially for patients who cant afford to travel to good hospitals or queue up for hours. However, Internet-based healthcare is still at its infancy and subject to certain challenges, according to an article by China Daily. Advertisement Ningbo Cloud Hospital, located in Zhejiang Province, offers medical advice, diagnosis, and even delivery of medicine as part of the consultation process--all of which are done online. This has significantly cut waiting times for patients like Zhang Lin, an 84-year-old suffering from hypertension for two decades. "I used to see Doctor Chen at Ningbo First Hospital from time to time," said Zhang, who had to wake up early, take two buses, and wait in line to set up an appointment with his doctor. To get an online consultation, a patient must set up an appointment online. The online video consultation includes diagnosis, prescription, and online payment for medicine delivery. If a patient is feeling uneasy, he can opt to have a physical examination with local doctors first before connecting with doctors at big hospitals. Ningbo Cloud Hospital is not the only healthcare provider offering smart hospital services. Similar centers have sprung up in Wuhan, Guangzhou and Hangzhou. Still, experts wonder if smart healthcare can keep up with China's aging population as well as the rising demand for healthcare. The country's new two-child policy is also expected to add some complications. Despite the challenges, it seems like there is no stopping smart healthcare in the country. In March 2009, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council jointly issued a document that explored the feasibility of certified doctors practicing in multiple sites. Through the document, doctors were given legal rights to practice in different places. This also allowed them to sign up to online healthcare platforms where they can earn per consultation and private doctor service. The market's huge potential has already attracted the attention of Internet giants like Tencent and Alibaba. The latter invested $170 million in Jan. 2014 to pilot a third-party online pharmacy. Tencent, on the other hand, invested $70 million on Dingxiangyuan or dxy.cn, one of the country's most popular medical and bioscience websites. U.S. Special Operations forces working with a widening array of partners are slowly tightening their squeeze on Islamic State fighters in eastern Syria moving toward an eventual assault on the jihadists self-declared capital of Raqqa. The Pentagons top priority in the campaign against the Islamic State remains disrupting external operations against potential targets in the United States and elsewhere. Sources say that over the past 18 months, U.S. drone strikes and other direct actions have killed close to 100 Islamic State militants who had made contact with volunteers abroad to plan attacks in the United States or other Western countries. To gain better intelligence, the United States is seeking to capture Islamic State leaders. An operation last month, reported March 1 by the New York Times, seized an operative who was traveling in northern Iraq. This captive is said to have had information about the Islamic States use of chemical weapons, including a mustard gas attack on Kurdish forces in Iraq in August. The captive is being interrogated by the U.S. military but is expected to be transferred soon to Iraqi Kurdish custody. A similar raid by Delta Force commandos last May seized Umm Sayyaf, whose husband, the director of the Islamic States energy activities, was killed in the operation. That assault also harvested laptop computers, cellphones and other intelligence materials. U.S. commanders are planning more such raids in the future, using a 200-person Special Operations forces team now in Iraq that was authorized last year by the Obama administration. The campaign in eastern Syria is directed by about 50 U.S. Special Operations forces now on the ground there, joined by about 20 French and perhaps a dozen British commandos. Theyre working with about 40,000 Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters dubbed the Syrian Democratic Forces; all but about 7,000 are from the Syrian Kurdish militia known as the YPG. U.S. commanders hope soon to augment the U.S. ground force in Syria to about 300 troops who can train and assist these fighters. With this broader U.S. base of operations inside Syria, its hoped that special forces from other countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, could play a role there. The squeeze on Raqqa tightened last month with the capture of the town of al-Shaddadi, about 90 miles east, by a force of about 6,000, including about 2,500 Arabs. The Islamic State countered by attacking Tal Abyad, along the Turkish border. Overall, the recent battles have killed between 75 and 100 fighters backed by the United States and wounded 250 to 300. The next stage in the assault may come to the west of Raqqa. Syrian fighters backed by Turkish commandos appear poised to move south from Jarabulus, where the Euphrates River crosses from Turkey into Syria, toward the area around Manbij. Other U.S.-backed forces hold the Tishrin Dam, about 55 miles northwest of Raqqa. The Turkish-led campaign could finally close the gap in its border, through which the Islamic State has maintained its supply lines. A limited southern push toward Raqqa was begun recently by a small unit of Jordanian and British special forces that captured a former regime outpost in southeastern Syria, close to the Iraqi and Jordanian borders. The methodical campaign in eastern Syria contrasts with the messy battlefield to the west, where Syrian regime troops backed by Russia confront rebels supported by the CIA, Turkey and Saudi Arabia all facing jihadists from the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra. U.S. officials describe this confusing layering of forces as marbling, and its the reason the current cease-fire is so fragile. As the Islamic State spreads to other countries beyond Iraq and Syria, so has the U.S.-led campaign against that group and al-Qaeda but so far only in limited, isolated operations. In Somalia, for example, U.S. drones on Saturday struck an al-Shabab camp, killing an estimated 167 fighters who were about to graduate from training and begin operations. In Libya, U.S. warplanes last month bombed an Islamic State training camp at Sabratha, 40 miles west of Tripoli, killing about 50 militants, including operatives involved in last years terrorist attacks on a museum and beach resort in Tunisia. As the U.S.-led coalition steps up its assaults, the jihadists are trying to strike back, with what sources say are active terrorist plots across Europe. The Islamic State is gradually being degraded, as President Obama pledged. But it still holds large swaths of Syria, Iraq and now Libya and it maintains a global terror network and a demonstrated willingness to use chemical weapons. A big question for the next president will be whether to escalate Obamas campaign. Read more from David Ignatiuss archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. D .C. POLICE dont distinguish between search warrants based solely on an officers training and experience and warrants based on more substantive evidence gleaned from investigation. Judging from the troubling instances in which police get it wrong and law-abiding residents are needlessly terrorized, police as well as prosecutors and judges who sign off on these warrants should start drawing a distinction. Reassessment is needed: Do the meager results justify the costs, including lost trust among black communities that may be unfairly targeted? An investigation by Post reporters found police acting on scant evidence in pursuit of drugs and guns, with the result that sometimes the wrong homes were raided and often only small amounts of drugs were found. Examining 2,000 warrants served by police between January 2013 and January 2015, Post reporters found that 284 cases, or about 14 percent, were the result of police arresting someone on the street for possession of drugs or a weapon and then following up with a warrant to search a residence based simply on training and experience rather than evidence pointing to criminal activity there. In about 40 percent of those cases, police left empty-handed; when illegal items (from drug paraphernalia to guns) were found, the amounts were small. In a dozen cases, police relied on incorrect or outdated address information. There is no question that police need some latitude in doing their jobs and that there is value to instinct based on experience. But little seems to be gained when police act on what seems to be the barest of pretext. That the warrants including those based on faulty data were approved on several levels, including by prosecutors and judges, raises questions about whether they are being diligently reviewed or merely rubber-stamped. They have turned any arrest anywhere in the city into an automatic search of a home, and that simply cannot be, said Alec Karakatsanis, an attorney who is challenging the practice in federal court. The raids can be terrifying. Often they damage property, and always they have the potential to do worse. So it is disturbing that Post reporters found almost all of them occurred in black communities. Imagine these raids happening in Northwest . . . you cant was the succinct assessment to us by one defense attorney. Indeed, it is hard to imagine what it was like for 63-year-old Sallie Taylor to have her door smashed in and a shotgun pointed at her face in a misguided raid highlighted in the Post report. Its not at all hard to imagine why, still waiting a year later for police to repair the damage, she puts her respect for police in the past tense. D.C. police should rethink use of these warrants. For those of you salivating or trembling at the thought of Hillary Clinton being clapped in handcuffs as she prepares to deliver her acceptance speech at the Democratic convention this summer: deep, cleansing breath. Based on the available facts and the relevant precedents, criminal prosecution of Clinton for mishandling classified information in her emails is extraordinarily unlikely. My exasperation with Clintons use of a private email server while secretary of state is long-standing and unabated. Lucky for her, political idiocy is not criminal. There are plenty of unattractive facts but not a lot of clear evidence of criminality, and we tend to forget the distinction, American University law professor Stephen Vladeck, an expert on prosecutions involving classified information, told me. This is really just a political firestorm, not a criminal case. Could a clever law student fit the fact pattern into a criminal violation? Sure. Would a responsible federal prosecutor pursue it? Hardly absent new evidence, based on my conversations with experts in such prosecutions. There are two main statutory hooks. Title 18, Section 1924, a misdemeanor, makes it a crime for a government employee to knowingly remove classified information without authority and with the intent to retain such documents or materials at an unauthorized location. The State Department released 52,000 pages of Hillary Clintons emails as part of a court-ordered process. Here's what else we learned from the publicly released emails. (Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post) Prosecutors used this provision in securing a guilty plea from former CIA director David H. Petraeus, who was sentenced to probation and fined $100,000. But there are key differences between Petraeus and Clinton. Petraeus clearly knew the material he provided to Paula Broadwell was classified and that she was not authorized to view it. Highly classified . . . code word stuff in there, he told her. He lied to FBI agents, the kind of behavior that tends to inflame prosecutors. In Clintons case, by contrast, there is no clear evidence that Clinton knew (or even should have known) that the material in her emails was classified. Second, it is debatable whether her use of the private server constituted removal or retention of material. Finally, the aggravating circumstance of false statements to federal agents is, as far as we know, absent. The government used the same statute in 2005 against former national security adviser Sandy Berger, who was sentenced to probation and fined $50,000. Here, too, the conduct was more evidently egregious than what the public record shows about Clintons. Berger, at the National Archives preparing for the 9/11 investigations, twice took copies of a classified report out of the building, hiding the documents in his clothes. For Clinton, the worst public fact involves a 2011 email exchange with aide Jake Sullivan. When she has trouble receiving a secure fax, Clinton instructs Sullivan to turn [it] into nonpaper [with] no identifying heading and send nonsecure. But Clinton has said she was not asking for classified information. In any event, it does not appear her instructions were followed. Another possible prosecutorial avenue involves the Espionage Act. Section 793(d) makes it a felony if a person entrusted with information relating to the national defense willfully communicates, delivers [or] transmits it to an unauthorized person. That might be a stretch given the willfully requirement. Section 793(f) covers a person with access to national defense information who through gross negligence permits the same to be removed from its proper place of custody or delivered to anyone in violation of his trust. The government has used the gross negligence provision to prosecute a Marine sergeant who accidentally put classified documents in his gym bag, then hid them in his garage rather than returning them, and an Air Force sergeant who put classified material in a Dumpster so he could get home early. 1 of 9 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Takeaways from Hillary Clintons e-mails View Photos Clinton has come under fire for using a private e-mail address during her time as secretary of state. The emails are being screened and released in batches. Here are some things weve learned from them. Caption Clinton has come under fire for using a private email address during her time as secretary of state. The emails are being screened and released in batches. Here are some things weve learned from them. Top-secret information in e-mails Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has previously stated that classified information never traveled across her private server. However, the State Department has acknowledged that "top secret" information was in seven email chains sent or received by her. Richard Drew/AP Wait 1 second to continue. The argument here would be that Clinton engaged in such gross negligence by transferring information she knew or should have known was classified from its proper place onto her private server, or by sharing it with someone not authorized to receive it. Yet, as the Supreme Court has said, gross negligence is a nebulous term. Especially in the criminal context, it would seem to require conduct more like throwing classified materials into a Dumpster than putting them on a private server that presumably had security protections. My point here isnt to praise Clintons conduct. She shouldnt have been using the private server for official business in the first place. Its certainly possible she was cavalier about discussing classified material on it; that would be disturbing but she wouldnt be alone, especially given rampant over-classification. The handling of the emails is an entirely legitimate subject for FBI investigation. Thats a far cry from an indictable offense. Read more from Ruth Marcuss archive, follow her on Twitter or subscribe to her updates on Facebook. Sen. Bernie Sanders pulled off a narrow upset in the Michigan primary Tuesday, buoying his challenge to Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and giving him bragging rights to a big, diverse state outside his previous areas of strength. Sanderss come-from-behind victory was fueled by a relentless focus on his opposition to disastrous trade deals that have battered the manufacturing sector in Michigan. He will carry the same message to Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois and Missouri next week. Clinton, meanwhile, cruised to an expected win in the primary in Mississippi, the latest in a series of contests in Southern states where she has bested Sanders largely on the strength of her appeal to African American voters. Clinton had always been favored in Mississippi, and Sanders did not seriously compete there. With most precincts reporting late Tuesday, she boasted a 67-point lead. Clintons victory was amplified by her strength among African American voters who made up a greater share of the electorate in Mississippi than in any other state that has voted this year, according to preliminary exit polling reported by CNN. In Michigan, Sanders performed more strongly among black voters than he has in other states. What tonight means is that the Bernie Sanders campaign . . . is strong in every part of the country, and frankly, we believe that our strongest areas are yet to happen, the senator from Vermont said during a hastily arranged address to reporters here. What the American people are saying is they are tired of a corrupt campaign finance system and super PACs funded by Wall Street and the billionaire class. Despite Tuesdays split decision, Clintons overwhelming victory in Mississippi increased her large lead in the delegate count needed for the Democratic nomination. But Sanderss triumph in Michigan on the heels of wins in three smaller states over the weekend signals that the nomination fight is likely to remain a slog. Sanders has vowed to stay in the race until the Democratic convention in July, and his advisers have argued that the upcoming calendar of states is more favorable to him than those that have voted thus far. The outcome raises the stakes for a candidates debate Wednesday, sponsored by The Washington Post and Univision and broadcast from delegate-rich Florida, which also holds a primary next week. It will also air on CNN. Clinton has now won 13 states in this Democratic primary contest, including eight from the old Confederacy, where black voters are a major force in any Democratic race. Sanders has won nine states, but because many of his victories were in smaller states, and because Clinton has dominated among superdelegates, who make up their own minds he is far behind in the race for delegates to the Democratic convention. Michigan was the prize Tuesday, with 130 delegates at stake. With most precincts reporting, Sanders was ahead by two percentage points. On the eve of the primary, Clinton urged her supporters to vote so that she could quickly wrap up the Democratic nomination. The sooner I can become your nominee, the more I can begin to turn my attention to the Republicans, she told a crowd of nearly 900 in Detroit. She moved on to next-door Ohio which will vote next Tuesday where she addressed a primary night party before the results in Michigan were clear. She pivoted past Tuesdays contests to appeal to Ohio voters, merging her economic message with her call for a kinder, gentler politics. She noted her support for the auto bailout when the industry was on the brink. And she touted her proposal to force companies that move their operations overseas to pay an exit tax. America grows when your paycheck grows, Clinton said. And I know the idea of corporate patriotism might sound quaint in an era of vast multinationals, but thats exactly what we need. Because we really are all in this together, she added. Sanders campaigned hard in Michigan, holding large rallies across the state over the past week and hammering Clinton for what he called her record of failure on trade and job protection an appealing message in a state that has lost manufacturing jobs. While others waffle, Bernie is fighting hundreds of thousands in new job losses, said the narrator of a Sanders television ad in heavy rotation in the state. Nearly 6 in 10 Michigan Democratic primary voters said international trade takes away U.S. jobs, and Sanders won those voters by roughly 20 percentage points, according to preliminary exit poll data reported by CNN. Only 3 in 10 said trade with other countries creates domestic jobs, and Clinton won this group narrowly, 50 to 45 percent. Sanders was losing African American voters by 2 to 1 in the preliminary exit polling, which would mark a significant improvement for him. He has lost black voters to Clinton by an average of 84 to 16 percent across primary states with exit polls this year. His campaign had pledged to try to improve outreach to black voters, starting in Michigan, where the auto industry and manufacturing once fueled the expansion of a black middle class that has now been hollowed out. Clinton focused on turning out African American voters, who, while not a majority of the Democratic electorate in Michigan, are a reliable and concentrated constituency. She has championed the residents of majority-black Flint, beset by a lead-poisoning crisis. She secured the endorsement of the citys mayor and made her response to the lead crisis a major part of her outreach to African Americans. Remarkably, Sanders was ahead in Genesee County, home of Flint, late Tuesday. Sanderss aides had acknowledged that he had to start winning some big states to have any chance of catching Clinton in the delegate count. Michigan was seen as a nearly ideal target, given Sanderss core message of a rigged economy and his emphasis on opposition to trade deals dating back to the North American Free Trade Agreement of the early 1990s. The candidate left Michigan early Tuesday afternoon and headed to Miami, where he held an evening rally. He plans to actively campaign in Florida, which has a key primary next week, though aides concede that it will be a tough fight, in part because of demographics. The state has a large elderly population, which has been a Clinton strength. Sanders, by contrast, has done far better with younger voters. Sanders aides said he is also targeting other states that will vote next Tuesday: Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Clintons advisers had sought to lower expectations in recent days, saying Sanders had some advantages among the working-class, whiter Democratic electorate in Michigan. Her advisers had said they were confident she would win, however. Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook sent out a fundraising plea Tuesday that suggested she could lose one of the days elections. Its absolutely critical that we pick up the momentum we need to take the last of Marchs big contests, the pitch read. In just one week, Florida, Ohio, Illinois, North Carolina, and Missouri will vote, with 691 pledged delegates at stake thats almost as many as Super Tuesday. If we can bring home a substantial portion of those delegates, we can make a decisive statement that Hillary will be our partys nominee, Mook wrote. But if Bernie narrows our lead too much, this primary could drag on for months, siphoning time and money away from the work we need to start right now to win in November. Because of his online fundraising prowess, Sanderss aides have argued that he has the luxury of more time than would otherwise be the case, given his deficit in the delegate chase. Many candidates drop out of presidential races because they run out of money. Sanders doesnt face that danger anytime soon. In the closing days of the Michigan contest, Sanders found himself largely playing defense, seeking to push back against a charge Clinton made in Sundays CNN debate in Flint that he opposed funding an auto bailout important to Michigan voters. Sanders debuted a one-minute radio ad Monday accusing Clinton of trying to distort the truth about Bernies record and saying the senator from Vermont has always been on the side of Michigan workers and working families. Sanders made the same argument during a series of rallies Monday in Michigan, telling an Ann Arbor crowd of more than 5,700 that of course I voted to defend the automobile industry. During the debate Sunday, Clinton said that there was a pretty big difference between the two candidates on a $14 billion auto rescue package that was of particular interest to voters in Michigan, as well as in Ohio. I voted to save the auto industry, Clinton said during the debate. He voted against the money that ended up saving the auto industry. Left unmentioned was a 2008 Sanders vote in favor of an auto bailout. The vote that Clinton referenced was on 2009 legislation to release money for a Wall Street bailout, some of which was used to help auto manufacturers. I was very disappointed the other night in the debate, when Secretary Clinton suggested I was not supportive of the automobile bailout, Sanders said Tuesday as he left Michigan. That is absolutely untrue. Of course I supported those workers. Its unfortunate that Secretary Clinton tried to imply otherwise. Phillip reported from Cleveland. Donald Trump reached out to the GOP establishment on March 8. Does that mean he's ready to make peace with some of his toughest Republican critics? (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post) Donald Trump reached out to the GOP establishment on March 8. Does that mean he's ready to make peace with some of his toughest Republican critics? (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post) The Republican presidential campaign has entered what could be the most critical week of the primary season, with the party elites almost out of time to deny the GOP nomination to New York billionaire Donald Trump short of a potentially bloody fight at the national convention in July. Trumps easy victories in Michigan and Mississippi demonstrated appeal from the Deep South to the industrial Midwest that continued his impressive winning string and added to his lead in delegates. While not unexpected, his margins especially in Michigan were bigger than his rivals had hoped they would be. So far his opponents have won only scattered victories by comparison but nothing that amounts to critical mass in the stop-Trump movement. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has done better than Ohio Gov. John Kasich or Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, but none has yet emerged as strong enough alone to stop him, though Cruz may be best positioned to fill that role. After Tuesday, the stop-Trump movements short-term strategy rests on two candidates and two states: Kasich in Ohio and Rubio in Florida. But Tuesday showed there are no sure things ahead. Kasich has yet to win a contest and was looking for a clear and strong finish in Michigan to give him a boost. Instead he finished well behind Trump in Michigan and was in a fight with Cruz for second. Meanwhile, Tuesday continued Rubios sudden and rapid descent. A few weeks ago, he was the establishment favorite, the man seen as best positioned to challenge Trump through the spring. Today he is a battered candidate. In Michigan, Rubio was scratching to reach double digits in the popular vote. That was impressive, compared with his showing in Mississippi, where he was mired in single digits, along with Kasich. In that state, as Trump romped, Cruz lapped the other two and finished second. Its not out of the question that Kasich and Rubio could win their home states next week, but after what happened Tuesday, they will face heavy competition, and not just from Trump. Cruz also sees vulnerabilities in his rivals and will seek to exploit them. All of this comes despite signs that Trump, who has dominated the Republican race and defined the 2016 cycle for months with his bombastic rhetoric and unorthodox campaign style, has begun to show weakness and limits. As opposition to his candidacy has mounted inside the Republican Party, the lines have hardened around his candidacy, pro and con. In national polls, his margin is narrower than it once was. Nearly half of all Republicans say they would not be satisfied if he becomes the nominee, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll. His favorability rating among Republicans, while still net positive, has declined over the past few months. And in one-on-one tests against Cruz and Rubio, he loses, according to the same poll. Had this begun to happen two months ago, Trump might be far more vulnerable than he looks today or so some Republicans would like to think. But even that is open to question. The party elites unloaded on Trump over the past week, led by 2012 nominee Mitt Romney, who portrayed Trump as unfit to be president and a lousy businessman. Wealthy donors offered up millions of dollars to anti-Trump super PACs for attack ads. None of it seemed to have much effect Tuesday, although the focus of these efforts is targeted more on next weeks results. Up to now, according to the Republican rules, almost all states so far have awarded delegates on a proportional basis. But that begins to change next week in a way designed to help a front-runner and hinder those behind. Starting next week, many states will award delegates on a winner-take-all basis. Trump doesnt have to win half the vote to get all the delegates in upcoming states; he can do so with the kind of percentages he has rolled up so far. Trump still remains far short of the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination. Losses in Ohio and Florida would block him from 165 delegates. But winning either or both would cripple efforts to prevent him from becoming the nominee. The possibility of a convention fight still looms. As of Tuesday night, more than 1,000 delegates have been awarded. After next Tuesday, that jumps to almost 1,500 of 2,472 total. Trump still could be denied a first-ballot victory, but which among his rivals would be close enough to claim the right to be the alternative? Rubios prospects have faded dramatically. He needs a stunning turnaround, beginning in Florida and then elsewhere. Kasich could win Ohio. If he were to do that, other Midwestern states could be fertile territory, but after what happened Tuesday in Michigan, he could not count on them. Cruz and his advisers long have believed that a head-to-head race would favor him over Trump. But a look at the calendar after next week raises questions about his path. So far, other than his victory in Texas, he has had trouble demonstrating that he has support that is significantly broader than his evangelical base. Right now, Cruz has done less well overall than former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, who had a similar base of support, did in 2012. Both won the Iowa caucuses. Santorum went on to win 10 more states. Of the seven that have voted already this year, Cruz has won two, Rubio one and Trump four. Cruz can win caucus states and some smaller contests. His real test will come in states such as Wisconsin, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and California. Trump is still an unusual front-runner polarizing in his own party and with vulnerabilities that become more apparent week by week. Were he to falter next week or after that, the anti-Trump forces will be emboldened to continue their attacks. Their hope remains to keep him short of a majority and then upend him in Cleveland in July. But they needed a better result on Tuesday than they got. Trump remains in control of the race. One week before Floridas delegate-rich primary, Hillary Clinton holds a commanding lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Sunshine State, according to a new Washington Post-Univision News poll. Clinton leads Sanders (Vt.) 64 to 26 percent among likely Democratic primary voters in the state, buoyed by the states older electorate who trust her to handle a range of issues. After a surprise loss in Tuesdays Michigan primary and a win in Mississippi, the new survey suggests Clinton could continue to grow her delegate advantage in racially diverse Southern states. So far, Clinton has accumulated almost twice as many delegates as Sanders, and she is more than halfway toward achieving the 2,382 needed to secure the nomination. Floridas primary awards 246 delegates, making it the biggest prize of the five states voting Tuesday, and Democrats proportional awarding of delegates raises the stakes for Clinton to maximize her winning margin. Sanderss next opportunity to shift that dynamic is in Miami at Wednesdays debate, sponsored by The Washington Post and Univision. He faces an uphill battle. Floridas older electorate benefits Clinton in a primary season that has divided sharply along generational lines all year. The poll finds Clinton leading Sanders by 53 percentage points among Democrats age 65 and older, compared with a 26-point lead among those younger than 50. The survey was conducted by the independent Bendixen and Amandi International and the Tarrance Group, a Republican firm. [How to watch the Washington Post-Univision debate] Clinton holds a lopsided 72 to 16 percent lead among nonwhite Democrats in Florida, including a 68 to 21 percent lead among Hispanic voters, who were oversampled in the survey and weighted back to their appropriate share of the electorate. Among whites, Clinton leads by a smaller, though still substantial, 22 percentage points. Eight years ago, Hispanic voters were a core part of Clintons victory in the state, supporting her by nearly 2 to 1 over Barack Obama, according to the network exit poll. Mirroring exit polls in earlier states, the Post-Univision poll found a sizable gender gap in support for the Democratic nomination, with Clinton leading Sanders by 71 to 21 percent among women but by a narrower 55 to 32 percent among men. Sanders has clear potential to make inroads. Fully 7 in 10 likely voters have a positive view of him, nearly as high as Clintons 76 percent, though far more see her in a very favorable light. By a 46 to 39 percent margin, more voters say that Sanders is more honest and trustworthy than Clinton. Despite that, though, Sanderss reputation is overwhelmed at this point by huge advantages for Clinton on other personal attributes and issues. More than 8 in 10 say that Clinton has a better chance of winning a general election, more than 6 in 10 prefer her personality and temperament, and a small majority says she would do more to bring change to Washington. A 56 percent majority of Democratic voters in Florida think Clinton generally holds views closer to their own, compared with Sanders. When voters were asked about specific issues, they trusted Clinton by more than 2 to 1 to handle terrorism, immigration, the economy and health care. This Washington Post-Univision poll was conducted on March 2 to 5 among a random sample of 449 likely voters in Floridas March 15 Democratic primary, including interviews on land-line and cellular phones. The survey included an oversample of Hispanic likely voters, which were weighted back to an estimate of their share of the primary electorate. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus six percentage points for overall results; the error margin is nine points for results among the sample of 184 Hispanic likely voters. Emily Guskin contributed to this report. Both Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders spoke passionately about the desire to stop deporting immigrants who entered the country illegally and to provide a path to citizenship at The Washington Post/Univision debate in Miami. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) Both Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders spoke passionately about the desire to stop deporting immigrants who entered the country illegally and to provide a path to citizenship at The Washington Post/Univision debate in Miami. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, just one day removed from a stinging upset loss in the Michigan primary, used Wednesdays Democratic presidential debate to launch sharp attacks on her rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders, criticizing him as too far left at some points, but also seeking to cast him as an ally of far-right militiamen on the subject of immigration. The debate was sponsored by Univision and The Washington Post, and conducted in both English and Spanish: the candidates spoke only English, but questioners and moderators often spoke Spanish before being translated. [Annotated transcript: What the candidates said, and what it meant] For Clinton, the attacks on Sanders were a sign that she is not yet able to pivot toward a general-election matchup against Republicans. Instead, she is still trying to make a case against Sanders and looking ahead only to Florida, where she and Sanders face a crucial primary next Tuesday. At one point, Clinton sought to link Sanders to the Minutemen movement that was popular a decade ago, in which private militias sought to catch and deter those crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Senator Sanders . . . stood with the Minutemen vigilantes in their ridiculous, absurd efforts to, quote, hunt down immigrants, Clinton said at one point. She was referring to an episode in Congress, in which Sanders supported a bill that was designed to prevent the U.S. government from coordinating with Mexican authorities to thwart illegal immigration. Sanderss staff has said previously that the senator believed the amendment was, in effect, harmeless: It would ban something that didnt happen anyway. No, I do not support vigilantes, and that is a horrific statement, an unfair statement to make, Sanders said. [The Fix: Winners and losers from the debate] But Clinton also returned to arguments she has made in the past about Sanderss sweeping liberal policy ideas, arguing that they are unrealistic: too complicated, too expensive, and too hard to pass. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, Clinton said. Sanders may also have hurt himself, at least in Florida, with comments that edged close to the states traditional political taboo: praising the Castro regime in Cuba. Moderators played a 30 year-old tape in which Sanders then the socialist mayor of Burlington, Vt. praised Castros regime and criticized past efforts to overthrow him. Sanders said that the Cuban regime was autocratic, but also praised its results in improving health care and education on the island. He got cheers. But when Clinton criticized Sanders for praising the communists in Cuba, the cheers were louder. Clinton also criticized Sanders for being too negative about recent Democratic presidents. Sen. Sanders is always criticizing the two recent Democratic presidents, President Clinton and Persident Obama. And thats fine. But I wish he would criticize and join me in criticizing President George W. Bush, said Clinton, who is married to another former president, Bill Clinton. She meant that Sanders was wrong to seek to replace Obamacare President Obamas signature health-care law with a single-payer health-care system. Sanders scoffed at the idea that he had not been critical of Bush. I gather Secretary Clinton hasnt listened to too many of my speeches, Sanders said, noting that he frequently criticizes the decision to invade Iraq. But Sanders said he would not shy away from criticizing Bill Clinton, especially for his decisions to approve deregulatory laws affecting Wall Street: Lets remember thats when Wall Street deregulation took place. Good things happened, but some dangerous mistakes were made, Sanders said. Sanders defended his plan to offer free tuition at public colleges during Wednesdays Democratic debate, saying he didnt mind that his plan would offer free tuition even to those who could pay like, for example, the children and grandchildren of Republican front-runner Donald Trump. Absolutely Trumps progeny should get free tuition at a state school, Sanders said. I dont think they will. But Donald Trumps kids can go to public school free. . . . We are going to get to Donald Trump by raising the taxes on the top one percent, and millionaires and billionaires. Indeed, Sanders plans to make public school tuition-free call for the tuition to be funded by new taxes on Wall Street trades. Clinton responded with a sharp version of an argument she has made since the first debates, saying that Sanderss plans to offer free tuition and universal government-run health insurance will be expensive, unwieldy and very unlikely to be passed by Congress. This is going to be much more expensive than anything Sen. Sanders is admitting to. This is going to increase the federal government dramatically, Clinton said. She quoted her own father, a staunch Republican: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Really? Sanders said. He charged that Clinton was, in effect, giving up before joining the fight: If the rest of the world can do it, we can, Sanders said, meaning that many other industrialized countries offer universal health insurance. Earlier, Clinton made an unusually personal admission of her political failings in Wednesday nights Democratic debate, saying that politics isnt easy for me. I am not a natural politician, in case you havent noticed, like my husband or President Obama, so I have a view that that I have to do the best I can, Clinton said, in a response to a question from moderator Karen Tumulty about why so many voters consider Clinton untrustworthy, even after so many years in public life. And hope that people see that Im fighting for them. That admission, ironically, came after a powerful moment, in which Clinton came close to doing what her husband Bill Clinton was famous for: making an audience feel someones pain. A woman in the audience had described the difficulties she had faced after her husband, an undocumented immigrant, was deported. Sanders had responded to her emotional question with a promise to help, by changing U.S. policy as president. The essence of what we are trying to do is to unite families, not to divide families, Sanders said. Clinton began her response by focusing on the woman herself. Please know how brave I think you are, coming here with your children to tell your story. This is an incredible act of courage that Im not sure many people really understand. And I want you to know that, Clinton said. Later in Wednesdays debate, moderator Jorge Ramos asked Clinton about the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, in which four Americans were killed including the U.S. ambassador to Libya. Clinton was the secretary of state at the time, and Republicans have raised questions about whether Clinton had properly prepared State Department installations in Libya for attacks, and about whether she had misled the public about the cause of the attack. When Ramos began to ask the question, the debates audience began to boo at the mention of the word Benghazi. He kept on, playing the tape of a relative of one of the four who died, who said she believed that Clinton had misled her about the attacks saying they had been reactions to an anti-Islam video, rather than planned terrorist attacks. Shes wrong. Shes absolutely wrong, Clinton said about the woman. She said that the explanation she had given to the families was based on what she believed at the time which was later found to be incomplete and partially incorrect. This was fog. This was complicated. [Fact Checker: What Benghazi family members say Clinton said about the video] Earlier in the debate, both candidates seemed to break with President Obama on the subject of immigration in Wednesdays Democratic debate, with both saying that they would not deport children who were living in the U.S. illegally a rejection of the Obama administrations decision to deport children along with their families, if they have arrived recently and have been ordered deported by the judge. Stop the raids. Stop the roundups, Clinton said, after close questioning by Univision moderator Jorge Ramos. I will not deport children. I do not want to deport family members, either. Sanders agreed, saying that he agreed with Obama on many subjects, but he is wrong on this issue of deportation. The Obama administration has been criticized for these deportation raids, which focus on immigrants who arrived recently from countries in Central America, were not granted asylum in the U.S., and then were ordered deported. American authorities have said they want to deter future waves of illegal immigrants, especially waves of children travelling alone. Clinton and Sanders spent much of the debates early going arguing about past largely failed bills in Congress, and the positions they took on them. Clinton, in particular, criticized Sanders for supporting a 2007 amendment that was designed to help the Minutemen, a private group that patrolled the U.S. border in hopes of deterring immigration. According to a 2015 BuzzFeed story on that vote, Sanders has said that the measure was seen as largely a minor, empty gesture, and that it had strong support from Democrats at the time. No, I did not support vigilantes, Sanders said, after Clinton had brought it up more than once. And that is a horrific statement. [Your Washington Post-Univision Democratic debate questions, answered] Their first disagreement was about how significant it was that Sanders had defeated Clinton in Michigan the night before. One of the major political upsets in modern American history, Sanders called it. Clinton said, in essence, that it was a bump in the road. Well, look, I won one of the contests and lost another close one, she said, referring to her lopsided win in Mississippi. I was pleased that I got 100,000 more votes than my opponent, and also more delegates. At the outset of the debate, both candidates expressed support for immigration reform a nod to their setting, and to the audience watching on Univision, which along with The Washington Post was sponsoring Wednesdays debate. Sanders offered another nod to the location: a mention of climate change, a major cause of rising sea levels that threaten to encroach on Miami in coming years. We know that we have got to combat climate change, Sanders said. In the debates early going, moderator Jorge Ramos asked Clinton who had given her permission to use a private email server for government business. It was not prohibited. It was not in any way disallowed, Clinton said. There was no permission to be asked. Would Clinton drop out of the race, Ramos asked, if an FBI inquiry into her use of those emails ended with her being indicted? That is not going to happen. Im not even answering that question, Clinton said. [Fact Checker: Clinton often used technical language to obscure email issue] Both candidates criticized Republican front-runner Donald Trump, who has called for mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, and said many undocumented Mexican immigrants were rapists. I said Basta! Clinton said, using the Spanish word for enough. She refused to say if she believes Trump is a racist, but criticized his rhetoric as damaging especially to Trumps prospects in a general election. The debate can be streamed live at washingtonpost.com, or viewed on television: CNN is broadcasting it in English, and Univision is broadcasting in Spanish. The Washington Post and Univision are sponsors of this debate, which will be the fourth time that Clinton and Sanders have debated one-on-one. Before Tuesday, Clinton seemed on the verge of locking up the nomination. But then Sanders won Michigan the biggest and most diverse state he has won so far. Clinton is still the clear leader in terms of states won and delegates accumulated. She added to her delegate lead Tuesday by winning a lopsided victory in Mississippi and dividing Michigans delegates nearly evenly with Sanders. But after the Michigan win, it is clear that Sanders the self-described democratic socialist running an insurgent campaign on Clintons left has not peaked. The next big tests for both candidates will come Tuesday, when Democrats and Republicans vote in Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. The biggest prize of them all is Florida, the site of Wednesdays debate. The most recent polls have shown Clinton with a sizeable lead over Sanders in the Sunshine State, beating him by more than 25 points. Wednesdays debate will be one of Sanderss last, best opportunities to turn that around. John Wagner and Anne Gearan contributed to this report from Miami. To travel to Tibet, foreigners must obtain a Chinese visa and Tibet travel permits. (Photo : Getty Images) In a group discussion during the NPCs annual session, proposals to ease travel procedures to the Tibet Autonomous Region was raised, aiming to attract more tourists, according to an article by China Daily. Advertisement The region aims to be one of the world's top destinations in the next five years. To travel to Tibet, foreigners must obtain a Chinese visa and Tibet travel permits. Through the easing of travel procedures, more tourists will hopefully flock to the region. "Tibet will be more open to domestic and foreign tourists in the next five years," said Hong Wei, deputy director of the Tibet tourism development commission. "We will simplify the procedure for foreigners to obtain travel permits and cut the waiting time." As of the moment, reforming travel permits to Tibet is still being studied by the government, according to an official from Tibet's publicity department. Padma Choling, head of the standing committee of the regional people's congress, cleared that the Tibet Autonomous Region has no plans in completely removing travel permits for foreign travelers. The permits' main issue, said Choling, is to make sure foreign travelers are safe. "It takes at least 15 days for foreigners to receive their permits after submitting all the documents if they are not refused entry. I hope it can be cut to less than a week in the future," said Xu Bin, manager of a travel agency in Lhasa, Tibet. An increased number in tourists can greatly boost Tibet's annual revenue, which can also lead to job creation in the region, according to Li Yiqiang, deputy director of Shannan Prefecture. "Allowing more foreign visitors to come to Tibet can help the locals out of poverty by getting them involved in providing tourism services," Li said. Aside from easing travel procedures, Tibet also plans to streamline the procedures for Chinese people who are applying for passes to travel to border areas. The region currently shares a border of over 4,000 kilometers with several countries, including Burma, India and Nepal. Research by Zillow finds that prices are higher and sales go faster at certain times of the year. (Chris Goodney/Bloomberg) If youre looking to sell your home, is there an optimal window of time during the year when your listing is likely to sell faster and at a higher price? Put another way, could the ideal time for listing your house be a specific month or even a two-week period? One group of researchers says yes. After sorting through the sales of more than 20 million single-family homes, condos and cooperatives that occurred between 2008 and 2015, researchers at Zillow, the real estate marketing company, concluded that listing times do indeed matter. List at the wrong time and you might take longer to sell, and you might sell for less. Choose the optimal two-week period and you may do better. Nationwide, researchers found that homes listed in the late spring (May 1 through May 15) sell around 18.5 days faster and for 1 percent more than the average listing. Optimal times can vary by location, however. In the Washington and Miami-Fort Lauderdale metropolitan areas, April 16 through April 30 produces faster selling times and higher prices, according to Zillow. In San Diego, the best two weeks come earlier: March 16 through March 31. In Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco, theyre considerably later: May 16 through May 31. Other major markets, such as Chicago, Seattle, Phoenix and New York, track the national sweet spot, May 1 through May 15. Its a little hard to figure Boston and Los Angeles dont match up well on climate but researchers insist thats what the numbers say. [More Harney: Realty agents say lenders are refusing to give them closing documents in advance] Zillow, best known for its popular but sometimes controversial online Zestimates of the value of millions of homes on and off the market, has pinpointed ideal listing times down to the Zip-code level. Individual Zestimates now include a Best Time to List feature that displays a bar graph showing the estimated selling price differences month by month. I checked the Zestimate on my own home outside Washington and found that, according to Zillows calculations, Id get $15,000 to nearly $20,000 more than the average over the full year by listing in March or April, and $35,000 to $40,000 more than if I listed in October or November. Curiously, if I listed in January or February thats when we get blizzards here Id do better than listing in June, July or anytime through December. Huh? That didnt make sense to me, but Zillow says it has the hard statistics to back it up. Just in case I needed guidance on any of this, though, the Best Time to List tool comes with a handy Contact an agent button right below the bar graph. In an interview, Zillows chief economist, Svenja Gudell, maintained that this is not meant to be a lead producer for realty agents who pay money to advertise on Zillow, even though thats precisely whom youll hear from if you hit the button. [More Harney: Mortgage lenders try to turn more renters into homeowners] So back to the original question: Is there any magic window of time to list your home for sale? Mary Bayat, principal broker at Bayat Realty in Northern Virginia, agrees that when the weather is good and flowers are blooming that would be the spring months properties look better, If theyre in good condition, show well and are priced and marketed right, its an excellent time to sell. But she told me that trying to pinpoint ideal two-week periods is the wrong idea, because houses can sell fast and for solid premiums throughout the year. Alexis Eldorrado, founder and managing broker of Eldorrado Chicago Real Estate, says many factors can affect rapidity of sale more than the timing of the listing. For example, she put a luxury high-rise condo unit on the market in the frigid depths of Chicagos winter last month and it sold in 11 days close to list after 10 showings. One key to that quick sale: The owner did a pre-listing upgrading of the kitchen to bring it up to the standards expected in that price range. Kary Krismer, managing broker at John L. Scott/KMS Renton in the Seattle area, where Zillow is based, says the dominant factor in his market is the shortage of houses listed for sale. As a result, the listing date is not currently a significant factor. Buyers are scrambling for properties its a sellers market so the week or month of the year is no big deal. Ken Harneys email address is kenharney@earthlink.net. Vice President Biden warned Wednesday that the United States would not hesitate to act against any conventional military activity by Iran outside of last years landmark nuclear deal, underscoring the Obama administrations concern after apparent back-to-back missile tests by Tehran. The remarks by Biden, on a visit to reassure Israeli allies strongly opposed to last years nuclear pact, came as Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps reported the test firings of two ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel. Similar Iranian tests reported Tuesday brought threats of further sanctions by the United States, which in January announced punitive measures against Iran in the wake of missile tests last year. [Biden arrives in Israel to talk billions in military aid and patch things up] Iranian state television broadcast video on Wednesday purporting to show the test firings of the missiles, which the Revolutionary Guard said were part of an arsenal capable of hitting Israeli targets. The tests signaled a show of strength by Irans military and appeared timed to coincide with Bidens trip. They also followed stunning gains in last months parliamentary elections by Iranian moderates who back President Hassan Rouhani and support the nuclear deal, which was criticized by hard-liners, including members of the Revolutionary Guard. The deal was formally implemented in January. Biden said Wednesday that the United States will act if Iran violates the nuclear pact. He also said that all Iranian programs outside the scope of the accord will be closely monitored. All their conventional activity outside the deal, which is still beyond the deal, we will and are attempting to act wherever we can find it, he told reporters. He reiterated that a nuclear-armed Iran is an absolutely unacceptable threat to Israel, the region and the United States. Analysts said the missile tests appear to be an attempt by the hard-liners to assert their continued relevance after the election setbacks. Theyre not doing particularly well, said Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council, who is writing a book on the nuclear talks. When you get this type of repudiation from the Iranian public, and youre sensing that the perception of power is starting to shift, you want to make marks of this kind. Mike Eisenstadt, a military analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said it may be difficult to prove that the Iranians designed the missiles to be nuclear-capable, which is barred by U.N. Security Council resolutions. The missiles, he said, play on the deepest fears among Irans foes about its nuclear intentions. On a certain subliminal level, people see missiles and think nukes, Eisenstadt said. Theyre able to claim they are sticking to their nuclear obligations. But the missiles enable them to intimidate their enemies by implying they have an option in the long run to develop nuclear weapons. Irans semiofficial Fars News Agency reported that the missiles tested Wednesday were stamped with a message in Hebrew: Israel must be wiped out. However, there was no confirmation of the report, and no such markings were seen in state- issued photos and video. [Irans moderates not changing minds among U.S. critics] Missile development is not specifically prohibited under the nuclear deal, which severely limits Tehrans uranium-enrichment and other programs to block a potential pathway to nuclear weapons. In exchange, most international sanctions on Iran were lifted. Iran claims it has a right to develop conventional weapons and insists that the missiles are not designed to carry nuclear warheads. But the West and its allies view the reported tests as highly provocative. [Israel to launch one of the worlds most advanced missile defense systems, with U.S. help] In Washington, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the United States and its allies would redouble efforts to limit further expansion of Irans missile program, but he offered no specifics. There is no need to doubt that the United States has Israels back, Biden said after meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This is a commitment that goes deeper than security. As the Iran issue loomed large, months of Israeli-Palestinian violence showed no signs of easing. On Tuesday, a Palestinian went on a stabbing rampage less than a mile from where Biden spoke at a peace center in the Mediterranean port of Jaffa. An American tourist a graduate student from Vanderbilt University was killed and several others were wounded, officials said. The incident followed three other attacks across Israel. At least 14 Israelis were wounded, some seriously, in the attacks. All four assailants were killed. [A rash of bloody attacks greets Biden in Israel] Netanyahu had accused Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas of not condemning the attacks. On Tuesday, Abbass Fatah party posted a drawing on its Twitter account of a hand holding a knife over a map of Israel and the Palestinian territories. It described one of the Palestinian assailants as a hero and martyr. The United States condemns these acts, Biden said Wednesday, and condemns the failure to condemn these acts. Biden traveled to Ramallah in the West Bank in the evening to meet with Abbas in the presidential compound. The two men briefly embraced, then went upstairs to talk privately. Neither made any public remarks. Before his trip to the West Bank, Biden and several family members made an unannounced stop in Jerusalems Old City. They entered through the Jaffa Gate the scene of some recent attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians and visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a major pilgrimage site built upon the location where tradition says Jesus was crucified and which holds his empty tomb. Biden was accompanied by three of his grandchildren and daughter-in-law Hallie Olivere Biden. She was married to Bidens son Beau, who died of brain cancer last year. Morello reported from Washington. Brian Murphy, also in Washington, contributed to this report. Read more: An Israeli leader wants to put Jerusalems Arabs on the other side of new walls Graphic: A new kind of terrorism in Israel Martyrs? Desperate? Crazy? Palestinians struggle to define Palestinians who attack Israelis. Migrants walk behind a temporary protective fence at the border between Hungary and Serbia near Morahalom, southeast of Budapest, in February. (Zoltan Gergely Kelemen/AP) Under cover of darkness, the taxis pulled up at the edge of this forlorn border town smugglers at the wheel, migrants in the passenger seats and the next stage of the journey through Europe looming beyond the moonlit trees. Go, the smugglers said. Hungary isnt far. But when the migrants had finished hacking their way through a dense woodland, they found their paths blocked by a 13-foot, razor-wire-topped fence, with snarling German shepherds and pepper-spray-toting Hungarian police standing watch on the other side. Go away! Musa Jabar-Khel, a slender 22-year-old Afghan, recalled the police yelling. We dont like migrants here. We hate them. That much was clear last fall, when Hungary went to great lengths to earn its reputation as the most hostile nation in Europe toward the unparalleled stream of humanity fleeing across the continent. After the government built its fence and announced three-year prison sentences for anyone who dared to cross it, the refugee trail instantly diverted away from Hungary and toward the countrys more hospitable neighbors. Now that the neighbors are all closing their own borders, however, asylum seekers are coming back to Hungary. After months in which the number of people caught trying to sneak through the fence dropped nearly to zero, arrests have risen sharply in recent weeks as controls tightened elsewhere. In February alone, nearly 2,500 people were apprehended. [As Hungary talks tough on border security, refugees continue to pour in] The surging numbers daring to enter Hungary despite the harsh consequences reflect just how desperate conditions have grown for those seeking a path to Western Europe as doors slam shut all along the trail. European Council President Donald Tusk declared Wednesday that the most common route for migrants into Europe had come to an end after Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia all announced they would require European passports or visas for anyone seeking entry. The moves effectively stranded 30,000 people farther south in Greece, including 13,000 at the countrys Macedonian border. Heavy rain added to the misery Wednesday as families tried to huddle under tents or makeshift shelters. At other border bottlenecks, aid workers reported that crowds were thinning suggesting that at least some people may be giving up. View Graphic Journey alongside refugees through Lesbos, the gateway to a new life But others are undoubtedly turning to smugglers to find alternative routes. As the return of migrant flows to Hungary shows, fences may not be as effective when everyone is building one. Hungarys fence is not the solution to Europes problems, said Erno Simon, a Budapest-based spokesman for the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. It derailed the flow of people for some months. But even as more and more obstacles emerge, people continue to come and try to find other ways. Indeed, Simon said, the erection of fences and other barriers will not stop the flows; it will probably just fragment them, sending people fleeing war, oppression and poverty off the well-worn paths and onto ever-more dangerous routes. That, in turn, will only make it harder for aid groups to help those in need, while driving up the demand for smugglers. The more borders that are closed, Simon said, the higher the price that smugglers can charge. Nonetheless, slamming shut Europes famously open borders is increasingly the weapon of choice for continental leaders seeking to cope with an influx of asylum seekers that topped 1 million last year and that, at least until this week, was on course to be much higher in 2016. [Hungarys prime minister becomes Europes Donald Trump] When Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban ordered fences built along the countrys southern flank last year justifying them as a necessary defense against a Muslim invasion he was widely derided by his fellow European leaders. But since then, attitudes have hardened continent-wide. At a European Union summit this week, blocking the migrants path became official policy. Europe even threatened to send those who arrive in Greece by boat straight back to Turkey. The new approach is intended to obliterate a route that once sped people to their destinations of choice in Western Europe. For Hungary, it represents a vindication. We didnt tell them to build these fences. They just used their own common sense, said Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs. Europe simply cannot take responsibility for all human suffering around the world. Kovacs acknowledged that the new obstacles in neighboring countries were driving people back to Hungary. But he said the solution was for Hungary to toughen its defenses. As the number of people slipping through the countrys border with Serbia has grown in recent weeks, Orban has ordered increased police and military patrols. Kovacs said the government was also making plans to build a fence along its border with Romania as it seeks to head off an emerging route from the east. The goal is to send a clear message telling people not to try to come through Hungary, he said. Its not going to work. And yet, people are trying every day so many, in fact, that the countrys detention centers are packed well past capacity. With nowhere else to put people, the government releases detainees onto the streets, effectively allowing them to travel on to Austria through a border that remains wide open. The government is putting up a very strong facade trying to deter people through language and law, said Marta Pardavi, co-chair of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a human rights group. But in fact those who do cross will eventually be able to continue their journeys. There may just be a collateral cost of a few weeks or months of detention. That cost often piles even more misery upon people who have already experienced a lifetimes worth. [As hostility flares, Hungarys Muslim community mobilizes to aid refugees] Feras Turkmani fled the war in his native Syria last fall, with plans to go to Germany and continue his studies in English literature. Instead, the shy and slim 28-year-old was arrested minutes after crossing into Hungary a country he had planned to travel through as quickly as possible. He spent the next five months in a detention center for asylum seekers that he likened to a prison. I didnt think it would be like this in Europe, said Turkmani, who cited as his favorite books A Streetcar Named Desire and Heart of Darkness. I asked the guards for books. But they only had ones in Hungarian. Turkmani said he was able to speak with his parents just once a week while he was held. Pardavi, the human rights advocate, said her organization is contacted daily by anxious families who have lost touch with relatives stuck in Hungarys labyrinthine detention system. Under the law, everyone arrested for illegally crossing the fence is entitled to a trial. In the southern Hungarian city of Szeged, a special court is in session nearly every day, and it churns out convictions with a rare efficiency. Under the watchful eyes of camouflage-garbed troops armed with assault rifles, the defendants are brought in with their wrists shackled by iron handcuffs. They then appear before a judge, who reads out what he describes as the defendants confession to the crime of having illegally crossed Hungarys border fence. On a recent day, two young Algerian men appeared before the court wearing threadbare clothes and shoes without laces. They each testified that they had no job and no money. The stern-faced prosecutor told the court that their crime is punishable by a prison term. But she urged leniency. Their presence in Hungary is not desirable, she said. I ask instead for expulsion. After about five minutes of deliberation, that was the sentence the judge gave them along with an order to each repay about $80 in court costs. In reality, few are actually expelled; once migrants have crossed into Hungary, Serbia refuses to take them back. So instead they are held in detention facilities until the government decides to release them. Asylum seekers traveling north through the Balkans often know little of what awaits them in Hungary. They just know that other routes are blocked and that smugglers are offering an alternative. Jabar-Khel, the 22-year-old Afghan who tried to sneak across the border but was ordered away from the fence by Hungarian police, said he had initially tried to travel north through Croatia along a route traversed by tens of thousands of migrants in recent months. But when he arrived at the Serbian-Croatian border, Afghans were not allowed to pass. So instead he paid a Serbian smuggler around $400 to take him to the Hungarian border. He traveled with dozens of others in a convoy of smuggler-driven taxis. The smugglers did not warn them about the forbiddingly tall fence or about the heavy police presence on the other side. Some ultimately made it across, only to be captured. For two days and nights, Jabar-Khel tried to find a way through the fence. But the police seemed to anticipate his every move. He eventually gave up and, with two friends, retreated to the local bus station to consider their next move. There were no obvious answers. Afghanistan has been bombed. Here it is closed. There it is closed, said one of the friends, 37-year-old Nazir Ahmadzai, whose coat had been shredded by a failed attempt to hurdle the barbed wire. So where should we go? Anthony Faiola in Berlin and James McAuley in Paris contributed to this report. Read more: When Britain votes on the E.U., Western security could be on the line European leaders strike deal to try to keep Britain in the E.U. Spring could bring a fresh surge of refugees. But Europe isnt ready for them. Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Chinese business tycoon Ren Zhijiang's social media accounts were blocked by authorities for alleged criticisms of President Xi Jinping. (Photo : Twitter) A top Chinese political adviser said on Sunday that he plans to present a proposal on guaranteeing freedom of expression after a report containing his comments on the topic has been blocked in the country's social media. China's People's Political Consultative Conference member and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics professor Jiang Hong said that he wants to present the proposal to ensure that citizens would be able to enjoy their legal rights to expression at all times, the Global Times reported. Advertisement Jiang made the remark after an article containing his comments on the subject has been blocked in several of the country's social media sites. The article, which was published on the news website Caixin.com, stated that citizens' right to express themselves need to be protected. However, the article has since been blocked by the social media and messaging platform WeChat. And while the original article is still available on Caixin, the site's report on the blocking incident was taken down. The adviser expressed concern about the legality of such actions, saying that, as there have been a lot of cases of deleting and blocking of posts online, these should be done in accordance with established rules and regulations. Jiang stressed that he is certain that the controversial piece did not violate any existing law. Earlier, Chinese Internet authorities also blocked the social media accounts of popular blogger and businessman Ren Zhiqiang. According to the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the blocking of Ren's account was in accordance with the guidelines set in the recently passed National Security Law, Minzhuzhonggo.org reported. CAC spokesperson Jiang Jun stressed that the Internet "is not a lawless field" and that it should not be used to "spread illegal information." According to a person close to the property mogul, the blocking of Ren's accounts in Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo may have been due to the criticisms he made against Chinese President Xi Jinping. Yazidi asylum seekers from Shengal, Iraq, rest outside an Ikea house at the Diavata migrant camp recently built by Greece on the outskirts of Thessaloniki. March 1, 2016 Yazidi asylum seekers from Shengal, Iraq, rest outside an Ikea house at the Diavata migrant camp recently built by Greece on the outskirts of Thessaloniki. Jodi Hilton/For The Washington Post After a year and a half of massive migration to the continent, some nations along the route are saying no. After a year and a half of massive migration to the continent, some nations along the route are saying no. After a year and a half of massive migration to the continent, some nations along the route are saying no. Vessels carrying fresh waves of migrants reached Greek islands Wednesday even as borders deeper in Europe closed tighter, a day after the European Union and Turkey struck a preliminary deal to slam shut the back door to the continent. At least three nations along the once-busy migrant routes Serbia, Slovenia and Croatia barred the passage of all migrants without European visas, effectively blocking many of the refugees, asylum seekers and others from war zones such as Syria and Iraq. Aid groups said some migrants stranded at border posts in the Balkans began to drift away as many lost hope of crossing en route to such nations Germany and Sweden. At the same time, however, a bottleneck of the desperate was growing at the European entry point in Greece. Roughly 30,000 migrants were stranded there, including 13,000 at the northern border with Macedonia, which refused to allow any new migrants to cross for a third day running. Heavy rain added to the misery as families tried to huddle under tents or makeshift shelters. With thousands of migrants stuck at the Greek-Macedonia border and 2,000 arriving daily, authorities warn that the stranded migrants could surge to 70,000 in a matter of days. (The Washington Post) On the island of Lesbos, at least 25 boats filled with migrants made landfall since the accord reached in Brussels on Tuesday that would clear the way for Europe to send migrants back to Turkey en masse. [Turkey to E.U.: If you want to send us your migrants, send money, too] The accord also seeks to deal a crippling blow to smuggling networks that have funneled more than 1 million people into Greece over the past year. At Lesboss main port, Mytilene, about 4,200 migrants waited in camps for a possible onward trip to the Greek mainland. These people are desperate and more and more anxious now, Babar Baloch, a spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency at the Greek-Macedonian border, said in a phone interview. The conditions are bad, he said. They are not livable, not human. This is going to bring more chaos, more misery. Asked about the new preliminary deal to return to Turkey all migrants crossing the Aegean Sea, Baloch said: Europe can not outsource responsibly to a third-country. Europe has to take responsibility. Under the deal, all new migrants including Syrians and Iraqis found at sea or who reach Greece by boat would be sent back to Turkey. But for each Syrian among those returned, the European Union would be required to accept another Syrian directly from Turkish refugee camps in a one-for-one exchange. Only Syrians, and not even Iraqis fleeing the Islamic State, appear to qualify for that direct relocation program. Even Syrians who risk the sea and are turned back could be blacklisted from legal resettlement in Europe, providing an extra incentive for migrants to avoid even trying to cross the Aegean. [Europes harsh new message for migrants: Do not come] In exchange for taking back migrants, Turkey already hosting about 2.7 million Syrian refugees on its soil is driving a hard bargain, and it surprised its European counterparts at the start of the talks on Monday with further demands. In addition to new aid, Ankara also wants accelerated talks on joining the European Union a bid opposed by many current members as well as visa-free travel within the E.U. for Turkish citizens. European nations, facing a strong domestic backlash against migrants, may have little choice but to agree. The deal is a breakthrough, if it is realized, if it is implemented, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Critics immediately accused the Europeans of political expediency by agreeing to a deal that could only strengthen the authoritarian rule of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. His government recently seized control of the countrys largest newspaper, and its crackdown on dissent in Kurdish pockets of the country has raised alarm over fast-deteriorating human rights. McAuley reported from Paris. Griff Witte in Lesbos, Greece, contributed to this report. Brian Murphy in Washington conributed to this report. Read more: Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Judges Merrick B. Garland, Jane L. Kelly, Paul J. Watford, Patricia Ann Millett, Sri Srinivasan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: AP Photo/Charles DharapakLiz Martin/The Gazette via The APBill Clark/Getty ImagesAP Photo/Manuel Balce CenetaReutersU.S. District Court for the District of Columbia) Black civil rights groups and activists are pressing the nations first African American president to nominate a black woman to the Supreme Court, calling it an overdue historic first at a time of growing ethnic diversity and an intense debate about racial justice issues. The pressure has been building since Justice Antonin Scalias sudden death gave President Obama what is likely his final opportunity to shape the high court, according to civil rights activists and people familiar with the selection process. At a recent White House meeting, for example, a number of activists directly urged the president to nominate an African American woman, pointing out that they had supported him at the polls in overwhelming numbers, said people in attendance. The appointment of an African American woman to the Supreme Court is essential to his legacy, said Barbara R. Arnwine, president of the Transformative Justice Coalition, who helped launch one of two online petitions calling on Obama to defy fierce Republican opposition to any nomination being made and name a woman of color to the court. The lobbying push comes as the White House intensifies its deliberations over replacing Scalia, whose Feb. 13 death kicked off a ferocious ideological battle for control of the Supreme Court. At least six federal judges are under consideration, sources have said, including two African Americans: Ketanji Brown Jackson, a U.S. district court judge for the District of Columbia; and Paul J. Watford, an appeals court judge in California. But it is unclear how much the civil rights communitys concerns will figure into Obamas calculus as he wrestles with how to approach Senate Republicans, who have vowed to block any nominee without holding a hearing. People familiar with Obamas deliberations say he is considering a range of factors, including diversity, but is primarily focused on whether the candidate can win confirmation. According to those people, the president thinks that any nominee would be better for progressive causes than Scalia, who was an outspoken conservative. President Obama is considering who to nominate to replace Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. Here are seven people he's most likely to choose. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) When Obama was urged to choose a black woman at the Feb. 18 meeting with young and veteran civil rights leaders, his response focused on the prospects for confirmation. His response was that he would be looking for the most qualified person who can get confirmed, said one attendee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a private meeting. This attendee said it would be heartbreaking if Obama whose previous Supreme Court appointees were justices Sonia Sotomayor, a Hispanic woman, and Elena Kagan, a white woman had three shots at the high court, and none of them were African American. Brandi Hoffine, a White House spokeswoman, said the president takes his constitutional responsibility to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court seriously, and the administration has consulted with a wide range of stakeholders, including senators from both parties, legal experts, advocacy groups, state and local leaders and others. Weve been clear, she added, that the individual the president ultimately nominates will be eminently qualified, hold a deep respect for the role of the judiciary in our democracy, and have tangible real-world experience in interpreting the law. The debate reflects the delicate balance that Obama has been trying to strike on racial issues, especially as the nation has focused on police brutality against African Americans and other racial justice issues in recent years. While diversity is important to Obama, supporters say he must consider the possibility of triggering a backlash from Republicans if they feel his Supreme Court pick is primarily about diversity. The last thing you want is Republicans saying theyre not meeting with who the NAACP and Al Sharpton tells them to meet with, said Al Sharpton, the civil rights leader, who said he has told the White House he would love to see an African American woman nominee but that Obama should nominate the most qualified person who can get confirmed. At the same time, the White House understands the stark political reality that the nomination could motivate the Democratic base and affect the presidential election. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton has been winning overwhelming support from African Americans in the primaries, but their turnout has not been as high as it was when Obama was on the ballot. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), one of several Congressional Black Caucus members who said lawmakers are also giving Obama a strong push to pick a black woman, said such a nominee would put intense pressure on Republicans. If you get a nominee for the Supreme Court who is going to reflect a constituency who has never been on the court before an African American woman I think that youre going to have a whole lot of African American women, a whole lot of African Americans and a whole lot of women . . . youre going to see a whole lot of people fold their arms and say, Okay, so whats wrong with this candidate? he said. Its not bad enough that [Republicans] are just completely violating their role as clearly defined in the Constitution; now theyre going to block the first black woman nominee? Ellison added. I mean, come on. In addition to Watford and Brown Jackson, judges under consideration for the high court include Sri Srinivasan and Patricia A. Millett, both appeals court judges in the District of Columbia; Jane L. Kelly, an appeals court judge based in Iowa; and Merrick Garland, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia. Sources have said the White House is focusing on jurists with scant discernible ideology and limited judicial records to help surmount the Republican opposition. If Obama were to focus on nominating an African American woman, he would be working from a shortlist, people familiar with the selection process said. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, for example, was initially viewed as a contender, and NAACP President Cornell William Brooks said Tuesday that his organization has told the White House that many of its members want her considered. But The Washington Post reported Monday that Lynch was no longer a candidate, which she confirmed Tuesday in a statement issued by her spokeswoman. As the conversation around the Supreme Court vacancy progressed, the Attorney General determined that the limitations inherent in the nomination process would curtail her effectiveness in her current role. Given the urgent issues before the Department of Justice, she asked not to be considered for the position, said the spokeswoman, Melanie Newman, in a statement. That leaves Brown Jackson as the only African American woman known to be on the short list. She has degrees from Harvard University and Harvard Law School and had a top position at the U.S. Sentencing Commission but has only been a judge since 2013. And it is rare for someone to go from a U.S. District Court directly to the Supreme Court, bypassing the appellate courts on which many justices have served. The last justice to make the leap was Edward T. Sanford, who was appointed in 1923 after serving 15 years as a federal judge in Tennessee. Civil rights leaders said Tuesday that they regard Brown Jackson as a highly credible candidate. Her name leaps out of the current list. Its a question of intellect and broad life experience, said Steve Phillips, founder of the social justice group PowerPAC+ and author of the book Brown is the New White. Phillips whose organization along with the progressive group Democracy for America launched an online petition calling for a woman of color to be nominated pointed out that some famous justices never served on the lower courts, such as Earl Warren, who was chief justice in the 1950s and 1960s after serving as governor of California. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.), a former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said Tuesday that caucus members are increasingly discussing Danielle Holley-Walker, who has been dean of Howard University Law School since 2014. Other civil rights leaders said her name has been forwarded to the White House, but its unclear whether she is under serious consideration. Holley-Walker, 41, would be unusually young for a Supreme Court nominee but holds a distinguished resume: Harvard Law, a clerkship with a federal appeals judge, a stint as a corporate litigator and a scholarly record focusing on education and civil rights. There are a lot of emails and texts flying across the country right now concerning her, Cleaver said. She would be fabulous. Another widely discussed possible candidate, California Attorney General Kamala Harris (D), has told associates she is not interested in the position, said sources familiar with the process. But activists and civil rights leaders are not giving up, urging Obama to cast a wider net in the search. With the issues that are going to come before the court in the next decade, you need to make sure all perspectives are there, said Benjamin L. Crump, a prominent civil rights lawyer who is president of the National Bar Association, the nations largest group of lawyers of color. He cited issues the high court could take up in coming years, such as school funding, police brutality and equal pay for women and minorities. We think an African American woman would be uniquely qualified to give a perspective that the court doesnt have right now, said Crump, who represented the family of Trayvon Martin, the black teenager shot and killed in a widely publicized 2012 incident. And Brooks, the NAACP president, cited the nations growing ethnic diversity.Its 2016, he said. Its high time for the consideration of African American women on the court. . . . Its likely to be the presidents last chance. Juliet Eilperin and Robert Barnes contributed to this report. An FBI poster in 2012 shows a composite image of former FBI agent Robert Levinson, right, of how he would look like now. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) Nine years after former FBI agent Robert Levinson went missing on the Iranian island of Kish, U.S. officials say there is disagreement over his whereabouts. Former and current FBI agents say they think that Levinson, if he is alive, remains in Iran. But others in the U.S. government think he may be elsewhere, after the family was sent a hostage video in late 2010 that officials say came from Pakistan. The family also received from Afghanistan pictures of Levinson in an orange jumpsuit, officials say. The debate over Levinsons location comes nearly two months after an agreement with Iran led to the release of Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian and four other Americans. Levinsons family hoped that he would be among those freed, but after the deal was announced, the White House said that Levinson may not be in Iran after all. Iranian officials have insisted that the government does not know what happened to Levinson, who was also working as a CIA contractor at the time of his disappearance. [Ex-FBI agent who disappeared in Iran was on rogue mission for CIA] On Wednesday, Secretary of State John F. Kerry marked the ninth anniversary of Levinsons disappearance with a statement that vowed to locate Bob and bring him home. As the president has said, and as I have told the Levinson family when I have met with them, we will never forget Bob, and we will not rest until the Levinson family is whole again, said Kerry, who repeatedly raised Levinsons disappearance during negotiations with Iran. Kerry noted that the FBI has a $5 million reward for information leading to the safe return of Levinson, who turns 68 on Thursday. The U.S. government in its entirety will continue all efforts to locate Bob and bring him home, he said in a statement. The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has committed to cooperating with the United States to determine the whereabouts of Mr. Levinson, and we are holding Iran to its promise. Levinsons wife, Christine, implored Washington and Tehran to dig into her husbands disappearance and to keep pushing for his freedom. These past 9 years 3,288 days have been harder for our family than anyone could ever imagine, she said. But, as difficult as it has been for us, we know that Bob is living a nightmare that is 100 times worse. We need the United States government and the country of Iran to work together to resolve what happened to Bob and return him safely to his family. In a statement, FBI Director James B. Comey said, We are encouraged by recent cooperation between the government of Iran and the United States and believe that our ability to locate Bob and reunite him with his family requires a shared commitment by the Iranian government. On Wednesday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the United States is going to great lengths to find this citizen so we can bring him home. We will spare no effort to secure his return, he said. We do not know where he is and that makes it hard to determine what his status is. Steven Mufson contributed to this report. Despite continuing cease-fire violations, there has been quite a sustained reduction of violence in Syria, and peace talks between the government and armed opposition groups are now scheduled to begin Monday in Geneva, U.N. special envoy Staffan de Mistura said. Incidents are taking place, no question, and Im expecting even worse incidents to take place, probably caused by spoilers, de Mistura said Wednesday at a news conference in Geneva. He added: The secret will be whether the sides will be in a position and so far, touching wood, it has been the case to contain them and not allow the progress that has been made to unravel. Shortly after de Mistura spoke, Syrias opposition High Negotiations Committee offered a different view, charging that the Syrian government and its Russian and Iranian backers have committed repeated, systematic and deliberate violations of the cease-fire and calling on the U.N. Security Council to condemn them and impose consequences. [Reports of violations in Syria are recorded but not yet verified] The United States, Russia and other powers came to an agreement on a cessation of hostilities in Syria, but the deal was met with caution and skepticism. (Jason Aldag,Ishaan Tharoor/The Washington Post) In a letter sent to the council, HNC leader Riad Hijab said that during the first 10 days of the truce, Russian and Syrian aircraft killed more than 100 people, most of them civilians, in 50 areas controlled by cease-fire-compliant opposition forces where there is no presence of either ISIS or Jabhat al-Nusra elements. Both the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, and al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra are excluded from the cease-fire. The cessation of hostilities went into effect Feb. 27 under terms negotiated between the United States and Russia, co-chairs of a task force charged with adjudicating alleged violations. So far, while acknowledging breaches, they have concentrated on the overall reduction of violence and made no public allegations of specific responsibility. The opposition has not yet confirmed its attendance at the peace talks, saying it will first assess government compliance with the cease-fire, access to humanitarian aid and government release of prisoners. [Map: Reaching besieged areas in Syria] An initial round of talks, scheduled for last month, was postponed until after the cease-fire was implemented and has since been twice delayed. The HNC has also demanded that any negotiations concentrate on a transition government for Syria, rather than discussions about the cease-fire or humanitarian assistance. De Mistura appeared to signal this would be the case, saying that when we start having the talks on Monday, God willing, the focus will be on substance . . . on new government, constitution and . . . elections in 18 months time. Negotiations, he said, would be held in proximity, with the two sides meeting in different rooms and U.N. officials shuttling between them. The initial round will continue for 10 days, he said, and be followed by a recess for us to recap where we are . . . and then resume. U.N. officials also said that aid has now reached 235,485 people in besieged areas of Syria, with an additional 600,000 expected to be reached by the end of April. The officials said that 10 of 18 such areas have received at least one convoy of aid in recent weeks. In all but one of the unreached areas, populations are surrounded by Syrian government forces that have not responded to U.N. entreaties to allow safe passage. The town of Deir al-Zour, in far eastern Syria, is surrounded by the Islamic State. Attempts to air-drop assistance into the town have failed, although Jan Egeland, the former U.N. official who is coordinating the assistance, said another attempt was being planned. Egeland congratulated Russia and the United States for their mutual cooperation, saying, I wish we would have had it in 2015. Secretary of State John Kerry, right,and Danish Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen deliver brief remarks to members of the news media before their meeting at the State Department in Washington, March 9, 2016. (Michael Reynolds/EPA) (Michael Reynolds/EPA) Danish Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen said Wednesday he expects overwhelming approval from his countrys Parliament to send warplanes and troops, including special forces, to Syria and Iraq to help fight the Islamic State. Jensen, in Washington to meet with Secretary of State John F. Kerry and other officials, said in an interview that F-16 fighter jets and 400 Danish troops would be deployed to Incirlik Air Base in Turkey by this summer. Their mission would be to train fighters in Iraq and Syria, including Kurdish forces. He declined to specify the size of the special forces deployment but said they would be assigned to the region for a full year. The United States has been pushing the 66 nations that are part of an anti-Islamic State coalition to contribute more to the fight. In 2014, Denmark dispatched F-16 fighter planes to conduct bombing raids in Iraq but pulled them out last year for maintenance. They will return this summer, in greater numbers, with the mandate to go into Syria as needed, Jensen said. The last time, there were limits on the areas where they were allowed to act, Jensen said. Using the Arab acronym for Islamic State, he added: What we learned is that Daesh doesnt care about borders. They just moved the troops around. If we want to push them back, if we want to defeat Daesh, we need to fight them wherever they are. Denmark, a country the size of Maryland with a population smaller than the Washington metropolitan area, will be making one of the highest per-capita contributions to the military campaign in Syria. Jensen said support for stepping up the involvement is broad in Denmark, with only the most left-wing members of Parliament expected to oppose it when it comes up for a vote next month. In September, hundreds of refugees walk on a highway in Denmark. (Martin Lehmann/Polfoto via AP) We have seen what happens to a small country with aggressive neighbors, Jensen said. We live with Russia as our neighbor. We know that international solidarity is important. And we have also been faced with the terrible horror of terror. So we know that if we dont fight Daesh, we are at risk of having the terrorists come to us. Jensen said Denmark also wants to help with clearing mines in Ramadi, a city in central Iraq, so more refugees feel it is safe to return. Denmark has come under withering criticism as it has tightened its border controls and refugee policies. It has increased how long refugees must wait for family reunification, slashed benefits and searched new refugees for assets that can be applied to offset the cost of housing them. But Jensen said Denmark remains committed to caring for refugees and took in more than 21,000 last year. An additional 75,000 refugees are expected to come as part of family reunification. Thats a huge influx of foreigners in a very small country, he said. Jensen said he is optimistic about the outcome of a meeting next week between the European Union and Turkey, which has offered to take back all migrants who crossed into Europe from its soil. In exchange, Turkey is demanding more money to care for them, faster E.U. membership talks and visa-free travel in Europe for its citizens. Under the Turkish proposal, Europe would also admit more Syrians currently stuck in Greece. I am concerned that if we dont strike a deal with Turkey, you will see more national borders coming up, Jensen said. But he said Denmark will not turn its back on refugees entirely. Its very important that Denmark as a country continues to help refugees in the refugee camps in the European Union and those who come to Denmark, he said. And we will continue to do so. Jensen also said Denmark favors renewing sanctions against Russia this summer if Moscow has not lived up to its commitments under an agreement in the Belarus city of Minsk aimed at reducing hostilities in Ukraine. Some European diplomats have expressed waning support for sanctions. Russia is not the friendly neighbor we dreamed of 10 years ago, Jensen said. They are a rather aggressive neighbor in Syria, in Ukraine, in the Arctic. As long as the Russians are not fulfilling the Minsk agreement fully, including the return of troops, the drawback of the heavy arms and the right for Ukraine to control its own borders, we will continue to support sanctions. Supporters of Mumtaz Qadri hold an effigy of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during a protest against Qadri's execution in Karachi. Qadri, a police officer, was convicted for killing a governor who had proposed modifying a law against insulting Muhammad. (Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty Images) During a speech to international business leaders here in late November, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif shocked the countrys powerful religious community by calling for a new, more liberal Pakistan. Amid an outcry, within hours, Sharifs staff was playing down the speech, saying he didnt really mean to imply Pakistan should become more like the West. But so far this year, Sharif and his party have defied Islamic scholars by unblocking access to YouTube, pushing to end child marriage, enacting a landmark domestic violence bill, and overseeing the execution of a man who had become a symbol of the hatred that religion can spawn here. The shift in tone can be traced to Sharifs ambitious economic agenda, the influence his 42-year-old daughter has over him, and his awareness that Pakistan remains the butt of jokes, according to his friends, senior government officials and analysts. He knows the international community needs a progressive Pakistan, said one senior Pakistani government official close to the prime minister, who spoke on the condition of anonymity so he could speak candidly about his boss. So if he thinks a moderate, progressive or liberal agenda can help with his economic agenda, he goes for it. With strong support from rural voters and the religious community, Sharif returned as prime minister in 2013 after his party, Pakistan Muslim League-N, won a decisive majority in parliamentary elections. [In Pakistan, a prime minister and a country rebound at least for now] Sharif, who had also served two terms as prime minister in the 1990s, has long been associated with Pakistans stodgy conservative establishment. And the election of a man rumored to go to bed shortly after dark was widely viewed as a sign that Pakistan was settling into a period of stale governance. But Sharif, 66, and his PML-N lawmakers are now challenging Pakistans religious community, charting a new path for their party while unsettling a constituency that includes hundreds of thousands of Islamic clerics. This is turning into the worst-ever experience for our party, said Aman Ullah Haqqani, a religious scholar and former provincial chief of Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam, an Islamist political party that had entered into a power-sharing agreement with PML-N. He and his party are trying to impress the United States of America and the Western countries by becoming a liberal leader. In Pakistan, where Islam is embedded in the constitution, the term liberal is relative. Few analysts expect Sharif or any national Pakistani leader to seriously consider legalizing alcohol consumption, much less same-sex marriage. And when past leaders such as the late Benazir Bhutto tried to soften the countrys image, they struggled to overcome opposition from hard-line Islamic clerics. Bhutto was assassinated in 2007. For Sharif, the fraying of relations with religious conservatives began this winter when the government and military began quietly sending notice to mosques to tone down their sermons. In January, Sharifs government ended a three-year ban on YouTube that had been supported by religious clerics to shield Pakistanis from videos defaming Islam. Later that month, a senior PML-N lawmaker, Marvi Memon, introduced a bill to ban child marriage by raising the age limit from 16 to 18. The Council of Islamic Ideology, an influential committee that reviews legislation, objected by saying the change runs counter to Islamic law. Memon withdrew the bill but said the party is intent on showing a more progressive side. We are going to be talking about family planning, about immunizations, getting women out to work, domestic violence and literacy, said Memon, who was named by Sharif to run a government program that gives cash subsidies to impoverished women. He has never once told me I am stepping overboard. [From the mountains to the sea: A Chinese vision, a Pakistani corridor] In Punjab province, where Sharifs brother, Shahbaz, serves as chief minister, legislators recently approved new legal protections for abused women. In one of the Sharif governments boldest decisions, it did not intervene to stop last weeks execution of an assassin who was both celebrated and feared. Mumtaz Qadri had become a hero among religious leaders after he shot and killed the former governor of Punjab province, Salman Taseer, in 2011. Qadri, then a police officer, targeted Taseer over his call to modify a law that makes insulting the prophet Muhammad even by innuendo punishable by death. Muhammad Ibrahim, a senior leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, predicted Sharif could be ousted from power by so aggressively challenging the religious community. But government leaders say Sharif is attempting to shift the focus away from Pakistans reputation for being a hotbed of Islamic extremism to better pursue his economic agenda. With Pakistans economy still sputtering, Sharif is pinning his hopes on Chinas promise to invest $46 billion here as part of a deal to ship more Chinese goods through Pakistani ports. U.S. business leaders are also increasing the frequency of their visits here. Nawaz Sharif may still be right-of-center, but he knows extremism is not good for business, said Afrasiab Khattak, a former senator and Islamabad-based political analyst. He realizes that Talibanization and Chinese investment cant go together. [Oscar victory spotlights Pakistans grim culture of violence] From the other side, many of the prime ministers critics argue that his government remains too timid in cracking down on radical religious seminaries and clerics. There are known terrorists, even in Islamabad, and they are scared of them, said Saleem Mandwiwala, a Pakistani senator from the rival Pakistan Peoples Party. Miftah Ismail, Sharifs special assistant for investment, said the prime minister is a very religious guy, but he is perfectly okay with other people not being religious. Ismail, who helped write Sharifs November speech promoting a liberal Pakistan, added, He sees we need to change the narrative about Pakistan. In the coming days, Sharif plans to announce a new plan for empowering women by expanding maternity leave and access to child care. He recently held a screening at his mansion of A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, an Oscar-winning movie that is drawing attention to honor killings in Pakistan. Whats going on here? Fahd Hussain, a television news executive, asked in a newspaper column last week. Is Nawaz Sharif in mortal danger of becoming a good man? Is he transforming into a Liberal? Hussain concluded that Sharif is making a political calculation to appeal to Pakistans growing population of urban voters. Other analysts say Sharif is increasingly influenced by his Twitter-savvy daughter, Maryam. She is viewed as Sharifs potential successor as the leader of his party. The senior government leader who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the more progressive, more educated and better-read Maryam Sharif has her fathers ear. But the official stressed that Nawaz Sharif is driving the partys overall national philosophy. He watches Western movies, he listens to music, he shakes hands with women, the official said, and he has respect for Christians, Ahmadis and Hindus. If Pakistans religious right thinks that makes someone a liberal, the official added, so be it. Read more: Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Chinese trucks park at the customs office in the border town of Dandong on the way to a North Korean town. Sanctions imposed by South Korea this week may put tuberculosis patients in the North at risk, an American health group says. (Yonhap/AFP/Getty Images) The lives of more than 1,500 North Korean tuberculosis patients are at risk, an American-run humanitarian foundation said Wednesday, because tough new sanctions are stopping medicine from getting to sick people. After the United Nations imposed multilateral sanctions this month as punishment for North Koreas recent nuclear test and missile launch, South Korea this week imposed direct sanctions of its own. But unlike the unilateral U.S. sanctions recently passed by Congress, the South Korean measures do not make a general exception for humanitarian aid. That has hamstrung the Eugene Bell Foundation, which treats people with multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis inside North Korea but cannot get the export licenses it needs to ship medicine from the South to its treatment facilities in the North. Unless something is done quickly, our patients will fail treatment and die, said Stephen W. Linton, chairman of the foundation. Short of all-out war, I cannot imagine a greater tragedy for the Korean people. [Punishing North Korea: A rundown on current sanctions] Linton, an American, runs the foundation from South Korea. About 85 percent of the foundations donors are South Korean the rest are mostly Korean Americans and the medicines are sourced from South Korea. The Eugene Bell Foundation treated more than 250,000 tuberculosis patients over a decade before focusing in 2007 on diagnosing and treating multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis, a particularly pernicious form of infection that does not respond to standard TB medication. While 95 percent of people with regular TB are cured, the international cure rate for multi-drug-resistant TB averages only 45 percent, and the medicine costs more than 100 times as much. The foundation supports 12 treatment centers operating at full capacity inside North Korea and already has patients lined up for the 18-month course of treatment. But its shipment for its spring treatment session, which should have left the South Korean port of Pyeongtaek before Feb. 18, has not received export permits, which Linton said had been granted by four successive South Korean administrations, including the current one. Lintons pleas to the government to allow three containers of medicine and treatment supplies to be shipped they have to go to the Chinese port of Dalian, then the North Korean port of Nampo before being moved to the treatment facilities have not swayed leaders. Under sanctions unveiled Tuesday, South Korea imposed stronger controls on imports from and exports to North Korea. The measures included an exception for aid to infants and pregnant women only, not to the general population. Furthermore, the U.N. sanctions call for mandatory inspection of cargo going to North Korea, meaning it could take longer for the shipment to get through China. The centers in North Korea have just enough medication to last through April, when Linton and foundation doctors are due for their next visit. These people need additional medication to finish the program, and if they dont get it, they run the risk of developing additional resistance and dying, Linton said. Should they return home to die, everyone who comes into contact with them will be at risk of contracting this particularly dangerous type of super-TB he said. Park Soo-jin, a spokeswoman for the Souths Unification Ministry, said that the foundations export request was under review and that the government was taking into consideration the urgency of the matter. The [South] Korean government maintains the basic principle that we will continue to provide humanitarian aid for the vulnerable in North Korea, including infants and mothers, she said. The specific time, amount and area of the aid, however, will be reviewed considering overall circumstances and situation. Read more: In latest outburst, North Koreas Kim orders nuclear weapons at the ready North Korea fires projectiles into sea after U.N. passes new sanctions U-Va. student held in North Korea confesses to severe crime The strange ways North Korea makes detainees confess on camera One Year Later Families Of MH370 Victims Still Waiting For Answers (Photo : Getty Images) It is the second year anniversary of the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines FlightMH370 on Tuesday, March 8. Until now, there is no definite answer what happened, although the discovery of a plane part last week in Mozambique may finally put an end to the search. While the discovery led to another cycle of hoping and searching, two separate events took place in Beijing that day, showing the different responses of Chinese relatives of the 239 people on board the ill-fated flight which disappeared after it left Kuala Lumpur for Beijing. Advertisement The first one is the filing by kin of a dozen Chinese passengers of a lawsuit against Malaysia Airlines, Boeing, Rolls Royce and others. They filed the lawsuit at the Beijing Rail Transportation Court office which was assigned to handle all cases related to the missing jet. International agreements place a two-year prescription period for the filing of air accident lawsuits, explained Shanghai Daily. But Zhang Quhuai, a lawyer whose law firm represents the complainants, admitted that many of the relatives were torn in filing the case because many believe their loved ones until confirmed dead are still alive. In another part of Beijing, at the Lama Temple, some relatives gathered instead to pray for their missing parents, spouses, children, siblings and relatives. Like those who filed a lawsuit, many are hoping against hope that their loved ones are still alive. If they are still alive, we wish them safe no matter where they are, said Dai Shugin, who has four relatives in the plane. However, some kin, like Zhang Yongli, doubts if the searchers are still looking. Zhang feels that they are only putting a show, noted CNN. Besides the small group who filed a lawsuit, relatives of 118 families have initiated legal proceedings for compensation, said Malaysia Airlines. Hunger-striking Ukrainian military navigator Nadiya Savchenko, accused of involvement in the killing of two Russian journalists in war-torn Ukraine, delivers her final statement to the court in the southern Russian town of Donetsk on March 9. (Sergei Venyavsky/AFP/Getty Images) A Ukrainian military helicopter navigator on trial in Russia vowed Wednesday to starve herself to death unless she is returned home, saying that she had been abducted by Kremlin puppets, in a case that has drawn international condemnation. Lt. Nadiya Savchenko, 34, stands accused by Russian prosecutors of complicity in the 2014 deaths of two Russian journalists in eastern Ukraine. She has long maintained her innocence and said she will continue a five-day-old hunger strike until she is returned to Ukraine. A judge in the southern Russian town of Donetsk said that the verdict in the case would be announced on March 21 and 22. It was initially expected Wednesday, and Savchenko said that she may be dead before the verdict comes. The Ukrainian has previously engaged in long hunger strikes; this time she is also refusing water. Prosecutors last week asked a judge to sentence Savchenko to 23 years in prison for her alleged role in directing a June 2014 mortar attack in eastern Ukraine that killed two Russian journalists. At the time, she was helping train a Ukrainian volunteer militia. She says she had already been captured by pro-Russian rebels before the attack. [Female Ukrainian war hero facing 25 years in Russian jail] Russian trials are usually perfunctory and almost always rule against the defendant. Savchenkos has been drawn out since July, giving authorities here a chance to publicize what they have trumpeted as Ukrainian war crimes against civilians. Savchenko, meanwhile, has become a national hero in Ukraine, and she was elected to parliament in late 2014 even as she sat in a Russian prison awaiting trial. The court proceedings are the highest-profile in Russia since members of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot were convicted of hooliganism in 2012 for a brief performance in a Moscow church in which they protested Russian President Vladimir Putin. There are no legitimate criminal investigations or courts in Russia, Savchenko said in court Wednesday, reading in Ukrainian from a prepared statement. There is only a farce of Kremlin puppets. She sang the Ukrainian national anthem, and the courtroom was briefly cleared when other protesters joined in. She ended her statement with a middle finger directed toward the judge Her attorneys say telephone records show that she had already been captured by pro-Russian rebels at the time of the attack. She says she was spirited across the border to Russia, tortured and charged with the crime. Russian authorities say she was caught on Russian soil after sneaking across disguised as a refugee, an allegation she dismisses as ridiculous. She has been held by Russia since July 2014. [Defiant Nadiya Savchenko, a captured Ukrainian, inspires her country] After Wednesdays proceedings, the court refused requests for Savchenko to be able to see her mother, sister, Ukrainian doctors and Ukrainian diplomats in the coming days as she awaits her verdict. She will be allowed to see only her attorneys. Im so nervous, Ive forgotten what its like to sleep, Savchenkos mother, Mariya Savchenko, 78, said in a video statement released over the weekend. She said she believed her daughter had only five or six days left to live. One of Savchenkos attorneys, Mark Feygin, who also defended Pussy Riot, told reporters outside the courthouse that he hopes that, if convicted, she will be allowed to serve her sentence in Ukraine. That would allow Russia to get out from this case with dignity, he said. Another attorney, Nikolai Polozov, said Wednesday that Savchenko had a fever of about 100.4 degrees and that she was suffering from tachycardia, a form of extreme racing of the heart, as a result of her hunger strike. Vice President Biden on Tuesday called on Russia to release Savchenko, saying in a statement that we call on Russia to make the right choice to drop all charges and release her at once. European lawmakers have called for additional sanctions against Russia because of the case. But the Kremlin and the Russian Foreign Ministry have swung hard against the international condemnations of the case, saying they were an illegitimate attempt to sway the process of Russian courts. Read more Nadiya Savchenko, the prisoner at the center of Ukraines cease-fire deal Ukraines Poroshenko on Russia, corruption and the challenges ahead Russias summer of intrigue: Political trials take center stage Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Ever since the little prince of Bhutan made his entrance, royal fans have been waiting to find out which name King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his wife Jetsun Pema have given him. They will have to wait a little longer however - the little baby will officially be named on Bhutan's national day of celebration, the Zhabdrung Kuchoe, on April 16, when he is two months old. CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS OF THE LITTLE PRINCE The prince's name will be revealed during the Zhabdrung Kuchoe celebrations Photo: Facebook/King Jigme The country's Prime Minister Lyonchoen Tshering Tobgay made the announcement on Tuesday saying: "I'm pleased to inform you that His Royal Highness The Gyalsey will receive his name on the day at Punakha." Punakha is the administative capital of the Punakha district - one of the 20 districts within Bhutan. The national day marks the 400th anniversary of the death of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the unifier of Bhutan as a nation state. On this day the people of Bhutan visit local temples and offer gifts to the gods. Until then the little boy will be known as His Royal Highness The Gyalsey Photo: Facebook/King Jigme Jigme and Jetsun welcomed the little boy on February 5. Following the birth the royal family released a statement expressing their joy at the prince's arrival. Our happiness knows no bounds, as we announce the Royal Birth og His Royal Higness The Gyalsey on 5 Februrary 2016. Our Prince, the first Royal Child of his Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Her Majesty Queen Jetsun Pema, was delivered safely at the Lingkana Palace, Thimphu. "His Majesty was at Her Majestys side during the time of the delivery. Following the Royal Birth, His Royal Highness was first presented to His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo. The King and Queen were overjoyed to welcome their first child Photo: Facebook/King Jigme Four days after the birth the proud parents released the first pictures of the adorable little boy. In the official photos released by the royal palace, the couple can be seen gazing lovingly at their newborn, who is swaddled in an orange blanket. The pictures were posted on King Jigme's official Facebook page alongside the caption: Bhutanese families spent a wonderful Losar today, celebrating the day with family and loved ones. To make the day even more special, we have the honor of bringing to you the very first official photograph of His Royal Highness The Gyalsey. Fears of interference by the National Security Agency led Oliver Stone to shoot Snowden, his upcoming movie about government whistle-blower Edward Snowden, outside the United States. We moved to Germany, because we did not feel comfortable in the U.S., Stone said on March 6, speaking before an audience at the Sun Valley Film Festival in Idaho, in a Q&A moderated by The Hollywood Reporters Stephen Galloway. We felt like we were at risk here. We didnt know what the NSA might do, so we ended up in Munich, which was a beautiful experience. Even there, problems arose with companies that had connections to the U.S., he said: The American subsidiary says, &lsquoYou cant get involved with this; we dont want our name on it. So BMW couldnt even help us in any way in Germany. While in Sun Valley, the three-time Oscar winner held a private screening of Snowden for an invited audience of around two dozen. Those who attended the screening, at the former home of Ernest Hemingway, included actress Melissa Leo, who plays documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras. Read More: The Strange, Ongoing Saga of Sean Penn, El Chapo and Who Was (and Wasnt) Making a Movie Guests were required to sign non-disclosure agreements, but that did not prevent three of them from speaking to this reporter. All praised the work-in-progress. What he did thats so brilliant is, he gave this kids whole back story, so you really like him, said one audience member. When Stone (whose films include Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July and Wall Street) was first approached to make the movie, he hesitated. He had been working on another controversial subject, about the last few years in the life of Martin Luther King Jr., and did not immediately wish to tackle something that incendiary again. Glenn Greenwald [the journalist who worked with Poitras to break the Snowden story] asked me some advice and I just wanted to stay away from controversy, he said. I didnt want this. Be that as it may, a couple of months later, the Russian lawyer for Snowden contacts me via my producer. The Russian lawyer told me to come to Russia and wanted me to meet him. One thing led to another, and basically I got hooked. Story continues In Moscow, Stone met multiple times with Snowden, who has been living in exile in Russia since evading the U.S. governments attempts to arrest him for espionage. Hes articulate, smart, very much the same, he said. Ive been seeing him off and on for a year actually, more than that. I saw him last week or two weeks ago to show him the final film. He added: He is consistent: he believes so thoroughly in reform of the Internet that he has devoted himself to this cause ... Because of the Russian hours, he stays up all night. Hes a night owl, and hes always in touch [with the outside world], and hes working on some kind of constitution for the Internet with other people. So hes very busy. And he stays in that 70-percent-computer world. Hes on another planet that way. His sense of humor has gotten bigger, his tolerance. Hes not really in Russia in his mind hes in some planetary position up there. And Lindsay Mills, the woman hes loved for 10 years really, its a serious affair has moved there to be with him. Spending time with Snowden, and researching what happened to him, Stone said, Its an amazing story. Heres a young man, 30 years old at that time, and he does something thats so powerful. Who at 30 years old would do that, sacrificing his life in that way? We met with him many times in Moscow, and we did a lot more research, and we went ahead. He added, I think hes a historical figure of great consequence. Despite the directors involvement in the movie, which stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Snowden and Shailene Woodley as Mills, No studio would support it, he said. It was extremely difficult to finance, extremely difficult to cast. We were doing another one of these numbers I had done before, where preproduction is paid for by essentially the producer and myself, where youre living on a credit card. Eventually, financing came through from France and Germany. The contracts were signed, like eight days before we started, he noted. Its a very strange thing to do [a story about] an American man, and not be able to finance this movie in America. And thats very disturbing, if you think about its implications on any subject that is not overtly pro-American. They say we have freedom of expression; but thought is financed, and thought is controlled, and the media is controlled. This country is very tight on that, and theres no criticism allowed at a certain level. You can make movies about civil rights leaders who are dead, but its not easy to make one about a current man. Snowden opens in the U.S. on September 16. Read More: Joseph Gordon-Levitt to Donate His 'Snowden' Acting Fee to ACLU Project Former Hewlett-Packard CEO and GOP candidate Carly Fiorina endorsed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for the Republican presidential nomination Wednesday. The businesswoman-turned-politician spoke out in support of Cruz during a rally at Miami Dade College in Florida. She revealed that she had voted for him last Tuesday in the Virginia primary. I walked into the ballot box and I looked at the ballot and I saw my own name on the ballot. It was kind of a thrill, she told the crowd. But then I checked the box for Ted Cruz, and Im here to tell you why. Fiorina praised Cruz as a leader and reformer who would take on the Washington establishment, and she characterized the frontrunners in each party businessman Donald Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as beholden to the status quo. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are two sides of the same coin, she said. Theyre not going to reform the system. They are the system. The former presidential candidate said Clinton has made millions of dollars by selling access and influence from the inside and that Trump has made billions of dollars buying people like her. Ted Cruz and former Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina pose for photographs during a campaign rally in Miami on Wednesday. (Photo: Paul Sancya/AP) Were going to have to beat Donald Trump at the ballot box, and the only guy who can beat Donald Trump is Ted Cruz, she said. Fiorina applauded Cruzs consistency on the issues, saying hes always been a constitutional conservative who didnt care if he would get invited to the cocktail parties in Washington. Ted Cruz is a fearless fighter for our constitutional rights. He has spent his life protecting Americans God-given liberties, and he has always stood by his word, Fiorina said in a statement. Unlike the status-quo political class in D.C., Ted Cruz didnt cower when he got to Washington he stood unequivocally for the American people. I know Ted, and hell do the same as president. Story continues Cruz praised Fiorina as a principled leader and a woman of faith whose voice strengthens his campaign. Her story embodies the promise that in America anyone can start as a secretary and become a Fortune 50 CEO. Carly speaks the truth with courage, doesnt back down to the Washington power brokers, and terrifies Hillary and the Democrats, Cruz said in a statement. We are blessed to have her support, and together I am confident we will continue to unite conservatives so that every American has the opportunity to achieve the unimaginable. Carly Fiorina joins Sen. Ted Cruz during a campaign rally in Miami on Wednesday. (Photo: Paul Sancya/AP) In early February, Cruz criticized Disneys ABC and the Republican National Committee for cutting Fiorina from a debate in New Hampshire ahead of the states primary. She was the only major candidate still in the race at the time who was not invited to participate, even though she outperformed Ohio Gov. John Kasich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in the Iowa caucuses. The former technology executive thanked Cruz for standing for the fair debate the American people deserve. Despite strong debate performances, Fiorina struggled to gain traction for her White House bid in the then-overcrowded GOP field. She suspended her campaign on Feb. 10 after a disappointing finish in New Hampshire. On the heels of his sizzling victories in the Mississippi and Michigan primaries and the Hawaii caucuses, Donald Trump is calling for unity in the race for the Republican presidential nomination because the GOP frontrunner believes none of his rivals can catch him. I would love to see the party come together and unify, Trump said on CNNs New Day on Wednesday. I would say at [this] point its pretty tough for anybody to do anything. Not that Trump is planning to shift his strategy of attacking those who attack him. I am a uniter, he said. But I have to finish off the project. You know, I cant all of a sudden stand there and let people you know, [Florida Sen.] Marco [Rubio] was very, very nasty to me, I have to tell you. He was very, very nasty to me, and I guess he made a mistake, because I was more nasty to him. You have to finish off what you have to finish off. I cant say all of a sudden, you know, let them make statements. But the brash billionaire believes Thursdays GOP debate wont be as fiery as most of the others. I think the debate tomorrow night will be a softer debate, Trump said. I really do. I believe its going to be a softer debate. I hope its going to be a softer debate. I can tell you that I go in much more as a uniter. I think the wins last night were very, very big ones and very decisive ones. Trump speaks as Rubio, left, and Cruz listen during a Republican presidential primary debate in Houston on Feb. 25. (Photo: David J. Phillip/AP) Although an NBC News/Wall Street Journal national poll had Trump up just three points on Texas Sen. Ted Cruz heading into Tuesdays GOP contests, he more than tripled that margin in all but one state. The real estate mogul and former Celebrity Apprentice star finished 12 points ahead of Cruz in Michigan, 11 points ahead of him in Mississippi and just under 10 points ahead in Hawaii. If we could embrace this moment as a party, were going to win so easily, Trump said. Were going to win Michigan. Were going to win New York, possibly. Were going to win areas and states that were never in play before and would never be in play for any of these other candidates. I mean, Ted Cruz cannot win these states. Story continues And according to two new CNN/ORC polls released Wednesday, Trump is leading Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich in their home states. In Florida, Trump has a 16-point advantage (40 percent to 24 percent) over Rubio; in Ohio, Trumps lead over Kasich (41 percent to 35 percent) is six points, the polls show. The Democrats cant beat us, Trump said. The only way theyre going to beat us is if we keep fighting so stupidly. Trump doesnt think Bernie Sanders surprising upset over Hillary Clinton in Michigan is a turning point in the Democratic race. No, I think shell get the nomination, assuming she is allowed to run, which she probably will because the Democrats will make sure nothing happens to her, he said. Assuming she is allowed to run legally, I think that, yes, shell definitely get the nomination. This is just a bump. But losing Michigan is more than a bump in the general [election], because it says the people dont want her. Looking ahead to that general election on MSNBCs Morning Joe, Trump said he would even consider Rubio for his running mate. Sure, Trump said. Hes got a lot of talent. I just dont want to say that yet. Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Glow Images/Getty Images, AP It isnt just the ties. Donald Trump has taken some grief for the fact that his signature neckties are made in China. But the scope of Trump-branded products made outside America is larger than has previously been reported especially when that includes the clothing line named after Trumps daughter, Ivanka, which is listed on the Trump Organization website as part of the Trump empire. Thousands of items with the Trump name on them furniture, shirts, shoes, salad bowls, even Trump body soap, and much of Ivankas growing jewelry and clothing line have been made by companies, often paying Trump simply for the use of his name on their goods, that employ foreign workers. Clothing and home goods are a small part of Trumps fortune. His total income from licensed home goods was between $2.5 million and $13.1 million, according to his personal financial disclosure. These Trump company business decisions are directly at odds with the central message of his presidential campaign: a promise to bring back jobs that have been sent abroad. I am going to bring jobs back to the United States like nobody else can, Trump said in his closing statement at last weeks debate in Detroit, ahead of the Republican primary in Michigan on Tuesday. Im going to bring jobs back from China. Im going to bring jobs back from Mexico and from Japan, Trump said during the Feb. 13 GOP debate in South Carolina. In Detroit, Trump admitted he had his clothing line manufactured in China and Mexico. But he claimed that it is impossible for clothing makers in this country to do clothing in this country. Trump blamed the Chinese governments devaluation of the yuan, which helps to make Chinese-made goods cheaper for American consumers than those made in the U.S. Though many clothing, footwear and home goods companies make their goods in the United States and theres even been a small upsurge in higher-priced specialty brands locating manufacturing in Los Angeles, the current center of American garment manufacturing the U.S. textile and apparel industry has been decimated since the 1990s, thanks to a combination of global trade deals and the North American Free Trade Agreement. The industry lost more than 900,000 jobs between 1994 and 2005, and even when companies do want to locate textile industry jobs in America, it can be hard to find skilled garment workers. Story continues Manufacturing outside the U.S. may be good business for a billionaire like Trump. But in the political arena where campaigns go to absurd lengths to secure and sell only made-in-America goods and drive only made-in-America cars Trumps business deals stand out for being as impolitic as his speech. It turns out that a huge array of Trump brand products are made in Asia or South America, countries where as he told CNN this past summer the laborers are paid a lot less, and the standards are worse when it comes to the environment and health care and worker safety. Trump, like most celebrities who monetize their fame, does not always manage the day-to-day operations of the companies that make goods with his name on them, instead making licensing deals and receiving payments simply for the use of his name as a brand. Its the same approach he has taken to real estate: There are 17 properties in Manhattan with the Trump name on them, but Trump owns only five of the buildings. Nonetheless, public data collected by a private company, ImportGenius, which gathers export and import information, shows Trump products outsourcing jobs back to 2006. And the trend has intensified over the past few years. Since 2011, around 1,200 shipments of goods with the Trump name on them have come to the U.S. from other countries. Our Principles PAC, a super-PAC opposing Trump, compiled the data from ImportGenius into an Excel spreadsheet (viewable here) with 1,356 shipments going back to 2006. And this is a conservative estimate, since the ImportGenius data compiled by Our Principles only listed items that included Trumps name on the bill of lading, a certificate issued by carriers to ensure that exporters receive payment and importers get the goods theyve paid for. Sometimes, product marks or labels are not included in shipping records. A large portion of the increase in outsourcing has come from the Ivanka Trump clothing line. The Trump outsourcing data includes shipments received as recently as last month. In fact, there were 50 shipments in February, almost all of them of womens clothes and shoes for Ivanka Trumps fashion line. Trump is seeking to win the White House by appealing to resentment among working class voters in parts of the country that have been hurt by outsourcing. But he has not always been a critic of the practice. We hear terrible things about outsourcing jobs how sending work outside of our companies is contributing to the demise of American businesses. But in this instance I have to take the unpopular stance that it is not always a terrible thing, Trump wrote in a Trump University blog item in 2005. The Economic Policy Institute, a D.C. think tank affiliated with organized labor, estimated in 2014 that since 2001 Chinese workers had taken more than 3 million jobs from Americans. Those in favor of free trade argue that commerce between countries ultimately increases economic growth and helps lift the country as a whole, but few dispute that free trade has also negatively impacted parts of the country that relied heavily on manufacturing jobs. And while Trump has also railed against immigrants taking jobs in the U.S. from American workers, there are some inconsistencies in his own record on that count as well. His Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, hired only 17 American workers out of 300 who applied, and instead employed hundreds of foreign-born workers for seasonal jobs. Back in the mid-1990s, when Apple was unquestionably doomed, I would joke that the near-complete lack of viruses for its computers represented yet another example of developers unfairly ignoring the Mac in favor of Windows. These days, nobody would get that joke. Apple is printing money, and the Mac now has its share of malware. The latest case: A bit of ransomware, discovered last weekend, which used a form of identity theft to fool OS Xs security system. How this happened This crime had two victims. One was the well-regarded BitTorrent client Transmission, which was hijacked by some still-unknown attackers. The other: Transmission users who downloaded what they thought was a minor update and instead saw their files encrypted by its malicious code until they paid a ransom of 1 bitcoin (about $411 at current exchange rates). Windows users are all too familiar with the ransomware routine, in which malicious code silently encrypts files on your computer and its attached drives and then gives you a few days to pay for a key to unlock them. If you dont knuckle under in time, the attackers delete the key, and your datas gone. The ransom often only costs from one to three bitcoin. But this winter, the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles paid a ransom of 40 bitcoin about $17,000 after unspecified ransomware infected its network. In the Transmission case (which was first reported by Palo Alto Networks), the attackers hacked the developers site and posted a compromised version of that app containing code that Palo Alto christened KeRanger. By default, OS Xs Gatekeeper security only allows apps signed by their developers with digital certificates issued by Apple to run. (Its possible for users to circumvent that system with a right-click, which is both easy and sometimes necessary in order to run apps from small shops.) But whoever posted the poisoned version of Transmission was able to sign it anyway by using another developers certificate. Story continues Were not commenting on the avenue the attackers used to compromise the Web server, but to be clear: the certificate used to sign the compromised binary was not our certificate, Transmissions John Clay said in an e-mail. It was a certificate obtained through Apple by another party, perhaps fraudulently. After Palo Alto Networks informed Transmission and Apple, the former removed the KeRanger-infected download and the latter revoked that certificate. (Apple PR declined to answer an e-mail sent Monday asking for comment.) Why it will probably happen again An attack like this works because it takes advantage of a key rule for staying safe online: Dont talk to strangers. Because we dont have time to run a background check on every app developer, we count on systems like Gatekeeper to filter out the evil ones. (Historically, Googles Android worked in a similar way, but in the last couple of years its added automated and human malware screening.) If that line of defense leaks, good luck spotting anything awry. The only way for a user to notice this is to notice something fishy about the owner of the certificate when they install, wrote Steve Kelly, president of the Mac-security firm Intego. Thats quite likely to squeak by a lot of users. (Ryan Olson, director of threat intelligence at Palo Alto Networks, said a firewall configured to block the anonymous and encrypted Tor network that KeRanger employed to get its encryption key would also have worked. We all totally know how to do that, right?) Online thieves will keep trying this tactic because it works. As Olson wrote in an e-mail: Attackers know that being embedded in legitimate software helps them infect more people. For example, a few weeks ago attackers uploaded a compromised download of an entire operating system Linux Mint, a beginner-friendly version of the open-source Linux software and hacked the real things site to point to the poisoned version. The way anybody can inspect and edit the code of open-source projects like Transmission and Linux Mint may make them easier targets, Integos Kelly said. As somebody who frequently uses and endorses open-source software I rely on one such tool to encrypt and decrypt some e-mail messages I did not find that comforting. But last September, hundreds of iOS apps were compromised with malware when attackers somehow got developers to use an infected version of Apples XCode software-development toolkit. As that example should illustrate, retreating inside the walls of app stores cannot guarantee security either. And in OS X, Apples Mac App Store makes an even less likely refuge. As my colleague Dan Miller wrote in December, the limits Apple imposes on other peoples apps but not its own, combined with a slow and arbitrary review process that holds up even bug fixes, is pushing developers away from that outlet. You can, I guess, wait to install each apps latest update until other people have vouched for it as safe. But what if that updates advertised feature is itself a security fix that will close a critical vulnerability in the current version? I dont have a good answer for that and I dont like that at all. Email Rob at rob@robpegoraro.com; follow him on Twitter at @robpegoraro. Seoul has blamed North Korean hackers for a series of past cyber-attacks on military institutions, banks, government agencies, TV broadcasters and media websites as well as a nuclear power plant (AFP Photo/) Seoul (AFP) - South Korea's spy agency said Tuesday that North Korea had hacked into smartphones belonging to a number of key government officials, part of a series of cyber-attacks launched after its fourth nuclear test. The revelations by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) came as the government is seeking to push through parliament an anti-cyber terrorism law that critics say would grant the agency unmatched surveillance powers over cyberspace, including messenger servicing networks. In a statement, the NIS said the North stole phone numbers and texts from the smartphones of dozens of key South Korean officials between late February and early March. It also attacked the server of a major software firm specialising in providing security software for Internet banking. In January and February this year, North Korean hackers sent pishing emails to employees of two provincial railway operators in order to steal their account details and passwords. The move was in preparation for mounting cyber terror attacks on the railway traffic control systems, the agency said. "North Korea has been mounting a series of attacks against our cyberspace" following its nuclear test on January 6, the statement said, adding that they appeared to have been preparation for a major cyber assault on South Korea's banking network. "If left unchecked, it would have resulted in major financial chaos, such as paralysis of Internet banking systems and unwanted transfers of deposits", it said. According to the agency, North Korean hackers also sent text messages to the South Korean officials, trying to lure them to links infected with malware that could capture the phone numbers of other officials. Last year alone, North Korea contaminated some 60,000 personal computers in the South and abroad, turning them into "zombie" PCs that can be used as weapons for cyber attacks, the agency said. Presiding over a meeting Tuesday with 14 government agencies, as well as the defence ministry, Financial Services Commission and science ministry, an NIS deputy director urged them to maintain a high level of vigilance. Story continues Seoul has blamed North Korean hackers for a series of past cyber-attacks on military institutions, banks, government agencies, TV broadcasters and media websites as well as a nuclear power plant. The United States also said the North was behind a damaging cyber-attack on Sony's Hollywood film unit over its controversial North Korea-themed satirical film "The Interview" in 2014. A spokesman for the presidential Blue House said the growing cyber threat from the North added urgency to the passage of the anti-cyber terror law, now pending in the National Assembly. But the main opposition Minjoo Party said the government was exaggerating the threat to secure surveillance powers for the NIS that could be used against political opponents. A former head of the NIS was jailed for three years in February 2015 for meddling in the 2012 presidential election. Volunteer Creates Playing Cards To Help Find Missing Children (Photo : Getty Images) A young Chinese couple from Fujian Province bore a baby daughter when the man and woman were just 19 years old. The two were unprepared to be parents because they were financially unstable and the man would rather spend his time on the Internet and devices. Because of that outlook in life, the man from Tongan in Fujian sold his 18-day-old daughter for 23,000 yuan so he could purchase an iPhone and motorbike, reported The Telegraph. The man met the baby buyer on QQ, a social media network in China. Advertisement The buyer purchased the infant for his sister. He then turned over himself to the police after buying the baby. But the infant is still in his sisters possession. The babys real mother, who also did not want the baby and was working only part-time, left Tongan to begin a new life. However, police monitored her location and apprehended her to shed light on the sale of her baby. In her defense, the young woman said she was adopted as a child and witnessed many people in her village give away their children to other people, so she thought the practice was legal. The woman was given a suspended two-and-a-half-year sentence, while the man was sentenced to three years in prison. Infant trafficking, because of Chinas 30-year-old one-child policy amended only officially in 2016 to a two-child policy is the reason behind the rampant trafficking of children. Some are kidnapped and sold, reported Daily Mail. Every year, about 200,000 young Chinese kids disappear and many are sold online, but the gang behind these crimes pass off their acts as having the abducted child adopted by childless couples. This is not the first time that a couple has been convicted for selling their baby. A similar incident happened in 2014, but the young parents bought instead an iPhone and expensive sneakers with the proceeds of the sale. HX80 (Cyber-shot DSC-HX80), the world's smallest camera has a 30x optical zoom capability (Photo : YouTube/ Eric Rossi) Sony has just introduced the HX80 (Cyber-shot DSC-HX80) which it claims is the world's smallest camera one can find at the moment with a 30x optical zoom capability. Following the launch of this miniature camera, it seems the tech giant has beaten its own record. Last year, it had also introduced another compact camera labeled the HX90V which now ceases to own the distinction since March 7. Advertisement Record assertions aside, it appears that the HX80 has taken almost all the specs that its predecessor had. It features a 30X zoom along with an 18.2-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor. Sony also says that the new HX80 is currently the smallest compact camera incorporating a 30X optical zoom as well as a built-in viewfinder. Notably, the new mini-camera has joined its predecessor (HX90V) in the category of the only compact high-zoom cameras with retractable viewfinders, Imaging Resource reported. Utilizing the built-in BIONZ X processor, the Cyber-shot DSC-HX80 is capable of recording full HD movies in XAVC format at around 50 megabits per second. What is more, the tiny camera has a feature which helps in capturing stills as well as videos in low light. The feature is technically known as 5-axis Optical SteadyShot image stabilization and will offer the user an added advantage over previous models. At the back of the Camera, the HX80 has a 921-dot 3-inch LCD display which is capable of tilting up to 180 degrees. In addition to this, it also includes an inbuilt pop-up flash, Wi-Fi, and NFC for seamless wireless transfer of content with other Sony PlayMemories camera apps, DP Reviews reported. There are also other auxiliary features that are designed to improve the user experience. For example, if a user feels that the 30X zoom is not enough for them, they will have an option of 60X "Clear Image" digital extension which will make for excellent close ups. Although it lacks GPS, Sony has compensated by pricing it at only $350 which is much less expensive compared to the $430 price tag of the HX90V. The older less compact model, however, will be suitable for GPS enthusiasts. The HX80 will be available for retailing later in April. Here is a video review of the Cyber-shot DSC-HX8: To meet the deadline, China will undertake a series of steps to slow down growth of emissions in the country. (Photo : Getty Images) Instead of having reached its peak in 2014 as some studies have predicted, China's greenhouse emissions will most likely reach its height by 2030 or earlier, said Xie Zhenhua, China's special representative on climate change on Monday, March 7, according to a report by China Daily. Advertisement "It is reasonable for China to set the peak target for around 2030 and we will try our best to achieve it a bit earlier," said Xie, who also serves as one of the country's national political advisers. Based on a report by Reuters, China seemed to have hit its carbon dioxide emissions peak in 2014, but levels fell in 2015, according to a study conducted by the ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy at the London School of Economics, and the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change. However, due to an increasingly weak global economy as well as efforts curb emissions in different parts of the globe, the global emission of carbon dioxide fell, said Xie. China was a major contributing factor. "But we did not reach the peak in 2014," said Xie at a news conference of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference held last Monday, March 7. A timetable was created by the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution of China to try and reach the country's peak by 2030 or earlier, with industrialization and urbanization taken into account. By 2020, industrialization in the country must be completed, and the population growth stabilized sometime around 2030, said Xie. To meet the deadline, China will undertake a series of steps to slow down growth of emissions in the country. This includes bringing the use of sustainable energy at the forefront, with China having already installed 25 percent of sustainable energy capacity worldwide. Other steps include the development of non-fossil fuels, forest expansion in the country, increase in energy efficiency, and the adjustment of the country's industrial structure. It is expected that non-fossil fuels will be used by a larger number of people by 2020, increasing its account for 15 percent in the national energy mix. China also plans to reduce its carbon intensity by 18 percent in the next five years, said Xie. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks to reporters at the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China, on March 8, 2016. (Photo : Getty Images) China is open to any initiatives in resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday, adding that maintaining stability in the region is Beijings top priority. At a news conference in Beijing, Wang said that parties involved in the negotiations have "suggested some ideas, including flexible contacts allowing three-party, four-party or even a five-party format." Advertisement After North Korea conducted a nuclear test and a rocket launch earlier this year, China has urged for calm and the resumption of the Six-Party Talks. Citing the U.N. Security Council Resolution 2270, Wang said that the new sanctions against Pyongyang should be implemented in its entirety. The sanctions are key to "maintaining stability and is the pressing priority, and only negotiations could provide a fundamental solution," Wang added. The Six-Party Talks, which involves China, North Korea, South Korea, the United States, Russia and Japan, were established in 2003 but stalled in 2008. Ruan Zongze, vice president of the China Institute of International Studies, said that Wang's latest comments "shows both a sense of duty and flexibility." "No matter what the format of contacts will be, the goal is to achieve negotiation and avoid war," he said in an interview with China Daily. However, Ruan noted that Pyongyang should be part of the negotiations as without them the talks would be of no use. "Other parties should encourage the DPRK to get back to the table," Ruan said. "Currently, the most demanding task is to secure stability, as the DPRK has responded fiercely to the U.N. resolution, while the U.S. and the ROK are conducting more military drills on the peninsula," Ruan stated. Huang Youfu, a Korean studies professor at Minzu University of China in Beijing, said the China's flexibility is providing space for all parties involved. Success in the resumption of talks on the nuclear issue will depend on the attitudes of Pyongyang, Washington and Seoul, Huang added. When asked about recent China-North Korea ties, Wang said Beijing "will not accommodate" Pyongyang pushing forward with its nuclear and missile, although North Korea's need for development and security remains supported. "China and the DPRK enjoy a normal state-to-state relationship with a deep tradition of friendship," Wang added. "China both values friendship and stands on principles." The toughest countries for Women: A new report Indexes the most friendly and hostile nations for the growth of females One.org compiles a list of top toughest countries for women in a new report (Photo : Getty/OLATUNJI OMIRIN) Top toughest countries for women as mapped out by One.org (Photo : One.org) One.org has revealed new report titled "Poverty is Sexist" for the year 2016, which lists the hardest countries for women to grow up. Unveiled ahead of Women's day, the report was topped by African countries, which observed the highest mortality rate during childbirth and a low average of other criteria necessary for women to thrive in a country. Niger led the list followed by Somalia and Mali. Advertisement The report was published on Monday by ONE and included compiled information from 166 nations around the world. The report also comprised statistical data like Gross Domestic Product per capita, girls' school attendance, their access to bank accounts, women's paid jobs compared to men, mortality rate during childbirth, involvement in politics and dominance of diseases like anaemia, Independent reported. Not surprisingly, the 20 hardest countries for women were also the poorest ones, 18 were categorized as "Least Developed Countries" by the UN while 13 countries suffer "Fragile Situations," according to the World Bank. Niger, Somalia and Mali topped the list, essentially going through all aforementioned challenges. Likewise, Central African Republic was placed on 4rth, the Yemen Republic on 5th, Congo on 6th and while one would assume Afghanistan as the toughest regime, it failed to push African countries behind and was indexed at the 7th. Pakistan ranked 11th on the list. According to the report, Scandinavian countries were the most suitable places for females to be born where Norway, Sweden and Denmark served as ideal societies for the growth of the women. The United Kingdom secured 152th place, marking it as 15th most friendly places on Earth for Women based on the fact that the descending order of the list accounted for the most women-hospitable countries. Other top ten countries to best their support for women include Iceland, Finland, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and Belgium. The map below is a visual representation of easiest and toughest countries for girls, where red indicates prosperous countries for the women. Apple forced to unlock iPhone in New York; U.S. Department of Justice requests different judge The US Department of Justice resubmits request to compel Apple Inc. unlock an iPhone. (Photo : YouTube/Pocket-lint) The United States Department of Justice filed a case on March 7, Monday, requesting the court to overrule a ruling in an iPhone unlocking case in New York. U.S. Magistrate Judge James Orenstein in the Eastern District of New York previously denied a request by the Department of Justice to force Apple to unlock an iPhone used in a drug case, according to Mashable. Advertisement The government wanted to compel apple to unlock the iPhone using the All Writs Act, an argument the court rejected. As a result, the Department of Justice resubmitted its request on Monday, this time requesting that a higher court judge handle the case. In a statement obtained by The Guardian, Apple said, "Judge Orenstein ruled the FBI's request would 'thoroughly undermine fundamental principles of the Constitution' and we agree. We share the Judge's concern that misuse of the All Writs Act would start us down a slippery slope that threatens everyone's safety and privacy." While the New York drug case differs from the case involving an iPhone used by a shooter in the San Bernardino attacks, the government used similar arguments. However, there are significant differences in the two cases, particularly because the iPhone in question in San Bernardino is an iPhone 5C running iOS 9. Therefore, Apple argues that the only way to bypass the lock screen on the smartphone is to create a custom version of iOS that would allow officers to brute-force into the phone. The tech giant argues that such moves would be equivalent to a backdoor that could be used to unlock any iPhone. On the contrary, the New York drug case involved an iPhone running iOS 7. The version is not encrypted the same way, and the government argues it would not require the same level of assistance by Apple. In the case, the Justice Department contends, "Apple has the technological capability to bypass the passcode feature and access the contents of the phone that were unencrypted." In his ruling last week, Judge Orenstein did not believe the fact matter and he still rejected the government's request under the All Writs Act. Here is footage on the San Bernardino case: To share with friends and brethren The Gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (the Everlasting Gospel), and to prepare a people to stand when He returns to redeem His remnant. Also, to share relevant information of current events, and to show how they relate to prophecy; By means of articles, editorials, opinions, scripture readings, and poetry. Disclaimer Endrtimes does not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article/video posted on this site. The information provided here is done so for personal edification; It's up to the reader to separate truth from error, and to examine everything (like the Bereans) from a Biblical perspective. Let the Holy Scriptures be you guide! - - - FAIR USE NOTICE: These pages/videos may contain copyrighted () material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to advance understanding of ecological, POLITICAL, HUMAN RIGHTS, economic, DEMOCRACY, scientific, MORAL, ETHICAL, and SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior general interest in receiving similar information for research and educational purposes. A Wednesday meeting between various Egyptian political figures will discuss the former presidential candidates controversial political initiative Amid the controversy caused by Egyptian Nasserite figure and former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi over his new initiative dubbed "the real alternative," some political powers have decided to discuss the move in a meeting on Wednesday. Medhat El-Zahed, the acting president of El-Tahalof El-Shaabi Party and member of the Democratic Coalition presidential bureau, told Ahram Online that they are meeting on Wednesday "to determine how this initiative can be executed and to see which parties, syndicates, and unions we can ask to join it." Last Friday, Sabahi released a statement calling on the Egyptian people to form the "real alternative." The precise goal of Sabahi's initiative remains unclear, but it is suspected by many of targeting the presidents post. Sabahi has reportedly rejected this claim, while other politicians say that the initiatives aims, as well as its method of execution, must be identified and elaborated over time. Sabahi's statement elaborated, "In these decisive days of Egypt's history, when we are engaged in a fierce war against bloody terrorism, devastating corruption, and the enemies of positive change, many of those who chose to fight for the sake of Egyptians' happiness and freedom found that they are in need of establishing an alternative. "[This can be accomplished] by forming a front and a social network, which represents all national and civil powers aiming for unity and facing the errors of the past," Sabahi's statement explained. "The sick and fragile nations, which stand on the threshold of failure and perhaps temporary death, are those that lack the ability to produce alternatives and instead deal with one party and only one man. Unfortunately, Egypt is currently experiencing this as people have only one choice identified by the ruling regime. The statement was signed by the so-called Preparatory Committee for Uniting Civil and National Powers," which is composed of Sabahi's political group Al-Karama Party and the popular current. It was also signed by other popular figures, such as scholar Ammar Ali Hassan and leftist economist Abdel Khalaq Farouk. In May 2014, a few weeks before he lost the presidential elections to his then rival Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Sabahi established the Democratic Coalition composed of some left wing political parties, such as El-Tahalof El-Shaabi (The Popular Coalition), El-Ishteraki El-Masri (Egyptian Socialist), the Egyptian Communist Party, and the Tagammu Party. The coalition also included Sabahi's Al-Karama Party and the popular current, which comprises liberal, leftist, and Nasserist figures. But many wondered about the difference between the new initiative and the previous coalitions formed by Sabahi, and whether the so-called "real alternative" will be represented by him or not. El-Zahed, the acting president of El-Tahalof El-Shaabi, told Ahram Online that the initiative so far only represents Al-Karma Party and the popular current. "Sabahi's idea is good but it needs more elaboration especially as its purposes are a bit similar to the two coalitions formed by him before (The popular current and the Democratic Coalition)," he said. "I think that the main idea behind it is to form a new front to help introduce alternatives for many political and economic issues, depending on the political parties' views," he said. On Sunday, TV Host Amr Adeeb who presents Al Qahera Al Youm's show aired on Al Youm private channel, said that he spoke to Sabahi over the phone and the latter vowed that the initiative is only an attempt to bring civil power together and he is not calling for early presidential elections. Search Keywords: Short link: The strike by taxi drivers in Gizas Mostafa Mahmoud Square blocked a major thoroughfare in the city, leading to a complete closure of roads in the area Hundreds of Egyptian taxi drivers on Tuesday began an open ended strike in Giza's Mostafa Mahmoud Square until the government responds to their demand to shut down foreign ride sharing applications Uber and Careem. "We won't leave until the applications are shut down completely," Hazem Abo Steit told Ahram Online, a taxi driver and one of the protest's organisers. Deemed The Last Call, the protesters called on Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to interfere. "Save us, our president," the taxi drivers chanted. The protest led to a complete closure of roads around the square a vital thoroughfare in the Gizas Mohandiseen neighbourhood, a few kilometres outside central Cairo. According to Abo Steit, the police allegedly fired tear gas at the protesters shortly after the protest started. Ahram Online tried to reach the interior ministry, but they were not available for comment. The decision to stage an open ended sit in came after drivers told Ahram Online that they felt that their demands were being ignored on purpose by officials. "We will leave when an official comes to talk to us," Abo Steit said. Another taxi protest also took place near Almaza in Heliopolis, where police also allegedly fired teargas, leading the protesters to join the strike at Mostafa Mahmoud Square. In earlier protests, taxi drivers have argued that illegally operating companies were stealing their livelihood and creating strife between taxi drivers and passengers. White taxi drivers key argument is that Uber and Careem must be suspended in Egypt because they function illegally, as they use private cars whose drivers do not have taxi licenses and do not have the financial and legal obligations imposed on taxis. Speaking to Ahram Online in an earlier interview, Ubers Cairo Operation Manager Abdellatif Waked said they are not against taxi drivers and that they understand the fact that they might be upset about some aspects of their operations. Cairo has about 20 million people, the market is large, so it is possible that it can accommodate taxi drivers, Uber, and other competitors, Waked said. Waked also argued that theyre trying to encourage taxi drivers to join the Uber platform, and added that the service is open for negotiations and discussions with taxi drivers to include them in the system. This is the first step of escalation that taxi drivers have taken following continuous stands in the past weeks. In the past two weeks, Cairo taxi drivers began protesting against the taxi service operators Uber and Careem, arguing that the companies are putting traditional metre taxis out of business. Search Keywords: Short link: The phone conversation between the two foreign ministers also covered Shoukry's upcoming visit to Moscow Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry received a phone call on Tuesday from Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss the latest developments in Syria and Libya, the Egyptian foreign affairs ministry stated. In an official statement issued Tuesday evening, the spokesperson of Egypt's foreign affairs ministry stated that the two ministers spoke about preparations for the political talks between Syrian parties in Geneva that will start on 14 March. The spokesperson added that Shoukry and Lavrov discussed the Egyptian minister's upcoming visit to Moscow in mid-March as well as the latest developments in Egyptian-Russian relations. Search Keywords: Short link: A delegation from the National Council for Human Rights visited a number of health facilities on Tuesday in Egypt's North Sinai governorate A delegation from the National Council for Human Rights met on Tuesday with Egypt's governor of North Sinai Abdel-Fattah Harhour to inspect health facilities in the governorate, MENA reported. During the delegation's visit, Harhour and health ministry secretary Tarek Khater expressed concern over the lack of doctors in the governorate. They explained to the delegation that there is a shortage of doctors specialising in brain surgery, nerve damage, and blood vessels. During the day-long visit, the NCHR delegation inspected a number of medical and health facilities in different areas of the governorate. Harhour concluded that in order to solve the shortage of doctors serving in the governorate he must quickly enact a decision to establish a medical school in North Sinai. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's MP Mortada Mansour dismissed charges that he is using his parliamentary immunity to intimidate media outlets or colleagues in parliament MP and high-profile lawyer Mortada Mansour told reporters Wednesday that he is not interested in turning Egypt's new parliament into an arena for political and personal conflicts among MPs. Mansour, who is also chairman of the Zamalek sporting club, said he was surprised by the decision of colleague MP Alaa Abdel-Moneim to submit a request to parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Al, asking for the formation of a special committee to question Mansour on his "bad conduct" and strip him of parliamentary membership. Mansour, a lawyer known for filing numerous lawsuits against his critics, has been a controversial figure in Egyptian politics since the 1990s, "I came to parliament today not to hold a press conference to respond to Abdel-Moneim's attacks because parliament should not become an arena for MPs to exchange personal accusations or settle political accounts," said Mansour. "I came here today to tell reporters that I am ready to hold a press conference anywhere else to respond to Abdel-Moneim's attacks." Abdel-Moneim's request, submitted to speaker Abdel-Al on Monday, asked that Mansour be stripped of his parliamentary membership "on the grounds of his repeated abuse of constitutional rules and insistence on intimidating fellow MPs." Abdel-Moneim told reporters that he collected signatures from more than 200 MPs in support of his request. In January, during the first procedural session of the Egyptian parliament, the controversial lawyer Mansour refused to recite the oath in its proper form, provoking the ire of other parliamentarians. "In this request," said Abdel-Moneim, "we accuse Mansour of badmouthing MPs on satellite television screens and exploiting his parliamentary immunity to intimidate different sections of society, particularly such high-profile media figures as TV anchor Amr Adib." Abdel-Moneim also indicated that he has CDs that fully document Mansour's offences. On Wednesday, Mansour accused Abdel-Moneim of leading a hostile media campaign against him. "In response to Abdel-Moneim," said Mansour, "I submitted a memo to speaker Abdel-Al, explaining in detail that the conflict between me and Abdel-Moneim is personal and that parliament should not be part to or a place for conflict." Mansour also told reporters that he informed Abdel-Al that he filed 16 lawsuits against Abdel-Moneim, accusing him of slander and defamation. Mansour told reporters on Monday that Abdel-Moneim has a personal disagreement with his son-in-law. He added that when his son-in-law asked him to represent him in the dispute, Abdel-Moneim became angry and decided to retaliate in parliament. "Abdel-Moneim tried to exploit his position as spokesman of the parliamentary bloc "In Support of Egypt" to rally MPs against me," said Mansour. "When I contacted most of the members of the Support Egypt bloc they strongly denied that they gave support to Abdel-Moneim's request," he claimed. Mansour also claimed on Wednesday that he received a phone call from speaker Abdel-Al "who knew I was sick and wanted to make sure I am in good health." "I know that speaker Abdel-Al is a respected figure and he will not allow parliament be dragged into these personal disagreements," said Mansour. Mansour also told reporters that "Abdel-Moneim is trying to portray me as an 'unruly MP' who, like MP Tawfik Okasha, must be expelled from parliament in any way, but he knows that I am not any easy target." Okasha, a high-profile TV anchor, was expelled from parliament on 3 March after a special committee found him guilty of discussing sovereign national security issues over a dinner meeting with Israel's ambassador to Egypt on 24 February. Many MPs told reporters that they do not want parliament to turn into a battleground among MPs. Abdel-Rehim Ali, an independent MP and another controversial journalist, said "while Egyptians are suffering from harsh economic conditions, we are sending them the wrong message that we care about personal interests and political ambitions more than we care about their needs." Search Keywords: Short link: The Egyptian president talked with the French foreign minister about the Middle East peace process and the latest developments in Syria and Libya Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met Wednesday with French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault in Cairo where they discussed a number of issues including Frances peace initiative for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ayrault told El-Sisi that France is invested in resuming three-decades-old peace talks that last resumed in July 2013 before collapsing in April 2014. The French FM said that diffusing the tension between the two sides would prevent others from exploiting the conflict to fuel extremism and terrorism, according to a statement by the French embassy in Cairo. Ayrault added that he would discuss the French initiative with his Arab counterparts at the League of Arab States. Later, at a press conference with FM Shoukry, Ayrault said that France would not "automatically" recognise a Palestinian state if a Paris initiative to host an international conference to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks fails, AFP reported. Former French prime minister Laurent Fabius had stirred Israeli anger in January by proposing such a conference and saying that France would "recognise a Palestinian state" if peace talks failed. "Nothing is ever automatic. France will present its initiative to its partners. It will be the first step, there is no pre-requisite," Ayrault said when asked by a journalist in Cairo about Fabius' remarks. At the meeting of the Egyptian president and the French FM, the two also discussed the latest developments in Syria and Egypt's call for a political settlement in the war-torn country, according to an official statement by the Egyptian presidency. El-Sisi argued that reaching a political settlement in coordination with regional and international powers would keep the unity of Syrian territories and state institutions. The two also discussed the latest developments in Libya, with El-Sisi stressing the importance of supporting the Libyan national army and lifting the UN arms embargo in order to enable the Libyan government to fight terrorism. The meeting of the two officials was attended by Egypt's foreign minister Sameh Shoukry, the French special envoy to the Middle East and the French ambassador in Cairo. This is the first visit for Ayrault to Egypt as France's minister of foreign affairs since he took office in February following the resignation of Laurent Fabius. The French FM is expected to meet representatives of Egyptian civil society during his two-day visit. Ayraults visit to Cairo comes as part of the preparations for French President Francois Hollande's visit to Egypt in April. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's charges d'affaires said that the Egyptians asked for help from the Egyptian diplomatic delegation in Damascus due to difficult conditions in Syria Egypt's charges d'affaires in Syria Mohamed Selim said the Egyptian delegation, in coordination with the international organisation for migration (IOM), returned seven Egyptians to their home country from Damascus late Tuesday. Selim said in a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry that the Egyptians asked for the help of the Egyptian delegation due to the difficult conditions in Syria. Selim also said that the Egyptians were working in rural areas of Damascus that have been greatly impacted by the ongoing war. This is known to be the second group of Egyptians that has been repatriated from the Syrian city according to the Egyptian FM statement. The first group, which comprised 14 Egyptians, were all brought back home on 19 February, 2016. Search Keywords: Short link: Austria's foreign minister on Thursday urged Greece to stop migrants and refugees from pursuing their journey to northern Europe, saying Athens should hold new arrivals at registration "hotspots". "We should end Greece's policy which consists of allowing (them) to head north," said Sebastian Kurz in an interview with the Sueddeutsche Zeitung. "Those who manage to arrive in Greece should not be allowed to continue on their journey," he said. "We are working towards getting Greece to set up 'hotspots' with the help of the EU, in order to take charge of these people and we are putting pressure because nothing is happening," added Kurz, whose country has sharply toughened its stance on migrants in recent weeks. "Hotspots" are centres where migrants are registered and screened for those eligible for asylum in the European Union and those who will face eventual deportation. The facilities are currently being installed in Greece and Italy -- the two main arrival points in the EU for hundreds of thousands of migrants. After several months of delays, Greece opened four out of five hotspots on its islands in mid-February. With these hotspots, "we are offering aid to those who need protection, but we cannot allow them to continue on their journey," Kurz said. For him, September's decision by Austria and Germany to open Europe's borders to refugees was a "serious mistake" that has to be fixed urgently. While Vienna has since said it would take in only 37,500 asylum seekers this year, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has resolutely refused to impose a quota. She has also said that Greece must not be left alone to shoulder the refugee burden, although this week she said newcomers did not "have the right to determine in which country they wish to seek asylum." Search Keywords: Short link: Iran fired two more long-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday as it continued military tests in defiance of US sanctions and fresh warnings from Washington. Coming just weeks after the implementation of Iran's historic nuclear deal with world powers, this week's multiple missile tests were described by Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards as a show of force in the face of US pressure. After similar tests on Tuesday, Washington had warned it could raise the issue with the UN Security Council and take further action after US sanctions were imposed in connection with Iran's missile programme in January. Wednesday's tests saw two Qadr-H and Qadr-F precision missiles fired from a site in the Alborz mountain range in northern Iran, hitting targets some 1,400 kilometres (870 miles) away in the southeastern Makran area, the Guards said. General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who heads the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace wing, said US efforts would have no impact on Iran's missile programme. "The more our enemies increase the sanctions, the more intense the Guards' reaction" will be, the Tasnim news agency quoted him as saying. The deputy head of the Revolutionary Guards, General Hossein Salami, said the tests were to demonstrate Iran's "defence and deterrent power". "We have massive stockpiles of ballistic missiles waiting for orders and ready to hit targets at any moment from various points across the country," Salami said. Ballistic missile tests have been seen as a way for Iran's military to demonstrate that the nuclear deal will have no impact on its plans, which it says are for domestic defence only. The hard-fought deal, which saw international sanctions lifted in exchange for curbs on Iran's nuclear ambitions, did not extend to its missile programme. Previous UN resolutions have aimed at stopping Tehran from developing missiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, although Tehran has always denied seeking the capability. The US sanctions imposed in January saw five Iranians and a network of companies based in the United Arab Emirates and China added to an American blacklist. State Department spokesman John Kirby on Tuesday said that if the latest missile tests were confirmed "then we'll have every intention of raising the matter to the UN Security Council". He also warned that the United States could take unilateral action "to counter threats from Iran's missile programme", but made clear the tests were in no way connected with the nuclear deal. General Lloyd Austin, the head of US forces in the Middle East, told US lawmakers on Tuesday that Iran remained a serious cause of concern. "A number of things lead me to believe, personally, that their behaviour has not changed course yet," Austin said. This week's series of tests have included short-, medium- and long-range precision guided missiles, with ranges of 300 kilometres, 500 kilometres, 800 kilometres and 2,000 kilometres, state media reported. "The reason we have designed these missiles with such a range -- 2,000 kilometres -- is to be able to hit our remote enemies, the Zionist regime," Hajizadeh said, referring to Israel. "But there is no need to fire missiles to destroy the Zionist regime as it will gradually collapse. Our main enemy is the US," he said. President Hassan Rouhani, a cleric close to moderates, pursued the nuclear deal in a bid to end Iran's international isolation. Less than two weeks ago, his moderate and reformist allies scored key gains against conservatives and hardliners in elections. But the Revolutionary Guards report to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, not Rouhani, and their influence dwarfs that of the army and other armed forces. Search Keywords: Short link: Five EU states have proposed sanctions against Russian officials responsible for the trial of hunger-striking Ukrainian military pilot Nadia Savchenko, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said Wednesday. Savchenko is on trial for alleged involvement in the death of two Russian state television journalists in a mortar attack that occurred two months after Ukraine's pro-Moscow eastern revolt broke out in April 2014. The 34-year-old Iraq war veteran, who denies the charges, faces up to 23 years in prison if convicted in a case that has drawn global attention and inspired protests. "Officials directly involved in this fabricated case must face consequences. We see that protests, letters and statements have failed to bring results," Linkevicius told AFP. The initiative, co-signed by the foreign ministers of Britain, Poland, Romania and Sweden, will be presented to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini this week. The proposed "Savchenko list" would require the European Union to introduce visa restrictions and asset freezes on those "responsible for her illegal detention, incarceration and sentencing", Linkevicius said. Savchenko on Wednesday vowed to continue her hunger strike. She has refused all food and drink since her hearing was adjourned last Thursday before she was given a chance to make a final statement. The verdict will be handed down on March 21 and 22, according to the judge. Search Keywords: Short link: The Islamic State (IS) group's battle-tested equivalent of a defense minister is believed to have been killed in a US air strike in northeastern Syria, a US official here said. The target of the March 4 attack was Omar al-Shishani, a red-bearded Georgian fighting with the jihadist group in Syria, the Pentagon said Tuesday, cautioning that results of the operation were still being assessed. A US official speaking on condition of anonymity later said Shishani "likely died" in the assault by waves of US warplanes and drones, along with 12 other IS fighters. Al-Shishani is the nom de guerre of Tarkhan Batirashvili, who ranked among the most wanted under a US program with a $5 million bounty on his head. The United States stopped short of declaring him dead. The lack of a US presence on the ground makes it difficult to assess the success of operations targeting militants in Syria, and Shishani's death has been falsely reported several times. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook described Shishani as "a battle-tested leader with experience who had led IS fighters in numerous engagements in Iraq and Syria." His death, if confirmed, would hinder IS's foreign recruitment efforts, especially from Chechnya and the Caucasus regions, and its attempts to defend its strongholds in Syria and Iraq, according to the Pentagon. Shishani's father, Taimouraz Batirashvili, told the Russian news agency Interfax that he was unable to confirm the death. "I know nothing about the death of my son. They announce his death almost every month." The US Treasury designated Shishani a foreign terrorist fighter in 2014, and said he maintained "unique authority" within IS. The Georgian was "the ISIL equivalent of the secretary of defense," the US official said, using an alternative acronym for the group. In the recent assault, waves of US aircraft struck near Al-Shadadi, a town in northeastern Syria that was retaken from IS last month by local anti-IS fighters allied with the US-led coalition. The US official said it was "unusual and noteworthy" that Shishani had traveled from IS's self-proclaimed capital of Raqa to Al-Shadadi. "This was likely to bolster the sagging morale of ISIL fighters there, who have suffered a series of defeats by Syrian Democratic Forces," the official said, alluding to one of the local, US-allied fighting groups. Shishani comes from a town in Georgia that is populated mainly by ethnic Chechens, the official said. He fought as a Chechen rebel against Russian forces before joining the Georgian military in 2006, and fought Russian forces again in Georgia in 2008. After being discharged from the Georgian military on health grounds, he entered Syria in 2012 and joined IS the next year. Among his feats on his way to the top ranks of Islamic State military operations, Shishani turned one rebel group into an effective fighting force to take on the Syrian army by "mixing Syrians who knew the terrain with the Chechens' fighting ability," the US official said. Shishani is believed to have led a prison in Tabqa near Raqa where foreign hostages may have been held. He later headed IS military operations in northern Syria, according to the US official. Many foreign IS fighters hail from the former Soviet republics -- in almost equal numbers as those from Western Europe -- according to the US-based intelligence consultancy the Soufan Group. Search Keywords: Short link: Saudi Arabia and other Gulf monarchies could turn a page and build strong relations with Iran if it respects them and stops "meddling" in their affairs, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Wednesday. "If Iran changes its way and its policies, nothing would prevent turning a page and building the best relationship based on good neighbourliness, with no meddling in the affairs of others," he told reporters in Riyadh. "There is no need for mediation" in such a case, said Jubeir, whose country severed all links with the Islamic republic in January after crowds attacked the kingdom's diplomatic missions in Iran. Jubeir said relations with Tehran had deteriorated "due to the sectarian policies" followed by Shia-dominated Iran and "its support for terrorism and implanting of terrorist cells in the countries of the region". "Iran is a neighbouring Muslim country that has a great civilisation and a friendly people, but the policies followed that the revolution of (Ayatollah Ruhollah) Khomeini have been aggressive," he said. Jubeir was speaking after a meeting for Gulf foreign ministers and their counterparts from Jordan and Morocco. Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia and fellow Gulf nations also accuse Iran of supporting Shiite rebels in Yemen, as well as attempting to destabilise their own regimes. They also support rebels in Syria's five-year-old war while Tehran openly backs the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. "Iran is a neighbouring Muslim country that has a great civilisation and a friendly people, but the policies followed that the revolution of (Ayatollah Ruhollah) Khomeini have been aggressive," he said. Jubeir was speaking after a meeting for Gulf foreign ministers and their counterparts from Jordan and Morocco. Search Keywords: Short link: Australia's immigration minister Wednesday brushed off calls to apologise after his department chief used "allegedly" to describe experiences in Nazi Germany during a defence of the government's hardline asylum-seeker policies. Canberra's tough measures against boatpeople -- which involve detaining them in remote Pacific island camps while their refugee applications are processed -- have attracted strong domestic and international criticism from rights groups. Doctors and whistleblowers have also said the detention of asylum-seekers, particularly children, has left some struggling with mental health problems. But a statement by immigration department head Michael Pezzullo -- meant to counter a Sydney psychiatrist's criticism of the policies in the Australasian Psychiatry journal -- drew fire when he used the term "allegedly" to describe experiences under Nazi rule in Germany. "Recent comparisons of immigration detention centres to 'gulags'; suggestions that detention involves a 'public numbing and indifference' similar to that allegedly experienced in Nazi Germany; and persistent suggestions that detention facilities are places of 'torture' are highly offensive, unwarranted and plainly wrong -- and yet they continue to be made in some quarters," the statement released Tuesday said. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton on Wednesday slammed critics of his department chief, saying in a statement that "any suggestion that Mr Pezzullo deliberately sought to deny or qualify the crimes of the Nazi era is patently ludicrous". After the backlash on social media, the immigration department had issued a follow-up statement saying "any insinuation the department denies the atrocities committed in Nazi Germany are both ridiculous and baseless". It also accused critics of distorting the text to "create controversy". The row reflects the controversial nature of the government's policies, which Canberra has long defended as necessary to stop deaths at sea while securing the nation's borders. Opposition Labor immigration spokesman Richard Marles had urged Dutton to formally withdraw the remarks and apologise, saying the second statement only compounded the problem. "The reputation of the department is at stake, indeed the reputation of Australia is at stake," said Marles, whose party supports the offshore detention regime. But Dutton accused Marles of seeking to "join the rabid voices of twitter and sections of the media". He called for an apology from his Labor counterpart for "impugning (the) integrity" of immigration officials. The uproar came a day after two Iranian refugees held at a detention camp in Nauru in the Pacific before being resettled in Cambodia, returned home, sparking fresh criticism about a Aus$55 million (US$40 million) scheme between Canberra and the impoverished Southeast Asian nation. Search Keywords: Short link: Turkey's coastguard intercepted dozens of mostly Syrian migrants in coves along the Aegean coast on Wednesday as they continued to attempt perilous sea crossings to Greece despite Ankara's efforts to stem the flow under a deal with the European Union. A group of 42 people, more than a dozen of them children, sat inside a coastguard compound, some lying under blankets, in the seaside resort of Didim after being detained. Scores more waited among boulders by the beach, watched by armed police, as a bus came to take them away. "We're afraid of staying here and afraid of staying in Syria ... We're fleeing to the country that will take us. We want safety, someone to care for us," said Sameeha Abdullah, one of the group near the beach, who fled Syria's civil war. Just offshore, a coastguard boat approached what appeared to be a small vessel carrying more migrants. Some officials fear a scramble to cross to the nearby Greek islands, despite increased NATO-backed sea patrols in the Aegean, before the tentative agreement with the EU comes into full force. Under the draft deal struck on Monday, Turkey agreed to take back all irregular migrants in exchange for more funding, an earlier introduction of visa-free travel to Europe for Turks, and a speeding up of Ankara's long-stalled EU membership talks. The aim, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and EU leaders have said, is to discourage illegal migrants and break the business model of human smugglers who have fuelled Europe's largest migration crisis since World War Two. The message, they say, is simple: try to cross illegally and get sent straight back. But in a shabby sea-front hotel in Didim, off whose coast 25 migrants drowned on Sunday when their boat capsized, few had heard of the deal. A group of migrants from the Iraqi city of Mosul, stuck because they could not afford to pay the smugglers, said they were still determined to leave. "Even if they catch me, what am I going to do here? I may as well die trying," said Hussein, 45, who said his three sons were killed by Islamic State militants in Iraq. The hotelier, who gave his name as Enes, said a group of 20 Syrians, whom he collectively charged 500 lira ($170) for the night, had left yesterday for Europe. But he was sure more would come. "Even if Europe gave Turkey hundreds of billions for refugees, Syrians still wouldn't stay. Most of their family is there so they're joining them," he said. LEGALITY QUESTIONED Turkey has no intention of sending refugees back to conflict zones and sees no legal hurdles to implementing the deal, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday, after meetings with Belgian officials in Ankara. EU and Turkish officials are scrambling to finalise the deal before their next summit on March 17-18, and Cavusoglu said the bloc had largely accepted Turkey's terms. But the United Nations and human rights groups have warned that blanket returns without considering individual asylum cases could be illegal. And it remains far from clear that the message will get through to desperate families who see smuggling as their surest route into Europe as its borders close. Even as groups of migrants were detained on the beaches, more arrived by taxi in Didim, a popular holiday resort with yachts bobbing in its marina. Some carried bags, children in tow, and headed for the town's small hotels, which like in other parts of the Aegean coast, have been profiting from migrant business in the tourism low season. "The markets, the hotels, the restaurants - everyone was smiling. Because of the refugees we eat bread," said the manager of one hostel. The hostel is in Basmane, a run-down neighbourhood of Izmir, the main city on the Turkish Aegean coast and long a stopover for migrants trying to reach Europe during the Iraq wars and Arab Spring uprisings. NEW GROUPS ARRIVING More than a million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and beyond have flooded into the EU since early 2015, most crossing the Aegean from Turkey to Greece in small boats, then heading north through the Balkans to Germany. Border shutdowns further north have blocked the 'Balkans corridor', leaving tens of thousands of migrants trapped in Greece. Macedonia has closed its border to illegal migrants after Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia announced tight new restrictions on migrant entry. Rights group Amnesty International called the proposed mass return of migrants under the EU deal with Turkey a "death blow to the right to seek asylum". Relief charity Doctors without Borders said it was cynical and inhumane. But Davutoglu insisted the preliminary deal would not stop Syrian refugees legitimately seeking shelter in Europe. He and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras signed an amendment to the countries' readmission agreement late on Tuesday to make returning third country nationals easier. "The aim here is to discourage irregular migration and ... to recognise those Syrians in our camps who the EU will accept - though we will not force anyone to go against their will - on legal routes," he said after a meeting with Tsipras in Izmir. Under the tentative deal with Ankara, the EU would admit one refugee directly from Turkey for each Syrian it took back from the Greek Aegean islands. Those who attempted the sea route illegally would be returned and go to the back of the queue. With new groups of migrants from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere continuing to arrive along Turkey's coast in the hope of crossing to Greece, that message appears for now not to be getting through, to the frustration of some local residents. "Whatever's necessary should be done. The refugees should be gathered in one spot in my opinion. Everything should be done to ensure everyone's comfort, peace and welfare," said Armagan Gulcicek, an Izmir resident in a street full of cafes and stores popular with migrants, some of them selling life jackets. "Let's put an end to this nonsense." Search Keywords: Short link: UN secretary-general hopeful and former Slovenian president Danilo Turk spoke to Ahram Online about his political and diplomatic career, and his bid for the United Nation's top spot The time is now to pursue the top job at the UN after having worked within the organisation for years and having had accumulated diverse political experience, said Danilo Turk, former president of Slovenia, making the case for why he should assume the post of UN secretary-general. Turk recently spoke to Ahram Online during a visit to Cairo this week where he sought to offer his vision for the international organisation and gain Egypt's support for his nomination. An expert on law and international relations, Turk had originally pursued an academic career and human rights activism before opting for politics. He was partner to the founding of the new republic of Slovenia in 1991, which gained independence in the wake of the fall of the Soviet Union near the end of the 20th century. Turk's association with the UN came as early as 1982, when he became a member of the UN working group on the right to development. During his time at the UN headquarters he was involved with many files including fighting discrimination, the promotion of economic, social and cultural rights as well as political consultation. In the summer of 1992, Turk was appointed as Slovenias first ambassador to the UN before being chosen by secretary-general Kofi Annan a few years later for the crucial job of assistant secretary-general for political affairs. For over five years, his tasks at the UN focused on analytical and advisory activities concerning crisis situations around the world, including in the Balkans particularly Kosovo and Macedonia Palestine, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq, Myanmar, North Korea, East Timor, Colombia, Haiti and Venezuela. In November 2007, Turk was elected as the third president of Slovenia until December 2012, after which he resumed his international role in promoting rights. Speaking from the Cairo residence of his countrys ambassador to Egypt, Turk told Ahram Online that much more work is still in the pipeline for the international organisation with so many conflict areas and so many development challenges. This is why, he argued, he chose to pursue the job because it is not an easy time for the UN. The fact of the matter is that times were never easy for the UN; but this is the time for me to present my candidature after years of work within the UN itself and on the international political scene in general, he said. Turk knows that it is not an easy diplomatic battle that he is up for, especially with more and more voices across the world suggesting that the time is ripe to have the first woman UN secretary-general, with proposed names for the job including former heads of state in Europe and South America. I am not sure if gender is the issue here; after all, in my opinion the time has always and will always be right for women to assume top jobs, including at the UN for sure; but when the countries of the world choose the new UN secretary-general they would not be doing so in a gender-based approach not strictly anyway, he argued. According to Turk, the choice of Christine LaGarde, the chief of the IMF, was made on merit and not as a sign of recognition for the right of women to pursue top jobs in international organisations. Turk said that he has three points that would make his candidacy strong: commitment, experience and vision. Turks vision for the evolution of the role of the UN an unending and ever-so-taxing project, as he says is related to the prevention of armed conflicts and the promotion of peace and innovation in the pursuit of development and an improved structure for human rights. Conflict management and prevention requires serious political leadership, and I think the UN could surely do more in this respect, he said. In the case of Libya, which he had worked on during the years of sanctions under the rule of late president Muammar Qaddafi, Turk is convinced that the mission of the UN, which has been doing a lot, could be strengthened and its cooperation with key neighbouring countries could be upgraded, especially in Egypt and Tunisia. On Syria, Turk sees a larger and more determined role for the UN, which has already played a crucial rule in putting together the basis for the recently concluded cessation of hostilities. Of course, the UN could put more effort into encouraging the relevant parties to end their war in Syria, but ultimately it is the warring parties themselves that have to come to an agreement. The role of the UN in Syria, for this UN secretary-general hopeful, is not about imposing a deal because this has never been the role of the international organisation but rather in making a deal possible and making sure that if a deal is reached, it would be honoured. However, Turk stresses that the UN should try all it can to make sure that conflicts are pre-emptively prevented, rather than letting them start and having to work to end them. Timely prevention was recently quite helpful in the case of Burundi, for example, he argued. Turk is convinced that during the past few decades, the UN has produced impressive and holistic documents on matters related to development; from the millennium goals to the development vision for 2030. What the UN needs to do is not necessarily produce more documents, but rather make sure that these agreed-upon visions are effectively implemented, and to do so the UN could provide countries with useful advice. Further work is needed for sure, he argued. On the human rights front, Turk believes that the UN has already made progress with the introduction of the job of the Higher Commissioner for Human Rights and the Geneva-based Human Rights Council. However, he is convinced that there is considerably large room for improvement in the organisation by having stronger and more effective missions on the ground with appropriate mandates and efficient implementation. There have been success stories for the UN missions in promoting human rights in countries like Nepal and Colombia, where the international body helped the governments adopt human rights-conscious policies. Turk argued that what could better help the job of the UN in promoting improved observance of human rights is for the organisation to have more effective and comprehensive reporting bodies. A single supervisory body, he argued, could make sure that the UN keeps an eye on countries' parallel paths of development and human rights. Meanwhile, Turk agreed that the UN would have to work more to find the best answer possible to the question of how to implement the fundamental concept of "the right to protect," which is related to the call of humanitarian intervention that was made during the last decades of the 20th century in the international organisation. He insists that this is not just the job of the UN, but also of the member-states, whose support was essential in helping the right to protect in the case of Kenya. Creating closer understanding among the UN member-states is something that has to be worked for, especially with the evolving nature of the world order, which has gone from one phase to the other in the aftermath of the end of the Cold War in favour of a uni-polar world that is now again evolving into a more multi-polar world, Turk argued. In this respect, Turk says that there is much more coordination among the member-states on the ideas that had during the past couple of decades been proposed for the reform of the UN. This is still not likely to be an easy job, argued Turk, given the political complexities of the world situation, but work has to be done given that the reform of the UN is crucial to enhancing its capacity to pursue issues of conflict prevention, development, human rights and also dialogue of civilisation. A more effective UN system, he said, is also essential for better management of some of the chronic problems like the Palestinian issue and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. The more efficient UN system would also be more capable of better administering targeted sanctions, when need be, in order to secure that the collective will of the international community is not shrugged off by any one country as in the case of North Korea, for example. This system could also help design effective sanctions through fully pursuing and adequately accommodating the opinion of relevant countries as in the case of China on North Korea. Targeted sanctions could work when they are subject to the consent of the overwhelming majority of the UN. This worked to an extent in the case of Iran and facilitated the deal that was brokered last year. It also worked before with Libya, forcing Tripoli to hand over those accused of the 1988 bombing of the PAN AM flight over Lockerbie. Sanctions also helped end the apartheid system in South Africa. The mandate of the UN secretary-general in the coming years, said Turk, will have to focus on promoting this hard-to-reach consensus among member-states on how far the UN should go in this or that specific case. Considerable support for this mandate would have to come from the US, which has always been a very important player in the UN and that is currently going through its own presidential elections. Whoever the next US president is will have to understand the important role of the US in the UN and vice versa, he stated. Search Keywords: Short link: The exhibition will be held at Art Talks A painting exhibition by Sayed Saad El Din titled Circles in the Sand will open at Zamaleks Art Talks gallery on 15 March. The exhibition is a poetic meditation on the artists home country, Egypt. Saad El-Din, as described in the exhibits statement depicts "Circles, wheels, hoops, ropes, spirals and balls smoothly float in the sky, gently spin on the sand, magically roll in the water, leading us towards infinity, like a prayer or a circle in the sand a passionate metaphor to the world we live in and to a country we are so attached to. He explores abstract notions such as attachment and belonging, freedom and hope, turmoil and uncertainty, as well as physical characteristics in his surroundings, and the potent desert sands of Egypt. The artist was born in 1944, and raised in Qena of Upper Egypt. He pursued his passion for art and moved to Cairo at age 17, after being briefly enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering in Minya to please his parents. In Cairo, Saad El-Din studied at the Leonardo Di Vinci Institute and was mentored by the modernist painter Sayed Abdel Rassoul. In his artistic career he has received many grants, as well as local and international awards in Italy, Spain, France and many Arab countries. Saad El-Dins distinctive work can be seen in prominent tourist spots in Egypt, including on Luxors New Bridge, and at the Sharm El Sheikh International Airport. His works were also acquired in several state collections, in Egypt including the Egyptian Modern Art Museum, the Ministry of Culture, The Egyptian Opera House and the CIB bank, as well as international collections of the Consulate of Italy in Spain, and the Bank Tchisen Manhattan in New York. Programme: The exhibit opens on 15 March at 6pm, and runs to 10 April Art Talks, 8 El-Kamel Mohamed Street, Zamalek, Cairo For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: A collection of 778 ancient Egyptian artefacts is set to arrive tomorrow from Luxor to the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is set to open in 2018 A batch of 778 artefacts will arrive at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) overlooking the Giza Plateau on Thursday from Luxor to bolster the museum. The GEM is home to a permanent collection of antiquities that were carefully selected from different sites and museums around Egypt. GEM general supervisor Tarek Tawfik told Ahram Online that the objects to be delivered to the museum were previously stored in Ali Hassan and Abul-Goud's archaeological galleries in Luxor, as well as in archaeological storehouses in Esna. Tawfik explained that the objects will be restored upon arrival to prepare them for permanent exhibition in the GEM by the time of its soft opening planned for 2018. The artefacts were carefully protected and secured by the Tourism and Antiquities Police durin transfer. Tawfik added that the objects are dated to different dynasties of the ancient Egyptian era, but the majority belong to the New Kingdom. The most important pieces are the red granite colossus of king Amenhotep III with the god Horus that weighs four tonnes. The statue is planned to be put on display on the GEM's grand staircase. Also among the transported objects are a collection of clay pots and pans as well as a collection of painted sarcophagi. Eissa Zidan, the general director of restoration at the GEM, told Ahram Online that preliminary restoration work has been performed on some objects in situ in order to guarantee their safe transportation from Luxor. The packing was carried out in accordance with the latest technology. Zidan said that the antiquities were transported in special trucks equipped with electronic devices that control of the level of humidity and heat around the objects as well as the prevent any movement during transportation. Search Keywords: Short link: (Beijing) Over 30 billion yuan has been secured for the relocation of city agencies out of downtown areas to the less populated Tongzhou District, about 20 kilometers to the east, over the next several years, a former Tongzhou official said. He did not say where the money had come from. On top of that, 100 billion yuan will be spent to develop infrastructure in the suburb in the next few years, said Wang Yunfeng, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top advisory body to the government. Wang served as the Secretary of the Communist Party committee in the Tongzhou government from 2007 to 2014. By the end of 2017, the offices of the city government, the municipal party committee, the city-level People's Congress and the political advisory body will be moved to Tongzhou, along with some other related administrative departments and agencies, Li Shixiang, deputy mayor of the capital city said during the meeting of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislator, which runs from March 5 to 15 this year. The relocation is part of a massive urban revamp kicked off last year as the city government sought measures to rein-in population growth, traffic congestion and air pollution. In total, it seeks to relocate up to 1 million government workers by the end of 2017. Official estimates show the city currently has about 21 million residents. Most of them work inside the Fifth Ring Road, a highway that encircles a 700 square kilometer area, spanning from the city center. Many, however, live in suburbs and commute to work, causing congestion in the public transport network and creating heavy traffic jams. About 155 square kilometers of land in Tongzhou have been set aside to house the government agencies that are being moved and other facilities that will be built to support them. This is 60 square kilometers larger than the combined core area of two central districts in Beijing, where most of the local city agencies are now located. This is "the biggest move ever" attempted by the Beijing government after the party won the revolutionary war in the 1940s, Wang said. It is important to develop housing, education and medical services so that those who move to Tongzhou for work will choose to live there, he said. "You cannot ask civil servants to go all the way there for work, and then travel back to central Beijing every night." He also said the government plans to build two to three top-level hospitals in Tongzhou so "they can divert some of the patients pouring into medical facilities in downtown Beijing to see a doctor." (Rewritten by Wang Yuqian) Grapefruit is loved for its tart, sweet, and bitter taste and known for being rich in vitamins and antioxidant nutrients that help prevent cardiovascular disease and obesity. However, it can interfere with the absorption of some medication and some studies suggest a breast cancer risk, so a caution is needed. Many medicines are metabolized by cytochrome P450 3A4 enzymes in the liver. But flavanones such as naringin and naringenin found in grapefruit interfere with cytochrome P450 3A4, and increase the potency of medicine so it has a toxic effect. Kim Jeong-hee, a pharmacist at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital said recent studies also suggest that grapefruit can decrease the potency of some medicines by obstructing absorption. It is fine for people who take medicine once in a while, but people who are on permanent medication to treat hyperlipidemia or hypertension are advised to avoid grapefruit. Grapefruit juice has a concentrated amount of the fruit, so it is also best avoided. One study published in the British Journal of Cancer, which traced over 50,000 women after menopause, found that women who ate at least a quarter of a grapefruit every day had a 30 percent higher chance of developing breast cancer than those who ate none. The study said cytochrome P450 3A4 enzymes are involved in the metabolism of female hormones, and since grapefruit blocks these enzymes, it boosts the level of female hormones in the blood. When breast tissue is exposed to a high concentration of female hormones, the risk of breast cancer rises. Shin Jung-ho, an obstetrician at Korea University Guro Hospital, said, "There needs to be more research on this, but people with a family history of breast cancer should avoid eating too much grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice." Seoul on Tuesday blacklisted senior North Korean officials including Kim Yong-chol, who was allegedly responsible for the sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island in 2010. South Korea will also bar any ships that have docked in North Korean ports in the last six months and imports of North Korean products labeled as originating from China or Russia. The separate measures announced Tuesday come on the heels of newly imposed UN Security Council sanctions in response to Pyongyang's nuclear test in January and space rocket launch last month. Altogether Seoul blacklisted 40 individuals and 30 organizations that are suspected of involvement in the North Korean nuclear and missile programs. The government added more targets to a blacklist drawn up by the U.S., Japan and European Union, which covers 18 individuals and 17 organizations. South Koreans are prohibited from engaging in financial transactions with those targets and their assets here will be frozen. But the blacklisted people and organizations rarely conduct any business with South Korea, which makes the sanctions largely symbolic. "The measures must be viewed as expressing our determination to stop North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile programs," a government official here said. The statement announcing the sanction does not contain the word "dialogue," signaling a shift to a more hardline stance in dealing with the North. The government has already urged South Koreans to avoid North Korean restaurants and other money-making venues run by the North overseas. The government took a fresh set of sanctions against North Korea on Tuesday, seeking to further pressure Pyongyang's financial and shipping networks and sources of foreign currency. The measures followed the closure of the inter-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex last month and came just five days after UN Security Council separately tightened sanctions against the North. Seoul's own steps include blacklisting senior North Korean officials like Kim Yong-chol, who was allegedly behind the sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island in 2010, and individuals and organizations in third countries that have links to the North's nuclear and missile programs. South Korea will also bar any ships that have docked in North Korean ports in the last six months and imports of North Korean products labeled as originating from China or Russia. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is busy chalking up big noisy achievements ahead of the Workers Party congress in May. It will be the first proper party congress in 36 years. Seoul needs to make sure that the North gets a strong and clear message that nuclear weapons and economic prosperity do not go together. International cooperation must be meticulously orchestrated to block all possible channels of funding for the North's nuclear and missile development programs, and sanctions must be implemented rigorously to deal a severe economic blow. North Korean agricultural products and textiles must not enter the country disguised as Chinese or Russian, and South Koreans have to stop spending money in North Korean restaurants abroad that earn money for the regime. Close international cooperation is crucial. China has cut down on imports of North Korean coal and other trading activities with the North, but full-fledged trade sanctions have yet to begin. Seoul needs to convince Beijing to go all the way. The situation also requires diplomatic cooperation with the U.S. and Japan, which have also launched separate sanctions, and encouraging Southeast Asian and European nations to take part. A repeat of previous failures due to half-hearted implementation must be avoided at all costs. The international community must harden itself against North Korea's habitual tactic of agreeing to sit down to talks while continuing its nuclear and missile programs. The U.S. has made this mistake many times, as has China. Seoul must stay in close touch with the U.S., China, Japan and Russia. They cannot show any signs of weakness until North Korea finally buckles under pressure. Read this article in Korean Slovenia's action is in line with a decree made Monday at a European Union meeting in Brussels that EU members must return to enforcement of the open-border Schengen agreement, which says nations can bar entry to any migrants who do not plan to apply for asylum in that country. It effectively closes the so-called "Balkan route" taken by many migrants headed for wealthier nations in western Europe, with Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar saying, "The (Balkan) route for illegal migrations no longer exists." The decision comes a day after Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia closed their borders to transiting migrants, with exceptions being made only for asylum-seekers. Thousands of migrants trying to reach northern Europe are now stranded in Greece after Macedonia closed its border Wednesday, police officials said. Pressure on EU, Turkey The new measures put extra pressure on the European Union and its neighbors to handle the crowds of migrants already awaiting help within the EU and in Turkey, where 2.7 million migrants are waiting to continue their journey. It also exacerbates a dire situation on the Macedonian border. Greek officials said nearly 36,000 migrants and refugees are stranded in the country, including more than 14,000 mainly Syrian and Iraqi refugees stuck in a muddy, unhygienic camp near the Idomeni border crossing with Macedonia. EU leaders and Ankara said Tuesday they had reached a possible deal that would return the thousands of migrants who arrived in Greece from Turkey. After months of disagreements and increased bickering among the 28 EU nations, the leaders said they agreed to give Turkey more than $3 billion in additional funds to help with the nearly 3 million Syrian refugees it is hosting. The EU leaders also agreed to swiftly ease visa requirements for Turks and speed up Ankara's EU accession talks in exchange for its help in stemming migration flows to Europe. Resettle Refugees In addition, the deal calls for the EU to resettle one Syrian refugee from Turkey in return for every Syrian refugee Turkey takes back from Greece. However, UNHCR refugee coordinator for Europe Vincent Cochetel, who said he did not know the details of the proposed deal, told VOA he worries it may lack safeguards to protect asylum-seekers. "Collective expulsion of foreigners is prohibited under the European Convention of Human Rights," Cochetel said. "An agreement that would be tantamount to a blanket return of any foreigners to a third country is not consistent with European law, is not consistent with international law." All eyes are now on March 17 and the start of a two-day summit to finalize the commitment and agree on a deal that the leaders hope will allow for a return to normalcy along their borders by the end of the year. Europe is struggling to handle its largest refugee crisis since World War Two. Last year, more than 1 million refugees and migrants made the perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea from Turkey to Europe, and roughly 142,000 have arrived so far this year, most of them arriving in Greece. Chinese naval escort fleet returns from mission in Somali waters 2016-03-09 14:14 SANYA, March 9 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese naval fleet returned from an escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters on Tuesday to a military port in Sanya City in the southern island province of Hainan, the PLA Daily reported Wednesday. The fleet, the 21st since December 2008, when China sent its first escort squad to the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters, was composed of the guided-missile frigates Liuzhou, Sanya and the comprehensive supply ship Qinghaihu. They left for the mission on August 4, 2015. During the mission, it escorted a total of 65 Chinese and foreign ships and observed 56 suspicious vessels. The fleet also visited Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Cambodia, and carried out joint anti-piracy drills with the naval forces of nations including the Republic of Korea and Denmark. The newspaper said the fleet had conducted practical exchanges with foreign militaries, deepening mutual trust and friendship. EXCLUSIV Cat de mult conteaza daca Simona Halep s-a dopat fara stiinta ei. Poate scapa fara suspendare din tenis? Ce spune sefa antidoping S Rajendran was accused of sabotaging the party's efforts in the 2021 Assembly elections. The three-time MLA was suspended from the party ranks shortly after. There have never been more ways for big companies and entrepreneurs to collaborate - and youd be surprised at how common these unlikely pairings are becoming. Singapore-based DBS Bank is Southeast Asias largest bank by assets, but its leaders arent taking continued prosperity for granted. Nor should they, knowing as they do that Asian banks may be even more vulnerable than their Western peers to near-term disruption by fintech startups. To head off the threat, DBS has invested $1.2 billion in digital initiatives. Incongruously, this includes extending a helping hand to Asian entrepreneurs, whilst simultaneously, and aggressively, answering challenges from the start-up world. DBS recently launched a Hong Kong-based mentoring programme for start-ups in collaboration with a leading local incubator. This complements its pre-accelerator in Singapore offering participants S$25,000 in seed funding. The bank has also introduced reduced-fee accounts for entrepreneurs and released a mobile app for budding Singapore SMEs, among other goodies. Whats more, in 2015 alone DBS has given 5,000 employees - nearly one-quarter of its total headcount - the chance to participate in hacking challenges and hybrid team projects involving startups. Unlike a conventional venture capital (VC) or M&A relationship, there are no overarching strategic or financial objectives evident here. So what does DBS stand to gain from all this? Believe it or not, quite a lot. It can be difficult bordering on impossible for large organisations to teach themselves how to become innovation-driven. DBSs hunch was that engaging closely with start-ups in many different ways would help the organisation imbibe something of their creative, agile culture. And the bank is by no means an outlier: Many of the worlds most iconic companies are similarly seeking cultural contagion from start-ups, drawing on a broad spectrum of novel channels for engagement. Less risky relationships with startups For the first time, all the different ways incumbents are engaging with start-ups have been documented in a report, co-authored by INSEAD and the Silicon Valley venture-capital firm 500 Startups, #500 Corporates: How do the Worlds Biggest Companies Deal with the Startup Revolution. The most well-known channel, and still the most popular, is corporate venture capital, (164 corporations of the Forbes Global 500), a sector that saw the number of deals rise by 30 percent between 2009 and 2013, in line with the soaring stock market. Indeed, the majority (61.7 percent) of The Wall Street Journals Billion Dollar Startup Club have received funding from at least one corporation (which doesnt include investment firms like Goldman Sachs). However, it goes without saying that VC is an expensive proposition, one that may be out of reach for smaller companies. Our report shares the good news that if a company lacks the financial resources to invest, or isnt quite ready to take the plunge, there are plenty of other ways to engage that are relatively low-cost and low-risk. The same goes for companies in need of innovative talent that lack the cash flow to acquire, or acqui-hire, a company or team. Mingling with start-ups in a more open-ended way builds a bridge that some entrepreneurial talent may choose to cross without jeopardising the bottom line. The ecosystem of engagement Here are a few of the more common ways to engage, in descending order of popularity: Start-up competitions 76 corporations of the Forbes Global 500 have held competitions, which usually involve entrepreneurs pitching their start-up ideas as they vie for a cash prize. Comcast, for example, has Innovations for Entrepreneurs, Philips sponsors an Innovation Award, and Pernod Ricard runs a contest for social-impact startups called The Venture. Companies can use competitions to engage a particular demographic (e.g. LOreal USAs Women in Digital programme), and/or foster partnerships unlikely to come about otherwise (e.g. the Head Health Challenge, a joint endeavor of General Electric, Under Armour, NIST, and the National Football League). Accelerators/Incubators 64 corporations of the Forbes Global 500 have set up incubators and/or accelerators to aid the development of nascent companies. Some incumbents are using these programmes as tools to facilitate networking and relationship-building. For example, an interesting model has been launched by Airbus Group with BizLab, where entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs (employees) are working under the same roof. In addition, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Microsoft, and Coca-Cola are just some of the companies that have taken their accelerator programmes international: the Coca-Cola Founders seed/start-up platform has set up in 11 countries, Microsoft and Microsoft Ventures Accelerator are in seven. Startup programmes 57 corporations of the Forbes Global 500 provide packages of free corporate products and services to start-ups. For example, PayPal waives fees for transaction volume up to US$1.5 million. This is the most widely used way for regional banks to engage with start-ups (see above). Itau Unibanco Holding (Brazil) and Garanti Bank (Turkey) are targeting women through their entrepreneur programmes. Maybank with the New Entrepreneur Fund grants a start-up loan to enterprises under full Bumiputra (Malay ethnic group) ownership. Factoring in corporate VC, 68 of the top 100 companies from the Forbes Global 500 are engaging with startups somehow. Europe leads the pack While writing the report, we were surprised to find that the epicenter of corporate/start-up engagement was actually Europe. France, in particular, stood out as the country where almost every corporation on the Forbes Global 500 is engaging with start-ups, and using 1.7 different channels to do it. Tied at a rather distant second place were Germany and Switzerland, while Japan at fourth place has the distinction of being the sole non-European country in the top five (but Japanese corporations are employing VC almost exclusively). The United Kingdom rounds out the top five. It is too early in the game to hypothesise why Europe is out in front, but it is a notable trend nonetheless. For more detailed country and industry breakdowns, download the report. Start small and lead decisively Even if youre able to invest in or acquire a start-up right away, there is something to be said for starting small, this could be by sponsoring an event or offering support services. That way, youll have a better sense of how start-ups work before going all-in, and thus be more likely to avoid imposing big-company standards and KPIs where they dont apply. Starting small also means not petitioning the biggest players right away; small start-ups make for easier collaborations. No company we looked at followed exactly the same pattern of engagement. The key is to know your objectives, resources and timeframe before elaborating the right strategy to work with start-ups. The leadership team should be steering the initiative from the beginning with strong support as well as vision, budget, and a stable organisational environment for experimentation. Perhaps the main takeaway from this report is that with these new lower-commitment channels, theres little for start-ups and corporates to lose by engaging, especially compared with what both parties have to offer one another. The world of start-ups is such a hotbed of disruptive potential that established firms can ill-afford to have their backs to it. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs crave access to the bounty of resources big corporates enjoy - and since nine out of ten start-ups fail, engagement may be a matter of survival for them as well. As our report demonstrates, corporate/start-up collaboration will be an essential part of every companys innovation portfolio going forward. #coronavirus-additional cases New COVID-19 cases under 30,000 for 4th consecutive day South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed below 30,000 for a fourth straight day Saturday with the daily death toll down to its 14-week low for a Saturday. The country reporte... #BLACKPINK BLACKPINK to headline BST Hyde Park festival next year K-pop sensation BLACKPINK will headline British Summer Time (BST) Hyde Park in London next year, the group's agency and the festival announced Saturday. The four-member act will... Someone is definitely not getting invited back to the Oscars next year... Sacha Baron Cohen's appearance as Ali G at this year's Oscars was sure to have ruffled a few feathers in Hollywood (even if it was kind of glossed over by everyone else after Leo won) and just in case you think it was a planned part of the show, Cohen is here to make sure you know that the truth of the situation. Sitting down with Howard Stern, Cohen talks about how he was verboten from doing anything off-script but decided that amidst the '#OscarsSoWhite' controversy, Ali G was due an appearance. Self-serving? Yes, but the story of how he managed to get one over on the academy and how his wife Isla Fisher helped sneak in the costume is well worth hearing. As for the aftermath of his joke, Cohen said: "I was worried because I went out there I didn't hear any ... reaction, And then I realized actually eventually the camera was not on me". Once it was though, he got a "nice gasp" from the audience, jokingly telling Stern, "I'm always trying to get fired." Via The Howard Stern Show Oh dear, Fiddy. Who looks like a silly boy now? 50 Cent was forced to admit that all of the outlandish pictures that he's been posting of himself, surrounded by piles of cash over the last year, have been fake. The rapper filed for bankruptcy last year, but confusingly began posting pictures of huge wads of money - in his fridge, in his bins and one even spelling out the word 'BROKE' - on Instagram. A judge ordered him to appear before bankruptcy court in the US to explain the photos, and he admitted that they weren't real - although he now has to prove that they weren't real, instead of just a convenient excuse. At the same time, it's understood that 50 Cent is still far from 'broke', despite his bankruptcy claim. The Daily Mail reported via court papers earlier his year that he had $64 million in assets with liabilities totaling more than $36 million - and that's not including his various stocks and shares and his earnings from his various companies. Still, what's a bored rapper gonna do on a rainy Tuesday except mess around with 'fake' stacks of cash? Via Uproxx Charlie Cox says his return as Daredevil "still feels too good to be true" Join our efforts to get the IRS out of Israel, and other countries! Gregor Erbach (European Parliamentary Research Service) Climate change caused by human activities began to be addressed at the global level only relatively recently. In 1989, the United Nations established an intergovernmental panel whose task was to assess the scientific knowledge on the human impact on the climate. It turned out that in order to prevent irreversible changes to the environment, internationally coordinated efforts would have to be made. On this basis, several agreements have been gradually introduced, of which the best known is the Kyoto Protocol, as one of the agreements that draws on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The signatories to the Kyoto Protocol gathered in French capital city at the end of the last year where they signed the Paris Agreement as a follow-up deal to Kyoto Protocol. The aim of the Paris Agreement is to ensure that global temperature will not exceed its pre-industrial values by more than 2C and that countries will try to keep this increase even half a degree lower. At the same time, the agreement should ensure that global emissions of greenhouse gases would start declining as soon as possible. Unlike the Kyoto Protocol, which is binding only for advanced countries, the Paris Agreement will apply also to the developing ones. All states are obliged to come up with their own plans, which will contribute to climate protection, and take steps to fulfill these while also regularly reporting on their progress. The plans are to be reviewed every five years, which will allow individual countries to gradually adopt more ambitious measures. The wealthier countries will contribute to the less developed ones so that their economic growth is not overly slowed down due to environmental measures. The immediate reaction to the finalization of the Paris agreement is generally positive. It is considered a sensible and pragmatic step in the right direction, providing a broad framework for action, which is necessary to make progress in combating climate change. Some scientists, however, criticize the deal because, according to them, it contains only empty promises without specific safeguards and since it was actually finalized too late. We need to note here that the agreement effectively avoids any quantification of the emission reduction targets or even financial contributions, and it also does not contain any enforcement mechanism or penalties. Some parts of the Paris Agreement are not even binding, which is, among other factors, due the fact that the US had made it clear that it would not sign any deal that would legally bind countries to reduce emissions. Dutch vitamin giant DSM sees huge potential for China growth Updated: 2016-03-09 08:15 By Wu Yiyao(China Daily) Feike Sijbesma, chairman and chief executive officer of Roral DSM NV. [Photo/CFP] The world's largest vitamin maker, Royal DSM NV, will continue investing in life sciences business in China as the market for nutrition supplements expands, the company's chairman and chief executive officer said. Feike Sijbesma said the Dutch company's plans include launching of new manufacturing plants, opening of research and innovation centers as well as hiring of more local talent. China is now one of DSM's fastest-growing markets with sales of 937 million euros ($1.026 billion) in 2015, up 12 percent from 833 million euros in 2014, according to the company's annual results. In 2015, DSM finalized acquisition of Aland, a Hong Kong-based vitamin C manufacturer, further strengthening its position. As China is undergoing the supply-side reforms, when consumers are trading up for better nutrition and better food, DSM sees growth potentials in the sector, Sijbesma said. The company is also expanding its factory in Tongxiang, Zhejiang province, which produces gellan gum, a stabilizing and texturizing agent used in a wide variety of foods and beverages. Analysts said the Chinese market for nutrition supplements, food and other products is growing at a fast pace along with rising consumer awareness about them. The annual compound growth rate is expected to exceed 10 percent in the next five years, according to data from Beijing-based market information research firm Zhiyan Information Ltd. Data from the China Nutrition Societies showed that in 2015, the health-related products market, including protein, vitamins, fish oil and other supplements in China exceeded 400 billion yuan ($61.24 billion) and the size is going to double by 2022. "I am not with the people who are overconcerned with economic slowdown. I am still positive about China's underlined fundamentals with consumption-driven growth, talent with knowledge who can contribute to innovations and consumers willing to spend more amid urbanization," said Sijbesma. He said DSM is also developing an animal nutrition business to meet the demand for quality ingredients and additives for animal feed, as Chinese consumers demand more, better and safer sources of nutrition from meat and eggs. DSM now regards China not just as a consumer market for the company as the country is a hub for manufacturing as well as innovations for the company's global operations. The company has long-term commitment to develop and grow in China where urbanization, leadership and growth of knowledge are making the fundamentals promising, said Sijbesma. A striking example, he added, is that DSM is now expanding its materials business in China through leveraging from local innovation resources to support its global operations and become stronger together with its partners in China. Vietnamese expert says Chinese economy has lots of room for growth Updated: 2016-03-09 10:17 (Xinhua) HANOI - Chinese economy has lots of room for growth, such as massive domestic market, high foreign exchange reserves, and potentials in innovation, said a Vietnamese expert. Tran Viet Thai, deputy director of the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies under Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Diplomatic Academy, told Xinhua in a recent interview in capital Hanoi. Thai believed that "high foreign exchange reserves, massive domestic market, potentials in innovation are among unexplored strengths and latent capacities of Chinese economy." However, "China is under pressure of slowing economic growth," according to Thai. While conceding "the trend of slowing economic growth is irreversible," the expert said "the trend is in the calculation of China's economy." "Chinese economy is now facing difficulties in dealing with overcapacity, public debts, non-performing loans of the government and localities, stabilizing foreign exchange rates, and maintaining economic growth at appropriate level as well as carrying out drastic reforms," Thai pointed out. The expert thought Chinese economy at present like a boat sailing in deep waters. Like the boat, in order to move on, it must defeat resistance of the water. In order to gain the objective, China must implement flexible policies as well as drastic reform measures, Thai proposed. "In return, the economy will be healthier with steadier structure. This lays foundation for stable development of Chinese economy in the future, especially in growth model transformation." Testosterone Oxytocin Cortisol Leptin Thyroid Hormone Every person in the world has one thing in common is the need for fat loss. Unfortunately, this is a common scenario for many people. Thats why its important to know what hormones or steroids are available that can help you reach your goal sooner and more efficiently. If you are interested in buying weight loss steroids, then a Great place to buy weight loss steroids at LAWeekly . Five essential hormones can help increase your metabolism and burn calories at a faster rate. They are all easy to use, just like any other hormone supplement would be.Testosterone is a natural hormone that is mainly produced in males. It is the best testosterone booster you can get when burning fat even if you have a low testosterone level. 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The best thing about cortisol is that it can increase your metabolism, making it the perfect hormone for people who dont have the time and energy to go to the gym to lose fat.This is a direct response to the leptin level in your body. If it becomes too low, your hunger will increase, and you will feel inclined to eat more food than needed. Leptin can help suppress that feeling and regulate your eating habits and diet plans for losing weight fast.T3 and T4 are the hormones that promote healthy metabolism, essential for burning more calories. The only drawback to these two hormones is that they require prescriptions like any other hormone supplement and from a specialist. So whenever you want to take thyroid hormone pills, you should always check with your doctor first if it is right for you or not. There is no point in risking your health just because you dont have enough money for prescription drugs.Eating less and working out more is not the only way to lose weight. You need to do it faster and easier if you want to see results in a short time. The five hormones listed above can help you burn calories faster than ever without any effort at all. Pepe Fanjul and the Clintons: friends through thick and thin As the Democratic Primary debate rolls into Miami, this evening, moderators ought to ask the question of Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders: do you support the sugar subsidy in the Farm Bill? It is like the question recently asked of the Democratic candidates about fracking:Floridians are sick and tired of paying the heavy costs of the industry's pollution, now coating both Florida coasts. There are no secrets about Big Sugar's influence-peddling in both political parties.In 2014, the Tampa Bay Times reported on secret trips offered to only GOP elected officials including Gov. Rick Scott and Agriculture Secretary Adam Putnam by US Sugar Corporation to the King Ranch in Texas. The King Ranch, that state's largest land owners, are strategic land owners in the Everglades Agricultural Area.US Sugar Corporation thought nothing of ferrying legislators by private jet to secret meetings with Republicans because the Fanjuls -- their co-cartel "competitors" -- have been doing the same for many, many years at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic. The relationship between the Clintons and the Fanjuls is not exactly news.The ultimate solution to stopping the endemic pollution of both Florida coasts, affecting millions of property owners and businesses dependent on tourism, is to take lands out of sugar production in the Everglades Agricultural Area and convert those money pits into massive pollution cleansing marshes.A more pointed question to ask of the Democratic candidates in tonight's televised debate: "Big Sugar is the symbol of corporate welfare in the U.S. The industry controls Tallahassee and Washington, DC through massive campaign contributions. Have you ever accepted free travel or trips to the Dominican Republic from sugar billionaires? In 2015, Al Jazeera published an excellent series on the super-sized influence of the Fanjul empire in both the U.S. and the Dominican Republic. "A Sweet Deal: The Royal Family of Cane" quotes writer Junot Diaz who describes Casa de Campo:Al Jazeera documents for the first time the Fanjul's manipulation of US Farm policy and how the sugar subsidy accrues to the advantage of its plantation in the Dominican Republic where working conditions are half-step above slave labor. The report closely tracks the human suffering disclosed in the important documentary film, "Sugar Babies", pulled under mysterious circumstances in 2008 from the Miami International Film Festival , without explanation or any protest by the festival's supporter; the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The foundation grew out of the Knight brothers ownership of the Miami Herald. It purportedly supports journalistic freedom and independence, but not in the 2008 case where the Fanjuls were put in the spotlight.Big Sugar's pollution of national politics runs deep and strong through both political parties. One side of the Fanjul family, Pepe and son Pepito, takes the Republicans. The other, Alfie, takes the Democrats. It's all about making billions and the maximum profit possible by spreading campaign cash like fertilizer across America's political landscape. Owning a hide-away resort in the Dominican Republic doesn't hurt, either.Let's see if CNN and Univision can bring that point closer to home, tonite. Strategy and entrepreneurship are often viewed as polar opposites. Strategy is seen as the pursuit of a clearly defined pathone systematically identified in advancethrough a carefully chosen set of activities. Entrepreneurship is seen as the epitome of opportunismrequiring ventures to pivot in new directions continually, as information comes in and markets shift rapidly. Yet the two desperately need each other. Strategy without entrepreneurship is central planning. Entrepreneurship without strategy leads to chaos. What many entrepreneurs fail to grasp is that rather than suppressing entrepreneurial behavior, effective strategy encourages itby identifying the bounds within which innovation and experimentation should take place. But executives who want their established firms to be more entrepreneurial often dont fully appreciate how stage-gate processes, multiple-horizon planning, and other corporate tools for managing strategic growth initiatives can undermine innovation. The reality is, integrating the bottom-up approach of lean start-ups with the top-down orientation of strategic management remains devilishly hard. Is there a way to get the best of both worlds? Yes. The solution is something I call a lean strategy process, which guards against the extremes of both rigid planning and unrestrained experimentation. It emerged from the more than 20 years Ive spent studying and working with entrepreneurial ventures and large companies. In this framework, strategy provides overall direction and alignment. It serves as both a screen that novel ideas must pass and a yardstick for evaluating the success of experiments with them. Strategy allowsindeed, encouragesfrontline employees to be creative, while ensuring that they remain on the same page with the rest of the organization and pursue only worthwhile opportunities. The Entrepreneurs Challenge Howard H. Stevenson of Harvard Business School defines entrepreneurship as the pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled. This highlights the fundamental challenge confronting entrepreneurs: They all suffer from a shortage of money, talent, intellectual property, access to distribution, and so on. While acquiring additional external resources is partly the answer, the internal challenge is to wisely shepherd, conserve, and deploy the resources the venture does possess. That is exactly what strategy is all about. Indeed, the single best piece of advice for any company builder is this: Know what not to do. Strategy helps you figure that out. Much more so than leaders of established firms, entrepreneurs need to recognize these fundamental principles: The opportunity cost of doing A is that you cannot also do B. In a resource-constrained venture, choices are mutually exclusive. If you allocate two software engineers to customize a product for a new customer, you will delay the release of version 2.0 of the product by three months. No amount of experimentation will get around this problem. Every choice creates a unique path with a different outcome and unforeseen implications. This is why you cannot simply do A now and B laterbecause circumstances will almost certainly have changed. Competitors will have launched their own version 2.0. Key suppliers will have signed contracts that commit all their capacity to others. Potential customers judgments about the service will already be clouded by their experience with a competitors version. The employee who would have been instrumental in pursuing B will have left the company. Every choice is an irrevocable rejection of something else. Decisions are interdependent. If John in marketing does A, it has ramifications for Peter in product development, and vice versa. Any venture needs to ensure that the scarcest resourcepeoples timeis spent on the tasks that are critical to the organization as a whole, not just to one department. In an established firm, operating units are subject to many organizational constraints: the brands positioning, a shared sales force, and so on. Those constraints help ensure consistency among initiatives and innovations. A new venture, however, lacks organizational parameters; the world is its oyster. This makes it even more important for entrepreneurs to set boundaries. Simple market tests arent always useful. The lean start-up camp celebrates agility and adaptation through rapid testing. That may be an effective way to innovate incrementally and fine-tune an offerings fit with the market, but some ideas simply cannot be evaluated in a series of quick, cheap experiments. Though few concepts require all-or-nothing investments, as the launch of Federal Express did, many do entail substantial up-front expenditures. Innovations that bring to market truly novel products and services, like steel minimills and electric cars, often involve building complete ecosystems and require long-term investments. While adoption rates are accelerating (Facebook achieved 100 million users in just over four years, WhatsApp in two years), some businesses will mature more slowly. Customers may need time to appreciate the value of a new product, or suppliers may need to work down a cost or experience curve to deliver at a reasonable price. Businesses such as accountable care organizations in health care and Teslas lithium ion batteries would never have gotten off the ground had they been expected to demonstrate immediate success. Whats more, quick A/B tests that capture customer preferences may fail to account for various alternatives longer-run impact on brand reputation and purchasing behavior. Such tests also focus too heavily on initial usage. Sometimes immediate traction with target customers is ephemeral: Users tire of the novelty orlike Groupons customersfind that repeated use is uneconomical. This is one reason that consumer-packaged-goods firms are careful to distinguish trial from repeated use. How Strategy Can Help In a world governed by the principles discussed here, a strategy that articulates the firms overall direction is indispensable. It helps entrepreneurs do four things: Choose a viable opportunity. Rigorous strategic analysis can distinguish markets that promise enduring success from those that offer only the illusion of substantial, if immediate, returns. Many a new firm has failed because it pursued the latter. The archetypal example is a business with low barriers to entry. Consider Groupon again. Its innovative model of online coupons for local retailers and service providers quickly generated sales. Unfortunately, anyone and her mother could also launch such a siteand did. Demand for the service proved transitory, and no one has made any money in the business. Yes, an entrepreneur can make a quick killing by starting such a business and then selling it to a strategic (or foolish) buyer. A classic example is Minnetonka. It brought to market a series of innovationsfrom Softsoap to the pump dispenser for toothpastethat had no protection from copycats. Yet as the first mover, the company could grow rapidly before selling out to established firms: Colgate-Palmolive bought its soft-soap business, and Unilever bought the other product lines. However, this business model still reflects a strategic choice: Knowing that the business cannot be sustainable, the entrepreneur does everything possible to minimize long-term commitments and maximize the gross margin and sales while looking for the exit. Another misstep is entering a large and growing market without analyzing whether the firm will be able to build a sustainable competitive advantage in it. Best Buy, Mattels line of Barbie dolls, eBay, and a slew of others entered China thinking that anyone could make money thereonly to fail. It may be much wiser to pursue several smaller, less risky opportunities that together could create a successful long-term business. An initial strategic screen can save a venture from going down the wrong path: one that might be readily validated by a market test of a minimum viable product but is unlikely to support a long-term business. At Eleet, a start-up based in Providence, Rhode Island, the founders (one of whom is my son) initially developed eight possible B2B and B2C use cases for their concept, providing chauffeurs to drive you in your own car. For a few hundred thousand dollars, the team could have rapidly tested some of those use cases. But before trying out even one, the founders analyzed the target markets and recognized that a B2B version would be the most sustainable. As a result, they set aside the B2C use cases and instead ran tests that demonstrated the existence of high-volume B2B users, firms that would provide the service to their employees in lieu of limousine service. Theyre now in the early stages of trying to build that business. (Full disclosure: Ive advised, invested in, or served as a board director for Eleet and several other companies mentioned in this article.) Stay focused on the prize. Ventures that lack strategic bounds try to do too much and spread themselves too thin. Because they fail to concentrate their available resources, they cant win in any key market. Sophia Amoruso, founder of Nasty Gal, initially succeeded in building a business that resold vintage clothing on eBay. Then she diversified into a variety of new activities: selling brand-name designer clothing; a magazine; an autobiography (#GirlBoss) and promotional book tour; retail stores; international websites; and branded products such as shoes, swimwear, lingerie, and home goods. Seduced by an overabundance of opportunities, she threw a lot of ideas against the wall to see what would stick. But with no clear focus, employees stumbled over one another, competing for resourcesincluding Amorusos attentionand growth stalled. She stepped down as CEO in January 2015. In a similar manner, new venturesdriven by the need to generate cash to meet payrolloften respond to every sales inquiry, even when the customer is not in the target set. In its start-up phase, Picis, a health-care information-systems company, was pursuing two markets, operating rooms and intensive care units, winning orders in both. But in both markets the firm was struggling to get traction. After it decided to concentrate on operating rooms (and made a related acquisition), it was able to gain share and build a viable position. Align the entire organization. In tiny start-ups, it may be possible to coordinate activities through daily personal interaction. In larger ventures, project management or a bureaucracy can help somewhat with this, but only a strategy allows a leader to empower all employees while avoiding duplicative efforts and the pursuit of conflicting agendas. A clearly articulated strategy can ensure that every aspect of an organizationthe type of personnel hired, the compensation system and reward metrics employed, the IT system installed, and so onis designed to support its distinctive value proposition. A clarified strategy prevented staff members at Muzzy Lane Software, an educational gaming company, from continuing to pursue work-for-hire that produced one-off games. This had been an important source of funding: A single contract could cover the companys cash burn for several months. But the firm realized that its real focus should be on educational publishers, and having built a core software platform on which such firms could develop their own content, it needed to improve the suite of authoring tools. Diverting developers to customize a game would slow down that critical activity. The staff was actively discouraged from seeking such projects. Make the necessary commitments. After deciding which opportunities to pursue, firms must make the investments needed for success. Obviously, testing should be done to minimize risk and maximize the value of each one. But, as discussed earlier, every so often an investment, like building a hospital in a new district, has to be made without a guarantee of return or the ability to be tested in phases. In those cases, its critical to conduct a careful analysis before proceeding. And, of course, the investment must be a strategic fit. Combining Deliberate and Emergent Strategy If strategy is to address the entrepreneurs challenge, it must also embrace entrepreneurial techniques. Entrepreneurshipempowered local experimentationallows a firm to explore the right innovations and continually refine them to better fit the market. Its necessary no matter what a firms size or industry is. Heres how to incorporate it effectively into strategic approaches: Vision. The lean strategy process begins with perhaps the only aspect of the strategy that should in any sense be permanent: the organizations vision or ultimate purposethe reason for its existence. A vision should be compelling and motivational. It may also be aspirational and possibly even unachievable. Microsofts original vision, for example, was to place a personal computer on every desk. Under its founders, Ben & Jerrys strove to make the worlds best ice cream, to pursue progressive social change, and to provide fair compensation to employees and shareholders alike. Deliberate strategy. To deliver on the entrepreneurial vision, a deliberate strategy should be agreed upon by senior executives. It should be crafted with involvement throughout the organization, from a rigorous evaluation of the firms current strengths and weaknesses, internal resources and capabilities, and external opportunities and threats. The deliberate strategy will identify the broad market position where the firm can use its unique capabilities to satisfy customer needs in a way that no competitor can. In my view, the three underlying elements of a strategy are objective, scope, and competitive advantage. (Though I wont go into the details here, you can find them in my April 2008 HBR article with Michael Rukstad, Can You Say What Your Strategy Is? ) Lets look briefly at how those three concepts apply to new ventures. Objective. This is an articulation of the near-term goal that defines success in the eye of the ventures leader. If her objective is to go public within three years, that will have implications very different from those of building a sustainable business shell still control five years out, or of selling to a strategic buyer once the business is established. For each objective, the strategy must also establish the metrics that will maximize the firms market value when achieved. With an IPO, for instance, the metrics might include X million new customers, a Y% share of online retail, version 3.0 installed at Z key customers, and so on. Probably the most critical strategic guide rail, scope identifies what business we are in and draws boundaries around what the venture will and will not do. Southwest, for instance, developed its original low-cost-airline strategy within a clearly defined domain. It decided not to compete head-to-head with the majors in big airports or on routes with flight times over a couple of hours. Instead, Southwest concentrated on building a dominant network of short-haul flights between second-tier airports. And since another premise of the strategy was that low prices had to be simple and transparent, the airline devoted no efforts to complex yield-management initiatives that would have allowed Southwest to wring the maximum fares from passengers. Competitive advantage. Any venture needs clarity about how it will winwhy customers will buy its products rather than those of competitors. That advantage should help the company satisfy an underlying customer need and, ideally, address an immediate customer pain point. It can be captured in a summary of features that are superior to those of competitors, which may also acknowledge, if not even celebrate, those aspects of the product or service that will underperform. This distinctive value proposition should align the firms activities and shape future experiments. One of Southwests key advantages, for example, was rapid turnaround time, which helped it maximize its use of assets and keep prices low. The airline chose not to provide meals, because doing so would have increased costs and turnaround times. When passengers complained, customer service personnel merely responded with polite letters explaining that adding meal service would raise fares. Emergent strategy. In implementing the strategy, managers at all levels in the organization make myriad decisions every day. The sum of all these independent choices gradually alters the companys position and determines the exact form the strategy takes over time. This is the emergent dimension of strategy. Many frontline decisions, like daily flight departure times at Southwest, are routinized and require little or no thought. Some, like whether to hold a plane at the gate to accommodate delayed connecting passengers, require judgment and should be informed by the companys strategy. And some are conscious variations that seek to improve an existing product or practice. One incremental innovation suggested by Southwest employees, Business Select, gave passengers a free drink and early boarding for a small premium. Because it would not interfere with fast gate turns, the airline introduced it. It is here that the notion of strategy as a filter looms large. In considering what experiments to undertake, people throughout an organization develop and test hypotheses about how to improve the strategic positioning by identifying current mismatches, gaps, or opportunities in the offerings fit with the market. Thus entrepreneurial activity in the lower levels of the organization is not random. For instance, rather than developing complex yield-management software algorithms, as other airlines did, Southwests IT group focused on innovations in customer self-service that could be delivered on low-cost, personal-computer-based systems. Similarly, frontline personnel came up with Southwests boarding procedures (the unique numbered stands for boarding at a Southwest gate), which contributed to the carriers rapid turnaround time. Once an innovation is introduced, the strategic screen again comes into play. The venture now has to evaluate the outcome of the experiment and decide whether to end, continue, or amend it (a decision that will have lasting repercussions). Without a broader orientation, wrong conclusions can be drawn from results. During the Battle of Britain, for instance, after-action reports built a picture of where damage had been inflicted by the Nazis on Spitfires returning to base. This was used to identify the areas on the planes that needed to be reinforcedthat is, until a bright spark pointed out that they were not the areas that were most vulnerable. In all likelihood, the areas where there was no damage on returning planes were most problematic, since hits there meant planes never came back. Strategy provides a framework for interpreting market feedback. It is only with a clear strategic perspective that organizations effectively learn from experiments. If the outcome of the innovation is simply a no-go decision, all the information and skills that were developed through it will be lost. But if the firm carefully digs down into where things went right or wrongwhich hypotheses were validated or disprovedit can amend the strategy wisely. Instagrams original strategy was to develop a private mobile phone app, Burbn, that enabled friends to check in to locations, make plans (future check-ins), earn points for hanging out with friends, post pictures, and much more. When users reacted negatively to an app that could do all those things, the baby was not thrown out with the bathwater. Instead, the founders decided to focus on being really good at one thing. Noticing that users posted a lot of pictures, they spent eight weeks developing a better photo-sharing app and doing a beta test. The rest, as they say, is history. In response to environmental changes and the findings of experiments, the venture builds new internal capabilities and, if necessary, revises the original deliberate strategy. Then the process begins all over again. It is therefore true that the firm evolves as a result of the incremental choices made every day. However, this does not imply that the strategy emerges only after the fact. Rather, at every point in time there has to be clear agreement on the constraints imposed by the current strategy, even if that strategy does shift. Nuventive, an ed-tech company, had a suite of products for assessing and improving institutional and student performance. But with limited revenue, it had to choose to invest in a focused way. As it turned out, the companys focus would change over the years as market opportunities waxed and waned, and the relative attractiveness of product lines shifted. Nevertheless, at each point in time, the strategy made clear to everyone in the firm which products had priority and which innovative ideas would have first dibs on scarce resources (the software developers). The other products were just provided enough support to keep them viable. Nuventive was, therefore, flexible enough to adjust to the changing marketplace but strategic enough to deliver against the best opportunity. Strategy matters even more to entrepreneurs than to established businesses. Yet lean methods for innovation also have a lot of value. The two are not in conflict; rather their reconciliation in the lean strategy process holds out hope for entrepreneurs in organizations of all sizes to become agile, effective innovators. Any resource-constrained organization needs a strategy that defines boundaries. Clarifying what is in and what is out of bounds ensures that experimentation is not rampant and is encouraged within those parameters. It helps firms identify the long-term attractiveness of possible business models or market spaces before testing their feasibility. By combining strategy and experimentation in such a fashion, all firms can greatly increase the odds of achieving lasting success. KMazur/WireImageSir George Martin, the producer whom some called "the Fifth Beatle" for his contributions to the Fab Four's sound, died Tuesday night at age 90. As the world wakes to the news and the remembrances begin, Paul McCartney shared both his sadness at the news of Martins passing, and some favorite memories, in a 500-word post on his blog early Wednesday morning. McCartney writes that Martin was a true gentleman and like a second father to me, saying the producer guided the career of The Beatles with such skill and good humour that he became a true friend to me and my family. If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George. From the day that he gave The Beatles our first recording contract, to the last time I saw him, he was the most generous, intelligent and musical person Ive ever had the pleasure to know. McCartney goes on to share one of his favorite memories of working with Martin, recalling how the producer gently prodded McCartney to allow him to add strings to McCartneys Yesterday, which was initially intended to be McCartney and his guitar alone. When we recorded the string quartet at Abbey Road, it was so thrilling to know his idea was so correct that I went round telling people about it for weeks, McCartney says. His idea obviously worked because the song subsequently became one of the most recorded songs ever with versions by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye and thousands more. McCartney concludes, The world has lost a truly great man who left an indelible mark on my soul and the history of British music. God bless you George and all who sail in you! Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. By Daniel Bases NEW YORK, March 9 (Reuters) - Argentina settled with an additional seven creditors holding defaulted sovereign bonds for $190 million, Daniel Pollack, the court-appointed mediator in the long-running case said in a statement on Wednesday. Pollack's announcement brings the total amount of settlements agreed in principle with U.S. creditors to more than $6.4 billion. It brings Latin America's No. 3 economy closer to curing its historic default. Argentina is in desperate need of fresh capital to fund economic growth projects and untwist economic policies implemented because the legal cases blocked it from accessing international capital markets. Pollack was named Special Master in the case by U.S. District Judge Thomas Griesa in 2014 in order to facilitate a negotiated settlement. Since the election of President Mauricio Macri in November, Argentina has moved swiftly to settle the long-standing debt dispute, mainly with U.S.-based hedge funds that sued in federal court for full payment on sovereign bonds defaulted upon in early 2002. On Feb. 2 it reached $1.35 billion agreement to settle with a group of Italian investors, as many as 50,000 bondholders, who held defaulted bonds. On Feb. 5 it committed to spending $6.5 billion in order to settle more than $9 billion worth of claims in the U.S. courts before Griesa. So far it has agreements from more than 85 percent of remaining holdouts. It reached agreement in principle with four major U.S. holdout creditors on Feb. 29. Barring a disagreement over technical terms, and the possibility the deal falls apart, Argentina should be able to come back as planned to the international capital markets in mid-April. "All such settlements are subject to two conditions: first, the lifting of the Lock Law and the Sovereign Payment Law by the Congress of Argentina, and second, the lifting of the Injunction by Judge Griesa," Pollack said. A bill addressing the conditions to end the dispute cleared its first legislative hurdle on Tuesday when an Argentine Congressional committee sent the measure to the full house of representatives. Argentina plans to sell three bonds for a total of $11.68 billion in mid-April in order to pay the creditors in cash. (Reporting by Daniel Bases; Editing by James Dalgleish) Commuters pass by the front of the Bangladesh central bank building in Dhaka March 8, 2016. REUTERS/Ashikur Rahman DHAKA/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bangladesh's central bank said on Monday its account at the U.S. Federal Reserve had been hacked and money was stolen, but that some of the funds were traced to the Philippines and recovered. The New York Fed, which manages the account, denied that its systems were breached but did not say whether funds had been drained from the account, citing confidentiality. Bangladesh Bank said it was working with anti-money laundering authorities in the Philippines. It did not say how much money had been stolen and a spokesman declined to comment. Bangladesh's central bank has around $28 billion in foreign currency reserves. "To date, there is no evidence of any attempt to penetrate Federal Reserve systems in connection with the payments in question, and there is no evidence that any Fed systems were compromised," a New York Fed spokeswoman said. She declined to comment on whether the U.S. central bank's New York branch was investigating the claim by its overseas counterpart. Some 250 central banks, governments, and other institutions have foreign accounts at the New York Fed, which is near the centre of the global financial system. The accounts hold mostly U.S. Treasuries and agency debt, and requests for funds arrive and are authenticated by a so-called SWIFT network that connects banks. Fed computers have been hacked in the past including charges in 2014 against a British citizen for breaching central bank servers and publicly posting information from internal users. (Reporting by Serajul Quadir; Additional reporting by Jonathan Spicer in New York; Editing by Gareth Jones, Bernadette Baum and Diane Craft) Bernie Sanders Despite public polls that showed him losing by more than 20 points to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Sen. Bernie Sanders pulled off a narrow, crucial upset victory in Michigan's primary on Tuesday. Exit polls from the state gave a peek behind the motivations of voters who helped deliver Sanders the stunning victory. According to CNN exit polls, Clinton cleaned up among self-identified Democrats, who made up almost 70% of exit-poll respondents. But self-identified independents who made up 28% of poll respondents overwhelmingly sided with Sanders. Seventy-one percent broke for Sanders, while only 28% broke for Clinton. Sanders also prevailed among liberal voters, who made up the majority of the exit-poll respondents. Fifty-four percent of self-identified liberals sided with Sanders, while the smaller group of self-identified moderate Democratic primary voters cast their ballots for Clinton. Clinton maintained her high level of support among black voters in Mississippi, where she prevailed over Sanders on Tuesday night in a dominating victory. Importantly, Sanders was able to close that gap a bit in Michigan, picking up 30% of the black vote to Clinton's 65%. The former secretary of state lost by almost 30% among white men, who made up a significant chunk of the electorate. Sanders' economic-policy platform also appeared to resonate with Michigan Democratic voters. Of the issues raised by exit pollsters, income inequality was the second-most important issue dictating how voters chose to cast their ballots. Of the 27% of voters who said income inequality was their No. 1 concern, Sanders beat Clinton by more than 20 points. Clinton's campaign was quick to caveat the results, pointing out that Clinton's blowout win in Mississippi and narrow loss in Michigan meant she would actually build on her already sizable delegate lead Tuesday night. But Sanders' win demonstrated that Clinton still has a tough fight to the nomination, as delegate-heavy states like Ohio and Wisconsin which resemble Michigan demographically provide openings for Sanders to potentially eat at Clinton's delegate lead. Story continues NOW WATCH: Heres how Bernie Sanders could win the presidential nomination it wont be easy More From Business Insider * Anita Marangoly George appointed South Asia head * Caisse to invest $150 million in renewable energy (Adds details, CEO quote) TORONTO, March 9 (Reuters) - Canada's second biggest pension fund Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec said on Wednesday it will open its first Indian office in New Delhi to scout for investments in South Asia. The Caisse also announced the appointment of Anita Marangoly George as managing director for South Asia. Based in New Delhi, George will head up the new CDPQ India unit to seek investment opportunities across all asset classes. Canadian pension funds are expanding into new territories and investing directly in assets such as infrastructure and real estate as they seek alternatives to volatile global equity markets and low-yielding government bonds. India is viewed as a prime investment opportunity, given its rapid economic growth and burgeoning middle class. The Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board, Canada's biggest public pension fund, set up an office in Mumbai last year to scout for opportunities. Caisse Chief Executive Officer Michael Sabia in a statement cited India's "scope and quality of investment opportunities, the potential for strategic partnerships with leading Indian entrepreneurs, and the current government's intention to pursue essential economic reforms." The Caisse also announced a commitment to invest $150 million in renewable energy in India. (Reporting by Matt Scuffham; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn) The logo of Toshiba Corp is seen at the company's news conference venue in Tokyo in this May 17, 2012 file photo. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao/Files By Junko Fujita and Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp has granted Canon Inc (7751.T) exclusive negotiating rights for its medical equipment unit after a hotly contested auction, with a report putting Canon's offer at more than $6 billion. The conglomerate put Toshiba Medical Systems Corp on the block to help fund restructuring after a $1.3 billion accounting scandal, attracting a bevy of suitors, particularly Japanese imaging companies seeking to expand beyond cameras to more lucrative products and services. The second round of bidding, which saw offers go much higher than first estimated, included Fujifilm Holdings Corp , and Konica Minolta Inc which teamed up with European buyout firm Permira, sources familiar with the matter said earlier. The Nikkei business daily said Canon had won prime position to take the unit, not only because its bid topped 700 billion yen ($6.2 billion), but also because there was little overlap between the two firm's medical equipment businesses, raising few anti-trust concerns. Canon and Toshiba declined to comment on the size of the offer. "I think the bid is clearly positive for Toshiba if the number is right," said Damian Thong, a Macquarie Group analyst who previously assumed the unit to be worth no more than 400 billion yen. "It would be a good way to shore up its equity capital base which would be otherwise be a concern for lenders and investors," he said. Toshiba last year admitted to overstating profits from 2009, and is asking lenders for additional loans of about 200 billion yen ($1.8 billion), sources have told Reuters. PRICEY BUT PROFITABLE Toshiba Medical is a particularly attractive target due to its position as the world's second-largest manufacturer of CT scan machines. The company, which also makes X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems, had revenue of 405.6 billion yen in the past financial year. Canon, which makes X-ray machines and eye examination devices, has been trying for years to expand in high-margin medical devices particularly as demand for cameras has declined with the advent of smartphones. Story continues But it has not made as much headway as hoped for in an industry dominated by the likes of Siemens (SIEGn.DE). "It might be a little pricey, but will generate profits in the first year," said IwaiCosmo Securities senior analyst Kazuyoshi Saito. "It is more reasonable than Hon Hai paying about the same for Sharp," he added, referring to the estimated $5.8 billion offer the Taiwanese company has made for the struggling Japanese electronics maker. The deal comes a year after Canon announced a $2.8 billion takeover of Swedish network video surveillance leader Axis. ($1 = 112.52 yen) (Reporting by Junko Fujita and Makiko Yamazaki; Additional reporting by Ayai Tomisawa, William Mallard and Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) Carl Crawford Prior to the 2011 season, the Boston Red Sox made one of the big offseason splashes, signing free agent outfielder Carl Crawford to a 7-year, $142 million contract. That deal, which now is the Los Angeles Dodgers' problem, has been a disaster and it just got worse. The Dodgers have informed Carl Crawford that he will not start in left field this season, essentially making him a $21 million backup. Crawford broke the news himself. "They told me there will be a lot of at-bats for me, but [Andre Ethier] starts, and he's earned it," said Crawford, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. "I'll get spot starts and be ready to pinch-hit for the pitcher a lot. That's pretty much it -- just be ready to come off the bench." In the two seasons before signing his contract with the Red Sox, Crawford averaged 6.8 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) with 17 home runs, 54 stolen bases, a .306 average, and a .360 OBP. In the five years since leaving the Tampa Bay Rays in free agency, Crawford has averaged 1.2 WAR, with 6 home runs, 14 stolen bases, a .276 average, and a .314 OBP. 01 Late in the 2012 season, the Red Sox were able to dump Crawford's contract on the Dodgers in a 9-player trade in which L.A. also acquired All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Here is what the Dodgers ultimately paid in the 9-player trade with the Red Sox that brought Gonzalez to Los Angeles: The Dodgers sent James Loney, a productive starting first baseman, and four prospects to the Red Sox Assuming they are unable to trade Crawford over the next two seasons, the Dodgers will ultimately have to pay him $106 million for what has been 5.8 Wins Above Replacement in three seasons so far. For comparison, there were 19 players in MLB who were worth at least 5.8 Wins in 2015 alone. The Dodgers also acquired Josh Beckett in the trade, and ultimately paid him $34 million for 35 starts over three seasons before he retired. The Dodgers were also on the hook for the $134 million still owed to Gonzalez over the final six years of his contract. Nick Punto was the final player acquired in the deal. He played in 138 games for the Dodgers before leaving in free agency. The Dodgers did receive $12 million from the Red Sox to offset a small part of the salaries to be paid to the players. Story continues In all, the Dodgers gave up five players and will spend $264 million on salaries and the only good thing they really got was what could end up being six All-Star level seasons from Gonzalez. That's a high price and Crawford is the biggest chunk of that. NOW WATCH: How billionaire Michael Jordan makes and spends his money More From Business Insider A flock of sheep pass by beehives, as the National Iranian Oil Company's tank farm is seen at rear, in the countryside near Khoy, northwest of Tehran, in this April 2, 2011 file photo. REUTERS/Morteza Nikoubazl/Files By Chen Aizhu and Roslan Khasawneh BEIJING/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Global oil traders have entered into rare barter deals with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), supplying Iran with much-needed gasoline in exchange for high-quality fuel oil, after most economic sanctions against Tehran were lifted in January. Commodity traders Swiss-based Vitol [VITOLV.UL] and Glencore (GLEN.L), for example, have won the right to lift a combined total of at least 200,000 tonnes per month of Iranian fuel oil from March through May, according to four trading sources with knowledge of the deals. "The big traders resumed moving gasoline to Iran shortly after sanctions were removed. Instead of a cash settlement, Iran pays back in fuel oil," said one senior Iranian trading official, who declined to be named as the deals were private. The barter deals, which Iranian industry sources said also included some done by Russian companies, have helped to wipe out the short-term fuel oil available for export, said the official. "There is no extra fuel oil available in the short term, because they are all committed," the official said. Another Iranian industry official estimated Iran usually exports 700,000-800,000 tonnes of fuel oil a month during the spring months starting from late March, when warmer weather begins to curtail the fuel oil used for generating power during winter months. Although there have been instances of Iranian fuel oil being shipped directly to Singapore, most cargoes are likely to be channeled into Fujairah, a storage and bunkering hub in neighboring United Arab Emirates, according to two Singapore-based traders. Once in Fujairah, the fuel oil will be fed into the local bunker market or blended with other grades to be redistributed to markets across Africa or Asia, the traders said. Glencore was heard offering Iranian 280-centistoke (cst) fuel oil to China for April arrivals, two China-based traders said. Vitol and Glencore both have operations at Fujairah, allowing them to use less expensive smaller vessels to deliver gasoline to Iran or to load fuel oil from there, according to the Iranian oil officials. Story continues Vitol and Glencore declined to comment on their operations or on any deals with NIOC. NIOC officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Iran has long had a gasoline shortage due to an underinvested refining industry. Its demand for the motor fuel typically rises ahead of the Iranian New Year, Nowruz, when road travel increases over two weeks from late March. Iran, OPEC's No.3 producer, is keen to ramp up its oil exports after most western sanctions were lifted in January, aiming to resume sales to once key clients in Europe. (Story refiles to correct dropped 's' in headline.) (Reporting by Chen Aizhu in BEIJING and Roslan Khasawneh in SINGAPORE; Editing by Tom Hogue) They coordinated price hikes. The Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) has busted thirteen chicken distributors for conspiring to fix prices of fresh chicken products here. The thirteen distributors collectively supply 90% of fresh chicken products in the country and had a turnover of approximately half a billion dollars annually, the CCS said. The CCS launched a probe into the fresh chicken distribution industry after it received a complaint on the alleged anti-competitive conduct. Upon completion of the investigation, CCS provisionally discovered that the distributors had coordinated the price increases of fresh chicken products sold in Singapore, from at least 2007 to 2014. The distributors had also agreed to not compete for each others customers. These moves were aimed at distorting the prices of fresh chicken products in Singapore, the CCS said. It violates the Competition Act, which states that business entities should not enter into any agreement or arrangement that prevents, restricts or distorts competition. By agreeing not to compete for each others customers, the Parties restricted the choices available to customers. The coordinated price increases further reduced customer choice as it provided few options for customers to switch distributors, said the CCS. The CCS has issued a Proposed Infringement Decision (PID) against the thirteen distributors. They have six weeks from the receipt of the PID to make their representations to the CCS. More From Singapore Business Review By Jim Finkle BOSTON, March 9 (Reuters) - The perpetrators of a $100 million digital heist at Bangladesh's central bank had deep knowledge of the institution's internal workings, likely gained by spying on bank workers, security experts said. Unknown hackers breached Bangladesh Bank in early February, stole credentials for payment transfers and then ordered transfers out of a Federal Reserve Bank of New York account held by Bangladesh Bank, according to Bangladesh Bank officials. Bangladesh government officials blamed the Fed for the attack when they disclosed the loss. The New York Fed responded on Tuesday saying there was no evidence its systems were compromised in the attack, one of the biggest bank thefts in history. The Fed said it followed normal procedures when responding to requests that appeared to be from Bangladesh Bank, which were made and authenticated over SWIFT. Belgian-based SWIFT, a member-owned cooperative that banks use for account transfer requests and other secure messages, declined to comment on specifics of the case. Security experts said that to pull off the attack, cyber criminals had to first gather information about Bangladesh Bank's procedures for ordering transfers, so that the fraudulent requests would not raise red flags. In addition to stealing credentials for processing transfers, the hackers likely spied on Bangladesh Bank staff to get a deep understanding of the central bank's operations, according to experts in banking fraud. Kayvan Alikhani, a senior director with security firm RSA, said that in addition to user names and passwords for accessing SWIFT, the hackers likely needed to obtain cryptographic keys that authenticated the senders. Such certificates can be copied and used by impostors if they are not properly secured, he said. "You are only as good as your weakest link when getting access to the SWIFT network and doing a transfer," Alikhani said. In a round of robberies disclosed last year, a group dubbed the Carbanak gang hacked into a number of banks around the world, seized control of computers that access SWIFT, then ordered fraudulent transfers. (reut.rs/1R6aonj) Story continues They siphoned money through SWIFT after observing how bank employees crafted their messages so they could follow correct protocols, said Juan Guerrero, a researcher with Kaspersky Lab, which studied the campaign. "The genius of the attacker in the Carbanak case is taking the time to learn directly from the victim and thus bypass fraud prevention measures through sheer mimicry," Guerrero told Reuters. Another hacking method that could have been used is known as "social engineering," where attackers play on human psychology to manipulate victims. They get that information by hacking email accounts of employees who process transfers, said Tom Kellermann, a former member of the World Bank's security team. "They sit and watch regular communications to understand when somebody would be most receptive to a specially crafted social-engineering email instructing them to make the transfer," said Kellermann, now chief executive of investment firm Strategic Cyber Ventures. (Reporting by Jim Finkle; Editing by Jonathan Weber and Phil Berlowitz) And should the ERP system replace the COE system? Singapore emerged as the top city in Southeast Asia for commercial real estate (CRE) expansions over the next three years, according to the latest study from CBRE. Nearly 50 percent of respondents said they expect their CRE portfolio in Southeast Asia to expand in the next three years. Read more here. On 3 March, 41 listed companies were included in the SGX watch-list due to the new implementation of the 20-cent minimum trading price (MTP) rule. This brings it to a total of 76 companies to be in the SGX watch-list. To put it simply, companies being in the watch-list are like students under the supervision of their discipline master. Find out more here. So, its official. The satellite-based ERP system, ominously called ERP 2.0, will become reality come 2020, for a price of $556 million dollars. To add salt to the wound, it will be built by the consortium of NCS and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Just in case you didnt know, those are the same people who designed and maintained our current ERP gantries, so you know itll never break down, especially not when you want them to. Read more here. More From Singapore Business Review BRUSSELS, March 9 (Reuters) - The European Commission warned Italy on Wednesday that its 2016 budget may break EU fiscal rules and urged Rome to take measures to redress the situation. The warning came in a letter sent to the Italian authorities. Similar letters were sent to Belgium, Croatia, Finland and Romania. Spain received a more formal warning. "We have identified six countries whose budgetary strategies may entail risks to respecting their commitments under the Stability and Growth Pact. There is still time to take necessary measures and this is why we are sending an early warning signal today," the Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said in a statement. The warnings come a month before an April 15 deadline for European Union members to submit their long-term budgetary plans to Brussels. The Commission will decide in May whether Italy and the other countries warned have taken sufficient measures to correct their imbalances. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; editing by Philip Blenkinsop) DUBLIN, IRELAND--(Marketwired - Mar 9, 2016) - Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:FO)(FOG.L)(FAC) is pleased to provide the following operational update for its operations in Australia, South Africa and Hungary. Operational highlights Preparations for 2016 Beetaloo Basin, Australia, drilling programme at an advanced stage. Drilling locations being finalised for the two new vertical wells following technical evaluation undertaken by Origin, Sasol and Falcon. Well locations to penetrate condensate rich gas mature through to dry gas mature sections of the Middle Velkerri shale. Drilling expected to start Q2, 2016. Rig 185 remains "warm stacked" in the Beetaloo basin. Tendering and contracting for hydraulic stimulation and key well services ongoing. Financial highlights US$3.7 million cash settlement agreed with NIS - received in December 2015. US$12.7 million (unaudited) in cash and cash on deposit at 31 December 2015. Australia - 2016 drilling & testing preparations underway in the Beetaloo Basin Preparations are underway for the Group's 2016 Beetaloo drilling and testing programme, comprising: civil construction, the remobilisation of Rig 185 and the drilling of Beetaloo W-1, a vertical well in exploration permit ("EP") 117 approximately 85km south of the wells drilled in 2015; the drilling of a second vertical well, the location of which is being finalised and the hydraulic stimulation of either this well or the Beetaloo W-1 well; and the re-entry and hydraulic stimulation of Amungee NW-1H in EP98 - This well was drilled in November 2015 to a total measured depth of 3,808 metres, including 1,100 metres horizontal section in the "B Shale" interval of the Middle Velkerri Formation, 100 metres more than originally planned. The principal objectives of the 2016 drilling programme are to: test gas productivity of the Middle Velkerri shale by means of multi stage hydraulic stimulation; further determine the areal extent of the Middle Velkerri shale; determine the levels of gas saturation in the southern section of the basin; and explore the shallower, oil prone sections of the Middle Velkerri shale. Story continues South Africa - processing of the exploration licence by the Petroleum Agency of South Africa ("PASA") continues to progress The PASA recently confirmed that it expects to finalise a recommendation to the Minister of Mineral Resources on Falcon's application for a shale gas exploration licence in South Africa's Karoo Basin, by May 2016. The Company expects that the Minister of Mineral Resources will issue Falcon with a licence to explore for shale gas in 2016. Background Falcon was granted a Technical Cooperation Permit in 2009 covering 7.5 million (30,327 km2) acres in the southern part of the Karoo Basin. The Company has a cooperation agreement (as announced on 12 December 2012) with Chevron Business Development South Africa Limited ("Chevron"), which enables the Group to work with Chevron for a period of five years in jointly obtaining exploration licences. Hungary - review of operations Falcon continues to review its operation and future plans in Hungary, evaluating all options available to the Group to deliver shareholder value. The Group maintains its 100% interest in the Mako Trough. Broker update Following the closure of the London office of GMP Securities Europe LLP, engagement with GMP Securities Europe LLP, Falcon's joint broker has now ended. Philip O'Quigley, CEO of Falcon commented "We are delighted to report that preparations for the 2016 Beetaloo drilling and testing programme are underway. Our shareholders can look forward to another exciting year of exploration activity which has the potential to transform the value of the company. Falcon remains fully carried throughout by our partners Origin and Sasol." "Also, we welcome the recent confirmation by the PASA and are optimistic on securing a shale gas exploration licence in South Africa's Karoo Basin in 2016." Background - Australia On 2 May 2014, Falcon announced it had entered into a Farm-Out Agreement and Joint Operating Agreement with Origin and Sasol (collectively referred to herein as the "Farminees") with each farming into 35% of the Falcon's exploration permits in the Beetaloo Basin, Australia through its 98% subsidiary, Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Ltd. ("Falcon Australia"). The Farminees will carry Falcon in a nine well exploration and appraisal programme from 2015 to 2018. Farminees will pay for the full cost of completing the first five wells estimated at A$64 million, and will fund any cost overruns, with work expected to be completed between 2015 and 2016. Farminees to pay the full cost of the following two horizontally fracture stimulated wells, 90 day production tests and micro seismic data collection with a capped expenditure of A$53 million, any cost overrun funded by each party in proportion to their working interest. This work programme is expected to be undertaken in 2017. Farminees to pay the full cost of the final two horizontally fracture stimulated wells and 90 day production tests capped at A$48 million, any cost overrun funded by each party in proportion to their working interest. This work programme is expected to be undertaken in 2018. Farminees may reduce or surrender their interests back to Falcon Australia only after: The drilling of the first five wells; or The drilling and testing of the next two horizontally fracture stimulated wells. Stacking a Rig Stacking a Rig means leaving a rig idle but operational. A ready or warm stacked rig typically retains most of its crew and can deploy quickly if an operator requires its services. In a ready stacked state, normal maintenance operations similar to those performed when the rig is active are continued by the crew so that the rig remains work ready. Thus, a rig is kept in a ready stacked state when its owner anticipates that the rig will be able to return to work shortly - either due to having a commitment in hand or the owner's perception that work will be secured relatively quickly. Background - Oilfield Services Contract - Hungary In January 2013, Falcon and NIS agreed to complete a three-well drilling programme (the "Agreement") targeting the relatively shallow Algyo Play, by July 2014. Under the terms of the Agreement, NIS made a cash payment of US$1.5 million and agreed to carry Falcon for 100% of all costs associated with the drilling and testing programme. The July 2014 deadline for completion of drilling and testing of the three-well programme was subsequently extended by Falcon to 31 December 2014 to enable NIS to fulfil its three well obligation. As of 31 December 2014, NIS had only drilled and tested two wells. This announcement has been reviewed by Dr. Gabor Bada, Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd's Head of Technical Operations. Dr. Bada obtained his geology degree at the Eotvos L. University in Budapest, Hungary and his PhD at the Vrije Aniversiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He is a member of AAPG and EAGE. About Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd is an international oil & gas company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of conventional and unconventional oil and gas assets, with the current portfolio focused in Australia, South Africa and Hungary. Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd is incorporated in British Columbia, Canada and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with a technical team based in Budapest, Hungary. For further information on Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. please visit www.falconoilandgas.com About Origin Energy Origin Energy (ORG.AX) is the leading Australian integrated energy company with market leading positions in energy retailing (approximately 4.3 million customers), power generation (approximately 6,000 MW of capacity owned and contracted) and natural gas production (1,093 PJ of 2P reserves and annual production of 82 PJe). To match its leadership in the supply of green energy, Origin also aspires to be the number one renewables company in Australia. Through Australia Pacific LNG, its incorporated joint venture with ConocoPhillips and Sinopec, Origin is developing Australia's biggest CSG to LNG project based on the country's largest 2P CSG reserves base. www.originenergy.com.au About Sasol Sasol is an international integrated chemicals and energy company that leverages the talent and expertise of about 31,000 people working in 37 countries. Sasol develops and commercialise technologies, and build and operate world-scale facilities to produce a range of high-value product streams, including liquid fuels, chemicals and low-carbon electricity. Sasol, through its subsidiary, Sasol Exploration and Production International ("E&PI") develops and manages the group's upstream interests in oil and gas exploration and production in Mozambique, South Africa, Australia, Canada and Gabon. It produces natural gas and condensate from Mozambique's Pande and Temane fields, shale gas from their share in the Farrell Creek and Cypress A assets in Canada, and oil in Gabon through their share in the offshore Etame Marin Permit (EMP). E&PI sells Mozambican gas under long-term contracts to Sasol Gas and external customers, condensate on short term contracts, while selling Canadian gas into the market at spot prices. Oil is sold to customers under annual contracts. For more information go to www.sasol.com. Glossary of terms A$ Australian dollars CSG Coal seam gas JV Joint Venture LNG Liquefied natural gas LPG Liquefied petroleum gas MW Megawatt TD Total Depth Km Kilometers Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain information in this press release may constitute forward-looking information. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Such information may include, but is not limited to comments made with respect to the type, number and objectives of the wells to be drilled in the Beetaloo basin Australia, expected contributions of the partners, the prospectivity of the Middle Velkerri shale play, the prospect of the exploration programme being brought to commerciality and the awarding of an exploration licence in South Africa. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Falcon assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward looking-statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to Falcon. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in Falcon's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com. ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece and its international lenders resumed talks on Wednesday on its fiscal and reform progress, rekindling Athens' hopes that its first bailout review may be concluded before the end of April, with the big issue of pensions high on the agenda. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who has a fragile majority in parliament, wants to conclude the review swiftly so he can begin talks on debt relief and hope that will convince Greeks that their sacrifices are paying off after six years of austerity. European Union and International Monetary Fund inspectors set the agenda of the talks with Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos before meeting Labour Minister George Katrougalos to discuss pension reforms, including concessions offered by Tsipras to protesting farmers and self-employed professionals. A government official said the lenders did not demand cuts in standard pensions during the talks on Wednesday, which were preliminary, but "showed a tough stance on the issue of supplementary pensions and were concerned about their viablity". Pension issues would be revisited this week, while income tax reforms would be discussed on Thursday. The mission was seen staying in Athens about ten days, the official said. The review was interrupted in early February due to differences among the institutions over the estimated size of a fiscal gap by 2018, but also disagreements with Athens on the depth of the pension reform and the management of bad loans. Athens has pledged to cut pension spending by 1 percent of GDP this year and reach a primary surplus of 3.5 percent by 2018. It was not clear if the lenders had reached a consensus on the projected fiscal gap which could force Athens to cut pensions further, despite its pre-election promises. Euro zone finance ministers acknowledged this week that a debate on debt relief was coming up soon, but Greece should first implement pension and tax reforms, set up an independent revenue agency and deal with non-performing loans. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he expected the review would be completed by early May. "It's positive that there is an end date for the bailout review, but also a date for the start of the negotiation on debt relief," a second government official told Reuters. (Reporting by Renee Maltezou; Editing by Louise Ireland) Hillary Clinton. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton notched another win in a key primary state. Shortly after polls closed in Mississippi on Tuesday night, multiple networks projected that the former secretary of state would win the state's primary. Clinton likely secured the majority of Mississippi's 36 delegates, putting her even closer to winning the 2,383 delegates needed to secure the Democratic nomination. She quickly thanked her supporters in the state, tweeting a GIF of MSNBC projecting her victory. Clinton has dominated among African-American voters, who have an outsize influence among Southern states. According to CNN exit polls, Clinton won almost 90% of black voters in Mississippi, who made up the majority of the state's Democratic primary voters. She has easily defeated rival Bernie Sanders in all of the Southern contests so far, including Louisiana, Texas, South Carolina, and Georgia. Sanders, a Vermont senator, is hoping to do better in Michigan, the only other state hosting a Democratic primary on Tuesday. NOW WATCH: Heres how Bernie Sanders could win the presidential nomination it wont be easy More From Business Insider Hillary Clinton For more than a year, one of my favorite talking points about Hillary Clinton has been that her negatives are "priced in." After nearly four decades of controversies around her and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, people have already decided whether they trust her, and they won't be moved by new stories about her email server or Benghazi talking points or anything else. And while her support for the Iraq War was a negative for Democratic voters, the polls indicated that they had decided to forgive her for it. The surprising and persistent success of the Bernie Sanders campaign showed that I was wrong: Many of Clinton's fans could be persuaded to vote for someone else. Sanders managed to do so in large part by focusing on two issues on which Clinton had not been previously attacked much: Wall Street, and the concern that Clinton is too cozy with it, as exemplified by her paid speeches to Goldman Sachs; and free trade, which Clinton has intermittently supported. Tuesday night's result in Michigan was shocking, in that Sanders narrowly won when the polls said he would lose by nearly 20 points. A new CNN poll out Wednesday has Clinton leading by 30 points in next week's Ohio primary, while a Chicago Tribune poll last week had her leading by 42 in Illinois. But I'm not sure I believe either poll in light of the Michigan results. That said, while this loss is surely disorienting for the Clinton campaign, it shouldn't panic, for a few reasons. The first is that Sanders did not win Michigan by enough to be on pace to overtake Clinton in pledged delegates. Last month FiveThirtyEight produced a useful chart of where Sanders needed to win, and by how much, to fight Clinton to a draw. To win nationally, you have to win your most demographically favorable states by a lot to offset losses in your weak regions. The calculations are fairly simple on the Democratic side because all states award their delegates proportionally. Story continues The FiveThirtyEight calculations showed Sanders needed to win Michigan by 4 points, and he won only by 2. But the news is worse for him than that. He has underperformed his targets in most of the voting states to date. For example, he needed to win Massachusetts by 11 points, and instead he lost by 1. So to make up lost ground he needed to outperform his targets in Michigan (and everywhere else) by a significant margin. He didn't. Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks as rival Bernie Sanders listens at the Democratic U.S. presidential candidates' debate in Flint, Michigan, March 6, 2016. REUTERS/Jim Young The other reason for Clinton not to panic is that trade most likely matters more as a political issue in Michigan than in any other state. If the Michigan results present the worst-case scenario for how much a fight over trade can hurt her in a contest against Sanders, she will still be on pace to win a comfortable majority of delegates. Analysts have been blown away by Clinton's reduced margin among black voters in Michigan. Exit polls suggested she won them by just a 2-to-1 split, compared with 9 to 1 in Mississippi. Is this about Clinton's super-solid support from black voters being a phenomenon specific to the South? Or is it about black Michigan voters, like white Michigan voters, being especially likely to care about trade? We will have test cases next week: Illinois and Ohio are also Rust Belt states, but they haven't been as hurt by global manufacturing trade as Michigan has. If Clinton manages a solid win in both states even a win by much less than the landslide margins shown in current polls that will be a sign that the bleeding was confined to Michigan and that she might still wrap up the nomination well before all the voting is done in June. There is one more question for Clinton: Even if she shouldn't worry that she will fall behind Sanders for the nomination, should she worry that a Republican opponent will successfully use the same attacks Sanders has in a general election? Facing a normal Republican, this wouldn't be a big issue. A normal Republican would be more committed to free trade than Clinton, who now says she opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership. And a normal Republican would be hesitant to bash the banks, both because that feels antibusiness and because it would offend wealthy Republican donors who work for or own the banks. Donald Trump is not a normal Republican. He has capitalized on the same antitrade, antielite sentiments as Sanders and would co-opt many of Sanders' talking points in the general election, trying to win over his fans from the primary. But fortunately for Clinton, there is a lot about Trump to turn off Sanders voters: His support for huge tax cuts on the wealthy, his calls for the United States military to commit war crimes, his crude and offensive stereotyping of minority groups take your pick. Plus, Trump will surely alienate some voters who normally vote for normal Republican candidates, offsetting whatever gains he might make among Sanders voters. Still, running against Trump will require a different campaign than the textbook one she would run against Ted Cruz, and one that is more focused on defending states like Michigan. All of which is to say, Clinton has been extremely lucky. If she had faced a Democratic opponent who could capitalize on the same themes as Sanders while being more acceptable to party elites someone like Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts or Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio she'd be losing. And if she faced the prospect of a populist, antitrade Republican opponent without all of Trump's baggage, she would be at a disadvantage in the general. But you can't beat something with nothing, and Clinton's advantage remains that nobody she is running against is well-positioned to beat her nationally. NOW WATCH: Trump and Rubio are trying to one-up each other with these incredible insults More From Business Insider By Emily Chow KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Reuters) - Indonesia's palm oil output is expected to fall to about 32.1 million tonnes this year, which would be the first decline since 1998, as a drought caused by the El Nino weather pattern limits production, an industry group said. Lower output could support benchmark palm oil futures that are currently trading at about 2,551 ringgit ($618) per tonne. Palm has risen 1.8 percent this week after reaching a one-month low of 2,470 ringgit on Thursday. "There will be a drop in production this year considerably, even after taking into account new harvest crops of 2016," Fadhil Hasan, executive director of the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI), told Reuters on March 8. The latest forecast is down from a previous outlook of 35 million tonnes of production in 2016. The world's top producer of palm oil produced 32.5 million tonnes of palm oil in 2015. An output decline of 1.2 percent for 2016 would be the first production drop since the 1998 crop year, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. The El Nino weather phenomenon brings drought across Southeast Asia, impacting palm oil fruit yields and lowering production. Industry groups had earlier forecast that recent rains would soften the impact of the El Nino, improving output prospects. Hasan has raised his outlook for palm oil prices on the lower expected output, forecasting an annual average of 2,600 ringgit for 2016. This is higher than an earlier projection at 2,450-2,550 ringgit for the year. Palm oil futures averaged 2,275 ringgit in 2015. Indonesian exports may drop to about 23 million to 24 million tonnes in 2016, the first decline in five years, due to higher domestic biodiesel use, said Hasan. Indonesia raised biodiesel subsidies and the minimum bio content in diesel fuel to 20 percent this year to cut its oil import bill and soak up supplies of crude palm oil. "The Chinese economy this year is going to be slower than before, so that will affect our exports," Hasan said, adding that other factors limiting exports are the potential implementation of palm oil import taxes by France and Russia, and increased import tariffs by India. France is proposing an import tax on palm oil and palm kernel oil of 300 euros ($329) per tonne in 2017, rising to 900 euros per tonne by 2020, while Russia's excise tax on palm oil could be introduced on July 1 and would be about $200 per tonne. India raised its import taxes on crude and refined edible oils by 5 percentage points in September in a bid to become self-sufficient in edible oils. ($1 = 4.1250 ringgit) ($1 = 0.9113 euros) (Editing by Christian Schmollinger) On Tuesday, President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor Michael Flynn declared he was "officially putting Iran on notice" over its ballistic missile test (AFP Photo/) Tehran (AFP) - Iran conducted multiple ballistic missile tests Tuesday in what it said was a display of "deterrent power," defying US sanctions imposed earlier this year aimed at disrupting its missile programme. State media announced that short-, medium- and long-range precision guided missiles were fired from several sites to show the country's "all-out readiness to confront threats" against its territorial integrity. Pictures of the launches were broadcast and reports said the armaments used had ranges of 300 kilometres (190 miles), 500 km, 800 km and 2,000 km. The United States hit Iran with fresh sanctions on its missile programme in January, 24 hours after separate sanctions related to Tehran's nuclear activities had been lifted under a landmark deal with world powers. The latest tests, during an exercise named "The Power of Velayat", a reference to the religious doctrine of the Islamic republic's leadership, were undertaken by the Revolutionary Guards and its Aerospace wing. Sepah News, the Guards' official media service, carried a statement confirming the tests, which come less than two weeks after elections in Iran delivered gains to politicians aligned with Hassan Rouhani, the country's moderate president. The Revolutionary Guards report to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, not Rouhani, and their influence dwarfs that of the army and other armed forces. Ballistic missile tests have been seen as a means for Iran's military to demonstrate that the nuclear deal will have no impact on its plans, which is says are for domestic defence only. Major General Ali Jafari, the Guards' top commander, and Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, spoke about the tests on television, with the latter downplaying the effect of US efforts to disrupt its activities. "Our main enemies, the Americans, who mutter about plans, have activated new missile sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran and are seeking to weaken the countrys missile capability," Hajizadeh said. Story continues "The Guards and other armed forces are defenders of the revolution and the country will not pay a toll to anyone... and will stand against their excessive demands." Iran's ballistic missile programme has been contentious since the nuclear deal with the United States and five other powers was struck in Vienna on July 14 last year. - 'Destabilising activities' - On October 11, Tehran conducted the first of two ballistic missile tests which angered Washington. State television weeks later aired unprecedented footage of underground missile storage bunkers. A UN panel said in December that the tests breached previous resolutions aimed at stopping Tehran from developing missiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. Iran has always denied seeking an atomic weapon and argues that its missiles would never be designed to, nor ever carry, the bomb. The nuclear deal was heralded by moderates such as Rouhani, who staked his reputation on the negotiations, but hardliners in Tehran said it damaged national interests. Announcing the new missile sanctions on January 17, one day after the nuclear deal was implemented, US President Barack Obama said "profound differences" with Tehran remained over its "destabilising activities". Five Iranians and a network of companies based in the United Arab Emirates and China were added to an American blacklist. The White House had first threatened to impose the measures in December but withdrew them after Rouhani hit out at both their timing and intent. Missiles were not part of the nuclear agreement. Asked before the missile sanctions were announced how Iran would react to fresh measures against it, Rouhani said: "Any action will be met by a reaction." Those measures came after four Iranian-Americans, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, left Tehran following their release in a prisoner swap with the United States. The exchange took place on the same day the nuclear deal came into force. Katie Kramer | CNBC. The former titan of industry and longtime Republican supporter tells CNBC he likes Donald Trump's policy ideas more. Sen. Ted Cruz is the most sincere and best equipped of the Republican candidates to become president, Jack Welch said Wednesday. But if front-runner Donald Trump were the GOP nominee, Welch said he'd support the billionaire real estate mogul as his party's choice to prevent the Democrats from keeping the White House. Welch told CNBC about 18 months ago that he'd like to see Cruz run. On " Squawk Box " on Wednesday, Welch said the Texas conservative is "the straightest guy you'll ever meet in terms of telling like it is." "The craziest thing that ever comes out of Donald Trump's mouth is 'lying Ted,'" Welch said, referring to Trump's refrains in debates and on the campaign trial. "Ted Cruz is the one guy [who] does what he says," Welch said a day after Trump won Tuesday's delegate-rich Michigan and Mississippi primaries and the Hawaii caucuses. Cruz won Tuesday's other contest in Idaho. Earlier this month, Welch tweeted: Welch, who was CEO of General Electric for 21 years and is now executive chairman Jack Welch Management Institute, said Wednesday he's "not anti-Trump," but feels Cruz has better ideas for the transforming country. "On jobs, I don't think there's anybody close to [Cruz]," he continued. "[Cruz's] tax plan is a real job creator." Born to a working class family in Salem and with strong ties to Massachusetts, Welch was critical of the anti-Trump speech delivered last week by Mitt Romney, the former governor of the state and the 2012 GOP nominee. "It would have been better left in the drawer." "I'm a Mitt Romney fan," Welch said. "[But] I didn't like that speech. That's one thing in a long resume of performance." Welch said he's 100 percent with Cruz. But if he had to bet on who's going to get the GOP nomination, Welch said the odds in Trump's favor by 7 to 3. Story continues "I want Cruz. But I acknowledge he's got a harder path right now. And last night was a big night for Trump," Welch said. Despite opposition, former Romney adviser Vin Weber told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" it's almost impossible to imagine another candidate entering the Republican convention with more delegates than Trump. "So the question is, 'Can he be slowed down just enough so that you go into the convention and have an open convention?' And then who knows what happens," said Weber, now a partner with global public strategy firm Mercury. Ahead of next week's winner-take-all primaries in crucial states of Ohio and Florida, Rubio failed to crack double-digit support in Michigan, while Kasich ran a close third to Cruz in Michigan, a state he had expected to perform better in. While Kasich and Rubio still hope to win their home states, Trump tops the latest local polls. Trump leads Rubio in Florida by nearly 15 percentage points, and is ahead of Kasich in Ohio, but by less than 5 percentage points, according to the RealClear Politics polling aggregator. There's a "real chance" for Cruz, but the race needs to get down to a two-candidate contest, Welch said, urging Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich to drop out. More From CNBC SANTIAGO, March 9 (Reuters) - LATAM Airlines, Latin America's largest airline, said on Wednesday it did not foresee demand recovering soon in recession-hit Brazil, but sales were still strong elsewhere in the region. Argentina was a particularly bright spot, company executives told investors on a call after reporting full-year results late Tuesday. LATAM posted a net loss for the third year in a row, but maintained margin guidance as a cost-cutting program continued. The airline, formed in a tie-up between Chile's LAN and Brazil's TAM in 2012, has failed to live up to the promise of the merger, dragged down by economic problems in Brazil and elsewhere. "We are quite conservative in how we are seeing the macro outlook in Brazil; we feel it's important to stay focused on having very disciplined capacity in that market given the current conditions," investor relations director Gisela Escobar said on the call Wednesday. LATAM said on Tuesday it would reduce fleet spending by $2.9 billion through 2018, and cut more capacity in 2016. That would be driven mainly by reducing flights between Brazil and North America, especially Miami, it said Wednesday. The capacity cuts would help boost yields, given "we don't see a lot of changes on the demand side" in Brazil, TAM Chief Executive Claudia Sender said. Regional demand was "relatively healthy," the company said. It noted that the sting of the Argentine peso's devaluation in December has been partly offset by the benefits of a relaxation on capital controls, and that the cancellation of a tax on credit card use made air tickets cheaper. Reports on the spread of the Zika virus in South America have not yet hit bookings, LATAM said, even though industry analysts have said tourism would likely be affected. (Reporting by Rosalba O'Brien; Editing by Richard Chang) Iridium-192 can be dangerous for people if not handled safely, potentially causing burns, radiation sickness and permanent injury, and can be fatal if exposure lasts hours or days (AFP Photo/Damien Meyer) (AFP/File) Mexico City (AFP) - A missing truck carrying potentially dangerous radioactive material was found close to Mexico's capital, and two men suspected of stealing it were arrested, authorities said. The pick-up truck carrying radioactive iridium-192, stolen on February 28 in Mexico's Queretaro state, was located in the state of Mexico, not far from the capital city, federal civil safety officials said on Tuesday. Several Mexican states were put on alert after the truck and its dangerous cargo went missing. Government officials said iridium-192 can be dangerous for people if not handled safely, potentially causing burns, radiation sickness and permanent injury, and can be fatal if exposure lasts hours or days. The material, which is used in industrial radiography, belonged to the company Industrial Maintenance Center located in the city of San Juan del Rio. (Adds quotes from finance director, details) MEXICO CITY, March 8 (Reuters) - State-run oil company Pemex said on Tuesday it had set up lines of credit with Mexico's development banks to improve liquidity and start paying back billions of dollars in debt to suppliers, as the firm seeks to repair finances hit by a rout in crude prices. Pemex has deferred payments to dozens of suppliers and contractors since last year, racking up some 147 billion Mexican pesos ($8.2 billion) in debt by the end of 2015. So far, it has paid back 20 billion pesos. Juan Pablo Newman, Pemex's finance director, said in a statement the credit lines from three development banks total 15 billion pesos ($836 million). In a later interview with local radio, Newman said the credit lines were not just meant to pay suppliers, but also to give Pemex additional liquidity and address "certain investment commitments." However, he emphasized that paying Pemex's suppliers, many of which are small and medium-sized businesses that depend on its business, was of "utmost priority." Earlier, Pemex said the lines of credit will help the company repay debts to more than 1,300 suppliers, which represent 85 percent of those owed. Newman said this debt totals 15 billion pesos. Pemex's remaining debts to suppliers are divided among about 200 companies, he said. Last month, Pemex said it would put billions of dollars worth of projects on hold because of slumping oil prices, which is likely to curb production by about 100,000 barrels a day. In January, the firm produced 2.26 million bpd. ($1 = 17.9352 Mexican pesos) (Reporting by Adriana Barrera; Editing by Peter Cooney and Richard Pullin) VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA and TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Mar 9, 2016) - Mr. Lube, Canada's leading quick lube provider in the routine automotive maintenance sector, is proud to announce that it has been named one of Canada's Best Managed Companies in 2015 for excellence in business performance. In line with this achievement, Mr. Lube received the program's Gold Standard designation, which recognizes organizations for winning the nationally recognized Best Managed award for four consecutive years. Sponsored by Deloitte, CIBC, National Post, Smith School of Business and MacKay CEO Forums, the Best Managed award recognizes Canadian-owned and managed companies with revenues over $10 million for sustained growth, financial performance, management practices and the efforts of the entire organization. "On behalf of Mr. Lube's board of directors, our employees, our franchise owners, our partners and suppliers, we are very honoured and humbled to have achieved the Gold Standard designation," stated Stuart Suls, President and CEO for Mr. Lube. "The past four years have been a period of tremendous growth, expansion and transformational change for our brand and operations. Throughout it all, every person on our team, from coast to coast, has risen to the challenge and set new standards for leadership, innovation and execution, while caring for the communities where we serve day in and day out." "Best Managed companies embrace innovation, seize opportunities and inspire talent. They really set the bar high," said Peter Brown, Partner, Deloitte and Co-Leader, Canada's Best Managed Companies program. Established in 1993, Canada's Best Managed Companies is the country's leading business awards program, recognizing excellence in Canadian-owned and managed companies with revenues over $10 million. Every year, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies compete for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates the calibre of their management abilities and practices. The Best Managed award embodies Canadian corporate success by highlighting companies that are focused on their core vision, creating stakeholder value and excelling in the global economy. Story continues 2015 winners of the Canada's Best Managed Companies award, along with Requalified members, Gold Standard winners and Platinum Club members will be honoured at the annual Canada's Best Managed Companies symposium and gala in Toronto on April 12, 2016. About Mr. Lube Canada Mr. Lube is Canada's leading quick lube provider in the routine automotive maintenance sector. The company was founded in 1976, pioneering a category of automotive servicing that focused on convenience and no appointment necessary. With 169 locations across the country, Mr. Lube is operated by a national network of franchisees. Headquartered in Richmond, BC, the company also has an office in Mississauga, Ontario, to support its national franchise network. In 2002, Mr. Lube Canada founded the Mr. Lube Foundation to support its corporate goals of giving back to the community and helping those most in need. Today, the Foundation has donated over $4.7 million dollars to charities across the country. For more information about Mr. Lube, please visit: www.mrlube.com; Facebook/MrLubeCanada (www.facebook.com/MrLubeCanada); Twitter @MrLube (www.twitter.com/MrLube). About Canada's Best Managed Companies Canada's Best Managed Companies continues to be the mark of excellence for Canadian-owned and managed companies with revenues over $10 million. Every year since the launch of the program in 1993, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies have competed for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates their management skills and practices. The awards are granted on five levels: 1) Best Managed winner (one of the new winners selected each year); 2) Requalified member (repeat winners retain the Best Managed designation for two additional years, subject to annual operational and financial review); 3) Gold Standard winner (After three consecutive years of maintaining their Best Managed status, these winners have demonstrated their commitment to the program and successfully reapplied for the designation); 4) Gold Requalified member (Gold Standard winners may requalify for two additional years, subject to annual operational and financial review); 5) Platinum Club member (winners that maintain Best Managed status for a minimum of seven consecutive years). Program sponsors are Deloitte, CIBC, National Post, Smith School of Business and MacKay CEO Forums. For further information, visit www.bestmanagedcompanies.ca. * Mugabe has previously refused IMF credit conditions * Reforms meant to unlock IMF funds, first since 1999 * Government to cut wage bill to 52 pct of budget by 2019 * IMF says improving fiscal discipline a major priority (Adds details, quotes) By MacDonald Dzirutwe HARARE, March 9 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe agreed to major reforms including compensation for evicted white farmers and a big reduction in public sector wages as the government tries to woo back international lenders, the finance minister said. The economy was under siege from the worst drought since 1992, Patrick Chinamasa said on Wednesday, noting that the reforms had the full backing of Mugabe, who has previously attacked the IMF for imposing stringent credit conditions. Mugabe's government started defaulting on debts to the IMF, World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB) and several Western lenders in 1999, leading to a freeze in financial aid. Chinamasa told reporters at the end of a economic review by an IMF team that the government's wage bill would be cut to 52 percent of government spending by 2019 from 82 percent but did not elaborate on how this would be achieved. The government would also target ten state-owned firms to try to make them profitable and evaluate all land seized from white farmers in a bid to compensate displaced farmers. Chinamasa said production by black farmers who took over the previously white-owned farms was "scandalously low". He said Harare broke bilateral investment agreements when it seized farms owned by foreigners and that this would be fixed. Compensation would be paid out of rent from black farmers who benefited from the seizures, a ministry circular said. Zimbabwe made world headlines in 2000 when thousands of war veterans and Mugabe's supporters started violently evicting white farmers. More than a dozen farmers were killed. Chinamasa said Zimbabwe had drafted a new financing programme to be presented to the IMF, whose executive board will vote on Harare's plan to repay $1.8 billion in arrears on May 2. Story continues Zimbabwe is struggling to emerge from a deep recession in the decade to 2008, which slashed its GDP by nearly half, drove hundreds of thousands abroad in search of better paying jobs and pushed formal unemployment above 85 percent. The IMF expects the economy to grow by 1.4 percent this year from 1.1 percent in 2015 and to rise 5.6 percent in 2017. The IMF's head of mission to Zimbabwe, Domenico Fanizza, said Harare met all its targets under a fund monitoring proramme, but improving fiscal discipline and re-engaging the international community should be a major priority. "It will also send strong signals to the international community, reduce the perceived country risk premium and unlock affordable financing for the government and private sector," Fanizza said. (Editing by James Macharia and Louise Ireland) Al-Shishani isis chechen On Tuesday, the US military cautiously celebrated what has the potential, if confirmed, of being a major victory in the fight against ISIS. A US airstrike on Tuesday was believed to have killed ISIS's "minister of war," Abu Omar al-Shishani, also called Omar the Chechen. If true, such a strike will seriously hinder ISIS's tactical abilities on the ground as well as the group's ability to recruit foreign fighters from the Caucasus region. Aside from ISIS's "caliph," Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Georgian ex-commando Omar al-Shishani was the most recognizable and popular of the powerful terrorist group's leaders. Sporting a recognizable red beard and happy to pose for photos, Shishani has acted as a very public face for some of ISIS's most notorious successes. It was Shishani who posed with the stolen US Humvees that ISIS had seized from Mosul and brought back into Syria. And it was Shishani who led successful ISIS military campaigns throughout Syria as well as a blitz through western Iraq that put the group within 100 miles of Baghdad. These military successes are not simply the result of any innate military capabilities. Instead, Shishani spent years conducting military campaigns against the Russians, first as a Chechen rebel and then as a soldier in the Georgian military. During Shishani's four years in the military, from 2006 to 2010, his unit received some degree of training from American special-forces units. "He was a perfect soldier from his first days, and everyone knew he was a star," an unnamed former comrade still active in the Georgian military told McClatchy DC. "We were well trained by American special forces units, and he was the star pupil." "We trained him well, and we had lots of help from America," another anonymous Georgian defense official told McClatchy about Shishani. "In fact, the only reason he didn't go to Iraq to fight alongside America was that we needed his skills here in Georgia." Story continues In 2008, when Russia and Georgia briefly went to war over the Georgian breakaway province of South Ossetia, Shishani reportedly was a star soldier. Although Russia quickly won the war, Shishani and his special-forces unit caused asymmetrical damage to the invading Russian forces, including the wounding of the Russian commander of the 58th army. ISIS Commander Omar Al Shishani Chechen Shishani ultimately fell out of favor with the Georgian military and was arrested for 15 months for illegally harboring weapons. In 2012, after serving his sentence, Shishani fled Georgia and went to Syria from Turkey. But his history of asymmetrical fighting against the Russians in the Caucasus, before and after having received American training, has played a key role in defining Shishani's military and command style. "Shishani is somewhat unique among ISIS's commanders. Shishani is fighting like an insurgent," Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Musings on Iraq. "He's using a complex style in Anbar [a province in western Iraq], relying on a very small force ... Shishani's forces emphasize speed and agility. "They'll hit multiple targets on the same day, and engage in harassing attacks to try to draw out the enemy, the Iraqi Security Forces or the Sahwa [Sunni tribes aligned against ISIS in Iraq]. Then he loves trapping the people he's able to draw out that are in pursuit of him." This map shows ISIS's extent at the height of Shishani's push into Anbar: September 15 ISIS Syria Iraq map These tactics have worked extremely well for Shishani throughout Iraq. Despite US-led coalition airstrikes and the combined forces of the Iraqi Security Forces and Iranian-backed militias, ISIS has continued to seize territory and embed itself deeper into Anbar Province. And more concerning is that even if ISIS were to lose ground, there is no clear indication that it would make Shishani any less dangerous. Having trained and specialized in insurgent-like asymmetrical warfare, Shishani would be just as much of a danger to Iraq even should ISIS begin to lose territory. It was ultimately that training and specialization in insurgent warfare that likely led to Shishani's death in the airstrike. According to Reuters, the Pentagon thinks that ISIS sent Shishani to the town of Al-Shadadi in Syria in order to recapture a town that had been taken by the US-backed Syrian Arab Coalition. While in the town, the US launched a strike against Shishani using waves of manned and unmanned airframes. Shishani's death has still not been completely confirmed, but Reuters reports that chatter on the ground seems to indicate that Shishani was killed. NOW WATCH: The US Navy's last line of defense is this ultimate gun More From Business Insider * CEO says airline could exercise walk-away clause * Says low oil prices make deferred A380s viable again * Sees deepening ties with IAG (Adds comments on IAG and Iran, background) By Tim Hepher BERLIN, March 9 (Reuters) - Qatar Airways stepped up its criticism of U.S. engine maker Pratt & Whitney over delays and technical problems on Wednesday, saying that engines for its Airbus A320neo aircraft had not been adequately tested. Qatar Airways has refused to take the jets because of engine glitches. Last month it threatened to switch to alternative engine supplier CFM International . "I don't think this engine was tested adequately, especially for the temperatures in which Qatar Airways will operate," Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said. "We will only accept it when we are fully satisfied that it can operate efficiently and safely at Qatar operations (and) ... once we get sufficient performance guarantees and undertakings from both Airbus and Pratt & Whitney," he told a news conference at the ITB tourism exhibition in Berlin. "We are at the threshold of the walk-away clause in our contract, but I hope we will not have to exercise this." Pratt & Whitney had no immediate comment but has said it is on track to eliminate problems with slow engine start-up times and erroneous software messages by June. Meanwhile, industry sources say that more than a dozen part-built A320neo jets are on the ground at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse waiting for their engines before they can be delivered. While keeping up the pressure in public, people familiar with the matter say that Qatar Airways is expected to give the planemaker and its engine supplier more time to fix the problems. "We're confident that with Pratt & Whitney's support we will address any early (lessons) and meet our targets," Airbus said. OIL FACTOR CEO Al Baker disclosed that the airline had earlier deferred delivery of four Airbus A380s by one year when oil prices were high, only to agree to take delivery now prices have dropped. Story continues The company would consider exercising options for a further three jets if oil prices remain low, he said, though he warned that oil prices are a "double-edged sword" for airlines because premium traffic yields have slipped in the face of weaker business sentiment and a drop in spending by oil producers. On the airline's international ties, Al Baker predicted deeper links with British Airways owner IAG, in which it holds a 10.08 percent stake. Areas for possible cooperation include procurement, computer systems, fuel, insurance and even aircraft buying after a joint Boeing purchase with Emirates in 2013. In Iran, he sees room for expansion after the lifting of sanctions that he said had been unfairly applied to the country's civil aircraft fleet -- an unusual statement from a senior Gulf state official amid rising tensions in the area. "My country has very good relations with Iran and has ... always played a balancing role in the region," he said. He dismissed warnings from some analysts that Iran's airspace would be dominated by foreign carriers, saying that "there is enough demand for everyone". On a recent trade row with major U.S. carriers, Al Baker taunted his airline's most vocal adversary by saying that a decision to fly to Atlanta would "rub salt in the wounds" of Delta Air Lines but denied it would cause the airline harm. Atlanta-based Delta and others have said that Gulf carriers have received state support that contravenes Open Skies agreements, a charge denied by Gulf airlines. (Editing by Victoria Bryan and David Goodman) * Lisbon sells bonds as rating worries weigh * Portugal and Cyprus could face QE exclusion * Portuguese president adds to political uncertainty By John Geddie LONDON, March 9 (Reuters) - Portuguese bond yields edged up on Wednesday with Lisbon selling new debt as investors weighed the prospect of more political uncertainty and a ratings slide that may force the country out of the European Central Bank's quantitative easing scheme. Fitch shaved its rating outlook on Portugal from positive to stable, a move seen as raising the risk that DBRS -- which has the investment grade rating Lisbon needs to qualify for QE -- might downgrade it at the end of next month. In a sign of what may come for Portugal, an ECB spokesperson said on Tuesday that junk-rated Cyprus may be excluded from QE because it is likely to exit its bailout programme at the end of March. Countries must have an investment grade rating from one of the four agencies recognised by the ECB or be in a bailout programme in order to qualify for the 1.5 trillion euro bond-buying scheme. The backstop of central bank bond buying has up until now helped reassure investors even though Portugal is governed by a fragile leftist coalition which has promised to roll back austerity imposed by their conservative predecessors. Adding further uncertainty on the political front for Portugal, Wednesday sees the inauguration of a centre-right president who will assume powers next month that allow him to fire the government and call new elections. "The political and fiscal situation in Portugal is more uncertain, which suggest keeping a cautious bias on PGB (Portuguese government bond) spreads in general," Societe Generale strategist Ciaran O'Hagan said. Portugal's 10-year bonds rose 2 basis points to 3.03 percent on Wednesday, on track for their first week of rises in four, but still some way off two-year highs of 4.38 percent hit in February. All other euro zone yields also edged up on Wednesday as investors turned cautious ahead of a European Central Bank meeting on Thursday that could disappoint high market hopes. Story continues Lisbon will offer between 1 billion and 1.25 billion euros of 5- and 10-years bonds at an auction on Wednesday, while Germany also sells 4 billion euros of two-year bonds. Yields tend to rise ahead of bond sales as investors make room in their portfolios for the new supply. Analysts said the ECB's QE was particularly important to Lisbon because the ECB buys a higher proportion of its debt than elsewhere in the bloc because purchases are based on each country's contribution to its capital and not outstanding debt. "Portugal will be among the countries where PSPP (QE) buying as a share of 2016 gross issuance will be highest, so it will be important that DBRS will continue to keep Portugal at investment grade next month," ING strategist Martin van Vliet said. (Reporting by John Geddie; Editing by Toby Chopra) * Lisbon's borrowing costs rise at auction * Portugal and Cyprus could face QE exclusion * Portuguese president adds to political uncertainty (Updates prices) By John Geddie LONDON, March 9 (Reuters) - Portuguese yields edged up on Wednesday and Lisbon saw its borrowing costs jump at auction as investors worried about more political uncertainty and a ratings slide that may force the country out of the ECB's quantitative easing scheme. Fitch shaved its rating outlook on Portugal from positive to stable, a move seen as raising the risk that DBRS -- which has the investment grade rating Lisbon needs to qualify for QE -- might downgrade it at the end of next month. In a sign of what may come for Portugal, an ECB spokesperson said on Tuesday that junk-rated Cyprus may be excluded from QE because it is likely to exit its bailout programme at the end of March. Countries must have an investment grade rating from one of the four agencies recognised by the ECB or be in a bailout programme in order to qualify for the 1.5 trillion euro bond-buying scheme. The backstop of central bank bond buying has up until now helped reassure investors even though Portugal is governed by a fragile leftist coalition which has promised to roll back austerity imposed by their conservative predecessors. Adding further uncertainty to the political picture, Portugal swore in its new centre-right president on Wednesday who has powers to veto laws, dissolve parliament, fire the government and call new elections. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said in his inauguration speech the country has to respect its international commitments, especially within the European Union, and maintain financial rigour to avoid future crises. "The political and fiscal situation in Portugal is more uncertain, which suggest keeping a cautious bias on PGB (Portuguese government bond) spreads in general," Societe Generale strategist Ciaran O'Hagan said. Portugal's 10-year bonds rose 3 basis points to 3.04 percent on Wednesday, on track for their first week of rises in four, but still some way off two-year highs of 4.38 percent hit in February. Story continues All other euro zone yields also edged up on Wednesday as investors turned cautious ahead of a European Central Bank meeting on Thursday that could disappoint high market hopes. Borrowing costs in Portugal's first regular bond auction of the year rose sharply on Wednesday for both five and 10-year debt. Germany also sold 3.2 billion euros of two-year bonds while the euro zone bailout fund ESM sold around 1 billion euros of five-year bonds. Analysts said the ECB's QE was particularly important to Lisbon because the central bank buys a higher proportion of its debt than elsewhere in the bloc. QE purchases are based on each country's contribution to its capital and not outstanding debt. "Portugal will be among the countries where PSPP (QE) buying as a share of 2016 gross issuance will be highest, so it will be important that DBRS will continue to keep Portugal at investment grade next month," ING strategist Martin van Vliet said. (Reporting by John Geddie; Editing by Toby Chopra) putin One of the major characteristics of Russian President Vladimir Putin's post-Ukraine crisis decision-making has been his willingness to use his military as a blunt instrument of the Kremlin's policy. Between a multibillion-dollar military modernization push, expensive and high-profile new weapons development, and military operations in Syria and Ukraine, Putin has attempted to project conventional military strength while demonstrating an actual willingness to use force. But there's one big problem: The Kremlin just can't sustain its current level of military investment. According to Reuters, Russia plans on slashing its military budget by 5% in 2016. This would be a notable number in any era, and constitutes the largest cut in defense spending in Putin's presidency. It's especially important in light of Russia's current roster of expensive military policies. At the moment, Russia is developing a fifth-generation fighter jet, building its massive T-14 Armata main battle tank, and procuring new warships and submarines. Russia is undertaking a reported $400 billion military modernization push, and constructing a string of bases across the Arctic Circle. Moscow is carrying on an air campaign in support of the Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, sustaining the separatist rebellion in eastern Ukraine, and waging incursions into NATO and allied waters and airspace, a campaign that's involved the largest presence of Russian submarines in the north Atlantic since the end of the Cold War. Russia is replenishing its hardware and frequently turning to its military to implement its foreign policy. Yet the country's economic situation requires deep cuts in military spending at a time when the Kremlin can least afford them. Story continues Armata Tank T-14 Russia The cuts only underscore just how dire Russia's economic situation is at the moment. Last year, the Russian economy contracted 3.7% in the face of international sanctions, plunging oil prices, and a ruble valuation crisis. The country's expected to remain in an economic trough this year as well, with expectations of the economy contacting an additional 1% this year, according to Reuters. Putin's challenge is to sustain an aggressive foreign policy that has been at the core of his popular appeal despite the political and economic cost of propping Assad or cleaving off parts of eastern Ukraine. The cut in defense spending exposes one of the biggest contradictions in Putin's policies. Putin's influence and appeal are rooted in military expansion and adventurism but this approach leaves the country more isolated and less capable of sustaining a military in the first place. NOW WATCH: Russia's military is more advanced than people thought More From Business Insider Investing in Asia sans Japan? Try These Mutual Funds (Continued from Prior Part) Asia ex-Japan mutual funds In this series, weve reviewed 12 Asia ex-Japan mutual funds with varied focus on geographies, investment themes, and styles. We looked at funds that were invested in Pacific-region countries such as Australia (APJAX) (ASIAX) (MACSX) apart from Asian countries. Most funds had their highest respective asset portions allocated to Chinese equities (TRAOX) (GSAGX), while one fund kept its exposure to these securities low (APJAX). A few funds avoided Indian equities (ASIAX) (MACSX), while a couple had quite a substantial portion of their assets invested in Indian equities (MALAX) (JOAIX). Though these funds were supposed to be ex-Japan, a few could not resist the temptation of adding Japanese stocks to their portfolios (FEAAX) (FSEAX) (MACSX). There is a huge variation in asset size between the funds under review, as can be seen in the graph above. Sizes range from $23.3 million (MALAX) to $6.3 billion (MAPTX). The T. Rowe Price New Asia Fund (PRASX) was the cheapest fund, while the Mirae Asset Asia Fund Class A (MALAX) was the most expensive. To give you an idea of how these mutual funds have performed in comparison to passively managed products, weve provided the performances of two ETFs in the individual fund analyses as well: the iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan ETF (AAXJ) and the WisdomTree Asia Pacific ex-Japan ETF (AXJL). We used the former as a stand-in for the MSCI AC Asia ex-Japan Index for calculating various quantitative metrics. Observations One thing that was clearly visible was that on a point-to-point return basis, all mutual funds but one (APJAX) were able to beat AAXJ. For the one-year period until February 2016, APJAX was joined by two other funds (CAJAX) (MALAX) that were unable to beat the passive fund. This shows that astute fund management can help you to reduce losses during times of stock market decline and volatility, though all active funds cant claim to provide such a benefit. Story continues This is not to say that passive funds must be replaced by mutual funds. It just shows that, given the quantitative metrics, your fund manager may deserve that higher management fee. Passive funds, especially for emerging and frontier markets, can act as anchors around which one can have two or three well-managed active mutual funds. Asia ex-Japan in a rough patch? Asia ex-Japan countries such as China and India had a poor 2015 in terms of equity market performance. However, given the renewed focus of the Indian government on inclusive growth, as shown in the countrys recently announced Budget, Indian equities (WIT) (VEDL) could be back on track in the medium term. The situation in China (SHI) is far more challenging, and sustained confidence in the countrys financial markets may be established only in the medium to long term. Investors who are already invested in the region should likely stay invested, the exception being those with short-term views that didnt work out. Those contemplating whether or not to get in should do so only with a long-term view. Investors should keep themselves informed about the performance of the mutual funds in this review, so that theyre armed with vital information and know which fund to select when the time is right for them. You can find more analysis of these products on Market Realists Mutual Funds page. Browse this series on Market Realist: VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Mar 9, 2016) - SureWerx (formerly named JET Group), a leading supplier of professional tool, equipment and safety products for workers across North America, has been named one of Canada's Best Managed Companies in 2015 for its consistent drive towards excellence in business performance, high velocity company culture, and innovative strategic planning process. The Best Managed program, sponsored by Deloitte, CIBC, National Post, Smith School of Business and MacKay CEO Forums, recognizes Canadian-owned and managed companies with revenues over $10 million that demonstrate the strategy, capability and commitment required to achieve sustainable growth. "We are honoured to have been recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies," said Chris Baby, Chief Executive Officer, SureWerx. "At SureWerx, we place a high value in strategic planning and having a dynamic and talented team to execute our programs. Drawing from our experienced leadership team and valued partnerships, we strive to refine our processes to remain agile in our economic environment and evolve to drive the growth needs of our staff, customers, and shareholders." Recognizing the current fast-paced economic environment in North America, SureWerx has implemented a highly successful and fluid strategic plan to expand the company and further develop their innovative product lines. This includes substantial technological innovations and a keen dedication to maintaining the high velocity company culture that helps the company thrive even during periods of continuous change. With an average employee tenure of 11.6 years, SureWerx's extremely low turnover rate of less than 15% is a clear testament that the best practices employed throughout the organization are working to retain highly motivated employees committed to consistently provide excellent customer support. "I would like to recognize the entire efforts of SureWerx. It takes a dedicated effort from an entire team to focus on a core vision, create stakeholder value and excel in the global economy to achieve this level of success," said Peter Brown, Partner, Deloitte and Co-Leader, Canada's Best Managed Companies program. "CIBC congratulates SureWerx on being named one of Canada's Best Managed Companies - a reflection of its strong leadership, sound business planning and focus on growth," said Jon Hountalas, Executive Vice-President, Business and Corporate Banking, CIBC. "We're proud to celebrate this outstanding achievement and applaud the entire team for their contributions to the Canadian marketplace." Established in 1993, Canada's Best Managed Companies is one of the country's leading business awards programs recognizing Canadian-owned and managed companies that have implemented world-class business practices and created value in innovative ways. Applicants are evaluated by an independent judging panel on overall business performance, including leadership, strategy, core competencies, cross-functional collaboration throughout the organization, and talent. The 2015 winners of the Canada's Best Managed Companies award, along with Requalified, Gold Standard, Gold Requalified winners and Platinum Club members will be honoured at the annual Canada's Best Managed Companies gala in Toronto on April 12, 2016. On the same date, the Best Managed symposium will address leading-edge business issues that are key to the success of today's business leaders. About SureWerx Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, SureWerx is a leading supplier of professional tool, equipment and safety products for workers. SureWerx markets its products in Canada under the JET, Strongarm, ITC, STARTECH, Pioneer, Ranpro, PeakWorks, and Sellstrom brands, and in the United States under the American Forge & Foundry, Pioneer, Ranpro, PeakWorks, and Sellstrom brands. SureWerx offers an unparalleled access to its brands through its partner distributor network servicing the industrial, construction, safety, and automotive aftermarket markets in North America. SureWerx is owned by Penfund, one of Canada's oldest independent private equity firms. For more information, please visit us at www.surewerx.com or www.surewerx.ca. About Canada's Best Managed Companies Canada's Best Managed Companies continues to be the mark of excellence for Canadian-owned and managed companies with revenues over $10 million. Every year since the launch of the program in 1993, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies have competed for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates their management skills and practices. The awards are granted on five levels: 1) Best Managed winner (one of the new winners selected each year); 2) Requalified winner (award recipients that have re-applied and successfully retained their Best Managed designation for two additional years, subject to annual operational and financial review); 3) Gold Standard winner (After three consecutive years of maintaining their Best Managed status, these winners have demonstrated their commitment to the program and successfully retained their award for their 4th consecutive year); 4) Gold Standard requalified winner (Award recipients that have applied and successfully retained their Gold Standard designation for two additional years, subject to annual operational and financial review); 5) Platinum Club member (Winners have maintained their Best Managed status for seven years or more). Program sponsors are Deloitte, CIBC, National Post, Smith School of Business and MacKay CEO Forums. For further information, visit www.bestmanagedcompanies.ca. The U.S. economy appears to be in good shape, with recent data on manufacturing and employment improving. But the US and its markets remain under threat from the rest of the world. A critical story for the stock market and also for the economy and for the Federal Reserve for quite some time has been that the U.S. is good and the rest of the world is not so good, said Deutsche Banks Chief International Economist Torsten Slok. Of particular concern is China, the worlds second largest economy, which has been slowing. Chinas National Peoples Congress got underway last weekend, with policymakers pledging to spend more money in their efforts to avoid a hard landing as GDP growth decelerates. All of this has important implications for emerging markets that export to China and to the U.S. market, according to Slok. One of the items hindering growth in the second largest nation? Wages have increased significantly in China over the last 15 years while US wages have remained relatively stable. In other words, the cost of manufacturing goods in China is on the rise. This is incentivizing companies to move their production out of China to other low-cost countries. Meanwhile, the market is trading in anticipation of Thursdays European Central Bank meeting, which is widely-expected to issue further stimulus measures as it aims to bolster the lackluster eurozone economy. The bottom line: The economy right now reflects a stark contrast in U.S. economic stability and international economic weakness, but the future of the U.S. markets may ultimately be determined by actions of international players. Redding Police Department (REDDING, Calif.) -- Ruh-roh! A 51-year-old woman is wanted by police after allegedly leading officers on a high-speed chase in a minivan that resembles the "Mystery Machine" in the "Scooby-Doo" animated television series, according to the Redding Police Department in Northern California. The chase happened Sunday, and although officers have impounded the "Scooby-Doo" van, the woman -- Sharon Kay Turman-- is still on the loose, police wrote in a news release Monday. Police said a Shasta County probation officer first contacted them around 12:50 p.m. Sunday, saying Truman was wanted "for a probation violation" and that she was reportedly operating a Chrysler Town & County minivan. Officers found her in the van later in the day, but she fled, police said. "Turmans speeds increased and she began to show a blatant disregard for motorist safety," police said, adding that she nearly hit four vehicles. Though police lost Turman, a California Highway Patrol helicopter later found her -- again driving the "Mystery Machine" van, police said. She "fled in the vehicle once again," police said, adding that "her speeds were well in excess of 100 miles per hour." Turman was later "spotted by the helicopter abandoning the vehicle in an area of northwestern Tehama County," police said. Though her vehicle was "located and impounded," Turman's "current whereabouts are unknown." Anyone with information regarding Turman's whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Redding Police Department at (530) 225-4200 or Secret Witness of Shasta County at (530) 243-2319. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Buying a Tesla will get you green kudos in plenty of places but not Singapore, where the carbon emissions surcharge slapped on a Tesla has caught the attention of the auto-maker's founder Elon Musk. Joe Nguyen imported a used Tesla Model S P85 from Hong Kong in July 2015, hoping to have the first Tesla vehicle to hit Singapore's roads. Little did he know he was at the start of a seven-month regulatory ordeal, at the end of which he'd pay a 15,000 Singapore dollar ($10,850) carbon emissions surcharge on a vehicle that does not even have a tailpipe. VICOM, a private vehicle inspection provider that tested the Tesla (TSLA) for Singapore's transport authority, found that Nguyen's 2014 Model S had an equivalent CO2 emission of 222g per kilometer. The emissions were calculated using a "grid emissions factor" that puts a value on the emissions created by energy use - in the Tesla's case, when it converts electricity into power. Nguyen, who is vice president of an Internet analytics firm, was outraged that an electric vehicle attracted an emissions surcharge. "Give me a surcharge for my high use of electricity in my utilities bill, but don't take my money for the wrong reasons," Nguyen told CNBC in an interview. He argued that one of the tests used by Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA), set out under its Carbon Emissions-based Vehicle Scheme (CEVS), was flawed. "There is absolutely zero CO2 emissions generated by my car or any electric vehicle. The CEVS scheme is meant to evaluate cars with internal combustion engines, which includes hybrids," Nguyen, who graduated from Princeton University with a mechanical engineering degree, said. Singapore's CEVS aims to incentivize consumers to purchase lower carbon-emitting vehicles by offering up to S$30,000 worth of rebates for vehicles with low carbon emissions, and setting up to S$30,000 in surcharges for higher carbon-emitting vehicles. The CEVS surcharges and rebates are set based on United Nations standards on how to measure the amount of electricity cars consume, rather than standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Story continues Under the UN standards, the Model S uses 444 watt-hours per kilometer (Wh/km), while the EPA standard puts it at 237.5 Wh/km, Nguyen said. An LTA spokeswoman told CNBC that the same grid emissions factor was then applied to the electricity consumption of all electric vehicles. "This is to account for CO2 emissions during the electricity generation process, even if there are no tail-pipe emissions," she said. This meant that under the higher, UN standard usage reading, the Telsa generated a level of emissions that put it in a surcharge band as set by the CEVS. The LTA spokeswoman said that Nguyen's Tesla is not the first fully electric vehicle in Singapore to have the grid emission factor applied to it, and that in July 2014 a Peugeot Ion won a rebate of S$20,000 ($14,400) under the same test. It was the highest CEVS rebate available at the time. The spokeswoman said Nguyen's long wait for official approval to drive the car in Singapore was due to the fact that the agency had not previously tested a Tesla. But Nguyen's complaints grabbed the attention of Tesla chief executive Elon Musk , who replied to a tweet about the LTA's decision on Friday to say that he had been in touch with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong about the issue. Lee told Musk he would "investigate the situation," the Tesla boss said. Lee had met Musk in San Francisco during the PM's week-long trip to the U.S. in February, and even enjoyed a test ride in the Tesla Model S P90D, according to Lee's official Facebook page. Tesla, which has a presence in Japan, China and Hong Kong, exited Singapore in 2011. According to a spokesperson in Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB), Tesla had requested support from the country's Technology Innovation and Development Scheme (TIDES), which is jointly administered by EDB and LTA. The scheme provides a waiver of vehicular taxes and is "intended to support companies that undertake test-bedding and R&D of cutting-edge transport at technologies." Tesla's request was declined. The scheme was "not applicable to automotive manufacturers that are only interested in the commercial sale of its cars in Singapore," the EDB spokesperson said to CNBC. A Tesla spokesman said the company was in close contact with LTA and was "working with them to bring Tesla vehicles to Singapore." "Tesla is on a mission to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable transportation and bringing Tesla vehicles to new markets is part of that," the spokesman added. The cars attract a range of tax rebates and incentives in the U.S. where they're made, and in several other countries including Hong Kong, where the Model S can be registered tax-free and is eligible reduced annual licensing fees. As for Nguyen, it's been an expensive and frustrating process. The vehicle itself cost him S$93,000 ($67,200), while customs duty and a goods and services tax added a further S$27,000 ($19,500). On top of those expenses, Nguyen paid S$215,000 ($155,300) in registration fees, road taxes, the certificate of entitlement (COE) that gives him the right to use the car in Singapore, vehicle testing fees and the carbon emissions surcharge. Having had his Model S since July, he was finally legally able to drive the car last month and believes the trouble he went through for the Tesla was worth it. "The Tesla is demonstrative of the future of automobiles, and my 'petrol head' friends have sat in the car and changed their mindset about Teslas and want one too," said Nguyen. CORRECTION This report has been updated to reflect that the Tesla coverts electricity into power. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. More From CNBC Washington (AFP) - Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders clashed forcefully on the debate stage Wednesday, with the Democratic presidential rivals opening lines of attack on immigration in the aftermath of Sanders' stunning upset win in Michigan. With their Miami debate showdown coming just six days before the critical Florida primary, the two candidates were repeatedly pressed on immigration issues, including whether they would deport undocumented children from the United States. Both said they support comprehensive immigration reform and pathways to citizenship for many of the 11 million people living in the shadows. In stark contrast, Republican candidates all say they want no such track to citizenship. Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner, wants to deport millions. But with Florida home to a large Hispanic community, frontrunner Clinton and her sole Democratic rival Sanders openly courted the Latino vote -- each quickly said they would not expel the children of illegal immigrants, or undocumented adults with no criminal records. It marked a break, too, of sorts from President Barack Obama's administration, which has come under fire for its aggressive deportation policies. "I would not deport children," Clinton said. "My priorities are to deport violent criminals, terrorists and anyone who threatens our safety." But she also wanted to "stop the raids, stop the round-ups, stop the deporting of people who are living here doing their lives, doing their jobs." Sanders was more blunt on disagreeing with Obama. "He is wrong on this issue of deportation," Sanders said. "I disagree with him on that." Clinton slammed Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, for voting against an immigration reform bill in 2007. But Sanders shot back that Clinton had taken anti-immigrant positions in the 2000s, such as prohibiting the issuing of driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. Story continues They also clashed on the war in Iraq, Clinton's relationship with Wall Street and corporate America, health care policy and tuition for state universities. "Madame secretary, I will match my record against yours any day of the week," Sanders boomed. - 'This is a marathon' - The pair sharpened their attacks, with Sanders sensing momentum after a remarkable win 24 hours earlier in Michigan, where Clinton had been expected to prevail. Clinton has nonetheless passed the half-way point in the race to the 2,383 delegates needed to win the party's presidential nomination, after she handily defeated Sanders in the southern Gulf state of Mississippi. Yet the Vermont senator's upset win in Michigan raised questions about the former secretary of state's ability to win over key industrial states in the general election in November. Clinton has won 13 out of 22 contests and despite the Michigan setback her team remain confident, explaining that her blowout win in Mississippi meant she walked away with the majority of Democratic delegates and is inching closer to an "insurmountable" delegate lead. But Sanders has shown remarkable resilience and the intensity of the debate suggested Clinton was taking his challenge seriously. "This is a marathon," Clinton acknowledged. She faced probing questions about her use of a homebrew email server and private account when she was secretary of state. Clinton reiterated she made a mistake but said she was "not concerned." Asked whether she would drop out of the race if she is indicted over the scandal, she bristled. "Oh for goodness... that is not going to happen. I am not even answering that question," Clinton said. - 'Un-American' rhetoric - Trump emerged strengthened by victories Tuesday in Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii. He has now won 15 of 24 races and looks to next week's primaries that could be crucial to his effort to seize his party's nomination since, on the Republican side, Florida, Ohio and Illinois are winner-take-all in the delegate race. Tuesday's big loser was Florida Senator Marco Rubio. He has been seen by party luminaries as the best mainstream hope of derailing Trump, but he has performed dreadfully in several recent primary contests, including those Tuesday. With his campaign appearing to be on the verge of fizzling, he was reflective when he spoke to MSNBC, saying he was "not entirely proud" of stooping to using dirty jokes or mocking Trump's appearance in recent weeks. "My kids were embarrassed by it, and if I had to do it again I wouldn't," Rubio said. He and Ohio Governor John Kasich face must-wins in their respective home states on March 15. Trump leads polls in those battlegrounds and he made clear he aims to snag them both. "If I win those two I think it's over," Trump told CNN. The New York real estate mogul's caustic style and incendiary rhetoric has angered some voters and influential Republicans, but he insists he can reunite the party and draw millions more to the polls. "I think Islam hates us," Trump told CNN in an interview aired late Wednesday in the latest example of such overheated rhetoric. Clinton attacked Trump's use of words as "un-American." "I'm not going to engage in the kind of language that he uses," she said. Republican white House hopefuls take to the debate stage Thursday night. (Adds Cruz wins Idaho) By John Whitesides DETROIT, March 8 (Reuters) - Republican front-runner Donald Trump rolled to primary wins in the big prize of Michigan and in Mississippi on Tuesday, brushing off a week of blistering attacks from the party's establishment and expanding his lead in the White House nominating race. Trump's convincing win in Michigan restored his outsider campaign's momentum and increased the pressure on the party's anti-Trump forces to find a way to stop his march to the nomination ahead of several key contests next week. In the Democratic race, Bernie Sanders stunned front-runner Hillary Clinton in a narrow Michigan primary upset, giving his upstart campaign new energy. Clinton won in Mississippi, but the Sanders win is likely to ensure a prolonged nominating fight. Trump built his victories in Michigan, in the heart of the industrial Midwest, and Mississippi in the Deep South with broad appeal across many demographics. He won evangelical Christians, Republicans, independents, those who wanted an outsider and those who said they were angry about how the federal government is working, according to exit polls. At a news conference afterward, Trump said he was drawing new voters to the Republican Party and the establishment figures who are resisting his campaign should save their money and focus on beating the Democrats in November. "I hope Republicans will embrace it," Trump said of his campaign. "We have something going that is so good, we should grab each other and unify the party." The results were a setback for rival John Kasich, governor of Ohio, who hoped to pull off a surprise win in neighboring Michigan, and Marco Rubio, a U.S. senator from Florida who has become the establishment favorite but lagged badly in both Michigan and Mississippi and appeared unlikely to win delegates in either. Trump said Rubio's recent attacks on him had backfired. "Hostility works for some people; it doesn't work for everyone," Trump said at a news conference in Jupiter, Florida. Story continues Ted Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas whose recent victories have positioned him as the prime alternative to the brash billionaire, won the party's primary in Idaho. But Trump suggested his rivals had little hope going forward and took particular aim at Cruz, 45. 'A HARD TIME' "Ted is going to have a hard time," Trump said of Cruz. "He rarely beats me." The Michigan victory sets Trump up for a potentially decisive day of voting a week from Tuesday. On March 15, Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Missouri and North Carolina - like Michigan, states rich in the delegates who will select their party's nominee at July's Republican National Convention - cast ballots. The Republican contests in Florida and Ohio award all the state's delegates to the winner. If Trump, 69, could sweep those two states and pile up delegates elsewhere next week, it could knock home-state favorites Rubio and Kasich out of the race and make it tough for Cruz to catch him. "The biggest takeaway is that the Republican establishment is in its death throes. The only remaining candidates are 100 percent anti-establishment," said Mark Meckler, an early Tea Party movement founder. Republicans were also voting on Tuesday in caucuses in Hawaii. Many mainstream Republicans have been offended by Trump's statements on Muslims, immigrants and women and alarmed by his threats to international trade deals. Trump said on Tuesday he has not assembled a foreign policy team, despite having said he would have one in place by February, and dismissed criticism his statements would be harmful to U.S. interests. Anti-Trump Super PACS have spent millions of dollars on advertisements designed to attack Trump's character in Florida, a state Rubio calls home and Trump calls a second home. But Trump's relentless anti-free trade rhetoric and promise to slap taxes on cars and parts shipped in from Mexico resonated in Michigan, which has lost tens of thousands of manufacturing and auto industry jobs. Michigan was the state that spawned the term "Reagan Democrats" to refer to largely white, working-class voters who abandoned their party to vote Ronald Reagan into the White House in the 1980s. Sal Isabella, a Dearborn insurance agent, said he was for Trump because he would make things happen. "He'll be like Reagan," Isabella said. "He'll make some big changes and we need big changes. On the Democratic side, Sanders told reporters in Florida that the results in Michigan had been a repudiation of the opinion polls and the pundits who had written off his chances in the state. Polls had shown Clinton with a double-digit lead going into the primary. The U.S. senator from Vermont said it showed his political revolution was "strong in every part of the country. Frankly, we believe our strongest areas are yet to come." Clinton's campaign signaled ahead of Michigan that the race could be tight. Clinton, her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and daughter Chelsea Clinton all campaigned in the state over the past few days trying to garner last-minute votes. (Additional reporting by Emily Stephenson, Alana Wise and Amanda Becker in Washington, and Ginger Gibson in Concord, North Carolina; Editing by Peter Cooney, Frances Kerry and Jonathan Oatis) SALT LAKE CITY, UT--(Marketwired - March 09, 2016) - Teleperformance, the global leader in outsourced multichannel customer experience management, received a visit from Utah Governor Gary Herbert, along with Eric Nay, State Director of Business Development and Incentives, at its Salt Lake City contact center. Governor Herbert recognized Teleperformance for the company's business in the state and its unique veteran initiatives and job opportunities in the local Utah community and across the country. "Veterans are great employees, and I applaud Teleperformance, and businesses like them, for their unique veteran initiatives," Gov. Gary R. Herbert said. "Utah is a great place for veterans to work with the second lowest veteran unemployment rate in the country." This visit from the governor also comes on the heels of the 2015 Freedom Award awarded by the state of Utah, for the hiring of disabled veterans. Teleperformance currently employs approximately 26,000 U.S. employees in 26 contact centers in the United States, including more than 5,000 military veterans and their families, with around 3,000 hired in 2015 alone. "We are grateful for the strong relationship we have developed with the veteran community across the country," said Miranda Collard, Teleperformance President, Enterprise Service Delivery. "We admire these men and women and the sacrifices they have made for our country. We are honored to employ such hardworking, talented individuals at our company. Many of them have become an integral part of our leadership team and I am proud to work alongside them." In 2015, Teleperformance was recognized by several other individuals and organizations for its veteran hiring initiatives. Specifically, Jill Biden recognized the company for its Military Spouse Employment Partnership at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., earlier last year. The company made a pledge to continue hiring military spouses throughout its contact center locations across the United States. Teleperformance was recognized by GI Jobs Magazine for two consecutive years as a top Military Friendly employer. Additionally, Teleperformance was named the "Best of the Best" by U.S. Veterans Magazine. "Our veterans hiring initiative goes above and beyond simply employing former military members and their spouses," said Jim Phillips, Teleperformance Vice President of Recruiting. "We are truly passionate about this cause here at Teleperformance, and are continuously looking for ways to support the veteran community through not only improved hiring efforts but also through community outreach, volunteering and fund-raising efforts." Teleperformance U.S.A. holds several "GI Go Jeans for Troops" days each year in which employees donate money to dress down and all proceeds benefit military members and their families. This is one of several such charitable initiatives as part of the company's larger Citizen of the World program, which aims to help the world's most vulnerable populations meet their basic survival needs and ultimately reach their individual potential. ABOUT TELEPERFORMANCE GROUP Teleperformance, the worldwide leader in outsourced multichannel customer experience management, serves companies around the world with customer care, technical support, customer acquisition and debt collection programs. In 2014, it reported consolidated revenue of EUR2,758 million ($3,665 million, based on EUR1 = $1.33). The Group operates around 135,000 computerized workstations, with more than 182,000 employees across around 270 contact centers in 62 countries and serving more than 160 markets. It manages programs in 75 languages and dialects on behalf of major international companies operating in a wide variety of industries. Teleperformance shares are traded on the Euronext Paris market, Compartment A, and are eligible for the deferred settlement service. They are included in the following indices: STOXX 600, SBF 120, Next 150, CAC Mid 60 and CAC Support Services. Symbol: RCF - ISIN: FR0000051807 - Reuters: ROCH.PA - Bloomberg: RCF FP For more information: www.teleperformance.com Follow us: Twitter @teleperformance By Chris Arsenault TORONTO, March 9 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Global warming is making it easier for resource companies to ship supplies through Arctic waterways in northern Canada, but harder for remote communities to truck in food on winter ice roads, mining industry officials and indigenous leaders said. Shifting transportation patterns in the far north due to the changing climate are expected to reduce the cost of mining and other projects in once frozen coastal areas, while raising the price of goods for residents and businesses operating inland. Ice roads, built on frozen waterways, have until recently provided crucial winter transportation links to northern communities which have no regular road access. But rising temperatures are melting the ice sooner, making it harder to maintain the roads, cutting communities' crucial supply lines and forcing some to use aircraft to bring in food early and late in the winter. Many of the people living in northern Canada are indigenous and a high proportion are poor, so will find it hard to meet higher transportation costs for food and other essentials. Indigenous Inuit, once referred to as Eskimos, make up more than 80 percent of the roughly 35,000 population of Nunavut, Canada's northernmost, biggest and least populated territory. Like many northern Canada residents, they live on "country food" including seals, moose, caribou and other animals hunted on the land, and on food brought in by boat, aircraft or trucks using ice roads. "The winter road season for our communities in northern Ontario grows shorter every year due to climate change," Chief Isadore Day, an indigenous leader, told delegates at a mining conference in Toronto. "This has already resulted in greater feelings of mass isolation and communal helplessness." An online image of a fuel tanker plunging through an ice road in Canada's North West Territories went viral earlier this month, prompting discussions about the impacts of global warming on northern residents. Story continues While melting ice has made winter trucking more difficult, the summer shipping season in the far north has gotten longer, making it easier for some mining and other resource firms to move building materials through once frozen Arctic waters. TMAC Resources, a company developing a coastal gold mine at Hope Bay in Nunavut Territory, now has about 10 weeks each year, starting in August, when they can ship building materials to their concession site. Nunavut, four times larger than Sweden, holds vast mineral wealth, but challenging weather conditions, high costs, and a lack of transport links have made it hard for resource companies to operate there. "Sometimes the sea lanes will open earlier, but it's hard to gauge," company spokeswoman Ann Wilkinson told the Thomson Reuters Foundation on the sidelines of the mining conference, which ends on Wednesday. Processing facilities for the new gold mine her firm is digging will be shipped to the site in containers during the summer, saving money on expensive airlifts, she said. Last year, the firm shipped 60 million litres of diesel fuel to its mine site, the "biggest delivery Hope Bay has ever seen", Wilkinson said. It is unlikely, however, that melting sea ice will lead to a major increase in new resource projects in the region in the near future as commodity prices remain low, industry officials said. (Reporting By Chris Arsenault, editing by Tim Pearce. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org) Mexico Is Receiving Their 12th Atmospheric Water Generator & Puerto Rico Is Moving To Atmospheric Water Generators to Help Solve the Worst Drought in 20 Years PORT ST. LUCIE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / March 9, 2016 / Water Technologies International, Inc. (OTC Markets: WTII), the leader in the technology for atmospheric water generator's production and design, announced today that it has shipped it 12th Atmospheric Water Generator to Mexico. The WFC-15 unit has new technology designed to lower the energy requirements and make more water in areas with less relative humidity. Commercial Atmospheric Water Generators have been purchased and showcased throughout Mexico. Water Technologies has received indications of interest on the small, medium and large AWGs for use by municipalities, schools and hospitals. Most recently real estate developers have also shown interest in AWGs for large commercial and residential housing developments. Puerto Rico is facing the worst drought in 20 years and the most stringent water rationing that has ever been imposed. In some areas tap water is on for 24 hours and off for up to 72 hours. Water is actually being turned off in many towns on the island. Families, restaurants, schools, municipalities, public areas are most affected. The aging water infrastructure struggles to meet the needs of the population in many areas. Resource experts say many other countries face a similar potential water crisis as a result of La Nina. Water Technologies Inc.'s CEO, William Scott Tudor, said, "Both Mexico and Puerto Rico are in desperate need of clean drinking water for their people. When natural disasters are added into the equation it becomes a governmental responsibility to supply clean water and that is the situation Mexico and Puerto Rico have found themselves in. I know our products can make a difference in these areas. The warm and humid climate is perfect all year long for generating water from air. We have been working for months with these 2 new distributors. They have ongoing relationships with Governments and Institutions that can bring sales and long term partnerships to our company. The new distributors will cover two huge markets for Water Technologies' products. The need is growing because of the droughts, failing infrastructure and contamination of ground water supplies. There is a strong and immediate need for adequate clean water supplies to sustain life and provide water for industrial and real estate development projects!" For a direct link to a copy of the company's product information "Slick Sheets" visit our website at: www.gr8water.net/products/product-slick-sheets. For a direct link to a copy of the Patent Certificate visit our website at the "Our Business" tab under "Intellectual Properties" at: http://www.gr8water.net/our-business/intellectual-properties. About the Company Water Technologies International, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries, GR8 Water, Inc. (Great Water) and Aqua Pure International, Inc. (Specializing in Filtration Systems) are engaged in the manufacture and distribution of technologically advanced Atmospheric Water Generators (AWG). These unique devices utilize "Patents" & patents pending air purification input system to produce clean, great-tasting, safe water from the humidity in the air. GR8 Water makes freestanding water factory units for the home or office and large, industrial-sized water units using a modular design that can produce up to thousands of gallons of water each day from ambient air. GR8 Water strives to make safe drinking water available to everyone on the planet, making the world a better place in which to live while nurturing the environment. The Company has patents pending and has filed for additional patents with the USTPO. It has also filed globally through the Patent Cooperation Treaty. Its "Water village" trademark has been issued by the USPTO. A video showing the proof of concept prototype is available at the company's website, www.gr8water.net. Statement as to Forward-Looking Statements Forward-Looking Statements certain statements in this release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "future," "may," "will," "would," "should," "plan," "projected," "intend," and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company's future operating results are dependent upon many factors, including but not limited to the Company's ability to: (i) obtain sufficient capital or a strategic business arrangement to fund its expansion plans; (ii) build the management and human resources and infrastructure necessary to support the growth of its business; (iii) competitive factors and developments beyond the Company's control; and (iv) other risk factors. We assume no obligation to update the information contained in this news release. Contacts: For Further Information, Contact: Investor Relations for Water Technologies Intl., Inc. Gerald Kieft WSR Communications 772-219-7525 IR@WSRcommunications.com http://wsrcommunications.ir.stockpr.com/gr8water/overview SOURCE: Water Technologies Intl., Inc. For Immediate Release Chicago, IL March 09, 2016 Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses the Airlines, (Part 3), including Delta Air Lines (DAL), United Continental (UAL), Southwest Airlines (LUV), Alaska Air Group (ALK) and Virgin America (VA). Industry: Airlines, part 3 Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/74630/have-airline-stocks-lost-their-midas-touch It has been well over eighteen months now that oil prices have been on the decline. So, it is only natural that analysts must have taken into account this major tailwind for airline stocks while setting their earnings estimates. With cheap oil already priced in, it is no surprise that airline heavyweights like Delta Air Lines (DAL) and United Continental ( UAL) reported lower-than-expected earnings per share in the final quarter of 2015, despite enjoying the benefits of cheap oil. Moreover, rising labor costs have also not helped the bottom line of carriers, thus resulting in a few earnings misses in the last quarter of 2015. The fourth-quarter results of Delta, United Continental, Southwest Airlines (LUV) and Alaska Air Group ( ALK) bear testimony to the fact that expenses related to salaries, wages and related costs are currently the largest cost component for carriers, having relegated fuel expenses to the second position. With most airline companies in the pink of financial health, no wonder employees are demanding higher pays. Consequently, labor-related deals, aimed at increasing the remuneration of employees are highly prevalent in the industry at the moment. This has, in turn, hiked labor costs across the airline space. Revenue Weakness Persists The strength of the U.S. dollar has been the primary culprit responsible for the dismal top-line show of airline stocks. Of particular worry is the key revenue metric -- passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM: a measure of sales relative to capacity for a carrier). PRASM-related woes have plagued carriers throughout 2015 and as of now, show no signs of subsiding going forward. This can be made out from United Continentals anticipation of its PRASM declining in the range of 6% to 8% in the first quarter of 2016. American Airlines Group too has projected a 6% to 8% drop in PRASM for the first quarter. Low-cost carrier Virgin America ( VA) projects its PRASM to decrease in the range of 3% to 5% in the first quarter. Story continues Lower fuel surcharges on international flights due to weak oil prices have been one of the reasons behind the persistent decline in PRASM. Consequently, plunging oil prices have become a double-edged sword for carriers, boosting bottom lines and at the same time, hitting PRASM. Capacity and pricing have also haunted investors in the airline space for quite some time. Investors feared that the capacity expansion would lead to an oversupplied market even as fuel costs remained weak. The capacity additions could further result in a possible price war between legacy and low-cost airlines. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has projected that capacity expansion of 7.1% in 2016 will exceed the demand growth of 6.9% leading to a slip in load factor (% of seats filled by passengers). Paris Attacks The Nov 2015 terror attacks in Paris presented carriers another challenge to cope with. The deadly incident, which claimed over 125 lives, leaving several others injured, impacted tourism-focused stocks including airlines. Paris-based Air France-KLM Group stated that it has lost approximately $76 million in revenues as an aftermath of the attacks. Following the attacks, the U.S. State Department had issued a global travel alert to U.S. citizens asking them to be more vigilant, especially in crowded places, or while using any mode of transportation. This naturally hampered travel plans globally. Spread of the Zika Virus The outbreak of the mosquito-borne Zika virus in multiple countries, particularly in South and Central America, has been the latest challenge confronting airline stocks. The spread of the disease has caused many carriers to offer fliers (particularly pregnant women) refunds or options to reschedule their travel to Zika-affected areas at a later date. According to a recent Reuters report, bookings in areas in the Americas affected by the virus have declined by 3.4% in the Jan 15Feb 10 period, on a year-over-year basis. Not-So-Good Times for Regional Carriers Carriers in the regional airline space in the U.S. have been struggling to hire new pilots as they offer low pays compared to the bigger and more illustrious legacy carriers. As regional carriers are financially less rewarding, it is natural for new pilots to be attracted to the legacy carriers who, owing to their financial strength, can easily afford more lucrative compensation packages and benefits. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today. Find out What is happening in the stock market today on zacks.com. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report DELTA AIR LINES (DAL): Free Stock Analysis Report UNITED CONT HLD (UAL): Free Stock Analysis Report SOUTHWEST AIR (LUV): Free Stock Analysis Report ALASKA AIR GRP (ALK): Free Stock Analysis Report VIRGIN AMERICA (VA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. 2000 - 2022 24 .- . focus-news.net, () . 24 . 24 . . 24 . We value your privacy. 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Come and enjoy Read more [...] Liberal immigration plan seeks to bring more than 300,000 newcomers this yearThe Canadian PressFirst posted: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 12:59 PM EST | Updated: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 01:16 PM ESTOTTAWA -- The Liberal government is seeking a record number of new immigrants this year by increasing spaces available for family reunification and refugee resettlement.Between 280,000 and 305,000 new permanent residents will be admitted, a range that's the highest projected level in decades.Immigration Minister John McCallum said the plan is grounded in Canada's tradition of being a welcoming and generous country."It outlines a significant shift in immigration policy towards reuniting more families, building our economy and upholding Canada's humanitarian traditions to resettle refugees and offer protection to those in need," he said at a news conference in Brampton, Ont.Fewer spaces will be available to immigrants seeking to come for work, though McCallum said the high target mark of 162,400 people in economic programs is in line with admissions in recent years, even if the target itself is lower.The refugee program will see the biggest boost.In addition to the 25,000 Syrians the government has committed to resettling, it is prepared to triple the number of privately sponsored refugees this year, setting aside up to 18,000 spaces for them. In previous years, the number hovered around 6,000.The Liberals are also opening up thousands of new spots in the family class programs, mostly for spouses and children.While they are increasing the number of applications they'll accept for the popular parent and grandparent visa, they aren't raising the number of admissions in that program, as they continue to whittle away at a massive backlog.But McCallum says more resources will be devoted to getting wait times down for many immigration programs, saying the government will draw a lesson from how fast it managed to get through the Syrian refugee applications.Each November, the government is required to table a document in the House of Commons laying out how many new permanent residents it intends to accept in the coming year. The plan for 2016 was delayed by the October federal election.The Liberal government released its plan Tuesday for how many new permanent residents they will seek to welcome to Canada in 2016.The program is divided into three general streams -- economic, family and humanitarian -- and the Liberals say their plan represents a shift toward the latter two categories.Overall, they're looking to increase the maximum by about 20,000 more people than the previous Conservative government had aimed for last year.Here is a look at the Liberal plan and how it stacks up against previous ones, by the numbers:285,000 to 305,000151,200 to 162,40075,000 to 82,00051,000 to 57,000260,000 to 285,000172,100 to 186,70063,000 to 68,00024,900 to 30,200Actual admissions for 2015 are not yet available.240,000 to 265,000260,404151,400 to 167,200165,08963,000 to 68,00066,66125,600 to 29,70028,622240,000 to 265,000258,953152,100 to 162,300148,18163,800 to 73,50081,83124,000 to 29,00028,941 Copy/paste What has our new Prime Minister accomplished since being elected: 1) From his swearing-in on Nov. 4, 2015 to Feb 12, 2016, the Trudeau government distributed 208 cheques worth a combined $5.3 billion. But only $997 million was for projects inside the country. The rest $4.3 billion will be spent outside Canada on everything from aid for refugees to helping poor countries fight climate change. 2) Hired 2 nannies paid for by the taxpayer. 3) He and his family flew to the Caribbean for a 10 day winter vacation on a Department of National Defence Challenger jet, which cost about $10,000 per flying hour to operate but reimbursed the Canadian taxpayer only the cost of an economy air fare. Yet he could still afford to pay $2,500 US a night to stay in a 3,400-square-foot villa on the Island of Nevis. 4) He stopped the enforcement of the First Nations Financial Transparency Act (FNFTA) and restored full funding without any requirement of accountability. 5) He reinstated the Mandatory Long Form Census and the $500 fine or up to three months in prison for refusing to fill out the survey or providing false information. 6) In the rush to bring in the first phase of 25,000 refugees the government back in November had our military vacate their housing on 7 military bases and are still not allowed back. The reason? There is the possibility of more refugees moving into base housing as complaints of hotel accommodations become more frequent. Also there will be another influx of 25,000 more refugees by the end of 2016, to bring the total to 50,000. 7) His "secretive Board of Internal Economy" just gave all MP's a 20% increase in office expenses which will add an additional $57,690 for a new office budget total of $346,140 per MP and an additional $193,029 for a new office budget total of $1,158,117 for the Speaker. 8) He began discussions on decreasing the MP's workweek by 20% by dropping the Friday sitting of Parliament. The reason? To make Parliament a more family-friendly workplace. 9) He paid $32.9-million (U.S.) to maintain Canadas membership in the F-35 buyers pool, despite his election promise to exclude the aircraft when selecting this countrys next warplane. So how does he answer to that? He creates a new secretive government committee tasked with overseeing defence purchases. 10) He scrapped legislation introduced last year that allowed Canadians who held dual nationalities to be stripped of their Canadian citizenship if they were found guilty of terrorism, treason or spying offences. The first person that will benefit from this is Zakaria Amara the mastermind of the plot to bomb downtown Toronto in an effort to terrorize Canadians and cripple the economy. He will no longer be deported nor have his Canadian citizenship revoked. Now aren't we all glad we stopped Harper. 'Horror dentist' accused of mutilating patientsThe Associated PressFirst posted: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 09:51 AM EST | Updated: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 02:41 PM ESTPARIS -- A Dutchman dubbed the "horror dentist" by French media went on trial Tuesday, facing charges of intentional violence and fraud.Dentist Jacobus Van Nierop, who was arrested in New Brunswick in 2014 after fleeing France, could be sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined $413,000 if convicted. More than 50 victims are also seeking damages.Scores of people came forward with complaints ranging from multiple healthy teeth removed, pieces of tools left in teeth, abscesses, recurrent infections and misshapen mouths between 2009 and 2013.His trial in the central-eastern town of Nevers is expected to last until March 18, with a ruling expected later.One patient, Sylviane Boulesteix, has said she was unexpectedly summoned to his dental office in May 2012. Without warning, the dentist pulled eight of her teeth out and immediately fixed dentures on her raw gums. For three hours, the elderly woman says she sat gushing blood.In the following days, she says Van Nierop refused to relieve her pain. A judicial expert later described a "cruel and perverse" man whose incompetence made Boulesteix lose several healthy teeth, go through a trauma and suffer irreversible damage to her mouth.Van Nierop has said he remembers only one of the 75 patients who allegedly suffered "mutilations" or "permanent disabilities" at his hands between 2009 and 2013, according to court documents. He now has to face many of them in court."I dread the moment where I'll see him again because it won't be any longer the 100 kilograms rugby man who was smiling at us with disregard," Nicole Martin, president of a victim association, told The Associated Press on the eve of the trial.Van Nierop, who used the assumed first name Mark with his patients, refused to answer questions during the investigation, saying only that the oral health of people in the region was "deplorable."He claims he was suffering from a borderline personality disorder, complicated with a transgender issue and suicide attempts.Van Nierop entered Canada on Dec. 18, 2013, with the plan of meeting up with a woman he'd met online, despite being under conditions not to leave France.That relationship ended by the following May, but van Nierop remained in Canada beyond the time he was permitted, partly because he had no financial means to leave.According to a statement of facts in his Canadian extradition case, the RCMP went looking for van Nierop after receiving a complaint and determining he was the subject of an Interpol notice.He was located on Labour Day 2014 in an apartment in Nackawic, west of Fredericton.A woman answered the door, but van Nierop was locked in a bathroom. The statement of facts says that when officers decided to enter, they found that van Nierop had tried to commit suicide.In a strange twist, van Nierop told a 2014 hearing in Shediac, N.B., he thought he was being held in connection with the murder of his wife in the Netherlands in 2006. That piece of information caught both the Canada Border Services Agency and the commissioner hearing the case off guard.He was ordered extradited to the Netherlands and then deported to France.Detained in a French prison since January 2015, he staged several hunger and thirst strikes, and once swallowed razor blades before he was to be questioned by the investigating judge.Questioned about the alleged mutilations suffered by his patients, van Neirop said: "It does not affect me.""I'm totally blocked from the inside and I don't want to explain it all," he told the investigating judge, according to court documents. "You can lock me up for years ... it will not change."The dentist had been welcomed by local people when he opened his office in 2008 in Chateau-Chinon, a small town located in a remote part of the Burgundy region with a status of a "medical desertification area."Investigators said Van Nierop provided false documents to be allowed to practice dentistry in France, gaining tax and economic benefits, and concealed that he was the subject of disciplinary proceedings in his own country.He allegedly overcharged his patients, billed them for imaginary dental care or intentionally did bad work which required further appointments and payments, according to court documents.Van Nierop, who lived in a luxurious home outside the town, had debts of nearly 1 million euros, officials said.Dutch dentist, Jacobus Van Nierop, is pictured in his dental office in Chateau-Chinon, France, in this photo dated May 16, 2009. Van Nierop dubbed the horror dentist by French media went on trial March 8, 2016, facing charges of intentional violence and fraud. (AP Photo/Christophe Masson) Brothel owner made sex slaves eat live snakesPostmedia NetworkFirst posted: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 01:21 PM EST | Updated: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 02:00 PM ESTA woman in Wales who kept a brothel of young Nigerian women , and frightened them into sex work with voodoo rituals that included eating live snakes, has been ordered to pay restitution to her victims.Lizzy Idahosa, 26, was sentenced to eight years in jail in 2014. A court this week ordered her to pay the trafficked women $40,000.The jury heard from two young women during Idahosas original trial, who said the madam subjected them to juju rituals before they were allowed to travel with her to London.The women said they visited a witch doctor and were forced to eat live snakes and snails.Once in Britain, where they had hoped for a better life, the women were forced into sex work, handing over every penny they made to Idahosa.They said they were terrified to disobey Idahosa for fear the juju powers would kill them or drive them insane.It was not a big snake, but it was alive. I just closed my eyes and put it in my mouth, one girl was quoted as saying in the U.K. Daily Mail. They told me if I messed if up, I would get sent back to Nigeria and Lizzy would kill me. I wanted to stop. I was ashamed of myself and I had no life. An acknowledged Middle East expert, dynamic speaker, author of retired intelligence officer and recovering CNN and NBC military analyst Lt Col Rick Francona offers his thoughts and opinions on various Middle East topics. Recommended by TIME.com, CNN.com, MSNBC.com and the Chicago Sun-Times. They dont call it Comper Care for nothing. Plattsmouths newest business, Comper Care Outpatient Center, was dubbed so by its owners, Ranny Perez and Ren Combaceler, to illustrate their commitment to providing physical/occupational/speech therapies, home-health care and home companion care in a personalized and compassionate way. Both Ranny and Ren are physical therapists, said Comper Care administrator Amie Schrack, R.N. MHA. They had been working for others and decided in 2008 they should open up a home-health agency in Omaha. Ranny wanted to call it Compassionate Care and Ren said it should be personalized care, so they came up with Comper Care. Since their opening eight years ago in Omaha, the business has excelled with its home-health services. Comper Care became very successful, Schrack said. Then, we decided to expand and offer companion care, which is non-medical care such as helping with bathing and light housekeeping. Its for the person who isnt ready for assistant living or a nursing home. It allows them to have security in their home and maintain their independence. Two years ago, they realized they were providing these services in the Plattsmouth area as well from their Omaha location. We thought, Why not provide physical therapy and home health care locally? On March 4, Comper Care added its second location at 205 S. 23rd St. Suite 1 in Plattsmouth, just off of Highway 75. An estimated 100 people attended the grand opening in Plattsmouth that day and by March 7 Schrack said they had seen their first patient. We can provide physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy in the privacy of someones home. We also offer skilled nursing services such as medication management, wound care and IV therapies, Schrack said. What makes us different is we have not only have a physical therapist, but we also have an occupational therapist and a speech therapist. We have a full range of services. We are not limited. The entire management team has experience in their profession and they still see patients. We refuse to be a corporate-structured entity. Their physical therapist has more than 20 years of experience in outpatient home-health as well as orthopedic certification. We treat everyone we meet like family. People love our team and like the way we treat people, she said. Unlike some of its competitors, Comper Care works with almost all insurance companies. We do accept insurance that is tough to place or that most providers would refuse. We accept VA benefits. Veterans are very near and dear in my heart. We accept private pay and a variety of insurances. Sometimes, if a patients insurance only pays for five visits, we will throw in two more, because we know we are building in our community. We give complimentary examinations at no charge for home healthcare, Schrack said. In addition to serving as an outpatient center in Plattsmouth, Comper Care also will be offering wellness programs such as yoga, jazzercise, stress management and massage. Were looking to expand even more, Schrack said. Comper Care has plans to offer a free wellness health fair in May at Waterford at Woodbridge. Walk-ins are welcome for people to come in and ask questions and check out our equipment. We do have specialized equipment such as E-stem and hand-splinting for carpal tunnel syndrome. Schrack said Comper Care staff will be involved in the community. We are active with the Plattsmouth Chamber of Commerce and the Plattsmouth Main Street Association. We are a member of Rotary Club, she said. In addition, staff members enjoy speaking to civic groups, church groups, senior citizens and students about health and wellness. The lower level of the building will be used for classes, banquets and meetings. We will be offering continuing education classes for physical therapists, occupational therapists and professional nurses, she said. Comper Care Outpatient Center in Plattsmouth is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or by appointment for people who are not available during those hours. For more information about Comper Care call 402-298-4555. Former Sen. Ben Nelsons daughter, Sarah, died from a fall at her home in Palm Springs, Calif., over the weekend. Sarah Nelson, 46, who grew up in Omaha and graduated from Duchesne Academy, had been on and off crutches after ankle surgery. She was at home alone when the accident occurred. It is unimaginable to think that shes gone, Nelson said during a telephone conversation Tuesday. She would want me to get through it even though I cant ever get over it, he said. Sarah was one of the most well-liked persons ever. She was a delight and we were as close as a father and a daughter could ever be. Nelson said he will get through this with faith, family and friends. Nelson represented Nebraska in the Senate from 2001 to 2013 and was governor from 1991 to 1999. Sen. Ben Sasse responded to news of Sarah Nelsons death. Melissa and I are devastated by this tragedy and offer our thoughts and prayers for the entire Nelson family, he said. As the parents to three kids, our hearts go out to those who were close to Sarah. Nebraskans will hold the Nelson family close during this time of heartbreak. Sen. Deb Fischer also offered her condolences in a statement: I was heartbroken to learn of the tragic passing of Sarah Nelson. The loss of a child is simply beyond comprehension. Gov. Pete Ricketts added his sympathy to the Nelson family: We can only begin to understand how difficult this loss is. We ask Nebraskans to join us in keeping their family in your thoughts and prayers. A package of juvenile justice bills, including one that would ensure attorneys are appointed for juveniles, advanced from the first round of debate in the Legislature Tuesday. The bill (LB894), introduced by Lincoln Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, included amendments that incorporated other juvenile justice bills including one (LB845) that would provide definitions and standards for the recording and reporting of juveniles being placed in solitary confinement, or room confinement at juvenile facilities and adult jails. Another bill (LB893) amended into the measure would require that a juvenile would have to be at least 11 to be prosecuted for a criminal law violation or as ungovernable, in juvenile or adult court. The juvenile court in each county would have jurisdiction of children 10 and younger who violate the law. Minors in Nebraska dont get attorneys to represent them about a third of the time. Its up to a parent or guardian whether to retain a lawyer. In some parts of the state, 60 percent to 75 percent of kids waive their right to an attorney. Sometimes those kids get the impression that if they do so, they will be treated more leniently, she said. Local property taxpayers must pick up the tab for the attorneys. Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus was concerned about the expense of mandating counties to appoint attorneys for all juveniles accused of crimes. It just piles on to property taxpayers who fund county government, he said. This is part of the quagmire that we find ourselves in when we start struggling with how to work magic with property taxes, Schumacher said. This is what the counties are screaming about. Senators hear a lot of consternation coming from agricultural property taxpayers because the Legislature continues to pile on tax burdens without accepting the responsibility of paying for them, Schumacher said. And this is a major expense, he said. Meanwhile we are pretending that we can do tax cuts at the state level next year, in income taxes, or foist something onto the sales taxpayer, he said. Its not fair in this environment to put the bill with the property taxpayer. The extra cost to Lancaster County, for example, would be about $65,000. The judges in both Lincoln and Omaha said this would save both time and money, Pansing Brooks countered. It would ensure kids arent pleading to something when they dont know the repercussions. I cant think of a bill that is more important, she said. The bill advanced to a second round of consideration on a 31-0 vote. Our ninth week of session Days 34 through 37 of our 60-day session adjourned Thursday. On Monday, and part of Tuesday, we debated and defeated LB371, which created the Nebraska Council for Educational Success. The council would have consisted of 21 members, including the governor, the commissioner of education, the chancellor and president of the Nebraska state college system, commissioner of labor, and an individual representing the business interests. There also would have been one parent on the council with a child in any of grades K-12. The objective of this council would have essentially been to recommend policy changes to the Education Committee of the Legislature. The proponents argued a new council was necessary because of term limits, since the council would help add consistency and permanency to Nebraskas educational policy. Opponents countered two councils already exist with many of the same goals and individuals: the P-16 Council and the council created by Governor Ricketts. LB371 would have been duplicative and also carried a fiscal note of $50,000 from the states general fund and $250,000 from the Department of Educations budget. I voted no with the opponents. LB919 advanced to Select File. This bill expands the use of problem-solving courts in Nebraska. Problem-solving courts use evidence-based outcomes to achieve positive results to address specific needs and problems that could not be addressed in traditional courts. Problem-solving courts promote results that benefit the offender, the victim, and communities. Types of problems addressed by these courts are drug abuse, mental illness, DUIs, and domestic violence. The bill expands the use to include problem-solving courts for veterans to help address the issues unique to our nations soldiers. Another bill debated was LB83 it advanced to Select File with a small majority. The amendment to LB83 replaced the bill entirely and redefined the word employer in Neb. Rev. Stat. 48-1220. For the purposes of discriminatory wage practices based on sex, employer shall now mean any person engaged in an industry who has two or more employees for each working day in each of twenty or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year. Prior to LB83, the definition of employer applied to any person engaged in an industry who has fifteen or more employees. The smaller number of two employees creates more burdens for our smaller, rural businesses, including women in agriculture. It was made into a gender issue on the floor of the Legislature. I did not support this bill. Finally, an additional bill that merits mentioning is LB344. This bill was hotly debated on Thursday. It would grant NRDs the authority to issue general obligation bonds for the purpose of financing all or part of the cost of non-revenue-producing water projects authorized by law. Issuance of the bonds shall be approved by two-thirds of the members of the board of directors of the district. I, along with other senators, argued that Nebraskans right now are struggling to pay their property taxes, so why introduce another avenue through which the people would be charged more property taxes? I oppose this legislation. Please contact me; my administrative aide, Katie Wattermann; or my legislative aide, Brett Waite, with questions or concerns at (402) 471-2728 or by email at lbrasch@leg.ne.gov; or stop by Room 1016 if you are in the Capitol. If you would like to follow the Legislature online you can visit http://netnebraska.org/basic-page/television/live-demand-state-government. Live broadcasting is also available on NET2. This past week in the Legislature signaled the end of what many feel is the most important phase of our process here. The public hearing portion of the session has now been completed. As many of you know, Nebraska allows public testimony in the form of a hearing on any bill so long, obviously, as it has a current senator introducing it. Every year I will get requests, in one form or another, to introduce bills well after the time allowed for bill introduction. I also have people contact my office or come to the capitol wanting to talk to committees about a bill after public hearings have ended. It is a great system but one that does come with deadlines. We begin all-day debate on the legislative floor Monday. Ive spoken before about a constitutional amendment that had been offered dealing with the Right to Farm. Ive spoken about the procedure of a constitutional amendment and my misgivings about this idea for this topic. As Ive said, on its face, this concept appears to be a no-brainer in a state such as ours but, as I have learned during my time here, nothing ever is quite as it seems. I was quoted as saying I felt this measure was dead for this session as a result of committee action that had only two senators favoring advancing the notion. Three senators, myself included, either voted against this amendment or abstained. I abstained from voting for this measure for several reasons but primarily, I was concerned as to whether this offering should be a part of our Nebraska Constitution or should we look at it over the summer and decide if a statutory fix is more in order. Also, I noted in conversation with the various ag groups in the state that support was only lukewarm at best. Members of the committee that are attorneys promised a filibuster on the issue if it were to appear on the floor. I felt comfortable at that point that the wishes of the committee had been fulfilled. Early this past week however, I was approached by the sponsor of the Constitutional Amendment who assured me he now had the necessary five votes to pull this out of committee if we were to reconsider and that an amendment was to be offered. It is my choice if we are to re-consider and I really had second thoughts but I allowed this if he could assure me he had the majority. We held an executive meeting and the offering was advanced by the necessary number of members of the committee. I still abstained from voting and will oppose this bill when it comes for debate on the floor. The amendment offered will possibly deal with water rights but we may have to get an attorney generals opinion on this. As I said, I am disappointed this amendment will advance but that is the wishes of the committee and I respect that. As I began this offering, I do respect our system in Nebraska and this is a part of the process. Hoping to continue the great institution we have here in Nebraska, I want to mention a program offered through the Legislature, the Clerk of the Legislature and the University of Nebraska/Lincoln Extension 4-H Youth Development Office. The Unicameral Youth Legislature will be offered June 5-8. High school students with an interest in law, government, leadership or public speaking are encouraged to give this program consideration. This program is a four-day simulation of legislative activity conducted at the State Capitol Building. Student senators will sponsor bills, conduct committee hearings, debate legislation and explore the process of the Unicameral. Current senators and their staff personnel will guide the attendees as they consider issues based on current legislative issues. Those attending are housed at the University and daily transportation and meals are provided. More information and registration forms can be obtained from the Unicameral Youth Legislation page: www.NebraskaLegislature.gov/uyl. Registration is due by May 15. "Everyone deserves to live a life free of violence." The Bridge is driven by that belief and commitment every day. The recent murders of two brothers in Omaha trying to help their sister leave an abusive ex-boyfriend reinforces the importance of that commitment. Victims of abuse cautiously try to find a way out after determining the abuser isn't stopping. It is natural for family members, friends and co-workers to want to help someone leave the abuser. Many times the concern for the victim outweighs the fear of the consequences of her leaving the perpetrator. If you are being abused, it is important that you develop a safety plan for yourself , your children and those who are helping you so that you will know in advance what you can do when a situation occurs. There are steps you can take to reduce the risk of harm and to get out. Connect with The Bridge. We are a 24 hour agency that works with victims of abuse. We can talk out safety concerns and options confidentially including a safe place to stay. (24 hr crisis line 1-888-721-4340 or 402-727-7777). Identify safe places and safe people you can let know what is going on including a police officer, probation officer, co-worker, neighbor, family or friends. The more people aware of your situation, the safer everyone will be. Leave money, an extra set of keys, copies of important documents, and extra clothes with someone you can trust so you can leave quickly if necessary. If in immediate danger CALL 911. Tell them about the abuse. They can help and connect you to safe services. There are protections for victims of domestic violence and The Bridge is here to help and offer safety and support. Be careful. Try not to place yourself in a position where the person who is being abusive could harm or manipulate you. Dont try to intervene directly if you witness a person being assaulted call the police instead. For more information contact The Bridge 888-721-4340. Suzanne Smith The Bridge Crisis Center A bill granting the University of Nebraska exemptions to the states public records laws advanced from first-round debate in the Nebrasksa Legislature Tuesday. Senators voted 36-1 in backing the bill (LB1109) sponsored by Sen. John Murante of Gretna to allow NU to publicly name a single priority candidate for positions like system president and campus chancellor. The lone finalist would then be subject to a 30-day vetting period in which he or she would appear at a series of public forums. Only then could the choice be approved by the NU Board of Regents. What is contained in LB1109 would maintain one of the most open and transparent processes of hiring a university president in the nation, Murante said. Murante, who worked with Regent Howard Hawks of Omaha in writing the bill, said it would maintain the transparency of top administrative searches while eliminating the competitive disadvantage some say the university faces now. In a committee hearing, NU President Hank Bounds offered a blistering critique of how current laws hamstrung the current search for a new UNL chancellor. Because the state requires NU to publicly identify four finalists for its top positions, fewer candidates are willing to throw their names into the ring, he said. Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley of Kearney, who has served on search committees in academia before, said NU is at a disadvantage compared with other institutions across the country particularly those in the Big Ten Conference where searches are more shrouded. But a handful of senators led by Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha rose in opposition to the bill, saying it carved out protections for a single entity instead of fixing any perceived faults with existing public records laws. Chambers, who vowed to defeat the bill through filibuster if necessary, framed the debate as a mini-civil war between transparent government and business interests at NU. The public has a right to be aware of the critical decisions being made and to participate when the point is reached when they narrow the field to four candidates, he said. Advertisement Instead of following the lead of other universities in the Big Ten with less public searches, Chambers said, NU should seek to be a city on a hill when it comes to public vetting of candidates for its top administrative jobs. Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte criticized the bill for only providing protection for a small set of public positions. He said municipalities are required to list the identities of four candidates for dogcatcher, if asked by a member of the public. All the other public employees are they equal or not? Groene asked. Sen. Beau McCoy of Omaha, who offered the only dissenting vote Tuesday, said LB1109 eliminates the ability of students, faculty and staff to talk to a group of job candidates about the future of the university. Instead, Nebraskans at public hearings would only have the ability to determine whether they care or dont care about one candidate, McCoy said. Thats not transparency, thats not accountability, not in my view. Sen. Kate Sullivan of Cedar Rapids said LB1109 did not foster any good will between the Legislature and the university. A public university, I believe, is held to a higher standard, she said. Public is really what its all about and LB1109 flies in the face of it. Referring to the broader political climate across the country, Sullivan said citizens feel disenfranchised by the big guys. I think LB1109 kind of smacks at that, Sullivan added. I think our current system has produced some wonderful administrators for our institution. A motion by Chambers to indefinitely postpone the bill was defeated before the vote on first-round consideration. Chambers was among 12 senators who did not vote. Turkeys low cost carrier Pegasus Airlines announced a new destination; Gabala - best known for its lush landscapes and rich cuisine in Azerbaijan. Starting from 18 March, Pegasus Airlines will fly from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen to Azerbaijans Gabala. One of Azerbaijans top tourism spots and an exciting off-the-beaten-track destination for international travelers, Gabala is best known for its lush landscapes and rich cuisine. Visitors of Gabala can enjoy its unique natural beauty, charming villages, delicious local dishes and cultural monuments reflecting the citys vast heritage. Music-lovers can attend Gabalas annual International Music Festival while its open air amusement park, Gabaland, is perfect for guests travelling with children with its many attractions. Flights between London Stansted and London Gatwick to Gabala via Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen will operate three times weekly. Pegasus guests can book their flights to Gabala with fares starting from 38 GBP. London flights connecting to Gabala via Istanbul depart from London Stansted at 13:20 and from London Gatwick at 11:40 three times weekly on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays with the flights connecting on from Istanbul at 22:40. The flights return from Gabala Airport at 04:55 on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Marco Polo Hotels has announced the appointment of Mr. Philip Schaetz. Mr. Philip Schaetz named Vice President, Sales & Marketing, succeeding Dr. Jennifer Cronin who was promoted to President of the company last month. Most recently in the capacity of Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing of Dorsett Hospitality International, Philip was instrumental in successfully launching the Dorsett brand portfolio, resulting in the hotel chain winning several accolades, including Travel Weekly Asias coveted Readers Choice award for Best Hotel Chain (regional) in 2015. Philip spent 16 years with Hyatt Hotels Corporation and held senior management positions at both corporate and property level across Europe, Asia Pacific and the Head Office in Chicago. He achieved the role of Vice President of Revenue Management for Hyatts International portfolio based in Chicago. Prior to his Dorsett tenure, he was Vice President of Revenue Management and Distribution for the Minor Hotel Group Ltd in Thailand. Philip is well-versed in sales, revenue management and distribution, electronic distribution and marketing strategies, public relations, brand development and sales training. 2016 is going to be an exciting year for Marco Polo Hotels and as such, we are delighted to have Philip leading our Marketing Division, said Dr. Cronin. With his extensive experience in various regions of the world and his ability to drive business from both a property and corporate level, we are confident that he will elevate the performances of our hotels with immediate results. Philip graduated from the University of Las Vegas, Nevada (UNLV) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Hotel Administration. James E. Thompson MANLY James Edward Thompson, 72, of Manly, died Sunday, March 6, 2016, at the Muse Norris Inpatient Unit, Hospice of North Iowa, Mason City. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 10, 2016, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church 428 W. Walnut St., Manly. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 9, 2016, at Bride Colonial Chapel, 110 Spring St., Manly, and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. In lieu of customary remembrances, Jims family suggests memorials to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 428 W. Walnut St., Manly, IA; Manly Fire Department, 333 S. Grant St., Manly, IA; or Muse Norris Inpatient Unit, Hospice of North Iowa, 232 Second Street S.E., Mason City, IA. James Thompson was born June 11, 1943, the son of Orville and Esther (Vaage) Thompson in Forest City. He spent his younger years in Fertile and Hanlontown living with his grandparents, while his father was in the military. Jim graduated from Mason City High School in 1962. Shortly after graduation, Jims father passed, and Jim began working at Decker Meat Packing plant to help provide for his mother and two brothers. Jim was drafted into the Army, but instead he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1965 and was honorably discharged in 1967. Upon returning from the military, Jim continued working for Armour in Mason City, until his retirement in 2006. Jim married Sheryl Meyer on Feb. 9, 1974, in Hampton, Iowa and to this union three children were born, Chad, Tami, and Todd. He was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, president of the Church Council, a member of the Parish Council, on the Manly Retirement Apartments Board and the Edward Tosel American Legion Post 110 in Manly. Jim was also a member of the Mens group and volunteered every Thursday as a VA Van driver, taking veterans from Mason City to Des Moines, and helped Sheryl with her business, Thompson Upholstery. In his free time, Jim enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, fishing, bowling, going to the casino and visiting his family and friends. Jim is survived by his wife, Sheryl Thompson, Manly; his children, Chad (Ellen) Thompson, Urbandale, Tami (Brian) Thoreson, Forest City, and Todd (Stefani) Thompson, Cedar Falls; seven grandchildren; a brother, Jeff Thompson, Mason City; sister-in-law, Peggy Thompson, St. Ansgar; mother-in-law, Irene Meyer, Hampton; brother-in-law, Roger (Patty) Meyer, Latimer; and a sister-in-law, Sandra (Bob) Bice, Mason City; as well as several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Orville and Esther (Vaage) Thompson, a brother, Steven Thompson, maternal grandparents, Ed and Anna Vaage, paternal grandparents, Oscar and Hilda Thompson and father-in-law, Otto Meyer. Bride Colonial Chapel, 110 Spring St., Manly, IA; 641-454-2242. Amid the brouhaha prompted by Donald Trumps fumbled rejection of Ku Klux Klansman David Duke, House Speaker Paul Ryan sought to refute suggestions the Republican Party condones racism. This party does not prey on peoples prejudices, Ryan told reporters. We appeal to their highest ideals. This is the party of Lincoln. Although Ryans reputation on racial issues is beyond reproach, its not quite that simple. For more than a generation, many top Republicans have, through action or inaction, curried favor with or at least condoned the elements in American society that have played on racial prejudices and fears. To be fair, neither partys hands are clean when it comes to the racial divisions that have riven this country since its beginnings. For a century after the Civil War, Northern Democrats relied on racist Southern allies in seeking national majorities. Their most fabled leaders included presidents Woodrow Wilson, who expanded segregation within the federal government and fired many black employees, and John F. Kennedy, whose federal court choices included a segregationist judge who once called voting rights plaintiffs a bunch of chimpanzees in the infamous Mississippi Burning trial. Into the early 1960s, Lincolns influence still pervaded the GOP; Southern Republican judges named by President Dwight Eisenhower for helping his 1952 campaign were crucial in ending legal segregation, and Republican lawmakers played a major role in enacting the initial civil rights acts. But starting in 1964, when GOP nominee Barry Goldwater carried five Southern states after opposing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 while Democrat Lyndon Johnson embraced civil rights, the balance between the two parties changed dramatically. As the Democrats attracted much of the expanding black vote, Republicans increasingly sought common ground with white Southern opponents of civil rights. They pressed racially tinged issues, such as opposition to school busing and support of states rights. Ronald Reagan opened his 1980 campaign by pointedly defending states rights in an area of Mississippi where three civil rights workers were murdered in 1964. There is no more apt symbol of GOP ambivalence on racial issues than former President George H.W. Bush. Son of a Connecticut senator who voted for the first Civil Rights Act in 1957, he condemned the sweeping 1964 Civil Rights Act when seeking the Senate that year and assailed his Democratic rival for backing it. As a House member in 1968, he courageously voted for a law banning housing discrimination. But his successful 1988 presidential campaign included what many regarded as a racist appeal using the horrific case of an African-American, Willie Horton, who committed rape and assault while on furlough from Massachusetts, where he had been convicted of murder. In 1989, as president, Bush celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act he had once condemned. Later, he filled the Supreme Court seat of the nations first African-American Justice, Thurgood Marshall, with a black conservative, Clarence Thomas, whose views were anathema to Marshall and most black Americans. The outpouring of minority and young voters, who helped elect Barack Obama in 2008 as the first African-American president, apparently prompted Republicans to enact new legal barriers to voting. A court challenge led to the 2013 Supreme Court decision to invalidate a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Numerous GOP-controlled states passed restrictive voter identification laws aimed at alleged though virtually non-existent fraud while others limited early voting and registration procedures used to expand minority and youth voting. The Republican majority of Congress, which almost unanimously backed extension of the Voting Rights Act just 10 years ago, refused to even consider reviving the invalidated section that the Supreme Court said should be updated for changing circumstances. Opposition from hard-core GOP conservatives also prompted House Republicans to refuse to consider a Senate-passed immigration reform bill despite widespread belief a bipartisan majority favored some form of the measure. Trumps railing against Mexicans and Muslims is but the latest manifestation of an increasingly virulent GOP attitude toward immigrants. California is the prime example of the political impact of such attitudes. GOP Gov. Pete Wilsons 1994 adoption of a hard-line against governmental benefits for illegal immigrants helped consign his party to minority status. Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a moderate on social issues, is the only Republican to win a major California statewide race since then. Speaker Ryan, by all accounts an eminently fair and moderate man, is hardly to blame for his partys sad history over the past half century. But Republicans abandoned their historical role as Lincolns heirs long before Donald Trump emerged. Because vandals are so hard to track down, we may never know who spray-painted a sign at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Mason City. The sign promoted what had been, by all counts, a wonderful concert by the Twin Cities Gay Mens Chorus several days before. But well probably never know whether it was a random act of vandalism or, more likely, a hate crime protesting the appearance by the gay mens chorus. Whatever the case, we want to make a point: This vandalism is despicable. This is not Mason City. Not today. Not for the vast majority of its residents. The Rev. Chuck Kelsey, pastor at First Congregational, agrees. I thought we were past that, Kelsey said. His view was reflected in the response to the concert by the chorus. People really loved it, he said. We trust the gay mens chorus got the message of welcoming and appreciation of their music that so many people showed. And if theyve heard of the vandalism, we trust they understand that it absolutely does not represent North Iowa. Proud of their musical ability, the Twin Cities Gay Mens Chorus will continue to share their great talents. The vandal or vandals, meanwhile, will can continue living in the shadows of hate and cowardice. Hopefully, theyll be found out and prosecuted; in fact, if anyone has any information at all, please contact the Police Department at 641-421-3636. Lets show the chorus and everyone else that Mason City will not tolerate hate crimes. Period. Latvian English Riga, 2016-03-08 14:57 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corrections: Announcement supplemented with corrections in the first and second paragraphs JSC Latvijas Balzams informs that in compliance with the decision from March 3, 2016 by the Council of Latvijas Balzams, Seymour Paul Ferreira has resigned from his temporary position of the Chairman of the Board of JSC Latvijas Balzams, following the appointment of the new Chairman of the Board and CEO - Intars Geidans. Seymour Paul Ferreira continues in his role as Chairman of the Board and CEO of Amber Beverage Group, the majority shareholder of JSC Latvijas Balzams. Intars Geidans has proved himself as dedicated manager working for Latvijas Balzams in the position of director of Logistics Department for 5 years.Intars Geidans holds a bachelor degree in Business Administration from the University of Latvia. Intars Geidans holds a Bachelor degree in Business Administration from the University of Latvia. Ronalds Zarinovs will continue to fulfil his duties of deputy chairman of the board and Jekaterina Stuge her duties of the board member. Intars Geidans has been assigned sole representation rights of the company, while all the other board members have the right to represent the company together with another member of the board. About JSC Latvijas balzams: JSC Latvijas balzams is the largest producer of alcoholic beverages in the Baltics with a history steeped in tradition since 1900. It is part of the leading wine and spirits holding company in the Baltic countries, Amber Beverage Group, which is part of SPI Group. JSC Latvijas balzams represents 26% of the Baltic alcoholic beverages market. Our greatest pride, Riga Black Balsam, is one of the oldest beverage brands in Europe, dating back to 1752. The company has a distillery for strong alcoholic beverages and a sparkling wine and light alcoholic beverage production plant in Riga. JSC Latvijas balzams employs 600 people and is one of the biggest taxpayers in Latvia. With more than 100 product names, the company is represented in almost all segments of strong and light alcoholic beverages, with many market leaders in Latvia. Among the companys products are such worldwide renowned brands as Stolichnaya Premium Vodka, Moskovskaya Vodka, Riga Black Balsam, and the most popular local sparkling wines Rigas Sparkling Wines. JSC Latvijas balzams is one of the most significant exporters in Latvia. Its products are available in more than 160 countries through SPI Group and in over 35 markets through direct export. The companys quality management system is certified in accordance with ISO standards. Our beverages have won hundreds of awards in various international and domestic competitions and has obtained numerous quality certificates. JSC Latvijas balzams was awarded a silver medal in the Sustainability Index 2014, improving its overall performance compared to the previous year. TORONTO, March 08, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sprott Inc. (TSX:SII) today announced that it will host a conference call on Friday, March 11, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. ET to discuss its 2015 annual financial results. Peter Grosskopf, CEO of Sprott Inc., will chair the call. The Company plans to release its financial results at 7:00 a.m. ET the same day. Conference Call Details To participate in the call, please dial (877) 930-8292 ten minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call and provide conference ID 65449483. The conference call will be webcast live at www.sprottinc.com and http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/qs3pffpj and a replay will be available until Friday, March 18, 2016 by calling (855) 859-2056, conference ID 65449483. About Sprott Inc. Sprott Inc. is a leading independent asset manager dedicated to achieving superior returns for its clients over the long term. The Company currently operates primarily through six business units: Sprott Asset Management LP, Sprott Private Wealth LP, Sprott Consulting LP, Sprott Resource Lending Corp., Sprott Toscana and Sprott U.S. Holdings Inc. Sprott Asset Management is the investment manager of the Sprott family of mutual funds and hedge funds and discretionary managed accounts; Sprott Private Wealth provides wealth management services to high net worth individuals; and Sprott Consulting and Sprott Toscana provide management, administrative and consulting services to other companies. Sprott Resource Lending provides lending services to companies in the mining and energy sectors. Sprott U.S. Holdings Inc. includes Sprott Global Resource Investments Ltd, Sprott Asset Management USA Inc., and Resource Capital Investments Corporation. Sprott Inc. is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "SII". For more information on Sprott Inc., please visit www.sprottinc.com. DENVER, March 8, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PCL Construction offices across the United States are celebrating Women in Construction Week, March 6 through March 12. The week, started by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) is an opportunity to highlight the growing role of women in the construction industry. "Women in Construction Week is a great time for all employees to celebrate the contributions and achievements of the women of PCL," said Kelli Kelly, director of diversity and inclusion for PCL. "By recognizing the unique talents each employee brings to the company, PCL will only become a stronger, more competitive company." As part of the celebration, PCL's US Head Office hosted a panel discussion, which was live streamed to PCL's offices across the US on Tuesday, March 8 as well as live tweeted on PCL's Twitter feed. The panel featured women from across PCL's US operating locations, with different positions, backgrounds, and experience being showcased. The panel was moderated by Shaun Yancey, president and COO of PCL's US Operations. According to NAWIC, women make up about nine percent of the construction industry, a statistic that PCL has consistently tried to increase throughout the years through a proactive approach of intentional inclusivity. More details on how PCL Construction approaches diversity and inclusion in its workforce can be found at PCL.com. About PCL Construction PCL is a group of independent construction companies that carries out work across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and in Australia. These diverse operations in the civil infrastructure, heavy industrial, and buildings markets are supported by a strategic presence in 31 major centers. Together, these companies have an annual construction volume of more than $7 billion, making PCL one of the largest contracting organizations in North America. Watch us build at PCL.com. Nearly 60 Percent Would Consider Booking a Last-Minute Hotel Room After a Night of Revelry Save 20 Percent on Last-Minute Mobile Bookings to Keep the Party Going CHICAGO, March 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pack some green garb in your carry-on and save! According to CheapTickets.com, a leading seller of discounted travel products, nearly one-third of Americans have traveled for St. Patricks Day or would consider making the trek for a celebration worthy of shaking their shamrocks.1 The latest CheapTickets.com Cheapometer also found that nearly 60 percent of consumers would consider booking a last-minute room after a night of partying and drinking,2 so this year, CheapTickets.com is offering revelers the chance to save some green with 20 percent off last-minute hotel mobile bookings using promo code CLOVER20.3 Those looking to celebrate St. Patricks Day dont need to travel as far as the Emerald Isle to partake in the festivities, said Brian Wolf, general manager of CheapTickets.com. To keep budgets in check, CheapTickets.com editors have identified the U.S. cities with some of the biggest and oldest celebrations taking place the weekends before and after, as well as on St. Patricks Day itself. CHEAPTICKETS.COM EDITORS TOP PICKS FOR ST. PATRICKS DAY CELEBRATIONS4 March 11 March 13 Destination Average Daily Hotel Rate Average Airfare Chicago, Ill. $ 181 $ 218 San Francisco, Calif. $ 227 $ 271 Atlanta, Ga. $ 149 $ 211 Philadelphia, Pa. $ 163 $ 237 St. Louis, Mo. $ 168 $ 267 Chicago, Ill. Spectators from around the world gather on March 12 to watch the Chicago River dyed green, followed by the Chicago St. Patricks Day Parade (featuring bagpipers, dancers and marchers galore) that steps off at Grant Park rain or shine. Parties citywide are not to be missed. San Francisco, Calif. One of the largest celebrations of its kind on the West Coast, the 165th San Francisco St. Patricks Day Parade on March 12 features over 100 floats, Irish dance troupes and marching bands as well as an all-day festival in Civic Center Plaza. Atlanta, Ga. Proudly claiming the spot as Atlantas longest running event, the 134th Atlanta St. Patricks Parade on March 12 will consist of nearly 750 musicians and dancers only one part of the expected 2,300 total participants and a special appearance by the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales. March 17 (St. Patricks Day) March 20 Destination Average Daily Hotel Rate Average Airfare Las Vegas, Nev. $ 172 $ 281 New York, N.Y. $ 255 $ 251 Boston, Mass. $ 220 $ 261 San Diego, Calif. $ 160 $ 334 Savannah, Ga. $ 268 $ 369 Las Vegas, Nev. While Las Vegas is Party Central 24/7, 365 days a year, St. Patricks Day-themed events and parties abound up and down the strip. While most take place on March 17 itself, several events continue through the weekend. New York, N.Y. The first New York City St. Patricks Day Parade was held in 1762, 14 years before the Declaration of Independence was signed! This year, the largest St. Patricks Day parade in the United States will be broadcast live to Ireland and the U.K. for the first time ever on March 17. Over two million spectators are expected. Boston, Mass. Touted as the most Irish city in the United States,5 Boston is home to some of the best Irish pubs in the world outside of Ireland. Aside from parties and celebrations across the city, the South Boston St. Patricks Day Parade takes place on March 20. DISCOVER YOUR PUB NAME From the Dying Cow to the Blue Loo, there is no shortage of interesting (and sometimes funny and crazy) pub names around the world. Head to the CheapTickets.com Blog to discover yours and share it with your friends on social media. 1 Google Consumer Survey of 505 adults fielded by CheapTickets.com on March 4, 2016. 2 Google Consumer Survey of 505 adults fielded by CheapTickets.com on March 4, 2016. 3 CLOVER20 - Book a qualifying hotel between March 7, 2016 12:01AM CT and March 20, 2016 11:59PM CT, for 1 or more nights for travel between March 7, 2016 and September 30, 2016, via CheapTickets and instantly receive 20% off through the use of the promotion code. Limit one discount per hotel room and one promotion code per booking. Discount may not be used toward the booking of a vacation package. Discounts are not redeemable for cash for any reason. Promotion codes are non-transferrable, not for resale, and cannot be combined with other offers. Any attempt at fraud will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted. CheapTickets reserves the right to change or limit the promotion in its sole discretion. Most major chains are excluded. For complete terms and conditions, visit: https://www.cheaptickets.com/g/lc/traveldeals-cheapoftheweek#terms 4 Destinations selected by CheapTickets.com editors based on research and booking data from March 11-13, 2016 and March 17-20, 2016. Average airfare calculated on March 3, 2016 by taking the average price for all air bookings in the listed destination for travel between March 11-13, 2016 and March 17-20, 2016. Average hotel rates calculated on March 3, 2016 by taking the average price for all hotel bookings in the listed destinations for travel between March 11-13, 2016 and March 17-20, 2016. 5 According to http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/genealogy/Where-are-the-most-Irish-parts-of-the-USA.html About CheapTickets.com CheapTickets.com is a seller of discounted leisure travel products. CheapTickets.com provides consumers access to its collection of airfares on hundreds of airlines. In addition to cheap flights, CheapTickets.coms family of discounted travel products includes cheap hotels, cheap cruises, cheap rental cars, cheap vacation packages, vacation rentals, last minute trips and event tickets. CheapTickets.com now offers the CheapCash loyalty program where customers can earn rewards towards hotel stays when booking flights through the website or mobile apps. Follow CheapTickets.com on Facebook and Twitter for more cheap travel deals and giveaways. Founded in 1986, CheapTickets.com is owned by Expedia, Inc., one of the world's leading travel companies. 2016, Trip Network, Inc. (d/b/a CheapTickets) All rights reserved. alphabeta1234 wrote: "In my opinion UNC is much more of a regional brand" - UNC-Chapel Hill regional? How?? The Kennan-Flagler school ranks 18th on USNews and 13th on Forbes of the best B-schools out there and has so for years. It's in the 98th-99th percentile of business schools out there. Some of the best named firms from all over the country recruit there. I think you should ask Paul Parker Head of M&A at Goldman Sachs if UNC-CH is regional. UNC-CH is no more regional to Cornell than Northwestern would be to U-Chicago. But I presume in your mind Northwestern would be more regional compared to a larger, more national and prestigious university such as such as U-Chicago. I agree with this. If you're arguing UNC is regionally you could also argue that Johnson is. Look at their employment report, I think the number was somewhere around 75% of graduates in New York or New England. Conversely, I would UNC is pretty strong in the south and mid Atlantic. Now, both have very recognizable brands that will help you go anywhere, but the employment report for both schools paints a picture of regional strengths. Which is why, if I were you, I'd base the decision on where you want to work when you graduate. UNC is probably more likely to get you connections at MBB Atlanta, while Cornell is probably stronger at MBB New York.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Hillary takes Manhattan In NYC we don't always know our neighbors very well, but thanks to data collection we can get a general sense of their political leanings. Renthop has created the below map, which lets you click on any neighborhood to find out which candidates its residents throw the most money at. To create this, the company's "data scientists crunched the numbers from FEC.gov on New Yorks campaign contributions"... and what they found will probably not shock you. Here's a little breakdown: Young progressive enclaves like Williamsburg are pushing hard for Berniethe 11211 zip has donated $30,000 more to his campaign than Hillary's. Ridgewood, Queens is also feelin' the Bern. Wealthy areas are going all in on Hillaryin Brooklyn Heights, where more 0s are attached to the checks, Hillary has received nearly $400,000 more than Bernie. The Upper East Side is more supportive of Hillary than Bernie, whereas the Upper West Side is more evened out in their support for the two. The most Donald Trump seems to have received is $10,537 from the Upper East Side. Most NYC republicans are going for Marco Rubio, who has received his top donations ($106,000 total) from Midtown East. The most generous neighborhood across the board has been the Upper East Side, where residents have contributed to $1.23 million to the candidates. For more, click around here (tap tap tap and the white space will show you the numbers): Federal prosecutors will not pursue criminal charges against the NYPD officer who killed 18-year-old Ramarley Graham in February of 2012. "After conducting a thorough and independent investigation, the U.S. Attorney's Office has determined that there is insufficient evidence to meet the high burden of proof required for a federal criminal civil rights prosecution." U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara's office said in a statement Tuesday. "Neither accident, mistake, fear, negligence nor bad judgment is sufficient to establish a federal criminal civil rights violation," the statement continues. "Mr. Bharara expressed his deep sympathy to the family of Mr. Graham for their tragic loss." Graham's parents, Constance Malcolm and Franclot Graham, met with Bharara this morning and were informed of the Department of Justice's decision. "So this is what happened, same as usual. Black life doesn't matter," Graham told reporters outside Bharara's office. "I don't know how they got to that decision, they never visited the home. So as Constance says, a cop word is always [what] the word will be." Ramarley was fatally shot in the bathroom of his Bronx home by NYPD Officer Richard Haste. Haste had been part of a team watching a Wakefield bodega when he was told by other officers that the teenager possibly had a handgun. Officers followed Graham to his house, and Haste, after attempting to kick down the front door, charged up a back stairwell and drew his gun. According to Haste, he shouted "Police, show me your hands!" and found Graham in his bathroom, when he appeared to pull something out of his pocket. Haste fired one shot and killed Graham, whose grandmother and 6-year-old brother were also in the apartment. "At this critical moment in time, no other witness present in the apartment, including Mr. Grahams grandmother, had a view of Mr. Graham," reads the statement from Bharara's office. "Officer Haste stated that he believed that Mr. Graham was reaching for the weapon... and that he fired one round from his weapon in response to a perceived deadly threat. The bullet struck Mr. Graham, causing his death. No gun was found at the scene. A bag of marijuana was found in the toilet bowl next to where Mr. Graham was standing." Officer Haste was initially indicted on manslaughter chargers, however a judge dismissed the indictment due to a legal technicality; another grand jury declined to indict Haste. Graham's family filed a lawsuit against the NYPD, which the city settled in 2015 for $3.9 million. Officer Haste recently got a raise. "We're going to look for termination of officers that were involved. And we're going to keep on trying to push what we think matters, which is our lives, which is Ramarley's life, which is police reform," the Grahams' attorney, Royce Russell, told reporters. Choking back tears, Graham's mother said, "With this justice system, it doesn't seem like our kid's life matters. Time and time again, you see it over and over, these officers walk free, they get a pay raise, they get a promotion, and nothing has been done to them. It sends the wrong message. In your own home you're not even safe anymore." It'll probably never be hip like Jefftown or as exclusive as RAMBO, but the Upper East Side still stoically marches forward in its effort to shake off the preppy douche cliche that's been lingering for decades. Will a so-called "agave gastropub" be part of this new wave of upscale establishments bucking the Irish bar trend? The Daisy, now slinging tequila cocktails and Mexican-inspired plates, seems to be gesturing in that direction. The restaurant took over for Molly Pitcher's, a fine if generic barstaurant on Second Avenue and 85th that'd been slinging beers since the '90s. In place of burgers and fish and chips...different takes on the dishes, including a "BRGR" ($18) with pickled pork belly BBQ and cloth-bound cheddar and Fish and Chips ($12) battered in chapulin (grasshoppers) with a bacon-cranberry remoulade. Executive chef, Raul Sanchezwho's also in the kitchen at sister restaurant Agave in the West Villagedesigned the Mexican-American menu, which is divided by designations like "Bold & Warm" (a pork belly entry, a mac 'n cheese) and "Enticing & Piquant" (beef croquettes with chocolate-habanero salsa and guacamole with homemade chips). No comment. If you've come for the tequila, there's plenty of that to be found behind the handsome bar. The signature Daisy cocktail is kind of a paired down margarita ($13)the term margarita translates to "daisy" in Englishwith Tromba Blanco Tequila infused with black pepper, St. Germaine and a lime marmalade. If that's not enough spice, there's another cocktail made with jalapenos (The Risk Taker, $14) and another with pomegranate-habanero syrup (The Scorcher, $13). Mexican beers by the can and bottle are available, too, plus craft drafts from Brooklyn, Southern Tier and Bell's. 1641 2nd Avenue, (646) 964-5756; website The Daisy Dinner Menu The Daisy Cocktail Menu The Daisy Brunch Almost a year ago, a massive explosion destroyed three buildings in the East Village, causing dozens of injuries and killing two people inside a Second Avenue restaurant. And now the blast site's vacant space is back on the real estate market. George Pasternak, the owner of a small building and two stores that once occupied 123 Second Avenue, has tapped Compass brokerage to sell his now-vacant property for $9.7 million, according to the Post. Last month, Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance indicted five people on charges including manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, assault, and reckless endangerment in connection with the explosion, after an investigation determined it was the result of a plot between Maria Hrynenko (the owner of the other two destroyed buildings at 119 and 121 Second Avenue), her son Michael Hrynenko, and contractor Dilber Kukic to cheat on multiple ConEd gas inspections. With help from two plumbers, Kukic and the younger Hrynenko illegally ran gas through rubber hoses from one building to another. On March 26, 2015, during a ConEd pressure test, the two men accidentally left gas valves uncapped, leading to a gas leak and the explosion. Nicolas Figueroa, 23, and Moises Locon, 26, were killed in the resulting blast. In the aftermath of the explosion, each of the three buildings impacted by the blast were bulldozed by the citya service for which they charged each owner $350,000. The tabloid also reports that the lots have since been reclassified from Tax Class 2 apartments to Tax Class 4 vacant lots, which will raise property tax rates beginning this summer. "We understand that the development community has a certain interest," Gabriele Sewtz, a Compass broker, told the Post. "The timing is right [for Pasternak] to let go and start over and give someone else a chance to develop the property." Each of the vacant lots contains 10,000 buildable square feet, which means a shiny new condo is certainly on its way. The organizers of a 9/11 charity founded in honor of a fallen first responder planned to host their second annual stair climb fundraiser at One World Trade Center this May, but they've now been told that the event is a logistical inconvenience and can't go off as planned. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation honors Stephen Siller, a firefighter who had just finished his shift in Park Slope when the planes hit the World Trade Center on September 11th. Though he was off duty, he drove toward Manhattan, but discovered that the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel was closed to cars. Carrying 60 pounds of gear, he ran through the tunnel toward the towers, and was seen last at West Street. In his memory, the organization has hosted a series of 5Ks, and, last year, the first stair climb at One WTC, which raised $500,000 for first responders and veterans. Frank Siller, brother to Stephen and CEO of Tunnel to Towers, said that this year's stair climb was tentatively set for May 15, and that the organization had "attended meetings, participated in conference calls, dotted every i and crossed every t, and were led to believe that all systems were go, with the exception of a few formalities." But then on Friday, the foundation was informed that the event was a no-go, due to staffing and security logistics, among other concerns. According to Jordan Barowitz, a spokesman for the Durst Organization (which owns One WTC, along with the Port Authority), last year's event didn't go quite as smoothly as Siller believed. "As we learned from last year's event, the unique design and security requirement of One World Trade Center make stair-climbs extraordinarily challenging," Barowitz said. "With more tenants, the logistics are even more complex this year." But Tunnel to Towers isn't buying it. COO John Hodge penned letters to Governors Cuomo and Christie, asking them to intervene on behalf of the Port Authority, which co-owns the building. In his letters to the governors, Hodge called the Durst Organization's excuses "disingenuous," saying that the foundation successfully navigated those obstacles during last year's stair climb. He's also said that he thinks the organization is prioritizing its desire to lease the building's remaining space over the charity event, despite the fact that the billions of taxpayer dollars that funded the building's construction should really make it "The People's Building." "It is incredible...that civil servants were willing to give up their lives in order to save total strangers, and the management of One World Trade Center is not willing to give up the building at 5 a.m. on a Sunday morning because it is potentially inconvenient for them," Hodge said. In a statement, Governor Cuomo said that he is "confident that remaining issues will be resolved so the event can happen again this year," though it was not immediately clear if that means that the Port Authority will override the Durst Organization's decision to reject the climb. Trying to re-enter normal society after some blessed time away from The Machine? Here's a 16 Step plan I followed myself this morning. All you need to do is the exact opposite of everything below and you'll assimilate in no time! Step 1: Return. Tell yourself life will be easier when you don't have to dig into your memories of high school Spanish to order a sandwich. Refuse to join the hot dude sharing your hostel room on a Spirit Journey to Peru, citing "commitments." Believe you have commitments. This is your first mistake. Step 2: Book a redeye. Tell your boss you'll be at work in the morning. The baby in the seat next to you will certainly stop screaming. Step 3: Count your mosquito bites on the plane. Look for bite patterns. They don't really spell "Cuidado" do they? Think about what lives inside your luggage. Step 4: Go home. Open your computer. Look at Google images of bedbugs. Step 5: Panic. Put all your clothes in the laundry. Throw out your backpack. Bag your belongings. Do bedbugs live in books? Throw out your books. Step 6: Call your mother. Bring up bedbugs. Panic. Make her panic. Step 7: Open Facebook. Take a few minutes to stalk all the exes that swam through your head on the ferry to Uruguay. Note that they seem happy. Hex them. Step 8: Do more laundry. Dry your clothes on high. Wonder how good bedbugs are at hiding. Google it. Turns out, they are quite good at it. Dry your clothes again. Step 9: Go on a scale. Cry. Eat a cheese sandwich. Cry again. Step 10: Catch up on the news. Note that in your absence, Obama did not declare he'd be staying on for another term. Cry a third time. Step 11: Count your mosquito bites again. Google "Dengue fever." Step 12: Write a blog post. Or whatever was expected of you at work, but take three hours longer than usual. Send the finished product to your boss and hang your head in shame. Step 13: Scratch your mosquito bites. Google "Zika virus symptoms." Search for a rash. Step 14: Try on all your clothes. They do not fit. Pretend you shrunk them. Eat more bread. Step 15: Scroll through your vacation photos. Realize that you took 80 percent of them at a Jesus-themed amusement park for children. Remember that experience as the greatest day of your adult life. Step 15: Try to do more work. Get distracted by your mosquito bites instead. Google "Chikungunya." Call in sick for the rest of the day. Step 16: Check your bank account. Realize you'd been underestimating the strength of the Argentine peso for a week. Cry again. Start planning your next vacation anyway. We rely on your support to make local news available to all Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2022. Donate today Restaurants offering limited quantities of popular itemssee Cronuts and limited edition burgersisn't a new phenomenon in a world where food tourism knows no bounds. Now one new food purveyor is taking the exclusivity factor to the next level, selling just 100 burritos (plus a few sides) via delivery only on Fridays between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Meet Boom Burritos, the newest addition to NYC's foodiot bucket list. Zachariah Reitano and chef Dominick Costa began their operation last Friday, letting a few friends and some Snapchatting Columbia students in on what they were up to. In a restaurant kitchen near the school, Costa, who attended the French Culinary Institute after graduating, and Reitanowho are also both graduatesquietly rolled up their burritos, stuffed mason jars full of guacamole and tres leches cake, and delivered their creations via next wave delivery platforms like UberEats and DoorDash. This weekand for the foreseeable futurethey're aiming to do the same. Their burrito menu includes a fully customizable list of options, from meats to toppings to type of tortilla; they're even doing a "post-workout" option with kale, quinoa and Greek yogurt. To learn more about their secret operation, we chatted with the duo about burrito ingenuity, the future of food delivery, and a mutual love for sour cream. Why burritos, and why only a hundred of them? Well, Dom is an excellent chef and makes some of the best guacamole and burritos I've ever had. And as for "why a hundred," I think, for us, it's a wonderful side project and when we do a hundred it lets us do each one with great care. Most people order delivery for convenience, but that doesn't mean we can't package it beautifully and handle it with care and prepare each one like it's for our own lunch. When we do a hundred we get to take care of each one a little bit better I think. (courtesy Boom Burritos) So what is the impetus for the pop-up or limited-services model as opposed to maybe doing the market model or one of the other popular ways to test out a concept? Reitano: I think that's a great question. It helps that Dom managed a couple restaurants on the UWS and only had one day off, which is why we do it on Fridays. I had just stopped working on a start-up that I started working on after college and wanted to continue to build products. It was a wonderful creative outlet for both of us. One of the restaurants that he had managed let us use their kitchen on his day off, so we had the opportunity to use a licensed kitchen for free, so that was one of the reasons we did it that way. Costa: When we were thinking about the idea, we wanted to do something that is popular, one, and burritos are super popular, and something that could be done efficiently and quickly and could kinda go with the trend we're trying to jump off of. Reitano: The other thing is that burritos travel really well and there is a lot of variety with a few ingredients. So maybe there's even just ten, fifteen ingredients, but you can have thousands of options between those ingredients, so really anyone can get what they want. Vegetarians, people who are gluten-free. We also wanted a healthier burrito that has things like spinach and kale and quinoa that sort of lets people leverage that variety, while we can still be two people maintaining a solid kitchen. And what about the dessert? Reitano: The dessert is all Dom. It was recently described by a customer as being "cake on a cloud." Dom is a classically trained pastry chef and it works perfectly well with the theme of burritos. The tres leches and the guacamole come in mason jars, which are really helpful as I said before for travel. The important thing about tres leches is that the three types of milk can actually soak into the cake up until the point when someone is eating it and that's not the case if you have to cut out a slice and transport it. So we like that because even the transportation element is helpful. L: Packaging; R: Reitano and Costa (courtesy Boom Burritos) You mentioned before that packaging is really important to your product. Can you talk a little bit more about how the food is receivedthere's a handwritten note if I'm not mistaken? Can you tell me a little bit more about that? Reitano: We only make one hundred for a wide variety of reasons. Each order comes with a handwritten letter in Dom's handwriting, because my handwriting is terrible, and it comes in a canvas drawstring backpack, the kind where you pull the string on the two sides. The bags are also stamped with our logo, which is an avocado and in the center is like a bomb icon. So this is week two, very early in the process, but is this something you guys anticipate expanding or moving to a different market? Or are you just excited about having this very small, intimate, direct relationship-with-the-consumer model that you have right now? Reitano: So I think the answer to thisand it's a cop-out, because it's bothis that if it goes really well and there's a lot of traction, we would absolutely expand, or ideally shift the location of our kitchen to another place that people order more delivery from, probably Midtown or further down south, because people both work and live in those areas. As far as maintaining close relationships with the consumers, I'd love to do something like at my last startup where technology really comes into play for us, so that we can maintain relationships with them. When each order is done online, we know people's names and emails and addresses, so as people start to order over time, we can recommend different things to them because we know that they've ordered three times, for example. We know where the order goes, we know that they like it left on the doorstep, or they like us to leave off the sour cream or they always ask for extra sour cream. Or, they only order on Tuesdays, so on Monday night we can email and ask them if they want to order it again. We can do really interesting things with technology that I think enables us to build a really close relationship with customers and provide better customer-service than places I receive delivery from. So I think we're really excited to have that intimate experience through delivery. I hate to think what my local delivery spot thinks of my ordering habits from the places I order from all the time. Secretly judging my extra sour cream choices! Reitano: Dom's a big sour cream man. Boom Burritos delivers their food anywhere in Manhattan on Fridays between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Burritos begin at $11.99 and can be pre-ordered before Friday. Jim and Bonnie. (Courtesy of the Jim Henson Company) In 1970, a meeting took place that changed Muppets historyBonnie Erickson, a young costumer, met with Jim Henson, who was looking for someone to fashion the costumes for The Frog Prince. Erickson got the job, and went on to create some of the most famous Muppets, including Miss Piggy and Statler & Waldorf. Currently a trustee at the Jim Henson Legacy, she lives with her husband Wayde in their New York City home of forty years, where the two are still creating magic under their company Harrison / Erickson, Inc. Together, they have designed mascots (from the Phillie Phanatic to the underrated Dandy), stuffed animals, and even the toys for Where The Wild Things Are. We met with her at her home recentlywhich is filled with art and creations from her past and present, as well as one room that's built out to be a partial replica of her childhood home, complete with a front porch and American flag"when Bush was President," she told us, "We had the flag upside down. And when he left in the helicopter, I came in with champagne and turned it right side up." Her life, which includes tales of riding from her apartment Uptown down to the Village on the back of a Hell's Angels' hog, is worthy of a full length documentary. Below, an introduction: Video by Jessica Leibowitz Erickson met Henson for the first time in 1970, when she "went to an interview after several friends told me there was a job available for a costumer. This was before Sesame Street was airing, and I loved his work and I was a little intimidated. But I went to the interview. And I think something in [my work] must have intrigued him because he hired me. I did the costumes of Frog Prince. That was my first job with Jim." "The first Muppet I created was... I believe it was called the Musician. And it was the first time I really carved foam as a puppet device. I hadnt really done it before but I had a sculpture background. And I think it was used in the one of the specials that Jim did." Erickson's first Muppet: The Musician. Erickson says each Muppet takes a varying amount of time to create from start to finish, and the characters that didn't come straight from her mind were created through a collaborative process"Jim would give us sketches, very rough sketches. He would make them and really allow us to put our own interpretation on it. We also had other people who would do designs and we would follow up on that." Here's Erickson on how some of her famous Muppets came to be, and how one almost died on the table. STATLER & WALDORF "These particular ones [Statler & Waldorf]... this was an idea I had and I brought to Jim as a sketch pretty early on. And it wasnt until about a year later where they had written materials for two old guys and said now is the time to go ahead and create these characters. I was doing the Statler puppet and I had it almost finished. Id taken probably about a week or maybe two weeks to carve it, to get the nose done, to have the hair fitted. And I had it almost ready to go... something didnt quite look right. So I took it out to the belt sander. I lost my concentration for one second and I sent it right through the sander to the other side of the room with a hole through the middle. So that took about four weeks." MISS PIGGY Miss Piggy. (Getty) "Sometimes I would name them, sometimes the writers would. For Miss Piggy, I named her for Peggy Lee, who was a big favorite of my mother. She was from North Dakota as well. And I called her Miss Piggy Lee because I had wanted to do it as a sort of homage to Peggy Lee. When we finally got to The Muppet Show, they changed it because they were afraid that there might be a problem, and that she wouldnt find it a homage. And so, it was changed and shortened to Miss Piggy." Erickson was uncertain if Peggy Lee ever knew that Miss Piggy was meant as a tribute to her. Miss Piggy made her debut in 1974, and came to life in 1976 in the hands of master puppeteer Frank Oz. THE MOST NEW YORKER MUPPET Liza Minelli, Kermit, and Zoot. (Getty) "I think for me it might be Zoot. He plays tenor saxophone. I made the sketch of him when we were at one of the jazz clubs in New York City, so he sort of has ties to New York for me. Zoot is probably the most New York character that Ive done." On her favorite Muppet, Erickson told us: "I love Kermit, I think mainly because of Jim. He was extraordinary. He was a great person to work with. He encouraged us to play." A plainclothes detective from the Brooklyn North Narcotics team was shot in the shoulder by a fellow officer last night after approaching a pair of individuals who were allegedly in the middle of a drug deal. "The detective was hit in the shoulder, apparently by the shot that came from his colleague," First Deputy Commissioner Benjamin Tucker said last night. The shooting took place at the corner of Wilson and Troutman Avenues in Bushwick around 6:15 p.m. According to the NYPD, the two individuals in a van were dealing heroin when the detective, identified as Jon Gladstone, and a sergeant approached. Tucker said that the suspects' "vehicle backed up, striking a police vehicle. The detective reached into the vehicle from the passenger side and attempted to make an arrest. With the detective partially inside the vehicle, the driver then accelerated forward. At this point the sergeant and the detective both fired." The driver of the van, Oscar Vera, was struck in the leg and wrist but managed to drive away briefly before crashing into another car. Vera was taken to Bellevue in stable condition. The other passenger, Geraldo Rodriguez, 51, was taken into custody; a third suspect who was standing outside the van is still at large. The Daily News reports, "A source described [the third suspect] as a 'steerer' who directs potential customers to the dealers. He may have carjacked a motorist about four blocks away to make his getaway, sources said." No weapons were found at the scene, but the Times reports that $80 worth of heroin was recovered. The street for this brand of heroin: American Dream. The early evening shooting rattled the neighborhood. An employee at the bar Miles, Bri Brown, told the NY Times that "she saw people sprinting down the block and poked her head outside. Halfway down the block, she said, she saw a middle-aged plainclothes officer in the street." Brown says she saw the officer lying between two cars on his stomach, screaming, "I've been shot!" She ran back inside and called 911. Brown later added, "Its still Bushwick; shootings happen sometimes still. But I would say its pretty rare, especially since it was an officer." Gladstone is currently hospitalized in stable condition. Deputy Commissioner Tucker said, "Im thankful that the detective is stable, awake, and alert, and, all things considered, in good spirits. Thank you to the hospital staff for their care tonight, particularly Doctor Raju and the trauma team here at Elmhurst Hospital." Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement, "Tonights shooting is an important reminder of the critical and dangerous work our police department does each day. Today, a detective put his life on the line as he bravely performed his duty to protect our city and its residents from harm. The team of police officers involved in tonights incident represents the best of the NYPD, and I want to thank them on behalf of our city for their actions tonight. Were grateful the detective is doing well, and we wish him a safe and swift recovery." Gladstone has been named in multiple civil rights lawsuits against the NYPD; at least two lawsuits were settled out of court for undisclosed amounts. For years the NYPDs record of spying on law-abiding Muslims has been the subject of fierce public debate. Yet the NYPD is still refusing to acknowledge the existence of basic information related to its controversial and well-documented surveillance program. Yesterday in an ornate courtroom next to Madison Square Park, the First Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court considered two cases in which the NYPD had responded to public records requests by stating it could not confirm or deny the existence of such documents. In both cases, one brought by a Rutgers University student and the other by a well-known Harlem imam, the Muslim appellants had reason to believe they had been subject to NYPD spying or surveillance. Both men requested records on themselves as well as organizations in which they have been involved, including the Rutgers University Muslim Student Association and the Mosque of the Islamic Brotherhood. Arguing for the appellants, attorney Omar Mohameddi told the panel of judges that the NYPD had overstepped its authority by invoking the Glomar response, a Cold War era exemption employed by federal agencies when even acknowledging the existence or non-existence of records poses an alleged risk. [Glomar] is a blanket exemption that does not exist under FOIL, Mohammedi said, referring to the states Freedom of Information Law. We just need the NYPD to say, we have the documents; we cannot produce them. Although Glomar is increasingly invoked under the federal public information law, there is no precedent for its permissibility on the state or local level, and there is no Glomar exception written into New York States FOIL law. Two lower courts had previously issued conflicting rulings in the lawsuits, brought by Samir Hashmi and Talib Abdur-Rashid. The two men filed FOIL requests in 2012, shortly after the Associated Press began releasing its Pulitzer-Prize winning series about the NYPD spying on Muslim communities. Arguing for the NYPD, Devin Slack told the court that even disclosing the mere existence of records could threaten counter-terrorism investigations. If the NYPD confirms a paperwork trail and therefore discloses that someone is subject to surveillance, potential terrorists would simply avoid them, Slack said. Every seat in the courts gallery was filled, with many Muslim community members present. At times, the judges voiced concern about granting the city broad-reaching authority to publicly deny whether records exist or even if suspected surveillance occurred. One justice, Rosalyn Richter, asked Slack, "Are you asking us to just say, because the city says so, it must be so?" "Absolutely not," Slack replied. NYU students attend a town hall to discuss the NYPD's surveillance of Muslim communities on February 29, 2012 (Getty Images) If the court permits the NYPD to invoke Glomar in records requests, it may further constrain the ability of both Muslim communities members, and the public at large, to hold the NYPD accountable. Adam Marshall is a legal fellow at the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press (RCFP), which filed an amicus brief in support of the two appellants. He told Gothamist that on the federal level, Glomar has been disastrous for the public and the publics right to know. The number of court decisions involving a Glomar response has increased dramatically over the years, as has the number of federal agencies issuing Glomars, which now includes the Internal Revenue Service, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and even the Post Office. According to Marshall, challenging a Glomar response is extremely burdensome, because it generally requires the member of the public to first pierce the Glomar shieldnamely, to prove that the government has elsewhere publicly acknowledged that the requested records exist. In court, the NYPD contended that a ruling in its favor would not foreclose the publics right to know. Slack stated that there are other avenues available to the public and affected individuals. For example, he said, people facing terrorism charges receive disclosure of their records, and in the recently-settled Handschu v. Special Services, with regards to NYPD spying, plaintiff attorneys were able to review surveillance documents. But there is a catch-22 to Slacks logic. Since surveillance and undercover spying are by definition secret, obtaining information to hold the NYPD to account is very difficult. Last fall, Gothamist reported that an undercover cop had spent years spying on Muslim students at Brooklyn College. Plaintiff attorneys in the Handschu case were ultimately able to question the NYPD about this investigationbut only because they learned about it in the stories that were published. At a press conference just outside the court, Samir Hashmi spoke about the impact of surveillance. It is not fair for Muslims students that are law abiding citizens, that are going about their lives peacefully, that they have to be afraid of people watching what they do, and recording every word that they say," he said. If the City loses, the NYPD would still be able to claim law enforcement exemptions under FOIL and refuse to release records, although they would have to acknowledge whether or not such records exist. The NYPD has an abysmal record of fulfilling FOIL requests. In 2013, then-Public Advocate Bill de Blasio gave the NYPD an F in a Transparency Report Card. But the issue also goes beyond Muslim spying. Everyone in NYC should be concerned about this, because the NYPD would be acting without oversight, Mohammedi said outside the courthouse. For Adam Marshall of the RCFP, the issue at the core of this judicial decision is the publics right to know. When you have real questions circulating in society today about the relationship between law enforcement agencies and the public, whether its use of force, surveillance or any of those types of issues, people need information to make informed, rational decisions about what they want their government to be doingand not doing. Aviva Stahl is a Brooklyn-based journalist who primarily writes about prisons, especially the experiences of terrorism suspects and LGBTQ people behind bars. Follow her @stahlidarity. A Manhattan man who was arrested for attempting to buy the deadly poison ricin through an illicit, dark web online marketplace has been sentenced Tuesday to 16 years in prison. Cheng Le, 22, stood before Manhattan Federal Court Judge Alison Nathan yesterday, who said his "horrible, serious and quite terrifying offense" warranted the lengthy sentence, Reuters reports. Le came to the U.S. to study physics at NYU and committed his crimes in December 2014. He logged on to the Dark Web site Evolution and offered to purchase ricin from an FBI agent posing as another user. According to the South China Morning Post, Le referred to ricin as "simple and easy death pills" and had plans to sell the poison to other customers. Le described his plans to include the pills in bottles of everyday vitamins, so that victims would never suspect that they were actually taking poison. "After all, it is death itself we're selling here, and the more risk-free, the more efficient we can make it, the better," Le wrote, according to prosecutors. After the sale was completed, feds sent fake ricin to Le's apartment, who picked it up while wearing latex gloves. Authorities found castor oil bean seedsa key ingredient in making ricinand a computer logged into Evolution in Le's home (Evolution was briefly the largest illegal online, bitcoin-friendly marketplace after the FBI's highly-publicized seizure and shut down of Silk Road in 2013). Le was arrested in January 2015 and in August a jury found him guilty on charges including an attempt to possess a biological toxin for use as a weapon. The New York Post reported on Le's strange, meandering speech during his sentencing Tuesday, which included this strange humblebrag: "For me, I never signed up for any of this. I wasn't raised in a way that my fellow inmates were raised, in a world where dugs and guns are just as prevailing as air and water." As she delivered Le's sentence, Judge Nathan admonished the man's quite terrifying offense. My sense of you is that you are at war with yourself, she said Since foods with a high glycemic index may up your chances for lung cancer, among many other ailments, perhaps it's finally time to think a little bit more critically about that Pepsi-a-day habit. At least that's part of the thinking by one city council member, who has proposed warning posters at restaurants that would explain the dangers of high sugar and carbohydrate content in dishes. Because this type of signage has been so successful in the past... The proposed legislation comes from Inez Barron, a Brooklyn Democrat, who explains that the city has an "obligation" to tell city residents about hidden food dangers, "just as we know that when people see calorie counts they have the ability to make an informed decision," she told Politico New York. The city Health Department says it's mulling over the move, pointing to stats that show that one-in-five New Yorkers are pre-diabetic and an estimated 700,000 currently have diabetes. Of course, there's already uproar from the National Restaurant Association, among others, who've already fought hard against similar proposals regarding salt content. "New York City has changed nanny state from a noun to a verb," NRA spokesperson Christin Fernandez told Politico. "This is 'nanny stating' at its very worst...a poster on a wall is no way to improve public health." Ain't that the truth. Update The Health Department issued the following statement regarding the proposed legislation: "As diabetes is a growing concern in New York City, especially in communities of color, Council Member Barrons concern is admirable. We are currently reviewing the bill." A record number of tourists visited New York in 2015, a phenomenon reported today by the Times but undoubtedly noticed by anyone who felt smothered by human bodies desperately trying to find a way to Williamsburg on the F train. And it appears it won't be any easier to walk through Times Square in 2016, with the city forecasting 59.7 million visitors this year, all of whom can be spotted clumping on the sidewalk near one of Lonely Planet's starred brunch spots. In 2015, according to NYC's official tourism-marketing agency NYC & Company, the city saw a record total of 58.3 million visitors. That number is expected to uptick about 2.4 percent this year, with 920,000 visitors forecasted to flood in from China. Maybe they'll stick around and buy a beautiful Trump Tower apartment while they're here. Tourism, of course, is good for the economy, since out-of-towners eat at restaurants, stay at hotels, pay the $25 "suggested" admission at the Met, and fork over tips to costumed Disney characters even when they try to kick their children. But the city spends a lot of money to get these tourists here, and the Times says the Mayor's office will pay NYC & Company over $18 million to sell the Big Apple to travelers. And though Manhattan used to be the main draw, the city's trying to get visitors to crowd boroughs like Brooklyn and newly-tourist popular Queens, which is good news for all those upcoming Bushwick hotels but bad news for wait times at Roberta's. Note that the city's goal is to get 67 million tourists here annually by 2021, which will correlate nicely with 2020's projected population of 8,550,971 New Yorkers. Few things inspire global empathy like suffocating on the subway in tandem, after all. Queen Mathilde of the Belgians spent two days at the United Nations in New York. Her working visit was in her capacity as Special Advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals. The queen also lobbyed with Deputy Prime Minister Didier Reynders for a non-permament seat for Belgium in the UN Security Council in 2019-2020. For this she attended a reception held at the UN Monday evening. The queen on Monday also spoke at an UN High Level Event dedicated to the 'Rehabilitation and reintegration of children affected by armed conflict'. "If there is one cause we must strive for in these unsettled times, it is the future of our children. Their future is our responsibility and our societies will benefit from their development. That is exactly why the harm caused by war and conflict is of major concern", the queen said in her speech. "The protection of childrens rights is a cause that is particularly dear to me personally. So I consider it a privilege to be able to take an active part in raising awareness and advocacy on their behalf, both in my own country and at the level of the UN organisations. As Honorary President of UNICEF Belgium, I closely follow the impact and consequences of armed conflict and emergencies on children." "The impact on children of our collective failure to prevent and end conflict is devastating. In fact, conflict prevention should be our common goal. Increased efforts should be made to identify long-term solutions that will reduce and mitigate the root causes of conflict, such as poverty", Queen Mathilde said. "Research shows that effective reintegration programmes for children are not only crucial for their own well-being, but are also a critical factor for durable peace and security. In a sense, such programmes are a preventive measure and a tool for breaking the vicious circle of violence", she added. On Tuesday the queen addressed the participants in the UN High Level Debate 'UN@70 Human Rights'. Queen Mathilde stressed how protection of human rights is interlinked with sustainable development, CROWN PRINCESS VICTORIA Earlier this year the Queen was asked by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to join the Advocacy Group for the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Other group members are Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Shekha Moza of Qatar, along with football star Lionel Messi and singer Shakira. The members shall assist the United Nations in the mobilization of the international community for achieving the SDG's by 2030. The SDG's were adopted by the Member States of the United Nations in September 2015. In previous years Mathilde repeatedly worked to promote the so-called Millennium Development Goals, such as children rights, the right to good health and the right to quality education. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the next step forward as an universal set of goals, targets and indicators that UN members will use to frame their policies over the next 15 years. The objectives are to be achieved by 2030 and include, for example, agreements on ending child marriage, improving access to financial services, climate control, reducing child mortality and poverty. In total there are seventeen so-called SDG's. RB Hans Jacobs News Taliban kill six Daesh members in raid in Afghan capital The Daesh members killed in the raid on their hideout were involved in two major attacks in recent weeks, one on a city mosque and the other on a tutoring institute in which dozens of female students were killed, said the spokesman. Site: zorpia From: nancy Date: Jan 15, 2016 Hi, dear i am Nancy i will us to exchange good friendship, i hope you will accept my request please notify me by writing in my email for more introductions thanks my pleasure meeting you (nancyomar90@ hotmail.com) From: Nancy Omar Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2016 12:13:52 +0000 Subject: PLEASE I NEED YOUR HELP WITH TRUST. Hello My Dearest. I am more than happy in your reply to my mail How are you today? How was your day, hope fine. As for me loneliness have been my friend over here in Dakar Senegal and in this camp we don't allowed to go out from the camp any how sometimes we used to take permission, Its just like one staying in the prison and i hope by God's grace i will come out here soon. My name is Miss Nancy Omar, 23 years old from of Sudan and presently i am residing in the refugee camp here in Dakar Senegal under the UNITED NATIONS COUNCIL FOR REFUGEES as a result of the killing of my family by the rebels, please don't be discouraged for hearing this.I believe deep down inside me that you will never break my heart or let me down in anyway. I am from the family of late Eng Omar Yaya, My late father was the Chairman, Gruv-Melton Oil and Gas Company a private extracting oil firm in Darfur Sudan.The brutal killing of my father, mother, and kid sister took place one early morning by the rebels as a result of the civil war that is going on until now in Sudan.I was in my First year in Applied Mathematics department of University of Darfur in Sudan before the death of my loved Parents. I contacted you for a possible help, l don't have any relatives now whom l can go to all my relatives ran away in the middle of the war the only person l have now is Rev. Williams James who is the Rev Father of the (Christ for all Churches) here in the camp, he has been very nice to me since i came here but i am not living with him rather i am leaving in the woman's hostel because the camp have two hostels one for men the other for women. The Rev Father's Phone number is, +221766655293 if you call tell him that you want to speak with Miss Nancy Omar from Sudan, he will send for me in the hostel to talk to you. As a refugee here i don't have any right or privilege to anything, be it money or whatever because it is against the law of this country. I want to go back to my studies because i only attended my first year before the tragic incident that lead me being in this situation now took place. Please listen to this, i have my late father's deposit certificate and death certificate here with me which i will send to you later, because when he was alive he deposited some amount of money in a bank which he used my name as the next of kin as the fest chide,the amount in question is ($2.6 Million US DOLLARS) (Two Million Six Hundred Thousand USD). So i will like you to help me transfer this money to your account and from it you can send some money for me to get my traveling documents and air ticket to come over to your country to meet you.I kept this secret to people in the camp here the only person that knows about it is the Rev father because he is like a father to me. So in the light of above i will like you to keep it to yourself and don't tell it to anyone for i am afraid of loosing my life and the money if people gets to know about it,i will be in trouble. Dear i will like to have your full information's such as; 1.your full name........................ 2.address............................. 3.your occupation............. 4. Age ................ 5.phone number................... This information will be useful for me and for the bank as soon as i received your information, i will introduce the bank as my representative / partner, and also will help me in an investment, and would like to finish my academic studies, all under your care, as i was in my first year in college before the crisis began, that kept me homeless, orphaned of father and mother. After the transaction you will arrange for my trip to join you there for us to invest the fund. and stay together, or if you don't want me to be in your house it will be my pleasure to compensate you with 30% of the total money for your services and the balance shall be my investment capital in real estate. Remember i am giving you all this information due to the trust my mind found on you.I like honest and understanding people, truthful and a man of vision,truth and hard working who can invest this money wisely. My favorite language is English l speak it very fluently. Meanwhile i will like you to call me and like i said i have a lot to tell you. Have a nice day while you think about me. Awaiting to hear from you,hope to see your photo nest time, I wait your reply with impatience. Miss Nancy, From: Nancy Omar Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2016 17:13:06 +0000 Subject: HERE IS MY LATE FATHER'S BANK YOU HAVE TO CONTACT THE BANK Good morning my darling, I have received your information and i am very happy to know more about you. Please i will appreciate it so much if you can help me to receive my late father money in to your bank account first. Then after you receive the money, you will send some money to me to enable me arrange for my traveling documents to come over to meet with you in your country for the sharing of the money, while you will help me to invest my own share in a good investment there in your country. As a matter of facts you are to contact Mr. Stephen Altkinson the Foreign Payment manager of Standard Chartered Bank in London for the transfer of the money into your bank account with the information bellow. Please while writing, tell him that you are my foreign partner that you want to know the possibility of transferring my late father's money into your bank account in your country. Meanwhile i have informed the Bank about you, so feel free to contact Mr. Stephen Altkinson as soon as you receive this mail. Here is the contact of the bank to write them, STANDARD CHARTERED BANK PLC. INTERNATIONAL BANK-UNITED KINGDOM. No. 1 Basinghall Avenue London, EC2V 5DD United Kingdom E-mail: S.c.bankplc1@accountant.com TELL: /FAX: +447035912252 CONTACT PERSON; Mr. Stephen Altkinson Foreign Payment manager; E-mail: Stephenaltkinson@workmail.com DEPOSIT ACCOUNT INFORMATION; Name of depositor: Eng. Omar Yaya Nationality: Sudan Next of kin: Miss Nancy Omar Amount deposited: $ 2,6 millones Account Number: CBUK745608902546/QB/91/A Swift Code Number: RBUKXESB Deposit Code Number: 2148. So please try and contact my late father's bank for the transaction thank you for your assistance. God bless you as I wait to hearing from you, take care and have a good day. Yours faithfully Nancy. From: "STANDARD CHARTERED BANK" Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2016 10:04:32 +0100 Subject: OUR OFFICIAL RESPONSE AND REQUIREMENTS No. 1 Basinghall Avenue London, EC2V 5DD United Kingdom. TELL: +447035912252 +447031833448 FAX: +448704959626 Date: 19/01/2016 OUR OFFICIAL RESPONSE AND REQUIREMENTS: My Dear Customer, Having received your massages based on the earlier information and approval nominating you as Trustee by Miss Nancy Omar who is currently staying in a refugee camp in Senegal West Africa. We hereby confirm receipt of your mail and our official response. Though your partner has been pleading with this bank to assist her circumvent protocols to ensure that this fund is processed and transferred to your bank account to enable her leave the horrible refugee camp she has found her self as a result of the death of her parent due to civil war in her country Sudan. Be informed that the account file No.CBUK745608902546/QB/91/A have thoroughly reviewed, certified and approved for payment by our Legal Services and Accounts/Finance departments respectively. Following this development, I have been directed by the director, International Payment Office/Telex Services Department to forward your file to our Data Processing Department for programming in our JPR 104 Fund Remittance Transmitter. And to legally effect transfer in your favour as an Appointed Trustee by Miss Nancy Omar of the sum of US$2,600,000.00 deposited by late Eng. Omar Yaya on 7th January, 2006 which he indicated his daughter Miss Nancy Omar as Next of Kin, however we shall require the following documents according The British Law Of Deposit Inheritance an Appointed Trustee by Miss Nancy Omar replacing her as Next of Kin vied Fund Placement Certificate with swift Code No: RBUKXESB. To claim and receive the fund to your bank account on her behalf, those documents must be endorsed by a Senegalese Probate officer and a resident lawyer respectively. 1. An Affidavit of Oath from the Senegalese High Court declaring your information as an Appointed Trustee to receive the money on behalf of Miss Nancy Omar. 2. Power of Attorney from the High Court of Justice in Senegal where Miss Nancy Omar is residing. 3. Death Certificate of Eng. Omar Yaya 4. The Last Statement of Account Eng.Omar Yaya 5. A scanned copy of any of your Identity. And it happen that you can not travel to Senegal to process those legal documents, you are at liberty to arrange an attorney through your partner Miss Nancy Omar to carry out this legal process on your behalf there at Senegal. On receipt of the above information, we shall then be empowered to give value to the sum of US$2,600,000.00 plus its interest accruals since placement of the fund with our bank on 7th January, 2006 will be added and transferred to your bank account without delay. You are to provide us with your banking information as follows: 1. Name of your Bank: 2. Bank Address: 3. Account No. 4. Beneficiary Names: 5. Telephone/Fax Number of your Bank: You are to confirm receipt of this vital massage for our record and reference and at the same to confirm we are to expect the documents as requested. Also you are to fax without delay copy of your passport or Identity to fax No. +448704959626 or you send it by email attachment. Yours Faithfully, For: STANDARD CHARTERED BANK PLC Mr. Stephen Altkinson Principal Manager Foreign Payment Dept. From: Nancy Omar Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2016 00:58:42 +0000 Subject: PLEASE CONTACT THE LAWYER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE Hello my darling i have receive a mail which from the bank and I think it will not be possible for you to come down here for the processing of those legal documents because of the time factor and traveling expenses, now the point is that we need the service of a lawyer who will legalize and process those needed documents for us here at the court of law as demanded by Bank. With the help of Reverend father William James in charge of our camp, we were able to secure a lawyer who is ready to get those needed documents for us here at the court of law, which will empower the Bank to transfer the money in to your bank account. Please my dear, you are to contact this lawyer as soon as you receive this mail, meanwhile we have already informed him about you, so feel free and contact him as soon as possible because your attention is highly need by the lawyer which is the reason why he asked us to tell you to contact him. Here is the contact of the lawyer for you to contact him as soon as you receive this mail. BARRISTER Donald Rashid Advocates & Solicitors House 14 Cheikh Anta Diop Avenue, Dakar Senegal Email: donalawchamber@lawyer.com Tel: +221777198610 +221766631521 Thank you once again for this great help which is going to turn my life around.god must surely see you through in all your efforts. Yours truly Nancy Omar From: "Donald Rashid" Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2016 20:49:29 +0100 Subject: RESPONSE FROM THE OFFICE BARRISTER DONALD RASHID. L A W O F F I C E S O F DONALD RASHID ESQ. A PROFESSIONAL LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ADDRESS: Reu. 14 Cheikh Anta Diop Avenue, Dakar Senegal OUR REF: D.S/0045781/SN TEL/FAX +221777198610 EMAIL: donalawchamber@lawyer.com DATE: 28/01/2016 Greetings, , This law office has been informed by your partner Miss Nancy Omar about you on the legal requirements by the Bank in London to transfer her late father money to your bank account as her Appointed Trustee. I hereby write to inform you that I have submitted your application at the court earlier these afternoon and the application has been approved in your favor but now awaiting the official payment of the sum of (625 U.S Dollars) only and (250 U.S Dollars) for my Law Chamber professional handling and processing fee, making it the total sum of (875 U.S Dollars) only. BELLOW IS THE COST OF EACH DOCUMENTS: 1. Power of Attorney Fee = (285 U.S Dollars) 2. Swearing of Affidavit of Oath, Fee = (260 U.S Dollars) 3. Legalization of Death Certificate, Fee = (40 U.S Dollars) 4. Legalization of Last Statement of Account,Fee = (40 Dollars) TOTAL COST FOR LEGAL DOCUMENTS = (625 U.S DOLLARS) ONLY. We shall proceed with the processing and legalization of those required legal documents in your favor immediately we receive from you the sum of ( 875 U.S Dollars ). In order to receive this money fast I request you send it by (Western Union Money Transfer) OR (MONEY-GRAM TRANSFER) with the following receiving names and information bellow; Names: Donald Rashid Address: Rue; 14 Cheikh Anta Diop Avenue Country: Senegal City: Dakar Amount: (875 U.S Dollars) Test Question: Blue Answer: White. You are also advise to send the payment information to me soon after you make the payment to enable me cash the money here. On receipt of the above amount the legal documents will be ready within one day. You are to send along the following information bellow; 1. Date of Birth: 2. Marital Status: 3. Religion: 4. Occupation: 5. Country of Origin: 6. Country of residence: 7. Your telephone number (S): The above information are very important because they will be needed at the Federal high court for the processing and legalization of those legal documents in your favor. As attached with is my certificate of office for your view, help this law chamber to serve you better and fast. Regards BARRISTER DONALD RASHID From: "Donald Rashid" Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2016 13:09:09 +0100 Subject: HERE IS THE ACCOUNT INFO: Greetings , I hereby confirm the receipt of your massages, the account owner which is my secretary made me to understand that the bellow account information are just what you need to make the payment, there is no other information apart from what is written bellow: NAME OF THE BANK.... UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA SENEGAL BANK ADDRESS....... Unite 8 No561,Rond Point Case bi, Dakar Senegal NAME OF THE ACCOUNT HOLDER.... PREIRA JOSEPH. ACCOUNT NUMBER..... 304010008789 SWIFT CODE......UNAFSNDA IBAN............ SN153 BRANCH CODE ......01304 CLE RIB.......... 39 ACCOUNT HOLDERS ADDRESS: Rue; 102 Grand Yoff , Dakar Senegal. Use the information as it is and make the payment and the money will be credited here. With Regards Barrister Donald Rashid From: Nancy Omar Date: Tue, 10 May 2016 14:20:58 +0000 Subject: Contact Rev. Father William James For your compensation Good day my dear, This is your friend Nancy Omar, I am very happy to inform you about my success in getting the fund transferred under the co-operation of a new partner from Paraguay. Presently I am in Paraguay with my partner for investment projects. Meanwhile, I didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me in transferring the funds despite that it failed us some how. Now you will need to contact the Rev Father whom used to be a God-father to me when i was in Senegal, his name is Rev. Father William James and his email address is as follows: (rev_williams@hotmail.com) and his phone number +221766655293 Ask him to send you a certified BANK DRAFT of ( US$50, 000 ) ( Fifty Thousand United State Dollars ) which I prepared and kept for your compensation for all the past efforts and attempts to assist me in this matter. I really appreciated your efforts at that time very much. so feel free and get in touched with Rev father William James and instruct him where to send you the bank draft. You are to contact him with the following information; 1. YOUR FULL NAMES: 2. YOUR COMPLETE ADDRESS WHERE THE BANK DRAFT WILL BE DELIVERED TO: 3. TELEPHONE NUMBER (s): 4. NAME OF YOUR COUNTRY: Please do let me know immediately after you receive it so that we can share our joy and happiness after all the suffering at that time. In the moment, I am very busy here because of the investment projects which me and the new partner are having at hand, finally, remember that I had forwarded instruction to Rev. Fr. William James on how the BANK DRAFT can be delivered to you. Therefore feel free to get in touch with him soon after you read this massage. And don't forget to inform me after you receive and cash the Bank Draft. Have a pleasant day. Yours truly friend Nancy If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more.... iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- A senior ISIS leader was targeted in a U.S. airstrike last week in Syria, according to the Pentagon, and an official says he was "likely killed." A statement from the Pentagon said that top ISIS military commander Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, also known as "Omar the Chechen," was targeted on March 4 near Al Shaddadi, Syria. "Batirashvili was a Syrian-based Georgian national who held numerous top military positions within ISIL, including minister of war," said Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook. A U.S. defense official told ABC News on Tuesday he was "likely killed," but other officials have said there are no firm indicators yet that he was killed in the strike. The strike was conducted by multiple waves of manned and unmanned U.S. aircraft," said the official. "Initial assessments indicate Batirashvili was likely killed along with 12 additional ISIL fighters." Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. -- Thomas JeffersonSyndicated columnist Charley Reese (1937-2013): "Gun control by definition affects only honest people. When a politician tells you he wants to forbid you from owning a firearm or force you to get a license, he is telling you he doesnt trust you. Thats an insult. ... Gun control is not about guns or crime. It is about an elite that fears and despises the common people."The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles -- Jeff Cooper (1920-2006)Note for non-American readers: Crime reports from America which describe an offender just as a "teen" or "teenager" almost invariably mean a BLACK teenager.We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics.Two lines below of a famous hymn that would be incomprehensible to Leftists today ("honor"? "right"? "freedom?" Freedom to agree with them is the only freedom they believe in)It is of course the hymn of the USMC -- still today the relentless warriors that they always were.The intellectual Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) said: "The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."How much do you know about Trayvon Martin? It's all here (Backups here and here An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life. -- Robert A. HeinleinAfter all the serious stuff here, maybe we need a funny picture of a cantankerous cat 1. Fill in your name or an alias. Do not leave blank or use the name 'guest' or 'anonymous'. 2. No Nivul Peh. Profanity will be deleted. Suraj Singh Thakuri, Nepali presenter, actor, director and producer. he's far and away referred to as the presenter of the longest running Nepali broadcast decision Kantipur that airs everyday on Kantipur tv. The show along side himself did very well at begin however with time he widened his interest in alternative fields as a reason of that he two-handed the reign of the show in hands of alternative young skills like Suraj Giri, akesha bista and riju shrestha once ten years of running the show. He has conjointly directed several Music Videos and has conjointly acted in a number of them. Call Kantipur was the principal demonstrate that created him perceived. He propelled his show together with his co host - prasidika she was later supplanted by Miss Kingdom of Nepal Preity Sitoula. She was later supplanted by another Miss Kingdom of Nepal, Malvika Subba. He then imparted the show to VJ/RJ Manavi Dhakal.He has perpetually thought-about Bhusan Dahal as his half model. Alongside decision Kantipur, he has varied shows disclosed on KTV. He has delivered indicates like KTV meal Box, Arrival, Kantipur Aja, Ghum Gham, Ghum Gham with Bhushan Dahal, KTV commencement and KTV Cook Book, Pariwartan and has likewise coordinated range of music recordings. Presently he exited decision Kantipur and commenced another show Pariwartan on same station Kantipur tv. a gathering primarily based social show with the target of drawing out the problems within the general public and its answer. Not in any respect just like the larger a part of the syndicated programs that dependably manages political problems this programme digs profound into the social problems that not terribly several people would possibly contemplate it in their daily lives . Living amidst violence rapidly constricting hope for a safer, sustainable, more equitable, and happier community and nation, what is to be done?There's more to be done than I can envision or perhaps even imagine. People who suffer -- whether for being different, for trying to control their bodies, for randomly encountering some gun fetishist, from climate disruption, or simply for lacking cash -- need to be cared for. In some places and moments, some people have to raise a ruckus in the streets.But also, what experience with actual, existing U.S. political power has taught me: in the mid-term elections in the fall of 2022, there are some contests that are vital. Here is a useful list of articles to help you figure out which elections are most important.Or hit me up about volunteer and paid opportunities to join campaigns in Nevada, Arizona and Pennsylvania: jan.uhreno@gmail BUTTE -- A former Montana State Hospital doctor who was arrested Friday in Butte on misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and possession of dangerous drugs pleaded not guilty to those charges in Butte City Court Tuesday morning. Mark Jay Catalanello made his initial appearance at about 11 a.m. before city Judge Glen Granger. Catalanello requested a jury trial. He also told the judge he has a private attorney. Catalanello's court date has not been set. He faces two counts of disorderly conduct and one count of criminal possession of pot, all misdemeanors. He was released from the county jail Saturday on $955 bond. Catalanello was a staff physician at the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs and served as the medical director at the Montana Chemical Dependency Center in Butte until October, when the Montana Board of Medical Examiners temporarily suspended his medical license because of accusations he was using illegal drugs. The state placed Catalanello on paid administrative leave following his Sept. 29 suspension and his last day working for the state was Oct. 19, 2015. Catalanello has a long history of drug and alcohol abuse and has had his medical license suspended in Montana and revoked in California following felony drug arrests in 2001 and 2005. Catalanello was taken into police custody early Friday evening after he allegedly yelled and screamed at police as well as an owner and bartender at the IT Club in Rocker. Butte-Silver Bow Undersheriff George Skuletich told The Montana Standard on Monday that Catalanello was reportedly belligerent, angry and made vulgar comments. Police had earlier responded to the Living Water Coffee Co. in Rocker, where an employee reported that Catalanello yelled and screamed at her as he waited in the drive-thru. His black 2016 Dodge Ram pickup truck was located at the nearby IT Club where he was found inside. Much of Tuesday nights Helena School Board of Trustees meeting was devoted to discussing both existing and new suicide prevention programs. This follows on the heels of a recent suicide at Helena High School, which was the fifth at that school in four years. However, Capital High School has also had suicide problems in past years, as have the Butte and Livingston school districts recently. Matt Kuntz, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness for Montana, introduced a new suicide prevention program, Youth Aware of Mental Health Program (YAM), that the district is looking at implementing this fall. Dr. Matt Byerly, director of the Center for Mental Health Research and Recovery at Montana State University, is slated to speak to the board in April about launching YAM in Helena's two high schools. Its based on a highly effective, research-based suicide prevention program done in Europe. YAM responds to a need that local teens mentioned in a student listening session last fall, requesting better mental health awareness and skills training, said Kuntz. The five-hour YAM program, which is spread over five weeks, uses trained facilitators. It includes interactive talks, as well as three hours of role-playing and mental health referral sources for youth. YAM teaches both mental health awareness and risk factors that are associated with suicide, but also a set of skills for dealing with adverse life events, said Kuntz. The program, which started in Sweden, has been shown to reduce suicides and suicidal and sad thoughts, said Kuntz. The program was implemented in a number of European countries and is considered the biggest and best program of its kind, he said. There is high expectation that this program will work well in Montana, Kuntz added. The MSU researchers are going to make the program the best they can and will tweak it specifically for Montana, he added. YAM is slated to be implemented in 11 schools, which will likely include high schools in Helena, Kalispell and Butte, as well as three Native American schools, and several smaller schools in eastern and western Montana. Grant funding will cover the cost of implementing the program in the first 11 schools, while other schools will have to pay for the program, said Kuntz. YAM would work with the freshman class, because thats the age group the European study worked with, he said. Byerly wants to mimic the European study as closely as possible to get it right and to make it culturally appropriate. The program includes a pre-test and follow-up test to measure effectiveness, said Kuntz. Once the district is on board with implementing the YAM program, Byerly would give community talks about it, he said. Kuntz complimented the school counselors for the array of programs they are already providing and said that multiple research-proven interventions should be used to be most effective. Citizen Barbara Rush spoke in opposition to the school district offering suicide prevention programs, saying that students who dont have mental health needs are being overlooked. She also said that suicide programs dont prevent suicide and can actually encourage them. Nonprofits make profits from these programs, she said, urging the school board to be a firewall. I respectfully disagree, said Superintendent Kent Kultgen, saying the school board and district cannot bury its head in the sand and pretend these problems dont exist. The school district needs to step up its commitment. The school therapists also outlined an array of suicide prevention programs they currently offer, including ASIST, which teaches educators and counselors how to intervene and help prevent suicide; QPR (Question. Persuade. Refer.), which helps people to recognize suicide warning signs and persuade a person to get help; the Montana Behavior Initiative, which includes such programs as a freshman mentoring program and bullying prevention, and a wide array of motivational and reward strategies. The schools also contract to offer counseling programs in the schools, as well as therapy and treatment referrals, and they provide a wide range of mental health resources on such social media as Facebook and special phone apps. Future plans include training in S.O.S. (Signs of Suicide) this summer. State Rep. Jenny Eck, HD79, said that Montana has the second highest suicide rate in the nation. Its critical we talk about this and teach young people how to self regulate, she said. Helena High School has been dealing with this for five years and theyre going through PTSD, adding that this is a community problem and that community members and elected representatives want to help. Kathy Shea, a licensed clinical social worker in Helena, said that the adolescent brain has been compared to a high speed sports car Ferrari with faulty brakes. They dont have a sense of their own mortality, she said, adding that they can act on impulse without seeing the consequences. As part of the crisis response team working with Helena High School, she has seen the staff suffering a great deal of grief from these deaths and also being unfairly blamed. In her private practice, Shea sees kids in crisis every week, she said. School trustee Sarah Sullivan told the counselors, I have worked in the mental health field, and this goes way beyond the schools. She told them the board is deeply appreciative of their work, and recognize they work with a very large number of students. In other matters, the board learned of upcoming staff training on how to deal with an armed intruder or active shooter in the school. The 8-hour training by the Safariland Program will take place on weekends, beginning in April through early summer. It teaches situational awareness and is based on three strategies -- run, lock, fight. The nationally recognized program is being adopted by most of Montanas AA schools. The board will decide at its March 22 work session whether to run a high school operational levy of about $50,000 on the May 3 ballot, said Kultgen, following the meeting. Its unlikely there will be an elementary district levy, he said, since enrollment has been flat. The board is awaiting final information from the Office of Public Instruction, he said, before it votes on whether to run the high school district levy. In the early morning hours of March 4th, a gracious and beautiful soul, our mother, Blanche Pedersen, put on her dancing shoes to join her husband in heaven. Our mother prepared her own obituary in her own words and this is how it reads: I was born at Esmond, North Dakota on September 30, 1922 to Sam and Julia (Wojciechowski) Walczak. We lived in Esmond and Linton for a few years, but most of my growing up years were lived in Jamestown, North Dakota. In 1940, I graduated from high school. Though I would rather have gone to college, I went to work for the Jamestown Daily Reminder. I collected ads, did set-up work and took my turn mimeographing the paper at night. For our big issue on Friday, we sometimes worked from nine Thursday morning until three a.m. Friday morning. The hours must have been the reason for my biggest mistake. The heading of the grocery ad should have been - "Look in Your Pantry and Check This List." Instead, it read - "Look in Your Panty and Check This List." We had a lot of calls and fun with that one! My next job was with Nash Finch Company (Wholesale Fruits and Groceries). They were particularly noted for Nash's Coffee, Y.B. and White Owl Cigars and had 57 branches in 12 states. I first worked in Jamestown and during the war years I transferred to the main office in Minneapolis. I became what would now be known as an Executive Secretary. When the war was over, I decided to return to Jamestown. I then went to work for the Smith Flying Service. Many of the fellows returning home were taking flying lessons for either their private or commercial licenses. The airport was a very active and fun place to be. It was there that I met Gordon who was taking commercial pilot training. We were married on November 24, 1947, at eight o'clock in the morning by an old Irish priest (who only did weddings at that time). It was also during a good old fashioned North Dakota blizzard. Three of our children Julie, Jane and Jeff were born in Jamestown. When Julie was six we moved to Helena as Gordon was with the Railway Mail Service. Our first house was at 1427 Boulder. The only heat in the house was a gas stove in the living room which had three walls that were red and one wall that was gray and the stove in the kitchen. It happened to be one of Montana's coldest winters. On Saturdays, we would load up on popcorn and pop and take the bus to the Marlow Theatre and spend the afternoon. Three movies plus cartoons and it was warm and cozy. That spring, we moved to our present home at 817 Eighth Avenue. It was a great time for the kids. All the moms stayed home and they could run and play freely without fear all around the neighborhood. It was while living there that Jody was born. Not the brother that Jeff so wanted, but what a blessing she has been. When Jeff started school I went to work for Dr.'s Maronick and Whitesitt. With a love of the old and antiques, I spent a whole lifetime going to garage sales and auctions. I collected many things along with making many special relationships with people who had the same interests. My only regret is now my family has to decide - "What are we going to do with it all." After Gordon died, I found a slip of paper in my old autograph book. It read, "I love you my wife. I think you are the grandest person in the whole world." I guess if I made that much difference in the life of one person in my lifetime it was worth living. I wrote this because I've always been the type of person who likes the last word! "So, until we meet again, God Bless." Blanche is preceded in death by her husband of 44 years Gordon Pedersen, her son Jeffrey Pedersen and granddaughter Michelle Pedersen. Brother Leonard and sisters Josephine, Leona, Polly and Elaine. She is survived by her wonderful children and grandchildren; daughter, Julie (David) Smith - Nolan and Kailie (Andew) Nolan; daughter, Jane Hayden - Rachael (Billy) Brewer; daughter-in-law, Diane Pedersen - Kristy (Josh) Klein and daughter Jody (Kelly) Reisbeck. She is also survived by her five great grandchildren: Tyler Nolan, Aby, Indy and Tristan Brewer and Makayla Klein. The family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 9th at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Ave. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 10th at the Cathedral of St. Helena, 530 N. Ewing Street. Rite of Committal will follow the Mass at Resurrection Cemetery with a reception to follow in the social hall at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Blanches name be made to an organization of your choice. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Blanche. I urge readers to be informed about Ballot Initiative 179, which is currently seeking signatures to appear on the ballot next fall. This proposed initiative was briefly outlined in the Feb. 28 Independent Record. It is a long and complex proposal (28 pages). I suggest that you go to the secretary of state's webpage where you can download the complete document (just google SOS MT and look for ballot initiatives for 2016). There are several aspects of the initiative that concern me. Here are a few: 1. It is a statutory initiative. It details changes and additions to Montana State Code (our laws) as written and would take effect immediately. (Non-statutory initiatives support a concept, but do not spell out the legal details, letting this happen in the Legislature and by rules.) When the medical board had a discussion with the sponsor (Mr. Ed Lesofski) this past January, he acknowledged that some suggestions the board made were probably good, but indicated that "it's too late now," as they had to get busy to obtain the required signatures to put the proposal on the ballot. 2. It mandates a new type of emergency medical technicians whose scope of practice (this term spells out what a given professional can legally do in their health care practice) must include: physical and mental health assessments, palliative care, acupuncture, drug dispensing, nutritional education, exercise physiology, mental health care, suicide prevention and intervention ... among others. (There are 18 items listed in Section 5, with the last item being "other medical procedures approved by the medical director.") 3. These community veteran emergency medical technicians (CVEMTs) will be supervised by a physician or physician assistant, but are "not required to practice under the guidance of a licensed mental health professional" (Section 5 (2)). Also, CVEMTs "are not restricted to a practice of only veterans" (Section 5 (4)) and "must not be restricted as to when or where they may practice" (Section 3(6)). 4. Finally, the fiscal note (which is the state budget director's estimate as to what the proposal would cost) indicates an initial cost for the first two years of the program, of about $12 million. The proposed initiative makes no reference as to the source of this money. The fiscal note also points out a number of other problems, including the fact that licensing authority for other types of EMTs appears to be abolished. So "buyer beware" before you sign the initiative and/or vote for it. It sounds great -- let's make health care more easily available to our veterans. I don't oppose the concept -- but I do know from 50-plus years in medicine that it takes more than good intentions to provide effective and safe care. In addition to impacting the medical board (which would be in charge of these new EMTs) the initiative has other impacts/mandates that affect the Department of Justice, the Board of Pardons and Parole, the Workers Compensation program, the Department of Public Health and Human Services and the Board of Pharmacy. Finally, I want to make clear that I am writing this as a private citizen. I recently completed serving two terms (eight years) on the Board of Medical Examiners. What I learned in that time has informed me regarding some of the implications of Initiative 179, but the above comments are mine alone and in no way represent the medical board's perspective. Mary Anne Guggenheim, M.D. Helena SPRINGFIELD Gov. Bruce Rauner appeared before reporters Tuesday to criticize House Speaker Michael Madigan for putting his chamber in recess until April 4, but he spared some words for Senate President John Cullerton, accusing him of holding up education funding over a bailout of Chicago Public Schools. We cannot let Illinois schools be held hostage for a Chicago school bailout, Rauner said during a news conference in his Capitol office. The governor repeated his call for the General Assembly to send him a clean school funding bill with no games. Not so fast, Cullertons office replied. Rauners budget proposal calls for the state to increase overall spending on early childhood, elementary and secondary education and to fully fund general state aid to public schools for the first time in seven years. But it relies on an existing school funding formula that Democrats are pushing to change because they say it doesnt channel enough state support to districts that need it the most. Before moving ahead on Rauners proposal, Cullerton wants a district-by-district breakdown of what it would mean for state funding levels. Education officials are putting that together, and it should be ready in a couple weeks, according to Cullertons office. Remember, it was the governor who said he couldnt support a funding system in which any school district lost money, Cullerton spokesman John Patterson said, referring to Rauners February budget address. Preliminary information shows that under Gov. Rauners proposal Chicago Public Schools would lose $78 million. Senate Democrats, led by state Sen. Andy Manar of Bunker Hill, are working on a proposal to revamp the states formula to provide more equitable funding to districts with high poverty and low property values. They want changes made before more money is put into the existing system, but the idea faces opposition from Republicans who represent wealthier districts in the Chicago suburbs and an uncertain future in the Democratic-controlled House, which has convened a task force on education funding that is holding hearing this spring. Rauner said he agrees that the funding formula is flawed and needs changes. But last year President Cullerton (and) Speaker Madigan were not holding school funding hostage for more money for Chicago, he said. The year before, with (Democratic) Gov. (Pat) Quinn, they werent holding school funding hostage for a new funding formula. Money for Chicago Public Schools has become a major point of contention in school funding discussions because Mayor Rahm Emanuel has sought help from the state to stabilize the districts perennially shaky finances. In response, Rauner has floated the idea of allowing the district to declare bankruptcy and letting the state take over its operations. Cullerton and other Democrats have said that a new state funding formula should include Chicago rather than treating the states largest district separately. Rauner also criticized Cullerton on Tuesday for not moving forward with a new plan to reform the states severely underfunded pension systems. The governor has said hell support Cullertons plan, which would give workers a choice between having future raises count toward their pensions or receiving yearly compounding cost-of-living raises in retirement. But Cullerton said hes proceeding with caution because the issue is contentious, and the changes wouldnt produce savings immediately and would face an inevitable legal challenge. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Lots of sunshine. High near 90F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low around 65F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Grisha Balasanyan A family of three lives in the only temporary metal hut in Landjaghbyur, a village in Armenias Gegharkunik Province. Gevorg Ghazarian, his wife Siroush Mkheyan, and their school-age daughter Gayaneh live there now. Their son was called to serve in the army last year. When entering the house of iron walls, a 2011 calendar catches our attention. Gevorg explains that the expired calendar shows the year they entered the shelter. It still hangs for us to remember, he says. Siroush and Gevorgs family have moved from house to house after getting married. At first, they lived in their parents house, then moved to those of relatives and friends who had gone abroad. Winters are harsh in Gegharkunik Province and the family finds it hard to heat the two-room hut. The wood stove has to be fueled constantly to prevent ice for forming inside. We thought it was shameful. How long could we live in other peoples houses? We gathered money and bought a domik (shelter). Now we live here dreaming of a small stone house, says Gevorg, showing us the concrete foundation they wish to build their dream house on. He says the initiative seems impossible for now because of the lack of money. If they have the construction materials, he adds, he may build the house himself. In spite of the cold iron walls of the shelter, the relations of the family members inside towards one another were warm and cordial. It was clean and tidy inside. Siroush didnt want to complain. I only ask for health from god, for us all. The rest will pass, she says. Still, Gevorg's face expresses the difficulties he faces at the age of 44. He had been working in Russia on a seasonal basis. After coming home last autumn, he could no longer go there because of health problems. Gevorg says he feels sorry he cannot work while he is young. Now, he says, everything has deteriorated in Russia too, either the employers don't pay in time, or the exchange rate is too law. Before their son went to the army, the family had been getting a pension. The social workers have explained that the reason they do not receive a pension now is that their boy is an adult. Siroushs argument that her son is in the army and doesnt provide income, was useless. Thats the law, was the response she received. They told me that since I have a young child I should go collect potatoes door-to-door and wash the dishes for rich people. I replied that where can I find work. There isnt any. I requested that at least we should get some assistance to pay for the electricity until my boy returns from the army. Their answer was they couldnt help; its a government decision. Then, I went to the provincial government for assistance. I petitioned everyone, but was told that I didnt qualify. Fine, but how poorly do we have to live in order to qualify. A person needs to have some pride. What can I do now? Must I keep knocking on doors for some assistance? We dont need it, says Siroush Mkheyan. She says that after being refused assistance, they received 17,000 AMD ($36) in emergency aid for three months. Siroush doesnt know if it will be extended. Even though Siroush is telling me all this, she notes that shes embarrassed to talk about the conditions in which the family lives. Even her close neighbors arent aware of the difficulties they face and that they have no money. Its embarrassing. People will read this now. What will they think of us? Despite the conditions they live in, the family proudly notes they have not taken out loans. Even if we fall down dead we wont take any loans. We do not have jobs; how would we return the loan? Neither do we have a house, which we could sell to pay the bank, Siroush says smiling. Gevorg continues, We owe the village store 250,000 drams ($510). Im ashamed to say so, but because of this debt I never walk through the village center. Photos by Davit Banuchyan Karen Hakobyan, who worked at the Nairit chemical factory from 2008-2014 as a chief mechanic, is still owed 12.5 million AMD ($25,500) in back wages and fines from the sprawling Soviet industrial complex thats no longer operating. While a Yerevan court has issued a verdict obligating Nairit Factory to pay Hakobyan the money (7.3 million AMD in salary and 5.3 million in fines), the factory and the energy ministry argue that the decision is a basis on which to pay Hakobyan the money hes owed. Hakobyan told Hetq that hes willing to forego the interest owed him but Nairit 2 CJSC, which has assumed the debts of Nairit Factory, has offered him 3.7 million AMD - twice as less than the 7.3 million stipulated by the court. Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Iosif Isayan says that the ministry doesnt have the power to take steps to execute the courts verdict, arguing that the 12.5 million to be seized from Nairit Factory must be paid according to Armenias bankruptcy law. Armenias Human Rights Defender Office has weighed in on the matter, declaring that Karen Hakobyans rights have been violated due to the illegitimate actions of the energy ministry and its negligence. In response, the ministry claims that it doesnt have jurisdiction to execute the courts decision and that the matter must be handed over to the Judicial Acts Compulsory Enforcement Service attached to the Ministry of Justice. Why, after winning in the courts and getting a favorable declaration from the Human Rights defender, they are still spinning on their wheels and talking about some other amount. It turns out that Nairit Factory doesnt recognize the courts or the Human Rights Defender. Theres also the statement of the prime minister to pay all the principal. Nairit turns around and says we will pay this much. Why is the factory disregarding the law? asks a frustrated Hakobyan. Hakobyan, now unemployed, has three children going to university. He was given a March 1 deadline to pay their tuition debts or they faced being expelled. The deadline has come and went without any payment made. Hakobyan charges Nairit with playing games, arguing that the company is on the verge of being dissolved and that he should wait till afterwards. Its a smokescreen. There are still 400 people there getting a salary, but they tell us theres no money. They fired us and we didnt get any money. Those who stayed continue to get paid, says Hakobyan, adding that some of those who stayed drove Nairit to bankruptcy in the first place. Small hydroelectric power plants in Armenia are pouring electricity into the countrys gridand a steady stream of guaranteed income into the pockets of the political insiders who own them. Small power plants, defined as those that produce no more than 30 megawatts, have become an attractive investment in Armenia since 2001, when the government passed the Law on Energy Power requiring the national electric utility to buy up all the electricity they generate in their first 15 years of operation. An extension of the lucrative guarantees is currently under consideration. The investments are so attractive that environmentalists say at least one riverthe Yeghegis -- is at risk because so many small plants have been built along it that fishermen say trout cant breed and farmers worry they wont be able to properly irrigate their crops. A Hetq study of the shareholders behind these projects finds that many have ties to top government officials. And while top officials have the legal right to own the companies, they are barred from managing them. Critics say these plants are built without conforming to environmental standards, and at least one was built without environmental permits. Electricity is a charged issue in Armenia, which last summer erupted in major street demonstrations after proposed electricity price hikes of up to 40 percent. The government backed down and promised subsidies. Then, late in 2015, Russian businessman Samvel Karapetyan purchased the country's electric network through an offshore company. Hydropower is an important source of both clean power and income in poor, mountainous countries like Armenia, where it provides nearly one-third of the electricity. While most hydro still comes from Armenias 11 big plantsthose producing more than 30 megawatts -- as of 2015 a total of 173 small plants were producing about 9 percent of the countrys power. According to the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC), 17 small plants that were built during the Soviet Union remain operational and were privatized by the new nation of Armenia between 1992-95. Another 17 small private plants were built between 1998-2003. After the 2001 law passed requiring output to be purchased, construction skyrocketed, with 90 small plants built between 2004-2011. Since 2012, more than 50 additional small plants have been built or are in the planning stages. The Yeghegis River system has proved to be a particularly popular place to build small plants. Eighteen have already been built on a 47-kilometer stretch of water in Vayots Dzor province in southern Armenia, and another six are under construction. The small plants currently operating on the Yeghegis only produced about 41 megawatts in 2014, a tiny fraction of Armenias overall production of 685,000 megawatts. Yet that small amount of power comes at ahigh environmental price. Critics say the plants already in operation are sucking up most of the water in the river system, destroying traditional trout fisheries and depriving area residents of reliable access to water. If three more applications for projects are approved by the PSRC, the entire 47 kilometers will be harnessed for hydropower projects. These plants are "run-of-the-river" projects that use small dams to capture and divert flowing water through turbines. But the large number of dams, and the way some are constructed, impede migratory fish. According to government regulations, any river with dams must maintain a minimum "environment flow" of about 0.035 square meters/second, but the regulation is not enforced. Another legal requirement in natural streams is for fish ladders a series of pools built like steps that allow migrating fish such as trout to bypass hydro installations and return upstream to spawn. Some of the hydro projects have no fish ladders at all; others have ladders that are improperly built, so that they actually obstruct fish from their proper breeding grounds leading to lower populations. Because they are private projects, statistics on profits are not public information. Due to their small size, those profits are in the thousands and not the millions. But the 15-year sales guarantee is attractive. For example, one new project requires a US$ 1.5 million investment, of which 70 percent will be a seven-year bank loan. The investors estimate an annual gross profit of US$ 334,000. Several members of the political elite have gotten in on the deals. They include: When the Law on Energy Power passed in 2001, it guaranteed a market to small plants for their first 15 years of operation. In 2016, politicians are debating whether the guarantee should be extended. There is no decision now. The policy is implemented by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, where discussions are now underway. The issue will be resolved in the coming months, replied Sergey Aghinyan, chief of the development and monitoring department of the PSRC. The decision is expected by July 1. For people who live along the Yeghegis River, the impact of environmental damage has far outweighed the advantages of more power generation. Ghazar Ghazaryan is a 51-year-old resident of Shatin village who works at a hydroelectric plant. (Most plants supply about 10 jobs for local residents). "Fish are disappearing from the river," Ghazaryan said. "There were wild trout and other types of fish. They have disappeared because of those hydro plants. Tons of fish are gone. "Nature is drying up. If the river isn't flowing, the environment dies. Trees die. People are deprived of irrigation water." Local farmer Varazdat Nikoghosyan showed a reporter one of the hydro plants that is half-owned by the nephew of President Sargsyan. "Because of these hydro plants, water is now scarce," Nikoghosyan said. "We can't water apricot orchards and grapevines. Out of about eight hectares, 80 percent is not cultivated." During the peak irrigation months of July and August, the power plants are supposed to operate only during specified hours. But villagers near the plants say most of them operate 24/7. Armenian Minister of Nature Protection Aramayis Grigoryan says the hydro plants help keep electricity rates low. Today, no matter how much we say that rates have gone up, if those hydro plants werent around, the rates would go higher," he said. "Thats why these operating plants must work efficiently and not harm the environment. If they do, then we wholeheartedly back them." Grigoryan said the state has agreements with the plants about how much water they can use and much must bypass dams. Plants should also take into consideration irrigation needs. We have to approach the issue correctly because water levels are decreasing. Thats evident. And if climate change occurs in the future, naturally water will decrease, Grigoryan said. The Ministry of Nature Protection, in conjunction with the EcoLur NGO, is implementing a program called Green Passports to jointly inspect hydro plants to see if operations need to be reviewed and changed. According to data supplied by the ministry's Nature Protection Environmental Impact Monitoring Center, the temperature of the Yeghegis River rose 1 degree Celsius between 2009 and 2011. The center says this temperature hike is caused by the power plants and not by global warming. Oxygen levels have decreased. And in the lower stretches of the river, the native brook trout have all but disappeared. www.occrp.org By Gayaneh Sargsyan No longer able to pay his rent, 21-year-old Syrian-Armenian Kevork has been living in the security room of the auto repair shop where he works in Vanadzor. Hetq wrote about the trials and tribulations of Kevorks family last year, chronicling how some members had left Armenia for Turkey in search of work after fleeing their hometown of Aleppo. The first to leave Armenia for Istanbul were Kevorks two sisters, who found work at a plastics company run by an Armenia. Soon after, they were joined by Kevorks older brother and his wife. Kevorks brother, a jeweler, couldnt find work in the field. He couldnt even find a menial labor job. Kevork and his mother stayed in Armenia, determined to make a go of it. My dream was to settle here. I want to stay in the homeland. To have a home here. We no longer want to go to foreign countries. Weve placed out hope on god, Kevorks mother Hayganoush said during her last conversation with Hetq. Kevork says that his mother recently fell ill and that they were forced to spend quite a bit of money for medical treatment. Here, in Armenia, you have to work in the summer and, just like ants, store it away to get you through the winter, says Kevork. When I ask Kevork what his mother thought of his decision to vacate the apartment and move into the auto shop, he laughs and says, I never told her. I just did it. When she found out, she was against it. I cant talk to her about such things. Shell get mad. But I have my plans and to carry them out I have to sacrifice a bit, Kevork adds. While Kevork doesnt earn much as an auto repairman, he says the first priority is to establish a good reputation in Lori, the province in which Vanadzor is located. And, despite the hardships, Kevork remains upbeat about staying in Armenia. It has to do with living in the homeland. There is also another, perhaps more important factor involved, the final wish of his father, now deceased. It was my beloved fathers desire. The first time I came to Yerevan, he was still back in Syria. He said he wanted to sell all his assets and come to Armenia. Given that I have work and am able to work, I manage. I will endure all to stay here. Its my homeland after all, Kevork says, adding that he too will have to leave if things dont improve. For now, Kevork rules out going to Turkey. I worked in Turkey, but I dont like it when many tell me to become a Muslim. Theres a triple strike against you there. Youre an Armenia, a Christian, and youre from Syria. You have to keep your mouth shut. You have to work on the sly since they dont give you a work permit. Its not a comfortable life. Sure, the money is good, but its not all about the money. Kevork, with nine years experience under his belt as an auto repairman, says he has no desire to go to Turkey and work in some factory. His profession is everything to him. The young man says hell return to Syria rather than going to Turkey. Hes heard that the family business and house are still standing in Aleppo. My overriding aim is for my family to live peacefully and for us to be together. We have to start from the beginning; to have a house and a family. If we remain like we are now, life doesnt have any meaning, Kevork says. The Hrant Dink Foundation has visualized the results of their project of recording the Armenian, Greek, Syriac, and Jewish cultural heritage in Turkey through the interactive online Turkey Cultural Heritage map. The map comprises historical information, photographs, registration information, and approximate geographical coordinates of churches, schools, synagogue, monasteries, cemeteries, orphanages, hospitals, and chapels, and is designed to grow with contributions from its users. The map, which was prepared by information from printed primary and secondary sources, as well as material from various archives, including the Ottoman Archives of the Prime Ministers Office, features about 9,250 buildings - 4,250 are Armenian, 4,050 are Greek, 675 are Syriac, and 300 are Jewish. Through this first version of the Turkey Cultural Heritage map, users can search for buildings and places with both their current and old names and by using different filtering criteria such as the communities to which the buildings belong, and the buildings original and current functions. It is our hope that the map will meet the needs of diverse users, from researchers and students to travelers and those who miss their homelands, and that it will develop and flourish with their suggestions, additions, and corrections. Kayseri with its Armenian and Greek Cultural Heritage Information collected via a literature search will be updated and expanded by means of field work. The first such field work has been conducted in Kayseri, whose multi-cultural past in not widely known. The results of the field work, organized in collaboration with the Association for the Protection of Cultural Heritage and HAYCAR, has been published, in Turkish and English, in a book entitled Kayseri with its Armenian and Greek Cultural Heritage. The book is a 2015 photographic memoir of the cultural heritage left by the Armenian and Greek communities, who constituted one-third of the population of the Kayseri Province at the end of the 19th century. The inventory of Armenian and Greek public cultural heritage in Kayseri, which is accompanied by maps and photographs, includes a list of 18 buildings still standing. The book can be ordered free of change from the Hrant Dink Foundation. [English follows] A nuestr@s que rid@s companer@s del COPINH, A la Resistencia Hond urena, Al pueblo digno hondureno, A los movimientos populares de todo el mundo A la comunidad internacional en general, A tod @ s l@s que suenan con un mundo mejor: El mundo acaba de perder a una de las grandes luchadoras en la historia , no solo de Honduras , sino del mundo entero. La voz de Berta Caceres era, es y siempre sera una voz que inspire tenacidad, amor al pueblo , y esperanza. Berta siempre usaba su voz para ampliar las voces de l @ s demas, de la gente humilde, de la gente pobre, del pueblo Lenca, de todos los pueblos indigenas y afrodescendientes, de las mujeres, de la gente de diversidad sexual, de las obreras y los obrero s, de las campesinas y los campesinos, de las explotadas y los e xplotados, de la juventud, del pueblo en resistencia, de tod@s quienes sonamos con un mundo mas justo . Compartimos en lo mas profundo de nuestras almas el dolor inmenso que sient e n en estos momentos tan dificiles nuestr@s companer@s h onduren@s del COPINH, la familia hermosa y luchadora de Berta y tod@s l@s que tuvieron el gran privilegio de conocerla en algun momento . Berta tocaba corazones en todo el mundo. En cada rincon de este planeta tierra , este planeta que Berta defendia con todo su esfuerzo y , finalmente , con su vida misma, el ejemplo, la voz, la memoria, la inspiracion, la ensenanza, el amor de Berta Caceres esta n presente s, hoy y siempre. Como La Voz de los de Abajo, una organizacion internacional de derechos humanos con sede en Chicago y con mas de 15 anos de historia de acompanamiento a los movimient os popular es hondurenos, r esponsabilizamos al gobierno de Honduras , a l gobierno de los Estados Unidos y a la empresa DESA y sus financiadores internacionales por el asesinato de Berta. El gobierno hondureno es responsable por su falta de voluntad para investigar las constantes amenazas de muerte en contra de Berta , por su indiferencia ante las medidas cautelares otorgadas a Berta por la Comision Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, por su participacion en la campana de difamacion y satanizacion que se realizo en contra de Berta en los medios de comunicacion , y por su colaboracion con y apoyo a la empresa DESA en su proyecto nefasto de construir una represa hidroelectrica en el Rio Gualcarque a pesar de la oposicion de las comunidades indigenas Lencas. Somos testigos de esa colaboracion, vimos con nuestros propios ojos la gran presencia del ejercito hondureno y su cercania y colaboracion con l o s guardias de la empresa DESA en la comunidad de Rio Blanco . El gobierno estadounidense es responsable por su continuo financiamiento del ejercito hondureno, por su historia larga y criminal de entrenar a militares hondurenos asesinos en la Escuela de las Americas, por su papel fundamental en financiar, defender y asegurar la consolidacion del golpe de estado y el ambiente de represion e impunidad que este conllevo . La empresa DESA y sus financiadores internacionales son indudablemente responsable por el acto material del asesinato. Sus empleados dijeron descaradamen te , en innumerables ocasiones , que iban a asesinar a Berta por su liderazgo en la lucha en contra de la destruccion ambiental y cultural que representaria la construccion del proyecto hidroelectrico Agua Zarca en Rio Blanco. Berta vivira no solo en los corazones , sino en las acciones de todos los pueblos en resistencia del mundo y especialmente en su querida Honduras y en su querido pueblo Lenca en particular. Si los malos de arriba piensan que con el asesinato de Berta podran acabar con la lucha del pueblo Lenca, se equivocan terriblemente . Su voz se multiplicara. Su ejemplo se multiplicara. Su inspiracion se multiplicara. Ella sembro miles de semillas con su persistencia, con su risa, con su tenacidad, con su esperanza, con su vision de un mundo sin patriarcado, sin explotacion capitalista y racismo, con su suen o de un mundo liberado, con su profunda fe en el triunfo inevitable de la lucha popular. Se p rofundizara la lucha, se profundizara la solidaridad internacional , se p rofundizara la ola de indignacion, se profundizara l a determinacion y dedicacion del pueblo Lenca, del pueblo hondureno en resistencia y de los pueblos del mundo que los acompanamos. Estaremos informando sobre los proximos pasos para mostrar solidaridad internacional muy pronto. Berta Caceres presente! Que viva el COPINH! Que viva la resistencia! Que vivan las luchas populares! Sangre de martires, semilla de libertad! Nunca nos olvidaremos de usted, companera Berta Caceres. Desde Chicago, Estados Unidos, La Voz de los de Abajo To our dear sisters and brothers of COPINH, To the Honduran Resistance , To the dignified people of Honduras , To the peoples movements arou nd the world , To the International community in general , To everyone who dreams of a better world : The world just lost one of the greatest freedom fighters not just in the history of Honduras but in the whole world. The voice of Berta Caceres was, is and always will be a voice that inspires tenacity, love for the people, and hope. Berta always used her voice to amplify the voices of others, of the downtrodden, of the p o or, of the Lenca people, of all indigenous and afro-descendant peoples, of women, of the LGBT community, of workers and peasants, of the exploited, of the youth, of the people in resistance , of all of us who dream of a more just world. We share in the depths of our soul the immense pain felt by our Honduran comrades from COPINH, by Bertas beautiful and resilient family, and by everyone who had the great privilege of meeting her at one time or another. Berta touched hearts around the world. In every corner of this planet earth, the planet that she defended with all of her energy and finally with her life itself, the example, the voice, the memory, the inspiration, the teachings, the love of Berta Caceres are present today and always. As La Voz de los de Abajo, an international human rights organization based in Chicago and with more than 15 years of history accompanying Honduran social movements, we hold responsible the government of Honduras, the government of the United States, and the DESA corporation and its finan cial backers for Berta s murder . The Honduran government is responsible for its unwillingness to investigate the constant death threats against Berta, for its indifference regarding the protective measures extended to Berta by the Inter-American Human Rights Commission, for its participation in the campaign of defamation and character assassination carried out against Berta in the Honduran press, and for its collaboration with and support for the DESA corporation and its nefarious project of building a hydroelectric dam on the Gualcarque River despite the opposition of the indigenous Lenca communities. We are direct witnesses to that collaboration, having seen with our own eyes the tremendous presence of the Honduran army and its closeness and collaboration with DESAs private security in the Rio Blanco community . The U.S. government is respons i ble for its continued financing of the Honduran army, for its long and criminal history of training Honduran military assassins at the School of the Americas, for its essential role in financing, defending and assuring the consolidation of the coup detat in Honduras and th e environment of repression and impunity that it ushered in. The DESA corporation and its financial backers are undoubtedly responsible for the assassination itself. Its employees have said shamelessly and on numerous occasions that they would kill Berta for her leadership in the struggle against the environmental and cultural destruction represented by the building of the Agua Zarca hydroelectric dam in Rio Blanco. Berta will live not just in the hearts but in the actions of all the peoples in resistance around the world and especially in her beloved Honduras and her beloved Lenca indigenous community. If the powerful and evil think that by killing Berta they can end the struggle of the Lenca people, they are terribly mistaken. Her voice will multi ply . Her example will multiply . Her inspiration will multiply. She sowed thousands of se e d s with her persistence, with her laughter, with her tenacity, with her hope, with her vision of a world free from patriarchy, capitalist exploitation and racism, with her dream of a liberated world, with her profound faith in the inevitable triumph of the peoples struggle. The struggle will deepen, international solidarity will deepen, the wave of indignation will deepen, the determination and dedication of the Lenca people, of the Honduran resistance and of the people of the world who accompany them will deepen. We will be releasing information on next steps for demonstrating International solidarity very so o n. Berta Caceres lives on ! Long live COPINH! Long live the resistance ! Long live the peoples struggle s ! Blood of martyrs, seed of liberation! We will never forget you, comrade Berta Caceres . From Chicago, USA La Voz de los de Abajo Thank You Terry Hooper-Scharf Please consider supporting Comic Bits Online because it is a very rare thing in these days of company mouthpiece blogs that are only interested in selling publicity to you. With support CBO can continue its work to bring you real comics news and expand to produce the video content for this site. Money from sales of Black Tower Comics & Books helps so please consider checking out the online store. In this March 6, 1981, photo, Walter Cronkite talks on the phone at his office prior to his final newscast as CBS anchorman in New York City. Behind him is a framed Mickey Mouse cartoon and his Emmy award. Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less. News & Information Visit us at the new www.wklawbusiness.com for all legal, business and health care products and services from Wolters Kluwer Law & Business CCH UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE 3/9/16 Massachusetts sets its 2016 contribution rates Contribution rates for employers with three or more years of experience will continue to range from 0.06% to 10.3% in 2016. The maximum rate of 10.3% includes a 6.3% maximum chargeable benefit component, a 3.0% maximum account building component, and a 1.0% maximum nonchargeable benefits component. Note that if the employer has submitted no quarterly tax reports, that employer's maximum tax rate will be 10.3%, and the employer also will be assessed a penalty of 3.0%, which is separate from the contribution rate. In addition, the new employer rate remains at 2.7%, except for new construction employers. The nonchargeable benefits component (NBC) for 2016 may range from 0.06% to 1.0%, depending upon an employer's experience. For an employer with no benefit charges for nine years, the NBC is 0.06%. For an employer with no benefit charges for eight years, the NBC will be 0.07%. For an employer with no benefit charges for seven years, the NBC will be 0.08%. For an employer with no benefit charges for six years, the NBC will be 0.09%. For an employer with no benefit charges for five years, the NBC will be 0.1%. For all other employers, the NBC is 1.0%. In 2016, an obligation assessment (OA) will be applied to all contributing employers until the states refinancing bonds are repaid. The OA calculation is structured to incorporate the employers experience rate and a base assessment. For 2016, the OA ratio is 0.188239 and the base assessment is $63 (MUIA Communication). Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-03-09 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at CONTENTS [01] Representatives of institutions in Athens; to meet with Finance and Economy Ministers [02] Idomeni closed for third consecutive day; 13,000 refugees waiting to cross the border [03] Two ferries with more than 670 refugees arrive at Pireaus on Wednesday [01] Representatives of institutions in Athens; to meet with Finance and Economy Ministers The second and most crucial round of the review of the Greek programme starts on Wednesday. Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos and Economy Minister George Stathakis will meet in the afternoon with the representatives of the institutions.The negotiations will focus on the new tax system, the creation of a privatisation fund, the new social security system, the fiscal gap and the non-performing loans. The Greek side wants the review to complete within March or early April and the discussion for the debt relief to start as soon as possible. [02] Idomeni closed for third consecutive day; 13,000 refugees waiting to cross the border Greece-Fyrom buffer zone at Idomeni remains closed to refugees for third consecutive day. Approximately 13,000 persons are currently at Idomeni camp waiting for the crossing to open that will allow them to continue their trip to northern Europe. Meanwhile, the condition in Idomeni camp is very bad due to the heavy rain that was falling in the last days and the refugees tents are soaked and the area is full of mud. [03] Two ferries with more than 670 refugees arrive at Pireaus on Wednesday "Ariadni" ferry with 529 migrants and refugees docked at Piraeus port on Wednesday morning. More specifically, on board of "Ariadni" were 50 persons from Chios and 479 from Mytilene. "Blue Star 2" is expected to arrive to the port later in the day carrying 144 refugees and migrants from Dodecanese islands (74 from Rhodes and 70 from Kos). According to the data of the Piraeus Port Authority, 3,070 refugees and migrants are temporary hosted within the passengers stations. One of them, at the Gate E-2, is completely saturated with people, that many tents needed to set outside the premises. Red Cross personnel is expected to distribute food within the day and also on Wednesday is planned to become also operational the dispensary set by the Piraeus Medical Association. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-03-09 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at CONTENTS [01] PM requests off-the-agenda debate on justice issues in Parliament [02] Coordinating body spokesman says evacuating Idomeni is a priority [03] Council of Europe representative says Greece cannot carry alone the burden of refugee crisis [04] Greek banks further cut borrowing from ECB, ELA in February [05] Passenger traffic in Greek airports up 15.3 pct in Jan-Feb [01] PM requests off-the-agenda debate on justice issues in Parliament In a letter to Parliament President Nikos Voutsis on Wednesday, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras asked for an off-the-agenda debate in Parliament focusing exclusively on the latest developments concerning justice and the government's policies in this area. "Over the recent period, public debate has been inundated and poisoned by groundless and insincere claims concerning the manner of exercising government policy in the justice sector. These claims are being promoted by specific centres that have reasons to fear an unobstructed and independent judicial process," Tsipras said, accusing the opposition parties of reproducing the same claims. The prime minister noted that the government's goal was to restore the citizens' faith in the justice system, which he said had been especially damaged by the irregular and unconstitutional interference in justice by recent governments. As examples, he cited the progress in investigating the "Borjans List" and the previous "Lagarde List" of Greeks with substantial deposits abroad, the bank loans issued without any collateral and other financial crimes at the expense of the Greek public sector. "Given the above, it is our obligation to open a relevant public dialogue in a substantive way within Parliament and at the highest possible level, without evasions and ruses in the manner attempted by the opposition in the past few days," Tsipras said. According to sources in Parliament, the date for the off-the-agenda debate will be announced on Thursday, after the Conference of Presidents meeting, and will probably be set for the coming week. [02] Coordinating body spokesman says evacuating Idomeni is a priority The Coordinating Body for the Management of the Refugee Crisis rejected on Wednesday press reports claiming the police will evacuate the refugee camp in Idomeni in the coming days, saying that the body will instead distribute flyers explaining to people the situation. "Our priority is to evacuate Idomeni in the coming days," spokesman Giorgos Kyritsis told ANA-MPA. "We plan to have in Idomeni plenty of people who speak the languages of the refugees and distribute flyers explaining the situation to the refugees and that there are centers available for their accommodation," he added. Kyritsis also said he believed that as weather conditions worsen, the refugees themselves will want to leave Idomeni. [03] Council of Europe representative says Greece cannot carry alone the burden of refugee crisis Greece cannot carry alone the burden of the refugee crisis and the EU must show its solidarity both on a legal and practical level, the special representative of the Council of Europe's secretary general on migration and refugees, Tomas Bocek, said on Wednesday during a visit to Greece. In statements to the press after a meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Mardas, Bocek congratulated the Greek people, the authorities and the volunteers for the hospitality they offer to the refugees and migrants who arrive to the country, adding that "we have to work to improve the situation". "There's still room for improvement especially concerning the welcoming facilities, the living conditions, the underage [refugees] and other points, but, as I said, this cannot happen without more solidarity," he said. He also said that after visiting identification centers in Athens and Chios he now has a clearer picture of what is happening and how the Council of Europe can help. On his side, Mardas said that the existence of a special representative on migration at the Council of Europe shows the international dimension of the problem "which is a given". He thanked Bocek for the interest shown by the Council of Europe and for the fact that the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) stands by Greece to help tackle the problems facing the refugees. [04] Greek banks further cut borrowing from ECB, ELA in February Greek banks in February further reduced their dependence on borrowing from the European Central Bank and the Emergency Liquidity Assistance mechanism of the Bank of Greece. The central bank said that borrowing from these mechanisms at the end of February fell to 104 billion euros, from 106 billion a month earlier. This development reflects a reduction in borrowing from the Emergency Liquidity Assistance mechanism (ELA) to 67.9 billion euros in February from 68.8 billion in January, and a decline in borrowing directly from ECB to 36.2 billion euros from 37.2 billion, over the same periods, respectively. [05] Passenger traffic in Greek airports up 15.3 pct in Jan-Feb Passenger traffic in Greek airports grew 15.3 pct in the first two months of 2016, compared with the same period last year, the Civil Aviation Authority said on Wednesday. In a report, the authority said that passenger traffic amounted to 3.53 million in the January-February period, from 3.10 million last year. In February, passenger traffic was 1.75 million, up 19.6 pct from February 2015, with the biggest passenger traffic recorded in the airports of Athens, Thessaloniki, Chania, Heraklion and Rhodes. Air flights in Greek airports totaled 38,500, of which 24,209 domestic and 14,291 international flights, up 7.3 pct compared with the same period last year. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article Ironic is that Romney courted and touted Trump's endorsement and support in 2012. At the time Romney proudly stood next to Trump and accepted his endorsement, as did the establishment, for winning was most important to the Republican Party. Four years later Trump has become a monster to the very enablers who creation the conditions for his rise in popularity. Why? Not being able to control Trump, he threatens the status quo of Republican establishment members, whose power is linked to keeping control of the Republican Party and remaining in office. A phony and a fraud was visited upon the American people on Thursday, March 3rd, but it wasnt only by Mitt Romney -- a two time failure at the presidential sweepstakes and the self-appointed guardian of the Republican establishment -- who excoriated Trump by expounding upon "profound consequences" should Trump be elected president Voices raised against Romney's Trump attack Judi McLeon had this to say about Mitt Romney's diatribe against Donald Trump in her March 3rd article published in the "Canadian Free Press" on Thursday, March 3rd, "We taw a puddy tat named Mitt Romney": Up to now, other than watching his son Josh Romney try to force a primary challenger on Utah Senator Mike Lee, it has been a case of cats got your tongue for Romney on the 2016 presidency. But now that it looks like business mogul Donald Trump has a real shot at the presidency from millions of 8-year-long disenfranchised Americans, Romney comes crawling out of his gilded puddy tat cage. Shouldn't folks remind him, 'The election is over, MItt, and you so roundly lost.' The catnip sent his way by the apoplectic GOP establishment, the same one who sent him out unprepared on the campaign trail before, was the lure that brought him out again today. Rev. Franklin Graham said, "The Republican presidential campaing has not only sunk to new lows, but the Republican establishment seems to be desperate to pick their own candidate. . . " statements regarding Romney's presentation. "Playing ball" essential to winning acceptance Rather than endorse one of the candidates, Romney could have endorsed one of the remaining candidates, but instead he did what even the Democrats dare not do launched a personal attack on The Donald. The ostensible reason is that the Establishment doesnt think Trump can defeat Hillary Clinton, but it goes deeper than that. The Republicans want a candidate who will play ball, In other words, one they can control, as stated before, or their gravy train and power will end. Trump is definitely not that guy. They would rather lose the election than admit defeat from one of their own. The thought of voting for Donald Trump for president is so unbearable to "Weekly Standard" editor Bill Kristol that the infamous neocon has promised to leave the Republican Party in support of a third party bid if Trump becomes the Republican presidential nominee. As far as who might be a better spokesman for the Republican establishment than loser Mitt Romney, it's certainly not John McCain given his failed presidential run of 2008. As soon as Romney finished his address denouncing Trump, Senator John McCain, the partys standard-bearer in 2008, endorsed Mr. Romneys harsh Trump rhetoric, citing Trump's ignorance on foreign policy, based on McCain's perceived "dangerous" pronouncements made by Trump on national security. What does playing ball mean to the Republicans? Unlike the Democrats, Republicans do not speak with one voice (from the same scripted message). In the absence of unity, the Republican leadership attempts to speak for us, with or without the support of the membership. The Immigration Issue The big issue is immigration. The Democrats want open borders in order to gather votes. Republicans want open borders for cheap labor. Hence, nothing gets done no fences, no enforcement, no staunching the influx. Recently reported was that Abbott Labs gave layoff notices to 180 IT workers. Who spoke out against Abbott for replacing 180 workers with Indian immigrants, here on H-1B visas? Richard Durbin? In an outrageous turn, Abbott will require the workers to train their replacements. Trumps softened stance on visas at Thursday night's (3/3/2016) Republican presidential debate when Ms. Kelly pressed him on whether he was abandoning his tough criticism of the visas, known as H-1B, did shock some of his supporter who had seen Trump as being against an influx of foreigners taking American jobs. In an immigration blueprint released in August of 2015, Mr. Trump said the visas for highly skilled workers were part of what he called disastrous immigration policies that had destroyed our middle class. He gave detailed proposals on fixing the visa program to protect Americans. A clarifying statement was issued hours after the debate: I remain totally committed to eliminating rampant, widespread H-1B abuse and pledged to end forever the use of H-1B as a cheap labor program. This stance is in keeping with Trump's endorsement by Leo Perrero and Dena Moore, two former technology employees of the Walt Disney Company in Orlando, Fla., at a Trump Alabama rally. In testimony in front of the Senate, Mr. Perrero had broken down when he described the humiliation of losing his job and having to train a less-skilled H-1B worker to take over his work. It was Senator Jeff Sessions who helped Donald Trump craft his immigration polices: "It's exactly the plan America needs." Senator Jeff Sessions has now endorsed Trump. So who are our friends in Washington? The Democrats want immigrants in this country to vote for them. The Republicans want them to serve as a cheap source of labor. The H-1B visa program was intended to let highly qualified foreigners to work in this country when there arent enough American citizens to fill the jobs, mainly in the technical industries. Theres something to this. About 15,000 engineers graduate each year in the U.S., compared to 30,000 lawyers. In Japan there are 60,000 new engineers each year and 1500 lawyers. We would suggest exporting lawyers to Japan (and India), but theyre doing a good enough job wrecking their economies without our help. Republicans would rather play nice than fight with either Democrats or Hillary Another issue is the budget. Democrats want unrestrained spending and taxation. Republicans dont want a fight in which they will be blamed for a shutdown, even if it is the Democrats who erect the barricades. The key word is fight. Trump is a fighter. Hes the guy in a bar who will take a punch, put his head down and beat the c*** out of you. In the last Presidential debate in 2012, Romney took it on the chin when Obama lied about Benghazi. Some fighter, some spokesman. Paul Ryan fared no better against veteran stumper, Joe Biden, who glibly makes up facts to support his arguments, and mugs the camera while his opponent has the floor. (Biden is the ultimate photo-bomber.) The Republicans are pulling their punches against Hillary. Why? Because the Democrats preemptively blamed the "Email Scandal" on a Republican conspiracy, the Washington Post, New York Times, FBI and DOJ notwithstanding. Prison Reform When Bill Clinton was president, violent crime fueled by drugs reached a peak. Clinton's response backed up by Hillary, was to set tough sentencing standards to lock up these criminals. Now Hillary is decrying the "injustice" in our prison system, and the Republicans remain silent. A death knell for Republican Party if will of people is subverted By violating their part of the agreement, the Republican establishment runs the risk that Trump will run as an independent. Why? Maybe to blame Trump for losing the election, to maintain the status quo? For without power and the control that comes with power, the establishment will lose its lucrative gravy train. A brokered convention is under consideration by some as the only way to prevent Trump from being the Republican nominee for president. Their plan to achieve this may be to keep at least two candidates in the race in addition to Trump, so that no candidate will have the simple majority needed to secure the nomination. A brokered convention itself will not necessarily be fatal to the GOPs chances in the fall indeed some might argue a brokered convention could improve those chances. But the nomination process must seem fair and evenhanded. For Republicans in 2016, how they choose their nominee may be more important than the actual nominee. Ted Cruz, at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Friday, March 4, poured cold water on the calls to stop GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump during a brokered convention, warning that there could be hell to pay with the grass roots if they believe their will is being disregarded. In Cruz's mind, there's one way to beat Donald Trump: "with the voters." Any attempts at the convention to freeze out the unconventional candidates will carry enormous cost for Republicans, including a badly divided party or possibly the entry of a third-party candidate, which will carry with it huge loses for Republicans as they seek to win the White House and maintain their majority status in the Senate. My question: "What are your thoughts on Hillary?" She probably could have given a speech on the question but used her time to describe how great a Ted Cruz presidency would be. I asked about her speech Wednesday night at 6:00pm at the Pickwick Restaurant in downtown Park Ridge. I indicated the location is just four blocks from Hillary Clinton's childhood home. During Q&A, she was asked, "What would a President Cruz do to protect religious liberties?" Her answer was simple, "Follow the constitution," which was met with loud applause. Heidi Cruz spoke for about 25 minutes then took about a dozen questions. She had three main bullet points: Security, growth, and liberty. The Ted Cruz presidential campaign is here in Chicago all week starting today with a breakfast with the candidate's wife, Heidi Cruz. The subject title was called: "What would a Ted Cruz presidency look like?" She spoke in the Democrat stronghold, City Club of Chicago at Maggiano's in River North. The Maine Township Republicans that are hosting Heidi Cruz tonight, also hosted the film "13 Hours" a few weeks ago at the Pickwick. The film chronicles the 13 hours of the attacks at the consulate in Benghazi on September 11, 2012. One unnamed person at my table said, "Heidi Cruz would make a great presidential candidate." Her next stop was Homer Glen to continue a series of meetings and appearances all day. Her father-in-law Rafael Cruz (Ted's dad) is also making several appearances in Illinois this week. Ted Cruz himself will be here Friday for two Republican dinners. More information in this Illinois Review story yesterday. There is lots going on building up to the Illinois Primary this Tuesday, March 15, 2016. I have a ticket for the Donald Trump rally at the University of Illinois Pavilion at 6:00 pm Friday night. Ohio Governor John Kasich is doing three townhalls today in the Chicago area. I have a seat tonight for his Chicago appearance which will be on the Greta Susteren Show live on Fox News at 6:00 pm CST. No sign of Marco Rubio in the Chicago area as social media is alive with rumors that he may suspend his campaign as soon as today or after the CNN debate Thursday night. His showings have been weak and there are concerns as primaries in Ohio and Florida are also next Tuesday. I'll be watching debate Thursday night live at the Austin Fuel Room, a tavern in Libertyville. Former congressman and current talk radio host Joe Walsh is doing his show live there from 5-7pm on WIND 560-AM before we all watch the debate. If you are not worn out, Saturday at noon is the Annual Saint Patricks Day Parade on Columbus Drive in Chicago at noon. Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is the Grand Marshall. Since it is rumor season, is it possible Trump and Cruz might march in the parade as they will be in town? I'll be there either way, dressed in green. Don't forget to vote in Illinois this Tuesday, March 15, 2016. One footnote is to be sure to vote your candidate's delegates too. Full disclosure, I'm voting for Ted Cruz next Tuesday. Editorial Policy The opinions of the individual authors do not reflect those of IWC as an organization or of other IWC members. The purposes of this blog are to encourage writers, educate the public on writing-related subjects, provide information on upcoming writing events, and promote IWC and its individual members. IWC's membership includes writers from all genres and with varying opinions about writing. To foster this diversity, our editorial policy is (1) to accept all blog articles by members if the content fits with the blog's purposes and (2) to publish the articles as written. We do, however, reserve the right to reject posts that are inconsistent with the purposes of this blog and to cut down or split up posts that exceed 1,000 words. We also reserve the right to make minor edits, such as correcting misspellings. Anyone who submits material for publication on this blog warrants to IWC that he or she either owns the copyright and has the unrestricted right to use the material or has received permission to post it. This includes photographs as well as text. The problems with the Art of Living's cultural extravaganza, which is expecting a participation of 35 lakh people, refuses to die down, as the question of proper toilet arrangements for the event, spread across the spralling area of 1,000 acres (400 hectares), is in the question. By India Today Web Desk: The problems with the Art of Living's cultural extravaganza, which is expecting a participation of 35 lakh people, refuses to die down, as the question of proper toilet arrangements for the event, spread across the spralling area of 1,000 acres (400 hectares), is in the question. The Art of Living foundation had urged Ministry of Urban Development, to sanction Rs 53 Lakh under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The foundation informed that the money will be used for building of toilets, dustbins and on volunteers. The Central government, however, has forwarded the request to the Delhi government. advertisement India Today is in possession of the letter which was written by the Art of Living foundation to the Ministry of Urban Development to sponsor the money for construction of toilets for the event. The Art of Living has said that it will spend at least Rs 9000 on 500 toilets whose collective cost will come up to Rs 45000. They have also proposed to spend Rs 2500 on 200 dustbins. In addition, they are planning to spend Rs 1500 on 200 volunteer. In the letter they have also said that the event will also help in image building of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Earlier today, the NGT on the conditions of cleanliness, has granted permission for the event. --- ENDS --- The remark came after Subramanian was asked if the beef ban would have any adverse impact on the farmers' incomes or the rural economy. By India Today Web Desk: Days after he discusses the adverse impact of social tensions on economic development, Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian on Tuesday refused to answer a question on beef ban and said that he did not want "to lose his job". "You know that if I answer this question I will lose my job. But thank you nevertheless for asking the question," he said during an interaction with students in Mumbai University. advertisement The remark came after Subramanian was asked if the beef ban would have any adverse impact on the farmers' incomes or the rural economy. Students in the university lauded the adviser for his matter-of-fact reply. Earlier, Subramanian had warned of social divisions producing adverse effects on development. "The way you react to social cleavages has a critical impact on economic development. India is a wonderful example," Subramanian said. "What have reservations done, what have they not done, what has religion done, what has it not done, illustrate the general principle that these things have a huge impact," he added. Beef ban became a national issue after a man was lynched by a mob on the outskirts of the national capital last year on the suspicion of stocking beef at house. --- ENDS --- According to the MHA Inspection Report, which is exclusively in the possession of India Today, Lawyers Collective received foreign contribution of a total of Rs 32 crore between 2006-2014. The MHA inspection team found that a large part of the money received from foreign sources was spent on activities, which were outside the list of items for which the money had been collected. By Rahul Kanwal: After Teetsa Setalvad, another high profile lawyer is now in the cross-hairs of the Modi government. India Today has been able to exclusively access the Inspection Report of the Ministry of Home Affairs which scrutinised the accounts of Lawyers Collective, a well known NGO run by former Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising. The inspection report of the MHA has found glaring violations in the manner in which the NGO used the foreign donations received by it. advertisement According to the MHA Inspection Report, which is exclusively in the possession of India Today, Lawyers Collective received foreign contribution of a total of Rs 32 crore between 2006-2014. The MHA inspection team found that a large part of the money received from foreign sources was spent on activities, which were outside the list of items for which the money had been collected. Paying volunteers to organise dharnas, receiving foreign contribution while working for the government, sending foreign donations outside India, spending foreign money to lobby with parliamentarians are some of the main violations listed in the MHA's inspection report. Under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act 2010, an Indian NGO can spend the foreign contribution only for the purpose for which the money has been collected. Lawyers Collective has been given one month by the MHA to reply to the notice, after which legal proceedings will be initiated against the NGO. According to the MHA Inspection Report, Rs 88,978 was paid to Delhi Network of Positive People on October 21, 2009 for paying 250 people for holding a dharna outside the Law Ministry. 250 people were paid Rs 200 each for food and conveyance to stage a protest for the HIV/AIDS Bill. To hold paid dharnas by utilising foreign contribution is a violation of Section 8 of the FCRA, 2010. The MHA report says that a large amount of foreign contribution was spent on air travel, boarding and lodging of Indira Jaising's husband Anand Grover and other members of Lawyers Collective for draft legislation meetings and advocacy with MPs. The Inspection Report says Rs 13 lakh were spent on media and advocacy with 67 MPs in April 2010 and 99 MPs in August 2010. According to the report compiled by the Home Ministry, "The utilisation of Foreign Contribution for advocacy indulging in lobbying with MPs and thereby influencing the political process and parliamentary institutions is in clear violation of the letter and spirit of the FCRA Act. Section 3 of the FCRA clearly prohibits acceptance of foreign contribution by any member of any party so that parliamentary institutions are not influenced in any manner." advertisement The report also says that large sums of foreign contribution was used by Lawyers Collective for air travel and other expenses to attend conferences and charity dinners in different parts of the world. This according to the report is a violation of Section 7 of the FCRA as there is no provision for using money received from abroad outside India. The Ministry of Home Affairs report also says that Indira Jaising received compensation of Rs 96 lakh while she was the Additional Solicitor General under UPA 2. The report alleges that Jaising's travel expenses to Nepal and USA were borne by Lawyers Collective from the Foreign Contribution without approval of the MHA. As a high ranking legal officer of the Union Government, Indira Jaising was being paid a salary from government funds and receiving foreign contribution without government approval is a violation of Section 3 and 11 of the FCRA. Lawyers Collective is a public interest NGO, established in 1981, which works in the areas of human rights, legal aid and litigation. According to the NGO's website, it was created to provide expert legal assistance to the underprivileged, especially women and children, workers in the unorganised sector and other members of marginalised groups. Indira Jaising, her husband Anand Grover, Sanober Keshwar, Norma Alvares, Justice Suresh, Nilima Dutta and Mihir Desai are the trustees of the NGO. The action of the Ministry of Home Affairs is based on a complaint by an activist named Raj Kumar Sharma who alleged that Indira Jaising had been misusing foreign funds received from international organisations like Ford Foundation, Open Society Institute and the Levi Strauss Foundation. advertisement India Today spoke to Anand Grover who's a Trustee of Lawyers Collective. Grover said, 'This is a deliberate and mischievous attempt to tarnish our image. These notices are supposed to be confidential. We have filed a complaint with the Ministry of Home Affairs. We believe in the process of law and will respond to the notice which has been sent to us.' Indira Jaising told India Today, 'I am calling for an investigation about how this information got into the public domain. We have been given 30 days to reply to the notice. We are in the process of consulting our accountants and filing an appropriate reply. They have not found anything wrong in our accounts. They have found problems with the way some of the money has been used. This according to us is beyond the purview of the FCRA.' --- ENDS --- advertisement The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr took to his Twitter account to confirm the news of Martin's demise. By India Today Web Desk: Referred to as the Fifth Beatle--due to his influence over the iconic band--producer George Martin passed away at the age of 90 on March 9. The Beatles drummer, Ringo Starr, took to his Twitter account to confirm the news of Martin's demise. Sharing an old picture of George Martin alongside all the members of The Beatles--John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and himself--Starr wrote, "Thank you for all your love and kindness George peace and love xx." advertisement Also Read: In pictures: Birthplace of The Beatles, Liverpool In a previous tweet, Starr had written, "God bless George Martin peace and love to Judy and his family love Ringo." Influenced by a string of musical styles, Martin attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama from 1947 to 1950, where he studied piano and oboe. Also Read: 8 places every Beatles' fan should visit Martin's association with The Beatles was a rather long one, where he was the constant support system who was with the band through its ups and downs. The Rolling Stone reports, "The producer not only signed the Beatles to their first record contract in 1962 but went on to work extensively with them on the vast majority of music they recorded over the next eight years, from Love Me Do to the majestic suite that wrapped up Abbey Road." According to a report by Variety, "He helped them arrange strings for Yesterday and work with more exotic instruments such as the Indian sitar that Harrison began experimenting with on such songs as Norwegian Wood." --- ENDS --- For the second year in a row, the government faced embarrassing moments in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday as the Opposition forced an amendment to the Motion Of Thanks on the President's address. By Indo-Asian News Service: For the second year in a row, the government faced embarrassing moments in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, as the opposition forced an amendment to the Motion Of Thanks on the President's address. The Opposition amendment led to the addition of a sentence to the motion, that the government is committed to securing the Fundamental Rights of all citizen to contest elections at all levels. advertisement This despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to the upper house to pass the motion without any amendment, as per the tradition. The Prime Minister, in his reply to the debate on the motion of thanks, said: "I will appeal to the members, trusting the President's vision, withdraw the amendments and Pass the Motion of thanks unanimously." However, that was not to be. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad moved the amendment with reference to the education qualifications set for Panchayat Elections in Haryana and Rajasthan, even as the two states were not mentioned in the motion. Despite several attempts by the government, including by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, to urge the chair not to allow the motion to be taken up as it referred to a matter that was state subject, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien permitted it as it did not refer to any state. The amendment was then passed by the upper house after a division, which involved electronic voting. As many as 94 of the 155 members present in the house voted in favour of the amendment. Interestingly, none of the Bahujan Samaj Party members were present in the house at the time of voting, even though its supremo Mayawati was present during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech. In 2015, Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury had moved a motion regretting that there was no mention of corruption and black money in the president's speech. Azad, during the course of the debate, had asked the Centre to bring in legislation to roll back the provision on minimum educational qualifications, made mandatory for fighting Panchayat Elections in Rajasthan and Haryana. Modi, in his reply, snubbed Azad, and said the parties protesting the imposition of minimum qualifications should give 30 percent tickets to illiterate candidates in the coming Assembly polls (in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry). --- ENDS --- According to the police, Jedam Alagai posed as a trader from Africa and tried to sell the photocopied currency notes to a shop owner in Bhatarahalli village. By Mail Today: The Bengaluru police arrested a Gambian for trying to sell fake currency notes (colour photocopy version) in Bhattarahalli on the outskirts of the city on Tuesday. According to the police, Jedam Alagai (45) allegedly photocopied currency notes in the denominations of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 and put them in a big suitcase. He arrived at Bhatarahalli village in the evening and posed as a trader from Africa. He approached a local shop and informed the owner that he had black money worth Rs 10 crore and he did not know how to dispose it. He showed the shop owner the color photocopied currency notes and assured to hand over the Rs 10 crore notes in return for Rs 10 lakhs. advertisement The shop owner, who was suspicious about the Gambian's claim made him wait for some time. Later, he informed the police over phone. The police nabbed Alagai by posing as decoys. Alagai had come to India on a student visa six months ago and had allegedly cheated several others in the past. --- ENDS --- No, it's not the fact that he got his PhD at 22; it's not even the fact that he was once India's most-followed politician on Twitter. It could, in fact, be sapiosexualism, but well... By Somya Abrol: That Shashi Tharoor can spin magic with words is an understatement, and shall forever be one. Before people troll us for being politically bent, let it be stated that this is not about a party or a politician. This is about a man whose birthday it is today, and we, out of our sheer love for his genius, are going to celebrate exactly that--the man; not what he is associated with. advertisement Now that that's out of the way, here's a big shout out to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, on his 60th birthday today. And here's a reminder of why we find ourselves swooning over the politician more often than we'd like to accept: Because he owned the Oxford Union Reparations debate The hashtag, #LikeABoss, could've easily been invented for Mr Tharoor. At the Oxford Union Debate in July 2015, Tharoor debunked every possible argument about British colonialisation having aided India in any possible manner. For instance, if the British claimed credit for the railways, Tharoor said it was only a means to suit their ends. In fact, Tharoor opened the debate with, "India's share of the world economy when Britain arrived on its shores was 23 per cent. By the time the British left, it was down to below 4 per cent." Because...Riot: A Love Story A torrid love affair--engulfed in religious and social barriers--is not an easy genre to tackle. But Tharoor's portrait of Priscilla Hart, an American student who finds herself in the midst of communal riots in 1989 Uttar Pradesh, and her clandestine affair with a married Indian man, is every bit as fulfilling as a riot is perturbing. Because this is how he wished the world Happy Valentine's Day this year: Happy Valentine's Day to the friendly Mumbai @jetairways Customer Service staff! Thanks Maya &team for all your help pic.twitter.com/LHMWMYKHKt Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 14, 2016 For just giving us faith that we're headed towards a future worth anticipating Despite the regressive debacle that India has been reduced to of late, Tharoor gives us young minds hope for the future, making us believe we have the power to lead the country towards a better tomorrow. In Tharoor's words, "Ninety-five per cent of our 12-year-olds can read and write. So, the future looks good!" Despite personal loss, his forever-graceful demeanour The mystery that shrouded Sunanda Pushkar's demise caught many a fancy. What it also caught was her husband's mental peace and political career. At the time, it was being debated if at all the Congress MP would contest the 2014 elections from Thiruvananthapuram. The grace with which he handled all personal (in the garb of political) attacks after the demise of his wife, was commendable: advertisement --- ENDS --- The IRGC, a powerful force that reports directly to the supreme leader, is deeply suspicious of the United States and its allies. It maintains dozens of short and medium-range ballistic missiles, the largest stock in the Middle East. By Reuters: Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) test fired two ballistic missiles on Wednesday morning, the Fars and Tasnim news agencies said, defying a threat of new sanctions from the United States. Two months ago, Washington imposed sanctions against businesses and individuals linked to Iran's missile programme over a test of the medium-range Emad missile carried out in October 2015. advertisement US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Washington would review the incident and, if it is confirmed, raise it in the U.N. Security Council and seek an "appropriate response". "We also continue to aggressively apply our unilateral tools to counter threats from Iran's missile program," Toner added, in a possible reference to additional U.S. sanctions. An Iranian state television report showed a missile being fired from a fortified underground silo at night time. The presenter said it was a medium-range Qiam-1 missile, and the test took place in the early hours of Tuesday. The report said the Guards had fired several missiles from silos across the country, though it only showed footage of one. "The missiles struck a target 700 km away," said Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC's aerospace arm. State-run Press TV had earlier shown footage of the Emad missile, Iran's most advanced model under development, being fired. However, that footage appeared to be of the earlier October launch that triggered the U.S. sanctions. US and French officials said a missile test by Iran would violate UN Security Council resolution 2231, which calls on Iran not to conduct "any activity" related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. However, Washington said that a fresh missile test would not violate the Iran nuclear deal itself, under which Tehran agreed to restrict its atomic program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. The deal was endorsed in resolution 2231. It is unlikely the Security Council would take action on Iranian missile tests, diplomats say. While most of its 15 members would agree with the United States and France about a likely violation of resolution 2231, Russia and China, which have veto power, made clear during negotiations on the Iran nuclear deal they did not agree with continuing the U.N. restrictions on Tehran's missile program and arms trade. Deterrent Power Hajizadeh said sanctions would not stop Iran developing its ballistic missiles, which it regards as a cornerstone of its conventional deterrent. "Our main enemies are imposing new sanctions on Iran to weaken our missile capabilities  But they should know that the children of the Iranian nation in the Revolutionary Guards and other armed forces refuse to bow to their excessive demands," the IRGC's website quoted Hajizadeh as saying. advertisement Iran always denied any link between its ballistic missiles and its disputed nuclear programme, which is now subject to strict limitations and checks under the nuclear deal. Tuesday's test is intended "to show Iran's deterrent power and also the Islamic Republic's ability to confront any threat against the (Islamic) Revolution, the state and the sovereignty of the country", the IRGC's official website said. While any missile of a certain size could in theory be used to carry a nuclear warhead, Iran says the Emad and other missiles are for use as a conventional deterrent. Recent work has focused on improving the missiles' accuracy, which experts say will make them more effective with conventional warheads. Also Read Iran N-deal: Israel's Netanyahu declines offer to meet with Obama, says White House --- ENDS --- Former Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Mohammad Shahabuddin may have been languishing in jail for more than a decade but that has not robbed him off his political clout in Bihar. By Giridhar Jha: Former Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Mohammad Shahabuddin may have been languishing in jail for more than a decade but that has not robbed him off his political clout in Bihar. Even after being sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder and abduction case, the controversial strongman from Siwan has politicians queuing up outside the district jail to meet him. On Sunday, senior RJD leader Abdul Ghafoor, who happens to be the minority welfare minister in the Nitish Kumar-led government, paid him 'a courtesy visit'. advertisement Ghafoor, accompanied by another MLA Harishankar Yadav, met Shahabuddin and were served snacks during their meeting inside jail in apparent violation of the Jail Manual. The matter came to light when a picture of Shahabuddin flanked by the two high profile visitors went viral on Tuesday, prompting the Opposition to demand ouster of Ghafoor from the Nitish ministry. The minister, however, defended his visit saying it was just a courtesy visit. "Shahabuddin is a party leader who has been an MP and an MLA," he said. "I decided to pay a courtesy call since I was staying at the Circuit House near the jail." Ghafoor said that there was no politics behind his visit. He said that mere mention of Shahabuddin's name have caused pain to the BJP leaders. Also Read: Nitish's minister feasts with Mohammad Shahabuddin inside Siwan jail --- ENDS --- This is for the first time that Parameshwara will be meeting Sonia Gandhi after taking over the Home Ministry in Karnataka. By Aravind Gowda: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara is expected to meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi today, after he was issued a summon by the Congress High Command on Tuesday evening. This is for the first time that Parameshwara will be meeting Sonia after taking over the Home Ministry in Karnataka. Parameshwara's meeting with the Congress High Command has already led to plenty of speculations in the political circles. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is not on good terms with Parameshwara, refused to comment on the Home Minister's trip to New Delhi. advertisement Parameshwara happens to be the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee and there are plans to replace him ahead of the Karnataka elections. He is expected to submit a report on Siddaramaiah government's performance. --- ENDS --- Kim Jong-Un met his nuclear scientists for a briefing on the status of their work and declared he was greatly pleased that warheads had been standardized and miniaturized for use on ballistic missiles. People watch a TV news program showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with superimposed letters that read: "North Korea has made nuclear warheads small enough to fit on ballistic missiles" at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea. (PIC: AP) By AP: North Korea on Wednesday caused a new stir by publicizing a purported mock-up of a nuclear warhead for the first time, with leader Kim Jong Un saying his country has developed miniaturized atomic bombs to be placed on missiles. The North's Rodong Sinmun newspaper carried photos on its front page that showed Kim and nuclear scientists standing beside what outside analysts say appears to be the model warhead - a small, silverish globe presented on a low table in a hangar with a ballistic missile or a model ballistic missile in the background. advertisement The newspaper said Kim met his nuclear scientists for a briefing on the status of their work and declared he was greatly pleased that warheads had been standardized and miniaturized for use on ballistic missiles. South Korea's Defense Ministry said Wednesday it was analyzing the objects shown in the photos. It was the first time the North has publicly portrayed what its designs look like, though it remains unclear whether the North has a functioning warhead of that size or if it is simply trying to develop one. The disclosure comes amid heightened tensions in the wake of harsh UN sanctions on North Korea for its nuclear test and long-range rocket launch earlier this year. North Korea warned Monday of pre-emptive nuclear strikes after the United States and South Korea began holding their biggest-ever war games, which will go on until the end of April. Pyongyang has previously said it has nuclear warheads small enough to put on long-range missiles capable of striking the US mainland, but experts have questioned such claims. The round object shown in the photos appears to be a model of a trigger device for a warhead, which would contain uranium or plutonium inside it, according to nuclear expert Whang Joo-ho of Kyung Hee University in South Korea. He said it was obviously a model because Kim and the others in the photos would not stand near it because of concerns of radioactive leaks if it was a real warhead. In the photos, no one was seen wearing radiation suits or protection. Whang said it was impossible to judge from the photos if North Korea has mastered the miniaturization technology because it was not known if the object was real or not. But he said its shape looks similar to ones used in existing nuclear warheads developed by other countries. The North says it tested its first H-bomb on Jan. 6, followed last month by the launch of a rocket that put a satellite into orbit but which was violating U.N. resolutions because it contains dual-use technology that could also be applied to long-range ballistic missiles. advertisement Its development of smaller nuclear weapons and long-range missiles that could be used to deliver them to targets overseas has long been a matter of concern and could potentially shake up the security balance in Asia. Also Read North Korea has miniature nuclear warhead, says Kim Jong-Un --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: Pressure continues to mount on business tycoon Vijay Mallya as Kingfisher employees today staged a protest, demanding unpaid salaries, outside his residence in Mumbai. The debt-ridden airlines owes approximately Rs 800 crore rupees to the Kingfisher staff, who haven't been paid their dues since July 2012. The employees demanded that Mallya immediately pay their long-pending salaries. The protesters even sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention demanding action against him. advertisement "I have been an employee for 8 years and I have not been paid my salary since the last one year," a Kingfisher employee told India Today. "Running a family is a tough job. I have missed out on my salary for six months. Also, 8 years of gratuity. I may have lost lakhs of money," said another Kingfisher employee. The protests came at a time when the Parliament MP is already facing the heat of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) who has registered a case of money laundering against him. The case was registered on the basis of a CBI probe into an alleged wilful default of Rs 900-crore loan in conspiracy with IDBI Bank officials. It has sought the loan-sanction papers from the bank for further probe. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court today is expected to hear a petition filed by a consortium of 13 banks seeking its directives to stop business tycoon Vijay Mallya from leaving the country after he was charged with money laundering. However, if reports are to be believed, Mallya has already left for an undisclosed foreign destination a few days ago. He had recently expressed a desire to settle down in London. Watch full video here: Also read: Supreme Court to hear banks' plea to stop Vijay Mallya from leaving India, but there's a hitch No sweetheart deal: Vijay Mallya barred from accessing Rs 515 cr Diageo deal money --- ENDS --- Why did the workers of Unilever's thermometer factory in Kodaikanal campaign for 15 years and what is the settlement all about? Know here! By Sanjana Agnihotri: The settlement, or what is considered a victory by the former mercury workers in the Hindustan Unilever case, came after 15 long years of campaigning. The campaign by workers and many supporters worldwide has brought Unilever to come to a settlement with 591 former mercury workers from its thermometer factory in Kodaikanal. However, the amount has not been disclosed. advertisement The campaign organisations The Other Media, Chennai Solidarity Group and Jhatkaa.org called the settlement a 'fitting culmination of the 15-year campaign'. But this is not enough. Unilever is yet to clean up its mercury contaminated site in Kodaikanal as the mercury content in the soil does not match the international standard. The giant is keen on leaving 25 milligrams/kg of mercury in soil which is 250 times higher than naturally occurring background levels. Such a high level will harm the environment and the densely forested Kodaikanal Wildlife Sanctuary. Why was there, and still is, a need for campaigning? To sum up the 15-year-old case, in 2001, Hindustan Unilever had to shut down its factory in Kodaikanal because of a case of mercury poisoning. Mercury-based thermometers were manufactured in the factory for export purpose. The extent of environmental abuse was so much that it can be compared to the Bhopal tragedy and might stand only second to it. Many families were affected due to the pollution and workers suffered from illness due to exposure to mercury. Unilever's stance Hindustan Unilever Limited on its official website clarified that it "did not dump glass waste contaminated with mercury on land behind its factory." "Glass scrap with residual mercury had been sold to a scrap dealer about three kilometres away from the factory, in breach of our guidelines. HUL immediately closed the factory and launched an investigation." The company also remained firm on there being no adverse impacts on workers' health or even the environment for that matter. But, 2011 Government of India study on workers' health concluded that many workers suffered from illnesses caused by workplace exposure to mercury. What can excessive exposure to mercury do to you? Excessive exposure to mercury include damage to the brain, kidneys and lungs. Sensory impairment (vision, hearing, speech), disturbed sensation and a lack of coordination are some symptoms of the impending problems that can occur due to excessive exposure. The damage done by elemental mercury is caused by blocking blood vessels. advertisement Now, there is a rap by a Chennai-based artist Sofia Ashraf on this issue and the beginning of the video sums up the whole 15 year long struggle. "Unilever dumped toxic mercury in Kodaikanal, poisoning its workers and the forest. In the past 14 years, Unilever has done nothing to clean up the contamination and compensate its workers and their families, despite talking a big game about social responsibility." Listen to the rap here: --- ENDS --- In 2014, KR Ravi Rathinam filed a case against the makers of Lingaa, alleging that they had stolen his script of Mullai Vanam 999. By India Today Web Desk: KR Ravi Rathinam, who has filed a case against the makers of Lingaa alleging that they have plagiarised his script, has now filed a petition seeking the original script of the Rajinikanth-starrer, according to a report published in The Hindu. ALSO READ: Kabali - These new stills from Rajinikanth's upcoming film have broken the internet advertisement Ravi Rathinam, his counsel, and all the four defendants including superstar Rajinikanth were present at the Additional Munsif Court in Chennai, where the case is currently being tried. The report further said that the judge has postponed the hearing to Wednesday, and has asked the defendants to respond to the plea. In 2014, during the release of Lingaa, KR Ravi Rathinam filed a case against the makers of Lingaa in The Madras High Court. He accused the makers of copying his script of Mullai Vanam 999 and adapting it for the Rajinikanth-starrer. --- ENDS --- Your digital subscription includes access to all content on our agricultural websites across the nation. Access unlimited content and the digital versions of our print editions - This Week's Paper. Flying Cadet Avani Chaturvedi, along with Flying cadets Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh, are on the threshold of entering history books in the country by being the first three women cadets to be cleared for flying fighter aircraft. By Gaurav C Sawant: As a young girl, all Avani Chaturvedi wanted was to fly like a bird. Little did she know at that time that not only will her childhood dream come true one day, but also she would go on to make history. Flying Cadet Avani Chaturvedi, along with flying cadets Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh, are on the threshold of entering history books in the country by being the first three women cadets to be cleared for flying fighter aircraft. "It doesn't feel very special just as yet. Our main focus is to undergo training and live up to the expectations of our instructors and excel in all examinations,'' says Flying Cadet Bhawana Kanth. advertisement The three women flying cadets are undergoing flying training at the Indian Air Force base in Hakempet along with their male counterparts. There is no special treatment for the women cadets. They undergo the same rigourous training as the men. "No concessions for us. Physical fitness or mental robustness, the tests are the same,'' says Flying cadet Mohana Singh. While women pilots have been flying helicopters and transport aircraft since 1991 in the IAF, it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who finally took the decision to open the cockpits of fighter aircraft for women. There was some reluctance initially but the IAF is now going all out to make this experiment a success. "This is a learning experience for us. This is the first time we will be putting women cadets in the fighter aircraft cockpit. There are lessons for all of us. We will benefit from these experiences,'' sources in the IAF headquarters said. The three women cadets have undergone the mandatory 55 hours of flying on Stage I trainer -- the Pilatus PC 7 basic trainer. They are currently undergoing Stage II training on the Kiran Mark II. Once they clear this stage, they will graduate to the Advanced Jet Trainers (AJT) for fighter flying training. "The IAF will get its first woman fighter pilot on June 18, 2016,'' Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, chief of air staff announced to thunderous applause addressing a seminar on women in uniform - on the occasion of International Women's Day. The women cadets will have to clear every physical, mental and psychological test to be cleared for flying fighter jets. "So far they are performing better than our expectations. They are mentally very alert and physically as fit meeting all the requirements. Once we put them in a fighter cockpit we will test them to take more than 5 G + (more than five times the gravitational pull the body experiences) while flying,'' sources added. The male fighter pilots undergo up to 9 G pull during some complex maneuvers. The women cadets will have to undergo the same before being cleared for combat fighter flying. The missions envisaged for women fighter pilots will be slightly different from their male counter parts initially, according to top sources in the IAF. The women fighter pilots will fly combat air patrols (CAPs) and protect Indian skies from hostile elements. advertisement "They will not fly over enemy territory. Why put them or the country at risk of women fighter pilots being shot down over hostile territory God forbid. There are several missions that are flown in our own territory which are as complex and require as much expertise," sources added. The three women cadets as of now are training hard to touch the sky with glory. Also Read: After Rajasthan's Barmer, suspicious balloon spotted near Delhi airport Indian Air Force turns 83 today: 10 amazing facts about IAF --- ENDS --- The girl had suffered 95 per cent burn injuries and was battling for her life at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi following the incident that occurred on Monday. By India Today Web Desk: The 15-year-old girl, who was raped and set on fire inside her house by a minor boy in Greater Noida's Tigri village, today succumbed to her injuries. The girl had suffered 95 per cent burn injuries and was battling for her life at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi following the incident that occurred on Monday. Accused Ajay Sharma, 18, who lives in the same village, has been arrested. He was a neighbour of the victim's family and, according to her father, had become friendly with her. advertisement Deputy Superintendent of Police Rakesh Kumar had told reporters that the incident took place on Monday between 1 am and 2.30 am. "The accused entered the victim's house at night and called her to the terrace. He first raped her and then set the girl on fire," Kumar said. On hearing her scream, the girl's family rushed to the roof to find her ablaze. She was rushed to the Safdarjung Hospital. --- ENDS --- Starring Nimrat Kaur and Tahir Raj Bhasin, YFilms's latest short film The Road Trip has in store for you a much unexpected ending. By India Today Web Desk: They say men don't listen and women can't read maps. For the sake of all the well-meaning male psychologists, judges etc. and female geologist, astronauts etc., let's ignore that statement that introduces short film The Road Trip on YouTube. Instead, let's focus on the unusual, heartbreaking bite of a love story that YFilms serves in a span of a little over 10 minutes with this movie. advertisement Starring Nimrat Kaur and Tahir Raj Bhasin, this film revolves around a couple's road trip that's cut short due to what appears to be a car break down in the middle of nowhere. The first film in YFilms's series of Love Shots, The Road Trip takes off with a petty fight between this married couple over their plan to visit Pune and other things. And just when you start feeling tired of the monotonous bickering, the movie takes a hairpin turn for bewilderment. So we suggest, don't quit on this film until the very end. It has in store for you a much unexpected ending. If this got you hooked, take a look at the upcoming short films in the Love Shots series: --- ENDS --- "The nuclear warheads have been standardised to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturising them," KCNA quoted North Korean leader Kim Jong- Un as saying. "The nuclear warheads have been standardised to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturising them," KCNA quoted him as saying as he inspected the work of nuclear workers, adding "this can be called true nuclear deterrent." By Reuters: North Korean leader Kim Jong- Un said the country has miniaturised nuclear warheads to be mounted on ballistic missiles and ordered improvements in the power and precision of its arsenal, its state media reported on Wednesday. Kim has called for his military to be prepared to mount pre-emptive attacks against the United States and South Korea and stand ready to use nuclear weapons, stepping up belligerent rhetoric after coming under new UN and bilateral sanctions. advertisement US and South Korean troops began large-scale military drills this week, which the North calls "nuclear war moves" and threatened to respond with an all-out offensive. Kim's comments released on Wednesday were his first direct mention of the claim, previously made repeatedly in state media, to have successfully miniaturised a nuclear warhead to be mounted on a ballistic missile, which is widely questioned. "The nuclear warheads have been standardised to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturising them," KCNA quoted him as saying as he inspected the work of nuclear workers, adding "this can be called true nuclear deterrent." "He stressed the importance of building ever more powerful, precision and miniaturised nuclear weapons and their delivery means," KCNA said. Kim also inspected the nuclear warheads designed for thermo-nuclear reaction, KCNA said, referring to a hydrogen bomb that the country claimed to have tested in January. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 claiming to have set off a miniaturised hydrogen bomb, which was disputed by many experts and the governments of South Korea and the United States. The blast detected from the test was simply too small to back up the claim, experts said at the time. The UN Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on the isolated state last week for the nuclear test. It launched a long-range rocket in February drawing international criticism and sanctions from its rival, South Korea. On Tuesday South Korea announced further measures aimed at isolating the North by blacklisting individuals and entities that it said were linked to Pyongyang's weapons programme. China also stepped up pressure on the North by barring one of the 31 ships on its transport ministry's blacklist. But a UN panel set up to monitor sanctions under an earlier Security Council resolution adopted in 2009 said in a report released on Tuesday that it had "serious questions about the efficacy of the current United Nations sanctions regime." North Korea has been "effective in evading sanctions" by continuing to engage in banned trade, "facilitated by the low level of implementation of Security Council resolutions by Member States," the Panel of Experts said. advertisement "The reasons are diverse, but include lack of political will, inadequate enabling legislation, lack of understanding of the resolutions and low prioritisation," it said, referring to the incomplete enforcement of sanctions. Also Read South Korea, US begin exercises as North Korea threatens attack North Korea warns of preemptive nuclear attacks against US and South Korea --- ENDS --- By Mail Today: After President Pranab Mukherjee's office said he would skip the AOL event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to take a call on attending the 'World Culture Festival' now. Apparently, the Special Protection Group (SPG) has cited security concerns, sources said on Tuesday. The PM was supposed to inaugurate the event, being organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living, on Friday advertisement Meanwhile, the use of Army soldiers to build bridges on the Yamuna floodplains for a private event gave ammunition to the Congress on Tuesday to attack Modi. They said it was shameful and asked him is this 'his type of nationalism and patriotism'. The Art of Living foundation has said it will have yoga and meditation sessions, peace prayers by Sanskrit scholars and traditional cultural performances from around the world On the PM's visit, sources said, agencies fear a major stampede because of poor evacuation plan in case of any emergency. Only two pontoon bridges are in place even though seven bridges were proposed. Sources said the river bed is not safe to accommodate such a large gathering. And no security agency is ready to certify safety of the stage, sources said. The AOL has told the National Green Tribunal that police have not yet given them permission as fire clearance is still pending. The PM is scheduled to inaugurate the event on February 11, but sources said he is still considering whether to attend the event or not. CONG, JD(U) SLAM PM FOR USE OF SOLDIERS Opposition party JD(U) gave a notice in the Rajya Sabha to raise the issue of environmental degradation. "The last few days have been an eye-opener. The first shocker was the distressing news that the Defence Ministry had asked Indian Army Jawans to build (pontoon) bridges for a private event on the banks of Yamuna river. Is this the job of the Jawan? Is this the respect that the Modi government gives to our Jawans? What is the justification of using the Army as contract labourers?" the AICC said in a commentary. The AICC said it is shameful that one of the world's largest and the bravest armies is asked to do the bidding of a private organisation. "Is this your Nationalism, Mr PM?" the party asked. In the commentary titled, 'Is this your patriotism, Shri Modi, using India's brave Jawans for private events?', the party said that the PM and the BJP should stop playing politics with the Armed Forces. advertisement Watch full video here: Also Read: President Pranab Mukherjee says no to Art of Living Also Read: Sri Sri mega show: Manohar Parrikar explains why Army building Yamuna bridges, DDA defends permit --- ENDS --- PM Narendra Modi, while addressing the Rajya Sabha, thanked Opposition members for the smooth running of the Parliament. PM Modi appeals for smooth clearance of all pending bills in Rajya Sabha. By India Today Web Desk: After major environmental concerns were raised over Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's World Culture Festival, there was heavy backlash against the mega fest in the Rajya Sabha today. The Opposition lashed out at the government for supporting the event and for granting permission despite environmental threat to the Ganga. Meanwhile, while addressing the Rajya Sabha, PM Narendra Modi appreciated the cooperation of members in the present session and said unlike previous sessions, the proceedings were going on smoothly during the ongoing Budget Session. advertisement The prime minister on Wednesday equated the Congress party with "mrityu (death)" but hastened to add that like death is never subjected to criticism, the Congress party also goes unscathed. PM Modi addresses Rajya Sabha, here are the highlights: - I'm not an economist like Manmohan Singh, that's why I am not that knowledgeable. But I do know some things. Cleanliness is becoming a mass movement. - Our focus is on job creation, new start-ups. - There are two kinds of the people in the world, one who work and the others who only take credit. I'm not saying this, Indira Gandhi has said this. - Effective or last mile delivery is what we are working on. - Decentralisation is the third aspect of good governance. - We are focussing on accountability. I am reviewing infra projects and also looking into projects that were stalled for decades. - PM Modi appeals for smooth clearance of all pending bills in Rajya Sabha, says it will give momentum to country's progress. - Respect the President's advice, both the Houses must function smoothly. - Coordination between both Houses is essential. - We need to worry about the lack of educational facilities and overcome these challenges. - Congress can never get a bad name it seems. - There is a funny thing about 'death', no one blames death. Instead, they blame the reason behind one's death. -When we criticise the Congress, it is reported as 'criticism on the Opposition, not criticism on the Congress'. Congress never gets a bad name. - I want to thank Opposition members for the smooth running of Parliament. - After a long time, members sat for hours in House. - PM thanks opposition for allowing Parliament to function. JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha against permission being granted for the event in the first place. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also lashed out at the government for the event, saying it can destroy river Yamuna. He even raised security concern issues over celebration of World Cultural Festival. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury also questioned the deployment of Army to build bridges at the festival. Meanwhile, Lok Sabha is also likely to witness fireworks today on the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case. The BJP has already given a calling attention notice on the change in Ishrat Jahan affidavit, which in simple terms means they want the House to discuss why former finance minister P Chidambaram allegedly changed the Ishrat affidavit. This comes after former home secretary GK Pillai's claim that Chidambaram got Ishrat Jahan's Lashkar link dropped in the second affidavit when he was the Home Minister in 2009. Chidambaram has denied the allegations and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has also said the party stands by him. Opposition Congress has already issued a whip asking all party members in the Upper House to be present during Prime Minister Modi's reply on the motion. The party may move amendments to the motion of thanks to the President's address, in a bid to embarrass the government. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is also expected to make statement in the Upper House on the Jat reservation agitation. advertisement --- ENDS --- This is the story of Pavani Reddy, a lawyer and managing partner at Zaiwalla & Co., who was told that the legal field was a male territory and was openly discouraged from going ahead with it. By Srijani Ganguly/Mail Today: Like many college students, Pavani Reddy decided to undertake a part-time job along with her studies. The job, in her case, was at a law firm. "I developed an interest for law," says Reddy, adding, "At that time studying law was not a lucrative option for women. However, my family supported me wholeheartedly. And after completing my law degree back home, I moved to the UK." advertisement Although she had her family's support, the going wasn't as smooth in the beginning. The challenges, she says, began the moment she decided to take law as a full-time profession. "My choice of profession, especially being a woman, was frowned upon. I was told that law was a male territory, and openly discouraged from going ahead with it. I counted on my determination to succeed and was strongly backed by my parents in my pursuits. I believe my drive to establish a career in the legal field was so intense that the negativity or low moments that came my way only strengthened my resolve to succeed," says Reddy. Also read: International Women's Day: Why all women must learn to file taxes, replace tyres and go on that solo trip This resolve of hers led to being one of the foremost Asian women lawyers in the UK, and also becoming the managing partner of the renowned international law firm, Zaiwalla & Co. "I've had the opportunity to add my name to some of the challenging and widely covered legal cases. This has been a great learning experience professionally and personally," says the 36-year-old, adding, "A recent case that was challenging, and also received a lot of coverage, was where we represented the Iranian private bank, Bank Mellat. We won the case after successfully challenging the sanctions imposed on the bank by the UK and the European Council." An expert in arbitration, having recently won three London arbitrations for Indian clients, Reddy is also a proud feminist. She feels that there is still much to be done with regards to equality of pay and career progression opportunities for women in the workplace. "But," she adds, "I also feel that the environment is increasingly getting better for women in business now. To me, it seems that there are now more opportunities for women to progress in their chosen careers. The playing field is slowly levelling out, and we are seeing more and more women breaking through the glass ceiling." advertisement Also read: A man asked these women an unexpected, beautiful question that left them very embarrassed In her line of work, there have been similar changes. Reddy explains, "Things have also changed since the time I decided to pursue law. More and more women are pursuing law as a career option today. It should only get better from here." "Speaking about my own experiences in the profession," she continues, "I would say that the road travelled so far has been both smooth as well as winding. I have had lows, but I have also experienced some incredible highs." It might seem difficult at first, she says, but one needs to be passionate about one's task or responsibility to truly succeed. Reddy wants to reach out to all the women out there and tell them: "Nothing is unachievable if you set your heart and mind to it. If you have self-belief in your abilities, study your industry closely and work hard, you will succeed." --- ENDS --- Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has planned a yoga camp on the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus. Left unions say they have no problem if he comes in the capacity of a yoga guru and skirts politics. By Siddhartha Rai: After 'azaadi' chants, Jawaharlal Nehru Univeristy (JNU) is getting ready to breathe in, breathe out. Baba Ramdev has planned a yoga camp on the campus. "That is what babaji has expressed. He said we must organise a camp or shivir in JNU to teach students yoga there, to give them a right direction, healthy lifestyle and imbue positivity in their thoughts. He said that he will go to the JNU and teach yoga, though a concrete plan has not been chalked out right now," said SK Tijarawala, the chief spokesperson of Baba Ramdev. advertisement "We have been teaching yoga to students, children and elderly and people from all walks of life, for example, we also go to jails. We are taking yoga to all sections of the society." In December last year, a word had spread that Ramdev would speak at an academic convention in the university on Vedanta and Ayurveda, evoking strong reactions from a section of teachers and the students' union (JNUSU). The yoga guru never made it to the university. The convention had been organised by the university's Special Centre for Sanskrit Studies (SCSS) in collaboration with the Institute of Advanced Sciences, Dartmouth, United States, and the Centre for Indic Studies, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. "Last time there was confusion. There was a programme about which we had not given our confirmation. Had we given confirmation, we surely would have gone there. We were ourselves shocked to hear from media reports that there was a controversy," Tijarawala said. While the Left-dominated JNUSU told Mail Today that it had no problems with Ramdev teaching yoga. The ABVP welcomed the stand of the rest of the union and called it a true coming of democracy to the campus, referring to the aftermath of the February 9 Afzal Guru row. "The last time he was called as a keynote speaker at a function and there were protests claiming that he was not qualified to speak. However, if he comes in his individual capacity as a yoga guru, we do not have a problem. We have never opposed to such things. Subramanian Swamy keeps coming to address ABVP programmes. There was no blanket opposition even the last time when Ramdev wanted to come," said JNUSU vice-president Shehla Rashid. JNUSU joint secretary, the lone Right-wing voice in the students' body, Saurabh Sharma hailed Ramdev's acceptance as an evidence of the ideological shift on the campus. "Democracy has finally arrived in JNU after the unfortunate celebration of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat on February 9 when anti-India slogans were raised. The stand taken by the leftist block of the union is indicative of a paradigm shift on the campus. Earlier, these people protested against Baba Ramdev when they heard he was coming to address a seminar. Indian Constitution has finally won in JNU," said Sharma. advertisement The JNU Teachers' Association (JNUTA) also did not sound very keen to oppose the plan. "They have to seek permission from the administration first, and then we do not have any problem. Earlier too, Ramdev had to come to the Sanskrit centre for some academic session. We heard in press that he had only cancelled it," said president JNUTA Ajay Patnaik. Another functionary of the JNUTA quipped at the proposal saying yoga was already taught on the campus stadium and if Ramdev was so keen to teach JNU students and teachers, he might as well consider coming every day in the morning. "He is welcome to come and teach. In fact, I invite him to come and teach every day," said the teacher. Also Read: Ramdev meets Sanjay Dutt in Yerawada Jail in Pune Also Read: Man behind Rs 11 lakh bounty on Kanhaiya Kumar arrested --- ENDS --- Firebrand leader Sadhvi Prachi today dared actor Anupam Kher to send her and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath to jail. "We will continue our fight for the Hindu cause and if Kher has courage, he should jail me and Yogi Adityanath," Sadhvi said. By India Today Web Desk: Firebrand leader Sadhvi Prachi today dared actor Anupam Kher to send her and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath to jail. Bollywood actor Anupam Kher had recently said "there are some people in the party (BJP) who speak nonsense, and ill-behave, whether it is Sadhvi or Yogi...they should be put behind the bars, thrown out of the party." advertisement Responding to this, Sadhvi Prachi said "we will continue our fight for the Hindu cause and if Kher has courage, he should jail me and Yogi Adityanath." BJP MP Yogi Adityanath also hit back at Bollywood actor Anupam Kher and called him a 'real life villain' for his remark. "Everyone knows about the character of a villain. Anupam Kher is not only a reel life villain, but also in real life," Adityanath said. "I thank Anupam Kher for what he has said," he added. Also Read Yogi Adityanath hits back at Anupam Kher, calls him a real life villain --- ENDS --- From Kanhaiya Kumar's take on 'Azaadi' to Prime Minister Modi's invocation of Rajiv Gandhi, these five speeches rippled through the nation causing inspiration, outrage, debates, and trolls. By India Today Web Desk: Year 2016, in under three months, has witnessed some really fiery speeches that took the nation by storm. From Kanhaiya Kumar's take on 'Azaadi' to Prime Minister Modi's invocation of Rajiv Gandhi, some monologues this year proved that the pen, indeed, can be stronger sword. Here are the top five speeches of 2016 that rippled through the nation causing inspiration, outrage, debates, and trolls. advertisement 1. Kanhaiya Kumar's 'Azaadi' speech; February 11 This is the speech by JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar that set off a revolution across the country, with one side vouching for the right to freedom of expression, and another beating down all that's 'anti-national'. Soon after this speech, Kanhaiya was arrested on sedition charges. Also read: Here's what JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar said in his speech This speech, delivered at JNU campus on February 11, came after the controversial cancelled event at JNU on February 9 where anti-India slogans were allegedly raised. 2. Smriti Irani on JNU row and Rohith Vemula; February 24 We have all, by now, caught a glimpse or heard a snatch of HRD Minister Smriti Irani 's explosive speech in the Lok Sabha last month. Talking on Rohith Vemula's death and the JNU row, Irani had raged a dramatic verbal storm with her 'replies' to the Oppositions' various allegations. Also read: What is nationalism? If you heard Smriti Irani, you must listen to Sugata Bose and Tathagata Satpathy too While it met with widespread applause, many pointed out the loopholes and flaws in Irani's speech as well. 3. Rahul Gandhi on JNU row and black money issue; March 2 This time, when Rahul Gandhi took the stage to speak against the BJP government in the Lok Sabha earlier this month, his speech went viral on social media - and not entirely for trolls. Hitting out against the Modi government on JNU row, Rohith Vemula's death and black money issue, the Congress vice president went trending down Twitter ramp. Also read: Twitter reacts as Rahul Gandhi guns for Modi in Lok Sabha But no one quite forgot the mistakes of misspelling 'MGNREGA' and addressing Dr P Venugopal, who was in the Speaker's chair, as Madam Speaker'. 4. Narendra Modi invokes Nehru, Indira and Rajiv Gandhi; March 3 Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in Lok Sabha during motion of thanks on the President's address was all about turning tables on the Congress by invoking their very own late stalwarts and prime ministers. advertisement Quoting Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, Modi urged the Opposition to let the parliament function "peacefully and responsibly". 5. Kanhaiya Kumar on sedition and 'freedom'; March 3 After being released from Tihar Jail on interim bail, Kanhaiya Kumar delivered yet another fiery speech at the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus. Also read: 10 big quotes from Kanhaiya Kumar's speech after release in JNU In a little over 45 minutes, Kanhaiya 'shared his experience' on sedition charges and freedom in India. --- ENDS --- Ravi Shankar told reporters that not a single tree has been cut in the run up to the World Cultural Festival. The construction work in progress on the Yamuna floodplains in Mayur Vihar on Tuesday. The World Culture Festival is expected to be attended by 35 lakh people from 155 countries. By Mail Today: Art of Living guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who is under fire for organising the massive World Culture Festival on the Yamuna floodplain, on Tuesday rubbished all allegations of ecological harm. He said, "We will make a biodiversity park at the site." Ravi Shankar told reporters that not a single tree has been cut in the run up to the World Cultural Festival to be held between March 11-13 and that four trees have only been trimmed in the riverine area. advertisement "Villagers said their buffaloes never went near the water in the past. Now, I have been informed by that those buffaloes have entered the water. The villagers are very happy. We will leave the place after making a biodiversity park there. In the past, our volunteers have brought out 512 tonne of garbage from Yamuna. We have not cut any trees, have just trimmed four. We want a clean Yamuna and we care about the environment," Ravi Shankar said. The event, to be held on the west bank of the Yamuna floodplain near the DND flyover, has been organised to celebrate 35 years of The Art of Living. The event is, apparently, being supported by the PM Modi-led central government and the Delhi government, among others, and is expected to attract around 35 lakh people. The Art of Living event has come under the scanner of the National Green Tribunal after a set of petitions were filed demanding its cancellation over concerns of potential permanent damage to the riverbed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the event on Friday. President Pranab Mukherjee, who was suppose to attend the valedictory function on Sunday, pulled out of the event in the wake of controversy, citing unavoidable circumstances. Also Read: Art of Living denies it was fined for damaging Yamuna floodplains Stage is all set for Art of Living's mega fest --- ENDS --- The Supreme Court will today hear a petition filed by a consortium of 13 banks seeking its directives to stop liquor baron Vijay Mallya from leaving the country. By India Today Web Desk: The Supreme Court today is expected to hear a petition filed by a consortium of 13 banks seeking its directives to stop business tycoon Vijay Mallya from leaving the country after he was charged with money laundering. Except, there is a little hitch. Mallya has already left for an undisclosed foreign destination a few days ago, if reports by a number of newspapers today are to be believed. He had recently expressed a desire to settle down in London. advertisement The beleaguered liquor baron owes the banks, represented by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, a whopping Rs 9,000 crore. On Monday, moments before the Enforcement Directorate in Mumbai lodged the money laundering case, the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) in Bengaluru barred British liquor giant Diageo from paying Mallya anything till a case against him was disposed off. The consortium had challenged the Karnataka High Court's March 4 refusal to pass an interim order restraining Mallya from leaving the country and impounding his passport. The High Court, instead of passing an interim order restraining Mallya from leaving the country, had asked him, Diageo Holding Netherlands B.V., Diageo Holdings and United Spirits Ltd to file their objections to the banks' plea, the banks said in their plea before the apex court. Seeking the freezing of Mallya's passport, the banks had also sought direction to Bengaluru-based Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) to "expeditiously dispose of" their plea for the recovery of Rs 6,203 crores from Mallya. Describing the High Court order declining to restrain Mallya from leaving the country as "miscarriage of justice", they contended that the court by its "impugned order has completely failed to protect" their interest as they have "yet to recover an amount in excess of Rs 9,000 crore" from Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines, United Breweries (Holding) Limited and Kingfisher Finvest (India) Ltd. They argued that the High Court should have appreciated that Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines and United Breweries (Holding) Ltd., "have been declared as wilful defaulters and that they are currently liable to pay Rs 9,091 crore" to them and "non-payment of the same may adversely impact the economy of the nation". Besides State Bank of India, other banks who gave loan to Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines included State Bank of Baroda, State Bank of Mysore, Axis Bank, Corporation Bank, Federal Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, IDBI Bank, Punjab National Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, UCO Bank, and United Bank of India. ALSO READ | Prevent Vijay Mallya from leaving India: 17 banks in their plea to Supreme Court --- ENDS --- Republican Donald Trump dispatched his rivals in Michigan and Mississippi and regained momentum despite facing criticism and resistance from party leaders. Trump built his victories in Michigan, in the heart of the industrial Midwest, and Mississippi in the Deep South with broad appeal across many demographics. By Reuters: Republican front-runner Donald Trump rolled to primary wins in the big prize of Michigan and in Mississippi on Tuesday, brushing off a week of blistering attacks from the party's establishment and expanding his lead in the White House nominating race. Trump's convincing win in Michigan restored his outsider campaign's momentum and increased the pressure on the party's anti-Trump forces to find a way to stop his march to the nomination ahead of several key contests next week. advertisement Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton also won in Mississippi, fueled by overwhelming support from African-American voters, but was locked in a tight race in Michigan with rival Bernie Sanders, a US senator from Vermont, with about 85 percent of votes counted. Trump built his victories in Michigan, in the heart of the industrial Midwest, and Mississippi in the Deep South with broad appeal across many demographics. He won evangelical Christians, Republicans, independents, those who wanted an outsider and those who said they were angry about how the federal government is working, according to exit polls. At a news conference afterward, Trump said he was drawing new voters to the Republican Party and the establishment figures who are resisting his campaign should save their money and focus on beating the Democrats in November. "I hope Republicans will embrace it," Trump said of his campaign. "We have something going that is so good, we should grab each other and unify the party." The results were a setback for rival John Kasich, governor of Ohio, who hoped to pull off a surprise win in neighboring Michigan, and for Ted Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas who hoped to do well in Mississippi with its large bloc of evangelical voters. Marco Rubio, a US senator from Florida who has been the establishment favorite since other mainstream candidates dropped out of the race, lagged badly in both states and appeared unlikely to win delegates in either. Trump said Rubio's recent attacks on him had backfired. "Hostility works for some people; it doesn't work for everyone," Trump said at a news conference in Jupiter, Florida. Trump suggested his rivals had little hope going forward and took aim at Cruz, who split four nominating contests on Saturday with Trump and positioned himself as the prime alternative to the brash New York billionaire in the race to be the party's candidate in the Nov. 8 election. A Hard Time "Ted is going to have a hard time," Trump said of Cruz. "He rarely beats me." advertisement The Michigan victory sets Trump up for a potentially decisive day of voting a week from Tuesday. On March 15, Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Missouri and North Carolina - like Michigan, states rich in the delegates who will select their party's nominee at July's Republican National Convention - cast ballots. The Republican contests in Florida and Ohio award all the state's delegates to the winner. If Trump, 69, could sweep those two states and pile up delegates elsewhere next week, it could knock home-state favorites Rubio and Kasich out of the race and make it tough for Cruz to catch him. Republicans were also voting on Tuesday in Idaho and Hawaii. Many mainstream Republicans have been offended by Trump's statements on Muslims, immigrants and women and alarmed by his threats to international trade deals. Trump said on Tuesday he has not assembled a foreign policy team, despite having said he would have one in place by February, and dismissed criticism his statements would be harmful to U.S. interests. Anti-Trump Super PACS have spent millions of dollars on advertisements designed to attack Trump's character in Florida, a state Rubio calls home and Trump calls a second home. But Trump's relentless anti-free trade rhetoric and promise to slap taxes on cars and parts shipped in from Mexico resonated in Michigan, which has lost tens of thousands of manufacturing and auto industry jobs. advertisement Michigan was the state that spawned the term "Reagan Democrats" to refer to largely white, working-class voters who abandoned their party to vote Ronald Reagan into the White House in the 1980s. Sal Isabella, a Dearborn insurance agent, said he was for Trump because he would make things happen. "He'll be like Reagan," Isabella said. "He'll make some big changes and we need big changes. On the Democratic side, Sanders told reporters in Florida that the results in Michigan, whoever eventually wins, had been a repudiation of the opinion polls and the pundits who had written off his chances in the state. Polling had shown Clinton with a double-digit lead going into the primary. The senator said it showed his political revolution was "strong in every part of the country. Frankly, we believe our strongest areas are yet to come." Clinton's campaign signaled ahead of Michigan that the race could be tight - Clinton, her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and daughter Chelsea Clinton all campaigned in the state over the past few days trying to garner last-minute votes. advertisement Also Read Donald Trump blames India again for taking US jobs Donald Trump's bigotry, bullying, bluster not popular, says Hillary Clinton --- ENDS --- Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who represents a consortium of 13 banks which loaned a whopping Rs 9000 crore to Mallya, informed the Supreme Court today that the liquor baron fled India on March 2. By India Today Web Desk: Business tycoon Vijay Mallya, who owes crores of rupees to more than a dozen banks and is wanted by the Enforcement Directorate for money laundering, has fled India. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who represents a consortium of 13 banks which loaned a whopping Rs 9000 crore to Mallya, informed the Supreme Court today that the liquor baron fled India on March 2. advertisement Rohatgi cited CBI inputs in making that statement. Mallya had recently expressed a desire to settle down in London. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, acting on the banks' plea, issued a notice to Mallya seeking the disclosure of his assets and seizure of his passport. Mallya has two weeks to reply to the notice, which will be served to him through the Indian High Commission in London. Mallya's now defunct Kingfisher Airline owes the consortium a whopping Rs 9,000 crore, including compound interest over the remaining combined loans of Rs 7,800 crore borrowed between 2004-12 before it was grounded and shut down subsequently. On Monday, moments before the Enforcement Directorate in Mumbai lodged the money laundering case, the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) in Bengaluru barred British liquor giant Diageo from paying Mallya a payout of Rs 515 crore till a case against him was disposed off. The consortium of banks had challenged the Karnataka High Court's March 4 refusal to pass an interim order restraining Mallya from leaving the country and impounding his passport. The High Court, instead of passing an interim order restraining Mallya from leaving the country, had asked him, Diageo Holding Netherlands B.V., Diageo Holdings and United Spirits Ltd to file their objections to the banks' plea, the banks said in their plea before the apex court. Also Read: Kingfisher employees stage protest against Vijay Mallya, seek PM intervention Prevent Vijay Mallya from leaving India: 17 banks in their plea to Supreme Court ED registers money laundering case against Vijay Mallya --- ENDS --- Here's a thing you've probably never heard before. The new Samsung Galaxy S7 is cheaper to buy in India than the US. By Sahil Mohan Gupta : Here's a thing you've probably never heard before. The new Samsung Galaxy S7 is cheaper to buy in India than the US. The difference isn't a massive one, but by just comparing the price of the phone in India and online marketplaces in the US, it is safe to say that the new phone is approximately Rs 5,000 more expensive in the US. If you look at the Galaxy S7 Edge, the difference is not big, but still the phone is available in India for a cheaper price. advertisement This is opposed to what happens with the iPhone in India. Last year, when the iPhone 6S was launched at the astronomical price of Rs 62,000, it turned out, India was the most expensive place to buy the iPhone 6S. If there's a phone that's a counter to the iPhone 6S, then it has to be the new Samsung Galaxy S7. The Galaxy S7 has a MRP price of Rs 48,900 in India for the 32GB model. The Galaxy S7 Edge costs Rs 56,900 in India for the same amount of memory. If you thought that you'll be able to get the phone for lesser in the United States, then you have another thing coming. On Amazon US, the Galaxy S7 for $787.96 which converts to Rs 53,029, which is a gulf of around Rs 4,000 in India's favour. In the case of the Galaxy S7 Edge, the difference is lesser as the phone is available for $856 in the US on Amazon. That converts to Rs 57,637, which is slightly higher than the India price of the phone in India. There are differences between the US and India versions too. In the US, the phone ships with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, though, the Amazon US listings are a little vague and don't specify which version will be shipped. In India, the phone ships with Samsung's own Exynos 8890 processor. Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S7 teardown: Don't do it at home In fact, the Exynos model of the Galaxy S7 is the one that Samsung is selling in most international markets, which could mean that it would be able to attain economies of scale on the fabrication of the silicon. The Qualcomm model of the Galaxy S7 is said to be slightly faster particularly in terms of graphics performance. One must also take into account that Samsung assembles its phones in India, including the new Galaxy S7, which might help get it subsidies in India. Either way, the Galaxy S7 is going to be a formidable smartphone; a marked improvement over the Galaxy S6, so now there's one lesser reason to not buy the phone from India. It must also be noted that pre-orders of the phone also will get a free Gear VR headset which costs around Rs 8,000 making it an even sweeter deal. advertisement You may also like to read: Samsung Galaxy S7 quick review: Looks like Galaxy S6 but big changes inside --- ENDS --- " " . Investigative reporting from the inner city to Wall Street to the United Nations This is the blogspot version InnerCityPress.com Ukraine has taken all possible measures to ensure prompt release of Savchenko Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says Ukraine is doing its utmost to ensure pressure from the international community on Russia for the prompt release of Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko. "There is a farce in the form of the illegal trial of Ukrainian officer Nadia Savchenko taking place in Russia's Donetsk," the president said during a meeting with Crimean Tatars and the Ukrainian diaspora in Ankara on Wednesday. He said that "all international rights are being violated in this trial, Nadia Savchenko has been held behind bars for two years without any charges." "In the past few days, we have taken all possible measures to ensure international pressure on Russia from the EU and the U.S. and our other partner countries, demanding the immediate, unconditional release of Nadia Savchenko from prison and her return to Ukraine," Poroshenko said. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that during his visit to Turkey on March 9-10 he will initiate discussion of the protection of rights of Crimean, as well as the returning of Ukraine's sovereignty to the Crimean peninsula. "The most important items on the agenda with Turkish President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and Prime Minister [Ahmet] Davutoglu are the protection of Crimean Tatar people's rights and coordination of our actions on the return of Ukraine's sovereignty over Crimea," Poroshenko said, while speaking with representatives of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainian diaspora in Ankara on Wednesday. Ukrainian president thanked Crimean Tatars for their position on the preservation of Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence, including their non-recognition of Crimean annexation and its early return under Ukrainian sovereignty. "Gross violations of human rights that occur in Crimea during the Russian occupation are absolutely unacceptable. First of all, as president of Ukraine, I will appeal during a meeting at the Turkish parliament regarding coordination of actions and steps to recognize the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people in 1944 as genocide of the Crimean Tatar people," Poroshenko stressed. He also said that other items on his agenda with the Turkish authorities include security issues, also in the Black Sea region, as well as economic cooperation. "We are very grateful to Turkey for its continued support to Ukrainian sovereignty and Ukraine's independence," Poroshenko outlined. Trunki case, PMS International Limited v Magmatic Limited Trunki ride-on suitcases, and thereby left intact the Court of Appeal's holding that PMS's Kiddee case did not infringe. This morning Lord Neuberger handed down the judgment of the UK Supreme Court in thecase, [2016] UKSC 12 . The Court dismissed the appeal filed by Magmatic, owners of the Community registered design (CRD) forride-on suitcases, and thereby left intact the Court of Appeal's holding that PMS's Kiddee case did not infringe. To remind readers of the designs in question, the image below shows the CRD, an example of the Trunki case and an example of the Kiddee case. From left to right: Magmatic's registered design; their Trunki case; and PMS's allegedly infringing Kiddee case At first instance, Arnold J held that there was infringement. He held that the "CRD is evidently for the shape of the suitcase, and the proper comparison is with the shape of the Kiddee Case." As a result, he agreed with magmatic's submission that that, "when comparing the CRD with the Kiddee Case, the graphical designs on the surface of the Kiddee Case are to be ignored." Comapring the respective shapes alone, and ignoring the markings on the side and the eyes at the front, he found that there had been infringement. In the Court of Appeal, Kitchin LJ gave judgment and held that the trial judge had erred in two respects. Lord Neuberger, in analysing the appellate judgment, has in fact identified three criticisms made by the Court of Appeal. 1. The overall impression of a horned animal Kitchin LJ held that the overall impression given by the CRD was that of a horned animal. Arnold J, though he did mention the horns, did not appear to give sufficient weight to the overall impression of a horned animal. Lord Neuberger noted that while one cannot expect a trial judge to mention every factor that influenced a decision, when a trial judge has given a full and careful judgment and has mentioned the points that weighed with him, it is correct to conclude that failure to mention a specific important point means that he overlooked it. Lord Neuberger held that the Court of Appeal was "clearly right". The overall impression of the CRD was that of a horned animal and this was not given proper weight at first instance. 2. The absence of decoration Kitchin LJ was of the view that the absence of decoration on the CRD reinforced the horned animal impression made by the CRD, and that the judge had also failed to take this into account also. This, Lord Neuberger held, was raised as part of the first criticism rather than a stand-alone point, and while minor, was correct. Magmatic argued however that it raised an important question requiring a reference to the Court of Justice of the European Union, on whether absence of decoration can in principle be a feature of a design, and whether it was a feature of this particular design. The reference to the CJEU was refused. Lord Neuberger commented obiter that "it seems plain to me that absence of decoration can, as a matter of principle, be a feature of a registered design. Simplicity or minimalism can notoriously be an aspect of a design, and it would be very curious if a design right registration system did not cater for it." He further held that "the mere fact that an issue involving Community Registered Design is not beyond argument does not mean that it has to be referred." If the question of how to interpret the images on this design were to be referred, Lord Neuberger wryly predicted that the CJEU would answer that the drawings should be interpreted by reference to how they would appear to a reader in the light of the terms of the Principal Regulation, the Implementation Regulation and the practice of OHIM. In other words, the reference would ultimately be futile as the matter was one for the national court to decide. In relation to this particular design it was not necessary to decide if absence of ornamentation was indeed a feature of the CRD. There were arguments in both directions, but the Court of Appeal had not (despuite what Magmatic contended) resolved the issue, and Lord Neuberger preferred to leave it open. 3. The two-tone colouring in the CRD Kitchin LJs third criticism was that Arnold J failed to take into account the fact that the CRD image was shown in two monochrome colours, i.e. as shown in the leftmost image above: grey for the greater part of the body (including the horns), and black for the wheels and spokes, the strap on top, and the strips on the front and rear. Whereas Arnold J had described the CRD as constituting a claim evidently for the shape of the suitcase and that decorations on the Kiddee Case were therefore to be ignored, Kitchin LJs view on the other hand was that the colouring contrasts on the CRD and the allegedly infringing articles represented a potentially significant difference. The Court of Appeal held that the wheels and handles (i.e. horns) on the CRD rather stood out as features, whereas on the Kiddee Case the wheels were very largely covered, and the handles (at least in some examples) had the same colour as the body. In a passage that will interest practitioners (paras. 30-35), Lord Neuberger commented on the central importance of the representations or drawings in registered designs: 31. Accordingly, it is right to bear in mind that an applicant for a design right is entitled, within very broad limits, to submit any images which he chooses. Further, in the light of article 36(6), an applicant should appreciate that it will almost always be those images which exclusively identify the nature and extent of the monopoly which he is claiming. As Dr Martin Schlotelburg, the co-ordinator of OHIMs Designs Department, has written, the selection of the means for representing a design is equivalent to the drafting of the claims in a patent: including features means claiming them... He continues: 32. ... Over and above these considerations, it is also worth remembering that an applicant is entitled to make any number of applications. More broadly, it is for an applicant to make clear what is included and what is excluded in a registered design, and he has wide freedom as to the means he uses. It is not the task of the court to advise the applicant how it is to be done. That it may be said is a matter of practice rather than law, and if further guidance is needed it can be sought from other sources, such as OHIM. This apparent boasting was quickly followed by threats regarding the possible cancellation of the JCPOA. Tehran has repeatedly issued such threats in apparent efforts to dissuade the US from taking punitive measures that would technically be allowed under the nuclear deal, but might lead Iran to claim violations. Fox News reported on Tuesday that Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had spoken to fellow officials and the Iranian media, saying that Iran would walk away from the deal if it no longer perceived the enforcement of the JCPOA to be in line with Irans national interests. The proximity of these statements to the ballistic missile test is conspicuous and may be meant to imply that Iran would react harshly if ballistic missile restrictions which are not strictly part of the text of the JCPOA were enforced. Similar conflicts emerged last year and continued through the January implementation of the deal, at which point the White House imposed new sanctions on several entities connected to Irans ballistic missile program. This measure was a response to missile tests in October and November, which also violated UN resolutions. It also came after considerable urging from US legislators representing both parties. Naturally, this legislative pressure quickly began to emerge again in the wake of the latest violation. The National Council of Resistance of Iran reported upon this phenomenon on Tuesday. It quoted Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Corker as saying, The administrations hesitancy and the councils refusal to act after multiple violations last fall must not be repeated now that Iran appears ready to test the will of the international community with the nuclear agreement in place. The NCRI also noted that the committees ranking Democrat, Ben Cardin, had urged the White House to act swiftly to raise these concerns at the United Nations and take action to hold all parties involved responsible for their actions, including, if necessary, through unilateral action. Reuters indicated that the US executive seems ready to act in accordance with this recommendation. An unnamed US official said that the issue would be raised with the UN Security Council if initial reports of the missile test were confirmed. The official added, This development underscores why we continue to work closely with partners around the world to slow and degrade Irans missile program. However, some of the USs longstanding partners have been critical of recent US policy toward Iran, especially as it concerns the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu infamously declared, before the conclusion of the July 14 nuclear deal, that it would pave the way to an Iranian nuclear weapon. And Americas Arab partners, including Saudi Arabia, have given various indications that they might pursue nuclear capabilities equal to those of Iran, in order to prevent a widening power gap between them and Iran. In the meantime, Saudi Arabia and its local partners have taken various actions, sometimes against the recommendations of the White House, to confront and forestall the growth of Irans general military power and regional influence. This includes the participation of the Arab coalition in fighting in Yemen, where Iran-backed Houthi rebels are fighting to permanently oust duly-elected President Abed Rabu Mansour Hadi. Iranian-Arab relations took a turn for the worse in January when Iranian mobs sacked the Saudi embassy and consulate in Tehran and Mashad, and there has been ongoing speculation about an expanding conflict since then. This has led many to interpret an ongoing coalition training operation, known as North Thunder, as an example of the Gulf Arab states sending a message of intimidation to Iran. Eurasia Review reports that the coalition has denied this, with spokesperson Brigadier General Ahmad al-Assiri saying, As far as we are concerned, we are working to safeguard the security of the Kingdom and other Gulf states. He added, The goals and objectives of the exercise [include testing] the mobility of Saudi infrastructure for a huge multinational military build-up and operations. But of course, in light of recent and ongoing conflicts, there is little reason to suppose that the Arab coalition does not see Iranian option as a potential factor in spurring such a huge build up and operation. Indeed, from the Arab perspective, the testing of a missile with a purported range of many hundreds of miles likely contributes to the perception of an emergent Iranian threat. That threat is potentially amplified further, not only for the Arabs but also for the West, in light of persistent concerns about Iranian alliance with such powerful global actors as Russia and China. The developing relationship between Iran and Russia hit a snag this week with the apparent freeze of the long-anticipated transfer of an advanced missile defense system from Russia to Iran, but the easternmost members of the UN Security Council appear to remain very much in Irans corner on the nuclear deal and related issues. This was made evident again on Tuesday when the Associated Press reported that the 35-member board of governors for the International Atomic Energy Agency was holding a meeting on the monitoring of Irans compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The current IAEA report on the topic received some criticism from the West, leading members of the board to insist that future such reports be more detailed. Russia and China, however, publicly disagreed with this assistance, even in spite of the questions that the latest missile test raises in the minds of some policymakers about Irans willingness to cooperate with international will. Iran has a famously close relationship with Russia on nuclear matters, with the latter having built Irans first nuclear power plant and being under contract to build others. Araqchi, the Iranian deputy foreign minister, reminded Moscow and the rest of the world community of this relationship on Tuesday, pointing out that Iran had purchased 140 tons of uranium yellowcake from Russia, as well as 60 tons from Kazakhstan. These remarks were carried by the AP, and while they convey no explicit threat since yellowcake is not yet enriched, they may have been intended to give Western nations an indication of how prepared the Islamic Republic is to restart its full-scale enrichment program, in line with the above-mentioned threats of cancellation of the nuclear deal. [March 08, 2016] Spotinst Raises Series A Funding Round to Optimize Cloud 'Spot' Market Utilization TEL AVIV, Israel, March 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Spotinst, a leading cloud utilization optimization company, announced today that it has closed a Series A financing round led by PICO Venture Partners. Using advanced machine learning, Spotinst provides an automated IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) platform for both enterprises and startups. The service optimizes cloud-computing deployments on Amazon Web Services and will introduce support for Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure later this year. By allowing cloud customers to bid on unused public cloud computing capacity, spot instances enable cloud customers to optimize the cost and quality of their cloud computing deployments. As the demand for spot instances has grown, it has become increasingly difficult for customers to secure the capacity they need at affordable prices. Spotinst's algorithmic platform manages the bid process for its customers and accurately predicts when a customer is going to be forced to switch servers. The platform automates the switching between server capacities and provides reliable and stable cloud capacity at the lowest possible cost and with no interruptions. Spotinst maximizes the overall efficiency of the spot market while providing clients with an easy to use cloud utilization management dashboard. "Leveraging the benefits of the Spot markets and running cost-aware applications can be a complicated, costly and frustrating process, even for mature companies with experienced DevOps teams and extensive cloud experience," said Amiram Shachar, CEO of Spotinst. "Spotinst allows any company to outsorce the management of the Spot Instance market, enabling them to focus on the core elements of their business." More than a dashboard or a cost data management tool, Spotinst effectively provides all of that information while automatically implementing the required actions to achieve efficiency. By managing the entire process, Spotinst typically helps its customers see cost reductions of 50-80%. Spotinst's platform features a price prediction algorithm for advance alerting, monitoring of cloud metrics and atypical trend detection, optimal infrastructure utilization, automatic recovery and cost-aware action. Spotinst provides an intuitive API and UI for high-level reporting as well as a granular view of cloud deployments. "Spotinst is a one-stop-shop for us to manage and make the most efficient use of our cloud infrastructure," said Shimon Tolts, Head of Infrastructure at IronSource. "With Spotinst, we have the ability to scale at low cost and zero management overhead." "As greater numbers of software teams around the world seek to optimize their cloud computing usage, an effective "spot" strategy will become an increasingly important part of their cloud programs," said Todd Kesselman of PICO Venture Partners. "We are excited to work closely with Spotinst to help them further build out their technology and grow their impressive roster of clients, which already includes some of the world's most innovative companies." About Spotinst Spotinst's machine learning-based IaaS platform allows enterprises and startups to optimize their Cloud Computing deployments by automating the spot instances bid process. The Company's core technology is based on a unique prediction algorithm that chooses the most effective cloud option for its customers, ensuring reliability and stability, while saving customers up to 80% on cloud operating costs. Spotinst currently works with Amazon Web Services and will be introduce support for Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure later this year. To learn more, please visit http://www.spotinst.com About PICO Venture Partners PICO Venture Partners is headquartered in Jerusalem, Israel, with offices in Tel Aviv and New York. PICO is led by serial entrepreneur Elie Wurtman and was established in 2015 in collaboration with Precision Capital, a NY-based alternative investment boutique with approximately $2 billion of assets under management whose investors include leading U.S. entrepreneurs, public company executives and senior private equity and hedge fund professionals. PICO invests in outstanding entrepreneurs and founders and works closely with them to transform great ideas into high-growth, market defining companies. The PICO partnership leverages its extensive network of successful entrepreneurs who work closely with founders to assist them in achieving their goals. Contact: Matthew Krieger GKPR for Spotinst [email protected] +972-544-676-950 SOURCE Spotinst [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 08, 2016] PerfectServe Synchrony Now Includes Comprehensive Charge Capture Capabilities PerfectServe, healthcare's only comprehensive and secure care team collaboration platform, today announced it has charge capture capabilities to further improve care team efficiency, improve the patient experience and streamline the reimbursement process. PerfectServe Synchrony is now the only communications platform to provide Dynamic Intelligent Routing and charge capture within a single mobile application for physicians and advanced level practitioners, making it possible for healthcare providers to immediately and securely document the care provided at the point of care. By capturing charges immediately at the point of care, providers can fully and accurately document exam and procedure details, including the correct assignment of CPT and ICD codes essential to value-based reimbursement. The new capabilities make this information securely and quickly available to team members responsible for billing in their back office systems. By introducing charge capture capability to the PerfectServe Synchrony care collaboration platform, PerfectServe has given providers a robust tool that almost eliminates the "time to bill" expediting the revenue cycle. "In this era of increased focus on value, improving the efficiency of documentation becomes an even greater priority. But the mass of coding options, along with delays in communication to billing staff, can lead to lost charges and erroneous codes resulting in lower reimbursement rates," said Terry Edwards, CEO, PerfectServe. "For physician practices and other small or independent providers, this lag time can have a devastating impact on their financial situation. The new charge capture functionality expedites the first step within the revenue recognition cycle so that physicians may more quickly receive all the reimbursement they deserve." Physicians and other care team members can spend more than 30 percent of their time each day retrospectively documenting patient care. By automating charge capture, PerfectServe gives providers the tools to significantly reduce the amount of time spent on documentation, which can now be re-directed to patient care. The new capabilities within PerfectServe Synchrony will allow physicians to communicate quickly and easily with billing and other support staff, speeding revenue recognition and improving cash flow for the practice. Other featurs include: Enhanced user interface : The new charge capture features make it possible for providers to record charges at the point of care in just a few clicks. It also allows users to customize fields to further speed documentation across any specialty. : The new charge capture features make it possible for providers to record charges at the point of care in just a few clicks. It also allows users to customize fields to further speed documentation across any specialty. Advanced charge capture functionality: Decision support and the creation of charge bundles accelerate charge capture for those medical procedures and services that are frequently performed in combination across patients. Decision support and the creation of charge bundles accelerate charge capture for those medical procedures and services that are frequently performed in combination across patients. Store and forward: Providers now may enter charges even without any internet connectivity, and then once connected, all stored charges will be automatically submitted. Providers now may enter charges even without any internet connectivity, and then once connected, all stored charges will be automatically submitted. PQRS data: Documenting physician reporting quality measures (PQRS) is required for full reimbursement and now PerfectServe Synchrony is able to easily associate the PQRS code with each charge. Documenting physician reporting quality measures (PQRS) is required for full reimbursement and now PerfectServe Synchrony is able to easily associate the PQRS code with each charge. Rules-based workflows to manage communications: PerfectServe is the only care team collaboration platform that offers rules-based workflow communication management between providers and billing staff- virtually eliminating days not final billed and adding velocity to accounts receivable. PerfectServe is the only care team collaboration platform that offers rules-based workflow communication management between providers and billing staff- virtually eliminating days not final billed and adding velocity to accounts receivable. Integration with EHRs and other HIT: The new functionality is compatible with all mobile devices, and nearly all PMS or EHR systems. PerfectServe will be offering this new functionality as a module available on all licensing options. PerfectServe will be demonstrating this new functionality at the AMGA 2016 Annual Conference within booth #1124. Visit www.perfectserve.com/amga to schedule a meeting. Tweet this: [email protected] unveils new #chargecapture features to ease burden of documentation for #doctors - http://bit.ly/1T9jled #mobile About PerfectServe PerfectServe provides healthcare's only comprehensive and secure care team collaboration platform. The company's flagship solution, PerfectServe Synchrony, unites physicians, nurses and other care team members across the continuum and facilitates timely interaction between them. More than 100,000 clinicians in organizations such as Advocate Healthcare, Ascension Health, Covenant Medical Group, Hoag, MemorialCare Health System, Orlando Health, St. Joseph Health System, and WellStar Health System rely on PerfectServe to help them speed time to treatment, promote physician engagement, increase patient transition efficiency, provide nurses more time for direct patient care and reduce HIPAA compliance risk. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, PerfectServe has been serving the needs of forward-looking healthcare provider organizations since 2000. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook and subscribe to our blog. PerfectServe SynchronyTM View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160308006577/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 09, 2016] Adam Elements launches new iKlips DUO Campaign on Indiegogo TAIPEI, Taiwan, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- If you became attached to iKlips the first time round, you will love what we have in store with the new iKlips DUO. It's a design that has been perfected to be more practical, with a redesigned body to fit even more iPhone and iPad cases and a silicone body sleeve for added protection. Losing connector caps is now a thing of the past. Available in four vivid colours and four storage capacities, iKlips DUO provides you with the necessary extra storage to keep your photos, music and games organized on the go. Like the first iKlips, the new iKlips DUO is also produced with top quality and super high-speed MLC flash memory for iPhone, iPad, and iPad Pro the fastest flash memory type for iOS devices. In addition to enabling greater speeds, it also provides greater stability and a longer lifespan. And with its gorgeous high-grade aluminum body, you will be wanting to use it as often as possible. It's gorgeous to hold and use. iKlips 2.0 is the other half of what makes iKlips DUO even better. It is an intuitive app that makes using your iKlips DUO an even easier experience, featuring 3D Touch support, multi-select, Split View, password protection, Drop To, and even integration with Apple's Music app to access your iTunes purchases. iKlips 2.0 is the way you want to manage your device easily. iKlips DUO on Indiegogo Last year, iKlips was launched in Indiegogo and reached 425% of its initial funding goal by April 2015. This year, Adam Elements plans to repeat this success with the launch of its iKlips DUO campaign. In the hope to reach more people, a successful Indiegogo campaign will help to bring iKlips DUO to the market quicker and cheaper and determine whether to commit iKlips DUO to mass production. Once this goal is reached, more people will be able to enjoy the benefit that it brings to managing content on the go. If you are curious about the campaign, we invite you to have a look yourself: https://goo.gl/JwZSHD Media contact: Louise Huang Adam Elements +886-2-27389900 http://www.adamelements.com Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUHVS5pfToY To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adam-elements-launches-new-iklips-duo-campaign-on-indiegogo-300233326.html SOURCE Adam Elements [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 09, 2016] Zerto Announces General Availability of Zerto Virtual Replication Version 4.5 to Simplify Recovery of any File, Folder or Application BOSTON, Massachusetts, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Zerto, setting the standard for protection, recovery and migration of data in cloud and virtualized data centers, today announced the most frequent data center IT request has been solved with the general availability of Zerto Virtual Replication version 4.5. The new Journal File Level Recovery feature enables the restoration of any file from a point in time just seconds before a deletion, virus, or data corruption occurred to significantly reduce the impact of data loss on common daily requests for data restoration. This powerful new feature gives business and IT leaders' greater confidence in data restoration including SAP, SQL, Oracle and Exchange database files and user data in home folders and file shares. Utilizing compressed journaling of the changed blocks from the protected Virtual Machines (VMs), Zerto Virtual Replication maintains a granularity of the data in increments of seconds up to the past two weeks. This enables point in time recovery with the ability to rewind data back in time to recover from corruptions, deletions or even system-wide data disruptions due to ransomware or system upgrade errors. "As a cloud service provider we see a wide range of customer support requirements, which recovering a file, mailbox, or folder is our most frequently requested support task," said Andy Yik, System Consultant, Nexus Solutions Limited. "Previously, we were quite constrained by outmoded backup technologies, and still experiencing data loss given the gaps. We saw the new Journal File Level Recovery feature within Zerto Virtual Replication version 4.5 will improve our customer support capabilities and improve their productivity from greatly minimizing if not eliminating data loss," he continued. In comparison, traditional recovery methods only allow file system objects to be restored from nightly, infrequent backups, which can result in significant data loss and subsequent rework of lost matrials. These methods also incur a significant performance, storage and management overhead of the production data to minimize impact. With Zerto Virtual Replication, this overhead and complexity is removed as the replication is always-on, delivering continuous replication with no snapshots, no overhead in production and no performance impact in the protected VMs. "The ability to help IT and business leaders confidently recover and restore within minutes any aspect of their IT infrastructure up to the last seconds of an outage is one that truly gives our customers a competitive advantage. For highly regulated industries such as healthcare and financial services, this level of business continuity and disaster recovery granularity helps them easily exceed compliance requirements, while providing better customer experiences," says Oded Kedem, CTO and co-founder, Zerto. New enhancements and features in Zerto Virtual Replication 4.5 include: Journal File Level Recovery enables the recovery of any file system object, including but not limited to SQL, Oracle, Exchange and user data, from any point in time to increments in seconds up to two weeks in the past to remove the impact of data loss from using in-frequent backup solutions Zerto Announced General Availability of Zerto Virtual Replication Version 4.5 Journaling Compression of changed block data stored in the recovery site, saving 60% on average of disk space utilized for enabling point in time recovery of data and applications Role-based Access Control integration into Active Directory to delegate view, edit, test and failover permissions to users and groups on a per protection group basis to empower application owners with disaster recovery self-service Automatic prioritization of replication traffic to enable maximum WAN utilization across all tiers of protected applications, with dynamic optimization of the replication traffic of each application in a bandwidth contention scenario to ensure business and application SLAs are maintained New APIs for automating deployment and the creation of protection groups to enable automatic protection and subsequent editing of protected VMs, increasing efficiency and automation of the virtual environment The industry's premier business continuity and disaster recovery conference, ZertoCON 2016, will showcase these new features and more to help today's IT leaders unlock the potential of their data centers. The conference takes place May 23-25, 2016 in Boston. Supporting Resources About ZertoCON 2016 About Zerto Zerto is committed to keeping enterprise and cloud IT running 24/7 by providing innovative, simple, reliable and scalable business continuity software solutions. Through the Zerto Cloud Continuity Platform, organizations can seamlessly move and protect virtualized workloads between public, private and hybrid clouds. The company's flagship product, Zerto Virtual Replication, has become the standard for protection, recovery and migration of applications in cloud and virtualized data centres, and won numerous awards, including Best of Show at VMworld 2011, Best of VMworld Europe 2014, as well as 2011, 2012 and 2013 Product of the Year Awards for its innovative hypervisor-based replication approach. For more information, go to http://www.zerto.com. Contacts: Zerto, Inc. Erik Mason [email protected] +1-617-379-3736 Spark PR for Zerto (US) Nicole Bestard [email protected] +1-646-291-6016 SOURCE Zerto [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 09, 2016] EZVIZ Partners with Amazon and Trend Micro to Offer Secure Cloud Service CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif., March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- EZVIZ Inc., a designer and manufacturer of innovative lifestyle video electronics and connected home solutions, is bringing light to the foundation of its products and operation -- exceptional privacy standards -- by partnering with Amazon Web Service (AWS) and Trend Micro. EZVIZ offers some of the most robust video and data protection capabilities in the market for its connected home products, such as the flagship Mini introduced late 2015, which captured the market's attention with its tremendous value. "The challenge for many companies that offer affordable connected home cameras is that a high level of security requires a significant investment at a large scale," said Albert Lin, EZVIZ general manager. "EZVIZ offers a robust and scalable video cloud infrastructure while maintaining affordable price points for all of our lifestyle and connected home video products." The EZVIZ cloud service is hosted by AWS, one of the most secure and trusted cloud service providers in the world. The AWS servers that host the EZVIZ cloud operation and storage for North American registered users are physically located in the United States, so all data and connections remain local. On top of the security already provided by AWS for all programs and services on its servers, EZVIZ also employs Trend Micro, the leading brand in antivirus and data security, to perform data security as a service (DSaaS) to proactively monitor threats to EZVIZ service hostd on AWS. One critical element that distinguishes EZVIZ's security measures from others is that there is no IP address for EZVIZ cameras -- meaning no direct web connection to EZVIZ products. Images and videos captured by EZVIZ cameras can only be accessed through the proprietary EZVIZ app. Videos and data are transmitted via HTTPS and SSL, and encrypted using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). Leading brands in the home security industry offer measures such as AES encryption and data transmission via HTTPS and SSL, and EZVIZ takes it a step further by adding a verification code. While enabled, the verification code is required to view both live and recorded video, and when setting up any additional devices. The customer is the only entity with the verification code, and there is no default code that can override the encryption. This extra layer of security, enabled by default, is one of the key differentiators in how EZVIZ helps to ensure the protection and privacy of its users. EZVIZ Mini is currently available on Amazon, Sam's Club, Walmart and Newegg. ABOUT EZVIZ EZVIZ is headquartered in City of Industry, California. EZVIZ connects lives through easily accessible video. We design and manufacture lifestyle video electronics with cloud connectivity, including wireless cameras, action cameras, surveillance kits, and home automation. For more information please visit www.ezvizlife.com. Follow EZVIZ on Twitter at @ezvizlife or visit us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EZVIZ. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ezviz-partners-with-amazon-and-trend-micro-to-offer-secure-cloud-service-300232954.html SOURCE EZVIZ Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 09, 2016] DomainTools To Deliver Threat Intelligence Educational Session At SANS 2016 SEATTLE, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DomainTools, the leader in domain and DNS-based cyber threat intelligence, today announced that Steve Butt, technical sales engineer at DomainTools, will present "Beyond Whois: See Threats Coming" at SANS 2016. During his session, Steve will share first hand techniques that help discover patterns in the history of an attacker's infrastructure using a domain-focused, actor-centric investigative model. The company will also demo its threat intelligence product, Iris, in the conference exhibit hall at Booth #9. SANS 2016 will be held at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Florida on March 12-21, with Steve presenting on March 17 at 12:30pm. In the face of increasingly costly cyber attacks (estimated at between $400-$500 billion per year), over 165,000 security professionals rely on SANS training to sharpen their skills. The global leader in information security training, SANS provides up to date intelligence and informatve classes to help protect organizations against cyber threats. The SANS 2016 education conference is the largest such event of the year, with over 40 courses on a range of topics including core fundamentals, network defense and security operations, penetration and vulnerability testing, digital forensics, legal, IT audit, software development and security management. SANS 2016 Who: Steve Butt, Technical Sales Engineer Where: Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort, Northern Hemisphere Salon E2 When: Thursday, March 17 at 12:30pm What: "Beyond Whois: See Threats Coming" Presentation Details: Reveal attack maps of malicious domain names and IP addresses Optimize the many facets of domain-based threat investigation Anticipate future threats using information from past breaches To request a meeting time and/or demo with the DomainTools team, please visit http://www.domaintools.com/sans2016. For more information on SANS 2016, please visit: https://www.sans.org/event/threat-hunting-and-incident-response-summit-2016 About DomainTools DomainTools is the leader in domain name and DNS-based cyber threat intelligence. With over 15 years of 'cyber fingerprint' data across the global Internet, DomainTools helps companies assess security threats, profile attackers, investigate online fraud and crimes, and map cyber activity in order to stop attacks. Fortune 1000 companies, global government agencies, and many security solution vendors use the DomainTools platform as a critical ingredient in their threat investigation and mitigation work. Learn more about how to connect the dots on criminal activity at http://www.domaintools.com or follow us on Twitter:@domaintools. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150728/248018LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/domaintools-to-deliver-threat-intelligence-educational-session-at-sans-2016-300233268.html SOURCE DomainTools [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] proxima Iton gadol y AJN: estas fueron las noticias del dia Ballon Bombs - Yes, you're reading that correctly - according to the 1898 Hague Convention, it is against international law to drop bombs from balloons. Japan famously sent scores of balloon bombs to the American Pacific Coast during WWII, with the purpose of causing forest fires. While most landed harmlessly, one did cause casualties - a balloon that landed in a forest near Bly, Oregon, that exploded and killed a Sunday school teacher and five children. The practice of shooting a rifle or dropping a bomb from a balloon is still technically forbidden to this day. Bat Bombs - In the second world war, Americans experimented with a secret weapon designed to decimate Japanese cities. At the time, most of Japan's cities were made of wood and paper. The idea was to release a bomb filled with sleeping bats (captured from caves in New Mexico), wearing collars containing a napalm-like incendiary. Upon release at dawn, the bats would disperse and roost under the eaves of Japanese homes up to 40 miles away. The project, code-named "X-Ray," was tested in 1944, but the war effectively ended with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It might sound funny today, but testing showed these unusual weapons to be tremendously effective...some say even more so than the A-Bomb. Today, bat bombs would certainly be prohibited under Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. Bio-Weapons - Believe it or not, bio-weapons are some of the oldest terror weapons known to man. They date back to at least the days of the Mongols, who would catapult rotting, infected bodies over castle walls in order to spread disease and sickness. It's also been suggested that the Black Plague, spread by fleas on the back of rats, and originating from Asia, was the lingering result of a primitive bio-terrorism attack from centuries before. Blinding Laser Beams - This might sound like one of those sci-fi things that would never happen, but the technology's been around for 40 years. "Blinding" laser beams don't refer to the laser "dazzlers" that police and special ops teams use; those are low-powered beams that aren't designed to cause permanent blindness. This ban refers to lasers powerful enough to cause permanent blindness, which is amazingly easy to do, as most juvenile delinquents with laser pointers have been warned. The prohibition against deliberately blinding weapons goes way back to some of the first weapons bans passed in the 19th century. Dirty Bombs - Bombs laced with radioactive material are forbidden under international law, though most countries wouldn't bother with them anyway. The point of a dirty bomb is to irradiate an area and make it uninhabitable -- which means that the "winner" of the war can't go there either. That aside, the amount of radioactive material necessary to make a dirty bomb effective could just as easily be used to build a full-on nuclear bomb. Flamethrowers - According to Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, flamethrowers aren't explicitly forbidden on the battlefield, provided the battlefield is nowhere near civilians. Mostly, this protocol refers to incendiary devices in and around civilian areas. It doesn't necessarily prohibit the use of flamethrowers in, say, an open tank battle or clearing caves in Afghanistan. But most guerrilla fighters hide behind or within civilian areas. If they're using human shields or might have captives flamethrowers are a no-go. Hollowpoint Bullets - Hollow-point bullets (aka "expanding ordinance") were explicitly outlawed for use in international warfare by the Hague Convention of 1899, which was, in fact, only a continuation of the St. Petersburg Declaration of 1868. This declaration forbade the use of exploding or expanding projectiles of less than 400 grams, which drew a clear line between "bullets" and "artillery shells." The concept behind the ban was to avoid using bullets that "made death inevitable." Which, some might say, is the whole point of shooting someone in the first place. Locust, Fleas and Rats - It's been done, and to sometimes devastating effect. The Black Plague is theorized by some to be the result of a lingering bio-terror attack from Asia. Today, using hordes or plagues of animals carrying disease in war would be completely illegal. Microwave Lasers (limitation) - Yes, laser cannons are a real thing, and they've been around for quite some time now. Today, the Air Force uses massively powerful laser cannons mounted to aircraft and battleships, which can use them to shoot down incoming missiles from up to 250 miles away. Hypothetically, they could be mounted to tanks and used to incinerate human targets on the ground - but such use of directed energy weapons is currently forbidden, in large part because too low a dose from too great a distance might not kill the target so much as cook their eyes, which would be a violation on the ban against blinding lasers. Mustard Gas - The terror of the trenches in World War I, mustard gas gets its name from its yellow-brown color and its odor, which is apparently similar to horseradish. Because it's heavier than air, mustard gas proved particularly effective in clearing trenches, and was almost single-handedly responsible for the 1928 Geneva Conventions. When inhaled, the gas causes the lungs to fill with fluid, essentially drowning the victim in their own fluids. Napalm - You might love the smell of napalm in the morning, but the same Protocol III (passed after Vietnam) that restricts the use of flamethrowers also limits the use of napalm. It can't be used anywhere near civilian targets, nor can it be used to burn down forests unless the trees are being used to conceal military combatants or vehicles. So, napalm isn't banned, exactly, but more often than not, it can't be used on today's battlefields. Nerve Gas - Nerve gases of all kinds have been systematically outlawed by both the Hague and Geneva from 1899 all the way up to 1993. All nerve agents (like Sarin, VX, Tabun, and Soman) work in the same basic way: By blocking blocking the enzyme that normally destroys a very important neurotransmitter. Basically, nerve agents cause your entire nervous system to malfunction, like an electrical system full of short circuits. Death generally comes as a result of a shutdown of the respiratory system, but not before painful blisters, boils, and internal hemmorrhaging occur. Non Self Destructing Landmines - Since the Vietnam war, decades-old unexploded landmines have been a deadly menace in Southeast Asia. Cambodia has one of the highest rates of amputees in the world, as some 40,000 in its population have stepped on land mines planted during the Cambodian Civil War in 1970. In 2013 alone, some 111 people were killed by land mines buried more than 40 years before. For that reason, as of 1980, mines placed outside of fenced and cordoned areas must use some sort of self de-arming device or self-destruct mechanism set to go off after a certain period of time. Standard land mines may still be used, but can only be employed inside of fenced-in areas, away from civilian populations, and must be removed or destroyed when the conflict ends. Phasers - There are all kinds of directed energy weapons on the table, from "death ray" lasers to sonic cannons to real life plasma rifles. However, as of right now, directed energy weapons with enough power to kill human targets are forbidden in war. This doesn't apply to de-powered non-lethal microwave emitters like the Active Denial System currently in use. ADS puts out enough energy to cause an intense sensation of heat on a large crowd, but it's not enough to cause actual burning. The sensation has been compared to standing a few feet away from a large oven with the door open. It is possible to set the ADS on "kill," but that is illegal for the time being. Plastic Landmines - According to Protocol I of the 1979 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, weapons that use non-metallic fragments not detectable by X-Ray are prohibited in war. The rationale is pretty obvious, since field surgeons can't remove fragments they can't locate within an injured body. This doesn't prohibit the use of plastic and undetectable materials in weapon design, it just means that weapons can't be designed to use undetectable fragments as a primary damage device. Poisoned Bullets - The world's oldest known arms agreement, the Strasbourg Agreement of 1675, explicitly outlawed the use of poisoned bullets. The first guns used in warfare weren't terribly accurate, so soldiers would often supplement the lack of accuracy by soaking their bullets in some kind of poisonous or infectious substance. It was not unheard of for legions of soldiers to stow their bullet caches inside rotting corpses, though the bottom of a latrine pit worked just as well. When France and the Holy Roman Empire went to war, they initially experienced a massive wave of casualties not from gunshot wounds, but from subsequent infection. More than 250 years would pass before Geneva once again addressed chemical and biological weapons. Salted Bombs - Salted bombs are very similar in concept to dirty bombs, but are true nuclear weapons created specifically for the purpose of shorter-term area denial. A "salted" nuke contains an isotope of another substance like cobalt, gold, zinc, or sodium. During a nuclear blast, these elements become a huge cloud of fallout. These types of weapons are the same type used in the Soviet "Doomsday Device" from Dr. Strangelove. Small, one kiloton salted nukes could be used tactically and made so that the radioactive fallout decayed in a year or two, thus denying large swaths of land to enemy forces for a time. But radiation is invisible, and these weapons are generally prohibited because of their potential lethality to civilians. Smallpox Blanket - While America in general has avoided the use of biological and chemical weapons, many historians agree that we did make at least one attempt at genocide through bio-weaponry. America's "manifest destiny" meant getting rid of the original inhabitants of the continent. Many were killed by bullets and blades, but far more were wiped out as a result of diseases introduced by Europeans. Coming from a center of worldwide trade, Europeans developed at least partial immunity to many diseases, while themselves remaining carriers. Where Europeans went, plague almost always followed, helping to exterminate native populations and assisting in conquest. Spiked Pits - These old fashioned death traps are technically prohibited or regulated by Protocol II of the 1979 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. Pits with sharpened bamboo spikes maimed thousands of soldiers in Vietnam and in the Pacific during WWII. Adding insult to injury, the Vietcong and Japanese would routinely roll those spikes in human or animal feces first, causing secondary infections after even the smallest scratch. That, in itself, is a direct violation of the 1907 Hague convention on biological weapons and might even violate the 1675 Strasbourg Agreement. Tear Gas - Believe it or not, the tear gas that police routinely shoot into crowds in America is technically outlawed for use in war by the Hague Convention. Even though it's generally non-lethal, tear gas is still an inhalant chemical weapon that obstructs breathing, that puts it in the same legal class as mustard gas. So: legal to shoot at protesters in Missouri, but not legal to drop on a machine gun nest in Afghanistan. Go figure. Unexploded Bombs - Protocol V of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons prohibits the use of "explosive remnants of war," such as unexploded bombs and artillery shells. This protocol came about in the 1990s, when the newest crop of Middle Eastern jihadis began assembling roadside bombs from unexploded Soviet ordinance from the Afghanistan conflict. IEDs are remain a source of terror in that part of the world. All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with a Buonaparte for a commander, could not by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years. Abraham Lincoln, January 27, 1838 Abraham Lincoln was perhaps our greatest president. He spoke the headpiece quote a generation before his presidency and our nations most horrible war. That war was not World War II, but our war amongst ourselves and against slavery. Our Civil War cost us an estimated 700,000 deada number comparable to all the dead inour wars with foreigners in our short history, from our War of Independence on. Of course Lincoln was right then, nearly two centuries ago. He would be even more right now. We Yanks have the worlds most powerful, advanced and accurate nuclear deterrent. With our current Presidents recent decision to modernize our nuclear arsenal and make its weapons evenaccurate, plus yield-adjustable, the risk of any foreign power invading and occupying the United States is zero. In fact we Yanks have not suffered a foreign invasion for over two centuriessince the War of 1812. The most horrible invasion and occupation in our national historywith the most atrocities on our own territorywas by ourselves against ourselves. It included Shermans march through Georgia, the Unions occupation of the Confederacy, and the Confederacys concentration camp for Union prisoners at Andersonville, Georgia. In comparison, Pancho Villas fleeting raid into the American Southwest early in the last century was a mere pinprick. So were Pearl Harbor and 9/11. Neither involved any immediate risk of invasion or occupation by a foreign power. Each was shocking and galvanizing precisely because of the temerity of foreigners daring to attack the worlds greatest power, even if only in hit and run raids. The simple fact is that, for nearly two centuries, we Yanks have been invulnerable to the risk that most nations have rightly feared since the dawn of human civilization: invasion, occupation and genocide or enslavement by foreigners. We are not alone. Today, in the twenty-first century,major power is virtually immune against invasion and occupation. Can you imagine any foreign power trying to invade and occupy China, or to cut it up for colonial and commercial advantage as European powers did in the nineteenth century and Japan did in the twentieth? China now has the worlds largest standing army and a nuclear deterrent that probably matches all of Europes put together. No one is even going toagainst Russia, for fear of its recently modernized military and its world-destroying nuclear arsenal. There are four reasons why no major power need fear invasion and occupation in the twenty-first century. The first and most important is the nuclear deterrent. It makes major wars among major powers fighting on their own territories unthinkable and indeed obsolete . The second is better social organization. As nation-states have become more cohesive in language, culture and government, the chances of dividing and conquering them as colonial powers once did China, or as the Brits once did a nascent and still-splintered India, have reached the vanishing point. Chinas nearly completed effort to make Mandarin the of its vast territory is just one salient example of this process. The third reason why major powers are immune to invasion and occupation is better and more rational government in other major powers . Rational leaders tend to think that war is a losing enterprise for all concerned; they would rather deal and trade. It doesnt much matter whether or not their governments are fully democratic. Xi and Putin are indeed authoritarian, but they are far, far better than the last centurys Hitler, Stalin, Mao or Tojo, let alone this new centurys Assad, Saddam, Kim or Mugabe. The fourth and final reason why invasions and occupations of major powers are things of the past has to do with natural resources. Many big wars have been fought in whole or in part for them. But today we humans have a widely-respected marketplace rule for natural resources: anyone (or any power) with money can buy them. There is no need to go to war, for example, for oil and gas, when theyre available at non-discriminatory prices from numerous sources around the globe. So how do we humans still make war? The answer is simple:powers still make war. Having virtually given up war on their own or each others territory as an instrument of policy, major powers support, inflame and sometimes even incite war onpowers territory. And the quest for control of resources sometimes figures inwars, as it does in almost every conflict in the Middle East. Major powers feed minor powers wars with advanced weapons, money and often (as in the Cold War) ideology. Why do they do that? To seek an answer, we must resort to the single most insightful comment ever made about war, namely, Von Clausewitz: war is politics by other means. Major powers feed foreign wars among minor powers because doing so satisfies their domestic political needs, or at least those needs as perceived by their leaders. The perceived benefits of foreign wars appear internally, while all the usual horrible consequences of war affect only the minor foreign powers, their people, and their neighbors. It is a classic case of importing perceived benefits and exporting real damage and pain. Even when wars among minor powers export numberless refugees, major powers can continue to fuel the death machine. An example is todays war in Syria. Its hapless refugees are overwhelming not only its neighbors, but innocent Europe as well. Needless to say, the EU is not primarily responsible for the mayhem. The US and Russia are. Dubyas unnecessary invasion and occupation of Iraq started the whole chain of catastrophes, and Putins intransigent military support for Assad now keeps it going. This essay has a simple thesis: major-powerpolitics is a key motivator for minor-power wars, especially the most vicious and longest-lasting ones. Only when we understand that basic point can we humans begin to wind down the remains of our human war machine as we have already wound down major wars among major powers. Lets look at some examples. Before we point fingers at others, we Yanks should look closely at ourselves. Since the most horrible war in history, we Yanks have had two successes and three failures (omitting minor wars like those in Grenada and Bosnia). Our stalemate on the Korean Peninsula gave birth to the economic miracle of South Korea. Daddy Bushs (and Colin Powells) success in Gulf I stabilized the Arabic world (for a brief instant) and saved Kuwaiti oil for international capitalism. But we Yanks lost utterly and abjectly in Vietnam. Our invasions and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan have produced few meaningful and positive results in over a decade of grinding, debilitating foreign conflict. So it behooves us to examine how domestic politics influenced, if not controlled, our involvement in these three less-than-self-evidently meritorious military adventures. We begin with Vietnam. As it turns out, its a paradigm for the others. President Lyndon Baines Johnson was a fundamentally good man. Born and raised in a poor community in South Texas, he had worked and struggled his way up to wealth and power, becoming president on JFKs assassination. Deprecated and underestimated by JFKs born-to-wealth Eastern elite, Johnson had a deep personal acquaintance with the trials of the poor and minorities. Unlike the Kennedy clan, he had grown up among them. He had a genuine, burning desire to help. The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us Yanks about the evils of Jim Crow. Lawyer and later Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall worked the courts. But only Lyndon Johnson could get racist white Southern Democrats to vote to abolish Jim Crow. Johnson was a legendary legislative arm-twister. He got racist pols to vote to abolish Jim Crow less than two years after Alabama Governor George Wallace had declared, Segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever. Johnsons work with Congress was acomparable to President Lincolns pushing through the Civil War Amendments just before his own assassination. So was Johnsons work on the anti-poverty programs that became known as the Great Society. Had the French quietly departed Vietnam after their catastrophic defeat at Dien Bien Phu, Lyndon Johnson would have been one of our nations greatest presidents. But instead, the French sought our help, and JFK (then alive and Johnsons boss) tentatively agreed. Johnsons thoughtless acquiescence in and subsequent escalation of the War in Vietnam resulted in our greatest military loss so far. He made our historys single greatest foreign-policy blunder. Why did he do it? Johnsons greatest achievementsand the ones dearest to his heartwere his Civil Rights Acts, which ended Jim Crow, and his anti-poverty programs. His words and memoirs all suggest that he wanted nothing to do with Vietnam and its own civil war. Yet he escalated that foreign war to over 50,000 American combat deaths. He crushed large parts of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia with saturation bombing, the defoliant Agent Orange (which still causes cancer deaths today) and land mines. Why? I have written a whole essay on the Greek tragedy that Johnsons presidency became. Suffice it to make three points here. First, the escalation derived from a gross misunderstanding of Vietnam and its history and culture. That Southeast Asian nation had been fighting for independence from its giant neighbor China for most of a millennium. It had been struggling for independence from Western colonialism since before World War II. Based on musings by pols, not experts, we Yanks misread the great Vietnamese patriot Ho Chi Minh as a lackey of international Communism and a domino eager to fall into the hands of Communist China or Soviet Russia. Nothing could have been further from the truth, as our few academic experts on Southeast Asia even then assured us. The second point was in fact a cause of the first. We Yanks (or our leaders) didnt care enough about Vietnam to learn its history or culture or find out what was really going on there. All we cared about was how it might affect us. In the context of the Cold War, we reacted with fear, even paranoia. Defense Secretary Robert S. MacNamaras domino theory was the paranoid fantasy of a former car maker who had no business evenon Southeast Asian history or affairs. It was about as thoughtful and reliable as Rumsfelds and Cheneys later paranoid view that Saddam had nuclear weapons or their makings. The final point was the real reason why Johnsona Democrat not otherwise prone to warmade such a catastrophic blunder in Vietnam. It was domestic politics. Ever since Eisenhower (who had warned us Yanks of the evils of a military-industrial complex on his way out), the Republican Party had made domestic political hay by fostering fear of foreigners. With Richard Nixon in the lead, it had exaggerated admittedly serious foreign threats and sought to lay them at the feet of Democrats. The GOP even accused Democrats of losing China to Communism, as if we Yanks, preoccupied with turning swords into plowshares after World War II, could fix the fate of enormous China halfway around the globe. Nixon had won his first congressional seat and virtually all of his subsequent offices by accusing his political opponents of being soft on Communism. Johnson knew that our nation was still divided, despite his landslide win over GOP extremist Goldwater. He feared that, if he lost Vietnam, the GOP would win the next election and end his antipoverty programs. So his reluctant and catastrophic support for escalating our involvement in Vietnam was in part a hostage to his domestic agenda. His own Texas machismoa desire not to lose even a wrong-headed warand the insane logic of war itself did the rest. As it happened, the catastrophic human and political cost of his escalation ended Johnsons presidency anyway. That is what made his personal history as our leader such a Greek tragedy. We are still feeling the domestic consequences of his presidency today. Nixons vile Southern strategy still drives the racism and regional resentment that motivates the Tea Party and the GOPs scorched-earth opposition to President Obama and everything he proposes. It may take yet another generation to set things right here at home. Johnson and Vietnam set a dismal paradigm for needless involvement in foreign wars. First, a crisis occurs in some minor foreign power. Leaders dont try very hard to understand what it means, let alone its history and context. Second, they view the foreign crisis through the lens of domestic politics. That is, they consider what use their domestic political rivals might make of it, and what domestic political advantage they will have if it comes out the right way. They give little, if any, weight to what might look right or wrong to the minor foreign power itself, its people, its neighbors, or the world. Finally, the leaders make a decision based on domestic political considerations, paying little attention to consequences abroad. The result, not surprisingly, is a foreign political disaster. So it was with our Yankee invasion and occupation of Iraq in early 2003. As so many have observed, the hard part wasnt the invasion: all but Saddams most elite and loyal troops hated him and wanted to surrender to anyone else. The hard part was what came later: the consequences and the aftermath of our invasion, which are still reverberating. Just so in Afghanistan. Dubya invaded and occupied that nation to bring justice to bin Laden and his comrades hiding there. He failed. Later, President Obama did the job with a platoon of Navy Seals and two helicopters. Today, well over a decade later, we have the following consequences to deal with: (1) civil wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan that are still raging, with our substantial participation, despite valiant efforts on our current Presidents part to wind them down; (2) the two longest wars in our nations history; (3) an Iraq in which low-level distrust among Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds has broken into open warfare; (4) an Afghanistan much of which the Taliban still rule, as they had done when we entered; (5) a broken, bleeding and devastated Syria; (6) an entire region inflamed by internecine fighting and the relentless march of millions of refugees; (7) a European refugee crisis not seen since Stalins deportation of millions or the end of World War II; (8) the foundation and rise of IS; and (9) a renewed superpower struggle with Russia, which soon might break into open warfare or bring Turkey into armed conflict with Russia or the West. Quite a list of accomplishments for Dubya! However dimly, even the GOP electorate knows that this chain of disasters is nothing to praise or excuse. It took some time for all the consequences to emerge, but our invading Iraq has produced a whole series of catastrophes. That fact alone, and not his alleged low energy, is why no exclamation point could save Jeb from oblivion once he had blessed his brothers unnecessary war. But it gets worse. Theres also Hillary Clinton. No one can tell today whether she could have stopped the disastrous rush to war in Iraq after 9/11. But she didnt even try. She was, after all, theleader of the Democratic Partythe party that had actually won the popular vote in 2000. (Al Gore was laying low and licking his wounds from our Supreme Courts theft of his presidency.) Yet Hillary voted for war and against the delaying Levin Amendment. She did so without even reading the National Intelligence Estimate , which only Senators could read, and which contained vehement dissents from within our own intelligence services as to the causes and advisability of war. Her reasons for not even reading this crucial report were and are self-evident. All had to do with domestic politics and nothing to do with Iraq, Iran, the Middle East or Al Qaeda. Quite simply, Hillary wantedand still wants!to be our first female president. She knew that the GOP was skilled at demagoguing foreign threats, from the Soviet Union through Iran to the then-new menace of Al Qaeda. She knew that the GOP would tar her, a woman, as weak if she refused to support even the most extreme and unnecessary measures pushed by one of the most incompetent presidents in our history and his Torquemada Cheney. So she didnt dissent. She didnt offer alternatives. She didnt even question. Her reason was domestic politics, and nothing more. If and when she becomes president, Hillary may no longer feel such pressure to be stupidly strong. She will still have to run for re-election, but she will have four years to develop a foreign/military policy uniquely her own. Unfortunately, no one today has the faintest idea what that policy will be. Hillary herself gives no steady indication. Virtually all of Hillarys now-past foreign-policy decisionsexcept for her decision as Secretary of State to save the Benghazi rebels from massacre and get rid of Qaddafihave been motivated by domestic politics alone. Hillary is not unique in this regard. To the extent that they exist at all (except as corollaries of vapid conservative dogma), the GOPspolicies have been self-evident catastrophic failures. Our following them, even reluctantly, has sold our basic industries to China, Mexico and Vietnam, and has left us with a service economy, selling each other haircuts, massages, health care, software and Web services, financial speculation and swindles, and public relations, i.e., professional lies. Having no coherent economic policy that anyone who understands cause and effect can credit, the GOP has tried to win domestic elections by fomenting fear and hate. Donald Trump is just the most extreme example of this phenomenon. In the past five years alone, he and the GOP have focused hate on African-Americans (including the President!), Mexicans, the poor, Muslims, Islamic extremists, terrorists, Russia and China. Does this means that, in the unlikely event that a Republican becomes president next year, we will have yet another unnecessary war? Probably not. Republicans bark is considerably worse than their bite. They use warmongering to win domestic elections, without having thought much about foreign policy or strategy at all. When and if they win, they improvise, without much warning of what they would do in a crisis. The problem is not so much real warmongering as winging itsaying whatever they think they need to say to win elections and worrying about real policy and consequences later. This strategy, if you can call it that, arises from the fact that the GOP cares only about one thing: making its rich backers richer. It wants what they want: lower taxes, less regulation, and more power for the rich. Like Mao in his day, our GOP has an ideological playbook full of simplistic dogma and vapid nationalism. It also has a plan to win elections by fomenting fear and hate, including hatred and jealousy of rising foreign powers. But our GOP has had little practice in governing at the presidential level since Daddy Bush left office in 2001. The reign of Dubya the Incompetent and his Torquemada Cheney was hardly a model of wise leadership, whether at home or abroad. And if dark powers should put Donald Trump in the White House,would know what he would do, probably not even he. In his quest to get elected, he has promised so many inconsistent and contradictory things, including some obvious fantasies, that his action in a crisis would be anybodys guess. Only Bernie has a clear and clearly expressed plan for foreign and military policy. Just like our very first president, George Washington, he wants to avoid foreign entanglements and foreign wars. He wants to maintain and respect international coalitions, act in concert with other nations, and avoid military actionespecially unilateral actionto the extent possible. He wants to stop trying to impose American culture and values on foreigners by force. Isnt that what any rational leader of a major powerto want? Its undoubtedly what our current Presidentwant, and indeed is doing. But he cant actually say so because our right wing would tar him as weak and feckless even more than its already doing. Hillary wont announce or summarize a coherent philosophy for much the same reason. As a female she has good reason to fear even more demagoguery about strength in foreign affairs. And the GOP candidates, in their pathetic attempts to project strength by promising carpet bombing and other absurd and counterproductive military action, are mostly lying. Their party and their rank and file love to bash the President as weak, but there is a strong pacifist streak among their rank and file, especially the Tea Party. Poll after poll shows how tiredus Yanks are of endless, needless wars. In one of the many ironies of this crazy campaign season, Bernie Sanders, the so-called radical socialist, actually has the most conservative and sensible foreign policy, emulating George Washingtons. Most of the other candidateswould probably follow a similar policy in office, but they just wont say so. Theyre afraid of noxious domestic demagoguery holding them responsible for whatever terrible things might happen abroad before or during their tenure in office. Theyre afraid of such absurd attacks as Nixons on his opponents in the fifties and sixties, accusing them of losing China to Communism. Apparently American voters are not smart enough to figure out that it was the Chinese people, not us omniscient and omnipotent Yanks, who lost China to so-called Communism, which anyway now resembles authoritarian state capitalism far more than the now-vanished Soviet brand. So if anyone other than Bernie wins, it will be impossibleto predict her or his foreign and military policy, let alone in a crisis, until it unfolds. The simple fact is that no Yankee now running for our presidency (Bernie) really cares much about foreign policy, except as it might affect domestic policy, our economy, our national renewal, or the ability to win elections. We Yanks are a self-regarding people with serious problems of our own. While paradoxical and troubling, this phenomenon is not all bad. After three major, unnecessary wars in four decades (in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan), the American people and their leaders are beginning to question whether the benefits of foreign military adventures are worth the costs and sacrifices, or exceed the benefits of alternatives. This means that foreignerseven rivals like Russia and Chinacan influence American foreign policy if they avoid confrontation and antagonism and emphasize reason, subtlety, finesse and diplomacy. (Even Donald Trump, for all his braggadocio and bluster, constantly professes a desire to make deals.) The trick is to do it all in secret, as the President is doing now. Diplomats must discuss rational policies and plans only in whispers, so as not to disturb the Yankee delusionfirmly fixed in the mind of many votersthat USA! USA! USA!, with its awesome power, can and must control whatever happens anywhere in the world. That delusion of a young and callow nation is slowly waning, but it still has legs and some time to run. So far, I have emphasized our own Yankee foreign-policy blunders. But we are not alone. Russia has been, and China appears to be, doing much the same thing. Indeed, Putin and Xi individually might credibly claim to have learned bad lessons from us. Putin and Russia, of course, are the worst offenders. For example, Russias FSB security service reportedly engineered so-called terrorist attacks in Moscow, leading to a second war in Chechnya, to insure the election of Putin, then utterly unknown, as Russias supreme leader. Syria is more complicated, but not much. The Russians have a genuine and justified interest in fighting Sunni terrorism. After all, the terrorist massacres at Beslan and the Nord-Ost Threater in Moscow were real. But the utter annihilation of Syria, with Russias help, has put terrorism on steroids and borne the monster of IS, surely no benefits to Russia or Russians. Russians also have genuine disagreements with us Yanks on fundamental political philosophy. Except for brief moments, they have never known real democracy in their thousand-year history. Virtuallytheir people gained freedom from serfdom at about the same time as the one-eighth of us who were slaves gained freedom here. Their 1917 October Revolution was perhaps the worlds bloodiest, with only the French Revolution to rival it. So its not surprising that Russians fear the noise and tumult of political discord, including real democracy, and tend to follow strongmen such as Stalin and Putin. But in spite of these genuine concerns and cultural history, Russias policy in Syria is not working. It has destroyed the nation. It has fomented vast regional conflict that threatens not just Russians interest in the region, but potential military conflict with the Turks and us. It has increased the number of Sunni terrorists, their reach, and the effectiveness of their propaganda by orders of magnitude. It has spawned IS. And, last but not least, by inundating the EU with refugees, it has permanently injured Russias relationship with the EU and its historic rapprochement with Germany. So its hard to see any good, substantive reasons for Putin to double down on his failed policy in Syria. The only motivators that make sense are the reluctance we all feel to admit our own mistakes and the domestic political hay that Putin makes by seeming strong at home against provocations from the West. In other words, the only credible reason for doubling down in Syria is that doing so helps Putin in domestic politics. Putin hasnt suffered any recent brain damage that we know of. Hes still a smart man. So he likely knows that Assad lacks the skill, political support and money to rebuild Syria. That would be true even if Assad controlledof Syria, which he probably never willat least not at a cost acceptable to Russia and Iran and the international community. So Putin may be prepared to replace Assad and work with the international community once, in his view, Russian air power and whats left of Assads army has stabilized the devastated nation. Assad could be the bad guythe hated face of war and destructionto be replaced by a kinder, gentler Russian puppet during the reconstruction phase. The alternatives seem unviable. Waiting for Assad to retake the whole of Syria with Russian air power would make the same mistake that Dubya and Rumsfeld made in Iraq. Who would pay the price for the difficult conquest? Who would maintain the stability and keep the peace afterward? IS? the Kurds? Turkey? A Russia now reeling from low oil prices? Despite my speculation in an earlier essay , Putin has shown no eagerness to commit Russian ground troops to the same sort of quagmire from which we Yanks are extricating ourselves in Iraq. A second alternativeplaying Syria for its domestic effect in Russian politics, as Syria continues to disintegratealso seems unwise. Even with Putins complete control of Russian TV, the stink of such a gross failure will eventually find its way to the Russian peoples noses. So we can all hope that, however awkward, halting and suspect it may be, the present shaky cease fire might be the start of something real. At least it would seem rationally to advance Russias real interests more than any probable alternative. As for China, its foreign push may just be beginning. For most of its long history, China has focused primarily on its own borders and its immediate neighborswhat Russians call their near abroad. Since its foundation in 1949, the Peoples Republic of China has fought (directly or by proxy) in only two significant wars. It or its soldiers fought in Vietnam to insure a friendly government in a traditionally hostile neighbor, and in Korea to create a buffer state, which has since morphed into Asias biggest troublemaker. Only today is China pushing much beyond its borders, with its threats in and militarization of the South China Sea. And even there its not going far afield, at least according to its own self-focused history. But is it just a coincidence that this semi-military push is occurring at a critical and dangerous time in Chinas recent economic history? Today China is attempting a difficult transition from an exporting powerhouse (now feeling dangerous pushback from its customers) to a modern consumer society. China certainly has the people for it, as well as the traditional business- and family-oriented culture. In mere decades, it could be the worlds leading consumer society and indisputably our species most prosperous nation. But at the moment the transition is not going well. Xis fight against corruption is bogging down and, at the same time, dampening the Chinese penchant for luxury that helps drive high-end consumer businesses. The push to convert sleepy and corrupt state-owned enterprises to efficient private businesses is faltering. And the over-regulated stock and currency markets are gumming up the works, making Chinese lose money and foreigners lose respect for China, its government, and its businesses. Might not a little saber rattling serve the obvious purposes of distracting Chinese from their hardship and softening foreigners criticism of Chinas economy? Yet wouldnt it be easier, less costly and far less dangerous for still-rich China tothe resources it seeks in the South China Sea than to take them by force or threats, thereby stirring up a hornets nest of opposition, military alliances and militarization in its near abroad? In our new century, in which major powers are invulnerable and none seeks global conquest, the only proper purpose of war is defense. And becausemajor power is practically invulnerable, theres no crying need for any to make war at all. So why do wars still arise, let alone with the advanced, high-tech weapons that only major powers can make? There can be only two plausible answers. First, major-power leaders see foreign wars as a way of distracting their own people from domestic problems, and they see the imported costs as small. This sort of ploy is nothing new; it was old when Caesar practiced it. Second, because major-power leaders dont know or study circumstances abroad anywhere near as thoroughly as they would similar events in their own country, they often misread the costs, the risks of getting bogged down, and the consequences of their involvement or escalation in foreign conflicts. (Modern China seems to be the smartest major power here, having become involved in only two major conflicts since its founding, both quite close to its own borders.) So it was with President Johnson and Vietnam. If only he could have seen the disastrous chain of causation that his escalation would set in motion, he would have wound down what was at first JFKs war as soon as he had fully grasped the reins of power. Projecting major power abroad for reasons like these sets a dangerous paradigm for our new and still-dangerous century. Its no excuse that the resulting wars and upheavals are in or among minor powers. For they can have consequences that no one can foresee. Todays catastrophe in Syria has caused the European refugee crisis, led to the rise of IS, and now threatens war between Russia and Turkey or Russia and the West. Its also no excuse to say that these wars and their consequences are not (yet!) nuclear. Just look at Syria today. It could hardly be more devastated had it been nuked. The only difference is that, without fallout and radiation, more of Syrias people can take their families and flee, and it will be easier to rebuild once the war ends. But what has happened to Syria and its people in the last five years will live in infamy as long as our species survives. So the major powers must adjust their thinking and advance their educationtheir social evolution, if you will. Its not enough that nuclear deterrents have kept them from fighting each other on their own territory since 1945. They now must cooperate to wind down proxy wars that, from major powers perspective, are halfhearted and even unimportant, but from a minor-power and regional perspective can be catastrophic. The necessary expedients are perhaps counterintuitive. They cut against the grain of our species biological evolution, which teaches that the answer to any social problem is domination by the good guys. Accordingly, they may contravene longstanding practice. But conceptually they are quite simple. There are only four main points. First, the major powers should keep not just nukes, butmodern high-tech weapons, out of minor-powers hands. If people are going to fight for atavistic, religious or other senseless reasons, or due to incomprehensible but longstanding regional rivalries, let them do so with stones and knives, rather than cluster bombs, massive aerial destructive campaigns (as in Syria today), or nerve gas. At least the international community seems to agree the nerve gas is a step too far. Maybe now it can begin to wind down the rest of the near-universal practice of using minor powers as grisly testing grounds for other modern means of overkill. Second, major powers should refrain from trying to impose their own cultures on minor powers. We Yanks did that in trying to meld Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds into a working modern democracy in Iraq. So far our effort has been a self-evident failure. Thats not surprising; more than two centuries after the Great Compromise in our Constitution, we still cant get Texas and Mississippi to play well with California and New York. A correlative error is thinking that solutions that apply in ones own culture are valid in others. Russia has made that mistake in trying to impose a brutal strongman on a Syria that seemed ready for something new. Strongmen may work inside Russia. At least they may be better than the alternatives. But now most of Syrias population has voted against that Russian solution with their feet. Lyndon Johnson famously made a like error in believing that Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese would respond to bullying the same way that racist white Southerners had. His was an erroneous extrapolation from domestic to foreign circumstances, with catastrophic results. Third, major powers should spend at least one-tenth as much money on diplomacy in minor powers as they do on arms and military training. They should study foreign nations assiduously before they evenof intervening. Then they should work hard to involve local powers and ethnic groups (and, where necessary, separate them) in resolving their own problems non-violently. Diplomacy is hard, frustrating and exhausting work. Ask John Kerry. But it appears to have had some preliminary results in Iran. At least it avoided yet another major-power war by proxy, with attendant human suffering and unintended consequences. Even if ultimately necessary, such a war this year or next would have been grossly premature, at least with the nuclear deal now in place and almost fully implemented. Diplomacy is our species future, if we have one. Every major power should ramp it up in proportion to its promise and benefits. Finally, major powers should learn before they leap. They should study minor powers and their conflicts much as they might study their own domestic issues of similar importance. They should do somaking any irrevocable decisions, let alone a decision to start or escalate a foreign war. World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the War in Vietnam were the last centurys dismal monuments to the failure of human social evolution. The Cold War was also; it almost extinguished our species. Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria are this centurys. At least these major-power blunders are, on average, getting smaller as time goes on. But the Middle Easts dismal tale is still untold. The current mess in Syria and its neighbors could yet cause something like World War I in the Middle East, or even the nuclear Armageddon between Russia and the West that we thought we had avoided in 1962. We humans must do better than that. The place to begin is for major powers to refrain from thinking of places like Vietnam, Iraq or Syria as extensions of their own domestic policy, or foreign outposts of their own domestic cultures. If major powers leaders cant study minor powers and deal with them on their own merits, cultures and histories, better for them to avoid any direct involvement at all. The old Hippocratic OathDo no harmshould be the prime directive for major powers in the twenty-first century and beyond. Nothing less is the moral and practical duty of powers that, after centuries of their own terrible conflicts, are now themselves invulnerable.The decision to take military action in Libya was ultimately the Presidents. But rumor has it that Hillary pushed the President hard and convinced him. In my view, her decision was a conservative one and quintessentially female, i.e., life-preserving. She pushed to preserve the lives and opposition of the Benghazi rebels, whom Qaddafis forces had surrounded and were about to wipe out. Her successful influence saved lives, preserved political balance, and prevented a partial genocide, at the cost of continued conflict, which still rages. I believe that future history will vindicate her: genocide and ethnic cleansing are not things that any major power should support, whether by action or inaction. So notwithstanding the House witch-hunt against her, Hillary did the right thing in Libya , and under tremendous time pressure. Unfortunately, thats the only act of hers from which we can judge her probable approach to foreign policy, untainted by domestic politics. I dont mean to minimize theimpact of either Pearl Harbor or 9/11. Each had an enormous impact. Pear Harbor got us decisively into World War II after years of political dithering, during which some of us even flirted with supporting the Nazis. The attacks of 9/11 motivated Dubya to invade and occupy two foreign countries, Iraq and Afghanistan. Of the two, Pearl Harbor was by far the more fearsome event. At the time, Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan were the worlds two pre-eminent military powers. In comparison, we Yanks were isolationist and disarmed. Yet our two neighboring oceans and the pace of life then gave us plenty of time to arm ourselves and respond. And virtually the entire world (except for Italy and Serbia) was on our side. Without belittling the legitimate fear and terrible sacrifices of our Greatest Generation, today we can say that the result in World War II was foreordained. The only thing that could have changed the result was the Nazis developing nuclear weapons first. That didnt happen, and our mainland was never subject to serious attack, let alone realistic threat of invasion and occupation. In comparison, 9/11 was a deep pinprick. It killed many people and hurt our pride and ourof invulnerability. But there was never any, let alone any real possibility, of a terrorist or Islamist group invading or occupying our nation. So Lincolns assertion of national invulnerability, quoted in the headpiece, has been the absolute truth for us Yanks for nearly two centuries. Russia and China attained their own invulnerability only more recently, after World War II and their respective acquisitions of nuclear weapons. But now they, too, are equally secure under their nuclear umbrellas and behind their huge, modernized armies. The best thing that could happen to all three great powers modernized armies is that they be used for constructive purposes , not unnecessary conflict. permalink Topics: traveling, motorcycle adventures, camping, books read, movies seen, feeling like a foreigner in Oregon, dogs and my values. Stravaig (pronounced straw vague) is an Irish/Scottish word. Means to wander about aimlessly. Probably from an even older, obsolete word, extravage, meaning to digress or ramble. I am all about stravaig, both when traveling & in conversations. Commentary and musings on the complex, fascinating and peculiar world that is securities regulation The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit a Post-doctoral Scientist (Economics of Climate Services), to support a USAID funded project on Climate Services for Africa. The project is implemented by the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) which is a Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) research program. The position seeks to improve methodology and strengthen quantitative evidence to guide investments in climate services across Africa. Climate variability and change place significant stress on food production and availability in Africa and threaten its economic development. ILRI works with partners worldwide to enhance the roles that livestock play in food security and poverty alleviation, principally in Africa and Asia. The outcomes of these research partnerships help people in developing countries keep their farm animals alive and productive, increase and sustain their livestock and farm productivity, find profitable markets for their animal products, and reduce the risk of livestock-related diseases. www.ilri.org ILRI is a not-for-profit institution with a staff of about 700 and in 2016, an operating budget of about USD 83 million. A member of the CGIAR Consortium working for a food-secure future, ILRI has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, a principal campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and offices in other countries in East, West and Southern Africa and in South, Southeast and East Asia. www.cgiar.org CCAFS is a strategic collaboration between the CGIAR and Future Earth that seeks to promote a food-secure world through the provision of science-based efforts that support sustainable agriculture and enhance livelihoods while adapting to climate change and conserving natural resources. East and West Africa are among the five CCAFS implementing regions and the CCAFS East Africa Program is based at ILRI in Nairobi. https://ccafs.cgiar.org/ Responsibilities: Develop tools and methods for ex-ante evaluation of the expected economic benefits from alternate investments in Climate Information Services (CIS) in Africa at local, national and multi-country levels, with emphasis on agriculture and food security; Lead economic studies and policy analysis of current and potential climate services investment for agriculture and food security in countries of shared priority for CCAFS and African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC); Provide strategic guidance for investments in CIS for agriculture and food security, including those through ClimDev-Africa; Support collaboration and coordination among ACPC, CCAFS and their partners; Participate in international, regional, and national meetings to collect information and to hold discussions with colleagues in other institutions; Provide inputs for technical papers and analytical studies on investing in climate services for agriculture and food security, and in support of science-policy links in Africa; Assist in the organization and servicing of expert group meetings, seminars on the economic value of climate services for agriculture and food security in Africa; Contributes to the preparation of materials and technical documentation for collaboration programmes and projects; and Performs other related duties and administrative tasks, as agreed by the CCAFS Flagship Leader on Climate Information Services and Climate-Informed Safety Nets and the ACPC Coordinator, necessary for the final delivery of relevant ACPC services. Requirements: PhD in economics, agricultural economics, or closely related discipline obtained not more than 3 years ago; Experience in economic valuation of climate services or closely related aspects of information or risk management; Demonstrated expertise in economic valuation methods applied to information; Publication record demonstrating innovative and practical contributions to academic and/or applied literature on economic valuation of climate or closely related information; Familiarity with agricultural systems, climate institutions and initiatives, and climate-related agricultural risks in Africa; Strong organisational skills and demonstrated ability to deliver successful project outcomes (both independently and as part of a team), prioritizing and organizing own work as required; Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to develop good working relationships with colleagues and institutional stakeholders; Willingness to travel and collaborate with partner institutions; Excellent communication skills in english (written and oral), with demonstrated ability to communicate complex information to a range of audiences in a clear and inspiring manner. Post location: The position will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Position level: Post-doctoral level. Duration: The position is on a 2 years fixed term contract. Benefits: ILRI offers a competitive salary and benefits package which includes medical insurance, life insurance and allowances for: education, housing, home leave, and annual holiday entitlement of 30 days + public holidays. WASHINGTON -- So it has come to this: The front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, at a campaign rally Saturday in Orlando, leading supporters in what looked very much like a fascist salute. "Can I have a pledge? A swearing?" Trump asked, raising his right hand and directing his followers to do the same. He then led them in pledging allegiance -- not to the flag but to Trump, for which they stand and for whom they vowed to vote. Trump supporters raised their arms en masse -- unfortunately evoking the sort of scene associated with grainy newsreels from Italy and Germany. Among those not engaging in such ominous imagery were the demonstrators, who, by my colleague Jenna Johnson's account, interrupted Trump's event more than a dozen times. The candidate watched a supporter grab and attempt to tackle protesters, at least one of them black, near the stage. "You know, we have a divided country, folks," Trump said. "We have a terrible president who happens to be African-American." Loaded imagery, violence against dissenters and a racial attack on the president: It's all in a day's work for Trump. In the preceding days, he had asserted (and later retracted) his confidence that as president the military would obey his orders to do illegal things: torture detainees and target noncombatant kin of terrorists for death. He said House Speaker Paul Ryan, a fellow Republican, would "pay a big price" for defying him, and he said Sen. John McCain, who criticized Trump, needs to "be very careful." Trump explained his initial hesitance to disavow support from the Ku Klux Klan and white supremacists by saying such groups could have included "the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies" -- prompting the head of the Anti-Defamation League to call his words "obscene." And some still deny Il Duce Donald's autocratic tendencies? Abe Foxman, a Holocaust survivor and the retired longtime head of the ADL, said that Trump leading thousands in "what looks like the 'Heil Hitler' salute is about as offensive, obnoxious and disgusting as anything I thought I would ever witness in the United States." I've perhaps never agreed with Glenn Beck before, but the right-wing radio personality was right to hold up a Nazi ballot on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday morning. "We should look at Adolf Hitler in 1929," said Beck, who usually saves his Nazi analogies for liberals. Beck added, "Donald Trump is a dangerous man with the things that he has been saying." This isn't a conventional debate between Democrats and Republicans or insiders and outsiders. Trump is on the wrong side of a struggle between decency and bigotry, between democracy and something else. Yet, incredibly, the other candidates in the race -- Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich -- all said they'd support Trump if he wins the nomination. The morning after Trump's salute, the morally neutral Reince Priebus, Republican National Committee chairman, told CBS' John Dickerson the that his "role is to basically be 100 percent behind" the eventual nominee. As some Republican officeholders and donors belatedly try to unify the anti-Trump movement, more are seeing Trump's words and deeds foreshadowing darker things. On Monday, Jane Eisner, editor of the Jewish media outlet Forward, quoted Holocaust historian Deborah Lipstadt: "Some people didn't approve of Hitler's anti-Semitism, but they went along with it because he was going to make Germany great again." And comedian Louis C.K., who says he would like to see a conservative president, wrote to his fans about Trump last weekend, saying that "we are being Germany in the 30s. Do you think they saw the s-- coming? Hitler was just some hilarious and refreshing dude with a weird comb over who would say anything at all." Where does Trump's flirtation with fascism end? Nobody knows. But don't say you didn't see it coming. RACINE After a barrage of criticism over college newspaper commentaries, state Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley told a Racine business group Tuesday the articles are in no way a reflection of the person that I am and hopes people can forgive and move past it. Bradley spoke at Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce, 300 Fifth St., a day after a liberal advocacy group brought forward Marquette Tribune commentaries she wrote 24 years ago. In the articles, Bradley used anti-gay slurs and referred to people with AIDS as degenerates. Bradley, who is locked in a tight race for the Supreme Court against JoAnne Kloppenburg, told an audience of eight she was a dumb college kid and reiterated her remorse over the columns. The election is April 5. She said she hopes her apologies are accepted and we can move on from it quickly, for all of our sakes. Its really hurtful to a lot of people and its causing a lot of people pain to read that, so I hope the media will move past it for the sake of the people who are pained by those articles that I wrote, Bradley said. I also think its a really bad distraction from what this race is all about, which is judicial philosophy. Gov. Scott Walker appointed Bradley to the seat last year and faces Kloppenburg in the April 5 general election for a full 10-year term. Kloppenburg has said Bradleys comments are as abhorrent and disturbing today as they were in 1992 as people were dying in huge numbers from AIDS. The liberal group One Wisconsin Now unearthed the commentaries and presented them in a press conference Monday. Liberals are backing Kloppenburg for the officially-nonpartisan post. In an interview with The Journal Times, Bradley, who is now 44, said she believes people understand that how someone is in college is not the person they become. I have changed and grown as a person as my life experiences and my interactions with people have developed who I am and my thought process, said Bradley, who appeared at an event later Tuesday at the Racine Country Club. Anyone who saw my work in the court system, particularly in childrens court, knows that I am a fair, empathetic and compassionate judge. RACINE Two defense attorneys for a former Wind Lake man, who is serving 200 years behind bars for molesting his stepdaughters and terrorizing them and his wife, were not ineffective as he claimed, a judge ruled. Sean A. Riker, 47, formerly of Utah, was sentenced on March 2, 2012, to 200 years in prison for molesting two of his stepdaughters and terrorizing his family while they briefly lived in Wind Lake. Riker later appealed, citing ineffective assistance of counsel: knocking his trial attorneys and appellate defense attorneys work on his case. Riker alleged that his trial attorney, Richard Hart Jr., didnt call some witnesses he wanted to testify for him, and didnt strike some jurors from his trial that Riker didnt want deciding his case. The decision In an almost 15-page decision, released on Tuesday, Racine County Circuit Judge Eugene Gasiorkiewicz shot down Rikers contentions and declared Hart and George Tauscheck not ineffective in representing Riker an alleged member of the Aryan Brotherhood. Gasiorkiewicz wrote that he finds no ineffective assistance of Mr. Hart regarding the failure to call family, (a) probation agent, or emergency medical staff as complained by Mr. Riker, Gasiorkiewicz wrote. There was no substantiation that Hart should have asked that several prospective jurors be kicked off the jury pool, and Mr. Riker has failed to substantiate any deviation from the objective standard of care required by Mr. Hart in this regard. Rikers family moved into their Wind Lake rental home after Riker was released from federal prison, where he served time for a series of bombings in 1995 in Utah. A Racine County jury convicted Riker on Nov. 11, 2011, of the 16 charges stemming from his repeated attacks on his then-wife and the girls. Riker remains in the maximum-security Wisconsin Secure Program Facility in Boscobel. He couldnt be reached for comment. His current defense attorney, Mark Nielsen, declined to comment on the decision, saying he hadnt yet seen the ruling or reviewed it with Riker. I did the best I can for Mr. Riker in a difficult case, Hart told The Journal Times. A message was left Tuesday for Rikers appellate defense attorney, Tauscheck, but he wasnt available for comment. During a motion hearing on Dec. 16, Riker testified that Hart knew he wasnt performing up to snuff. Now, I think he (Hart) wanted me to be convicted. Who doesnt call witnesses for the defense? Riker asked. During that Dec. 16 hearing, Hart said he didnt want certain witnesses to testify about the type of father Riker was because it would have opened him up to character attacks. I did not want to open that can of worms, Hart said during that hearing. Riker made a home movie while the family drove to Wind Lake, and the two girls were fighting pretty seriously. Mr. Riker was encouraging them to fight. That certainly would never help Mr. Riker. USA TODAY Faulted for Glorifying Mass Murderer FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 8, 2016 Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (jpfo.org) is conferring its first Broken Tablets Award, given to a group or person responsible for reprehensible acts against humanity and civility. The award goes to USA Today for publishing, as a five-year death anniversary memorial, a reverent image of the arch villain responsible for destroying the World Trade Center 15 years ago. The criminal is posed in a manner appealing to his perverse jihadi adherents. The accompanying article sympathetically laments the mass murderers inability to consort with his multiple slave wives while hiding in Pakistan from world justice. Mass murderers are used by media and politicians to build false support for gun-rights denial in the American public at large. The USA Today front-page article, published March 2, 2016, grossly violates the journalism ethical guidelines known as Dont Inspire Evil / No Notoriety. Those guidelines note it is unethical to provide material support for terrorists and mass killers, or to encourage copycat crimes, by providing the mass public exposure these villains crave, which American media has unfortunately been doing without remorse for years. The Dont Inspire Evil Initiative is a project of JPFO, calling upon major news groups to formally adopt another ethical guideline into their established standards: Refrain from gratuitous or repetitive use of criminals names and images. It runs parallel to the No Notoriety program developed by crime victims that encourages: No names. No images. No notoriety. and which has received widespread support among law enforcement officials an others. USA Todays lack of good sense is humiliating, said Charles Heller, spokesperson for JPFO. Their image of this horrific murderous jihadi tyrant is more appealing than a twisted photo they found and ran on the same pagepage oneof the leading U.S. presidential candidate. This violates every tenet of ethical journalism. It unfortunately is part of an ongoing trend at this disgraceful paper, adding to the demise of decency in America. You can almost hear their staff laughing at this sick joke. This page above may be seen also as a PDF file.The original description of the 'Don't Inspire Evil Initiative' can be seen here, and is also available as a PDF file here. "You don't have to be Jewish to fight by our side." 2016 JPFO All rights reserved. jpfo@jpfo.org 1-800-869-1884 Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership 12500 NE 10th Pl. Bellevue, WA 98005 USA "America's most aggressive defender of civil rights" We make the NRA look like moderates Join JPFO Back to Top Amendment to Journalism Ethics Proposed Missing Guideline Is Harming Profession, News Consumers Comments FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 3/8/16 -- Backgrounder Contact: Charles Heller, JPFO Media Representative The Dont Inspire Evil Initiative calls upon all journalists to: Refrain from gratuitous or repetitious portrayal of mass murderers names and images. This principle has been proposed for inclusion in the professions ethical codes. News coverage of criminal, islamist, rioting and terrorist atrocities can be perfectly accomplished without incentivizing or encouraging copycat behavior. There is no value in subjecting news consumers and the public to offensive or repulsive content that repels audiences without adding fresh content. The modern tendency to show the faces of the most heinous villains until they reach iconic status, often with bizarre graphic enhancement like doubling, silhouetting and highlighting, is a gross perversion of the public trust protected by First Amendment freedom. Copycat behavior is a well-established reality, borne out in numerous studies, easily observed in the behavior of fans in all popular pursuits and importantly, exhibited in criminals. Solid reporting does not require this increasingly frequent journalistic aberration. Responsible journalists need not repetitiously show or name villains in reporting results of crime. Those who do, inadvertently perhaps but effectively nonetheless, are supporting, aiding and abetting the villainous actors themselves. Dredging up the names and images even years after they are news exacerbates the problem. Limit the glorification of spree and mass murderers by restricting excessive use of the villains identities. Instead, if media staff feel compelled to publish names, focus on victims and results, or simply dont dwell on yesterdays news. Let the Golden Age of violent spree glorification, finally end. Refrain from gratuitous or repetitious portrayal of mass murderers names and images. It is not news. The 'Don't Inspire Evil Initiative' above is also available as a PDF file here. Back to Top Withering on the Vine The Demographic Time Bomb is Most Marked in Japan The demographic time bomb whereby the elderly population assumes a greater and ... Government Sexual Libertinism Coming to a Government School Near You Further to our piece yesterday on the promotion of sexual libertinism in government schools, we rep... Some Random Observations The Aftermath of Mass Pre-Mediated Murder A few observations on the murder of 14 people in San Bernadino and the wounding of many more see... Letter From the UK (About State Tyranny) Ta-ta UK freedoms! Miranda matter outs vindictiveness of wounded police state Annie Machon is a former intelligence of... The Big One The Panoptican State Is Actually Operational Yesterday the "big one" dropped. The Guardian reported that the US and UK spy age... Fraud Central German Professor: NASA Has Fiddled Climate Data On Unbelievable Scale by James Delingpole BreitbartLondon A German professor ha... Statist Groupthink More and More Fashionable The Rise of Liberal Intolerance in America Edward Luce Financial Times I t ought to be a triumphal moment for American liberalism .... Vacuous Greenism Anti-Fracking Luddiocy Think of any technology that involves carbon based energy and its utilisation, and the lunatic fringe can be found ... "It is Finished": the Sixth Word from the Cross It is Finished: our Lords Sixth Word from the Cross What is history? That simple question covers a multitude of complexity, profundity... The Supreme Court of Bangladesh [official website] upheld the death sentence of a former opposition politician on Tuesday for allegedly committing war crimes during the 1971 war of independence. Mir Quasem Ali, who is accused [Reuters report] of murder and torture during the conflict, was also a business man and member of the Jamaat-e-Islami Party. His party was opposed to independence and breaking away from Pakistan. More than 3 million people are believed to have died in the war and thousands of women raped, but the party insists it did not commit any war crimes and planned [Al Jazeera report] a nationwide strike for Wednesday to protest the decision. Quasem Ali went into hiding when other members of the party were arrested in late 1971. He was arrested in 2012 and sentenced to death in 2014 by the International Crimes Tribunal. The International Crimes Tribunal Bangladesh (ICTB) [official website], established in 2009 under the International Crimes Act [text], is charged with investigating and prosecuting war crimes committed during the 1971 conflict. Rights groups such as Amnesty International [advocacy website] have criticized [JURIST report] death sentences imposed by the ICTB, stating that trials of war criminals have, in the past, failed to meet international standards. In June a Bangladeshi court gave Syed Mohammed Hasan Ali, a fugitive commander of an auxiliary force of Pakistani troops, a death sentence [JURIST report] for torture and massacre in the Liberation War. Last April a Bangladeshi appeals court rejected [JURIST report] a final appeal by Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, an Islamist party official convicted of war crimes during the 1971 Liberation war, upholding his death sentence. In February 2015 the ICTB convicted and sentenced [JURIST report] Abdul Jabbar, a militia leader and former lawmaker, to life in prison for genocide and religious persecution committed during the 1971 Liberation War. Earlier that month the tribunal also sentenced [JURIST report] Islamist leader Adbus Subhan to death. A federal judge on Tuesday upheld [opinion, PDF] Puerto Ricos same-sex marriage ban. US District Judge Juan Perez-Gimenez for the US District Court for the District of Puerto Rico [official website] ruled that last years landmark Supreme Court [official website] decision on marriage rights does not necessarily apply to Puerto Rico. The Supreme Courts ruling [JURIST report] in Obergefell v. Hodges [opinion, PDF] last June required all states to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions. However, Perez-Gimenez ruled [NBC News report] that Puerto Ricos status as an unincorporated territory means that Puerto Rico is not treated as the functional equivalent of a State for purposes of the Fourteenth Amendment and as such the US Constitution applies only in part to a territory like Puerto Rico. The judge had upheld [JURIST report] the ban on same-sex marriage in October 2014 but was asked to reexamine the issue in light of Obergefell. Same-sex marriage and adoption rights remain in a state of legal uncertainty despite the Supreme Courts ruling. Last week the Alabama Supreme Court dismissed petitions [JURIST report] that sought a ruling declaring the states prohibition on same-sex marriage valid. In February a federal judge ruled that Kentucky clerk Kim Davis is obeying orders [JURIST report] to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Davis had refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex or heterosexual couples arguing that her Christian faith should exempt her from issuing the licenses to same-sex couples. A federal judge held Davis in contempt of court [JURIST report] in September for her continued refusal, releasing her after several days in jail. Davis claimed upon returning to work that she would not block her clerks from issuing the licenses. The South Carolina Senate [official website] approved legislation [HB 3114 materials] on Tuesday that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of gestation. The Senate approved [AP report] the legislation by a vote of 36-9 allowing exceptions only if the mothers life is in jeopardy or if a doctor were to determine that the fetus cannot survive outside the womb. There are no exceptions for rape or incest, nor does the measures definition of a fetal anomaly allow for the abortion of a fetus with a severe disability if the child could live. Doctors who violate the proposed law [Greenville News report] could face up to $10,000 in fines and three years in prison. If the bill passes in the South Carolina House, it will be sent to Governor Nikki Haley [official websites]. Abortion and reproductive rights issues [JURIST backgrounder] have been heated topics throughout the US. On Friday the US Supreme Court ordered that Louisiana may not enforce an abortion law [JURIST report] from 2014 that would require abortion doctors to have admitting privileges in a nearby hospital and significant surgical upgrades to abortion centers. Last month the Indiana Senate released a bill [JURIST report] from committee that would ban abortions based on genetic disabilities and would also require aborted or miscarried fetuses to be cremated or interred. Also last month the Oklahoma Supreme Court reversed [JURIST report] a lower court decision upholding a law that restricts use of medication abortion drugs. Also in February Ohios governor John Kasich signed [JURIST report] a bill that would purportedly cut state-funds to Planned Parenthood by $1.3 million. In November the US Supreme Court granted certiorari [JURIST report] to decide whether a Texas law, which requires that clinics have similar facilities to surgical center, posed an undue burden on the availability of abortion on the state. Oral arguments in the case were heard [JURIST report] last week. Adoption Timeline 7/22/11 Decided to Adopt from Ethiopia 7/24/11 Decided on IAN as adoption agency 7/25/11 Accepted to IAN and got second application 7/28/11 Homestudy Paperwork started 8/10/11 Got papers notarized to be sent into IAN with half of agency fee 8/19/11 Sent in IAN Application with half of agency fee 8/23/11 Received Dossier from IAN 8/30/11 Sent in Homestudy Paperwork 9/8/11 Background Check, Fingerprints, Bank Letter Notarized 9/8/11 Dr. appt. for Kyle and Megan 9/10/11 Homestudy Visit 9/12/11 Follow up Dr. appt. 9/24/11 Homestudy Visit 10/8/11 Rest of Papers Notarized 10/12/11 Papers Authorized by Secretary of State 10/14/11 Dossier Sent to IAN along with the rest of the agency fee 10/24/11 Added to 5 different Wait Lists 10/20/11 Dossier Recieved by IAN 10/06/12 Found out we were #1 on toddler girl list 12/19/12 Opened up to Infant Girl 3/21/13 REFERRAL for 6mo Girl 4/25/13 Submitted to Court 5/27/13 Birth Father Relinquished Rights 6/7/13 Found out Our Court date was June 19 6/13/13 Left for Ethiopia 6/19/13 She is Legally Ours and Passed Court 7/17/13 Submitted to Embassy 7/29/13 Cleared Embassy 8/2/13 Left For Ethiopia 8/6/13 Embassy Appointment and Passed 8/9/13 HOME!!!! Indian assistance of Rs 44.30 m for Single Women Reintegration Center The government of India has extended a financial assistance of Rs 44.30 million for Chhahari - Single Women Reintegration Center Building at Budhanilkantha Municipalityin Kathmandu District. Banks seek permission to disburse grants Seven commercial banks have sought permission from the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) to disburse Rs200,000a grant to be given to earthquake victims by the government to rebuild their houses. Details announced of Prince Harry's Tour of Nepal British Prince Harry will visit Nepal for the first time, undertaking an official tour on March 19-23 as announced earlier. Fan is WB Country Director for Nepal Qimiao Fan was appointed as the World Banks (WB) new Country Director for Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan on Monday. Himalaya takes delivery of its first jet Himalaya Airlines, a Nepal-China joint-venture company, has taken delivery of its first aircraft brand new Airbus A320 jetliner to serve the international market starting next month. Indian authorities construct road by encroaching no mans land Indian authorities have constructed a 3-km road, encroaching the no mans land in the bordering town of Bhitthamod in Bihar state. Issuance of LC surges with end of embargo The pace of opening letters of credit (LC) by importers has surged over the last one month following the end of the Indian embargo. Banks had largely stopped issuing LCs during the blockade when piles of Nepal-bound cargo lay stranded in Kolkata port and bordering Indian towns. Karnali blues The government interventions in Karnali are mostly of a palliative nature with short-term benefits Kin of migrants who died in Nepal to get compensation The Foreign Employment Promotion Board (FEPB) has decided to provide compensation to families of migrants who died in Nepal while they were on annual work leave. Migrant crisis: Slovenia moves to 'shut down' Balkans route Slovenia has introduced new border restrictions for migrants as part of efforts to close the Balkans route from Greece to Western Europe. Minister Singh to move SC against EC's decision Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Prem Bahadur Singh, has said that the Election Commission could not scrap any party. NC jamboree makes KMC Rs 230k richer Ratnapark has made the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the body that operates the recreational area, richer by Rs 230,590 in just about five days, thanks to the Nepali Congress jamboree held in the Capital. Nepal Telecom network allegedly hacked Anonymous #opnep a group of hacker has claimed to have breached into the sever of Nepal Telecom (NT) gaining access to all the information of its users. New guest leaves Babai Valley, reaches Shivapur Of the five rhinos that were recently moved to the Babai Valley of the Bardiya National Park (BNP) from Chitwan National Park (CNP), one has reached has reached Shivapur, around 30 kilometres from the Babai Valley. Now the hard part People hope to see structural changes in the Nepali Congress following Deubas win NRCL expands reinsurance business to Saarc nations A Nepali company has attracted reinsurance businesses from abroad, reflecting the trust it has been able to earn in less than a year since starting its operation in December 2014. Pakistani Minister Memon applauds ties between medical institutions of Nepal and Pakistan Pakistan's College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPSP) in cooperation with the Nepal Medical Council (NMC) organised a dinner programme for senior Nepali medical professionals educated or trained in Pakistan. Partial solar eclipse witnessed from Nepal A partial solar eclipse was witnessed from Nepal on Wednesday morning. What It Is KauaiEclectic is a collection of observations, images and writings about Kauai Kamawaelualanimoku and the world as seen, felt, experienced and interpreted by me. 1. Yes. Its important to cast my votes early and avoid the lines on Election Day. 2. Yes. With nearly two weeks of early voting, its a more convenient way to take part. 3. No. Its better to wait until Election Day, in case any last-minute information surfaces. 4. No. Im not planning to vote early or on Election Day. It isnt worth my time. 5. Unsure. It depends on how the campaigns are shaping up. Ill play it by ear. Vote View Results Trollfest '09 Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, How I sold out to da Man. Robbie Bell again performs: Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells and Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to Dancing with the Stars, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango. Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and Big Cat Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything). Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge. Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson". In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word jackass was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up. In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates. Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one. Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!! This is definitely a Beaver production. Note: Security provided by INS. 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Lee Yong-soo, one of the surviving victims of the atrocity, said in a news conference in New York to mark International Women's Day that she cannot accept the deal and demanded that Japan offer a clearer apology for her suffering. In Washington, another victim, Kil Won-ok, also held a press conference to protest the agreement, saying the two countries reached the deal without taking victims' opinions into consideration. "Although there are not many alive, they should have visited us and sought our opinions," she said. Seoul and Tokyo announced the agreement in late December that centers on Japan's admission of responsibility for the wartime crime and plans to pay reparations to the victims. South Korea promised to end the dispute once and for all if Japan fulfills its responsibilities. Some civic groups, however, including one that has spoken for victims, have denounced the agreement as diplomatic collusion between the two countries, arguing that Japan should have offered a clearer apology and acknowledged its legal responsibility for the atrocity. Historians estimate that up to 200,000 women, mainly from Korea, which was a Japanese colony from 1910 to 1945, were forced to work in front-line brothels for Japanese soldiers during World War II. Japan has long attempted to water down the atrocity. (Yonhap) No Yes, a light case Yes, two or more light cases One serious case Two or more serious bouts Vote View Results FORT WAYNE Arts United is partnering with Riverfront Fort Wayne, the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne and the city of Fort Wayne through Amplify Art!, a crowdfunding platform to amplify Riverfront programming by supporting three exciting Riverfront projects: water trail maps, Faces of the Fort, and Surprise Cinema. Amplify Art! is a social media based crowdfunding program that mobilizes community support for, and awareness of, diverse creative projects happening in Northeast Indiana. Amplify Art! is made possible with support from the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne and the Knight Foundation. The two-week mini campaign began Wednesday, March 2 with the goal of raising $5,000 for each project by Wednesday, March 15. Community members can support the three selected Riverfront projects through social media advocacy and by donating online at www.artsunited.org/amplify. Every gift made through the Amplify Art! platform will be matched dollar for dollar up to $2,500 per project with support from the Knight Foundation. Using a crowdfunding platform like Amplify Art! to mobilize community support, awareness, and visibility for Riverfront Fort Wayne programming seemed like a natural fit, Susan Mendenhall, president of Arts United said. The projects we are helping to support are remarkable, creative projects that will provide exciting and innovative opportunities for all members of the community to interact with the riverfront. The water trail map project will raise funds to support the creation of comprehensive water trail maps for our regions rivers. Just as greenways and trails are used on land, rivers can be used as water trails. These maps will highlight access sites for boat launching, as well as contain safety information and links to a website that will direct users to water flow, level and other pertinent information. Donate $25 or more to receive a map. The Faces of the Fort project is designed to use art as a way to change the identity of the riverfront. The project will use a variety of white beach balls ranging in diameter from 20 inches to 8 feet as a canvas for colorful works of art created primarily by underserved members of the community. When complete, the beach balls will serve as a temporary art installation on the rivers and bridges within the Riverfront Fort Wayne District. A donation of $25 will purchase one 48 inch beach ball and art supplies for five artists. The Surprise Cinema project will introduce the Fort Wayne community to the world of immersive cinema, a cinematic experience guaranteed to thrill and delight. Riverfront Fort Wayne, in partnership with Cinema Center and Living Fort Wayne, is developing Surprise Cinema: a once-in-a-lifetime chance to immerse yourself in a world youve only seen in the movies. Join other movie lovers and experience the unknown. A $20 donation will purchase one ticket and will give the donor first-access clues for the movie experience. Alison Gerardot, Director of Programming and Events for Riverfront Fort Wayne, is excited about the potential of the crowdfunding campaign to bring dollars and awareness to Riverfront Fort Wayne programming. I am thrilled to have this opportunity to partner with Arts United through the Amplify Art! platform, Gerardot said. We have so many exciting programs and events in the works to keep building the community momentum and excitement around this project. My hope is that the crowdsourcing efforts through Amplify Art! will not only help raise money to support three incredible projects, but also create awareness and drive community interest and engagement in Riverfront Fort Wayne. To learn more about Amplify Art! and the Riverfront projects the crowdsourcing campaign will support, visit the Arts United website at artsunited.org or follow Riverfront Fort Wayne on Facebook at www.facebook.com/riverfrontfw. Wisconsins highest court wont review Eric Koulas convictions for the 2010 murders of his parents. Koulas attorney asked the state Supreme Court to review a state appellate courts decision to uphold the convictions. His attorney was unavailable Wednesday. Koula, overwhelmed by debt and a floundering day-trading career, shot his parents, Dennis and Merna Koula, in their town of Barre house on May 21, 2010, to claim a substantial inheritance. He deposited a forged $50,000 check drawn from their account the day after the killings, then lied and planted false evidence to divert investigators. His defense team argued during the 3-week trial in La Crosse County Circuit Court that the Koulas were the unintended victims of a hit man. Their son is serving two life sentences. Koula, now 46, argued on appeal that his attorneys failed him with a faulty jury instruction and that the judge erred when he allowed testimony that supported motive and excluded evidence that supported his innocence. At trial, Dennis Koulas brother and a co-worker testified that Dennis Koula, in the days before his death, said he was done giving to the kids. Koulas attorneys fought to exclude the testimony. The District 4 Court of Appeals found there must be evidence that Koula knew his father intended to sever financial support in order for Dennis Koulas statement to be admissible. While Koula argued there was not, prosecutors pointed out that Koula sought a cash advance from his credit card company the day before the murders and deposited the forged $50,000 check the day after the killings. We conclude that a reasonable judge could determine that a reasonable inference from the totality of the evidence set forth that Eric had knowledge, whether by virtue of the particular out-of-court statements at issue or by some other means, that Dennis intended to stop providing financial support to Eric, the appeals court wrote in its decision. Koulas new attorneys also argued his trial attorneys failed him when they agreed to a prejudicial jury instruction that highlighted the testimony. The court rejected Koulas argument, finding that he did not show the case would have ended differently given the volume of evidence against him, including his financial motive, a note he planted to divert investigators and a receipt he volunteered as an alibi that actually showed he knew when his parents were killed. Koulas appellate attorneys also argued that he deserved a new trial because the judge erred when he refused evidence that was critical to his defense. They contend Google Maps takes users near Dennis and Merna Koulas house when another address on Fox Hollow Drive is entered into the website. His attorneys argued at trial that the Koulas were the unintended victims of a hit man pursuing Steve Burgess, who lived on the same street. The judge did not allow testimony about the map, telling Koulas defense team they were illogically trying to argue the Koulas were the victims of an organized experienced killer who used an online map to find them and killed the couple without confirming the address. Koulas defense team did not raise the issue until the 15th day of trial and did not present evidence that Koulas parents house was mistaken by someone searching for Burgess house, the appellate court found. Circuit Judge Scott Horne properly excluded the map because it would have misled the jury, given the visible address of the Koula house and lack of evidence to support a hit man used the online map, according to the decision. Eric has not offered an explanation as to why a hired killer would disregard the address sign on the street, which the court found was an obvious indicator of Dennis and Mernas address, according to the decision. The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) have announced a $150,000 statewide grant program to encourage Wisconsins K-12 school districts to incorporate personal finance education into their curricula. The application deadline is April 20. DPI, which is administering the program, began accepting nominations March 1. The application is online at http://dpi.wi.gov/finance. Award recipients will be notified by email May 31. Grant money will be made available to grantees July 1. The intent of this program is to support the efforts of individual teachers and school districts to begin new and sustainable financial literacy programs and events. Teachers in K-12 school districts are eligible to apply for awards of up to $10,000 and may submit proposals for each school level elementary, middle and high schools. Project proposals that focus on addressing student loan debt or on improving college and career readiness of students through new and creative programs will be given priority. The $150,000 financial commitment from the DFI comes from settlement funds received over the last few years. A subcommittee of the Governors Council on Financial Literacy will review recommendations from DPI and select the final award recipients. Proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria: The nature of the expected outcome from the project and the degree to which they are measurable. The number of students impacted by the project. Sustainability and the degree that the proposal includes parents, volunteers, and other members of the community. Matching financial support from the school or other partners in the community. Degree the project is realistic, innovative, experiential, educational, and engaging. Degree it enhances student experiences and curriculum delivery. Level of innovation and creativity to enrich existing services and programs. Cost effectiveness. All proposals must indicate how they support approved academic curriculum and integrate Wisconsins Model Academic Standards on Personal Financial Literacy. Under a similar program conducted in 2014, 26 Wisconsin school districts were awarded a total of $350,000 for financial literacy programs. From the public files of the La Crescent Police Department. Monday, Feb. 29 Barking dog complaint, N. Fourth St. Gas drive-off, S. Third St. Owner of vehicle contacted in order to return and make payment. 12:26 a.m. 20-year-old Onalaska, Wis., woman cited for instruction permit violation, Hwy. 16. 2:35 a.m. Waukon, Iowa, man charged with false name and date-of-birth to a police officer, driving without a valid license, and theft, S. Third St. 1:11 p.m. Assisted sheriffs office with a property damage motor vehicle crash, CTH 6. 3:09 p.m. Child custody dispute matter reported, Lancer Blvd. 4:01 p.m. Report of dog running at large, Old Hickory Dr. 7:08 p.m. Report of a possible bicycle crash on Hwy. 14/16/61. Event was determined to have been on the Wisconsin side of the border. 8:06 p.m. La Crosse man cited for driving after suspension, Hwy. 14/61. 8:36 p.m. Caledonia man cited for speeding, Hwy. 16. 9:31 p.m. Medical emergency, N. Chestnut St. 10:10 p.m. Civil dispute regarding a vehicle purchase, S. Seventh St. Tuesday, March 1 10:11 a.m. Trouble with party/landlord tenant dispute, Redwood East. 1:12 p.m. Trouble with party, Main St. 1:28 p.m. La Crescent resident requested driving record. 3:11 p.m. La Crescent resident applied for a permit to purchase a firearm. 3:35 p.m. Holmen, Wis., resident requested fingerprints for employment. 5:27 p.m. Predatory offender registration, Welshire Dr. 11:22 p.m. Motorist assist, Hwy. 14/61. Semi tractor broken down. Wednesday, March 2 12:03 a.m. False fire alarm, S. Second St. 9:41 a.m. Community policing. 3:53 p.m. Dispute between former employee and business, Strupp Ave. 4:44 p.m. Report of minor traffic crash, August Hills Dr. 6:15 p.m. Assisted Houston County Sheriffs Department on a warrant arrest, Hwy. 26. 10:23 p.m. Public assist/welfare concern, Hwy. 14/61. Thursday, March 3 3:42 a.m. La Crescent man cited for driving without a drivers license, N. Third St. 10:35 a.m. Trouble with juvenile, Lancer Blvd. 11:42 a.m. Holmen, Wis., resident requested fingerprints for employment purposes. 12:50 p.m. Auto unlock, Lancer Blvd. 3:27 p.m. Driving complaint reported, S. Seventh St. 3:45 p.m. Neighbor could hear an alarm sounding from residence, August Hills Dr. Everything appeared to be in order and homeowner was contacted. 5:38 p.m. Suspicious activity, S. Fourth St. Residence check. 6:59 p.m. Emergency medical, Regent Dr. 8:21 p.m. Report of a residential alarm on S. Fourth St. Friday, March 4 2:13 a.m. Assist state patrol, as a DWI arrest was processed at the police department. 8:10 a.m. La Crescent resident requested extra patrol. 8:36 a.m. Dog reported to be running at large, S. Third St. 6:00 p.m. Civil issue, S. Oak St. Landlord/tenant dispute. Saturday, March 5 6:09 a.m. Emergency medical, Sycamore St. 9:51 a.m. Suspicious property found, N. Second St. Item disposed of. 5:21 p.m. La Crescent man arrested for domestic assault, N. Hill St. 7:44 p.m. Emergency medical, N. Second St. 9:07 p.m. Child welfare complaint, CTH 12. Incident referred to Birchwood, Wis., law enforcement, as incident occurred in that jurisdiction. Sunday, March 6 12:08 a.m. Caledonia man issued citation for speeding and possession of drug paraphernalia, Hwy. 14/61. 11:42 a.m. Emergency medical, Birch St. 2:05 p.m. Auto unlock request, S. Third St. 3:34 p.m. Assisted Houston County Sheriffs Office with a rollover motor vehicle crash with injuries, CTH 21. 3:40 p.m. Report of a domestic assault, S. Chestnut St. Under investigation. 4:59 p.m. Gas drive-off reported, S. Third St. Owner contacted to return for payment. 7:15 p.m. Trouble with party, S. Oak St. Landlord/tenant dispute. Just over 100 Republicans assembled in the La Crescent High School media center where their partys Houston County Basic Political Operating Unit held its caucus on March 1. Organizers had been hoping to exceed the last presidential voting years numbers, which were an estimated 120 to 150, but a minor snowstorm in the morning, and its attendant cold snap, had them dropping estimates by 10 to 15 percent. The party faithful gathered to straw poll for their presidential preference, as well as elect delegates and alternates to the Houston County Convention on April 2 at the La Crescent Community Center. Frank Ludwig, co-chair of the Republican BPOU for Houston County, said a set of two site captains were overseeing the same process in other locations throughout the county, including Caledonia, Houston, Hokah and Spring Grove. The caucus system is the most open to grassroots input, Ludwig said. It only works if people participate. And people only have the opportunity to participate if somebodys willing to organize it. Formal proceedings were held from 7 to 8 p.m., and Ludwig said the state party leaders wanted all votes counted and reported to them by 9 p.m. Those attending were separated by table by voting precinct, including La Crescent Township. Volunteers were selected to read letters from each of the Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Ben Carson and John Kasich. They were also allowed to voice their support for each candidate, as well as suggest amendments to the partys platform, but time was limited, as was discussion. The states party has 11 planks, and Republican BPOU for Houston County co-chair Mary Ludwig said the party has aimed at simplifying the verbiage in recent years. Its pages long, she said. Anyone coming to the caucus can fill out a form with desired changes or additions to the planks, she said, but those wont be voted on until the county convention. Some of the past few years, theyve been trying to change it to a 10-point party platform, she said. A lot of people have been bringing in typed ones that they didnt necessarily write themselves, so this year, you have write your own down. You can copy it off of something else, but theyve tried to make it so that they dont get 100 across the state that are identical. Each precinct votes on if they would further a particular plank, and common themes include stances on pro-life issues and the second amendment. Before that, however, the vote on presidential preference was slated to happen. There was no clear indication of which presidential candidate curried the most favor, and several party members said they would remain undecided up to the last minute. At least half a dozen people had stopped in prior to the event to find out how to vote against candidate Donald Trump, while a handful more came looking for a voting booth. It was part of a larger confusion that some in the party feel should signal the end to the caucus process. Steve Bissen, former Republican BPOU chair for Houston County, was one. He said he first caucused when he was 17-years-old, and hes now almost 50. I think the caucus had its time and place, Bissen said. I think its done. What happens to the people who are working second shift? How do they participate in this? My sons in the military; how does he participate in this? He said hes come full circle on the issue: he used to think it was a great. But in the 21st century, he said, where people are pressed for time and energy, its time for a change. Were disenfranchising people, Bissen said. There are people who dont understand how this works. Its an insiders club. In the end, Marco Rubio narrowly won the La Crescent caucus site with 31 votes, followed by Ted Cruz (30), Donald Trump (28), John Kasich (12) and Ben Carson (10). A half an hour before polling officially opened, the line stretched out the La Crescent High School cafeteria door and down the hall people waiting to discuss the issues, stump for their candidate and cast their straw poll ballot at the Democratic-Farmer-Labor caucus March 1. Nine precincts including the cities of La Crescent, Hokah and Brownsville, as well as their townships and Union Township met that night on Super Tuesday, and of the more than 200 ballots cast that night, around half were from first-time caucusgoers, judged by a show of hands at the event. It was a turnout Houston County DFL co-chair Teresa ODonnell-Ebner didnt expect, as ballots ran low near the end and many stood around the perimeter of the room, but it was a pleasant problem to have. Im just amazed and so excited that youre here, she told Houston Countys largest precinct gathering. We planned, but you surprised us, and thats a good thing. That night, each participant cast a presidential straw poll ballot that ultimately helps determine how many state delegates a candidate receives. But unlike a primary election, caucusgoers devoted a couple hours to electing precinct officers and delegates to the county convention, discussing resolutions theyd like to see the DFL add to its platform, and debating which of the two main candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders theyd like to see become the partys presidential nominee. Thats the big thing about a caucus that you dont get with a primary; you get to meet your neighbors, ODonnell-Ebner said. You get to talk with each other and have those one-on-one conversations that a primary just doesnt allow. This really is more of a grassroots kind of event. Two who were discussing their preferences at their precinct table were Chuck Chihak and Alex Wieser. Chihak feels, because of Sanders socialist leanings, that as the nominee, hed be susceptible to arguments that lump his ideology with communism. I am not a believer in socialism; I believe in capitalism, he said. Thats why, even with baggage, (Clinton) has the creds. Shes been there a long time; she understands how government works. As much as I agree with the platform of Bernie Sanders right down the line, I dont know that hell be able to work with a Congress as divided as it is today, he added. I could vote for either one of them if they were put on the national ticket. Wieser, also admitting Clinton would be better than a Republican, said, though, that Clinton has likability issues and is running on Barack Obamas record. But the obstructionism Obama has to deal with is evident, he said. I think Bernie is a different kind of candidate. Hes leading a movement of people. Hes a ground-up candidate, Wieser said. All the other candidates are their own person trying to lead; Bernie is leading with a movement of people below him. Thats what hes part of. The only way hed ever get anything done is if the American people demand it, and thats why Im so attracted to him. Hes a leader of the people; hes very much of the people and he relates to the people. While candidates were discussed, so, too, were resolutions. Proposals can include almost anything, but typically, the DFL sets its focus on those that promote inclusion and equality, support of equal pay, and education funding, ODonnell-Ebner said. It also wouldnt be unusual to see resolutions dealing with environmental protection issues and how rural America could be better represented, in terms of labor initiatives or agricultural business issues. There are also some specific to outlying areas of the state. One of the things that might be coming forward is the financing of broadband (Internet) in rural Minnesota, she said, and looking for funding that will help Greater Minnesota, so I think thats one well see a lot of interest in. Rural broadband is an issue of interest for Minnesota House 28B candidate Thomas Trehus of Spring Grove, who, along with fellow challenger Jon Pieper, stopped by the caucus that night and spoke to the crowd. Pieper, of Lanesboro, is a two-time candidate for the seat currently held by Rep. Greg Davids, while Trehus is seeking office for the first time. Its my hope is that the people here turn 30 and have a couple kids, they remember where they came from, what the schools are like, and how its fun to run a small business in a small town and know your customers, Pieper said. Thats why Im doing this. We need a lot of work to be done at the state level. We have some tremendous challenges, Trehus said. Our schools are still not fully funded; our roads and bridges are not fully funded, and if we want to be serious about these problems, we have to have serious solutions. Once the final votes were tallied, Sanders easily won the La Crescent caucus site with 160 votes. Clinton received 53 votes and two people remained uncommitted. Two well-established craft brewing companies in Wisconsin have been purchased but not by a macro brewing company looking to expand its portfolio. Sand Creek Brewing Co. in Black River Falls, which in 2015 produced 9,990 barrels of beer, has announced that it has acquired Furthermore Brewing Co. of Spring Green and Cross Plains Brewing Co. in Cross Plains. Neither company had its own brewing facility but instead had their beer made on contract by other breweries. Cross Plains had used Stevens Point Brewery until 2013, when it began using Sand Creek. Furthermore has been brewed at Sand Creek since its inception in 2006. Each brewery has its unique take on its style of beers, Jim Wiesender and Todd Krueger, co-owners of Sand Creek said in a statement. All three breweries together will complement each others strengths. Under the arrangement, finalized in October but announced last week, Furthermore and Cross Plains will operate as subsidiaries of Sand Creek Brewing Co. and retain their names and distributor networks for the time being. Both Wayne and Larry Esser of Cross Plains Brewing Co. and Aran Madden of Furthermore will continue on as brewery representatives of Sand Creek and their respective brands, Wiesender and Krueger said. Madden and the Essers could not immediately be reached for comment, but Wiesender said the deals came along in September at about the same time and will allow for the brands to expand their reach into the Minneapolis and Chicago markets. They didnt know they were talking about the same thing at the same time, Wiesender said. Its a great way to continue to grow the brands. The economy of scales was the driving force. In 2015, Furthermore produced about 1,500 barrels while Cross Plains produced about 2,000 barrels, Wiesender said. Sand Creek was founded in 1999 in a dairy barn in Downing, about 40 miles northwest of Eau Claire. In 2004, Wiesender joined forces with Krueger to buy the Pioneer Brewing Co., founded in 1995 in a building in Black River Falls that was originally built for the Oderbolz Brewing Co. in 1856. Besides its own brands, Sand Creek also brews beer for the Pangaea Beer Co., based in the Marquette County community of Neshkoro; Door County Brewing Co. in Baileys Harbor and Lake Monster Brewing Co. in St. Paul, Minn. When Madden and his business partner, Chris Staples, came up with a plan for their Furthermore Brewing Co., they spent $60,000 to buy the former public works building from the village of Spring Green. They later sold the building and purchased land in the villages industrial park. It has always been six months away, Madden said in 2010. Were always thinking about it. In the beginning, Madden made the more than two-hour drive from Spring Green to Black River Falls to brew the beer and return on bottling day but later had Krueger, Sand Creeks brewmaster, brew his brands. The Esser family in 1995 relaunched the Esser brand produced in Cross Plains from 1863 until Prohibition in 1920 and had the beer produced at Stevens Point. The companys brands include Essers Best Original and Essers Cross Plains Special and is one of the oldest beer names in the state. George Esser came to Madison in 1852 from Ichendorf, Germany, and purchased a small brewery in Monroe for $1,500 where he produced lager. In 1863, he purchased 2.5 acres of land at what is now Church Street and Brewery Road in Cross Plains. The original building had two cellars and rooms for the Esser family. The beer business has been good to us, Wayne Esser said in 2013. Very few businesses nowadays last to be 150 years. ONALASKA Challenger Jack Pogreba and Onalaska Mayor Joe Chilsen werent combative in their first forum together, despite the fact that Pogrebas successful challenge of Chilsens nomination papers means the incumbent isnt even on the April 5 ballot. An audience of about 50 business representatives listened to each candidate, who then took questions from members of the Onalaska Area Business Association over lunch Tuesday at the La Crosse Country Club. Pogreba said city government needs transparency. We need to notify our citizens what our local governments involved in doing to our community, the former Onalaska Common Council member said, (The citizens) are not informed. Pogreba talked about pursuing fiscal responsibility by continuing to expand the city and doubling or tripling the tax base. Continuing to expand the tax base, he said, is feasible if the city continues developing waterfront property. He proposes the city develop anchor businesses, such as hotels, that can thrive off Onalaskas location and waterfront availability. Pogreba said developing Onalaskas waterfront property and expanding its tax base could lead to expansion into areas such as Brice Prairie or West Salem. However, if the three-way boundary agreement between the city of Onalaska, the village of Holmen and town of Onalaska is soon approved by each municipality, Pogreba said, Onalaska might face trouble expanding into Brice Prairie. Besides transparency, Pogreba didnt have much criticism for the condition the of the city under Chilsen. We have been a great fiscally responsible community, he said over the scrapes of silverware on plates. We want to continue that, keep growing the city, keep improving and expanding our base. Mayor Joe Chilsen appealed to the audience as the candidate for more of the same. Coming into office four years ago, I had a very simple plan: I wanted to grow the tax base, and I wanted to make Onalaska more visible in the Coulee Region, Chilsen said. I have accomplished those two goals. The mayor, who remains optimistic about support for his write-in campaign to his job, also spoke about expanding the city, citing his own success at developing waterfront property. I dont think it takes too much of an imagination or too good a memory to look back and see that we can see water at the end of main street now, he said, referring to the Great River Landing Project, which he said will begin its first phase right after this election. Chilsen further noted that Onalaska, under his administration, experienced its greatest tax base increase since 2006 a year he described as the holy grail of expansion. We didnt quite beat 2006, but we came really close, he said, finishing his speech with: We have the three things that are really vital to a city: great education, great health care and a good business community. With those three, the road ahead looks bright. Bill Feehan, chairman of the La Crosse County Republican Party, said Chilsens campaign is pretty much a long shot. A review of the facts will show that the Democrats are running his campaign, Feehan said. Chilsen denied local Democratic Party involvement. I dont, at any time, ask any one that volunteers for my campaign what party theyre from. Its not important. The candidates both supported the switch from a full-time to a part-time mayor with this election. Pogreba said that when he was a council member, he encouraged the city to go with a part-time mayor and full-time city administrator, because having a full-time administrator would give consistency and thought process to city projects moving forward. Chilsen said that since he has worked on putting together job description for those positions, hes well aware of what the necessities of those two jobs is going to be. Both described themselves as leaders who listen to the people. My grandfather always taught me that youre best off to listen to the people closest to the problem, so I kind of live by that, Chilsen said. I agree with Joe here in the aspect of listening to your constituents, Pogreba added, saying that his experience at Woodmans, where he works as an equipment manager, has helped prepare him for weighing options as the next mayor. If hes ever to get a clue, Mitt Romney needs to drink more beer. Not at his private club, not in a stadium skybox, not with his establishment Republican cronies. They havent a clue either. Otherwise The Donald wouldnt be giving them such a wedgie. Frankly, the only thing that surprises me about what Trumps saying is that its a really rich guy saying it. Its stuff I hear every day. I hear it from the guy three barstools down talking about his son-in-laws brother ... been looking for work for half a year, but when he looks in the paper, all the help wanted ads are in Spanish. If he goes to apply, theyre paying half what it takes to live on. A wall? Yeah, we need that frickin wall ... I hear it from the couple behind me in the Walmart checkout while they keep up a running commentary on the stuff that just rang up on an EBT card. Those people werent from around here. Sure as heck didnt pay taxes. Why should our welfare be paying for their Doritos when weve gotta eat Sams Choice? I hear it coming from the booth behind me. Guy looking at the menu wondering who the heck wants to put hot salsa on fried eggs and why the waitress looked at him like he was something off the bottom of her shoe when he said he wanted American cheese on that hamburger ... but its not just the cheese, nothing Americans good enough no more. In 92, Slick Willy felt their pain. This year Trumpty-dumpty is letting fly with their anger. Yeah, people are scared, confused and really POd. Like strangers in a strange land, theyre looking around at a place thats not the country they were born in, not the country they grew up in, not the country they thought theyd be passing on to their kids. Somewhere along the line, while they were going to school, going to work, paying attention to making a living, keeping the kids out of jail, making the payments and finding time to maybe sleep in on Saturday, the rules changed. The country changed. Even the weather changed. The summers are hotter. The rains are harder. The floods are higher. They joke about a liberal plot to cut the ice fishing season short, but they cant help but wonder. And nothing makes a guy madder than being lied to. And weve been lied to a lot. Dubya got us into Iraq playing fast and loose with the truth. A dozen years later, were still sorting that out ... cripe, theyd have nothing but sand and camels if we didnt buy their oil. What is it about this country and wars? Used to be wed win em we grew up with Sgt. Rock whipping half of Germany in the space of two dozen comic book pages. Things are just plain different from what they used to be. Used to be you didnt get a friend by clicking on a computer screen. A friend was somebody you went to school with, who looked after your kids, who lent you 20 bucks til payday. Used to be all you needed was a garage, a timing light, a socket set and what Dad taught ya to keep your car running just fine. Thats how it used to be. Used to be Hamms, Schmidt and Old Style was all you needed to know about beer. Not any more. Somehow The Donald picked up on that, spun it around and echoed it back. Hes telling folks that theyre not wrong about what they see, what they feel, what they fear. Even if they are. Its leadership on the cheap. Maybe thats how he got to be such a rich man. Too bad it leaves all the rest of us so very much poorer. La Crosse County officials will consider signing onto a state commission that would provide an advantage to La Crosse County businesses borrowing money for clean energy projects during the next couple months. County board supervisors will hear a presentation on Property Assessed Clean Energy financing at the County Board Planning Committee meeting next month after the issue was introduced Wednesday at the Executive Committee. County corporation counsel David Lange said Wisconsin recently passed a law authorizing counties, cities, towns and villages to impose special assessments on property to secure loans made for energy efficiency, water conservation and renewable energy improvements. Instead of having the counties all doing their own thing, this will have one commission thats in charge of the whole thing, Lange said. The law gives an extra incentive to private lenders to approve loaning businesses money for those projects by giving them another avenue to collect on their investment in case the borrower defaults on the loan. County administrator Steve OMalley said the idea behind the commission is to encourage clean energy projects by giving businesses more avenues to pay for them. The advantage is for businesses across the state, in whichever counties join this commission, to access a source of funding that they cant access now, OMalley said. To join the PACE Commission, the county will need to pass an ordinance delegating the ability to impose the special charges to the commission. The charges would allow the county to foreclose on property after two years of delinquent payments. What were looking at is having a model ordinance and were kind of stepping out again into the forefront of this in the state, so that we have a commission that has membership from participating counties, Lange said. The loans would primarily be offered by private lenders, but the county would reserve the right to offer public financing if it chose. In other business, the committee approved a pay increase for county clerk, county treasurer and register of deeds and the sale of county-owned lots in Meadow Park Estates in the village of Rockland to the village. Under the resolution, which will go before the full board next week, the county clerk, treasurer and register of deeds will receive a two percent increase in 2017 and 2018 and a three percent increase in 2019 and 2020, bringing each elected officials salary to $81,000 in four years, going up from the current rate of $73,385. The standard two percent cost-of-living increase will be increased to three percent after two years to keep the positions in line with other managers and department heads, who also see step progression increases, OMalley said. The pay increase will need to be acted upon this month to go in effect, due to the upcoming election season for the positions. The village of Rockland will pay $76,400 for 37 lots in the Meadow Park Estates subdivision, which the county took ownership of through tax foreclosure and has been trying to sell since 2010. La Crosse County sold 18 of the original 55 lots during the last six years, but has hoped to unload the rest and get the area developed, according to committee and county board chair Tara Johnson. We are happy to be partnering with you on this and getting out of the real estate business in Meadow Park Estates, Johnson told village board president Linda Young. The village is buying the property in an effort to recoup the taxes lost when the property was foreclosed on. If they were able to retake ownership of these lots, they would be able to capture the taxes, the specials and other payments owed to them in a very aggressive way, Johnson said. The sale will need to be approved by the full board. The advantage is for businesses across the state, in whichever counties join this commission, to access a source of funding that they cant access now. Steve OMalley, county administrator A sign that has advertised SSE Music near Interstate 90 Exit 3 for 25 years might come down this spring. The owners of SSE Music, Steve and Sharon Earp, are launching a legal battle with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation after receiving a notice Jan. 20 calling for the 100-feet-tall sign to come down. According to the Department of Transportation, the sign is illegal because of its location, on the neighboring Reinhart Real Estate property rather than the SSE Music plot. That makes it an off-premise sign, which they say was constructed without proper permits. They are saying it was built as an illegal sign, which I just cant believe, Steve Earp said. The sign was constructed in 1976, 15 years before the Earps bought the building and the sign. As part of their purchase agreement, they inherited an agreement with Reinhart Real Estate to allow the sign to remain on its property while directing Interstate drivers to SSE Music. Thats an icon of our business, Steve Earp said. City records indicate the original owners had proper permits from the city, but the DOT says they failed to get proper permits from the state in accordance to a Wisconsin Statute 84.30, which governs outdoor advertising and was passed in 1972. The existing SSE Music sign was discovered to be unpermitted through the right-of-way acquisition for the Exit 3 project, said Richard Vydrzal, the DOT maintenance supervisor out of the DOTs La Crosse office. As part of the project to reconstruct the area, the DOT is buying property connected to West George Street, where it plans to slightly shift the streets curve toward Rose Street and add a cul de sac, which would run next to SSE Music, at 2608 George St. Earp is fighting against removing the sign, which he says has significant value in marketing his business to non-La Crosse residents. Thats a huge asset for us that theyve turned into a huge liability, Earp said. It would cost an estimated $10,000 to remove. Thats a huge hardship for us, Earp said. Not only is it expensive to move, but SSE Music also has spent thousands of dollars maintaining it, he said, including $5,000 to repaint it last summer. Earp said he is frustrated because neighboring signs have been granted permits to remain, but the letter he received mentions nothing about the possibility of a retroactive agreement. The DOT La Crosse office remains willing to work with the business on this matter, Vydrzal said. The Earps have until March 21 to file an appeal. They have hired lawyer Thomas Hornig to help. MILWAUKEE An anti-gay column Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley wrote when she was a college student in 1992 drew a torrent of negative responses from fellow Marquette University students at the time. Bradleys 24-year-old column, which was unearthed this week as she runs for a full 10-year term on the Supreme Court, criticized newly elected president Bill Clinton and referred to homosexuals as queers, comparing them to degenerate drug addicts. An AP review of the Marquette Tribunes archives on Tuesday showed the paper published 15 responses to the column, all but three criticizing it. The AP review also uncovered a number of other columns Bradley wrote while in college, including a defense of the schools Warriors mascot and a criticism of political correctness which she called a frightening trend. The PC movement is entirely the agenda of feminists, gays, liberal extremists and 1960s radicals who never left school and consequently are largely ignorant of the real world, Bradley wrote in April 1992, when she was a 20-year-old junior. In May 1990, Bradley wrote in defense of the schools mascot, saying the American Indian population at Marquette should feel privileged to represent our school. The mascot changed to the Golden Eagles in 1994 due to concerns it was disrespectful to Native Americans. But it was Bradleys column in reaction to Clintons 1992 victory, where she made the anti-gay comments that generated the most responses. Self-professed liberals and conservatives alike called Bradleys opinion piece brainless, bigoted, racist and homophobic. Others likened Bradleys opinions to Nazism, writing Heil Hitler and saying she could start her own Young Nazis society. There is never a need to subscribe to the politics of hate, but Ms. Grassl liberally spiced her article with that odious trash, wrote Sarah Welborne, an arts and sciences major, who called herself a staunch conservative. Grassl is Bradleys maiden name. Bradley has apologized twice in as many days since the column and other opinion pieces she wrote were unearthed Monday by the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now. Bradley, who was appointed to the Supreme Court by Gov. Scott Walker in October, largely has the backing of conservatives in the officially non-partisan race. Opponent JoAnne Kloppenburg has the support of liberals. Bradley said her views began to change almost immediately after her column was published in November 1992. I got reaction, as Im sure people can expect, Bradley said Tuesday on WTMJ radio. I started to learn right then the effect my words had, my very poorly chosen words had, on people. An editors note in The Marquette Tribune in November 1992 said it received more submissions responding to Bradleys column than any other in recent years. The paper stopped publishing responses after 10 days due to space and editorial considerations. Bradley attended the University of Wisconsin law school from 1993 through the spring of 1996. An AP review of back issues of the Daily Cardinal, one of the universitys two campus newspapers, covering that span did not reveal any Bradley writings. The AP attempted to review back issues for the Badger Herald, the other campus newspaper, for that period but UW archivists said they were not available because the issues are archived only as microfilm negatives. An email left for the Badger Heralds editor seeking access to the back issues wasnt immediately returned. The PC movement is entirely the agenda of feminists, gays, liberal extremists and 1960s radicals who never left school and consequently are largely ignorant of the real world. Rebecca Bradley wrote in April 1992 as a college student WASHINGTON How has the Republican establishment tried, and failed, to take out Donald Trump? Let me count the ways. The GOPs first line of defense against Trump is usually to claim that his policies would be disastrous. Last week Mitt Romney declared that, If Donald Trumps plans were ever implemented, the country would sink into prolonged recession. This argument is less than compelling, though, when you consider how little daylight lies between Trumps policies and those of his two chief rivals, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. All three would blow up the deficit by trillions of dollars, losing more tax revenue as a share of economic output than any tax cut on record. Their health care plans are virtually indistinguishable. All three promise to build a wall on the Mexican border, and both Cruz and Trump want to round up and deport 11 million undocumented immigrants. None accepts the scientific consensus on man-made climate change. All want to further restrict access to abortion and further expand access to guns. And so on. Caught undercutting their own arguments that Trumps policies would be uniquely intolerable, Republican elites then confusingly resort to arguing that Trump may not actually believe all those intolerable policies after all. Party elders and campaign rivals have doubled down on claims that Trumps not a true conservative, and that he may not uphold his hard-line rightist stances, because not so long ago he espoused more liberal views. But this merely gives Trump an opportunity to invoke Ronald Reagan, another late-in-life party-switcher. More important, voters just dont seem to care much about ideological purity. When that tactic fails, Republican bigwigs attack Trumps indecorousness and vulgarity. But theres little high ground for them to stand on here, either, given that their preferred candidate recently crawled into the gutter, too. Recall that it was Rubio, not Trump, who first invoked Trumps genital size on the campaign trail. In an instant, what had been a subtext in Trumps campaign his big wall, big buildings, big wealth, big poll numbers became text. But that was Rubios doing, not Trumps. Condemnations of Trumps race-baiting and nationalism likewise fall flat, for the same reason: hypocrisy. Party leadership turned a blind eye when Trump spewed birtherist nonsense about President Obamas citizenship and faith, and when talk radio hosts rallied the base with their own racially tinged rhetoric. Why should anyone, let alone Trump supporters, be swayed by the partys protestations about such bile now? Then, elites try targeting Trumps opacity and lack of accountability in his financial dealings. But the other candidates also only pretend at transparency. Rubio, Cruz and John Kasich all purport to have released their tax returns, but in fact the abbreviated documents theyve published leave out charitable donations, income sources and all the other substantive details that are part of a real tax return you know, the full documents that every major-party nominee has released since 1980. Cruz likewise complains that the lamestream media has withheld negative coverage and exposes of Trump and his financial activities. This accusation is both demonstrably false and demonstrably funny, when you consider Cruzs declarations that you shouldnt trust anything you see in the media anyway. Republicans have hacked away at both the customs and the institutions that impose accountability and now have the gall to complain that a party insurrectionist is not held to account. Of all the ploys that Republican leadership has deployed to curb Trumpmentum, perhaps the most pitiful is the #NeverTrump campaign. Anti-Trump enthusiasts have spread the hashtag far and wide on social media. Rubios website even sells hats, stickers and other swag featuring the slogan. Yet when asked during the last debate whether theyd support Trump if he became the Republican nominee, every candidate left standing pledged he would. If the other candidates believe a Trump presidency would really be so unendurable, agreeing to support him in November is a strange way to show it. Perhaps #NeverTrump is short for #NeverTrumpExceptDuringTheGeneralElection. So why have none of the GOPs attacks on Trump stuck? Maybe its because Trump, the new Teflon Don, has unusually effective nonstick properties. Or maybe its because party honchos have been too cowardly to do the one thing an admittedly very unpleasant thing that might convince Republican voters that Trump is a real threat to the liberal world order. Theyd need to voice the most damning insult of all, at least in the minds of Republicans: an acknowledgment that even Hillary Clinton would make a better president than Donald Trump. Conservative advocacy group Wisconsin Alliance for Reform has spent nearly $1 million to air an advertisement blasting Supreme Court candidate JoAnne Kloppenburg for granting a new hearing for a man who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a child. The advertisement highlights the case of Daniel Fierro, a 28-year-old registered sex offender with a lengthy criminal record currently serving a sentence in an Oshkosh prison. Fierro filed an appeal in the sexual assault case in 2013, and Kloppenburg was part of a panel of state appeals court judges who granted a new hearing to review evidence in the case. Wisconsin Alliance for Reform spokesman Chris Martin said the group spent nearly $1 million to air the advertisement on broadcast and cable stations and digitally. In a statement, Martin said the ad showed a record of standing with criminals. We expect members of Wisconsins highest court to protect children, not provide new hearings to those convicted of victimizing them, said Martin. Kloppenburg said at a candidate forum on Wednesday that the ad was deceitful. While serving a 10-year prison sentence for the 2012 assault, Fierro moved to withdraw his plea, she said. We followed the law within the judicial mainstream of the law that governs plea withdrawals and determined he was entitled to an evidentiary hearing, she said. A lower court held the hearing and denied his motion, keeping Fierro in prison, she said. The group revised the ad after the Kloppenburg campaign filed a complaint that the ad included a misleading graphic. The conservative groups purchase follows a six-figure ad buy in February ahead of the Feb. 16 primary in which Bradley and Kloppenburg prevailed as the two candidates who will seek a new 10-year term on the Supreme Court. Wisconsin high school students have until April 13 to submit entries for the 2017 Wisconsin state park sticker design contest. The contest is open to all high school age students (ninth through 12th grades) attending public, private or parochial schools in Wisconsin. The winning design will be displayed on more than 265,000 vehicles. The design must be the artists original creation and cannot be copied or duplicated from previously published art, including photographs, clip art or electronic graphic images. Photographs or photo manipulations are not accepted. Contest rules, a design template and entry form are available by searching the Department of Natural Resources website, dnr.wi.gov, for keyword contest. The winning design for the 2016 Wisconsin State Parks admission sticker was designed by Rachael Wirth, a senior at Appleton North High School. Beginning this year, electronic submissions will be accepted, as well as hard copy submissions. Students can submit their artwork in one of the two following ways: Entries may be sent electronically via email. Students should scan the completed entry form as a pdf, and email the entry form file, along with the designfile (accepted formats are .pdf and .eps) to DNRWisconsinParks@wisconsin.gov. Entries may be mounted on an 8-by-10-inch white matte or poster board and covered by clear acetate (or plastic wrap which is secured by tape on the backside) for protection. Students should not laminate the design. The entry form must be securely attached to the back. Each entry submitted in this way must be securely wrapped and mailed to: Sticker Design Contest, DNR/Bureauof Parks & Recreation, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921. Entries can also be hand delivered to the State Natural Resources Building, 101 S. Webster St., Madison. Dwight Zietlow of Viroqua believes in community. He believes in it to the point where hes willing to take in his confidence a man who very well may have killed him. In May of 2015, Zietlows truck was stolen by Cory Sobkowiak, of Viroqua. Police had looked for the truck, Zietlow found out it had been seen in Coon Valley. He drove there and came across his truck with Sobkowiak at the wheel. What follows is one of the craziest chase stories in the history of Vernon County. Zietlow jumped in the back of the truck Sobkowiak was driving. Sobkowiak tore through rural Coon Valley and Chaseburg doing all sorts of driving maneuvers in an attempt to throw Zietlow from the vehicle. In the end, Sobkowiak gave up. He jumped from the vehicle, which was speeding in a cornfield, and let it crash thankfully throwing Zietlow somewhat unscathed from the wreck. Sobkowiak fled and was later apprehended in Minnesota. At the scene of the crash, law enforcement first thought, quite logically, that Zietlow was the driver in this wreck and that he was on something. But after a thorough investigation, it was discovered that Zietlow was just trying to get his property back and Sobkowiak had fled. First in a tractor, then in a truck. He was later caught in Minnesota in the middle of committing another crime with a child in his vehicle. Sad situation indeed... After a lengthy number of court proceedings, Sobkowiak took a plea agreement and entered a no contest plea. He was found guilty of felony second degree recklessly endangering safety and misdemeanor reckless driving causing bodily harm by Judge Michael Rosborough and was sentenced on Feb. 29 in Vernon County Circuit Court in Viroqua to 18 months in state prison and 42 months of extended supervision. Zietlow was in the courtroom. Sobkowiak told Zietlow he was sorry. Zietlow said he felt that Sobkowiak honestly meant it. In getting an opportunity to speak in court as a victim of the crime, Zietlow made a suggestion to the court restorative justice. Loosely defined, restorative justice is a process that focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims. In other words, it was an offer. Zietlow was saying he was willing to meet and talk with Sobkowiak as he served his sentence regarding the crime. Restorative justice is not foolproof. Some perpetrators of crimes have no remorse. They care little for the victims. They would commit their crimes again if given the chance. Similarly, some victims are teaming with anger and hatred. Theyve been wronged and they want old-school justice. They want the victim to suffer and ultimately, they hope to never see the victim again. After Sobkowiak was sentenced, Zietlow talked about the difference looking in the eyes of Sobkowiak both on that fateful day in May of 2015 and in the courtroom. In describing their meeting in 2015, Zietlow said Sobkowiak had eyes that were full of anger. In court, Sobkowiaks eyes were genuinely remorseful. Zietlow reflected on the situation and his personal sense of community. Zietlow said he had a personal desire to retrieve his truck that act, which he admits was somewhat rash and not fully thought out, led him to jump in the back of that truck and put his life at risk. I dont think people should be able to steal your property and just get away with it, he said. I was doing something to get it back. Not everybody is going to jump in the back of that truck, but I did. In facing Sobkowiak in court, the man who left him with with back injuries, wrecked his truck, and turned his world briefly upside down, Zietlow exercised another important part of building a community giving someone an opportunity at forgiveness. Zietlow said hes hopeful restorative justice will work for both him and Sobkowiak. Just the offer to employ the practice of restorative justice in this case does more than possibly restoring the relationship between two human beings it reinforces an overall faith community. The media regularly talks about the polarized country we live in. Yet, face-to-face, person-to-person, there is hope for something better. There is always hope. You have the power to keep local news strong for the coming months. Your financial support today keeps our reporters ready to meet the needs of our city. Thank you for investing in your community. Start your day with LAist Sign up for How To LA, delivered weekday mornings. Subscribe Oil wells ironically across the street from a school devoted to environmental studies have been restartedjust after locals tried to get them capped.Freeport-McMoRan owns the dozen or so wells in Arlington Heights, which are just across Washington Boulevard from Carson-Gore Academy of Environmental Studies. Locals used an obscure city code to compel the Fire Department to demand that idle wells be either capped or restarted. You won't believe what happened next: the operators decided to restart them. "We thought we had the upper hand," Jeff Camp, president of the United Neighborhoods Neighborhood Council, told the L.A. Times. "I can't believe it." Freeport-McMoRan said in a statement that the wells are operating within state and local regulations, and that the wells were inspected by officials before they were restarted. According to the Times, three of the wells at the site had failed pressure tests before they were reactivated. Only one was plugged, and the other two were subsequently found to be in compliance following further tests. The main concern among residents was that the wells, if left idle, would deteriorate and leak pollutants into the air or groundwater. There were also fears that if Freeport-McMoRan fell into total financial ruin (the company is in debt and gas prices are pretty low right now), the city's taxpayers would be on the hook for cleaning up the old wells. Opponents also raised the issue that the certain wells lacked proper permits to restart, but Freeport-McMoRan says the wells were only restarted to ensure they worked and have since been idled as the permitting process takes place. As Curbed points out, Freeport-McMoRan is the same company whose oil drilling operations in West Adams sprayed a "fine mist" of oil onto houses and cars in 2011. The Carson-Gore Academy of Environmental Studies opened in 2010, and was named after two prominent figures of the modern environmental movement: Rachel Carson and former Vice Presdient Al Gore. Ironically, the grounds the schools were built on were contaminated and the soil had to be replaced before the campus opened. A Times report from just before its opening noted that enough soil "to hold a four-story building" had to be removed from the site due to contaminants from its previous industrial tenants. The report also noted the oil well site, but said "officials said they've found no associated risks." 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31 (1) Aug 28 (1) Aug 27 (2) Aug 24 (1) Aug 21 (1) Aug 20 (1) Aug 18 (3) Aug 16 (1) Aug 15 (1) Aug 14 (1) Aug 11 (1) Aug 08 (1) Aug 07 (1) Aug 03 (1) Jul 27 (1) Jul 26 (1) Jul 24 (1) Jul 22 (1) Jul 21 (1) Jul 19 (1) Jul 15 (1) Jul 14 (1) Jul 13 (3) Jul 10 (1) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (1) Jul 06 (1) Jul 03 (1) Jul 01 (1) Jun 28 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 20 (1) Jun 19 (1) Jun 18 (1) Jun 15 (1) Jun 14 (2) Jun 11 (1) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (1) Jun 07 (1) Jun 06 (1) Jun 04 (2) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (1) May 31 (3) May 30 (1) May 29 (1) May 28 (2) May 26 (1) May 25 (1) May 18 (1) May 17 (1) May 15 (1) May 09 (1) May 07 (2) May 02 (1) May 01 (1) Apr 30 (1) Apr 27 (1) Apr 26 (2) Apr 23 (1) Apr 22 (1) Apr 19 (1) Apr 18 (1) Apr 12 (1) Apr 11 (1) Apr 09 (1) Apr 07 (1) Apr 05 (1) Apr 01 (1) Mar 30 (1) Mar 27 (1) Mar 25 (1) Mar 22 (2) Mar 19 (1) Mar 18 (1) Mar 16 (1) Mar 15 (2) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (1) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (1) Wednesday, March 9, 2016 In a 10 page opinion, Senior United States District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico Juan Perez-Gimenez denied the joint motion for summary judgment in Conde-Vidal v. Garcia-Padilla regarding a challenge to Puerto Rico's same-sex marriage ban. Recall that in October 2104, Judge Juan Perez-Gimenez had largely relied upon Baker v. Nelson, the United States Supreme Court's 1972 dismissal of a same-sex marriage ban challenge "for want of substantial federal question" to find that there was no constitutional right to same-sex marriage. In the appeal to the First Circuit, the Solicitor General of Puerto Rico decided that it would not defend the same-sex marriage ban. And then the United States Supreme Court held in Obergefell v. Hodges that the Fourteenth Amendment requires states to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The First Circuit thus remanded Conde-Vidal v. Garcia-Padilla to Judge Juan Perez-Gimenez "for further consideration in light of Obergefell v. Hodges" and specifically stated "We agree with the parties' joint position that the ban is unconstitutional." The parties submitted a Joint Motion for Entry of Judgment with a proposed order. In rejecting the parties' joint motion, Judge Juan Perez-Gimenez contended that because Puerto Rico was a "stranger to the proceedings" in Obergefell which involved same-sex marriage bans in the Sixth Circuit (Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee), it was not bound by the decision. This reasoning is similar to some of the arguments most recently raised by some Justices on the Supreme Court of Alabama. Additionally - - - and perhaps with more legal grounding - - - he concluded that Obergefell does not apply to Puerto Rico because it is not a "state": the fundamental right to marry, as recognized by the Supreme Court in Obergefell, has not been incorporated to the juridical reality of Puerto Rico. The judge based this "juridical reality" on his conclusion that the doctrine of selective incorporation only applies to states and not Puerto Rico, or perhaps more correctly, that the Fourteenth Amendment itself is not applicable to Puerto Rico "insofar as it is not a federated state." Additionally, Judge Perez-Gimenez asks "does the Constitution follow the flag?" and concludes that under The Insular Cases (1901), territorial incorporation of specific rights is questionable: Notwithstanding the intense political, judicial and academic debate the islands territorial status has generated over the years, the fact is that, to date, Puerto Rico remains an unincorporated territory subject to the plenary powers of Congress over the island under the Territorial Clause.More importantly, jurisprudence, tradition and logic teach us that Puerto Rico is not treated as the functional equivalent of a State for purposes of the Fourteenth Amendment. As explained by the Supreme Court, noting the inherent practical difficulties of enforcing all constitutional provisions always and everywhere, the Court devised in the Insular Cases a doctrine that allowed it to use its power sparingly and where it would be most needed. Boumedine v. Bush. Thus, this court believes that the right to same-sex marriage in Puerto Rico requires: further judicial expression by the U.S. Supreme Court; or the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, see e.g. Pueblo v. Duarte, 109 D.P.R. 59 (1980)(following Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973) and declaring a womans right to have an abortion as part of the fundamental right to privacy guaranteed under the Fourteenth Amendment); incorporation through legislation enacted by Congress, in the exercise of the powers conferred by the Territorial Clause, see Const. amend. Art. IV, 3; or by virtue of any act or statute adopted by the Puerto Rico Legislature that amends or repeals Article 68 [prohibiting same-sex marriage]. In staking out a position regarding Puerto Rico's status, Judge Perez-Gimenez's opinion reverberates with the two cases regarding Puerto Rico presently before the United States Supreme Court even as it looks back to his earlier opinion hostile to the right of same-sex marriage. [updated: March 11, 2016: Further discussion of these issues available here]. https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/conlaw/2016/03/united-states-district-judge-same-sex-ruling-and-14th-amendment-do-not-apply-in-puerto-rico.html JOHNSON LAKE,Neb. - Once a year artists and art connoisseurs flock to Johnson Lake to indulge in the Art and Wine Festival. The fifth Annual Johnson Lake Art and Wine Festival will be held Saturday, June 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The Art and Wine Festival will have around 40 artists. We intentionally try to keep it manageable size, we want to create a quaint, park-like atmosphere, said Karen Finken, Finken said the event was still looking for art vendors. Artists could visit Johnson Lake Area Chamber of Commerce web site to find an artist application, event information and an artist waiver, at http://johnsonlake.org/. The event is organized by members of the Johnson Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. Proceeds raised from the live auction and corporate sponsors are used to fund local community initiatives such as, the Johnson Lake Hike & Bike Trail project, the Emergency Medical Service, and the Chapel of the Lake. The art and wine festival would feature a broad range of art ranging from pottery, photography, ceramic, jewelry, paintings, glass work, metal works and more, she said. The event has gathered artists from the Dawson County area, across Nebraska and from states like New Mexico and Arizona, Finken said. Organizers with the art and wine festival have reached out to the Colorado Artist Guild and to artists from Kearney,Omaha and Grand Island to invite them to the festival, she said. For those who enjoy the thrill of a live auction, the Johnson Lake Art and Wine Festival always features a live auction at the end. Each artist vendor is required to donate one art work to the auction. Confirmed food and wine vendors for the event include: Madelines Cafe and Bakery of Lexington, Portside Express of Johnson Lake, Miletta Vista Winery of St. Paul, Macs Creek Winery of Lexington, Three Brothers Winery of Farnam and Kinkaider Brewery Company of Broken Bow. Unique art works are always available at the art and wine festival. Some interesting finds from last years event include: hand carved birds in life sized proportions by Lexington Artist Bill Bailey, psychedelic color paintings Joe McHale from Minden and multi-functional steel sculptures by Sally Jurgensmier of Heartwell. Artists who have attended the event as art vendors shared some comments about the event. Last year was our first year attending the Johnson Lake Art and Wine Festival. We were impressed with the wide range of artwork from fellow artists and the support of the volunteers and committee throughout the event. Everyone in the community made us feel welcomed and we look forward to our trip back to Johnson Lake, Ambrosia Slothower of Sioux City, Iowa. "The Johnson Lake Art and Wine Festival is well organized, well attended and fun. It has been a wonderful way to show my work and connect with people. I have sent many pieces of art home with new owners at this show. It has been a privilege to participate," Beth Cole Merna. By Henry J. Cordes World-Herald staff writer When Victor Lee, the CEO of Boone County Health Center in Albion, Nebraska, looks over the vast landscape of health care in rural America, he sees alarming trends. Dozens of rural hospitals across the country have recently closed, including one in Nebraska. His own books show declining margins, falling federal reimbursements and ever-growing amounts of care delivered to patients with no health insurance or ability to pay. Unless something is done, Lee sees a bleak outlook for health care in the heartland. Ive been in this business 45 years, he said, and this last year is the most dire Ive seen. Rural health advocates warn a crisis is rising across the nations countryside one with the potential to ratchet up the Statehouse debate over whether to expand Medicaid to cover more low-income, uninsured Nebraskans. Nationwide since 2010, 68 rural hospitals have closed, the pace accelerating with each year. A recent study by a health care finance consultant also identified hundreds of other rural hospitals it said are in danger of closing a list that includes 15 in Nebraska. And the vast majority of hospitals that have closed or are on the critical list are in states that havent expanded Medicaid. Some rural health advocates say its time for Nebraska to join the 31 other states that have partnered with the federal government to extend the program to more of the uninsured. If you look at the map, you cant deny where hospitals have closed and where theres great vulnerability of more closing, those are the states that didnt expand Medicaid, said Maggie Elehwany of the National Rural Health Association. But Gov. Pete Ricketts and his administration say Medicaid expansion would be a bad idea for rural Nebraska and the entire state, putting state finances at huge financial risk. He said hed prefer to explore other, less expensive options that would both stabilize funding for rural hospitals and help people who lack insurance. I think everyone would agree theres an issue here, he said in an interview. The path people are taking with Medicaid expansion is the wrong one. The issue of whether Nebraska should expand Medicaid has long been politically charged, in large part driven by strong and entrenched feelings over President Barack Obamas controversial health care law. But behind the heated politics are some staggering numbers and weighty issues. Virtually everyone in Nebraska is affected, regardless of whether theyre among the estimated 100,000 low-income Nebraskans most of them in the ranks of the working poor who could gain insurance under the expansion bill pending in the Legislature. One issue that has received scant attention in the debate has been the relative health of health care in Nebraskas small towns. Both sides agree: The current financial state of rural hospitals is much broader than Medicaid expansion. The recent closings have been driven by a mix of falling rural populations, fundamental changes in health care delivery and changes in federal financing for hospitals. But expansion advocates say Medicaid expansion cant be overlooked as a factor, particularly with the strong correlation between hospital closures and whether states have expanded the program. Nearly three-fourths of the recent rural hospital closures have been in the 19 states that havent expanded Medicaid. The recent study by health care consultant iVantage Health Analytics found a similar correlation: 35 percent of hospitals in nonexpansion states were vulnerable to closing, compared with 20 percent in expansion states. iVantages report and the rural health association also cite a direct link between the declining hospital revenues and Medicaid expansion. Congress earlier this decade slashed federal payments to hospitals for caring for the indigent and uninsured. Part of the thinking was that hospitals would make up the money by seeing more insured patients under Obamacare, including the programs expansion of Medicaid. But because Nebraska didnt expand Medicaid, its hospitals have faced the federal cuts but havent seen the influx of insured patients directly impacting their bottom lines. We got all the cuts but we didnt get any of the gravy, said Marty Fattig, CEO of Nemaha County Hospital in Auburn. The issue of expanding health insurance coverage is arguably bigger in small-town Nebraska than in the rest of the state. Not only are some rural hospitals troubled financially, Nebraskas rural counties also have the states highest rates of residents without insurance the broader problem Obamacare was intended to help solve. Of the 37 Nebraska counties with the highest rates of uninsured, 32 are rural, according to data from the University of Nebraska at Omahas Center for Public Affairs Research. In all, 13.6 percent of rural residents lack insurance, compared with 12.3 percent in Nebraskas metro areas. Despite that, the opposition to Medicaid expansion is most strong in Nebraskas rural areas. Of those 32 highest-uninsured rural counties, almost three-fourths are represented by state senators who a year ago helped kill a Medicaid expansion bill. Outside Nebraskas metro areas, opponents of expansion outnumbered supporters on that vote more than two to one. State Sen. Al Davis of Hyannis, who supported Medicaid expansion last year but is still weighing this years bill, said theres no doubt many rural constituents strongly oppose expansion. Its anathema to a lot of people, he said. Sen. Ken Schilz of Ogallala represents eight of the counties with the highest uninsurance rates. He said hes sympathetic to those without insurance. But he said he shares the governors long-term concerns about paying for it, especially if the federal government ultimately backs out of paying for the bulk of the program. Its been a tough one to figure out how to (help the uninsured) and be fiscally responsible for everything else, he said. Rural health care advocates say maintaining hospitals is critical for both the physical and economic health of small towns. Public funding from government health care programs has long been key to rural hospitals survival. After a rash of rural hospital closings during the 1980s and 1990s, Congress helped put in place a financial safety net. Many rural hospitals, including 64 in Nebraska and 82 in Iowa, gained status as critical access hospitals. That made them eligible for more generous federal reimbursement rates under Medicare, the federal health care program for the elderly. Other special federal payment programs for rural hospitals were also created, all intended to help them keep their doors open. But that financial safety net appears to be fraying. Rural hospital closures have escalated rapidly in recent years, from just three in 2010 to 18 last year. There have already been four closures through the first two months of 2016. By far the most have been in the South: 10 in Texas, six in Tennessee and five each in Alabama and Georgia. But there have also been growing numbers in the Great Plains, including two each in Kansas, Minnesota and Missouri and one each in Nebraska and South Dakota. The hospital in Tilden, Nebraska a critical access hospital joined the list in June 2014 after years of struggles. The hospital in Norfolk stepped in and established an outpatient clinic in Tilden, hiring about half the hospitals former workers. But the closure still cost Tilden about 35 good-paying jobs as well as local in-patient and emergency room service. The rural closures to date could be just the beginning. iVantage, which specializes in rural health, last month compared the financial performance of the nations 2,100 rural hospitals with those that have already closed. It determined some 673 hospitals employing nearly 100,000 workers shared similar characteristics to the closed hospitals and were thus vulnerable. That was up from 283 in a similar analysis two years earlier. Rural hospitals have not nearly seen the worst of this yet, said Michael Topchik, who heads the rural health division at iVantage. We really do see a crisis mounting. Topchik declined to identity the 15 Nebraska hospitals found to be vulnerable. His company shares its data with the hospitals but doesnt release it publicly, for fear of harming the facilities. Topchik and rural health officials cite a number of factors behind the critical state of many rural hospitals. There have been declining patient numbers due to both general population decline and shifts in health care to more outpatient care. Rural hospitals also cant take advantage of economies of scale and often arent big enough to engage in more lucrative specialty services, in Nebraska often sending such patients to bigger facilities in Omaha and Lincoln. However, rural health officials say the problems also directly relate to federal and state policy. Since 2013, the federal sequester budget cuts have reduced payments under Medicare by 2 percent. Those cuts especially hit rural hospitals, which generally serve older and sicker populations than those in cities. Additionally, Congress in 2012 cut the amount of reimbursements to hospitals for providing free care to the poor and uninsured, often referred to as charity care or bad debt. Those cuts were particularly deep for rural hospitals, with their federal dollars in that program cut by a third. The cuts were justified by the new business the hospitals would see through Obamacare and Medicaid expansion. What no one anticipated was the subsequent U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2012 that made participation in Medicaid expansion optional for states. As states took up the issue, it became highly politicized and partisan. Democratic governors largely embraced expansion. Most Republicans, including Ricketts and his predecessor Gov. Dave Heineman, fought it, spurning the billions of dollars of federal funds the program offered to help cover the poor. Nebraska declined almost $1 billion during the first three years of the program, when the federal government provided 100 percent of the funding. States will be required to pick up 10 percent of the cost by 2021. Today, the remaining nonexpansion states are largely located in the South and Great Plains the same places hospitals are now most troubled. In the iVantage study, 21 percent of Nebraskas rural hospitals were seen as vulnerable. That compared with 14 percent in Iowa and 20 percent in Colorado, the two neighboring states that have expanded Medicaid. In the four adjacent states that havent expanded Medicaid, vulnerable hospitals numbered 48 percent in Missouri, 36 percent in South Dakota, 29 percent in Kansas and 14 percent in Wyoming. Topchik said he thinks the federal cuts and states decisions not to expand Medicaid are now catching up to many rural hospitals. Theres no question expanding Medicaid is an important safety net for rural providers, he said. Advocates for rural hospitals are now calling on Congress to restore the sequester cuts as well as urging the remaining states to expand Medicaid. In the Nebraska Legislature, supporters are taking a different approach to Medicaid expansion this year, with a new private option modeled on Arkansas program. Rather than adding more low-income uninsured to the Medicaid rolls, the bill would use the federal dollars to help the uninsured buy private insurance. But the biggest barrier remains the cost to the state, estimated by the Legislatures fiscal staff to be about $22 million a year over the next five years. Ricketts warns the costs would go much higher if the federal government ever backs away from its pledge to fund 90 percent of the program. Now the issue of rural hospital closings could add fuel to the debate. Lee, the Albion hospital administrator, said his hospital isnt in any imminent danger of closing. But he said if Ricketts and the Legislature dont move to expand Medicaid, he has little doubt the state will see more closures. I dont think the governor fully understands the ramifications, and if he does he doesnt care or doesnt believe it, Lee said. But its real. A lot of people in rural Nebraska are going to lose access to health care. Ricketts said he has certainly spoken with rural hospital administrators who say Medicaid expansion would help their facilities, but he has also heard from some who oppose it. He said hed welcome the chance to sit down with rural hospital leaders to explore solutions to their finance concerns. He said hes also hoping a change of administration in Washington next year will allow the states to pursue more flexible ways to help the uninsured besides expanding Medicaid. Im always willing to look at how we can do a better job in all our programs, he said. Calder Lynch, tabbed by Ricketts last year as Medicaid director in the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, said there are ways Nebraska could help rural hospitals within the regular Medicaid program, such as enhanced reimbursements for telemedicine and other remotely provided care. Access to health care in rural communities is very important to us, he said. Id invite any health care provider to come to the table and talk about other ways to create more sustainable funding streams. Fattig, the Auburn hospital administrator, said no one should lose track of the people at the center of the debate: those who have no insurance, often through no fault of their own. Contrary to what some suggest, he said, most of those who would be helped are working people who simply dont make enough money to afford insurance and their health and finances suffer for it. He cited the case of a young woman locally who worked three part-time jobs but took home a modest income. She was not eligible for traditional Medicaid but not making enough to qualify for Obamacare subsidies to buy her own insurance. One summer evening, the woman fell off a balcony and landed on her head and neck. Because she knew she couldnt pay, she initially didnt go to the hospital. When Fattigs wife ran into the woman downtown and saw her swollen neck and obvious pain, she insisted the woman seek care. A scan at Fattigs hospital showed the woman had broken a bone in her neck. Fattig said his hospital through its charity care program was able to stabilize her with a cervical collar and prescribed medications. But a specialist in Lincoln declined to see her because she lacked insurance. Shes doing OK now, Fattig said, but he worries about her long-term health. Whats right about that? he said of her story. In my opinion, thats the kind of person we need to cover. Jesus Briefing His Disciples Regarding the Last Days... T ell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? A nd Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many false prophets shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. A nd ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. A nd when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. ~ The Siege of Jerusalem by the Beast and his Armies... B ehold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. A nd in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. ~ The Burden of Damascus... B ehold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. ~ The Return of the Lord in Glory... A nd there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; M en's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. A nd then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. A Welcome to the land of the loons, written by a loon about loons, for those fortunate few who cherish loonacy: Hurry up. The loons! The loons! They're welcoming us back. Look! Look! Oh, look, I've spotted the loons! Oh! Oh, they're so lovely. I never saw such big loons in my life. The loons have been calling for rain all night long. Rain! Rain! Bring us the rain! That's what the loons said, huh. It's a dead loon, Norman. The poor thing. Oh, it smells too. - On Golden Pond An analysis of the latest happenings in the area of Elementary/Secondary education with emphasis on state level policies as they affect teachers and school administrators. Send any comments or suggestions to louisianaeducator@gmail.com By: Michael Deshotels Blog Archive Web Sites of Interest to Me... You might like them, too! LSU AgCenter - Beauregard Parish RAD Arts Cooperative Russia is waging a disgraceful war on Ukraine. Stand With Ukraine! Since the news of their alleged break-up starting doing the rounds, Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif have regularly been making headlines. Speculators have had their own theories about the duo and their icy-cold silence: Katrina is currently house-hunting, and reportedly Ranbir Kapoor has flatly refused to shoot any ad with his apparent ex-flame. All post break-up resolutions are made, but one commitment still demands the couple together. The long-stretched shoot of their upcoming film Jagga Jasoos. Before director Anurag Kashyap wraps up the film, a long scehdule is pending that will demand both actors to be present. They have a long schedule of almost 15 days in Morocco. This is the final schedule of the film, a source from UTV (co-producers of the film), told Firstpost. Katrina is flying to Morocco for the shoot on 11th of March, reveals another source. The obvious question to ask is whether the makers are facing any issues with the news of the break up. The source further said, No, Basu has give an ultimatum to Ranbir to finish the film within the given schedule. Another close associate of Katrina Kaif said that the schedule will need them to stay together for quite a long time away from the country and hopes that it might help them bridge the gap. Jagga Jasoos was supposed to release last year close to the release of Ranbir Kapoors other film Bombay Velvet. The makers avoided any clash with Anurag Kashyaps film, which turned out to be a disaster at the box-office. Jagga Jasoos is finally scheduled to release on theatres on 3rd June. The makers hope that the apparent break-up between Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif wont affect the required promotion of the film before the release. As the banks rushed to the Supreme Court to block Vijay Mallya from leaving India, there are rumours that the tycoon, who owes banks about Rs 7,000 crore, may have already left the country. "Mallya is believed to have left for a foreign destination a few days ago," a report in The Times of India says pointing out that the banks may have already been late to move the court. According to the report, a spokesperson of Mallya has told the newspaper that "she had no information about his whereabouts and that he was communicating only through email". If this is true, one can easily assume Mallya continues to play games with the Indian system despite he himself asserting that he is not an absconder and that he is a Rajya Sabha member. On Tuesday, 13 banks had moved the Supreme Court seeking to block Vijay Mallya from leaving India after the business man, who has been tagged wilful defaulter by some banks, earlier expressed his wish to move to the UK. He announced his intentions to shift to the UK in a statement issued after his deal with Diageo to step down from the chairmanship of United Spirits. He was to get Rs 515 crore from Diageo as severance package. The Supreme Court has listed to hear the plea of the banks today. The consortium of banks, in their appeal, have assailed the March 4 order of the Karnataka High Court refusing an "ex-parte ad interim" order against Mallya, England-based Diageo Plc and United Spirits Limited. The banks said that the High Court should have passed an interim order, securing their financial interests, without hearing the industrialist and others including debtor firm Kingfisher Airlines. "It is respectfully submitted that the same is wrong, erroneous and defeats the very purpose of filing the said writ petition. The High Court of Karnataka, at Bengaluru by its impugned order has completely failed to protect the interest of Petitioner Banks who are yet to recover an amount in excess of Rs 9,000 Crores from the Respondent Nos. 1 to 4, " the appeal said. Prior to moving the High Court, the banks had filed four pleas in the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) at Bengaluru seeking reliefs like freezing of Mallya's passport, arrest warrant against him and issuance of a "garnishee order against Respondent Nos. 10 (Diageo Plc) and 11 (United Spirits Limited) from disbursing USD 75 million". They had also sought a direction to Mallya that he should to disclose his assets on oath. The DRT, on March 02, heard arguments only on one plea and did not consider other three pleas which were related to freezing of the passport and restraining Mallya from leaving country, the banks said in their appeal to the apex court. The banks had moved the DRT in the backdrop of Mallya's recent resignation from the chairmanship of United Spirits. Diageo Plc, the current owner of the liquor company, has agreed to pay USD 75 million (approx. Rs 515 crore) to Mallya as severance package. The banks' appeal said, "Pending hearing and disposal of the present Special Leave Petition, to pass an interim order directing freezing the passport of the Respondent No 3 (Mallya) or in the alternative directing Mallya to not leave the jurisdiction of this country without prior permission of this court." Besides SBI, other banks, which have moved the apex court, are: Axis Bank Limited, Bank of Baroda, Corporation Bank, Federal Bank Limited, IDBI Bank Limited, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited, Punjab and Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of Mysore, UCO Bank and United Bank of India. The banks have also sought a direction to Mallya to "furnish suitable security for his appearance before the DRT" during the pendency of banks' original applications for recovering debts. Besides Mallya and others, the banks have arraigned firms like Kingfisher Airlines Limited, United Breweries (Holdings) Limited, Kingfisher Finvest (India) Ltd, SBICAP Trustee Company Ltd as parties. The plea said the banks "individually" had advanced loans to Kingfisher Airlines Limited and by way of a Master Debts Recast Agreement (MDRA), executed on December 21, 2010, and other related documents ("Financing Documents"), the existing loans were restructured and was treated as a single facility. "The above accounts were not serviced and were classified as Non-Performing Assets (NPA) by each of the Petitioner Banks. In view of the above, the Petitioner Banks have filed Original Application ... against Respondent Nos. 1 to 9 herein (Kingfisher and others) before the DRT, Bengaluru ("DRT") inter alia seeking recovery of a sum of over Rs 6,203 crore," the plea said. With PTI The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to Vijay Mallya, the business tycoon who owes Rs 9,000 crore (including interest) to a consortium of 17 banks, and sought his reply within two weeks in response to a petition filed by the banks to block him from fleeing the country. Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi, however, informed the court citing CBI input that Mallya has already left the country, confirming the earlier media reports to that effect. "I spoke to the CBI little while ago and it told me that on March 2 he (Mallya) left the country," Attorney General (AG) Mukul Rohatgi told the bench comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman. The AG said, "Today I submit he (Mallya) should appear before you (SC). We want disclosure. We want to recover money, which is public money." After this submission the bench concluded the hearing and dictated the order by issuing notice to Mallya saying, "if he is already out of the country, we will permit you to serve the notice through Indian High Commission at London and also through his official email ID of Rajya Sabha, of which he is a member." The court has also raised some unsavoury questions to the banks that have approached. It asked why loans were given to Mallya when he was already a defaulter and was facing proceedings in the court of law. During the brief hearing, the AG said that amount of more than Rs 9,000 crore was due to various banks and on one or the other pretext Mallya avoided to settle them. Rohatgi has also submitted before the court that Mallya's assets abroad are far in excess of the loans taken by him. A rough calculation finds that domestically Mallya has more than Rs 7,000 crore of wealth. There have been various proceedings going on against him in debt recovery tribunals in Bangalore and Goa, he said. When the bench wanted to know what was the petitioner seeking, the AG said there was a need for a garnishee order and there was also a need for disclosure on behalf of Mallya. Rohatgi said the banks were seeking an order that Mallya should appear in person before this court and also sought a direction for freezing his passport. The AG said that Mallya has assets, both movable and immovable, abroad which are far excessive to loans secured by him here. At this, the bench wanted to know how the banks have granted him loan under such circumstances. The AG said the loans were granted keeping in mind that Kingfisher Airlines had a fleet of aircraft as well as brand value and loans were given also on the basis of the logo and the aircraft were attached to the third party. Earlier media report had said that banks may have moved the court too late as Mallya may have already left India, probably with $40 million of the bounty he was supposed to receive from Diageo. "Mallya is believed to have left for a foreign destination a few days ago," a report in The Times of India says pointing out that the banks may have already been late to move the court. According to the report, a spokesperson of Mallya has told the newspaper that "she had no information about his whereabouts and that he was communicating only through email". After many years of dilly-dallying it was on Tuesday that 13 banks moved the Supreme Court seeking to block Mallya from leaving the country. The banks were worried that he may leave the country without repaying the huge amount of loan as he expressed his wish to move to the UK last week. He announced his intention to shift to the UK in a statement issued after his deal with Diageo to step down from the chairmanship of United Spirits, a company he sold to the UK major three years back. He was to get Rs 515 crore or $75 million from Diageo as severance package. The State Bank of India, the lead lender in the consortium, had last week moved the Debt Recovery Tribunal in Bangalore claiming first right on the payment and seeking to impound Mallya's passport. However, the DRT reserved its order and has set the next hearing for 28 March, a good 21 days later. The consortium of banks, meanwhile, filed their appeal in the Court but now it seems this was bit too late. Besides SBI, other banks which have moved the SC are: Axis Bank Limited, Bank of Baroda, Corporation Bank, Federal Bank Limited, IDBI Bank Limited, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited, Punjab and Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of Mysore, UCO Bank and United Bank of India. The banks have also arraigned firms like Kingfisher Airlines Ltd, United Breweries (Holdings) Ltd, Kingfisher Finvest (India) Ltd, SBICAP Trustee Company Ltd as parties. The plea said the banks "individually" had advanced loans to Kingfisher Airlines Limited and by way of a Master Debts Recast Agreement (MDRA), executed on December 21, 2010, and related documents ("Financing Documents"), the existing loans were restructured and was treated as a single facility. Another report in The Times of India said that Mallya may have already received $40 million of the $75 million severance package. With inputs from PTI Srinagar: Security forces today launched an anti-militancy operation in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir following information about the presence of militants. An intense search operation was launched in the area, bordering Srinagar's Hazratbal, this afternoon, a police officer said. Sound of gunshots were heard during the operation, but no one was hurt. The militants apparently fired while fleeing from the spot, he said. An AK assault rifle was recovered at Hadoora Bala in Ganderbal district, the spokesman said. There was no trace of militants after several hours of intense search, the spokesman said. Meanwhile, the sound of a few shots were also heard at Goripora village in Pulwama district of south Kashmir today. Reinforcements were immediately sent and a cordon was laid around Goripora village. Search operations in both the villages are underway, he added. PTI New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday made a fresh pitch for passage of GST and other legislations in the Rajya Sabha considering the "conducive atmosphere" that has been prevailing in Parliament this session with cooperation from the opposition. Like in the Lok Sabha last week, he was both conciliatory and mocking towards the Opposition, particularly Congress, during his hour-long reply to the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address in the Upper House. Referring to some 300 amendments that have been tabled to the motion of thanks, Modi appealed to the parties to withdraw them and passed the motion unanimously to ensure dignity of the President's office and in keeping with the high traditions of the House. However, despite his appeal, the government suffered an embarrassment when the House adopted the Motion of Thanks to President's Address with an amendment moved by Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad in a division in which 94 voted for the amendment and 61 against. The amendment regretted that the address did not commit support to rights of all citizens to contest Panchayat elections in the backdrop of law in Rajasthan and Haryana where matriculation has been fixed as the criteria for contesting the polls. During his speech, Modi invoked late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's words to say that Rajya Sabha is a chamber of ideas and there was need for coordination between it and the Lok Sabha because both of them are part of a structure. "I hope we give importance to Pandit Nehru's thinking and I hope all pending bills are passed in this session," he said amid thumping of desks by the treasury benches. The government has been having difficulties in getting through with its legislations, especially the crucial Goods and Services Tax bill, because of the lack of majority in the Upper House. Adopting a conciliatory approach, the Prime Minister referred to the President's address in which the President appealed to the members to ensure smooth functioning of the Parliament and not allow disruption. "We have been running Parliament this session smoothly for this I would thank the opposition for carrying forward President's message. The impact of the President's message is a matter of pride for us," he said. Pointing to the smooth functioning of the Houses this session, Modi said the Lok Sabha sat till midnight on Tuesday night and the Rajya Sabha had a late sitting a couple of days ago. "Even after the late sittings, the members were enthusiastic and excited. Because, after a long time, they got an opportunity to express themselves in Parliament and to put through their views across. "The Question Hour is a good opportunity for members to keep the government, ministers and the executive on a tight leash and ensure accountability which is greatest strength of democracy," he said. Modi said in the past session, out of 169 starred questions, only seven were taken up while 42 hours were wasted because of disruptions. In the session before that, only six questions were taken up and 72 hours were lost in disruptions. "Now, ministers and officials are forced to make preparations for replying in Parliament. This is the strength of democracy. No words are enough to thank...," he said. The Prime Minister told the Congress that it was in power for long and that the NDA has got the opportunity now. "Development in fits and starts is not enough. Such an approach will leave us far behind. We need to move from incremental to quantum jump," he said. The Prime Minister mocked the Congress for claiming ownership to the programmes of his dispensation. In his reply, Modi pressed the need for cooperation between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, considering the fact that many of the bills passed by the Lower House have got stuck in the Upper House. "This is the Upper House. When great people move, others follow them... Whatever happens in this House (Rajya Sabha), its impact is felt on Lok Sabha, Assemblies and Municipal Corporations. So we should think how to create an atmosphere by which democracy can be strengthened," he said. Modi mentioned GST and said there are many bills like this which are pending in the Rajya Sabha. "The Peoples' Representatives (Lok Sabha) have endorsed (bills) but Representatives of the States (Rajya Sabha) have not," Modi said. He then invoked first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to pitch for coordination between the two Houses. "If there is no coordination and cooperation, then difficulties will increase. Nehruji had this concern.... Hope we pay attention to Nehruji's concerns and clear all pending bills. There is a good atmosphere...By passage of the bills, the country will get momentum." Modi said the opposition was welcome in criticising and finding faults, if any, in the implementation of initiatives taken by his government as he listed a number of programmes, including for farmers, youth and other sections of the society. At the same time, he targeted Congress for claiming ownership to the schemes of his government by quoting Indira Gandhi as saying "There are two kinds of people in the world -- one who works and another who takes credit for it...You try to belong to the first category because there is little competition in it. This has been said by Indiraji." The Prime Minister told Congress benches that they had got a chance for long to enjoy power and it was now BJP-led coalition's turn to work for the country. While noting that all governments have made some contribution, the Prime Minister said, "if we work with the attitude of 'hota hai, chalta hai', it will take a long time for the development of a big country like India. We need to apply full force." The Prime Minister, in his speech, referred to the qualification criteria fixed in BJP-ruled Rajasthan and Haryana for those contesting Panchayat polls and said it has been approved by the Supreme Court but attempts are being made to give it a "political colour". "There can be difference of opinion...Some say what about those who remained illiterate," he said, and went on to target Congress, saying the reason for 'illiteracy' was the policies followed by its government after Independence. "We want to bring any qualitative change but it is being politicised," Modi said, daring Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to give 33 per cent tickets to totally illiterate people to contest the upcoming Assembly elections in the five states to demonstrate Congress' commitment in this regard. Congress member Mani Shankar Aiyar intercepted to say that the Prime Minister has no idea how much illiteracy has increased since Independence and he is insulting the nation by his remarks. Modi, however, was sarcastically dismissive of his comments, terming these as 'bhule bisre geet' (old songs) sung by someone whose membership is coming to an end. While targeting Congress, Modi likened it to 'death', saying the party never gets any blame. "Death has a blessing. It never gets blamed for anything. If somebody dies, the blame goes to reasons like cancer, age.. Death itself is never blamed or defamed. "Sometimes I feel that Congress has this blessing. If we criticise Congress, the media terms it as 'attack on opposition' but not an attack on Congress. However, if we attack (JD-U leader) Sharad ji (Yadav) or BSP, then it said it is an attack on JD-U or BSP. "Congress never gets the blame....It needs to be pondered upon as this is in itself a big science," he said. Taking a dig at Azad for referring to alleged fault lines in Jan Dhan Yojana, Modi said that he was trying to find fault with a microscope. "I thank Ghulam Nabi Azad ji. This is what Opposition should do. He got the recording done of what is lacking in Jandhan in Bhopal. Whatever the facts be, I appreciate the effort. It shows the Opposition is vigilant. "Had you worked so hard while in in government, there would have been no need for Modi to do Jandhan. You went out with a microscope to see where we were lacking. Had you earlier worked with binoculars, this work would not have been left for Modi," he said sarcastically. Contending that his government's focus is on good governance and transparency, the Prime Minister referred to the scams in coal blocks and 2G spectrum allocation during the UPA regime. "What was the climate before our government came? All round corruption and nepotism had gripped the country. Right or wrong, the trust had gone down. The country's image had taken a beating abroad as well," he said claiming that his government was a policy driven one. Listing the initiatives of the government on allocation of mines, spectrum and FM bandwidth, Modi also referred to a write up in Forbes magazine, which lauded the way natural resources are being auctioned in India. "This is the way matters should be handled," the Prime Minister said quoting from the magazine as he reminded Congress of the controversies surrounding the allocation of coal mines during the UPA. The Prime Minister said coal allocation has fetched over Rs 3 lakh crore, spectrum allocation around Rs 1 lakh crore while the auction on going for six other minerals could fetch Rs 18,000 crore. Modi also said that over 300 projects worth Rs 15 lakh crore that were pending at various levels have been cleared by his government. The Prime Minister, who has often been criticised by the Opposition for "centralising" all powers in his hands, spoke at length on how his government decentralised powers. "The third big aspect of good governance is decentralisation. It is such a big country that you cannot run through centralisation. The more you decentralise the better it will work," Modi said amid counter slogans from the Opposition benches, which shouted "one-man show". The Prime Minister also made a veiled reference to alleged corruption in environmental clearances when Jayanthi Natarajan was environment minister in UPA without naming her. "Government has taken many steps towards decentralisation," he said disapproving of the tendency to concentrate all powers in Delhi. "We all know what all was talked about then. Everyone knows that," he said adding that his government also increased the rights of states in granting permissions for sand mining. Digvijay Singh (Congress), however, countered it saying sand mining has been a state subject. Hitting out at the Congress for claiming ownership of his government's schemes, the Prime Minister said that it can also take credit for the Ganga cleaning programme, which was initiated during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure. "When we talk about Ganga cleaning, it is but natural that you will say you started it. I accept it. Rajiv Gandhi started it but then I wonder why it is still dirty after 30 years," he said. "We never claim anything. It is all your contribution. You have ruled the country for 60 years," Modi added. Urging the members to help the country move forward and help double the farmers' income by 2020, Modi said, "I am not an economist like Dr Manmohan Singh. I do not possess that big knowledge, but we work in the right direction. We can achieve that." Making a pro-farmer pitch, Modi, whose government has been criticised as pro-rich by the Opposition, listed various measures taken in the last two years for the welfare of farmers. He also quoted noted farm scientist MS Swaminathan, who had stated that a "dawn of a new era in farming is in sight". Claiming that his government's focus on value addition in farm sector will help the agriculturists double their income. "An e-portal on farming, whereby farmers can sell their produce on line anywhere in the country will be launched on 14 April, the birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar. The Prime Minister also answered to the criticism of CPM leader Sitharam Yechury and took a dig at him for supporting the UPA-I government led by Congress. He also wondered from where did the CPI-M leader get his figures, which he could not find anywhere. He said that the Left parties, who oppose the capitalists, should be the first ones to back the government on the Clean India Initiative on which even the media is supportive. Modi ended his speech with a poem by Urdu poet Nida Fazli ending with the lines "tum bhi badal sako to...", an apparent taunt to the Opposition, especially the Congress, to change. After the Prime Minister's reply, members tried to seek clarifications but Chairman Hamid Ansari refused it saying it will then be an endless debate. While Modi left soon after his speech, many members who had tabled amendments to the thanks motion, withdrew them but Azad insisted that he will not withdraw it. His amendment was adopted after an hour-long debate over its validity and the right of the House to move such an amendment. Objecting to the move, Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said "federalism will go for a six" as Rajya Sabha does not have powers to pass resolutions against state legislatures which also, in turn, can pass such resolutions. He also said it is not in the jurisdiction of this House to discuss any matter covered by state legislatures. This was objected to by Azad and other opposition members including Yechury, who claimed that it was well within the right of the House to pass it as it was only a concern expressed by members. Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien, who was in the Chair, gave a ruling after claims and counter-claims from both sides, and said, "This is only a concern of members. There is also a valid explanation why these things be not there. There is no harm in putting it to vote." PTI New Delhi: A proposal to enhance the funds given to MPs to carry out development works in their constituencies under the MPLADS is under the consideration of the Finance Ministry but no decision has been taken yet, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. "There has been a demand to increase the fund. Discussions have taken place in both Houses. A proposal has been sent to the Finance Ministry in this effect. We will inform the House once a decision is taken," Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation V K Singh said during Question Hour. He was asked about the proposal to enhance the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS). BJP member Subhash Bhamre said an MLA in Maharashtra gets Rs 2 crore every year to carry out development works in his or her constituency while an MP gets just Rs 5 crore under MPLADS every year for development works in six or seven assembly constituencies under his or her Lok Sabha seat. Bhamre's demand to enhance the funds under the MPLADS was supported by MPs cutting across party lines, including Rajeev Satav of Congress who said that either the government increase the funds or discontinue the scheme completely. Under the MPLADS scheme, each MP has the choice of suggesting to the District Collector works to the tune of Rs 5 crore per annum to be taken up in his or her constituency. Rajya Sabha members can recommend works in one or more districts in the State from where they have been elected. The nominated members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha may select any district from any state for implementation of their choice of work under the scheme. PTI You may soon see government employees wearing Khadi on Fridays if a proposal floated by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) gets government's nod. The proposal, according to the Times of India report, appeals to government employees to wear Khadi once a week in order to boost the production of the hand-spun fabric and benefit small-time weavers across the country. "We are discussing this with the government and we will make an appeal. Employees can wear it to work on just one day," VK Saxena, chairman of the commission, told TOI. Although the report states that the practice will not be mandatory, the employees seem to be open to the idea of wearing the fabric. A government official described it as a "good idea" as it will be a welcome addition to the wardrobe of many employees who wear Fab India shirts and kurtas. As per the report in India Today, Air India had decided to use the natural and eco-friendly khadi products for its international flights and placed orders worth Rs 1.21 crore with the KVIC for 25,000 units of amenity kits. Also, Indian Railways are already using khadi bedsheets. Following suit, JK Cements group recently decided to adopt Khadi alone for uniforms for its staff in its various plants and also for students studying in its schools and colleges across the country. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi championing the use of the 'Made-in-India' fabric and Rs 340 crore being allocated to KVIC in the Union Budget, Union Minister Kalraj Mishra recently said that it would not only to boost rural economy but also create employment for 19.5 lakh people in 2016-17. Now with 'Khadi Fridays' and several companies and schools voluntarily opting for khadi clothes and products, the country may see a new rising of 'the sun of the village solar system'. Ahmedabad: Police on Tuesday "rejected" the charges made by incarcerated Patel quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel that he was being "ill-treated" by authorities in Lajpore jail in Surat and that the food being served to him in the prison was "adulterated". Surat Police, after conducting an inquiry into the charges made by Hardik last month, on Tuesday said in a statement that they did not find any "proof" in the claims made by him. "Hardik was placed alone in barrack no. 1 of Lajpore Jail, but on his submission that he did not like to stay alone, the jail authorities placed two watchmen to guard, keeping his safety in mind. Police did not find any evidence of his being tortured, as claimed by him," police said in the statement. "When the prisoner gets food from home, the jail authorities issue ID-card to the person, who brings food. The tiffin is further examined before being sent to the prisoner in order to ensure that no banned object finds its way inside the barrack. The process is monitored on CCTV camera. "In Hardik's case, his cousin Ravibhai Maheshbhai himself brought tiffin for him, which went through regular process. So there is no question of the food being adulterated before reaching him, and the claim finds no ground," it added. Hardik, who is presently lodged in Lajpore prison on sedition charges, had written to the jail authorities on 17 February complaining about the food that he was receiving in his barrack was being "adulterated." Following this, the state Director General of Police (DGP) PC Thakur had directed the Surat police to investigate the matter. PTI Auto refresh feeds Opposition cornered the government and alleged that the Sri Sri event is paralysing New Delhi. JDU questioned as to how Sri Sri was refusing to pay the fine and if he was above the law. The Sri Sri issue was brought up by the Opposition in the House again, the Government defended the event and said that the Opposition should not politicise the even unecessarily. Jairam Ramesh brought up ecological destruction. Aadhaar Bill to be passed as a money bill, which means that it cannot be amended in the Rajya Sabha. Congress demanded that a standing committe be put in place. "If you criticize me, it is your freedom of speech. If I criticize you, it is my intolerance?" Arun Jaitley to Sitaram Yechury in Rajya Sabha "Privacy not an absolute right, it is subject to a restriction that it can be restricted by a procedure established by law, " Arun Jaitley in Rajya Sabha. "Present law is completely different. It borrows UPA's idea (UID), but the privacy law is much more tightened. "The only question is, can national security be the ground for sharing information? The answer is yes," Arun Jaitley cites US judgements while debating Aadhaar Bill in Rajya Sabha. "Does your policy involve Pakistan and Hurriyat leaders holding talks with each other? Does it involve only exchange of shawls and saris between Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif?" he said. "Talks are necessary between India and Pakistan. But it has to be strategic and process-driven," said Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia in Lok Sabha. "On one hand, our soldiers are sacrificing their lives. Farmers are committing suicide. And you are giving lessons on nationalism?" he said. "Don't embarrass the country," he added. "This government's Pakistan policy has been aptly described by Kapil Sibal. It is like an unguided missile which is a spectacle when it is fired but loses its course," said Scindia. "Every individual must have the option to opt out of Aadhaar," he said. "I believe that if you read this legislation in this current form, it makes it a mandatory proposition as opposed to a voluntary proposition," said Ramesh. "I don't have an Aadhaar number. I don't need one," said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. He added that he did not need it because he does not take the benefit of any subsidies. A person should have the option to opt out of Aadhaar: Jairam Ramesh in RS "My party wants Aadhaar to be confined to the targeting of subsidies," said Ramesh, as he said that Congress wants Clause 57 of the Aadhaar legislation to be dropped. PM jumps from one vision to another: Rahul on govt's Pak policy "What is required is a coherent strategy. PM does not have that vision. He jumps from one vision to another," said Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on the Modi government's policy on Pakistan. PM jumps from one vision to another: Rahul on govt's Pak policy "What is required is a coherent strategy. PM does not have that vision. He jumps from one vision to another," said Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on the Modi government's policy on Pakistan. The NGT on Tuesday questioned the Centre as to why no environmental clearance is needed for constructing temporary structures on Yamuna plains as building of pontoon bridge by army for cultural festival comes under the scanner of NGT. This was during a hearing on pleas seeking the cancellation of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living three-day 'World Culture Festival' on the Yamuna flood plains to celebrate 35 years of the foundation. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar heard the matter in which the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Uttar Pradesh and Delhi government made their submissions with regard to grant of permission to the festival. On 3 March, DDA had submitted that it had granted conditional permission for organising the event and had no idea about the magnitude of the programme. The event later drew criticism after some activists petitioned the NGT, a quasi-judicial body on environmental issues, asking it to stop the event as it would have a deep impact on the Yamuna flood plains. The DDA backed its decision to grant permission for the festival, while the Art of Living said it has fulfilled all conditions and taken requisite permissions for the event. Well leave it as a beautiful bio-diversity park. As per my knowledge, not even a single tree has been cut down, we've only trimmed four trees. We want the Yamuna to be clean. We will not pollute the environment. We haven't cut a single tree, said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar reacting to the criticism over army men construction the pontoon bridge, reports DNA. Meanwhile, a source close to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told IANS said the Indian Army's decision to make pontoon bridges for the upcoming event was taken after Delhi Police expressed a fear of stampede at the venue, where around 30 lakh people are expected. The source also said the Art of Living Foundation may not be charged for the bridges as there is no policy in place for it. The defence minister has, however, directed the defence secretary to formulate a policy for the army's involvement in such events in future. Earlier on Monday, President Pranab Mukherjee decided to pull out of a cultural extravaganza being organised by Art of Living guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar as a controversy raged over the event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the event on Friday and the President was to attend the valedictory function on Sunday. "The President cannot attend the function due to unavoidable circumstances," an official of the Rashtrapati Bhavan said on Monday. The NGT will resume its hearing on Wenesday on holding of the festival. The AOL Foundation expects 35 lakh people to attend the function, concerns have been raised by experts about the likely damage to the environment that may be caused by holding it on the flood plains of the already polluted river in east Delhi. The AOL foundation, which is organising the function, will have yoga and meditation sessions, peace prayers by Sanskrit scholars and traditional cultural performances from around the world. The three-day event will be held from 11-13 March. With inputs from agencies New Delhi: A Lok Sabha member on Wednesday castigated the army for asking job aspirants to take written test only in their lower undergarments at a recruitment exam in Bihar and sought action against the officers involved. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Anupriya Patel (Apna Dal) said there could not be a more "shameful and ridiculous" incident and urged the government to issue strict directions to the army in this regard and take action against officers involved in the exercise. "There could not be a more shameful and ridiculous examination. You cannot play with the respect of those seeking jobs. I will urge the government to issue strict instructions to the army. Action should be taken against those officers," she said, drawing support from some other members. Army had held a recruitment test in Muzaffarpur in Bihar in which aspirants were asked to take the exam only in their lower undergarments. Reports said it was done to prevent cheating. PTI The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has allowed Sri Sri Ravi Shankars controversial three-day World Culture Festival to be held on the Yamuna floodplains starting on 11 March, Friday. However, the Art of Living (AOL) Foundation will have to develop the entire area as a biodiversity zone and pay Rs 5 crore green penalty for the event, the court directed on Wednesday. The fine amount will be reviewed further and the final amount will be fixed. The NGT bench, headed by Justice Swatantra Kumar, also fined the Delhi Development Authority Rs 5 lakh for granting permission without conducting inspections. The court directed the Delhi Pollution Control Board Rs 1 lakh as penalty. The tribunal also asked AOL to give an undertaking by Thursday that enzymes will not be released into Yamuna river and that no further degradation of environment will happen. Besides slapping the fines, the tribunal directed AOL to develop the entire area in question into a biodiversity park. The NGT was moved over the alleged violation of environmental laws and polluting the Yamuna river over the event to be held from 11 - 13 March and expecting at least three lakh people from 155 countries. The World Culture Festival entered into a controversy when environmental activists told the NGT that the event will destroy the fragile ecology of the Yamuna floodplains. The NGT pulled up the AOL Foundation and various government agencies including the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) for not conducting proper inspections and granting permission for the event despite a standing order by the NGT that states that no activity will be conducted on the Yamuna floodplains. The tribunal's order came on the pleas by NGOs and environmentalists who had sought cancellation of the festival on the ground that it would seriously endanger the fragile ecosystem on the riverbed. Environmental activist Anand Arya, who filed the petition to stop the event, rued that over 1000-acres of the sensitive area between Delhi and Noida, predominantly marshland, stand shorn of even a "single blade" of grass. During the hearing,the Water Resources ministry told the tribunal that it has not granted permission for the festival while another ministry said no clearance was required for temporary structures. Responding to questions from the green panel, the Water Resources ministry distanced itself from the controversy, saying, "We have not granted any permission regarding the event and no application is pending with us on the same." The Ministry of Environment and Forests, whereas, told the the bench that no environment clearance was required for setting up temporary structures on Yamuna flood plains. The ministry's submission came after the bench pulled it up for not filing affidavit on environmental clearances. It was informed by Delhi government that after inspecting the site, the police asked AOL to show structural safety clearance of pontoon bridge and vehicle parking clearance. Delhi government also told the bench that Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has asked the foundation to build a separate stage for the Prime Minister due to issues over structural safety, a claim denied by AOL which said it was being built for better view of the event. AOL, however, informed the bench that all necessary steps for safety of people have been taken as any untoward incident at venue will be detrimental to the country's image. Giving the details of the expenditure incurred on the event, the AOL foundation informed the green panel that a total of Rs 25.63 crore has been spent on the preparations. The tribunal had questioned on Tuesday, the building up of pontoon bridge by the Army on river Yamuna for the festival and asked DDA as to who gave permission for setting it up. DDA had informed the NGT that it granted permission for 24.44 hectare for holding of the event. AOL had said it had satisfied the DDA for permission by fulfillng the condition that no permanent structures will be constructed on flood plains. The AOL Foundation told the NGT that they are expecting three lakh attendees for the event even though they had claimed on their website that they are expecting 35 lakh attendees. After the second day of hearing on Wednesday, the NGT finally gave the nod for the event. The allegations had earlier created a huge controversy, which resulted in President Pranab Mukherjee backing out of his commitment to attend the opening ceremony. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to attend the event. The issue even reached the Rajya Sabha when it was reported that the Army was building pontoon bridges for the event. Opposition members shouted slogans and demanded a reply from Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. "There is this person (Ravi Shankar) who is saying he is doing a cultural festival, and you put the army there to construct bridges. The government should shut this down immediately. In 1,000 acres, they are doing this. It will destroy Yamuna," said Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Sharad Yadav. Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) leader Sitharam Yechury alleged that it was "highly irregular" that the services of the Indian Army are used for such an event. "Can the Indian Army be roped in to build pontoon bridges? It is highly irregular that the army is summoned to create facility for a private function," Yechury said. When the allegations were first made, the AOL Foundation on 28 February released a statement saying that it has followed all guidelines and directions of authorities and the National Green Tribunal. "We have followed and further undertake to follow all the guidelines, recommendations, directions of the honourable court and the authorities extending us the permission to hold the World Culture Festival," said the spokesperson. The Art of Living claimed that in strict adherence to the NGT direction, it has not done any construction or concretisation at the World Culture Festival site. "Further we have used only eco-friendly material like wood, mud, cloth, and scaffolding towards building a temporary stage for the purpose of holding a three-day festival," it said. "We have not blocked any river channel of river Yamuna by throwing any debris into it," it said. The NGT, which was also hearing a plea against AOL's plan to release 'enzymes' into 17 drains joining Yamuna for cleaning the river, had constituted an expert committee headed by Water Resources Secretary to inspect the festival site. The AOL, which is organising the function, will have yoga and meditation sessions, peace prayers by Sanskrit scholars and traditional cultural performances from India and abroad. With inputs from agencies New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday welcomed the NGT verdict that cleared the decks for the controversial cultural extravaganza of Art of Living on the flood plains of Yamuna river and said that "politics and controversies" around the event should be "put to rest". Delhi Government has consistently backed the AOL's World Cultural Festival saying that the constructions for the upcoming event were temporary in nature and had requested the army to build an additional pontoon bridge for the same. Water Minister Kapil Mishra had written to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on February 16 in this regard. "Now that NGT (National Green Tribunal) has given its verdict, all politics and controversies around AOL event should be put to rest. It's a huge cultural event to which people from 155 countries are coming. Delhi welcomes all guests," Kejriwal said in a series of tweets. In his letter, Mishra had mentioned that a provision for around four pontoon bridges was needed for adequate and safe arrangements for people to crossover Yamuna who will be approaching the venue from Noida Link Road side. "We have learnt that the army is making one pontoon bridge for the festival. This is not adequate for safe movement of the large gathering of people hence we request the army to build at least 1 more pontoon bridge over river Yamuna during the festival," he wrote. Notwithstanding raging controversies, the NGT on Wednesday gave permission for the three-day cultural extravaganza of Art of Living on the flood plains of Yamuna river from Friday but imposed a fine of Rs five crores on it as environmental compensation. After posing tough questions, the Tribunal also slapped fine of Rs five lakh on DDA and Rs one lakh on Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) for not discharging statutory functions. Meanwhile, taking note of news reports on the event, the Delhi High Court said it appears to be a "disaster" from the "ecological point of view". The observation was made during the hearing of a PIL on the issue of unauthorised constructions on the flood plain of Yamuna in the Jaitpur and Mithapur areas of the national capital. PTI Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar sparked yet another controversy on Tuesday when, on the occasion of International Women's Day, he alleged that some Indian army personnel rape women in Jammu and Kashmir. "No matter how much you try to stop us, we will speak up against human rights violations (in Kashmir). We will raise our voice against AFSPA," Kanhaiya Kumar said in this video uploaded on YouTube by Zee News. "While we have a lot of respect for our soldiers, we will talk about the fact that some Indian Army men rape women in Kashmir," Kanhaiya further said in the video. Kanhaiya had been arrested on 12 February for allegedly raising anti-national slogans at an event organised on 9 February against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. Kanhaiya was granted interim bail and released from prison later. On Monday, JNU Registrar Bhupinder Zutshi had claimed that Kanhaiya had objected to cancellation of permission for the controversial 9 February event. Zutshi, deposing before the high-power enquiry committee constituted by Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, is believed to have said that Kanhaiya Kumar was against the authorities' decision to cancel permission of the 9 February event during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. "I had called a meeting of JNSU in my office at 3 pm on February 9 to discuss the route for the new bus acquired by JNU for disabled students. Kanhaiya Kumar and Rama Naga (JNUSU General Secretary) reached first. Around 3 pm, we had a discussion on the bus route. After 10 minutes, Saurav Sharma (ABVP member and JNSU joint secretary) also came. We all discussed the bus route for 10 minutes. "Sharma later showed me a pamphlet regarding the 'cultural event' on 'judicial killing of Afzal Guru' and said some of the students are organising this event today (February 9, 2016) at 5 pm at Sabarmati Dhaba," Zutshi has told the committee. The Registrar has further maintained that when the varsity decided to withdraw the permission, Kanhaiya had called him objecting to the cancellation. JNU had instituted a disciplinary committee on 10 February to probe into the controversial event. On the basis of the preliminary enquiry report, eight students including Kanhaiya were academically debarred. The five-member committee which has been granted two extensions for submitting its report is expected to come up with its recommendations by 11 March. (With inputs from PTI) The river Yamuna has been at the centre of controversy recently, thanks to the World Culture Festival being organised by the Art of Living Foundation led by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, on the flood plains of the river in New Delhi. The level of deterioration in the condition of the Yamuna has only increased over time and various measures have appeared to be inadequate to address the situation. Over the years, various institutes and environmentalists have submitted reports highlighting the extent of pollution in the river. According to a report , Current condition of the Yamuna River - an overview of flow, pollution load and human use by The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI), the biggest contributors of pollution of the Yamuna are the cities of Delhi, Agra and Mathura. The stretch between Wazirabad barrage and Chambal river confluence is critically polluted and a 22 kilometre stretch in Delhi is the most polluted one. The report listed rising population density, untreated domestic waste water , industrial effluents and religious activities and immersion of idols as major sources of pollution in the capital. According to a report in The Times of India in 2015, the Yamuna river has biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of 55 milligrams per litre (mg/L) compared to the permissible limit of just 2 mg/L. This is almost 50 times more than the limit. A Central Water Commission official was quoted as saying that the contamination level is 'irreversible' and that such water cannot be used either for irrigation or for drinking. The polluted water of the Yamuna has also had had a negative effect on the ground water in Agra, the official further said. In December 2015, the Ministry of Water Reources published a report where the Central Pollution Control board (CPCB) assessed the water quality of the river at five different locations in Delhi. The monitoring results suggested that the river Yamuna upstream of Wazirabad Barrage at Palla met the water quality criteria for C- class i.e. the water could be used for drinking purposed after disinfection treatment. Downstream of Wazirabad Barrage the river gets polluted due to the discharge of waste and water containing organic matter and from the drains in Delhi. The water quality was not even found to be fit for the E-class criteria, after testing for all parameters except pH. In Wazirabad the dissolved oxygen (DO) content is 7.5 milligrams per litre, which reduces to 1.3 mg/l when it exits the city limits, reported India Today. In 2012 a study Yamuna, the poisoned river published by TERI, water samples from 13 locations were taken over a stretch of 22 km at every 2 km from the Wazirabad barrage. Some of their key findings were: The levels of nickel, manganese, and lead in Yamuna water were found to be higher than the international aquatic water quality criteria for fresh water. Levels of nickel, manganese, and mercury were above the permissible international standards in agricultural soil along the river. Two hotspots for soil contamination were identified around Wazirabad and at Okhla barrage. Higher levels of heavy metals contaminants were found in these regions. Bio-monitoring of the vulnerable population women and children close to the affected area revealed that there were high levels of heavy metals (mercury, chromium, lead) in the urine of urban children. There was a high likelihood of high blood lead level in these children. The NGT's role According to a Daily Mail report, in January 2015, the National Green Tribunal directed authorities to execute a comprehensive clean-up programme of the Yamuna. Six months after the order, the ground reality was still the same. There was little action on the Rs 4000 cr plan, according to the report. Environmentalist Manoj Misra had petitioned the National Green Tribunal (NGT) seeking that it should monitor the Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Tevitalisation Project 2017. He questioned whether agencies concerned had even read the entire judgment of the tribunal 'to appreciate the big picture.' A report by the Indian Express in May 2015 said that the NGT ordered every household generating sewage in the NCT of Delhi, to pay environmental compensation, irrespective of whether or not they had a sewerage connection. The funds collected from the compensation were to be utilised for the construction of new sewage treatment plants (STPs) as part of the Maili se nirmal Yamuna Revitalisatio Project 2017. In 2015, during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, NGT had banned immersion of idols made of non-biodegradable material into the Yamuna and asked the agencies to keep a check. But according to a report by The Hindu, people had completely disregarded the imposition and were still found immersing idols in the river. There were neither mobile toilets nor any dustbins for the disposal of the waste. An article in Catch News reported that the NGT had slammed the Delhi Jal Board, concerned about the rising levels of ammonia in the river. Two plants Wazirabad and Chandrawal were shut to stop the river from being further polluted. The levels of ammonia in the river ranged between 2-2.5 ppm (parts per million). Delhi's Water Minister Kapil Mishra wrote a letter to Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti, expressing concern over increasing levels of ammonia in the raw water. Over the years the government appears to have made several efforts to control contamination. The authorities relocated some 17,801 industries between 2006 and 2009 to legitimate industrial clusters. Some industries like the coal-based Indraprastha power plant was decommissioned in 2010. In 1987, the Central Pollution Control Board evolved Minimal National Standards (MINAS) for discharge of effluent under the provision of the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986. Some 10 Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) have been built for the existing 31 industrial clusters in the past decade. Uma Bharti has also recently announced an ambitious project to clear Yamuna slated to begin in April 2016, as reported by NDTV. India's own Richard Branson, Vijay Mallya is in the news of late for all wrong reasons. The liquor baron has taken the banking industry, the regulators and the judicial system for a ride by delaying the repayment of Rs 9,000 crore loans (including interest) taken by his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines. But beyond all the controversies surrounding his financial commitments to banks as an industrialist, Mallya also has the face of a parliamentarian. So, how has he fared in Rajya Sabha, of which he was a member twice - in 2002 and again in 2010? The data (on his second term that started in mid-2010 and ending mid-2016) on the website of PRS Legislative shows that Mallya has an attendance of 30 percent. This is against the national average of 78 percent and the state average or the average of the other members from his state (Karnataka) of 68 percent. The number of debates he participated is nil. The national average for a member is 56.7 and the state average 33.7. He has asked 216 questions against the national average of 312 and state average of 234. (However, one thing is sure. This is much better than many other celebrities like Rekha, Sachin Tendulkar and Mithun Chakraborty. While Rekha has a 5 percent attendance, Sachin has 7 percent and Mithun 10 percent. Rekha and Mithun have asked nil questions and Sachin seven.) Of the questions Mallya asked, 29 were starred and 187 unstarred. A starred question is one which gets an oral answer in the House and the member can have supplementary questions. Only 20 such questions are allowed in a day. Unstarred questions get a written reply that is tabled in the House. Only 235 such questions can be asked in a day. Number of private member bills moved by Mallya is again nil. But the national and state averages are also a minimal 1.2 and 1.1. This is not surprising given such bills are rarely passed and made into laws. A further break-up shows that Mallya's lowest attendance was in Winter Session of 2013 - just 10 percent. The highest was in Monsoon Session of 2010 - 77 percent. It has to be noted that this was soon after his induction into the Upper House. According to MPLADS website, Mallya had received Rs 14.22 crore funds (with interest) under member of Parliament local area development scheme (MPLADS), of which he has utilised Rs 10 crore. However, the bigger question is with so much of negative news surrounding Mallya, shouldn't he take a moral responsibility and resign the Rajya Sabha, especially considering he is now having a gala time in some exotic locale abroad? Before arriving at an answer, consider these facts: Records show Mallya was last present in the Rajya Sabha on 1 March, that is nearly a week after he announced his sweetheart deal with Diageo, an agreement which was supposed to give him Rs 515 crore or $75 million. It is this deal that kicked up a storm as he also announced his intention to move to UK to spend time with his kids. And according to Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi's submission in the Supreme Court, Mallya left the country on 2 March. On 26 February, after Mallya disclosed his plans to move out of the country, SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya had told Firstpost that the bank, which has lent about Rs 2,000 crore to Mallya's defunct Kingfisher Airlines, is exploring legal options. We are taking action as per law to protect our interests, Bhattacharya had said. And on 3 March news broke that SBI has moved the DRT in Bangalore seeking to block Mallya from moving out of India, to impound his passport and also claiming first right on the money he was supposed to get from Diageo. That happened presumably a day after Mallya left the country, giving a slip to all the investigating authorities. Interestingly, even the statement (issued on 7 March), in which he claimed he was not an absconder, came after he left the country. Ironically, he also said that to be a Rajya Sabha member was an honour. "My statement as to my personal future after quitting Diageo/USL - that I want to spend more time in England closer to my children - has been grossly distorted and misportrayed," he said in the statement. "I have been most pained as being painted as an absconder I have neither the intention nor any reason to abscond... Over the years, I have built successful businesses in India and abroad. I am also honoured to be a member of the Rajya Sabha," he further said. Clearly, Mallya was lying through his teeth. He has been gaming a system that takes a soft approach towards cronies. As R Jagannathan argues in an article in Swarajya Mallya is a fit case for expulsion from Rajya Sabha. He is "a member who owes over Rs 7,000 crore to public sector banks, has been declared a wilful defaulter by many of them, and on whom employees, the taxman, and the provident fund organisation have claims," Jagannathan points out in the article. "If there is a fit case for the Rajya Sabha to act against an MP who has brought shame on the institution by behaving unethically with India, its taxpayers and his former employees at Kingfisher, it is this," he concludes. But will the political class act? With inputs from Kishor Kadam. All data from PRS Legislative website unless otherwise mentioned Patna: The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday demanded resignation of a Bihar minister for meeting jailed former MP Mohammad Shahabuddin, who is serving life imprisonment in connection with criminal cases including murder. Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar has demanded resignation of Bihar Minority Affairs Minister Abdul Ghafoor, who visited Siwan jail and met former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Mohammad Shahabuddin there. "Ghafoor should resign for attending 'darbar' of Shahabuddin inside the jail. It is a mockery of rule of law in the state," he said. Ghafoor along with ruling party RJD legislator Harishankar Yadav met Shahabuddin in Siwan jail on 6 March, and a photo of that meeting has reportedly gone viral on social media,. BJP legislators also protested over the issue, inside and outside the state assembly on Wednesday. Senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi also criticised Ghafoor for meeting Shahabuddin in jail and demanded his resignation. A criminal-turned-politician, Shahabuddin has been convicted in six criminal cases and he is facing serious charges in over a dozen cases. IANS New Delhi: Wit, barbs, sarcasm and poetry marked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply on the motion of thanks to President's address in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, which he concluded with renowned poet and lyricist Nida Fazli's poem "Safar Me Dhoop to Hogi". The Prime Minister also invoked the image of "death" to take potshots at Congress during his reply and said the main Opposition party, like death, never gets any blame for whatever happens. "Death has a blessing. It never gets blamed for anything. If somebody dies, the blame goes to reasons like cancer, age.. Death itself is never blamed or defamed. Sometimes I feel that Congress also has this blessing... Congress never gets the blame," he said. Barring the imagery of death, his other references were mild and light ones even though sarcasm was not missing. Modi, who had arrived in the House minutes before it commenced in the afternoon, walked up to Opposition benches and mingled with them exchanging pleasantries. He shook hands with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress veteran Karan Singh sitting together and had a brief chat with Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad. As he was moving in first rows of Opposition benches, members from other Opposition parties sitting in back rows drew his attention towards them. Samwajwadi Party MP Choudhary Munawwar Saleem recited an Urdu couplet to the Prime Minister, which could not be heard in the din. After shaking hands with JD-U President Sharad Yadav, the Prime Minister walked up its general secretary K C Tyagi. The poetic ambience continued during the reply even as members from treasury and ruling benches occasionally engaged in verbal sparring. When Congress Mani Shankar Aiyar reacted strongly to Modi's suggestion that Congress was to be blamed for continuing illiteracy in the country, the Prime Minister trained guns on him invoking an old All India Radio programme 'Bhule Bisre Geet' (Old forgotten songs). "Long back there was a programme on Akashwani," the Prime Minister said, but was immediately interrupted by Congress members who mockingly reminded of 'Mann Ki Baat', the monthly radio programme addressed by Modi. However, the Prime Minister continued: "Bhule Bisre Geet aate the (this programme used to be played on the radio). Now when some persons' terms (in Rajya Sabha) are coming to an end, it is quite natural that these 'bhule bisre sur' (forgotten notes) are heard." Modi also cited a Sanskrit proverb "Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah" (the path taken by the elders is followed) to hammer home the point that Rajya Sabha, which is the House of elders, sets the pattern for other Houses. The Prime Minister also used the imagery of microscope and binocular to target Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad for trying to find fault with the implementation of the Jan Dhan Yojana in Madhya Pradesh and addressed the Congress leader as "Saheb" as he told him that had Congress performed in past, he would not have got a chance to work. The Prime Minister ended the reply with Nida Fazli's poem "Safar Me Dhoop to Hogi". He recited a couple of lines: Safar mein dhoop to hogi jo chal sako to chalo, Sabhi hain bheed mein, tum bhi nikal sako to chalo, Kisi ke vaaste raahein kahaan badalti hain, Tum apne aap ko khud hi badal sako to chalo, Yahaan kisi ko koi raasta nahin deta, Mujhe giraake, agar tum sambhal sako to chalo PTI New Delhi: The opposition Congress and Janata Dal-United (JD-U) on Wednesday lashed out at the BJP governments in Haryana and at the Centre over violence in the state during the Jat agitation for reservation in jobs and education. "This (violence) in Haryana was due to utter failure of the state and central governments," Congress member Kumari Selja said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his junior colleague Kiren Rijiju denied the charge, saying a commission of inquiry headed by retired director general of police Prakash Singh has been set up to probe all acts of omissions and commissions. "We have to wait for the report of the probe commission," the home minister said, adding there were intelligence inputs about the agitation and the Centre had alerted the state government about them. Kumari Selja joined the issue with the minister on this and said the charge of "failure" of the state government lies in the reply of the government. Senior JD-U leader Sharad Yadav supported Selja's contention and said: "Just to say a committee has been appointed is like running away from the responsibility." The home minister disagreed with the opposition members and said the issue was serious and the situation in Haryana can be tackled only with all sides working together. "You are responsible...we are also responsible," Rajnath Singh said. "The issue is not whether we have a BJP government in Haryana or not....the issue is there is a state government and we are at the Centre," Rajnath Singh said. The Haryana government last month announced the appointment of retired police officer Prakash Singh to probe the acts of omission and commission on the part of all officers in the handling of violence during the Jat reservation agitation. The panel is expected to submit its report by next month. Replying to questions from members, Rajnath Singh also said that besides the probe by Prakash Singh, the state government has also appointed another official panel to work on the compensation for the victims. IANS New Delhi: The Lok Sabha is likely to discuss on Thursday the raging controversy over the affidavits filed in the Ishrat Jahan encounter killing case when it takes up a calling-attention notice on the issue. Home Minister Rajnath Singh is slated to reply on the calling-attention motion for which notice has been given by some BJP members led by Nishikant Dubey, who demanded a detailed reply from the government on the facts of the two affidavits filed by the previous government on Ishrat, who was killed in an alleged fake encounter in Gujarat in 2004. The first affidavit was filed on the basis of inputs from Maharashtra and Gujarat Police besides the Intelligence Bureau where it was said that the 19-year-old girl from Mumbai outskirts was a Lashkar-e-Taiba activist but it was ignored in the second affidavit, Home Ministry officials said. The second affidavit, said to have been drafted by the then Home Minister P Chidambaram, said there was no conclusive evidence to prove that Ishrat was a terrorist, officials said. Former Union Home Secretary G K Pillai had claimed that as Home Minister, Chidambaram had recalled the file a month after the original affidavit, which described Ishrat and her slain aides as LeT operatives, was filed in the court. "Only after the affidavit was revised, as directed by the minister, did the file come to me," Pillai had said. Chidambaram had said the second affidavit in the case was "absolutely correct" and as minister then "I accept the responsibility". He had also maintained that the intelligence agencies can only get inputs, they cannot certify. The state police, which has to file the charge sheet, has to investigate and get evidence before filing the charge sheet, he said. Chidambaram also expressed disappointment over Pillai distancing himself from the affidavit issue despite being "equally responsible". Ishrat, Javed Shaikh alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjadali Akbarali Rana and Zeeshan Johar were killed in an encounter with Gujarat Police on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on 15 June, 2004. The city crime branch had then said those killed in the encounters were LeT terrorists and had landed in Gujarat to kill the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi. PTI Actor-turned-politician, Captain Vijayakanth is an interesting character in Tamil Nadu politics. Although he doesnt boast of the long political history of the Dravidian giants, the DMK and the AIADMK, his DMDK is the third most important party in the state. Justifiably he is the most sought after ally among the opposition parties. The BJP always wanted him on their side and had even sent Union Minister Prakash Javadekar to Chennai twice to get Vijayakanth on its side, but the latter played hardball and refused to commit. While Javadekar met with him in February raising the BJPs hopes for an alliance, a week later, he evaded the minister when he came down again. The BJP is still hopeful even as Vijayakanth is camping in Delhi with his men. Also waiting for his return is former chief minister and a veteran of many elections, M Karunanidhi of DMK. His alliance with the Congress is far too weak to take on Jayalalithaa and hence he also wants the Captain on his side. Apparently the latter is more favourably disposed towards Karuna, but hasnt committed yet. The state is in fact keen to know who are the leaders Vijayakanth is meeting in Delhi - the BJP or the Congress. Its not just the BJP or the DMK thats desperately wooing Vijayakanth. MDMKs Vaiko, who has tied with Dalit party VCK and the Left, is also hopeful that the actor-politician will not disappoint him. But among his suitors, the most certain is Karunanidhi who told the media in Chennai on Tuesday that Vijaykanth will ultimately walk into this camp. And he is probably right because neither the BJP nor the MDMK-VCK-Left front has the muscle to take on the AIADMK. The contest is certainly going to be multi-cornered and his only chance is with the DMK, which has already tied up with the Congress. Moreover, the BJP might join the AIADMK camp at the last minute. Its strange vote-share is what makes the DMDK attractive to the opposition parties and is often analysed both in favour of and against Vijayakanth. In 2006, when his party contested the assembly elections first time, it polled about 10 percent of the total votes. In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the party fielded candidates in all the 39 constituencies and improved the total number of votes polled and pushed up its vote-share to 10.3 percent. These two performance were remarkable for a new party, which evidently had no major political strategy. The AIDMK was obviously impressed and took it to its fold in 2011 assembly elections, which led to a real windfall. The party won 29 seats and even become the official opposition party. Relationship with Jaya soured soon and in 2014, it joined the NDA and contested in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies. Commensurate with the number of seats contested, its vote-share slid to 5.1 percent. Although Jaya claimed that the DMDK owed its success solely to her party in 2011, what cannot be ignored is that the overall support base of Vijayakanth appears to be stable. Whether his party contested 236 assembly seats in 2006 or 41 in 2011, the total number of votes remained more or less the same. That he polled more than 10 percent votes on his own when he contested all the Lok Sabha seats in 2009 certainly shows that he has consistent support base across the state. That, on both the occasions when the DMDK contested in all the constituencies, it polled about 10 percent votes is the most reliable indicator of Vijaykanth's electoral presence. On the other two occasion, he was in alliance and had contested only 41 (assembly in 2011) and 14 (Lok Sabha in 2014) seats respectively. Therefore, unless there is a major erosion, the more reliable vote-share for the DMDK is about 10 percent and thats what makes the party a hot property although some analysts believe that his following is more hype than real. For the DMK, although it hasnt won any seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the number of votes hasnt come down. In fact, it has improved marginally compared to the 2006 and 2011 elections, during which its vote-shares were about 26 percent and 23 percent respectively. When combined with the votes of DMDK and the Congress, its chances do appear stronger, particularly if the AIADMK contests alone. Reportedly, the DMDK is bargaining hard for a share of power in the government, which both the Dravidian parties have been overprotective about. The DMK, although in an acutely desperate situation, doesnt want Vijayakanth and his people to become ministers in its government. Karuna is playing it hard because he knows that other than the DMK, Vijayakanths alliance-options are practically zilch. Tying up with the BJP or the MDMK-VCK-Left front is just a waste of its resources. Thats what makes Karuna confident that the fruit will ultimately fall in the milk as he said proverbially on Tuesday. It doesnt matter that he and his family were the sole targets of Vijayakanths vituperation in 2011. With the Congress and the DMDK on its side, the DMK does have some chance. However, if the AIADMK joins hands with the BJP at the last minute, it could be a whitewash. Mr Arvind Kejriwal, just where are you? Theres a big commotion happening on the banks of the Yamuna. Environmentalists are up in arms against what they believe is a savage assault on the dying river. Massive preparations are on for the Art of Livings World Culture Festival. Eye-popping structures have started dominating the skyline; on the ground the untidy floodplains have made way for well-laid out paths and other facilities for visitors who, according to an earlier promotion of the organisers, could number 35 lakh. The event, according to ecology watchers, could result in the destruction of the floodplains, leading to severe groundwater crisis in Delhi. And God forbid, if there are torrential rains for a few days then the city will have a similar experience Chennai had last year and Srinagar more than couple of years ago. East Delhi, in particular, will face disaster. A panel of the National Green Tribunal also has raised the red flag over the matter already. Why are you silent? As the Chief Minister of Delhi, isnt it your responsibility to take note of the development, and if possible action. Nobody is arguing here that Sri Sri Ravishakars Art of Living is doing something wrong. Its for the court to decide that. But as someone who has always been vocal on every issue, dragging the prime minister into every controversy, manufactured or real, your silence is intriguing to say the least. So far, we havent heard from you a word for or against the event while all this taking place under your nose. Why so? The talk going around is that you are one of the speakers at the event. Is that the reason why, for a change, you have not started criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this event yet? In December last, your government had drawn up plans to involve spiritual Gurus like Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri in the mission to clean up the Yamuna, which meets a huge part of the National Capitals water needs. Is that why you have decided not to speak up? It makes no sense actually. Your government has just said that it gave permission only for the pontoon bridges in case of flood and had no role to play in the approval to the event since it came under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Development Authority. But hadnt your minister Kapil Mishra extended cooperation to the mega event earlier? You are either being tactfully silent or dismissive of the whole controversy. Either way, it does not speak too well of you. By evading taking a position you are proving that you have become indifferent to the residents of Delhi. What troubles many is the fact silence has never been part of your politics so far. And in a situation where the city might suffer, you were required to be vocal. You could have allayed the fear of the citizens by convincing them that no permanent damage would be caused to the floodplain due to the event or you could have fought the organisers, like you do in all matters concerning your own party or government. You claim to be a leader of the common people, and their voice, how come you find nothing amiss? If this is not hypocrisy then what is? Please explain to us. New Delhi: Congress in Assam on Wednesday moved the Election Commission (EC) demanding rescheduling of the 21 March Rajya Sabha elections as the date clashes with nomination process of assembly polls in the state beginning next month. In a memorandum submitted to the Commission, the state unit of Congress said 21 March is the last date of withdrawing nominations for the first phase of assembly elections on 4 April and the last date of filing of nominations for the second phase of polls on 11 April. Biennial elections to 13 Rajya Sabha seats in six states, including Assam and Kerala, will be held on 21 March. Twelve of the 13 seats are falling vacant in April. In Assam, both the seats falling vacant belong to Congress. Rajya Sabha members are elected by the elected members of the Legislative Assembly in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. The party said since MLAs would be busy with electioneering and nomination process, they would find it difficult to reach Dispur to cast their votes for the Rajya Sabha polls. It said difficult terrains would make it problematic for MLAs to reach Dispur in the middle of assembly poll process. PTI Once again, the buzz around India-Pakistan peace talks has begun. SAARC meets have often been the venue for breaking the ice between the two South Asian neighbours. With the SAARC Mini Summit scheduled for 14- 17 March in Pokhara, Nepal, and the two-day Nuclear Security Summit starting in Washington DC on 31 March, the focus is once again on the blow-hot-blow-cold ties between the two nations. Many are asking whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi should continue to focus his energies on peace building; some believe he will lose political capital for continuing on a course which is bound to fail. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will be in Pokhara for the SAARC foreign ministers' meeting on 17 March, while Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar has the senior officers' meeting slated for Tuesday. His Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry will also be in Nepal. Speculations are on that the two top diplomats will take the opportunity to talk about resuming the dialogue that had been aborted after the Pathankot terror attack. NSA Janjuas intelligence input The groundwork has already been laid . Much is being said about how last Saturday, Pakistans National Security Adviser Lieutenant General Naseer Janjua warned his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval about a possible terror attack by Pakistan-based terrorists during the Mahashivratri celebrations in Gujarat. Pakistani intelligence input spoke of 10 fidayeens sneaking into Gujarat and planning major attacks at crowded religious shrines. There have been other tell tale signs. In a sharp departure from the past, Pakistan has acknowledged that the Pathankot attackers came from their side of the border. In fact the government has lodged an FIR against unnamed terrorists in Gujranwala in the Punjab province of Pakistan. After the Mumbai strikes in 2008, Pakistan was initially in denial mode, saying Ajmal Kasab was not its national. Unfortunetly, an intrepid Pakistani journalist went up to his village and interviewed his folks. Given that record, there is a definite change in Pakistans attitude, which may lead to smoothing the way finally for resuming peace talks. There is speculation that Hafiz Saeed is under house arrest. Also there is talk of a team arriving from Pakistan to discuss the Pathankot attack with Indian investigators. Modi and Sharif's possible meeting in Washington Very few in the countrys strategic community are impressed. They believe this is just a ploy to keep talks moving and for the eventual meeting in Washington between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistans Nawaz Sharif at the end of the month. Both leaders are to attend President Barack Obamas nuclear summit. The naysayers advise the PM not to expend his political capital in an engagement which will yield nothing but pain; it will only help to strengthen Islamabads image in the international community as a country that is undergoing a transformation. Former foreign secretary Lalith Mansingh says that the news from Pakistan is both good and bad. "The good news first. It is evident that there is constant communication between the NSAs of India and Pakistan. So on important matters the two governments are in touch. Earlier too, India and Pakistan had a joint anti-terror mechanism, headed by diplomats on both sides. Former secretary KC Singh, who led India's team, said at that time it was a meaningless exercise meant for confidence building. The ISI and the army were not there, but their shadows hung heavily over the proceedings. This time around, NSA Janjua is from the army and said to be close to General Raheel Sharif. So while people may have a grouse against this kind of generic intelligence input, a beginning has been made. Perhaps at some point, Pakistan will provide real time intelligence to thwart such attacks. But Mansingh also admits, "Nothing much has happened on Pathankot. Nor has there been any move to speed up the trials of the 26/11 terrorists. Kashmir as the core issue is brought up from time to time. So the signals are rather contradictory. He wonders if Pakistan has come to the realisation that it needs to have a normal relations with India and expand business and trade ties. "Yet, we can never be sure. These may be just tactical moves to convince the world that it is doing its bit against terror groups. Nobody knows the motives and it is too early to pass judgement. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi should meet Nawaz Sharif as often as he can, India has to be circumspect. Pakistan on the cusp of change? Yet Pakistans people see signs of hope and say that the country is on the cusp of change. Most people are happy with army commander Raheel Sharif for going after the Tehrik-i-Pakistan (Pakistan Taliban). After the Taliban attack on the army school in Peshawar, the military has cracked down on domestic terror groups. Indians however, ask what about nabbing members of the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, the anti-India terror groups that Pakistan has long nurtured. The Pakistan press has also reported a few other hopeful signs. One is the Punjab Assembly passing the Protection of Women against Violence Bill. The Sharifs have always been regarded as close to the mullahs, the chief spokesmen for political Islam. Yet risking the displeasure of the mullahs, Shahbaz Sharif the chief minister of Punjab and the PMs brother has gone ahead with this necessary piece of legislation. Mullahs have protested but their voices have been drowned by the general mood of the people. Islamabad also rejected the mercy petition of Mumtaz Qadri, the self-confessed assassin of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer. He was awarded the death sentence. This would never have happened without the army backing the move. Though the mullahs have hailed him as a hero and his funeral saw massive crowds, the die has been cast. After years of allowing sectarian groups to do pretty much what they pleased, the Punjab police some months ago staged "police encounters to eliminate sectarian terror leaders in the state. None of this was would have been imaginable in the past. These are encouraging signs. But it is too early to say that the powerful Pakistan military is changing its India policy. Prime Minister Modi must keep talking to Sharif, but it is best not to be carried away and hope for the impossible. Riyadh: Yemen's Iran-backed rebels have freed a Saudi soldier in return for seven detained Yemenis as part of a tribal-mediated border truce agreed by both sides, the Riyadh-led coalition said Wednesday. The agreement reached during a visit by a Yemeni tribal delegation to the kingdom is the first of its kind since the Saudi-led coalition began a military campaign against the rebels in March last year. The frontier between war-ravaged Yemen and its northern neighbour has seen many deadly incidents over the past 12 months. Yemen's delegation sought to negotiate a truce "along the border with the kingdom to allow the entry of medical and humanitarian aid to Yemeni towns near the theatre of operations", the coalition statement said. Coalition forces have responded by allowing aid to flow through the Alb border crossing, said the statement published by the official SPA news agency. Saudi soldier Jaber al-Kaabi was handed over to the coalition in exchange for seven Yemenis who were detained by Saudi authorities at the border, it added. Sources close to negotiators said on Tuesday that the Shiite Huthi rebels had sent a delegation to mainly Sunni Saudi Arabia to discuss a truce along the frontier. The coalition "welcomes the continuity of calm" which would help "reach a UN-brokered political solution". it said. The United Nations is pushing for peace talks between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Huthis and their allies, but those efforts have been deadlocked over disagreements on a ceasefire. More than 90 people both military and civilian have been killed on the Saudi side of the border by fire from Yemen during the conflict. Northern Yemen is controlled by the Huthis, who have allied with troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. The UN says that more than 6,000 people have been killed in Yemen since the coalition began its campaign of air strikes. AFP DETROIT Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton rolled to an easy win in the Mississippi primary over rival Bernie Sanders on Tuesday, as four states voted in presidential nominating contests in both parties. Clinton appeared headed to an easy win in Mississippi, where more than half of the Democratic electorate was comprised of the African-American voters who have overwhelmingly favoured her over Sanders. Exit polls showed Clinton winning nine of every 10 black voters. Early results in Michigan, the night's biggest prize, showed tight races on both sides, although opinion polls had shown Clinton and Republican front-runner Donald Trump with big leads heading into the voting. With 3 percent of votes in, Trump and Ohio Governor John Kasich were running neck-and-neck. Trump was hoping to restore some momentum for his campaign after a barrage of attacks from establishment Republicans and a tightening race gave new life to those seeking to block him. Trump split four nominating contests on Saturday with conservative rival Ted Cruz, who positioned himself as the prime alternative to the brash New York billionaire in the race to be the party's candidate in the Nov. 8 election. Most polls had shown Trump hanging on to a double-digit lead in Michigan over Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas, and Kasich. Kasich is in last place in the number of delegates amassed, which are needed to clinch the nomination at the party's July convention. But a strong showing for him in Michigan could blunt Trump's momentum and set up a crucial do-or-die showdown for his campaign in Ohio next week. "The whole world's watching what's going to happen in Michigan tonight," Kasich, 63, told a rally in Lansing. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, 44, the favourite of a Republican establishment alarmed by Trump's controversial proposals and anxious about Cruz's uncompromising conservatism, lagged in Michigan polls and needs a win in his home state next week to keep his campaign alive. Michigan wins for Trump and Clinton would set them up for a potentially decisive day of voting on March 15, when the delegate-rich states of Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Missouri and North Carolina cast ballots. The Republican contests in Florida and Ohio award all the state's delegates to the winner. If Trump, 69, could sweep those two states and pile up delegates elsewhere next week, it could knock home-state favourites Rubio and Kasich out of the race and make it tough for Cruz to catch him. Republicans were also voting on Tuesday in Idaho and Hawaii. (Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu, Megan Cassella and Susan Heavey in Washington and Deborah Todd in San Francisco; Writing by John Whitesides and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Peter Cooney, Frances Kerry and Jonathan Oatis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Shreerupa Mitra-Jha Giant agricultural corporations are seriously impacting the right to food of women, especially in developing countries like India by increasingly suing farmers for breaching patent laws, a UN expert said. These big companies are suing farmers because the farmers are using (patented seeds) without the permission (from agricultural corporations) or (are not) buying the particular seeds. This is a very serious issue and millions of dollars the corporations are taking from the farmers because they (farmers) are no longer owning the seeds, said Hilal Elver, UN special rapporteur on the right to food on Tuesday in Geneva. The UN expert said that the practice of slapping lawsuits on farmers using patented seeds without buying them from the corporations who produced it started in the US, but has now reached developing countries like India. This is becoming an issue in developing countries, especially in India the corporations are going and suing the farmers, Elver added. This is extremely important because farmers traditionally own the seeds and they were even able to make their adjustments and share with others, but now gradually international property rights in the agriculture sector are becoming common not only in developed countries, but also developing countries which is (where) basically poor farmers are living and many of them are women, she said. Existing patent laws allow private companies to assert ownership over seeds a sector that has historically been in the public sector. Elver stated in her report, on women and the right to food that she presented to the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, that agricultural research and development that was traditionally under the public sector has been taken over by private companies and the competitive market. The 10 largest agricultural biotechnology companies invest roughly 1.69 billion ($1.86 billion) a year, on new product development, amounting to about 7.5 percent of these companies' total sales revenue, the report states. The companies recoup this money by patenting seeds also meant for poor farmers in developing countries. The greatest implication of the IPR regime on women and their right to food relates to seed-saving a practice that is both predominantly controlled by women and a critical component of small-scale, subsistence agriculture, Elver told reporters. Seed-saving in India has enabled women to breed around 200,000 vareties of rice. However, now 73 percent of the worlds seed supply is patented by big corporations and is, therefore, non-renewable, turning the global commercial seed market into a multi-billion dollar industry four companies alone account for 50 percent of this market. With such lucrative monopolies at stake, these international corporations have actively exercised the IPR regime to secure exclusive access to, and thus royalties from, patented seeds," she said. Elver, in her report cited the instance of agricultural giant Monsanto who have since 1997 filed 147 lawsuits against US farmers who violated Monsantos intellectual property rights (IPR). When farmers purchase a patented seed variety, they sign an agreement that they will not save and replant seeds produced from the seed they buy from us. More than 325,000 farmers a year buy seed under these agreements in the United States, states the Monsanto website. Genetically-modified commodity crops of agro-companies like Monsanto and Swiss-owned Syngenta have spread fast across the world. Ninety-three percent of soybeans and 86 percent of corn crops come from such seeds in the US. However, many US farmers have sued these companies for suffering losses from sale of genetically modified crops. Monsanto has also been linked in India for the failure of genetically-modified crops thus allegedly contributing to farmer suicides though no legal action has been taken as yet. The US company has also been accused of selling so-called terminator seeds which is a biotech trait that results in second generation sterile seeds an accusation that Monsanto has rejected. As a result of IPR laws, seeds that would have once been saved and shared are now the intellectual property of corporations, Elver said . Women represent 70 percent of the worlds hungry but constitute 20 to 30 percent of the 450 million agricultural workers globally. Women are accustomed to seed-saving and sharing, and would have to choose between discontinuing the traditional practice of saving and exchanging seeds or risk punishment for an intellectual property crime, Elvers report states. International Union for Protection of New Varieties of Plant (UPOV) an inter-governmental organization in Geneva headed by Francis Gurry who is also the secretary-general of the World Intellectual Property Organisation will discuss the matter of patents and agricultural crops next week in Geneva. However, India is not a member of UPOV. The UN expert also called the Indian Food Security Act a very comprehensive act and a model for other developing countries to follow, also because it gives women certain kind of leadership in their village. The law is very new right now but it is a very good model that other developing countries (could be) encourage(d) to go to same level of policies, Elver told Firstpost. And thats an important law but they (Indian public, civil society etc) are worried about it whether or not this law will be kept because the new Indian government seems to be trying to, little bit limit (the implementation of the law) because they are talking about corruption, sometimes it is not enough money to help this programme, and also, the WTO rules (that) push the Indian government (to) not to subsidise these (food) in relation to international trade law principles, she added. The writer is a journalist with the United Nations Dubai: Iran test-fired two ballistic missiles on Wednesday with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written in Hebrew on them, state media reported, a show of force by the Islamic Republic as US Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel. Such phrases have been emblazoned on Iranian missiles before, but this test comes shortly after the implementation of a nuclear deal with world powers, including the US, and follows similar drills in recent days. Hard-liners in Iran's military have fired rockets and missiles despite US objections since the deal, as well as shown underground missile bases on state television. There was no immediate reaction from Jerusalem, where Biden was meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who strongly opposed the nuclear deal. Biden, speaking next to Netanyahu, did not acknowledge the missile launch directly but he issued a strong warning to the Iranians. "A nuclear-armed Iran is an absolutely unacceptable threat to Israel, to the region and the United States. And I want to reiterate which I know people still doubt here. If in fact they break the deal, we will act," he said. The semiofficial Fars news agency offered pictures on Wednesday it said were of the Qadr H missiles being fired. It said they were fired in Iran's eastern Alborz mountain range to hit a target some 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) away off Iran's coast into the Sea of Oman. The US Navy's 5th Fleet, which patrols that region, declined to comment on the test. Fars and state media reported the Hebrew inscription on the missiles. Soldiers often write slogans or messages on rockets and missiles. During Israel's 2006 war with Lebanon's Hezbollah militants, Israeli children were photographed writing messages on artillery shells in a community near the border. More recently, pictures emerged online of US missiles bound for Islamic State group targets that had "From Paris with love" written on them, referring to last year's attacks. Fars quoted Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division, as saying the test was aimed at showing Israel that Iran could hit it. "The 2,000-kilometer (1,240-mile) range of our missiles is to confront the Zionist regime," Hajizadeh said. "Israel is surrounded by Islamic countries and it will not last long in a war. It will collapse even before being hit by these missiles." AP Jerusalem: Two Palestinian gunmen carried out two shootings in Jerusalem before police shot and killed them, Israeli police said today, shortly before US Vice President Joe Biden met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the city. A Palestinian man was seriously injured in the shootout. The incident began when passengers on an Israeli bus spotted the two gunmen on the street and heard shots being fired, said police spokeswoman Luba Samri. No injuries were reported. A motorist responded by shooting toward the suspects, who fled by car. Police began searching for the gunmen's vehicle. When a policeman approached a car that matched the description, the gunmen raised their weapons at the officer and he fired at them. Other police units on the scene shot at the suspects, killing them, Samri said. The shootout took place on a main road alongside Jerusalem's light rail train tracks and close to the New Gate of Jerusalem's Old City. A Palestinian civilian at the scene was shot in the head and is in a serious, but stable condition, an Israeli hospital said. Police are investigating whether he was shot by the gunmen or police. Police identified the two gunmen as Palestinians, both about 20 years old, from the Jerusalem area. In the West Bank today, a Palestinian with a knife attempted to stab Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint, and soldiers shot and killed him, the Israeli military said. The two incidents follow a rash of Palestinian assaults yesterday, including a stabbing spree that killed an American student near where Vice President Joe Biden was meeting with Israel's former president. Biden is in Israel for a two-day visit as part of a regional tour of the Mideast. He is meeting both Israeli and Palestinian leaders and there have been speculations he would try to revive the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. AP TEL AVIV Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday he had declined a proposed meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in order to steer clear of the U.S. presidential election campaign, as Vice President Joe Biden began a two-day visit to Israel. While candidates in the Republican and Democratic primaries have been vying to assert their credentials as friends of Israel, Obama is not up re-election in November, having served two terms. It was the latest episode in a fraught relationship between the right-wing Israeli leader and the Democratic U.S. president that has yet to recover from deep differences over last year's U.S.-led international nuclear deal with Israel's foe Iran. Around the time of Biden's arrival, an American tourist was stabbed to death a few kilometres away on a boardwalk in Tel Aviv in the most serious of a wave of Palestinian attacks throughout Israel, a stark reminder of the current paralysis in peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, which Obama tried to revive earlier in his tenure. [nL5N16G4T1] The White House said on Monday it had been "surprised" to learn first from Israeli media that Netanyahu had decided against coming to a conference of the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC in Washington on March 20, and to see a suggestion in some reports that Obama's unavailability had been one of the reasons. It said Netanyahu had been offered a March 18 meeting with Obama, ahead of the president's landmark visit to Cuba on March 21 and 22. NOTICE GIVEN Zeev Elkin, an Israeli cabinet minister close to Netanyahu, countered that Israeli ambassador Ron Dermer had given the White House advance warning the trip might not happen. Netanyahu's office cited the U.S. election campaign in saying he would not travel to Washington for the AIPAC event, and voiced appreciation for Obama's willingness to host him. Biden, whose 2010 visit to Israel was marred by acrimony over a Jewish settlement plan announced during his trip, met former Israeli president Shimon Peres and was due to hold talks on Wednesday with Netanyahu in Jerusalem and with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the occupied West Bank. Biden planned to speak with Israeli leaders about a new memorandum of understanding being negotiated for U.S. defence aid to Israel, according to one U.S. congressional aide. The aide said Biden was handling the negotiations because relations between Obama and Netanyahu were so sour that the vice president was seen as the only member of the administration who could finish off the deal. In 2012, Netanyahu hosted Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney in Israel in what many Democrats saw as a bid to undermine Obama's attempt to secure a second term. Israel denied meddling. With a wave of Palestinian street attacks now five months old, U.S. officials have said no peace breakthrough is expected during Biden's visit. (Additional reporting by Dan Williams; Editing by Kevin Liffey) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. ABUJA Nigeria and Switzerland have signed an agreement that paves the way for the return of more than $300 million confiscated from the family of the Nigeria's former military ruler, Sani Abacha, the office of Nigeria's vice president said on Tuesday. Transparency International, a corruption watchdog, has accused Abacha of stealing up to $5 billion of public money during the five years he ran the oil-rich country, from 1993 until his death in 1998. Laolu Akande, a spokesman for Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said Nigeria's attorney general signed a letter of intent, under the terms of which Switzerland will award Nigeria $321 million "acquired by the Abacha family," Akandesaid in an emailed statement. Swiss authorities said the letter of intent was also signed by its head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Didier Burkhalter, and "marks an important step towards the return of assets monitored by the World Bank". Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who took office last year, has made combating corruption a priority. He has asked Britain and the United States for help recovering money stolen by some of the country's elite over several years. An economic crisis in Africa's biggest economy and oil producer, brought on by a plunge in crude prices, has made the need to recoup money lost to corruption more acute. In 2014, Nigeria and the Abacha family reached an agreement for the West African country to get back the funds, which had been frozen, in return for dropping a complaint against the former military ruler's son, Abba Abacha. He was charged by a Swiss court with money-laundering, fraud and forgery in April 2005, after being extradited from Germany, and later spent 561 days in custody. In 2006, Luxembourg ordered that funds held by the younger Abacha be frozen. (Reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram, Felix Onuah and Zurich newsroom, editing by Larry King) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. WASHINGTON Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump acknowledged on Tuesday he does not yet have a foreign policy team, and three former U.S. military and intelligence officials who have endorsed him are little known in either the Republican Party or the wider foreign policy community. The New York billionaire, who had promised to name his foreign policy and national security advisers last month, told MSNBC that he has met with people but made no decision yet on who to advise him on global affairs. Asked whether he had a team, Trump said on Tuesday: "Yes, there is a team. Well, there's not a team. I'm going to be forming a team at the appropriate time. I've met with far more than three people." Trump has given hints of the kind of advisor he would hire to promote his national security policy, much of which is focused on cracking down on Islamic State. He also promises to gut global trade deals and build a wall on the Mexican border to halt illegal immigration. Asked during a debate last week who he trusts on national security, Trump had warm words for three men with world views that differ from one another: former diplomat Richard Haass and retired U.S. Army officers Gen. Jack Keane and Col. Jack Jacobs. And on his campaign website last month, Trump announced that he had received endorsements in Florida from two "top national security experts." Foreign policy experts say they know little about those Trump supporters. They are Gary Berntsen, a former senior CIA officer, and retired Colonel James Waurishuk, a one-time deputy chief of intelligence for U.S. Central Command during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq who also once served on the National Security Council staff. "These people are not well known in foreign policy circles...I never heard of any of them," said Harvard professor and former Kennedy School of Government dean Joseph Nye. BUSH SNUB Waurishuk said on Tuesday he would have been happy to give advice if asked, by any presidential candidate, including Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. Apart from Trump, however, Waurishuk said that the only other candidate he had contact with was Republican Jeb Bush, who he says snubbed him when they met at an event in 2014. Bush "ignored me and walked away," Waurishuk said. Former CIA officer Berntsen is perhaps the best known of the three endorsers. A participant in efforts to hunt down Osama bin Laden, he later wrote a book entitled "Jawbreaker, The Attack on Bin Laden and Al Qaeda." According to The Hill newspaper, one of its contributors, J.D. Gordon, has also endorsed Trump. Gordon is a former Navy commander officer and former Pentagon spokesman. On Tuesday, Trump described U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions from Alabama, as someone he would consider for his team, adding that he would make a decision "in due time." Sessions is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and one of the few senior mainstream Republicans to endorse Trump. Sessions is not known as one of the partys leading foreign policy voices in the Senate. He opposes comprehensive immigration reform and supports tight border security measures. On Tuesday, Trump, dismissed criticism that his harsh rhetoric would damage America's standing in the world. Foreign diplomats from Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia have expressed alarm to U.S. government officials about Trump, calling his public statements inflammatory and insulting. The businessman shot back, saying diplomats are upset over his tough stance on trade and returning jobs to the United States as he seeks the party's nomination for the Nov. 8 presidential election. "Every country is ripping us off in trade, and other things. And they know that won't happen with me. I'm going to bring trade back, I'm going to bring our jobs back," Trump told Fox News. (Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Alistair Bell) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Burma From Myanmar Sweatshops to Billionaires in Switzerland Oxfams Head of Global Campaigns reflects on a recent visit to Myanmar. The young garment factory workers share a tiny room in a wooden shack, spotlessly clean, with pictures of Myanmar pop stars beside a photo of their parents back in the village. But there is no escaping the smell of the open drain outside. The three sisters and their cousin all work in factories making clothes for export to the UK, United States and other countries for household brands such as GAP, Primark, H&M and Tesco. They belong to a labor rights group working with Oxfam to fight for better conditions for workers, and we are there to hear about their experiences on the factory floor. Myanmars garment sector is expanding fast, now employing around 300,000 people90 percent female and mostly under age 25. Daily average wages of US$2.80 are not enough to survive on. Oxfams recent survey found that almost half of garment workers are trapped in debt and have to borrow money to meet basic needs like food, medicine and transport. They work up to 11 hours a day, six days a week, rarely receiving sick pay despite this being a legal requirement. Many reported working into the night to meet impossible production targets, on one occasion sewing until 6.30am before restarting at 7.30am every day for a week. Safety was a big concern, with one in three reporting a workplace injury and many afraid of factory fires because of blocked exits. In the week we visited Myanmar, Oxfams report An Economy for the 1% caused a stir at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, revealing that 62 billionaires now own the same wealth as the poorest half of the world. The report shows that the global economic system is skewed in favor of the top one percent, who have seen half of the total increase in global wealth in the past 15 years, while the bottom 50 percent have had to make do with just one percent. Interestingly four of the worlds 62 richest billionaires made their fortunes in high-street fashion. Amancio Ortega of Spain, worth $64 billion, heads garment giant Inditex, owner of Zara. Swede Stefan Persson, worth $24 billion, is chairman of H&M and a 28 percent stakeholder. Tadashi Yanai of Japan owns Uniqlo and is worth $20 billion. The fourth is Phil Knight, who until June 2015 had spent 51 years as chairman of Nike, and is worth $21 billion. H&M buys from factories in Myanmar and Uniqlo is considering doing so. Inditex pioneered the model of shorter supply chains and reduced lead times, now the norm in fast fashion. But this business practice puts huge pressure on suppliers and their workers, leading to forced overtime and pressure to squeeze wages as low as possible. H&M does at least publish which factories produce its clothes in Myanmar. Many big brands refuse to even do this. As one of my colleagues put it, Can you think of one good reason why a high street brand would want to hide where its clothes are made? Both H&M and Inditex have taken steps to address poverty wages, for instance by signing an agreement with global union IndustriALL to promote sector bargaining. However, between 2001 and 2011 wages for garment workers in most of the top 15 apparel-exporting countries fell in real terms. Some commentators have accused Oxfam of being anti capitalist for throwing rocks at an economic system than has helped to reduce global poverty. It is of course true that real progress has been made. The young women we met now earn more than the extreme poverty line of $1.90 a day, so are no longer officially counted as poor. But is that really good enough? Oxfam recognizes the power of capitalism to transform peoples lives but we believe the current warped market fundamentalist model, as the Bank of England Governor calls it, is failing us all. Matthew Paris, a former Conservative MP writing about our Davos report in The Times newspaper, put it best when he said that listening to those trying to defend todays capitalist system reminded him of Communists trying to defend the USSR: How much longer, then, can we market liberals shrug off huge failures in the working examples we have of capitalism?If the free market is to be defended in the new century, these inequities are no longer something from which the center-right can turn away. Throughout our history, the majority of those who fought to stop children having to go to work, or for a ten hour working day, or for a weekend, or paid holiday, sick pay and above all for wages which allow ordinary women and men to live a decent life were not anti-capitalists. They just believed we could do better. Activists of the past were dismissed as naive or seditious or both, but what they fought for we now see as being a part of a civilized society. Today we have to continue that fight. We need to make capitalism work for the majority rather than the top 1 percent. This can be done. For example, a critical mass of companies could commit to source from countries with good labor regulation, adapt their business practices so factories can afford to pay a living wage and ensure workers are free to negotiate with management. We have the talent, technology and imagination to build a more human economyone where we have not just minimum wages, but maximum ones too. Where we see an end to this extreme wealth that benefits no one but a tiny elite. When I met those young women in Myanmar learning about their rights, and the successful struggles of other garment workers in Thailand and Cambodia, I was filled with hope for the future. For a better, fairer, future they will fight for. I know I want to do all I can to help them. Max Lawson is Oxfams Head of Global Campaigns. This article originally ran on Oxfams blog, From Poverty to Power. An apartment building with no designated car parks? John Campbell, the man who steered Toronto's $35 billion waterfront precinct overhaul for 13 years, says authorities around the world will need to factor in the diminishing need for car parks in multi-storey developments as the digital economy and a shift away from vehicle ownership takes hold. Mr Campbell, who stepped down as chief executive of Toronto Waterfront last year after directing the overhaul of an 800-hectare area on Lake Ontario southeast of the city's centre, says planning authorities and governments will have to increasingly confront this "ticklish issue". He says the rising popularity of ride-sharing services like Uber, a preference for using public transport systems in CBDs and inner-city precincts and the looming use of driverless cars is behind the big shift, and there are lessons for Australia in the global trend. Mr Campbell was speaking at the Urban Development Institute of Australia national congress in Adelaide on Tuesday where he also said that one of the keys to success for extensive waterfront overhauls is to ensure there are no residential apartments on the ground floors of apartment buildings facing toward public spaces and walkways because that rapidly kills the buzz and ambience of an area. Investors and developers are pumping cash into the pub sector with two prominent sites at Pyrmont and Leichhardt the latest to hit the market. In the past week Charter Hall opened its second pub fund with Hostplus worth $135 million, while the suggested takeover of Redcape by the Moelis/Meers Hotel Group joint venture and subsequent also gains momentum. P. J. Gallagher's Hotel, formerly Norton's on Norton Leichhardt, is being offered for sale through JLL. In Pyrmont, the private TWT Auswin, which is part of TWT Global, has put its Terminus hotel, which was formerly owned by the Wakil family, up for sale with price expectations of about $5 million. The 61 Harris Street property has been empty for more than 30 years and has development potential for office and retail. JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group's John Musca has also been appointed to market the P. J. Gallagher's Hotel, formerly Norton's on Norton Leichhardt. Peter Gallagher bought the pub in 2012 and undertook a $2 million upgrade. Comment Policy Advance Indiana allows you to post comments via this blog subject to the guidelines set forth herein. You understand that any comments you post are your own and are not those of Advance Indiana. You further understand that Advance Indiana is not responsible for the content of any external sites referenced in your comments. Unlawful, harassing, defamatory, abusive, threatening, harmful, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, racially offensive, or otherwise objectionable comments are not acceptable. If you think any content posted or otherwise included in Advance Indiana violates the guidelines set forth herein, then please alert Advance Indiana. Advance Indiana reserves the right to pre-screen, edit, and remove any post as it deems appropriate. You specifically acknowledge that Advance Indiana has no obligation to display any post submitted or otherwise provided via Advance Indiana. In my years as a prosecutor, I saw plenty of violence, including many deaths. Some were accidental, but some were the work of killers, even serial killers. I have always been fascinated by serial killers. How do they choose their victims? How is it that they can take a life so easily? I studied them, tried to understand their behaviour. None of that prepared me for the day I met a serial killer of a different sort - a medical one with the ominous name "the widowmaker" - that had come for me. On Tuesday, January 13, 2015, I suddenly became wide awake at 5am. I lay in bed with my eyes open for maybe a minute, thinking, "Hmm, this is weird," and then, "I feel kind of funny". Within about 30 seconds I rushed to the bathroom and threw up. I felt very cold and climbed back into bed with my husband and snuggled back under the covers. A minute later, though, I knew I was going to be sick again. I figured I was coming down with a virus, but it was strange how suddenly it had come on. My husband, Tim, was concerned. He sat beside me, felt my cold, clammy forehead and said I just looked so pale. Then he whispered, "Let's go to the emergency room." I laughed. "Why?" I asked. He replied, "You could be having a heart attack." Tim's father had died of a heart attack at age 64 after feeling the classic stabbing chest pain and heaviness in the chest that you always associate with a heart attack. But that wasn't me. I was 46, I just had a bit of a bug, probably a 24-hour thing. I just needed a little rest. Tim wouldn't have it, though. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has called on Russia to free a Ukrainian military helicopter pilot who is accused of killing two Russian journalists in a mortar attack. Poroshenko posted video on social media Wednesday, calling the trial of Nadiya Savchenko, who has been refusing food and water since last week, a "farce" conducted in a "kangaroo court." Savchenko's trial resumed on Wednesday in Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia, where the judge announced Savchenko will be sentenced on March 21-22. Prosecutors have asked the court to sentence her to 23 years in prison. Ukraine says Savchenko was kidnapped by the Russians and should be treated as a prisoner of war. Her case inspired some 2,000 Ukrainians to rally in her defense in Kyiv on Sunday. On Tuesday, U.S. vice president Joe Biden issued a statement on her behalf, calling on Russia to release her immediately. Savchenko on Wednesday echoed Poroshenko's words in court, calling the proceedings a farce and reminding officials, "we are playing with my life. The stakes are high and I have nothing to lose." She punctuated her contemptuous words by raising her middle finger (in a vulgar gesture). Savchenko is accused of aiding in a June 2014 mortar attack on Ukraine's Luhansk region, where a shell killed two Russian television reporters. The National World War II Museum has nearly finished restoration of a patrol torpedo boat that sank two armored German supply barges and carried U.S. commandos to French shores. Officials hope to have PT-305 back on the water in about a year, carrying tourists and history buffs on the lake where it was first tested in 1944. "There's quite a bit of difference in understanding an artifact when it's sitting and when it's operating,'' said Tom Czekanski, the museum's senior curator and restoration manager. After World War II, PT-305 was cut down to 60 feet and spent decades as a tour boat and a Chesapeake Bay oyster boat. Much of the remaining hull and deck were warped or rotted when the museum bought it to restore for eventual tours on Lake Pontchartrain, near New Orleans. Now it's back to its original 78-foot length. Two engines have been put in and a third is to be installed along with plumbing, electrical and detail work that will keep volunteers busy into summer, Czekanski said. Most of the ship's railings are finished, though a "do not lean on railing'' sign is posted on some temporary bow railings. Czekanski said only about 10 PT boats still exist. PT-305 is one of four that saw combat and the only one of those to be fully restored and launchable, he added. The museum may charge $250 or $300 for 45-minute boat rides, and $5 to $15 for tours of the boat when docked, said Stephen Watson, the museum's executive vice president and chief operating officer. However, officials said, PT-305 can't be moved to Lake Pontchartrain until a boathouse with exhibit space is ready. The museum also must raise an estimated $500,000 for the move, conduct months of "sea trials,'' crew training and make the final move to the boathouse, Watson said in an interview Monday. The boathouse will include displays about PT-305 and its crew, researched by a historian who has worked on PT-305 since its arrival in 2007. Historian Josh Schick said the boat has a unique detail: portholes. Those weren't a feature of PT boats, but one of two surviving crew members said he had found them on a wrecked yacht and installed them, Schick said. In 2003 Schick began volunteering at the museum as a teenager, fascinated by restoration work on the Higgins landing craft now displayed in the museum's original building. Andrew Higgins' boat yard in New Orleans built that craft and the PT-305. Now 29, Schick wrote his master's thesis about the role of PT boats in World War II and is one of two PT-305 project historians. He said the vessel spent World War II in the Mediterranean. "Her primary role in the Med was to attack German convoys running the coast,'' he said. "She has three kills'' - the armored barges and an Italian torpedo boat. The crew conducted 77 offensive patrols and saw action in invasions of southern France. About 15 men usually served on a PT boat, and over the course of the war, 44 served on PT-305, Schick said. He said he's tracked down relatives of about a dozen crewmen and two members who are still alive. Joseph Brannan, a gunner's mate on PT-305, told of a near miss by a British bomber who thought he'd hit a German torpedo boat. Brannan said his friend, motor machinist mate Alexis Charles Kupetz, had just stuck his head out of a hatch when shrapnel tore his cheek open. Kupetz was laid on the captain's bunk and Brannan held the wound closed while the PT crew sought a doctor, finally finding one on a French destroyer, Schick said. Schick said the crewmen he's had the least success finding information about were Lt. j.g. Richard A. Hamilton of Rugby, North Dakota, possibly born in 1915; torpedo man Wilfred E. "Red'' Horwarth, who died in February 1974 in Cincinnati, Ohio; and motor machinist mate 1st Class William Herman Minnick, who was born in Logansport, Indiana, and died in May 2004. "Each one that I haven't found relatives for, I want to get in touch with,'' he said. A court in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, has imposed the death sentence on The Observer journalist Farzad Bazoft. He has been convicted of spying for Israel while working on a story about an explosion at a weapons complex 30 miles (48km) south of the capital. The British nurse, Daphne Parish, who is said to have driven him to the site has been jailed for 15 years. The pair were arrested last September after visiting the military establishment. Mr Bazoft, who came to live in Britain from Iran in the early 1980s, had written a number of articles on the Middle East for The Observer newspaper. He was subsequently invited by the Iraqi government to join a journalists trip to examine reconstruction work after the war with Iran. But on the day he flew out, there were reports of an explosion at the Al-Iskandrai plant, said to be at the centre of Iraqs development of medium-range missiles. Hundreds were reported to have been killed. The Observer newspaper commissioned Mr Bazoft to write a report. Independent Television News was also interested in the explosion, but a camera crew was stopped from reaching the plant. Mr Bazoft, travelling with Mrs Parish, got through. He was picked up at Baghdad airport, waiting for a flight back to London. Observer editor Donald Trelford said: Farzad Bazoft is not a spy. He is a reporter who went to do a story. He said in advance the story he was going to do. He told the Baghdad government where he wanted to go This is not the action of a spy, this is the action of a reporter. The so-called spies were tried behind closed doors. Mr Bazoft had earlier been filmed making a confession his colleagues say it was false. Foreign Office Minister William Waldegrave met the Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister, Nizar Hamdoun, before todays hearing to demand a full and fair trial. Now he says he will be pressing for clemency. He said: Our objective now is to concentrate on the next few hours to try to get the death sentence lifted and to appeal on humanitarian grounds for an urgent review of the sentences. Courtesy BBC News In context Before their trial, President Saddam Hussein had written to the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, assuring her Farzad Bazoft and Daphne Parish would get a fair hearing. International appeals for clemency fell on deaf ears. Mr Bazoft was hanged on 15 March 1990. He told a British envoy shortly before his death that he was simply a reporter after a scoop. There was international condemnation of the execution but not surprise. Saddam Husseins regime was becoming well known for its brutality. The British ambassador to Iraq was ordered to leave and all ministerial visits cancelled. Daphne Parish was released on 16 July 1990. On 2 August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, starting the Gulf War. The decisive impact of books at an early age was the theme of a talk included in the ongoing Macau Literary Festival. Brazilian writer Luiz Ruffato and Carlos Andre, the head of the Portuguese Language Teaching and Research Center at the Macau Polytechnic Institute, explained how their passion for reading developed at a young age. During the session held at the Old Court Building, Luiz Ruffato claimed that he only sought out the library as a refuge when he was bullied, and only started reading in the library after pretending to do so. As a child, I didnt feel alone, he said. Claiming that books took his mind and imagination to various places, he mentioned classics by Alexandre Herculano and Rubem Fonseca. He also discussed reading issues in Brazil, commenting that only one in three know how to interpret literature. Meanwhile, Carlos Andre highlighted the compulsory use of books in school, which are described as boring by some. Compulsory books arent supposed to be boring, he said, adding that the problem is not in the books themselves, but with teachers who dont spark any interest in reading among their students. He claimed that teachers are responsible for turning books into life, emphasizing that educators should completely change the perspective of reading a required book. Moreover, he discussed the use of technology among this generation which interferes with students reading classical books. He added that children should discover the art of analyzing stories, as it is a fundamental skill a child needs to be more creative and artistic. When asked how passionate readers can turn into authors, Luis Ruffato said one should firstly write for oneself and practice over time. Writers are not born writers. It comes with practice and with the right techniques, he added. Staff reporter At the launch of the Macau Meetings, Incentives and Special Events (MISE) association, Bruno Simoes, secretary of the executive board, told the Times that he considers the accessibility and infrastructure of Macau to be the greatest challenges facing the development of Macaus Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (MICE) industry. Referencing the delays in infrastructure construction, Simoes said, we are still waiting for the ferry terminal, and the [Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau] bridge, and the metro [light rail project] those projects will take time to finish. He added that while in Cotai the situation is very good, Macaus infrastructure elsewhere requires further development. The greatest challenge over the next five to ten years is probably the accessibility of Macau, said Simoes. Bruno Simoes made these comments on the sidelines of this weeks launch of the new association, which was hosted at the St. Regis Macau. According to organizers, over 100 professionals from the tourism and events industry attended the evening ceremony, as well as representatives from the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute. The newly-launched MISE association seeks to support the development of Macaus MICE industry through three main avenues: the promotion of Macau as an international destination for MICE events; the hosting of education events, with the goal of increasing Macaus offerings of internationally-recognized industry certifications; and the production of whitepapers and case studies to recommend solutions for the sector. At the launch ceremony Simoes announced the first three proposed areas for whitepapers. The first areas they intend to cover include Transportation, MICE Statistics and Special Venues for Events. The association also intends to fill a gap in the market, according to various members of the senior leadership team, who revealed that other associations in Macau neglect the promotion of incentives and special events. There are many associations in Macau [for the MICE industry], but most of them are focused on exhibitions. There is no other local association that covers these particular segments, namely incentives and special events, said Todd Cai, President of the Board of Directors. We felt that nobody was covering certain areas and we thought that we could help, added Bruno Simoes. Another goal for the association is to establish a networking platform accessible by all MICE professionals, as a means for connecting industry employees with an independent entity. This will not only support members activities, but also work as a platform for education, a press statement from the organization read. Last year, the Macau government announced that one of the biggest objectives in the diversification of the economy would be to attract high-level events to Macau, and help transform the MSAR into a word-class destination. However, promoting Macaus name and brand abroad will also be part of the challenge in attracting such events to the MSAR. While Macau is well-known in the Asia-Pacific region, people further afield are often unaware of the territory. Macau is still relatively unknown outside the region, Simoes admitted. [Developing the MICE industry] is an important task, he concluded during his speech at the launch ceremony, and it is going to take time, but with the support of all of you, it can be achieved. Daniel Beitler North Korea caused a new stir yesterday by publicizing a purported mock-up of a key part of a nuclear warhead, with leader Kim Jong Un saying his country has developed miniaturized atomic bombs that can be placed on missiles. The Norths Rodong Sinmun newspaper carried photos on its front page showing Kim and nuclear scientists standing beside what outside analysts say appears to be a model warhead part a small, silverish globe with a ballistic missile or a model ballistic missile in the background. The newspaper said Kim met his nuclear scientists for a briefing on the status of their work and declared he was greatly pleased that warheads had been standardized and miniaturized for use on ballistic missiles. Information from secretive, authoritarian North Korea is often impossible to confirm and the countrys state media have a history of photo manipulations. But it was the first time the North has publicly displayed its purported nuclear designs, though it remains unclear whether the country has functioning warheads of that size or is simply trying to develop one. South Koreas Defense Ministry quickly disputed the Norths claim that it possesses miniaturized warheads. It called the photos and miniaturization claim an intolerable direct challenge to the international community. The photos come amid heightened tensions after the United Nations imposed harsh sanctions on North Korea for its nuclear test and long-range rocket launch earlier this year. North Korea warned Monday of pre-emptive nuclear strikes after the United States and South Korea began their biggest-ever war games, which are to continue until the end of April. North Korea has previously said it has nuclear warheads small enough to put on long-range missiles capable of striking the U.S. mainland, but experts have questioned those claims. The round object shown in the photos appears to be a model of a warhead trigger device which would contain uranium or plutonium, according to nuclear expert Whang Joo-ho of Kyung Hee University in South Korea. He said it was obviously a model because Kim and others would not stand near an actual device because of concerns about radioactivity. In the photos, no one is seen wearing radiation suits for protection. Several other analysts agreed that the object appears to be a model warhead part. But expert Taewoo Kim at South Koreas Konyang University said it looks more like a bomb that could be released from planes like the plutonium bomb the United States dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki during World War II, rather than the type installed on missiles. Whang said it was impossible to judge from the photos if North Korea has mastered the miniaturization technology because it is not known if the object is real or not. But he said its shape is similar to parts used in nuclear warheads developed by other countries. Also shown in the photos is a KN-08 ballistic missile or its model, which reportedly has an estimated range of 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles), according to South Korean analysts. The KN-08, which North Korea showed off in 2012, is said to be capable of being launched from a road-mobile vehicle, which would make it difficult to monitor via satellite. The South Korean Defense Ministry said it believes the missile hasnt been proven functional. North Korea says it tested its first H-bomb on Jan. 6, followed last month by the launch of a rocket that put a satellite into orbit but which violated U.N. resolutions because it employs dual-use technology that could also be applied to long-range ballistic missiles. North Koreas development of smaller nuclear weapons and long-range missiles has long been a matter of concern and could shake up the security balance in Asia. Hyung-Jin Kim, Seoul, AP An agreement between the mainlands General Administration of Customs and Macau to strengthen cooperation on the management of maritime waters and law enforcement is likely to be signed in May, according to the Secretary for Security. Wong Sio Chak made the comments on Tuesday, after attending a graduation swearing-in ceremony for senior police officers and firemen. On the sidelines of the event, Wong said that a preliminary agreement between Macau and the mainland had been reached on maritime cooperation, including the specifics of law enforcement duties over the citys 85 square kilometers of water. He added that the agreement was the result of a recent visit to Beijing and a meeting with officials there. It included a meeting with the Minister of the General Administration of Customs, Yu Guangzhou. In response to questions from reporters, the secretary said the local authorities were very concerned about the disappearance of a member of the Public Security Police Force facing a disciplinary investigation, and that the authorities are still investigating the case. He also confirmed that, as the Times reported earlier this week, the police officer under investigation had left Macau after assisting in a separate police investigation. No further information could be disclosed at the time, because the officers departure from Macau was itself still under investigation, he added. customs to apply dual-channel system The Macau Customs Service has announced that the dual-channel system for arrivals will begin operations on March 15, in the hope that it will ease the flow of passengers at entry checkpoints. The first tests are set to be carried out at the Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal. Prohibited and controlled items, such as unlicensed plants, animals and medicine, will have to go through inspections along the Red Channel, whereas passengers with nothing to declare will simply walk through the Green Channel. The Philippine Supreme Court ruled yesterday that Sen. Grace Poe is eligible to run for president in May 9 elections, overturning an elections commission decision to disqualify her and removing a long-hanging legal question over a tightly fought race to lead the Southeast Asian nation. The justices voted 9-6 to favor Poes petitions against the Commission on Elections decision last December to disqualify her on the grounds that she was not a natural-born citizen and did not have the required 10-year Philippine residency required of presidential candidates, Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te said at a news conference, adding that the ruling can be appealed. This victory isnt only mine, a triumphant Poe told hundreds of people who joined an International Womens Day rally by a left-wing group in a downtown Manila square. This is a victory for all of us. The decision will provide a major boost to the campaign of Poe, who has already been leading in popularity polls, and removes a cloud of uncertainty over what has been shaping as a closely contested four-way race to succeed President Benigno Aquino III, whose six-year term ends June 30. She will now be the candidate to beat, political analyst Ramon Casiple said, adding that fence sitters and supporters who were concerned that Poe may be taken out of the race because of her legal troubles would now have a clear choice. She can now run away from the pack, Casiple said. Pulse Asia, an independent polling body, placed Poe in the lead with 26 percent in a survey conducted last month of 1,800 respondents nationwide, followed by Vice President Jejomar Binay, who got 25 percent. Former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, whose candidacy has been endorsed by Aquino, and tough-talking Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of southern Davao city each got 21 percent. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percent. Poe had a wider lead in a Pulse Asia poll in January. Although a political neophyte, the 47-year-old Poe carries a popular family name and has a heart-rending life story in a country where many are swayed more by personalities than policy positions. The U.S.-educated Poe is the adopted daughter of one of the Philippines most famous movie couples. Her late father, Fernando Poe Jr., was a movie action star who mostly played roles as a defender of the poor and downtrodden in a country still plagued by widespread poverty and corruption. But the Commission on Elections ruled in December that Poe was not a natural- born Filipino as required by the constitution because she was abandoned as a baby by her unknown parents at a Roman Catholic church. Poe, who renounced her Philippine citizenship for about five years to live with her own family in America, also lacked the required 10-year Philippine residency ahead of the May 9 vote, the commission said. That prompted Poe to bring her case to the Supreme Court, which she asked to thrash her disqualification. Appearing often in campaign sorties in a white shirt and blue denim pants that many Filipinos identify with her father, Poe has run on the same pro-poor platform that her father carried, pledging that under her presidency, nobody will be left behind. Aquinos successor will need to grapple with poverty, corruption and Marxist and Muslim insurgencies in the south persistent problems facing a country that three decades ago toppled the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos through a people power movement. AP Australias prime minister yesterday dismissed public concerns revealed by a U.S. opinion poll about a Chinese company leasing a strategically important port. The Australian newspaper reported that the U.S. State Department had polled Australians via text message about their opinions about Chinese company Landbridge securing a 99-year lease over the Port of Darwin. Almost half those surveyed said allowing a Chinese company to manage the port posed a lot of risk to national security and nine in 10 said it posed at least some risk, according to U.S. government research obtained by the newspaper. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australian defense and security officials had determined the 506 million Australian dollar (USD375 million) deal struck last year did not threaten national interests. Thats how we determine security issues, not with all due respect by text message opinion polls, Turnbull told reporters. The newspaper said two polls were commissioned in February, each involving more than 1,000 respondents nationwide. The polls were conducted on behalf of the Office of Opinion Research, which is part of the Bureau of Intelligence Research. U.S. Ambassador to Australia John Berry said the State Department conducts public opinion polls in countries around the world to supplement available polling and help us understand international perspectives. Such low-level polls do not reflect U.S. government views, policy or position, Berry said in a statement. Darwin is a major military base where U.S. Marines have established a rotational presence. Gen. Lori Robinson, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces, is currently in Australia discussing plans to rotate U.S. bombers through northern Australian air force bases at Darwin and Tindal as part of an increased U.S. military presence in the Pacific. An opinion analysis document, dated March 2 and marked for official use only, warned that Landbridges reported ties to the Chinese armed forces raise concerns port access could facilitate intelligence collection on U.S. and Australia military forces stationed nearby, the newspaper reported. Landbridge says it is a private company with no links to the Chinese military. President Barack Obama asked Turnbull about the port deal when they meet in Manila in November. The United States government is satisfied that the security issues relating to the lease of the port were examined carefully and professionally and appropriately, Turnbull said. Rod McGuirk, Canberra, AP Taiwanese lawmakers passed a resolution on Monday to withdraw the new section of legislation that prevents pro-Taiwanese independence activists from having Republic of Taiwan stickers on their Republic of China passports. The Legislatures National Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee passed the non-binding resolution which was proposed by several opposition lawmakers in order to revoke Article Three of the Enforcement Rules of the Passport Act, according to a China Post report. The article prohibits Taiwanese citizens from placing Republic of Taiwan stickers on the cover of their passports. Failing to observe this law may result in a passport revocation by government authorities. New Power Party lawmaker, Freddy Lim, said that Article Five of the Passport Act only specifies that passport holders cannot make changes on the inner pages of their passport, however, the foreign minister modified the law to further specify that no alterations should be made on the front cover of a passport. Lim, the proponent of the resolution, then criticized the move saying it had already violated the original act itself, thus should not be effective in the first place. Lim also argues that many nationals place the stickers on their passports so as to prevent Taiwanese citizens to be wrongly identified as a Chinese national. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister David Lin clarified that the regulation is only meant to protect the rights of Taiwanese citizens traveling overseas since the use of the stickers could undermine the credibility of the countrys passport. Lin mentioned the concerns of many countries over the use of such stickers, which could lead to visa denials by foreign authorities, including those in the U.S., but promises to review Lims proposal. At least 15 Taiwanese citizens holding passports with the Republic of Taiwan stickers have been refused entry into Macau since the beginning of this year. NORTH KOREA causes a new stir by publicizing a purported mock-up of a key part of a nuclear warhead, with leader Kim Jong Un saying his country has developed miniaturized atomic bombs that can be placed on missiles. JAPAN A court issues an unprecedented order for a nuclear reactor in western Japan to stop operating and directs a second one to stay offline. MYANMAR Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyis decades-long battle to bring democracy to Myanmar is likely to come to fruition today but she most likely will not become her countrys leader due to a constitutional barrier. INDIA Officials are launching a program to protect people from extreme heat in two high-risk regions, after a devastating heat wave killed at least 2,500 people across the country last year. INDIA A 15-year-old girl who was raped and set on fire this week dies at the hospital where she was being treated for severe burns. AUSTRALIA hopes to send thousands of Iranian asylum seekers back to their homeland under a new deal with Tehran, Australian officials said yesterday. Foreign Minister Julie Bishops negotiations with her Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif were well advanced on a deal expected to be signed next week. TUNISIA Security forces have killed seven gunmen in further clashes near the Libyan border, bringing the number of assailants killed in two days to 43. ZIKA Sexual transmission of the Zika virus is more common than previously thought, the World Health Organization said, citing reports from several countries. After a meeting of its emergency committee, the U.N. health agency also said there is increasing evidence that a spike in disturbing birth defects and neurological problems are caused by Zika, which is mostly spread by mosquito bites. USA A New York City student from China who prosecutors say plunged into the dark side of the Internet was sentenced to 16 years in prison for trying to acquire ricin so he could sell simple and easy death pills. Cheng Le, 22, was sentenced in Manhattan federal court after his conviction by a Manhattan jury in August on charges he tried to acquire ricin as a weapon, postal fraud and identity theft. DENVER The nation needs to change the way it protects endangered species because the current practice is bogged down in lawsuits and weakened by mistrust, the head of the Western Governors Association said Wednesday. Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead said Wednesday the problem is nationwide and that he hopes to build bipartisan support for changes in the federal Endangered Species Act, the primary tool for protecting species on the brink of extinction. He stopped short of suggesting specific changes but said yearslong legal battles frustrate landowners, local governments and industry and eat up resources that could be used to protect other other species. Mead, a Republican serving a one-year term as chairman of the Western Governors Association, said the problem is partly in the law itself and partly in the way its put into practice. Deciding whether to protect a species is nearly always a long, contentious struggle because federal intervention can result in rules that limit oil and gas drilling, mining, agriculture and other land uses. I dont think its collapsing, but I do think theres definite chinks, Mead said after speaking to wildlife managers, conservationists and business interests meeting in Denver to review how well the Endangered Species Act works. Mead directed the Western Governors Association to conduct the review. Meads initiative comes as southwestern states are battling the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over reintroducing endangered Mexican gray wolves in Arizona and New Mexico, and the federal government is attempting to lift protection from grizzly bears around Yellowstone National Park. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, agreed that decisions about protecting individual species drag on too long with no definitive conclusion. Theres got to be a point ... where we can declare victory, he said. Hickenlooper, who also spoke at Wednesdays gathering, declined to say whether the law needs major or minor changes. Eric Holst of the Environmental Defense Fund agreed the process of protecting species should be faster and less complicated, but he said changes could be made without rewriting the law. We believe that the law has sufficient flexibility in it to solve some of the legitimate problems that folks in this forum (in Denver) have pointed out, he said. Mead and Hickenlooper cited a sweeping conservation effort just getting under way to save the greater sage grouse as a model for how endangered species can be protected with support and guidance from a wide range of interest groups. The federal government decided in September not to list the ground-dwelling sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act, instead opting for new rules and land use policies for federal lands. The birds, known for their elaborate mating ritual, range across a 257,000-square-mile region spanning 11 states. Environmental groups, mining companies, ranchers and some state governments have filed multiple lawsuits challenging the conservation plan, arguing it either goes too far or not far enough. Mead said such protected legal battles threaten to leave residents and state and local officials disillusioned. Mead also argued that court challenges make it too difficult to remove a species from protection, even if it has recovered. Since the Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973, only 1.4 percent of the 2,200 protected species have been removed from the list because they have recovered, he said. He pointed to wolves, which were briefly removed from federal protection in Wyoming but then put then returned to protected status after environmental groups filed lawsuits challenging state management plans. You have to have a way to reach the goal line, Mead said. Nicht Ihr Computer? Dann konnen Sie fur die Anmeldung ein Fenster zum privaten Surfen offnen. Weitere Informationen Held in memory of Adam Smiddy, who passed away from an aggressive melanoma aged 26, Smiling for Smiddy delivers inspiring challenge events where individuals and communities alike can band together to raise funds for cancer research at Mater, the Smiddy way. The UN-led talks to end the Syrian war will begin in Geneva on Wednesday but key actors of the crisis are expected to arrive on Monday. Special envoy Staffan De Mistura said they are ready to receive participants. The Assad government confirmed that it will arrive on Monday while the head of High Negotiations Committee (HNC) Riad Hijab said it will send a small delegation to meet the international task force monitoring the US-Russia negotiated ceasefire in Syria. HNC spokesperson said they are discussing whether to attend the talks this week. De Misturas spokeswoman, Jessy Chahine, said the talks will begin on Wednesday afternoon and preparatory meetings will begin ahead of substantive discussions expected to commence latest on March 14. She said the delay is due to the very logistically challenging organization because a major car show in the city had filled all the hotels leading to the arrival of the participants on different dates. The Syrian war is nearing its sixth year and a report released by World Vision estimated that the countrys economy has lost $368 billion. The report took into account the market stocks destroyed and the loss of human capital. More than half of the countrys population has fled and more than 250,000 has been killed. The World Vision report estimated the cost of the conflict by looking at what Syrias economic growth most likely would have been had the war never broken out. Meanwhile, there are reports that top IS Commander Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili alias Omar the Chechen was killed by a US airstrike near Shaddadi along the Iraqi-Syrian border. The Syrian-based Georgian national had a $5 million bounty on his head by the US. Iranian state television reported that the Aerospace Force of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards ( IRGC) test fired several locally developed ballistic missiles. The test could incite a new round of diplomatic tussle between Iran and the US. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said they would seek an appropriate response at the UN Security Council as well as continue to aggressively apply our unilateral tools to counter threats of the program if the test is confirmed. Diplomats say the UN is not expected to react. Russia and China, which have veto power, made clear during negotiations on the Iran nuclear deal they did not agree with continuing the UN restrictions on Tehrans missile program and arms trade. The test comes only two months after Washington imposed sanctions on businesses and individuals linked to the missile program. Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of IRGCs aerospace branch, said the tested missiles hit targets 700km away although television reports only showed the footage of a missile being fired from a fortified underground silo at night. He claimed that our main enemies are imposing new sanctions on Iran to weaken our missile capabilities but vowed that they refuse to bow to their excessive demands hinting that ballistic missile tests will continue. IRGCS website said the test was a show of deterrent power and ability to confront any threat against the state and its territorial integrity. Irans deputy foreign minister Abbas Araqchi on Tuesday told Iranian officials shortly after the test that there will be no reason for us to continue adhering to the nuclear agreement if the countrys interests are not met. Iran says the Emad and other missiles are for use as a conventional deterrent. Q: How did you become involved in doing heart-lung transplants? Reitz: As an undergraduate physiology major at Stanford, I had done research with a professor studying the immunological reactions of the heart. Then, in 1969, when I was still a medical student, I asked about working in the research lab run by Dr. Norman Shumway, chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the father of heart transplantation. Eighteen months earlier, he and his team did the first successful adult heart transplant in the United States. He said yes. After I finished my residency in cardiac surgery, I came back to the lab. I asked Dr. Shumway what needed to be done, and he said hed like to see if we could make some progress in combining heart transplantation with complete bilateral lung transplantation. There were patients with congenital heart defects and patients with severe lung disease who currently could not be treated by transplantation. Mary Gohlke, whose heart had been damaged by her disease, was exactly that kind of patient. Nor did we have a way to transplant lungs then except as part of a heart-lung package. Q: What were the first steps? Reitz: We began by doing auto-transplants: Taking the organs out and replacing them in the same animal. We were using rhesus monkeys. That helped us establish the techniques of the surgery without organ rejection. Then we started looking at the antirejection drugs then in use, but they just didnt work. Q: How did you solve that problem? Reitz: A new immunosuppressive drug known as cyclosporin A had been developed in Europe by Sandoz Inc. This compound, after experimental and clinical work by professors Roy Calne and David White at Cambridge University, seemed to provide much better immunosuppression. In the summer of 1978, White visited Stanford and gave a seminar to a small group of the heart transplant team. Sandoz agreed to give the Stanford laboratory some of the drug. We could see that when we used it on our monkey transplants that it was very effective: It prevented rejection but allowed good healing of the transplant connection at the trachea and quick recovery of the animals to apparently normal pulmonary and heart function. Q: What held you back from its use in heart-lung transplant? Reitz: By early fall of 1980, we began to think about potential patients. The Food and Drug Administration and the Stanford Institutional Review Board gave approval for a clinical trial with heart transplants. The first heart transplant trial patient to get cyclosporin was operated on in December 1980. He and subsequent patients showed improved postoperative recoveries that were clearly different from those of the previous patients receiving steroids and a different immunosuppressant medication. But the FDA had not approved cyclosporins use for anything other than heart transplant. Then Mary Gohlke made that phone call to her boss, and the FDA gave a blanket approval for Stanford and other qualified medical centers to use the drug for heart-lung transplant. Q: What was the surgery like? Reitz: We had a double-sized team of doctors one for the donor and one for Mary Gohlke. It included Dr. Shumway; Dr. John Wallwork, then a transplant fellow and now chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, England; Dr. Edward Stinson, who had partnered with Dr. Shumway for the first heart transplant surgery; and Dr. Philip Oyer, who went on to co-develop and implant the first mechanical ventricular assist device. The appearance of Mary Gohlkes totally empty chest was indeed a dramatic moment. I wondered, Is this really going to work out? But the implantation went smoothly, the heart resuscitated quickly, and lung function was adequate immediately. We finished up about six hours later. Mary made a steady improvement. It was such a transformation for her! To take someone back from the brink of death and give them health thats one of the great things about transplant and about being involved in transplant. When she died five years later, she did not have any findings of chronic rejection in either her lungs or heart at the time of death. Her spirit, courage, determination and, ultimately, her willingness to explore the unknown, to be the first, made possible the era of therapeutic lung transplantation. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said the mobile phone operator MTN fueled the countrys Boko Haram insurgency by failing to disconnect unregistered SIM cards. Buhari who spoke in a joint press conference with the visiting South African president Jacob Zuma in Abuja was giving the reasons why the Nigeria National Communication (NCC) fined the network provider. Buhari observed that Boko Haram had relied on unregistered SIM card to perpetrate their atrocities, leading to the death of thousands of people. You know how the unregistered [sim cards] are being used by terrorists and between 2009 and today, at least 10,000 Nigerians were killed by Boko Haram, Buhari said. He said MTN was very very slow and contributed to the casualties. The South African giant was fined $5.2 billion in October by Nigerias telecoms industry regulator for failing to disconnect the cards. The fine was later reduced to $3.4 billion. To a question on the Nigerian $9.3 million that were meant for arms purchase and that were seized by South African authorities, President Jacob Zuma explained that the money was not released yet because investigations were not over. Part of the money had been ferried with a private jet to South Africa in what the Nigerian government at the time said was an attempt to procure arms through black market to fight Boko Haram. The South African president also spoke on the possible payment of compensation to Nigerian victims of the recent xenophobic attacks in his country, saying that once victims were able to report and identify what had been taken from them, solution could be found. At least two workers died and five are still missing after a 250-metre copper and cobalt mine collapsed in the south-eastern region of Democratic Republic of Congo. Of the seven who disappeared, two bodies were found, Gustave Nzeng, chairman of Kamoto Copper Company (KCC), the joint venture that runs the mine, told local media. Rescue efforts to find the remaining workers were being hindered by heavy rain, Nzeng said. Richard Muyej, the top government official in Lualaba province, told reporters that the wall that collapsed in the KOV open pit mine was more than 250m high. The landslide was also believed to have damaged drainage equipment in the pit, Glencore said in a statement. Katanga mining joint venture is controlled by Glencore, a Swiss company, while Congos state mining company Gecamines and Israeli billionaire Dan Gertlers Fleurette Group both hold minority stakes. It has a market cap of $381.01 million. The Company, through its subsidiaries, produces copper and cobalt metal and have copper and cobalt assets in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It currently has negative earnings. It announced an 18-month suspension of production last year, but work on maintenance and an $880 million modernization project to cut costs has continued. Nigeria and Switzerland have signed an agreement for the return of more than $300 million confiscated from the family of Nigerias Sani Abacha. The Swiss foreign minister, Didier Burkhalter, on Tuesday said the agreement will make way for the release of the $321m Abacha loot. It is $321m that we are looking at repatriating to Nigeria and the modalities are basically legal framework for that, mutual legal assistance framework that we are trying to put in place and there are pre-conditions that are also in place already and this requires monitoring mechanism, Didier Burkhalter said. The Swiss official also said his country will continue to help Nigeria cater for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North. Nigerias President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to fight corruption saying that $150 billion was looted from Nigerian state coffers over the past decade. Around $5 billion of that is believed to have been looted by one man in particular. Sani Abacha, the military leader who ruled Nigeria between 1993 and 1998, is the culprit. Much of the stolen cash was filtered through to Swiss bank accounts. Your digital subscription includes access to content from all our websites in your region. Access unlimited news content and The Canberra Times app. Premium subscribers also enjoy interactive puzzles and access to the digital version of our print edition - Today's Paper. A child who soothes themselves back to sleep from an early age adjusts to school more easily than those who don't, new QUT research has found. The Australian study revealed one in three children have escalating problems sleeping across birth to five years which increased their risk of emotional and behavioural issues at school and put them at risk of attention deficit disorders. Dr Kate Williams (click video below) from QUT's Faculty of Education, School of Early Childhood, said the research involved 2,880 children from the landmark study, Growing up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). She analysed the sleep behaviour of children born in 2004 until they reached six-to-seven years. "We now know 70 per cent of children are regulating their own sleep by five years but for the remaining third it may be detrimental to them developmentally over time," Dr Williams said. "The overwhelming finding is it's vital to get children's sleep behaviours right by the time they turn five." Dr Williams' research titled Early childhood profiles of sleep problems and self-regulation predict later school adjustment was published in the British Journal of Educational Psychology. Dr Williams said her research was one of the first to use a large sample size and examine the long-term impact of children's sleep on early school behaviour. She said mothers reported on children's sleep problems, emotional and attention from birth to five years and teachers reported on children's social emotional adjustment to school. Dr Williams said she was surprised by the high number of children identified as having escalating behavioural sleep problems across birth to five years, which was linked with poorer self-regulation of attention and emotion. She said children characterised as having escalating sleep problems in early childhood were associated with higher teacher-reported hyperactivity, poorer classroom self-regulation and emotional outbursts. "If these sleep issues aren't resolved by the time children are five years old then they are at risk of poorer adjustment to school," she said. With more than 85 per cent of families using child care or preschool services, Dr Williams said there was an opportunity for better awareness about sleep hygiene practices before children started school. "Parents can withdraw some habits, like lying with children over and over, letting them into their bed, it's really important to give children a sense of skill so they can do these things themselves," she said. Dr Williams also said sleep intervention strategies were extremely effective. The study builds on QUT research which linked mandatory day time naps in child care centres to sleep problems later on. "Sleep problems can be sorted out long before a child reaches school age provided parents, carers and child care works are aware and supported," she said. "Prevention is the key." Explore further Trouble sleeping associated with behavioral problems in children with autism More information: Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. www.growingupinaustralia.gov.au/ Kate E. Williams et al. Early childhood profiles of sleep problems and self-regulation predict later school adjustment, British Journal of Educational Psychology (2016). DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12109 People newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) may often have other chronic health conditions as well, according to a study published in the March 9, 2016 online issue of Neurology. "These findings are interesting for several reasons," said study author Ruth Ann Marrie, MD, of the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada, and member of the American Academy of Neurology. "It raises the question of whether there are shared risk factors for both MS and these other diseases, and if so, whether we could eventually find ways to reduce the risk of both MS and the other diseases. Also, studies have shown that MS may progress faster for people who also have other chronic conditions, so it's important for people and their doctors to be aware of this and try to manage these conditions." For the study, researchers examined how common several chronic conditions were in 23,382 people with MS at the time of their diagnosis and 116,638 people of the same age and sex without the disease. The conditions included high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, chronic lung disease, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel disease, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The people with MS had higher rates of all of the conditions except high cholesterol. The rates were especially high for mental illness. The most common condition was depression. At least 19 percent of those with MS had depression compared to 9 percent of those without the disease. As depression and anxiety can affect quality of life and can increase the risk of hospitalization, the ability of people to be adherent to their medication regimens is important. Marrie said these conditions should be closely monitored. For many of the conditions, the rates differed for men and women with MS. For men with MS, the rate of high blood pressure was 48 percent higher than for men without the disease: 22 percent of men with MS versus 15 percent of men without MS. For women with MS, the rate was 16 percent higher than for women without the disease: 14 percent of women with MS versus 12 percent of women without MS. Men with MS also had disproportionately higher levels of diabetes, epilepsy, depression and anxiety than women with MS. Women with MS had disproportionately higher levels of chronic lung disease than men with MS. Marrie said further study is needed about the differences between men and women and whether the safety of MS treatments differs for those with additional chronic illnesses. "One possible reason for the finding is that these chronic illnesses and MS share many of the same risk factors," said William B. Grant, PhD, of the Sunlight, Nutrition and Health Research Center in San Francisco, Calif., who wrote a corresponding editorial. "Smoking, obesity, low vitamin D and low omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to contribute to the severity of MS and, in various combinations, these other illnesses as well. Doctors will want to stress to those with MS the importance of correcting these problems." It is important to note that the age of the people in the study when they were diagnosed was high and may not represent the MS population as a whole. The researchers also looked at how common the conditions were five years before the people were diagnosed with MS and found that people who were later diagnosed with MS were still more likely to have the other conditions. Explore further People with multiple sclerosis may have double the risk of dying early Students at the Hebrew University's BioDesign program developed ThoraXS, a one-handed thoracic portal opener that shortens the procedure time of chest-tube insertion from minutes to less than 30 seconds. Credit: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Pneumothorax is a medical emergency: the collection of air in the pleural space separating the lung from the chest wall, causing it to collapse and resulting in suffocation. Pneumothorax is caused by chest trauma, and is believed to be responsible for over a third of preventable deaths on the battlefield and in terror attacks. The current treatment involves two steps: a fast needle decompression of the thorax (between the neck and abdomen, where the lungs and other vital organs are located), followed by a 10-minute tissue separation and tube insertion procedure into the chest to drain air and blood, allowing the lung to re-inflate. "This is a very laborious and technically difficult procedure," said Dr. Ariel Drori, an internal medicine expert at Hadassah Medical Center, "leading caregivers to neglect the second step in favor of rapid evacuation from the scene to the hospital." The need for an alternative solution was made evident by a recent wave of stabbing attacks that left dozens of Israeli civilians dead or wounded. Members of the BioDesign: Medical Innovation program, created by The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and its affiliated Hadassah Medical Center, set out to solve this problem. To address this challenge, Dr. Drori partnered with Yoav Kan-Tor and Bettina Nadorp, engineering students at The Hebrew University's Alexander Grass Center for Bioengineering, along with Dr. Liran Levy, a pulmonologist from Hadassah Medical Center, and Chen Goldstein, an MBA student at The Hebrew University. Together they developed ThoraXS. Students at the Hebrew University's BioDesign program developed ThoraXS, a one-handed thoracic portal opener that shortens the procedure time of chest-tube insertion from minutes to less than 30 seconds. Credit: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ThoraXS is a one-handed thoracic portal opener that shortens the procedure time of chest-tube insertion from minutes to less than 30 seconds. Its closed knife-shape allows fast penetration of the pleural space, and its mechanical opening mechanism enables rapid and easy opening of a portal through which a chest tube can be quickly inserted. ThoraXS is thus a single-step, rapid life-saving solution for treating pneumothorax. Prof. Yaakov Nahmias, director of the Hebrew University's Alexander Grass Center for Bioengineering, said: "Our students responded to terror attacks by developing life-saving medical devices, an approach that is the very essence of our BioDesign: Medical Innovation program. ThoraXS is a life-saving innovation that exemplifies our commitment to helping the local and global communities through practical research and development projects." Nahmias added that ThoraXS's market potential was estimated at $300 million annually, and that continued investment is actively being sought. Explore further Robotic IV insertion device means less pain for kids (HealthDay)A policy introducing nutrition standards for competitive beverages can improve the nutritional quality of beverages sold in schools, according to a study published online March 3 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease. Rebecca S. Mozaffarian, M.P.H., from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, and colleagues documented types of competitive beverages sold in 115 schools in 2013, nine years after introduction of district-wide nutrition standards for competitive beverages sold in Boston Public Schools. Nutrient data were collected to determine compliance with standards. The extent to which schools met the competitive beverage standards was examined. The researchers found that 89.6 percent of schools met the competitive beverage nutrition standards. Overall, 88.5 and 61.5 percent of elementary and middle schools, respectively, did not sell competitive beverages. In 79.2 percent of high schools, nutrition standards were met; 37.5 and 41.7 percent did not sell any competitive beverages and sold only beverages that met the standards, respectively. Overall, 85.5 percent of students attended schools that met the standards, and access to sugar-sweetened beverages was observed for only 4.0 percent of students. "A comprehensive, district-wide competitive beverage policy with implementation support can translate into a sustained healthful environment in public schools," the authors write. Explore further Researchers find Massachusetts schools are improving food options More information: Full Text Copyright 2016 HealthDay. All rights reserved. What's the best approach to mental health treatment for refugees with posttraumatic symptoms? One clinic with extensive experience in managing traumatized refugees recommends a medical approach combining psychoactive medications, long-term psychotherapy, and screening and treatment for associated health issues, according to a paper in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice. J. David Kinzie, MD, of the Intercultural Psychiatric Program at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, shares his center's approach to the evaluation and treatment of refugee psychiatric patients, based on over 35 years of experience. He writes, "Refugees are a highly traumatized and culturally diverse group of patients who present many clinical challenges and who have a high prevalence of traumas from torture, ethnic cleansing, and the effects of long civil wars." Management Recommendations from the Intercultural Psychiatric Program The Intercultural Psychiatric Program has followed the same treatment model since its initiation in 1978. Each patient is followed by a single faculty psychiatrist, while 14 counselors from various ethnic groups play multiple roles in patient care. If at all possible, no changes are made in the patient's counselor or psychiatristthe clinic's motto is "One patient, one counselor, one psychiatrist forever." The clinic currently has 1,300 patients and can work with 18 different language groups. Part of the Oregon Mental Health System, the Intercultural Psychiatric Program is largely funded by Medicare and Medicaid payers, with additional funding from the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement and the United Nations. The clinic's medical model is more patient- than disorder-oriented, focusing on symptom reduction. The most common diagnosis in traumatized refugees is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sometimes with accompanying depression. For PTSD, the suggested treatment approach involves long-term supportive psychotherapy, combined with medications to reduce the most disruptive symptoms. Specifically, Dr. Kinzie recommends a sedating tricyclic antidepressant, an alpha-2 adrenergic blocker such as clonidine or prazosin, and an antipsychotic medication. This combination provides rapid relief of major PTSD symptoms, enabling patients to sleep while reducing nightmares, irritability, and psychotic symptoms, if present. "This relief from suffering is very much appreciated by patients and their families," Dr. Kinzie notes. Studies have also found high rates of diabetes and hypertension among traumatized refugees. These associations strongly suggest a causal relationship with PTSD, possibly involving a role of inflammation. Dr. Kinzie recommends a thorough medical evaluation, including measurement of blood pressure, testing for diabetes, and prescription of appropriate treatment. Numbers of refugees have greatly increased worldwide, with ever-larger numbers of displaced individuals coming to the United States. Since 1975, the United States has admitted 3 million refugees; in 2013, it admitted nearly 17,000. Although refugees come from diverse cultures, the vast majority have undergone severe and multiple traumas. "The main value of this approach is that it meets patients' expectations, provides symptomatic relief, usually quickly, and supports a long-term doctor-patient relationship," Dr. Kinzie adds. Refugees are generally accepting of psychiatric treatment and can obtain relief from symptoms associated with massive trauma and losses. There have been no placebo-controlled trials of the clinic's medical approach to traumatized refugeesnor are any likely to be performed because of the challenges of conducting such research and the lack of financial incentives for doing so. A previous one-year, prospective study found good improvement in 20 of 22 patients treated with the program. "Our work with traumatized refugees suggests that attending to major symptoms, providing long-term supportive psychotherapy, and ensuring the treatment of associated medical conditions result in good patient acceptance and good clinical outcomes," Dr. Kinzie concludes. He also believes that the medical approach provides a "safety net" for the fluctuating course of PTSD, helping to prevent more serious mental and physical illness. Explore further Traumatised refugees in desperate need of psychiatric support, says report More information: J. DAVID KINZIE. Medical Approach to the Management of Traumatized Refugees, Journal of Psychiatric Practice (2016). J. DAVID KINZIE. Medical Approach to the Management of Traumatized Refugees,(2016). DOI: 10.1097/PRA.0000000000000135 (HealthDay)At one month after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), many older adults have slow gait, which is associated with increased risk of death or readmission at one year, according to a study published online March 1 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. John A. Dodson, M.D., M.P.H., from New York University in New York City, and colleagues conducted an observational cohort study with longitudinal follow-up in 24 U.S. hospitals. Three hundred thirty-eight older adults (aged 65 years and older) with in-home gait assessment at one month after AMI were enrolled. The researchers found that 53.6 percent of participants had slow gait (<0.8 m/s); they were older, more likely to be female and nonwhite, and had increased prevalence of heart failure and diabetes mellitus. Compared to those with preserved gait, participants with slow gait were more likely to die or to be readmitted to the hospital within one year (35.4 versus 18.5 percent; P = 0.006). After adjustment for age, sex, and race, this correlation persisted (hazard ratio, 1.76; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.08 to 2.87); after adding clinical factors, the correlation was no longer significant (hazard ratio, 1.23; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.74 to 2.04). "Slow gait, a marker of frailty, is common one month after AMI in older adults and is associated with nearly twice the risk of dying or hospital readmission at one year," the authors write. Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical and health care industries. Copyright 2016 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Georgian Tea program: 15ha plantation rehabilitated in countrys west By Messenger Staff Georgia is stepping up its efforts to rehabilitate its existing tea plantations and encourage the development of tea production in the country.A 15 hectare tea plantation will be restored in the Etsera village in Georgias Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region within the Georgian Tea state program.The Georgian Tea program was created by Georgias Agriculture and Economy Ministries in November 2015, and aimed to rehabilitate 7,000 hectares of tea plantations step-by-step in Georgia.The first stage of the program started in February and this intended to support local and biologically clean tea production in Etsera village.At the same time, the state will support small tea processing businesses and launch certification programs together with donor organisations to ensure tea production in Georgia meets high standards.All these efforts will make it easier for Georgian tea to be exported to European markets.On a similar note, the Government will also establish a state program that supported tea storage facilities. This will see the countrys tea season expand by allow products to be better stored. Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council joint declaration signed By Messenger Staff Following the second Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Meeting in Baku Feb. 29, the participants of the meeting have signed a joint declaration.The document emphasized the intention to develop and deepen prolonged strategic relations between the producers of energy resources, transit countries and consumers for reliable, secure and consistent provision of European markets with energy resources of Azerbaijan.The document was signed by 12 ministers who took part in the meeting in the presence of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, including Vice-President of the European Commission for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic.The document also approved the carrying out of legal procedures and regulative measures by these countries for the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor project. It was noted that existing and future opportunities for the expansion of the project beyond the EU, including the Balkans will be evaluated. For this purpose, special interest was shown in the projects of Greece-Bulgaria and the Ionian Adriatic Pipeline inter connectors.At the same time, the document supported the strengthening of cooperation with national and international financial institutions to finance the project. In order to resolve issues that may arise in connection with the involvement of new suppliers or transit countries, it is proposed to continue consultations at the level of bilateral and multilateral working groups.The second Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Meeting was held in Baku on Feb. 29.The energy ministers and representatives of various organizations from the Southern Gas Corridor member-states were participating in the meeting as well.Maros Sefcovic, the Vice-President of the Energy Union, Berat Albayrak, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Amos Hochstein, US Special Envoy for Energy Affairs of the US Department of State, Edmund Hosker, Director General for International Energy Issues of the UK Energy and Climate Change Department, Claudio De Vincenti, State Secretary of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic and others were also participating in the event. Miners cease strike By Messenger Staff Miners in Tkibuli stopped striking late on Monday after a business ombudsman arrived in the western town and became actively involved in negotiations with the workers, the head of the processional union and the employer company, Saknakhshiri GIG.Through the agreement, the total salary of the miners will increase by 5% and for those whose activities are connected with certain risks will see more than 5% growth.As the workers were on strike about two weeks with the demand to obtain at least 40% increase in their salaries, they will not face any administrative sanctions.The company will provide half of their salaries for the period in which the miners were on strike, and the rest half will be compensated at the expense of vacations.The company also took responsibility to gradually upgrade the current poor working conditions.Based on the deal, the miners will resume working immediately.It should be stated that the current average salary of miners ranges between 400-500 GEL and a 5%increase will not solve any of their everyday problems.It should also be stressed that when a deal is reached after a strike in Georgia and when an employer voices certain promises, it very rarely meets them.In fact, due to the lack of safety measures and poor infrastructure, the workers daily risk their lives for just 400-500 GEL.If the dramatic downfall of the GEL-to-dollar rate is taken into account, the salary is not even enough to support monthly grocery bills.There must be a certain, powerful structure that will control how employed peoples rights and necessary conditions are protected; workers cannot depend on the promises of the employer.Unfortunately, many employers in Georgia still ignore the labor code and commit a range of violations.As there is a lack of jobs in Georgia, employed people feel the need to keep silence over any violations.As an anonymous source told The Messenger, different employers - especially in the business and aviation fields - force their employees to ask for one and sometimes several months of unpaid leave, as based on the labour code, the employer is prohibited from granting unpaid vacation time. The News in Brief Public Defender offers proposal to government concerning child mortality rate On March 1, the Public Defender held a briefing about necessary measures for the prevention and reduction of mortality amongst children under the age of 5. On February 23 ,the Public Defender addressed the Government with a proposal with regards to the issue. During preparation of the proposal, the Public Defenders Center for Childs Rights analyzed policies and legislation of ten European countries, the basis of which presented a number of recommendations. In his recommendation, the Public Defender demanded the development of a strategy and an action plan for the reduction of mortality of infants in Georgia; the improvement of access to and functioning of children's health facilities, including the equipment of facilities with appropriate infrastructure and devices, and the addition of a special helicopter for reaching remote and mountainous areas; the introduction of common regulations concerning the use of private and public medical vehicles; the elevation of qualifications of personnel and introduction of continuous education system; the promotion and implementation of the care system for pregnant women; strengthening of the availability of information about necessary mechanisms for the protection of infant health, as well as about the maternal and child health services; the introduction of a unified electronic database for processing and storing patients medical histories. Although according to the data of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Affairs, the infant mortality rate has decreased compared to the previous years, the scales of the reduction are not satisfactory with respect to European data, and remains alarmingly high. A total of 576 children under the age of five died in 2015 alone. As per the data of the Inter-Agency Group of Child Mortality Estimation (IGME), the mortality rate in developed countries is 6 per thousand live births, while in Georgia the rate is 12. The rate of maternal mortality is also high in Georgia 36 per one hundred thousand. Improper health services, a lack of neonatologists, an inadequate care system for pregnant women, including low qualifications of medical personnel, and a low level of parental awareness could be considered the causes of the infants deaths. Gaps in access to services, poor-quality or delayed services due to geographical location are especially worrisome. For example, the UNICEF survey, carried out in 2013 to reveal the causes of infant mortality, showed that the death probability of infants living outside Tbilisi was 1.4 times higher than of those living in Tbilisi, while death probability of infants living outside Tbilisi, the weights of which were 1,500 grams or less, was 1.9 times higher in the period before being discharged from hospitals and 1.5 times higher after leaving hospitals. Pursuant to the international and national standards, the state is obliged to ensure high-quality functioning of the system of protection of infants life and execution of effective implementation, as well as proper qualifications of the systems personnel. The recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) stress that the Committee is concerned about the high rate of premature births in Georgia and urges the state to allocate more resources to address the problems related to pregnancy and premature birth. (IPN) CoEs Human Rights Body Criticizes Georgia over Hate Crimes Despite some progress by Georgia on anti-discrimination policies and legislation, hate speech and violence against religious and sexual minority groups have increased over the past years, Council of Europes (CoE) human rights body, European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), said. ECRI, composed of independent experts, released its periodic report on Georgia on March 1. The previous report on Georgia was released by ECRI in April, 2010 and the new one covers the period before mid-June, 2015. Hate speech against ethnic and religious minorities, as well as against LGBT persons, continues to be a widespread problem in Georgia. Physical attacks against these groups also occur with worrying frequency, reads the report. In its comments to the report, the Georgian government responded that there are no grounds to conclude that those cases take place at worrying frequency. According to the report there is a general homo- and transphobic climate in Georgian society and LGBT groups were attacked repeatedly, in particular on the occasion of organising public events to mark the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. It said that the Georgian authorities response to those incidents cannot be considered adequate and the authorities did not always sufficiently investigate and prosecute hate crime. According to the report, although lately some attacks and threats against LGBT persons were investigated by the police they had previously refused or shown reluctance to investigate in a number of cases. The report notes that although pursuant to ECRIs recommendation Georgia introduced in 2012 a clause in the criminal code, which makes bias motives of an offender an aggravating circumstance, application of this provision is rare and there has not been a single case in which it was applied with regard to crimes motivated by sexual orientation or gender identity. According to the report the authorities have not taken adequate measures to deal with religious intolerance and also failed to enforce the law to safeguard the rights of religious minorities in several cases of attacks, which were motivated by religious intolerance. In some instances they [the authorities] promoted local mediation mechanisms instead, calling upon the dominant Georgian Orthodox Church to negotiate with the local Muslim community in the aftermath of Islamophobic attacks, reads the report. In the report, which also lists recommendations, ECRI has called on the Georgian authorities to set up a specialized unit within the police to deal specifically with racist and homophobic hate crimes. It also recommends scaling up the training activities for the judiciary and law enforcement officials on investigating incidents of hate crime. ECRI has also called for amending the anti-discrimination law, adopted in 2014, to include a duty for public institutions to ensure that parties to whom they award contracts, loans, grants or other benefits respect and promote a policy of non-discrimination. Citing a report from Tbilisi-based Media Development Foundation, ECRI says that several media outlets with xenophobic and homophobic attitudes were awarded advertisement contracts by the government ministries and agencies in 2013-2014. ECRI recommends that the authorities review their contracts with media outlets and cancel or not renew them in cases where media are known to engage in racist or homo-/transphobic hate speech. The authorities should also ensure that future contracts contain a clause stipulating that racist or homo-/transphobic hate speech will result in contract termination. (Civil.ge) via @jayhweaver @PatriciaMazzei For the past year, the leading Republican presidential candidates have drawn a hardline on deporting illegal immigrants especially front-runner Donald Trump, who has promised to build a towering wall along the U.S.-Mexican border to stop others from crossing. But none of them has ever mentioned another thorny immigration issue that hits closest to home in Miami: What to do with 28,400 Cuban nationals convicted of crimes including more than 2,000 murders who have served their prison terms and face automatic deportations to Cuba under U.S. law? For decades they have been allowed to live in Florida and other parts of the United States under the supervision of immigration authorities because the federal government has had no diplomatic relations with Cuba since the early 1960s. Of the total facing deportations, some 18,000 live in Florida. But with President Barack Obama formally re-establishing relations with Cuba last year, thousands of convicted Cuban citizens in the United States could now potentially face so-called final orders of removal to their homeland. Its uncertain how much the issue might stir up presidential candidates competing in Tuesdays Florida primaries but the eventual winner of the White House will likely be left with making difficult decisions. Should all of the Cuban felons be sent back, or just the violent offenders and drug traffickers? No one has conducted voter polls on the under-the-radar issue. Ten or 15 years ago, this issue [of deporting Cuban felons] would have caused a lot of consternation within the Cuban American community, said Dario Moreno, an associate professor at Florida International University. But today, I dont think theres going to be much sympathy for them. For now, Havana officials have made it clear they dont want any of them back. And the Obama administration has said it has no plans to change its current immigration policy toward Cuba meaning a diplomatic stalemate persists over the pending removal orders of Cuban felons, according to the Department of Homeland Security. More here. Photo credit: Andrew Harnik, Associated Press @PatriciaMazzei @NewsbySmiley Bernie Sanders made Florida wait until a week before the presidential primary to see him in person. Absence made his adoring fans hearts grow fonder. They treated the Democrats first campaign rally in the state, held Tuesday night in downtown Miami, as a long-awaited rock concert from a touring band only instead of singing along to songs, they recited Sanders words before he could get them out of his mouth. He joked he should let them on stage, perhaps to save his raspy voice. This is a sharp audience, he said, after they interrupted him for the umpteenth time, at one point getting in the way of his punchline. Youre about 12 seconds ahead of me! It was undeniably raucous. But it likely wont be enough. Sanders arrived in Florida a day before Wednesdays Democratic debate, hosted by Univision at Miami Dade Colleges Kendall Campus. He trails rival Hillary Clinton by nearly 26 percentage points in the state, according to a Real Clear Politics polling average. Even though the Florida Democratic primary awards nominating delegates proportionally by congressional district and not on a winner-take-all basis Sanders has a significant deficit to make up as Clinton leads the delegate count to date. Sanders needs to make inroads in particular with Hispanic voters, who have mostly sided with Clinton and who make up 15 percent of Floridas Democratic electorate. His campaign put him on Miami Spanish-language radio Tuesday and quickly learned why reaching them can get tricky. More here. Photo credit: Pedro Portal, el Nuevo Herald @PatriciaMazzei Bernie Sanders declined to opine Tuesday on perhaps the most important issue for South Florida Colombian-American voters: the fraught peace talks between the Colombian government and armed guerrillas. Asked about the negotiations on a Colombian-American radio station in Miami, Sanders said he had to brush up. The peace process has been under way in Havana for more than three years. "Um, I have to tell you that I am not up to date on that issue," Sanders told Radio Caracol, WSUA-AM (1260). "What I will tell you is that I think the United States has not paid anywhere near the kind of attention that it should be paying to Latin America, who are our closest allies." His Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, is the former U.S. secretary of state. Tuesday marked Sanders' first foray into the complicated world of South Florida Hispanic politics, which are dominated -- but not exclusive to -- Cuban Americans. There's the Colombian-American radio station and the Venezuelan-American radio station, and the Puerto Rican talk-show hosts in Central Florida, and a robust community of Central Americans. Sanders likely won't find many ardent Cuban-American supporters among exiles who fled Fidel Castro's regime. So ahead of his Miami rally Tuesday night, he appeared to target non-Cuban Hispanics, who tend to lean Democratic. The Vermont senator said he's traveled "to many Latin American countries" over the years and would like a closer relationship with the region. He hit hard on Republican front-runner Donald Trump: "The idea of Donald Trump of throwing 11 million undocumented people out of this country will only increase tensions with Mexico and with Latin American countries. The idea of building a wall will only increase tensions. Those are really stupid ideas, which I strongly oppose." He later called Trump's ideas "outrageous," "xenophobic" and "unacceptable." Hispanics, Sanders predicted, would vote for him because he wants to raise the minimum wage, make tuition free at public universities, and give undocumented immigrants a path to U.S. citizenship. @PatriciaMazzei Marco Rubio's campaign took too long to go after Florida Republicans who vote by mail. But the campaign finally has a phone-bank operation phoning voters to remind them to send in their ballots. And it's also got fliers in the mail, for further encouragement. A Monmouth University poll suggested Rubio banked most support among early voters -- which means if he had "chased" their ballots before now, he might have snagged even more support. He has to hope none of his Republican rivals are going after absentee voters in the final week of the election. @ByKristenMClark The state's largest teachers union has some harsh words for the Florida Senate, after Republican leaders agreed this week to compromise with the House and continue funding a controversial teacher bonus program for another year. "The public should be outraged and Senate leaders should be ashamed," Florida Education Association President Joanne McCall said in a statement today. "This flies in the face of democratic principles." The final state budget proposal that lawmakers will vote on on Friday includes $49 million in 2016-17 to reward highly effective teachers based on their SAT/ACT scores in what's known as the "Best & Brightest" program. The full Senate has never voted on the policy, although several members wanted that opportunity this session. It's the second year in a row that the bonuses have been authorized solely through budget language. The Florida Education Association, which represents more than 140,000 teachers and education professionals, has long opposed the program. The union is challenging it, arguing it discriminates against older teachers and those who are minorities. About 5,200 teachers of the states nearly 172,000 teachers qualified this year. The Florida Senate is shoving 'Best and Brightest' down our throats, McCall said. "The point of bills, committees and votes is so that statewide policy that impacts Floridians is thoroughly vetted and transparently scrutinized." Many Democrats and some Republicans in the Senate had voiced concerns for the past couple weeks, fearing Republican leaders might agree to keep funding "Best & Brightest" although the Senate hadn't approved the policy. Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, called the program "the worst and dumbest," and Sen. John Legg, R-Trinity, said last week Senate leaders' decision empowers the Senate leadership over the Senate members and it looks like theyre siding with the House members more than Senate members. Senate Appropriations Chairman Tom Lee, R-Brandon, defended the decision, saying the budget process is about negotiation and compromise. He said some of the Senate's priorities were met, so they agreed to support "Best & Brightest" as a priority of the House. McCall said, "This is not Florida in the sunshine; it is Florida in a smoky back room." "We hope Gov. Rick Scott will stand up for public education and veto the program when he receives the budget," the FEA said. Florida legislators voted Wednesday to put a clean energy amendment on the August primary ballot, allowing voters to decide whether or not to give businesses two different tax breaks when they install solar panels on their properties. The proposed amendment, HJR 193, passed unanimously in both the House and Senate after sponsors moved the ballot question to the August 30 primary instead of the general election. The House and Senate also passed a companion measure, HB 195, which will give the Legislature until 2017 to establish the rules to implement the tax credits if voters approve it. Under the amendment, lawmakers would be required to enact tax credits that exempt the assessed value of renewable energy devices from property taxes as well as exempt the products from the tangible personal property taxes by 2018. Once the tax incentives are in place, they will last for 20 years. The proposed amendment is sponsored by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, and Rep. Ray Rodrigues, R-Fort Myers, and has the support of the Florida Retail Federation, the Christian Coalition, Conservatives for Energy Freedom, the Florida Chamber of Commerce and other business groups whose members want the opportunity to install solar arrays on their properties. They have said that the existing tax laws serve as a disincentive for companies like Solar City to enter the Florida market by adding as much as five cents per kilowatt hour for solar energy. "The proposal opens the door for significant expansion of solar and renewable energy production in Florida,'' Brandes said in a statement Wednesday. Local governments that want to put a stop to the ubiquitous styrofoam trash found on Florida's beaches and waterways would be prevented from imposing a ban under a bill poised for passage before Florida lawmakers. The measure, added to a broad agriculture department bill, HB 7007, is being pushed by retailers like Publix, which relies on Styrofoam trays for everything from raw meat to repackaged fruits and vegetables. The Florida Senate approved two minor amendments to the House bill on Tuesday and the measure is poised for passage in both chambers in the final days of the legislative session. If approved, it would allow seven South Florida cities that have adopted bans before January 2016 to keep them in place but communities -- like Coral Gables and Orlando -- which adopted bans this year or are in the process of adopting bans would have their measures reversed. According to the Surfrider Foundation, which works to protects beaches, eight states and the District of Columbia allow local governments to regulate polystyrene containers. Only the State of Maine has imposed a statewide ban. The Florida bill requires the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which does not currently regulate polystyrene containers, to conduct a study about whether regulation of plastic bags and foam trays is needed but, until then, any new regulation would be prohibited. Retailers "were concerned about having differing regulations across municipal and county lines, depending on who is regulating it,'' said Rep. Jake Raburn, R-Valrico, sponsor of the bill. @MichaelAuslen The Florida Senate is ready to vote on new abortion restrictions after Republicans fended off repeated attempts by Democrats to change the legislation on Tuesday. The bill (HB 1411) would: * Prevent state contracts for non-abortion services like STD and cancer screenings from going to clinics that perform elective abortions. * Require doctors at abortion clinics to have transfer agreements or admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. * Make clear the definition of trimester in state law so that it validates state regulators argument in a series of complaints filed last year against Planned Parenthood. A Texas law that included some similar provisions is currently under review by the U.S. Supreme Court. Its not yet clear how close the vote could be in a chamber where Republicans have in the past voted with Democrats against anti-abortion language. But if it does pass, it would have to go back to the House which okayed it on a 74-44 vote last week because senators changed the bill. They removed language taken from a bill that would have banned all abortions in Florida. Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, said she was concerned it could make a court challenge easier. Those clauses gave me concern that it would make it as though our intent was to close down all abortion clinics in the state, she said. That was not the intent of this bill. The state constitution includes strict privacy protections that courts have interpreted to ban regulations intended to restrict access to abortions. The House language makes it clear that the bills purpose is to protect all human life by regulating the termination of pregnancies. Two former nursing students from Mattia College, the for-profit college that abruptly closed its South Florida campuses earlier this year, arrived in Tallahassee Wednesday to urge the Legislature to stop ignoring the plight of hundreds of students abandoned by the failed colleges. "Ensure us that the same way we started is the way we should finish,'' said Edys Rosabel, 28, who had been enrolled at Mattia College for four months before it closed. The Department of Education and the Commission for Independent Education, which regulates the for-profit college industry, are falling short of their responsibility, said Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D-Miami, who was among the sponsors of HB 1053 and SB 800. That bill attempted to put in place a framework to protect students from fraudulent practices, improve graduation and accreditation rates and impose a follow-up plan when schools close. It passed all Senate committees and one House committee unanimously but the bill died when chairman of the House Education Appropriations Subcommittee, Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, would not schedule a hearing on the bill. Photo: Former Mattia College students Edys Rosabel, Mimi Diaz and Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez at the Florida Capitol. @PatriciaMazzei Willy Chirino, the Cuban-American crooner who with his wife and daughters opened Jeb Bush's presidential kickoff rally in Miami last year, is now asking Miami voters to pick Marco Rubio. Chirino cut a Spanish-language radio ad Cuba Democracy Public Advocacy, a political nonprofit. "On March 15, the country's eyes are on Miami. We can make history so Marco Rubio gets to the White House," Chirino says in the spot. "Marco fills us with pride, and carries with him our hopes and dream. I ask that you do everything you can to help Marco, because he won't let us down." Conservative Solutions, the super PAC backing Rubio, also has a couple of Spanish-language radio ads running, including a version of a TV companion ad asking Hispanics to support "one of our own," and another spot warning about Donald Trump. Rubio himself narrates a campaign-funded ad recalling that his parents immigrated from Cuba in search of a better life. "This election, we have an opportunity to do something historic, and I need your help," he says. "Now is the time for us to join together to get one of ours in the White House." Listen to Chirino's ad here. Exposing pro-Israel bias, propaganda, disinformation and spin in Australia's mainstream media. Monitoring pro-Israel influence in Australia's public and political arena. Got some ideas about economics, policy, science, art or whatever, and you can write? Let us know here , we're looking for contributors! A former Missoula historic preservation officer has been charged with possession of child pornography. Allan James Mathews pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a felony count of sexual abuse of children-possession of material. According to an affidavit, Missoula Police Department Detective Chris Shermer received a tip in December 2014 from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that illicit pictures were present on a Yahoo! account. He reviewed the images and confirmed they were child pornography, the affidavit stated. Shermer identified Mathews as the owner of the account through a subpoena, and obtained a search warrant for his house. Investigators seized electronics, which were sent to the Montana Department of Justice in Helena for forensic analysis, according to the affidavit. Twenty-two images of child pornography that were created over the course of 2014 were found. The affidavit stated the majority of the images were of young girls who were naked, as well as images of sexual conduct between adults and children. In Missoula County District Court on Wednesday, Mathews and his attorney requested that Judge Leslie Halligan amend a condition of his release to allow him to use the Internet, including email, for work. Mathews, a historian and author of "A Guide to Historic Missoula," said he is writing a new book and wanted to be able to email his editor. Halligan denied the request, but said Mathews could use text messaging to communicate for work. Mathews remains released on his own recognizance. His next court appearance is an omnibus hearing April 13. HOT SPRINGS Wayne A. Tompkins passed away Saturday, March 5, 2016. He was born Feb. 16, 1939, to Grace and Marvin Tompkins in La Jolla, California. He grew up in Coronado, California, spending his free time at the beach and was a lifeguard captain in the San Diego area. He received his B.A. in English in Southern California and taught school in tge Mesa/Spring Valley district. Wayne then moved to Thompson Falls and received his M.A. in school administration while being an administrator there. On Feb. 1, 1969, he married Sylvia Carter from Australia, his partner who worked alongside him in his many ventures of livestock including beef, dairy and Tennessee walking horses. At times, he returned to education, spending a year in Venezuela as superintendent of American schools and principal at Gooding, Idaho. In retirement, he enjoyed being a snowbird to Baja and Arizona. He was preceded in death by his brother, Lee Tompkins, and parents. Wayne is survived by his wife, Sylvia Tompkins; nephew, Peter Tompkins; and niece, Judy Osburn. Rest in peace, my love, your suffering is over, I know you are in a better place and you will be missed forever. You took a part of me with you. At Wayne's request, no services will be held and his ashes scattered at sea. Having visited Norway just last year, I find it interesting that Missoula Mayor John Engen brags about his mother "coming here" from Norway when he should be bragging about her leaving Norway. They, too, welcomed Muslims, and heres what they got: From The Daily Caller: "Asylum seekers from Muslim-majority countries are being offered voluntary classes in Norway aimed at teaching them about what constitutes sexual violence in the Scandinavian nation in order to fight what many consider to be an epidemic of sexual assault." From the Gatestone Institute: "Nearly 400 British girls as young as eleven are believed to have been sexually exploited by Muslim rape gangs in Oxfordshire over the past 15 years, according to a chilling new report. It charges local officials with repeatedly ignoring the abuse due to a 'culture of denial.' "The scale of the abuse in Oxfordshire, a county in southeast England, mirrors similarly shocking accounts of the sexual exploitation of white British girls by Muslim gangs in Bristol, Derby, Rochdale, Rotherham and Telford, and implies that the problem is not isolated, but endemic..." "Police in the Bavarian town of Mering, where a 16-year-old-girl was raped on September 11, have issued a warning to parents not to allow their children to go outside unaccompanied. In the Bavarian town of Pocking, administrators of the Wilhelm-Diess-Gymnasium have warned parents not to let their daughter's wear revealing clothing in order to avoid 'misunderstandings.'" From the New York Times: "Hege Storhaug, a former Norwegian journalist who runs Human Rights Service, an organization fiercely critical of Islam, has seized on the issue to rally public opposition to refugees, asserting on her groups website that Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany had opened the way to an 'epidemic of rape' with her welcoming approach to migrants." And on and on. Wake up, Missoula. L. J. Martin, Clinton DARBY Darby School received a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana Foundation on Tuesday urging the board to reconsider its requirement that students have parental permission slips to attend a presentation on Islam. University of Montana professor Samir Bitar will present Perspectives on Islam to high school students in a social studies class Wednesday as part of the Darby Community Librarys Life-Long Learning Series. ACLU of Montana Executive Director Caitlin Borgmann and Legal Director Jim Taylor sent a letter to the Darby School attorney Elizabeth Kaleva. The letter expressed the organizations dismay at the school requiring parental permission for high school students to attend Bitars presentation. We applaud the Darby School Boards decision to invite University of Montana Professor Samir Bitar to discuss Islam at the Darby School, Taylor wrote. Requiring parental permission implicitly gives credence to anti-Muslim bias by suggesting that there is something controversial about Professor Bitar's presentation. It is unfortunate that the students whose parents refuse to let them attend are likely those who most need to hear this lecture, to counter messages like this one, quoted in the Ravalli Republic: Once (Muslims) come over (to the U.S.) theyll take over. Their goal is to kill everyone who is not Muslim. Taylor continued, In our opinion, the School Board can only require permission slips for students to attend Professor Bitars lecture if it also requires permission slips for discussion of any other religious topic, and if the school has consistently done so in the past. Kaleva said timing was the main issue facing the school. The initial problem is the lecture is tomorrow and by law we would not have enough time to have a meeting, so the board cant do that, Kaleva said. The opt-in permission slip is for all three presentations. I appreciate Mr. Taylors letter, but the board cant meet before the event. The board could, in the future, discuss opting out as the policy, but for this speaker series all three speakers were treated the same. The permission slip also covered talks by two other speakers from Humanities Montana scheduled to give presentations at both the school and community library. BUTTE A former Montana State Hospital doctor who was arrested Friday on misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and possession of dangerous drugs pleaded not guilty in Butte City Court on Tuesday morning. Mark Jay Catalanello made his initial appearance before city Judge Glen Granger. Catalanello requested a jury trial. He also told the judge he has a private attorney. Catalanello's court date has not been set. He faces two counts of disorderly conduct and one count of criminal possession of marijuana, all misdemeanors. He was released from the county jail Saturday on a $955 bond. Catalanello was a staff physician at the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs and served as the medical director at the Montana Chemical Dependency Center in Butte until October 2015, when the Montana Board of Medical Examiners temporarily suspended his medical license because of accusations he was using illegal drugs. The state placed Catalanello on paid administrative leave after his Sept. 29 suspension and his last day working for the state was Oct. 19. Catalanello has a long history of drug and alcohol abuse, and has had his medical license suspended in Montana and revoked in California following felony drug arrests in 2001 and 2005. Catalanello was taken into custody early Friday evening after he allegedly yelled and screamed at police as well as an owner and bartender at the IT Club in Rocker. Butte-Silver Bow Undersheriff George Skuletich said Monday that Catalanello was reportedly belligerent, angry and made vulgar comments. Police had earlier responded to the Living Water Coffee Co. in Rocker, where an employee reported that Catalanello yelled and screamed at her as he waited in the drive-through. His black 2016 Dodge Ram pickup truck was located at the nearby IT Club, where he was found inside. BILLINGS - Washington legislators didnt upend the hour glass on Colstrips two oldest generating units, said a lawmaker who authored an exit plan for one of the power plant's major shareholders. What lawmakers did create, said Republican Sen. Doug Ericksen of Ferndale, Washington, is a way for the Colstrip shareholder Puget Sound Energy to raise money to pay for closing Colstrip Units 1 and 2 at an undetermined date. Puget Sound Energy splits ownership of Colstrip's two oldest units 50-50 with Talen Energy of Pennsylvania. Pressure is building for PSE to get out of coal power as concerns over climate change increase. This bill does not require a shutdown or impose a schedule, Ericksen, said. The bill we ended up passing simply gives PSE a mechanism to use their production tax credits to offset the costs of decommissioning and the remediation if they get to the point of shutting down the facility. Those production tax credits are part of a federal scheme to promote alternative energy, which Puget Sound Energy has developed. The money would normally flow back to PSE ratepayers, but the Legislature is allowing the utility to keep the money in order to build up a Colstrip retirement account. That account could not be tapped before Dec. 31, 2022, unless an earlier shutdown is forced by regulations or deemed sensible because of costs. Puget Sound Energy declined to say whether it would crack open the account seven years from now at the earliest possible date. There are supporters of the Washington legislation, which now awaits the signature of Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, who think the closure of the aging power plants could come sooner rather than later. We believe economics will continue to drive Talen and Puget Sound Energy to move forward, said Doug Howell of the Sierra Club. "Continued reports about Talen raise concern. Howell cited a recent UBS Securities report suggesting portions of Talens Colstrip holdings have become a money loser for the power company and that Talen would likely sell its interests in 2016 at a loss to PSE. In the report titled Talen Energy Corp, a Call to Action, UBS suggests that a sale of Talens Colstrip holdings this year would be a positive. We see management as closely focusing on the developments around a potential sale to Puget as part of an ongoing review in the state of Washington, UBS stated. We emphasize even a shutdown of the unit would force a recognition of a loss on the asset sale. On the same day last week that Washingtons Legislature finalized its Colstrip bill, the states utility commission was taking testimony from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, which said Colstrip Units 1 and 2 were in worse financial shape than previously thought. Cheaper energy from natural gas, as well as tighter pollution laws, make Colstrips business costs worse, the group said. Talen Montana will earn relatively small profits on the units, at best, said David Schlissel, IEEFA economist. Whats more likely is that it will lose money. Similarly, Colstrip 1 and 2 stand to make electricity bills for Puget Sound Energy customers higher than they should be. Talen Dismissed the IEEFA report, saying the group has an anti-coal agenda. It said outside groups, like UBS, were wrong to speculate on the companys future in Colstrip. As we have previously discussed, the challenges to coal-fired generation across the nation are clear and well documented, said Todd Martin, Talen spokesman. Talen Energy will not comment on rumor and speculation, nor will we discuss our business plan in the press. A number of sources have inaccurately characterized the Washington legislation, which when you review, provides no option for Talen Energy to divest of its interests in Units 1 & 2. Ericksen said that early on, Puget Sound Energy had talked about buying out Talen and acquiring interest in Colstrip Units 3 and 4, which are newer power generators and considered less likely to be shut down by carbon pollution regulations in the federal Clean Power Plan. However, those discussions have died down. Ericksen suggested one scenario in which Talen Montana went bankrupt and tossed Puget Sound Energy the keys to Colstrip Units 1 and 2, a situation that might allow Puget to tap its retirement account early. However, Ericksen said he hadnt seen the business plans for either company. Asked about Colstrips future Monday, Puget Sound Energy wouldnt answer the Billings Gazettes questions, saying it was waiting for Gov. Inslee to sign the Colstrip bill into law. Just type in my name (Fager, Mary Lynn) You can also mail checks/money orders to: World Outreach Ministries PO Box B Marietta GA 30061 ATTN: Mary Lynn Fager #106 Checks should be made out to World Outreach with my name in the memo line are tax deductible and may be made here: A BEVY OF BARBIES IN MONTREAL Its all Barbie, all the time. A new museum in downtown Montreal, Barbie Expo, claims to be home to the largest permanent exhibit of Barbie dolls in the world. There are over 1,000 Barbies on display, and each is a one-of-a-kind creation. Some of the dolls are dressed by famous fashion houses such as Christian Dior, Giorgio Armani and Carolina Herrera, while others are made to model famous movie characters like Sandy from Grease as well as real-life personalities like Beyonce and Elizabeth Taylor. Admission is free. AT CHILEAN HOTEL, COOKING CLASSICS (AND MAKING CHEESE) Chilean food is the focus at Hacienda Hotel Vira Vira, an 18-room Relais & Chateaux property in Pucon, a village on the banks of Lake Villarrica in the Lake District of Chile. More than 90 percent of the products used in the hotels cuisine are produced or grown on-site, including cheese, meat, eggs and organic vegetables, and now the owner, Michael Paravicini, is expanding his farm-to-table concept by giving guests the chance to participate in preparing the food they enjoy. The hotel recently opened a separate building outfitted with a professional kitchen where the chef Damian Fernandez hosts cooking classes on how to make classic Chilean dishes such as pastel de choclo (a meat and corn pie) and on baking bread using wheat grown near the hotel that guests grind themselves. Guests also learn how to make cheese and yogurt and visit the beehives where Mr. Paravicini teaches them how honey is made. In addition, the hotel offers an excursion, based upon availability, to a Mapuche village where guests can learn about indigenous cuisine and have a traditional lunch. A three-night stay including meals, drinks, excursions, activities and airport transfers starts at $1,905 a person. A JEWELRY DESIGNER OPENS A HOTEL IN JAIPUR A renowned Indian jewelry designer has gone into the hotel business: Siddharth Kasliwal, the creative director of the Jaipur, India,-based Munnu the Gem Palace, recently opened 28 Kothi in Jaipurs historical district. The French architect Georges Floret built the five-room property; it has a contemporary aesthetic mixed with antique pieces and offers organic vegetarian meals, yoga classes, cultural workshops and Ayurvedic massages. Prices from 4,500 rupees a night. A SAFARI IN AFRICA WITH ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH Fans of the mystery series the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency can immerse themselves in the books with a new safari from Belmond with the author, Alexander McCall Smith. Called Journey to the Heart of Botswana with Alexander McCall Smith, the trip is from Nov. 10 to 16 and includes stays at three of Belmonds lodges in northern Botswana. The six-night itinerary begins at Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge in Chobe National Park, known for its herds of elephants and lion prides. The Belmond Khwai River Lodge is next and offers night safaris where guests can spot predators on the hunt and nocturnal birds like the giant-eagle owl. The adventure ends at Belmond Eagle Island Lodge in the Okavango Delta, a destination featured in Mr. McCall Smiths novel, The Double Comfort Safari Club as well as his childrens book Precious and the Mystery of the Missing Lion. Throughout the safari, Mr. McCall Smith will share memories of living in Botswana and chat with guests about the inspiration for his books. Prices from $7,985 a person. For details or to make a booking, go to belmondsafaris.com. Donald J. Trump easily dispatched his Republican rivals in the Michigan and Mississippi presidential primaries Tuesday and won the Hawaii caucuses, regaining momentum in the face of intensifying resistance to his campaign among party leaders. Senator Bernie Sanders scored an upset win in the Michigan Democratic primary, threatening to prolong a Democratic campaign that Hillary Clinton appeared to have all but locked up last week. Mrs. Clinton lost badly in Michigan among independents, showed continued weakness with working-class white Democrats, and was unable to count on as much of an advantage with black voters as she had in the South. Addressing reporters in Miami while the votes in Michigan were still being counted, Mr. Sanders said that his powerful showing indicated that the political revolution that were talking about is strong in every part of the country. RAMALLAH, West Bank A Palestinian on a stabbing rampage on Tuesday along a coastal promenade near Tel Aviv killed an American combat veteran who was a graduate student at Vanderbilt University. The attacks occurred along a popular seaside boulevard in Jaffa, about a mile away from where Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. was meeting with a former president of Israel, Shimon Peres. The stabbing attacks, carried out over 20 minutes, came just after Mr. Biden arrived for a two-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories. He is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority on Wednesday. The American was identified as Taylor Force, 28, a first-year M.B.A. student at the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt, the university said in a statement. He was one of 29 students from the graduate school on a trip to Israel to learn about global entrepreneurship, according to a news release from Vanderbilt. The rest of the students, as well as the four faculty and staff members that accompanied them, were safe, it said. Copyright 2022 HT Digital Streams Ltd All Right Reserved Diplomats may have a reputation for greyness, obfuscation, even hypocrisy, but few have found themselves compared to a serial killer, let alone one who devours human flesh. That honor befell Lars Faaborg-Andersen, the European Unions ambassador to Israel, last week when Jewish settlers launched a social media campaign casting him as Hannibal Lecter, the terrifying character from the film Silence of the Lambs. An image of the Danish diplomat wearing Lecters prison face mask was supposed to suggest that Europe needs similar muzzling. The settlers grievance relates to European aid, which has provided temporary shelter to Palestinian Bedouin families after the Israeli army demolished their homes in the occupied territories near Jerusalem. The emergency housing has helped them remain on land coveted by Israel and the settlers. European officials, outraged by the Lecter comparison, have reminded Tel Aviv that, were it to abide by international law, Israel not the EU would be taking responsibility for these families welfare. While Europe may think of itself as part of an enlightened West, using aid to defend Palestinians rights, the reality is less reassuring. The aid may actually be making things significantly worse. Shir Hever, an Israeli economist who has spent years piecing together the murky economics of the occupation, recently published a report that makes shocking reading. Like others, he believes international aid has allowed Israel to avoid footing the bill for its decades-old occupation. But he goes further. His astonishing conclusion one that may surprise Israels settlers is that at least 78 percent of humanitarian aid intended for Palestinians ends up in Israels coffers. The sums involved are huge. The Palestinians under occupation are among the most aid-dependent in the world, receiving more than $2bn from the international community a year. According to Hever, donors could be directly subsidizing up to a third of the occupations costs. Other forms of Israeli profiteering have been identified in previous studies. In 2013 the World Bank very conservatively estimated that the Palestinians lose at least $3.4bn a year in resources plundered by Israel. Further, Israels refusal to make peace with the Palestinians, and as a consequence the rest of the region, is used to justify Washingtons annual $3bn in military aid. Israel also uses the occupied territories as laboratories for testing weapons and surveillance systems on Palestinians and then exports its expertise. Israels military and cyber industries are hugely profitable, generating many billions of dollars of income each year. A survey published last week found tiny Israel to be the eighth most powerful country in the world. But whereas these income streams are a recognizable, if troubling, windfall from Israels occupation, western humanitarian aid to the Palestinians is clearly intended for the victims, not the victors. So how is Israel creaming off so much? The problem, says Hever, is Israels self-imposed role as mediator. To reach the Palestinians, donors have no choice but to go through Israel. This provides ripe opportunities for what he terms aid subversion and aid diversion. The first results from the Palestinians being a captive market. They have access to few goods and services that are not Israeli. Who Profits?, an Israeli organization monitoring the economic benefits for Israel in the occupation, assesses that dairy firm Tnuva enjoys a monopoly in the West Bank worth $60 million annually. Aid diversion, meanwhile, occurs because Israel controls all movement of people and goods. Israeli restrictions mean it gets to charge for transportation and storage and levy security fees. Other studies have identified additional profits from aid destruction. When Israel wrecks foreign-funded aid projects, Palestinians lose but Israel often benefits. Cement-maker Nesher, for example, is reported to control 85 percent of all construction by Israelis and Palestinians, including the supplies for rebuilding efforts in Gaza after Israels repeated rampages. Significant segments of Israeli society, aside from those in the security industries, are lining their pockets from the occupation. Paradoxically, the label the most aid-dependent people in the world usually affixed to the Palestinians might be better used to describe Israelis. What can be done? International law expert Richard Falk notes that Israel is exploiting an aid oversight vacuum: there are no requirements on donors to ensure their money reaches the intended recipients. What the international community has done over the past 20 years of the Oslo process inadvertently or otherwise is offer Israel financial incentives to stabilize and entrench its rule over the Palestinians. It can do so relatively cost-free. While Europe and Washington have tried to beat Israel with a small diplomatic stick to release its hold on the occupied territories, at the same time they dangle juicy financial carrots to encourage Israel to tighten its grip. There is a small ray of hope. Western aid policy does not have to be self-sabotaging. Hevers study indicates that Israel has grown as reliant on Palestinian aid as the Palestinians themselves. The EU noted last week that Israel not Brussels should be caring for the Bedouin it has left homeless. Europe could take its own advice to heart and start shifting the true costs of the occupation back on to Israel. That may happen soon enough whatever the west decides, if as even Israel is predicting will occur soon the Palestinian Authority of Mahmoud Abbas collapses. Jonathan Cook won the Martha Gellhorn Special Prize for Journalism. His latest books are Israel and the Clash of Civilisations: Iraq, Iran and the Plan to Remake the Middle East (Pluto Press) and Disappearing Palestine: Israels Experiments in Human Despair (Zed Books). His website is www.jonathan-cook.net. Six businesses that serve alcohol in Beaverhead County failed to verify the age of the buyer during a recent two-day alcohol compliance check by the sheriffs office. Of the 15 opened businesses visited on Feb. 25 and Feb. 27 by the agencys Alcohol Enforcement Team, nine passed by verifying the minor was under 21, according to a media release from Undersheriff David Chase. The undersheriff said the violations appeared to be a lack of training, specifically in how to read a drivers license. A letter detailing the compliance checks was sent to each business a month before the checks were conducted. Minors who participated in the compliance checks received training provided by the state of Montana and presented a drivers license when asked. There was no attempt to deceive servers at each of the businesses. Dillon police conducted compliance checks in the city and the sheriffs office focused on the 27 businesses including restaurants, bars and convenience stores elsewhere in the county, many of which are seasonal. Chase said the plan is to conduct the compliance checks again this summer when all of the establishments may likely be open. Businesses that serve alcohol are encouraged to attend Responsible Alcohol Sales and Service training to learn about checking IDs and Montanas liquor laws and liability. A list of approved server training programs can be found at www.alcoholservertraining.mt.gov. Butte-Silver Bow County could get stuck holding the bag after Superfund talks end at least that's what retired state project manager Joe Griffin will tell the Council of Commissioners Wednesday night. Griffin will give his talk as part of a Restore Our Creek presentation. Griffin says the consent decree negotiations closed door talks between ARCO, the state, EPA, the county, and BNSF Railroad are happening too fast. Once the consent decree, a legal document that establishes liability for the more than 100 years of mining damage to Butte and upper Silver Bow Creek, is signed, there will be no going back. I want to make more of a point that things still need quite a bit of work, Griffin said. Restore Our Creek banded together to provide public input on the fate of the one-mile stretch of land from the Butte Civic Center on Harrison Avenue to the Visitors Center, 1000 George St. The stretch was likely wetland ponds that were part of Silver Bow Creek but now is little more than a dry drainage ditch. Along that stretch are surface level tailings deposits. The state wants to see the deposits removed. Environmental Protection Agency and Atlantic Richfield Company both say that is not necessary due to a five-foot deep slotted pipe that runs underground to capture contaminated groundwater. Commissioners will also learn about the groups workshops planned at the Mining City Center, 400 W. Park St., later this month. Restore Our Creek is working with an architectural firm that will gather ideas from residents as to how they want to replace the barren tailings. What would they (the public) like to see? said Restore Our Creek President Northey Tretheway. Thats the main thing get public involvement. Griffin, who retired from Department of Environmental Quality last year, also will highlight areas, such as the Anderson shaft site off Continental Drive at Mercury Street, where he says Superfund work is not finished. Im trying to work in areas that werent addressed adequately under Superfund, Griffin said. Butte-Silver Bow will pick up the liability in the long term (if the areas arent addressed). The council meets at 7:30 p.m. in the Butte-Silver Bow county courthouse, 155 W. Granite St. BILLINGS A Billings accountant accused of stealing money from clients pleaded guilty to wire fraud in U.S. District Court in Billings on Tuesday. A plea agreement calls for the defendant, Michael Leonard Wombolt, 35, to pay restitution totaling $166,127 to two corporate clients and to various former individual clients. The plea deal also calls for seven other wire fraud counts to be dismissed at sentencing. Wombolt, who owned A+ Accounting and Consulting, told U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn Ostby he was having trouble finding jobs because of the case but that he had a job in a different career lined up after the case and sentence is completed. He didnt identify his new job. Voters chose Wombolt as the top accountant in the 2014 Billings Gazette Readers Choice Poll. The wire fraud also occurred in 2014. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich said Harvey Ost Oilfield Services LLC., of Malta, hired Wombolt for account management and bookkeeping. From May 2014 to November 2014, the owners of Harvey Ost noticed checks for payment to A+ Accounting that appeared to be outside of the fee agreement and suspected Wombolt was overbilling. Company officials became increasingly suspicious and in February 2015, one of the owners came to Billings to confront Wombolt, Rubich said. Wombolt falsely claimed that the payments were reimbursement to A+ Accounting for payroll taxes purportedly paid with Wombolts personal credit card, Rubich said. The owner didnt believe Wombolt and contacted another accountant, who said Wombolts explanation had to be false because the IRS does not permit businesses to pay payroll taxes with personal credit cards, Rubich said. The owner then contacted the Billings Police Department, which contacted the FBI. An FBI investigation identified eight checks totaling $98,033 that were clearly fraudulent, Rubich said. Each check was falsely disguised in the Harvey Ost general ledger as various routine operational costs, Rubich said. But instead of payment being extended to whatever company would have been owed in relation to that cost, the fraudulent checks provided payment directly to one of two accounts at Stockman Bank of Billings controlled by A+ Accounting, he said. When contacted by the FBI in August 2015, Wombolt admitted to embezzling money from Harvey Ost saying that his business was having a cash shortfall. He also said he may have overbilled the company. Rubich said the investigation also found that Wombolt defrauded other clients, including $39,339 from Billings Pool & Spa and $28,755 from various individual clients who had hired him for tax and financial services. Although Wombolt kept the payment for services, he failed to provide the tax and financial services as promised, which resulted in monetary and tax penalties to those clients, Rubich said. Wombolt faces a maximum 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Ostby said she would recommend U.S. District Judge Susan Watters accept Wombolts plea. Watters will set a sentencing date and conduct the sentencing. Ostby continued Wombolts release pending sentencing. HELENA A former top administrator with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry will not serve jail time for the more than $18,000 in bogus travel, training and work purchases she racked up on state-issued credit cards and expense accounts. Tiffany David, the states former Job Service Operations Bureau chief, was sentenced Wednesday to three years of probation for more than a dozen counts of theft alleged in charging documents filed in February. David pleaded guilty to each of those counts and agreed to pay full restitution at a hearing last month, where District Court Judge Mike Menahan warned she could face a 10-year jail sentence, despite officials praise for her full cooperation during a departmental investigation into the theft. Menahan softened that point Wednesday, explaining he was impressed David had already managed to pay back what she stole. He even left the door open for Davids early release from her three-year suspended sentence. I think in all the years Ive been here Ive never seen that, the judge said of restitution checks the ex-administrator has already handed over to the state. It speaks very well of you. Court documents say David, who resigned from her post in November, was placed on administrative leave the day after she emailed departmental investigators a fake receipt for $1,800 in airline tickets she never purchased. The former bureaucrat has since admitted to submitting false expense reports and reimbursement claims for everything from books and gift cards to plane tickets and hotel reservations. She would often cancel those transactions before they could be completed, reaping refunds that should have been credited back to a state credit card. Thats how David managed to rake in more than half of the five-figure total pilfered from state coffers via just 13 Amazon.com book purchases charged to a personal credit card and later reimbursed by department officials. Tiffany David is a good person who made a series of bad mistakes and exercised poor judgement, said Carlo Canty, Davids attorney. Shes taken it upon herself to try and understand why she did what she did. Canty said David is living with her brother and seeing a psychiatrist as part of that effort. He said she was able to pay back restitution owed under her guilty plea largely by forfeiting her final paycheck -- including holiday and sick pay -- back to the state. Canty called Wednesdays sentence a very fortunate outcome for his client. Assistant Attorney General Bryan Light said he too was pleased with the ruling, but added he wouldnt hesitate to revoke Davids probation if she failed to comply with the terms of the sentence. David sought to reassure the court that would not be a problem. Im very embarrassed and ashamed of what Ive put my family, friends and coworkers through, she said. I assure you this will never happen again. ANACONDA Attorneys representing state Rep. Art Wittich will appeal a key ruling that would have set the stage for a long-awaited political corruption trial against the Bozeman Republican later this month. The move came only hours after an Anaconda judge ruled on a slew of pretrial filings submitted by attorneys for Commissioner of Political Practices Jonathan Motl and Wittich, who is accused of accepting unreported contributions from an anti-union group in 2010. Wittichs attorney, Quentin Rhoades, said Wednesday he had finalized a notice of appeal to be filed with the Montana Supreme Court over one of those decisions District Court Judge Ray Daytons dismissal of a motion to have the case thrown out. Rhoades had argued Motl, the states top political cop, didnt have jurisdiction to seek penalties against Wittich, since the Bozeman Republican wasnt included on the complaint that sparked initial inquiries into anti-union groups. Hell now look to make the same point in front of the states highest court, where clerks said they had not received an appeal filing by late Wednesday. Attorneys representing both trial parties confirmed they were aware of the move, as well as the cancellation of a pretrial conference that had been scheduled for Thursday. The appeal is likely to dramatically delay or even derail proceedings scheduled in the high-profile campaign finance case, one that has featured years of sniping in the press and escalating courtroom accusations of political bias, destruction of evidence and professional misconduct. If the state Supreme Court rejects or refuses to hear Wittichs appeal, the case would likely wind up back in front Judge Dayton, who has issued six unchallenged decisions on the matter. One of those rulings dismissed Wittichs attempts to block testimony from five different witnesses, including Motl and three people linked to Western Tradition Partnership, a nonprofit affiliate of the national anti-union group that allegedly illegally coordinated with Wittichs campaign. Another denied a filing that sought to prevent all references to dark money during Wittichs expected trial. But the judge granted, at least in part, three other requests seeking to limit or exclude trial discussion of Motls 2014 administrative decision against Wittich, along with any reference to or evidence of documents related to other campaign complaints. If and when he gets the chance, Dayton plans to make decisions on the admissibility of similar filings on a case-by-case basis. A separate ruling asked attorneys representing both trial parties to file briefs on the admissibility of a spreadsheet that allegedly contains evidence of Wittich ordering the works -- a raft of campaign services that included everything from initial fundraising contracts to a late-stage direct mail blitz aimed at primary opponents in the last two weeks of the 2010 campaign. Wittich has denied those and other allegations and called Motls actions a political witch hunt. His attorneys in January filed a motion accusing Motl of destroying evidence that would have bolstered Wittichs claims of biased prosecution, including an email archive belonging to former COPP investigator Julie Steab. Motl denied the accusation and sought sanctions against Rhoades. Gene Jarussi, an attorney for the state, has raised the possibility that Steab herself deleted the emails, a charge she vehemently denied during a Monday hearing in Anaconda. Montana Chief Information Officer Ron Baldwin said in a sworn statement he knew Steab purged the emails because it was done through use of Ms. Steabs personal sign-in login ID and password. But Baldwin, who was called to testify in support of the state's claims, said under cross examination that anyone with Steabs email and password could've deleted her emails, which were eventually recovered by IT staff. COPP Program Supervisor Mary Baker, who also took the stand, said she couldn't rule out the possibility that some of those access credentials were inadvertently forwarded to Motl or someone else after Steabs departure in October 2013. A day after hearing that testimony, Motl agreed to produce the emails to Wittichs attorneys, prompting Dayton to throw out the motion accusing the first-term political commissioner of destroying evidence. Reached for comment after catching wind of the appeal, Motl sounded defiant. The appeal just adds another layer of motions that will be dealt with, but eventually there will be justice," he said. ... By denial of seven motions, the district court has effectively removed all of Wittichs ability to avoid a trial and justice. The only remaining avenue for Mr. Wittich is delay by appeal. The trial against Wittich is set to start March 28 in Helena. Muscatine Art Center HVAC Replacement and Miscellaneous Window Renovations Notice is hereby given that City of Muscatine, Iowa will receive sealed proposals at the City of Muscatine Finance Department Office until 10:00 a.m. (CST), March 24, 2016 for the Muscatine Art Center HVAC Replacement and Miscellaneous Window Renovations. At 10:05 a.m. on the same day, the Muscatine City Council or designate at the City of Muscatine Administration Office shall open the bids received and announce the results. Late bids, faxed bids, telegraphic bids, telephonic bids, and modified bids will not be accepted. Consideration of the bids received and the award of contract or other action may be made by the City of Muscatine City Council upon the proposals received in accordance with the law and the drawings and specifications at its meeting to be held at 7:00 p.m., April 7, 2016 in the City Office in Muscatine, Iowa or at any other published and/or posted location of the Council meeting. Description of the Type and Location of the Project The City of Muscatine, Muscatine Art Center HVAC Replacement and Miscellaneous Window Renovations shall consist of providing a HVAC system upgrades that include variable refrigerant flow HVAC, heating coils, variable flow distribution pumps, ductwork, piping, domestic water heater, slip stream boiler, connection to the geothermal loop heat exchanger , automatic controls and miscellaneous window replacement. All work is within the city limits of Muscatine. All contract work must be completed by February 28, 2017, and substantially completed by December 31, 2016. Proposals shall be submitted on a form furnished by the City of Muscatine and accompanied by a bid security in the amount equal to five (5) percent of the bid and shall stand as security that the successful bidder will enter into a contract for the work bid upon with ten (10) days after acceptance of his proposal by the City of Muscatine Council. City of Muscatine reserves the right to defer acceptance of any proposal for a period not to exceed thirty (30) calendar days and to reject any and all bids, to waive technicalities and to enter into such contract as it shall deem for the best interest of said City of Muscatine. The Contractor must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Payment to the Contractor will be made from funds available for that purpose. Payment will be made on the basis of monthly estimates equal to ninety-five (95) percent of the contract price. The balance of the five (5) percent due to the Contractor will not be made earlier than thirty (30) days from the final acceptance of said work by the County, subject to the conditions and in accordance with the provisions for Chapter 573 of the Code of Iowa. Before final payment will be made, the Contractor shall certify that all materials, labor and services have been paid. All work is to be performed and completed under the guidelines of OSHA and in strict compliance with plans and specifications prepared by the A&J Associates PC. Proposed plans, specifications, and contract documents may be obtained from the Design Professionals, may be viewed at the Design Professional's office, may be viewed at the City of Muscatine Finance Department and may be viewed at the following locations. 1. Dodge Data & Analytics 3315 Central Ave Hot Springs, AR 71913 Phone: 810.639.0660 Fax: 810.991.8222 2. Master Builders of Iowa Construction Update Plan Room 221 Park Street Des Moines, Iowa 50309 Phone: 515.288.8904 Fax: 515.288.2617 3. CMD Group/Reed Construction Data 30 Technology Parkway, Suite 500 Norcross, GA 30092 Phone: 800.424.3996 4. Greater Growth Alliance 24 N 9th St. Fort Dodge, IA 50501 Phone: 515 955-5500 Fax: 515 955-3245 5. Omaha Builders Exchange 4255 South 94th Street Omaha, NE 68117 Phone: 402 593-6908 Fax: 402 593-6912 Proposed plans, specifications and contract documents will be available for examination after March 4, 2016. Plans, specifications, addenda and a list of plan holders may be obtained from DB Reprographics, 810 Maiden Ln, Iowa City IA 52240 (voice) 319 359-1069. A Pre-Bid Meeting will be held for all bidders at 3:00 p.m., March 17, 2016 at the Muscatine Art Center. If any contractor shall have difficulty finding the Pre-Bid Meeting location, please call Melanie Alexander at 563.263.8282. If any Contractor desiring to submit a bid and cannot attend the scheduled Pre-Bid meeting they may call and speak with Melanie Alexander about scheduling another time prior to the March 17, 2016 Pre-Bid meeting. No additional Pre-bid meetings will be scheduled after March 17, 2016. Pre-bid meeting attendees may tour the City of Muscatine project after the formal pre-bid meeting. The City of Muscatine may make the award to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder meeting specifications. All bids will be governed by applicable provisions in the Iowa Code and City of Muscatine Policies. City of Muscatine GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. Dallas Forrest Buffum passed away in the early morning hours of Friday, March 4, 2016, in Grand Junction. After surviving a stroke in 2011, he eventually succumbed to heart disease. He was 76. The memorial service to celebrate Mr. Buffum's life will be 10 a.m. Saturday, March 12, 2016, at Taylor Funeral Service Chapel, Delta, Colo. Dallas was born on May 8, 1939, to Este and Marie Buffum, their third child who, along with his two sisters, Noela and Mardeen, grew up on their grandparents family farm near Montpelier, Iowa. He earned an early farming education working alongside his father and grandfather. His experience utilizing farm machinery and penchant for mechanical engines ultimately led him to his longtime profession as an interstate truck driver. Dallas worked for several freight transportation companies during his lifetime, including International Transport, Gless Brothers and Schultz Transit, primarily as an owner-operator. His cargo ranged from ammunition (in support of our U.S. Armed Forces), liquid molasses and fertilizer, Illinois corn-fed beef and produce grown, picked and packed on the west coast. His travels covered the continental U.S. and Canada. After retiring from trucking, Dallas moved to Colorado, where he enjoyed fishing, riding four-wheel drive over old mining trails and passes and walking the trails in Confluence Park. Dallas is survived by his sister, Mardeen (Buffum) Petersen, Long Grove, and her family; his son, Brian Buffum (Nancy), and two grandsons, Matthew and Daniel, Chesterfield, Mo.; a foreign exchange son, Glenn Haines, Nagambie, Australia, and his family; his longtime companion, Paulette Hawkins, Delta; her sons, Devon Hawkins, Lakewood, Colo., and Dale Hawkins (Kummi Ka), Erie, Colo., and their two daughters, Kaylin and Danika. He was preceded in death by his sister, Noela Buffum; his grandparents; and parents. Memorials may be made in Dallas name to HopeWest Hospice, 2754 Compass Drive 377, Grand Junction, CO 81506, or www.HopeWestCO.org. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory. View the internet obituary and sign the online guest registry at www.taylorfuneralservice.com. DETROIT Donald Trump won the South Carolina primary across the board, but he did particularly well with the 10 percent of voters who named immigration as the nation's top issue. In addition, some who named other issues the economy, national security were undoubtedly also concerned about immigration, and Trump's hard line likely helped him with them, too. Which is why people who follow immigration closely were stunned Thursday night when Trump, at the Fox News debate here in Detroit, announced that he has changed his position on one key element of the immigration debate the use of H-1B visas to bring skilled foreign workers into the United States. In the distant past say, Monday Trump focused on abuses in the system, in which some big companies have been caught using H-1Bs to bring in foreign workers, force American employees to train their own replacements, and then pay the foreign worker less than the American had made all to do mostly routine jobs in the tech industry. At his recent rally in Alabama the one in which Trump received the endorsement of Sen. Jeff Sessions, Congress' strongest voice against expanding the troubled H-1B program Trump also won the endorsement of some American workers who were victims of H-1B abuse at Disney. "The fact is that Americans are losing their jobs to foreigners," one of the laid-off workers told the crowd. "I believe Mr. Trump is for Americans first." In Detroit, Fox News' Megyn Kelly pointed out that Trump's campaign website has a strong statement against increasing the number of H-1Bs, saying it would "decimate American workers," and yet in one debate Trump spoke favorably of the program. "So, which is it?" Kelly asked. "I'm changing," Trump said. "I'm changing. We need highly skilled people in this country, and if we can't do it, we'll get them in. But, and we do need in Silicon Valley, we absolutely have to have." "So, we do need highly skilled," Trump continued, "and one of the biggest problems we have is people go to the best colleges. They'll go to Harvard, they'll go to Stanford, they'll go to Wharton, as soon as they're finished they'll get shoved out. They want to stay in this country. They want to stay here desperately, they're not able to stay here. For that purpose, we absolutely have to be able to keep the brain power in this country." "So you are abandoning the position on your website?" asked Kelly. "I'm changing it," Trump said, "and I'm softening the position because we have to have talented people in this country." Trump's turnaround sent a jolt through the group of policy wonks and activists who have opposed Gang of Eight-style comprehensive immigration reform. "I've heard from enough tech workers displaced by H-1Bs that Trump's apparent answer very dispiriting," tweeted the writer Mickey Kaus. "Clarification?" Mark Krikorian, head of the Center for Immigration Studies, which favors reducing levels of immigration into the U.S., was not impressed. "(Trump) made clear in October he didn't believe what's in his immigration paper about skilled immigration," Krikorian told me by email after the debate, "and at the last debate he showed he buys the 'jobs Americans won't do' line on unskilled workers too." "So will he 'clarify' his 'I'm softening' comment tomorrow, like he did after the October debate?" Krikorian continued. "His embrace of foreign tech workers is particularly shocking given that just days ago he featured American workers replaced by Disney at one of his rallies." Even as Krikorian was typing his email to me, Trump was at work doing just what Krikorian predicted. "Megyn Kelly asked about highly skilled immigration," Trump said in a clarification statement sent to reporters about an hour after the debate ended. "The H-1B program is neither high-skilled nor immigration: these are temporary foreign workers, imported from abroad, for the explicit purpose of substituting for American workers at lower pay. I remain totally committed to eliminating rampant, widespread H-1B abuse and ending outrageous practices such as those that occurred at Disney in Florida when Americans were forced to train their foreign replacements. I will end forever the use of the H-1B as a cheap labor program, and institute an absolute requirement to hire American workers first for every visa and immigration program. No exceptions." It would be hard to imagine a quicker or more complete flip-flop. Sen. Marco Rubio, co-author of the Gang of Eight bill, wants to increase the number of H-1Bs; he's a co-sponsor of another bill to do just that. After the debate, top Rubio campaign aide Todd Harris was happy to entertain questions about Trump's changing positions. "First of all, I'm not surprised that he so easily took what yesterday was something that he had said was a core principle and threw it out the window, because the fact is that Donald Trump has no core principles," Harris told me. "One of the hallmarks of a con man is to say whatever it is that you need to say in order to fool somebody, and he obviously feels that what he needs to say to fool the people now is different than what it was yesterday." I asked whether Sen. Rubio is happy to have Trump join him in advocating for H-1Bs. "Sen. Rubio supports the H-1B program," Harris said. "The problem is we have no idea where Donald Trump is going to be tomorrow on this issue or frankly, any other issue." A short time later, Rubio himself issued a statement noting that in the debate Trump "finally took an actual position, but as soon as the debate was over, his handlers made him reverse himself." "The Republican nominee," Rubio said, "cannot be somebody who is totally clueless on so many issues, including his signature issue." Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner. Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi [] Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes [] Around 32% of small and medium enterprises in South Africa run the risk to fall bait to cyber and phishing attacks, Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Siyabonga Cwele said in parliament on Wednesday. Cwele was among cabinet ministers who were responding to questions about the economic cluster in government and he was responding to a question about the Cyber Security Hub that was launched in October last year. IFP MP Liezl van der Merwe asked in a follow-up question if Cweles department has the capacity to prosecute perpetrators even international ones. Do you even have plans to form partnerships? Cwele said that government has indeed started collaborating with private companies. But our banking sector in particular is vulnerable to phishing attacks. Were a democracy and the more open we are as a democracy the more we become vulnerable. DA MP Marian Shinn grilled Cwele about his lack of involvement in the recently established Cyber Security Hub. It was opened with great fanfare and it cost R11.7-million, yet you havent met with the advisory council once. The virtual hub was opened in October last year to combat cyber crimes, including phishing. It was developed in a partnership with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the National Cybersecurity Response Team. The information gathered by the hub will be used to monitor cyber-attacks and provide warnings to stakeholders of emerging threats, Cwele said at the time. Fin24 Update: The original report quoted Marian Shinn as saying that the Cyber Security Hub cost R11.7-billion to establish. However, Shinn said that it cost R11.7-million. More security news Thousands of cyber attacks target South Africa Apple users targeted in ransomware attack As owner of this blog, I bear no responsibility to what other contributors/bloggers may post. I encourage all to speak freely without indulging in libel or defamatory content. Anyone who feels offended by any posting can email me and I will remove the offending article if appropriate. Contact me at redbeansg@yahoo.com redbean Looks like Diamond Platnumz is on a mission to do big things in the States. The Bongo sensation was in Las Vegas last weekend for a show which was attended by thousands of his fans. His trip however, was not all about thrilling his fans in the diaspora. After his show, Diamond flew to L.A where he met with Kanye West. Well, that was not all. Diamond hooked up with RnB star Ne-Yo in a studio in L.A. When Ne-Yo was in the East African region some months back, Diamond got to do a collabo with him which is still yet to be released. Perhaps the L.A hook up was to finalise on the jam expected to be a hit. We can only wait and see. Diamond also got to meet with Empire star Bryshere Y. Gray aka Yazz who plays Hakeem Lyon in the popular musical drama television series. Im sure the idea of a collaboration with Yazz is enough to drive Kenyan ladies wild. Here are the photos Good stuff!! Richard and Dina Dwyer have a plan for Francis House the ancient Second Empire stone relic at the corner of Spring and Myrtle streets and they came to the Sharpsteen Museum last Thursday to talk about it. For the 70 or more people who crowded in to hear about their plan, it has come none too soon. The Dwyers bought the property last fall and immediately began a demolition process that has now removed the caving mansard roof, the hospital extension, and gutted the interior. I tried to save as much of the original building that I could. But there wasnt much to save really, Dwyer said. The third floor had collapsed and the second floor was collapsing, he continued. Normally I would walk through the building were restoring, but in this case, I couldnt even do that. Today nothing is left but the four stone walls of the original mansion. Francis House was originally built in 1886 as a home for Calistoga businessman James H. Francis. In 1918 the building was converted into a 30-bed hospital known locally as The Old Calistoga Hospital It was closed in 1965 by the State of California for failing to meet health codes. It subsequently gained notoriety on the Internet as a haunted house with a number of sites claiming that it contained paranormal activity. But to the City of Calistoga, it was merely a dangerous eyesore, condemned, with no prospects for restoration. Many at city council meetings over the last 46 years called for its demolition. Yet for many others in Calistoga the importance of the old building has a deeper personal meaning, and the building achieved historic status on the National Register of Historic Places back in 1979 for the mansions Second Empire architectural style. How many of you were born in The Old Calistoga Hospital? Dwyer asked the audience, and about seven raised their hands. Its our intention to restore the structure to its original grandeur, he continued. The way James Francis envisioned it... as a home. Dwyer said that he had just submitted plans to City Hall to restore the structure as a five-room bed and breakfast with a sixth master suite where he and his wife Dina would live. Dwyer is a general contractor and real estate broker from San Francisco. His wife Dina is an interior designer and he said they have previous experiences restoring historic houses in San Francisco. Dwyer said he will use local subcontractors and had already chosen several. Asked how much he envisioned it would cost, he was reluctant to reveal details. Ive just submitted the plans, he said. I dont yet have a budget, but I think it will cost at least a million dollars at minimum. The structural engineering plan calls for the construction of an earthquake-proof steel cage attached to the four stone walls. The lower floor will be reinforced concrete, with the upper two floors riveted to the cage. Dwyer said this will meet current seismic standards, though he said that the original foundation was so strong and deep its probably the only reason it survived past earthquakes. There were already some interesting engineering discoveries that he revealed about the old building. For instance, he said that the original stone walls are actually a set of two walls an interior and an exterior with a space separating them. That space between, he said, would be filled and the interior stone walls unlike the original plastered walls would be exposed. The stone is beautiful, he said. I couldnt imagine covering it up. The plans also call for the installation of an elevator to make it easier to reach to third floor. The mansard-style roof will be reconstructed, though there may be more windows on the third floor. It will be completed as a cute little French manor, he said. Dwyer said that after completion it is their intention to move to Calistoga. He estimated the project could take about a year and a half to finish. A new website was built to document the progress of the restoration at TheFrancisHouse.com. Spring celebration on March 26 American Canyons Spring Celebration, formerly known as the Easter egg hunt, will take place Saturday, March 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Community Park II. The schedule of events is as follows: 9:00-9:45 a.m.: Colors of the Wind 9:45-10:45 a.m.: Chalk Art Contest 10:00-11:00 a.m.: 3 & under visit Easter Bunny 10:45-11:00 a.m.: Bonnet Showcase 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.: 4 & Older visit Easter bunny 11:15 a.m.: 4-5 year old Egg Hunt 11:30 a.m.: Folklorico Dance Performance 12:00 p.m.: 6-8 year old Egg Hunt 12:15 p.m. Lori Kings Dance Performance 12:45 p.m.: 9-12 year old Egg Hunt 1:00 p.m.: Lori Kings Dance Performance 1:30 p.m.: Teens & Adults Egg Hunt For more information visit www.cityofamericancanyon.org/ACParksandRec ACMS Casino Night happening March 11 American Canyon Middle Schools 3rd Annual Game Night Fundraiser will take place on Friday, March 11, from 6:30-9:30 p.m. in the Community Center Gym. Tickets are $30 per person and $50 for two people. Admission includes dinner (tri-tip, roasted chicken, pasta, salad and rolls), $20 in gaming chips, and two free drink tickets (wine, beer, soda or water). A silent auction will be held for the following prizes: Bottlerock tickets, Disneyland Park Hopper Passes, staycations at local hotels, wine lots, Xbox One, Apple IWatch and more. For more information contact Blanca Wright at msblancawright@gmail.com or 363-1631. Recognition award nominations now accepted The American Canyon Parks and Recreation Department is accepting nominations for community service recognition awards until Friday, March 11 by 5 p.m. The five award open for nominations include: Certificate of Community Appreciation; Organizational Award; Gateway Award; Business of the Year Award; Youth of the Year Award. Nomination forms are available at the Parks and Recreation Office, 100 Benton Way or online at www.cityofamericancanyon.org/CommunityRecognition Ball2016. ACHS Career Day American Canyon High School will hold its annual Career Day on Wednesday, March 16 from 8:30 a.m.1:30 p.m. Businesses are encouraged to sign up and participate. One complimentary lunch will be provided, sponsored by Dr. Jeffrey Nichelini of American Canyon Orthodontics. The deadline to register March 11. For more information contact Kasama Lee at kasama@kasamalee.com. Students at Phillips Charter Elementary School in Napa really know how to hustle when it comes to math. Last year, Phillips participated for the first time in LearnStorm, an online math challenge conducted throughout the Bay Area by the educational nonprofit Khan Academy. LearnStorm gives students points for solving math problems (mastery), as well as for trying to master them (hustle). Phillips excelled in 2015, and by the end of that nine-week challenge, it came in first place for hustle and in the top three for mastery among the 1,500 Bay Area schools that participated. This year, Phillips students are again hustling their way to the top of LearnStorms leader boards. The challenge has also expanded beyond the Bay Area, involving schools in Chicago, Idaho and Ireland. After the first three weeks of the 2016 challenge, Phillips was No. 1 for hustle in the Bay Area, beating out older kids from schools in the top five, like Newark Junior High School in Newark, Bay Area Technology School and Oakland Unity High School, both in Oakland. Phillips was 10th in mastery after three weeks. The challenge ends in early April. Being No. 1 so far for hustle earned Phillips a silver cup, which was presented by Khan Academy officials Tuesday morning at a special assembly that attracted a news crew from NBC Bay Area. Phillips Principal Matthew Manning, who said he was ecstatic when he first got the news about his kids, told the assembly: We are all very, very proud of you. Mannings expression of pride was echoed by Napa County Superintendent of Schools Barbara Nemko, whose office encouraged other local schools to participate this year in LearnStorm. I could not be more proud of you. You came in No. 1 out of thousands and thousands of children, Nemko told the students. When you do LearnStorm, she continued, youre doing two things: youre practicing math but youre also practicing hustle and grit. Can you say perseverance? The packed auditorium of students responded to Nemko by shouting: Perseverance! That means when you get to something hard, you dont give up, said Nemko, and thats one of the most important skills you will ever learn because most of us dont learn things the first time, we have to keep learning and keep trying. Computer teacher Jennifer Ellison, who brought LearnStorm to Phillips, reinforced the importance of never quitting. You guys can learn anything, she told the kids, reminding them to say that very thing to themselves whenever they get stuck on something. I can learn anything! the students yelled back, cheering and waving blue and white pom-poms. Manning said after the assembly that LearnStorm is teaching his students a valuable lesson they can transfer to other areas of their life school and beyond. What we want to instill in students is in order to achieve mastery, you have to have a certain level of perseverance to get there, said Manning. Perseverance is critical for all of us. Anybody whos been successful at anything has had to demonstrate some [of it]. ST. HELENA With the city of St. Helena already investigating a potential sales tax or real estate transfer tax for the November ballot, the City Council agreed Tuesday not to devote staff resources to three other tax options. At the councils Feb. 11 goal-setting session, a few members of the public asked the council to investigate a parcel tax, payroll tax and gross receipts tax as alternatives to the revenue options recommended by the Ad Hoc Revenue Source Task Force. Based on a report by City Manager Jennifer Phillips that briefly summarized each option, council members agreed that further investigation of them, at least right now, would only distract from the citys pursuit of the sales tax and real estate transfer tax, which the task force recommended after months of analysis. I look at this as more of a distraction from the items that were chosen and vetted very extensively, said Councilmember Peter White. Parcel taxes require a two-thirds vote, and may be based on lot size, square footage of improvements, a flat per-parcel rate, or a more complex calculation. St. Helena has 2,433 parcels, so an annual tax of $100 per parcel would generate $243,300. Payroll taxes and gross receipts taxes may be levied on businesses, and require voter approval by either a simple majority or two-thirds, depending on whether the city allocates the money for a specific purpose. Phillips said she couldnt estimate how much those taxes would generate, since the city doesnt have access to local businesses payrolls and gross receipts. Both taxes are extremely rare, and Phillips wasnt able to identify any California cities that impose them other than Los Angeles, which has a gross receipts tax, and San Francisco, which is phasing out its payroll tax in favor of a gross receipts tax. St. Helena resident Doug Barr urged the council to investigate a payroll tax, which would be paid by businesses, not employees. The tax would put the onus on the biggest businesses in town, he said. Theyre the ones who make the most profits and do far more damage to our streets, our traffic, and our quality of life than all of the 5,900 people in town put together, Barr said. He added that businesses would undoubtedly oppose the tax because who wants to give up a free ride? Pam Simpson, CEO of the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce, said it was inaccurate and ridiculous to suggest that businesses arent already paying their fair share. There are four ways the city of St. Helena gets money: property tax, sales tax, (hotel tax) and impact fees, Simpson said. The biggest payer of all of those is business. She said the payroll tax is unusual because it doesnt work and kills jobs. You cant keep taxing your businesses, she said. It doesnt promote economic sustainability. It doesnt keep your businesses in business. The task force recommended that the council consider six revenue-generating options: a sales tax, real estate transfer tax, sale of city property, additional hotel rooms, annexation of surrounding properties like Meadowood, and participation in an independent economic development committee. On March 22, the council will review the results of a survey measuring voter support for a potential tax measure. We would like to preface this article by stating that, luckily, Miranda Lambert and her band are safe and nobody was harmed in any way, thanks to the fast-acting Rodeo Houston security team. Last night, Miranda performed for the crowd at the annual event, and as she was nearing the end of her show, a fan began to rush toward the stage. However, he was stopped by security before he was able to reach his destination. According to local news outlets, the unidentified man was tackled and arrested after he jumped a fence and ran toward Miranda. Though officials are unsure of what the man intended to do upon reaching the Female Vocalist of the Year, it is believed he might have been attempting to deliver flowers. A statement made by Rodeo Houston explains: We confirm that yes there was an arrest for criminal trespassing, due to someone entering the arena. We make announcements that no spectators are allowed in the arena except for chute seat holders during the concert. Question -- What is the goal of this website? Why do we share different sources of information that sometimes conflicts or might even be considered disinformation? Answer -- The primary goal of Nesaranews is to help all people become better truth-seekers in a real-time boots-on-the-ground fashion. This is for the purpose of learning to think critically, discovering the truth from withinnot just believing things blindly because it came from an "authority" or credible source. Instead of telling you what the truth is, we share information from many sources so that you can discern it for yourself. We focus on teaching you the tools to become your own authority on the truth, gaining self-mastery, sovereignty, and freedom in the process. We want each of you to become your own leaders and masters of personal discernment, and as such, all information should be vetted, analyzed and discerned at a personal level. We also encourage you to discuss your thoughts in the comments section of this site to engage in a group discernment process. "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle 11 Featuring:(saxophone)(piano)(guitar)(bass)(drums)(vocals on track 3)Saxophonist Christian Winther's new release Refuge In Sound espouses the words of the greatwho once stated that What we play is life." Since moving from Denmark to New Orleans in 1997 Winther's music echoes those sentiments while he's immersed himself into the city's rich culture while finding his voice as a leader and thriving participant in the jazz community.The phrase wider recognition" is often used to describe lesser known yet equally talented artists and that statement holds true for Winther an erudite musician who's studied with jazz greatsand Harold Battiste. He's performed and lead ensembles that have includedandand produced a number of noteworthy recordings: 2011's From The Sound Up (SteepleChase) and 2013's Two People, a duo collaboration with pianist Richard D. Johnson featuring the music ofWith a glowing tone, exquisite control and expressive lyricism, Refuge In Sound is the next chapter in the saxophonist's jazz-flife story, one that exudes a melodious quality through a passionate pursuit of the art-form as Winther states This release is about my personal connection with music. Playing from a place within and using my sound to share the stories I have to tell." These stories are now articulated by a stellar group of in-demand players that include the sinuous strings of guitarist Mike Moreno, the burning piano of Allyn Johnson and a flexible yet stalwart rhythm center provided by bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Billy Williams Jr. and memorable vocals from Christie Dashiell on One for Mulgrew."A strong sense of melody and swing permeates Refuge In Sound which features original compositions written by Winther over the last couple of years; fully representing his identity as a composer and band leader. This is witnessed in the opening title track and the fiery up-tempo Outsider" where the music dances with vibrant solos and crisp trades girded by the rhythm section's tight pocket. The musicians move in simpatico with an almost telepathic vibe which is a testament to both Winther's writing and their musicianship.There are also other jewels to be discovered like One For Mulgrew" a tune dedicated to the great pianistwho passed in 2013 yet his masterful touch and compositions continue to inspire. The track possesses a flowing elegance colored by rich harmonies from vocalist Christie Dashiell and fervent statements from Allyn Johnson, Winther and Reuben Rogers' probing arco.What comes across so lucidly in Refuge In Sound is the quality of the music's sound. As Winther so eloquently comments For me everything I play on my horn comes from my sound and I think that sound is what makes us identifiable as musicians." This is most definitely the case throughout the recording and heard in Tell Me Your Truth" a gorgeous ballad that speaks to Winther's idea about not being afraid of saying what you have to say, listening and letting others take part. Its songlike attributes, the band's interaction and deep phrasing from Winther's horn create a simply rapturous listening experience. Other highlights include the street-edged vibe of Blues Life" about the daily challenges of being a jazz musician and the beautiful exchange between Winther and Allyn Johnson's excellent piano work in The Sleeping Giant" a tune written for Winther's 9 year old daughter Mila. From beginning to end Refuge in Sound is an engaging recording filled with melodious purpose from the masterful Christian Winther. President Harutyunyan receives group of members of Union of Artsakh Reserve Officers NGO Newspaper: Armenia restores diplomatic ties with Hungary? China hit by 5.5 magnitude earthquake Armenian Defense Ministry denies Azerbaijani report on shelling, calling it disinformation Blinken: Moscow is not interested in stopping aggression against Ukraine Japan and U.S. will hold joint military exercises France withdraws from Energy Charter Treaty CNN: White House is in talks with Elon Musk to create satellite Internet service Starlink in Iran Baku outraged by Iran's statements and frightened by IRGC military exercises Who are main beneficiaries of 'Zangezur' corridor?: Another anonymous article by 'Haykakan Zhamanak' newspaper Ankara decides to stand up for Riyadh amid deteriorating relations between Saudi Arabia and U.S. French Foreign Minister considers it vital to keep lines of communication with Russia open Pentagon refuses to give details of conversation between Austin and Shoigu Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin: Head of Caucasus Muslims Department again made slanderous and false statements Erdogan denies using chemical weapons against Kurds and threatens those who dare to talk about it Saudi Arabia and China will strengthen their ties in energy sector Governor of Gegharkunik province receives representatives of OSCE fact-finding mission Penny Mordaunt runs for Prime Minister of Great Britain Sweden expects ratification of NATO membership application by Hungary and Turkey to be completed soon European Union will allocate 1.5 billion euros per month to Kiev in 2023 An Israeli-built flight school opened in Greece Russian Railways is negotiating with Azerbaijan and Iran to launch the Rasht-Astara route Overchuk: Construction of road through Meghri, whose sovereignty is not in question, depends on Armenia's position Armenian Defense Minister's working visit to India is over Hungary will not agree to limit prices for imported gas Iranian Foreign Minister: Iran considers Armenia one of most important transit countries Naribekyan participates in meeting of secretaries general of PACE parliaments Delegation from United Arab Emirates visits Armenia at invitation of head of MONKS: Two agreements signed Dollar, euro drop in Armenia Iran consul general in Armenias Kapan: We do not accept any change of borders Baza: Mobile military registration and enlistment offices will be removed on Russian-Georgian border Iranian Consul: Countries of region do not need presence of foreign armed forces Armenia FM: Iran consulate general in Kapan will be important for regional security Iranian Consul General advises Kapan residents not to worry anymore: Iran is here for Armenian people FM reaffirms Armenia plan to open consulate general in Irans Tabriz Turkey to open consulate in occupied Armenian Shushi city of Artsakh Turkish Ministry of Finance: Ankara can buy Russian oil without Western funding Armenia Security Council chief briefs European Parliament rapporteur on recent Azerbaijan military aggression British bookmakers name favorite for post of prime minister Erdogan: Armenia-Azerbaijan relations progress will contribute to Armenia-Turkey relations normalization Iranian Consulate General opens in Kapan Erdogan: Turkey is looking for alternative to American F-16 fighters Iran consul general: We are here for Armenian people Turkey FM slams OSCE decision to send needs assessment mission to Armenia Peskov reacts to Erdogan's words about Putin's softening on Ukraine negotiations European Parliament rapporteur on Armenia visits Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan European Parliament rapporteur on Armenia to legislature speaker: Attack was from Azerbaijan, naturally Armenia President to EEU PMs: We will manage to take another confident step by respecting mutual interests EUSR Toivo Klaars exclusive interview with NEWS.am on EU Monitoring mission,Nagorno Karabakh future and violence videos Explosions rock Ukraines Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia President meets with newly formed Artsakh Public Council members Armenia PM: We need understanding in price horizon, at least in medium term Lawyer: 20 of fallen solders parents detained from Yerevan military pantheon are recognized as injured party PM: Armenia trade with other EEU countries increased by 74% France region to provide 300,000 to Armenias Syunik Province affected by Azerbaijan military aggression Eurasian Intergovernmental Council extended meeting underway in Yerevan MOD: Armenia did not fire at Azerbaijan positions, vehicle MPs in Strasbourg, present threatening dangers: Armenia has powerful support in European Parliament Years first snow falls in Armenias Shirak Province World oil prices on the rise Newspaper: Russia dismisses Armenia PM's news on Karabakh Russia PM in Yerevan, to discuss with EEU colleagues single oil, natural gas markets formation Newspaper: Why is Iran in hurry to open consulate in Armenias Syunik Province? France, Spain, Portugal agree to build Barcelona-Marseille natural gas pipeline Admiral: U.S. should now prepare for Chinese 'invasion' of Taiwan Harutyunyan: I cannot imagine Artsakh's future without presence of Russia Harutyunyan: Without questioning path of our independence, we must meet with Baku Prime Minister of Finland does not think that Hungary and Turkey will block country's application for NATO membership Iranian FM: U.S. made hasty statements in connection with protests Former Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim involved in car accident in Karabakh Arayik Harutyunyan: Artsakh people's right to self-determination is non-negotiable Iranian MFA calls it important to form platform with Armenia and India on North-South corridor Details of EU monitoring mission in Armenia are known Foreign Ministry: It seems Ankara is more interested in opening corridor through Armenia than Azerbaijan Mirzoyan: Unexpected third countries support Azerbaijani interpretation of road to Nakhchivan Foreign Ministry: Armenia, Iran and Bulgaria initial agreement on creation of Persian Gulf-Black Sea corridor Israeli Defense Minister to visit Ankara Armenian Foreign Minister names main obstacle to solving problems with Azerbaijan Erdogan once again raises issue of so-called 'Zangezur corridor' Armenian and Iranian FMs to open Iranian Consulate General in Syunik province tomorrow Abdollahian: Aliyev assured that he does not want border changes, Iran will prevent implementation of such idea Iranian Foreign Minister in Yerevan supports '3+3' platform Iranian Foreign Minister recalls Tehran's 'red lines' in regional issues Mirzoyan: We highly appreciate Iran's principled position regarding territorial integrity of Armenia UK imposes sanctions against Iran for alleged delivery of drones to Russia Yerevan hosts meeting of Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in narrow composition Armenian and Iranian Foreign Ministers meet in Yerevan in extended format Charles Michel: EU energy deal possible, but difficult Erdogan says Baku should demand 'compensation' from Yerevan Pashinyan: EEU mechanisms are of great help, trade turnover between Armenia and Belarus has doubled Yair Lapid: Russia-Iran relations are serious problem for Ukraine, Europe, and whole world Amir-Abdollahian: Iran is against presence of foreigners in this region, both in Azerbaijan and Armenia Pashinyan at EAEU meeting: Fundamental principles of world economic system in question Iranian Foreign Minister's official visit to Yerevan begins Macron says Germany should not isolate itself in Europe EU begins deployment of mission on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Trump's son made fun of Zelenskyy's ability to ask West for money EU to provide emergency aid for Armenia residents affected by recent Azerbaijan military aggression Azerbaijan army units fire at Armenia positions Mikhail Mishustin arrives in Yerevan Woman Holding an Umbrella, photographer unknown, c. 1900. From the William P. Turner Photograph Collection, Pitts Theology Library, Emory University. A new exhibit of 19th-century Asian objects and antique photographs will feature materials from the Oxford College Collection of Asian Artifacts, the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library and the Pitts Theology Library. "Learning from the Empire: Japan in the Archives of Oxford College and Emory University," which opened March 9 in the Level 3 rotunda in Emory's Robert W. Woodruff Library, showcases research by Emory undergraduate students in the Fall 2015 course "Literary and Visual Culture in Japan." The exhibit includes exquisite ceramics, sculptures and photographs of dolls too fragile to be displayed, as well as rare photographs from Japan, China and Korea. Many of the ceramics and sculptures reflect Shinto and Buddhist religious traditions. The Oxford College Collection of Asian Artifacts, from which the objects are drawn, includes materials originally sent from Japan to Emory College at Oxford in 1894 by Emory alumnus William Patillo Turner at the request of Emory College President Warren Akin Candler. The class of 18 students studied the objects to help create a finding aid for future library users. Through their research, the students discovered documents and photographs from the same period in the Rose Library and the Pitts Theology Library's Special Collections that add context to the objects in the Oxford College Library's collection. "The chance to work with objects, particularly objects that haven't been curated or researched already, is an amazing experience for students," says course instructor Cheryl Crowley, interim director of Emory's East Asian Studies Program and associate professor of Japanese language and literature. "Their perspectives enriched whatever I might have been able to do myself in trying to identify these objects," Crowley adds. "It's been a great collaboration." According to library exhibitions manager Kathy Dixson, the class considered the significance of these pieces, and how they were used and perceived by students at the Oxford College museum in the late 19th century, which had been a fascinating mystery. "Now Cheryl is addressing the same questions with her students, and discovering how they perceive these objects, 100 years or so later," Dixson says. Students met with digital photography coordinator Paige Knight, who photographed fragile items such as documents and 19th-century dolls that are central to the exhibit. Knight hopes the exhibit will encourage visitors to explore the collections housed in Emory's libraries. "Spend a day in one of the many special collections and look for materials relating to your area of interest," says Knight. "We all know of the big hits in the library, the collections that easily find the spotlight. But as showcased in this exhibit, there is so much more to be discovered." The exhibit, free and open to the public during library visitor hours , will be on view through June 19. Posted by Brian Wong | March 9, 2016 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into brake failures on model-year 2013-14 Ford F-150s equipped with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine. This potential recall action affects 420,000 pickups, which make up 36 percent of the total number of F-150s sold in those years. In its investigation letter to Ford, NHTSA says that the complaints "allege symptoms of brake pedal going to the floor with complete loss of brake effectiveness, brake warning lamp illumination, and/or low or empty master cylinder reservoir fluid level with no visible leakage." The number of complaints to NHTSA on this issue has accelerated in recent months. During the past 12 months, NHTSA received 31 complaints with 20 of them coming in the last seven months. There have been no reported injuries from the alleged issue, though four drivers have pointed to the brake problem as a reason for crashes. The problem appears to be brake fluid leaking from the master cylinder into the brake booster, which causes the brakes to fail, but an exact cause has not yet been determined. Ford's response to NHTSA reads: "We take the safety of our customers very seriously, and we will cooperate with NHTSA on this investigation, as we always do." See the NHTSA letter to Ford here; check back with PickupTrucks.com for more on this issue as it unfolds. Manufacturer image 10:31 Republican frontrunner Donald Trump on Wednesday swept to victories in two key primary states, expanding his lead in the White House nomination race while Hillary Clinton won Democratic Party's primary in Mississippi. Celebrating his two wins, Trump, 69, criticised the establishment Republicans who have led recent attacks on him, including heavy negative advertising. In Mississippi, the real estate tycoon received the support of nearly 50 per cent of the Republican voters. Senator Ted Cruz came second with 35.2 per cent of the votes counted. In Michigan, Trump received 37.2 per cent of the Republican votes. To the surprise of many Cruz was pushed to the third spot by the Ohio governor John Kasich in the state who received 25.5 per cent of the votes. Cruz gained the support of 23.7 per cent of the votes. Clinton, 68, won the Democratic primary contest in Mississippi where she beat her party rival Bernie Sanders, 74 while her battle with Bernie Sanders in Michigan is too close to call. She won Mississippi by 88 per cent to 10 per cent, bolstered by her overwhelming support among African American voters. With Mississippi win, Clinton has grabbed 21 delegates at stake taking her total count to 1,134. To win the party's presidential nomination, she needs 2,384 delegates of the total 4,765. Before Wednesday's primaries, Trump was leading with 384 delegates. He needs least 1,237 votes from a total of 2,472 delegates. Cruz, 45, follows Trump with 300 delegates and Florida Senator Marco Rubio, 44, with 151 delegates. In addition to Michigan and Mississippi, Republican presidential primaries are also being held in Hawaii and Idaho. After registering impressive primary wins, Trump exuded confidence of easily defeating his Democratic rival Clinton in the November presidential elections. "I am going to beat Hillary (Clinton). Hillary is going to be very very easy to beat. She is a very easy target, if she is allowed to run. If the government does its job properly, she would not be allowed to run," Trump told reporters at a late night news conference in Florida. "I am going to clean the slate," Trump said. Asserting that he is a Republican unifier, he urged the party establishment to embrace his movement and the massive support that he is getting. This he said would help the Republican Party to win the presidential elections. Trump claimed that he would win some of the States like New York where the Republican Party normally does not win. In his victory-speech-cum-press conference, the New Yorker said his rivals -- Cruz, Rubio and Kasich -- have not done well. Responding to questions, he attributed his impressive wins to his distractors who are running advertisements against him and Mitt Romney, the former presidential candidate, for criticising him. Trump said so far he has spent just $25 million (about Rs 162 crore) as against $160 million (About Rs 1,040 crore) by some of his opponents. Event will mark three-millionth volume at library by Christi Mathis CARBONDALE, Ill. -- A March celebration will mark the acquisition of the three-millionth volume for Southern Illinois University Carbondales Morris Library. The Friends of Morris Library have purchased a first edition/first printing of Uncle Toms Cabin and the occasion will be marked with a special ceremony and guest speakers at 3 p.m. on March 30 in the first floor rotunda. Published in March 1852, the Harriet Beecher Stowe book that employed an anti-slavery theme was immediately controversial, selling more than 300,000 copies in its first year even though banned in the South as abolitionist propaganda. Due to outdated racial language, it is still sometimes banned today. Thus, the book will be added to the librarys Ralph McCoy Freedom of the Press collection, named for SIUs first library dean and his devotion to First Amendment principles. The Friends purchased this book in recognition of the continued growth of Morris Librarys academic collections and the librarys support of faculty, student and community research. Susan Tulis, co-interim dean of the library, will speak at the program as will David Anthony, professor of English at SIU, and Jo-Ann Morgan, professor of African American Studies at Western Illinois University. Morgan will discuss the visual culture of the book and Anthony will address the literary significance of Stowes work. Those involved in the ceremonial book presentation include SIU President Randy Dunn; Robert Jenson, president of the Friends of Morris Library; and Pam Hackbart-Dean, director of the Special Collections Research Center. A reception will follow from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the Hall of Presidents and Chancellors; refreshments will be served. In addition, at the reception visitors can view an exhibit featuring the volumes the library acquired as its one-, two- and three-millionth books. The tradition began in 1968 with the acquisition and ceremonial presentation of a first edition of Walt Whitmans Leaves of Grass, donated in honor of Delyte W. Morris, then president of SIU. The two-millionth volume, acquired in 1988, was a 1644 printing of John Miltons Areopagitica. Poll: Illinois voters favor legislative redistricting changes CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Almost two-thirds of Illinois voters support having an independent commission draw legislative district lines in the state, according to a poll by Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. Sixty-four percent of voters surveyed supported the change while 25 percent opposed. The sample of 1,000 registered voters was from Feb. 15-20 and has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. Supporters of a change argue the current system is gerrymandering because it allows state lawmakers to draw their own district lines and they argue it would be better for an independent group to do it. Supporters are circulating petitions to put a proposed redistricting change on the November ballot. Opponents say the current system protects minority groups and that writing laws cant be left to unelected people. The poll also found support for another proposed change to the states redistricting system. Seventy-one percent of registered voters favored having the Illinois Supreme Court add a neutral tie-breaking vote to the redistricting panel created when lawmakers are deadlocked over drawing a plan. Only 19 percent oppose it; 10 percent are not sure. Favorability toward legislative redistricting changes is consistent across all demographic and political groups. Illinoisans are in a mood to change things, David Yepsen, institute director, said. In addition to redistricting changes, they also support restricting campaign contributions in judicial races and term limits for legislators. Seventy-two percent favored limits on campaign contributions. Voters were less supportive of providing public funding for judicial races (52 percent). Liberals are more likely to support judicial campaign finance reform than conservatives or moderates. Of all of the restructuring proposals asked about in this Simon Poll, the widest support was for term limits on state legislators. Seventy-eight percent of the sample favored term limits while only 20 percent opposed the proposal and 3 percent didnt know. Term limits were most popular among Republicans. The poll also asked about support for right-to-work laws, one of Republican Gov. Bruce Rauners proposals in his turn-around agenda. There are 61 percent of Illinois voters who said they would vote for this proposal or lean toward voting for it. There were 33 percent who said they would oppose -- or lean toward opposing -- giving workers the right to opt out of labor union membership without risk to their job. Republicans are more favorable toward right-to-work laws, but a majority of Democrats also support Rauners proposal. Poll results are available here. For more information, contact Yepsen at 618/453-4009 or John S. Jackson, a visiting professor at the institute, at 618/303-1240. The margin of error for the entire sample of 1,000 voters is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. This means that if we conducted the survey 100 times, in 95 of those instances, the result would be within plus or minus the reported margin for error for each subsample. Live telephone interviews were conducted by Customer Research International of San Marcos, Texas, using the random digit dialing method. Potential interviewees were screened based on whether they were registered voters and quotas based on area code and sex (<60 percent female). Interviewers asked to speak to the youngest registered voter at home at the time of the call. Cell phone interviews accounted for 40 percent of the sample. A Spanish language version of the questionnaire and a Spanish-speaking interviewer were made available. Fieldwork was conducted from Feb. 15 through Feb. 20. No auto-dial or robo polling is included. Customer Research International reports no Illinois political clients. The survey was paid for with non-tax dollars from the Institutes endowment fund. Crosstabs for the referenced questions will be on the Institutes polling website, http://paulsimoninstitute.siu.edu/opinion-polls/index.php. Simon Institute polling data are also archived by three academic institutions for use by scholars and the public. The three open source data repositories are: the University of Michigans Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (OpenICPSR; http://openicpsr.org/repoEntity/list), the University of North Carolinas Odum Institute Dataverse Network (http://arc.irss.unc.edu/dvn/dv/PSPPI), and the Simon Institute Collection at OpenSIUC (http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/ppi/). Note: The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Poll, the Simon Poll and the Southern Illinois Poll are the copyrighted trademarks of the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University. Use and publication of these polls is encouraged -- but only with credit to the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at SIU Carbondale. President and provost discuss student alcohol use, seek campus dialogue on new solutions In a meeting with resident fellows Tuesday night and in an email to students Wednesday, Stanford President John Hennessy and Provost John Etchemendy discussed the continuing dangers of alcohol misuse among undergraduates and the urgency of identifying new solutions as a campus community. The text of their email to students follows below. Dear Students: Last night, the two of us met with the Resident Fellows from across the Stanford campus to begin renewing our community's conversation about a persistent challenge: alcohol misuse. Colleges and universities across the country continue to wrestle with alcohol and the high-risk behaviors that can result from its misuse. It is estimated that more than 1,800 college students die each year from alcohol-related incidents, nearly 700,000 experience alcohol-related physical assaults, and nearly 100,000 experience alcohol-related sexual violence, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Many universities have identified hard alcohol as playing a particularly dangerous role in their undergraduate communities, in the form of shots and pre-gaming. At Stanford, we have worked together students, staff, and faculty in many ways in recent years to build a healthier campus culture around alcohol. We have created more substance-free social opportunities through the Cardinal Nights program. Educational efforts have expanded, spearheaded both by the university and by student groups. Fraternities and sororities have assumed greater accountability for organizational conduct. Campus alcohol policies (which make clear the illegal nature of alcohol consumption for those under 21) have been strengthened and provide extensive guidance in responsible party planning. Despite the progress that has been made, we believe a serious issue still confronts this campus. Alcohol, and particularly hard alcohol, is implicated in a variety of problems that continue to be present in the Stanford community. These include alcohol poisoning, sexual assault and relationship violence, organizational conduct problems, and academic problems. We need new solutions solutions that reduce risk for students, that reduce the pressure on students to drink, and that meaningfully change our culture around alcohol. We began our conversation last night with the Resident Fellows because Stanford has a strong, residentially based undergraduate community. The Resident Fellows and student staff work to create in each house a culture that reflects values shaped collectively by the community learning, personal development, inclusion, mutual respect, and accountability. We wish to preserve the strength of our residential system while making real progress in reducing the harm that still comes to too many of our students. Last night's meeting started a structured conversation in the Residential Education community around these issues which we hope to continue during the spring quarter. In addition, we want broad student engagement and input. We welcome ideas from students and other members of the campus community for new ways of tackling this pressing challenge. The importance and persistence of this issue have led the two of us to contemplate options that we have not in the past, including broad bans on hard alcohol in undergraduate residences. But we believe a serious campus conversation is what is called for at the moment. Please feel free to email us with your ideas, and please engage your friends and housemates in this conversation as well. We welcome your best thinking as well as your personal recommitment to supporting the health, safety, and well-being of everyone in our campus community. Sincerely, John L. Hennessy President John Etchemendy Provost As the deadly bat disease called white-nose syndrome continues to spread across North America, scientists are studying bats in China to understand how they are able to survive infections with the same fungus that has wiped out millions of North American bats. By comparing disease dynamics in North American and Asian bat populations, researchers have found evidence that Asian bat species have much lower levels of infection than North American species and therefore are resistant to the fungus. The study, published March 9 in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, also suggests that some declining North American bat species may be able to evolve enough resistance to the disease to persist, while other species appear less likely to do so. Led by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, an international team sampled hibernating bats at five sites in China and five sites in the United States, using a standardized swabbing technique to detect and quantify the amount of fungus on each bat. "Uniformly, across all the species we sampled in China, we found much lower levels of infection--both the fraction of bats infected and the amount of fungus on infected bats were lower than in North America," said first author Joseph Hoyt, a graduate student at UC Santa Cruz. Co-first author Kate Langwig, a former UCSC graduate student now a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University, said the team collected samples from bats at hibernation sites in Northeastern China and the Midwestern United States where the latitude and winter climate are very similar. The fungus that causes white-nose syndrome is endemic in Asia and Europe, so bats there have coexisted with it for a long time, whereas the disease only recently invaded North America, where it was first discovered in 2006. "This is the first study to compare disease dynamics in an endemic region and a region where the pathogen is invading, and the results can help us understand the course it might take in North America," Hoyt said. Host resistance The researchers considered four possible hypotheses for the ability of Asian bats to persist with the fungus: host resistance, host tolerance, lower transmission due to smaller populations, or lower fungal growth rates due to environmental factors. Their results pointed toward host resistance and did not support the other hypotheses, Hoyt said. The variation in infection intensity observed within some North American species, such as the little brown bat, may be a hopeful sign, he said. Overall, little brown bats had much higher levels of infection than Asian bats, but some individual little brown bats had relatively low fungal loads. If the variation is a result of genetic differences, it could lead to the evolution of resistance in that species. Langwig noted that one North American species, big brown bats, have not suffered as dramatically from the disease as other North American species. In contrast, northern long-eared bats, which showed very low variability in fungal loads, have experienced drastic population declines. "The northern long-eared bat suffers really high fungal loads, and nearly all individuals are infected--there's no overlap with the Asian species," Langwig said. "From previous work, we've seen their populations crashing toward extinction, so it could be a poor omen for that species." The mechanisms underlying the resistance of Asian bat species remain unknown. "It doesn't have to be the same strategy for every species--it could be differences in the skin microbiome in one and hibernation behavior in another--but we just don't have those details yet," Langwig said. In addition to Hoyt and Langwig, the coauthors of the paper include Winifred Frick and Marm Kilpatrick, both faculty members in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz; Keping Sun, Guanjun Lu, Tinglei Jiang, and Jiang Feng at Northeast Normal University, China; and Katy Parise and Jeffrey Foster at University of New Hampshire. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation, National Speleological Society Rapid Response Fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, China National Science and Technology Foundation, an Experiment.com crowdfunding project, and the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation. The Math Myth vs. the beauty of algebra I discovered recently that my calculus students do not know the meaning of the word quorum. Since a course in American government is a high school graduation requirement in most states (including here in Florida), I was taken aback. How should I react? Should I take to the editorial pages of The New York Times, bemoaning the state of civics education? Should I call out political scientists and high school history teachers for their failures? Surely youd admonish me to calm down a bit and perhaps not venture into disciplines where Im not an expert. Yet Andrew Hacker, professor emeritus of political science at the City University of New York, recently took this exact approach to attack the teaching of algebra in American schools. He also wrote a book. And hes done it before. Nor is he alone. Novelist Nicholson Baker wrote a piece for Harpers in 2013 that got the math community talking. The real target of Bakers piece was the accountability movement and the associated standardized testing, but he chose mathematics as his straw man because it (a) is easy, and (b) will sell magazines. He manages to boil the modern course in Algebra II down to this: Its a highly efficient engine for the creation of math rage: a dead scrap heap of repellent terminology, a collection of spiky, decontextualized, multistep mathematical black-box techniques that you must practice over and over and get by heart in order to be ready to do something interesting later on, when the time comes. At least Baker is an entertaining writer. Hacker makes many of the same points in his Times articles, decrying algebra as a high school graduation requirement that holds back far too many students from having a productive life. He argues instead for numeracy and suggests what such a course should contain. Its mostly statistics and financial mathematics, and lessons in visualizing and analyzing data. To fight off the counterassertion that its possible to learn this material in a high school advanced placement statistics course, Hacker comes up with lists of obscure terminology: The A.P. [Statistics] syllabus is practically a research seminar for dissertation candidates. Some typical assignments: binomial random variables, least-square regression lines, pooled sample standard errors. Its not just happening in math Every subject in school has been broken down into a string of often unrelated facts or tasks, not just mathematics. I recall an episode from my own sons experience in ninth grade while taking Honors Pre-AP English I (yes, thats the real name of the course, not some Orwellian nightmare). His teacher led the class through the CD/CM method of essay writing, which goes like this. Fill out a worksheet with the funnel (4-7 sentence introduction), the thesis statement, and then for each of three paragraphs create 11 (!) sentences the topic sentence (fine) and then CD#1, CM#1, CD#2,CM#2,,CD#5,CM#5. What is a CD, you ask? Concrete Detail. A CM? Comment, of course. Now, this is really just a superextended outline for an essay, but my son was extremely frustrated by this, eventually exclaiming, I just want to write the damn paper! Is this example from the humanities really any different from what Hacker and Baker complain about? Hacker is not completely wrong, however. School mathematics has largely been drained of context and beauty. University mathematicians complain about this, too. For example, my son has also brought home worksheets full of dozens of polynomials with the simple instruction: Factor. But why? Light rays striking a parabolic mirror reflect to a common point called the focus (point F above). created in Geogebra by the author There is no context given for why we care about polynomial equations, no discussion of why parabolas (graphs of quadratic equations) are useful things. Maybe we should explain that without parabolas, we wouldnt have good headlights on our cars or all those pretty pictures of deep space from the Hubble telescope. But just as mathematicians would not argue for the elimination of English or civics from the high school curriculum, Hacker shouldnt be arguing for the elimination of algebra. Lets be honest. Mostly because of the accountability movement and high-stakes testing, K-12 education suffers from these types of problems in every subject. Picking on math alone because its particularly vexing for some people is unsporting. Credibility gap Of course, Hacker and Baker have proposals for how to fix this mess. The problem is that the major prerequisite for much of what Hacker proposes is, ironically, algebra. Not so much the grinding, symbol-driven form of algebra taught in school today, but algebra nonetheless. Reading bar graphs in the newspaper is a skill that we should expect high school graduates to be able to do, but nontrivial calculations with data require at least some facility with algebra. Hacker surely knows this, but it would undermine his argument to admit it. Hes certainly not wrong that some students fall by the wayside, and the way we teach algebra and geometry in the middle grades is largely to blame. Stanford mathematician Keith Devlin wrote a wonderful response to Hackers recent piece, pointing out how his ideas may actually be correct but misguided: Not only did that suggestion [the elimination of algebra from the high school curriculum] alienate accomplished scientists and engineers and a great many teachers groups youd want on your side if your goal is to change math education it distracted attention from what was a very powerful argument for introducing the teaching of algebra into our schools, something I and many other mathematicians would enthusiastically support. Unfortunately, Hacker undermines his credibility by stating falsehoods. For example, he claims Coding is not based on mathematics Most people who do coding, programming, software design, dont do any mathematics at all. It may be true that these individuals are not crunching numbers all day (thats what software is for, of course), but the algorithmic processes underlying coding are the very essence of mathematics. To say otherwise is just delusional. Hacker also asks, Would you go to a mathematician to tell us what to do in Syria? It just defies comprehension. Actually, it shouldnt. The Central Intelligence Agency and other national security groups employ thousands of mathematicians to analyze data associated with foreign affairs, looking for patterns amid the chaos. So, Hacker is just plain wrong about some things, even if his overall idea has merit. Were all on the same team You see, college math professors know there is a problem with K-12 mathematics. We see the results in our classrooms on campus. As much as Hacker would like to believe his ad hominem assertions about math faculties at high schools and colleges, we really just want our students well-prepared for the beautiful, fascinating and, yes, useful material we have to offer. Algebra is a beautiful baby; it would be a shame to throw it out with some dirty bathwater. This article originally was published in The Conversation on March 4, 2016. The Jessore-bound aircraft crashed into the sea around 9.30 a.m., bdnews24.com quoted a beach town airport authority as saying. The accident occurred at the Naziratek Point of the sea, five km off the town, he said. Police said the Antonov A26 aircraft, operated by True Aviation, was used for carrying shrimps cargo between Cox's Bazar and Jessore. "All four on board were Russian nationals," Cox's Bazar police said. A search and rescue operation began immediately after the crash that took place almost a km off the beach. The fire service also joined the rescue mission. One person was rescued around 10 a.m. and taken to the hospital, said a fire service official, adding that they were still looking for the two missing. The hospital's emergency wing doctor Nobel Kumar Barua said the rescued person "is in critical condition." --Indo-Asian News Service py/vt ( 186 Words) 2016-03-09-12:31:33 (IANS) Gurgaon, Mar.9 (ANI-BusinessWire): Embassy Industrial Parks a joint venture between Embassy Group, one of the leading property developer and Warburg Pincus signed an MoU with the Government of Haryana at the Haryana Global Investors Summit 2016, for the development of three industrial parks around Gurgaon with a projected investment of Rs 1,910 crores and an employment potential of 4,000 people. The projects are intended to support the booming E-commerce as well as the retail and FMCG companies to consolidate in a post GST scenario. Anshul Singhal, Chief Executive Officer, Embassy Industrial Parks, said: "We are happy to see the proactive and professional approach of the Haryana government to help private companies like Embassy Industrial Parks, grow operations in the state of Haryana. Embassy Industrial Parks is confident of achieving its goals in the state with the support of the government. With this support, we promise to host world class infrastructure that will help both multinational and domestic companies' set-up factory operations in the state." The proposed warehousing project will span the development of integrated Industrial and Logistics Parks with support facilities and also target industrial light manufacturing clients to set up build to suit manufacturing facility/ready built factories in these parks. The project will be developed on the outskirts of Gurgaon, on NH-8 or within 10 to 15 kilometers from NH-8. The Government of Haryana will help Embassy Industrial Parks acquire this land and get approvals for the projects, apart from providing incentives to ensure their sustainability. Though the warehousing sector has been largely unorganized and fragmented, the demand for modern warehouse infrastructure has seen a surge in recent times. The rapid growth of retail, manufacturing and related industry segments coupled with an influx of investment will only push this sector to new heights. Embassy Group is one of the leading property developers in India with a track record of over three decades in real estate development. Embassy has an extensive land bank across the country and has developed over 37 million sq. ft. of prime commercial, residential and retail space in India as well as Malaysia and Serbia. Embassy's portfolio of real estate developments spans the commercial, residential, industrial, retail and hospitality segments of the real estate industry. While the commercial real estate business includes the development of business parks for the IT/ITeS sector, SEZs, and corporate office space. Embassy's ongoing residential projects include luxury apartments, villas and integrated townships. Embassy's residential projects are also designed to obtain IGBC Green Homes gold ratings as part of the efforts towards creating sustainable developments. Embassy Industrial Parks is a joint venture between the Embassy Group and Warburg Pincus, formed to address the challenges of companies grappling with building and managing industrial and warehousing spaces. We are committed to bringing quality Grade A industrial, light manufacturing and warehousing spaces in close proximity to leading consumer and industrial centers across India. These modern well planned, technology-enabled industrial and warehousing spaces are targeted at industry verticals like E-Commerce, 3PL, Automobile Ancillaries, FMCG and Retail. (ANI-BusinessWire) The two accused, according to police records, are Sanjay Shinde, a freelance journalist working for a local cable news channel 'In Goa' and Melvyn Soares, who also used to freelance with local media outfits as well as with the Goa government's department for information and publicity. "Shinde and Soares had approached a businessman in South Goa who was constructing a private multi-purpose hall and demanded a bribe of Rs.5 lakh to overlook alleged illegalities in the construction," a senior police official told IANS on condition of anonymity. Both of them were arrested late on Tuesday in Margao town, located 35 km south of Panaji, accepting Rs.80,000, as an instalment of the bribe which had been demanded. While police claim that they have recovered a press card allegedly issued by the In Goa cable news channel, when contacted the editor in chief of the channel, Anil Lad, said: "He is not our employee. The ID card appears to be fake." --Indo-Asian News Service maya/pku ( 205 Words) 2016-03-09-00:31:34 (IANS) Hillary Clinton has suffered major loss in the Michigan primary after Bernie Sanders pulled off his biggest win of the Democratic presidential race last night. The Vermont senator's consistent bid against free trade deals appears to have been a decisive factor which also showed signs of weakening Clinton's dominance among African American voters. The victory by a margin of around three percentage points when was first projected by Associated Press reportedly comes despite Sanders trailing Clinton by an average of 21 points in recent opinion polling. "What tonight means it that the Bernie Sanders campaign, the people's revolution that we are talking about, is strong in every part of the country and frankly we believe that our strongest areas are yet to happen," Guardian quoted Sanders as saying at a hastily arranged press conference in Miami. Taking jibe at the pundits who had said that Bernie Sanders wasn't going anywhere, Sanders thanked the people of Michigan for crashing the polls prediction down to 20-25 points. Michigan with 130 delegates was the second largest prize of the elections which would play a crucial role in the November elections. Meanwhile, the former secretary of state made 83-16 point victory in Mississippi with support mainly from African American voters. 89 percent of black voters in Mississippi's Democratic primary supported Clinton which made up 69 percent of the electorate, showed exit polls. Before Tuesday's elections , Clinton was nearly halfway in securing the 2,383 needed to clinch the Democratic nomination leading by 673-477 pledged delegates. Clinton has yet to win a state in the north by a convincing margin despite winning wins in Iowa and Massachusetts by only a few thousand voters and over the weekend Sanders won three of the latest four states. Sanders 'win in Michigan shows that he has significantly improved his performance with African American voters. Big battlegrounds next week which share similar demographic profile with Michigan, including Ohio, Illinois and Missouri, which vote on March 15, something very crucial for both Clinton and Sanders'. (ANI) Life remained affected for the second today in Ashmuqam and adjoining areas in south Kashmir district of Anantnag, where two youths were injured when security forces allegedly resorted to firing during a search operation. Meanwhile, National Conference (NC), Communist Party of India (M) and Congress besides separatist organisation have strongly condemned the firing by security forces. Shops and business establishments remained closed at Ashumuqam on Anantnag-Pahalgam road due to spontaneous strike against the security force firing in which two youths Amir Ahmad and Javid Ahmad were injured. Work in government offices and banks was also affected. Educational institutions also remained closed. Yesterday, security forces and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police launched a joint search operation at Iram Colony, Ashmuqam. During the operation security forces resorted to firing when some people hit the streets injuring two youths.UNI BAS SV VN1208 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-627923.Xml Police said that on February 22 2016, Kiran Kumar, an employee ofRighters Safe Guard Agency, was carrying the money to bank when hewas waylaid by the gang, threatened him at knife point and later they fledwith the cash. The arrested were identified as Venkatesh, Purushotam, Dilip,Udaya Kumar, Manjunath and Babu. While Manjunath was evading arrest in a criminal case filed byKanchipuram Police in Tamil Nadu, Purushotam has 20 criminal cases,including one murder and 4 attempt to murder, at various PoliceStations in the city, Venkatesh was involved in 8 criminal cases,including two attempt to murder and Udayakumar was facing 3 criminal charges. Police have also seized 2 two wheelers used for the crime. UNI MSP CS 1243 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0284-627983.Xml Migrant Indian workers, being taken hostage by terrorists in Iraq, are alive and the government is making efforts for their safe release, the Lok Sabha was informed today. Replying during Question Hour, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, "We did not take correct the information (about killing of workers) given by a boy who had escaped from the clutches of terrorists."Ms Swaraj said, "Had we taken the information(of killings) true, we would not have kept on our efforts for their rescue and release".She said that this issue also figured during a meeting of Foreign Ministers of 15 Arab League nations as Heads of State of two nations conveyed to her that the hostages are alive. "The two leaders also assured us of their all out help for their safe release," Ms Swaraj said.UNI SS SW 1316 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0089-628027.Xml BJP member Anju Bala today expressed her deep pain in the Lok Sabha saying that she was declared ''dead'' by a website and also it was falsely mentioned that she had ''two husbands''. Raising the matter in Zero Hour, the BJP Member demanded a probe on the website for defaming her by publishing false information. The BJP Member said she was declared dead by the website on March 3 and her place of death was mentioned as Delhi. She said an FIR should be launched on such website. Responding to Ms Bala, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the BJP Member has earlier also expressed her grievance regarding the issue to her. Congress Member Ranjeet Ranjan said the entire House is with Ms Bala on this issue.Intervening, Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda assured the Member that it was a serious matter and the government will certainly take action after the probe.UNI NY RSA/SW 1404 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0099-628122.Xml Dacoits shot dead an elderly person and his daughter-in-law and looted properties worth lakhs of rupees at Bakarpur village under Sonpur police station area in Saran district of Bihar.Police Superintendent Satyaveer Singh said here today that more than 10 desperadoes barged into the house of one villager Deenanath Singh by breaking open the main door.They shot him and his daughter-in-law Sanju Devi dead when both of them resisted their move.Deenanath's wife Parvati Devi and son Kanhaiya Singh were also seriously injured in the attack.Both of them had been admitted to Hajipur Sadar Hospital where the condition of Parvati was stated to be critical. Later, criminals looted properties, including jewellery, cash and other expensive items worth more than Rs 6 lakh from the house.Infuriated over the incident, local people put up a blockade on NH 16 near Bakarpur village paralysing road traffic on Patna-Chhapra road. Senior civil and police authorities had arrived the spot and were trying to lift the road blockade.Meanwhile, the Police Superintendent suspended a police officer responsible for night patrolling with immediate effect on the charge of dereliction in duty. A special police team has also been formed to conduct raids at the suspected hideouts of dacoits to nab them.It is the fourth incident of dacoity under Sonpur police station area in Saran district. Local people had accused the police personnel of not discharging their duties properly.UNI XC DH AD SV SB1340 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0108-628002.Xml Government has taken various steps for greening the Indian Telecom industry, the Lok Sabha was informed today. In a written reply, Communications and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said,'' The government has initiated the process of greening the sector by powering 75 per cent of rural towers and 33 per cent of urban towers by hybrid power (Renewable energy Technologies +grid power) by 2020.''Other measures taken by the government include (1) the service providers have to ensure that the total power consumption of each Base Transceiver Station (BTS) will not exceed 500 w by the year 2020, (2)The cell sites of telecom service providers, particularly in rural ares would be powered by hybrid renewable sources, including wind energy, solar energy among others(3) service providers should aim at carbon emission targets for the mobile network at five per cent by the year 2012-13, eight per cent 2014-15, 12 per cent by the year 2016-17 and 17 per cent by the year 2018-19.'' Department of telecom undertook 20 Renewable energy Technologies(RET) pilot projects through BSNL with subsidy support from Ministry of New and Renewable energy. Also, 400 RET projects were taken up by various Telecom service Providers with support from the Renewable Energy ministry.UNI SY RSA/SW 1437 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0093-628152.Xml Resentment is brewing among a section of Congress leaders in view of poll strategist Prashant Kishore taking over the reins of the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly election strategy and meeting the state leaders including the district and city presidents here tomorrow. However, upbeat with the roping in of the poll strategist, the Congress brass has announced to release the names of the candidates for 100 seats for UP assembly polls by next month. The entry of Mr Kishore, known as PK, in political circles, has created a dispute among the senior party leaders in the state. Former Union minister and Congress Working Committee member, Beni Prasad Verma, had skipped the first meeting with PK at New Delhi early this month. Several other leaders are now starting to grumble at the decision of the party leadership to give the entire charge of UP to a poll strategist and ignoring the politicians. Meanwhile, there are also media reports that former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit could be projected as the CM of UP to garner Brahmin votes while party chief Sonia Gandhi's daughter, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, could be appointed as the head of the campaign committee in the polls. Tomorrow, PK will chair the meeting of the senior party leaders, district and city presidents at the state party office from 1100 hours,in the presence of AICC general secretary and in-charge of UP Madhusudan Mistri and his four deputies, besides the state party president Nirmal Khatri. All the vice-presidents and the general secretaries of the Pradesh Congress committee have been invited for the interaction with the poll strategist. UP Congress vice-president and chairman of the media committee, Satya Deo Tripathi, said today that the meeting will discuss the poll preparations of the party for the 2017 assembly elections. He also said all vice-presidents, general secretaries, district and city presidents along with AICC in-charges of the state would be present in the meeting where Mr Kishore would be the main attraction.More UNI MB RP CS1445 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-627942.Xml Heeding to the demands of several local organisations regarding appointment of local youths for government services, the Nagaland Government is now facing severe crisis of teachers. According to a report, over 100 students of a Government High School in Dimapur are appearing for HSLC examinations without a Mathematics teacher, who was transferred last November. It was also surprising that the Nagaland School Education Department is frequently transferring the Government teachers in the middle of the course, without making arrangement for a substitute teacher to replace him. This has compelled the students to come out to streets demanding appointment of teachers.The students of Government High School (GHS) Diphupar in Dimapur town yesterday took out a protest rally from the school premises to the NH-29 demanding that mathematics subject teacher for the school be appointed. Organised by Diphuphar Naga Students Union (DNSU), the protest rally began at 0900 hrs. According to DNSU president Sakulemba Jamir, the protest was jointly called by Diphuphar Women Organisation (DWO), Diphupar Youth Organisation (DYO), Diphuphar Village council (DVC) and tribal units as the authority failed to fulfil demands even after several appeals. Besides, DNSU and GHS students, the representatives from DWO, DYO, DVC and tribal units also took part in the rally.Later, the Deputy District Education Officer (DDEO) Dimapur R Amongla Jamir also arrived and said that she has already forwarded the matter to the Department, adding that the higher authorities needed to look after the matter at the earliest as assured. She also handed over a notice from the education department to DNSU. In the notice, it was stated that a graduate teacher (Mathematics) from Government Higher Secondary School (GHSS) Dimapur would be deputed to Diphupar on temporary measures until such time Government provided a regular graduate teacher of mathematics. Ms Jamir requested agitating bodies for one month time so the responsible authorities could address the issue on priority basis and enable GHS Diphupar to resume the classes with two Mathematics teachers at the earliest. After due deliberation, the agitation was called off, but turned the Departments proposal to depute temporary teacher. DNSU President Sakulemba affirmed that unless permanent teachers were appointed, the agitation would also put off temporarily. Stating that student welfare should not be taken for granted, DNSU president said the responsible authority come up with its assurance soon. UNI AS AD SV VP1500 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0211-628032.Xml Two NSCN groups have held a routine meeting with the Ceasefire Monitoring Group (CFMG) at Police Complex in Chumukedima near Dimapur.According to official sources the groups are the GPRN/NSCN (Khole-Kitovi) and NSCN-Reformation. The NSCN-IM group, though invited by the CFMG, did not participate in the yesterday's meeting. Sources said CFMG Chairman Lt. Gen. (Retd) N K Singh, along with officials of the various security forces of Nagaland and Nagaland Police, met GPRN/NSCN (NSCN-KK) representatives before they held similar meeting with the NSCN-R. The topic was on the Cease-fire Ground Rules of the ongoing ceasefire with the Union government.Meanwhile, sources said the NSCN-IM did not participate in yesterdays meeting mainly because of differences on an issue with CFMG Chairman Lt. Gen. NK Singh. The NSCN-IM is determined not to hold meeting with the CFMG unless the issue is resolved. The NSCN-IM has been demanding that Mr Singh is recalled by New Delhi. Sources said GPRN/NSCN (NSCN-KK) will hold a meeting with CFMG in April in connection with the Ceasefire extension. The current term will expire in two months. UNI AS PL SV VP1452 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0211-628065.Xml South Eastern Railway today announced to provide a stoppage of 22643/22644 Ernakulam-Patna Bi Weekly Express at Jaleswar from March 19 for a period of six months on experimental basis.Moreover, 53337/53338 Garbeta-Ranchi Passenger has already been provided with a new stoppage at Indrabil on an experimental basis for three months to fulfill the long standing demand of local people.The 22644 Patna-Ernakulam Bi Weekly Express will arrive at Jaleswar at 0240 hrs and will depart at 0242 hrs. In the return direction, 22643 Ernakulam-Patna Bi Weekly Express will arrive Jaleswar at 0708 hrs and will depart at 0710 hrs.The 53337 Garbeta-Ranchi Passenger is arriving Indrabil at 0712 hrs and departing at 0713 hrs. In the return direction, 53338 Ranchi-Garbeta Passenger will be arriving Indrabil at 1938 hrs and departing at 1939 hrs.UNI PC AD SB VP1545 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0108-628172.Xml For the second year in a row, the government faced embarrassing moments in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday as the opposition forced an amendment to the motion of thanks on the president's address. The opposition amendment led to the addition of a sentence to the motion, that the government is committed to securing the fundamental rights of all citizen to contest elections at all levels. This despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to the upper house to pass the motion without any amendment, as per the tradition. The prime minister, in his reply to the debate on the motion of thanks, said: "I will appeal to the members, trusting the president's vision, withdraw the amendments and pass the motion of thanks unanimously." However, that was not to be. Leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad moved the amendment with reference to the education qualifications set for panchayat elections in Haryana and Rajasthan, even as the two states were not mentioned in the motion. Despite several attempts by the government, including by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, to urge the chair not to allow the motion to be taken up as it referred to a matter that was state subject, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien permitted it as it did not refer to any state. The amendment was then passed by the upper house after a division, which involved electronic voting. As many as 94 of the 155 members present in the house voted in favour of the amendment. Interestingly, none of the Bahujan Samaj Party members were present in the house at the time of voting, even though its supremo Mayawati was present during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech. In 2015, Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury had moved a motion regretting that there was no mention of corruption and black money in the president's speech. Azad, during the course of the debate, had asked the Centre to bring in legislation to roll back the provision on minimum educational qualifications, made mandatory for fighting panchayat elections in Rajasthan and Haryana. Modi, in his reply, snubbed Azad, and said the parties protesting the imposition of minimum qualifications should give 30 percent tickets to illiterate candidates in the coming assembly polls (in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry). --Indo-Asian News Service ao/tsb/dg ( 401 Words) 2016-03-09-17:04:01 (IANS) A 55-year-old prisoner in Harsul jail of Aurangabad, serving a life term sentence for murdering his wife, committed suicide in Government Medical College and Hospital in the wee hours today, sources said.Ananda Ramchandra Gosavi was suffering from cancer and admitted in special prisoner ward no.10 at GMCH. He was found hanging in the toilet, sources said.Around 0200 hrs, when Gosavi was not seen on the bed, a ward guard checked the toilet and found his body. Hailing from Sangrule of Kolhapur, Gosavi, was awarded life sentence in connection with his wife's murder in 2001.He was shifted to Harsul Jail last year, the sources added.UNI VKB NV RP SB BD1726 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0171-628300.Xml To celebrate international womens day, HDFC Bank has rolled out two initiatives for the benefit of women at the bottom of the pyramid. According to a statement here today, the company organized health check-up camps and enabled women to market products at over 400 locations in more than 20 statesThe women are participants in HDFC Banks Sustainable Livelihood Initiative (SLI), a programme to achieve the board mandated objective of empowering one crore families in unbanked and underbanked locations and bring them into the banking fold.The two initiatives were rolled out at over 400 locations spread over 20 states. In Goa, the Mapusa and Navelim branches saw groups of women marketing their products at the branch.Women sold pots, handloom, handicrafts, food products and jewellery at many of the bank's branches in a majority of states across the country. Health camps were held at villages in the states of Assam, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.The Banks SLI footprint has so far spread to thousands of villages across 25 states of the country. SLI is a holistic approach to people empowerment. It begins with occupational training, and includes financial literacy, credit counseling, livelihood finance and market linkages. This initiative is targeted exclusively at women through Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) as the Bank firmly believes that upliftment of a family starts with financial empowerment of women. SLI has not only enabled women to attain economic freedom but also helped raise their social status. In the statement, HDFC Bank Executive Vice President Manohara Raj, said, International Womens Day is of course a day to celebrate the contribution women make to our daily lives. At HDFC Bank, we believe that the best way to celebrate women is by empowering them. This is embedded in our DNA and it is something that we do through the year. Our commitment is best captured by the fact that we have not outsourced our operations but have over 6,000 dedicated employees who are steadfast in their commitment to this cause.UNI AKM NV NP1710 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0171-628603.Xml Taking strong exception to criticism of the Raj Bhawan by Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohammad Azam Khan in the Assembly for not approving a Bill, Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik today sought the entire unedited copy of the proceedings of the House regarding the statement from Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey. Raj Bhawan sources said that in a letter to the Speaker, Mr Naik sought the audio and video along with the written proceedings of the house, all unedited, of the statement of Mr Khan at the earliest. The details, the letter said, should accompany the statements made by other members during the matter raised by the Minister. Mr Khan had yesterday questioned the act of the Raj Bhawan in delaying assent to a Bill related to urban local bodies to curtail the power of the Mayors. "It is very unfortunate that the Governor is sitting on the Bill passed by the House for the past one year. It seems that the Raj Bhawan is trying to protect the illegal acts of the Mayors and was favouring a particular political outfit," Mr Khan had commented. BJP lawmakers protested that the issue against the Governor could not be raised in the Assembly. Mr Khan, in the presence of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, said if there were any irregularities in the Bill, then the Governor should have returned it or sought clarification. " But by sitting on the Bill, the Constitutional head of the state is not doing justice and is promoting illegal acts by the Mayors," the Minister asserted. Mr Khan said the Bill makes the Mayors answerable in cases of financial irregularities or any other lapses. "When other people in the local bodies are answerable to the people then why should the mayors not be included in it," the Minister questioned. "As most of the mayors are of a particular political party, hence they are opposing it and Raj Bhawan, too, is supporting them," he alleged. BJP's Suresh Kumar Khanna opposed the statement of the Minister, wondering how can the House debate the acts of the Governor. He also asked the chair to expunge the remarks of the minister made against the Governor. Mr Pandey said he will personally convey the feeling of the Minister to the Governor and assured the BJP members that he will look into the statement and expunge those parts which are unconstitutional. UP Nagar Nigam (Amendment) Bill was passed by the state assembly on March 26, 2015, amid BJP allegations that it was a direct assault on the powers of elected mayors. Nine of the 14 mayors in UP Nagar Nigams are from BJP.UNI MB SV-RP CS1742 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-628410.Xml Miscreants set more than 120 thatched houses of Mahadalits on fire at Kajhia village under Akbarpur police station area in the district, an official said. The victims alleged that the miscreants set afire their thatched houses last night in a bid to displace them from the village. Circle Officer of Akbarpur Nirmal Ram said here the Mahadalits had constructed their houses on government land on the outskirts of the village near the bank of local Khuri river. He said the incident took place when the people had gone to see Mahashivratri procession. A search operation is on to nab culprits. UNI XC DH PL SB BD1830 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0211-628490.Xml After declaring Doyang Lake in Nagaland as protected roosting site for Amur Falcons raptors last year, India today became signatory to a MoU on conservation of birds of prey.The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forests has signed the Raptor Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on conservation of birds of prey in Africa and Eurasia as some of these pass through India.The 'Raptor MoU' extends its coverage to 76 species of birds of prey, out of which 46 species, including vultures, falcons, eagles, owls, hawks, kites, harriers, and several others also are found in India.The MoU was signed on Monday at the Convention on Migratory Species Office in Abu Dhabi by the Ambassador of India to the UAE, T P Seetharam.The MoU comes as the Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar personally visited the Doyang Lake to witness the return of radio-tagged Amur Falcons in November last year.The two falcons named Naga and Pangti, tagged in 2013 had already done two rounds from Mongolia to South Africa via Nagaland and again returned to Nagaland. Amur falcons, weigh just 150 grams, cover 5,600 kms, flying non-stop in five days from Mongolia, to arrive in Nagaland. They are the longest flying raptors in the world and roost in millions at the scenic Nagaland lake.UNI PRA PY SHS 2034 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0384-629267.Xml : In what can be called as a remarkable achievement and a matter of pride for the medical fraternity of India, renowned Gynecologist and Padma Shri awardee, Manjula Anagani of MaxCure Hospitals, here has entered the Guinness world records for removing the most number of fibroids in a single operation. Operating on a 40-year-old patient, Ms.Soni (Name changed on patient request) on February 15 at MaxCures's Madhapur facility, Dr. Manjula and her team have successfully removed 84 fibroids, weighing about four kg. With the largest weighing 1. 07 kg. This was accomplished in a single operation through minimally invasive low transverse mini laparotomy incision for the first time anywhere in the world. The feat was recognised by the Guinness World Records. Acknowledging the path-breaking feat, MaxCure Hospital Managing Director, Anil Krishna "It is a matter of pride for the entire nation. Dr. Manjula Anagani is a reputed Gynecologist of globally and has been bestowed with the 4th highest civilian honor in the country, Padma Shri for her invaluable contribution to the field of Gynecology. She currently heads the Woman & Child Centre at MaxCure Hospitals. UNI VV KVV ADB 1945 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0415-629085.Xml Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed his condolence on the death of a Kashmiri medical student who was attacked by goons in Russia. Taking to micro blogging site Twitter the working president of the National Conference (NC) said inna lilahi wa inna illahi rajiuun:. Mr Abdullah was reacting to a tweet by External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj who said I am pained to inform that Yasir - an Indian medical student from Srinagar has succumbed to his injuries in Russia,. She said the student was attacked by goons in Russia. Russia, she tweeted.Reports reaching here said that Yasir has succumbed last night.UNI BAS JW SB AN1940 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-628680.Xml A joint team of officers from central intelligence agency and state police`s special branch separately interrogated the Bangladeshi youths who were nabbed yesterday at Laheriasarai police station in the district to unravel their unauthorised stay in a rented house in at village Sara Mohanpur village under Sadar police station. Sleuths of investigating agencies became suspicious in the aftermath of contradictory statement being given by the nabbed Bangladeshi nationals. Sources said that they had got important leads from the nabbed youths and would not divulge. Details as it would hamper the investigation. During questioning the nabbed youth changed their statement about purpose of their visit to the district. Intelligence personnel were also trying to find out whether they had any connection with Pakistan based 10 terrorists who intruded into the country through Gujarat. Intelligence personnel were also verifying details of calls made by the mobile phones of arrested Bangladeshis. Police had recovered seven mobile phones fitted with SIMs of Indian as well as Bangladeshi telecom companies from the possession of Bangladeshis.MORE UNI XC DH IS BM PY SHS AN2134 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0214-629317.Xml Republican frontrunner Donald Trump scored convincing victories in the Michigan and Mississippi presidential primaries to regain momentum in the face of the party establishment's concerted efforts to trip him. Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton also won a decisive victory in the party's Mississippi primary Tuesday but was locked in a tight contest with her self-styled Democratic Socialist opponent Bernie Sanders in Michigan. Trump, who has scored 14 victories in 21 contests so far set at rest doubts raised about his popularity among angry Republican voters after Kansas and Maine favoured rival Texas Senator Ted Cruz on Saturday. Cruz has won six states to date, while establishment favourite Marco Rubio has won just two and Ohio Governor John Kasich has yet to notch a win. As if to answer critics like the 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who has mounted a major effort to derail him calling him "a phony and a fraud" and not a very successful businessman, Trump used products like Trump water, Trump wine and Trump steaks as props as he celebrated his twin victories Tuesday. "I don't think I've ever had so many horrible, horrible things said about me in one week -- $38 million worth of horrible lies, but that's okay," he said at a news conference in Jupiter, Florida noting the efforts to take him down have not been successful. "It shows you how brilliant the public is, because they knew they were lies," he said. Kasich, at an election night rally in Columbus, Ohio, celebrated his stronger-than-expected finish in Michigan and reiterated his confidence that he'll win his home state of Ohio next Tuesday. "We're all familiar with March Madness, and now the home-court advantage is coming north. And next week we're going to win the state of Ohio," he said to cheers. On the Democratic side, Clinton praised the campaigns she and Sanders have been running while she slammed the divisiveness in the Republican race. "Running for president shouldn't be about delivering insults, it should be about delivering results for the American people," she told supporters in Cleveland, Ohio. Sanders, meanwhile, held an election night rally in Florida, which also holds its primary next Tuesday, where 246 delegates are at stake. "Next Tuesday here in Florida, let's show the world... let's show the world that democracy is alive and well with a yuge voter turnout. Yuge!" Sanders told his supporters imitating Trump. "The political revolution is strong in every part of the country and frankly we believe that our strongest areas have yet to happen," he said. (Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in) --Indo-Asian News Service ak/rd ( 447 Words) 2016-03-09-11:07:32 (IANS) Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump acknowledged he does not yet have a foreign policy team, and three former US military and intelligence officials who have endorsed him are little known in either the Republican Party or the wider foreign policy community.The New York billionaire, who had promised to name his foreign policy and national security advisers last month, told MSNBC that he has met with people but made no decision yet on who to advise him on global affairs.Asked whether he had a team, Trump said yesterday: "Yes, there is a team. Well, there's not a team. I'm going to be forming a team at the appropriate time. I've met with far more than three people."Trump has given hints of the kind of advisor he would hire to promote his national security policy, much of which is focused on cracking down on Islamic State. He also promises to gut global trade deals and build a wall on the Mexican border to halt illegal immigration.Asked during a debate last week who he trusts on national security, Trump had warm words for three men with world views that differ from one another: former diplomat Richard Haass and retired US Army officers Gen Jack Keane and Col Jack Jacobs.And on his campaign website last month, Trump announced that he had received endorsements in Florida from two "top national security experts."Foreign policy experts say they know little about those Trump supporters.They are Gary Berntsen, a former senior CIA officer, and retired Colonel James Waurishuk, a one-time deputy chief of intelligence for US Central Command during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq who also once served on the National Security Council staff."These people are not well known in foreign policy circles...I never heard of any of them," said Harvard professor and former Kennedy School of Government dean Joseph Nye.BUSH SNUBWaurishuk said yesterday he would have been happy to give advice if asked, by any presidential candidate, including Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.Apart from Trump, however, Waurishuk said that the only other candidate he had contact with was Republican Jeb Bush, who he says snubbed him when they met at an event in 2014. Bush "ignored me and walked away," Waurishuk said.Former CIA officer Berntsen is perhaps the best known of the three endorsers. A participant in efforts to hunt down Osama bin Laden, he later wrote a book entitled "Jawbreaker, The Attack on Bin Laden and Al Qaeda."According to The Hill newspaper, one of its contributors, JD Gordon, has also endorsed Trump. Gordon is a former Navy commander officer and former Pentagon spokesman.Yesterday, Trump described US Senator Jeff Sessions from Alabama, as someone he would consider for his team, adding that he would make a decision "in due time." Sessions is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and one of the few senior mainstream Republicans to endorse Trump.Sessions is not known as one of the party's leading foreign policy voices in the Senate. He opposes comprehensive immigration reform and supports tight border security measures.Yesterday, Trump, dismissed criticism that his harsh rhetoric would damage America's standing in the world.Foreign diplomats from Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia have expressed alarm to US government officials about Trump, calling his public statements inflammatory and insulting.The businessman shot back, saying diplomats are upset over his tough stance on trade and returning jobs to the United States as he seeks the party's nomination for the November 8 presidential election."Every country is ripping us off in trade, and other things. And they know that won't happen with me. I'm going to bring trade back, I'm going to bring our jobs back," Trump told Fox News.REUTERS DS RK0431 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0140-627736.Xml Islamist militants in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, set off a vehicle packed with explosives next to a cafe near a police building on Wednesday, killing at least three police officers.The Islamist al Shabaab group, which wants to topple the Western-backed government, claimed responsibility. A spokesman for the group told Reuters that 10 police officers were killed, a figure that was higher than the three deaths police reported.Al Shabaab often cites a higher death toll than the figure given by officials."Three police officers died in this car bomb," Ali Mohamed Hirsi, the commander of Mogadishu police, told reporters at the scene, where blood was visible near the tea shop frequented by officers. "The police officers were among police being trained."Police said a second device went off, but caused no casualties after police spotted it beforehand and caught two men in the small, three-wheeled vehicle.In the past two weeks, al Shabaab has launched mortar bomb attacks near the presidential palace, blown up a car bomb near a busy park in Mogadishu, and set off twin blasts in a town northwest of the capital. Dozens of people have been killed.U.S. air strikes targeted an al Shabaab facility on Saturday and U.S. officials said more than 150 fighters were killed. Al Shabaab confirmed an attack on an area they controlled but said the U.S. casualty figure was exaggerated without giving their own number. REUTERS CJ VN1146 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-627914.Xml A judge will decide by the end of this month whether to proceed with a proposed class action lawsuit filed by a Jamaican fashion model against Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's modeling agency, the judge's office said.Alexia Palmer accuses Trump Model Management LLC of lying to the federal government in its work-visa application that said she would be paid a 75,000 dollars-a-year salary while living in the United States, according to court documents.Instead, according to court papers, Palmer received a total of 3,880.75 dollars during the three years she was under contract with the agency. The complaint alleges "fraudulent misrepresentation" and violations of US immigration and labor laws. It asks for 225,000 dollars in back pay.The suit was originally filed in October 2014. A decision on a pending motion by Trump Model Management to dismiss is expected by the end of March, the clerk for Judge Analisa Torres, who is presiding over the case in the US District Court, Southern District, told Reuters.If Torres rules the case can proceed, it could revive attention on Trump's foreign labor practices at a time when the celebrity billionaire's rise in American politics has riveted the world's attention.Trump's lawyers have called the case "frivolous" and "without merit." In court documents, they said Palmer wasn't an employee and was more than adequately compensated for a "very brief stint as a fashion model," which they say amounted to less than 10 days of work over three years.Reuters could not independently confirm that assertion."At the end of the day, this model just didn't have a successful career, and we fully expect to win," said Lawrence Rosen, a lawyer for Trump Model Management.Although Trump owns the modeling agency, the suit does not name him. Trump's campaign spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, said in a statement that Trump Model Management's treatment of Palmer was in line with "standard practice in the modeling industry."Palmer's lawyer, Naresh Gehi, says his client was cheated of earnings and seduced by a life of glamour that never materialized. "The visa application the company filed with the government requires that people are paid the full amount," Gehi said. "It's a requirement."Palmer, who was 17 when she came to New York in 2011, was not available to comment.TOP JAMAICAN MODELSylvia Ayass, a lawyer who has worked with models on visas like Palmer's, said agencies typically pay what they state on visa applications.Trump has won Republican frontrunner status in the 2016 election in large part by positioning himself as a champion of the American worker who will deport illegal immigrants, build a wall with Mexico and do away with the off shoring of US jobs.This is not the first time Trump's labor practices have drawn criticism. A Reuters story published in August revealed that Trump's companies sought to import at least 1,100 workers on temporary visas since 2000. Of those, 250 were filed for foreign fashion models, according to the Reuters analysis of federal Department of Labor data.Using a federal visa program called H-1B that allows US employers to hire "specialized" foreign labor, Trump's modeling agency offered Palmer "at least 75,000 dollars per year" for three years. It listed that salary on her H-1B visa application in 2011, according to the court documents reviewed by Reuters.Rosen, the lawyer for Trump Model Management, said the 75,000 dollars a year figure was simply a guess, not a guarantee.Under that contract, Palmer agreed "to promptly reimburse" Trump Model Management "for any and all costs and expenses" that the agency incurred relating to her modeling.According to the suit, the agreement stipulated that Trump Model Management would take a 20 per cent cut of Palmer's earnings but instead took 80 per cent by deducting charges for everything from postage to walking lessons to mobile phone costs and limousine rides, as well as 4,000 dollars in "administrative fees," according to court documents.The suit said it was seeking class-action status to represent other models who believe they were misled and underpaid after coming to the United States with sponsorship from Trump's modeling agency. REUTERS JW VP1637 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-628507.Xml Israel's regional military clout should be preserved in terms of the quantity as well as the quality of its weaponry, US Vice President Joe Biden said today in a nod to Israeli requests in defence aid negotiations with Washington.Current US military grants to Israel, worth about 3 billion dollars annually, expire in 2018. The allies want to agree on an extension before US President Barack Obama leaves office in January 2017 but have differed over the proposed sums.Israel, which last year requested 5 billion dollars in future annual aid but whose officials have since set their sights on 4 billion dollars to 4.5 billion dollars, says it needs to expand its military, rather than just upgrade technologies, given spiralling arms procurement it anticipates by arch-foe Iran and Arab states.US officials have given lower target figures of around 3.7 billion dollars. The dispute prompted Israeli officials to hint last month that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in hope of better terms, may await Obama's successor to conclude the deal."We're committed to making sure that Israel can defend itself against all serious threats, maintain its qualitative edge with a quantity sufficient to maintain that," Biden told reporters after meeting Netanyahu during a visit to Israel.Israel's "very, very tough neighbourhood, a tough and changing neighbourhood" necessitated such assistance, Biden said, adding that Obama had "done more to help bolster Israel's security than any other administration in history".He did not explicitly mention the accord on future US defence aid, known as the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).US congressional staffers said Biden would discuss the MOU during his Israel visit, describing the vice president as the only possible principal from the administration who could finish off a deal given Netanyahu's troubled ties with Obama.Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon travels to Washington for talks next week with US counterpart Ashton Carter. Yaalon aides said he would try to make progress on the MOU.Interviewed by Israel Radio today, Yaalon did not refer to the MOU but said: "There are areas in which we know how to insist on our security interests, even when our great friend (the United States) makes offers that do not suit us."REUTERS JW VP1650 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-628555.Xml "The Saudi government has notified the Yemeni government of a truce deal with Houthi group to secure the borders shared between the two countries and to secure delivering aids to the damaged areas near the Yemeni-Saudi border," Xinhua quoted Foreign Minister Abdulmalik al-Mekhlafi as saying. "The government has also exchanged an officer detained by Houthis for seven Yemenis," he said. The Iran-backed Shia rebels in Yemen, sent a delegation to Saudi Arabia to negotiate a truce and exchange of prisoners on Monday, sources close to Houthi group said, adding that the move was mediated by Oman. More than 6,000 Yemenis have been killed in ground battles and air strikes, half of them were civilians since the Saudi government started daily air bombing on the Shia Houthi rebels and their allied forces in March 2015. --Indo-Asian News Service mg/ksk/dg ( 174 Words) 2016-03-09-17:09:55 (IANS) George Martin, known as "the fifth Beatle" for his work in shaping the band that became one of the world's most influential music forces, has died at the age of 90.He was considered the most successful music producer ever, cited in the Guinness Book of Records for having more than 50 No 1 hit records over five decades in the United States and Britain alone.He helped score, arrange, and produce many of the band's biggest hits, including "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," "A Day in the Life", "Yesterday", "Eleanor Rigby" and "Love Me Do"."I'm so sad to hear the news of the passing of dear George Martin," Beatle Paul McCartney said in a statement today."If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George."A statement from Martin's family confirmed he had died peacefully at his home last evening.Earlier, Ringo Starr, the Beatles' drummer, had announced his death on Twitter: "God bless George Martin peace and love to Judy and his family... George will be missed."Starr followed the message by posting a black and white photo of the Fab Four with Martin, saying "Thank you for all your love and kindness George."Martin served as producer, collaborator and mentor to Beatles John Lennon, George Harrison, McCartney and Starr.Lennon was shot dead in New York in 1980. Harrison died of cancer in 2001.Tributes from the music world poured in on Twitter. "RIP to my musical brother George Martin. We were friends since 1964, & I am so thankful 4 that gift," said American music producer Quincy Jones.Lenny Kravitz said: "The legends are really going home!" Boy George said: "George Martin. Gentleman and legend", while Mark Ronson said Martin was "the greatest British record producer of all time."Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter: "George Martin was a giant of music - working with the Fab Four to create the world's most enduring pop music.""YESTERDAY"During his seven-decade career in the music industry, Martin produced almost all of the Beatles' recordings and also worked with Gerry & the Pacemakers, Shirley Bassey, Cilla Black, Jeff Beck, America, Cheap Trick and other acts.Martin started work at Abbey Road Studios in 1950 producing records for EMI's Parlophone label.He was noted for his comedy recordings with the likes of Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Beyond the Fringe and got his first Number 1 with The Temperance Seven in 1961. He signed The Beatles in 1962The young band members were rough around the edges, but Martin saw their commercial promise and with them helped revolutionise the art of popular music recording.His 1979 autobiography, "All You Need Is Ears", chronicles his discovery of the Beatles and their creative process.Martin was knighted in 1996. In 2006, working with his son, Giles Martin, he helped develop the Beatles-inspired Cirque du Soleil show "Love" in Las Vegas, which went on to reap his two most recent Grammys. REUTERS JW VP1800 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-628795.Xml India and Russia will hold talks on joint anti-terrorist military exercises Indra-2016 in April in Vladivostok."At the first planning conference in Vladivostok (Primorsky Territory), the Eastern Military District's representatives and the Armed Forces of India will discuss issues relating to the scenario, schedule and area of the future exercise, the makeup of the forces and means involved, the order of border and customs procedures, the organisation of the march of the Indian Armed Forces units to the area where the drills will be held," the head of the Russian Eastern Military District's (EMD) press service Alexander Gordeev said today.The 'Indra-2016' will be held on an Eastern Military District training ground in the Primorsky Territory in the Russian Far East, RIA Novsti news agency quoted Mr Gordeev as saying. Earlier, India and Russia held joint anti-terrorist military drills in India on November 7-20, 2015, with a scenario of counter terrorism operations in desert terrain under a UN mandate.UNI XC JW RP1810 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-628633.Xml Eight years after "Cloverfield" caused a stir in cinemas with its own take on the horror genre, "10 Cloverfield Lane" is here with its associated tales of monsters great and small. Who's in it? Mary Elizabeth Winstead is headlining the follow-up to 2008 horror "Cloverfield," starring as Michelle. She awakes after an automobile accident to find herself locked inside an underground bunker, either rescued from mortal dangers or kidnapped by John Goodman's apocalypse-ready survivalist, Howard Stambler. Part of the ensemble cast that won a Screen Actors Guild award for "Bobby," Winstead co-starred in "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World," confirming her suitability for lead roles with acclaimed addiction recovery romance "Smashed," and notching up appearances in horrors "The Ring Two" and 2011's "The Thing" remake. Goodman, practically a Hollywood institution, is strongly associated with Coen Brothers films (including "The Big Lebowski" and "Inside Llewyn Davis") and 80s and 90s TV series "Roseanne." His more serious roles include "The Artist," "Beyond the Sea," "Treme" and "Damages." Bradley Cooper of "Silver Linings Playbook," "American Hustle" and "American Sniper" is also involved, as is John Gallagher Jr of "The Newsroom" and romantic thriller "The Heart Machine." Who wrote it? Josh Campbell and Matthew Stuecken came up with the story together, "10 Cloverfield Lane" being the pair's first produced collaboration and the second writing credit for each of them. It's Damien Chazelle, brought in to help hone the screenplay, who has the far higher profile, having written and directed "Whiplash" and the upcoming comedy drama "La La Land." Who's directing? Another relative unknown, Dan Trachtenberg, has booked his first feature film gig in "10 Cloverfield Lane." Story continues If that's not strictly true -- he was on board for sci-fi novel adaptation "Y: The Last Man" before it was shelved -- the commercials director and "Totally Rad Show" podcast host has some experienced producers as backup: "Star Wars" man J. J. Abrams and Bad Robot partner Bryan Burk provide continuity between "Cloverfield" and this latest installment. And if Trachtenberg gets his big break with "10 Cloverfield Lane," he'll be following in the footsteps of Matt Reeves, who made his own name with the original "Cloverfield." When does it come out? "10 Cloverfield Lane" is looking at a March 11 release in US theaters, releasing the same day or the day before in a number of other territories including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Malaysia, South Africa and India. The UK, Ireland, France and Belgium are among those joining in the week of March 18, with a Singaporean release coming March 31, the Philippines on April 6, and Hong Kong on April 14. The music world today is mourning legendary producer George Martin, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 90. Martin was often referred to as the fifth Beatle for his contributions to the arrangements of the groups songs. Although Martin was always very modest about his contributions to the Beatles success, there is no doubt that their recordings simply would not have been as strong without his input. Below Ill go over five times Martin made some key Beatles songs even better. FROM EARLIER: BMW celebrates 100th birthday by showing off a wild concept car To be clear, Martin never actually wrote any Beatles songs. The essential guts of their music the melodies, the harmonic progressions and the rhythms were all created by John, Paul, George and Ringo. What Martin did was to use his knowledge of classical music to add some interesting wrinkles to these songs that made them far more sophisticated than the songs of other bands at the time. So for instance, if you listen to the keyboard solo toward the end of In My Life, thats actually Martin playing the piano: The solo is written in the baroque style and was inspired by similar keyboard works written by J.S. Bach. Interestingly, it was apparently John Lennons request that Martin write a baroque-sounding piano solo, but other times it was Martin who pushed the group to embrace more elements of classical music. One such instance was in the song Yesterday, which Paul McCartney originally wanted to record as a track with only vocals and acoustic guitar. Martin, however, insisted that he try adding a string quartet accompaniment and it worked like magic: Martin and McCartney would return to this kind of arrangement later with Eleanor Rigby, a ballad about loneliness whose entire instrumental accompaniment consisted of a string octet of four violins, two violas and two cellos. While having the piece played by strings was McCartneys idea, it was Martin who actually wrote the score and he wrote it with a much more aggressive tone than the string quartet arrangement hed written for Yesterday: Story continues The Beatles embrace of elements of classical music wasnt just restricted to 18th and 19th Century music, however. They also embraced some of the wild innovations that came from post-World War II composers like Karlheinz Stockhausen and John Cage. One example of that is on Tomorrow Never Knows, which embraced Stockhausens techniques for creating new soundscapes via tape loops. Martin pioneered some innovative recording techniques on this track to fulfill John Lennons request to have his vocals sound like the Dalai Lama chanting from the hilltop. Essentially, Martin recorded his voice through a Leslie speaker and then re-recorded it. This gives his voice more of an eerie echo than it otherwise would have had: And finally, Martins contribution to the orchestration at the end of A Day in the Life produced something that was completely unheard of in popular music. Martin wrote a very lose score in which musicians were instructed to start on a certain note and then gradually rise up to a final note. The trick here is that they were given the freedom to get to that final note in whatever way they saw fit. This was a technique of controlled improvisation that had been pioneered by John Cage and Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski and it resulted in a swarming mass of chaotic noise that crescendo and resolved to a giant E-Major chord: Related stories The Beatles arrive on 9 different streaming music services The Beatles sell 2 million songs, 450,000 albums in first week on iTunes Toys 'R Us Black Friday game deals released More from BGR: I really want to, but Ill never ditch my iPhone for the Galaxy S7 This article was originally published on BGR.com Photographers turned out in force to capture views of the spectacular total solar eclipse visible from Indonesia and across Southeast Asia Wednesday (March 9) and their varied, beautiful images show the many faces of that celestial event. Here's a sampling of the amazing solar eclipse snapshots we found in our mail today. NASA tracked the solar eclipse from Micronesia, capturing stunning video of the moon blocking the sun, and many other eclipse-chasers also had their cameras ready for the event. One veteran astrophotographer, Justin Ng of Singapore, put together an awesome collage of eclipse phases (below) from photographs he took in Palu, Indonesia, while leading a team of eight first-time eclipse photographers. It was Ng's first time as well, and the eclipse proved challenging compared to his usual night-sky targets. But the experience, he said, was unforgettable. "Moments before the totality, I could feel the drastic change in temperature (it became cooler), and my guess would be at least a 5-7 degree Celsius [9 to 13 degrees F] difference," Ng said in an email. "During the totality, the scene turned darker, and I was able to see the sun's corona with my eyes! It's akin to seeing a 'black hole' in the sky, and everything was so surreal and unbelievable." Plus, Ng was able to spot Venus and Mercury during totality. [See more photos of the 2016 total solar eclipse] Matt Skinner wasn't in a location to see the total solar eclipse, but he managed to document the partial solar eclipse visible from Anchorage, Alaska. He was a first-time eclipse photographer as well, and it was actually the first time he managed to see an eclipse clearly at all. "The clouds were thick throughout much of Anchorage, but I was lucky enough to find a spot where the sun showed itself for about 20 minutes or so," Skinner told Space.com in an email. "The mountains and the light refracting off of the water were bonuses for me, as I had only intended to capture the eclipse." Story continues After his first eclipse experience, he's ready for more particularly, the U.S.-spanning total solar eclipse coming up in August 2017, he said. Akash Anandh snagged this shot with a telephoto lens on his camera, and also photographed the eclipse through a telescope that was available for viewing at the National University of Singapore, he told Space.com. Vincent Tan (darthcryder) ran across the solar eclipse while on a photo walk with a friend, unexpectedly catching this beautiful view of an airplane in silhouette. And Ben Ali Tolentino caught this view of the eclipse in projection from the Philippines. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center invited everyone to submit photos of the eclipse on Flickr, and highlighted some additional spectacular views. Most of the United States missed a glimpse of this eclipse, but American readers can get ready to flex their astrophotography muscles next year, when a total solar eclipse will cross the United States and offer full or partial views nationwide. Email Sarah Lewin at slewin@space.com or follow her @SarahExplains. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. Copyright 2016 SPACE.com, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. LIMA (Reuters) - An indigenous village in the Peruvian Amazon freed public officials it had been holding hostage to press for help after a ruptured pipeline spilled 1,000 barrels of crude on its lands, the state-owned energy company Petroperu said. Petroperu, which operates the pipeline, struck a deal with chiefs of the Wampis village of Mayuriaga that includes bringing electrical and telephone coverage to the community and helping develop local businesses, the company said in a statement. Mayuriaga villagers had seized a grounded military helicopter on Sunday and was holding its crew and officials of Petroperu and government agencies to demand inclusion in an emergency response plan. The spill in Mayuriaga on Feb. 3 followed a similar leak in Petroperu's pipeline that released 2,000 barrels near other indigenous communities. Environmental regulator said Petroperu did not maintain the 40-year-old pipeline properly and faced some $17 million in fines after oil polluted at least two Amazonian rivers. The pipeline transported between 5,000 and 6,000 barrels of oil per day before the spills halted operations. It mostly moved crude from block 192, operated by Pacific Exploration & Production Corp to Petroperu's Talara refinery. (Reporting By Mitra Taj; Editing by David Gregorio) America stands at a historic crossroads. One path leads to a renewal of our Democratic ideal, the other to government by the few, the rich and the powerful. So argue Wendell Potter and Nick Penniman in their new book, Nation on the Take: How Big Money Corrupts our Democracy and What We Can do About It (Bloomsbury). Potter will be familiar to Center for Public Integrity readers as a former health insurance executive turned critic, Center columnist and author. His previous book Deadly Spin won the 2011 Ridenhour Book Prize. Penniman is executive director of the organization Issue One, which is dedicated to reducing the influence of money in politics; he was previously publisher of the Washington Monthly and director of the Huffington Post Investigative Fund. In this excerpt from Nation on the Take, the authors describe how the United States arrived at this crucial juncture, detail their assessment of the scope of the problem and chart a possible way forward toward what they view as a more equitable political system. This story is part of Inside Publici. Stories were working on, the impact of our investigations, news about our fundraising efforts, and other issues that shape our work. Click here to read more stories in this topic. Don't miss another Inside Publici investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. America is a dream. The poet says it was promises. The people say it is promisesthat will come true. langston hughes, freedoms plow Our country is indeed a dream a dream created during a period of time known as the American Enlightenment, which came to a focal point during the American Revolution and lasted until the early nineteenth century. The leading political thinkers of the day were the ones we know so well: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison, Thomas Paine, George Mason, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin. Their dream was to create a democratic republic, in which ultimate power rested with the citizens. Just after the Declaration of Independence asserts the unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, it states: Story continues "That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." They knew that self-government would be messy and inefficient at times, but they had faith that common ground would be regularly found and that people would slowly but surely build a better nation together. As Jefferson said: Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question. In addition to the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a shining example of the idealism that defined the era. Ratified in 1780, it is thought to be the worlds oldest still-functioning written constitution. Drafted in part by John Adams, it inspired and informed the U.S. Constitution, forged seven years later. Part I, Article VII, of the Massachusetts charter reads: Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for the profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, the people alone have an incontestable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to institute government; and to reform, alter, or totally change the same, when their protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness require it. Government for the common good, not for the profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men. Those words dont seem to ring true today. Not just for those who follow politics, but for all of us. A profound shift has occurred one that, perhaps because it has occurred slowly, has yet to fully register as the serious crisis it is. But it has by no means gone unnoticed. A few years ago, CBS News conducted a poll about Americans perception of government. The headline of the resulting story they published: alienated nation: Americans complain of government disconnect. The first sentence reads: Americans see their leaders in Washington as overpaid agents of wealthy individuals and corporations who are largely disconnected from the concerns of average Americans. We, the people, are losing our faith in the dream of democracy. As our collective power is increasingly eclipsed by a rigged system of politics and governance dominated by a handful of billionaires and a phalanx of well-financed special interests, we are growing skeptical that the promises will come true. Right now there is no credible outside threat to our American way of life. No other nation is sounding the death knell of ours. But the rapid proliferation of a system akin to oligarchy within our own country threatens to cripple our march forward. Its a threat the Founding Fathers knew we would always have to guard against. In the summer of 1787, when delegates to the Constitutional Convention were in the heat of their debates, they were obsessed with bribery, influence, and corruption. James Madison, who kept meticulous notes, recorded the word corruption fifty-four times. To them, the notion of corruption was both the corruption of the individual and the corruption of the system of governance. They were less obsessed with corrupt individualswith bad applesthan with the system itself, with the orchard. The rotting of the fruit of liberty was seen as the dominance of private interests over the public interest. It was the bending of governing priorities away from the common gooda process that would, over time, fatally damage the whole project of a democratic republic of We, the people, of the consent of the governed. Seen in this light, government is us. Or it should be. We give our govern- ment our money, in the form of taxes. Then we hire its executives, through elections. Then we imbue it with directions and instructions, in the form of legislation. If all goes well, our politicians utilize our tax dollars to manifest our brightest ideas. The most exquisite dynamic is achieved when the common good is served while individual liberty is protected. No kings, no dictators. Us, in charge of ourselves, leveraging our resources behind our highest hopes, while protecting each others freedoms, shaping our country, forever working to form a more perfect union. Yes, of course: there were and always will be bad people and bad pieces of legislation. The factions and special interests will fight for their legislative handouts and carve-outs, and politicians will lose their virtue. Corrupt moments in our future are inevitable. And, of course, for centuries, women, people of color, and non-land- owners were legally excluded from voting and running for office. But powerful, popular grassroots movements like suffrage, abolition, and civil rightsfueled by the early American Enlightenments dreams of liberation and equality forced profound course corrections that are among this countrys greatest accomplishments, not just for United States citizens but for humankind. Today we all seem to feel as if we need another such profound course correction, one that is focused on reclaiming our right to self-government and renewing our hope in the American dream. Correctly, we suspect that the system is rigged, our government has become coin-operated, and that weve been sidelined. In 1998, the total amount of money spent on federal elections was $1.6 billion. By 2012, it had nearly quadrupled to $6.2 billion. The Supreme Courts 2010 Citizens United ruling was akin to crop-spraying gasoline onto a wildfire. In a narrow 54 decision, the majority of justices asserted that corporate spending in politics is an act of free speech and should therefore be unlimited. Subsequent lower court rulings have expanded that rationale to reduce some limits on political campaign contributions, which has put the chase for political money on steroids. At times, the news seems almost surreal. Take for instance, how a single familythe Kochswhich owns Koch Industries, has forged a small but very wealthy network of donors who have pledged to spend nearly $900 million influencing the outcome of the 2016 elections. Thats $500 million more than the Republican National Committee spent in 2012. On the other side of the Big Money equation the fundraising side the nonstop scramble for campaign cash is distracting and exhausting our elected officials as never before, and perpetually repelling good people from office. Members of Congress simply dont spend as much time thinking about us as they once did. They spend most of their time thinking about how to get enough money from wealthy individuals, lobbyists, and political action committees to get reelectedits what political operatives refer to as a permanent campaign mentality. In January 2013, newly elected Democrats in the House of Representatives were being given an orientation session by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee about how they should spend their time serving in the Housewhat was once referred to as the Peoples House. Among the materials they were presented with was a model daily schedule. That schedule provided for four hours of call time, one to two hours of constituent visits, two hours of committee hearings or floor votes, one hour of strategic outreach, and one hour of recharge time. You have no doubt already guessed what call time and strategic outreach are: fund-raising. Which means that new representatives are expected to spend half of their time either dialing for dollars or attending fundraising events. Who are they calling? Probably not you. Certainly not us. Mostly, very wealthy donors in the richest cities in America. And whos throwing the introduction daily fundraisers for them? Often, the very industries they are supposed to be regulating, based on their congressional committee assignments. The Finance Committee members rake in contributions from the bankers and their lobbyists, the Natural Resources Committee members from the oil and coal executives and their lobbyists. Thats why these types of committees on Capitol Hill are referred to as cash committees. As Ray Plank, the former founder and chairman of the Apache Corporation, told the conservative journalist Peter Schweizer, whose book Extortion was later turned into a 60 Minutes episode, campaign cash and corporate contracts with well-connected lobbying firms are protec tion money. Its what you expect from the mafia. Yet, in Washington and the state capitals, such activity is not seen as mafia-like. Its run-of-the-mill. Its the way things get done. Anyone who questions it, or wants to change it, is deemed naive oreven worse! idealistic. And its done in broad daylight. One of the many pernicious effects of this endless extraction of campaign cash from lobbyists and wealthy individuals is that politicians have little time to form strong relationships with one another, particularly across the aisle. For all of the newspaper editorials and Press Club forums about gridlock, partisanship, and polarization in Washington, and all the appeals to politicians to get along, too little attention is paid to whether they have time to get along. When announcing in early 2013 that he wouldnt be seeking reelection in 2014, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) remarked, The time is so consumed with raising money now, these campaigns, that you dont have the time for the kind of personal relation ships [between lawmakers] that so many of us built up over time. Our legislators our employees, remember also have less time to draft, study, or pass legislation. The more than nine thousand registered lobbyists in D.C. are keenly aware of this vulnerability, and they are poised to take advantage of it. Collectively, they annually disclose more than $3 billion in expensesincluding the many events they hold for members of Congress. The nonprofit transparency group the Sunlight Foundation tracks categories of influence peddling. One category is called Hill coverage, which is defined as the average percentage of incumbent members of Congress receiving contributions from the organization over the course of the 2008, 2010 and 2012 election cycles. AT&T, for instance, has 88 percent Hill coveragemeaning that 88 percent of members of Congress have received contributions from AT&T sources. Honeywell International also has 88 percent coverage. United Parcel Service has 87 percent. Lockheed Martin has 80 percent. Comcast, General Electric, Boeing, and Verizon all have around 70 percent. How much coverage do you have? How much coverage do we, the people, have? How much do Main Street businesspeople have? How much attention do people who have little or no money get in such a system? We know that the banks wield enormous power over politics and policy decisions in D.C. But whos representing the families facing foreclosure? As Bob Dole once famously quipped: "there is no poor peoples political action committee. There are also few members of Congress who, upon leaving the Hill, have any interest in starting a poor peoples political action committee. In 1974, around 3 percent of former members became lobbyists. Now, half of them pass through Washingtons revolving door and stroll from the Hill down to K Street, many of them to lobby for the industries they once oversaw, based on their congressional committee assignments. Served on the Finance Committee? Become a bank lobbyist. As the New York Timess Mark Leibovich observed: In some sense, [they are] living proof of the thing that most voters loathe about Washington: the notion that member- ship in its political class guarantees a win-for-life lottery ticket. Its important to point out early on that lobbying in its purest form is not bad. Making arguments to members of Congress is part of the democratic process. Sharing information and expertise is a good thing. Its a form of free speech, and a healthy democracy should have plenty of lobbying going on, as long as it is occurring on behalf of all sides of an issue. Our concerns about lobbying involve the relationship between lobbying and political cash, the lobbyists who have little or no fealty to the broader public interest, and those politicians or Hill staffers who see public office as a pathway to a lucrative influence-peddling career. We are also disgusted by lobbying groups that knowingly leverage millions of dollars into false and misleading communications campaigns, which destroy the possibility of having a thoughtful, genuine debate about weighty policy ideas. If it is functioning well, our countrys project in self-government would be mainly driven by, among other virtuous objectives, national need and appropriate fiscal policy. We would not only know the right policies to enact we would also enact them. But when government is coin operatedwhen America becomes a nation on the takethe nations needs get shoved aside like neglected children. Which brings up another crucial link that isnt discussed often enough: Although the system creates special economic benefits for those who can pay to play, the overall well-being of the economy does not necessarily improve. For too long, campaign finance reform has been viewed as an anti-corporate cause. Instead, it should be seen, in part, as pro competi- tion and anti-cronyism. Luigi Zingales, a conservative economist at the University of Chicago Business School and author of A Capitalism for the People, compellingly documents how the system of lobbying and legislative favors is danger- ously reducing economic competitiveness and opportunity. He writes: "American capitalism . . . grew in a unique incubator that provided it with a distinct flavor of competitiveness, a meritocratic nature that fostered trust in markets and a faith in mobility. Lately, however, that trust has been eroded by a betrayal of our pro- business elites, whose lobbying has come to dictate the market rather than be subject to it, and this betrayal has taken place with the complicity of our intellectual class." Who suffers from this betrayal? Consumers (you and us), small- and medium-sized business owners, big corporations whose lobbyists get beat by their competitors lobbyists, and entrepreneurs that is, nearly everyone. You see, wherever you are, and whatever you do, whether you love politics or hate politics, whether you devour news or never look at the news, whether you see yourself as an environmentalist or a business leader (or both), as a conservative or a liberal, every moment of your life is being affected by the system of Big Money. So is it fixable? Yes, if we are clear about what success means. The reformers slogan,Get Money Out of Politics, is misleading. We cant get money completely out of politics, but we can create a much, much higher-functioning and responsive system. It requires money to run campaigns, to hire door knockers, to print lawn signs, and to run TV, radio, and online ads (the bulk of the spending). Groups like the NRA, the Sierra Club, and the National Association of Manufacturers will always want to weigh in on key public policy debates. And they should. What we can do is restore our power the peoples power within the system by limiting the most egregious sources of the money, by creating new ways of financing politics that reorient politicians to their voters back home, by demanding total transparency in the giving and spending of political cash, by enacting new ethics and lobbying laws that reduce conflicts of interest and shut down the most transactional forms of polit- ical giving, and by making sure that campaign and lobbying laws are evenly and effectively enforced. These things shouldnt seem so hard to achieve. Weve won similar fights before. Were Americans, after all. The reforming spirit that has fueled successful fights against Big Money was perhaps best embodied a century ago by Teddy Roosevelt. His time, just like ours, was one of unprecedented technological change when wealth and power were aggregating at the top of society. Massive corporate conglomerations the bank, oil, railroad, and mining trusts, especially threatened free and competitive markets. The rich were getting richer by the year. And the public felt outraged, yet exhausted, by the increasing pace of industrialized life and by the sense that their voices no longer mattered. As most who have read about TR know, he was not just talk. In fact, quite the opposite. In 1907, he helped ram through the first major campaign finance reform bill of the modern era, called the Tillman Act, which banned corporations from contributing directly to political campaigns. These days, there are signs that Roosevelts spirit might be coming back to life. As of the writing of this book, all of the Democratic presiden- tial candidates have embraced money-in-politics reform as a central pillar of their campaigns. Many Republican candidates have acknowl- edged the increasing severity of the problem, although have been less clear about solutions. Love him or hate him, Donald Trump has been refreshingly blunt about what political money buys. There are signs, too, that the Washington establishment is starting to come around. In the spring of 2015, the dean of Washington journalism, Bob Woodward, who as a young Washington Post reporter broke the Watergate scandal, said at a commencement address at Loyola University: "There is a new governing crisis here and it is getting worse. It is about money in politics. It involves both political parties. I wont name names. If you follow the news at all, you know . . . It is important that the next president be able, unfettered and unbought, to find and move the country to the next stage of good." A governing crisis. This is a dramatic statement for a careful wordsmith like Woodward. Inhabiting a totally different part of the political ecosystem from Woodwards is a guy like John Feehery. Feehery was Dennis Hasterts chief of staff when Hastert was the Republican Speaker of the House in the early 2000s. Hes now an executive at a big D.C. lobbying and public relations firm. Yet the same week that Woodward gave his Loyola commencement speech, Feehery wrote in the Wall Street Journal: I dont have anything against billionaires. It would be nice to have access to that kind of money. But our political system shouldnt be run by the super-rich for the super-richs pet causes. Run by the super-rich for the super-richs pet causes is another way of saying oligarchy. America, an oligarchy. Its almost sickening to see those words next to one another. Imagine the heartbreak that John Adams and 0x his compatriots would feel if they were alive today. A growing number of people, of all political stripes, are increasingly fed up. Last year, CBS News partnered with the New York Times on a poll, the conclusion of which was: In a rare show of unity, Americans, regardless of their political affiliation, agree that money has too much influence on elections, the wealthy have more influence on elections, and candidates who win office promote policies that help their donors. But its no longer true that nothing is happening. More than at any time since Watergate, regular people are realizing that this situation has to change. Since 2010, more than six hundred antiCitizens United resolutions have been passed by cities and states. New campaign finance systems are already functioning in places including Connecticut, Arizona, and New York City. In 2014, led by the reform group Represent.Us, 67 percent of voters in Tallahassee, Florida, supported a major reform package, including lower campaign contribution limits, creation of a new, inde- pendent ethics commission, and a program to empower non-wealthy people to participate in funding politics. The coalition that was assem- bled to win consisted of progressives, independents, and Tea Party members. Similar coalitions are forming around ballot measures in cities and states throughout the country. And theres the possibility for immediate progress at the federal level. Even if Congress isnt ready to legislate, the White House can act, and it should use its authority to do so. Hundreds of thousands of people have urged President Obama to sign an executive order that would require federal contractors given that they are receiving taxpayer dollars to disclose their political activities. If such an order were signed, 70 of the Fortune 100 companies would have to do so. The Securities and Exchange Commission could also help. More than a million comments have been submitted to pressure the SEC to issue a rule requiring publicly traded companies to disclose the political dollars they spend on behalf of investors. Former Republican SEC Commissioner William Donaldson and former Democratic SEC Commissioner Bevis Longstreth are among the chorus calling for change. But for these types of executive actions and state-based efforts to take root, we must immediately build a much strongerand politically broadercitizen army. There is already a battalion of reformers working hard every day. But they are waiting for major reinforcements to arrive. That means you. And your friends. It will take you, and us, and millions of other kindred spirits to create a patriotic force powerful enough to reorient the power in this country back to We, the people. Just as we won our right to self-government by fighting the British monarchy more than 240 years ago, we will lose it if we fail to fight to reclaim it now. Imagine what would happen if we dont. Can any one of us truly claim that we will be able to revitalize our country as long as this problem worsens? Does anyone believe fixing our democracy is optional? Who among us would surrender ourselves, our children, our communities, to an oligarchy? America is indeed a dream. The poets are right: it is promises. Once again its time to prove that the people are also right: it is promises that will come true. This story is part of Inside Publici. Stories were working on, the impact of our investigations, news about our fundraising efforts, and other issues that shape our work. Click here to read more stories in this topic. Related stories Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C. Americans continue to see expanding access to education as the best strategy for widening opportunity in the modern economy, but remain conflicted as to whether to extend that commitment to dramatically widening the pathway to higher education, the Atlantic Media/Pearson Opportunity Poll has found. The survey found that big majorities of Americans, across racial, partisan, and generational lines, support expanding access to pre-school for more young children. And when asked what would do the most to improve the economy in your local community a plurality of those polled picked increasing spending on both K-12 and post-secondary education over alternatives including cutting taxes or reducing foreign imports and restricting immigration. But adults split much more closelyand fissured along more familiar political linesover proposals to provide free, public higher education and to reduce the mounting burden of student debt. Recommended: Why Did Carly Fiorina Endorse Ted Cruz? The poll explored Americans attitudes about the personal and public policy choices that they believe will give them, and the next generation, the best chance to achieve their goals. It includes oversamples of African Americans, Hispanics and Asian Americans to allow for more detailed comparisons of attitudes among racial and ethnic groups than most public surveys provide. It documented a notable divergence in attitudes about two ideas for expanding educational access that have featured prominently in the Democratic presidential campaign: creating universal access to pre-school for four-year olds (an idea associated mostly with Hillary Clinton) and allowing all students to attend a public college or university tuition-free (a proposal championed by Bernie Sanders). The former attracted much broader backing than the latterthough the poll found majority support for each. Providing pre-school for all four-year-olds, an idea also endorsed by President Obama, drew overwhelming support. Asked to assess the impact of ensuring that all young children at age four can attend pre-kindergarten classes, fully 76 percent of those surveyed said such a policy would provide more children a better chance to succeed. Just 20 percent said it would move children out of the house and away from their family at too young an age. Story continues That consensus extended across almost all of the lines that usually divide public opinion. The belief that universal pre-k would expand opportunity was shared by 73 percent of men and 79 percent of women; 73 percent of whites, 76 percent of both Hispanics and Asian Americans, and an especially resounding 88 percent of African Americans. More than four-in-five members of the Millennial Generation affirmed that belief, as did just under three-in-four members of Generation X, the Baby Boom, and the oldest respondents, from the Silent Generation. Partisan differences were greater, but universal pre-K still drew support from 86 percent of Democrats, 73 percent of independents, and 65 percent of Republicans. The sooner you start in Head Start programs and pre-school programs, the sooner you start the education process and the better equipped our young adults are for college, said Darrelle Hillmon, an African American truck driver from Kansas City, Missouri. Recommended: Bernie Sanders's Revolution Concern that universal pre-K would move young children out of the home too soon peaked at 27 percent among Republicans and college-educated whites. Steven Cline, an engineer and political independent from Austin, Texas, numbers among the latter group. I think other developed countries in the world have proven that the over-education of youth and less focus on family time and playtime is a step in the wrong direction, that we should focus on family and culture, he said. And enhancing preschool or younger kids education is not necessarily a guarantee for a chance at a better life and education. Those polled divided more over a series of questions revolving around expanding access to college. The issue was not the goalbut how much government should contribute to achieving it. A solid two-thirds of those surveyed agreed that increasing the share of American adults with any post-secondary degree from around 40 percent, where it stands now, to 60 percent, as Obama has proposed, would improve the economy by enlarging the number of well-trained workers. Only 28 percent endorsed the competing statement that The economy would not improve much because there will be more workers with advanced degrees than employers need. Opinions, though, divided along the usual crevices in public opinion. Although 82 percent of African Americans, 78 percent of Asian Americans, and 67 percent of Hispanics said the economy would benefit from more workers with post-secondary credentials, a somewhat more modest 61 percent of whites agreed. The partisan gap was wider: Democrats, by a margin of almost five-to-one, thought the economy would benefit from more post-secondary degrees, and independents concurred by just over two-to-one. But Republicans agreed that more workers with degrees would lift the economy only by a slim 48 percent to 44 percent margin. Still, all three partisan groups backed the aspiration of minting more workers with post-secondary degrees. Recommended: Hillary Clinton's Intersectional Politics Questions on how to achieve that goal, though, produced much more pronounced differences. Asked the best way to combat mounting student debt, a 49 percent plurality said colleges and universities should do more to hold down costs, even if that means larger classes, less money for sports, and fewer activities for students. Another 43 percent said that instead the government should provide students more financial assistance, even if that means higher federal spending. Just 24 percent of Republicans wanted government to spend more; 72 percent thought colleges should tighten their belts. Democrats tilted the other way: 56 percent want more government spending, while just 37 percent stressed constraining college spending. (Independents divided closely, with 45 percent stressing cost-savings and 42 percent more aid.) Likewise, while 54 percent of whites put the greatest emphasis on colleges restraining costs, 59 percent of African Americans thought the principal answer was for government to provide more financial aid. (Hispanics and Asians sorted in between, with 48 percent of the former and 47 percent of the latter focusing on government.) And while most Millennials looked to government, majorities of those in Generation X, the Baby Boom, and particularly the Silent Generation all pointed toward colleges and universities. Those same fissures cut even more deeply on the question of a free public college education. A narrow 51 percent majority agreed, The government should provide free public college education because a post-secondary degree is now so essential to success. Another 44 percent said, it is too expensive for the government to guarantee free public college education and families and students should contribute. In a follow up question, almost exactly three-fourths of those who said they supported free tuition also said they would be willing to pay more in taxes to fund the policy. Combined with the response to the underlying question, that meant 38 percent of adults backed free tuition and would pay more in taxes to support it; another 13 percent supported the policy but would not personally pay more in taxes and 44 percent viewed it as too expensive. (Though African Americans and Hispanics came close, no ethnic group had a majority say they would pay more in taxes to fund free public higher education.) Sanders has proposed to fund the programs estimated $75 billion annual cost with a tax on stock trades. The threshold question of whether to provide free public college education starkly divided respondents across the lines that increasingly define modern American politics. While 72 percent of African Americans and 64 percent of Hispanics said government should provide cost-free higher education, only 48 percent of Asian Americans and 44 percent of whites agreed. (A 52-percent majority of whites said government should not.) Support for free public higher education dropped from 70 percent among Democrats to 51 percent among independents to only 22 percent among Republicans. Likewise, support fell from 64 percent of the Millennial Generation to 52 percent of Generation X, 47 percent of the Baby Boom, and only 31 percent of the Silent Generation. College-educated whites (at just 37 percent) were even less supportive than whites without degrees (47 percent). In interviews, those who supported free higher education tended to view it as simply updating governments existing commitment to provide all citizens the educational foundation they need to succeed in the economy: Although a high-school degree met that threshold for earlier generations, several poll respondents argued, now it requires some post-secondary training. Nowadays, a college diploma is like the equivalent to a high-school degree [earlier] when it comes to employment, said Hillmon the truck driver, who does not have a college degree. [If you have] less than a college degree or at least a trade-school background, employment for anything decent is just almost nonexistent. You can get a high-school diploma, which is free public education, but that only qualifies you for entry-level positions. That's not enough to pay for the cost of living in most cities in the United States. Adds Osiris Cruz, a Hispanic Democrat who owns a printing business in New York City: I think a lot of countries offer free education. This is not the worst country-this is the best country. It should offer free education to people. Those skeptical of free tuition questioned both whether government could afford the costand whether that approach would undermine the value of the experience. Everyone has to have a vested interest in what theyre pursuing, said Cline, the Austin engineer. Free leads to improper behavior and poorly skilled [workers] in an economy. You have to have a certain barrier of entry for any processto make people have a vested pride in what theyre doing. So, I believe assistance? Yes. A lot of assistance? Maybe. Free? No. Kyle, a recent college graduate and Republican in Fort Lauderdale who works in marketing and asked not to give his last name, raised similar concerns. It devalues the experience when its free, he said. Already these loans are so readily available, During the time youre in college, it feels like free money and you can see it affects some peoples behavior that way. I dont believe that anybody should be obligated to pay for my education, because its my decision to go. As these remarks suggest, support for free public college was much greater among those who, in response to a separate question, said they believed that young people today need a four-year college degree to succeed. That question closely divided Americans, with just over half saying young people did need a degree and just under half saying they did not. Among those who believed a degree was indispensable, about three-fifths supported free public college; among those who did not, the number dropped to only about two-fifths. Traditional differences persisted, but were somewhat more muted, on a final question that asked Americans what strategy they thought would do the most to improve their local economy. Overall, 40 percent picked spending more money on education, including K through 12 schools and public colleges and universities. That was followed by 24 percent who preferred cutting taxes for individuals and businesses; 17 percent who backed raising taxes on foreign products to reduce imports; and 13 percent who endorsed reducing the number of new immigrant workers who can enter the U.S. Investing more in education drew the deepest support among Asian Americans (69 percent), Democrats (56 percent), Millennials (55 percent), African Americans (53 percent), women (43 percent) and whites holding at least a four-year college degree (42 percent). In all, education was the preferred choice for at least a plurality of whites, blacks, Hispanics and Asians; men and women; Millennials, baby boomers and the Silent Generation; and independents as well as Democrats. Tax cuts drew plurality support only among Republicans (35 percent) and members of Generation X (33 percent). Republicans (at 20 percent) were also more slightly likely to prioritize reducing foreign imports than were Democrats (17 percent) or independents (15 percent). And Republicans (at 17 percent) and independents (at 16 percent) were considerably more likely than Democrats (just 9 percent) to see reducing immigration as the best strategy for invigorating their local economy. While investing in education was by far the top priority for African Americans, they were also more likely (at 12 percent) than Asian Americans (5 percent) or Hispanics (7 percent) to view reducing immigration as the best strategy. Whites were the most likely to pick that approachbut at 16 percent support, it still ranked as the least popular option among them, behind investing in education (35 percent), tax cuts (27 percent), and restricting imports (18 percent). Atlantic researcher Leah Askarinam contributed. The Atlantic Media/Pearson Opportunity poll, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International surveyed 1,276 adults living in the United States by landline and cell phone from February 10 through 25. The survey included oversamples of African-Americans, Asian-Americans and Hispanics. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. The margin of sampling error for the complete sample is plus or minus 4.3 percentage points; the margins of error are larger for subgroups. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Seoul (AFP) - North Korea is cracking down on the private use of mobile phones to make international calls, as the authorities seek to bolster its citizens' isolation from the outside world, Amnesty International said Wednesday. A report by the human rights watchdog said Kim Jong-Un regime's was doling out harsh penalties -- including internment in political prison camps -- to those caught trying to contact relatives who had fled overseas. "To maintain their absolute and systematic control, the North Korean authorities are striking back against people using mobile phones to contact family abroad," said Amnesty East Asia researcher Arnold Fang. While the country's popular domestic mobile phone service has over three million subscribers, international calls are strictly blocked for North Korean users. Instead, many rely on so-called "Chinese mobile phones" -- imported handsets and SIM cards that allow international calls via Chinese mobile networks near the border, the report said. The phones and SIMs are often covertly sent by family members living abroad -- a practise that involves bribes of around $500 (455 euros) to border security guards to get the handsets smuggled in. Although talking to people outside North Korea on the phone is not technically illegal, private trade in mobile devices from other countries is against the law, according to Amnesty. Anyone caught making an international call using a "Chinese mobile phone" risks being sent to a reform facility or a political prison camp. Defectors interviewed by Amnesty said the authorities had advanced surveillance equipment capable of tracking illicit mobile phone use. "They can figure out the position of mobile phones precisely," said Bak-Moon, a North Korean engineer who fled the country. Fang described the absolute control of communication as a "key weapon" for North Korean authorities to conceal details about the "dire human rights" situation in the country. Story continues "North Koreans are not only deprived of the chance to learn about the world outside, they are suppressed from telling the world about their almost complete denial of human rights," Fang said. Pyongyang is extremely sensitive to criticism of its human rights record, which was the subject of a scathing 2014 report by a UN Commission of Inquiry. The report concluded that North Korea was committing rights violations "without parallel in the contemporary world." Apple is embroiled in a battle with the FBI over an iPhone that was used by one of the shooters involved in the December attack that killed 14 and wounded 22 in San Bernardino, California. The two sides are involved in an ongoing court case over Apple's refusal to comply with a Feb. 16 order from a federal judge that demanded that the tech giant build custom software to help the FBI break into an iPhone 5c given to slain attacker Syed Rizwan Farook by his employer. With both sides refusing to back down in what is turning into a complicated legal skirmish, untangling the realities from the rhetoric has proved difficult. Here's what you need to know about Apple's fight with the FBI. [6 Incredible Spy Technologies That Are Real] What is the FBI asking Apple to do? In 2014, Apple deliberately changed its operating system (OS) to ensure that all iPhones were encrypted by default and that Apple had no access to the encryption keys. Instead, keys are generated by combining a user's password with a unique identifier stored on the phone. Farook's phone runs iOS 9, which includes the new security setup as well as a feature that permanently locks the phone after 10 incorrect entries. Because Apple can't decrypt the phone, the FBI wants the company to upload a modified OS that disables the 10-attempt limit and permits electronic entry. Farook used a 4-digit passcode to lock the phone, so the new software would allow the FBI to rapidly cycle through the 10,000 possible combinations. The FBI needs Apple to build the software because any updates require the company's digital signature, according to cybersecurity expert Alan Woodward, a professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. "These are the keys to the crown jewels it's what makes their software legitimate," Woodward told Live Science. The FBI is willing to let Apple build and upload the software at its own facility, but the agency wants to input the passwords itself. Story continues What are the key legal arguments? The FBI's legal argument relies heavily on the All Writs Act (AWA) of 1789, which gives judges general authority to demand compliance with court orders as long there are no other legal avenues, the subject of the order is closely connected to the case and it does not impose an undue burden. Apple says it is "far removed" from the case and the resources required to build the modified OS are an undue burden on the company. [Smartphone Encryption: What You Need to Know] Apple has also invoked the right to freedom of speech under the First Amendment, saying code is a form of speech and the company is being compelled to code for the FBI as part of the court's request. Previous cases have determined that code can sometimes be considered speech, but the circumstances were different in those situations, according to Peter Swire, a privacy law expert at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. "We don't have clear guidance in the courts about whether the First Amendment would apply," he added. Importantly, though, a federal judge in New York ruled in favor of Apple in a similar case last week regarding an iPhone that was seized in a drug case. While the decision has no direct impact on the San Bernardino case, the ruling from Magistrate Judge James Orenstein, in New York's Eastern District, said the government's interpretation of the AWA was so expansive it "cast doubt on the AWA's constitutionality." Still, Swire said it's hard to predict the outcome of this legal fight. "Judges sometimes disagree, and if they do, this could quite possibly go up on appeal maybe all the way to the Supreme Court," he said. Why now? This battle is just the latest attempt by law enforcement to circumvent growing levels of encryption in consumer devices. The White House announced last fall it would not promote legislation compelling tech firms to build "backdoors" into their devices to allow agencies to sidestep encryption, which means the FBI has been forced to explore alternative means. Court briefs from Apple show that the company has challenged at least a dozen recent FBI requests to unlock iPhones. Woodward said the case appears to be more about the government's right to force companies to unlock phones than it is about evidence on this particular device. And, the FBI has chosen a case where public opinion is likely to be on their side, he added. "Terrorism is a very emotive subject," Woodward said. FBI Director James Comey admitted as much when he conceded recently that the case could set a precedent. And other law enforcement groups, both at the state and local level, have said they will try the same tactics if the FBI wins, reported The Intercept. "If Apple is forced to open up the San Bernardino phone, then it's hard for it to avoid opening up others' phones when faced with a similar court order," Swire said. [15 Best Mobile Security and Privacy Apps] What are the wider implications? Apple and its supporters claim the FBI is asking it to effectively create a backdoor into its products, with no way of guaranteeing that these workarounds will only be used by the "good guys." The company also argues that a precedent like this would strengthen law enforcers' hand when demanding other workarounds that further erode encryption and privacy. For its part, the FBI says it is only asking Apple to do what was standard practice before the company made changes to its operating system, and the court order only covers a single phone. If a precedent is set and these requests become routine, the risk of such technology ending up in the wrong hands would certainly increase. But, Woodward said the FBI's solution only deals with the limited situation where devices are in the physical possession of a would-be hacker, so fears spread by privacy lobbyists that the outcome of this case could lead to mass surveillance are most likely wide of the mark. Rather, Apple's decision to fight the case is as much a battle to protect its reputation for security, Woodward said."Apple is trying to make it look like they are doing this for people's good but I don't think it's entirely altruistic," he said. A more pressing concern is that complying with the federal court's order would make it harder for Apple to resist similar requests from governments with poor human rights records, such as China and Iran. Ultimately, the point may be moot, according to Woodward, because users have been able to create pass codes of up to 90 characters using both numbers and letters since the release of iOS 7. Even if it were possible to skirt security features and use a computer to automatically generate possible passwords (what's known as brute-force search), it would take years to chance upon the right combination, he said. "If they did try, it would take longer than anyone at the FBI would be alive," Woodward said. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. New York (AFP) - Argentina reached repayment deals with more holdout creditors Wednesday as it seeks to close the door on 15 years of litigation over its defaulted bonds. Daniel Pollack, the New York court-appointed arbitrator in cases involving some $9 billion in claims against the country, said settlement agreements were struck with hedge fund GMO (Boston), French bank BNP Paribas, and a number of individual investors worth a total of $190 million. That took to more than $6.5 billion the amount Argentina has agreed to pay holdout creditors covered by the Pollack-led negotiations. It was not clear how much more have not been addressed. Breaking with years of refusal by Buenos Aires to repay the holdout bondholders, at the beginning of February the new government of President Mauricio Macri offered $6.5 billion to resolve their claims of $9 billion. The holdouts are the minority of creditors which refused to go along with the restructuring of the country's debt after it defaulted on nearly $100 billion in 2001. The main holdouts were hedge funds which bought up the defaulted debt at steep discounts aiming to recover the full value, and in 2012 the New York federal district court ruled in their favor. Since then the country has been mostly locked out of global capital markets and Macri, tasked with reviving the Argentine economy, has vowed to pay off the creditors and move forward. "Both the range and diversity of these settlements are encouraging to me," said Pollack. The settlements remain contingent on the Argentine Congress cancelling laws that prevent repayment of the holdouts. By Julia Edwards WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch asked not to be considered as a nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia last month, the Justice Department said on Tuesday. Lynch, 56, was rumored to be under consideration by Democratic President Barack Obama. She is held in high regard within the administration, received bipartisan support for her nomination as attorney general and would be the first black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. "Given the urgent issues before the Department of Justice, she asked not to be considered for the position," the department said in a statement. In recent weeks, other names have emerged on Obama's short list, including Sri Srinivasan, Jane Kelly and Paul Watford, all of whom serve as federal appeals court judges. In an interview with Fox News last week, Lynch responded to speculation she was being vetted for the job. "I haven't had those conversations. I'm very happy with my job," Lynch said. Justice Department spokeswoman Melanie Newman said that while Lynch was deeply grateful for the support of those who suggested her as a high court nominee, "she is honored to serve as attorney general, and she is fully committed to carrying out the work of the Department of Justice for the remainder of her term." The process of filling the spot that was held by Scalia, one of the court's most conservative justices, has ignited a partisan battle in Washington. Republicans who control the U.S. Senate do not want to see the court shift ideologically to the left and have said they will not hold a vote on Obama's nominee. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the next Supreme Court justice should be chosen by the winner of the Nov. 8 presidential election. (Additional reporting by Eric Walsh; Editing by Leslie Adler and Peter Cooney) New York (AFP) - Hip-hop star Azealia Banks, an explosive presence on Twitter where she relished taking other artists to task, has abruptly deactivated her account as she deplored US media culture. "I'm finally making the decision to eject from social media," she tweeted late Tuesday to her followers, calling US media culture "disgusting and junky." Her Twitter account had vanished Wednesday and she made her Instagram postings private. Her Facebook page showed nothing since August. The African American artist has been famous for her acerbic tweets directed at other artists, most notably Australian artist Iggy Azalea whom she mocked as "Igloo Australia" and accused of exploiting black culture. Attacking other prominent rappers, Banks has accused Eminem of sexism, charged that Nicki Minaj was unfairly playing racial politics and appeared to wish violence on Action Bronson for past insults. Even some admirers of Banks have voiced unease about tweets in which she urged followers to burn down the homes of descendants of slave traders and employed homophobic slurs, even though she herself identifies as bisexual. More recently Banks gave a tongue-in-cheek endorsement to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump -- also known for his prolific use of Twitter -- saying that the billionaire "is evil like America is evil" and hence the country's fitting leader. Despite the attention to her provocative social media persona, the New York native has won wide praise for her music, notably her single "212" in which her character snatches a woman from a man whose sexuality she then mocks. Brussels (AFP) - Belgian federal prosecutors are seeking to bring to court seven pharmaceutical executives accused of supplying a Mexican drug baron with the key ingredients for crystal meth, they said Wednesday. Prosecutors began an inquiry in 2009 based on information from Belgian police and customs officials, said Eric Van Der Sypt, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office. The probe centred on events alleged to have occurred between 2006 and 2011. The spokesman refused to confirm the names of the companies implicated or the identities of the executives involved in the alleged conspiracy. A magistrate will decide on April 5 whether the case should go to trial. According to several Dutch-language newspapers the companies made medicines containing ephedrine, a drug that constricts blood vessels and is often used in cough remedies. Ephedrine is also the key ingredient in the highly addictive and widely banned narcotic methamphetamine, also known as crystal meth. The buyer is believed to be Mexico's Ezio Figueroa Vasquez, described in 2012 by the US Treasury as a major international drug trafficker, according to the Nieuwsblad newspaper. He is reported to have received at least four tonnes of ephedrine from the Belgian companies which could have been used to make as much as 66 million capsules of the drug, with an estimated street value of 360 million euros ($370 million). Prosecutors have declined to confirm the amounts reported in the Belgian media, claiming that estimates were proving "difficult". A lawyer for one of the pharmaceutical companies named in local press reports, Andacon, insisted the firm had acted in good faith. "The company made two shipments of two million pills containing pseudoephedrine in 2006," Bram Van Loo told the Belga news agency. "These medicines were freely available then. My clients delivered to a reliable commercial partner and had no idea of the inappropriate use of the drugs." Washington (AFP) - Ted Cruz has won the Republican primary contest in Idaho, US networks said Tuesday, after frontrunner Donald Trump notched up two wins in the states of Michigan and Mississippi. With 44 percent of precincts reporting, the Texas senator took 41.9 percent of the presidential nomination vote in the northwestern state, ahead of Trump on 28.9 percent and Florida Senator Marco Rubio on 18.1 percent. The Council of Better Business Bureaus is calling out Donald Trump for what appears to have been a brazen effort to mislead the Fox News hosts who moderated last weeks Republican presidential debate, as well as the millions of Americans who tuned in to watch last Thursday night. During the debate, the moderators and Trumps opponent, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, brought up the subject of Trump University, a now-defunct business that Trump established to sell supposedly educational courses and seminars on entrepreneurship. Trump University is currently being sued for fraud by numerous former students, who said that they were pressured to take on debt to pay for tens of thousands of dollars in fees and that the company did not deliver the type of educational experience it promised. Related: Trump Numbers Are Falling How Far Can They Go? On stage last week, Trump angrily challenged criticism of Trump University, insisting that the organization had a 98 percent approval rating among its students. But it was when Rubio brought up the companys D- grade from the Better Business Bureau that Trump really started to get creative. He conceded that at one point the company did have a D- rating from the Better Business Bureau, but he said the rating was poor only because Trump University hadnt bothered to submit data to the BBB. He insisted that the grade was subsequently elevated to an A once the data was supplied. The only reason that is was a D was because we didn't care -- we didn't give them the information... Trump said. When they got the information it became an A. Related: Heres Why Donald Trumps Lies May Be Good for U.S. Politics During a commercial break, Trump was given a fax from his staff, which he handed to Fox moderator Bret Baier. He later posted the document on Facebook. It appeared to be a BBB Business Review giving Trump University (actually, Trump Entrepreneur Initiative, after a 2011 name change) an A grade. Story continues At least one news organization reported, at the time, that the document appeared to have been faxed to the Fox News set by the BBB itself. On Tuesday, the Council of Better Business Bureaus issued a detailed statement setting the record straight. BBB did not send a document of any kind to the Republican debate site last Thursday evening, it read. The document presented to debate moderators did not come from BBB that night. It continued, Trump University does not currently have an A rating with BBB. The BBB Business Review for this company has continually been No Rating since September 2015. Prior to that, it fluctuated between D- and A+. The document posted on social media on Thursday night was not a current BBB Business Review of Trump University. It appeared to be part of a Business Review from 2014. Related: Irony Alert: Trump Is Upset that Ted Cruz Is Lying More damning, though, was the BBBs account of how Trump Universitys rating went from a D- to an A. The BBB said that, despite Trumps claims to the contrary, the rating was never increased as a result of new information received from the company. What happened is that as Trump University failed as a business, it stopped attracting new students, and with no new students, there were no more complaints filed to the BBB. During the period when Trump University appeared to be active in the marketplace, BBB received multiple customer complaints about this business, the statement said. These complaints affected the Trump University BBB rating, which was as low as D- in 2010. As the company appeared to be winding down, after 2013, no new complaints were reported. Complaints over three years old automatically rolled off of the Business Review, according to BBB policy. As a result, over time, Trump Universitys BBB rating went to an A in July 2014 and then to an A+ in January 2015. Related: Trumps Net Worth Isnt His Only Claim Thats Fake In other words, Trump was lying about Trump Universitys rating on national television, and even provided misleading documentary evidence in real time to help him make his case. In a sane campaign season, this sort of thing would be utterly disqualifying, but whether it will have much effect on Trumps core support is doubtful. The billionaires supporters have proven remarkably immune to factual arguments about Trumps obvious deficiencies as a candidate, and uninterested in proof that he frequently lies to them. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: By Irene Klotz KENT, Wash. (Reuters) - Privately owned Blue Origin is years ahead of competitor Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Ltd in developing a rocket engine to replace now-banned Russian engines used on rockets launching U.S. military missions, company founder Jeff Bezos said on Tuesday. Blue Origin's BE-4 rocket engine under development would be used by United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing , to launch military satellites, said Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com Inc ."Im very confident," Bezos said. "They have selected our engine. They are designing the Vulcan (rocket) around our engine. It's a big course change for them to switch to their backup engine." On Monday, UAL said it would pick a rocket by the end of the year and its preferred supplier is Blue Origin with Aerojet as a backup.Blue Origin, which has been developing its BE-4 engine for four years, is scheduled to test-fire a full-size engine by December. The liquid oxygen and methane-burning engine is expected to be ready for use on United Launch Alliances Vulcan rocket by 2019. United Launch Alliance, which currently has a near-monopoly on launching U.S. military and national security satellites, plans to retire its workhorse Atlas 5 rocket, which uses Russian-made RD-180 engines to power its first stage. Two years ago, Congress banned imports of the RD-180s as part of trade sanctions to punish Russia for annexing Ukraines Crimea peninsula. The U.S. Air Force last week awarded contracts worth a combined $160 million to Blue Origin and Aerojet Rocketdyne for work on the new engines. Blue Origin also intends to use the BE-4 on its as-yet unnamed orbital launch vehicle. Bezos said he doubts Blue Origin will use its booster to compete against United Launch Alliance for the military's launch business, but it will vie for commercial customers against United Launch Alliance, Elon Musks SpaceX and other companies. Space is really big and theres room for lots of winners. Its very rare that you see new industries built by single companies. Typically industries rise and fall together and I think space is going to be like that, Bezos said. (Reporting by Irene Klotz; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's regional military clout should be preserved in terms of the quantity as well as the quality of its weaponry, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said on Wednesday in a nod to Israeli requests in defense aid negotiations with Washington. Current U.S. military grants to Israel, worth about $3 billion annually, expire in 2018. The allies want to agree on an extension before U.S. President Barack Obama leaves office in January 2017 but have differed over the proposed sums. Israel, which last year requested $5 billion in future annual aid but whose officials have since set their sights on $4 billion to $4.5 billion, says it needs to expand its military, rather than just upgrade technologies, given spiraling arms procurement it anticipates by arch-foe Iran and Arab states. U.S. officials have given lower target figures of around $3.7 billion. The dispute prompted Israeli officials to hint last month that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in hope of better terms, may await Obama's successor to conclude the deal. "We're committed to making sure that Israel can defend itself against all serious threats, maintain its qualitative edge with a quantity sufficient to maintain that," Biden told reporters after meeting Netanyahu during a visit to Israel. Israel's "very, very tough neighborhood, a tough and changing neighborhood" necessitated such assistance, Biden said, adding that Obama had "done more to help bolster Israel's security than any other administration in history". He did not explicitly mention the accord on future U.S. defense aid, known as the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). U.S. congressional staffers said Biden would discuss the MOU during his Israel visit, describing the vice president as the only possible principal from the administration who could finish off a deal given Netanyahu's troubled ties with Obama. Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon travels to Washington for talks next week with U.S. counterpart Ashton Carter. Yaalon aides said he would try to make progress on the MOU. Interviewed by Israel Radio on Wednesday, Yaalon did not refer to the MOU but said: "There are areas in which we know how to insist on our security interests, even when our great friend (the United States) makes offers that do not suit us." (Additional reporting by patricia zengerele in Washington; Writing by Dan Williams; editing by Ralph Boulton) The Genie of Nimrud (BBC) -- Three thousand years ago, a genie graced the walls of an Assyrian palace. Then, probably about 20 years ago, it disappeared, only to re-emerge in London. Since 2002 it's been languishing in police vaults at Scotland Yard, because of difficulties determining the legal owner. The genie is a powerfully built man, with wings sprouting from his back. About 2m high, it is carved in relief on a stone panel, holding a pine cone, and facing a pattern that represents the tree of life. The genie symbolised both protection and fertility - its role was to safeguard and replenish the ancient kingdom of Assyria. It was a design particularly popular with the Assyrian king, Ashurnasirpal II, who came to the throne in 883 BC, and made Nimrud his new capital. "Ashurnasirpal and his artists were really the first to decorate many of the rooms in the public spaces within the palace," says archaeologist Augusta McMahon, lecturer at the University of Cambridge. "One of the key symbols that appeared over and over was this genie or protective spirit. Because in the minds of the ancient Assyrians it's an enormously powerful motif, it can't hurt to have a further fertility symbol somewhere in the room." Protective genies came in all sorts of shapes and sizes. The photograph above is very similar but not identical to the one now in the hands of British police. Others had the bodies of men but the heads of ferocious-looking birds and a feathered hairstyle, still others were a combination of man and fish. ( Brooklyn Museum) Our particular genie had copious amounts of curly hair and a long beard. "The really big crazy-looking hair and the massive beard were part of making him really stand out," says McMahon, who also draws attention to the "little fringed outfit that shows off these incredibly muscular legs". The impact of all the genies side by side in the palace would have been to convey the strength and virility of the Assyrian empire. Across the belly of the genie was a smattering of cuneiform in the now extinct language, Akkadian. The text is what's known as Ashurnasirpal's "standard inscription". It lays out in minute detail his many kingly accomplishments - from treading on the necks of foes to being "king of the universe" - and was carved on many of the reliefs and sculptures that filled the halls of his palace at Nimrud. "It's my favourite ancient archaeological site," says Mark Altaweel, an Iraqi-American archaeologist whose ancestors come from Mosul - not far from Nimrud. ( NYPL) "You did see the reliefs in place, you can see the rooms. Even the ancient floors were sort of wobbly, and in some ways that gave it the ancient feel. You got a sense of what a palace was like when you walked in there." Sometimes, however, even protective spirits need protecting. At some point since Nimrud's excavation, this genie relief was moved into a storage room from where it disappeared. It's believed to have been taken in the 1990s during the chaos of the first Gulf war, but no-one knows for sure. The genie's whereabouts were completely unknown for about 10 years. Eventually in 2002, just before the second Gulf war, it turned up in London - one of the world's largest antiquities markets. ( NYPL) Scotland Yard's Art and Antiques Unit went to collect the genie, but it's unclear who legally owns it, so for the last 14 years it has been locked up in a secure storage unit belonging to London's Metropolitan Police. "The problem is that the burden of proof on objects, when they are looted, is on the authorities to show that it really was removed illegally," says Altaweel. This can be a challenge. Looters sometimes lie about an object's country of origin, and move it through a variety of transit points. It may change hands many times and some of the sellers may insist on remaining anonymous. "So the genie is basically in a kind of limbo state," says Altaweel. Even though it appears to be part of a documented collection that was in Nimrud for 3,000 years, at present it seems unlikely to ever return to Iraq. ( Brooklyn Museum) At some point in its journey, the genie was badly damaged. His head, wings, and upper body are still visible, but gone are his legs and much of Ashurnasirpal's cuneiform inscription. These may have been hacked away when the genie was first taken, or disposed of en route to London - it's not clear. But it is still highly valuable. "We hear that just the head was going for 3.5m (almost $5m) in 2003 prices," says Altaweel. "So imagine the value it would get today, and there are people who are willing to pay those prices. There has always been an interest in Nimrud." Altaweel was in Nimrud just weeks after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and saw for himself fresh signs of looting. "The site guard told me there was a gunfight that happened, with some bullets hitting the reliefs," he says. Some of the panels depicting genies and other figures had been cut out - the head would be missing, with the body and legs still in place. The awful irony is that the looting of the genie now at Scotland Yard may have saved it from complete destruction. After seizing Mosul in 2014, the so-called Islamic State group began destroying sites in and around the city - including, the following year, Nimrud. ( Mark Altaweel) This has prompted debates about the thorny issue of repatriation. Some have argued that it might have been better if more of the Middle East's archaeological riches had been taken from the region during the era of European imperialism. To them, the iconoclasm of the would-be caliphate seemed to justify, in retrospect, the cavalier way in which Western archaeologists and collectors relieved the Middle East of its cultural heritage in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. And yet for many people outside the West, it remains a source of grievance that so much of their past sits in the halls and basements of museums in Paris and Berlin, London and New York. Westerners can more easily enjoy the cultural history of Iraq than Iraqis themselves. But while looters have plundered Iraqi museums and still threaten historical sites, the looted objects do not always end up being smuggled abroad. ( Mark Altaweel) Mark Altaweel was at the museum in Sulaymaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan five years ago, when he got chatting to an American Kurdish man. Only after the man had left did Altaweel realise that a transaction had just taken place. The visitor had offered to sell a series of cuneiform tablets and other objects and the museum at the time had a no-questions-asked policy, so it bought them. "At first glance you think that's a horrible policy," says Altaweel. "But it did actually prevent them from leaving Iraq proper." Some treasures from Nimrud now held in the British Museum. ( Getty Images) The visitor's haul included something amazing - a chapter of the Gilgamesh epic, the original blockbuster adventure, with monster battles, the search for immortality, divine kings, and even a whole section on how the wrathful gods flooded the Earth (a scenario that would appear again in the later biblical tale of Noah). Gilgamesh is humanity's earliest story. It marks that moment when gods and humans stepped out of the murky unknown and into the sharp relief of narrative. "As soon as they saw that there's a text that talks about the Gilgamesh story, their immediate reaction was to buy this thing," says Altaweel. "They understood that this was extremely rare." ( Farouk al Rawi) One of the key scenes in the Gilgamesh epic is the momentous encounter between the hero Gilgamesh and the monster Humbaba, described as a hideous ogre - his "roar is a flood, his mouth is death and his breath is fire!" This beast of the wild can generally be found roaming the beautiful Cedar Forest. His primary aim is to terrify men and it's up to the brave, demi-god Gilgamesh and his sidekick Enkidu to vanquish Humbaba and rid the forest of his ugly tyranny. But what's remarkable about the Gilgamesh tablet recovered at the Sulaymaniyah museum is that it shows Humbaba in a different light. "Where ?umbaba came and went there was a track, the paths were in good order and the way was well trodden," the tablet reads. "Through all the forest a bird began to sing: A wood pigeon was moaning, a turtle dove calling in answer. Monkey mothers sing aloud, a youngster monkey shrieks: like a band of musicians and drummers daily they bash out a rhythm in the presence of ?umbaba." In this version of the story, Humbaba is beloved of the gods and a kind of king in the palace of the forest. Monkeys are his heralds, birds his courtiers, and his entire throne room breathes with the heady aroma of cedar resin. Gilgamesh and Enkidu, meanwhile, are aggressors, ecological thieves. They come to Humbaba's forest to take its timber back to their treeless homeland in Mesopotamia. In this newly discovered tablet of the epic, we find - remarkably - a sense that the heroes of the tale were in the wrong. "Enkidu opened his mouth to speak, saying to Gilgamesh: 'My friend, we have reduced the forest to a wasteland. In your might you slew the guardian, what was this wrath of yours that you went trampling the forest?'" This sense of remorse is particularly strong in the Sulaymaniyah tablet, but traces of it also exist in other versions of the Gilgamesh epic. In so many other ancient tales, the Anglo-Saxon Beowulf for example, we find a black-and-white world, a clear binary of good and evil. In Gilgamesh there is plenty of grey. The hero is faced with the moral consequences of his actions. There is so much destruction in the achievement of his greatness. Intentionally and unintentionally, modern-day combatants in Iraq and Syria are destroying precious records of antiquity, and more objects like the genie and cuneiform tablets will inevitably slip on to the black market. So, it's worth celebrating the rare recoveries of these artefacts. "It's a good and bad thing. It's bad that it was looted, it's bad that it had to be purchased. But it's good because at least it stays in the country of Iraq," says Altaweel. "It's one of these things where Western scholars actually have to come to Iraq to see this and study this tablet. So it's good that at least something of significance stays in the country. Iraqis need to see these things too, ultimately these countries need stability, and stability equals economy, equals tourism, equals the objects being back there." War makes exiles out of people and cultural artefacts alike. It is a small victory, but a victory nonetheless, when an antiquity like the tablet of Gilgamesh can endure and remain in Iraq. Ashurnasirpal's genie, however, seems destined to stay far from its old home. Once it guarded the palace of its king. Now it is guarded by British police, in an obscure basement in a foreign country. By Caroline Copley BERLIN (Reuters) - Robert Bosch GmbH [ROBG.UL] is taking on U.S. technology rivals by launching its own "cloud" computing network to connect up anything from cars to dishwashers via the Internet. Traditional German industrial companies like Bosch are looking to transform themselves from manufactures of equipment to service providers using data generated by their machines. Bosch is hoping its engineering expertise will give it an advantage in making the "Internet of Things" (IoT), where objects communicate with each other, a reality for its customers in smart homes, connected mobility or intelligent industry. Its announcement on Wednesday that it plans build its own cloud puts it in competition with services from U.S. technology giants Amazon, Google, Microsoft, IBM and Salesforce.com. Bosch's cloud will be run out of a computing center based in Germany, which it hopes will attract customers who may have doubts about data security of U.S-owned servers. Bosch Chief Executive Volkmar Denner told a conference in Berlin that the company was building its own IoT and would combine this with its experience in making everyday objects. "There are product companies like Bosch trying to add software and services and there are IT companies trying to get into the physical space. The race is completely open," he said. Stuttgart-based Bosch plans to run around 50 of its own in-house applications on the cloud this year, before opening up to other companies from 2017. It plans to roll out other data centers across the globe but declined to give a timeline. More than five million devices are currently connected via Bosch's IoT software suite. Applications include a system that enables users to remotely control the temperature of their home as well sensors that help drivers find parking spaces or firms track the quality of a product once it leaves a factory. Bosch declined to disclose how much money it was spending on the cloud specifically but said it was investing around 500 million euros ($548 million) annually in new technologies. The company plans to charge customers based on the services that they use, but did not give revenue forecasts. Market research firm Gartner estimates that global sales in the public cloud market will exceed $200 billion this year. ($1 = 0.9122 euros) (Editing by Alexander Smith) Buenos Aires (AFP) - The chief executive of Argentine state oil company YPF has resigned at the government's request, officials said Wednesday, conservative President Mauricio Macri's latest swipe at his leftist predecessor's appointments. The company said CEO Miguel Galuccio, who was appointed in 2012 by former president Cristina Kirchner, would stand down at the end of April. "The authorities believed it was important to consolidate a new management team," said Senate speaker Federico Pinedo, explaining the Macri administration's decision to replace the man appointed to steer YPF after its controversial expropriation from Spanish firm Repsol. Kirchner's government nationalized 51 percent of YPF in May 2012, accusing Repsol of failing to invest enough in Argentina's largest company as output flagged. Argentina had sold off YPF in the 1990s during a wave of privatizations by former president Carlos Menem. The company registered net profits of $1 billion last year, up 58.5 percent thanks to production increases. Macri has steadily hacked away at his predecessor's policies and appointees since taking office in December, arguing her interventionist approach was dragging down Latin America's third-largest economy. By Huw Jones LONDON (Reuters) - All alternatives to Britain's membership of the European Union are second best and risk damaging the competitiveness of the City of London's finance industry, although Brexit would not be ruinous for the economy, TheCityUK lobby said on Wednesday. In a guide to the consequences of Brexit, TheCityUK said a bespoke financial services agreement between Britain and the EU was feasible, but its content would be uncertain. Negotiations would take a long time and the bloc could end up treating Britain as a less-regulated "off-shore" center, TheCityUK, which lobbies for Britain's financial services sector, said. "We haven't seen anything that gives the UK the same level of influence as membership," TheCityUK Chief Executive Chris Cummings told Reuters. Britain goes to the polls on June 23 to vote on whether to stay in the EU or leave. If Britain backed Brexit, a two-year negotiation period on exit terms could mitigate some of the initial fallout. "I don't think we would see a huge movement of jobs immediately, but what would worry me greatly is that foreign direct investment doesn't arrive," Cummings said. "I don't think all businesses that would leave the UK would end up in Paris or Frankfurt. I think quite a share would go to New York and Asia, with Europe as a whole losing out," he said. TheCityUK said if Britain left, it could not be assumed that EU regulators would be able to live with big EU financial services businesses maintaining their current level of assets in London if markets there were subject to different rules. TheCityUK also represents related services like accounting and law firms, which, together with the banks, employ some 2.2 million people. The finance industry accounts for nearly 12 percent of the British economy and pays 66 billion pounds ($93.75 billion) a year in tax, making it the biggest contributor to government coffers of any business sector. TheCityUK, which has already stated that Britain is better off staying in the EU, listed the drawbacks of any potential alternatives to membership, such as still having to contribute money to the EU for access to the single market while having no say over its financial rules. Banks in London have also backed staying in and last week the City of London, the municipal authority for the financial district, also formally supported staying. U.S. banks Morgan Stanley Citi have said there could be a backlash against Britain as a financial center if it left the EU. Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan have made donations to the campaign to keep Britain in, sources have said. London mayor Boris Johnson, who is campaigning to pull Britain out of the EU, has said leaving would be a "golden opportunity" and has dismissed "threats" from banks to relocate from London. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said less favorable exit terms under a Brexit would see some banking operations move to Ireland or continental Europe. ($1 = 0.7040 pounds) (Reporting by Huw Jones. Editing by Jane Merriman) Omara Portuondo's tiny frame belies the sheer power of a sonorous voice that made her a star in Cuba well before she found global fame with the Buena Vista Social Club around the age most people start claiming their pensions. Even as the group winds down with their final farewell "Adios Tour", the 85-year-old, who has been performing since she was just 15, insists she is not ready to hang up the mic. "None of us could ever have imagined the great success of Buena Vista Social Club -- we've achieved more than we could ever have dreamed but it was time for the band to say goodbye," she tells AFP before the Hong Kong leg of the the tour. But she is adamant: "Music is my life and I won't stop singing." It has been 20 years since a twist of fate led American guitarist Ry Cooder and World Circuit's Nick Gold to Cuban star Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, who encouraged a coterie of the island's musical talent -- some out of retirement -- to join together and create a record. Crafted in just six days, the album Buena Vista Social Club -- named after the long-closed members' only venue in Havana -- sold millions, secured a Grammy, and along with Wim Wenders' Oscar-nominated film documenting its production, thrust Cuban music onto the international stage. It also exported a vibrant idea of Cuba to a world from which it had been largely closed off since the 1959 revolution and the Cold War. For a generation coming of age in the 1990s in the West, the music of Buena Vista Social Club added a burst of colour to the perceived grey palette of Castro's Communism -- encouraging people to see the place for themselves. "We are called ambassadors for Cuba and I am honoured. I think when you do what you love, only good things can come from that. It shines from you and to other people," she explains. - 'Berlin Wall' moment - De Marcos Gonzalez has previously credited the band for helping begin the thaw in relations between US and Cuban administrations, by re-igniting America's curiosity about the island. Last October the group performed for President Barack Obama at the White House, where he reportedly revealed he too had bought the iconic album. Story continues It was a situation Portuondo says "none of us could ever have imagined" when they started out, describing the leader as "very warm and welcoming". Later this month Obama will become the first US president to visit Cuba since 1928, with the White House describing the trip as a "Berlin Wall" moment. Diplomatic ties between the two nations, which broke off in 1960, were restored in July last year. Portuondo, who has attended parties thrown by the Castros, is circumspect about the fact Obama and leader Raul Castro have been in secret discussions on a rapprochement, or what it means for ordinary Cubans: "Politics is for the politicians. Im a musician and I love music," she says but adds: "It is good in every situation of life -- family, friends, neigbours -- to talk." - Cuban revival - She dismisses criticism the Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon has created a caricature of Cuban music or that there is a disconnect between what islanders listen to and what is performed for tourists. "Well nowadays everybody listens to a lot of different music, genres and styles," she says. "The good thing is that traditional Cuban music is very respected...it has a lot of influences, we sing in Spanish, but we have afro sounds, influences from chanson. I think this has made it popular around the world." The 1997 Buena Vista Social Club album gave some veteran Cuban musicians a new lease of life: Ibrahim Ferrer, a great star in the 1940s, had fallen on hard times and was shining shoes in Havana to earn extra cash, while pianist Ruben Gonzalez, who helped pioneer the cha-cha and the mambo dances, had retired after struggling with arthritis, his piano riddled with termites, when they were called up to join the group. But with so many of the stars in their twilight years when the band began -- death and illness has taken its toll on membership over the past 20 years. Portuondo is one of a few from the original line-up to remain, and just this month Jesus 'Aguaje' Ramos pulled out of the Hong Kong performance for health reasons. The injection of young talent means the ensemble now performs under the name Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club. The Adios! Tour pays homage to the band's history combining new talent with the veterans, as well as images and footage of elder statesmen of Cuban music now passed. "They have always been part of us and of the music," says Portuondo. For the diva, who began performing 70 years ago at Havana's famed Tropicana club, the Buena Vista chapter is just one high note in a remarkable career that has seen her work with stars such as Nat King Cole, Herbie Hancock, Edith Piaf, and Chico Buarque. And the octogenarian expects plenty more. She says: "Is this goodbye from me? Never! Next I'll be touring in Europe and USA with my '85 tour' to celebrate my life and career." ** Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club will perform at the Cultural Centre March 10-12, as part of the Hong Kong Arts Festival https://www.hk.artsfestival.org/en/ Guatemala City (AFP) - A businessman testifying against former Guatemalan president Otto Perez in a corruption case is "in danger" and needs witness protection, the head of UN-backed body tackling graft said on Wednesday. "It is the duty of Guatemala's authorities to protect the life of Salvador Estuardo Gonzalez -- (known as) Eco -- who is in danger because of his cooperation," Ivan Velasquez, a former Colombian judge in charge of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), wrote on Twitter. On Tuesday, Gonzalez told a judge that Perez and his former vice president, Roxana Baldetti, pocketed half the bribes from an alleged scheme under which authorities illegally exonerated companies from import taxes. His testimony, confirming a declaration he made in September in which he said he participated in the scheme, was made in an effort to become a protected witness and broker a plea deal. He said his family has already left the country out of fear. Perez, Baldetti and Gonzalez are all in jail in Guatemala pending a possible trial on corruption charges related to the alleged bribery. The scandal, exposed by the CICIG, last year brought down Perez's government and led to the election of Jimmy Morales, a former TV comedian vowing tough anti-graft policies, to replace him. TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's second biggest pension fund Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec said on Wednesday it will open its first Indian office in New Delhi to scout for investments in South Asia. The Caisse also announced the appointment of Anita Marangoly George as managing director for South Asia. Based in New Delhi, George will head up the new CDPQ India unit to seek investment opportunities across all asset classes. Canadian pension funds are expanding into new territories and investing directly in assets such as infrastructure and real estate as they seek alternatives to volatile global equity markets and low-yielding government bonds. India is viewed as a prime investment opportunity, given its rapid economic growth and burgeoning middle class. The Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board, Canada's biggest public pension fund, set up an office in Mumbai last year to scout for opportunities. Caisse Chief Executive Officer Michael Sabia in a statement cited India's "scope and quality of investment opportunities, the potential for strategic partnerships with leading Indian entrepreneurs, and the current government's intention to pursue essential economic reforms." The Caisse also announced a commitment to invest $150 million in renewable energy in India. (Reporting by Matt Scuffham; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn) Mogadishu (AFP) - At least three police officers died when a car bomb exploded outside a tea shop in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Wednesday, police said. "There was a car bomb explosion near the police transport headquarters early this morning," said Mogadishu police commissioner Ali Hersi Barre, adding that the suspected driver was in police custody. The three officers were drinking tea when the blast occurred and the man driving the car that exploded was "seriously wounded," said the commissioner. He added that a three-wheeled tuk-tuk taxi loaded with explosives also blew up this morning, after being seized by police last night, but said there were no casualties from the blast. "One of three men who drove the three-wheeler was arrested and two others have escaped," Ali said. The tea shop where the explosion occurred is popular with police based at the nearby transport headquarters in northern Mogadishu. There were no civilian casualties reported. No group has so far claimed the attack but Al-Qaeda insurgents, the Shebab, which is fighting to overthrow the internationally backed government frequently deploys car bombs. The Shebab was chased out of Mogadishu in 2011 but remains a dangerous threat in both Somalia and neighbouring Kenya where it carries out regular attacks. On Saturday, the US said it carried out air strikes on a Shebab training camp, claiming to have killed at least 140 fighters. N'Djamena (AFP) - Chadians were asked to whistle in protest on Thursday as anger mounts over President Idriss Deby Itno's bid to extend his 26-year rule at elections next month. Deby's bid for a fifth term has met rising exasperation recently, including a countrywide lockdown last month that emptied classrooms and markets. In the latest sign of anger, 12 civil society groups urged people to blow whistles for 15 minutes at set times morning and night on Thursday to demand "the end of injustice, impunity, nepotism, favouritism, corruption, misery and daily suffering. "Use your 'citizen's whistle' to express your anger from your home without taking the risk of being attacked" as happened in earlier protests, a statement said Wednesday. Chad remains poor despite exports of newly-found oil reserves, and Deby is accused of stifling dissent and cracking down on opponents. The country last month also witnessed unprecedented student protests over a girl's brutal gang rape, blamed on the sons of senior officials. Deby, a former warlord, modified the constitution in 2004 to scrap a two-term limit on presidential tenure, and won the following elections in 2006 and 2011 by a huge majority. BEIJING (Reuters) - A new law on charities in China being discussed at this year's parliamentary session would ban aid groups from sponsoring activities that threaten national security, a summary of the draft of the legislation released on Wednesday shows. While such activity would almost certainly already be illegal under various laws, the specific mention of national security in the law regulating charities could give authorities greater latitude in taking action against them. The new law comes against a backdrop of a broad crackdown on civil society groups in China. "Charities shall not carry out or sponsor any activity that endangers national security or public interests," Li Jianguo, vice chairman of the standing committee of the National People's Congress, China's parliament, said in an explanation of the law. He did not elaborate on what might constitute endangering national security. Foreign and domestic non-governmental groups have largely praised the law, which loosens restrictions on fundraising and heightens transparency requirements for charities to combat fraud. But critics have said some of the language in the law, which is the first to regulate domestic non-profit groups, leaves room for abuse when it comes to implementation. Charities found to be undermining national security would be punished or have their registrations revoked in serious cases, the official Xinhua news agency reported. China has arrested scores of human rights lawyers and tightened control over almost every aspect of civil society since 2012, citing the need to buttress national security and stability. Western governments and non-profit groups have pressured China to revise a second proposed law that would regulate foreign non-governmental organizations. That law would give police broad powers to regulate their activities and funding. (Reporting by Megha Rajagopalan; Editing by Robert Birsel) By James Pearson SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea is using Chinese-made trucks in a new mobile artillery system showcased five days ago, according to photographs reviewed by Reuters, underlining the difficulty in enforcing U.N. sanctions against the isolated state. North Korea's Multiple Rocket Launcher System (MRLS) may be able to operate outside the range of similar U.S. and South Korean weapons, according to an expert. In photographs published by North Korean state media, the vehicle used in the MRLS artillery battery has the bodywork and some markings of a Chinese-made Sinotruk HOWO truck, which is widely available commercially and is used by North Korea in its mining and construction industries. Last week, the United Nations Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on North Korea for pursuing a nuclear program following a resolution drafted by the United States and Pyongyang's ally, China. An MRLS is a kind of rocket-propelled artillery system capable of firing a barrage of rockets at a target. It is usually mounted on the back of a tank-like chassis, or a truck, and the vehicles do not need much modification. "You just need a launch tube that you mount on the truck," said Markus Schiller, a rocketry expert based in Germany. "It's almost as easy as mounting a machine gun". China's Foreign Ministry, asked about the trucks, said the government has consistently followed U.N. resolutions. "China will strengthen its strict controls," spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news briefing in Beijing. Calls to Sinotruk's headquarters in the northern Chinese city of Jinan went unanswered. North Korean media showed leader Kim Jong Un observing the test-firing of the MRLS at an event where he ordered his country to be ready to use its nuclear weapons at any time. On Wednesday, Kim said the country had miniaturized nuclear warheads to be mounted on ballistic missiles, his first direct comments on a claim that had been previously made in the country's state media but has yet to be independently verified. Many experts have questioned whether the North has the know-how to mount a miniaturized nuclear warhead on a missile and complete a functioning weapons system. The rockets fired by the new MRLS are at the "upper-end" of range estimates of its kind, according to Jeffrey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies, writing for the 38 North website that analyses events in North Korea. The increased range reduces their vulnerability to counter-battery fire by South Korean or U.S. artillery, according to Lewis. In South Korea, a U.S. artillery brigade carried out live fire drills on Wednesday, launching a barrage of rockets close to the border town of Cheorwon. USED IN CONSTRUCTION AND MINING Recent photos obtained by Reuters showed a civilian version of the Sinotruk - a bright red dumpster - with North Korean registration plates at a Chinese-North Korean border crossing. North Korean state media has in the past released images of the same Sinotruk HOWO truck chassis and cabin in propaganda related to construction or mining. The Chinese government uses a military model of a Sinotruk HOWO off-road truck for its own MRLS, according to the 38 North website. Since 2006, it has been against U.N. sanctions to ship military hardware into North Korea but control of equipment and vehicles into the North that have commercial use has been far less stringent. It is not clear if North Korea's military uses the commercial or military version of the Sinotruk HOWO vehicle, but the isolated country has a history of importing Chinese heavy-duty civilian vehicles and using them for military purposes. A U.N. panel said in a report released on Tuesday that vehicles carrying multiple rocket launchers seen at a parade in Pyongyang last year were nearly identical to trucks made by a Chinese company. It did not name the company. According to the report, China told the panel that the company had "put a clear clause that the buyer agrees and ensures that this batch of trucks exported to (North Korea) should only be used in civilian activities" and that the sales contract says "the buyer shall use the trucks solely for forest area operations and timber transportation." In 2010, North Korea's forestry ministry wrote in a statement to China that six large off-road trucks later spotted in a military parade carrying the KN-08 ballistic missile were bought to transport timber, according to a document in a 2013 United Nations Panel of Experts report. "I am sure that China will say, like the with the KN-08 transporters, that North Korea provided a false civilian end-use," Lewis told Reuters. A salesman for a company advertising civilian and military models of the Sinotruk HOWO cabin and chassis on Chinese online retailer Alibaba said the truck's strong body would make it ideal for military use, but it was not able to sell the military version of the same truck. "The military trucks only can be sold by the government," the salesperson said. "What we are offering is used for normal transportation". It was listed for sale between $50,000-$60,000. (Additional reporting by Jessica Macy Yu, Megha Rajagopalan and Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Donny Kwok in HONG KONG; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Jack Kim) By James Pearson SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea is using Chinese-made trucks in a new mobile artillery system showcased five days ago, according to photographic evidence, underlining the difficulty in enforcing U.N. sanctions against the isolated state. North Korea's Multiple Rocket Launcher System (MRLS) may be able to operate outside the range of similar U.S. and South Korean weapons, according to an expert. In photographs published by North Korean state media, the vehicle used in the MRLS artillery battery has the bodywork and markings of a Chinese-made Sinotruk <3808.HK> HOWO truck, which is widely available commercially and is used by North Korea in its mining and construction industries. Last week, the United Nations Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on North Korea for pursuing a nuclear program following a resolution drafted by the United States and Pyongyang's ally, China. An MRLS is a kind of rocket-propelled artillery system capable of firing a barrage of rockets at a target. It is usually mounted on the back of a tank-like chassis, or a truck, and the vehicles do not need much modification. "You just need a launch tube that you mount on the truck," said Markus Schiller, a rocketry expert based in Germany. "It's almost as easy as mounting a machine gun". North Korean media showed leader Kim Jong Un observing the test-firing of the MRLS at an event where he ordered his country to be ready to use its nuclear weapons at any time. It is not clear if North Korea has successfully miniaturized a nuclear weapon small enough to mount in place of a conventional warhead. The rockets fired by the new weapon are at the "upper-end" of range estimates of its kind, according to Jeffrey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies, writing for the 38 North website that analyses events in North Korea. The increased range reduces their vulnerability to counter-battery fire by South Korean or U.S. artillery, according to Lewis. China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but has repeatedly said the government is committed to enforcing the U.N. sanctions on North Korea. Calls to Sinotruk's headquarters in the northern Chinese city of Jinan went unanswered. Recent photos obtained by Reuters showed a civilian version of the Sinotruk - a bright red dumpster - with North Korean registration plates at a Chinese-North Korean border crossing. North Korean state media has in the past released images of the same Sinotruck HOWO truck chassis and cabin in propaganda related to construction or mining. The Chinese government uses a military model of a Sinotruk HOWO off-road truck for its own MRLS, according to the 38 North website. MISSILES ON CHINESE TRUCKS Since 2006, it has been against U.N. sanctions to ship military hardware into North Korea but control of equipment and vehicles into the North that have commercial use has been far less stringent. It is not clear if North Korea's military uses the commercial or military version of the Sinotruk HOWO vehicle, but the isolated country has a history of importing Chinese heavy-duty civilian vehicles and using them for military purposes. In 2010, North Korea's forestry ministry wrote in a statement to China that six large off-road trucks later spotted in a military parade carrying the KN-08 ballistic missile were bought to transport timber, according to a document in a 2013 United Nations Panel of Experts report. "I am sure that China will say, like the with the KN-08 transporters, that North Korea provided a false civilian end-use," Lewis told Reuters. A salesman for a company advertising civilian and military models of the Sinotruk HOWO cabin and chassis on Chinese online retailer Alibaba said the truck's strong body would make it ideal for military use, but it was not able to sell the military version of the same truck. "The military trucks only can be sold by the government," the salesperson said. "What we are offering is used for normal transportation". It was listed for sale between $50,000-$60,000. (Additional reporting by Megha Rajagopalan and Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Donny Kwok in Hong Kong; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) BEIJING (Reuters) - China is taking a "distinctly Chinese approach" to national security with a raft of new laws, including one on counterterrorism, the third-ranked leader said on Wednesday, offering a strong rebuttal to Western criticism. The U.S., Canadian, German and Japanese ambassadors signed a letter dated Jan. 27, voicing unease about the counterterrorism law, the draft cyber security law and a draft law on management of foreign non-governmental organizations. The ambassador of the European Union Delegation to China sent a letter expressing similar concerns. The cyber security and counterterrorism laws codify sweeping powers for the government to combat perceived threats, from widespread censorship to heightened control over certain technologies. Critics of the counterterrorism legislation, for one, say that it could be interpreted in such a way that even non-violent dissidents could fall within its definition of terrorism. Zhang Dejiang, who heads China's largely rubber-stamp parliament, told its annual session that China had laid "a solid legal foundation for accelerating the establishment of a national security system and taking a distinctly Chinese approach to national security". "In the face of a grave and complex situation in the fight against terrorism both at home and abroad, it is of crucial importance that China intensifies its anti-terrorism activities," Zhang said. "The improvements to our counterterrorism laws will be of great importance for preventing and punishing terrorist activities according to law, for safeguarding national and public security and for protecting lives and property." He made no direct mention of the criticism. This year China will "work on" the foreign NGO law and cyber-security law, Zhang added, without giving a timeframe for when they might be passed. China has blamed attacks in its violence-prone far western region of Xinjiang on Islamist militants, though rights groups and exiles say anger at Chinese controls on the religion and culture of the Uighurs is more to blame for the unrest. China denies any repression in Xinjiang. China also says it faces a threat from Xinjiang radicals traveling to the Middle East to join groups like Islamic State. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick Macfie) SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China has signaled its intent to cut prices of medicines used to treat serious diseases such as cancer, part of a wider drive to reduce the cost of healthcare for patients in the world's second-biggest economy. The National Health and Family Planning Commission is negotiating a pilot program with drug firms to lower the price of five drugs, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday, citing Li Bin, the head of the commission. The high cost of healthcare is a major point of contention in China, where low levels of state health insurance coverage means patients and their families often burn through savings to buy drugs to treat chronic disease. "We are taking measures to satisfy people's need for drugs, especially to resolve issues of high-priced patented drugs and patients unable to afford medicines," Li said on the sidelines of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing. China's drive to lower the price of drugs is one of the main challenges facing drug firms in the world's second-largest medicine market, where growth has slowed markedly over the past couple of years. Beijing is also supporting domestic firms to take a bigger share of the market. Li said the pilot scheme would seek to reduce the price of the five drugs by over half, adding the drugs were currently expensive because they were patented or imported. She did not name the drugs or the companies which made them. China's cancer drug market is led by Swiss firm Roche Holding AG, followed by China's Qilu Pharmaceutical, Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine, Jilin Aodong Pharmaceutical Group and Britain's AstraZeneca PLC, Deutsche Bank said in a 2015 report. (Reporting by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Stephen Coates) Lee Chong Wei, the former world number who has been making a sensational comeback at the age of 33, suffered one of the biggest shocks of his career when he was dumped out in the first round of the All-England Open. Lee's stunining defeat, by 24-22, 22-20, was inflicted by B. Sai Praneeth, an Indian ranked at number 37 in the world, who looked to have little chance when he slipped to deficits of 3-11 and 6-15 in the first game. But once Lee made a few mistakes, Praneeth's hopes grew and his game showed itself capable of winning rallies of the highest standard. He was fast, sometimes brilliant in defence, and had nothing to lose when launching sudden flat attacks. "I can't believe I lost in the first round," said Lee, who has won the All-England title three times. "I prepared very well and I won four tournaments recently. "Maybe I have got a lot of pressure on myself to win this tournament. I made a lot of mistakes. Although I was also shocked at how well Praneeth played. "But it is all a learning process. I am sad to lose at a tournament like the All-England, but my aim is the Olympics." Lee had looked to have regained control with his clever tactical varieties when he advanced to lead 17-12 in the second game. He also had game points at 20-19 in both games, with the first being foiled by Praneeth's diving defence and later missing his chance to take the match to a third by narrowly putting a smash wide. Two rallies later, the 23-year-old from Andhra Pradesh took his first chance to win the match, making a sudden fast mid-court jab which forced Lee to block the shuttle long and caused Praneeth to hurl his racket away in joy. "It's a big shock for me too," Praneeth grinned. "After the last rally I couldn't believe it. For a long time I have been waiting for a big result. I've had close results against top players before. "It's a matter of confidence. This time, when I got the points I started to get the confidence." Story continues The shock result will reverberate for some time. "This defeat means a lot to Malaysia," said Hendrawan, the Malaysian national coach. "Everyone has been putting pressure on him to win the (Olympic) gold medal. But this defeat means he is human." The upset also appears to open up an inviting opportunity for Kenta Momota, the fourth-seeded Japanese player who won the Super Series finals in Dubai in December, to go all the way to the final, though he struggled to beat Christie Jonatan, an Indonesian qualifier, in three games. Earlier world number one Chen Long and Olympic champion Lin Dan gave China an encouraging start as each carefully overcame tricky hurdles to reach the second round. The two stars have seven All-England titles between them, and showed much of their experience in negotiating early difficulties with the cold conditions and winning in straight games against ambitious younger opponents. Chen won 21-18, 21-12 against Kent Nishikoro, a 21-year-old Japanese who led early on, and was still in touch in the middle part of the second game before a little extra pace and variety from the titleholder killed off his challenge. Lin won 21-17, 21-17 against Lee Dong Keun, a 25-year-old Korean who turned the match into a good scrap in many long rallies, but found his legendary opponent always playing better when it mattered. The top seed in the womens singles, Carolina Marin, found herself in early difficulties. The world and All-England champion from Spain survived 25-23, 20-22, 21-15 against Bae Yeon Ju, the world number 15 from Korea, but had to save a game point in the first game and failed to convert two match points in the second. By Brian Snyder and Lisa Baertlein BILLERICA, Mass./LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A health official on Wednesday commended Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc for its handling of norovirus infections at a Boston-area restaurant, saying employees prevented more problems by calling in sick rather than report to work and that a cleanup of the restaurant was done. Shares of Chipotle fell as much as 6.1 percent before easing, down 3.5 percent to $506.12 in afternoon trading. The closure of the Chipotle in Billerica, Massachusetts, was seen as a test of a new food safety system rolled out after a series of illnesses hit the fresh burrito chain last year. "They did the right thing," said Howard Penney, who covers the chain for Hedgeye Risk Management. However, he argued that Chipotle was still a "broken company" and that it would take years to return to its peak performance. One employee was confirmed ill with norovirus and two more are suspected to have the virus, the top health official of the town of Billerica said. The cleaned restaurant was scheduled to reopen on Thursday, Billerica Public Health Director Richard Berube told reporters, adding that the employees suspected of having the virus did not come to work on Wednesday. "They called in sick so that was very fortunate," he said outside the closed restaurant. Berube, the company and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health all said no customers were known to be sick. Chipotle is trying to repair its reputation after a series of food-safety incidents. Those include two E.coli outbreaks linked to its restaurants that sickened more than 50 people in 10 states, as well as separate outbreaks of norovirus, a highly contagious virus known as the "winter vomiting bug", in Massachusetts and California that involved more than 350 diners. Berube said Chipotle has been "very proactive." Remaining staff at the burrito restaurant would be screened for norovirus, he added. Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold said the company closed the restaurant after four employees called in sick. Berube said three employees were sick or suspected of being sick. The restaurant closure comes as Chipotle has tried to lure back diners with coupons for a free burrito and other food. Chipotle sales have fallen sharply since the E.coli outbreaks came to light late last year. The stock traded above $750 last summer. Sales at established Chipotle restaurants tumbled 14.6 percent in the fourth quarter, including a drop of 30 percent in the month of December. "The publicity around this news announcement will be another negative data-point that may affect consumer demand," CRT Capital analyst Lynne Collier said in a client note. Chipotle temporarily closed all of its U.S. restaurants on Feb. 8 during prime lunch hours to hold staff meetings on food safety. Up to Tuesday's close of $524.69, the company's stock had fallen about 18 percent since the first E.coli outbreak was reported on Oct. 31. (Reporting by Brian Snyder in Billerica, Mass. and Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles. Additional reporting by Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Ted Kerr and Jeffrey Benkoe) By Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton's unexpected defeat in Michigan has laid bare growing voter anger over international trade, raising warning flags for her ahead of a possible presidential election showdown against Republican front-runner Donald Trump. Trump has built his campaign on pledges to scrap international trade deals and do more to protect American workers from foreign competition, tapping the same groundswell of discontent that propelled Clinton's rival Bernie Sanders to victory in the Midwestern state on Tuesday. Clinton remains heavily favoured to win the Democratic nomination. But the setback in Michigan could signal further troubles in upcoming primaries in other Rust Belt states such as Ohio, forcing her further to the left on economic issues and possibly influencing her choice for an eventual running mate, strategists said. The backlash against 20 years of trade liberalization has stalled the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), a sweeping Pacific trade deal backed by President Barack Obama and threatens to stymie the trade agenda for years to come. "It's politically radioactive to support free trade right now," said Greg Valliere, a Washington analyst for Horizon Investments, a financial firm. Clinton's troubles with her party's left wing -- and with white, working class voters more generally -- may steer her toward a trade sceptic such as Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio as a vice presidential running mate, said Democratic strategist Steve Jarding. Political pundits had expected Clinton to pick someone to increase her appeal to Hispanic or other minority voters, such as U.S. Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro. Sanders, 74, is unlikely to end up as Clintons running mate, partly due to his age, Democrats said. Both Sanders, a democratic socialist, and billionaire Trump have harnessed anti-trade sentiment in their insurgent White House bids, criticizing deals like NAFTA as job killers that have depressed the living standards of working Americans. Exit polls from Michigan, a hub of the U.S. auto industry, show widespread voter scepticism on trade that may have helped Sanders and Trump win their respective party primaries. "She made a fundamental mistake early on in this campaign to try to stay in the centre," Democratic strategist Steve Jarding said of Clinton. "This cycle, there is no centre." NUANCED TRADE STANCE Sanders campaigned heavily against foreign trade in a state that has been hammered by overseas competition since the 1980s. Some 58 percent of his supporters in Michigan exit polls said that trade takes away U.S. jobs, while a slight majority - 53 percent - of Clinton backers said trade creates U.S. jobs. The Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank, estimates that Michigan would lose 5 percent of its jobs if TPP were to take effect, the highest proportion of any state. Gary Hunley, a substitute teacher in Dearborn, Michigan, said he believed Clinton was partially to blame for stagnant wages because NAFTA was enacted under her husband Bill Clinton's presidency in the 1990s. "She was not a passive first lady," Hunley said. Clinton's stance on trade is more nuanced than Trump's and Sanders'. After NAFTA was enacted, she voted against a free-trade deal with Central America while serving as a U.S. senator in the following decade. As Obama's secretary of state, Clinton helped negotiate the TPP with Japan, Vietnam and other Pacific Rim countries. As a presidential candidate, Clinton has said after reading the final language of the deal she would vote against it because it does not adequately protect U.S. workers. Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook told reporters Wednesday there were no plans to adjust her stance and that he would "put Secretary Clinton up against any candidate in this race on trade," including Trump. Despite backing by the Obama administration, Republican lawmakers and many business groups, Republican leaders in Congress have shown no sign that they will bring TPP up for a vote this year. The Obama administration says the deal has high labour and environmental standards that were not part of NAFTA. "Im not sure that has fully been absorbed in the public mindset," U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice told Reuters. [L1N16H1VJ] The deal may fare no better under the next president. Sanders and Trump oppose TPP, and Senator Ted Cruz, who is in second place in the Republican contest, has said he would not vote for it this year. "They've listened to the public and politicians have caught up with the public on this," Brown, the Ohio Democratic senator, told Reuters. The evidence that the TPP would help the U.S. economy much is less than conclusive. The Peter G. Peterson Institute, a pro-trade think tank, estimates that it would boost economic growth by just 0.5 percent after 15 years. The deal would not boost employment overall, but would result in a "churn" of 53,700 jobs lost and created each year, and it would boost incomes by 0.5 percent, the institute found. Another estimate by the Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University found the trade deal would slow growth by 0.54 percent after 10 years and cost 448,000 jobs in the United States. (Additional reporting by David Lawder, Amanda Becker, Valerie Volcovici, Richard Cowan, Roberta Rampton and John Whitesides; editing by Stuart Grudgings) By KEITH COFFMAN DENVER (Reuters) - A Colorado hospital has been sued by three former surgery patients who say they were among nearly 3,000 people possibly exposed to a blood-borne disease carried by a drug-addicted former medical technician, court records showed on Tuesday. The Swedish Medical Center in suburban Denver is accused of negligence in its hiring and supervision of a surgical technologist who was caught trying to switch a syringe containing the powerful opiate fentanyl citrate with another substance during a patients surgery in January. The technician, Rocky Allen, 28, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver last month on one count of tampering with a consumer product and one count of obtaining a controlled substance by deceit, both felonies. The civil complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Denver, said federal authorities in the criminal case testified at a criminal hearing last month that Allen is a carrier of an unspecified blood-borne pathogen. The incident prompted the hospital to notify some 2,900 patients who underwent surgery at the facility from August 2015 to January 2016 during Allens employment to be screened for HIV, and hepatitis B and C. The three patients suing underwent surgery during that time frame and are seeking monetary damages for emotional distress. The three plaintiffs have all tested negative for the blood-borne diseases, but have been told that they will need to be screened for up to another six months, the lawsuit said. Allen previously worked as a surgical technician at hospitals in Washington state, Arizona, California and the U.S. Navy, court documents show. The lawsuit alleges Allen was fired from numerous jobs for drug-related offenses and was court-martialed by the navy and pleaded guilty to stealing fentanyl while deployed with a U.S. Army unit in Afghanistan. Despite a history of drug addiction, (Swedish) hired Allenand allowed Allen access to operating rooms and syringes containing fentanyl and other narcotics, the suit said. Story continues Swedish said in a statement that after the incident, the hospital fired Allen immediately, reported the incident to authorities, and notified patients, which it said the other facilities where Allen worked did not do. We will defend ourselves vigorously, the statement said. The lawsuit names Swedish and its parent companies, Hospital Corporation of America and HealthONE, Inc. as defendants. Allen posted a $25,000 bond and ordered into a halfway house pending the outcome of his criminal case. (Editing by Victoria Cavaliere and Michael Perry) Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman have teamed up to develop a comedy about a couple in which the wife is a high-powered business woman and Bateman plays a stay-at-home husband. Bateman will star, direct and produce the film titled "Significant Other" while Aniston will also star and executive produce, according to The Hollywood Reporter. In the movie, Aniston is in the final stages of being recruited for a major CEO position. But before getting the job, the company wants to meet and vet her spouse, a stay-at-home husband (Bateman). Cue the comedy. The new project reunites the actors who also starred together in the 2010 comedy "The Switch." Beirut (AFP) - Top Islamic State commander leader Omar al-Shishani, known as Omar the Chechen, was "seriously injured" in a recent strike in northeastern Syria but not killed despite US suggestions to the contrary, a monitoring group said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Wednesday that according to its sources the March 4 strike had indeed targeted the jihadist's convoy, killing his bodyguards, while Shishani himself "was seriously injured". "He's not dead," the Observatory's director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. "He was taken from the province of Hasake to a hospital in Raqa province where he was treated by a jihadist doctor of European origin," he said. Raqa is IS's main stronghold. The United States had stopped short of declaring Shishani dead, but a US official speaking on condition of anonymity said Shishani "likely died" in the assault by waves of US warplanes and drones, along with 12 other IS fighters. The US official branded Shishani "the ISIL equivalent of the secretary of defence", using another acronym for the group. Shishani was one of the IS leaders most wanted by Washington, which put a $5 million bounty on his head. Shishani comes from the Pankisi Gorge region that is populated mainly by ethnic Chechens. He fought as a Chechen rebel against Russian forces before joining the Georgian military in 2006, and fought Russian forces again in Georgia in 2008. He resurfaced in northern Syria in 2012 as the leader of a battalion of foreign fighters, said Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi, research fellow at the Middle East Forum, a US think tank. As early as May 2013, when IS was just emerging in Syria, he was appointed the group's military commander for the north of the country, Tamimi said. While Shishani's exact rank is unclear, Richard Barrett of the US-based Soufan Group has described him as IS's "most senior military commander", adding that he has been in charge of key battles. Story continues "He is clearly a very capable commander and has the loyalty of Chechen fighters who are considered by ISIS as elite troops," Barrett told AFP. Shishani is not, however, a member of IS's political leadership, a structure that is even murkier than its military command. The lack of a US presence on the ground makes it difficult to assess the success of operations targeting militants in Syria, and Shishani's death has been falsely reported several times. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook on Tuesday described Shishani as "a battle-tested leader with experience who had led ISIL (IS) fighters in numerous engagements in Iraq and Syria". The March 4 strikes took place near Al-Shadadi, a town in northeastern Syria that was retaken from IS last month by local anti-IS fighters allied with the US-led coalition. To say that the recommendations about women and alcohol issued last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received a drubbing would be putting it lightly. Intended to help prevent fetal-alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), the CDC guidelines urge women not only to stop drinking during pregnancy or while trying to become pregnant, but also to avoid alcohol altogether if they are sexually active and not using birth controlirrespective of their parenting intentions. As Julie Beck and Olga Khazan noted in The Atlantic, the advisory struck many as condescending, suggesting that women who drink and are sexually active will engage in lots of risky sex. It also presumes that any woman who slips up and has unprotected sex, but who definitely doesnt want children, wont be proactive in correcting course. Put differently, the advisory assumes all women are mothers waiting to happen. Even if that were somehow true, though, the agencys focus on women is still frustratinglyand misguidedlynarrow. This for mothers only warning ignores research dating back more than a decade showing that alcohol consumption by men is linked to deformed sperm, which in turn can cause problems ranging from miscarriages to low birth weight to cognitive impairments. In 2014, a Korean study linked fathers drinking to a statistically significant range of physical and cognitive abnormalities, including the collection of symptoms found in FASD. Parsing through the backlash to the CDCs guidelines, its easy to feel like weve been here before. And we have: Just a few decades ago, a landmark Supreme Court case centered on the same idea of woman as wombs-in-waiting. In the mid-1980s, the United Auto Workers filed a lawsuit on behalf of its members against the battery manufacturer Johnson Controls, challenging the companys fetal-protection policy. The policy provided that unless a female employee could prove she was infertile, she could no longer work in any area of the companys 16 plants that exposed her to lead. The company cited potential harm to female employees fetusesdespite already having a policy that allowed pregnant workers to temporarily transfer into safer jobsand the potential for liability, should a child disabled by in utero exposure later decide to sue Johnson Controls. (Such a case had never been filed.) Because the best-paying jobs involved lead exposure, the policy amounted to a wholesale demotion for most of the 275 women working there. Because the best-paying jobs at Johnson Controls involved lead exposure, the policy amounted to a wholesale demotion for most of the 275 women working for the company, regardless of whether they planned to have children. Ridiculous and degrading is how Elsie Nason, a welder at the companys Bennington, Vermont plant, described the directive in a 1989 Boston Globe article. Even though Nason had no interest in becoming pregnantshe was 50 years old at the time, divorced, and a mother of threethe only way she could keep her $20-per-hour paycheck was to be sterilized, so she grudgingly accepted a transfer to a lower-paid custodial job. But other women felt the financial pressure to go through with sterilization. I panicked, Gloyce Qualls of Milwaukee told The Chicago Tribune in 1991. All I could see was that I couldnt afford to pay my bills. Recommended: Why Do So Many Men Watch Lesbian Porn? In its lawsuit, the UAW conceded that lead was dangerous, but faulted the companys solution, which only addressed the harm that might occur to a developing fetus while ignoring leads damage to mens reproductive organs. Scientific evidence showed that lead caused mutations in sperm, as well as low sperm count and low sperm motility, and that pregnancies conceived with sperm from lead-exposed men had resulted in miscarriages, stillbirths, and birth defects. As the Occupational Safety and Health Administration had advised a few years earlier in its 1978 standards on workplace lead exposure, outright exclusion of female employees was not the way to assure healthy pregnancies. Instead, both women and men in lead-exposed jobs who wanted to start families should have access to workplace protections that would lower their blood lead levels and make it safer to conceive. But the men who had tried that approach with Johnson Controls had gotten nowhere. According to court documents from the case, when an employee named Donald Penney, hoping to decrease his blood-lead concentration before attempting to start a family with his wife, asked for a three-month transfer to a low-lead area of the Delaware plant where he worked, he was met with such open hostility that he quit. Similarly, one married couple that worked for Johnson Controls in Milwaukee asked whether the wife could keep her well-paid lead-exposed job if her husband got a vasectomy. The answer was no. Given that most of the companys factory jobs were held by men, it was easy to see why simply cutting the few women from the assembly line was Johnson Controls preferred reproductive-safety strategy. If men were also taken out of rotation to protect fetal health, production would slow down considerably. Recommended: The Republican Party Decides ... to Settle on Ted Cruz Johnson wasnt alone in its one-sided policy: In the late 1970s, a slew of other companies from Monsanto to General motors implemented fetal-protection regulations of their own. With its lawsuit, the UAW was adding its voice to a growing chorus of womens rights activists challenging similar policies in court. All of them relied on Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibited discrimination in employment because of race, color, national origin, religion, and sex. The law had been amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act in 1978 to confirm that discrimination on the basis of pregnancy qualified as sex discrimination. The physical well-being of a woman becomes an object of public interest and care in order to preserve the strength and vigor of the race. In fetal-protection policies, these activists heard echoes of the same protective legislation enacted throughout the early 20th century that barred women from working too many hours, carrying heavy loads, or otherwise over-exerting themselves, all to assure maximum reproductive health. As the Supreme Court noted in a 1908 case upholding Oregons law mandating that female laundry workers shifts be capped at 10 hours, the physical well-being of a woman becomes an object of public interest and care in order to preserve the strength and vigor of the race. What also hung over the modern fetal-protection debate, if largely unspoken, was the specter of abortion. Specifically, many advocates fighting against policies like Johnson Controls believed companies feared that a female employee would unintentionally conceive, continue to work in a lead-exposed job until she learned of her pregnancy, and then choose to terminate the pregnancy rather than give birth to a potentially impaired baby. With anti-abortion protests gaining momentum in the late 1970s and early 1980s, womens rights activists believed corporate America didnt want to make itself vulnerable to political controversy. Wasnt the whole point of the PDA to stop treating women like potential incubators and treat them like equal participants in the workplace? By the time UAW v. Johnson Controls reached the Supreme Court for oral argument in October 1990, manufacturers and their employees needed resolution. Four courts of appeals had already ruled on fetal-protection policies and all reached different conclusions. At oral argument, the late Justice Antonin Scaliaa strong opponent of abortion rightssurprised many with his exasperated questioning of the Johnson Controls attorney. Wasnt the whole point of the PDA to stop treating women like potential incubators and treat them like equal participants in the workplace? Scalia asked. Wasnt the companys policy making the statute a dead letter and a ridiculous piece of legislation? Even more pointed were Scalias questions about why Johnson Controls was pretending to create a risk-free place for pregnancy, when the world itself is not a risk-free place. [Pregnant women] should not smoke cigarettes and drink substantial amounts of alcohol, either, Scalia observed, but the Government does not have laws that take the judgment of whether to do it or not away from them. When Johnson Controls was decided a few months later, the Court unanimously deemed it a Title VII violation. [W]omen as capable of doing their jobs as their male counterparts may not be forced to choose between having a child and having a job, wrote Justice Harry Blackmun. [T]he absence of a malevolent motive does not convert a facially discriminatory policy into a neutral policy. Justice Scalia filed a concurring opinion: By reason of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, it would not matter if all pregnant women placed their children at risk in taking these jobs, he wrote. Title VII gives parents the power to make occupational decisions affecting their families. One prominent appeals-court judge pronounced Johnson Controls likely the most important sex-discrimination case in any court since Title VIIs enactment in 1964. While he was referring to the hundreds of thousands, likely millions, of jobs opened to women as a result of the decision, the decision rested on an equally important principle, one that still bears noting: It takes two to make a pregnancy, and it takes two to make it a healthy one. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Lyle Denniston, the National Constitution Centers constitutional literacy adviser, looks at how the legal fight between Apple and the federal government over unlocking an iPhone has major implications for privacy and law enforcement. (source: Flickr) THE STATEMENTS AT ISSUE: [During the FBIs investigation of the mass shooting in San Bernardino], weve handed over all the data we have, including a backup of the iPhone in question. But now they have asked us for information we simply do not have. Excerpt from an Apple, Inc., statement on February 16, providing answers to questions about Apple and the security it builds into its smartphones a technology lock that the FBI is now seeking to have Apple open in order for technicians to search for potential contacts the San Bernardino shooters may have had with other terrorists. Apple has stated that, to comply with the governments proposed [search] order, Apples security engineers would have to write software specifically designed to disable the security measures those engineers built into the phone.If the government prevails, then this case will be the first of many requiring companies to degrade the security and to undermine the trust in their products so essential to privacy in the digital age.The order the government seeks would violate the Constitution. Excerpt from an American Civil Liberties Union legal brief filed on March 2 in a federal court in California, where the judge is pondering the FBI request to compel Apple to provide the means to unlock the iPhone seized by government agents after the San Bernardino shooters were killed. Our policy on encryption is clear. The United States government firmly supports the development and robust adoption of strong encryption, which is a key tool to secure commerce and trade, safeguard private information, promote free expression and association. At the same time, encryption poses a grave challenge for our national security and law enforcement professionals. Story continues Excerpt from a statement by the White House on March 4, as reported in The New York Times on March 5. The statement apparently was issued in response to questions by Times reporters about reported disagreements within the government over how to deal with the Apple controversy. WE CHECKED THE CONSTITUTION, AND It is pure fantasy to assume that those who wrote the Constitution in the late 18th Century could have imagined the smartphone, and the threat that the digital forms of communication could pose to individual privacy. But in 1789, in the first Congress after the basic document was ratified, Congress wrote a law that the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the 21st Century is relying upon to enable it to get inside a locked smartphone that belonged to one of the shooters in the massacre in San Bernardino on December 2; the phone was found in the van in which the shooters were killed by police. The law is the All Writs Act. Unchanged in any significant way since it was first passed as part of the Judiciary Act of 1789, the law now reads: The Supreme Court and all courts established by an Act of Congress may issue all writs necessary or appropriate in aid of their respective jurisdictions and agreeable to the usages and principles of law. It is a kind of catch-all law, filling gaps in court powers that are not filled by other federal laws. Depending upon who is talking about the deepening controversy between the FBI and Apple over the San Bernardino smartphone, the government is making only a limited demand, for this case only, for some civic-minded cooperation to help track dangerous terrorists, or the government is making an unprecedented demand to a private business to force it to create a technology that does not currently exist in order to get information from a phone that the company no longer has in its possession containing information that the company did not generate. The governments arguments so far have been rebuffed by one magistrate judge in New York City, who concluded that the All Writs Act did not give the courts the authority to issue the kind of order the FBI is seeking, while another magistrate judge in California has temporarily said it would issue such an order, but only after it hears from Apple. At this point, it appears that the controversy may be resolved in the courts based only on what they find to be the reach of the All Writs Act. But lurking just below the surface of the dispute are lingering constitutional questions, and those may have a bearing on how the old law is interpreted. Although the government does have considerable authority to enlist the cooperation of the public in pursuing investigations of crime, there almost certainly are constitutional limits on just how far that kind of cooperation can be compelled. If a person or a business firm has in its possession some information that the FBI can show is likely to provide clues to criminal activity, the release of that can be compelled by a subpoena. But the key there is that the information is lodged with that company, and it thus presumably has control over it. But if it is true that someone else has the information, it is far from clear that a person who created a receptacle to hold that information can be forced, by subpoena or other court order, to divulge information that someone else put into that receptacle. Can the manufacturer of a suitcase, for example, be held legally responsible for someone elses stuffing that with money robbed from a bank? The FBI is arguing that what it is seeking from Apple is not like that suitcase example. Apple itself, according to the Bureaus lawyers, created the software that locks up the iPhones that it has sold to millions of people, and it is thus gave the later owners or possessors of those smartphones the means to frustrate legitimate FBI criminal investigations. It licensed the use of the locking technology, to enhance its own profits by giving users of its smartphones the mechanism to shield their privacy from invasion, according to government attorneys. It thus should come forward with software to unlock the device, it is argued. But Apple and its supporters are contending that the government never before has been allowed to compel the creation by a private entity of software technology or any other form of creative expression that does not already exist, in order to assist the government in performing one of its missions. In some ways, Apples supporters have said, the writing of software code is a form of expression, and the government cannot force private persons or entities to speak, against their will. In other ways, the companys supporters are saying, it violates the rights of a corporation that creates a marketable product to force it then to write a formula for destroying one of the main features that made the product attractive to consumers. The fight over Apple and what is in that iPhone is just beginning, but it has major portents for both privacy and law enforcement. Recent Stories on Constitution Daily Selma: The Shining Moment In The Conscience Of Man Obama immigration case set for April 18 at the Supreme Court Behind closed doors, Supreme Court ponders legalized marijuana challenge FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A German court has ruled against an online shopping site's use of Facebook's "like" button on Wednesday, dealing a further legal blow to the world's biggest social network in Germany. The Duesseldorf district court said that retailer Peek & Cloppenburg failed to obtain proper consent before transmitting its users' computer identities to Facebook, violating Germany's data protection law and giving the retailer a commercial advantage. The court found in favor of the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Association, which had complained that Peek & Cloppenburg's Fashion ID website had grabbed user data and sent it to Facebook before shoppers had decided whether to click on the "like" button or not. "A mere link to a data protection statement at the foot of the website does not constitute an indication that data are being or are about to be processed," the court said. Peek & Cloppenburg faces a penalty of up to 250,000 euros ($275,400) or six months' detention for a manager. The case comes on the heels of a January ruling by Germany's highest court against Facebook's "friend finder" feature and an announcement last week by Germany's competition regulator that it was investigating Facebook for suspected abuse of market power with regard to data protection laws. Facebook's ability to target advertising, helped by features such as its "like" button, drove a 52 percent revenue jump in the final quarter of 2015. Germany, Europe's biggest economy, is one of the world's strictest enforcers of data protection laws and its citizens have a high sensibility to privacy issues. "The ruling has fundamental significance for the assessment of the legality of the 'like' function with respect to data protection," said lawyer Sebastian Meyer, who represented the consumer group in the case. "Companies should put pressure on the social network to adapt the 'like' function to the prevailing law." The association has also warned hotel portal HRS, Nivea maker Beiersdorf, shopping loyalty program Payback, ticketing company Eventim and fashion retailer KiK about similar use of the "like" button. It said that four of those had since changed their practices. A first hearing in a case it has brought against Payback is due in a Munich court in May. Peek & Cloppenburg said that it had changed its deployment of the "like" button last year and now required users to activate social media before sharing data with Facebook. It said it would wait for the court's written reasons for its judgment before deciding whether to appeal. A Facebook spokesman said: "This case is specific to a particular website and the way they have sought consent from their users in the past. "The Like button, like many other features that are used to enhance websites, is an accepted, legal and important part of the Internet, and this ruling does not change that." ($1 = 0.9078 euros) (Reporting By Eric Auchard, Harro ten Wolde and Georgina Prodhan in Frankfurt and Matthias Inverardi in Duesseldorf; Editing by Edward Taylor and David Goodman) Jerusalem (AFP) - Moti Kahana laughs when he considers what critics think of the Israeli-American millionaire's efforts to "rescue" Jews in danger around the Middle East. "They call me names -- vigilante or cowboy," the 48-year-old said during a visit to Jerusalem. "It doesn't matter." Kahana has embarked on a quixotic campaign aimed at relocating fellow Jews he perceives as at risk in their home countries in the region, often moving them to Israel. The problem is Israel is not always ready to welcome them -- and some of the people involved have not even asked to be "rescued". To his supporters, Kahana is a maverick who goes outside the rules to get things done. To his detractors, including many in the Israeli establishment, he is a dangerous man, playing with people's lives. "I don't kidnap people. They say many things about Moti Kahana," the self-made businessman said. "I don't even tell them you have to go to Israel." Kahana hit the headlines in October when it was revealed he had whisked the last three Jews out of the Syrian city of Aleppo and smuggled them to Turkey, where they applied for Israeli citizenship. Tens of thousands of Jews lived in Syria before World War II, many of them in Aleppo. However, the vast majority have left in waves with only a few families remaining. Under Israeli law, any person of Jewish descent across the globe has the right to citizenship. But in this case, one of the three elderly women -- a mother and her two daughters -- had converted to Islam to marry, so she, her husband and children were rejected. Faced with no alternatives, they returned to Aleppo, which has been ravaged by Syria's civil war. What has happened to them since has been the subject of much speculation, but Kahana said he knows they are safe. The Jewish Agency, the semi-governmental body responsible for organising immigration to Israel, accuses him of reckless abandon, labelling him a "self-appointed freelancer". Story continues The family themselves were not even told about the "rescue" mission beforehand. Kahana, who was notified of their situation by one of the women's sons in New York, said it was for their own safety and rejects accusations of being a Jewish vigilante. - From cars to cause - His efforts have left many scratching their heads, wondering why he would devote so much time, effort and money to such a cause. He said he has spent $2.2 million in five years, though much of that has gone to non-Jewish refugees from Syria. Until 2011, Kahana seemed to be a fairly average success story. He said he moved from Jerusalem to the United States with nothing in his 20s and gradually built a medium-sized car rental business. "Nobody was renting to under 21s, so I decided to rent to under 21s," said Kahana, who lives with his wife and three kids in the US state of New Jersey. It went bust when business collapsed after the September 11, 2001 attacks, Kahana recalled, but he started again and in 2009 sold that company to Hertz for several million dollars. Then in 2011, the Syrian war broke out next door to his childhood home, Israel, and he found himself moved. He was reminded of his family -- many of whom were killed by the Romanian government in anti-Jewish pogroms in World War II. "I thought the world had agreed never to allow this to happen again," he said. - Going for broke - Kahana started to support humanitarian causes linked to the war, giving to Syrian refugees of all backgrounds. But it is his more recent work that has become the most controversial. As the hopes of the Arab Spring have faded into chaos and war, the suffering has become larger than he could hope to deal with. As such, his aid has been more selective, focusing more on Jews in danger. Kahana has, working with local Arab allies, now relocated dozens of Jews from across the Middle East, including over 20 from Syria, he said. "I help any Jews that need help any place in the world. If the Jews of Syria want to come out, they can come to Turkey, they can come to the US, they can come to Israel if they want," he said. The Jewish Agency is exasperated, but admits it cannot do much to stop him. Once someone asks to become an Israeli, providing they can prove their Jewish lineage, it cannot refuse. "I think he has been misleading too many people for too long, playing with people's lives," agency spokesman Yigal Palmor said. "This is not an effort that we recommend in any way, to put it very mildly. He would best be advised to stop putting lives at risk for his own aggrandising." Kahana said he has no interest in doing the Jewish Agency's job and pointed out that his own parents were rescued by it from Romania. He said he acted in Aleppo "because nobody else did." The Jewish Agency wants nothing more than for Kahana to stop, and it may soon get its wish. "I may have to go back to business very, very soon. I gave all my money away," Kahana said. "I am done. Financially I can no longer give my own money." MILAN (Reuters) - Credit Suisse Group is under investigation in Italy in connection with a case looking into allegations that the bank helped wealthy clients transfer undeclared funds offshore, Italian judicial sources said on Wednesday. Credit Suisse offices in Milan were searched by Italian police in December 2014 as part of an investigation by Milan prosecutors. The enquiry regards an alleged fraudulent system used to transfer up to 14 billion euros ($15.33 billion) to offshore accounts mainly through the use of insurance policies, the judicial sources said. Credit Suisse said in a statement on Wednesday its business was "systematically focused on declared assets and we have clear internal rules and processes in place to ensure that we conduct our business in accordance with the applicable laws in Italy." "In connection with the [voluntary tax] disclosure program approved by the Italian government in December 2014, Credit Suisse immediately asked its clients to provide evidence that they are tax-compliant. This process has virtually been completed," it said. The Milan prosecutor's investigation, which began in 2014, had focused on bank officials, consultants and hundreds of wealthy Italian clients and not on the bank itself. But under Italian law a company can be held responsible if it is deemed that it failed to prevent, or attempt to prevent, a crime being committed by an employee that benefited the company. Italy's finance police are in the process of verifying the position of some 13,000 Credit Suisse clients, although not all will be put under investigation, judicial sources said. The probe is expected to be wrapped up in coming months, they said. (Reporting by Manuela D'Alessandro, additional reporting by Joshua Franklin, writing by Giulia Segreti. Editing by Jane Merriman) By Marc Frank HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba said it would welcome President Barack Obama to Havana later this month, but the Communist government had no intention of changing its policies in exchange for normal relations with the United States. In a long editorial on Wednesday in Communist Party newspaper Granma and other official media, Cuba demanded Washington cease meddling in its internal affairs and said Obama could do more to change U.S. policy. The White House brushed off the piece and defended the president's trip next month as an opportunity to engage both with Cuba's government and its citizens. Obama will visit on March 20-22, 15 months after he and Cuban President Raul Castro agreed to end more than five decades of Cold War-era animosity. They have restored diplomatic ties, and Obama has relaxed a trade sanctions and travel restrictions, leading Republican opponents and some of the president's fellow Democrats to question whether Washington was offering too much without reciprocation from Havana. But the editorial made it clear that Cuba still has a long list of grievances with the United States, starting with the comprehensive trade embargo. Obama wants to rescind the embargo but Republican leadership in Congress has blocked the move. Cuba also objected to U.S. support for its political dissidents, whom some Americans consider champions of human rights but whom the Cuban government views as an unrepresentative minority funded by U.S. interests. "(The United States) should abandon the pretense of fabricating an internal political opposition, paid for with money from U.S. taxpayers," the nearly 3,000-word editorial said. White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters that Obama's "long agenda includes visiting with political opposition of the Cuban government and standing up for, in a very tangible way, the universal human rights of the Cuban people." Obama visit will be only the second by a U.S. president and the first since the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro that overthrew a pro-American government. The editorial said Cuba no one should assume Cuba had to "renounce any of its principles or cede the slightest bit in its defense" to do so. The two countries have also negotiated greater cooperation on law enforcement and environmental issues and agreed to resume scheduled commercial flights and postal services. Obama has removed Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism. The editorial acknowledged Obama had taken positive steps but criticized their "limited nature and the existence of other regulations and intimidation caused by the overall blockade that has been in force for more than 50 years." (Reporting by Marc Frank; Additional reporting by Timothy Gardner and Susan Heavey in Washington; Editing by Daniel Trotta, Lisa Von Ahn and Alistair Bell) Charlie Cox is headed to the stage. The star of Netflix's Daredevil series has joined the cast of Nick Payne's new play Incognito, Manhattan Theatre Club announced on Wednesday. Heather Lind, of AMCs Turn: Washingtons Spies, has also joined the production, which will be directed by Doug Hughes. The limited engagement of Incognito will begin previews on May 3 ahead of its May 24 opening at New York City Center Stage I. Additional casting will be announced in the coming weeks. The new work from Payne who also wrote last season's Broadway hit Constellations that starred Ruth Wilson and Jake Gyllenhaal follows a pathologist who steals the brain of Albert Einstein; a neuropsychologist who embarks on her first romance with another woman; and a seizure patient who forgets everything but how much he loves his girlfriend. Incognito braids these mysterious stories into a drama that asks whether memory and identity are nothing but illusions. The play will mark Cox's New York stage debut. On November 25, 1841, 35 former slaves returned home to West Africa, after a Supreme Court hearing, won by a former United States president, secured their freedom. Former President John Quincy Adams helped convince a southern-dominated court in March 1841 to release the enslaved people in the Amistad case. Adams and a prominent attorney, Roger Baldwin, agreed to represent the enslaved Africans in a complicated court case that was closely watched nationally. In 1839, Portuguese slave traders in West Africa captured about 500 people and transported them to Havana in Spanish-ruled Cuba. Spanish law prohibited such an act, but the law was mostly ignored in Cuba. Two planters in Havana purchased a group of the West Africans at auction, and using fake documents, planned to transport them to plantations within Cuba. However, the slaves revolted while on the schooner Amistad, killing its captain and cook, and directing the planters to sail the ship to Africa. Instead, the planters steered the ship north, where it wound up at Long Island Sound. The U.S. Navy spotted the vessel and took its occupants into custody. The American courts were soon confronted with multiple problems, such as the property rights of the planters, the salvage rights for the ship, and if the Africans should be charged with murder or given their freedom. The U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Connecticut first decided that it didnt have jurisdiction over an alleged crime committed in international waters. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Smith Thompson, serving as the Circuit Judge, issued that decision. At a District Court trial in 1840, Baldwin argued that the Africans had been taken illegally by the slave traders. Spain demanded the Africans and the ship returned to that nation under its treaty terms with the United States. President Martin Van Buren had expected the court to rule for the Spanish government in the case. However, Judge Andrew Judson said that the Africans werent slaves under Spanish law, and they should be sent to the Van Buren administration to be returned to their homes in Africa under the provisions of federal laws prohibiting the African slave trade in the United States. The Navy crew also was awarded salvage rights for capturing the ship. Story continues The case then quickly made its way to the Supreme Court in Washington. The Van Buren administration believed that the Africans should be sent back to Cuba to honor treaty commitments with Spain. Baldwin argued the earlier court decision was proper, and that the Africans were not slaves under Spanish law. Baldwin also pressed that the Van Buren administration couldnt represent the claims of a foreign government. Former President and Secretary of State Adams, then serving in the House of Representatives, agreed to help the Africans plead their case to the Court. Link: Read Adams Argument Pointing to a copy of the Declaration of Independence in the courtroom, Adams said, I know of no other law that reaches the case of my clients, but the law of Nature and of Natures God on which our fathers placed our own national existence. The circumstances are so peculiar, that no code or treaty has provided for such a case. That law, in its application to my clients, I trust will be the law on which the case will be decided by this Court. He then called out the Van Buren administration. One of the grievous charges brought against George III was, that he had made laws for sending men beyond seas for trial. That was one of the most odious of those acts of tyranny which occasioned the American revolution. The whole of the reasoning is not applicable to this case, but I submit to your Honors that, if the President has the power to do it in the case of Africans, and send them beyond seas for trial, he could do it by the same authority in the case of American citizens. By a simple order to the marshal of the district, he could just as well seize forty citizens of the United States, on the demand of a foreign minister, and send them beyond seas for trial before a foreign court. After a lengthy argument, Adams concluded by reviewing the Courts honorable tradition since he first appeared before it decades earlier. Days later, in a 7-1 decision, the Court ruled in favor of the captives of the Amistad. Justice Joseph Story wrote the majority decision. Upon the merits of the case, then, there does not seem to us to be any ground for doubt, that these negroes ought to be deemed free; and that the Spanish treaty interposes no obstacle to the just assertion of their rights, Story wrote. While Story called Adamss remarks interesting, he relied more on Baldwins statements in his legal reasoning. But Adamss nine hours of arguments, at the age of 73, clearly had their effect. The Court ordered the 35 surviving Africans to be freed immediately, and not put under federal custody for eventual transportation back to Africa. Abolitionists raised funds for the freed Amistad captives to be returned to Sierra Leone. On November 25, 1841, the captives set sail on the ship Gentleman for Africa, arriving there in January 1842. Spain continued to ask for compensation until 1860, when Abraham Lincoln became president. (Reuters) - About 47,000 Detroit students will be shut out of their classrooms if the city's cash-strapped public school district cannot fully cover worker salaries earned next month, school labor union officials said on Wednesday. The unions were reacting to comments by the district's state-appointed transition manager Steven Rhodes, who told a Michigan House committee that the Detroit Public Schools (DPS) would be unable to pay teachers and other staff past April 8, according to school spokeswoman Michelle Zdrodowski. The heads of the Detroit Federation of Teachers, Detroit Association of Educational Office Employees and Detroit Federation of Paraprofessionals said in a statement that their members will not work for free. If Detroit Public Schools runs out of money on April 8, the stark reality is that Detroits students wont have schools to attend, many students wont receive breakfast or lunch, and educators and school staff wont get paid," the statement said. Rhodes, who oversaw the city of Detroit's historic bankruptcy as a U.S. District Court judge, testified at a House committee hearing on legislation to restructure the district. The school system, which has 97 schools and about 47,000 students, is drowning under $3.5 billion of debt, including $1.7 billion of bonds, and suffering from declining enrollment. Despite being under state oversight since 2009, the school district has a $515 million operating deficit. Rhodes told lawmakers that DPS can neither defer expenses nor borrow money to raise enough money for the full April payroll, Zdrodowski confirmed. Unlike the city of Detroit's bankruptcy, the state would be on the hook in the event of a DPS bankruptcy to cover $1.45 billion over 11 years to pay off bonds issued for the district through Michigan's school bond loan fund. Detroit exited the biggest-ever municipal bankruptcy in December 2014, shedding about $7 billion of its $18 billion of debt and obligations. Bills pending in Michigan's legislature would create two entities: the Detroit Community District to run the schools and the current DPS to retire debt. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is seeking $72 million annually over 10 years to fund the plan, using money from Michigan's share of a nationwide settlement with U.S. tobacco companies. He has also asked lawmakers for an immediate $50 million to enable DPS to continue to pay employees and vendors. (Reporting By Karen Pierog; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli) DJ Diplo and electronic act Major Lazer have claimed a milestone by becoming the first Americans to perform a huge concert in Cuba since diplomatic relations between the two countries were reinstated in 2014. On Sunday, between 450,000 and a half-million concertgoers turned out in Cuba's costal capital, Havana, to watch the artists perform, the New York Times reported. The concert unfurled in front of the U.S. Embassy in a plaza called Jose Marti Anti-Imperialist Platform. "This is probably going to be the most important show we have ever done," Diplo wrote on an Instagram post prior to the event. "Electronic music can seem ambiguous to people but here it feels like it's gonna mean a lot to bring it to these kids because it belongs to them @majorlazer en Havana... peace is the mission." The artists shared photos of the experience onstage and in the streets of Cuba to their respective Instagram accounts: A video posted by diplo (@diplo) on Mar 7, 2016 at 3:53pm PST A photo posted by diplo (@diplo) on Mar 6, 2016 at 12:22pm PST A photo posted by MAJOR LAZER (@majorlazer) on Mar 6, 2016 at 4:44pm PST A photo posted by MAJOR LAZER (@majorlazer) on Mar 4, 2016 at 3:02pm PST A photo posted by MAJOR LAZER (@majorlazer) on Mar 6, 2016 at 11:19am PST A photo posted by diplo (@diplo) on Mar 8, 2016 at 1:23pm PST A photo posted by MAJOR LAZER (@majorlazer) on Mar 6, 2016 at 8:38am PST A photo posted by MAJOR LAZER (@majorlazer) on Mar 4, 2016 at 8:23pm PST A photo posted by diplo (@diplo) on Mar 5, 2016 at 1:04pm PST The show in Havana matters on a couple of levels. For one, it's a tangible mile marker to point to as proof of normalization between the United States and Cuba. In 2014, President Barack Obama reinstated diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba, paving the way for peaceful proceedings between the two countries and opening the door for Americans traveling to Cuba, with restrictions. Story continues In July, Obama announced that the U.S. would open a U.S. Embassy in Cuba. "This is not merely symbolic," he said. "With this change, we will be able to substantially increase our contacts with the Cuban people, we'll have more personnel at our embassy and our diplomats will have the ability to engage more broadly across the island." Obama is also planning a trip to Cuba on March 21 and March 22, marking the first sitting U.S. president's visit to Cuba in 80 years. "Of course nobody expects Cuba to be transformed overnight," Obama said in his address in July. "But I believe that American engagement through our embassy, our businesses and most of all through our people is the best way to advance our interest and support for democracy and human rights." As perhaps proof of that message, the importance of Sunday's show in Havana extends beyond the realm of politics. It ekes into the world of something much more primal the shared experience of music. "It's the very first time I've seen my generation so happy," said Cuban national Robin Pedraja, according to the Times. Diplo said the event matters both for music's globalization and evolution. "I think it's important to play places like this where the music is still brand new," he said in an interview with Charlie Rose. "These are the guys who are going to change it. The kids in Havana, the kids in Pakistan, the kids in India are the ones who are going to bring it to a new level." If the global aviation industry were a country, it would be the seventh-biggest carbon dioxide polluter in the world, falling right between two industrial powerhousesGermany and South Koreaat around 777 million tons. So can a world that takes climate change seriously continue to travel by air, perhaps the most energy-intensive form of mass transportation invented? Its not impossible, say two authors of a new study on aviation and climate policy, published Friday in the journal Transportation Research Part D. But the current crop of theoretical fixessuch as advanced biofuels and solar-powered flightamount to technology myths, they believe, that get more positive attention in the media than warranted given they are likely to contribute to lowering airplane emissions in the next several decades. The idea that aviation can be made sustainable [is] slowing down policy makers in terms of making effective policy for aviation emissions, said study co-author Scott Cohen of the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. Our key finding is that that technological silver bullet is not forthcoming. But the aviation industry continues to fly under radar, he added, because they give the impression, with the help of media, that the problem will be solved by technology. The aviation industry has pledged to reduce carbon emissions 50 percent compared to 2005 levels by 2020, and to improve fuel efficiency by 1.5 percent a year, according to the Air Transport Action Group, a trade group. Improvements such as hotter-burning jet engines, super-streamlined airframe designs, and development of ultra-lightweight materials have lowered carbon emissions while reducing fuel costs. Aviation engineers have already done a very good job at improving fuel efficiency, said Paul Peeters of the University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, the studys lead author. But now they are reaching the edge of the physical laws of nature. Story continues RELATED: Airlines Could Cut Emissions in Half Without Taking Half the Planes Out of the Sky We need a completely new concept, but we dont know that that will be, he added. Flights currently account for about 2 percent of the total carbon emissions and 12 percent of emissions from transportation. About 80 percent of emissions come from transoceanic flights, which were not included in carbon reduction targets set by the 2015 Paris climate accord. Those emissions could triple by mid-century. The International Aviation Transportation Agency, a trade association, expects airline passenger numbers to reach 7.4 billion by 2034, more than double the 3.3 billion that flew in 2014. Most of that growth is happening in industrializing nations such as China, India, Indonesia, and Brazil. The IATA expects U.S. passenger numbers to grow by about a half million in the next two decades, to 1.2 billion a year by 2034. Efficiency will not solve this problem, Peeters said. Andreas Schafer, a systems engineer at Stanford University and University College London who studies carbon emissions from aviation, agreed that most of the low-carbon aviation technologies that Peeters, Cohen, and their colleagues evaluated remain decades from widespread use. The U.S. Navy is striving to reduce traditional jet fuel use in the name of energy security, and commercial airlines have been experimenting with jet fuel-biofuel mixtures. But if we look back at the history of air transportation, I would not be surprised if we are looking at several decades at a minimum for these technologies to get off the ground, literally, Schafer said. Some experimental alternatives, such as solar energy, are wholly unrealistic, he added. If you look at the low energy density of sunlight and the large surfaces you would need to catch enough solar radiation, its clearly a no brainer that this is not going to be a replacement for jet fuel. Of the current low- or no-carbon options being researched and developed, hydrogen-powered flight could most readily be commercialized, said Schafer. Its been looked at since the 1970s, and no technological challenge whatsoever, he said. But the capital costs for putting up the infrastructure will be high. Without a mandate from policy makers, he said, the industry wont spend the money. Without a price on carbon to make the cost of oil more predictable over the long haul, there is no incentive to spend the money to shift aviation infrastructure to hydrogen, said Schafer. And the price has to be high. Reducing demand for air flight is an unrealistic option, Shafer believes. This would mean reducing all the long-term trends that have shaped our transportation industry today, said Schafer. The richer people are, the more they shift to faster modes of transportation. Sign the Petition: Fight Back Against Climate-Destroying Carbon Pollution Related stories on TakePart: Our Addiction to Cheap Airline Tickets Is Making Climate Change Worse Airlines Could Cut Emissions in Half Without Taking Half the Planes out of the Sky Its Make-or-Break Time for a Solar-Powered Planes Round-the-World Trip Original article from TakePart Even if Donald Trump is really richas he reminds the world frequentlyhe doesnt have nearly enough money to fund a general-election campaign, if he ends up being the Republican nominee for president. Trump has made it this far mostly by self-funding his campaign, with help from donors who have sent in around $7.5 million in contributions of $2,700 or less. But that model wont work in the fall if its Trump v. the Democratic nominee, most likely Hillary Clinton. Well see an end to the self-funding if he becomes the nominee, says Republican strategist Ford OConnell, who worked on the 2008 McCain-Palin campaign. Hell have to raise in excess of $1 billion. Republican donors have plenty of money to give, but Trump is in a tricky spot because he has sworn off super PACs, the groups able to raise unlimited amounts from wealthy contributors. Trump says donors writing six-, seven- or eight-figure checks have corrupted our politics and politicians for far too long, and has vowed not to accept big donations. But hes going to need a lot of money from somewhere. Trump has said hell spend up to $100 million of his own funds on the campaign, while insisting hes worth around $10 billion and has at least $600 million in liquid assets, should he need cash in a hurry. Some analysts say Trump greatly overstates his wealth, and hes not completely self-funding his campaign, given the prominent DONATE buttons on his web site. Whatever the size of Trumps bank account, hell need outside money to compete in the general election if all he does is fulfill his pledge of spending $100 million. In the 2012 presidential race, each side spent around $1 billion, including outlays by the Barack Obama and Mitt Romney campaigns, super PACs supporting each, and the Republican and Democratic national committees that did a lot of politicking on behalf of their candidates. Trump has run a very thrifty campaign so far, spending about $25 million through the end of January. But the general election will be far costlier, with Hillary Clintons campaign saying it could spend as much as $2 billion. Story continues What will Trump do? Here are three scenarios: Embrace super PACs. It would be a flip-flop if he did, but maybe that wont matter. He could just change his mind, like he does with everything else, says Kyle Kondik of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. It hasnt hurt him so far. And Trump could benefit from super PAC money while still keeping his distance from such groups. Though theyre often aligned with a particular campaign, super PACs must, officially, be independent, and theyre not even supposed to coordinate with a candidate. Democrat Bernie Sanders denounces super PACs, yet theres at least one that campaigns on his behalf, without his approval. Trump could claim the same hands-off arrangement, saying he cant control what other people do with their money. In 2012, Romney hauled in about $316 million from big donors, most of it coming through super PACs. Obama raised $423 million from big donors. That money is crucial for funding attack ads, robocalls, mailings and other types of electioneering. Would the GOPs moneyed donors pony up for Trump, who has smashed china in just about every chamber of the GOP establishment? He can attract good GOP fundraisers, says Fred Malek, a longtime Republican power broker. They may not be wildly enthusiastic about Trump as a candidate, but theres a desire to win and a fear the country has gone dramatically off track. Accept public funding from the government. Though it has fallen out of favor, the government still offers public fundingfinanced by the $3 donation taxpayers can make voluntarily when they fill out their tax formsto presidential candidates in the general election who agree not to accept donations from other sources. The last presidential candidate to do this was John McCain in 2008, with Obama and Romney both deciding in 2012 to forego public funding because they figured they could raise more from donors (which they did). Still, this could be a shrewd tactic for Trump. The maximum amount of public funding available this year is $96 million. Trump so far has only spent about $18 million of the $100 million in personal funds he pledged to spend, so if he took the $96 million for the general election, to a large extent he'd be using public funds instead of his own. His campaignb wouldn't be able to raise money from ordinary donors, but nothing would prohibit super PACs and the Republican National Committee from campaigning on Trumps behalf. So he still might have hundreds of millions of dollars at his disposal, which Trump might be able to stretch pretty far, given his talent for generating free media coverage. . Accepting public funding could accentuate Trumps populist appeal and toss a curve ball to his Democratic competitor. Hed have a real leg up on Clinton if he went the public funding route, says OConnell. Clinton is already battling the perception that shes too cozy with Wall Street banks, and shes got a well-funded super PAC thats sure to get fatter as Election Day nears. Trump, by contrast, could portray himself as the champion of the $3 donor if he plays it right. Continue to go it alone. Trump could reject all of these ideas and continue to run a thrifty campaign, mostly on his own dime, thats heavily dependent on free exposure. For one thing, the conventional wisdom on the amount of funding needed to win the presidency might be wrong. I dont think you need a billion, says Malek. A lot of it gets wasted. At the end of the day youre throwing money at some long shot states. Trump already eschews the pricey consultants, sprawling ground operation and other trappings of traditional campaigns, so its not like he would have to downsize. Trump might also turn out to be the first presidential candidate to replace conventional campaigning with vigorous social media activity. Social networks were a factor in 2012, but more people are on Twitter and Facebook now, plus Trump has pioneered a new tactic: Make provocative statements on Twitter that help him gain free airtime to explain what he meant to say (and anything else thats on his mind). "Trump may be proving that a lot of the old truisms of politics are wrong," says Kondik. Trump said recently, for instance, that hell counter attack ads run on radio and TV stations in Florida by responding on Facebook and Twitter. Commercials cost thousands of dollars to produce. An account on Facebook or Twitter is free. Whether Trump succeeds may depend not on how much he spends, but on how little. Rick Newmans latest book is Liberty for All: A Manifesto for Reclaiming Financial and Political Freedom. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman. Berlin (AFP) - Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel said on Wednesday he is not convinced Germany's Ilkay Gundogan will stay amidst reports Pep Guardiola's future employers Manchester City are set to swoop. The 25-year-old has a contract with Dortmund until June 2017 and German media report that Gundogan's agent, his uncle Ilhan, met with City's director of sport Txiki Begiristain in Amsterdam earlier this week. Gundogan has been a key factor in Dortmund's impressive form this season with Tuchel's team second only to Bayern Munich in Germany's top flight. But the defensive midfielder is reported to be on the list of players Guardiola wants when he takes over as City boss next season following three years with Bayern. "I'm not disappointed, but I can't understand the fuss," said Tuchel. "We are also planning our squad and taking care of things early, that's just part of the everyday business. "I am not convinced he'll stay -- and I can only be otherwise when he signs. "I have not seen the pictures (of Gundogan's uncle and Begiristain together), but it doesn't affect my mood either way. "I am sure Ilkay knows exactly what he has at this club, in terms of what development can take place for him here and what leadership role he can play. "It's pointless to list everything. Ilkay knows our assets very well." Gundogan joined Dortmund from Nuremberg in 2011. Borussia can be forgiven for expecting some loyalty from him after they extended his contract in April 2014 even though he missed virtually the entire 2013/14 season with a back injury. SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - El Salvador could declare a state of emergency, suspending some constitutional rights, to fight the alarming wave of gang violence that has pushed murder rates to record levels, the government said on Tuesday. Leftist President Salvador Sanchez Ceren met with the Supreme Court, legislature and public prosecutor's office to discuss the legal viability of actions such as prohibiting meetings and free movement, or tapping into mail, phone calls and social media, officials said. The small, impoverished Central American state ranks among the world's most violent, with criminal gangs controlling chunks of territory. Murders jumped almost 120 percent in the first two months of this year compared to 2015. Just last week, gangs were fingered for 11 deaths in a rural part of the country. The constitution allows the government to declare a state of emergency in cases of war, invasion, uprising or sedition, which would restrict free movement, freedom of expression and meetings, and suspend the privacy of traditional and electronic correspondence. The opposition party is also in favor of any measures, but labor unions fear such methods could be used against them. Eugenio Chicas, communications secretary, told reporters the government was considering a range of measures and would make the decision in coming days. (Reporting by Nelson Renteria; Writing by Anna Yukhananov; Editing by Sandra Maler) Despite the narrative, very popular in this election cycle, that Americans are having trouble getting ahead, Hispanics and Asians in the United States still believe in the basic premise of the American Dreamthat anyone who works hard still has a fair chance to succeed and live a comfortable life. This optimism is felt by over half of Hispanic and Asian respondents in an Atlantic Media/Pearson Opportunity Poll released on Tuesday. Most white and black respondents, however, said it is difficult for the average person to get ahead in an economy that mostly rewards the rich. Across all of the demographic groups polled, just 44 percent of respondents said that hard work can lead to a fair shot at success. So, where is this confidence from Hispanics and Asians coming from? In part, its tied to the fact that new arrivals have so many recent immigrants with similar backgrounds to lean on and consult, says Patricia Perez, an associate professor of Chicana and Chicano studies at California State University, Fullerton. About 70 percent of immigrants currently living in the U.S. are either Asian or Hispanic, and that will remain the case for the next 50 years, according to the Pew Research Center. And those people who have immigrated in recent years are observing in their peer groups the success that comes in the generations that follow. Further Pew data shows that the U.S.-born children of immigrants are more likely than their parents to own a home, have a college degree, and have a higher annual median household income. Seeing this success is likely shaping Hispanic and Asian beliefs about social mobility. Recommended: The Companies That Treated Women as Wombs In the Atlantic Media/Pearson poll, those two racial groups also seem to agree on the path toward success. Choosing between going to college, getting training or a certificate in vocational skills, or entering the workforce immediately after college, 67 percent of Hispanics and 58 percent of Asians chose college. (Most Americans agree.) And when asked if a four-year college degree was needed to be successful, 65 percent of Hispanics and 74 percent of Asians said yes. White and black respondents, though, polled at or below 50 percent on both questions. Story continues While Hispanics and Asians agree in large part that going to college leads to success, those racial groups differ on actual educational attainment. Sixty percent of Asians aged 25 to 29 had a bachelors degree or higher, but thats true of only 15 percent of Hispanics in that age group. (For whites and blacks, these figures are 40 percent and 20 percent, respectively.) Even though Hispanic college enrollment has skyrocketed by over 200 percent in the last decadewith around 2.2 million Hispanics enrolled in college in 2013, according to Pewthe number of Hispanics actually earning a four-year degree is lower than all other racial groups. Hispanics are instead most likely to attend public two-year schools, but often face a difficult path in graduating from them, says Perez. Those coming from low-income communities often test poorly on placement exams, and are then forced to take remedial English and math courses for two or three years before they can start taking classes that actually count toward transferring to a four-year institution. And thats if they are going to school full-time. Who wouldnt get discouraged? says Perez. And even though more Hispanics are getting college degrees, the rates at which they earn them tend to stall three or four generations after a family immigrates to the U.S. Recommended: How Black Middle-Class Kids Become Poor Adults This has led to a general concern among the Hispanic community over this shortage of degrees. In this Atlantic Media/Pearson poll, Hispanics were most likely, at 50 percent, to say that not having a high enough level of education has been a major barrier to achieving their personal goals in life, polling 14 percentage points higher than black respondents. Still, 53 percent of Hispanics believe they have equal access to employment opportunities compared to other Americans, despite earning considerably less in median household income ($42,500) than their white ($60,000) and Asian ($74,000) counterparts. That outlook, in part derived from seeing some of the long-run success of their peers, remains a buoyant force. The Atlantic Media/Pearson Opportunity poll, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International surveyed 1,276 adults living in the United States by landline and cell phone from February 10 through 25. The survey included oversamples of African-Americans, Asian-Americans and Hispanics. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. The margin of sampling error for the complete sample is plus or minus 4.3 percentage points; the margins of error are larger for subgroups. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. By Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A few months after U.S. President George W. Bush branded Iran part of an "axis of evil" in 2002, the European Union took a different tack and started talks with Tehran to increase economic ties, hoping that business would help rapprochement. The talks collapsed over Iran's nuclear ambitions, but more than a decade later, the EU looks willing to try again for a pact to capitalize on the historic nuclear deal with Iran that brought an end to U.N. sanctions, officials say. At a meeting on Monday, EU foreign ministers will broach the subject of how the bloc, once Iran's top trading partner and its second-biggest oil customer, can pursue an agreement on trade, investment and political dialogue despite concerns about human rights and Tehran's role in Middle East conflicts. "This is just the beginning of a journey," Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi told Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Rome in January, before signing billions of euros of deals in sectors ranging from steel to shipbuilding. Many in the EU are eager to support signs that Iran, a $400-billion economy, is opening up and to find a new market for European investors facing weak economic growth at home. The 28-member union is also discussing helping Iran in its stalled bid to join the World Trade Organisation, diplomats say, leveraging the EU's power as the world's largest trading bloc to seek favor with a country sitting on vast gas reserves. But Brussels is also troubled by Iran's rights record, including more than 1,000 executions last year, and alarmed by its ballistic missiles and its funding of blacklisted militant groups. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards' support for President Bashar al-Assad puts Tehran directly at odds with the West in Syria. One first step is a planned visit by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini to Tehran in April, her second since the July 2015 nuclear deal and the first with a group of senior commissioners from the EU's executive. A lower level delegation of EU energy officials held talks in Iran last month. That could be followed by the opening of a permanent EU diplomatic mission in Tehran later this year. DELICATE POLICY An EU-Iran cooperation accord would give Brussels a bigger role in market reforms required for Iran to join the WTO. It could help regain some of the business Europe lost to China during the sanctions era and give the EU a legal basis to press for political freedoms in Iran. A cooperation agreement, the same tool the EU is using to strengthen ties with communist Cuba, is modest but served as a precursor to broader free-trade deals in Central America and Asia, giving duty-free access to the EU's 500 million consumers. "With Iran, we could go much further than we can with Cuba because Iran is a market economy," said a senior EU official who negotiated on the failed attempt to reach an accord in 2002. "This would give investors a framework and also a place for dialogue on the things we don't like about each other." Unlike the United States, which remains deeply suspicious of Iran and is keeping some of its financial sanctions, the EU saw relations flourish during Iran's last reformist era in the late 1990s until revelations about Tehran's nuclear plans in 2002. The policy is delicate, however, and not just because of Iran's unique dual system of Islamic and republican rule. Europe wants to avoid alienating Saudi Arabia, Iran's biggest rival and a U.S. ally, and may send one of its most senior foreign policy officials, German diplomat Helga Schmid, to Riyadh when Mogherini goes to Tehran, diplomats said. Saudi Arabia, alarmed over Iran's coming in from the cold, has sought to deflate hopes that Tehran would be a bonanza for foreign investors. But that has barely registered in Paris and Rome, where Rouhani led his 120-member delegation of business leaders and ministers in January. At home, EU governments are divided on how quickly to move. Italy, where the economy continues to struggle after a three-year slump wants to rebuild the lucrative relationship it enjoyed before U.N. sanctions were imposed on Iran in 2010, when it was Iran's largest European trade partner. Britain and France are also keen to do business, but have been outspoken in condemnation of Iran's military support for Syria's Assad and are skeptical of the country's other Middle East interventions, such as Yemen. British Business Secretary Sajid Javid said on Wednesday that Britain's export agency had signed a deal with Iran making it easier to finance trade. Javid said he was working with EU counterparts to ease banking problems that were "quite significant" barriers to economic ties with Tehran. Continuing U.S. restrictions on dollar finance and sanctions on some Iranian entities are deterring European banks from financing deals with the Islamic Republic. Germany and Sweden have misgivings over Iran's human rights record, which the United Nations described last year as "deeply troubling". Iran bridles at such criticism, rejecting a U.N. report last year as a case of double standards by the West. "Europe needs to win Iran over, to show it wants to help," said Majid Golpour, an Iran expert at Brussels' ULB university. "It won't get far in Iran lecturing about human rights." (Reporting by Robin Emmott; Editing by Paul Taylor) By Emma Farge DAKAR (Reuters) - The African Union will send a mission to northern Mali in the next few weeks to look into setting up a counter-terrorism force to support vulnerable U.N. peacekeepers, sources familiar with the matter said. The Bamako government, as well as some officials of the U.N. force in Mali, MINUSMA, have called for more help in fighting al Qaeda-linked insurgents, who have become increasingly active despite the efforts of French, Malian and U.N. troops. French forces drove the jihadists out of northern Malian cities in 2013 but they have regrouped, and in November al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb attacked a luxury hotel in Bamako, killing 20 people in a demonstration of their ability to strike beyond their desert bases. Critics say the 10,000-strong U.N. force's ability to bring peace to Mali is hamstrung by its lack of an aggressive counter-terrorism mandate, meaning it cannot hunt down militants and is vulnerable to attack. At least 20 Malian and U.N. troops from Africa have been killed this year, according to Reuters estimates. While an expansion of the U.N. mandate was discussed during a Security Council visit to Mali last week, some permanent members such as France say it is already sufficiently robust, although they back additional resources for the force. The AU initiative is being floated as an alternative route to improved security, the sources say. "There is an (AU) mission to assess the security threats in northern Mali in the next few weeks," said one security source familiar with the visit who is not authorized to speak publicly. "This will allow the development of a plan for an international force in the fight against terrorism," he added, saying the AU planned to seek U.N. and Malian backing. A Western diplomat said the force's remit would be similar to an existing AU regional task force set up last year to fight jihadist group Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin. Planning is at an early stage and details of troop numbers and financing have not yet been determined, the sources said. AU officials at the continental body's headquarters in Addis Ababa could not be reached for comment. A spokesman for the Malian defense ministry declined to comment. Army spokesman Colonel Souleymane Maiga said: "I know that there have been recent meetings on a possible rapid intervention force but the form this force will take has not yet been decided as far as I know." FRANCE OVERSTRETCHED? Besides funding, one of the difficulties might be harmonizing security initiatives in a region where neighbors have a history of vying for influence, the sources added. The Group of Five Sahel (G5 Sahel) - Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali and Mauritania - have also agreed to create EU-backed regional rapid reaction forces to counter Islamist militants. G5 Sahel permanent secretary Najim Elhadj Mohamed said he had not been informed of the AU initiative and it was not clear if the two bodies would cooperate. Mali's northern neighbor Algeria set up a joint military operations center for Sahel countries in 2010 but there have been few signs of progress on the ground. Some security experts say more support is needed to fight jihadists in Mali since France's 3,500-strong Barkhane force is overstretched. The Chad-based force was set up to combat Islamists across West Africa's vast Sahel region. "A bigger contribution from African forces could take the pressure off the French, who could focus more on securing borders and on ISIS (Islamic State) in Libya," said Rida Lyammouri, an independent consultant focused on the Sahel and north Africa. "But to succeed (the AU force) would have to match the violent extremist organizations in terms of their outreach to local communities in Mali," he added. (Additional reporting by Aaron Maasho in Addis Ababa and Adama Diarra in Bamako; Writing by Emma Farge; Editing by Giles Elgood) By Olivia Oran and Dan Freed (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp is hiring a new team of investment bankers who cater to mid-size companies, four years after dismantling a similar business, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The precise number of middle-market bankers it plans to add could not be determined, but one person said it would be fewer than 10. The hiring comes as Bank of America is reducing staff more broadly, while also trying to grow in areas where it believes it can gain market share. As the second-biggest U.S. lender with a large commercial banking business, executives believe Bank of America can make inroads in advising mid-sized companies on mergers and stock and bond offerings, the sources said. Middle-market deals are generally considered transactions worth less than $500 million. The bank also hopes the push will lead to additional business such as managing money for executives at mid-sized companies. Sources asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media about matters that have not been made public. Bank of America announced internally last year that Vice Chairman Mark Stephanz would create a group that provides investment banking services to mid-size companies. The hiring is part of that effort. His team will work together with counterparts in the commercial bank who provide traditional loans and cash management services, sources said. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based lender previously launched a middle-market business in 2007, with over 30 investment bankers who focused on mergers and acquisitions. It abandoned the effort in 2012 to focus on larger clients and bigger deals, sources said. In 2015, Bank of America ranked fourth in global M&A league tables, according to Thomson Reuters data. It ranked 23rd globally for middle-market deals. Bank of America generated around 17 percent of its M&A fees from middle market deals, the lowest percentage of any big Wall Street bank except Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Story continues Last year, M&A hit a record volume of nearly $5 trillion, due to mega deals like Anheuser-Busch Inbev SA's $106 billion acquisition of SABMiller Plc and oil firm Royal Dutch Shell Plc's $70 billion purchase of BG Group Plc. But some Wall Street executives predict blockbuster deals will slow down this year. In January, JPMorgan Chase & Co Chief Financial Officer Marianne Lake said she expects to see fewer giant mergers and more mid-sized deals. Bank of America has been hiring salespeople to drum up business, even as it has cut support staff and underperformers as part of a multi-year cost-cutting initiative. Last year alone, it cut more than 10,000 jobs. The bank laid off a number of investment bankers on Tuesday because of weak markets, one of the sources said. (Reporting by Olivia Oran and Dan Freed in New York; Editing by Lauren Tara LaCapra and Lisa Shumaker) By John Tilak and Euan Rocha TORONTO (Reuters) - Canadian oil and natural gas producer Encana Corp , looking to further trim its debt load, is exploring the sale of more non-core assets in the United States and Canada that could be worth about $1 billion, two sources familiar with the matter said. The move would help Calgary-based Encana, which recently cut its 2016 capital spending forecast to less than half of its 2015 expenditure, to further pare the roughly $5.4 billion it has in fixed and revolving debt, said the sources, who asked not to be named as the discussions are not public. A spokesman for the company declined to comment. On Feb. 18, Moody's downgraded its rating on Encana debt to junk grade Ba2 from an investment grade Baa2, noting it expects a "material decline in Encana's cash flow" in 2016 and 2017, potentially affecting its leverage metrics. Last year, in a bid to strengthen its balance sheet, Encana sold shares worth C$1.44 billion ($1.08 billion). It has also reached agreements to sell about $2.8 billion worth of assets. "Despite this, there's still a perception in the market that Encana are over levered," said a third source, adding that an equity sale is not really an option as it would be highly dilutive for the company at this stage. Like others in the energy sector, Encana's stock has been battered by the slump in global energy prices. Despite a rally over the last couple of weeks, the company's shares are still down about 65 percent in the last two years. The first source said that although the company itself has no long-term debt maturities until 2019, it wants to proactively address the leverage issue and focus investments on core assets. Encana has previously identified the Montney and Duvernay assets in Western Canada, along with the Permian Basin and Eagle Ford assets in Southern United States, as its core projects. The sources said Encana is open to offers on all of its non-core assets including the Deep Panuke offshore gas field in Nova Scotia; its Horn River and Wheatland assets in western Canada; natural gas assets in the Piceance basin in northwest Colorado; its San Juan assets in New Mexico; and its Tuscaloosa Marine Shale assets in Mississippi and Louisiana. It was not immediately clear whether Encana has retained a bank to run the sale process. ($1 = C$1.3284) (Additional reporting by Nia Williams; Editing by Alan Crosby) BERLIN (Reuters) - Volkswagen's delay in announcing it had cheated U.S. diesel emission tests was a legitimate move in seeking to first strike a deal with regulators, the carmaker's lawyers said in an official report seen this week by Reuters. Following is an account by VW and its German law firm Goehmann of events leading up to the violation of U.S. emissions law being publicly announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Sept. 18, 2015. 2005: VW decides to promote its diesel technology, already popular in Europe, in the United States, with the development of a new engine, the EA 189. November 2006: VW's lawyers say in their report that the modification of the engine management software was probably carried out at this time. Staff in the powertrain electronics department (EAE), diesel engine development (EAD) and the engine test center (EAS) were involved in the software changes. In the ensuing period, staff which VW says have yet to be identified decided to modify the software to meet strict U.S. emissions limits. The modification was relatively small and could be done within budget and without involving higher levels of management, VW said. May 15, 2014: The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) publishes a study that shows nitrogen oxide values for two VW diesel vehicles deviated significantly between bench testing and road operation. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) requests an explanation from Volkswagen Group of America and launches its own examination of emissions of a VW vehicle. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) follows with a separate investigation. Over the following months, VW carries out internal verification tests which subsequently confirmed the ICCT's findings. May 23, 2014: A memo about the ICCT study is prepared for Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn which was included in what VW calls his "extensive weekend email". VW says it has not been documented as to whether, or how much, Winterkorn took notice of the memo. Story continues Nov. 14, 2014: Winterkorn receives another memo that contains, among other items, information on current product defects and which refers to costs of approximately 20 million euros ($21.95 million) for the diesel issue in North America. December 2014: VW's U.S. unit meets with CARB and offers to recalibrate the first and second generation EA 189 diesel engines as part of regular service work that was already scheduled for December 2014. According to the lawyers' report VW recalibrates about 280,000 brand models built between 2009 and 2014 with the engine EA 189 in December 2014 and in the spring 2015. May 2015: According to the lawyers' report VW steps up internal questioning of engineers as it seeks explanations for diverging emissions test results. May 21, 2015: The head of product safety at VW's legal department, Cornelius Renken, was informed that irregularities with U.S. emissions tests could be caused by a problem with the engine management software, the lawyers' report says. From late May, signs were growing at VW that illicit software may have been used in its U.S. vehicles, the report said. June/July 2015: According to the lawyers' report VW's legal department learned that around 80,000 U.S. cars with the EA 189 engine's second generation and another 400,000 models with the first-generation EA 189 were affected by the software problem. July 8, 2015: CARB informs VW's U.S. division and the EPA that a new set of tests has shown emissions by a U.S. Passat car are still at unacceptable levels, the report says. July 21, 2015: The report says specialists at VW discussed a notification by CARB to withhold type approval of 2016 vehicles should VW fail to resolve its emission issues. That meeting led to VW's Committee for Product Safety (APS) establishing a diesel task force, it said. July 27, 2015: Some VW employees discuss the U.S. diesel problems on the sidelines of a regular meeting about damage and product issues, in the presence of Winterkorn and Herbert Diess, head of the VW brand. VW says it is still constructing details of the meeting, and establishing whether those present understood that the change in software violated U.S. regulations. VW says Winterkorn asked for further clarification of the issue. End of August 2015: The lawyers' report said former CEO Winterkorn was informed that first- and second-generation engines EA 189 were not compliant with U.S. emissions standards and that the APS was due to meet on Aug. 24 to try to resolve queries from CARB about the EA 189's second and third generation. VW said it was at this time that technicians gave a full explanation of technical causes for discrepancies in nitrogen oxide emissions to VW's in-house lawyers as well to U.S. attorneys from Kirkland & Ellis. A management board member - not identified by VW - realizes the software changes constitute a defeat device prohibited under U.S. law. Sept. 3, 2015: VW formally communicates information about the defeat device to CARB and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during a meeting. Winterkorn is informed in a note, dated Sept. 4. Sept. 18, 2015: EPA issues a public notice of violation of the Clean Air Act to VW, alleging that model year 2009-2015 VW and Audi diesel cars with 2.0 liter engine included defeat devices. Sources: Volkswagen statement from March 2. VW law firm Goehmann report to a German court from Feb 29. (Reporting by Andreas Cremer and Victoria Bryan; Editing by Greg Mahlich) By Nate Raymond NEW YORK (Reuters) - The FBI eavesdropped on meetings involving Russian intelligence personnel in New York City, including a suspected spy posing as a trade representative, by hiding recorders in binders containing supposedly confidential information about the energy sector, U.S. prosecutors said. The hours of covert recordings from 2013 were disclosed in papers filed in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday in the case of Evgeny Buryakov, a Russian citizen who U.S. prosecutors say posed as a banker while participating in a Cold War-style spy ring. The Federal Bureau of Investigation's eavesdrops enabled the agency to penetrate the workplaces of Russia's foreign intelligence service, the SVR, and hear about Buryakov's work for it, prosecutors said. They also captured one Russian agent, also charged in the case, complaining about the lack of excitement in his job, saying he expected it "would be just slightly more down to earth than in the movies about James Bond." The disclosure came ahead of an April 4 trial for Burkyakov, who was arrested in January 2015 as prosecutors unveiled charges against him and the two other Russians, Igor Sporyshev and Victor Podobnyy. Prosecutors say the trio conspired to gather economic intelligence for Russia, including information about U.S. sanctions against the country, and to recruit intelligence sources in New York City. Neither Sporyshev and Podobnyy, who made the James Bond comment, were arrested, as they enjoyed diplomatic immunity in their respective roles as a Russian trade representative and an attache to the country's mission to the United Nations. Buryakov, who worked at Russian state-owned Vnesheconombank, has pleaded not guilty. Neither his lawyer nor the Russian consulate responded immediately to requests for comment. According to prosecutors, in April 2012, Sporyshev met an undercover FBI employee posing as an analyst at a New York energy firm at an oil and gas industry conference. Story continues Over the next two years, they met to discuss the industry and other economic and political issues, prosecutors said, with Sporyshev providing gifts and cash for information. In 2013, the FBI employee began providing Sporyshev with the binders containing purported industry analysis he wrote, supporting documents, and "covertly placed recording devices," prosecutors wrote. As the undercover employee said his company would fire him if it learned he disclosed confidential information, Sporyshev would promptly return the binders after reviewing them, prosecutors said. The recordings that resulted captured statements of Sporyshev, Podobnyy, and other Russian intelligence personnel from January to May 2013, prosecutors said. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Tom Brown) By Bill Cotterell TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Reuters) - Florida lawmakers on Wednesday gave the thumbs-up to living together without being married, sending to the governor a bill repealing the state's Reconstruction-era ban on cohabitation by unmarried couples. The old law made it illegal to "lewdly and lasciviously" live together without being married to each other - language that presumably differentiated between romantic couples sharing a bed and non-romantic roommates splitting the rent. In either case, sponsors said, it is a law that is impossible to enforce but dangerous to have on the books. "You shouldn't have statutes that are not being enforced," said state Representative Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, a Tallahassee Democrat and bill sponsor. "You'd have to arrest a half-million people, if we enforced this." The repeal statute leaves in place a section of the 1868 law making it a misdemeanor to engage "in open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior," regardless of marital status. It is difficult to determine if anyone gets arrested for cohabitation, since the offense is combined in the state with public lewdness, said Rehwinkel Vasilinda, a law school instructor. But the law "could be used in a discriminatory manner" if a jealous ex-spouse or prosecutor wanted to harass a person or unmarried couple, she said. The cohabitation ban is the latest in a string of antiquated and rarely-if-ever-enforced sex laws being repealed across the country - either by new laws, referendum, or court action, the most notable being bans on same-sex intercourse struck down by the courts in recent years. If Florida's repeal passes the governor's muster, only Mississippi and Michigan will be the holdouts on laws requiring couples to marry before sharing roof and bed, according to a staff analysis of the Florida bill. The bill was also sponsored by state Senator Eleanor Sobel, a Hollywood Democrat. The repeal earned the overwhelming support of the Florida lawmakers, with a unanimous vote in the state Senate and five dissenters in the House. Among them was Representative Jennifer Sullivan, a Republican from Mount Dora, who said she "ran on a pro-family platform" and could not vote to legalize cohabitation. "Based on my own faith and what I believe, I voted accordingly," she said. "My faith affects everything I do and who I am, so I'm just being consistent with who I said I was as a candidate." (Reporting by Karen Brooks; Editing by Steve Orlofsky) By Bill Cotterell TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Reuters) - Florida legislators on Wednesday approved abortion restrictions that include requirements for physicians similar to a Texas law currently under review by the Supreme Court and prohibited state funding for routine care at abortion clinics. The measure imposes regulations that could force clinics to close, provider Planned Parenthood said. Supporters argue it aims to protect women's health, while opponents called it an attack on groups assisting women in terminating pregnancies. Lets get Florida out of the abortion business, said State Senator Aaron Bean, a Republican from Jacksonville, during a heated debate. Thats what this bill does. The legislation passed largely along party lines in the Florida House and Senate, both controlled by Republicans. Republican Governor Rick Scott did not immediately say if he will sign it. Florida is among many states adopting new abortion laws as conservatives seek to chip away at the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision to legalize abortion. Another Florida law passed last year requiring women to wait 24 hours before getting an abortion recently took effect. The newly passed legislation requires doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, a type of formal affiliation that can be difficult to obtain, while tightening rules on disposal of aborted fetal tissue. Clinics would have to meet the more stringent safety standards of ambulatory surgery centers and also face annual inspections. The legislation blocks state funding for low-income women receiving routine care, such as sexually transmitted disease screening and birth control, at clinics that perform abortions. What were doing is pulling the rug out from under women who have enough problems in life, said State Senator Gwen Margolis, a Miami Democrat. The bill is similar to a 2013 Texas law that included admitting privilege requirements for doctors and stringent regulations for clinic buildings. It is under review by the Supreme Court, considering its first major abortion case in years. A ruling is expected by late June. "Florida would, in one bill, do the damage it took Texas years to inflict on women," said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, in a statement. The high court has temporarily blocked a similar Louisiana law that had closed clinics in the state. The Florida legislation would not stop anyone from ending a pregnancy, argued state senator Kelli Stargel, a Republican from Lakeland. This legislation makes certain that our limited taxpayer dollars are not being used to support organizations that provide elective abortions, she said. (Editing by Letitia Stein and Matthew Lewis) Miami (AFP) - Florida -- rich in delegates, and a snapshot of America at election time -- beckons as another gleaming prize for Republican frontrunner Donald Trump next Tuesday and a likely last stand for home state rival Marco Rubio. The Florida senator, who has led a mainstream Republican charge against Trump, was bloodied in Tuesday's Republican primaries in Michigan, Mississippi, Idaho and Hawaii, picking up zero delegates. His billionaire nemesis gleefully romped to victory in three of the nominating contests despite an onslaught of negative ads while Texas Senator Ted Cruz took the fourth vote in Idaho. All of which has raised questions about Rubio's viability in next Tuesday's winner-take-all primary in Florida, a big state with 99 delegates up for grabs. This is Rubio's home turf, the state that launched the 44-year-old Cuban-American's meteoric political rise. But a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday showed Trump with a two to one lead over Rubio in Florida, 45 to 22 percent, among likely Republican primary voters. Trump, looking to clear his path to the Republican nomination, has called on Rubio to bow out of the White House race. "He has a big a decision to make," the real estate mogul said of Rubio in an interview Wednesday with MSNBC, dropping hints of a possible vice presidential spot on a Trump ticket if he steps down before next Tuesday's vote. "If he runs and loses I think he will never be able to do anything very big politically in Florida. "I don't think he would be considered by anybody as a vice president and I don't think he could ever run for governor or whatever he might want to run for in the future. So I think running and losing would be risky," Trump said. Rubio's departure from the race would leave Trump facing only Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich, who faces his own do-or-die moment in his winner-take-all home state next Tuesday. Story continues - Rallies and debates - Florida is a so-called swing state -- it can go either Republican or Democrat in presidential voting -- and the third most populated in the country. To understand how important it is, consider this: at the close of last week's Super Tuesday primaries in several states, Trump, Cruz and Rubio were already in Florida when they first spoke publicly about the day's voting. Now, the candidates are spending time and money here. Rallies are being held all over the state, from the more conservative north down to the south, which tends to lean more Democratic. They will all meet up in Miami, which hosts a Democratic debate on Wednesday and a Republican one on Thursday. Florida is also an important battle ground for Democrats, with frontrunner Hillary Clinton still struggling with a persistent challenge from Bernie Sanders. Sanders, a self-declared Democratic socialist, dealt Clinton a surprise defeat in the northern industrial state of Michigan Tuesday, showing his candidacy still has legs. But in Florida, Clinton has an enormous 30 point lead over Sanders, 62 to 32 percent, with even bigger margins among women voters and Democrats over age 45, according to the Quinnipiac University poll. The Democrats use a proportional system to allocate the state's 214 pledged delegates to the party nominating convention in Philadelphia in July. - Picking a winner - Florida's demographic makeup -- a quarter of the population is Hispanic, and more than 16 percent is African-American -- could help Clinton. The Sunshine State boasts a diverse population, with lots of people who have moved here from other parts of the country and large Latino and black communities. The state's voting pattern tends to reflect that of the country as a whole. Since 1964, except for one time, Florida has voted for the primary candidate that ended up winning the presidential election. Six weeks into the nomination race, the firm favorite both nationally and in Florida is Trump, the outspoken New York billionaire. Rubio has chalked up only two wins, in Minnesota and Puerto Rico. Second place is held by Cruz, the ultraconservative who depicts himself as the only man who can beat Trump, spurned by the Republican Party mainstream because of his wild campaign antics, inflammatory comments and polarizing positions on immigration and Islam, among other issues. "It is going to be tough, because a lot of older voters think Rubio is young, maybe too young. He has a future still ahead of him, and then of course you have the Hispanic community and the natural friction between Cubans and others," said Susan MacManus of the University of South Florida in Tampa. One question still pending is whether Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor who dropped out of the Republican race in February, will endorse anyone, said MacManus. His support could be a big help to Rubio, once Bush's political underling, although the two have drifted apart after several nasty exchanges on the campaign trail. By Lisa Maria Garza DALLAS (Reuters) - A former Catholic priest charged in a 55-year-old murder case in which he is suspected of beating and raping a beauty queen in south Texas will be extradited from Arizona on Wednesday, authorities said. John Feit, 83, was arrested last month in Arizona in connection with the 1960 slaying of Irene Garza, 25, in McAllen, Texas, and is scheduled for transfer to Hidalgo County, according to the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office. He was still in the custody of the sheriffs office in Arizona as of Wednesday afternoon, spokesman Joaquin Enriquez said. Feit initially vowed to fight extradition, but waived his right at a Feb. 24 hearing, according to court records. Garza, a former Miss South Texas and second-grade school teacher, was last seen giving confession during Holy Week at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on April 16, 1960, according to the Texas Rangers cold case website. Her body was found five days later in a nearby canal. An autopsy showed that Garza had been raped while comatose and died of suffocation. Feit later left the priesthood and moved to Arizona, where he started a family. Hidalgo County authorities have not said what new evidence led to the murder charge. Feit was long considered by authorities to be a suspect in the case but was not indicted. During a 2013 interview with CNN, he denied any involvement in Garzas death. (This version of the story corrects the spelling to Hidalgo County, instead of Hildago, in paragraph two.) (Reporting by Lisa Maria Garza, Editing by Ben Klayman and Andrew Hay) Paris (AFP) - Hundreds of thousands of French students and workers took to the streets in protest at labour reforms, heaping pressure on President Francois Hollande's already unpopular and fractured Socialist government. The plan, aimed at boosting hiring, would remove some of the obstacles to laying off workers. Young people were among the most vocal opponents to the measures they fear will make their future more uncertain, even though the government claims they are the age group it is most trying to help. Teenagers and students threw eggs and firecrackers as they marched in Paris, directing their anger at Labour Minister Myriam El Khomri, whose name is on the draft law. The strikes were compounded by a rail strike for better working conditions that left many commuters stranded. Several unions said up to half a million people took part in demonstrations across France, with the CGT union claiming 100,000 protested in Paris. Police put the national total at 224,000, with fewer than 30,000 in the main march in the east of the capital. By promoting the reforms that would allow bosses more flexibility in hiring and firing, Prime Minister Manuel Valls has alienated a range of left-wing forces -- including within his own government. "This law is absurd: night work, abusive firings... it is distressing to see this, especially from the Socialists," said Lucie Ferreira, 21, an IT student demonstrating in Paris. The reforms aim to bring down unemployment of more than 10 percent, with youth joblessness nearer to 25 percent. The proposed new law also cuts overtime pay for work beyond 35 hours -- the working week famously introduced in the 1990s in an earlier Socialist bid to boost employment. In some sectors, young apprentices could see working hours rise to 40 hours a week. "Like many students, I work to pay for my studies. This law will prevent me from limiting my work hours," said Flora, 20, a history student among around 10,000 protesters at the Place de la Republique in Paris. Story continues "When will I have time to study? This law is completely irrational. In reality, nobody really works 35 hours a week anymore, it is 40 or more to make a living. How much will it end up being with this law?" An online petition against the draft law has attracted more than a million signatures, while a poll showed seven in 10 people oppose the planned changes. Hollande, who campaigned on a promise to improve prospects for young people and faces a re-election bid next year, said during a Wednesday cabinet meeting that the government would remain open to dialogue but underscored that "adaptation" was needed. "We must also give companies the opportunity to recruit more, to give job security to young people throughout their lives, and to provide flexibility for companies," he said ahead of the protests. - String of short-term contracts - Many young people, including graduates, find themselves working on short-term contracts for several years after their studies, or doing internship after internship while hoping to secure a job. Their situation contrasts with the cherished job security afforded by full-time contracts in France, which are fiercely defended by unions. Prime Minister Manuel Valls has held talks with unions this week in a bid to salvage the law, after the chorus of opposition derailed a plan to submit the proposals to the cabinet this week. Supporters of the reforms believe they are essential to reviving a stagnant economy and creating jobs, and El Khomri has argued that much of the opposition to her law stems from misinformation and false rumours. Outspoken Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that as unemployment had not dropped below seven percent in 30 years, the government had no choice but to change the status quo. "Have we tried everything? Let us look outside France. What has happened elsewhere? They have all evolved, they have all done things," he said. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, whose country has adopted similar reforms, said Tuesday after talks in Venice with Hollande that the French "should not be afraid of change." French employers are reluctant to take on permanent workers because of obstacles to laying them off in lean times. The reforms identify precise conditions such as falling orders or sales, or operating losses, as sufficient cause for shedding staff. Cairo (AFP) - French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Wednesday launched efforts to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process by this summer, while ruling out "automatic" recognition of Palestinian statehood. Paris will not "automatically" recognise a Palestinian state if a French initiative to host an international conference to revive the peace talks fails, Ayrault said on a visit to Cairo. His predecessor, Laurent Fabius, had stirred Israeli anger in January by proposing such a conference and saying France would "recognise a Palestinian state" if peace talks failed. "There is never anything automatic. France will present its initiative to its partners. It will be the first step, there is no pre-requisite," Ayrault said when asked by a journalist in Cairo about Fabius's remarks. Ayrault is on a two-day visit to Egypt to discuss the French initiative for hosting an international conference "by this summer" to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks brokered by Washington that collapsed in April 2014. "What we want, and that is our commitment, is to resume the negotiation process," he told reporters at a joint news conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry. The French initiative comes at a time of mounting attacks since the start of October that have left 188 Palestinians and 28 Israelis dead. France is worried about jihadist infiltration into the Palestinian territories on the back of "frustration" over the status quo, according to the foreign ministry. Shoukry, for his part, said Cairo "appreciates" the French initiative, which "guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people". Israel had reacted angrily to Fabius's remarks on January 29. "This will be an incentive for the Palestinians to come and not compromise," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Fabius said that France was looking to revive plans for an international conference to "bring about the two-state solution" to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Story continues "And what will happen if this last-ditch attempt at reaching a negotiated solution hits a stumbling block?" Fabius asked. "In that case, we will have to live up to our responsibilities and recognise a Palestinian state." - 'Mobilise international community' - Ayrault said on Wednesday that France's goal was "simple -- to mobilise the international community around the only possible solution, that of two states". "We shouldn't exclude anything, but I don't want to put this (recognition) as a pre-requisite," he told reporters travelling with him to Cairo. "Otherwise we are going to block everyone," he said, reacting to reservations expressed by several European countries including Germany. Ayrault later told the press conference ahead of a meeting with the Arab League's committee on the peace process: "France wants to relaunch the peace initiative in the Middle East with the aim of hosting an international conference by this summer... if conditions are met." "Behind the apparent status quo lies a rapid degradation of the situation on the ground," he said, adding that the French initiative was only at its initial stage. "We are multiplying contacts. The road is difficult, we are aware of that, but we have to take it because nothing would be worse than not doing anything." Senior French diplomat Pierre Vimont is to tour Israel, the Palestinian territories and other countries in the region to discuss the proposal for an international conference. By John Irish PARIS (Reuters) - France's foreign minister sought support from Arab states in Cairo on Wednesday for an initiative to relaunch talks between Palestinians and Israelis by the summer and prevent what one diplomat called the risk of a "powder keg" exploding. With U.S. efforts to broker a two-state solution in tatters since in April 2014 and Washington focused on this year's election, Paris has begun lobbying countries to commit to a conference before May that would outline incentives and give guarantees for Israelis and Palestinians to get them back to negotiations. That would pave the way for face-to-face talks between the two sides before August. "It is a powder keg waiting to explode," said a senior French diplomat ahead of a visit by Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault to Egypt to discuss the issue with Arab ministers, referring to rising violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories. "Everybody sees it, and yet nobody is doing anything. We know this isnt going to be resolved in three months, but it's imperative to give a new political horizon to the process." Last year France failed to get the United States on board for a U.N. Security Council resolution to set parameters for talks between the two sides and set a deadline for a deal. Since then, the stance of former foreign minister Laurent Fabius to recognize a Palestinian state automatically if the new initiative fails has been toned down. "It won't be automatic," Ayrault told Reuters on Feb. 29. "We can't set conclusions before we've started something." With a former ambassador to Washington, Pierre Vimont, heading France's diplomatic push, the initiative has not been dismissed by Washington. "We've started to talk to them (France) about it and to hear from them, but we need to hear more and I think we'll be having conversations in the days and weeks ahead," Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Reuters on March 4. "We need to see that the parties themselves are ready to make peace and if they are we will strongly support those efforts." Citing U.S. officials, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that the White House was working on plans for reviving the negotiations before President Barack Obama leaves office, including a possible Security Council resolution that would outline steps toward a deal. The French diplomat said: "We've not seen this, but what we want is the U.S. to be on board so if this is a genuine effort that converges with what we want too, so much the better." (Editing by Robin Pomeroy) FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A German court will widen an investigation into whether to extend a salt-water disposal permit for potash and salt miner K+S, WirtschaftsWoche reported on Wednesday. The reason for the extension is charges filed last month by prosecutors in the town of Meiningen, southeast of K+S's headquarters in the city of Kassel, over suspected illegal waste disposal, the weekly said, citing a court document. K+S declined to comment. The administrative court in the Hessian city of Kassel, which will decide whether to extend the permit, was not immediately available for comment. K+S has won provisional approval for the discharge of saline waste water in Hesse under strict limits. It said in December it expected to receive final approval for deep-well injection until 2021 by this summer. K+S has for years fought complaints by environmental groups and some local municipalities about the discharge of salty waste water from processing potash ore into fertiliser products. The company has previously said it had obtained approval from state mining authorities for waste water disposal and it was fully cooperating with the investigators. But in the statement earlier this month, prosecutors argued those involved in the approval process, including three current and former mining authority employees, must have known that the expert opinion the clearance rested on was wrong about pollution levels. There must have been "at least a tacit understanding that the approval was legally not justifiable", the statement said, adding: "Approval by way of collusion" was as serious as not having approval in the first place. Prosecutors also said they would seek to claw back any profits obtained from the alleged misconduct. The charges are directed at 14 employees of K+S, including the former and current chief executive, as well as further executive board members, a number of K+S staff, and also two employees and one former employee of the state of Thuringia mining authority, the prosecutors' office said. (Reporting by Harro ten Wolde and Ludwig Burger, editing by David Evans) BERLIN (Reuters) - German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, a close ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, was cleared on Wednesday of accusations of plagiarism in her doctoral thesis, the president of her former university said. The Hanover Medical School launched an investigation last August after a Berlin-based law professor said several passages of von der Leyen's thesis were copied without attribution and published his findings online. "The senate decided about half an hour ago, with a clear majority of seven to one, not to revoke the title," Hanover Medical School president, Christopher Baum, told a news conference. Von der Leyen trained as a physician at the school and did her postgraduate research work there. She was awarded an academic doctorate in 1991. The decision saves Merkel's conservatives from embarrassment before three state elections on Sunday that are seen as a test of Merkel's immigration policy - a hot topic after the arrival of more than a million migrants in Germany last year. Two conservative cabinet members - former defense chief Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg and former education minister Annette Schavan - quit after their doctoral theses were found to include passages lifted from other works without proper citation. (Reporting by Tina Bellon; Editing by Louise Ireland) Berlin (AFP) - Berlin on Wednesday called for the immediate release of Ukrainian military pilot Nadiya Savchenko, saying her trial in Russia went against a peace deal aimed at ending a separatist war in Ukraine. "The trial against Savchenko violates the spirit and letter of the Minsk agreement, we are therefore making a joint call with our partners for the immediate release of Nadiya Savchenko on humanitarian grounds," government spokesman Steffen Seibert said, referring to a clause in the accord that requires Ukraine and Russia to swap prisoners and hostages. Germany was following the trial closely, Seibert said, underlining concerns over how Savchenko had been treated since her detention in June 2014. Referring to Savchenko's hunger strike, Seibert said there were serious concerns over her health condition as well as over her imprisonment including solitary confinement, when she was also subjected to "questionable interrogation methods that violated international standards". Savchenko, who announced her protest action in court last Thursday, is accused of involvement in the death of two Russian state television journalists in a mortar attack that occurred two months after revolt erupted in Ukraine's pro-Moscow east in April 2014. The 34-year-old Iraq war veteran faces up to 23 years in prison if convicted in a case that has drawn global attention and been attended by Western monitors concerned about Russia's record on human rights. Washington (AFP) - Danish foreign minister Kristian Jensen complained Wednesday that Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel had underestimated how many refugees would flood into her country under a former open door policy. Denmark and Sweden have temporarily reintroduced border checks in an attempt to control the migrant flow, but Jensen said much of the problem stemmed from poor planning in their larger southern neighbor. "I think that Merkel has been surprised by the number of refugees coming to Germany. She thought this was a crisis that would fade out," Jensen told guests at a US think tank during a visit to Washington. "She has been accused actually of being the one sending out invitations to refugees around the world, 'Please come to Germany, you are welcome here, we have a house and a job and it's a great place to be'," he said. Merkel is under intense domestic political pressure to put a cap on refugee arrivals after more than a million -- many fleeing war in Syria and Afghanistan -- arrived in Germany last year alone. Instead, she has taken the lead in negotiating a deal with Turkey to send back migrants arriving on the shores on Greece in exchange for EU help in dealing with the 2.7 million refugees on Turkish soil. "So after being too late too little she is now taking on responsibility, and I think she is doing a tremendously good job," Jensen said, complaining that other EU members were being kept in the dark. "Sometimes she perhaps should remember to inform and listen because even given how strong she can be and how large and strong Germany is, they can't decide for the rest of the 27." Jensen also met with his US counterpart Secretary of State John Kerry, who assured him that Washington does not regard the refugee crisis as Europe's problem alone. Do tests or high-school grades better determine whether a student is ready for college-level math and reading? For public universities and community colleges, increasingly the answer is bothor no tests at all, reporters learned during a seminar hosted by the Education Writers Association in Los Angeles last month. Several states have undertaken a series of changes that allow students to prove theyre prepared for college courses by showcasing the work theyve done in high school, such as grade point averages and scores on statewide standardized assessments they already take during high school. Thats a shift away from the current standard many colleges userequiring incoming students to take placement tests to determine whether they need to be enrolled in developmental math or English. This pivot away from relying on college-placement tests is significant because a growing body of research suggests students are less likely to complete their degrees if colleges enroll them in even one developmental, or remedial, class. Nationally, 42 percent of incoming college students are referred to remedial courses; the percentages are even higher for black, Latino, poor, and community-college students. Just one-tenth of students who start college in remedial courses ever earn a degree a report by Complete College America calculated in 2014. Its a high-school class for which you will pay college prices, Acting U.S. Secretary of Education John King recently said at a gathering of mayors in Washington, D.C. We know that students taking those remedial classes are dramatically less likely to finish. More From The Education Writers Association Education Writers Association One explanation for the low success rate for these students is that developmental courses cost money but dont count toward degree requirements. The remedial sequence can also be time-consuming: Community colleges often expect students to pass multiple remedial courses in succession before theyre able to enroll in their first credit-bearing class, leading to hundreds of thousands of students giving up on the process altogether each year. Roughly 1.7 million students each year require remediation, according to Complete College America, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the elimination of developmental courses. Story continues States are rethinking the remediation maze in numerous ways, particularly for students who recently earned a high-school diploma. More than 220 colleges in eight states are now using high-school students scores on the Smarter Balanced assessmentone of the tests said to be aligned with the Common Core standardsas one measure of whether they need remedial coursework. Virtually all of Californias community colleges and the California State University system have signed on to this model of determining student readiness. North Carolinas community-college system in 2013 passed rules that allow incoming students with at least a 2.6 high-school GPA and a minimum number of high-school courses to completely bypass the placement exam. A recent report noted that students in North Carolina who took advantage of the placement-test workaround were more likely to pass their first credit-bearing math or English courses than students who sat for placement tests. Recommended: Why Is the U.S. Holding Children to Increasingly Grownup Standards? I think [four-year] colleges and two-year colleges around the country are moving toward what folks refer to as a multiple measures approach. Were moving away from a one-size-fits-all test for our placement, said Bill Moore, the director of K-12 partnerships at the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges in Washington state. We always thought of admission tests as being high-stakes tests. Now we realize that placement tests are high-stakes tests. Nearly 50 colleges and universities in the Evergreen State have agreed to enroll students in credit-bearing math and English courses if they received a 3 or 4 on the Smarter Balanced tests in high schoolthe two highest scores possible. At the EWA event, Moore said that actually hes even more encouraged by the states set of rules for high-school students who just miss the college-ready score on Smarter Balanced. Because the Common-Core aligned assessment is issued in 11th grade, students who earn a 2 are able to enroll in Bridge to College courses their senior year of high school to forego taking the remedial exam at the states 34 community and technical colleges. The bridge classes are offered at 114 high schools across the state. There are limitations to which credit-bearing college courses high-school graduates can sign up for just by performing well enough on the Common Core-aligned assessment. Higher-level math for degrees in science or medicine may require additional tests, but for students who dont need a class like calculus, their Smarter Balanced scores are sufficient to put them on the right path to satisfying a graduation requirement. Recommended: How Trigger Warnings Are Hurting Mental Health on Campus This does represent a really vibrant partnership between college faculty and high-school teachers, said Moore, who feels college instructors too often blame high schools for the lackluster academic skills new college students may exhibit. While these ideas show promise, most colleges for now are sticking with placement tests. A recent survey determined that close to 90 percent of community-college students were asked to take a placement test before they could register for classes. Some higher-education experts have pointed out that community colleges effectively penalize students for mediocre grades in high school when many selective four-year colleges do not. A 2014 study that compared the two groups of students with similar grades and test scores in high school found that the community-college students were 19 percent more likely to take remedial math courses. Another study predicted that if colleges assigned all students to college-level math courses, the percentage of students passing such math courses would increase by 33 percentage points. The same study found that between a quarter and a third college students are severely misplaced in their math and reading placements, with the grand majority of those students being needlessly enrolled in developmental courses. Pamela Burdman, a researcher who also spoke at the EWA seminar, said she calculated that up to 50,000 students in California community colleges are unnecessarily enrolled in remedial math. The biggest problem is not that students dont succeed in the courses, the problem is that they dont persist though the sequence, said Burdman. We always thought of admission tests as being high-stakes tests. Now we realize that placement tests are high-stakes tests. How students are placed can diminish their chances of completing a college-level course. Recommended: The Obama Doctrine Another reform thats showing promising signs in getting more students to credit-bearing courses is the practice of assigning students who might need some remediation to college-level courses with extra support, an effort known as co-requisite instruction. Youre receiving either additional tutoring or youre taking two extra classes a week that are geared towards helping you get up to speed, said Blake Johnson, whos the head of communications at Complete College America that in January released a report highlighting the benefits of this model. They evaluated four states that introduced the co-requisite approach in math and five in English, calculating that students who successfully passed their first college-level course in either subject jumped from around 20 percent to more than 60 percent. The report also includes a table that tallies the number of remedial students in nearly 30 states, and offers a prediction of how many more might graduate if they were enrolled in a co-requisite course. I think theres just a limit to how much a test can tell you about somebody, said Burdman. This student is spending an hour or two on the test, and youre trying to understand how theyre going to do over the course of the semester or a year in college. Tests are just limited. This article appears courtesy of the Education Writers Association. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Vice President Joe Biden praised presidential candidate Bernie Sanders recently for speaking credibly about the enormous concentration of wealth in a small group of people. Income inequality and the promise to do something about it has become a standard component of both Democratic and Republican candidates platforms. Stump speeches have largely centered on higher tax rates and higher minimum wages as potential solutions. Yet each of those campaign-trail promises would also bring unintended economic consequences such as slower economic growth and more corporate inversions that make the policies more difficult to actually implement. There is, however, one politically viable policy that could help reduce income inequality: regulatory reform. Related: Presidential Candidates are Ignoring the Economy's Most Ominous Statistic Statistics about the concentration of income going to the top 1 percent of earners are indeed striking: In 1980, 10 percent of income in the United States went to the top 1 percent of earners; today, roughly 25 percent of it does. But what can a president do about this trend? Our new research explores how regulation relates to income inequality. Regulations, which erect barriers to entry and make it difficult for entrepreneurs at the bottom rungs of the income distribution to start a business, may be one factor increasing income inequality. Using data from the World Bank, we found that countries with more stringent entry regulations tend to experience higher levels of measured income inequality and higher shares of income going to the top 10 percent of earners, even after controlling for other potential determinants of inequality. When governments regulate the entry of new businesses, through occupational licenses or extensive permitting processes, it creates barriers that make it prohibitively costly for some low-income earners to join the market. These regulations frequently require applicants to take exams or attain a minimum level of education activities that are both expensive and time-consuming. The main rationale for these regulations is to ensure quality and to protect the health and safety of consumers. However, as another recent study found in an extensive review of empirical studies of occupational licensing, the quality of service either doesnt change or even deteriorates when licensing is introduced. Story continues Related: U.S. Companies Are Dying Faster Than Ever In the United States, occupations such as pest control applicators, truck drivers and cosmetologists require licenses in all states. A few occupations are licensed in only one state. In Louisiana, for example, an entrepreneur cannot become a florist without passing a licensing exam that includes a one-hour written test and a four-hour practical test. The Institute for Justice recently studied 102 licensed low-and-moderate income occupations across the United States and found that licensing processes require of aspiring workers, on average, $209 in fees, one exam, and about 9 months of training and education. And yet, aspiring workers in the United States face fewer regulations than those in some other parts of the world. Haiti, for example, has some of the most stringent entry regulations. Opening a business in Haiti requires the average entrepreneur to spend 235 percent of his or her income, wait 97 days and complete 12 steps in the approval process. Opening a business in the United States, on the other hand, requires the average entrepreneur to spend 1 percent of income, wait about six days and complete six steps in the approval process. Haiti also has a high measured level of income inequality. In 2012, its measured income inequality was over 60 percent higher than in the United States. Entry regulations can increase income inequality in at least two ways: When entrepreneurs cannot legally enter the market because of the cost of obtaining necessary licensing or approval, they may choose to enter a profession that isnt licensed where their talents may not be used as well and they receive a lower income. Second, if entrepreneurs cannot legally enter the market, they may choose to operate illegally which, again, ultimately means a lower income than they would have otherwise. For example, if an entrepreneur opens a pest control business illegally, she must use real resources both to enforce contracts and to hide from law enforcement. Related: 10 Best Cities to Start a Business Whether the increasing concentration of income in the upper end of the income distribution is a long-term problem that requires a solution depends on the causes of the trend something economists are studying feverishly. If, for example, rising income inequality is primarily caused by a shift in desirable traits in the labor force toward information technology skills, then what we are seeing is an adjustment, rather than a new normal. Conversely, if the trend is caused at least partially by regulations or other policies that favor those who are already in business or have high incomes, then we should expect to see more of the same until meaningful regulatory reform occurs. Our research supports the theory that regulations are part of the problem, particularly in the way those regulations impact low-income entrepreneurs by creating barriers and limiting upward mobility. By removing these regulations, people on the bottom rungs of the income distribution can begin their climb. In fact, of all policy options that might reduce income inequality, regulatory reform may the easiest and most widely supported. Patrick A. McLaughlin is a senior research fellow with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Laura Stanley is an alumna of the Mercatus Center MA Fellowship. Both are authors of a new working paper on "Regulation and Income Inequality: The Regressive Effects of Entry Regulations." Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Hackers stole $100 million from the account of Bangladesh's central bank at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York last month, laundering the purloined funds through Sri Lankan banks and casinos in the Philippines. Bangladesh officials are blaming the New York arm of the U.S. central bank for allowing the transfer to go through and on Tuesday threatened to sue, but are also reportedly investigating whether the theft was an inside job by employees who had access to the proper transfer codes. The Fed has denied that its systems were hacked. The money was moved out of the Bangladesh bank's account on Feb. 5 using the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication system, known as SWIFT, which is one of the secure messaging platforms used to transmit money transfers around the world between banks. Fed officials haven't said much other than to deny any breaches at their end. "There is no evidence of attempts to penetrate Federal Reserve systems and no evidence Fed systems were compromised," the bank said in a statement on its official Twitter account. Bangladesh Finance Minister AMA Muhith, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, said the central bank planned to sue over the lost funds, despite the Fed's statements. "We've heard that Federal Reserve Bank of New York has completely denied their responsibility. They don't have any right," Muhith said at a press conference in Dhaka. "We'll file a case against them. We have kept the money with them. They are responsible." At the same time, the bank is investigating insiders who had access to the SWIFT codes, the Dhaka Tribune reported on Wednesday. Only 5 out of about 30 SWIFT transfer requests made by the hackers on the Bangladesh account succeeded. About $20 million of the funds that were transferred through Sri Lanka have been recovered, while authorities continue to purse the remaining $80 million that made its way to black market currency dealers in the Philippines, then to several casinos before going back to the dealers and out of the country. Bangladesh's Financial Intelligence Unit is working with the Philippines Anti-Money Laundering Authority to trace the rest the money, Bangladesh officials said. Hundreds of foreign governments including Bangladesh keep their dollar currency reserves on deposit at the New York Fed, in part to make it easy to invest in U.S. Treasury securities. Washington (AFP) - Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton each won their party primaries in Mississippi, US networks said on Tuesday, cementing their frontrunner status in the White House nomination race. "Thank you Mississippi!" tweeted the billionaire real estate mogul as results came in from the southern state. John Kasich was projected to have taken second place in Mississippi, followed by Texas senator Ted Cruz and -- far behind -- Florida Senator Marco Rubio. Clinton's win in Mississippi adds to a string of victories over her party rival Bernie Sanders -- and continues a winning streak in the southern United States where she has so far cornered the large African American vote. Early results were also coming in from the northern state of Michigan, the other big prize in Tuesday's primary contests, where the bulk of polling places close at 0200 GMT. With 13 percent of precincts reporting, Trump took an early lead in the industrial state on 37.6 percent, ahead of Kasich's 27.5 percent, while on the Democratic side Sanders had the narrowest of leads over Clinton, with 49.8 to 48.3 percent according to US media. Republican voters also have their say Tuesday in a primary in Idaho and a caucus in Hawaii. By Alexander Winning MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Ukrainian pilot held in Russia over the death of two Russian journalists during separatist fighting in eastern Ukraine climbed onto a table and flashed an obscene gesture at a judge at the end of her trial on Wednesday. Nadezhda Savchenko, 34, who faces up to 25 years jail if found guilty, has become a hero for many in Ukraine resentful of what they see as Kremlin backing for pro-Russian insurgents trying to break Kiev's control over eastern territories. Her lawyer, Nikolai Polozov, said she had suffered heart problems and fever since beginning a hunger strike last week in protest at what she called a show trial. Her life, he said, was in danger and she needed the attention of Ukrainian doctors. "I don't accept my guilt or recognise the sentence of a Russian court," Savchenko said in the courtroom, according to a translation from Ukrainian read out by one of her lawyers. An online broadcast from the courtroom showed her climbing onto a bench in the cage for defendants to raise her middle finger at the judge. Helicopter pilot Savchenko was captured in eastern Ukraine in 2014 during fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-Moscow separatists and handed over to the Russian authorities. It remains unclear how she was brought across the border to Russia. The court in the southern Russian region of Rostov-on-Don said it would sentence Savchenko on March 21-22. BREACH OF MINSK PEACE DEAL In a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia had been prepared to allow Ukrainian doctors to visit Savchenko but that was no longer possible because of her behaviour in court. The pilot will now be denied any further visitors until her sentencing, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Regarding the health of N. Savchenko...(She) feels normal, is doing exercise. She is under the constant supervision of Russian doctors." The pro-Russian insurgency broke out in the industrial, largely Russian-speaking Luhansk and Donetsk regions in April, 2014, shortly after Moscow annexed Crimea in reaction to the toppling of a Moscow-friendly president in Kiev. The conflict has eased since a peace agreement but tensions continue. Russia denies providing arms and personnel to the insurgency. A German government spokesman urged Russia to free Savchenko immediately, saying her imprisonment was in breach of the Minsk peace deal for eastern Ukraine that was agreed last year. "In addition, there are many questions as to how Ms. Savchenko was brought to Russian territory," Steffen Seibert said during a regular news conference. Russian prosecutors say that in June 2014, during the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine, Savchenko helped to direct artillery fire in the Luhansk region where a shell killed two Russian television reporters. Her lawyers say the time and location of calls made from her mobile phone disprove the allegations. At the time of the incident, Savchenko was fighting with a ground unit. (Reporting by Alexander Winning, Denis Dyomkin and Jack Stubbs in Moscow, Joseph Nasr in Berlin; Editing by Ralph Boulton) (Reuters) - A man suspected of shooting an Idaho pastor who led a prayer at a rally for U.S. Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz was arrested on Tuesday and was facing attempted murder charges, police said. Kyle Odom, 30, was taken into custody in Washington D.C. in connection with the Sunday afternoon shooting of Pastor Tim Remington outside the Altar Church, Coeur d'Alene Police Department Chief Lee White said in a late Tuesday news conference. Odom was apprehended by Secret Service officers after he tossed several items, including flash drives, over the fence of the White House, White said. The items thrown by Odom were deemed non-hazardous, the U.S. Secret Service said in a statement. The attack on the pastor is the latest in a spate of highly publicized shootings in the United States that have made gun control an issue in the presidential race. Remington had led a prayer at a Cruz rally on Saturday and was shot by Odom, an ex-marine, the next day in the church parking lot in a preplanned attack, police said. The senior pastor was shot six times, including in the skull, after Sunday morning service, John Padula, outreach pastor at the church told Reuters. Remington regained consciousness on Monday evening as a candlelight vigil for his recovery was underway, Padula said. "He opened one eye and gave me a thumbs up," Padula said, adding that Remington does not have feeling in his right arm but appears to be improving. "Without God, there is no way he'd be here." There is no apparent connection between the shooting and Remington's appearance at the Cruz rally, Padula noted. Cruz, an outspoken supporter of gun rights, could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, but a campaign spokeswoman told NBC News on Monday that they were praying for Remington's recovery. Odom flew from Boise, Idaho to Washington D.C., on March 7, White said. An investigation into his plans was ongoing. The police chief, who previously said Odom had a history of mental illness, read a statement from Odom's family saying they were thankful for his "safe apprehension." Local broadcaster KXLY reported that a Facebook page linked with Odom, who police said suffered from mental illness, was updated on Tuesday with a statement claiming that Remington was part of an ancient Martian civilization that ruled Earth. (Reporting by Curtis Skinner and Victoria Cavaliere; Editing by Sara Catania, G Crosse, Kim Coghill and Michael Perry) (Reuters) - Imperial Oil Ltd , Canada's No. 2 integrated oil producer and refiner, said it agreed to sell 497 remaining company-owned Esso retail stations to five fuel distributors for about C$2.8 billion ($2.09 billion). The buyers include Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc , 7-Eleven Canada Inc and Parkland Fuel Corp , the company said on Tuesday. All the three companies already operate Esso-branded stations in the country. Imperial, majority-owned by Exxon Mobil Corp , said in January 2015 it was evaluating selling the stations. Some 1,200 of the company's 1,700 Esso-branded sites operate under a wholesaler model, where the stations are owned by other parties but retain the Esso brand and are supplied by Imperial. Imperial Oil said on Tuesday it expects the sales to close by the year-end. (Reporting by Vishaka George in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila) Kathmandu (Nepal), Mar.9 (ANI): India's Ambassador to Nepal, Ranjit Rae, has said that New Delhi remains hopeful and positive about normalising fuel supply to Nepal. Interacting with media persons in tourist spot Chitwan, Ambassador Rae, however, placed some of the blame for disrupted fuel supply on the Nepal Oil Corporation that failed to place its petroleum demand on time with New Delhi. He also said that India is interested to extend assistance to Nepal to promote tourism. Rae's comment on disrupted fuel supply to Nepal came on the same day as his Nepali counterpart Deep Kumar Upadhyay said that Kathmandu is pushing New Delhi to restore oil and gas supply to the country that was disrupted five months ago by a Madhesi protest along the border in southern Nepal. Upadhyay admitted that Nepal is completely dependent on India for fuel and any disruption in supply creates huge problems for the Himalayan state. The public sector Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has been supplying petroleum products, diesel and kerosene to Nepal at Indian rates for the past four decades. There are currently 26 IOC-managed fuel supply trading points to the Nepal Oil Corporation. Before the Madhesi agitation, India was supplying approximately 1.3 million tonnes of petroleum products there, worth around Rs 9,000 crore annually. This included petrol, diesel, kerosene and cooking gas, transported from IOC refineries in northern and eastern India to NOC's depots across the border. With China committing to supply 1,000 tonnes as a grant and agreeing to negotiate a long-term commercial agreement with NOC for future supply, India's IOC runs the risk of losing a third of its fuel export business to Beijing. (ANI) India's top green court Wednesday gave the go-ahead to a mass festival organised by a world-famous guru to be held on the floodplains of Delhi's Yamuna river, despite fierce opposition from environmentalists. Green activists had filed a petition saying the three-day World Culture Festival, which starts March 11 and is organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, risks damaging the river's delicate ecosystem. The National Green Tribunal said it would allow the festival to go ahead given that planning was in the advanced stages, but fined Shankar's Art of Living foundation 50 million rupees ($740,000) for environmental damage. "It is consistent view of the experts... that floodplains have been drastically tampered with," Justice Swatanter Kumar said Wednesday. Kumar said the organisers would be responsible for all damage to the environment, biodiversity or aquatic life and that the fine could rise depending on the severity of the impact. "We impose an environmental compensation, initially of five crore (50 million) rupees," the court stated in a strongly worded order. Some 500,000 people are expected to attend the festival, the organisers told the court, although earlier advertisements suggested it would draw more than three million visitors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to attend, organisers said, although media reports have suggested he may stay away following the controversy. The festival is billed as a platform "for spiritual and religious leaders, politicians, peacemakers and artists to spread the message of global peace and harmony in diversity". The court also criticised several local and national government agencies for allowing the event to be held in the fragile ecological zone. "All these authorities have failed to exercise due diligence in fulfilment of their public duties," the court said. It said that the Delhi Development Authority would not be allowed to issue permission for events to be held on the floodplains in future without the tribunal's agreement. Story continues One of the initial petitioners in the case, activist Manoj Misra, described the order as a victory for the environmentalists' campaign. "What more do you want? We have won," Misra told AFP outside the court. "All of them including the government organisations have been found guilty and fined by the court. In future, they can't even give permissions for a similar event on the floodplains," he added. The Yamuna river is the largest tributary of the Ganges, considered holy by Hindus. Despite high levels of pollution, its floodplains are rich in flora and fauna, with more than 320 bird species and 200 types of plants. A 52-year-old man in Scotland who inhaled recreational drugs called poppers developed vision problems that have lasted for months, and the impairment may even become permanent, according to a new report of his case. The man's vision became blurred and distorted shortly after using the drugs, and he went to a hospital in Scotland in September 2015. Although the man has since recovered his vision to some extent, it remained reduced in both eyes at his last follow-up appointment about two months ago, said Dr. Joshua Luis, one of the doctors who treated the man and co-authored the report. For this man, the lasting problems may be minimal, he noted. "He may not be able to read as fine print as he used to, but it shouldn't have too much of an impact on day-to-day life," Luis told Live Science. [16 Oddest Medical Cases] But there have been 30 published cases of vision problems and eye damage related to the use of poppers, the authors of the report said. Moreover, they suspect such cases may actually be more common than officially reported. When the man came to the hospital, he told his doctors that his vision had been blurred and distorted for the past 10 days, and that the problems had started right after a night of clubbing, during which he inhaled poppers, which are chemicals that cause a person to feel euphoric and sexually aroused. Poppers are made of chemicals called alkyl nitrites. When the doctors examined the man, they found that the inner and outer segments of his fovea an area in the retina of the eye where visual acuity is normally the highest had been disrupted. The doctors advised the man that he refrain from using the drugs again. Three months after the man's initial visit to the hospital, his vision had improved slightly. If a person is experiencing problems with his or her vision after taking poppers, the best way to prevent these problems from getting worse is to stop using the drugs, the authors of the report said. Story continues However, this does not guarantee that the person's vision will go back to normal: though some patients do recover their vision completely, the vision of other patients does not get better with time, according to the report, published today (March 7) in the journal BMJ Case Reports. There are no treatments for the vision problems and eye damage that the man in the report experienced after taking the drugs, although some previous reports have suggested that a patient might benefit from taking a carotenoid called lutein, the researchers said. A vision problem is not the only health effect linked to the use of poppers. For example, the authors of a report published in 2002 in the Journal of Emergency Medicine described two cases of people who experienced temporary blood problems after inhaling the drugs. Specifically, the people had an abnormal amount of methemoglobin a type of hemoglobin in their blood, which resulted in a decreased availability of oxygen to some tissues in their bodies and blue-grey discoloration of the skin. Both people recovered after receiving treatment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that using poppers may increase people's risk of HIV because they reduce users' inhibitions to engage in risky sexual behavior. Follow Agata Blaszczak-Boxe on Twitter. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science. Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Tehran (AFP) - Iran fired two more long-range ballistic missiles as it continued military tests in defiance of US sanctions and fresh warnings from Washington. The missile tests, described by Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards as a show of force in the face of US pressure, come just weeks after the implementation of Iran's historic nuclear deal with world powers. After similar tests on Tuesday, Washington had warned it could raise the issue with the UN Security Council and take further action after US sanctions were imposed in connection with Iran's missile programme in January. US Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the United States would take action against Iran if the missile tests were confirmed. "All their conventional activity outside the (nuclear) deal, which is still beyond the deal, we will and are attempting to act wherever we can find it," Biden said during a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories. He said Washington was also ready to act if Iran breaks the nuclear agreement. The hard-fought deal, which saw international sanctions lifted in exchange for curbs on Iran's nuclear ambitions, did not extend to its missile programme. Wednesday's tests saw two Qadr-H and Qadr-F precision missiles fired from launcher trucks tucked in the Alborz mountain range in northern Iran, hitting targets about 1,400 kilometres (870 miles) away in the southeastern Makran area, the Guards said. "Our enemies have come to understand that increasing security pressures and sanctions will not affect the enhancement of our capabilities so they seek to limit us in the missile arena through imposing economic sanctions," said Guards chief Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari. "Enemies of the Islamic revolution and regional security must fear the roar of the Guards' missiles," he added, quoted by the Guards' official website. The Guards' deputy head General Hossein Salami said the missile tests were to demonstrate Iran's "defence and deterrent power". Story continues "We have massive stockpiles of ballistic missiles waiting for orders and ready to hit targets at any moment from various points across the country," Salami said. Ballistic missile tests have been seen as a way for Iran's military to demonstrate that the nuclear deal will have no impact on its plans, which it says are for domestic defence only. - US will 'counter threats' - Previous UN resolutions have aimed at stopping Tehran from developing missiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, although Tehran has always denied seeking the capability. The US sanctions imposed in January saw five Iranians and a network of companies based in the United Arab Emirates and China added to an American blacklist. US Secretary of State John Kerry called his Iranian opposite number Mohammad Javad Zarif Wednesday to protest the latest tests. The pair had built up a close working relationship during negotiations for last year's nuclear accord. US State Department spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday that if the latest missile tests were confirmed "then we'll have every intention of raising the matter to the UN Security Council". Kirby warned that the United States could take unilateral action "to counter threats from Iran's missile programme". This week's series of tests have included short-, medium- and long-range precision guided missiles with ranges of between 300 and 2,000 kilometres, state media reported. "The reason we have designed these missiles with such a range -- 2,000 kilometres -- is to be able to hit our remote enemies, the Zionist regime," said General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who heads the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace wing, referring to Israel. "But there is no need to fire missiles to destroy the Zionist regime as it will gradually collapse. Our main enemy is the US," he said. News agencies Fars and Tasnim, both close to the Guards, said the phrase "Israel must be wiped off the face of Earth" was inscribed in Hebrew on the missiles, recalling a quote by the late revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. However, no writing was visible on the missiles shown in video footage or pictures published by local media. Israel's foreign ministry "strongly condemned" the tests in a statement released Wednesday. President Hassan Rouhani, a cleric close to moderates, pursued the nuclear deal in a bid to end Iran's international isolation. Less than two weeks ago, his moderate and reformist allies scored key gains against conservatives and hardliners in elections. But the Revolutionary Guards report to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, not Rouhani, and their influence dwarfs that of the army and other armed forces. DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's medium-range ballistic missiles are designed to be able to hit Israel, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards' missile battery was quoted as saying on Wednesday as the Guards test-fired two missiles. "The reason we designed our missiles with a range of 2000 km (1,200 miles) is to be able to hit our enemy the Zionist regime from a safe distance," Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh was quoted as saying by the ISNA agency. (Reporting by Sam Wilkin and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin; Editing by Hugh Lawson) By Elana Ringler Israeli biotech firm Pluristem Therapeutics said it hopes its anti-radiation therapy will protect Fukushima workers decommissioning nuclear reactors and save lives in the future if ever a similar catastrophe occurs. The Haifa-based company said they have developed a placenta-based cell therapy injection that can fully cure patients with multiple organ failure caused by high radiation exposure. Pluristem Therapeutics' Vice President of Medical and Clinical Affairs Dr. Esther Lukasiewicz Hagai said cells grown from placentas donated by women who had undergone a C-section, are harvested to create a cocktail of therapeutic proteins which combat potentially lethal damage to the lungs, skin, bone marrow and gastrointestinal tract caused by radiation exposure. "We've been investigating the placenta for the last decade and we have discovered that the placenta cells have unique properties that can help the body to recover after exposure to high level of radiation," Lukasiewicz Hagai said. "We are injecting these cells to the bodies' muscles...that will help the bone marrow to recover after radiation." The effect of the treatment has been tested on different levels of radiation, including a level of radiation that could cause up to 70 percent mortality rate, Lukasiewicz Hagai said. In January Pluristem's PLX-R18 therapy was cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical trials in animals. Clinical trials which have been conducted both in the United States, with the National Institute of Health and at Hadassah-University Medical Center in Jerusalem, have shown a nearly 100 percent recovery rate in animals exposed to radiation. Yaky Yanay, President and Chief Operations Officer at Pluristem Therapeutics and co-chairman of Israel Advanced Technology Industries (IATI), said clinical trials have so far shown optimal results if the vial is injected within 48 hours of exposure to lethal radiation. "It will be very easy to use, off-the-shelf and readily available," Yanay said adding that it requires no DNA matches prior to administration into the muscle. The only other available therapy is bone marrow transplant which requires DNA compatibility and is costly, he added. In March 2011 the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant suffered the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl 25 years earlier, following an earthquake and tsunami. The Tokyo Electric Power Co is still struggling to bring the situation inside its plant under control. It has estimated removing the melted fuel from the wrecked reactors and cleaning up the site will cost tens of billions of dollars and take decades to complete. Pluristem Therapeutics has partnered with Japan's Fukushima Medical University to test its placental-derived cellular therapy for radiation treatment and has been asked to join the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases program. The goal of U.S. authorities, Yanay said, is to stockpile the treatment in the U.S. in case of a nuclear catastrophe. "My wish that our therapy was available five years ago when we had the Fukushima disaster or 30 years ago when we had the Chernobyl not mentioning the Second World War which was a significant exposure to radiation," said Yanay. "Our goal is to develop...a counter measure biological defense....for Acute Radiation Syndrome for any radiation event across the globe. It can be either a terror attack or nuclear melting but I hope that our therapy will be there". Pluristem's Chief Executive Zami Aberman said the uniqueness of the therapy treatment is in its ability to treat multiple organ failure and bring full recovery from the high radiation exposure. "In radiation catastrophe the organ that are exposed to radiation are many, not only one of them. The fact that the cells have the capacity to treat multi organ failures give us the unique therapeutic potential," Aberman said. The company said it received the rights to commercialize the placenta-based cell therapy products in 2007. Israel sees a potential nuclear threat from Iran and has two nuclear reactors of its own. Israel is widely believed to have an atomic arsenal. "We are living in an area which have a variety of threats including nuclear bombs and radiation catastrophes so we developed the product in mind that those may happen. When the Fukushima disaster happened it inspired our feeling that we have to do it stronger and quicker and we developed an aggressive plan in order to bring the product into awareness and today with NIH (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) support and the cooperation of the Fukushima center, we strongly believe that we can bring the product to cure many patients," said Aberman. The next phase is to develop treatments for disorders like Crohn's Disease and other products to treat the central nervous system. Less than three months after postponing numerous Unbreakable Tour dates to undergo surgery, Janet Jackson has reportedly canceled those rescheduled Europe tour dates. "It is not possible to confirm new dates at the present time so we are refunding all ticket holders," an email from Ticketmaster informed fans who had purchased tickets to Jackson's U.K. and other European city shows, according to Spin. Jackson's European tour dates have been removed from Ticketmaster's site. Billboard reached out to Jackson's rep for comment and did not hear back at time of publishing. In early 2016, not long after postponing the now-canceled dates, Jackson shot down rumors that her surgery was related to cancer. As of March 8, Jackson's U.S. Unbreakable Tour dates slated to begin June 24 in New Jersey are still on. This article originally appeared on Billboard.com. Read More: Janet Jackson Postpones Tour to Undergo Surgery A Japanese court Wednesday ordered the shutdown of two nuclear reactors previously declared safe under post-Fukushima safety rules, a decision that comes just days before the fifth anniversary of the atomic disaster. The order will bring the number of operating reactors in Japan down to two. Dozens were shuttered in the wake of Fukushima, the world's worst nuclear accident in a generation The ruling by the Otsu District Court -- the first to force the shutdown of reactors switched on under stricter safety rules adopted after the 2011 disaster -- is a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's bid to bring back nuclear power. The ruling ordered the shuttering of Kansai Electric's No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at the Takahama nuclear plant, some 350 kilometres (215 miles) west of Tokyo. The No.4 reactor was taken offline last month due to an unexpected technical glitch days after it restarted, while the No. 3 reactor is currently operating. Kansai Electric said it would respect the "extremely regrettable" decision and shut down operations. But the utility firm said it would appeal. "This court order is not something the company can accept," it said in a statement. Television footage showed plaintiffs and local residents cheering and holding banners after the ruling. "I'm so happy and praise the court's courage," said one person celebrating outside the courthouse. The bid to restart Japan's nuclear reactors has become entangled in a web of lawsuits amid fears about another Fukushima-style accident. In December, another court sided with Kansai Electric by lifting a temporary injunction blocking the restart of the two reactors covered by Wednesday's ruling. - 'Landmark victory' - The latest case was filed by residents in neighbouring Shiga prefecture who argued that the reactors posed a risk to Lake Biwa, a key water source for the region. An accident similar to Fukushima would contaminate the lake, they argued. Story continues "This is a landmark victory for people living in the shadow of shut-down reactors across Japan and a devastating blow against the nuclear industry and the policies of the Abe government," said Hisayo Takada, deputy programme director at Greenpeace Japan. "Its a clear message that nuclear power has no place in Japans energy future." The decision comes about a week after three former executives of Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima plant, were indicted on criminal negligence charges over the 2011 accident. It will be the first criminal trial over responsibility for the tsunami-sparked reactor meltdowns that forced thousands from their homes in the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986. Two reactors in the southern prefecture of Kagoshima, operated by Kyushu Electric Power, restarted last year, ending the two-year hiatus in nuclear power generation. A pair of reactors were briefly switched on again after the accident but were then shuttered. Anti-nuclear sentiment still runs high in Japan and there was widespread opposition to restarts. Abe and utility companies have been pushing to get reactors back in operation, as the disaster forced Japan to turn to pricey fossil fuels to plug an energy gap left by the shutdowns. Abe has argued that resuming nuclear power is key to Japan's energy policy, but memories of Fukushima are still fresh for many. Japan's entire stable of reactors was shuttered in the aftermath of the disaster, when a huge undersea quake sent towering waves smashing into the coast, swamping the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and sparking reactor meltdowns. Japan has since set up an independent atomic watchdog, the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), replacing the previous arrangement where the industry ministry both oversaw the regulator and promoted nuclear power. Moscow (AFP) - A group of journalists on a tour organised by human rights activists in Chechnya was attacked by masked men on Wednesday, activists said, with their minibus burned and two reporters hospitalised. Nine people, including five journalists, were en route to Grozny, the main city in Chechnya, when their bus was cut off by several cars, according to the Committee to Prevent Torture which oversees a group of rights activists in Chechnya called the Joint Mobile Group. "Men in masks pulled journalists and employees outside and beat them. They burned the bus," the group said on its Facebook page. "Journalists from Norway and Sweden, our lawyer and the bus driver were hospitalised with injuries," it added. The rest of the group were testifying to Ingushetia policemen. A lawyer for the Committee to Prevent Torture (formerly known as the Committee Against Torture) Dmitry Utukin, told AFP that the incident happened in Ingushetiya, close to the border with Chechnya, but was likely orchestrated by Chechens. "This would not be in the interest of the Ingushetiya side, this would be in the interest of the Chechen side," he told AFP, since Chechnya has paid "a lot of attention" to the work of the committee and journalists operating on its territory. "They have watched the group from the moment the journalists arrived," he said of the unofficial press tour organised to take reporters to victims of human rights abuses and relatives of kidnapped people. He said it was the first press tour that was not organised by Chechen government and focused on the dark sides of the region where strongman leader Ramzan Kadyrov has little tolerance for any dissent. Last year the Joint Mobile Group's office in Grozny was destroyed by masked men after it criticised Kadyrov's policy to burn down houses belonging to relatives of suspected Islamists. Kadyrov is accused by rights activists and political opposition of running the region as his personal fiefdom with a private army, with wide use of kidnapping and torture and little oversight from Moscow. This year he issued threats against Kremlin critics and independent journalists, calling them "a gang of jackals" and offering to put them in an asylum. By Ted Siefer CONCORD, N.H. (Reuters) - A judge has denied bail for a New Hampshire man accused of being a mid-level organizer in a high-profile 2014 armed standoff with federal agents at the Nevada ranch of Cliven Bundy. Jerry DeLemus was ordered on Tuesday to remain jailed pending trial in connection with the standoff, which began when federal agents seized cattle at the ranch over unpaid grazing fees. The incident came to symbolize opposition to federal management of public lands in the West. Nineteen people have been indicted in the case, including Bundy and two of his sons, who face charges that include assault on a federal agent, threatening a law enforcement officer, conspiracy and firearms violations. In denying bail, U.S. District Court Judge Andrea Johnstone said DeLemus' actions at the Bundy ranch indicated he could "pose a serious danger to the community if released." DeLemus' attorney, Jonathan Saxe, had argued that while DeLemus held right-wing political beliefs, he was law-abiding and devoutly religious and had sought to bring a peaceful resolution to the standoff. "The government knows he's not dangerous because he's been out for two years and hes been in communication with the FBI," Saxe said at a court hearing on Monday. DeLemus made headlines in January when he traveled to remote eastern Oregon to join members of the Bundy family at another anti-government protest, meeting with the armed group who had taken over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The occupiers were led by Ammon Bundy, another son of Cliven Bundy, who along with brother Ryan faces charges in both the Nevada and Oregon incidents. DeLemus co-chairs the New Hampshire Veterans for Trump coalition organized by the presidential campaign of Republican businessman Donald Trump. DeLemus said that when he went to Oregon he was acting on his own and not as a representative of the Trump campaign. U.S. prosecutors in court papers accused DeLemus of being a gunman and mid-level organizer who joined in a conspiracy to commit an unprecedented and extremely violent and massive armed assault on federal law enforcement officers in the 2014 standoff. DeLemus wife is a Republican state representative and several Republican state legislators testified in support of him on Monday. (Editing by Barbara Goldberg) By George Obulutsa NAIROBI, March 9 (Reuters) - Kenya aims to start small-scale crude oil production from fields in its northwest next year and has commenced work on road and rail infrastructure that will be used to transport it, Energy and Petroleum Minister Charles Keter said on Tuesday. Africa Oil (LSE: 0QVL.L - news) and partner Tullow Oil (LSE: TLW.L - news) first struck oil in Lokichar in northwest Kenya in 2012. The recoverable reserves total an estimated 600 million barrels, which will feed into a crude pipeline from Uganda when built. Africa Oil and Tullow were 50-50 partners in blocks 10 BB and 13T where the discoveries were made. Africa Oil has since sold a 25 percent stake in those blocks to A.P. Moller-Maersk . Keter said they were proceeding with plans to start small scale production by next year, and that roads connecting the oilfields to Eldoret, in the west, were being improved, along with a railway from Eldoret to the port city of Mombasa. "The production which we have talked with Tullow, with oil prices at $30, they will be able to produce about 2,000 barrels per day. But they are not going to go into full-scale production for commercialisation," Keter told a news conference. Tullow said in 2014 production could start as early as 2016, but it would have to be initially trucked out by road and rail. Last week, Tanzania and Uganda's presidents said the two countries were planning to build a pipeline from Ugandan oil fields to the Tanzanian coast, a move that could strike a blow to Kenyan pipeline plans. Uganda, which has yet to start oil production, raised the possibility of a Tanzanian pipeline route last year. Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta made a joint call in August to implement a pipeline via Kenya's northern region "without further delay". Keter said they were still negotiating the best pipeline route, and the final decision will be made at the next meeting of presidents of the East African Community. Resolving the pipeline route is vital in helping oil firms involved in Uganda and Kenya make a final investment decision on developing oilfields. Tullow, Africa Oil and A.P. Moller-Maersk aim fore a final investment decision for commercial production in early 2017. (Reporting by George Obulutsa; editing by Edith Honan and David Evans) NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya and Japan on Wednesday signed a 46 billion yen ($408 million) loan agreement to go towards building a 140 megawatt (MW) geothermal power plant that is expected to be operational within the next two years, the two governments said. The plant, know as Olkaria V, will be built by Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), which has said it expects to begin construction in July, with the plant arriving on the grid by the end of 2018. The plant is part of KenGen's plans to add 720 MW of electricity - most of it from geothermal sources - to the grid between this year and 2020, at a cost of just over $2 billion. "The credit we have received today will fund the construction of a power generation plant to tap on the vast geothermal steam at Olkaria Geothermal field for generation of additional 140 MW electricity to be put to the national grid," National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich said after signing the agreement. The Olkaria field is in Kenya's Rift Valley. Kenya, which depends mostly on renewable energy such as geothermal and hydro power, plans to increase it power generating capacity to about 6,700 MW by 2017, from about 2,500 MW currently. It also aims to cut electricity bills, tackling problems regularly blamed for holding back Kenyan business. KenGen has a commitment to produce 844 MW for the grid under the plan, and says it had already added 374 MW. Rotich said that another project - the 300 MW Lake Turkana Wind Power - was expected to add 90 MW to the grid by the end of this year, and another 200 MW by the end of next year. ($1 = 112.7700 yen) (Reporting by George Obulutsa; Editing by Edith Honan and Mark Potter) OTTAWA (Reuters) - The United States sees no urgent need for a new energy pipeline between Canada and the United States, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday, in a broadcast interview ahead of a visit to Washington by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The U.S. government will evaluate new proposals individually, but is looking at new, cleaner technologies, Kerry said to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. "We have some 300 pipelines, it's not as if we're pipeline-less," Kerry said, according to a story on the broadcaster's website. "Things change, technologies in particular help to change things, and we need to push the technology curve." Trudeau will attend a state dinner on Thursday, becoming the first Canadian leader to do so since 1997, as the two countries aim to fix a frayed relationship. U.S. President Barack Obama last year blocked the cross-border Keystone XL crude oil pipeline proposed by TransCanada Corp in a victory for environmentalists. (Reporting by Rod Nickel in Ottawa; Editing by David Gregorio) Kampala (AFP) - Ugandan police Wednesday reported a break-in at two offices of lawyers representing a Ugandan presidential candidate who had challenged winner Yoweri Museveni in court. The candidate, former prime minister Amama Mbabazi, accused police of involvement in the burglary, during which computers and files were reportedly taken. Kampala police spokesman Patrick Onyango told AFP: "There was a report of suspected burglary at the offices of the two law firms, and the guards who were manning the premises have been taken to police for questioning," Museveni swept to his fifth election victory last month with 61 percent of the vote. Mbabazi, who won less than two percent of the vote, launched a petition last week at the Supreme Court challenging the win by Museveni citing voter bribery and arrests. Observers said the cards were heavily stacked against Museveni's opponents, as the 71-year-old's grip on his party and country -- and his access to state resources -- meant the result was never in any doubt. Mbabazi, a former close ally of Museveni, accused the police of involvement. "The police were seen to have come here. They came, they broke (in and) they took away whatever they took," Mbabazi said during a televised interview after the incident, claims dismissed by the police. "So I report to whom? They should be the ones to come and tell me, 'we came in, we didn't find you, then we broke in'." Kampala's Daily Monitor newspaper reported that computers and case files were taken. Museveni's closest rival, opposition chief Kizza Besigye, was arrested multiple times during the election and was blocked from making a similar petition, his party chief has said. LAGOS (Reuters) - At least 30 people were killed when a five-storey building still under construction collapsed in Nigeria's megacity and commercial capital Lagos, officials said on Wednesday. The Lagos state government said the house collapsed on Tuesday after the owners had added floors despite lacking a permit from authorities, which had sealed off the site -- a common problem in the West African nation where law enforcement is weak. Aid officials had initially put the death toll at four but relief workers pulled out more bodies from the rubble by Wednesday afternoon. Thirteen people were rescued, officials said. The building site located in the popular Lekki district on the Lagos peninsula had been inhabited by workers and their families. "After they (the owners) finished building the house, rain fell and the house shifted a bit. They put iron in front of the house (but) the iron couldn't hold the house," said Victor Suru, a brick layer working on the site. "They left it like that and continued building." The Lagos state government told the management of the builder to report to police or face arrest. "It has also been discovered that in a brazen act of defiance and impunity, the owners of the building ... criminally unsealed the property and continued building beyond the approved floors," the state government said in a statement. (Reporting by Sharon Ogunleye; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Alison Williams) By Steve Scherer ROME (Reuters) - Italy warned on Wednesday that Western military intervention in Libya could worsen an already volatile situation in which some 5,000 Islamic State (IS) militants in the country are seeking allies from local forces. Italy would be prepared to provide military forces only at the request of a long-delayed Libyan national unity government and after parliamentary approval, Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni told parliament. Referring to IS by its Arabic acronym Daesh, Gentiloni said the government would not be tempted by the "drum roll of war". "To whomever uses the threat of Daesh, which is a real threat that we must defend ourselves against, to invoke military interventions, we respond that military interventions are not the solution," Gentiloni said. "They could even make the problem worse." The New York Times reported on Tuesday that the Pentagon last month gave the White House a plan for up to 40 air strikes against IS in Libya but that plans are on hold pending diplomacy. Western intervention without a request from a national unity government could push local Islamist militias into the arms of IS, Gentiloni said. The United States and the European Union have said they agree with Italy that deeper military involvement will require a request by the Libyan government. Italy said last week it had sent some 40 secret service agents to Libya, with an additional 50 special forces operatives set to join them. Efforts to establish a U.N.-backed unity government in Libya have been stalled by resistance from hardliners, prompting Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to warn on Tuesday that rival Libyan factions do not have an "infinite" amount of time to make a deal. Parliament would have to sign off on the use of military force and without a U.N.-backed government in Libya Renzi would likely encounter resistance even within his own Democratic Party. Italy has been more cautious than its U.S. and French allies. The United States launched an air strike on an IS training camp last month and France has conducted surveillance flights and sent military advisers. U.S., French and British special forces are also present in the country, officials and media have said. Gentiloni said targeted and "proportionate" strikes against IS should not be ruled out in the name of national security, but added that the eventual use of force should not seen as the only way to help Libya. "It's not fighting terrorism that will stabilize Libya. Mixing up self-defense with Libyan stability is not helpful," he said. (Reporting by Steve Scherer; editing by Philip Pullella and Toby Chopra) You might not think the National Cannabis Industry Association, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and National Mining Association have much in common. But they have this: Lobbyists for these organizations have donated money to the presidential campaign of Democrat Bernie Sanders, the self-described socialist who has regularly castigated special interests and the government influence industry. In fact, nearly two-dozen federally registered lobbyists have given money to Sanders presidential campaign, according to a Center for Public Integrity review of campaign finance records and data obtained from the Center for Responsive Politics. Sanders has painted himself as a different kind of politician, running a different kind of campaign. When he launched his presidential bid last May, he proclaimed: Today, we stand here and say loudly and clearly that enough is enough. This great nation and its government belong to all of the people, and not to a handful of billionaires, their super PACs and their lobbyists. Its a theme Sanders has revisited time and again on the campaign trail, in advertisements and during debates against front-runner Hillary Clinton. But unlike President Barack Obama, who refused campaign contributions from registered lobbyists, Sanders campaign confirmed it does not ban lobbyists from making contributions even as Sanders has called on the Democratic Party to maintain a ban, implemented by Obama, on lobbyists giving to the Democratic National Committee. Campaign officials declined to say whether Sanders would return, or otherwise dispose of, contributions received from registered lobbyists. They also declined to say whether the campaign would change its policy regarding donations from registered lobbyists. One of the many messages our campaign has effectively sent to the political establishment of this country is that the American people have had enough of the billionaire class buying elections, Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver told the Center for Public Integrity. Story continues Added Mike Casca, Sanders rapid response director: "Bernies campaign is fueled by individual contributions averaging under $30 not lobbyists bundling six figures at private events." A Clinton campaign spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This story is part of Buying of the President 2016. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. To be sure, lobbyist donations about $3,200 overall represent a tiny fraction of the more than $96 million raised Sanders has raised for his underdog presidential bid. About 70 percent of that sum comes from small-dollar donors who have given Sanders $200 or less. Sanders anti-big money, anti-special interest mantra has resonated with many voters, who have lifted him to victory against Clinton in several primary and caucus contests. The lobbyist cash the Sanders campaign has collected has come from traditionally left-leaning causes: labor unions, environmentalists, the American Civil Liberties Union. For instance, John M. Walsh, a lobbyist for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, contributed $500 to Sanders last year. Other labor lobbyists giving Sanders money include Ian Hoffmann, a lobbyist for the American Federation of Government Employees, who contributed $235, and Michael Dolan, a lobbyist for the Teamsters, who gave $100. Each lobbyist declined to comment. Lobbyist Michael Correia of the National Cannabis Industry Association also donated $500 to Sanders last year. Thats tied for the largest amount among Sanders lobbyist contributors to date. Correia, who also gave $500 to Republican Rand Paul, told the Center for Public Integrity he contributed to both presidential campaigns because it was an opportunity to reward somebody for being a leader on cannabis policy. In November, Sanders introduced a bill to decriminalize marijuana. I can understand when he uses the rhetoric about lobbyists or the power of corporations I get that, Correia continued, adding that lobbying the government is a constitutionally protected right. I can proudly say that Im a lobbyist Im doing something that I think is right and on the right side of history. That sentiment was reiterated by other lobbyists contacted by the Center for Public Integrity. One Sanders-supporting lobbyist who refused to be quoted by name said: Im a good lobbyist and insisted that not all lobbyists are unethical. Most lobbyists whove contributed to Sanders campaign simply didnt want to discuss their donations. Unfortunately, I cant discuss my personal political affiliations on the record, said Ian Thompson, a lobbyist at the American Civil Liberties Union who has given $170 to Sanders. I respectfully decline comment, echoed Robert Henson, a lobbyist at Credit Union National Association who has donated $100 to Sanders. Likewise, Amanda Aspatore, a lobbyist at the National Mining Association who has given Sanders $250, declined to discuss her contribution. Im not going to comment on that, she said. Chris Zubak-Skees contributed to this report. This story is part of Buying of the President 2016. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C. This week, Kim Kardashian West did something she has done many, many times before: She posted a picture of herself on Instagram. This particular image, however, got a little more attention than her typical selfie. Thats probably because it went like this: When you're like I have nothing to wear LOL A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Mar 7, 2016 at 12:07am PST So, yes. (Forgive me, Mr. Emerson.) But stop looking at the picture. Look, instead, at the caption Kim appended to her Insta: When youre like I have nothing to wear LOL. Look, in particular, at that dangling LOL. Kim is doing a lot of things in the photosnapping a selfie, gazing at her reflected image with a mixture of curiosity and wonderment, being nakedbut laughing is definitely not one of them. Related Stories And, you know, of course it isnt. Kim is a person who takes her body very seriously, not just in the way most of us do, but also in a way that acknowledges its status as a Boorstinian media event and a means of capitalistic production. Kims LOL offers, instead of laughter, an ironic aaaaaand scene to the humblebrag shes typed into her Instagram caption field. There is pretty much nobody in the world who is less likely to find herself with nothing to wear than Kim Kardashian West; her LOL acknowledges that. Her LOL suggests the many threads of irony required to weave an outfit of black-rectangled censors. Her LOL is a wink, rendered as an acronym. Her LOL functions as, essentially, a punctuation mark. Its been some time now since LOL, as deployed by mortals not named Kim Kardashian West, has meant by default what it originally did: laughing out loud. (Online chats Ive had with colleagues who are sitting within earshot confirm that their typed-out LOLs are very rarely evidence of the real thing; since that suggests the failing either of LOL or of me, full disclosure, I have kind of a vested interest in LOLs fundamental unfunniness.) And, indeed: As early as 2001, the linguist David Crystalthe same man who is now trying to bring more LOLs to Shakespearewas wondering, How many people are actually laughing out loud when they send LOL? The linguist Gretchen McCulloch wrote, in 2013, Id argue that LOL (commonly without caps) barely indicates an internal, silent chuckle, never mind an uproarious, audible guffaw. Story continues Recommended: The Return of the Black Panther Its true. But its not just that LOL, the stuff of the Vintage Internet, has gone soft in its old age, suggesting hilarity that is politely introverted rather than raucously audible. Its more that LOL, at this point, has lost most of its sense of humor. While the term has certainly stopped meaning, literally, laughing out loud, it has also ceased to indicateto a large extent if not the full onelaughter of any kind at all. Last May, Facebook analyzed the ways people e-laugh (haha, hehe, the laughter emoji) on its platform. The analysis found that of the 15 percent of Facebook users who included some form of digital laughter in their posts during the week Facebook studied, the most common of these was haha (51.4 percent of laughter), followed by laughing emoji (33.7 percent) and hehe (13.1). As for LOL? It accounted for only 1.9 percent of Facebooks digital chuckles. Here is a naked Kim Kardashian, talking about having no clothes. That is not haha funny. It is LOL funny. And yet! LOL is still so common! There it remains, peppering WhatsApp chats and Slack conversations and Twitter posts and Facebook updates and the Instagram captions of Kim Kardashian West. There it is, as palindromic and seemingly popular as ever. There it is, still suggestive of hahas and hehes and Face With Tears of Joy. There it is, ready to be deployed when youre not quiiiiiite sure whether that Tinder guy youve been texting with was joking about Trump or (oh nooooo) very much not. There it is, ready and willinglike the tilde and the ALL-CAPS and the ironic emojito destabilize language, productively. There it is, doing its part to cloak digital communications in a warm blanket of interpersonal ambiguity. So its not that LOL, strictly speaking, has gone the way of ROFL and fleek and baeits not that LOL, as The Awl bluntly declared in writing about the Facebook study last year, has died. On the contrary: It is still vital. It is still common. It has simply, like so many other pieces of Internet slang, evolved to encompass more than its original meaning. As the linguist John McWhorter summed it up in 2013: LOL isnt funny anymore. Recommended: 'New Girl,' Megan Fox, and the Power of Sitcom Shakeup McWhorter gave, in his essay on the matter, the example of Jocelyn and Annabelle, two friends who are texting with each other. Jocelyn texts where have you been? McWhorter wrote, and Annabelle texts back LOL at the library studying for two hours. How funny is that, really? (Not very.) Instead, McWhorter argued, the LOL in the womens exchange is standing in as, effectively, a marker for empathy. It is replacing the things that can be achieved in an in-person conversationthe nodding of the head, the contact of the eyes, the tiny gestures that together lend the L to the IRLwith a three-letter symbol. LOL, McWhorter put it, no longer means anything. Rather, it does somethingconveying an attitudejust as the ending ed doesnt mean anything but conveys past tense. LOL is, of all things, grammar. LOL replaces the tiny gestures that put the L in the IRLnods, winks, sighswith a three-letter symbol. So back tothe place where all things will probably go, in the endKim Kardashian West. Her LOL, on the one hand, is functioning in just the way McWhorter predicted: It is acting as a punctuation mark. It is transcending verbal meaning, and also reveling in it. It is expressing the kind of meta-emotion that is very easy to make clear in in-person conversations and very difficult to make clear in other kinds. Kims LOL, however, differs from its predecessors in a significant way. The LOL she has deployed in her Instagram caption is not about empathy, really; that would defeat the purpose of her broadcast-driven, demi-goddessian relationship with her fans and her followers. Instead, her LOL suggests a kind of ironic ambivalence: Its a winking acknowledgement that what she is saying about herself is, indeed, a joke. Not in the this will make you laugh sense, but in the deeper, more shadowed, more ironic sense. Here is a naked Kim Kardashian, talking about having no clothes. That is not haha funny. It is LOL funny. Which is also to say that Kim Kardashian Westwith her naked selfie and her naked selfhave done what centuries worth of writers have failed to do: create punctuation that suggests, in its winking way, sarcasm. The 19th-century poet Alcanter de Brahm proposed a point dironiea piece of punctuation that resembled a backwards question mark. It failed to catch on. The 20th-century novelist Herve Bazin tried to revive Brahms suggestionagain, to no effect. Ambrose Bierce offered the snigger point (a horizontal parenthesis, or ) to punctuate every jocular or ironical sentence. Nabokov suggested a special typographical sign for a smilesome sort of concave mark, a supine round bracket. A father-and-son team in Michigan, in 2008, filed a patent for the SarcMarkthe official, easy-to-use punctuation mark to emphasize a sarcastic phrase, sentence, or message. You can guess how that went [insert SarcMark here]. Recommended: The Obama Doctrine But then, after all those efforts from the masters of language writ large, comes Kim Kardashian. A reality star armed with nothing but a penchant for selfies, a massive Instagram following, and a sentenceWhen youre like I have nothing to wearthat contains no punctuation but LOL. Of course, though, its not just Kim who has achieved this. Kims LOL comes on the heels of every other LOL that has, on platforms large and small, questioned and sarcasmed and #sorrynotsorry-ed and otherwise made words richer and fuller with its presence. Kims LOL is ironic, to be sure; it whiffs, slightly, of lolnothingmatters, that most nihilistic of post-modern catchphrases. But her LOL is also, in its way, optimistic, and telling of the times: The LOL in when youre like I have nothing to wear LOL occupies the spot where, in more formal English, a period would be. And it swaps that ancient marks suggestion of finality with one of suggestive invitation. Kims when youre like adopts the framework of the meme, communal and conversational and vaguely conspiratorial; her LOL seals the deal. Kim, a human who is also a piece of media, is welcoming you to reply to her. She is in fact daring you to reply to her. Her LOL replaces the logic of the period with the logic of the ellipsis. Her LOL is, much more than her photo ... seductive. It suggests that Kims caption and her picture and her self are similar, in their way, to language: mysterious, compelling, and never, thank goodness, quite finished. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. T next Democratic presidential debate will take place in Miami on Wednesday, March 9. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will face off at Miami-Dade Community College. The debate will begin at 9 p.m. Eastern, according to the Washington Post, and Generally, the Democratic debates have started and ended on time, well within the 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. timeframe. On the Republican side, however, debates have often gone on much longer, largely because the candidate pool was much larger; The second Republican Univision and the Washington Post will host the debate, and CNN will air the debate. Univision will air the debate as well, in Spanish. Maria Elena Salinas and Jorge Ramos of Univision and Karen Tumulty of the Washington Post will moderate. The Republican presidential candidates will participate in a debate hosted by SKOPJE (Reuters) - Macedonia has closed its border completely to illegal migrants after Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia announced tight new restrictions on migrant entry, a police official said on Wednesday. Thousands of migrants have built up on the Greek side of the Macedonian border. Macedonia had been allowing small numbers of Syrians and Iraqis through but stopped this after its neighbors tightened up their policies. "We have completely closed the border," the police official, who declined to be named, told Reuters. According to the Macedonian Interior Ministry, no migrants entered from Greece on Tuesday. "Macedonia will act according to the decisions taken by other countries on the Balkan route," an Interior Ministry spokesman said, referring to the main routes taken by more than a million migrants to reach the European Union over the last year. Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia said on Tuesday they would place new restrictions on the entry of migrants. The decisions were announced hours after EU leaders outlined an agreement intended to end a mass movement to reach wealthy countries in Europe from war zones. Croatia's Interior Minister Vlaho Orepic told a news conference on Wednesday in Zagreb that the new decision meant reestablishing of a "regular border regime". "The essence of this is to firmly stick to a regular border regime and to be ready to react to any exceptional circumstances," Orepic said. He added that talks were proceeding on return of 408 migrants, currently stranded in a camp in Croatia, to Greece. Around 1,000 migrants remain stranded in a refugee camp on the Macedonian side of the Serbian border while more than 400 are stranded in "No Man's Land" between Serbia and Macedonia. They refuse to go back to Macedonia and are not being allowed to cross in to Serbia. (Reporting by Kole Casule, additional reporting by Igor Ilic in Zagreb writing by Ivana Sekularac and Adrian Croft; Editing by Ralph Boulton) Skopje (AFP) - Not a single migrant has entered Macedonia for the past two days, police said Wednesday, but denied that the country had closed its border with Greece entirely. Thousands of migrants are blocked on the Greek-Macedonia border after a string of western Balkan nations closed their borders in the face of Europe's worst migration crisis since World War II. "The decision of the (Macedonian) authorities is to allow the entry of the number of migrants equivalent to those who can leave its territory," a police spokeswoman told AFP. "Over the past two or three days no migrants left Macedonia and that is the reason why no entry was registered since Monday morning," spokeswoman Natalija Spirova said. She denied that the former Yugoslav republic has shut its border with Greece. "That is not true, there is no such decision for the time being and there would be no one as long as the committee in charge of the (migrants) issue does no meet." That committee could not meet later on Wednesday as both defence and foreign affairs minister were abroad, she explained. The so-called Balkans route used by hundreds of thousands of people in recent months was closed at midnight after EU member Slovenia barred entry for transiting migrants allowing only those with visas. The move was aimed at discouraging new migrants to take the long journey towards their final destinations in northern Europe. Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia immediately followed the lead. The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said Wednesday that as a result some 1,500 to 2,000 migrants were blocked in Serbia. Meanwhile Croatia said a total of 408 migrants were accommodated in the country's refugee centre in the eastern town of Slavonski Brod. "We are currently defining (the manner of) their return to Greece," Interior Minister Vlaho Orepic told reporters at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic. He estimated that "zero" entries of migrants was a "positive result for Croatia and our neighbours." More than a million people have crossed the Aegean Sea into Greece since the start of 2015, many from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq and most aiming to reach wealthy Germany, Austria and Scandinavia. San Francisco del Rincon (Mexico) (AFP) - Former Mexican president Vicente Fox said Tuesday that authorities have yet to extradite drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman because they fear that he could "spill the beans" about corrupt politicians. "If I were president, I would extradite him immediately," Fox, who led the country from 2000 to 2006, told AFP in an interview at his Centro Fox office located at a ranch in central Guanajuato state. "Why hasn't he been extradited? Perhaps because there is fear that he will squeal, that he will spill the beans." President Enrique Pena Nieto's administration refused to extradite Guzman after he was arrested in February 2014 and the Sinaloa drug cartel leader humiliated the authorities by escaping through a tunnel 17 months later. After Guzman was recaptured in January, Pena Nieto changed his mind and called on the attorney general's office to speed up the extradition process. Guzman's lawyer said last week that the capo himself wants to be extradited quickly because the prison conditions are unbearable. But Fox spoke of "those who are afraid of this." Asked whether he was referring to claims that Guzman bought off politicians for protection, Fox said: "I don't doubt it for a minute." A woman identified as Guzman's daughter is among those who made the accusations. Fox noted, however, that all the major parties, including his former National Action Party and Pena Nieto's PRI, have had their share of scandals. "He who is not guilty, let him cast the first stone," he said. "The infiltration of narco money in politics is a constant danger. It is a way of laundering money, but also of getting cushy jobs and getting power directly." Fox has his own embarrassing history with Guzman. The former Coca-Cola executive had been in power for less than two months when Guzman made his first spectacular prison break, reportedly fleeing a maximum-security penitentiary inside a laundry cart in January 2001. "He wouldn't have escaped from the first prison if it not had been for corruption. He wouldn't have escaped a second time if it not had been for corruption," Fox said. The authorities have arrested more than 30 people in connection with Guzman's July escape, including cartel associates, prison guards, the warden and the head of the nation's penitentiary system. By Suzannah Gonzales (Reuters) - A Minnesota man pleaded guilty on Tuesday and was sentenced to three years probation for making death threats against a federal judge and law enforcement officers, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota said. Khaalid Abdulkadir is subject to electronic monitoring for two of the three years' probation and his Internet usage will be monitored, said Ben Petok, a spokesman for the office. Abdulkadir had threatened on Twitter to kill a federal judge and agents after the arrest of a friend who was charged with conspiring to provide material support to Islamic State, court records said. U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier told Abdulkadir to avoid any websites linked to terrorists or extremists, Petok said. "The three years of probation he will begin serving today is a strong reminder that threatening federal officials with violence is not a legitimate means of voicing dissent, but will be prosecuted forcefully by my office," U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger said in a statement. Abdulkadir had been in federal custody since his December arrest, Petok said. "I am just grateful that the government realized how weak its case was and finally offered a resolution that permitted Khaalid to immediately go home," said Christopher Madel, a lawyer for Abdulkadir. "He's home now, and his entire family is elated," Madel said. (Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales and Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Tom Brown and Leslie Adler) A 39-hour filibuster conducted by Democratic legislators aiming to hold up the vote on a "religious freedom" bill has been stopped. On Wednesday morning, the Missouri Senate passed the bill, which would effectively allow individuals or businesses to discriminate against same-sex couples. The filibuster began at 4 p.m. Central on March 7. "The measure would amend the Missouri Constitution to prohibit the government from punishing individuals and businesses that refuse on religious grounds to provide goods or services for marriage ceremonies or celebrations of same-sex couples," according to the Kansas City Star. "That could include coverage for florists or bakers, who in other states have faced legal challenges for declining to provide services for same-sex weddings." This anti-LGBT bill, officially known as Senate Joint Resolution 39, passed 23-9 on the Missouri State Capitol floor after Republicans in the chamber used a "procedural move" to bring the Jefferson City talk-a-thon to an end, according to NBC News. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has openly decried the anti-LGBT legislation, but if the bill makes it past the next rounds of votes next week in the Missouri Senate again, followed by the state's House of Representatives the Missouri voters would ultimately decide whether Senate Joint Resolution 39 is approved or not. Inspired by senators' heroic stand against discrimination in #MO. The nation is watching & cheering you on! #SJR39 #NotInMyState Jeffrey Mittman, executive director of the ACLU of Missouri, is concerned about the precedent this bill may set. "This bill would enshrine discrimination in our state constitution by allowing taxpayer-funded organizations like adoption and foster care agencies and homeless shelters to refuse serving LGBT families, in addition to countless other harmful consequences," Mittman said in a statement Wednesday, according to NBC News. Mitt Romney appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday night to speak about what else? Donald Trump. Telling Kimmel that he felt he had to speak out against Trump for the sake of his family, Romney referenced his speech last week when the 2012 GOP nominee told voters that If we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished." Kimmel then had the former Massachusetts governor read aloud tweets about himself as a mini version of his "Mean Tweets" segment, including tweets that Trump himself posted after Romney called him a "con man" and a "fraud" in his speech. In the "Mean Tweets" segment (that Kimmel said was actually Romney's idea), he read aloud what Trump and his supporters thought of him after his anti-Trump speech. Read More: Donald Trump Blasts Mitt Romney; Chris Christie Says He's Not a "Hostage" "Mitt Romney had his chance and blew it. Lindsey Graham ran for president, got ZERO, and quit! Why are they now spokesmen against me? Sad!" was Trump's tweet that Romney started off with. "@mittromney = loser," said one tweet, quite simply. "That's true, actually. I lost," joked Romney. One tweet said he met Romney years ago and he was "working on a time machine to go back and punch him in the throat." Romney told Kimmel that Trump failing to disavow David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan was "the straw that broke the camel's back" when it came to speaking out against the presidential candidate. Romney added that he has offered to help all three of the remaining candidates (Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich) to fight Trump. He added that he has no top choice, but will back anyone who can beat Trump in the GOP race. Kimmel pushed Romney about what he would do if Trump got the nomination (if he would vote for Hillary Clinton), but Romney said he would "write in someone with conservative values" if it came to that. Read More: 'SNL': Jason Sudeikis Returns to Play Mitt Romney JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Ratings firm Moody's will visit South Africa in the next week to decide whether to downgrade its credit status to just one notch above sub-investment grade, the Treasury said on Wednesday. "This review visit will primarily serve to either affirm the current ratings or downgrade them," it said in a statement. On Tuesday, Moody's said it was placing South Africa's Baa2 ratings on review for downgrade, citing the economy's weak growth prospects and the government's worsening fiscal position. [nFWN16G023] (Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana; Editing by Ed Cropley) LONDON, March 9 (Reuters) - American Alexander Rossi will be official reserve driver for Manor Racing this season while also competing in the U.S.-based Indy Racing League (IRL), the Formula One team said on Wednesday. Rossi raced for the F1 team last year when they were known as Marussia. The team said he would be the first driver to perform simultaneous IndyCar and F1 roles. The Californian will attend 11 grands prix with Manor Racing, starting with Russia at the end of April, and be available to stand in at short notice if required. Only five of those races take place during the IRL season. "I've invested most of my career in F1 and I'm not one to kick my heels and wait for things to happen, so this is my way of staying sharp and prepared," said Rossi. The Mercedes-powered team's regular race drivers are both rookies, German Pascal Wehrlein and Indonesian Rio Haryanto. Rossi said it had been disappointing to miss out on a race seat with Manor but he now had a dual program at the highest level of motorsport. "I'm confident this experience will add to my role as a very important cog in an F1 team's wheel," he added. "My schedule this year is demanding, but no more than a full time F1 schedule." The Formula One season starts in Australia next week. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ken Ferris) An oil worker on a platform off Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Nigerian trade unions have shut down the offices of the countrys state-run oil company in protest at plans to reorganize the company, raising the prospect of fuel shortages. The Nigerian petroleum minister, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, announced on Thursday that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) would be unbundled into 30 profit-making companies. Despite cutting monthly losses from around 30 billion naira ($151 million) in August 2015, the NNPCs deficit still stood at three billion naira ($15 million) in January. The NNPC announced late on Tuesday that the reorganization had been approved and that the corporation had been divided into seven autonomous units. The restructuring was opposed by two of the main trade unions in Nigerias oil and gas sector, who issued a notice to their members to mobilize for a strike on Wednesday, according to Nigerian news portal The Cable. NNPC offices were shut across the country on Wednesday as workers halted operations, according to Nigerias Premium Times. We do not accept any unilateral arbitrary restructuring. The minister cannot restructure NNPC without carrying all stakeholders along, Lumumba Okugbawa, Acting General Secretary of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), told Premium Times. Okugbawa said Kachkwu had gone about the restructuring in a secretive manner and had not consulted the unions about workers interests. Kachikwu had insisted that the reorganization was not result in unnecessary job losses. Newsweek tried to contact the general secretary of the other union involved in the strike, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), but was unable to gain a connection. The strike raises the spectre of further oil shortages in Nigeria, which has already been hit by limited oil production due to attacks on pipelines. Story continues The NNPC closed two of its four refineriesin the southern city of Port Harcourt and Kaduna in central Nigeriain January after militants sabotaged pipelines, causing supply problems and costing the country $2.4 million per day, according to Nigerian power minister Babatunde Fashola. The Port Harcourt refinery was reopened over the weekend but the Kaduna refinery and another facility at Warri in southwestern Nigeria remain closed. On Sunday The NNPC said that it had been importing the equivalent of 45 million liters of refined fuel per day in order to plug the gap, but this has not stopped huge queues amassing at petrol stations as Nigerians struggle to get gas. Nigeria is heavily dependent upon oil for its economythe oil and gas sector accounts for about 35 percent of the countrys GDP and petroleum exports constitute more than 90 percent of the total value of Nigerian exports. The country has struggled to deal with plummeting oil prices, with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari so far resisting pressure to devalue the naira in order to cope with falling foreign exchange revenues. Related Articles SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast city of Wonsan early on Thursday, flying approximately 500 km (300 miles), South Korea's military said. North Korea has a large stockpile of short-range missiles and is developing long-range and intercontinental missiles. Reports of the missiles being fired coincide with already heightened tension on the Korean peninsula after the North conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket last month, leading to new U.N. Security Council and bilateral U.S. sanctions. The North fired six rockets into the sea last week using a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) from Wonsan, supervised by leader Kim Jong Un who ordered his military to be prepared to launch pre-emptive attacks against enemies. Kim said on Wednesday his country has miniaturized nuclear warheads to mount on ballistic missiles and ordered improvements in the power and precision of its arsenal in his first direct comment about nuclear warhead miniaturization. State Department spokesman John Kirby declined to comment on Kim's claim to have miniaturized nuclear warheads and accused him of "provocative rhetoric." "I'd say the young man needs to pay more attention to the North Korean people and taking care of them than in pursuing these sorts of reckless capabilities," Kirby said. The Pentagon said this week it had not seen North Korea demonstrate a capability to miniaturize a nuclear warhead. But Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said the department was working on U.S. ballistic missile defenses to be prepared. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 but its claim to have set off a miniaturized hydrogen bomb has been disputed by the U.S. and South Korean governments and many experts. U.S. and South Korean troops began large-scale military drills this week, which the North called "nuclear war moves" and threatened to respond with an all-out offensive. (Reporting by Jack Kim and Ju-min Park in Seoul and David Brunnstrom and David Alexander in Washington; Editing by Grant McCool) By Kim Palmer CLEVELAND (Reuters) - An Ohio grand jury indicted a man on murder and assault charges for the fatal shooting of his brother, a church pastor, during a Sunday service, county prosecutors said on Wednesday. A Montgomery County grand jury charged 68-year-old Daniel Gregory Schooler, of Dayton, with one count of aggravated murder; and two counts each of murder, felonious assault and having weapons while under disability. The last charge meant he was not legally allowed to have a gun due to a previous conviction. Dayton police said Reverend William B. Schooler, 70, was shot four times with a stolen .380 caliber handgun, with the final shot witnessed by the pastor's wife of 49 years, Helen Schooler. A court-appointed attorney for Daniel Schooler could not immediately be reached for comment. Police and the prosecutors have said they do not know the motive for the shooting, which occurred Feb. 28 inside the office of St. Peter's Missionary Baptist Church in Dayton. "This defendant coldly shot and killed his own brother, inside a church. It is a tragedy that a well-respected and beloved pastor lost his life due to violence at the hands of a relative," Montgomery prosecutor Mat Heck, Jr. said. In 2011, Schooler filed a lawsuit against his brother, seeking $25,000 in a dispute over their parents' estate. Schooler represented himself in the case, which was eventually dismissed by a Montgomery County judge. Schooler was in custody on a $1 million bond, and if convicted faces 19 years to life in prison. He was scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday. (Reporting by Kim Palmer, Editing by Ben Klayman and Richard Chang) * Los Angeles against European glamour cities for 2024 Games * US Olympic Committee working hard to mend fences with IOC (Adds USOC quotes) By Steve Keating BEVERLY HILLS, Calif, March 8 (Reuters) - Even as U.S. presidential hopeful Donald Trump raises concerns among world leaders, the mayor of Los Angeles is confident that whoever reaches the White House will not hurt his city's chances of landing the 2024 Olympics. "This is something that transcends politics," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said at the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) media summit on Tuesday. "Sports doesn't ask what your party affiliation is. "When the dust settles on these presidential campaigns and we have a new president he or she will squarely be behind Los Angeles' bid to bring these Games back to the U.S. "This is something that breaks down walls and something that brings us together." Making that pitch to the International Olympic Committee, who will select a 2024 host in 2017, could prove challenging if Trump wins the U.S. presidency in November and follows through on his plans to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border and ban Muslims from entering the United States. Los Angeles is up against European glamour cities Paris, Rome and Budapest in the race to host the 2024 Summer Games. USOC chairman Larry Probst conceded that at a time when Los Angeles is throwing out a welcome mat to the world the anti-immigration rhetoric being put forward by some presidential candidates will not make the challenge any easier. "At the end of the day this is about building positive relationships with the IOC membership," Probst said after a USOC board meeting where they were briefed by LA24 officials. "There are extraneous things we can't control. "We have to work as hard as we can at building those relationships with the voting members." The USOC has felt the sting from an international backlash before as New York's bid for the 2012 Summer Games and Chicago's attempt to land the 2016 Olympics were soundly rejected, much of that attributed to a strong anti-American sentiment within the IOC at the time. "Our relationship within the IOC was not terrific if you look back six or seven years ago and (we) have worked really hard to rebuild those relationships," said Probst. "That process is well underway and I think we are in a much better place than where we were a few years ago. "The feedback has been positive across the board. I have heard nothing but compliments about everything so far." Countries bidding to host and Olympics have counted on their leaders to put them over the top. Russian President Vladimir Putin led his country's bid for the 2014 Sochi Winter Games while British Prime Minister Tony Blair went to Singapore to trumpet London's successful bid for 2012 Olympics. "Politicians, if they are good, reflect the people they represent and I know how the American people feel about the Olympics and I know how they feel about Olympians and Paralympians," said Garcetti. "I know that the Paralympic Games and Olympic Games is something that touches our hearts and any good President is going to follow with that spirit." (Editing by Frank Pingue) By Steve Keating BEVERLY HILLS, Calif, March 8 (Reuters) - Even as U.S. presidential hopeful Donald Trump raises concerns among world leaders, the mayor of Los Angeles is confident that whoever reaches the White House will not hurt his city's chances at landing the 2024 Olympics. "This is something that transcends politics," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said at the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) media summit on Tuesday. "Sports doesn't ask what your party affiliation is. "For all of us, when the dust settles on these presidential campaigns and we have a new president he or she will be squarely be behind Los Angeles' bid to bring these Games back to the U.S. "This something that breaks down walls and something that brings us together." Making that pitch to the International Olympic Committee, who will select a 2024 host in 2017, could prove challenging if Trump, the current frontrunner for the Republican nomination, wins the U.S. presidency in November and follows through on his promise to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Los Angeles is up against European glamour cities Paris, Rome and Budapest in the race to host the 2024 Summer Games. Securing support at home for an Olympic bid is one matter but mustering enough votes from IOC members around the world is another. The USOC has felt the sting from an international backlash before as New York's bid for the 2012 Summer Games and Chicago's attempt to land the 2016 Olympics were soundly rejected, much of that attributed to a strong anti-American sentiment within the IOC at the time. Countries bidding to host and Olympics have counted on their leaders to put them over the top. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has praised and been praised by Trump, led his country's bid for the 2014 Sochi Winter Games while British Prime Minister Tony Blair went to Singapore to trumpet London's successful bid for 2012 Olympics. "Politicians, if they are good, reflect the people they represent and I know how the American people feel about the Olympics and I know how they feel about Olympians and Paralympians," said Garcetti. "I know that the Paralympic Games and Olympic Games is something that touches our hearts and any good President is going to follow with that spirit." (Editing by Frank Pingue) Beirut (AFP) - A fierce, battle-hardened warlord with roots in Georgia and a thick red beard, Omar al-Shishani is one of the most notorious faces of the Islamic State jihadist group. On Wednesday, a US official said Shishani -- whose real name is Tarkhan Batirashvili -- "likely died" in an assault earlier this month by US warplanes and drones in northeastern Syria. Shishani, whose nom de guerre means Omar the Chechen, was one of the IS leaders most wanted by Washington which put a $5 million bounty on his head. The US official branded Shishani "the ISIL equivalent of the secretary of defence," using another acronym for the group. Shishani comes from the Pankisi Gorge region that is populated mainly by ethnic Chechens. He fought as a Chechen rebel against Russian forces before joining the Georgian military in 2006, and fought Russian forces again in Georgia in 2008. He resurfaced in northern Syria in 2012 as the leader of a battalion of foreign fighters, said Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi, research fellow at the Middle East Forum, a US think-tank. As early as May 2013, when IS was just emerging in Syria, he was appointed the group's military commander for the north of the country, Tamimi said. While Shishani's exact rank is unclear, Richard Barrett of the US-based Soufan Group described him as IS's "most senior military commander", adding that he has been in charge of key battles. "He is clearly a very capable commander and has the loyalty of Chechen fighters who are considered by ISIS as elite troops," Barrett told AFP. Shishani is not however a member of IS's political leadership, a structure that is even murkier than its military command. - Born to Christian father - A profile of Shishani written by an IS supporter and posted online described him as "one of the best strategic and tactical leaders". He was born in 1986 to a Christian father and a Muslim mother, according to the text, which claims he "never lost any of his battles". Story continues In an indication of Shishani's popularity among jihadist sympathisers, the text describes him as "the new Khalid Ibn al-Walid" -- a reference to a leader from the early days of Islam who played a crucial role in spreading the nascent religion in Syria and Iraq. Observers, however, downplayed Shishani's importance. "He was a fierce fighter," according to Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the Syrian conflict. "He would be sent to frontlines across IS-held territory," he said. "If his death is confirmed, the impact will be symbolic, on the morale of IS. But it won't have an actual impact on the battlefield. There are many other leaders," he told AFP, noting that Shishani has been reported dead before. "IS chooses which faces to make known in the media -- while it conceals the real leaders." Shishani's reported killing remains unconfirmed, with the United States stopping short of formally declaring him dead. "At dawn, the US government informed us that there was such an assumption (that Shishani was dead). I stress that it's only an assumption, nothing more," Georgia's Defence Minister Tina Khidasheli told journalists. Shishani's father, Taimouraz Batirashvili, told the Russian news agency Interfax that he had no confirmation of his fate. "I know nothing about the death of my son. They announce his death almost every month," he said. After watching her sister be forced into an unwanted marriage at age 14, Khanim Latif refused to stay silent. Though just 12 at the time, she knew she didnt want to meet the same fate. Instead, the native of Iraqi Kurdistan focused on continuing her education, which led to her calling: fighting for womens rights. But the road to activism was riddled with challenges. In a culture like ours it was very difficult, Latif, 47, tells TakePart of her early days as a womens rights activist. You look like trouble talking about violence against women or like youre fighting with your family because they want you to be covered and wear hijab. Continuing your education is hard because they want you to be quiet. Imagine how difficult it was for us. Despite the odds, Latif founded Asuda, the first women's advocacy group and shelter in the Kurdistan Region, in 2000. Her goal is to put an end to violence against women, honor killings, and female genital mutilation in her country. Last year alone, Latif and her team provided direct emergency assistance, medical and psychological care, and livelihood support to 5,000 women. Because of her work, Latif has been nominated for a Vital Voices Global Leadership Award, which recognizes and invests in women leaders who undertake daring work. RELATED: Where Women Go When Theyre Running From Their Own Families I started in a very, very hard time, Latif recalls of Asudas early days. As the first womens advocacy group on the ground in the region, Asuda struggled to survive and faced relentless threats from those who opposed its mission. In May 2008, Asudas main office and shelter in Sulaymaniyah was attacked by a gunman, and one of its female residents, a mother of three, was seriously injured. The assault prompted Latif to close the facility, fearing for her staff and the women she servedbut she didnt stop her work. RELATED: One Womans Mission to Restore Dignity to the Girls Kidnapped by Joseph Kony Story continues Latifs sustained efforts contributed to several changes in the Kurdistan Region, including the passage of domestic violence protections and personal status lawswhich increase a womens rights within the family and affect marriage, inheritances, and protection from violenceand the opening of a government-run shelter, which Asuda operates. Still, the challenges facing women in Iraqi Kurdistan are immense. The incursion of ISIS into the region has posed a particularly large challenge for Asuda, which worked to help hundreds of female Yazidi victims of the near-genocide. In 2014, Latif was a new mother but still embarked on a four-hour journey to find female survivors hiding in temporary shelters during the terror groups violent rampage. ISIS is a big challenge for us because most of the international NGOs leave because the situation is not stable, Latif explains. Add to that the growing influence of conservative Islamic political groups in the government, and Latif says women in the Kurdistan Region still feel unsafe. Despite the threats to her own safety and her fears, Latif refuses to stop working for the women of the Kurdistan Region for one simple reason: her two-year-old daughter. What keeps me going is to help others live with dignity, and also because I have a daughter. I want to make sure when she grows up, she will be in a safe society, Latif explains. I promised myself I have to continue with this mission. I have to continue the work I started years ago. While she could easily move to another country and advocate from afar, Latif cant bear to leave the Kurdistan Region. This is my country, and I love my country, she says. If everybody leaves the country, who is going to work for them? Donate: Donate to Equality Now: Help End Violence Against Women and Girls Around the World Related stories on TakePart: Men Are Stepping Up to Fight Child Marriage in Pakistan No Innocent Bystanders HereNew Law Cracks Down on Child Marriage, Clerics Included Child Marriage Is Dealt Another Blow Thanks to New Law Original article from TakePart TEL AVIV (Reuters) - An American tourist was stabbed to death and at least nine other people were wounded by a Palestinian armed with a knife on a popular boardwalk in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, authorities said, while U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was in a meeting a few kilometers (miles) away. The attack took place in the popular Jaffa port area, which is a favorite spot among tourists. The Magen David Adom ambulance service said four of the wounded had severe injuries. "A terrorist, an illegal resident who came from somewhere in the Palestinian territories, came here to Jaffa and embarked on a run ... along the boardwalk. On his way he indiscriminately stabbed people," Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai told Army Radio. He said a police officer eventually caught up with the attacker and shot him dead. The U.S. State Department strongly condemned the attack and identified the slain American as Taylor Allen Force. "As we have said many times, there is absolutely no justification for terrorism. We continue to encourage all parties to take affirmative steps to reduce tensions and restore calm," it said in a statement. Biden arrived in Israel late on Tuesday for a two-day visit, and was meeting former Israeli President Shimon Peres in Jaffa around the time of the stabbings. Tuesday also saw three other attacks by Palestinians. In Jerusalem, a Palestinian opened fire at Israeli police on a crowded street, seriously wounding two officers, before being shot dead, and a 50-year-old Palestinian woman who tried to stab Israeli police officers was also shot and killed. In the Tel Aviv suburb of Petah Tikva, a Palestinian entered a store and stabbed an Israeli. The wounded man and the store owner together overpowered the attacker and fought him off using the same knife. The attacker died of his wounds, a police spokesman said. Since October, Palestinian stabbings, shootings and car rammings have killed 28 Israelis and two Americans. Israeli forces have killed at least 177 Palestinians, 119 of whom Israel says were assailants. Most others were shot dead during violent protests. (Reporting by Rami Amichay; Additional reporting by Washington Newsroom; Writing by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Sandra Maler) MANILA (Reuters) - President Benigno Aquino denied on Wednesday that Islamic State-linked militants are operating in the southern Philippines, describing armed groups in the area as mercenaries who are looking to raise funds from abroad. A handful of small but violent Islamist militant groups in the south have posted videos in social media pledging alliance to Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria and displaying the trademark black flag. "It's difficult to call them Islamic State groups," Aquino told reporters at an air base south of Manila, adding the groups were not driven by ideology nor religion. "We believe it is mercenary reasons that are prompting them to do this." Aquino said local groups have been staging attacks in the south to draw attention to themselves and raise funding from the Middle East, especially from Islamic State. Last month, the army and air force fought a small Muslim rebel group, which claimed to have links with Islamic State militants, in Lanao del Sur province. About 40 rebels and five soldiers died in the nine-day battle. On Monday, Ebrahim Murad, head of the main Muslim rebel group talking peace with government, warned that Islamic State was trying to gain a foothold in the Philippines by taking advantage of the non-passage of a new Muslim autonomy law. "We are concerned that they can capitalize on this because of the frustration of the people in the area is now very strong," Murad said at a new conference in Kuala Lumpur, where his group held talks with government negotiators. The government's chief peace adviser, Teresita Deles, shared the Muslim rebel leader's opinion about possible penetration of Islamic State militants in the south. "We agree that the frustrations of the people on the ground can lead to recruitment for radical extremists," she said, adding the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front are working together to curb the spread of extremism. Security forces say there is no evidence to show local rebel groups have links with Middle East-based extremists. "There is no direct, verifiable and credible presence of any international groups in the country," military spokesman Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla said. (Reporting By Manuel Mogato; Editing by Kim Coghill) Warsaw (AFP) - Poland's Constitutional Court on Wednesday struck down a set of government reforms concerning its judges that have paralysed the EU member state's top court, sparking a constitutional crisis. The populist Law and Justice (PiS) government, which has drawn criticism at home and abroad over several controversial laws since coming to power in October, said in advance it would not recognise the ruling. The move appears to have set it on a collision course with the European Union, which launched an unprecedented probe in January into the reforms that could trigger punitive measures. Chief Justice Andrzej Rzeplinski said the court found that many sections of the law passed in December 2015 were "non-compliant with the Polish Constitution". The law "prevents the honest and proper functioning of the ... Constitutional Court, by interfering in its independence and separation from other powers, thus violating the principles of the rule of law," Rzeplinski said. The new law also raised the bar for Constitutional Court rulings from a simple majority to a two-thirds majority, while requiring 13 judges to be present for the most contentious cases instead of nine previously, among other changes. Legal and opposition figures have slammed the law for paralysing the court and removing important checks on the government's power. It has also triggered mass street protests by tens of thousands of Poles worried about democracy in the ex-communist EU and NATO member of 38 million people, also an economic and political heavyweight in central Europe. - 'Checks and balances' - In a leaked draft report, European legal experts from the Council of Europe rights watchdog warned that the government reforms undermine democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Poland. The commission is due to publish its official report by Saturday. Although it findings are not binding, the European Union is likely to review them as part of its own rule of law probe. Story continues PiS party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, seen as Poland's real decision-maker despite holding no formal government post, has dubbed the Council of Europe opinion "legally absurd". He insisted the reforms to the top court were a "matter of national sovereignty" and that government would not back down. Prime Minister Beata Szydlo discounted Wednesday's ruling out of hand insisting a day earlier that "the statement that will be delivered by some of the judges of the Constitutional Court will not be a verdict in the legal sense of the term." Some, however, called the reforms a blow to democracy. "If the government doesn't abide by the constitutional court's ruling soon, we're dealing the biggest crisis in the history of Republic and a constitutional coup d'etat," Ryszard Petru, leader of the liberal 'Modern' opposition party said Wednesday. "PiS has fundamentally violated the constitution, its contempt for the separation of powers defacto allows me to say without hesitation that democracy has stopped functioning in Poland," Professor Radoslaw Markowski, a political scientist and member of Poland's Academy of Sciences told AFP Wednesday. "There is no rule of law; checks and balances on power are gone," he added. Warsaw University sociologist Maciej Gdula told AFP the ongoing "institutional crisis is the worst since 1989", when Poland shed communism. "The EU doesn't really have any way to influence it. The only way would be to exclude Poland from the European Council, but that would require unanimous support and Hungary has already said it would object." Madeleine McCann who went missing in 2007 (PA) A massive police operation, including officers from Interpol, is underway after it was claimed that missing British youngster Madeleine McCann has been spotted in Paraguay. The hunt for Madeleine, who disappeared in Portugal in 2007 while on holiday with her family and who would now be 12-years-old, is centered on the city of Aregua. Police from four separate stations, intelligence officers and an anti-kidnapping division as well as Interpol are on the case. They were alerted to Paraguay by Miraz Ullah Ali, a researcher, who claims he spotted Maddie in the South American country, according to local news. My team and I received the information that Madeleine arrived in Paraguay a month or two ago and is living in Aregua in the custody of a woman, Ali told Color ABC. A local senior police officer confirmed that a search was taking place for the youngster. We are investigating neighbourhoods where there are foreign citizens, villas, condos, to see if there is someone with a similar description that corresponds to the newspaper clipping, said Commissioner Sanny Amarilla, according to The Sun. This news stretches across the globe, it is very important. So if they are in the area we need to find this girl and return her to her family. Photo-fit of how Madeleine may have looked aged nine (Teri Blythe) Madeleines parents, Kate and Gerry McCann have been made aware of the latest sighting, said a family spokesman. They would encourage anyone who has any information about Madeleine to get in contact with officers from Operation Grange, added the spokesman. Madeleines mystifying disappearance nine years ago from a holiday apartment in Praia de Luz, Algarve, Portugal, sparking international headlines and speculation over her fate. Since her disappearance, Maddie has been spotted in several countries including Sweden and Morocco. Related: By Kevin Murphy KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Reuters) - Four murder charges were filed on Tuesday against a man who is suspected of killing four people in Kansas and a fifth person in Missouri, a prosecutor said. Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino, 40, was charged with four counts of first-degree murder in connection with fatal shootings at a home in Kansas City, Kansas, Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome Gorman said. The Kansas murders were reported to police about 11 p.m. on Monday, authorities said. Serrano-Vitorino is then suspected of fatally shooting a man in eastern Missouri about 170 miles away, according to police. That victim was found dead about 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The Missouri State Highway Patrol identified the Missouri victim as Randy Nordman, 49, and said he died at his rural home near New Florence, close to where the suspect's pickup truck was found abandoned along Interstate 70. Police were conducting an air and ground search for Serrano-Vitorino and said he may be armed with an AK-47. Highway patrol Sergeant Scott White told reporters that police believed Serrano-Vitorino was still in the New Florence area and there was no indication he stole any vehicles. Serrano-Vitorino is a Mexican national who had been deported from the United States in 2004 and illegally reentered the country at an unknown time, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper reported, citing a spokeswoman from the Department of Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland Security could not immediately be reached for comment. When officers responded to a shooting in the southwestern part of Kansas City, they found three men in their early 30s apparently shot to death. A fourth man was taken to a hospital, where he later died from apparent gunshot wounds, police said. Authorities did not identify the victims in Kansas, pending identification and family notification. The Kansas City Star reported they were shot in a house next door to where Serrano-Vitorino lived and two of the victims were brothers. (Reporting by Kevin Murphy in Kansas City, Mo., and Suzannah Gonzales in Chicago; Editing by Tom Brown, Jeffrey Benkoe and Peter Cooney) By Dan Whitcomb (Reuters) - A leader of the armed occupation of an Oregon federal wildlife refuge killed by police was shot three times in the back, a county prosecutor said on Tuesday, calling the shooting "justified and necessary." Robert "LaVoy" Finicum died at the hands of Oregon State Police on Jan. 26 after he ran from his pickup truck at a roadblock along a snow-covered roadside during the occupation by lands rights protesters at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Relatives of Finicum, who was a spokesman for the group that seized buildings at the refuge, have he posed no threat during the confrontation. His widow, Jeanette Finicum, read a prepared statement in St. George, Utah, on Tuesday, asserting that her husband was ambushed. He was walking with his hands in the air. A symbol of surrender," she said. "We have talked with an independent investigator who has stated that the video provides a setup assassination." Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson said at a news conference in Bend, Oregon, that a loaded 9 mm handgun was found in Finicum's jacket pocket following the shooting. Malheur County District Attorney Dan Norris said eight shots were fired at Finicum, six of them by Oregon State Police officers and two by FBI agents. An autopsy found that three of the bullets fired by Oregon State Police officers struck Finicum in the base of the neck, shoulder and lower back and led to his death, Norris said. "The six shots fired by the Oregon State Police were justified and in fact necessary," Norris said. During the news conference, officials played video and audio tapes of the confrontation, during which Finicum can be heard telling law enforcement officers: "Go ahead, put the bullet through me." At another point he is heard to say: "If you want a bloodbath, it's on your hands." The videotape had been released previously but was newly synched with video and audio taken from inside the pickup truck by a protester. The original videotape was played in slow motion at times to show what law enforcement officials said was Finicum reaching for his weapon immediately before he was shot. Story continues The deadly encounter unfolded moments after Finicum sped away from law enforcement officers who had just taken protest leaders Ammon and Ryan Bundy into custody, then tried to run a police roadblock, plowing into a snowbank and narrowly missing an FBI agent. Finicum can be seen raising his hands as he emerged from his vehicle, then turning as he apparently flails his arms and then falls to the ground. His precise movements are difficult to discern from the video. The U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement that its inspector general's office was investigating the actions of the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team in the Finicum shooting. The takeover, which began on Jan. 2 with at least a dozen armed men, was sparked by the return to prison of two Oregon ranchers convicted of setting fires that spread to federal property in the vicinity of the refuge. It also marked the latest flare-up in the so-called Sagebrush Rebellion, a decades-old conflict over federal control of millions of acres in the West. Whats important to me is what was going on in Mr. Finicums head," said Mike Arnold, a lawyer for Ammon Bundy who said "non-lethal rounds" were fired by law enforcement officials as Finicum pulled away from police in his pickup. "By the time he got to the roadblock in his mind he believed that he was being fired upon unlawfully and that this was an ambush, Arnold told reporters after Tuesday's news conference. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that members of the Finicum family were expected to issue a statement later on Tuesday. The final four holdouts were taken into custody on Feb. 17, ending the 41-day standoff. At least 16 people have been charged in connection with the occupation. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein, Eric Johnson, Dan Whitcomb and Victoria Cavaliere; Writing by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Dan Grebler and Tom Brown) By Axel Bugge LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal's new center-right president took office on Wednesday, telling the Socialist government to stick to the budget rigor demanded by Brussels to avoid a return to economic crisis. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa takes over at a time of growing pressure on the government to cut spending further to meet budget goals, which could exacerbate growing friction between the ruling Socialists and their far-left allies in parliament. His inauguration marks a new phase for Portuguese politics as next month he will regain the constitutional powers to dissolve parliament, fire the government and call a new election. Under the constitution, that power is on hold for six months after a national election, which was held in October. While he would need a reason to resort to such measures, it does increase pressure on the government. "We have to be loyal to the commitments we have adopted, especially the ones that are part of our foreign policy, such as the European Union," Rebelo de Sousa told parliament where he was sworn in. "Without rigor and financial transparency the risk of returning to crises is painfully larger." "This will certainly not be an easy presidency," said former prime minister Pedro Passos Coelho, who was ousted by the Socialists after the inconclusive election in October. Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa teamed up with the far-left Communists and Left Bloc in November, uniting around the promise to roll back austerity imposed by the previous conservative government under Passos Coelho. But Costa has also promised to stick to EU budget rules and last month was forced by Brussels to hike indirect taxes by nearly 1 billion euros to tighten the budget further. The EU is pushing for more cuts, but Costa has said they are not necessary. Catarina Martins, who heads the Left Bloc, said Rebelo de Sousa's message was a "conservative vision of the country" even though he attempted to reach out to everybody. "Portugal cannot have its capacity at making decisions, its economy and its jobs increasingly destroyed by decisions that are taken abroad," said Martins after the inauguration ceremony. Filipe Garcia, head of the Informacao de Mercados Financeiros consultancy, said Rebelo de Sousa would initially attempt to strike a conciliatory tone. "The government is likely to last at least until October, but Brussels will put pressure on for more measures, which may cause friction between the parties supporting the government," he said. Concerns surrounding Portugal's public finances contributed to sending bond yields sharply higher in February. They have since reversed somewhat, but at a bond auction on Wednesday the country's borrowing costs rose sharply. President Rebelo de Sousa won a Jan. 24 election, promising to repair political divisions and the hardship of Portugal's 2011-14 bailout. He is a former head of the center-right Social Democrats and has been a television commentator for many years. Unlike his predecessor, Anibal Cavaco Silva, he has never previously held a top state position. (Additional reporting by Sergio Goncalves; Editing by Andrew Heavens) A few weeks ago, my first-grader told me another girl in her class called her the b-word during lunch. Not that b-word, although in my daughter's six-year-old universe, this b-word probably stung even more. The girl had called my daughter a butt-head. I asked why someone she insisted just a few months ago was her BFF, or one among several, would call her that. She doesnt like me, I guess, she said. She always looks at me in a mean way. The mama bear inside me felt the instinctive urge to fight back. I can top butt-head as an insult a million lowbrow ways overtrust me. But I didnt, at least not out loud, because as a parent that sort of behavior goes against everything Im trying to instill in my daughter: to treat others with kindness and respect, to have manners, to be decent and to act responsibly. Shes watching everything we grown-ups do. I want her to fight her own battles, to stand up for herself by using well-chosen words and not her fists, and to bite her tongue for the sake of civility. It means no name-calling, taunting, or belittlingor, essentially, none of the ad hominem attacks that have become the story of the current race to the White House. Recommended: How Trigger Warnings Are Hurting Mental Health on Campus Before this election, I thought I had this whole schoolyard taunting-and-teasing thing figured out. I thought that taking the high road was sound advice. After all, thats what the experts on bullying recommend. The race for the presidency is one of the last places I ever thought Id learn a lesson about bullying. My daughters simple definition for bullying: Being mean to someone or everyone all of the time. My daughter gives me a simple definition of what bullying is: Being mean to someone or everyone all of the time. Its one of those beyond-academics safety lessons shes learned at school, like knowing what to do in a lockdown drill and telling me what foods I have to avoid sending to school because of other childrens food allergies. This is the new normal for kids. Story continues In her book The Bully, The Bullied and The Bystander, the parenting and bullying expert Barbara Coloroso writes that bullying is a conscious, willful, and deliberate hostile activity intended to make the bully feel powerful when engaging the target. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines bullying as unwanted aggressive behavior in youth between the ages of 5 and 18. Coloroso says that Donald J. Trump, 69, is absolutely a bully. Theres a meanness and smugness to the way Trump denigrates his opponentsor any person, place, or thing he doesnt like, Coloroso argues. He calls them stupid, losers, and rapists, belittles them with names like Little Marco, and says he wishes he could punch them in the face. That he seems to take pleasure in his name-calling should be scary to all of us, Coloroso says. Thats a lack of compassion. Recommended: The Obama Doctrine Trump is an uncomfortable reminder that bullying isnt something people leave behind after high school. Bullying behavior is found in bosses, in trolls snipping at each other in comments sections online, and in friends with a bone to pick on Facebook. There are now anti-bullying laws in all 50 statesbut theyre all for dealing with youth. So how do you stop a grown-up who has no intention of changing their bullying ways? My daughter recently checked out a picture book at the public library called Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought). In addition to having bad teeth, George Washington, as it turns out, was worried about manners and once copied by hand 110 rules about Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation. This is a teachable moment that only comes around once every four years. All the media coverage of the presidential election has made my 6-year-old curious about the presidency, elections, and voting. She asks us questions all the time now, and every time theres a debate or voting returns on TV, she wants to know if she can stay up late to watch. This is a teachable moment that only comes around once every four years. But at this point, letting her binge-watch the latest season of House of Cards with me might be a safer bet. American politics has turned a dark, warped corner when the ruthless but always genteel fictional Underwoods start looking more civilized than real life presidential candidates. Recommended: More Than Half of What Americans Eat Is 'Ultra-Processed' In the days before and after Super Tuesday, I watched with my jaw unhinged as the Republican presidential campaign devolved into a spectacle: a cockfight with two roosters clawing at each other and one literally defending his penis size to a national audience. Dont fight backthats what bullying experts advocate. But thats exactly what Senator Marco Rubio did. He turned his wrath on Trump and began to gleefully imitate Trumps below-the-belt style of personal attack. His jabs threw Trump off-kilter, if only momentarily. The back-and-forth was unpresidential. Its more than just a retaliation against political correctness. Theres a pathology to Trump-style insults. Theyre a cancer. I dont want my children to think any of it is okay. Ive heard this sentiment recently from other parents at the school pick-up line, in off-handed remarks from television commentators, on Twitter and Facebook, and even from the former presidential candidate Mitt Romney. But I wonder, what does all this bad behavior say about taking the high road? The school nurse phoned me one day shortly after lunch to tell me my daughter was complaining about a stomachache. I asked to speak to her, and I could sense in her voice something was off. She sounded upset. She never misses school and is hardly ever sick, so my husband went to pick her up. What does all this bad behavior say about taking the high road? My husband talked to her initially, and eventually she told him about the insult. It was the worst day in my entire life, she confessed. First-grade drama can be rough because its so new and kids are still developing socially and emotionally and trying to figure out where they land in the pecking order. Theyve started to use what they have and dont haveFurReal Friends, Minecraft, braces, and castsas social currency. My daughter is generally a happy kid, always skipping, drawing pictures for friends and teachers and giving them tight squeezes at the end of every school day. I dont want her steamrolled, but I dont want her to change, either. Standing up for herself isnt a lesson I can teach her in one afternoon. Its a moving target. Later, we talked, and I reminded her, Not everyone is like you. But that doesnt mean you should stop being you. By that I meant, keep being the good guy. Like a lot of Americans, I have this idea lodged deep in my psyche that the good guy always wins. Good triumphs over evil. The hero puts the villain in his or her place, eventually. Ill take a villain only if that villain shows us a shred of humanity, like the terrible but lovable Gru from Despicable Me. I want to believe that if people do things with integrity, if they place the greater good ahead of individual ego, there will be a reward at the end of it all. Youre not going to be able to insult your way to the presidency, Jeb Bush told Trump during a debate in December. But as it turns out, thats exactly what Trump is doing. I asked Coloroso whether its ever okay to fight back. I dont advocate it, she said. Aggression begets aggression. Passivity invites it, but assertion will dissipate it. I actually felt emotionally hungover after watching the Super Tuesday coverage, so I was glad when my daughter insisted we watch A Year in Space the next evening, a documentary about astronaut Scott Kellys 12-month mission on the International Space Station. I have Trump fatigue. I need an antidote. Hillary Clintons simple anti-Trump message of love and kindness is good, but Im not counting on another politician to be Americas savior. Those of us who are fed up have to save ourselves. There are no innocent bystanders, Coloroso says. There are henchmen, active and passive supporters, disengaged onlookers, potential defenders, and the brave-heartedthose who denounce the bully. Both regular folks and leaders are starting to speak out against the pernicious attacks. The outcry calling for a return to civility is growing. As I sat in my living room with my family, eating popcorn and watching the most gorgeous images of our planetbeautiful Blue Marble shots, close-ups of gauzey swirls in the ocean, the neon Aurora Borealis dancing in the night sky, and no drawn-in lines to separate us from each otherI felt a sense of calm within myself again. The beauty in this world is that it is more powerful than the intolerance of one individual. Voting is a powerful way to give this bully the comeuppance he deserves. And the best part is casting a ballot can be done without ever having to stoop to Donald Trumps level. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. A high school principal and his family have been forced to live in a cramped motel room after their Idaho home was destroyed by a raging fire police believe was started by vengeful students. Read: DUI Driver Stopped With 15-Foot Tree Lodged in the Grill: Cops Principal Mark Heleker and his wife, Lori, and their 24-year-old daughter, Katie, were home the night of the inferno. Their son, Brian, was away at college. Hell be home from college in a week and I dont think hes going to stay here," Heleker said of his son's room, which was above the garage. Authorities say that hours after the the Feb. 22 fire, a high school student posted on social media an emoji of flames with the message, "Burn b**** burn." Three high school students and one middle schooler were arrested for burning down the home, police said. One suspect has been charged with first degree arson, and the other three have been charged with a conspiracy to commit arson. All four will be reportedly tried as adults. Two of students had recently been suspended after a school investigation into prescription drug use, Payette Police Chief Mark Clark told the Idaho Statesman. Investigators say the students deliberately set the fire out of revenge and then ghoulishly watched from a distance as the house burned. The arrests have shocked the close-knit city of Payette, Idaho. The principal has been on the job for nine years and says he knows all of the 430 students at the school, of which he himself is an alum. Read: 14 Injured After Commuter Train Strikes Fallen Tree and Plunges Into Creek Clark said: They could actually see this fire raging, fully engulfed and one of them made a comment: 'You know what? That ass**** deserves this.' They never called 911. They had to know people were in the home sleeping. The principal and his wife, who is a teacher, say the incident hasn't deterred them from believing in their students. Story continues We've spent 20 years looking for the best in children," Lori Heleker said. "And that's not going to change because four of them made a really bad decision." Watch: Historic Rhode Island Mansion Used by Jackie Kennedy is Destroyed By Massive Fire Related Articles: Manila (AFP) - Sailors on a round-the-world race found and left a dead German whose body was discovered on a yacht adrift off the southern Philippines, event organisers said. The LMAX Exchange team saw the yacht about 870 kilometres (470 nautical miles) west of Guam on January 31 and a crew member discovered the decomposing body in the cabin, the Clipper Round the World Race said in a statement. "In the spirit of the Clipper Race and the crew of team LMAX Exchange, we put the racing aside in the hope of assisting the stricken vessel and any fellow sailors marooned," it said, quoting a statement put out by the team. Organisers relayed the discovery to the US Coast Guard in Guam before instructing the team to carry on racing as it could provide no further assistance, it added. The boat then drifted for 25 days across more than 1,200 kilometres of water before Filipino fishermen found the dismasted and listing white-hulled vessel off the east coast of Mindanao island. Filipino police said the by-then mummified body found slumped over a table in the cabin was likely that of German national Manfred Fritz Bajorat, the presumed owner of the 13-metre (44-foot) yacht. "(I)t was out of respect that we chose not to publicise the full details of the finding. We hoped to avoid causing unnecessary alarm within the international sailing community by announcing the death of a then unknown sailor," the race organisers said. The Clipper race announcement, published on its website on Tuesday, appeared to put in doubt a Filipino police autopsy findings the man had died of a heart attack about a week before the fishermen found him. The US embassy in Manila referred AFP's requests for comment to the US Coast Guard in Hawaii, which did not immediately reply to emailed questions. Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo told AFP he was unaware of the case having been relayed by the US authorities. Bajorat was a 59-year-old veteran yachtsman who left his native Germany two decades ago and was then widowed several years ago, Germany's Bild daily earlier reported, quoting an old friend. Bajorat had told the friend a year ago that he wanted to go on another around-the-world trip, Bild added. Police in Barobo town, where the yacht was taken, told AFP on Wednesday their superiors were not available to discuss the case. Montreal (AFP) - Two years on from the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, the UN's aviation agency announced new requirements in a bid to avoid a repeat of a mystery that has perplexed investigators. The jet vanished on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew onboard, mostly Chinese and Malaysians, leaving distraught relatives still grasping for answers. On the somber anniversary, the council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal on Tuesday adopted new measures that require aircraft to have tracking devices that can transmit location information at least once a minute when in trouble, effectively providing real-time updates. Other new measures, also brought in in response to the MH370 mystery, include extending the duration of cockpit voice recordings to 25 hours, considerably longer than the current norm. The new requirements "will now greatly contribute to aviation's ability to ensure that similar disappearances never occur again," said Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, president of the ICAO council. The changes will take effect between now and 2021. Separately, the Malaysia-led international team of aviation experts set up to investigate the plane's disappearance issued an annual progress report, but the brief statement had no new insights on what caused the jet to vanish. Authorities believe the Boeing 777 detoured to the remote southern Indian Ocean and then plunged into the treacherous waters. A wing fragment confirmed to be from MH370 was found on an island thousands of kilometers from the search area last year, the first proof that the plane indeed went down. London (AFP) - Buckingham Palace hit out Wednesday at a report claiming that Queen Elizabeth II favours Britain leaving the European Union, calling in the national press regulator in a rare move. "Queen backs Brexit", splashed The Sun, Britain's most-read newspaper, on its front page, with a photograph of the monarch and the sub-heading "EU going in wrong direction, she says". "Queen spoke with venom and emotion," said the page two headline in the notoriously eurosceptic tabloid. But Buckingham Palace insisted Queen Elizabeth, sovereign since 1952, did not take sides in politics, in line with her constitutional duty. The stand-off marks a deterioration in relations between the palace and the British media, with The Sun striking a notably less reverential tone this year, in which Queen Elizabeth marks her 90th birthday on April 21. The same newspaper in July last year published images showing the queen giving a Nazi salute as a young child in the 1930s in a personal family film reel. Britain is due to vote on June 23 on whether to remain a member of the 28-member EU. "The Queen remains politically neutral as she has for 63 years," a palace spokesman said. "We will not comment on spurious, anonymously sourced claims. The referendum is a matter for the British people to decide." He added: "We have this morning written to the chairman of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) to register a complaint about the front page story in today's Sun newspaper." The Sun tabloid said it would defend the complaint "vigorously". - Queen 'let rip' at deputy PM - The newspaper cited an anonymous "senior source" who said that Queen Elizabeth had "let rip" at pro-EU politician Nick Clegg during a lunch in 2011 when he was deputy prime minister. "People who heard their conversation were left in no doubt at all about the queen's views on European integration," the source was quoted as saying. Story continues "It was really something, and it went on for quite a while. "The EU is clearly something her majesty feels passionately about." But Clegg, who led the pro-EU Liberal Democrats and was deputy prime minister from 2010 to 2015, denied the report. "This is nonsense," he wrote on Twitter. "I've no recollection of this happening and its not the sort of thing I would forget." Buckingham Palace said the IPSO complaint related to the first clause of the Editors' Code of Practice, regarding accuracy. "The press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information or images, including headlines not supported by the text," the clause reads. The code requires that a "significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and -- where appropriate -- an apology published". - Change in tone - The royals rarely complain to the press regulators over newspaper reports. In 2012, royal officials did so after pictures emerged of Queen Elizabeth's grandson Prince Harry partying naked in a Las Vegas hotel room. They were published in Britain by The Sun. A formal complaint was made in 1999 after The Sun published a topless picture of Sophie Rhys-Jones, shortly before her wedding to the queen's youngest son Prince Edward. After years of relative calm following the 1997 death of Diana, princess of Wales, relations between the royals and the press have turned colder over the last 12 months. Wary of the public outrage that remains over Diana's death, the British press have largely been cooperative. But signs are growing that the media are becoming increasingly frustrated with the palace's control over access to the royals and determination to keep photographers away from younger members of the family. The Sun has notably attacked Diana's son Prince William in recent weeks, branding him "workshy", with other papers following suit. Several newspapers criticised his failure to hold a photocall on his skiing holiday last week, instead inviting a single news agency photographer whose shots were then distributed by the palace. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said on Tuesday that lawmakers would continue to press for new sanctions against Tehran "until the regime ends its violent, provocative behavior against the U.S. and our allies." Ryan, whose Republican party opposed the landmark nuclear agreement the Obama administration and five other world powers reached with Tehran last year, said Iran's latest reported missile test violated international law. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) test-fired several ballistic missiles on Tuesday, state television said, challenging a United Nations resolution and drawing the threat of a diplomatic response from the United States. U.S. and French officials had earlier said a missile test by Iran would violate U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, which calls on Iran not to conduct "any activity" related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Several Republican lawmakers called for more U.S. sanctions in response, but there were no immediate plans to introduce new legislation. The House last month passed a measure that would have limited President Barack Obama's ability to lift sanctions under the nuclear pact, but there are no plans for the Senate to take up the legislation, which Obama is expected to veto. Senator Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said his staff was working on an alternative that could win enough support to pass the Senate, but which would require Democratic support. "We're having discussions right now and trying to see what type of legislation is passable," he told Reuters. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; editing by Dan Grebler, G Crosse) Bernie Sanders seems to be taking campaign advice from Dylan Thomas these days. He will not go gentle into that good night. With his startling, come-from-behind victory Tuesday in Michigan, the underdog senator from Vermont pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Democratic primary history just as his hopes of catching up to frontrunner Hillary Clinton seemed to be fading. Its a result that may spell trouble for Clinton, as other Rust Belt states Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania head to the polls in the weeks ahead. What tonight means is that the Bernie Sanders campaign the political revolution that we are talking about is strong in every part of the country, Sanders said during an impromptu late-night press conference outside his hotel in Miami, where he had rallied supporters earlier in the evening. And frankly, we believe our strongest areas are yet to happen. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont rallies supporters in Miami on the night of the Michigan and Mississippi primaries Tuesday. (Photo: Alan Diaz/AP) Thanks to a streak of resounding victories in heavily African-American primaries across the South Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Louisiana, South Carolina Clinton swept into Tuesdays contests in Mississippi and Michigan with a seemingly insurmountable advantage over Sanders in the all-important battle for Democratic delegates. The polls showed Clinton with massive leads in Michigan and Mississippi as well: more than 20 percentage points, on average, in the former, and more than 40 percentage points, on average, in the latter. Her campaign argued that a one-two punch in the North and the South would reinforce the former secretary of states strength with minority voters, while also proving that she can win in precisely the sort of big, blue-collar, non-Southern states that will define the rest of the Democratic primary calendar. Mississippi, where nearly two-thirds of the primary voters were black, played to type, awarding Clinton a huge 83 percent to 16 percent win. Michigan, however, defied expectations, and the polls. Story continues With 97 percent of precincts reporting, Sanders was edging out Clinton by two percentage points, 50 percent to 48 percent. The last time a Democratic candidate lost on primary day after claiming such a sizable lead in the polls was in 1984, when Gary Hart upset Walter Mondale in New Hampshire. Hillary Clinton snaps selfies with supporters before a rally at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland on Tuesday. (Photo: Tony Dejak/Associated Press) The Sanders campaign fought hard for its win. Sanders campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, recently called the Michigan primary a critical showdown, and Sanders visited again and again over the last week. In a debate and a town hall, and on the stump in East Lansing, Kalamazoo, Dearborn and Ann Arbor, Sanders argued that he was a better fit than the former first lady for working-class Michiganders. He continued to criticize Clintons ties to Wall Street and to insist that she release the transcripts of her paid speeches to big banks. He even added a regional twist to his repertoire, hammering Hillary over her husbands support, as president, for the disastrous North American Free Trade Agreement, which many Michiganders blame for decades of manufacturing job losses. Clinton was, as usual, ready with a riposte. During the March 6 CNN debate in Flint, she accused Sanders of being against the auto bailout the program widely credited with saving the largest industry in the region in the wake of the 2008 financial crash. In January of 2009, President-elect Obama asked everybody in the Congress to vote for the bailout, Clinton said. The money was there and had to be released in order to save the American auto industry and 4 million jobs and to begin the restructuring. We had the best year that the auto industry has had in a long time. I voted to save the auto industry. He voted against the money that ended up saving the auto industry. But it wasnt enough. (Perhaps because it wasnt quite true; Sanders supported rescuing the auto industry, but voted against a bill that coupled it with a bailout for big banks.) According to the exit polls, Sanders continued to rack up huge margins in Michigan among the voters who have been fueling his candidacy all along. He won voters under 30 by 63 points. He won men by 12 points. He won whites by 16 points. He won independents by 43 points. He won voters who value honesty above all else by 61 points. And so on. Yet, more tellingly, Sanders also held his own among demographic groups that Clinton dominated in her 2008 battle against Barack Obama demographic groups that could prove crucial in the contests ahead. He won white women by five points. He won whites without a college degree by 17 points. He won voters who make less than $50,000 a year by five points. He won voters who think that trade with other countries takes away U.S. jobs by 17 points. He even won union voters (by two points). And he lost the black vote by a much smaller margin than he has in the South. A young Sanders supporter waits for him to speak at a campaign rally in Miami on Tuesday. (Photo: Carlo Allegri/Reuters) To be sure, Clinton will emerge from Tuesdays primaries with the bigger net gain in delegates. Her Mississippi landslide may have been more predictable than Sanders nail-biter in Michigan, but it was also more profitable. The latest estimates show that while Sanders will amass 8 to 10 more delegates than Clinton in Michigan, Clinton will scoop up 25 to 28 more delegates than Sanders in Mississippi. And so Clintons total delegate lead will only grow once all of Tuesdays votes are tallied despite Sanders miracle in Michigan. In the end, this is the only measure that matters. Still, Clinton has more reason to worry after Michigan than she did before. On March 15, Ohio will vote; like Michigan, it will be an open primary, which means that independents, who favor Sanders, can participate. Another open primary, in Wisconsin, will follow on April 5. Then comes Pennsylvania on April 26 and Indiana on May 3. Clintons polling lead in each of these Rust Belt states is smaller than it was in Michigan; in fact, the latest Wisconsin survey shows Sanders in the lead. Clinton is still the overwhelming favorite to win the Democratic nomination. The numbers dont lie. But if Sanders continues to raise tons of money and make unexpected inroads in Rust Belt states such as Michigan and if Clinton cant adjust in time it could presage a difficult general election campaign for Hillary, especially if shes running against Donald Trump, who also appeals to the sort of voters who boosted Bernie on Tuesday. Clinton was hoping that Michigan would close the door on Sanders candidacy. Instead, it has only given him more reason to rage against the dying of the light. (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it exchanged prisoners with its foes in Yemen's Houthi movement and that a calm was holding along their border, in signs of unprecedented progress to end their 11-month war. The statement on state news agency SPA said Yemeni tribal mediators had facilitated the release of seven Yemenis held by the kingdom in exchange for a detained Saudi lieutenant. An alliance of mostly Sunni and Arab countries launched air strikes and a ground offensive against the Houthis on March 26 after an armed offensive by the Iran-allied group pushed Yemen's internationally backed government into exile. The conflict had fallen into a stalemate, in which the Houthis still control the capital Sanaa and other major cities in central Yemen while its hardened guerrilla forces shelled and harassed Saudi forces along Yemen's rugged northern frontier. Saudi state news said the prisoner initiative was launched by Yemeni tribal figures to reduce the violence in the border area and facilitate delivery of badly needed aid, and that the apparent truce could help end the conflict. "The leadership of the coalition forces welcomed the continuation of a state of calm along the border ... which contributes to arriving at a political solution," SPA reported. On Tuesday, two officials from a Houthi-run government body in Yemen told Reuters that senior representatives of the group had arrived in Saudi Arabia for peace talks. The United Nations says nearly 6,000 people have been killed in Yemen's fighting. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced. (Reporting by Yara Bayoumy and Noah Browning; Editing by Toby Chopra and Dominic Evans) By Dustin Volz and Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Technology companies could face civil penalties for refusing to comply with court orders to help investigators access encrypted data under draft legislation nearing completion in the U.S. Senate, sources familiar with continuing discussions told Reuters on Wednesday. The long-awaited legislation from Senators Richard Burr and Dianne Feinstein, the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, may be introduced as soon as next week, one of the sources said. It would expose companies like Apple Inc, which is fighting a magistrate judge's order to unlock an iPhone connected to the mass-shooting in San Bernardino, California, to contempt of court proceedings and related penalties, the source said. Senators are expected to circulate the draft bill among interested parties next week and hope to introduce it soon after, though a timetable is not final, the source said. The Senators' proposal would not seek criminal penalties, as some media reports have stated, the sources said. The controversial proposal faces an uphill climb in a gridlocked Congress during an election year and would likely be opposed by Silicon Valley. Tech companies have largely supported Apple in its legal fight against the Justice Department, which is seeking access to a phone used by Rizwan Farook, one of two shooters in the San Bernardino attack last December in which 14 were killed and 22 wounded. It is particularly unlikely the proposal will gain traction in the U.S. House of Representatives, which staked out positions strongly supporting digital privacy in the wake of revelations about government-sanctioned surveillance of communications by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden. Last year, amid stiff private sector opposition, the White House backed away from pushing for legislation to require U.S. technology firms to provide investigators with mechanisms to overcome encryption protections. But the issue found renewed life after the shootings in San Bernardino and Paris. An August email from Robert Litt, the top U.S. intelligence community lawyer, obtained by the Washington Post, noted that momentum on the issue "could turn in the event of a terrorist attack or criminal event where strong encryption can be shown to have hindered law enforcement." Separately, Democratic Senator Mark Warner and Republican Representative Michael McCaul last week introduced legislation to create a national commission to further explore solutions to the so-called going dark problem, where strong encryption has made it more difficult for law enforcement to access communications belonging to criminal suspects. (Reporting by Mark Hosenball and Dustin Volz; Editing by Bill Rigby) Berlin (AFP) - German engineering giant Siemens said Wednesday it would slash 2,500 jobs from its industrial division in a reorganisation to cope with a slump in the oil and gas as well as the metals and mining sectors. The group however pledged to make 25,000 new hires worldwide "in each of the coming years" for its other divisions as it switches its focus to become a "digital industrial company". For its process industries and drives (PD) division, "a total of about 2,500 jobs worldwide -- of which 2,000 are in Germany, primarily in Bavaria -- will be affected by the realignment," it said in a statement. Plunging demand in raw materials markets has led to a significant intensification of competition, particularly in Asia," said Juergen Brandes, chief executive of the PD division. "To guarantee our competitiveness, we've got to adapt to these conditions, he added. Siemens, which makes a slew of industrial products from wind turbines to trains, has a global work force of around 348,000. Ternate (Indonesia) (AFP) - A total solar eclipse swept across the vast Indonesian archipelago on Wednesday, marked by ecstatic sky gazers cheering the spectacle, devout Muslims kneeling in prayer and tribespeople performing rituals. The moon began to move between the Earth and sun at 6:19 am (2319 GMT Tuesday), and about an hour later a total eclipse became visible in western parts of the country. The sun then went entirely dark in a broad arc right across the world's biggest archipelago nation, which straddles three time zones, before the eclipse swept out across the Pacific Ocean. Partial eclipses were also visible over other parts of Asia and Australia, and astronomy enthusiasts across the region gathered on rooftops, beaches and in observatories to witness the phenomenon. Tens of thousands of foreign and Indonesian tourists flocked to the best viewing spots, and special events were organised, from a festival to fun runs and dragon boat races. "It was spectacular," said Daniel Orange, a 52-year-old American tourist from California, who was watching the total eclipse on the small western island of Belitung. "It was very beautiful, there are a lot of people here and when the totality hit, everybody cheered. I got goose bumps." - Tribal ritual - In Ternate, in the eastern Maluku Islands, thousands of people yelled "Glory to God" as the total eclipse became visible, while on the small Mentawai archipelago in the west of the country, hundreds cheered, prayed and hugged one another during the spectacle. The whole eclipse lasted around three hours in Indonesia, but the total eclipse was visible for between just one-and-a-half and three minutes, depending on location. The weather stayed clear in many popular viewing spots, although clouds obscured views in some places. For some of Indonesia's tribes, the eclipse is viewed with apprehension. In Palangkaraya, on Borneo island, Dayak tribesmen performed a special ritual to ensure that the sun, which they view as the source of life, did not disappear entirely. Story continues As the total eclipse hit, the tribal chief -- dressed in a traditional costume -- began to chant loudly and was answered by even louder chants from other members of the tribe. For many in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, it was a spiritual experience, and large numbers flocked to mosques to say special prayers. Foreign scientists also descended on Indonesia. A four-strong team from NASA was in Maba, a small town in the Malukus, to observe the eclipse. Other parts of Southeast Asia witnessed substantial partial eclipses. A crowd of about 400 people, including students and families, gathered at a university sports field in Singapore to watch the eclipse, while groups of enthusiasts also converged on beaches and outside their highrise apartments to gaze upwards. In the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, 1,000 school students witnessed the eclipse at the national planetarium. Meanwhile, in the Philippine capital Manila, dozens of people carrying telescopes jostled for space on the roof deck of the country's only space observatory. "People were howling with excitement. For many of them, it's their first time to see a solar eclipse," said Philippine state astronomer Allan Alcaraz. A partial eclipse was also visible in northern Australia, with a handful of astronomy enthusiasts watching the event in Darwin. The total eclipse swept across 12 out of 34 provinces in Indonesia, which stretches about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometres) from east to west, before heading across the Pacific. It passed over the major islands of Sumatra, Borneo and Sulawesi, before sweeping over the Malukus and out into the ocean. The last total solar eclipse occurred on March 20, 2015, and was only visible from the Faroe Islands and Norway's Arctic Svalbard archipelago. Total eclipses occur when the moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, and the three bodies align precisely. As seen from Earth, the moon is just broad enough to cover the solar face, creating a breath-taking silver halo in an indigo sky. JOHANNESBURG/HAMBURG (Reuters) - South Africa, which needs to import millions of tonnes of maize this year because of drought, will in coming months import hundreds of thousands of tonnes of white maize from Mexico, traders in South Africa and elsewhere told Reuters. Africa's most advanced economy is also set to receive 228,400 tonnes of the yellow variety of the grain between now and March 17th, according to Thomson Reuters' interactive shipping map. (Reporting by Ed Stoddard and Michael Hogan; Editing by James Macharia) By Wendell Roelf CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa's Eskom will increase its capital expenditure by 44 percent to 324 billion rand ($21 billion) over the next five years to build new power stations, the state-owned company said on Wednesday. The cash-strapped state-owned utility also said it had 85 billion rand of funding, representing nearly all of the capital needed, for 2016 and 2017 in a presentation to parliament. "There is a significant amount of the funding that will be required over the next two years that is relatively committed already in terms of signed facilities that we can draw on as and when projects require the funding," said Anoj Singh, Eskom's chief financial officer. Eskom is building three new power plants to help shore up power reserves in Africa's most industrialised country, and expects to add 5,620 megawatts (MW) to the network by 2018 when units at Medupi and Kusile's coal-fired plants come online. Eskom, which was granted a lower tariff than it had requested of 9.4 percent by the electricity regulator, said it had significantly reduced the amount it spent on diesel to 40 million rand in February from 854 million rand in October, its CEO Brian Molefe said. The company had also managed to save 9 billion rand and increased net profit 22 percent to 11.3 billion rand at the end of September and was not in danger financially, he said. "Our liquidity position has improved. We are nowhere near bankruptcy as was said a few years ago," Molefe told parliament. Reiterating his support for South Africa's proposed nuclear build plan, Molefe said the sole nuclear plant, Koeberg near Cape Town, provided the cheapest form of energy. Speaking to reporters after Eskom's presentation, a senior energy official said government would request for proposals at the end of the month to add 9,600 MW of new nuclear power to the grid. To meet its targeted nuclear generation capacity, South Africa's government has said it plans to build six new nuclear power plants by 2030 at a cost estimated between 400 billion rand and 1 trillion rand ($34-$84 billion). ($1 = 15.4602 rand) (Editing by James Macharia) By M.B. Pell and Joshua Schneyer ORLEANS, N.Y. (Reuters) - In this town of 2,800 just south of the Canadian border, residents have long worried about the water flowing from their taps. The water in one household is so corrosive it gutted three dishwashers and two washing machines. Another couples water is so salty the homeowners tape the taps when guests visit. Even the communitys welcome center warns travelers, Do Not Drink The Water. So, when the water crisis in Flint, Michigan happened, Stephanie Weiss and husband Andy Greene feared that, as in Flint, their corrosive water was also unleashing lead into their tap water. Weiss scoured water-testing reports in Orleans and discovered the truth: Lead levels in her water fed by a private well exceed the threshold set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for public water systems and utilities. The communitys experience is not unique. Across the country, millions of Americans served by private wells drink, bathe and cook with water containing potentially dangerous amounts of lead, Reuters reporting and recent university studies show. Researchers from Penn State Extension and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, or Virginia Tech, tested private well systems in their states and found that 12 percent of wells in Pennsylvania and 19 percent in Virginia had lead levels exceeding the maximum EPA threshold for public water systems. Lead poisoning can lead to heart disease, kidney disease and brain damage. It is especially dangerous to children, as small amounts of exposure can cause irreversible developmental delays. Though most Americans are served by public water utilities, private wells are the main source of drinking water for 15 percent of U.S. households, or 47.8 million people. Typically located in rural areas, private wells serve residents not connected to municipal water lines. Though many wells are found in impoverished communities, some serve wealthy homeowners and those living in urban environments. Little research has examined the lead risk in private well water on a national scale. But if the researchers rate played out nationally, more than 9 million Americans served by private wells would have unsafe levels of lead in their water, according to a paper published in October by some of the same Virginia Tech researchers who found lead in Flints water. For a map, click http://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/1/982/1446/WATER.jpg TESTING GAP Yet these private wells always fall outside EPA testing regulations, and only a few states require that wells be tested for lead. Unless residents pay for tests, they may not know what lurks in their water. The community in Orleans, in Jefferson County dotting the northernmost tip of New York State, is one case study. Weiss and Greene found that the water they use to cook for their two children, ages eight and 10, measured lead levels more than double the EPA threshold, town records show. When I realized that my water had the equivalent of Flint levels of lead, I got chills, said Weiss, assistant director of Save the River, an environmental advocacy organization. I felt sick thinking of all the things I had tried to get right as a mother for my kids to grow up happy and healthy, when all the while they were living with lead contaminated water. I was also angry thinking that the state government had likely caused this situation. The aquifer feeding their well is polluted with salt from a nearby barn used by the New York State Department of Transportation to store salt spread on roads during snowstorms, according to an analysis by Alpha Geoscience, a Clifton Park, New York, consulting firm that specializes in hydrogeologic studies. The study was commissioned by Stephen Conaway, a local winery owner who sued the state for allegedly polluting his water in 2011. As far back as 2004, a DOT official told Conaway it was not unreasonable to assume the salt barn was the source of contamination, according to a letter sent to Conaway and reviewed by Reuters. Flint is not served by private wells, but its battle to get the lead out of the water has triggered alarms in other communities including those served by private wells, which can draw in corrosive water that leaches lead, copper and other heavy metals from well components, water pipes and plumbing fixtures. NO STANDARDS The EPA has no standards for private wells, even as the National Ground Water Association recommends testing. Asked about the standards gap, an EPA spokesman said that the Safe Drinking Water Act, as written by Congress in 1974, makes the EPA responsible for regulating only public water systems. Under the EPA Lead and Copper Rule, published in 1991, if 10 percent of samples taken by a water utility contain a lead level of 15 parts per billion or higher, the utility must improve corrosion control and inform the public of the lead risk. The utility may have to replace lead water lines. The university researchers used this standard to assess potential harm in communities served by private wells. Water from one Virginia home had lead levels 1,600 times the EPA maximum threshold, concluded Virginia Tech researcher Kelsey J. Pieper, lead author of a study published in the Journal of Water and Health last September that examined lead levels in tap water from houses in Virginia using wells. Piepers research, along with a 2013 Journal of Environmental Health study by Penn State Extension researchers, point to a problem governments have largely failed to address. Lead exposures decreased after 1980s legislation banned lead in paint and gasoline. But private wells remain a potential source of exposure. If lead exposure from private wells is not addressed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be challenged to meet its goal of eliminating elevated levels of lead in children by 2020, Pieper found. Pieper said many private wells across the country have clean water, but she recommends testing. Looking at lead concentration in Flints water and our results in private wells in Virginia, they were similar, Pieper said. One of the biggest differences is its solely the responsibility of the homeowner to identify and correct the problem for private water systems. To be sure, private homeowners are responsible for testing and maintaining their wells. Yet many have no idea they should test for lead. Some who do test find troubling answers. LEAD AND CHILDREN IN PENNSYLVANIA In central Pennsylvania, Jeremiah Underhill and his wife took their one-year-old son Dalton to the family doctor for his checkup in April 2014. Knowing the family was renovating their 76-year-old house, and concerned paint in the house may contain lead, their doctor suggested testing Dalton for lead. The results showed elevated lead levels in his system. I was devastated, said Jeremiah Underhill, an attorney in Harrisburg, whose family home is surrounded by 30 acres of corn and soybean fields. The Underhills immediately began a battery of tests searching for the leads source. For years, public health experts have cited paint as the most dangerous source of poisoning for children, who may ingest paint chips and dust in older housing. But it was a water sample, not paint, which tested positive for lead. The lead level in the water was at the maximum threshold set by the EPA, though Penn State analysts warned that the levels could fluctuate and may well exceed the maximum if tested more regularly. The Underhills found that, as in Flint, their well water was corrosive and leaching lead from plumbing in their house. The family installed a treatment system to make the water less acidic. Their soda-ash injection system cost about $400, though if a family member had not helped install it, the cost would have been far higher. Today, their water has no lead and Daltons blood work is clear. The couple feels fortunate to have caught it early, knowing lead exposure can trigger brain damage. The only reason we caught this was because our doctor was smart enough to say, Lets test this, Underhill said. I mean, it was the water we used to mix Daltons formula. Most children are never tested, and rules on testing children for lead exposure are inconsistent and often ignored across the country, Reuters found. Many physicians, wrongly, dont believe that lead poisoning is still a problem, said Dr. Jennifer Lowry, a toxicologist and pediatrician at Childrens Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. They may not be seeing it because they are not testing for it. I think every kid should be tested. SURPRISING SOURCES Many people believe if they have a new home or well, their plumbing does not contain lead. Yet virtually all plumbing before 2014 has some lead in its components, and older homes tend to have more leaded plumbing. Until January 2014, lead free meant the plumbing component contained less than 8 percent lead. In Highlands, North Carolina, Robert and Suzanne Gregory discovered lead in their water after drilling a well for their home last August. Macon County required they test the new well for bacteria. Robert, an engineer, wanted to know more and paid for an in-depth test that found the water corrosive and contaminated with lead. He believed the source was the galvanized steel pipe that ran down his well. The couple had the galvanized pipe, whose coating may have contained lead, replaced with lead-free stainless steel. They tested again and the lead was gone. The combination of acidic water and galvanized steel is a problem, and I think its bigger than most people understand because most people dont even know they have galvanized, Robert said. Even if a homeowner conducts a lead test, the solutions can be too expensive for families with limited means. Some water treatment systems cost more than $10,000. Only a few states, including New Jersey and Rhode Island, require wells be tested for lead a test required when the property and well are transferred to a new owner. Though many states require tests for e coli and other bacteria, lead tests are seldom required, said John Hudson, vice president at Mortgage Financial Services in San Antonio, Texas. For a graphic, click http://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/1/982/1445/WATERPUMP.jpg A PLEA FOR CLEAN WATER Some residents know they have contaminated wells and want municipal water, but cant get it. In Orleans, New York, residents live in a region known for its boating, fishing and outdoor activities but also its doggedly high unemployment rate. The town began petitioning the state for municipal water four years ago. Since then, residents have made flyers and set up a Facebook page, but theres still no plan in place for public water. State officials say they aim to obtain $13 million to extend municipal water service to homes in Orleans with contaminated water, but Kevin Rarick, the Orleans town supervisor, calls the plan smoke and mirrors. Almost all of the money would come from a loan that would cost each water user $500 a year to pay off, and the state has not announced a plan to change the way it stores salt at the barn. Homeowner Greene, whose family has had to replace salt-tainted appliances, views the equation as unfair: The state polluted the aquifer feeding his well, and now wants his community to bankroll the solution. New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation said the source of the salt is inconclusive, and that the salt has been stored safely. An official noted that the state has given residents bottled water. If I had a salt pile that leached salt into my neighbors well, the state would be here the next day fining me and making me clean it up and making me be a good neighbor, said Greene. Thats all we want from them, to be a good neighbor. (Edited by Ronnie Greene) SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Sao Paulo state prosecutors have filed charges against former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a money laundering investigation, a spokesman for prosecutors said on Wednesday. In an investigation parallel to a two-year-old federal graft probe that detained the former president for questioning on Friday, state prosecutors have said they suspected Lula's family owned an undeclared beachfront apartment in the city of Guaruja. The prosecutors' spokesman declined to specify the charges against the former president. A representative for Lula's defence attorney declined to comment immediately on the charges. (Reporting by Eduardo Simoes and Maria Pia Palermo; Editing by David Gregorio) The stock market (^GSPC) has now been in a bull market for seven years. And much of this rally is owed to the rebound in profits, which is arguably the most important long-term driver of stock prices. But what if corporate profits right now arent as strong as companies are telling us? Currently, profits as measured by standardized accounting principles are much lower than the profits executives are spouting to their investors. And it has billionaire investors and Wall Street strategists wrestling with the possibility that the much of the profit growth weve seen is actually just an illusion Beware the "GAAP gap" When accounting for business, CFOs are guided by a standard known as generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP. GAAP represents an attempt to promote uniformity in how companies report their financial performance. But income statements reported based on GAAP don't always do a good job of reflecting the ongoing performance of a company's underlying operations. The main bone of contention is over the effects of write-downs primarily following acquisitions, restructurings or valuation impairment, particularly for goodwill, Jefferies Sean Darby said on Wednesday. These actions usually come with large one-time costs that distort company profits and misrepresent long-term profitability. And so, a company will also provide an adjusted, or non-GAAP earnings number that excludes what are arguably non-recurring items. Excluding these items, which are true and potentially recurring costs, results in a tendency for [non-GAAP] EPS to overstate true earnings, Bank of America Merrill Lynchs Dan Suzuki said in a March 1 note to clients. But on the other hand, including lumpy costs can make it more difficult to assess the underlying earnings potential. Indeed, this is a debate dominated by a lof of "on the one hand ... but on the other hand" type of language. Analysts will argue that the differences will tend to fluctuate through the economic cycle and a smoothed approach is valid, while purists will complain that companies tend to 'kitchen sink' or recognize losses at the nadir or lowest point," Darby said. Story continues The "GAAP gap" hasnt been this wide since the crisis Wall Street gurus like Societe Generales Andrew Lapthorne, have been tracking the discrepancy between GAAP and non-GAAP reported profits for years. But last fall, more experts like Deutsche Banks David Bianco grew increasingly concerned with what was becoming a growing divide between GAAP and non-GAAP profits. Blended [non-GAAP] 4Q earnings per share is $29.49 with GAAP EPS of $19.92, Bianco said of S&P 500 profits on Monday. He further noted that this 67% ratio of GAAP to non-GAAP EPS is well below the normal ~90% ex. recessions. Deutsche Bank The gap between GAAP and adjusted [non-GAAP] EPS is the widest since the crisis, Bank of America Merrill Lynchs Dan Suzuki said in a March 1 note to clients. The causes have varied, but the biggest recent contributors have been asset impairment charges and write-downs within the commodity complex, and acquisition charges (many of which are in Health Care). A widening GAAP gap is not a leading indicator for a market downturn, but rather more of a coincident measure, Suzuki continued. Everyone from Warren Buffett to Carl Icahn warn The earnings they are putting out today, I think, they are very suspect, billionaire investor Carl Icahn said. You havent really increased earnings for three years. GAAP earnings [for the S&P 500] have stayed at around $100 a share for three years. Ultimately, it comes down to whether its indeed fair for managers to exclude certain items when reporting profits. The problem, of course, arises when whats excluded actually is reflective of an ongoing issue in a companys operations. [I]t has become common for managers to tell their owners to ignore certain expense items that are all too real, Warren Buffett warned in his recent letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. Employing financial sleight of hand to create an illusion of profits is not a sustainable strategy. Heres some advice for your next meeting: Hold thy tongue. Total freedom of speech, new research shows, has the potential to squash creativity. As it turns out, if youre in a group of both men and women, abiding to standards of political correctness can help generate far better ideas than simply letting the conversation run wild. This is a surprise. For years, conventional wisdom has suggested that anarchy breeds creativity, says lead author Jack Goncalo, an associate professor of organizational behavior. But in reality, it seems like a bit of structure can go a long way: Anything that reduces the uncertainty, Goncalo says, especially for mixed-gender groups, helps get the juices flowing. The Cornell researchers who figured this out tasked 483 students of both genders with a problem: What business should be built in an empty lot? The groups that were politically correct for instance, who avoided sexist language generated a greater number of ideas, and more novel ideas, than groups operating without the norm. Many of us intuitively get what it means to be PC. Why? When men and women enter the same space, both genders need to know what to expect, experts say, making some pre-defined rules helpful. For women, the ability to express ideas without fear of being patronized is key. For men, knowing what could put them in the doghouse is a useful metric. But heres the twist: Same-sex groups were far less creative when they had to abide by the political correctness standards. (Researchers didnt ask about factors such as race and sexuality.) In a group of all dudes, for example, members were already, at least superficially, on the same page and unlikely to gender-offend. A standard of political correctness was an unnecessary mental burden. For women, much etiquette was already implicitly understood in the single-gendered group. The upshot, for the researchers? Use the political correctness standard, explicitly. Dont just say be polite or be sensitive. As annoying as the phrase may be, many of us intuitively get what it means to be PC, which means theres little room for confusion, says Goncalo. Demanding political correctness is more provocative, he admits. But its also more useful, if you want to get your teams or classrooms thinking better. Story continues Of course, plenty of folks maintain that constraints arent conducive to either competition or creativity. Worrying about what to say and what not to say is precious brainpower that could go toward creative thinking, says Kimberly Elsbach, professor of organizational behavior at the University of California, Davis. Its added mental stress. Elsbach acknowledges that one persons loss may be anothers gain, and for the good of the group as a whole. So the next time you want to think outside the box, stop before you man up. Related Articles (Reuters) - A man suspected of killing four people in Kansas and one in Missouri was arrested in Missouri early on Wednesday after a 17-hour manhunt, Missouri state police said. Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino was captured in Montgomery County in eastern Missouri, the state highway patrol said. He was being held on $2 million bond. Before the arrest, a prosecutor in Kansas had filed four first-degree murder charges against him. Serrano-Vitorino, 40, also was wanted for questioning in a slaying in New Florence, Missouri, about 170 miles east of Kansas City, Missouri officials said. Serrano-Vitorino is a Mexican national who was deported from the United States in 2004. He later illegally re-entered the country, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. He was deported after being imprisoned for a March 2003 conviction in California on a felony charge of making a terrorist threat, the immigration agency said. Serrano-Vitorino was charged on Tuesday in four fatal shootings at a home in Kansas City, Kansas, Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome Gorman said. The Kansas City Star reported that the murders took place in the house next door to the suspect's residence, and two of the victims were brothers. Serrano-Vitorino was captured after a citizen reported being approached by a man with a gun, a Missouri State Highway Patrol statement said. After that report, two troopers spotted the suspect face-down in a ditch and took him into custody without resistance, police said. A rifle was recovered. (Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales and Victoria Cavaliere; Additional reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by David Gregorio) (Reuters) - A man suspected of shooting an Idaho pastor who led a prayer at a rally for U.S. Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz was arrested on Tuesday, broadcaster KXLY reported. Police confirmed to the news outlet that 30-year-old Kyle Odom was taken into custody in Washington D.C. in connection with the Sunday afternoon shooting of Senior Pastor Tim Remington outside the Altar Church in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Remington had led a prayer at a Cruz rally on Saturday. Reuters could not independently verify the report as representatives for the police department could not be immediately reached for comment. (Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco) The suspect in the shooting of an Idaho pastor has been arrested in Washington after allegedly traveling 2,000 miles from the scene of the crime to give a message to the president himself. Kyle Odom, 30, was found in the nation's capital Tuesday, where the former U.S. Marine threw items including a computer flash drive over the White House fence, NBC News reports. Odom is believed to have somehow boarded a plane for Washington while police were on his trail for allegedly shooting Couer d'Alene pastor Tim Remington six times. After allegedly shooting the pastor, Coeur dAlene Police Chief Lee White told reporters that a person thought to be Odom had sent a rambling manifesto to media outlets. Read: Pastor Shot in Church Parking Lot Hours After Praying at Ted Cruz Rally White said the manifesto, which he called "an interesting read", was included with the items tossed over the White House fence. The manifesto includes a list of high ranking "martians", including dozens of congress people and other officials. The document, obtained by KHQ, also appears to heap praise on President Obama and was not believed to include specific threats against officials. Couer d'Alene police say Odom has a history of mental illness. He was honorably discharged by the Marines after suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. Prior to his arrest, he reportedly changed his Facebook profile photo to a hand drawn picture of what appears to be an alien. Officials believe, however, that Odom had targeted a second church official in Couer D'Alene prior to gunning down Remington in the parking lot of the Altar Church on Sunday. Hours before, Remington had prayed at a rally for presidential hopeful Ted Cruz. Watch: Video of Man Playing Arcade is Confirmed as Sandy Hook Shooter Adam Lanza "However, it does appear that this was a pre-planned attack," White said Monday. "And I will tell you that some details surrounding Mr. Odom's planning are disturbing." Story continues Remington was critically wounded but speaking to responders as he was rushed to a hospital. His condition has since been upgraded to stable. John Padula, another pastor at Remington's church, told the AP that Remington, a married father of four, has lost feeling in his right arm. Odom was arrested around 5:30 p.m. just outside the White House. Odom is in custody in Washington, DC, and will eventually be extradited back to Coeur d'Alene to face attempted murder charges after the Secret Service completes their investigation. Watch: Sobbing Wife Reunites with Husband During Live News After Kansas Shooting Related Articles: Aung San Suu Kyi's incoming government is considering a rethink of a controversial Chinese-backed dam in Myanmar and looking for ways to end a military conglomerate's "privileges", according to her party's economic advisor. Her new government, which is expected to take office in early April, faces a raft of economic challenges, not least the continued financial clout of Myanmar's military, while needing to manage delicate relations with China, its biggest trading partner. Critics of the former junta long argued that Myanmar's military elite grew wealthy off a cosy relationship with Beijing that granted the giant northern neighbour lucrative concessions with little trickle down benefit. Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) have offered few policy details, beyond a broad manifesto, in the lengthy transition period since winning last November's elections with a thumping mandate. But Hantha Myint, the head of the NLD's economics committee, said voters were expecting tangible change. "The people have very, very high hopes and then if we misbehave in some way... the people's expectations will be crushed," he told AFP during an interview at the party's headquarters in Yangon. While underlining that Suu Kyi would make the ultimate decision on policy, he said a potential redesign of the multi-billion dollar Myitsone hydropower project in northern Kachin State was on the cards -- comments likely to reverberate in Beijing. The trained engineer raised fears over its proximity to an active earthquake fault line, but said a compromise could be made to reduce risk. "If we refuse to build a dam at Myitsone we can build other dams upstream," he added. Myitsone was halted in 2011 by President Thein Sein amid widespread protest and the collapse of a 17-year ceasefire with local ethnic minority rebels. On Tuesday Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi insisted that the dam had gone through "full approval procedures" and put recent controversy down to "growing pains". Story continues - 'Only they can solve' - Hantha Myint also said it was time for Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) -- a military conglomerate that runs business interests as diverse as construction, transport and brewing -- to "compete at a level playing field". "The privileges given to MEHL by the previous government, we will not be able to give them those privileges," he said. Myanmar Economic Corporation, the military's other main conglomerate, remained outside of civilian control, he added. Suu Kyi is banned from becoming president but she has vowed to rule through a presidential proxy, with the NLD expected to announce their candidate for the job on Thursday. She has shown a pragmatic streak in dealing with both Myanmar's powerful military and controversial Chinese-backed projects. She led an inquiry into the Letpadaung copper mine in central Monywa -- a joint venture between MEHL and China's Wanbao -- following a violent police crackdown on protesters including monks in 2012. The probe attracted the ire of activists after it recommended construction be allowed to continue. But it also made a host of other recommendations for reducing the impact of local communities that Hantha Myint said the new government would revisit. Wanbao plans to start production in May, in a move likely to pose an early challenge for the NLD government. A spokesman for the firm told AFP last month that the next government would be expected to handle continued protests by angry local farmers, adding "only they can solve it". Ye Htut, a spokesman for the outgoing administration, said that the government had suspended a further 68 projects recently, which like Myitsone were "for the next government to decide". BEIRUT (Reuters) - The main Syrian opposition council said on Wednesday the agenda proposed by the United Nations for peace talks was positive and it had noted fewer government violations of a cessation of hostilities agreement in the past day. Salem al-Muslat, spokesman for the opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC), would take its final decision on whether to attend the Geneva talks very soon. Speaking after U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura said the talks would focus on new governance, a constitution and elections, Muslat said it was positive that the talks would "start ... with discussion of the matter of political transition". "We heard what Mr. de Mistura said. There are positive points, there are matters on the ground that we notice are moving in a positive way," he said. He said aid was entering more areas, describing that development as "positive ... if not complete". Referring to the cessation of hostilities agreement that took effect on Feb. 27, he said: "The violations of the truce were great at the start, but yesterday they were much fewer. There are perhaps some positive matters that we are seeing." But he said a government blockade of the Damascus suburb of Daraya must be lifted in order to "pave the way to the start of negotiations". He added this was not a condition for the attending the talks but a humanitarian requirement. (Reporting by Tom Perry/Lisa Barrington; Editing by Dominic Evans and Alison Williams) By Jon Herskovitz AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Texas is set to execute on Wednesday a man who fatally shot five people in 1997 with a hunting rifle in a killing spree launched when he found his ex-wife having sex with other men. Coy Wesbrook, 58, is set to be put to death by lethal injection at 6 p.m. local time at the state's death chamber in Huntsville. If the execution goes ahead, it would be the 535th in Texas since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, the most of any state. Wesbrook told a court he went to the Houston-area home of his ex-wife, Gloria Coons, seeking to reconcile. When he arrived he found other people in the residence and began drinking with them, court documents showed. Two men slipped away into his wife's bedroom and when he went in, he found her having sex with one of them. He then went to his truck to fetch his gun. He went back and fatally shot anyone who was still on the premises, killing his ex-wife, Antonio Cruz, Ruth Money, Anthony Rogers and Kelly Hazlip. He then calmly walked to his truck and waited. Wesbrook, a former security guard, could be overheard saying "I did it. I did it. I did what I had to do," neighbors testified. One man he shot dead was in the yard and the other victims were found inside. All had been shot at close range and his ex-wife was shot last, court documents showed. It took a jury about 90 minutes to sentence him to death. Lawyers for Wesbrook have tried unsuccessfully to have the execution halted arguing his rights have been denied and he is mentally impaired. In an interview with the Houston Chronicle published on Monday, Wesbrook said he spends his time studying the Bible, reading religious books and listening to gospel shows on the radio. He also said he is ready to die. "I'm looking forward to it," he told the paper. (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Robert Birsel) TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp <6502.T> said its board of directors would hold a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the planned sale of its medical equipment unit and announce the outcome swiftly if a decision is reached. The cash-strapped Japanese company said in a statement it had not yet decided on the likely buyer, responding to a report by the Nikkei business daily that Canon Inc <7751.T> was the front-runner with a bid of more than 700 billion yen ($6.2 billion). The auction of Toshiba Medical Systems Corp, aimed at shoring up Toshiba's capital after a $1.3 billion accounting scandal, represents an unexpected opportunity for rivals to get their hands on a respected manufacturer of diagnostic equipment such as X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. People familiar with the process had told Reuters earlier the contest for a crucial piece of Toshiba appears to be turning into a match-up between two longtime stalwarts of the Japanese tech industry - Fujifilm Holdings Corp <4901.T> Chief Executive Shigetaka Komori and Canon CEO Fujio Mitarai. Konica Minolta Inc <4902.T>, in partnership with European private equity firm Permira [PERM.UL], also remains in the bidding, one person said. Toshiba Medical, the world's second-largest manufacturer of CT scan machines, had annual revenues of 405.6 billion yen in the financial year ended March 2015. (Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Stephen Coates) By Steve Keating BEVERLY HILLS, Calif (Reuters) - Even as U.S. presidential hopeful Donald Trump raises concerns among world leaders, the mayor of Los Angeles is confident that whoever reaches the White House will not hurt his city's chances of landing the 2024 Olympics. "This is something that transcends politics," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said at the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) media summit on Tuesday. "Sports doesn't ask what your party affiliation is. "When the dust settles on these presidential campaigns and we have a new president he or she will squarely be behind Los Angeles' bid to bring these Games back to the U.S. "This is something that breaks down walls and something that brings us together." Making that pitch to the International Olympic Committee, who will select a 2024 host in 2017, could prove challenging if Trump wins the U.S. presidency in November and follows through on his plans to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border and ban Muslims from entering the United States. Los Angeles is up against European glamor cities Paris, Rome and Budapest in the race to host the 2024 Summer Games. USOC chairman Larry Probst conceded that at a time when Los Angeles is throwing out a welcome mat to the world the anti-immigration rhetoric being put forward by some presidential candidates will not make the challenge any easier. "At the end of the day this is about building positive relationships with the IOC membership," Probst said after a USOC board meeting where they were briefed by LA24 officials. "There are extraneous things we can't control. "We have to work as hard as we can at building those relationships with the voting members." The USOC has felt the sting from an international backlash before as New York's bid for the 2012 Summer Games and Chicago's attempt to land the 2016 Olympics were soundly rejected, much of that attributed to a strong anti-American sentiment within the IOC at the time. "Our relationship within the IOC was not terrific if you look back six or seven years ago and (we) have worked really hard to rebuild those relationships," said Probst. "That process is well underway and I think we are in a much better place than where we were a few years ago. "The feedback has been positive across the board. I have heard nothing but compliments about everything so far." Countries bidding to host and Olympics have counted on their leaders to put them over the top. Russian President Vladimir Putin led his country's bid for the 2014 Sochi Winter Games while British Prime Minister Tony Blair went to Singapore to trumpet London's successful bid for 2012 Olympics. "Politicians, if they are good, reflect the people they represent and I know how the American people feel about the Olympics and I know how they feel about Olympians and Paralympians," said Garcetti. "I know that the Paralympic Games and Olympic Games is something that touches our hearts and any good President is going to follow with that spirit." (Editing by Frank Pingue) By Ginger Gibson MONROE, N.C. (Reuters) - Republican leaders opposed to Donald Trump becoming the party's U.S. presidential candidate warned on Wednesday that the billionaire businessman could become unstoppable if he wins two crucial nominating contests next week. One of Trump's fiercest critics in the Republican Party, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, said that if the billionaire businessman extends his winning streak into crucial contests next week, the New Yorker's path to the nomination was all but inevitable. "I'm worried that if we lose Florida and Ohio he may be unstoppable," said Graham, a former Republican candidate who was among the party's large field of early White House hopefuls. With victories in nominating contests on Tuesday in three out of four states, Trump maintained his lead over the three remaining challengers in the race to be the Republican candidate in the Nov. 8 presidential election. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton's surprise loss to Bernie Sanders in the important Michigan primary laid bare growing voter anger over trade, raising warning flags for her ahead of a possible election showdown against Trump. On Wednesday, the often-combative Trump struck a more conciliatory tone toward the Republican establishment that has fiercely resisted his advance - first by backing favorite candidates who failed to win votes, then by pouring money into campaigns against him. "If we embrace what is happening and everyone came together, instead of spending all this money on these ads ...," Trump told Fox News. "If everyone came together, no one could beat the Republican Party. We would walk into Washington." He also praised U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan after speaking with him by phone this week, calling the Republican leader a "good man." Trump, 69, fended off a week of attacks from the party's establishment and defied predictions his campaign might be losing steam with his primary wins on Tuesday in Michigan, the biggest prize of the night, as well as Mississippi and Hawaii. His closest challenger, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, won Idaho. Story continues Trump's convincing win in Michigan narrowed prospects for the party's anti-Trump forces to stop him before next Tuesday's contests, which also include Illinois, North Carolina and Missouri. Trump now has 458 of the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination, with Cruz second with 359 delegates, according to the Associated Press. Rival Marco Rubio trails with 151 delegates, while John Kasich is far behind with 54. ENDORSEMENTS: ANY ONE BUT TRUMP Cruz, with enough primary victories to present himself as a viable Trump alternative, won the endorsement of former Republican rival Carly Fiorina on Wednesday and appealed to anti-Trump Republicans to back him. "If you don't want to see Donald Trump as the nominee, if you don't want to hand the election on a silver platter to Hillary Clinton and the Democrats, then I ask you to join us," Cruz said. Trump, a former reality TV show host, has peppered his campaign with put-downs of rivals and critics. Many mainstream Republicans have been offended by his statements on Muslims, immigrants and women and alarmed by his threats to international trade deals. But Cruz, 45, is a hard alternative for some of the mainstream Republican leadership to get behind. A fiscal and social conservative, he is unpopular with fellow senators who were targets of his personal attacks and who blame him for orchestrating a government shutdown in 2013 in a failed attempt to derail President Barack Obama's healthcare reforms. In January, Graham called a choice between Trump and Cruz like "being shot or poisoned." But the senator softened his tone on Wednesday, saying it had become increasingly clear that "Ted Cruz is the most viable alternative to Donald Trump." An aide to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who dropped out of the race last month, said Bush would meet with Cruz, fellow Floridian Rubio, and Kasich, governor of Ohio, in Miami before the March 15 contests. It was not clear if he planned to make an endorsement. Clinton, 68, won in Mississippi, but the victory in Michigan by her opponent from Vermont was expected to prolong the fight to pick a candidate. Clinton holds a sizable delegate lead, with 1,221 compared with Sanders' 571. She has been helped by winning Southern states by big margins and keeping most of her losses narrow. Clinton's campaign has been dogged by questions over her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state and - in a sign the issue will not go away - the Republican National Committee filed a lawsuit on Wednesday seeking emails between Clinton and her aides. Trump could open a sizable delegate lead if he is able to win next Tuesday in Florida, Ohio, or Illinois, states that allot all their delegates to the winner. Kasich, 63, of Ohio, and Rubio, 44, of Florida, could throw a wrench into Trump's delegate stash if they win in their home states next week. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Susan Heavey, Doina Chiacu, Amanda Becker in Washington; Writing by Doina Chiacu and Jonathan Oatis; Editing by Frances Kerry and Howard Goller) TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisian troops have killed 10 Islamist militants around Ben Guerdan in an operation to clear the town on the Libyan border after at least 55 people died in an Islamic State attack on Monday. During military raids late on Tuesday and into Wednesday morning around Ben Guerdan, one soldier was also killed. Two militants were tracked to a construction site before they were also killed, the defence and interior ministries said. Tunisia's government said around 50 militants launched a dawn attack on army and police posts in Ben Guerdan on Monday, in one of their largest assaults on Tunisia. The army killed 36 attackers and 12 troops and seven civilians also died on Monday. Prime Minister Habib Essid blamed the attack on Islamic State, which has grown in strength just over the border in Libya, taking advantage of the security chaos there to expand its presence and draw foreign recruits. The government said it is still investigating whether the militants crossed over from Libya or were already inside Ben Guerdan. Authorities found three arms caches in the city after the attack. Since its 2011 uprising against autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia has moved towards democracy. But it has also battled a growing Islamist militancy at home and more than 3,000 Tunisians have left to fight for Islamic State and other jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq. Growing security turmoil in Libya, where two rival governments and armed factions vie for control, has allowed Islamic State to thrive just over Tunisia's border, and Western governments are helping the country beef up frontier security. (Reporting by Tarek Amara; Writing by Patrick Markey; Editing by Alison Williams) Tunis (AFP) - Tunisian security forces killed seven "terrorists" overnight near Ben Guerdane after a deadly jihadist attack on the town near the border with Libya, the authorities said on Wednesday. The interior ministry said late Tuesday that five "terrorists" had been "eliminated" in the area, then on Wednesday said two more suspected jihadists had been killed. Four Kalashnikov assault rifles were recovered, the interior and defence ministries said in a joint statement. Tunisian media reports late Tuesday said security forces had surrounded a house where suspected jihadists were holed up in the Benniri area. Benniri is a few kilometres (miles) south of Ben Guerdane which is still under curfew after Monday's dawn attack in which 36 assailants, 12 members of the security forces and seven civilians were killed. The latest deaths take to 43 the number of suspected jihadists killed since the attack. Schools nationwide observed a minute's silence early Wednesday ahead of funerals for some of the victims. "It is vital to show students the importance of defending the nation, that the blood of martyrs did not flow for nothing," teacher Sonia El Kefi told AFP at a school in central Tunis. "We will not allow terrorists to influence the minds of children." The authorities said Monday's attack was an unprecedented assault by the Islamic State group aimed at setting up a new stronghold in the country across the border from Libya, where IS already has a presence. Witnesses reported a massive security presence on Wednesday in Ben Guerdane, a town of 60,000 people. The authorities have warned that mopping up operations after Monday's attack would continue. Prime Minister Habib Essid said on Tuesday that about 50 extremists were believed to have taken part in the assaults on an army barracks and police and National Guard posts. Defence ministry spokesman Belhassen Oueslati said 17 suspects were arrested on Tuesday near a military barracks and handed over to the National Guard for questioning. By Gulsen Solaker and Ayla Jean Yackley ANKARA/ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey's prime minister applied to parliament on Wednesday to lift the immunity of senior pro-Kurdish opposition deputies to prosecute them on charges of belonging to an armed terrorist group. Such a step could further inflame tensions in the mainly Kurdish southeast which has been hit by the worst violence in two decades since a two-year Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) ceasefire collapsed in July. President Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly called for Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputies to face prosecution, accusing them of being an extension of the PKK. Lawmakers in Turkey are normally protected from prosecution. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's office filed a submission requesting immunity from prosecution be lifted from HDP co-leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag and deputies Selma Irmak, Sirri Sureyya Onder and Ertugrul Kurkcu, parliament officials told Reuters. They deny the accusation of belonging to an armed terrorist organization and provoking hatred. "The attitudes of those who exploit 'podium immunity' and offend the shared conscience cannot be assessed within (the framework of) immunity," Davutoglu told reporters. The Kurdish conflict in NATO Turkey has been further complicated by the activity of armed Kurdish groups across the border in Syria. Syrian Kurds have been a close ally of the United States in fighting Islamic State but Ankara regards them as a partner of the PKK and a terrorist grouping Demirtas alone is the subject some 60 dossiers in parliament calling for the lifting of his immunity, including some related to calls for protest marches. As yet, there have been no moves in the assembly to open the way for his prosecution. "FEELINGS OF REVENGE"? "Erdogan is personally angry with us, especially me and a few other friends. He is...driven by feelings of revenge," Demirtas told reporters this week, attributing this to HDP election successes last year that chipped at the power of the AK Party Erdogan founded. The HDP exceeded the threshold of 10 percent of votes to become the first party with Kurdish roots to enter parliament on its own in a general election in June. Demirtas says he opposes violence and wants a negotiated end to a three-decade conflict with the PKK, deemed a terrorist organization by the United States and the EU as well as Turkey, that has cost some 40,000 lives. The latest requests were prepared in response to calls for Kurdish self-rule by the lawmakers at a congress last December. If the parliamentary commission backs lifting immunity, the request will be debated and a vote held, requiring a simple majority. In 1994, at the height of the conflict, lawmakers had their immunity revoked after speaking Kurdish in parliament. Four MPs spent a decade in prison, sparking condemnation from Turkey's Western partners. (This story has been refiled to remove repetition of lead paragraph) (Additional reporting Ercan Gurses in Ankara; Writing by Daren Butler; editing by Ralph Boulton) A Vietnamese couple recently took their 2-year-old fraternal twins for DNA testing and discovered that while they have the same mother, they shockingly have different fathers. The couple, whose names have not been released, were pressured from extended family members who noticed the children did not look alike, Le Dinh Luong, president of the Genetic Association of Vietnam told CNN. According to the news outlet, one child has thick and wavy hair and the other has thin and straight hair. While this is reportedly the first case of bi-paternal twins in Vietnam, a woman in New Jersey had the same revelation in May 2015. When the mother was in the process of applying for benefits from the man she claimed was the father of the babies, a paternity test was ordered after she revealed that she had sex with another man that same week, according to The New York Times. Results from the test revealed that he was the father but only for one of the twins. While it's rare, Dr. Keith Eddleman, director of obstetrics at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York told CNN that it's definitely possible. A woman's egg has a life span of 12 to 48 hours, and a sperm is viable for seven to 10 days. This makes it possible for two eggs to be fertilized by sperm from two different men during the same ovulation period. By Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is eager to turn the page on the years-long fight over a crude oil pipeline with Canada and celebrate its close economic and security ties with its northern neighbor, U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice said on Wednesday. Trade between the United States and Canada and joint efforts to curb climate change will loom large on the agenda for the meeting between President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Washington on Thursday. It will be followed by a star-studded state dinner meant to recognize the importance of the bilateral relationship, the first state dinner to honor Canada in 19 years. Trudeau's Liberals came to power in November by ousting right-wing Conservative leader Stephen Harper, whose ties with Washington deteriorated as he hectored Obama over the Keystone XL pipeline. President Barack Obama blocked the project last year, a victory for environmentalists who had campaigned against the pipeline. The spat is in the past, Rice said. "In any bilateral relationship, there are going to be issues of difference and occasional friction," she told Reuters in an interview. "The complexity and the breadth and the depth of the U.S-Canada relationship is such that no single issue can overshadow the totality of the relationship," she said. Obama and Trudeau will discuss the next steps for the "Beyond the Border" initiative, a plan to speed travel and trade, Rice said. "With the longest peaceful border and $2 billion a day in trade in both directions, we have an enormous shared stake in a border that is open for business and open for travel - and safe," Rice said. Trudeau campaigned to strengthen ties with the United States, but also promised he would pull out six fighter jets from the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Rice said the White House is satisfied with steps that Trudeau took to beef up training, surveillance and other support to the coalition. "Taken as a whole, we view the Canadian stepped-up contribution to the counter-ISIL campaign as being very, very valuable and welcome," Rice said, using an acronym for Islamic State. The White House has also watched closely as Trudeau welcomed 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada in four months. "We've seen thus far that Canada is taking very seriously its responsibility to its own citizens and to our common security to be vigilant as it welcomes these new refugees," Rice said. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton, editing by Tiffany Wu) By Katy Migiro NAIROBI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Mesfin Getahun, an Ethiopian living in a remote refugee camp on Kenya's northern border, earns $10,000 a month from his wholesale and retail business and employs more than 30 people. After arriving in the camp 15 years ago, he worked as a restaurant cleaner, slowly saving money for his own business, which sells food and household goods. "Being a refugee is not a reason for being unsuccessful in business and life," he told the United Nations, which profiled him as one of several successful entrepreneurs in the huge camp of Kakuma, home to some 180,000 refugees from the region. "All it takes is dedication and the will to work hard to achieve one's dream." Mesfin is part of what aid workers hope will become a new breed of refugees who can provide for themselves, boost local economies and relieve the pressure on an aid system buckling under the unprecedented number of global emergencies. The United Nations is appealing for $20 billion in humanitarian aid in 2016, five times the amount it sought a decade ago, for crises stretching from Syria to a dozen African nations hit by drought. "It's not the case that finance and humanitarian resources to respond don't exist," said Pete Manfield, regional representative for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. "It's that we are not adequately working with others, particularly at the local level, to find where capacities exist that are not being used." Manfield was speaking at the launch on Tuesday of an online platform linking the private sector in East Africa with aid agencies and local government to improve the response to emergencies. Aid groups hope greater private sector involvement will cut costs and improve access to conflict zones like Somalia. "If Coke has access to deliver Coke and we can't get vaccines in, surely theres a discussion (to be had)," said Manfield. NEW MODEL The United Nations is piloting the new model for private sector-refugee cooperation in Kalobeyei, a 15 square kilometre (5.8 square mile) extension planned for Kakuma, which has become congested since civil war broke out in South Sudan in 2013. Permission to extend Kakuma came with conditions attached, said Raouf Mazou, country representative for the United Nations refugee agency. "The challenge that was given to us by the governor of Turkana was to say: 'Don't do another refugee camp... Do something which will serve both the host population and the refugee population'," Mazou said. The United Nations has replaced some of the food aid ration with cash so that local businesses can sell their products to the refugees. It hopes Kalobeyei will become an urban settlement, not a camp, where both refugees and locals can live, do business and get services like electricity, Mazou said. Solar lighting company D.light, which sells lights for as little as $5, has joined the East Africa platform. "There's an opportunity to really create a sustainable market for renewable energy in these places," said Kate Montgomery, the company's director of global partnerships, adding that $2.1 billion a year is spent on fuel for displaced people around the world. Companies like Unilever and Safaricom, Kenya's leading mobile phone service provider, are already making a good profit in Kenya's camps. The Kakuma branch of Equity Bank, the Kenyan bank which has the largest number of depositors in East Africa, has 50,000 customers, both refugees and locals. RIGHT TO WORK The East African initiative reflects the global challenge of providing for refugees at a time when a record 60 million people have fled their homes because of violence, oppression or drought. Kenya hosts the second largest number of refugees on the African continent, some having arrived as long as 25 years ago. Legally, all refugees must live in camps and they cannot work. With limited funding for protracted displacements, the United Nations has repeatedly cut food rations for refugees in Kenya. There have been tensions between poor locals living around the camps, who often suffer drought and hunger, and the refugees who receive free food, healthcare and education. "The majority of refugees if given an opportunity... could fend for themselves," said Mazou. "The support we provide to refugees has to be limited and has to lead to self-reliance." Refugees who set up businesses are usually better at rebuilding their lives when they return home than those who have depended on aid for 20 years, he said. The Kenyan government remains cautious, fearing the initiative could encourage refugees to settle permanently in Kenya, competing with locals for jobs and government services. "When you create permanence, the whole mentality and psychology of being in a place is entrenched," Tom Amolo, Political and Diplomatic Secretary in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, said at the launch. "We will work with you... but it will also not detract or remove the primary responsibility of international organisations to do their part." (Reporting by Katy Migiro, editing by Tim Pearce.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, womens rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org to see more stories.) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. military aircraft with four crew members crashed in Iraq on Saturday, but none were injured and initial reports ruled out hostile action, a Defense Department official said on Tuesday. Earlier on Tuesday, the top U.S. Navy admiral told the Washington Post that Navy helicopters rescued four crew members on Saturday after an emergency landing by a U.S. Army reconnaissance plane. The rescue mission was launched from Irbil in northern Iraq, Admiral John Richardson said, according to the newspaper. "They were up, airborne and at the location of the accident within four minutes of the alert. That was pretty good timing, Richardson was quoted as saying. The plane was a twin turboprop, fixed-wing aircraft and the cause of the crash was under investigation, the Defense Department official said in a statement. U.S. military commanders added more search and rescue teams to northern Iraq last year after a Jordanian fighter pilot's jet crashed and he was captured, tortured and killed by Islamic State militants. (Reporting by Eric Walsh; Editing by Sandra Maler and Lisa Shumaker) By James Pearson CHEORWON, South Korea (Reuters) - There's more to do in South Korea's heavily forested Rocket Valley, just a few miles from the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, than fire rockets. In quieter times, people tend vegetable patches along ice-cold streams. But on Wednesday, a U.S. artillery brigade based in the South heated things up, launching a barrage of rockets close to the border town of Cheorwon. The live-fire drills came hours after a report by reclusive North Korea that it had miniaturized nuclear warheads to be mounted on ballistic missiles and leader Kim Jong Un had ordered further improvements to its arsenal. Tension in the region was already high as South Korean and U.S. troops began large-scale military exercises on Monday in a test of their defenses against North Korea, which called the drills "nuclear war moves" and threatened to respond with an all-out offensive. The U.N. Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on North Korea last week for its Jan. 6 nuclear test. The North launched a long-range rocket a month later, drawing international criticism and sanctions from South Korea. The drills in Rocket Valley were separate to the annual joint U.S.-South Korean maneuvers which involve about 17,000 U.S. troops and more than 300,000 South Koreans. They were a test of the U.S. Army M270A1 system, a multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) built by Lockheed Martin that can fire 12 rounds and re-load and move at 64 km (40 miles) per hour. One unit was dug in at the foot of Rocket Valley, under the swaying firs. A sonic boom followed the rockets as they screamed over the tree line followed by trails of flame toward targets eight km (five miles) away, invisible over the ridge lines. "If North Korea decides to use their long-range artillery, which they have so many pieces of, Seoul would be in direct range," Captain Harry Lu of the U.S. Army's 37th Field Artillery Regiment said. "So our mission here is to make sure we destroy that artillery before they can cause any more damage to the greater Seoul metropolitan area." SHRILL THREATS OF WAR In bellicose rhetoric, North Korea routinely threatens to turn Seoul into a "sea of flames" and the city was reduced to rubble in the 1950-53 Korean conflict, which ended in a truce, not a treaty, meaning the two sides are technically still at war. Kim Jong Un's announcement of advances in North Korea's nuclear program followed his order last week for the country to be prepared to mount pre-emptive attacks against the United States and South Korea and stand ready to use nuclear weapons. He issued the command as the North showcased its own MLRS which is carried by a Chinese-made truck and may be able to operate outside the range of similar U.S. and South Korean weapons, according to an expert. South Korea's defense ministry said the North's rockets flew up to 150 km (90 miles) off the east coast and into the sea, a display of power seen as a response to the U.N. sanctions. The U.S. 210th Field Artillery Brigade, based in Dongducheon, north of Seoul, is one of the only U.S. battalions that will not move to a newly expanded military base south of the capital under an agreement between South Korean and U.S. defense chiefs. That is because it is considered part of South Korea's "counter-fire plan" and contains MLRS, capable of firing a barrage of rockets at a target beyond the range of conventional artillery. It is one of South Korea's first lines of defense in the event of war. "Unless using guided munitions, (multiple-launch rockets) are less accurate than tube artillery but can put a lot of steel downrange with devastating effect," said Bruce Klinger, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation and former Korea specialist at the CIA. On Wednesday, the devastating effect was being unleashed over an idyllic landscape which belies its name. In just a few weeks, holiday makers will return to the private cottages, camp sites and vegetable plots that dot the hills to get away from the summer heat of the city. (Editing by Jack Kim and Nick Macfie) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. aircraft have begun targeting Islamic State's chemical weapons sites near Mosul in Iraq in an initial round of air strikes aimed at diminishing the militant group's ability to use mustard agent, CNN reported on Wednesday. CNN said it was unclear if the strikes, conducted over the last several days, were successful. An Islamic State detainee provided vital information that allowed the U.S. military to conduct the strikes, the network added. (Reporting by Susan Heavey and David Alexander) LONDON (Reuters) - Reactors at EDF's proposed Hinkley Point C nuclear project should not be vulnerable to the same weak spots as found in a reactor vessel at the company's Flammanville site in France, Britain's Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) said on Wednesday. Intractable problems at two nuclear plants under construction in France and Finland have threatened more delays to EDF's plan to build two Areva-designed European Pressurised Reactors (EPR) nuclear reactors in Britain at Hinkley Point in southwestern England. The Hinkley Point C project was first announced in 2013, but an investment decision has been put off repeatedly as EDF struggles to find partners and funding. Flamanville is also years behind schedule and in April last year French nuclear regulator ASN said "very serious anomalies" had been found in its reactor vessel. However, the ONR said it does not anticipate similar anomalies at Hinkley Point C as occurred at the EPR reactor at Flamanville. "EDF will be procuring the dome forgings manufactured from larger ingots using a different casting process designed to eliminate the carbon segregation currently being considered by the French regulator," the ONR said in a statement. "As part of ONR's ongoing regulation, the dome and the whole reactor will need to meet the UK's high standard of nuclear safety to ONR's satisfaction before permissions are given," it added. (Reporting by Nina Chestney, editing by David Evans) United Nations (United States) (AFP) - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday rejected criticism from Morocco of his remarks on Western Sahara, and pledged to push for action to advance peace efforts during his final year as UN chief. Following Ban's trip to a camp in Algeria housing refugees from the 40-year conflict, the Moroccan government charged that the UN chief's remarks contained "verbal excesses and unjustified complacency." Hitting back at the statement, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said: "The secretary-general believes that he and the United Nations are neutral partners in this." Ban "has been doing everything he can to resolve the situation in Western Sahara" which has "lasted for quite some time," he added. The UN chief "wanted to make sure indeed in the very last year of his term that this issue is firmly on the international agenda," said Haq. During his visit, Ban announced plans to re-launch UN-sponsored talks between Morocco and the Polisario Front, which is seeking independence for Western Sahara. The United Nations has been trying to broker a Western Sahara settlement since 1991 after a ceasefire was reached to end a war that broke out when Morocco deployed its military in the former Spanish territory in 1975. Local Sahrawi people are campaigning for the right to self-determination, but Morocco considers the territory as part of the kingdom and insists its sovereignty cannot be challenged. After his visit to the Smara refugee camp in Tindouf, Ban spoke of a "human tragedy" and said the world "must act" to help the Sahrawi people. Ban, who steps down at the end of December, is planning to travel to Rabat at a later time and visit the main city of Laayoune in Western Sahara, where the United Nations MINURSO mission is based. The conflict over Western Sahara has been among the most sensitive issues on the UN agenda, with Rabat fiercely rejecting any challenge to its hold on the mineral-rich territory. Next month, the UN Security Council will discuss the renewal MINURSO's mandate, which was established to oversee a referendum on the future of Western Sahara that never materialized. By Alisa Tang BANGKOK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - LGBT activists, facing a barrage of homophobia and hate speech by Indonesian authorities, are setting up hotlines and safehouses, while "unfriending" people on social media and deleting website directories that could expose them to violence. Indonesia's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights groups have been active for decades and have come under attack before, but usually only for one or two days at a time. This time, the anti-LGBT rhetoric began about two months ago, say activists who describe a community living in fear. "This is the first time it's actually lasted this long," said Dede Oetomo, a prominent activist who founded one of the country's oldest LGBT rights groups, GAYa NUSANTARA, in 1987. Oetomo said the attacks began in January when Higher Education Minister Muhammad Nasir said LGBT people should be barred from university campuses, and have continued on an almost daily basis. The national broadcasting commission reiterated a policy banning TV and radio programs that make LGBT behavior appear "normal", saying this was to protect children and teenagers who are "susceptible to duplicating deviant LGBT behaviors". The Indonesia Psychiatric Association classified homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism as mental disorders, while Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu called the LGBT movement a "proxy war" to brainwash Indonesians. Critics say LGBT groups receive "foreign funding", which is true if one looks at funds from United Nations organizations like UNAIDS or Western governments and foundations, Oetomo said. "We are supposed to be a danger to survival of the nation," Oetomo said by telephone from Surabaya, where GAYa NUSANTARA is based. "It's getting ridiculous in a way. It sounds like a little war." Government officials did not respond to repeated requests for comment. There have been a few incidents of LGBT people being harassed, and Oetomo said LGBT groups are now working to set up safehouses and draw up evacuation plans in case of need. In Yogyakarta, southeast of Jakarta, on Feb. 23 LGBT activists were roughed up by police, who told local media they stopped them from holding a rally to avoid a clash with a hardline Muslim group holding an anti-LGBT protest nearby. Also in Yogyakarta, an Islamic boarding school for transgender women was shut down two weeks ago. LEVEL OF ATTACKS "UNPRECEDENTED" Homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia, though some politicians have called for criminalization of gay sex. Sexual and gender minorities in Indonesia have historically lived amid a tense calm, with tolerance and pluralism protecting them from violence and a sense that discretion brought safety, said Kyle Knight, LGBT rights researcher for New York-based Human Rights Watch. "What we're seeing now may be unprecedented in terms of its fever pitch," Knight wrote in an email from Indonesia, where he is documenting human rights abuses related to the rise in anti-LGBT rhetoric. "This time around, government officials have even stoked the cacophony of hatred." Some officials - including Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan - have defended the LGBT community. "Whoever they are, wherever they work, he or she continues to be an Indonesian citizen. They have the right to be protected as well," Pandjaitan was quoted as saying in The Jakarta Post. This is little comfort for LGBT rights defenders. Kevin Halim, an Indonesian transgender woman activist with the Bangkok-based Asia Pacific Transgender Network, is troubled by "experts" promoting conversion therapy without considering the psychological damage that can be done by their words. And many LGBT Indonesians are combing through their social media to "unfriend" anyone who might disapprove of them. "Normally I just share everything gay about me," said Safir Soeparna, who works for Apcom, a Bangkok-based group focusing on HIV in gay men. "Now I'm a bit like ... will somebody use this to blackmail me? So I rechecked my 'friend' list and deleted people I can't trust 100 percent." Several activists have also adopted new security strategies. "My guys don't even go to the office any more. It's too dangerous. We've never really experienced this," Oetomo said. The staff of Arus Pelangi, which provides legal assistance for LGBT people, set up a buddy system in January because police could not guarantee their security, and started a hotline for people needing help, Chairwoman Yuli Rustinawati said. "They have pushed us into a corner," Rustinawati said by phone from Jakarta. "LGBT people have been pushed and are living now in fear because of the statements from the government, ministers, mayors, calling on society to beware of us." LINKS GAYa NUSANTARA - www.gayanusantara.or.id barred from university - http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/25/lgbt-not-welcome-university-minister.html national broadcasting commission statement - http://www.kpi.go.id/index.php/lihat-terkini/38-dalam-negeri/33218-kpi-larang-promosi-lgbt-di-tv-dan-radio or http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/14/commission-wants-tv-radio-free-lgbt.html mental disorder - http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/24/indonesian-psychiatrists-label-lgbt-mental-disorders.html proxy war - http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2016/02/23/055747534/Minister-LGBT-Movement-More-Dangerous-than-Nuclear-Warfare transgender boarding school shut down - http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/26/yogyakarta-transgender-islamic-boarding-school-shut-down.html roughed up by police - http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/24/police-ban-rally-held-lgbt-supporters.html & video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu66JLcEv8I Pandjaitan in Jakarta Post - http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/13/luhut-defends-lgbt-groups.html (Reporting by Alisa Tang, editing by Tim Pearce. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, womens rights, corruption and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org to see more stories) By Alwyn Scott and Michael Flaherty (Reuters) - Two investment funds with major stakes in United Continental Holdings Inc launched a fight for control on Tuesday, proposing a slate of directors led by industry legend Gordon Bethune to shake up the board of the poorly performing airline. PAR Capital Management Inc and Altimeter Capital Management LP, which together own 7.1 percent of the second-largest U.S. airline, said its "underqualified, ineffective, complacent and entrenched" board had caused years of "inexcusable company underperformance" and needed an overhaul. "We believe that our conclusion is shared by many of United's long-suffering stockholders, customers and 80,000-plus dedicated employees," the funds said in a letter to United's board. United has badly underperformed other U.S. airline stocks since its 2010 merger with Continental Airlines. It has suffered from a series of computer problems and poor employee morale, and its on-time performance and profits have lagged its peers. Bethune is known for leading Continental through a dramatic turnaround from 1994 until his retirement in 2004, during which the stock soared. Bethune said he was asked to help by longtime United shareholders PAR and Altimeter, which lack a track record of starting the kind of proxy battle typical of so-called activist investors. Saturday is the deadline for board nominations. The annual meeting is expected in June. United Chief Executive Oscar Munoz warned the proposal by the Boston-based asset managers could wrest away control of the airline, and urged employees to keep improving United, which fared better in late 2015 after years of underperformance. "This situation shouldn't change your focus," he said in an email to employees. United's flight attendants union said the investors were "creating a distraction at just the wrong time." United's machinists union also voiced support for Munoz. United Continental shares ended 2.2 percent lower at $56.34 amid a broader sell-off in airline stocks. Bethune, 74, said the fight was "not about Mr. Munoz." "It's about ... having someone who actually understands the airline business on the board," Bethune said in CNBC interview Tuesday. He noted that the investors insisted he stand for election as United's chairman, and that he would only stay two years, if appointed. The proposed slate of directors also includes Altimeter founder Brad Gerstner, former Orbitz CEO Barney Harford and former Delphi Automotive CEO Rodney O'Neal. United said it had tried to work with the funds and even offered to amend its bylaws to extend the deadline for board nominations, but they were "uninterested" in an agreement. The two funds built stakes in United last year, and talks with the carrier intensified in late 2015, said a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. The funds did not return calls seeking comment. SHAKING UP THE BOARD "This situation is really all about shaking up what Altimeter/PAR thinks is an entrenched and ineffective board," said Don Bilson, head of event-driven research at independent research firm Gordon Haskett. United has posted relatively weak earnings, among other problems. It lost $724 million in 2012, when rival Delta Air Lines Inc posted more than $1 billion in profit. In 2013, United earned $539 million, compared with Delta's $10 billion profit. Former United CEO Jeff Smisek stepped down in September following the disclosure of a federal investigation into the airline's dealings with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The fund's plan to change United's board came two days after the airline said Munoz would return on March 14 after being on medical leave since October, when he suffered a heart attack. On Monday, United added three independent directors to its board, increasing the size. The company said some directors would step down but declined to say which ones or how many. "PAR and Altimeter have unilaterally taken this hostile action with no concern that a proxy fight could distract the company from executing on Oscar's strategic plan," United Non-Executive Chairman Henry Meyer said on Tuesday. But the investors said the board changes, together with an increased stock buyback plan, were not enough. "Yesterday's last-ditch effort adding just three people to its now 15-person board is a cynical attempt to preserve power by this entrenched board," Gerstner said in a statement. Other investors said the proposal would have little immediate impact. "Today's news doesn't affect our view of the company's credit profile or its trajectory," said Jonathan Root, an analyst at Moody's Investors Service, which rates United three notches below investment grade, with a positive outlook. (Additional reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru) By Hugh Bronstein BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - A Uruguayan businessman was stabbed to death in the city of Paysandu near the Argentine border late on Tuesday, an attack characterized as anti-Semitic by the country's main Jewish organization. David Fremd, 54, died from his wounds. An unidentified man was arrested and remained in custody on Wednesday. The head of the Central Israelite Committee of Uruguay (CCIU), which is the country's Jewish umbrella group, told Reuters that the attacker admitted to police that the knifing was motivated by religion. "The information I have is that the attacker told the police that he had converted to Islam and that Allah had asked him to kill a Jew," CCIU chief Sergio Gorzy said. He could not confirm witness accounts carried in the media that the suspect yelled "Allahu Akbar," or "God is Greatest," before the knifing. The CCIU issued a statement condemning the attack and asking the interior ministry to investigate. "The characteristics of the homicide lead us to presume this was an antisemitic attack," the statement said. The suspect appeared to have been acting on his own when he stabbed Fremd, who served as a director of Paysandu Jewish Community, the statement said. Stabbings have been on the rise in Israel, where violence has surged during a visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian who tried to stab them on Wednesday, the military said. The attacks came a day after an American tourist was killed in Tel Aviv by a Palestinian who went on a stabbing spree while Biden held meetings just blocks away. (Reporting by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Alistair Bell) Washington (AFP) - The United States on Tuesday condemned a shooting and stabbing spree in Tel Aviv that killed an American tourist and left 12 people wounded. "The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms today's outrageous terrorist attacks in Jaffa, Petah Tikvah, and Jerusalem, which tragically claimed the life of US citizen Taylor Allen Force and left many others severely injured," US State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. The attacker -- a Palestinian around 21 years old from the occupied West Bank -- was shot dead by police near where US Vice President Joe Biden was meeting with Israel's former president, police said. The slain American, Taylor Force, a 29-year-old native of Texas and a US army veteran, was a graduate student at Vanderbilt University, the school said in a statement. "We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Taylor and all those affected by these senseless attacks, and we wish a speedy recovery for the injured," Kirby said. "As we have said many times, there is absolutely no justification for terrorism," he added. "We continue to encourage all parties to take affirmative steps to reduce tensions and restore calm." Five of the injured were in critical condition, officials said. A a year ago, an agreement between Roswell Park Cancer Institute and Cuba's Center of Molecular Immunology started the groundwork for what could be a medical boon for U.S. citizens: access to CimaVax, a lung cancer vaccine that has been used to treat 5,000 cases worldwide. The vaccine works in an innovative way: Instead of targeting cancer cells, which is difficult because cancers can vary by host, CimaVax starves out the cancer by targeting the cells cancer needs for replication. So far, it's looking good: It has both low toxicity and low production cost two things that raise the odds of getting a potentially tide-turning drug to market. But CimaVax isn't the only medication U.S. citizens could benefit from. Cuba is also producing medicines to treat multiple myeloma, block tumor growth and combat a cadre of cancers from head to foot. The problem is they're all stuck behind . So, to get these drugs into the U.S., the Medical Education Cooperation With Cuba released a White Paper in February asking for President Barack Obama to issue general authorizations for collaboration between U.S. and Cuban medical companies, institutes and government agencies. The goal is to get around some major hurdles preventing the U.S. from accessing Cuban biopharmaceuticals and the researchers who make them. A doctor at 19 De Abril hospital in Havana, Cuba, holding an infant We tend to associate Cuba with classic cars and the Buena Vista Social Club, not a groundbreaking biopharmaceutical industry but medicine has been a considerable part of the country's recent economic growth. As early as the 1980s, Cuban companies have been developing medications to treat illnesses on the island and in countries willing to do business with Cuban pharmaceutical companies. Now, according to Pierre LaRamee, Executive Director of MEDICC, the island has 4 . It's a self-financing industry and the in the Cuban economy. Story continues "This didn't just start happening yesterday," LaRamee told Mic. "The government decided to prioritize [pharmaceuticals] in part because of the embargo, which has so choked off access to medications from around the world that Cuba had to adapt and develop its own industry. Now Cuba's considered on par with China and India in terms of biopharmaceutical production." An island producing a Beatles anthology-sized collection of therapeutic cancer vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, anti-tumor peptides and radioactive antibodies could be hugely important to the U.S. The National Cancer Institute, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, estimates there may have been 1,658,370 new cases of cancer and 589,430 cancer deaths last year. That's over half a million deaths potentially preventable by new medicines all of which improved U.S.-Cuba relations could bring stateside. Among some of the best are Heberprot-P, Racotumomab and Nimotuzumab. The Medicines We Need Heberprot-P A diabetic foot ulcer Cuban doctors have been using H, a cure for diabetic foot ulcers, since 2007, according to MEDICC Review. Diabetic foot ulcers contributed to 73,000 lower-limb amputations in 2010. More often than not, indicated a five-year mortality rate. The drug works by getting deep into the tissue around a wound on the lower legs, where blood pools, and makes the tissue better at repairing itself. According to LaRamee, Heberprot-P reduces the risk of foot amputations by more than 70%. It could be the single most important medicine for the U.S. to access: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29.1 million people or 9.3% of the country have diabetes. Racotumomab A x-ray of lung cancer Racotumomab is a therapeutic cancer vaccine used to treat solid tumors like those found in melanoma, breast cancer and lung cancer cases the latter of which claimed 158,040 U.S. deaths in 2015, according to NCI estimates. Racotumomab could also be used to treat multiple myeloma, which turns your plasma cells into multiplying cancer cells tearing up your bones, immune system and kidneys, among other things. Nimotuzumab MRI scan of a brain tumor Like CimaVax, Nimotuzumab targets epidermal growth factor receptor, a protein in your body that helps cancer cells grow, to starve cancer of cells it needs to multiply. According to LaRamee, Nimotuzumab is a blanket term for different types of brain tumors. Since epidermal growth factor is an active part of the equation for the development of colon and pancreatic cancer actually, a lot of solid-tumor cancers Nimotuzumab could have implications for stifling tumor growth in a wide range of cancers. Drugs Crossing the Border If everything goes right, CimaVax undergoing trials in the U.S. could start a chain reaction of U.S. institutes testing Cuban medications. There's already a relationship between Dr. Thomas Rothstein, investigator and head of the Center for Oncology and Cell Biology at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in New York, and researchers at Cuba's Center of Molecular Immunology surrounding research involving Racotumomab. Here's the problem: Cuba has the drug and New York has the equipment needed for analysis, but blood samples from immunized Cuban patients can't get to the Feinstein Institute in time . So not only could lifting the embargo on Cuba mean express medical deliveries between the two countries, it could give U.S. and Cuban medical institutes more chances to collaborate. Ana Maria Hernandez, investigator from Cuba's Center for Molecular Immunology The Challenge of G Medicines to Market To get any domestic or imported drug approved by the Federal Drug Administration, it must go through four steps: research in the lab, research on animals, research on humans and a thorough FDA review. After approval, the drug is still monitored on the market to make sure nothing fishy is happening. The process can take a lot of time and it can cost an alleged $1.3 billion to go to market. For CimaVax, or any potential medicine produced in Cuba, there's an additional government-approval step before an FDA official even sees it. "CimaVax was brought to the U.S. under a special license from the Treasury Department for limited research," LaRamee told Mic. If the embargo were lifted, LaRamee said, Cuban products would be treated the same as those from any other country, with a much higher likelihood that they would actually get tested, approved and sold to U.S. doctors and patients. Research collaborations, like the one between Roswell Park and the Center of Molecular Immunology, could become more common and in turn, they could get life-saving medicines from Cuba into the hands of citizens in the U.S. and around the world. "I think most Americans would be astonished to learn Cuba has one of the most advanced biotechnology industries in the world," LaRamee told Mic. "It's producing cutting-edge treatments and successfully marketing them. But , they're not available in the U.S. It's not just Cubans being hurt, but Americans." Sydney (AFP) - Washington is in talks to station its strike bombers in Australia, according to a US general, amid concern about China's military expansion in the South China Sea. General Lori Robinson, commander of US Pacific Air Forces, said negotiations were under way to have American B-1 bombers and aerial tankers temporarily stationed in northern Australia. "We're in the process of talking about rotational forces, bombers and tankers out of Australia and it gives us the opportunity to train with Australia," she said according to national radio aired Wednesday. "It gives us the opportunity to strengthen the ties we already have with the Royal Australian Air Force and it gives the opportunity to train our pilots to understand the theatre and how important it is to strengthen our ties with our great allies, the RAAF." The US has been pursuing a foreign policy "pivot" towards Asia, which has rattled China, and already stations Marines in Australia's north. Beijing said it was "concerned" by reports of the US-Australia talks. "To seek peace, cooperation and development is an important trend in the region and what all people aspire for," said Hong Lei, a spokesman from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Relevant cooperation among countries should serve the purpose of safeguarding regional peace and stability. "Such cooperation should not target the interests of a third party". Last May, Assistant Defense Secretary for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs David Shear raised the prospect of B-1 bombers in Australia when he appeared before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. But his comments were played down by Australia's then prime minister Tony Abbott, who said Shear had "misspoken". Current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull would not be drawn on the specifics of the discussions when asked about the bombers. "Well, we have rotation of American military forces through Darwin and through Australia all the time," he said Wednesday. "So we have a very, very close defence relationship with the US. Story continues "I'm not going to comment on a particular element of that, but I can just assure you that everything we do is in this area is very carefully determined to ensure that our respective military forces work together as closely as possible in our mutual national interests." Beijing claims almost the whole of the South China Sea, through which a third of the world's oil passes, and tensions have been rising as it asserts its territorial claims. A US official last month said Beijing had deployed surface-to-air missiles on Woody Island in the disputed Paracels chain. Reports also surfaced recently of probable radar installations on reefs in the nearby Spratly islands. Washington has in recent months sent warships to sail within 12 nautical miles -- the usual territorial limit around natural land -- of a disputed island and reef transformed into an artificial island. Robinson said the United States would continue to fly above and sail through the disputed waterway and encouraged "anybody in the region and around the world" to follow suit to assert freedom of navigation. By Andrew Cawthorne and Deisy Buitrago CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition alliance launched a campaign on Tuesday to oust socialist President Nicolas Maduro via street protests, a recall referendum or a constitutional amendment cutting his term. "Change is coming and no one can stop it," Jesus Torrealba, the head of the Democratic Unity (MUD) coalition, told reporters. Hungry for power after 17 years of socialist rule begun by the late Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's opposition capitalized on public ire over the crisis-hit economy to win control of the National Assembly legislature in December. It is counting on a multi-pronged strategy against Chavez's successor to bring him down half-way through his six-year term in the South American OPEC nation. The coalition said its more than two dozen parties decided unanimously to activate "all mechanisms for change" in search of a "national unity government." Despite the show of unity, however, the coalition is notoriously fractious, with a moderate wing led by twice-presidential candidate Henrique Capriles and a more radical side headed by jailed protest leader Leopoldo Lopez. "The MUD's strategy reflects its internal divisions. Todays announcement had been postponed twice in the last five days. Lacking consensus, the coalition has opted to pursue three distinct but overlapping strategies," wrote Nicholas Watson, of Teneo Intelligence consultancy. Despite trying to maximize their chances with a multiple approach, the opposition faces hostile judicial and electoral institutions that can frustrate its plans with delaying or blocking tactics in favor of the government. Officials condemn the opposition's plans as a U.S.-backed attempt to bring about a coup d'etat in the nation of 29 million people with the world's largest oil reserves. "They want rallies to generate violence," the Socialist Party's powerful No. 2, Diosdado Cabello, said on Monday. RALLIES TO START AT WEEKEND The opposition vowed to begin rallies from Saturday in Caracas. Activists will, however, be wary of repeating the experience of 2014 when protests turned violent, leading to the death of 43 people on both sides. That push, led by hard-liners, did not win significant support from Venezuela's poor majority and arguably strengthened Maduro by enabling him to show a strong hand. Two years on, however, public frustration is high and small protests are breaking out daily over food and medicine shortages, power and water cuts, and transport price rises. Masked youths calling for Maduro's resignation faced off with police on Monday in the western city of San Cristobal. But Torrealba insisted: "We don't want masks or stones, we want the people in the street peacefully." Capriles is pushing a recall referendum, as allowed under Venezuela's constitution half-way through a presidential term, and has already begun campaigning for it across the country. Under the constitutional terms for the plebiscite, the opposition would need to collect 3.9 million signatures in three days, ratified by the national electoral board, to trigger a referendum three months later. If authorities delay such a vote into 2017, however, then Maduro's vice-president would be allowed to complete his term. Chavez easily won a 2004 recall referendum with 59 percent of the vote, but Maduro, 53, a former bus driver and foreign minister, lacks his charisma, popular touch and spending power. The other mechanism sought by the opposition coalition is a constitutional amendment to cut Maduro's term. But Venezuela's Supreme Court, which has backed the government in a slew of recent controversial rulings, may shoot down any attempt to reduce the current presidential term as unconstitutional. Political risk consultancy Eurasia predicted leading figures in the ruling "Chavismo" movement would rally around Maduro to protect him this year against the opposition, but possibly move against him in 2017 for a change from within. Dire conditions, however, are increasing the risk of popular unrest, it warned. "Conditions are ripe for social explosion." (Additional reporting by Corina Pons in Caracas and Anggy Polanco in San Cristobal; Editing by W Simon and Dan Grebler) Less than a month after launching its own channel in the U.S., Vice Media announced Wednesday that it would also launch in the U.K. and Ireland. At Vice's British headquarters in London on Wednesday, CEO Shane Smith unveiled a non-exclusive deal with Sky that will see Viceland launch on the pay TV operator and its Now TV online-only service in September. The 24-hour channel will be programmed, developed and produced entirely in-house by Vice, with Sky looking after ad sales. The channel launch in Britain is the first to be announced outside of North America, although Smith said there were "advanced negotiations" in several other European countries. Smith also said that Viceland going with Sky - of which Rupert Murdoch's Fox has a 39 percent stake alongside its 5 percent stake of Vice - had nothing to do with the relationship with its shareholder. "None [of the Sky deal] was driven by Fox," he said. "If a shareholder and a board member can help, we'll take help all day long. We went territory by territory and said, 'Who's the best? Sky's the best. Let's go.'" Among the shows in the initial lineup showcased in London will be Viceland's in-house programming, including Black Market, F--- That's Delicious, Weediquette, Noisey, Motherboard and Gaycation. However, Smith said that there were plans to dramatically increase local U.K. production over time. "We're knocking down walls upstairs here," he said of the U.K. office's planned TV-focused expansion, adding that they would be doing the same at Vice's bases in Germany, Greece and other European markets. From research online, Smith said that he eventually wanted international territories to get a 50/50 or 60/40 mix of U.S. content and country-specific material, but said the company could "play with that" and that there were several Vice-owned formats that it could localize. He also said that the "next phase" for Viceland would be scripted programming, some in-house and some produced outside Vice's wall, and headed by its co-president Spike Jonze. Smith described Jonze as a "lightning rod for talent." Story continues Asked what he had learned in the few weeks since the launch of Viceland in North America, Smith joked: "People like weed." Read More: THR Critics Debate: Can Viceland's Shows Stand Out In a Crowded Cable Field? Ladysmith (South Africa) (AFP) - Thubelihle Dlodlo would not have made it to university in South Africa this year as her family could not afford the fees, but virginity brought her a lifeline. As long as she remains a virgin, her tuition and boarding fees will be paid by her hometown municipality until the completion of her bachelor's degree in education at a Pretoria university. The 18-year-old secured a bursary or grant that rewards "maidens" in an attempt to curb teenage pregnancies and the rampant spread of HIV/AIDS in Uthukela district, about 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of the coastal city of Durban. "This bursary is so important because it will change my future. I can conquer the world," said Dlodlo, wearing a green-and-yellow miniskirt and multi-coloured necklace beads. The size of the grants varies, but can be worth several thousand dollars a year. A fellow recipient, Bongiwe Sithole, would also have dropped out of university due to poverty, but now will continue her studies. Even at 32, she has delayed having sex. "There is no limit for us as maidens," Sithole said. "We are going to get the bursary (whether we)... pass with distinction or not. "With your body, with your virginity, we get the bursary." Halfway through her four-year teaching diploma, she is the oldest of the 16 beneficiaries of the grants. One of the conditions, however, is to undergo virginity tests, conducted by elderly women. Rights activists are in an uproar over the idea of virginity tests, let alone the procedure itself, which they consider demeaning. But the Uthukela authorities are unfazed. "The main reason behind introducing the bursary is that... in our district we have got a very high rate of teenage pregnancies, and a lot of young people are infected by HIV and AIDS," mayor Dudu Mazibuko told AFP. Up to half of the population between the ages of 15 and 49 in the district is infected with HIV and AIDS, according to municipal statistics. Story continues - Idea from 'maidens' - The number of teenagers giving birth in South Africa is high -- with around 25 percent of girls becoming pregnant by the age of 19, according to statistics cited by the fact-checking organisation Africa Check. "To find young girls that are able to abstain -- for us that is an encouragement and we saw it fit that we encourage them by giving bursaries," said Mazibuko. She said the idea was mooted by the "maidens" themselves, who complained that they were not recognised, while their peers who fall pregnant get "rewarded" by the government with child support grants. But gender and women's rights activists strongly oppose the scholarship scheme. Bathabile Dlamin, the ruling African National Congress women's league chairwoman and minister of social development, slammed virginity testing as a "patently harmful practice steeped in patriarchal practices that serve to oppress women". The Commission for Gender Equality's chairman Mfanozelwe Shozi said the bursary scheme "looks very discriminatory" and violates the constitution because it comes with the "conditionality" that the girls must be virgins. And there appears to be no evidence of its impact on the HIV health crisis. "There is no qualitative and quantitative research that has actually proven that by inspecting girls, you are going to reduce HIV/AIDS," Shozi said. Rights groups are also concerned that virginity screening is intrusive. - 'Keep your virginity' - But the maidens, the women who do the testing, and the local authorities disagree. "Virginity testing does not invade my privacy. I love who I am and it gives me more dignity," said Dlodlo. She hopes to be a "role model" for other young women. "There is no invasion of privacy because it's done voluntarily, it's not painful, there is no humiliation at all," added Mazibuko, Uthukela's female mayor. Dudu Zwane, 58, is a former health worker who now carries out the tests. She says she can determine virginity by a visual inspection of genitalia -- a concept dismissed by medical experts. "What I am doing is to bring back our culture. Our bayethe (traditional Zulu king) says keep your virginity," she said, bemoaning the high HIV rate. The mayor denied that the tests were sexist, saying that plans were under way to launch a similar scheme for boys, without explaining how they would be tested. "We have started with the girls because they are more vulnerable, but... our long-term plan is ensuring that we reward young boys who stay virgins," she said. Mazibuko challenged those criticising the bursary scheme to "come up with better solutions." "We want to fight HIV and AIDS, we want to stop teenage pregnancy. This is what we thought will work for us." For years, Netflix and its users seemed to have an understanding. Users from all corners of the globe were happy to pay for the service, but they were going to use proxies and VPNs to gain access to the content that was blocked in their countries. Netflix and (especially) its partners were never happy with this arrangement, but there wasnt much of a serious effort to combat the issue. That changed earlier this year, and Netflix users are no longer happy. DONT MISS: Sorry, but Samsungs Galaxy S7 will never pry me away from my iPhone Wired notes in a recent piece that an online petition from Open Media telling Netflix to stand up to Big Media bullies has already received nearly 38,000 signatures. Additionally, despite Netflix CEO Reed Hastings telling investors that the VPN blocks wouldnt affect subscriber numbers, surveys show that users may resort to piracy more frequently if they cant access the content through legitimate means. A massive number of people are affected, Jordan Fried, CEO of Buffered VPN, told Wired. We are in touch with hundreds of people daily about the VPN block. Many of our users are coming to us from other VPN providers who no longer work. Some of those people got in touch with Wired to discuss the bans, sharing stories that will likely sound familiar to thousands of other Netflix subscribers experiencing similar issues. But the real issue for most users outside of the United States is that they are paying the same price for significantly less content. Im using a VPN because I feel I should get access to the same catalog as the US customers, or any other countrys user, said one subscriber from Portugal. We pay the same amount and yet we get a fraction of the content available elsewhere. Money is not the issue. Its unfair. Thats my issue with it. Related stories 3 reasons why Netflix doesn't release ratings for its original programming Netflix's House of Cards season 4 is here to ruin your weekend Story continues TV networks are whistling past the graveyard if they think Netflix can't hurt them More from BGR: I really want to, but Ill never ditch my iPhone for the Galaxy S7 This article was originally published on BGR.com New York (AFP) - Volkswagen's straight-talking US chief Michael Horn has quit the automaker as it struggles with the fallout of a massive pollution cheating scandal, a decision that caught the industry by surprise. The departure of Horn, the 54-year-old car executive who made headlines worldwide in September 2015 with his frank admission that VW had "totally screwed up", is effective immediately, Volkswagen said in a statement Wednesday. He left by mutual consent "to pursue other opportunities", the company said without further explanation. "During his time in the US, Michael Horn built up a strong relationship with our national dealer body and showed exemplary leadership during difficult times for the brand," said Herbert Diess, chief executive of the Volkswagen passenger cars brand. Horn, the highest ranking US executive to quit the firm since the emissions scandal broke, became the public face of the German carmaker during the crisis. He is to be replaced on an interim basis by Hinrich Woebcken, the North American regional chief and chairman of Volkswagen Group of America, Volkswagen said. "People know this scandal was rooted in Germany, which is why this is so surprising, Rebecca Lindland, senior analyst for auto researcher Kelley Blue Book, told Bloomberg News. - 'Better scapegoats' - "In terms of scapegoats, there are other goats out there who would have been better." VW, which until recently had ambitions to become the world's biggest carmaker, is battling to resolve its deepest-ever crisis sparked by revelations that it installed emissions-cheating software into 11 million diesel engines worldwide. The software, known as a "defeat device", limits the output of toxic nitrogen oxides to US legal limits during emissions test by regulators. But when the vehicles are in actual use, the software allows them to spew poisonous gases at up to 40 times the permitted levels, giving the vehicle better acceleration and fuel economy. Story continues Nitrogen oxide is a pollutant associated with respiratory problems and defeat devices are prohibited in the United States, where the VW scam was originally exposed, as well as in other countries. On top of still unquantifiable regulatory fines in a range of countries, VW is facing a slew of legal suits, notably in the United States and Germany, from angry car owners, as well as from shareholders seeking damages for the massive loss in the value of their shares since September. This week, German prosecutors said they had broadened their investigation into the cheating from six to 17 suspects at Volkswagen. No board member are among the suspects, however. French prosecutors said they, too, have opened an investigation into "serious fraud" at the automobile manufacturer. Volkswagen's former chief executive Martin Winterkorn resigned shortly after the scandal broke last year, protesting his innocence. He was replaced by Matthias Mueller, head of the group's luxury sports car brand, Porsche. Volkswagen has since revealed that Winterkorn was sent a memo in May 2014 highlighting some of the diesel engine irregularities that have since come to light. An ISIS capture in Iraq: U.S. special forces have detained the head of the Islamic States unit trying to developing chemical weapons for the militant Sunni group, several news outlets report. The New York Times reports the operative was interrogated and provided details about the groups possession of weaponized mustard gas. CNN reports the intel the Americans learned has already been used to launch airstrikes on ISIS sites in Iraq associated with the groups chemical-weapons development. Border closures in Europe: Acting on a decision by the European Union, Slovenia, Croatia and Macedonia sealed their borders today in an attempt to stop the flood of migrants fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and elsewhere. The EU says 880,000 people traveled through the western Balkan states to reach northern Europe last year. Remembering George Martin: Spencer writes about the Beatles producer, who died yesterday at the age of 90: In the Beatles first ever studio meeting with the producer George Martin, in 1962, Martin asked the band whether they had any issues with the session. Well, there's your tie, for a start, George Harrison replied. That wisecrack, the story goes, kicked off a bantering, joking rapport between the young Liverpudlians and their record-label overseerwhich in turn kicked off one of the most fruitful band/producer relationships in rock history. News from this morning here Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. By Jeff Mason and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House has ruled out an encounter between President Barack Obama and revolutionary leader Fidel Castro in Cuba this month and is confident the government will not create obstacles to a meeting between Obama and dissidents in Havana, a top adviser said on Wednesday. Despite the goal of improving ties between former Cold War foes, deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said Obama would not use his trip to meet Cuba's demands that he shutter Radio and TV Marti, U.S. broadcasters created to transmit anti-communist programming to the island nation. Obama plans to hold talks with Cuban President Raul Castro during his historic March 20-22 visit but will not meet with Castro's brother, a legendary figure who took power in a 1959 revolution and led Cuba for 49 years. "We've had no discussion about that meeting taking place, and we certainly wouldn't seek it," Rhodes, who was one of the negotiators in secret talks that led to a thaw in U.S.-Cuba relations, told Reuters in an interview. Asked if a meeting was ruled out, Rhodes said: "Yes." A meeting with the elder Castro could overshadow a trip that is meant to focus on the future of the U.S.-Cuba relationship rather than its troubled past. Castro, 89, stepped down from power after a series of health problems and rarely leaves his Havana home, though he occasionally meets visiting dignitaries. The White House has said previously it did not expect a Fidel Castro meeting to occur but did not say it was ruled out. The administration made clear when it set up Obama's trip that he would meet with anti-government dissidents in Havana despite the Cuban leadership's objections to what it sees as meddling in the country's internal affairs. Rhodes said the list of participants had not been finalized and the meeting would take place in a U.S. facility, which suggests the U.S. embassy or ambassador's residence. That meeting would take place after official events with Raul Castro. Cuban dissidents in the past have reported being detained in their homes or picked up by police en route to major international events such as summits or papal visits, but Rhodes said he did not anticipate that happening for Obama's trip. "We haven't worked out the logistics, but ... they have not suggested that they will throw up those types of obstacles," he said, adding the United States would be watching whether Cuba detained or harassed activists in connection with the visit. Two of Cuba's most prominent dissidents, Berta Soler and Jose Daniel Ferrer, were detained on Tuesday, according to dissident groups. OUTSTANDING DIFFERENCES Obama's Republican critics have accused him of playing down human rights concerns in order to pursue rapprochement with Cuba, which began in December 2014 and is now seen as a major piece of his foreign policy legacy. The Cuban government has done little to reciprocate for a series of U.S. measures that eased restrictions on U.S.-Cuba travel and trade. It is unclear whether it will make any large gestures during Obama's visit, the first by a sitting U.S. president since 1928. Rhodes countered that the outreach to Cuba was aimed at helping the local population while opening up commercial opportunities for Americans. The administration plans to roll out further measures next week to chip away at decades-old restrictions to commerce. Obama also wants to lift the embargo on Cuba, which is only possible through congressional action. Republican leaders in Congress oppose such a move. Other differences remain. The Obama administration is not considering returning the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay to the Cuban government, and Rhodes said it would not make changes to the Radio and TV Marti broadcasters at this time. Both issues are irritants that the Cubans consider obstacles to full normalization with Washington. "The Cubans don't like Radio Marti and TV Marti for sure," Rhodes said. "There's only so much you can get to." The U.S. government launched Radio Marti in 1983 and later added TV Marti to transmit anti-communist news and information into Cuba, where the government has a monopoly on the media. A decision on whether to put an end to a U.S. program that encourages Cuban doctors and nurses on overseas assignments to defect was not tied to the trip either, Rhodes said. (Additional reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Andrew Hay) Its that time of year again. On Sunday, most residents in the U.S., Europe, and several other countries across the world will lose a precious commoditytime. Thats because at 2 am, clocks will move forward one hour as daylight-saving time kicks in. Although it might seem odd to deprive ourselves of sleep, the original theory behind daylight saving was that during the summer too much daylight was being lost to sleep. By ticking the clocks forward, more sleeping would occur in the dark, saving candles that would have been burned in the evening. Related: 3 Ways Daylight Saving Is Ruining Your Day Contrary to popular opinion, Benjamin Franklin did not invent daylight-saving time. The original idea is credited to New Zealand entomologist George Vernon Hudson, who first presented the idea to the Royal Society of New Zealand, though he suggested two hours instead of one. The practice wasnt actually implemented until World War I, when Americans began setting their clocks back as a way to conserve energy. After being repealed for a few years after the war, daylight saving was revived again in 1942 during World War II. Congress passed the Uniform Time Act in 1966, which formalized the start of daylight saving time on the last Sunday of April and the end on the last Sunday of October. After switching the start dates a few times, in 2007 Congress eventually settled on the start time to the second Sunday in March and the conclusion to the first Sunday in November. For several years now, daylight saving has been a subject of controversy. There have been claims that the time change actually causes more harm than good, and many people are sick and tired of remembering to change their clocks twice a year. A 2014 paper published in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization found that daylight saving might not do much to conserve energy, and might even result in an increase of energy consumption the original rationale behind the practice. Story continues Related: 10 Top Spring Break Destinations Another study found that the disruption to sleep patterns may be causing fatal car crashes. Researchers discovered a spike in fatal traffic accidents during the six days following the start of daylight-saving time. Additionally, according to the American Journal of Cardiology, it may even cause heart attacks. With all of these findings, its no wonder that a number of states are trying to abolish the controversial clock change. Currently, 13 states have legislation pending to either implement year-round daylight-saving time or cut the practice altogether, according to the Time Zone Report. None of these states are near the approval phase of the legislation. One sticking point, though, is that federal law requires states to either skip daylight saving altogether, as Hawaii and most of Arizona do, or participate. States arent allowed to permanently stay on daylight-saving time. But for now, dont forget to change your clocks. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Its not just the Republican establishment thats starting to coalesce around Ted Cruz. Its the putative outsiders, too. On Wednesday, former presidential candidate Carly Fiorina endorsed Cruz. Ted Cruz is a fearless fighter for our constitutional rights, she said in a statement. Unlike the status-quo political class in D.C., Ted Cruz didnt cower when he got to Washingtonhe stood unequivocally for the American people. Fiorina allying with Cruz makes some superficial senseone outsider endorsing another. But it probably makes the most sense to see Fiorinas endorsement of Cruz as a statement of disgust with Donald Trump, and a realization that the only candidate with any serious chance of stopping him is the Texas senator. Related Story The Republican Party Decides to Settle Throughout her presidential run, Fiorina positioned herself as an outsidera corporate executive rather than a party creature. That wasnt exactly true. She had run for Senate as a Republican in 2010 and been an adviser to John McCain in 2008, and as McKay Coppins notes, party insiders encouraged her to run, thinking that it would benefit the party to have a woman and business leader in the race. Running as an outsider was shrewd in a year when Donald Trump, Ben Carson, and Ted Cruz were all doing the same, but it wasnt enough, and she dropped out in early February. Politically, Fiorina and Cruz arent obvious allies. She spent much of her adult life in California, where she seems to have been a fairly standard-grade pro-business conservative. During the presidential campaign, she moved to the right, especially on abortion. But thats still a long way from Cruzs hardnosed devotion to the Constitution and the Bible. Nor is she likely to bring a great number of votes to Cruzif she commanded those, she might have gone farther in the campaign. Story continues Recommended: The Obama Doctrine Fiorinas endorsement likely flows from two major sources. The first is animus. Trump was, to be blunt, a huge jerk to Fiorina throughout the campaign. Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president? he told Rolling Stone. The pair tangled in debates, which Fiorina gladly going on the attack against Trump. When he criticized her record at HP, she was happy to dismantle his own record. Given how personal things got, it was hard to imagine her ever backing Trump. The second is strategic. Fiorina is in the same boat as people like Senator Lindsey Graham, who has detested Cruz as a colleague and once said hed be as bad a nominee as Trump. Graham hasnt taken the step of formally endorsing Cruz yet, but hes now happy to tell any news camera in sight that Cruz is preferable to Trump. None of these people seem exactly happy about Cruz, but they see the Republican field dwindling to a two-man contest, and they simply cant bear to imagine Trump winning it. Adding insult to injury, Fiorina made the endorsement at a rally in Miami, the hometown of Marco Rubio. Once the great hope of establishment Republicansthe same people who nudged Fiorina into the raceRubio has faded to practically nothing. In Mississippi and Michigan on Tuesday, he failed to crack the 15 percent threshold needed to win delegates. His last chance is to win Florida, though even then its hard to see where his path to the nomination lies. Despite pleas from some Republican strategists to splinter the vote, in order to deprive Trump of the 1,237 delegates he needs to win the nomination, Cruz has been campaigning aggressively in the Sunshine State. Of course, when has Cruz ever heeded the advice of Republican Party strategists? Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. (Reuters) - Global health officials are racing to better understand the Zika virus behind a major outbreak that began in Brazil last year and has since spread to many countries in the Americas. The following are some questions and answers about the virus and current outbreak: How do people become infected? Zika is transmitted to people through the bite of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the same type that spreads dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said Aedes mosquitoes are found in all countries in the Americas except Canada and continental Chile, and the virus will likely reach all countries and territories of the region where Aedes mosquitoes are found. How do you treat Zika? There is no treatment or vaccine for Zika infection. Companies and scientists are racing to develop a safe and effective vaccine for Zika, but the World Health Organization (WHO) said it would take at least 18 months to start large-scale clinical trials of potential preventative shots. How dangerous is it? The PAHO said there is no evidence that Zika can cause death, but some cases have been reported with more serious complications in patients with pre-existing medical conditions. It has also been associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disorder in which the body's immune system attacks part of the nervous system. How is Zika related to microcephaly? Much remains unknown about Zika, including whether the virus actually causes microcephaly in babies, a condition defined by unusually small heads that can result in developmental problems. Research is under way in Brazil to confirm the suspected link to microcephaly, with initial findings expected within months, according to public health officials. Brazil said it has confirmed 745 cases of microcephaly, and considers most of them to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. Brazil is investigating an additional 4,231 suspected cases of microcephaly. Research in Brazil indicates the greatest microcephaly risk is associated with infection during the first trimester of pregnancy. Recent studies from other countries have shown evidence of Zika in amniotic fluid, placenta and foetal brain tissue. What are the symptoms of Zika infection? People infected with Zika may have a mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain and fatigue that can last for two to seven days. But as many as 80 percent of people infected never develop symptoms. The symptoms are similar to those of dengue or chikungunya, which are transmitted by the same type of mosquito. How can Zika be contained? Efforts to control the spread of the virus focus on eliminating mosquito breeding sites and taking precautions against mosquito bites such as using insect repellent and mosquito nets. U.S. and international health officials have advised pregnant women to avoid travel to Latin American and Caribbean countries where they may be exposed to Zika. How widespread is the outbreak? Active Zika outbreaks have been reported in at least 37 countries or territories, most of them in the Americas, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Brazil has been the country most affected. (http://1.usa.gov/1ovAJyh) Africa (1): Cape Verde Americas (31): Aruba, Barbados, Bolivia, Bonaire, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, U.S. Virgin Islands and Venezuela Oceania/Pacific Islands (5): American Samoa, Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Samoa, and Tonga What is the history of the Zika virus? The Zika virus is found in tropical locales with large mosquito populations. Outbreaks of Zika have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Southern Asia and the Western Pacific. The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys and was first identified in people in 1952 in Uganda and Tanzania, according to the WHO. Can Zika be transmitted through sexual contact? The World Health Organization (WHO) said sexual transmission is "relatively common" and has advised pregnant women not to travel to areas with ongoing outbreaks of Zika virus. The U.S. CDC is investigating about a dozen cases of possible sexual transmission. All cases involve possible transmission of the virus from men to their sex partners. On Feb. 27, France said it had detected its first sexually transmitted case of Zika in a woman whose partner had travelled to Brazil. British health officials reported Zika was found in a man's semen two months after he was infected, suggesting the virus may linger in semen long after infection symptoms fade. The WHO has advised women, particularly pregnant women, to use condoms. The PAHO said Zika can be transmitted through blood, but this is an infrequent transmission mechanism. There is no evidence Zika can be transmitted to babies through breast milk. What other complications are associated with Zika? The WHO says because no big Zika outbreaks were recorded before 2007, little is known about complications caused by infection. During an outbreak of Zika from 2013-14 in French Polynesia, national health authorities reported an unusual increase in Guillain-Barre syndrome. Health authorities in Brazil have also reported an increase in Guillain-Barre syndrome. Long-term health consequences of Zika infection are unclear. Other uncertainties surround the incubation period of the virus and how Zika interacts with other viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes, such as dengue. (Compiled by the Americas Desk) It took less than six months after signing with The Society Management for Willow Smith to ascend the fashion ranks. In Paris today, the outspoken "It" girl revealed that she has officially landed at the creme de la creme of the industry's top tier: Chanel. The 15-year-old, who sat in the front row at the French fashion house's fall 2016 ready-to-wear presentation with mom Jada Pinkett Smith, announced shortly after the show that she has been chosen by Chanel's team as its newest ambassador, joining the cool-girl gang made up of Kristen Stewart, Lily-Rose Depp, Cara Delevingne and Julianne Moore. See More: Paris Fashion Week's Front Row "Thank you Karl Lagerfeld and the entire team at Chanel for expanding the perceptions of 'beauty' by picking me to be the new Chanel ambassador," she captioned an Instagram of herself and the white-haired Kaiser. "I am honored." Whether her ambassador status will translate into a campaign, as it did for Depp and Stewart, is yet to be seen. For now, it appears her duty is simply to occupy her priceless front row seat while wearing the brand head to toe. Not bad, as far as job requirements are concerned. A photo posted by &ne lloW S &ne (@gweelos) on Mar 8, 2016 at 7:21am PST Paris (AFP) - A woman who flew into Paris from Istanbul this week was found to have hidden a four-year-old girl in a bag on the plane, Air France said Wednesday. The airline said the child, travelling without a ticket, was discovered on board the flight on Monday night "hidden inside a bag". A source at Charles de Gaulle Airport said the woman was a resident of France who was in the process of adopting the child who was from Haiti. "She was apparently in the transit zone in Istanbul, and had crossed the customs checkpoint with the child, when she was prevented from boarding a flight with her," said the source. The woman then "decided to hide the child in a bag to get aboard another flight, after buying a new ticket. "Once on board, she placed the child at her feet, under a blanket, but the girl needed to go to the toilet and was noticed by other passengers," the source added. Air France said it notified French authorities and the woman was taken into custody upon landing, but prosecutors decided not to press charges. She and the girl were however being held at the airport while authorities investigate the case. Will Crude Oil Prices React to the EIAs Crude Oil Inventory Report? (Continued from Prior Part) Crude oil price movement April WTI (West Texas Intermediate) crude oil futures contracts fell by 3.7% and settled at $36.5 per barrel on March 8, 2016. Brent crude oil prices also fell by 2.9% and closed at $39.7 per barrel. Prices fell due to profit-booking and the consensus of the rising US crude oil inventory. ETFs like the United States Oil Fund (USO) and the ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil ETF (UCO) fell lower with crude oil prices. USO and UCO fell by 4.6% and 8.4%, respectively, on March 8. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) also fell by 1.1% to $198.36 on the same day. Profit-booking and Kuwaits comments WTI crude oil prices fell for the second time in the last seven days. Oil traders squared off their long positions ahead of the crude oil inventory report. Meanwhile, Brent crude oil prices fell for the first time in the last seven days. Kuwait is one of OPECs (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) key members. It reported that it would freeze crude oil production only if large members like Iran supported the crude oil production deal. On February 16, 2016, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Qatar decided to freeze the crude oil production at January 2016 levels. This also limited the upside for Brent crude oil prices. To learn more about the historic deal, read Why Crude Oil Prices Fell despite the OPEC and Non-OPEC Deal. You can also read Did Saudi Arabia Keep Its Word and Freeze Crude Oil Production? and Why OPECs Crude Oil Production Fell in February 2016. Read Did Russia Follow the New Crude Oil Production Deal? to learn more about Russias crude oil production. Brent and WTI crude oil prices trade close to 2016 peak Crude oil prices rose almost 40% from the lows in February 2016. Theyre trading close to the 2016 highs. The recent rally benefits upstream players like Energy XXI (EXXI), Linn Energy (LINE), Denbury Resources (DNR), Carrizo Oil & Gas (CRZO), Cobalt International Energy (CIE), and Goodrich Petroleum (GDP). Story continues ETFs like the Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE), the SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Equipment & Services ETF (XES), and the First Trust Energy AlphaDEX Fund (FXN) are also influenced by the ups and downs in the oil market. In this series, well discuss the crude oil price forecasts. Well also investigate crude oil, gasoline, and distillate inventories and how they impact crude oil prices. Browse this series on Market Realist: By Magdalena Mis LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - It was a "black morning" two years ago when Islamic State militants seized the Yazidi town of Sinjar in northwest Iraq, abducting thousands of civilians including a 15-year-old girl and 27 members of her family. The teenager, Nihad Barakat Shamo Alawsi, was taken to Syria and then to the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul in northern Iraq, she told an event in London on Wednesday. "They raped us, they killed our men, they took our babies away from us," Alawsi, now 17, said at the event organized by the UK-based AMAR Foundation, a charity that provides education and healthcare in the Middle East. "The worst thing was the torture in Mosul. We were beaten and raped continuously for two weeks," she said, speaking through an interpreter. "Girls were taken from their families and raped constantly and then they were handed out to "emirs."" The Sunni militants captured around 5,000 Yazidi men and women in summer 2014. Some 2,000 have managed to escape or have been smuggled out of Islamic State's self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria, activists say. Islamic State considers the Yazidis to be devil-worshippers. The ancient Yazidi faith blends elements of Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Islam. The United Nations says Islamic State still holds an estimated 3,500 people captive in Iraq, the majority of them women and girls from the Yazidi community. Alawsi said a man who took her as a slave died a few weeks later, and she was sold to another man who already had a wife and another Yazidi sex-slave. He beat and raped her and a month later she became pregnant. "I thought the child I was carrying was a member of Daesh and would become a Daesh criminal when he grew up," Alawsi said quietly, using a pejorative Arabic name for Islamic State. Alawsi gave birth to a baby boy, but three months later she managed to escape after the baby's father decided to marry her to his cousin. "I managed to make a phone call to my family with someone's help, and I managed to escape, but I had to leave the baby behind," she said. Most of the Yazidi population, numbering around half a million, are displaced in camps in Iraq's northern Kurdistan. Alawsi now lives in one of the camps with her mother, father and siblings, and works with AMAR, volunteering to come to London to speak of her people's plight. Two of her brothers and two sisters are still held by Islamic State. "It's not a life, we are not living a life until the rest of our people are released by Daesh," Alawsi said. "I beg you to help my people, to save them from Daesh, and to free especially the sex slaves, the young girls and children that have been taken." (Reporting by Magdalena Mis, editing by Tim Pearce. Please credit Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, womens rights, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org) (Reuters) - New York is expanding free Zika virus testing to pregnant women who had unprotected sex with a partner who had traveled to a Zika-infected area, the state's health department said on Wednesday. The state already offers testing to pregnant women who traveled during pregnancy to an area where Zika is circulating, and to non-pregnant women, men or children who developed symptoms of Zika within four weeks of travel to an area with active Zika transmission. Only one in five people infected with the Zika virus will develop symptoms, which are typically mild, but there have been increased reports of a birth defect known as microcephaly, a condition defined by unusually small heads that can result in developmental problems. Much remains unknown about Zika, including whether the virus actually causes microcephaly. Brazil said it has confirmed more than 640 cases of the disease and considers most to be related to Zika infection in mothers. The country is investigating more than 4,200 additional suspected cases of microcephaly. The World Health Organization on Tuesday advised pregnant women not to travel to areas with active Zika virus and said sexual transmission is "relatively common." WHO director-general Margaret Chan told reporters that microcephaly is only one of several birth abnormalities associated with Zika during pregnancy. Others include death, retardation and injury to the nervous system. Dr. Howard Zucker, commissioner of New York's health department, said that the department is expanding testing "as evidence has emerged that the risk of sexual transmission is greater than previously known." The department is investigating one possible case of sexual transmission. It recommends, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that men who have traveled to or lived in an area with active virus transmission abstain from sex or use condoms throughout their partner's pregnancy. The department is also working with local health officials in counties inhabited by a type of mosquito that could potentially carry the Zika virus to update and implement a mosquito surveillance and response plan. In Central and South America the virus has been transmitted mainly by the Aedes aegypti species of mosquito, which is not present in New York State. But a related species, known as Aedes albopictus, is present in New York City and surrounding counties. Researchers are not sure if Aedes albopictus can effectively transmit the virus. The WHO said on Wednesday that widespread spraying to eliminate mosquitoes had failed to stop the spread of dengue fever and the same may be true of Zika. (Reporting by Toni Clarke in Washington; editing by Grant McCool) Wellington (AFP) - New Zealand's finance minister said Wednesday the country's multi-billion-dollar dairy industry faced a "serious or extreme" scenario as prices tumble, but downplayed the impact on the broader economy and refused help for farmers. The South Pacific nation is the world's largest dairy exporter but falling prices have hit the sector as rivals, particularly in the European Union, ramp up production. Finance Minister Bill English said New Zealand dairy needed to return to the efficient practices that had originally made it a world leader. "Either way, whether we call it serious or extreme, this is an industry that's going to be under pressure," he told Radio New Zealand. "It's (got) to rediscover it's comparative advantages, which are costs of product, ability to solve problems (and) adaptability." English's remarks come after Auckland-based Fonterra -- the world's largest dairy cooperative -- announced it was slashing the amount it pays farmers. Fonterra said its farmgate price for the 2015/16 season would be NZ$3.90 per kilogram of milk solids, less than half the NZ$8.65 it paid at the height of the dairy boom just two years ago. New Zealand shipped NZ$11.5 billion (US$7.8 billion) of dairy in 2015, accounting for 17 percent of total national exports. But English said the economy was still growing at 2.0-3.0 percent and could weather a hit from its major export earner. "The bigger issue here, alongside the distress for the industry, is going to be the impact on the broader economy," he said. "The indications are it will have some impact, but it won't have as big an impact on the broader economy as it does on the industry itself." He ruled out a government-backed rescue package for dairy farmers, saying "between the industry and the banks they'll be able to find their way through it". "They've already done a couple of tough seasons, it looks like they got at least one more in front of them," he added. Story continues The opposition Labour Party said the government had let the economy become over-reliant on dairy and had an obligation to help struggling farmers. "Bill English is acting like a bewildered bystander with no idea what to do," Labour finance spokesman Grant Robertson said. "He has to take responsibility for downplaying the risk from the global milk glut for two years." NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Afghanistan and Zimbabwe reaped the benefit of some tight death bowling to both register 14-run victories on Tuesday and boost their prospects of making the World Twenty20 main draw. Vusi Sibanda's maiden fifty and Elton Chigumbura's late assault powered Zimbabwe to 158-8 against Hong Kong in the first match of the sixth World Twenty20 event at Nagpur's VCA Stadium. The Africans then returned to restrict their opponents to 144-6 to kick off their campaign with a triumph. Afghanistan later posted 170-5 at the same venue and dished out some impressive death bowling to restrict Scotland to 156-5 as they won their Group B clash. The first wicket to fall in the tournament showed the gap between teams already in the Super 10 second round stage and those aspiring to join them from the first round. Put in to bat, Zimbabwe skipper Hamilton Masakadza hit three boundaries and a six before a sloppy end to his innings. Masakadza set out for a single that looked safe until he failed to plant his bat and drag it. His feet and the bat were in the air when the mid-off fielder threw down the stumps. His opening partner Sibanda (59) showed more responsibility and brought up his fifty with a flat six off Nadeem Ahmed. Zimbabwe subsequently lost three wickets, including Sibanda's, in eight balls but Chigumbura (30 not out) hit three sixes in his 13-ball cameo to take them past the 150 mark. For Hong Kong, Jamie Atkinson (53) struck his maiden fifty but did not get much support from his top order colleagues. Skipper Tanwir Afzal chipped in with a breezy unbeaten 31 but Zimbabwe's bowlers sent down a tidy last two overs. Hong Kong's 44-year-old Ryan Campbell became the oldest player to make his Twenty20 international debut. Afghanistan rode half-centuries from Mohammad Shahzad (61) and skipper Asghar Stanikzai (55 not out) to post a total that seemed to justify their decision to bat first. Scotland offered a robust reply with George Munsey (41) and Kyle Coetzer (40) forging an 84-run opening stand before their chase was derailed. Once the openers departed, Afghanistan's bowlers stemmed the run flow and then sent down some tight final overs to prevail. The group winners will join South Africa, England, West Indies and Sri Lanka in the Super 10 stage. (Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty; Editing by Ken Ferris) HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe will sharply reduce its public sector wage bill and improve fiscal discipline, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa said on Wednesday, as he looked to reassure a visiting delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Chinamasa said the public sector wage bill would be slashed from 82 percent of government spending currently to 52 percent of expenditure by 2019. The IMF's head of mission to Zimbabwe Domenico Fanizza responded by saying improving fiscal discipline should be a key government priority for Zimbabwe. Fanizza added that Zimbabwe had met all the IMF's quantitative and structural targets it had set during its visit. (Reporting by Macdonald Dzirutwe; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by James Macharia) State to pay $2.2M legal fees The case did not go to trial. At a brief hearing yesterday, Justice Ricky Rahim was informed that a figure had been arrived at and agreed to by the State. Jones attorneys had asked that approximately $3.2 million be paid for the work they did prior to the State discontinuing the action. The lawsuit against Jones, which sought to recoup over $2 billion for losses incurred during the construction of the failed Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) plant at Petrotrins operations in Pointe-a-Pierre, was one of several filed by the previous Peoples Partnership government. Petrotrin was claiming that there was a breach of fiduciary duty in the management of the construction of the GTL plant at Pointe-a-Pierre, which was contracted to be built at a cost of $2.7 billion.The lawsuit against Jones alleged mismanagement by the payment of US$190.4 million (TT$1.12 billion) towards construction of the plant, in excess of the cost of its construction. It claimed that despite concerns raised in some quarters, Petrotrin went ahead with the project. In October last year, with the trial of the case still pending, Cabinet appointed Jones as a member of its Standing Committee on Energy. Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said Petrotrins new board decided to discontinue the claim on the basis of legal advice which showed that evidence provided by Petrotrins own witnesses in arbitration proceedings in Canada and London, indicated there was no basis for the claim against Jones. Double murder: Teen released On February 23, the schoolboys bullet-riddled bodies were discovered in a track off St Johns Road in St Augustine. Three men were seen running from the track near a river . Police believe the two were killed for their involvement in the fire-bombing of a car in Tunapuna the weekend before their murders . A recording was discovered in which Hall is heard pleading for his friend Singh not to be implicated in the fire-bombing, and claiming that Singh was innocent . On Monday afternoon, the 15-year-old boy was handed over to the police after his mother was told he was wanted in connection with the double murder. His attorney, Fareed Ali, confirmed yesterday the teen went to the Region I homicide office in Arouca at about 5.30 pm on Monday and was questioned for more than four hours by homicide officers Jones and Diamond, while in the presence of an adult relative. At about 10 pm yesterday the teen was released . Investigations into the double murder are continuing . Prison officers go to court Senior Counsel and former Attorney General, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, during a press conference at his Irving Street ,law offices in San Fernando, announced that between 1998 and 2016, a total of 14 Second Division prison officers were murdered. Additionally, between 2008 and 2016, there were at least 81 reported incidents whereby officers were assaulted, and/or received threats to their lives. In contrast, between 1993 to present, two First Division (higher ranking) officers namely former Commissioner of Prisons, Michael Hercules, and Supt David Millette, were murdered in 1993 and 2015 respectively. Maharaj explained that many Second Division officers suffered injuries whilst on duty, having been attacked by inmates. They have also been threatened to be killed on a regular basis and assaulted while off duty. Notwithstanding all these offences being committed against Second Division prison officers, the State has failed to take measures to protect their security and their lives . The present measures that are enforced in the local Prison Service which are intended to protect the lives of the Second Division officers, are manifestly inadequate, Maharaj said. The former Attorney General explained that there is no specialized housing programmes in place in the event that the officer receives a threat, to be removed from his home and be placed in a protective secret environment at least for a while. The Second Division, Maharaj noted, made several recommendations to rectify the situation, including the creation of an Intelligence Unit in the Prison Service for intelligence gathering, and a policy for the issuance of service firearm. He added that the Second Division further recommended that the TT Police Service set up a specific department attached to the Prison Service. This department, he noted, should operate on a 24-hour basis, so that investigations can be conducted expeditiously for possible criminal charges. We are asking the Court to make an order for the State to take all necessary steps to ensure that Second Division prison officers are properly and suitably protected from threats for their lives, arising from the performance of their duties as prison officers, Maharaj explained. Also present at the conference yesterday were president of the Prison Officers Association Ceron Richards, as well as other association members. The court document, which was filed at the High Court, listed the filing attorney as Alvin Ramroop and company, and Maharaj as the Senior Advocate Judge convenes court in Laventille In their defence, the police officers involved in the incident have testified that they were shot at by a group of men causing them to return fire. Yesterday, at the location of the incident which took place on November 3, 2008, there were heavily armed police and army officers positioned around the Picton water tanks standing guard as Justice James Aboud convened court just before 11 am yesterday . The judge, St Bernard, lawyers and other court staff meandered through the narrow dirt and gravel track to the west of the water tanks where St Bernard pointed out what he claimed took place at about 6 am that morning. Curious residents stood looking on as the robed judge and lawyers took notes . At a mango tree a few metres away, a woman sat swinging on a makeshift swing while a group of young men stood on an incline looking down at the scene . Testifying after the court reconvened at the Hall of Justice in Portof- Spain were Constables Bramble and Balkaran, both of whom engaged their shooters that morning. The officers were on a joint police/ army exercise in the area at the time. They both claimed they were shot at and returned fire. St Bernard, in his lawsuit, claimed he was shot in both legs and the right shoulder. His left leg was broken by the bullet . He claimed he was on his way to work when he was shot at . Students face court on criminal charges According to police reports, on Friday last, the student was showing his friends the marijuana, when another student alerted a security guard. He was searched and 23 grammes of marijuana was found. He was taken to the Arouca Police Station where he was charged. The court heard that at the time the incident occurred, the young boy was living with his mother but his father, who was in court, told the magistrate that he intends to apply to the courts for full custody of his son. The $20,000 bail granted to the young boy by a Justice of the Peace over the weekend was continued by Magistrate Jagroo. The boy will remain in the custody of his father. He is expected to reappear before the court on May 10, allowing him the opportunity to continue preparing for the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SE A). In an unrelated matter, another student appeared before Magistrate Jagroo on Monday, charged with robbery with violence. The Form 4 student of Five Rivers Secondary school was jointly charged with Akeil Alfred. They were both held last Friday. After the charge was read, they were both called upon to plead, and they each pleaded not guilty. Jagroo granted them $50,000 bail with one condition being placed on the 16-year-old student. He is not to return to court with hair like that, Jagroo told the minors legal aid attorney. The students hair was in a messy dreadlocked style. If he returns with his hair like that I will have his bail revoked, Jagroo said. After bail was granted, Magistrate Jagroo informed the relatives who stood bail that if at some point they believe the boys were not going to attend court, they could visit the court and relieve themselves the responsibility Baby mauled to death Doctors who attended to little Malik Khan told police the baby had no chance of survival and was brought to the Chaguanas Accident and Emergency unresponsive. He was pronounced dead minutes later. The babys tiny face was covered in deep puncture marks caused by the dogs canines. He was chewed up pretty badly. The poor child had no chance at survival...that is what the doctors told us, said a police source who spoke with Newsday last night. An autopsy will be done today to officially ascertain cause of death. Police sources said baby Malik suffered massive blood loss from the many bites he suffered. Police sources told Newsday that the dog was still at the house last night and there was no word on it it would be euthanized by its owners. According to police reports, baby Malik was with his mother at their home off Jameel Street in Charlieville. At about 3.30 pm, while his mother was cleaning the yard, baby Malik crawled out of the house and began playing with the Rottweiler, which was the family pet for several years. Without warning, the dog pounced on the baby clamping its jaws over the childs face as he started to scream and violently shook its head, working its teeth deeper and deeper into the babys flesh. Vishna Bissoon, Maliks 23-yearold mother looked on in horror as the dog tossed the child like a rag doll. The mothers screams alerted neighbours but by the time help arrived, baby Malik had already suffered major bites over his face and neck. An EHS ambulance was called which arrived in minutes and medics rushed the unresponsive child to the Chaguanas Accident and Emergency Department where minutes later he was pronounced dead. According to the Dangerous Dog Act, the Rottweiler breed is not classified as dangerous or Class A. The Act categorises dogs into two classes. Six breeds are specified as dangerous or class A dogs: the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, the American Bully, the Dogo Argentino, the Japanese Tosa and the Fila Brasileiro. All other dogs - including the Rottweiler - are classified a s Class B. NO WAY JOSE! That, effectively, was the reply given by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley after Jos? Carlos Ugaz, 56, head of a world body which lobbies against corruption, yesterday called on Rowley to open an inquiry in relation to serious questions facing two of his Cabinet ministers - Housing Minister Marlene Mc- Donald and Planning Minister Camille Robinson-Regis. Ugaz, Chairman of Transparency International (TI), spoke yesterday at an anti-corruption conference put on by the local chapter of TI at the Hilton Trinidad, where Rowley was a guest speaker. The Transparency International chairman said TT was expecting answers and it was not enough to simply say the relevant authorities are investigating matters, which relate to allegations of cronyism in housing allocations, in the case of Mc Donald; and a reported $93,000 cash transaction, in the case of Robinson-Regis. In an address, Ugaz who is a top corruption-buster from Peru, said since coming to Trinidad and Tobago to attend yesterdays conference, he had been reading the newspapers and found instances were action is merited. I found two cases of ministers of this government, Ugaz said. They are accused or at least suspected of being involved in corrupt practices. And the people are asking. Yesterday I went to the TV and before I went to my interview, there was someone there saying, I would like the Prime Minister to explain what happened with Minister McDonald. And then, there is this other case of Minister Camille Robinson-Regis who has given four different explanations for a movement of money. Ugaz, a former professor of criminal law who investigated a President of Peru, said he was not saying either minister is guilty of misconduct. Of course we are not convicting anybody, the TI chairman said. I am not saying these people are guilty. But the people are expecting responses. The people are expecting reactions. The people want to know. And if we want (TT) to be clean, then we (the Govt) have to take some decisions. He suggested a course of action. Probably the correct decision will be, okay we will open an inquiry, Ugaz said. (Say) please minister, come here and explain the situation. And probably they have the correct responses and nothing happens. He added, But what we cannot do is say: this will go to the police and let the police do their work. Everybody knows the police is not doing their work here. In further remarks, Ugaz said in order to truly fight corruption, a Government must be seen as taking a serious stance against it. Fry a big fish, Ugaz urged. People need to see that this is serious...We dont want pick-pockets. We want people taking money from the top. PM: IM NOT AN INVESTIGATOR In an immediate reaction, Rowley said he was not satisfied there were grounds to remove Ministers McDonald and Robinson-Regis, at this point, but also added it was not his job to be an investigator. He said matters raised in relation to both were being investigated by the Integrity Commission and he would defer to the Commission. At the same time, Rowley said he had no confidence in the Commissions ability to complete its probes speedily. The Prime Minister also hinted that one of the two ministers under discussion faced additional questions in relation to matters which had not yet reached the public domain. Taking the podium minutes after Ugazs address, Rowley said, Senor Ugaz this morning named two persons in my Government as persons with questions to answer and, therefore, it falls to me to give that assurance and that reassurance that...the Government of Trinidad and Tobago 2016, going forward, will do what has to be done to address corruption in public life. And I dare say, in so far as public life interacts with private life, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago gives you that assurance. But I must say though that I know a little bit about allegations. And I depend very heavily upon institutions. I have been in the Parliament for almost 30 years. And during that period I have had allegations made against me. And I have had to appear before commissions of inquiry so the allegations could be dealt with and in every instance, the allegations were found not to be true. I can tell you senor Ugaz, there are three instances before the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago today, two you mentioned and one other. He did not give details of the third. Rest assured there is no case to be had where the Prime Minister is standing in defence of anyone or preventing any institutional investigation so as to bring about exoneration or the appropriate action. Of course what is inappropriate is for someone to make an allegation without even clarifying the specific charge and demanding that X be done and Y be done. If it can be shown that there are persons in government who have misconducted themselves to an extent requiring removal from the Cabinet there is no hesitation so to do. Questioned later by reporters, the Prime Minister divulged no details of the additional instance before him, but said it did not relate to a third minister. On whether he should heed Ugazs call for an inquiry, Rowley said, I can only go so far but there are agencies whose job it is to do that. So for example, I am aware that the Integrity Commission is investigating the allegations made and therefore I dont know that I can go beyond that at this time. Asked if he was discomforted by the report of a $93,000 cash transaction, Rowley said, I dont know the details other than what is being put to me. And if it has to be investigated, it has to be investigated by the relevant authority. Asked if he had a duty to protect the Cabinet and the interests of taxpayers, Rowley said, The details of a private transaction does not a crime make if no crime is there. It has to be determined if there is a crime or highly unethical conduct before we talk about removal. He continued, I personally only have the Ministers word. The Integrity Commission has other abilities. They are investigating it and lets see what comes out of it. Asked if he had confidence in the Commission to complete its probes speedily, the Prime Minister said, No I am not because there are so many things lying there unattended and that is part of the problem. My job would be a whole lot easier if the institutions of the State would be more effective. What do you want me to do? You want me to just listen to somebody saying to just act on it? I am not going to do that. Ugaz also said the position of Trinidad and Tobago in relation to corruption, is not good. He alluded to scandals involving Jack Warner, Calder Hart and Mary King. There is still a lot of poverty and inequality, the TI chairman said. Union: Jones must go For him to be placed on a Cabinet appointed committee for energy, it is just another farce! He has absolutely nothing to contribute on energy matters. I do not know what would have possessed this Government to take someone who had failed in the major State enterprise... a critical State enterprise, Roget charged. Referring to reports of comments by Jones with respect to the States decision to drop a US$109M case against the former Petrotrin executive chairman, Roget proposed that on the basis of fairness the State should also drop all court cases against the OWTU. Roget noted that Jones statement had incensed the Petrotrin workers. One of the things that continue to infuriate and incense workers is the way Mr Jones dismissed this. As far as he is concerned, he did absolutely nothing wrong. As far as he is concerned, the failure of Petrotrin under his stewardship...there is nothing wrong with that, Roget added. In 2013 under the Peoples Partnership government, then Attorney General Anand Ramlogan initiated legal action against Jones. The State accused Jones of breaching his fiduciary duty and alleged mismanagement in the construction of the World Gas to Liquid Plant (WGTL) at Petrotrins Pointe-a-Pierre site. Last week, incumbent Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi announced that the State had withdrew the case against Jones for breach of fiduciary duty. About an hour into the protest, two officers from Mon Repos Police Station arrived and went into Jones compound. Two other police officers arrived shortly after. Led by Roget, union members repeatedly chanted, Jones must go! Commenting on reports of a US $.5 million bid by a foreign company for two of the National Gas Companys offshore fields, Roget noted he is strongly against privatization. He admitted that the union intends to do its own investigation into the matter before making further comments. 3 days later, missing hiker found Speaking to Arthur after he emerged from the forest, Newsday was told that he lost his group while trekking up to the Yara River in Blanchisseuse. The last person in the group was about fifteen minutes ahead of me in the river, said Arthur. But I cant swim. I had my life jacket, but it so happened that as I entered the water, my life jacket burst. That was when the drama started. I had to fight for my life right there and then, because I could have drowned. Arthur said he managed to get out of the water and was trying to follow the trail of the hikers, but he stopped to eat something and by that time he finished eating, the group was gone. Nighttime soon arrived so Arthur decided that the safest bet for him would be to stay where he was and hope that in the morning (Sunday) people would come to his rescue. He spent Saturday night sleeping on the river bed. When he woke on Sunday morning, he realised no one had yet come to his aid. Rain had fallen during the day as well making the river impossible to cross. A hungry and frightened Arthur tried to find locate the trail that would lead back to where the hike started in Maracas/St Joseph, but he got lost as he made his way deeper into the dense forest. He told reporters that on Monday he walked through the forest searching for a way out and eventually came upon an empty shack, which Newsday understands, is used by hunters. Night had come again and Arthur was no closer to being rescued. With very little food or water, Arthur scavenged the shack for seasoning and greens, and took refuge there for the night, intending to return to the river bed the next morning. Yesterday morning Arthur was on his way back to the river bank, when he had to take a detour around a steep waterfall. The decision turned out to work in his favour, as he was discovered by search and rescue officers. As soon as the search and rescue team found him, they gave him nuts, chocolate and raisins, to raise his energy. The rescue team then carefully guided him out of the forest. I am being honest, me and water is not friends at all, so if I have to go to another hike it would have to be without water. I need to dry off right now. I think I would be back, Ill take a break, and no more water. I always had an inner strength that kept me going. I never gave up hope, but I could not believe that I had the strength to survive for four days in the forest. When I get home, I am going to play some video games, listen to Hott 93 and forget this whole ordeal happened. Arthur said Consumers not serious about high prices She was speaking yesterday after Port-of-Spain Mayor Keron Valentine read the proclamation in observance of International Womens Day at City Hall . Brown also addressed the issue of violence against women, saying everyone has to take responsibility . Violence is learned behaviour; people learned to be violent so we have to go back to the causes . Where did they learn that? And how do they unlearn it? We didnt get here in one day, one month or one year. It just requires all of us to do all that we can to make our society safe and peaceful, she said . She said in order to address the violence in the streets, one has to start making homes safe for children . Then you will get adults who will know how to deal with conflicts and will not be violent, and find violence the solution to their problems but all of us have a responsibility to do what we can, she said . Dont normalise abuse of women In 2016 alone, several cases were brought to light, including graphic images of assault posted by the wife of a well-known businessman, and the most recent case of a woman attacked with acid by her ex-lover, said the statement. What is needed, firstly, is a candid admittance by all that we have indeed become a population prone to aggression; this aggression is not only seen in criminal acts, but has in fact made its way into our homes, communities, and even the way average citizens interact with their fellow human beings. Ali called for new, robust policies to eradicate violence against women. No longer can we adopt the view that domestic abuse is a private affair. She warned, There are many cases where women need help but are afraid to seek it out, or where young girls are being taken advantaged of in the vilest of ways by the same unit responsible for their protection and have nowhere to turn. While abuse is a global problem, she said the statistics in TT are alarming. A major shift in focus is therefore needed so as to ensure that we are not fostering a culture where the norm is to disrespect women. The Youth Congress urged the Government to put this issue on the front burner for its 2016 agenda, towards the goal of gender parity, the theme of this years International Womens Day. An equal call is being made to national and community leaders, religious institutions, media personalities and local celebrities to be mindful of the messages they send about how women should be treated, urged Ali. Witnesses to abusive situations who are not directly involved also have an important part to play - simply speaking up can make a difference! There is still hope She said violence and abuse affect women from all backgrounds, often perpetrated by people who claim they are doing it out of love. Crichlow recalled her experience of being in an abusive relationship for more than three years and never imagined she would have been free of the abuse . After having my children I felt different...I knew immediately I had to survive for their well-being. The months and years went by and I knew I had to leave...I had to get out, she said. I really thought there was no way out of the hardship. I was mentally and physically scarred for life. She told Newsday that on the morning she decided to leave her abusive relationship, her attacker came at her with a cutlass. I was in the room packing my clothes to leave. As I raised up my head I saw him coming towards me with this blade (cutlass)...I braced the second hit with my left hand and was chopped close to my wrist. The days that followed were not easy but I made it out...we made it out . I felt hurt and bitter because there were more questions than answers, but I never gave up. Crichlow, who now has a deep scar on her left hand for life, gave thanks to God for His mercy for spearing her life for the sake of her five children. From that day onward, I continued to push myself, thinking positively to learn new things so I can encourage and teach my children to do good and elevate themselves. I have been through it all and still have the time to put myself through school and do short courses, she said . She is now certified in steel bending, masonry, sewing, tiling and is currently attending drapery classes. Crichlow said most people stay in relationships because they think nothing can be done or they are staying for the sake of their children . However, she said for those same reasons it might be too late . She is encouraging women not to give up the fight. I believe in myself that the struggle will get better and that there is hope, she said and is advising women in similar situations to also have hope . Imbert: Kamla approved $1.6B loan Reiterating that the PP maxed the overdraft in the Central Bank to the $9 billion limit, Imbert quipped, When they hit the $9billion, they went outside and authorised State Enterprises to borrow $4 billion in fiscal 2015, in their desperation to win the 2015 general election. The Minister continued, I can speak with authority today that the Honourable Member for Siparia (Persad-Bissessar). personally authorised a $1.6 billion loan for TTEC, ten days before the general election. Saying this happened around August 27, 2015, Imbert added that this loan matured on February 28. What? cried Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley. Imbert continued, Every other week, I am informed of a short term loan in the billions of dollars, entered into by the last administration, in their dying days on the eve of the general election and all of these things are maturing in November (2015), December (2015), January and February (2016). Responding during the tea break on Persad-Bissessars behalf, Tabaquite MP Dr Suruj Rambachan quoted a statement emailed to him by former finance minister Larry Howai on the TTEC loan while the sitting was in progress. In that statement, Howai said the loan was to settle a debt owed by TTEC to Trinidad Generation Unlimited (TGU) for the purchase of electricity for US$250 million. What happened is we proposed to have this settled by having a loan guaranteed by TTEC so they could settle the debt. At the same time, we requested TGU to pay dividends of $1.6 billion to Government as the company never paid dividends. This did allow Government to obtain additional revenues. Howai reiterated, The principal reason was to allow TTEC to settle its debt. Government has lost control of country Saying that people should not be asked to make sacrifices which could be avoided, Rambachan warned the people of this country could explode. He claimed that the poor and vulnerable are suffering as a result of a number of food items which now attract VAT and displayed bills from a supermarket in his constituency before and after the revised VAT regime took effect on February 1. I have the evidence of what has been happening, he told MPs. Reiterating his claim that the Government is putting people under pressure through the revised VAT regime, Rambachan charged that the PNM was a rich man government, had ground the economy to a halt and was acting like a car in reverse gear going down a hill. Opposition Chief Whip Ganga Singh interjected, Robin Hood in reverse. Rambachan asserted that the new VAT regime was not thought out, adding that it now allowed rich people in this country to drink Johnny Walker Blue scotch whisky, smoke Cuban cigars and buy luxury vehicles at 2.5 percent less, while poor people are made to bear the burden. He also claimed that businessmen are now buying US dollars at a rate of $6.59 to US$1 on the black market. Speaking later in the debate, Caroni Central MP Dr Bhoe Tewarie accused the Government of trying to misinform itself out of the economic situation the country is in. Saying the Opposition was not against the improvement of VAT collection in TT, Tewarie said the Opposition was however opposed to the number of items which have since been removed from the zero-rated list. In response to Finance Minister Colm Imbert, who spoke immediately after Rambachan, Tewarie confirmed the former Peoples Partnership government did receive recommendations from the International Monetary Fund about tax collection and other matters. However, Tewarie said these recommendations were not made in context of the social implications on the population and more analysis needed to be done. He insisted that no jobs were lost under the PP and predicted that when the mid-year review takes place on April 8, Government will attempt to show the figures for 2016 are better than those for 2015. US$80M exists to pay highway workers Saying the US480 million lies in a performance bond and retention fund lodged between OAS and project supervisor, Nidco, Rambachan said these two bodies must now hold talks to ensure the workers and subcontractors are paid. He said that when any firm goes into liquidation, the employees usually have first lien of the firms monies, that is, are the first to be paid. While saying OAS is not in liquidation and has not shut up shop, nonetheless he noted that they have been using their equipment to settle debts to their subcontractors. More broadly, Rambachan said that some $296 million once advanced to pay OAS is still now available to the Government. Nidco has that money completely secured, said the former Works Minister. He rejected Government claims that the former regime had overpaid OAS, as he said the projects cost was $7.5 billion, of which $5.1 billion had been paid. Rambachan then challenged Finance Minister, Colm Imberts, earlier claim that oil production had fallen under the former Peoples Partnership (PP) regime. He refuted Imberts claim of a collapse from 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 80,000 bpd under the PP from 2010 to 2015. Rambachan alleged a collapse under the past Peoples National Movement (PNM) regime between 2005 and 2010 from 145,000 bpd to just 90,000 bpd. He claimed the PP had halted the slide under the PNM, and said todays production is 80,000. Minister challenges youth to touch lives She was addressing dozens of students at a Youth Focus Seminar at City Hall, Knox Street, Port-of-Spain Webster-Roy told students she believed they have the resources, the ideas and the network that can allow them to be great Greatness is not notoriety You know that way that everybody knows who the bad boy is Greatness is not just in academics, although a healthy study life is a worthy pursuit. Nor is greatness just only in sporting or trade achievements I challenge you, young men and young women, that greatness is positively impacting, compassionately assisting and sustainably transforming the lives of those around you, she said. She noted that in the last few weeks there was a trend of alarming activities occurring among the youth population of the country, including violence in schools among peers, negative attitudes and behaviours toward authority, and an increase in criminal activities perpetrated by young people within communities and the wider environment. AG: $90 million to one lawyer There was no alcohol. There was no party. There was a return of money. the staff was in shock. The AG then revealed that his ministry has drafted civil asset forfeiture legislation, arising out of this countrys Fourth Round Mutual Evaluation by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). Explaining this legislation meant that persons who acquire certain assets but do not have the income to justify their acquisitions have to explain your wealth, Al Rawi said, If you cant explain your wealth, you are going to lose your wealth until you can explain your wealth. Saying the PP only had an International Monetary Fund Article (IMF) Article IV Consultation in April 2014 but deferred the same consultations scheduled for 2015 and 2016, the AG said this could suggest there there was something to hide. During Al Rawis contribution, Speaker Bridgid Annisette George admonished Princes Town MP Barry Padarath three times after Al Rawi said Padarath was disturbing him with cross talk. After Al Rawis third complaint against Padarath, Annisette George stood up and told all MPs, this was the, last time I am going to warn Members with respect to the persistent cross talk. She warned, On the next occasion, I am going to name the offending Members. PAC meets Auditor General The hearing will focus on issues raised in a Report on the Public Accounts for the financial year 2014. The PAC is chaired by Opposition Caroni Central MP Dr Bhoe Tewarie. Other members include Housing Minister Marlene Mc- Donald, Opposition Senator Rodger Samuel and Independent Senator Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir. The State Enterprises joint select committee (JSC) will hold an in-camera meeting today from 10 am in the Arnold Thomasos Meeting Room (East) in Tower D. This committee is chaired by Independent Senator David Small. Public Utilities Minister Ancil Antoine, Social Development and Family Services Minister Cherrie Ann Critchlow- Cockburn and Opposition Senator Wade Mark are some of the other members. The JSC on the Whistle-blower Protection Bill 2015 meets in camera in the Arnold Thomasos Meeting Room (West) of Tower D on March 15. This JSC is chaired by Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi. NewsPlusNotes Terms of Use NewsPlusNotes is not affiliated with nor do we purport to represent the views, interests, intentions, or policies of any park, corporation, or entity. The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the individual writers. 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If you feel that we've made an error or omission in attributing proper credit to a particular piece of content found on NewsPlusNotes, please contact us and we will gladly investigate the matter and make any necessary corrections. CLOSE What you need to know about the Octagon Art Festival on Sunday in Ames news Intolerable that in this day and age women still being exposed to barbaric brutality and violence, says President New Delhi, Wed, 09 Mar 2016 NI Wire The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented Nari Shakti Puruskars for the year 2015 at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan (March 8, 2016) on the occasion of International Women's Day. Speaking on the occasion, the President said we must remind ourselves most emphatically and as often as we can, that every member of our society male or female has, equally, the right to live in security, peace and dignity. It is intolerable that in this day and age, women are still being exposed to barbaric brutality and violence because they are women. Violence or fear of violence reduces the freedom and development of everyone, particularly our women and children. But more than that, it diminishes our society when it allows such inhuman treatment of its women rather than guarantee their safety, security and equal rights. On this day, let us all, Government, civil society and public at large, pledge to work together for developing relevant legal, administrative and other measures to ensure the safety and security of our mothers and sisters. The President said the minds of our women should be empowered. The mind sets of our people must evolve. They must realise that it is in societys own interest to create the conditions for their women to freely exercise choices at home and in the workplace without restrictions or fear. Gender equality is a key driver for inclusive economic growth and social progression. A greater focus on womens access to resources and control over these resources and more emphasis on improving the health and nutrition of girls and women is a vital necessity. Improving womens health raises productivity within families and communities and sets the standards for future generations. The President said community programmes for efficient implementation of Government policy have proven to be among the best instruments for the broadest outreach. He was glad to know that the Ministry of Women and Child Development has conceived a Village Convergence and Facilitation Services programme at Gram Panchayat level. He expressed confidence that the BetiBachaoBetiPadhao programme will be successful in addressing malnutrition, maternal mortality and bridging gaps to improve the status of women in our society. The President said the best practices for the development of women - that have worked well at the grassroots in States and Union Territories should be adopted and up-scaled in Government of India schemes. The key - and urgent - priority is to develop a comprehensive approach to the holistic empowerment of women. An effective convergence of all elements social, economic or political could serve to facilitate this. Quoting Swami Vivekananda, the President said, The best thermometer to the progress of a nation is its treatment of its women,andAll nations have attained greatness by paying proper respect to women. That country and that nation which do not respect women have never become great, nor ever will be in future. Source: PIB Dr Harsh Vardhan says Science to be for Economic Growth and Employment Generation Now New Delhi, Wed, 09 Mar 2016 NI Wire null Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan says Science to be for Economic Growth and Employment Generation Now Union Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan has said that Science & Technology and innovation are planned to be used as tools for economic growth and employment generation. Accordingly the government has given priority to these areas across the Union Budget, he said. The Minister recalled as to how the Prime Minister while addressing the National Science Congress in Mysore, in January this year, had said that the good governance is also about integrating science and technology into the choices we make and the strategies we pursue. Accordingly the government even while taking measures to control overall fiscal deficit, had clearly increased budgets to various departments of the government in areas of Science & Technology. Various Departments under his Ministries have embarked upon several collaborative projects on national priorities such as National Supercomputing Mission to ensure nations competitiveness in supercomputing with Department of Electronics and Information Technology; envisaged to implement IMPRINT projects with Ministry of Human Resource Development; shaping a joint R&D initiative to work in the areas of fuel efficiency and emission control technologies with Ministry of Railways (MoR); and working on R&D component of electric mobility mission with Department of Heavy industry. Dr. Harsh Vardhan expressed satisfaction with budgetary allocations for his Ministries too for the ensuing financial year. The Minister said all in his ministries have been gearing up to work in a concerted and coordinated manner for the overall objective of higher economic growth, employment and social equity. Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that the Government under the leadership of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched several Missions and his Ministries are working in a synergistic manner with the other Ministries to leverage these efforts, such as Make in India, Swasth Bharat, Swachh Bharat, Innovate in India, Start-up India and Stand-up India, among others. The focus is on Affordable Healthcare including Phyto-Pharmaceuticals & Bio-therapeutics, Food & Food Processing, Sustainable Energy, Affordable Housing along with Green Buildings, Advance & Nano-materials, Ocean Exploration, Climate Change, Weather Forecasting for Farmers and Fishermen, Wealth from Waste, Aroma & Herbals, Harnessing Ocean resources and genome programme livestock. The Minister said that he himself had been calling upon the scientific community in all departments of his ministries to synergize their efforts to contribute to such challenging areas for human welfare. The Minister pointed out that this does not mean that there has been any de-emphasis on basic research. You know the government is considering instituting the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory in India and intends to promote other basic research too he added. Allocations under Budgetary heads for promoting Innovation, Technology Development and Deployment in various departments have been raised many fold in the recent Union Budget. Major focus would be laid upon creating incubation facilities for spin-off and start-ups. The Minister said various departments would hand hold innovators so as to create a new segment of knowledgebase enterprises. This would help boost the economy step-by-step. Focus is also on some recently launched initiatives aimed at societal priorities such as Science & Technology of Yoga and Meditation (SATYAM) to explore the modern scientific roots of Indian traditional knowledge; advanced manufacturing for Make in India; and waste processing technology for Swachh Bharat. Focus would also be on disease control and prevention through finding new and cheaper vaccines, increasing of agricultural production, animal health, furthering Medical Technology (Med-Tech) Innovations, solid waste management etc, A mission on Biotherapeutics called Aroma Mission will be launched soon, he added. With increased allocations, besides further fathoming the secrets of the oceans, Agro-Meteorological Advisory service units to cover all farmers are to be expanded. Efforts are on to rope in various agencies, including NGOs at sub-district level for organizing awareness and training programs at Krishi Vigyan Kendras. Spatial and temporal resolutions of weather forecasts are to be increased with introduction of Now-casting (up to 3 hours) and Extended Range Forecasts (15-20days). A major thrust in the Union Budget for 2016-17 is to improve agricultural output and to increase the income of farmers as part of major effort to weather proof the Indian Agriculture. To facilitate the objective of helping the farming community including the farmers over the northeastern region, as envisaged in the Union Budget, the Ministry of Earth Sciences will be generating high resolution weather forecasts (10 km resolution), for which the exiting High Performance Computing facility will be upgraded to 10 Petaflop facility. It is planned to make critical procurement of Doppler Weather Radars for Himalayan States for improving the services over the Western Himalayan Hill states of Jammu & Kashmir; Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Ministry of Earth Sciences and CSIR are working together for developing indigenous airport meteorological instruments. Source: PIB null This Page has moved to a new address: Sorry for the inconvenience Redirection provided by Blogger to WordPress Migration Service Blue Origin is the other rocket company run by a billionaire. They are also trying to develop reusable rockets. The billionaire is Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazom.com. Jeff Bezos has moved Blue Origin out of semi-stealth mode. For almost four hours, Mr. Bezos, who only occasionally talks to the press, led 11 reporters on a tour of the factory and answered a litany of questions over lunch. The reusable New Shepard spacecraft that launched to the outskirts of space in November and then made a return trip in January will launch again soon. Depending on how well the testing goes, paying tourists, six at a time, might start making the short trips, experiencing a few minutes of weightlessness in space as soon as 2018, he said. About 600 people work at Blue Origin, most at the Kent headquarters with a small number at its test-launch site near Van Horn, Texas. Bezos said that will rise to 1,000 within the next year and later to 1,200 as the company ramps up its engineering and manufacturing. He let his engineers make their presentations about a new engine, the BE-4, which is under development with tests of a full version beginning by the end of the year. BE-4 is an engine that is scheduled to fly by 2019, meeting the congressionally mandated deadline to eliminate dependence on Russian-built engines. The alternative engine option is multiple years behind and could not be integrated into a launch vehicle until at least 2021, extending our dependence on Russian engines well beyond 2019. The BE-4 will power NASAs next-generation launch vehicle, the Vulcan rocket built by United Launch Alliance the joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Blue Origin will also use the BE-4 to power its own series of orbital rockets much larger than New Shepard and, for now, nameless, though dubbed internally the Very Big Brother rockets. Those will be built and launched at Cape Canaveral, Fla., then land on platforms in the Atlantic Ocean. Blue Origin expects to ramp up to building a dozen BE-4 engines a year in Kent, but it will need much higher production rates if NASAs Vulcan and its own orbital rockets proceed as planned. The company is actively searching for a site to build a large BE-4 production plant. Much of the serious engineering in Kent is now devoted to the BE-4 engine. In that engines core, where temperatures reach 5,000 degrees, liquid fuel circulates in carefully machined channels to prevent a meltdown. On Tuesday, engineers in a small operations center monitored video from Texas of a test stand where BE-4 engine components are being tested this week. The New Shepard crew capsule. The reusable New Shepard spacecraft, which launched to the outskirts of space in November, will launch again soon. Credit Blue Origin Blue Origin rocket launch in 2015 Like Elon Musk, Bezos talks about Blue Origin less as a business than as part of a glorious future for humanity, with millions of people living and working off the planet. It is also a path, he asserted, that humanity must pursue if it is to continue to prosper. His argument was simple: Energy consumption has been rising at 2 or 3 percent a year. Even at that modest rate, within a few centuries, the energy usage would be equal to the energy produced by high-efficiency solar cells covering the entire surface of the planet. Well be using all of the solar energy that impacts the Earth, he said. Thats an actual limit. But there is much energy and raw materials to use elsewhere in the solar system, and eventually, he prophesies, there will be the great inversion. Instead of factories on Earth manufacturing sophisticated components that go into tiny machines that go into space, the heavy manufacturing will all be done elsewhere, and Earth, he joked, would be zoned for residential and light industrial use, allowing much of Earth to return to a more natural state. Itll be universities and houses and so on, he said. That is still far in the future. For now, Blue Origins business plans fall in three categories. The first is space tourism, with short hops launching from West Texas on the New Shepard, a competitor to Virgin Galactic, Richard Bransons space start-up. Space tourism is not just a frivolity for the rich, but a necessary steppingstone to develop the expertise in a new technology, Mr. Bezos said, much like the early days of airplanes or how video games spurred the development of more powerful computer chips. Currently, most rocket companies launch, at most, about a dozen times a year. You never get really great at something you do 10, 12 times a year, Mr. Bezos said. With a small fleet of reusable New Shepard rockets, Blue Origin could be launching dozens of times a year. The other business plans are for selling its rocket engines to other companies like United Launch Alliance, which is planning to use them for the Vulcan, a next-generation rocket to replace the Atlas 5 and Delta 4, and for its own larger rocket to lift payloads to orbit. SOURCES Seattle Times, NY Times, Blue Origin Increases in the two streams are driving the government's maximum target for new permanent residents this year to 305,000, the highest in decades despite their planned decrease in economic immigration. Canada plans to significantly increase the number of immigrants it will accept this year, with a focus on reuniting families and bringing in more refugees, the government said on Tuesday. I am disappointed that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has made a decision to rescind the travel-expense waiver for Syrian refugees coming to Canada, meaning that an average family of five may be saddled with as much as $10,000 in debt when they arrive in this country, their supposed salvation from oppression and destitution. Office Online and OneDrive Get Skype Calling and Chat Support The Arabic language release is especially important to us, because there is such a diverse Arabic speaking population all over the world . "Indeed, it is the highest number of projected immigrant admissions put forth by the Government of Canada in modern times", he said. The government of Canada announced an ambitious plan for 2016 immigration levels on Tuesday, aimed at reuniting more families. McCallum brushed off suggestions that the government was prioritizing Syrian refugees above all else, saying he would not apologize for making Canada a world leader in Syrian refugee resettlement. Can Google's DeepMind beat world Go champ? Watch live this week Go has trillions of possible moves; according to the British Go Association , at the opening of Chess there are 20 possible moves. This type of self-learning program is known as a neural network , and it's based on theories of how the human brain works. But the Liberals have already begun a different approach - a massive increase to the number of refugees Canada will accept thanks to the landmark Syrian refugee program. "I think that what the government has failed to do today is explain how their immigration programs are going to affect the Canadian economy", she said. There's also the question of privately sponsored refugees, both from Syria and elsewhere, and how many of those the government will accept. McCallum has previously said Canada could welcome up to 50,000 refugees this year but hasn't broken that figure down. How many were ultimately allowed in previous year will be a sign of whether the express entry system is working. Donald Trump's easy victories in Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii left his rivals with shrinking opportunities to slow his momentum in the Republican primaries and little indication that a flurry of intense efforts to undermine his credibility are pushing voters away from the brash billionaire. But Kasich finished third, a hair or two behind Texas Senator Ted Cruz. Tuesday night's results illustrate why Clinton has built that lead in pledged delegates and continues to expand it: Not only has she won more states than Sanders, many of her victories have been landslides that have given her lopsided margins among the delegates. MI is the biggest prize of the night for Republicans, with 59 delegates at stake, followed by MS with 40, Idaho with 32 and Hawaii with 19. Sanders would fare even better and win with 55 percent of the vote to the billionaire's 37 percent - a blistering defeat for Trump of 18 points. Cruz edged out Kasich in MI, where the OH governor had spent much of the past week campaigning. Marco Rubio, with whom he's had a venomous feud, and a Florida victory would accomplish that. OH has 66 victor take all delegates, where Trump is barely ahead of Kasich. Sanders appealed to Michigan's black voters in similar ways to his approach in the South, which was very unsuccessful. "The forces trying to drive us apart are strong", she said. Democrats need 2,383 delegates to win the nomination. The former secretary of state's hammered her rival over a vote against a bailout for the US auto industry in 2009, while the Vermont senator lambasted her over her past support for free trade deals which he said sowed ruin in the Midwest. "Once they sign a party card, they will get a ballot cast their vote". PCB assured of adequate security to squad during World T20 in India The teams are set to square off in India s Kolkatta, Dharamsala and Mohali during the World Twenty20 s first round that kicks off on March 8 and ends on April 3. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton easily cruised to a victory in MS, according to exit polls. There is a significant gender gap between the candidates in the Buckeye State, with Sanders leading by 9 points among men, and Clinton leading by 25 points among women. Just how the state's voters would respond to the presidential race's outsiders-Sanders and Trump-was the center of great interest and speculation, especially as mainstream leaders from both parties have sought to push their respective candidacies aside. The other has Trump going to Cleveland with less than a majority of delegates so the party big shots can host a brokered convention at which it's anybody's game. Rubio and Cruz made quick campaign stops over the weekend and both have received notable endorsements, as has Kasich. Exxon sees no oil-market rebound any time soon as glut persists Even with the flat production, Exxon forecast cash flow from operations would grow, assuming oil prices in the $40 to $80 range. In order to improve its future financial position, Exxon is ramping up its projects in the upstream and downstream segments. Speaking to a crowd in Lansing, Kasich said a strong showing in MI would show the country "that it's a new day in this presidential campaign". The Texas senator is sticking close in the delegate count, and with seven states in his win column he's argued he's the only candidate standing between Trump and the GOP nomination. Meanwhile, if Sanders makes a strong showing in those same states next week, he can look forward to a swath of more liberal states voting after that. Some 21 states have so far had their say in the Democrat primaries and caucuses, with Clinton winning 12 and Sanders claiming nine. In the Republican race, Trump will end Tuesday still the front-runner, building on his current count of 384 delegates. Republicans were also holding contests Tuesday in Hawaii and Idaho. Clinton has won more than 80 percent of the African-American vote in almost every other state in the primary process. Dick's Sporting Goods Shares Fall After Profit Misses Estimates The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link . This is a positive change from Dicks Sporting Goods's previous quarterly dividend of $0.14. The economy ranked high on the list of concerns for voters in MI and Mississippi. A four-member team from NASA is heading to Maba, a small town in the Maluku Islands where the total eclipse will occur for around three minutes, one of the longest times it can be seen. The lone total solar eclipse for 2016 will occur on Wednesday, March 9, and will be seen across large parts of Indonesia and the Pacific Ocean. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon's shadow falls on Earth. Nod to India's female lawmakers highlights how few there are For millions of women and girls around the world, gender equality and the full enjoyment of human rights remain elusive. At the grassroots level, rallies in Warsaw and Istanbul on Sunday drew attention to the many challenges women face. The celestial spectacle, which NASA says happens about once a year on Earth, will begin on Wednesday in parts of Southeast Asia and will cross the worldwide date line to end Tuesday local time, the New York Times reports. The next total solar eclipse will happen on August 21st, 2017 and you can catch it from certain places across the US! A rare total solar eclipse will be visible in a broad arc across the country about an hour later. A total solar eclipse will shadow Indonesia and North Pacific Ocean, and a 30-meter asteroid will fly close to the Earth's surface. Thousands of eclipse-chasers have come from overseas and the government, which has been the promoting the event for more than a year, expects a substantial tourism boost. During a total eclipse, the moon blocks the entire disk of the sun, darkening the sky and letting observers glimpse the sun's faint outer atmosphere, the corona. Overseas tour agencies have chartered ships for groups who want to view the eclipse at sea and many land tours, which are the best for photography, have also been organized. MI a turning point for Sanders campaign Since then, Sanders and Clinton have met several times, and their encounters have been progressively less cordial. The debate was a strong sign that both candidates still see room to gain or lose ground among liberal voters. "We accommodated tourists as far as our capacity allowed", said Muhaimin Ramza, manager of the Aston Hotel, one of several hotels that are booked out in the city of Palembang on Indonesia's western island of Sumatra. NASA created this Google map showing the path of totality for Tuesday's total eclipse of the sun. "How unbelievable this sunny morning suddenly changed to dark", said Junaz Amir, a Sigi resident who witnessed the eclipse with his family using special glasses that protect eyes. Chou, a Canadian who helped develop the worldwide standards for eclipse filters, said there were still impressive effects of light and darkness and birds appeared confused and disorientated by dark falling again after dawn. The moments in which the sun is entirely obscured will last between 90 seconds and 4 minutes. Reports indicate Iran's Revolutionary Guard test fired several ballistic missiles on Monday. The launches followed the test-firing of several missiles on Tuesday as part of a major military exercise that the IRGC says is meant to "show Iran's deterrent power and... ability to confront any threat". Hajizadeh said sanctions would not stop Iran developing its ballistic missiles, which it regards as a cornerstone of its conventional deterrent. The underground silos are seen as a complementary gear for IRGC's underground "missile cities", Tasnim News Agency reported Tuesday. A senior Iranian commander has highlighted the country's capacity for producing missiles, saying the Islamic Republic does not have enough space for keeping its home-made missiles. Iran tests missiles to show 'deterrence power' Iran staged a nationwide demonstration of its ballistic missile capability Tuesday, with televised large-scale missile drills. Just look back to what happened last fall, when Iran's missile tests spurred the U.S. Iran test-fired two ballistic missiles Wednesday, state media reported, just a day after other missile tests that Washington suggests were in violation of a United Nations resolution. The IRGC's Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh told the ISNA agency "The reason we designed our missiles with a range of 2,000 kms is to be able to hit our enemy the Zionist regime [Editor's note: Israel] from a safe distance". "This demonstrates once again why we need to address Iran's destabilizing activities across the region, while vigorously enforcing the nuclear deal", Clinton said in a statement. The missile test underlined a rift in Iran between hardline factions opposed to normalising relations with the West, and Rouhani's relatively moderate government which is trying to attract foreign investment to Iran. State television broadcast video of two missiles being fired from a site in the Alborz mountain range in northern Iran. Adele Dominates The 2016 BRIT Awards The last time a group or individual artist picked up a total of four awards in one night at the ceremony was Blur in 1995. A committee supposed to help them open up to a wider range of talents will be put in place, they added. In January, the US Department of the Treasury imposed new sanctions against Iranian citizens and companies over the country's ballistic missile program. U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Washington would review the incident and, if it is confirmed, raise it in the U.N. Security Council and seek an "appropriate response". It is unknown if any of the missiles fired Tuesday were capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, which would violate a United Nations resolution. He emphasized that sanctions and enemies' security pressure have failed to impact Iran's missile power, saying the Armed Forces and IRGC have grown into a unique power in the region. In the wake of the nuclear deal, the USA has continued to take action against Iran's ballistic missile program. Only two minutes after I had listed a dresser online for sale, someone was interested. I was ecstatic that the dresser would not only be off our hands, but wed get a little cash besides and in such short time. The buyer must have been searching for dressers for months, I thought, judging by We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. For the past decade, there has been a growing push to reform New Zealand's sixty-year-old adoption laws and bring them into step with modern society. Successive governments haven't wanted to go there - Labour because it didn't want that fight at the same time as civil unions, National because it has a large conservative Christian rump blocking any progress. But now they're going to have to finally do something, with a formal legal declaration that the law is discriinatory and not fit for purpose: New Zealand's 61-year-old adoption laws are discriminatory and outdated, according to a new ruling. A Human Rights Review Tribunal decision, which comes after two years of legal battles, has found the Adoption Act 1955 and the Adult Adoption Information Act 1985 contradicts the Human Rights Act and the Bill of Rights Act by discriminating against people based on sex, age, marital status and disability. The current law stops civil union partners or same-sex de facto couples from adopting. It also places restrictions on single men trying to adopt a female child and stops anyone under the age of 25 from adopting. The net effect of those restrictions isn't to protect children. Instead, what they mostly do is stop people being legal parents to their own kids . They enforce a tired old bigotry that modern New Zealanders simply don't agree with , and which is now explicitly inconsistent with New Zealand law. National needs to make it a priority to fix this. Sadly, I expect their bigot caucus will do everything it can to prevent that. " ... How many opportunities do they afford to tamper with domestic factions, to practice the arts of seduction, to mislead public opinion, to influence or awe the public... " [From George Washington's farewell address.] Other Quotes: "Don't worry about genius and don't worry about not being clever. Trust rather to hard work, perseverance and determination. The best motto for a long march is ' Don't grumble. Plug on.'....Be honest. Be loyal. Be kind. Remember that the hardest thing to acquire is the faculty of being unselfish. As a quality it is one of the finest attributes of manliness." Sir Frederick Treves "...To be clear, the Constitution of the United States of America is the United States of America. They are one and the same. Any individual or agency which seeks to subvert the Constitution and wage political and/or rhetorical war on it, are self-declared enemies of the United States of America, as they are subverting and waging war on the United States of America." - Pat Dollard The truth to the matter is that Obama lies but he does it with such finess that the easily fooled are easily fooled. ~ Norman E. Hooben "Going for the grandest illusion of all, [Obama] ... told the New York Times: 'We've actually been operating in a way that has been entirely consistent with free-market principles.' Excuse me while I pick my jaw off the ground. Everyone knows -- or should know -- that putting more and more of the government in charge of more and more of the economy is entirely inconsistent with free-market principles. This means that the president's statement to the contrary is what is known as a big lie." --columnist Diana West When you trust a stranger more so than your friend, you become stranger than the stranger; Barrack Husein Obama is a stranger. - Norman E. Hooben We the peopleWe the people now have a New World Order that we the people did not order. Norman E. Hooben "We are now in a great civil war of words and you have the honor of participating as a true patriot. The battle has not been won but you will be there when we are victorious. The pen is mightier than the sword and you will inscribe your name in the book of freedomand that, my friend is an honor "If you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed; if you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a small chance of survival. There may even be a worse case: you may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves ." - Winston Churchill It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first. - Ronald Reagan Thomas Sowell For those who promote a race they are called, "racists". For those that promote American they are called "American". For 'American' is a 'concept' and no racial tones are tolerated either in shades or sounds. -Norman E. Hooben (In reference to Lourdes Galvan of San Antonio, Texas racial bigotry regarding American military heroes.) Note to NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LA RAZA ( Hola! I know you are watching): Will Rogers never met Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid. - N. E. Hooben, July 2008 Harvard University was once an all boys school...today they have no balls at all. - N. E. Hooben I will stand with the Constitution For The United States of America should the political winds shift in an ugly direction Politicians are like vampires... Whether its blood or money they want to suck it out of you till you die. ~ N. E. Hooben (Norman E. Hooben in response to a writer who complained of not having the honor of serving in the U.S. Military)Back in the days of "The Lone Ranger" program, someone would ask, "Who is that masked man?" People need to start asking that question about Barack Obama. -N.E. HoobenThe Police State of Massachusetts is now imposing laws against nature. Massachusetts is by far the most un-Constitutional government of the State, by the State, and for the State than any among the the fifty that hold a star on the banner of freedom. It is run by Socialists and hypocritical so-called Christiansthe worst among them are the Catholics who go to Church on Sunday and forget what they Prayed for on Monday. - Norman E. Hooben - "A proud Catholic proud of my Faith. A proud Catholic NOT so proud of my Church!" - July 16th 2008 N. E. Hooben When a people are satisfied with receiving gifts paid with their own taxes as a way of life Anarchy is sure to follow. - Fred Boutin 2008 From the first time I heard about the boogey-man as a child to the first time I got shot at in Vietnam, nothing in my entire lifetime, THAT'S NOTHING! has put more fear into me than this man Obama. - Norman E. Hooben - July 2008 We are here for only a mini-second in the sands of time. Then we become the dust that makes the sand; and the Hand of God molds us anew. Take care my friend and may God Bless... - Norman E. Hooben on the death of our dearly beloved pet dog, Stirling The evidence is overwhelming! In order to save America we must destroy the Socialst Marxist Party... - N. E. Hooben "America is like a healthy body and its resistance is threefold: its patriotism, its morality, and its spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America will collapse from within." -- Josef Stalin -- When it comes to lying, prudent people are guided by a Higher Authority driven by thou shall not written in stone. Whereas Bill Clinton has no Higher Authority to guide him, thou shall not has no conscious objections; for without a conscience there is no guilt. - Norman Hooben The victor will never be asked if he told the truth. - Adolph Hitler The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny. - James Madison, the Federalists Papers There was a Chemistry professor in a large college that had some Exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab the Prof noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back And stretching as if his back hurt. The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government. In the midst of his story he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked,'Do you know how to catch wild pigs?' The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said this was no joke. 'You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd. Suddenly, the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity. The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening to America. The government keeps pushing us toward Communism/Socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, etc. while we continually lose our freedoms- just a little at a time. One should always remember 'There is no such thing as a free Lunch!' Also, 'You can never hire someone to provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself. You apparently don't share a sense of patriotism, Americanism, freedomism, or whatever kind of 'ism' that true Americans believe in... You do however, display a bit of socialism, communism, marxism or whatever kind of 'ism' that you make excuses for... ~ Norman E. Hooben (in response to an Obama supporter's views about the ACS census) A nation that knows not from where it came, knows not where it is going! Today, Americans know too little about the foundations of our nation. The result is a nation now in chaos, its people unable to discern what is wrong with the transformation (paradigm shift) of our society and form of government that, if left unchecked, will destroy every facet of freedom, liberty and justice. The price of freedom is vigilance; the price of vigilance is knowledge. Many of America's founding documents are now available on the web. ~ Learn USA The Tunisian army and security forces have killed seven suspected terrorists Tuesday in a deadly raid near the border with Libya, Interior Minister said on Tuesday. During a raid at Guerdane, security forces and the army eliminated five terrorists around Benniri, the minister said in a press release. According to local reports, the raid follows a jihadist attack on Monday at Ben Guerdan near the border with Libya, where security forces surrounded a house in which the men were hidden. The Monday raid against the terrorists which started at dawn had continued till night according to the Interior Ministry. The death toll soared to 53, mostly among the jihadists who lost 36 men. 11 security forces and 7 civilians were also killed in the clashes. Forces also reportedly discovered caches of weapons. Eight days ago, Tunisian troops killed five armed men outside the same town. A civilian was also killed and a commander wounded in the clashes. The deadly attacks by ISIL on foreign holidaymakers last year, which dealt a devastating blow to Tunisias tourism industry, are believed to have been planned from Libya. The increased activity along the Libya-Tunisia border follows a US airstrike on an Isis training camp in Libya last month. . "If we remain silent, we kill freedom, justice and the possibility that a society armed with information may have power to change the situation that has brought us to this point." - Anabel Hernandez ------------------------------------------- The Secret to Happiness is the Joy of the Lord; and the joy of the Lord is His manifest presence in your life. It is our Privilege and Responsibility to Glorify God; and we glorify God by manifesting His character every moment and in every situation. Humility and Pride You can tell a humble man that he has a problem with pride and he will agree with you; but if you tell a proud man that he has a problem with pride, he becomes your enemy. This one thing I know for sure, that whenever there is a problem with my relationship with the Lord, it is not His fault. Some people are just plain lazy; some people are just overly sensitive to gravity; others are simply economical with their energy. It's not enough to preach the Gospel; you must be the Gospel. If you can describe your life in a nutshell, there's a good probability that you're a nut. As a good Canadian, I'd like to apologize in advance for anything I might say that offends you; sometimes my mouth hits high gear while my brain is still in low. Never allow the thought, "I am of no use where I am"; because you certainly can be of no use where you are not. Oswald Chambers We cannot even begin to approach the Truth until we are willing to go wherever the Truth leads us. The newest object of idol worship is 'my opinion'! Suffering is the only experience we have in common with every other human who ever lived. (Reuters) - Bernie Sanders' Democratic presidential campaign has sued Ohio's secretary of state in federal court over what it calls an unconstitutional attempt to prevent young people from voting in the state's March 15 primary election. It is an outrage that the secretary of state in Ohio is going out of his way to keep young people significantly African-American young people, Latino young people from participating, the U.S. senator from Vermont said in a statement released on Tuesday. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Columbus and joined by six Ohio 17-year-olds, alleged that a directive by Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted would "arbitrarily discriminate" against young voters. Citing U.S. Census figures, it said such voters were more likely to be black or Latino than older groups of voters. Sanders, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the Nov. 8 election, has attracted support from young voters but has lagged behind rival Hillary Clinton in winning votes among minorities. Ohio is one of more than 20 states where 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the time of the general election are allowed to vote in primaries, the campaign statement said. Husted ruled last December that those voters would not be allowed to participate in the presidential primary. He denied there had been any changes to voting rules. "We are following the same rules Ohio has operated under in past primaries, under both Democrat and Republican administrations. There is nothing new here," Husted said on Twitter. "If you are going to be 18 by the November election, you can vote, just not on every issue." He said that 17-year-olds were "not permitted to elect candidates, which is what voters are doing in a primary when they elect delegates to represent them at their political party's national convention." (Reporting by Eric Walsh in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney) This article was funded in part by SAP. It was independently created by the Reuters editorial staff. SAP had no editorial involvement in its creation or production. CHRIS KEANE By Steve Keating BEVERLY HILLS, Calif (Reuters) - Even as U.S. presidential hopeful Donald Trump raises concerns among world leaders, the mayor of Los Angeles is confident that whoever reaches the White House will not hurt his city's chances of landing the 2024 Olympics. "This is something that transcends politics," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said at the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) media summit on Tuesday. "Sports doesn't ask what your party affiliation is. "When the dust settles on these presidential campaigns and we have a new president he or she will squarely be behind Los Angeles' bid to bring these Games back to the U.S. "This is something that breaks down walls and something that brings us together." Making that pitch to the International Olympic Committee, who will select a 2024 host in 2017, could prove challenging if Trump wins the U.S. presidency in November and follows through on his plans to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border and ban Muslims from entering the United States. Los Angeles is up against European glamor cities Paris, Rome and Budapest in the race to host the 2024 Summer Games. USOC chairman Larry Probst conceded that at a time when Los Angeles is throwing out a welcome mat to the world the anti-immigration rhetoric being put forward by some presidential candidates will not make the challenge any easier. "At the end of the day this is about building positive relationships with the IOC membership," Probst said after a USOC board meeting where they were briefed by LA24 officials. "There are extraneous things we can't control. "We have to work as hard as we can at building those relationships with the voting members." The USOC has felt the sting from an international backlash before as New York's bid for the 2012 Summer Games and Chicago's attempt to land the 2016 Olympics were soundly rejected, much of that attributed to a strong anti-American sentiment within the IOC at the time. "Our relationship within the IOC was not terrific if you look back six or seven years ago and (we) have worked really hard to rebuild those relationships," said Probst. "That process is well underway and I think we are in a much better place than where we were a few years ago. "The feedback has been positive across the board. I have heard nothing but compliments about everything so far." Countries bidding to host and Olympics have counted on their leaders to put them over the top. Russian President Vladimir Putin led his country's bid for the 2014 Sochi Winter Games while British Prime Minister Tony Blair went to Singapore to trumpet London's successful bid for 2012 Olympics. "Politicians, if they are good, reflect the people they represent and I know how the American people feel about the Olympics and I know how they feel about Olympians and Paralympians," said Garcetti. "I know that the Paralympic Games and Olympic Games is something that touches our hearts and any good President is going to follow with that spirit." (Editing by Frank Pingue) This article was funded in part by SAP. It was independently created by the Reuters editorial staff. SAP had no editorial involvement in its creation or production. JASON MICZEK WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina on Wednesday threw her support behind Ted Cruz, saying the U.S. senator from Texas was the only candidate left who could topple front-runner Donald Trump and take the White House from Democrats. "The only guy who can beat Donald Trump is Ted Cruz," Fiorina said at a rally for Cruz in Miami. (Reporting by Washington newsroom; Editing by Mohammad Zargham) This article was funded in part by SAP. It was independently created by the Reuters editorial staff. SAP had no editorial involvement in its creation or production. (Reuters) - A man suspected of shooting an Idaho pastor who led a prayer at a rally for U.S. Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz was arrested on Tuesday, broadcaster KXLY reported. Police confirmed to the news outlet that 30-year-old Kyle Odom was taken into custody in Washington D.C. in connection with the Sunday afternoon shooting of Senior Pastor Tim Remington outside the Altar Church in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Remington had led a prayer at a Cruz rally on Saturday. Reuters could not independently verify the report as representatives for the police department could not be immediately reached for comment. (Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco) This article was funded in part by SAP. It was independently created by the Reuters editorial staff. SAP had no editorial involvement in its creation or production. The familiar emergency alert system, the one where we in the U.S. occasionally hear a radio or television broadcast interruption that... Broaden your expertise, enhance patient care, and never worry about another license requirement again with Elite Passport Membership. Available across ten healthcare professions in a variety of options to suit your career goals, Passport Membership propels your career advancement and offers exceptional value to healthcare providers. The Biden does not abide. Photo: Debbie Hill/AFP/Getty Images Vice-President Joe Biden warned Iran that the United States will monitor and act to contain the Islamic republics ballistic-missile program Wednesday, after Tehran reportedly launched a new round of missile tests. I want to reiterate, as I know people still doubt, if in fact they break the [nuclear] deal, we will act, Biden told reporters during his two-day visit to Israel. All their conventional activity outside the deal, which is still beyond the deal, we will and are attempting to act wherever we can find it. Early Wednesday, Irans Revolutionary Guard claimed to have test-fired two ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel. The nations semiofficial news network, Fars News Agency, reported that the missiles were stamped with the words Israel must be wiped out from, written in Hebrew. However, the Washington Post was unable to confirm that report, and state-issued photos of the launch reveal no such message. Biden did not propose a specific response to the missile tests. In January, the U.S. Treasury Department issued sanctions against 11 companies and individuals involved in Irans ballistic-missile program. Missile development is not prohibited under the nuclear agreement reached last year, a point that has been loudly lamented by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The tests come weeks after Iranian moderates made massive gains in the nations parliamentary elections. Like President Hassan Rouhani, these moderates support the nuclear agreement, even as prominent members of the Revolutionary Guard have voiced their opposition. Donald Trump may have exposed a rift between white working class voters and the GOP that Democrats can exploit. Photo: Meg Roussos/Bloomberg via Getty Images Its taken a while, but its finally sinking in across much of the commentariat that Donald Trumps strongest core of support is among non-college-educated white voters a.k.a. the white working class. This also happens to be a large and steadily increasing element of the Republican Partys voter base (Republicans won well over 60 percent of this demographic in 2012 and 2014). So two key questions arise: Can either of the Democratic presidential candidates compete with Trump for white working-class votes? And if he fails to win the GOP nomination, could that free up these voters to be raided by the Democratic nominee? Andrew Levison, an established scholar of the white working class and its political behavior, did something very interesting to answer the first question and give some guidance on the second. As he reports in a New York Times op-ed column Tuesday, he looked at open primaries this year where Democrats and Republicans could compete for white working-class votes. The New Hampshire primary provided some encouragement for Democrats. Among white voters without a college degree, Mr. Sanders won more votes than Mr. Trump. According to data I calculated from the CNN exit polls, Mr. Sanders received 29 percent of their ballots, ahead of 24 percent for Mr. Trump. In another contest, the Massachusetts primary on Super Tuesday, Mr. Sanders won 36 percent of that groups votes, in contrast to 27 percent for Mr. Trump. Not far behind, Mrs. Clinton received 24 percent of that vote. The combined Democratic vote in Massachusetts was a robust 60 percent. Unsurprisingly, the picture was less positive for Democrats in southern primaries. But non-voting data indicates that crucial Rust Belt states could fall somewhere in between. The most in-depth recent research on the political attitudes of these Americans was conducted in December and January by Working America, a progressive grassroots organization. They went door-to-door to talk to over 1,698 residents of white working-class neighborhoods around Cleveland and Pittsburgh. They confirmed that Mr. Trump has two distinct groups of supporters. The first are the ideologically driven conservative voters who passionately support his belligerent ethnocentrism. The second group is composed of fed up voters who are not primarily ideological in their political perspective and whose vote would be largely a protest against business as usual rather than an affirmation of Mr. Trumps rhetoric. For many of these voters, the financial crisis and the bailouts for investment banks severely strained their trust in the federal government. So fed up white working-class voters should, in theory anyway, be open to a congenial Democratic message. And beyond that, if Trump is defeated in Cleveland under circumstances that suggest a plutocratic coup, both kinds of Trump voters could be up for grabs. In effect, Trump has exposed a long-standing but buried conflict between white working-class voters and a GOP elite economic agenda these voters never completely bought into. But even if Trump serves up some winnable voters by failing to win the GOP nomination, Levison notes, relying on Stan Greenbergs extensive research on the subject, Democrats have to overcome white working-class hostility to government as corrupt and incompetent. The really good news for Democrats is that they dont have to make massive inroads into the Trump vote to improve on their partys terrible recent performance among white working-class voters. And lest we forget, many of these voters will be as alienated by Trumps appeals to racist and xenophobic sentiments as any Ph.D. Sunny-day flooding in Fort Lauderdale. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images A bipartisan coalition of Florida mayors really doesnt want to see the ocean swallow their cities. Thus, theyd like to know exactly how Americas presidential candidates plan to keep that from happening. Which is still a bit hard to discern, since the topic of climate change has been curiously absent from the vast majority of this cycles 2,314* debates and town halls. So these mayors have penned a pair of letters, one to the moderators of this Thursdays Republican debate in Miami, and the other to the hosts of next weeks Democratic debate, which is also being held in the Magic City. In the missives, the mayors write that they are concerned about sea level rise and climate change and the severe impacts it is having on our communities, and feel that it would be unconscionable for these issues of grave concern for the people of Florida to not be addressed in the upcoming debate. The mayors express special concern about the failure of a certain Florida senator to address those issues. In particular, Senator Rubio represents this state and should not be allowed to fail to provide, or side step, substantive answers to these questions, they write. The mayors demand that Rubio provide plans for protecting the states coastal assets through infrastructure investment, speeding Americas transition to renewable energy and ensuring that the United States meets the emissions-reduction goals set by the Paris Climate Agreement. The one time that Rubio was asked about climate-change policy at a GOP debate, he voiced his opposition to any legislation that would make America a harder place to create jobs while doing absolutely nothing, nothing to change our climate. (He also shared his belief that America is not a planet.) Last week, average temperatures across the Northern Hemisphere breached two degrees Celsius above the normal threshold for the first time in recorded history, according to Slate. With its long coastline and low-lying cities, Florida is especially vulnerable to sea-level rise, more so than most regions on Earth. To combat this existential crisis, the states government has opted for a strategy best suited to a significant others bad haircut: Dont say anything about it, and wait for the problem to resolve itself. Florida governor Rick Scott has reportedly banned his aides from using the words sea-level rise, advising them to employ the term nuisance flooding. Lets hope our next president heeds these mayors call before our grandkids are doomed to a nuisance apocalypse. *This is only an estimate. Scientists have yet to determine the exact number of town halls held this cycle. Clinton made a campaign stop at a Detroit coffee shop earlier today. Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images Hillary Clinton widened her lead over Bernie Sanders with a victory in Mississippis Democratic primary Tuesday night. Multiple outlets reported Clintons victory as soon as the polls closed at 8 p.m. ET. Exit polls show that almost 70 percent of Mississippi voters were African-American, which was a good indication Clinton would win the state. Polls also show that a majority of Mississippi Democratic voters were female, and most were older than 45. Sanders failed to win over any single demographic group in the state, although, as The Wall Street Journal notes, in some cases there wasnt enough information to determine the winner of a demographic group. Following Clintons victory the Sanders campaign tweeted an image of a supporter holding a love trumps hate sign a slogan Clintons campaign has been using for months indicating both Democratic candidates are looking ahead to the general election with a common goal in mind. Love always trumps hate. pic.twitter.com/B8R8nyCNNx Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) March 9, 2016 At a campaign event in Cleveland, Ohio, Clinton spoke in general terms, telling supporters: Im proud of the campaign that Senator Sanders and I are running. We have our differences, which you can see when we debate, but those differences pale in comparison to whats happening on the Republican side. This post has been updated throughout. Robert LaVoy Finicum. Photo: ROB KERR/Getty Images Investigators have concluded that Oregon state officers were justified in shooting Robert LaVoy Finicum, a prominent member of the Oregon militia that occupied Malheur National Wildlife Refuge for 41 days beginning in early January. Finicum died on January 26 after a confrontation with the FBI; he refused to pull over when officers stopped his car, instead yelling at them through his open window before speeding away and crashing into a snow bank. Finicum then stepped out of the vehicle and reached toward his pocket, where he kept a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. Before he could draw the weapon, officers opened fire, and three rounds struck Finicum in the back, killing him instantly. He is commanded to get on the ground, Sheriff Shane Nelson of Deschutes County, who led the investigation, told The Guardian. He does not comply. He lifts his hand, he looks down at his jacket and again reaches across his body toward the area where his gun was found. Nelson and other investigating officers based their ruling on a video released by the Deschutes County Sheriffs Office filmed by Shawna Cox, a fellow militia member, from inside Finicums car. The footage shows Finicum shouting at police, saying things like Go ahead and shoot me, and You back down or you kill me now. Go ahead, put the bullet through me. Do you want my blood on your hands? He speeds away and crashes his truck, at which point he gets out and tells the officers, Go ahead and shoot me. Youre going to have to shoot me. Oregon state police werent the only ones involved in the shooting. FBI agents from the bureaus hostage-and-rescue team also fired shots at the scene a fact they denied in interviews both immediately after the incident and ten days later. However, investigators concluded that at least one of the shots fired came from an agent and lodged in Finicums truck. FBI officials told the New York Times they werent yet convinced any of the shots had come from their agents, but the uncertainty is likely to fuel Finicums sympathizers, who claim he was murdered without cause. (There have been several protests in the wake of Finicums death, and Cox told the Times, I saw what happened they murdered him.) Our family asserts that he was shot with both hands up, Finicums wife, Jeanette Finicum, said in a statement. He was not reaching for anything. He was walking with his hands in the air a symbol of surrender. Photo: PEDRO PORTAL/2016 MCT Well all be sorting through the results tomorrow, but for tonight, it seems Bernie Sanderss upset win in the Michigan Democratic primary can mainly be explained by two numbers in the exit polls. The first is 21 percent: the percentage of voters under the age of 30. (For comparison, when Georgia voted on Super Tuesday, 14 percent of voters were under 30.) Bernie won 81 percent of young Michigan voters. His campus-outreach effort was truly epic. The other number is 65 percent: Hillary Clintons percentage of the African-American vote. That is by far her worst performance (other than in Sanderss home state of Vermont) in that demographic. She needed to do far better there, as black voters constituted only 23 percent of the primary electorate in Michigan, significantly less than in the Southern states she swept on Super Tuesday. Going into this primary day, I speculated that Michigan might test whether the Democratic contest would be almost entirely about demographics like the 2008 Obama/Clinton battle or might be reshaped by ideological and policy differences. Clinton and Sanders did a lot to differentiate themselves from each other in their last debate, and in their Michigan messaging. However, I would not be so quick to assume, as a lot of the pundits are doing tonight, that Sanderss emphasis on Clintons support for trade agreements and/or labor anger at her mischaracterization of Sanderss position on the auto-industry bailout gave him some sort of white working-class bonanza. Clinton actually won non-college-educated voters in Michigan, the state just wasnt as demographically charmed for her as was generally thought. Still, thats concerning for Clinton. I suspect the same will prove true in Ohio and Illinois, where the Democrats will face off next week. He lives to fight another day, but pulling off a win will still be tough. Photo: Pedro Portal/El Nuevo Herald/TNS via Getty Images The March 8 primaries were widely expected to be a predictable blip between the big races on Super Tuesday and March 15, particularly on the Democratic side. But in what FiveThirtyEights Nate Silver is calling one of the greatest polling errors in primary history, Bernie Sanders overcame a disadvantage of more than 20 points in recent polls to narrowly beat Hillary Clinton in Michigan. In the famous New Hampshire upset in '08, Clinton trailed Obama by 8 points. Big upset. But today, Sanders trailed Clinton by *21* and won. Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) March 9, 2016 Many had begun writing off Sanders after Clintons big wins in the past two weeks, and the Michigan victory provides the Sanders campaign with a huge momentum boost. Now pundits are questioning polls that suggest Clinton will win easily in Ohio and Illinois next week. FiveThirtyEights Harry Enten writes: The question I am asking myself now is whether this means the polls are off in other Midwest states that are holding open primaries. Im talking specifically about Illinois and Ohio, both of which vote next Tuesday. The FiveThirtyEight polling average in Illinois gives Clinton a 37 percentage point lead, while the average in Ohio gives her a 20 percentage point lead. If Michigan was just a fluke (which is possible), then tonight will be forgotten soon enough. If, however, pollsters are missing something more fundamental about the electorate, then the Ohio and Illinois primaries could be a lot closer than expected. Clintons still ahead in the delegate count, and it still seems likely that shell ultimately win the nomination. However, while Clinton signaled in the past few days that shes ready to wrap up the primary race and focus on Donald Trump, now it looks like her primary slog with Sanders will continue. On Twitter, Slates Jamelle Bouie argued thats something all Democrats should be celebrating: It means more media attention for what is a largely civil and responsible race for the Dem nomination. Jamelle Bouie (@jbouie) March 9, 2016 Might even juice up turnout a bit, again, a chance to reach supporters. And it's not *that* divisive. Jamelle Bouie (@jbouie) March 9, 2016 Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Jim Manley, a former aide to Senators Harry Reid and Ted Kennedy, said its pretty clear now that [Sanders] is in this race all the way to the convention in July. Michigan suggests that Clintons hold over black voters isnt as absolute as previously thought: But Id say the fact that Mr. Sanders did so well among African American voters is the most striking takeaway. A lot has been said about how Mr. Sanders is an older white man from a heavily white Northeast state. African Americans have largely been expected to favor Mrs. Clinton and helped deliver her strong win in Mississippi on Tuesday and in other states earlier. In Michigan, Mr. Sanders won his largest share of African Americans in the states contested so far, and the numbers suggest that he is able to do well in more states than many had imagined (myself included). Slates Jim Newell agreed that Michigan shows Sanders is making progress in expanding his coalition though he notes he only won by two points. Winning the big prize on Tuesday night helps Sanders mostly in terms of horserace narrative purposes: showing the world that hes not dead yet Modest victories, no matter the size of the state, are not going to cut it for Sanders. He needs big victories in big states to cut hard into the pledged delegate lead that Clinton has accumulated. Even if he is able to pull off another squeaker in Ohio next week, Clinton is set to swamp him in the demographically and culturally different and larger state of Florida. Winning 30 percent of black voters in Michigan is a move in the right direction, but Sanders needs to start winning majorities of all demographic groups in places like California, New York, and Pennsylvania all while continuing to win the smaller contests in places like Kansas and Oklahoma that hes had success with. But Sanders found a new line of attack against Clinton: trade deals. As the Washington Posts Chris Cillizza explains: Almost six in 10 Michigan Democratic primary voters said international trade takes away U.S. jobs, according to exit polling. Among that group Sanders won by roughly 20 percentage points over Clinton. That could and should bode well for his efforts in Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and other states where international trade has ravaged the economy. What tonight means is that the Bernie Sanders campaign is strong in every part of the country, Sanders said in brief remarks in Florida Tuesday night. We believe our strongest areas are yet to happen. That issue could be a problem for Clinton even beyond the Democratic primary. The Guardians Lucia Graves writes: Clinton thought she had finessed the trade issue, by focusing on other problems in Michigan, like Flints lead-poisoned water and by skewering Sanders over his vote against the auto bailout (his campaign said it was part of a bigger vote against a bailout for Wall Street). But clearly she hadnt. And thats a troubling finding for anyone worried about a Trump presidency: it suggests the Democrats likely nominee could have a problem in crucial manufacturing states. The Posts Stephen Stromberg says the issue could even hound Clinton if she manages to win the White House: Sanders appears to be benefiting from the elements of Trump-like populism that play among some Democrats and independents voting in Democratic primaries, including mistrust of foreigners stealing American jobs. That dynamic should worry Clinton for two reasons. First, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, the two most likely GOP presidential nominees, both oppose the TPP. Trump has attacked trade deals from the start of his campaign. Cruz is on slightly shakier ground because he had to flip-flop in order to vote against giving President Obama fast track trade authority. But he still found his way to voting no. In a matchup against Clinton, either of them could make a play for Sanders populists. This may well not be enough to offset the advantage she would have among minority voters, but it is a danger. Second, if Clinton does win the presidency, protectionist sentiment may constrain her from pursuing an assertive international agenda. The following might be terrible political advice but it would be nice if she would make the argument for broader economic engagement rather than shying from it and still losing. But for now, Clinton needs to refocus on the race she thought shed already essentially won. An unlikely PFW inspiration. Photo: Ron Galella/Getty Images On the soundtrack at yesterdays Kenzo show: a pianist playing the U.S. national anthem (designers Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, are, after all, Americans in Paris), which segued into a recording of rapper Killer Mike talking about the need for universal health care. It was a baldly political allusion for the duo, but this season, it felt right, especially when paired with a collection that called back to another, equally politically turbulent epoch. 80s looks from Lanvin, Saint Laurent, and Balmain. Photo: IMAXtree Looking at some Paris collections, it was hard not to think of Susan Faludis critique of the eras fashion in Backlash: As womens rights were being curtailed, designers like Christian Lacroix were adding insult to injury by outfitting them in ruffled, little-girl finery. Olivier Rousteing, an 80s baby through and through, showed a Balmain collection engulfed in ruffles and pink though those things may no longer have the same connotations they did the first go-round, now that its possible to be a boss and dress like a Barbie. In that sense, you could read these clothes as perversely empowering: reactionary clothes for the secret revolutionary. At Lanvin, Loewe, Givenchy, and Isabel Marant, too, we saw references to everyone from Nouvelle Society socialites hothouse blossoms whose adornment undergirded their husbands conservative viewpoints as firmly as the boning in a Lacroix corset to their power-blazered working-woman counterparts. It was all a lot to digest, particularly on International Womens Day. And while its more an accident of timing that everyone is memorializing Nancy Reagans style, its hard not to see her influence reflected in the many one-shouldered silhouettes that recalled Reagans Galanos inauguration gown and frothy looks that paid tribute to her love of a good ruffle. Even Hedi Slimane whos more prone to channeling the 60s, glam-rock 70s, or grunge 90s brought out the sexed-up, Addicted to Love side of the era at Saint Laurent. Some of his big-sleeved, gold-foil looks would conceivably have suited a Nouvelle Society hostess. Or, shudder to think, First Lady Melania Trump. Photo: Ron Galella/Getty Images Lynn Wyatt At An Evening With Audrey Hepburn gala film tribute at Museum of Modern Art in 1987. Photo: Joan Adlen /Getty Images Joan Collins With Linda Evans at a private Los Angeles showing of Nolan Millers costumes for The Dynasty Collection in 1987. Photo: Gianni Ferrari/Getty Images Nancy Reagan With Spanish king Juan Carlos of Borbon and Sofia of Greece before a White House gala dinner in 1981. Photo: Tom Gates/Getty Images Ivana Trump, Donald Trump At an event in 1982. Photo: Ron Galella/Getty Images Georgette Mosbacher At the 1988 Fete de Famille III Gala to benefit New York Presbyterian Hospitals AIDS Care Center at Mortimers Restaurant in New York. Photo: Ron Galella/Getty Images Ivana Trump, Donald Trump At the Trumps Castle Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1988. Photo: Ron Galella/Getty Images Blaine Trump At Bianca Jaggers 1988 birthday party at the Canal Bar in New York. Photo: Ron Galella/Getty Images Laura Pomerantz, John Pomerantz, Pat Buckley At the Metropolitan Museum of Arts 1988 costume exhibit From Queen to Empress: Victorian Dress 1837-1888. he can team up with kanye for a kickstarter Reply Thread Link LMFAO Reply Parent Thread Link goin straight fr the source of that delicious smell Reply Parent Thread Link those pictures are embarrassing as fuck maybe it's time to start considering a rebrand if you can't keep up this lifestyle, bro. doesn't he have a show on starz? i can't imagine it pays much though Reply Thread Link yeah the show is called "Power", and it's number 1 on starz Reply Parent Thread Link prop money lmfao im sure theres a good in-depth analysis to make on this subject but i cant get past prop money Reply Thread Link 'using prop money' bitch me too!! Reply Thread Link 'using prop money to maintain his brand' the struggle has never been so real wow Reply Thread Link lmao ikr Reply Parent Thread Link im dying tho Reply Parent Thread Link i wonder how much real money he spends on fake money Reply Parent Thread Link omg!!! I think I'd be the type of parent that just starts cracking up and then keeps filming. Like that dad who filmed all the kids falling on ice after they got out of school Reply Parent Thread Link lmfao I need to see this ice vid you speak of Reply Parent Thread Expand Link that video had me ROLLING, i was cackling in my office, especially when the daughter gets in the car and he's like omg guess what i've been doing true bonding moment lmao Reply Parent Thread Link oh my god why would you ever try to play with pieces that big lmao Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It's funny, but whoever pushed the kid is an asshole Reply Parent Thread Expand Link This poor bb lol. That looks painful. Reply Parent Thread Link i hate kids so this is delicious Reply Parent Thread Expand Link "- He added that hip-hop culture is aspirational and artists engage fans through money and jewelry over social media." lol wow Edited at 2016-03-09 04:51 pm (UTC) those pictures are embarrassing af. how sad for people who need to keep up appearances and ruin their lives over "maintaining a lifestyle". yikes."- He added that hip-hop culture is aspirational and artists engage fans through money and jewelry over social media."lol wow #careergoals Reply Thread Link I understand that people get caught up in maintaining a totally different lifestyle via social media but that shit seems exhausting to me idk. And even if there's the odd perk of promoting a sponsor or something it doesn't seem like a payoff that's worth it. Edited at 2016-03-09 04:52 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link how is he gonna prove it's fake money? bring some of it into court? bc it looks real to me in the pictures. when I think fake money I think monopoly money lmao Reply Thread Link ikr the amount of people who legit believe he's broke tho is astounding. He's just trying to get out of paying that money. Reply Parent Thread Link Good. He probably isnt but whatever I was really irked in the mid 2000s when this guy used to try to act like a finance expert on the radio and start beef with rappers and talk about his money over them and his businessman prowess Reply Thread Link Such a damn liar. I don't even know what's more pathetic, filing bankruptcy and then posting your money or trying to lie about prop money only to still make yourself look like a bum. Reply Thread Link Mte Reply Parent Thread Link His ego is so out of control. Either you're broke or you pay up, pick one! Reply Parent Thread Link this is so embarrassing Reply Thread Link He's coming to Phoenix to sign his vodka bottles at a Frys (local grocery store) I don't know if this is a try hard appearance to make him look sad and broke or if no clubs in Scottsdale actually wanted to host him. Reply Parent Thread Link A federal bankruptcy judge ruled that Sabine Oil & Gas could withdraw from its contract obligations with pipeline companies to ship a certain volume of oil and gas through their pipelines. The court decision may seem arcane, but it could have major ramifications for both producers and midstream companies. Under the contracts, a company like Sabine Oil & Gas promises to ship a certain volume of hydrocarbons through the pipeline at a set fee. If they fail to do so, they still have to pay the pipeline company for the use of the pipeline capacity. Related: Shell Hopes To Sell $30 Billion In Assets, But Timing Is Terrible Sabine Oil & Gas, a struggling producer, says that it can no longer ship enough volume to meet the contractual agreement and it wanted to be let out of the contract. The company went to a bankruptcy judge in Manhattan, who ruled in Sabines favor. The pipeline contracts are very attractive to investors in midstream companies, who love the secure and stable revenue streams that such arrangements offer. The ruling could lead to a lot of uncertainty for the midstream sector. The Alerian MLP Index, an index fund that tracks pipeline companies, fell by more than 6 percent on March 8. Related: Will Russia End Up Controlling 73% of Global Oil Supply? Still, the judge ruled that Texas law was not clear enough to make the ruling binding. That likely means more litigation will be forthcoming. One could see this ruling as something favorable for producers, but its something thats going to play out further in the courts, Ed Longanecker, president of the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association, told The Wall Street Journal. More and more oil and gas producers are falling into bankruptcy, and even for those that avoid such a fate, meeting obligations with pipeline companies is becoming more difficult. The cloudy legality around how to get out of these contracts is creating uncertainty not just for drillers, but also for pipeline companies. The latest decision on Sabine Oil & Gas will do little to remove that uncertainty. By Charles Kennedy of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Iran is expected to raise the April Official Selling Price (OSP) of its flagship light crude oil to Asia to 25 cents above the Saudis similarly graded Arab light. This is the highest premium since 2011 and is an increase of 30 cents over the previous month. Iran will likely price its light crude at 50 cents a barrel below the average of Oman and Dubai quotes, whereas the OSP for Iran Heavy will likely be $2.60 a barrel below Oman and Dubai quotes. But not all crudes are equal, and when it comes to Iran Heavy Grade, pricing will remain aggressively competitive. Heavy Grade is Irans main export grade, which must compete with Latin America, Iraq and Saudi Arabiaall of whom supply a similar grade. Related: Six Reasons The Current Oil Short Covering May Have Legs When it comes to its light crude, though, the competitive price Iran has offered so far was for internal reasons and intended to reduce gasoline imports. Many experts believed that Iran would offer large discounts to regain the market share it lost under the sanctions regime. However, Iran is using a calculative approach towards increasing its share and is looking to consolidate and increase exports to its existing partners such as China, South Korea, and India, in Asia. Iran expects to increase exports to India to 460,000 bpd from the current 260,000 bpd. Similarly, it expects to further increase its exports to South Korea, which has already imported 203,165 bpdits highest level since 2012. Related: Oil Rally Stalls As Storage Concerns Spike Demand from Europe has been a little slow to pick up due to ship insurance and banking-related issues. Nevertheless, the first shipment to Europe landed in Southern Spain on 6 March 2016. Three more tankers--one bound for Romania, another to France and a third to the Mediterranean--are expected to reach their destinations soon. BIMCO's chief shipping analyst, Peter Sand, said, "Former clients of Iran are the ones who are likely to return as buyers... Italy, Spain and Greece were the top EU importers in 2011." The mid-March meeting between OPEC, Russia and other major producers offers a window of opportunity for Iran to increase production gradually, since the major nations have agreed to a production freeze. On top of that, Russia is planning to offer a different deal to Iran, which will allow it to ramp up its production to pre-sanction levels. Related: The $9.2 Billion Bet Against OPEC Dominance The lifting of sanctions couldnt have come at a better time for Iran. It is benefitting from the strong bounce in oil, and it is unlikely to face huge competition, barring U.S. exports, if the production freeze is adhered to by the major oil producers. Tehran has cause for celebration, indeed. This was clear when Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said: "We look forward to the beginning of co-operation between Opec and non-Opec countries and we support any measure that can stabilise the market and increase prices." The world can take comfort from the fact that Iran has not flooded the market with cheap oil as previously envisaged by the experts. Capturing market share is one thing, but there are internal needs to consider as well. By Rakesh Upadhyay for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The $9.2 billion investors paid to snap up new equity offerings from U.S. oil companies in 2016 proves those investors are indeed ready for more punishment. The amount is in line with the pace of such equity offerings in 2015 even as the mood in the oil markets has grown increasingly dour. In June of last year I wrote: New investors in U.S. oil company shares must believe they are catching the bottom and will have a very profitable ride up from here. This demonstrates that OPEC's work is not done and accounts in part for the decision to leave production quotas unchanged. OPEC's next task is to convince those making new investments in oil that, rather than catching a bottom in oil prices, they have caught a falling knife. Related: Oil Continues To Rally As Short-Covering Continues A lot of investors did end up catching a falling knife as oil careened downward from about $60 a barrel last summer to Friday's close of about $36. Investors this year may still find that the knife is falling, though it admittedly doesn't have as far to fall this time around. Still, it seems they misunderstand OPEC's strategy or believe that that strategy will fail. As I said in the same piece: The cartel must dampen enthusiasm for investment for the long term if the organization's members are going to benefit. A crippled U.S. oil industry without friends in the investment world is the only way to assure that rising prices won't simply lead to a stampede back into U.S. shale deposits. It seems that the oil industry still has friends in the investment world and that OPEC's work is therefore not yet done. The big question then is: Will OPEC stay the course or relent with a production cut this year to raise prices? Related: Will Russia End Up Controlling 73% of Global Oil Supply? I doubt that OPEC will relent. As bad as the OPEC countries, including Saudi Arabia, are hurting, to give up at this point would make all the previous suffering pointless. Saudi Arabia is really the linchpin in OPEC. No member can resist the will of the Saudis because they control such huge and flexible oil flows. I have posited a speculative, but nevertheless plausible reason for why Saudi Arabia may not give up on its strategy any time soon: The kingdom may be at or near its all-time maximum rate of production, a rate it may only be able to maintain for the next decade or so. Naturally, the Saudis want to maximize their revenues during this period of peak production. They can't do that if U.S. oil companies keep overproducing. Related: Oil Fundamentals Could Cause Oil Prices To Fall, Fast. If the Saudis can neutralize those companies, by bankrupting them or forcing widespread lease sales, this will allow major international oil companies to buy up much of these distressed assets. The majors will develop these properties more slowly than the independents did because 1) the majors do not have to worry about their ability to meet debt payments and 2) the majors do not want to crater the price of oil which would only undermine the value of their newly acquired leases. It is hard to imagine that the Saudis launched their low-price strategy on a wing and a prayer without thinking through how long it would take to force other producers to stop overproducing. But, investors keep hoping that the Saudis don't really know what they are doing. So far the Saudis appear to have the upper hand, and I'm guessing that those buying newly issued oil company shares these days are miscalculating once again. After all, the funding derived from these share offerings will only serve to encourage continued overproduction by making it possible for producers to hang on that much longer in hopes of an upturn. By Kurt Cobb More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: China has been an unofficial price-setter for most metals over the past decade. And this week, the country became an official participant in setting prices for one of the worlds most important precious metals markets. Thats the London Bullion Market silver price. Where one of Chinas largest banks just became a member of an elite group of players that controls fluctuations in this key metal. Related: Contraction In U.S. Shale Pushes Oil To $40 CME Group, which runs the process for price setting of silver in London, said Sunday that China Construction Bank will officially join as a member of the silver price process. Putting it alongside existing participants HSBC, JPMorgan Chase, The Bank of Nova Scotia, Toronto Dominion Bank, and UBS. These groups will now participate in price bids that go into setting the official London silver price. The first time that China will have direct influence on this process. The expansion into China in itself is significant. And the entry of China Construction Bank into the market could also have some other important consequences for precious metals. Related: Oil Fundamentals Could Cause Oil Prices To Fall, Fast. Especially when it comes to currencies. With the Chinese bank having said it will support the development of renminbi-denominated futures contracts for physical delivery in London. Such products would represent the first time that physical silver can be bought and sold here in Chinas home currency. A move that could reduce the longstanding relationship between the U.S. dollar and precious metals prices. Related: The U.K. Is About To Boost Oil Exploration With An Old Trick This is also a sign that precious metals markets are increasingly going international. Which makes sense, given that the worlds top consumers are places like China, India, Russia and Turkey. This could be the start of further moves to increase metals markets influence in these parts of the world. Watch for more announcements, and for a possible breakdown in the USD/silver correlation as the renminbi contracts get going. Heres to a silver line-up By Dave Forest More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Out of respect to Maine Writer readers, I want to apologize for the horrible spectacle we're witnessing in the presidential 2016 primary elections. Three thoughtful and well spoken candidates are being obliterated by the news media, because of Trumposities. Rather than ideas, Donald Trump receives media free air time to degrade minorities, imitate Adolf Hitler, name call his opponents, and sell commodoties in infomercials, like wine, beef and even magazines. On the other hand, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Senator Bernie Sanders and Governor John Kasich are the thoughtful candidates, but the news media only gives them sound bites. In fact, Secretary Clinton's eloquent post March 8th primary speech was only broadcast on MSNBC-cable network. As far as I can see, the following groups are obviously in opposition to Donald Trump's unlikely presidential candidaccy: 1. Establishement Republicans 2. Supporters of Governor Mitt Romney 3. Black caucus voters 4. Labor Unions 5. Muslims 6. Registered Democrats (Trump) demagogue and danger to the nation and the Republican Party."- NCRonline.org Jesus spoke to the Apoltles about how difficult it is to enter the kindgom of Heaven. (Matthew 19:24). Donald Trump certainly doesn't have a spiritual message, but he's somehow mezmerizing his supporters with infomercial style political messages. Can a rich man enter the Kingdom of Heaven? And Jesus said to His disciples, 'Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24'. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' 25When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, 'Then who can be saved?'" http://biblehub.com/matthew/19-24.htm '" http://biblehub.com/matthew/19-24.htm Hopefully, Roman Catholic voters can be added to the above list of opposition. Here is an open letter The open letter appeared in Robert P. George, of Princeton University and George Weigel, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, headed the charge, and the appeal was also signed by opinion leaders from academia and religious media. The letter denounces Trump for "vulgarity, oafishness, shocking ignorance, and -- we do not hesitate to use the word -- demagoguery." Worse, they wrote, he's the opposite of what Catholics should seek in a leader. George and Weigel wrote of Trump that there is "nothing in his campaign or his previous record that gives us grounds for confidence that he genuinely shares our commitments to the right to life, to religious freedom and the rights of conscience, to rebuilding the marriage culture, or to the principle of limited constitutional government." Those causes have been championed by the GOP, the authors wrote, but a Trump nomination would threaten the party's commitment to those issues. The appeal, in the pages of the magazine founded by conservative icon author William F. Buckley, Jr., comes less than a month after its editors issued a similar denunciation of Trump in its January edition. On Jan. 21,Trump fired back on Twitter: "National Review is a failing publication that has lost it's way. It's circulation is way down w its influence being at an all time low. Sad!" Ahead of Tuesday's Michigan primary, a new Fox News-funded pre-election poll of likely Republican voters showed the New York billionaire was a popular choice among Catholic voters. Trump's recent kerfuffle with Pope Francis (who called the candidate's stance on immigration "not Christian") has not dissuaded Catholics. According to In an appeal to the voters, 40 conservative Catholic leaders have denounced GOP frontrunner Donald Trump as a demagogue and danger to the nation and the Republican Party.The open letter appeared in The National Review on March 7, one day before the Michigan Republican primary, which could give Trump an almost-unbeatable delegate lead in the GOP nominating race if he posts a strong win.Robert P. George, of Princeton University and George Weigel, a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, headed the charge, and the appeal was also signed by opinion leaders from academia and religious media.The letter denounces Trump for "vulgarity, oafishness, shocking ignorance, and -- we do not hesitate to use the word -- demagoguery."Worse, they wrote, he's the opposite of what Catholics should seek in a leader. George and Weigel wrote of Trump that there is "nothing in his campaign or his previous record that gives us grounds for confidence that he genuinely shares our commitments to the right to life, to religious freedom and the rights of conscience, to rebuilding the marriage culture, or to the principle of limited constitutional government."Those causes have been championed by the GOP, the authors wrote, but a Trump nomination would threaten the party's commitment to those issues.The appeal, in the pages of the magazine founded by conservative icon author William F. Buckley, Jr., comes less than a month after its editors issued a similar denunciation of Trump in its January edition.On Jan. 21,Trump fired back on Twitter:"National Review is a failing publication that has lost it's way. It's circulation is way down w its influence being at an all time low. Sad!"Ahead of Tuesday's Michigan primary, a new Fox News-funded pre-election poll of likely Republican voters showed the New York billionaire was a popular choice among Catholic voters.Trump's recent kerfuffle with Pope Francis (who called the candidate's stance on immigration "not Christian") has not dissuaded Catholics.According to the poll , Trump, with 52 percent of Catholic voters, leads Sen. Marco Rubio (16 percent) Ohio Gov. John Kasich (14 percent) and Sen. Tex Cruz (11 percent) with Catholics. Although Donald Trump gets to promote his magazine in free infomercials, the National Catholic Reporter doesn't have equal time on progams like The Today Show with Matt Lauer. Again, to end, I apologize to Maine Writer readers around the world, about America's convoluted and disappointing presidential primary process and the unlikely outcomes. Although, I may not be influential, as Donald Trump would likely blast about me, but I am morally opposed to supporting any bomabastic person who is somehow mezmerizing the American electorate. Labels: Matt Lauer, National Catholic Reporter, Secretary Hillary Clinton, The Today Show The opinions expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the opinions of OnMilwaukee.com, its advertisers or editorial staff. Wednesday night Chris Abele and Chris Larson will face off in a televised debate in their race for county executive, a race that is tighter than most people expected. One of the things that will almost assuredly be discussed is the current Chris Abele commercial running heavily on local television. According to FCC records, the Abele campaign spent $71,667 to run this TV commercial on four Milwaukee stations, the Journal Sentinel reported. The ad is the very definition of negative advertising. In it the Abele campaign uses the following phrases to describe Larson: "in bed with special interests" "gobbled up money from big banks that caused the foreclosure crisis" "gave huge tax breaks to high interest charging credit card companies costing taxpayers millions of dollars every year" While none of the claims is not ultimately true, this is clearly misleading advertising. Abele has been a generous philanthropist in Milwaukee and an effective county executive, even though his constant battles with the county board have been a distraction. It's disconcerting to see his campaign stoop to this kind of approach. Abele's campaign ran a ton of ads during the primary, all of them positive about his work as county executive. In one he was walking down a sun-dappled street with three women, talking about his achievements and how dedicated he was to his job. But he lost to Larson by about 750 votes in the primary and the sunny Abele ads were replaced by the accusatory and negative ads. There is little scholarly evidence that negative ads work better than positive, but campaign consultants, by and large, think that they do, thus we get the avalanche of negativity in campaigns. Here is some of the research that the campaign is using to legitimize this spot: The claim that Larson is "in bed with special interests" is based on the fact that Larson was quoted in a 2008 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article, when he was running for county supervisor, as saying that the "parks, budget are the top issues" in the campaign. Abeles people apparently define the support for the park system as a special interest. The assertion that Larson "gobbled up money from big banks that caused the foreclosure crisis" is based on a couple of small contributions, one of which is blatantly absurd. The Abele campaign document cites a $1,000 contribution from JP Morgan Chase to the Friends of Chris Larson committee in 2014. That may well be a legitimate contribution to cite, but then they list 10 contributions totaling $1,300, dating back five years, from Kevin Flaherty, who is identified as vice president/relationship manager of Associated Bank. Flaherty is a prominent Milwaukee gay rights activist and is very active in the LGBTQ community. The fact that he works for Associated Bank has no relevance to what is clearly identified in the campaign finance reports as an "individual" contribution. This would be like a woman who is a clerk at Pick n Save donating $10 to the Bernie Sanders campaign and, because she was required to list her employer, the Hillary Clinton campaign announcing that Pick n Save endorsed Sanders. "Im not going to give you a yes or no answer to that," said Abeles campaign manager, Tia Torhorst, when asked about the misleading nature of that particular claim. "Everything in the ad is true. There is plenty of proof." The Abele campaign also used a total of $2,835 from the Wisconsin Bankers Association as more proof, even though that donation was made not to Larson, but to the State Senate Democratic Committee, which Larson headed as the senate minority leader. The committee is designed to help Democratic senate election candidates. Then there's the claim that Larson "gave huge tax breaks to high interest credit card companies costing taxpayers millions of dollars a year." This relates to Assembly bill 644 which passed in 2014. It gave private label credit cards, like Kohls and Boston Store and other small businesses that have their own credit cards, the right to deduct from their sales tax payments uncollectible and bad debts of customers. It was designed to give the small companies the same benefit enjoyed by companies like Visa and MasterCard. Abeles campaign is by no means the only one that has engaged in negative campaigning. A group called The Wisconsin Working Families Party has done direct mail pieces in support of Larson that have tied Abele to Scott Walker and some of his initiatives. For example, one piece of literature claims that Abele worked with Walker and "pushed for a takeover of public schools." In fact, Abele never wanted the legislation and argued against it. Once it was passed by Republicans, he promised not to take over any schools. The fact that Abele has cooperated sometimes with Walker and Republicans in the legislature is seen by many, including Abele, to be a good and rare thing in politics. Abeles campaign makes the claim, as he has, that in order to get important things done in Wisconsin this kind of cooperation is necessary. "We do not cooperate with the Working Families Party on any aspect of the campaign," said Josh Kilroy, campaign manager for Larson, when asked about the piece. "It is 100 percent inaccurate to attribute anything in the WFP materials to the campaign." Its always possible to find some minuscule truth somewhere and use it to make a big blanket statement. Larson did, for example, vote for the credit card bill, but the issue was not what was implied in the campaign commercial. As construction ramps up for the new Bartolotta-managed restaurants at the Mayfair Collection, things are beginning to move quickly, even in the kitchen. Zachary Espinosa, currently executive chef at Harbor House, will leave his post at the end of March to take over operations at the new restaurant triad, which includes a taqueria, a French cafe and a tavern. Osgood's, already up and running, will not fall under his purview. "Its an amazing opportunity," says Espinosa, who will oversee kitchen operations for all three restaurants in a unique shared kitchen atmosphere. At Harbor House, executive sous chef Andrew Fisher, who has worked with Espinosa at Harbor House for over four years, will assume the role of executive chef. Espinosa, who grew up in Wauwatosa and attended Wauwatosa West High School says hes excited by the prospect of getting back to his old stomping grounds. "Its going to be a big job, but Im really looking forward to it," Espinosa says of the new role. "Theres so many challenges ahead, and Im looking forward to tackling all of them." Espinosa says hes been working on menu development for the three restaurants, which will open later this spring. He says hes excited to see the progress thats made day to day on the project. He says hes also impressed with how the development has changed the area where he grew up. "Phoenix Development has really lived up to their name with this ... essentially reviving this area that was just a bunch of old concrete and the old Roundys warehouse." Espinosas last dinner service at Harbor House will be on March 27. Bonafides first: I am long on record as being both a fan of Chris Larson, currently my state senator, and an opponent of any sort of plan from state lawmakers to impose a "recovery district" or similar takeover on the Milwaukee Public Schools. The current version of such a plan, the Opportunity Schools and Partnership Program, has been the subject of a number of my rantings here and elsewhere; OSPP gives the Milwaukee County Executive the authority to literally takeover MPS buildings, property and students and hand those off to outside operators with no democratic oversight. Larson's also in a scorchingly heated race right now for the very post of Milwaukee county executive, so it's not surprising I get fundraising emails from him. As with any fundraising letter, you have to allow for some hyperbole, but the last one Larson's campaign sent gave me actual pause. "We can repeal the takeover of MPS," the subject line read. I know Larson and his allies have drafted legislation to undo the OSPP, which was a part of the state budget passed last summer by the Republicans who run the state. But there is no chance of that legislation going anywhere anytime soon the legislative session is pretty well done for the year, and as a Democrat, Larson has no real power to even force a hearing on his bill. Still, I was intrigued what else might be in the works besides that legislation and Larson's stated plan of refusing to comply with the OSPP law if elected. Is there anything besides magical thinking up Larson's sleeve here? Nope. "You can help us undo this power grab by donating $100, $50, or $25 right now to my campaign, and help us put a champion of public education in the Milwaukee County Executives office," the email told me. Electing Larson undoes the OSPP, end of story it seems. Look, there are plenty of things in the County Executive's race to consider. While no one would argue the county is not better off now than it was six years ago, I think there is a reasonable argument to be made that maybe it could be even better on a number of other issues. The MPS takeover is not one of them. Yet the takeover is one of the two or three issues giving Larson the most traction in this race. It's earned him press and endorsements and a lot of spending and campaigning on his behalf, including from my union. The scare tactic is effective: Abele is coming for your school, goes the subtext and sometimes text of the pro-Larson arguments on the OSPP. But that argument runs into both practical and political problems. Abele appointed Mequon-Thiensville Superintendent Demond Means to be OSPP "commissioner," and both Means and Abele have been clear that they will not takeover any MPS schools. Larson supporters can and do! insist that Means and Abele are lying about that, but that's a stretch and involves taking the word of anti-MPS lawmakers over the word of the pro-public school, MPS graduate Means. When asked, Larson's campaign told me they wouldn't comment on whether Larson would fire Means. But Larson is clearly and repeatedly on the record that he will refuse to comply with the law, which I presume means no commissioner and no county funds for improving services to MPS students as the law demands. Politically, the consequence of that could be much worse for MPS than what Abele and Means have laid out as their OSPP plan. This was the subject of my last Bay View Compass column, which has earned me some scorn from my peers already. But no one has a good answer to the question of what they think legislative Republicans will do to Larson and to MPS if Larson refuses to follow the law as Abele has. As I wrote in that column, there's nothing to stop Republicans from revising the law to appoint their own commissioner or, worse, create a true New Orleans-style recovery district that would strip dozens of schools and tens of thousands of children from MPS immediately. Larson should be worried about this, too, as his fundraising email reminds me: "As a state senator who sits on the education committee, I know that similar takeover measures across the country have failed students and sabotaged the financial stability of the school districts they target." There is nothing to date from Abele or Means to suggest anything like one of those takeover measures. However, the authors of the OSPP law have already made their intentions known that they would rather go that route than the OSPP, which seems a bit of a compromise from their original idea. The authors are State Sen. Alberta Darling and State Rep. Dale Kooyenga, and in January 2015 they put out a shiny booklet with all their plans for the city of Milwaukee, plans that extended far beyond just an MPS takeover. Included among them was the idea of a "turnaround district." They directly reference New Orleans and Tennessee as models those places Larson cites as a warning and then lay out their real plan for MPS. Their plan would "create a board who will oversee a turnaround school initiative for all schools that fail to meet expectations in the targeted zone. The board will entertain proposals from charter school operators and will award a 5-year charter school authorization to the authorizers that present the most compelling plan." Again, that's all schools that fail to meet the state's expectations, not the handful a year, maximum, the current plan calls for. This is what Darling and Kooyenga really wanted from the OSPP. This is their unfiltered id barely hiding their contempt for current MPS leadership and caring not one bit for how badly they would hurt the district. If Larson stands firm against following that law, what is to stop the GOP from going back to Darling and Kooyenga's plan A? And that would be exponentially worse than anything Demond Means would inflict on the city he grew up in. Now Larson, probably because there's nothing else he can say about this, insists that the legislation he's drafted and his resistance to the Republicans' OSPP plan will be enough to change Darling and Kooyenga's minds on this. Really! Check out his interview last week with Daniel Bice of the Journal Sentinel. At about 4:40 in the video, Larson explains that all he has to do is "go to Madison to repeal the power grabs. ... We're going to say, 'We don't want that legislation. We'd rather have schools get the funding they need.'" Sure, because that argument has been so persuasive on the Republican legislature so far. Oh, wait, no it hasn't, and that's why state funding for schools today is lower than it was before Gov. Scott Walker and his Republicans swept into power in 2010. That's why last week I argued that what Wisconsin really needs is a new school-funding lawsuit to prove the inadequacy of state school funding. Ultimately, there is no easy answer on the OSPP, on undoing the takeover of the Milwaukee Public Schools as envisioned by Darling and Kooyenga. The best solution, a repeal at the state level, is a non-starter today and unlikely to be much more possible in the next legislature. Even if Democrats can take back the state senate this fall a longshot, but not impossible Republicans would still hold the Assembly and the governorship, and pro-MPS legislation like the one Larson has drafted will still be unlikely to even get a hearing. The next best solution is almost certainly what is already in place under Abele and Means, who are following the letter of the law but in most ways skirting its intent. Any other action, including Larson's simply refusing to play along with the law, is potentially very dangerous for our schools and children. Larson's email closes (not counting the PS, which asks for money again, natch) with the sentiment that if elected Larson "will continue to fight against the MPS Takeover plan and for all students to have access to learning opportunities in well-resourced, safe schools with classes small enough for one-on-one attention." I have no doubt this is true, that Larson will continue to be a strong advocate for public schools. I marched in Madison in 2011 to support him and other State Senate Democrats in their efforts to protect Wisconsin's students, teachers and schools. If people want to vote for Larson because of his long-standing support of MPS, they should. But his election will not end, repeal or otherwise stop "the takeover," and we need to be clear about that. Making the opposite claim as much a centerpiece of his campaign as it has been strikes me as iffy at best, and plain dishonest at worst. Germany will manage to cope with the migration crisis keeping to a balanced and deficit-free budget without taking on new debt, Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an interview with the Bild am Sonntag newspaper. According to her, all concerns about new state debts are "totally unfounded". However, more and more people express their disagreement with the German government's migration policy from day to day. According to the Independent, current opinion polls show that more than 80 per cent of Germans think Merkel's government has "lost control" of the refugee crisis. Merkel's policy has brought to a serious dissent in the German society and has become a subject to a sharp criticism both from the opposition and the allies in the ruling coalition. For instance, Bavarian Governor Horst Seehofer says that "the country is divided" and "Europe is stressed and disunited". The funds allocated to cope with refugees' influx have gone beyond all limits. A new study by the Cologne Institute for Economic Research says the German government will have to spend 50 billion euros on refugees during this year and next. The Germans are displeased by the fact that Berlin has managed to achieve the balanced budget within several years by gradually limiting social benefits and increasing taxes. And now the money saved will be spend on migrants and financial help to the countries that can't cope with the crisis by themselves. One by one the European states temporarily suspend the Schengen agreement on open borders due to the unbalanced German policy. Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said the EU external borders are not secured enough. "Anyone who arrives at our border is subject to control," Faymann said adding that economic migrants should go home. So, Angela Merkel's migration policy has brought to a dissent in the European Union. Against the backdrop of the economic crisis of recent years, unilateral actions of European member-states may only strengthen the positions of Eurosceptics, accelerate the disintegration process and put the "whole EU in question" in the near future. Reprinted from Mike Malloy Website Truthseekers, are you as nauseated by the Trump Show as are we? And the supporting actors -- Rubio, Cruz, Christie, and newcomer Michael Bloomberg ... all minor players in the blockbuster mega-hit. When -- oh God when -- can we discuss anything else? This is far worse than when Princess Diana was killed in that tragic car accident and no other topic could be broached -- for weeks. Or when Saint Reagan went to his final reward and we were treated to endless clips and footage from Bonzo to Gorbachev. Speaking of, First Lady Nancy followed her beloved Ronnie this weekend, and I was ashamed at how happy I was that the cameras briefly tilted away from the hair-flap. And when the pundits do take a pause to explore (gasp) another story? They are almost apologetic. I keep expecting to hear some kind of voice-over ... "We apologize for the interruption of the Donald Trump Show, we will now return to your regularly-scheduled insanity, already in progress ..." What ever did we talk about before hostile takeover of our telescreens? What might we be free to discuss today were we not in the midst of a national nervous breakdown? Well, perhaps Peyton Manning's retirement. Closing GITMO? Or the fact that humanitarian and former president Jimmy Carter seems to have miraculously recovered from a deadly diagnosis of malignant melanoma metastasized to his brain. He is cured. No trace of the tumors remain. Talk about a living saint. Maybe he could bless our ballot boxes and turn this mess around. Is it too late to tweak the meme WWJD -- What Would Jimmy Do? And then there's the federal case over Apple's iPhone data. And North Korea's latest threat of a nuclear strike against the US -- that seems worthy of a tiny interruption. How about the Republican's plan to circumvent the US Constitution and deny a seated President his right to nominate a Supreme Court Justice? Could we have a teensy bit of that? Here's a doozy -- the European Union is poised to disintegrate before our eyes. Do we care? Are we even aware of it? Since we have been blinded by the Aqua-net these last several months, Turkey has been become a temporary home to almost 3 million refugees from Syria, Africa, and other areas of the mid east where US wars have destroyed their homeland. Most of the migrants are seeking permanent homes in Germany or Scandinavia, and those nations are not at all happy about their new neighbors. So much so that NATO just sent warships -- warships now -- to police the waters around Turkey and Greece. The Royal British Navy is also assisting. In a nutshell, Turkey is seeking entrance to the EU and increased aid monies in exchange for ceasing to be a gateway to Europe for these starving, homeless, unwelcome dispossessed families. And there is good news! It seems EU Council President Donald (!) Tusk (!!) says there is a workable deal on the table. The BBC explains it this way: Cruz, Rubio and Trump are the three most dangerous men whom America has ever given birth to, and they are set to ruin the American economy and the American way of life. 3 most dangerous presidents on Day # 1 (Image by Mike Ghouse) Details DMCA On Day #1 - they want to repeal Obamacare. Forget their hatred for the President, but look at their political meanness to deprive 22 million Americans of their health insurance. Many of those Americans may be facing life-threatening ailments; when they repeal Obamacare on Day # 1, a number of them may die for lack of access to the necessary health care. Does life of Americans matter to them? For the first time in American history, the U.S. government has put the money to right use, to care for Americans rather than blow it on destroying other nations like Iraq and Afghanistan. For the first time pre-existing conditions were covered by health insurance, and it is important to know that many American lives have been saved and will continue to be saved. These three men care less about ordinary Americans. While they can afford to buy any insurance, the average Americans living from pay check to pay check cannot. Our country needs a strong defense system to fight off external aggression as well as internal health aggression. The three should be grateful to Obama for having implemented the measures and means of paving the way for a healthier America and saving American lives. Furthermore, on Day #1 -- they also want to tear up the Iran deal. That would certainly appease Netanyahu, but completely disregards the long-term security of Israel, and as a consequence it would free Iran to pursue the nuclear-weapons program that brings uncertainty and instability to the region. President Carter, the architect and the facilitator of a permanent peace treaty between Israel and its one-time arch enemy Egypt, brought relief; after that Israel had one less enemy to worry and thus saved tension, tanks and lives. I am sure the thoughtful American Jewry will express their gratitude to President Carter. Indeed, Israel should install a statue of President Carter at the Ben Gurion Airport to express their gratitude to him. President Clinton on the other hand took out another enemy on the east--Jordan--and President Obama has given the iron dome to Israel and has removed another enemy--Iran. Tearing up the Iran Deal would be one of the gravest blunders in the US foreign policy. It would amount to recklessly rejecting Iran's partnership treaty with Russia, China, UK, Germany, France and the United States. How do you build coalitions if you are disrespectful to nations that work with us on common goals of reducing conflicts and focusing on economic development? If we mess with this deal, Iran is likely to become another rogue nuclear nation like North Korea and pose a direct and greater threat to Israel. For the first time in fifty years, a U.S. President has done the right thing, a conservative thing, to develop and implement a foreign policy based on friendship and treaties rather than animosity and hostilities. We may destroy Iran, but we will also destroy ourselves much more. Gas prices will go up for millions of servicemen/repairmen to make service calls, as it happened towards the end of the Bush era. Small businesses will fold, divorces will become routine, home foreclosures will be back, loss of lives of our men and women, and a few more trillion dollars of deficit will be added to our budget. Why is little Rubio screaming in every sentence to save our ally Israel? Israel does not need friends like him who will ruin their long-term security. Israel needs prudent, wise and visionaries like Obama, Clinton and Carter who will bring long-term peace and security to them by turning enemies into friends and partners in peace and cooperation. The things Rubio has been clinging on to are repeal Obamacare, tearing up the Iran Deal and supporting Israel's paranoia. Every sentence he utters is about supporting Israel, and I am sure Trump supporters resent that, because they want America first and not Israel. Rubio's non-sensual rhetoric may increase anti-Semitism in the form of resentment. He and Cruz are dangerous to Israel not only from Americans, but also from those five nations (Russia, China, UK, France and Germany) whose nuclear contracts with Iran they plan to trash, and it is like spitting in their faces. The costs of the idiotic behavior of Rubio will not fall on themselves, but on the average. I wonder if Saudi Arabia, Germany or UK can throw enough bones at him to let him bark for them. He does not give a crap about the 22 million Americans' health care or our economy. He has a serious character flaw. Ted Cruz, the bloody war monger, will carpet bomb other nations like Bush did, and he will add a few more trillion dollars of deficit to the budget, and shoot the unemployment rate through the roof to go up to 12%, more divorces will follow, home foreclosures will rise, and businesses will start closing down. Yes, neither does Cruz care what happens to America. He and some of his macho men may draw sadistic pleasure from destroying other nations, but we the people do not want destruction, for which we end up paying again. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Retired Army Lt. General Mark Hertling watched Saturday's Republican debate. When Donald Trump smugly said that as a leader the armed forces would never refuse his orders, the tenor of Trump's ("They're not going to refuse me, believe me. If I say do it, they're going to do it. That's what leadership is all about.") just about drove General Hertling insane. "Somebody needs to remind Mr. Trump that the military is not his palace guards," Hertling said. "They take an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. They also abide by the rules -- not only of the uniform code of military justice, the UCMJ -- but they also abide by the U.N. mandate against torture and the Geneva Convention protocols against torture." "We do not do this," he added. "It is not within our purview." Hertling has felt Trump's rhetoric before and so it's not a surprise he's critical of the golden-haired Hitler doll. "This is not the first time Hertling has tangled with Trump over foreign affairs and the billionaire businessman's leadership style. In July, Trump told CNN's Anderson Cooper that he's 'a better general' than Hertling, during a conversation about keeping terrorists from infiltrating Iraq's oil fields. "Hertling subsequently said Trump's 'simplistic analogies' show that he lacks a firm grasp of foreign affairs." Retired military personnel, like any citizen in our country, are going to have a variety of opinions. There are military people who defend Trump. But what Hertling is pointing to is probably the single most important criticism (and fear) of a Trump administration, and that's the sneaking suspicion that Donald Trump sees being president as being the King of America. Humanity has fought wars for thousands of years to rid themselves of this despotism, and while we have all variety of battles raging for the civil rights and liberties of our citizens, losing the Head of our Executive Branch to dictatorship is exactly what the military in a democracy does not want. Reprinted from Robert Reich Blog I've been reluctant to use the "f" word to describe Donald Trump because it's especially harsh, and it's too often used carelessly. But Trump has finally reached a point where parallels between his presidential campaign and the fascists of the first half of the 20th century -- lurid figures such as Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Oswald Mosley, and Francisco Franco -- are too evident to overlook. It's not just that Trump recently quoted Mussolini (he now calls that tweet inadvertent) or that he's begun inviting followers at his rallies to raise their right hands in a manner chillingly similar to the Nazi "Heil" salute (he dismisses such comparison as "ridiculous.") The parallels go deeper. As did the early twentieth-century fascists, Trump is focusing his campaign on the angers of white working people who have been losing economic ground for years, and who are easy prey for demagogues seeking to build their own power by scapegoating others. Trump's electoral gains have been largest in counties with lower than average incomes, and among those who report their personal finances have worsened. As the Washington Post's Jeff Guo has pointed out, Trump performs best in places where middle-aged whites are dying the fastest. The economic stresses almost a century ago that culminated in the Great Depression were far worse than most of Trump's followers have experienced, but they've suffered something that in some respects is more painful -- failed expectations. Many grew up during the 1950s and 1960s, during a postwar prosperity that lifted all boats. That prosperity gave their parents a better life. Trump's followers naturally expected that they and their children would also experience economic gains. They have not. Add fears and uncertainties about terrorists who may be living among us, or may want to sneak through our borders, and this vulnerability and powerlessness is magnified. Trump's incendiary verbal attacks on Mexican immigrants and Muslims -- even his reluctance to distance himself from David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan -- follow the older fascist script. That older generation of fascists didn't bother with policy prescriptions or logical argument, either. They presented themselves as strongmen whose personal power would remedy all ills. They created around themselves cults of personality in which they took on the trappings of strength, confidence, and invulnerability -- all of which served as substitutes for rational argument or thought. Trump's entire campaign similarly revolves around his assumed strength and confidence. He tells his followers not to worry; he'll take care of them. "If you get laid off ... I still want your vote," he told workers in Michigan last week. "I'll get you a new job; don't worry about it." The old fascists intimidated and threatened opponents. Trump is not above a similar strategy. To take one example, he recently tweeted that Chicago's Ricketts family, now spending money to defeat him, "better be careful, they have a lot to hide." The old fascists incited violence. Trump has not done so explicitly but Trump supporters have attacked Muslims, the homeless, and African-Americans -- and Trump has all but excused their behavior. Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 (24 comments) SHARE Are War Crimes Socially Acceptable? On 1st February this year the current legal Prime Minister Olmert of Israel vowed to respond with 'disproportionate' force in response to Hamas rocket attacks during a cabinet meeting. 'Disproportionate' force is currently listed as a war crime. We can now expect Israeli defence forces to act with 'disproportionate' force at some time in the future. If we are silent we are in effect condoning this future war crime. Wednesday, February 18, 2009On 1st February this year the current legal Prime Minister Olmert of Israel vowed to respond with 'disproportionate' force in response to Hamas rocket attacks during a cabinet meeting. 'Disproportionate' force is currently listed as a war crime. We can now expect Israeli defence forces to act with 'disproportionate' force at some time in the future. If we are silent we are in effect condoning this future war crime. (7 comments) SHARE How different understandings of contracts frustrate Middle East peace efforts If we are to achieve a settlement in the Middle East then it is imperative that both sides to the agreement are aware that any agreement will be coloured by the different public legal traditions and be interpreted differently in the Islamic world as to how it will be interpreted in Judea/Christian world. A failure to appreciate the very real differences in legal interpretation will doom any such agreement to failure. Monday, February 9, 2009If we are to achieve a settlement in the Middle East then it is imperative that both sides to the agreement are aware that any agreement will be coloured by the different public legal traditions and be interpreted differently in the Islamic world as to how it will be interpreted in Judea/Christian world. A failure to appreciate the very real differences in legal interpretation will doom any such agreement to failure. (2 comments) SHARE Palestinians its time to seize your future. Palestinians time to influence your own destiny by voting to be annexed by Israel. Such a vote would force Israel to end its deliberate obfuscation of the status of the territories and clarify its ultimate intentions. Wednesday, November 12, 2008Palestinians time to influence your own destiny by voting to be annexed by Israel. Such a vote would force Israel to end its deliberate obfuscation of the status of the territories and clarify its ultimate intentions. Political pundits and media elites (all cut from the same cloth) are wringing their collective hands over the fact that despite Donald Trumps blow torch rhetoric and overblown (often internally contradictive) promises to deal with Americas major problems, he still leads in the polls and still is garnering a majority of Republican votes and delegates in most states. (Well, not Oregon where the far left holds Sen. Bernie Sanders (Socialist-VT) as the minimum standard in creating the Great Welfare State.) The political group think is understandable. After all this is the way it has always been well, at least for the last seven decades. Politicians, pundits and media elites are an incestuous lot. It isnt that they just all attend the same Washington D.C./New York City parties, dine at the same restaurants and are entertained at the same events. It is far deeper than that. Scratch a media elite and you will find a spouse, a paramour, a brother or sister, who is a politician, or, at the very least, a lobbyist paying for a politician. Scratch a lobbyist and you are likely to find a politician or a television personality. Scratch a politician and you are likely to find just about anything that makes money from politics. It is not only important that they all think alike in terms of how politics and government are run I dont mean the policies, I mean the process it is imperative that it doesnt change. It is the process that has made them rich, made them powerful, made them indispensable. It is a process that does not require accomplishments or solutions; it is sufficient to produce a diagram of the problem, propose an eight point, or ten point, or twenty point plan for dealing with it. And thereafter these insiders can dissect, parse and create imaginary and catastrophic scenarios should government proceed. They can label it racist, sexist, ageist, homophobic, misogynistic, theistic, anti-theistic, and the most pungent of all criticisms not fair. And in the end, a catastrophe (any proposed solution) has been averted. The underlying problem continues, probably worsens, but the crises attendant to solutions has been averted and the insiders are free to once again address the problem secure in the knowledge that they attack the solution any solution and preserve their powers, their positions and their incomes for years to come. When I first started the practice of law in Helena, Montana, my firm represented a wide variety of businesses and business associations. We represented them before administrative agencies and in appeals to the Montana Supreme Court. Every other year we also represented them before the Montana legislature we lobbied. During that time there was a rather popular push to change state law regulating liquor. A group of lobbyists were hired and the bill was introduced. The resolution to the problem was known, there was a substantial amount of money to be made if the problem was solved, but the problem was finite and the solution to the problem meant that the lobbyists were no longer needed. It also meant that the campaign contributions to the legislators would dwindle. In its first year it received favorable consideration in one house but was killed in the other. The following session, the bill was introduced in the opposite house where it received favorable consideration only to die in the other house. Eventually, after several sessions, the bill was passed. But in the interim the process was protected; well at least for awhile. Montana is a pretty small state population wise and any abuse of the process is usually discerned in short order. But in the capitol of the United States with it 350 Million people, most living some distance from the capitol politicians, lobbyists, pundits and media elites are able to conduct their incestuous process pretty much free from scrutiny. It is anonymity by sheer numbers. It is anonymity by virtue of the distractions of every day life to which those they govern must attend. And the process has become so lucrative that it cannot be disrupted by real solutions. After all, if you solved the problems of deficit spending, taxation, welfare, social security and Obamacare, what justification would there be for the army of souls that toil in government and the influence of the government? Or at least those insiders thought so. All of which brings us back to Donald Trump and his seeming immunity from criticism from those beholden to the process. The multitudes that are governed, while distracted, are not stupid. They realize that todays problems are the same problems from a decade ago, two decades ago, four decades ago. And they realize that despite all of the members of Congress, all of the thousands of staff members, all of the spending for investigations, reports, studies, all the big talk and accusation by one side against the other, NOTHING gets done. And it became even more acute when the voters became disenchanted with the policies of President Barack Obama. First, they gave the Republicans control of the House but nothing changed. And then they gave them control of the Senate also but nothing changed. Not only did nothing change but in many instances the Republicans did not even try. They appeared to delight in being against everything the Mr. Obama proposed without doing anything to stop it. In a word they were worthless. The voters understood. It matters little whether the voters didnt think the politicians cared to solve the problems or that they did not know how to solve the problems. All they knew is that the problems didnt get solved and like most problems left unaddressed, they got worse. All those big talkers and not a one with the will or the ability to get anything done. And that is where Mr. Trump found his contrast. He is big and bold and brash. But more important he is successful. He has built a massive and successful business. It matters little that the politicians who have never built anything point out the instances (and they are few) where Mr. Trump has stumbled. Mr. Trump enjoys the Ali effect. Mohammed Ali, perhaps the best heavy weight boxer ever, used to regularly run his mouth about how good he was, how pretty he was, how fast he was, how badly he was going to beat his opponent and then he went out and did it. His brashness was forgiven because he was successful. Even when he lost a match to Joe Frazier he remained a crowd favorite and returned to beat Frazier and prove his worth. And that is the gravitas accorded Mr. Trump by his supporters. It doesnt matter that he doesnt have an eight-point plan, he has solved problems before and he will solve them again. (In fact, most of the people with their eight point plans have never solved anything.) It doesnt matter if he is called a racist because he wants to seal the border and deport all of those illegally here the voters know that deporting 14 million illegals is impossible but they recognize that Mr. Trump will actually address the problem and things will get better materially better. It doesnt matter that he has suggested that the country ban Muslims from entering the country they know that he will improve the entry system to minimize rather than ignore the threat of Islamic terrorist acts on our soil. It doesnt matter that some bean counter has claimed that Mr. Trumps tax plan will further increase the debt the voters know that he will simplify the tax system, terminate the intrusion by IRS agents, and stimulate business to invest, create jobs and return jobs that have moved overseas. The voters dont care about the particulars. They care about results. About actually trying. About doing the hard work to succeed. And they look around at all of the politicians and they cannot see results or even hardwork. But they can see it in Mr. Trump. Im not a particular fan of Donald Trump but I will sure as hell vote for him over Hillary Clinton, or Bernie Sanders, or the multitude of senators who have accomplished nothing in their lives beyond being elected. And if lightening strikes and Mr. Trump is elected, I will watch with glee as he turns Washington, D.C. and its incestuous insiders upside down. Kartick Maheshwari has been continually getting overseas calls for the past few days. Many of his US-based clients, including a number of private equity funds, have perked up following Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's Budget announcement allowing 100 per cent foreign direct investment in domestic asset reconstruction companies (ARCs). Jaitley also announced that global investors will now be permitted to acquire 100 per cent of the security receipts (SRs) of specific distressed companies issued by the ARCs. Until now, they could invest only 74 per cent in such SRs, with the rest being held by domestic investors. And since domestic investors were rarely in a position to risk such investments, these SRs hardly found buyers. The Budget has also cleared up any confusion about the taxation burden from any recoveries accruing from distressed assets. It has proposed allowing complete 'pass through' of income tax to securitisation trusts, including the trusts of ARCs. "By inviting external capital, it shows the government is concerned about distressed assets and is willing to go all out to clean them out of the financial system," says Maheshwari. "It amounts to creating a new asset class for those interested in such assets. It now becomes much easier for private equity funds to acquire distressed assets on their own." Alarm bells over the expanding size of the distressed assets market - estimated at around Rs 8 lakh crore, including the Rs 4.5 lakh crore non-performing assets (NPAs) of banks - have been ringing for a while. Bank NPAs have risen around 50 per cent from Rs 3 lakh crore in 2015. Mounting NPAs have seen the Bankex (BSE Banking Index) lose nearly 28 per cent of its value, becoming one of the worst performing indices on the bourses, in the past 14 months. With banking and financial stocks accounting for over a quarter of the Sensex's weightage, the fall in banking stocks has also dragged down the Sensex by 16.5 per cent in the same period. With global commodity prices continuing their prolonged slump, most companies in the affected sectors continue to struggle. The Budget decision shows the government has realised domestic financial players are not in a position to infuse sufficient capital into the system, and is opening the door wider for external capital providers. Maheshwari maintains that even vulture funds such as Wilbur L. Ross and Lone Star Funds, which had quit India several years ago, are now contemplating a comeback. Lukewarm Interest Vulture funds - or funds specifically focused on distressed assets - aren't new to India, having been in the country since 2000/01, but the regulatory hurdle of not being permitted to repatriate funds saw many lose interest. "Vulture funds may not be new, but given the lack of a robust regulatory framework and bankruptcy laws, they are still waiting on the sidelines," says Siby Antony, CEO, Edelweiss ARC. In 2015, laws were amended to permit fund repatriation, but impediments remain. Most important of them is the law relating to distressed assets, the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act, which gives banks and ARCs powers to act directly against defaulters and seize their assets without any court order to that effect, but does not extend the same rights to non-banking finance companies (NBFCs). In his Budget speech last year, Jaitley had announced to give SARFAESI powers to NBFCs, but the amend to the SARFAESI act to include NBFC has still not happened. "Funds are making a backdoor entry by tying up with asset reconstruction companies to pick up distressed assets. What matters to them are returns" Another dampener for those interested in distressed assets is the absence of a modern bankruptcy law. Existing legislation, dating from pre-liberalisation days, aims primarily at reviving sick industries and includes many clauses which can be used to prolong the process of declaring them bankrupt. A new Bankruptcy Code was introduced last December, but still awaits the Parliament's nod. "There is no recourse as yet for bond holders," says Abizer Diwanji, Partner and National Leader Financial Services, EY. "Until bankruptcy laws are in place, we will see only indirect participation from funds." Still, the recent Budget suggests the government is extremely serious. "The message is already out that the bankruptcy law in India in its current form is a big deterrent for investors to put serious capital to work," says S. Sriniwasan, CEO, Kotak Investment Advisors. Kotak itself is said to be raising a special situation fund of $500 million to intervene in the distressed assets market. "There is a lot of buzz about vulture funds coming in. But serious capital has yet to enter the market," Sriniwasan adds. "By inviting external capital into the market, the government has given a clear hint that it is concerned about stressed assets and is willing to go all out to clean up the system" The strategy vulture funds employ - that of buying distressed assets with the express purpose of profiting from liquidating them - has been missing in India, where the primary purpose of investing in troubled companies is to turn them around and profit from their success. Investors are only interested in those companies that have suffered due to changes in the business cycle or cash flow constraints and have some hope of being revived, and not in those which are beyond repair. Though the SARFAESI Act exists, banks rarely take recourse to it. The flip side is that companies that have suffered because of poor management practices find no buyers. "In India, in most cases, banks and funds which invest in a company are not hostile to the incumbent management," says Sriniwasan. "They work with the management. The SARFAESI Act acquires importance only when there is a difference of opinion between the two." But in an open, globally-linked economy, this cannot continue. "What we have seen in the past six to eight years with troubled companies is that they get into a debt trap," says Diwanji of EY. "In 40 to 50 per cent of cases, efforts at revival only lead to debt increasing as the interest piles up. This has to stop. If necessary, the bitter pill has to be swallowed." Once it is passed, the Bankruptcy Code is expected to fast-track the process of dealing with corporate loan default. No doubt its efficacy will be tested in court, but if it withstands the test, it will also be a deterrent for wilful defaulters and those irresponsible with company money. Though there have been political objections to the bill, Antony of Edelweiss ARC is hopeful. "In the current environment, it may even be possible for the government to pass it," he says. Regulations apart, banks have also been reluctant to sell their bad debts so far - or at least sell at a price the ARCs and vulture funds consider reasonable. In the past 18 to 24 months, only around Rs 1 lakh crore of the total NPAs of Rs 4.5 lakh crore have been sold - another Rs 20,000 to 25,000 crore of NPAs are up for sale. Banks worry about how selling a loan at a small fraction of its value will look on their balance sheets, and what it will do to their capital adequacy ratios. This, in turn, inhibits funds from entering the stressed assets market. Yet, given the burgeoning NPAs, banks cannot hold on for much longer. "The process will be slow, but banks will ultimately have to give in," says Antony of Edelweiss ARC. The SDR route About eight to nine months ago, the Reserve Bank of India permitted banks to convert bad loans into equity, taking the strategic debt restructuring (SDR) route. So far, loans worth Rs 81,300 crore - or 1.23 per cent of the total loans of the banking sector - at 15 debt-ridden companies have undergone such restructuring (See Low-Hanging Fruit). Obviously, the banks will want to exit soon. "The banks cannot keep sitting on the equity," says Sriniwasan. "You can either go through chemotherapy or surgery. One of the two has to happen. Otherwise, technically speaking, if 51 per cent of a company is held by all the public sector banks put together, that company will become a public sector company." This is where vulture funds can step in and buy the assets. More so because the shift from debt to equity does not make it any easier for the banks to divest the equity, nor does it bring about an immediate turnaround in the ailing company's fortunes. It is primarily a means of reducing the size of NPAs in the banks' account books. "It's a big myth that once debt is converted into equity, banks can easily sell their stake to recover their money," says Diwanji of EY. "In the current economic scenario, finding a buyer for these assets might be a problem." In some cases, especially engineering and EPC companies, the units are so over-leveraged, their loans are higher than the worth of their assets. "It has to be seen if the banks are willing to take a razor cut while offloading their stakes," says Antony of Edelweiss ARC. An estimate by Religare Research says that banks in the next one year will end up refinancing 30 to 40 accounts with which they have taken the SDR route, worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore - or 2.2 per cent of the total loan of the banking sector. So far funds have been acquiring distressed assets indirectly by tying up with ARCs. "Funds have been making a backdoor entry into distressed assets through ARCs," adds Antony. The reason is not only the legal constraint - their direct investment in such assets, as in the case of Avantha Power and Infrastructure Ltd or Jyoti Power Corporation, has not worked too well. "Funds have burnt their fingers and hence prefer the indirect route," says a fund manager on condition of anonymity. "They have done structured credit financing in the past directly, but it has not worked well for them." Vulture funds are focused on providing this last mile financing. They have chosen to work with ARCs as they believe they have the ability to foreclose, which gives them the comfort of knowing that the money they are putting in will eventually be well secured. "If limited partners in a fund cannot get 20 to 22 per cent returns, they will not invest," says another fund manager who did not wish to be named. Jaitley's Budget announcements are thus of crucial importance in tackling bad debt. They are all steps in the right direction. But they must be followed up with action on the ground - especially the passing of the new bankruptcy code and the amendments in the SARFAESI Act. Nawaz Sharif finalised strategy for his trip to Saudi Arabia ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif finalised on Tuesday the strategy for his upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia, where he is likely to define the role Pakistan will play in the 34-nation counter-terrorism alliance formed by the kingdom. Mr Sharif met his top foreign policy, economy, military and intelligence advisers a day before he and the army chief leave for Saudi Arabia to attend the concluding ceremony of the multinational counter-terrorism exercise Raad Al-Shamal. Discussions on the shape and scope of activities of the Saudi-led alliance are also expected to take place on the sidelines of the ceremony which is being attended by a number of other foreign leaders. The Prime Ministers Office tried to project the meeting as a national security conference, but the list of participants, which included Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi, National Security Adviser Lt Gen Nasser Janjua, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry, Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif and ISI Director General Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar, left little doubt that it had a much wider agenda. Pakistan has kept its position on the alliance vague, but government ministers have on different occasions hinted that it could help in intelligence sharing, capacity building, provision of military hardware and formulation of counter-narrative to extremist propaganda. Anticipating a major return for engagement with Saudi Arabia in its venture, the government is pushing for a more active involvement in the alliance. The meeting, according to a source, also discussed the progress in investigation being conducted within the country into the alleged involvement of Pakistan-based militants in the Pathankot airbase attack and the impending visit of the investigation team to India for collecting further evidence. The investigation team is expected to travel to India in the next few days. Pakistan lately went the proverbial extra mile by tipping India about a terrorist plot hatched by Lashkar-e-Taiba for whose execution it was said that a team of 10-15 militants had crossed the border. In the domestic context, the meeting discussed the Karachi situation, terrorist attack on the court complex in Charsadda and the last phase of ongoing Shawal operation. The PM Office statement said the meeting had reaffirmed the governments commitment to fighting terrorism. The meeting agreed that elimination of terrorism from our soil is a national resolve and paid tribute to the personnel of law-enforcement and security agencies who embraced martyrdom while fighting this menace of terrorism, it said. Shahbaz Taseer recovered after five years QUETTA: The son of slain former Punjab governor Salman Taseer, Shahbaz Taseer, was recovered by security and intelligence forces from Balochistans Kuchlak area on Tuesday, nearly five years after his abduction in 2011. Intelligence agencies have recovered Shahbaz Taseer from an area near Kuchlak, Balochistan, said a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The military shared photos of Shahbaz with a short statement that he is "hale and hearty". He has now been shifted from Kuchlak to Quetta and is reportedly in stable condition, a security official told reporters. Doctors were also called to conduct a medical checkup, he added. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who was briefing the Senate on the National Action Plan when the news of Shahbaz recovery broke, also confirmed the development. I have some good news. I just received information regarding the recovery of Salman Taseers son. Aitzaz Goraya, head of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Balochistan told Media men: Shahbaz Taseer has been recovered from Kuchlak area of Balochistan. Secret services and CTD personnel conducted a raid at a compound in Kuchlak and recovered a person identified as Shahbaz Taseer. Kuchlak is a windy town some 25 kilometres north of Balochistan capital Quetta. The district also houses a large number of Afghan refugees. Security sources are yet to confirm the arrest of kidnappers during the recovery operation. Goraya described Shahbaz, who is in his early thirties, as being in stable health. We surrounded the compound and we raided it. We didn't find anyone. A single person was there and he told us my name is Shahbaz and my father's name is Salmaan Taseer," he said. But the owner of a roadside restaurant in Kuchlak told reporters that Taseer was recovered after he came to his restaurant on foot on Tuesday evening, made a phone call and then personnel from the Frontier Corps came and picked him up. He had grown long hair with a scruffy beard and was frantically asking for a telephone or mobile phone the owner of Al-Saleem hotel told reporters in Kuchlak. He ate food here, paid a bill of Rs350 and then called someone from a waiter's mobile, the owner said, adding that minutes later FC personnel arrived. Shahbaz was kidnapped from Lahore on Aug 26, 2011, near his companys head office in Gulberg area. He was driving towards the offices of the First Capital Group off M.M. Alam Road in Gulberg when he was intercepted by the kidnappers. The abductors who, according to witnesses, used a Prado jeep and a motorcycle, bundled the young Taseer into the four-wheeler and rushed away unimpeded. No details on the whereabouts of Shahbaz had earlier been made public. However, there were speculations that he was held captive in restive Waziristan by a group that was negotiating the release of Salman Taseers killer Mumtaz Qadri and other prisoners. There were also unverified reports of Shahbaz being killed in a drone strike in Waziristan. The Pakistani Taliban have never officially confirmed their involvement in the kidnapping, but a militant source told AFP that the army operation in the tribal areas had made it difficult for the group to keep him. That's why they preferred to set him free, the source said. The militant commanders have privately told AFP in the past Taseer was being kept somewhere in the tribal areas of North and South Waziristan, but he was moved after Operation Zarb-i-Azb was launched in North Waziristan in 2014. A second militant source said the Taliban had been demanding up to Rs2 billion for Taseer's release. Shahbaz Taseer's father-in-law Salman Ghani also confirmed his freedom, but did not give any details. Security analyst Imtiaz Gul said it was possible a ransom had been paid and that Shahbaz had been abandoned by his abductors once they received the money. The Pakistani Taliban are a group of mercenaries with clear links to organised crime, he said. The development comes just a week after Salman Taseers assassin was executed at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail. In another high-profile kidnapping, son of former premier Yousaf Raza Gilani, Ali Haider Gilani was abducted from Multan on May 9, 2013, outside a Pakistan Peoples Party office in the run-up to the 2013 general elections. Yousaf Raza Gilani, while congratulating Taseer family on the recovery of Shahbaz Taseer, expressed hope that his son Ali Gilani will also be recovered soon. Headline: New York Times , 10/17/2022 In 2020, The Washington Post reported that the government had spent more than $2.5 million at Trum... The best is enemy of the good. The profoundest truths are paradoxical. Physicians for Human Rights takes pride in its strong internship program. Every semester, PHR is fortunate to host a group of academically successful and passionate students who represent the next generation of human rights advocates. Students joining the PHR intern team come from a wide range of academic backgrounds, including public health, international relations, nonprofit management, human rights, humanitarian studies, political science, medicine, and law, among others. PHR interns perform a range of substantive work, including research, data and video analysis for documentation of human rights violations, fundraising and event planning, and monitoring and reporting on human rights developments around the world. Our program affords students the opportunity to work closely alongside our experts and to contribute to our mission. The opportunity to talk to the professionals here was amazing and everyone engaged with the interns and offered help and advice. Summer 2018 New York intern Students may apply for the positions listed below based on their location, eligibility, and interest in the work of specific departments. Applicants who are offered an internship must be U.S. permanent residents, U.S. citizens, or in possession of a valid student visa. PHR is now accepting applications for the Fall 2022 internship semester. Click below to jump to each internship description. New York/Remote Advocacy & Policy Intern, Fall 2022 Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), which shared in the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, is a U.S.-based international advocacy organization working at the intersection of medicine, science, and law. With a global network of thousands of medical, scientific, and legal experts, PHR uses the power of medical and scientific evidence to document human rights and humanitarian law violations and prevent abuses, protect survivors, and promote justice and universal human rights for all. Building upon its highly respected place in the field, and supported by a committed and talented team, PHR seeks an Advocacy and Policy Intern. Location: Remote Reports to: Deputy Director, Advocacy Organizational Overview Physicians for Human Rights was founded in 1986 by five physicians who were united in the belief that health professionals, with their specialized skills, ethical duties, and credible voices, are uniquely positioned to prevent harm and promote respect for human rights. Since its founding, PHR has built a long and distinguished record of accomplishment by conducting groundbreaking investigations and advocacy, in concert with strategic partners. PHRs approach includes extensive documentation of the use of illegal and inhumane weapons in armed conflicts, attacks on civilians, and the physical and psychological impacts of torture and sexual violence as a weapon of war. Other core activities include protecting the rights of those seeking asylum in the United States, the human rights implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, and halting attacks on medical facilities and frontline health professionals. Internship Description Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is looking for a capable and enthusiastic intern wishing to gain direct experience in developing and implementing human rights advocacy campaigns and policy strategies. The advocacy intern will work closely with the PHR advocacy team in developing advocacy strategies, attending advocacy meetings, and monitoring current NGO partner and policymaker actions. This internship is ideal for a student interested in a career in human rights or humanitarian advocacy or policy. You will be given exposure to a variety of PHRs international and domestic advocacy and policy efforts on issues such as human rights in armed conflict, medical neutrality, international anti-torture initiatives, international justice, refugee and asylum protection, use of excessive force, and COVID-19 related advocacy. The advocacy intern will attend departmental and staff meetings, as well as regular learning and social events with other interns and staff from PHR to round out the learning experience and complement PHR-provided career mentoring. PHR offers stipends to student interns. The specific stipend amount will be determined by the average number of hours worked by the intern per week. Details will be further provided during the interview process. Duties and Responsibilities Undertaking advocacy and policy research and analysis with a view to assisting with the development of advocacy and campaigns strategies Monitoring relevant current events and advocacy opportunities at the global level and domestic level for internal discussion with PHFR staff Assisting with the development of research, policy papers, blog posts, press releases, and internal memos regarding PHRs research, investigations, and advocacy initiatives. Contributing to the development of strategic partnerships to promote PHRs advocacy priorities. Assisting with general program and administrative work, including meeting preparations, background research, data entry, and internal reporting. Qualifications and Experience Current enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate program of study required; previous coursework in international development/relations, public policy, human rights, or related field preferred but not required. Strong written and verbal communications skills required, including excellent editing skills. Excellent research and analytical skills required. Ability to work collaboratively and professionally with PHR staff and external partners Demonstrated interest in and commitment to human rights Mature judgment, strong integrity, and ability to maintain strict confidentiality required. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and follow-through Previous experiences with policy or advocacy, through coursework, volunteer, or professional experience at local, national, or international level strongly desirable. Location and Hours The internship will be entirely remote due to PHRs evaluation of coronavirus health risks. We welcome applications from candidates located out of state. Hours can be flexible to accommodate different types of schedules. The internship will commence in September with at least a 12-week commitment. How to Apply Please send a cover letter and resume, to resumes@phr.org. Include Advocacy & Policy Intern, Fall 2022 in the subject line. Please include in your cover letter the number of weekly hours you would be able to commit to the internship. Communications Intern, Fall 2022 Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), which shared in the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, is a U.S.-based international advocacy organization working at the intersection of medicine, science, and law. With a global network of thousands of medical, scientific, and legal experts, PHR uses the power of medical and scientific evidence to document human rights and humanitarian law violations and prevent abuses, protect survivors, and promote justice and universal human rights for all. Building upon its highly respected place in the field, and supported by a committed and talented team, PHR seeks a Communications Intern. Location: Remote Reports to: Media Strategy, Senior Manager Organizational Overview Physicians for Human Rights was founded in 1986 by five physicians who were united in the belief that health professionals, with their specialized skills, ethical duties, and credible voices, are uniquely positioned to prevent harm and promote respect for human rights. Since its founding, PHR has built a long and distinguished record of accomplishment by conducting groundbreaking investigations and advocacy, in concert with strategic partners. PHRs approach includes extensive documentation of the use of illegal and inhumane weapons in armed conflicts, attacks on civilians, and the physical and psychological impacts of torture and sexual violence as a weapon of war. Other core activities include protecting the rights of those seeking asylum in the United States, the human rights implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, and halting attacks on medical facilities and frontline health professionals. Internship Description The communications internship is ideal for a student seeking a hands-on opportunity to work on media relations, online communications, and research and publications. The intern will work as an integral part of PHRs communications team to help with materials and messaging for PHRs mission and work. The communications intern will attend departmental and staff meetings, as well as regular learning and social events with other interns and staff from PHR to round out the learning experience and complement PHR-provided career mentoring. PHR offers stipends to student interns. The specific stipend amount will be determined by the average number of hours worked by the intern per week. Details will be further provided during the interview process. Duties and Responsibilities Track relevant news stories on human rights violations around the world. Research, write, proofread, and copy-edit social media, blog posts, web content, newsletter articles, press releases, and other communications materials. Run reports and use to track website traffic and online ad campaigns. Track PHRs media coverage and compile and organize media lists. Research journalists and outlets covering topics and regions related to PHRs work. Qualifications and Experience Current enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate program of study specializing in communications, journalism, international relations, or other relevant major Interest in communications work in a nonprofit setting Familiarity with Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite Superior organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to facilitate a project from start to finish Excellent written and verbal communication skills Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and professionally Mature judgment, confidentiality, and capacity to work independently Sense of humor a plus Location and Hours The internship will be entirely remote due to PHRs evaluation of coronavirus health risks. PHR welcomes applications from candidates located out of state. The internship starts in September and requires at least a 12-week commitment. Hours can be flexible to accommodate different types of schedules. How to Apply Please apply by sending a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to resumes@phr.org. Include Communications Intern, Fall 2022 in the subject line. Please include in your cover letter the number of weekly hours you would be able to commit to the internship. Communications Media and Publications Intern, Fall 2022 Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), which shared in the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, is a U.S.-based international advocacy organization working at the intersection of medicine, science, and law. With a global network of thousands of medical, scientific, and legal experts, PHR uses the power of medical and scientific evidence to document human rights and humanitarian law violations and prevent abuses, protect survivors, and promote justice and universal human rights for all. Building upon its highly respected place in the field, and supported by a committed and talented team, PHR seeks a Communications Media and Publications Intern. Location: Remote Reports to: Media Strategy, Senior Manager Organizational Overview Physicians for Human Rights was founded in 1986 by five physicians who were united in the belief that health professionals, with their specialized skills, ethical duties, and credible voices, are uniquely positioned to prevent harm and promote respect for human rights. Since its founding, PHR has built a long and distinguished record of accomplishment by conducting groundbreaking investigations and advocacy, in concert with strategic partners. PHRs approach includes extensive documentation of the use of illegal and inhumane weapons in armed conflicts, attacks on civilians, and the physical and psychological impacts of torture and sexual violence as a weapon of war. Other core activities include protecting the rights of those seeking asylum in the United States, the human rights implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, and halting attacks on medical facilities and frontline health professionals. Internship Description The communications media and publications internship is ideal for a student seeking a hands-on opportunity to work on media relations, online communications, and research and publications. The intern will work as an integral part of PHRs communications team to help with materials and messaging for PHRs mission and work. The communications intern will attend departmental and staff meetings, as well as regular learning and social events with other interns and staff from PHR to round out the learning experience and complement PHR-provided career mentoring. PHR offers stipends to student interns. The specific stipend amount will be determined by the average number of hours worked by the intern per week. Details will be further provided during the interview process. Duties and Responsibilities Track relevant news stories on human rights violations around the world. Research, write, proofread, and copy-edit social media, blog posts, web content, newsletter articles, press releases, and other communications materials. Run reports and use to track website traffic and online ad campaigns. Track PHRs media coverage and compile and organize media lists. Research journalists and outlets covering topics and regions related to PHRs work. Qualifications and Experience Current enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate program of study specializing in communications, journalism, international relations, or other relevant major Interest in communications work in a nonprofit setting Familiarity with Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite Superior organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to facilitate a project from start to finish Excellent written and verbal communication skills Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and professionally Mature judgment, confidentiality, and capacity to work independently Sense of humor a plus Location and Hours The internship will be entirely remote due to PHRs evaluation of coronavirus health risks. PHR welcomes applications from candidates located out of state. The internship starts in September and requires at least a 12-week commitment. Hours can be flexible to accommodate different types of schedules. How to Apply Please apply by sending a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to resumes@phr.org. Include Communications Media and Communications Intern, Fall 2022 in the subject line. Please include in your cover letter the number of weekly hours you would be able to commit to the internship. Human Resources Intern, Fall 2022 Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), which shared in the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, is a U.S.-based international advocacy organization working at the intersection of medicine, science, and law. With a global network of thousands of medical, scientific, and legal experts, PHR uses the power of medical and scientific evidence to document human rights and humanitarian law violations and prevent abuses, protect survivors, and promote justice and universal human rights for all. Building upon its highly respected place in the field, and supported by a committed and talented team, PHR seeks a Human Resources Intern. Location: Remote Reports to: Deputy Director of Human Resources Organizational Overview Physicians for Human Rights was founded in 1986 by five physicians who were united in the belief that health professionals, with their specialized skills, ethical duties, and credible voices, are uniquely positioned to prevent harm and promote respect for human rights. Since its founding, PHR has built a long and distinguished record of accomplishment by conducting groundbreaking investigations and advocacy, in concert with strategic partners. PHRs approach includes extensive documentation of the use of illegal and inhumane weapons in armed conflicts, attacks on civilians, and the physical and psychological impacts of torture and sexual violence as a weapon of war. Other core activities include protecting the rights of those seeking asylum in the United States, the human rights implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, and halting attacks on medical facilities and frontline health professionals. Internship Description The human resources and operations internship is ideal for a student interested in a career in global human resources or nonprofit management and operations. This intern will gain direct experience in developing and implementing key policies and administrative strategies for a growing, international nonprofit organization. The human resources and operations intern will collaborate with staff from various departments to gain a fuller understanding of the behind-the-scenes running of a nonprofit organization. The intern will also have the opportunity to attend regular learning and social events with other interns and staff from PHR to round out the learning experience and complement PHR-provided career mentoring. PHR offers stipends to student interns. The specific stipend amount will be determined by the average number of hours worked by the intern per week. Details will be further provided during the interview process. Duties and Responsibilities Human Resources Assist with PHRs employee recruitment, onboarding, and selection processes. Research current labor and employment laws in the United States and overseas. Maintain, audit, and update human resources files and records. Research human resources best practices. Operations Contribute to projects for and requests from PHR staff. Collaborate with staff on technology initiatives. Communicate with vendors, contractors, and consultants. Provide support for office management general operations, including office reopening. Qualifications and Experience Current enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate program of study; specialization in human resources, business administration, or a related field preferred General knowledge of and interest in human resources concepts and terminology Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communications skills Resourceful in performing research on the internet and through other channels Well organized, detail-oriented, and able to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion Location and Hours The internship will be entirely remote due to PHRs ongoing evaluation of coronavirus health risks. PHR welcomes applications from candidates located out of state. Hours can be flexible to accommodate different types of schedules. The internship will commence in September with at least a 12-week commitment. How to Apply Please email a cover letter and resume to resumes@phr.org. Include Human Resources Intern, Fall 2022 in the subject line. Please include in your cover letter the number of weekly hours you would be able to commit to the internship. MENA Investigations Intern, Fall 2022 Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), which shared in the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, is a U.S.-based international advocacy organization working at the intersection of medicine, science, and law. With a global network of thousands of medical, scientific, and legal experts, PHR uses the power of medical and scientific evidence to document human rights and humanitarian law violations and prevent abuses, protect survivors, and promote justice and universal human rights for all. Building upon its highly respected place in the field, and supported by a committed and talented team, PHR seeks a MENA Investigations Intern. Location: Remote Reports to: Program Officer Organizational Overview Physicians for Human Rights was founded in 1986 by five physicians who were united in the belief that health professionals, with their specialized skills, ethical duties, and credible voices, are uniquely positioned to prevent harm and promote respect for human rights. Since its founding, PHR has built a long and distinguished record of accomplishment by conducting groundbreaking investigations and advocacy, in concert with strategic partners. PHRs approach includes extensive documentation of the use of illegal and inhumane weapons in armed conflicts, attacks on civilians, and the physical and psychological impacts of torture and sexual violence as a weapon of war. Other core activities include protecting the rights of those seeking asylum in the United States, the human rights implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, and halting attacks on medical facilities and frontline health professionals. Internship Description The MENA (Middle East and North Africa) Investigations Intern is the perfect role for a budding human rights activist interested in hands-on non-profit programmatic experience. This opportunity allows the intern to develop research, language, and analytical skills on topical and important human rights issues through PHRs hands-on work. The intern works closely with PHRs research and investigations team to help monitor and document daily developments in Syria with a focus on attacks on health care facilities and personnel. PHR utilizes this documentation to inform the media, motivate governments and the UN to denounce such violations of international law, and reinforce that attacks on medical workers, hospitals, and health care infrastructure must stop. The MENA Investigations Intern will attend departmental and staff meetings, as well as regular learning and social events with other PHR interns and staff to round out the learning experience and complement PHR-provided career mentoring. PHR offers stipends to student interns. The specific stipend amount will be determined by the average number of hours worked by the intern per week. Details will be further provided during the interview process. Duties and Responsibilities Contribute to PHRs online interactive map that tracks the deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on medical workers and health facilities in Syria. Monitor daily developments and violations of medical neutrality in Syria and Yemen. Conduct, analyze, and organize open-source research on attacks against health care in Syria and Yemen. Analyze video and other media and extract relevant data. Provide translations of articles and videos from Arabic to English. Qualifications and Experience Current enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate program in a related field Must sufficiently speak, read, and write in Arabic Professional working proficiency (written and verbal) in MSA and Levantine or Yemeni dialect required. Demonstrated interest in and commitment to human rights. Strong analytical, writing, and verbal communication skills Mature judgement, able to maintain confidentiality and a self-starter. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and follow-through. Willingness to work with graphic visual and written content. Location and Hours The internship will be entirely remote due to PHRs evaluations of coronavirus health risks. PHR welcomes applications for candidates out of state. The internship will commence in September with at least a 12-week commitment. Hours can be flexible to accommodate different types of schedules. How to Apply Please send a cover letter and resume, to resumes@phr.org. Include MENA Investigations Intern, Fall 2022 in the subject line. Please include in your cover letter the number of weekly hours you would be able to commit to the internship. Hermes BorderGuru Brings Logistics and E-Commerce Solutions to the U.S. Market Hermes BorderGuru Brings Integrated Logistics and E-Commerce Solutions to the U.S. Market Europes Largest Parcel Shop Network Offers Efficient and Cost-Effective Ways to Sell and Deliver Goods Worldwide Chicago, March 8, 2016 Hermes, operator of the largest business-to-consumer (B2C) parcel shop network in Europe, announces the expansion of its retail supply chain digital services to the United States e-commerce market. Hermes BorderGuru is now going beyond the European market it already serves and offering U.S. retailers integrated logistics and e-commerce solutions. BorderGuru now provides European and North American retailers an efficient and cost-effective means to sell and deliver goods worldwide. With BorderGuru, retailers and brand manufacturers can leverage Hermes e-commerce services tailored to their individual business. Global full-service e-commerce solutions extend from managing IT and online store software to offering highly scalable warehousing and fulfilment return capabilities. The on-going boom in e-commerce is opening the door for many retailers who, to date, have been solely operating in their national market, giving them the chance to roll out their business models beyond country borders and tap new sales markets, says Martin Kreiter, Head of Global E-Commerce Business Development at Hermes and Director of BorderGuru. Many customers, though, are put off by the high costs of shipping, long delivery times or currency and customs issues. BorderGuru sees itself as an enabler for cross-border shipments, offering clients an exciting launch pad for sales expansion, focussing on convenience and transparency without risk. Hermes provides American businesses looking to get a foot in the European markets with the services they need. Dedicated BorderGuru software is integrated directly into the clients web shop, providing shoppers with an accurate listing of all costs, including potential customs duties and fees. On top of this, retailers have access to a global parcel tracking system, enabling them to follow where their shipment is around the world. Hermes is committed to high-quality customer service when it comes to their expertise in handling luxury goods worldwide. The Hermes service portfolio also includes integration in global retailing platforms such as through the Hermes subsidiary, Zitra, and the sales platform of Chinas trading giants, JD.com. Many of our clients are on the cusp on the international distribution and are looking to expand gradually, without having to build up their own facilities in target countries, explains Kreiter. For these clients, the Hermes Group, with its rich background in providing retail-related services, is able to offer a range of appealing options to help them tap new markets. These allow clients to set up their own websites or position themselves on platforms of established retailers and to market their products this way. About Hermes Hermes provides international logistics services to the retail industry. Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Otto Group. The company is a leading specialist in retail-related services and partners with numerous distance sellers of all sizes. The range of services provided by the twelve Hermes companies embraces the full length of the supply chain: sourcing, quality assurance, transport, fulfillment and home delivery. In 2014, the Hermes Group grew its consolidated revenue to 2.230 billion euros and increased the number of employees to 12,470. In 2014, Hermes made more than 530 million deliveries to end customers, establishing Hermes as one of the leading B2C delivery companies in Europe. Hermes operates worldwide and has established country companies in Germany, the United Kingdom, United States, China, Russia, Italy and Austria. For further information, please visit www.hermesworld.com/us. Other Point of Sale Blogs that may interest you: McDonalds and the Los Angeles Police Department Kick-Off Coffee with a Cop LOS ANGELES, March 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ McDonalds restaurants of Southern California have kicked-off a partnership with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to host Coffee with a Cop events in their restaurants located within the City of Los Angeles. McDonalds of Southern California has committed to hosting Coffee with a Cop at restaurants throughout the city at least once per month. The mission of Coffee with a Cop is to break down barriers between police officers and the citizens they serve. These events are relaxed, informal and are a great way to build mutual trust and enjoy a stress free conversation with police officers. McDonalds of Southern California is proud of to be part of the communities it serves. Through involvement in youth sports, local charities, and community events, giving back is an essential part of the Read more Today, we're going to revisit a hypothesis we proposed at the beginning of the year, where an uptick in China's increased importation of U.S. soybeans and increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide prompted us to propose that these facts might be evidence of some success in the Chinese government's efforts to stimulate China' slowing economy during 2015. Although the available trade data at that time supported that hypothesis, the trade data that has come out since has not. We confirmed last month that China's year over year consumption of U.S. soybeans declined in both nominal and real terms. That still left the question of where all the extra carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere was coming from. As we've seen in our previous analysis, China is one of the few nations on Earth where changes in its leadership's economic policies show up in the air we breathe, so we proposed a second hypothesis that might account for why the rate at which the world's CO 2 levels had reversed and begun to increase after July 2015, which we'll call the "dead cat bounce" hypothesis. Here, we considered how China's political leadership would act to stimululate its economy by accelerating the construction of coal-fired power plants, where having more of these plants go into operation would most certainly increase the nation's output of carbon dioxide emissions. But for that to happen, China's consumption of power produced by these plants would need to rise. Otherwise, the output of these new plants would need to be offset by diminishing the output of existing power plants to maintain balance in the nation's power grid to avoid the damage that results from excess power generation. If China's faster construction of coal-fired power plants were behind the increase in global CO 2 , we should alse be seeing China's imports of traded goods increase, particularly raw materials needed for producing manufactured goods. As we saw yesterday however, that's not happening, as the very latest evidence suggests that no significant improvement in China's economic performance is taking place. What that means is that something else is most likely behind the recent, rapid escalation in the level of carbon dioxide levels in the Earth's atmosphere. Using the Mauna Loa Observatory's data for atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to establish the timing for what might have triggered the reversal and increase in the rate at which CO 2 is increasing in the air, we found one prime candidate that might fully account for the increase, which just happens to be coming from just one nation: Indonesia. In July 2015, a large number of forest fires began igniting in Indonesia's forests and peatland, which soon grew out of control in what has since been described as an ecological disaster. Until seasonal rains dampened their burning, Indonesia's wildfires burned around five million acres (7,812 square miles, or 20,234 square kilometers) of the nation's forests and peatlands, putting an estimated 600 million tons (544 million metric tons) of CO 2 and other greenhouse gases into the planet's atmosphere. In reviewing these stories, the influence of the current El Nino-driven weather patterns is often cited as a contributor to the severity of Indonesia's wildfires, having produced drier conditions for the southeastern Asian nation that made fires spread more easily. In an upcoming post, we'll explore the extent to which either El Nino or its cooler La Nina counterpart would appear to contribute to the rate of increase of global atmospheric CO 2 levels. Data Source National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. Earth System Research Laboratory. Mauna Loa Observatory CO2 Data. [File Transfer Protocol Text File]. Accessed 8 March 2016. Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the American Authors Association Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the Military Writers Society of America. I managed to get some time to drop by the ADM Industry Screening earlier this month together with some of my batch mates. It's ... Identifying the Roots and the Resolve of the Arab-Israeli Conflict Sam Rohrer explores the roots of the Arab-Israeli conflict in this discussion with Bill Salus. Topics discussed include: When and Why It Started. Gods Response: Past and Present. Resolving the Conflict, (Psalm 83) Biden calls for a 2-State solution and Hurricane Ian bites back In this prophecy update Tom Hughes and Bill Salus look at the Hurricanes that hit Canada and Florida in possible relation to Lapid's, Biden's and Trudeau's push for a 2-State solution. Also discussed are the topics of the Obadiah fatal Palestinian Prophecies, the Destruction of Damascus and much more. The Times of Israel Top 5 Headlines Loading... Israel National News Briefs Loading... UFO Update! Bill Salus UFO Encounter! LA Marzulli shares the Bill Salus seeming encounter with UFO's The IDF in Bible Prophecies In this teaching video, Bill Salus identifies several unfulfilled Bible prophecies that involve today's Israeli Defense Forces. Newsmax - America Top 5 Headlines Loading... Israel National News Top 5 Headlines Loading... Prophecies that can occur between Now and Eternity This message was given by Bill Salus at the Harvest Christian Centre Prophecy Conference 2022 in Park Hills, Missouri on 9/9/2022. He presents a Last Days 12-Stage Timeline of Prophecies that could occur between Now and Eternity which he has written about in his 5-book series, the NOW, NEXT, LAST, FINAL and MILLENNIUM Prophecies. He focuses this presentation on the Pre-Tribulation prophecies; prophecies that could find fulfillment before the Rapture. The Wars Leading to Armageddon Join Bill Salus and Mondo Gonzales on this Prophecy Watchers TV show as they explore some of the unfulfilled biblical wars. The Road to Armageddon: The Pre-Tribulational Prophecies Trailer ...This is the official trailer for a new 4-disc DVD from Prophecy Watchers TV that features Bill Salus and Mondo Gonzales. Emergence of the Exceedingly Great Israeli Army in Bible Prophecy ...In this 5-minute video, Bill Salus and Tom Hughes explore how the Israeli Defense Forces exist in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. This video is an excerpt from the Pre-Tribulation Prophecies DVD. The Terrorization of Egypt by the Israeli Defense Forces in Isaiah 19:16-18 ...In this short 4-minute video, Bill Salus and Tom Hughes discuss the future prophecies about Egypt in Isaiah 19:1-18. Egypt's peace pact with Israel ends when Isaiah's prophecies begin. This video is an excerpt from the Pre-Tribulation Prophecies DVD. Does Psalm 83 Describe Israels War BEFORE Gog & Magog? ...On today's Watchman Newscast, host Erick Stakelbeck is joined by author Bill Salus of Prophecy Depot Ministries to break down the Bibles mysterious Psalm 83 passage and whether it describes a future war between Israel and its enemies, led by Iran and its proxies. Some say this passage was already fulfilled in 1967 or 1948. However, Salus believes these events have yet to take place and will transpire before the war of Gog and Magog. Could Psalm 83 set the stage for Gog/Magog showdown as described in the Book of Ezekiel? Future Prophecies Revealed | Tom Hughes and Bill Salus ...For the last 10 years Bible prophecy experts, Bill Salus and Pastor Tom Hughes have opened Gods Word and discovered a series of little-known future prophecies that have escaped the notice of most Christians. This TV show explores some of them. The Spiritual Survival Kit for Those Left Behind ...If the Rapture happened today, would you or someone you love, be left behind to face the travails of the Seven-Year Tribulation Period? This treacherous period is when God pours out His wrath through a series of twenty-one judgments on Christ-rejecting humanity. Its undoubtedly the worst time to be alive in the history of the planet and the signs of the times point out that this time draws frightfully near! PREPARE YOUR LOVED ONES WITH THE SPIRITUAL SURVIVAL KIT FOR THOSE LEFT BEHIND. Disaster in Iran: Iran has Double Trouble in the End Times Pastor Tom Hughes and Bill Salus explain the Jeremiah 49:34-39 prophecy of Elam. It seems ready to happen and it appears to be a nuclear disaster by the Persian Gulf. (This is an excerpt from their Pre-Tribulation Prophecies DVD). The Destruction of Damascus is a Pre-Tribulational Bible Prophecy Bill Salus and Tom Hughes explain the Isaiah 17 prophecy about the destruction of Damascus. This is an excerpt from their Pre-Tribulation Prophecies 2-Disc DVD. NEW 3-DISC DVD - EZEKIEL 38: WHEN GOD DEFENDS ISRAEL FOX News Top 5 Headlines Loading... Will Ancient Prophecies be Fulfilled in Our Lifetime? On this Prophecy Watchers show, Bill Salus and Mondo Gonzales reveal some ancient biblical prophecies that could happen in this generation. Iran's Double Trouble in the End Times In this interview with Kurt Hudspeth and co-host Dr. Larry Miller of the God Family and Radio Show, Bill gives his insight, based on years of study, into the future biblical battles that are now stage setting. These end times epic events will have a global impact and our world will be shaken. Bill sees Prophecy as a witnessing tool that authenticates the sovereignty of God, Who told us the end from the beginning and wants to inform us because He loves us. Bill hopes that as Christians learn about these things in the Word of God that they will evangelize to the lost. RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE: What Are The Prophetic Implications For Israel? ... Tom Hughes and Bill Salus give a timely update on Ukraine, Russia, USA and Israel in prophecy. Newsmax - Newsfront Top 5 Headlines Loading... WND (World Net Daily) Top 5 Headlines Loading... The Coming Ezekiel 38 Invasion TV Show ...Bill Salus explains why Ezekiel 38 is the marquee event of the end times. What Happens in the Aftermath of Ezekiel 38 and 39? In this Prophecy Watchers TV show Bill Salus and Mondo Gonzales explore the important details about what happens in the aftermath of the Lord's supernatural defeat of Russia, Turkey, Iran and their hordes in Ezekiel 38 and 39. The MIDEAST WAR is COMMING! Tom Hughes and Bill Salus start with a Mideast update. Then Bill addresses Daniel 11:37, (will the Antichrist be a homosexual)? Also explored is whether or not the 144,000 Jewish evangelist are virgins as per Revelation 14:4. Several other prophetic topics are discussed. Click Banner Below to Visit our Ministry Website The Global Government in the Millennium - Christ Rules with a Rod of Iron In this short video Bill Salus teaches about the global government in the MILLENNIUM. This message explains how and why Jesus Christ rules with a rod of iron. Discover the Jewish and Gentile branches of government during this 1000 year Messianic Age. Psalm 83: Is it an unfulfilled prophecy? In this 8-minute video below, Bill Salus responds to his critics about the Psalm 83 prophetic war Subscribe to our YouTube Channel The Destruction and Restoration of Planet Earth ...This short 2 1/2 minute video is taken from the Bill Salus DVD entitled, The MILLENNIUM Prophecies and the NEW JERUSALEM. At the end of the Seven-Year Tribulation Period the present planet will be destroyed, but the good news is that Jesus Christ will restore the earth to its former glories for the MILLENNIUM. ...In this short video, Bill Salus peers into the prophetic future and shares what he foresees coming in the Middle East. The stage is clearly set for, not one, but several last days biblical wars to happen. These epic foretold events could turn 2022 into an apocalyptic year. This video excerpt was taken from the timely Prophecy Watchers TV show entitled, Prophecy Update: Israel's Nuclear Showdown with Iran. This Prophecy Watchers show can be seen below. Prophecy Update: Israel's Nuclear Showdown with Iran Join Mondo Gonzales and Bill Salus as they discuss and analyze the momentous events that are happening in Israel currently. The Nuclear talks in Vienna are going nowhere. Israel passed a $1.5 billion dollar legislative packet in October authorizing the training and preparation for a direct attack on Iran's nuclear sites. Iran's brigadier general openly acknowledges recently their desire to wipe Israel off the map. This isn't just the typical saber-rattling. There are new red lines that are being crossed and Israel is now being forced to take decisive action as Iran poses an existential threat. Watch The MILLENNIUM Prophecies and the NEW JERUSALEM trailer Buy the MILLENNIUM Prophecies and the NEW JERUSALEM book and DVD in a bundle Buy the Entire Bill Salus End Times Commentary Series The Eternal Order and The New Jerusalem On this Prophecy Watchers TV show, Bill Salus explains the highlights of the Millennium and the Eternal Order that follows. He also covers the events in the Aftermath Age, which is a time period between the Millennium and Eternal Order. Bill Salus and Tom Hughes are together again. This timely video explores several Pre-Tribulation Prophecies. This show ends with a live Q and A. The MILLENNIUM Prophecies: the 75-Day Interval ...On this Prophecy Watchers TV show Bill Salus explains what happens in the 75-Day Interval that sets up the Millennial Kingdom. The 3 Jerusalems (Bill Salus article) The Pre-Tribulation Prophecies Trailer Order the Pre-Tribulation Prophecies The Top 20 Pre-Tribulation Prophecies Bill Salus & Tom Hughes Reveal The Pre-Tribulation Prophecies WATCH THIS RECENT PROPHECY WATCHER TV SHOW... Salus and Marzulli discuss groundbreaking Bible prophecies ... This video received over 150,000 views, but was recently censored. So we have reposted it. Watch it before it gets removed again. Mideast Update: The 3 Hamas Prophecies (11:25 minute video) Did you know that the Hamas and Palestinians appear to be identified in Bible prophecy? In this Mideast Update, Bill Salus discusses the current Hamas vs. Israeli conflict and reveals the 3 prophecies that appear to allude to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza. Vintage Video: The Post-Rapture Pre-Tribulation Gap Period ...Bill Salus explains the gap of unspecified time between the Rapture and the Seven-Year Tribulation Period....We are building our YouTube channel by posting NEW and OLD videos into a library for our viewers. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE by clicking the YouTube button at the bottom right of this video. It will take you to our channel and then click on the SUBSCRIBE BUTTON. 2021 Update: Why America Will Fall From Superpower Status (Part 1) ...In this 24-minute video Bill Salus points out that America is morally and spiritually bankrupt. He identifies when the USA said "GOODBYE GOD," and how that provoked GOD to abandon America. Why America will Fall from Superpower Status (Part 2) ...In this video, Bill Salus provides a summary of the Ezekiel 38 prophecy. Bill also presents the biblical, historical, archaeological, geographical and geo-political arguments that America is a cowardly young lion of Tarshish in Ezekiel 38:13. This means that America is a sideline protestor during the end times Magog Invasion into Israel. As such, America is pictured in a less than super-power status. Bill presents the possible scenarios that could cause America to decline between now and the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38. The FINAL Prophecies Book & DVD are Now Available Watch The FINAL Prophecies TV Show Goodbye Birth Pangs Hello Tribulation Nuclear Showdown In Iran ...Buy this book and DVD at prophecydepot.com The LAST Prophecies on Prophecy Watchers TV Bill Salus has another information packed visit with Gary Stearman of Prophecy Watchers. They highlighted some key content of Bills new book, The LAST Prophecies. What is meant by the Final/Terminal Generation? What is the end times timeline? What starts the 7-year Tribulation and what is its purpose? They also discussed that there will be a final worldwide revival amidst the judgments of the Trib-Period and also pondered, what are the end time technologies that the ancient apostles and prophets tried to describe? The LAST Prophecies Book Trailer Now Available: Order a copy of The LAST Prophecies Book for $16.95 Is AMERICA in EZEKIEL 38? The Catholic Church in the Tribulation ... Bill Salus explains the future of the Catholic Church in Bible prophecy. Revealing the Mystery of End Times Babylon Dr. David Reagan and Nathan Jones interview Bill Salus on Christ in Prophecy TV. The topic that is discussed is the true identity of the GREAT CITY called Mystery, Babylon. Is it New York City, Jerusalem, Mecca, Rebuilt Babylon, Iraq, or is it Rome, the city that sits on seven-hills? Watch this TV show to hear the arguments that strongly suggest that the Harlot world religion is the Catholic Church and that the GREAT CITY that it's headquartered in is ROME! BILL SALUS EXPLAINS WHY PSALM 83 IS A NOW PROPHECY ON PROPHECY WATCHERS TV ... Many prophecy buffs believe that Ezekiel 38 is the prophecy that could happen Now, but Bill Salus explains why that is not likely. He says Psalm 83 is a Now Prophecy, but certain preconditions exist today that suggest Ezekiel 38 is a Next Prophecy. The court order was secured by lawyers for the business man after a previous suit which compelled the Al-Hajj news paper and two others including the New Statesman newspaper to publicly apologize to Mr. Okyere for what the court deemed libelous publications against him. The company cites The New Statesman, The Al-Hajj, Herald and The Republic newspapers as having published falsehoods that has not only tarnished its image but also impugned the integrity of its Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Okyere. A statement signed by the company's Head of Human Resource and Public Affairs, George Ayebah in October 2015, said 'we view with great concern rumours emanating from the segment of the social, print and electronic media that our company is one of those involved in unwholesome activities in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.' Touching on the company's track-record, which they said is unblemished, it said, 'For nearly a decade, we have worked with reputable companies such as Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) within the Gulf of Guinea and internationally, BP, Total, Chevron, Glencore etc. In all these dealings, we have abided by all industry regulations and successfully met all our financial obligations to these partners.' The CEO of the company, Kevin Okyere, the statement explained 'continues to enjoy his reputation as one of the youngest CEOs in the industry around the world. We state categorically that these published rumours are false, baseless and calculated to do untold harm to our business interests and undermine our hard-won reputation. Mr Okyere and Springfield Energy, in their suit described the publication as defamatory of them, demanded costs, as well as an injunction restraining the defendants, "their agents or servants from further publishing or causing to be published any such defamatory or similar defamatory words of the plaintiffs". He made the declaration at Osu Alata Wednesday morning to his teeming supporters who have been mounting pressure on him to go independent since he lost the primary to Mr Philip Addison. His main contender and a member of the NPP legal team, Philip Addison managed to get the results annulled by an Accra High Court. Addison polled 396 out of the 765 votes cast to beat Nii Noi Nortey, who polled 367 votes. His unhappy supporters impressed on him to contest as an independent candidate even though the national leadership pledged to calm tensions there and present a united front for this years parliamentary elections. See related: Tawiah pulls out of NPP Klottey Korle primary Mr. Olufolarin Ogunsanwo, The Executive Chairman of LIRS, shared this information Tuesday March 8 at a press conference held at Lagos Press Centre, Ikeja. With him was the House Committee Chairman on Finance, Lagos State House of Assembly, Honorable Oluyinka Ogundimu, Lagos State Commissioners for Finance, Mr. Mustapha Akinkunmi, Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde and the Attorney General of the Lagos State, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem. According to Ogunsanwo, LIRS has always been at the forefront of reformist activities geared at improving the process of conducting business in Lagos State and Nigeria by extension; spearheading many initiatives to support Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to fulfill his electoral promises to Lagosians. One of such initiatives is the introduction of a new two-page tax form to replace the former six-page form. The form will be used for both direct and self-assessments. Ogunsanwo said that the new form and its guide notes will be translated into Pidgin English as well Yoruba language to facilitate a wider reach The chairman also noted that physical filing of Annual Returns is already being complemented with non-line submission of Annual Returns to ease tax payers compliance. According to him, another initiative by LIRS is the introduction of customer-care desks in all 38 Tax Stations so as to promptly address any issues tax-payers may have. He said that the customer care desks initiative will be complemented by the launch of LIRS Hotline that is to provide round the clock customer-call service in English, Yoruba and Pidgin English. The chairman emphasized that tax payment should be convenient and thus the agency is taking advantage of technology to offer multi-modal payment options that include, but not limited to PoS, mPay, online channels etc. without sacrificing the traditional payment portal at the bank. Ogunsanwo further pointed out that LIRS has concluded arrangements that ensure a maximum response time of 72 hours to all electronic tax clearance certificate (e-TCC) requisitions. Failure to comply should be reported to any of customer care-desks. The chairman also said that the exasperating and time consuming process for replacing lost e-TCC that includes producing documents like police report, sworn affidavit etc. is to be scrapped and replaced with presentation of only LASRRA Card while a reduction in replacement fees N2,500 to N1,000 will be effected. The chairman specifically said that the agency has started an overhaul process in the informal sector operations with the aim to ease voluntary compliance by tax payers in this huge sector. The sector has been categorized into three; Market Men/Women and Artisans, Micro, Small & Medium Scale Enterprises (including Professionals) and Household Domestic Staff (HDS). As regards the decline in revenue from the centre following the fall in the price of crude oil, Ogunsanwo revealed that the agency is set to focus on other revenue sources like Consumption Tax from Hotel Occupancy, Withholding Tax on Contracts, Rent, Royalties and other areas to shore up the Revenue in the State. Also speaking at the event, the Attorney General and commissioner for Justice in the state, Mr. Niji Kazeem said the Ambode administration has put necessary measures in place to end tax evasion and avoidance in Lagos State. He also added that tax defaulters and evaders will be aggressively pursued in accordance with the provisions of the law. The Commissioner disclosed that the Ministry of Justice has established a Rapid Tax Prosecution Unit to aid LIRS in its quest to collect taxes, adding that the unit will work closely with Revenue Courts, which the Chief Judge of Lagos State recently agreed to set up. The Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Mustapha Akinkunmi said that in the light of the reduction of federal transfers to states, the state government is looking inwards to secure sustainable ways of increasing its revenue and filling the holes in the system. He had predicted that South African President, Jacob Zuma will visit Nigeria to solicit on behalf of the company in a matter that has had the attention of everyone interested in economy and corporate finance. In his Instagram post, he said, "I told someone who is a renowned lawyer and seasoned commentator on national affairs that if Mandela were alive, MTN and South African government would have sent him to talk to the Nigerian government, all in the bid to not pay the fine," "He said everything is a joke to you. But I was serious. That in the present situation, he should watch and see, that President Jacob Zuma would be heading to Nigeria shortly to negotiate the penalty," "One of the people at the gathering, a former minister told me to go and sit down. I don't know how it came to betting, but one of them said if Zuma comes to Nigeria because of the MTN issue, he will give me two million." Fortunately for him, his prediction became a reality as Zuma is now in talks with President Muhammadu Buhari concerning the penalty. A fine of $5.2 million was imposed on the company by the Nigerian Communication Commission, before it was cut down to $3.4 billion. On the South African President's visit, Buhari revealed that MTN's failure to register all its customers' Sim Cards has led to the loss of 10,000 lives, as it was being used by some terrorists to perpetrate evil. It is from this encounter that the comedian has earned his jackpot. In a long post on her website, the reality star expressed how she feels about herself, her body and others who cant accept her choices. "I wanted to write a post elaborating on my tweets last night. In all seriousness, I never understand why people get so bothered by what other people choose to do with their lives. I dont do drugs, I hardly drink, Ive never committed a crime, and yet Im a bad role model for being proud of my body? she notes. She then confronts her sex tape with ex-boyfriend Ray J. "It always seems to come back around to my sex tape That was made 13 years ago And people still want to talk about it?!" Kardashian acknowledges, "I lived through the embarrassment and fear," adding, "Lets move on, already. I have." "I am empowered by my body. I am empowered by my sexuality. I am empowered by feeling comfortable in my skin. I am empowered by showing the world my flaws and not being afraid of what anyone is going to say about me. She expresses the "hope that through this platform I have been given, I can encourage the same empowerment for girls and women all over the world. "Kanye West is so accepting and supportive and has given me a newfound confidence in myself. He allows me to be me and loves me unconditionally." Furthermore, Kardashian shares, "I feel so lucky to have grown up surrounded by strong, driven, independent women. The life lessons Ive learned from my sisters, my mother and my grandmother, I will pass along to my daughter. I want her to be proud of who she is. I want her to be comfortable in her body. READ MORE:5 most powerful Black female celebs in Hollywood The Life House is an art, culture and lifestyle concept that offers an alternative social experience for residents in Lagos. Woman Rising is an integral arts development and performance event at the core of The Life Houses womens development vision and was designed to further buttress the mission of community development and capacity building through music and musicianship. In the 6th edition, Woman Rising is delighted to retain the tradition creatively fusing music, spoken word, theatre and pure unadulterated connection with the best of art and womanhood which is all very needed in these hard times. Everyone present at the event can expect to have an exciting time and an opportunity to celebrate the arts through the works of amazing women while networking and getting acquainted with women from all walks of life! To be hosted by AMVCA TrailBlazer Award Winner, Lala Akindoju, this year's edition will feature an extra special all-female line up of performers such asAramide, Simi, Ranti and Ruby, South African baritone Saxophonist Tamar, classical jazz Pianist Rolake, violinist Jennifer and so much more. It is my desire and resolute mission for Woman Rising 2016 to use the female voice and essence to deliver a resounding message of hope, fortitude, creativity and comradery.. Ugoma Adegoke, Director and Founder of the Woman Rising series, Date: Saturday 19th - Sunday, 20th, March 2016. It was also learnt that Mabun who is the eldest of his father's children, has many siblings as his father had three wives before he died. According to the report, during the negotiations, Komolafe got Mabun to agree that he would evacuate his late fathers corpse to enable him to take possession and he would be paid another undisclosed amount for the evacuation. Trouble however, started after Mabun secretly evacuated their fathers corpse from the tomb and carried it to their home town and buried it without telling anyone. He also stayed back in the village where he married a new wife and when other members of the family realized what Mabun had done, the resisted it and asked Komolafe to collect his money back from Mabun. When the pressure was too much on him, Komolafe went to the police and reported what happened and the police trailed Mabun to his home town and arrested him and was brought back to Lagos to face prosecution. When the police asked him to refund the money, he said he had spent it by building a shop in their village and marrying another wife. He was charged to court with obtaining under false pretence and stealing. When the charges were read to him, Mabun pleaded not guilty and the presiding Magistrate, Mrs A. K. Shonubi, granted him bail in the sum of N200,000 with one surety in like sum but ordered he be remanded in custody at the Kirikiri Prison pending when he will perfect his bail condition. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Burkhalter said part of the agreement was that the funds will be used to implement projects that will benefit Nigerians. He said It is $321m that we are looking at repatriating to Nigeria and the modalities are basically legal framework for that, mutual legal assistance framework that we are trying to put in place and there are pre-conditions that are also in place already and this requires monitoring mechanism. So, we have to agree beforehand as a pre-condition on what the money would be used for and the World Bank would be part of the monitoring process to ensure that the money is used for the benefit of Nigerian people. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffery Onyeama also revealed that the mode of repatriation is still being worked on. Yusuf told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday that the law which had existed for a long time had been neglected by governments over the years, thereby leading to encroachment. He stated that there was the need to clearly demarcate the areas reserved for grazing so as to avoid the crises which was assuming dangerous dimensions. He said the major cause of the conflicts was that farmers, over time, encroached on the grazing routes, thereby making it difficult for herdsmen to move their cattle around freely. "We must re-visit the law that created those routes and find out how people encroached on the land to hinder the movement of cattle from one place to another. "It is a disturbing event and it has been with us for a long time and it has gotten to this point because we have not done anything serious to tackle the problem. "The issue is that there are specified legal cattle routes in this country and as time went by, the legal routes became fertile and farmers started encroaching and when people begin to encroach, it will result into conflicts. "The Agatu killings in Benue, for instance, were unfortunate; this issue brewed over time and our leaders did not see it coming, he said. The lawmaker called on relevant authorities to dialogue with the herdsmen and farmers to sheath their swords pending the demarcation of the routes and grazing reserves. On calls by some Nigerians for herdsmen to be resettled to prevent them from wandering and destroying farmlands, Yusuf said that resettling them may create more problems than envisaged. "Yes we need to look at how to restrict their movement by building ranches for them, but let us not forget that this thing is cultural; it is very difficult to change culture overnight. "If we talk about creating ranches, is it by law and if they are eventually created, who owns them, because people may begin to say land has been allocated to Fulani herdsmen. "And, even if we succeed in creating these ranches, we may end up having political herdsmen who will allocate the land to themselves. He expressed concern that some of the herdsmen who caused havoc in communities across the country were not Fulani. Mrs Buhari, who was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, presented the items to Al-Ummal Orphanage, Mother Theresa Childrens Home and Hope for Survival Orphanage. She also presented food items to IDPs in Wassa IDPs camp in FCT. The foods donated are bags of rice, cartons of biscuits, vegetable oil, palm oil, cartons of milk, and cartons of sugar among others. She said the gesture would suupport the management of orphanages and IDPs to cater for their needs. "We have the passion to remember those who are in need in a day like this. We are urging other Nigerians to have the spirit of carrying others along. Mrs Buhari said that similar gesture would be extended to other homes in future as there were many orphanages across the country. She said the children from orphanages could be future leaders of this country. She commended the founders of the homes for giving parental care to the children to make them better citizens. The founders of the homes thanked Mrs Buhari for the gesture, adding that she was a true mother of the nation that had the will to carry everybody along. However, the children also thanked the presidents wife for the gift, saying that God would bless her as she gave them a sense of belonging. Those on the entourage are the wives of governors of Zamfara, Kebbi, Kogi and the former Deputy Governor of Plateau, Pauline Tallen. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the day is celebrated on March 8 every year. The Womens Day was first observed on February 28, 1909 in New York; organised by the Socialist Party of America in remembrance of the 1908 strike of the international ladies Garment Workers Union. Jiba told journalists in Abuja that the chairmen of the six area councils and the FCT administration are doing everything possible to ensure that the three months salaries they are yet to receive is paid. Jiba who is also the National President of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), said the union must be patient with government of the FCT and the council chairman urging them to return to work. Jiba who sympathized with the workers at the area council level, promised to lobby the national Assembly to ensure that the issue surrounding the vehement is quickly settled. He said they are working on a bailout fund to be release from the FCT administration. The Chief of Training and Operations of the Nigerian Army, Major General Yushau Mahmood Abubakar, died in an auto accident along Maiduguri-Damaturu. Also with him, was the acting General Officer Commanding 3 Division, Brigadier General MSA Aliyu, who sustained injuries. A statement by the Army, obtained from their Twitter timeline said The Nigerian Army wishes to inform the public of the involvement of its Chief of Training and Operations (Army), Maj Gen YM Abubakar and the Acting GOC 3 Division Nigerian Army, Brigadier General MSA Aliyu in a road traffic accident along Maiduguri-Damaturu road. Sadly, we lost Maj Gen YM Abubakar as a result of the incident while Brig Gen Aliyu sustained some injuries & is receiving treatment, the statement said. He extended the apology to former president Goodluck Jonathan, and Igbo elders for some uncomplimentary things he said about them. He stated this in a statement which he made to the Department of State Service (DSS) on October 23. Reference to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a terrorist, evil and a paedophile is regrettable and uncalled for and for that, I unreservedly apologise and will be doing so in a private letter to the President," Kanu, 48, said. Before PMB (President Muhammadu Buhari) there was the administration of Goodluck Jonathan. I also said uncomplimentary things about him and Igbo elders as well, which I now recognise should not have happened because it is un-African to be rude or insolent to elders. All I was trying to do is to draw attention to the problems afflicting society and something done about them. Kanu who confirmed founding the Indigenous People of Biafra, however reiterated his commitment and intention to actualise Biafra, stating that agenda is line with the United Nations Charter on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ratified by African countries, including Nigeria. The Senate Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye called the attention of other senators to the unbundling in a point of Order on the floor of Senate today, March 9. He said it is illegal to split the nations agency in charge of the oil and gas sector into seven independent units without consulting the National Assembly to revoke the enabling law that set up the organisation. Adeyeye is expected to formally present a motion at the plenary session tomorrow, where the issue would be debated extensively. Following the announcement of the split yesterday, March 8, workers of the NNPC shut down operations nationwide today, which resulted to fuel scarcity and long queues at filling stations across the country. The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, has however assured that he would meet with the striking workers and resolve the issues without further delay. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) said they decided to shut down operations because they were not carried along in the unbundling process. Yunusa was today, March 8, on a five-count charge bordering on abduction, coercion, seduction into illicit intercourse, sexual exploitation and unlawful carnal knowledge of Ese. The charges brought against Yunusa are: 1. "That you Yunusa Dahiru m of Opolo-Epie with Dankano Mohammed m, Mallam Alhassan m presently at large between the months of August 2015 and February 2016 at Opolo-Epie Yenagoa in the Yenagoa Judicial Division of the Federal High Court did conspire among yourselves to commit an offence to wit: Abduction and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 27 (a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015." 2. "That you Yunusa Dahiru m of Opolo-Epie between the months of August 2015 and February 2016 at Opolo-Epie Yenagoa in the Yenagoa Judicial Division of the Federal High Court abducted one Rita Ese Oruru f aged 14 years by means of coercion, transported and harboured her in Kano State and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 13 (2) (b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015." 3. "That you Yunusa Dahiru m of Opolo-Epie between the months of August 2015 and February 2016 at Opolo-Epie Yenagoa in the Yenagoa Judicial Division of the Federal High Court induced one Rita Ese Oruru f aged 14 years by the use of deception and coercion to go with you from Yenagoa to Kano State with the intent that she be forced or seduced into illicit intercourse and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 15 (a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015." 4. That you Yunusa Dahiru m of Opolo-Epie between the months of August 2015 and February 2016 at Opolo-Epie Yenagoa in the Yenagoa Judicial Division of the Federal High Court procured one Rita Ese Oruru f aged 14 years and subjected her into sexual exploitation in Kano State and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 16 (1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015." 5. "That you Yunusa Dahiru m of Opolo-Epie between the months of August 2015 and February 2016 at Opolo-Epie Yenagoa in the Yenagoa Judicial Division of the Federal High Court had unlawful carnal knowledge of one Rita Ese Oruru f aged 14 years without her consent and thereby committed and offense contrary to Section 357 of the Criminal Code Act and punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C. 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004." An excerpt of the counts, obtained from Premium Times, read: That you Yunusa Dahiru m of Opolo-Epie with Dankano Mohammed m, Mallam Alhassan m presently at large between the months of August 2015 and February 2016 at Opolo-Epie Yenagoa in the Yenagoa Judicial Division of the Federal High Court did conspire among yourselves to commit an offence to wit: Abduction and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 27 (a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015. You will recall that Yunusa allegedly abducted Ese from Bayelsa state and took her to Kano state, where he reportedly converted her to Islam by force and married her. Though the accused father said no marriage took place between his son and the teenager, tests carried out by the police, has revealed that she is 5 months pregnant. He also said Eses mother was aware that he was in a relationship with her daughter. He also confirmed that Eses father did not know anything about his relationship with the teenager. The accused also agreed that he impregnated her, but that he was not aware she was pregnant until the police test revealed it. You will recall that Ese refused to return home, without her supposed lover,despite pleas from government officials. The teenager also said she came to Kano by herself, adding that nobody abducted her. The teenager was allegedly abducted sometime in 2015 by Yunusa and was taken to Kano, where she was reportedly forced to convert to Islam. Yunusas father also revealed during an interview, that Ese has since been freed and is united with her family. Nigerias rampaging Fulani herdsmen have been named as the fourth deadliest terror group in the world by the Global Terrorism Index (GTI). According to the report, the herdsmen are believed to have killed at least 1,229 people in Nigeria in 2014, making the country the third most terrorized nation in the world. The atrocities of the Fulani herdsmen are largely connected with fights for grazing land which see them killing local farmers and private citizens mostly in Nigerias middle belt. Benue State has recorded most of the violence with a particularly deadly attack occurring in the Agatu Local Government area of the state in February 2016. The herdsmen are reported to have left about 300 people dead, and also burnt down several villages including Okokolo, Akwu, Ocholonya, Adagbo, Ugboku and Aila, during the invasion. What we see happening in Agatu today can be likened to happenings in the North-East and we call for urgent action by the Federal Government, Opiatoha KIdoma, a group made up of Idomas, Benues predominant tribe, said comparing the massacre to the Boko Haram insurgency. The Idoma nation is helpless. Over 300 Agatu people have been killed and others maimed in one week without concerted effort by the state government to abate the attack, killings and destruction, the group added in a statement. The GTI also warned that the Fulani herdsmen have been linked to Boko Haram adding that the former groups attacks now pose a serious threat to stability. The report said: There has been an ongoing conflict over access and control of land between the semi-nomadic Fulani herdsmen and farmers in north-eastern Nigeria. There have been reports of a link between Boko Haram and Fulani militants, particularly in regards to smuggling and organised crime. The threat posed by the herdsmen became more evident with the abduction of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Olu Falaeon September 21, 2015. Falae was abducted by the herdsmen after having a running battle with them apparently over their activities on his farm in Akure, Ondo State. Baba Falae has been having a running battle with the herdsmen and this morning, we learnt that he visited the farm and he was allegedly attacked by these herdsmen, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state, Wole Ogodo said confirming the incident. Falae eventually regained his freedom on September 24 after his family paid a ransom but days later, his corn farm was destroyed by Fulani herdsmen In confirming an apparent link between the herdsmen and Boko Haram, Falae said: When I told the kidnappers that my family could raise N2m for ransom against the N100m they demanded, they rejected it and told me, Is it Boko Haram you are giving N2m to? The former SGFs abduction led the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) to issue a communique banning the activities of the herdsmen in the South-West. According to the YCE, the ban was decided upon after an extensive and inclusive debate on the threat to our survival, especially after the unprovoked, unwarranted, mindless and serial attacks on the economic rights of our people by the Fulani cattle rearers which has led to loss of precious lives, rape and criminal abduction of our people. The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have also warned all Fulani herdsmen to leave Igboland because their safety can no longer be guaranteed. We can no longer tolerate the systematic killing of our people and invasion of our land in the name of cattle grazing, the group said via a statement. Former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of shielding the herdsmen from justice. These herdsmen have become the pests of our nation. They are like the east African tsetse fly: wherever they go they suck the life blood out of their hosts and, like the locust, they destroy everything in their path, Fani-Kayode said. We recall how, after a violent clash between them and some Yoruba farmers in Oyo State in 2000, General Buhari (as he then was) led a strong delegation of northern leaders to see the late Governor of Oyo state, Governor Lam Adeshina. On arrival Buhari put the following question to him: why are YOUR people killing MY people? he added. Buhari has said that the government plans to end the conflicts by mapping out grazing areas as a temporary solution until cattle owners are persuaded to adopt other means of rearing their herds. However, this plan makes it seem like the government is trying to appease the marauding herdsmen rather than address them as the menace that they have become. Buhari needs to take a firm stand against these murderous herdsmen, especially since it has been alleged that they are getting away with their crimes because they have one of their own in the Villa. The president cannot afford to send the message that a group of people can cause havoc in Nigeria and go unpunished especially since his administration seems to be especially hard on Biafra secessionists. Zareko was said to have died at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital on Monday, March 7 after a brief illness. The senator represented Jigawa state in the seventh National Assembly led by Senator David Mark. Governor Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa state on Tuesday, March 8, has expressed shock over the death of Zareko. In a statement signed by Alhaji Bello Zaki, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Badaru described the diseased as a gentleman and a fine lawmaker who had contributed on the development of the state. On behalf of myself and good people of Jigawa, I wish to express my condolence to his family and all members of his party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Badaru. According to PM News, the children were taken by the officers on Wednesday, March 9, in Satellite town area of the state, to draw out their father, Mustard Ramadan, who is allegedly a criminal. The police invaded Ramadan's residence to arrest him but he was nowhere to be found, hence they took his children away, believing that would compel him to show up to answer for a an alleged crime he committed. The accused has however petitioned the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, through his lawyer, Adeyemi Olatunji, asking for the release of his innocent children who are supposed to be in school. In the petition, Olatunji explained that the policemen from D9 in Panti stormed Ramadan's house in the early hours today at about 4.30am, waking up the neighbourhood, and women who were barely dressed. Our clients wife quickly placed a call to her husband who requested to speak with the policemen. Our client spoke to one of the policemen who refused to give his name but only demanded that our client produce himself at their office by 9am. Our client told him that from where he was he would not be able to get to Panti at 9am but that he would get there around 11am," the lawyer said. Our client who believed he had secured the understanding of officers was distraught when his wife told him the men left with the two children. The men did not leave any letter of invitation or any official document beyond the verbal message. Our client who is into the business of transportation and equipment leasing informed us that sometimes in late February 2016 a legal practitioner whom he only knows as Barrister Dele approached him to lease his caterpillar for a demolition job. Our client informed us that he told the lawyer that he would not release his equipment for such job unless there was guarantee that the job was legal and that there would be adequate security for his men and equipment. The lawyer assured him there was a court order and that there would be police security with court baliffs in attendance. True to his word, the next day the lawyer came in a bus with four armed mobile policemen and some court officials. It was only then that our client released his caterpillar with an operator to go and do the job somewhere in satellite town. According to our client, the operator told him that when they got to the site he could not do the demolition because the owner of the building came out to stop them and the lawyer agreed that they were going to negotiate. The operator left the scene with the catapillar and our client was paid.He said he was called again two weeks later to come and do demolition and he told them to fulfil the last condition which they met. When they got to the site there were people around so he could not carry out the demolition again, he was only able to tap a portion of the roof of the house before they all left the scene. To our clients surprise, somebody informed him that the lawyer had been arrested about a week ago and just two days ago his operator was also arrested. So, our client firmly beliefs the abduction of his children has to do with the demolition work," he stated. National President of the union, Comrade Kiri Mohammed who dropped the hint during the Special Delegates Conference of NCSU holding in Kaduna State, said such unaccounted sum could be used to pay workers salaries. Comrade Mohammed lamented that the excuses given for irregular payment of salaries of workers had always being a claimed that there was a cut in crude oil price, stressing that bailout funds released to States was however diverted. He advised that for Nigeria to survive the recent economic recession as a result of the cut in crude oil price, government at all level must identify other areas of revenue generations like agriculture, solid minerals as well as tourism development. Organised Labour has resolved not to allow workers salaries to be sacrificed on the altar of challenges of the economy which is not their making. We have maintained that the cost of governance be drastically cut down to free resources for development. "Hundreds of billions of naira filter away in the name of governance by public office holders, for instance the security vote which is an unaccountable drain on public resources is enough to pay workers salaries for several months". Comrade Kiri Mohammed who is also a deputy president of Nigeria Labour Congress, said it is unacceptable for state governors to maintain an official aircraft and helicopters which huge sumsof money are used for maintenance from the treasures. He further berated political office holders for their corrupt tendencies and it's overbloated contract sum, numerous political aids, adding that such action will ensure meaningful development in the country. The trio, who were arraigned before Justice Tsoho on January 20, 2016 for treason, are seeking transfer of the case to a new judge. As contained in the notice of appeal and motion of stay of proceedings filed by the defendants today, March 9, Kanu had last year told another Federal High Court judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, that he did not trust him to ensure justice in his trial. Kanu's statement forced Justice Mohammed to withdraw from the case and returned the case file to the courts Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta, who later reassigned the case to Tsoho. Kanu and two others were arraigned before Justice Tsoho on six counts of treasonable felony, unlawful possession of firearms and other offences bordering on their agitation for secession of the Republic of Biafra from Nigeria. Justice Tsoho, who on Monday, March 7, granted an oral application by the prosecution to allow the shielding of its witnesses from public glare in view of threat to their lives. In an initial ruling, he had rejected the prosecutions request to have its witnesses wear mask. But the judge made a U-turn on Monday allowed the the shielding of the prosecutions witness. Kanu's lawyer, Chuks Muoma (SAN), had argued against the decision, insisting on a prior demonstration of the witness shielding procedure before it could be applied. The defendants argued that the judge granted the prosecutions oral application without jurisdiction, and thereby occasioning a miscarriage of justice. That the court had manifested serious bias in the conduct of this trial, which is gravely impeding the defendants constitutional rights to fair hearing/trial, the notice of appeal filed by Kanu and others read in part. MASSOBs factional leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu, said the group has no such plan. Madu also said How can a non-violent and armless organization like IPOB and MASSOB invade a courtroom located on the 3rd floor of the Federal High Court surrounded by heavily armed combined team of Nigeria security agents and modern technological security gadgets. Adding that MASSOB and IPOB have no such intention, plan or agenda as we know that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and others committed no offence against Nigeria. The insistence of the Federal Government to hide the identity of their witnesses against Nnamdi Kanu and others is a sign of cowardice and unsteadiness. He said FG has shot itself on the leg. For a soft landing, MASSOB advises President Buhari to immediately reach the principal Igbo leaders and release Nnamdi Kanu to them. The continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu will bring more devastating diplomatic doom for Nigeria. Biafrans are ready for the trial." "We are going to have a meeting with them right now, Kachikwu told Reuters. I don't want the industry shut down - I am going now to resolve the issues very soon, he added. The minister also said that the changes are merely a "reorganization" of the company. This decision to embark on the action was reached on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, during a meeting of the Group Executive Councils of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN). According to the groups, they decided on the strike after extensively discussing the pronouncement and they observed that the GMD/HMSP totally disregarded due process and failed to engage stakeholders. Hence, from midnight today (Tuesday, March 8), all NNPC locations will be shut down completely until further notice. Further directives will be communicated accordingly, they said. PENGASSAN spokesperson, Emmanuel Ojugbana told Premium Times that the union was not carried along in the decision to split the company. The unbundling of NNPC was announced by Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu on Tuesday. The decision was reached today, March 9, 2016, by presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang. Abang also dismissed Metuhs application saying that it lacked merit. The judge however said that his ruling wasnt a guilty pronouncement, but only meant that Metuh had a case to answer. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has accused Metuh of money laundering to the tune of N400 million. The PDP spokesperson is said to have received the funds from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki. Dasuki is currently being investigated for supervising the looting of $2.1 billion in funds meant for the procurement of arms for Nigerias military. He was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) on December 1, 2015 and handed over to the EFCC the day after. The former NSA is reported to have implicated several prominent persons in the deal including former governors, ex-ministers and members of the PDP. The Acting National Chairman of the party, Mr Segun Oni, said this during a news conference at the party secretariat, alleging collusion in the killings on the part of the State Government. He said: The APC National Working Committee draws the attention of security agencies and other relevant bodies to the latest string of gruesome politically-motivated killings targeted at APC members. This is happening in Rivers State in the lead-up to the March 19 Rivers State re-run elections into the National Assembly and State House of Assembly. Rivers State has been transformed into a killing field, with APC members being murdered on a daily basis. APC members in Rivers state are fast becoming endangered species. Listing the murders, Oni said on March 5, masked gunmen shot Franklin Obi, the APC ward chairman in Omoku, headquarters of Ogab/Egbema/Ndoni council, beheading him alongside his wife and 18-year-old son, Bestman. He said four others were killed recently in Obibi, Etche local government area while one Gabriel Cookey was clubbed to death in Opobo, Opobo/Nkoro council. In the last two weeks, over 30 APC members have been killed in different parts of the state. On Monday, March 7, Ofinjite Amachree, an APC stalwart in Buguma, Asari-Toru local government area of Rivers State was beaten up and thereafter, set ablaze in continuation of the latest string of politically-motivated killings targeted at APC members in Rivers State, said the party. He said threats allegedly issued by Gov. Nyesom Wike include telling officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prepare their will before conducting elections, threatening civil servants in the state to both support and work for the PDP or face sack. He charged Wike to take responsibility for the killings as no life was worth sacrificing for political motives. The APC NWC calls on the Police and other security agencies to as a matter of urgency, rise up to stem the tide of politically-motivated killings and other forms of violence in Rivers State. The politically-motivated killings in Rivers State is a real emergency that should not be treated with kid gloves. The situation is distressing, tragic and a huge source of worry to the party. The APC NWC hereby calls on security agencies to be on high alert over the dangerous threats and actions by Gov. Wike and by extension the PDP in the lead-up to the Rivers re-run election. The APC will no longer fold its arms and watch our party members and supporters murdered daily in cold blood. This should stop, Oni said. Also reacting to questions on the killings of 18 PDP members in Ogoni land, the chairman said: It is sordid. The killing of anybody whether Nigerian or not on our soil is condemnable. If it is true, we extend our condolences to the families of the 18. It is not about where anybody belongs but the killing of anybody on our soil is a condemnable act. Dont let us justify any criminality on the altar of politics. We are holding him responsible because that is the job that the people of Rivers gave him. We hold him totally responsible without mincing words. On Agatu killings, he said: The situation is very unfortunate and regrettable. Why we have not addressed that is because it is not targeted at them because of their political affiliation. The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Gboyega Aribisogan disclosed this at a press conference today, March 8. "In the last four days, eight of our members had been visited by some men, who claimed to be officials of the DSS," Aribisogan said. "Our members were told that their names were among those to be arrested and they must 'cooperate' if they do not want their bank accounts frozen and be kept in DSS detention indefinitely,""We are here to inform the public through your various medium the open involvement of men of the Department of State Service (DSS) from Abuja in the plot to unseat our State Governor, Mr Peter Ayodele Fayose. "The last Friday invasion of the State House of Assembly by armed men of the DSS in which four of our members were abducted, has been established to be a prelude to the clandestine plot to coerce members of the House of Assembly to impeach Governor Fayose."As at today, even Hon Afolabi Akanni that we were able to confirm was with the DSS in Abuja is being held incommunicado. No one has been given access to him, not even his lawyers and doctors. We do not have any information as to the whereabouts of the other three."We are aware of the plot to arrest no fewer than 18 of our members with a view to forcing them to sign impeachment notice against Governor Fayose. "The plot is being hatched by the same elements who masterminded the impeachment of Governor Fayose in 2006, which was eventually declared illegal by the Supreme Court and they are boasting of support of the DSS and the Presidency. "In the last four days, eight of our member had been visited by some men, who claimed to be officials of the DSS. Our members were told that their names were among those to be arrested and they must cooperate if they do not want their bank accounts frozen and be kept in DSS detention indefinitely. "They went on to promise that proper arrangement had been made for the impeachment of the governor, with a sum of $1 million already earmarked for sharing among cooperating assembly members. "Also, our members were told that they will be provided with soft-landing in the APC if they cooperate. One of them revealed that they promised to make him the Speaker, and eventually the Acting Governor," he said. Adesina made the comment during a recent interview with Radio Continental, The Cable reports. I think Nigerians have always complained, and we should learn to stop complaining and believe more, he said. "If you have elected a government because you believe it can bring change, and you have not allowed them to isolate what the problems are, and articulate what the solutions would be, and you begin to have all these complaints, I think it is not natural. What government needs at a time like this, is cooperation and support. The president said this at an interview last week. He said things deteriorated over 16 years that PDP was in power, this is the ninth month of this government, and you want everything to have changed. It is not real. There must be realistic expectation, and realistic expectation will demand that people are patient, supportive, and encourage the government. This is a government that is working for the people. Rather than complaining, let us cooperate, support and encourage. The promised change will come. Dont forget that our president said it would take a minimum of 18 months to revive the economy. Nigerians dont listen to something like that, they want magic immediately. It doesnt happen that way. This change will come, but it would follow a process, and it would be enduring, Adesina added. Adesina had earlier said that things could get tough in the country for a while but that Buhari would be able to handle it. ------------------------------------------ The Senator said ISIL is the source and inspiration for terror groups worldwide and there is no alternative better than the Saudi initiative. The Saudi initiative provides opportunity for non aligned nations and nations bedeviled by terror and violent insurgency to tackle the scourge from its roots. He said A collective danger can only be addressed by a collective action. No nation of the world can individually contain or combat terror without an alliance in the pursuit of its total eradication. According to a statement released by the University, Peter, who graduated with a First Class Honours Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Technology was judged the overall best student of the graduation class with a cumulative GPA of 3.99. Odinaka was also honoured as the overall best student in the Female category. She graduated with a First Class Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a cumulative GPA of 3.90. Professor Clement Dzidonu, the President of the University observed that this is a major achievement given that, AIT has the toughest and the highest grading system within the university system in Ghana. "To get an A grade in a subject at AIT you must score above 90 and to get a First Class with a cumulative GPA close to the maximum 4.2, means that a student must consistently get A grades across the board, Professor Dzidonu noted. Shypmate works very simply. You only need to go to Shypmate.com and put in a link to the item you want to get. You can then pay for the item, along with the Shypmate delivery fee, and Shypmate will go ahead and place the order on your behalf. After the item is ordered Shypmate will update you throughout the process. Behind the scenes Shypmate's algorithm is able to match travelers with orders, using travel date and luggage space as key factors. Within 5 - 10 days from Shypmate or its traveler receiving the item from the merchant, youll have your item delivered to your address of choice. Though Shypmate guarantees 10 days delivery, the company says its average delivery takes only four days, from when they receive the item from the merchant. For those of us who cant be bothered with a website, you can just send an email to order@shypmate.com with links to the items you want and Shypmate will handle everything else for you. Pretty impressive, I must say. Shypmate differs from its competitors in that you can literally buy anything that has an online store in the U.S. As long as you have the link to the product you want, Shypmate can help you get it. The company plans on making it easier to discover things to buy through its platform and become a personal shopping assistant to help Nigerians find the things they need from the U.S. faster. Shypmate was founded by four friends (three Nigerians and one Ghanaian), each of them having personally experienced the problem of getting things from the U.S. to Nigeria and Ghana. With three of four having degrees in Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Maryland Baltimore County, the four decided that the problem was big enough that they were going to solve it. When I met Tochukwu Okoro (one of the founders) at the 2016 Social Media Week Lagos, one of the first questions that I asked him was how they handled the risk factor (sending stuff through strangers is very risky, no?). His response was that the company performed background checks, took down passport information and all information they can on their travelers. That way, they can track travelers and the goods to be delibered. Pretty neat. Check out this 'Einstein' in the making: Do you think Africa can produce Einsteins? Imagine having a thinker who combines the brilliance of Einstein and the compassion of Mandela? Of course we can! An Einstein Forum has been scheduled to hold March 8-10, 2016, in Dakar, Senegal, to discover geniuses in our midst. It is the first global science forum taking place on African soil, and its bringing together 700 scientists, mathematicians and technologists from 80 countries nearly half of them women and under the age of 42. The forum is the latest development toward Turoks 2008 TED Prize wish: that we celebrate an African Einstein in our lifetimes. The struggle is real for a handsome man in the workplace! According to research carried out in the US and UK, handsome men are often more seen as a threat by their bosses and thus, are less likely to score equally powerful positions. The study consisted of researchers at University College Londons School of Management and the University of Maryland in the US carrying out four diverse tests in four different offices, according to the Daily Mail. The research discovered that when men were hiring other men, their decision was negatively influenced by the pretty looks of the candidate and the type of job. Meanwhile, the opposite was the case with the women. "Managers are affected by stereotypes and make hiring decisions to serve their own self-interests so organizations may not get the most competent candidates" according to professor Sun Young Lee, head researcher at the University of Maryland. "With more companies involving employees in recruitment processes, this important point needs attention. Awareness that hiring is affected by potential work relationships and stereotyping tendencies can help organizations improve their selection processes." There is a semblance of normal life in the Libyan capital and glimpses of the unexpected - kite surfers zip across choppy waves and a group of amateur cyclists in matching kit pedal along a seafront highway. It is here that a unity government nominated abroad under a U.N.-backed plan is hoping to set up shop. But two months after the deal was signed with limited Libyan support, Reuters interviews with residents and officials, and a string of recent incidents, show that resistance from hardliners in both Tripoli and the east is still getting traction, shrinking the space for the plan to succeed. The hardliners in Tripoli present themselves as the true guardians of the uprising, protecting Libya against a counter-revolution and foreign meddling. Those in the east claim to be saving the country from Islamist extremism. Both speak for some of the armed factions that hold real power in Libya, and are scared of losing influence, protection and access to the country's rapidly dwindling financial resources in a political transition. In Tripoli's Martyrs' Square, where families stroll past dozens of men saying prayers at sunset, some support the unity government, saying they are fed up with violence, cash shortages and rising prices. "We've had enough," said Fardous Boukhatwa, whose family was displaced by fighting in Benghazi and was visiting Tripoli with three of her children. "There is only one solution - reconciliation and forgiveness." Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg Nevada is Donald Trump country. As the GOP presidential front-runner continues to build momentum, he casts a shadow across the down-ballot races across the U.S., including congressional races in Nevada. Trump was the favored pick of Nevada Republicans in the partys Feb. 23 caucus, winning with a 22-point margin. He has won an increasing number of states while moving closer to locking down the nomination. The anti-establishment candidate is seemingly immune from jeopardizing his political fortunes even after controversial comments about undocumented immigrants, women and other candidates. The unusual nature of the presidential race could impact Republican efforts to hold onto congressional seats already considered vulnerable to a loss, including Nevadas 4th Congressional District. Democrats hope to pick up the seat of U.S. Rep. Cresent Hardy, R-Nev. The freshman congressman was elected in 2014 in the red wave that propelled Republicans to power in both chambers of the Nevada statehouse. The 4th District encompasses Nye County, North Las Vegas and five rural counties. The seat is one of a handful across the nation that are considered open to a Republican loss, in part because of its Democratic voter registration edge, Hardys relatively narrow win, and the heavier turnout that comes with a presidential election year. Nearly 30 percent of the districts population is Hispanic, and Democrats say Trumps rhetoric, including calling undocumented immigrants rapists, will further mobilize those voters. For Democrats, its a no-brainer: Point out Trumps most controversial statements and try to tie him to GOP candidates in other races, such as U.S. Senate and House contests. Its a tactic they hope will alienate broad groups of the electorate from Republican candidates, including Latinos, women and minorities. For Republicans, its a delicate balance. Do they back Trump or reject him if he gets the nomination? A burning question: Will the anti-establishment fervor Trump has whipped up translate into heavier turnout in Nevadas congressional primaries and a rejection of traditional Republican candidates? If the candidates try to ignore Trump, Democrats will pounce, pointing out their silence on the question of endorsing the billionaire businessman. TRUMP BRAND The pool of Democratic candidates so far includes Lucy Flores, a former state assemblywoman; Ruben Kihuen, a state senator; philanthropist Susie Lee; and John Oceguera, a former Assembly speaker. The two-week filing period starts Monday. Trumps rise has shown that many voters are unhappy with the status quo on both sides of the political spectrum. But at this point, gauging the impact is difficult. The problem is, I dont have any data on what the Donald Trump effect is, said a Republican operative unaffiliated with any campaign. We have no idea what that would look like nationally or more specifically the 4th District. If Trump becomes the nominee, the Republican operative said, We will be trying to figure that out. Hardy has endorsed U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., in the presidential race. Hardy also has told National Journal he would support Trump if he becomes the GOP nominee. Ross Hemminger, Hardys campaign manager, said Hardy is focused on being a congressman representing his district and thats more important even than his re-election bid. Republicans say Trump has a brand that is separate from the GOP. His brand is so unique, the operative said. Donald Trump is Donald Trump. No one looks at Donald Trump and thinks hes a Republican. DEMS: TRUMP WOULD INCREASE TURNOUT Still, there are concerns, though they arent fatal flaws for congressional candidates. For example, if Trump says something offensive to women, it could be used by female Democratic candidates running against male GOP candidates. Dave Chase, campaign manager for Kihuen, noting Hardys willingness to support Trump if hes the nominee, said: He has to answer for how hes going to support someone so extreme. In a statement, Lee said: Cresent Hardy is right to be worried about Donald Trump becoming the GOP nominee. They have way too much in common for Hardy to be able to run away from Trump and I believe voters are smart enough to reject Trumps hateful rhetoric. Flores said Trump being on the ballot would increase turnout in a positive way because voters in a general election will reject him. I just dont see someone like Trump being successful with a general American electorate, Flores said. In terms of turnout, I would think that it would be a positive effect because you are going to have people turn out and reject that type of campaign and that type of person. Oceguera agreed. If Trump is the nominee on the Republican side, that will drive Democrats to the ballot box, so I think thats a good thing, Oceguera said, cautioning that its difficult for anyone to predict the exact impact of a Trump run in the general election. OTHER FACTORS IN PLAY Republicans both within and and outside of Hardys campaign say he has a path to victory for another two-year term. The last cycle, nobody gave him a chance and he prevailed, so theyre welcome to think and say whatever they want to on the other side, Hemminger said. The fact is, people in this district like him. The congressmans campaign stresses that Hardy is not a lifelong politician and is not an outsider to the district, having lived in the Mesquite area all his life. They also point to his accomplishments, which include working on the passed highway bill that included language for the planned Interstate 11 extension between Las Vegas and Reno and supporting protections to rangeland and natural resources in a way that also allows ranching. Trump aside, the congressional districts voter registration figures for Democrats and prior history make the seat winnable in the eyes of Democrats. Those are bigger factors than Trump. In 2014, Hardy beat Democratic incumbent Steven Horsford, winning with 48.5 percent to Horsfords 45.8 percent. Hardys margin was 3,622 votes. In 2012, 54 percent of voters in the district cast ballots for President Barack Obama when he ran for re-election. Democrats say that the margin they lost by in 2014 can be overcome, given the heavier voter turnout in a presidential election year and their partys 9-point edge in voter registration for the district. The district had 130,657 registered Democrats and 102,873 registered Republicans in February. Overall, 308,345 voters are in the district, with the remaining 74,815 voters being unaffiliated or belonging to a third party. With higher voter turnout in a presidential year, an accidental congressman like Cresent Hardy who constantly puts his foot in his mouth is going to struggle against any of our Democratic candidates this fall, said Stewart Boss, press secretary of the Nevada State Democratic Party. Democratic campaigns have been raising money, canvassing voters, making calls and preparing for the June 14 primary. The first ballots of the general election will be cast on Oct. 22, when early voting starts. It lasts through Nov. 4. Hardys campaign isnt expecting an easy battle leading up to the Nov. 8 general election. Hes running hard, Hemminger said. This article first appeared in the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Sunday. Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com. Find him on Twitter: @BenBotkin1. With their win, Pahrump Valley has clinched a playoff spot in the 3A southern regional tournament. The Trojans need just one more win or a tie by Equipo Academy to lock up the No. 1 seed in the Mountain League. A few months ago a drought article I wrote was illustrated with a photo at Lake Tahoe. It was of a boat tied up at the edge of the lake. By the time I snapped the photo the boat was sitting on dry rocks, the water having receded many yards below the boat. A few months ago a drought article I wrote was illustrated with a photo at Lake Tahoe. It was of a boat tied up at the edge of the lake. By the time I snapped the photo the boat was sitting on dry rocks, the water having receded many yards below the boat. I was reminded of that a couple of days ago when a friend gave me a copy of Time magazine issued almost three decades ago. The cover date is July 4, 1988 (which means it was issued on June 28 journalism ethics does not necessarily include posting an accurate release date on magazine covers). The cover story was The Big Dry an analysis of the LAST western drought, which went from the mid-1980s to the early 90s. It contained a photo of a Lake Tahoe boathouse with a dock leading to it, both on supports several yards above the drought-reduced water level. That same issue of Time contained an article headlined Is the Earth Warming Up? It was a report on NASA scientist James Hansens pioneering warning to Congress that the probability of a chance warming of that magnitude [being observed by science] is about one percent. Altogether the evidence that the earth is warming by an amount which is too large to be a chance fluctuation and the similarity of the warming to that expected from the greenhouse effect represents a very strong case. Time handled the story beautifully. It didnt leap beyond known information. It said the current drought might not necessarily be related. For reactions, it contacted not television weathercasters or urologists who styled themselves scientists but real climate scientists. (At least one of those who urged caution has since become convinced of the reality of human-caused climate change.) At the time, there was no climate change denial industry to cloud the issues, no fossil fuel billionaires funding denialist organizations, so the magazine was able to deal with the issue clean. Its no longer that way. Though it seems too cynical to be believed, there is more evidence all the time that big money is trying to keep human deterioration of the planet going in order to keep the money coming in. A few days ago a bankruptcy filing by Arch Coal of Missouri, one of the largest producers in the country, revealed it has been secretly subsidizing the denialist Energy &Environment Legal Institute. Its the second coal company shown recently to be funding denialism. Meanwhile, two members of Congress have called on the Justice Department to probe whether ExxonMobil has been withholding information on the risks of its products to the environment for 40-plus years, akin to the tobacco companies concealing the science on its products. The Justice Department referred the investigation to the FBI. The potency of denialist money is shown on the presidential campaign trail. The London Guardian reports that $107 million has been invested by fossil fuel barons in GOP presidential campaigns in the last year. About one in three dollars donated to Republican hopefuls from mega-rich individuals came from people who owe their fortunes to fossil fuels and who stand to lose the most in the fight against climate change, the newspaper reported. Ted Cruz, a fierce denialists, has been a particular beneficiary through his super political action committee, naturally. It should be noted here that there is no scientific debate going on about climate change outside well-funded special interest groups. Scientists go on with their work and smart businesses and agencies continue coping with it. The Pentagon, for instance, considers climate change a threat multiplier and has directed commanders to incorporate the problem into planning. For instance, seacoast military bases are planning for the rise of water levels. Nevertheless, the denial industry has given cover to a lot of mischief. Even Nevadas utility regulators and the legislators who directed them to reassess net metering fall into this category. As CNN columnist John Sutter wrote, World leaders finally get it. Thats why nearly 200 of them signed the Paris Agreement at the UN COP21 climate conference in December. It commits all of us to rapidly move away from fossil fuels and toward cleaner sources of energy like solar and wind. But apparently that collective will to wage a war on climate change hasnt trickled down to Nevada. Instead, the local utility and officials are injecting uncertainty and doubt into the solar market at exactly the moment when the opposite is needed. Dennis Myers is an award-winning journalist who has reported on Nevadas capital, government and politics for several decades. He has also served as Nevadas chief deputy secretary of state. When Martin Amos was announced as the eighth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport, it was two days after the diocese became the fourth in the United States to declare bankruptcy because of clergy abuse lawsuits. Amos moved to Davenport from Cleveland, Ohio, city of his birth and his home for six decades. Weeks before he moved, he sat with a reporter from the Quad-City Times and promised he would work to promote healing among abuse victims and also to restore financial health to the diocese. Ten years later, the diocese still is recovering from the bankruptcy, trying to meet the spiritual needs of nearly 100,000 Catholics in the 78-parish diocese that covers 22 counties in the southeast part of Iowa. Amos knew of the bankruptcy decision before he left Ohio. He accepted the decision with humility and concern for the survivors of abuse and for the diocese, according to spokesman, Deacon David Montgomery. Recovering financially The diocese, its insurance company and a creditors committee agreed a decade ago to a $37 million bankruptcy settlement; the diocese turned over the deed to the St. Vincent Center and paid $13.5 million. Insurance covered $19.5 million. According to chief financial officer Char Maaske, the diocese was valued at $1 million after the bankruptcy. Parishes were asked to pass the hat to fund the bishops November 2006 installation at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Bettendorf. In 2008, the diocese launched a $22 million capital campaign through The Catholic Foundation, a nonprofit entity. The goal was reached but also was eventually reduced 10 percent as donors died or moved away, Montgomery said. There was $19.5 million donated to The Catholic Foundation, and $10.5 million has been paid out. The remaining funds provide support for the diocese and its many ministries, including all Catholic schools, faith education, seminary formation and deacon expenses. Total net assets of the diocese are now $7.5 million and include the organizations buildings and grounds. The diocese has nine fewer staff members and has had a flat budget for the past two years, Montgomery said. In 2015, the diocese reported $4,097,338 in revenue and $4,173,186 in expenses for a net loss of $75,848. It is in the middle of the Annual Diocesan Appeal, which provides 75 percent of its financial costs every year. Emotional recovery Craig Levien, a Davenport attorney who has represented more than 100 survivors of sexual abuse by priests in the diocese, said the organization continues to do the "bare minimum" required by the bankruptcy plan. Diocese officials rebut Levien's claims, especially the "bare minimum" charge, and list numerous steps they have taken. Officials say they have complied with all bankruptcy court orders, including each of 18 points spelled out for "non-monetary" responsibilities. There is no sunset on the services the diocese provides, Amos said. The diocese continues to pay for counseling for survivors, as needed, and for safe environment training. Thats not enough, according to Steve Theisen, state leader of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP. There are still victims out there, he said. "They are very damaged, and they need much more help than counseling." Some, for example, cant work or provide for themselves, he said. There are enablers to the abuse, or church workers other than priests, whose names were not brought forward. They want first to protect the churchs reputation, Theisen said. Background checks Background checks are now conducted on all clergy, employees and anyone working alone with children. More than 15,500 people have received training since July 2003 with 5,000 still active in the diocese. But Levien said there are dozens of adults who were attacked as children and still suffer in silence and shame. We know thats the case, he said. In one example, Levien suggests the bishop continue to visit all of the parishes where the abuse took place. "These wounds continue, and the damage has not ended," he said. The more outreach the better. Amos visited victims and their family members in 54 affected parishes about six years ago. He hosted atonement services in each, and some were very powerful, he said. Survivor speaks up A survivor of clergy abuse from Albany, Ill., was not so taken by the services. Al Burke, 82, was abused 70 years ago by the Rev. Thomas Hackett, who served at St. Joseph Catholic Church, DeWitt. Burke served on the diocese's committee of survivors appointed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and attended some of the "atonement services" involving the bishop. The outreach was not enough, he said. Burke is one of three brothers who were abused by the same priest, who died in 1951. He does not trust the leadership of the Catholic church, both priests and bishops, and has left the faith. While Burke appreciates the work of Pope Francis on clergy abuse, he said bishops need to be more forthright about accepting responsibility for transferring abusive priests. "Counseling for victims is not the issue," he said. "We need honesty from the bishops, including Bishop Amos." Assumption athletic fields Land involved in the diocese bankruptcy recently changed hands. In 2009, the trustee sold 45 acres of land for $3.35 million to St. Ambrose University. This was part of the 50-acre campus where the St. Vincent headquarters are located. It was transferred again to Assumption High School this past March, and sports practice fields are now under construction on the property. The diocese bought back the headquarters for $3.5 million in 2010. This includes five acres of land and distinctive brick buildings. The interior has been renovated; it includes the diocesan offices and an area for retired priests. Amos described the area as "independent living" for the priests. If they require further medical care, they move to other facilities, including several who now live in the Kahl Home in Davenport. As for clergy abuse victims, a support group meets once a month in this area. DES MOINES Gun safety advocates called on lawmakers to reject legislation that would allow parents let their children younger than 14 handle handguns in the same way state law permits them to use rifles and shotguns. Children under 14 not developmentally mature enough to grasp the consequences of the use of such a lethal instrument as a handgun," the Rev. Jeremy Brigham of Cedar Rapids, executive director of Iowans for Gun Safety, said at a Statehouse news conference Tuesday. Many children will have difficulty distinguishing between a real gun and a toy, he said in calling on senators to defeat House File 2281, which was approved by the House 62-36. Young children lack the physical development strength and coordination necessary to safely handle a gun, said Amy Shriver, a general pediatrician at Blank Childrens Pediatric Clinic in Des Moines. They also lack the brain development necessary to concentrate on safety rules, calculate distances, refrain from acting on impulses and understand the true dangers of the weapon, she said. The speakers compared the current law that prohibits children younger than 14 from handling handguns to state laws that require children to be restrained when riding in vehicles. Among the supporters of HF 2281 is Rep. Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, who frames the issue as one of parental rights. Do you accept that the government always knows whats best, he said Tuesday, that the government can best provide for a persons protection in every instance? I believe parents know best. DES MOINES Members of Iowas congressional delegation are seeking to name the Cedar Rapids post office for a carpenter who was killed while serving with the Iowa Army National Guard in Afghanistan. Rep. Rod Blum, R-Iowa, has introduced legislation to name the downtown post office for Sgt. 1st Class Terryl L. Pasker, who was killed July 9, 2011, just days before his combat tour was scheduled to end. Reps. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, and David Young and Steve King, both R-Iowa, are co-sponsors. Pasker, who had a contracting business in Cedar Rapids, enlisted in the Army in 1990 and joined the National Guard in 1995. He was first deployed to Afghanistan from 2004-05 and chose to return in 2011 with the 334th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division. Pasker, who was 39 at the time, was going through a routine security checkpoint in an armored vehicle when an Afghan National Directorate security officer inexplicably attacked with small-arms fire, Col. Greg Hapgood of the Iowa National Guard said at the time. Pasker and an American civilian law enforcement contractor who was with him in the vehicle were killed. Pasker was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. I introduced this legislation because of the respect and admiration I have for the sacrifice of Sgt. 1st Class Pasker and all of the men and women who serve our nation in the armed forces, Blum said. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to put your life on the line to protect our freedom and liberty, and Sgt. 1st Class Pasker did so without reservation. An Anamosa native, Pasker lived in Cedar Rapids with his wife of five years, Erica, and was active in his church, River of Life Ministries in Cedar Rapids, according to Blums office. The bill has been approved by the Oversight & Government Reform Committee and now is awaiting full floor consideration. Paskers father, David Pasker, expressed gratitude for the bill. Naming this post office after Terryl ensures that his sacrifice will not be forgotten, he said. For a post office to be named, the person being honored has to be deceased, the facility must be owned by U.S. Postal Service and not already be named. In addition to his wife, Pasker is survived by his parents, Mary and David Pasker of Blairstown; a brother, Andrew of Lisbon; and two sisters, Christine Ross of Oakland, Tenn., and Rebecca Southard of Salem, Ore. From the beginning, the prosecution in the O.J. Simpson trial faced an unlikely uphill battle. Though evidence pointed to O.J., they couldn't have been prepared for the ugly mood around the case, the media circus, the incompetence of police evidence handling, or the deeply polarized racial divide that assumed the racist L.A.P.D. were railroading O.J. Simpson. Last week's "The Race Card" saw one of the lead counsels, Christopher Darden (Sterling K. Brown), being called an Uncle Tom for arguing for O.J.'s guilt and being torn apart by the more charismatic, media-savvy Johnnie Cochran (Courtney B. Vance). This week's episode, "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia," matches "The Race Card" by bringing back one of the ugliest elements of the whole endeavor: the gross sexist treatment of Marcia Clark (Sarah Paulson). Clark is in the middle of an deeply bitter divorce hearing in the episode's opening scene, with her ex-husband doing everything he can to make her life difficult when she's already running late for trial. Her open outburst is met with a threat of contempt by the judge, paired with a nasty "I'm not Judge Ito." But Clark isn't having an easy time with the famously inept Judge Ito (Kenneth Choi), either, showing clear irritation not just at her lateness, but her objection later when Cochran blames court hold-ups on "Acts of God or childcare criseses [sic]." Clark is offended by the comment "as a woman as a mother," stating that Cochran doesn't know what it's like to take care of children while working a 70-hour work week. But Ito barely reacts, leaning back with a disinterested, even hostile expression. Clark and Darden are solid prosecutors, but they're dealing with a master manipulator in Cochran, and they hit a few bumps when Cochran does everything he can to cast doubt upon police conduct. First, he asks one of the detectives if it's normal to send three officers to notify someone about an ex-spouse's death, then points out mishandling of evidence when another officer took Simpson's shoes to his home in the same neighborhood as the Rodney King beatings, no less for six hours before turning them in. It doesn't matter that these were just abnormalities and mistakes; Cochran makes them look shady, and Clark knows that they're going to have trouble. Things get worse when F. Lee Bailey (Nathan Lane) has the ingenious idea to push Mark Fuhrman (Steven Pasquale) to perjury by asking him if he's ever used the word "n-----" in the past ten years. But many of the problems the defense faces have less than nothing to do with the actual case. Clark returns home after a tough day (in which Darden overplays his hand and Cochran recognizes it), only to hear the author of "Looks Aren't Everything, They're the Only Thing" criticizing her appearance on television. "Frump incarnate, guilty as charged. This is not a look, it's a cry for help...and can we talk about that hair?" Between that and her husband fighting for primary custody, Clark is more than put-upon: she's the show's version of Atlas, carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. She's able to hide her pain from her son when he sees her in the backyard, asking for a hug, but even as she's playful, a tear runs down her cheek and her voice belies how criticisms small and large are adding up. A late-night meeting with Darden sees the two cutting loose a bit, dancing to The Isley Brothers' "Who's That Lady," but there's a look of fear and uncertainty on her face. She can't afford to have a good time in the middle of the trial Darden won't get criticized for it, but she will. While Brown does everything he can to lessen the weight on Clark, even calling into a radio station that asks if Clark is a "B---- or a Babe," Cochran and Clark's ex-husband do everything short of conspiring together to make life difficult for her. Fuhrman's testimony is delayed when Cochran claims that Simpson housekeeper Rosa Lopez needs to bring her testimony up, claiming she's booked a flight out of the country. Director Ryan Murphy makes great use of his typically hyperactive rushing and swiveling camera movements to convey the panic and anger in Clark, who says she can't stay late because of her kids. She's able to convince her ex to take their kids for the night, but it backfires when he appears on TV to claim she's using her kids as pawns to make a better case (rather than him using them as pawns against her). District Attorney Gil Garcetti (Bruce Greenwood) recognizes the sexist treatment of Marcia in the media, but still plays their game, suggesting she get media consultants, maybe change her appearance. Clark gets a break when Lopez proves a disastrous witness for the defense, seeming flippant and failing to remember what time she saw Simpson's car outside of his home, and, even worse, suggesting that it's whatever "Mr. Johnnie" said it was. Still, even the "gut punch" Clark delivers doesn't last long as she does take advice to change her appearance, showing up at a hair salon as a stylist promises to do for her what he did for Farrah Fawcett. Seal's "Kiss from a Rose" plays under the haircut and shampoo, the summer's ubiquitous "bayaya" playing as she re-enters the courtroom. Darden compliments her, but another compares her new perm to Rick James, and there's a clear expression of disgust on Cochran, Simpson and Shapiro's faces, not to mention mocking looks from the rest of the courtroom. Clark puts up with a lot of disgusting behavior, from comments on her appearance to a clerk making a gross comment on "one hell of a week for the defense" while holding up her tampons. But after the bludgeoning Bailey deals the defense on the Fuhrman case, the worst happens: a tabloid publishes nude photos of Clark and a previous ex-husband on vacation. Garcetti argues they should sue for the doctored photos, but when she admits they're real, he can barely veil his anger towards her and how her pileup of misfortunes is hurting the case. Paulson spends the entirety of the episode looking like she's barely holding it together, lost in one scene and burying her head in her hands in the next. This, however, is a breaking point, with even Ito recognizing that it's time to call it a day after seeing her expression upon re-entering the court. Darden has to put up with a lot ridicule as an Uncle Tom from African-American journalists and community members, former friend Johnnie Cochran painting encouraging it all the way but he doesn't face the same level of scrutiny that Clark does on her every decision. His appearance (or Cochran's, or even Shapiro's) would never be questioned. But between calls for Clark to be more glamorous and ridicule for her attempts to change her look, it's a lot to bear, and this invasion of privacy is something no one can simply shake off (not to mention something that, again, no man prosecuting a case would have to deal with). Ryan Murphy often gets flack (not undeserved) for his non-stop pyrotechnics, but he deserves credit for knowing when to use them and when to calm down in this episode, especially in a final scene that places a camera close to the ground, showing Marcia in the distance in her office sitting against a wall as Darden approaches her. "I'm not a public personality...those other guys are flashy hotshots, but I just can't take it." Darden does her best to support her throughout the episode, bringing levity and holding her hand at the right moment, but it's too much. There's no way for a woman to win in this case. Stray thoughts: -This is Paulson's episode through and through, with the actress doing everything she can to make Clark look determined, smart, and well-prepared while the weight of the world comes crashing down. I'm particularly impressed by the way she plays the moment after Garcetti recommends she change her appearance, with slight turns of her head and body that suggest she doesn't know how to proceed, before snapping at the rest of the office to get back to work. -Credit, though, to Brown, who, after a strong showcase last week, does some of the best active listening on television (something that's often unnoticed with regards to acting). -Johnnie Cochran, master manipulator gets a good scene this week as she's shooting it with Detective Lange (Chris Bauer) before he's put on the stand, laughing about nothing in particular to soften him up before latching on to a detail about his new home and turning on the fire in the courtroom. He gets hit this week when the Los Angeles Times ask him about his past abuse of his ex-wife, but he's trying to sweep that under the rug by offering her a bribe of profit from a sold apartment complex. Sneaky. -Ace use of music this week, from "Who's That Lady?" to the ironic use of "Kiss from a Rose" (the big hit of the summer following its inclusion on the "Batman Forever" soundtrack) to Portishead's "Sour Times" when the clerk harasses Clark (an incident that apparently really happened, much to my non-surprise). -Clark makes a joke about hand-size to penis-size about F. Lee Bailey. That's, uh, some really fortuitous timing, considering the Republican debates. -Speaking of fortuitous timing: how about that knife that was recently found? 20 odd years later, this case continues to be nuts. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has completed the third year of a five-year aerial survey of mule deer in the Pine Ridge of northwestern Nebraska. The survey, which covers eight subunits with the most suitable mule deer habitat within the Pine Ridge deer management unit, indicated a decrease in the overall mule deer population, but an increase in the number of the species? fawns. Commission employees counted 636 mule deer compared to 758 in 2015 and 862 in 2014. The count of 261 fawns is up 25 from 2015. The survey, conducted from a contracted helicopter the morning and evening hours of Feb. 9-11, covered a total of 426 square miles. The Antelope Creek subunit, which borders Wyoming and South Dakota in the state?s northwestern-most corner, registered the highest mule deer density with 4.75 per square mile. The area near the Niobrara River in Sioux County followed with 3.27. Both of those densities exceed all those recorded in 2014, the first year of the survey, but are short of the 8.53 near Belmont and 5.15 in the Antelope Creek area last year. The density of all subunits combined came in 1.48 mule deer per square mile, a decline from 1.76 in 2015 and 2.01 in 2014. This survey?s goal is to build population trend data to assess population levels and guide management decisions. The use of a helicopter helps locate animals in the rugged terrain, but biologists conducting the survey said locating animals can be challenging if snow cover is spotty, such as it was this year. The survey is also helping determine how the mule deer population responds to the prohibition of doe harvest, and is helping the Commission?s goal of providing optimum hunting opportunities. The mule deer population has been a concern in the Pine Ridge and other areas of the American West experiencing declines despite quality habitat and harvest restrictions. In 2013, following a year of monumental drought, wildfires and disease, the Commission began prohibiting mule deer doe harvest portions of the Pine Ridge unit. In 2014 and 2015, the doe prohibition was expanded to the entire unit. In addition to getting a count on mule deer, the surveyors recorded a significant increase in white-tailed deer from last year, steady numbers of elk and a slight decline of bighorn sheep. Seth Harwood started off an unusually warm day in January just spending time with his girlfriend on the Black Hills State University campus. He would end the day as a hero who saved another man's life. Harwood, 24, is one of eight people being honored by the American Red Cross at its third annual "Breakfast of Champions" event at 7:30 a.m. Thursday in Rapid City. He will be presented with a Good Samaritan Hero Award for going above and beyond the call of duty to support his community in a time of need. Harwood became a local hero on Jan. 31 when he came across a car that had caught fire in Spearfish. When he realized the vehicle was occupied, and that the driver had gone unconscious, he took fast action. First, he attempted to wake the man, and then broke a window and pulled him out of the car to safety. "I've never had any formal training or anything for something like this," Harwood said in an interview on Tuesday. "I just did what I felt I had to do at that point in time." Harwood said he first noticed the vehicle while he and his girlfriend were driving on East Jackson Boulevard. He saw that the car was on fire, and his girlfriend told him she saw a man inside. Harwood decided to help, and turned his car around. "The inside of the vehicle was full of smoke," Harwood said. "You couldn't see through the other side of it. He was lying there, and I was punching the window, smacking it, screaming, doing anything I could to get his attention." "I had this split-second thought of, 'Jesus, what do I do now?'" Harwood then found a rock on the ground and smashed a window, at which point oxygen flooded the car and a backdraft caused the passenger seat to become fully engulfed in flames. "The second the fresh oxygen hit him, he started to have a seizure, and I reached in and pulled him out," Harwood said. "I got in and out of the vehicle pretty quick, and a couple of other guys were there to help me drag him about 30 feet away." Harwood said officers then showed up to help stabilize the man before the ambulance showed up. Harwood said he didn't think anyone else was hurt. The victim of the fire later contacted Harwood through a family member and told him that he had recovered. Harwood, a photographer currently working on his Master of Fine Arts degree through the online Academy of Art University, won the Good Samaritan Hero Award after being nominated by last year's winner. He will receive a medal and certificate at Thursday's breakfast. "I felt satisfaction at being recognized for doing something like this, but at the same time, I never expected it," Harwood said. "I was just trying to do what I hoped anyone else would do if it were me in that moment in time." [This story has been edited to reflect a correction. The name of the veteran being honored with the Military Hero Award is Jim Childers.] RAPID CITY | Mary Martha Burns, 96, formerly of Philip, died Saturday morning, March 5, 2016, at Fountain Springs Healthcare. Mary Martha Harty was born Feb. 16, 1920, in Pierre, the daughter of Owen and Georga (Gittings) Harty. Weighing only 2-1/2 pounds at birth, she was named for the nun who saved her life, Sister Mary Martha. Her early years were spent with her parents, traveling where her dad, a construction worker, found employment. She spent her pre-teen and early teen years around Milesville with her beloved grandparents Jody and Mary Gittings, her Uncle Lawrence, and cousins. Mary Martha graduated from Notre Dame Academy in Mitchell. She then attended National Business College in Rapid City and later Presentation College in Aberdeen. During this time, she developed her singing voice, and sang for numerous weddings and funerals in the area. She worked at Wall Drug and later taught school in the Milesville and Grindstone areas before joining the United States Navy in 1944. She served nearly two years during WWII, before being honorably discharged in 1946. She returned to Philip, and worked for a local lawyer until her marriage to Bernard Burns on Feb. 2, 1952; and to this union were born five children. Upon the youngest child entering school, Mary went back to work as Deputy Assessor. After Bernards death in 1968, she moved her family to Spearfish where began a new chapter in her familys life, working as an office manager for a trucking company. In 1978, Mary moved to Rapid City when the company was bought by American Freightway. She worked for them until her retirement in 1985. Her family was always priority, whether immediate or a distant cousin. She welcomed every new member, either by birth or by marriage, with love and enthusiasm, and always remembered birthdays and anniversaries. Mary Martha was always proud and honored to have served her country in the Navy, and was a 65-year member of the American Legion. She served as the first female Legion Commander in the state of South Dakota, and also as chaplain of American Legion Post 173 of Philip. She continued her membership in American Legion Post 22 when she moved to Rapid City. In 2010, Mary was thrilled to be a part of the Honor Flight, travelling to Washington, DC, with other WWII veterans. During her retirement years, Mary was one of the original Senior Companions, assisting and driving the elderly to appointments and everyday tasks (although most of the time her clients were younger than she was!) She loved to bake, play cards, and traveled extensively, visiting family and making friends everywhere she went. In addition to her love for singing, she also tremendously enjoyed the gift of music. Grateful for having shared her life include four children, LuAnn Rohrer and her husband Rich, Michael Mike Burns and his wife Margie, and James Jim Burns, all of Rapid City, and Kathy Wood and her husband Mark of Colorado Springs, CO; nine grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends. Mary Martha was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard Wesley Burns in 1968; her son, Mark Owen Burns in 2014; and her parents. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Philip, with a vigil service at 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Friday, March 11, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Rapid City, with Father Ed Vanorny as celebrant. Interment with military honors will be at 1 p.m. Friday, March 11, at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. Arrangements are with the Rush Funeral Home of Philip. Her online guestbook is available at rushfuneralhome.com. Russian man appeals sentence for sharing post in social network in ECHR - report MOSCOW, March 9 (RAPSI) A blogger from Chelyabinsk, Konstantin Zharinov, convicted of sharing a text by extremist group in VKontakte network, has appealed his sentence in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), Kommersant newspaper reported on Wednesday. This is the first time a Russian national is appealing sentence for republication of content in social network in the ECHR. Zharinov was found guilty of republishing a text by Ukrainian extremist group Right Sector, an organization banned in Russia. He was given a suspended two-year prison sentence on September 28, 2015 and was amnestied on the same day. Russian blogger believes that his case is politically motivated. Allegedly he was monitored and wiretapped by Russian authorities since March 2, 2014. Right Sector is a Ukrainian association of radical nationalist organizations. In January and February 2014, they clashed with police and seized administrative buildings in Kiev. Since April 2014, Right Sector has been involved in fighting the protest movement in eastern Ukraine. In November 2014, Russias Supreme Court declared Right Sector an extremist group and banned its activity in Russia. The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Right Sector leader Dmitry Yarosh for the alleged incitement of terrorism. In January 2015, Right Sector was added to the Russian register of prohibited organizations. Savchenkos sentencing hearing set for March 21-22 MOSCOW, March 9 (RAPSI) The Donetsk City Court in the Rostov Region has scheduled sentencing of Ukrainian military ex-pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, who stands charged with involvement in the killing of Russian journalists and civilians in Donbas, for March 21-22, RIA Novosti reported Wednesday. Savchenko pleaded not guilty to involvement in the murder of Russian journalists again while making a final speech in court. Savchenko is not going to appeal the sentence. She plans to declare a new hunger strike after sentencing. Earlier, a prosecutor asked the court to sentence Savchenko to 23 years in prison and fine her 100,000 rubles ($1,400). Savchenko was arrested in Russia in the summer of 2014 on charges of involvement in the murder of two Russian TV journalists during hostilities in Donbas and on illegally crossing the border into Russia. TV correspondent Igor Kornelyuk and sound engineer Anton Voloshin were killed on June 17 in a mortar attack. Her attorneys claim that Savchenko was framed and that there is no evidence of involvement in the journalists murder. They also claim she did not cross the border voluntarily but was kidnapped. MOSCOW, March 9 (RAPSI) The Vienna Regional Criminal Court has refused to extradite former Bashneft CEO Ural Rakhimov to Russia where he stands accused of embezzling over 210 billion rubles (about $2.9 billion), RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday. I cant say if he is going to stay in Austria but this time he will not be extradited to Russia, the courts judge Christina Salzborn said. Salzborn did not rule out a possibility of other attempts by Russia to extradite Rakhimov, although additional arguments would be needed to make it happen. Bashneft was controlled by the government of Russias Bashkortostan region until 2003, when a major stake was sold to companies affiliated with Ural Rakhimov, son of the former head of Bashkortostan Murtaza Rakhimov. The company was privatized in 2009, when Russian oil-to-telecoms conglomerate Sistema gained control of it. A court in Moscow ruled that Bashneft was privatized in violation of law. The Prosecutor General's Office brought a suit to return a 71.6 percent stake in Bashneft to the government. The Moscow Commercial Court ruled on October 30, 2014, in favor of the Prosecutor General's Office. Rakhimov, who has been living in Austria for the past six years, has reportedly received a residence permit there and hopes to get Austrian citizenship soon. The Basmanny District Court of Moscow has issued a warrant for Rakhimovs arrest in absentia. A Hamilton man is facing felony charges of intimidation and stalking after he allegedly threatened a woman in phone calls and letters while he was still in prison. Travis Lee Golden, 33, appeared Monday before Ravalli County Justice Jennifer Ray on two felony counts of intimidation, a felony charge of stalking and misdemeanor counts of stalking and violation of a restraining order. According to an affidavit, Golden was charged after a woman complained to authorities about persistent and threatening phone calls and letters she received from Golden while he was in prison. Golden is currently in Montana State Prison serving a sentence for assault with a weapon and tampering with physical evidence from Missoula County. The woman first reported Goldens alleged threats in July 2014. She and Golden were formerly in an intimate relationship and have two sons together. While in prison, Golden asked the woman to send him $100 a month. She was unable to do that due to her own financial hardship of providing for two children. She told officers that she would lie and say she sent the money in order to avoid making Golden angry. The affidavit said the woman said she was afraid of Golden, who had allegedly thrown her down the stairs while she was pregnant and held a gun to her head. She told the officers she was afraid that he would carry out his threats once he got out of prison. In a letter from prison, Golden allegedly wrote: you will face consequences you have never imagined, from me personally, if you lose sight of your priorities as the mother to my boys. The woman said that Golden would become physically abusive toward her when he thought she was lying to him. A detective listened to two phone calls the woman received from Golden while he was in prison, the affidavit said. Laced with profanity, in the recorded phone calls Golden allegedly told the woman that he would kill her. Golden said he didnt care who was listening when he made the call. The woman was granted an order of protection in Aug. 2014. She received a letter from Golden in Jan. 2015 saying that he was sorry and telling her how much he was looking forward to reuniting his family. Ravalli County Deputy Attorney Angela Wetzsteon asked for a $100,000 bail based on the fact that Golden was set to be released from prison in a short period of time. Wetzsteon said Golden had a lengthy criminal history that dated back to 1995. Convictions included burglary, disorderly conduct, several DUIs, two convictions of partner or family member assault, and a petition to revoke probation. Wetzsteon urged to consider Goldens criminal history, volatile mental state, constant threats to (the woman), including his expressed intent to harm her in setting bail. Ray concurred and set bail at $100,000. On Tuesday, the Darby School received a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana Foundation about the presentation Perspectives on Islam urging the board to reconsider its requirement that students have parental permission slips to attend University of Montana Professor Samir Bitars lecture. The ACLUs executive director, Caitlin Borgmann, and legal director, Jim Taylor, sent a letter to the Darby school attorney Elizabeth Kaleva. The letter expressed the organizations dismay at the school requiring parental permission for students to attend Bitars presentation at Darby High School on March 9. We applaud the Darby School Boards decision to invite University of Montana Professor Samir Bitar to discuss Islam at the Darby School, Taylor said. Requiring parental permission implicitly gives credence to anti-Muslim bias by suggesting that there is something controversial about Professor Bitars presentation. It is unfortunate that the students whose parents refuse to let them attend are likely those who most need to hear this lecture, to counter messages like this one, quoted in the Ravalli Republic: Once [Muslims] come over [to the U.S.] theyll take over. Their goal is to kill everyone who is not Muslim. Taylor continued, In our opinion, the School Board can only require permission slips for students to attend Professor Bitars lecture if it also requires permission slips for discussion of any other religious topic, and if the school has consistently done so in the past. Darby school Attorney Elizabeth Kaleva said timing is the issue. The initial problem is the lecture is tomorrow and by law we would not have enough time to have a meeting, so the board cant do that, Kaleva said. The opt-in permission slip is for all three presentations. I appreciate Mr. Taylors letter but the board cant meet before the event. The board could, in the future, discuss opting out as the policy but for this speaker series all three speakers were treated the same. The permission slip also covered talks by two other speakers from Humanities Montana Speaker Program scheduled to give presentations at both the school and community library. U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke was in Hamilton on Monday on his way to tour Trapper Creek Job Corps. He left Whitefish in the morning and had a full schedule, visiting constituents along the way. Every day is busy in Montana, Zinke said. Everyone wants to be eyeball to eyeball with their congressman. Zinke said most of the conversations were about unvetted refugees. Americans dont mind refugees, Zinke said. They just want them vetted before they come into the country. Zinke said that in his second term in office he would focus on water, defending the Constitution, ensuring economic freedom and prosperity, and protecting America. We need to secure our southern border, Zinke said. First we need to stop the sinking ship. In the Navy I learned how important that is. Then we need to talk. We are great and we can work it out. We built the Panama Canal in the early 1900s so I know we can build a fence. In a direct stab at his opponent, Democrat Denise Juneau, Zinke said that while Montana has improved its graduation rate the test scores are down by 30 percent. We need to transform our education system and the federal government needs to give the states even more flexibility, Zinke said. Schools are doing more for students because it is the only option. Schools are feeding students breakfast, lunch and after school snacks because there are homeless children and because of the disintegration of the family. Ravalli County Commission Board Chairman Ray Hawk and Commissioner J.R. Iman were a few of the people who came to lunch and had an informal meeting with Zinke as he talked about his candidacy, and local, state, and federal matters. 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Ltd. is the organization dedicated in the field of printing, publishing service since 2001. As part of media, we've been publishing Review Nepal, an English medium weekly registered at District Administration Office (DAO) Kathmandu with registration number 130-162-163 and reviewnepal.com as an online digital newspaper, with registration number 849-075-076 at Department of Informational and Broadcasting (DIB) from Kathmandu, Nepal since 2003. Experience suggests that Washington often says one thing and does another, using beautiful concepts as their brand of bullying and forcefully reshaping the meaning of those concepts. For example, Washington often talks about "rules," but the world has seen the US consistently commit the most brutal violations of the rules on which the United Nations system is based. The rules they talk about are actually a framework for protecting the interests of the US and its major allies. They are also a behavioral norm to force other countries to maximize those interests. To search both this blog AND Religious Liberty Monitoring together, use the search field at the bottom of the page. TITLE: Die Again AUTHOR: Tess Gerritsen COPYRIGHT: 2014 PAGES: 353 PUBLISHER: Ballantine SETTING: Contemporary US and Southern Africa TYPE: Mystery SERIES: 11th in the Rizzoli / Isles series Detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles are backand theyre going into the wild to find a killer. Die Again is the latest heart-pounding thriller in Tess Gerritsens bestselling series, the inspiration behind TNTs hit show Rizzoli & Isles. When Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles are summoned to a crime scene, they find a killing worthy of the most ferocious beastright down to the claw marks on the corpse. But only the most sinister human hands could have left renowned big-game hunter and taxidermist Leon Gott gruesomely displayed like the once-proud animals whose heads adorn his walls. Did Gott unwittingly awaken a predator more dangerous than any hes ever hunted? Maura fears that this isnt the killers first slaughter, and that it wont be the last. After linking the crime to a series of unsolved homicides in wilderness areas across the country, she wonders if the answers might actually be found in a remote corner of Africa. Six years earlier, a group of tourists on safari fell prey to a killer in their midst. Marooned deep in the bush of Botswana, with no means of communication and nothing but a rifle-toting guide for protection, the terrified tourists desperately hoped for rescue before their worst instinctsor the wild animals prowling in the shadowscould tear them apart. But the deadliest predator was already among them, and within a week, he walked away with the blood of all but one of them on his hands. Now this killer has chosen Boston as his new hunting ground, and Rizzoli and Isles must find a way to lure him out of the shadows and into a cage. Even if it means dangling the bait no hunter can resist: the one victim who got away. It's become a bit of a tradition of mine to save the latest Rizzoli and Isles novel by Tess Gerritsen to listen to on my early morning walks while on holiday, as soon as I get to Punta del Este. For some strange reason, I find these two experiences the perfect combination.The book starts out in Botswana, where our narrator, Millie, and her asshat boyfriend are on a week-long photography safari. Millie is not happy. She's not particularly enjoying the experience, and her boyfriend's behaviour (constantly putting her down, flirting with the pretty South African blondes who are part of the expedition) makes it clear their relationship is not going to last very long. She can't wait for it to be over.And then things get worse: they wake up one morning to find one of their guides dead, apparently eaten by wild animals. Some in the group (read: asshat boyfriend) argue they should continue the trip (the guy is dead anyway, right?). But they can't even do that, because their vehicle won't start. They have no way to communicate with the outside, so all they can do is wait there for a few days, until their pilot alerts the authorities they haven't turned up where expected. And then that night another one of the group is killed, apparently by animals.The action moves between the travails of the safari group and Boston, where Jane and Maura are investigating the death of a big-game hunter who was found hung on a hook in his own house, just as if he was one of the big animals he himself hunted. And this is not the only suspicious death related to this guy.This was one of the better books in the series. I was really intrigued by the cases. I couldn't wait to find out was really going on in each of them, but also to find out how they were connected. The bit on the safari was particularly good. Gerritsen managed to create a cast of characters for that section that really came alive and felt real, and more than once I kept thinking about them after I'd finished my walk and had put down my mp3 player. Millie, particularly, was an excellent heroine, and I just couldn't wait to find out what would happen to her and the guide, Johnny. I was really invested in that relationship. I came up with many, many hypotheses, none of which turned out to be right!The only false step in the suspense came when Gerritsen started bringing in ancient cults and spirit animals and murder rituals and that sort of thing. Fortunately, that's something that turned out not to be a particularly big element, and I was really satisfied with the conclusion of all the different threads. All the solutions fit perfectly, and the killer's motivations, both for the murders and for some of his other actions, made complete sense.These books also always have some drama going on in our characters' private lives, and just as in the previous book, here we've got quite a bit on the drama between Rizzolis mother and asshole father. Now, I was really, really engaged in this in the previous book (see my rant in the previous review ). Basically, Frank Rizzoli left his wife Angela for a younger woman. She was devastated but recovered and met a man who treated her well, unlike her chauvinist pig of a husband. But the dog in the manger syndrome kicked in (plus, the other woman got sick of the bastard), and he decided he wanted his wife back, and everything to go back to how it was before. With the help of Janes brothers (chauvinist pigs in training) and their Catholic priest, he put the pressure on Angela to take him back. That was the state of affairs on the previous book. We were left hanging without a resolution, and I was looking forward to seeing how it had been resolved when I started this. Well, the whole mess is still going on, and Gerritsen really is dragging it a much too long. Im tired of the whole sorry mess. She really needs to sort it out soon.: A Solely aggregation of news articles, with no opinions expressed by this service since 2009 launch on this platform. Copyright to all articles remains with the publisher and HEADLINES ARE CLICKABLE to access items. (Subscription by email is recommended,with real-time updates on LinkedIn and Twitter.) Deccan Herald, March 07, 2016 by Anand Teltumbde It is amusing the party whose contribution to making of the Indian nation is zero, is accusing others of anti-nationalism! The party whose parentage remained infamously reluctant to accept the tricolour as the national flag until yesterday has come out with a diktat that all Central universities will fly the 135 kg tricolor flag on a mast of 207 feet height. On February 18, this decision was taken reportedly in a meeting of vice-chancellors of 42 Central universities with Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani in chair. No guesses for whose decision it was if one learns that it was meant to ato counter the rising tide of anti-nationalism sweeping the campusesa ! While no one can possibly have any objection to flying the national flag anywhere, now that the 2002 Flag Code permits it, least at the establishments belonging to the government, the context and the manner in which it is being implemented are surely amusing and questionable. Coming close on the heels of a series of shameful actions by the government in arresting an innocent student leader for nothing but that he was named by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarti Parishad, an off-shoot of the BJP-RSS, a student wing that does not have much student support in the campus but has the backing of the party in power; criminally doctoring the video thereof as an evidence, unleashing the goondas in the guise of lawyers to beat up students and journalists in the court premises, and asking police to play a partisan role which has been condemned by all over the world, the party still persists with its idea of nationalism. The schizophrenic behaviour of the RSS, its ideological storehouse, on all issues of constituting India into a modern democratic nation is too well known to be elaborated here. While the RSS had unfurled the tri-colour at their headquarters in Nagpur on August 15, 1947 and then on January 26, 1950, they scrupulously avoided it despite public criticism and only this year after 52 years resumed its hoisting. When some youth had hoisted a tricolour at their headquarters, the RSS had filed a case against them that ran for 12 long years. As late as last year, they publicly made statement that the colour of the flag should have been saffron. The premise that of what happened in Hyderabad, Jawaharlal Nehru and Jadhavpur universities was anti-national is presumptuous. It purports to valourise a particular version of nationalism that the Hindutva forces want to push down the throats of diverse people of this country. The idea of India that is crystallised through the freedom struggle into the Constitution is India of diversity, which is violated by such force-feeding of nationalism. This idea cannot be shaken even by anti-Indian slogans; howsoever they may sound morally abominable to some. Notwithstanding these slogans were reportedly given by the outsiders (some suspect by the hirelings of the ABVP itself), they would not be anti-national even if they were shouted by the JNU students for a simple reason that India that represented hegemony of Brahminism, Hindu nationalism, ascendance of obscurantism, feudalism and comprador neoliberalism that is oppressive to the majority of people is not acceptable to them. They only reflect hatred for the ruling classes for using the empty notion of nationalism to enslave people. The imagination of India contains such aanti-Indiaa slogans in the same way as the burning of American flag in Dallas was contained in the free speech enshrined in the constitution as the US Supreme Court held. It is amusing the party whose contribution to making of the Indian nation is zero, is accusing others of anti-nationalism! Its ideologues had never conflicted with British imperialism and rather conspiratorially aided its divide-and-rule policy by toeing a communal line, subverting the mass movement for independence. Guru Golwalkar, who was the second Sarsanghchalak of the RSS, and its main ideologue, had this to say to his countrymen then: aHindus, donat waste your energy fighting the British. Save your energy to fight our internal enemies that are Muslims, Christians and Communists.a Communal poison The party that holds this guru who spread communal poison among people, in veneration, is claiming to be the harbinger of patriotism. It was this communal poison of their ilk that eventually cut off the arms of mother India. With its new found zeal for pseudo nationalism, it is creating conditions for many more partitions in coming times. This flag hoisting fad more over seeks to drown some valid questions raised by the recent student movements in campuses. These movements summarily reject the idea of nationalism BJP seeks to project. It demanded India free of Brahminism, communalism, feudalism, compradorism, gender oppression, hunger, illiteracy. It rejects questioning of hangings of Afzal Guru, Yakub Memon etc, as anti-nationalism and demanding the right of Kashmiris for self-determination as seditious. It challenged their self-appointment as nationalist and also their idea of cultural nationalism, the idea associated with an over-centralised nation seeking cultural standardisation based on a religion. The government that is starving universities of funds and pushing them towards self financing to exclude poor is asking them to incur significant capital and revenue expenditure towards this project. It obviously poses the question of priorities of this government, which people must ask. With the economy in shambles, the crisis for the majority of people mounting, the government has been fooling them with rhetoric, theatrics and pop patriotism. In fact, the flag that commanded innate respect of people shall henceforth be a teaser for those who dissent the Hindutva schema. Perhaps that is what the BJP wants. (The writer is professor, IIT-Kharagpur) Hello beauties, welcome to Asoebi fashion Friday!! We refuse to let you go into this weekend without looking glamorous and fabulous in your... Career Center students want your organs! PECK Health occupations students at the Sanilac Career Center are again registering new organ and tissue donors. More than 2,200 new organ and tissue... Pickup crashes into Sandusky police car Alcohol is suspected in two unrelated traffic accidents in Sandusky, one involving a car that hit a tree and shed, and the other a pickup... Local library leader to get highest award Charles Mitchell, president of the Brown City Public Library, will be honored this evening (Oct. 19) with a 2022 Michigan Library Award. Mitchell, who led... Click On Our Advertisers Ads Most of our ads have links to take you directly to their Websites. Just click on an ad and away you go. 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You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). Classic rock supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash, a.k.a. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, are fully and completely broken up forevermore, as Graham Nash tells Billboard in a new interview. The reason: Nash says he and David Crosby have had a total falling out, and "I don't want anything to do with Crosby at all." He declares that not only will the group never record an album again, but they'll never do a show again either. This means that the group's couple of shows in early 2014 will go down as their last in the US, and the last performance that Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young gave together was at the October 2013 Bridge School Benefit in Mountain View, which SFist attended. Nash goes on to explain he's been receiving some "nasty" emails from Crosby, though he doesn't elaborate on the subject of them. Nash earlier said to Dutch magazine Lust for Life, "I don't like David Crosby right now. He's been awful for me the last two years, just fucking awful. I've been there and saved his fucking ass for 45 years, and he treated me like shit. You can't do that to me. You can do it for a day or so, until I think you're going to come around. When it goes on longer, and I keep getting nasty emails from him, I'm done. Fuck you. David has ripped the heart out of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young... The truth is, after being totally immersed in me and David and Stephen and Neil's music, I'm done. I've had 10 years of it. Leave me the fuck alone. I need to concentrate on me now." Consequence of Sound notes that Neil Young expressed some similar feelings about Crosby's hostility two years ago, also saying he couldn't work with him anymore. Crosby had made some public comments about Young's current girlfriend Daryl Hannah, with whom he's now living in Southern California , calling her a "purely poisonous predator," a comment for which he's since apologized. The comments come just as Nash, 74, is releasing his first solo album in 14 years, titled This Path Tonight, which comes out April 15. Crosby, Stills & Nash toured together as recently as September and October of 2015, when they did a series of shows in England and Europe. While the four, including Young, have gone their separate ways before to do solo albums and tours, something all four are doing currently, fans have been used to expecting occasional reunions like those that have happened in the last two years. Now, however, Nash insists, "In my world there will never, ever be a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young record and there will never be another Crosby, Stills & Nash record or show." Below, footage from one of those last shows, in 2014. In his 1941 will, local businessman Albert Fuhrman left the city of San Francisco 800 acres of oil land in Kern County. Since then, San Francisco has leased the land to oil companies previously Shell, now Chevron providing the Public Library and Recreation and Park Department with royalty payments of 15.5 percent on oil and gas extracted from the site. In 2016, needless to say, San Francisco presents a highly different environment for the consumption of fossil fuels than it once did, and having recently probed the lease arrangement, Supervisor Avalos tells the Examiner that he's had enough. The paper reports that the politician is introducing Keep it in the Ground legislation to the Board of Supervisors that would ban lessees from extracting fossil fuels on public land. The move would eventually cut ties with Chevron in 2020 when that lease expires and might otherwise be renewed. Per Fuhrman's will, revenue from the land goes in equal parts to "acquisition of additional books on economic and political subjects" and to the further adornment of our famed and beloved Golden Gate Park, as may be determined by the Park Commissioners." Director of Real Estate John Updike puts the revenue as $749,972 back in 2009 but just $320,605 last year. The City getting revenue from fossil fuel extraction when were trying to reduce our dependency on fossil fuel doesnt make a lot of sense, Avalos reportedly said. Its not a significant amount of revenue... We have to keep fossil fuel in the ground. We cannot burn it. If we were to burn it all we will destroy the planet. When the lease expires, what will San Francisco do with its land? Why not a solar farm, Updike suggests? That had been unfeasible in one study, but will be reexamined closer to 2020. Related: City Hall Gets Lazy With Board Of Supes Class Photo, Photoshops Peskin In With a nod to the occasionally torrential rains we've got forecast through the weekend, here are some good, mostly indoor events to get you somewhat-out-and-about. TUESDAY, MARCH 8 ECLIPSE VIEWING PARTY: If you want to get closer to the action of the total Solar Eclipse in Southeast Asia and can get away from work in time, head over to the Exploratorium. Sure they're streaming it online so you can follow along from a browser if your boss isn't looking, but it's more fun to "ooh" and "ahh" along with others while scientists provide some background. The Exploratorium, Pier 15 Embarcadero (at Green Street), 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m., Free MEET KQED: If you like the media, or fine, if you just want to see what those people who talk on the radio around here actually look like, swing by KQED's HQ on Mariposa and meet the staff. Photo ops and prizes are being advertised, and something about this whole thing just screams "tote bag" to me. KQED Studios, 2601 Mariposa Street, 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Free WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9 BOOK VS. MOVIE: Adobe Books' new monthly book club pits films against texts starting with the classic (in each form) To Kill a Mockingbird. Discussion and screening, popcorn provided! 3130 24th Street, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Free CINEMA PANEL DISCUSSION: Take in a SOMArts group show whose themes include cinema and moving pictures and stay for a panel of filmmakers and scholars. Those are moderated by Denah Johnston (San Francisco City College) and include Craig Baldwin (OTHER Cinema), Steve Anker (California Institute for the Arts, former Artistic Director of the San Francisco Cinematheque) and Liz Keim (Exploratorium). SOMArts, 934 Brannan Street, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Free, RSVP THURSDAY, MARCH 10 CAAMFEST SCREENING: Opening night of CAAMFEST Celebrating Asian American Film, Music, and Food starts with a screening of the documentary Tyrus, directed by Pamela Tom. Tyrus is 105-year-old artist Tyrus Won, and the film follows his journey from Angel Island to his creation of iconic works like Disney's Bambi. Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, 7 p.m., $35 film alone, $65 film and party CAAMFEST GALA: Splurge and pay for the afterparty too! Dancing, drinks, and treats from the Boba Guys, Paina, and more await at the Asian Art Museum. Naturally, when you're there you can check out their exhibitions and congratulate them on their newly announced expansion project. Asian Art Museum, 200 Larkin Street, 9:30 p.m., $40 party alone, $65 total with film FRIDAY, MARCH 11 MORNING PARTY: Meet other morning people at Daybreaker, the hottest and likely the okay maybe the only a.m. party on the scene here. You can sign up for yoga sun salutations! or just dance your way into Friday. Yes, coffee will be provided. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission Street, 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.$21.60 - $37.05 OPENING RECEPTION: From CCA's Graduate Program in Curatorial Practice comes Void California, an exhibition of punk-media like zines and sound collages from the subcultures of 70's and 80's California. The reception is open to all and you can learn more about it here. Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, 360 Kansas Street, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Free SATURDAY, MARCH 12 WRITERS WITH DRINKS: The monthly variety hour series of this very name at the Make Out Room continues with Joyce Maynard (Under the Influence), Helene Wecker (The Golem and the Jinni), Peter Tieryas (United States of Japan), Noah Smith, (Noahpinion/Bloomberg View), and Charlotte Shane (Prostitute Laundry). That's a lot of writers, so there will also presumably be a lot of drinks. The Make Out Room 3225 22nd Street, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., doors at 6:30 p.m., $5 to $20 donation with proceeds benefitting the Center for Sex and Culture SF INTERNATIONAL OCEAN FESTIVAL: A festival since 2004, SFIOFF runs from the 10th to the 13th, and Saturday is a great day to soak up a lot of footage about everything from sea otters to ocean noise to sustainable seafood. Tickets for the whole festival are available, as well as for individual days and events. Cowell Theater, Fort Mason, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., day pass for $48 SUFFRAGETTE MARCH REENACTMENT: Celebrate Women's History month with a bit of historical reenactment from 1901 as living History presents a costumed suffragette march on the Hyde Street Pier. Way better than a Civil War reenactment if you ask me. Hyde Street Pier, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., Free SUNDAY, MARCH 13 DAY WAVE AT AMOEBA: Catch Bay Area-based Day Wave in a live set and signing of combined EPs Headcase and Hard to Read. Day Wave lives in Oakland and is the moniker of vocalist and instrumentalist Jackson Phillips. Amoeba, 1855 Haight Street, 2 p.m., Free OK, can we all agree that, at the very least, New Yorkers and Angelenos can stop telling us how stupid we've been, collectively, as the city of San Francisco in not preparing for our current population boom and housing crisis? It's all been said, and The Atlantic writes something new on the topic every couple of months, and we're working on it and it's not that simple, alright? Maybe it's not happening fast enough, and you can say that City Hall still isn't doing enough, but you can also say that this isn't exactly the kind of problem you can wave a magic wand at housing development takes years, and the larger scale it is, the longer it will take. Were we ill prepared for a sudden influx of new people? Sure. But at this point, I don't think the city is putting up any serious barriers to development except for continuing to require that all market-rate developers set aside some units for affordable housing, or contribute to an affordable housing fund. So, at this late date, we hardly need Gawker fucking Gawker telling us what our problem is in a post today titled "San Francisco: Build More Housing, Assholes." Brilliant. Thanks for the tip. Editor Hamilton Nolan merely rehashes, again, things that have been written since 2012 by people who know a whole lot more about the issues, about how SF's development controls and rent control laws are to blame for our misery and the high cost of everything. Also, he reduces it even further than SPUR director Gabriel Metcalf did in this piece last July blaming progressives for being insular preservationists who are afraid of newcomers. Look, we all like complaining about people who moved somewhere more recently than us. They are the worst! Are they not? So corny! I highly recommend this as a lively topic of conversation. I love talking shit about people other than me! But then, when it is all done, it is grown-up time, and people need a place to live, so the grown-ups need to figure out a place for people to live... Thanks to the political efforts of people who consider themselves real hardcore lefties! Thanks a lot, motherfuckers! Enjoy the beautiful houses you purchased real cheap in 1970 while you rail against the development that might one day allow middle class people to live in your lovely city again! Thank you, kind New Yorker, for summing it all up so succinctly. Now, kindly go back to your pizza rat scams and complaining about how you'll all be stuck in Williamsburg forever when that L train tunnel has to close. Sorry that all our lives suck so hard. City living sure is tough. Also, motherfucker, has your city experienced a new Gold Rush and a flood of new, eager bodies in the last five years? No? Does New York have enough spare apartments lying around to house 50,000 brand new people if they just showed up one day? Actually, if we make that proportional to the relative difference in the sizes of these two cities, does New York have enough spare spots to house 500,000 new people who just showed up all of a sudden? Oh and you know how dyed-in-the-denim New Yorkers love to complain about how gentrification has basically ruined every part of the city, including the Bronx, at this point? Well, San Franciscans take that shit seriously, and we don't let the person with the most money bulldoze whatever the fuck they want and build something new, and if that means we have some growing pains and things have to reach Manhattan-level prices for a while, then I guess that's how it will be. We will get through this. We're starting to wrap our heads around living in a denser place. We're fighting it out, and people are actually building some really huge housing projects, none of which have happened overnight. So, shut the fuck up already. And tell Brooklyn to shut the fuck up too. As they say over there, mind ya business. Assholes. Previously: How Many San Franciscans Are Rooting For The Tech Economy To Tank? San Francisco Has Always Been A Pretty Expensive Place To Live When the iconic, clothing-optional Harbin Hot Springs was destroyed in the Valley Fire six months ago, the famed retreat center up north in Middletown quickly vowed to rebuild. After initiating a planned redesign in December, this week Harbin announced on their website a three-phase reopening plan with the first phase tentatively slated for completion in late Summer or Fall 2016. The announcement coincides with the final push of a crowdsourced fundraising effort, which you can still donate to under the Staff Relief Fund section of Harbin.org through this Saturday, March 12 the six-month anniversary of the day the fire swept through Harbin. Normally a large project such as this would take years of planning and preparation, however we are hoping to expedite access to the pools for guests and residents. Harbin human resources manager Eric Richardson told SFist. We are attempting to reopen in three phases or stages. We plan the first phase of opening sometime later this year, perhaps late Summer or early Fall. Of course there are many variables that could force us to postpone this, but its our intention to open with limited services as soon as we can. The March update to Harbins "Reopening and Rebuilding News" announces plans for an initial reopening later this year. Daytime and camping visitors will have access to the pools, "a reception area, food service area, massage area, changing area and bathrooms, but guests must expect to 'rough it' compared to the Harbin of recent years." The second phase "Basic Accommodations and Facilities" is scheduled to begin this autumn, with a completion in 2017. Per the announcement: While day visitors and campers have access to the pools, we will begin rebuilding select buildings that were destroyed in the fire, including twelve Grove Cottages for overnight guests, and a replacement structure for Domes 1 & 2. A pool-area dressing room will be added on mainside, as will a camping-area pool complex with a guest kitchen and small grocery/market. Construction away from the pool area will allow us to prepare mainside sites for the final phase of development. That said, guests will need to become accustomed to construction activity, as it will be a year-round effort. The third and final phase returning the resort to full operation is expected to go through 2019 and beyond. This phase will involve building mainside guest rooms, a restaurant, market, gathering/meditation spaces, and a large conference/workshop facility. Staff housing and administrative spaces will be built, while the water, sewer electrical, and telecommunications systems will be brought up to full operating capacity. Dragon gate post-fire at Harbin Hot Springs Retreat & Workshop Center, Middletown, CA, Image: Harbin, T. O'Rourke While Harbins reconstruction figures to take the rest of the decade, this tiered reopening could see your naked self soaking again at Harbins pools as early as this summer. But to Harbins nearly 300 staff and residents, the Staff Relief Fund is a more immediate concern. At the end of this month many of our residents and staff will face the end of their disaster unemployment relief benefits so its a critical time for folks still looking to reestablish their lives, Richardson said. Its nice to know that this fund will be providing yet another timely and generous gift before its completion. You can contribute to the Harbin Staff Relief Fund through Saturday, March 12 at Harbin.org. For continued updates on the rebuild, check Harbins community update blog The Post, subscribe to their email newsletter or check the Harbin Hot Springs Facebook page. This blog is about the political struggle I am engaging in Singapore. The title "Singapore Alternatives" is chosen because my only political dream is to build a true alternative in Singapore. Alternative to PAP government, of course. As the Alternative, the political party must be able to have the visions and policy insights to lead Singapore. I will write on various policy views and personal beliefs that I think is crucial in building up the Alternative. All constructive comments are welcome. While doing research, you find the perfect source material but after only one or two articles, a page pops up asking you to subscribe to the magazine in order to read more. That can be $30 or more and you really dont have any use for that content beyond this research. Paying that kind of money feels like just a waste. Thats how Mike Gehl, founder of iMoneza, feels. Why cant you just purchase exactly what you need or want? Gehl explains in a release, I was in an unfamiliar city and wanted to go out to eat. As I searched, I noticed all the quality restaurant reviews were behind a paywall and my only option was to purchase a subscription. I just wanted to pay thirty, forty, fifty cents, whatever it may be, to read this review. That is how Gehl developed iMoneza and the idea is simple. A publisher who wants to charge for content creates a free iMoneza account and either uses a CMS plug-in or places a small bit of code on his or her website. The publishers are able to sell their content in a variety of different ways. They can offer individual articles as well as subscriptions. The publisher determines the price and can adjust as her or she sees fit. Most publishers, when charging for individual pieces, charge less than fifty cents. iMoneza does not charge for the use of the software but rather earns through a revenue share model. How can such small change add up? While the sale of a 25-cent article means nothing in the big picture, 100,000 purchases would translate to $25,000. Do this successfully with 10 articles and now the total amount is $250,000. This translates to otherwise unrealized revenue for publishers. The iMoneza technology was designed for a frictionless user experience. Consumers need only set up an account and deposit as little as $1 into their digital wallets. Then when those customers want to purchase content from an iMoneza partner, they choose their purchase option and click. iMoneza, headquartered in Brookfield, Wisconsin, was founded in January, 2014 and launched in March 2015. The micropayments iMoneza champions are a new way of selling individual pieces of content. Publishers and others selling content are used to selling whole subscriptions or books, but user demand could be suggesting other ways to monetize your content too. If you want to run a successful business, you need to get feedback from customers. And with todays rapidly changing consumer base, you likely need that feedback to happen in real time or close to it. Thats exactly the type of feedback that SurveyMe aims to provide. Read more about the business in this weeks Small Business Spotlight. What the Business Does Offers a platform for businesses to collect real time customer feedback. CEO Lee Evans told Small Business Trends, We sell the most advanced real time customer/employee feedback and instant reward solution. Put simply, SurveyMe is a one stop resource for companies looking to increase their efficiency, profitability and successful decision-making by communicating with their customers and employees. Business Niche Offering real time customer feedback. Evans says, Typically speaking, most customer feedback surveys are delivered via a code at the bottom of a receipt to go to website or an email directing consumers to take a survey potentially hours or even days after the experience has occurred. Because there is such a lapse in time, customers rarely if ever complete these surveys. SurveyMes app hosted surveys allow marketers to view real time responses from consumers that are most likely still on location. This empowers management to make improvements constantly and possibly even rectify negative experiences before a customer even has time to leave. How the Business Got Started As a way to help people understand customers. Evans explains, The idea for SurveyMe came to me about 11 years ago while I was growing a retail business of my own. In the first 12 months, I had reached $5 million in sales! At first, when I was on the sales floor, I could listen to our customers ideas and give them the products, services and experience they valued about my shop. I wanted to stay connected to the desires of our clientele and ideas of our front line team but as the company / number of stores / employees grew, it naturally became harder and harder to engage with my customers on a one on one level to hear what they thought of our products. Fast forward a few years, I had sold the business and I was now advising other businesses who were in financial trouble all because they had made bad decisions which resulted from becoming disconnected with their consumers. This lead my wife Nicola and I to create SurveyMe, a complete customer engagement and rewards solution that could be used by any company around the world. Biggest Win Helping their first client. Evans says, You never forget your first client telling you how much your product just helped them. Im addicted to the great stories we hear every day from clients but personally that first client win led to our biggest step, which was moving out of our spare bedroom and renting our first offices! That seems like a small thing but for any startup business that is the point when you really feel like a proper business. From there weve grown our team and we now have 10 team members and offices in the USA, U.K. and South Africa. Biggest Risk Taking on clients as investors. Evans explains, We have a great relationship with all our clients. Its so important to us that everything we do positively improves their lives. So when our clients said they believed in me so much and would back us financially it was both humbling and also came with great responsibility. If it had gone wrong, they would have lost everything and we would have also definitely lost everything too. Because our technology is so new and disruptive to the existing survey market, everything was still on a knife edge for the first seven months but then within a year the value of the company has increased by 15 times. Lesson Learned Trust your own ideas. Evans says, In the early days of SurveyMe, we were too willing to listen to other peoples opinions regarding what was and wasnt an achievable goal. I chose to listen to and trust individuals who ultimately did not deliver on their promises. Doing it all over again, I would have more belief in my own ideas and trust myself to realize the creative ideas I had in my head. Communication Strategy Constantly sharing ideas. Evans says, We all muck in together and theres no really hierarchy and no such thing as a bad idea. Regardless of your position or responsibility in the company or even where in the world you are, everyone communicates in real-time using an app called Hipchat and so everyone can have an input into the companys direction. See Also: Beef Up Customer Experience with These 4 Tips Favorite Quote You will never have the chance of success without the courage to face potential failure, Captain Phil Harris (deceased) who was skipper of Cornelia Marie, an Alaskan crab fishing boat. * * * * * Find out more about the Small Biz Spotlight program. There are many fitness goals out there that we desire. Some of us want to be leaner and others wish to put on muscle mass. The thing is, for you to achieve your fitness goals, you need to The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless. The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well. By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism. LEXINGTON PARK, Md. Merriam-Webster defines innovation as "the process of innovating" such as "a new method, idea, product, etc." At the recent Pax River Tech Demo Day, speakers, panelists, exhibitors and attendees focused on innovation and the need for a change in government culture in order to take advantage of new products and technologies, many of which could benefit the warfighter. Dr. Larry Schuette, Director of Research for the Office of Naval Research (ONR), said the Navy is in a good place regarding research and development because ONR is "actively engaged, and this isn't so for the other services." Schuette referenced the Innovation Challenge teams exhibiting at Tech Demo Day. The Novel Innovative Sound Energy Harvesting Device (NOISE-HD) team, derived from Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's (NAWCAD) Innovation Challenge, successfully harnessed sound energy from jet engines in a field environment and demonstrated that it could be stored via battery. The Sensor Embedding for Additive Manufacturing (SEAM) team was also present, demonstrating that it is possible to get reliable, accurate data for structural health monitoring of metallic "3-D printed" parts. Both teams focused on what was needed and sought solutions. Dr. Yogesh Joshi, Associate Professor, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, spoke about the importance of "need" in product development and how to commercialize technological innovations. Joshi explained three classic pitfalls in technological innovations: "failure to account for 'typical' innovation adoption rates; inappropriate 'go-to-market' strategies; and violation of 'customer centric innovation' principles." Joshi also stressed partnerships and collaborative efforts, an idea Rear Adm. Dean Peters, Commander Naval Air Warfare Center and Assistant Commander for Research and Engineering, NAVAIR, reiterated, stressing the importance of partnerships between government and industry as well as the need for government to own data rights and capture information that the government has already paid for and allowing small businesses, rich in innovative culture, to obtain pieces of bigger government contracts. The need for small business, rapid acquisition process and innovation culture was discussed throughout the two panel discussions: "Developing a product-focused R&D strategy" and "Innovating in the government market." Moderator, Ben Solomon, CEO, Hyperion Technologies, and panelists David Hagar, representing NAWCAD; Dr. Joshi; Geoff Orazem, managing partner of Eastern Foundry; and Vidyu Challa, Business Development Director, FlexEl LLC discussed the key elements needed when fostering an innovative culture in business, and the panelists' diverse backgrounds highlighted the need for strategy related to research and development. Solomon mentioned Maryland's various resources available to entrepreneurs. "StartupMaryland, TEDCO and numerous incubator spaces throughout the state assist companies just getting started," he said. The Maryland Venture Fund, a state-funded seed and early-stage equity fund, has invested in more than 50 companies to date. Rear Adm. Steve Eastburg, USN (ret), Executive Vice President of Smartronix, moderated the second panel which included Emily Harman, Director, Navy's Office of Small Business Programs; Rear Adm. Shane Gahagan, Military Director, Integrated Warfighting Capability Enterprise Team; Rear Adm. Matt Klunder, USN (ret), Vice-President, DoD Strategy, Harris Corp; and Rick Tarr, Business Development Program Manager, NAWCAD. Panelists emphasized leadership responsibility to shift away from the "risk averse" way of doing things, stating this approach will "drive young engineers, who view entrepreneurship as part of their DNA, out of the government." Klunder added that "everyone is responsible" and that "innovation should be thought of as a factor in performance so people will be compelled to think outside the box." Exhibitors present at Pax River Tech Demo Day showed how they were thinking outside the box with innovative products. "The technologies are remarkable," Bonnie Green, TPP Executive Director, said. "Wouldn't it be great to see NAVAIR utilize some of these to ultimately benefit the warfighter?" It has been 44 years since Lou Reed released his most famous song : "Walk on the Wild Side" from his solo album, Transformer, produced by David Bowie. The song received wide radio coverage, despite touching on taboo topics such as transsexuals, drugs, male prostitution and oral sex. The lyrics were groundbreaking and risque for their time, telling stories not usually told in rock songs up till then. "I always thought it would be kinda fun to introduce people to characters they maybe hadn't met before, or hadn't wanted to meet," Reed said in an interview. In the U.S., RCA released the single using an edited version of the song without the reference to oral sex. In the UK, the reference slipped past the censors, who were apparently unfamiliar with the term "giving head." The term "colored girls" was also an issue in the U.S.; RCA provided radio stations with a version in which it was edited out. The single peaked at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts in early 1973. After the announcement of Reed's death in October 2013, both the song and the Transformer album re-charted via iTunes Each verse refers to one of the "superstars" at Andy Warhol's New York studio, The Factory. "Holly" is based on Holly Woodlawn, a transgender actress who lived in Miami Beach, Florida as a child. In 1962, after being bullied by transphobes, the fifteen-year-old ran away from home; and, as in the lyrics, learned how to pluck her eyebrows while hitchhiking to New York. "Candy" is based on Candy Darling, a transgender actress and the subject of an earlier song by Lou Reed, "Candy Says." She grew up on Long Island ("the island") and was a regular at "the back room" of Max's Kansas City. "Little Joe" was the nickname of Joe Dallesandro, an actor who starred in Flesh, a 1968 film about a teenage hustler. Dallesandro said in 2014 that he had never met Reed when the song was written, and that the lyrics were based on the film character, not himself personally. "Sugar Plum Fairy" was a reference to actor Joe Campbell who played a character by that name in Warhol's 1965 film, My Hustler. The term was a euphemism for "drug dealer." "Jackie" is based on Jackie Curtis, another Warhol actor. "Speeding" and "crashing" are drug references. Curtis at one time hoped to play the role of James Dean in a movie; Dean was killed in a car crash. Lyrics Holly came from Miami F.L.A. Hitch-hiked her way across the U.S.A. Plucked her eyebrows on the way Shaved her legs and then he was a she She said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side, Candy came from out on the island, In the backroom she was everybody's darling, But she never lost her head Even when she was giving head She says, hey baby, take a walk on the wild side Little Joe never once gave it away Everybody had to pay and pay A hustle here and a hustle there New York City is the place where they said: Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side Sugar Plum Fairy came and hit the streets Lookin' for soul food and a place to eat Went to the Apollo You should have seen him go, go, go They said, hey Sugar, take a walk on the wild side Jackie is just speeding away Thought she was James Dean for a day Then I guess she had to crash Valium would have helped that bash She said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side And the colored girls say In 2011, this newspaper made Hillary Clinton its Person of the Year, in no small part due to her groundbreaking speech on behalf of international gay and lesbian human rights. Today, that speech is reprinted in our newspaper. It is a visionary talk, and a compelling reason for us to embrace the Clinton candidacy. On another page, a guest columnist shares with you his reasons for supporting Hillary Clinton, addressing her past flaws and current positives. We do so for a few other simple reasons as well. First and foremost, it is time our nation had a female president, and Clinton is eminently qualified to fulfill that role. To have a candidate speaking about building bridges and breaking down barriers is better than a candidate who talks about his erections on one hand, and erecting walls with the other. Second, as Clinton says, America does not need to be made great again. We have been doing pretty well the last eight years under a progressive Obama presidency. Within a country that has seen the economy grow, the LGBT community has grown exponentially too. We have had leaders appointed and elected to positions of influence and stature at every level. In the past eight years, our national spokespersons have advocated to enhance human rights everywhere. Our nation has been on the right side of history for the rights of the LGBT community. With same sex marriage winning in the Supreme Court by only a 5-4 vote, how important it is that we further the advancement of human rights with progressive nominees. Simultaneously, we have seen health care expanded, minority outreach improved, and the least of us protected, regardless of class or standing in the community. Obamacare was a vision first proposed by Hillary as First Lady back in 1992. It is not the anathema Ted Cruz makes it out to be. It is an antidote to heal the sick and treat the ill. It is only in its infancy. Clinton will work to protect it, not to repeal it. Early on the Obama Administration saved the economy and restored financial growth to banking institutions that had collapsed. While doing so, Americans everywhere were afforded mortgage modifications that allowed them to stay in their homes. Real estate prices are restored, the stock market is gaining, and gas prices are $1.35, lower than at any time in the last 25 years. Thats a testimony to a robust economy. In city after city, there is massive highway construction and thoroughfare expansion. To his credit, Bernie Sanders also speaks of inclusion, and he would certainly create some firsts of his own, as the first Jewish president, as the oldest person ever elected to office. But his experiences are limited and they have not evolved on the global stage. His economic plans do not steer far away from Clintons visions. But Clintons policies are more attainable and she has a history of working across the aisle to accomplish real change. She learned valuable lessons during her push for Hillarycare and we dont expect her to make the same mistakes again. So we choose first to stand by the friend who has stood by us. Our world is uneasy with terror and crisis in the Mideast and elsewhere. It has been so for decades and the instability and chaos there has never been directly attributable to either Republicans or Democrats. Madmen exist in our world, from North Korea to the last prime minister of Iran. In America, this year we are offering our own lunacy in the Republican primary, led by Donald Trump, who is neither conservative or liberal, just nastily narcissistic, fostering a nationalism based on hate and hostility, segregation and separation. His bipolar campaign and persona borders on Neo-Fascism, and our equations to the early days of Adolf Hitler have a ring of truth to them, like it or not. We also believe that Clinton is the best candidate positioned to take on the Republican nominee in the general election. She is only one that has faced the full assault of the Republican attack machine again and again over the past 30 years. Shes been knocked down, but never knocked out. She proved to this country her resiliency when she testified for 11 hours in front of the Benghazi committee. She walked away unfazed and unbroken. We support Hillary Clinton because she has spent a lifetime supporting human rights issues, from childrens rights as a legal advocate, to womens rights as First Lady, and LGBT rights as a secretary of state. We stand by the promise of an enlightened future rather than a return to a regressive past. We stand by a candidate appealing to the best in all of us, rather than the klandidate hiding behind false veils. We stand by Hillary Clinton. We are with her. When the Human Rights Campaign endorsed Hillary Clinton for President in January, citing the Secretarys long record as a champion for LGBT rights, it sparked a wave of backlash and criticism from the Bernie Sanders campaign and its supporters. Since that day, Senator Sanders and those who support him have continued their who said what, when, where, and why? argument, aimed at painting Clinton as some sort of flip-flopper with an inconsistent record on LGBT rights, who acts solely out of the interest of her own political gain. Those folks constantly highlight her evolving views on same-sex marriage. When its pointed out that Sanders has also evolved they argue that he evolved quicker. Those who support Clinton havent fared much better. I personally have been criticized for supporting her. Several have even gone so far as to label me a Republican lite. I have also been hounded as to why I am living in some sort of denial as to her credibility and commitment to the LGBT community. While I respect Senator Sanders, I am not going to vote for him simply because Im a millennial. I am proud to be a gay millennial supporting Hillary Clinton because she has been a loyal ally of the LGBT community. Given her experience and values, she is the best candidate to further the cause of the LGBT community and preserve the significant progress achieved under President Obama. So, lets clear the air. Yes its true, Clinton did not initially support same-sex marriage. But, she evolved on the issue, and announced her support in 2013 just nine years after fighting against the Federal Marriage Amendment. Why should someone be criticized for coming around to the right side of history? Shouldnt we be welcoming of such progress? While many attack Clinton they forget that numerous people have evolved on the issue of marriage equality including President Obama. Senator Sanders can attempt to jockey his vote against the Defense of Marriage Act into evidence of support for same-sex marriage, but the truth is that it was done in the name of states rights rather than marriage equality or some moral high ground. Like Clinton, Sanders originally believed marriage was a states rights issue. But in 2006 when marriage equality was knocking on Vermonts door, Sanders stood in opposition, and instead flip-flopped back to his endorsement of civil unions. Sanders may have evolved before Clinton, but his record is not without holes. More recently there is ample evidence to support Secretary Clintons commitment to the LGBT community and causes. In her video campaign announcement last April, she included a diverse group of Americans, most notably featuring a gay and lesbian couple showing that LGBT folks are part of her vision. As Secretary of State, she remained steadfast in her commitment to the LGBT community. In her 2011 speech to the United Nations recognizing International Human Rights Day, Clinton reaffirmed her pledge to the LGBT community, and acknowledged the work that still needs to be done. Gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights, she declared. In this capacity she also helped President Obama launch the Global Equality Fund, modified the State Departments equal opportunity policy to protect employees and job applicants based on gender identity and extended many benefits enjoyed by heterosexual employees and their families to same-sex partners and their families. But, even before becoming Secretary of State, Clinton was at the forefront on many LGBT rights issues. In 2000, she voiced support for the extension of domestic partnership benefits to same-sex couples. That year she also addressed issues of hate crimes and intolerance. Clinton was the first, First Lady to march in a gay pride parade, and one year later expressed support for civil unions. Since then, Clinton has continued being an advocate for the LGBT community. In a recent speech to the HRC, Clinton laid out her agenda for furthering progress on LGBT rights as President. Among her promises was a plan to sign the Equality Act, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected classes with regards to housing and employment discrimination. Even with nationwide recognition of same-sex marriage, there is much at stake in the 2016 election. While, yes, Sanders has been on the side of the LGBT community, he has never, in over 25 years in Congress, pushed for major LGBT rights legislation. LGBT rights is not a single-issue cause. Throughout her years of public service, Hillary Clinton has been on the side of the LGBT community. And if you look at her website she has a detailed 6-point plan for LGBT rights that includes full federal equality for LGBT Americans; supporting LGBT youth, parents, and elders; Honoring the military service of LGBT people; Securing affordable treatment for people living with HIV and AIDS; Protecting transgender rights; and promoting human rights of LGBT people around the world. I believe her campaign slogan, Shes fighting for us, and in return I am going to fight for her. I hope you will join me. Issues concerning the transgender community will be examined and discussed at TransCon at Barry University on March 11 and 12. TransCon serves as a space to educate and empower the transgender community as well as its allies. Friday, on the first day of TransCon, a job fair featuring both local and national companies will be held from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Attendees should bring their resumes and be prepared to talk to recruiters. The second day is workshops and discussions. This years event, organized by the Aqua Foundation for Women, is free. This years keynote speaker is Ruby Corado, the Executive Director of Casa Ruby, an organization that serves the most vulnerable within the LGBT people in Washington, D.C. Casa Ruby is one of the largest employers of transgender women of color in the country and the largest transgender focused organization led by a transgender woman of color. Attendees at TransCon can also expect to participate in workshops and activities addressing a variety of topics, including: employment, dating, health, trans youth issues, trans equality and more. This year TransCon is adding even more workshops for trans youth, specifically for children under 12 as well as their parents. It is important to us to create spaces for young trans people and their parents. As children are expressing their genders, and parents are listening to their children, at younger ages, we want to make sure there are spaces in the community for trans and gender non-conforming folks of all ages and the people supporting them, says AFW Program Manager MJ Castells. While AFW Executive Director, Caitlin Wood, added, What started off as a very simple health focused workshop for the transgender community has now grown into a weekend-long catered conference with keynote speakers, activities and this year, a job fair component, in which attendees will have an opportunity to meet with recruiters from both national and local businesses. A lot has happened in the community since last years TransCon, namely, Caitlyn Jenners transition, highly-publicized TV interviews and her reality show. So its only appropriate that one of this years discussions is Trans Lives in the Media - Post Caitlyn which is co-presented by Unity Coalition (Herb Sosa & Christopher Padron) and the World OUTGames (Lynare Robbins) with Chantale Glover of OutLoud. Poet/speaker/author/educator/advocate Aryah Lester is one of the presenters. Attending TransCon is essential because it is the only conference of its kind currently in Miami-Dade County that specifically caters to the transgender community. Hosted by Barry University, which also hosts our annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, this platform is an opportunity to address many topics affecting our community: youth, transwomen of color, employment, and other workshops, she says. Complimentary breakfast and lunch will be provided by Aqua Foundation. Complimentary roundtrip transportation will be provided from locations in both Miami-Dade and Broward County. The shuttles will depart from the destinations below by 8:30 a.m. The event runs on: March 11, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and March 12, 2016, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, please visit: TransCon.miami. Kepler NASA HiRISE The engineers huddled around a telemetry screen, and the mood was tense. They were watching streams of data from a crippled spacecraft more than 50 million miles away so far that even at the speed of light, it took nearly nine minutes for a signal to travel to the spacecraft and back. It was late August 2013, and the group of about five employees at Ball Aerospace in Boulder, Colorado, was waiting for NASAs Kepler space telescope to reveal whether it would live or die. A severe malfunction had robbed the planet-hunting Kepler of its ability to stay pointed at a target without drifting off course. The engineers had devised a remarkable solution: using the pressure of sunlight to stabilize the spacecraft so it could continue to do science. Now, there was nothing more they could do but wait for the spacecraft to reveal its fate. Youre not watching it unfold in real time, said Dustin Putnam, Balls attitude control lead for Kepler. Youre watching it as it unfolded a few minutes ago, because of the time the data takes to get back from the spacecraft. Finally, the team received the confirmation from the spacecraft they had been waiting for. The room broke out in cheers. The fix worked! Kepler, with a new lease on life, was given a new mission as K2. But the biggest surprise was yet to come. A space telescope with a distinguished history of discovering distant exoplanets planets orbiting other stars was about to outdo even itself, racking up hundreds more discoveries and helping to usher in entirely new opportunities in astrophysics research. Many of us believed that the spacecraft would be saved, but this was perhaps more blind faith than insight, said Tom Barclay, senior research scientist and director of the Kepler and K2 guest observer office at NASAs Ames Research Center in Californias Silicon Valley. The Ball team devised an ingenious solution allowing the Kepler space telescope to shine again. The discoveries roll in A little more than two years after the tense moment for the Ball engineers, K2 has delivered on its promise with a breadth of discoveries. Continuing the exoplanet-hunting legacy, K2 has discovered more than three dozen exoplanets and with more than 250 candidates awaiting confirmation. A handful of these worlds are near-Earth-sized and orbit stars that are bright and relatively nearby compared with Kepler discoveries, allowing scientists to perform follow-up studies. In fact, these exoplanets are likely future targets for the Hubble Space Telescope and the forthcoming James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), with the potential to study these planets atmospheres in search of signatures indicative of life. K2 also has astronomers rethinking long-held planetary formation theory, and the commonly understood lonely hot Jupiter paradigm. The unexpected discovery of a star with a close-in Jupiter-sized planet sandwiched between two smaller companion planets now has theorists back at their computers reworking the models, and has sent astronomers back to their telescopes in search of other hot Jupiter companions. It remains a mystery how a giant planet can form far out and migrate inward leaving havoc in its wake and still have nearby planetary companions, said Barclay. Like its predecessor, K2 searches for planetary transits the tiny, telltale dip in the brightness of a star as a planet crosses in front and for the first time caught the rubble from a destroyed exoplanet transiting across the remains of a dead star known as a white dwarf. Exoplanets have long been thought to orbit these remnant stars, but not until K2 has the theory been confirmed. Engineers developed an innovative way to stabilize and control the spacecraft. This technique of using the sun as the third wheel has Kepler searching for planets again, but also making discoveries on young stars to supernovae. Larger image Credits: NASA Ames/W Stenzel K2 has fixed its gaze on regions of the sky with densely packed clusters of stars which has revealed the first transiting exoplanet in such an area, popularly known as the Hyades star cluster. Clusters are exciting places to find exoplanets because stars in a cluster all form around the same time, giving them all the same born-on date. This helps scientists understand the evolution of planetary systems. The repurposed spacecraft boasts discoveries beyond the realm of exoplanets. Mature stars about the age of our sun and older largely populated the original single Kepler field of view. In contrast, many K2 fields see stars still in the process of forming. In these early days, planets also are assembled and by looking at the timescales of star formation, scientists gain insight into how our own planet formed. Studies of one star-forming region, called Upper Scorpius, compared the size of young stars observed by K2 with computational models. The result demonstrated fundamental imperfections in the models. While the reason for these discrepancies is still under debate, it likely shows that magnetic fields in stars do not arise as researchers expect. Looking in the ecliptic the orbital path traveled around the sun by the planets of our solar system and the location of the zodiac K2 also is well equipped to observe small bodies within our own solar system such as comets, asteroids, dwarf planets, ice giants and moons. Last year, for instance, K2 observed Neptune in a dance with its two moons, Triton and Nereid. This was followed by observations of Pluto and Uranus. K2 cant help but observe the dynamics of our planetary system, said Barclay. We all know that planets follow laws of motion but with K2 we can see it happen. These initial accomplishments have come in the first year and a half since K2 began in May 2014, and have been carried off without a hitch. The spacecraft continues to perform nominally. Searching for far out worlds In April, K2 will take part in a global experiment in exoplanet observation with a special observing period or campaign, Campaign 9. In this campaign, both K2 and astronomers at ground-based observatories on five continents will simultaneously monitor the same region of sky towards the center of our galaxy to search for small planets, such as the size of Earth, orbiting very far from their host star or, in some cases, orbiting no star at all. For this experiment, scientists will use gravitational microlensing the phenomenon that occurs when the gravity of a foreground object, such as a planet, focuses and magnifies the light from a distant background star. This detection method will allow scientists to find and determine the mass of planets that orbit at great distances, like Jupiter and Neptune do our sun. Design by community What could turn out to be one of the most important legacies of K2 has little to do with the mechanics of the telescope, now operating on two wheels and with an assist from the sun. The Kepler mission was organized along traditional lines of scientific discovery: a targeted set of objectives carefully chosen by the science team to answer a specific question on behalf of NASA how common or rare are Earths around other suns? K2s modified mission involves a whole new approach engaging the scientific community at large and opening up the spacecrafts capabilities to a broader audience. The new approach of letting the community decide the most compelling science targets were going to look at has been one of the most exciting aspects, said Steve Howell, the Kepler and K2 project scientist at Ames. Because of that, the breadth of our science is vast, including star clusters, young stars, supernovae, white dwarfs, very bright stars, active galaxies and, of course, exoplanets. In the new paradigm, the K2 team laid out some broad scientific objectives for the mission and planned to operate the spacecraft on behalf of the community. Keplers field of view surveyed just one patch of sky in the northern hemisphere. The K2 ecliptic field of view provides greater opportunities for Earth-based observatories in both the northern and southern hemispheres, allowing the whole world to participate. With more than two years of fuel remaining, the spacecrafts scientific future continues to look unexpectedly bright. Ames manages the Kepler and K2 missions for NASAs Science Mission Directorate. NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, managed Kepler mission development. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation operates the flight system with support from the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado in Boulder. For more information about the Kepler and K2 missions, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/kepler IRAS 08544-4431 ESO As they approach the ends of their lives many stars develop stable discs of gas and dust around them. This material was ejected by stellar winds, whilst the star was passing through the red giant stage of its evolution. These discs resemble those that form planets around young stars. But up to now astronomers have not been able to compare the two types, formed at the beginning and the end of the stellar life cycle. Although there are many discs associated with young stars that are sufficiently near to us to be studied in depth, there are no corresponding old stars with discs that are close enough for us to obtain detailed images. But this has now changed. A team of astronomers led by Michel Hillen and Hans Van Winckel from the Instituut voor Sterrenkunde in Leuven, Belgium, has used the full power of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) at ESOs Paranal Observatory in Chile, armed with the PIONIER instrument, and the newly upgraded RAPID detector. Their target was the old double star IRAS 08544-4431 [1], lying about 4000 light-years from Earth in the southern constellation of Vela (constellation) (The Sails). This double star consists of a red giant star, which expelled the material in the surrounding dusty disc, and a less-evolved more normal star orbiting close to it. Jacques Kluska, team member from Exeter University, United Kingdom, explains: By combining light from several telescopes of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer, we obtained an image of stunning sharpness equivalent to what a telescope with a diameter of 150 metres would see. The resolution is so high that, for comparison, we could determine the size and shape of a one euro coin seen from a distance of two thousand kilometres. Thanks to the unprecedented sharpness of the images [2] from the Very Large Telescope Interferometer, and a new imaging technique that can remove the central stars from the image to reveal what lies around them, the team could dissect all the building blocks of the IRAS 08544-4431 system for the first time. The most prominent feature of the image is the clearly resolved ring. The inner edge of the dust ring, seen for the first time in these observations, corresponds very well with the expected start of the dusty disc: closer to the stars, the dust would evaporate in the fierce radiation from the stars. We were also surprised to find a fainter glow that is probably coming from a small accretion disc around the companion star. We knew the star was double, but werent expecting to see the companion directly. Itis really thanks to the jump in performance now provided by the new detector in PIONIER, that we are able to view the very inner regions of this distant system, adds lead author Michel Hillen. The team finds that discs around old stars are indeed very similar to the planet-forming ones around young stars. Whether a second crop of planets can really form around these old stars is yet to be determined, but it is an intriguing possibility. Our observations and modelling open a new window to study the physics of these discs, as well as stellar evolution in double stars. For the first time the complex interactions between close binary systems and their dusty environments can now be resolved in space and time, concludes Hans Van Winckel. Notes [1] The name of the object indicates that it is a source of infrared radiation that was detected and catalogued by the IRAS satellite observatory in the 1980s. [2] The resolution of the VLTI, used with the four Auxiliary Telescopes, was about one milliarcsecond (1/1000th of 1/3600th of a degree). More information This research was presented in a paper entitled Imaging the dust sublimation front of a circumbinary disk, by M. Hillen et al., to appear as a letter in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. The team is composed of M. Hillen (Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, Leuven, Belgium), J. Kluska (University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom), J.-B. Le Bouquin (UJF-Grenoble 1/CNRS-INSU, Institut de Plantologie et dAstrophysique de Grenoble, France), H. Van Winckel (Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, Leuven, Belgium), J.-P. Berger (ESO, Garching, Germany), D. Kamath (Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, Leuven, Belgium) and V. Bujarrabal (Observatorio Astronmico Nacional, Alcal de Henares,Spain). ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the worlds most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It is supported by 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the worlds most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory and two survey telescopes. VISTA works in the infrared and is the worlds largest survey telescope and the VLT Survey Telescope is the largest telescope designed to exclusively survey the skies in visible light. ESO is a major partner in ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, close to Paranal, ESO is building the 39-metre European Extremely Large Telescope, the E-ELT, which will become the worlds biggest eye on the sky. Research paper Larger image Astronaut Tim Peake answers questions from U.S. and British journalists Tuesday morning. Credit: NASA. NASA The Expedition 47 trio conducted a wide variety of science today. The crew explored life science, physics research and crew performance. Astronaut Tim Peake is setting up the Microgravity Science Glovebox for Rodent Research operations. That experiment is due to start after the arrival of the next SpaceX mission due in the spring. Scientists will use the research to learn how to prevent muscle atrophy and bone loss in space. Commander Tim Kopra also worked with the Microgravity Science Glovebox installing gear for a different experiment. The OASIS study explores the unique behavior of liquid crystals in microgravity with potential benefits for display devices on Earth and in spacecraft. Kopra also explored how living in space affects cognitive performance by taking brief computerized tests. Veteran cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko transferred cargo from the new 62P resupply ship docked to the Pirs docking compartment. He also studied radiation exposure on the Russian side of the International Space Station using simulated tissue. On-Orbit Status Report Rodent Research (RR) Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Hardware Gather: Peake gathered hardware and consumables needed to set up MSG for RR operations which will begin following the arrival of SpX-8. Spaceflight causes a rapid loss of bone and muscle mass especially in the legs and spine with symptoms similar to those experienced by people with muscle wasting diseases or weakness in mice exposed to long-duration spaceflight (RR-3), studies molecular and physical changes in the musculoskeletal system that occurs in space. Results expand scientists understanding of muscle atrophy and bone loss in space, while testing an antibody that has been known to prevent muscle wasting in mice on Earth. Observation and Analysis of Smectic Islands in Space (OASIS): Kopra installed and configured the OASIS hardware into the MSG for operations. Several issues were encountered and overcome via troubleshooting, including replacement of the Micro Camera to Monitor-1 cable to recover video feed to that monitor, and a software reboot to recover lens commanding. Troubleshooting activities to resolve pneumatic commanding capabilities that were identified during the video checkout will precede the OASIS Gylcerol/Water Fill procedure which will begin the next science run tomorrow. OASIS studies the unique behavior of liquid crystals in microgravity, including their overall motion and the merging of crystal layers known as smectic islands. Liquid crystals are used for display screens in televisions and clocks and they also occur in soaps and in cell membranes. The experiment allows detailed studies of the behavior of these structures and how microgravity affects their unique ability to act like both a liquid and a solid crystal. Individualized Real-Time Neurocognitive Assessment Toolkit for Space Flight Fatigue (Cognition): Kopra completed the Cognition test battery which includes pre-test questions and cognitive tests with performance feedback. Cognition measures how spaceflight-related physical changes, such as microgravity and lack of sleep, can affect cognitive performance. Cognition includes ten brief computerized tests that cover a wide range of cognitive functions and provides immediate feedback on current and past test results. The software allows for real-time measurement of cognitive performance while in space. NanoRacks Display Photos: Kopra took photos of the NanoRacks Monitor installed in the JEM Pressurized Module (JPM) at Platform-1 as well as the NanoRacks Multi-Gas Monitor Liquid Crystal Display which will be used to assess and prioritize future NanoRacks activities. Platform-1 is used for modules that do not need power. Data connectivity issues with Platform-1 began after SpX-4 unberth. The ground support team has been working to determine the cause and develop a solution. Multi-Omics: Peake completed the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Multi-Omics investigation by collecting body samples and inserting them into a Minus Eight-degree Freezer for ISS (MELFI). The investigation evaluates the impacts of space environment and prebiotics on astronauts immune function by combining data obtained from the measurements of changes in the gut microbiological composition, metabolites profiles, and the immune system. Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Distillation Assembly (DA) Remove & Replace (R&R): The ground team has activated the UPA following this mornings successful DA R&R. The first process cycle is underway and is looking nominal. The next planned process cycle will occur on GMT 069 Orbit 1, after the crew performs a WSTA Fill from a US urine EDV. Todays Planned Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. MSG Activation of MSG glove box DA R&R OASIS Hardware Setup VIZIR. Experiment Ops with ???? Hardware / r/g 1612 HAM radio session from Columbus Transfer of IV-TEPC from SM (panel 328) to Lab MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE-dosimeter initialization and deployment r/g 1608 Multi Omics Progress 431 (DC1) Transfesr and IMS Ops / r/g 0947, 0963 OASIS Hardware Setup AQM 1005 Troubleshooting VIZIR. ???? Closeout Ops / r/g 1612 Soyuz 719 Samsung Tablet Recharge Initiate WRS Maintenance Replacement of ??2 Filter Unit (??) ??? Maintenance PAO Hardware Setup Crew Prep for PAO PAO Event Video Footage of Greetings / r/g 1609 WRS Maintenance Soyuz 719 Samsung Tablet Recharge terminate Rodent Research (RR) Equipment Gathering NanoRacks Displays Photos HAM radio session from Columbus Health Maintenance System (HMS) Nutritional Assessment (ESA) Private Medical Conference (Ku + S-band) IMS Delta File Prep VCA1 Camera Adjustment Daily Planning Conference (S-band) COGNITION Experiment Ops Completed Task List Items WHC KTO replace Ground Activities All activities were completed unless otherwise noted. Nominal ground commanding Three-Day Look Ahead: Wednesday, 03/09: OASIS experiment, OBT 45S Emergency Drill, Neuromapping Thursday, 03/10: C2V2 H/W install. LAB1P5 RPCM R&R, SPRINT Ultrasound Friday, 03/11: C2V2 comm unit install, LAB1P5 reconfig, OBT Cygnus conference QUICK ISS Status Environmental Control Group: Component Status Elektron Off Vozdukh Manual [???] 1 SM Air Conditioner System (SKV1) Off [???] 2 SM Air Conditioner System (SKV2) On Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab Override Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 Operate Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab Idle Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 Operate Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) Process Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Norm Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab Off Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 Full Up Mars Insight NASA NASAs Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) mission to study the deep interior of Mars is targeting a new launch window that begins May 5, 2018, with a Mars landing scheduled for Nov. 26, 2018. InSights primary goal is to help us understand how rocky planets including Earth formed and evolved. The spacecraft had been on track to launch this month until a vacuum leak in its prime science instrument prompted NASA in December to suspend preparations for launch. InSight project managers recently briefed officials at NASA and Frances space agency, Centre National dtudes Spatiales (CNES), on a path forward; the proposed plan to redesign the science instrument was accepted in support of a 2018 launch. The science goals of InSight are compelling, and the NASA and CNES plans to overcome the technical challenges are sound, said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for NASAs Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The quest to understand the interior of Mars has been a longstanding goal of planetary scientists for decades. Were excited to be back on the path for a launch, now in 2018. NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, will redesign, build and conduct qualifications of the new vacuum enclosure for the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS), the component that failed in December. CNES will lead instrument level integration and test activities, allowing the InSight Project to take advantage of each organizations proven strengths. The two agencies have worked closely together to establish a project schedule that accommodates these plans, and scheduled interim reviews over the next six months to assess technical progress and continued feasibility. The cost of the two-year delay is being assessed. An estimate is expected in August, once arrangements with the launch vehicle provider have been made. The seismometer instruments main sensors need to operate within a vacuum chamber to provide the exquisite sensitivity needed for measuring ground movements as small as half the radius of a hydrogen atom. The rework of the seismometers vacuum container will result in a finished, thoroughly tested instrument in 2017 that will maintain a high degree of vacuum around the sensors through rigors of launch, landing, deployment and a two-year prime mission on the surface of Mars. The InSight mission draws upon a strong international partnership led by Principal Investigator Bruce Banerdt of JPL. The landers Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package is provided by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). This probe will hammer itself to a depth of about 16 feet (5 meters) into the ground beside the lander. SEIS was built with the participation of the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, with support from the Swiss Space Office and the European Space Agency PRODEX program; the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, supported by DLR; Imperial College, supported by the United Kingdom Space Agency; and JPL. The shared and renewed commitment to this mission continues our collaboration to find clues in the heart of Mars about the early evolution of our solar system, said Marc Pircher, director of CNESs Toulouse Space Centre. The missions international science team includes researchers from Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. JPL manages InSight for NASAs Science Mission Directorate. InSight is part of NASAs Discovery Program, managed by the agencys Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The InSight spacecraft, including cruise stage and lander, was built and tested by Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver. It was delivered to Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, in December 2015 in preparation for launch, and returned to Lockheed Martins Colorado facility last month for storage until spacecraft preparations resume in 2017. NASA is on an ambitious journey to Mars that includes sending humans to the Red Planet, and that work remains on track. Robotic spacecraft are leading the way for NASAs Mars Exploration Program, with the upcoming Mars 2020 rover being designed and built, the Opportunity and Curiosity rovers exploring the Martian surface, the Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft currently orbiting the planet, along with the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN) orbiter, which is helping scientists understand what happened to the Martian atmosphere. NASA and CNES also are participating in ESAs (European Space Agencys) Mars Express mission currently operating at Mars. NASA is participating on ESAs 2016 and 2018 ExoMars missions, including providing telecommunication radios for ESAs 2016 orbiter and a critical element of a key astrobiology instrument on the 2018 ExoMars rover. For addition information about the mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/insight More information about NASAs journey to Mars is available online at: http://www.nasa.gov/journeytomars Journey to Nowhere NASAWatch Last week a group of space-related organizations rented the National Press Club so they could announce a white paper on space policy. Why bother? Space is not going to be an issue in the 2016 campaign. At the press event Elliot Pulham from The Space Foundation said We thought it would be a good time to have a platform of information out there that all candidates could refer to, learn from and take to heart as they plan their campaigns but moments later he also said To some extent, the purpose of this is not to have space become a big presidential issue. Pulham added Lets not undo anything. Sandra Magnus from the AIAA said that this coalition wanted to take the issue of space policy off the table but at the same time she said that this group wants to stress the importance of space. Such is the problem with these sort of documents from the space community. On one hand the space groups want to have a say in the political decisions that affect their members (and donors). But on the other hand theyd rather not have the politicians pay too much attention to space such that the current status quo is not upset. In other words write us the checks but dont rock the boat or more bluntly look but dont touch. This is, at best, naive thinking on the part of the space community. If you read the white paper it becomes immediately apparent that this coalition wants everything that they are doing to be supported and in some cases, they want even more money. They also want a stable funding environment (makes sense). The two main programs being supported by this coalition are SLS/Orion and Commercial Crew and Cargo with gratuitous mention of other projects that are important to the members of this coalition. Indeed that is all that this white paper is actually about: supporting specific big aerospace contracts. There is no similarly identified support for specific space, planetary, and earth science. Small wonder that the Planetary Society, American Astronomical Society, and the American Geophysical Union are not among the members of this coalition. While a lot of prominent names are affixed to this white paper it is clearly being driven by the so-called four amigos: Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Orbital ATK the builders of SLS/Orion. Look at the organizations listed and ponder who the prime donors/members are. Its not that hard to fill in the blanks amidst the smoke and mirrors. No surprise folks this is how these things always work. So, at the onset, this partial coalition of space organizations purports to be some sort of national consensus but deliberately ignores a substantial portion of what America spends its money on in space. And yet they want this white paper to be some sort of user guide for campaigns to use when it comes to space. I am not sure how useful such a guide is when several important chapters are deliberately left out. But to the point as to whether space is even going to be an issue such that some campaign staffer needs to even bother to generate a position paper, well, it depends on who is doing what in the campaign. The space policy circle is rather small and everyone knows everyone else. As campaign season starts every 4 years this community starts to partially parse itself between overt Democrats and Republicans with most of the community hovering in between. I am not going to name names since that just fuels rumors that have more to do with personalities than actual policies. On the Democratic side, the players in space policy are well known and, barring an upset wherein Bernie Sanders gets the nomination, the issue of space under Hillary Clinton is more or less settled. The Democratic players are against SLS and for commercial crew and cargo. They support earth/climate science as well as space/planetary science, education, technology development, and tend to want to push NASA to be more relevant to a broader range of societal factors. On the Republican side it is a little more confusing. As with the Democrats there is a core group of usual suspects that end up in the periphery of campaign policy circles. If a more mainstream candidate wins the nomination, youll see that crowd show more of a focus on SLS and Orion, somewhat less overt interest in commercial crew and cargo, and then minimal overt support for all the science stuff other than to say that it is important. If the nominee is further to the right (Cruz) then the policy will go deep into being anti-earth/climate research at NASA and more stridently pro-SLS/Orion and dismissive of commercial crew/cargo. If the nominee is a certain billionaire, well, he thinks fixing potholes is a lot more important. And to be quite honest, given NASAs chronic inability to explain itself these past decades, it would be hard to argue to the electorate that space stuff is more important than fixing the crumbling infrastructure that voters are confronted with every day on their way to work. In a nutshell, if a campaign feels the need to address space as an issue and this white paper agrees with what they want to say even if only partially then they will cite it as some sort of gold standard. If they do not agree with the white papers verbiage then they will ignore it. And if they need their own validation they will go find some former astronauts and NASA luminaries to sign off on their own position paper. Given the small circle of people that comprises space policy community, that input has already been made to some extent in this white paper. The saddest part of this effort is that the people involved actually think it (they) will have an impact. They havent had an impact before, why would they have one now? Space is a niche issue on a good day. This effort is simply an effort to recycle the status quo. While the white paper makes quick mention of destinations in space (Moon, Mars), and cites standard buzz words and verbiage about sexy topics in technology, there is no discussion whatsoever about the lack of or the need for a clear space policy or strategy. All this white paper does is complain that NASA needs more money to do the same things that it has been doing without even the slightest interest in having an overarching national policy that resonates with the actual needs of the electorate and the nation. Until the space community actually manages to find a compelling reason to exist other than securing paychecks for its contractors and pet projects it will be relegated to the stop-and-go, flat budget, meandering path that it is currently stuck with. White Paper Lays Out Steps to Ensure U.S. Leadership in Space, AIAA ASAP: NASA Has No Plan or Firm Funding For Its #JourneyToMars Kicking The Can Down the Road to Mars, earlier post NASA Begins Its Journey To Nowhere, earlier post Yet Another NASA Mars Plan Without A Plan or a Budget, earlier post NASAs Strategic Plan Isnt Strategic or a Plan, earlier post Charlie Boldens Meandering Strategic Plans, earlier post ANALYSTS disagree on their views on the decision of President Andrej Kiska not to invite chair of the far-right Peoples Party Our Slovakia (LSNS) to post-election talks. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The president did not want to explain in detail why he refused to invite Marian Kotleba. He only hinted that a radical political extremism in uniforms made it to the parliament, as reported by the Sme daily. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Also other leaders of parliamentary parties, except for Boris Kollar of Sme Rodina (We Are Family), said they would ignore LSNS, while Kotleba responded that all parliamentary parties and the president are on one side. Such behaviour, however, is nothing extraordinary. Former Czech president Vaclav Havel, for example, did not invite communists to discuss the creation of government, Sme wrote. Read also: Read also: President Kiska will authorise Fico to form government Read more The reasons why Kiska is doing this are obvious as the president behaves in compliance with his previous rhetoric, political analyst with the Comenius University in Bratislava Pavol Babos told Sme. He is a representative of the liberal part of voters with strong value principles, Babos added. Analysts, however, differ in their opinion on what impact such behaviour would have. Some say that Kotleba may be depicted as an unwanted and aggrieved leader of a parliamentary party, while others approve the presidents decision. Political analyst Michal Cirner approves Kiskas behaviour, saying that there is no reason to negotiate with extremists, as reported by the public-service broadcaster Slovak Radio (SRo). Though Ivan Chorvat of the Matej Bel University in Banska Bystrica (UMB) says that it is not necessary to meet with extremists, he adds that it depends on the situation. He assumes that the president maybe should have met with Kotleba, especially when he talked to other leaders of parliamentary parties. He could thus tell him his opinion on his policy or that his values are inconsistent, Chorvat said in a talk show broadcast by the Slovak Television (STV). Political analyst Peter Spac says that the decision cuts both ways. On one hand, it would be difficult to explain to standard politicians why to meet with him at any level. On the other hand, Kotleba is not new in politics and he already serves as governor of the Banska Bystrica Self-Governing Region. The ignorance may only motivate his partys supporters to vote for it again, he told STV. Marian Majer, head of the Slovak Institute for Security Policy, lists several impacts the behaviour may have. The partys popularity may increase and it may become part of the political mainstream as it happened in France. On the other hand, the party may become marginalised as other political subjects will use the same opinions as LSNS to appeal to their voters, as reported by Sme. FREEDOM and Solidarity (SaS) chair Richard Sulik has already met with representatives of two parliamentary parties to discuss potential cooperation. Font size: A - | A + Sulik invited Bela Bugar of Most-Hid as the first of the centre-right parties leaders. He repeated after the talks that he would not discuss cooperation with Smer. They talked about creating the government with the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OLaNO-NOVA), Siet and the Slovak National Party (SNS). With support of Sme Rodina (We Are Family) of Boris Kollar they would have 87 votes. Without it 76 votes, the Sme daily reported. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement We discussed with Sulik our ideas, Bugar told Sme, our programme priorities are the most important for us. We told SaS about them and said how we imagine a stable government. Read also: Read also: SaS will start unofficial coalition talks Read more However, he failed to specify the programme priorities. The biggest obstacle, however, is the cooperation between Most-Hid and SNS, but Bugar said that this will be discussed only if such a situation occurs. Sulik also discussed the potential collaboration with Daniel Lipsic of OLaNO-NOVA, Sme wrote. At probably the same time, SaS deputy chair Lubomir Galko met with Andrej Hrnciar, deputy chair of Siet. The talks were allegedly initiated by Hrnciar. It is good if such negotiations take place on other levels than between the parties chairs, Galko told Sme. After Jaguar Land Rover, another carmaker is reportedly looking to build a plant in Slovakia. Font size: A - | A + GERMAN automotive giant Mercedes-Benz Cars Daimler is looking to build a new plant and Slovakia is one of the possible locations it is considering, the Sme daily reports citing biztweet.eu portal. Slovakia will soon host four carmakers, when after PSA Peugeot-Citroen, Volkswagen, and Kia, also Jaguar Land Rover is building a plant near the western-Slovak city of Nitra. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Biztweet.eu reports that Mercedes-Benz, which last year produced two million cars, is looking for new places to divide its production, meaning to build new plants - reportedly one to build new Mercedes models and another one to build engines for Daimler cars. The investment, which is expected to exceed one billion euros, could be located in Slovakia. "It is true that we are continuously investigating the parametres of the local production in connection with market growth and sale potential," the company wrote in its statement as quoted by Sme, adding that this goes for all markets and regions. Last year, more than one million cars were produced in Slovakia. THE REGIONAL prosecutors office in Bratislava started a criminal prosecution concerning the publishing of tax information concerning the leader of the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OLaNO). Font size: A - | A + Prosecutor Zuzana Hulinova launched a criminal proceeding based on a motion submitted by activist and teacher Juraj Smatana, the Sme daily reported. Prime Minister Robert Fico published the documents in early February, alleging that OLaNO chair Igor Matovic avoided a tax audit by selling his Region Press company for the equivalent of about 4 million to one of his employees while keeping the companys money on his personal account and later withdrawing from the contract. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Read also: Read also: Fico targets Matovic as part of campaign Read more Fico refused several times to declare where he obtained the documents. They were, however, part of the files which he could not obtain legally as they can be shown only to participants in the proceeding held at the tax office, Sme wrote. With publishing the report from the tax office Fico violated the tax secrecy, Pavel Nechala, a lawyer cooperating with Transparency International Slovensko watchdog, told the Dennik N daily in February. Though Fico had promised to publish the source of the documents together with other information against Matovic, this did not happen before the elections, Sme reported. A GROUP of anti-fascist activists submitted a proposal to dissolve far-right Peoples Party Our Slovakia (LSNS) to the General Prosecutors Office. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The fact remains, however, that since its representatives were elected to the parliament, they will keep their mandates as the Slovak legislation does not define what to do in such a situation, the Sme daily reported. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement General Prosecutor Jaromir Ciznar now has two possibilities regarding how to decide on the motion: first, that there is nothing wrong about the party and it would continue functioning, and second, that its activities are at odds with the constitution. In such a case he will submit a proposal for dissolving the party to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court would subsequently decide on the matter. It already dissolved one party in 2006: the Slovak Togetherness Our Party which was led by current chair of LSNS Marian Kotleba. The General Prosecutors Office says it has been monitoring the situation around LSNS and Kotleba for some time as part of the fight against extremism and racially motivated crimes, Sme wrote. If Ciznar managed to submit a proposal to dissolve LSNS immediately and the court issued a ruling by April 6, which is the deadline for new MPs to take an oath and get their mandate, the dissolution would impact the composition of the parliament and the talks concerning a new government. The law, however, says nothing about what to do with elected MPs who have not taken an oath yet, as reported by Sme. The last mention of such a case comes from the law on elections from 1990 which is still valid. It stipulates that if the party is dissolved after registering its slate, it is not taken into consideration when dividing the mandates. In such case, the 14 seats won by LSNS would be distributed to the remaining parliamentary parties. This would however not solve the current stalemate situation in parliament as Smer and the Slovak National Party (SNS) would have 71 MPs. Theoretically, the government of Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OLaNO), Most-Hid and Siet would be established, resulting in having 67 MPs. With the support of Sme Rodina (We Are Family) of Boris Kollar they would have 79 votes, according to Sme. It is, however, more probable that the Supreme Court would decide after LSNS representatives take their oaths. This would in turn fail to impact the composition of the parliament and they would keep their mandates, Marian Giba of the Comenius Universitys Faculty of Law told Sme. Some journalists were not let in Meanwhile, Kotleba summoned a press conference on March 8 at which he criticised President Andrej Kiska for inviting only standard parties to the talks on forming a government. He, however, did not allow some standard media to attend the press conference. The building of the Banska Bystrica Self-Governing Regions (BBSK) office was not open to reporters of private broadcasters TV JOJ and TA3, dailies Novy Cas and Dennik N, and also Czech magazine Tyden. Head of the BBSK office Milan Uhrik explained that these are not relevant media and they often describe Kotleba as fascist without offering him space to defend himself, the public-service broadcaster RTVS reported. The journalists called it a sign of totalitarian power and an obstacle to free information about events in BBSK and Marian Kotleba, who holds a public function, according to RTVS. Rise of Kotlebas hochstaplers was shocking, but will soon pale beside challenge of managing the state. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Well that didnt take long. On Monday night, less than 48 hours after it became known that a fascist party had won seats in parliament, the first public demonstration against extremism took place in Bratislava. Over a thousand people attended, walked through the streets in silent protest, and went home with a slightly better feeling in their bellies. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement This is not to belittle their efforts, nor to mock their gentle hearts. But repairing the damage these elections have done to Slovakias fragile democracy will take more than marching in Bratislavas most privileged neighbourhood. It will take a long-term, nationwide campaign against extremism that visits schools, dominates media and resonates on social networks. It will require the vocal participation of many disparate groups, from sexual minorities to the church, from Roma to Muslims to Jews to mainstream Slovaks, from Holocaust survivors to the children of anti-communist dissidents. And in the end it will take many times more than a thousand people, because the true target of this protest is not Kotlebas rabble, but the bitter, hopeless, cynical people who elected them. Read also: Read also: People rallied in protest against Kotleba Read more And if Nazis were the only problem this country had on its plate, they might in the end be vanquished. But trouble, as the proverb goes, comes in threes. And before long, the brown threat will likely be overshadowed by more immediate dilemmas, such as the fact that the next government assuming it doesnt include Smer will be shorter of bureaucratic talent than any in recent memory. Thousands of public service functions will be up for grabs, from the secret service to foreign embassies to municipal offices, which by tradition will be assigned to coalition parties on the basis of their election results. And theres the rub the lions share will go to SaS and OLaNO, which remain catastrophically short of experts; meanwhile the SNS has never pretended to care about professional state management, and Boris Kollars Family will have enough difficulty just mastering the rules of parliamentary procedure (especially the part on immunity from prosecution). We may yet come to mourn the demise of the KDH and SDKU, and to yearn for the Golden Era of Gorilla kleptocracy. The third and most serious trouble can only be glimpsed on the horizon, but it has to do with what happens if a right-wing coalition fails. And in failing, further damages peoples already weakened faith in liberal democracy. Which is why it is the duty of every normal citizen of this country to help the next government succeed, whatever its composition. Because things, as we know, can always get worse. Melbournes coffee scene has undergone a slew of changes in the last decadean increase in boutique roasters, quality cafes, a celebration of filter brewing methods and a move away from the traditional European-driven industry that once was. At the beginning of this progression were a number of key players, like Mark Dundon who founded St. Ali and subsequently Seven Seeds with Bridget Amor, Andrew Kelly of Auction Rooms, and, of course, Nolan Hirte with Proud Mary. Its the latter of which thats our focus today, with Proud Mary relocating its roastery from the western suburb of Footscray to the inner-city mecca of Collingwood, with the new space set to open next week. Hirte was kind enough to give us an inside look at the development of their new cafe, giving us the chance to peak our heads in multiple times this month to see the buildout of the new facility progress. Proud Mary has long been the Willy Wonka wonderland of Melbournes specialty coffee scene since it opened late 2009and rightfully so. Back when there were very few cafes brewing filter coffee, Hirte set out to offer pretty much every brew method imaginable over his well-kitted-out brew bar, as well as offering numerous espresso options (were talking 5+) each day through their custom-built, six-group Synesso espresso machine. By way of the numerous brew methods, all sorts of rare coffees are pulled, such as intense, fruity, naturally processed coffees from Panama, all the way to super bright and sweet washed-process Costa Ricans. All these decadent coffee offerings are served alongside one of the most solid daytime food menus that can be found in this fair town (making it a darling of the brunch crowd) and the whole experience is rounded out with classic vinyl LPs being played over the cafe sound system. Such a busy cafe operation has necessitated expansion, and as such, from their old 200-square-meter roasting space that housed their Probat UG15 roaster, green storage, quality control, and wholesale operations, theyve moved into a spacious two-level warehouse with a whopping 1,100 meter square footage. With all this extra space, Hirte and the Proud Mary team have ambitious plans: a roastery, green storage, training space, offices, industrial kitchen, black coffee bar, retail space, and a workshop. When I spoke to Hirte about why he chose to undertake such a huge project, he reminisced on Proud Marys beginnings: I can remember early on at Prouds, my favourite thing working the brew bar was, honestly, just talking to random people who had no idea about coffee, saying try this, try that, and just seeing their minds blown. Since those days, the coffee industry in Melbourne has grown in leaps and bounds, and with this, Nolan has found a new challenge in educating customersas he explained, Its harder to blow peoples minds these days, as everyone has kind of done the rounds and knows whats up, but its still confusing for peopletheres still a big gap between the five or six specialty guys that really do it in Melbourne as opposed to the other hundred that appear to. Located in the center of the ground level is a large humidity-controlled green storage area, beautifully clad in Tasmanian oak. In the roastery on the right-hand side of the space, theyll be using their current UG15 roaster, alongside a newly refurbished Probat UG22 roaster, which Nolan told me has pretty much been hot-rodded with new technology and independent motors for each element. On the other side of the space, there will be a beautiful coffee bar, essentially the cellar door for the roasteryhere theyll be serving black coffee only through filter and espresso, as well as selling retail coffee and baked goods to the public. In this space, Nolan hopes to challenge people and educate them further about coffee; with only twelve seats, customers will be taken through the process of ordering and having their coffee brewed right in front of them from start to finish by the one barista. Upstairs, what was formerly a set of sterile cubicles will now be home to a light-filled open-plan set-up, housing a carpeted office area (for administration and wholesale operations), two training areas (one for espresso, one for filter brewing), and also what will eventually be an industrial kitchen, where all sorts of baked treats and food prep will take place. With the new space, Hirte hopes to push Melbournes coffee industry further forward by providing education and a challenging coffee service. He also hopes to bring the sprawling coffee community together a little bit more at the root of the industry. Ultimately, Hirte says, I think were in the position where we should be able to genuinely have a positive impactright back to where the coffee comes from. Proud Marys new roastery is located at 200 Wellington St, Collingwood. They are projecting to open the week of December 8th Eileen P. Kenny is a Sprudge.com staff writer based in Melbourne, and the publisher of Birds of Unusual Vitality, the worlds leading coffee interview magazine. Read more Eileen P. Kenny on Sprudge. Trump also seems different from other politicians in that he appears actually to mean what he says. He makes various politically incorrect statements that cause establishment members and followers to cringe. For that reason Trump has been branded a bigot, a demagogue and a wack. In the foreign policy arena, he has upset the elites by stating that America needs to withdraw from its burdensome overseas wars and get along with foreign powers, large or small. Trump also has been accused of being unable to articulate how exactly he would achieve the things he promises. But that seems a spurious charge, equally applicable to all the other candidates except that in their case its clear that the policy solutions they offer are bogus. The establishment couldnt be concerned less about Trumps treatment of the minorities. What really bothers them is his stated desire to lessen US global footprint and improve relations with China and Russia. In any event, such worries are baseless. Even if Trump-president turns out the monster he is being painted, Americas political system is hardwired to counter the threats exactly like these. Says a US establishment member: The possible election of Trump is the greatest present threat to the prosperity and security of the United States. [] never before have I feared [] the wrong outcome would in the long sweep of history risk grave damage to the American project. Greatest present threat, no less. This sounds like an open season declaration on Trump. On second thought, he may indeed be a threat, but only to the neocon project of US world domination. That should put all doubts regarding the mans future away. After all, Americas existence is at stake. By refusing to bend to political convention, Trump has made himself an enemy of the American ruling class. So how are they going to stop him? Second, OPEC country members and other oil producing countries are now ready to freeze output, Flynn pointed out. He quoted Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak who announced that the countries which produce 73 percent of the worlds oil have agreed to the deal. Despite the fact that not all of those countries have good diplomatic ties, Flynn believes that oil is of greater importance in the current environment. "Everybody is on their knees right now," Flynn says. "Nobody can afford to play this game anymore." According to an article on the website Oil Price, a meeting between Russia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela on February 16 was the first step for Moscow to take the lead in forming a new oil cartel. During the next meeting, in mid-March, Russia may further strengthen its leadership. Until the dawn of the current oil crisis, Saudi Arabia controlled the global market. However, US shale producers entered the market when prices were high enough to warrant the high price of its extraction. Since then Riyadhs position has weakened. The Saudis are now seeking for new allies in the Gulf. Despite tensions over the Syrian conflict, the drop in oil prices has paved the way for Russia and Saudi Arabia to become allies. "Now, with Russia stepping in to negotiate with OPEC nations, a new picture is emerging. With its military might, Russia can assume de facto leadership of the oil-producing nations in the name of stabilizing oil prices," according to Oil Price. "Russia has been in the forefront of plans to move away from Petrodollars, and Moscow has formed pacts with various nations to trade oil in local currencies. With this new cartel of ROPEC (Russia and OPEC nations), a move away from petrodollars will become a reality sooner rather than later," it added. Turkeys tough stance at the negotiations is linked to the Syrian conflict, it added. Ankara has been for long promoting the idea of a no-fly zone over its border with Syrian and a so-called "safe-zone." "But Russia's ongoing military intervention in Syria makes a no-fly zone by the United States and the European Union too dangerous without Moscow's participation. Neither the United States nor Europe wants to risk a war with Russia," according to the article. Therefore, Turkey is using the migrant crisis to pressure EU leaders to reach a compromise with Russia. According to Stratfor, the main obstacle for this is economic sanctions Europe has been applying to Moscow since the Ukrainian crisis broke out in 2014. The authors also noted the growing number of those calling to lift the sanctions in Europe. "Though some EU members have spoken against the sanctions, Germany has so far managed to keep the bloc united, and the different packages of sanctions have been extended every time they have expired. But this system is becoming harder to maintain," they wrote. The "weakest links in the sanctions chain" are the countries most affected by the migrant crisis. "Nations such as Italy, Greece and Hungary have expressed a desire for the quick lifting of sanctions. Those countries have major trade and energy ties with Russia, which means that easing sanctions could benefit them in multiple ways," the article read. Serbia is part of the NATO's Partnership for Peace program alongside other former Yugoslav republics. Its Individual Partnership Action Plan entered into force in January 2015. Serbia has also been a CSTO observer state since April 2013. In 2007, Serbian lawmakers adopted a resolution upholding the republics neutral status toward military alliances. The deterioration of relations with Russia is unacceptable, Nikolic told Sputnik. "The deterioration in [our] relations with Russia is unacceptable to me. Firstly, there is no reason for it, [and] secondly, we need Russia." The Serbian leader also offered his insight into the current EU migrant crisis. According to the president, the crisis has made it obvious that at least half of the EU members do not have a coherent migration policy. "Some build fences, some do not. I have always said that Europe is borderless, but if you travel now, you will see police, customs officers, everyone has again taken their place on the border, there are newly introduced controls it is as if the European Union never existed," he added. Only migrants who are seeking asylum in the Balkan countries and do not plan to continue on to somewhere else in Europe, or those with clear humanitarian needs will be allowed to enter the country, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Serbia's Interior Ministry said that Slovenia will demand valid EU visas at its borders as of midnight Tuesday, effectively closing the main Balkan migration route toward Western Europe, the Associated Press reported. The ministry said that Serbia will coordinate its moves with the EU and close its borders with Macedonia and Bulgaria for refugees and other migrants who don't have valid visas. More than 12 million Germans are set to elect regional parliaments in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt, with polls suggesting Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is to be heavily punished for its open-door refugee policy. In the CDU's traditional stronghold of Baden-Wurttemberg, a recent poll suggested the party's support had dropped by more than 10 percentage points, placing it second behind the Green Party. While elsewhere, increased support for the anti-immigration Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) party was expected to further erode CDU votes. The elections are seen as a litmus test of public opinion on Merkel's refugee policies, amid rising anger over the chancellor's refusal to place an upper cap on the number of refugees Germany was willing to accept. Intra-Party Tension This tension has led to friction within Merkel's own party, with a number of senior cabinet ministers publicly contradicting the chancellor in recent months. The frustration over Germany's approach to the migration crisis culminated in Merkel being subjected to a public dressing down by Bavarian sister party leader Horst Seehofer, who has been hugely critical of the chancellor's refusal to introduce refugee caps. While Merkel and other government figures are urging voters to keep the faith with Germany's current approach to the migration crisis, polls suggest the chancellor may be heavily punished for her policy on the matter, with regional polls set to have a significant impact in shaping next year's national elections. Unions Blast Loopholes in New EU Tax Avoidance Proposals: https://t.co/o8YaGCRGu6 via @SputnikInt https://t.co/R0nwgheFCl Global Fin Integrity (@GFI_Tweets) February 3, 2016 The new rules will apply to multinational companies which operate cross-border in the EU. Once implemented, all member states will have the information they need to protect their tax bases and to effectively address companies that try to escape paying their fair share of taxes where they make their profits. Lack of Scrutiny However, critics say the new measures fall far short of the full country-by-country reporting obligations demanded by the European Parliament for ensuring full transparency of corporations' tax dealings. Many lawmakers want the reporting to be made public rather than being shared covertly between EU member states' tax agencies. Green lawmaker group tax spokesperson Molly Scott Cato said: "Today's decision is a small step forward for strengthening oversight over corporations' tax dealings. It is a half measure however, if that. While today's agreement should allow proper scrutiny of these tax dealings by the authorities, it falls far short of the European Parliament's call for big companies to make this country-by-country information fully public. Worse, by limiting this reporting obligation to only the largest companies, less than a third of big corporations in Europe will be covered." According to data collected by the Dutch-based Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO, of the top 5000 listed companies in Europe, only 1044 companies will be covered by the agreement, compared to 3458 under the existing EU criteria to define a large company. "Strengthening transparency of corporations' tax activities is crucial for tackling tax avoidance. Public country-by-country reporting obligations for all large corporations would enable proper scrutiny of their tax management schemes," Cato said. And now more than 13,000 refugees and migrants remain trapped in Greece leaving Northern European leaders with little choice but to look further East to Turkey for help. Greece, whose economic crisis and near-exit from the Eurozone once dominated the European agenda, soon became synonymous with the failings of the European Union to tackle the refugee crisis. The country remains at the behest of Germany, France and Brussels ever since it made a deal with the Troika, Greece's creditors in Northern Europe. Or rather, the Troika, imposed more austere demands on the cash strapped country in order for it to remain in the Eurozone, exposing the economic divide between southern and northern Europe. 'Clash of Conflicting Solidarities' However, Bulgarian political scientist Ivan Krastev believes there is a new divide in Europe, this time between East and West. Ivan Krastev on the differences between #CEE and WEurope and the solidarity crisis within EU https://t.co/SXC6D1Ov9W pic.twitter.com/96l2hJ9Bus jackie k (@dzhecki) March 9, 2016 In an interview with German newspaper Die Welt (DW), Mr Krastev said: "The financial crisis split the EU into creditors and debtors, tearing open a divide between north and south. "Now the refugee crisis is dividing Europe between East and West We are not just experiencing a lack of solidarity we are experiencing the clash of conflicting solidarities: between national, ethnic and religious solidarity and our duty as human beings." In the interview with DW, Krastev suggests that Eastern European nations do not feel obliged to demonstrate the same responsibility towards refugees as they do their own people. "In most western European countries the refugee crisis has led to societal polarization, to a confrontation between those who are for and those who are against open-border policies, between those who open their homes to refugees and those that set fire to asylum centers. "But the usually divided societies of Central and Eastern Europe are almost unanimous in their rejection of refugees". In 2015, Hungary became one of the first EU member states to demonstrate defiance of the union by building a razor wire fence on its borders with Serbia and Croatia. "If we cannot secure the outer border [of the EU], regardless of how costly or demanding that is, we will destroy the Schengen regime ourselves," said the Hungarian Prime Minister. 'More Than an Unhappy Coincidence' Dubbed the "patron saint of the Balkans" by a German newspaper, Hungarian PM Viktor Orban sent 16,000 concrete pillars and 10,000 rolls of barbed wire to Macedonia, Slovenia and Bulgaria to help the Eastern European countries barricade their borders. The Visegard Group, which brings together four central and Eastern European countries, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia are united in their approach to the refugee crisis. They want fences, not quotas, seeking to look after people living in their own country and not refugees fleeing theirs. "The return of the East-West divide in Europe is more than just an unhappy coincidence," Krastev tells DW. "It is rooted in history, demography and the turbulence of the post-Communist transitional period. At the time, there is a Central European 'popular uprising' against globalization. "History weighs heavily on Eastern and Central Europe. "Very often history contradicts the promises of globalism. Central Europe knows the benefits as well as the dark side of multi-cultural societies better than most other places in Europe," Mr Krastev said. The European Union has made a deal with Turkey to ease the biggest refugee crisis since the Second World War. The one-for-one plan, yet to be finalized, will see every migrant arriving in Greece from Turkey, sent back to Turkey. And for every Syrian returned, a Syrian refugee living in Turkey will be resettled in the EU; but proposals to resettle refugees among EU countries have never been agreed among member states. Baris Inje will be free until the arbitral tribunal delivers its judgment in the case, the lawyer said. Meanwhile, he expressed confidence that the Arbitration court will rule in favor of the accused because it is a direct interference and violation of freedom of speech. The journalist was accused and sentenced to imprisonment because of his opinions expressed in an article. This is completely contrary to the law. After the court session, I informed about the court decision to Bars Ince. He is familiar with both the processes in contemporary proceedings and with the political and legal situation in the country. He was expecting such a decision as it violates freedom of speech, expression and the press. But we are optimistic, because we believe that the Arbitration Court will not approve of the decision to arrest. From a legal point of view, this is unacceptable, the lawyer said. Talking about the newspaper BirGun, the lawyer said that about 40 investigations have been launched against the publication. Many of those cases demand payment of fines and penalties. It is obvious that the activity of the newspaper is trying to be blocked by creating different kinds of obstacles. Such judgments have one goal and that is to put pressure on the opposition journalism in the country, to stifle the voice of the free press, the lawyer concluded. MOSCOW (Sputnik) During an emergency summit on Monday, Ankara and Brussels discussed the "one in, one out" plan under which Turkey will readmit one undocumented migrant from Greek islands in exchange for an EU member state to resettle one Syrian asylum seeker from Turkey. "The whole idea of resettlement 1 to 1 is just another of these ideas that do not address the problem in its full context," Takis Hadjigeorgiou from the Progressive Party of Working People said. Underlining the unwillingness among EU member states, particularly the Northern countries, to share the burden of hosting refugees, Hadjigeorgiou stressed that the lack of solidarity was a real problem. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Tuesday, several members of the European Parliament called on EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini to sanction Putin and 28 other individuals, including senior Russian officials, over the Savchenko case. "We have at the moment different sanctions in relation with Europe-Russian FederationWhen now some parliamentarians ask for further sanctions regarding Savchenko, then it [will] bring us only more far away [from] a good solution, in a humanitarian spirit," Stefan Schennach from the Social Democratic Party of Austria said. Schennach, who headed the monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) when the European Union imposed sanctions on Russia, noted that Savchenko should be returned to Ukraine, while an international investigation was needed. Pascal Geneste, a history instructor giving lessons in the Breton language at St. Anna High School, learned that students in his class were also questioned by police, over lessons he gave about Russia and its president. In an introductory lesson on geopolitics, which is included in the academic course, I wanted to show Russia as it is, Geneste told Sputnik. Ive spoken about the collapse of communism, about the advent of Vladimir Putins rule. I was talking about the policy of Vladimir Putin in the context of his fight against Islamism, against Daesh in particular. Efficient, accurate: Russian air warfare in Syria praised in classified NATO report https://t.co/HEkMirESgq pic.twitter.com/SYkUb0388g RT (@RT_com) March 5, 2016 Geneste detailed that, in the face of what he sees as the rapid Islamization of France, the Russian contribution in the fight against violent extremism must be understood by French citizens. He added that a coalition between Moscow and Paris, in combatting Islamists, would be a sensible one, but noted that the French leadership has opted to continue to cast Putin as an enemy. MMMs business model is not new its a classic Ponzi scheme namesake of the notorious 1920s US financial pyramid operator Charles Ponzi. Usually such companies run fraudulent investment operations that pay returns to separate investors from their own money, or from money paid by newcomers. With MMM in China Mavrodi entered a new field bitcoin transactions, promising hefty bonuses to members as his decentralized mutual aid network grew bigger. As a result, in 2015 the price of bitcoin surged up to $490. In 2008 thousands of US investors suddenly found themselves cheated in a huge Ponzi scheme. Famous Wall Street financier Bernard Maddoff is the mastermind behind what he described as one big lie the biggest financial pyramid in US history. Over the course of several decades Madoff defrauded his investors out of around $20 billion. Turned in by his own children Madoff started serving his 150-year prison term in a North Carolina prison. His family was torn apart by guilt and accusations. Madoffs older son Mark killed himself. The younger one Andrew, died from cancer just a few years later, shortly after saying in the interview to People Magazine that he will never forgive his father. By February 2016 the Bernie Madoff Recovery Initiative helped to pay off some of his debts, with former clients reporting more than $11 billion in recoveries and settlement agreements. But with dozens of other Ponzi schemes similar to Madoff Investment Securities LLC, and the MMM still thriving, millions of people could still fall victim to fraudsters. Michael Goldberg a Ponzi scheme expert from Akerman Senterfitt said in his interview to AOL Jobs, that best way to avoid such scams is to use common sense: "Well, the first question that an investor needs to ask is "Is that too good to be true?". Somebody cannot continuosly beat the market return over years. Yes, you can do it one year, maybe two years, but over long haul, a-la Madoff, you're not going to beat the market 20 years in a row." So if youre out to make an investment and dont want to fall victim to a Ponzi scheme read between the lines, study the reputation of the investment company that you are about to trust with your hard-earnedmoney, and above all listen to your gut feeling. Because if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. The reason why Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan retreated so quickly was simple they could not sing. Their producer Frank Farian confessed later that Pilatus and Morvan were just a front. Two pretty faces who could dance, chosen to appear on stage and in videos while the real people who sang Girl You Know Its True and other Milli Vanilli hits were left uncredited. The whole Milli Vanilli affair turned out to be a case of a faux-group, the musical equivalent of ghostwriting. The duo tried to get back into the music biz together, but in 1998 Pilatus was found dead in a hotel room in Frankfurt with a mix of alcohol and prescription drugs in his blood. His death was ruled an accident. In the late 1980s it took more than a year for Milli Vanillis empire to fall apart. Nowdays, when instead of MTV News Block people turn to Twitter, scandals in the music industry explode in seconds. In February of 2017, Americas most hated man Martin Shkreli, the former CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, who hiked the price of HIV medication by 5,000 percent, went on an all-capital- letters Twitter tirade, saying he was scammed when trying to acquire rights to a musical record. Shkreli wrote that he wanted buy out the new Kanye West album The Life Of Pablo and even paid the bitcoin equivalent of $15 000 000, so he could later resell the record to Kanyes fans. Surprisingly enough, the same weekend Kanye West sang two songs from the album on Saturday Night Live. And that probably led Shkreli to a conclusion that his latest acquisition is not quite his. SOMEONE NAMED DAQUAN SAID HE WAS KANYES BOY AND I SIGND THE DEAL TO BUY PALBO AND SENT THE BITCOIN. CALL THE POLICE THIS IS BULSH*T Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) 14 2016 Apparently someone named Daquan had nothing to do with Kanyes record label and disappeared with Shkrellis money, prompting the Brooklyn-born investor to go on with his Twitter rant. Some people, however, remained skeptical about the whole story, saying it could have been Shkrelis own PR stunt. Even though its almost impossible to lip-sync your way into the music hall of fame nowdays, the Internet brings new challenges to those in the music biz. And as long as fortunes will be made from recording albums and performing before live audiences, there will also be scammers around people who are eager to go after all that money, success, fame and glamour. Usually the likes of Dr. Mariam Abacha would ask you to secure a large sum of money kept in a secret bank account that only they (and now you) know about. But in order to get your share of the riches, you have to pay an advance fee a trivial sum compared to the riches on offer. After getting your check, or wire transfer, the crook usually asks for more money, making further promises. It all leads to a single outcome: you lose your bucks and the cheat vanishes into thin air. The scam, although known since the 18th century, reappeared in its current digital form in Nigeria in the 1990s. It has even had to be specifically outlawed by a special section of the countrys criminal code. Nowadays such emails also claim to have their origin in Sierra Leone, Togo, South Africa and Iraq. But no matter how silly or naive Nigerian letters may look, they are surprisingly effective. Over the course of several years Janella Spears, a nurse from Oregon was swindled by unknown fraudsters out of $400,000. In an interview to Portlands KATU Channel 2, Spears said it was hard to resist the temptation: They said: this is your account number. You have $150,000 that you can get out of this account if you pay me a hundred dollars. Ok, so why wouldnt you send out a hundred dollars? The scammers went as far as telling Spears that the US President George W. Bush (whose email address was none other than usawhitehouse@myway.com) and FBI Director Robert Mueller (whose name they misspelled) were in on the deal. To be even more convincing, the crooks also impersonated the Nigerian president and a UN spokesman, who was asking the woman to wire him $8,300. Despite warnings by the FBI and local law enforcement, Janella Spears kept sending money in the hopes of getting the $20 million that they promised to give her. Burdened by her growing debt, in 2008 Spears decided to share her story, so that others dont fall victim to similar crimes. With the explosive growth of the Internet in recent years, more and more people find themselves trapped in advance fee fraud. According to an Ultrascan Research Group report, worldwide losses from Nigerian scams totaled $12.7 billion in 2013, and the number of these crimes was growing by 5% each year. Researchers also think that many cases go unreported, since the victims are too embarrassed to come out. So what do you do to protect yourself from the Nigerian Money Scam? First of all, you need to understand that there is never a happy ending for you in this James Bond-style scenario. The blood diamond stash or multi-million-dollar inheritance account never existed. Similar emails are being sent out in bulk by criminal rings in the hope of winning the trust of at least a few victims. And no matter how tempting the Abbah Abacha, Chief Nze Akpamgbo or Princess F.W. Bolkiah messages may sound the best and the only sensible thing you can do with them is click the Spam button. Lyubov Glebova: Rossotrudnichestvo has its offices Russian Centers of Science and Culture in most countries of the world. Their representatives make a preliminary assessment of the questionnaires on the basis of several characteristics, such as what marks the applicant received, involvement in academic competitions, and other achievements. The most successful and gifted young people are invited for face-to-face or remote interviews. In Syria's case, for example, only remote selection is feasible for now. But we look forward to seeing students from Syria and will be glad to welcome them to Russian universities. Making the final choice is up to a commission that includes representatives of Russian Centers of Science and Culture, embassies, local education ministries and public organizations. Currently we are negotiating with universities so that they, too, send their staff members to these commissions. This is a pilot year: the selection procedure will include an interview or testing. But next year we are planning to transition to full-scale evaluation of candidates based on school academic competitions and tests. We'll have specific rankings for each country. Russian university-level academic competitions in foreign countries will be yet another element of the selection procedure. Rossotrudnichestvo is working to make them relevant and mutually complementary. What will those who don't make the cut do? Lyubov Glebova: Even if a foreign citizen fails to win a scholarship spot, he or she will be offered to study out-of-pocket. Given that a year course in many Russian universities is anywhere between 1,000 and 1,500 euros, many may be interested in this option as well. Where do the universities step in? How is a chosen candidate enrolled? Lyubov Glebova: After being selected, a candidate can choose six universities he or she would like to attend and puts them in order of preference. Next each university opens user accounts and opts in favor of this or that aspirant. If he or she fails with the first preferred university his or her details will be transferred to the second outlet on the list, and so on. In this way a candidate may reach the sixth university. But if applicants are turned down by all the six establishments, the Russian Ministry of Education and Science would offer them an alternative. Believe me, no one in this chain will be forgotten. Is Russia competitive internationally as a country with a good system of higher education? What motivates people to come to Russia for an education? Lyubov Glebova: First, Russia provides quality education in engineering, natural sciences, mathematics, philology and Russian studies. Russian medical education is immensely popular internationally, as are culture-related areas, such as Russian music, theater, and cinema. Even though the Russian education system faced hard times not so long ago, it is still highly valued everywhere in the world as fundamental, embedded and interdisciplinary. Second, living and studying in Russia is cheaper than, for example, in Europe. Third, Russia is a leader for a number of countries. Many Russian-educated people now hold important posts in their home countries. Now that their children have come of age for university training, they are eyeing Russian education with much interest, being well aware that it is synonymous with a broad outlook, useful friendships and correct orientations. This refers not only to the CIS countries but also developing countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and certain European countries. How will Russia benefit from this project? "And as we reintroduce those people back into the fight, they will be able to enable the larger groups that they're a part of," he said. "The training would be shorter. But again, I think they would be able to greatly enable the forces once they're reintroduced." After the program canceled, the US army cooperated with the Syrian Democratic Forces, a group 80 percent comprised of Kurdish militants. US cooperation with Kurdish YPG in Syria makes its NATO ally Turkey furious and concerns Congress. YPG is also known to attack US-trained rebels and cooperate with Russian forces. Austin said the new program would take into consideration the previous failed effort as a lesson. "We were being effective, but we were slow in getting started, in generating the numbers that we needed to generate," he said. "Part of that was because we were taking trying to take large numbers of people out of the fight and keep them out for training for long periods of time. We've adjusted our approach," he said. Kurdish YPG self-defense forces are in favor of a cessation of hostilities and the establishment of peace in Syria. We wish that Syrian people regain stability in their territory but Turkeys actions create obstacles for peace in Syria; it tends to negate the achievements of the Syrian Kurds. By its support for jihadist by supplying weapons and ammunition, it tends to weaken the Syrian Kurds, Xelil said. Meanwhile, human rights organization Amnesty International reported that refugees from Syria attempting to cross the border are being attacked by the Turkish soldiers on daily basis. The continuous attacks are systematically undermining Syrian ceasefire and jeopardizing the peace process. RT channel spoke with Amnesty International's researcher on Turkey, Andrew Gardner. He said, We've seen desperate people who tried to cross the border illegally, because it was closed to almost everyone. Unfortunately, they are increasingly becoming a target for the Turkish border guards. According to Syrian doctors 2-3 people are hurt every day while trying to illegally enter into the Turkish territory, he said. Ankara said that the borders are open but the employees of Amnesty International have documented that in fact the Turkish border is closed with just a few open border crossings where in most cases it only allows Syrian refugees with passports to cross, but the number of that is extremely small, the representative said. Amnesty International also reported that the Turkish security forces fired on refugees, among whom were children. It said that Ankara has refused entry to injured civilians from Syria. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Russias trade and military relationships with neighboring Central Asian states threaten US interests in the region, US Central Command (CENTCOM) commander nominee General Joseph Votel said in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday. "Russia has moved to assert itself in Central Asia through a combination of military, economic and informational means in an effort to resurrect its great power status and hedge against perceived instability emanating from Afghanistan," Votel stated. After 14 years, the United States has reduced its military presence in Afghanistan to 9,800 troops, with plans to reduce troop levels to 5,500 by 2017. In the past year, Taliban militants and Daesh terrorist fighters have been on the rise in Afghanistan, prompting US commander of operations there, General John Nicholson, to describe the conditions in the country as "deteriorating." WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Two US Navy combat forces and Japans Navy, known as its Maritime Self-Defense Force, are carrying out regular annual training operations in the Pacific Ocean, the Navy News Service reported. "Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, Commander, Task Force (CTF) 72 and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) are participating in the annual bilateral training exercise Multi Sail 2016," the report stated on Wednesday. Participants in the exercise include six US surface vessels, four Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships, and a number of subsurface and other special units, according to the report. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US Navy plans to launch the fifth in a series of new military secure communications satellites in May 2016, US defense contractor Lockheed Martin announced in a press release. The US Navy and Lockheed Martin delivered the fifth Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, on March 3, prior to its expected May launch, the release stated on Wednesday. The MUOS-5 spacecraft will be the third such satellite launched in a 16-month span and will be the latest addition to a network of orbiting satellites and relay ground stations that are revolutionizing secure communications for US mobile military forces, the contractor claimed. White House officials anticipate the Transpacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement will be a focal point during Thursdays discussions along with bilateral cooperation to reduce emissions in the energy and automotive sectors. Trudeau and Obamas dialogue will also touch on the Syrian refugee crisis, the fight against the Islamic State terror group and securing the worlds longest common border between the United States and Canada. On Wednesday, March 9, the eve of his meeting with Obama, the prime minister is slated to attend a reception co-hosted by think tanks Canada 2020 and the Center for American Progress at the Smithsonian Institutions Renwick Art Gallery in the early evening. Trudeaus visit to the White House on Thursday will kick off at 9:00 a.m. (2:00 p.m. GMT) with an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn proceeded by a bilateral meeting and joint press conference with President Obama. US Secretary of State John Kerry will then host Trudeau at a luncheon at the State Department to be followed by a state dinner with the Obamas that evening. Trudeau planned on laying a wreath at the Arlington National Cemetery and chatting with university students in Washington, DC, on March 11, the final day of his US tour, according to The Canadian Press. In addition, Recep Tayyip Erdogan's erratic foreign policy strategies have increasingly puzzled and frustrated his own allies, including the United States, raising questions as to what Ankara's priorities in the region are particularly its willingness to tackle Daesh. The Turkish president "got tough" with Russia, "but he didn't win," Kofman noted. "His is a cautionary tale for those who see Russia as some pretender to the title of great power, expecting it to back down at the first sign of strength or combat casualty." "So what's Ankara's next bright idea, now that the Russians have not only failed to scatter, but instead dealt it a significant geopolitical defeat in Syria? Turkey is arguably the biggest loser in Syria, the difference between getting tough and being smart," the analyst observed. "Imposing sanctions against a head of state would mean a deadlock in dialogue with Russia. If sanctions are introduced only the Russian Foreign Minister will be able to take part in international talks. Amid the current tensions, preventing the Russian leader from participating in the Syrian negotiations or in the Ukrainian settlement equals paralyzing the peace process," he explained. According to the lawmaker, such an "absurd" move is nothing but an attempt to emphasize the anti-Russian approach of the European Parliament. In turn, the Kremlin reacted to the initiative, calling it an attempt to interfere in the court processes which are "underway in strict accordance with the Russian legislature." According to the author, there is also the Crimean Tatar battalion operating in Ukraine that brought together representatives of various Mideast Islamist factions, in particular Salafists, al-Qaeda and Daesh. The Turkey-backed group is headed by Lenur Islyamov and Mustafa Dzhemilyev. It cannot be excluded that the Polish-Ukrainian border will become the entry gate for the influx of migrants, arms and drug trafficking into Europe, he notes, quoting Piskorski. Indeed, Daesh is making attempts to take over the trade and distribution of drugs in Europe. Allan Hall and Dan Warburton of Mirror reported in mid-January that Daesh jihadists are flooding Britain and other Western European countries with cannabis from Albanian and Kosovo drug farms. "The evil caliphate has seized control of a $4-billion Mafia marijuana growing operation in the rural mountains of Albania giving it a foothold in Europe," the journalists revealed, adding that at the same time the cannabis production is flourishing in neighboring Kosovo. This one is even better than the famous Topol-M missile Its warheads are supersonic and change their course all the time. Some of them will penetrate any existing missile defense shield and will hit their target, the expert added. When asked whether the new Russian ICBM had caught the Americans flatfooted, the expert said that not only the Americans were clueless but that the Chinese too now had something to worry about. Russia is 100-percent safe now, unlike everybody else, he emphasized. What makes the RS-26 so special is that even though it weighs just 80 tons, compared to the 120-ton heft of its RS-24 Yars predecessor, the Rubezh packs a frightening 1,2 megatons into its four 300 kiloton warheads. With a potential range of 11,000 kilometers the RS-26 can hit targets all across the United States. Moreover, its booster stage is down to under five minutes, which means that NATO radars in Europe will have no time to register the launch. Adding to NATO air defenders worries, during the descending section of its trajectory, with only a few hundred kilometers left to the target, the missiles warheads suddenly take a dive, lose altitude, and continue the approach as a cruise missile. These new Russian ICBM warheads were developed in response to Americas plans to deploy a global missile defense system along Russia's borders. The RS-26 Rubezh is expected to become operational in 2016. The first thing Timur did during a carefully planned date with his would-be wife, was to rush to meet his good friend Amur the tiger, the management of a safari park in Russias Far East said on Tuesday. The park had earlier announced a contest for the most beautiful she-goat to wed Timur. Of the eight potential fiancees two hail from the Volga region and one is a Moscow region native. The first stage of the contest for the best she-goat for Timur was on March 8. The candidates were in the park, waiting for their future husband. NEW YORK (Sputnik) A US Air Force veteran has been convicted in New York State of attempting to join Daesh, according to local media on Wednesday. "A federal jury in Brooklyn has convicted Air Force veteran Tairod Pugh of attempting to join the Islamic State terror group," Newsday reported. According to prosecutors, Pugh attempted to cross into Syria through Turkey on January 10, 2014 after being fired from his job as an airplane mechanic. Turkish authorities stopped Pugh, who carried numerous electronic devices, and put him on a flight back to Egypt. "There is a feeling that countdown to combat actions has started in the Mediterranean," according to the article. "It seems like the tragic death of Fausto Piano and Salvatore Failla [two Italian hostages killed by militants in Libya] is calling for a large-scale operation." However, there are doubts about the initiative. The first problem is the legitimacy of the operation. In order to send Western troops to Libya, an authorization of its government will be required. Furthermore, what is the goal of the operation to raze the caliphate or to help the Libyan Army? "And the principal question what is that national interest Italy wants to protect?" the author pointed out. "There is danger that Italy could once again be dragged into war with the only purpose not to lose its allies." Of course, the operation in the making is the largest Italian military operation since 1943. According to different estimates 3,000 to 7,000 troops will be deployed to Libya, with a third of them sent by Italy. The deployment may take up to one month, but the first troops may be deployed within 10 days, to take control over the airfield. "The first thing that Jaresko did as finance minister is she sent a letter to John McCain saying they need more weapons, she is a corrupt war hawk," McAdams told Loud & Clear. "She is representative of the worst, most corrupt type of Americans that are sent into these countries." McAdams details that Jaresko "was hooked up into a USAID enterprise fund that was capitalized with $150 million and it is supposed to show the locals how wonderful capitalism and democracy is." "What it really shows Ukrainians is how rich you can get if you are a phony, fake capitalist. Out of these funds, she paid her own company millions of dollars in fees. She is just a corrupt disaster." Is Ukraine a failed state at this point? "It really is a laughingstock of a nation," says McAdams. "The US was saying the reason why Yanukovych had to be overthrown was this terrible corruption, we're going to get rid of this terrible government and we are going to bring in this new government that is the model of democratic reform. Well, look at how Ukraine has sunk." A funeral service will be held Saturday in Napierville, Quebec, for restaurateur, horse breeder and bon vivant Michel Bourgault, 77, who passed away on Saturday, March 5 after a long illness. For decades, Bourgault, who was originally from the Normandy region of France, operated a restaurant called Le Trou Normand in St-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Que. Horsemen who dined there still rave about the hospitality, and what one described as the industrial quantities of calvados that Bourgault served to his guests. A longtime friend of celebrated French horseman Jean-Pierre Dubois, Bourgault also bred Standardbreds. The best known was probably Idole Normand, a Promising Catch mare who earned almost $400,000 and in 2001 captured the $225,000 Prix du Quebec final at Hippodrome de Montreal. Bourgault also was a long-serving director of ATAQ, the provincial horsemens association. Rick Karper, secretary-treasurer of ATAQ, said Bourgault was a larger than life, proud horse breeder. He would follow the careers of all the horses he bred, well after he sold them. All his horses carried the name Normand, named after the area of France that he came from. I owned several, and when I changed Kerria Normands name to Gugus, he was quite upset with me even though she went on to be a winner and ultimately, the dam of a two-time Breeders' Cup champion. "I served on several industry boards with Michel and I made an effort to sit next to him at any dinner meeting and ordering whatever he ordered. He knew how to read a menu. Of course, every meal was followed by calvados. He will be missed." Bourgault is survived by his wife, Paulette; daughters, Isabelle and Patricia; and son, Sylvain. Visitation will be Friday, March 11 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Rene Fortin funeral home, 435 St-Jacques Street, Napierville, with the funeral service Saturday, March 12 at 2 p.m. at Eglise de Napierville. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Michel Bourgault. (A Trot Insider Exclusive by Paul Delean) Turkey recently ordered $700 million worth of smart bombs from American suppliers. This order is for over a thousand bombs and will take until 2020 for all of them to arrive. Turkey has been using smart bombs on its F-16s since the 1990s but this is the first time they ordered the laser guided, 909 kg (2,000 pound) BLU-109. This bunker buster can penetrate five meters (16 feet) of concrete and even more earth. It is believed Turkey wants these to go after PKK (Kurdish separatist) and ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) facilities in caves and other underground bunkers. In 2015 Turkish F-16s used about a thousand smart bombs against PKK (mainly) and ISIL targets. In addition the late 2015 Russian intervention in Syria led to tense situations between Russian and Turkish warplanes. One Russian was shot down and Russia has threatened war with Turkey. Turkey needs to replenish its supply of smart bombs and will probably be ordering more if the Russian threat continues. Since my last post we have sailed north to Nassau again to get new US Visas. We've been out to Conception Island and we've had the ... If youre a fan of Downton Abbey, chances are youre in a funk. After six seasons, PBSs Masterpiece series aired its series finale March 6, leaving scores of Anglophiles crying in their crumpets. Its been a long, slow ride where admit it it sometimes feels like nothing ever happens at the Crawley familys Yorkshire country estate. Lord Grantham, in particular, is so stuffy and boring that I wasnt even sure he had warm blood running through his veins until he spit up a ton of it, all over the dining room table, no less, in a recent episode. Finally, he showed some signs of life. But at least the family seems to eat well, thanks to the culinary prowess of Mrs. Patmore and her kitchen maid-turned-assistant cook Daisy Mason. As related by Emily Ansara Baines in The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook, one of several cookbooks and blogs devoted to the food from the Edwardian days. For its evening meal, the family could expect anywhere from eight to 13 courses, depending on the occasion and time period. (The show kicked off in 1912 and ends in 1925.) And thats not counting the removes served between the heavier courses. It wasnt so grand in the downstairs kitchen, of course, but like their moneyed employers, the servants at least got to enjoy a nice spot of tea whenever they werent polishing shoes or helping the ladies undress after service, or standing at rapt attention in the dining room during those hours-long meals. Hmm, tea. Is there anything more warming when its bitterly cold outside, and you need a quick pick-me-up? Or anything more British than the mini-meal known as afternoon tea that goes with it? In that spirit, we thought it would be fun to offer a do-it-yourself afternoon tea (sometimes known, incorrectly, as high tea) Typically served between 3 and 5 p.m., Baines writes, afternoon tea was not nearly as low-key as it sounds. Along with the title beverage, the menu would include an array of dainty, crustless finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream or fruit jam, biscuits, pastries, cakes and maybe even meat dishes, along with bread and cheese. In homes such as the Crawleys, it was always served in the drawing room on fine china, with Earl Grey flowing from a silver tea service. This is where life events such as marriage were proposed, after all. We think its perfectly fine to set it up on your living room coffee table, within easy viewing distance of the TV, so long as you keep in mind that a proper cup of tea is NEVER served in paper or plastic. With Netflix, its possible to get your Downton Abbey fix whenever you want. But also keep in mind that executive producer Gareth Neame hasnt ruled out a Downton movie for the big screen. SWEET CREAM SCONES These are so easy to make, and not just for tea they make a wonderful breakfast, too. Serve scones with clotted cream, marmalade or lemon curd. I drizzled half my batch with melted chocolate just because. 1 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon baking soda 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces 1 egg, at room temperature Heavy cream, for brushing Granulated sugar, for sprinkling Blend sour cream, vanilla and baking soda together in a small bowl. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet. In large bowl, blend together flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Stir in sour-cream mixture and egg until just barely moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, kneading briefly. Pat dough out into 2 3/4-inch-thick rounds. Cut each round into 12 wedges and place them 2 to 3 inches apart on the greased baking sheet. Lightly brush with cream, then sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Makes 24. The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines (Adams Media) THE COUNTESS LEMON CURD A popular spread for bread and scones served at afternoon tea, lemon curd also makes a great filling for cakes and pastries. Dont worry if its not completely smooth like pudding the zest gives the curd a bit of texture. 4 unwaxed lemons, zest and juice 7 ounces sugar (about 1 cup) 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes 3 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk Combine lemon zest, juice, sugar and butter in a small pan set over simmering water. (Do not allow the mixture to touch the water.) Stir to help butter and sugar melt properly. Lightly whisk eggs and yolk, then whisk them thoroughly into the mixture. As eggs cook, the mixture will thicken. When it is completely cooked through, you will be able to coat the back of a spoon, and then draw a clear line through it with your finger, 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon into hot, sterilized jars. Cool thoroughly before putting on the lid. This will keep for up to 3 months in the refrigerator. Makes about 10 ounces. Tea at Downton: Afternoon Tea Recipes from the Unofficial Guide to Downton Abbey by Elizabeth Fellow (CreateSpace) ASPARAGUS TART Not everything served at afternoon tea has to be sweet. This simple-yet-elegant asparagus tart adds a savory flair to your spread. This recipe calls for one large pastry but you can make several smaller tarts if you prefer. I substituted Martha Stewarts recipe for pate brisee for the crust because its fail-safe. 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 cup (2 sticks) chilled butter, cut into chunks 1/4 to 1/2 cup iced water 1 bunch asparagus spears 4 eggs 1 1/4 cup light cream 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated Salt and pepper Pinch of grated nutmeg 1 to 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift flour into mixing bowl with salt and sugar. Crumble in butter and rub into flour to give crumb texture. Add iced water, a little bit at a time you only need enough to bring the mixture into a ball of dough with your hands. Dust worktop and a rolling pin with flour. Roll dough out thinly in a circle that is large enough to fill an 8-inch tart pan. Carefully lift dough circle into place and press it into the tin. Trim edges with a knife. Prick base all over with a fork, fill with dried beans or pie weights and bake in oven for 20 minutes. Snap off hard part at end of asparagus spears and trim ends to neaten. Wash spears well and place in a pot of water that will hold them horizontally. Bring to boil, simmer for a few minutes until half-cooked and drain. Remove tart from oven, remove beans or weights and return pastry to oven for a further 5 minutes. Set pastry shell aside while you prepare filling. Beat eggs in bowl. Stir in cream and parmesan until well combined. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Dry asparagus spears with paper towels. Arrange spears in a fan in pastry shell, tips facing in. Carefully pour egg mixture around asparagus until tart shell is almost full. Sprinkle thyme leaves over top. Bake for about 40 minutes, until golden. Serve tart hot, cut into wedges. Serves 8. Adapted from A Year in the Life of Downton Abbey: Seasonal Celebrations, Traditions and Recipes by Jessica Fellowes (St. Martins Press) CLASSIC EGG SALAD AND CUCUMBER TEA SANDWICHES These finger sandwiches are a must at any English tea, and about as easy to make as a cup of tea. For egg salad 6 large hardcooked eggs 4 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 tablespoon mustard 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt 20 slices soft white bread For cucumber filling 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill 20 slices soft white bread Make egg salad: Cut eggs into cubes. In medium bowl, mix together eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, cayenne pepper and salt. Make cucumber filling: Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, cucumber, garlic salt, pepper and dill. Make sandwiches: Spread egg salad over 10 slices of bread. Cover with another slice. Remove crusts. Spread cucumber mixture over 10 slices of bread. Cover with another slice. Remove crusts. Place sandwiches on a large baking sheet and cover in plastic wrap; chill in refrigerator for 35 minutes. Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes, or use a knife to quarter sandwiches. Each filling makes 40 finger sandwiches. The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines (Adams Media) CHOCOLATE DIGESTIVE COOKIES A sweet treat that Brits believe would also help with digestion. 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon rolled oats 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 6 tablespoons brown sugar 4 tablespoons whole milk 6 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate, melted Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease medium to large baking sheets. Sift together whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl, then mix in oats. Set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add to dry mixture, then stir in milk until mixture forms a thick (and quite sticky) paste. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Dough will be sticky; wet your hands to combat stickiness. Roll out dough to approximately 1/8-inch thickness. Using a biscuit or cookie cutter, cut into 2- to 21/2-inch rounds. Transfer to cookie sheets, impressing patterns on biscuits with a fork. Bake cookies for 20 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack before coating with melted chocolate, then let cool again. Store in an airtight container. Makes 2 dozen cookies. Between January 2003 and September 2006, out of 138 letters to the editor that I sent to the Financial Times before I placed them on this blog they published these 15 . Not bad! Thank you FT!Unfortunately, since then and until the very last day of the decade, out of some 1.000 letters that you can find here, FT published none, zero, zilch. Of course FT is under no obligation whatsoever to publish any of my letters and of course one should not exclude the possibilities that my letters might have quite dramatically gone from bad to worse yet one wonders.My usual suspects are:1. Someone in FT with a delicate ego feels his or her importance diminished by giving voice to a lowly non PhD from a developing country daring to opine on many issues of developed countries.2. That FT has some sort of conflict of interest with the credit rating agencies that makes it hard for them to give too much relevance to someone who considers they have been given too much powers.3. The FT establishment had perhaps decided there were only macro economic problems and not any financial regulation problems, and wanted to hear no monothematic contradictions on that.4. That FT feels slightly embarrassed when someone repeatedly asks the emperor-is-naked type question of what is the purpose of the banks and realizing this was something FT should have itself asked a long time ago.5. It is way too much oversight for FT to handle.6. Or am I just supposed to be a living example of one half of the Financial Times motto, namely that of "without favour"Which one do you believe is closest to the truth? tech2 News Staff Google Search has released a new feature called Destinations, which uses its massive database pertaining to different location and lets you plan your trips in advance. It is basically includes a mashup of Google's popular services such as Google Flights and Hotel Search. This feature is only available on mobile devices as of now. All you have to do is enter your area of interest in the Search box followed by the term 'destination' or 'vacation', and Google will throw up a list of itineraries along with giving flight rates and hotel accommodation rates. You can add more granularity by filtering the search results based on your interest areas, your budget, your tentative dates of flying, and so on. "Say youre planning to take some time off in June or July, but you havent decided exactly when to go. The Flexible Dates filter lets you refine your results by month, so you can see when fares and rates are lowest within the time range you want, across multiple destinations," according to Google blog. Google will then throw up search results of flight rates, and hotel availability along with local attractions to check out. This may sound quite similar to the Google Now cards that we get when we reach a new location. But the differentiating aspect with Destinations is that it also gives you a list of itineraries along with map locations. For instance, things such as walking tours or theme based tours are part of the itineraries along with map locations. This is a great way have a basic idea of what to do in a new location. For instance, if you look up Barcelona, you get the itineraries such as Gothic Quarter highlights, Barcelona for Art lovers and so on. If you select Vienna, you get a 48 Hours in Vienna type itinerary and so on. Basically, something that you would originally search for on a TripAdvisor, you are getting right within your Google Search result. This seems like a good feature to have. Although the Filters feature is yet to roll out in India, which will give you the option to choose a timeline and budget of your travel plans. hidden If you are bogged down by notifications sent by the known but deceased people in your timeline on Facebook, do not get surprised by this news. According to researchers, the social networking giant will become the world's biggest virtual graveyard by the end of this century as there will be more profiles of dead people than of living users. "Social media website Facebook, which currently has 1.5 billion users worldwide, will turn into the world's biggest virtual graveyard by 2098," Dailymail.co.uk quoted statistician Hachem Sadikki from University of Massachusetts as saying. This will happen because the website refuses to delete dead users and instead turns the account into a "memorialised" version. "Facebook's refusal to automatically delete dead users and the plateauing membership of the site means that the living will be outnumbered sooner than you might think," the report said. Sadikki, PhD candidate in statistics at University of Massachusetts, said he worked out the figure by assuming that Facebook's growth will begin to slow soon. A blogging company Digital Beyond has claimed that nearly 970,000 Facebook users will die this year alone across the world which is far more as compared to 385,968 in 2010 and 580,000 in 2012. Sadikki also assumed that the social media website will retain its existing policy on how to handle dead users. The website's policy has attracted criticism from users in the past as it showed the photos of dead ones in its "year in review" videos (till 2015). Facebookers have also complained about receiving the birthday alerts of dead users. Facebook has tried to solve this problem by asking users to appoint a "Legacy Contact" before they die. The "Legacy Contact" is able to administer the page after a user passes away by writing one last post and even approving new friend requests. The contact can even update cover and profile photo. According to the report, Facebook declined to comment. IANS hidden Google on Monday opened its Project Fi mobile phone service to anyone in the United States using its latest model Nexus smartphones. The public launch of Project Fi marked the end of a 10-month, invitation-only test phase and comes as the Internet giant's first foray in being a mobile phone service provider. "We're excited to be exiting our invitation-only mode and opening up Project Fi so that people across the US can now sign up for service without having to wait in-line for an invite," product manager Simon Arscott said in a blog post. "With Project Fi, we deliver fast wireless service with the flexibility to use it where you want even internationally and a monthly bill that's simple and easy to understand." Project Fi is only available for Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6 smartphones from Google and work with a special SIM card that supports connections to multiple cellular networks. Project Fi enabled smartphones can link to one of two 4G LTE networks or to Wi-Fi, automatically selecting optimal connections and switching from one to another without interrupting service, according to Google. "As you go about your day, Project Fi automatically connects you to more than a million free, open Wi-Fi hotspots we've verified as fast and reliable," Google said in a blog post. "Once you're connected, we help secure your data through encryption." Basic Project Fi plans cost $20 monthly for unlimited domestic voice calls as well as unlimited domestic and international text messaging. Fi boasts cellular coverage in more than 120 countries. Data service costs $10 per gigabyte, with people only charged for what they use. Google promoted Fi service with discounted prices on Nexus 5X smartphones. The move by Google is seen as a way to lure consumers away from Apple and promote Google-branded Android phones with an a low-cost mobile plan. AFP hidden New Delhi: India offered to grant 4G broadband spectrum to Qualcomm Inc on Tuesday, nearly two years after the US chipmaker paid $1 billion in an auction, but cut its spectrum usage period due to a delay in getting an internet service licence. India typically grants radio airwaves for a period of 20 years. In Qualcomm's case, the telecoms ministry cut the validity of the spectrum by 18 months and asked the company to roll out services in 3-1/2 years, compared with the five years given to other 4G winners, a source with direct knowledge said. The telecoms ministry, which initially rejected Qualcomm's application for an internet service licence needed to use 4G spectrum, agreed to grant the permit in October. Qualcomm said in a statement it was not responsible for the delay in getting the internet licence, adding the delay was caused by the ministry's objection to its application. "We are studying the DoT's decision and will consider any and all options." Qualcomm had won 4G spectrum for four of India's 22 telecoms zones in 2010 auction. Reliance Industries (RELI.NS), controlled by India's richest man Mukesh Ambani, is the only company to have 4G spectrum in all the telecoms zones. Reuters tech2 News Staff Truecaller has announced that it will be adding a built-in dialer and more in an upcoming Android update. This also means that Truecaller will be phasing out the standalone app soon. But users need not fear right now as Truedialer is not going to be chucked out of the Google Play Store anytime soon. The Stockholm-based company explains that it will begin to gradually push features from its Truedialer app into its main Truecaller app. It will begin moving features like 'Smart Call History', 'Availability' etc. via its new app update that should be available at the Google Play Store in the coming days. The Availability feature, currently available on Truedialer will work better when it fits into the main app, since it needs to be installed on the receiver's handset as well. Since more users have Truecaller than Truedialer, this indeed makes a bit more sense. The feature lets users know whether their friends and contacts are available before they call them. The ability to dial directly from the Truecaller app with a built-in dialer is the biggest update. But the same will also be an optional one and Truecaller will not be forcing anyone to use its custom built-in dialer. VentureBeat reported that features from the Truemessenger app are going nowhere. Truecaller had recently launched a user verification SDK (Software Development Kit) for third-party apps which will allow apps to verify users based on their information with Truecaller. As of now the SDK is only on Android and is available to registered third party apps on that platform. hidden With hashtag activism, the micro-blogging site Twitter has triggered the biggest ever push for racial justice the US has seen in decades, researchers report. With hashtags like #Ferguson, #Blacklivesmatter, and the Online Struggle for Offline Justice, the social media activism fuelled the rise of Black Lives Matter (BLM) - a nationwide movement dedicated to ending police brutality. The study by communications professor Deen Freelon from American University's Center for Media & Social Impact (CMSI) looked at videos, images, and stories of violent encounters between police and unarmed Black people circulated through news and social media in 2014, galvanising public outrage. According to a university statement, BLM ignited an urgent national conversation about cases of excessive police force against minorities and police killings of unarmed African American citizens. Freelon and his co-researchers from New York University and University of North Texas analysed the online media tools credited with transforming the hashtag into a household phrase and influential national movement. "BLM hubs were successful in projecting their anti-brutality messages through various nonactivist networks; in criticising the media harshly for their portrayal of anti-black police brutality; and in educating some audiences rather than simply preaching to the choir," the authors wrote. Researchers analysed three types of data: 40.8 million tweets, over 100,000 web links and 40 interviews of BLM activists and allies. The found that although the #Blacklivesmatter hashtag was created in July 2013, it was rarely used through the summer of 2014 and did not come to signify a movement until the months after the Ferguson protests. Activists used digital tools to generate alternative narratives about police violence to counter the so-called neutrality of the mainstream press. Activists managed to spread their messages much further than ever before by appealing to the moral sensitivities of non-activists such as celebrities, politicians, online humorists, and ordinary citizens who, in turn, endorsed and shared the activists' posts with their followers, the authors wrote. According to the report, BLM borrowed many of its digital tactics from prior movements, including the development and independent distribution of new issue narratives, media criticism, systemic critiques, and enlisting well-known endorsers. This report showcases how Black Lives Matter and related movements have used social media tools to broaden conversations about the general capacity of online media tools to facilitate social and political change," the authors stated. IANS Please Refrain From Wiki-theiving All content herein should be considered to have a Creative-commons-like license with the sole exclusion of Wikipedia. I welcome use of my research by all writers, readers and researchers except those that would publish such information on Wikipedia. Thank you. !doctype> Are you wondering where to start? https://issuu.com/bryanthaoworra is one place where I have many examples online to sample my poetry... This year marks the 25th anniversary since the death of Konerak Sinthasomphone, a 14-year old boy killed by Milwaukee serial killer Jeffrey ... Special Sponsorship This activity was made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. Junkyard Laser Focus Altbier. 5.3 % ABV. Junkyard Brewing, Moorhead, MN. And here we have the first appearance in the Nib of a 16 ounce ... Volleyball results from Thursday Friday, Oct. 7, 2022, 8:34 a.m. -- LAPEER COUNTY -- The Almont varsity volleyball team beat Madison Heights Lamphere and New Lothrop in a triple header at Almont Thursday. Dryden beat Bay City All Saints... Golf and tennis regional results Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, 5:41 p.m. -- LAPEER COUNTY -- Boys' high school tennis regionals and girls' golf regionals took place yesterday. Lapeer girls' golf placed 11th at the Div. 1 regional hosted by Oxford... Friday night football scores Friday, September 30, 2022 10:15 p.m. LAPEER COUNTY Lapeer beat Grand Blanc 39-17 at Lapeer to remain undefeated at 6-0. Almont upset Croswell-Lexington 37-26 North Branch routed Richmond 62-10 Imlay City/Dryden fell to Yale... Summer sports camps/clinics Wednesday, June 15, 2022, 4:40 p.m. -- LAPEER COUNTY -- Below is a list of the summer sports camps and clinics that will take place through early Aug. The regular sports update posting of high... Violence and fear of insecurity before UP elections With the Union Parishad (UP) elections in partisan lines coming closer, intra-party clashes among and political rivalries among ruling party candidates in absence of challengers from anti-government camps such as BNP at many places are causing sharp deterioration of law and order in the countryside. Political tension and violent clashes have been intruding into the homogeneous rural societies breaking peace and erupting chaos in an otherwise cordial rural social fabrics. The situation is deteriorating ever since the selection of ruling party chairman and councilors candidates in the election to be held under partisan line sending the massage that this election only means for win of the ruling party candidates. So nobody is ready to sacrifice for the other and at many places rival candidates from within the ruling party are facing each other and destroying peace. . According to a national daily, a pro-ruling party man was killed and 42 were injured in clashes in two upazilas of Patuakhali on Monday. Nonexistence of political opponents in the election campaign and dumbfounded police have create a muddy ground whereby party men can flex muscles. The Election Commission is responsible to ensure a level playing field for a free and fair election. But the EC openly seems to be unwilling to arrange a credible poll, making citizens reluctant to use elections as a method to elect the representative of their choice. Witnesses said the deceased at Patuakhali was killed while his rival group chopped him with sharp weapons while they were campaigning in a locality. The attack on the campaigners of AL-supported chairman aspirants by rebel-AL also left 22 others injured and police were mainly witness to the mayhem since they don't want to be party to any group. This is almost a common scene where ruling party men are challenging each other to capture the victory. Local representatives of the EC and law enforcers, who are absolutely obedient to the government, are not giving protection to challengers during campaigning against government nominees while in the fights among ruling party men themselves, they are claiming to be neutral as the situation is deteriorating every day. The unconscionable reluctance of the EC, its sidetracking of allegations by opposition fielded candidates and their physical harassment has already marked the upcoming polls to be a total drama of the government nominated candidates. The EC is incompetent and has no care for holding UP or any election free and fair. The Election Commissioners are merely interested in keeping their jobs and not in how to hold fair elections. The government is not giving any importance to the Election Commission. So violence and fear of safety from the government candidates sway over the UP elections. The elections results will be what is only acceptable to the government. Ukrainian cargo plane crashed into Bay near C`Bazar A private Ukrainian Cargo plane crashes into Bay near Cox\'s Bazar leaving one pilot and two crew dead on Wednesday morning. SM Mizanur Rahman with Mohammad Junaid :An Ukrainian chartered cargo aircraft carrying shrimp fry crashed into the Bay of Bengal, killing its pilot and two crew and injuring another at Sonadia channel's Nazirtek, some half kilometre from the Cox's Bazar district headquarters on Wednesday morning. The ill-fated Ukrainian victims were pilot Murad Gafarov, co-pilot Ivan Patrov and flight engineer Kulish Andriy. The injured navigator Vlodymyr Kutanov is now undergoing treatment at Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital. They all are employees of Ukrainian's True Aviation Limited, its local Station Manager SM Hasanat said.Talking to The New Nation on Wednesday afternoon, Cox's Bazar Airport Manager Sadhan Kumar Mohanta said that the Russian-owned True Aviation Limited's aircraft with four crew crashed into the sea soon after taking off from the airport around 9am. "The pilot and two crew were killed and another received serious injuries," he said adding fishermen rescued the two crew of the aircraft and admitted them to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital where the on-duty doctors declared the flight engineer dead.The injured Wazi Morout was later shifted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital for better treatment as his condition worsened, an on-duty doctor said.Thy pilot Murad Gafarov and copilot Ivan Patrov had remained missing till 3pm. Later the members of Bangladesh Coast Guard, Fire Service and fishermen launched a rescue operation and recovered their bodies from the seawater.According to him, the chartered cargo aircraft of Ukraine, carrying shrimp fry was heading to Jessore airport when it crashed after take-off from the Cox's Bazar airport "The cargo aircraft used to transport shrimp fry from Cox's Bazar to Jessore," he said. Mohammad Aslam Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Cox's Bazar Sadar police Station said that True Aviation Limited of Bangladesh hired two cargo aircraft from Ukraine for carrying shrimp. "Of them aircraft AN-26 was crashed into the sea on Wednesday morning," he said. The local fishermen said the aircraft straight dived into the sea when they were at beach and rushed to the spot with their trawlers and rescued them. Hungary sends more troops to border Al Jazeera News, Asotthalom : The Hungarian government has announced the deployment of an additional 1,500 troops and police officers on its border with Serbia, as it extended a nationwide "state of emergency" in response to the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe. Interior Minister Sandor Pinter made the announcement during a press conference in Hungary's capital Budapest on Wednesday. The move comes just a day after Slovenia announced the closure of its border crossings to those who do not have valid European Union entry visas, effectively blocking the Balkan route that refugees use to reach Western Europe. Referring to the decision to deploy more security forces on the border, Pinter said: "We do not know how the migrants stuck in the Balkan countries will react". Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia and Croatia have drastically tightened border restrictions since late 2015, leading to a sharp increase in refugees attempting to breach Hungary's 175-kilometre fence on the Serbian border. "There have been breaches at various points along the Hungarian-Serbian border," a Hungarian police spokesperson told Al Jazeera, explaining that generally between 100 and 200 people are arrested for crossing the fence each day. On Tuesday, the police said that 127 people were caught attempting to enter Hungary from Serbia. They are among the 976 people arrested by Hungarian police since March 1 for breaching the fence. Andras Kovats, director of the Hungarian Association for Migrants, explained that the number of refugees and migrants in detention centres and open camps has tripled since the middle of February. "The open and closed facilities are full," he told Al Jazeera, adding that the spate of border closures will likely push refugees to take riskier routes into Western Europe. "We have no clue how many enter the country [from Serbia] without getting caught," Kovats said, arguing that Hungary's strict measures make it virtually impossible for asylum seekers to gain asylum in Hungary. Those who are caught entering the country by breaching the border fence are often barred from applying for asylum and banned from the EU's Schengen zone for a period of one year. Meanwhile, very few asylum applicants who take the proper legal steps are accepted, according to Mark Kekesi, spokesperson for Szeged chapter of the Migrant Solidarity Group of Hungary, "If you don't cut the fence and enter illegally and take the legal gateway, then you have a nearly 100 percent chance of being kicked back to Serbia," Kekesi told Al Jazeera. Only 146 of the 177,135 applicants were granted asylum in Hungary in 2015, according to the government's office of statistics. Another 362 refugees were not given asylum, but were provided with residency and permitted to stay. "The government has made it as close as legally possible to making it impossible [to obtain asylum] in Hungary," Kekesi said. More than a million refugees and migrants reached European shores by boat in 2015, according to the UN agency for refugees (UNHCR), while an estimated 141,930 have made it to Europe since the beginning of this year. Earlier this week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's office announced plans to slash subsidies and services for refugees and asylum seekers in the country. Retired teachers` sufferings mount M M Jasim :Many retired teachers' dream of living their rest of life happily with family members have been shattered because of the lengthy process of getting pension money. The teachers after retirement apply to the Non-Government Teacher Employee Retirement Benefit Board (NGTERB) at Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information & Statistics (BANBEIS) Bhaban for pension money. But they have to wait for years, even die, yet the long waiting does not end. As a result, they pass their days in economic hardship and cannot meet family expenses. Visiting the BANBEIS Bhaban on Wednesday this reporter found many retired teachers waiting with application forms and some of them waiting to hear the good news. But they returned with much frustration as the NGTERB did not give them any good response. Meanwhile, the authorities of the NGTERB always express their helplessness, as they have no sufficient money to make the retired teachers happy. They said, the NGTERB grants the pension to the retired teachers from the fund of the teachers and the contribution of the government. But sadly the government has not shared the contribution to the NGTERB for giving the retired teachers since 2004. So, how they will give the pension to the teachers in time without government donation, the officials said. The officials of the NGTERB told The New Nation wishing anonymity say that the retried teachers suffer due to the negligence of the government. Md Abdus Salam joined Quashemganj High School in Charfession upazila under Bhola district as Assistant Teacher in August 1972 and retried in August 2012. He discharged his duty with honesty and sincerity. After retirement, he applied to the NGTERB for his pension. He died in July 2014, but did not get pension. Former Assistant Teacher of Tushkhali Girls High School at Bhandaria Upazila in Pirojpur district Md Mokhlesur Rahman applied for his pension on August 13 in 2014 for his pension. He retired from the school on March 1 of the same year. He was suffering from various deadly diseases. He died on December 2 in 2014 after waiting for his pension. He lost his dream to take treatment by the pension money. Like Md Abdus Salam and Md Mokhlesur Rahman, hundreds of teachers suffer from poverty, but pension is not granted. Sharif Sadi, Member-Secretary of NGTERB told The New Nation on Wednesday that about 46 thousand retired teachers are waiting for the pension. But they are not capable to give pension who applied before 2011. "We have not sufficient money in the NGTERB fund. The NGTERB needs at least Tk 1900 crore as pension for about 46 thousand retired teachers. Without the government help, it is totally impossible to make the teachers happy," the member-secretary said. Sharif Sadi said, "It makes me very emotional when I fail to provide pension to the teachers timely and hear that they have died," he told this reporter with shocked voice. The member-secretary also urged the government to pay the government's contribution to the teachers' pension fund. "I believe that the PM only can give us a solution and make retired teachers joyful," he said. Monwara Begum, the wife of Md Abdus Salam, told The New Nation with crying voice that her husband expected that he would take medical treatment after getting the pension. But his dream was not fulfilled. She also said that they did not get the pension till now. "He (Md Abdus Salam) dedicated his whole life for education. He never thought of anything without teaching," Monwara Begum said. Md Abul Bashar, former teacher of KGK High School in Tangail, is suffering from cancer since 2011 and submitted his application for pension in 2012. He moved from door to door of the officials of the NGTERB, but failed to get any money for treatment. He told The New Nation with aggrieved voice, "I served as a teacher to build the nation educated for about 40 years. Now I am sick, but the government does not help me. Even, I am deprived of getting my rights." Md Moin Uddin is a retired assistant teacher of Hadal Union High School in Pabna and he has been suffering from acute diseases, applied for pension in 2012, but failed. "I have been suffering from various diseases since 2008 from two years before of my retirement. I wanted to take treatment after getting the pension. I also need money to marry my daughter. But now I am in severe problem which I cannot express," he said. He also urged the government to respect the retired teachers; otherwise none will show interest to teaching profession. Meanwhile, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid told The New Nation on Wednesday, "It is indeed that the teachers suffer. But it will not last long. The ministry will take initiative to reduce the problem of the retired teachers." Mother taken on five-day remand again Staff Reporter :Police is yet to make any headway in the investigation of the murder case of the two siblings in the city's Banasree area.The investigators are trying to probe the incident to contend the multi-dimensions related sides regarding the murder, detective sources said. The cop members could not be sure about the killer and the motive of the killing, they said. The investigation into the murder case has become complicated as the investigators could not get reliable information from the accused mother and detained persons in this connection. Meanwhile, a Dhaka court on Wednesday placed Mahfuza Malek Jasmine on a fresh five-day remand in connection with murder of her two children in Banasree area.Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Alamgir Kabir Raj passed the order after Lokman Hakim, an inspector of Detective Branch and also investigation officer of the case, sought her in 10-day remand for interrogation. On March 4, Mahfuza was placed on a five-day remand in the first phase. Nusrat Aman Aroni, 14, and her brother Alvi Aman, 6, were found unconscious at their apartment and declared dead at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on February 29.Three days later, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) told the press that they had been killed by their mother out of her "concerns about their future." And Mahfuza made up a food-poisoning story to cover it up.According to RAB, she first strangled her daughter Nusrat and then son Alvi. Following the revelation, the father of the siblings Amanullah filed a case against his wife. So far, five people have been picked up for questioning in this regard. Police action starts after Minister`s directive Joynal Abedin Khan :Md Kamruzzaman, Sub-Inspector of Kafrul Police Station and also Investigation Officer (IO) of the murder case of ill fated domestic help Jania Begum, is passing busy time for probing the incident after getting instruction from the Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. The minister has instructed the concerned police officials to take proper step for investigation of the murder incident. The Home Minister on Wednesday assured the parents of the victim girl, when they met him for a proper probe, that justice will be done.Janias's father Osman Gani and mother Fulbanu met with the minister at his Dhanmondi residence in the capital on Wednesday morning and sought exemplary punishment for the killers.Meanwhile, Osman Gani on Monday filed a murder case the Kafrul Police Station accusing Ahsan Habib, Joint Secretary and Chairman and Director of the National Freedom Fighters' Council, his wife Naznin Akhter and their son Rummon Bin Ahsan. The IO Kamruzzaman told The New Nation on Wednesday, "The investigation is going in the right direction after receiving instruction from the government."He also confessed that the accused of the case were not being interrogated in this connection after filing the case by the victim's father on Monday. while replying to a query about a nexus with the accused, he rejected the allegation of the victim's family.He also denied the accusation of the family members of slowing down the investigation against the high government official."We will be sure whatever it is a case of homicide or suicide after getting postmortem report," the police official said.Osman Gani calimed that Jani was thrown out from the rooftop of the flat after killing.Police were not willing to take the case instantly because house owner Ahsan Habib is a powerful government officer.At 10:30am on Sunday, police called victim's mother Fulbanu to come to that house where she worked and Fulbanu found her daughter dead with several injuries on her body.She claimed that Jania was raped and killed by the son of a government official for whom she used to work. Later, he threw out her dead body from the rooftop.Agitated local people and relatives of a minor domestic help staged a demonstration in front of the Kafrul Police Station on Monday.They also brought the body with them and blockaded the road from Shewrapara Bus Stand to the Dhaka Cantonment in the city on Monday afternoon.Kafrul Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sikdar Mohammad Shamim Hossain said, "The autopsy has been done and we have detained the lift man and the security guard of the house in connection with the incident."In the inquest report, police mentioned that there was blood in Jania's right hand and nose, and black spots in the knees and beneath the breasts.On the same night of the incident, police filed an unnatural death case in this connection. Minister, Governor can`t shift responsibility Another $870m hacked from BB blocked in Philippines Special Correspondent :Latest disclosure said hackers have stolen US$ 870 million from Bangladesh Bank accounts when Bangladesh Bank is claiming the loss of US$ 100 million (Tk 800 crore) from the government's accounts held with Federal Reserves Bank in New York. The disclosure of stealing of additional US$ 870 million (Tk 6,960 cr) surfaced on Wednesday again in online news portal report 'Inquirer.net' registered in the Philippines. It further said the Bangladesh money ended in gambling of Philippines casinos, but the money has been stopped from changing hands and back to the country's banking system as the theft became known and the central bank intervened into it. The same online portal earlier made the first disclosure of the US$ 100 million stealing by Chinese hackers prompting Bangladesh Bank to disclose the theft on Monday in Dhaka. The US$ 100 million was initially transferred by hackers on February 5 and it is not clear why the Bangladesh Bank authorities made the disclosure on Monday after more than a month. The central bank has also said in its first disclosure of the theft that US$ 20 million of the stolen fund has already been recovered from Sri Lanka. But it prompted many to question why the central bank held the incident secret so long and waited to inform the people the recovery of the partial fund along with the announcement of the theft. Why this attempt to cover up is yet to be cleared they said and questioned such attempt shows that the government and particularly the Finance Minister and Bangladesh Bank governor are incapable to protect the country's reserves and the financial system. It shows their utter in-competency, they can't evade responsibility, they must quit without delay. Many wondered why the Finance Minister on Monday said he had no information of the theft earlier while Bangladesh Bank's disclosure said they are working to identify the hackers and recover the fund from early last month. A senior Bangladesh Bank official seeking anonymity told The New Nation on Wednesday that the central bank did not disclose the theft earlier considering the sensitivities of the incident. By this time it engaged an international cyber consultancy firm to probe into the matter and take steps to detect the source and identity of the hackers and take steps to recover the money. The question is that the Finance Minister surely knows all about it and may have even authorized the hiring of the cyber consultant. His denial of the knowledge of the theft thus smacks unusual.Former Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank Khondker Ibrahim Khaled told The New Nation yesterday that cyber crime breaking highly protected vaults is not anything new. Crime gangs are active all over. But for Bangladesh it is for the first time they targeted our financial system making the nation totally shocked with the ominous sign of bigger insecurity to our banking and financial system without visible moves to protect the system.He said cyber transaction is carried out under highly protective Swift code and transfer technology; there is no scope for outsiders to make access to the highly secretive system except three parties. It includes persons who operate the swift code system, besides concerned officials at Bangladesh Bank and at the end place where the reserves is being held in deposit, he said. Investigations must clear these issues. The Federal Reserves is claiming that they have informed Bangladesh Bank about the transaction requests but why the central bank was not prompt to act and save the fund is the question. Rather they held the entire incident secret that many can't understand. Many fear some people in the concerned department of Bangladesh Bank may be involved in the scam which appears larger than initial disclosure of US$ 100 million. DB Police have seized passports of five officials and investigating into the matter.A former senior Bangladesh Bank official said nobody can enter the server that controls the transfer of fund without having swift codes. The question is if anybody made the codes available to the hackers. He said three midlevel officers of Bangladesh Bank are preserving the swift codes and the investigation must focus whether the secrecy was compromised. It involves another 870 million and the theft was carried out over the past several months. The question is why the Bangladesh Bank was not able to protect the fund and stop its swindling. Moreover why it has not yet made the disclosure when the people are picking the news of the biggest theft of government fund from global media. Referring to denial of Federal Reserve Bank of any theft of Bangladesh government fund from its New York branch, economist Mamun Rashid, who previously headed Citibank NA in Bangladesh, said he was sure the country would be able to recover the full amount."Bangladesh is a client of the Federal Reserve Bank. They must take the responsibility for this incident, but we have to see whether we have lodged our complaint properly."Since hacking has been a threat for years, he said clients should not suffer while depositing money with large banks. "Client's right to safe deposit must be protected." If you are looking for the new Immoral Minority posts, you should know that they can be found here at our new home Please stop by to get caught up on politics, join the conversations, or simply check out the new digs. It will be information about whats going on in our city, how to conduct things in order to be successful here in the United States. A little-known Lafayette civic group, Proyecto Hispano de Ayuda a la Comunidad roughly translated as Hispanic Project to Help the Community will break ground Thursday in north Lafayette on a tower for a planned Spanish-language radio station that will begin broadcasting in the next couple of months. Fernando Perez-Viart, executive director for the group founded in 2010, says the format of KECS the call letters stand for Educational, Cultural and Social will be a mixture of music, talk and community conversation with an eye toward helping Lafayettes burgeoning Hispanic population integrate into the community. Fernando Perez-Viart It will be information about whats going on in our city, how to conduct things in order to be successful here in the United States, he says, or as press material emailed to The IND by Perez-Viart indicate, to broadcast a variety of programs in Spanish language to maintain well informed our Hispanic community in various aspects: Socio-cultural, politics and economics of the U.S, the state and our city. The radio will allow us to inform, educate and entertain the families in our community; and prepare them for their integration into American society, while we keep our language and Latin culture. The radio tower will be erected at 1006 Surrey St. KECS, Perez-Viart says, will be a low-power station with an approximate 10-mile broadcast radius just enough wattage to reach most of the 2010 Census-estimated 10,000 Hispanic residents in Lafayette Parish. Lafayette-based MidSouth Bank donated $5,000 to help jump-start the project. From left, Proyecto Hispano President Jose L. Castro-Aguilar, MidSouth Bank Community Outreach Development Specialist LaCarsha Babers, Proyecto Hispano Executive Director Fernando Perez-Viart, MidSouth Bank Compliance Officer George Shafer and Harold Lewis, a member of Louisianas Cuban Club and owner of Black Star International Inc. Latino pastors at the citys eight Spanish-language churches have been making their congregations aware of the station, Perez-Viart adds. Once the station is broadcasting it can be found at 94.9 on the FM dial. More information about Proyecto Hispano can be found at the group's website. Monet rahapelien ystavat ovat viime vuosina loytaneet netticasinot ja olleet ihmeissaan. Verrattuna kotimaisen Veikkauksen kivijalkarahapeleihin puhutaan aivan eri tason palautusprosenteista ja lisaksi pelaaminen on aarimmaisen helppoa ja turvallista. Netticasinoiden maara on tana paivana todella suuri ja niita loytyy jokaiseen lahtoon, suurin ongelma aloittelevalla pelaajalla onkin tehda valinta siita, minka netticasinon valitsee. Kaikkien netticasinoiden mainospuheet naet lupaavat kauniita asioita ja niiden lapinakeminen on tietysti tarkeaa. Nyrkkisaantona voidaan kuitenkin jo kattelyssa todeta, etta jos valitsemasi netticasino on lisensoitu ETA-alueella, sen kanssa ei tule olemaan ongelmia, ellei niita itse jarjesta. Kay tutustumassa parhaisiin netticasinoihin osoitteessa www.ilmaiskierroksia.info! Ensimmainen nyrkkisaanto on siis varmistaa, etta valitsemallasi netticasinolla on ETA-alueen lisenssi. Suurimmassa osassa tapauksista se on Maltan eli MGA:n lisenssi. Myos Viron, Englannin ja Gibraltarin lisensseja nakyy ja naissa valvonta on jopa Maltaa tiukempaa. Lopputulema on kuitenkin se, etta ETA-alueen lisenssi takaa suomalaisille verovapaat voitot seka sen, etta niita valvotaan kontrolloidusti. Maailmalla on iso nippu Curacaon lisenssilla toimivia netticasinoita ja niistakin suurin osa on laadukkaita. Ne eivat kuitenkaan ole suomalaisille asiakkaille verovapaita, joten emme suosittele niita. Tana paivana markkinoille on ilmaantunut paljon ETA-alueella toimiva netticasinoita ilman rekisteroitymista. Jos tarkoitus on vain pelata yksittaisia pelikertoja, on varsin helppo suositella naita. Netticasinot ilman rekisteroitymista tarjoavat palvelun tunnistautumisen verkkopankin avainlukulistan avulla ja saman palvelun kautta tapahtuvat talletukset ja mahdolliset voittojen nostot silmanrapayksessa. Normaaleihin netticasinoihin pitaa asiakkaan rekisteroitya, tehda talletukset ja tunnistautua dokumenttien avulla. Tama on lisenssiehtojen mukainen kaytanto, eika kovinkaan monimutkainen, mutta silti monet asiakkaat haluavat yksinkertaista ja nopeaa palvelua. Toki normaalit netticasinot tarjoavat usein asiakkailleen laadukkaita talletusbonuksia ja erilaisia kampanjoita, joten kannattaa tarkkaan punnita, kumman ratkaisun valitsee. Kannattaa myos muistaa, etta tunnistautuminen tehdaan vain kerran, joten mikaan jatkuva riippakivi se ei ole. Suomalaiset asiakkaat ovat netticasinoille tarkeita, joten kaikilla vahankin laadukkailla netticasinoilla on suomenkieliset sivut seka suomenkielinen asiakaspalvelu suomenkielisyys kannattaakin ottaa netticasinoa valittaessa nyrkkisaannoksi. Vaikka tana paivana englanninkielisyys on harvoille ongelma, on suomenkielisten netticasinoiden maara niin valtava, etta suosittelemme niiden kayttoa. Rahansiirrot ovat tana paivana niin hyvassa mallissa, etta niiden kanssa tuskin tulee mitaan ongelmia. Kolme tarkeinta segmenttia: Suomalaiset verkkopankit, luottokortit (Visa, Mastercard) seka nettilompakot (Skrill, Neteller) loytyvat jokaisesta laadukkaasta netticasinosta. Viime vuosien trendiksi noussut verkkokauppa on kehittanyt rahansiirrot niin laadukkaiksi ja nopeiksi, etta niiden suhteen ei ole enaa vuosiin ollut ongelmia. Luonnollisesti netticasinot kayttavat naita samoja palveluita ja hyotyvat kehityksesta. Naiden isojen linjojen jalkeen netticasinon valintaan vaikuttavat luonnollisesti tarjottavat tervetuliaisbonukset uudet asiakkaat saavat tana paivana kovan kilpailun myota merkittavia etuja netticasinoilta ja niita kannattaa luonnollisesti vertailla. Erilaiset talletusbonukset, ilmaiskierrokset seka ilmaiset pelirahat tuovat suuriakin rahanarvoisia etuja ja niiden vertailu on ehdottomasti kannattavaa. Myoskaan useampien tilien avaaminen ja tervetuliaistarjousten kayttaminen ei missaan nimessa ole huono idea. Kun edella mainitut asiat ovat mieleisia ja vaihtoehtoja on vielakin jaljella, mennaan jo nyansseihin. Toki pelivalikoima on yksi kriteeri, mutta taman paivan netticasinoissa tamakin asia on paasaantoisesti varsin samanlainen. Toki useamman samantasoisen netticasinon vertailussa kannattaa yleensa valita se, jossa on eniten peleja tarjolla. Vaikka omat suosikit loytyisivatkin useammasta, voi tulevaisuudessa mielenkiinto nousta joihinkin muihin peleihin ja silloin on tietysti mukavampaa, etta ne loytyvat valikoimista. Viimeisena voidaan nostaa esiin kaytettavyys joidenkin netticasinoiden sivut ovat vilkkuvia, valkkyvia ja epakaytannollisia. Omaan silmaan ja kaytettavyyteen sopiva sivusto on luonnollisesti aina se paras valinta. Tarjonta netticasinoissa on tana paivana valtava ja jokaiselle loytyy varmasti se oma netticasino onnea matkaan! By AM Wednesday, March 9, 2016 Share Tweet Share Share Email The media are misleading the public on Syria By Stephen Kinzer New recruits trained to fight alongside opposition in Aleppo, Syria Coverage of the Syrian war will be remembered as one of the most shameful episodes in the history of the American press. Reporting about carnage in the ancient city of Aleppo is the latest reason why. For three years, violent militants have run Aleppo. Their rule began with a wave of repression. They posted notices warning residents: Dont send your children to school. If you do, we will get the backpack and you will get the coffin. Then they destroyed factories, hoping that unemployed workers would have no recourse other than to become fighters. They trucked looted machinery to Turkey and sold it. This month, people in Aleppo have finally seen glimmers of hope. The Syrian army and its allies have been pushing militants out of the city. Last week they reclaimed the main power plant. Regular electricity may soon be restored. The militants hold on the city could be ending. Militants, true to form, are wreaking havoc as they are pushed out of the city by Russian and Syrian Army forces. Turkish-Saudi backed moderate rebels showered the residential neighborhoods of Aleppo with unguided rockets and gas jars, one Aleppo resident wrote on social media. The Beirut-based analyst Marwa Osma asked, The Syrian Arab Army, which is led by President Bashar Assad, is the only force on the ground, along with their allies, who are fighting ISIS so you want to weaken the only system that is fighting ISIS? This does not fit with Washingtons narrative. As a result, much of the American press is reporting the opposite of what is actually happening. Many news reports suggest that Aleppo has been a liberated zone for three years but is now being pulled back into misery. Americans are being told that the virtuous course in Syria is to fight the Assad regime and its Russian and Iranian partners. We are supposed to hope that a righteous coalition of Americans, Turks, Saudis, Kurds, and the moderate opposition will win. This is convoluted nonsense, but Americans cannot be blamed for believing it. We have almost no real information about the combatants, their goals, or their tactics. Much blame for this lies with our media. Under intense financial pressure, most American newspapers, magazines, and broadcast networks have drastically reduced their corps of foreign correspondents. Much important news about the world now comes from reporters based in Washington. In that environment, access and credibility depend on acceptance of official paradigms. Reporters who cover Syria check with the Pentagon, the State Department, the White House, and think tank experts. After a spin on that soiled carousel, they feel they have covered all sides of the story. This form of stenography produces the pabulum that passes for news about Syria. Astonishingly brave correspondents in the war zone, including Americans, seek to counteract Washington-based reporting. At great risk to their own safety, these reporters are pushing to find the truth about the Syrian war. Their reporting often illuminates the darkness of groupthink. Yet for many consumers of news, their voices are lost in the cacophony. Reporting from the ground is often overwhelmed by the Washington consensus. Washington-based reporters tell us that one potent force in Syria, al-Nusra, is made up of rebels or moderates, not that it is the local al-Qaeda franchise. Saudi Arabia is portrayed as aiding freedom fighters when in fact it is a prime sponsor of ISIS. Turkey has for years been running a rat line for foreign fighters wanting to join terror groups in Syria, but because the United States wants to stay on Turkeys good side, we hear little about it. Nor are we often reminded that although we want to support the secular and battle-hardened Kurds, Turkey wants to kill them. Everything Russia and Iran do in Syria is described as negative and destabilizing, simply because it is they who are doing it and because that is the official line in Washington. Inevitably, this kind of disinformation has bled into the American presidential campaign. At the recent debate in Milwaukee, Hillary Clinton claimed that United Nations peace efforts in Syria were based on an agreement I negotiated in June of 2012 in Geneva. The precise opposite is true. In 2012 Secretary of State Clinton joined Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Israel in a successful effort to kill Kofi Annans UN peace plan because it would have accommodated Iran and kept Assad in power, at least temporarily. No one on the Milwaukee stage knew enough to challenge her. Politicians may be forgiven for distorting their past actions. Governments may also be excused for promoting whatever narrative they believe best suits them. Journalism, however, is supposed to remain apart from the power elite and its inbred mendacity. In this crisis it has failed miserably. Americans are said to be ignorant of the world. We are, but so are people in other countries. If people in Bhutan or Bolivia misunderstand Syria, however, that has no real effect. Our ignorance is more dangerous, because we act on it. The United States has the power to decree the death of nations. It can do so with popular support because many Americans and many journalists are content with the official story. In Syria, it is: Fight Assad, Russia, and Iran! Join with our Turkish, Saudi, and Kurdish friends to support peace! This is appallingly distant from reality. It is also likely to prolong the war and condemn more Syrians to suffering and death. Stephen Kinzer is a senior fellow at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University. Follow him on Twitter @stephenkinzer. From The Boston Globe , of all newspapers, this excellent piece by Stephen Kinzer, an academic specialising in international relations, exposes as woeful, the Western and especially US media coverage of the conflict in Syria. Some fear that the multi-layered fighting in Syria could spark World War III, pitching the West against Russia in a confrontation that could soon escalate into a nuclear exchange that would likely herald the end of humanity. If that happens lazy, deferential journalism will bear a heavy share of responsibility. Sean Bresnahan So the numbers involved represent much less than a majority of those who live in the 26-Counties, never mind Ireland. Nor were they voting on the so-called Good Friday Agreement as they had simply no role in it and were thus not permitted to do so (it was and remains an internal British solution to the constitutional crisis in the Six Counties). In the North, the vote was on the Multi-Party Agreement reached during negotiations at Stormont and between parties internal to the Six Counties, supervised by the British and Dublin governments. So the 1998 Agreement was never actually put to the Irish people, with a minority of them instead voting on two separate matters in two separate processes, neither of which involved a yes / no option on the so-called Good Friday Agreement as a document of itself. Thus that Agreement cannot then in truth be considered a reflection of popular will, despite the claims of some. Beyond that again we might also note that further agreements at St. Andrews and Stormont House, neither of which were voted on by anyone anywhere in Ireland, have changed the context of the original terms agreed in 1998, exposing yet further the myth that the Irish people voted for what we have in this country today. They did not. It derives from British legislation written and passed by the British government in the British parliament, not anything we could describe as an act of self-determination. That the Dublin government saw fit to change Articles 2 and 3 for a second time, unilaterally and outside of the political process relating to the North, only illustrates further that we are dealing with anything other than Irish democracy in action. We all know the democratic will in Ireland is for Irish Unity but that this is blocked by an external power in contravention of the principles of self-determination and national sovereignty. Indeed it is even acknowledged in the Belfast Agreement of itself, when it asserts that the want of the great majority in Ireland is to be part of a United Ireland. And yet Britain, with others, would claim to be implementing the democratic will of the people. Just because those with power might say something, projecting their strength in doing so, does not mean it is true. We should not then fall for what is no more than a clever confidence trick. If those who claim to support the democratic will of the people are serious then they will allow that will to be freely expressed and implemented. Those who go against the same are in essence anti-democratic, their position serving to legitimise the triumph of force over the democratic process itself. Britain has no democratic mandate in Ireland and its ongoing presence, in violation of the democratic will, is upheld through force. To accept otherwise is to accept the legitimacy of Britain's suppression of Irish democracy. We can dress this up as something progressive but it does not change that it is born of the politics of conquest. Contriving a process to exclude the preference of the great majority is not democracy. Indeed it wantonly ignores democracy and with it the national right of the Irish people to self-determination. Those who claim an affinity with democracy while railing against such logic, denying the universal right to self-determination in the process, might do well to examine what democracy actually entails. KSN&C is intended to be a place for well-reasoned civil discourse...not to suggest that we dont appreciate the witty retort or pithy observation. Have at it. But we do not invite the anonymous flaming too often found in social media these days. This is a destination for folks to state your name and speak your piece. It is important to note that, while the Moderator serves as Faculty Regent for Eastern Kentucky University, all comments offered by the Moderator on KSN&C are his own opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of the Board of Regents, the university administration, faculty, or any members of the university community. On KSN&C, all authors are responsible for their own comments. See full disclaimer at the bottom of the page. My post, How is the war going?, from two months ago recently got a lot of attention. Probably because of recent changes on the ground in Ukraine. A lot has... 5 weeks ago The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now. Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market. In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender. India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex. Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted. But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted? Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner. If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems. I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now. I want more variation in masturbation I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own. If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end. What is sex toys for Indian? Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation. It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms. They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable. Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner. The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner. It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past. In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping. Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order. In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing. Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome. Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own. But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance. More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around. Sextoy situation in India Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years. In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India. Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore Delhi Chennai Hyderabad These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India. In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well. If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too. If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it. What are Sextoys for beginner? Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms. Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy. I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion. I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy. If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma. Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it. Advantages of using sextoy for Indians There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways. Can have stimulating sex Can develop new sexual zones If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern. However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways. You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation. Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever. There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure. This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it. When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems. It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms). For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles [Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou... Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India. Sextoy for beginner men in India So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners. For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men! The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men Masturbator Cock rings Love Doll Sex Lubricants Toys for the prostate Lets check each one in detail. Masturbator The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products. It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands. Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands. They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.) Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much. Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! ! Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa SEXToys India PR (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018 Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood. If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ... [For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien... Cock Ring A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis. It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow. It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber. In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection. Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction. It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it. Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time. Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function. Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy. You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect. [Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat... Love Doll Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex. There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women. Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price. The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true. You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste. There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice. You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls. If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to... Sex lubricants Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules. It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution. Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse. There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent. Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent. If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here. What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many... Toys for the Prostate Another sextoy for men is prostate toys. The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line. Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men. Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men. What is the prostate? The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm. You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus. By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms. Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.) The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation. Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure. sextoy for beinner women in India The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy. The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy. Vibrator. Dildo Electric Masserger Lets check out what each one is in detail. If you want to check out womens toys, click here. [BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm... Vibrators A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator. Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy. It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy. Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women. For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators. Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex. Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself. This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual. Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men. When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons. Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most... Dildo A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis. It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass. A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it. They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well. It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device. A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo. Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands. For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis. This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one. To learn more about dildo, please click here. What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th... Electric Masserger A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores. It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low. Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels. Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation. It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure. For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm. It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out. If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager? To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here. What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th... How to choose a sextoy for Indian Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one. Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)? Does the size fit you (your partner)? Is the environment able to produce sound without problems? Price range First of all, the choice of size is quite important. Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women. For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage. Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems. Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise. If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level. Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it. Finally, there is the price range. The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest. Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy. Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy? I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance. For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics. If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out. How to buy sextoys in India The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping. For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below. Sextoy is one of them. Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping. SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India. They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry. Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card. To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy. ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal. Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on. Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture. Cautions for Indians using sextoy When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind Keep sex toys clean Watch out for electrical leakage Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone. Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there. It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case. In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness. Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful. If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it. You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly. Summary What did you think? In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India. The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future. As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values. However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health. If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try? Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women. I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it. Our region is in desperate need of new jobs. The lack of opportunity in our region is causing young people to search elsewhere for careers. And as they leave, they are tearing families apart, separating generations and tearing apart the fabric of our community. Southern Illinois jobless rate, at 6.9%, is higher than the Illinois average and higher than the US unemployment rate of 5%. In neighboring Franklin County, the unemployment rate is 8.9%, nearly the level the US averaged during the deepest part of the Recession. Marion Countys unemployment rate of 7.2% is much higher than the state and national average. Williamson and Jefferson County are no different, we have comparable rates at 6.9% and 6.0%. Jackson County has the lowest unemployment rate amongst these counties at 6.0% But that is still far too high given that Southern Illinois University is in Carbondale and employs 7000. Our states budget stalemate is hurting enrollment there, and at the universitys campus in Edwardsville, putting a major employer in jeopardy. The Delta Regional Authority declared Williamson County as distressed, a designation that notes a high unemployment rate and low per capita income. In The Southerns excellent series, The Rural Brain Drain, they noted that employment from manufacturing, mining and agriculture are disappearing. There can be no argument that we need new jobs and new opportunity to not only stop the brain drain but restore Southern Illinois to economic viability. Southern Illinois must attract new investment. We must build on our tourism and recreation assets and entice new hotels, conference centers and retail chains to give Southern Illinois a chance. We must also build on our education infrastructure and seek knowledge-based industries such as healthcare, science and technology. But if we are to change the tide of job loss, the public and private sector must come together with a renewed commitment to 21st job training, industry attraction programs and new facilities that will serve as anchors for on-going development. There is no time to waste. Extraordinary times require extraordinary thinking. To do less, would be to accept a status quo that sees families being torn apart as the next generation seeks jobs and opportunities elsewhere. An Economic Development Summit should be held this summer, here in Southern Illinois, to examine the obstacles, challenges and opportunities for our region. The Summit should address access to capital,the local business environment including assessment of labor skills, regulations and taxation, infrastructure needs and market perception. Invited participants would include regional business and labor leaders, community representatives, political leadership, educators at all levels including vocational education, and guest speakers from throughout the country who can share 'best practices' with us and help us develop a road map to a more vibrant economic future. The Summit must be a 'call to action'. All stakeholders will be tasked with developing visionary economic development plans as well as a mechanism to deliver on those plans with a sense of urgency The future of our region is at stake. As a U.S. Army veteran of the War in Iraq, I am drawn to any reference to the global war on terrorism, friendly fire, or war casualties and, like my fellow war veterans, am disheartened to hear such concepts thrown around carelessly. I, therefore, was greatly disappointed by the recent opinion piece penned by Phil Gonet of the Illinois Coal Association (Coal industry offers an opposing view on clean air initiatives, Southern Business Journal, March 1, 2016) in which Mr. Gonet callously throws around these terms in an effort to mask a factually dubious attack on renewable energy. Mr. Gonet has every right to try to make an argument on the merits of government policies, such as the Clean Power Plan. However, his claim that the administrations so-called war on coal is bigger than its war on terroror, worse, the economic impact of such policies is akin to friendly fire dishonors veterans and their families. His overly-heated rhetoric aside, Mr. Gonet does a further disservice to his readers by ignoring many fundamental facts about the policies that he attempts to discredit. Despite Mr. Gonets attempt to blame the Clean Power Plan for negative trends in the coal industry, what has truly hastened coal plant retirements is not any set of U.S. government policiesinstead, these changes are largely the result of current market forces, import taxes imposed by China on Illinois coal, and competition from more affordable, clean energy and cheap natural gas. Renewable energy, such as solar and wind, are producing power at record low prices, driven by advances in technology and increasing demand, which have created a larger, more competitive manufacturing base turning out ever more efficient wind turbines and solar panels. He also ignores the fact that the Clean Power Plan gives states maximum flexibility to create their own strategies for cutting carbon pollution. For Illinois, that means that we could adopt policies such as the bipartisan Illinois Clean Jobs Bill, which would boost both renewables and energy efficiency to create 32,000 jobs in every part of the state, including in communities which Mr. Gonet purports to represent. Mr. Gonet might be interested to know that among the biggest advocates for action on climate is the Department of Defense, which has called climate change a threat multiplier as increasingly severe weather events demand bigger humanitarian responses at home and abroad, while droughts and resource shortages fan the flames of extremism in unstable parts of the world. All of this puts our military personnel at greater risk. As the nations largest user of energy, the Pentagon also has learned what consumers realize: clean energy is cheaper. At Ford Hood in Texas, a new solar array and wind farm will save the Army $168 million of taxpayers money. For those who have served our country, the clean energy industry has opened up opportunities to leverage the technical skills and leadership gained while in uniform, in turn rewarding companies that seek out these talented of men and women. Today, 17,000 Veteransalmost 10% of the total number of employeeswork in the solar industry, and the Solar Energy Industries Association has committed to employing 50,000 Veterans in the field by 2020. I am proud to have co-founded my company, CleanCapital, alongside a fellow combat Veteran. As an Army captain, I learned the value of communicating a clear mission to the troops who served with me. Right now, Illinois mission should be to create jobs, attract investment and improve public health in every part of the state-- and our strategy must include a confident embrace of a clean energy future. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. DEXTER, Mich. Thomson Reuters today announced registration is open for its ninth annual Partner Summit event series. Limited to 65 attendees per city, these exclusive thought leadership events feature personalized instruction from nationally recognized business, technology and workflow experts on big-picture aspects of running a dynamic practice. The two-day strategic planning events are aimed at principals from tax and accounting firms nationwide. They offer a unique opportunity for learning how to develop a more progressive firm with the help of profession-leading experts and visionaries while preserving the intimate format that has made them so popular since their introduction in 2007. The event encourages attendees to examine all aspects of their firm including sales and marketing strategies, firm management best practices, product and service innovation, and operational excellence by leveraging technology. This years expert presenters include: Paul Miller, Business by Design Paul will offer his first-hand insights on how practitioners can move out of a commodity tax business and into a trusted client advisor business. Hell discuss progressive methods for quantifying the value a firm delivers against the fees charged, leading to higher firm revenues and increased client satisfaction. He will also inspire participants with the approach he uses to lead his firm that combines entrepreneurial savvy and a client-centric model to better manage a firm and serve its clients. Paul will offer his first-hand insights on how practitioners can move out of a commodity tax business and into a trusted client advisor business. Hell discuss progressive methods for quantifying the value a firm delivers against the fees charged, leading to higher firm revenues and increased client satisfaction. He will also inspire participants with the approach he uses to lead his firm that combines entrepreneurial savvy and a client-centric model to better manage a firm and serve its clients. Andrew W. McCracken, CPA, MAcc, Thomson Reuters Andrew will share his unique firm perspective and experience in the trenches to show firm leaders how to use technology tools and workflow best practices to increase workflow efficiency, use staff resources more effectively and elevate client service. Andrew will share his unique firm perspective and experience in the trenches to show firm leaders how to use technology tools and workflow best practices to increase workflow efficiency, use staff resources more effectively and elevate client service. Therese M. Witherow, Thomson ReutersTherese will share implementation strategies and proven approaches to initiating firm change, while working with participants to map out a customized action plan that will help their firms be more progressive and client-focused moving forward. The Partner Summit event series offers attendees the opportunity to exchange ideas with other professionals in a small-group setting. Attendees will take home a customized action plan that enables them to position their practice as a Breakthrough Firm. The 2016 Partner Summit cities and dates are: May 11-12, Fort Lauderdale, FL May 18-19, Newport, RI June 16-17, Chicago, IL June 29-30, Seattle, WA July 13-14, New Orleans, LA August 3-4, National Harbor, MD August 10-11, San Francisco, CA Partner Summits are our flagship thought leadership event series and provide our clients with insight and tools to run their firms in a more progressive, efficient and profitable way, said Jean Rakich, director of training and consulting with the Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters. The 2016 season brings carefully selected new cities and venues coupled with new content and improved tools for attendees to take home. In addition, we will introduce Practice Forward, an exclusive offering for firms wanting hands-on assistance implementing business model improvements and driving fundamental change in their firm. The event also includes fine dining, social events, networking, and more. For more information on the 2016 Partner Summits, visit https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/cs-professional-suite/summits. The Thomson Reuters CS Professional Suite provides the professions most integrated, most sophisticated suite of tax and accounting software including tax prep and planning, accounting, practice management, payroll, research, and more. Created by accountants, for accountants, its unparalleled level of workflow integration, comprehensive thought leadership offerings, and link to expert content and insight power smoother workflows, more informed decisions, improved client service, and better results for tax and accounting firms of all sizes. Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters is the worlds leading source of news and information for professional markets. Our customers rely on us to deliver the intelligence, technology and expertise they need to find trusted answers. The business has operated in more than 100 countries for more than 100 years. 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Some $696.1 million has been allocated since the beginning of construction to finance the construction of a new generation drilling rig in Azerbaijan, the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) told Trend. "Some $287.6 million has been allocated for this project in 2015," SOFAZ said. The cost of the drilling rig construction project is $1.116.7 billion. SOFAZ is the owner of 90 percent of the equity in "Azerbaijan Rigs" LTD, established for the construction of a new platform. The remaining 10 percent of a share in the company are owned by SOCAR. The first new generation rig will be built for the needs of SOCAR. The drilling operator will be "Caspian Drilling Company" (CDC), in which SOCAR owns 92.44-percent share. Singaporean "Keppel FELS Limited" company has been chosen as the contractor of the rig construction, with which the CDC signed an agreement for the construction work last June. The new rig will be designed to drill wells up to 8,000 meters at the depth of 1,000 meters. The new rig can be commissioned in early 2017. Earlier, Khoshbakht Yusifzade, SOCARs First Vice-President, said French Total would first receive a new generation rig for drilling operations at the Absheron field in Azerbaijan. As of Jan. 1, 2016, the assets of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) decreased by 9.5 percent compared to 2014 ($37.1 billion) and amounted to $33.57 billion. SOFAZ was established in 1999, and its assets at that time amounted to $271 million. Based on SOFAZ's regulations, its funds may be used for the construction and reconstruction of strategically important infrastructure facilities, as well as solving important national problems. /By Azernews/ By Laman Ismayilova Bakus Nizami Cinema Center hosted a gala night of the full-length feature film " Zaman adli qatar" (The Time Machine) on March 8, Trend Life reports. Addressing the opening ceremony, famous actor and TV host Murad Dadashov congratulated all the women with the International Women's Day and invited the film's creative team on the stage. Film director Kanan Musayev, speaking at the event, said that the film is based on real event that took place in Mardakan, a small town in north-east of Baku in 2007. The movie's tagline is "Mothers are strong". Really, is there something stronger than a mother's love?" he said. Then, actresses Hamida Omariva, Ayaz Salayev, Oksana Rasulova, Sugra and others spoke and voiced hope that the audience will enjoy this film. The perfect scenario and story could not leave anyone indifferent. The touching scenes brought tears to the eyes of many viewers. The storyline is about the young couple, Irada and Fuad, who faced a tragedy. Irada died from serious illness. However, her little daughter, the 5 year- old Zeynab, hopes to see her mother again. The attempts of relatives to explain that her mother is no longer alive failed. Little Zeynab still believes that her mother will come back. One day, grandmother Sanuber khanum sees the poster of the rising star Leyla, who looks like her deceased daughter in law. Perhaps Irada left this world, leaving behind her doppelganger Leyla? Will Fuad and Leyla be happy? Is there is a change for Zeynab to return her mother back? The full-length film will be released on March 31 in cinemas of Baku. The idea author is Kanan Musayev, the screenwriter- Nargiz Bagirzade, the operator- Yuri Varnovski, the music-by Inara Rasulova, the general producer- Valeriy Ilishayev. Valeriy Ilishayev arrived from Moscow to join the premiere of new movie. The film was the last movie for honored artist of Azerbaijan Ilhama Askarova. /By Azernews/ By Nazrin Gadimova Armed Forces of Azerbaijan and Turkey have begun joint military exercises titled TurAz Falcon 2016, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported. A group of Azerbaijani servicemen left for Konya to participate in the exercises, which started on March 7 and will continue until March 25. These military drills are being held in accordance with the annual plan of military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey. The joint exercises involve nine aircrafts of Azerbaijani Armed Forces, including MiG-29, a twin-engine jet fighter aircraft, SU-25, a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft and IL-76, a multi-purpose four-engine turbofan strategic airlifter. This is the second joint exercises of the two countries air forces in accordance with the annual plan of military cooperation. The first TurAz Falcon was held in Azerbaijan in September 2015. During the last years drills, the Azerbaijani and Turkish air forces performed tasks of the joint actions planning, improved capabilities of interaction and coordination in carrying out operations, fulfilled search and rescue actions, and eliminated ground targets with air strikes. More than 30 means of aviation of the Azerbaijani and Turkish air forces were involved in the drills. Baku and Ankara enjoy strategic relations in many fields, including the military sphere. Military cooperation between these two neighboring nations dates back to 1992 when they signed an agreement on military education. Since then, the Azerbaijani and Turkish governments have been closely cooperating in both defense and security fields. In December 2010, the two countries signed a range of treaties provisioning for military assistance should any of the party be attacked by third party. Based on numerous agreements on joint military exercises as part of bilateral progressive efforts towards military cooperation, the Azerbaijani and Turkish armed forces have hold regular drills, featuring various tactical and combat tasks so far. The United States launched an air strike in Somalia that killed more than 150 fighters with the al Qaeda-linked Islamist group al Shabaab following U.S. intelligence on preparations for a large-scale militant attack, the Pentagon said on Monday, Reuters reported. The Saturday strike, using both manned aircraft and unmanned MQ-9 Reaper drones, targeted al Shabaab's "Raso" training camp, a facility about 120 miles north of the capital Mogadishu, the Pentagon said. The U.S. military had been monitoring the camp for several weeks before the strike and had gathered intelligence, including about an imminent threat posed by those in the camp to U.S. forces and African Union peacekeepers, officials said. U.S. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James described the strike as "defensive" in nature. "There was intelligence ... these fighters would soon be embarking upon missions that would directly impact the U.S. and our partners," James told reporters. Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the targets were U.S. forces and African Union fighters in Somalia, but declined to offer additional details. Captain Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said the United States believed the threat was "imminent" and that the fighters were poised to soon depart the camp. Al Shabaab could not be reached for comment. Somalia's Foreign Minister Abdusalam Omer said the Somali intelligence agency had provided information about the camp to the United States in the run-up to the attack. "There has to be intelligence on the ground for this to happen. Our intelligence had helped," Omer told Reuters. The al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab was pushed out of Mogadishu by African Union peacekeeping forces in 2011 but has remained a potent antagonist in Somalia, launching frequent attacks in its bid to overthrow the Western-backed government. The group, whose name means "The Youth," seeks to impose its strict version of sharia law in Somalia, where it frequently unleashes attacks targeting security and government targets, as well as hotels and restaurants in the capital. Al Shabaab was also behind deadly attacks in Kenya and Uganda, which both contribute troops to an African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia. Omer said the U.S. drone strike was a major blow to al Shabaab. "Instead of al Shabaab attacking civilians, it was a military target that was hit and there was a high success rate," Omer said. Davis said as many as 200 fighters were believed to be training at the Raso camp at the time of the strike and expressed confidence there were no civilian casualties. "Their removal will degrade al Shabaab's ability to meet the group's objectives in Somalia, which include recruiting new members, establishing bases and planning attacks on U.S. and Amisom forces there," Davis said. He added that no U.S. forces on the ground participated in the strike, the largest in recent memory against the militant group, in terms of the number of fighters believed killed. Oman's top port Salalah has signed a basic agreement with two key Iranian southern trade terminals in what is expected to make the Persian Gulf state Irans new biggest trade partner in the region, replacing the United Arab Emirates, Press TV reported. The agreement has been signed with Shahid Rajaee port, Iran's biggest cargo port Bandar Abbas located at the Strait of Hormuz, and with Chabahar port which is located on the coast of the Gulf of Oman. Based on the agreement, an all-water route between the three ports will be jointly promoted, different news agencies have reported. The port of Salalah will provide advice on infrastructure development and the modernization of the two Iranian ports as well as workforce training. Officials in Oman say the move would "facilitate growth in shipping, trade and commerce" between the two countries. This agreement provides an opportunity for the three ports to complement and significantly enhance each others value proposition by providing the industries in their hinterlands gateways for wider markets by leveraging on the location of the partner ports, David Gledhill, chief executive officer of the Port of Salalah, has been quoted by the media as saying. "We also envisage the landlocked countries adjacent to Iran to use the existing multilateral agreements for transport corridors to access new markets." Salalah is Omans main trans-shipment port, and handled 2.6 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) of container trade last year as well as 12.5 million tons of bulk cargo, Reuters reported. Shahid Rajaei port is located 23 kilometers west of Bandar Abbas, the capital city of southern Iranian province of Hormozgan. The port is equipped with 18 gantry cranes and 41 docks, which make it the biggest and most modern container port in Iran. Chabahar Port is being promoted as an alternate gateway for access to Afghanistan and landlocked Commonwealth of Independent States such as Kazakhstan and Armenia. In February, Iran and Oman officially launched a separate shipping route between Shahid Rajaee port and the Omani port of Sohar in what officials say would help promote trade not only between Iran and Oman but also across the region. President Hassan Rouhani told reporters during a visit to Ashkhabad in early March that Iran and Turkmenistan are determined to activate a south-to-north economic corridor that starts with Oman, passes through Iran and leads to Uzbekistan through Turkmenistan. Irans both moves with Sohar and Salalah are expected to make Oman a hub for re-export of Iranian goods in the region, possibly overtaking trade volume between Iran and the UAE. The UAE which has currently downgraded relations with Iran in light of tensions between Tehran and Riyadh - is Irans second largest trade partner after China. Six members of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) terrorist organization have been arrested in Istanbul, the Turkish news agency Anadolu reported March 9. The detainees were planning to commit terrorist acts in several districts of Istanbul. On Feb. 16, 2016, the Turkish police arrested Dilek Kaya, a potential female suicide bomber in the Sanliurfa province, south-eastern Turkey. Kaya is a member of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) terrorist organization. The DHKP-C is responsible for terrorist acts committed in May 2013 in the city of Reyhanli of Turkeys Hatay province, which killed 46 and injured 155 people. /By Azernews/ By Amina Nazarli Zika virus, suspected of leading to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains, has already been detected in more than 20 countries. The World Health Organization worried that the virus infection, caused by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, is spreading far and fast, with devastating consequences and predicts that it may infect from three to four million people in North and South America. Some countries have declared a state of emergency, and doctors are even advising women in affected countries to delay getting pregnant. Recently, Zika was reported in Europe, Japan, neighboring Russia, as well as Canada, where 20 cases of the virus were revealed. In those countries where the Zika virus has not reappeared, the necessary measures are taken to prevent its penetration. Azerbaijan is among the countries, which are out of the risk and Zika poses no danger for the population, says Samaya Mammadova, an employee of the Health Ministrys press service. There is no reason for concern. No case of the virus was reported in Azerbaijan. The epidemiological situation is under control and the country is constantly taking measures against infectious diseases, she told Day.az Earlier, Deputy Director of the Republican Center of Hygiene and Epidemiology under the Health Ministry Afag Aliyeva told Trend that Aedes mosquito is characteristic of tropical countries and it does not inhabit in Azerbaijan. Zika virus infectionusually causing rash, mild fever, conjunctivitis, and muscle pain was first identified in monkeys in Uganda in 1947. The first human case was detected in Nigeria in 1954 and there have been further outbreaks in Africa, South East Asia and the Pacific Islands. Oviedo recuperating after suffering chest pains , 9 March, The 26-year-old defender was taken to Whiston hospital via ambulance after alerting security staff near his Merseyside home that he was in severe discomfort and has been diagnosed with bronchitis. Team-mates Gareth Barry and Tom Cleverley have both suffered from chest infections in the past week, with the latter having missed the last two matches as a result. A statement on evertonfc.com read: "Bryan Oviedo has thanked Evertonians for their well-wishes after he was diagnosed with a chest infection. "The Costa Rican was admitted to hospital on Wednesday morning and is currently under observation." Oviedo is consequently a doubt for Saturday's FA Cup tie with Chelsea, a match in which he was expected to play given Leighton Baines's continuing ankle issue. Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer About these ads ToffeeWeb Please note that the poems and essays on this site are copyright and may not be reproduced without the author's permission. Gulf stock markets pulled back with oil prices on Wednesday while a negative sales forecast by a major Saudi retailing chain hurt the bourse in that country. A couple of blue chips favoured by foreign investors boosted Egypt's market. The Saudi index dropped 0.9 per cent in heavy trade as Jarir Marketing sank 9.1 per cent after warning late on Tuesday that its sales would plunge by as much as 30 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2016. The projected drop is partly because sales were unusually high in the first quarter of 2015, hitting 1.9 billion riyals ($507 million) as King Salman granted a bonus of two months' salary to state employees to mark his accession to the throne. But it is also due to state austerity measures in response to low oil prices, which caused the government to run a budget deficit of nearly $100 billion last year. The measures have cut the disposable incomes of many Saudis. Durable goods retailer United Electronics (eXtra) fell 2.5 per cent, clothing retailer Abdulaziz Alhokair Co lost 2.8 per cent and jeweller Ahmed Fitaihi Co slid 1.3 per cent on Wednesday. But Saudi Basic Industries outperformed, closing only 0.3 per cent lower after trading higher for most of the day in response to news that it raised domestic prices for some categories of steel, after a long downtrend. Some second- and third-tier shares favoured by local speculators surged, with property developer Alandalus jumping 3.3 per cent. Dubai's index edged down 0.2 per cent but closed well off its low, with trade thinned as a heavy rainstorm in the UAE deterred individual investors from visiting the exchange. Union Properties, which has been extremely active and volatile in the last few days, fell 2.1 per cent. Trade on Abu Dhabi's exchange was halted, and all trades that had already taken place on the day were cancelled, after the rainstorm caused a power outage and disrupted communication lines for some brokerages. Qatar dropped 0.4 per cent, also ending well off its low, as drilling rig provider Gulf International Services , the most heavily traded stock, pulled back 0.7 per cent. United Development plunged 7.5 per cent as it went ex-dividend. Egypt's index rose 0.5 per cent in its heaviest volume since mid-January as Global Telecom surged 4.6 per cent and investment bank EFG Hermes added 3.5 per cent. The other eight of the 10 most heavily traded stocks barely moved, however. The central bank on Tuesday removed limits on how much individuals can withdraw or deposit in foreign currencies at banks, a move intended to increase liquidity in a market that has been starved of dollars. But it is still not clear how authorities intend to resolve Egypt's long-term foreign exchange shortage and the overvaluation of the Egyptian pound. Beltone Financial, which had more than quadrupled in recent weeks on its acquisition of CI Capital, plunged again on profit-taking, dropping by its 10 per cent daily limit.-Reuters The work on the 1,200-km cross-border regional rail network in the Gulf region is going as per schedule with the technical specifications and the legal framework likely to be completed by the end of the year, said a report. The GCC is committed to completing the project in accordance with international best practices and some of the member states have already completed their phases, reported the Gulf News citing a senior official. "The GCC has pledged ongoing support to this project through partnerships with the private sector and it will go forward," the GCC assistant secretary general for economic affairs Abdullah Bin Juma Al Shibli was quoted as saying in the report. The ambitious passenger and cargo railway project being built at a cost of $250 billion will run from Kuwait down the Gulf coast and through the UAE to Oman, with lines connecting to Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia's interior and Red Sea coast. Speaking at the Middle East Rail Conference in Dubai, UAE, Al Shibli did not discuss a final completion date for the project. In February, the UAEs Minister of Infrastructure Development Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi said the projects 2018 completion date was unrealistic, and declined to comment on whether it would go ahead, stated the report. Government spending in the Gulf states has been cut back over the last 18 months amid declining oil prices, it added. International real estate group Engel & Volkers said it has witnessed tremendous success in Dubai market within less than a year, thanks to its innovative Metropolitan Market Centre (MMC) concept and a strategic collaboration with leading developer Nakheel. After less than a year in operation, the Dubai MMC provides a base for 200 real estate agents specialising in the brokerage of high-end real estate throughout Dubai, and has achieved 200 sales transactions by end of 2015. The Dubai operation, which opened in May 2015, brings together the Germany-based brokers global expertise, with the local knowledge and profile of one of the UAEs landmark property developers. Our first months of operation have clearly demonstrated the value of the MMC concept, remarked Cesar Latrilla, the chief executive of Engel & Volkers in Dubai. "The Dubai market is unique, in that many of the most exclusive properties are in planned communities dispersed across the city. A brokerage that brings all of these enclaves together under one roof is proving ideally suited to the needs of buyers at the high end of the market," he stated. With around 7,000 employees in 37 countries, Engel & Volkers success is built on a network of distinctive residential property shops. Often operated under national and local franchise agreements, they share an unmistakeable design, along with high levels of personalised client service, localised to carefully selected neighbourhoods. "The Metropolitan Market Center is a concept that works particularly well in world cities of special interest to wealthy individuals, whether for lifestyle reasons or as significant business centres, said Latrilla. Rather than issuing franchises for individual property shops, we enter into a licensing agreement with a substantial commercial partner, to establish a single operational centre identifying and marketing elite properties across an entire metropolitan area, he added. Engel & Volkers opened its first MMC in Barcelona in 2013, and Dubai was the seventh just two years later. As with property shops, partnerships and licensing agreements in the local market drives the expansion. "A property shop franchise links our systems and processes, and our international reach, with an independent entrepreneurs detailed local knowledge. The Metropolitan Market Center model is built on the same formula, but in this case with a partner substantial enough to offer expertise across an entire city," stated Latrilla. "In Dubai, we have clearly found the right partner in Nakheel, a company widely recognised for creating some of the city's most exclusive and iconic developments, and which shares our goal of achieving a high proportion of market share in the brokerage of premium real estate in the shortest time possible," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Iran has announced that it exported 32 tonnes of heavy water to the US, signifying landmark progress in the commercialisation of the countrys nuclear energy programme, said a report. We have entered the international market of nuclear materials, and have purchased 140 tonnes of yellow cake from Russia as well as 60 more tonnes from Kazakhstan, Abbas Araqchi, deputy foreign minister of Iran, was quoted as saying in an Iran Daily News report. He added that Iran has also sold about 10 tonnes of 3.5 per cent enriched uranium to Russia, and have also entered the international market of nuclear materials as an exporter. Araqchi did not specify the details of the export, but he said that it occurred after the implementation of a historic nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1, the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany, in mid-January, added the report. Oil prices rose above $40 a barrel on Wednesday, driven by anticipation that the world's largest exporters could agree this month to freeze production and help erode the largest global build in unwanted crude in years. Producers in and outside the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries plan to meet in Moscow on March 20 to discuss an output freeze, an Iraqi oil official told state newspaper Al-Sabah. Brent crude futures rose 62 cents to $40.27 a barrel by 0930 GMT, having touched three-month highs on Tuesday above $41, while U.S. crude futures were up 49 cents at $36.99. "The consensus is for supply and demand to improve in the second half of the year. The problem was always with the first half .. which is heavy," Petromatrix crude oil strategist Olivier Jakob said. "Add all this momentum for actually increased talks between Opec and non-Opec - if there is a freeze agreement of some sort, then it could (form) the bridge to the tighter supply/demand balance in the second half, so I think that has definitely helped to support prices." Oil prices have risen by around 25 per cent since Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Venezuela and non-Opec exporter Russia said in mid-February they would leave supply at January's levels if there was enough support from other producers. Nervousness is running high in oil-dependent nations whose budgets have been tattered by the drop in prices, such as Algeria, which warned the recovery in crude was "very unstable" and could reverse. Credit ratings agency Moody's warned of the potential for more curtailments to output from defaults arising from the low oil price, which in January was at its weakest in nearly 13 years. Analysts at Bernstein said poor economics could lead to more oilfield closures. "Only two months into 2016 we find cumulative shut-in production has already reached 60,000 bpd (barrels per day) and up to 260 million barrels of reserves," Bernstein said, adding these fields were in Norway, Colombia, Brazil, China and East Timor. Analysts said falling U.S. output was lending support although concerns over slowing demand and a global production and storage overhang were capping any potential for bigger price gains. Energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie said it expected "the annual average price for 2016 to be lower than 2015 and then recover in 2017, reflecting large oversupply and high stock levels during the first half of 2016." Reuters KBR's Socar-KBR joint venture has been awarded a significant project management consultancy (PMC) contract for the Heydar Aliyev Baku oil refinery modernisation project in Azerbaijan. This award marks the first major award to the joint venture, Socar-KBR, since its inception in mid-2015, said a statement from KBR. Socar-KBR was created to provide design, engineering, technical, consultancy, procurement, construction supervision and project management services for all brownfield and greenfield projects across the upstream, midstream and downstream oil and gas sectors, in the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey (AGT) region. This company was formed to help Azerbaijan's ambition for creating a world-class Azerbaijan based engineering company. Socar-KBR will build upon KBR's long-term project experience in Azerbaijan to perform project management services from its established offices in Baku for the Heydar Aliyev Baku oil refinery modernisation project. Addressing the contract signing ceremony, Rovnag Abdullayev, Socar's president, said, "The Heydar Aliyev refinery reconstruction project is currently one of the most important investments for Socar globally, and I am very happy that this project is in the capable hands of one of SOCAR's own entities-namely the Socar-KBR joint venture." The overall refinery capacity will be increased from 6 to 7.5 million tonnes per year (mtpy).The catalytic cracking unit capacity will be increased from 2 to 2.5 mtpy, and Euro 5 standards will be established for all refined products. The modernisation of the Heydar Aliyev Baku oil refinery will begin immediately and will be completed by late 2018, with an estimated capital cost of $1 billion for the total project. "KBR is proud to support our long term partner Socar on this project. It is very significant that Socar-KBR, as an Azerbaijani Company, takes on the PMC role for this key project for Azerbaijan," said Jan Egil Braendeland, president, KBR EEA and Socar-KBR LLC Board Member. "KBR has worked on various projects in Azerbaijan since 1994, achieving more than 17 million man-hours. At peak times, KBR employed nearly 400 Azerbaijani workers-expending more than 4 million man-hours in country. We are very proud of our track record to the Azeri economy," continued Braendeland. The value of the PMC contract is undisclosed and will be booked into the backlog of unfilled orders for KBR's Engineering & Construction business segment in Q1 of 2016. --Trade Arabia News Service A new study has shown that 65 per cent of consumers trust the reviews on review sites compared to 52 percent who trust the reviews on a hotel-branded site. Without a doubt, online contentwhether marketer or user generatedhas an effect on consumer perceptions and actions, a study by Accenture, a multinational management consulting services company, has unveiled. According to the research, the following factors influence consumer opinion and decision: Favourable reviews increase booking intentions - It is no surprise that good reviews can make a difference. Interestingly, the effect of predominantly negative reviews is reduced when the first two reviews in a series are positive. Online reviews also have an effect at the room level. When researchers obtained TripAdvisor reviews of more than 300 hotels in London over a 13-week period, as well as occupancy data and revenue per available room (revPAR) over the same period, they found that review scores increased revPAR more for higher-end hotels, while the number of reviews increased revPAR more for lower-end hotels. Company responses make a difference- When Australian college students were presented with a fictional Facebook page that contained consumer comments regarding a software company, they had higher perceptions of company honesty, genuineness and trustworthiness from the mixed reviews with a company response than in the all-positive reviews. When researchers collected customer reviews of thousands of hotels and manage ment responses from Chinas largest online travel agency, they found that receiving a management response to a previous review increased customers subsequent reviews of the hotel. Negative blog posts affect brand perceptions- Dutch students and volunteers were shown a fictional blog announcement about an automobile recall. Evaluations of the brand were significantly higher when the company posted a responseeither proactively or reactivelythan when it did not respond to the negative consumer post. Consumer-to-consumer communication on Facebook influences expenditures- In a study among the Facebook community connected to a casual wear retailer in Asia, exposure to more informative and positive communications increased expenditures when it came from consumers than from marketers. Exposure to additional, informative marketer-generated content did not reliably increase expenditures. Consumer-generated content can boost business- A survey among Polish consumers showed that perceptions of marketer-generated Facebook content had no effects on brand loyalty, perceived quality or purchase intentions. However in contrast, more favorable evaluations of user-generated content led to greater brand loyalty and perceived quality, which in turn lead to greater purchase intentions. Standing out in social media Hospitality and travel industry leaders will use their online presence to their advantage by soliciting, responding to and acting on social media feedback. Companies can use social media as a tool to strengthen connections with existing clients, and even attract new customers. What the industry cant afford to do is ignore the influence that social media has on the public. - TradeArabia News Service Aiming to grow its share of the European markets, the Coral Beach Resort Sharjah will be present at ITB Berlin, a leading trade show, from March 9 to 13 to promote its superb facilities and tailor-made packages. According to Haytham Aziz, hotel manager, Coral Beach Resort Sharjah: About 12 per cent of guests at the hotel originate from Germany. There is an enormous potential to increase this while also tapping into other European countries. The Coral Beach Resort Sharjah enjoyed extremely healthy occupancy rates last year, averaging 82 per cent, and has begun 2016 with very positive guest arrivals. However, we know that long-term sustainability of profit is dependent on generating a mix of business. We are looking to broaden our customer base in Europe through participation at ITB which remains the biggest and most influential of any travel trade events, he said. The 156-room hotel features extensive recreation facilities and the management will be promoting it this summer as an ideal family resort. With festivals in both Sharjah and Dubai during the summer months, it is an ideal time to visit the emirates with plenty to amuse children and adults, added Haytham. Our prices are extremely competitive, and we are hopeful that our new packages will appeal to travellers in Europe who want to try out a new destination. - TradeArabia News Service ITB Berlin, the world's largest travel trade event taking place in Germany, opened today with 10,000 exhibitors from 187 countries and territories showcasing the latest products and trends of the global tourism industry. Over two-thirds of the exhibitors are from abroad. Moreover, the organisers expect around 100,000 international trade visitors and public attendance to reach tens of thousands on the weekend. The event will allow trade visitors to obtain an overview of the industrys wide range of products spread across 26 halls. The ITB Buyers Circle also gathered travel buyers from Europe, Asia, America, Africa and Australia, more than 40 per cent of whom do business in the order of about 50 million ($55 million) each. The Maldives is the official partner country of ITB Berlin 2016. With its glistening white beaches, turquoise lagoons and unrivalled diving opportunities, this island nation is a nature paradise, and one of the last on the planet. Situated in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives has been exhibiting at ITB Berlin since 1984 and is a model of eco-friendly and carefully controlled tourism development. The country will host a spectacular reception at the opening ceremony on the eve of the show. During the event around 260 exhibitors will be presenting the many products and services of this year-round sunshine destination on an enlarged stand in Hall 5.2 which now occupies 200 square metres. Dr. Christian Goke, CEO, Messe Berlin, said: We are delighted with the consistently high numbers of exhibitors, particularly from abroad, at the anniversary edition of ITB Berlin, which once again will provide outstanding opportunities for global business. Over the next three days, 1,000 of the worlds most senior buyers will gather for the ITB Buyers Circle in order to negotiate deals and do business. At the ITB Convention we will be discussing the challenges currently facing us and providing some initial answers. Thus, under the heading of Travel 4.0, the debate will not only focus on the digital transformation of business processes in travel enterprises. Experts will also be highlighting the impact the global flow of refugees will have on tourism and how they can be integrated as a workforce and with their skills into many areas of employment." Launched in 1966 as a minor exhibition, ITB has rapidly become the worlds largest travel trade show. This year's edition marks the 50th anniversary of ITB and will run until March 13. - TradeArabia News Service There are many things that people love about traveling to Europe. It offers historic sites, amazing natural beauties, architectural marvels, unique food, and hundreds of places to visit. One of my favorite aspects about it is definitely its wine tours. I love drinking wine, so visiting wineries is an absolute must for me. Also, it isnt a secret that whenever I travel to a new place, I like to rent a car and drive around. It allows my family and me to see everything we want to see, and for us to take as much time as we want while doing so. Thats why I came up with a short itinerary that will take you on a fun road trip along a few of the best wine regions of Spain and France. Best Wine Tours Spain and France to Do on a Road Trip La Rioja, Spain La Rioja, in Spains northern area, is well known for its wines under the brand Denomination de Origen Calificada Rioja a huge honor. It occupies a valley that is filled with cute towns and vineyards that produce high-quality grapes that get turned into tasty wine. A few of the Wineries worth visiting are: Bodegas Muga Bodegas Lopez de Heredia Dinastia Vivanco Wine Museum muum within a winery Bodegas Marques de Riscal If you are interested in more than wines, you can also check out its gorgeous stone monasteries such as Yuso y Suso. Nature lovers can also hike the trails of Sierra Cebollera National Park. Art lovers should also visit Wurth Art Gallery. Once you have had enough of La Rioja hop in your car and start the four-hour and 30-minute drive through AP-68 towards Prior at. MAP I always recommend starting the drive early in the morning. This allows you to have some time to rest when you get to the next place before exploring. It makes everything more enjoyable. Recommended Read: How to Plan a Cross Country Road Trip Priorat, Spain The wines of this region are also under the brand Denominacion de Origen. It is located in the southwestern region of Catalonia. Most of the wines produced here are powerful reds. Wine-making culture in Priorat comes from the days of the Romans, but they came to international attention in the 1990s. Fun Fact: There are only two wine regions in Spain that qualify as DOCa (Denominacion de Origen). This is the highest qualification level for a wine region according to Spanish wine regulations. Wineries Worth visiting: Costers del Siurana (Clos de lObac) Alvaro Palacios (LErmita) Clos Mogador Mas dEn Gil Encastell Aside from wine tours, there are several hiking trails that take you around the vineyards. You could also visit the local Lead Mines and go on an olive oil tour. After you have taken a few days to explore the region, hop back in the car and start the six hours drive through AP-7 y A9 to Chateauneuf-du-Pape in France. MAP Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France One of the reasons that make Chateauneuf du Pape special is the fact that it is known as a versatile wine region for wine and food pairing. Here you will find character-filled red wines with different intensities. Prices also have managed to stay accessible, while the quality of the wines has stayed the same. The wine varieties produced in Chateauneuf du Pape can be served with everything from grilled beef, veal, pork, game, duck, sausage, and lamb. You can also pair them with stews, braised dishes, assault, and rich seafood dishes. A few of Wineries that you could visit in Chateauneuf du Pape are: Les Caves Saint Charles Chateau la Nerthe Beaucastel Another fun place to go to is Musee du Vin Brotte. A museum with information about local wines through the years. Aside from vineyards, checking out the local chateau ruins is a must. It will allow you to learn more about the history of this gorgeous region. Also, walk along the streets of this cute town. You will find tons of small shops and restaurants worth visiting. * This post was done in partnership with Alamo, but all opinions are my own. The nation needs to change the way it protects endangered species because the current practice is bogged down in lawsuits and weakened by mistrust, the head of the Western Governors Association said Wednesday. Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead said Wednesday the problem is nationwide and that he hopes to build bipartisan support for changes in the federal Endangered Species Act, the primary tool for protecting species on the brink of extinction. He stopped short of suggesting specific changes but said years long legal battles frustrate landowners, local governments and industry and eat up resources that could be used to protect other species. Mead, a Republican serving a one-year term as chairman of the Western Governors Association, said the problem is partly in the law itself and partly in the way its put into practice. Deciding whether to protect a species is nearly always a long, contentious struggle because federal intervention can result in rules that limit oil and gas drilling, mining, agriculture and other land uses. I dont think its collapsing, but I do think theres definite chinks, Mead said after speaking to wildlife managers, conservationists and business interests meeting in Denver to review how well the Endangered Species Act works. Mead directed the Western Governors Association to conduct the review. Meads initiative comes as southwestern states are battling the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over reintroducing endangered Mexican gray wolves in Arizona and New Mexico, and the federal government is attempting to lift protection from grizzly bears around Yellowstone National Park. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, agreed that decisions about protecting individual species drag on too long with no definitive conclusion. Theres got to be a point ... where we can declare victory, he said. Hickenlooper, who also spoke at Wednesdays gathering, declined to say whether the law needs major or minor changes. Eric Holst of the Environmental Defense Fund agreed the process of protecting species should be faster and less complicated, but he said changes could be made without rewriting the law. We believe that the law has sufficient flexibility in it to solve some of the legitimate problems that folks in this forum (in Denver) have pointed out, he said. Mead and Hickenlooper cited a sweeping conservation effort just getting under way to save the greater sage grouse as a model for how endangered species can be protected with support and guidance from a wide range of interest groups. The federal government decided in September not to list the ground-dwelling sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act, instead opting for new rules and land use policies for federal lands. The birds, known for their elaborate mating ritual, range across a 257,000-square-mile region spanning 11 states. Environmental groups, mining companies, ranchers and some state governments have filed multiple lawsuits challenging the conservation plan, arguing it either goes too far or not far enough. Mead said such protected legal battles threaten to leave residents and state and local officials disillusioned. Mead also argued that court challenges make it too difficult to remove a species from protection, even if it has recovered. Since the Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973, only 1.4 percent of the 2,200 protected species have been removed from the list because they have recovered, he said. He pointed to wolves, which were briefly removed from federal protection in Wyoming but then put then returned to protected status after environmental groups filed lawsuits challenging state management plans. You have to have a way to reach the goal line, Mead said. Wyoming leaders are right to recognize that waiting until a problem gets out of hand is not a solution. Noting that problems with heroin and other opioids are increasing across the nation, Gov. Matt Meads office has requested that a state panel study abuse of the drugs here in Wyoming in the time between this legislative session and the next. We certainly welcomed the news that the legislative leadership and the Joint Judiciary Committee took him up on that request. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the drug overdose death rate has more than doubled since 2000. Of over 47,000 overdose deaths in 2014, more than 28,000 were from abuse of opioids and heroin. The U.S. Senate recently voted 89-0 last week to begin considering a measure targeting heroin and opioid use across the nation, from urban centers to rural areas. Rural areas, after all, are not spared from the plague of this addiction. The states with the highest death rates in 2014 were West Virginia, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Kentucky and Ohio. Those states, however, are still ahead of Wyoming in an important way: They are tracking and recording these deaths. Its hard to pinpoint the size of Wyomings problem, because we have very poor tracking, as the governors deputy chief of staff says. Coroners in the state have been known to use different terms to describe and categorize the deaths, from accidental overdose to drug overdose to opioid deaths. Wyoming should have a common language that will help us quantify the problem. Thats the first step on the path to define the scope of the issue and then come up with a plan to address it. Even without solid numbers, though, we are hearing loud and clear that theres a problem here. Kebin Haller, now the head of the Wyoming Highway Patrol, formerly served as deputy director of operations at the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. I never thought I would say that we have a heroin problem in Wyoming, but we do now have a heroin problem in Wyoming, Haller told the Associated Press in that role last year. It is directly connected to the abuse of prescription-controlled substances related to pain relief. Some addictions do start with recreational drugs, but others are far less intentional. When the painkillers run out for someone injured on the job, for example, that person might be desperate enough to do whatever it takes to keep the pain at bay. As a state, especially one with many physically demanding jobs, we must make sure people in that position have the resources to navigate that difficult time without becoming addicted. We are so glad the Joint Judiciary Committee agrees with Mead that heroin and opioid abuse is an issue worth studying in our state. Lives depend on Wyomings ability to solve this problem. SANDHILL CRANES Above, sandhill cranes fly above the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge near Wahl road. Below, trees are decked out in the fall foliage at the refuge. STC township, village renew MMWA contracts ST. CHARLES Both the St. Charles Township Board and St. Charles Village Council voted to approve the new membership agreement with the Mid-Michigan Waste... DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) While Iowa lawmakers continue their debate on whether to make medical marijuana sales legal, families are quietly buying cannabis extract from at least two out-of-state companies. The Des Moines Register (http://dmreg.co/1Tqbr1F ) reports that law enforcement agencies are aware of the shipments and haven't prevented them, even though their legality is debatable. A Colorado organization has sent a total of 52 shipments of its cannabis oil through FedEx to more than two dozen Iowa residents. A California company is also shipping such oil to Iowa residents through UPS Inc., but it wouldn't say how many customers it has in the state. The distributors say their oil isn't technically marijuana because it contains nearly none of the chemical that makes recreational users high. Federal officials disagree but haven't punished people involved in the sales. Davenport residents Felicia and Mike Haakenson are among those who have purchased the oil in this way. They give it to their 4-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn, who has epilepsy. They say the cannabis oil they've shipped in from the California company has helped her seizures, physical movements and speech. Mike Haakenson said the couple asked legislators, the attorney general's office and the state health department if the was legal to ship the oil in from out of state, but they never received a clear answer. Geoff Greenwood, spokesman for Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, said last week that his office isn't in a position to advise Iowa residents on the matter. "No one's making a ruling on it," Mike Haakenson said. "They don't want to deal with it." Mike Haakenson said he doesn't expect to be arrested because such a move would reflect poorly on authorities. But he still wishes federal and state laws more clearly gave people the right to medical marijuana. The Legislature passed a law in 2014 that allows people with severe epilepsy to possess cannabis oil but doesn't include a legal way for Iowa residents to distribute or produce the extract. The Haakensons were denied a permit to possess the oil for Kaitlyn because her neurologist is in Minnesota. "If you don't have an Iowa neurologist who supports it, you're pretty much out of luck," Felicia Haakenson said. ___ Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com PHOENIX An attorney claimed in court Tuesday that utility regulator Bob Stump deliberately destroyed thousands of text messages from his state-issued phone specifically to hide what he was doing from the public. We have a public official conducting public business on a public phone, Dan Barr told Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Randall Warner. He wants the judge to issue an order essentially censuring Stump for what even commission attorneys have admitted was his routine practice of deleting emails. Barr represents an effort calling itself the Checks and Balances Project, which gets some funding from solar interests. Tim LaSota, a private attorney representing Stump in the litigation, called Barrs claims pure speculation. What evidence does Mr. Barr have of that? he asked Warner. Zero. LaSota pointed out that a special master appointed to review deleted messages that could be recovered from Stumps current phone he threw out his earlier phone concluded there was nothing there that fit the definition of a public record. There is absolutely not one shred of evidence that happened, LaSota said. He said nothing his client deleted fit the definition of a public record. Barr conceded that what the Attorney Generals Office was able to recover may not be public. That, he said, remains to be litigated. Theres also some question of whether more deleted texts might be found with a new examination, he said. But Barr told the judge that its a matter of common sense. For example, he said, a request to the Arizona Corporation Commission to turn over Stumps emails from a 10-month period ending in mid-2014 produced 232 documents, only one of which was actually written by Stump. Yet over that same period, a log showed that Stump exchanged more than 20,000 texts. It became pretty clear what was happening is that Commissioner Stump was using his state-issued phone to conduct state business by text message, Barr said. That wasnt an accident, he continued. If he had used his Corporation Commission account, the emails would have been on the server, could have easily been maintained as was the statutory duty, and could have easily have been produced by the Corporation Commission. It was not until last year, when the flap erupted about Stumps deleted messages, that Jodi Jerich, the commissions executive director, obtained software that creates a backup of all texts sent and received on state-issued phones. David Cantelme, hired by the commission, said there are several problems with Barrs request. One is that the public-records request came after Stump tossed the state-issued cellphone he was using at the time. And even then, Cantelme said, there is no requirement that every text, even ones considered public record at the time, be kept forever. He said many are transient in nature, like someone sending a message asking for an appointment. Barr, however, said Stump and the commission cannot take the position that it doesnt matter what was on the phone at one time because its gone. Were in this situation because Commissioner Stump created this situation, he told Warner. He did it in a way so the Corporation Commission could not preserve those records, he did it in a way so he could illegally delete those records, and then saying, too bad, so sad to anyone making the public records request. All that left Warner wondering how he could adjudicate the case and determine if Stump had broken the law. The judge said Barrs request essentially asks him to determine that certain records no longer available were public records that should have been maintained. Barr, however, said the task is not impossible. For example, he said Stump and those he was messaging could be called to tell, under oath, what they recall of the texts. It then becomes a matter of credibility, Barr said. Barr also told Warner the issue goes beyond Stump. Public officials around the state are using text messaging to evade the public records law, he said. They know that these text messages in a lot of cases arent being retained like emails are being retained. And they delete them right away. PHOENIX State senators voted to block local governments from restricting property owners from renting out their homes for short-term or vacation rentals. The last-minute provision was added to legislation designed to eliminate the requirement for homeowners to collect local taxes every time they rent a room or a house through online sharing services like Airbnb. Instead, it would be the responsibility of the online firms to collect the applicable taxes and forward them to the Department of Revenue, which would send them to the affected jurisdictions. Sen. Debbie Lesko, R-Peoria, tacked language onto SB 1350 that says cities, towns and counties cannot prohibit or restrict these rentals simply because the property is not classified as a hotel. The move is in line with efforts by Gov. Doug Ducey to modernize the states economy. Ken Strobeck, executive director of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, said his organization generally opposes measures that limit local control. But he said Lesko agreed to build in some protections to preserve the ability of communities to protect public health and safety. David Drennon, executive vice president of the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association, said there may need to be changes in the legislation to ensure it is fair. He said the legislation fails to address abuses of the system. There are people who are buying multi-unit apartment housing and basically trying to operate them as a hotel, he said. Theyre skirting the law. Australian-born comedian Jim Jeffries calls his most recent tour "Freedumb." Here's why: Not long ago, he told a joke about Americans' obsession with their guns. He got hate mail. The letters would open with I dont expect you to understand freedom or In this country, we fight for freedom It was always like that and so I started to delve into that, said the Los Angeles-based standup known for turning bad behavior into a cottage industry. Jeffries is from Australia and back home, guns have been nearly completely outlawed since the horrific 1996 Port Arthur, Tasmania, massacre. The result, Jeffries tells his audiences, has been remarkable; not a single mass shooting in the 20 years since. Jeffries, 39, will likely relate that bit of trivia when he hits the Casino del Sol Conference Center stage Friday, March 11. We're getting him as he hits the homestretch to his May show in Nashville, Tennessee, that he will film for a TV comedy special. I want to get the show as smooth as possible before I record it. You are right at the end of me trying ot get it ready," said the father of a 3-year-old boy. "What you dont want to see is a show right after Ive recorded a special, when its all brand new and I dont know what to do with it. We caught up with Jeffries on the phone at his Los Angeles home to talk about his first-ever Tucson show and what we can expect. A little profane, a little political or a little of both. It depends on what mood Im in on the day. If Im feeling political, it will be a lot of political stuff. Ill tell sex jokes. There will be stuff about my kid and some stuff on religion, and some stuff on social commentary." Drawing humor from the headlines. All across the world is funny politics. I find it amusing that (in the United states) it always rotates about three subjects that they talk about over and over and over again: Its healthcare and its abortion and gun control. Basically the same three things over and over again. In Australia, they are not even really (discuss) those things. Everybody has healthcare and its sort of seen as a given. Abortion there are no pro-lifers who are going to get upset and gun control isnt an issue, either. We usually talk about how were going to educate our kids and what are we going to do with elderly people and tax reforms and immigration. Bagging on America. I live here and therefore this is what I know the best. When I lived in Britain, I bagged on the British. When I lived in Australia, I bagged on Australia. Its the environment around me that Im going to (focus on). But he's not doing it from afar. I could have done this (TV) special in Australia. I could have done it in London. But its gutless to give my opinion on a country in front of a foreign audience. So Im doing it right in the heart of America in Nashville. That takes balls. Then all the people can say alright, shut your mouth. But it takes more balls to do it there and more respectful. Just because I dont believe in the Second Amendment doesnt mean that I dont think America is a wonderful place to live and Im happy to raise my child here. ... I dont agree with some of its rules or some of its way of living or some peoples way of thinking, but it turns out you watch these political debates and none of us is agreeing with any of us. You have a country of people that cant agree on anything. .. The only reason people are offended by me giving my opinion is because Im foreign. Thats the only reason because everyone else seems to be giving constant beatings to everyone. So if I hate America for speaking out against things I dont like, then we all (expletive) hate America, because youre all giving your opinion We should have guns.' 'We shouldnt have guns. We should have healthcare. We shouldnt have healthcare. Youre all doing it to each other so you all hate America then. Its lunacy to think that any person on this planet has to move into a country and say I think this is perfect'. These days nerds are hip; artists hipper. Combine the two, as the University of Arizona College of Science is doing for this years Tucson Festival of Books, and you create a hipster paradise the Science in Art neighborhood of the festivals Science City. Science City came into being during a public-relations boomlet that sought to brand Tucson with a new logo. That didnt quite pan out, but Science City has become a popular destination on the UA Mall during the book festival a place where you can hold a brain in your hand, see where they make the worlds largest telescope mirrors or pet some Sonoran Desert critters. The new, artsy neighborhood takes note of a trend in scientific inquiry that mates writers, poets and artists with scientists to produce an artful way of presenting scientific thought, or a scientific approach to art. The UA Museum of Art explores the chemistry of making paint and pigments from minerals, while the mathematics department demonstrates the sound-wave science behind musical instruments. Astronomers and planetary scientists will display real and imagined scenes of the cosmos. Its a new neighborhood, but actually an old pairing. Scientists have always used artistic techniques to visualize and explain things. Artists have always used math, chemistry and technology to create new methods of conveying artistic truth. A couple of books whose authors will be presenting on the Science City stage on the weekend of March 12-13 illustrate that marriage of literature, art and science. The Sonoran Desert, edited by Eric Magrane and Christopher Cokinos, is subtitled A Literary Field Guide. Which raises the question: What the heck is a literary field guide? Cokinos, who directs the creative writing program at the University of Arizona, is a poet and author whose books often explore scientific topics. He said this book began with a scientific endeavor the 2011 BioBlitz at Saguaro National Park, which enlisted scores of Tucsonans in an effort to document the many species of flora and fauna that create the Sonoran Desert ecosystem. Eighty writers and artists went along to provide a poetic inventory of the park. Their output begat a website and the idea of publishing a book. Give most of the credit to (co-editor) Eric Magrane. He was the driving force behind the project, said Cokinos. Magrane is a poet and geographer at the UA, where he is a graduate research associate with the Institute of the Environment. Cokinos and Magrane brainstormed concepts for publication in the library at the former Desert Botanical Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill. It was clear just an anthology wouldnt do it, Cokinos said. A field guide that introduces readers to 64 of the Sonoran Deserts prominent and interesting denizens began to take shape. The editors commissioned some pieces from artists who didnt take part in the Bio Blitz, filling in some important categories and introducing more voices from a new generation of Sonoran Desert writer/naturalists. The thing Eric and I were thinking about was the need to establish that there are a number of voices in the desert right now. People tend to think of it as Ed Abbey country or Barbara Kingsolver, but there a number of others out there. So add to the list celebrated poet Alison Hawthorne Deming, whose poem asks questions of the signature saguaro. If it takes you a hundred years to grow your first arm for how long do you feel the sensation of craving something new? And Erec Toso, who writes an ode to jojoba that asks another: How many whales swim free because of your gifts of golden oils? Even the short field guides that accompany each entry of plant, bird or mammal, are questioning at times. Magrane and Cokinos compiled and vetted the field guide entries on habitat, description and life history from authoritative sources, but could not resist the urge to muse. On the Gambels quail: Why would a bird develop such a plume on its head? Why would a bird choose to walk instead of fly? The field guides aspire to accuracy, not pomposity. We wanted the natural history sections to be as well-written, as open and playful, and as accurate, of course, as the other pieces. Cokinos said he decided to write the saguaro section of the guide because he has trouble appreciating the ungainly cactus on anything more than an intellectual level, thinking the more you know, the lovelier something can become. That knowing can come from more than scientific inquiry. In his Illustrators Note, Paul Mirocha, whose pencil drawings illustrate each entry, said drawing is a way of seeing, a kind of scientific inquiry of its own. His saguaro drawing explores the proportionality of the gigantic cactus and his sketch of a pouncing mountain lion examines the physiology of its powerful leap. There is science in art; art in science; loveliness in knowledge. Under Desert Skies Planetary scientists were, for a time, considered a bit myopic, studying the dull, nearby bodies of the solar system while their astronomer colleagues peered more deeply into the cosmos. That changed when President Kennedy announced the plan for America to go to the moon. Suddenly, the engineering and scientific energy of American scientists was harnessed to exploration of the solar system, and the man best positioned to take advantage of that direction was Gerard Kuiper, an astronomer at the University of Chicagos Yerkes Observatory. Kuiper chose the campus of the University of Arizona as home base for his lunar project, where he would help create a field that combined astronomy with geology, chemistry, atmospheric sciences and multiple other disciplines. He was Mr. Planetary Scientist, astronomer Stephen Larson says in the book. He was about the only one carrying the banner at the time. Kuiper, with funding from the new National Aeronautics and Space Administration, created the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, which played a key role in those early moon missions and has participated in every planetary exploration NASA has conducted over the decades since. Melissa Sevigny, in Under Desert Skies, takes us through those years and into the present day, with LPL now leading its second robotic mission into space for NASA. OSIRIS-Rex lifts off from Cape Canaveral six months from now to travel to the Asteroid Belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, where it will gather a pristine sample of rock to return to Earth. Sevigny didnt set out to write a book about the Lab. She was an undergraduate intern at LPL when its former director, the late Mike Drake, asked her to preserve the memories of LPL scientists who worked with Kuiper to establish the lab. Her favorite was Ewen Whitaker, lured by Kuiper from England to help create an atlas of the lunar surface, critical for planning the moon missions. Whitaker, Kuiper and crew were also able to convince NASA, through repeated observations and chemical analysis of the moons surface, that its lander would not sink its struts into the deep, sandy soil as other scientists claimed it would. I love the old stories about how they didnt even know what the moon was made of crazy stories that seem old-fashioned to us now. But thats science. Were always in that stage where theres going to be something out there we dont know, Sevigny said. Sevigny said she wanted the book to preserve the personality of the characters and the stories they told her, in addition to the continual mission of discovery that is the scientific world. She details the personalities and progress through the decades. The founding of an academic department of planetary sciences and the parade of involvement in NASA missions that turned points of light, one-by-one, into geologic landscapes. Sevigny, whose major fields of study at the UA were creative writing and geology, was able to be part of one of the UAs significant contributions to planetary science the Phoenix Mars Lander mission the first NASA mission led by a university rather than a NASA-sponsored center. She attributes her interest in space to participation in the regional science fair as a high school student. Id always thought, as a child, that I was going to be a geologist. At age 14, I went to a science fair and two things happened: I won an asteroid and a trip to an astronomy camp in Hawaii. She continued to enter science fairs every year, focusing on Mars. In her junior year, one of the judges, Pat Woida, was a member of the Phoenix Mars Lander team. He was impressed and invited me to join his team. She worked as a volunteer, pursued her education, and returned to the Phoenix mission as a member of the public outreach team during its five months on the Martian surface. She now works as a science reporter at KNAU, the National Public Radio station on the campus of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. Her work at LPL combined with her journalistic bent to give her an insider/outsider point of view, she said. I look at it through the eyes of a science communicator, she said. I use a technique called black box. You listen to them explain, So this technique does this, but were not gonna explain how it works, were just gonna move on with the story. I wanted it to be a character-driven story and have all these big arcs about how science gets done starting with knowing nothing. When it comes to Tucson's dining and drinking scene, everyone seems to have an opinion. There was fierce controversy on Facebook yesterday about TripAdvisor's list of Top 10 restaurants, which had the Flying V Bar & Grill at #1. Also this week, two Phoenix-based publications set their eyes on Tucson. The lifestyle website AZ Culture just put out its "Top Dive Bars of Tucson" with 10 spots including The Bambi on Speedway and The Golden Nugget Tavern. The top of this writer's list? The Rusty Nail Tavern, 4415 N. Flowing Wells Road, which earned an 8 out of 8 on the "DiveScale." This is what the author had to say: "Rusty Nail Tavern ... has the perfect dive exterior. (Including) the faded, ripped awning, painted signage and a pigeon that looked like he came with the building ... Once inside, the walls and ceiling were covered in paraphernalia and creatively decorated and signed ceiling tiles." Also this week, the Arizona Republic came out with a travel piece on Tucson for its Destination Arizona series. In the first sentence, it summed up our great city with this wonderful quip: "Tucson is most popular with two sets of people: college students and parents of college students." The article continues with a list of recommendations for each restaurant demographic. Here's a summary: Best breakfast spot: 5 Points Market and Restaurant Best coffeehouse: Exo Roast Co. Best lunch spot: Empire Pizza Best family dinner: Thunder Canyon Brewery Best special-occasion dinner: Grill at the Hacienda del Sol Best restaurant for a first date: Cafe Poca Cosa Where the locals go: Dirtbag's ("The vast majority of locals in central Tucson are college students who tend to congregate where affordable food and alcohol is served.") Best place to eat healthy: Lovin Spoonfuls The oldest priest in the Diocese of Tucson who ministered to thousands of Catholics, passed away Monday, March 7, 2016. He was 92. Arriving in the Diocese of Tucson following his ordination on Decemeber 9, 1947 and continuing on through his retirement on January 31, 1994, Msgr. Carscallen served at 14 parishes throughout the Diocese, in locations ranging from central Tucson to Hayden, Miami, Bisbee, Douglas, Tolleson, Green Valley and even in Yuma. He served twice at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Tucson, at one time serving as pastor and administrator for ten years. In addition to parish assignments, he served in other capacities including: Assistant Procurator for Salpointe High School from August 1950 to September 1953; San Carlos Mission Administrator Pro tem; Associate Director for the Cursillo Movement in 1978; Vicar of the Gila Vicariate 1976 - 1979; Vicar for Pima Central 1990 - 1994; Chairman of the Clergy Health Panel in 1982; Spiritual Director in Ministry to Diocesan Priests in 1995; and Catholic Chaplain for Holy Hope Cemetery. He received the Papal Honor of Chaplain to His Holiness on August 9, 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI, and was able to use the title of Monsignor. Visitation will take place Thursday, March 10, 2016 at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church, 505 N. La Canada Drive, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with a Rosary taking place at 6:00 p.m. A second Rosary will take place on Friday, March 11, 2016 at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, 1946 E. Lee St., in Tucson at 1:00 p.m., followed by a Funeral Mass at 1:30 p.m. Interment will follow at Holy Hope Cemetery, 3555 N. Oracle Road, Tucson. Arturo Reyes Trujillo, former mayor of Fronteras, Sonora, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a news release Wednesday. The U.S. Attorneys Office said Trujillo, 43, was the head of a drug-trafficking organization from 2003 to 2007 while he lived in Tucson. During that time, he shipped about 1,000 kilograms of cocaine to various parts of the United States and laundered about $20 million. Authorities seized 77 kilograms of cocaine and nearly $500,000 during the investigation. The fallout More than 10 employees of the Tucson Police Department were investigated in association with the prostitution ring. Investigators said they knew about the illegal massage parlors or were customers. Officers Nathaniel Luttrell, Oscar Ramos, Daniel Santa Cruz and Martin Walker, and crime-scene technician Enrique Wilkins were all terminated. Sgt. Michael McGuire and Officer Jesus Maldonado resigned before the investigation was complete. Two officers were cleared of any departmental wrongdoing and another officer, Vincent Valenzuela, who was initially fired has since gotten his job back. McGuire has since relinquished his state certification to practice law enforcement in Arizona. The board that regulates peace officers has also voted to initiate proceedings to revoke certification from Santa Cruz, Walker and Valenzuela. In mid-March, the board will vote on whether to initiate proceedings against Luttrell. What grabs your attention about UA President Ann Weaver Harts new side job is the money. Hart already has a compensation package worth $665,500 this year for her job at Old Main. Her election to the board of DeVry Education Group Inc. last month gives her annually $70,000 more in pay plus $100,000 in restricted stock. Yes, it seems excessive, but its not uncommon for university presidents to make some walking-around money on a board of directors. The bigger problem with Harts corporate adventure is that it looks like a bad fit for the president of a big public university, and its not just me who thinks so. Jim Finkelstein, a professor of public policy at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, has researched university presidents service on boards and agrees about this case. Personally, I dont think it passes the smell test that there can be any possible benefit to the presidents institution resulting from their service on that kind of corporate board, Finkelstein told me Monday. The primary beneficiary of serving on that kind of board is the president of the university. This board raises special questions because DeVry is, arguably, a competitor of the UA, and because it faces recent allegations of deceptive advertising and marketing, and because Harts presence lends the company the credibility of the University of Arizonas name. DeVry is a big, multifaceted part of an industry that for years thrived on a three-part trick. First, it put on a hard-sell to potential students in DeVrys case, it is accused by the Federal Trade Commission of making deceptively grand claims about the career success of its graduates. Then, the for-profit companies filled their coffers with federal financial aid and student loans. At DeVry, that made up 59 percent of the companys 2015 revenue. Finally, too many students ended up burdened with years of loan payments without nearly the job prospects the companies used to lure them in the first place. Congress and Obama-administration regulators have been exposing and cracking down on this behavior for the last few years, but they apparently continue, if the FTC suit is to be believed. Harts service, Finkelstein said, raises real questions on two levels: One is the issue of competition. The second is the question of judgment. Given the concerns raised about the business practices of these institutions, is it wise for the university president to serve on the board if the purpose of serving on the board is to give a sense of legitimacy? Despite a UA spokesmans claim that Harts job is not related to her position at the UA, clearly it is. In DeVrys press release about the appointment of Hart and Linda Katehi, chancellor of the University of California-Davis to the board, it celebrated landing these accomplished educators. A scrutinized company in a troubled industry of course gains credibility from having the University of Arizonas president on its board. Something tells me Hart wouldnt have been chosen if she were head of Central Arizona College. Katehi, by the way, was forced to give up her appointment when critics questioned it, but asked by my colleague Carol Ann Alaimo if she is reconsidering, Hart said no. What about the competition angle? UA faculty president Lynn Nadel told me he thinks the problem with Harts election to the board is more about the companys problems than competition concerns. Its not a direct conflict, he said. Its true that neither DeVry Education Group nor its subsidiary schools are like the University of Arizona as institutions. Theyre a different model. But DeVrys subsidiaries offers many academic programs in Arizona, some of which overlap with the UAs offerings. DeVry University has three locations in Phoenix; Carrington College also has three sites in the Phoenix area, plus a Tucson campus; Chamberlain College of Nursing has a Phoenix campus; and Keller Graduate School of Management also has three Phoenix-area sites. DeVry also has a medical school and veterinary school on Caribbean islands. They may not compete over many of the same students, but certainly they compete for some. And if DeVry and its board do a good job, theyll grow and compete for more potential UA students in the future. Thats fine for DeVry, as long as it complies with federal law in the process. But I dont see how Hart can faithfully perform her duties to two entities competing over the same customers. So while its natural to raise our eyebrows at her going for the extra money or spending more time away from Tucson, those arent the main issues. The big questions are about whose best interest she ultimately represents and how she uses the universitys good name. OPINION: "Pima Community College belongs to the entire Tucson community. The governing board is the communitys way to hold the college accountable and to steer the institution toward best serving the greatest number of people. Help secure the brightest future for our community college and join us in supporting Theresa Riel for the District 2 seat on the PCC Governing Board," writes Makyla Hays, president of the Pima Community College Education Association. PHOENIX Senate Republicans on Tuesday approved a series of changes in state campaign finance laws that foes say eases the flow of dark money and makes it harder for voters to know who is trying to affect the outcome of elections. Among the changes being made, SB 1516: Removes the authority of state election officials to subpoena records of candidates; Reduces the penalties for candidates who overspend; Permits candidates to divert money given to their campaigns to instead help others get elected; Eases requirements for disclosure on campaign advertising of the major funding sources; Allows unlimited spending by outside groups on social media sites with no requirement to say who is financing those efforts. Perhaps the most notable change would eliminate existing laws that limit how much certain kinds of charities and nonprofits can spend to influence elections. Instead, it leaves it up to the Internal Revenue Service to decide if these organizations are running afoul of federal tax laws. And if the IRS does not rule that its regulations have been violated, then the state would not seek to impose its own limits. That means those groups would not have to disclose the true sources of funding. Sen. Steve Farley, D-Tucson, said that makes no sense. This provision expressly means that anyone with a 501(c) entity in Arizona has a get-out-of-jail-free card for reporting their donors as political committees, no matter how involved in ballot measure campaigns they may be, he said, referring to the section of the Internal Revenue Code dealing with nonprofits. This has been an issue particularly with entities set up under 501(c)(4), a classification reserved for social welfare groups. IRS code says they cannot spend more than half their money trying to elect candidates. But there is no limit on how much they can spend on lobbying, a term that under federal law includes supporting or proposing ballot measures. As approved, SB 1516 would allow them to spend every dollar supporting or opposing initiatives, with no hint to voters of whether it really was little more than a front for certain individuals, corporations or unions. This will further depress voter turnout because its the huge wave of anonymous money that is making people feel like their vote doesnt matter, Farley said. Proponents of the change have argued that forcing groups to disclose their donors limits their ability to influence elections. That includes business groups like the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The groups president, Glenn Hamer, has said it will vigorously defend our right to participate in the process. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that corporations have the same right as people to donate to campaigns. That opened the door to a flood of groups that have been formed to funnel money into both candidate and ballot measures, many set up as 501(c)(4) groups that say the IRS doesnt require disclosure of their contributors But Farley pointed out that even Justice Anthony Kennedy, who authored that decision, said the government can still require disclosure of the sources of those funds without interfering with their right to participate in the process and regardless of IRS rules. Sen. Adam Driggs, R-Phoenix, who is sponsoring the legislation, got Republican colleagues to reject Farleys bid to require disclosure from groups based on their primary purpose. He called the phrase ambiguous. Farley had no better luck convincing Republicans to accept an amendment that would have put some criminal penalties into the law. What makes that interesting, he said, is that the language was sponsored by Michele Reagan when she was a Republican state senator from Scottsdale. In fact, Reagan made cracking down on dark money a key point in her 2014 campaign for secretary of state. Yet it has been Reagan who has been pushing since her election as secretary of state in 2014 to ease disclosure requirements. Reagan press aide Matt Roberts said Tuesday that his boss is not disavowing her former position. The secretary is now focused on things within her control, he said, saying SB 1516 will give her the tools needed to root out illegitimate political spending while protecting legitimate nonprofit groups like the Cattlemens Associations right to engage in the political process. Roberts said thats based on Reagans belief that requiring such disclosure would force perfectly legitimate organizations to hand over a list of their members. Reagan also benefited in that 2014 race from outside spending, with two groups that did not disclose donors spending more than $330,000 in efforts against Terry Goddard, her Democrat foe. Despite the 18-10 vote, Republicans did not get everything they wanted. They had sought to alter several provisions of state law giving the Citizens Clean Elections Commission some authority to police campaign finance laws. PHOENIX House Speaker David Gowan is asking Attorney General Mark Brnovich to investigate his travel expenses in a bid to clear his name ahead of his congressional race. In a letter released Wednesday, Gowan said news report "have created the false impression that I knowingly requested some $12,000 in reimbursements to which I was not entitled.'' "The media continues to portray my actions as improper even to the point of stating that I have committed a Class 2 misdemeanor,'' he said. And Gowan said a threat by a private attorney to seek an investigation never materialized. "Meanwhile, the citizens of Arizona are left to wonder what the truth is,'' Gowan wrote to Brnovich. "I urge you to investigate and provide them with an answer.'' Mia Garcia, spokeswoman for Brnovich, said the request is being turned over to the agency's criminal division. She said that follows standard procedures when complaints are received. But Garcia said that everyone needs to understand that if her agency does delve into the expenses, that won't necessarily lead to a finding that he did nothing wrong. She said what happens will depend on what investigators find. "If that's where it leads us, I think you know that Attorney General Brnovich isn't afraid to take on politically charged investigations,'' she said. Tom Ryan, the private attorney who has raised the issue, said he's confident that Brnovich and his staff will do a thorough investigation. But Ryan said Gowan's request does not go far enough. He said Brnovich also needs to investigate whether Gowan was engaged in his bid to become the Republican nominee for Congressional District 1 while using state vehicles and being driven around by a state employee. Ryan also said that House staff have been on trips where Gowan was seeking campaigning. "Let's make it complete,'' he said. Stephanie Grisham, Gowan's House press aide, said her boss believes that Brnovich should investigate any and all allegations. Grisham, one of the staffers who Ryan said has been helping Gowan's congressional bid, said he did nothing improper. She said he was traveling around the state in his official duties as the speaker. Ryan called it "a frolick and detour.'' "He wasn't down in Nogales, he wasn't over in Yuma, he wasn't up in Parker,'' he said. "Every city he went to was in CD 1.'' Ryan said Gowan, who lives in Sierra Vista which is not in CD 1 was talking about his congressional campaign. "That's not state business,'' he said. "If he's out there conducting a campaign (using state resources), he's violating state law.'' Grisham did not dispute that her boss might have said something about the race. "You cannot separate the office from the man,'' she said. "If he's there as speaker and he's speaking on the budget or anything legislative, and they ask him a question (about the race), he can answer it,'' Grisham said. "It's not campaigning.'' But the evidence, much of it unearthed by the Arizona Capitol Times, shows it's not quite that clear. For example, Gowan was driven to Flagstaff in a state vehicle last October with the stated purpose of meeting with local leaders. But Gowan sent out a tweet that day with a picture of him at a table with others, saying he was in Flagstaff "listening to voters and talking about my vision to make DC accountable.'' And it ended with the hashtag #AZ01. He also was on the radio discussing his congressional campaign. Gowan, in his letter to Brnovich, said he ordered his own internal review after the Capitol Times first reported on his travels in January. "I was surprised and embarrassed to learn that errors in reporting and lapses of communication resulted in a total of $12,066 in over-reimbursements over the course of the year,'' Gowan said. "I promptly repaid that amount in full with personal funds.'' He called them "errors and nothing more,'' saying there was no "nefarious intent, despite the cynicism that pervades some of the newspaper accounts.'' Help India! Dr. Omar Khalidi is the author of well-researched book Muslims in Indian Economy. This book is a study of conditions of Muslims at all levels of economic ladder and from Muslim dynasties to the post-independent India. Editor of TwoCircles.net Kashif-ul-Huda interviewed him recently about Muslims in Indian economy from past to present. TCN: What was the status of Muslims under Muslim-ruled India? Support TwoCircles OK: At that time Muslims were divided into three groups economically. One was the family of the ruler or the ruling dynasty members at the top of the pyramid. After that was the group consisting of courtiers, landlords, and jagirdars etc. This second group had most wealth, they had land ownership and other resources. The third group at the bottom is where majority of Muslims were. These were peasants, craftsmen, lower rungs of soldiers. So in other words just because Muslims dynasties were ruling does not mean that all Muslims were prosperous. TCN: Did general Muslims benefit in anyway under these Muslim dynasties that would have encouraged people to convert to Islam? OK: No, they did not benefit directly. They had to work as hard as anyone else. They were not privileged group during the so called Muslim rule of India. Even when people converted to Islam they remained economically where they were, there was no upward mobility. As a result of their conversion they did acquire social mobility because curse of untouchability was lifted. Disabilities arising as being part of Hindu caste system was no longer relevant. But it did not mean an upward economic mobility. TCN: What was the effect of introduction of English under company raj on Muslims? OK: Most of the Muslim members of the elite did not take English education as fast as upper caste Hindus did. As a result, the were left behind in the path of modernization that lead to greater prosperity to the upper caste Hindus. Muslims could not progress because they were reluctant to acquire modern scientific education. Muslims being part of the old nobility wanted all the benefits and the British have no reason to please them. As a result Muslim elites did not accept English education and they were left behind. TCN: After independence of India, the fewer number of Muslim officers in the bureaucracy was reduced as a result of a large number of them migrating to Pakistan. How much of this migration was due to idealogical reason and how much was economic or other reasons? OK: After the formation of Pakistan, those who went there initially were top most officials who were in the top most positions of bureaucracy, military and so forth. They thought Pakistan was a land of opportunity. Even then it was not quite sudden, often younger brothers went and older brothers or parents remained behind. So migration was gradual and it was not uniform everywhere. Migration happened mostly in UP, Bihar and obviously Punjab and surrounding areas of Pakistani borders. Bhopal and areas south to that was less affected by migration to Pakistan. Hyderabad was affected after Operation Polo of September 1948. Lot of Bombay businessmen moved because they saw better opportunity in Pakistan because Pakistan did not have much of an industry. So flow of migration was uneven. TCN: How much discrimination or lack of education should be blamed for lower representation of Muslims in government services? OK: I believe that primarily it is the lack of modern scientific education. India is still a very poor country with fewer opportunity. We have to see that India is poor and Muslims are less educated, therefore Muslims are less able to compete. There are geographic differences as well. India is not uniform and Muslims in India are not uniform. Most well off Muslims in India are in Tamilnadu comparable to upper caste Hindus. But if you go to the eastern UP and Bihar, then the Muslim condition is comparable to Dalits. So, we have to see India in segments, an all India picture can be very misleading. With regards to discrimination, yes it exists but it is subtle and hard to establish in courts. But discrimination in of itself does not explain Muslims lower representation. TCN: What are your recommendations for improving Muslims socio-economic condition? OK: My strongest recommendation is for the government to open good schools on a massive way in Muslim concentration areas. If the primary education is strengthened then it will enable Muslims to compete successfully with the rest of the nation in acquiring high paying modern jobs. In other words, problem must be attacked at the root and root is education at the primary level. Muslim private organizations can supplement the efforts of the government. They can not establish a parallel system of education, thats not possible and thats not right either. As taxpayers, we are entitled to educational advancement at the expense of the state. Muslim organizations can play a supplementary role to advance it further. Help India! By TwoCircles.net staff reporter New Delhi: Madrasa students from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh may in near future get direct admission in courses at Indias prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi. Support TwoCircles JNU had begun an enquiry into madrasas and madrasa boards in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. This enquiry is being conducted by JNU Students Union in the wake of the rising demand for direct admission of madrasa students at the university. In the present system, a madrasa student has to clear first year of a degree course from any other mainstream university including Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University. The enquiry is meant to collect data on the standard of the madrasas, their resources, duration and validity of their degrees, their certificates and syllabi. JNU Students Union itself had demanded direct admission of these students in the university courses. The student body had argued that as other central universities are admitting madrasa students, why JNU should raise any objection to their admission at this university. Thereafter, JNU Equivalence Committee decided to enquire about educational standards and certificates of madrasas in U.P. and Bihar. JNU professors F.U. Farooqui, Aslam Mahmood and H. H. Qureshi have been deputed to conduct the enquiry. After a 10-day tour of Uttar Pradesh, Prof. F.U. Farooqui said there is variation in madrasa system of education. Different madrasas and boards have set different standards for their courses for Alim and Fazil. At some places it is equivalent to 12th standard while it is equivalent to graduation at other places. Moreover, at the level of Alim (equivalent to 12th standard), only three subjects, English, religious text and Arabic, are taught in madrasas, whereas other boards teach five or more subjects. However, he said students having the degree of Alim could be allowed to appear in entrance examinations for admission in degree courses at JNU. Help India! By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter, Kochi: The Maulana Azad Education Foundation has invited applications for scholarships for meritorious girl students from the minority communities. The scholarship is given to meet the tuition fees, expenses for books, hostel fees etc. Only girl students of Muslim, Christian, Sikh and Buddhist communities are eligible for the scholarship. Support TwoCircles Only those students whose parents annual income is below Rs 1 lakh need apply. The income certificate from the part of the parents, and not from the school, should be submitted along with the application form. The students should have obtained 55% marks in the 10th standard exam and secured seats in 11th standard or +1. The admission slip issued by the college/school authority where the student is presently studying should also be attached with the application form. The scholarship amount is Rs 12000 and will be distributed in two equal installments of Rs 6000 each, for 11th and 12th standards. Students once selected for the scholarship will not be eligible for it again. The application form can be downloaded from the website of the Maulana Azad Foundation and its photocopies too can be used. There are no special application fees. The filled up application forms should reach the office of the foundation in New Delhi before August 31. Link: For application form http://maef.nic.in/ScholarshipForGirl.pdf For details http://maef.nic.in/ Help India! By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net New Delhi: The victory of Assam United Democratic Front in the Lok Sabha elections in Assam is being hailed both as the beginning of a new era for healthy and positive politics in the country and a ray of hope for the downtrodden. Support TwoCircles Indian Muslim Rabita Council (IMRC) while greeting AUDF chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal for taking his party to the Parliament described his victory as a new ray of hope for the minorities and neglected and backward classes. AUDF victory has ushered in a new era of healthy, positive and creative politics in the country, and this will bring a change, says IMRC General Secretary Maulana Abdur Rahman Abid. AUDF has reached Delhi but it still has a long way to go to achieve its target, he avers. In a meeting held today in New Delhi IMRC has congratulated both Ajmal and Maulana Asrarul Haq Qasmi for their win and expressed hope they will do needful for the country and the community. The organization has also urged the Congress party to wage an open war against the communalists. The party and the government must not take any excuse in exposing the forces that are continuously conspiring against the minorities. People have voted for Congress against communalism and thus it is obligatory for the party to take on the communal forces, IMRC said. Help India! The attack on Chithralekha is a clear example of how the Communist Party of India (Marxist), while raising its voice against growing intolerance in the rest of the county, has chosen to stay mum over the activities of its party workers in Kerala. The travails of the 39-year-old Dalit lady have ranged from social boycotts to attacks by local CPI (M) leadership at Payyannur in Kannur. Chitralekha, who drives an auto rickshaw in Edat, has been strong in her protests against the CPI (M) workers. Shafeeq Hudawi of Twocircles.net interviewed Chithralekha. Here are the excerpts: Since when have you been facing threats from CPI (M)? Support TwoCircles The threats started in 2004. When I arrived in the auto rickshaw stand controlled by the CITU (CPI (M) affiliated trade union) the auto rickshaw drivers welcomed me with caste slurs. They shouted at me What the hell a Pulaya lady is doing in the auto stand? As far as I am concerned, the party leadership is targeting me mainly on two motives: I married a man from the Thiyya caste (a higher caste) and a Dalit lady dared to work as an auto rickshaw driver, that too in a locality dominated by the men from upper castes. This what the party does towards Dalits and Muslims in its strong holds in Kannur district. My husband belongs to a family with strong roots of left parties. Two former MLAs belong to his family and some of his relatives use to work with prominent CPI (M) leaders as personal assistants. What kind of attacks you faced from the party activists? There is wide range of attacks starting from verbal attacks to beating me. I cant remember how many times I was subjected to attacks. They burnt my auto rickshaw in 2005 and the seats of my vehicle were torn few days back. My husband was beaten and my relative was heckled. First, they defaced me and my family by lowering our morale. They described me and my mother as women who drink. They stuck posters in the locality against us. The activists, who came in support for us, were also attacked and were portrayed as the agents of two bad women. Despite these assaults my husband and relatives were affirm in their steps. How have these attacks affected your family? My son dropped out from the school while he was studying in Class 8 at the Payyannur Government Boys High School. He was termed as the son of a lady with a questionable morale so he didnt want to continue his studies. The boy, who is now in his 20s, is now working with a nearby mechanical workshop. My daughter, who is now studying in a technical institution, is also depressed. She rarely speaks to others. Who all came in support of you when you faced attacks? Several organisations, most of them functioning for the empowerment of the Dalits, lent me ardent support during my struggle. Local organisations like Scheduled Castes Scheduled Tribes United Forum and Dalit Morcha deserve a mention as their activists took up efforts in bringing the media attention and authorities concerned towards my woes. In this long struggle, I owe much to Sulfath Teacher, who has been working at Cheruthazham Government School. She motivated me and convinced me the need to continue my resistance towards the upper class fascism. Sulfath Teacher was ousted from her school owing to the intervention of the party controlled management as she raised voice against the school management when a Dalit student was abused in the school. Do you believe that your case has been paid less attention because you are a Dalit? When I started my dharna in front of the Kannur district collectorate demanding justice and land to live, I was backed by some in the media. But, suddenly the media started to keep mum about my dharna. When activists asked them why they changed their stance, it was mentioned that the party leadership (CPI (M)) exerted pressure on them to avoid me. Falling prey to the pressure, other political parties also neglected me. My strike in front of the secretariat was also neglected by the mainstream media. I am thankful to activist groups for circulating the issue on social media. How have local people reacted to your stance and your works as an auto rickshaw driver? Edat is a CPI (M) stronghold. I got no support from my neighbourhood and the local people as they all were scared of the party activists. None uttered a word when my auto rickshaw was burnt in 2015 and I was repeatedly attacked. They also were part of the social boycott as they were compelled to do. They were least concerned of my sufferings. Are there other Dalit ladies like you in Kannur? There are plenty of Dalit families in CPI (M) strong holds residing under threat of the party. I recently met a Dalit family at the police station. They had come to complain against the atrocities of CPI (M) towards them. I came to know that a Dalit familys house was attacked as it defied providing land for a road to be constructed for a party village. They oppress the voices raised by the underprivileged sects. I was courageous and dared to fight against CPI (M) fascism. Do other women work as autorickshaw drivers in your locality? There were some of women auto rickshaw drivers belonging to underprivileged families. Jaseera, Elizabeth and Haseena worked at Pazhayangadi and nearby localities of Kannur district. While I was targeted, these ladies slowly left their jobs. Your struggles have seen some success: you were relocated from Edat as the government gave you land and house. Whats the significance of your struggle? I continued my fight as I was stern in my decision. Now, I am cognizant of the ways that how a Dalit woman is treated by the upper class when she starts to raise voice against its dominance. The long struggle has made me an activist. And today on wards I will continue my fight for my survival and sake of other underprivileged ladies too. Help India! In the last of the three-part series on Malegaon blasts, we bring you the story of a Unani doctor who was one of the nine accused of the blasts in the town. Dr Salman Farsi now works six days a week as a medical emergency officer, while waiting and hoping to be absolved of all charges in the case By TwoCircles.net Special Correspondent, Support TwoCircles Malegaon: Dr Salman Farsi is a man on high-alert, and for good reasons. For six days, the normal hours of employment do not necessarily apply to him. As an emergency doctor working for the Bharat Vikas Group (BVG) in Nampur, 30 kilometres from Malegaon, he attends patients who are in need of an immediate medical attention and then drives the ambulance to the nearest hospital for further treatment. Not that Dr Farsi, a resident of Malegaon, chose this particular profession in mind. The textile town of Maharashtra was rocked on the September 8, 2006 afternoon by three serial bomb explosions near a Muslim cemetery, soon after Friday prayers, leaving 37 dead and 125 injured. As we have shown in Part One of the series, the blasts not just killed dozens and injured hundreds, it also altered the lives of many others for the worse. Salman Farsi Farsi, a Malegon resident and a BUMS graduate; was working in his clinic in Govandi, Mumbai, when his life changed forever: Maharashtra ATS picked him up on November 5, 2006 alleging his involvement in the blasts. He was arrested along with eight other Muslim youths for having participated in the conspiracy and orchestrating serial blasts. It was not until November 2011, having spent five years in prison under the accusations, that all youth accused, including Dr Farsi, were granted bail. The NIA did not object to their bail and instead charged Hindu radicals for the blasts. There was a delay in granting bail and for me justice is yet to be done as charges have not been absolved, Dr Farsi says with optimistic tone. As Part Two of the series showed, the bail was hardly an end to their travails. After coming out on bail, Farsi decided to settle down in Malegaon. He explains, I chose to live in Malegaon because I found support here. It was very difficult initially and I could not focus on practice (Unani medicine), but I had a desire to treat people. The next two years were a struggle: Dr Farsi tried his hands in business and also grazed sheep. He led the prayers at a mosque in Yeola, Nashik. Being an Aalim (Islamic scholar), I could have continued to lead people in prayers but this (the emergency medical officer) job gives me pleasure. After waiting for about two years, I finally got an opportunity that I desired, he says. We attend patients within 60KM zone and after providing emergency medical care in our ambulance, we take patients to nearest civil hospital, he adds. Sharing the feeling he experiences in treating patients, he says, It gives me satisfaction that I am using my potential in serving people in their tragedies. I become happy when patients, after receiving treatment, thank me for attending them in time. After the treatment, most of the patients, as an expression of gratitude, try to touch his feet but Dr Farsi tells them, Thank the almighty, who sent me to attend you. I am only his servant. The struggle of Dr Farsi meant his familys life was no different: Dr Nafeesa, wife of Dr Farsi, is also BUMS doctor. After his arrest, she worked as a general practitioner in Malegaon. Nafeesa runs her dispensary and the family enjoys Sunday together when Dr Farsi comes home from Nampur. Maulana Farqalid, a renowned Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind functionary from Malegaon, is well acquainted with Dr Farsis family and expresses haplessness at not being able to help Dr Farsi get a similar job in Malegaon. Although Salman is doing a very good job as an emergency officer, he has to spend days away from his family. We tried to get him such job locally but could not succeed so far, he says. Salman is earning a good name because of this job and has also been promoted by the BVG due to his excellent service. His wife is also very hard working, I am happy that Jamiat helped Salman and others in getting bail, Maulana adds. Dr Farsi, along with all other accused in this case, were helped by Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind legally and submitting Rs 50,000 sureties of bail before trial court but it could not help these accused in getting jobs in Malegaon. Dr Farsi is the only accused who has not filed discharge application before trial court. Instead, he has filed an application to scrap all charges before Bombay High court. He has not engaged any lawyer to argue this application and hence the case is pending. I dont want to get discharge or acquittal; I want to be absolved of all the charges. I want them to finally confess that the case against me was bogus. Mentality of the officers of ATS and CBI who arrested and charge sheeted was antinational. And by shielding the real accused they were allowed to commit several other blasts, Dr Farsi shares his despair of being falsely charged in the case. Dr Farsi has to attend court hearings in Mumbai, which usually occur once a month and sometimes twice. When he has emergency patient at hand, he writes exemption application and hands it over to any of his co-accused from Malegaon who goes for hearing and ask them to submit on his behalf. There is a complexity in this lifemany a times; I get angry when I look back. But, to be honest, when I go to bed I can sleep well with the feeling that even in this difficult time, someone is being cured by my hands, Dr Farsi says with a smile. Related: Part One: Malegaon blasts victims and families seek justice, not compensation Part Two: Out on bail, Muslim youths accused of Malegaon blasts struggle to start a new life Help India! By TCN News Lucknow: Chandan Kumar Ram, a Dalit student whose parents work as labourers, was awarded the first Rohith Vemula Memorial Scholarship by Lucknow-based charity organisation Aaghaz Foundation at a private event held in the state capital on Wednesday, March 9. Support TwoCircles The scholarship constitutes Rs 40,000 and a certificate. We received several applications but after careful consideration, it was decided to award the scholarship to Chandan Kumar Ram who hails from Samastipur, Bihar and comes from the lowest rung of society, said Aaghaz President Mazhar Farooqui in a press statement. Chandan, who is pursuing law, said he plans to use the money to enrol in a hostel. Unable to afford an accommodation I had been living in a government shelter but this scholarship will come in very handy, he said. Aaghaz Foundation said the Rohith Vemula Scholarship has been constituted in the memory of the deceased Hyderabad student to support underprivileged SC/ST and minority students. Established in 2004, Aaghaz Foundation is a zero-expense community initiative that has impacted the lives of thousands of children who were on the verge of dropping out of school. CEE 498CH Title: Case Histories in Infrastructure Engineering When: Summer Session 2016 TUE-WED-THUR 1100-1300 Instructor: W. Charles Greer, Jr., P.E.* Description: This course will cover multiple case histories in infrastructure engineering. The two types of case histories to be covered will be CEE problems that are unique and challenging and require interdisciplinary knowledge and skills to propose solutions and CEE failure investigations that uncover the mechanisms behind projects that didnt work as they were originally designed. For each case history, students will be presented with introductory information, engineering data, and background reading material, and they will be expected to discuss the case histories during class. All case history projects involve design and construction issues as well remediation of the problems. All will involve in-depth investigation of the problems, recommendations of data to collect, evaluations of the data provided, and development of solutions to the CEE challenge or failure. Students will also form teams for a semester project and present their evaluation, data, and viable solutions at the end of the course. Students will be graded on quizzes, participation in discussions, and the oral and written presentation of the team case history project. Case history examples included in the course are movement of the 5,000-ton Cape Hatteras lighthouse, movement of two 1,050-ton nuclear reactor pressure vessels across 46 miles of roadway, construction quality control issue such as acceptable in-place concrete strength and other construction materials, and roadway/airfield facilities that experienced premature failures. The course is intended for seniors and graduate students in CEE and CEE online students. *W. Charles Greer, Jr., P.E. is a graduate of the University of Illinois with B.S. and M.S. degrees in Civil Engineering. He is a registered professional in Georgia and Florida. During his over 41 years of experience, he worked on a broad range of civil engineering projects around the world. As Senior Vice President, Director of Engineering, and Director of Quality Assurance for Law Engineering, MACTEC, and AMEC E&I, he was responsible for the development and implementation of engineering and quality procedures as well as project management processes. His awards include the C. C. Wiley Award at the U of I, Engineer of the Year in Georgia by GSPE, and Honorary Member of the International Society for Concrete Pavements. When Georgia Tech initiated a Masters Degree Program in Facilities Management, he developed and taught the inaugural course entitled Maintenance Management of Built Assets. Prior to his recent retirement from AMEC E&I, he was involved with the quality processes for construction of the new nuclear power units at Georgia Power's Plant Vogtle and the V. C. Summer Plant for South Carolina Electric & Gas. Since 1974, he also has been involved with all phases of construction at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the busiest airport in the world. Projects at the airport include an 18-foot diameter tunnel under an active runway and taxiway, construction of the underground people mover system, the airfield pavement management program, and many others. Ivan Luca Defeats Girlfriend To Win Eureka Poker Tour Rozvadov Main Event for 106,186 March 09 2016 Christian Zetzsche The final day of the PokerStars.net Eureka Poker Tour Rozvadov 1,100 Main Event saw eight players out of a 682-entry field return to the tables of King's Casino in Rozvadov. Seven different nationalities were represented at the final table nestled in the largest poker room in Europe, but it was Argentina that proved strongest with Ivan "Negriin" Luca taking top honours for 106,186. Luca faced his girlfriend, Maria Lampropoulos, in heads-up play for the title on International Women's Day, and the couple battled for 90 minutes. During that time, Luca had increased to a dominating lead, and then sealed the deal when he made a flush on the river to emerge victorious. Final Table Results Place Winner Country Prize 1 Ivan Luca Argentina 106,186* 2 Maria Lampropoulos Argentina 95,404* 3 David Urban Slovakia 54,800 4 Peter Siemund Germany 41,500 5 Stoyan Stefanov Bulgaria 33,100 6 Mick Heder Denmark 25,340 7 Robert Kokoska Czech Republic 18,330 8 Hannes Speiser Austria 12,500 *Denotes a heads-up deal. It all started with a bang, or even several bangs, as one hour had gone by and just three players remained. Hannes Speiser was gone in the very first hand when he got his short stack in with the and Luca called out of the small blind with the . The board ran out and Speiser was eliminated in eighth place for 12,500 after only 90 seconds of action. On Hand #4, Lampropoulos min-raised and Luca flat-called with a pair of eights before Robert Kokoska three-bet jammed on the button. Lampropoulos quickly called with the , Luca folded, and Kokoska's was drawing dead on the turn of a board. Just one hand later, Mick Heder became the next casualty. The Dane three-bet all in with the and initial raiser, Luca, snap-called with the . Heder picked up some outs on the flop, but neither the turn nor the river were of any help. The early madness was complete with the bustout of Stoyan Stefanov in Hand #7. David Urban min-raised from the cutoff seat and the Bulgarian jammed 22 big blinds from one seat over with the . Urban snap-called with the to spike both over cards on the flop. After the turn and river, Stefanov was eliminated in fifth place for a payday of 33,100. Around one hour had passed before Peter Siemund was sent to the rail in fourth place. The German raised and called a three-bet to see a flop of . Urban's continuation bet was just called, and the Slovakian then jammed the turn to put the Berlin-based player at risk for just over the size of the pot. Siemund called and flipped over top pair with the . Urban had the for a gut shot and ace high. The river gave Urban the better hand and the chip lead three-handed, while Siemund exited in fourth for a payday of 41,500. What followed was an endurance challenge of almost five hours, including breaks. Several times Urban pulled away from his two opponents before then paying off a costly over-bet with pocket jacks. Luca showed the for slow-played trips on the turn and a rivered full house. Urban never recovered from that set back and Lampropoulos kept hitting a lot of hands against him to send the Slovakian on a short stack. Down to less than 12 big blinds, Urban shoved out of the big blind into two limps with his and Luca snap-called with the to set up the all-Argentinian heads-up match after a board of . A deal was made and a sum of 5,000 was left aside to the eventual winner. Luca started heads-up play with a slight lead, but was not getting an easy ride from his girlfriend. In fact, Lampropoulos pulled into the lead twice before losing the momentum again. In the last hand, a limped pot saw her bet the turn with the . The straight was completed after the fell on the river, but Luca made a flush with the . Lampropoulos bet and then called a shove to bust in second place, and that was all she wrote. A payday of 95,404 was awarded to Lampropoulos and became the highest of her career. She came second at the World Poker Tour National Brussels last month for 68,200 for another impressive score, but the spotlight here was all on Luca, as the 23-year-old added another title to his impressive resume, which already boasts more than $2.8 million in tournament cashes. Get all the latest PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and find us on both Facebook and Google+! Sharelines Ivan Luca defeated his girlfriend to win the Eureka Poker Tour Rozvadov Main Event for 106,186. Refugees wait to board buses after crossing the border from Syria into Turkey after fleeing fighting around the city of Kobani in September 2014 UNHCR/I. Prickett GENEVA, March 8 (UNHCR) - The United Nations Refugee Agency today distanced itself from an outline joint EU-Turkey deal to solve Europe's refugee crisis, saying it was concerned with some aspects of the proposal although it was not yet privy to all the details. "As a first reaction, I am deeply concerned about any arrangement that would involve the blanket return of anyone from one country to another without spelling out the refugee protection safeguards under international law," Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said on Tuesday. Grandi, who was speaking to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the occasion of International Women's Day, stressed that legal safeguards would need to govern any mechanism under which responsibility would be transferred for assessing an asylum claim. "An asylum-seeker should only be returned to a third state, if the responsibility for assessing the particular asylum application in substance is assumed by the third country; the asylum-seeker will be protected from refoulement; and if the individual will be able to seek and, if recognized, enjoy asylum in accordance with accepted international standards, and have full and effective access to education, work, health care and, as necessary, social assistance," he detailed. Earlier, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, had separately expressed concern over the deal but said it welcomed the EU's financial contribution to support Turkey and the refugee communities in Turkey. "Turkey hosts close to 3 million refugees and has made enormous contributions for years and just recently adopted a work regulation for Syrian refugees, but, in light of the enormity of the task, still struggles to provide for all the basic needs of the swelling Syrian population," William Spindler, the spokesperson for Europe, told a press briefing in Geneva. Spindler said pre-departure screening would also need to be in place to identify heightened risk categories that may not be appropriate for return even if the above conditions are met, adding that: "Details of all these safeguards should be clarified before the next meeting of the EU Council on 17 March." On the resettlement point, UNHCR said it welcomed any initiative that promoted regular pathways of admission for refugees in significant numbers from all neighbouring countries in the region - not just Turkey and not just Syrian refugees - to third countries. However, Spindler noted that: "Europe's resettlement commitments remain however, very low compared to the needs - i.e. 20,000 places within two years on a voluntary basis." Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR's Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Refugee Crisis in Europe, added his voice to those expressing concern over the draft EU-Turkey plan. "The collective expulsion of foreigners is prohibited under the European Convention of Human Rights," Cochetel told the Geneva press briefing in answer to questions. "An agreement that would be tantamount to a blanket return to a third country is not consistent with European law, not consistent with international law," he said. To read the full High Commissioner's speech, please click here. To read a briefing note setting out UNHCRs reaction to the statement by the EU heads of state and Turkey, please click here. Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next. Dorian Murray and his family on Facebook. [Photo/Asianewsphoto.com] Dorian Murray, the 8-year-old boy from Rhode Island with terminal cancer who told his father he wanted to be famous in China and then captured the hearts of people in China and around the world, died late Tuesday night. His death was announced on the Praying for Dorian Facebook page, which had documented his struggle and on social media with the hashtag "#dstrong". "It is with a very heavy heart that I share this news. Dorian J. Murray (#DStrong) has gained his beautiful angel wings tonight and is now pain free," Kathryn Thomas, a close friend of the Murray family posted on Facebook just after 11 p.m. "He was surrounded by people who love him and his transition to heaven was very peaceful. He was embraced by both mom and dad." Thomas wrote that the family is asking for "privacy and respect" as they grieve: "We would like to ask for privacy and respect at this time. The family has been through so much heart ache and a devastating loss. Please please respect our privacy at this time. Thank you. God Bless." Dorian, of Westerly, Rhode Island, was diagnosed with a rare and untreatable form of pediatric cancer when he was 4. After cancer cells spread to his spine and brain a few months ago, he and his family decided to stop his chemotherapy treatment so he could enjoy the time he had left. Dorian had told his father he wanted to be famous in China before he went to heaven. His father, Chris, a police officer in Stonington, Connecticut, posted the wish on Dorian's Facebook page, urging people to use the hashtag #DStrong. It spread across the globe. Adults and children responded with photos and well wishes, and #DStrong became a trending topic on social media. It especially took off in China, where people sent photos of themselves on the Great Wall holding signs reading #DStrong. Dorian and his family also received invitations to travel to China, but declined due to his health. Smart healthcare changes Chinese lives, but challenges remain Updated: 2016-03-07 15:55 By Wu Yan(chinadaily.com.cn) A resident takes a physical examination in Ningbo Cloud Hospital's offline hospital in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/chinanews.com] Zhang Lin, 84, who has suffered from hypertension for 20 years, talked with chief physician Chen Xiaomin about his symptoms via a video call on the online platform of Ningbo Cloud Hospital in Zhejiang province, East China. After reviewing Zhang's medical record, Chen gave his advice and submitted an e-prescription to the "Cloud". A day later, Zhang received hypertension-control medicine at home and finished the process of consulting a doctor. Internet-based healthcare, as a new branch of the industry from traditional hospitals, has become an emerging trend in China in recent years. "I used to see Doctor Chen at Ningbo First Hospital from time to time," said Zhang. He was tired of the past experience of getting up at 5 am, taking two buses to the hospital and queuing to get an appointment with Chen. Zhang is not the only one who benefits from Ningbo Cloud Hospital. Instead of chatting from home, many people like He Mingdao, 68, get the chance of seeing a renowned physician online while sitting in a community hospital with community doctors, via the platform of the cloud hospital. A patient, accompanied by a community doctor, talks with an invited doctor at a online consultation in a community clinic in Ningbo. [Photo/zj.people.cn] Ningbo Cloud Hospital, started operations in March last year, and aggregates the resources of all offline public hospitals and community clinics in Ningbo into a regional medical network serving local residents. It also operates its own offline bricks-and-mortar hospital. A patient can go through the entire process from online appointment, video consultation and diagnosis, e-prescription, online payment to medicine delivery at home. They can also go to a nearby community clinic for a physical examination before talking to doctors at big hospitals on the Internet. Ningbo is just one of many locations which bet big on the promising smart hospital industry. Similarly, some hospitals in developed cities such as Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Wuhan introduced their own online services. An Internet healthcare giant that connects well-known doctors with patients from all over the nation has taken shape in a small town of Wuzhen, also in Zhejiang province and host town for the annual World Internet Conference. 27 arrested for toxic waste dumping in North China Updated: 2016-03-08 16:15 (Xinhua) SHIJIAZHUANG - Police in North China's Hebei province busted two groups responsible for discharging toxic waste, with one responsible for the death of a restaurant owner. Twenty-seven suspects who dumped more than 3,400 tonnes of toxic waste were arrested and 20 companies were implicated as local procurators prepare a lawsuit, a spokesperson with the provincial public security department said. On May 18, 2015, the owner of the restaurant near a parking lot in Lixian county, Baoding city died after inhaling poisonous gas from his kitchen sewer. Investigations found that the parking lot operator allowed illegal dumping of waste liquids, such as acid, in the lot. The police first broke up a gang responsible for dumping waste at the lot on May 17 and 18. But investigations found they were not involved in the restaurant owner's death. Later, the police captured another group of people who dumped waste acid at different venues in the county, including the parking lot, between August, 2014, and May, 2015, and identified their waste was the cause of death. The spokesperson said Hebei has increased efforts to crack down on polluters. In 2015, 2,025 people were arrested for environmental pollution. China's fertility treatment reaches world-class level Updated: 2016-03-09 08:41 By Wang Xiaodong(China Daily) Li Bin, head of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, attends a news conference on the sidelines of the national legislature annual session on Tuesday.[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily] Measures are being taken to deal with expected boom in older mothers, says top health official Around 700,000 fertility treatment surgeries are carried out in China every year, a top health and population official revealed on Tuesday. Ma Xiaowei, vice-minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, China's top health authority, said that the surgeries were being done at the country's 432 certified medical institutions. "Our assisted reproductive technologies have now reached a world-class level," he told a news conference at the annual two sessions of the National People's Congress and National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Ma said health authorities were taking measures to cope with the expected influx of pregnancies in the wake of the new universal two-child policy, which was adopted earlier this year. Provincial-level emergency centers will be set up after 2017 to deal with older pregnant women, who are considered at higher risk of complications, and improved intensive care units will be built, he said. The second-child policy, which is envisaged as a counter to China's aging population and declining workforce, made another 90 million women eligible to have a second babyhalf of whom are aged 40 and above, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission. As more Chinese women choose to have children later in life, an increasing number are seeking fertility treatment abroad, according to media reports. Xu Jinglei, a 42-year-old actress, announced last year that she had traveled to a clinic in the United States to have some of her eggs frozen. Li Bin, minister of the commission, said on Tuesday that China had no timetable for abandoning family planning policy altogether. "We will stick to family planning policy as a basic national policy, and will adjust and improve it in line with population development trends," she told the news conference. "Our population reached 1.375 billion last year, and by comparison, the population of the United States, the world's largest economy, is around 320 million." According to Li, China's population will reach a peak at around 1.45 billion before gradually declining to about 1.38 billion by 2050deemed an acceptable level given the country's natural resources. Wang Pei'an, vice-minister of the commission, said at the same conference that couples who violated the new family planning policy by having more than two children would still be subject to fines, based on their annual income. China hits back at US over ZTE Updated: 2016-03-09 11:16 By Gao Yuan and Zhong Nan in Beijing and Paul Welitzkin in New York(China Daily USA) Chinese officials on Tuesday hit back at the United States over its decision to impose restrictions on telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp for allegedly selling products to Iran in violation of sanctions. Calling the restrictions "not a correct way" to handle economic disputes, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters the approach "only hurts others without necessarily benefiting oneself". The US Commerce Department on Monday banned US suppliers from selling components to Guangdong-based ZTE. It claimed the company "illicitly exported" controlled items to Iran and its suppliers in the US will need to apply for a hard-to-get permit before selling products to ZTE again. ZTE said the company is "fully committed" to compliance with the laws and regulations in the jurisdictions in which it operates. "ZTE has been cooperating, will continue to cooperate and communicate with all US agencies as required. The company is working expeditiously toward a resolution of this issue," it said in a statement. ZTE, whose 2015 revenue exceeded 100 billion yuan ($15 billion), has suspended trading in its stocks on the Shenzhen and Hong Kong exchanges since Monday. The Ministry of Commerce also criticized the US restrictions on the country's second-largest telecom equipment maker. "The US move will severely impair the normal commercial activities of the Chinese firm. China will continue to engage with the US side on the issue," the ministry said in a statement. James Yan, research director at consultancy Counterpoint Technology Market Research, said the hardest-hit area will be chip supply. ZTE relies heavily on San Diego, California-based semiconductor firm Qualcomm Inc for mobile chips. The company's other major US suppliers include programmable logic devices makers Xilinx Inc and Altera Corp. "I believe ZTE will team up with the Ministry of Commerce and its major partners in the US, including Qualcomm, to negotiate with the US authorities," said Yan. Qualcomm and other suppliers have yet to comment on the case. David Reid, a professor at the Albers School of Business and Economics at Seattle University, said that this latest technology-related dispute comes amid tensions between the US and China over cyber security, trade and events in the South China Sea. He said all of these matters "help bring policy decisions, like this ZTE matter, into sharp relief and may influence decision-making". Reid said that the US has to show due diligence in ensuring that agreements are being kept - similar to the way actions of foreign companies are monitored in China. Because of robust sales of its inexpensive prepaid devices, ZTE is the fourth-largest smartphone vendor in the United States by shipment, taking about a 7 percent market share, according to research firm International Data Corp. Its sales channels include major telecom carriers such as AT&T Inc, T-Mobile US Inc and Sprint Corp. However, ZTE's presence in the world's most profitable handset market lags far behind the front runners Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. It is not the first time ZTE has faced tough scrutiny in the US. In 2013, the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee conducted a hearing on ZTE and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to see if their US operations were a risk to information security. Huawei and ZTE were bidding on a number of telecom infrastructure projects in the US at the time. Both companies have since been unable to clinch major telecom construction deals in the country. ZTE reported a net profit of almost 3.78 billion yuan last year, a 43 percent jump year-on-year. Contact the writers at gaoyuan@chinadaily.com.cn and zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn China, US work 'extremely well' on drug issues: official Updated: 2016-03-09 11:16 By Amy He in New York(China Daily USA) China and the US collaborate well on matters of drug and narcotics enforcement, said William Brownfield, US assistant secretary of state for international narcotics and law enforcement. "I actually believe on matters of narcotics and drugs, the US and China cooperate extremely well," he said on Tuesday. "The areas of disagreement are overwhelmed by the areas in which we work together and cooperate well." Brownfield discussed China-US cooperation on drug policy during a briefing with foreign media while in New York to hold bilateral meetings with United Nations member states. He spoke ahead of a UN General Assembly special session on drugs to be held next month, the first such session in almost two decades. Since the establishment of the Joint Liaison Group on Law Enforcement in 1998, the two countries have worked together to address drug policy as it relates to each nation's pharmaceutical industry and on issues of hard drugs, Brownfield said. "Unlike certain other elements of the bilateral relationship, the [Joint Liaison Group] on law enforcement works well because for the most part, we have successfully pulled politics out of most of the discussion. We try to get to 'yes' on any issue that is important to the other, and if for some reason we cannot get to yes, we explain clearly what the issues are," he said. Due to the large size of each country's pharmaceutical industry, drug companies are coming out with new products faster than governing bodies can approve of them, Brownfield added. The US and China have been able to agree on when to schedule new psychoactive drugs, he said. Brownfield also mentioned that the countries have addressed issues of heroin addiction. The addition of fentanyl in heroin has contributed to an addiction crisis in certain US communities, he said. While the Chinese government has not had to deal with a similar problem, the country is "not immune to the abuse of heroin," particularly in large cities, he . The two countries also are tackling the issue of heroin production in Afghanistan, with which China shares a small section of border. Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of heroin and makes about 85 percent of the world's drug. amyhe@chinadailyusa.com Bank of England warns of Brexit risks, angering eurosceptics Updated: 2016-03-09 09:18 (Agencies) A still image from video shows Bank of England Governor Mark Carney speaking to members of Britain's parliament about the country's membership of the European Union, in London, Britain, March 8, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] LONDON - Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said on Tuesday a vote by Britain to leave the European Union could hit the country's $2.9 trillion economy and prompt some banks to move away from London's global financial powerhouse. In his strongest intervention so far in the politically charged debate about Britain's EU referendum, Carney said he was not making any recommendation about how to vote. But his comments, in an often heated exchange with eurosceptic lawmakers, are likely to be welcomed by Cameron who is battling to swing voters behind the "In" campaign. Britain is due to vote on June 23 on whether to remain in the bloc, raising the possibility of years of uncertainty for the world's fifth-biggest economy if it decides to leave. Last month, Cameron asked the BoE to set out "the facts" about Britain's EU membership. Carney said the BoE would not assess the long-term implications of the referendum for the economy. But a vote for Brexit, as leaving is widely called, would deliver a short-term hit to growth and sterling, and foreign investment would probably also diminish. Asked about the implications of an exit for Britain's huge banking industry, Carney said some big financial firms might move business out of Britain if the country did not secure the same kind of access it currently has to the EU. That kind of negotiation could take "a very long time", he said. "One would expect some activity to move," Carney told lawmakers in the British parliament. "I'd say a number of institutions are contingency planning for that possibility." Carney, a Canadian, has sought to avoid giving explicit support for either side of the referendum battle. But a BoE report last year that highlighted benefits to Britain's economy from being in the EU was attacked as political interference by some "Out" campaigners. Jacob Rees-Mogg, a member of the ruling Conservative Party, said on Tuesday it was "beneath the dignity" of the BoE to make "speculative" comments about the benefits of EU membership and that Carney was damaging the BoE's reputation. In 2014, Carney made comments that put the economic implications of Scottish independence high in the minds of voters who decided to remain in Britain at a referendum. Speaking on Tuesday, Carney recognised there were risks from remaining inside the EU due to the greater integration planned by the 19-member euro zone. But he praised a deal struck by Cameron last month that set out the terms of Britain's membership of the EU, saying it would help the BoE do its job. Liang assembles new defense team Updated: 2016-03-09 11:16 By Hezi Jiang in New York(China Daily USA) Peter Liang has hired a legal new team to help with his appeal of a jury verdict that found the former New York City police officer guilty of second-degree manslaughter and official misconduct. Paul Shechtman, a New York defense attorney, and Gabriel "Jack" Chin, a California law professor, will represent Liang at sentencing and in his appeal. Shechtman told China Daily on Tuesday that he has begun reading the transcripts of Liang's trial. Shechtman is a partner at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP, based in New York. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he has more than 30 years' experience in government service and private practice. He is known for his appellate work, according to the firm's website. In 2004, Shechtman represented then-governor George Pataki in Pataki vs. Silver in the New York Court of Appeals. The landmark case centered on the governor's powers in the budget-making process, and Shechtman won a ruling that "resolved the dispute in the Governor's favor". Chin is a teacher and scholar of immigration law, criminal procedure, and race and law at the University of California, Davis. "A" Magazine named him one of the "25 Most Notable Asians in America". He and his students successfully worked for the repeal of anti-Asian land laws that were on the books in Kansas, New Mexico and Wyoming. According to the university website, Chin's work also has been cited by the US Supreme Court. It is the second time that Liang has switched attorneys. In November 2015, he dismissed his police union-appointed lawyers and hired Robert Brown and Rae Downes Koshetz. Brown told NBC News that he and Koshetz will file a motion on Wednesday to set aside Liang's Feb 11 guilty verdict. Many people in the Chinese community have supported Liang, and a handful of organizations have raised money toward Liang's legal fees. Brooklyn Asian Communities Empowerment and Lin Sing Association alone said they have collected more than $650,000. Community leaders also have sought support from other Chinese-American lawyers and experts. Henry Lee, one of the most celebrated forensic scientists in the world, has received calls from about five different Chinese groups asking him to help Liang. Lee said he told everyone that he would be happy to help and would work pro bono. However, he can only do so if Liang's attorneys request his help. So far, Lee said neither Liang nor any of his lawyers have contacted him. "Right now I can only morally support him as a Chinese American," Lee told China Daily. Lee said more forensic work should have been done, but declined to speak further due to his possible future involvement in the case. Liang is scheduled to be sentenced on April 14, when he faces up to 15 years in prison for the shooting death of Akai Gurley in 2014. Liang, a rookie NYPD officer, discharged his gun in a darkened stairwell of a Brooklyn housing project during a vertical patrol, and the ricocheted bullet fatally struck Gurley, a 28-year-old African-American man, on a lower floor. Liang was the first NYPD officer to be convicted of killing a civilian since 2005. On Feb 20, tens of thousands of members of the Chinese community held rallies in more than 40 cities across the United States to protest the verdict. A second New York rally scheduled for March 11 was postponed after the organizer consulted with Shechtman. hezijiang@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 03/09/2016 page2) Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. Garri a staple food for a lot of people in the world. Garri is basically eaten as Eba with different soups or poured into cold water and t... Villas were found to violate land use regulations in Ha Noais Ba Vi District. The villas will be taken down due to the violations. Photo baogiaothong.vn HA NOI (VNS) Ba Vi District authorities have ordered ien Vien Thon resort to completely dismantle 17 villas by March 30 due to land use violations. Just days earlier, another resort was suspended for the same reason. The villas will be taken down by force if the resort fails to meet the deadline, Ba Vi Peoples Committee Deputy Chairman Nguyen inh Dan said on Monday. The half-built villas - plus 40 completed and furnished villas in ien Vien Thon resort - were constructed on 4.8 hectares of hilly land, of which only one hectare was granted a land use certificate. ien Vien Thon resort is in Yen Bai Commune about an hours drive from the centre of Ha Noi. The rest of the land was originally owned by local tea and cassava farmers. Thang Long Xanh Company bought the land to build a resort complex in 2012, Yen Bai Peoples Committee Deputy Chairman Nguyen Quoc Huy told Ha Noi moi (New Ha Noi) newspaper. The investor exploited agricultural land for the wrong purposes and developed the land illegally, without obtaining the necessary building permits, he said. A total of 57 villas were up for sale at prices ranging from VN1.2 to VN1.9 billion (US$53,330-$84,440). The resort also promised legal land use certificates to potential buyers. The investigation of the alleged violations is still ongoing, according to Dan. ien Vien Thon resort violations had been reported several times by Yen Bai authorities to higher authorities, including the Ba Vi Peoples Committee, since January last year. According to Ba Vi Peoples Committee Chairman Bach Cong Tien, the inspection teams head has been sick for a long time. This delayed the authorities official response to the ien Vien Thon case. Another resort named Le Mont Bavi and Spa, within Ba Vi National Park, was also suspended from building early this month for lack of an appropriate license. VNS This is VISUP, dedicated to exploring the vast Fortean realms of mind control, deep politics, sacred geometry, onomatology and synchronicity; occult film and music; the supernatural, the extraterrestrial and the multi-dimensional; high weirdness in all its many forms Zelenskys diplomacy masterclass outpacing dour, grey Putin in battle for hearts and minds When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 this year, there was no room for jokes or play acting, and Zelensky needed to step up. He did. Megyn Kelly fires up at Meghan Markle over her deceptive nature Sky News Australia contributor Megyn Kelly has slammed Meghan Markle over her "abject dishonesty" after the Duchess of Sussex took a swipe at Deal or No Deal in her latest podcast episode which featured Paris Hilton. Boris Johnsons dad tight-lipped on sons potential return Speculation has begun on who could replace Liz Truss in the wake of her resignation, with her predecessor Boris Johnson expected to stand for the Conservative leadership again. Biden in Israel amid rash of attacks JERUSALEM (AP) Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Israel on Tuesday for a two-day visit that is to include meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders as Palestinians unleashed a wave of attacks that killed an American tourist near where Biden was visiting and wounded a dozen Israelis. The American man, identified as Taylor Force, a Vanderbilt University student, was killed in a stabbing spree in the port city of Jaffa in which a Palestinian attacker also wounded six Israelis before he was shot and killed by Israeli forces. It was the latest bloodshed in more than five months of near-daily Palestinian assaults on Israeli civilians and security forces that show no sign of abating. Three other Palestinian attackers in Tuesdays assaults were shot and killed by Israeli security forces. Vietnamese twins have two fathers HANOI, Vietnam (AP) A university professor and state media say Vietnam has identified an extremely rare bi-paternal twins, or twins with different fathers. Prof. Le Dinh Luong, president of the Genetic Association of Vietnam, said DNA testing confirmed the twins have different fathers. Only seven such cases have been reported in the world as of 2011. The twins who are now 2 years old were born the same day and are same sex. Kansas man sought in 5 fatal shootings KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) Dozens of officers searched farmland in central Missouri on Tuesday for a man suspected of killing a man at a nearby house just hours after fatally shooting four people at his neighbors home about 170 miles away in Kansas. Two helicopters, police dogs and at least one SWAT team were helping look for Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino near New Florence, said Capt. John Hotz, a Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesman. The patrol said he was considered dangerous and may be armed with an AK-47. Serrano-Vitorino, of Kansas City, Kan., was charged with four counts of first-degree murder Tuesday afternoon in the Kansas killings. Deadly outbreak worries Wisconsin MILWAUKEE (TNS) The CDC has identified two more suspected cases of deadly blood infections and sent additional investigators to Wisconsin. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigators have not been able to find a a source of exposure to explain how dozens of people mostly elderly residents of central and southeastern Wisconsin have become ill from a bacterium named Elizabethkingia anophelis. As of Tuesday, the outbreak was tied to 44 confirmed cases, including 18 deaths. Man tries to rob cab as deputy watches READING, Pa. (AP) Police say a would-be robber in Pennsylvania had some poor timing when he pulled a gun on his taxi driver with a sheriffs deputy behind him. The Berks County deputy approached the cab after it failed to move through a green light Monday in Reading . Surveillance video from inside the cab shows the deputys cruiser pulling up behind the taxi. Shortly after that, the passenger aims a gun at the driver and demands money. Deputy Terry Ely approaches the cab and asks if theres a problem. Seeing the gun, Ely draws his firearm and orders the passenger out of the taxi. The cab driver can be heard telling Ely Youre a lifesaver. WATERLOO A Waterloo man who allegedly sold crack cocaine and a revolver to an undercover ATF agent in 2015 has been sentenced to prison. U.S. District Court Judge Linda Reade sentenced Deondre Santino Porter, 32, to five years and 10 months in prison Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to distribution of crack cocaine and unauthorized possession of a sawed-off shotgun. He will serve three years of supervised release following his prison time. Court records show investigators seized four firearms during the investigation, which involved numerous undercover crack sales before culminating in searches at two Waterloo homes in September 2015. Porter was accused of selling crack cocaine to a confidential informant in parking lots of businesses on Commercial and Sycamore streets and selling to the AFT agent outside businesses on Crossroad Boulevard and La Porte Road between November 2014 and January 2015. Deals ranged from six bags of crack for $100 to 75 bags for $900, and Porter would often hide the bags in his mouth until it came time for the sale, according to court records. On Jan. 23, 2015, Porter allegedly sold the agent a .22-caliber Tanfoglio revolver with a scratched-off serial number and 23 grams of crack for $2,300. In September, officers with the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force and the FBI searched Porters West Fifth Street home and a house he rented on West Sixth Street and found bags of crack cocaine and marijuana at both addresses. Authorities also searched a storage unit on Mitchell Avenue and found a 9mm Jimenez Arms handgun with an illegible serial number, a .357-caliber Ruger Blackhawk revolver and a 20-gauge Mossberg sawed-off shotgun. Man arrested in six Waterloo burglaries WATERLOO A Waterloo man has been arrested in connection with a string of home burglaries. The break-ins targeted west-side homes between December and February. Waterloo police arrested Shane Robert Spooner, 28, of 254 Park View Blvd., No. 220, on Monday for six counts of third-degree burglary. His bond was set at $34,000. Authorities allege Spooner took items from 1238 Englewood Ave. on Dec. 18, 1132 Byron Ave. on Jan. 19, 1148 Grant Ave. on between Jan 20 and 24, 820 Vermont St. on Feb. 2, 600 Denver St. between Feb. 6 and 18 and 725 Vermont St. between Feb. 13 and 15. Police became suspicious of Spooner on Feb. 26 when they saw him approach the back porch of a home at 804 Bayard Ave. He was detained on an outstanding warrant for drug charges and police found marijuana and a glass pipe with meth residue when they arrested him. A search of Spooners home turned up a TV that was taken from the Grant Avenue home, mail from the Denver Street home and other stolen items, according to police. Charles City man to be tried for sexual abuse CHARLES CITY A trial date of April 5 has been set for a Charles City man charged with second-degree sexual abuse in a case that dates back to 2008. Eric M. Hill, 30, has pleaded not guilty to the charge. The sexual assault took place at a Charles City residence Aug. 15, 2008, according to the Charles City Police Department. In 2013 Hills DNA was identified as a possible match to DNA evidence from the sexual assault kit, according to authorities. A court-ordered swab from Hills cheek was sent to the lab and DNA from the swab was confirmed in June 2015 to be a match to the sexual assault kit evidence, authorities say. Hill was arrested Feb. 2. Milk spills in Fayette Co. crash WEST UNION Multiple gallons of milk spilled on a Northeast Iowa highway early Tuesday in a crash. The semi-rollover crash was reported about 2:10 a.m. east of West Union at Highway 18 and Ironwood Road. Once Fayette County sheriffs deputies arrived they found a semi loaded with containers of milk driven by Charlie L. Craver, 29, of Armarillo, Texas. Deputies said Craver lost control and rolled his 2012 Freightliner onto the highway. The milk spilled into the ditch. Fire officials were able to salvage some milk. Highway 18 was closed for about three hours due to the cleanup. Craver was cited for failure to maintain control. The sheriffs office was assisted by the West Union Fire Department, Clermont Fire Department and TriState Ambulance. Craver suffered minor injuries and was treated and released from Palmer Lutheran Hospital in West Union. The semi and trailer were considered a total loss. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 08, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 08, 2016 | 02:06 PM | PADUCAH, KY As Democratic House Speaker Greg Stumbo renewed his push to amend Kentucky's Constitution to approve local-option sales taxes for special projects, and a bill awaits approval by the Senate's Appropriations and Revenue Committee, Paducah's Mayor has weighed in on the issue. Mayor Gayle Kaler wrote an editorial column on Monday, which was provided to the West Kentucky Star news room. In the column, Kaler re-states that she thinks a restaurant tax like what is described in Senate Bill 166 would benefit the city. Kaler said the new tax, if approved and implemented, would eliminate an occupational license tax on gross receipts and net profits that restaurant owners currently pay, but would instead tax consumption by customers. She says this would provide necessary local funding and benefit the bottom line of local businesses, too. Kaler said, "Based on gross receipts taxes paid by restaurants to the City of Paducah in 2014, over $210,000 would be saved annually by local restaurant owners under Senate Bill 166." Some critics of the bill don't want local tourism agencies receiving 25 percent of the tax proceeds without any kind of oversight from elected officials. Kaler agreed, and pointed out that current governments who have a similar tax in place are giving 100 percent of the proceeds to those commissions. "Thats why we want to make this reform happen: let elected leaders decide how to build and improve their cities," Kaler said. Pointing to recreational complexes in Elizabethtown and Mount Sterling - which some city leaders have wanted to build for a while - Kaler said this type of local tax could have a real impact, and Paducah needs to have the same revenue tools as other cities. Kaler said, "Paducah needs a dedicated revenue source that is contributed to by all who benefit from our tourism amenities, our recreational assets, and our economic opportunities. The world has changed, and Kentucky cities are striving to become cities of tomorrow. Senate Bill 166 helps get them there." Here is Mayor Kaler's editorial column in its entirety: "Cities must be able to invest in tangible infrastructure to truly attract tourism, create local environments where businesses can create jobs, and offer new opportunities for our citizens. One needs to only look at the recreational fields in Elizabethtown and Mount Sterling to see the real impact a restaurant tax can have on building community and attracting visitors. Senate Bill 166, sponsored by Senator Jared Carpenter (R-Berea), would modernize and reform Kentuckys local tax code to help city governments through the approval of a restaurant tax provide for direct investments in the community. Those investments would focus on supporting, operating, and enhancing local tourism, recreation, and economic development assets, making Paducah a more attractive place to visit and live! The Paducah Sun editorial on Sunday, February 21 discussed its opposition to Senate Bill 166; however, important details need to be clarified and amplified from that editorial. First, this tax would eliminate the current gross receipts and net profits tax that restaurant owners currently pay. If Paducah chose to implement this optional tax, it would be a tax on consumption paid by consumers rather than a tax on the productivity of the restaurant. Based on gross receipts taxes paid by restaurants to the City of Paducah in 2014, over $210,000 would be saved annually by local restaurant owners under Senate Bill 166. The editorial also alleged that the provision of the bill requiring 25 percent of the restaurant tax proceeds to be distributed to local tourism commissions is a mistake because elected officials should decide how tax dollars are spent end of story. We agree, because in current law for those cities already eligible to have a restaurant tax, 100 percent of the proceeds are turned over to the nonelected tourism commissions. Thats why we want to make this reform happen: let elected leaders decide how to build and improve their cities. Many tourism commissions in former 4th and 5th Class Cities (Paducah was a 2nd Class City) want to keep the old system in place and oppose Senate Bill 166 because they say it takes away their funding. They couldnt be more wrong. The math simply does not agree with their opposition. Here are the real facts: in fiscal year 2014, Kentucky cities reported that the restaurant tax in the cities where it exists generated about $13.8 million. Based on conservative estimates, if all cities imposed a three percent restaurant tax, tourism commissions would receive at least $43.5 million. This is more than three times what they received in fiscal year 2014 and plenty of money to promote all of the exciting festivals and unique places Kentucky can offer to its visitors. The City of Paducah needs to have the same revenue tools that other cities in Kentucky have in order to strengthen our local quality of life and economic vitality as well as that for the Commonwealth as a whole. Most states allow some form of local sales tax, and it is not uncommon for local restaurant taxes to be used for projects and activities intended to generate more taxable sales for restaurant businesses. Paducah needs a dedicated revenue source that is contributed to by all who benefit from our tourism amenities, our recreational assets, and our economic opportunities. The world has changed, and Kentucky cities are striving to become cities of tomorrow. Senate Bill 166 helps get them there." past daily news Sep 13 (1) Sep 09 (15) Sep 06 (12) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (10) Aug 31 (17) Aug 29 (14) Aug 26 (13) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (12) Aug 19 (21) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (10) Aug 10 (10) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (10) Aug 06 (10) Aug 05 (8) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (14) Jul 29 (1) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (10) Jul 22 (11) Jul 19 (16) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (10) Jul 15 (13) Jul 12 (7) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (11) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (8) Jun 28 (7) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (8) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (9) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (9) Jun 18 (8) Jun 15 (9) Jun 13 (13) Jun 11 (11) Jun 09 (19) Jun 06 (10) Jun 04 (10) Jun 03 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (5) May 30 (5) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (7) May 26 (6) May 25 (4) May 23 (6) May 22 (6) May 21 (4) May 20 (7) May 19 (9) May 18 (4) May 17 (6) May 16 (5) May 15 (7) May 14 (3) May 13 (3) May 12 (9) May 10 (3) May 09 (7) May 08 (4) May 07 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stopping the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The TPP is a NAFTA-style trade deal which would lead to the outsourcing of good, family-supporting jobs in Wisconsin. The TPP doesnt give Wisconsin workers a fighting chance. It encourages companies to lower wages and ship our jobs overseas in a race-to-the-bottom in worker rights and working conditions. Senator Ron Johnson has refused to take a position on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. It is time for him to come clean with Wisconsin voters and tell us whether or not he supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership. We are calling on Senator Ron Johnson to tell us where he stands on the TPP and make it clear. Click here to sign our petition asking Senator Johnson to clearly state his position on the Trans-Pacific Partnership . The TPP is a massive 12-nation trade deal that makes NAFTA look like a handshake over a used snowmobile. Russ Feingold is unwavering in his stance against bad trade deals like the TPP.Russ is standing with working families to oppose unfair trade deals that stack the deck against American workers and give all the cards to big corporations. We know where Russ Feingold stands. Sign our petition calling on Senator Ron Johnson to publicly and clearly declare his position on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Wisconsin voters deserve to know where Johnson stands on this important issue impacting our jobs and our economy before the November election. Its time for Ron Johnson to get off the fence. The Trans-Pacific Partnership would ship good jobs away from our communities, drive down our wages and give corporations even more control over our lives. We need fair and balanced trade deals that protect the rights of workers, our environment and food and drug safety standards the TPP fails to meet this standard. We deserve to know where our politicians stand before we vote. Khan reaches settlement deal with Mongolia 09 March 2016 Share The Mongolian government has agreed to pay Khan Resources $70 million to end a dispute over its 2009 cancellation of the Canadian mining company's uranium licences. Mongolia had been seeking to overturn a ruling by an international arbitration tribunal that it must pay $100 million in compensation. In July 2009, the Mongolian government passed a nuclear energy law which provided the state with 51% of the Dornod property without compensation to prior owners. The following year, the government refused to reissue Khan with licences for the property, effectively expropriating Dornod from Khan. In response, Khan initiated legal action in January 2011. The company's arbitration filing had sought a minimum of $200 million in compensation, plus fees and interests, based on net present value. Last March, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Netherlands made a final and binding ruling that the Mongolian government must pay Khan $100 million in compensation. However, in July, Mongolia initiated an attempt to annul that ruling. Khan announced on 6 March that it had signed an agreement with the government of Mongolia "whereby all outstanding matters pursuant to the international arbitration award received by Khan shall be resolved and terminated". In that statement, Mongolia's finance minister Bolor Bayarbaatbar was quoted as saying, "The government of Mongolia and Khan Resources successfully reached an agreement that effectively resolves all outstanding issues in regards to the international arbitration awards. The settlement demonstrates the government's ongoing commitment to improving the investment climate." In a separate statement the following day, Khan said that as part of the agreement the Mongolian government will pay it $70 million on or before 15 May 2016. In addition, Mongolia had agreed to immediately "withdraw and discontinue the proceedings to annul the award before the Paris courts". In exchange, once Khan has received that payment, it will terminate "any and all other proceedings" against the Mongolian government. Khan president and CEO Grant Edey said, "We believe that this agreement is in the best interest of Khan's shareholders as it provides a complete resolution of all outstanding matters in a timely manner." Mongolia has substantial uranium resources, and Russian company Priargunsky Industrial Mining & Chemical Union carried out open-pit mining at the Dornod deposit between 1988 and 1995. No uranium mining has taken place in Mongolia since then. Post-1995, Canadian company Khan Resources and its predecessor companies took up interests in Dornod, and a full definitive feasibility study on the property published by Khan in early 2009 showed the project to be economically sound. However, later the same year the Mongolian Nuclear Energy Agency and Russia's Rosatom agreed to establish a joint venture company between the then recently established Monatom and Russian uranium mining company ARMZ to develop two Mongolian uranium projects including Dornod. Khan closed all of its Mongolian subsidiaries in 2013 and shut its Ulaanbaatar office in June 2014. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics If youre looking to try out an online casino, there are several things that will help you make a decision. Heres what you should look for when choosing an online casino Are they regulated? A lot of the larger ones have licenses issued by the authorities in their respective regions, so its worth checking this first. Do they offer games from different software providers? Some casinos just use one software provider and limit your selection. This is fine if you like playing those types of games but you may want to check other casinos as well. What does their payout percentage look like? The payout rate refers to how much money you can expect to win after every bet. A high payout rate means youll be able to play more often without having to worry about losing all your money. Its also important to know the minimum and maximum bets allowed on each game. If youre going to play roulette, for example, then you probably dont want a casino with a minimum bet of less than $2.50 or even lower than that. The players used to play the game slot online in the land based casinos in the past time. But now with time after the invention of the online casinos players play the game slot online. Online platform provide the players with the convenience in playing and even better winning. Even after keeping a good percentage of the profits, they distribute good funds to players. How many games do they offer? There are lots of different types of games to choose from. Roulette, blackjack and poker are some of the most popular options, but you might find slots, video pokers, video bingo and others as well. You can usually filter these games down to only show the ones that interest you best, so make sure that your list isnt too long! Is there a bonus offer? Many online casinos offer free bonuses as part of their welcome package which includes new players being awarded 100% up to $10 instantly, for example. These offers are great but not everyone has access to them all the time (and some require you to deposit real money). If youd prefer to avoid paying a fee, some casinos offer no-deposit bonuses where you can get a certain amount of funds before you need to put any actual money into the account. These are usually offered alongside welcome bonuses, so make sure you read both parts of the terms and conditions carefully before signing up. Does it offer live dealer games? Live dealers are much preferred by many over regular virtual versions, so it pays to check this option out too. Most online casinos now offer live dealer games in addition to their regular offerings, allowing you to experience the thrill of the real thing without needing to leave home. Now that youve got an idea of what to look for when choosing an online casino, heres some tips for making the right choice It really comes down to personal preference. No two people are exactly alike, so everyone has an opinion on what they like and dislike about each casino. That said, here are some things to consider in order to narrow down your choices Popularity. Check out reviews, forums and Facebook pages to see what other people think of the casino. Also, ask around at work or friends houses who they would recommend to you. You could always take a look at the casinos website too, to see what kind of information they provide about themselves. Reputation. 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Founded in 1984, this online casino has more than 400 games to choose from, including slots and table games, with a wide array of software providers like WagerLogic, Big Time Gaming and Rival. Bonus: 100% Match Bonus up to 100 Register Now Betway: 100% Match Bonus up to 100 Claim Now Coral Casino: 25% Cash Back on Deposits Claim Now Ladbrokes Casino: 35% Cash Back on First 3 Deposits Claim Now Paddy Power Casino: 100% Match Bonus up to 200 Claim Now William Hill Casino: 100% Match Bonus up to 200 Claim Now If youre interested in trying out an online casino but arent quite ready to commit to one, why not try out one of the many no deposit casinos weve reviewed? You can test drive various casinos completely risk-free, so you can feel confident about your choice before you make a single penny deposit. Mar 8, 2016 | By Tess Most of our readers will remember a story we covered just a few weeks ago about two artists who covertly 3D scanned the famous Bust of Nefertiti at the Neues Museum in Berlin and released the 3D models online. Many of our readers remained skeptical that the files released by the two artists could have been captured with the Microsoft Kinect that they purportedly used, and as it turns out, those readers and other questioning makers were probably right. The 3D scanning caper, which was even covered by the New York Times, was heralded as a gesture of political protest and artistic expression, essentially freeing the Egyptian artefact from the European museum. Now, however, it seems that the controversial act may have actually been a hoax. What first prompted certain makers to think something fishy was going on with the Nefertiti 3D scan was the video released of the secret scanning operation. The artists responsible for the 3D model leak claimed to be using a hacked Microsoft Kinect, which they have smuggled into the museum under one of their scarves. As the video continues, the scarf continually covers the 3D scanner raising questions as to how a full 3D scan could have been captured. Further, the quality of the released 3D model has been highly contested, as many believed that the quality was too high for even a hacked Kinect scanner. As Fred Kahl, who helped to debunk the story of the 3D scanned bust, explains on his blog, The video shows the two using a Kinect Xbox controller to capture Nefertiti, and while I have no doubt the artists may have done the Kinect stunt, there is simply no way the scan being distributed was made with a Kinect. Simply put, the scan being distributed which is made of more than 2 million triangles is far too detailed to have been made with that hardware. Kahl, who is familiar with Kinect technology even demonstrates with one of his own better-quality scans just what resolution and detail the Microsoft Kinect is possible of capturingwhich is astonishingly nowhere near the quality of the Nefertiti bust 3D model. Of course, while it may be obvious that the video released by the artists does not represent the actual scanning of the released files, the question remains of where the high-quality 3D model of the bust of Nefertiti came from, where did the artists get it from if they didnt scan it themselves? Artist and 3D-scanning consultant Cosmo Wenman asked himself the same question and set out to find a possible answer. Wenman came up with two plausible theories of how the high-resolution 3D model of the bust was created, as he explains, The model that the artists published is of such high quality that I initially thought the scan had to be either the museums own unpublished scan, or that the artists had scanned a high-quality replica and were passing it off as a scan of the original. In fact, the Neues Museum in Berlin had hired German scanning company TrigonArt to capture a high-quality scan of the Nefertiti bust years ago in 2008. When Wenman compared the 3D scan released by the artists and the preview of the Nefertiti scan on TrigonArts website, he found that they bore some striking similarities. Even in this limited preview viewer, opening it up full screen and zooming in, you can see that every featureincluding super-fine submillimeter detailsappear to exactly match the model that the artists released, he says. The similarities and shared details of both the leaked 3D scan and the TrigonArt 3D scan have led Wenman to believe that the artists did indeed get their 3D data from the museums own high-quality scan. Even now, however, with much certainty that the scanning video was a hoax, the truth remains unclear as the Neues Museum remains silent about their own scan and the artists themselves seem in the dark about where the leaked scan came from. The artists, Nora Al-Badri and Jan Nikolai Nelles, were apparently given the hacked 3D scanner by an unnamed partner who then dealt with processing the 3D files. According to Nelles, they have no idea where the released scan came from as they were simply passing along the model they were given by this unnamed partner. It is not everyday we hear such a strange and mysterious tale in the 3D printing industry, and this is sure one for the books. We do hope, whether the mystery of the high-resolution 3D model is solved or not, that the discourse surrounding the issue of digitizing artworks to make them more accessible is not swept under the rug. As Wenman succinctly expresses on his blog, Its unfortunate that this story was based on a falsehood. With any luck, though, this will all be for the best, and there will be increased scrutiny of museums custody of data, and it will lead to increased public demand for museums to make their 3D data freely available to the public. We will be sure to keep up with any developments of the story. Posted in 3D Scanning Maybe you also like: Mar 9, 2016 | By Kira Nini, a young woman in Indonesia, had lost all of the fingers on her right hand in an accident at the plastic factory where she worked. To make matters worse, she was expecting a child, and worried that without the use of her hand, she would struggle to perform even the most basic tasks, such as holding, feeding, and caring for her newborn. A few months before delivery, a team of five volunteers, led by e-NABLE member Christian Schild, pulled together to make her a custom 3D printed hand, giving both mother and daughter a chance at a better quality of life. e-NABLE is a global, volunteer-based organization that provides custom-made, 3D printed hands and limbs for children and their families who need them most. While traditional prosthetics can be prohibitively expensive, the e-NABLE community strives to ensure that every single person, regardless of their age, race, gender, or socioeconomic class, can receive the care they need via affordable and accessible 3D printed prosthetics. Though Schild was not originally a member of e-NABLE, nor was he familiar with 3D printing technology, a domino-effect of goodwill eventually led him to know Ninis story, and he became determined to help. A member of the Rotary Club, Jakarta Sentra, Schild primarily worked with patients in who were affected leprosy, a chronic infection disease that affects nearly 2-3 million people worldwide, with the most common cases in India, Brazil, Nigeria and Indonesia. During his work, he met and treated a man named Ali Sage. Once Sage recovered his health, he immediately wanted to return the favor and help others in need. He thus opened a prosthesis workshop in a small Indonesian village, where he received innumerable requests for prosthetics from people who simply could not afford to make or purchase their own. One of these was the young expecting mother, Nini. Simultaneously, Schilds son Luke had come across a social media video of a child receiving a 3D printed hand. Not only are 3D printed prosthetics more lightweight and comfortable than traditional ones, but they are also exponentially less expensive to create, and can be made locally from available materials. Schild and Sage put the pieces together, and decided to 3D print a prosthetic hand for Nini. Schilds wife, Trisweni Astuti, also joined the team, offering her translation services to make the process as smooth as possible. Though Indonesia is still a dramatically underserved region, with little access to advanced manufacturing technologies particularly in rural areas, Schild was able to locate a few local 3D printing companies to help. Through my research, I found out that at the beginning of August, an Office Machine Exhibition was held here in Jakarta, including information about 3D printers. There were 5 companies promoting 3D printers and materials, so I spoke with some of them about this project, he explained. It started with Heri Kristanto of PT Indoprint in Surabaya, who offered to make one hand. Shortly after this, I was called by Wadi Chan of 3D Solution here in Jakarta. Wadi has a 3D printing business and is very familiar with the technology and suggested we make a Raptor/Osprey hand. Despite having located the necessary 3D printers, it still took the team nearly two months to create the prosthetic hand. This is because they had difficulty gathering the required materials to 3D print and assemble the device. Nevertheless, the 3D printed prosthetic was ready early enough that Nini was able to practice with it before the arrival of her daughter in December, 2015. As the video below shows, not only can Nini hold her beautiful newborn, but she can also hold a bottle to feed her, sort through clothes, and perform a variety of other tasks necessary both for her and the childs wellbeing. This simple, cost-effective, 3D printed hand is far more than a piece of plasticit is a symbol of just how far acts of goodwill can go when provided with the necessary technological resources, such as 3D printing. Having successfully helped Nini, Schild and his team hope to continue providing 3D printed prosthetics to others in need: This will be a great help for many people who have lost their hands. 3D printing is still new here in Indonesia and not many companies are doing this kind of work. Together with Heri, Wadi, Ali and Trisweni, we hope to be able to extend the production of the hands into more regions in Indonesia in the future. Our aim is to promote and arrange seminars and training programs for more people to be able to make these 3D printed hands. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Mar 9, 2016 | By Alec Though the 3D printing revolution is picking up steam in all areas, few industries are pioneering the technology as strongly as the aerospace industry. Led by NASA, have been green lighting and ordering 3D printing innovations for a wide range of products, and more often than not seem to do so with aerospace 3D printing specialists Aerojet Rocketdyne. That company has just revealed its latest success: a successful testing round for a 3D printed injector for the RL10 upper-stage rocket engine, arguably the most reliable upper stage rocket engine in the world right now. The company calls this test another major milestone in its efforts to incorporate 3D printing into the production of their RL10 upper-stage rocket engine, which is also called the XR708. The test was done in collaboration with the US Air Force and NASAs Glenn Research Center for the RL10 Additive Manufacturing Study (RAMS) program. Their goal, in a nutshell, is to demonstrate that 3D printed parts can be manufactured and qualified for use in large rocket engines. Its all part of a long collaborative history between Aerojet Rocketdyne and NASA. Aerojet is a well-known aerospace innovator, that provides high quality design solutions for aerospace and defense clients, and are especially recognized as a world-renowned provider of propulsion and energetics solutions that extensively uses 3D printing. Just a few months ago, they signed a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to 3D print components for the RS-25 rocket engine. Before that, NASA conducted tests on 3D printed F-1 rocket engine parts built by Aerojet. In January, NASA again tapped Aerojet Rocketdyne for the optimization of a 3D printed MPS-130 CubeSat propulsion system. In fact, weve been reporting on this partnership since 2013, when NASA and Aerojet first finished testing on a 3D printed rocket engine injector. You could thus say that 3D printing is an integral part of Aerojet Rocketdynes activities, and indeed the companys CEO Eileen Drake revealed that it is a key technology for reducing their costs and optimizing reliability. Updating our products to take advantage of the advancements we've made in additive manufacturing technology is a key part of our strategy to deliver more affordable products to our customers while at the same time maintain the reliability they've come to expect, she said. This successful series of tests validates the rigorous approach we've been taking and confirms we are on the right path. Incorporating this technology will enable us to reduce significantly production lead times and make our products more cost competitive. This injector for the RL-10 rocket engine just emphasizes this. As they explain, it was manufactured using their selective laser melting (SLM) 3D printer, which uses a high-powered laser to fuse metal particles into complex geometries. The injector is just the latest example of one of their parts capable of performing under the extreme pressures and conditions of rocket engines. However, it is certainly of the most complex they have developed so far, says Dr. Jay Littles, the companys director of Advanced Launch Programs. While we have had success developing additive manufacturing technology for a broad range of productsfrom discrete engine components to hot-fire testing engines and propulsion systems made entirely with additive manufacturingthis is among the most complex components we have tested in a large rocket engine to date, he said in the companys press release. Whats more, this is just the start of what 3D printing can do for the aerospace and aviation industry, they say. We've just scratched the surface of what this technology will do to revolutionize our industry. Our design engineers are just starting to take advantage of the expanded possibilities enabled by this new manufacturing technology. They are now free to design products that were once thought impossible to build due to the constraints of traditional manufacturing, Littles concluded. More will doubtlessly follow Posted in 3D Printer Company Maybe you also like: Mar 9, 2016 | By Alec As the 3D printing community consumes vast amounts of plastics (and how many of those prints fail?), its always good to use 3D printer filaments that are biodegradable or that can be recycled. PLA is a great start, but is only completely biodegradable in bioreactors and specific laboratory conditions. Grinding units are another option: machines through which failed prints can be recycled into new 3D printer filament, though unfortunately these are still very expensive. Fortunately, a third option has just appeared: Extrudr Green-TEC, by Austrian 3D printer filament manufacturers Extrudr. Unlike PLA, it can be 100% degraded in natural cycles. If youve never heard of Extrudr before, thats probably because they havent been around for very long. Though they have been popping up at a few 3D printing and making events here and there, they are actually a very young manufacturer from Austria that has been working on their products since February 2014. Though opting for a new manufacturer can be a bit daunting, as you dont know what youre going to get, co-founder Johannes Fruh previously explained to 3ders.org that they have a good quality production line. We can guarantee high quality standards like Diameter, Resin, Roundness, Printability, etc., he told us. Though very young, they have already set up an varied line of 3D printable filaments, including various colorful (and multi-color) PLA and ABS options, a number of PETG filaments and some biopolymers. At the beginning of the year, they also released glow in the dark, wood-like and pearl-like 3D printer filaments. To that line, they are now adding Green-TEC in four colors: black, blue, red and white. As they explain, its completely created using biological compounds and pure raw materials. The material has a bio-organic composition and blends for composting as opposed to PLA, they say. Therefore, Green-TEC is CO2 neutral and ecologically absolutely harmless. Its an excellent alternative for the more conventional ABS or PLA filaments, they say, and not just because its environmentally friendly. It is also non-toxic and features superior temperature resistance, hardness and elongation when compared to ABS or PLA. Its also easy to work with Green-TEC 3D printer filament hardly suffers from shrinkage or warping, as opposed to ABS. This makes it quite suitable for larger and more complex prints with a large surface area. It doesnt even need a heated print bed. And as it meets all EU regulations for food contact plastics, you can use it for a wide variety of 3D printing products as well. Though slightly more expensive than other filaments at 56 per kilo (or approximately $61 USD), its environmentally-friendly properties are especially appealing. It also comes in both 1.75 and 2.85mm options. Specifications for Green-TEC filament: Heat resistant up to 110-120 C (248 Fahrenheit), Low temperature of 170-200 C High mechanical resistance, which leads to lighter components Very low warping (<0.5%) Food safe Biodegradable High Layer adhesion and good optical properties print parameters Printbed: 0-60 C Liability: Bluetabe, Kapton, carbon, glass Print speed: up to 120mm / s Weight: 1.75mm - 2.4 g / m 2.85mm - 7.6 g / m Posted in 3D Printing Materials Maybe you also like: Mar 9, 2016 | By Tess Many will remember the fateful amber-trapped mosquito in Jurassic Park that provided the fictional scientists with the dinosaur DNA necessary to replicate them. Though we may still be quite far from ever creating a living dinosaur, scientists have found some of the missing links in the evolutionary history of lizards thanks to a number of ancient amber-fossilized lizards, which includes the worlds oldest chameleon ever found. The amber fossils, which originated from a region that is now present-day Myanmar, were donated by a private donor to the American Museum of Natural History. From the twelve fossils donated, three of them contain nearly complete lizard specimens, including the aforementioned 99 million year old infant chameleon, a gecko, and an archaic lizard. "These fossils tell us a lot about the extraordinary, but previously unknown diversity of lizards in ancient tropical forests, says Edward Stanley, a University of Florida postdoctoral student in herpetology at the Florida Museum of Natural History. The fossil record is sparse because the delicate skin and fragile bones of small lizards do not usually preserve, especially in the tropics, which makes the new amber fossils an incredibly rare and unique window into a critical period of diversification. To analyze the contents of the amber fossils without destroying the fragile specimens inside, Stanley and his team used micro-CT scanning technologies to gather information from inside the amber, and subsequently used 3D modeling and 3D printing to recreate elements of the ancient lizards anatomies. It was mind-blowing, says Stanley, who co-authored the study about the fossils. Usually we have a foot or other small part preserved in amber, but these are whole specimensclaws, toepads, teeth, even perfectly intact colored scales. I was familiar with CT technology, so I realized this was an opportunity to look more closely and put the lizards into evolutionary perspective. The CT scanning technologies allowed Stanley and the team of scientists to determine that the infant chameleon they found was 75 million years older than the previous contender for oldest chameleon, a discovery that is also challenging the belief that chameleons originated in Africa. The examination of the specimen also gave hints and provided information into the evolutionary development of the chameleon, as it possessed the same projectile tongue as modern chameleons but had not yet developed its recognizable body shape and fused toes. 3D print of one of the fossilized lizards 3D scans of the fossilized gecko also showed that the creature may have evolved earlier than scientists thought, as it already possessed the advanced adhesive pads on its toes that modern geckos use to climb. The third fossil, of the archaic lizard, will soon be named and findings from it will be disclosed in a future study. Though the fossils are millions of years old, the amazing discovery bears relevance for us all. As Stanley explains, the fact that these ancient lizards still have modern descendants demonstrates the importance and stability of tropical rainforests, which have sustained the existence of these long-enduring species. These exquisitely preserved examples of past diversity show us why we should be protecting these areas where their modern relatives live today, explains Stanley. The tropics often act as a stable refuge where biodiversity tends to accumulate, while other places are more variable in terms of climate and species. However, the tropics are not impervious to human efforts to destroy them. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Sujata Gupta in Nature: Around 6 million years ago, primates started moving from tropical forests into the savannahs. Unlike today, these prehistoric expanses were humid and probably provided a year-round supply of fruit and vegetables. But then, some 3 million years ago, the climate changed and the savannahs along with their plentiful food supply dried up. Many mammals, including some primates, went extinct, but others adapted. Archaeologists working at sites in modern Ethiopia have discovered animal remains that date back almost 2.6 million years. The telltale cut marks on their bones are almost certainly signs of butchery1, says Manuel Dominguez-Rodrigo, a palaeoanthropologist at Complutense University in Madrid. Only two types of primate survived the climate catastrophe, says Dominguez-Rodrigo. There was a plant-processing machine on the one hand and a meat-eating machine on the other hand, he says. The meat-eating machine evolved a bigger brain. The meat-eating machine became us. To build and maintain a more complex brain, our ancestors used ingredients found primarily in meat, including iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and fatty acids. Although plants contain many of the same nutrients, they occur in lower quantities and often in a form that humans cannot readily use. For instance, red meat is rich in iron derived from haemoglobin, which is more easily absorbed than the non-haem form found in beans and leafy greens. More here. It was an exhausting 12 days, but her daughter planned every aspect from booking trains and inexpensive hotels to finding off-the-beaten-track restaurants. The daughter knew how to navigate timetables and websites, and get insider tips that my friend could have never done herself. Blogger and college professor Betty Ming Liu also learned what it's like to give up control when she took a similar trip to Amsterdam and Barcelona with her college-student daughter. Liu, a boomer single mom, brought her boyfriend along, and her daughter's boyfriend decided to visit, too. Double-dating with an adult child was a challenge. "Thankfully, we survived the emotional leap and the awkwardness of our new reality," she wrote in a post about the trip. The trip allowed Liu and her child to "transition to a grownup [sic] relationship," she says. The change did not come without tension because Liu was used to directing everything in their lives. Fully-Underwritten 3 for 5 Rights Issue and Debt Facility Perth, Mar 9, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - ABM Resources NL ( ASX:ABU ) (ABM or the Company) announces a fully underwritten 3 for 5 nonrenounceable rights issue at an issue price of $0.04 (Issue Price) per new share (New Share) to raise approximately $8.2 million (before transaction costs) (Rights Issue). The Company has also entered into a facility agreement with the sub-underwriter of this Rights Issue, Pacific Road Capital Management Pty Ltd as trustee for Pacific Road Fund II Managed Investment Trust, in relation to a $3.8 million debt facility (Debt Facility) to cash back environmental and general performance bonds currently provided by ANZ Bank (together, the Capital Raising). Following the Rights Issue, ABM will be fully funded to complete an intensive two year exploration program focused on the Tanami region, including drilling to further evaluate existing projects at Buccaneer and Old Pirate as well as advanced prospects such as the Hyperion trend. ABM Managing Director, Brett Lambert, said "The capital raising is a key step in the repositioning of ABM as an active and successful exploration company following the scheduled completion of mining at the Old Pirate Gold Mine in April this year. The chosen funding structure will provide the capital required by the Company in a manner that enables existing shareholders to participate on a pro rata basis, while providing funding certainty to the Company to pursue its restructuring and step up its exploration activities. The Company has already begun an exhaustive drive to reduce overhead and administrative costs so that the clear majority of funds raised can be directed to exploration and evaluation activities." Operational Strategy The Rights Issue is intended to provide funding to implement and sustain a substantial, but clearly focused, exploration program, with the goal of generating value for shareholders from the Company's highly prospective gold projects in the Northern Territory. Major cost savings are being achieved by focusing exploration activities on core projects within the Company's Tanami tenements, a region with a demonstrated capacity to host multi-million ounce gold deposits. Drilling programs are planned to further evaluate prospects with existing mineral resources, including Buccaneer and Old Pirate, to help determine the potential for development of financially viable mining operations on these deposits. Follow up work will also be conducted at advanced prospects, such as the Hyperion trend, where exploration last year delivered a number of highly encouraging drill intercepts. In addition, drilling activities are planned for a number of earlier stage regional targets, such as Wild Turkey and Indefatigable which have been assessed to have potential for significant new discoveries. Board Restructure ABM's Board of directors is to be restructured, ultimately resulting in a smaller, lower cost Board with experience relevant to it's repositioning as an exploration company. The Company's Non-executive Chairman of over six years, Dr Mike Etheridge, has retired from the Board and concurrently Mr Brett Lambert, formerly Interim CEO, has been appointed to the Board as Managing Director. The search for a new independent Non-executive Chairman is well advanced and is expected to be completed in the near term. In the interim, Non-executive Director, Mr Richard Procter, will act as Chairman. Both Richard and current Non-executive Director, Dr Helen Garnett, have indicated their intention to resign from the Board upon the appointment of a new Chairman and the completion of the capital raising. As part of this Board restructure, Ms Susie Corlett has joined the Board of ABM as a Non-executive Director after being nominated by Pacific Road Capital Management Pty Ltd as trustee for Pacific Road Fund II Managed Investment Trust. Susie has over 20 years' experience in the mineral resources sector across mining, exploration, financing and investment, including as a geologist with RGC and Goldfields Limited. Susie holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Geology from the University of Melbourne and is currently a Principal of Pacific Road Capital Management Pty Ltd. Overview of Rights Issue Under the Rights Issue, eligible shareholders will be entitled to apply for 3 New Shares for every 5 fully paid ordinary shares held at 5.00pm (WST) on Wednesday 16 March 2016 (Record Date). The Issue Price represents a 31% discount to the 20 day volume weighted average price of the Company's shares prior to the date of this announcement and a 18% discount to the theoretical exrights price based on the last close price prior to this announcement. All New Shares will rank equally with existing shares of the Company from the date of issue. Any New Shares not taken up by eligible shareholders will be shortfall shares and can be applied for by other eligible shareholders under the shortfall facility in addition to their entitlement of New Shares. Proceeds of the Rights Issue will be used primarily for exploration activities, including tenement holding costs, for general working capital and for expenses associated with the Rights Issue. To view the timetable, please visit: http://media.abnnewswire.net/media/en/docs/ASX-ABU-755580.pdf About ABM Resources NL ABM Resources (ASX:ABU) is developing several gold discoveries in the Central Desert region of the Northern Territory of Australia. The Company has a multi-tiered approach to exploration and development with a combination of high-grade production scenarios such as the Old Pirate High-Grade Gold Project, large scale discoveries such as Buccaneer, and regional exploration discoveries such as the Hyperion Gold Project. In addition, ABM is committed to regional exploration programs throughout its extensive holdings including the alliance with Independence Group NL at the regional Lake Mackay Project. ACAs library of educational tools help members improve their business practices. ACA also holds the most popular industry conferences and offers credentialing for collectors, attorneys, and more. ACAs Training Zone subscription gives agencies access to almost all of our education for one low cost. RSM US provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market recently awarded nine of their professionals across the nation with $10,000 each and nine additional paid-time-off days to pursue their passions through the firms 90-90-9 Program. 2016 marks RSMs 90th anniversary, and in recognition of the milestone, the firm launched 90-90-9 in late 2015. A team of employees and partners in the firm selected the winners from nearly 300 submissions. We are honored to be celebrating 90 years of service to our middle market clients across the country and around the world, said Doug Opheim, chief financial officer, chairman of the RSM US Foundation, in a statement. Stewardship has been a hallmark of our firm since we began operating in 1926, so its no surprise that each of our 90-90-9 winners chose to pursue opportunities to give back to others. We are very proud of what our employees plan to do to benefit society as a result of this program. Michelle Nolan (project coordinator; Minneapolis, MN) was the first professional to win, using the prize to provide water to orphans in Africa and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. With the support of RSM, I summited the highest free-standing mountain in the world and reached the highest point on the African continent, proving to myself and others that all things truly are possible, stated Nolan. As if I wasnt already elated enough, I was then privileged to celebrate by funding and starting the installation of a water storage system benefiting 600+ children of a local school in Tanzania and residents of the surrounding village. I feel incredibly privileged that my workplace not only supports my professional goals, but also my personal dreams. As a result of being a 90-90-9 winner, I feel strong and courageous, and Im so humbled and inspired. The remaining eight winners and their goals are: Jacqueline Pacquette (senior associate; Omaha, NE) Keep a promise to pay it forward by providing a new smile to someone in need. Julie Kaehler (client service representative; Rochester, MN) Purchase land for a school and community garden in Haiti while also teaching sustainable farming. Dee Komaromi (supervisor; Irvine, CA) Open a school in Africa dedicated to her late father and father-in-law. Nyasha Gopo (manager; Charlotte, NC) Become a certified coach to help immigrants assimilate to life in America. David Campbell (supervisor; Boston, MA) Provide renewable, efficient energy to homes and businesses in sub-Saharan Africa. Terri Andrews (director; Charlotte, NC) Provide mammograms and counseling based on personal experience to women facing breast cancer in Jamaica. Nicole Knudtson (project director; Minneapolis, MN) Publish a children's book to help families connect and understand each other better. Jarin Hansen: (senior manager; Cedar Rapids, IA currently on expatriate assignment in Shanghai) Serve as a healing home to a Chinese orphan undergoing a life-changing surgery. At RSM, we value our employees and their unique skills, abilities and interests both inside and outside of the workplace, said managing partner and CEO Joe Adams, per a statement. When he founded our firm more than 90 years ago, one of Ira B. McGladreys core principles was, treat employees well. We have found that supporting people both personally and professionally while fostering diversity in thoughts and ideas creates better outcomes for our clients and our firm. Supporting these nine deserving employees in pursuing their passions has been a very rewarding way to celebrate our 90th anniversary. For more on RSM, head to their site here. The Securities and Exchange Commission charged Californias largest agricultural water district Wednesday with misleading investors about its financial condition as it issued a $77 million bond offering, with one of its managers bragging about using a little Enron accounting. In addition to charging Westlands Water District, the SEC charged its general manager Thomas Birmingham and former assistant general manager Louie David Ciapponi. According to the SEC, Westlands agreed in prior bond offerings to maintain a 1.25 debt service coverage ratio, which is a measure of an issuers ability to make future bond payments. However, the water district learned in 2010 that drought conditions and reduced water supply would prevent the water district from generating enough revenue to maintain a 1.25 ratio. To meet the 1.25 ratio without raising rates on water customers, Westlands used extraordinary accounting transactions that reclassified funds from reserve accounts to record additional revenue. Birmingham jokingly referred to these transactions as a little Enron accounting when describing them to the board of directors, comprising Westlands customers. When Westlands issued the $77 million bond offering in 2012, it represented to investors that it met or exceeded the 1.25 ratio for each of the prior five years. But, according to the SEC, not only did Westlands fail to disclose that wouldnt have been possible without the extraordinary 2010 accounting transactions, but also omitted separate accounting adjustments made in 2012 that would have negatively affected the ratio had they been done in 2010. If the 2010 reclassifications and the effect of the 2012 adjustments had been disclosed, Westlands coverage ratio for 2010 would have been only 0.11 instead of the 1.25 reported to investors, according to the SEC, which said Birmingham and Ciapponi improperly certified the accuracy of the bond offering documents. The undisclosed accounting transactions, which a manager referred to as a little Enron accounting, benefited customers but left investors in the dark about Westlands Water Districts true financial condition, said Andrew J. Ceresney, director of the SEC Enforcement Division, in a statement. Issuers must be truthful with investors and we will seek to deter such misconduct through sanctions, including penalties against municipal issuers in appropriate circumstances. Westlands agreed to pay $125,000 to settle the charges, making it only the second municipal issuer to pay a financial penalty in an SEC enforcement action. Birmingham and Ciapponi also agreed to pay penalties of $50,000 and $20,000 respectively to settle the charges against them. (Bloomberg) The Internal Revenue Service is seeking to force UBS Group AG to turn over records on an account in Singapore held by a U.S. citizen, potentially opening a new front against offshore tax evasion beyond Switzerland. The IRS last month asked a federal judge in Miami to force UBS, the largest Swiss bank, to produce documents on Ching-Ye Hsiaw, who lives in China. The judge on Wednesday told UBS to show up in court on March 31 to explain why it has refused to supply the account records. Theyre holding UBS hostage in the U.S. by saying you subjected yourself to U.S. jurisdiction, now produce these records outside the U.S., said Jeff Neiman, a former federal prosecutor. Its setting up a showdown of Singapore secrecy versus the U.S. need to enforce its tax laws. Singapore will lift banking confidentiality when foreign authorities ask it to do so and when the law is used to shield criminal activities, according to a person with direct knowledge of the city-states bank-regulation framework who asked not to be named because of an ongoing court case. No jurisdiction is off limits, Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo, who oversees the U.S. Justice Departments Tax Division, told the Federal Bar Association in a speech Friday. She said our investigations of both individuals and entities are well beyond Switzerland at this point. UBS spokesman Gregg Rosenberg declined to comment on the case. Hsiaw couldnt be reached for comment. Singapore Secrecy The U.S. has focused largely on Switzerland in recent years as it has fought offshore tax evasion. More than 80 Swiss banks, including UBS and Credit Suisse Group AG, have agreed to pay a total of $5 billion or so in penalties and fines. The question is where the IRS and the Justice Department will turn next as they sift through a trove of data gathered from Swiss banks and from more than 50,000 U.S. taxpayers who disclosed their accounts to avoid prosecution. The Hsiaw case provides some clues. IRS agents served a summons on UBS in 2013 for records of his account in Singapore from 2001 to 2011. The bank said it couldnt produce them because Singapores bank secrecy laws prevent disclosure without permission from Hsiaw, which he hasnt provided, according to a court filing. Even if Singapores bank secrecy laws, as UBS contends, precludes disclosure of the summoned bank records relating or pertaining to Hsiaws Singapore account(s), international comity requires that the records be disclosed, IRS revenue agent James Oertel said in the filing. Neiman, the former prosecutor, said that UBS can be held in contempt if they dont produce the records. I think its the IRSs way to start getting at Singapore. Singapore is prepared to help in foreign criminal proceedings by sharing banking information through established channels, the person with knowledge of its bank regulations said. Neiman was one of the prosecutors on a landmark case in 2009, filed in Miami, in which UBS avoided prosecution by paying $780 million, admitting it encouraged tax evasion, and agreeing to turn over secret account data on U.S. citizens. As part of the settlement, UBS provided information on Hsiaws Swiss account, along with about 4,500 others. The case is U.S. v. UBS, 16-mc-20653, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida (Miami). After four years of ideation and planning, the Future Consumer Enterprise (FCEL) has become Indias first sourcing-to-supermarkets food company. An idea germinated through Kishore Biyani, Founder and CEO, Future Group, FCEL today has a unique board with maturity, entrepreneurship and good business management with the capacity to optimise the ability of each board member to do their best. With an expected growth in consumption of food and HPC goods, FCEL is looking at a growth in consumption of $895 billion by 2020. The consumption in the year 2000 stood at $135 billion, which had gone up to $328 billion in the year 2010. Taking into consideration the cultural values of food, FCEL has come up with brands that are in line with the eating habits of Indians. Apart from understanding the Indian memes to keep the products in line with the consumer needs, FCEL aims to provide lowest cost FMCG supply chain with 27 brands and 64 categories. Kishore Biyani remarked, In India, its not just about mind share, its about heart share. Contributing to modernisation, FCEL has come up with brands like Desi Atta providing 21 variants of flour. With innovations like fasting attas the brand has seen a positive response and is also about to launch Wheat Oat Atta. Some of the other popular food brands are Golden Harvest, Kosh, Ektaa and Sunkist. FCEL has also tied up with Nilgiris, a popular dairy and baked products brand since 1905. FCEL signed a MOU with LT foods to come up best quality rice for the Indian consumers. Frozen foods are also in the picture to ease the work load of the lady of the house. Apart from the food brands, FCEL has emerged with HPC brands with new and innovative products like the Kara facial wipes, which are first of its kinds. Other brands on board are Kramiq, Clean Mate, Think Skin and many others. Another innovation will be the launch of pooja goods with the brand Pratha. FCEL has joined hands with various people to meet the manufacturing requirements. A manufacturing unit has been set up in Sri Lanka to produce Oats introduced by Kosh. Land has also been acquired in Nagpur to set up manufacturing units. FCEL has also tied up with the Rajasthan Government to get into partnership distribution. FCEL plans to build urban convenience store for metro cities and cash-n-carry rural distribution models for other cities across India to elongate its market. Logistic chains and modern distribution are some of the reasons why FCEL is a leading brand. Distribution is being developed to enhance the performance of the brand. At present FCEL is serving 120 cities, 574 districts and 20,000 pin codes to satiate the consumer needs. (This feature is part of the " Through Airmen's Eyes " series. These stories focus on individual Airmen, highlighting their Air Force story.)From being a young boy who could not speak a word of English to an Airman who instructs others on the effects altitude has on the human body, Senior Airman Jae Yu, of the 21st Aerospace Medicine Squadron, practiced resilience far before he ever joined the Air Force.Myong and Susan Yu relocated to Maryland from Seoul, South Korea, as part of a work program allowing them to obtain green cards. They brought their 11-year-old son Jae with them to start a new life in a new country. But when he started his sixth-grade classes in Salisbury, Maryland, Yu knew no English.His parents had him practice writing the English alphabet to familiarize himself with this new and vastly different style of letters. In school, Yu participated in English as second language courses and because he was young, picked up the new language quickly. By the end of middle school, he was comfortable with English. In high school, he mastered it well enough to earn honors in math, science and French, as well as become a member of the National Honor Society."Once I picked up English I was able to ease into things," Yu said.At first, he said he felt somewhat isolated because he did not understand what was being said in English. He recalled sitting in class while a lot of sounds surrounding him made no sense."Math was no problem, I could do it just fine looking at the equations, but anything with words in it I had no idea," he said.At the same time he faced language challenges he also had to adapt to differences in the school system. In South Korea, children help clean the facility after class, and classes also are less interactive in what is known as the Japanese education system.Transportation was another thing the family had to get used to. In South Korea, things were much closer together and a short walk often got people to where they wanted to go including school. However, in his new home, he had to get used to school busses and municipal transit.His English proficiency improved and his academic success in high school led to the University of Maryland where he majored in cell genetic biology. Even with all his progress and academic achievement Yu was still looking for more.What he was looking for was discipline. His father spent about a decade in the South Korean air force and thought military service might help Yu in his daily life. He signed up and about four years later hes glad with the decision.Challenges Yu faced while growing up helped him succeed in the Air Force. The cost of moving the family to the U.S. was great, but they made the effort and saw it through. His parents worked hard and became U.S. citizens while Yu was still a teenager, making him a citizen as well."I realized that if you put your mind to it, then you can push yourself and achieve things that you would normally think to be very hard to achieve, he said. We didn't have much money when we moved to the U.S. It costs a lot of money and time to move to the U.S., but we managed to make it happen.Yu serves in the squadrons Aerospace and Operational Physiology Flight, working with military personnel to help them understand the physiological effects of high altitude. He leans on his science background to provide verbal guidance to students and to monitor the controlled environmental chamber.His efforts and ability to adapt were recently recognized when he was named Air Force Space Command Aerospace and Operational Physiology Airman of the Year for 2015. DOD-wide Windows 10 rapid deployment to boost cybersecurity The Defense Department will deploy Windows 10 departmentwide by January to strengthen cybersecurity and streamline the information technology operating environment, according to a Feb. 26 memo by Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work. Work addressed the memo to secretaries of the military departments, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, defense under secretaries, defense agency directors, DOD field activity directors and other senior leaders. After consultation with department leadership and through discussions with the DOD chief information officer, I am directing the department to complete a rapid deployment and transition to Microsoft Windows 10 Secure Host Baseline, Work wrote. This decision, he added, is based on the need to strengthen our cybersecurity posture while concurrently streamlining the IT operating environment. Strengthening cybersecurity The secure host baseline approach to the transition was developed in partnership with the military departments and other DOD components, including the DOD Chief Information Office, National Security Agency and Defense Information Systems Agency. The deputy secretary directed U.S. Cyber Command, through U.S. Strategic Command, and in consultation with the CJCS and DOD CIO Terry Halvorsen, to lead the directives implementation. Halvorsen said the DOD-wide shift to a single operating system is unprecedented and offers several benefits. Transitioning to a single operating system across the department will improve our cybersecurity posture by establishing a common baseline, the CIO said, adding that deploying Windows 10 also will help lower the cost of DOD information technology. Pass the hash DOD will transition more than 3 million Windows-based desktops, laptops and tablets to Windows 10, a cross-platform release that does not include mobile phones, said David Cotton, the deputy CIO for information enterprise. New security features in Windows 10 will help the department enable faster software patching, he said, and counter a major cyber-intrusion technique called pass the hash. In this hack, an attacker accesses a remote server by using a stored hash, or a one-way transformation, of a users password rather than the standard plain-text password. The operating system also will increase accountability and transparency across DOD networks, allowing cyber defenders to better detect malicious activity, Cotton said. Critical implementation Work said in his memo that he expects the full cooperation of all critical implementation components, including DISA and NSA. DOD components are responsible for planning, resourcing and executing the Microsoft Windows 10 SHB deployment consistent with this memorandum, he said, noting that the DOD CIO may update and refine the deputy secretarys direction as needed during the implementation. From his perspective as STRATCOM commander, Navy Adm. Cecil D. Haney said that cyberspace underpins all his mission areas and has become a critical facet of national power. This transition is another step toward ensuring we strengthen our cybersecurity posture, he said. It is also another example of a number of partners, including the DOD Chief Information Office, NSA, DISA, Cybercom, and DOD components, successfully working together to ensure our networks are resilient and secure. Combat camera Airmen hone battlefield capabilities through Scorpion Lens More than 100 photo and broadcast journalists from the 1st Combat Camera Squadron at Joint Base Charleston and the 3rd Combat Camera Squadron from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, are participating in Scorpion Lens 2016, an ability to survive and operate exercise at McCrady Training Center on Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The exercise, which runs from Feb. 29 to March 10, is an annual training requirement incorporating combat camera job qualification standards and advanced weapons and tactical training with Army instructors. It ensures Airmen are able to capture imagery in combat and are fully trained to embed with different units while deployed. "Throughout the year, combat camera Airmen train to ensure we can provide the operational imagery necessary on national, strategic and tactical levels," said Senior Master Sgt. Shane Cuomo, the flight operations superintendent for the 1st CTCS. "The exercise allows us to combine our annual training into one event and validate 85 percent of our required job qualification standards." During the first days of the exercise, participants are trained in convoy operations, Humvee egress, M240 and M249 squad automatic weapons, close quarters combat, and land navigation, while capturing the action with their cameras. The exercise concludes with an evaluation of all the training objectives and is scenario based, simulating possible missions that could be encountered downrange. "Though we are only a few days in, the Airmen are doing well," Cuomo said. "Right now, we have a lot of Airmen new to combat camera who have never done this type of training." Airman 1st Class Nicholas Dutton, a photojournalist with the 1st CTCS assigned to the squadron since January, said, "I am grateful to be a part of this exercise and a part of a great organization. This is my first exercise and already I'm learning so much. My favorite part has been practicing my marksmanship with the M9 (pistol) and M4 (rifle) weapons." This year's exercise is the first time Air Force combat camera has teamed up with the Army. Sgt. 1st Class Ken Shirley, a Humvee egress instructor at the McCrady Battle Simulation Center who experienced a vehicle rollover while on deployment, said working with combat camera was a shift from normal operations. "I've never had so many cameras pointed at me at one time," Shirley said. "I was a little nervous at first but working with combat camera Airmen has been outstanding because they are highly motivated and willing to learn. It's training like this that saves lives and I'm glad to teach them." Whether capturing imagery during training operations or documenting a weapons cache abroad, combat camera Airmen are integral to today's military, Cuomo said. "We are the eyes and ears for commanders," he said. "Scorpion Lens ensures we remain a force multiplier, keeping up with our capability to support strategic, operational and planning requirements during wartime, crises, contingencies, joint exercises, and humanitarian operations worldwide." Army Rangers exercise close air support with F-35s Although the Air Force separated from the Army in 1947, the two forces have a long history of working together to dominate the sky and ground in combat. This tradition continues today with the 3rd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment's recent visit to Eglin Air Force Base to conduct close air support exercises with a pair of F-35A Lightning II fighter jets. Soldiers of the ranger battalion are fire support specialists responsible for intelligence activities of the Army's field artillery team. Two F-35As teamed up with the battalion to provide air support against simulated hostile targets in close proximity to the rangers. One of the capabilities of the F-35 is to provide support to ground forces, to include joint terminal attack controllers and joint fire observers. "(This) was the first time these guys have worked with the F-35A," said Air Force Maj. Christopher Collins, a pilot in the 33rd Operations Support Squadron. "It was a great opportunity to share tactics and showcase some of the unique capabilities we have with this jet." In a CAS mission, rangers are responsible for setting up and operating communications systems to encode and decode messages, assist in the preparation of fire support plans with target coordinates, operate laser range finders and target devices, and determine target locations using computers or manual calculations. For the rangers, this exercise allowed them to familiarize themselves with the F-35A and how it can support ground troops in a future deployed environment. After the exercise, Collins reiterated the importance of training in a joint environment to maximize the capabilities of the joint force. "It really shouldn't matter which aircraft (or) branch of service is acting as the controlling party," Collins said. "The common guidelines of the joint doctrine allow us to operate seamlessly across a broad spectrum of different scenarios in the safest, most efficient manner." The Soldiers said the exercise was successful because it allowed them to test the capabilities and limitations of the jet as a part of their mission set. "The F-35 was designed to fight in a different environment, specifically an environment we could face if hostilities broke out in another portion of the world. Assuming we would be among the first there, this would be critical information," one of the rangers said. "Along with that, we learned what other assets and capabilities we would need to augment the F-35 on our current missions to meet our commander's intent." As the F-35 progresses to initial operational capabilities, the aircraft and its Airmen continue train to execute suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses, air interdiction missions and basic close air support. (This feature is part of the " Through Airmen's Eyes " series. These stories focus on individual Airmen, highlighting their Air Force story.)When Laura Perry first entered her office dressed as a woman, it was a colossal step in her yearslong quest for self-identity. It was time to show the world her true self.I came to work a different person, said Perry, a 60-year-old transgender civilian Airman who works as a social worker at Patrick Air Force Bases mental health clinic. I wasnt anxious about it. It was more of a thrill.Before that April 2012 decision, Laura was Leonard, a retired Air Force major with a wife and two daughters. But something was always missing from her life.Emotionally, I needed to have it done, Perry said of the gender reassignment surgery she got two years later. There hasnt been a day when Ive doubted myself since then.But the transition to womanhood resulted in a divorce, the worst part along Perrys journey.That was a huge, huge loss and Ill always love her, Perry said recently during an interview from her office. Ill always feel horrible that she got caught up in that with no fault of her own. She didnt sign on for this.In 1983, Perry joined the Air Force and would go on to serve 20 years. While deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1996, Perry was part of a mental health team that helped survivors of the Khobar Towers, a building housing Airmen that terrorists bombed, killing 19 people and injuring almost 500 others.That was my most rewarding assignment, she said of helping others. It was very real. You could see the rubble from the building.While Perry remained confident in her work as an Air Force officer, she struggled with her male body.In active duty, I was wearing womens underwear with my uniform for several years before I retired, she said. Occasionally, I even wore stockings.Its a part of who you are, she added. It wasnt anything about the uniform; I was just trying to find a sense of peace.The military has recently evolved as the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender movement continues to gain ground.In June, Defense Secretary Ash Carter added sexual orientation to the list of non-discrimination categories that also includes race, religion, sex, and age. With this change, gay service members can now file an equal opportunity complaint if they feel theyre being discriminated against; however, it does not specifically address discrimination against transgender persons.A month later, Carter raised the discharge authority of involuntary separation for transgender military members to the Defense Department level.Transgender men and women in uniform have been there with us, even as they often had to serve in silence alongside their fellow comrades in arms, Carter said in his announcement. The Defense Department's current regulations regarding transgender service members are outdated and are causing uncertainty that distracts commanders from our core missions.The defense secretary also commissioned a working group in July to conduct a six-month review of the implications of transgender persons openly serving in the military. Results have not yet been released.At my direction, Carter said, the working group will start with the presumption that transgender persons can serve openly without adverse impact on military effectiveness and readiness, unless and except where objective, practical impediments are identified.Transgender federal workers are already protected from discrimination by the Civil Service Reform Act.If transgender military members will be able to serve openly, Perry stressed that educational outreach will be needed.Our Air Force is going to have to adjust to very visible overnight changes in peoples appearances, she said. I can tell you from experience when you first start going down this road that being misgendered is like a knife in the heart. Were so fragile at the beginning (of transition).Perry considers herself lucky for caring co-workers and friends in the Air Force while she changed her sex.I have enough friends in the civilian world who Ive seen struggle going through professional and personal transition. I almost felt guilty because it was so easy for me, she said of the support she received from Airmen.Her openness also convinced those in the militarys family advocacy community to ask her to speak at conferences and share how she faced her challenges.People have been amazingly supportive and attentive, coming up to me with questions afterward. Nobody was throwing anything, so that was good, she joked.One of her supervisors, Capt. Fei Zhang, the clinics director of psychological health, has been impressed by how Perry has handled such a bold transformation.I couldnt imagine having to go through what she did, Zhang said. Being that confident and having that much conviction in what she knew felt right, to take that step, I think, speaks volumes for her strength as a person.Perry, who volunteers as a military outreach coordinator with the Palm Center, a nonprofit transgender advocacy group, now hopes she can help others in similar situations find that confidence.She understands that lives are on the line -- an estimated 41 percent of transgender people attempt suicide, compared to 1.6 percent in the general population, according to the 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey.If being yourself and being accepted in the world is the goal, then always keep your eye on the prize, she said.But dont be discouraged, she said, when things dont go perfectly.Would I prefer to be born with a female body? Absolutely. But Id rather be female this way than male, she said. This is as good as it gets for me. Domain on demand part of Air Force future Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein told members of 25th and 24th Air Force that the future of the service is domain on demand. What youre doing here is exactly what we need. Multi-domain is the coin of the realm and will be key to the future development of combined arms. Youre already executing multi-domain, youre on the right path, so keep running hard the way youre going, Goldfein told Maj. Gen. B.J. Shwedo and Maj. Gen. Burke Wilson, the commanders of the 25th and 24th, respectively. Goldfein visited the two Numbered Air Forces for a firsthand look at the advances theyve accomplished together in building multi-domain synergy between Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and cyber forces. A day full of intense briefings demonstrated that synergy to the general, who commented that his visit was very timely. Im hugely optimistic about the next decade for the Air Force. We just completed a very robust, two-year process to build our future operating concept, leading to our 2030 strategic plan that lays out exactly where we need to go as an Air Force, he said. That strategic plan puts us in complete alignment with the Secretary of Defenses vision for a third offset strategy. He explained that we first used nuclear deterrence as an offset strategy to protect our national security during the Cold War with the Soviet Union. The second offset strategy was stealth and precision, capably demonstrated during the first Gulf War. The secretary of defense has begun talking about our nations third strategy to offset peer and near-peer adversarial capabilities, and its what youre talking about now multi-domain operations, big data, human-machine teaming and the fusion of technology, Goldfein said. As we build our networks and apply them to the future of warfare no service thinks about that more than we do and it will help lead the joint team for network warfare. So thank you for everything youre doing to move us to our future and protect our national security. During his visit to the 25th Air Force, Goldfein took time to coin three outstanding Airmen: Capt. Andrew, a flight commander assigned to the 70th ISR Wing; Staff Sgt. Elizabeth, a unit deployment manager assigned to the 363rd ISR WG; and Staff Sgt. Salvatore Guerriero, an executive communications technician, assigned to headquarters 25th Air Force. The captain was recognized for a new deployable technology that he personally fielded within a small, multi-service team while deployed. According to his wing commander, the success of that cutting-edge, quick reaction capability during combat operations earned him a Bronze Star. Elizabeth successfully brought an electronic warfare integrated reprogramming function to maturity in less than half of the two-year allotted schedule. Because of her consistent success, not only in her job but also as a leader and mentor to her subordinates, her wing commander personally selected her as the UDM for a new squadron to build its deployment program from scratch. Guerriero received recognition for his actions during an attack on his combat outpost during a deployment to Afghanistan, where he was assigned to provide secure communications for the 101st Airborne Division. Support personnel had been directed to stay undercover during the attack, but Guerriero voluntarily resupplied ammunition to perimeter positions under attack, directly engaged the enemy with his M-16, and provided direct medical help to one of the Afghanistan National Army soldiers critically wounded during the attack. His deeds earned him the Air Force Combat Action Medal. (Editor's note: Last names of some individuals were removed for safety and security reasons.) Emma Watson, one of the foremost advocates of womens rights in Hollywood, says gender-based pay disparity is not just limited to showbusiness but affects women in all spheres. The pay disparity between male and female stars in Hollywood has been criticised by stars like Jennifer Lawrence, Cate Blanchett, Patricia Arquette. Lawrence even penned an article to talk about how she did not always push for a better raise fearing she will be perceived as a diva or a difficult woman. Watson, who has taken a years sabbatical from films to focus on womens issues around the globe, admits that women have to not only fight for equal pay but also the negative perception that comes with it. We are not supposed to talk about money, because people will think youre difficult or a diva. But theres a willingness now to be like, Fine. Call me a diva, call me a feminazi, call me difficult, call me a First World feminist, call me whatever you want, its not going to stop me from trying to do the right thing and make sure that the right thing happens. Because it doesnt just affect me, Watson said in an interview to Esquire. Whether you are a woman on a tea plantation in Kenya, or a stockbroker on Wall Street, or a Hollywood actress, no one is being paid equally, the actress said. The Harry Potter star, however, acknowledges that there is a shift in this perception and that may help her fight gender-based prejudices. Its so awesome to be at the forefront of that wave and that energy and just being able to channel that which I found mildly horrifying all of the crazy attention on me and doing something good with it, it just feels like Im really doing what Im meant to be doing. Watson, 25, founded the gender equality organization HeForShe in 2014, the year she was appointed a UN Global Goodwill Ambassador. Security forces have gunned down two militants in an ongoing encounter in south Kashmirs Pulwama district. Police have identified one of the militants as Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Okasha, wanted for the Udhampur attack on a BSF convoy in August last year. The fighting broke out on Wednesday evening when the security forces laid siege to a farm of the States Agriculture Department where a large group of LeT militants including a top commander were reportedly holding a meeting. The militants tried to break through the security forces dragnet by opening indiscriminate fire but reinforcements from Armys 50 and 55 Rashtriya Rifles and local polices counterinsurgency Special Operations Group (SOG) along with CRPF quickly laid two rows of Concertina barbed wire around an adjacent apple orchards and a poplar nursery to block their way. According to intelligence inputs, LeTs Kashmir chief Abu Dujana was among those who managed to escape from the encounter site, a police official said. We have killed two militants so far including Abu Okasha, said inspector general of police, Syed Javaid Mujtaba Gilani adding that the firing has stopped but the cordon is still there. Two militants were killed in the exchange of firing but five of their accomplices managed to escape, the official said adding the bodies of the slain ultras have been recovered. As the security forces were battling the militants, a group of local residents started pelting stones at the personnel of law enforcing agencies, the official said. The diversion in attention of the security forces caused by the stone-pelting incident allowed the other militants to escape from the cordon, the official said. Dujana took over operational command of Lashkar following the killing of Abu Qasim in Kulgam area of south Kashmir in October last year. Maharashtra Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao who addressed a joint session of the state legislature in English initially switched to Marathi as opposition leaders asked him to speak in Marathi. Thus this time it was the turn of opposition parties like Congress and NCP to raise the Marathi language issue a matter which is often raised by parties like Shiv Sena and MNS. Sena and MNS are always known to play the Marathi card to woo local people. The opposition also criticised the government for its failure to provide relief to drought hit farmers and favouring dance bar owners. They attacked the government for its inability tackle the drought situation in the state and failing law and order situation. Whenever Rao tried to speak about the developmental projects undertaken by the state the opposition asked him to talk about farmers. They tried to disrupt the proceedings asking the government to waive loan of farmers. Opposition also shouted that the government has shut fodder camps and is keen to start dance bars. We want loan waiver for farmers, the opposition legislators shouted. Down with the government which has ignored farmers, they said. We want a legislation banning dance bars, the opposition members further said. Legislative Council Chairman Ramraje Nimbal-kar, Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagade, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Leaders of Opposition in the Legislative Council and Assembly, Dhananjay Munde and Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil respectively, were present in the House. The governor announced that the government is committed to preserve, develop and promote Marathi language. My government is celebrating Marathi Bhasha Samvardhan Pandharvada every year with enthusiastic response from the public. Authenticated Marathi texts of 166 Central Acts are being made available on the website of Directorate of Languages to enable citizens to have free of cost access to the laws in Marathi, he said. The governor said the state government has provide drought assistance to farmers. He said, The state is facing drought for the fourth successive year and nearly 15750 villages are adversely affected in the current Kharif season, Rao said addressing a joint sitting of the Houses. The Central Government has approved relief assistance of Rs 3049-crore, which is the highest-ever central assistance given to Maharashtra. My government till date has disbursed an amount of Rs 2536-crore to the drought affected farmers, he added. My government has decided to extend relief assistance to the people who suffered crop loss, house damage due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm during the year 2015. The Central Government has revised the Norms of relief Assistance under State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), he said. The governor said that the Shivaji Maharaj memorial off Mumbai coast will be completed by 2019. I am happy to inform that all clearances have been obtained for constructing the national monument of revered Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. North Korean leader Kim Jong- Un said the country has miniaturised nuclear warheads to be mounted on ballistic missiles and ordered improvements in the power and precision of its arsenal, its state media reported on Wednesday. Kim has called for his military to be prepared to mount pre-emptive attacks against the United States and South Korea and stand ready to use nuclear weapons, stepping up belligerent rhetoric after coming under new UN and bilateral sanctions. US and South Korean troops began large-scale military drills this week, which the North calls nuclear war moves and threatened to respond with an all-out offensive. Kims comments released on Wednesday were his first direct mention of the claim, previously made repeatedly in state media, to have successfully miniaturised a nuclear warhead to be mounted on a ballistic missile, which is widely questioned. The nuclear warheads have been standardised to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturising them, KCNA quoted him as saying as he inspected the work of nuclear workers, adding this can be called true nuclear deterrent. He stressed the importance of building ever more powerful, precision and miniaturised nuclear weapons and their delivery means, KCNA said. Kim also inspected the nuclear warheads designed for thermo-nuclear reaction, KCNA said, referring to a hydrogen bomb that the country claimed to have tested in January. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 claiming to have set off a miniaturised hydrogen bomb, which was disputed by many experts and the governments of South Korea and the United States. The blast detected from the test was simply too small to back up the claim, experts said at the time. The UN Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on the isolated state last week for the nuclear test. It launched a long-range rocket in February drawing international criticism and sanctions from its rival, South Korea. On Tuesday South Korea announced further measures aimed at isolating the North by blacklisting individuals and entities that it said were linked to Pyongyangs weapons programme. China also stepped up pressure on the North by barring one of the 31 ships on its transport ministrys blacklist. A huge debate about intolerance had already taken place in Parliament with many MPs expressing their views about the topic. The parliament had been stalled many times due to the intolerance debate. As a result of this the tax payers hard earned money is being wasted. The focus has shifted from work to frivolous issues. This is very unfortunate and will hamper the progress of the nation and society. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah and cabinet ministers have distanced themselves from the people and anyone even slightly criticizing the policies of the government is branded as anti-national. Prior to Lok Sabha elections, I poured my heart out in support of Modi and Amit Shah. Even though more than a decade has passed ever since Ishrat Jahan was killed in a fake encounter but political parties are trying to politicize this incident. The investigation into the encounter soon ran into a cloud of suspicion, and a High Court-appointed Special Investigation Team and the CBI found it to be fake. Along with the Gujarat Police, the CBI implicated the IB in the alleged murders. Earlier David Headley had told the special court that Ishrat was working for LeT. The 19-year-old college girl and three others were killed in 2004 in an encounter by police in Gujarat. The four were accused of being involved in a plot to assassinate the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The government has taken a right decision to withdraw the proposal to tax Employees Provident Fund. Stiff opposition from salaried class and trade unions had forced the government to rethink its decision. The proposal had sought to make up to 60 per cent of savers corpus withdrawn from the EPF tax-free if invested in annuity, according to the statement Finance Minister Arun Jaitley made in the Lok Sabha. The period return on the annuity was to be taxable. The 40% rebate proposed for the NPS will however continue. NPS is at present fully taxed on withdrawal. This is a relief for NPS subscribers. Jaitley informed Lok Sabha that the objective of the Employees Provident Fund tax proposal was only to encourage more private sector employees to go for pension security after retirement. The government must try to reduce gap between super rich and very poor. Such a gap can never be eliminated but surely be narrowed down. Citizens must try to reduce conspicuous consumption. Why should women wear a saree which costs more than Rs 5000 and men wear expensive suits? Why a family should own 4-5 big cars? Why the government is hiking salaries of MPs everytime and ignoring the problems of farmers? Why cant they take steps to control the rising population? On the positive side, BEST is offering reliable bus service and citizens should opt for public transport instead of using private vehicles. (The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.) A letter signed by 254 national and local organizations says lawmakers shouldnt touch any of the titles in the 2014 farm bill. That would include crop insurance as well as conservation and nutrition programs, popular targets of budget cutters. Some House conservatives are demanding that Republican leaders impose new cuts in domestic spending below the levels set by the two-year budget agreement that Congress approved in November, and President Obama's fiscal 2017 budget proposed $18 billion in cuts to crop insurance over 10 years. However, Senate Budget Chairman Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., announced on Monday that he was postponing work on a new budget resolution and said that appropriators could move ahead with writing the fiscal 2017 based on the spending caps set in last falls deal. The coalition letter was sent to the Senate and House Budget committees as well as the Appropriations panels in both chambers. The Budget panels develop broad long-range spending and revenue blueprints for the federal government, while the Appropriations committees write the annual spending bills for each department and agency The letter said that the 2014 farm bill already made a significant contribution to deficit reduction. This bipartisan legislation was estimated to contribute $16 billion to deficit reduction over 10 years. These difficult cuts resulted from hard choices made to reform and reduce the farm safety net, conservation programs and nutrition assistance programs. Some of the reforms made in the new farm bill are still being implemented. The organizations that signed the letter include the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Association of Crop Insurers, American Bankers Association, American Heart Association, Audubon, Bread for the World, Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, National Association of Counties, National Farmers Union, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, National Wildlife Federation and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. Keeping your eye on farm bill news? Were covering it and lots of other ag and rural policy news. You wont miss a beat if you sign up today for a four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription. The Senate Agriculture Committee's Ranking Member, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, applauded the effort. The Farm Bill coalition made up of more than 250 farm, food, conservation, and nutrition groups are again standing strong against potential cuts from Congress, noted the Michigan Democrat in a statement. Its important that we keep the Farm Bill intact through the budget and appropriations process to provide the full five-year certainty promised in that bipartisan bill. A similar letter last year had 392 groups, according to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, which said it collaborated on the letter along with the Farm Bureau, Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau and National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. According to TRCP, sportsmen's groups were more involved in this year's letter. #30 For more news, go to: www.Agri-Pulse.com WASHINGTON, March 9, 2016 Waterways Council Inc. says it will advocate for improvements to the nations inland waterway infrastructure in 2016, starting with asking for an increase to what the groups CEO calls the most disappointing budget to date. The Obama administrations fiscal 2017 budget proposes to reduce funding for inland water infrastructure by more than 20 percent compared to the FY 2016 budget of almost $6 billion. The group says the 2017 allocation would be short of what is needed for system repairs and maintenance so critical to transporting the nations grain. However, there has been a trend in Congress allocating above and beyond the administrations request for the Army Corps of Engineers budget. Since the Army Corps plays such a substantial role in inland waterway infrastructure, Waterways Council President and CEO Michael Toohey says he hopes Congress will once again fund above the administrations request as it has done the last three years. Congress has really bought into the idea that we need to modernize and maintain our inland waterways system, he told a gathering of reporters Wednesday in Washington, D.C. WCI is advocating for an increase in the Corps operations and maintenance account, which received $3.1 billion FY 2016. The group also wants to see the monies in the Inland Waterways Trust Fund be allocated to their intended use, which would allocate $390 million in FY 2017 to four primary navigation construction projects: Olmsted ($225 million); Lower Monongahela ($66 million); Kentucky Lock ($52 million); Chickamauga ($19 million); and a major rehabilitation project at the LaGrange Lock ($28 million). Lastly, WCIs third FY 2017 priority involves $10 million in pre-construction engineering and design funding for the Navigation Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP). Toohey said the current lack of funding for NESP is a tragedy, adding that he thinks it should be poster child of the Corps civil works mission because of its joint environmental and infrastructure benefits. The Panama Canal is currently undergoing an expansion that will allow for bigger shipments, and Toohey said that could potentially lead to greater export competition from South America. He is worried that if the inland waterways system and other American infrastructure segments arent up to snuff, South American improvements in infrastructure might lead to more exports from countries like Brazil, Argentina, and Columbia once the larger ships allowed by the improved canal start looking for timely grain from inland production. Like what you see on the Agri-Pulse website? See even more ag and rural policy news when you sign up for a four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription. The group also has a set of other goals for the upcoming year, primarily to oppose any further legislative changes to user fees or potential closures of locks. Last year, operators agreed to a 42 percent increase of a user fee that would go toward repair and maintenance of the system, so WCI is opposed to any additional taxation or fees to the systems users. The group also pledges to fight any legislative closures of locks such as the closure of the Upper Saint Anthony Falls Lock and Dam. Toohey said that closure was initiated to try and stop the spread of Asian carp, but the concession to open up the lock during flood stages the prime migratory season of the fish essentially defeated the purpose. With more than 60 percent of the nations locks at more than 50 years old, the inland waterways system was still able to move 604 million tons of goods in 2014 (the most recent figures available), but users of the system say it is sorely in need of maintenance. #30 For more news, go to www.Agri-Pulse.com March 9, 2016 Russias entrance into the Syrian civil war in September began a large-scale offensive coordinated among Russia, the Syrian army, Hezbollah and Iranian forces against armed organizations opposed to the government of President Bashar al-Assad. The number of Iranian casualties has since dramatically increased, and Western media have speculated about how long Tehran would continue to send what it calls advisers to the frontlines. At a March 9 press conference, Amir Ali Haji-Zadeh, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, rejected all notions about troop withdrawals. Haji-Zadeh said, We are with the people of Syria, but the rate of our help to the government and people of Syria is based on the request of the government of Bashar al-Assad. He added that there has been no suspension in deploying troops to Syria. Haji-Zadeh called the press conference to discuss the IRGCs highly publicized testing of ballistic missiles that day. According to Haji-Zadeh, the missiles were launched from the Alborz Mountains, in the north, and traveled approximately 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) to the southeast of the country. Haji-Zadeh, IRGC commander Mohammad Ali Jaffari and deputy IRGC commander Hossein Salami were present at the launches, the second such tests in two days. US officials have said they plan to respond to the missile tests. It is possible they will apply sanctions against individuals or companies working on Iran's ballistic missiles. UN Security Council Resolution 1929 (2010) prohibits Iran from activities involving ballistic missile technology. Based on Haji-Zadehs comments at the press conference, the IRGC is already expecting a US reaction. However much the enemy increases pressure and sanctions, the response of the IRGC will be increased, he said. After the nuclear deal, the enemy has targeted Irans national security, and the sanctions are meant to weaken Iran. The launches were Irans first ballistic missile tests since the Jan. 16 implementation day for the nuclear deal. The Fars News Agency wrote that the tests were a clear answer to actions taken to counter Irans defensive capabilities. One day after implementation day, the United States sanctioned 11 people and companies affiliated with Irans ballistic missile program. When asked if ballistic missiles were being developed with Israel in mind, Haji-Zadeh said, The Zionist regime is at the end of the line, and its life will not be long. He added, however, I believe that to get rid of the Zionist regime, missiles are not necessary, and over time, they will collapse and fall. The notation Israel will be wiped from the pages of time was written in Hebrew on the missiles. Haji-Zadeh stressed that Iran would not start a war, but that its leaders take its enemies seriously. He said, [The] evils of the Zionist regime are clear for everyone, [and] the reason for designs of missiles with a 2,000-kilometer range is because of [Israel]. He also asserted, however, Our primary enemy is America. The press conference was not without some of the partisan mockery that perhaps exemplifies the two competing political directions in the country. Before the launch, reporters and commanders posed in front of a missile. One IRGC commander reportedly said, Some take pictures with a French Airbus, but we take pictures with Iranian domestic products that are a source of Iranian pride and dignity. The comment was in reference to a photo that went viral showing a group of Iranians posing in front of an Airbus at the Mehrabad airport. With the lifting of sanctions as a result of the efforts of President Hassan Rouhani's administration, Iran is scheduled to buy more than 100 Airbus passenger planes. Some have criticized the individuals for taking part in the picture, accusing them of acting as if it were the first automobile to arrive in the country. March 9, 2016 TEHRAN, Iran When Irans former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stepped aside in 2013 after eight years in office it was clear that he had serious plans for his future. In fact, he had indicated this in a TV interview one year before leaving office, by pointing to his possible presence in Irans next government. The disqualification of his Vice President, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, from the 2013 presidential race, however, prevented this dream from becoming reality. But despite the disqualification of Mashaei, Ahmadinejad had no intention to leave the stage. Soon, he came up with a special plan for the recently held parliamentary elections. In an interview last year, one of his advisers, Abdolreza Davari, revealed that a 5,000-strong cadre had been trained for parliament during Ahmadinejad's time in office. It also came to light that the former president was holding weekly meetings with his previous ministers and advisers in a building in Velenjak, a district in northern Tehran. One of his foreign policy advisers who spoke on condition of anonymity told Al-Monitor, I take part in meetings every Sunday. These sessions are often held on foreign policy issues, but they are not the only meetings. Other individuals in Ahmadinejads inner circle hold similar gatherings on different days. Of course, Ahmadinejad had no serious plans for the parliamentary elections from the start, and his mind is on the 2017 presidential poll instead. The source added, Once I asked him if he had any plans for directly entering the parliamentary stage. His response was no. He said, In government, I was the only person and they created so many problems for us. In parliament, it will be me with 289 other members of parliament. Naturally this will be more difficult. Prior to Irans Feb. 26 parliamentary elections, Ahmadinejad had predicted that the Principlists would suffer a heavy loss, and that even the Reformists third-rate cadres would be able to defeat the Principlists weak list of nominees a prediction that proved to be true. Meanwhile, a look at the performance of the groups close to Ahmadinejad in the recent parliamentary elections shows they were not lacking a plan either. These groups have managed to get their own candidates elected into parliament through small towns. In fact, 11 of Ahmadinejad's former ministers, advisers, deputies and high-ranking managers have found their way into parliaments next term through these towns. Indeed, soon after the election results for Tehran were announced, an intense wave of joy and happiness was witnessed among the groups linked to Ahmadinejad. Posters began circulating online, bearing the slogan The Principlists are nothing without Ahmadinejad. In addition, numerous articles written by Ahmadinejads friends and allies started popping up on different websites, arguing that the main reason for the Principlists heavy loss especially in Tehran was caused by the fact that they had distanced themselves from the former president a point that was also stressed by Ali Akbar Javanfekr, Ahmadinejads former adviser for press affairs. With all the parliamentary leaders of the Principlist movement eradicated in Tehran, analysts began to talk about a Principlist return to Ahmadinejad. Sadegh Zibakalam, an Iranian university professor and analyst said, The Principlists do not have the power to return to power without Ahmadinejad. This idea has, however, not been met warmly within the Principlist movement. In an editorial published on the Khabar Online news website, Mohammad Mohajeri, former editor-in-chief of hard-line newpaper Kayhan, wrote that the main reason that the Principlists lost in the recent parliamentary elections was Ahmadinejads first election as president in 2005. Saeed Ajorloo, the editor of the Principlist magazine Mosalas, also referred to the idea of the Principlists turning back to Ahmadinejad as the worst possible thing. Moreover, in another editorial, Hossein Kanani Moghaddam, the founder of the Green Party, described the main reason for the Principlist loss in the elections as the cost inflicted on their reputation by Ahmadinejad. Yet despite all this, one should not forget that Ahmadinejad is good at playing the political game especially when it comes to the public. By relying on this strength alone, he has managed to get his people into the next parliament, while the Principlists have failed to even predict the defeat that was awaiting them. It is possible that Ahmadinejad is now preparing to enter the 2017 presidential race himself, which could pit him against incumbent President Hassan Rouhani. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the foreign policy adviser to Ahmadinejad told Al-Monitor, I once told Ahmadinejad that it was unlikely that he would get votes and that it is best that he forget about the presidency. He got upset and told me that I only saw Tehran and other big cities, while he enjoyed high popularity in smaller towns. Except for Abolhassan Bani Sadr, the first president after the 1979 Islamic Revolution who was impeached by parliament less than two years into his term, all other presidents in the history of the Islamic Republic have served two terms in office. Based on this and the high voter turnout in the recent parliamentary elections an indication of public satisfaction with Rouhanis performance it will be somewhat risky for Ahmadinejad to enter the 2017 presidential race, in which he would likely have to run against Rouhani, who has the success of the nuclear negotiations behind him. Thus, maybe it is best for Ahmadinejad that he wait another four years and instead run in the 2021 presidential vote. However, some analysts believe that Ahmadinejads actions show that he does not intend to wait. Others believe that his tendency to go against the norm such as his 11-day sulk in 2011 when he refused to show up for work after failing to dismiss his minister of intelligence, or his insistence on supporting Mashaei despite strong criticism from the Principlists as well as clerics will prompt the establishment to prevent his return. Saeed Laylaz, an Iranian journalist and economist, told Al-Monitor, Whether the establishment allows Ahmadinejad to return or not is not important. We have to prevent this ourselves by closing the holes through which he could return, such as manipulating the weaker [social] class and the economically vulnerable and pulling them toward him, something that Mr. Rouhani has until now managed to do well. March 8, 2016 Congress is ramping up its efforts to slap new sanctions on Iran after the country said it conducted multiple ballistic missile launches in defiance of US and international sanctions. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., met with his aides hours after the March 8 announcement to discuss the potential content and timing of legislative action. He and panel member Robert Menendez, D-N.J., have been working for the past month on multi-pronged sanctions legislation and said the latest reports out of Tehran were an incentive to kick things up a notch. "It just means that it's more urgent that we get unified American leadership and international support," agreed Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the panel, who introduced his own legislation on the issue last fall. Congressional impatience is fueled in part by the Obama administration's perceived lack of response to the missile launches. The Treasury Department in January designated 11 entities and individuals linked to Irans ballistic missile program after Tehran conducted two tests last year, but lawmakers say the administration needs to be prodded to do more. Senate Armed Services Committee member Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., called the latest sanctions "pathetic and weak" and said they were having "absolutely no impact." "I would hope" that the United States will impose tougher sanctions on Iran's ballistic missile program, she said during a March 8 hearing with Centcom Commander Lloyd Austin. The Obama administration has indicated no such rush. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the administration is looking into the launches but that it was "too early to determine" if they were a violation. He said the United States would bring the issue to the UN Security Council if called for. "It certainly is possible that Iran could face some consequences for carrying out this action," Earnest said at his daily press briefing. "And we have demonstrated no reluctance to impose sanctions against Iran for conducting ballistic missile tests that are outside of their international obligations." Despite broad bipartisan support for more action, lawmakers have so far been stymied by fallout from the nuclear deal with Iran. While the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action does not preclude the imposition of non-nuclear sanctions, the Obama administration has warned against legislative efforts that Iran may interpret as violating the spirit of the agreement. Lawmakers have been moving to reauthorize legislation targeting Iran's energy sector, the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA), which expires at the end of the year. Republicans and hawkish Democrats, however, are already looking past that bill toward legislation aimed at enforcing restrictions on ballistic missiles as well as the sale of conventional arms. "It may very well be that ISA reauthorization on its own, which I support, may not be enough for many members of the Senate and they'll be looking for other opportunities," Menendez told Al-Monitor. "And in my mind, something that could be reasonably negotiated would be preferable than just an amendment process that could open the doors to things that aren't necessarily thoughtful." The comments are an implicit acknowledgment that lawmakers are having a tough time bridging the gap between opponents and supporters of the deal. Corker and Menendez are trying to thread the needle and come up with the strongest possible language that can survive a potential veto by the administration while avoiding additions from hard-line Republicans that could kill the whole effort. "If we want to send a clear message that because we struck a nuclear agreement with them doesn't mean that they can promote terrorism, export or proliferate ballistic missile technology, that they can violate human rights, that they can destabilize the region, then there have to be actions that ultimately send them that message, and that's what I'm working on," Menendez said. "It will deal with those different categories, and it will deal with them in ways that if Iran continues to violate them, then [we would be] starting off with US consequences and then hopefully, as we have in the past, try to internationalize those consequences." Cardin said he expects the administration to eventually get on board if lawmakers can produce a bipartisan bill. "I've never had a president or an administration who welcomed Congress getting involved in areas where they can act unilaterally they would rather have their discretion; it's normal," he said. "I think Congress would be more prescriptive. And I think they'll agree with us at the end of the day." March 8, 2016 MOSUL DAM, Iraq The day Al-Monitor visited the Mosul Dam in northern Iraq, a team of engineers from Baghdad was making topographical measurements on the side of the site facing the lake. Well, at first glance there seems to be no problem," Ali Faisal, a surface engineer, said. On the other side of the dam, ducks swim in the sun, lulled by the lapping water and whispering wind. If it werent for the sound of heavy machines drilling a soil so unstable it could kill thousands, the scene would be idyllic. The Mosul Dam, formerly known as Saddam Dam, may have become a greater threat than the self-styled Islamic State (IS); that is, if one refers to the alarming warnings sent by US officials to their Iraqi counterparts. On Feb. 28, the US Embassy in Baghdad issued a frightening statement proclaiming that the Mosul Dam, Iraqs largest, faces a serious and unprecedented risk of catastrophic failure with little warning. Depending on the side from which one is looking at it, the 2.2-mile-long (3.6 kilometer) hydroelectric dam looks either like a spaceship sinking into a sky blue sea or a hill populated with a handful of trees. However, its gigantic size and steady appearance is no guarantee of robustness. A rupture would create an inland tsunami-like wave that could result in severe loss of life, mass population displacement, and destruction of the majority of infrastructure, the US fact sheet reads. According to the US Embassy, some models estimate that IS-held Mosul and its 1 million inhabitants, located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southeast of the dam, could be flash flooded by as much as 21 meters (70 feet) of water within hours of the breach. Downriver cities such as Tikrit, Samarra and Baghdad (including the capitals international airport) could be inundated with significant levels of flooding in less than three days. In 2007, the US Army Corps of Engineers had already qualified the Mosul Dam as the most dangerous dam in the world. Now, the United States warns that 500,000 to 1.47 million Iraqis residing along the Tigris River would not survive the impact of such a huge wave of water unless they evacuate the flood zone. Since IS seized large territories across Iraq in summer 2014, maintenance teams have for a time struggled to gain access to the site. In August 2014, the jihadis took control of the dam before losing it less than two weeks later at the hands of Iraqi forces and Kurdish peshmerga fighters, supported by US-led coalition airstrikes. It was a strategic place for them. Thats why it was very important that we take it back, peshmerga Col. Adnan Osman Saleh told Al-Monitor. For the Kurdish officer, the dam represents one of Iraqs most vital key sites as it provides irrigation, water supply and hydropower for millions. It is also one of the most precarious. There is an enormous amount of water behind this dam. If something happens, if there is a disaster, the lives of millions will be at stake. Thats why it is so strategic, Saleh said. According to the United States, the disruption of maintenance operations by IS militants has increased the risk of the dam collapsing. The consensus among expert panels is that the embankment was constructed well and is not the cause for concern. However, the foundation is. The edifice has suffered from structural flaws since its construction as the bedrock upon which it was built is composed of gypsum, anhydrite and limestone, each of which is water soluble, hence undermining the dams core with growing cavities. Since the dam's completion by a German-Italian consortium in 1984, Iraq has sought to fill in the holes developing under the structure with a mixture of cement and other additives, a process known as grouting. We inject cement continuously. We work in three shifts: morning, evening and night, Azim Ibrahim told Al-Monitor. Ibrahim, a technician who has been working at the dam since 2001, confessed that a breach is possible. The danger today is the erosion, he said. We have holes with variable depth. Some are 70 meters [230 feet] deep. According to the US Army Corps of Engineers, the dam would fail without continuous injections of grout into the cavities. On March 2, the Italian Trevi Group signed a contract with a total value of 273 million euros (around $300 million) to assure the maintenance and safety of the Mosul Dam. Along with the 450 Trevi technicians and staff, 450 Italian soldiers will be deployed to Iraq to protect the site. Despite the scheduled arrival of nearly a thousand foreigners, Kurdish military officials, who are in charge of security, remain confident that the Mosul Dam poses no existential threat. If there was any danger, we wouldnt be here right now, Brig. Gen. Bahjat Taymes told Al-Monitor. According to the peshmerga officer, 2,000 Kurdish fighters are currently positioned within the path of the projected flood wave. For Taymes, the real threat is not the dam's unstable foundation, but the enemy standing 20 kilometers (12 miles) away from it. "If this dam falls in the wrong hands, it could be dangerous," he said. For the civilians caught between the Mosul Dam and IS-held territories, there is a similar sense that the mortar shells falling today are a bigger concern than a flood that may happen tomorrow. As the sun sets, lights start sparking on the other side of the trench carved by the peshmerga forces. The first IS positions are only a stone's throw from the Arabic town of Aski Mosul, where rockets landed three days ago. Aski Mosul is next to the Tigris River, which flows into the self-proclaimed IS caliphate, and the town's inhabitants are both threatened by the muddy water and the insurgents deadly blaze. Right now, IS members are three or four kilometers away from us, behind the mountain, Mahmoud Abdulmueen, a father of four, told Al-Monitor. We now have the enemy in front of us and the deep sea behind us, he said, citing the speech of Tariq ibn Ziyad. Perhaps never before was the Muslim general who led the Umayyad Caliphate conquest of Spain quoted so adequately. We are trapped, Abdulmueen added. On the other side of Aski Mosul, inside a building that she shares with a cow, Saba (who did not reveal her full name) has yet to close her shop. Packed with perfumes and inviting lingerie, she believes her tiny business is here to stay. Its not true, the dam will not explode, she said, adding that if a breach occurs after all, she and her family would seek safety on top of the surrounding mountain. There is enough place for everyone. If the dam leaks, we will be fine, she said. For the fierce mother and business owner, the actual menace lies on the other side of the hill, where her satin nighties are a scarce commodity. IS is more dangerous than the dam. IS kills and cuts hands. IS puts people in jail and shoots them in the head. The water is no harm, we are not afraid of it, she said. What we fear is IS. Sebastian Castelier contributed to this report. March 8, 2016 A substantial survey carried out in Israel, East Jerusalem and among Jewish settlers in the West Bank has shown that Arabs Muslim, Christian and Druze are much more religious than Israeli Jews. Two-thirds of Israeli Arabs surveyed by the Pew Research Center said religion is very important in their lives, compared with just 30% of Jews. Israeli Muslims (68%), Christians (57%) and Druze (49%) all are more likely than Jews to say religion is very important to them, the survey concluded. The survey further noted that Muslims in Israel are the most religiously observant of the four major religious groups. A majority (61%) of Muslims say they pray daily, compared with 34% of Christians, 26% of Druze and 21% of Jews. And while 25% of Druze, 27% of Jews and 38% of Christians say they attend religious services at least weekly, roughly half of Israeli Muslims (49%) report that they go to a mosque on at least a weekly basis. Pew found that only 15% of adult Muslims in Israel do not fast during Ramadan. However, Alan Cooperman, director of Religion Research at Pew, told Al-Monitor that overall Arabs in Israel are less religious than in nearby Arab countries. He said, While 59% of Lebanese Muslims are religious, the share of Muslims in Jordan is 85%, and the same in the Palestinian territories while 82% of Iraqis say they are religious. Cooperman added that young Muslims and Christians in Israel are less religious than older Arabs. Muslims in Israel between the ages of 18 and 49 are generally less observant than their elders. For example, those under 50 are less likely than older Muslims to say they pray daily or attend the mosque weekly, he said. Cooperman pointed out that the survey showed that members of all religious groups in Israel are clustered together and do not interact much with people from other religions. Religion/ethnicity is not just a political fault line but a social fault line; they live in the same country but live a separate social life, he said. The survey found that 98% of Israeli Jews said that all or most of their friends are Jews; 75% of Muslims and 80% of Christians said that they are not comfortable with their sons or daughters marrying a fellow Arab from the other religion. According to Cooperman, intermarriage between Jews and Arabs is virtually nonexistent. The Pew survey titled Israels religiously divided society includes interviews with 3,789 Jews, 871 Muslims, 468 Christians and 439 Druze. An additional 34 respondents belong to other religions or are religiously unaffiliated. The face-to-face survey in multiple languages including Arabic, Hebrew and Russian was conducted between October 2014 and May 2015. A worrisome finding came out of the Pew survey in terms of political attitudes toward the other. The survey reported that nearly half of Israeli Jews say Arabs should be expelled or transferred from Israel, including roughly 1 in 5 Jewish adults who strongly agree with this position. Pew researchers asked Jews whether they strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree with the statement that Arabs should be expelled or transferred from Israel. The survey reported that roughly half of Israeli Jews strongly agree (21%) or agree (27%). On the other hand, Palestinian citizens of Israel appear to have hardened their positions in regard to the possibilities of a peaceful outcome of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Arabs in Israel have become increasingly doubtful that a way can be found for Israel and an independent Palestinian state to coexist peacefully. As recently as 2013, roughly three-quarters of Israeli Arabs (74%) said a peaceful two-state solution was possible. As of early 2015, 50% say such an outcome is possible, the survey concluded. The issue of discrimination received much attention in the survey with roughly 8 in 10 Arabs (79%) telling the researchers that there is a lot of discrimination against Muslims in Israel today, while just 21% of Israeli Jews share this view. When it came to personal experiences of discrimination, about 1 in 6 Muslims say they have been questioned by security officials (17%), prevented from traveling (15%), or physically threatened or attacked (15%) because of their religion in the past 12 months, while 13% say they have suffered property damage. Cooperman noted that the Arab minority in Israel talks about other forms of discrimination against women and Mizrahi (Middle Eastern) Jews. We find this in other countries: Minority groups that feel discriminated against are more likely to feel discrimination in all forms and against different groups, he said. When it comes to the peace process, Cooperman said he was intrigued by the fact that Arabs in Israel criticized the Palestinian leadership. While 72% of Arabs said that the Israeli government is not sincere about peace and the two-state solution, a substantial 40% said Palestinians leaders are also not sincere. Cooperman added that while most Jews blamed Palestinian leaders for the failure of the peace process, 40% conceded that Israeli leaders are not sincere. Cooperman reflected on the declining optimism about the two-state solution, saying, The percentage of Israeli Arabs who say a peaceful, two-state solution is possible has dropped by 24 points in just two years from 74% in 2013 to 50% in the latest survey, which was conducted in late 2014 and early 2015. The new poll finds that about 3 in 10 Israeli Arabs think a peaceful two-state solution is not possible." To those following the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and current political and religious trends in Israel, the findings of the Pew research study confirm some of the fear that peace is slipping away. The increase in support for racist attitudes, such as expelling Arabs from Israel, plays clearly into the hands of hard-line Israelis who have very little interest in a historic peace deal based on compromise and the two-state solution. Year after year, surveys of attitudes in Israel reflect a more religious intolerance and, therefore, a more difficult path to peace and coexistence. March 9, 2016 ALEPPO, Syria As soon as the cease-fire between President Bashar al-Assads regime and the opposition went into effect Feb. 27, protesters returned to Syria's streets, bringing to mind the first protests staged five years ago calling for freedom and the overthrow of the government. In March 2011, the southern city of Daraa became the spark that lit the flame of the revolution. Soon after, protests spread to most of the country's cities, from the coast all the way to Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and al-Jazeera. Back then, the regime failed to tame the demonstrations by firing live bullets at protesters and as the death toll rose, tensions escalated and anger boiled over, intensifying the uprising. The revolution turned from a peaceful movement into an armed rebellion after the regime turned to military options, including the deploying tanks in cities and towns. The country later became the stage for international competition, especially after the Islamic State moved to take advantage of the chaos in the country in April 2013. The sound of bullets and the international communitys focus on fighting IS muffled the protesters cries. Now the demonstrators are back following the extendable two-week cease-fire agreement sponsored by the United States and Russia. Despite some violations, the number of airstrikes and the shelling in most regions has declined substantially, allowing for the return of the peaceful Syrian revolution. At demonstrations in Aleppo and its countryside, Idlib, Daraa and the Ghouta area surrounding Damascus, protesters can be heard chanting, The revolution continues. On March 4, protests were staged in 104 locations, a level of mobilization unheard of for some time now. These days, the city of Aleppo is experiencing a calm it has not seen since the battle moved into its streets more than three years ago. There are no warplanes in the sky, and the sound of explosions that had become so familiar is no longer heard. Only the devastation and rubble remain to tell the story of the difficult days that befell this weary city. Some 300,000 people remain in the Aleppo neighborhoods controlled by the opposition, about half of the city. In 2005, some 2.3 million people lived in Aleppo. Although most residents have been displaced by shelling and bombing by regime and Russian forces, the city has managed to muster several protests since the cease-fire began. Al-Monitor attended a protest organized by activists in Aleppo's Bab al-Hadeed neighborhood March 4 and saw firsthand the protesters' enthusiasm, which recalled the early days of the revolution. Demonstrators raised the flag of the revolution as well as a large banner that read Long live Syria and down with Assad. On the sidelines of the protests, Shamel al-Ahmad, one of the organizers, told Al-Monitor, I am overjoyed. We are protesting today just like we did back in 2011, but without bullets, and the security forces are not here to repress us. According to Ahmad, five years after the outbreak of the revolution, many Syrians have given up hope of the international community helping them achieve their demands. When asked about the reasons behind the demonstration, he said, We came to confirm that our revolution is ongoing, no matter what happens. We are a resilient and determined people, and we will not back down from our demands: a free Syria for all Syrians and free of Assad and terrorism. Thousands of martyrs have fallen, which makes us more determined not to back off on our rightful and legitimate demands. During each stage of the revolution, protesters have issued new demands, among them the rejection of terrorism and IS. What is remarkable about the renewed demonstrations, however, is that the slogans from the beginning of the revolution are still being used, including The people want to bring down the regime and Syria is ours, not Assads. In Aleppo, field paramedic Huzaifa Dahman brandished a poster that read, Clear out Bashar. We stick with the slogans we raised at the outbreak of the revolution in 2011, which confirms that we will not back down on our demands and will not allow anyone to distort our revolution and the demands for which we took to the streets. Our revolution started in the squares and is now coming back to the squares, Dahman told Al-Monitor. Our revolution is peaceful. It had to be militarized to confront the regimes repression. We stick to our demands: freedom and bringing down the Assad regime. If the cease-fire ends, it is unlikely the protests will continue, for fear of being shelled. Syrians see the truce as a chance to make their voices heard around the world and to reiterate that the revolution continues. March 8, 2016 On March 4, Kadir Has University released the results of Public perceptions on gender roles and the status of women in Turkey study. Data gathered from 1,200 people in 26 districts show that for 77.8% of respondents, the most important problem women face in Turkey is violence. Among female participants, other burning issues included inequality (41.8%), lack of education (34.8%), peer pressure (30.7%) and family pressure (26.5%). The study showed that 64.8% of female participants are currently unemployed and 70.2% have never held a job. In one of the most striking findings, 72.2% of women responded negatively to the question Would you like to work? The women cited as needing the following to consider working: 47.9% father/husband/family permission, 41.5% education and 27.9% a safe working environment. This documented hesitance of women to work is compelling evidence of the effects of a patriarchal culture, work environments unfavorable to a healthy balance with family life and internalized gender roles. But since everything is highly politicized in Turkey, a sane debate on any issue is rarely possible. The proponents and opponents of the ruling government interpret such figures through their own political lenses. The first group emphasizes legal improvements toward greater gender equality and slight increases in labor force participation over the years as remarkable successes. The latter group focuses on highlighting the governments failures to address womens issues in Turkey. One thing is clear, according to the Global Gender Gap Report of 2015: Turkey ranks 130th out of 145 countries on this issue. In a written statement on the occasion of International Womens Day, the Turkish Industry and Business Association reminded Turkey that 33.6% female labor participation is very low, and that 11.5 million women cannot join the workforce due to obligations at home. Turkey also has a huge problem with unregulated informal work by women. Turkish Family Minister Sema Ramazanoglu recently cited early marriage, underemployment and a lack of access to education as the main drivers of female poverty. The latest data from the Turkish Statistics Institute confirms that increases in womens education equals higher participation in the workforce, as 71.3% of those with post-graduate degrees work. But the literacy rate among women remains a fifth of that among men. In 2014, 9.2% of women could not read or write in Turkey, versus 1.8% of men. Nevertheless, efforts directed at solving the education problem have proven insufficient without simultaneous addressing of related issues. Dad, send me to school, an award-winning project initiated by the Dogan Group in 2005 and undertaken by the Aydin Dogan Foundation in 2015, aims to create equal educational opportunities for young girls across Turkey. Hanzade Dogan Boyner, the head of the organization, explained in a recent interview with Haber Hurriyeti, Even if we opened a school at each corner and gave each girl a scholarship, we can't solve this problem without changing mindsets. A study called Research on problems and obstacles for the promotion of women working in the service sector, published by the Women and Democracy Association (KADEM) Feb. 16, provides a thorough analysis of the problems that working women in Turkey face. It focuses on the education, health and financial sectors, in which women are heavily represented. It surveyed 2,040 women working in 306 institutions equally representing schools, hospitals and banks in 12 different cities. Family responsibility, working hours that are more convenient for men than women and the role of social relationships are cited as some problems that keep women in low positions or out of work. Furthermore, the report stated, It is a matter of fact that womens personal choice has been colored by the traditional social norms through their socialization process. Regardless of whether they are officially employed, the burden of housework always falls on women. The Kadir Has study shows that for women in Turkey, important determinants of life satisfaction include the quality of their relationships with their husbands and their husbands' happiness. In that light, 35.3% of women responded positively to Women should not work without their husbands permission. Being a good spouse and mother matters a lot in Turkey. The lack of widely available child care in Turkey often leaves women to solve this essential need on their own. Accordingly, the KADEM report states that 61.4% of women are opposed to working after they become mothers. Among married working women, 53.2% believe that women with small children should not work. Academic Ipek Ilkkaracan points out that the majority of women in Turkey participate in the labor market at some point, but only for a couple of years. The problem there, writes Ilkkaracan, is weak labor force attachment. Turkey still has a long way to go, and it is important to remember the wide variety of womens experiences and preferences. United efforts by the private and public sectors should continue, and more brave role models are needed to help build a more positive trajectory for women. There has been so much exhausting tension in Turkey lately, it almost makes a person dare to be an optimist about future for a change. Dolly Parton.png Dolly Parton Country Music Hall of Famer Dolly Parton will tour more than 60 cities in the United States and Canada this year. It is her biggest tour is more than 25 years. It's unclear if she will make an appearance in Alabama. Parton's set-list will include her classic hits as well as new songs from her double-disc album "Pure & Simple." According to the announcement, Parton will be performing some songs she hasn't played live in decades. "We're so excited to get out there and see the fans again. I'm really looking forward to singing songs the fans have not heard in a while, as well as the hits, while debuting a few new ones off 'Pure & Simple'," Parton said. "Pure & Simple with Dolly's Biggest Hits" 2-CD set will include all new material as well as a compilation of Parton's biggest hits. A track listing for "Pure & Simple" will be announced soon. The recent TV movie, "Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors," attracted a network record of more than 15.8 million viewers and was the most watched movie on network TV in more than three years. The movie will be released on DVD on May 3. Tour dates haven't been announced yet. Old Skool Summer Fest at Tuscaloosa Amphitheater Salt-N-Pepa, who performed at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater for the Old Skool Summer Fest in August 2013, will return to the venue with the "I Love the 90s" tour on Friday, May 20, 2016. (Ben Flanagan/al.com) If you love some 1990s rap and R&B, hit up the on Friday, May 20. Vanilla Ice, Salt-N-Pepa with Spinderella, Color Me Badd, All-4-One and Coolio & Young MC will perform at the venue that Friday at 7 p.m, with doors opening at 6, as the "I Love the 90s" tour makes a stop in the Druid City. Tickets go on sale on Friday at 10 a.m. They ranged from $51 to $100. . Salt-N-Pepa last performed at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater in August 2013 when they Vanilla Ice last performed in Tuscaloosa in August 2003 in the Student Recreation Center parking lot for the University of Alabama welcome back concert for students. Coolio last performed in Tuscaloosa at UA's welcome back concert at the Ferguson Center Plaza in August 2005. Dr. William Owen Baldwin, one of Montgomery's most prominent residents, opposed secession from the Union before the start of the Civil War. But once fighting began, Baldwin, like most other residents, signed an oath of allegiance to the Confederacy, according to Montgomery historian Mary Ann Neeley. Baldwin (1818-1886) would lose a lot in the war. His 19-year-old son, William Baldwin Jr., was killed in the Battle of Franklin. But the doctor kept his reputation and his wealth. In the late 1870s, as the South was being rebuilt, Baldwin created a building boom of his own when he ordered four homes built on Montgomery's South Perry Street, and another behind them, Neeley said. These were in addition to the home he shared with his wife, Celia, located about a block away. The Perry Street homes were built as gifts for the Baldwins' four daughters - Mary Hinson Baldwin Williams, born 1853; Jean "Jennie" Patton Baldwin Craik, born 1855; Cecile Fitzpatrick Baldwin Maxwell, born 1858; and Alma Ann Baldwin Bolton, born 1868. The home behind them was for their brother, Marion Augustus "Gus" Baldwin. There is no record that Baldwin ever built a home for his other surviving son, Abram "Martin" Baldwin. The older Baldwin sisters were in their 20s when they became homeowners, but Cecile was only 19 when building began and Alma was only 9. She would have been 11 when "her" home was completed in 1879 but Neeley said she never lived in it. Neeley took a guess at Baldwin's reasons for building the homes: "Probably because he was getting old himself and he wanted his daughters to all have a place to live. It was a very unsettled period of time. Who knows what his reasoning was?" According to James Fuller with the Alabama Department of Archives and History, another of Baldwin's accomplishments was helping plan the development of the City of Birmingham in a meeting in the back room of his Montgomery bank. Former slave James Hale built the homes Baldwin and his slave, Jim Hale, had a close relationship, Neeley said. According to family lore, Baldwin freed Hale before the Civil War. During the war, Hale often followed William Baldwin Jr., called Willie, into battle to ensure his safety. Hale would deliver items such socks and eggs to the young man, who was promoted quickly through the ranks and became a captain at age 18. When Willie died a week after his 19th birthday, Hale went to the battlefield in Franklin, Tenn., to retrieve his body and return it to Montgomery for burial. Willie is buried in Oakwood Cemetery near his parents, and not far from the graves of Jim Hale and his wife, Neeley said. Baldwin recognized Hale's skill as a builder and rewarded his loyalty. "After the war, Baldwin set Jim Hale up in business," Neeley said. "He had talent and skill and was trustworthy. He became one of the city's major contractors." At one point, Hale was the wealthiest black man in Montgomery, she said. The sisters get married Before the Perry Street homes were completed, Jennie married G.W. Craik in 1875. Her older sister, Mary, married around the same time, to William Etheldred Williams. The two elder sisters lived with their husbands in the houses for a time, Neeley said, quoting the book, "Deep Family," written by Baldwin descendants. However, neither Cecile nor Alma ever lived in the homes built for them. Cecile would later marry William Christopher Maxwell in 1889 and Alma married Channing Moore Bolton in 1894. The houses today South Perry Street has changed a lot in 137 years. It is now bordered by a largely abandoned business district, including several empty and graffiti-covered office complexes. But South Perry Street itself is still lined with stately historic homes. Across from the Four Sisters homes is Knox Hall, a Greek Revival mansion built in the 1840s by William Knox. The street is also home to the massive campus of First Baptist Church, built from 1905-1923, and the distinctive 1890 Kennedy-Sims House at 556 S. Perry St. Much farther along, the historic Governor's Mansion is located at 1142 S. Perry St. Today, three of the Four Sisters houses are used for offices, while the fourth is for sale. Here is a listing: 420 S. Perry Street (beige Italianate), for sale. 416 S. Perry Street (gray Italianate), the Belcher Agency Inc, insurance firm 410 S. Perry Street (blue Victorian), adult singles ministry offices for First Baptist Church 402 S. Perry Street, (yellow Victorian), Robert D. Reynolds Attorney at Law. For information on the sale home, contact Marie Scarborough at RE/MAX Tri-Star at 334-322-1391 or Mariess613@gmail.com, or visit her website. This is a new feature on historic homes for sale across the South. You can submit a house to be featured at kkazek@al.com. Criteria for consideration: The home must be at least 100 years old. It should be abandoned or neglected, or it can be a renovated home that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Find Kelly Kazek on Facebook or follow her Odd Travels and Real Alabama boards on Pinterest. If the drone drama "Eye in the Sky" is trying to stress the point that there are no easy answers in war, then its mission can be considered accomplished. If, on the other hand, it is trying to say something insightful, something we don't already know, then it's considerably less of a success. That's not to say director Gavin Hood's message movie is without its moments of drama and suspense. It also boasts an impressive cast that includes an Oscar winner (Helen Mirren, of "The Queen"); an Oscar nominee (Barkhad Abdi, of "Captain Phillips"); a three-time Emmy winner (Aaron Paul, of "Breaking Bad"); and a Golden Globe winner (Alan Rickman), in one of his last big-screen roles before his death in January. All help breathe life into the film's otherwise barely developed characters. But while the fast-starting "Eye in the Sky" feels both timely and important -- and knows it -- it doesn't really add much to the debate over the use of drones in America's ongoing war on terror. Instead, between its moments of genuine tension, it spins its wheels and talks the issue to death. By the time it arrives at its poignant conclusion, precious little has been gained intellectually. What Hood ("Ender's Game," "X-Men Origins: Wolverine") and company try to do with their film is put viewers in the shoes of the high-ranking military and government officials who must make life-or-death decisions in the fog of war, and often with less-than-perfect intelligence. For audiences, the prevailing question becomes, "What would you do?" In this case, Mirren plays the British military commander of a joint U.S.-British drone mission targeting a group of operatives of the terrorist group Al-Shabab in Nairobi, Kenya. She's in constant contact with Rickman, a military liaison to Britain's civilian government leaders who must sign off on any complications or irregularities should they occur. (Which, of course, they do.) She's also in contact with Paul, who plays an American Air Force member piloting the mission from an air-conditioned bunker at Creech Air Force Base in the Nevada desert. While they're all a world away from one another, they share the same central goal, which on the surface is pretty cut and dried: kill the bad guys. But it's not quite that simple. It rarely is. Turns out, they've been tracking this particular group of baddies -- which, just to complicate matters, includes a radicalized American and a radicalized British citizen -- for years now. Finally, though, thanks to no small amount of persistence, they've got a bead on their most-wanted suspects. What's more, they've apparently done so just in the knick of time to thwart a potentially catastrophic pair of suicide bombings. (Also helping: miniature remote control cameras, one resembling a songbird and another disguised a beetle, that help them go behind enemy lines and literally peek into the bad guys' windows. If you're anything like me, these gadgets will strike you as ridiculous Hollywood inventions, but it turns out -- somewhat awesomely, somewhat frighteningly -- that they are inspired by real tools in various stages of development.) But just as Mirren gives the no-brainer of an order to loose a drone-mounted Hellfire missile at the bad guys' urban hideout, a young girl walks into the blast zone and begins selling bread. Thus the film's central moral tangle: Is the very real risk of a civilian death acceptable if it also means they will be saving counting other lives? Of course, it shouldn't matter if it's an innocent child or an innocent adult. An innocent life is an innocent life. In that regard, there's a certain shameless lack of subtlety to the use by Hood's film of a sweet little girl as its central narrative device. Movies are, by their very nature, a mass manipulation of an audience's emotion, but they work better if they do their manipulation invisibly, which isn't exactly the case here. But even if audiences are aware that they're being manipulated by "Eye in the Sky," it doesn't make the situation at hand any less complicated. That's because there is no binary, yes-or-no answer. Rather, there are a wealth of hypotheticals and contingencies to consider, and Hood's film attempts to talk through all of them. And talk. And talk. Despite the occasional outbreak of tension, it all ends up becoming repetitive as "Eye in the Sky" gets bogged down in the morality of it all, spinning its wheels for long stretches. Maybe that's part of the point. In one scene, Mirren's character chides a colleague for his heming and hawing. "It's obvious to anyone not trying to avoid making a decision," she snaps. He's not the only one. There's a lot of hemming, hawing and general CYA-ing going on as character after character tries to squirm out of making the tough call. It's hard to blame them. At the same time, it also makes it hard to stay fully invested in the story. Last week, moviegoers saw the release of the action-thriller "London Has Fallen," which also includes the use of drone warfare as a narrative element. The difference between that film and "Eye in the Sky" is that "London Has Fallen" puts an emphasis on kinetic energy and shows absolutely no interest in slowing down to explore the moral ambiguities of drone warfare. "Eye in the Sky," on the other hand, errs in the opposite direction. Maybe one day we'll get a film that manages to balance both with equal deftness. ___________ EYE IN THE SKY 2 stars, out of 5 Cast: Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman, Aaron Paul, Barkhad Abdi, Phoebe Fox. Director: Gavin Hood. Rating: R for some violent images and language. Running time: 1 hour 42 minutes. Activists in the W African country raise awareness among children and adults about risks of centuries-old tradition. Kolda, Senegal For many in Senegal, especially women, the centuries-old custom of female genital mutilation (FGM) is linked to religion. This is one misconception that one awareness campaign here is trying to dispel by using imams and community leaders as communicators. The campaigners go to different villages in southern Senegal to talk to adults and children directly. They conduct interactive workshops in a bid to raise awareness and allow participants to share their stories through art. In one class, students are huddled around a black clay pot turned upside down. On it, they draw their stories of FGM and child marriages. Its a way for them to process what they or people close to them have gone through. It serves as therapy and we try to help explain their rights to them, says Mariama Djarama Jo, a community social worker and activist. She comes from a family of circumcisers, and is also a victim of FGM. Mariama chose not to subject her daughters to FGM and has been actively persuading people in her family to follow suit which they have. More than 200 million girls and women around the world are affected by the practice. According to the World Health Organization, the highest concentration of cases are in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia The West African country of Senegal is one of them despite a ban that was enforced in 1999. Mariama has been working with different local and international groups to spread awareness, especially about the health risks associated with the banned practice. In the south of Senegal, up to 85 percent of women and girls have undergone FGM, or cutting, as it is also called. Certain tribes are still holding on to the practice as they see it as a tradition they must continue to purify their girls. The women who do the circumcision dont know about the health problems many girls go through because of this. And they need to know, Mariama says. If a girl got hemorrhage [bleeding] the women would say it was some mystical disease. That means that those women dont know the danger of inflammation of the body after circumcision. Mariama also points out the dangers of the knives being used to perform the custom: It can happen that during 15 to 40 years of practice they use the same knife without sterilising it. Culture not religion The campaigner said the ban was a welcome step but she wished that the awareness campaigns about the risks had started before it came into force. Its deeply rooted in the culture. It existed even before Islam came here. Even the law, or prison, cannot stop the practice because people will say its their culture and tradition. Often when women who perform FGM are reported to the police and are jailed for a few months but this doesnt change anything according to Mariama. Once they come out they will continue, because thats how they earn their money. This practice of circumcision is ravaging our children, especially in our region. We have the most elevated numbers of mothers dying giving birth here in Kolda. We also have the highest rate of AIDS in Kolda. It is all due to circumcision, that we have the highest rates of all of this in Kolda. Still, she says she remains hopeful that the campaign will succeed even if it will take over 20 years. We have started to educate the young generation and when the older generation goes away, the practice will stop, Mariama says. This custom stopped with me The initiative to fight FGM is run by World Vision in collaboration with Sister Fa, a Senegalese female rapper based in Berlin. For the last three years, Sister Fa has been conducting workshops with children, parents, local rappers and the wider community to raise awareness about childrens rights especially for girls and the dangers of cutting. Sister Fa is a victim of FGM herself and feels very strongly about it. Growing up I had so much pain and anger inside me towards my mother as I did not understand why she did it to me, she says. I thought that she didnt love me. Now I understand that she thought she was doing the right thing as she too went through it. The rapper is the mother of a 10-year-old girl, and she cannot imagine anything similar happening to her child. This custom stopped with me. I will carry on educating mothers and children about their right to their bodies and how this practice is harmful to them, she says. Abdirahman and Mariam, two 10-year-olds from a school in Madina Sharif village in Kolda, have been part of the project for the last two years. Abdirahman, an eloquent, outgoing five-grader says the campaign has played a huge role in his education. If he gets a daughter when he grows up, he says he will not allow her to go through FGM. If my wife insists on doing it to my child I will leave her, he says firmly. Mariam had FGM done to her when she was a little girl. She also lost her baby sister, aged only one, following complications after she was cut. Almost every child that we encountered in Kolda knew someone that died after being cut. Abdirahman points out that even one of the awareness campaign NGO workers lost his baby girl to FGM. He is against FGM, but his wife did it behind his back and the baby bled to death, he says. This too was a common tale told to us by locals. The women are the victims of FGM, but often they are also the main culprits that carry on the tradition due to social pressures and lack of knowledge and education. Mariam wants to be a police woman when she grows up. She believes education is key to changing things. As a police woman I will be able to fight against FGM and fight for girls education. One day I will have my own baby, and because I know how it feels to have it done and I have lost my baby sister to it, I will not do this to my own child. It will end here. Cambridge, UK Its hard to believe this long, dark basement room at Cambridge University Library holds thousands of years of heady thought from religion to physics, anatomy to evolution. Peer through the dimness, into the glass cases and youll see some rare treasures from the librarys collection of eight million items. To mark its 600th birthday manuscripts, books, tools, bones and drawings are coming out from the cold, light-controlled storage rooms so the public can have a look. Librarian Emily Dourish put together Lines of Thought: Discoveries that Changed the World which opens on Friday and runs until September 20. She wants visitors to leave inspired just as the scientists, writers and deep thinkers on show were inspired by the thoughts that came before them. Her favourite object? The Gutenberg Bible, the first Western European book 1455 to be printed using movable type. It set off a printing revolution in the West that changed everything. It meant that books were no longer just for people living in monastic orders or the wealthy. It meant that ideas could spread around Europe. Dourish explained. The paper was made from squashed-up rags that were formed into a papier mache consistency, Dourish said, lifting a page to show the thick, stiff paper. It lasts much longer than paper made from wood pulp which is more acidic. With so many rare books and manuscripts its impossible for the Cambridge librarians to know everything. They are constantly learning from scholars and academics who visit to study the works. Paul Needham, an expert based at Princeton University, in the US, explained to Dourish that the markings on the bibles margins what we now call hashtags would have been used to help the printer remember where to stop and start. Around 180 bibles were produced in Mainz in 1454-55 by Johannes Gutenberg. Only about 15 remain. The bible is written in Latin with two even rows on each page. The illuminations drawings and coloured letters were drawn by hand after the bible had been printed. The exhibitions medical section, Illustrating Anatomy, is particularly fascinating. Anna Jones, Whipple Librarian at the Department of History and Philosophy of Science, talked me through the case which holds a box of frightening tools used for dissection in the 19th century and a book about anatomy given to the library by Thomas Lorkyn (1528-1591), a professor of physics, who carried out the first human dissection in England in 1565. The body was that of a criminal who had been hanged. They had to work quickly because there was no way to preserve the body, Jones said. Can you imagine the smell? Some of the pages in the thick, leather-bound book are stained which makes Jones think it was heavily used in dissection theatres; part of Cambridges medical the training required doctors to attend two dissections. The boxwood figure next to an ivory skeleton were given to the library in 1591 by a leading London surgeon. They would have been used by medical students in the 16th century. Librarian Emily Dourish noted the figures poignant expression, perhaps as a result of his skin having been peeled away. Below, you can see what librarians refer to as the worlds first pop-up book. Published in Switzerland in 1543 Andreas Vesaliuss book contained an ingenious detachable cut-out manikin to allow students to build their own human with multiple layers of organs. In the section devoted to Technical Revolutions in Communications are some 3,000-year-old oracle bones from China. Charles Aylmer, head of the Chinese department at the library, had a 3D-printed copy of one of the bones made to better explain how the process worked. On one side of the cow bones heat was applied, causing it to crack. The lines from the crack on the other side were then read like tea leaves or a palm by a diviner to predict the future. The most common question was: will anything happen in the next 10 days? because that was the equivalent of their week, Aylmer explained. The diviner typically asked two questions, Aylmer said. For instance, Shall we sacrifice an ox? Shall we not sacrifice an ox? If the answers didnt contradict each other then theyd take it as correct. The oracle bones are some of the earliest written artefacts in the library and contain the oldest known records of Chinese script. They date from the Shang dynasty which ruled central China from the 16th to the 11th Century BCE. Yasmin Faghihi is in charge of the librarys Middle Eastern department and is responsible for 4,500 rare manuscripts, including a number of works in the exhibition. Below is the 17th century copy of the first known Islamic anatomical text to include full-body illustrations, Mansur ibn Ilyass 1386 Tasrih-I mansuri. Faghihi took me behind the scenes to see what happens when a scholar comes to Cambridge to study a rare work.She rolls a trolley in the cold rooms filled with movable shelves and collects a 1535 treatise on Islamic ritual law, written in Spanish and a fragment of an 8th century Quran. Once in the hushed reading room Faghihi carefully nestles the fragment and manuscript onto soft, neutral-coloured cushions filled with cotton wool. The 8th century fragment, probably from a Damascus mosque, with its brown edges and bumpy surface, sits open. Faghihi opens the treatise and puts a cotton rope across; its called a snake and is filled with lead weights. You need to keep the book open so they can be studied but with old books they shouldnt be opened too much. The snakes help to distribute the weight evenly and there are no sharp edges, Faghihi explained. The 8th century fragment has been digitised so scholars can access it online. But Faghihi said theres nothing like coming face to face with a manuscript. Its real, its there in front of you. You can touch it. They have a smell and it makes you realise that this is history, someone wrote this, she said. But as not everyone can get to Cambridge, even for the sexcentenary year, the library is looking for donors to support digitisation. Theyve got the high-tech tools needed to photograph each page but its time-consuming and expensive for an expert librarian to research and input all the information needed to go with the images. With 600 years of collecting theres plenty more to see in the show: notebooks of Charles Darwin, Isaac Newtons annotations, written in Latin, the scholarly language at the time. You can download a free iPad app: Words That Changed the World. And theres much more on the Cambridge University Library website. Some worry the marine park will prevent them from feeding their families and say it is a form of colonialism. Easter Island, Chile The Rapa Nui of Easter Island are a people of the ocean born beside it, raised on it and fed by it. Now, debate has arisen about how best to protect it. WATCH: The Fight for Rapa Nui The Pew Charitable Trusts, a Washington-based NGO, is working to create the first generation of fully protected marine parks around the world, including one surrounding Easter Island that would stop illegal fishing and protect the 140 species exclusive to its waters. But many island residents, especially the indigenous Rapa Nui that make up half of the 6,000 people living there, are worried that the park and reserve will do more damage than good. A reserve would stretch 50 nautical miles (92km) around the island, and allow for some economic activity, such as fishing, on a restricted basis. From there, the park would extend to 200 nautical miles (370km), prohibiting all economic activity. Fishermen such as Maea Pakarati, 20, say they worry that these regulations will prevent them from feeding their families, and possibly from making a living. Most tuna are caught beyond 50 nautical miles, says Pakarati, which would make it hard to bring in enough fish on each trip. Bolstering state control Forrest Wade Young, a lecturer in political science and anthropology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, said the development of a marine park managed by international organisations rather than self-determined by the Rapa Nui is in violation of numerous articles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Among those articles is their right to freely pursue their own economic, social and cultural development, as well as to conserve and protect their own lands, territories and resources. The state construction of a marine park, Young said, should be understood as a political strategy to bolster state control and increase Rapa Nui dependency in standard colonial terms that is not only legally wrong, but disgraceful and disgusting in a 21st century that is supposed to be post-colonial. Sensitivity to state dependency is high among the Rapa Nui people, some of whom said they do not consider themselves Chilean and refer to non-indigenous residents of the island as continentals. Many claimed that the countrys 1888 annexation of the island has been made void by Chiles repeated violation of the agreement made at the time. Maximiliano Bello, a spokesman for PEW, said that their organisation has been working with the Rapa Nui people on the marine park for the last four years, and would never pursue anything they didnt agree to. The Rapa Nui are a very strong and well-organised community and it would be very difficult to convince them or the government to do something they didnt want to do, Bello said. Rafael Tuki Tepano, an elected representative to the National Indigenous Development Corporation and a member of the Rapa Nui Parliament, which is trying to obtain greater autonomy for Easter Island, told the Chilean news site El Desconcierto in October that the request for a marine park was not truly an initiative of the Rapa Nui people, but rather a packaged proposal from PEW that simulated representation. We want to protect the ocean and avoid illegal fishing and depredation, Tuki told the newspaper, but with respect to the autonomy and benefit of the rights of the Rapa Nui people, and not a foreign, transnational NGO. Leviante Araki, the president of the Rapa Nui Parliament, said that they plan to fight the marine park in the near future, but did not say how they would go about doing so. Learning from the ancestors In August 2015, Mesa del Mar, a committee of Rapa Nui responsible for determining the best ways to protect the islands waters and which has been working with PEW, sent the proposal for the park and reserve to President Michelle Bachelet. Bachelet announced her approval of it in October. The Rapa Nui people will cast a final vote later this year, which would legitimise her presidential decree. Sara Roe, the president of the Mesa del Mar, said she expects it to pass because people care about protecting the islands waters. We want to make it so only Rapa Nui are fishing here, she said, and other people and freighters cant come in to fish. We only want ancestral fishing. Easter Island mayor Pedro Edmunds Paoa said the marine park fundamentally adheres to an age-old Rapa Nui fishing practice called tapu their ancestors version of a hunting season. Why cant we go back and copy that way of living? he asked. In doing so we can have an abundant amount of fish. People dont know their history or understand the objective, which is to protect one part so the other part can live. This is not a prohibition. Poky Tane Haoa Hey, a representative for the Commission for the Development of Easter Island, said he suspects that the park might result in foreign industry in the area. A similar worry was realised in 2012, when members of the Hito clan claimed that they were forced off ancestral land to make way for a German-owned hotel. PEW believes in conservation, and I believe in conservation, Hey said. I believe in my people, PEW believes in my people, and PEW believes that they can provide the necessary tools. But I dont believe in their agenda. PEWs Bello said one goal of the marine park was to stop illegal fishing that their satellite data shows is probably happening. But Hey said he wanted to see more studies done of the islands waters to make a more informed decision, and he thinks an alternative solution one that protects marine life as well as the local fishing industry in a way that allows the Rapa Nui to look after its own waters can still be found. Roe said the Mesa del Mar continues to work with Easter Island commission, PEW and other institutions within the Chilean government to ensure that is the case. Im not saying no to the park and Im not saying yes to the park, Hey said. Im saying we need to find a balance. Who are the often nameless victims of drone strikes in Afghanistan? The food stand was completely destroyed. So, too, was the body of its owner, 21-year-old Sadiq Rahim Jan. My brother was torn to pieces. Almost nothing was left of him, says Islam Rahim Jan. It was July 2012 and his death plunged his family into despair and poverty. Sadiq was the familys main breadwinner. His income as the owner of the only food stand in the village of Gardda Zarrai, in the eastern Afghan province of Paktia, provided for his parents and four siblings. Nobody knows why he was targeted in a drone strike. But since 2001, US drone attacks have become a near regular feature of life and cause of death in Afghanistan, particularly in the countrys south and east. According to the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Afghanistan is the most drone-bombed country in the world. Between 2001 and 2013, at least 1,670 drone strikes took place in the country. But accurate data about the impact of those strikes, particularly casualty figures, does not exist. There are a number of reasons for this. On the one hand, the media seems to largely ignore drone warfare and its victims. On the other, there is little political will for transparency, be it in Washington or Kabul. In 2013, a United Nations report on drone strikes in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen pointed out that the clandestine nature of US drone strikes hinders evaluation of their impact on civilians. So the names and stories of many of the victims remain unknown to all but their families. Compounding this invisibility is the fact that the limited media coverage is often inaccurate. When Sadiq was killed, several national media outlets reported that a Taliban commander had been killed by a drone strike in Gardda Zarrai. Its really hard to pin down in these sorts of cases whether this is deliberate misinformation by someone with a malicious motive, or if its an honest mistake, says Jack Serle of the bureau, who has spent years studying drone strikes. In my experience, police and army officials and provincial government officials are generally the main journalistic sources for this kind of information. But it is not often clear where they get their information [from], says Serle. In the past, these kinds of people have told me they get intelligence from the NDS, the Afghan intelligence service, who gets it from the US. But thats not always going to be the case. Sadiqs family say they were outraged when Radio Azadi, an Afghan branch of the US governments external broadcast services, and other national news platforms connected their son to a group with which they say he had no affiliation. In fact, they say, Sadiq had never been involved with any armed group. But in the days and weeks after Sadiq was killed, they say, not a single journalist visited their village to collect facts or talk to the people who knew him. The family turned to the local police and army. But, although they expressed their regret over Sadiqs death, they told his family not to take any further action. In fact, they just want to silence my family because such war crimes show the Afghan government and the United States in a bad light, says Farhad Khan, Sadiqs cousin who lives in Germany and now tries to provide financial support to the family. Until today, Sadiqs family have not received any explanation as to why their son was killed or why he was subsequently classified as a member of the Taliban. He welcomed me like a brother [when I would visit Afghanistan], Farhad remembers, adding that they became best friends. The whole village, from young to old, respected and loved Sadiq. He was a charming and charismatic person who believed in peace, love and freedom, Farhad says. For that reason, it feels so wrong for all these people that he is just remembered as a terrorist by the rest of the world. Photographing the victims It was cases like Sadiqs the nameless, faceless drone victims described as members of the Taliban with no supporting evidence that made Noor Behram, a photojournalist from North Waziristan, the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan, set out to explore the scenes of drone strikes. I started with my investigation in 2007, when it was reported that an aerial attack killed al-Qaeda-linked militants, Behram says. But I found torn womens clothing, which was evidence that civilians were killed too. From that time on, he has visited the site of drone strikes as soon after an attack as possible. Travelling on a motorbike, he photographs the scene and victims and speaks to witnesses. He noticed that all that seemed to be required for the Pakistani and international media to describe a male victim as a member of the Taliban was that he had long hair and a beard a common look among many Pashtun men on either side of the border. After conversations with editors and journalists, I understood that if a drone strike killed an innocent adult male civilian, such as a fruit seller or food vendor, the victims long hair and beard would be enough to stereotype him as a militant. Sadiq had long hair and a beard. But even that isnt always a requirement. A four-year-old victim In April 2013, Naqibullah took his son, four-year-old Amir, to the city of Asadabad, in the eastern province of Kunar, for medical treatment. Naqibullah told his brother, 25-year-old Abdul Wahid, to take his son back to their village while he stayed in the city. When he telephoned home to find out if they had returned safely, he was told they had not. Locals told me that my brother and my son had been killed by a drone strike, Naqibullah remembers. I couldnt bear the news. I lost all sense in this moment, he says. Suddenly, all the pictures of my son and my brother came to my mind while my tears could not stop. According to Naqibullah, government officials insisted that his son and brother were Taliban fighters. They said the onus was on him to prove otherwise. Today, Naqibullah cares for Abdul Wahids children. He says one of them, Hilal, is always asking about this father. Unreported According to a recent report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), more than 11,000 civilians were killed or wounded in the country in 2015. While armed groups and the Afghan military are thought to have been responsible for 98 percent of these incidences, 2 percent of civilian casualties were attributed to international forces, mainly in the form of air strikes. However, the report points out that civilian casualties caused by international military forces and the Afghan air force increased by 83 percent in 2015, causing 296 civilian casualties, of which 149 were deaths. Fifty-seven percent of those were caused by international forces. According to UNAMA, the main reason for the increase was the attack on the MSF hospital in Kunduz on October 3. The US government data does not distinguish between classic aerial attacks and drone strikes. For that reason, it isnt clear how many drone strikes really took place in Afghanistan. But with three different sources required to confirm a single casualty, the families of many of those killed say their relatives have not even made it into that count. You will not find my cousin and other victims like him in these reports, says Sadiqs cousin, Farhad. Critics of the UN report say that without journalists or human rights activists present in the countrys most war-torn areas, killings often go unreported and unsubstantiated, never making it into formal records. Most war-torn areas of Afghanistan, especially where drone strikes take place regularly, are not visited by journalists or activists. They are considered as too dangerous, as dead zones, says Waheed Mozhdah, a political analyst based in Kabul. Besides, records of civilian casualties only begin from 2009, eight years after the war started. In fact, the very first recorded incident of a strike by a weaponised drone took place on October 7, 2001, when US forces targeted the late Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar in Kandahar. Omar was not killed on that day but many ordinary civilians, just like Sadiq, have been in the years since. Women in Serbia share their stories about helping refugees as many recall being displaced themselves. Marija Cvejic Sometimes you can help, sometimes you cant I have an aunt who often says to me: What are you doing with those refugees? These people shouldnt be here! Every time she raises the subject, I tell her the story of a refugee I met. Or I show her a drawing an Afghan girl made of a boat and people drowning. Lately she hasnt been complaining so much any more. I always say: We are refugees, too. I was 10 years old when there was war in Kosovo. I myself lived in Serbia, but all of my family lived in Kosovo. Some family members were killed, others fled. So I know what it is. I used to work with survivors of human trafficking, but last year I started working with refugees in the transit camps. We go there as a team, we ask them how they are, start up a conversation. After a while, some of them open up. For me it was a logical step to start helping refugees. Seeing so much suffering on the television, I couldnt bear not to do anything. Three weeks ago, I met a Yazidi woman from Sinjar. She and her seven children were captured as sex slaves by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [ISIL] group. She managed to escape with three of her children, but she had to leave four of them behind. She was pregnant as a result of rape. She was out in the rain, crying. Once she started telling me her story, she just couldnt stop. She told me everything: How they killed her husband and father, how they took all the women and children and used them as slaves. We arranged with the UNs refugee agency for somebody to escort her during the rest of her journey. Three days ago, I heard that she had safely arrived in Germany, where her sister lives. And then there was this 17-year-old Afghan boy who was taken to the hospital because he had a serious wound. His two teenage friends promised they would wait for him and they did, for three whole weeks, without knowing if he ever would come back. How they cried and hugged each other when he finally returned. This really touched me. In spite of the situation, these boys still held up the values of friendship and loyalty. The refugee crisis is something you cant fix. Sometimes you can help, sometimes you cant. But I give the best of myself. Rima al-Shami I have seen the war myself I understand the pain that refugees feel because I have seen the war myself. I am from Damascus and my family still lives there. I am a legal migrant; I was able to come to Serbia because my ex-husband is half Serbian, but I still know how it feels to leave your home. I know what refugees are running from. And I know what it is like to be totally alone in a strange country and to not speak the language. It was very hard to leave my family in Syria. But one day, I was driving through Damascus with my little boy when a car in front of us exploded. Thats when I decided I had to leave, for the safety of my son. In Serbia, I first worked as a stockbroker, but my boss refused to pay me. I then took a course to become a cultural mediator, helping refugees to communicate with Serbian institutions. I wanted to do something for my fellow countrymen. This was a turnaround in my life. As a stockbroker, I worked for the very rich; as a cultural mediator, I worked among people who lost everything. I started as a volunteer, giving information to refugees at the Hungarian border. Now I work at the Serbian transit camps of Presovo and Sid. I approach people to see what they need. When they hear I am from Syria, they are often glad to talk to me. Because I understand their culture, refugees tell me things they wouldnt tell other people. One man from Iraq took me aside and told me he was sexually abused by three Hungarian police officers for 15 days. Another man from Syria told me how he was forced to witness his friends being tortured while he was captured by ISIL. He was a big guy, but he was crying like a child. He couldnt live with what he had seen. I have heard many stories of desperate people. Some of them went as far as to sell their kidneys to pay the smugglers. I try to make them feel that I care. Many people tend to think that refugees are uncivilised. The media pictures them as animals. But really, they once had a life. Marijana Savic I am talking about empowering women The first time I saw great numbers of refugees making their way through Serbian cornfields, I was deeply shocked. In their eyes, I saw their hopelessness. It made me cry and I dont cry easily. Twenty years ago, there was a war going on in my own country, which was then called Yugoslavia. I witnessed the horror and the suffering of people in a war zone. I remember being so angry with people who didnt understand what was going on here. We still live with the consequences of the war. So I really feel for the refugees who are now coming to Serbia. We, a group of feminist activists, set up the NGO Atina 12 years ago, in the wake of the Yugoslav wars, to provide adequate help for the growing number of victims of human trafficking. But when we saw the refugees coming, we decided we had to do something about this problem, as well. We now have teams visiting the transit camps to offer help. We also provide aid and support at our office in Belgrade. We are especially concerned about women and children. Everybody is always talking to the men, because they are the head of the family. The women remain in the background, invisible. Nobody is addressing their needs. We know that woman refugees deal with a lot of violence and sexual abuse. They are forced to have survival sex with smugglers, they are robbed and molested, they become victims of human trafficking. But they dont talk about it. There are a lot of gangs operating between Macedonia and Serbia, preying on the most vulnerable refugees. I know of two Afghan girls who got raped by such a gang. It only came out in the open because one gang member was killed afterwards. Otherwise, we would never have heard of it. We witness a lot of domestic violence, too. An Afghan man was beating his mother in a registration queue and she was screaming for help. But the police didnt think it was their job to do something about it. Thats why our work is so important. We listen to these women because nobody else does. I believe we can all make a difference in the world. What we need is a shift in peoples way of thinking. I am not just talking about womens rights, I am talking about feminism. I am talking about empowering women. Because whenever theres a disaster, its the women that suffer most. Saman Vjestica I was thrown in the middle of all these desperate people When I first started working as an interpreter at the Asylum Info Centre, it was just a job for me. My native language is Urdu, which many Afghans happen to understand. I was never involved in humanitarian work. In Pakistan, my home country, I taught English literature. But then I found myself confronted with these people whose problems were overwhelming. And I realised I needed to be much more than an interpreter; I needed to know about immigration laws, about institutions, about medical aid. The authorities say: We can handle a refugee crisis, we did it before during the Yugoslav wars. But its not the same thing. These people come from totally different cultures; they cant even read the road signs. So I was thrown in the middle of all these desperate people, handling all these situations, some of which are life-threatening. What can you do when people are seriously ill, but refuse to go to a hospital because all they want is to move on? I came to Serbia because I married a Serbian man, but I havent forgotten where I come from. In Pakistan, I have seen Afghan refugees ever since I was a girl. Little Afghan kids going barefoot, their families selling all their belongings in order to survive. When people say that Afghans are not real refugees, it hurts me. Their country is destroyed. The right to seek asylum is a fundamental human right. But many countries on the route are just trying to get rid of refugees and deny them this right. They dont really treat them as people. In the case of Pakistanis, they are all called economic migrants. But you cannot automatically assume that a Pakistani is not a genuine asylum seeker. There are many groups in Pakistan that face persecution and discrimination. I am now working around the clock. I am not getting enough sleep, and often I forget to eat. Today was my day off, but there was a case of eight young Afghans who were threatened with deportation. So I spent three hours in the police station with them. Before I started working here, I had no idea how much this work would mean to me. I never knew I could be so committed. Ana Radovic I see a lot of sadness When I was 19, I came across a two-month-old stray puppy in the street. I took it home and I suddenly found myself caring for this helpless little animal that was totally dependent on me. It may sound ridiculous, but this experience changed me. It changed me into somebody who wants to help vulnerable people. I first started working as a volunteer with Roma children. And then all these refugees started coming to Serbia. I deeply sympathise with them, whether they are refugees or economic migrants. I feel that when people are suffering, we all should do something. So I applied for a volunteer job at the Asylum Info Centre here in the middle of Belgrade. The first three months, I worked outside with a team in parks where many refugees were stranded. We gave them information and listened to their stories to see if there was anything we could do. Now, I work inside the Info Centre. Refugees come here with all kinds of questions and problems. Some need help with their papers, some need legal or medical aid, others need practical things like blankets or backpacks. I listen to them, I give them tea, I try to make them laugh, to make a small part of their day a bit better. Sometimes we can really make a difference. There was this young Moroccan who was robbed and so badly beaten up by a criminal gang in Macedonia that he couldnt walk any more. We were able to arrange a wheelchair for him and took him to the police station so he could register. He was so happy to finally get help that he cried. I now work at the Info Centre three or four days a week. Some people react negatively to what I do. Often, they are just badly informed they have no idea what refugees go through. I see a lot of sadness, but I am used to that because I also work with Roma kids. This is life, and yes, its bad. All I can do is try to make it better by being there. If the refugees are a cause of crisis, how does the EU imagine that offloading them to Turkey is any less of a crisis? How do you solve a crisis? By brushing it far enough away from your gaze that you can pretend that its no longer there? That at least appears to be the European Union approach. For the past year, the refugee crisis has torn at the heart of the EU, creating deep tensions between members, and raising questions about the future of freedom of movement within its borders, and indeed about the future of the EU itself. Europes leaders have been desperately trying to figure out a solution. And this week, after months of negotiation, they stitched together a deal with Turkey a deal that effectively allows the EU to push the problem far enough away to pretend that its not there. Under the deal, the fine details of which are still being hammered out, all new, irregular migrants crossing from Turkey to Greece will be sent back. A one-for-one agreement will allow one Syrian from a Turkish refugee camp to be resettled in the EU, for every Syrian refugee returned to Turkey from Greece. For non-Syrians, the route to Europe is entirely cut off. In return, the EU has promised to speed up plans for Turks to travel visa-free inside the Schengen area and to actually pay Ankara some of the $3.3bn that was promised in October for Turkish help in closing its borders to migrants. Turkey has reportedly asked for an extra $3.3bn, which is still under negotiation. Turkey has also demanded that concrete steps be taken to resume its accession negotiations with the EU. Numbers matter The EU has a population of more than 500 million and a gross domestic product per capita of about $27,000. Turkey has a population of 75 million and a GDP per capita of $9,000. If the arrival in the EU of a million migrants and refugees is an unacceptable imposition and the cause of a major crisis, how does the EU imagine that offloading them to Turkey will be any less of an imposition or crisis? Some of the poorest countries in the world already bear the greatest burden when it comes to helping refugees. If these countries were to adopt Europe's attitude, there really would be a crisis. by Dimitris Avramopoulos, the EU commissioner for migration, has described the bottleneck of migrants and refugees in Greece, created by the closing of borders further north, as raising the possibility of a humanitarian crisis of a large scale. Why should bottling migrants up in Turkey rather than in Greece be any different? What the deal envisages is the forced collective expulsion of migrants and refugees from Greece to Turkey. Leave aside the morality, think of the practicalities. Do the EU leaders think that tens of thousands of migrants and refugees will meekly accept their fate and return quietly? Throughout the past year migrants and refugees have shown their willingness to take enormous risks and put up with great hardships. They have shown also their willingness to stand up to the authorities if pushed too far. If only a small number of those being forcibly repatriated resist, one can imagine the scenes in the camps or at the train stations or the airports. The numbers of migrants and refugees coming to Europe are indeed large. But it is worth putting those numbers in context. One million of them constitutes less than 0.2 percent of the EUs population. Turkey with a population one seventh that of the EU is already host to 2.7 million Syrian refugees. (Those are the official figures; the real number is likely to be more than three million.) There are already 1.3 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon 20 percent of the population. That is the equivalent of Europe playing host to 100 million refugees. Pakistan and Iran each have over one million refugees within their borders. Some of the poorest countries in the world, in other words, already bear the greatest burden when it comes to helping refugees. If these countries were to adopt Europes attitude, there really would be a crisis. This is perhaps the most immoral aspect of the EUs policy: at its heart seems to be the idea that dealing with migrants and refugees should be an issue primarily for poor countries. Turning a blind eye Far from the Turkey deal being a historic breakthrough, as Donald Tusk, the European Council president, described it, it follows the pattern of previous EU migration policies. Since the 1990s, the EU has adopted a three-pronged strategy: criminalising migrants; militarising border controls; and outsourcing the problem by paying non-EU states most notoriously Colonel Muammar Gaddafis Libya (PDF) huge amounts of money to act as Europes immigration police,; in effect, relocating Europes borders to beyond Europe. Push the problem outside of Europe and pretend that its not there. OPINION: The EU can learn from Turkeys refugee experience The one country that has come out of this whole debacle with honour is Greece. Effectively abandoned by the rest of the Europe as Macedonia and other countries to the north have closed their borders and suffering grievously from an economic crisis and from austerity policies imposed primarily at the behest of the EU, the people of Greece have nevertheless shown an admirable moral commitment to migrants. True, there have been some anti-migrant demonstrations, and the far-right Golden Dawn won 7 percent of the vote in last years general election. But mostly Greeks have shown enormous solidarity. OPINION: Turkey is the sick but still strong man of Europe Some 14,000 migrants and refugees are trapped in Idomeni on the Greek side of the Macedonian border, after the Macedonian authorities decided to allow only a handful to enter each day. I have admiration for these people because they still have hope, said the local deputy mayor, Evelina Politidou, adding that helping them was a moral obligation. The island of Lesbos, close to the Turkish coast, is at the very centre of the crisis. The number of migrants and refugees who have arrived on the island in the first two months of 2016 alone is about the same as Lesbos normal population. Yet, the locals continue to support migrants with food, shelter and solidarity. Meanwhile the EU, despite commitments to relocate 66,400 refugees from Greece, has provided places for only 325. It is amazing, as the UNHCR chief Antonio Guterres told Lesbos Mayor Spyros Galinos recently, that on a small island you are managing, whereas in a big Europe, with half a billion people, they are finding it so difficult. There is a lesson there in morality and solidarity that all Europe could learn. Kenan Malik is a London-based writer, lecturer and broadcaster. His latest book is The Quest for a Moral Compass: A Global History of Ethics. He writes at Pandaemonium: www.kenanmalik.wordpress.com. Antonia Zerbisias is an award-winning Canadian journalist. She has been a reporter and TV host for the Toronto Star, the CBC, as well as the Montreal correspondent for Variety trade paper. Right after Donald Trumps Super Tuesday series of primary electoral wins this month, Australian comic Adam Hills beseeched viewers of his UK talk show The Last Leg to give Canadians a leg up through his Brickstarter campaign. If I was Canada Id be worried, he joked. Theyre going to face an influx of refugees and they are harder to look after than any other refugees because they need way more food. Plus Americans dont speak basic English, they carry more guns and they refuse to assimilate with other cultures. Thats why we here at The Last Leg have decided to help Canada build a wall. We would like everyone in the world to pledge a brick to help keep Americans in America. And to do it, weve set up a website. From there, viewers were directed to click on a brick, which set off a braying moose. At the time of this writing, 27,118,282 of the estimated 1.545 billion bricks required to protect Canada from the American hordes have been virtually laid. Move to Canada Meanwhile, just about every network and newspaper, including such venerable organs as The New York Times and The Washington Post, have done stories on how Google move to Canada searches have hit record high spikes of more than 1,000 percent in the United States. Some news organisations are offering guides to obtaining residency status. Immigration lawyers have been interviewed. CNN sent a crew to Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia where, half in jest, a local radio announcer set up an If Donald Trump Wins website inviting Americans to come on up to its craggy Atlantic coast. ALSO READ: Sponsor Syrian Refugee Canadas top Google search Canadian crews covered CNNs coverage. And there is considerable speculation that all the interest has caused problems for Citizen and Immigration Canadas internet servers although this internal technical issue persists well after the Google searches have subsided. It's not as if we're waiting around with outstretched parka-covered arms, ready to pour maple syrup-laced hot drinks and hand out free health cards when Americans pull up in their pick-up trucks. by At the same time, and thanks to fawning coverage including, a CBS 60 Minutes profile of charismatic Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who is on an official visit to Washington this week the move to Canada momentum has not slowed. Its one thing for late night comics, social media and infotainment websites to make much of the move to Canada theme. But, when supposedly sobre news sources treat it seriously, then it points to the utter bankruptcy in the US corporate medias coverage of the Republican frontrunner who, at least from his boldest critics in the alternate media, is drawing comparisons to Hitler for his race-baiting, and Fascist-style saluting. Blame US corporate media When a presidential candidate boasts about the size of his genitals during a televised debate, you know that the US political process is in the toilet. Theres nobody to blame but the US corporate media. They helped to create the Trump brand in the greed-is-good, go-go 1980s, dutifully promoted all his failed enterprises through the 1990s, rewarded him with a primetime reality show in the 2000s that made him out to be a successful business mogul and, then, when he jumped into the presidential ring last year, allowed him free reign simply because the guy gets good ratings. As CBS chairman and chief executive Les Moonves told The Hollywood Reporter last month, It may not be good for America, but its damn good for CBS. Ive never seen anything like this, and this going to be a very good year for us, he continued, adding that the moneys rolling in. Sorry. Its a terrible thing to say. But, bring it on, Donald. Keep going. No wonder that distinguished media critic and author Neal Gabler wrote for the progressive CommonDreams.org last week: The media should be pounding Trump not for his bloviation or his braggadocio or his bad manners or even his implied racism and explicit nativism. They should be pounding him for what he purports he will do as president. But they dont, and Trump knows they wont. He knows he can easily bulldoze the press because it is too cowardly to take him on face to face And so, its easier, safer, to rely on celebrities like pop diva Cher or actor Sam Jackson threatening to leave the country or even the planet if Trump puts his name in neon lights on the White House. Media get two-for-one: Celebrity trash with risk-free, at least for journalists, Trump criticism. Americans fleeing Of course, Americans fleeing over the worlds longest undefended border for political reasons is nothing new. In the aftermath of the American Revolution, some 100,000 British loyalists rejected the ideas and ideologies of Age of Enlightenment philosophers Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau for king and plots of farmland in the Canadian countryside. ALSO READ: Welcome to Canada but dont get too comfortable During the Vietnam War, Canada profited from the talents of tens of thousands of draft dodgers or resisters who remained in the Great Pink North. As for more recent years, there were vows to quit the US in 2004 when George W Bush was up for re-election, and then again in 2012 when it seemed like US President Barack Obama might win back the White House. Since then, the exchange of citizens each way has been steady, if not overwhelming. Right now, about 10,000 Americans seek residency here annually while about 13,000 head south. The thing is, its not easy to move to Canada. Its not as if were waiting around with outstretched parka-covered arms, ready to pour maple syrup-laced hot drinks and hand out free health cards when Americans pull up in their pick-up trucks. Immigration here can cost thousands of dollars, require reams of form-filling and take years. And, after Stephen Harpers Conservative government tightened up rules three years ago, only the educated, elite and privileged are truly welcomed despite our much-publicised acceptance of Syrian refugees. Just as well. The move to Canada tide is turning on social media with many progressive American Tweeters urging their fellow citizens who claim that they will abandon ship if Trump triumphs to instead stand and fight for good government and a better political system. Which is why, four years ago during the last US presidential election, American stand-up Hari Kondabolu called it in an expletitive-filled routine: Youre not moving to Canada! No ones moving to Canada. I hate to break this to you, but Canada doesnt have a special visa for American liberal cowards. Antonia Zerbisias is an award-winning Canadian journalist. She has been a reporter and TV host for the Toronto Star, the CBC, as well as the Montreal correspondent for Variety trade paper. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. In February, the Shia cleric Muqtada Sadr led a rally in Baghdads Tahrir Square, pressing Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to deliver reforms he promised in response to anti-government protests that erupted in August 2015. Sadrs ability to mobilise a crowd of close to 100,000 demonstrates his ability to reinvent himself, once again, in Iraqs post-2003 political landscape. In Sadrs latest political incarnation, he has embraced the politics of protest to become both an anti-politician and king-maker. His latest rally is symbolic of his political movements evolution over a decade, a reflection of the vicissitudes of Iraqs politics since 2003. Sadrs political prominence is startling given that his rise to power was not a certainty in post-2003 Iraq, and was almost undermined at several junctures. After the invasion of Iraq, Sadr was a young cleric in his late 20s, who only had his fathers reputation at his disposal. His father, Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq Sadr, a prominent Shia cleric opposed to Saddam Hussein, was murdered in 1999 by Iraqi intelligence agents. After years in hiding following the assassination of his father, Muqtada reappeared in Najaf when Baathist control collapsed in 2003. The assertion of Sadr At that moment he had to decide how he would capitalise on his fathers reputation and following to best manoeuvre his way through the new political landscape. In 2003, Sadr had to live up to the charisma his father enjoyed. Muqtada inherited a network that his father had developed among Iraqs urban Shia poor, concentrated in the Baghdad district rebranded as Sadr City. ALSO READ: Iraqs popular demobilisation It is probable that older figures in the Sadrist network had sought to control Sadr because of his young age and use him as a figurehead, the same way a regent controls a boy king. It was likely that older figures in the Sadrist network had sought to control Sadr due to his young age and use him as a figure head, the way a regent controls a boy king. by Thirteen years on, however, his latest rally represents a culminating event in Sadrs career. He has carved out his own position in regard to: the older, more respected Shia cleric in Najaf, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani; to Iran, which had always sought to manipulate the Sadr and the Sadrists as a pawn and proxy; an array of rival Shia militias that Sadr himself helped foster; and the Iraqi government itself. To carve out a role for himself among these actors, Sadr began in 2003 to portray his Shia movement as an indigenous Iraqi nationalist and anti-US one, transcending the sectarian divide, and one that had developed from within the nation as opposed to the exiled Shia parties. In 2004, he declared his solidarity with Arab Sunni insurgents besieged in Fallujah by United States forces, distancing himself from the exiled Iraqi Shia factions cooperating with the US. He sought to re-establish his Iraqi nationalist credentials in 2013, the beginning of his attempt to project himself as a leader of protest politics. Sadr and the politics of protest During the 2013 Arab Sunni protests in the Anbar province against the government of Nouri al-Maliki, Sadr expressed solidarity with the demonstrators, labelling the protests as Iraqs Arab Spring. In this, Sadr, a Shia cleric, challenged his fellow Shia, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, illuminating how analysing Iraqs politics through the Shia-Sunni binary fails to account for intense intra-sectarian political rivalries. Sadrs actions from 2013 onwards do not follow the neat pattern of sectarian-driven politics. He sought to portray himself as part of a combined, deprived Arab Sunni-Shia opposition against an Arab Shia-Sunni political elite that was seen as indifferent to their demands, corrupt and ineffective in terms of governance. For Iraqi Sunnis to believe that Sadr was an Iraqi nationalist in 2013 would have entailed a suspension of their disbelief, given that his militia was implicated in some of the worst sectarian killings from 2006 to 2008. Sadrs embrace of the Sunni protesters then served as an attempt to distance himself from the sectarian bloodletting of the past, in addition to the entrenched Iraqi political elite. This 2013 strategy provides the continuity that explains his recent use of the politics of protest. ALSO READ: Ahmed Chalabi the real victor of the Iraq War Unlike the Anbar protests of 2013, the August 2015 protests erupted in the capital Baghdad, Basra, and the Shia towns of Najaf, Karbala, and Hilla, over corruption in the government and incessant electricity cuts. Sistani delivered a sermon during those protests calling upon Abadi to tackle this corruption. Sadr has developed Sistani's model of a cleric who does not hold political office, but influences government in the form of the clergy as loyal opposition. by A few months later, Sadr followed Sistanis lead, continuing the pressure on the prime minister to follow through with those reforms. Sadr has developed Sistanis model of a cleric who does not hold political office, but influences government in the form of the clergy as loyal opposition. However, they differ in terms of the style of pressure. Sistani rarely makes public appearance and his influence is conveyed subtly through sermons and religious declarations. In February, Sadr rallied the Iraqi Shia street in massive outpourings of fealty, more akin to the rallies of Hassan Nasrallah of Hezbollah. Sadrs own website highlighted his ability to bring millions on to the streets during this rally. The rationale behind Sadrs politics of protest is part of his decade-long search for a political model to elevate him among the fray of Iraqs Shia politicians, partisans, and militias. Sadrs politico-religious model Sadr in his early years raised a sectarian militia, Jaish al-Mahdi (al-Mahdi Army), which served as the basis of his power. It clashed with US forces on numerous occasions and was eventually dealt a military blow when Maliki deployed the Iraqi army, with US air support, against it in Basra and Sadr City in 2008. Afterwards, Sadr rebranded the militia as the Peace Brigades, and for the most part refrained from armed conflict. However, those within the Mahdi Army who wanted to continue fighting split into numerous Shia militias, benefiting from Iranian aid. Sadrs Peace Brigades were eclipsed by these militias, becoming just one of many sub-state Shia actors. The splinters, such as Asaib Ahl al-Haq, even became rivals, clashing with their co-religionists in Peace Brigades in February. To elevate himself above the array of these militias, who captured the limelight in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, Sadr embraced the politics of street protest. Sadrs latest political manoeuvering has demonstrated an increasingly hybrid model, that is not a solely religious network, political party, or militia, but a combination of these and more. Muqtada today sits at the helm of a network of interlocking components, a religious organisation, the Ahrar or Freeborn Bloc, a party that runs for political office, a print and TV media empire, and a series of NGOs. Sadr is still too young to elevate himself to his fathers status as a learned religious scholar. Nonetheless, he has proved himself as a shrewd political operator, elevating himself from relative obscurity in 2003, to a cult-of-personality and Shia sub-culture status that will remain as a fixture in Iraqs chaotic politics. Ibrahim al-Marashi is an assistant professor at the Department of History, California State University, San Marcos. He is the co-author of Iraqs Armed Forces: An Analytical History. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Effective policing and cooperation cannot be provided under the occupation. Seth Binder is the programme manager for the Security Assistance Monitor at the Center for International Policy. About a month ago a Palestinian security officer shot three Israeli soldiers near the settlement of Beit El before being shot and killed by Israeli soldiers. He was the second Palestinian security officer involved in an attack on Israelis since the recent wave of attacks began last October. Although Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces were involved in these two attacks, this is not emblematic of the security forces since the end of the Second Intifada. With the help of security assistance over the past eight years, the United States has helped the Palestinians build effective and professional forces that have resulted in a more stable, less violent West Bank. Transformation through US aid Recently though, with the rise of lone-wolf attacks and skirmishes between the Israeli military and Palestinians, security is becoming more fragile, but not due to a lack of effort from PA security forces. Since 2008, the US has provided more than $815m in security assistance to Palestinian security forces, mostly through the International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement programme making Palestine one of the largest recipients of assistance through that programme during that period. The US funds have now trained more than 20,000 of the 45,000 PA security forces and provided thousands of pieces of non-lethal equipment from uniforms to vehicles. From case management to civil-military relations, PA security forces have received basic training skills such as marksmanship and more advanced training on counterterrorism. The security forces have been condensed from more than 10 independent agencies to eight structured units with operational delineation: They created a division between the civil and military justice sectors, and built training facilities. Security cooperation does not just benefit Israel though, which helps explain why Abbas has been so hesitant to end the relationship. By working with the Israelis, Palestinians understand that their best hope for a future state will take convincing Israel that they are capable of overseeing security in the West Bank. by In addition, the Palestinian Ministry of Interior now regularly develops three-year security sector strategy reports. The most recent report (2014-2016) includes points of emphasis on community engagement, respect for the rule of law, financial accountability, and promotion of human rights and gender equality. Maybe most importantly though, relative calm returned to the West Bank following the disorder of the Second Intifada that included rampant crime and extortion in addition to the violence. Deteriorating rule of law But its not all good news. More than 80 percent of Palestinians see the PA as corrupt. In addition, despite improvements, the PA security forces have continued to violate human rights including cases of torture and infringements on free speech (PDF). In one recent example, the PA arrested journalist Salim Sweidan on questionable charges like the publication of articles harmful to Palestinian national unity. He was released four days later on $1,400 bail and an online apology, but still faces a court date on March 12 according to a conversation with Sweidan. As Yezid Sayigh, a senior associate at the Carnegie Middle East Centre noted, enhanced technical capability and growing professionalism do not guarantee the rule of law, and in fact has only led to further authoritarianism. One of the main reasons for providing an average of more than $100m a year in US security assistance has been not just to build effective forces, but to incentivize security cooperation between Israel and Palestine. OPINION: Freedom is a constant struggle In reality though, effective policing and cooperation cannot be provided under the occupation. According to interviews I conducted with officers in the Ministry of Interior, policing the West Bank is impossible without coordinating with Israel. For example, the PA security forces need approval to even move units outside of or between Area A of the West Bank. In a recent poll though, 70 percent of Palestinians favoured ending cooperation. The PA security forces are seen as subcontractors allowing Israel to maintain the occupation while softening Israels image at home and abroad. OPINION: The 100-year Intifada This, in part, led the Palestinian Liberation Organisations Central Committee to vote to suspend all security cooperation with Israel, and PA President Mahmoud Abbas to declare that Palestine was no longer bound by the Oslo Accords although neither has led to a disruption in cooperation. Many Israelis, on the other hand, support cooperation. It allows the Israeli military, who has ultimate control over all areas of the West Bank, to save blood and treasure by not having to serve as the primary police force in Area A, while still helping it collect intelligence to thwart attacks on Israelis. Some Israelis still dont trust the PA security forces, fearing turmoil similar to the Second Intifada where they resorted to violence against Israeli forces. A test case Security cooperation does not just benefit Israel though, which helps explain why Abbas has been so hesitant to end the relationship. By working with the Israelis, Palestinians understand that their best hope for a future state will take convincing Israel that they are capable of overseeing security in the West Bank. The recent violence wave might be its toughest test since 2008, but it seems to be holding things together if just barely. The head of the General Intelligence Service, or Mukhabarat, Major General Majid Faraj insisted that since October of last year, PA intelligence has prevented 200 attacks against Israelis, confiscated weapons, and arrested approximately 100 Palestinians. Ultimately however, as the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon recently noted, Palestinian frustration and grievances are growing under the weight of nearly a half-century of occupation. The US security assistance has helped professionalize the PA security forces and create a relatively stable West Bank, but that success relies on the hopes of a Palestinian state. And they seem to be running out of it. Seth Binder is the programme manager for the Security Assistance Monitor at the Centre for International Policy. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. US Vice President Joe Biden has said that the United States would take action against Iran if its recent long-range ballistic missile tests were carried out in defiance of an international deal reached last year over Irans nuclear programme. I want to reiterate, as I know people still doubt, if in fact they break the (nuclear) deal, we will act, Biden said on Wednesday during a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories. Biden spoke after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who forcefully opposed the nuclear accord with Iran, his countrys arch-foe. Iranian leaders on Tuesday threatened to abandon the international agreement if it conflicts with Tehrans national interests just hours after the missiles were launched, which violate UN Security Council resolutions. If our interests are not met under the nuclear deal, there will be no reason for us to continue, Abbas Araqchi, Irans deputy foreign minister, warned during remarks delivered to a group of Iranian officials in Tehran. Iran also said it fired two more long-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday as it continued military tests in defiance of US sanctions and fresh warnings from Washington. Coming just weeks after the implementation of Irans historic nuclear deal with world powers, this weeks multiple missile tests were described by Irans powerful Revolutionary Guards as a show of force in the face of US pressure. After similar tests on Tuesday, Washington warned it could raise the issue with the UN Security Council and take further action after US sanctions were imposed in connection with Irans missile programme in January. Ballistic missile tests have been seen as a way for Irans military to demonstrate that the nuclear deal will have no impact on its plans, which it says are for domestic defence only. The hard-fought deal, which saw international sanctions lifted in exchange for curbs on Irans nuclear ambitions, did not extend to its missile programme. General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who heads the Iranian Revolutionary Guards aerospace wing, said the longer-range missiles tested would be capable of hitting Israel, the regions sole if undeclared nuclear power. Dhaka says Federal Reserve Bank of New York failed to prevent money from being stolen by alleged Chinese hackers. Bangladeshs government has said that it will sue the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for failing to prevent $100m from being stolen by hackers from a reserve account for Bangladeshs central bank. Dhaka, which accuses Chinese hackers of stealing the money from its foreign exchange account on February 5 and transferring it to accounts in the Philippines, also said it was working to recover the funds. Bangladeshs Finance Minister AMA Muhith said on Tuesday that that his government would launch a lawsuit against the US bank, which denied responsibility over the lost funds. Weve heard that Federal Reserve Bank of New York has completely denied their responsibility. They dont have any right, Muhith told reporters in Dhaka. Of course, well file a case against them. We have kept the money with them. They are responsible, he said, when asked what action his government would take against the bank. The New York Fed put out a brief statement through its Twitter account on Monday, saying: Regarding hacking reports, there is no evidence of attempts to penetrate Federal Reserve systems and no evidence Fed systems were compromised. The Bangladeshi bank said it managed to recover some of the funds, but gave no details. It has also tracked down those still missing and is working with the anti-money laundering agency in the Philippines, which has been ordered by a court in the country to freeze the accounts while the issue is being investigated. Bangladesh is also working with World Bank cyber and forensic experts, the bank said in a statement. The countrys leading Bengali-language Prothom Alo newspaper reported on Wednesday that at least 30 transfer requests were made on February 5 using the Bangladesh Banks SWIFT code, out of which five succeeded in effecting transfers. Economist Mamun Rashid, who previously headed Citibank NA in Bangladesh, said he was sure the country would be able to recover the full amount. Bangladesh is a client of the Federal Reserve Bank. They must take the responsibility for this incident, he said. But we have to see whether we have lodged our complaint properly. Since hacking has been a threat for years, he said clients should not suffer if depositing with large banks. A clients right must be protected. At least three people are killed in a Taliban attack on police and intelligence offices in southern Helmand province. At least three people have been killed and several others wounded in a Taliban attack that targeted government offices in Afghanistans southern Helmand province, Afghan officials have said. Omar Zwak, spokesman for Helmands governor, said Taliban gunmen attacked police headquarters and intelligence agency offices in Gereshk town on Wednesday, triggering fierce fighting with security forces that lasted for almost eight hours. About 10 Taliban fighters launched an attack on our intelligence facility but were repelled by our security forces, Zwak told Al Jazeera, adding that the three people killed were police officers. We were being careful to avoid civilian casualties which took us longer to clear the area. READ MORE: Residents stranded as battle for Helmand intensifies Jabbar Karaman, a member of parliament appointed by President Ashraf Ghani to investigate the incident, told Al Jazeera that the attack did not cause any damage to the government offices. The Taliban aim to attack government-owned places as a part of their strategy to take control of the province. Weve been fighting them back and trying our best to avoid such attack in future, he said. Yet, the Taliban, who claimed responsibility for the attack, told Al Jazeera that the assault had caused heavy damage to the facilities and several police officers were killed. Such attacks will continue. Most of the areas in Helmand are under our control, the groups spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Al Jazeera. Helmand has seen some of the fiercest battles between the Taliban and local and foreign forces since the fighting started in 2001. Afghan forces have struggled to combat the Taliban since the US and NATO formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014. READ MORE: No peace talks until foreign troops gone, say Taliban The Afghan government has repeatedly called for direct talks with Taliban in recent weeks, but the armed group has rejected the call. The peace process was interrupted last summer when Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar was proclaimed dead. Last October, US President Barack Obama announced that thousands of US troops would remain in Afghanistan past 2016 keeping the current force of 9,800 troops amid a surge in Taliban attacks. France has long prided itself on its staunchly secular institutions, but as many French Muslims identify with hardline groups, the country is re-evaluating its approach to religion. In November, sympathisers of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL) also known as ISIS, took to the streets of Paris and carried out bloodiest attacks on France in decades in which 130 people were killed. Many of the suspects had spent time in prison where they developed hardline views, according to observers. A month earlier, some 1,770 French citizens were reportedly either inside Syria or Iraq, on their way there, or returning home that is higher than any other European country. In response to fears of radicalisation, a trial programme in five prisons is being explored. The programme focuses its energy on those considered to hold radical views, and separates them from other prisoners. For six months, those suspected of holding such beliefs follow an intensive programme where they learn general knowledge. They also take workshops held by speakers including victims of terrorism, former extremists, political commentators and psychologists. Francoise Descamp-Crosnier, an MP with the Socialist Party, visited the Fresnes Prison, which is 11km from the centre of Paris, to assess the trials success. Units at Fresnes and the Fleury Merogis jail are dedicated to assessing the inmates a process lasting two to six weeks that determines how radicalised or dangerous they are. Those considered radicalised or becoming radicalised will be separated and put in specific units. The others will be mixed with other inmates. Its important because its the first prison to have areas reserved for radicalised detainees, said Descamp-Crosnier. Thats been the starting point for the other prisons that have also introduced this type of [programme]. French Guantanamo However, some object to the trial. Al Jazeera spoke to one former inmate who had spent two years in Guantanamo after being held by the US army in Pakistan. He described the dedicated areas as a way to create a French Guantanamo. Members of the prison officers union, meanwhile, believe that the government needs to boost funding and staff for any programme to work. The current plan, they say, could even be counterproductive The fact that we are grouping them together and allowing them to be together, I find that actually quite dangerous, said Yoan Karar, a spokesman for the union. What needs to be understood is that Fresnes is a prison for those awaiting trial, so once theyve been sentenced, theyll be sent out to other prisons. Lack of prison imams For others, the real issue is a lack of positive religious influences in prison. Yannis Warrach dedicates his time to offering religious guidance to Muslim inmates, as he thinks there is a lack of prison imams. There are 200 imams working in French prisons. Although the French do not register individuals religion, about 60 percent of Frances prison population is Muslim, according to a 2014 parliamentary report. Because the prison imams are not considered full-time public employees, most chaplains visit the prisons for a few hours a week We have a situation where inmates are left to their own devices, said Warrach. If theres no imam available, either because he is not there much or because there isnt one in the prison, they will instead rely on other inmates, who very often have a very, very fundamentalist understanding of Islam. Close attention is being paid to see whether programmes like the one in Fresnes will have any impact. But many fear that with the rise of the far right in France, policies that encourage a more nuanced approach are likely to struggle for funding, whatever their benefits. To see more of this story, watch Backlash: Frances New Hard Line on Terror Sixteen-year-old succumbs to severe injuries in New Delhi hospital after assault on roof of family home, police say. A teenager, who was raped before she was set on fire on the roof of her familys home, has died of her injuries in a New Delhi hospital, police said. The 16-year-old had been fighting for her life after suffering more than 90 percent burns in Mondays attack, which occured in a village outside the capital. Unfortunately, she could not be saved despite the best efforts of the medical staff, Ashwani Kumar, an investigating officer told the AFP news agency on Wednesday. He also confirmed the arrest of a 19-year-old man who is suspected of carrying out the attack. We have arrested the accused, who is 19 years old and sent him to judicial custody, he said, adding that an investigation is on to find out more about the motive and details of the crime. The Indian paper Hindustan Times identified the suspect as Ajay Kumar and quoted police as saying that he would face murder charges. Media reports quoted the girls father as saying a neighbour in their village in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh had been harassing his daughter for a year despite several warnings. The attack is just one of several recently reported cases of rape against women or children in India underlining the persistence of such violence despite a public outcry three years ago that led to stronger laws to prevent sexual assault. READ MORE: Widows in India My children threw me out of my house Indias women and children are considered particularly vulnerable to sexual violence and harassment because of widespread social taboos against speaking about sexual assault. The stigma is enough to keep many from even reporting crimes, while many others face police resistance in filing complaints. Analysts say that has started to change since the fatal gang-rape of a 23-year-old woman on a New Delhi bus in 2012 triggered national anger and demands that more be done on womens safety. The government rushed through legislation to double prison terms for rape, and to criminalise voyeurism, stalking and the trafficking of women. But activists say more action is needed, including better education in social responsibility for youths and adding basic safety infrastructure such as street lights and public bathrooms. COPA 2016 coalition pulls out, citing unfair treatment of candidates, paving the way for incumbent Issoufous victory. Nigers opposition coalition says its jailed candidate Hama Amadou will boycott the runoff race against President Mahamadou Issoufou, in a poll expected to grant the incumbent a second term. Opposition coalition COPA 2016s Seini Oumarou said in a statement on Tuesday that the coalition would be withdrawing from the runoff, citing unfair treatment between the two candidates. The political opposition united by COPA 2016 has decided to withdraw from the electoral process under way (and) demands that its representatives withdraw from (national electoral commission) CENI, he said. COPA said Amadou had been unfairly deprived of his freedom in violation of international standards of free, fair and democratic elections. COPA holds President Issoufou and the Constitutional Court solely responsible for the social and political situation in Niger. Issoufou won 48 percent of the vote in the first round on February 21 while his nearest challenger Amadou who has been held in jail since November on baby-trafficking charges he says were concocted took 17 percent. Amadou was forced to campaign from behind bars in the first round and the Court of Cassation must rule on whether to go ahead with his trial on March 23, three days after the runoff ballot. COPA 2016 has accused the government of fraud in the first round, with no official final results announced so far. Nigers president: Foreign intervention in Libya a must A cabinet statement read on state television late on Monday said the Constitutional Court was holding back the definitive first round results. There has been no official announcement by the Constitutional Court of the final results of the first round, said Oumarou, a former prime minister who was placed third. In addition, the duration of the second-round campaign has been cut from 21 to 10 days in violation of the constitution, he complained. The government maintains the polls were free and transparent while the African Union, which sent observers, said it was generally satisfied with the organisation of the vote, despite logistical glitches and delays. There was no immediate comment available from the electoral commission but the government insisted the second round would go ahead despite the oppositions withdrawal. There will be elections. The process is ongoing, Interior Minister Hassoumi Massaoudou told the AFP news agency, denying any embarrassment to the government. There is no embarrassment. Actually, it does not surprise us. The main significant candidates rallied to Mr Issoufou. Seeing their defeat, they (the opponents) withdrew to avoid being beaten, he said, referring former deputy cabinet head Ibrahim Yacouba and two other low polling candidates who gave their backing to the president. They retire because they cannot win. Its disappointing, he said, adding: For them, the rules exist only when they win. A total of 7.5 million people were eligible to vote in the country, which lies on the edge of the Sahara desert, where security is a growing concern after attacks by armed groups from neighbouring Nigeria, Mali and Libya. Two Palestinian suspects shot dead by police after injuring one person in latest string of violence. Two Palestinians have been killed in a shootout with police after allegedly attacking a bus in Jerusalem and then opening fire outside the Old City, Israeli police said. At least one person was critically injured after the men opened fire at a lightrail stop near the New Gate of the Old City as they were being chased by police on Wednesday. The shootings were the latest in a string of attacks coinciding with US Vice President Joe Bidens arrival on Tuesday. The attack started in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood of northern Jerusalem, police said. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said initially, passengers on a bus spotted the two gunmen and heard shots fired. A motorist responded by shooting toward the suspects, who fled by car. The two assailants were then shot by police outside the Old City. Q&A: Facts about Israel and rules of engagement In a separate incident, a Palestinian was shot dead after he attempted to stab a soldier near Salfit in the occupied West Bank. He later died of his wounds. The alleged attacker was said to be a 16-year-old boy. A local official told the Palestinian Maan news agency that two Palestinians were shot during the incident and left bleeding when Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances were prevented from accessing them. Maan said the village where the incident happened, al-Zawiya, was placed under military blockade late on Tuesday after one of its residents was suspected of carrying out a stabbing attack near Petah Tikva, east of Tel Aviv. Four Palestinians were shot dead in separate incidents on Tuesday after allegedly trying to kill Israelis in occupied East Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, the latest in a five-month wave of such incidents. Since the beginning of October, 194 Palestinians and 28 Israelis have been killed. Israelis say most of the Palestinians were killed while carrying out alleged knife, gun or car-ramming attacks. Others have been shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes or demonstrations. Rights groups have condemned Israeli forces for using excessive force against alleged attackers and demonstrators, including children. The surge in violence erupted in Jerusalem in October after an increase of Israeli incursions into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Islams holiest site outside Saudi Arabia. Many Jews revere the site as a vestige of their biblical temples. Riots swiftly spread to the flashpoint southern West Bank city of Hebron, where hundreds of Jewish settlers live under Israeli army guard among 200,000 Palestinians, and to other places across the Palestinian Territories and Israel. The US vice president is due to meet separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday. The White House has said Biden will not be pursuing any major new peace initiatives during his visit despite the wave of violence. Roughly one of every two Israeli Jews wants Palestinian citizens expelled or transferred from the country, according to a new poll. The Washington-based Pew Research centre, a non-partisan think-tank which carried out face-to-face interviews with 5,601 adults from October 2014 through May 2015, asked whether Arabs should be expelled or transferred from Israel. Half of the Jewish respondents strongly agreed or agreed with that statement, with approximately the same numbers opposing the notion. The results have been met with alarm by politicians and observers alike, with Israeli president Reuven Rivlin calling the poll a wake-up call for society as he asked for soul searching and moral reflection over some of its disturbing findings. READ MORE: Poll: 53% Israelis support extrajudicial killings We are not talking about Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza here, Shibley Telhami, Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland, told Al Jazeera. We are talking about citizens who constitute 20 percent of the population. This is astonishing. This not only has ramifications on the nature of the state of Israel and future of its Palestinian citizens, but it even tells you about the notion of Jewishness versus democracy. The first in-depth study of religion in Israel, which was released on Tuesday, also found that overwhelming majorities among both West Bank settlers (85 percent) and other Israeli Jews (79 percent) agreed or strongly agreed that Jews deserve preferential treatment in Israel. Thats remarkable when you are thinking in terms of democracy, Telhami, who is also a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said. Seeing Arabs as a demographic problem is not only wrong because it privileges Jewishness over democracy, but it also diverts from the fact that Israel has an obligation to end the occupation. The survey, which tackled an array of social, political and religious issues and was conducted in Hebrew, Russian and Arabic, showed deep divisions within Israeli society not only between its Jewish and Palestinian citizens, but also among Jews themselves. Results also differed based on political and religious affiliations. Another noticeable finding was that more Israeli Jews believed continued settlement-building in the West Bank helped Israels security than those who found them harmful even 13 percent of those on the left side of the ideological spectrum said settlements were helpful, the survey found. READ MORE: What Palestinian-Israeli security cooperation? According to the poll, about eight in 10 Palestinian citizens of Israel believe there is heavy discrimination in Israeli society against Muslims, the biggest of the religious minorities, while a vast majority of Jewish respondents (74 percent) said they did not see such discrimination. The poll raised alarms inside Israel, with Rivlin saying it portrayed a very dangerous situation, especially in the attitude towards Israels Arab citizens. There is a difference between the way in which Israeli Arabs perceive themselves in the high percentages, as discriminated against, and the number of Jews who are confident that there is no discrimination, Rivlin said in a statement after the release of the report. This is a survey that needs to stand before decision-makers in Israel, before the government in Israel. It indicates the need to deal with our internal problems now more than ever. Divisions between Palestinian and Jewish respondents also showed different attitudes towards the peace process, which has been at a stalemate since 2014, with pressure increasing on Israel from the international community to stop building settlements. Both Palestinians and Jews, the poll showed, were sceptical about the sincerity of the Palestinian and Israeli governments seeking a peace agreement. READ NOW: UN voices concern over stalled Israel-Palestine talks Whats interesting is that Arab Israelis are likewise just as doubtful of [Palestinian President Mahmoud] Abbas as they are of [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, Grant Rumley, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, told Al Jazeera. This reflects a wave of disillusionment that is only rising after the latest high-level talks failed in 2014. Both leaders now seem more preoccupied with domestic politics, something people on both sides clearly recognise, Rumley said. Palestinians comprise approximately 20 percent of Israels population of more than eight million people. Among those polled, 50 percent said a peaceful two-state solution was possible, compared to 43 percent of Jews. Among Jews themselves, only 29 percent on the right thought an independent Palestinian state can live peacefully alongside Israel. The majority of Palestinians and Israelis, as well as Palestinian citizens of Israel have come to believe peace will never happen, Telhami said. These feelings dont bode well for the future. You cannot decouple Jewish-Arab relations within Israel itself from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, because Palestinians in Israel sympathise with those in the West Bank and Gaza, and Israeli Jews find it hard to separate between Palestinians inside Israel and those in the territories. The lines are therefore blurred inevitably. Steady flow of refugees enters new MSF camp in Dunkirk but many still aim to take risky journey to the UK. Grande-Synthe, France Hundreds of people have been moving into a new refugee camp in the northern French city of Dunkirk amid increasing tensions between local authorities in the area and the state. The camp in the Grande-Synthe suburb of the city opened on Monday as part of a joint project between Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and the local Green-run authority. WATCH: Inside the Calais Jungle Clinic The site, which has room for 2,500 refugees, is a few kilometres away from the Grande-Synthe jungle site infamous for its terrible living conditions, considered worse than those in neighbouring Calais. As politicians continue to debate how to deal with Europes refugee crisis, the north of France struggles to cope with a surging number of refugees and migrants trying to cross the English Channel to reach the UK. In a statement sent to Al Jazeera, MSFs Executive Director, Vickie Hawkins said the new camp would protect refugees from cold weather, flooding and provide adequate sanitation facilities, but was not a permanent solution. The new camp will bring conditions up to minimum humanitarian standards, but we know that this is just a short-term solution, Hawkins said. Governments on both sides of the Channel need to reach an agreement to find a long-term solution for these people. The camp contains hundreds of wooden shacks sleeping four people each, well-maintained bathrooms and shower facilities, as well as open spaces. Al Jazeera spoke to several refugees who cautiously welcomed the sites opening. Amir, a Kurd who fled the Iraqi city of Mosul after its takeover by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, said he still intended to reach the UK. We were sleeping in thick mud, we were ill, so of course this is better but I dont know how long I will stay here. IN PICTURES: Inside the Calais Jungle The concern was shared by other refugees, who are grateful for the relative comforts of the new camp but weary of the sense of permanence living there might bring. Some refugees said camp organisers had told them they could expect to live in the camp for up to a year. The refugees Al Jazeera spoke to said they wanted to make their way to the UK sooner. A constant reminder of that aim is the stream of trucks on the adjacent A16 motorway heading to the Calais ferry terminal and later England. Sneaking onto the vehicles has become one of the primary methods of getting into the country one that has proven deadly on a number of occasions. Zoro, who said he fled Iran for its persecution of Sunni Muslims and Kurds, told Al Jazeera reaching the UK would put him beyond the reach of Iranian authorities. If I get deported to Iran, they will execute me I support the Kurdish groups, he said, gesturing to the trucks on the motorway when asked how he intended to get there. Tensions with state Grande-Synthes Mayor Damien Careme of the Green party has been unrepentant of his efforts to build better conditions for Dunkirks refugees a position that has put him at odds with the French state. Together with MSF, his local authority helped fund the nearly $3m cost of developing the camp, with no contribution from the central French government. A spokesman for the Greens told Al Jazeera the government tried to halt the opening of the camp on health and safety grounds. This camp was born as the result of the political will of Damien and that of local organisations its thanks to these actors that the camp was built, said Stephanie Bocquet. The state didnt forbid its construction because it was not financially contributing to it. Damien has said the power struggle [with the government] will continue and I dont think this pressure is going to stop him or stop MSF. Refugees are expected to continue moving into the new camp throughout the week. Follow Shafik Mandhai on Twitter: @ShafikFM Hungary extends nationwide state of emergency as it deploys a further 1,500 police and army troops on Serbian border. Asotthalom, Hungary The Hungarian government has announced the deployment of an additional 1,500 troops and police officers on its border with Serbia, as it extended a nationwide state of emergency in response to the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe. Interior Minister Sandor Pinter made the announcement during a press conference in Hungarys capital Budapest on Wednesday. READ MORE: Slovenia, Croatia close Balkan route The move comes just a day after Slovenia announced the closure of its border crossings to those who do not have valid European Union entry visas, effectively blocking the Balkan route that refugees use to reach Western Europe. Referring to the decision to deploy more security forces on the border, Pinter said: We do not know how the migrants stuck in the Balkan countries will react. Syrian refugee at Idomeni: Its a very bad life, its a second war here Riskier routes Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia and Croatia have drastically tightened border restrictions since late 2015, leading to a sharp increase in refugees attempting to breach Hungarys 175-kilometre fence on the Serbian border. There have been breaches at various points along the Hungarian-Serbian border, a Hungarian police spokesperson told Al Jazeera, explaining that generally between 100 and 200 people are arrested for crossing the fence each day. On Tuesday, the police said that 127 people were caught attempting to enter Hungary from Serbia. They are among the 976 people arrested by Hungarian police since March 1 for breaching the fence. READ MORE: UN says EU-Turkey refugee deal would violate law Andras Kovats, director of the Hungarian Association for Migrants, explained that the number of refugees and migrants in detention centres and open camps has tripled since the middle of February. The open and closed facilities are full, he told Al Jazeera, adding that the spate of border closures will likely push refugees to take riskier routes into Western Europe. We have no clue how many enter the country [from Serbia] without getting caught, Kovats said, arguing that Hungarys strict measures make it virtually impossible for asylum seekers to gain asylum in Hungary. Those who are caught entering the country by breaching the border fence are often barred from applying for asylum and banned from the EUs Schengen zone for a period of one year. Meanwhile, very few asylum applicants who take the proper legal steps are accepted, according to Mark Kekesi, spokesman for Szeged chapter of the Migrant Solidarity Group of Hungary. If you dont cut the fence and enter illegally and take the legal gateway, then you have a nearly 100 percent chance of being kicked back to Serbia, Kekesi told Al Jazeera. Only 146 of the 177,135 applicants were granted asylum in Hungary in 2015, according to the governments office of statistics. READ MORE: Refugees welcome move to new French camp Another 362 refugees were not given asylum, but were provided with residency and permitted to stay. The government has made it as close as legally possible to making it impossible [to obtain asylum] in Hungary, Kekesi said. More than a million refugees and migrants reached European shores by boat in 2015, according to the UN agency for refugees, UNHCR, while an estimated 141,930 have made it to Europe since the beginning of this year. Earlier this week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbans office announced plans to slash subsidies and services for refugees and asylum seekers in the country. Follow Patrick Strickland on Twitter: @P_Strickland_ Governments of Slovenia and Croatia place new restrictions on entry, effectively closing doors to refugees. The Balkan trail from Greece to northern Europe used by refugees has been blocked after a string of nations slammed shut their borders. Slovenia and Croatia, two of the countries along the well-trodden route, said late on Tuesday that no refugees wishing to transit towards other countries would be allowed to enter. Serbia indicated it would follow suit. EU member Slovenia said that from midnight (23:00 GMT), the only exceptions were for people wishing to claim asylum in the country or for refugees on humanitarian grounds and in accordance with the rules of the Schengen zone. READ MORE: UN says EU-Turkey refugee deal would violate law The measures follow Austrias decision in February to cap the number of refugees passing through its territory, and Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz late on Tuesday welcomed the news. In Greece, however, the tightening of border restrictions in recent weeks sparked by Austrias move has created a bottleneck at the border with Macedonia where more than 13,000 people were stranded, according to state agency ANA. There was no official reaction from Athens to Slovenia and Croatias moves but a Greek government source told AFP news agency on Wednesday that it now considered borders through the Balkans as de facto closed. The authorities were trying to convince the refugees that are stuck to go temporarily to welcome centres throughout Greece, the source said. Merkels open door More than a million people have crossed the Aegean Sea into Greece since the start of 2015, many from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq and most aiming to reach wealthy Germany, Austria and Scandinavia. This has caused deep divisions among EU members about how to deal with Europes worst refugee crisis since World War II, and put German Chancellor Angela Merkel under severe pressure domestically over her open-door asylum policy. Merkel hopes that a mooted deal with Turkey discussed at an EU summit on Monday, and due to be finalised on March 17-18, will be the answer, with Turkey offering to take back all illegal migrants landing on the Greek islands. Turkey, currently hosting 2.7 million refugees escaping the five-year-old civil war in neighbouring Syria, is the main springboard for making the perilous sea crossing to Greece. Ankara proposed an arrangement under which the EU would resettle one Syrian refugee from camps in Turkey in exchange for every Syrian that Turkey takes from Greece, in a bid to reduce the incentive for people to board boats for Europe. In return though, Turkey wants six billion euros ($6.6bn) in aid, visa-free access for Turkish citizens to Europes passport-free Schengen zone and a speeding up of Ankaras efforts to join the EU. European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker called the plan a real game-changer and insisted it was legally feasible, but it has sparked concern from UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi and others. Rights group Amnesty International said the proposal was full of moral and legal flaws and along with Human Rights Watch challenged the idea that Turkey was a safe country to which refugees could return. The swap of one Saudi and seven Yemenis is part of an apparent truce along the Saudi-Yemen border. Saudi Arabia has released seven Yemeni prisoners in exchange for one of its soldiers, the kingdoms news agency reported. The report on Wednesday marked the first announced prisoner swap since a coalition of Arab countries went to war against rebels in Yemen nearly a year ago. The swap and an apparent truce along the Saudi-Yemen border follows unprecedented talks between the sides. The media statement, carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) , did not specify if the Houthis had been holding the soldier who was released. SPA said Yemeni tribal leaders coordinated the swap which led to the release of Corporal Jaber al-Kaabi. It also said Yemeni tribal figures helped facilitate the delivery of aid across the border into Yemeni villages. The seven Yemenis had been detained in areas of military operations near the border, the report added, but did not give details on when the Yemenis and the soldier had been detained nor where the exchange took place. Mohammed Ali al-Emad, a brother of a top Houthi politician with knowledge about the talks, told the Associated Press news agency that recent communication is aimed at paving the way for possible ceasefire negotiations because the warring sides have realised that war so far has failed to force any of the two to retreat. Analysts said that the agreement was the first important step towards finding a resolution to the conflict, which the United Nations says has killed more than 6,000 people, left almost 8 million without a regular supply of food, and forced 3.4 million children our of school. This is one of the most significant breakthroughs since coalition operations began, said Adam Baron, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Al-Qaeda fighters, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL), also known as ISIS, southern separatists, and other armed groups have capitalised on the chaos of Yemens civil war. READ MORE: Yemens displaced in dire need of food Also on Wednesday, in an apparent effort to ease tensions, a senior Houthi official posted a Facebook message telling Iranian officials to stay out of Yemens conflict, a day after an Iranian general said Tehran could send military advisers to help Houthi forces fighting the coalition. Officials in the Islamic Republic of Iran must be silent and leave aside the exploitation of the Yemen file, the official, Yousef al-Feshi, a member of the Houthis Revolutionary Committee, said in the posting. Fighting in Aden The Saudi military and the rebels, known as Houthis, frequently clash along the kingdoms southern border with Yemen. The Yemeni capital of Sanaa taken over by the Houthis in 2014 and the northern region of the country where Houthis are in control have been relatively calm in recent days. But in Aden on Wednesday, clashes erupted between the guards at a presidential palace and gunmen who were recently let go from the presidential guard. The gunmen attacked the guards and insisted that they return to their jobs even if by force, security officials said. As the attack unfolded, several families left the area after a mortar fell on one of the houses. Ambulances ferried three wounded civilians to hospital, according to medical officials, while loud explosions were heard in the area. Both the medical and security officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to talk to reporters. Al-Shabab claims responsibility for bombing of police station in Mogadishu, killing at least three police officers. A suicide car bombing has hit a police station in Somalias capital, Mogadishu, killing at least three police officers, local sources said. Armed group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack early on Wednesday and confirmed to Al Jazeera that a car bomb was used. At least two people were also wounded in the explosion, witnesses said. READ MORE: What is al-Shabab and what does it want? The blast hit a tea stand in front of the police station where new recruits are trained in the Abdi Aziz district of Mogadishu. The police station is near the popular Lido beach, which was the scene of another al-Shahab attack in January, in which up to 20 people were killed. In the January attack, suicide bombers stormed the Beach View Hotel, after which several al-Shabab fighters opened fire at the hotel. Follow Al Jazeeras Hamza Mohamed on Twitter: @Hamza_Africa Addressing the socio-economic question is crucial to Tunisias long and arduous battle against ISIL terrorism. In the hours following the deadly attack by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group on Ben Gardane in which 55 people were,Tunisians reacted with a sense of foreboding about the countrys revolution that verged on the histrionic. As a Tunisian professor at the University of Gafsa said: With each [ISIL] attack, our revolution is being atrociously targeted with dreadful turns and twists, and images of our old and/or incompetent leaders are oozing with fears and tears Many Tunisians echo the sentiments, lamenting the absence of a decisive vision and sensible plans to keep ISIL at bay. Following ISILs fourth deadliest attack of the year, the country has become increasingly concerned both about the fate of its revolution and the violence spilling across its frontier as the armed group has expanded in Libya, taking advantage of the chaos there to set up training camps. An adviser to former Prime Minister Hammadi Jebali pointed out that our revolution has become so suspenseful that its fate is now being decided by a rag-tag militia ISIL through seemingly porous borders all over Tunisia. This growing perception of the revolutions continuous fall from the peak of triumph is threatening to become the defining heart of Tunisias own narrative of the Arab Spring. READ MORE: Tunisia why foreign fighters abandon ISIL On Monday, dozens of ISIL fighters stormed the border town of Ben Gardane attacking army and police posts and triggering street battles during which troops killed 36 fighters. Twelve soldiers and seven civilians also died. Tunisias prime minister confirmed on Tuesday that ISIL had carried out the raid to win control of the town and expand its territory. A number of factors have placed Tunisia and its revolution under a state of siege. Increased terrorist activity especially by ISIL is bleeding the economy dry of tourism revenues, a key source of national income. The latest attack, however, is a dangerous escalation that Tunisia would need to fight with more than just guns. Regional factors are also at play. A history professor from the University of Tunis succinctly observes that the success of Tunisias democratising debut worries some regional powers. On the domestic front, the economic hardship has in turn caused large-scale popular unrest especially in the south and the central Tunisia. This internal dynamic has further hurt Tunisia by creating a kind of a ready-made fodder for unrest guns for hire: Tunisian young men are the most prone to joining ISIL. The country has a social stratum that is politically and economically on the margins and is vulnerable to radicalisation. The number of Tunisians fighting in Syria and Iraq, including returnees, is put at more than 5,000 by some Tunisian security specialists. This downturn in economic performance has been devastating, wiping out family livelihoods in tourist areas with the loss of employment opportunites among the young. If this trend continues, Tunisia will end up either recovering from, or bracing itself for, future ISIL attacks while working to contain the damage inflicted on the modest economy. To make things worse, the countrys leadership offers no survival strategies to ease this state of siege. Rhetoric alone no longer appeases the people who are incessantly told to be patient. It is not, however, all doom and gloom. A supporter of the Ennahda, Tunisias Islamist party, reasons that patience is a virtue. The way, he puts it, is that our revolution is not a leaf-less tree it has embellished our lives with a democratic constitution, alternation of power, free and fair elections, independent judiciary, licensed parties, free trade unions, free speech and more equality than in many Arab states. His argument is that the ISIL attacks, now more frequent and more deadly, strewn all along the tiny country from Tunis in the north (Bardo attack) to Ben Gardane in the south, are no more than distractions from the institution-building process. READ MORE: Tunisias social timebomb Tunisia may be a good case study of democratic transition, but it is one that is weighed down by a failed economy. Moreover, ISILs emerging tactic is to focus on Tunisia as the weakest link in the security chain in North Africa. These kind of attacks are taking place in neighbouring Algeria and Libya. The first two attacks in 2015 targeted tourism: the Bardo National Museum in Tunis on March 18, and on the beach resort of Port El-Kantaoui, in Sousse, on June 26, 2015. Of late, the trend has been to hit symbols of state using suicide bombing, which is more difficult to detect and deter than armed militias. ISILs bombing of a bus carrying members of the presidential guard last November exemplifies this trend and the attack on Ben Gardane follows logically from that attack. They will keep coming. The latest attack, however, is a dangerous escalation that Tunisia will need to fight with more than just guns. Addressing the socio-economic question is crucial in the long and arduous battle against the complicated terrorist phenomenon that ISIL, with its solidified presence in Libya, may be only one manifestation. Coalition in control of legislature plans for constitutional changes and protests against President Nicolas Maduro. Venezuelas opposition has called for the largest movement that has ever existed to oust President Nicolas Maduro, vowing to pursue all means to force him from power, including a referendum and protests. The opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable coalition (MUD), which gained control of the legislature in December, spent weeks deciding on its strategy to remove the president, whose popularity has plunged in the face of a crippling economic crisis. After heated debate over the merits of a referendum, a constitutional amendment or the drafting of a new constitution, the MUD announced its plan was all of the above, and more. It placed special emphasis on its call for protests, starting from Saturday. The Democratic Unity Roundtable has taken the unanimous decision to call on the Venezuelan people to launch the largest popular pressure movement that has ever existed, to activate all I repeat, all mechanisms for change, said the opposition coalitions executive secretary, Jesus Torrealba. That, he said, includes organising a recall referendum, which enables voters to remove elected officials midway through their terms six years, in the case of the president. Maduro was elected in 2013, a month after succeeding mentor Hugo Chavez following his death from cancer. Maduro reaches the midway point of his term in six weeks, on April 19. To call a referendum, the opposition would need to get a petition signed by 20 percent of registered voters, or 3.9 million people, over a period of three days. The referendum, to be organised within seven months, would then need to gather more votes than Maduro won with in 2013 some 7.6 million. A top Maduro ally, legislative minority leader Hector Rodriguez, said the president was ready for a battle and would not be pressured to resign. Nicolas isnt going to resign, hes going to dedicate himself entirely to governing for the majority of the country, including for them [his critics], he told the AFP news agency. Torrealba said the opposition will also use its legislative majority to draft a constitutional amendment reducing the presidential term. An amendment would also have to win approval in a referendum. Torrealba said the opposition will consider calling a constitutional assembly to draft a new constitution if the government continues its irresponsible practice of trying to block the constitutional mechanisms for a peaceful solution to the crisis. Economic crisis The oppositions landslide win in Decembers legislative elections is the biggest challenge yet to the socialist revolution movement that Chavez launched in 1999. It comes against the backdrop of a deep economic morass exacerbated by the crash in the price of oil, which long funded Chavez and Maduros lavish social spending. Despite holding the worlds largest crude reserves, Venezuelas economy contracted 5.7 percent last year, its second year of recession. WATCH: Venezuela The worlds worst-performing economy The crisis has stoked outrage in the South American country, where chronic shortages of basic goods, long lines and soaring prices have become the norm. We cant bear this anymore. We are the victims of the worst crisis in the countrys history. Nothing works. Thats why Venezuela has chosen the path of change, said Torrealba. Political analysts say all the constitutional options to force Maduro from power face likely rejection by the Supreme Court or the National Electoral Council, both of which the opposition accuses the president of packing with allies. The Supreme Court has struck down the oppositions powerful two-thirds majority in the National Assembly and dealt it a series of other blows. All these paths can be torpedoed by the constitutional chamber (of the Supreme Court), in an abusive exercise of its authority, constitutional law expert Jose Ignacio Hernandez told AFP. Beitunya, Occupied West Bank What began as a two-day walkout aimed at boosting teachers salaries has evolved into one of the biggest protests seen on Palestinian streets in years. The strike, now entering its fourth week, has closed state schools across the West Bank and pitted teachers against their own union leaders and a hesitant government. On Monday fresh reports emerged of teachers being targeted, pulled from cars by the Palestinian Authority security services and prohibited from entering Ramallah, where a large protest took place in support of a nationwide teacher strike. It was a rare occasion where PA security set up roadblocks and checkpoints for Palestinians, a measure usually associated with the occupying Israeli army in the West Bank. Following Mondays demonstration that drew thousands of teachers and pupils to Ramallah, Palestinian Prime Minister, Rami Hamdallah released a statement on the crisis. The Palestinian teacher deserves our respect and admiration; however, everyone should put the interests of our children and their education ahead of everything, he said. Among the pupils themselves, those who are preparing to take the tawjihi, matriculation exams, this year have the most to lose from the ongoing strike. Some teachers have reportedly reached agreements with principals to give certain classes to this group of pupils to prepare them for the crucial university entrance exams, but they want to keep the arrangement covert for fear of upsetting other striking teachers. On Tuesday morning in Beitunya, Mohammed Saeed was one of a handful of pupils walking out of the boys high school gates. For sure it is having a negative effect. Its my final year and my future is at stake, he told Al Jazeera. Im worried and stressed right now because I cant see where this is going to end. Saeed still travels to school each day in case there are classes, and was heading home after an hour-long Arabic class that morning. This by Mohammed rights. They get low salaries and we need to stand with them.] In the long hours without classes, Saeed says he spends most of his time watching television checking the news and trying to study sometimes. But the 18-year-old, who hopes to study political science at university, said he supported the teachers strike wholeheartedly. This is about their rights. They get low salaries and we need to stand with them. Confronted with the sudden abundance of free time for their children, Palestinian parents are also anxious for the strike to be resolved soon. Without the regular routine of the school day, Nael Manasra said his two daughters, 11 and 13, were staying up too late, spending listless days and nights watching TV rather than studying. This strike has put us in a corner. As parents, we dont know what to do with our kids, said the exasperated father. I dont hate the teachers, but I hate this strike. I respect the teachers and their demands but as a parent, all that really matters to me is my daughters education, said Manasra. The mass movement began on February 10 when the teachers union organised a two-day walkout after public school teachers did not receive an expected 2.5 percent backdated pay rise, in line with an agreement reached in 2013. Talks between the union and the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) followed, during which the union was forced to resign amid accusations from teachers that it was working against their interests and was instead boosting the government position. The government and the union wanted to get the teachers to accept a smaller raise now and increase it over a longer period of time to try to limit the teachers demands, said Nabil Samara, principal at the Beitunya boys high school. In February he resigned from the union in protest over its role. Since then, the teachers demands have evolved, to include an immediate implementation of the 2013 agreement to increase teacher pay by 10 percent, including backdated pay. They also want the right to elect a new representative body to negotiate with the legislators in place of the union. The basic starting salary for teachers in public schools is currently 1,700 shekels ($434) a month, with additional payments bringing that figure up to 2,400 shekels each month ($615). For many in the profession, it is barely enough to get by on and as a result, some teachers have taken second jobs. At a Chinese restaurant in Ramallah, Ahmad has just finished the late afternoon rush. The 30-year-old has been teaching for six years but each day, after his classes finish around 2pm, he heads to the restaurant where he works until 10pm. The second job brings his monthly earnings to around 5,000 shekels ($1,278), which he says is just enough to support his wife and live a normal life. Its not enough at all. You need more than this every month, just to carry on with life, said Ahmad, who asked not to use his full name. Its very hard for me, sometimes I work 20 hours a day and dont see my family or my wife. As a teacher, I have to prepare for my classes and sometimes I cannot because I have to work a second job to survive here. Can the Easter Islands indigenous Rapa Nui win the fight for independence from Chile to protect their land and culture? The famed monolithic Moai statues in Easter Island are symbols of the lands mysterious past. Centuries ago, the Rapa Nui, a people of Polynesian descent, faced the threat of extinction as the island was on the brink of ecological collapse. In 1888, Chile annexed the South Pacific Island but until 1953 it allowed a Scottish company to manage the island as a giant sheep ranch. While the sheep roamed freely, the Rapa Nui were confined to the town. They revolted in 1964, obtaining Chilean citizenship and the right to elect their own mayor. Now, Chilean colonisers are threatening to wipe the indigenous culture out of existence. A wave of recent immigration to the South Pacific Island means that two out of every three inhabitants are from mainland Chile. The government of Chile says it is committed to a four-year, $60million-development plan for the island. New luxury hotels are wooing rich Chileans into town, a glimpse of what critics say will foster an income gap. Chilean migrants come to the island in part because of tax exemption. Tourists and mainland Chileans flock to Easter Island to enjoy the beaches on one of the worlds most remote islands. But among the Rapa Nui people, calls for independence are growing louder and protests in the past year have turned bitter and violent. Inspired by a wave of Polynesian islands obtaining certain degrees of political autonomy, the Rapa Nui are demanding rights to govern their land. Leviante Araki, president of the self-styled Rapa Nui Parliament, a pro-independence organisation, has challenged Chilean rule and is taking the fight to the mainland courts to seek independence. Last year, the Rapa Nui Parliament crowned Valentino Riroroko Tuki, the 81-year-old grandson of the last monarch, as the new king, an indication to Chile that it wants to void the annexation treaty. The 1888 treaty, the Rapa Nui Parliament says, removed the Rapa Nui from their ancestral land and confined their movements. The Rapa Nui want better healthcare, proper basic infrastructure like water and electricity and preservation of their culture. And they are taking their cause to the international level. Rapa Nui squatters like Lorenzo Tepano, a fisherman who with his wife, lives in a wooden shack in the Rapa Nui National Park, refuses to move. He wants to stay in what he claims is his own land. In 2010, the dissension came to a head when Chilean security forces violently evicted the prominent Hitorangi clan and Tuko Tuki clan who had occupied buildings and sites, claiming the land belongs to them. Armed Chilean troops and police reportedly opened fire on unarmed Rapa Nui civilians and left protesters with blood-stained wounds. The captured images drew admonition from the United Nations over the use of force to resolve the islands problems. But the Chilean president defended the evictions saying that the forces did the necessary to maintain public order. However, not all Rapa Nui are supporting the movement. Alberto Hotus, the head of the Council of Elders, maintains that the islanders depend on Chile for food, telecommunications and healthcare. If we cut ties to Chile, we will return to eating pasture, he says. Carlos Llancaqueo, Chiles commissioner to Easter Island, is cautious in his approach, saying that the authorities are preparing proposals to give the Rapanui more control over the lands finances. He also says that officials are moving ahead to improve the power grid, portable water systems and education in both the Rapa Nui language and Spanish. So, will the Rapa Nui win the fight against the Chilean colonisers? 101 East looks at the Rapa Nui struggle to reclaim the right to govern their own land. This film was first broadcast on Al Jazeera English in February 2013. We travel to Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand to investigate slavery in the multi-billion dollar seafood industry. In 2015, evidence of slavery on a massive scale surfaced in the remote islands of eastern Indonesia. Illegal fishing in Indonesian territorial waters had risen to an extreme level, but many of the Thai fishing boats responsible harboured a much worse secret aboard. The way they forced us to work is worse than slaves. Slaves would have their own time, and we didn't have any. We didn't have time to sleep. We didn't have time to eat. We only had time to work. by A trafficked fisherman In the last year, over 2,000 men have come forward who were enslaved on Thai fishing boats in Indonesian waters, working for as long as a decade without pay. Thousands of migrants from Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos in search of higher-paying jobs were lured onto Thai fishing boats with empty promises about jobs on the other side and into, in some cases, years of ongoing seaborne labour. Many of the enslaved fishermen were facing abuse, ranging from physical assault to lack of food and sleep. The way they forced us to work is worse than slaves. Slaves would have their own time, and we didnt have any. We didnt have time to sleep. We didnt have time to eat. We only had time to work, says one of the trafficked fishermen. The illegal fishing boats and their cheap crews were essential to one of the worlds most important food suppliers Thailands $7bn fishing industry. Thailand is the worlds third-largest seafood exporter, and the United States consumes more of that seafood including tuna and shrimp than any other country. Its almost impossible to separate what effectively are slave-caught fish from fish that are caught through more legitimate means. It is in fact part of the business model. One of the reasons why your shrimp cocktail at your local restaurant doesnt cost you an arm and a leg, is because the labour cost is so low, says Paul Dillion from the International Organization for Migration. How did thousands of men end up slaves to the global demand for cheap seafood? After years of unpaid labour, will they receive any justice at all? And will companies in the US that profit from similar activity be held accountable? Fault Lines travels to Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand to trace the hidden costs of cheap seafood. Is the region an easy target for ISIL and could international intervention deter the armed groups expansion? For more than a year, fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) have exploited civil war chaos in Libya to establish control over large stretches of the coastline and pockets of territory elsewhere. Now there are fears that ISIL fighters are eyeing up neighbouring Tunisia to expand what they describe as the ISIL caliphate. Gunmen stormed the Tunisian border town of Ben Gardane on Monday, attacking an army barracks and police posts. At least 55 people were killed, including attackers, civilians and security forces. Tunisian forces chased the remaining assailants out of the town but the shooting continued on Tuesday. A large stash of weapons was also found. Tunisias President Beji Caid Essebsi called it an unprecedented attack designed to establish new ISIL territory on Tunisian soil. So, is North Africa an easy target for ISIL? And could international intervention deter the armed groups expansion in the region? Presenter: Mike Hanna Guests: Youssef Cherif: Political analyst from Tunis Monica Marks: Fellow with the European Council on foreign relations focusing on Tunisian politics and security Anas El Gomati: Libya analyst and director of the Tripoli-based Sadeq Institute The anti-abortion group Created Equal came back to UF on Tuesday with fewer people than last year and fewer counter-protesters. The group travels to college campuses to engage students and promote its views on abortion, said Sarah Jimenez, an outreach coordinator for the group. She said its members have visited UF for about four years. This year, about 30 people stood on the Plaza of the Americas and Turlington Plaza with large graphic pictures depicting abortions. We are out here to show the truth about abortion, she said. We believe that abortion is wrong in any situation. She said the images come from an anonymous photographer, and the group has documentation to prove theyre real. Its not pretty to look at. I dont like to look at it, she said. No injustice in the past has been stopped without showing images of the victims. Bryan Boggiano held up a sign reading I Stand With PP (Planned Parenthood) to counter protest the group on the Plaza of the Americas. He said he wanted to protest the group peacefully. While I do think their way has some flaws, and while its something I dont personally agree with, theyre protesting peacefully, the 20-year-old UF criminology sophomore said. Last year, Created Equal partnered with a California anti-abortion group called Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust. There were about 50 people protesting, and they had a Jumbotron-sized screen depicting an abortion video. This year, the California group did not come, and there was no screen. Jordan Steckler, a UF linguistics senior, said she was offended last year when the group compared abortions to the Holocaust. Im Jewish, you really want to talk to me about that? she said. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now This year, she said she ignored the group while walking through the Plaza of the Americas. They asked me what I thought of the pictures, and I didnt answer, the 22-year-old said. Maria Faret, a UF business sophomore, said she agreed with the group. While the pictures were graphic, they depicted what abortions are. I do believe its killing a human being, the 19-year-old said. I think its more of the right of the baby than the mom. Grant Schwab, a UF political science senior, said he is planning a counter protest of the groups images for students today. He said although Created Equal has the legal right to present its views on campus, students who dont agree have the responsibility to protest. Their imagery is inappropriate and disgusting, the 21-year-old said. We will come to debate and we will counter their argument. Created Equal will be on the Plaza and Turlington today from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. News Story not available This story has been published on: 2022-10-22. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. This story is no longer available on our site. UF students can enjoy live music from France, Italy, India and other countries this weekend. UF is hosting the 20th International Festival of Women Composers this week. A free concert will be held Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at UFs School of Music, Room 101. More than 20 performers will play music composed by women from all over the world. The concert was organized by Miriam Zach, the festivals founder and creative director. Zach, a music professor at UF, started the event to honor female composers. Angela Jonas, an executive administrative assistant at the School of Music, said she will sing German art songs from the romantic period. The pieces she chose are by Fanny Mendelssohn, Clara Schumann and Alma Mahler, which she selected because she usually sings opera, Jonas said. I have sung for 25 years from a limited pool of composers, and this was an opportunity for me to branch out, Jonas said. Ferol Carytsas, the volunteer coordinator at UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine, wrote in an email that she will be performing pieces by Wilhelmine von Bayreuth on the viola. I wanted to be a part of this event because I feel it is important to recognize and feature works by female composers, Carytsas said. The diversity of performers and repertoire is interesting and exciting. Ray Tomlinson, the American computer programmer credited for inventing email, died of a heart attack at the age of 74 on Saturday. Tomlinson, who joined the Internet Hall of Fame in 2012, used the existing at sign to separate a username from its host in 1971. Now the sign is found across the Web and on different social media platforms. Professor David Carlson, who teaches Internet history and online services at UF, met Tomlinson at a conference in Colorado Springs more than 22 years ago. He said Tomlinson seemed like an easy-going, humble man. Despite having invented something influential, Carlson said, most people will never know who Tomlinson was. If we think about how much online communication has changed the world and changed the way we interact, (email) is one of the most important inventions of the last 50 years, he said. Carlson said he could previously only contact a friend in St. Petersburg, Russia, with a phone call at 4 a.m. or air mail, which could take weeks. Now, there are no geographic limitations to friendship, he said. The world has gotten larger because of communication, Carlson said. Daniel Helbig, a 19-year-old UF computer science freshman, said he got his first email in fifth grade and now checks his university email about four times per day. Instead of having to wait weeks, you get someones message in a couple seconds, he said. Thats pretty amazing. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Santiago Perez arrived in America to work in the fields. He planted and picked tomatoes, but instead of finding the American dream, he says he saw harassment and discrimination. Perez said he then joined the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a national human rights organization that supports a fair working environment for farm workers. On Friday, 60 members of the CIW will visit Gainesville as part of its Workers Voice Tour, which will also include states such as Kentucky and New York, said Sheila Payne, a member of Gainesvilles Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice. The national tour will focus on the organizations boycott of Wendys, the only food corporation among the big five which also includes Yum Brands, McDonalds, Burger King and Subway to decline the CIWs Campaign for Fair Food, she said. The campaign was created to provide workers with safer conditions and higher pay, Payne said. Companies that are part of the campaign pay more for produce and have their fields inspected to meet the Alliance for Fair Foods standards. She said auditors try to convince companies to pay one cent more per pound of tomatoes and give the profits to workers, Payne said. Aside from receiving low wages, she said workers can suffer from sexual abuse, slavery and poor health conditions caused by pesticides. Payne said the average life expectancy for farm workers is 49 years. Its No. 2 for death by accident, too, because of farm equipment, pesticides, she said. The only thing that tops it is lumbering you know, lumberjacks and I dont know if theyre No. 1 anymore. Perez said everyone consumes produce, which connects them to farm workers and the issues they face. I come from the field and I know what the work is like, and I feel what farm workers feel, he said. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Santiago Perez arrived in America to work in the fields. He planted and picked tomatoes, but instead of finding the American dream, he says he saw harassment and discrimination. Perez said he then joined the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a national human rights organization that supports a fair working environment for farm workers. On Friday, 60 members of the CIW will visit Gainesville as part of its Workers Voice Tour, which will also include states such as Kentucky and New York, said Sheila Payne, a member of Gainesvilles Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice. The national tour will focus on the organizations boycott of Wendys, the only food corporation among the big five which also includes Yum Brands, McDonalds, Burger King and Subway to decline the CIWs Campaign for Fair Food, she said. The campaign was created to provide workers with safer conditions and higher pay, Payne said. Companies that are part of the campaign pay more for produce and have their fields inspected to meet the Alliance for Fair Foods standards. She said auditors try to convince companies to pay one cent more per pound of tomatoes and give the profits to workers, Payne said. Aside from receiving low wages, she said workers can suffer from sexual abuse, slavery and poor health conditions caused by pesticides. Payne said the average life expectancy for farm workers is 49 years. Its No. 2 for death by accident, too, because of farm equipment, pesticides, she said. The only thing that tops it is lumbering you know, lumberjacks and I dont know if theyre No. 1 anymore. Perez said everyone consumes produce, which connects them to farm workers and the issues they face. I come from the field and I know what the work is like, and I feel what farm workers feel, he said. Santiago Perez arrived in America to work in the fields. He planted and picked tomatoes, but instead of finding the American dream, he says he saw harassment and discrimination. Perez said he then joined the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a national human rights organization that supports a fair working environment for farm workers. On Friday, 60 members of the CIW will visit Gainesville as part of its Workers Voice Tour, which will also include states such as Kentucky and New York, said Sheila Payne, a member of Gainesvilles Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice. The national tour will focus on the organizations boycott of Wendys, the only food corporation among the big five which also includes Yum Brands, McDonalds, Burger King and Subway to decline the CIWs Campaign for Fair Food, she said. The campaign was created to provide workers with safer conditions and higher pay, Payne said. Companies that are part of the campaign pay more for produce and have their fields inspected to meet the Alliance for Fair Foods standards. She said auditors try to convince companies to pay one cent more per pound of tomatoes and give the profits to workers, Payne said. Aside from receiving low wages, she said workers can suffer from sexual abuse, slavery and poor health conditions caused by pesticides. Payne said the average life expectancy for farm workers is 49 years. Its No. 2 for death by accident, too, because of farm equipment, pesticides, she said. The only thing that tops it is lumbering you know, lumberjacks and I dont know if theyre No. 1 anymore. Perez said everyone consumes produce, which connects them to farm workers and the issues they face. I come from the field and I know what the work is like, and I feel what farm workers feel, he said. Santiago Perez arrived in America to work in the fields. He planted and picked tomatoes, but instead of finding the American dream, he says he saw harassment and discrimination. Perez said he then joined the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a national human rights organization that supports a fair working environment for farm workers. On Friday, 60 members of the CIW will visit Gainesville as part of its Workers Voice Tour, which will also include states such as Kentucky and New York, said Sheila Payne, a member of Gainesvilles Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice. The national tour will focus on the organizations boycott of Wendys, the only food corporation among the big five which also includes Yum Brands, McDonalds, Burger King and Subway to decline the CIWs Campaign for Fair Food, she said. The campaign was created to provide workers with safer conditions and higher pay, Payne said. Companies that are part of the campaign pay more for produce and have their fields inspected to meet the Alliance for Fair Foods standards. She said auditors try to convince companies to pay one cent more per pound of tomatoes and give the profits to workers, Payne said. Aside from receiving low wages, she said workers can suffer from sexual abuse, slavery and poor health conditions caused by pesticides. Payne said the average life expectancy for farm workers is 49 years. Its No. 2 for death by accident, too, because of farm equipment, pesticides, she said. The only thing that tops it is lumbering you know, lumberjacks and I dont know if theyre No. 1 anymore. Perez said everyone consumes produce, which connects them to farm workers and the issues they face. I come from the field and I know what the work is like, and I feel what farm workers feel, he said. Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders is coming to UF. President of Progressive Gators Sen. Isaac Netzer (Impact, College of Liberal and Sciences) announced during Tuesday nights UFs Student Senate meeting that the presidential candidate will be speaking Thursday at 11 a.m. on University Village South Field, near the Southwest Recreation Center. We want to make a push for Florida, Netzer said, adding that the Florida primaries are Tuesday. About 8,000 people are expected to attend the event, which is free and open to the public. Newly-elected Senate President Jenny Clements and Senate President Pro Tempore Smith Meyers werent at the meeting because of travel delays, said Sen. Ty Robare (Impact, Business Administration). Sen. Austin Champoux (Impact, District A) was elected as acting Senate president. UF Student Body President Joselin Padron-Rasines smiled as she announced the Florida House of Representatives and Senate approved about $14 million of funding for Norman Hall. All we need is Gov. Scott to sign it, she said. UPD Officer Jeff Holcomb also announced a UF Police Student Dialogue on March 16 at Broward Dining Hall from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Its truly building a relationship between students and deputies, he said. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now 2005 .. NEW YORK, NY March 7, 2016 Angola Capital Investments (ACI), a leading international investment firm headquartered in Angola, announced its investment in Sphera Bluoshen S.A. to support the development of the finest healthcare technology around the globe. ACI is a major shareholder in Sphera Bluoshen S.A., a subsidiary of Oshen Group and part of Sphera Global Health Care. Sphera Global Health Care is a unique medical company that specializes in medical services and brings together carefully selected high-level hospitals, clinics, doctors and technologies. The objective is to democratize healthcare services so that people in Angola, and all over the world, have access to quality healthcare. Technology advancements have become a very important aspect of the African healthcare system. When a patient has access to technology they are more informed, which enables them to make better decisions and demand better treatment said Zandre Campos, chairman and CEO of ACI. It also enables patients access to international medicine, no matter where they are located. Sphera Global Health Care differs from other healthcare companies because of its focus on communication technologies. As patients demand more, including the best professionals and the most thorough information, Sphera Global Health Care is developing communication technologies to meet those demands. Technologies already developed include video conferencing, telemedicine, virtual platforms, apps, and mobile-health. Besides improving communication, the technologies also guarantee the delivery of quality healthcare and reduce unnecessary hospital or clinical visits. mHealth is a mobile app that provides consultation 24/7 for pediatric and general medicine. It stimulates engagement, maximizes preventive disease discussions, increases efficiency and reduces the cost of care when the number of unnecessary visits is reduced. Most importantly, more people have access to quality healthcare services. In Angola, Sphera Global Health Cares healthcare technology can also be found in the International Medical Center (IMC). Located in the capital city Luanda, the IMC is an outpatient center that aims to provide the highest level of care. It has an on-site laboratory, other cutting edge technologies, and delivers international medical services. It is run by doctors with international training and has a multidisciplinary team, including family doctors, specialists and nurses. On 8 March Amnesty International is launching a photo exhibition telling the stories of women and girls in Burkina Faso who have shown courage and determination in their battle to triumph over violence, abuse and violations of their rights. The exhibition captures twelve portraits, some of which include pictures taken by photographer Leila Alaoui, who tragically died alongside her driver, Mahamadi Ouedraogo, following the Al Qaeda attack in Ouagadougou last January. A tribute to Leila and Mahamadi will be held at the opening event in the northern city of Ouahigouya, the last place they visited during their assignement. These are stories of girls and women who have triumphed against all the odds. Whether they were forced into marriage as child brides or endured difficult situations as victims of discrimination, they all fought to protect their rights in the hope for a better future, said Samira Daoud, Amnesty International West and Central Africa Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns. And there is cause for celebration. Just last week, the government committed to raising the age of marriage for girls to 18 and will introduce free healthcare for pregnant women in an effort to reduce the number of maternal deaths. Burkina Faso has the 7th highest rate of child marriage in the world. One in 10 girls are married before the age of 15, with some as young as 11 forced into marriage. More than half of all women are married before the age of 18. In addition, just 17% of women use contraception - one of the lowest rates in the world. On 13 March the exhibition will be relocated to the capital Ouagadougou in collaboration with the association of women teachers. Former Mexican president, Vicente Fox, speaks with Al Jazeera English's Mehdi Hasan and escalates his attacks on Donald Trump: States that Donald Trump is absolutely a racist and that his discriminatory speech is creating violence within the same United States Refuses to apologize for swearing with regards to Trumps wall and says, Who really needs to apologise is him, to all the people he has offended Calls Donald Trump a junior who inherited his wealth: His economic knowledge is extremely poor Says his continual talk of building a border wall and souring trade relations between Mexico and the US is very stupid In an interview with Al Jazeera Englishs flagship current affairs show, UpFront, Vicente Fox, former Mexican president, strongly criticised Donald Trump, saying he is absolutely a racist. Every word that he says goes in that direction, he told UpFront host Mehdi Hasan, adding that his discriminatory speech is creating violence within the same United States and that "all brown and Afro-Americans and everybody else is insignificant to him. Fox, who served as Mexicos president from 2000 to 2006, has been exceptionally outspoken and harsh towards Trump. During his interview with UpFront, he reiterated his concern, saying Trump is so arrogant, so ego-centered, so vain and empty in his head. I see Mr. Trump as a false prophet, he added. He is going to bring that great nation to the desert, to hunger. In recent interviews, Fox has likened Trump to Adolf Hitler and also made headlines responding emphatically to Trumps campaign promise to build a wall to keep Mexican immigrants out of the US. Trump has asked Fox to apologize for swearing at him, but when asked if he plans to apologize, he told UpFront, Who really needs to apologise is him, to all the people he has offended. On the subject of Trumps business pedigree and prowess, Fox offered a harsh critique, saying, The amount of money he got, hes inherited it, so he is a junior. His economic knowledge is extremely poor, he added. He has hired undocumented, he took to bankruptcy a casino and many other things. Its very difficult to understand how he made so much money. Fox also lamented Trump's ignorant position on keeping Mexicans out of the US and souring trade relations. He is not understanding that by trading we both win, he said. He is not understanding that Mexico buys to the United States every year millions of US dollars. This means millions of jobs for US citizens, he said. On Trumps proposal to tax cars imported from Mexico, Fox asked what the consumers of the car say when the car price increases by 20%? Its very stupid what he is saying, he added. Doha, March 6th While preparing for its upcoming 20th anniversary, Al Jazeera Media Network will host three consecutive events from the 19th to the 22nd of March, 2016. The World Media Summit, the International Press Institutes (IPI) World Congress, and Al Jazeeras annual flagship event, the 10th Al Jazeera Forum in Doha, Qatar. The Al Jazeera Forum, which takes place from 21-22 March, will examine the Regional and International Struggle in the Middle East. The Forum brings together political leaders, intellectuals, journalists and activists from the Arab world and beyond, to explore and build dialogue on the future of the region in light of its current situation. In addition, this years World Media Summit, will take place from 20-21 March, and is entitled the Future of News and News Organizations. The summit, an international media forum dedicated to enriching cooperation between media institutions, will seek to address the challenges imposed by rapid developments in the world of modern communication and media. The third event, the 2016 IPI World Congress, which takes place from 19-21 March, will explore the theme "Journalism at Risk: Safety and Professionalism in a Dangerous World." The Congress will tackle the ever-important issue of safety of journalists, gathering experts and media professionals to analyse the developments in the region and across the globe. Al Jazeeras Acting Director General, Dr. Mostefa Souag, said Hosting these three conferences reinforces Al Jazeeras commitment to press freedom and securities, and to the development of the news industry as a whole. We are extremely proud to be engaged in this dialogue going into our 20th year, especially with our colleagues at IPI and WMS. All three events will be livestreamed at the following link: http://mubasher.aljazeera.net/livestream/ To interact, please use the hashtag: #AlJazeera20 POINT DE VUE Kanhaiya retrieves himself, only little more needed to become national leader through J&K / Kashmir Alwihda Info | Par Hem Raj Jain - 9 Mars 2016 Bengaluru, India Sub:- (i)- Kanhaiya can become national leader through J&K / Kashmir (ii)- Speaking against AFSPA and rapes of women in J&K by security forces, not enough (iii)- Martial deficiency of India is the main reason behind all the problems in J&K (iv)- Kanhaiya should demand retrieve of POK (even militarily if necessary) (v)- Kanhaiya should become in charge of J&K of his party after ensuring new member based constitution of CPI (vi)- Kanhaiya should ensure rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pundits & POK refugees (vii)- Kanhaiya should add green also in red and blue for CPI coming to power in India (viii)- Without acquiring power the social economic political justice cannot be ensured to people / weaker section of India --- Indian electronic media has reported that on Womens day JNU Student Union President Kanhaiya, during a meeting in JNU, said that [AFSPA in J&K should be opposed and (while respecting Indian military) there are cases where some members of Indian security forces raped Kashmiri women]. This is a welcome development & indication that after showing the signs of breaking down as mentioned at : http://www.alwihdainfo.com/Open-letter-Prison-on-Kashmir-issue-and-Muslim-matter-has-broken-Kanhaiya_a28816.html - Kanhaiya is now showing the signs that he is retrieving himself (and it is hoped he will now move High Court too for getting FIR quashed against all JNU students in sedition case). It goes without saying that this resurrected Kanhaiya can not only easily become national level prominent political leader (through J&K / Kashmir) but can even bring his party CPI in power at center and in States if Kanhaiya does the following :- (1)- Speaking against AFSPA and rapes of women in J&K by security forces, will not be enough rather Kashmir problem will have to be solved. Because unification of Kashmir / J&K is the only solution and martial deficiency of India is the main reason behind all the problems in J&K, Kanhaiya will have to demand the retrieve of POK (even militarily if necessary). Though there are some people in J&K who wants merger of Kashmir (if not of entire J&K) in Pakistan or independent Kashmir but their numbers are very small. Hence given proper persuasion the overwhelming majority of not only rest of J&K but even in Kashmir can be motivated to support unified Kashmir / J&K by retrieving POK. (2)- Here Kanhaiya need not be deterred by the fear of nuclear flare-up between India and Pakistan in case of India pressing for retrieve of POK. Because otherwise also it is a Whitemans burden moreover the last word on Indias partition is yet to be written. (3)- First of all Kanhaiya will have to establish his political party the Communist Party of India (CPI) in J&K. Presently there is no CPI worth the name in J&K. For this Kanhaiya should become in charge of J&K unit of CPI after taking approval from CPI national leadership that it will allow member based constitution of CPI (to start with at-least in J&K if not at India level) where both the ordinary members (with one voting right) and active members (more than one voting rights) will have voting rights in periodic organizational elections. (4)- Kanhaiya should keep one more the most important point in mind about political parties. All over the world political parties are increasingly becoming a tool to buttress the interests of criminal, corrupt, plundering and exploitative element of the society. Whereas political party is supposed to assist (by co-operation and opposition / protest) the government so that it runs as per diktat of law. Hence Kanhayia will have to ensure party offices in all the areas of J&K where CPI office bearers will help citizens in getting justice as per law. (5)- Once cadre and office of this new CPI is established in every part of J&K then Kanhaiya should ensure rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pundits & POK refugees among the people and not in separate colonies like separate posh ghettos (as is being absurdly envisaged by Government of India) . (6)- After coming out of jail in his speech at JNU, Kanhayia alluded to the combination / alliance of red (the color of communists which has progressive, modern, vocal and secular Hindus as the main support base) and blue (the color of Dalits / Ambedkarites and of other weaker sections). But Kanhaiya should add green (the color of Muslims as is popularly projected) also in red and blue which will be a sure recipe to bring CPI to power in India. This green will easily come if Kanhaiya deals properly first with Muslims of J&K (especially of Kashmir) and then from rest of India who all are in dire and desperate need of some genuinely secular political party WITH KILLER INSTINCT. (7)- Without acquiring political power the social economic political justice (much talked about by Kanhaiya) cannot be ensured to people especially to weaker section of India. Therefore instead of unnecessarily wasting time in further academic pursuits, Kanhaiya should take the plunge in full time politics through his party CPI in J&K / Kashmir. It is hoped Kanhaiya will understand that time waits for none and will not allow himself in a situation where he will have to repent in future by saying that when opportunity was knocking at my door I took it as noise Regards Hem Raj Jain (Author of Betrayal of Americanism) Bengaluru, India Dans la meme rubrique : < > Tchad : "une cuisante defaite" pour "les pessimistes" du Dialogue national (Abdelmanane Khatab) Tchad : lechec de la politique de lemploi, une opportunite entrepreneuriale ? Tchad : aller au federalisme dans ce contexte, cest cautionner leclatement (Dr Oguelemi) Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) AR's Editor Joe Shea Talks About Elections On Iranian TV Bear Stearns Saved By Fed As Lehman Bros. Falters; Major Bank Failure Looms Over Wall Street, Sends Markets Into 200-Pt. Dive Lie Upon Lie Five Years Into the Iraq War The Administration Still Churns Out Lies by Randolph Holhut A Small Tragedy Even at 90, As Friends Turn Cool She Knows the Show Must Go On by Joyce Marcel I'll Take Me Imagine John Wayne or Arnold In Heels, Silk and a Girdle by Elizabeth Andrews Sen. Nelson Calls For New Fla. Primary; Gov Crist Backs 'Do-Over' Who'll Win? Ask Spock Spock.com Engine Predicts Winners By Site Searches; It Can be Wrong by Jay Bhatti Chatting Up The Cat God Gave Me Dominion Over Him But I Think He's a Non-Believer by Constance Daley Death of a Thug The Life and Horrors of Suharto by Andreas Harsono ___________________________ This Just In Sierra Club: McCain Ducked All 15 Key Votes On Green Laws (AR) A Work By AR's T.S. Kerrigan Is Chosen As 'Best Poem' By Wordpress Site Murder At Mile 63 The Deadly Assault and Bush Administration Cover-Up by S. Eben Kirkesby and Andreas Harsono 5427 14th St. West, Bradenton, FL 34207 $6.99 Fish Fridays! Manatee Co.'s Only 24-Hr. FREE Wi-Fi Paid Advertisement On Native Ground AFTER 5 YEARS, WE'RE STILL LIED TO ABOUT IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Next week is the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. And it is likely that sometime in the next couple of weeks, the 4,000th American soldier will die in Iraq. [MORE] Momentum OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - It's 1931, and a 14-year-old girl is standing alone on a stage. She's small and lively with dark curly hair, widespread hazel eyes, slender wrists and an open, eager face filled with the wonder of performing. Her name is Rose, and one day she will be my mother. But now she is performing an Eugene O'Neill monologue called "Before Breakfast" for a ladies' club in a wealthy suburb of Long Island. [MORE] One Woman's World COMFORTABLE WITH MYSELF by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I'm not sure but I think I may be socially incorrect. [MORE] On Native Ground ENOUGH FOR A WAR, NOT FOR A PEOPLE by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Last week, the National Governors Assn. met in Washington, D.C. One of the tasks the NGA had on its agenda was to ask President Bush to increase federal spending on roads, bridges and other public works projects as a way to stimulate the economy. He rejected their pleas out of hand, claiming that infrastructure projects wouldn't offer any short-term economic boost. [MORE] Brasch Words BEWARE THE SELF-REVERENTIAL PRESS by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Shortly before the primary votes this past week, Newsweek's Jonathan Alter called Sen. Barack Obama's surge to the Democratic nomination "inevitable." It also called for Hillary Clinton to "start her campaign for Senate majority leader." [MORE] Constance A CONVERSATION WITH MY CAT Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Normally, when the cat starts his evening rant of meowing continuously until he makes his point, I just take it as long as I can, pick him up, and put him in the garage for the night. He doesn't want to go, but the meowing stops and I don't care if he likes it or not. [MORE] Momentum OUT OF STRUGGLE, ART by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Here we are again at the crossroads of art and social change, having the opportunity to watch good and great films about the lives of women in support of the Women's Crisis Center. [MORE] Campaign 2008 HOW TO PREDICT SUPER TUESDAY II WINNERS? ONLINE SEARCH by Jay Bhatti NEW YORK, March 4, 2008, 7:00PM ET -- With the outcomes of the Texas, Vermont, Ohio and Rhode Island primaries to be decided tonight, how possible is it that online searching can predict who will win tonight's primaries? [MORE] One Woman's World DON'T VOTE; IT ENCOURAGES THEM by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Call me angry and disgusted but don't call me un-American because I won't be voting come November. [MORE] On Native Ground BUSH AND THE KEYBOARD COMMANDOS by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- As the days tick down toward the eventual departure of President George W. Bush from the White House, it's a hopeful sign that most Americans are no longer moved by his Administration's constant exploitation of terrorism for political gain. [MORE] Momentum WHICH AMERICA DO YOU LIVE IN? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- It's a little confusing. [MORE] Make My Dat THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] On Native Ground FIDEL RETIRES: NOW THE COLD WAR IS REALLY OVER by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Maybe now, we can finally say the Cold War is over. [MORE] Make My Dat THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] One Woman's World POLITICS IS NO PARTY by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Are you having a hard time focusing your eyes? Do you have faint red spots all over your body? Is there a ringing in your ears and do you see wavy lines when you look at your television set? Do your hands shake when you try to hold a cup of coffee? And have you recently been forgetting what day of the week it is - or what year? [MORE] Make My Day FOR BETTER OR WORSE ... A LOT WORSE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- "Marriage: It's Only Going to Get Worse." [MORE] Constance YOU CALL THESE RIGHTS? by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- When you express an opinion you hope to persuade others to your point of view. It doesn't always happen but still, opinion writers try. [MORE] Momentum THE BRIDGE WOMAN by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - Out there in America - yes, still - is a generation of women who were born in the 1940s, raised in the 1950s, and who came to radical consciousness in the late 1960s and early 1970s. I am one of them. Hillary Clinton is one of them. [MORE] On Native Ground OBAMA AND MY GENERATION by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- I originally planned on voting for Dennis Kucinich in the Vermont Primary on March 4. [MORE] The Willies: WARNING: THIS MEDICATION MAY MURDER YOUR FRIENDS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla. -- You've heard the warnings, haven't you? Stop Prozac and you may take a shotgun, an Uzi or an AK-47 and mow down your family and friends, or even a whole classroom full of your fellow students. You didn't? Well, that warning is not on the bottle, but like countless mass-murder incidents before it, Friday's shootings at Northern Illinois University, as well as the Virginia Tech shootings that killed 32 last year, was probably precipitated by the effect of stopping medications that suppress anger and other powerful emotions but do not relieve the underlying cause. Isn't it time we started warning people - or stopped prescribing these medicines? [MORE] One Woman's World DON'T KNOCK ON MY DOOR by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I wish I could feel delight in my poet's mansion being like Grand Central Station all the time, but I can't. And I wish my place was such a place that someone would one day write: "Her door was always open and she always made you feel all fuzzy and warm in her presence. She could make a cup of coffee seem like a banquet." [MORE] Reporting: Panama PANAMA'S VIOLENT LABOR UNREST INTENSIFIES Mark Scheinbaum PANAMA CITY, Panama, Feb, 15, 2008 -- After just one day of relative calm, wildcat construction strikes by some members of Panama's largest union flared up again Friday morning, four days after a police sniper shot one worker. More than 140 demonstrators have been injured and at least 500 arrested, authorities say. [MORE] Brasch Words TO STIMULATE ECONOMY, BUY A CHINESE-MADE U.S. FLAG by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Walking down Main Street, pushing a grocery cart loaded with clothes, toys, and appliances was Marshbaum. Fastened to the right front corner of the cart was an American flag tied onto a three-foot ruler. [MORE] Make My Day THE TOOTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TOOTH by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- To commemorate the death of noted shark exploder Roy Scheider, and the "Jaws" movies that resulted in Erik never setting foot in the ocean again, we are reprinting this column from 2003. Shark Experts 0, Sharks 1 [MORE] Momentum THE WINTER OF MY DISCONTENT by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - As I write this, it's raining ice. Maybe a half a foot of snow and ice has already landed up here in the woods of Dummerston. Our cars are encased in it, and the door to the house is blocked. The satellite dish that brings in our Internet service quit about 20 minutes ago - frozen solid. [MORE] The Willies AMERICA TO HILLARY: GET OUT! by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 13, 2008 -- Sen. Hillary Clinton has adopted the Rudy Giuliani strategy, and it's working - for Sen. Barack Obama. It turns out to be the strategy all Democrats are seeking - an exit strategy. But it's not for Iraq. It's for her exit from the race for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. [MORE] Constance CONFESSIONS OF A DISAPPOINTED VOTER by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- A week ago at just about this time, I completed an article and was about to submit it as scheduled to The American Reporter. I was feeling rather elated, ready to show up on Super Tuesday morning, firmly touch the X next to Rudy Giuliani's name and get on with my day. He was my choice; he would get my vote. [MORE] Reporting: Florida SIERRA CLUB SET TO SUSPEND FLA. CHAPTER by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 10, 2008 -- The national Sierra Club is set to suspend its Florida chapter after years of divisive infighting, the president of the national club told Florida members in a letter delivered to some this weekend. It is the first time in its 116-year history that such a step has been considered by the club, according to news reports. [MORE] One Woman's World PLANT A NEW WORLD THIS SPRING by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- For a little while, the men will just have to toss and turn in their fear-free-women beds. For a small space of time Hillary Clinton will just have to trudge on toward the White House without my faint applause in the background. [MORE] On Native Ground VERMONT AND THE 5 STAGES OF CONSERVATIVE GRIEF by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- First, Vermont tried to convince the nation to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney. [MORE] Make My Day REBEL WITHOUT A TONGUE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Kids' brains work in amazing ways. At times, they can grasp complex concepts and make impressive discoveries. Other times, you have to wonder how we ever survived as a species. [MORE] The Willies FOR DEMOCRATS, NOW IT'S ABOUT RACE, INCOME AND GENDER by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Feb. 6, 2008 -- It's not a good time to be a Democrat. As the Super Tuesday results demonstrated, the presidential race between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton has divided the partly along clear racial, income and gender lines - the very distinctions the party has sought to erase in principle but has emphasized in its pursuit of diversity. [MORE] Momentum SUPER TUESDAY BLUES by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Super Tuesday has come and gone and I still can't get excited about the upcoming presidential elections. [MORE] The Willies ON THE BRINK OF HISTORY, YOUR PUSH IS NEEDED by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 5. 2008 -- I'm expecting a sea change tonight. I believe that for the first time in this nation's history we will once and forever banish racism as the deciding factor in the destiny of African-Americans, and indeed adopt diversity as our path to the future. [MORE] Campaign 2008 AT 88, EVERY VOTE REALLY COUNTS by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 5, 2008 -- Pearl Turner will caucus for Mitt Romney tonight in Denver. [MORE] One Woman's World STAND BY YOUR WOMAN by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- The black vote. The gay vote. The fundamentalist vote. The Hispanic vote. [MORE] An AR Special SUSPECTS IN BENAZIR ASSASSINATION HAVE TIES TO MUSHARRAF by Ahmar Mustikhan WASHINGTON, D.C. -- When Gordon Brown this past Monday feted coup-leader-turned-President Pervez Musharraf at 10 Downing Street, Britain's new prime minister probably didn't ask the Pakistani dictator a question that is now on many minds: Did you order the murder of Benazir Bhutto? [MORE] Momentum TO THE VERMONT DELEGATION: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR US LATELY? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. Back when President George W. Bush and Dick Vice President Dick Cheney were building up to their loathsome war in Iraq, very few people were brave enough to call the bullies' bluff. [MORE] On Native Ground IF BUSH HAS HIS WAY, WE'LL NEVER LEAVE IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. - In his final State of the Union address on Jan. 28, President Bush cautioned against accelerating U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq, saying that it would endanger the process that has been made over the past year. [MORE] Campaign 2008 CLASH OF COMMENTS AND PROTESTORS AT CLINTON, OBAMA RALLIES IN DENVER by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 1, 2008 -- At least four presidential campaigns of both partiers rolled into in Denver this week ahead of the Feb. 5 "Super Tuesday" primaries in 22 states, but it was the Democratic presidential contenders who drew the big crowds and duked it out Wednesday. If sheer numbers are any indication, Sen. Barack Obama - preceded by a buoyant and beautiful Caroline Kennedy - won the round handily. He is the overwhelming favorite to win the Colorado primary next Tuesday. [MORE] The Willies WHY THE FLORIDA PRIMARY STINKS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Jan. 30, 2008 -- I was with my wife and daughter driving the back way from Miami home to Bradenton when we stopped at a McDonald's in Clewiston, the only big town along the vast shore of Lake Okeechobee, the state's precious freshwater reservoir. The McDonald's had three televisions at a central seating area, each tuned to a different network, and our table was in front of CNN as the very first election results started to pour in around 7:30PM. With them, almost as counterpoint, suddenly came such an overwhelming odor of cow plop that my wife started to throw up as we all ran to the parking lot. [MORE] Passings: Suharto DEATH OF A KEMUSU THUG by Andreas Harsono JAKARTA - A few minutes after hearing that former president Suharto had died in his hospital bed, Marco, a militia leader in downtown Jakarta, raced to Suhartos house, wearing his jungle camouflage and began guarding the Suhartos residence on Cendana Street. [MORE] Constance I REMEMBER YOU by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga.. -- It seems to be more often lately that the sentiment is spoken but it's always been out there: "You never get over the death of your child." This is true. But the heartfelt expressions come from some who cannot fathom the notion of losing a child; their own child is who is in their mind, not another mother's child. [MORE] Copyright Notice With the exception of book covers, all images and content belong to me unless otherwise stated. They may not be used without express permission from me. If I have inadvertently used one of your original images and forgot to credit you, please drop and email and I will do so immediately. Similarly, if you want it to be taken down, please email me and I will do so immediately. Amazon I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Later this month, a handful of lenders will lose a lead generator from Google, but could the lenders be part of the reason the service never took off? The tech giant is shuttering its Google Compare service, which allowed consumers to compare credit card and auto insurance offerings online. The company has said it is focusing more intently on its AdWords, the primary way companies advertise on Google, and other innovations. Those efforts "will enable us to provide fresh, comprehensive answers to Google users, and to provide our financial services partners with the best return on investment," Google Compare said in an email to its partners last month. The email was obtained by and published on Search Engine Land. The comparison site had its challenges it didn't offer a particularly innovative product to differentiate itself from the other comparison sites. Nor did it take full advantage of its advanced data analytics capabilities to distinguish itself, observers say. "Google Compare was an interesting idea that really did not go anywhere," said Donald Light, a director in Celent's North America property and casualty insurance practice. Nonetheless, lenders may share some of the blame in the difficulty in making a comparison site compelling because of the disparity between the user-friendly experience on sites like Google Compare versus the drop-off in quality users could face once they were directed to some lenders' sites. Google declined to comment on questions about lenders' sites. "There's a real disconnect there," said Tansley Stearns, chief impact officer at Filene Research Institute. In September 2012, Filene, the think tank for credit unions, ran a test that featured 44 credit union credit card offers on Amazon.com in a similar way lenders featured credit cards on Google Compare. After consumers clicked on a product featured on Amazon, they got redirected to a lender's website. But that's where things got ugly. Lenders advertising their credit cards on the site could still require consumers to pinch and zoom their way through the process, or worse, send in physical paperwork if not come into the branch to finish the process. "It was sort of a wake-up call," she added. The test uncovered other hurdles, too, said Rob Rubin, who worked on the Filene pilot and is a managing director at Novantas. Not all leads qualified for the credit product they clicked a challenge any lender paying for leads on comparison sites could encounter. By the end of the 14-month pilot, Filene found less than two applications were approved on average for every 100 leads from Amazon's credit card marketplace. This problem is only intensifying as consumers increasingly research financial products on their phones. Mobile Strategy Partners, a firm that sells mobile account opening technology, estimated in April that digital abandonment rates are upward of 80%. Yet mobile searches for financial terms related to products like mortgages and credit cards are growing 48% year over year, according to Google data from January 2015. For some financial services comparison sites, mobile is already their main source of traffic. Take Credit Karma, a Google Compare competitor that consumers visit to obtain their credit scores and view offers, for example. It is among the recommendation services that already claims the bulk of its traffic on mobile devices. "Most people don't sit down an hour a night to figure out their finances," said Ken Lin, chief executive and founder of Credit Karma. Instead, they search for things on their phones while, say, waiting to buy a coffee or get a car repaired. Credit Karma, which is ranked as one of the top free finance apps in iTunes and spits out leads to banks, is mobile friendly. But that does not mean its partners necessarily have mobile-optimized loan applications yet. Ultimately, Lin hopes his personal finance service, which counts more than 50 million members, will continue to help people figure out the best products for them in a more streamlined way than banks can offer. As the tech company continues to work toward what Lin calls the "next frontier," institutions have been simplifying some of their cumbersome online applications. Filene's Stearns said financial institutions have made some progress since the Amazon pilot. Yet, there's certainly work ahead, including refining the basics. Stearns urges institutions to stop listing their credit cards under loans consumers don't regard them as such and to make the application call to action easy to understand via big and bold application buttons on their websites. She also recommends banks adopt a technique from Domino's Pizza: display a tracker that visually shows how much longer it will take to get something. Rather than a pepperoni pizza, institutions will show applicants where they stand in the application process. "We've got to make it fast, simple and easy," Stearns said. I cant quite decide how to describe the Trump impact on the conservative movement. Is it the blousy town girls showing up at a sorority poetry reading and showing a bit too much cleavage? Or is it the oil-field workers showing up at the wine bar and ordering Miller Light? It does seem that the unfocused and non-ideological Trump supporters are a real challenge for libertarians and conservatives like me. For us, the world is neatly explained by our brilliant theories and our virtues, a reflection of our liberal friends across the aisle, with their reactionary ideas masquerading as progress and pompous talk about arcs of history. For conservatives the Trumpsters are a problem because (can you believe it!) they still support Social Security and Medicare and fences and protection and other embarrassments. For liberals they are the discarded mistress, a reminder of a time long ago when liberals loved to adorn their working-class little darlings with government baubles in return for their electoral services. But I got a clue about the Trump folks the other morning reading Michael Mann and his multi-volume Sources of Social Power. He argued that the bourgeois revolutions like the American and French Revolution were driven not by the capitalists and big businessmen, the bourgeoisie of Karl Marx, but by the ordinary shopkeepers and tradesmen. The big boys could wheel and deal with the old regime and find a place in its patronage networks, but the middle-class shopkeepers and small businessmen were cut out. It was their frustrations that drove the revolutions and then forced the notables to lead them. Isnt that eerily familiar? For todays conservative elite life isnt so bad. With our education and our connections we can wive and thrive in the liberal world even if we hate it. Not convinced? Here is the latest from Angelo Codevilla (H/T Maggie Gallagher): America is now ruled by a uniformly educated class of persons that occupies the commanding heights of bureaucracy, of the judiciary, education, the media, and of large corporations, and that wields political power through the Democratic Party. Its control of access to prestige, power, privilege, and wealth exerts a gravitational pull that has made the Republican Partys elites into its satellites. But the Trumpsters are out in the cold. No commanding heights or satellite knolls for them. And all they want is a decent job and family and decent prospect for their kids. They are angry and frustrated, and they are afraid for their children. And by the way, let us conservatives ask how long we will be allowed to operate as naughty dissenters to the liberal ruling class, and allowed to pick up the crumbs from the liberal patronage machine? The portents are pretty clear. You will be made to care, heretics, or the activist speech police will know the reason why. So I think the challenge in the spring of 2016 is on conservatives. Do we have the generosity and the kindness to open the tent flaps of the GOP to the Trumpsters, let them swarm all over the place, and give them succor after their wanderings in the political wilderness in the years since the Civil Rights Acts morphed into what John Derbyshire calls Jim Snow laws? Or are we going to create a #NeverTrump safe space and hide from the endless microaggressions of Obamas America? There will be time enough to argue about the shape of the new Republican Party in the years to come, and debate how our Joshua will march us around the walls of the liberal city of Jericho, blowing our trumpets till the walls come a-tumbling down. But right now we have a tribe of migrants knocking loudly on our door, cast out of the land of Egypt by a cruel liberal Pharaoh, and they need a roof for the night. I never forget the words of Michael Barone, that the Republican Party is the home of people that think of themselves as typical Americans. The Trump supporters are nothing if not typical Americans. They belong in the party of typical Americans, and it is a shame that for so long the party of typical Americans completely fumbled the ball on this and forgot to leave the light on. This Sunday on FoxNews Rush Limbaugh nailed it as usual. Donald Trump has put together a coalition, whether he knows it or not, whether he intended to or not, he's put together a coalition that's exactly what the Republican Party says that it needs to win and, yet, look like what they're doing. Theyre trying to get Trump out of the race, because they're not in charge of it. But it will all work out, says Rush, because we all have a common enemy. Its name begins with D. Christopher Chantrill @chrischantrill runs the go-to site on US government finances, usgovernmentspending.com. Also see his American Manifesto and get his Road to the Middle Class. I am disgusted by constantly seeing pictures of the San Bernardino murderers continually splashed across newspapers and on the internet. They represent the worst of humankind and deserve no visual recognition. They are the dregs of mankind and deserving of nothing but our revulsion and determination to stop their kind from promoting the murderous rampage seen everywhere in the world. They stand in stark contrast to a woman who would be 53 years old today had she not been gunned down by the same perverted and murderous motives as the jihadist terrorists. Her name is Neerja Bhanot and here is her picture. Neerja Bhanot Bhanot was the senior flight purser on Pan Am Flight 73 flying from Mumbai to the United States when it was hijacked by armed men on September 5, 1986 at the Karachi airport in Pakistan. There were 361 passengers and 19 crew members. Because of her quick thinking, Bhanot alerted the cockpit crew who escaped from an overhead hatch in the cockpit so that the aircraft could not be forcibly flown. The three-member American pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer were following protocol procedures. The Palestinian hijackers were part of the terrorist Abu Nidal Organization that was backed by Libya. Conflicting reports indicate that the terrorists "were planning to use the hijacked plane to pick up Palestinian prisoners in both Cyprus and Israel. However, in 2006, surviving hostage Michael Thexton published a book in which he claimed he had heard the hijackers intended to crash the plane into a target in Israel (in the manner of 9/11). Without the pilots, the aircraft would remain stationary. The hijackers then demanded that Bhanot and the other attendants collect passports so that Americans could be identified and murdered. Bhanot instructed the other flight attendants to hide the American passports and, as a result of this action, saved the lives of the Americans on board. Some of the passports were shoved under seats and the rest thrown down a rubbish chute. In fact, "the hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 was one of the most brutal international terrorist attacks to occur in the 1980s." One can only imagine the tension and fear aboard this plane and it is graphically portrayed in the movie titled Neerja which was released on February 19, 2016 as a joint venture film between Twenty-First Century Fox and Star India. As a biopic film, it dramatizes the 17 hours wherein Neerja Bhanot displayed incredible courage and grace under pressure as various governments and police forces dithered and terrorists murdered. Born in Chandigarh, India, Bhanot received her schooling at Sacred Heart Sen. Sec. School, Chandigarh. She attended St. Xavier's College in Mumbai and it was here that she began a career in modeling. She decided to apply for a flight attendant job with Pan Am and once selected, she went to Miami for training. As a flight purser, Bhanot oversaw the flight attendants, and ensured the comfort and safety of the passengers. If there is a disturbance, the purser acts as the intermediary between the cockpit and remaining cabin crew members. The purser is ultimately second in command to the pilots and is usually the only one allowed to make on board announcements. Thus, since the pilots were no longer aboard the plane, Bhanot as the most senior cabin crew member remaining aboard, took charge. After a tense 17 hours, the hijackers opened fire and set off explosives. During the ensuing panic, "...the terrorists shot and killed an American citizen, heaved his body out of the plane's door onto the tarmac, and threatened to kill another passenger every ten minutes if their demands were not met. As the aircraft's power failed and the lights went out, the hijackers recited a martyrdom prayer, opened fire on the passengers with automatic weapons at point blank range, and threw hand grenades into the tightly packed group. In addition to the 20 passengers and crew who were killed, many more were severely maimed, blinded, or disfigured by bullets, grenades, and shrapnel." In the subsequent chaos, Bhanot opened one of the doors, flung open an emergency chute and assisted passengers from the plane. In addition, she had secretly hidden instructions inside pages of a magazine for a passenger who was next to an emergency exit so he could open the exit. Though she could have escaped first, she let the passengers escape and was shielding three children from a hail of bullets when she was shot and killed. One of the children, whose life she saved, is a now a captain for a major airline and has stated that Bhanot has been his inspiration and he owes every day of his life to her. Dr. Kishore Murthy, a survivor from the ill-fated flight recalled Neerja's last few minutes of the battle. I was on my way to the US to attend an international conference. We were to take a Pan Am Mumbai-Frankfurt-New York flight. It came as a surprise to us at Bombay airport when we were told the flight would first land at the Karachi International Airport and then proceed to Frankfurt. Prior to our departure, we had heard that all airports in Pakistan and India were on high alert as the Americans had bombed (Libyan ruler Colonel Muammar) Gaddafis palace (in retaliation for the Libyan involvement in the bombing of a Pan Am flight, which crashed at Lockerbie, Soctland). After the hijacking "[t]he five hijackers were convicted by the Pakistani courts for their roles in the attack. The leader of the hijackers on the plane, Zaid Safarini, was captured by the FBI when he was released from prison in Pakistan, and was brought to the United States for trial. On December 16, 2003, Safarini pled guilty in Washington, D.C. federal district court and was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences plus 25 years, which he is serving in a Colorado federal prison." Against the wishes of India and the United States the men's sentences were commuted from death to life in prison. In January 2008, four of the hijackers were reportedly released from Pakistani custody." They are now on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists list. Raja Murthy of Asia Times notes that "even as she was dying, Neerja Bhanot was saving lives." Over 350 people who survived owe their lives to her heroism. After her death, her parents established the Neerja Bhanot award which "is an award of recognition conferred up to once a year by the the Neerja Bhanot Pan Am Trust in India to a woman of that country subjected to social injustice, who faces the situation with grit and determination and extends help to other women in similar distress." The names of the unsung heroes need to be etched into our subconscious while the names of the evil ones need to be blotted out. But more importantly, we must vow not to accede to the demands of the malevolent or else we diminish the memory of the brave. Eileen can be reached at middlemarch18@gmail.com If the Republican convention of 2016 turns out to be a "brokered convention," will that be a bad thing? We live in an odd world, in which everything is supposed to be "democratic" and victory comes at the end of long electioneering campaigns. But while presidents should be elected, there is no reason why the presidential nominees of parties ought to be elected as well. Primaries are a progressive institution intended to return power directly to the people, even down to the selection of a party's candidates for office. Few of these progressive reforms turned out, in practice, to be good ideas. The direct election of United States Senate members, for example, made senators independent of state legislatures and utterly dependent upon voters. The practical effect has been that state legislatures no longer can check the excesses of federal power by insuring that senators block laws and presidential appointments who do not respect the sovereign rights of state governments. Party conventions in states once chose candidates for various state elective offices as well. Voters could always repudiate the party's nominee in a general election, but parties could screen candidates to make sure that good men were chosen to carry the party banner. State government has not become more honest and efficient, because voters choose not only the winner in elections, but also the nominees in primaries. The same is true of presidential conventions, which actively reviewed and decided on the party's nominee in the presidential election. Nowadays, primary elections and polling data largely dictate who the party nominee will be, and conventions themselves have become nothing more than long, boring political advertisements that few people bother to watch. It is hard to see any improvement in the quality of candidates since primaries rather than convention delegates started choosing presidential nominees. The moral character of presidential nominees from 1860 to 1928 was very high, even when the candidates themselves either lost the election or had ordinary presidencies. Forgotten nominees like Charles Evans Hughes and Alton Parker were both intelligent and honorable, though neither might have won his party's nomination today. There are several sound reasons for returning to political conventions that actually choose candidates. Today politics is nonstop campaigning for votes and this campaigning seems to never end. Jimmy Carter famously began campaigning for his party's 1976 nomination almost as soon as the 1972 election was over. Few men who want to be president can afford to be any less committed to constant electioneering. No one can ever win a presidential nomination today without lots and lots of money and the investment of lots and lots of time. This is not healthy for our republic. Conventions that actually decided things also returned power to the states in a similar way to how the direct election of senators did. Conventioneers are typically not full-time politicians, but rather interested citizens who voluntarily invest time and money to come to a convention once every four years. They come from small towns and have businesses other than lobbying, law, and politics. When these delegates gathered in a convention city from all over America, they were not Washington politicians, but rather true representatives of the sectional interests of their states and regions. Collected together at one time, rather than scattered out with primaries and caucuses, these citizens have the power to exert a great restraint on federal power by rejecting any potential candidate who does not defend the sovereign power of states. Real conventions rather than the plastic silliness that passes as political conventions these days would also allow parties to deliberate issues and platforms that mean something. No one any longer takes a party platform seriously because the presidential nominee dictates what will be in the platform, and the platform is not the result of any national debate at the convention. When conventions mean something, platforms mean something, too. These platforms were not, when conventions mattered, cast aside as so much political glitz. Parties tried to fulfill the elements of the platform, and parties also stood for real things. If the Republican convention is a "brokered convention," that is not necessarily a bad thing. If it produces a genuine return to the practice of each state sending citizen-representatives to a nominating convention once every four years to place grievances and make changes, it might be the beginning of something good in government. In the grand leftist tradition of putting lipstick on a pig, Bernie Sanders's democratic socialism is being touted as "a fair capitalism," where Academy Award swag bags of entitlements will be handed out free health care, free college tuition, expanded Social Security, increased minimum wage, pay equity for women, near forgiveness of student debt... The list goes on all made sweeter by the promise that everything will be paid for by thickets of taxes targeting "Wall Street," "the billionaire class," "the top 1%," "the largest corporations," and the "20 wealthiest people in this country." And the glorious vehicle for this 20 trillion dollars' worth of "democratic" largesse and service to society? "political revolution." Using the conceit of a revolution allows Sanders to rail against a whole host of perceived injustices, as well as to define the enemy, the rich, whom he holds responsible for America's economic, social, and spiritual malaise. Our nation's producers men and women who have invested in our system, taken risks, created jobs, and generated wealth are now denounced as corrupt oligarchs, who buy elections, enjoy huge tax breaks, perpetuate racism, support a broken criminal justice system, and refuse to pay their fair share. In the new order of things, to atone for their "greed," the top 1% will be required to pay more than their present 40% of the federal tax bill and the top 10% more than the 70% they currently pony up annually. In the name of income equality, wealth will be redistributed which in Bernie's world means that it belongs to the government or society, not the individuals who earn it. To make a case for the morality of his revolution, Sanders invokes the concept of "rights" the right to health care, the right to a college education, the right to housing, etc. however, in doing so, he makes the mistake of conflating the so-called "right to things" with the actual "right to actions" to acquire things. It is an important distinction. Yes, one has the right to a college education if he meets the school's qualifications and accepts its rules, procedures, and costs. Yes, one has the right to health care if he works for a company that offers it as a benefit of employment or if he chooses to purchase it from a private health care provider. Simply, there is no right to a house, a job, a living wage, or child day care any more than there is a right to a Cadillac, a diamond ring, or a pair of sneakers. A right is a moral principle that governs one's freedom of action in society action to pursue the things and the values he wants not something granted by government. As Americans, we are free to live our lives the way we choose, by our own stars and our own compass to seek our individual happiness as we see fit as long as we respect the equal rights of others to do the same. Individual rights in this sense rights we are born with are what subject society to moral law. Morality can apply only to those who have a choice. The crown jewel of Sanders's revolution is democratic socialism. In a speech at Georgetown University, he conceded that, to Americans, the word socialist is problematic. For many, socialism is un- and anti-American and still evokes the long, bloody history of ruthless despots using the Command of the State to deny individual rights, private property, free markets, and political liberties. Sanders cites Sweden as an example of a socialist alternative to capitalism. But Sweden's history reveals that capitalism was the engine that allowed it to emerge as one of the most prosperous countries in the world until "social justice" measures were instituted, and it devolved into a declining welfare state. To Sanders: "Democratic socialism means that we must create an economy that works for all, not just the very wealthy." He says it is not tied to any Marxist belief that government should own the means of production; rather, private ownership and competitive markets would come under strong rules and regulations to protect the little guy from abuse, corruption, and uncertainty. What those rules are, we don't know, but he often invokes Franklin Roosevelt and the kinds of policies and programs instituted during the 1930s. In the end, hovering over everything is Mr. Sanders's hero Eugene V. Debs the founder of the Socialist Party of America and its five-time candidate for president (once from jail). When Sanders was mayor of Burlington, Vermont, a picture of Debs hung in city hall, and now there is a plaque honoring Debs in Sanders's Senate office. One can envision Bernie there alone, smiling at the plaque of his champion two old leftist dreamers in search of a revolution. The Frontline documentary "Netanyahu at War", broadcast on January 5, 2016, portrays Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu as a stubborn peace partner slow-walking implementation of the Oslo Accords. The documentary also is replete with commentary on Bibis pessimistic worldview. Bibi sees a world hostile to Jews, has a fatalistic understanding of the world, and adopts a concept of a fortress Judaism. But additional context into the events below vindicates his actions and worldview. Jewish history. History is chock full of examples of a hostile world targeting the Jews: the expulsions from the Holy Land by the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Romans, persecutions during the Crusades and the Black Death, the Spanish Inquisition, pogroms in Eastern Europe, expulsions from Europe and the Arab world; and the Holocaust, to name a few. The Arabs have waged perpetual conflict through rejection of Israels right to exist. Wouldnt these many wars, five of which occurred since the Oslo Accords, be considered hostile to the Jewish state, to say the least? Isnt some sort of fortress necessary to combat such threats? Jewish history justifies Bibis worldview as not pessimistic or fatalistic, but realistic. Given the above events, how is such a worldview unreasonable? One would expect the leader of Israel, the once-again established sovereign homeland of the Jews, to govern with the preservation of the Jewish people as his or her primary concern. Operation Entebbe/Yonatan Netanyahu. Operation Entebbe was a seminal event in shaping Bibis worldview as it also marks the death of his brother, Yonatan Yoni Netanyahu. Yet the documentary glosses over the operation, oddly not mentioning it by name. Entebbe was a successful counterterrorism operation in Uganda against Palestinian and German terrorists who hijacked a plane that included Israeli passengers. (The hijackers had separated Israelis from non-Israelis, and later released most of the non-Israeli hostages). The operation demonstrated that Israel was willing to take great risks to rescue its civilians that were in danger, in a world indeed hostile to Jews. Out of 106 hostages, Israeli forces led by Yoni rescued 102. Yoni was the only Israeli commando killed in the operation. The documentary merely mentions that he was killed in action, and died a violent death. The use of killed in action, implies war as the cause of death, not terrorism. In this way, the documentary whitewashes terrorism. Additionally, the missing context behind Entebbe and Yonis role in it misses an opportunity to substantiate Bibis worldview. The 1990s. The documentary spends an inordinate amount of time on a specific protest, when Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a crowd of thousands from a balcony in Zion Square in Jerusalem in 1995, and on right-wing rejection of the Oslo accords in the 1990s generally. While providing this backdrop, the documentary seeks to show Bibis tolerance for opposition to Oslo. This simplistic portrayal trivializes the national movement in Israel that was growing weary of the relentless terror campaign orchestrated by Palestinian groups at the time Israel and the PLO signed the Oslo I and Oslo II Accords (September 1993 and September 1995). According to the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 195 Israelis were murdered by Palestinian terrorists at the height of the Peace Process, i.e. from 1993 through 1996 (which is proportional as a total percentage of the population to if terrorists had killed 7,840 Americans during that same period). Incitement from Palestinian leaders and media continued during the Peace Process as well. While championing peace in English, President Yasser Arafat in a speech to Arab diplomats in Stockholm on January30,1996, advocated genocide in Arabic, calling for a Palestinian state as a replacement for, not complementary to, Israel: We plan to eliminate the State of Israel and establish a Palestinian state. We will make life unbearable for Jews by psychological warfare and population explosion. Jews will not want to live among Arabs. I have no use for Jews. They are and remain Jews. We now need all the help we can get from you in our battle for a united Palestine under Arab rule. Palestinian violence against Israel was so relentless and distrust of Arafat so great, that even Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin himself considered abandoning the Oslo process, according to his daughter and Moshe Bogie Yaalon, former chief of staff to the IDF. Bibis positions on Oslo and Rabin. Also quoting Bibi speaking during the above-mentioned 1995 protest, the documentary portrays Bibi as hostile to Oslo and Rabin. But further scrutiny of what he said shows that Bibi held rational, consensus positions. The documentary shows Bibi calling Yasser Arafat a murderer, but Arafat was of course in the business of murder, heading a terrorist organization responsible for murdering scores of Israelis and inciting a whole society to do the same. The documentary also shows Bibi stating, We will never divide Jerusalem, but fails to indicate Rabin also believed in a unified Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty. The documentary at least twice mentions that that Bibi issued harsh language against Rabin. However, this assertion is substantiated (both times) with portrayals of Netanyahu refusing to divide Jerusalem. Again, Rabin also held the position of not wanting to divide Jerusalem. Bibi was merely holding Rabin accountable to what Rabin had previously promised Israelis. Bibis views of Jerusalem and Arafat were actually not controversial. Frontlines forgotten decade. As mentioned above, several in the documentary accuse Bibi of being a stubborn peace partner slow walking the peace process. Interestingly, the documentary skips from 2001 (with a mention of 9/11) to when President Barack Obama was elected in 2008. What happened in those seven years is critical to shaping (and vindicating) Bibis worldview, and should upend any belief that Bibi was the source of a lack of peace. In those seven years, the Second Intifada continued to rage (September 2000 through February 2005), Prime Minister Ariel Sharon oversaw the disengagement from Gaza (September 2005), Hizballah instigated the Second Lebanon War (July to August 2006), Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered a peace agreement to President Mahmoud Abbas (September 2008), and Hamas instigated the first Gaza War (December 2008-January 2009). These events served to shatter the Oslo concept of land-for-peace as a viable option for peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors -- Israel left southern Lebanon in 2000 only to be attacked by Hizballah in 2006, and left Gaza in 2005 only to be attacked by Hamas three times since (2008/9, 2012, and 2014). Accusing Bibi of slow walking the peace process is unfair, at least without a similar accusation directed at the Palestinian leadership. Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered Arafat a deal in 2000 that he rejected, Olmert offered Abbas a deal in 2008 that he rejected, and both times the Palestinian presidents gave no counter-offer. So how is the lack of peace Bibis problem? Bibis slow-walking was the result of the fact that from signing the first Oslo Accord in September 1993 to the present, Israel has faced four wars with the Palestinians plus sustained Palestinian terrorism in the interim. Bibis slow walking was the effect, not the cause, of a lack of peace. Near the height of the #OscarsSoWhite hysteria in mid-January, The Economist published an analysis of racial distribution for Oscar nominees and winners since 2000. Rather than support the mainstream uproar, the data refuted much of it. Between 2000 and the present, the percentage of the U.S. general population that is black has ranged between 12.3% and 12.6%. Over this time, the proportion of black Oscar nominees for acting was 10% a slight under-representation, but not egregious by any reasonable standards. On the other hand, nearly 15.5% of Oscar wins for acting were by blacks, which not only balances out any perceived under-representation at the nomination stage, but likely over-compensates. Winning an Academy Award is far more prestigious than being nominated for one. Researchers at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California (USC) also conducted a study of top film roles by race between 2007 and 2013. The findings further call into question the narrative being drawn up by the race-based activists. According to the research team, among all racial categories, "Black males were the most likely to be shown in a committed relationship (68.4%)." Surely this must be excellent news. Perhaps a question should be raised as to why the film industry portrays white males as far less likely (only 58.1%) to be in socially positive committed relationship roles. White females are more likely to be sexually exploited in top films. The researchers found that "in comparison to Black females (23.5%), White females were more likely to be shown with some exposed skin (31.9%)." As part of the study's "hypersexuality indicator," white females were far more likely (32.2%) to appear in "sexualized attire" than were black women (just 24.6%). For the top-grossing films between 2007 and 2013, there is no sign of a trend toward fewer black speaking characters. In fact, the USC team noted that "across the 100 top-grossing 2013 films ... [a] total of 3,932 speaking characters were evaluated for race/ethnicity ... 14.1% [were] Black ... Black speaking characters slightly over index (1.5%) in comparison to [the] 2010 U.S. Census." In others words, blacks are over-represented in speaking roles within top-grossing films compared to their proportion of the general population, and blacks are over-represented within Oscar wins for acting since 2000. Clearly not the storyline the #OscarsSoWhite movement has been eager to get out to the public. The Republican establishment is becoming more desperate as Donald Trump continues to rack up victory after victory in the GOP primaries. Neither of their remaining candidates Marco Rubio and John Kasich has any path forward to win the nomination. So the GOPe is slowly, and with no enthusiasm, moving to back Ted Cruz in a last-ditch effort to head Trump off before the convention this summer. Politico: He seems to be the only guy whos got some momentum, and is probably the best situated if there is anybody out there to beat Trump, said Austin Barbour, a prominent Mississippi-based GOP operative. Thats why there are many people like meTed Cruz wouldnt have been our first choice, but as we go through the process, were reevaluating our vote, and he seems to be the guy at the top of the list. Most people now think Teds the best vehicle to defeat Trump, said Charles C. Foster, a Bush family loyalist from Houston who served on Jeb Bushs national finance team. I would say some are enthusiastic for Ted, some are just saying, OK, Teds not my first choice, but anyone that can beat Trump, Ill support. Thats a big motivating factor, he continued. I think Ted is the only possibility to stop Trump. Foster spent part of Monday afternoon writing a letter to other Bush alums and former donors, urging them to come on board with Cruz in order to stop Trump. That Barbour or Foster, who have sharply differed with Cruz on substance and style, would even consider throwing in with the Texas senator speaks to how far the more centrist wing of the party is willing to bend in search of someone to beat Trump. Foster is a prominent advocate for comprehensive immigration reform, a stance which puts him completely at odds with Cruzs recent suggestion of support for mass deportation. And Barbour spent much of 2014 helping Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran fend off a nasty primary challenge from insurgent state Sen. Chris McDanielwho is now Cruzs Mississippi co-chair. Barbour backed Jeb Bush until he dropped out, and before that he supported Rick Perry, another former rival whom Cruz can now count among his supporters. Theyre not alone: Foster was on a list of eight Bush backers who transferred their support to Cruz that the campaign touted last week. Foster is trying to expand that list, bringing on board people like Chase Untermeyer, a former ambassador and Jeb Bush supporter who worked in both the George H.W. and George W. Bush administrations. The fall of Marco Rubio has hugely complicated the race for the establishment. When Bush and Christie dropped out, it was thought that Rubio would benefit from the winnowed field. But voters didn't see it that way. Ideologically, Im more interested in Marco, but increasingly, Im beginning to think about him the way so many people felt about Jeb: Good guy but hes not winning, said one former Bush donor. So Rubio, who was completely shut out of delegates in the four states that voted on Tuesday, has fallen hopelessly behind, with no chance of overtaking Cruz, much less Trump. But most of the establishment appear to be sticking with him at least through Florida's primary next Tuesday: Certainly, many establishment figures reject the choice between Trump and Cruz, holding out hope for Rubio or Kasich to make a comeback. Loyalists from both camps arent abandoning ship ahead of March 15, when the lawmakers will compete in their respective home states of Florida and Ohio. Meantime, other influential Republicans intend to remain on the sidelines, with no appetite for backing either Cruz or Trump. As long as Rubio and Kasich are in the race, they say, there will be the possibility that the primary will go all the way to a contested convention. It doesnt make a lot of sense for anyone to drop out, said Scott Jennings, a GOP strategist and political aide in the George W. Bush White House. If part of your long-term strategic calculation is to force a contested convention, why would you ever drop out? Still, even as they keep pushing for candidates they find more palatable, some leading donors and establishment figures are steeling themselves for a future Cruz push. While Cruz is very unpopular in the Senate, his colleagues are all career politicians who know how to make the best of bad choices. The same holds true for most of the establishment. Most of them will eventually come out for Cruz because the Trump alternative is unacceptable. Whether Cruz can catch fire and reel off a string of victories in winner-take-all states or some way can be found to deny Trump the nomination at the convention, the war against Donald Trump is about to become even more intense. And Cruz should be the beneficiary. Five members of the FBI's elite Hostage Rescue Team are being investigated for lying to Oregon law enforcement authorities about the shooting of militiaman LaVoy Linicum, one of the occupiers of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge last month. An agent told investigators twice that he never fired his weapon. But an examination of Linicum's truck showed that at least one bullet from an FBI agent's gun struck the vehicle, while authorities suspect he fired a second shot that missed. The other four agents are under investigation for their subsequent behavior following the shooting. Oregonian: The discovery of that gunfire and conduct afterward by the agent and four other agents have triggered a criminal investigation that could result in the prosecution of all five. The agents all serve on the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team. Authorities on Tuesday released few details about the matter and didn't identify the agents by name. But the disclosure is a jolt to the FBI. The Oregon investigators two weeks ago flew to Washington, D.C., to directly brief top FBI officials about their findings. The U.S. Justice Department's Office of Inspector General is now investigating what it said in a statement were "allegations of FBI misconduct." The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office is separately investigating whether agents were justified in using deadly force that day. As the 41-day takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge unfolded, the violent outcomes of standoffs at Idaho's Ruby Ridge and in Waco, Texas, were on the minds of law enforcement, occupiers and self-styled militia. No one wanted to trigger a confrontation similar to those events, which resulted in the deaths of civilians and led to harsh criticism of federal agents. Detectives investigating the Finicum shooting questioned the five FBI agents at least twice -- the night of the shooting and 10 days later. Such questioning is standard for officer-involved shootings. This is video, which syncs up a video from the FBI helicopter tracking Linicum's attempted escape and a camera video taken inside Linicum's car: Note that the state and county police continue firing into the car even after Liicum has been killed, despite the fact that there are women in the vehicle. LaVoy Linicum was shot in the back while reaching for a gun in his coat pocket, the investigation concluded. Linicum's wife and eyewitnesses in the truck claim that Linicum was unarmed. The autopsy concluded that the fatal bullets were fired by a deputy sheriff. For some, no "official"explanation of the events will ever be accepted. But perhaps more information will come out if the FBI agents are prosecuted for lying to authorities. Thomas Lifson posted a recent blog piece pointing to some voting statistics reported by the Huffington Post. The gist of the H.P. piece was that Democrat voter turnout was down hugely in those states where voter ID legislation has been enacted a decline some 285% greater than in states with no voter ID laws, in fact. While it is of course impossible to attribute direct cause and effect with no more proof than that available to us through our own lying eyes, we conservatives who have long advocated for voter identification are entitled to share a few smug eye rolls and some muttered told-you-sos. But the larger question is that should the statistics Lifson cites prove out through the remainder of this election year, will we then be looking at a nationwide turndown in Democrat voting in these states that have enacted voter identification laws? And will that then provide further evidence that many past campaigns in this country have most likely been determined by fraudulent voting? If the Democrat voter turnout trend continues through the general election to be significantly lower only in those states where voter ID laws have been recently enacted, you can bet the farm the Democrat leadership will be tap-dancing all over the place to find whatever other possible explanation they can. That may be easier for them if their presidential candidate loses, for they can then blame lack of voter interest due to poor candidate performance. However, that still won't explain away the differential in voter turnout between states with no voter ID laws, where turnout remains relatively unchanged, and those states where voter ID was recently enacted and the vote declined significantly. What will then become evident is that the Democratic Party has been engaged in voter fraud on a broad, nationwide scale. An even more disturbing revelation that is sure to arise from all this is that the Democratic Party has most likely encouraged voter fraud in minority communities, where criminal evidence of such fraud is most commonly found. While I'm not about to contend that all voter fraud takes place in minority precincts, news stories of criminal voter fraud and the results will almost always be in those communities. Not only do I believe that Democrats are engaged in widespread voter fraud, but I believe they are playing the minority communities, black and Hispanic, to do the heavy lifting for them in this criminal enterprise. And to my way of thinking, that constitutes a vast criminal conspiracy on the part of the Democratic Party to undermine the electoral process with millions of fraudulent votes through a callous manipulation of their controlled minorities. A liberal friend from high school posted this on in his Facebook page, and I found one part of it very interesting. (I've blocked an obscene part of the post.) Well, many points are dead off my truck is an F-150 (Tennessee); my beer is Shiner (Texas), Abita (Louisiana), and Guinness (Ireland); and anyone looking at my fashion would describe it best as needing help. Then again, Im no Trompas Im a Cruzas, if you will. But the final part of the list is interesting: and the land where you live is mine Okay, you own the lot where my house is built? Interesting. I dont know what Indian tribe you come from, but I really doubt that it laid claim to the area now knows as Houston, Texas. But two points I would make from this. One, liberals love to say, This is land we stole from the Indians. (I would say Native American, but I am sensitive to and conscious of not wanting to offend selected groups, like the American Indian Movement). But for some reason, when I ask, Well are you going to give your house, lot, etc. back to the Indians, pay them rent while youre here, leave it to a local Indian tribe in your will, etc., or in some other way individually atone for the crimes of your ancestors?, they seem to not like the idea. No, its for all of us to be indebted, but not for someone to do things individually, especially the liberals pushing this. Also, being liberals, these are people who generally are open borders/pro-amnesty types, and many will say, Well we stole Texas, California, Arizona, and New Mexico from Mexico, and its theirs. Okay, the fact that they lost it in a war and afterward the United States still paid Mexico money for the land notwithstanding, back to the point about the Indians. For some reason the United States must give back or in some other way compensate the Indian tribes who originally were on this land before 1492? But should the Mexicans have to compensate the same tribes, seeing that they (the Spanish settlers who came after 1492) took the land first? Also, what about the tribes who had the land below the modern U.S.-Mexico border? Should the descendants of the Spanish invaders i.e. the Mexican people and government, be required to pay reparations to those tribes? I generally get some convincing logic like ancient history!, not the same, and you don't get it! I think anyone can read it and get it. Typical liberal hypocrisy. They cannot blame an individual for his own acts (see Mike Brown robbing a business owner, assaulting a cop, and getting justifiably killed), but millions (exempting themselves, of course) are responsible for acts they have nothing to do with. The logic of these people rivals that of a 4-year-old. Michael A. Thiac is a police patrol sergeant and a retired Army intelligence officer. In Hong Kong, a city with one of the most beautiful skyline, the plan and design of a building is determined as much as by architects and engineers as by feng shui masters. This ancient Chinese philosophy of positioning objects and buildings in harmony with nature to bring about good fortune, is deeply rooted in Hong Kongs culture. Everything from the orientation of a building, the shape of the building, the position of the entrance and position of furniture within are believed to influence the prosperity of a business or the homeowner. Because of this belief, feng shui practitioners are consulted in almost every new home purchase and office floor plans, and even enormous architectural and engineering projects around this island nation are dictated to a large degree by feng shui. Its not apparent but examples of feng shui practice are almost everywhere in Hong Kong. Why do these buildings have holes in the middle? Keep reading for the answer. Photo credit: shottapaul/Flickr Feng shui was suppressed in mainland China during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s but has made a dramatic revival in recent years, especially in the superstitious South. Even in modern Central, where feng shui is regarded as superstition, most developers still consult feng shui experts because they figure it's better to be safe than sorry. Indeed, many corporations set aside a portion of their annual budget for feng shui consultation. Some of the suggestions that feng shui experts offer can be as simple as repositioning the desk of the CEO or placing coins under the carpet. Others can be as expensive as demolishing and reconstructing parts of the building. When the famous HSBC headquarters with two bronze lions sitting in front were built in the mid-1980s, the escalators were reoriented from their original straight position to an angle with the entrance to prevent evil spirits from flowing straight off the Victoria Harbor and into the office. The HSBC building in Hong Kong. Photo credit: Ishak J/Flickr The Bank of China Tower, on the other hand, neglected good feng shui practices and is now considered so unlucky that it sits empty most of the year. The tower with its many sharp edges is also said to be leaking its negative energy to its surrounding businesses. The owner of the Lippo Centre, which faces one of the buildings edges, went bankrupt and had to sell the building. Similarly, the Government House, which also faces one of the angles of the Bank of China Tower, had its share of troubles. To prevent such misfortunes from befalling HSBC, the bank had two cannon-like structures installed at the top of their building. These cannons, which are pointed towards the Bank of China building, supposedly protects HSBC from the dreaded Bank of China Towers negative energy by deflecting the energy back to its source. Hong Kongs growth in recent years has been attributed to good feng shui. Its geographical location with the mountains behind and waters in front is said to be excellent in accordance to feng shui principles. Legend holds that these mountains are home to the dragons that are said to be the bearer of positive and powerful energy. This energy blows through Hong Kong as the dragons make their way from the mountains to the sea to drink and bathe. This explains why many buildings along the waterline have gaping holes in the middle. These holes provide the dragons an unobstructed path to the water, so that the winds of positive energy continue to flow through the city. The dragon hole of The Repulse Bay building in Hong Kong. Photo credit: Paul Griffin/Flickr Photo credit: See-ming Lee/Flickr Photo credit: See-ming Lee/Flickr From left to right: Bank of China Tower, Cheung Kong Center, HSBC Tower. Photo credit: Kirill Voloshin/Flickr The two negative energy deflecting cannons at the top of HSBC building. Photo credit: Tom Mascardo/Flickr Another view of the cannons. Photo credit: Tim Lam/Flickr The Lippo Center, a victim of Bank of China Towers bad feng shui. Photo credit: Hans Hansson/Flickr Sources: NY Times / Discover Hong Kong / A Passport Affair / Wall Street Journal Blog Error. Page cannot be displayed. Please contact your service provider for more details. (25) Samsung is currently the largest smartphone maker in the world, even larger than Apple. Which makes their overlay or skin as many call it, the most used overlay in all of Android. Touchwiz, a name that Samsung hasnt used for marketing their devices since the Galaxy S3, is the name of their overlay and its a pretty decent overlay actually, even though it does get a lot of hate these days. Many wonder, whats the point in having an overlay over the top of Android? Theres actually a few reasons. The largest one is to make their product stand out in the sea of Android devices available out there. Imagine walking into a carrier store and seeing Android smartphones from Motorola, HTC, Samsung, LG and Sony something that actually happens quite often and seeing what looks like the same software on all five smartphones. For most consumers, the only differences would be in the hardware, and how the device looks. With Google having open sourced Android, it allows manufacturers to create their own skins or overlays that go over top of Android, to differentiate themselves from their competitors. It also allows them to show Google what kind of features they and their customers would like to see in Android. The other major reason for having a skin over Android is the added features and benefits that the skin adds. Now Touchwiz has had a pretty storied past. Touchwiz was once known for being bloated and full of features that most people didnt use. That was back in the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4 days (2012 and 2013), however in the past two years Samsung has been working to make Touchwiz lean and also killing some of the features that many of their users werent using at least according to their research. This is a big reason why many customers prefer Samsung devices over any of their competitors. Due to the features that are available when compared to other smartphones. Touchwiz, and other skins do help out Android actually. A number of features from Touchwiz, Optimus UI, Sense and others have made their way into stock Android or AOSP. Including the quick settings you see on Nexus devices today. That actually started in Touchwiz and Sense, and others added them as well. Google finally decided to bring those into their AOSP version of Android with Jelly Bean. Advertisement One of the more requested features is multi-window mode, allowing you to use two apps side-by-side at the same time. However that isnt officially available just yet for devices outside of Samsungs camp, we do know that Google is working on it, as it was in one of the Android M developer previews released last summer, and should be coming soon. Googles engineers have said that they wanted it ready for the release of the Pixel C last fall. Another feature that started out on Samsungs Galaxy S3 and made it to their competitors devices was Smart Stay. It was a pretty simple feature, but something that was more than a tad bit useful. What Smart Stay did was utilize the front-facing camera to see if youre still looking at the screen once the screen timeout was about to happen. If you were still looking at the screen, it would keep it on until you looked away. This is something that Motorola added into their devices in 2014 with the Moto X 2014 and Moto G 2014. Now when it comes to Android Purists, many of them prefer stock Android and will opt for a Nexus device or recently, OnePlus or Motorola as they offer a somewhat stock Android experience, with a few additions that dont change how the software looks on the device. Over the years, Android Purists have had a pretty strong hatred towards Touchwiz. However, in the past couple of years, it has really changed and gotten much better. In fact, when the Galaxy S6 was announced last year, Touchwiz got nicer looking and was much faster. With Samsung having rebuilt part of their skin to get rid of relying on the old resources from the Gingerbread era, it made battery life much better as well as getting rid of the lag or the jank as some might say. Samsung also got rid of a number of apps that replicated Googles own services, and thus competed with Googles services. So that not only did you have less features taking up space, but also less pre-installed apps on the device when you take it out of the box. Advertisement While Samsungs quick settings arent as great as stock Android or AOSPs quick settings, they still serve the same purpose. Allowing you to pull down the notification shade and toggling WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, and many other features of the device youre using. Touchwiz actually got a bit of a makeover this year. Getting rid of some of the pastel colors, and opting for more grays, blacks, whites and blue colors. Many would say that it looks a bit more grown up, when compared to the previous version of Touchwiz. Also, for those Android purists that didnt like the way Touchwiz looked, Samsung has catered to you in that regard as well. Adding themes to their skin, which isnt new as it was added last year with the Galaxy S6. There are a good number of themes available, and a number of them are material design as well. Which look quite good on the Galaxy S7. Now it wont make you mistake the Galaxy S7 for running stock Android, but its better than the regular Touchwiz look. The themes for the Galaxy S7 and other Samsung devices, will theme the settings app, the launcher, dialer, contacts, and the notification shade. So while it wont completely get rid of the Touchwiz look, it will get rid of most of it. Definitely more than installing Action Launcher or Nova Launcher would do. Samsung has done a lot in the past few years to change the look and feel of Touchwiz, as well as change the perception of their overlay. Now it may not change everyones mind about Touchwiz, but it is a major improvement. Arguably, Touchwiz does add some very nifty features. One of the more popular features is the multi-window feature that debuted quite a few years ago on the Galaxy Note series. Android Purists definitely wont love everything about Touchwiz, especially with things like S Voice and S Health included on the device. Luckily those can be uninstalled or disabled and replaced with things like Google Fit which will work with Android Wear. Advertisement The Galaxy S7 has a lot more going for it than just Touchwiz, though. While Android purists probably dont care as much about it having a microSD card slot this year seeing as Google removed it after the Nexus One in 2010 and purists have lived without it ever since the 5.1-inch QHD AMOLED display will definitely turn your head. Or the 5.5-inch QHD AMOLED display on the larger Galaxy S7 Edge. Here in the US, both models are shipping with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, while other markets are getting the Exynos 8890 SoC. All benchmarks, reports and rumors show that the Snapdragon 820 is pretty fast, and it looks like Touchwiz has been optimized a bit for the Snapdragon 820, as well as Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which is what is underneath this version of Touchwiz. Touchwiz may not be everyones cup of tea, and it likely never will be but that is the great thing about Android is that not everyone has to use the same device, unlike iOS. But its clear that Samsung did a lot of growing up with the Galaxy S6 last year and now the Galaxy S7 in 2016. Touchwiz is much more bearable than it used to be, especially in the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S5 days, thats coming from an Android purist too. For our UK readers that are fed up with roaming charges, Three has been offering their Feel at Home service for a while now. For those that dont know, Three offers customers traveling abroad the ability to use their existing allowance without any extra charges. That means if like our UK main, Tom Dawson you have unlimited data, you can use that overseas as well (aside from the 12GB fair usage policy and lack of tethering) and the same goes for any minutes or text messages you have in your plan. The idea is that whether or not youre going to the US or to somewhere more exotic like Hong Kong youll still be able to call, text and surf the web as if youre at home. Weve taken a look at Threes Feel at Home before, but when in Barcelona for this years Mobile World Congress, I was sent a Three SIM to try out, and heres what I found out. Threes landing page for their Feel At Home service (which neatly lists all the supported destinations) puts it best; Roaming charges suck. This little snippet perfectly explains the experience one can have when traveling if they dont have a service thats meant for the country theyre in, or if they dont have a service that offers free international roaming. Not many services in the US offer such a thing, so when I traveled to Barcelona, Spain for Mobile World Congress I went knowing I was equipped with appropriate services. This included calls and texts to the UK from Spain, but more importantly, it allowed me to call and text to my friends and loved ones back home here in the US, although this did require some extra funds. The Feel at Home slogan is not just a clever name, the SIM will allow travelers from the UK to feel as if they are, back at home in the UK. It isnt a roaming SIM designed to be taken all over the world. Crucially however, the SIM provided to us including unlimited data, giving us 12GB to use as per Threes fair usage policy to upload photos and keep in touch with the rest of the team covering the event. Advertisement For me especially, the process for getting everything ready for the trip in regards to the service I would use there was extremely simple, more so because everything was set up for me for the most part. The most I had to do was turn on international data roaming with the Three SIM inserted in my Xperia Z3 and select to register on a preferred network. From there I could just use my phone as I normally would. Now if there were any caveats, it would be that I had limited choices for networks when in Barcelona. Not by number, as there were a handful of choices for me from Movistar to Vodafone, but more by coverage and I was limited to 3G services unfortunately which made uploads and any data service a bit slower than I was hoping. Beyond this though, having the service available was great as I would have been limited to WiFi otherwise, and the WiFi at most of the events was pretty horrid. Not only was the process simple, but it was a lot less expensive than what it would have cost had I decided to roam with say, T-Mobile. Three also made it really easy to choose the package we wanted for the trip based on where we were traveling, and how much data and how many minutes we would need. Aside from the cost, should the service that I was registered to in Barcelona give me problems, I could have easily switched to and from any other available 3G networks, so it would have been highly unlikely that I was without service in most areas, although it did seem a bit congested on Movistar in certain parts of the convention halls, but this is really no reflection on Three as this wasnt a Three network. In the end, having the Feel at Home Service actually did make me feel more at home, because without it I would have had much less communication, and that was simply not an option for me. Mr. Chris Poole, the founder of controversial online message board, 4Chan, announced Monday that he has joined Google. The news was later confirmed via Twitter by the VP of Streams, Photos and Sharing at Google, Mr. Bradley Horowitz, who expressed his satisfaction with the development and welcomed Mr. Poole to the company. According to reports, Mr. Poole is being hired to work on Google+, and is expected to bring his significant experience and expertise at running a massively successful message board to breathe fresh life into the struggling social network. Of course, at this stage theres no official confirmation about either Mr. Pooles job description or his designation at the company, so it remains to be seen how this whole thing plays out over the next few days and weeks. The top-level management at Google may have accepted Mr. Poole with open arms, but many have openly questioned the necessity of involving someone who has been a fairly contentious figure thus far. For those not familiar with 4Chan, its a message board where users are free to express their opinions anonymously. The website and its founder, Mr. Chris Poole, have faced severe criticisms over the years for not doing enough to prevent disagreeable activities and posts on the message board, but the founder has steadfastly protested his innocence citing freedom of speech for all users. While 4Chan has made exceptions to its own rules over the years to remove particularly distasteful boards from its site, activists maintain that the site could do more to clean up its act. Advertisement With netizens wondering whether Google+ will go the 4Chan way with Mr. Pooles involvement, at least one prominent lead engineer at the company has now come out strongly against any such suggestions and has unequivocally denied theres any chance of that happening. Mr. Yonatan Zunger, the companys chief architect for social, has posted a detailed rebuttal of accusations that Google+ is in danger of going the 4Chan way. He also came to the defense of Mr. Poole, who he described as somebody who comes across as quite thoughtful about issues of social dynamics and interactions. According to him, Poole is by no means a troll or a troll-curator, and I actually think that with the rather different crowd of people who hang out here on G+, hes going to make something really exciting. Mr. Zunger also sought to soothe the nerves of all concerned Google+ users, saying that the social network will not degenerate into a den of infamy any time soon. The things that 4chan became (in)famous for grew rather organically out of the system, out of the people who ended up congregating there and the ways they used the tools. This isnt that kind of place, and we dont intend for it to be. It is obviously difficult at this stage to say whether that assertion will suitably address the concerns of millions of users, but the top management at the helm of the Mountain View, California-based tech giant will certainly be hoping that he will be able to implement the changes required to further popularize the social networking site. Google Search is constantly evolving in how it presents its search results to end users. While a typical search query will generate any number of related links to various web pages, the search giant continues to develop new ways of reducing the number of clicks needed to find the information you desire. The companys intelligent search results provide users with real-time information related to their search queries, which oftentimes eliminates the need to click on a separate web-link. Google recently expanded their mobile search functionality with the introduction of a new feature entitled Destinations: a search utility which helps users plan vacations or trips to various locales based on a search query. The new feature kicks in whenever you enter a travel-related search string to a specific city or country. For instance, if you enter New York City Vacation or Spain Destinations in your search field, youll be presented with general information about the city or country in question (as is typical for Google searches) along with a selection of destinations relevant to that particular location. Clicking on those destinations will display a travel guide that provides a wealth of information for prospective visitors. The travel guides are divided into two main sections: Explore and Plan A Trip. The Explore section provides general facts and information for the selected destination, detailed itinerary suggestions for sightseers, a collection of the destinations most popular sights and attractions, and relevant video clips. Additionally, the Explore section gives a rough estimate for how much a potential trip might cost, including factors such as the number of travelers and type of lodging. It even provides information like peak travel times, monthly weather patterns, and general climate conditions to help users in their traveling decisions. Advertisement The Plan A Trip tab provides potential travelers with even greater details. Not only will you find pricing estimates for the entire trip, but Google even includes a scrollable price graph to help illustrate the estimated cost for different time periods. For instance, if youre planning a trip to Barcelona for a week in June, you can scroll to that point in the chart to see just how much the trip might cost you in terms of airfare and hotel reservations. The section even provides links and prices for various flights based on your location. Clicking on the link will generate flight data for the selected time period, including a list of different airlines and price comparisons. If youre looking to plan your trip right away, the new features provide convenient portals to book your flight and hotel information without having to enter a separate search query. As of now, Destinations is only available to mobile users. The feature offers tremendous utility for prospective travelers, and its definitely worth checking out when planning your next big trip or vacation. Mobile payment services have been around for a while now, and theyre becoming more and more popular. Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Android Pay are quite probably the best known mobile payment options. All of these services have launched in a number of markets, and the Apple Pay actually arrived in China quite recently. Well, it seems like other payment platforms are getting some competition in China considering yet another company is joining the party, read on. One of Chinas largest tech companys, Huawei, has announced their very own mobile payment service, and its called Huawei Pay. The company has introduced their all-new payment service during a press event in China, and Huawei actually partnered up with the Bank of China in order to pull this off. Unfortunately, the company did not reveal any specifics about this service just yet, but they probably will soon. You can expect Huawei Pay to come pre-installed on Huaweis smartphones though, that is just a guess at this point, but it is an expected move by this China-based company. Advertisement A number of China-based smartphone manufacturers are rumored to be working on their very own mobile payment services, and Huawei stepped up and was first to announce such a service, Xiaomi and ZTE are rumored to follow soon though. Huawei has managed to sell 108 million smartphones last year, which was a great success for this company, and it seems their appetite for success is still very much present. It remains to be seen if Huawei Pay is anything like the other payment services out there, as we do expect the company to release the specifics in the coming weeks. The Huawei Pay will, almost certainly, going to be available in China at first, and then we can expect it to launch outside of the country. Keep in mind that it is possible Huawei might keep their payment services regional (available only in China) though, but we somehow doubt that. Either way, stay tuned for additional info, well report back as soon as Huawei releases more information about Huawei Pay. One of the advantages of having the Internet in our pocket is the ability to read reviews and opinions of businesses we are contemplating using or visiting in the coming days, hours or even minutes. Services such as Google+, Google Maps, Amazon, Yelp and others have provided a means of leaving a review and a rating of a business and for the consumer, an easy way to read up on these. However, what if a disgruntled ex-employee were to start a campaign of leaving poor ratings and low star ratings? For the smaller business, one or two low star ratings can have a massive impact on the overall star rating and could discourage potential customers from using the facility. Fortunately, for some businesses, those individuals leaving fake reviews are not always the brightest things such as creating a fake profile that is copied from another, and copy / pasting reviews from one site into another, can seemingly make it easy to prove that this is a malicious and non-genuine review. Or so one nursery in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, thought when the owner identified a number of fake and negative reviews on Google services. In the case of the nursery, the business suffered from harassing reviews over six months with claims that the business was harming children. The reviews were posted via Google+ and are regular users of Google Maps know, these reviews appear when browsing Maps. The business decided to fight back and requested that Google take the malicious reviews down. At the time, the nursery included what their lawyer called proof of the fake profiles, including copied pictures, and copied reviews from other websites. However, Google refused to take the reviews down citing that information posted via the Google+ comes under a freedom of speech law, plus negative or anonymous reviews cannot be justification in itself to remove them. The nursery decided to pursue the case and took Google to court. At the court, the judge determined that these reviews were both false and damaging and required that Google remove the reviews. However, the judge went further: the court rules that Google provides the nursery with contact details from reviewers, such as IP addresses, so that they may be directly confronted and taken to court. The lawyer explained: The judge balanced the interests of privacy against the interest of reputation (of this nursery). However, it considers the interests of protecting the reputation more important than the interests of Google to the interest of privacy of the Google Reviewers. Advertisement Although Google was ordered to pay the court fees a little over a2,000 it is more notable that this is the first time Google has been required to provide contact details and IP addresses for Google reviews. It highlights the difficulties that websites containing reviews face, trying to navigate between a freedom of speech law, user privacy laws and removing malicious content. In North America, it is currently impossible to force Google to provide contact details of reviewers and this highlights the potential difficulties of a business operating in many corners of the world. The European right to be forgotten rulings are forcing search engines to remove links to individuals if requested on certain grounds: this is also making life difficult for search engines, caught between trying to make information readily accessible and maintaining user privacy. In some respects, The Netherlands to Europe is somewhat similar to California to North America: court decisions here are often a leading indicator to changes in the coming years. The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge smartphones are Samsungs latest and greatest offering to the mobile world. The company has introduced these phones last month in Barcelona, and the devices have been available for pre-order for quite some time now (in select regions). The two smartphones will go on sale on March 11th (in select regions), and some users who pre-ordered them already received their copies in the US. That being said, a ton of Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge reviews surfaced yesterday, and thanks to that, we were able to find out plenty more details about these two handsets. As you probably already know, Samsung has pre-installed their mobile payment app on the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, so youd expect to see it once you purchase the device from a carrier, right? Well, yes, unless were talking about Verizon. It seems like Verizon decided to remove Samsung Pay from the companys newest flagships for one reason or the other. So, why did they do that? Well, Verizon is a part of the carrier-supported Softcard coalition, and is partnered with Android Pay. Now, we dont know if the carrier has an exclusivity agreement with one of the mentioned parties, which could be a reason for the removal of Samsung Pay, but well make sure to let you know if any additional info surfaces, Verizon might officially reveal the reason for this move. Advertisement This is not exactly a big problem though, as you can easily sideload Samsung Pay, in case you want to use the service, of course. All you have to do if follow this link, download the .apk file, transfer it to your phone (if you havent downloaded it directly from your handset), and simply install it as you would any other application on your device. Now keep in mind that some reports claim that the app will be available for download from the Google Play Store on March 11th (when the phone goes on sale), so you might even be able to officially download and install it. Either way, this is a rather interesting move by Verizon, lets wait and see if the company will make any official comments regarding this. Madeleine McCann spotted inParaguay Madeleine McCann has been spotted in Paraguay. Yes. Really. Well, maybe. The media cranks up the journalisomobile. The Mail: Heartache for McCann family as authorities debunk reports missing Madeleine is living in the custody of a woman in Paraguay following claims by British private eye' Is that huge reward still on offer, the one the News of the World put up? British man Miraz Ullah Ali Isa, who claims to be a private eye, had said Maddie was living in the custody of a woman in the city of Aregua. His claims are believed to have triggered a major search involving four local police stations, an anti-kidnapping division and Interpol. Claims. Claims. Believed. Any more facts? Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, had been informed of the reports and appealed for anyone with information to come forward. But investigators have now debunked the alleged sighting and questioned the credibility of researcher Miraz Ullah Ali Isa. Maybe he just made an honest mistake? Many others have seen her in deep breath: The Mail adds: But the report is still understood to have sparked in investigation. Any other names in this story? Commissioner Sanny Amarilla, a deputy chief involved in the search, said four police stations, intelligence personnel from the Interior Ministry and Interpol divisions were involved in the search. He said: We are investigating neighbourhoods where there are foreign citizens, villas, condos, to see if there is someone with a similar description that corresponds to the newspaper clipping. This news stretches across the globe, it is very important. So if they are in the area we need to find this girl and return her to her family. Well, yes. But the allegations have now been dismissed by inspector Luis Ignacio Arias of Interpol in Paraguay, who said that his office had nothing concrete about Isas identity. He told EFE the researcher had never contacted the National Police or the Foreign Ministry with his reported sighting. The Sun: Madeleine in Paraguay: Cops launch manhunt after missing McCann is spotted' More inverted commas, or are four in one headline enough? We hear more from the PI: Ali told Color ABC: My team and I received the information that Madeleine arrived in Paraguay a month or two ago and is living in Aregua in the custody of a woman. Such are the facts. Anorak Posted: 9th, March 2016 | In: Madeleine McCann, Reviews Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink (ANSA) - Brussels, March 9 - The European Commission on Wednesday said it had "communicated its concerns on the respect for budget obligations" to Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Italy, Romania, and Spain. "We have identified six countries whose budget strategies may risk leading to the violation of obligations envisaged by the (Stability and Growth) Pact," it said. "There is still enough time to adopt the necessary corrective measures, and it is for this reason that the Commission has preventively signalled these aspects," said Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis. On Tuesday, the Commission said Italy's macroeconomic imbalances are "excessive" but none of them will incur correction procedures. Italy has not reached its medium-term objective on structural budget balancing and is subject to the debt rule, the Commission said. Italy's imbalances include high public debt, scarce competitiveness, non-performing bank loans, and unemployment. "High debt and protracted weak productivity imply future risk with transnational implications," the EC report. Non-performing loans weigh on bank balances and high long-term unemployment is a burden on growth prospects, the Commission said. "Debt reduction would require a primary surplus and sustained growth," the report said. Gaps remain in spite of labor market, institutional, civil service, justice and education reforms as well as measures on deteriorated loans. These gaps concern privatizations, collective bargaining, spending review, market liberalization, taxation, and fighting corruption, the EC said. Also on Tuesday, Dombrovskis said Italy must keep up its "ongoing reform effort" to fix excessive macroeconomic imbalances. Otherwise it might at any moment be placed in the corrective arm of the EU Stability and Growth Pact, which ensures members adopt appropriate policy responses to correct excessive deficits by implementing the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP). "Successive decisions depend on how ambitious the national reform plan is," the commissioner said. (ANSA) - Rome, March 9 - The latest Egyptian account of the torture and murder of Italian researcher Giulio Regeni met with incredulity in Italy on Wednesday and prompted calls for Premier Matteo Renzi's government to do more to get the truth from Cairo. The Giza prosecutor leading the probe for Egypt, Hassam Nassar, played down reports of torture and said that Regeni was killed the day before his body was found on February 3 after being subjected to one single bout of violence. "He was killed in a timeframe between the 2nd and the 3rd," Nassar told La Repubblica in an interview. Far from being tortured for at least a week, as previously reported, "the violence he was subjected to was all inflicted at one time, between 10 and 14 hours before his death," Nassar said. Nassar added that there had been a "misunderstanding" about Regeni's clipped ears and torn-out nails. He said Egyptian doctors had taken off parts of the ears, as well as a fingernail and toenail, to "carry out more thorough analyses. "In the case of the nails they wanted to verify if they contained traces that could give leads or demonstrate a fight," he said. As for the burns on the body, previously reported to have been cigarette burns all over the body, Nassar said "they are all concentrated on the left shoulder. "But frankly, our doctors have not been able to tell us what their origin may have been". This version of events met with skepticism and was interpreted by some as being the latest in series of attempts to cover up the truth. The Regeni case has been interpreted by critics of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's administration as symptomatic of its oppression of opponents and abuse of human rights. Egyptian officials have suggested the death could have been a road accident or been caused by Islamist extremists. "I think a much more dignified response (from the government) is needed on Regeni because they are making fun of us," said Pier Ferdinando Casini, the chair of the Senate's foreign affairs committee. "The responses from Egypt have been insufficient and contradictory and with the clear intent to waste time. "This is not something that we can yield on. The honour of a nation and its people is behind the Regeni case". Cairo police had been looking for Regeni since the end of December, friends of the slain Italian student told La Repubblica daily Wednesday. On December 11 Regeni attended a meeting with some NGOs on the trade union movements he was researching for his Cambridge doctoral thesis, the sources told the Rome daily. They said Regeni was surprised to see "an Egyptian girl taking his picture with a cellphone", they said. "One of the possibilities is that informants for the security forces were present". Two weeks later, the sources told La Repubblica, the police sought Regeni in his home without finding him, in one case threatening to search it. And on the day Regeni disappeared, January 25 - the fifth anniversary of the uprising that ousted former strongman Hosni Mubarak - "all you had to do was go out of your house to come across a checkpoint". "In the preceding weeks there had been a climate of tension and very strong paranoia, not only towards activists. There had been blanket checks on apartments occupied by foreigners. In the climate of paranoia and xenophobia it's possible that some corps, departments, groups, mistook Giulio, his work, for who knows what. Sometimes all it takes is to be foreign and speak Arabic to arouse suspicion". A qualified source at the Egyptian president's office told ANSA Wednesday that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi would only comment on the case of Regeni's murder once the investigation into his death is completed. "All the information broadcast by the media recently...does not allow us to express comments before the competent authorities end their investigation into this cease and disclose the circumstances (of his death) via undeniable proof," the source said. "At the moment Egypt-Italy relations are in their best state in light of the accords elaborated for joint cooperation between the two countries in the various political and economic fields, in particular the fight against terrorism". He said "this was clear" in the most recent phone conversation between al-Sisi and Premier Matteo Renzi, referring to talks on January 18. President Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday received Regeni's parents, Paola and Claudio, and his sister Irene. He confirmed Italy's commitment to shedding full light on the case, sources told ANSA after the meeting. It was a "composed talk, not without an emotional value, in which the solidarity of the whole country and the commitment to do everything to shed full light on what happened were reiterated", the sources said. (ANSA) - Rome, March 9 - Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni told the Senate on Wednesday that "no ransom was paid" for Italian hostages kidnapped in Libya last year. Two members of the group of four were killed last week while the others managed to free themselves and are back in Italy. Gentiloni told the Senate on Wednesday that there was no evidence that "elements traceable to Daesh formations in Libya" were involved in the abduction. "The most probably hypothesis is that pro-Islamist criminal group operating between Mellita, Zuwara e Sabratha (was behind the kidnapping)," he said. The minister also played down reports Italy was gearing to take part in an international mission to combat extremist Islamist group ISIS in chaos-hit Libya. Gentiloni pledged that Italy would only be involved in a military mission in Libya if requested to by the North African country and if the Italian parliament approves. "We are working to respond to eventual security requests from the Libyan government, nothing more and nothing less," Gentiloni told the Senate, "with the full respect of the Constitution and only after approval by parliament". He added that the Italian government would not "let itself get dragged into adventures that are useless and dangerous for national security". "It's not sensible to bang drums but intervene if and when there is a request from a legitimate government," he said. Sidikj Al-Sour, the director of the investigations office of the Tripoli prosecution department, told ANSA that the bodies of two Italian hostages killed in Libya last week will be returned to Italy on Wednesday. The government in Tripoli had said on Tuesday that the bodies of Salvatore Failla and Fausto Piano would arrive on Wednesday afternoon. The Italian government had hoped to get the bodies back on Tuesday. Failla and Piano were part of a group of four Italian energy-sector workers who were kidnapped in Libya last year. The circumstances of their deaths have not yet been fully established. The other two members of the group are back in Italy after freeing themselves. (ANSA) - Brussels, March 9 - The European Commission on Wednesday said it was "important" that Italy ensure that "the necessary measures to meet the medium-term target" are "announced and specified by April 15 at the latest", the date in which the new financial and economic planning document, the DEF, is set to be presented. The EC highlighted the "risk that the debt rule is not respected". Brussels also explained that, if flexibility is awarded to Italy, "particular attention will be paid to its use, to make sure it is effectively used for investments". Even with the margin for migrants, the EC said, Italy risked deviating from needed targets. (ANSA) - Rome, March 9 - The latest Egyptian account of the torture and murder of Italian researcher Giulio Regeni met with incredulity in Italy on Wednesday and prompted calls for Premier Matteo Renzi's government to do more to get the truth from Cairo. The Giza prosecutor leading the probe for Egypt, Hassam Nassar, played down reports of torture and said that Regeni was killed the day before his body was found on February 3 after being subjected to one single bout of violence. "He was killed in a timeframe between the 2nd and the 3rd," Nassar told La Repubblica in an interview. Far from being tortured for at least a week, as previously reported, "the violence he was subjected to was all inflicted at one time, between 10 and 14 hours before his death," Nassar said. Nassar added that there had been a "misunderstanding" about Regeni's clipped ears and torn-out nails. He said Egyptian doctors had taken off parts of the ears, as well as a fingernail and toenail, to "carry out more thorough analyses. "In the case of the nails they wanted to verify if they contained traces that could give leads or demonstrate a fight," he said. As for the burns on the body, previously reported to have been cigarette burns all over the body, Nassar said "they are all concentrated on the left shoulder. "But frankly, our doctors have not been able to tell us what their origin may have been". This version of events met with skepticism and was interpreted by some as being the latest in series of attempts to cover up the truth. The Regeni case has been interpreted by critics of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's administration as symptomatic of its oppression of opponents and abuse of human rights. Egyptian officials have suggested the death could have been a road accident or been caused by Islamist extremists. "I think a much more dignified response (from the government) is needed on Regeni because they are making fun of us," said Pier Ferdinando Casini, the chair of the Senate's foreign affairs committee. "The responses from Egypt have been insufficient and contradictory and with the clear intent to waste time. "This is not something that we can yield on. The honour of a nation and its people is behind the Regeni case". Cairo police had been looking for Regeni since the end of December, friends of the slain Italian student told La Repubblica daily Wednesday. On December 11 Regeni attended a meeting with some NGOs on the trade union movements he was researching for his Cambridge doctoral thesis, the sources told the Rome daily. They said Regeni was surprised to see "an Egyptian girl taking his picture with a cellphone", they said. "One of the possibilities is that informants for the security forces were present". Two weeks later, the sources told La Repubblica, the police sought Regeni in his home without finding him, in one case threatening to search it. And on the day Regeni disappeared, January 25 - the fifth anniversary of the uprising that ousted former strongman Hosni Mubarak - "all you had to do was go out of your house to come across a checkpoint". "In the preceding weeks there had been a climate of tension and very strong paranoia, not only towards activists. There had been blanket checks on apartments occupied by foreigners. In the climate of paranoia and xenophobia it's possible that some corps, departments, groups, mistook Giulio, his work, for who knows what. Sometimes all it takes is to be foreign and speak Arabic to arouse suspicion". A qualified source at the Egyptian president's office told ANSA Wednesday that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi would only comment on the case of Regeni's murder once the investigation into his death is completed. "All the information broadcast by the media recently...does not allow us to express comments before the competent authorities end their investigation into this cease and disclose the circumstances (of his death) via undeniable proof," the source said. "At the moment Egypt-Italy relations are in their best state in light of the accords elaborated for joint cooperation between the two countries in the various political and economic fields, in particular the fight against terrorism". He said "this was clear" in the most recent phone conversation between al-Sisi and Premier Matteo Renzi, referring to talks on January 18. President Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday received Regeni's parents, Paola and Claudio, and his sister Irene. (ANSA) - Rome, March 9 - Cairo police had been looking for Italian student Giulio Regeni since the end of December, friends of the slain Italian student told La Repubblica daily Wednesday. Meanwhile the prosecutor leading the Egyptian investigation into Regeni's death played down reports he had been tortured. On December 11 Regeni attended a meeting with some NGOs on the trade union movements he was researching for his Cambridge doctoral thesis, the sources told the Rome daily. They said Regeni was surprised to see "an Egyptian girl taking his picture with a cellphone", they said. "One of the possibilities is that informants for the security forces were present". Two weeks later, the sources told La Repubblica, the police sought Regeni in his home without finding him, in one case threatening to search it. And on the day Regeni disappeared, January 25 - the fifth anniversary of the uprising that ousted former strongman Hosni Mubarak - "all you had to do was go out of your house to come across a checkpoint". "In the preceding weeks there had been a climate of tension and very strong paranoia, not only towards activists. There had been blanket checks on apartments occupied by foreigners. In the climate of paranoia and xenophobia it's possible that some corps, departments, groups, mistook Giulio, his work, for who knows what. Sometimes all it takes is to be foreign and speak Arabic to arouse suspicion". The Giza prosecutor leading the probe for Egypt, Hassam Nassar, meanwhile played down reports of torture and said that Regeni was killed the day before his body was found on February 3 after being subjected to one single bout of violence. "He was killed in a timeframe between the 2nd and the 3rd," Nassar told La Repubblica in an interview. Far from being tortured for at least a week, as previously reported, "the violence he was subjected to was all inflicted at one time, between 10 and 14 hours before his death," Nassar said. Nassar added that there had been a "misunderstanding" about Regeni's clipped ears and torn-out nails. He said Egyptian doctors had taken off parts of the ears, as well as a fingernail and toenail, to "carry out more thorough analyses. "In the case of the nails they wanted to verify if they contained traces that could give leads or demonstrate a fight," he said. As for the burns on the body, previously reported to have been cigarette burns all over the body, Nassar said "they are all concentrated on the left shoulder. "But frankly, our doctors have not been able to tell us what their origin may have been". (ANSA) - Rome, March 9 - Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Wednesday pledged that Italy would only be involved in a military mission in Libya if requested to by the North African country and if the Italian parliament approves. "We are working to respond to eventual security requests from the Libyan government, nothing more and nothing less," Gentiloni told the Senate, "with the full respect of the Constitution and only after approval by parliament". He added that the Italian government would not "let itself get dragged into adventures that are useless and dangerous for national security". "It's not sensible to bang drums but intervene if and when there is a request from a legitimate government," he said. (ANSA) - Rome, March 9 - Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni told the Senate in a briefing on Wednesday that "no ransom was paid" for four Italian hostages kidnapped in Libya last summer. Two of the four were killed last week while the others managed to free themselves and are back in Italy. Gentiloni said there was no evidence that Islamist terror group ISIS was involved in the abduction. "The most probable hypothesis is that a pro-Islamist criminal group operating between Mellitah, Zuwara e Sabratha (was behind the kidnapping)," he said. The minister also played down reports Italy was gearing up to take part in an international mission to combat ISIS in chaos-hit Libya. He pledged instead that Italy would only be involved in a military mission upon request by "a legitimate government" in the North African country, pending Italian parliament approval. The Italian government would not "let itself get dragged into pointless adventures that threaten national security," he said. Rather, Italy is working with its allies to help the Tobruk parliament back a Libyan national unity government. "In the next few days in a meeting with the...United States, Germany, Britain, France and the EU we'll see if there is an agreement...to enable the majority (of the Tobruk parliament) to express itself" towards the legitimization of a national unity government despite threats and boycotts from extremists, Gentiloni said. In related news, Sidikj Al-Sour, the director of the investigations office of the Tripoli prosecution department, told ANSA that the bodies of the two dead hostages will be returned to Italy on Wednesday, after autopsies to recover any bullets. "Extracting the bullet is important because it has characteristics that will determine what kind of weapon caused the death," he said. Also on Wednesday, Failla's widow said she had been contacted by the her husband's captors. "One of the kidnappers called and spoke to me in Italian," Rosalba Failla said. Daughter Erica, 23, said "my father was a good person. They didn't help us bring him home. They told us to keep quiet, not to make a fuss, not to answer the kidnappers' questions... We did what we were told, and it was no use". Migrants: Macedonia also closes borders Balkan route practically closed (ANSAmed) - SKOPJE, MARCH 9 - Macedonia has closed its borders to migrants and, as of midnight, no refugees have been accepted at the holding center of Gevgelija. Authorities in Skopje have explained that the measure follows decisions taken by Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia not to accept migrants without valid documents and to reinstate Schengen rules. No migrant has crossed into Macedonia from Greece over the past few hours and, in practice, the Balkan route has been closed. In the holding center of Tabanovce, near Kumanovo at the northern border with Serbia, just over 1,000 migrants remain in very precarious circumstances due to the lack of food and living conditions. They are all in the open and exposed to the rain and cold weather. Meanwhile in the south almost 15,000 migrants and refugees remain stranded in Idomeni, in Greek territory at the border with Macedonia, also in a dire situation - with terrible hygienic and unhealthy conditions - under makeshift tents in the mud. Many families include women, children and old migrants, often sick and in need of medical care. Nobody knows yet what their fate will be. (ANSAmed). ROME - Since the sealing of the border on Monday, the 13,000-15,000 migrants stuck near the village of Idomeni on the Greek-Macedonian border have been suffering from an onslaught of freezing rain amid fog and mud. Scenes of desperation show refugees huddles along a barrier built by Macedonia and along the section of a railway that stops there, while they try to cover themselves with whatever they can find - mostly rubbish bags. Very few have any raingear. The tents donated by NGOs and humanitarian agencies are overflowing and since the external ones have been knocked down by the rain, migrants end up waiting under the rain with nothing to protect them except the clothing they have on. Many have been waiting to cross the border for two weeks. Numerous people spent the night under a large tent next to the border gate - which in previous days had let very small numbers through - in the hope of crossing into Macedonia at the earliest opportunity. A hospital in the nearby Kilkis lacks personnel and is filled with children who have become sick from the cold and unhygienic conditions. Meals are served for other children suffering from hunger and thirst, but much more is needed. An 11-year-old and a 13-year-old have suffered non-fatal injuries from a high-tension electrical wire along the railway. Local authorities say that they have also fined several businesses in the area that overcharged migrants, such as 50 euros each for those wanting to travel to Idomeni from Piraeus. The spokesman for UNICEF's Italian branch, Andrea Iacomini, said that "Idomeni is sinking in the mud, which Europe is at risk of doing as well. Thousands of children have reportedly been living for days in Idomeni amid mud, sludge, rain and cold, in makeshift shelters and at very high risk of becoming ill and dying. We must stop this. There are no longer any words for this situation". "On the difficult talks underway in Europe, I suggest that all European leaders call the next EU summit in the Idomeni camp. Only by seeing reality with one's own eyes, only by observing the point to which we have sunk, the conditions that innocent children from conflict zones are stuck in, will heads of state and government be able to understand that we must put an end to this European humanitarian tragedy." While about 1,500 are expected to arrive Tuesday in Piraeus, Greek authorities say that about 34,000 migrants are currently in the country, 6,800 of whom on the Dodecanese islands with most on Lesbos, Samos, Chios, Kos, Leros and Kalymnos. The organized part of the Idomeni camp - which a sort of tent city has sprung up around - contains over 8,000 people. One Syrian refugee interviewed by international media said that ''we will stay here. We cannot go back to Turkey because we do not have the means to. We will stay here and go forward, hoping that Germany and Sweden will accept us, if God wills it.' BELGRADE - Slovenia as of midnight has restored the rules under the Schengen agreement at the border with Croatia, abiding by an accord on the closure of the Balkan migration route reached Monday at an EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, Slovenian news agency Sta reports. The news agency added that police are allowing access into Slovenia only to foreigners who have valid documents to access the Schengen area, those who mean to apply for international protection and those in need of humanitarian assistance. Yesterday, Premier Miro Cerar, referring to the conclusions at the Brussels summit, said the Balkan route does not exist anymore. "The summit has launched a clear message to all traffickers of refugees and illegal migrants on the fact that the Balkan route doesn't exist anymore", said Cerar. Shortly afterwards, Serbia said it will behave accordingly, abiding by EU decisions on migration issues and adopting reciprocal measures at the border with Macedonia and Bulgaria. "We cannot allow for Serbia to become a refugee camp", said the interior minister in Belgrade. BELGRADE - After the closing of the Balkan route with the sealing of the borders of all countries along it, there were about 36,000 migrants and refugees in Greece as of Wednesday. The news was given by Greek officials quoted by Serbian media, who say that 4,000 migrants were left out of the above calculation and that thus there are some 40,000. Of them, about 15,000 have been stuck for weeks at the Idomeni camp on the border with Macedonia, where conditions worsening. Hundreds of migrants and refugees stuck for weeks at the camp on Wednesday staged a protest against the decision made by countries along the Balkan route to close the border, preventing them from continuing their journey to Germany and other countries in northern Europe. ''We beg you to help us' and 'we are human as well' were chanted at length by the migrants, many of whom held up placards with 'Open the Border' written on them and waved German flags. The conditions are very precarious, amid the cold, rain, mud and lack of hygienic facilities. Many people, especially children and youths, require medical assistance. No one knows what will happen to them and no indication is due to come prior to the March 17-18 summit in Brussels. Rafts and dinghies continue to arrive from Turkey, while Croatia has begun to send refugees back to Greece and has aligned with Austria, Slovenia, Serbia and Macedonia, where one can enter only with valid travel documents or an asylum request. The Hungarian government has declared a state of emergency across the entire country after the closing of the Balkan route, announced Interior Minister Sandor Pinter on Wednesday in Budapest. Some 1,500 soldiers and police will be deployed as a result of this decision. The interior minister said that there were at least 10,000 migrants that had entered illegally and that it was unclear what direction they intendd to go in. ''We must prepare to defend our borders, if necessary,'' he added. Pinter also said that there had been greater movement along the metallic barrier set up along the border with Serbia in recent days. The police are arresting hundreds of migrants every day that cross the barrier set up in the autumn. However, the EU-Turkey agreement being drawn up aims to stop irregular migration and ensure means to migrate legally, said Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. Turkey, he continued, is prepared to build new reception centers for the economic migrants sent back from Europe, in line with readmission agreements. ''We want to cooperate with the UNHCR on how we will host these migrants and how we will send hem back to their countries,'' he added. Mideast: Biden, cooperation with Israel on security boosted US vice-president to Netanyahu, with you to fight terror (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MARCH 9 - The current US administration, US Vice-President Joe Biden said after a meeting with Israeli Premier Benyamin Netanyahu, has done more than others in the past to boost cooperation on security with Israel. The vice president added that there were divergences of opinion but nobody could question US support to Israel and work to guarantee its military superiority in the region. The US, Biden also said referring to a Palestinian attack last night in Tel Aviv in which an American was killed, are beside Israel in the fight against terrorism. (ANSAmed). ROME - The arrival in Italy of the bodies of Salvatore Failla and Fausto Piano has been postponed again. The two men, who were abducted last July in Libya, were killed on March 2, probably by 'friendly' fire by Sabratha militia against kidnappers who were moving them. The bodies of the late employees of Parma-based oil-construction firm Bonatti were scheduled to land last night at Rome's Ciampino airport. They are being repatriated today. ''They won't leave Tripoli tonight because a legal procedure must be respected. It is hoped they will leave Tripoli tomorrow afternoon'', a spokesman for the government in the Libyan capital, Jamal Zucia, told ANSA on Tuesday, when preparations were underway at the Roman airport for the arrival of the bodies. After remaining 'prisoners' for days of red tape and the requests for political recognition coming from city authorities as well as the government in Tripoli, the story seems to be reaching an end. Italian intelligence services and diplomats, at the end of difficult negotiations, appear to have reached the objective of avoiding an autopsy in Tripoli, so the exam considered as key by Rome prosecutors to shed light on the complex case will be carried out in Italy. Needless to say, this is not the easiest time to obtain something from Libya. While rumours abound on possible military intervention in the North African country after once again no accord was reached in Tobruk on a national unity government, the 'rival' executive in Tripoli is using its role for political recognition from the western international community, Italy included, which has sided with Tobruk since the beginning. So a case like the one involving the Italian hostages has become part of a wider scenario where both weakness and a strong arm needed to be avoided. Finding an equilibrium is hard: the return of the two hostages who survived the abduction has been quicker than originally feared but obstacles were put in place for the return of their dead colleagues. And Tripoli isn't the only one involved but also authorities in Sabratha, whose militias carried out the attack on the abductors which caused the death of Piano and Failla. A series of authorities, interests and requests conitnue to delay the return of the bodies. As usual, the hypothesis that a ransom was paid for the hostages' release has raised a controversy. Italy's official position is that there was no payment. Libya intervention only with parliament OK, Gentiloni Minister says Constitution will be respected (ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 9 - Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Wednesday pledged that Italy would only be involved in a military mission in Libya if requested to by the North African country and if the Italian parliament approves. "We are working to respond to eventual security requests from the Libyan government, nothing more and nothing less," Gentiloni told the Senate, "with the full respect of the Constitution and only after approval by parliament". Gentiloni added that the Italian government would not "let itself get dragged into adventures that are useless and dangerous for national security" when commenting on the situation in Libya. "It's necessary to combine firmness, prudence and responsibility,", he said. (ANSAmed). No ransom paid for Italian hostages in Libya, Gentiloni says Abductions not linked to ISIS, Foreign minister (ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 9 - Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni told the Senate on Wednesday that "no ransom was paid" for Italian hostages kidnapped in Libya last year. Two members of the group of four were killed last week while the others managed to free themselves and are back in Italy. Gentiloni told the Senate on Wednesday that there was no evidence that "elements traceable to Daesh formations in Libya" were involved in the abduction. "The most probably hypothesis is that pro-Islamist criminal group operating between Mellita, Zuwara e Sabratha (was behind the kidnapping)," he said. (ANSAmed). ROME - Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni told the Senate on Wednesday that "no ransom was paid" for Italian hostages kidnapped in Libya last year. Two members of the group of four were killed last week while the others managed to free themselves and are back in Italy. Gentiloni told the Senate on Wednesday that there was no evidence that "elements traceable to Daesh formations in Libya" were involved in the abduction. "The most probably hypothesis is that pro-Islamist criminal group operating between Mellita, Zuwara e Sabratha (was behind the kidnapping)," he said. (by Paul Virgo). ROME - The United Nations on Tuesday blasted a possible deal for a refugee-migrant exchange programme between Turkey and the European Union, saying it risked tossing Syrians back into war zones. At an extraordinary summit in Brussels on Monday, the EU and Turkey reached broad agreement on a plan for economic migrants to be returned to Turkey, while Europe would accept recognised refugees from Turkey. Talks will continue in order to reach a final deal in view of the EU summit on March 17-18. "(The possible deal) is not in accordance with European and international law," the head of the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for Europe, Vincent Cochetel, said Tuesday. "We'll have to see what the guarantees will be. I cannot believe that the European Union could reach an accord of re-admission to a third country with fewer guarantees than those envisaged by the readmission into an EU country". The European Commission rejected the concerns. European Commission spokesperson Alexander Winterstein said the details of a possible deal "will certainly be in line with European and international law". He added that at the EU-Turkey summit leaders "agreed that courageous action is needed to end Europe's migrant crisis". German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday described the outcome of Monday's summit as a "big step forward". "The basic structure of what can be described as the deepening of the partnership between the EU and Turkey became clearer and was approved by everyone," Merkel said. Italian Premier Matteo Renzi was less enthusiastic, saying that only modest progress was made. "A small step forward has been made on migrants coming from Turkey but there's still lots of work to do, lots to discuss," Renzi said as he left the extraordinary summit. Ankara has also called for an extra three billion euros in aid for 2018 to cope with the crisis EU on top of the three billion the union has already pledged and an acceleration in EU accession talks. Renzi stressed that press freedom will be a key factor in relations with Turkey amid concerns about the arrest of opposition journalists and the government's seizure of the daily newspaper Zaman. "It is necessary to adhere to the founding values of Europe to continue the accession process," Renzi said. "Press freedom is one of these". Turkey: raid against far-left, six arrests in Istanbul Raid on headquarters youth Dhkp-c after attack against police (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, MARCH 9 - Turkish anti-terror police arrested six people in a raid early on Wednesday in Istanbul on the youth federation of left-wing group Dhkp-c (the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front). The Dhkp-c is blamed for several armed attacks in Turkey, including one last Thursday in front of the police station in Bayrampasa, Istanbul, after which two female attackers were killed by police. According to state-run news agency Anadolu, three women were among those arrested. The police operation took place in the Okmeydani district, on the European area of the city, with the support of helicopters, tanks and water cannons. (ANSAmed) Italian nature showcased from Alps to Mediterranean Exhibition in Rome until 1/4 (ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 9 - An exhibition on biodiversity and best practices concerning national parks and marine protected areas that help to safeguard Italy's natural heritage will run through April 1. 'A Passi di Biodiversita. Verso Cancun', at the Complesso del Vittoriano in the Italian capital, describes the variations in altitude from the sea to the Alps, the geography from the north to the north, the Mediterranean, the geological complexity, climate and history of the territory. Sponsored by the environment ministry in collaboration with Federparchi, the exhibition will be held in the lead-up to the World Biodiversity Conference to be held in Cancun in December. ''I believe that a country like ours,'' Environment Minister Luca Galletti said at the presentation, ''cannot but focus on the incredible natural heritage it has. It cannot lose this opportunity. We must make everyone understand its importance and teach ever more appreciation of it, since this heritage is indispensable for our environment.'' Italy enjoys a very high level of biodiversity due to over 57,000 animal species equal to a third of European ones and half plant ones at over 6,700. The country has 23 natural parks, 134 regional ones, 147 state reserves and 365 regional ones and 27 marine protected areas. (ANSAmed). (By Paul Virgo) (ANSAmed) - ROME - The latest Egyptian account of the torture and murder of Italian researcher Giulio Regeni met with incredulity in Italy on Wednesday and prompted calls for Premier Matteo Renzi's government to do more to get the truth from Cairo. The Giza prosecutor leading the probe for Egypt, Hassam Nassar, played down reports of torture and said that Regeni was killed the day before his body was found on February 3 after being subjected to one single bout of violence. "He was killed in a timeframe between the 2nd and the 3rd," Nassar told La Repubblica in an interview. Far from being tortured for at least a week, as previously reported, "the violence he was subjected to was all inflicted at one time, between 10 and 14 hours before his death," Nassar said. Nassar added that there had been a "misunderstanding" about Regeni's clipped ears and torn-out nails. He said Egyptian doctors had taken off parts of the ears, as well as a fingernail and toenail, to "carry out more thorough analyses. "In the case of the nails they wanted to verify if they contained traces that could give leads or demonstrate a fight," he said. As for the burns on the body, previously reported to have been cigarette burns all over the body, Nassar said "they are all concentrated on the left shoulder. "But frankly, our doctors have not been able to tell us what their origin may have been". This version of events met with skepticism and was interpreted by some as being the latest in series of attempts to cover up the truth. The Regeni case has been interpreted by critics of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's administration as symptomatic of its oppression of opponents and abuse of human rights. Egyptian officials have suggested the death could have been a road accident or been caused by Islamist extremists. "I think a much more dignified response (from the government) is needed on Regeni because they are making fun of us," said Pier Ferdinando Casini, the chair of the Senate's foreign affairs committee. "The responses from Egypt have been insufficient and contradictory and with the clear intent to waste time. "This is not something that we can yield on. The honour of a nation and its people is behind the Regeni case". Cairo police had been looking for Regeni since the end of December, friends of the slain Italian student told La Repubblica daily Wednesday. On December 11 Regeni attended a meeting with some NGOs on the trade union movements he was researching for his Cambridge doctoral thesis, the sources told the Rome daily. They said Regeni was surprised to see "an Egyptian girl taking his picture with a cellphone", they said. "One of the possibilities is that informants for the security forces were present". Two weeks later, the sources told La Repubblica, the police sought Regeni in his home without finding him, in one case threatening to search it. And on the day Regeni disappeared, January 25 - the fifth anniversary of the uprising that ousted former strongman Hosni Mubarak - "all you had to do was go out of your house to come across a checkpoint". "In the preceding weeks there had been a climate of tension and very strong paranoia, not only towards activists. There had been blanket checks on apartments occupied by foreigners. In the climate of paranoia and xenophobia it's possible that some corps, departments, groups, mistook Giulio, his work, for who knows what. Sometimes all it takes is to be foreign and speak Arabic to arouse suspicion". A qualified source at the Egyptian president's office told ANSA Wednesday that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi would only comment on the case of Regeni's murder once the investigation into his death is completed. "All the information broadcast by the media recently...does not allow us to express comments before the competent authorities end their investigation into this cease and disclose the circumstances (of his death) via undeniable proof," the source said. "At the moment Egypt-Italy relations are in their best state in light of the accords elaborated for joint cooperation between the two countries in the various political and economic fields, in particular the fight against terrorism". He said "this was clear" in the most recent phone conversation between al-Sisi and Premier Matteo Renzi, referring to talks on January 18. President Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday received Regeni's parents, Paola and Claudio, and his sister Irene. Italy gives 5 mln euros to rebuild Palestinian camp 1,000 homes and shops open again in Nahr El-Bared (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, MARCH 9 - Over 1,000 homes and shops have been rehabilitated in the Nahr El-Bared Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon through five million euros in funding from Italy. The camp was devastated in 2007 by fighting between the Palestinian fundamentalist group Fatah Al-Islam and the Lebanese army. The ceremony marking the end of the works was held on Wednesday in Beirut in the presence of Italian ambassador Massimo Marotti. The assistance program was made possible by support from several institutional partners, such as the Council for Development and Reconstruction and the Central Fund for the Displaced, as well as several Italian-led NGO joint ventures. Beneficiaries were selected by representatives of the Palestinian embassy in Lebanon. Palestinian ambassador to Beirut, Ashraf Dabbour, took part in the ceremony. (ANSAmed). (ANSAmed) - BELGRADE, MARCH 9 - After the closing of the Balkan route with the sealing of the borders of all countries along it, there were about 36,000 migrants and refugees in Greece as of Wednesday. The news was given by Greek officials quoted by Serbian media, who say that 4,000 migrants were left out of the above calculation and that thus there are some 40,000. Of them, about 15,000 have been stuck for weeks at the Idomeni camp on the border with Macedonia, where conditions worsening. Hundreds of migrants and refugees stuck for weeks at the camp on Wednesday staged a protest against the decision made by countries along the Balkan route to close the border, preventing them from continuing their journey to Germany and other countries in northern Europe. ''We beg you to help us' and 'we are human as well' were chanted at length by the migrants, many of whom held up placards with 'Open the Border' written on them and waved German flags. The conditions are very precarious, amid the cold, rain, mud and lack of hygienic facilities. Many people, especially children and youths, require medical assistance. No one knows what will happen to them and no indication is due to come prior to the March 17-18 summit in Brussels. Rafts and dinghies continue to arrive from Turkey, while Croatia has begun to send refugees back to Greece and has aligned with Austria, Slovenia, Serbia and Macedonia, where one can enter only with valid travel documents or an asylum request. However, the EU-Turkey agreement being drawn up aims to stop irregular migration and ensure means to migrate legally, said Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. Turkey, he continued, is prepared to build new reception centers for the economic migrants sent back from Europe, in line with readmission agreements. ''We want to cooperate with the UNHCR on how we will host these migrants and how we will send hem back to their countries,'' he added. The Hungarian government has declared a state of emergency across the entire country after the closing of the Balkan route, announced Interior Minister Sandor Pinter on Wednesday in Budapest. Some 1,500 soldiers and police will be deployed as a result of this decision. The interior minister said that there were at least 10,000 migrants that had entered illegally and that it was unclear what direction they intendd to go in. ''We must prepare to defend our borders, if necessary,'' he added. Pinter also said that there had been greater movement along the metallic barrier set up along the border with Serbia in recent days. The police are arresting hundreds of migrants every day that cross the barrier set up in the autumn. (ANSAmed). Syria: Kurds accuse Islamists of using chemical weapons YPG, yellow phosphorus against us in Aleppo (ANSAmed) - MOSCOW, MARCH 9 - Armed Islamist opposition groups in Syria have allegedly used "yellow phosphorus" in an attack on the Sheikh Maqsood district in Aleppo, controlled by Kurdish militias, Kurdish YPS spokesman Redur Xelilm said in a report handed to the coordination center for a truce in Syria, according to a report published Wednesday by RT, a media outlet close to the Kremlin. In the statement, Kurds from the YPG blamed the chemical attack on factions Ahrar ash-Sham, al-Jabha al-Shameea, Brigade of Sultan Myrad, Sultan Faith Battalions, Fa Istaqim Kama Omirt Batallions, Nour ad-Deen Zinki Battalions, the 13th brigade, al-Fau al-Oal, the 166th battalion and the battalions Abu Omara. According to Kurdish sources quoted by RT, many Kurdish soldiers were treated in hospital for skin irritations and other symptoms of chemical substance intoxication. (ANSAmed). Tunisia: Defense ministry,6 jihadists killed in Ben Guerdane Overnight curfew helps anti-terror operations, spokesman says (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, MARCH 9 - Six suspected ISIS militants have been killed by Tunisian security forces in a shootout late last night in Benniri, near Ben Guerdane, the last Tunisian city before the border with Libya, according to a Tunisian defense ministry spokesman, Belhassen Oueslati. The suspected terrorists, who had fled inside a home during the operation, were surrounded and killed, the spokesman said. Four Kalashnikovs were seized. An overnight curfew imposed on the city since last Monday reportedly made the operation easier. (ANSAmed). Turkey: new raid targeting pro-Gulen firm, 9 arrests Police operation in Gaziantep against Naksan holding (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, MARCH 9 - Turkish police on Wednesday morning carried out several operations in Gaziantep, in the south-east, in the offices of Naksan Holding, according to local media reports. Police reportedly arrested nine people charged with providing financial support to the alleged ''parallel state'' of Fethullah Gulen, the imam and magnate in self-imposed exile in the United States who has turned from ally to sworn enemy of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The holding is reportedly active in several sectors, from plastic production to textile, employing 7,000 people. Over the past few days, also due to links with Gulen, Turkey's largest circulation opposition paper, Zaman, and news agency Cihan were placed under controlled administration. Previously, the managers of several important Turkish holding companies were jailed over alleged connections to Gulen. (ANSAmed). (by Cristiana Missori) - ROME - Venice will be commemorating the 500th anniversary of the first Jewish ghetto in history with a series of initiatives. On March 29, 1516, under Doge Leonardo Loredan, the Venetian Senate decreed that all Jews would be required to live in gated area of the city under surveillance. The area was called 'Getto', where unused materials from an old copper foundry were thrown. ''Jews are not nostalgic for the ghetto,'' the head of the Italian Jewish Communities Union, Renzo Gattegna, said on Wednesday in opening a press conference for its presentation. "The ghetto represents segregation. This is why we are not celebrating anything and are instead commemorating a fact that remains a tragedy.'' He underscored that despite all the difficulties, ''Venetian Jews were not defeated'' and that ''a very high cultural, intellectual and religious tradition resulted''. Veneto region president Luca Zaia and the city's mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, said that the event was also meant to fight against anti-Semitism and negationism. Venetian Jews numbered about 5,000 at the height of the ghetto. The head of Venice's Jewish community, Paolo Gnignati, said that there are currently fewer than 2,000 in the entire region. The ghetto is also a place where Jewish traditions developed, where Jews from different places build synagogues, printed the Talmud for the first time and where they were able to contribute to the artistic, philosophical and religious give their artistic, philosophical and religious contribution to the life in the closed quarter as well as outside of it. Many exhibitions, conference and concerts will be sponsored by the 'I 500 Anni del Ghetto di Venezia' committee, representing the Venice Jewish community and the town council. A concert by the Orchestra del Teatro la Fenice, conducted by the Israeli Omer Meir Wellber, will be held on March 29. From June 19 to November 13 an exhibition entitled 'Venice, Jews and Europe: 1516-2016' curated by Donatella Calabi will be held at Palazzo Ducale. Calabi said that she hoped that at least part of the exhibition would later travel to other places, since ''we want to reach the widest public possible''. Maps and archival documents will be showcased, as will important works of art and multimedia installations. ''We will explain how Jews lived in that era. Trades were practiced inside the ghetto as well as across the city. We will show how this continued after the gates were opened - and burned - with Napoleon's arrival,'' she said. Another ambitious project will be the raising of 8.5 million euros at the international level by the Venetian Heritage foundation for the transformation and restoration of Venice's Jewish Museum (founded in 1954) and 16th-century synagogues. Between July 26 and 31, instead, the Campo del Ghetto will be the venue for a performance of William Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice', marking the first time it will be put n stage in the city where the story takes place. (ANSAmed). ANSAmed - Tomorrow's events in the Mediterranean (ANSAmed) - ROMA, MARCH 8 - The following are the main events scheduled in the Euro-Mediterranean area for tomorrow: GENEVA - UN, new round of negotiating talks on Syria. LISBON - EU, visit by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. CASABLANCA - Trade mission organised by Milan Chamber of Commerce. ALGIERS - Conference entitled 'Building a future for sustainable small-scale fishing in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. ROME - Festival of Francophone cinema 'Francofilm' continues (to March 16). (ANSAmed). Libya: French-Egyptian joint military exercise begins Including F-16s and Rafale combat jets recently purchased (ANSAmed) - PARIS, MARCH 8 - France and Egypt began joint military exercises in the Mediterranean on Sunday, with support from the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier and six other ships. The Egyptian military issued a statement saying that air and naval forces from both countries were taking part in the Ramses-2016 exercise - off the coast of Alexandria and in Egyptian air space - which is scheduled to last for several days. Last Tuesday, the French defense ministry announced that the joint exercise would soon take place. The support vessels include four frigates, a submarine and two other ships. Sources at the French embassy in Cairo confirmed the information. The drill is aimed at ''sharing our expertise with the Egyptian military (...) one of our main Middle East partners,'' the French defense ministry said. Both F-16 warplanes and Rafale combat jets are taking part, including 24 recently purchased by Egypt. In 2015, Cairo also bought two Mistral-type warships from France that had originally been earmarked for Russia before the transaction fell through due to tensions linked to the crisis in Ukraine. The French-Egyptian maneuvers are being held in a particularly tense context, with coalition forces involved in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Libya, Syria and Iraq. (ANSAmed). ANSAmed - Tomorrow's events in the Mediterranean (ANSAmed) - ROMA, MARCH 9 - The following are the main events scheduled in the Euro-Mediterranean area for tomorrow: TUNIS - Sousse international book fair (to March 20). BEIRUT - Festival 'Culinary art and tradition in Sardinia and Lebanon' within the FOOD4MEDFood project for Mediterranean Exchange (the festival ends on March 11 in the Beqaa Valley). BRUSSELS - EU, visit by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. ROME - Presentation of catalogue of 140 works by contemporary Syrian artists collected by Imago Mundi. ROME - Festival of Francophone cinema 'Francofilm' continues (to March 16). (ANSAmed). Migrants: Slovenia closes borders 'Balkan route doesnt exist anymore' (ANSAmed) - BELGRADE, MARCH 9 - Slovenia as of midnight has restored the rules under the Schengen agreement at the border with Croatia, abiding by an accord on the closure of the Balkan migration route reached Monday at an EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, Slovenian news agency Sta reports. The news agency added that police are allowing access into Slovenia only to foreigners who have valid documents to access the Schengen area, those who mean to apply for international protection and those in need of humanitarian assistance. Yesterday, Premier Miro Cerar, referring to the conclusions at the Brussels summit, said the Balkan route does not exist anymore. "The summit has launched a clear message to all traffickers of refugees and illegal migrants on the fact that the Balkan route doesn't exist anymore", said Cerar. Shortly afterwards, Serbia said it will behave accordingly, abiding by EU decisions on migration issues and adopting reciprocal measures at the border with Macedonia and Bulgaria. "We cannot allow for Serbia to become a refugee camp", said the interior minister in Belgrade. (ANSAmed). (by Stefania Fumo). - ROME - Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni told the Senate in a briefing on Wednesday that "no ransom was paid" for four Italian hostages kidnapped in Libya last summer. Two of the four were killed last week while the others managed to free themselves and are back in Italy. Gentiloni said there was no evidence that Islamist terror group ISIS was involved in the abduction. "The most probable hypothesis is that a pro-Islamist criminal group operating between Mellitah, Zuwara e Sabratha (was behind the kidnapping)," he said. The minister also played down reports Italy was gearing up to take part in an international mission to combat ISIS in chaos-hit Libya. He pledged instead that Italy would only be involved in a military mission upon request by "a legitimate government" in the North African country, pending Italian parliament approval. The Italian government would not "let itself get dragged into pointless adventures that threaten national security," he said. Rather, Italy is working with its allies to help the Tobruk parliament back a Libyan national unity government. "In the next few days in a meeting with the...United States, Germany, Britain, France and the EU we'll see if there is an agreement...to enable the majority (of the Tobruk parliament) to express itself" towards the legitimization of a national unity government despite threats and boycotts from extremists, Gentiloni said. In related news, Sidikj Al-Sour, the director of the investigations office of the Tripoli prosecution department, told ANSA that the bodies of the two dead hostages will be returned to Italy on Wednesday, after autopsies to recover any bullets. "Extracting the bullet is important because it has characteristics that will determine what kind of weapon caused the death," he said. Also on Wednesday, Failla's widow said she had been contacted by the her husband's captors. "One of the kidnappers called and spoke to me in Italian," Rosalba Failla said. Daughter Erica, 23, said "my father was a good person. They didn't help us bring him home. They told us to keep quiet, not to make a fuss, not to answer the kidnappers' questions... We did what we were told, and it was no use". Serbia: ambassador Manzo, Europe should retrieve its values 'Work, growth, security are also priorities for EU candidates' (ANSAmed) - BELGRADE, MARCH 9 - ''The EU is confronted with unprecedented challenges. The true challenge for Europe is not simply to solve these problems but also to be able to do it by still adhering to its founding values. If we will do that, Europe will continue to be the best response to the needs and aspirations of citizens and will be able to defeat populisms spreading across the old continent''. So said the Italian ambassador to Belgrade Giuseppe Manzo, addressing a Business Forum in Kopaonik (southern Serbia). Manzo recalled in this respect the recent initiative of Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni to gather in Rome the six founding members of the European Union to sound the alarm. ''Work and growth are what common European citizens ask from Europe'', added the ambassador, recalling that Italy recently presented a proposal for a document for a ''shared European political strategy for growth, employment and stability'', providing for concrete mechanisms to mitigate the effects of cyclical unemployment and to create a European insurance mechanism on deposits. Manzo recalled the European values and a common European strategy also regarding the migration issue. ''Italy had warned that this is not a problem a country can confront on its own'', he observed, noting how Italy has dealt with a large number of migrants who have arrived from the Mediterranean, rescuing and welcoming tens of thousands of people. Like Italy, Serbia as well, although it is not yet a member of the European Union, has called for a joint EU approach to solve the migrant crisis. (ANSAmed). Syria: political transition the solution, says UN envoy Key talks to resume 14/3 after delegations arrive (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, MARCH 9 - UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura noted Wednesday that a ceasefire and humanitarian aid were not a solution to the Syrian conflict and that only a political transition would be. The envoy's statement was broadcast by Al Jazeera. Talks between the government and opposition groups that were suspended in early February were to have resumed today but the delegations have not yet arrived and so the key talks will begin only on March 14, De Mistura said. The UN envoy said that after that point discussion would be held on such issues as governance and parliamentary and presidential elections to be held within the next 18 months. (ANSAmed). The airline will fly leading tour operators and travel buyers from around the world and also participate in the annual travel event taking place in the states capital city of Jaipur between April 17 and 19. The three-day showcase is organised by the Indian Ministry of Tourism, Department of Tourism at the Government of Rajasthan, and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Around 300 international travel industry buyers will converge on the Pink City for three days of business meetings and product updates from around 250 Indian tourism entities keen to promote their latest wares. Etihad Airways will be flying visitors from destinations in North and South America, Europe and the Middle East. Partnering with Jet Airways in the trade exhibition, Etihad Airways will promote the ease of travelling to India through the UAE carriers Abu Dhabi hub with their combined network of over 250 flights each week across 15 Indian cities. Together, the two carriers have the largest share of the international air travel market to and from India carrying one in every five travellers. We are delighted to bring some of our most valued travel partners from around the world to India to attend the Great Indian Travel Bazaar and experience a diverse nation under one roof in Jaipur, together with wonderful Rajasthani hospitality, said Shane OHare, Etihad Airways senior vice president marketing. Etihad Airways is committed to further developing Indias tourism economy and investing in jobs. The Indian and Rajasthan governments have set an example by attracting key players from the international travel trade community for three days of intensive business discussions in a region that has successfully promoted tourism to the world for many years, and benefited from considerable spin-offs for the local economy. Is Hungary to give fifth freedom rights UAE airline? Saif Al Suwaidi, the general director of the United Arab Emirates' General Civil Aviation Authority has said that the UAE and Hungary would be discussing changes to their bilateral air service agreement allowing UAE carriers to operate to two destinations from the UAE via Budapest with full fifth freedom traffic rights between Budapest and the two destinations, reports ch-aviation. While at the show, the airline will be signing an agreement with a major service provider. Oman Airs participation in this years event follows a year in which the airline has increased the size of its fleet to 40 aircraft, grown its network to include 50 exciting destinations and introduced more frequencies on many of its key routes. Paul Gregorowitsch, chief executive officer of Oman Air said: ITB Berlin is the largest and arguably the most important travel fair in the global calendar. Oman Air has attended for many years and we have always found the event to be impressively organised and highly productive. This year, as Oman Air continues its ambitious programme of fleet and network expansion, we look forward to meeting a wide range of important trade partners, industry experts and, of course, individual air travellers. We will be discussing the potential for new destinations, new products and services and new partnerships throughout our growing network. And, vitally, we will be raising awareness of both Oman Airs internationally-acclaimed passenger experience and of Omans numerous attractions as a leisure and business destination. Le CBD, cette molecule active du cannabis a aujourdhui le vent en poupe. Et cela est en grande partie du au fait quil permet... Air Reserve Personnel Center officials will release the results from the semi-annual Reserve School Selection Board Friday, March 18, at 8 a.m. MT. The selection list will be accessible on myPers at that time.Commanders will receive the close-hold release list on Wednesday, March 16, at 8 a.m. MT.For more information, call the Total Force Service Center at DSN 665-0102 or 210-565-0102.//signed//SAMUEL C. MAHANEY, Brig. Gen., USAFCommander, HQ Air Reserve Personnel Center Best Business Products and Services Would you like to submit an article in the Business category or any of the sub-category below? Click here to submit your article. Would you like to have your product or service listed on this page? Contact us. Best Technology Products and Services Would you like to submit an article in the Technology category or any of the sub-category below? Click here to submit your article. Would you like to have your product or service listed on this page? Contact us. While the Met Breuers inaugural show, Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible, may prove to be a popular success, given the interest in the Metropolitan Museums new Madison Avenue initiatives, it got mostly tepid to negative verdicts from the critics (five review links), with two major exceptionsPeter Schjeldahl of the New Yorker, who exclaimed that pretty nearly everything on view is exemplary, and Sebastian Smee of the Boston Globe, who found the show to be crowded with poignant beauty. The public opening of the Met Breuer is still ten days away, but many critics have already weighed in, so as not to be upstaged by their colleagues. To be sure, many of the works in Unfinished transfixed me. I think the signature work for the showthe one confronting you when you step out of the Met Breuers third-floor elevatorshould have been this Rubens, which floored me with its wallop of energy and chaotic complexity, triumphing over the adversity of incompleteness. (A miscommunication with the French court had caused the artist to abandon this project, the Mets label informs us.) [All photos by Lee Rosenbaum] Instead, we are greeted on arrival with three dark, dour masterpieces: Heres the centerpiece of the trio: Titians depiction of the gruesome death of the satyr who lost a musical contest with Apollo was the subject of what, to me, was the most intriguing essay in the shows catalogue (maybe because of my advanced years)Old-Age Style and the Non Finito by David Bomford, chairman of the department of conservation and interim head of the department of European Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. What Bomford says about Marsyas, a late work, is far more interesting that anything on the museums exhibition label and exemplifies what this inaugural display too often lacksthe deep curatorial insight that we have come to expect from the Met. In his catalogue essay, Bomford notes that Marsyas evinces what Kenneth Clark had described as the reckless freedom of facture characterizing old-age stylebrushwork piled up with such apparent randomness, bordering on formlessness, that it defies all notions of conventional finish, in Bomfords words. He writes that the surface of Marsyas is often described as shredded, echoing the flaying theme of the subject. And yet, real form and narrative do emerge from the maelstrom of paint strokes in the most extraordinarily powerful way. In contrast to that lively drama, heres the Mets ho-hum label: Part of my own disappointment with Unfinished stemmed from my visit the prior week to the Mets Reimagining Modernism in its flagship building, which admirably lived up to the following description on the museums website (interspersed with my photos) by organizer Randall Griffey, the Mets associate curator of modern and contemporary art: Reimagining Modernism places icons of the Museums collectioninto dialogue with lesser-known works from the collectionmany of which have been either on view infrequently or are presented here for the very first time. The installation is also enhanced by an increased numbers of works of art by women, including Helen Torr and Elizabeth Catlett, and artists whose derivation falls outside the strictly European or Euro-American nexus, such as [African American] Hale Woodruff and [Japanese-born] Bumpei Usui [not to mention Mexican Diego Rivera and Native American Nampeyo]: A blend of chronological and thematic approaches, the project suggests possibilities for the Metropolitan Museums engagement with and presentation of modern and contemporary art over the upcoming months and years as the museum prepares to move into and to program the iconic Marcel Breuer building previously occupied by the Whitney Museum of American Art. This permanent-collection reinstallation, while hampered by the limitations of the Mets modern-art holdings, led me to anticipate a more groundbreaking show at the Met Breuer than the one we got. In his above-linked New Yorker review, Schjeldahl presumed to psychoanalyze the unenthusiastic critics, stating that we seethe with unstated resentments. (Gee, Peter, cant we disagree with you without necessarily being mentally unbalanced?) My beef with the Met is that its own buildup had led me to expect much more than it delivered. We already knew they could be counted on to round up great masterpieces, and I dont minimize the importance of that. But this was supposed to be the type of groundbreaking show [emphasis added] that can result when the museum mines its vast collection and curatorial resources to present modern and contemporary art within a deep historical context, in the words of the shows press release. In mining that deep context for scintillating insights, Unfinished rarely struck gold. For fresh takes, maybe the Met needs to mine the ideas of its less deeply entrenched staff members. Heres a lesser-known scholar (assistant curator, Art of Africa, Oceania and the Americas) who may be onto something. Below are images that he sent me in a tweet reacting to my gripes about the inadequate audio guide and the absence of labels at the Museum of Modern Arts recent Picasso Sculpture show: For more inventive, boundary-breaking juxtapositions, maybe the Breuer Baton needs to pass into the hands of younger experts in less prominent curatorial departments, who have less siloed intellectual mindsets. After all, isnt the Met Breuer supposed to be about cross-cultural experimentation? 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(5) Sep 25 (7) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (1) Sep 19 (1) Sep 18 (2) Sep 15 (1) Sep 13 (2) Sep 11 (1) Sep 06 (2) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (1) Aug 31 (1) Aug 30 (2) Aug 28 (1) Aug 23 (1) Aug 21 (1) Aug 17 (1) Aug 16 (2) Aug 14 (1) Aug 10 (1) Aug 07 (1) Aug 02 (2) Jul 25 (1) Feb 14 (1) All the latest Ashbourne news. Ashbourne is an historic market town in Derbyshire. Situated on the southern edge of the Peak District, it is known as the 'Gateway to Dovedale' and the 'Gateway to the Peak District'. Ashbourne is famous for the annual Royal Shrovetide Football Match, which has been played since at least 1667, although its origins may date back centuries earlier. Ashbourne became a Fairtrade town in March 2005. The popular Tissington Trail, which follows the route of the former Ashbourne to Buxton railway, starts on the edge of town. Keep up to date with the latest news from the town by signing up for our newsletter. Senior officials and officers accused of corruption. Critics speak of an attempt to silence opponents. Thai Academic: "It is a sign of nervousness, the military sees enemies everywhere". Bangkok (AsiaNews) - The military junta has compiled a list of 6 thousand names of "influential people", accused of corruption, collusion with the mafia and illegal activities. The list was drawn up by national intelligence, who have been working on an anti-corruption inquiry desired by the Prayut Chan o-cha government. The move, however, has aroused the concerns among critics who believe it is yet another attempt to strengthen military power, ignoring the economic crisis and the drought that is affecting many areas of the country. The "black list" containing names (as of yet unpublished) of senior government and security officials. General Prawit Wongsuwon, told the local press that each of them is suspected of having connections with criminal associations, although he did not specify what the crime is. The crackdown against these people, he added, will take place in the next two months. The military junta has been in control of Thailand since May 2014, when it took power in a "white coup", which interrupted years of clashes between the "red shirts" - who support former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, popular in the countryside and among the poorer margins of society - and the "yellow shirts", representatives of the urban class and the establishment. One of the first acts of the military junta was the presentation of a new Constitution, aiming to take power away from the parties. The first draft was rejected in September 2015 and postponed until after new democratic elections, now scheduled for 2017. Although the junta led by Prime Minister Prayut Chan o-cha stated that the fight against corruption is its main focus, it has been repeatedly accused of conniving with the criminals. For this reason, critics of the government fear that 6 thousand names are really just political opponents. General Prawit responded assuring that "the crackdown is not focused on a particular political group". In two years of military government, there has been a dramatic clampdown on freedom of expression, with the imprisoning dozens of political dissidents under one of the most restrictive lese majesty laws in the world. Thai academic and political scientist, Paul Chambers, believes that the latest purge decided by the Government reveals a "siege mentality." "The economy is collapsing - he explained - and drought is affecting the north-east; there are so many difficulties that they [the military] feel attacked from all sides". by Shafique Khokhar After almost five years of captivity, the son of the former governor killed for his opposition to Islamic extremism was released. Now he is in a safe place with his family. Perhaps this release is a sign of the times, mature enough for a necessary change of course strongly advocated by Pakistans civil society, said a Justice and Peace official. For a human rights activist, authorities seem to be on the right path, but they have a long way to go. Islamabad (AsiaNews) The release of Shahbaz Taseer, son of the governor of Punjab killed because he opposed Islamic extremism, "is a positive sign for Pakistan and Islam. From my point of view, the Pakistani government has realised what must be its role. Perhaps this release is a sign of the times, mature enough for a necessary change of course strongly advocated by Pakistans civil society, said Kashif Aslam, national coordinator of the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace, who spoke to AsiaNews. Gunmen abducted Shahbaz Taseer on 26 August 2011. On 29 February 2016, his fathers murderer, Mumtaz Qadri, was hanged. The latter was one of the governors bodyguards. Salman Taseer was assassinated in early 2011 for his opposition to Pakistans blasphemy laws, also known as black laws, and for his defence of Asia Bibi, a 45-year-old Christian mother of five, who was sentenced to death for blasphemy and is waiting for her appeal to be heard. The Punjab governor strongly supported the campaign for Bibis release, along with Shahbaz Bhatti, a Catholic and Federal Minorities Minister who was also killed by extremist gunmen. Counter-terror police recovered Mr Taseer from a compound north of Quetta, following a tip off. When agents entered the building they found only the hostage. Some believe that a ransom was paid to the Pakistani Taliban, who are suspected of the kidnapping, or that keeping him had become too dangerous. The young man is now with his family (pictured) in a safe location. The road towards Pakistans normalisation is long, said Aslam, "but I think that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will be able to follow it. He is a mature politician and can do more for this societys stability. Samson Salamat, a Christian activist who heads Rawadari Tehreek (Movement for Tolerance) is less optimistic. "I think it is early to say that it is a positive development. There are many concrete things to do that have instead been delayed. For example, "officially banned terrorist groups are still operating, hate speech against minorities is not punished and no policies to de-radicalise society have been adopted. If the state does not intervene with effective measures to stop the culture of bombs and guns, we have no hope, Salamat said. Of course, Anchorthe authorities seems to be on the right path, but they have a long way to go." Naumana Suleman, coordinator of the Centre for Social Justice, believes that today should be devoted to the Taseer family. "Shahbazs liberation is great news, not only for his family but also for the friends and supporters of the late governor. I hope, she added, that this event will lead to the release of many other 'political' prisoners, like Ali Haider Gilani, the son of our former prime minister, and many others in a similar situation." For his part, Yousaf Raza Gilani expressed hope that his son AnchorAli Gilani will also be recovered soon. An American citizen was killed during a stabbing carried out by a 21-year old Palestinian. After launching attacks in four areas of Tel Aviv, the young man was shot dead by police. Biden meets Netanyahu and Abbas. In a survey, 30% of Israelis think that the settlements hurt security. And Muslims are discriminated against compared with Jews. Jerusalem (AsiaNews / Agencies) - An American tourist was killed in a stabbing yesterday by a lone assailant, a 21 year-old Palestinian who carried out attacks in different tourist areas of Tel Aviv, before being shot dead by the Israeli security forces. In the assault, which took place in conjunction with the arrival of US Vice-President Joe Biden, 12 other people were injured, some of them seriously. Local sources say the attacker was a Palestinian young man from Qalqilya, a West Bank town; after hitting four points of the city, including the seafront in Jaffna, he was "neutralized" [shot dead, ed] by the police. The victims identity is still unknown, he was an American citizen. Since October last year, following ultra-Orthodox Jews provocation of praying on Temple Mount, there have been multiple violent episodes in Israel and the Palestinian territories, in the context of the so-called "intifada of knives". So far they 184 Palestinians, 28 Israelis, two Americans, a Sudanese and one Eritrean have been killed. Most Palestinians were shot dead as they tried to carry out stabbings or car rammings on passersby or Israeli soldiers. Others were killed during demonstrations or clashes with the military. Today Biden - who yesterday on arrival met with former President Shimon Peres - meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Talks will focus on a defense system, the total value of which amounts to 3.1 billion dollars a year. The US Vice Presidents visit comes at a time when relations between the two governments is at a historic low. Recently the Israeli prime minister declined an invitation to the White House by US President Barack Obama to discuss security and peace. Meanwhile, the results of a survey prepared by the US Pew Research Center are sparking widespread debate as they reveal that the majority of Israelis are not convinced that the settlements in the West Bank will strengthen the security of the Jewish state. 30% of Jewish Israelis polled believed that "the settlements hurt security". 25% instead think that they "make no difference" in terms of security. 42% are convinced, according to the policy of the Israeli right, that the settlements are vital for the security of the country. The survey, developed between October 2014 and May 2015 on a sample of 5,601 adult Israelis, also reveals that Israeli Arabs - 205 of the 8.4 million inhabitants - believe that Muslims are discriminated against compared with Jewish citizens. For 79% there is indeed a "profound discrimination." The settlements are communities inhabited by Israeli civilians and built in territories conquered by Israel after the Six Day War in June 1967, in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and the Gaza Strip. In 1979, Israel withdrew from the settlements in Sinai after signing a peace agreement with Egypt, and in 2005 the then Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered the dismantling of 17 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip. Currently the colonies are located in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Golan Heights. According to data from the Israeli Ministry of the Interior, there are at least 133 recognized settlements in the West Bank - plus a hundred or so "outposts" - and are home to about 500 thousand people, home to about 300,000 Israelis in East Jerusalem, and 20,000 in the Golan Heights. Over the past five years, the number of Israeli settlers in the West Bank has increased by 20 percent. Mgr Hinder met the superior of the Missionaries of Charity in Yemen, who is now safely abroad. She is exhausted but overall doing reasonably well. Now she needs peace and quiet. The fate of the abducted priest remains uncertain. Channels have been opened to secure his release but caution and prudence are required. The humanitarian situation in Yemen is uncertain with millions of people living in difficult conditions. Sanaa (AsiaNews) "I met the nun who escaped the massacre. She is doing reasonably well. As one might expect, she is still in a state of shock. She is certainly exhausted by her ordeal, but physically she is OK, said Mgr Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia (United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen). The prelate recently met Sister Sally. The Indian nun is a member of the Missionaries of Charity, and the only survivor of the massacre perpetrated on 4 March at a retirement home in Aden, southern Yemen, run by the Sisters of Mother Teresa. The facility housed senior citizens and disabled people. When a group of gunmen stormed the facility, they killed four nuns and seized a priest; 12 other people who worked at the facility, mostly Muslim, were also killed. Only the superior managed to save herself from the attackers brutality. Although no one has yet claimed responsibility, fingers point to people who might be linked to the Islamic State group. The four nuns were Sister Anselma from India, Sister Marguerite and Sister Reginette from Rwanda, and Sister Judit from Kenya. Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, 56, the abducted priest, is also from India. The nun who escaped the extremist fury "will go to a safe place abroad, Mgr Hinder explained, where She will be reached by the orders superior. Although She is now safe, it is important to protect her not only from enemies and the memory of this terrible experience, but also from the media, the curious, those who want to get her to make a comment, or tell her story. Now she needs rest, and a bit of peace and quiet. As for Fr Tom, very little is known. Some channels have been approached to secure his release, but there is nothing certain about his fate. There are all sorts of rumours, including a report that he was killed, but this just adds more confusion. For Mgr Hinder, It would appear that he is still alive, but we do not have any additional information" about his fate. What matters for now is to do nothing that might jeopardise the work undertaken to secure his release. For this reason, it is better to be tight-lipped, and avoid fuelling to rumour mill since there is nothing concrete. Every possible channel has been activated, the prelate said, but we must be cautious and prudent." Since January 2015, Yemen has been the scene of a bloody civil war pitting the countrys Sunni leadership, backed by Saudi Arabia, against Shia Houthi rebels, close to Iran. In March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition launched air strikes against the rebels in an attempt to free the capital. For Saudi Arabia, the Houthis, who are allied to forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, are militarily supported by Iran, a charge the latter angrily denies. Groups linked to al Qaeda and Jihadi militias linked to the Islamic State group are active in the country, which adds to the spiral of violence and terror. Today, Houthi rebels and the Saudis exchanged prisoners after a rebel delegation went to Saudi Arabia to negotiate the swap. This is the first time since fighting began. The aim is also to get a truce along the border to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, including medicine, to the war zone. "For months, I have been unable to get into the country, Mgr Hinder said. From the information I was able to gather, the humanitarian situation remains uncertain with millions of people surviving in difficult conditions. Confusion reigns, and extremist groups can easily operate in such a chaotic situation. What is more, groups are changing camps every day and it is hard to figure out whom one can trust." "I know that many in Yemen are disheartened by the situation, even more so after what happened to the sisters. People were glad of their presence, the apostolic vicar added. Since the attack, Both the authorities and ordinary folks have reached out to us to share our suffering. Except for a few small radical groups, no one dislikes us. However, the latter have guns and are ready to use force. Photo caption: This English Tudor five-bedroom, 3-1/2 bath, 4,721-square-foot single family home on Marguerite Street was recently listed for $6,488,000./ Photograph by: Courtesy Sothebys Realty, Vancouver Sun By Eveline Xia and Penny Gurstein, Vancouver Sun Special to The Post If the provincial government wanted to dampen the out-of-control housing market in the Lower Mainland, it has missed its chance with the recent budget. Their timid, overly cautious response has left many concerned residents wondering: Is that it? Its widely understood that global capital looking for a quick return and a safe haven has no ethical or physical boundaries. Jurisdictions around the world are constantly updating housing regulations with the express purpose of mitigating escalating prices and protecting residents. Replace London, Sydney, or Hong Kong with Vancouver in affordable housing news and the stories are nearly identical, save for this: the government response in B.C. is tepid compared to the rest. We suggest three ways the budget could have tackled the issue more effectively: The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) residency tax should be linked to all real estate transactions. The B.C. government has acknowledged that real estate-related tax evasion has created an unfair playing field, and they are powerless without the CRAs involvement. The problem is that many investors can avoid most provincial and federal taxes in Canada by declaring non-resident or resident status when it suits them. Residency status related to real estate is self-identified, often abused, and currently not verified by the CRA allowing for potentially billions of dollars lost in provincial and federal income tax revenues. Other jurisdictions are able to prevent residency double-dipping and wed be foolish not to follow suit. The choice should be made clear to homeowners: choose to pay ones fair share of taxes as a resident of B.C. or, declare yourself a non-resident and pay up in other ways when purchasing a home. This leads to our second point: Non-residents and multiple property owners should pay much higher taxes. A non-resident investor purchasing their second or third home, whether from another province or abroad, must pay extra on an array of taxes, including property, transfer and capital gains taxes they can afford it! The B.C. governments budget took a shot at this with the $750,000 first-time homebuyer tax exemption (available only to citizens and permanent residents) and the property transfer tax increase for homes worth over $2 million to two per cent from one per cent. As much as these initiatives are commendable, they havent gone nearly far enough. Many experts agree that the additional one per cent in property transfer tax should have been closer to 10 per cent in order to be taken seriously by investors. Compare this: Singapore and Hong Kong both apply a 15 per cent stamp tax on non-residents and corporations purchasing property, and London applies up to 28 per cent in capital gains tax on non-residents when selling. If applied in Metro Vancouver, these extra funds could help build a significant amount of affordable housing, while dampening speculation and creating a fairer playing field. Thirdly, more provisions should be built in for the 53 per cent of Vancouverites who rent, including much more non-market housing. The $355-million fund set aside by the provincial government for affordable and non-market housing is definitely welcome. However, 2,000 units of affordable housing to be built over five years will barely make a dent in a province with a backlog of 15,000 people on the BC Housing wait-list. Compare again: London has built close to 100,000 units of affordable homes under the Homes for London program since it was implemented in 2013. Thats 100,000 affordable homes built in one city in three years! Singapore and Hong Kong have more than half of their entire populations living in subsidized or social housing, thanks to policies put in place decades ago as a direct response to spiking property values that displaced their workforce. Contrary to what the B.C. government has said, it is not just a few neighbourhoods in the popular west side of Vancouver that are being impacted. We must remember that the housing continuum is strongly interlinked. As land values reach insane levels, ripple effects will continue to price out growing families, seniors and low and middle-income wage earners across the Lower Mainland the bedrock to any healthy and self-sustaining city. Its time to learn some lessons from abroad. Best practices can be found in feted free markets like London and Hong Kong, which ironically have done the most to protect their local residents from global market forces. We need more forceful action now the region and its residents cant afford to wait. Eveline Xia is a housing advocate and constituency assistant in the riding of Vancouver-Kingsway. Penny Gurstein is director and professor of the school of community and regional planning at UBC. This piece was published with permission from the author Eveline Xia. It originally appeared in The Vancouver Sun. See http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/editorials/opinion+budget+measures+housing+little+late/11761129/story.html Photo caption: Taxi drivers in Toronto protested against Uber and the city's lack of regulation in December 2015. Uber is the face of the new gig economy./ Photo by rmnoa357 via Shutterstock By David P. Ball Special to The Post Ever shown up for work only to discover your boss has deactivated you? "Sounds like a robot," joked Donald Lafleur, vice president of the Canadian Labour Congress. Uncomfortable laughter erupted around the large conference table as several dozen representatives of the country's major unions gathered behind closed doors to figure out what to do about the technology-fuelled platforms of the "gig economy," or what cheerleaders call the "sharing economy." Being "deactivated" is the end of the road for an Uber driver. One day, you're being linked with customers through a smartphone app. The next, you're locked out, based on Uber's assessment of your customer ratings or activity or for any reason the company chooses. Uber, Airbnb, Lyft, Handy the list of on-demand services is exploding. And union representatives at the meeting in the Ottawa headquarters of the congress were trying to plot a labour response. "How do people organize when your boss is an app?" asks Emily Norgang, a senior labour congress researcher facilitating the session on the gig economy. "How do you actually organize in this digital environment... where you don't know any of your co-workers or how many are even in the city where you work?" 'You can't even keep a shitty job in Canada anymore' Uber is the face of the new gig economy. It has dominated Canadian headlines, with reports of furious Montreal taxi drivers smashing operators' smartphones and Edmonton legalizing the service in late January. But it is just one of the online platform businesses raising tough questions for the labour movement. Airbnb's rentals are seen as a threat to hotels and their unionized workers (and as a factor reducing Vancouver's already limited rental housing stock as the city becomes unaffordable for workers). Handy, an app conceived in 2012 by a 19-year-old entrepreneur, lets customers book handymen, plumbers, electricians, painters, cleaners, movers and even furniture assemblers at the tap of a button. As Handy's website boasts, "We're well on our way to changing the way the world buys services." That promise has many consumers, especially millennials, excited. The BC Liberals have welcomed the new model. The party recently advertised an online poll that asks, "Do you think it's time to welcome the sharing economy including popular services like Uber, Airbnb and Lyft to British Columbia?" (There was no option for voting no.) The party's enthusiasm for the sector is apparent "lower priced options... more convenience and choice... new opportunities for entrepreneurs... grow our tech sector." For the labour movement, the challenges are daunting. Unifor's Ken Bondy says the solution is simple. "I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for a complete ban," says Bondy, national co-ordinator of health, safety and environment. If a new business model undermines workers' rights, "we have to oppose that 100 per cent," he says. Bondy and others in the union sector recognize that the people offering on-demand services, whether drivers, handymen or other part-time positions are themselves workers. But the new model does them no favours, he says. "You have an entire generation who themselves are being forced into precarious work," Bondy says. "People working part-time jobs are being put out of work. You can't even keep a shitty job in Canada anymore." Chris Roberts, senior social and economic policy researcher with the congress, said Canadian workers are being forced to cobble together low-paying jobs to make ends meet. "This wouldn't be happening if people had decent job opportunities with decent wages and real chances," he argues. "The goal [is] to turn labour into something that comes out of a tap. You turn it on when you need it, you turn it off when you don't." That's not how prophets of the sharing economy see it. Handy enthuses about its ability to connect people with jobs on their own schedule. "Make up to $22/hour as a cleaner or $45/hour as a handyman," it promises. Uber entices its drivers now more than a million with slogans like "Drive when you want, earn what you need." But the union representatives see trouble, starting with the small-print disclaimer at the bottom of such websites: "Handy is not an employer, but simply connects independent service professionals with customers." It's a big distinction. If these workers the drivers and electricians are employees of Uber or Handy, they can organize unions or at least demand the protection of the Employment Standards Act. But the companies say the service providers are independent contractors, not employees. Gig economy workers tend to make their own hours, are paid by the task, own their own car or tools and aren't tied exclusively to a single employer, the companies note. Norgang says they're wrong. The people providing the services must follow guidelines, take mandatory training and can't hire somebody else to do the work for them. The companies sets the pay rates and invoice customers. They're employees, and the claim they are independent contractors undermines their rights, she says. "This really shifts the risk and the cost onto the workers," Norgang explains. "And it takes a lot of the liability off of the employer." Workers in the sector aren't even guaranteed minimum wage. Despite Uber claiming its drivers can make more than $20 a hour, a Journal de Montreal investigation found that after car expenses and the company's 25 per cent cut, a full work week netted only $4.60 an hour. "It's a classic case of the race to the bottom," Norgang warns. "There's nothing in place to protect these workers from being fired." 'I want to organize these workers' It's not about technology, Norgang says. It's about business models that raise concerns about workers' rights, corporate accountability, public safety and consumer rights. There have been efforts to organize independent contractors, or create online forums or Facebook pages where they can air grievances and solve workplace problems. But the labour movement is divided on the best approach. Aaron Spires of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers says despite the challenges, unions have to organize these workers. "We need to change the power relations that exist." Forget it, say others around the table. Some see the gig workers in the same light as "scabs" who replace striking employees. Their willingness to work under the companies' conditions undermines the rights of other workers, critics complain. Bondy is against organizing efforts. Partly, it's too hard. Unifor tried to organize temp agency workers in the past, he says. "It frankly doesn't work." But it should also be a matter of principle for the labour movement, he says. "When we're talking about these kinds of precarious work changes happening on the backs of working people organizing them is not the answer because all it's saying is that labour has bought into this type of precarious work." What's at stake is much bigger than taxis versus Uber, Bondy warns. "This is about every worker in the next generation," he said. "The entire workforce in Canada could become an on-call job app, instead of providing secure, permanent employment." This piece was originally appeared in The Tyee (http://thetyee.ca). See http://thetyee.ca/News/2016/03/07/Organizing-Workers-App/ Photo caption: Last month, Mayor Brian Bowman declared 2016 as the Year of Reconciliation for Winnipeg, promising to work towards diversity and greater inclusion with the Indigenous community./ Photo Credit: J. Hazard via Wikimedia Creative Commons By Kayla Isomura Special to The Post A year after being called Canadas most racist city, Winnipeg is on its way to becoming more inclusive, and immigrants can be part of the solution. It is wonderful that very recently we are seeing more people speaking out against racism, but it hasn't gone away just yet, said Sheila North Wilson, grand chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), an organization that represents northern First Nations in Manitoba. A 2015 Macleans article, titled Welcome to Winnipeg: Where Canadas racism problem is at its worst,highlighted examples of violence and racism the Indigenous community in Winnipeg has faced. According to the article, Manitoba and Saskatchewan report the highest levels of racism in the country, often by a wide margin. Nancy Macdonald, the articles author and a former Winnipeg resident, says Winnipegs racism problem has improved. Over the past year, conversations have sparked among politicians, Indigenous leaders and other community groups around racism in the Prairie city. Everything thats happened has happened not because of that article, but because of [Mayor] Brian Bowman who did something very brave, said Macdonald. Rather than say this article was wrong, he chose to acknowledge the problems. Moving towards solutions and immigrants can play a role Last month, Bowman declared 2016 as the Year of Reconciliation for Winnipeg, promising to work towards diversity and greater inclusion with the Indigenous community. Winnipeg has the largest Indigenous population in Canada, making up 11 per cent of the citys population, according to the City. Bowman has committed to developing an Urban Aboriginal Accord to recognize Indigenous peoples role in Canadian history and making diversity training for all civic employees mandatory. Over the last year, I believe we were able to reignite the public conversation and dialogue on racism and inclusion, and I believe we have been able to shift the tone, he said in a news release. North Wilson said the citys efforts and ongoing dialogues are positive, but hopes they lead to long-term change. She would like to see recommendations from the discussions be implemented into real systemic changes that deal with the realities of racism. The key is education, and new immigrants can be part of the solution, she said. New Canadians need to be taught as soon as they arrive about who Indigenous people are and how they've arrived to where we are now, said North Wilson. This includes leaning about the treaties, Indian Act, residential schools, the child welfare industry and the plight of missing and murdered Indigenous [people]. She recommends immigrants visit the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, Aboriginal Languages of Manitoba, and Neechi Commons as resources to learn more about Indigenous history. Another suggested resource is IRCOM (Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba). Racism: a common bond While shes experienced the most amount of racism in Winnipeg, North Wilson said the worst type of racism shes faced was in Brandon, the second largest city in Manitoba after Winnipeg. Some immigrants said they also experience more extreme forms of racism in other parts of the country, and that in Winnipeg, racism towards immigrants is no different than in any other Canadian city. We were taught a very bad image of First Nations people, said Amanda Luong, a first-generation Chinese Canadian who was born in Winnipeg. For me, I faced more stereotypes, but I didnt feel discrimination as much as First Nations people. In 2012, Luong moved to Vancouver, B.C. She would argue that immigrants face worse discrimination in the west-coast city. Racism is worse in Vancouver towards every minority group, especially with foreign ownership and Asian cultures, she said. In Vancouver, Chinese immigrants have been blamed for high house prices over the past few years. A study published by urban planner Andy Yan last year caused controversy over the demographics of who was buying houses in some of the citys affluent neighbourhoods. He suggested the majority of the homes in his study may have been bought by people newly arrived from China. Brian Tang, another resident of Vancouver and former resident of Winnipeg, had the same sentiment about the target of racism in different cities. Here, its Chinese people, Asian people. In Winnipeg, its Aboriginal people, so it exists in both cities, he said. A two-way street North Wilson said that Indigenous people in Winnipeg not only face stereotyping but discrimination in daily tasks. Our people have a harder time at banks, rental agencies, stores, governments, police agencies, for example. Many in these and other sectors of society seem to disregard our people at first and treat them poorly, she said. You hardly see any of our Indigenous people working in these common places. She adds that support from immigrant communities in the citys inclusion efforts should go two ways. Conversely, it is important that we learn about the history and backgrounds of the new inhabitants to our lands, she added. As part of the Citys efforts to reduce racism, Bowman has also promised to continue the support of private sponsorship for refugees in the event of a sponsorship breakdown, to work with other cities to address racism challenges, to visit every high school in Winnipeg to emphasize the importance of reconciliation and diversity, and to continue to welcome refugees. The City of Winnipeg was not available for comment by deadline. This piece was originally appeared in New Canadian Media (newcanadianmedia.ca). See http://newcanadianmedia.ca/item/33431-winnipeg-s-racism-problem-immigrants-can-help-winnipeg-s-racism-problem-immigrants-can-help Short Men And Overweight Women Earn Less Income Trending News: Short? Your Taller Colleagues Are Making More Money Than You Why Is This Important? Because size does matter. Long Story Short A scientific study has shown that a mans annual income increases by around $2,250 with every 2.5 inches in height, while slimmer women earn more than those who are overweight. Long Story Height has always been linked with the perception of power, but for the first time a scientific study has proven that shorter men have a tougher time in the workplace. Researchers at Exeter University ran a study that confirmed that the annual salary for a man increased in line with his height. In fact for every 2.5 inches his genes allowed him to grow, he earned around $2,250 more per year. The paper was published in the British Medical Journal and used data from the UK Biobank to analyze 119,669 white British men and women aged between 40 and 70, leveling other socio-economic factors that may influence earnings. Study co-author Professor Timothy Frayling of Exeter University said, quoted in The Guardian: This is the strongest evidence by far that there is a causal link between being a bit shorter as a man and doing worse in life. If you took the same man say a 5ft 10in man and make him 5ft 7in and sent him through life, he would be about $2150 worse off per year. Is it down to factors such as low self-esteem or depression, or is it more to do with discrimination? Interestingly, a similar pattern emerged amongst women but with weight rather than height. If a womans Body Mass Index increased by 4.6 kg/m2 (the equivalent to putting on 28 pounds for a woman of average height and build) due to genetic predictions her annual income decreased by a whopping $4000. Although this is just one study and the demographic involved is limited, the results seem to suggest that society favors tall men and slim women to the point where your build and stature can directly influence your earning potential. Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question: Do taller men find it easier to get better jobs? Disrupt Your Feed: Height directly affects earning potential? Maybe its time to invest in those heel lifts after all, as long as your boss doesnt notice youve grown a foot in a day... Drop This Fact: A 2004 study in the Journal of Applied Psychology suggested that a six foot person will make $166,000 more during their career than someone of the same characteristics who is five foot five inches tall. Its now been three years since Middletons formally integrated with US-based global legal-giant K&L Gates. The exciting thing for us that were truly and genuinely now part of the global marketplace and it enables our clients to benefit greatly from the resources of the firm, said Nick Nichola. But how do you make sure a 46-office firm spanning Europe, Asia, the Middle East, South America, Australia and the US, properly gels? Thats what a global integration and strategic growth partner is for. Dallas-based Craig Budner sees his role as leadership cultivation, visiting offices world-wide presenting on best practices of business development. I help them strategize about how they can expand their client relationships, Budner told Australasian Lawyer, while visiting Australia thismonth. Helping drive some integration strategies so maybe theyve got some talents that they would like to make sure clients and attorneys in other markets know about, and I help with that. As clients become more global and seek a more global approach, Budner said K&L Gates is in a good position to easily draw on talent from different jurisdictions by simply keeping the firm up to date. Whats really important for us is to make sure our partners and in fact all of our lawyers are well armed with what we do well, he said. One of the challenges that we really try to tackle head on is making sure our lawyers know what we do well in other offices and in other practise areas and one of the investments we make in doing. A big part of global integration is the K&L Gates model, Budner said. With a single profit pool, partners arent incentivised to hang on to clients, and instead freely pass work over to an expert in another jurisdiction. So what a fully integrated firm means is that a lawyer in London with a client relationship can meet with the client, ask them questions about their global objectives and actually instead of worrying about selling them something that they do, really give them an integrated solution that meets what they need as a client. Cheap and available debt with strong corporate balance sheets Slow organic growth Desire to secure and strengthen positions in existing markets Expansion into new markets and business lines These predictions come from the latest report from Chapman Tripp, New Zealand Mergers and Acquisitions: Trends and Insights , which looks at M&A predictions for the coming year.NZ Lawyer spoke to Tim Tubman, partner, and Joshua Pringle, senior associate, about what this report means for law firms across the country.Among corporates, there are four key factors driving these trends, they said:We also see strong private equity activity in 2016, they said. In addition to the usual domestic and resurgent Australian players, the year has already seen two major public markets deals (Diligent and Nuplex) involving US private equity firms.The weaker New Zealand dollar may be making local assets more attractive to US interests, they added.After a number of quiet years for takeovers, both Tubman and Pringle said they saw potential for a number of takeover transactions. These will be structured as schemes of arrangement rather than as offers under the Takeovers Code.Schemes have advantages for bidders, such as greater transaction certainty, that could encourage more activity, they said.For local legal firms, it should be a very busy year ahead for M&A lawyers, Tubman and Pringle explained. There will also be other, less obvious, repercussions from these trends.We think that market trends, like the use of schemes of arrangement, will favour lawyers who are seen to specialise in M&A, rather than having a more generalist focus.Although superficially straightforward, these transactions have subtleties like the composition of shareholder interest classes, for example that can be easily and unknowingly missed, to the detriment of the transaction.These types of complications will mean the market will favour lawyers who can successfully demonstrate specialist expertise, they added.As well as an increase in M&A activity, local law firms should also be aware of other changes in the legal sector.Although a tax issue, the international BEPS (base erosion and profit shifting) project is something M&A lawyers should be keeping an eye on, Tubman and Pringle said. For some targets the possible changes could substantially impact valuation and transaction structuring.Building up familiarity with these issues will be an opportunity for M&A lawyers to add value, they noted.To prepare for these changes, continuing education is of vital importance especially in a market which rewards specialist expertise.The return of deal structures that have been largely dormant, like schemes, means many lawyers will need to re-familiarise themselves with the practicalities and subtleties of those structures.Due to increasing US interest we also think M&A lawyers should be prepared to deal with US deal concepts that are unusual here, such as comprehensive disclosure letters, which US buyers often insist on despite not being market standard in New Zealand. Bird & Bird re-elects CEO, appoints new chair David Kerr will remain as chief executive of Bird & Bird following his re-election. Kerr will be at the helm of the firm for the next three years, adding to the twenty that he has already served. He will be working with a new chairman; Massimiliano Mostardini, the firms current managing partner for Italy. Law firms should aim for 40 per cent female leadership Women should make up 40 per cent of leaders in law firm business units within the next three years. Thats the view of the Managing Partners Forum which says that globally women make up 16 per cent of CEO roles, 27 per cent of business unit leaders and 46 per cent of functional management roles in professional services firms. The Forum says that firms, including those in the legal profession, should aim for women to make up 40 per cent of business unit leaders and 30 per cent of CEOs; the latter being facilitated by the former providing more female leaders with the necessary experience. Pow! Supreme Court says Batmobile ruling stands The owner of a Californian custom-car garage has lost his bid to have a copyright case against him overturned. Mark Towles had been making replicas of Batmans iconic vehicle but was hit with a lawsuit in 2011 by DC Comics claiming that he was infringing its copyright. Towles countered that the Batmobile was a usable item and not a copyrightable character but the judge in a district court ruled in favour of the plaintiff. Towles took the case to appeal in 2015 but was again beaten with the court highlighting that the Batmobile is a highly-interactive vehicle, equipped with high-tech gadgets and weaponry used to aid Batman in fighting crime. His last shot at overturning the rulings was the US Supreme Court, but he has been told that the court will not hear the case. Deeply Grateful "While she is deeply grateful for the support and good wishes of all those who suggested her as a potential nominee, she is honored to serve as attorney general, and she is fully committed to carrying out the work of the Department of Justice for the remainder of her term, Newman said. As a career federal prosecutor, Lynch wouldnt have a history of court decisions that could have been targeted by critics during a nomination process. But her work as attorney general could also have created some political headaches for the administration. The attorney general recently came under fire from Silicon Valley after the Justice Department asked a judge to order Apple Inc. to help the FBI break into an iPhone used by a gunman who carried out a December shooting in San Bernardino, California. Apple and other Silicon Valley firms have said doing so would effectively create a backdoor breaking the encryption that secures their products. Republicans also have been critical of Lynch for her departments support of Obamas executive action on immigration. A federal court has blocked implementation of the presidents move, which would have deferred deportation for as many as 5 million undocumented immigrants. Some Republican lawmakers also have criticized Lynch for not appointing a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons use of a private e-mail server. My mother in law has received a visa grant notice to come to Australia on a tourist visa (600, paper based). It was received by email stating everything was approved/granted. At the bottom of the email it has instructions on how to check the visa validity via VEVO, however when putting in all the information from the grant notice to VEVO it gives a message: You do not have a current Australian visa. If you are in Australia, you must contact the department's Community Status Resolution Service (CSRS) in your nearest capital city as soon as possible to discuss available visa or departure options. Generally you can be granted a bridging visa while you resolve your immigration status with the CSRS. Phone 1300 853 773 or see more information online. Has anyone seen this before? Does VEVO take some time to update after the visa is granted or should it reflect the correct details immediately? The export Baleno is manufactured at Maruti Suzukis Haryana facility; offered with two engine options. Suzuki Motor Corporation today launched the Made in India Baleno hatchback in the Japanese market. The Baleno, one of the top-selling premium hatchbacks in India, is the first car to be exported by Maruti Suzuki India to its parent company Suzuki Motor Corp in Japan. First unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2015, the Baleno was officially launched in India on October 26, 2015. Since then, the Baleno has sold over 38,000 units in the country, and has received over 1,00,000 bookings, according to the company. Moreover, the carmaker has plans to export it to Western Europe, Latin America, some African countries and has export orders from more than 100 countries. Last month, the carmaker first exported a consignment of 1,760 Balenos from the Mundra port in Gujarat to Japan The Baleno for Japan, which has been manufactured at Maruti Suzukis Manesar facility in Haryana, is offered with two engine options 1.0-litre Boosterjet direct-injection turbo engine (XT variant) and a 1.2-litre Dualjet (XG variant). While the XT variant features a six-speed automatic transmission along with paddle shifters, the XG variant comes with a CVT gearbox. However, the XT variant will only be launched in Japan in May 2016. As standard, the hatchback gets features such as collision-mitigating system called the Radar Brake Support, adaptive cruise control as well as hill hold control among others. The Baleno for India, however, does not get some of the safety features because of radar frequency restrictions implemented by the government. A landmark moment like this is a true testimony to the success of Indian Governments 'Make in India' campaign. Launch of Made in India Baleno in Japan is a proud moment for all of us and it reaffirms Maruti Suzukis manufacturing potential and growing importance of Maruti Suzuki India Limited in Suzukis global business strategies, said Kenichi Ayukawa, MD & CEO, Suzuki Motor Corporation. Having a motorcycle and a race car sharing the circuit is a thing that has been done before on more than one occasion, even with MotoGP bikes, WRC cars and whatnot.The difference is that the two athletes will compete in more than a circuit lap. Martin and Coulthard will compete in "a drag race, a brake test, a slalom, a full circuit race - and physical and mental tests in the pit garages," Channel 4, which will broadcast the showdown, reports. The program is produced by North One Television and will be aired on March 17 ahead of the first race weekend."They will compete in physical and mental challenges, testing their fitness and reaction times and exploring the science behind their incredible racing machines," Guy Martin's social media team informs us.Coulthard will bring his V8 Red Bull Racing alongside his 11-strong pit crew, whereas Guy Martin will only take one person to the track, his most trusted race mechanic, to make sure his Tyco BMW S1000RR superbike works as intended.It's nowhere near the first time Channel 4 and Guy Martin are working together, with the Lincolnshire rider having hosted TV series for the British station. The competition between Martin and Coulthard will be only a part of how Channel 4 will launch the racing season."Amongst the features included in the first weekends race coverage will be McLaren and Jenson Button dropping into the heart of the action at Melbourne with a little help from the RAF - while Channel 4s presenters put celebrities through their paces on the tracks, including Susie Wolffs heart-pumping rides around Brands Hatch with British boxer and former world champion David Haye and actor and comedian Johnny Vegas, amongst others."Channel 4 also signed a three-season deal for broadcasting the Formula 1 events live. Ten Grands Prix will be offered to the viewers without advertising breaks during the main races, including practice and qualifying sessions each season.We remind you that Guy Martin announced he would not run in this year's Isle of Man Tourist Trophy , as he feels like there are more directions to explore because his "brain [] needs something else."As for the showdown, bets anyone? And when it comes to sleds, it's either the desert or the city. This time, Red Bull and Levi LaVallee decided in favor of Levi's hometown Saint Paul, Minnesota, where there was still some snow left on the streets... and rooftops, making a completely wacky stunt run possible.Now, if you're not a top athlete and a skilled snowmobile rider like LaVallee is, we'd advise you never to try any of these yourselves, unless you want to spend the spring in a cast.He fitted some wheel skis on his sled, making maneuvering on hard terrain easier and more precise, and hoped for the best. Some of the jumps made him a bit nervous, Levi admits. The bridge drop, even though it doesn't look like a big deal in the video, was one of the first obstacles."There were quite a few different ones that had me questioning myself. There was quite a few high risk jumps out there. One that I was really nervous about to begin with was the bridge drop. That was scary, until I actually did it, then I realized it wasnt so bad," LaVallee says.Also, the museum jump from the parking garage was another highly tensioned moment. The drop was about 80 feet (26 meters), but Levi says that it wasn't the numbers that made him nervous.Thinking about a rider who jumped over bigger obstacles countless times might make someone believe that it's all down to routine. LaVallee begs to differ, adding that once he fully acknowledges the huge drop, he knows there's no room for error."To jump over that, theres really no room for error; if you dont make it over that hole, thats obviously life and death. That was a bit to digest at first - you look at that hole and you think 'Yeah, thats pretty deep.' Ive jumped something like that thousands of times, but once theres that big hole in there, the consequences were so big that all of a sudden I got nervous," he adds.As for the entire video, the things are so wacky that words fail to describe them. Take your time, set the video to HD, and enjoy! PHEV kWh MPGe EV TDI Yet Maserati is a very small operation compared to its German rivals, so developing an advanced powertrain by itself is out of the question. Harald Wester, the CEO of the Italian brand, told Motor Trend at the Geneva Motor Show that "a standalone [PHEV] program would be suicide, so we have to look at FCA."Unfortunately, the root of the solution is not the electric motor that powers the LaFerrari but the ones used by the Chrysler Pacifica minivan. Production has just started for the regular van in the US, and an electrified version will follow later this year. As for the Levante, it may take until 2018 to arrive.The Pacifica Hybrid will combine a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter engine with two electric motors and a 16battery located under the floor. It's expected to achieve 80and do 30 miles per charge inmode, reaching a top speed of 75 mph.Not only is the Levante all-wheel-drive but it also uses twin-turbo engines with a lot more power and torque. Maserati does this PHEV thing because it has to, not because it wants to. Regulations will force every model in the range to have an electrified version by 2020. The plug-in hybrid version of the Ghibli is expected to have CO2 emissions of 70 grams/kilometer in the standard European mixed cycle. Despite being one of the most expensive to develop, Maserati expects the PHEV powertrain to represent less than 6% of overall sales.The way we figured it, Maserati needs the battery pack and an electric motor that fits between the engine and transmission, like the one used by Audi's Q7 e-tronmodel. Maserati CEO Harald Wester has also revealed that the diesel model being offered in Europe is never coming to America.Remember the performance Levante? It was on all the charts when Fiat released its 5-year plan in 2014. Supposedly, it should have the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 with over 560 horsepower (think Ferrari California T). However, it's not really going to happen. "We looked at it and decided not yet," he said. As Nissan details, the Japanese brand has manufactured over 2,368,705 units of the Qashqai in the last decade, surpassing the Micra as the companys European highest-volume model.All of these cars were made by Nissans Sunderland plant in the United Kingdom. By the end of last month, the production total has reached 2,398,134 units.The Nissan Qashqai has become the first car in UK history to go beyond two million units in such a brief interval. After all, they make around 1,200 Qashqai units every day, so it was a matter of time until the Japanese brand reached this milestone. On average, Nissan builds a Qashqai every 62 seconds. That means that 58 new Nissan Qashqai cars are built every hour.In the last decade, Nissan made 1,482,214 units of the old Qashqai, along with 270,018 Qashqai+2 cars. The current-generation Qashqai had been manufactured in 645,902 units by the end of February 2016.The Qashqai is the model that propelled the Japanese brands sales in Europe since the first generation came to market. At first, the decision to replace a compact hatchback with a crossover was seen as controversial, but Nissan proved everyone wrong twice. First, with the Qashqai and its commercial success, and then with the Juke and the birth of an extremely popular niche of the automotive market.Later this year, Nissan will celebrate 30 years of manufacturing in the United Kingdom at their Sunderland facility. Currently, the factory builds the Qashqai and Juke crossovers, along with the LEAF, the Note, and the Infiniti Q30.The clock on Nissan Micra production in Europe stopped in 2010, when the Japanese supermini moved its manufacturing line to India. However, Nissan will build the all-new Micra in Europe once the model reaches its next generation. The upcoming Micra will be made at Renaults factory in Flins, France. This original condition 1954 Lagonda 3-Liter Drophead Coupe is one of the many automobiles he used to own during the springtime of his life. Prince Philip replaced the Lagonda with an Alvis TD21 Drophead Coupe in 1961 after seven years of service.Slated to come at auction in April at an event organized by H&H at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, specialists estimate this blast from the past will fetch between 350,000 and 450,000. In U.S. dollars, thatll be $496,845 to $638,545, also known as a lot of money.The estimate is three to four times the value of a Lagonda 3-Liter DHC in similar condition, but thats to be expected due to the famous first owner. Now at its third owner, this beautiful automobile is one of twenty Mark 1 examples made out of a production tally of 270 units. In other words, it is rarer than a LaFerrari.As the second model produced by Lagonda under the ownership of Aston Martin, the 3-Liter is equipped with a 2.9-liter straight-6 powerhouse that can trace its roots back to the late 40s. When it was new, the Lagonda 3-Liter could hit 104 mph (167 km/h), which I suppose its scary for two reasons. One - rear torsion bars and a swing axle. Two - Lockheed drum brakes all around with servo assistance only at the rear.Goodies tailored to Prince Philips requirements include the floor-mounted gear lever, power hood, a radio telephone with a dedicated radio frequency, and a vanity mirror for Her Majesty The Queen to adjust her hat. How romantic is that? My favorite story about Prince Philip and his Lagonda 3-Liter is the one with the Prince setting the unofficial record for the 98-mile stint between London and Bath.If I could afford to buy this car from the current owner, Id affix a Royal & Furious: Burning Rubber Since 1954 sticker on the rear bumper to commemorate how badass Prince Philip was behind the wheel. SUV Our spy photographers caught the all-terrain double R testing in chilly Sweden. The mock-up body comes from the Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II, as do the rectangular LED headlights, one-piece stamped radiator, and the chrome detailing around the side windows. The thing is, theis a tad shorter than the Phantom. Check the rear doors or the wheelbase.Is it me or is this prototype of the 2018 Rolls-Royce Cullinan the first double R with exposed quad tailpipes? I know the Wraith also has a quad layout, but theyre hidden from sight by two trapezoidal faux tips. Im not expecting the Cullinan to have such an exhaust system. Its too vulgar by Rolls-Royce standards.The prototype vehicle in the photo gallery below also differs from the signature Rolls-Royce in terms of ground clearance. The last detail that could raise some eyebrows comes in the form of an extra set of air intakes in the front bumper. Other than all-wheel-drive with four-wheel steering derived from BMWs xDrive, the 2018 Rolls-Royce Cullinan is expected to get an evolution of the 6.75-liter V12. Expect more than 600 horsepower and at least 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) of torque channeled to all wheels via an 8-speed automatic.Regarding pricing, consider that the Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II starts at around $405,000 in the United States of America. It isnt known if the British ultra-luxury automaker will position the Cullinan above or below the Phantom, but theres no denying it will surpass the price of a fully loaded Bentley Bentayga. So, if, say, your wife asks you to justify the purchase, what can you tell her? Well, many of these track-savvy Neunelfers are owned by entrepreneurs, and using the rear-engined coupe as a mobile billboard for your company will allow you to introduce ROI (Return On Investment) into the discussion.While this may or may not back up the livery of the GT3 RS in the image above (hat tip to Carspots NL for the picture), we can confirm this Porsche serves as a fast-moving billboard.The massive star on the hood isn't there by accident, as this shows the vehicle's connection to the aviation industry, which the company served with this Porsche.The 911 was spotted in Rotterdam, Holland, but it represents a company that handles the equivalent of a racetrack in the winged realm. Just like we, car aficionados, dream about having a racetrack in our back yard, those who get their kicks while in the air hope to be able to connect their house to a runway one day.As you can imagine, their dream can be even more difficult to achieve than ours, but this company promises to deliver just that. To be more precise, they offer villas connected to airfield hangars, with the shenanigan taking place in the South of France.Returning to the GT3 RS we have here, we're imagining your SO arguing that a less costly Neunelfer could have served the purpose just as well. However, since we're talking about the flying industry, that upside-down wing at the back of the car can't be found elsewhere in the 911 line-up. Photo of Chevrolet Colorado courtesy of GM. General Motors is recalling and issuing a stop-sales order on about 1,750 2016 model-year Chevrolet Malibu sedans and Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickup trucks in the U.S. and Canada because of faulty air bag modules, Reuters reported. In a notice sent to GM dealers, the automaker explained that in high-speed crashes triggering the second-stage deployment of the driver frontal air bag, the inflator may fail to fill the air bag as quickly and fully as designed. More details about the recall will become available when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issues the recall notice. Horn Michael Horn has left his role as chief executive for Volkswagen Group of America to pursue other opportunities in an agreement the company described as mutual. Hinrich J. Woebcken will take over Horn's role on an interim basis. Woebcken was set to take over a new role as head of Volkswagen's North American region on April 1. Horn leaves a role he began in January of 2014. Prior to his current role, Horn served as the global head of after sales at Volkswagen AG. Horn joined Volkswagen in 1990 and has held various roles of increasing responsibility within the brand over his tenure, including head of Volkswagen sales in Northwest Europe, head of sales and marketing for luxury class vehicles, and head of sales for Europe. Horn has been the public face for the automaker during the diesel emissions scandal. He testified before U.S. Congress on Oct. 8, and spoke to journalists at the Los Angeles Auto Show. In late September, VW's National Dealer Advisory Council went to bat for Horn to stay in his role following a report that we would be fired. The council said Horn "tirelessly fought" for North American dealers to "correct the many missteps of prior management." The 2016 Auto Rental Summit will be held at the B Resort & Spa in Florida. Photo courtesy of B Resort & Spa. The fifth-annual Auto Rental Summit has a new date and a new venue. The 2016 Summit will be held Oct. 24-25 at the B Resort & Spa in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Located about 6 miles from the Orlando Airport, the B Resort & Spa is close to the Downtown Disney and numerous restaurants and shops. Were excited to bring Auto Rental Summit to a new city, Orlando, said Chris Brown, executive editor of Auto Rental News. The B Resort & Spa is an upscale, boutique property that will serve as the perfect backdrop for the 2016 event. The Auto Rental Summit motto People, Process, Profit represent the three leading indicators of company success, Brown says. The motto defines the mission of the conference and is integral to the educational seminars, speakers, and networking during the event. Auto Rental Summit is brought to you by Auto Rental News in conjunction with the American Car Rental Association (ACRA). Click here to learn more about the annual Auto Rental Summit. The future role of Textron Airlands Scorpion trainer/light attack jet is in question now that the Air Force is saying the bid requirements for its new jet trainer are firm. A few years ago, Textron, in partnership with Airland Enterprises, secretly developeda small twin-engine military aircraft that has been touted as an affordable front-line attack aircraft and a modern, low-cost trainer. It now appears the Air Force wants a much more capable training platform and Textron Airland has all but withdrawn from the competition for 350 new trainers. The Air Force is still using the T-38 Talon as its primary jet trainer and the oldest aircraft are more than 50 years old. The Air Force wants airplanes that will train pilots for fifth-generation fighters like the F-35 and F-22 and Textron Airland admits those requirements are out of the Scorpions league. We cant. We dont have an aircraft right now that would compete, Textron Airland President Bill Anderson told Defense Newsin February. At that time, the company was hoping the Air Force would change its requirements but Defense News reported Mondaythat the program, known as the T-X, was set and would require a sophisticated and powerful platform. Among the requirements are a high sustained G load and the type of handling and performance that dictate an expensive fly-by-wire control system. Raytheon is partnering with Finmeccanica and CAE to offer the T-100and Lockheed Martin will bid with the T-50Ain cooperation with Korea Aerospace Industries. Boeing and Saab are teaming up and Northrop Grumman is heading up a consortium that includes BAE Systems and L2 for clean-sheet designs. The first aircraft arent expected for almost a decade and the T-38 will soldier on until then. Some of the airframes will be 70 years old by the time theyre retired. Meanwhile, Textron Airland says there are other markets for the Scorpion as a trainer and as a light attack aircraft but it hasnt found a launch customer yet. 9 March 2016 14:09 (UTC+04:00) By Nazrin Gadimova A member of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), Akop Akopyan was quite frank to advise media to leave the ruling party alone and to look back into the past when speaking about difficulties in the country. The Armenian government could puzzle the society again with an absolutely rigorous logic, in fact terminating even a tiny hope to revive the tough situation. Akopyan believes that Armenians ancestors lived a hundred times worse and still had many children. Armenian officials' advise to people to look back before judging the current bad state of affairs in the country really evolved a public distress. It testified that the authorities could not invent any other excuse acquitting this terrible situation in Armenia. However, that in fact mirrored the absence of a limit for human stupidity. Media remark to such a foolish statement was witty enough, as they called the Armenian people to rejoice. If one remembers about how people lived in the Stone Age, then life in present-day Armenia is high off the hog, the journalists added Armenia, which is experiencing terrible demographic problem of the past 40 years in its history, seems to have no way out of current situation. Although the countrys population fell below the level of 3 million (according to the Armenian Statistics Agency), the authorities regard any concerns for such trifles unreasonable. Instead solving a problem with unemployment and creating decent conditions for living, the government turns a blind eye to the massive outflow of able-bodied citizens. While the countrys public debt has increased dramatically, the authorities continue selling everything that remains under public ownership. The desperate state of Armenia has many reasons, but the fact is that it has turned out in economic isolation by force of its aggressive policy towards the neighbors. The country keeps under occupation 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory and has territorial and genocide claims to Turkey. The "big problem" of this country began with the government, whose absolutely wrong policy led to these almost irreversible factors. As many international organizations state, the country suffers high level of corruption, while people are dissatisfied with the courts and forced to deal with corruption, bureaucracy and bribery. At the same time, in his statement Akopyan has revealed Armenias main secret: Armenians have always lived poorly, and if to get at the heart of the matter, it will turn out that even during the age of dinosaurs they lived without gleam of hope (if only Armenians existed in this period). It follows that the life of today's Armenians is simply of paradise as compared with these ancient horrors. The local media reports that the ruling party's representatives made such ludicrous statements not for the first time and people have long been used to these illogical remarks. The National Assembly of Armenia has ranked first in this hit parade of rubbish. It is not surprising, that Armenian writer and screen player Vahram Martirosyan said that he experienced culture shock while looking at the faces of some members of the parliament. Thus, according to the local media, MP Mger Sadrakyan from the ruling RPA called journalists a herd, while his counterpart Shushan Petrosyan threatened to tear head of the social network user for criticizing the Defense Ministry. Given who are in power in Armenia, the internal and external situation in the country finds its logical explanation. The state and government officials continue to ignore the problems, getting satisfied with strange explanations of the unsteady situation. They believe that all of this is merely nothing -- just a little misunderstanding as compared with what their ancestors experienced. -- Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 17:38 (UTC+04:00) By Nazrin Gadimova Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said that by spreading false information, Armenia tries to conceal its failures at the front, as well as numerous losses of the recent days. The strategic environment is completely controlled by the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, the ministry stated on March 9. Earlier, the Armenian media reports urged that Azerbaijani military forces conducted an intelligence and subversive operation on the contact line of troops. Azerbaijans Defense Ministry refuted the announcements, saying they do not reflect the real situation on the front line. For more than two decades Armenia and Azerbaijan are in a state of war following Yerevans aggression, ethnic cleansing policy and illegal territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenia keeps under occupation over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions in a brutal war in the early 1990s. Despite a fragile ceasefire agreement signed in 1994, Armenia keeps violating armistice with Azerbaijan. The ministry reports the country shattered ceasefire by almost 125 times throughout the last day. Thus, Armenian military stationed in Paravakar village and on nameless heights in Armenias Ijevan district opened fire at the Azerbaijani army positions in Kohnegishlag village of the Aghstafa district and the nameless heights in the Gazakh district of Azerbaijan. Armenians also fired from their positions in Mosesgeh village of the Berd district upon the Azerbaijani positions in Alibayli village of Tovuz district. Moreover, Armenians stationed on nameless heights in Armenias Krasnoselsk district fired at Azerbaijani army's positions, located on nameless heights in Azerbaijans Gadabay district. -- Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 22:53 (UTC+04:00) By Nazrin Gadimova Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian has once again distorted the content and essence of the settlement process over the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Hikmet Hajiyev, spokesperson for Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry made the remark while commenting on the interview that Nalbandian gave to Russian media on the eve of his visit to Moscow to discuss the key points of the conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In his interview, the Armenian minister once again made a number of provocative statements on the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as tried to shift the responsibility for the lack of progress in the negotiation process onto Azerbaijan. Hajiyev, commenting on the issue, said it seems like Nalbandian has no idea about what is being discussed in the negotiation process. The Armenian foreign minister, who states that Yerevan is allegedly committed to the conflicts settlement with the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, in fact, never finds the courage to refer to the updated Madrid principles, and it is no coincidence, said the spokesperson. Hajiyev is sure that one needs to remind Nalbandian that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have presented the updated Madrid principles consisting of six paragraphs. He noted that the first paragraph of the updated Madrid principles, which is considered a "road map" for the staged settlement of the conflict, envisages the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories. Instead of making expressions and statements on minor technical issues, Armenias foreign minister should clarify the issue of withdrawal of his countrys armed forces from Azerbaijans occupied lands as required by the corresponding resolutions of the UN Security Council and Madrid principles, said Hajiyev. However, Armenia by keeping Azerbaijani lands under occupation, maintaining the status quo, carrying out illegal settlement, economic and other activities on the occupied territories, aims to continue the occupation of these territories by imitating the peace process, he added. The spokesperson noted that in accordance with the updated Madrid principles, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs should demand Armenia to withdraw its forces from Azerbaijans occupied lands. Only in this case, it is possible to achieve progress in the conflicts settlement, Hajiyev concluded. Nagorno-Karabakh conflict evolved in 1988 after Armenia territorial claims to neighboring Azerbaijan, whose 20 percent of lands it occupied in an unneighborly way. The OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, proceeding talks based on the renewed Madrid principles. The statements promising a sincere contribution to the peaceful resolution of the conflict have become frequent, but declarative in essence. That, unfortunately, ruined confidence in success of the mediators representing the U.S., Russia and France. -- Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 11:40 (UTC+04:00) By Nazrin Gadimova Estonia is ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan in all spheres. Taavi Roivas, Estonias Prime Minister made the remark during the meeting with Murad Najafbayli, Azerbaijans Ambassador to the country. Roivas said he is confident that the economic cooperation between the two countries will reach the current level of political relations. Najafbayli, in turn, informed the prime minister on the socio-political and economic situation in Azerbaijan, as well as countrys success achieved under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. He added that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the development of non-oil sector and conducts a successful policy to expand cooperation with other countries in this sphere. The parties further emphasized the high level of relations between Azerbaijan and Estonia in the political sphere, as well as discussed the activities of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation. The representatives of the two countries noted that in order to increase the efficiency of the intergovernmental commission a special attention should be paid to its new composition. Touching upon the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the ambassador said Armenia continues to pursue a policy of aggression against Azerbaijan, as well simulates the negotiation process on the peaceful settlement of the conflict. Najafbayli also noted that the aggressor occupies more than 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands, adding that over one million Azerbaijanis became refugees and IDPs as a result of the Armenian occupation policy. Moreover, during the meeting, Roivas and Najafbayli emphasized the importance of mutual high-level visits, noting that these visits will serve as an impetus for the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Estonia. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992, and since then Azerbaijan and Estonia enjoy opportunities for deepening of the bilateral relations. Total trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $5.9 million in 2015, according to the report of the Azerbaijani State Statistical Committee. Estonia supports territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. -- Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 13:01 (UTC+04:00) By Aynur Karimova Azerbaijan and Qatar, the two energy-rich countries located in the South Caucasus and the Middle East regions, respectively, have expressed intention to further develop both political and economic relations. President Ilham Aliyev believes that the two countries should raise the level of economic cooperation to the level of political cooperation. He said at an expanded meeting with Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani that there are many opportunities in this regard. The emir of Qatar was on an official visit in Azerbaijan on March 8. The expanded meeting was held following the official welcoming ceremony of Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. "We have perfect political relations. We are successfully cooperating within international organizations, in particular in UN, where we always support each other, and in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation," President Aliyev said. Azerbaijan and Qatar, which established diplomatic relations in September 1994, enjoy significant prospects for cooperating in the tourism, education, agriculture, investment making, ICT and cargo transportation sectors. "I am confident that the establishment of joint commission will enhance to intensify economic and trade cooperation between our countries," President Aliyev noted. Qatar is known in the world as a dynamically developing, economically stable and prospering country. In this regard, President Aliyev believes that Azerbaijan and Qatar should create an economic bridge between the two nations. "I believe that one of the most important goals for the near future should be to raise the level of mutual trade turnover, and there are good opportunities for this," he added. Azerbaijan, which eyes the tourism sector as one of the promising fields in terms of increasing the budget revenues, focuses on attracting tourists from world countries. Given the fact that Azerbaijan and Qatar has a simplified visa regime, Baku is interested in more close relations with Qatar in the tourism sector. "There are direct flights, today your access to Azerbaijan is even more simplified, which, of course, will give an impetus to the development of tourism, and lead, in turn, to the formation of even closer ties between our peoples," President Aliyev said. The energy sector is one of the most promising fields, where Azerbaijan and Qatar, with their abundant oil and gas reserves, can fruitfully cooperate. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani believes that Azerbaijan and Qatar, which enjoy huge energy resources, should make investments in this sector. Azerbaijan, wholly located within the South Caspian Sea basin, is among the oldest oil producers in the world. The country is one of the Caspian region's most important strategic export routes to the West. Azerbaijan's total proven oil reserves amount to some 2 billion tons, with gas at 2.6 trillion cubic meters and projected reserves reaching some 5.4 billion cubic meters of gas and 4.5 billion tons of oil. Qatar, like its Middle Eastern neighbors, enjoys huge oil and gas reserves. The country's oil reserves amount to 25 billion barrels (9th in OPEC and 13th in the world), while the country's gas reserves reach 872 trillion cubic feet, which makes it third country in the world for natural gas reserves. The Qatari emir also stressed the importance to expand Baku-Doha ties in the economy and trade fields, as well as in the tourism sector. "We are pleased that more Qatari citizens visit your beautiful country, and we hope to see the same development in Qatar. We should also cooperate in the field of culture. We have many common values in this field," he noted. Following the expanded meeting, President Aliyev and Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani held a one-on-one meeting and the sides discussed the development of the political relations between the two countries, as well as other issues of mutual interest. The most important milestone of the Qatari emir's Baku visit was signing of a package of documents between the two countries. The documents signed with participation of President Aliyev and Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani included a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of professional retraining and improvement of professional skills between the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan and the General Authority of Customs of Qatar, a MoU on cooperation in the field of transport between Azerbaijan's Transport Ministry and Qatari Transport and Communications Ministry, a MoU on cooperation in the area of budget and fiscal matters between the finance ministries of the two countries, a MoU for cooperation in the field of agriculture, a MoU for cooperation in the field of education, higher education and scientific research, an agreement for cooperation in the legal field between the ministries of justice of Azerbaijan and Qatar, a protocol on amendments to the agreement between the Azerbaijani and Qatari governments on the abolition of visa requirements for their respective nationals who hold diplomatic and special passports, and an agreement on establishment of Joint Economic, Trade and Technical Commission between the two governments. Later, President Aliyev hosted a dinner reception in honor of Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. -- Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 15:05 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Zika virus, suspected of leading to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains, has already been detected in more than 20 countries. The World Health Organization worried that the virus infection, caused by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, is spreading far and fast, with devastating consequences and predicts that it may infect from three to four million people in North and South America. Some countries have declared a state of emergency, and doctors are even advising women in affected countries to delay getting pregnant. Recently, Zika was reported in Europe, Japan, neighboring Russia, as well as Canada, where 20 cases of the virus were revealed. In those countries where the Zika virus has not reappeared, the necessary measures are taken to prevent its penetration. Azerbaijan is among the countries, which are out of the risk and Zika poses no danger for the population, says Samaya Mammadova, an employee of the Health Ministrys press service. There is no reason for concern. No case of the virus was reported in Azerbaijan. The epidemiological situation is under control and the country is constantly taking measures against infectious diseases, she told Day.az Earlier, Deputy Director of the Republican Center of Hygiene and Epidemiology under the Health Ministry Afag Aliyeva told Trend that Aedes mosquito is characteristic of tropical countries and it does not inhabit in Azerbaijan. Zika virus infectionusually causing rash, mild fever, conjunctivitis, and muscle pain was first identified in monkeys in Uganda in 1947. The first human case was detected in Nigeria in 1954 and there have been further outbreaks in Africa, South East Asia and the Pacific Islands. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 15:56 (UTC+04:00) By Nazrin Gadimova Armed Forces of Azerbaijan and Turkey have begun joint military exercises titled TurAz Falcon 2016, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported. A group of Azerbaijani servicemen left for Konya to participate in the exercises, which started on March 7 and will continue until March 25. These military drills are being held in accordance with the annual plan of military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey. The joint exercises involve nine aircrafts of Azerbaijani Armed Forces, including MiG-29, a twin-engine jet fighter aircraft, SU-25, a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft and IL-76, a multi-purpose four-engine turbofan strategic airlifter. This is the second joint exercises of the two countries air forces in accordance with the annual plan of military cooperation. The first TurAz Falcon was held in Azerbaijan in September 2015. During the last years drills, the Azerbaijani and Turkish air forces performed tasks of the joint actions planning, improved capabilities of interaction and coordination in carrying out operations, fulfilled search and rescue actions, and eliminated ground targets with air strikes. More than 30 means of aviation of the Azerbaijani and Turkish air forces were involved in the drills. Baku and Ankara enjoy strategic relations in many fields, including the military sphere. Military cooperation between these two neighboring nations dates back to 1992 when they signed an agreement on military education. Since then, the Azerbaijani and Turkish governments have been closely cooperating in both defense and security fields. In December 2010, the two countries signed a range of treaties provisioning for military assistance should any of the party be attacked by third party. Based on numerous agreements on joint military exercises as part of bilateral progressive efforts towards military cooperation, the Azerbaijani and Turkish armed forces have hold regular drills, featuring various tactical and combat tasks so far. -- Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 17:47 (UTC+04:00) By Aynur Karimova Azerbaijan's capital Baku, which has in recent years become a center for political discussions, will host the 4th Baku Global Forum on March 10-11. The Global Baku Forum is a very important event that provides an opportunity to discuss the most pressing modern challenges. The leaders from all parts of the world meet every year in Baku and study the worlds problems, offer solutions, prepare recommendations and present them to governments. Selection of Baku as a place for holding such an important event in Baku is not unreasonable. Many reputable international think-tanks and organizations choose Baku as a venue to address current challenges in the world, conflict resolution, world management methods and other issues. Speaking at the 33rd plenary meeting of the Canadian InterAction Council, which was held March 8 in Baku on the eve of the Global Baku Forum, Jean Chretien, Canadas former Prime Minister, said that the Forum will also provide an opportunity for participants to get closely acquainted with Azerbaijan, its rich history and culture. Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Latvias former president believes that Azerbaijan is an example for other countries in the region in the issues of tolerance and stability. Azerbaijan is an example to understand that not everyone in one country should share the same ethnicity and religion, but everyone should be equal and should respect each other, as they are the citizens of the same country, she told journalists on March 8. The 4th Global Baku Forum titled Towards a Multipolar World will discuss such topics as international security, regional threats, serious consequences of global economic challenges, climate change and energy policy, role of oil-producing countries, multiculturalism, inter-religious dialogue and mutual integration. The conflicts on ethnic, religious and political grounds, global challenges in the democratic development, education, and environment will also be the topics of the upcoming forum. The event will provide a platform for incumbent and former presidents, prime ministers, ministers and leading experts in the field to assess the current state of the world, the most pressing threats to international security, and potential routes to the resolution of problems. The attendees will deliver speech in the opening of session titled Global challenges of modern world. Seven incumbent presidents, 27 former presidents, one vice-president, 23 former prime ministers, a lot of incumbent and former officials, heads of authoritative international organizations, famous politicians and experts will take part in the forum. The agenda of the 4th Global Baku Forum, organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center in partnership with Azerbaijan State Committee on Work with Diaspora, will be topped by an array of topical issues, organizers say. The forum will initiate a global discussion and identify the necessary steps to boost trust and joint work among global powers. The meeting will build on the findings from the Baku Forum of 2015, which reviewed the main challenges to the current World Order and explored options to overcome them. Over 300 delegates from 53 countries will discuss priority issues such as the future of East-West relations, radicalization and extremism, region-specific challenges and opportunities, energy security and inter-faith dialogue, among others. Day one of the forum will focus on specific major geopolitical crises through facilitated discussions, whereas day two will feature smaller, more targeted, parallel pep-talks, in addition to concluding summaries and a call for action. -- Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 18:51 (UTC+04:00) Rector of Baku branch of Moscow State University, co-chair of the Anglo-Azerbaijani Society, head of Nizami Ganjavi Scientific Centre at the University of Oxford on behalf of Azerbaijan professor Nargiz Pashayeva and Lord German, member of the House of Lords of the British Parliament, co-chairman of the society on behalf of the UK, have held a joint round table. Participants in the event included public and political figures, scientists, Bettany Hughes, an award-winning historian, author and broadcaster, who has devoted the last 25 years to the vibrant communication of the past, and members of the House of Lords Lord Green, Baroness Andrews, Baroness O'Cathain, head of Nizami Ganjavi Scientific Centre on behalf of UK, professor of Islamic History Robert Hoyland. Bettany Hughes`s specialty is ancient and mediaeval history and culture. She has taught at Oxford and Cambridge universities and lectured at Cornell, Bristol, UCL, Maastricht, Utrecht and Manchester. She is a Tutor for Cambridge Universitys Institute of Continuing Education and a Research Fellow of King's College London. Her first book Helen of Troy: Goddess, Princess, Whore has been translated into ten languages. Her second, The Hemlock Cup, Socrates, Athens and the Search for the Good Life was a New York Times bestseller and was shortlisted for the Writers Guild Award. She has written and presented over 50 TV and radio documentaries for the BBC, Channel 4, Discovery, PBS, The History Channel, National Geographic, Discovery, BBC World and ITV. Her programmes have now been seen by over 250 million worldwide. In 2010, she was awarded the Naomi Sargent Education Prize for Broadcast Excellence and was given a Special Award for services to Hellenic Culture and Heritage. In 2014 she was awarded the Distinguished Friend of Oxford Award for her contribution to the academic life of the University. Baroness Andrews is a British Labour politician and life peer. She was Chair of English Heritage from July 2009 to July 2013. She was created a life peer as Baroness Andrews, of Southover in the County of East Sussex on 9 May 2000. She received the Order of the British Empire in 1998. Lord Green is a British Conservative politician, former Minister of State for Trade and Investment, and former Group Chairman of HSBC Holdings plc. Some of his prior directorships included The Bank of Bermuda Limited, HSBC Mexico, SA and The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited. He was also Chairman of HSBC Private Banking Holdings (Suisse) SA and HSBC North America Holdings Inc., Deputy Chairman of HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt AG and was a board member of HSBC France. In 2005 he was appointed a Trustee of the British Museum. In 2014 he was appointed a Trustee of the Natural History Museum by the Prime Minister David Cameron for a period of four years, and was elected Chair by the Board of Trustees. Baroness O'Cathain serves currently on the European Union Committee, chairing the Sub-Committee on Internal Market, Infrastructure and Employment. Baroness O'Cathain was awarded the Order of Friendship by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in 2010. Lord German highlighted the aim of the meeting. Co-chair of the Anglo-Azerbaijani Society, professor Nargiz Pashayeva provided an insight into the history of Azerbaijan. She said the first democratic republic in the east, in the Muslim world was established in Azerbaijan. Although short-lived, only 23 months, this democratic republic became the quintessence of national heroism of the people of Azerbaijan, she said. Professor Pashayeva said that under Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, a multi-party parliament was established, equal rights for women and men, women`s suffrage, freedom of speech and thought were ensured. Robert Hoyland stressed the role of the Caucasus region and the importance of Azerbaijan in establishing the Silk Road. Professor Nargiz Pashayeva demonstrated a version of Molla Nasraddin satirical magazine, which was read across the Muslim world from Morocco to Iran, as well as the books reflecting the architectural view of Baku in the beginning of the century. They exchanged views on Archaeological Exploration of Barda Project. The exploration aims to chart the development of the late Antique and medieval city of Barda', a provincial capital between the 5th and the 11th centuries CE. 9 March 2016 10:50 (UTC+04:00) Roughly $696.1 million has been allocated since the beginning of construction to finance the construction of a new generation drilling rig in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijans state oil fund SOFAZ told Trend. "Some $287.6 million has been allocated for this project in 2015," SOFAZ said. The cost of the drilling rig construction project is $1.116.7 billion. SOFAZ is the owner of 90 percent of the equity in "Azerbaijan Rigs" LTD, established for the construction of a new platform. The remaining 10 percent of a share in the company are owned by SOCAR. The first new generation rig will be built for the needs of SOCAR. The drilling operator will be "Caspian Drilling Company" (CDC), in which SOCAR owns 92.44-percent share. Singaporean "Keppel FELS Limited" company has been chosen as the contractor of the rig construction, with which the CDC signed an agreement for the construction work last June. The new rig will be designed to drill wells up to 8,000 meters at the depth of 1,000 meters. The new rig can be commissioned in early 2017. Earlier, Khoshbakht Yusifzade, SOCARs First Vice-President, said French Total would first receive a new generation rig for drilling operations at the Absheron field in Azerbaijan. As of Jan. 1, 2016, the assets of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) decreased by 9.5 percent compared to 2014 ($37.1 billion) and amounted to $33.57 billion. SOFAZ was established in 1999, and its assets at that time amounted to $271 million. Based on SOFAZ's regulations, its funds may be used for the construction and reconstruction of strategically important infrastructure facilities, as well as solving important national problems. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 15:31 (UTC+04:00) By Nazrin Gadimova An extraordinary activity on the secondary housing market was recorded in Baku on the background of a significant decline in property prices forecasted by real estate experts for the spring-summer period. Following the report of the MBA Group consulting company, activity on the secondary housing market increased by 53 percent in February 2016 compared to the previous month. At the same time, over the last month a number of proposals have reached 1,458, which is 27 percent less than in February of the last year. A record figure was fixed then as 2,000 apartments were offered for sale at that time, according to the report. Earlier, real estate experts said the housing prices fell by 26 percent since the beginning of 2016. Experts associate this phenomenon with the market stagnation that was affected by both external and internal factors, including worldwide economic instability, as well as fluctuations of national currency. However, growth of activity in secondary housing market was accompanied by a quite insignificant increase in property prices that amounted to one percent compared to the previous month. Thus, the price per square meter amounted to 1,620 manats/$1,019. Price per square meter does not exceed $1,000 in the majority of this apartments segment, the MBA Group reported. These apartments form 79.4 percent of the secondary housing market with the average cost of $889 per square meter. Following the report, the rest of the market is divided between apartments with a price ranging from $1,200 to $ 1,600 per square meter (14.5 percent, the average cost $1,345 per square meter) and those costing more than $ 1,600 per square meter (6.1 percent, average cost - $1,954 per square meter). An average period of object staying in the real estate market amounted to 180 days in February. This figure is four percent less than in January 2016, according to the report. This reduction is due to increased activity in the secondary housing market. Increase in the number of buyers, in turn, has led to an increase of the market by eight percent. As before, most of the proposed apartments on the market are two- and three-rooms with market share of 65.7 percent in February. According to the activity coefficient, Nasimi, Yasamal and Narimanov districts are the most attractive areas. The majority of apartments for sale are located in Binagady, Nasimi, Narimanov and Yasamal districts of Baku (63.9 percent), according to the report. Surakhany and Khazar districts of the city, in turn, are on the last place among those wishing to buy property. Today, the acquisition of housing is one of the most important issues for young families. To simplify the purchase of housing mortgages for young families in Azerbaijan, the state has already proposed to minimize or even cancel all pre-payments/deposits. In Azerbaijan, the maximum amount for mortgage loans provided via the Azerbaijan Mortgage Fund is $31,900 with a rate of eight percent and maturity term of 25 years. The social mortgage loan, however, is issued in the amount of $31,900 with an annual rate of four percent and for a term of 30 years. A 15-percent down payment is required to receive this type of loan, compared to 20 percent with a conventional loan. -- Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 17:00 (UTC+04:00) With the Vaca Muerta promising production levels to rival those of North America the shale industry in Argentina has received substantial attention in recent months. Shale has been tipped as the answer to Argentine energy self-sufficiency and with investment deals attracting many of the majors the question of whether Argentina will be able to replicate the shale boom of the US is becoming ever more prevalent. In the wake of such developments we sat down with Scott Stevens, Senior Vice President at Advanced Resources International, Inc. to hear his views on the shale industry in Argentina. Advanced Resources International (ARI) are a US-based independent consultancy that has focused on unconventional resources since their creation in 1991. Their clients include major and independent oil companies, governments and financial institutions. ARI assist with design and evaluation of shale, coalbed ethane, tight gas and EOR drilling projects, and are known for their shale exploration assessments, such as the EIA-ARI 2013 report, the first rigorous public estimates of shale resources in Argentina, China, Mexico and some 40 other countries. Drawing upon your global experience with unconventional resources, how does Argentine shale compare to other countries? For several years we have known that Argentina has a superb geologic endowment, most famously the Vaca Muerta and Los Molles shales in the Neuquen Basin. These well-studied source rocks are thick, organic-rich and situated in mostly simple structural settings at suitable depth and thermal maturity. Early exploration and development drilling has been quite positive. Argentinas other basins (San Jorge, Austral) also have promising organic-rich shales, but these were deposited under lacustrine conditions, which may be clay-rich and less brittle than their US-Canada counterparts. Argentina has a vibrant conventional and tight gas industry, with a diverse mix of small to large domestic and international operators. Another local advantage is that Argentina has been fracking for years, building up its capability for hydraulic stimulation -- that puts it ahead of most other countries where fracking is rare to non-existent and thus costly. Overall, we are not surprised that Argentina is the first country outside US-Canada to achieve significant shale oil production and its future looks very bright. With global oil prices experiencing a sharp decline in recent months, major repercussions have been felt across the energy industry. How has and how do you see the declining oil price affecting the shale industry in Argentina? As an early-stage industry, shale production in Argentina is still in the nascent high-cost phase. Current low global oil prices (~$30/bbl) do not make shale viable in Argentina due to the high cost of drilling and stimulation. Fortunately, Argentina still controls its domestic oil prices and currently they are significantly higher than global levels at $67.50/bbl. Consequently, we do see shale drilling and investment holding up in Argentina, whereas activity in most North America basins has been slashed or ceased completely. Argentinas artificially high oil prices may not be sustainable. The best outcome we see is a soft landing, where the government allows prices to decline gradually. This would enable Argentinas shale industry to build up economy of scale while formulating best practices to drive down costs and make the industry globally competitive. Natural gas prices in Argentina already are near international levels. With Argentina in the midst of governmental change the country has been tipped to see a substantial transformation over the coming years. How do you see the shale industry in Argentina growing under the new government? Shale is a long-term, capital-intensive business which requires billions of dollars of annual investment, as well as creative, flexible companies constantly willing to conduct R&D and technology development. The governments of Canada and the USA have taken a largely hands-off approach to the shale business, setting reasonable and stable overall fiscal policies, while remaining largely on the side-lines as private industry competed and (mostly) thrived. We would hope that domestic and international oil & gas companies will feel more secure under Argentinas new business-oriented regime, but await concrete policy changes. To hear more from Scott Stevens and for further updates on the status of the shale industry in Argentina attend the Argentina Shale Gas and Oil Summit, which takes place in Buenos Aires on May 9th & 10th 2016. Further details can be found at the event website http://www.a-sgos.com/ --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 18:44 (UTC+04:00) By Aynur Karimova The Coordinating Council for cargo transportation has submitted a project of regulations to the government of Azerbaijan for determining tariffs for providing transit cargo transportation services. This was announced by Sahil Babayev, Deputy Economy and Industry Minister during the presentation of the electronic portal of the Coordinating Council. He said that the project of regulations for determining the tariffs for providing transit cargo transportation services and discounts to these tariffs is under the consideration of the government and it is expected that it will be approved soon. "These regulations will ensure transparency and creation of profitable opportunities for cargo transportation," Babayev added. Last year, the Coordinating Council adopted the upper limit of tariffs for the services of oil and petroleum products transit by railway and handling via sea terminals. Under the decision of the Coordinating Council, expenditures for services on transit and transshipment of oil and petroleum products are calculated by two percent surcharge to the approved tariffs. The cost of contracts should not exceed the approved tariffs and transit and transshipment expenditures. New tariffs entered into force since December 3, 2015. Babayev noted that as a result of setting upper limit of tariffs for transportation of oil and oil products, the effectiveness of cargo transportation through Azerbaijan has increased and the transportation of these products in the country has grown. He said over 1,500 trucks were sent to Central Asia from Turkey through Azerbaijan in January-February 2016, or 7.3 times more than in the same period of 2015. He also said that 215 freight wagons were sent via the Baku-Aktau-Baku route in January-February 2015. It became possible as a result of simplifying the rules of cargo transportation through Azerbaijan, in particular, reducing the transportation costs by 40 percent, the deputy minister said adding that the basic agreement with Georgia on single tariffs also increases the attractiveness and competitiveness of the corridor and the work in this field will continue. Single tariffs for cargo transportation via Trans-Caspian route Touching upon the Trans-Caspian international route, Babayev said that Azerbaijan intends to set single tariffs for cargo transportation with the countries through which the Trans-Caspian route runs. The country has already reached a preliminary agreement with Georgia on this issue. "Negotiations on the single tariff are underway with Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Turkey. If these plans are realized, the competitiveness of the Trans-Caspian corridor will increase significantly," Babayev believes. The Trans-Caspian route connects China with Europe via the territory of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia. This is a multimodal corridor which uses railway, maritime and road transport for transportation of goods. The Trans-Caspian route enjoys an opportunity to become attractive and profitable for consignors from European countries. This route will transport approximately 300,000-400,000 containers by 2020. Three test container trains have already been sent from China to Europe via this corridor. This project, being very profitable, has involved even Ukraine, the territory of which will make the delivery of goods to customers even faster. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Ukraine have signed a protocol on setting preferential tariffs for cargo transportation via this route. Signing of this document will likely lead to full commercial operation of the Trans-Caspian route in the near future. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Ukraine have agreed to establish an international railway consortium to organize and develop regular container traffic through the Trans-Caspian route. This consortium will include KTZ Express (a subsidiary of Kazakhstan Railways), the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company, Azerbaijani Karvan Logistics and Trans Caucasus Terminals (a subsidiary of Georgian Railway). USAID to help expand functionality of Coordinating Council e-portal Later, Babayev told journalists that the U.S. Agency for International Development will provide expert assistance to the Coordinating Council on Transit Freight of Azerbaijan in expanding the functionality of the e-portal of the council. He said that the expansion of the functionality of the electronic portal (transit.az) is included in the plans of the Coordinating Council. "We held discussions with the USAID on this issue, and it will provide expert assistance in expanding the functionality of the web site. The web site can turn into a single large portal with the participation of all the countries participating in the Trans-Caspian corridor," he added. -- Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 11:01 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Azerbaijans talented artist Nigar Narimanbayova, who has become a favorite painter of many French art lovers, opened her solo exhibition in Paris. The prestigious International Art Gallery, located at the legendary art quarter of Paris, Village Suisse displays many famous paintings of the national artist. The marvelous exhibition organized by "Stella Art International Association and its head Stella Kalinina was visited by representatives of the Azerbaijani embassy in France, Azerbaijani Diaspora, prominent Parisian art figures, as well as numerous journalists. The International Art Gallery, which hosts exhibition of many eminent artists around the world, is headed by famous artist George Levy, who is the publisher of the popular art magazine in Europe La Gazette des Arts, which also widely covers the career of the Azerbaijani artist. Narimanbayova said that this is her second solo exhibition held in the gallery. My first exhibition entitled Childhood dreams was successfully held here in February last year. Levy offered me to put on display all my paintings including Love Toys for the second time, the artist explained. President of the Salon Business Art, sculptor Jean-Charles Ashe, who also attended the exhibition was delighted with the new series of the artist's paintings and praised her work. I've never seen anything like that before, it's awesome and extremely talented. Narimanbayovas pictures worth praises. They are able to decorate the walls of the most famous museums in the world, they can be put next to the works of great Chagall, Ashe said. Earlier in January, the prominent artist was awarded Grand Prix diploma of the Salon Business Art exhibition, for her high achievements in contemporary art, certifying that she is an owner of Grand Prix and Jean-Charles Ashe high trophy. Narimanbayova, who lives and works both in Paris and Baku, is a famous artist who has participated in a number of national and international art exhibitions in France, Germany and Austria. The artist is a member of the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan and the International Association of Art. Her paintings have been put on display at the exhibition halls of the Azerbaijani Culture and Tourism Ministry, Azerbaijan National Museum of Art, as well as in private collections. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 17:06 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Bakus Nizami Cinema Center hosted a gala night of the full-length feature film " Zaman adli qatar" (The Time Machine) on March 8, Trend Life reports. Addressing the opening ceremony, famous actor and TV host Murad Dadashov congratulated all the women with the International Women's Day and invited the film's creative team on the stage. Film director Kanan Musayev, speaking at the event, said that the film is based on real event that took place in Mardakan, a small town in north-east of Baku in 2007. The movie's tagline is "Mothers are strong". Really, is there something stronger than a mother's love?" he said. Then, actresses Hamida Omariva, Ayaz Salayev, Oksana Rasulova, Sugra and others spoke and voiced hope that the audience will enjoy this film. The perfect scenario and story could not leave anyone indifferent. The touching scenes brought tears to the eyes of many viewers. The storyline is about the young couple, Irada and Fuad, who faced a tragedy. Irada died from serious illness. However, her little daughter, the 5 year- old Zeynab, hopes to see her mother again. The attempts of relatives to explain that her mother is no longer alive failed. Little Zeynab still believes that her mother will come back. One day, grandmother Sanuber khanum sees the poster of the rising star Leyla, who looks like her deceased daughter in law. Perhaps Irada left this world, leaving behind her doppelganger Leyla? Will Fuad and Leyla be happy? Is there is a change for Zeynab to return her mother back? The full-length film will be released on March 31 in cinemas of Baku. The idea author is Kanan Musayev, the screenwriter- Nargiz Bagirzade, the operator- Yuri Varnovski, the music-by Inara Rasulova, the general producer- Valeriy Ilishayev. Valeriy Ilishayev arrived from Moscow to join the premiere of new movie. The film was the last movie for honored artist of Azerbaijan Ilhama Askarova. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 17:22 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova One of the most talented designers of his generation Karim Rashid is coming to Baku, Azerbaijan. A spectacular event with participation of Karim Rashid is scheduled for March 11 at Boulevard Baku Hotel. Karim Rashid was born in Cairo, Egypt, to an Egyptian father and English mother and raised in Canada. He received a Bachelor of Industrial Design in 1982 from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. Rashid is the author of around 3,000 development projects in the design of furniture, tableware, fashion accessories, packaging, accessories, lighting and interiors, installations and other architectural projects. The award-winning industrial designers works are featured in many permanent collections and art in galleries, including Museum of Modern Art ( New-York), Musee des Arts Decoratifs (Montreal) , Tokyo Gas and Groningen Museum (the Netherladns). Also, Karim was an associate Professor of Industrial Design for 10 years and is now a frequent guest lecturer at universities and conferences. He has appeared in well-known magazines such as Time, Financial Times, NY Times, Esquire, GQ etc. His style is best described as sensual minimalism. His ideas are techno-organic and info-aesthetic. They combine natural soft lines with convenient solutions. This time, the world-famous designer will hold a master-class in Baku. Dont miss this fascinating event! Entrance is allowed by special invitation. For all questions, please contact: [email protected], [email protected] Contact information: (+ 994) 502 12 48 69 --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 12:10 (UTC+04:00) Two-time Formula 1 World Champion and current McLaren-Honda driver, Fernando Alonso, visited Baku on March 8 as part of his new role as the Official Ambassador for the 2016 Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe. He began his stay in Baku by immediately taking a tour of Baku City Circuit (BCC), F1s newest street circuit, and inspecting some of its key features. Alonso becomes the first F1 driver to visit the city and study the latest addition to the sports calendar in person. The tour taking place exactly 100 days before the arrival of F1 on Bakus streets allowed him to see how much progress has already been made along the tracks route, as BCC continues its daily preparations to ensure the street circuit is operational in time for F1s arrival in Azerbaijan this summer. As part of this mornings track walk, Alonso was shown the soon-to-be home of the Paddock and site of the Pit Lane, located right in front of Bakus magnificent Government Building, where construction work on the two-story Pit Lane building is already underway. The McLaren-Honda driver also got the chance to examine what is sure to become the iconic image of the Grand Prix -- the 7.6- metre narrow, uphill, winding sequence of turns (T8-T11) by the citys Old Town walls. His tour also took in Turn 16, where cars will race past the Maiden Tower, Bakus ancient defensive structure, as well as the dual carriageway section of the circuit. Finally, he was also taken to the circuits main straight along Bakus picturesque seaside boulevard, where cars are estimated to hit speeds of up to 340 km/h as they race towards the finish line. Speaking at a specially arranged press conference to welcome his visit, Alonso spoke of his first impressions of Baku and the new circuit. Its a real honor for me to be the first F1 driver to visit this magnificent city. The welcome I have received from everyone since my arrival has been wonderful. I have been really impressed with everything I have seen today. I feel absolutely confident in saying that Baku City Circuit is going to be the most memorable circuit on the F1 calendar this year. Much like this beautiful city, it successfully manages to showcase its modernity with a lovely nod to the past. Indeed, the way the track stretches along the Old Town walls with the magnificent Flame Towers in the background is a clear example of this! On a technical level, I am excited to test my skills on such a challenging circuit, in particular along those tight, winding corners. I really cant wait to race here this summer, he said. Alonso emphasized he believes that Azerbaijani people will enjoy this competition because Formula 1 is one of the world most popular kinds of sports. "People usually watch this competition on TV, however, this is a special feeling to participate in organizing this race," he noted. In addition to his track inspection, Alonso will also spend the rest of his time in Baku engaging with local fans in a series of events being staged across the city today and in particular with the many 2016 Formula 1 Volunteers and Marshals who are currently undergoing their training ahead of F1s arrival in Baku. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 11:32 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijans state energy company SOCAR and the KBR company will create an ad hoc group of experts for the management of the reconstruction work of the Baku Oil Refinery named after Heydar Aliyev. SOCAR announced that creation of an expert group is stipulated in the agreement signed by Refinery Director Elman Ismayilov and board member of SOCAR-KBR joint venture Jan Brendeland on March 7. At a meeting with Brendeland, SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev said that after modernization, output of oil products of Euro 5 standard will be implemented at the refinery. Abdullayev went on to add that gradual reconstruction will be continued until 2019-2020. The refinery processing capacity will increase from 6 to 7.5 million tons per year after reconstruction. SOCAR announced about the elimination of Azneftyag refinery and merging it with the Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery in January 2015. This decision was taken as part of the work to improve and optimize SOCARs structure. Azerbaijan's energy giant SOCAR, which is keen on expanding operations in the retail oil products market abroad is involved in exploring oil and gas fields, producing, processing, and transporting oil, gas, and gas condensate, marketing petroleum and petrochemical products in the domestic and international markets, and supplying natural gas to industry and the public in Azerbaijan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 10:29 (UTC+04:00) SOCAR-AQS, an integrated drilling and well services management company in Azerbaijan, has announced that drilling works on well 25 with target depth of 890 m commenced on February 11, 2016 and ended on March 2, when the well reached its actual depth of 840 m by penetrating into the Girmaki Layer-3 (QD-3) to the maximum deviation angle of 62 degrees. A 7-inch production casing was run in hole, and high-quality 4.5-inch screens were run in open hole between 720 and 840 m. Running in hole with these types of screens will increase well productivity, solve sand control issues, and restore stable production. Sayavush Abdullayev, Rig Manager of Platform 20, shared his views about drilling of production well with open hole on West Absheron Field, saying that drilling of wells in cost-effective manner and ahead of time is very important nowadays. We have already drilled and delivered 4 wells to our customer from Platform 20. Our drilling crew is continuing to improve their skills of operating the new equipment and technologies installed on the platform, and applying the experience to the next wells. As an example, we prevent hydraulic fracturing and manage to keep the hydrostatic pressure within normal range limits, by means of measuring the pressure while drilling (PWD) and equivalent circulation density (ECD). In addition to that, conduction of logging while drilling (LWD) and use of geopilot equipment can also be one of our new successes. Conduction of geophysical surveys allows us determining precisely the well target depth and sections. One more interesting fact is that representatives of our customer have the ability to perform a real-time monitoring the drilling process from their offices, he said. SOCAR-AQS attaches a great importance not only to drilling the wells in a short time period during its activities, but also to the provision of safety, protection of the environment and high quality of services during all stages of operation. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 16:46 (UTC+04:00) Georgia will finalize the agreement with Russian Gazprom company in the coming days, Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze said, Georgia online reported on March 9. A verbal agreement with Gazprom has been achieved that the terms will remain the same, and Georgia will receive 10 percent of the natural gas from its transit to Armenia, said Kaladze. The energy minister also touched upon the agreement reached by the Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR and called it "important". The gas supply has been a relevant topic in recent months, said Kaladze adding that the Energy Ministry negotiated on several fronts in order to provide the country with natural gas and satisfy the existing today need in Georgia. A very important agreement with SOCAR was finalized last week and it should be welcomed, added Kaladze. He noted that Azerbaijan will increase the supply of gas to Georgia by 463 million cubic meters per year as a result of the agreement. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 10:15 (UTC+04:00) An Iranian military official has said that there is no obstacle to hinder the delivery of Russias S-300 defense missile system to the country. The clear news about the case is that Iran and Russia have reached the agreements needed to do the job and as we speak there is no problem for conveying the S-300 missiles, Masoud Jazayeri, second-in-command of Irans General Staff of Armed Forces said. I think the job will be done in the near future, he noted, Tasnim news agency reported March 8. Some Israeli news outlets last week said Russia had been discouraged from delivering the missiles to Iran. After Israel gave Russian President Vladimir Putin intelligence proving that weapons Russia sold to Iran were ending up in the hands of Lebanons Hezbollah, Putin froze the transfer of S-300 surface-to-air missile systems to Tehran, Breaking Israel News quoted Kuwaiti newspaper Al Jarida as reporting March 5. Jazayeri further explained that Iran and Russias general agreements regarding the missiles are now to be transformed into minor, executive agreements in order to become practical. The $800-million contract to deliver S-300 to Iran was cancelled in 2010 by then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, falling in line with the UN sanctions imposed on Iran due to its disputed nuclear program. In turn, Tehran filed a currently pending $4 billion lawsuit against Russia in Geneva's arbitration court. However, Russia President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to lift the ban over delivering the long-overdue missile system to Iran in April 2015. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 11:11 (UTC+04:00) Uzbekistan and Finland signed a protocol on amendments to the Uzbek-Finnish intergovernmental agreement on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of income tax evasion, the Uzbek foreign ministrys statement posted on its website said. Uzbekistan and Finland signed the agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of income tax evasion was signed in April 1998. The current document was signed in Helsinki March 8, 2016 as part of the Uzbek delegations visit to Finland. The document was signed by Chairman of the State Tax Committee of Uzbekistan Botir Parpiev and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Timo Soini. The new regulations, meeting the international standards of tax transparency, are being included in the agreement in accordance with the protocol. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 15:41 (UTC+04:00) By Aynur Karimova Ukraine and Iran have reached an agreement to strengthen their cooperation in various sectors of economy, in particular in the energy sector; a move that Ukraine says will intensify relations in 2016. The 28-page document, which was signed by Iran's Agriculture Minister Jihad Mahmoud Hojjati, and Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Gennadiy Zubko at the Fifth Tehran-Kyiv Joint Economic Commission, will see the two countries cooperate in the agriculture, investment, oil, gas, energy and banking sectors, Irna reported on March 7. Ukraine indicated the signing of this document as a resumption of cooperation that was halted as a result of the international sanctions imposed on Iran. "The joint commission is taking place today, after a long pause in the cooperation between our countries," Zubko said. "We view this as an opportunity to resume the dialogue on all relevant issues of mutually beneficial cooperation in the interests of the peoples of our countries." After the signing ceremony, the two countries also discussed the ways to expand their cooperation in a number of energy-related areas. Energy cooperation on focus In view of sanctions-free Islamic Republic's intention to expand export of oil and oil products, Ukraine eyes diversification of import of oil products. Given the mutual interest of the two countries in energy partnership, the issues such as the possibility of refining Iranian oil at the Ukrainian refineries, storing crude oil in the country and then diversification of supplies to the EU were high on the agenda of talks held in Tehran between the Ukrainian and Iranian top officials on March 7. At a meeting with Zubko, Irans Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh supported Ukraines presence in the Islamic Republics oil industry, saying the east European country can cooperate in manufacturing of turbines and gas compressors, IRNA reported. He believes that the bilateral ties of Tehran and Kyiv in the oil industry, which date back to long time ago, can continue in the post-sanctions era. He also noted that the Ukrainian companies need to totally finance the operation by the banks in their country for being successful in Irans oil industry projects. "Iran has outlined numerous projects for investment by foreign companies, including those in the petrochemicals, as the sector needs $50 billion in investment for the coming years, which can partly be financed by foreign companies," Zanganeh added. Oil and gas industrys upstream sector is also in need of investment in the amount of $130 billion, which has to be supplied by the resources overseas, because we cannot provide from our current revenues." After the removal of international sanctions from Iran in January 2016, the Islamic Republic has become one of the most promising destinations for foreign investors. For Ukraine, it is very important to be among the first to win a considerable share of the Iranian market. Iran with the worlds second largest gas reserves and the fourth largest oil deposits, has already declared its readiness to re-enter the global oil and gas market. To realize this goal, Iran needs diversifying energy supply routes. Ukraine, which has energy refining and export infrastructure, could take a significant share on the Iranian market by meeting the needs of a post-sanctions Iran. Also, Ukraine's potential to transit Iranian blue fuel to Europe, is the most important factor for Iran, which has been working to figure out ways to enter the European gas market. Iran is also ready to provide the participation of Ukraine in various energy projects to improve the Islamic Republics electricity sector. Hamid Chitchian, the Iranian Energy Minister, said at a meeting with Zubko and Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister of Vladimir Demchishin on March 8 that Ukraine and Iran can cooperate in the fields of renovation of steam power plants in Iran. He believes that the two countries can also cooperate in building new steam power plants, as well as improving the voltage level of Irans high-voltage electricity network from 400 to 765 kilovolts. "Iran can provide Ukraine with needed equipments in energy sector," Chitchian said adding that the Ukrainian companies can purchase required transformers with high quality from Iranian firms. Iran's energy minister added that the two countries can also cooperate in financing energy projects, in particular converting Irans gas power plants into combined cycle plants. He further expressed interest in participating in the privatization of Ukraines energy facilities, as Ukraine has opened access to them due to market reform. Zubko, in turn, said that alongside with export of products and engineering services to Iran, Ukraine also gives great importance to strengthening economic cooperation with Tehran. -- Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 14:43 (UTC+04:00) Turkeys police are conducting search in the office of the Naksan Holding, one of the largest holding companies in the country, Turkish Kanal7 TV channel reported on March 9. The holdings management is being suspected of financing the movement of Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic public figure, currently residing in the US. Gulen is accused of being involved in a huge wiretapping scandal in Turkey. Nine employees of the holding have been detained, according to the report. Naksan Holding was established in 1940 and is engaged in polyethylene production. In 2015, Turkeys police conducted search in the office of Koza Ipek Holding, one of the countrys largest companies. The management of the company was accused of having links with movement of Fethullah Gulen. On March 1 this year, a court in Turkey issued a decision to shut down the Kanalturk, Bugun TV channels, the Bugun Gazetesi, Millet Gazetesi newspapers and the Kanalturk Radyo radio station, which were parts of Koza Ipek Holding. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 9 March 2016 18:05 (UTC+04:00) Iran has released some 40 million cubic meters of water from the Mahabad Dam to rescue the Urmia lake, which is under threat of drying out completely. Announcing the news, Mahabad City Water Management Organization Director Mohammad Abdollahi said the sluices were opened a day earlier and will remain open for 25 more days, IRNA reported on March 9. Right now over 178 million cubic meters of water is stored behind the dam which is 80 million more than last year, he stated. On the same day, Isa Kalantari, director of Staff for Reviving Lake Urmia, said the government has consigned $7 billion to reviving the lake. Welcoming any international help to revive Lake Urmia, Kalantari regretted that the total foreign aid has not surpassed $20 million so far. He added if a ten-year plan goes well, the lakes water level will reach 1,274 meters from sea level by 2025, and the lake will be 4,300 square kilometers wide. Low precipitation and unbridled usage of surface and underground waters has run Iran into a serious water crisis. Lake Urmia is in the northwest of Iran. Over 70 percent of its area has dried up. The level has been declining since 1995. Its area is about 6,000 square kilometers. Lake Urmia needs 3.1 billion cubic meters of water per year to survive. If the lake dries out completely, serious environmental hazards will threaten the lives of people in the area. President Hassan Rouhani has set up a working group for saving Lake Urmia. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3.0 ( - - ): editor [at] bahrainmirror.com A $3.8 million settlement has been reached between the county and the family of an Oildale motorcyclist who was killed in a 2015 crash with a To mark the launch of its new flat white coffee, high street baker Greggs has bought an adult naptime pod to London. The newly extended coffee range will be sold at nearly 1,700 shops nationwide and, to celebrate, Greggs set up a giant outdoor Nappuccino laboratory at Potters Field, London. Members of the public took part in the Nappuccino study they enjoyed a freshly ground Greggs coffee followed by a 20-minute power nap in a specially designed giant coffee cup pod, complete with a bed, blankets, cushions, mood lighting and relaxing music. More than half the respondents (57%) in the study admitted they relied on a coffee to help them feel more awake or alert. However, scientists at the University of Pennsylvania found that consuming a coffee, then immediately taking a 20-minute power nap, maximised alertness and increased productivity. The study said the effect came because the nap heightened the impact of caffeine on the body, meaning you wake up feeling more alert. Extending range Greggs is extending its coffee range with the introduction of a new flat white and an improved mocha, both priced from 1.75 and available at almost 1,700 shops nationwide. Malcolm Copland, commercial director at Greggs, said: A freshly ground cup of coffee helps many of us feel more awake, so we wanted to test the science behind the coffee power nap to help the British public feel more alert and be more productive. Perhaps its only a matter of time before we see Nappuccino sleeping pods popping up across the rest of the UK. The newly extended Greggs coffee menu also includes espresso, americano, latte and cappuccino. Innovative Bites, the American snack and confectionary supplier, has signed a deal to launch limited-edition Ghostbusters Twinkies, called Key Lime Slime. The deal has been signed with Hostess in the lead up to the UK release of the Ghostbusters film. The product, which features bright green cream filling, will be available to retail from early June. Innovative Bites has confirmed listings with Selfridges, Sainsburys and Urban Outfitters. The limited edition product will be sold in multi-packs of ten (RRP 5.50), and comes with the additional option of supporting point-of-sale, in the form of Ghostbusters branded shippers. Haris Deane, brand and marketing manager at Innovative Bites, said: "Retailers are already snapping up the unique piece of edible movie merchandise, which will give consumers a taste of Ghostbusters quite literally." He added: "The Ghostbusters franchise has a huge UK fan base, so we are confident the Key Lime Slime flavour will capture the publics imagination and absolutely fly off the shelves." Twinkie in 1984 film The Twinkie appeared in the original in 1984 Ghostbusters film, when Egon used a one as a metaphor for psychokinetic energy. Innovative Bites has been the sole distributors of Twinkies since the brand officially launched in the UK last year in three flavours - Original, Chocolate and Banana. In January, Finsbury Food Group became a UK licensee for this years Ghostbusters film. Eat Square has won the right to continue using its name and produce square-shaped pies, as its legal battle with Square Pie has come to a conclusion. Square Pie, the London-based pie restaurant chain, launched a legal challenge against the Wiltshire-based manufacturer last year. It claimed the company was infringing its intellectual property rights by branding its pies as square. Square Pie was founded in 2001, while Eat Square started trading in 2014. After months of negotiations, a deal has been signed by both parties which guarantees Eat Square can continue to use its name and make square pies. Eat Square was helped in the negotiations by Oliver Oguz, an intellectual property lawyer working with Trade Mark Wizards. He offered to help Eat Square for free after seeing the story reported by the BBC News website in October. He said: I was outraged that a company could think they can control the descriptive term square pie. We work with a lot of start-ups in helping them protect their work, so I offered to help Eat Square keep their name. great news Alex Joll, founder of Eat Square, said: I have been so worried these last months that we might lose our name and all that we have worked so hard for. This is great news and I want to thank Trade Mark Wizards for helping us. We would not have won without them I am sure. Martin Dewey, founder of Square Pie, was also pleased that negotiations had come to a conclusion. He said: Were pleased to have agreed terms with Eat Square that protect our brand and trademark, established over the many years of making our lovely pies. Eat Square produces a range of pies for retail clients, including local Budgens and Londis stores as well as an increasing number of cafes, pubs and farm shops. The company is looking to expand its distribution reach and recently launched a range of free-from pies. Southeast Michigan Manufacturers on Mexico Trade Trip Lansing, Michigan - A half-dozen companies from Southeast Michigan are on a weeklong trade trip to Mexico designed to increase exports from the state. The companies and a delegation from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. left Sunday for Mexico City, Monterrey and Queretaro, where they will participate in matchmaking meetings and other networking opportunities with Mexican companies. They are scheduled to return Saturday. Participating in the trip are: Duggan Manufacturing LLC in Shelby Township, which makes precision metal parts for such industries as aerospace, defense and automotive; Hydra-Lock Corp. in Mount Clemens, which makes hydraulic arbors, chucks and other fixtures; KC Jones Plating Co. in Warren, which engineers metal finishing solutions for the auto industry; Magnetic Products Inc. in Highland Township, which makes material handling solutions; Orion Test Systems and Automation Inc. in Auburn Hills, which produces electronic, mechanical, hydraulic and other test equipment; and RnD Engineering LLC in Livonia, which makes custom-built machines for parts finishing. Companies from Holland, Muskegon and Burton in Genesee County round out the 10 participating businesses. Mexico is Michigan's second-largest trade partner, behind Canada, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration. The state shipped more than $11.1 billion worth of goods to the country last year. Michigan's main export is transportation equipment, followed by machinery, chemicals and computer and electronic equipment, according to the ITA. The MEDC said companies participating in its international trade program had sales of more than $45 million to Mexico in the 2015 fiscal year, with another $30.3 million in the first quarter of this fiscal year. The state said total trip costs won't be known until afterward, though the state has budgeted at least $1,800 for airfare. The MEDC's international trade budget will fund the trip along with fees from traveling companies, a spokeswoman said. Kissimmee and Tampa are about to "Feel the Bern." U.S. Senator and current Democratic Party Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders will hold rallies in both Kissimmee and Tampa Thursday. The events are the last two of three "A Future to Believe In" rallies scheduled during a three-day-swing through the Sunshine State in advance of the critical March 15 Florida Presidential Primary. The Kissimee rally is set to take place at Osceola Heritage Park, 631 Heritage Parkway. Doors open for the public at noon, with the program set to start at 3 p.m. Free on-site parking will be available for attendees; however, due to limited space, rally organizers encourage carpooling. The Tampa rally will be held at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall, 4800 U.S. Highway 301. Doors open for public admission at 4 p.m., with the program expected to begin at 7 p.m. Parking for the event will be available on-site for a fee. Both events are free and open to the public, with admission first come, first serve. Rally organizers strongly recommend that those planning to attend either the Kissimmee event and/or the Tampa event to RSVP via Sanders' campaign website. The U.S. Department of Justice will not be pursuing a civil rights investigation into the 2014 death of teenager Andrew Joseph III, one of dozens of teenagers to be ejected from the state fair on Student Day. The 14-year-old later died when he was hit by a car as he tried to cross Interstate 4 on foot. Rep. Alan Grayson, who represents Floridas 9th district, wrote a letter to the DOJ last year, making the request. At a news conference Tuesday, Grayson announced the departments response. Accident, mistake, fear, negligence or bad judgment are not sufficient to establish willful federal criminal civil rights violation, said Assistant Attorney General Peter Kadzik, in a letter dated Feb. 18. However, Kadzik doesnt rule out looking into the possibility of racial profiling at the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office. The Departmentss Special Litigation Section will consider your letter in determining whether to investigate, Kadzik said. I regard this as a small ray of hope, Grayson said. The family said it will continue to push the DOJ to take action. My heart is broken today because I had dreams for my son, Deanna Joseph said. This is why my son died. For change," said Andrew Joseph Jr. We reached out to the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office for reaction. The allegations are full of factual errors, said spokesperson Larry McKinnon. However, because of pending litigation, the agency cannot comment any further. A Tampa Bay man and his attorney have filed a lawsuit against Catholic organization the Salesians of Don Bosco. The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, is named John Doe on the lawsuit. "This is something that stayed within me for many years and it is still a burden at this present time, Doe said. The lawsuit alleges Doe was molested more than 20 times by Brother John Casula between 1976-1978 when Doe was 12 to 14 years old. Casula was the auto shop teacher at the former Mary Help of Christians School in Tampa. "I was like, is this what life is about? Why me? Thats what it all came down to. Why me? Doe said. The Salesians ran the school independently from the Diocese of St. Petersburg. The lawsuit also alleges the Salesians had knowledge of the abuse, but never reported it to authorities or punished Casula. Doe was a boarder at the school. It then became a day-school before closing in 2006. I know the question is, why didnt I come forward sooner? I didnt have anyone to go to, Doe said. I couldnt go to my family, I didnt have a father figure. I couldnt go to my mother because whatever the church said, or a brother or priest said, that was it. Doe said he tried to confront his abuser multiple times, but couldnt get the words out. Casula died in 1994. Doe decided to contact St. Petersburg attorney Joseph Saunders about six months ago when he saw other allegations of abuse at the school. "Each person who comes forward brings forth a little bit more of the truth which serves to protect children in the future, Saunders said. Saunders has filed about ten other lawsuits against the Salesians on behalf of other victims. Doe said he hopes his story will inspire others to come forward. "I just hope and pray that if theres anyone else out there that they can step forward, that they can keep their head up now," Doe said. The Salesians of Don Bosco have not returned messages for comment. Michigan became the big surprise of the night, with Bernie Sanders pulling out the win against Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary. Polls going into the Michigan primary showed Clinton winning the state, but Sanders held a tight lead with most of the precincts reporting. Mississippi, Idaho and Hawaii aheld primaries and caucuses. Clinton and Donald Trump won Mississippi early on. Ted Cruz took Idaho, with Trump in second place. LATEST Sen. Bernie Sanders has won the Democratic primary in Michigan. Hillary Clinton wins Mississippi. Donald Trump wins Mississippi. Trump wins Michigan primary. Ted Cruz wins Idaho. FLORIDA PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY COVERAGE March 15 starting at 5 p.m. All presidential results plus your local races Tampa Bay local election results on Bay News 9 Central Florida local election results on News 13 LIVE UPDATES All times Eastern Standard Time. 12:15 a.m. Sen. Ted Cruz projected to win Idaho Republican primary. ___ 11:56 p.m. Some interesting issues in Michigan's primary. CNN reports Flint, the site of the water disaster, ran out of ballots at some voting locations. Meanwhile elections officials in Detroit said for a short time Tuesday, the city reported only a single number of votes for each candidate, a combination of absentee ballots and in-person votes. The county, however, wanted two separate sets of of ballots. As a result, Detroit had to go back and recount ballots. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders says he's "grateful to the people of Michigan for defying the pundits and pollsters" and delivering him a win in the state's Democratic presidential primary. In a statement issued after Sanders' win over Hillary Clinton, he says, "We came from 30 points down in Michigan and we're seeing the same kind of come-from-behind momentum all across America." Sanders adds that the results "show that we are a national campaign. We already have won in the Midwest, New England and the Great Plains and as more people get to know more about who we are and what our views are, we're going to do very well." ___ 11:31 p.m. Bernie Sanders has won the Democratic presidential primary in Michigan, claiming victory over Hillary Clinton in an industrial Midwest state where voters expressed concerns about trade and jobs. But despite his close win, he won't see any real gains in delegates for the night. And Clinton has now earned more than half of the 2,383 delegates needed to clinch the Democratic nomination. With 130 Michigan delegates at stake, Sanders will win at least 63 and Clinton at least 52. His gains will be canceled out by Clinton's earlier win in Mississippi. She already entered the night with a 196-delegate lead over Sanders based on primaries and caucuses alone. Democrats award delegates in proportion to the vote, so Clinton was able to add on a good chunk of delegates even after losing Michigan. Including superdelegates, her lead becomes even bigger at least 1,214 to Sanders' 566. Still, Sanders can claim a small streak of wins going into a pivotal batch of delegate-rich contests next week. Since Super Tuesday, Sanders has now won four of the last six states holding contests. Next week, Democratic voters head to the polls in Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina and Florida. In all, 691 delegates will be at stake. ___ 11:30 p.m. Associated Press says Sen. Bernie Sanders has won the Democratic primary in Michigan. ___ 10:25 p.m. GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump says he thinks a negative ad that features clip after bleeped-out clip of him swearing publically is actually going to help him with voters. Trump said Tuesday he was a little concerned by the ad from the American Future Fund Political Action until he saw it. He said he thinks that "it's better than any ad I've ever taken for myself." Trump said he "can be more presidential than anybody" but that right now he's focused on beating his rivals. He adds that, "people are sick and tired of being politically correct." Trump says that in some of the instances shows in the ad he was joking. In others, he says he was demonstrating "a certain toughness that we need in our country." He adds that if he had a choice between taking the ad down and letting it run, he'd say, "let it run." ___ 10:15 p.m. John Kasich says he's "very pleased" with the results in Michigan's primary, despite the race for second remaining too close to call between Kasich and Ted Cruz. Speaking to an energized crowd Tuesday, Kasich said voters are beginning to hear and reward his positive campaign as the race turns to his home state of Ohio. He's telling the crowd he got on his hands and knees and "almost kissed the ground" when his plane landed in Cleveland for an event Tuesday afternoon. Kasich has yet to win a state, but has taken second place in Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire. Still, his campaign is continuing on with the belief that the primary calendar will become more favorable as more Midwestern and northern states begin voting. Of his campaign, he says, "we struggled and worked in obscurity for a very long time." ___ 10:10 p.m. Hillary Clinton did not mention the primary contests in Michigan or Mississippi during a rally in Cleveland Tuesday night, instead looking ahead. Saying she expects a "busy week" in Ohio, which holds its crucial winner-take-all primary on March 15, Clinton said Tuesday that she was "excited to have the campaign building across this state." Clinton said she was proud of the campaigns she and Bernie Sanders were running and focused her criticism instead on the Republicans. "America is great," she told a cheering crowd, using GOP front-runner Donald Trump's campaign mantra. She reiterated her call to "make it whole." "We are better than what we are being offered by the Republicans," she said. ___ 9:55 p.m. Multiple state-based websites for the Donald Trump campaign contain wording copied exactly from others sources with no attribution. The Republican presidential front-runner has copied wording for Arkansas, Idaho, Ohio, Colorado, Michigan sites all regarding voter information from outside sources. In Idaho, the Trump campaign used a 2012 Boise State Public Radio story containing information on where and how to vote. It also cited judicial races no longer taking place and quotes a former Idaho Republican Party official. Peter Morrill, the radio station's interim general manager, says no one from the Trump campaign requested permission to use the story. Meanwhile, in states like Michigan and Arkansas, the same voter information on Trump's state website is posted on the state's Secretary of State website. ___ 9:45 p.m. Donald Trump is expanding his lead in the race for delegates with wins in Republican primaries in Michigan and Mississippi. Trump will win at least 21 delegates in Michigan and at least 20 in Mississippi. In Michigan, John Kasich will win at least 15 delegates and Ted Cruz will win at least 12. There are a total of 150 Republican delegates at stake in four states Tuesday. Voters are also going to the polls in Idaho and Hawaii. In the overall race for delegates, Trump has 428 and Cruz has 315. Rubio has 151 delegates and Kasich has 52. In a speech to supporters in Jupiter, Florida Tuesday after winning the two primaries, Trump said there's never been more money spent than what is being spent to take him down. And yet, he told his supporters, "only one person did well tonight: Donald Trump." It takes 1,237 delegates to win the Republican nomination for president. ___ 9:15 p.m. Donald Trump projected to win Michigan. ___ 9:05 p.m. Michigan's polls are closed, but CNN says they are holding off on making a projection because there are outstanding absentee ballots. Bernie Sanders has the lead in Michigan. Donald Trump has opened up a large lead over John Kasich. ___ 8:36 p.m. Marco Rubio is telling voters in his native Florida that the election will be decided in the state when it settles its winner-take-all contest next week. Rubio, who campaigned Tuesday in Ponte Vedra as four states held nomination contests, urged Floridians not to allow Democrats to continue the policies of President Barack Obama. He vowed never to betray U.S. allies, specifically Israel, vowing always to be on Israel's side. The 44-year old Florida senator also said that while he may not be the oldest candidate, he has the most foreign policy experience and can lead the nation in decisions that impact national security. Early voting and absentee voting have already begun in Florida ahead of the March 15 primary. So far, early preference polls show Rubio's rival, billionaire Donald Trump, ahead in the state. ___ 8:35 p.m. Donald Trump has won the Republican presidential primary in Mississippi, edging out Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to post his 13th state victory of the 2016 White House race. The billionaire businessman extends his lead for the highly contested Republican nomination amid a growing outcry by party elites against his unorthodox candidacy. Heading into Tuesday's contests, Trump led the Republican field with 384 delegates, followed by Cruz with 300, Marco Rubio with 151 and John Kasich with 37. Winning the GOP nomination requires 1,237 delegates. ___ 8:02 p.m. Hillary Clinton is adding to her big delegate lead after a win in Mississippi. With 36 delegates at stake, she is assured of picking up at least 21. Entering Tuesday's contests, she held a 196-delegate lead over Sanders based on the results from primaries and caucuses. Still, Sanders is counting on winning several upcoming states in a bid to recapture momentum. Also voting on Tuesday were voters in Michigan, with 130 delegates up for grabs. Clinton's lead is even bigger when including superdelegates, the party leaders who can support any candidate they wish. She now has at least 1,155. Sanders has at least 502. It takes 2,383 to win. Democrats living abroad also were submitting ballots by mail in their primary, with 13 delegates at stake. Their results will be released later this month. ___ 8:00 p.m. Hillary Clinton has won the Democratic presidential primary in Mississippi, riding a continuing wave of support from black voters in Southern states to claim her latest victory over Bernie Sanders. The former secretary of state will proportionally be awarded a share of the state's 36 delegates. Clinton had already earned 1,134 delegates in previous contests, versus 502 that have gone to Sanders. Clinton's number is roughly half the amount she needs to clinch the Democratic nomination for president. Her win in Mississippi comes off weekend contests in which Sanders won three out of four states. ___ 7:00 p.m. Ted Cruz is going after Donald Trump's recent move of asking rally attendees to pledge their allegiance to him. Cruz told a crowd of 1,000 at a Kannapolis, North Carolina church on Tuesday that the move strikes him as "profoundly wrong" and is something "kings and queens demand" of their subjects. Trump has recently begun kicking off his rallies by asking thousands of attendees to raise a hand and pledge to support him in upcoming elections, including at a rally Monday afternoon in Concord, North Carolina. "I'm not here asking any of you to pledge your support of me," Cruz said, to thunderous applause and cheers. "I'm pledging my support of you." ___ 5:50 p.m. "I have no idea," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Tuesday when asked why he thought no Senate Republicans have endorsed Cruz. "It's a circus, and I'm not part of that circus." Asked if he thought he could work with a President Cruz, Reid said he wouldn't predict how the GOP primaries will end up and added, "It's going to be a nasty affair." Sens. John Thune or John Cornyn had said Cruz would change if elected president. No. 3 Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said, "That's a great slogan. Maybe he'll change." "Doesn't that say a lot," Schumer said of Cruz's lack of any Senate endorsements. He said "it says something about what people think he'll be as president." ___ 5:35 p.m. Democratic primary voters in Michigan overwhelmingly think the government needs to do more to protect the safety of public water supplies. Early results of the exit poll conducted for the Associated Press and television networks for Edison Research show that more than 8 in 10 Democrats voting in the state Tuesday think government regulations need to be made stronger to ensure a safe water supply, while just 1 in 10 think current regulations go far enough. Both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have both drawn attention to the issue leading up to Tuesday's primary, including at Saturday night's debate in Flint, Michigan. ___ 5:25 p.m. Most voters in Michigan and Mississippi, regardless of party, are worried about the direction of the country's economy, and many consider trade to be a negative influence on American jobs. According to early results of exit polls conducted by Edison Research for the Associated Press and television networks Tuesday, at least 8 in 10 voters in each primary say they are very or somewhat worried about where the American economy is headed. More than half of Democratic and Republican voters in Michigan, along with Republicans in Mississippi, say trade with other countries takes jobs. In Mississippi, Democratic primary voters are more closely divided on the subject, with 4 in 10 saying it takes away jobs and nearly as many thinking it has a positive impact. At least 8 in 10 Democratic voters in both states see the country's economic system as benefiting the wealthy. The most difficult ticket to score on Broadway these days is Lin-Manuel Miranda's breakout musical "Hamilton," the rapped/sung story of the "ten-dollar Founding Father without a father" based on Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton. Sold out in New York through 2016, "Hamilton" will make its way to Houston in the 2017-2018 season of Broadway Across America, which seems like a long way off. But "Hamilton" won a Grammy and is poised to score a bunch of Tony Awards, so tickets may not be available in New York for a long, long time. A former Vidor High School teacher was arrested Tuesday for the second time in four months on charges of possessing crystal meth, authorities said. Lauren Leigh Courmier, 34, of Vinton, Louisiana, was found in possession of 1 ounce of suspected meth during a traffic stop along the Interstate 10 service road in Orange, according to the sheriff's office. A feud between friends in College Station ended after one woman retaliated by crashing her pick-up truck into the other woman's house. According to KBTX, a College Station news outlet, Anna Prazak, 52, drove her 2013 Toyota Tundra into the home of her estranged friend Gloria J. Mares in retaliation of a lawsuit involving the two women. Mares told police she had recently evicted her longtime friend from a home in Bryan, Texas. President Barack Obama's spokesman slammed Texas U.S. Sen. John Cornyn on Tuesday for suggesting that the president's choice for the Supreme Court vacancy "will bear some resemblance to a pinata." "Given Sen. Cornyn's language, it sounds like he might spend a little too much time watching Donald Trump rallies," said White House press secretary Josh Earnest. The exchange between the Obama administration's top spokesman and the No. 2 Republican in the Senate came as the fight heats up to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia. WHO'S NEXT: Who Obama might nominate to replace Scalia on Supreme Court Earnest, briefing White House reporters, said Cornyn's remark is a sign that the Republicans are "digging in" and escalating the political contentiousness over the Supreme Court vacancy. "Senator Cornyn has now moved beyond the established Republican position of suggesting that they won't even consider somebody who the president puts forward," Earnest said. "That in and of itself was a rather unprecedented and unreasonable position. But Senator Cornyn has now taken the next step and suggested that without knowing who this nominee is, without considering what their record is, what they're experience is, how qualified they are for the job, he's suggesting that they'll be subjected to bashing by Republicans." Senate GOP leaders have said they will not hold hearings or votes for any Supreme Court nominee in an election year, arguing it should be up to the next president, not a lame duck president, to put forward a candidate. IT'S COMPLICATED: Is Cruz right when he says we should wait to name a new a justice? In a speech on the Senate floor Tuesday, Cornyn explained that the "pinata" remark referred to the rough judicial confirmation battles that have become typical in Congress. "So I likened the nomination process and confirmation process to a pinata, which is only to say that the confirmation process around here has gotten pretty tough," Cornyn said. "But I'm not going to be preached to by the Democratic Leader or by Democrats who have been responsible for filibustering judges... This is a playbook that has been written by the Democratic Leader and our colleagues across the aisle." Cornyn also said that "Senate Republicans stand firmly behind the idea that the people should have a say in this critical issue ... when they vote in November because there is a lot at stake here. A lot. Depending on who ultimately fills this vacancy next year, the next Supreme Court justice could tip the ideological direction of the Court for a generation." Democrats argue that the president has a Constitutional duty to nominate a Supreme Court justice and that it's unfair to reject a nominee sight unseen. "I don't believe that's how most people believe this process should work," Earnest said. Back in 2003, it seemed like a good idea - and it was. Public colleges and universities needed more flexibility to raise tuition rates because they were seriously underfunded. Besides, tuition rates at most schools were well below national averages for similar institutions. But after more than a decade of this flexibility, the pendulum seems to have swung too far in the other direction. Too many students - and their parents - are complaining that tuition rates are becoming harder to afford for middle-class households. Legislators have heard the complaints too, and more of them are inclined to revisit this issue when the next session convenes in 2017. U.S. District Judge Reed C. O'Connor convicted anesthesiologist and co-founder of Dallas-based Forest Park Medical Center system Richard F. Toussaint Jr., MD, of committing a $10 million healthcare fraud scheme, according to a Dallas Business Journal report. Here are seven key notes: 1. Dr. Toussaint began submitting falsified claims to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, United Healthcare, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and others, in 2009-2010. 2. Dr. Toussaint submitted claims for procedures that took place while he was out of the state or at other hospitals. He also filed a claim for a procedure that he was undergoing. 3. When Dr. Toussaint was in the operating room, he also increased the amount of time it took to perform the procedures and directed others to do the same, according to the report. 4. He is the co-founder of the Forest Park Medical Center system, which includes hospitals in Dallas, Frisco, Fort Worth and Southlake, all in Texas. 5. The Forest Park Medical Center system filed for bankruptcy last month. The system has settled numerous physician kickback suits over the years. 6. Dr. Toussaint was found guilty on seven counts of fraud. 7. He is facing up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine for each of the seven counts. He will be required to pay restitution. A Massachusetts committee dedicated to healthcare reform held a hearing Tuesday to discuss ways of resolving the yawning disparity in reimbursement payments to individual hospitals for the same medical services, reports Boston Business Journal. The debate centered around a possible ballot initiative that would cap insurers from reimbursing providers greater than 20 percent of the average cost for a service, and would require them to pay no less than 10 percent below the average price to a provider. The ballot measure has largely been seen as a scare tactic designed to spur healthcare officials into reformative action. As the ballot deadline creeps closer, however, industry experts are determined to find an alternative. Below are four thoughts hospital industry leaders shared during the hearing. 1. Norwood (Mass.) Hospital President Kim Basset said the highest-priced hospitals are routinely reimbursed two-and-a-half to three times higher than hospitals with the lowest prices for the same services. "Immediate action is needed," Ms. Basset said. "If certain hospitals are allowed to be paid more than others, they will continue to use these proceeds to create an unfair market advantage against community hospitals." 2. Marna Borgstrom, CEO of Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health System and CEO of Yale-New Haven Hospital, said hospitals in her system Yale-New Haven, Bridgeport (Conn.) Hospital and Greenwich (Conn.) Hospital serve mostly Medicare and Medicaid patients, with only one-third of patients covered by private insurance, according to Hartford Courant. "We have no negotiating abilities" with government payers, Ms. Borgstrom said. 3. Tim Genz, executive vice president of Massachusetts Hospital Association in Burlington, advocated for increased price transparency to urge consumers to use lower-priced providers. 4. In reference to the proposed ballot question, Steve Walsh, executive director of the Massachusetts Council of Community Hospitals, said, "[We used] a blunt instrument to start a conversation that needs to be started, but... this is the right church, wrong pew." The city of Austin sang praises when abundant rainfall last year brought an end to an obstinate drought. However, the rain has also caused the price of the city's new teaching hospital to rise 5 percent, according to My Statesman. The new teaching hospital, owned by Austin-based Seton Healthcare Family, has risen from $295 million to $310 million, officials disclosed this week. They cited construction delays from rain and rising labor costs attributed to Austin's building boom as reasons for the increased costs, a health system spokeswoman told My Statesman. Austin had its second rainiest year on record last year, with 59.96 inches. Seton Healthcare Family originally estimated the price of building the teaching hospital at $250 million, then raised it to $295 million. Construction on the new facility is about halfway done, and hospital officials expect it to open in May 2017, according to the report. The Lakewood City Council has agreed to let voters decide whether to reopen Cleveland Clinic's 108-year-old Lakewood (Ohio) Hospital, which ceased inpatient services in February. Cleveland Clinic announced plans to close the hospital last January, and, after 11 months of debate, the system reached an agreement in December to close the facility. Cleveland Clinic agreed to replace the hospital with a family health center, which would include outpatient-based programs, an emergency department and wellness and outreach services. Since the hospital's closure, Lakewood city officials and some residents have been at odds over whether the hospital should remain closed in favor of the promised health center or reopen, according to the Lakewood Patch. A vote on the issue will be held Nov. 8. The public vote could force the city to reopen Lakewood Hospital with Cleveland Clinic, according to the report. More articles on healthcare finance: Louisiana hospital gives up charitable status to avoid tax penalties Mayo operating income dips 36.9% as expenses rise California hospital to close after restructuring plan fails Every year thousands flock to the annual HIMSS meeting to display products, test new technology, hear the field's thought leaders present and put their fingers on the pulse of the health IT industry. Here 26 HIMSS16 attendees offer thoughts on their highpoints of the meeting. Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and concision. The cloud Joshua Newman, MD, CMO, GM Healthcare and Life Sciences, Salesforce (San Francisco): Based on the reactions to our presence, the partners who showed Salesforce technology and integrations in their own booths, and the energy we saw, it felt like a new moment at HIMSS. Whereas the past it was an exclusively traditional conference, with every major vendor showing their own wares, this year felt more about cloud, partnerships and integration and the collective work we all must do to unite technologies and promote a marketplace of ideas and the very best solutions. Cybersecurity Ellen M. Derrico, Senior Director of Global Product Marketing, Healthcare and Life Sciences, RES Software (Radnor, Pa.): I was positively impressed by the quality and quantity of conversations and connections HIMSS fueled! Security was top-of-mind for many attendees, given all the recent news on malware, ransomware and phishing attacks. I am very glad I had the opportunity to present with Phil Alexander of UMC Health System [in Lubbock, Texas] on this topic, as it led to a lot of great questions and conversations, as well as more connections. Data and analytics Earl Arbuckle, Senior Product Manager, Central Logic (South Jordan, Utah): During my four days at HIMSS in Las Vegas, I noted an overwhelming sentiment across the board that data is king. Data for interoperability. Data for security. Data for improved patient care. All this data must be streamlined and freely, yet not publicly, shared. It's clear the next 36 months will be transformative in our industry. Bill Fox, Vice President, Healthcare and Life Sciences, MarkLogic (San Carlos, Calif.): The big takeaway for me at HIMSS this year was the optimism. The last few HIMSS were dominated by the "issues" and "concerns" arising from meaningful use requirements and ICD-10 implementation. This year at HIMSS was different. The conversations focused on how to move past vague talk about big data and into real data integration and implementation of consumer-focused, higher quality care. Everyone was anxious to understand how they could quickly and cost-effectively start to use all their data to drive their business. It seems we have reached a positive tipping point where healthcare will start to operationalize their data and is ready to move into the next generation of technology and innovation. Mike Kim, Director, AArete (Chicago): I was particularly impressed with NorthShore's Actionable Analytics presentation. Their dedication to predictive modeling and integration with user-friendly technological platforms exemplified how a health system can improve their operations and serve the public's health. For example, the "What's Going Around" mobile application is a great idea to use their own data to track infectious diseases for internal use and public consumption. Karin Ratchinsky, Director, Healthcare Strategy, Level 3 (Bloomfield, Colo.): In the past, there were a lot of conversations about the past at HIMSS. This year, we had a lot more conversations about where we will be in five to 10 years. The true highlight was seeing how technology is going to improve care. Data analytics is changing care and flagging population health trends. With the combination of digitized health, analytics tools and the pressure from ACA regulations, we are starting to see a ton of innovation, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Tapio Tolvanen, CTO, Co-Founder, BetterDoctor (San Francisco): HIMSS16 signaled the deep need for higher quality doctor data. After asking HHS' CTO Susannah Fox what is being done about provider directories, the answer was clear to me: This fundamental data problem requires everyone in the industry to solve, not just HHS or a start up like us. Consumers have trouble finding doctors they need, and it starts with the data they use online. Digital health Morris Panner, CEO, DICOM Grid (Phoenix): Digital health is where the cool kids are. HIMSS had more non-healthcare technical folks than ever before. It is part of a trend. John Doerr, one of the leading venture capitalists, has said all the best entrepreneurs are trying to fix healthcare IT. HIMSS16 was filled with people who had spent years bringing cloud to other enterprises and are now immersed in solving interoperability challenges and ensuring data rich transfer from imaging to other types of big data. Traditional assumptions are out the window. New workflows to support value-based care and personalized medicine are giving rise to a new generation of companies. There is no better time to be in healthcare IT. The Internet of Things Sandy Murti, Global Healthcare Lead, Impinj (Seattle): It was powerful to see how IoT solutions are being integrated by many healthcare organizations, as executives continue to recognize the important cost-saving impact the technology can have. Interoperability Keith J. Figlioli, SMART Advisory Committee Member, ONC Health IT Standards Committee Former Member, Senior Vice President of Healthcare Informatics, Premier (Charlotte, N.C.): It was clear at this year's HIMSS conference that the drive toward interoperability was the focal point. It's so refreshing to see industry stakeholders working together and committing to overcome the challenges providers face in breaking down the silos that impede data fluidity. While we're pleased to see consensus on the demand for interoperability, there is still much more that needs to be done. Tom Giannulli, MD, CMIO, Kareo (Irvine, Calif.): One of my key highlights of the HIMSS conference every year is to determine the "industry trend of the year" through conversations and presentations at HIMSS. Interoperability was noticeably the largest area of focus at this year's conference, and I believe it should continue to be as HIMSS continues to act as a true barometer of progress in this area each year. Throughout the conference, I noticed more large and aggressive software company attention in the space via Salesforce, SAP SE, IBM, etc., which should drive more innovation and change. Michael Leonard, Director of Product Management, Healthcare, Commvault (Tinton Falls, N.J.): HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell announced a commitment to interoperability in electronic health record management, and many large providers have rallied to support the effort. The announcement could be a major step forward for the industry, and it should lead to better informed physicians and patients, as well as stronger delivery of healthcare services. There is an opportunity for healthcare partners to collaborate to improve clinical data management solutions which will make patient data more accessible to both patients and the physicians treating them. Shafiq Rab, MD, Vice President, CIO, Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center: For the greater good of our patients, government, private sector, public sector, vendors and peers came together for one cause: to make healthcare information technology interoperable using FHIR technology. The HIMSS conference provided a unique opportunity for networking and influencing each other to enhance access to healthcare through the use of mobility, cloud technology and faster technology. Neal Singh, CTO, Senior Vice President, Engineering, Caradigm (Seattle): Interoperability was a hot topic at HIMSS16. HIMSS had multiple healthcare Internet technology vendors demonstrate end-to-end interoperability scenarios that were a huge hit with the attendees. For example, Caradigm, MEDITECH and Greenway collaborated for an interoperability demo that used real systems. The demo scenario showed a diabetic patient first visiting an emergency department (MEDITECH system), and then visiting her primary care physician (Greenway system). Next, the patient was enrolled into a diabetes management program using Caradigm's Care Management application. Finally the primary care physician approved the plan of care and shared it with the patient. Leadership Milisa Rizer, MD, CMIO, Professor, Family Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (Columbus): HIMSS16 started for me with the stimulating physician IT symposium and ended with a great presentation on leadership by Peyton Manning. The conference was filled with stimulating accomplishments by Davies Award winners across the country. It was also a great opportunity to share our accomplishments with other institutions that are challenged with the same issues. Patients Shawn Lemerise, Vice President of Business Development, CipherHealth (New York): It can be hard to differentiate between tech companies, so it was really refreshing to see smaller, innovation-focused areas within HIMSS dedicated to showcasing only the smartest and brightest young companies. One major theme we heard from providers and tech companies alike was customer centricity, treating the patient as a customer. There is also increasing desire from providers to work in close partnership with technology companies, working off of a ready platform and building off of it. Carrie Nixon, Esq., CEO, Nixon Law Group (Richmond, Va.): I thought the most interesting, and useful, moment at HIMSS16 came when CMS' Andy Slavitt told a theater full of health IT professionals "[We] are now often in a place where technology is hurting doctors' ability to serve patients well. This must change." It may not have been a popular sentiment among the crowd, but it's true, and Slavitt also emphasized that this is something that can be fixed. Population health Jay Anderson, Regional Vice President, Sales, Northeast, Central Logic (South Jordan, Utah): Throughout the week at HIMSS, several population health management trends emerged. First, five to 10 percent of patients with multiple chronic conditions consume half of the healthcare dollars and are best managed with daily remote monitoring of vitals via telehealth. Second, many ACOs and networks are successfully managing their general population with predictive analytics. Finally, a large group of patients who were recently discharged but not severe enough for daily monitoring are at risk for readmission. To ensure their vitality, creative engagement solutions are still needed. Shaun Miller, Medical Director, Inpatient Clinical Technology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles): I was particularly interested in attending the HX360 innovation pavilion where I was able to interact with start-up companies who have fresh, enthusiastic eyes from across the globe tackling issues like chronic disease management, patient engagement and population health. It's also very exciting to see the growth of some of these companies from year-to-year at HIMSS as they move from this pavilion into the main exhibit halls as their solutions mature. Revenue cycle management Jim Hamilton, Healthcare Industry Marketing Specialist at Canon U.S.A. (Melville, N.Y.): There was a lot of buzz about improving the revenue cycle. For example, Stuart Hanson, chair of HIMSS Revenue Cycle Improvement Task Force, reported a basic tenet of the revenue cycle is that you cannot create the patient financial experience of the future without the back office functionality to support it. Further to that, others shared insight on how providers today can implement new industry standard best practices to support the revenue cycle of the future. Stuart Hanson, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Consumer Payments, Change Healthcare (Nashville, Tenn.): Providers at HIMSS16 overwhelmingly commented on the need to reengineer their revenue cycle tools and processes to cope with the "double whammy" of rising patient financial responsibility compounded by rising costs to collect from their patients. As such, they responded very well to the recent findings and recommendations of the HIMSS Revenue Cycle Improvement Task Force, a group committed to helping the industry define a vision for improving the patient financial experience overall. Telemedicine James Edwards, CEO, Language Access Network, Carenection (Columbus, Ohio): The defining moment at HIMSS16 was when participants realized that digital health and telehealth are no longer technologies of the future. These technologies are the new medicine of today and are pushing the industry to re-engage the patient and re-connect them to their providers. Ranya Habash, MD, Board-Certified Ophthalmologist, CMO, Everbridge (Glendale, Calif.): It's amazing to see how much HIMSS has grown over the past few years. The increase in telehealth and connected health IT solutions was exciting. One thing that stood out to me at this year's show that I haven't seen in the past was the emphasis on improving patient outcomes through care team coordination and secure mobile collaboration. That's a testament to the exponential growth of sophisticated health IT for the future of medicine. Nabeel Meghji, Vice President, Product Management, Healthgrades (Denver): Based on presentations, exhibits and meetings I attended, I saw a major emphasis around the "connected health" space at HIMSS this year. Some key takeaways centered on this concept and being at the tipping point of virtual visits. Consumers are expecting the same convenience in health as they receive in other industries, and virtual visits are saving patients an average of five hours. Providers now have a revenue model given the legislation changes. There are an increasing number of payers and employers offering this to members to keep them healthy/working and out of expensive options like urgent cares and emergency departments. Alan Pitt, MD, Professor, Neuroradiology, Barrow Neurological Institute (Phoenix), CMO, Avizia (Reston, Va.): In the years past HIMSS has been all about the data and was largely a show for the EMR vendors. However, this year's meeting showed the strong emergence of the telemedicine industry. Telemedicine and telehealth vendors were out in force and sessions were overflowing. Coming out of this year's show it is evident that this space is maturing from a "nice to have" to a "have to have." Value-based care Mitchell Morris, MD, Global Leader, Life Sciences and Health Care, Deloitte (New York): HIMSS is starting to reflect the convergence between plans and providers as we transition to value-based care. As Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 imperatives begin to take shape, solutions are emerging that begin to meaningfully advance our capabilities to manage clinical and financial risk. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/4-recommendations-for-copy-and-paste-in-ehrs.html Bill Van Wyck, president and chief innovation officer for Norwalk, Conn.-based Zillion, founded the company in 2010, after spending years in industries like shipping, logistics and e-commerce and finding that, in many ways, healthcare is just another messed up vertical with a variety of pain points in need of solutions. "Healthcare is not unlike other verticals in that it's a big industry with problems," Mr. Van Wyck says. "And there are players trying to solve those problems using technology who often end up trying to be technology companies at the same time. I wanted to bring value to healthcare by using a technology and software perspective to solve industry problems." Zillion is an open application programming interface software platform that works to facilitate efficient delivery and design for healthcare solutions. Mr. Van Wyck spoke with Becker's Hospital Review about why stakes are so high for providers, the four components that underlie common themes in healthcare and how legacy vendors will fare in a changing landscape. Note: Interview has been edited for length and clarity. Question: You mentioned healthcare is similar in some ways to other industries you've worked in. How is it different? Bill Van Wyck: What's interesting about healthcare is the regulatory restrictions around it and the significant security concerns in the space in general. In healthcare, the stakeholders and the field that's being played are changing. You see payers and providers starting to look and act the same in dealing with populations, dealing with individuals and looking to scale efficiencies in order to stem the tide of progressing illness. You're also dealing with interoperability issues. There are lots of legacy systems and legacy infrastructure, and then you compound that with a problem, like shake-ups in the provider world where it's a largely eat-or-be-eaten environment where they're dealing with their own IT issues, like how do we manage our EHR installations while at the same time integrating these new companies and providers we're acquiring? Let alone take on new technology initiatives in order to gain efficiencies and improve outcomes and ride the tail wind of the ACA. All of that together really creates opportunity. So healthcare is another big messed up industry in terms of all these various points coming together. I think taking a fresh technology perspective is how the innovation is going to occur. Q: How does Zillion fit into that picture? BVW: We're a software technology startup working in that space, and in my eyes the answer for healthcare is in design. As I move into healthcare I see common themes like population health, telemedicine, telehealth, digital IT, engaging patients all of that industry jargon from a technology perspective is quite simple, and it's what Zillion provides. Those themes are all just combinations of communications, scheduling, dynamic content delivery and data analytics. This is a drastic simplification of what we do, but if you bring those four components together on a common platform like Zillion and you have the software approach that Zillion provides, you can build any one of those applications in short order, and you won't end up with a point solution that doesn't work with anything else. Those solutions can be built as you're moving along the continuum of care, and when you do so with a common platform, it's compelling because you can start fixing things at a much lower cost and with much faster implementation. It provides a product path that you can execute on without having to go back and re-engineer your technology. Q: How do the more nimble solutions that many startups in healthcare are offering square with those legacy systems? BVW: Zillion sits at the nexus between inpatient systems and population-type systems, meaning patient engagement programs and products that work outside of facilities. When you look at the EMRs and inpatient systems and the convergence of all of those systems together from a technology perspective, it's a mess. I don't think any providers or payers would disagree with that. When you look at how you're going to move outside of that space, the Epics and MEDITECHs and Cerners of the world, they're not very open. They don't want a lot of a lot of integration, so until you end up with an industry standard like HL7's FHIR, which might come out in a couple of years, you're going to see this wall between the legacy systems and newcomers. You'll see the EMR companies trying to move outside the wall and the technology-focused and point solutions trying to move inside that wall. Zillion is trying to be as interoperable as possible with those systems to the extent that if a provider or payer wants to integrate with them we can do it quickly and at low cost. But once the standard comes into place, we'll be there and we'll be compatible with whatever comes into play. Q: What is Zillion hoping to accomplish this year? BVW: We're an open application programming interface software platform, meaning by definition you can build products on top of Zillion. A couple of years ago, the story would've been "build a product on Zillion and then you end up with this thing that can scale and leverage all the technology." Today's story is about our new product which we rolled out with our first customer a couple of weeks ago, and this upcoming year is a story about scaling through a template-based system, which is from a technology perspective, widgetized. What that means is in the healthcare vertical, you have things like trackers and labs and blood results and medications and instructions on what a patient needs to do at a certain time, and we now have all that configurable out of the box. That means that payers or providers or device manufacturers can very quickly implement pilots and commercially scalable products into the market at very little to no cost up front. And that's a real game-changer because as you look at healthcare, so many companies are trying to raise money to just build another point solution, or raise money to build a pilot, and all of that cost and time is a barrier. Zillion has been largely undercover with a few large customers to date and now we're going to be really coming out and making our products available. We'll be focusing on payers, device manufacturers and also the provider world to help them extend their reach outside their four walls. That's our direction for 2016. More articles on startups: University of Washington names 3 startups Health Innovation Challenge winners Startup Insider: Jitterbit San Francisco-based startup brings physician-patient social network to IBM Watson ecosystem When Arianna Huffington came to on the floor in a puddle of her own blood, she asked herself, "Is this what success looks like?" Ms. Huffington, author, co-founder, chair, president and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, had been overwhelmingly sleep deprived. One day she collapsed from exhaustion and broke her cheek bone. "By the conventional definition of success, I was," she said at the Becker's ASC 22nd Annual Meeting The Business and Operations of ASCs in Chicago, "but by any sane definition, I was not." Ms. Huffington went on to describe meetings where she would sit, trying to focus through her fatigue, and by the end not be able to recall anything that had been discussed. After her collapse, Ms. Huffington realized her lack of sleep posed a serious threat to her health, and even her career. Since then, she has reevaluated her priorities, raising sleep to the top. Ms. Huffington said she now commits to getting eight hours of sleep every night. "In the corporate environment, you see people regularly congratulating one another for working 24/7," said Ms. Huffington. However, accomplishments at work will fall flat if one has poor personal wellbeing and health. "Defining success in just terms of money and power is like sitting on a two-legged stool. Sooner or later you will fall off," she said. Leaders are especially susceptible to feeling pressured to prolong their waking hours to do more work because there is always work to be done. Out of a survey of 180 business leaders, 43 percent said they do not get enough sleep at least four nights a week, according to the Harvard Business Review. And although a lack of sleep is likely due to a heightened commitment to work, "such sleep deficiencies can undermine important forms of leadership behavior and eventually hurt financial performance," the article states. The last part of the human brain to evolve was the neocortex, which is responsible for functions such as sensory perception, motor commands and language, according to the Harvard Business Review. The front part of the neocortex, the prefrontal cortex, controls executive functioning, which includes higher-order cognitive processes problem solving, reasoning, organizing, inhibition, planning and executing plans, according to the report. Leaders rely heavily on these functions. And while other regions of the brain can operate just fine with limited sleep, neuroscientists say the prefrontal cortex cannot. Several main leadership functions are proven to be negatively impacted by inadequate sleep, according to the report. These include focusing, avoiding distractions and being able to comprehend the bigger picture of the company; insight, pattern recognition and creativity needed for problem solving; learning and memory; and understanding others' emotions and situations. In honor of The National Sleep Foundation's Sleep Awareness Week, which is from March 6 to March 13, here are six tips to improve your quality of sleep, according to HealthFinder.gov. 1. Exercise earlier in the day, not close to bedtime. 2. Avoid caffeine (especially coffee, tea and soda) late in the day. 3. Limit naps during the day to 20 minutes or less. 4. Drink alcohol in moderation, meaning no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. 5. Avoid eating a big meal close to bedtime. 6. Don't smoke. Nicotine in cigarettes contributes to sleeping problems. Five behavioral health hospitals operating in Massachusetts are under investigation by the Department of Justice for possible billing fraud, according to a report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All five hospitals are owned by King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health Services, the largest provider of mental health services in Massachusetts. The hospitals under investigation include Arbour-HRI in Brookline, Arbour Hospital in Jamaica Plain, Arbour-Fuller Hospital in South Attleboro, Pembroke (Mass.) Hospital and Westwood (Mass.) Lodge Hospital. In a December letter to UHS, federal investigators said they are looking into billings submitted to government payers for services provided at the mental health facilities, according to the SEC filing. In Massachusetts, Arbour Health Systems has been cited repeatedly by state regulators for quality concerns and inadequate staffing at its hospital and outpatient clinics, according to The Boston Globe. Later this spring, the U.S. Supreme Court will review a case filed against Universal Health Services by the parents of a Massachusetts teenager who died after receiving care at an Arbour clinic in Lawrence. Currently, more than 25 of UHS' 213 inpatient psychiatric hospitals across the U.S. are under federal investigation, reports The Boston Globe. Two pharmacy employees at Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta illegally diverted more than 1 million doses of controlled drugs, including Xanax, as part a scheme that ran from October 2008 until July 2013, according to The Augusta Chronicle. The scheme ended when hospital officials became aware of a suspicious single purchase of Schedule III, IV and V controlled substances made by a pharmacy technician. The hospital immediately began an investigation and subsequently fired the two pharmacy technicians involved in the illegal activity. Details of the scheme were released in a consent order the hospital finalized with the Georgia Board of Pharmacy last month. According to the consent order, the hospital "suffered significant financial losses due to the employees' illegal thefts/diversion scheme." Due to the scheme, the Georgia Board of Pharmacy ordered Emory University Hospital Midtown to pay a $200,000 fine and placed the hospital's pharmacy license on probation for three years, according to the report. An Emory Healthcare spokesman, Vince Dollard, told The Augusta Chronicle that Emory has reinforced and added procedures to its pharmacy process to ensure a similar scheme doesn't occur in the future. More articles on healthcare industry lawsuits: Ex-CEO allegedly bilked $1M from troubled Florida hospital Florida physician faces 10 years in prison for fraud 5 latest healthcare industry lawsuits Many Virginia hospitals claimed victory Monday when the state senate used a procedural move to sideline legislation aimed at reforming the certificate of public need law, reports The Virginia Pilot. As a result of the maneuver, the state's CON law will remain in place until the assembly re-examines the issue in 2017. Sen. Steve Newman (R-Lynchberg) said lawmakers held repeated discussions with hospital representatives through the past weekend but were unable to reach a consensus on the reform bill, according to The Virginia Pilot. The bill to deregulate hospital construction was one of the most heavily lobbied issues of the 2016 general assembly, largely pitting payers and physicians against hospitals. Earlier this year, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association poured $200,000 into an ad campaign to raise public opposition. More articles on legal issues: Ex-CEO allegedly bilked $1M from troubled Florida hospital Florida physician faces 10 years in prison for fraud Former Sacred Heart physician convicted in kickback scheme To continue following the latest news and information for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, simply enter your full postcode below With Superstar Rajinikanths upcoming venture 2.0 with Amy Jackson as the lady lead being produced at a fast clip, Allu Arjuns Sarainodu with the gorgeous lady Rakul Preet Singh is also progressing with the same fervour. Recently Rakul Preet Singh posted on her Facebook platform that the crew of Sarainodu, is on their way to the Uyuni Salt Flats to shoot some sequences. Incidentally, the crew of 2.0 is also said to have zeroed in on the same location for a song schedule. It was reported that 2.0 is loaded with only one song, so as to not disturb the seriousness and flow of the drama. Given that Shankar always goes for the most picturesque locations for his ventures and that Salt Flats is the prime attraction in Bolivia, it is justifiable to presume that they may go ahead with the same. We hope that this turns out to be true and that the visuals turn out to be surreal! Former chancellor Kenneth Clarke has said Brexit could pose enormous problems for the Republic of Ireland. The pro-European Tory joined business leaders in Dublin, warning that British withdrawal from the EU would represent a huge risk to the Republic. The cost of buying Irish goods in Britain has already started to rise because of currency changes. Mr Clarke said: "The risk of a possible Brexit could pose enormous problems for the UK. I think it would pose enormous problems for the Republic of Ireland as well, and so far most electors in Britain have not been made aware of that." One of Ireland's main banks reiterated its concerns. Allied Irish Bank chairman Richard Pym, who hosted the debate, said: "Brexit represents a huge risk for Ireland." Dr Gerard Lyons, chief adviser to London Mayor Boris Johnson, said the EU had not embraced reform and did not address problems such as youth unemployment or migration. "At its core, the euro is a fundamentally flawed economic idea, held together for now because it is a political project. "The UK faces a choice between remaining in an unreformed, inward-looking and insular EU or seizing the opportunity to embrace Brexit, restore its sovereignty and take a global approach. "Brexit is unequivocally better for the UK economy than the alternative of remaining in an unreformed EU." Simon McKeever, chief executive of the Irish Exporters Association, said uncertainty ahead of the UK referendum has caused a sell-off in sterling, resulting in exports being 10.5% more expensive in the UK than they were only last November. "Should the UK vote to leave the EU and subsequently fail to secure equally favourable trade terms with it, the knock-on effect on Ireland could be quite damaging in the medium term. "Any re-imposition of tariffs between the EU and UK could affect our cost-competitiveness, as one third of our imports come from the UK. "With over 70% of our exports concentrated in three core markets, notably the EU, UK and US, the potential risks associated with a Brexit make it imperative that we as a nation take further steps to diversify our export markets and in particular to increase our focus on high growth and further away markets." The European Commission in Northern Ireland will not be campaigning for the UK to remain as part of the EU, it is understood. While the voice of the Brexit campaign has been nothing but vocal, the pro-EU camp - especially in Northern Ireland - has been largely muted. And it's understood the European Commission office in Belfast - one of four around the UK - will not be getting involved in the Europe debate. There remain serious concerns over what would happen here, particularly with cross-border trade and EU funding of infrastructure, if the UK votes to leave. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland's newest airline, Brussels Airlines - which will launch here at the end of the month just weeks before the key EU referendum - has said it expects a slowdown in the run-up to the vote, amid increasing "uncertainty". Christian Schindler, Lufthansa's regional director for the UK, Ireland & Iceland, said he expects the majority of traffic coming here will be Belgian tourists visiting Northern Ireland. "We think the majority of the traffic will be incoming, with a lot of growth on the tourism side. "We want to bring tourists into Belfast. It will be more of a mix on the business and leisure side, going out of Northern Ireland." Speaking about the potential impact a Brexit could have on business, and the number of people using the new link, he said: "The referendum is a very political question. The Lufthansa group is operating in non-EU countries and EU countries. "As such, for us, both ways work, because there is always travel, people are always travelling. "On the other hand, uncertainty with the referendum, or after the referendum, depending on what happens, can always have an impact on travel. "And especially in the month of June, it will probably be difficult for us in the UK, given the referendum and the euro. There are various reasons why people might not travel." It's introducing five flights a week, kicking off from March 27, direct from Belfast City Airport to Brussels. And Mr Schindler believes that the bulk of the tourism traffic will be coming from Belgium to Northern Ireland, bolstered by the draw of Game of Thrones, the Titanic and general sightseeing. Prices start at 80 return, with around 1,000 seats a week linking Northern Ireland with Belgium. Brussels Airlines also flies to around 90 other locations, including 72 in Europe. And it links Europe to 19 locations in Africa. Northern Ireland holidaymakers will be able to book flights to a range of destinations further afield - availing of a number of links serviced by other operators in the Lufthansa group. Belfast City Airport's commercial director, Katy Best, said it had been "overwhelmed" by the level of support and response to the new Brussels route. And she said it was a "strategic fit" with the other links serviced by the airport. Brussels Airlines carries around 7.5 million passengers each year, and has seen its volumes increase substantially over its 14 years in business. Aside from its Europe and Africa network, it also flies direct from Brussels to New York, Washington and Toronto. Meanwhile, a Government report has warned that Northern Ireland "would be confronted with difficult issues about the relationship" with the Republic, if the UK votes to leave the EU. It said it could mean "it would be necessary to impose customs checks on the movement of goods across the border". The Cabinet Office said: "Questions would also need to be answered about the 'common travel area' which covers the movement of people". It warned: "This could have an impact on cross-border cooperation and trade." And it was revealed this week that Northern Ireland has received 170m from the EU towards business and infrastructure in just two years. That includes everything from railway upgrades to business loans. There are fears that the region could lose out on the huge cash injections, should the UK vote to leave. Leaving the EU is the "biggest domestic risk" Britain faces and could have serious consequences for the housing market and City of London, the governor of the Bank of England has warned. Giving evidence to MPs, Mark Carney said a Brexit would trigger a period of financial instability that could last a "very long time" and warned that some firms were likely to move their headquarters abroad. Under tough questioning from Treasury Select Committee members, Mr Carney stressed that the bank was not making any formal recommendation on how people should vote in the June 23 referendum. He also flatly denied that he had been pushed by Downing Street into making a grim assessment of the potential fallout. Mr Carney said the UK leaving was not currently the "median" expectation of financial players, and highlighted effects such as a drop in the value of the pound. "The issue is the biggest domestic risk to financial stability, because in part of the issues around uncertainty," Mr Carney told the committee. "But also because it has the potential - depending on how it is prosecuted and how these issues can be addressed - to amplify the risks around the current account as has been discussed, potential risks around housing, potential risks around market function which we are trying to mitigate. And also associated risks with respect to the euro area. "It is the biggest domestic risk to financial stability. I would say that in my judgment the global risks, including from China, are bigger than the domestic risks." Mr Carney declined to repeat the language of a G20 statement last month, which said leaving the EU would result in a "profound economic shock". In the event of a vote for Brexit, Mr Carney said the bank "will do everything in our power to discharge our responsibility to achieve monetary stability and financial stability". But he added that he could not "provide a blanket assurance that there would not be issues in the short term with respect to financial stability". The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) received 635m, mainly due to single farm payments, from the EU between 2013 and 2015 A vote to leave the EU could bring long-term benefits for the UK after short-term uncertainty, a think-tank said today. But Ulster University's economic policy centre said the short-term downsides of a Brexit would hit the province more than any other UK region. That was because of its land border with the Republic and the size of its agriculture sector. And in its spring outlook, the centre said that it was not clear that existing EU support for agriculture would be replaced by support from Westminster in the event of a vote to leave on June 23. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) received 635m, mainly due to single farm payments, from the EU between 2013 and 2015. Gareth Hetherington, associate director at UUEPC, said: "The Brexit question is a real conundrum and if we are being honest, we don't know if the UK would be better off inside or outside the EU because we simply don't know what exit looks like." But he said short-term uncertainty would impact business investment. "In addition, the risk that we would not reach a free trade agreement with the EU cannot be discounted, but that is very unlikely given the importance of the UK market to French and German exporters," he said. But he said leaving could bring greater flexibility to reach free trade agreements with other parts of the world, such as Asia, which were growing more quickly than the EU. "So, in the short term the costs are likely to outweigh the benefits but in the long term the benefits could be greater," he said. The centre said the decision made by Britain would also have implications for the Republic because of the volume of trade across the border. But it's a decision over which the Republic "will have no say," the centre added. The Republic's Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said every Irish company which exports to Britain would be told of the importance of trying to stop a 'Brexit'. The largest decrease in trade with EU nations was for food and live animals, down 12%, which will be a cause for concern for the agri-food industry in the Year of Food 2016 Amid growing debate about the impact of a Brexit on Northern Ireland's exports to Europe, new government figures show trade with the EU is falling. Exports to our biggest trading partner, the Republic of Ireland, have fallen by more than 8% during the past year. A third of all goods produced here were sold south of the border in 2015, but overall sales dropped from 2.29bn to 2.11bn last year. Exports to the European Union as a whole fell by 4.6%, to 3.46bn. The figures, published by HMRC, revealed that exports to non-EU countries were up by more than a fifth, with a huge surge in sales to the United States - up by almost 73% to 1.11bn, an increase of 471m. Exports to South Korea rose by 47m, a three-fold increase. Growth in these non-EU markets helped Northern Ireland's total exports rise by 5.8% to 6.32bn during 2015. The HMRC report said: "The Irish Republic continued to dominate Northern Ireland's export market, despite its share decreasing from 38% to 33% during the year. This was the main reason why Northern Ireland has a higher proportion of export trade with the EU in comparison with the other UK countries." Chemicals and related products experienced the largest increase in exports during the year, up 42%. The largest decrease was for food and live animals, down 12%, which will be a cause for concern for the agri-food industry in the Year of Food 2016. The report said exports of meat and prepared meat products were down by 84m, a drop of 21%. Sales of dairy products and eggs fell by 61m or 17%. Earlier this week, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment launched the Export Matters action plan, which contains an ambitious target to grow the value of exports by 80% within the next decade. This goal is based on the planned cut in the level of corporation tax to 12.5%, due to come into effect in 2018. Launching the plan, Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell said export-led growth was "essential to the development of economic growth and helps underpin sustainable job opportunities which can have a substantial ripple effect across the economy". 3.46bn Value of Northern Ireland's total exports to the EU during 2015 The Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell is to press ahead with his controversial decision to end a government incentive scheme for wind farms. Plans to close the Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation (NIRO) were criticised by farmers who had invested in single turbines in the belief that there would be no change to subsidies until 2017. The Ulster Farmers' Union and Simple Power said they would seek leave for a judicial review of the decision. The Minister has confirmed that the NIRO scheme for new large scale projects - those generating over 5MW of power - will close on April 1, but there will be a further consultation on closure arrangements for small scale wind turbines. In the meantime, the scheme remains open to new applications. DETI officials told Stormont's Enterprise Committee yesterday that legislation would be brought before the Assembly next Tuesday. Last month, Mr Bell came under fire from companies, farmers and MLAs for suddenly pulling the plug on the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme after a 30m overspend by his department. RHI supported the installation of biomass energy systems in homes, farms, public buildings and businesses. Engineering firms that manufacture and install the equipment claim they will lose millions of pounds, and that up to 2,000 jobs could go, while the UFU said that up to 50 poultry farmers could be left with unfinished heating schemes that are too late to qualify for funding. The man suspected of killing Arlene Arkinson boasted he could get away with murder as he had chemicals that could destroy bodies, a hearing was told yesterday. Robert Howard joked to workmates on a building site a year before the teenager vanished that he knew how to dispose of a body. Contractor Mervyn Finlay, who employed the paedophile for about six weeks in 1993, said in a statement read to the court: "He said if he killed somebody he would not be caught because he knew how to get rid of a body." Mr Finlay told police about the content of the conversation in 2002 after hearing Howard had been charged with murder and that Arlene's body had not been found. At the time, it appeared Howard was "boasting", he added. Fifteen-year-old Arlene from Castlederg, Co Tyrone, disappeared in August 1994 after going to a disco in the Irish Republic. The schoolgirl was last seen with Howard, who was acquitted of her murder in 2005 by a jury unaware of his earlier conviction for killing a schoolgirl in south London. He remained the prime suspect until his death in jail aged 71 last year. Mr Finlay's statement was among a number read out and admitted as evidence to the inquest, which is now in its third week. Other witnesses told how he had substances capable of burning skin and dissolving bones. John Galbraith, who also worked on building sites, said he had seen old medicine bottles and jars filled with liquid laying about a shed at the rear of Howard's flat on Main Street in Castlederg. Howard told him he had "plenty of chemicals that would melt bones or steel". On one occasion, Mr Galbraith's girlfriend accidentally knocked over a medicine bottle filled with a hazardous liquid that fizzed and melted the metal it spilled on. Among the other statements admitted in evidence were one from a former prisoner who was in the hospital wing of Belfast's Crumlin Road jail at the same time as Howard in 1993. John Taggart said the child killer had described how he was able to manipulate the prison authorities by feigning claustrophobia to avoid being locked up in a small cell. He also appeared to be "fixated" on a teenage girl he had befriended, and after one visit, Howard came back in a "fit of rage", vowing to commit murder. "He said, 'I am going to commit murder and I will be back here (jail) in six months'," Mr Taggart told the inquest. His testimony came as it emerged that a former senior detective who led the investigation into Arlene's disappearance would be allowed to give his evidence via Skype. Retired chief superintendent Eric Anderson has previously cited ill health for non-appearance at other high-profile inquests, but a change in the relevant legislation last month means he could be compelled to appear. Despite objections from a lawyer for the Arkinson family, the coroner said he was content that a "degree of special" measure should be afforded to the former RUC officer in light of medical evidence. The case continues today. Belfast's landmark Metropolitan Arts Centre (Mac) is looking for contractors to fix the crumbling facade of the theatre, it can be revealed. And the repair work could start as soon as next month. The Mac, which only opened in April 2012, is seeking to appoint an 'integrated consultant team' for the entire project, from design and management, for a new stone facade. Just last week, Stormont's Culture Minister Caral Ni Chuilin voiced her determination to retrieve the estimated 1m needed to fix up the Mac. Her vow came after the Assembly heard of fears the public purse is having to "pay twice" for the building. Stonework at the entrance of the 18m Mac began crumbling last year. Now, the Mac is actively seeking a new contract for the work. That contract will include consultants, an architect, structural engineers and a quantity surveyor. The total value of the contract, according to the fresh tender, is valued at around 700,000. A spokesman for the Mac said work is expected to start soon, upon the successful appointment of consultants. And he said the Mac was hopeful the entire project would be completed by early next year. The Belfast Telegraph revealed last year that stonework at the entrance of the award-winning theatre began to crumble. The Culture Minister previously told the Assembly "we would not expect to be running into these difficulties within three years of the building being developed". "When you spend that amount of public money, people expect a better return, particularly in these times," she said. There had been investigations into the causes and possible liability for large chunks of basalt stone tiles falling off the exterior of the six-storey venue. Scaffolding now covers the majority of the Mac's facade. But despite initial concerns raised last year, as chunks of the basalt stone tiles began to fall off the structure, it has remained open for business. The venue boasts two theatres, three art galleries, a dance studio, workshops, a cafe and a bar. In 2013 the building was recognised for its architectural excellence with a National Award by the Royal Institute of British Architects. And it has also updated its food offering, thanks to Native restaurant opening late last year. It's a joint venture between Yellow Door Deli's Simon Dougan and Phil Rodgers. And it received high praise from Belfast Telegraph food critic Joris Minne, who said while the "food was always good in the Mac, wwnow that Native is in, it has raised the bar even higher". The daughter of a soldier killed by the IRA's Hyde Park bomb has broken her silence to reveal that she heard the blast that took her father's life. Sarah Young (38) spoke out after being dealt further heartache when her application for legal aid to fund a private prosecution against the main suspect was turned down. Her father, Lance Corporal Jeffrey Young, from Wales, was just 19 when he died along with Squadron Quartermaster Corporal Roy Bright (36), Lieutenant Anthony Daly (23) and Trooper Simon Tipper (19) following the July 1982 bomb attack. Seven horses were also either killed or had to be destroyed because of the severity of their injuries. John Downey (64) was the main suspect, but the case against him spectacularly collapsed at the Old Bailey in 2014 after it emerged he had received a "comfort letter" telling him that he was no longer wanted by the police. A judge ruled that the official communication meant Downey - who had denied murder - could not be prosecuted. Ms Young spearheaded the push for a private prosecution, but her application for legal was rejected. A Legal Aid Agency spokesman said: "Legal aid can only be granted where the case meets the statutory requirements for funding which has been set in law." Sarah told the Belfast Telegraph that she was just four years old when she last saw her father. She was in the nursery of Wellington Barracks - then the home of the Blues and Royals - as he turned and smiled at her as he went out of the door. "I remember that day as clear as if it was today," she said. "I was in the nursery inside the barracks. "He wasn't supposed to work that day, but the horses were playing up - they were agitated, as if they could sense something was about to happen." A short time later, the children heard a deep rumble as the IRA car bomb exploded. It had been placed in Hyde Park and detonated by remote control as members of the Royal Household Cavalry, Blues and Royals, passed by on their way to a Changing of the Guard ceremony. Sarah and the other children ran to the windows, where they saw soldiers covered in blood. One had nails embedded in his hands from the bomb. The images continue to haunt Sarah to this day. "The memories of that day hit me at unexpected moments, for instance on New Year's Eve, or something like that," she told this newspaper. "I have the TV on loudly to block out the noise of fireworks. I daren't go out in case there are fireworks and loud bangs because the noise will set me back to when it happened. I can never forget." In an emotional interview, Sarah also revealed she had in the past attempted suicide. "My dad loved horses, I think that was the reason he joined the Blues and Royals," she added. "He loved his job and was proud of doing it. It wasn't until I was around 14 that I started having problems and needed to talk to try and bring them out. "Sadly, my mother couldn't talk to me, though, because she always got upset by it. "The way it was explained to me was that, aged four, a child's brain is like a sponge, and that I had absorbed everything. It was all lodged in my brain. My family keep an eye out for me now, but there's only so much they can do." Sarah suffers from bipolar disorder as a consequence of the Hyde Park bombing. She now lives in a one-bedroomed housing association flat. Her dream of following in her father's footsteps by joining the Army abruptly ended when she was a teenager after an accident at a cadet training camp left her with severe injuries. Her father was only 15 when she was born to her mother, Judith. "They were so in love and had to go before a judge to ask permission to get married," Sarah explained. "The fact they were very young never bothered them - they were dedicated to me and my sister. "In the Army, everyone seemed to like my father - all of the troopers seemed to want to help to look after us. "It seems he spent his days talking about us. Even now, I stay in touch with all the boys who were injured that day. All of them tell me how wrong this decision not to grant legal aid is." Ulster Unionist MP Danny Kinahan, who served with one of the victims in the Household Cavalry and who acted as best man at his wedding, said the refusal to grant legal aid was a disgrace. "This refusal is an incredible decision given the amount of money in legal aid which is regularly handed over," he added. "I would have thought it was very much in the public interest to help prosecute people suspected of murdering our fellow citizens, and I wish Sarah every success in her appeal." The Angriest is a blog by award-winning Australian playwright and science fiction critic Grant Watson. Current regular features on this blog include episode-by-episode rewatches of Star Trek, a weekly comic book review column called The Pull List, and occassional reviews of Akira Kurosawa's films in chronological order. In 2016 Grant was awarded Best Fan Writer at the Australian Science Fiction Achievement "Ditmar" Awards. You might also like to check out FictionMachine , which is where Grant puts all of his full-length film criticism. Years of cutbacks to garda numbers in border counties is an aid to terror groups, officers in the Republic have warned Years of cuts to garda numbers in border counties have helped terrorists, officers in the Republic warned yesterday. The claim came as the PSNI said dissident groups were planning a number of attacks here over the coming weeks, following a bomb in east Belfast that hurt a prison officer. The Garda Representative Association (GRA) warned that a lack of resources in counties along the border could help republican terror groups. It warned that on some nights, just a mere handful of gardai are on duty along the Donegal border with Derry, Tyrone and Fermanagh. Frustration about lack of resources is turning to anger about the dangers they are exposed to, said a GRA spokesman. Successive governments have decimated policing to a level where it is barely functioning and staffing levels are so low that members fear for their safety. Cross-border criminals, drug dealers and terrorists are out there and our members feel they are being put at risk by being exposed to them without adequate back-up from either uniformed or armed colleagues. There have even been reports of some gardai working extra hours for no extra pay in an effort to tackle the criminal gangs. While the last Irish Government reopened the forces training facility at Templemore, garda chiefs have said it will take years for numbers to reach levels seen seven years ago. This is a position backed by GRA representatives along the border, who warned that gardai retiring will outnumber those being recruited. The organisations Donegal representative, Brendan OConnor, said: While some new recruits are being located in Donegal, the fact is they are only replacing gardai who are leaving the force, and as a result there is no actual increase in numbers. In fact, the opposite is true. It is not even making up for the outflow. He said the number of gardai in rural areas was also being hit by a lack of resources in the countys four district headquarters. Gardai are being brought in from rural stations into the larger stations to cover gaps there, Mr OConnor added. We welcome new recruitment to An Garda Siochana, but that rate of recruitment will not replace what we have lost. It will be a long time before we get back anywhere near the numbers required for an effective police service. The PSNI is on the highest state of alert, fearing terrorists will use the 1916 Rising events to carry out more attacks. Arlene Arkinson went missing after a night out in Co Donegal in August 1994 Good progress is being made to resolve the disclosure dispute at the centre of an inquest for missing teenager Arlene Arkinson, a coroner's court has heard. Documents relating to searches and some other sensitive police material are now ready to be handed over to lawyers representing relatives of the Co Tyrone schoolgirl, it was claimed. Fiona Doherty QC, barrister for the Coroner's Service said: "A few issues need to be bottomed out but good progress is being made." The row over the disclosure of material from the Police Service of Northern Ireland has been ongoing since the long-delayed inquest started three weeks ago. Although coroner Brian Sherrard has yet to formally rule on the PSNI's contentious Public Interest Immunity application, he stressed the level of redacted material was "modest" and was confined to individual names, phrases and single words. Fifteen-year-old Arlene, from Castlederg, went missing after a night out across the border in Co Donegal in August 1994. She was last seen with paedophile Robert Howard who was acquitted of her murder in 2005 by a jury which was not told of his conviction for killing another schoolgirl in South London. Howard, 71, remained the prime suspect until his death in prison last year. Meanwhile, it also emerged that a letter was being sent to Arlene's sister Anita McGale requesting that she give evidence. Mr Sherrard said he did not want to exercise his new powers to compel a witness but noted that it was important the court heard what she had to say. The coroner said: "I do not wish to go down any aggressive route with regard to Mrs McGale or any witness but I hope that the letter will be suitably persuasive." The case has been adjourned until Friday when three social workers are expected to give evidence. NHS workers in Northern Ireland will get a 1% pay rise in line with the rest of the UK, the Health Minister has announced. Simon Hamilton said he had accepted recommendations from two independent bodies for a 2016/17 pay award. However, a leading health workers' union said the pay gap between Northern Ireland and UK staff should be reviewed. At one point during the long-running dispute, nurses' representatives threatened industrial action. Yesterday, the minister announced he had accepted recommendations for a 1% rise from both the NHS Pay Review Body and the Doctors and Dentists' Review Body. Writing in today's Belfast Telegraph, Mr Hamilton said that since becoming Health Minister last May he had "become acutely aware of the immensity of the challenges facing my department". "That includes having to make tough choices and difficult decisions, balancing a range of pressures for my department's limited resources," he wrote. Mr Hamilton said the NHS Pay Review Body Report suggested that certain economic factors "could point towards the option of a nil award", and told how it stated that it had seen no evidence to say that large numbers of staff were leaving Northern Ireland because of pay. "However, both bodies have recommended a 1% increase for health and social care staff and salaried doctors and dentists in Northern Ireland, in line with the award across the rest of the United Kingdom," he added. "I am happy to confirm that I am accepting these recommendations for a 1% pay award. "I know that some will, perhaps, think that they should get a higher pay rise than 1%. It will, of course, be challenging in what are tough budgetary times to find the funds to meet this award. But on this issue I am clear that this is an appropriate and affordable award for our hard-working staff - the vast majority of whom, I am sure, will warmly welcome this decision." However, the Unison union called for further examination of the pay gaps between Northern Ireland and the other regions in the NHS. Anne Speed, head of bargaining and representation added: "Unison members are disappointed that pay inequalities experienced by our members will continue because of the decisions by health ministers over the past two years and the late submission to the Pay Review Body this year. "We echo the criticism of our colleagues across the UK that the Pay Review Body has stuck to the artificial 1% pay freeze imposed by the Tory government. We agree with them that this rise falls way below what health workers need and deserve after years of health cuts, especially as changes to national insurance and pension contributions will absorb much of this miserly increase. "The governments in Scotland and Wales are committed to paying the living wage. Staff in Northern Ireland will want to know why tackling poverty pay in the health service here is not a political priority." Ms Speed said NHS staff in Northern Ireland have had imposed pay awards for the last two years "and have effectively had a pay freeze for the last year". She said pay rates here remain at 2013/14 levels and are at least 1% behind the rest of the UK. She added: "The Unison Health Committee therefore will insist that the incoming Northern Ireland Executive and Health Minister directly engage with the regional health trade unions to ensure that pay inequalities are addressed and resolved at the earliest opportunity. The message from Unison health workers to the incoming Executive is 'pay us what you owe us'." Arlene Foster unveils a new mural on the Newtownards Road, Belfast, yesterday which pays tribute to the heroism and sacrifice of the 36th (Ulster) Division at the Somme in 1916 Arlene Foster unveils a new mural on the Newtownards Road, Belfast, yesterday which pays tribute to the heroism and sacrifice of the 36th (Ulster) Division at the Somme in 1916 First Minister Arlene Foster has unveiled a new Battle of the Somme mural that has replaced sinister loyalist imagery in east Belfast. The new artwork on the Newtownards Road, created by Belfast artist Dee Craig, replaces a mural depicting a large Red Hand Commando (RHC) crest and two masked gunmen. It now depicts images from the Battle of the Somme surrounded by a border of red poppies to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the battle later this year. It also features a quote from Captain Wilfred Spencer of the 36th (Ulster) Division's HQ staff, which says: "I am not an Ulsterman but yesterday, the 1st July, as I followed their amazing attack, I felt that I would rather be an Ulsterman than anything else in the world. "My pen cannot describe adequately the hundreds of heroic acts that I witnessed The Ulster Volunteer Force, from which the division was made, has won a name which equals any in history." Until last month, the wall was dedicated to the RHC, which was closely linked to the UVF. The terror group was proscribed in 1973 and was linked to murders and bombings throughout the Troubles, including the killing of former Sinn Fein vice-president Maire Drumm in 1973. It announced a ceasefire in 2007 and decommissioned in 2009. Mrs Foster visited the project yesterday and was cheered on by members of the local community as she revealed the new Somme artwork. She said: "The Northern Ireland Executive is committed to building a shared and better future for everyone in Northern Ireland. I have no doubt that community-led initiatives such as this allow all of us to acknowledge our shared history as part of that transformation process. "It is particularly poignant to showcase the Somme during this decade of centenaries. It is right and proper that we remember and honour the brave young men of Northern Ireland who sacrificed so much to give us our freedom." The mural initiative was led by a community body, the Reach project, and supported by the Housing Executive. Jim Wilson, from Reach, helped to design the Battle of the Somme mural and also wrote the poem on the nearby 'No More' mural with his grandson who is featured in the painting. He said: "It's with great pride that the First Minister is here today to dedicate this mural. I would also like to thank the Housing Executive for their support in this initiative and many other projects in this area." It is the latest in a series of murals in the area that have been replaced as part of the ongoing community-led regeneration of the area. The refurbished Titanic and 'No More' murals have already been attracting tourists to east Belfast. Tomorrow, a mural of St Patrick is to be unveiled in a loyalist area of south Belfast this week as part of a project to replace paramilitary street art. Painter and sculptor Ross Wilson hopes his latest mural in the Village will help overcome misconceptions about the patron saint of Ireland. Dromore branch standard bearer Colin Ward who, along with branch chairman Adrian Hawthorne is heading up the group of walkers, is confident that their event will go to plan Royal British Legion members and supporters are taking on a 100-mile march in five days this summer to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme. The group from Dromore, Co Down, will be using the event not only to raise funds for the Northern Ireland Poppy Appeal and Macmillan Cancer Support, but also in commemoration of the thousands of lives lost during one of the most important battles of the First World War. The Battle of the Somme was one of the bloodiest of the conflict. Fighting began on July 1, 1916 and lasted 141 days. In total, 60 nations from the British Empire and Europe were involved in the fighting across a 25km front. When the offensive finally came to a halt on November 18, 1916, the Somme had claimed a million casualties; 430,000 from Commonwealth countries, with a third of this number killed. Dromore branch standard bearer Colin Ward who, along with branch chairman Adrian Hawthorne is heading up the group of walkers, is confident that their event will go to plan. "We initially came up with the idea a couple of years ago - to march one mile for every year of the centenary, ending at the Ulster Tower in France. We will have five walkers and two support drivers; we have been training hard and making sure everything is in place down to the finest detail," he said. The group will be leaving Northern Ireland on June 24, following a farewell parade and assembly at Dromore war memorial. Then, dressed in specially-commissioned replica WWI army uniforms, the marchers will make their way to London and onward to their start point at Boulogne Harbour. They plan on averaging 24 miles per day, reaching the Ulster Tower on June 30. Donations can be made to the March to The Somme challenge event by visiting www.justgiving.com/MarchtotheSommePoppy Victims commissioner Judith Thompson has warned the Government cannot hide behind national security in dealing with the legacy from the Troubles. And she has called for a clear definition of "national security" in a bid to unlock the stalemate between the Government and Sinn Fein. Writing exclusively for the Belfast Telegraph today, Mrs Thompson warned: "National Security cannot be a convenient rock under which the government can hide uncomfortable issues." But addressing paramilitary groups she also added: "Neither can there be an excuse for anyone refusing to come forward to cooperate with the proposed new Historical Investigation Unit (HIU) or Independent Commission for Information Retrieval (ICIR)." In an optimistic assessment, she also concluded agreement on dealing with the past "is very much on the cards" - while also stressing that negotiations after the May 5 Assembly election could be the last chance for a workable deal. Speaking at a conference launching a major mid-term review on the progress of the 2009-2019 Victims and Survivors Strategy, she said the 'Fresh Start' deal between the DUP and Sinn Fein last November, which sidelined victims issues, had been a "crushing disappointment". A year earlier, at Christmas 2014, the Stormont House Agreement contained a series of detailed plans including the new HIU and ICIR to act as agents of information retrieval for victims and survivors. Then a row between Sinn Fein and the London government over disclosure mechanisms meant the proposals were not included in an implementation plan in the 'Fresh Start' document. Following a recent round of talks with the Stormont parties, Mrs Thompson argued a clear definition of 'national security' would be the final key to breaking the deadlock on the implementation of the HIU. She also welcomed recent proposals from the Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan which included a five-year time-plan for dealing with controversial inquests, some of which have been delayed for decades. She also added, however: "I am equally aware that what is on offer will not satisfy everyone ... there is something for everyone but not everything for everyone." Northern Ireland has around 200,000 adults suffering from mental health problems arising from the Troubles with some 40,000 suffering from injuries involving an estimated 3,720 bereaved families. Many victims and survivors from the so-called Troubles have only begun to seek help in more recent years and there have been estimates the Victims and Survivors Service will face a 10% increase in people coming forward every year. he stashes included 9 bars of cannabis resin -the thick brown blocks you see in these pictures. Police said these are broken up into deals of various sizes by criminals who try to get at least 350 out of each block. There are around 20 ready to be destroyed. he stashes included 9 bars of cannabis resin -the thick brown blocks you see in these pictures. Police said these are broken up into deals of various sizes by criminals who try to get at least 350 out of each block. There are around 20 ready to be destroyed. A large cabinet full of plastic bags, which contain suspected drugs seized recently. They are being stored to be forensically tested. They also destroyed herbal/bud cannabis or Skunk the green substance that resembles dried lawnmower cuttings and said that criminals try to get at least 15 for one gram. Police have burnt thousands of pounds worth of illegal drugs in a bid to send a message to drug dealers. The cannabis resin, herbal cannabis, skunk cocaine speed and ecstasy that have been seized by police in Lisburn and Castlereagh in the last six months, will be burnt in an incinerator. The stashes included 9 bars of cannabis resin -the thick brown blocks you see in these pictures. Police said these are broken up into deals of various sizes by criminals who try to get at least 350 out of each block. There are around 20 ready to be destroyed. They also destroyed herbal/bud cannabis or Skunk the green substance that resembles dried lawnmower cuttings and said that criminals try to get at least 15 for one gram. Wraps of cocaine and amphetamine, worth between 15 and 40 per gram, were also destroyed. The photographs also show a large cabinet full of plastic bags, which contain suspected drugs seized recently. They are being stored to be forensically tested. In a post on Facebook, a police officer said: Drug dealers dont care and this how they make their money. Except in this district because we have seized their drugs. Officers from the District Support Team, Local Policing Team and Neighbourhood Policing Team all played their part along with specialist detectives from Reactive and Organised Crime Branch. And now we are going to burn every last gram in an industrial incinerator, over and over again until it literally turns into nothing. No smoke. Not even vapour. Try selling that Mr and Mrs Drug Dealer. Lisburn and Castlereagh PSNI District Support Team Inspector Mark Robinson added: While you are all at work, at home, at school or college, we are busy fighting these criminals. Searching out their stash and seizing it, testing it, making arrests and charging people. Putting them through the criminal justice system. All this to keep people safe. In the financial year April 15 to end of January 16 police in this district arrested 189 people (35 more than last year) charged 91 people with drugs offences (16 more than last year) and made 410 seizures (86 more than last year). We are keeping the pressure up. If you know anything about drug dealing where you live, phone us on 101 and tell us. If you want to pass the information without giving your personal details you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Police are investigating the report of a suspicious approach to two children in the Clanmorris Close area of Bangor, Co Down on Wednesday. Two young girls were approached by a man who asked them to go into an entryway with him to keep watch while he went to the toilet. The children refused and neither child was physically touched during the incident. Detective Inspector Harry Colgan said: "The man was described as being aged in his early 20s, of medium build, around 510 tall with brown scruffy sideburns. "He was wearing a baggy black hooded top with the hood up, baggy black tracksuit bottoms and a peaked cap which was possibly grey or white in colour." Update Read More Police said that they are investigating a link between this incident and similar incidents towards the end of February in the Kilocooley estate area in which a number of young children were approached. Detective Colgan added: "We are keen to identify this man immediately and I would appeal to anyone who noticed a man matching this description in the Clanmorris Close area today or anyone who has any information which could assist us with our enquiries to contact detectives in Bangor on 101. Information can also be given anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. The number of reported child sex offences has risen by a third to the equivalent of more than 113 per day, a leading children's charity has said. Police in England and Wales recorded a total of 41,457 sexual offences against under-18s in the financial year 2014/15 - up from 31,238 the previous year, a 33% rise. Including Scotland and Northern Ireland, the total for 2014/15 rises to 45,456, the equivalent of more than 124 per day, or more than five per hour. Among the crimes where the gender of the victim was recorded, 30,393 were female and 7,639 were male. NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless said: "This dramatic rise is deeply worrying and shows just how extensive this appalling crime has become, claiming many victims every day, every hour. "Sexual abuse can shatter a child's mental health. It can leave them anxious, depressed and even suicidal. That is why it is crucial every single child who has endured abuse and needs support must get timely, thorough help so they can learn how to handle disturbing emotions and behaviours and rebuild their lives." Among the forces in England and Wales that were able to give an age breakdown for the figures, a total of 10,757 were aged 10 and under, including 2,409 who were under four. The charity said a number of factors could be behind the rise, including changes in the way police record crime, survivors being encouraged to speak out following high profile abuse cases, and the "major problem" of online grooming. A spokesman said: "Sex offenders grooming children online is a huge problem, and children in the UK can be targeted from anywhere in the world. "Online predators may trawl social networks, online game environments and other areas popular with children to build trust with young people and exploit any vulnerabilities they discover. "The methods are sometimes very sophisticated, or they may take a more scattergun approach and target hundreds of children at a time." The charity has launched a campaign called It's Time, urging the Government to increase funding and to ring-fence money for support services for children who have been abused. The National Police Chiefs' Council lead for child protection, Chief Constable Simon Bailey, said: "The figures collated by the NSPCC on child sexual offences reported to police are another reminder of the shocking scale of child sexual abuse. "Changes in police recording and victims' improved confidence in how the police will deal with abuse have played a significant part in the increase in reports to us. But am I now starting work with academics to consider whether more children are actually being abused. "The internet has opened up new opportunities for abusers to groom children, view indecent images and watch and direct live sexual abuse of children, and we need to understand the impact of this. "Police have improved our response to sexual abuse and every single day we are safeguarding children at risk, investigating offences and bringing abusers to court. "However by the time the report comes to us, the damage is done, so colleagues working in social care, education and health need to work together to stop abuse before it happens. "Police work will continue but we ask everyone to help us by being alert to signs of abuse and sharing any concerns however small they may seem." The last group of refugees from Syria received a warm welcome Sixty Syrian refugees are due to arrive in Northern Ireland next month, the Deputy First Minister said. They are expected to be settled in the North West and will be the second group accepted. The first to enter under a UK-sponsored scheme came before Christmas and are doing well, Martin McGuinness added. He pledged to welcome their compatriots. He said: "Some of them are suffering from very traumatic conditions. We are expecting them to arrive some time around the beginning of next month. "The intention is that they will go to the North West. We are at an advanced stage of preparation. "This next group will be similarly well-treated, with every avenue to ensure their happiness and peace of mind is dealt with in the next number of weeks." The UK is taking refugees from camps in countries neighbouring Syria rather than those who travelled independently into Europe. Mr McGuinness added: "We want to take in groups in a way that we are not over-stretching ourselves and doing a disservice to people who would arrive here in big numbers." He briefed the OFMDFM scrutiny committee at Stormont. Chairman Mike Nesbitt suggested Northern Ireland lacked the facilities to help the most traumatised. The former victims' commission has been a strong advocate for improved trauma services in Northern Ireland. First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, along with Simon Hamilton, Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, officially opened the new 4.6million Mencap Centre in Belfast. Picture by Phil Smyth First Minister Arlene Foster, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, and Health Minister Simon Hamilton, have officially opened the new Mencap Centre in Belfast. The new state-of-the-art centre will serve as a new model for early intervention services, providing key support services for young people with a learning disability and their families and carers. The centre will provide support services, including a new childrens nursery; specialist treatment and activity rooms; a hub for young people to engage in arts and cultural programmes; and family meeting facilities, enabling peer support and information points for guidance and advice. Ms Foster said: It is an honour to open this new 4.6million purpose built centre which will support those with a learning disability and their families right across Northern Ireland. Expand Close Joined by Luca Heron (3) and Margaret Kelly, the Director of Mencap in Northern Ireland, First Minister Arlene Foster, deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Simon Hamilton, Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, officially opened the new 4.6million Mencap Centre in Belfast. Picture by Phil Smyth / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Joined by Luca Heron (3) and Margaret Kelly, the Director of Mencap in Northern Ireland, First Minister Arlene Foster, deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Simon Hamilton, Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, officially opened the new 4.6million Mencap Centre in Belfast. Picture by Phil Smyth The Northern Ireland Executives Disability strategy acknowledges that people with disabilities deserve to be treated equally alongside those without disabilities. The opening of this state of the art centre today reaffirms our commitment to addressing and removing the obstacles that people with disabilities face to ensure they have the same equality of opportunity and equality of treatment enjoyed by others in society. I am immensely proud of Northern Ireland and I want ensure that our young people and adults with a learning disability receive the support they need to reach their full potential and to live the life they want to lead. Mr McGuinness said: One person in five is affected by a disability and one in four families will be affected at some stage in their life time by a disability. Disability impacts not just upon the individual, but upon the family, the carers, the friends and co-workers. This 4.6million state of the art facility is a major asset that will transform and improve the lives of everyone who comes through the door. Its a game changer for the Learning Disability community and everyone who avails of their services. The Department of Health contributed 2.5million to the financing of this project. This financial backing combined with resolve and relentless drive of Mencap has resulted in this first class facility. Expand Close Simon Hamilton, Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, said a quick hello to Luca Heron (3) and his mum, Nadine Heron, at the official opening of the new 4.6million Mencap Centre in Belfast. Picture by Phil Smyth / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Simon Hamilton, Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, said a quick hello to Luca Heron (3) and his mum, Nadine Heron, at the official opening of the new 4.6million Mencap Centre in Belfast. Picture by Phil Smyth Its an incredible place and one I feel will become the template for developments of this type in the future. It is much more than a new building as it will support outreach services across the north. The Centre was partly funded by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) through a 2.5m capital grant. Health Minister Simon Hamilton said: I am delighted to jointly open this impressive new building. The work and vision of Mencap in developing this inspirational facility, generously supported by all sectors, and the Northern Ireland public, is to be commended. I am pleased that my Department was able to provide the initial 2.5million of funding, which has been fundamental, in making it a reality. Facilities such as these offer real opportunities and support for people with learning disabilities. The Centre will enable Mencap to deliver existing, new and enhanced services to children; young people and adults with a learning disability and their families. Trampoline During the official opening Mr McGuinness couldn't resist trying out of some of the new equipment. The Deputy First Minister opted for a go on the trampoline. No charges were ever brought against the boy over the attack A Co Antrim schoolboy arrested over the cyber attack on TalkTalk has ended his claim for damages against Google. The 15-year-old's action was discontinued during a brief hearing at the High Court in Belfast today. His lawyers had been seeking permission to serve proceedings at the internet giant's US headquarters in a world-first attempt to sue it for negligence. The development comes just over a month after the teenager settled his privacy lawsuit against Twitter on confidential terms. Separate actions are continuing against three national newspapers over the publicity surrounding his arrest. He was questioned in October last year by police investigating a major hack into the phone and broadband provider's database. The boy was among a number of suspects to be detained in connection with the TalkTalk probe. He was interviewed on suspicion of offences under the Computer Misuse Act before being released on bail. No charges were brought. Since then his lawyers have issued writs claiming negligence, misuse of private information, defamation, breach of confidence and data protection. The three newspapers defending the action, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mail and The Sun, have all given undertakings aimed to protecting his identity pending the outcome of the case. Legal steps were also taken to secure the removal of material published online about the boy and where he lived. The court was told that the boy's family has had to move home following the publicity surrounding his arrest. His lawyers claimed he could be identified from newspaper articles and partially blacked out photographs which appeared at the time. Barristers Ronan Lavery QC and Sean Mullan contended that the content contributed to their client being "stigmatised" within his community. They said the teenager's name also featured in tweets and online searches. During one of a number of hearings in the case, a lawyer for the Daily Mail rejected claims that it had revealed his identity. She said the newspaper altered the boy's appearance, changed his hair colour in the photo used and never published his name or address. An order prohibiting the publication of any material that could lead to the boy being identified remains in place Anti-drilling protesters will face being banned from an exploratory oil well site in Co Antrim if they block work getting underway, a High Court judge warned. The company behind the project at Woodburn Forest near Carrickfergus is seeking an injunction to stop alleged trespassing and obstruction. 10 people called to court by Infrastrata last night. #StopTheDrill pic.twitter.com/T2mnC6KXjj Stop The Drill (@StopTheDrill) March 9, 2016 With contractors due on the site on Thursday morning, lawyers for InfraStrata claimed any disruption will have financial consequences for a project costing 8,000 a day. But Lord Justice Girvan adjourned the legal action until after the workmen have moved in. He told counsel for the firm: "If access has been obstructed your argument for an injunction becomes unanswerable." Proceedings were issued against 10 people named on legal papers after a notice was issued for protesters to vacate the site on Tuesday. The Stop the Drill campaign group is opposing a controversial borehole to search for oil and gas in the area, saying it is part of the catchment for a reservoir supplying water to homes in Belfast and Carrick. Expand Close Friends of Woodburn Forest at Belfast High Court to hear the outcome of the affidavit against the Stop the Drilling campaign. Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Norther / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Friends of Woodburn Forest at Belfast High Court to hear the outcome of the affidavit against the Stop the Drilling campaign. Picture by Freddie Parkinson/Press Eye They claim chemicals used in the drill process could leach into the water table. But Northern Ireland Water, which leased the site to InfraStrata, insists the project will not compromise the water supply. Groundwater will also be protected by measures including the drill shaft being encased in steel and concrete, according to the firm. Expand Close The Stop the Drill campaign group is opposing a controversial borehole to search for oil and gas in the area, saying it is part of the catchment for a reservoir supplying water to homes in Belfast and Carrick / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Stop the Drill campaign group is opposing a controversial borehole to search for oil and gas in the area, saying it is part of the catchment for a reservoir supplying water to homes in Belfast and Carrick Earlier this week Mid and East Antrim Council approved a waste management plan - effectively paving the way for four months of work on the site to begin. In court barrister John Maxwell, for InfraStrata, said a protest camp has been in operation since last month. He claimed groups of up to 25 people gathered during earlier, preliminary stages in the project. At one stage cars were used to block off the entrance to the site, he claimed. Mr Maxwell argued that his client has a right of way on private land and was only taking the minimal step of an injunction at this stage. Read More But he stressed: "If we are forced we will sue for damages and we will use the criminal law." Michael Lavery, representing some of the 10 defendants, predicted there could be a legal challenge to the lawfulness of the licensing process around the project. Denying that his clients had either trespassed or caused obstruction, he insisted: "They are not some lunatic fringe, they are responsible people." Mr Lavery argued that campers, hikers and other members of the public all have a right to access the forest park. And he claimed that it was a world-first attempt to drill in a water catchment area. "There's not only local concern, this has attracted international concern," he told the court. "There are grave, grave reservations about what is going on here." According to the barrister questions remain over permission to divert drainage. He added: "There's concern the drinking water will be polluted. "This reservoir supplies drinking water to more than 130,000 people." Following submissions, however, Lord Justice Girvan put the case on hold to see what happens on Thursday morning. There were angry scenes at a Mid and East Antrim Council meeting on Monday night after more than 100 protesters shouted at councillors who backed the company's waste management plan, which formally paved the way for the borehole to go ahead. Local residents have picketed the forest with Stop The Drill campaigners concerned over the lack of public scrutiny for plans to carry out exploratory oil and gas drilling close to the reservoir that supplies drinking water to hundreds of homes in Co Antrim. Planning permission was not required for the drill to proceed. The campaign has been backed by celebrities human rights advocate Bianca Jagger and Spotlight and Avengers star Mark Ruffalo. A massive garda operation is underway in Dublin, targeting the activities of a south inner city-based crime group linked to David Byrne, who was murdered in the Regency Hotel. Armed gardai and the Criminal Assets Bureau are carrying out ongoing searches in at least 12 private homes and six commercial premises in the Dublin area. It is understood that the commercial properties include accountant's offices and solicitor's offices as up to 60 gardai search for cash, documents, computers and files to link the south inner-city Dublin gang to the proceeds of organised crime. The gang is one of the two feuding groups which has seen two high-profile murders in the capital in recent weeks. The searches are concentrated on houses at the junction of Kildare Road and Windmill Road in Crumlin, South Dublin and in Raleigh Square just off Windmill Road. These are the same streets that were heavily policed by armed gardai only weeks ago in the wake of the killing of Byrne in the Regency Hotel on February 5 and the retaliation shooting of Eddie Hutch Snr three days later. Read More Gardai and members of the Criminal Assents Bureau could be seen entering a number of houses. On one house it could be seen that the front door had been battered open. A number of houses on the L-shaped Raleigh Square were being searched, according to sources. The garda helicopter could also be seen in the sky monitoring the searches from above. "The searches are being conducted as part of an on-going investigation into organised crime groups which has been underway for some considerable time," a garda spokesman said. The Criminal Assets Bureau has been assisted in the operation by personnel from the following The Emergency Response Unit, Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, Special Detective Unit, Dublin Metropolitan South Division, Dublin Metropolitan North Central Division, and Garda Siochana Technical Bureau. Garda Operational Support Unit Assistance has also been provided by the Revenue Customs service. "At this time the operation is on-going and it is anticipated that it will take some time for all searches to be completed," said the garda spokesman. Irish Independent Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has said he is willing to meet Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin to discuss the ongoing political impasse. But Mr Adams has ruled out the prospect of forming a coalition with either of the two mainstream parties. Speaking on the plinth of the Dail today, where he was surrounded by his parliamentary party, Mr Adams warned against allowing the Dail to be adjourned for up to two months. TDs are paid very sizeable salaries, ministers are paid even bigger salaries, there is no excuse to come here tomorrow and then to adjourn for a month or two months, Mr Adams told reporters. Is the national interest, a much touted about phrase these days, served by the politicians sent in here to do a job of work, taking the next month or two months off? We dont believe it is served and we believe there is plenty of precedent to allow the arrangement we are looking to put in place over the period, he added. Despite ruling out coalition talks with either Fine Gael or Fianna Fail, Mr Adams said he would meet Mr Kenny and Mr Martin if asked to do so. Of course I will yes, he stated. Sinn Feins whip Aengus O Snodaigh confirmed that he has held discussions with the Green Party, the People Before Profit Alliance and independents about the prospect of forming a government. The partys deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald said she has met with Right2Change candidates and trade unions to survey the political scene now which has changed utterly since the last Dail. Irish Independent An Irish brewery has defended itself against accusations it is cashing in on the 1916 Easter Rising amidst complaints its new beer is targeted at minors because of its name. Bray-based Wicklow Wolf Brewing Company unveiled its latest brew 'Children of the Revolution' earlier this month ahead of the 1916 centenary, and said, at the time, it was a celebration of the countrymen and women who made possible the Ireland we live in today. However there has been several complaints on Irish social media saying that the label 'Children of the Revolution' is inappropriate because "children will think it is for them". Speaking to the Independent.ie, co-founder Quincey Fennelly said that the 3.95 beers title was a play on the old song by T-Rex and that it was in no way intended to attract minors to the product. Were all children and grandchild of the revolution, and I dont accept the idea that just because weve mention children on the beer that it makes it anyway more attractive to [minors], its a historical reference. Theres no intent on our behalf to try and attract children to our beer, if you look at the packaging, it is not intended for children, it is sold at a premium price, and is only stocked in stores and bars that sell premium products. Read More Last month, a bar of chocolate inspired by the Proclamation came under fire from those saying it was tasteless and inappropriate. The bars wrapper figured the faces of the 1916 rebellion leaders as well as the Proclamation, which some people complaining that it companies should be prevent from commercialisation of the Risings centenary. Mr Fennelly continued: Some people try to find offence in certain things but at this stage, weve had absolutely no negativity towards the beer, and I cant understand to be honest why there would be the title of the beer Children of the Revolution is really [our] small way of tipping our glass to the brave people of 1916. Expand Close Heatons' 1916 Easter Rising chocolate bar. Pic Justin Hourigan/Twitter / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Heatons' 1916 Easter Rising chocolate bar. Pic Justin Hourigan/Twitter The beer is a bitter ale, so its catchphrase is the bitterness ends here as a craft brewery we always promote responsible drinking. Children of the Revolution is available now, said Wicklow Wolf, and would be on draft in select bars around Dublin for the Easter Weekend. David Kearns, Irish Independent Thousands of junior doctors across England are on strike in a row with the Government over a new contract. More than 5,000 operations and procedures across England have been cancelled ahead of the 48-hour strike which began at 8am. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced he will impose the contract on junior doctors - everyone up to consultant level - after months of talks with the British Medical Association (BMA) failed to reach a resolution. Junior doctors will provide emergency care only on Wednesday and Thursday, with two further 48-hour strikes planned from 8am on April 8 and April 26. The third strike by the BMA comes as an Ipsos MORI poll for BBC News found 65% of members of the public support the doctors' cause. The survey found most people still think the Government is most at fault for the dispute, but a rising number believe equal blame should be shared by the Government and doctors' leaders. Public support for the latest strike is as high as it was for the first two stoppages earlier this year, with 65% of 860 adults in England supporting the strike. Some 57% said the Government was most at fault for the dispute continuing this long, down from 64% in February, while the number saying junior doctors were most at fault remained around 11%. New figures from NHS England from 228 organisations, of which 154 are acute hospital trusts, show that 2,077 inpatient procedures have been cancelled due to Wednesday and Thursday's industrial action alongside 3,187 day case operations and procedures. Hundreds more routine clinics and appointments are likely to be affected. Dr Anne Rainsberry, national incident director for NHS England, said: "This is clearly going to be a difficult couple of days. A 48-hour strike will put significantly more pressure on the NHS and the cumulative effect of these recurring strikes is likely to take a toll. "The safety and care of patients is always our number one priority and staff across the NHS are doing all they can to minimise the impact on patients of the action." Urgent and emergency care services will be available as normal but hospitals are expected to be under extra pressure Where possible, patients are being asked to contact their GP, seek advice from their local pharmacist, call 111 or check the NHS Choices website. In an emergency, people should still call 999 or go to A&E. The BMA is seeking a judicial review over imposition of the contract, though Government lawyers have argued this is "misconceived". The major sticking point has been over weekend pay and whether Saturdays should attract extra "unsocial" payments. Currently, 7pm to 7am Monday to Friday and the whole of Saturday and Sunday attracts a premium rate of pay for junior doctors. The Government wanted the Saturday day shift to be paid at a normal rate in return for a hike in basic pay. The BMA rejected this and urged Mr Hunt to reduce the offer of basic pay and instead have better premium rates on Saturdays. The imposed contract, which is due to come into force in August, has an increase in basic salary of 13.5%. Under the new arrangements, Mr Hunt said no doctor working contracted hours would see a pay cut while too many night shifts and long shifts will be limited. But 7am to 5pm on Saturdays will be regarded as a normal working day. A Department of Health spokesman said: "Patients have so far seen more than 19,000 operations cancelled as a result of the BMA's irresponsible and unjustified industrial action. "The new contract, 90% of which was agreed with the BMA and endorsed by senior NHS leaders, is a very good deal for doctors and the NHS." The Royal College of Radiologists said it remains "deeply concerned" about the impact on patients of the continuing dispute. Johann Malawana, the BMA's junior doctor chairman, said: "We deeply regret disruption to patients, and have given trusts as much notice as possible to plan ahead, but the Government has left junior doctors with no choice. "Ministers have made it clear they intend to impose a contract that is unfair on junior doctors and could undermine the delivery of patient care in the long term." The Green Party offered its support to striking doctors. Its health spokesman, Larry Sanders, who is the brother of US presidential hopeful Bernie, said: " The hypocrisy of Jeremy Hunt announcing that he was imposing a contract on junior doctors exactly one year after he 'called time on NHS bullying' is astounding. "Those junior doctors are essential to a functioning NHS and they will go on to become leaders of the service. They need to be treated with the respect that they deserve. "It is clear to all that Jeremy Hunt's agenda is to destroy the NHS and to pass it into private hands supported by an insurance scheme. He has gone on record with these views and he is therefore not a fit person to be in charge of the NHS." Outside the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, passing motorists beeped their horns in support of the junior doctors on strike. Orthopaedic registrar Christopher Gee said morale across the NHS was now at "an all-time low" amid uncertainty over the future of the NHS. He said: "It is very frustrating. Doctors feel they have been backed into a corner. "We all very conclusively believe we have no other choice but to strike. We are trying to do everything we can to get the Government to listen. "The junior doctors' contract is a significant patient safety issue. There is a recruitment crisis in the NHS - doctors and nurses are already stretched. "Trying to stretch services further when there hasn't been any proper planning is essentially dangerous for patients." Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: "Whatever the rights and wrongs of the arguments put forward by either side, the failure to resolve the differences by agreement is bad for doctors, bad for the taxpayer, but above all bad for patients and the NHS. "Indeed, we believe that the survival of the NHS itself is in danger. Repeated industrial action can only increase the risks to patients. Both will continue the destruction of trust between staff and their employers, and erode the public's confidence in the service." NHS England said 44% of junior doctors - out of a possible 26,000 working on a typical day - have reported for duty on the day shift today. But it confirmed that the figure included doctors who had never intended to strike, such as those working in emergency care. David Cameron was challenged at Prime Minister's Questions about whether he would quit in the event of an "out" vote David Cameron has insisted he will not resign if Britain votes to leave the European Union in the forthcoming referendum. Challenged at Prime Minister's Questions by Labour MP Richard Burgon whether he would quit in the event of an "out" vote, Mr Cameron replied simply: "No." Conservative MPs on both sides of the Brexit debate have insisted publicly that Mr Cameron will carry on in No 10 regardless of the outcome of the referendum on June 23. However many at Westminster believe that if the public rejects his EU reform package and votes to leave, he will be too badly damaged politically to carry on and will be forced to go. Asked whether Jeremy Corbyn believed Mr Cameron should step down if Britain votes to leave the EU, a senior Labour source said: "That's a matter for the Prime Minister." The Supreme Court found in favour of HMRC and ruled that tax should have been paid on the bonuses The Supreme Court has ruled against "Houdini" schemes designed to avoid the payment of income tax on bankers' bonuses. In test case decisions affecting a number of other similar schemes, five senior judges allowed an appeal by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) over employee bonus plans operated by UBS Group AG and Deutsche Bank. Lord Reed - sitting with court president Lord Neuberger, Lord Mance, Lord Carnwath and Lord Hodge - observed that "a great deal of intellectual effort is devoted to tax avoidance". The schemes before the court concerned composite transactions. Lord Reed said they were of the same nature as other schemes a judge in a previous case had described as "the most sophisticated attempts of the Houdini taxpayer to escape from the manacles of tax". The 90 million plans set up in 2003 involved employees being awarded redeemable shares in offshore companies with the aim of avoiding both income tax and National Insurance in 2004. HMRC said the plans amounted to tax avoidance, triggering a long legal battle through tax tribunals up to the Court of Appeal. Appeal judges ruled in favour of the companies, but on Wednesday the Supreme Court found for the Revenue and ruled that tax should have been paid on the bonuses. The schemes were designed to take advantage of exemptions under Chapter 2 of Part 7 of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003, as amended by Schedule 22 to the Finance Act 2003 (Itepa). In a lead ruling unanimously agreed by the four other judges, Lord Reed said: "The error of the Court of Appeal in these cases lies, in my opinion, in adopting a literal construction of Chapter 2, and applying it to a correspondingly formal analysis of the facts." The schemes were flawed because of a failure to make provision in the schemes for "a business or commercial purpose, as distinct from provision whose only purpose was the obtaining of the exemption". Financial Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke said: "This is an important victory and confirmation from the UK's highest court that tax avoidance is simply unacceptable. "The UK is home to some of the world's most successful banks and we have been clear we expect them and their employees to pay their fair share of tax." Jennie Granger, director-general for HMRC enforcement and compliance, said: "This is another important success for HMRC against an avoidance scheme, with the top court in the country confirming our view this scheme did not work. "This is the latest in a series of successful HMRC challenges to such schemes marketed at wealthy individuals to get out of paying tax. "We will continue to challenge artificial arrangements such as these in the interests of the vast majority of businesses and people who choose to play by the rules." A spokesman at UBS said: "This matter concerns a disagreement over the interpretation of highly technical tax legislation and dates back to a one-off compensation plan for 2003." The bank said it was "disappointed" with the outcome, but was grateful to the Supreme Court for its "careful consideration of the issues". A spokesman at Deutsche Bank said: "We note today's decision and can confirm that all tax and National Insurance due as a result have already been paid." DETROIT, MI - MARCH 7: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton participates in a Fox News Democratic Town Hall with host Brett Baer March 7, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan. The Michigan primary is March 8. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images) Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, speaks at the FOX News town hall at the Gem Theatre, Monday, March 7, 2016, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) DETROIT, MI - MARCH 7: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton walks out on stage to participate in a Fox News Democratic Town Hall March 7, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan. The Michigan primary is March 8. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX *** Bernie Sanders speaks to the crowd during a rally at Wings Event Center Monday, March 7, 2016 in Kalamazoo, Mich. (Bryan Bennett /Kalamazoo Gazette-MLive Media Group via AP) Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. acknowledges his supporters on arrival at a campaign rally, Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Miami. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz) Bernie Sanders pulled off a stunning, surprise victory in Michigan - making up more than 30 points in the polls and energising his campaign with a new lease of life. I just want to thank the people of Michigan. We have repudiated the polls that said we were 25 points behind, we repudiated the pundits who said we were dead, he said, speaking in Florida. Tonight means that the Bernie Sanders campaign, the peoples revolution, is strong in every part of the country. Going into Tuesdays nights contest in Michigan, which carries 130 Democratic delegates, the Vermont senator had been running as far as 30 points behind Ms Clinton in some polls. But after a debate on Sunday night in which comments made by Ms Clinton may have backfired, and after making a strident effort to eat into the African American vote that normally turns out for the former secretary of state, Mr Sanders was able to claim a genuine upset. Ms Clinton did not suffer an appalling night. Indeed, she won in Mississippi, beating Mr Sanders by as much as 80 points to 20, and she will collect almost half of the delegates from Michigan. But she had been hoping that after a strong showing in last weeks Super Tuesdays contests and the steady growth of her delegate count, that she was set to seal the deal as the partys nominee. On Tuesday night, Mr Sanders ensured that did not happen. Expand Close Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks during a rally in Dearborn, Michigan, March 7, 2016. / AFP / Geoff RobinsGEOFF ROBINS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks during a rally in Dearborn, Michigan, March 7, 2016. / AFP / Geoff RobinsGEOFF ROBINS/AFP/Getty Images With more than 95 per cent of precincts having reported, Mr Sanders led Ms Clinton 50-48. Read more Read More In a statement issued after his win, he said: We came from 30 points down in Michigan and were seeing the same kind of come-from-behind momentum all across America. Not only is Michigan the gateway to the rest of the industrial Midwest, the results there show that we are a national campaign. We already have won in the Midwest, New England and the Great Plains and as more people get to know more about who we are and what our views are were going to do very well. Ms Clinton had entered the night with a 196-delegate lead over Sanders based on primaries and caucuses alone. Her win in Mississippi evened out his slight win over her in Michigan. Once super-delegates are included, her lead becomes even bigger, with at least 1,214 to Mr Sanders 566. We are better than what we are being offered by the Republicans, Ms Clinton declared. But Mr Sanders, preparing for another debate on Wednesday night with Ms Clinton, will take heart from his small streak of wins going into a pivotal batch of delegate-rich contests next week. Since Super Tuesday, Sanders has now won four of the last six states holding contests. Next week, Democratic voters head to the polls in Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina and Florida. In all, 691 delegates will be at stake. Crucially, for his supporters, he is still fighting. Independent Donald Trump has called for Republicans to rally behind his presidential candidacy after he cruised to primary victories in three more states. He declared that he could not be defeated in the November election as the standard-bearer of a united party. On the Democrat side, Vermont senator Bernie Sanders handed former secretary of state Hillary Clinton a surprise loss in the industrial state of Michigan, increasing the likelihood that the contest for the party's nomination could stretch into early summer. Mrs Clinton, however, crushed Mr Sanders in the southern state of Mississippi, continuing to win a large margin among black voters. Speaking to MSNBC, Mr Trump said: "If the Republican party unites behind us, nobody can beat us." But Mr Trump evaded questions about how he would carry out his campaign promises, especially his boast that he would build a wall along the Mexican border to stop illegal immigration and make Mexico pay for it. He did concede that he is not doing as well with women voters because of the stinging language of his campaign. "I can see women not necessarily liking the tone (of his campaign), but I had to be very harsh to win," he said of his brutal counter-attacks on party elites and fellow candidates, particularly Florida senator Marco Rubio and Texas senator Ted Cruz. Mr Trump's lead over Mr Cruz in the race for delegates grew by only 15 delegates. That is because all four states awarded delegates proportionally, so even the second-place finisher got some. Mr Cruz captured the Idaho primary in the west of the country. Mr Rubio, the favourite of the party establishment, failed to pick up any delegates on Tuesday. He needs to win home state Florida next week, while Ohio governor John Kasich needs to win his home state Tuesday to stay in the race. Among Republicans, Trump has at least 446 delegates and Cruz has at least 347. Rubio has at least 151 delegates and Kasich has at least 54. It takes 1,237 delegates to win the party nomination. While Mr Sanders upset Mrs Clinton in Michigan, she increased her delegate lead by sweeping Mississippi and is now halfway to the number needed to clinch the nomination. After Tuesday's results, Mrs Clinton has accumulated 1,221 delegates and Mr Sanders 571, including superdelegates, the party insiders who can support whoever they like. Democrats need 2,383 delegates to win the nomination. Mr Sanders said that "in almost all national polls" he is the bigger winner against Mr Trump in the election. Mrs Clinton chose to focus her attention on Republicans and the election. "We are better than what we are being offered by the Republicans," she declared. The economy ranked high on the list of concerns for voters in Michigan and Mississippi. At least eight in 10 in each party's primary said they were worried about where the American economy is heading, according to exit polls conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press and television networks. Among Democrats, eight in 10 voters in both states said the country's economic system benefits the wealthy, not all Americans. Mr Sanders has sought to tap into that concern, energising young people and white, blue-collar voters with his calls for breaking up Wall Street banks and making tuition free at public colleges and universities. But Mr Sanders has struggled to win the support of black voters who are crucial to Democrats in the general election. Anyone passing into Isis territory undergoes stringent checks to weed out potential spies Details of more than a dozen British Isis members are among 22,000 recruits reportedly revealed in a cache of leaked documents from the terrorist groups stringent entrance interviews. Zaman Al Wasl, a pro-opposition Syrian news website, published a selection of the forms online showing a 23-question survey detailing extremists names, birth dates, nationalities, hometowns, nationalities and even blood types. But a total of 22,000 names, addresses, telephone number and family contacts feature in a similar cache of documents, seen by Sky News. They include prominent names of figures already known to be members, such as Britons Abdel Bary, Junaid Hussain, Reyaad Khan. Bary, a former rapper from London, was reported last July to have deserted Isis and be on the run in Turkey. Hussain, from Birmingham, was thought to have been Isis's head of media before he was killed in a US drone strike in August. Khan, from Cardiff, previously appeared in high-profile Isis propaganda video, but was killed in an RAF-led drone strike. The forms show prospective members were asked to choose if they wanted to be used as suicide bombers, soldiers or in another role, and to detail any previous jihadist experience. Zaman Al Wasls report claimed the personal details of 1,736 fighters from 40 countries had been revealed, showing that a quarter were Saudis and the rest predominantly Tunisian, Moroccan and Egyptian. The documents, written in Arabic and stamped with logos used by the so-called Islamic State, allegedly contain details of 16 British fighters. Most of the European extremists listed were from France, followed by Germany and the UK. Four were said to be from the US and six from Canada. Read more Read More Timothy Holman, who translated part of the cache into English, said the documents were collected at border crossings into Isis territory between November and December 2013. The authenticity of the forms could not immediately be verified but the Home Office said it was aware of the report, while the leak also matched descriptions of material being investigated by security services in Germany. The forms reveal members names, codenames, birthdays, nationalities, countries visited, employment record and previous jihadist activities. Any jihadist who crosses the Islamic State's borders for the first time is made to acknowledge to the Borders Administration everything about himself, even what he wants to be in Isis - a fighter or a suicide bomber, Zaman Al Wasl reported. The documents were published on Tuesday, a day after reports emerged in Germany that the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) security service had received more than a thousand Isis documents. The Suddeutsche Zeitungs description of the material matched that given by Zaman Al Wasl, detailing 23-question entrance interviews from Isis territories in Syria. We believe it is very likely that these are real documents, a spokesperson for the BKA told the newspaper. Prosecutors in the country are reportedly planning to use them as evidence to prosecute any Isis members attempting to return to Germany. A spokesperson for the Home Office told The Independent it was aware of the apparent leak but said he could not give any further information for security reasons. Individuals who take part in the conflict in Syria or travel to Isis territories are subject to investigation and should expect to be prosecuted on their return, he added. Any evidence will be considered. At least 700 people from the UK have travelled to support or fight for jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq, according to police, and about half have since returned. Independent Tens of thousands of people have protested across France against President Francois Hollande's bid to achieve what his conservative predecessor did not even dare try - tamper with the 35-hour working week. Workers, the unemployed and students joined forces, answering calls from student organisations and unions in more than 200 cities across France to try to kill the Bill, which has even divided Mr Hollande's ruling Socialist party. According to various unions quoted by local media, between 80,000 and 100,000 people took to the streets in the French capital. The protests fell on the same day as rail strikes that delayed some suburban and long-distance trains - but not local transportation networks in Paris. The contested labour reform would amend France's 35-hour working week, approved in 2000 by the Socialists and now a cornerstone of the left. The current Socialist government wants adjustments to reduce France's 10% unemployment rate as the shortened working week was meant to do. The proposal technically maintains the 35-hour working week, but allows companies to organise alternative working times without following industry-wide deals - up to a 48-hour working week and 12 hours per day. In "exceptional circumstances", employees could work up to 60 hours a week. To allow companies to deal with business booms, one measure would allow employees to work more than 35 hours without being paid overtime. In exchange, they would have more days off later on. Other measures would relax rules on lay-offs and working from home and at night. The proposals have turned all major employee unions and youth organisations against the government. With next year's presidential election looming and Mr Hollande's popularity having reached its nadir, legislation to make it easier for companies to end employment deals is fuelling discontent in a country badly hit by the economic downturn. Mr Hollande's predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, had vowed to end France's 35-hour week, but he never scrapped the policy during his five-year tenure. "This law is even more shocking that it has been drafted by Socialists," a protester said. "This law is just aiming at making lay-offs easier for companies," he told The Associated Press at a big gathering on Paris' Place de la Republique. Several high schools across France were blocked off by students who set up barricades with rubbish bins. Outside the Helene Boucher high school, students cheered any mention of how the movement would prevent Mr Hollande and the government from passing the Bill. Maryanne Gicquel, a spokeswoman for the FIDL student union, described young people's journey towards a stable job as "a succession of internships and poorly-paid jobs". "Now we're being told that it will be easier for companies to lay off workers," she said. Prime Minister Manuel Valls' government insisted that the Bill will not be withdrawn but discussions continue with union representatives. The Bill, initially set to be discussed at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, has been delayed by two weeks amid growing opposition. Mr Hollande reiterated his support for the Bill after meeting with his ministers at the Elysee Palace. Martine Aubry - the former first secretary of the Socialist Party and architect of the 35-hour week - described it as "the preparation of a long-lasting weakening of France, and of course, the left". Many protesters agreed with her. "This whole thing has one goal: destroying our labour code, while we should all think about new ways of reducing the average working hours," said Sebastien Marchal, a 36-year-old graphic designer. Migrants wait in line for food at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni (AP) Slovenia has fully shut its border with Croatia for migrants without valid EU visas and will no longer accept organised trains carrying refugees. Prime Minister Miro Cerar said the effective closure of the Western Balkans route for migrants was made after this week's EU summit which "agreed to stop irregular migration" towards central Europe. About 478,000 refugees and migrants have passed through Slovenia, mostly in trains, since mid-October when the Balkan migrant route switched from Hungary after it built a razor-wire fence to stop the flow. Slovenian police said no migrants have entered the county during the last four days. Thousands remain stranded on the Greek side of the border with Macedonia. Meanwhile, Hungary said it is extending a state of emergency to the whole country in response to the migrant crisis, including additional police and military patrols to stop migrants from entering. Interior minister Sandor Pinter said the measures are needed because of uncertainty about where the people stranded across the Balkans will try to go after several countries announced only people with valid EU visas will be allowed through. Hungary declared a state of emergency last year in several counties directly affected by the migrant flow and built fences on its borders with Serbia and Croatia which have greatly reduced the number of migrants entering the country in their efforts to reach Germany and other destinations in Western Europe. Mr Pinter said that a fence on the Romanian border is not necessary for now as Romania has pledged to prevent any migrants from reaching Hungary from there. An official in Greece said there are early indications that Nato patrols in the eastern Aegean Sea are reducing the number of migrants travelling from Turkey to nearby Greek islands. Dimitris Vitsas, the deputy defence minister, said expanded Nato patrols that started this week have put pressure on smugglers who have continued to bring migrants and refugees to Greek islands at an average of roughly 2,000 per day. Mr Vitsas told a state-run radio station: "Yesterday, we had about 700 people. So there is a strong eye on the situation." Turkey is currently in negotiations with the European Union for a broad agreement aimed at limiting the number of migrants crossing into Europe. Turkey and Greece are backing a so-called re-admission agreement that would allow Greece to send back migrants who arrived illegally. Turkey's foreign minister said his country wants to work with the UN's refugee agency and other humanitarian organisations to properly manage a potential deal with the European Union which envisages sending thousands of migrants back to Turkey. Mevlut Cavusoglu also defended the deal as the best way to discourage irregular migration and fight smuggling rings taking migrants on often-perilous journeys across the Aegean Sea to Greece. His comments, after a joint meeting between the Turkish and Belgian foreign, interior and justice ministers, came in response to concerns voiced by the United Nations and human rights groups that Turkey would not be able to provide for the migrants. More than 2.7 million Syrian refugees are in Turkey. Most are housed by Turkish families or live out in the open, and few have government-funded shelters. According to the deal, people arriving in Greece having fled war or poverty would be sent back to Turkey unless they apply for asylum. "The aim is to stop irregular migration and to ensure a regular migration," Mr Cavusoglu said. He added: "We want to cooperate with the UNHCR on how we will house these migrants and how we will send them back to their countries." The minister said that Turkey aims to build high-standard temporary shelters to house economic migrants who are returned to Turkey but do not qualify for refugee status in the country. Two Palestinian gunmen have carried out shootings in Jerusalem before police shot and killed them, shortly before US vice president Joe Biden met prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the city, authorities said. A Palestinian man was seriously injured in the shootout on a main road alongside Jerusalem's light rail train tracks, close to the New Gate of Jerusalem's Old City. The incident began when passengers on an Israeli bus spotted the two gunmen on the street and heard shots fired, said police spokeswoman Luba Samri. No injuries were reported, and a motorist responded by shooting at the suspects who fled by car. When a policeman later approached a car that matched the description, the gunmen raised their weapons at the officer and he fired at them. Other police units at the scene shot at the suspects, killing them, Ms Samri said. A Palestinian civilian at the scene was shot in the head and is in a serious but stable condition, an Israeli hospital said. Police are investigating whether he was shot by the gunmen or by officers. Police identified the two gunmen as Palestinians aged about 20, from the Jerusalem area. In the West Bank, a Palestinian with a knife attempted to stab Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint, and soldiers shot and killed him, the Israeli military said. The two incidents follow a rash of Palestinian assaults on Tuesday, including a stabbing spree that killed an American student near where Mr Biden was meeting Israel's former president. Mr Biden is in Israel for a two-day visit as part of a regional tour of the Middle East. He is meeting Israeli and Palestinian leaders and there has been speculation he would try to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. A wave of near-daily Palestinian assaults on Israeli civilians and security forces erupted in mid-September and shows no sign of abating. The bloodshed - mainly stabbings but also shootings and car-ramming attacks - has killed 28 Israelis. During the same time, at least 179 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. Most of the Palestinians have been identified by Israel as attackers, while the rest were killed in clashes with security forces. Palestinians say the violence stems from frustration at nearly five decades of Israeli rule over the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Israel says the violence is fuelled by a campaign of Palestinian incitement compounded on social media sites that glorify and encourage attacks. A Ukrainian pilot charged over the deaths of two Russian journalists has denounced her trial as a farce. "In Russia, there are no courts and no investigations," Nadezhda Savchenko told the court in the Russian border town of Donetsk. "Here there is the farce of Kremlin puppets." Addressing the court, she said: "If you want to show your strength, go ahead. But remember, we are playing with my life. The stakes are high and I have nothing to lose." The trial judge said that he would announce his verdict on March 21 or 22 on her role in the deaths of the journalists in eastern Ukraine. Prosecutors last week asked the court to convict Savchenko and sentence her to 23 years in prison. Savchenko, 34, declared a hunger strike on Thursday last week and has a high fever, according to tweets from one of her lawyers, Nikolai Polozov. Her mother and sister were both present at the trial, but a group of Ukrainian doctors were not allowed into Russia to see Savchenko, Mr Polozov wrote. Savchenko was fighting with a Ukrainian volunteer battalion against Russia-backed rebels when she was captured in June 2014. Russia claims she was a spotter who called in coordinates for a mortar attack that killed the two journalists and several other civilians. The Ukrainian government says Savchenko was abducted by the Russians and should be treated as a prisoner of war. About 2,000 Ukrainians rallied in central Kiev on Sunday to demand that Russia release Savchenko, whose case has been taken up by supporters in other countries as well. On Tuesday, US vice-president Joe Biden issued a statement saying she has been unjustly imprisoned and called on Russia to release her immediately. The Iran missile test came as US Vice President Joe Biden was visiting Israel US vice-president Joe Biden has pledged that "we will act" if Iran breaks the terms of a nuclear deal after Tehran announced it had test-fired two ballistic missiles. Mr Biden spoke alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem following the launch of missiles which had "Israel must be wiped out" written in Hebrew on them. The US state department said it plans to bring a report on another missile launch before the United Nations Security Council. Israel strongly opposed last year's nuclear deal with Iran. Mr Biden looked to assuage its fears by saying "a nuclear-armed Iran is an absolutely unacceptable threat to Israel, to the region and the United States". He then reiterated: "If in fact they break the deal, we will act." Phrases such as "Israel must be wiped out" have been emblazoned on missiles fired before by Iran, but the latest test comes after it signed the nuclear deal with world powers, including America. Hardliners in Iran's military have fired rockets and missiles despite US objections since the deal, as well as shown underground missile bases on state television. The semi-official Fars news agency offered pictures on Wednesday which it said were of the Qadr H missiles being fired. It said they were fired in Iran's eastern Alborz mountain range to hit a target some 870 miles away off Iran's coast into the Sea of Oman. The US Navy's 5th Fleet patrols that region. Fars quoted Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division, saying the test was aimed at showing Israel that Iran could hit it. "The 2,000-kilometre (1,240-mile) range of our missiles is to confront the Zionist regime," Mr Hajizadeh said. "Israel is surrounded by Islamic countries and it will not last long in a war. It will collapse even before being hit by these missiles." Iran has threatened to destroy Israel in the past. Israel, which is believed to have the only nuclear weapons arsenal in the Middle East, repeatedly has threatened to take military action against Iran's nuclear facilities. In a speech last month following defeat to Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton pledged to keep fighting to ensure that "Wall Street can never be allowed to once again threaten Main Street". Sanders seemed rattled by the remark, and no wonder. It is Sanders, not Clinton, who has been hammering away at Wall Street and pointing to his rival's close relationship with banks and the like. What's more, her pledge was shamelessly lifted almost word-for-word from Sanders' stock stump speech. Clinton and her husband have had their snouts in the Wall Street trough for years. The mazooma the pair has amassed has far exceeded what any previous president, or presidential couple, ever managed to coax from the coffers of the one per cent. Take Goldman Sachs (GS), the epitome of Gordon Gekko's "Greed is Good". If Clinton were serious about curbing Wall Street, clipping the wings of the biggest vulture capitalist of all would be high on her to-do list. Journalist Matt Taibbi earned an early nomination for quote of the century when in 2010, he described GS as "a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money". Between 2004 and 2013, the Clintons snorkelled up $2,225,000 (1,566,006 today) for 12 speeches at functions to GS executives and friends. The first nine were delivered by the former president. The final three were solo gigs by Hillary, for which she was paid $675,000. Asked by CNN's Anderson Cooper what she'd told them that could possibly have been worth such a fee, she responded, "I make speeches to lots of groups. I told them what I thought." But what was it about her thoughts that had made them worth $675,000? "I don't know. That's what they were offering." The website Politico spoke to executives who had been in Clinton's audience. What she told them was that the "banker-bashing so popular within both parties was unproductive and foolish". Instead of ballyragging the banks for bringing the economy down, everyone should understand that, "We all got into this mess together and we're all going to have to work together to get out of it." That's what they paid the big money for. She could have subbed it down to three words: "I'm your woman." So, $675,000? For a president who promises to be on your side and deflect blame when you are exposed as a multi-billion-dollar fraudster? Cheap at half the price. Two months ago, GS reached a $5.1bn settlement with the US government for having stitched together security packages it knew, or ought to have known, could be worthless, and selling them. In an NBC debate, Sanders said: "Let me give you an idea of how corrupt this system is. Goldman Sachs (is) fined $5bn. Goldman Sachs has given this country two Secretaries of the Treasury, one under Republicans, one under Democrats. The leader of Goldman Sachs is a billionaire who tells us we should cut social security, Medicare and Medicaid. Secretary Clinton, you've received over $600,000 in speaking fees from Goldman Sachs in one year. I find it very strange that a major financial institution that pays $5bn in fines for breaking the law, not one of their executives is prosecuted, while kids who smoke marijuana get jail time." Many might agree that that's pretty much unanswerable, which is presumably why Clinton didn't offer an answer. In addition to the goodly sum from GS, the Clintons trousered $1,915,000 from UBS, $350,000 from Morgan Stanley, 1,300,000 from Bank of America and $1,255,000 from Deutsche Bank. Between them, the couple made 729 speeches to corporate gatherings between 2001 and 2013 at an average of $210,000 a pop. There are strike partnerships in the Premier League earning less. Hillary Clinton is a total phony. Even as she strives to look like she's channelling the spirit of anti-capitalism, her behaviour shows she's more intent on lining the pockets of her Louis Vuitton suit than lifting the poor out of poverty. Nothing necessarily wrong with wearing the Louis Vuitton gear, which the fashion mags say Clinton favours, but possibly a tad inappropriate for a six-year member of the board of Walmart, which can sell cheap clothes at knock-down prices by paying tens of thousands of workers minimum wage for zero-hours jobs and refusing to recognise their unions. Is that a shifty silence I hear? Or just a shrug to convey couldn't-care-less? Last week's outburst from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - "Will we surround all of the State of Israel with fences and barriers? The answer is yes... we must defend ourselves against the wild beasts" - surely merited a mention or two. But no. Efforts to locate even mild condemnation in the mainstream media have proven futile. It's now seemingly acceptable to refer to Palestinians as "wild beasts" without any flurry of concern from individuals and institutions which see themselves as sophisticated, enlightened, progressive and definitely not racist. One of the probable reasons for the muted reaction is that the world has become so well-used to insults of this sort from Israeli leaders against the Palestinians that it's difficult to whip up interest, much less anger. The semi-deranged billionaire making a bid for the Republican nomination for the US Presidency calculates that it's necessary to stress that when he talks of Mexicans as thieves and scroungers, he's not attaching that label to every single Mexican. Usually, he throws this in as an afterthought, a casual addendum. But, still, it's interesting that he feels he has to say it. Netanyahu and a long line of predecessors feel no need for such restraint. The Palestinians are crocodiles, beasts on two legs, grasshoppers to be crushed "and their heads smashed against boulders" previous Israeli Prime Ministers have variously suggested. Former chief of staff Rafael Eitan summed up his preferred fate for the Palestinians: "When we have settled the land, all the Arabs will be able to do about it will be to scurry around like drugged cockroaches in a bottle." Amid this hubbub of hatred, it would have been unreasonable to expect a hullabaloo over Netanyahu's latest contribution to the compendium of bigotry. But what would reaction be if such remarks were directed against Jews? The question is worth asking if only because, matter of fact, the same sort of racism is indeed spat out at Jews. Occasionally, anti-Semites will explain that they have nothing against Jews, only against Zionists who hold that all of the Land of Israel was gifted to them by God - so they can do whatever they want with it and with the indigenous people. For some it can be an easy enough step - from condemning the persecutors of Palestine to condemning the Jewish people. Thus, solidarity with Palestine can be used as cover for anti-Semitism, which in turn gives Zionists and their fellow-travellers an opening to argue that all or almost all campaigners for Palestinian rights are driven by hostility to Jews. A tangled mess, then? One side as twisted as the other? Not exactly. The key consideration in asking what would be made of a politician who publicly referred to Jews as insects has to do not with characterisation of the person voicing the sentiment, but characterisation of the response. If it were said that Jewish people should be reduced to the level of drugged cockroaches scurrying in a bottle, is there an MP or newspaper columnist in the land who would dare respond other than with proper outright condemnation? So, why should it be okay to say such things about Palestinians? A fortnight ago yesterday, in an interview with the cable news service MSNBC, Donald Trump answered a question which he had been dodging for months: how, in practical terms, did he propose to deliver on his promise to make Mexico pay for the wall that he wants built along the border to keep Mexican immigrants out? He had an answer: the US spends (he said) $8bn a year in welfare payments to dependents of "illegal" Mexican immigrants. He'd cut them all off without a cent, use the money to build the wall instead. Not very convincing. Almost without exception, his political opponents, analysts and commentators have let him know that his plan remains not only undeliverable, but distasteful and deeply offensive. It was on the same day, February 9, that Netanyahu, inspecting a construction site along the Jordan border, was asked about his planned wall, and replied with his reference to "wild beasts". Anyone who has been watching the news will know about Trump and his plan for walling Mexico in (or out). But you could have viewed every bulletin in the past month and still know nothing of Netanyahu's blunt explanation of the purpose of the Apartheid Wall. Worth keeping in mind, too, that every one of the Presidential hopefuls of either party who have denounced Trump's wall plan supports Netanyahu's scheme for building a wall to cage Palestinians. Last week, in east Belfast, violent republicans attempted to murder a prison officer. Thankfully, they failed. The vast majority of people have no time for murder, yet the terrorists seem to operate from some areas with at least tacit support. The terrorists bomb-making capability has been demonstrated and, given the confirmed threat level, the emergency services need our prayerful and practical support. Northern Ireland will continue to move forward. We wont be dragged back and the benefits from full peace will transform Northern Ireland. However, full peace requires everyone to play their part in making our society safe. Turning a blind eye and ignoring police calls for community support, allows terrorism to spread like wildfire, with the potential loss of innocent life. ROBIN NEWTON (DUP) MLA for East Belfast Eamonn Holmes is back on the UTV payroll - 30 years after leaving them. The workaholic Belfast-born presenter, who is currently recuperating from a double hip operation, has been recruited by the new UTV-owned talkRadio station to host a regular weekend chat show. Television star Eamonn is of course no stranger to radio, having had his own shows on Downtown and BBC Radio 5 Live in the past. Any return to the Beeb was, however, unlikely following the 56-year-old's public admonishment of the corporation for their sacking of veteran Radio 2 presenter Tony Blackburn. Eamonn, whose first guest on the Sunday morning show will be Apprentice star Karren Brady, said: "You may think you know the people who I will be talking to, but the beauty with talkRadio is that it will give me time to find out about the bits that no one knows." And he added: "I hope listeners will feel privy to eavesdropping on a conversation rather than an interrogation." Last year Eamonn, who had both hips replaced in early February, became Britain's most prolific presenter after signing up to present a documentary series about the super-rich on Channel 5. That deal meant Eamonn held contracts with four of the UK's big five broadcasters at the same time. Eamonn's normal 'day job' is anchorman on the Sky News Sunrise programme but, along with his wife Ruth Langsford, he also presents the This Morning programme for ITV on Fridays. The father-of-four was also an occasional presenter on Songs Of Praise and other programmes for BBC. With the talkRadio deal, Eamonn is once again living up to his reputation of rarely turning down job opportunities. The former UTV presenter has been with Ruth for 18 years and married for five, and they have a 13-year-old son, Jack. He also has three other children - Declan (28), 24-year-old Rebecca and Niall (22) with his first wife, Gabrielle Holmes. The passionate Manchester United supporter once told an interviewer that, having grown up in a Belfast council estate in an environment where unemployment was constantly knocking on the door, it was not in his nature to reject offers. Eamonn started his broadcasting career with UTV - then known as Ulster Television - in 1979, succeeding Gloria Hunniford as news anchor three years later. Eamonn joined the BBC's Manchester-based operations in 1986. TalkRadio - an all-speech offshoot of UTV's national cash-cow talksport - will launch on Monday, March 21. Other well-known presenters on the station include George Galloway and Paul Ross. Liam Fisher, the national radio controller for Belfast-based UTV Media - which is currently being rebranded as Wireless Group plc -said: "TalkRadio will give listeners something completely different from morning until night with presenters and content guaranteed to get you talking." GCHQ chief Robert Hannigan said there should be a 'pragmatic' way of responding to the issue of encryption The head of GCHQ has called for politicians to set out the boundaries on the use of data as he called for greater co-operation between technology companies and spy agencies over the issues of encryption. Robert Hannigan said there should be a "pragmatic" way of responding to the issue of encryption, adding that only a small number of people misused encoding of data, the BBC reported. Speaking at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, Mr Hannigan said: "It is not for me, as an intelligence official and civil servant, or for a law enforcement officer to make these broad judgments, whether about the use of data in general or encryption in particular; nor is it for tech company colleagues, nor even for independent academics. "Since the trade-offs are for society as a whole, it must surely be for elected representatives to decide the parameters of what is acceptable." His comments came as Apple's head of software criticised the FBI for trying to "turn back the clock to a less secure time" in the row over iPhone unlocking. The British Government would not outlaw the type of end-to-end encryption at the centre of the row between the FBI and Apple, but will call for companies to take reasonable, practical steps to make data available when needed. Mr Hannigan said: "Within the parameters set by legislation, it should be possible for technical experts to sit down together and work out solutions to particular manifestations of the abuse of encryption." He said it was important for government agencies and companies to work together to find solutions to issues around encryption, and called for more innovation to help deal with today's challenges over data. "The solution is not, of course, that encryption should be weakened, let alone banned," he said. "But neither is it true that nothing can be done without weakening encryption." The US government has launched an appeal in a bid to have an iPhone unlocked in a New York case The US government has asked a New York court to reverse a decision saying Apple was not required to pry open a locked iPhone. Calling the ruling "an unprecedented limitation" on judicial authority, the Justice Department 's 45-page brief comes a week after US Magistrate Judge James Orenstein issued his decision in a routine drug case, dealing a blow to the Obama administration in its battle with the tech giant over privacy and public safety. Government lawyers called Monday's request routine, arguing that the case was not about asking Apple to do anything new or to create a "master key" to access all iPhones. Apple has opposed the government's move in a separate case involving the gunman who killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California, on December 2. Apple's fightback has fuelled a debate over digital privacy rights and national security. Apple had previously opposed the government's move, saying US officials were seeking "dangerous power" through the courts and trampling on the company's constitutional rights. The Brooklyn case involves a government request that is less onerous for Apple and its phone technology. The so-called extraction technique works on an older iPhone operating system and has been used dozens of times before to assist investigators. Both the California and New York cases hinge on the government's interpretation of the centuries-old All Writs Act. The new cases present another challenge for federal courts, which have to sort out how a law that is used to help government investigators squares with privacy and encryption in the digital age. In the court papers the government asserted that Judge Orenstein's ruling in New York was "an unprecedented limitation on" judicial authority and that his legal "analysis goes far afield of the circumstances of this case". It also stated that the government "does not have any adequate alternatives" to obtaining Apple's assistance because attempting to guess the passcode would trigger the phone's auto-erase security feature. Federal prosecutors cited several examples in which Apple has extracted data from a locked device under the law, including a child exploitation case in New York, a drugs case in Florida and another exploitation case in Washington state. Apple said: "Judge Orenstein ruled the FBI's request would 'thoroughly undermine fundamental principles of the constitution' and we agree. We share the judge's concern that misuse of the All Writs Act would start us down a slippery slope that threatens everyone's safety and privacy." In October, Judge Orenstein invited Apple to challenge the government's use of the 1789 law that compelled the company to help the government obtain iPhone data in criminal cases. Since then, lawyers say Apple has opposed requests to help extract information from over a dozen iPhones in California, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York. In the California case, officials are looking for access to the phone used by Syed Farook but owned by San Bernardino County, where he was a health inspector. Federal investigators say the attack by Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik was at least partly inspired by the Islamic State group. The couple died later in a gun battle with police. FBI director James Comey told a House of Representatives judiciary panel last week that the government was "asking Apple to take the vicious guard dog away and let us pick the lock" on the iPhone. Should Apple create the specialised software to allow the FBI to hack the iPhone in California, Mr Comey said it would take 26 minutes to do what is known as a brute force attack - testing multiple passcodes in quick, computational succession. Apple has said that being forced to extract information from an iPhone, no matter the circumstance, "could threaten the trust between Apple and its customers and substantially tarnish the Apple brand". The Bangladesh Bank, the South Asian nations central bank (pictured), says it is investigating the theft of an undisclosed amount of money by hackers. A top official with Bangladeshs central bank said Tuesday it was trying to recover an undisclosed amount of money stolen by hackers. We are trying to investigate how it happened, who was involved with the hacking and how we can recollect that money, A.F.M. Asaduzzaman, a general manager at the Bangladesh Bank, told BenarNews. The central bank official declined to say how much money had been taken but news reports quoted an anonymous source as saying that computer hackers stole as much as $100 million from an account held by the Bangladesh Bank at the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank in New York. Asaduzzaman said the theft was discovered four weeks ago. Our main target is to get back our losing money and identify all culprits, and we are advancing on that, he added. Earlier, the bank issued a statement saying that a portion of the money hacked from the Bangladesh Bank account maintained in the U.S. bank has been recovered. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York told BenarNews that it had been assisting Bangladeshs central bank since the alleged incident, which involved an international money transfer. To date, there is no evidence of any attempt to penetrate Federal Reserve systems in connection with the payments in question, and there is no evidence that any Fed systems were compromised, the spokesperson said. The payment instructions in question were fully authenticated by the SWIFT messaging system in accordance with standard authentication protocols. The Fed has been working with the central bank since the incident occurred, and will continue to provide assistance as appropriate, the spokesperson told Benar in an email. A briefing note sent by the Bangladeshi central bank to Bangladeshs embassy in Washington mentioned that the bank had uncovered some unauthorized payments in February 2016 that resulted in transactions being sent to [the] Federal Reserve Bank of New York via the SWIFT network and subsequently to banks in the Philippines. SWIFT is an acronym for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, the network that banks use for making international wire transfers. The briefing note, which was released to BenarNews by the embassy, also did not say how much money had been taken, but it said the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit was engaged with the Central Bank of [the] Philippines anti-money laundering authority to trace these funds. Aided by a court order, the Central Bank of [the] Philippines has launched an investigation into the money laundering activities and frozen the concerned bank accounts, the briefing note said. Kamran Reza Chowdhury in Dhaka and Imran Vittachi in Washington contributed to this report. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (right) meets with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir at her office in Dhaka, March 8, 2016. Updated at 7:24 a.m. ET on 2016-03-10 Britain has banned direct cargo flights from Dhaka after receiving reports of a terrorist plot, Bangladeshi Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon told BenarNews on Wednesday. We came to know that they have got a terror plot report saying that a cargo consignment from Dhaka would carry something harmful to London, the minister said, adding, But this is really frustrating for us that they stopped the direct cargo flights from Dhaka, though we have adopted a number of counter-terrorism measures. Britains Department for Transport announced the ban and other restrictions on air cargo destined for the British Isles from Bangladesh on Tuesday, the day Saudi Arabias foreign minister met with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka to discuss their countries cooperation in fighting terrorism. In announcing the indefinite ban, British transport officials said their government was working with Bangladeshi authorities to support them in improving standards for all aspects of aviation security. The Transport Departments statement did not mention any terror plot that might have prompted the new restrictions. Recent security assessments of Dhaka International Airport found that some international security requirements were not being met. As part of a set of interim measures, cargo will not be allowed on direct flights from Dhaka to the UK until further notice, the department said. Airlines carrying cargo between Bangladesh and the UK on indirect routes are being asked to ensure it is re-screened before its final leg into the UK, it added. The latest move by British aviation officials came amid bilateral efforts aimed at improving security at major airports in Bangladesh particularly for flights destined to Britain, which has a sizeable Bangladeshi expatriate community. The British government, in its latest assessment of the security picture in the South Asian nation, also warned of a high threat from terrorism in Bangladesh. According to their suggestions, we adopted measures to upgrade the security regime at our airport in Dhaka. We deployed more security personnel, [and] procured modern security instruments such as scanners, Khan Menon said. They have assured us that the ban will be lifted sometime in the current month, he added. Zero tolerance On Tuesday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir met with Prime Minister Hasina during a brief stopover in Dhaka. The two discussed bilateral cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism and other issues, including Bangladeshi migrants working in the Saudi kingdom, Hasinas press secretary said. The prime minister said to the Saudi FM that Bangladesh has zero tolerance toward terrorism and will cooperate to combat terrorism, press secretary Ehsanul Karim said without being more specific. In December, Bangladesh along with Malaysia announced they were joining a coalition of 34 Muslim countries headed by Saudi Arabia in an international effort to defeat terrorism. Predominantly Sunni Saudi Arabia has been embroiled in a war in neighboring Yemen that pits Riyadh against forces backed by its main regional foe, predominantly Shiite Iran. But both Bangladesh and Malaysia said they would not contribute any troops to the Saudi-led coalition. They then said that they agreed to exchange information and intelligence reports about terrorist threats with Saudi Arabia and other partners in the coalition. Vijay Mallya poses with models during the launch of the Kingfisher 2014 calendar in Mumbai, Dec. 21, 2013. On Wednesday, lawyers told Indias Supreme Court that he had fled the country, as banks try to recover more than $1 billion in unpaid loans. Indias top court Wednesday gave a parliamentarian, whose defunct airline owes banks more than U.S. $1 billion (67.15 billion rupees) in unsettled loans, a two-week ultimatum to respond to a petition from a consortium of state-run lenders. The Supreme Court served notice to Vijay Mallya, former chairman of Kingfisher Airlines (KFA), a day after 17 public sector banks appealed to the apex court to prevent the one-time billionaire from leaving India by freezing his passport. The countrys largest bank, the State Bank of India (SBI), leads the consortium. But Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi, who is representing the banks, informed the court that Mallya, a member of the Indian parliaments upper house, Rajya Sabha, had left the country on March 2 in a suspected bid to evade having to reimburse lenders. Today, I submit, he (Mallya) should appear before you. We want disclosure. We want to recover money, which is public money, Rohtagi told justices Kurian Joseph and Rohinton Nariman. We want to sit across him and get back our money. We want to settle the loans, Rohtagi said. After Rohtagi informed the court that Mallya may have fled to Britain where the flamboyant industrialist allegedly has assets valued at millions of dollars the judges directed that the notice be sent to Mallya through the Indian High Commission in London and his parliamentary email account. Mallya his till March 30, the scheduled date of the next hearing, to respond. Trail of debt Bengaluru-headquartered KFA, once one of Indias leading commercial aviation firms, closed in October 2012, leaving behind a trail of unpaid creditors, suppliers and employees. As of January 2014, the airline owed banks nearly 70 billion rupees (U.S. $ 1.03 billion), which has grown to about 90 billion rupees ($1.36 billion), including interest and penalties, Rohtagi said, adding that Mallya had personally guaranteed the debt. Mallyas assets abroad are far in excess of the loans taken by him, Rohtagi said. Only a fraction is in India maybe one-fifth, he added. News portal Firstpost.com reported that Mallya has assets valued at more than $1 billion in India alone. Then how did you give these loans? Was there no secured assets on these loans, Justice Kurian asked. At the time of the loans, KFA was at its peak with assets worth several billion dollars, but then it suddenly crashed, Rohtagi replied. We had secured some assets for the loans advanced, he said. Money laundering On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Indias economic intelligence agency, booked Mallya on charges of money laundering. KFA allegedly diverted 40 billion rupees of the 70 billion rupees taken in loans to off-shore tax havens such as Mauritius and the Cayman Islands, according to the charges. The directorate brought the charges against Mallya hours after a Debt Recovery Tribunal in Bengaluru blocked a $75 million settlement, which he was due to receive from British spirits giant Diageo PLC for stepping down as chairman of United Breweries Group, KFAs parent company. Mallyas reported exit from India last week, just a day before banks moved to declare him a willful defaulter, has raised speculation about the magnate. I am certain some people who benefit from Mallya tipped him off, so he can make an escape before the law catches up with him, a former KFA employee who requested anonymity, told BenarNews. He was among dozens of former employees who took part in a protest outside the firms locked office in Mumbai on Wednesday, demanding payment of almost two years worth of unpaid wages. We werent given any notice before the airline closed operations. One fine day, we went to work and found that the offices were locked up, the former employee said. Long rope to the rich The case has dominated local headlines and angered many Indians. Biswajeet Samal, a farmer from north Indias Rajasthan state, told BenarNews: It is shocking that banks hound the poor who are unable to pay back meager loans, but give such a long rope to the rich and mighty who are willful defaulters. Samals brother Girish committed suicide in January, claiming harassment by debt recovery agents after he skipped some monthly installments on an agricultural loan of 90,000 rupees (U.S. $1,341). While calls to the United Breweries Group went unanswered, Mallya issued a statement Sunday from an undisclosed location denying that he was absconding. I have neither the intention nor any reason to abscond. I have been a non-resident [Indian] for almost 28 years and the Reserve Bank of India has acknowledged this in writing, Mallya said, adding that he had announced more than a month ago his decision to move to England to be closer to his family. I have been making efforts to reach a one-time settlement with the banks, and to that end I have had three meetings and follow-up calls in the recent past and my efforts will continue this settlement would be based on additional payments to the banks. Bangladeshi Talbia Tanvir says she learned a lot about what women could do with their lives and their potential as leaders through the rare opportunity of shadowing the Danish ambassador for a day. The 23-year-old economics graduate from Dhakas North South University was the lone participant in a one-day apprenticeship this week with Hanne Fugl Eskjaer, Denmarks ambassador to Bangladesh. As a leader you can never compromise between right and wrong and must stick to your principles with the quality of being a team player. You have to ensure that everybodys opinion counts and be respectful to others. You must be considerate, Talbia told BenarNews. Before I worked as the shadow ambassador, I knew little about the qualities of a good leader. The assignment has given me an excellent opportunity to know the traits a good leader must have. I will use my experiences to focus on eliminating domestic violence, rape and child- marriage, she added. The experience also taught her about the relative confidence of Western women and that too many Bangladeshi girls and women worry too much about what other people think about them. She said her father, a ready-made garments designer, and mother, a housewife, gave her the freedom to choose her own career. Talbia applied for the apprenticeship after learning about the program offered by the Danish embassy via Facebook. She applied online by sending in her curriculum vitae and answering some questions. Talbias appointment as shadow ambassador has created a sensation among young women in Bangladesh. More women will look for such opportunities in the future. It will ultimately create more potential women leaders in Bangladesh, Shahnaz Sharmin, a journalist and former womens affairs secretary for the Dhaka Reporters Unity, a local association of media professionals, told BenarNews. Small initiative, real-life experience Ambassador Eskjaer said appointing Talbia as shadow ambassador on Monday reflected her governments priority of promoting womens rights in Bangladesh. Even though its a small initiative, it will give an individual some real-life practical experiences, which may build a bridge between their aspirations and achievements and, hopefully, will inspire many others like them, Eskjaer said. The Brazilian Embassy in Dhaka is considering a similar appointment, according to a Facebook post. I am interested in applying. This is a great opportunity to work as a shadow ambassador, Tahira Khan, a student in the English department at Rajshahi University, told BenarNews. Eskjaer, the Brazilian ambassador and seven other foreign envoys to Bangladesh who are all women in December issued a joint statement calling for an end to gender-based violence in Bangladesh. According to a Bangladeshi government survey, 87 percent of women in the country have suffered abuse by their husbands. Kushi Kabir, an advocate for womens rights and empowerment, called these programs positive. Such opportunities will give the girls some sort of first-hand experience as an ambassador. But the success of the move would depend on the personal integrity and commitment of the girls chosen, Kabir told BenarNews. If she utilizes the lessons learned, the shadow ambassador idea will benefit the female community in Bangladesh, Kabir said. Journalists take pictures of a display explaining a total solar eclipse at a press conference in Jakarta, Feb. 11, 2016. Indonesians awaken Wednesday to a total solar eclipse, a rare occurrence that will take place along an arc cutting across a large section of the archipelagic nation. In the span of a few minutes, the moon will pass between the sun and the earth, blocking out the sun completely and plunging parts of Indonesia into total darkness. The eclipse will be visible in 12 of Indonesias 34 provinces and will stretch from Sumatra to Kalimantan and Maluku, according to Avivah Yamani, an astronomer with the Community of the Southern Sky, an Indonesian association of star-gazers. Even though a total solar eclipse happens once in every 18 months, it does not happen in the same place, Avivah, an alumnus from the astronomy department at the Bandung Institute of Technology, told BenarNews. "It is estimated that the next eclipse like this may happen again in 2042, but [will] be seen from different areas. According to the Associated Press, the path of the total solar eclipse will measure only 100 to 150 km (62 to 93 miles) wide, but will sweep across a section of Indonesia joining the Indian and Pacific oceans. A partial solar eclipse will be visible in other parts of the country, from Aceh province in the far west to Papua province in the far east. In Jakarta, the eclipse will only be 88 percent, Avivah predicted. Caution: wear special glasses According to data from Indonesias National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN), the eclipse will have the longest duration 3 minutes and 17 seconds over Plum Island, Maba, in North Maluku. However, Avivah warned that people keen to watch the eclipse should protect their eyes by wearing special glasses with special filters. "We can watch, but must use proper sun-filter glasses, not the usual sunglasses, Avivah said. "In fact, when the sun is fully covered, we can see it with the naked eye but have to be quick, because the rays at this stage are very dangerous, she explained. High enthusiasm The astronomical phenomenon has generated much buzz across Indonesia, with at least a half-million domestic tourists and 5,000 foreign tourists converging on parts of the country where the total eclipse will be visible, according to tourism officials. Marina Ariyani, 30, who works for a company in Jakarta, traveled to Palembang in South Sumatra to witness the rare occurrence. She booked her plane ticket a month ago and bought a pair of special glasses for eclipse-viewing. "This natural phenomenon is very rare. I want to see it first hand and witness the rare moment, Marina told BenarNews. Reseno Arya, an employee at the Ministry of Tourism, said hotels were now fully booked and prices for plane tickets had soared as a result of the excitement around the eclipse. The ministry was distributing 20,000 pairs of the special glasses for free, he told BenarNews. Special prayer Meanwhile the Ministry of Religious Affairs called on Muslims to offer a special prayer during Wednesdays total eclipse. The nations main Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta was scheduled to hold a solar eclipse prayer at 6:20 a.m. (local time) until the eclipse ends. "People in Indonesia are called upon to carry out the eclipse prayer in mosques and nearby mushalla, according to the time schedules of the eclipse in each place," said Machasin, the head of the ministrys department of Islamic Community Supervision. Officials at the ministry are hoping that the natural occurrence will help galvanize peoples faith in God, he added. Locals in traditional outfits observe the eclipse in Matantimali, Wayu Village in Sigi District, Central Sulawesi, March 9, 2016. (Keisyah Aprilia/ BenarNews) A staff member at the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency tracks the eclipse on her laptop computer in Malang, March 9, 2016. (Heny Rahayu/BenarNews) Students from the Minangkabau Green School observe the eclipse through their pinhole camera boxes in Padang, West Sumatra, March 9, 2016. (M. Sulthan Azzam/BenarNews) Young people observe the eclipse from Matantimali Mountain in Wayu Village of Sigi District, Central Sulawesi, March 9, 2016. (Keisyah Aprilia/ BenarNews) Children play while adults gather for prayer at the Jami Grand Mosque in Kepanjen Malang, East Java, March 9, 2016. (Heny Rahayu/BenarNews) Planetarium visitors in Taman Ismail Marzuki Jakarta conduct a special prayer for the eclipse, March 9, 2016. (Arie Firdaus/BenarNews) Locals pray in the Baiturrahim Mosque in Ulee Lheue, Banda Aceh, March 9, 2016, during the partial total eclipse in the area. (AFP) Jakarta residents and those from surrounding areas hold a special prayer in the nations main Istiqlal Mosque, March 9, 2016. (Tia Asmara/BenarNews) Acehnese men watch the total solar eclipse in Banda Aceh on March 9, 2016. (AFP) The photo combo shows the moon passing in front of the sun during a total solar eclipse in the city of Ternate, in Indonesia's Maluku Islands, on March 9, 2016. (AFP) Indonesians welcomed a solar eclipse Wednesday with prayers, gatherings, festivals and rituals. In Padang in West Sumatra one of the 12 provinces where a total eclipse was visible children from the Minangkabau Green School made pinhole cameras using recycled boxes. Elsewhere, Muslims held special prayers. Thousands of Jakarta residents gathered at the nations main Istiqlal Mosque early in the morning and continued to pray throughout the day. In Banda Aceh, people observed a partial solar eclipse from a tsunami evacuation building constructed after the devastating 2004 tsunami. Meanwhile, some tribal groups held rituals to cast out demons believed to be linked to the total eclipse and to entertain tourists. Thousands of foreigners flocked to Indonesia to witness the event. Sunita checks behind her before backing up. Kshitij Nagar/BenarNews Co-founder Shrinivas Rao interacts with a driver in his office. Kshitij Nagar/BenarNews An almost empty key chain holder is next to a poster speaking out against gender-based violence. Kshitij Nagar/BenarNews Photographs of drivers, certificates and commendations cover the wall. Kshitij Nagar/BenarNews Sakha Cab drivers converse in their small, busy office in New Delhi, March 8, 2016. Kshitij Nagar/BenarNews Tucked away in the heart of New Delhi, a small but busy office is attempting to make life easier for women commuters. Sakha Cabs, part of the Sakha Consultancy Wings group, is a taxi service meant only for women. All of its drivers are women. Sakha, which means reliable friend, was launched in 2008 amid concerns over the safety of women in Delhi, described as Indias rape capital. Latest available figures from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) show there were 1,813 rapes reported in Delhi in 2014, the highest among cities or states in the country. Service co-founder Shrinivas Rao said that along with helping women travel safely, the business also offers a chance to earn a livelihood. We intend to encourage the mobility of women, which has been restricted due to the fear perception, Rao told BenarNews. Sakha started with just nine drivers but over the years, more than 650 women have been on its payroll. The popularity of the service has prompted Rao to launch the concept in other Indian cities including Kolkata. The service was launched with 20 drivers in Jaipur on Tuesday, coinciding with International Womens Day. ein Google-Unternehmen Google-Dienste anzubieten und zu betreiben Ausfalle zu prufen und Manahmen gegen Spam, Betrug und Missbrauch zu ergreifen Daten zu Zielgruppeninteraktionen und Websitestatistiken zu erheben. Mit den gewonnenen Informationen mochten wir verstehen, wie unsere Dienste verwendet werden, und die Qualitat dieser Dienste verbessern. neue Dienste zu entwickeln und zu verbessern Werbung auszuliefern und ihre Wirkung zu messen personalisierte Inhalte anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen personalisierte Werbung anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen Wenn Sie Alle ablehnen auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies nicht fur diese zusatzlichen Zwecke. Nicht personalisierte Inhalte und Werbung werden u. a. von Inhalten, die Sie sich gerade ansehen, und Ihrem Standort beeinflusst (welche Werbung Sie sehen, basiert auf Ihrem ungefahren Standort). Personalisierte Inhalte und Werbung konnen auch Videoempfehlungen, eine individuelle YouTube-Startseite und individuelle Werbung enthalten, die auf fruheren Aktivitaten wie auf YouTube angesehenen Videos und Suchanfragen auf YouTube beruhen. Sofern relevant, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auerdem, um Inhalte und Werbung altersgerecht zu gestalten. Wir verwenden Cookies und Daten, umWenn Sie Alle akzeptieren auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auch, umWahlen Sie Weitere Optionen aus, um sich zusatzliche Informationen anzusehen, einschlielich Details zum Verwalten Ihrer Datenschutzeinstellungen. Sie konnen auch jederzeit g.co/privacytools besuchen. For Immediate Release, March 8, 2016 Contact: Ileene Anderson, (323) 490-0223 or ianderson@biologicaldiversity.org Legal Challenge Launched Over Largest-ever Relocation of Protected Desert Tortoises Marine Corps Plans to Move 1,100 West Mojave Tortoises, Up to Half Unlikely to Survive TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. The Center for Biological Diversity today filed a notice of intent to challenge plans to relocate more than 1,100 protected desert tortoises in Southern California, the largest such project ever attempted. The notice, filed under the Endangered Species Act, argues that federal agencies have failed to fully examine how the relocations might harm the tortoises in the Mojave Desert. The relocations are intended to accommodate expansion of the Marine Corps base at Twentynine Palms into 262 square miles of the desert. This proposed translocation is a disaster for the already at-risk desert tortoises in the west Mojave Desert, said Ileene Anderson, a senior scientist with the Center. This population has declined by 50 percent in the past 10 years. If the past is any guide, up to half of the tortoises wont survive this relocation, pushing these tortoises in the west Mojave closer to extinction. The Center is challenging the failure of the Bureau of Land Management and Marine Corps to consult adequately with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and fully address impacts both to translocated tortoises and to the habitat and tortoises already living in the relocation sites. Desert tortoise translocation has never been attempted on such a large scale. In 2009 the U.S. Army stopped a large translocation of desert tortoises from their Fort Irwin expansion area due to massive tortoise deaths. Despite the impending move slated for late March, the translocation plan has not been released to the public. Translocations are implemented to help save tortoises, but often end up hurting or killing the animals. Having survived tens of thousands of years in Californias deserts, desert tortoises have declined precipitously in recent years, particularly in the west Mojave. Population-genetics studies show that desert tortoises in the area, including the Twentynine Palms tortoises, are distinctly different from their relatives to the north, east and south. This finding sheds light on why increased conservation is more important than ever. The crash of populations is due to numerous factors, including disease; crushing by vehicles; military, industrial and suburban development; habitat degradation; and predation by dogs and ravens. This massive translocation proposal is being rushed through the process this spring without fully considering how it may affect the already declining tortoise population in the western Mojave, said Anderson. What we should be doing is recovering this population, not pushing it closer to extinction. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 990,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. For Immediate Release, March 9, 2016 Contact: Collette Adkins, (651) 955-3821; cadkins@biologicaldiversity.org Ban Sought on Harmful 'Gassing' of Texas Wildlife AUSTIN, Texas The Center for Biological Diversity, Texas Snake Initiative and several Texas residents today filed a formal petition asking the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to ban the harmful practice of using gasoline and other toxic substances to hunt rattlesnakes in Texas. Commonly called gassing, this indiscriminate hunting method harms habitats and non-target wildlife, including federally endangered species that inhabit holes and crevices along with rattlesnakes. Western diamondback rattlesnake photo by Clinton and Charles Robertson. This photo is available for media use. Its indefensible that Texas still allows gassing to hunt wildlife, said Collette Adkins, a scientist and attorney at the Center. Using toxins to hunt rattlers risks contaminating groundwater and harms hundreds of other animals, including 20 endangered species, that also live underground in Texas. Snake hunters in Texas can legally pour gasoline or other toxic substances into holes and crevices. The fumes and drowning effect of the gasoline force the dazed and poisoned snakes from their homes, where they can be captured by hunters. Gassing harms a wide variety of non-target animals, including endangered cave invertebrates and charismatic animals like burrowing owls. The effects of gasoline make habitat unsuitable for wildlife long after the rattlesnakes are collected. Along with risking the contamination of groundwater, gassing may also ignite a fire or explosion. Snakes doused with gas cannot be safely eaten, posing a human-health risk. Not just snakes, but foxes, burrowing owls, toads and hundreds of insects can be killed when snake dens are gassed, said Adkins. Texas needs to ban this outdated and harmful practice. Gassing is commonly used by Texas hunters targeting western diamondback rattlesnakes for rattlesnake roundups, such as the one to be held this weekend in Sweetwater, Texas. Because of the availability of alternative hunting methods, a ban on gassing would not end rattlesnake roundups in Texas. More than 1,600 Texas residents added their names to a letter of support for todays petition. Most states across the country including all of the states bordering Texas have banned gassing of wildlife. If todays petition prompts Texas Parks and Wildlife to amend the rules setting allowable methods for taking nongame wildlife in Texas, Texas would be the 30th state to ban gassing. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 990,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. For Immediate Release, March 9, 2016 Contacts: Abel Valdivia, Center for Biological Diversity, (510) 844-7111, avaldivia@biologicaldiversity.org Taylor Jones, WildEarth Guardians, (720) 443-2615, tjones@wildearthguardians.org Amey Owen, Animal Welfare Institute, (202) 446-2128, amey@awionline.org Protection Sought for Critically Endangered Taiwanese Humpback Dolphin WASHINGTON Three U.S. conservation groups petitioned the federal government today to protect Taiwanese humpback dolphins under the Endangered Species Act to help prevent the extinction of a population that now numbers fewer than 75. The petition, from the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), the Center for Biological Diversity and WildEarth Guardians, calls for the National Marine Fisheries Service to encourage Taiwan to address pollution, illegal fishing, boat traffic and other threats these small dolphins face in the shallow waters along Taiwans densely populated west coast. This small population of dolphins is in serious trouble, said Dr. Naomi Rose, AWI marine mammal scientist. Once it disappears, it is gone forever. The U.S. should do everything it can, including listing it under the ESA, to prevent this from happening. The Taiwanese humpback dolphin, also known in Taiwan as Matsus fish, is a biologically and culturally important subspecies of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, and one of many small cetaceans around the world facing imminent extinction. In 2014 the Service denied a previous petition to protect the Taiwanese humpback dolphin under the Endangered Species Act, concluding that the population was not distinct from the Chinese white dolphin that swims in deeper waters closer to Chinas coastline. New taxonomy studies, however, conclude that the Taiwanese humpback dolphin is a distinct subspecies with unique characteristics whose numbers continue to decline to alarmingly low levels. The Taiwanese humpback dolphin could vanish within our lifetimes if help doesnt very come soon, said Dr. Abel Valdivia, an ocean scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity. Sadly, small cetaceans around the world are in trouble. We saw the baiji go extinct in China, and now the vaquita in Mexico and the Taiwanese humpback dolphin are barely hanging on. Even though more than half of marine species may be at risk of extinction by 2100, only about 6 percent of species listed under the ESA are marine, said Taylor Jones, endangered species advocate at WildEarth Guardians. The Service needs to actively combat the current extinction crisis by quickly protecting species like the Taiwanese humpback dolphin. The Endangered Species Act is an effective safety net for imperiled species: Extinction has been prevented for more than 90 percent of plants and animals under its care. Scientists estimate that 227 species would have gone extinct by 2006 if not for the Acts protections. Protecting species with global distributions can help focus U.S. resources toward enforcement of international regulations and recovery of the species. Learn more at www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/Taiwanese_humpback_dolphin/. ### The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 990,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. WildEarth Guardians is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects and restores the wildlife, wild places, wild rivers, and health of the American West. The organization is working towards Endangered Species Act protections for diverse marine species through its Wild Oceans campaign. The Animal Welfare Institute is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to reducing animal suffering caused by people. AWI engages policymakers, scientists, industry, and the public to achieve better treatment of animals everywherein the laboratory, on the farm, in commerce, at home, and in the wild. For more information, visit www.awionline.org. For Immediate Release, March 9, 2016 Contacts: Andrea Santarsiere, (303) 854-7748, asantarsiere@biologicaldiversity.org Travis Bruner, Western Watersheds Project, (208) 788-2290 Gary Macfarlane, Friends of the Clearwater, (208) 882-9755 Nick Cady, Cascadia Wildlands, (314) 482-3746 Matthew Koehler, WildWest Institute, (406) 396-0321 Lawsuit Challenges End to Federal Monitoring for Northern Rocky Wolves Aggressive State-sanctioned Hunting, Trapping Should Trigger Ongoing Federal Oversight of Idaho, Montana Wolves VICTOR, Idaho The Center for Biological Diversity and four other conservation organizations today filed a notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to extend the federal monitoring period for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains. The existing monitoring program, which is required by the Endangered Species Act after protections are removed for a species, is set to expire in May. Ongoing monitoring is crucial in the face of aggressive state-sanctioned hunting and trapping that researchers say is putting northern Rockies wolf populations at renewed risk. When Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves were removed in 2011, the Fish and Wildlife Service said that the required post-delisting monitoring period would be extended for an additional five years if any one of three criteria were met. One criterion requires an extension if a significant change in state law or management significantly increases threats to the wolf population. While the Service anticipated that wolves would be subjected to some hunting and trapping following delisting, the agency did not anticipate the more aggressive tactics taken by the states, including aerial gunning of wolves in remote areas, hiring professionals to kill wolves in federally designated wilderness, and legislation in Idaho requiring use of significant amounts of state funding to kill wolves. Gunning down wolves in remote areas of federal public lands that were meant to be core refugia for northern Rocky wolves represents one of several significant changes in state management that should trigger extension of the federal monitoring period, said Andrea Santarsiere, a staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. Wolves in the northern Rockies need federal oversight now more than ever. Researchers have determined that wolves in the northern Rockies are at risk of severe population declines. A study in the journal Science, released in December 2015, found the Fish and Wildlife Service and states of Montana and Idaho have underestimated the impacts and risks of aggressive hunting policies for gray wolves instituted since protections were lifted. Hunters and trappers have killed more than 2,300 wolves in the two states since federal safeguards were first stripped in 2009. Its too soon to stop federal monitoring of the wolf population, given the hostile politics and anti-science policies of the states game and fish departments, said Travis Bruner, executive director of Western Watersheds Project. These animals still need to be protected from those who want our public lands made into feedlots for livestock operations and game farms for hunters. The aerial gunning of wolves in the Clearwater Basin at the behest of Idaho Fish and Game demonstrates the necessity of continued monitoring by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said Gary Macfarlane of Friends of the Clearwater. This region consists of large wild areas where wolves should be allowed to play their ecological role. Extending the federal monitoring period for wolves in the northern Rockies is the right thing to do scientifically, and ethically, to ensure that wolves are not once again hunted and trapped to the brink of extinction, said Matthew Koehler, director of the Montana-based WildWest Institute. As a backcountry elk hunter I find many aspects of state management of wolves in Montana and Idaho appalling and unethical. In January 2015 the Center for Biological Diversity, Western Watersheds Project, Friends of the Clearwater, Cascadia Wildlands and WildWest Institute filed a petition requesting that the Fish and Wildlife Service continue monitoring northern Rocky Mountain gray wolves for an additional five years. The agency has acknowledged receipt of the petition but has not yet provided a substantive response. This notice of intent to sue represents the next step in ensuring the agency does not prematurely end federal oversight of these wolves. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 990,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. Cascadia Wildlands educates, agitates, and inspires a movement to protect and restore Cascadia's wild ecosystems. We envision vast old-growth forests, rivers full of wild salmon, wolves howling in the backcountry, and vibrant communities sustained by the unique landscapes of the Cascadia bioregion. Friends of the Clearwater is an Idaho-based nonprofit conservation organization that works to protect the wildness and biodiversity of the public wildlands, wildlife, and waters of Idahos Clearwater Basin. Western Watersheds Project is a nonprofit conservation group with a mission to protect and restore western watersheds and wildlife through education, public policy initiatives, and legal advocacy. The WildWest Institutes mission is to protect and restore forests, wildlands, watersheds and wildlife in the Northern Rockies. Just when you think academia can't get any more foolish, some obscure pointy-headed chaps manage to outdo everything that has gone before, and by a distance: Glaciers, gender, and science: a feminist glaciology framework for global environmental change research Glaciers are key icons of climate change and global environmental change. However, the relationships among gender, science, and glaciers particularly related to epistemological questions about the production of glaciological knowledge remain understudied. This paper thus proposes a feminist glaciology framework with four key components: 1) knowledge producers; (2) gendered science and knowledge; (3) systems of scientific domination; and (4) alternative representations of glaciers. Merging feminist postcolonial science studies and feminist political ecology, the feminist glaciology framework generates robust analysis of gender, power, and epistemologies in dynamic social-ecological systems, thereby leading to more just and equitable science and human-ice interactions. Toyota South Africa Motors has launched its all-new Toyota Hilux with a campaign led by a television commercial that is going to tug at the heart strings of the country's moms and dads, grannies and grandpas. From Toyotas long-time marketing communication partner, FCB Joburg, the TVC stars three cherubic schoolboys who compare the toughness of their fathers new bakkies. Of course, with the telling of each tale, the Hilux gets tougher and tougher-er. While the schoolboys provide the storyline and rocket the ag shame appeal of the commercial, Toyotas typical tongue-in-cheek touch is evident in the cut-aways that show the Hilux in action in the boys imaginations. So tougher-er is the final storytellers dads Hilux that it is towing a bus with 15 Cheetahs ( Toyota Cheetahs rugby players) and four cheerleaders on board while a squadron of aerobatic jets conducts a low-level fly-by. It concludes with a voice saying: Tougher-er than anything youve seen. The ad was created by FCB Africa CEO and Chief Creative Officer Brett Morris, Creative Director Tian van den Heever, creative team Simon Fabricius and Matthew Hart, and shot by Oscar Strauss from Hungry Films over three days in Cape Town. According to the agencys Executive Business Director, Reagen Kok, the launch of the new Hilux is Toyota South Africas biggest in 10 years. The soft launch was centered on the Dakar 2016 Rally and included a Dakar teaser, a Dakar TVC, Dakar print and Dakar social media elements. The hard launch, which broke last week (Monday, 22 February) is supported by radio, print, billboard and an extensive digital campaign, which includes a 360-degree immersive video brochure. The Hilux was launched in South Africa in 1969 and has built a reputation for toughness, said Kok. With the launch of the all-new Hilux, the agency was tasked with affirming the brands positioning as the toughest bakkie on the market. The response was to take tough to the next level in a manner that would build on South Africas fondness for the bakkie and grow its place in their hearts. I think weve achieved this and more with the new campaign, he said. Credits: Client: Toyota South Africa Senior Manager Advertising & Digital: Natasha Eddie Advertising Manager: Xolelwa Nomgca Creative agency: FCB Joburg Executive Business Director: Reagen Kok Group Account Director: Wendy Lundie Chief Creative Officer: Brett Morris Creative Director: Tian van den Heever Copywriter: Simon Fabricius Art Director: Matthew Hart Designer: Janine Kleinschmidt Strategic planner: Kabelo Lehlongwane TV production: Barbara Clarke Media planners: Gwen Bezuidenhout Production house: Hungry Films Post-production: Blade, Freqncy Property fund Attacq is confident it will achieve stronger capital growth when its major expansion projects including The Mall of Africa and the second phase of Waterfall City, kick into gear. Attacq will open the R4.8bn shopping centre The Mall of Africa in the Waterfall City precinct next month, and is hoping it will perform well, provide upside to its share price, and support the group's overall net asset value (NAV). Attacq CEO Morne Wilken said: "Mall of Africa will act as a strong catalyst for demand for premises in the surrounding Waterfall City, which has a further 663,815m of bulk available for development." "Waterfall City is seen as one of the most significant South African commercial developments of the decade. "Once the mall is online it will help to generate strong returns out of the city, attracting people who work or live in Waterfall or nearby, boosting our overall net asset value and rewarding shareholders," said Wilken. But Evan Robins, listed property manager of Old Mutual Investment Group's MacroSolutions boutique, said Attacq's net asset value could come under pressure after The Mall of Africa is opened. "The Mall of Africa opens at the end of April, and after this, there is less high-octane fuel to drive NAV growth and they will have to work harder to develop the Waterfall node in the face of a tough economy. The node, nevertheless, has great potential." Another analyst also warned that funds with large development pipelines were under pressure to find tenants. Ian Anderson, chief investment officer at Grindrod Asset Management, said there were concerns about the prospects of companies with large development pipelines, given the sustained weak economic backdrop, and lack of demand for space from tenants. Since listing on the JSE at R17 in October 2013, Attacq's share price growth has been sluggish. But it rose 4.08% yesterday after it reported interim results showing it had achieved adjusted net asset value per share growth of 27.6% year-on-year in the six months to December. The shares closed at R18.63. Total assets grew 16.4% yearon-year to R27.1bn during the half-year, and net rental income increased 25.5% year-on-year to R531m. Attacq's asset growth has been steady, having listed with R13.35bn worth of assets. Waterfall's development pipeline will be rolled out over the next 10-15 years. Attacq's overall group development pipeline has an estimated capital cost of R4.5bn and an estimated value on completion of R6bn, meaning it would earn a development profit of R1.5bn. Attacq also expanded aggressively offshore in the reporting period, as it looked to diversify against the weak rand and a slow growing economy. In June last year, when the asset value was R23.3bn, 18% of the assets were offshore in hard international currency. This had grown to 25% of the R27.1bn asset base by the end of December. "We realise that we must diversify as a capital growth fund with a strong development pipeline, but also have investments in property assets offshore in this economic climate more than ever. "This is why we have made investments in central and eastern Europe, including five malls which are operational in Serbia with two under construction in the country, and two malls in Cyprus. We also have exposure to Ikeja City Mall, a centre in Nigeria, through our investment in Atterbury Africa," Wilken said. Source: Business Day via I-Net Bridge A class action against past and present mining companies for occupational lung disease (OLD) could literally wipe out them out financially. So, the out-of-court settlement reached by AngloGold Ashanti and Anglo American South Africa to resolve some 4,400 stand-alone silicosis is indicative of employers' interest in finding alternative mechanisms for resolving claims. AngloGold Ashanti believes that agreeing settlement terms is in the best interests of the claimants, their families, and the company. Both companies and the plaintiffs have a common interest in settling this highly-complex case that could take several years to resolve through litigation, AngloGold Ashanti CEO, Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan (Venkat) says in a statement. The settlement has been reached without admission of liability by AngloGold Ashanti and Anglo American SA and the terms of the agreement remain confidential. Both companies will contribute, in stages, toward a total amount of up to R464 million, which will be placed in an independent trust. The trust, administered by trustees, will determine medical and other eligibility and compensation to claimants with the funds available. Compensation will be determined at the discretion of the trustees, and will be based upon the agreed guiding principles set out in the trust deed. Concourt judgement changed everything A Constitutional Court Court judgement in 2011 (Mankayi v AngloGold Ashanti), opened up a whole can of worms regarding how much mineworkers could be compensated for OLD. Because its an occupational disease, reparation has been traditionally regulated by a compulsory workmens compensation scheme, COIDA (Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Disease Act). There is also legislation - Occupational Diseases in Mines and Works Act 78 of 1973 (ODIMWA) related specifically to mine workers. Prior to the Mankayi judgement, the two pieces of legislation were presumed to work together, so a claimant couldnt seek reparation higher than was stipulated in the compensation legislation. However, the ConCourt decided that ODIMWA did not have the same financial limitations as COIDA and could be pursued separately, which means that workers can claim far more from employers. Class action Returning to the latest settlement, the Anglo American statement also says: It should be noted that this settlement agreement is not related to the pending class action certification application that is currently before the courts. The court is still to determine whether or not a class action law suit is the appropriate way to hear this action. The judgment on this matter is still pending, Certification is a pre-requisite for launching a class action and requires the applicants to demonstrate good cause for the allowing the class action to proceed. Some of the key requirements include: whether the class is defined with sufficient precisio ; whether the members have a prima facie case whether there are common issues of fact or law that are capable of class-wide determination whether allowing a class action is appropriate in the circumstances A class action is not something typically pursued in the South Africa, but if it goes ahead it could take up to 20 years to resolve with huge financial implications in legal costs alone - making settlement a far more viable option for mining houses. Industry working group Similarly, two years ago, five gold mining companies formed a working group to address issues relating to compensation and medical care for mineworkers with occupational lung diseases. The number of companies has since grown to seven, comprising African Rainbow Minerals, Anglo American South Africa, AngloGold Ashanti, DRDGold, Gold Fields, Harmony and Sibanye Gold. In 2011, Mayor Patricia de Lille initiated a project to clean rivers and wetlands across Cape Town. Five years later, how clean are our rivers? About 24 rivers, three dams and 22 wetlands are cleaned regularly as part of the mayors Special Job Creation Project. In an interview with GroundUp, Mayor Patricia De Lille had high praise for the project, which was launched in memory of the late Minister of Water Affairs Kader Asmal, and was the biggest Expanded Public Works Programme project in the city. About R53m had been spent so far on the project and R21m had been allocated for the current year, the mayor said. The Black River is cleaned daily. Photo: Masixole Feni People are taught how to remove invasive plants, river clean-ups, litter disposal and repairing leaking sewers, said de Lille. Some rivers were cleaned daily, some quarterly and some once or twice a year, she said. Among the rivers being cleaned daily are Black River, Vygekraal River, Elsieskraal River, Jakkalsvlei River, Zeekoevlei River and Liesbeek River. Kuils River, Kalksteenfontein River, Blomvlei River, Rondevlei, and Little Princess Vlei, are among those cleaned quarterly, and Princess Vlei, Khayelitsha Wetland, Diep River, Pagasvlei, Westlake Wetland are among those cleaned twice a year. The Liesbeek River is also cleaned daily. Photo: Masixole Feni De Lille said the project had created 2,994 temporary and 1,904 full-time jobs since 2012. An average of 850 workers were employed at a time. Workers were trained in herbicide use, health and safety, snake awareness, chainsaw operation and water safety, including swimming lessons, all of which increased their opportunities for employment at the end of their contracts. Forty former employees were now working as contractors on private land. Invasive plants are removed through labour intensive methods. Litter is collected and stacked for removal to landfill or approved City dumping sites, said de Lille. She said the project would continue as long there was funding. Rivers were tested regularly and tests had shown that the water was getting cleaner. When GroundUp visited the Black River near the N2 and the Liesbeek River in Rondebosch both rivers looked clean. The Princess Vlei river was also clean. When GroundUp Princess Vlei it looked clean. Photo: Masixole Feni But Princess Vlei resident Christian Pedro said further along, the river was dirty. It looks clean here, but go down a bit and I bet you would find it dirty. This is part of Princess Vlei that needs to be cleaned as well, he said. He said he had been living in the area for four months now, and had not yet seen people cleaning the river. Khayelitsha Site C resident Lwandiso Mapempe told GroundUp that there was an unbearable smell coming out of the wetland in the area. He had been living in the area for more than 15 years and the smell was getting worse, he said. He said there were rats which entered residents shacks and ate their groceries. Our children are getting sick because of the unpleasant smell and we are also suffering from rashes. Sometimes these bigger rats bite us while we are fast asleep. We get chest infections. De Lille said there was a problem with illegal dumping of rubbish on some of the wetlands. But Mapempe said people dumped rubbish bags next to the wetland in Khayelitsha because we dont have a place to put our rubbish bags. The Khayelitsha wetland is cleaned twice a year. Photo: Masixole Feni If we keep them next to our houses we get maggots," he said. Langa resident Siyavuya Qangqiso said the river in his area, which runs alongside Bluegum Road, was cleaned frequently and the water seemed to be clean. But, he said, pipes connected to the river discharged dirty water filled with chemicals. He said he thought the dirty water came from businesses in the area. When the pipes have released that water, it becomes a battle to leave your door open because the smell is so unbearable, and people have opted to lock themselves in their houses until the smell comes down a bit, he said. He urged the City to investigate the source of the water. Qangqiso was critical of residents who continued to dump rubbish next to the river though they had been supplied with a container by the City. Spokesperson for the mayor, Pierrinne Leukes, said the City could not be held responsible for the public dumping of litter into rivers. We clean the rivers regularly, but we need the public to assist us to keep them clean. Last year we embarked on an extensive campaign to inform the public that illegal dumping is costing the city R350m a year. As the interview with the mayor wrapped up, she said, We appeal to the public to stop dumping rubbish in the rivers. If we work together as a collective, we can keep rivers in Cape Town clean. De Lille said the City would look into complaints about dirty wetlands and rivers. Pipes discharge effluent into a river in Langa. Photo: Masixole Feni River bacteria levels still high Bacteria levels in some rivers are still higher than recommended levels, City of Cape Town tests show. For instance, according to figures supplied by the City, between March last year and January this year, all tests on the Blomvlei Canal on the Vygekraal River showed levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria higher than the recommended 1,000 per 100ml of water. On some days the level was as high as 60,000. When the water was tested on 21 January this year, the E. coli level on the Vygekraal River in Athlone was 54,000. In the Langa Canal it was 26,000. The level in the Black River at Raapenberg Road bridge was also higher than recommended, at 8,200 per 100ml, while E. coli levels in the Liesbeek River and Salt River were both well under the maximum. Through a series of consumer education training programmes, driven by South African short-term insurer Santam, more than 600 emerging farmers from villages and rural town countrywide were empowered to start the process for successfully converting their subsistence farming into commercial farming. Santam imparted much needed financial and business skills to the farmers. Santam Farmboek learners receive their CFE certificates The training has really assisted me in managing my small farming enterprise, says William Mmakola, an emerging farmer from the Tsimanyane Village in Limpopo. The practical lessons I learnt is now helping me to set and manage my business plans. I have already drawn up a worksheet to manage the turnover earned from the cultivation of fresh produce, he says. Klass Ridane from Rusterwinter in Mpumalanga, shares Mmakolas sentiment and says the training taught him useful information that is helping him manage the financial duties in his small farming operation. The training has given me a lot of practical tips and ideas on how to run the business better and to motivate our workers as we start planting our winter crops. I wish the rest of our community had the opportunity to attend the training as I learnt so much, says Mapule Emily Moggi from Brilliant Farming Corporation in Gauteng. It is something many people can benefit from and it will help us to be better farmers. Gerhard Diedericks, Santam Head of Agriculture It's not easy to be a farmer in South Africa Gerhard Diedericks, head of Santam Agriculture, explains it is not an easy time to be a farmer in South Africa. Besides changing weather patterns, the crippling drought, labour costs and unrest, crop disease, declining competitiveness in global markets and limited resources are all putting strain on South Africas shrinking agricultural sector. Those hardest hit are our countrys emerging farmers, many of whom are struggling to cope with financial pressure, a lack of skills and inadequate support to weather the storms facing the industry. He continues that the insurer recognises agriculture is key to the future health of the South African economy, and thus embarked on this training campaign, the first of its kind in the industry. Santam is committed to assisting emerging farmers, as they are vital to the long-term sustainability of the agriculture sector. While significant challenges face all farmers, small and emerging farmers require even more support and may not always have the necessary skills and support to bounce back when fate steps in. Face to face training From November 2015 to January 2016, the farmers from KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, the North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Free State were given face-to-face financial skills training, information on risk management, and on-going mentorship and support. The farmers were sourced through Santams relationship with agricultural bodies such as the African Farmers Association of South Africa (AFASA), the National Emergent Red Meat Producers Organisation (NERPO) and existing Santam clients. Partnerships were formed with three service providers Avocado Vision, AgriSkills Transfer and Farm for Africa to deliver the training in sessions of one day, five days and two weeks. The focus was on financial education, the insurance industry and the most important risks facing farmers, and access to finance and budgeting. Helping emerging farmers invest in themselves Jules Newton, managing director of Avocado Vision says the reality is that small-scale farmers can easily get lost in the system. Most emerging farmers often live from hand to mouth and dont have the resources to be able to invest in themselves. These farmers may have great technical farming skills, but the financial skills are tougher to acquire. Santams support of these programmes really helps farmers come to grips with their financial issues and enables them to make better decisions about how to manage their money. In such tough economic times, these are vital survival skills. Santams emerging farmer training programme forms part of a broader consumer education strategy initiated by the insurer aimed at community upliftment and promoting access to financial services. It is done in support of the governments drive to combat the challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality but also understanding that emerging markets have specific needs. The Land Bank today informed the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries about the impact and response to the current drought. The number of hectares planted this season is lower than last year and there is a decline across all commodities in the agriculture sector. The consequence of lower output in agriculture is an increase in imports and, therefore, an increase in prices. Cathy Yeulet Ltd via 123RF The hardest hit provinces are the North West and Free State with dams on average at 44 and 55 percent respectively, with some standing virtually empty. Severely affected are wheat, maize and sugar cane crops, with a low possible effect into the new season. Farmers in the disaster declared areas will be unable to plant into the new season. The Land Bank has the responsibility of sound lending against good prospects. Both the yields and the quality of crops are likely to be low due to the lack of irrigation. There is a decrease in livestock due to the voluntary slaughter by farmers. Livestock farmers are feeling the pressure on profit margins. Land Bank provides "breathing space" Against this backdrop, the Land Bank has assured the Committee that there are interventions in place to assist farmers. The bank provides a "breathing space" which allows the debt to be carried forward. Where there is a risk of defaulting payments, the loan repayment period can be restructured. Further, the bank provides for a payment holiday where the farmer can pay at a later date and there are relaxed covenants so the farmers do not default. Currently, the Land Bank has lent R38 million to farmers with non-performing loans at approximately R1.9 billion that is a ratio of 5.5 percent, which the bank can accommodate. The Land Bank is the second largest insurer for farmers, covering 5,500 farmers in the current situation. The key point which the Land Bank requested the Committee to consider is that most countries, including the BRICS countries, assist farmers with subsidies for insurance premiums. However, in South Africa, this is not so. This should be given significant consideration in this volatile economy. The chairperson welcomed the fact that R35 million has been approved to farmers to cope with the drought for the next three years. The chairperson said "Today I have learnt that we have the capacity to deliver services to our people. However, we need greater synergy and coordination amongst all the role players to ensure that we better the lives of our people." ArcelorMittal has appointed Wim de Klerk as its CEO and as an executive director to the board with effect from 1 September 2016. Wim de Klerk. Image source: http://cfo.co.za/ De Klerk holds a BAcc degree (honours) from the University of Pretoria, an executive management diploma from Darden as well as a strategic marketing diploma from Harvard. He is a qualified chartered accountant (SA). He is currently the finance director at Exxaro Resources. ArcelorMittal said De Klerk had "the necessary experience and understanding" to do the job. "The board congratulates Wim on his appointment and looks forward to his contribution." In a statements last week, Exxaro said after much "consideration and deliberation" De Klerk had decided to step down as finance director of the company. "The company's board of directors has, over a period of time, been considering his application to step down in order for him to make a lifestyle change and has approved such with effect from 31 August 2016 or an earlier date if so agreed with the board," the diversified resources group said. At 12.46pm, ArcelorMittal's share price was down 7.16% to R9.47, valuing the company at about R11.6bn. Source: BDpro In response to strong passenger and tour operator demand withing the South African market, low-cost, pan-African airline, fastjet will commence flights to Victoria Falls from Johannesburg on 25 March 2016. Services between Johannesburgs O.R. Tambo International Airport and Victoria Falls International Airport will operate using fastjets modern Airbus A319 jet aircraft with seating for up to 156 passengers. Initially operating twice a week on Fridays and Sundays, fastjets flights will depart Victoria Falls at 12.40pm and land in Johannesburg at 2.15pm, with a flight time of 1 hour 35 minutes. The return flight from Johannesburg departs at 2.55pm and lands in Victoria Falls at 4.35pm. Affordable air travel is key Tickets for the Victoria Falls flights from Johannesburg are on sale immediately, with fastjet advising passengers to book early to take advantage of its lowest priced fares of R1,939 one-way, which includes all government and airport taxes. To promote its newest international route, fastjet will provide a discount of R510 for any tickets booked before 25 March for travel from 25 March to 30 October 2016. To earn this discount, customers will need to use the promo code JET30. Growing tourism between South Africa and Zimbabwe fastjet believes that affordable air travel is key to the continued growth of tourism between Zimbabwe and South Africa, with Victoria Falls being long established as a tourism drawcard to the region, said Richard Bodin, fastjets chief commercial officer. Launching this route between Victoria Falls and Johannesburg makes it more affordable for South Africans to visit the areas many sights and attractions. Prior to announcing these flights to Victoria Falls, fastjet had detailed discussions with South African and Zimbabwean tour operators in order to deliver suitable flight components to include in packaged tour offerings. We will rely on continued support from the travel agents and tour operators due to the destinations strong tourism attractions, said Bodin. The new route between Victoria Falls and Johannesburg follows closely on the success of fastjets route launches between Harare and Victoria Falls, and its first international route from Harare to Johannesburg. fastjet increased the frequency of its flights from Harare to Johannesburg just two weeks after the first flight took to the skies, and now connects the two cities 12 times each week. First-time flyers The airline expects many of its passengers on these new flights to be first-time visitors to Victoria Falls, who would otherwise not have been able to afford to travel to what is a popular holiday destination for Southern Africans. Supporting this expectation is research undertaken by the airline, showing that up to 40% of its passengers on all routes were first-time flyers able to afford air travel for the first time, thanks to fastjets low fares. African consumers pay extortionate fares for regional air travel, especially to tourism destinations. The lack of real competition on many routes keeps prices artificially high, which can make air travel and exploring beautiful holiday destinations like Victoria Falls beyond the reach of most, Bodin said. Affordable airfares will make it easier for more tourists and other visitors to travel to Victoria Falls, which in turn will boost tourism and contribute significantly to the regions economic growth, said Bodin. Providing local and international tourist with the opportunity to go on virtual tours of some of South Africa's top natural attractions, Google SA has announced the launch of a Google Street View collection, Mzansi Experience - Discover South Africa on Google Maps. Table mountain view of entire bay - Discover SA on Google Maps Using images collected by the Street View Tripod and Trekker, Google has created 360-degree imagery of some of South Africas most beautiful locations, and created virtual tours that enable visitors to see the sights for themselves on their phones, tablets or computers. Visitors will be able to visit a family of elephants in the Kruger National Park, take a virtual walk on Table Mountain, admire Cape Point, or take a walk along Durbans Golden Mile. Showcasing SA Says Google SA communications and public affairs head Mich Atagana: We are launching this imagery on Google Maps as part of a campaign to showcase the beauty of South Africa as a tourist destination for local and international travellers. South Africa is home to some of the top tourist destinations in the world, home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites and home to the Kruger National Park - one of Africas largest game reserves. This imagery seeks to showcase the beauty of the country to those who are interested in virtually traveling here, and will hopefully to inspire them to visit in person. Google has partnered with SANParks in collecting these iconic images. Says Reynold Thakhuli, acting head of communications, SANParks, "SANParks is proud to partner with Google Maps, making use of its technology to improve accessibility to South Africas natural heritage. Over the last few months, Google Maps has been collecting imagery in a number of national parks in order to bring a broad spectrum of the public closer to exciting wilderness features than they have ever been before." Durban golden mile - Discover SA on Google Maps This type of 360-degree, panoramic imagery is now available in 66 countries, Atagana says. We are excited about the many possibilities we have yet to explore and to bring more useful and beautiful imagery to Google Maps users around the globe. There are more than one billion monthly active users of Google Maps services. Street View imagery is available in more than 75 countries, as well as parts of the Arctic and Antarctica (including penguins). The Discover SA on Google Maps collection includes: Table Mountain National Park Cape of Good Hope Kruger National Park West Coast National Park Lion's Head Signal Hill Golden Mile Sunset Beach Clifton Beach Hout Bay Llandudno Beach Camps Bay Beach Boulder's Beach State-owned freight and logistics company Transnet says it is applying different models to test private-sector participation on branch lines. The company was speaking to various government departments to "enhance" the strategy and models to be applied to branch lines, it said. Branch lines are secondary railway lines running from the main rail line. Hennie Heymans via Wikimedia Commons Finance Minster Pravin Gordhan said in his budget speech last month that Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown was in talks with Transnet leadership to accelerate private-sector participation in the parastatal's ports and rail projects. Allowing for public-private participation Brown has "instructed" all state-owned companies under her watch to urgently identify opportunities for public-private partnerships. In the case of Transnet, this included new ports, as well as branch lines, the minister's spokesman, Colin Cruywagen, said. Transnet has long mooted the idea of bringing in the private sector to operate its branch lines under concessions. Last year, it made the first call for proposals for one of its branch lines linking Kimberley and De Aar in the Northern Cape. In 2014, Transnet said private-sector involvement would be sought in running trains on branch lines, which would be upgraded at a cost of R200m - R400m a year. About 20 branch lines were identified as possibilities, and a model developed to let private companies use them. The government said it was looking into allowing the private sector to operate on the mainline, and not just branch lines. Access to mainline Transnet has previously been criticised for not granting concessionaire's access to the mainline. Critics say branch lines carry little traffic for concessionaires to make them commercially viable. Branch lines need to carry large volumes of freight to be viable. Goods carried on the branch lines are mainly agricultural products - maize, wheat, barley, malt and sugar cane - as well as commodities such as timber, fuel, chemicals and bulk liquids, according to Transnet. Some of the lines are suited for tourist services. "So far we have undertaken comprehensive assessments of the business, infrastructure, operations and related investment needs on targeted branch lines," said Transnet spokesman Mboniso Sigonyela. Prof Jan Havenga, of Stellenbosch University's Centre for Supply Chain Management, said Transnet should look at accelerating private-sector participation in terminals, dedicated wagons, and branch lines. There had been some successful partnerships around branch lines and wagons. Prof Havenga said it would not be possible for Transnet to fund everything from its own balance sheet. "Transnet has done good work in determining long-term rail and port demand for SA and financing expansion to the limit that the balance sheet can accommodate," he said. Identified projects for private sector participation Sigonyela said private sector participation was an important part of the company's funding plan. Transnet had identified a number of projects where the private sector could participate. These projects include the Blue Train, for which it has a private-sector marketing partnership with Sun International; the manganese common-user loading facility in the Northern Cape; the Grootvlei loading facility in Mpumalanga; and the Tambo Springs inland container terminal to be built in Gauteng. Also included is a container terminal at the Durban DigOut Port - construction of the multibillion-rand port is yet to begin. "We view partnerships with the private sector as one of the ways in which we can broaden our sources of funding for capital investments and get access to private sector skills and expertise," Sigonyela said. Source: Business Day The 2016 Directors' Event will take place on Friday 8 April at the Sandton Convention Centre. It features top industry leaders unpacking four topics of national importance - the role innovation plays in driving an economy forward, challenge of quality, affordable healthcare, education and skills development and how to improve South Africa's global competitiveness. Each discussion will be moderated by a media personality. Our experience of the inaugural event in 2015 showed us that while we, as South Africans, are facing seemingly overwhelming challenges, there is a silver-lining if government, business, academic and civil leadership pull together, says Trevor Ormerod, GM sales & marketing at Times Media. Vuyo Lee, group executive: brand, corporate affairs and transformation, MMI Holdings, believes, The event is relevant to businesses and business leaders, as it allows for collaboration among influential leaders in business, government and civil society. We expect that it will not only provide unique viewpoints from various spheres of our society but also help to collaboratively contribute to charting a new path to financial wellness and social cohesion. Innovation In 2016, one of issues that will come under the microscope is the role that innovation plays in driving an economy forward. The panel, moderated by Andile Khumalo, will discuss ways to consolidate, coordinate and synergise innovative activities aimed at the entrepreneurial success of the South African economy. Prof Boris Urban (Professor & chair in entrepreneurship (Lamberti Foundation) Wits Business School) Justin Stanford (co-founding partner, 4Di Capital) Lebogang Maile (MEC Economic Development, Gauteng Provincial Government) Matsi Modise (MD, SiMODiSA) Yusuf Randera-Rees (CEO & co-founder, The Awethu Project) Healthcare Offering quality, affordable healthcare for all at a sustainable cost is a challenge for which a solution is still contentious. Bruce Whitfield will moderate the debate. Christine du Preez (director, Hlokomela Clinic) Dylan Garnett (CEO, Metropolitan Health) Malebona Precious Matsoso (director general of the Department of Health) Prakash Devchand (chairman and CEO, Lenmed Health) Simon Hlungwani (president, Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa) Education Iman Rapetti will be moderating what promises to be a hot discussion on education and skills development in South Africa. Fasiha Hassan, secretary general of WITS Student Representative Council Mary Metcalfe (visiting adjunct professor: Wits School of Governance; and change and stakeholder director, programme to Improve Learning Outcomes), Robyn Beere (Director, Inclusive Education South Africa), and Felicity Coughlan (Director, Independent institute of Education) Improving competitiveness CNBC Africa news anchor Bronwyn Nielsen will host the discussion on the uphill climb to improve South Africas global competitiveness. Caroline Galvan (lead economist & editor: Africa Competitiveness Report, WEF) Dion Shango (CEO, PwC Southern Africa) Muhammad Seedat (founder and MD, Smartrac) Nontombi Marule (director innovation & technology, dti) Richard Poplak (author, Continental Shift: A Journey Through Africas Changing Fortunes) Ormerod says of the innovative debating platform, The positive feedback received from more than 200 executive level delegates last year, combined with the willingness of leaders to participate in debate in an exposed forum again this year, make it an unmissable opportunity. Ticket bookings are exceeding expectations. For more information, go to www.thedirectorsevent.co.za. Social media networks have taken the world and they have become an integral part of our everyday lives. There are more than 2 billion active social media users right now, and that number keeps growing as we speak. It has increased by 25% each year, which only shows that the popularity and the use of social media is definitely not going to go down anytime soon. The most interesting part about these platforms is that they have crept their way into business planning, thus becoming one of the most crucial marketing tools. This year, we will definitely witness the peak of social media use, and the number of users will absolutely keep increasing for years to come. Lets take a look at the trends that will change the way we see marketing and that will most certainly pave the way for success. The evolving role of social media at the workplace Lets face it everyone uses social media at their workplace, whether they are allowed to by their employers or they are patiently waiting for their superiors to turn away so that they can check their notifications and news feed. Something here is pretty obvious that kind of activity lowers the levels of productivity and efficiency at work, which is something every business owner should take into account. However, there is a way to use social media at the workplace, and both keep the employees satisfied and ensure their productivity levels are high. Slack has become a very popular app. It has gained over 2 million active users in two years time on the market. Built around chat rooms and archives, with its interactive interface, it has become quite a game-changer for businesses around the world. It is great for work, as it helps employees keep the communication going, without the annoying threads of endless e-mails. Tens of thousands of business teams across the globe are using it to make their work a lot simpler and themselves more productive. Facebook at Work is another way for businesses to change how people work internally, as it helps them build their own secure social networks. It is still in trial mode and many companies are on the waiting list, but it will become free for general use this year and it will definitely change the way businesses work. Employee advocacy and social media marketing At the moment, almost 80% of businesses have their social media team, as they have come to the understanding that it is of crucial importance to have employees who will only deal with social media marketing. That way, they will be truly dedicated to doing their work effectively, thus managing to reach their target audience. Likewise, businesses encourage their employees to share their business content on their own social media accounts by implementing employee social advocacy programs. They have shown quite a huge improvement, with a growth of 191% since 2013. If each and every employee within a company shares content on their social media, they will get a lot more engagement than the companys brand channel. Since they can attract a lot more people, they can help the company get a vast number of new customers. Social media marketing is the next big thing on the market and it is undoubtedly one of the best tools for expanding a business, as well as for boosting ones reputation. Business owners who are in need of effective marketing to showcase their business to a large number of people can easily do so with the use of social media, which will spread the word about their business before they know it. The advancement of social media advertising Remember the time when banner ads were pretty much everywhere online, constantly annoying you even on Facebook, when all you wanted was to simply scroll your newsfeed and relax? Those days are gone, as the new and improved social media ads have taken the place of the old-fashioned ones. You have certainly noticed them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, looking like the regular updates from your friends and followers, which is definitely more natural than banner ads. The best feature of these new ads is that they are carefully targeted towards the right audiences needs and desires. Age, gender, location, interests and many more factors are used in order to target an audience with great precision, so that the ads you see on your news feed are the ones that you may actually need. Social media advertising has grown to a great extent, and has exceeded everyones expectations. Only major corporations were able to buy social media ads before, but today, every small business can afford them easily and use them as one of their marketing tools. This trend will definitely grow more and it will continue to do so in the years to come. It will certainly become even more popular among business owners who follow the latest work trends and who want to advertise their business across the globe to successfully spread the word about their brand. The emerging social media messaging apps There are billions of active users of messaging apps (almost 4 billion, actually), such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber and many others. Their primary use was to enable people across the globe to chat with one another in real time, but they have evolved into great marketing tools for many businesses. Since the major platforms have developed messaging components, social media messaging apps have become great for customer support as well. Every business owner who has a brand channel on social media networks uses those apps to stay in touch with customers. Keeping the communication with customers ongoing is extremely important for every business and social media messaging apps enable a perfect one-on-one social customer service. They are very important for e-commerce, as they are ideal for business-to-customer interactions. The rise of social video Social video is literally taking over the world. Last year, the number of video views on Facebook was 8 billion. Social video is emerging everywhere, as now you can put a short video on Instagram as well. Snapchat now counts an incredible number of 8 billion video views per day. Those numbers are certain to grow even further in 2016, particularly with features such as Suggested Videos on Facebook. Videos are some of the most useful marketing tools for any kind of business, so it is no wonder that 70% of companies say that video is absolutely the most effective tool in their marketing campaigns. Social videos have definitely dominated social media networks and each and every business owner in the world should understand the role of social videos to be able to incorporate them effectively into their marketing plans and strategies. There are also plenty of video-editing apps that are very easy to use and can provide them with high-quality videos for their marketing. This is a trend that will only keep growing with each coming year and we are yet to see its peak. In the day and age we live in, social media networks are the key to successful marketing. If you want to stay ahead of your competition, you should follow these social media trends that will most certainly leave a mark on the way companies do business and explore the world of marketing. This week, we find out what's really going on behind the selfie with Rene Rose - managing partner of Positiv marketing and business consultancy. Rose, basking in Melbourne 1. Where do you live, work and play? Rose: Live: I recently moved to Adelaide in South Australia. I live in Brighton, literally 100 metres from the beachfront after living in the concrete jungle of Jozi all my life. Work: I work from home or any coffee shop with Wi-Fi in my area. My mentor and best friend, Ute Schoeman and I started Positiv as an agency to focus on multinational industrial clients. We started this up knowing full well that I was moving to Australia, but we saw the potential for international business. We work virtually and its our philosophy to do what we do from anywhere in the world. The SA team and myself run concurrently with clients who have offices in South Africa and Australia. We are also looking to expand into Germany. Play: I play all over Adelaide it reminds me of Cape Town (my favourite city) on steroids. We have various winelands literally 45 minutes from here, and then the city which is full of history, culture and art. Other than that, I am bestie to my 10-year-old daughter who has a fetish for putt putt and water slides. 2. Whats your claim to fame? Rose: Positiv is a brand new agency. We like to call it a marketing and business consultancy. Myself and partner Ute, who was previously MD of a German multinational, have over 15 years of hands on experience in this field. I was the GM of communications for the same German multinational. We started up Positiv because of our love for the industry and our operational knowledge of working in a multinational subsidiary. We know how difficult it can be to fit into an international corporate ID while trying to communicate with local markets. These are all challenges that can be overcome. We also wanted an opportunity to showcase South African designers. We realised that SA designers are amazing and that their level of creativity is world class. We use only South African designers for all our customers, no matter what country they are in. 3. Describe your career so far. Rose: I wanted to be a researcher, but ended up being a reader at a media monitoring firm while I was studying. I discovered that I love news and the world of PR started opening up to me. I later joined an ad agency and various publishing houses. I ended up in the unglamorous world of engineering ten years ago. At the time, I didnt even know what a gearbox looked like, but very soon I started thinking that these amazing engineering technologies were nothing short of genius innovation and discovered that I actually have a knack for grasping technical ideas and putting them into plain and simple language. I have never looked back. Engineering is my first love now. Even more than shoes. 4. Tell us a few of your favourite things. Rose: Since very recently taking a walk along the beach or just lying in the sand watching the world go by while the sun is pelting my very white skin. I have also discovered that the very flat sea of Adelaide is a great place to think. I love cooking. I am quite the nurturer so cooking for people makes me feel like Im adding wholesome goodness to their lives. I love technology, so youll always find me on social media. 5. What do you love about your industry? Rose: Just how clever it is. The innovation is beyond me. The industrial sector is a bit like the Cinderella of the marketing circles, and I love adding glamour and shining a spotlight on the great stories in this industry. Another thing is the people. I find all my clients to be just the most respectful, down-to-earth people who find the world of marketing a bit mystical but are intrigued by the magic. All things that keep me fascinated and motivated for this industry. 6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists. Rose: I work from home, with frequent trips to Sydney and Johannesburg to see clients and the team. So it is a juggling act and that is the new standard of normal for me. The Positiv team in South Africa get to the office when I pour my first glass of wine for the evening, so the time zones are a challenge. I find I work late into the night as I would like to be online while they are working and we find we get a lot done in this way. We start each evening with a telephone call to touch base and do a handover. In the mornings I pick up any leftover tasks so that by the time they wake up, they have a good start. The upside is that clients really can expect 24-hour service! 7. What are the tools of your trade? Rose: My smart phone and my very snazzy notebook. I also have a great VoiP system installed so that the comms are easy. 8. Who is getting it right in your industry? Rose: SMC Pneumatics is a name that wont mean anything to the average reader just yet, but this industrial firm recently opened offices in South Africa. Part of a network of 84 subsidiaries worldwide, the company is Japanese-owned. This makes quite a change from the usual German Engineering payoff were used to. So the execution of this brand is bringing home the big message of Japanese quality in crisp, clear communication. 9. What are you working on right now? Rose: Setting up our Australian client base and getting new customers in the region. Our first port of call is to service the Australian subsidiaries of the multinationals we deal with in SA. Currently I am doing this for two major clients in Australia. We work from the clients offices on some days to entrench ourselves into their teams. So our idea is to be exclusive to a few clients, taking on an outsourced marketing department approach, and providing very personalised service. We work with the decision makers and negotiate as high up as head office. We work internationally and roll out the same look and feel throughout. We also offer business consultancy services for multinationals who need BEE structured, or have operational issues which need to be sorted out. We would come in, make an assessment and help sort out what needs to be done, leaving new fresh structures and a healthier bottom line when we close the door behind us. 10. Tell us some of the buzzwords floating around in your industry at the moment, and some of the catchphrases you utter yourself. Rose: My approach for this year is that the only buzzwords that matter are trust and relationships. Cut the fancy terms and the industry buzz words and just get on with it. We work on a trust relationship with our clients. We partner with them in their business and spend as much time with them as possible. 11. Where and when do you have your best ideas? Rose: Driving in my car or floating in the ocean. 12. Whats your secret talent/party trick? Rose: Im a keen dancer and I have been known to bust some moves. I can pretty much set a dance floor alight or clear it out. 13. Are you a technophobe or a technophile? Rose: Technophobe with the tenacity to figure it out. 14. What would we find if we scrolled through your phone? Rose: Photos of my family and my cats, as well as labels of bottles of wine, or clever marketing ideas I want to look up or remember. 15. What advice would you give to newbies hoping to crack into the industry? Rose: The industrial marketing arena is really about relationships. Be open to people, even the weird, antisocial engineering types, be sincere and work hard. It is an industry all about deliverables and less about fancy talk. You can read more about Positiv by clicking here, click here for more on Rose and interact with the Positiv team through the following social media accounts: Website Email LinkedIn Instagram *Interviewed by Leigh Andrews According to James Hogan, president and chief executive of Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, partnership and innovation have been a driving force behind the success of Etihad Airways. James Hogan, Etihad Airways PCEO - Global Aerospace Summit Delivering a keynote address to the Global Aerospace Summit, held as part of the Abu Dhabi Aviation and Aerospace Week, Hogan outlined the advantages of the strategic partnerships Etihad Airways has forged through minority equity stakes in Alitalia, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, airberlin, Etihad Regional operated by Darwin Airline, Jet Airways, and Virgin Australia. He said: To become a competitive global network carrier today is incredibly challenging. Partnerships allow us to compete effectively and give us scale and differentiation, as well as reducing cost and delivering major benefits, including operational cooperation, more consumer choice and competition, and job creation. UAE leveraging partnership Speaking to the Summits major theme of partnership, Hogan praised the UAEs pioneering approach, particularly in the area of aerospace partnerships. In the UAE, we are seeing a rapidly expanding broad portfolio based on partnership in aerostructures manufacturing, engine and component financing, and maintenance, repair and overhaul, he said. The UAE is actively leveraging partnerships with the worlds biggest aviation players including Rolls-Royce, GE, Boeing and Airbus as it becomes a leading global player and centre of excellence. Continued innovation in an increasingly globalised economy Hogan described how partnerships are more important than ever in an increasingly globalised economy, as well as the need for businesses to continually innovate to stay relevant another central theme of the Summit that drew leading aerospace figures to the UAE capital for two days of debate and presentations. He said: The UAE aims to become one of the most innovative nations in the world within seven years and enter the Global Innovation Index top 20 by 2021. A culture of innovation and entrepreneurship Already, we are seeing the creation of a national culture that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship through partnership, with the private sector encouraged to establish innovation and scientific research centres and adopt new technologies. This is a philosophy we also hold dear at Etihad Airways. We know that a sustained innovation process is fundamental in a competitive environment such as aviation. It is absolutely central to providing remarkable products and services to our guests now and into the future. Emphasising the importance of innovation to todays environmentally conscious travellers, Hogan also spoke of Etihad Airways work with partners on the sustainable production of aviation biofuels in the UAE. Hogan closed his address by challenging delegates to embrace innovation because consumers expect to deal with switched-on organisations in a new digital society. He said: The world isnt changing its already changed. Partnership and innovation are critical in a new globalised economy and success in an increasingly digital future depends on an ability to implement effective technologies and rethink strategy, culture and talent. In the Morning Hot Dish, J. Patrick Coolican crafted the headline, Odds against grand bargain at Capitol, and the subsequent floor session Tuesday underscored that prediction. In some ways, the gutted shell of the state capitol was a pretty good metaphor for the state of Minnesota's policy making. Inside Cass Gilbert's heap, the bones of Minnesota House are showing, and it's not pretty. Case in point? Early Tuesday (4:00 a.m.), Minnesota Public Radio's Brian Bakst reported in House Speaker Daudt sued by debt collectors, was tardy on taxes: Debt collectors sued Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Daudt three times in the past year over thousands of dollars in credit card charges, and he also was late paying taxes for land he owns, MPR News has discovered through public court and property records. . . . "Like many Minnesotans who struggled as a result of the recession, I lost my job and faced credit card debt," Daudt said in the statement. "This issue is now resolved and there is no outstanding debt. When I stand up for middle-class families who are feeling squeezed, it is not a talking point, it is real life." So far as that goes, we agree with Daudt, and unlike most people we see commenting, we don't see Daudt's debts as the significant part of this story, nor the slip between Republican "government and families should live within their means" rhetoric and the Speaker's inaction. Rather, it's this part of Bakst's report: . . . [I]t subjects him to scrutiny over whether he's received special treatment because of his political position. The other two lawsuits took abrupt turns last spring after default judgments were entered against Daudt. Messerli & Kramer PA, a law firm that also has a major lobbying presence at the state Capitol, reversed course shortly after winning the judgments for its client and urged a judge to wipe away the rulings, a rare concession in these types of actions. On Tuesday morning Daudt spoke with MPR's Cathy Wurzer. He said he did not believe he received special treatment because of his position in state government. "No, in fact I don't think that they even knew that. And like I said, the debt had been paid in full, and that's why it was dismissed. And I assume that's normal practice," Daudt said. In all three cases another Capitol lobbyist has been involved on Daudt's behalf, according to public court filings. That lobbyist, attorney R. Reid LeBeau II, is often turned to by the House Republican caucus for work on election law and ethics cases, though it isn't clear who has paid his fees in Daudt's personal finance cases. . . . Was any law or rule broken? We doubt it--but like the state capitol, the case and others involving legislators from both parties suggest that Minnesota's lobbying and legislative laws and rules are in need of reconstruction. The stonework is crumbling and ordinary citizens can be forgiven if they infer that elected officials receive special treatment. This is a separate, though related, issue from campaign finance reform. A few hours ago, Bakst reported in Daudt says he received no special treatment on debt lawsuits. From the MPR website: Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Daudt insists he got no special treatment from debt collectors who sued him over late credit card payments. Daudt settled the most recent lawsuit with a credit card company Monday, just as the Legislature was gearing up to start its new session. He hasn't said how much he agreed to pay of the $9,300 U.S. Bank was after. Last year, another company sued Daudt and had judgments entered against him. Those judgments went away soon after and the case was abandoned. Now some are questioning whether Daudt got a better deal than other debtors. And they want to know if the law firm in those cases played favorites because it also has a lobbying wing. Daudt rejects that notion. "All it is is speculation," Daudt said. "There is a firm apparently that has a debt collection arm and a lobbying arm. I'm quite certain the debt collection arm had no clue who I was." Well then. It's not as if his name appears daily in Minnesota media. Bakst looked to see if Daudt's experience was the norm for others going through collections: A look at hundreds of similar debt cases found that the way Daudt's cases were handled by the court was rare. The earlier two judgments were vacated and then dismissed with prejudice, meaning the credit card company represented by Messerli and Kramer couldn't come after him again. Hicks challenged MPR News' findings but wouldn't produce the firm's own figures. MPR News looked at more than 650 cases filed in state courts over six months and found less than a handful where judgments were vacated like Daudt's. Hicks said that's surprising to him. Read both stories at MPR. For more on the reconstruction's impact, check out MPR reporter Tim Pugmire's On Legislature's opening day, Capitol remodeling makes room for debate. Here's the complete House opening session: Photo: cropped version of Glen Stubbe's amazing photos accompanying the tweet, "House Speaker @ kdaudt had a challenging day today at first day of the # Mnleg session. Lots more tough days coming." View the full images here. If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie's original posts and analysis, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below: Email subscribers can contribute via this link to paypal; use email sally.jo.sorensen at gmail dot com as recipient. It looks like you have reached this page in error ... The content you are looking for has either moved, or if you typed in the address there might have been a mistake. If you believe there has been a technical error please let us know. Most Popular Destinations Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) told reporters this morning that his committee will debate whether or not they should debate the merits of President Obama's yet to be named Supreme Court nominee tomorrow morning. From The Hill: Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said the Senate Judiciary Committee will have a full-blown debate Thursday on whether to hold a hearing on a Supreme Court nomination. If you want to hear a full-blown debate on this issue, I think well probably have one before our committee tomorrow while were also considering three of four judges and a piece of legislation as well, he said. I was going to quip that everyone should be allowed to debate whether or not they will do their jobs, but then nothing would get done. Someone has to do the work while Senate Republicans sit on their asses. I suppose this is a step up from declaring that they won't talk about it at all, but that's not saying much. (Cartoonist - Chan Lowe) In other news, the Virginia state senate has passed a bill to bring back the electric chair or executions. Really. Meanwhile, the the World Health Organization (WHO) now says sexual transmission of the Zika virus is more common than previously thought. The virus has now been reported in 31 countries. Finally, we still don't know who the president's SCOTUS nominee will be, but Republicans are vowing to mercilessly attack them whoever it is. I'm glad we've settled that there will be no substantive opposition, only a pre-planned assault. Krishna Janmashtami 2022: Love Lessons To Learn From Lord Krishna Faith Mysticism lekhaka-Staff As far as the Hindu religion is concerned, it has many gods and goddesses, and most of them have had a role to play in the religion. Among all the gods, the Hindus have a great amount of love and devotion towards Lord Krishna. Due to this faith and devotion, people celebrate Krishna Janmashtami every year to remark the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. This year people will be celebrating Krishna Janmashtami on 18 August 2022. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna is believed to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He is said to have played one of the most important characters in the Mahabharata, the longest epic poem of Hindus. As the strongest character in the story of Mahabharata, Lord Krishna stands as an embodiment of love, respect, humanism, bravery, statesmanship, and much more. His speeches and teachings on love are something to be inspired by. The life of the Hindus is largely said to be influenced by the teachings of Lord Krishna. Love lessons from Krishna are quite popular, even today and people, in the name of true love, follow the ideals given by him. This Krishna Janmashtami, we have brought some of the best love lessons to learn from Lord Krishna: where we talk about his love for his family, brother, devotees and all. Love For Parents Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudev, but he was brought up by Yashoda and Nand. He had great respect for all four of them and true dedication for all his duties and responsibilities towards them. One must love and dedicate oneself to the service of one's parents. Love For Justice Lord Krishna was an embodiment of love and justice. He fought against his own people to establish the rule of law and justice. If you have read the Mahabharata, then you must know that he supported the Pandavas in the battle. He did so only because the Pandavas were right. Love For Motherland This is one of most important love lessons to learn from Lord Krishna. As the Yadava Prince and the patrons of the Pandavas, Krishna has shown his great love for his motherland. He supported the Pandava brothers when they asked for five villages of their motherland. He even visited Duryodhana to plead for the Pandavas. Love For His Teacher Another of the most significant love lessons to learn from Lord Krishna is here. Even as the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Krishna showed respect for his teachers or gurus. He also paidrespect to all the sages whom he had ever met. Love For His Beloved Krishna had quite a few admirers and beloveds. His love for Radha has been the most significant part of his life in Vrindavan, where he was brought up by Nand and Yashoda. Lord Krishna had great respect for Radha and also for all the other beloveds who became a part of the epic later on. Love For His Friend Being the most popular among the Hindu Gods, Lord Krishna has left an indelible impression on the Indian masses, through his love for Sudhama. It proves he valued friendship as the difference in their statuses did not matter to Krishna. Love For Brother Balaram and Krishna shared a strong brotherhood, in which Krishna loved his brother dearly. Krishna highly respected his elder brother Balaram and they shared a fearless childhood. These love lessons from Lord Krishna are very significant indeed, due to their impact on the Indian masses. faith-mysticism Most Read: 19 Avatars Of Lord Shiva A file photo. NEW DELHI (PTI): The Indian Army and the Indonesian Army will take part in the fourth "Garuda Shakti" joint training exercise, which will focus on counter-insurgency, between March 10 and 23. According to Col. Rohan Anand, spokesperson for the Indian Army, the joint exercise will be conducted for 13 days at Magelang, Indonesia in which an Indian Army platoon strength contingent will carry out cross training with a platoon from the Airborne battalion of the Indonesian Army. The selected Indian Army unit has varied operational experience in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations in the Northern, Western and Eastern theatres. The Indian Contingent has been put through a rigorous training schedule to prepare it for the exercise which includes combat conditioning, firing, tactical operations, tactical skills and special heliborne operations training. The exercise will be conducted as joint Counter Insurgency operations exercise in urban and rural scenario and encompass various facets of tactical Counter Insurgency operations. Anand said the aim of the exercise is to build and promote positive relations between the armies of India and Indonesia and to enhance the ability of both of them to undertake joint tactical level operations in a Counter Insurgency environment under United Nations Charter. It also includes the ambit of identifying areas of expertise/ specialisation of each other, evolution of combat tactical drills for conduct of tactical Counter Insurgency operations and to undertake combined training for neutralisation of insurgency threat. The exercise is conducted on a reciprocal basis and its first edition was conducted in the year 2012 in India. The second edition was conducted in Indonesia in 2013 and third in India in 2014. To coordinate modalities of the training exercise, an Exercise Planning Conference was held at Yogyakarta, Indonesia on 22 and 23 September 2015. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. REGINA Premier Brad Wall tried to brand himself as the defender of Saskatchewan as he and NDP Leader Cam Broten both made a pitch for votes to rural leaders Wednesday. Wall urged delegates at the Saskatchewan Rural Municipalities Association convention to think about the economy when they head to the polls April 4. The question in this election is who is going to fight for Saskatchewan on economic issues? Who will best defend the interests of your province within Canada and internationally? Wall said. You know our record. Its not perfect. We can always do better. But I hope you will know by now that we will I will never back down from an opportunity to unambiguously defend the interests of this province, to defend the economies of rural and urban Saskatchewan, whether its nationally or internationally. Wall reminded delegates that the Saskatchewan Party government cut the education property tax on farmland and improved a municipal revenue-sharing formula. He also credited the agriculture industry for helping during tough times. The economy that we prize in this province, much of what is driving Saskatchewan today, happens in rural Saskatchewan. Wall also announced a new tax credit worth $330 a year for volunteer firefighters and volunteer medical emergency first responders. The credit would cost the province about $1 million a year, but would be implemented only as the provinces finances strengthen. Saskatchewan is currently in deficit. The premier also tried to paint a picture of the rival NDP as having what he called a disastrous record in rural Saskatchewan. He said one NDP candidate referred to stupid farmers in Facebook posts two years ago. These are candidates to be MLAs in the legislative assembly in the province of Saskatchewan. Im not sure theyre going to be champions for rural Saskatchewan. Broten said he spoke to the candidate, Clayton Wilson, who is running in Saskatoon Northwest, and Wilson has apologized. Wilson took to Facebook to explain. He said he was upset by a grain transportation crisis and the elimination of the Canadian Wheat Board and said things that I sincerely regret. Broten is trying to win back voters in rural areas by pledging to listen to their concerns. The NDP didnt hold any seats in rural Saskatchewan, excluding two in the far north, when the election was called Tuesday. I know there are many in this room who arent happy with decisions made by my party in the past. I understand that, Broten told delegates. Im not here to defend decisions made when I was in high school or when I was in university. I fully recognize the previous governments faced challenging financial and economic circumstances. Broten said those NDP governments also got some things right when they brought Saskatchewan back from the brink of bankruptcy. The NDP rebalanced the books in the 1990s after taking over government from the Progressive Conservatives. Broten also reiterated a promise to end ambulance fees for patients transferred between facilities and to scrap a per-kilometre rate for ambulances, which he said unfairly hurts rural residents. SARM doesnt take an official political position; however, rural constituencies are considered a base of support for the Saskatchewan Party. SARM president Ray Orb believes the crowd appreciated what both leaders had to say, in particular Brotens statement on past NDP actions. I thought that it was a good thing coming from a leader of any party to admit, Look, were willing to move on. We dont want to dwell on the past. Were starting fresh. I think it was refreshing to our members to hear that. Already have an account? Log in here Communities in Canada started adding fluoride to their drinking water in 1945 after research found it reduced cavities. In the last decade or so, many municipalities have voted to stop fluoridation as questions have arisen about its benefits. The Canadian Dental Association believes about 37 per cent of the population currently drinks fluoridated water. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 08/03/2016 (2419 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. VICTORIA Lead levels in the drinking water at British Columbias 119-year-old legislature are more than five times above provincial and federal standards, says an Independent member of the legislature who recently sent water samples to a laboratory for tests. Vicki Huntington said Tuesday she decided to test the drinking water after complaints about its quality from staff and recent reports of elevated lead levels in northern B.C. schools. My staff has found the taste of the water somewhat metallic here and bugged me unmercifully to let them get the water tested, which I finally agreed to, and lo and behold is five-and-a-half times the maximum allowed concentration of lead. Huntington wants the government to test water quality in all aging public buildings. That includes schools, she said, because parents need to know the water their children drink is safe. Huntington said she and her staff took water from her office and a mens washroom. We took (water) from my staff office, and admittedly it had been sitting all weekend, but it doesnt diminish the fact we have a problem with lead in our water in this building, she said. Huntington said she advised the Speaker of her findings, adding that experts say the lead level indicates the need to flush the pipes and conduct further tests. In a statement, Speaker Linda Reid assured members of the legislature and staff that she takes water quality questions seriously. Recognizing that the parliament buildings have extensive copper and lead piping, the assembly regularly tests water quality and flushes pipes, the statement says. Provincial health officer Perry Kendall said the regular flushing of water systems in older buildings, including the legislature, reduces lead levels in drinking water. Health officials in southern B.C. have been aware for at least the past 25 years that water systems require regular flushing, especially on Monday mornings when water has sat in pipes for hours, he said. Kendall recommended legislature employees drink bottled water when available. Last month, School District 52 in Prince Rupert warned parents of students at four local schools that elevated levels of lead were found in the drinking water. The district said it started regular flushing and was installing filtration devices at drinking areas. In 2012, a teachers concern in nearby Kitimat about dying salmon eggs in a classroom aquarium experiment found elevated levels of copper and lead killed the fish. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Kerselin Fumier hopes the local Mauritian community will feel a bit closer to their island home now that March 12 this Saturday is officially dedicated Mauritius Independence Day in Brandon. Mayor Rick Chrest was joined by members of the Mauritius Cultural Association of Brandon on Tuesday for the proclamation signing at city hall. It symbolizes so many things, said Fumier, the associations president. We love Mauritius so much, so we wanted to have a proclamation day to make all the Mauritian folks that live in Brandon, Manitoba, to feel like they are home. Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Mayor Rick Chrest is surrounded by members of the Mauritius Cultural Association of Brandon at city hall on Tuesday as he signs a proclamation declaring March 12 this Saturday as Mauritius Independence Day in Brandon. Fumier, who immigrated to Brandon eight years ago, says there are roughly 200 people from Mauritius living in the city. The small country is located in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa. It was colonized by the Dutch, French and British before gaining independence on March 12, 1968. Mauritius became a republic within the Commonwealth in 1992. In Mauritius, Independence Day is marked with a large ceremony featuring honoured guests from nearby countries, live music and dancing. Locally, there will be a flag raising at city hall on Friday and the Mauritius association will have a celebration at the Park Community Centre on Saturday, March 19. When they see the flag on Friday Im pretty sure everyone will have Mauritius in their hearts, Fumier said. The City of Brandon issues civic proclamations for days or weeks dedicated to cultural celebrations, health issues and advocacy initiatives, among other things for example, last week the city declared March 7 as Brandons Certified Green Homes Day. Chrest says he was happy to sign Tuesdays proclamation and extend an official welcome to Brandons Mauritius community. Were prepared to demonstrably show that they are part of the community, yet they can continue to celebrate their own culture, which is really a hallmark of Canada, Chrest said. To me, it just makes our community richer. ewasney@brandonsun.com Twitter: @evawasney Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Recent floods have increased the conversation around how to mitigate and minimize the destruction of land and infrastructure during high water events, according to the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation. MHHC is in the middle of a significant wetland restoration project and is looking for landowners to help them meet the project objectives. There are a number of advantages to restoring wetlands, but the main benefit that landowners are often most interested in is the actual retention of water, according to a MHHC press release. Deloraine landowner Gord Weidenhamer recently signed a 10-year wetland restoration agreement to enhance a project already under an existing conservation agreement with MHHC. Nature took a lifetime to create it and to try to get it back takes a lot of steps and a lot of work, Weidenhamer said. These conservation projects help to restore the natural lands, and I think people should take advantage of them and really look at the big picture. The land was drained by previous owners, but it didnt provide any benefit as far as the grazing goes, the wetlands were still there especially during high water years. The 32-acre project on Weidenhamers and Glen Scotts properties is just one example of the many projects that have been funded through MHHC with support from Environment and Climate Change Canada and its Lake Winnipeg Basin Stewardship Fund. Research and land surveys are completed in co-operation with landowners to determine what the water level should be at and to provide direction on the best means of restoring the natural landscape. Since Weidenhamers land is in the headwaters, hes hoping the reclamation of this wetland will help to alleviate some problems downstream. If every municipality could look at these programs and utilize them, I think there would be real benefits to storing some water and slowing down water thats heading downstream, Weidenhamer said. The Brandon Sun Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. With the provincial deficit ballooning further out of control, Manitobas governing NDP laid out a pre-election plan on Tuesday to increase taxes for high-income earners while giving low-income families a small tax break. The latest update shows the summary deficit is projected to spike to $773 million by years end or $351 million higher than predicted in April 2015. Speaking in Winnipeg, Premier Greg Selinger said a new tax bracket will be created for those making more than $170,000 if the NDP is re-elected in the April 19 vote. The new 20 per cent tax rate would affect 13,000 people and raise $52 million annually. Mike Deal/Winnipeg Free Press Premier Greg Selinger talks to the media at the legislature after his NDP government delivered a pre-election fiscal update on Tuesday. (Were) simply asking folks at the top to give a little bit more so that families, middle-class and working families can have a little bit more cash in their pockets at a time when we need that stimulus, Premier Greg Selinger said. Its quite modest. Brandon West Progressive Conservative MLA Reg Helwer said this year the NDP will rack up the second highest deficit in the provinces history. The Tories have called on the NDP to produce a full budget, something theyve had ample time to do, according to Helwer. Its way beyond anything they forecast, he said. When I look at the numbers in the fiscal outlook its really horrifying and if the numbers are this bad in the fiscal outlook, how bad are they really? And thats what you would see in a budget is the real numbers. The tax changes would take effect Jan. 1 and would save a family of four with an income of $60,000 about $260 a year. The new high-income tax bracket would give Manitoba one of the highest marginal tax rates in the country. Helwer said the new bracket is going to hurt well paid public employees, such as doctors, the most. Were already driving away doctors, so do we need to drive away more,? Helwer said, adding that raising the personal exemption is the best way to help poor and middle-class Manitobans. The third-quarter update shows Manitobas core deficit, which doesnt include Crown corporations and government agencies, stands at $646 million up from $421 million the government had forecast. The provinces economic growth has slowed to two per cent from 2.5, and tax revenue has declined by $148 million. Helwer said thats indicative of business and residents packing up and looking for opportunities elsewhere. There is no question when you look at the numbers that business is leaving the province, Helwer said. At the same time, the government is spending $57 million more on child welfare and $49 million more on health care, according to Selinger. While the NDP initially promised to balance the books this year, that date has been pushed back repeatedly. The new target is now 2020 to align with the federal governments plan, Selinger said. Were all committed to a stimulus program right now to reboot the Canadian economy. The fiscal update lays the groundwork for an election campaign that could start as early as next Tuesday. Tabling of the update was delayed in the legislature by the PCs, who submitted numerous petitions and called for an emergency debate on the lack of a full budget. Finance critic Cameron Friesen said taxpayers are paying $500 million more in new taxes compared with six years ago. Manitobas tax system has become so unfair, Friesen said, that the average family pays $3,300 more every year than the same family living in Saskatchewan. But even with these record-high revenues, the government cannot balance the books, he said. Because of this NDP propensity for overspending, they are hungry for revenue and therefore the government fails to address the most basic fiscal issues. Selinger has said the tax increase was needed to pay for infrastructure projects and create jobs. Opposition Leader Brian Pallister has promised he would reduce the sales tax within his first term as premier. Lone Liberal MLA Jon Gerrard criticized the government for tabling a fiscal update instead of a formal budget. The NDP have had more than enough time to produce (a budget), he said. In not producing a budget, the NDP are shortchanging Manitobans. ctweed@brandonsun.com, with files from The Canadian Press Twitter: @CharlesTweed Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA A decision by the federal Conservative party to allow leadership contestants to spend up to $5 million on their campaigns to succeed Stephen Harper is raising some eyebrows. The spending limit is more than five times the $950,000 ceiling set by the Liberals in their last leadership contest in 2013, and it is 10 times the NDP cap of $500,000 imposed in 2012. Its also twice what the Conservative party permitted the last time it chose a permanent leader in 2004. I guess my first concern would be, lets see how many candidates we end up getting, former Conservative transport minister Lisa Raitt said Wednesday. The pool of resources is going to be finite. Candidates for the Conservative leadership must pay a $50,000 registration fee and a refundable $50,000 compliance fee to enter the race, according to the rules released by the party late Tuesday. Thats a lot of money for individual people to raise, said Raitt, a popular Conservative who represents the Toronto-area riding of Milton. But I dont know, its been a long time since weve done this, so well see how it unfolds. Shes one of a half-dozen former Conservative cabinet ministers considered bona fide potential party leaders. The Conservatives havent had a leadership contest since Harper helped unite the old Progressive Conservative and Canadian Alliance parties in 2004. Under Elections Canada rules adopted since then, party leadership contestants are allowed to spend no more than $25,000 on their own campaigns, and individual donations are capped at $1,525 a year. An old rule that limited leadership donations to a single, lifetime donation limit which severely handicapped former Liberal party candidates from repaying their leadership debts was rescinded as part of the Conservative governments controversial Fair Elections Act in 2014. Quebec MP Gerard Deltell, the former leader of the Action democratique du Quebec, said leadership contestants would be well advised not to spend the limit. I think if someone spends too much it will be criticized, said the newly elected parliamentarian. We are conservative. We are very careful about money. So I dont think the one that will spend the most has an advantage. However, the length of the leadership race could boost spending. The new Conservative leader wont be chosen until May 27, 2017. That compares to recent Liberal and NDP races that lasted only half a year. The campaign rules preserve the hard-won party voting system from 2004 in which each electoral district in the country is accorded equal weight. The system prevents regions with huge party memberships from swamping regions with fewer members, and was part of the original deal negotiated by Peter MacKay and Harper when the legacy parties merged. The whole idea was to give all regions across the country equal rights, said Calgary MP Deepak Obhrai, who called it a great rule. Candidates must register by Feb. 24, 2017. Im happy that the rules are out so everybody will understand, said Raitt, who says shes absolutely considering a run. I guess its officially kicked off. Follow @BCheadle on Twitter Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. WASHINGTON Justin Trudeaus first prime ministerial visit to the United States got underway Wednesday as he stepped off the airplane with his wife and children to begin a trip unique in the recent history of Canada-U.S. relations. Anticipated announcements on bilateral issues like climate change, next-generation border security and the Arctic are merely one tranche of the story of the three-day trip. Its also a snapshot in time. The highlight will be the first state dinner for a Canadian in 19 years at a moment where two sympatico progressive leaders hold office and the Canadian one also happens to be unusually well-known here. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives for a state visit in Washington, D.C., with his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, left, and their children Xavier James, Ella-Grace and Hadrian, right, on Wednesday, March 9, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson The visit has prompted a rare degree of American media attention. A more gushing example was in the tabloid Politico headline, Justin Fever Hits Washington, followed by a story where a senior White House official admitted having a bit of a crush on the young leader from the north. It also comes so late in Barack Obamas tenure that one official couldnt say whether or not this state dinner the 11th of his presidency might be his final one. The U.S. electoral subtext was sprinkled through Trudeaus first public remarks. He did not mention the election specifically, or its heated debates over banning Muslim travellers and expelling Mexican migrants. But the main theme of his remarks to a cocktail reception was diversity and about the danger of reacting to a smaller, globalized world by castigating others. It becomes easy to be fearful, Trudeau told the gathering at an art gallery near the White House, as a small crowd of onlookers waited a few hours by the building to catch glimpses of him. It becomes easy to turn in on ourselves. But we know from history that its much more important to turn outwards. And to draw out the best of each other. Across the street, White House officials offered a tour of the East Room where the state dinner will be held. Its the same room where Trudeaus father was serenaded by Robert Goulet at the after-party during his first state dinner, in 1969. The meal will be sprinkled with Canadiana including a duck-poutine canape and Canadian whisky drizzled over lamb. Denison Offut said theres also fertile ground for co-operation on substantive files. The leaders are progressive, forward-looking, and have very similar common values and agendas, said Offut, director for North American affairs. Having met last December there was a natural synergy there. Especially with the followup at the Paris environmental talks. Sources say therell be multiple announcements after the leaders meet Thursday. One could revolutionize the way Canadians and Americans enter each others country by allowing pre-border customs screening in train stations, bus stations, on ships and off highways the same way it already occurs in several Canadian airports, with the goal being smoother travel through choke points. The climate agreements will include components on the Arctic and commitments to reduce methane-gas emissions, and help developing countries cope with the effects with environmental change. Some third-party groups consulted on the trip also expect announcements on clean technology. The prime minister landed at Andrews Air Force Base and emerged alongside his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau and their three children Xavier, Ella-Grace and Hadrien. They stood for the national anthem and departed for a reception near the White House. Thursday is the main meeting with President Barack Obama in the morning, followed by meetings with senior members of Congress and the state dinner in the evening. Hell conclude the three-day trip Friday when he lays a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery, takes part in a question-and-answer session with university students and speaks to a think-tank audience. Prime ministerial visits rarely raise a ripple in the U.S. capital but the arrival of this refugee-hugging, self-declared feminist subject of fawning profiles and a Vogue magazine spread is an exception to the rule. Witness the Politico item, which features an anonymous senior Obama official declaring Trudeau her new political crush, saying, Seriously, with his looks, heart, and mind, hes dreamy. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, also noted the novelty of Americans paying attention to a Canadian politician. For a long time Canadians were a bit obsessed with President Obama, she told a forum hosted by Politico late Tuesday. This is just deserts. But there are limits to U.S. fascination. While some Canadian news networks ran live footage of Trudeaus plane on the tarmac, none of the U.S. networks did. Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version said Trudeau was scheduled to meet members of Congress on Friday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. VANCOUVER Legal groups and lawyers in Vancouver have banded together to launch a hotline for Muslims who have faced discrimination in British Columbia because of their religion. The Islamophobia Legal Assistance Hotline is supported by various organizations including the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, the B.C. branch of the Canadian Bar Association and groups that represent black, Asian and South Asian lawyers. The hotline is co-ordinated by the non-profit group Access Pro Bono, which has more than a dozen lawyers on its roster specializing in areas such as immigration, civil and human rights, and employment law. They will provide free confidential legal advice for people who have faced harassment, threats or violence because they are Muslim or were perceived to be Muslim. Aleem Bharmal, who works at the Community Legal Assistance Society and will provide his services as a human rights lawyer, said many victims of Islamophobia face cultural and language barriers and may not be fully aware of their legal rights but the hotline will give them better access to the justice system. This will cover everything from the defacement of a mosque to physical attacks on the street to verbal abuse at a bus stop to workplace isolation or bullying to denial of services at a retail outlet to unfair profiling by authorities, he said. Krisha Dhaliwal of the South Asian Bar Association of B.C. said law students have also joined the cause to combat discrimination against Muslims and other people of colour. Dhaliwal said the groups started planning a hotline last year when they noticed an increase in calls from Muslims when the issue of whether the niqab should be banned at the swearing of the citizenship oath by new Canadians became an issue during the federal election. At the same time, the unfolding Syrian refugee crisis spiked anti-Muslim sentiments in some parts of the country, Dhaliwal said, adding Muslims under attack are often too afraid to call police. We want to make sure that people know that at least they can approach a lawyer if they dont want to go to police, said Dhaliwal, who is an immigration lawyer. Amira Elghawaby, a spokeswoman for the National Council of Canadian Muslims, said Muslim women who wear a niqab or a hijab are victimized more often than Muslim men but about two thirds of incidents are never reported. Its rather unfortunate, but what were noting, and what Statistics Canadas most recent data show, is that there is a rise in anti-Muslim incidents, she said from Ottawa. Canadian Muslims are looking for and need support, she said, adding theres typically an immediate spike in discrimination after a terrorist attack allegedly involving Muslims. Right after the Paris bombing, within 24 hours there was a mosque in Peterborough that was fire bombed and a woman walking to school to pick up her children was beaten up in broad daylight. So far across Canada this year, 10 hate crimes against Muslims have been reported to police in Ontario, B.C., Quebec and Alberta, compared to three at the same time last year, Elghawaby said. They include vandalism as well as verbal, physical and online harassment, she said. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. SYDNEY, N.S. A Cape Breton judge has stayed charges against two native fishermen who violated fishing rules for fragile salmon stocks, finding that federal Fisheries failed to properly consult the mens aboriginal band. Judge Peter Ross said in a lengthy decision that there was no doubt Joseph James Martin and Victor Benjamin Googoo contravened the conditions of the Aboriginal Communal Fishing Licence when they went fishing for salmon in the Middle River in 2007. Ross writes that the pair were jigging for fish by altering a large hook to pierce the salmon instead of luring the fish to take the hook in its mouth. There was a flagrant breach of of the terms of the licence, he wrote in the 111-page decision released Tuesday in provincial court in Sydney. However, the failure to consult about enforcement is sufficiently serious to warrant a stay of proceedings. The licence which the two were accused of violating spells out when, where and how natives can fish. But, Ross says Fisheries officers did not indicate to the Waycobah First Nation that the men could be charged, as spelled out in a native program that resulted from a landmark federal court ruling. The Aboriginal Fishery Strategy program was the federal governments response in 1993 to the Sparrow court ruling in the early 1990s, which recognized native peoples right to fish for food, social and ceremonial purposes. While DFO was not precluded from laying charges, it was honour-bound to engage in a bona fide consultation before doing so, wrote Ross. Under the agreement, the band was allowed a certain number of salmon and could catch them using certain types of fishing methods, excluding jigging. Ross noted that a limited recreational catch and release fishery was in place at the time, with salmon stocks reported to be at dangerously low levels. They seemingly broke trust with their own leadership and put in further jeopardy a fish stock already under severe threat, Ross wrote. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. VANCOUVER A former WestJet flight attendant who lost her job after she reported being allegedly sexually assaulted by a pilot says shes been shocked by the positive response shes received since sharing her story, despite initial fears of a public backlash. Mandalena Lewis, 30, said she decided to go public with her story in hopes of inspiring other woman to break their silence, and that she hopes the overwhelming support shes received so far suggests a cultural shift that will make it easier for victims to report sex crimes. The support has been amazing. Im pretty shocked, in a good way, Lewis said in an interview. Its wonderful. It means that things are changing, things are changing and the times are changing. Former WestJet flight attendant Mandalena Lewis stands for a photograph in Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday March 8, 2016. Lewis, fired after reporting an alleged sexual assault by one of the airline's pilots, says she is shocked at the positive response she's received since sharing her story publicly.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck She said she was fearful of how the public and media would react, in part after witnessing the treatment of women involved in other sexual-assault cases, singling out the recently concluded trial of former CBC radio personality Jian Ghomeshi, who has pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual assault and a choking charge. A judge in Toronto is scheduled to give his verdict in the case on March 24. Lewis launched a lawsuit against WestJet earlier this month, accusing the Calgary-based airline of failing to respond adequately to an alleged incident during a stopover in Hawaii six years ago. The airline hasnt filed a statement of defence but said it intends to do so. None of the allegations have been proven in court. WestJet CEO Gregg Saretsky posted a statement online last week saying two employees have been taken out of active flying duty while the company reviews its investigations into the complaints. Every company has a responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of all its employees, and this is a responsibility we take most seriously at WestJet, Saretsky wrote. As a husband, father of a daughter and brother to a sister I understand how important it is to get this right, no matter the role or gender of the complainant. Documents filed in B.C. Supreme Court allege an unnamed WestJet pilot invited Lewis back to his hotel room for a drink where he eventually pulled her onto his bed and began kissing and groping her. Lewis said she reported the incident to WestJet and to police, and that the airline instructed her to keep quiet out of respect for the pilots privacy, telling her there was nothing it could do. The tipping point came five years later during a late-night phone call from a colleague Lewis had never met before. The colleague told her she had made a sexual assault complaint about the same pilot in 2008, Lewis said. It was the next level of realizing what gross negligence was really going on, she said, adding that she was shocked and infuriated. Thats when I realized that this is a much deeper problem that the company just doesnt want to address, and I dont know why. Lewis said she requested her employee file from WestJet soon afterwards in order to follow up on what action the company had taken in response to her complaint. In December 2015, she went on short-term disability for post-traumatic stress disorder and was fired in early January for insubordination after sending a fifth follow-up email, which contained an obscenity, asking about her employee file. Enough is enough, she said in the interview. This is WestJet, you know? This is Canadas sweetheart airline. We should know better. This company should know better. Lewis said she filed a complaint with police in 2010. Prosecutors in Hawaii have refused to discuss the case. Follow @gwomand on Twitter Already have an account? Log in here WINNIPEG - Conservation officials are urging anyone with an ice-fishing shack on a lake or river in southern Manitoba to take it down as soon as possible. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. CROSS LAKE, Man. A remote Manitoba First Nation declared a state of emergency Wednesday after six suicides in the last two months and 140 attempts in the last two weeks alone. Officials from the Pimicikamak Cree Nation, known as Cross Lake, say health workers on the northern reserve can no longer cope. Band councillor Donnie McKay said the nursing station is only staffed by two nurses overnight. Theyre going 24 hours and theyre ready to drop. The community of 8,300 is traumatized and needs immediate help from the provincial and federal governments, McKay said. A meeting with Manitoba Health Minister Sharon Blady last month resulted in one mental-health worker being sent to the community for an eight-hour shift, he said. Its ridiculous, said McKay, who was called by distraught family members to a home a few days ago to talk a man out of taking his own life. This wouldnt happen anywhere else. Acting Chief Shirley Robinson said the reserve about 500 kilometres north of Winnipeg near a Manitoba Hydro generating station has an 80 per cent unemployment rate. Frustrated residents occupied the generating station in 2013. They said their traditional lands are regularly transformed into a floodway and none of the promised economic development and employment programs has materialized. Premier Greg Selinger personally apologized a year ago for the damage caused by the hydro development to Cross Lakes traditional land, way of life and cultural identity. After that apology, Robinson said there was a sense of hope, but that quickly vanished. There is lots of despair. Robinsons 33-year-old cousin, a mother of three, committed suicide on the weekend. The community has been drawing on every resource it can to save lives, said Robinson. Weve been using clergy. Weve been using our local elders. Weve been using our local nurses and doctors, she said. Its been very difficult for everyone. Aboriginal Affairs Minister Eric Robinson said he has spoken with federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett and the two levels of government are doing what they can to assist the community. The province is waiting for specific requests from Cross Lake and will assist in any way it can, he said. But the root causes of suicide poverty, overcrowded housing and past abuse need to be addressed, he said. Once those things are dealt with, it gives a sense of pride back to the indigenous people of this province, said the minister, who is expected to travel to Cross Lake in the next few days. A spokesperson for Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada said in an emailed statement the department is working with the band council and other front-line workers to identify need and take immediate action in response. Health Canada officials have reached out to the Chief of Cross Lake First Nation to offer assistance, and will work with the community to help address their mental-health needs in this difficult time, Michelle Perron wrote. The band is asking for at least six mental-health workers immediately, as well as for a child psychologist and family therapist. Council is also calling for after-hours counsellors and physicians. In the long term, the reserve is asking for a hospital and recreational facilities for its youth. Shirley Robinson said, with every minute that passes, people are worried about losing another loved one. There were two suicide attempts Tuesday, she said. It seems like were (keeping) a watchful eye every minute, every hour. We dont want this to happen anymore. The whole community is in grief. By Chinta Puxley in Winnipeg Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version said a mother of three was of six people to commit suicide on the weekend. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO The premier of the Northwest Territories is calling on Ottawa to direct some of its planned infrastructure spending to the North in order to boost the territorys mining sector. Roughly 40 per cent of the territorys economy relies on mining, yet a lack of infrastructure in the region makes it tricky to service many of those operations, Bob McLeod says. We have a very large infrastructure deficit, McLeod said in an interview Tuesday while in Toronto for the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada conference. Northwest Territories Premier Bob McLeod talks to media after being picked as premier for a second term in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Wednesday, Dec.16, 2015. McLeod is calling on Ottawa to direct some of its planned infrastructure spending to the North, in order to boost the territory's mining sector THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Braden We dont have a lot of highways. A lot of our communities are only accessible by air or by boat in the summer time. We use a lot of ice roads in the winter time to haul equipment and resupply our communities, and obviously climate change is affecting our ability to make ice roads, and theyre not open as long. McLeod says he has been in contact with the federal government, and hes very hopeful that the federal budget, which will be released on March 22, will address some of his concerns. However, he says it isnt only public infrastructure investment thats needed to support the territorys mining sector, which includes three diamond mines with a fourth under construction. The premier says private investment is also needed, noting that three mining projects in the region that have already passed regulatory and environmental hurdles have failed to raise the capital needed to get off the ground. While some investors may balk at the idea of pumping money into mining projects at a time of depressed commodity prices, McLeod says now is the perfect time to do so. By the time mines are in production, commodity prices, which are cyclical in nature, may very well have risen. Besides, the costs of building a project are much lower during times of economic downturn, McLeod says. When your economy is down, the costs of construction are a lot lower, the commodities that you have to buy are a lot cheaper, and theres a lot more skilled labour available, McLeod says. For us, it was a problem when the economy was booming. We had a hard time finding skilled workers who would come to the Northwest Territories. Follow @alexposadzki on Twitter. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 08/03/2016 (2419 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. WASHINGTON D.C., Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will use his visit to Washington to announce support for a plan that could revolutionize the way travellers cross the border affecting multiple modes of transportation, sources say. He intends to endorse a pre-clearance experiment that would allow people to clear customs at train stations, bus stations and off highways the same way they already can at several Canadian airports. Two industry sources and one national government confirmed that after fits and starts the initiative will move forward during the prime ministers visit that begins Wednesday. Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Barack Obama. A U.S. official speaking to a public event would not go as far as confirming specifics but suggested an elaborate agreement later this week will include a pre-clearance component. They will be announcing a number of developments, Alan Bersin, assistant secretary for international affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland, told a forum hosted by the website Politico and the Canadian American Business Council. Theres really been a radical transformation in the way Canadians and Americans view the border. Asked what announcements could be forthcoming he referred to three areas, including long-expected plans to share data for land travellers the way its shared for air travel; swaps of exit data; and pre-clearance. He said governments are starting to move beyond the old dichotomy of trade versus security at the border and are designing a more sophisticated system intended to achieve both. The basic idea is that travellers should be screened by customs officers far away from the border, to ease pressure on existing choke points and speed up travel. The concept was announced a year ago by the Harper government and the Obama administration but it hadnt moved forward. It requires implementation legislation in both countries and neither country had yet indicated any intention of doing so, with Canadas change in government further muddying the picture. That legislation would deal with thorny legal issues such as the right of customs officers to carry arms in the other country, and the procedure for making an arrest on foreign soil. The governments insisted last year that any arrest would have to be performed by an officer from the host country. The new system would start with pilot projects in several places. One business source said Trudeau and President Barack Obama are expected to identify them this week. He said they will include the port at Quebec City and at Massena, N.Y. Another business group that has spent years pushing for pre-clearance called it marvellous news if its true that Trudeau plans to move ahead. Its brilliant. Much needed, said Scotty Greenwood of the Canadian American Business Council. It has the potential to put millions of dollars back into the economy of North America. But one U.S. official whos seen the issue gain momentum before only to have it slow down warned: Its not final until its final. The hurdles include passing a similar bill in the U.S. Congress which often kills or blocks legislation. However, a bill introduced a few days ago received numerous sponsors from both parties, increasing its chance of passing. That left open the question of whether Canada would introduce a similar bill. Sources said thats part of what will be announced this week. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 08/03/2016 (2419 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA International Womens Day figured prominently on Parliament Hill on Tuesday. Heres a selection of what was said: In this country, we can be immensely proud of a long line of strong women who have stepped up time and time again to make history against all odds. Women fought for the vote. They fought for personhood and for reproductive rights. More recently, women now occupy 50 per cent of the seats around our cabinet table. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau We know that public policies affect women and men in difference ways and we take these differences into account when making decisions. That is exactly what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did in November when he appointed this countrys first gender-balanced cabinet. Public Services and Procurement Minister Judy Foote Because its International Womens Day, I raised an issue about the Yazidi girls in Iraq. This is an issue that Im passionate about and Im hopeful that the prime minister is going to respond positively. The Yazidi girls right now, theres hundreds of them who are internationally displaced persons. That means they are not considered refugees by the United Nations. Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose International Womens Day can celebrate womens achievements and highlight what holds us back, but words ring hollow if there is no follow through, no action. Our collective work over this next year must be based in action: What can we in this chamber do to end epidemic violence against women? NDP status of women critic Sheila Malcolmson This International Womens Day, I want to pay tribute to all those courageous women around the world and in Canada who have inspired me: the women I knew in Congo who were beaten by police and undressed in the street simply for peacefully demonstrating for their right to fair elections. Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Dentist Larry Levin has made his pitch about the importance of adding fluoride to drinking water several times in recent years to city councils voting on the controversial issue. He has won some and lost some. Levin, a past president and current vice-president of the Canadian Dental Association, believes more communities are deciding against fluoridation. Dr. Larry Levin poses in his dental office in Hamilton, Ont., on Wednesday, March 2, 2016. Dentist Larry Levin has made his pitch about the importance of adding fluoride to drinking water several times in recent years to city councils voting on the controversial issue. He has won some and lost some. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter Power Its frustrating, argues the Hamilton dentist, because he has science on his side. You scratch your head wondering why, Levin says. These big organizations who have studied it have told us that its safe. Our own physicians have told us that its safe. Levin thinks most people who are against fluoridation simply want the freedom to choose what goes in their water. Fluoride is found in soil, water, some food and several minerals and is added to products such as toothpaste. Research has shown adding fluoride to drinking water reduces tooth decay. The World Health Organization, Health Canada, various dental associations and provincial medical officials support the effort, especially for children from low-income families who may not have access to dental care. Opponents argue not enough is known about what they say are possible health risks such as cancer, bone disease and fluorosis, in which too much fluoride causing teeth to discolour. While federal and provincial governments set guidelines for fluoridation, the decision is left up to municipalities. Brantford, Ont., became the first Canadian community to add fluoride in 1945 and many others followed. Health Canada reported in 2009, the last time it counted, that about 45 per cent of the population was drinking fluoridated water. Thats dropped to about 37 per cent, Levin estimates. Canadians Opposed to Fluoridation believes the figure is less than 30 per cent. Belief in water fluoridation has become so ingrained in us that its reflex to just think that water fluoridation is good, says an emailed statement from the groups president, Robert Fleming. He says fluoride supporters rely on flawed studies and people shouldnt be medicated against their will. Municipal councillors and other Canadian citizens have been catching on to the fact that artificial water fluoridation is without substantiation. It wont be long now before Canadians are fluoridation free, says Fleming. Big cities including Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, Halifax and Winnipeg fluoridate. Montreal and Vancouver dont fluoridate. Neither do Waterloo and Windsor in southern Ontario. After several plebiscites, Calgary removed fluoride from its water in 2011. But it could be back on the ballot again. Mayor Naheed Nenshi said last month that he supports fluoridation and urged people to petition for a plebiscite in the 2017 municipal election. The call came after the release of a University of Calgary study that compared childrens teeth in Calgary with those in Edmonton, which does fluoridate. While there was an increase in cavities in both groups, the increase was higher in Calgary. Coun. Dianne Colley-Urquhart, a former nurse, says the study has prompted her to rethink fluoridation, which shes opposed in the past. She says shes especially worried about childrens dental health now that plunging oil prices have caused layoffs in the province. Families they have parents that arent working. There are no benefits. Theyre trying to put food on the table, let alone trying to squeeze together a few pennies to go to the dentist. Colley-Urquhart believes public institutions should provide all municipalities with an expert review of fluoridation, since politicians dont have the expertise to deal with public health issues. John Sprovieri agrees that municipal councillors arent health experts and perhaps shouldnt be making the final decision on fluoride. The councillor for both Brampton and the surrounding Peel region believes fluoride is a toxic chemical. He stopped drinking the areas fluoridated water four years ago, put a water filtration system in his home and started taking bottled water to work. Peel council is to vote this fall on whether to remove fluoride from its water. If the federal and provincial governments support fluoridation so much, Sprovieri adds, they should be making the decision. If its really legitimate that water fluoridation prevents cavities then why arent you taking responsibility and mandating it to the whole population? Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott says that she supports fluoridation, but is not considering a change in the governments role. Levin says it doesnt make sense that so many communities have to debate the issue so many times. He sides more with Colley-Urquhart, and believes an expert panel should be visiting municipalities grappling with the question so they get all the information they need. At the moment, its whoever turns up at that council meeting to speak to it, Levin says. There isnt a lot of uniformity to those processes. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA Mauril Belanger is no longer able to talk but he managed to speak volumes Wednesday about the desperate need to find a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as he accepted an unprecedented tribute from his peers in the House of Commons. The long-serving Ottawa MP presided briefly over the Commons as honorary Speaker, a distinction never before accorded to anyone but unanimously bestowed upon Belanger by colleagues from all parties. Belanger was diagnosed last November with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrigs Disease an incurable, progressive, neurodegenerative disease that causes muscle weakness, paralysis, and eventually, respiratory failure. Liberal MP Mauril Belanger gives the thumbs-up as he wears the House of Commons Speaker's tricorn hat as Speaker Geoff Regan (right) looks on on Parliiament Hill, in Ottawa, Wednesday March 9, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand The Liberal MP had been the favourite to become Commons Speaker, a role hed long dreamed of playing until the devastating diagnosis forced him to withdraw his candidacy. He got a chance Wednesday to fulfil his dream, however briefly. Although hardly able to walk, Belanger insisted on taking part in the traditional parade from the Speakers office to the Commons, wearing the Speakers black robe and tri-corner hat. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among the cabinet ministers, MPs, senators, Parliament Hill staff, family and friends who lined the corridors to watch, applaud and cheer as Belanger, clutching a walker, shuffled laboriously behind the sergeant-at-arms bearing the ceremonial gold mace. Trudeau, eyes brimming with tears, rushed to embrace Belangers wife, Catherine, who had been filming the procession. Other MPs and ministers followed suit, some of them weeping openly. In the chamber, Belanger needed the assistance of six MPs to ascend the four stairs to the podium on which the Speakers ornate chair sits. Once ensconced in the chair, he used a tablet computer that converted pre-programmed text into computerized speech to open the days sitting of the Commons with a prayer and the singing of O Canada. He shed tears during the anthem, the English lyrics to which he has proposed, in a private members bill, changing to make them more gender neutral. He then presided over members statements and the opening round of question period, interrupted repeatedly by prolonged standing ovations. I will start off by saying that you look great up there, Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose told Belanger, adding that he has achieved in a very short period of time what many Speakers dream of, which is a well-behaved chamber. Ambrose recalled having a bucket of ice dumped on her head in 2014 part of an awareness and fundraising campaign for ALS and asked Trudeau to join her in urging all Canadians to support organizations dedicated to finding a cure. Trudeau, who similarly recalled being both the dumpee and dumper in the ice bucket challenge, willingly echoed Ambroses call for donations. And he saluted Belanger for the dignity and grace that you bring to the House every day as you battle this terrible disease. NDP Leader Tom Mulcair praised Belangers tireless work on behalf of minority francophone communities across the country and asked Trudeau to follow his example. Belanger, gave a thumbs up at several junctures; at other times he wiped away tears. Its a rare moment of grace in our parliamentary institutions where we can all stand behind someone whos going through a very tough illness and try to make him have a day where he gets to do one of things hed always hoped to be able to do, Mulcair said outside the Commons. Government House leader Dominic LeBlanc said the special tribute to Belanger was meant to be both a celebration of the veteran MPs remarkable service but also a way to raise awareness about the terrible tollALS takes on many people. It will be also, I think, a sad realization about how this unrelenting illness that affects so many people in such a difficult way is affecting somebody that we know and like a lot. Toronto Liberal MP Rob Oliphant, who accompanied Belanger on a parliamentary trip to South Africa and Namibia last week, said many people have a hard time seeing beyond a persons disability. He hoped Wednesdays tribute would allow people to see, as he found during the trip, that Mauril is still Mauril. Like a number of Liberal MPs who said theyd received invaluable advice from Belanger over the years, Trudeau recalled how the veteran MP for Ottawa-Vanier helped me a lot in my first years as a parliamentarian with both stern words and strong support. Hes a man who takes his parliamentary and constituency responsibilities extremely seriously. Hes a credit to everyone who has walked through this place. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The decline of the United States is a theme that has filled books and scholarly articles, fuelled punditry and even spawned billionaire Donald Trumps now-familiar mantra to make America great again. But with President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau set to clink champagne flutes this week, one addition to that oeuvre from a recently released collection of scholarly writing might land with a bit of a clunk. Its co-edited by Trudeaus foreign policy adviser, Roland Paris. And in an introductory essay co-written by Paris, the waning of U.S. leadership in the world is presented as one of eight major global shifts currently underway. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stands in the House of Commons during Question Period in Ottawa, Tuesday, March 8, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand Paris was a respected academic at the University of Ottawa with a voluminous body of writing on his resume before he became Trudeaus foreign policy adviser in November. One of his larger contributions, which he co-edited with University of British Columbia professor Taylor Owen, was released last month. Titled The World Wont Wait: Why Canada Needs to Rethink Its International Policies, it contains 11 academic analyses covering a range of international issues, including global commerce, the environment, security and diplomacy. The third sentence of the books introduction, written by Paris and Owen, declares: No longer can the United States be relied upon either to drive Canadian economic growth or to single-handedly underwrite the global trading system and international security. They go on to outline eight global shifts in the world that are particularly relevant to Canada. No. 3 is the decline in influence of the U.S. on global events, which the authors attribute in part to the rise of non-state actors, in part owing to the advent of disruptive digital technologies, and the rapid diffusion of economic power, which includes the rise of India and China. The decline is also due to a shifting mood in the American public, influenced by economic pressures at home and the legacy of two unpopular and costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, they write. Barack Obamas foreign policy, which some view as restrained and others as overly cautious, has mirrored the mood of the American public. But dont count the Americans out yet, Paris and Owen write, because there could be an economic revival and re-energized foreign policy in the U.S. but the deference that used to be paid to the United States by other states a reaction based in respect or fear of American power, or both seems to be dwindling. This has implications for Canada, including for trade and commerce, they write. Access to the U.S. market will remain a vital Canadian interest, but we can no longer rely on American economic growth as a driver of Canadian prosperity. Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion seemed to offer a different assessment in an interview this week. He said that with the economic downturn in Europe, Japan and China, as well as in the BRIC countries of Russia and Brazil, it was imperative that Canada and the U.S. affirm their economic relationship. Our access to the U.S. market which is in better shape than the we see elsewhere is, was and will be key, Dion said. In the U.S. presidential race, Trumps slogan to Make America great again has been predicated on the fact the country is in decline. Trumps Democratic rival Hillary Clinton recently tried to turn that around on him, saying her country needs to be made whole again. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Plant a seed and watch it grow. In the fall of 2007, the Advocacy Committee of Seniors for Seniors submitted a report to the board regarding safe, affordable housing for seniors in Brandon. Glenora Slimmons, chair of the committee, stated that the challenges be presented at the annual meeting of Seniors for Seniors regarding the experiences, perspective and ideas of seniors. Housing is a complicated matter and it was felt that a special committee should be asked to explore the part that Seniors for Seniors can play in improving this significant social dilemma. In October 2007, Harry Paine, chair of the committee, informed the minister of finance that there are many factors contributing to the housing problem. Federal funding was stopped in the early 1990s and effects were now being seen. A Manitoba news release of October 2007 stated that in Winnipeg, $1.2 million was invested in Spence Neighbourhood Affordable Housing Projects. Investments in housing, neighbourhoods and people are investments in our future, said Minto MLA Andrew Swan. Projects such as this demonstrate what we can accomplish when there is a vision, a will and co-operation of partnership to put housing first. Again in September 2008, the Advocacy Committees priority of safe, affordable housing, assisted living accommodation and full-service accommodation for seniors with moderate income was brought to the board by chair Larry Todd. The wish was to build three buildings on the same site with adequate space for parking. An inaugural meeting was called for May 12, 2009. In order to get the non-profit co-op started, keep it going and undertake a feasibility study, $25 was accepted from support members. Brandon East NDP MLA Drew Caldwell stated that he and his office would do everything they could to support the board created at this meeting. He spoke of his involvement with Slimmons as being one of the reasons for his involvement. Many interested seniors put their name on the line to incorporate and register the name Western Manitoba Seniors Non-Profit Housing Co-Operative, so that now they could officially deal with the provincial government and apply for housing grants. A body has now been formally constituted to deal with government in an official capacity to engage resources, seek assistance, council, consultants and undertake a lot or work required before we can put the spade in the ground. This body was originally initiated through the Advocacy Committee for Seniors for Seniors. It was moved by Caldwell and seconded by Larry Todd that the following be nominated as the table of officers who would serve a two-year term. President: John MacKenzie; vice-president: Harvey Douglas; recording secretary: May Scheel; treasurer: Vic Hercum; corresponding secretary: Janette Brown. A board of directors was also nominated by Caldwell and seconded by Hercum: Slimmons, John MacKenzie, Jeannette Holm, Julia Hamel, Doreen Bottley, Eugene Skakun, Harvey Douglas, Larry Todd, Lois Todd, Ed Clark, Sheena Duncalfe, Fred Nowitski, May Scheel, Hercum, Fred McGuinness, Janette Brown, Roberta Baskier, Tena Kilmury and LeeAnne Jaworsky. On Sept. 10, 2009, a report was received by Douglas that there are possible sites in various areas of Brandon. Discussions were to take place between owners and the City of Brandon. On Oct. 9, 2009, CMHC approved a $10,000 grant and a further $10,000 loan. On Oct. 23, 2009, membership stood at 121 members. On Feb. 8, 2010, membership was nearing 150. After months of hard work, many meetings and consultation with many resources, the spade actually hit the ground and the first Western Manitoba Seniors Non-Profit Housing Co-op was finally under construction for 34 units at 620 McDiarmid Dr. Approximately two years later, a second 60-unit building is about to be constructed by W.M.S.N.H.C. on the northeast corner of Brandon Avenue and 22nd Street. Congratulations to Seniors for Seniors, the Advocacy Committee and all those whose worked so hard to see the idea become a reality. It is with gratitude that many seniors are now able to have safe, affordable housing in Brandon. Well done! The longest journey begins with a single step. LOIS TODD Brandon Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. One year ago, members of the business community, the province and city leaders got their heads together to find some solutions to Brandons ongoing downtown woes, as part of the first Downtown Brandon Development Forum. While it was short on new ideas, the forum served as a trumpet call for this citys movers and shakers to finally map out a revitalization plan that would actually work. And out of that effort came six projects noted in the reports executive summary, which they believed could make a dramatic difference to downtown Brandon. Among them were the redevelopment of the McKenzie Seeds building, the commercial development of open land at Ninth Street and Princess Avenue, the redevelopment of the Strand Theatre and the historic downtown fire hall, improvements to the public streetscape, and a continued focus on housing development in the region. One year later, the results of that push have been mixed at best. Last November, the Sun learned that one of the key projects, the transformation of the McKenzie Towers, had been halted. Construction on the project was to begin last fall, with a Phase 1 completion date of late 2016. Phase 2 of the project was to include an additional 45 residential units. But the company orchestrating the redevelopment, B.C.-based Resland Development Group, decided that it could not move forward with the plans, saying development did not sufficiently align with the corporations business strategy or development expertise. Bringing new residents to live downtown has been identified as a major priority for revitalization, so this was a major blow to those efforts. That announcement followed the news four months earlier that the Strand Theatres Light Up the Stage campaign had faded to black, and the plan to renovate the Strand Theatre was in limbo. Meanwhile, the vacant land at the corner of Ninth Street and Princess Avenue continues to remain well, vacant. And it has been this way for a number of years. Realistically, there are far too many open spaces and broken places downtown for potential developers to pursue. Nevertheless, hope springs eternal that the city will be able to find a buyer/developer to help create a large construct to the downtown that can help jump-start revitalization. Mayor Rick Chrest recently told the Sun that there was a fair bit going on behind the scenes on that front and that he was optimistic something will come to bear sooner rather than later at the old Brandon Inn/Brown Block site. He also pointed to the removal of the concrete barriers on Ninth Street at Princess Avenue and Rosser Avenue as having made some progress. And to be fair to Mr. Chrest, the news downtown isnt all doom and gloom while stalled projects are frustrating, there are reasons to be hopeful. While the McKenzie Seeds project may be off the rails for the time being, two 12-unit apartment blocks are under construction at the corner of Fifth Street and Princess Avenue. Developer Van-Bi Le has previously told us that the two-bedroom, 920-square-foot units will fluctuate in price and are expected to rent for between $900 to $1,050. At the same time, developers for eight new apartments in the 800 block of Rosser Avenue took advantage of the upper-storey residential development initiative recently reannounced by Brandon East NDP MLA Drew Caldwell late last year. As well, Brandons historic old fire hall has been renovated, and a new gastropub has taken up shop within its brick walls, so there are signs of life downtown. But the move forward seems to be in fits and starts small steps rather than large strides. Its not quite the transformational change that sparks a downtown renaissance like organizers of last years forum hoped for, but little by little there is noticeable change taking place. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 09/03/2016 (2418 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. If you dont mind To the person who cant understand all the hubbub over the one per cent PST hike. If it is not that big a deal to you, I would like it if you could please pay my one per cent as well. Thanks very much. PST increase will definitely be noticed Well, my NDP friends, heres what the big deal is with your one per cent PST hike. It was the single largest expense to one of the mining companies in Manitoba the largest one in fact and I cant imagine how many steelworkers wont be working as a result of the bottom line cuts they got hit with. And you talk of all the things the government did and if they didnt have that one per cent what they wouldnt do for us. You know what, we could all do a whole lot better ourselves without a bunch of bureaucrats getting between us and getting things done that we need in this province and they sure did not need to hit us with a one per cent PST increase. We will see you at the ballot box, NDP Tear it down and get on with life Regarding the comment that a Brookwood bridge would have been replaced more quickly than an Eighth Street bridge. Obviously this is true as the south and west ends of the city continue to become more populated with heavy traffic flow. The small sparsely populated area west of 18th Street is easily handled by the Daly Overpass or the 26th Street crossing. Yes, city council is dragging their feet and wasting money on consulting fees for something that is obvious. Had more thought been put into things 10 years ago, we would not have a main fire hall or Corral Centre placed where they are and would now not have the bottleneck on 18th Street that we have. Once the decision is made to tear down the bridge, the sun will still come up in the east and life will go on. BSD cannot continue as is School taxes continually rising will soon become unsustainable to the ordinary taxpayer, not only the business community. We cannot continue to allow school boards to continually grant wage increases based on what other divisions are doing in the province. The government must take over control of salary increases the same as they do civil servants salaries. Considering we have the highest-paid teachers in Canada, if they dont like it they can then go elsewhere. The other 15 per cent of costs generated from teachers wish lists can come from appropriated funds from government and the taxpayer. It is obvious that we cannot continue to allow retired teachers sitting on school boards to make decisions with little or no discussion as what apparently is going on now. Also, for the next election we have to have people running for school board as we are not getting the best and brightest by allowing acclamations. A new survey shows the number of available jobs in the construction sector is up 40%. Overall, the latest employment monitor from recruitment firm, Morgan McKinley, is predicting steady job growth this year. A mini-van - painted to look like the vehicle from the Scooby Doo cartoons - has been involved in a police chase in North California. The driver of the Mystery Machine lookalike reached speeds of up to 100 miles per hour but abandoned the van. Simon Coveney has said that there are no questions within Fine Gael over Enda Kenny's leadership. The Agriculture Minister claimed that the party is united after a poor election result. The Minister also said they will not accept any coalition deal that involves the scrapping of Irish Water. Simon Coveney has said the party are behind Enda Kenny to lead themselves into government negotiations: I honestly dont think it is an issue. I know that people have been talking about this within Fine Gael, the only focus at the moment is unity, reflecting on the fact that we has a poor election result, but still that we are the largest party in the country and with that comes responsibility and Enda Kenny is the leader of that party. Meanwhile European Agriculture Commissioner and former minister Phil Hogan has said it is very important that Ireland forms a stable government. Commissioner Hogan has said that the economy will not be helped by an unstable government. The 32nd Dail meets for the first time tomorrow, however it is widely expected that no deal to form a government will be reached for a matter of weeks. Phil Hogan says Ireland needs a stable government: Very important that we have a stable Government, you can see the difficulties that they have in Spain and Portugal in the past. We have a lot of experience in the financial world of how matters are not helped by instability so I expect that the parties will form a Government in due course. It will take a couple of weeks. Update 3.40pm: Gardai have seized 20 luxury sports cars and motorbikes along with jewellery and a 38,000 betting slip in a series of raids carried out this morning. 18 properties, including 11 private homes and a number of commercial properties were searched by Gardai helped by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). It has been reported in the Irish Independent that in one of the houses, a betting slip for 38,000 on a Liverpool football match for tomorrow night at odds of 7/4 was seized. Cars including a Mercedes CLA220, a Lexus RX450h Hybrid, a VW Golf GTD and a white BMW were all seized from homes in Crumlin. A commercial property called Active Car Sales was also raided in Bluebell Business Park and over 15 cars were taken by CAB. The estimated worth of the confiscated cars is thought to be well over 500,000. Some tense senses occurred during the morning raids when the home of Liam Byrne, was raided. Liam is the older brother of David Byrne, who was gunned down at the Regency Hotel in February. During the raid, another brother, James Byrne, arrived on the scene and threatened gardai and members of the media. Over 60 gardai were involved in the operation which aimed to identify the assets of the associates of the murder victim David Byrne. Update 12.10pm: Irish Examiner reporter The Criminal Assets Bureau has hit one of two feuding gangs, which has so far claimed the lives of three people, in a massive search operation targeting their wealth. More than 20 premises across Dublin associated with the gang of murdered boss David Byrne were raided, including up to 16 homes and six professional offices and a car sales business. The Crumlin man was shot dead at the Regency Hotel on February 4 last in retaliation for the murder of Gary Hutch in Spain last September. In revenge for Byrne's death, Edward Hutch brother of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch was murdered in the north inner city on February 8. In a series of raids kicking off at 4.30am today, elite armed officers supported CAB, local gardai and other national units in searches on both sides of the city. The operation, assisted by a garda helicopter hovering low overhead, concentrated on the south Dublin city area. Six homes in adjoining areas of Crumlin - Raleigh Square, Windmill Road and Kildare Road were searched, belonging to key Byrne family members and a senior associate. Some 11 vehicles were seized, including BMWs, Golf GTDs, Mercedes and Audis. A car sales business, owned by two senior members of the gang, was also searched in the Ballyfermot area of south west Dublin. Up to 35 vehicles, with 141 and 151 registrations, are being inspected and in the process of being taken away. CAB removed a large amount of documentation in the searches, including bank statements and financial information, as well as computers and mobile phones. The operation is continuing. Update 9.55am: Dublin-based journalist, Nicola Tallent, told Newstalk Radio that the raids have targetted a car sales business believed to have links to the Kinihan family. She said: "The Kinihan gang have been suspected of using the car sales industry as a money-laundering, and possibly as a drug transportation route from the UK, for some time. "So they are being searched and there are a couple of accountants' premises and solicitor's premises as well," the journalist with the Sunday World added. File photo Earlier: The Criminal Assets Bureau is leading the search, which is targetting a Dublin criminal gang with links to David Byrne, who was shot dead at the Regency Hotel last month. The searches are ongoing at 11 houses and one commercial premises in the Dublin area. They are part of an investigation into organised crime groups which has been going on for "some considerable time". The searches, which began early this morning in Crumlin, involve the Criminal Assets Bureau with assistance from the Revenue service. The following Garda Units are involved in the operation: 1. The Emergency Response Unit 2. Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau 3. Special Detective Unit 4. Dublin Metropolitan South Division 5. Dublin Metropolitan North Central Division 6. Garda Siochana Technical Bureau 7. Garda Operational Support Unit Investigators are looking into the activities of a gang linked to David Byrne, who was shot dead at the Regency Hotel last month. Elaine Loughlin, political reporter Gerry Adams has left the door open to Fianna Fail and Fine Gael by saying he would answer any calls made to him. But the Sinn Fein leader this afternoon stated that party members had ruled against going into government as the junior partner and they would be standing by that mandate. Despite calling on the Dail to remain sitting to deal with the crisis in health and housing, Mr Adams would not commit to giving up his salary when the Dail is adjourned out of principal. It is not good enough for the Dail to meet and then, if we believe the leaders of the two bigger parties, they are going to go off for a month of two months, Mr Adams said. Asked if he is willing to give up his salary until the Dail sits again in opposition to its adjournment Mr Adams said: We are here to do business we will be working here, the mandate we have been given we will attempt to win support for it from the other parties we will attempt to ensure that there is space created for the Dail to do its business even in a caretaker role. He also said that his party has not considered putting the option of doing a deal with either Fianna Fail or Fine Gael to grassroots members. Our Ard Fheis made it very very clear that we would not go in as junior partners with these establishment parties and we went to the electorate with that as a main plank with that in our manifesto and we received a mandate for that and we will honour that mandate. Mr Adams added that the party has not considered puting this issue to members at any special Ard Fheis. Its a hypothetical question and we should always avoid answering hypothetical questions. We have an Ard Fheis, its on the 23rd and 24th of April, and it will deal with the matters that our members want to deal with. We havent considered that issue you will have to write your own page without my assistance, he told reporters. But asked if he would accept an invitation to meet from either Micheal Martin or Enda Kenny he said: Of course I will. A government adviser has said it may be time to introduce criminal charges for cyberbullying. Special rapporteur on children Geoffrey Shannon has said it is particularly important in schools. Geoffrey Shannon has said that we need to have stricter sanctions around cyber bullying, up to and including criminal charges. These would scale up in schools to include punishments such as suspensions, with criminal proceedings a last resort. It can be hard to define cyberbullying, or always be aware when it is happening. But Geoffrey Shannon has said we need to act when it is serious: There comes a time when the harassment if it has such a negative impact on the citizen needs to be captured by a criminal sanction. Digital Rights Ireland though have a different view. They say the legislation we have at the moment is strong enough, what we lack is efficient policing. T.J McIntyre from the group has explained: Gardai in some cases simply have no access to email or outside web, in some cases they are not aware how best to pursue information on Facebook for example and my research suggests that what we need to see is a lot more resources put into this area. Geoffrey Shannon however argues that when the abuse is strong and damaging, it needs to be ended. Today is the deadline for submitting objections for a proposed incinerator in Cork Harbour. Waste management company Indaver, has proposed a waste-to-energy facility in the harbour, which will provide electricity to the national grid. The Cork Harbour Alliance for Safe Environment (CHASE) has objected to the use of the Ringaskiddy site for incineration for the past 14 years. The Read More: Chairperson of CHASE, Mary O'Leary, says the local community is unanimously opposed to the plans. She said: "Cork has had dirty industry for 40 years, we have had Irish Steel and we had IFI, they are all gone now. "We are spending 63m on Haulbowline Island setting up a park for the people of Cork, because Cork doesn't actually have a big park. "Dublin has Phoenix Park, we have Cork Harbour and we are now reclaimning it to do with it what we want. "There is a huge groundswell this time, because people are so angry and people are seeing the potential of Cork Harbour now and they potentially have to develop it." Legislating to make cyberbullying a criminal offence could lead to restrictions on freedom of expression. That is according to Digital Rights Ireland who say that the law is robust enough at the moment to deal with online abusers, but that gardai need more resources to track them down. There is a provision in law to charge persistent online trolls with harrassment. However T.J McIntyre of Digital Rights Ireland has said that new stricter legislation could also clamp down on freedom of speech. Laws like this have already been struck down in places like New York, India and in each case they say the same thing that these standards that are being imposed, with criminal sanctions, were so vaque that they chilled freedom of expression. They put people at fear that if they said something nasty about a politician they could end up a criminal as a result. There has been a serious road accident near Togher in Cork today. The accident happened at around 5.30pm when a car and a 4 x4 were in collision two miles east of Togher Village on the Bantry to Crookestown Rd (locally known as 'Bantry Line') R585. Private space travel company Blue Origin expects to launch its first human test flights in 2017, company founder Jeff Bezos has said. The travellers would not be paying customers, he said, but thousands have expressed interest in paying for a trip on a suborbital craft. For now, the man who founded Amazon.com is spending some of the billions earned from the Seattle-based online retailer on high-tech equipment and about 600 employees working in a former Boeing plane parts building. Mr Bezos says he is convinced the company - a vision of his childhood dreams - will eventually be profitable. The company is not taking deposits yet, so it is unclear whether thousands of interested space travellers will translate into sales. Blue Origin, founded in 2000, has launched a ship twice and it landed safely. The company plans to keep testing until its usefulness is done then switch to other ships being built to test human flight. The real money will be made selling rocket engines to others planning to launch satellites and spaceships, Mr Bezos said. United Launch Alliance has asked Blue Origin to build the engine for its new launch vehicle so it can stop relying on Russian-made engines. Mr Bezos, who still has his day job at Amazon, said he was deeply involved at Blue Origin and spends time in the Kent centre, about 17 miles south of Seattle, Washington. He enthusiastically shared technical details and explanations during a media tour and one engineer said he was as knowledgeable about the technology as anyone in the building. "I only pursue things that I am passionate about," Mr Bezos said. He spoke of dreaming of space travel and building rockets since he was five. He said he was not ready to share exactly how much he had invested in the space venture, saying just that all the high-tech equipment and about 600 employees added up to "a very significant number". The media-shy company said welcoming the press to its development floor was a first step towards more openness, but all but a few photographs of the facility were banned. Mr Bezos said he was not concerned about his competition to build the next generation of rocket engines because society would need lots of help moving industry and people off the planet. A handful of other companies are currently competing in the private space business, including SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, which are also at the testing stage. Mr Bezos does not care about being the first private company to offer space tourism to the masses. The real goal is to perfect their equipment by flying as many as 100 sub-orbital flights a year and Mr Bezos said safety was the number one goal. The company also wants to eventually decrease the cost of space launches by enough to put projects like building a colony on Mars within reach. The key is making spaceships reusable, which is Blue Origin's goal, Mr Bezos said. "What I know you cannot afford is throwing the hardware away," he said. Donald Trump has won the Republican presidential primary in Mississippi, edging out Texas senator Ted Cruz to post his 13th state victory of the 2016 White House race. The billionaire businessman extends his lead for the highly-contested Republican nomination amid a growing outcry by party elites against his unorthodox candidacy. Buckingham Palace has written to the press watchdog to register a complaint over claims that the Queen voiced strong Eurosceptic views during a lunch with the former deputy prime minister. The Sun said she vented her anger with Brussels at the pro-EU Nick Clegg during a lunch at Windsor Castle in 2011. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "We can confirm that we have this morning written to the chairman of the Independent Press Standards Organisation to register a complaint about the front page story in today's Sun newspaper. "The complaint relates to Clause One of the Editors' Code of Practice." Clause 1 in the code relates to accuracy and states: "The press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information or images, including headlines not supported by the text." It requires that "significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and - where appropriate - an apology published". The Sun's front page headline read: "Queen backs Brexit" and the paper quoted a ''senior source'' as saying that people who heard their conversation ''were left in no doubt at all about the Queen's views on European integration''. Former Liberal Democrat leader Mr Clegg dismissed the report as ''nonsense'', while the Palace said: "The Queen remains politically neutral, as she has for 63 years. ''We will not comment on spurious, anonymously sourced claims. The referendum is a matter for the British people to decide.'' The rare move by the Palace illustrates the frustration within the Royal Household at the Queen being drawn into a political row. This is the first time a complaint has been registered by the Palace about or on behalf of the Queen with Ipso, the independent regulator of the newspaper and magazine industry, which was set up in 2014. In 2012, Clarence House contacted the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) after mobile phone images of Prince Harry naked in a Las Vegas hotel room were widely circulated online. In 1999, the Palace made a formal complaint to the PCC about the publication of a topless picture of Sophie Rhys-Jones - now the Countess of Wessex. Constitutional expert Professor Vernon Bognador told the Press Association it was "absurd" that the Queen would break from her tradition of political impartiality after decades as monarch. "I'm very dubious. The Queen speaks and acts on the advice of ministers," Prof Bognador said. He added: "The Queen's been on the throne for over 60 years. She's acted constitutionally throughout. It's absurd to suggest that now she would break from that tradition." Two Palestinian gunmen have carried out shootings in Jerusalem before police shot and killed them, shortly before US vice president Joe Biden met prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the city, authorities said. A Palestinian man was seriously injured in the shootout on a main road alongside Jerusalem's light rail train tracks, close to the New Gate of Jerusalem's Old City. The incident began when passengers on an Israeli bus spotted the two gunmen on the street and heard shots fired, said police spokeswoman Luba Samri. No injuries were reported, and a motorist responded by shooting at the suspects who fled by car. When a policeman later approached a car that matched the description, the gunmen raised their weapons at the officer and he fired at them. Other police units at the scene shot at the suspects, killing them, Ms Samri said. A Palestinian civilian at the scene was shot in the head and is in a serious but stable condition, an Israeli hospital said. Police are investigating whether he was shot by the gunmen or by officers. Police identified the two gunmen as Palestinians aged about 20, from the Jerusalem area. In the West Bank, a Palestinian with a knife attempted to stab Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint, and soldiers shot and killed him, the Israeli military said. The two incidents follow a rash of Palestinian assaults on Tuesday, including a stabbing spree that killed an American student near where Mr Biden was meeting Israel's former president. Mr Biden is in Israel for a two-day visit as part of a regional tour of the Middle East. He is meeting Israeli and Palestinian leaders and there has been speculation he would try to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. A wave of near-daily Palestinian assaults on Israeli civilians and security forces erupted in mid-September and shows no sign of abating. The bloodshed - mainly stabbings but also shootings and car-ramming attacks - has killed 28 Israelis. During the same time, at least 179 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. Most of the Palestinians have been identified by Israel as attackers, while the rest were killed in clashes with security forces. Palestinians say the violence stems from frustration at nearly five decades of Israeli rule over the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Israel says the violence is fuelled by a campaign of Palestinian incitement compounded on social media sites that glorify and encourage attacks. Slovenia has fully shut its border with Croatia for migrants without valid EU visas and will no longer accept organised trains carrying refugees. Prime Minister Miro Cerar said the effective closure of the Western Balkans route for migrants was made after this week's EU summit which "agreed to stop irregular migration" towards central Europe. About 478,000 refugees and migrants have passed through Slovenia, mostly in trains, since mid-October when the Balkan migrant route switched from Hungary after it built a razor-wire fence to stop the flow. Slovenian police said no migrants have entered the county during the last four days. Thousands remain stranded on the Greek side of the border with Macedonia. Meanwhile, Hungary said it is extending a state of emergency to the whole country in response to the migrant crisis, including additional police and military patrols to stop migrants from entering. Interior minister Sandor Pinter said the measures are needed because of uncertainty about where the people stranded across the Balkans will try to go after several countries announced only people with valid EU visas will be allowed through. Hungary declared a state of emergency last year in several counties directly affected by the migrant flow and built fences on its borders with Serbia and Croatia which have greatly reduced the number of migrants entering the country in their efforts to reach Germany and other destinations in Western Europe. Mr Pinter said that a fence on the Romanian border is not necessary for now as Romania has pledged to prevent any migrants from reaching Hungary from there. An official in Greece said there are early indications that Nato patrols in the eastern Aegean Sea are reducing the number of migrants travelling from Turkey to nearby Greek islands. Dimitris Vitsas, the deputy defence minister, said expanded Nato patrols that started this week have put pressure on smugglers who have continued to bring migrants and refugees to Greek islands at an average of roughly 2,000 per day. Mr Vitsas told a state-run radio station: "Yesterday, we had about 700 people. So there is a strong eye on the situation." Turkey is currently in negotiations with the European Union for a broad agreement aimed at limiting the number of migrants crossing into Europe. Turkey and Greece are backing a so-called re-admission agreement that would allow Greece to send back migrants who arrived illegally. Turkey's foreign minister said his country wants to work with the UN's refugee agency and other humanitarian organisations to properly manage a potential deal with the European Union which envisages sending thousands of migrants back to Turkey. Mevlut Cavusoglu also defended the deal as the best way to discourage irregular migration and fight smuggling rings taking migrants on often-perilous journeys across the Aegean Sea to Greece. His comments, after a joint meeting between the Turkish and Belgian foreign, interior and justice ministers, came in response to concerns voiced by the United Nations and human rights groups that Turkey would not be able to provide for the migrants. More than 2.7 million Syrian refugees are in Turkey. Most are housed by Turkish families or live out in the open, and few have government-funded shelters. According to the deal, people arriving in Greece having fled war or poverty would be sent back to Turkey unless they apply for asylum. "The aim is to stop irregular migration and to ensure a regular migration," Mr Cavusoglu said. He added: "We want to cooperate with the UNHCR on how we will house these migrants and how we will send them back to their countries." The minister said that Turkey aims to build high-standard temporary shelters to house economic migrants who are returned to Turkey but do not qualify for refugee status in the country. Mere weeks after a mansion on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah set a new record for the most expensive property to be sold in... KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian palm oil futures on Wednesday rose to their highest level in nearly seven weeks, as fears of... SINGAPORE: US oil may test a support at $83.78 per barrel, a break below which could open the way towards... YEREVAN, MARCH 8, ARMENPRESS. President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Galust Sahakyan sent a congratulatory message on the International Womens Day. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the National Assembly, the message reads as follows, Dear women, I congratulate you on Womens Day! You embody the real hope, faith and love: completing all that with beauty and kindness in our families and around us. This holiday does not remind about you, but once again underlines you as a woman, mother, sister and daughter, underlines your presence and participation not only in the peoples personal life, but also in the life of state and society in general. It always records the history in its summaries, and the time in its unceasing continuity. Dear women, you provide balance in the family, state and political environment at the same time, at the right time creating necessary misbalance for the benefit of the positive, the good, everything that beautifies the world, often saving it in that way. Being able to create you also can preserve and defend what was created, particularly promoting the increase of our cultural, political and economic potential. You have always done like that in peaceful and war situations, during the existence and absence of the statehood, treating the family like the main pillar of the Motherland, and the Motherland like its own family. Despite the fact that geopolitical modulations leave their influence also on inner-public relations and national values, sometimes also including elements of incoherent obligation in them, but you, dear female compatriots, are faithful to our system of values of beauty and love, which is vital for the future of our country and people. And it does not impede to keep pace with time, successfully being revealed at work, in art and in politics, at the same time remaining the faithful guard of the family home. Understanding how difficult it is, the state seeks to be your supporter and share your burden. Once again congratulating you on the occasion of this holiday with warmth and beauty, I wish you, dear women, health, welfare, love and optimism. MOSCOW: The rouble traded near 61 to the dollar on Friday and strengthened against the euro and yuan, supported by a... YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS: After the adoption of Open Sky policy the number of airlines conducting regular flights to Armenia is growing. As "Armenpress" reports the number of such companies was 21 earlier this year, which is expected to become 22, with the start of operations of the domestic "Armenia" airline. Since the adoption of the Open Sky" policy in 2015, the frequency of flights increased by 3% compared to 2013 and passenger flow by 11 %. In 2015, negotiations were held with 26 state authorities of the civil aviation industry, and with 14 states the legal framework for this sector has been liberalized. Works are in progress with 12 other states. 5th Freedom of the Air was mutually granted to airlines of 6 countries: Turkmenistan, Qatar, Kuwait, Greece, Luxembourg and Iceland. Negotiations were conducted with over 30 airlines. As the Head of political and economic control department of the Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Economy Anna Chobanyan informed, the "Armenia" airline company applied to the Ministry, after which they were presented the list of documents required for a license and were informed about the appeal procedure. "At least 20 days before the start of flights we have to have the complete application documents. It is reviewed by the Council, which examines the application within 15 days and gives the advisory opinion. Then the whole package is sent to the minister, who makes the decision, Anna Chobanyan said. Within five days after being granted the license, with the assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy sends messages to all states to which the airline is planning to operate flights. "It means that we are obliged to complete the process within twenty days," Anna Chobanyan added. She confirmed that the company is Armenian, which in no way contradicts the current "Open skies" policy. The Open Sky policy does not limit the state to have a local, national carrier. Of course, the airline will have to survive in a competitive environment. Therefore, the Council will discuss to what extent the airline is financially sustainable to implement its business plan, Anna Chobanyan said. She stated that according to the aviation legislation, a company may be considered to be local, if 51 percent or more of its shares are owned by Armenian citizens or the Republic of Armenia (in this case the company is considered a national carrier). "Local" and "national" airlines are differentiated, but there is no difference in terms of the definition, "Anna Chobanyan said. Armenia Airline Company announced on March 8, that it is preparing its first flight on April 21 bound to Israel. "Armenia" On March 8, the airline said that in preparing its first flight on April 21 in the direction of Israel. One of the shareholders of the company had previously said that the airline will conduct $ 49 flights from Yerevan to Europe, CIS countries, mainly Asian countries. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS: The rival carried out a subversive penetration attempt at the Southeast direction of the Defense Army on March 8, at 23:20. As "Armenpress" was informed from the press service of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Ministry, the Defense Army Forces spotted the advance of the rivals subversive unit in time and pushed them back to their starting positions. The Defense Army sustained no causalities during the firefight. According to the Defense Army data, the rival has suffered causalities. Ukraines military tightened the noose around Russian forces occupying the southern city of Kherson on Thursday as... YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS: Turkey's human rights organization filed a lawsuit at Caglayan Istanbul Palace of Justice against Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Askale Mayor Enver Basharan, on grounds of insulting Armenians. "Armenpress" reports citing the Turkish Demokrathaber.net. Davutoglu criticized the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party, speaking in Bingol (Byurakn) February 27, accusing them of collaboration as the Armenian gangs collaborated with Russians." Later, on March 3, at a conference organized in Ashkale, Basharan repeated the Prime Ministers speech and thanked "the glorious ancestors who cleared this land, and threw out the Armenians." Human rights activists gathered near Istanbul's Caglayan before filing the lawsuit issued a statement stressing that for months the actions of the Turkish Armed Forces in Kurdish regions of the country are followed by racist measures against the Armenians. For example, armored vehicles bought with tax money are patrolling the streets and announcing: "You are all Armenians, you are all Armenian scum." "Genocide against Armenians was carried out, their wealth confiscated, cultural heritage of Armenians and other Christian nations systematically destroyed. As if all this was not enough, the remaining handful of Armenians are humiliated today, everything possible is done to threaten their lives. All this has and will continue to be a crime against humanity in history. Upcoming generations will remember you for this. Discrimination in the highest level of the Turkish state continues and is encouraged. But there are those who will raise their voices against this crime until the end, the members of the organization said. TEHRAN: Iran has once again rejected allegations that it has supplied Russia with weapons "to be used in the war in... Nearly 150 decisions in the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal are in doubt after the positions of two members were accidently revoked by a government drafting error. Attorney-General Simon Corbell will ask the Legislative Assembly to quickly pass remedy legislation on Thursday to reinstate the appointments of presidential tribunal members Peta Spender and Elizabeth Symons after what he described as their "inadvertent revocation" from January 1 this year. ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell will rush remedy legislation to the Legislative Assembly on Thursday to correct the mistake. Credit:Rohan Thomson Introducing the stop-gap measure this week, Mr Corbell said the required amendments would ensure the validity of the members' decisions made during the period of legal limbo. The tribunal members were appointed in 2008, with their terms set to expire on January 1, 2016. The original appointment instrument was amended in 2012, adding a third presidential member whose term would expire in April 2019. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. Iran announced that it has exported 32 tons of heavy water to the United States on March 9, Armenpress reports, citing Iranian PressTv. We have entered the international market of nuclear materials. We have purchased 140 tons of yellow cake from Russia as well as 60 more tons from Kazakhstan, Abbas Araqchi, Irans deputy foreign minister, told a forum at the countrys Foreign Ministry. We have also sold about 10 tons of 3.5 percent enriched uranium to Russia. In fact, we have entered the international market of nuclear materials as an exporter. Araqchi did not specify when and how the export had been made, but he said it occurred after the implementation of a historic nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany in mid-January. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) earlier in January announced that Iran plans to sell as much as 40 tons of its excess heavy water supplies to the US, adding that the landmark move will be made through a third party. "Six tons of the exported heavy water will be used in nuclear facilities and the rest in American research centers," Ali Asghar Zarean, a deputy head of the IAEO, had been quoted by the media as saying. Irans President Hassan Rouhani said last August that Iran will begin to commercialize its nuclear technology after the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). We will import yellow cake from abroad and we will export enriched UF6, President Rouhani told reporters. Iran and the P5+1 group of countries the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany agreed over the JCPOA last July. Based on it, Iran will restrict certain aspects of its nuclear energy activities in return for the removal of certain economic sanctions imposed against the country. The JCPOA also allows Iran to sell its enriched uranium material called UF6 - and to buy natural uranium or yellow cake in return. Adaptor, director and actor Nick Skubij said bringing a complicated, multicharacter saga like Emily Bronte's 1847 novel Wuthering Heights to the stage was a challenge. "It has 40 years of drama and two generations of family experiencing the same things," he said. At the Playhouse in shake & stir's production of "Wuthering Heights" from left, cast members Nelle Lee (plays Isabella Linton) Gemma Willing (plays Catherine Earnshaw) Ross Balbuziente (plays Heathcliff) and Tim Dashwood (plays Edgar Linton). Credit:Graham Tidy "I was trying to distil the novel to its essence." Tackling a well-known and well-loved classic like this one - a frequent inspiration for films, television productions operas and other adaptations - meant he could only take it on from his own perspective, he said. Enlighten festival has a number of events on this week - it runs until Saturday March 12. The Night Noodle Markets is on every evening this week until March 13. The 27th Alliance Francaise French Film Festival is back at Palace Electric Cinemas with 48 flicks from March 3-29. The Canberra Times Good Food Month is on until March 31, 2016. Celestial Empire: Life in China 1644-1911 is on at the National Library of Australia brings together culture and tradition from two of the world's great libraries. Until May 22. Free. Encounters showcases rare Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander objects from the British Museum at the National Museum of Australia until March 28. Free. A retrospective of Australian artist Tom Roberts is on at the National Gallery of Australia until March 28. In Canberra for the long weekend? There's everything from the Balloon Spectacular to the Handmade Market. Begin planning with our guide here. Touch or click through for more David Pope Today: Mostly sunny morning. Medium (50%) chance of showers during the afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm during the afternoon and evening. Light winds. Max 31. Friday: Cloudy. Medium (60%) chance of showers in the morning and afternoon. Light winds. Min 17, max 32. Saturday: Mostly sunny morning. Medium (50%) chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds. Min 16, max 32. Sunday: Partly cloudy. Medium (60%) chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds. Min 17, max 29. Monday: Partly cloudy. Medium (60%) chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds. Min 16, max 29. The Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocese's new expert body to deal with child sexual abuse is a "huge step" towards transparency, but it cannot address the core problems of the Catholic Church, a child sex abuse campaigner says. The archdiocese's Institute for Professional Standards and Safeguarding is headed by former NSW police detective Matt Casey and former lawyer Jane Cronan. Child abuse campaigner and former Marist student Damian de Marco. Credit:Melissa Adams Mr Casey, the institute's director, said the body was charged with investigating allegations of child sex abuse from anywhere in the archdiocese. "There was a tendency, within not just the church in our archdiocese but in other organisations, to minimise things and to not recognise the objective seriousness of the behaviour that was being complained about," he said. Katie Peden should be unpacking her new life in Canberra with her husband, Bryn. Instead she is planning the order of service for his funeral after Bryn, 25, was killed when his motorcycle crashed into a tree off Cotter Road last Wednesday. Bryn Peden married his wife Katie in 2012. A knock on the door from police, amid the chaos of boxes at their home in Tasmania, revealed her "larger than life" husband had died shortly after the crash, despite intensive care paramedics rushing him to Canberra Hospital. His death leaves Katie, 25, to raise their two young boys alone. The University of Canberra's newly-announced Vice-Chancellor, Professor H. Deep Saini, said he was convinced to move half way around the world because of the unique campus redevelopment vision of outgoing Vice-Chancellor Stephen Parker. Speaking from Toronto where he is Vice-President of the University of Toronto - Canada's top-ranked, largest and most research-intensive university - Indian-born Professor Saini said the opportunity to lead a young and progressive university had been impossible to turn down. Vice-President of the University of Toronto, Professor H. Deep Saini, has been appointed the next vice-chancellor of the University of Canberra. Professor Saini is leaving two daughters and a grandchild behind in Canada to relocate with his wife Rani. He spent part of a sabbatical living in Canberra in 2000 while he worked at the CSIRO. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS.U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby has named a recent court decision to appoint a board of trustees to Zaman media group troubling, as the European Union also criticized Turkey for media freedom. Armenpress reports U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby stating at a press conference. We see this as the latest in a series of troubling judicial and law enforcement actions taken by the Turkish government targeting media outlets and others critical of it, Kirby said while responding to a question on the court decision earlier. In the wake of moves earlier this week by government-appointed trustees to shutter media outlets owned by the Koza Ipek Holding Company and the filing of insult charges against journalists representing other outlets, we call on the Turkish government to ensure full respect for due process and equal treatment under the law, he said. Court-ordered supervision of a media companys finances and operations should not prompt changes to the newsroom or editorial policy. As Turkeys friend and NATO ally and we do count ourself as a friend of Turkey and we certainly are a NATO ally we urge Turkish authorities to ensure their actions uphold the universal democratic values enshrined in their own constitution, including freedom of speech and especially freedom of the press. In a democratic society, as Ive said many, many times, critical opinions should be encouraged, not silenced, Kirby said. The EU is following closely the reports about yesterday's developments related to Feza Media Group, including Zaman newspaper, and the ensuing police action, an EU spokesperson said. The EU has repeatedly stressed that Turkey, as a candidate country, needs to respect and promote high democratic standards and practices, including freedom of the media, the statement read. Free, diverse and independent media constitute one of the cornerstones of a democratic society by facilitating the free flow of information and ideas, and by ensuring transparency and accountability, it said. Any country, and in particular those negotiating EU accession, needs to guarantee fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, and due judicial process, in line with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Police dispersed supporters of Zaman group, who gathered in front of the headquarters on March 4 and 5. A full takeover of OZ Minerals by KKR does not appear likely, in the near-term at least, after the private equity giant sold out of the company late on Wednesday. OZ looked set to be privatised like its copper rival PanAust Limited when KKR emerged in October as its biggest shareholder, with 10 per cent of the company. OZ Minerals boss Andrew Cole has been praised as doing an excellent job with the operations. Credit:Scott Barbour A KKR associate company, Thorpe Holdings, also emerged as the seventh-biggest holder of OZ shares with a 5 per cent stake. OZ shares have soared 67 per cent in the five months since KKR's stake become public. Personalised advocacy can be extremely effective in politics. Cardinal George Pell was at the centre of the recent hearing conducted in Rome by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, but it was the Ballarat survivors of church abuse whose personal presence and shocking stories have created added momentum and political pressure for apologies and redress. The survivors were living testimony of the damage inflicted by the abuse. Pell, on the other hand, failed the test of personal empathy. In other commission hearings into institutional child sex abuse where the passing of time means that there are no surviving personal stories, or where privacy demands that the identity of the victims is hidden from view, the issues can appear much more abstract and so lack the same political impact. The personal stories of convicted drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran generated a change in Australian public opinion on the death penalty even if the stories failed to persuade Indonesia to spare their lives. The general point is that personalised advocacy is one of the main characteristics of many of the major social campaigns now crowding the political agenda. Making the political personal may not guarantee success but it usually enhances the political arguments that are being made. Such personalised arguments can put the other side very much on the back foot. That is certainly the case with the campaign for legalisation of same-sex marriage. One of the strengths of the case for legal same-sex marriage is that it can be illustrated with the personal stories of loving couples who have a strong desire to marry. There is literally no end to such stories with which to enhance local, state and national campaigns. For millions of CommInsure policy-holders, the peace of mind that comes with taking out adequate life insurance, trauma insurance, or total and permanent disability cover is fading fast. A joint Fairfax Media/ABC investigation this week alleges the Commonwealth Bank-owned insurer is a serial delinquent in processing and paying out on legitimate life, trauma and TPD claims. It's alleged that it pressures its medical staff to change their diagnoses, relies on an outdated and discredited definition of what constitutes a heart attack (crucial in determining trauma claims), and delays the claims of policy-holders by purposely losing or mislaying pertinent files and records. The firm also stands accused of denying payouts to policy-holders dying of organ failure by arguing their lives might be saved by an organ transplant a judgment that conveniently overlooks Australia's very low organ donation rates. When the insurer's chief medical officer, Dr Benjamin Koh, raised concerns with senior executives about the extent of these unethical practices (and the likelihood they might tarnish the firm's brand), he was sacked shortly afterwards for transferring files to a private email address in order, he says, to prevent them being tampered with by claims investigators . Commonwealth chief executive Ian Narev has expressed his "sadness" at the experience of the people featured in the Fairfax Media investigation, but he has refused to entertain the possibility cultural factors within the bank might have been to blame for the way CommInsure conducted itself. It's an astonishing reaction, given this is the second major episode of malfeasance within the Commonwealth group the other being the scandal that occurred in the bank's financial planning division between 2006 and 2010 and was exposed in 2013. I'm not even going to bother with the earnest throat-clearing, the "who really cares if Tony Abbott and Peta Credlin were having an affair ... the real issue was his policies, increasingly out of step with mainstream opinion ... blah, blah". Of course we bloody care hence the salacious headlines sprung from former Liberal staffer and journalist Niki Savva's, Road to Ruin: How Tony Abbott and Peta Credlin destroyed their own government. But while we're all students of human frailty (read suckers for gossip) bigger themes emerge from the latest revelations about the contentious relationship between the former prime minister and his chief of staff. For one, the book adds to the portrait of a fallen leader who remains on the scene a Shakespearian figure, defending his legacy and causing the current Prime Minister to lose his footing in the treacherous terrain between pragmatism and ideology. Illustration: John Spooner And I sense in the dynamic between Abbott, Credlin and their colleagues a fraught scenario that plays out in workplaces beyond Canberra, and will continue to do so for as long as men have a stranglehold on power. That scenario entails something like this: A company or institution top-heavy with men, which is most companies and institutions. A place roiling with internal politics and instability, which is most places. A male boss forging an alliance with a female staffer, who secures what others regard as special privileges and access. She leapfrogs to promotion. Or starts throwing her weight around. (Even before Savva's book, we knew about Credlin's involvement in cabinet meetings and her earlier heckling from the adviser's box during question time.) YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS: Doctors still evaluate Armen Dzhigarkhanyans condition as moderate. The actor has been hospitalized on March 5. As "Armenpress"reports, RIA Novosti was informed by the information service of the Sklifosovsky Research Medical Institute.His condition is moderate, temperature was 36.2 degrees in the evening, 36.3 in the morning, "the institute reported. It's a coup for Labor. Dodson, a senior Yawuru man from Broome known as the "father of reconciliation" has earned deep respect over three decades in public life for his achievement, intellect, integrity and dogged dedication to improving the lives of his people. He will lift advocacy on Indigenous issues in the Australian parliament to a new level. Inevitably the question arises: will Professor Dodson be the one to change the tune of that song, from depressing to optimistic? That's what Patrick Dodson told the press when Labor leader Bill Shorten announced the former chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation would be nominated to fill Labor's casual Senate vacancy left by Joe Bullock's resignation in Western Australia. Without Indigenous leaders' engagement in making policy, the seemingly intractable problems of Indigenous disadvantage are doomed to repeat like a "mantra in some depressing song". The scandalous lack of representation of Indigenous Australians in our parliaments makes it hard to argue against this "captain's pick" even though he has never faced a voter. Dodson will be only the second Indigenous Australian appointed to federal parliament by the Labor party, after Nova Peris in 2013. Literally less than a handful of Indigenous people have ever been elected to federal Parliament during its 114 year history. They are former Democrats Senator Aden Ridgeway, former Queensland Liberal Senator Neville Bonner and Liberal member Ken Wyatt, the only Indigenous candidate to ever win a seat in the House of Representatives. Queensland Liberal National Party Senator Joanna Lindgren was appointed in 2015. Senator Jacqui Lambie revealed Aboriginal ancestry in her maiden speech. Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion welcomed Dodson's nomination. He said the most effective way the parliament can help to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is to "ensure we work across party lines in a genuine bipartisan way". Dodson joked that he wouldn't swap "Indigenous tribalism for white fella tribalism": "We can find some solutions to this and I'm happy to work with anyone." He will need to be. The latest Closing the Gap report shows the dire disadvantage Indigenous Australians continue to experience in life expectancy, education and employment, despite recent advances in school attendance, literacy and numeracy. Before his Senate nomination was announced, Dodson expressed concern that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was paying relatively little attention to Indigenous policy. Veteran Indigenous advocate Jackie Higgins said there was presently "no engagement, there is no respect" and she had "never seen Aboriginal affairs at such a low point". Bill Shorten has said he wants Professor Dodson to focus on constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians, equality in housing, health, justice and life expectancy and the development of northern Australia. Mr Dodson has resigned his position as co-chair of the Referendum Council but is likely to continue pressing the need for widespread Indigenous consultation to discuss the options for constitutional recognition. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. All parliamentary groups of Bundestag share the opinion that what happened in Ottoman Turkey a century ago was genocide and which must be condemned. Vice President of the National Assembly of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov, who had attended the discussion of the bill condemning the Armenian Genocide at Bundestag, told the journalists about this on March 9. I had a meeting with Cem Ozdemir, chairman of the Green Party, who assured during that meeting that they will do everything in order the Armenian Genocide is condemned by the German Bundestag in 2016. After that I had a meeting with Mrs. Bulmahn, Vice-President of the Bundestag, who also clearly mentioned that the events of 1915 is genocide and must be condemned, Armenpress reports Sharmazanov saying. He added that all the parliamentary groups of the Bundestag share the opinion that the Armenian Genocide must be condemned. He stated that there are currently 3 bills submitted to the Bundestag by different parliamentary groups that condemn the Armenian Genocide. Those groups expressed readiness to join their bills and achieve condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by the Bundestag in 2016, he said. Eduard Sharmazanov mentioned that the Armenian Embassy in Germany and the Foreign Ministry of Armenia have a huge role in this process. Senior Liberal National Party figures have slammed Brisbane MP Teresa Gambaro's decision to quit politics at the next election, calling it a "dummy spit" that will hand the seat to Labor. But Ms Gambaro's office rejected that assertion, referring Fairfax Media to a statement she issued on Wednesday that stated she was leaving politics to spend more time with her family. A spokesman for Ms Gambaro said that was all she would say on the matter. Ms Gambaro, who held Brisbane with a margin of just 3.15 per cent, had faced a spirited Labor campaign spearheaded by its army major candidate, Pat O'Neill, prior to her retirement announcement on Wednesday. The heat was definitely on at the Melbourne Museum precinct last night for a series of three premium runway shows by leading Australian designers, including couture kings J'Aton, which closed the show with a stunning bridal gown worthy of a princess. While the new venue at the Royal Exhibition Buildings is proving to be a hit with punters and the media (it was staged in the somewhat stark surrounds of the Docklands last year), the heritage building has no air-conditioning, meaning a hot and steamy experience for the invited guests and ticket holders alike. Special announcements before shows two and three advised the crowd that some styling had to be altered to suit the conditions, presumably some of the heavier coats and boots that may have otherwise graced the catwalk. Those who were fortunate enough between shows to have access to the Chairman's Lounge, in the bowels of the museum, had access to both plenty of fluids and the festival's hottest commodity cool air. What does it take to make it in the Australian Fashion Industry? Original ideas, a commitment to quality and heaps of enthusiasm are all high on the list. A leg up when you're starting out doesn't hurt either. On Wednesday, Sydney sisters Tessa and Beth MacGraw, of macgraw, won one of the country's top fashion prizes, the Tiffany & Co National Designer Award. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. Nagorno Karabakh conflict will be discussed in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. Armenpress reports OSCE Mink Group American Co-chair James Warlick made a note in his Twitter micro blog reading Just arrived in Tbilisi and look forward to discussing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and NK peace. The military phase of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict started in 1988, when, in response to the Nagorno Karabakh populations demand for self-determination, the Azerbaijani authorities tried to solve the problem by ethnic cleanings in all regions of Azerbaijan, particularly in Kirovabad, Sumgait, and Baku, and full-scale war, which resulted in thousands of causalities. In 1991 full scale military operations started. The ceasefire agreement signed at the request of Azerbaijan between Azerbaijan, Armenia and Karabakh came into force on July 12, 1994. Currently, negotiations over the conflict settlement are conducted by the mediation of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs (Russia, USA, France) based on the Madrid Principles proposed in 2007. Armenia gives great importance to the mediation of the Minsk Group Co-chairs in the peace process as a practical format of negotiation process. Azerbaijan has up till now refused to comply with the 4 UNSC resolutions passed in 1993, continuing the incitement of arms race in the region and flagrantly violating the international law of not using force or a threat to use it. Health authorities suspect that an infected cooling tower may be responsible for an outbreak of Legionnaires disease around Town Hall station. Three men aged in their sixties and one in his 30s are receiving treatment for Legionnaires disease in hospital after they spent time in the Druitt, Market, Sussex and Pitt street areas. Three of the patients work in the area and one was visiting. The bacterial lung infection causes fever, chills, a cough and shortness of breath, and can be fatal. Australian Taxation Office Commissioner Chris Jordan has flagged a new deal this morning for his 20,000 staff after the ATO's public servants overwhelmingly rejected their latest pay offer because they thought it was "just not fair". As tax office negotiators sit down with unions on Wednesday morning, the ATO boss has reached out directly to his agency's workers, to put the outline of a new approach on the table. Australian Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan. Credit:Daniel Kalisz Mr Jordan will drop the demand for an extra 45 minutes work each week and make other key concessions, aimed at breaking the bargaining impasse that has gripped the agency for more than 18 months. Tens of thousands of shooters in NSW can now apply for silencers on their weapons after the NSW government opened permit application forms to hunters and sporting shooters, a move gun control advocates have condemned as dangerous. The Shooters and Fishers Party says it has successfully lobbied the NSW government to expand the reasons which shooters can cite on a form when seeking a permit to use a silencer. Seeking silencers for use in "sport" shooting or recreational hunting has been added to the form. Previously there was only space for government employees or licensed contract animal shooters to apply. There are about 200,000 gun licence holders in NSW. The NSW chapter of the Sporting Shooters Association claims 50,000 members. In December the Productivity Commission's final report into Australia's workplace relations system recommended the lowering of Sunday penalty rates for hospitality workers. Protests have become a semi-frequent sight outside the Queanbeyan office in recent months with hospitality, cleaning, childcare, hospital and education staff growing concerned. Union delegates are concerned about any change to Sunday penalty rates. Credit:Rob Banks The group, led by United Voice ACT secretary Lyndal Ryan, said any cuts to weekend penalty rates would have a negative impact on their weekly budget and inevitably, the local community. Queanbeyan shift workers and union members protested plans to change penalty rates outside Eden-Monaro MP Peter Hendy's office on Wednesday morning. The report also called for penalty rates on public holidays to remain untouched along with the minimum wage. ACT Liberal senator Zed Seselja broke ranks with his colleagues after the report and called on the government to adopt the recommendations. Ms Ryan said Dr Hendy needed to understand the importance of penalty rates for hospitality workers as Australia's first assistant finance minister. "Weekend rates do not fully compensate them for this but they do make a huge difference, particularly for such low paid workers," she said. One hospitality worker and Queanbeyan resident, Bryan Kidman, said he could not survive financially without weekend rates. The union pointed to 2015 research by the McKell Institute that found any reduction in penalty rates would likely to result in a negative impact on the emotional wellbeing and security of workers Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk doubled down on her threat to go to the polls if "anyone stood in my way" in regards to her legislative jobs agenda, but was forced to concede the government had no bills before the House which would cause her to pull the election trigger. As the fall out from Cairns MP Rob Pyne's defection to the cross bench continues, with Deputy Premier Jackie Trad forced to publicly state her loyalty to both Ms Palaszczuk as leader and the Labor Party, and grumblings of other unhappy backbenchers making their way to ministerial offices, the government is fighting to present a united, cohesive front. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is shielded from the rain by her media advisor as she takes a phone call. Credit:DAVE HUNT Ms Palaszczuk has attempted to turn the loss of Mr Pyne, which brings Labor's numbers in the House down to the LNP's 42 seats, into her fighting for the State. Scrapping the "business as usual" line, which was the government's original response to Mr Pyne's resignation, Ms Palaszczuk has wielded a threat since Tuesday to head to the polls, vowing to get the public's support, if she can't get the Parliament's. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS: President Serzh Sargsyan will conduct a working visit to Russia on March 10. As "Armenpress" was informed by the Department of Public Relations and Mass Media of the Presidential Administration, Serzh Sargsyan will meet with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin during the visit in Moscow. During the meeting the sides will discuss many areas of cooperation, including trade, investment, energy, humanitarian, economic, as well as prospects of development of integration processes in the Eurasian area. Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir Putin will exchange views on the current stage of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, the problems and the possibilities of advancing the peace process. The President of Armenia and President of the Chess Federation of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan will attend the opening ceremony of the World Chess Championship Candidates Tournament in Moscow on March 10. It's long been the civic centre of Brisbane, but now King George Square has again found itself at the centre of Brisbane's council election campaign. Greens lord mayoral candidate Ben Pennings has unveiled a plan to cover the square in solar shading, which would come equipped with sockets for people to charge their phones in the shade. The Greens want to introduce solar shade, similar to this at Arizona State University, to Brisbane's King George Square. Mr Pennings said the solar panels would generate 100,000 kilowatt hours a year to help charge City Hall, which he said would save Brisbane City Council $20,000 in annual electricity bills. "The Greens' plan for King George Square embraces this century rather than looking to the past of roped-off grass," he said. A company put forward by Clive Palmer to operate his ailing north Queensland nickel refinery does not hold an environmental authority from the state government. On Monday, administrators FTI Consulting announced Queensland Nickel Pty Ltd was replaced as the Yabulu Refinery's manager by Queensland Nickel Sales Pty Ltd - which is run by Mr Palmer and controlled by two of his entities. Clive Palmer has taken back control of his Queensland nickel refinery. Credit:Andrew Meares But no application had been received to transfer Queensland Nickel's environmental authority to its replacement, the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection confirmed on Wednesday. "If an application was made to transfer the EA, this could be undertaken without delay," a spokesman for the department said. Six students unwittingly sparked a massive search in Brisbane's west on Wednesday morning, after wandering in and out of a stormwater drain before classes commenced. 28 swift water technicians searched approximately five kilometres of underground drains, aided by 29 police, after a groundsman at Indooroopilly State High School reported seeing the group enter a stormwater drain adjacent to the school about 8.40am. The three hour search was launched when they were not seen leaving the rain-swollen drain. Queensland Police Service Acting Inspector Mark Bradford said it was later confirmed the boys had left the drain and returned to school before the search commenced. CV fraud is a big issue. Various studies have shown more than half of people lie on their CV and that many companies do not fact-check CVs thoroughly. The cost of reviewing CVs, interviewing candidates, and hiring people based on resume lies not to mention the reputational damage in high-profile hires is enormous. This problem can only get bigger. The incentives to tell resume porkies will grow as the job market for graduates becomes more competitive. Employers expect so much of graduates, particularly in fields such as law. It is not enough to get top grades: you need to have started a social enterprise, had multiple internships, and be fluent in three languages to stand out! Universities are partly at fault. Academic grades and qualifications should be the best predictors of job aptitude and likely performance. But who can blame companies for not trusting academic grades (due to fears of soft-marking at some universities) or believing that grades are a weak indicator of somebody's potential for the job. The cost of reviewing CVs, interviewing candidates, and hiring people based on resume lies not to mention the reputational damage in high-profile hires is enormous. As more non-academic information is included on CVs, the scope to fudge facts increases. As does the amount of time and cost for companies to fact-check resumes. Even recruitment firms, at least ones I've dealt with when providing referee checks, seem to gloss over CVs. A few quick questions, none particularly probing, and it is on to the next candidate. I try to give a balanced view of an applicant's strengths and weakness, but recruitment firms seem mostly concerned about applicant strengths. And the person conducting the referee check always seems to be fairly junior and in a hurry. How can one make an informed assessment of a candidate after a five-minute interview with a stranger? I'm not sure how to fix the problem of CV fraud. But I doubt the answer lies in more rigorous fact-checking of every line on a resume (although it would not hurt in some cases). Apart for the potential to miss omissions, the cost of fact-checking everything would be too onerous. Companies can do more to put the onus on candidates to be truthful. For example, they could inform candidates during the application process that they will have to defend three facts on their CV should they make it to the interview process. The candidate is immediately on notice that at least part of their CV will be randomly audited. If successful, their CV could be posted on a company intranet for a certain period. Why should CVs be kept private when so much professional information is posted on sites such as LinkedIn? Giving more people in the firm access to a CV could help identify problems if a new person struggles in their job or spot blatant CV lies. Mortal enemies Nine and Seven would rather cut their own throats than circle the wagons and fight a common foe like Netflix. SBS walked away from Freeview last year and has only just returned to the fold. There are no details at this point other than it's a "world first with all the FTA networks working together", which is laughable if you've followed Freeview's antics over the years. The death of traditional broadcast television isn't as close as some people would like to think, but the networks are feeling the heat. After years of infighting the Freeview consortium of Australian free-to-air broadcasters has finally promised to deliver a cross-network streaming app to combine all the catch up and live streams from the five major broadcasters. As our appetite for streaming video grows Australians are watching less and less live television each week, according to the latest Australian Multi-Screen Report. Freeview has been promising a cross-network joint service since it first launched in 2009, but we had to wait until 2014 for the arrival of FreeviewPlus which is only compatible with new Smart TVs and a few set-top boxes supporting the HbbTV internet video standard. FreeviewPlus missed its target of reaching 10 per cent of Australian homes in the first year, it recently hit that milestone but Freeview refuses to reveal how many people are actually watching. Rather than throwing their full support behind FreeviewPlus, these days Seven and Nine are more interested in spruiking their new subscription video services Presto and Stan joint ventures with Foxtel and Fairfax Media (publisher of this website) respectively. They're making little headway against foreign juggernaut Netflix, which would have a tougher fight on its hands if Australia's broadcasters had heeded the warnings and launched a cross-network service long before the foreign raider arrived on our doorstep. Freeview's announcement that it will have something to announce later this year comes as the latest Australian Multi-Screen Report paints a telling picture of the changing television landscape. The number of people who watch free-to-air and subscription broadcast television each week continues to slowly but steadily drop. At the end of 2015 it was down to 87.4 per cent of Australians, slipping from 88.5 per cent 12 months earlier. Those who are still tuning in watched 80 minutes less each week than they did the year before. Personal Video Recorder ownership has plateaued after a few years of steady growth, as has the amount of television we record to watch later. Instead it's internet video cutting into our traditional TV time. The NBN is making streaming video accessible to more homes and our options continue to expand, with the ABC's popular iView app finally coming to the Apple TV streaming box. Queensland has welcomed a world renowned physicist in the most Australian way possible. We've named a spider after him. Brian Greene, a science communicator and string theorist, graced Brisbane's Cultural Forecourt at South Bank on Wednesday morning with his wife Tracy Day and their two children ahead of the World Science Festival launch to meet the spider lucky enough to be named after him. World renowned physicist and World Science Festival founder Brian Greene with Queensland's newest spider Dolomedes briangreenei. Credit:Chris Hyde Queensland Museum arachnologist Dr Robert Raven discovered the water spider, named Dolomedes briangreenei, while he was searching for specimens for the new display. "I looked down and saw all these water spiders sitting there and then all of a sudden an insect hit the water and the spider raced out to get it, got it and dived under the water and then swam back to the shore and started eating it and then it twigged," Dr Raven said. Science is all about questions. Are humans on the verge of destroying our planet? Is creativity linked to insanity? And just when are we finally going to be whizzing around space like The Jetsons? Street Science! encourages the public to get hands on with science. Credit:World Science Festival New York These are just a smattering of the riddles some of the world's greatest scientific minds will be attempting to answer in Brisbane this week. How is it that two co-existing theories that perfectly describe the way our universe works are completely incompatible with each other? Can we save the Great Barrier Reef from a devastating death? YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. The beach town airports Manager Shadhan Kumar Mohanto said that the Jessore-bound aircraft, used for carrying shrimp, crashed into the sea around 9:30am.Armenpress reports, citing Bdnews24. Four people, including a crew were in the plane during the incident at the Naziratek Point of the sea, five kilometres off the town, he said. 2 people survived the crash, 1 of whom died later on. 2 are still missing. The Bangladesh police still do not confirm reports about Russian pilots on the plane. Accused cat burglar Di Miao was seen by a police surveillance team entering and exiting a house that adjoined a home that was burgled hours later, a court has been told. Mr Miao, 52, a Chinese national who police believe is a casino high roller and also robs the homes of the rich, was charged following an 18-month investigation by police that culminated in the alleged discovery underneath his home of thousands of luxury items worth millions of dollars, including watches, jewellery, rare alcohol and designer handbags underneath his home. Di Miao enters court on Wednesday. Credit:Pat Scala He is charged with dozens of burglaries across Melbourne between 2012 and May last year, but Melbourne Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday investigators had not found his fingerprints at any of the homes he allegedly burgled. However a police surveillance team one day in late 2014 saw Mr Miao enter and exit a house that was next door to a home that was burgled that night, the court heard. Investigators have revealed the fateful twisting flight path of a light plane which plunged into the ocean on the Victorian surf coast, killing four people, however just who was flying the aircraft remains a mystery. Flying enthusiasts Daniel Flinn, Donald Hately, Ian Chamberlain and Dianne Bradley died on January 29 when a 1967 Piper PA-28 Cherokee plummeted into the water near Barwon Heads. All four were from Melbourne's south-east and aged in their 50s and 60s. Investigators have been trying to piece together the circumstances of the crash, including who was flying the plane and if poor weather or mechanical faults played a part. Construction will begin on the Windsor Hotel's controversial 93-metre tower, after a planning tribunal ruled in favour of developer Halim Group in its bitter dispute with the state government. Halim Group had warned it would close the heritage-listed hotel, perhaps turning it into a backpacker's hostel, after Planning Minister Richard Wynne refused to extend its permit for its $330 million revamp. Plans to demolish part of the Hotel Windsor and build a 26-storey tower can now go ahead. Credit:Greg Briggs But in an embarrassing decision for the Andrews government, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal comprehensively rejected its reasons for the refusal and gave the developer until March 2020 to complete the project. The tribunal's deputy president, Mark Dwyer, said the minister's claim the developer had enough time to construct its tower and north wing extension, first approved in 2010, ignored the commercial realities of planning for complex major projects. After the release of NAPLAN results for 10,000 Australian schools, The Age spoke to four schools who had made big gains to find out what had driven the change. They say it isn't about spending vast amounts of money, it isn't about teaching to the test. Every student from years 3 to 6 at the St Luke the Evangelist School in Blackburn South use a Chromebook laptop. Credit:Joe Armao Here are some things the schools did that made a difference: Give eight-year-olds their own computer Rules stopping taxpayer-funded electorate officers from campaigning for their MPs at an election are too ambiguous and require improvement, an independent audit has found. Last year the Andrews government was rocked by allegations that electorate officers known as EOs were being pooled and used to campaign for Labor at the state election. Last year Daniel Andrews' government was rocked by allegations it used electorate officers to campaign during the state election. But a PricewaterhouseCoopers report commissioned by the parliamentary Speaker and President will provide some relief for worried Labor MPs as it does not apportion any blame, rather concluding the rules are opaque and need fixing. A 10-year-old Aboriginal girl who took her own life in Western Australia's northwest was exposed to accumulated "trauma and tragedy", Mental Health minister Helen Morton said. The young girl, understood to have been from the small community of Looma in the Kimberley region, was placed in the care of extended family - along with her brother - in an "informal arrangement". Trauma and tragedy were factors in a 10-year-old girl's suicide. Credit:Mayu Kanamori "The issue of accumulated harm comes to my mind very quickly when I think about some of the circumstances of this girl," Ms Morton told ABC Radio. "She was exposed over her very short life to quite a level of accumulated harm and trauma." A 29-year-old Singleton man facing assault and criminal damage charges over a road rage incident where a grandmother was allegedly terrorised had his bail continued until April 12. Anwar Hauti Hoheepa Hautapu appeared in Fremantle Magistrates Court over the October 17 incident that allegedly occurred on the Success on-ramp on the Kwinana Freeway. Police allege that a 56 year old woman drove her Ford Fiesta onto the on-ramp of the freeway where two lanes merged into one. As the left lane merged into the right, a vehicle in the right lane started sounding its horn and swerved towards her vehicle. The death of 11 people on West Australian roads over the long weekend has prompted calls for more action to reduce the toll, with Labor and the Nationals in rare agreement. The opposition is considering adopting an election policy of allocating a portion of Royalties for Regions cash for improving dangerous roads in the regions, which are statistically more deadly than those in the metropolitan area. Police Minister Liza Harvey said the state government was spending money from the fund on advertising, but the message was not getting through. Eight of the fatalities on the weekend were on country roads. Nationals MP Martin Aldridge agrees Royalties for Regions should be tapped and says the WA government should also access the $140 million plus Road Trauma Trust Fund. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS: Kurdish women of Armenia condemn the violence and massacres of Kurdish women in the Middle East and Turkey. Kurdish women of Armenia held a rally in Shahumyan square in Yerevan on March 9 in defense of Kurdish women in Turkey and the Middle East. The head of the Kurdish community of Armenia Knyaz Hasanov said in an interview with "Armenpress" that the women of the Kurdish community of Armenia have gathered to condemn the killings of women in Turkey and the Middle East. "Today, crime is committed against women, and in general against the Kurdish people. Today's protest is a way to condemn it. We condemn the atrocities committed against the Kurdish women. For already 6-7 months Kurdish people are slaughtered in Turkey, burned, women raped, stripped naked and thrown into the street, in order to terrify others and refrain them from protesting, Hasanov said. He pointed out that 5-6 thousand Kurds were killed in Turkey during previous 6-7 months, and the killings continue. "For example, the city of Jzire is now in ruins. Tanks are used, the city is being destroyed, and people are deported and killed. We also appeal to the international community with such actions, so they help the Kurdish people. They speak of democracy, protection of human rights, but they do not do anything. No one is talking about the massacre of Kurds. This shows that the great powers intervene to the extent to which it serves their interests, "Hasanov added. Kurdish women of Armenia issued a statement, which states that they fought a prominent fight in the history of the Kurdish people. "We condemn all kinds of violence and abuse against women. Glory to all the women of the world, including to the fight for freedom of Kurdish women, "reads the statement. Paris: French authorities have opened an investigation after a baby was found hidden in a bag belonging to a passenger on board an Air France plane. The French company says the child, who travelled with "an adult" on Air France Flight 1891 from Istanbul to Paris on Monday, did not have a valid ticket. A child was found travelling on a Paris-bound flight without a ticket. Credit:The Deseret News/AP Agence-France Presse reported the child, a girl, was travelling with a woman who was in the process of adopting the child from Haiti. "She was apparently in the transit zone in Istanbul, and had crossed the customs checkpoint with the child, when she was prevented from boarding a flight with her," AFP reported a source at Charles De Gaulle Airport as saying. Washington: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wants an "iconic Canadian woman" to be the face of his country's newest banknotes. And so it shall be. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Vancouver last week. Credit:The Canadian Press/AP "I am pleased to announce today, right here, that a Canadian woman will be featured on the very first of the next series of bills expected in 2018," Mr Trudeau said at a news conference on Tuesday to mark International Women's Day. The Canadian $20 note now features Queen Elizabeth, but she's not Canadian. The last series of $50 banknotes included images of five notable Canadian women, but they were replaced with the image of an icebreaker. An online petition asking the country's bank to commit to featuring more Canadian women has received more than 73,000 signatures. Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the country has miniaturised nuclear warheads to be mounted on ballistic missiles as he inspected the work of nuclear workers, the North's KCNA news agency reported on Wednesday. "The nuclear warheads have been standardised to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturising them, he noted, adding this can be called true nuclear deterrent," KCNA said. Kim Jong-un gives his first public speech in 2012. Credit:AP North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and claimed it was a successful hydrogen bomb test, which was disputed by many experts and the governments of South Korea and the United States. London: Buckingham Palace has filed a complaint with a British press standards group over a front-page story in Rupert Murdoch's Sun tabloid, which reported that Queen Elizabeth II voiced doubts about Britain remaining in the European Union. The complaint with the Independent Press Standards Organisation cited an accuracy clause in the group's Editors' Code of Practice, according to a statement from the palace. Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she meets people on a visit to the Prince's Trust Centre on Tuesday. Credit:Getty Images Former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg also took issue with The Sun's report on Wednesday. It cited a "highly reliable source" in saying the Queen told Mr Clegg and other attendees at a lunch during the last parliament, which ended in 2015, that she was concerned about the direction the EU was taking. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS: The new "Armenia" airline plans to carry out regular flights to different cities of the Russian Federation, Tehran, Dubai, Prague, Tel Aviv, Kiev, Minsk, Barcelona, and London. Shareholder Tamaz Gaiashvili stated at a press conference in Yerevan. He said the first regular flights will start on April 21 bound to Moscow and Tel Aviv and will gradually expand. "The airline will organize its work to satisfy the population of Armenia by keeping the prices not too high. We strive to provide low prices for those in need ", "Armenpress reports Tamaz Gaiashvili saying. According to the company shareholder Robert Hovhannisyan, "Armenia" Airline Company will enable pilots and technical staff who are currently working abroad to return to Armenia and work in their company. As for the price policy, Robert Hovhannisyan assured that the prices will allow citizens to purchase tickets without a problem and fly in different directions. Earlier, the company announced that it is planning to conduct $ 49 flights from Yerevan to Europe and CIS countries. In response to a reporter's observation that this amount does not include taxes, Tamaz Gaiashvili noted that the tickets have to be purchased two months in advance, they will not be eligible for return, and airport services are not included in that price. Robert Hovhannisyan said that in case of adding the airport tax to the price, the sum will amount to 100 Euros. Shareholders also informed that the airline plans to operate eight aircrafts until the end of the year. "We will have three aircrafts in the beginning of April, two more in June-July, 8 at the end of 2016," Tamaz Gaiashvili said. 51% of the companys shares belong to Ashot Torosyan, 25% to Robert Hovhannisyan and 24% to Tamaz Gaiashvili. Latest News NAB reveals six market megatrends for brokers More opportunities for investors, first home buyers Firstmac shifts up a gear on auto loans National sales manager appointed to pursue growing market The executive chairman of listed mortgage and wealth group Yellow Brick Road (YBR) has challenged the government to mandate more effective gender equality laws regarding the hiring process for senior management positions.Speaking at YBRs Women in Finance event held in Sydney yesterday on International Women's Day, Mark Bouris said he supports gender quotas for senior management positions, however, he admits quotas arent always the best solution especially when quotas can mean the right person for the job isnt selected for fear of being penalised.I dont have a problem with being mandated [for quotas]. Unless you mandate things, thing dont happen. So I dont have a problem with that but it is the penalty that is the issue.If, for example, they say Mark, 50% of people on the board must be female and 50% must be male, I dont have an issue with that. I will achieve it but if I cant achieve it I think you shouldnt be penalised. The penalty is the issue for me.Instead, Bouris is calling on the government to mandate gender equality laws in the interview process, rather than focussing on fulfilling quotas.Every time a job becomes available, you must interview an equal number of men to an equal number of women. Therefore, mathematically, you are more likely to pick the most appropriate person.Women mathematically have an equal chance of being that person, as opposed to being told you must have a female out of that pool of interviewees.Whilst this isnt fully implemented in YBR at the moment, Bouris said it is something he is trying to achieve and he hopes to lead as an example.That is something we are trying to achieve, he said.I dont have an issue without it being mandated but I think it is the only way to do it. If you ask me if I would lead by example then yes I would lead by example but I think this sort of thing takes 12 months or 18 months, you cant do it overnight.But it is something I would be happy to talk with my senior management about. Definitely as the [executive] jobs become available, I would be very happy and in fact I am going to do this to make sure I interview an equal number of men to women for those senior jobs. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams It is a Torah of many colors. A local artist will discuss his newly-published illustrated guide to the 613 Jewish laws outlined in the Torah at a Brooklyn Museum book festival on March 12. The artsy scholar says that his brightly-colored images provide a much-needed counterpoint to the words of the scripture. Judaism is a religion of stories Jesus told parables, and thats very Jewish, said Archie Rand, who will read the introduction to his book The 613 at the museums first-ever Read Brooklyn authors fair. Those things seem to need an illustrative context. Rand, who grew up in a Jewish household, spent five years creating 613 acrylic paintings to accompany each of the religious laws. He finished the project in 2008, but only now have the images been collected into an enormous book, with one image on each page. The book has gotten a big response, but his work has not always been well-received. When Rand painted a mural for a Brooklyn synagogue in the 1970s, he faced significant backlash from the Orthodox community, who objected to any form of religious imagery. The reaction only increased his desire for visual aids to the Torah, but the work is not supposed to be a theological statement, said Rand instead, it represents his personal, artistic itch. The statement Im making is to myself, he said. I thought, theres stuff here that should exist, but doesnt. I did it for that reason. Rand is one of four authors at the festival who will host intimate readings of their work each doing so in front of a piece of art that reflects their books. Rand will introduce his tome alongside a sculpture by artist Sol Lewit of continuous, interconnecting boxes that mirror how the faithful read and re-read the Torah. The Brooklyn Museums book festival will celebrate 40 emerging local authors whose works speak to the boroughs cultural diversity and constant change, said the organizer of the first-time fest. I think thats really going to reach out to the Brooklyn community, because weve all grown up here and lived our lives here, said Sallie Stutz. Its reflecting upon the diversity of the people we share everyday life with. Read Brooklyn Authors Fair at the Brooklyn Museum [200 Eastern Pkwy. at Washington Avenue in Crown Heights, (718) 6385000, www.brook lynmu seum.org ]. March 12. 15 pm. Free. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams 62nd Precinct BensonhurstBath Beach Hammer time A pair of hammer-swinging fiends attacked a man on 14th Avenue on March 5, police said. The victim told police he was walking toward 86th Street from Benson Avenue around 11 pm when he got into an argument with the two men. It escalated into a life-or-death situation when one of the two brutes whipped out a hammer and whacked the victim across the head with it, according to authorities. Soon after, the two fled in a gray sport utility vehicle. Emergency responders brought the victim to Maimonides Hospital. Smelly sneaks Two thieves pocketed some perfume from an 86th Street pharmacy on March 1, according to a police report. The two stole multiple boxes of cologne from the drugstore between Bay 40th and Bay 41st streets around 7:30 pm and once they had the goods they booked it down 86th Street towards Stillwell Avenue, police said. Cash and bling A cat burglar broke into a home on 66th Street on March 1, according to police. The victim left his house between 19th and 20th avenues around 1 pm and returned about four hours later to find his front door wide open and his whole house flipped upside down, he told cops. The intruder managed to break in through a rear security gate, according to police. The thief got away with jewelry and $10,000 in cash. He did not get far Some good-for-nothing stole a womans car parked on Cropsey Avenue on Feb. 27 and crashed it, cops said. The woman returned to her car parked between Bay 40th and Bay 41st Street around 11:30 pm but found it was nowhere to be seen, according to police. Police later found someone had crashed the car at Colonial Road and 92nd Street and then fled the scene. Dennis Lynch Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams 68th Precinct Bay RidgeDyker Heights Ridge rim theft There were two separate incidents of wheels and rims stripped from vehicles in Bay Ridge this week. Heres the rundown: A good-for-nothing stole two tire and rim sets from a car on Ridge Boulevard sometime overnight on Feb. 29, according to police. The victim parked her car near 93rd Street around 10:45 pm and came back the next day around 9:30 am to find her car stripped, police said. A few days later on March 3, a raider broke into a car parked on Mackay Place and stole two tire and rim sets sometime overnight on March 3, authorities said. The victim returned to her vehicle parked near Shore Road around 8 am on March 4 to find her window was shattered although the thief did not steal anything and the parts were missing. Safe break An intruder ransacked a home on 71st Street on March 5 and broke into a safe to get to a large trove of jewelry and cash, police said. The victim was only gone from her home between 10th and 11th avenues from 7:15 to 9 pm, according to a police report. She walked in to find her bedroom door open and the room a complete mess. Then she saw someone had broken into a safe and stole her jewelry and $80,000 in cash. Police later found her bathroom window open. A lot for nothing A cat burglar went through a lot of trouble for no gain when he broke into a beauty supply store on 86th Street on Feb. 28, according to a police report. The owner closed the store between Fourth and Fifth avenues at 10:30 am. Upon returning at 6:30 pm, the owner discovered a large hole in a sheetrock wall leading to an unoccupied apartment, where the trespasser had pried open a rooftop door to get in. The burglar did not get away with anything, but did around $250 worth of damage, according to a police report. Dennis Lynch Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams They want you to feel the Bern in your mouth! A Greenpoint hot sauce company is rolling out a special Bernie Sanders-themed edition of its potent artisanal brew, packing the burn of social justice and chile peppers in one bite and the boroughs many socialist spice-seekers are all over it, say the craftsmen. The kind of people who buy an artisanal hot sauce made in Brooklyn are also the kind of people who support Bernie Sanders, said Chris Tart, co-founder of Tango Chile Sauce. We felt like it aligned with our customers, who tend to be young liberals. The Tango taste-makers are slapping the Democratic candidates face on their hottest carrot-based chile sauce for as long as he manages to stay in the race, and are donating $1 of every $10 bottle sold to the Sanders campaign the hope is to keep the sauce flowing all the way into November, said Tart. The candidate and the sauce are both Brooklyn-born products while Bernie hails from Midwood, his Tango alter-ego is brewed and bottled in a Red Hook kitchen, then labeled and shipped out of the entrepreneurs Greenpoint apartment. But while the boroughs left-leaning sauce consumers love the spicy propaganda the Bernie bottles have quickly become best-sellers, said Tart some right-wing trolls have called into question just how much the sauce-makers sympathize with the candidates push for so-called wealth redistribution. There are a few snickers, he said. Some people are asking, If I buy this, does that mean it goes to somebody elses house? But the liberal sauce-makers are not about to put out a hot Republican alternative to appease the haters although the thought of tacking a Trump label onto a bottle of the orange-tinted product is almost too good to pass up, said Tart. He has orange hair, so it would actually work, he said. We could put a toupee on the bottle. Spice-loving Bernie supporters can now buy the limited-edition sauce online at tango chile sauce.com , and may soon be able to pick it up in some local groceries. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams 88th Precinct Fort GreeneClinton Hill Phone plunder A crew of crooks stole a guys cellphone at gunpoint on Flatbush Avenue Extension on Feb. 29. The victim said he was near Fulton Street at 7:30 pm when the quartet surrounded him and demanded money. When he said he didnt have any cash, one of the knaves pulled out his gun and instead asked for the victims phone and password. Police said the victim handed over his phone and one of the scoundrels told him, I know your school. Slashed A violent ruffian slashed a guy in the face at the Classon Avenue subway stop on Feb. 29. Police said the wretch sliced the man in the face with a box-cutter near Lafayette Avenue at 2:50 am, cutting up the victims nose. Snoozing and losing Some weasel lifted a guys bag that contained his important technology needs while he was on a train near Flatbush Avenue on Feb. 29. The victim said he boarded the the Manhattan-bound N train at Atlantic Avenue and fell asleep with his backpack, which contained his iPad Air 2 and Apple Mac Air. When he woke up at 10:30 am, he discovered his bag had been stolen, said police. Elevated regrets Someone swiped a womans unattented purse in the elevator of a Clinton Avenue building on March 1. The lady said she was in the basement of her apartment building near Gates Avenue at 6:50 pm when she told her husband, who was on the sixth floor, to put her pocketbook in the elevator and send it down to the cellar for her. But when the elevator doors opened in the basement, her handbag was gone, according to a report. Lauren Gill YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. English actor Robert Pattinson is the latest name who seems to be close to joining the celebrity fashion design set.Armenpress reports citing WWD. In an interview with the Paris-based magazine Numero, the former Twilight character and face of Dior Homme revealed his designer aspirations. Ive started making clothes, he said. For the last two years, Ive been visiting producers and craftsmen. There are already quite a few pieces. I love doing it. My style is influenced by the cities I go to, sourcing fabrics and local skills. In Los Angeles its really easy to work with denim and do workwear-inspired clothes. In England I look more toward wool and knitwear. What I do is pretty multifaceted, clothes for men and for women, things that I make with friends.But Im not going into too much detail, I dont want to jinx anything. The 29-year-old actor got his start on the screen playing the role of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. He went on to star in the Twilight movie series as Edward Cullen, an immortal vampire and Bella Swans love interest, played by Kristen Stewart. Pattinsons agent in London declined to comment on the actors design aspirations and it could not immediately be learned whether he aims to launch a full collection, or wholesale it. He isnt the only actor recently to dabble in mens wear. Last year, Antonio Banderas enrolled in a short course at Central Saint Martins in London to learn some of the finer points of mens tailoring. Banderas insisted he wasnt giving up his day job, though. latest news October 3, 2022 Dee Gambit Hundreds if not thousands of new and returning TV shows and movies are released every month your options of what to watch are endless. Variety, they say is ... YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. The announcement of the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan over discontent with the behavior of some CSTO member states has not remain without consequences and has had positive impact. Vice President of the National Assembly of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov told the journalists about this on March 9. If we consider the current state on Karabakh-Azerbaijan contact line and compare it with the situation existing a few months ago, we will see that there is progress. Of course, it is not enough, the fact that there are problems goes without saying. There are CSTO member states that protect positions contradicting the official position of the Organization during CSTO Parliamentary Assemblies. It is inadmissible for us when our allies take a inert stance, Armenpress reports Sharmazanov saying. The Vice President of the National Assembly added that Armenias membership to the CSTO stems from the interests of Armenia and is justified. We consider us a full member of the CSTO. We have always had a common position with Russia and Belarus, he added. President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan delivered a speech at the session of the CSTO Collective Security Council on December 21, 2015. During his speech the President had mentioned Every time when the Azerbaijani armed forces use firearm weapons, mortars, and artillery against the Republic of Armenia, they fire in the direction of Astana, Dushanbe, and Bishkek, Moscow and Minsk. I have to remind about the respective article in our charter. And if we not only do not use that article, do not discuss the situation, and find no need to take the telephone and inquire what is going on in allied Armenia, and together with that vote against each others interests in international organizations, make bilateral declarations with the third countries, the content of which is directed against CSTO allies, we put the entire Organization, its reputation and importance under those shots. Breedon Aggregates has announced its audited annual results for the year ended 31 December, 2015. Revenues for 2015 reached 318.5m, showing growth of 18.1% compared with 2014 figures (269.7m). This resulted in profits before tax of 31.3m, a 46.4% increase on the year before. Underlying EBIT figures reached 37.8m for the year, compared with 24.3m in 2014. These underlying results are stated before acquisition related expenses, redundancy and reorganisation costs, property items, amortisation of acquisition intangibles and related tax items. The company sold 8.7m tonnes of aggregates, 1.8m tonnes of asphalt and 0.9m cubic metres of ready-mixed concrete, enjoying record results from both England and Scotland. Breedon Aggregates also finalised its largest ever contract - a 55m joint venture project on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. The business also reached an agreement to acquire Hope Construction Materials Ltd for 336m, subject to CMA approval, which is its largest acquisition to date. Executive chairman of Breedon Aggregates, Peter Tom, said: "2015 was another significant year for Breedon. Our trading performance continued to improve and we again reported record results. "The outlook for our business continues to be encouraging. The government remains committed to infrastructure investment and all the relevant forecasting bodies predict modest but sustained growth in construction output over the next few years. This means a steady growth in demand for our products. Against this background, volumes are expected to recover gradually to pre-recession levels by 2020. "We begin an exciting new era in 2016 with the planned acquisition of Hope and we look forward to the future with confidence." From the Pine Barrens and beyond, check out these haunted hikes TV star Carol Vorderman has waded into the Hinkley Point power station debate by calling the project a debacle. Ms Vorderman tweeted: Isnt it time to stop this debacle now? A system of generation where you and I will subsidise the cost by billions. Id replace with the Severn Barrage or tidal lagoons. Cheaper, safer and better than Hinkley Point, she added. Her comments come as the future of the 18bn project to construct two reactors at Hinkley Point near Burnham-On-Sea has been called into question this week by the resignation of Thomas Piquemal, EDFs finance chief. Mr Piquemal left the company over the weekend reportedly because of fears that the huge cost could prove too much of a strain on the companys balance sheet. But Jean-Bernard Levy, chief executive of EDF, has given his support to the project, as we reported here. EDFs 18billion project to build two new-generation nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point is due to go ahead with Chinese partner CGN. The plan was first announced in 2013, but an investment decision has been put off as EDF struggles to find partners and financing. Technical problems at two similar nuclear plants under construction in France and Finland threaten more delays to EDFs British plans. Pictured: TV star Carol Vorderman, who has spoken out against Hinkley Point C this week (pic 21stCenturyGreenstuff) EUROPE IN EMERGING ASIA Opportunities and Obstacles in Political And Emerging Encounters Edited by Fredrik Erixon & Krishnan Srinivasan Rowman and Littlefield 292 pages; Rs 1,295 The 21st century was almost upon us when Portugal was evicted from its and Europe's last colony in Asia, Macau. Less than two decades since then, that event seems to have occurred in the distant past. Europe has seemingly fallen off the radar for Asia. Neither does a European Union (EU) free trade agreement (FTA) with any of the Asian countries grab sizable display in the business media nor has any commentator seriously sought a European response to the latest global economic flashpoint currently on in South China Sea. Has ascendant Asia so quickly shed a link with Europe, which shaped most of its global history of the past 400 years? Just as Asia - the Association of South Eastern Nations (Asean) and China in particular - seems to offer even more opportunities by opening up its economies, Europe's headlines seem to be getting more insular. A Brookings paper released this month discusses how quintessentially European projects like free migration across the borders of its states "is at risk". At antipodal ends of the continent, Turkey has taken the rap for opening the gates to millions of migrants from Syria to countries up north, while Britain is torturing itself deciding whether to stay in the Union. Yet, just as it seemed that "emerging Asia and Europe are on different trajectories" the migration crisis could up-end all of that to force a significant pan-Asian response. So far, since the catastrophe engulfing Syria and Iraq has only moved westwards in its impact, the rest of Asia beyond West Asia has sort of looked on. Against this backdrop, Europe in Emerging Asia, edited by Fredrik Erixon and Krishnan Srinivasan, is a challenging assignment. Unfortunately, this collection of 12 essays was compiled before the migration crisis so those issues do not surface directly in the book. But the essays offer some useful hints: "While European countries have invested political and institutional capital in creating pan-European institutions of governance, emerging Asian nations remain anchored in the Westphalian structure of government and power," the authors note in their introduction. It was those institutions that allowed for free movement of labour and of capital, spurring an explosive rise in living standards in Europe after two world wars. It was the template that Asian blocs have tried to replicate till now, unsuccessfully mostly for the reasons the authors have pointed out. And as one of the essays points out, the growing economic interdependence among the Asian nations "in the absence of an established multilateral mechanism for security cooperation... [that creates] uncertainty and instability". Yet it is an Asian paradox that the region has managed to grow fast enough to challenge the economic leadership of the continent of its former political masters. And since Europe is in for a long phase of deceleration in economic power, that creates room for what Mr Erixon describes as "adding sharpness to the existing disputes between Europe and emerging Asia". "What is clear, however, is that Europe feels that the economic rise of Asia challenges its leadership position inherited from the post-World War II settlement and offers rearguard resistance," he writes. It is this theme that the essays explore from the perspective of the different nations. According to Evi Fitriani, the race to pole position is still not decided when one looks at Asean countries and the EU. The relationships have become triangular with the emergence of China with its reach among these nations. The author argues that a key element to re-balance power is the string of FTAs the EU is signing with the members. "[It] is an instrument of strategy used by the Europeans to return to South East Asia. The EU strategy is to provide an overarching framework for trade and regional integration, and...make big efforts to dismantle existing trade barriers through the proposed FTAs ". Evaluating the same theme, Jin Park concludes that the range of trade agreements South Korea has signed with EU has helped the former tide over the global depression. "During the general downturn, the Korea EU-FTA proved itself to be of formidable assistance across numerous industries." Based on this evidence, he goes on to argue for the need to expand trade relations to a larger regional framework in north Asia, even extending to support for political issues like the deepening of democracy. In a fraught political zone, he feels agreements could provide strategic depth to the Korean economy. But there is a sense across the book that the relative decline of Europe, often clinging to old mind-sets in some cases, has meant the continent has missed the connection to Asia. India could be a bit different, as Mr Krishnan notes: "Europe is not threatening and does not feel threatened by India". But others are less diplomatic. Wang Yiwei, outlining the nature of the delayed signing of China-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership says, though the two zones are the second-largest trader for each other, the agreement is "neither a partnership, nor strategic and nor comprehensive, since the EU cannot be regarded as a comprehensive international player in the world system". The rest of Asia tends to take its cue from China. Its busy season for car thieves in Gurgaon, where the Happening Haryana global investors summit is being held. While the cops are busy providing security to the VVIPs attending the event, car thieves have been unlocking vehicles and driving away. The large crowds and the difficulty in getting parking space closer to the event means that many of the thieves are not worried about getting caught. According to the police, a dozen vehicles, including three luxury cars, were stolen from the venue on Monday. This is almost 50 per cent more than the number of missing reports filed with the police on an average day. The victims included owners of cars, motorcycles and even an autorickshaw. The police have promised to step up vigilance, especially near high-profile events. But till then, motorists should be careful while leaving their vehicles in busy parking lots. Source : BS Motoring YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS: Ambassadors of 28 EU member states decided to extend for six months the validity of the black list drawn up for Russia and Eastern Ukrainian breakaway republics on March 9 at a session in Brussels. As "Armenpress" reports, TASS was informed by a source in the EU Council. "Ambassadors of EU countries decided to extend sanctions for 6 months," he said, noting that the decision should now be formally approved by all EU-28 countries, and then published in the Official Journal. According to him, three people were excluded from the black list, thus, extended sanctions against Russia and Ukraine include 146 citizens. In addition, the sanctions will continue to apply for 37 organizations. Expanding its footprint in Maharashtra, Tata Motors owned Jaguar Land Rover India has opened its fifth showroom in Aurangabad. The new 3S (Sales, Service and Spare parts) facility has a fully equipped 12 bay workshop with body, paint and approved facility (Certified Pre-owned vehicles). Rohit Suri, president of Jaguar Land Rover India (JLRIL), said: "This fifth showroom in the state of Maharashtra reiterates our commitment to tap the growing potential of premium cars and strengthens our foothold in the region. Unlike customers of other premium German brands, JLR customers in Aurangabad and surrounding areas need no longer be dependent on Mumbai or Pune workshops for servicing of their cars." This dealership facility will enable customers to access a range of Jaguar and Land Rover products, including the Jaguar XF, XJ, F-TYPE and the all-new XE. For Land Rover, this will include, the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Discovery 4, Model Year 16 New Range Rover Evoque and New Discovery Sport. Source : BS Motoring Renault, which shipped the first lot of Kwid to Mauritius last month from Chennai port, is aggressively tapping the island country as its first export market for the hatchback. The company had earlier said that it would begin exports of the Kwid to SAARC countries. While the carmaker has shipped some units to Sri Lanka, full-fledged exports have started to Mauritius, according to foreign trade data. Sumit Sawhney, CEO and MD, Renault India, had earlier said that the company was initially looking to export the Kwid into foreign markets and would ramp up volumes later. A total of 37 cars were shipped to Mauritius on February 5. Meanwhile, with increased domestic demand for the Kwid, the carmaker was finding it difficult to ramp up the export volumes. Based on the CMF-A platform and developed by the Renault-Nissan Alliance, the Kwid has received a tremendous response from Indian customers and there is a waiting time of four-six months at present. Given the overwhelming response, Renault India aims to ramp up production of Kwid to 10,000 units this month. The Renault-Nissan factory in Oragadam, near Chennai, will soon begin the third shift to increase the output of Kwid. The alliance plant of Renault and Nissan will begin third shift operations to increase production of Renault cars-most of which are Kwid. At present the factory works in two shifts and rolls out 1,000 cars a day. The increase in production will bring down the current waiting period to three months from the current six to seven months. Apart from the SAARC region, Renault India would also be exporting the Kwid to Brazil, Africa and other parts of Latin America through the CKD route. Source : BS Motoring State-run telecom firm Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has an outstanding debt of Rs 7,667 crore, as on January 31. On the other hand, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL) has an outstanding debt of Rs 13,530 crore, as of end-February, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. BSNLs debt is mainly due to its capital expenditure requirement. This requirement started in June 2010 after the payment of BWA and 3G spectrum charges to the tune of Rs 18,500 crore to the government, Communications and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. For MTNL, debt has been accrued due to a payment of Rs 11,098 crore for broadband wireless access (BWA) and 3G spectrum charges to the government in June 2010 after taking a loan of Rs 7,534 crore. MTNL incurred a loss of Rs 5,322 crore in 2012-13. Major factors responsible for this position of MTNL are high staff cost of Rs 4,904 crore (140 per cent of revenue). This includes actuarial valuation of retirement benefits to the tune of Rs 1,496 crore, said Prasad. The government has received proposals from and MTNL for financial assistance for their revival. These proposals are surrender with refund of BWA spectrum held by and MTNL, settlement of pension liabilities of MTNL, waiver of notional loan with BSNL, annual financial support to and MTNL to reduce staff costs, financial support to MTNL for liability arising from levy of MAT (minimum alternate tax) and proposal for hiving off mobile tower assets of BSNL into a separate company, the minister added. Some of the issues have already been settled by the government, which include surrender with refund of BWA spectrum in both service areas held by MTNL and six service areas of BSNL. Under this head, Rs 4,533.97 crore has been refunded to MTNL through bonds and Rs 6,724.51 crore is being refunded to BSNL through budgetary resources, Prasad said. A financial support of Rs 492.3 crore has been given to MTNL on account of liability arising from levy of MAT and Rs 458 crore to MTNL and Rs 169.2 crore to BSNL are being refunded on account of surrender of CDMA spectrum. In addition, BSNL and MTNL are taking several steps to enhance revenues through investments to strengthen their network and focus on customer care and service delivery to improve revenue generation, Prasad added. Essar Steel, which was to sell assets worth Rs 11,200 crore by March-end to retire its debt, will miss the deadline following a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) directive to ban sale and leaseback of assets. The sale of assets by Essar Steel excluded the sale of a strategic stake in the company by the promoters and the sale of a 49% stake in the Essar Oil refinery. Essar Steel was planning to sell and leaseback its slurry pipelines and coke oven in 2015-16 to reduce its debt of Rs 30,500 crore ahead of a deadline set by lenders. The RBI recently issued guidelines governing sale and leaseback transactions by corporates which effectively restricts corporates from undertaking monetisation of assets through this mechanism. The company is, therefore, evaluating alternatives to achieve the reduction of liability, an Essar Steel spokesperson said. In November, the Ruias had hired SBI Caps and ICICI Securities to sell a stake in the company itself. Another option now under discussions is that the promoters will infuse more money into the company as valuations improve. And that's because the steel sector is witnessing a major turnaround in its fortunes in the last two months. The minimum import price has resulted in dumping from China stopping and giving a boost to demand from local companies. The steel price for hot rolled coil itself has shot up to $350 a tonne from $270 a tonne and Essar's plant is now sourcing imported gas which is available for $6 a unit. "All this will result in better profitability for the company," said a source. In February, the Essar group had sold real estate in the Bandra Kurla Complex for Rs 2,400 crore to RMZ and leased it back. The Group was also asked by Standard Chartered Bank to repay loans worth $2.5 billion by March and the Ruias immediately announced the sale of a 49% stake in Essar Oil to Rosneft in an all-cash deal worth $2.8 billion. The Rosneft deal is imminent and will be the next transaction the group closes by next quarter. Essar Steel is not alone in selling assets to retire debt. Many Indian companies, including the Jaypee group, Reliance Infrastructure and the Avantha group, have sold assets or are in the process of selling them in the current fiscal year. The debt of these companies has ballooned as they went on an expansion spree in the last few years. With demand not picking up, these companies were unable to repay loans. Essar Steel has also availed of the Reserve Bank of Indias 5/25 scheme under which the banks extended its loans by another 25 years with an option of refinancing every five years. The company has a 10 million tonne steel manufacturing facility at Hazira and iron ore beneficiation and pelletisation facilities in Paradeep of 12 million tonnes and Visakhapatnam of 8 million tonnes. The company also owns and operates two iron ore slurry pipelines one each in Odisha (Dabuna to Paradip) and Andhra Pradesh (Kirandul-Visakhapatnam). These pipelines transport iron ore slurry from iron ore mines in Dabuna and Kirandul to the pellet plants located near the Paradip and Visakhapatnam ports. The company has already sold off one of its slurry pipeline and the coke oven to reduce its debt. In an earlier interview with this paper, Essar Steel had blamed falling steel prices, lack of gas supply from the Krishna-Godavari basin, and damage to its Kirandul-Visakhapatnam slurry pipeline by Naxals in October 2011 for its reversal of fortunes. The lack of gas supply brought down the capacity of the company's Hazira plant to 40% and caused a Rs 4,500 crore hit on Essar Steel's finances. Besides, delays in receiving environmental clearance for the company's second slurry pipeline in Odisha resulted in non-availability of pellets for the ramp-up of the Hazira steel plant and had an impact of another Rs 2,500 crore on the company. Interestingly, while Essar Steel is selling assets, the company has emerged as the top bidder for an iron ore mine in Odisha, piping JSW, Tata Steel and JSPL. This mine will take care of half of its raw material needs. The company bid by offering 43% royalty to the government far higher than competition. RUIAS' ASSETS UP FOR SALE Italian fashion brand Versace has tied up with Pune-based ABIL Group to design the interiors of the latters south Mumbai luxury residential project, ABIL Mansion. Gian Giacomo Ferraris, chief executive officer of Gianni Versace SPA, its operating company, spoke to Raghavendra Kamath about the companys plans and strategy in India. Edited excerpts Would you look at a fully-owned venture in the country to set up stores here? Not at the moment. We are happy with the franchisee structure now. India is not the first priority for our retail expansion. We are expanding internationally, but we are testing the markets. We have other priorities and cannot go everywhere. We are happy with the regulations here. In future, if we want to control the operations directly, it will be a good market to be in. What about your e-commerce plans for India? We already have e-commerce sites in North America and Europe. In China, we are setting up a website but not an e-commerce portal. But, we are not looking at e-commerce in India. How do you look at competition from other luxury brands in India? Year 2015 has not been a fantastic year for fashion brands, but it has been a good year for us. Versace has been growing at 17 per cent at the group level. We have a lot of potential for growth. In 2016, we expect to see double-digit growth. So, are you happy with the sales growth in India? Yes, we are. Are you planning to bring your hospitality brand to India? Why not? Depending on the project and if it fits into our strategy and DNA, we can bring it here. Where does India stand in your scheme of things? You have to be very prudent and balanced in ascertaining what is important for the company. The project with ABIL is the latest development. It fits with our product structure. Versace does both pret-a-porter, and haute couture. So well do projects that will match with our philosophy. With an aim to becoming biggest player in the market by end of this year, online eyewear company plans to invest Rs 300 crore over the next few years, its co-founder and CEO Peyush Bansal said. The company has already invested a similar amount in the business and would continue to invest another Rs 300 crore till 2020. Lenkart is a manufacturing to retail business where it designs spectacles and manufactures lenses and sells through its e-commerce platform as well as offline stores which are based on the franchise model. Read more from our special coverage on "LENSKART" The company said that it would break even by 2018 in all its various operations."We are also operationally break-even now which means that through our earnings we are able to fund our entire advertising which is a customer acquisition cost as well as any business expenses, he said.The company claims to be selling the largest number of spectacles and a leader in that segment though value wise it believes it would be the market leader by end of FY 2016. Its main competition is Titan Eyewear and major offline players in the segment.The company makes more than 5,000 spectacles a day, and plans to raise it to 30,000 over the next two years. The company at present has around 1000 employees.Bansal said that that company is now working on perfecting the home eye-checkup model which he believes would reap massive benefits in the long run. According to him, just like the home pathology testing model, this would also help them in gaining more customers and help them capture the tier-II and tier-III market.Diagnostic services changed after the convenience was brought to their doorstep we are bringing the same level of service which would change the way our sector functions. We are investing in the home model and taking our fleet to about 2000 people by 2021each doing at least six odd appointments and in each of them about two eye checkups. Currently we are crossing around a 1000 eye checkups every day. Demand for specs is high and more than 50 percent end up buying, he said.The company would soon come out with eye testing equipment which would work on an iPad. It also trains the people going for home eye checkups. At present has four training centres and plans to increase it to 20 over the next two years.We are developing our own machine which would bring down the cost from $10,000 to as low as $1000.We would be launching those machines by May this year. We are investing heavily in this and have spent around Rs 20 crore in the home testing model. Over the next couple of years would be investing a north of Rs 60 crore in this, Bansal added. The company plans to reach around 500 odd cities by 2020 with its home eye testing model. We are working on a customized device handheld device incorporating an iPad, with a UK based partner in which we have invested around $500,000, he added. According to Lenskart, around 10 percent of the business is coming from home eye testing model, which will eventually become 30 percent of the total business. It would be moving to a new facility which would correspond with its expansion plans and would be around 100,000 square feet. The company has around 150 stores at present and plans to increase it to about a 1,000 stores. Its current gross merchandise value is around Rs 300 crore. By 2021, the company plans to have a GMV of around Rs 2500 crore. Overall, the company has grown by 150% in the last one year. Pharmaceutical company has completed an $880-million acquisition of US generic drug maker Gavis, a deal announced last July. US business is 45 per cent of Lupins revenue and the deal will enhance its product pipeline in dermatology, controlled substances and high-value speciality products. Gavis has 62 Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) pending approval with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), beside 65 products under development. also gets access to Gavis' manufacturing facility in New Jersey, its first in that country. Gavis had revenue of $98 mn in 2014 and is expected to clock $120 mn in 2015. Gavis has launched a number of products and received multiple approvals. We expect our US business to grow in double digits in FY17, Lupins chief executive officer, Vinita Gupta, had told this paper in an earlier interaction. We plan to leverage the formulation expertise of Gavis to enhance both Lupins generic and speciality pipeline, she stated on Wednesday. After acquisition, will have a portfolio of a little over 120 in-market products, 185 cumulative filings pending approval and a deep pipeline of products under development for the US. The acquisition creates the fifth largest pipeline of ANDA filings with the FDA, addressing a $63.8-bn market. Industrialist Vijay Mallya was milling around fellow members of Parliament (MP) barely a day before he left Indian shores on March 2. Mallya, an Independent member of the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka, was in Parliament on March 1, the only day of the ongoing Budget session that he has attended since it began on February 23. According to the Central Bureau of Investigation, Mallya left India the next day when the public sector banks to which he owes about Rs 9,000 crore, moved the Debt Recovery Tribunal against him. According to his attendance record, Mallya attended Parliament which means that he signed the attendance register on March 1. Mallya is a second-term member, having served in the Rajya Sabha from 2002 to 2008 and elected again in mid-2010. According to sources in the Rajya Sabha secretariat, Mallya has not informed about his whereabouts or that he would be leaving India. A Rajya Sabha official said it isnt mandatory for members to inform the House chairperson if they are travelling abroad. However, an MP can lose membership of House if absent for a consecutive 60 days from sittings. The 60 days do not include holidays, weekends, inter-session breaks or even mid-session recess but the actual number of sittings of the House. This will not be of consequence in Mallyas case, since his six-year term ends on June 30. In his second term, Mallyas attendance has been 30 per cent against the average of 78 per cent. He did not participate in even a single debate since 2010, while the average participation of other MPs is 57. He asked 216 questions during his second term, when the average for other MPs was 312 questions. Mallya, like other MPs, has been drawing salary and allowances per month of Rs 1.4 lakh. This includes salary of Rs 50,000, constituency allowance of Rs 45,000, office expenses of Rs 15,000, and secretarial allowance of Rs 30,000. Apart from this, an MP gets an allowance of Rs 2,000 for every day that she or he attends the session. Mallya did not claim any travel and dearness allowances in 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16. Neelachal Ispat Nigam (NINL) says it is preparing to raise prices of pig iron in the wake of a record spike in global ore prices by 17 per cent. It is the largest producer and exporter of the item in the country. Ved Prakash, chairman and managing director of MMTC, which has 49.9 per cent of NINL's equity, and chairman of the latter, said: The price hike could be Rs 300-500 a tonne over the current price of Rs 17,300 a tonne. But, we have to watch market trends to know if this uptrend in iron ore prices continues. He said a sustained rise in ore prices could revive the export market for pig iron, presently seeing tepid demand. The NINL factory at Kalinganagar in Jajpur district of this state has annual capacity of 855,000 tonnes. The rebound in iron ore prices is believed to have been fuelled by a rise in China's appetite. The upswing has been accompanied by a revival in the price of oil and base metals. However, the spike in global ore prices is yet to trigger a rise in domestic prices, especially in Odisha, the biggest producer. "In Odisha, production of ore exceeds the consumption. So, I do not see any immediate hike in prices by the mining companies, said Rajdeep Mohanty, senior vice-president at Essel Mining & Industries, part of the Aditya Birla Group. The price of ore lumps (with 64 per cent iron) in Odisha is around Rs 1,700 a tonne. Fines are available at Rs 1,100-1,300 a tonne. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan continues undertaking provocative measures on the contact line with Nagorno Karabakh and on the border with Armenia, using heavy artillery and keeping civilian facilities under fire. Baku refuses to create mechanisms investigating border incidents and withdrawing snipers from the front line. It also refuses to maintain the tripartite agreement of ceasefire for indefinite duration signed in May, 1994 and the agreement of the ceasefire reinforcement signed in February, 1995. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Edward Nalbandian told about the aforesaid in an interview with Kommersant. The announcements of Baku about stalling the negotiations and meetings with the Co-chairs are regular attempts of blackmail. This is not the first time Azerbaijan demands to change the negotiation format, trying to transfer the negotiations on the conflict to other formats. The Co-chairs have often announced that such attempts are risky, Armenpress reports Nalbandian mentioning. The fact that Azerbaijan makes announcements criticizing the Co-chairs means that it enters into confrontation with the international community, particularly with the OSCE, since the OSCE is an organization based on consensus, the member states of which have authorized the Co-chairs with mediation mandate. This means that the Co-chairs act on behalf of all OSCE member states. The Co-chairs explicitly mention that Bakus criticism addressed to their efforts is nothing more but absence of political will to reach a settlement. But it goes without saying that the negotiations have no alternative, and we, together with the Co-chairs, continue our efforts for the exceptionally peaceful settlement of the conflict, Armenian Foreign Minister mentioned. Armenia shares the opinion of the Co-chairs that war is not a method of settlement. Though the Co-chairs try to take a neutral position as mediators, in the words of Nalbandian, they were forced to make a number of addressed announcements last year. They urged to preserve the ceasefire regime, condemning the use of heavy artillery and armored vehicles. The Co-chairs called on Azerbaijan to give consent to the proposal of creating mechanisms investigating ceasefire violation incidents on the contact line of Karabakh-Azerbaijan and the state border of Armenia and Azerbaijan, which can become a tool preventing further escalation of the situation. They also called to end criticizing the Co-chairs and to reconfirm its commitment to peaceful conflict settlement. It is clear that those calls by the Minsk Group Co-chairs are addressed to Azerbaijan as we have never criticized the Minsk Group. Baku is the one who does it, Edward Nalbandian said. Textile companies have urged the government to roll back the proposed excise duty on branded readymade and continue with the optional duty regime that applies currently, until the goods and services tax (GST) is introduced. While presenting the Budget, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had proposed a one per cent excise duty on readymade worth Rs 1,000 and above. Once GST is introduced, the whole value chain will be covered by duty and traceability as well as compliance will improve tremendously and implementation problems will also ease considerably. Till then, the government must do away with excise duty, said Rahul Mehta, president, Clothing Manufacturers Association of India. The excise duty on finished products was an experiment implemented a few years ago by the previous government, which was withdrawn later as it was found impractical. We have in the past pointed out that the task of collecting this excise duty from the highly dispersed and mostly tiny units in the garment sector would be a formidable one for the government, especially when the rest of the value chain remains exempted and, therefore, traceability is a serious issue, said Mehta. The large number of small and tiny units in the sector will also find it impossible to follow the procedures involved. The result will be that evaders will prosper and compliant units will suffer. The introduction of the Rs 1,000 cut-off price point for the applicability of excise duty will further complicate and impact the sector. Mehta added. Jewellers and bullion dealers have been protesting the excise duty since the Budget was presented in Parliament on February 29. RIL awaits verdict in another case Sebi is yet to pass a final order in another insider trading case involving Reliance Industries, which, too, dates back to 2007. Reliance Industries allegedly made illegal gains of Rs 513 crore by dealing in shares of its erstwhile subsidiary Reliance Petroleum (RPL). Ahead of the merger, RIL purportedly sold shares of RPL in the futures market and later position in the spot market. RIL had tried to settle this case under the consent route. The company had moved the SAT challenging Sebis refusal to settle the case under the consent mechanism, which allows an entity to settle a case by paying a monetary penalty or undergoing market ban or both. In June 2014, the SAT had refused to give any relief to RIL . According to legal experts, RIL could have to pay a penalty of at least Rs 1,500 crore (three times the profit) if proven guilty. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has disposed of insider trading proceedings against Reliance Petroinvestments, a group company of the Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries.The case date backs to 2007, before the merger of Indian Petrochemicals Corporation (IPCL) with Reliance Industries. A Sebi order in May 2013 had charged Reliance Petroinvestments with insider trading and imposed a penalty of Rs 11 crore on it.The order had said Reliance Petroinvestments had made profits of Rs 3.8 crore by acquiring 2.1 million shares of IPCL from February 27 to March 2, 2007, on insider information on dividends and the impending merger.In the latest order, Sebi Adjudicating Officer Suresh Gupta dropped the proceedings against Reliance Petroinvestments citing a lack of evidence.In absence of any evidence to establish the access of unpublished price-sensitive information to Reliance Petroinvestments, it can be concluded that Reliance Petroinvestments and Reliance Industries are not insider as alleged, Gupta said in an order dated March 8.The latest order comes after the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) last December quashed the Sebis May 2013 order and gave the market regulator three months to issue a fresh order in the matter.Reliance Industries had argued that Reliance Petroinvestments was a group entity formed to acquire shares of IPCL during the governments disinvestment process. It stated that Reliance Petroinvestments had acted independently and was not in possession of price sensitive information on dividends or the impending merger. BREATHER FROM REGULATOR May 2013: Sebi imposes Rs 11 crore penalty on RIL group firm Reliance Petroinvestments (RPIL) in insider trading case Sebi imposes Rs 11 crore penalty on RIL group firm Reliance Petroinvestments (RPIL) in insider trading case Jul 2013: RPIL moves the SAT against the Sebi order RPIL moves the SAT against the Sebi order Dec 2015: The SAT quashes the Sebi order and asks the regulator to issue a fresh order in three months The SAT quashes the Sebi order and asks the regulator to issue a fresh order in three months Mar 2016: The Sebi adjudicating officer disposes of proceedings against the RPIL The investigation report does not bring out the names of the persons reasonably expected to have access to unpublished price sensitive information, the adjudicating officer said in the fresh order. He added the investigation report was silent on whether Ashok Jain, who was placing orders for IPCL shares for Reliance Petroinvestments, had access to price sensitive information.The Sebi upturned its previous order of a fine on the Reliance Petroinvestments in an insider trading case The Group is charting out a Rs 1,200-crore investment plan to take up a solar, wind and hybrid power project in the state of Telangana, according to its IT, urban development and municipal administration minister K T Rama Rao. Delivering his keynote address at VCCircle's Partners Summit, attended by over 2,000 industrialists, investors and funding houses, in Mumbai on Wednesday, Rao assured chairman Tulsi Tanti of full support from his government for the group's expansion plans in the state. During his one-day Mumbai tour, the minister called on the Mahindra group chairman and managing director Anand Mahindra and Kotak Group managing director and vice-president Uday Kotak. "They committed further investments and more job opportunities to the state, which will be announced pretty soon," he said. "Telangana has a proactive decision-making leadership, resulting in attracting huge investments over the last two years. The burgeoning realty prices and soaring hotel accommodation prices stand testimony to this," he said. Stating that his government was contemplating creating T Fund, a first-of-its-kind fund in India, Rs 125 crore to start with, Rao said the fund would support innovations in the areas of health and agricultural technologies, Internet of Things (IoT) and thematic B2C (business-to-business). Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) and Ponds HLL ex-Mercury Employees Welfare Association, representing the ex-employees of the former thermometer factory in Kodaikanal, have today announced the signing of a settlement. Here's the timeline of the contentious issue. In 1983 Amidst tightening environmental regulation in the US due to mercurys toxic effects, Chesebrough Ponds Inc. moved its mercury thermometer factory to the hill station of Kodaikanal from the US. In 1986 Unilevers subsidiary Hindustan Lever Limited acquired this thermometer plant as part of Unilevers acquisition of Chesebrough Ponds. Between 1984 and 1989 The factory was firing on all cylinders. Workers came in two shifts, 200 in each. Over time, more than 1,000 people have worked here. Till 2001 The factory produced 163 million thermometers using about 900 kg of mercury annually. The thermometers were exported to the US and Europe. The toxic wastes were left to remain in Kodaikanal. In early 2001 * Factory workers complained of health problems and many public interest groups, such as Greenpeace, alleged that the company wasn't handling mercury, a highly potent metal, properly. * The company was directed to shut down after Palani Hills Conservation Council and Greenpeace exposed the companys attempt to sell glass contaminated with mercury to a scrap dealer. * Ex-employees and activists alleged between 1984 and 2001, 15 people died due to contamination and this figure later went up to nearly 50. In 2003 Around 300 tonnes of contaminated waste was extracted, according to reports. In 2006 * The plant, machinery and materials used in thermometer manufacturing at the site were decontaminated and disposed of as scrap to industrial recyclers. * Former employees file a petition in the Madras High Court in February 2006 seeking economic rehabilitation In March 2016 After fighting a legal battle that lasted mroe than a decade, and its former employees of Kodaikanal factory sign settlement ALSO READ: HUL, ex-employees of Kodaikanal mercury plant reach settlement The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to on petition of consortium of banks seeking disclosure of his assets and seizure of passport. This followed a statement by the government's top lawyer, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi who informed the court that Mallya left the country on March 2. The apex court has given Mallya two weeks to respond to the notice. The next hearing has been scheduled for March 30. The plea in the Supreme Court has been moved by 17 banks, including State Bank of India, against Mallya whose various firms have taken loans from them. The owe over Rs 7000 cr to the consortium of banks. Last week, and Diageo who took over United Spirits arrived at a non-compete agreement that provides an exit for the former liquor baron from the company with a $ 75 mn payout spread over 5 years. Reports have indicated that Mallya may have already received $40 mn as the first tranche of the overall settlement. Serving and retired army personnel and other concerned citizens have protested at the use of army engineers and combat equipment in building two pontoon bridges over the Yamuna river for a three-day World Culture Festival (WCF) being organised from March 11-13 on the rivers floodplain in Delhi. Separately, the Green Tribunal (NGT) has expressed concern over the impact of hundreds of thousands of visitors and large structures on the fragile Yamuna bed and the flora and fauna that inhabit it. The NGT is expected to rule on this on Wednesday. The WCF is being organised by the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar-led Art of Living Foundation, which claims to propagate a stress-free, violence-free world. The founder, who is widely called Sri Sri, is close to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership and was awarded the Padma Vibhushan this year. The WCF website prominently displays a photograph of him with BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar admitted on Tuesday, to TV news channel Aaj Tak, that he ordered the army to use combat manpower and equipment to construct the pontoon bridges to deal with security threats to the festival. Aaj Tak did not ask him how pontoon bridges would help in dealing with security threats to the WCF. Nor, in fact, has the army been given any role in dealing with security or terrorist threats. Parrikar also cited the precedence of the Kumbh Mela, where army engineers build pontoon bridges to allow the millions of visiting pilgrims to move from one side of the river to the other. Suggesting the pontoon bridges would avert the possibility of stampedes, he declared: It was done with the sole purpose of avoiding accidents. Senior army generals tell Business Standard they are deeply uncomfortable with deploying soldiers and equipment for a function organised by a private, commercial organisation, but they had no choice. We were not asked or consulted. The raksha mantri ordered us to build those bridges, says a general in army headquarters. The rules governing the deployment of the army in such tasks is laid down in the rulebook, Regulations for the Army. Paragraph 301 on Page 100 legislates on Employment of troops on duties in aid of civil authorities. It states: Troops may be called upon to perform in aid of the civil authorities any of the following duties: maintenance of law and order; maintenance of essential services; assistance during natural calamities such as earthquakes and floods; and any other type of assistance which may be needed by the civil authorities. It goes on to state: When the services of troops are required by the civil authorities, the local military commander will first obtain, through authorised channels, the approval of the Central Government to their employment. Since the WCF deployment is clearly unrelated to law and order, essential services or disaster relief, Parrikar evidently invoked the fourth, catch-all, contingency: any other type of assistance which may be needed by the civil authorities. Technically, therefore, the rulebook backs the defence ministers order and the generals in fact had no choice but to obey. It is, however, another matter whether the defence ministers order was ethically and morally grounded. In a heated debate raging within military circles on social media like WhatsApp, many army officers believe the army chief should have taken a stronger stand against using army resources to help what one officer calls a government-friendly god-man. Had the army chief stood firm on an issue of propriety, the government would have had no choice but to take heed, says one serving officer. In this politically polarised discussion, some argue that, since the armys resources are legitimately used for organising religious public events like the Amarnath Yatra and the Kumbh Mela, they could also be used for the WCF. Lieutenant General (Retired) Syed Ata Hasnain counters this, posting on Facebook: When something is wrong it has to be called so. Hundred per cent agree that the Army should not be doing this. We provide many things for Shri Amarnath Yatra but that is a completely different issue because of security and the terrain involved. Furthermore, the Sri Sri Foundation is a commercial organisation that openly seeks donor funding on its website. Does the government even know where Sri Sri gets its funding from? It claims to be a non-profit organisation, but we would love to see the book of accounts, demands another general, who seeks anonymity. Some, like Lieutenant General (Retired) Raj Kadyan make the weak argument that laying pontoon bridges for such functions provides good training for the army. Others point out that the environment in which these pontoon bridges were laid bore no similarity to the conditions in which engineer bridging units actually train for war. Perhaps the strongest argument against using army assistance in such functions relates to precedent. Says a serving lieutenant general: Today we have come out to support the Sri Sri Foundation. Tomorrow, it could be Baba Ramdev; after that, the Jamaat-e-Islami; the next day the Dera Sacha Sauda or the Nirankari establishment. Where do we draw the line? The All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) has demanded a parliamentary probe into the into the issues related to Kingfisher Airlines. The association said that this is needed to bring out in public that how the loans were processed and sanctioned by banks, the role of Reserve Bank of India and why timely action was not taken to recover bad loans. In a statement issued today, the association urged the government to order extradition and force a trial on Vijay Mallya, if he had indeed moved out to the United Kingdom. "It is shocking and a matter of dismay that the Government has informed the Supreme Court that has already fled to UK when nearly Rs 10,000 crore of loan is due by him to the Banks in India. It is not a sudden development that Kingfisher Airlines is a defaulter. For the past few years, the issue is going on," stated the association. It maintained that banks did not even declare him a willful defaulter. "It is reported that while sanctioning the loan, the brand value of Kingfisher was taken. How it was valued and what happened to the brand value now? What is the banking principle involved in sanctioning a loan based on brand value? When RBI knew that there was a case of deliberate default, why no serious action was taken so far," it added. Pointing out a remark by the CBI director that no follow up action was taken by the Banks though a suo motto case was initiated by the agency earlier, C H Venkatachalam, general secretary of the association said, "AIBEA has been demanding to declare willful default as criminal offence but it is not clear why RBI and government are soft on this suggestion". "If Mallya has fled to UK, Government should now order extradition and force a trial," stated the association. "The whole episode is murky and a thorough parliamentary probe is essential to make public how the loan was processed and sanctioned by Banks, the role of RBI and why timely action was not taken to recover the bad loan." it added. The association has also extended support to the two day strike called for by United Forum of RRB Unions in all the 56 Regional Rural Banks on March 10 and 11, 2016 on demands including against the move to privatise RRBs and demanding withdrawal of license given to payment and small banks, among other demands. In a first for Asia, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will set up a knowledge-sharing centre in India, to provide technical support and assistance here and to five other South Asian nations. Their team will extend expertise in core macroeconomic and financial management areas, said an unnamed government source. An agreement is likely to be signed here on Saturday by Managing Director Christine Lagarde with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The new centre, being set up amid global economic uncertainty, will provide assistance to India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bhutan. Since the team will be based out of the region, it will ensure better understanding of regional concerns, including trade, agriculture, climate change, facilitating a reform process and support to regional integration. The knowledge centre will come up in the wake of IMF announcing implementation of its long-pending quota reform, giving more voting rights to emerging economies.With these changes, to be effected in the coming days, Indias quota in the IMF would rise to 2.7 per cent from the existing 2.44 per cent. Also, the voting share of India would increase to 2.6 per cent from 2.34 per cent. For the first time, four emerging market (EM) countries of the Brics bloc Brazil, China, India and Russia will be among the 10 largest members of IMF. Two new multilateral agencies are also being set up a New Development Bank of the Brics countries and an Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. An Asian economic crisis did occur in the late 1990s but from the Southeast Asian tigers of that time. This time, one could emanate from China or another large economy from the EMs. According to the Economic Survey of 2015-16, if this kind of crisis does emerge, it would be very different from those of earlier decades. Since the 1980s, it said external financial crises have followed one of three basic forms Latin American, Asian or global models. In a Latin American debt crisis, governments went on a spending binge, financed by foreign borrowing (of recycled petrodollars) while pegging their exchange rates. In the Asian one of the late 1990s, the transmission mechanism was similar overheating and unsustainable external positions under fixed exchange rates but the instigating impulse was private borrowing rather than governnment borrowing. The global one of 2008, with America as its epicentre, was unique in that it involved a systemically important country and originated in doubts about its financial system. If a crisis occurs in China or another large EM, it is more likely to resemble events of the 1930s, when the UK and then the US went off the gold standard, triggering a series of devaluations by other countries and leading to a collapse of global economic activity. If such a crisis hits India, it will require fresh prescriptions and it is here that the IMF centre would be of help, a source said. --- Five serving and former executives of the IDBI Bank, mentioned in a probe report by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will be questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over a Rs 950-crore loan sanctioned to Kingfisher Airlines in 2009. Yogesh Agarwal, the then chairman and managing director of IDBI Bank, and four other executives who were members of the credit committee, B K Batra, O V Bundellu, R Bansal and S K V Srinivasan, have been named by the CBI. The report points out the loan was misused by Vijay Mallya and was diverted abroad on false claims. It also says there was a slew of meetings between Mallya and key bank executives as the Kingfisher Airlines was going under. The CBI has shared its findings with the ED, which recently filed a case against Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines and IDBI Bank executives. "The Enforcement Directorate is examining the information provided by the CBI and will soon question the respective entities and their roles in the matter," a source close to the development told Business Standard. The report states that loans were sanctioned and disbursed by IDBI Bank to Kingfisher Airlines at various times in 2009. The proposal for the sanction of a corporate loan of Rs 950 crore was submitted by A Raghunathan, CFO, Kingfisher Airlines, and was marked for the attention of Batra, said the CBI report. Raghunathan referred to a meeting between Mallya and Agarwal in a letter dated October 6, 2009, and requested the bank to lend the airline Rs 150 crore for six months to pay overseas vendors. A memorandum was put up to the credit committee and the loan was sanctioned, despite the company having a negative net worth and not satisfying the corporate loan policy of the bank, said the report. The credit committee comprising Batra, Bundellu and Bansal sanctioned the loan on October 7, 2009. Raghunathan, again referring to Mallya's meeting with Agarwal, also sought an ad hoc release of Rs 200 crore. The proposal was put up to the corporate banking head, Batra, who recommended that the bank's chairman and managing director could approve it. A few days later, on November 4, IDBI Bank sanctioned a short-term loan of Rs 200 crore, subsumed in the total loan. The sanction came from Yogesh Agarwal. These loans were disbursed while the original proposal for a corporate loan of Rs 950 crore was pending. This proposal was put up again before the credit committee on November 19, 2009. On November 27, IDBI Bank released a corporate loan of Rs 750 crore, which was sanctioned by Bundellu, Batra and Srinivasan. Pointing to Agarwal's role the CBI said, "He approved the proposal while instructing for expediting the ratings though the auditors of the company had observed that funds aggregating to Rs 4,630 crore raised on short-term basis were used for long-term purposes. Undisputed TDS amount of Rs 100 crore plus was not deposited for over six months and the ratings were not available." The CBI observed that the loans were approved by accepting as security the hypothecation and assignment of the Kingfisher brand, finance lease aircraft, a corporate guarantee from United Breweries Holdings and a personal guarantee from Mallya. Responding to an email query, the IDBI Bank spokesperson said, "IDBI Bank has sanctioned loans to Kingfisher Airlines after following guidelines. The bank is cooperating with the CBI and has provided all information sought." The CBI also said Rs 263.48 crore of the loan disbursed by IDBI Bank was transferred to Kingfisher Airlines' accounts in Axis Bank (Rs 169.62 crore), ICICI Bank (Rs 39 crore) and Bank of Baroda (Rs 54 crore), from where funds were transferred to other Kingfisher Airlines accounts. This Rs 263 crore was never used for the purpose it was sanctioned by IDBI Bank: to meet obligations to overseas vendors. The report also provides a break-up of amounts used for other purposes. Another Rs 200 crore was used to repay the Rs 200 crore loan sanctioned by IDBI Bank. "A major chunk of the funds transferred to Axis Bank were used for foreign remittances towards lease rentals, purchase of aircraft parts, etc. Since these remittance have gone outside the country, further inquiry can only be made by sending Letters Rogatory for foreign investigation," The CBI report said. "We are probing the larger aspect of the loan scam," a source in the Enforcement Directorate said. "Apart from IDBI Bank, the Rs 336 crore sanctioned by Union Bank of India (UBI) was withdrawn and deposited in another account with a private bank. This was also against the rules," he added. "We are in the process of listing Mallya's properties in India and overseas to initiate legal procedures for attachment," the source said. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. Scientist Stephen Hawking has paid tribute to the teacher who inspired his early steps into scholarship.Armenpress reports citing BBC. He says Dikran Tahta at St Albans School opened his eyes to math, which he describes as the "blueprint of the universe". "My handwriting was bad, and I could be lazy. Many teachers were boring. Not Mr. Tahta," said the physicist. Hawking was speaking ahead of this weekend's award of the Global Teacher Prize. The award-winning scientist has recorded a video commending his teacher, who died in 2006. "His classes were lively and exciting. Everything could be debated. Together we built my first computer, it was made with electro-mechanical switches," Hawking said. "Thanks to Mr. Tahta, I became a professor of mathematics at Cambridge, a position once held by Isaac Newton." Hawking said that "behind every exceptional person, there is an exceptional teacher". Dikran Tahta was born in 1928. He is the child of Armenian Genocide survivors, who settled in Manchester, who received an Armenian religious education. He is the author of numerous works in field of mathematics. He died in 2006. The World Culture Festival by the Art of Living (AOL) Foundation will go on as planned but only after an initial fine of Rs 5 crore as compensation for damaging biodiversity at the flood plains of the river Yamuna, the Green Tribunal (NGT) has ruled. On Wednesday, a bench headed by NGT head Swatanter Kumar ruled the event, scheduled Friday to Sunday, could not be stopped now, due to the late date at which the matter was brought to its notice. However, it said, a large area of the Yamunas eastern floodplain had been considerably damaged. This was due to the natural flow being checked by the building of six pontoon bridges and artificial embankments, while a large area has been levelled, irrespective of natural flora. An estimated half a million people from across the country and elsewhere are expected to visit the event, celebrating the 35th anniversary of AOL, which is headed by spiritual leader Ravi Shankar, whose name is invariably prefaced by the 'Sri Sri' epithet. NGT ordered a committee to be formed with representatives from the Union environment ministry, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and the Central Pollution Control Board. They shall inspect the site and issue directions by Thursday with respect to the source of water, collection and disposal of municipal solid waste and sewerage generated. The lack of any assessment earlier had been justified by the Union environment ministry, which had informed NGT that no clearance was necessary for temporary structures being erected. The Tribunal later questioned how structures could be termed temporary when no assessment had been made. The ministry also initially failed to present an affidavit in this respect as demanded by the court, which had noted the ministrys actions violated the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006. On the other hand, the water resources ministry denied receiving any applications for permission. Ravi Shankar had maintained the event was not detrimental to the environment and had proposed creating a biodiversity park in the area. The green court has taken up this proposal and subsequently ordered that such a park be indeed built there by AOL and the Delhi Development Authority, which had granted the event permission on June 30, 2015. Terming this permission vague and outside DDAs jurisdiction, the court fined it Rs 5 lakh. Also, fining DPCC Rs 1 lakh for failing to discharge its duty. The defendant for AOL said DPCC had said there was no requirement for permissions from it, owing to its cultural nature. The court has also ordered AOL to bear the entire cost of restoring the area to its natural state within two weeks. The cost will be assessed by a committee formed by the court. Counsels for AOL said the 40-ft high and 1,000-ft long stage was erected only after requisite permissions from the Delhi government. President Pranab Mukherjee, who was to address the event, later cancelled, casting a shadow on the participation by the Prime Minister, who has also been invited. Counsel for the Delhi government informed NGT on Wednesday that after inspecting the site, Delhi Police had written to the urban development ministry that the stage where the PM was to be seated lacked a structural stability certificate. Please see the clarification at the end. The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Vijay Mallya to be present before it on March 30, with his passport, after learning that the beleaguered liquor baron had left the country. Mallya, the chairman of the UB Group and a Rajya Sabha member, is facing legal proceedings for allegedly defaulting on loans of Rs 9,000 crore. A consortium of banks has moved the court seeking the freezing of his passport. On Wednesday, Attorney General (AG) Mukul Rohatgi told the Bench of Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice R F Nariman that Mallya had left the country, possibly for the UK, on March 2 the day the banks had appealed against him at the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT). ALSO READ: Mallya received part of Diageo funds in offshore accounts I spoke to the CBI little while ago and it told me that on March 2 he (Mallya) left the country, said Rohatgi. The Bench then served a notice on Mallya, seeking his response within two weeks. As Mallya has already left the country, the Bench allowed the plea of the AG that the notice can be served on Mallya through his official Rajya Sabha email, the Indian High Commission in London, and also through the counsel representing him before various high courts, the DRT and also through his company. During the brief hearing, the AG also said more than Rs 9,000 crore was due to various banks and various proceedings were going on against Mallya at debt recovery tribunals in Bengaluru and Goa. When the bench wanted to know what the petitioners sought, Rohatgi said the banks were seeking an order that Mallya should appear in person before the court and a direction for freezing his passport. The AG said that Mallya has assets, both movable and immovable, abroad which are far excessive to the overdue loans. At this, the bench wanted to know how the banks have granted him loan under such circumstances. The AG said the loans were granted keeping in mind that Kingfisher Airlines had a fleet of aircraft as well as brand value. The loans were given also on the basis of the logo and the aircraft were attached to the third party. Today I submit he (Mallya) should appear before you (the Supreme Court). We want disclosure. We want to recover the money, which is public money, he added. The consortium of banks, in their appeal, has appealed against the March 4 order of the Karnataka High Court refusing an ex-parte ad interim order preventing the defendant from selling their assets against Mallya, England-based Diageo Plc and the United Spirits Limited. The banks said that the high court should have passed an interim order, securing their financial interests. Prior to moving the high court, the banks had filed four pleas with the Debt Recovery Tribunal in Bengaluru, seeking the freezing of Mallyas passport, issuance of an arrest warrant against him and a garnishee order Diageo Plc and United Spirits Limited from disbursing $75 million (about Rs 500 crore) to Mallya as agreed upon in his exit settlement. They had also sought a direction to Mallya that he should disclose his assets on oath. The banks had moved the DRT after Mallyas recent resignation from the chairmanship of United Spirits. Besides the State Bank of India, other banks which have moved the court are the Axis Bank, the Bank of Baroda, the Corporation Bank, the Federal Bank, the IDBI Bank, the Indian Overseas Bank, the Jammu and Kashmir Bank, the Punjab and Sind Bank, the Punjab National Bank, the State Bank of Mysore, the UCO Bank and the United Bank of India. The banks have sought a direction to Mallya to furnish suitable security for his appearance before the DRT during the pendency of banks original applications for recovering debts. They have also arraigned firms such as Kingfisher Airlines Ltd, United Breweries (Holdings) Ltd, Kingfisher Finvest (India) Ltd, SBICAP Trustee Company Ltd as parties. The plea said the banks individually had advanced loans to Kingfisher Airlines Limited and by way of a Master Debts Recast Agreement (MDRA), executed on December 21, 2010, and related documents, the existing loans were restructured and was treated as a single facility. Correction The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to liquor baron Vijay Mallya on a plea by a consortium of banks seeking his presence in the court with his passport on March 30, but did not order his personal presence on that day as wrongly mentioned in the report published. The error is regretted. The Tamil Nadu Government has said that it is raising objections against the Common Entrance Examination for Medical admissions, and has asked the Centre to withdraw the review petition filed by the previous UPA government. The petition is pending in the Supreme Court and is coming up for hearing in the next one week. This is the second time the state is raising its objection. Last month Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa wrote to the Prime Minister, conveying the state's strong objection to the Centre's attempts to review the judgement of the Supreme Court against the introduction of a National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) in any name or manner. She claimed this would adversely affect the interests of students in the state, particular those from the weaker sections and rural areas. She said NEET infringes upon the state's right to determine the admission policies to medical educational institutions in Tamil Nadu. Jayalalithaa noted that the state had taken a number of steps starting from 2005 towards systematising the admission process to medical colleges. Later, after due consideration, it even abolished entrance examinations for professional undergraduate courses in the state, by enacting the Tamil Nadu Admission in Professional Educational Institutions Act, 2006. The Act was finally brought into force after receiving the assent of the President under Article 254(2) of the Constitution. "This measure was taken keeping in view the interests of students, particularly from the weaker sections and rural areas to ensure that a level playing field is created. Under these circumstances, it would be a direct infringement on the rights of the State if the Government of India introduces the NEET in any manner," said Jayalalithaa. "Despite our strong and sustained objections, it is unfortunate that the then UPA Government had filed a review petition which has not been withdrawn by the present government. It is also reliably learnt that based on a proposal from the Medical Council of India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also circulated a draft cabinet note to the other Ministries in the Government of India with a proposal to amend the Medical Council Act, 1956, to enable the Government of India to introduce a Common Entrance Examination for the Medical institutions throughout the country," she noted. Already 15 percent of MBBS seats and 50 per cent of postgraduate seats in the State Government Medical and Dental colleges are surrendered to the Central pool for which admissions are based on a Common Entrance Examination. In this context, introducing a Common Entrance Examination to cover the State's quota would be a direct infringement of the rights of the State. "This would cause grave injustice to the students of Tamil Nadu who have already been covered by a fair and transparent admission policy laid down by the Government of Tamil Nadu, which has been working well". The rural students would be put to great disadvantage because they lack the resources to enroll in training institutions and access materials available to urban students. Consequently, a large number of socially and economically backward meritorious rural students have benefited by the decision to abolish the Common Entrance Examination. For the Postgraduate courses, the Government of Tamil Nadu gives preference to those who have served in rural areas, giving special weightage to those working in hilly and tribal areas. The State Government has also successfully obtained and enforced bonds from those completing Postgraduate education in Government Medical Colleges to serve the State Government for a minimum period, which has helped us to meet the need for specialist medical manpower in Government Hospitals. "The introduction of NEET or any Common Entrance Examination would nullify the implementation of these policy initiatives and socio-economic objectives of the State, since we would have to fall in line with the regulations of the National Test, which will not have such enabling provisions. The National Test would be out of tune with the prevailing socio-economic milieu and administrative requirements of Tamil Nadu," said Jayalalithaa. She asked the Prime Minister to instruct the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India to withdraw the Review Petition filed by the previous UPA Government which is pending in the Supreme Court and is coming up for hearing on March 15, 2016. She also request the Prime Minister not to pursue any Legislative measures to circumvent the Supreme Court orders of 2013 upholding Tamil Nadu's stand on this issue. The letters of Intent signed by investors for areas grappling with the damage and destruction caused during Jat agitation has re-energised the state machinery, said Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.What paves the way for uniform development of all parts of the state is that as many as 39 MoUs worth Rs 1.28 lakh crore have been signed for the districts which do not fall in the National Capital Region. It shows that the investors are interested in setting up ventures even in the remote areas of Haryana which are otherwise industrially backward. After receiving a staggering 5.84 lakh crore of investment proposals during the Investment Summit at Gugaon, Haryana has decided to hire experts to ensure the timely implementation of the projects. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today announced that for smooth execution of proposals the Haryana Satate Infrastructure and Industrial Corporation would appoint relationship managers to facilitate the investors and ensure implementation. Arrangements have also been made for fast-tracking clearances and avoiding any inconvenience to the investors in setting up projects. To facilitate implementation of the projects signed for in MoUs, land would be made available from the developed land bank. The HSIIDC has also started the system of online geo-referenced display to provide the investors information regarding vacant lands in the industrial estates. The state government would ensure uniform development of the entire state as MoUs have been signed for all districts. Detailing the MoUs, Chief Minister said the state government had signed 357 MoUs during the summit and investment of Rs 5.84 lakh crore, which is five hundred times more than the target set, and far exceeds the expectations of the government. Investment of this order is expected to generate employment opportunities for about 5 lakh people. Out of the total, 10% of the MoUs have been signed with multinational companies which underscored the fact that Haryana has become first preferred destination for investment. Moreover, it would result in flow of additional FDI in the state, he added. Detailing the MoUs signed during the Summit, he said that 16% of MoUs had been signed for projects over Rs 1,000 crore and 30% for projects over Rs 100 crore. Realizing that MSMEs constituted the backbone of industrial development and enhanced job opportunities, 26% of MoUs belong to this sector. Haryana has become the first state of northern India to attract investment of such magnitude, he added. Giving the break-up of each sector, Manohar Lal said that two MoUs had been signed for aerospace and defence sectors, 10 for education and skill development, 117 for manufacturing, 22 for real estate, 16 for Infrastructure, 48 for agro, food processing and allied industries, 39 for energy, renewable energy and solar parks, 35 for electronics, information technology (IT) and information technology enabled services (ITES), eight for pharmaceutical and chemical industry, 13 for auto, auto components and light engineering, 15 for textile, apparel, knitting, embroidery and technical textiles, nine for footwear and accessories and 23 in other sectors. The Centre has lowered the 'trait' (licence) fee for genetically modfied (Bt) cotton by 70 per cent for 2016-17. The decision is in line with the recommendations of a panel constituted by it to determine a uniform national price of cotton hybrid seeds. The recommendations had prompted a Monsanto joint venture to say it would, then, be re-evaluating its operations in India. DISPUTE OVER COTTON The decision is in line with the recommendations of a panel constituted by the government to determine a uniform national price of cotton hybrid seeds The uniform national sale price of Bollgard-1 cotton hybrids has been fixed at Rs 635 per 450 g packet and Rs 800 a 450 g packet for Bollgard-II At present, a 450g packet of is sold at Rs 830 in Maharashtra and at Rs 930 in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu The uniform national sale price of Bollgard-1 cotton hybrids has been fixed at Rs 635 per 450 g packet and Rs 800 a 450 g packet for Bollgard-II. No trait fee is to be charged for the former; for the latter, it is Rs 49 (included in the Rs 800 a packet price). The panel was formed in line with the Cotton Price Control Order of December 2015, empowering the Centre to fix a uniform national price of cotton hybrids, including . The committee was chaired by a joint secretary in the Union agriculture ministry. At present, a 450g packet of is sold at Rs 830 in Maharashtra and at Rs 930 in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. In the northern states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, etc, it is Rs 1,000. The trait fee till now was a uniform Rs 187 per 450g packet. The retail sale price for Bollgard-2 fixed by the government is almost 25 per cent less than the highest prevailing price of Bt cotton in northern states and 14 per cent less than the one in areas where the sales are highest for the variety. Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (MMBL), a joint venture between Maharashtra Seeds Corporation and Monsanto India Ltd, is licence holder for all Bt seeds in India. Last week, it had made the treat of revaluating its India operations if the panel recommendations were enforced. With the Centre having done so, a MMBL spokesperson said it would examine the notification in detail and then comment. National Seed Association of India said of the Monsanto warning: "After collecting a huge royalty of Rs 6,000 crore and when its technology is losing efficacy, they are trying to divert attention by making such threats." The December 2015 order was issued after complaints that license providers had not lowered their licence fees despite reduction in the retail sale price of cotton, hurting the interest of farmers. MMBL and other licence providers have approached a high court against the circular, arguing the Centre does not have the power to determine a licence fee agreed between two parties. The Centre has approached the Competition Commission of India with a complaint of unfair trade practices by some seed companies. CCI has ordered an investigation. Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Wednesday defended the cotton seed price control order, which empowered the Centre to fix a uniform national price for cotton, saying it was needed in the interest of farmers and also to bring about uniformity in pricing. The Maharashtra government said on Wednesday that the states pre-eminence in industrialisation and business-friendly image make it a hot investment destination. Investment proposals worth Rs 8 lakh crore were made at the recently held Make In India Week event. Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, in his address to the state legislature on Wednesday said the government had taken a slew of steps to reach the fruits of development to under-developed regions such as Vidarbha and Marathwada as well, instead of restricting the same to Mumbai, Pune and Nashik. The governor's statement comes close on the heels of criticism by the Opposition that state was losing its top rank as an investment destination. The Opposition parties also alleged that the agreements signed during the Make In India Week event were a mere number game. They also demanded that the government bring out a white paper on the same. PRE-EMINENCE The Maharashtra government said on Wednesday that the states pre-eminence in industrialisation and business-friendly image make it a hot investment destination Investment proposals worth Rs 8 lakh crore were made at the recently held Make In India Week event Governor C Vidyasagar Rao on Wednesday said the government had taken a slew of steps to spread the fruit of development to under-developed regions Rao said the government has proposed MAITRI, a single-window platform to facilitate online application and disposal of 44 permissions across 15 departments. Besides, the government has released electronics policy, retail trade policy, and ports policy to further consolidate Maharashtra's investment destination status. Further, the governor explained the government's thrust on infrastructure development and listed out various projects including coastal highway, Nagpur Mumbai super communication expressway, Navi Mumbai International Airport, among others. While the Opposition accused the state government of being insensitive to farmers in drought-hit villages, the governor said the government had disbursed Rs 2,536 crore and the Centre approved relief aid of Rs 3,049 crore. This apart, the government will waive three months interest on the crop loan availed by the farmers who lost their crops due to natural calamities. Admitting that the rejuvenation of farming in drought-hit areas as the biggest challenge, the governor said the government has launched Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan (water conservation project) to provide permanent relief to farmers in drought-prone villages. Following a tardy progress in the most ambitious since its launch on November 5 last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Ministry has called another meeting of all stakeholders on March 18 to discuss why the scheme is not gaining momentum. Till February, a little over 1 tonne of gold was mobilised under the scheme compared to nearly 4 tonne of sale of sovereign gold bonds in first two tranches while third tranche is still open. Interestingly at a time when jewellers are on a strike opposing imposition of excise duty in the Union Budget, government has preferred not to invite all trade bodies. Hence only Indian Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA) has been called for meeting while Gems and Jewellery Foundation has not been invited. From refiners' side, many representatives have been asked to attend. Secretary Economic Affairs Shaktikanta Das will chair the meeting while Secretary Financial Services, other government and RBI officials, official from Commerce Ministry, Indian Banks Association and chairpersons of leading banks active in gold scheme including Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chanda Kocher among other banks have also been asked to be part of the meeting. Along with them president of hallmarking centres association and Bureau of Indian Standards will also be there. Under the scheme, banks, refineries and hallmarking centres which would be working as collection and purity testing centres have to sign tripartite agreement for the scheme. This has been the biggest issue because of which the scheme is not taking off as such agreements are not getting signed and the issues raised by all stakeholders are raising problems which are not easy to solve. From commodity derivatives side, NCDEX CEO will be part of the meeting as it has also proposed how its platform can be used for mobilising idle gold. IBJA has also proposed a scheme where jewellers can act as a collection and purity testing centers and mobilise idle gold which can be used productively. IBJA had proposed to open 1000 such centeres across country. These schemes would also be discussed. Jewellers to continue their stir Jewellers are on an indefinite strike and today in Mumbai they took out a huge rally attended by 20,000 jewellers and artisans opposing 1% excise on jewellery imposed in budget and asked for its removal. IBJA has decided to hold such rallies across country, said its press note. Next rally is being held at Pune where, accordig to IBJA, one lakh jewellers are expected to attend. IBJA statement also said that in 9 days of strike Rs 15,000 crore worth business has been lost. Mumbai wholesale gold jewellers association has also participated in the rally. The Maharashtra government has finalised regulations to allow it to wrest from tribals the control of the forest trade in goods such as bamboo and tendu leaves, worth thousands of crore annually. This means the government will also manage potentially 80 per cent of community forestlands in the state. The regulations came after the Union tribal affairs ministrys volte-face on interpreting the Forest Rights Act (FRA). The FRA gives tribal and other forest-dwellers gram sabhas (village councils) the sole statutory authority to manage, protect and utilise traditional community forestlands. But, the Maharashtra government prepared alternative state-level regulations that would help the forest department retain complete management control over such community forests in villages. The tribal affairs ministry, after repeatedly informing the state and other central government departments that the regulations were illegal and unconstitutional, unless approved by the President of India, eventually relented and gave the nod with some caveats. The Maharashtra government has taken the cue and gone a step further. State government documents reviewed by Business Standard show it has decided these regulations, empowering the forest department to retain control will be applicable in all but three situations. The rules, Indian Forests (Maharashtra) (Regulation of assignment, management, and cancellation of village forests) Rules 2014, will not be applicable in Schedule V areas, where rights of tribals have already been settled under the Act and in places where claims of tribals are pending. The state has 16,600 villages with forest land in their territories. Under the Act, the government can claim for community ownership in each of these villages. But, according to tribal affairs ministrys latest records, by December 2015, only 7,152 villages had formally put forth claims for community forestlands under the Act. Of these, 3,957 claims were accepted and 1,843 rejected. In other words, the Maharashtra government will be able to re-impose the forest departments fiat on more than 11,000 village forests (excluding those in Schedule V designated areas). This is likely to be a very conservative number, considering these community claims over forest lands. According to a conservative estimation of the Washington-based, Rights and Resources Initiative, the state has 3.6 million hectares of forests that could legally be handed over to tribals and forest-dwellers as traditional community forests under FRA. The Maharashtra government has, so far given community rights to 349,437 hectares. A large chunk of the other 3.3 million hectares of forest lands could now potentially come back under the state departments control. Documents reviewed by Business Standard shows the RSS-affiliated Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that these regulations be done away with, claiming the imposition of these was fomenting anger in the state. The government has decided to go ahead and retain the regulations, with modifications. The tribal affairs ministry too, had earlier warned that the identification and settlement of community rights of tribals was in a nascent stage across the country, including Maharashtra and the state could not impose its own system till all the rights of the people were settled. It had warned that this would be to the detriment of the tribals and other forest-dwellers. But, it was eventually convinced to change its legal stance, with the cabinet secretariat weighing in. The Maharashtra government was persistently lobbying. Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar and Nitin Gadkari both Bharatiya Janata Party leaders from Maharashtra asked the tribal affairs ministry to back off. The preamble of FRA notes that the law was passed to correct the historical wrong done when tribal and others forest lands were taken over by the government summarily during the colonial era. Since then, the forest department had retained control over these forests and the trade in forest produce, which the erstwhile Planning Commission estimated was worth Rs 50,000 crore annually. This also led to hundreds of thousands of tribals being termed as encroachers on their traditional lands in government records. Under the rules, Maharashtra state forest department would have the powers to decide if and how tribals get access to their community forests by defining them as village forests. It would get to decide how the tribals sell forest produce and what revenues they can get from it. The forest department would also have the powers to withdraw these rights of tribals if it believes that the tribals and other forest-dwellers are not meeting the standards state government has set. This puts in place a route that other states also could follow to bypass handing over rights to tribals over their community forests. Madhya Pradesh has already followed suit. SEIZING CONTROL Contrary to the government's claims of rolling out a suite of reforms to ease business climate, the Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) has flayed it for going slow on easing procedures and overcoming hurdles of the license raj era. "While the Government of India is pulling out all stops to ease ' Doing Business' in India, the department of mines, appears to be quite conservative in removing the hurdles of the license raj era", Sangam Kurade, President, FISME wrote to chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi recently. When the government introduced Udyog Aadhar, a two-page online format for registration of MSMEs, linked with only the Aadhar number of the entrepreneur, the mines department is asking for 17 pages of documentation with 19 documents attached from small scale buyers with purchase limited to 16 tonnes of minerals, about a truck load per month, he added. The industry chamber suggested the state government that there is enough scope for further simplifying the application format to two pages with the number of attendant documents to three or four. "With Odisha leading in smart governance and standing seventh among all states in Ease of Doing Business, we can surely hope that all departments of the state will create benchmarks in facilitating business in India", Kurade said. It may be noted that the criticism from the industry body has come at a time when the Odisha government is taking conscious steps to improve its ranking in the on 'Ease of Doing Business' Index. Odisha which was ranked seventh in a recent World Bank report on 'Ease of Doing Business' is now aiming to be among the top three states. Among others, as a measure to do business easily in the state, any industrial unit inside and outside the Idco (Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation) industrial estates with an investment of more than Rs one crore and subject to inspections by multiple authorities are now covered under the Central Inspection Framework where by all the inspectors will go to a factory on one particular day after giving prior notice. To ensure supply of coal to the small-scale factories which doesn't have a fuel supply agreement with state-run Coal India, the Coal Ministry is considering allocating 8-10 blocks of the fossil fuel with state-run undertakings which will be able to sell coal to the coal deprived industry. This scheme, which will follow the nomination route of block allocation to the public sector undertakings and enable commercial mining is likely to be rolled out in the coming two months. "The state (undertakings) is free to decide on the pricing. If they seek our advise over it, we (union coal ministry) will help them, otherwise they can set their own pricing", coal secretary Anil Swarup said here today on the sidelines of an event organised by the Coal Consumers' Association of India. The pricing mechanism and the basis, however, is not clear. Also, whether the state government will have a say over the price or the state owned companies can decide it is shrouded. Under the present structure, Coal India does not sell coal to the small-scale industry and other sectors like brick-kilns and sponge iron plants (which also require coal as fuel). These companies procure coal from resellers at a usually higher price than notified by Coal India. The sponge iron industry alone is estimated to consume around 30 million tonne (mt) of coal annually which far exceeds the total annual production capacity of some of Coal India's subsidiaries. The move is likely to rationalise coal prices in this sector of the economy besides helping the state-run companies secure their own coal linkages. The Odisha state government has already written to the coal ministry asking for allocation of the Patrapada coal block (in Odisha) which has 1,042 mt coal reserve to Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) for commercial mining. Besides, although the necessary groundwork to allow private commercial coal mining has been done, Swarup, expecting lukewarm response from the priavte sector, said it might not be the right time to allow it. "Maybe, we have to create demand for it", he said. While the coal ministry is keen to make an annual auction calendar for the carbon-rich mineral, it is likely to step up the quantity in forward auctions and reduce the coal availability in spot auctions. Government may roll out Uday-like scheme to help the steel sector The government is considering rolling out a scheme framed on the lines of Uday to heal the stressed steel sector in the country. "A package like Uday should be made for the steel industry. We cannot allow the Indian steel industry to die an unnatural and premature death", coal secretary Anil Swarup said. Expressing his confidence that Uday will help revive the power sector by relieving the stress on discoms, he said a similar scheme for the steel sector will help address its problems. According to a presentation by the Indian Steel Association to the government, as of September 2015, the sector accounted for 21% of the total number of corporate debt restructuring cases, of an aggregate of Rs 56,000 crore. The sector's share in total stressed accounts of scheduled commercial banks is 10-11%. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. NASDAQ OMX Armenia OJSC made no sale and purchase deals of US dollar on March 9. NASDAQ OMX Armenia informed Armenpress about the aforesaid. The Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia informs that the exchange rate of USD appreciated by 0.03 AMD, forming 490.73 drams, the euro appreciated by 0.18 AMD, forming 538.18 drams. Russian ruble rose by 0.010 AMD, forming 6.79 drams. The currency market has the following average exchange rates. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed to rationalise the merchant discount rate (MDR), or the fee a merchant has to pay a bank to access its payment infrastructure. While the central bank did not provide any solution, it has asked public opinion in a concept paper on card acceptance infrastructure. In the concept paper, RBI noted that MDR "often acts as a disincentive," as the cap prescribed by the regulators were treated as a floor and the benefit of lower MDR "not really accruing to smaller merchants." Larger merchants, with economies of scale, can absorb MDR relatively easily. In September 2012, RBI capped MDR for debit card transaction at 0.75 per cent for transaction values up to Rs 2,000 and at 1 per cent for transaction values above Rs 2,000. The concept paper also raised questions whether MDR for credit cards should also be rationalised as the cap prescribed was only for debit cards but can be extended to credit cards as well. However, if MDR was lowered, the merchant acquisition would be unattractive for banks, thereby defeating the purpose of promoting card payment. The concept paper proposed a few options that can be explored to make MDR viable and at the same time cheap. The proposals included ad-valorem MDR across all merchant categories and locations, differentiated MDR across various tiers of cities and merchant sizes, and also fixing the MDR at a flat fee rate beyond certain value. are also going slow on acquiring merchants, the paper noted. Between October 2013 and October 2015, ATMs increased by around 43 per cent while POS machines increased by around 28 per cent. As of end-December 2015, the number of ATMs has increased to 193,580 while POS machines had increased to 1,245,447 in the country. "The issuance gap in POS terminals is glaringly high. For more than 25 million retail outlets currently, we have about 1.2 million POS terminals in India. Going forward, the POS gap will only increase leading to major acceptance problems," said Kumar Karpe, CEO of TechProcess Payment Services Ltd. "India needs to leapfrog the gap by leveraging the existing infrastructure of more than 200 million smart phones and work towards a virtual mPOS solution that converts a merchant's smartphone into a virtual point-of-sale device." Roughly two years ago, a small team of six engineers along with a product manager at Facebook's headquarters set out to figure out a way for the 'next billion people' to gain access to the social network. What they built has now become the fastest scaling product in Facebook's history. Facebook Lite, a social networking app built to work on patchy mobile internet connections and outdated smartphones, has crossed 100 million users. Launched in June 2015, after months of testing, Lite is the fastest Facebook product to reach that milestone. With a base of 1.35 billion users globally, is one of the company's most important measures to reach out to the next billion users. With its FreeBasics and Internet.org initiatives getting the boot in India, the success of Lite becomes all the more important for Facebook. "Emerging markets produce different sets of challenges and Facebook was initially built from the ground up not necessarily for emerging markets," said Vijay Shankar, product manager for . "We discussed this internally and decided to take a two-pronged approach." The app is available only for devices running Google's Android platform, which makes up close to 85 per cent of all phones in use today. It is built to work with slow mobile internet connections and devices with limited storage, outdated specifications and software, which are predominantly in use in emerging markets. While the global internet user base has grown to 3.2 billion users, 1.6 billion of them still don't have access to high-speed 3G and 4G networks. This metric is further skewed towards slower connectivity in India, despite the country having about 300 million internet users, 142 million of whom are on Facebook. For version 2.0 of the app, the company has added new features such as support for video, uploading multiple photos and emoji, which while taking it closer to the company's Big Blue app, retains its focus on saving data. For viewing videos, for example, users will be alerted of the size of the video within the user interface so they can decide whether they want to watch it or not. Shankar says a big segment of users of Lite are first-time Facebook users. "If you think about the next billion people who are going to come online, they are going to come from emerging markets and they are going to care about the things that Lite optimises for." Facebook is also using the platform to learn how to optimise its services for emerging markets and is actively rolling out changes across its many services. In India, it is actively sharing insights about building for slow networks with other Internet companies such as Flipkart and other small start-ups, and plans to release a technical blog on the same. supports 56 languages, with a large part of its users coming from Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the Philippines. The official North Korean news agency said today the communist country's leader Kim Jong-un met his nuclear scientists for a briefing and declared he was greatly pleased that warheads had been miniaturised for use on ballistic missiles. In a report dated today, the KCNA news agency said Kim told the nuclear researchers that the stronger the country's nuclear strike capability, the more effective it will be as a deterrent to aggression. Pyongyang has previously claimed it has nuclear warheads small enough to put on long-range missiles, but experts have questioned such claims. warned Monday of pre-emptive nuclear strikes after the United States and South Korea began holding their biggest ever war games. Tensions remain high after North Korea's recent nuclear test and rocket launch, which prompted the United Nations to adopt tough new sanctions. Polish brand Inglot aims to ramp up presence and marketing in India with plans to reach 100 stores by 2020. Currently, the premium brand has 14 stores in the country concentrated in metros like Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru and tier 2 cities like Ludhiana and Chandigarh. The 30-year-old brand is present in close to 80 countries with 600 stores globally. It entered India in 2008 through a franchise partnership with Major Brands. Apart from being present on ground through stores in malls and shopping centres, the brand was also available on the franchise partners portal. Last year, Inglot became available on Falguni Nayars beauty and portal Nykaa. Zbigniew Inglot, chairman of the board of directors, Inglot says, While we are a 30-year-old company, we started global expansion only 10 years back. We started with Canada, the Middle East and US and now are available in 80 countries. In our experience, some markets need time and research and after seven years in India, we are ready to ramp up our presence. He adds that at a global level, the brand opens 1.5 to 2 stores a week currently. In India, over the next four years, the brand will open nearly two stores a month in order to achieve its target of 100 stores by 2020. The range of cosmetics from Inglot is priced in the premium price band starting at Rs 600 for nail paints to Rs 5,500 for a make-up palette. The brand has developed the concept of freedom system where users can buy single squares of make-up and assemble their own palettes. In this case, single squares start at Rs 400 and the physical palette that holds these squares start at Rs 500. Tushar Ved, president, Major Brands India says, The brand has seen a growth of 18 to 20 per cent over the past seven years. Going forward, we shall introduce new products, invest in on-ground marketing through makeover activities and advertise in print. We do not plan to have tiered pricing for India and intend to continue playing in the premium cosmetics category since it is directly linked to the quality of the raw materials used at Inglots manufacturing unit. The company flagged off its marketing campaign on Womens Day in Mumbai through a successful attempt to create a world record for most people painting their fingernails simultaneously. Around 1,328 women participated in this event painted their nails with the range of Inglot nail enamels. The brand broke the previous record of 1,156 people painting nails simultaneously which was created by Taiwan Nail Association at Banqiao Stadium, New Taipei City, Taiwan on 27 April 2011. Jack Brockbank from the Guinness World Records was present at the event to validate the record. Inglot will be customising some of its products for the Indian market through shades that compliment the Indian skin tone, and any products that may be specific to the market. It has already developed a kohl pencil after feedback from the Indian franchise partner and will continue exploring new avenues for customisation. Toshiba Corp. granted exclusive negotiation rights to Canon Inc. to buy its medical equipment unit as the Japanese industrial giant restructures its operations after an accounting scandal. The proposal from Canon is superior to others and the exclusive rights will last until March 18 as the companies work toward reaching a final agreement, Tokyo-based Toshiba said in a statement Wednesday. Suitors for the business, Japan's largest medical equipment company, were told they needed to offer more than 700 billion yen ($6.2 billion), people familiar with the matter have said. Toshiba, which ... Taking its massive open online courses (MOOC) platform to next level, the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) is in talks with universities as well as industry bodies such as The National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) for endorsing its course certificate for students and recruitment candidates. Run by seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) including IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, and IIT Roorkee, along with IISc Bangalore, NPTEL is in the process of partnering with colleges and universities for endorsing its course certificates as part of their curriculum. Moreover, talks are on with industry bodies like Nasscom for recognising the MOOC certificates as part of recruitment in the IT industry, sources said. "Already couple of universities have recognised NPTEL course certificate and are asking students to take up the same. Some of them have incorporated NPTEL course credits as part of their assessment system. What's more, the NPTEL MOOC certificates are also emerging as a faculty development program add-on with educational institutes asking their faculty to also take up these courses," NPTEL sources said. Offering already over 990 courses, NPTEL has seen a rise in number of registered candidates to over 620,000. Since January, NPTEL has been offering certificates for 65 courses for which evaluation will be conducted based on assignments and exams. "In September, NPTEL conducted exams for 18 courses which were taken by 5,500 students. Of the total 65 courses now being offered as certificates, exam for 29 courses would be conducted in March which are likely to see 13,500 students taking the tests," sources said. NPTEL has been conducting tests at across its test centres in 70 cities through testing partner TCS iON. The MOOC certificate are also being showcased as skill upgradation tools for employers. Already product engineering and software firm Aricent is learnt to have been using NPTEL's MOOC certificate courses as pre-training material for its recruitment process, NPTEL sources said. Meanwhile, NPTEL is also likely to approach All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for a wider reach for the MOOC program. has rallied 9% to Rs 152 on the BSE after the company announced the sale of transmission & distribution (T&D) business outside India to First Reserve International, a US Private Equity Fund, for an enterprise value of Euro 115 million. The company has received and accepted binding letter of offer for the acquisition of the European, North American and Indonesian activities of the power segment division of the company by First Reserve International, a US Private Equity Fund, for an enterprise value of Euro 115 million, said in a statement. The sale will enable the company to reduce debt and focus on its faster growing Indian businesses. The company continues to actively examine its other international B2B businesses with a view to monetize these businesses to enhance shareholder value, it added. The company said the offer is subject to regulatory, shareholders approvals and signing of definitive share purchase agreement. At 09:58 am, the stock was up 6% at Rs 148 on the BSE as compared to 0.68% decline in the S&P BSE Sensex. A combined 10.37 million shares changed hands on the counter on the BSE and NSE. Merchant bankers want the market regulator to ease exit of companies that were once listed on regional stock exchanges and have now been shifted to dissemination boards of national stock exchanges. The companies were moved from regional stock exchanges because the bourses had stopped operating or were on the point of shutting. A dissemination board is a trading mechanism on national stock exchanges for shareholders of companies that were once part of regional stock exchanges that have now been de-recognised or shut. The market regulator has given firms on dissemination boards time till October to get properly listed on national stock exchanges. "We want the regulator to ease the process of exit for companies that are a part of the dissemination board by doing away with the mandatory reverse-book-building process," said a merchant banker. At present, firms with paid-up capital of not more than Rs 10 crore each, and net worth below Rs 25 crore each, as on the last day of the previous financial year, are exempt from reverse book building. (Paid-up capital is the amount of a company's capital funded by shareholders. It can be less than a company's total capital, because a company may not issue all of the shares it has been authorised to sell.) In such cases, the promoter and the merchant banker decide the exit price. The promoter proposes buyback to all shareholders. Once consent is received, the promoter buys back shares and the shareholders exit. However, this exemption is only for the properly listed companies and not for those on the dissemination board, which are technically not listed. Reverse book building is the process by which a company that wants to get off an exchange, decides on the price that needs to be paid to shareholders to buy back stocks. Shareholders then bid at various prices above or equal to the floor price given by the company. The final buyback price is determined after aggregating all shareholder bids. Once the price is finalised, all offers below or equal to this final buyback price are accepted. The offer is termed successful only if a minimum number of shares are tendered by shareholders and accepted by the company. The whole process is time-consuming and complex, and therefore, reverse book building is opposed by merchant bankers in this case. Experts say most of the shares held by the investors of these companies are in the physical form. This is a challenge. The shares need to be verified, then converted into electronic format through a depository participant or handed over to registrar and transfer agents. "There is a need for a third-party account which remains open for up to a year after the exit process to ease payment to shareholders who have not tendered their shares and want to do so later," the banker said. The firms which have been moved to the dissemination boards of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) or the BSE have seen very little or no trading activity since being shifted. Currently, more than 400 companies make up the dissemination boards of the BSE and the NSE. These companies are treated as unlisted and the exchanges do not supervise trading in their shares. Madras Stock Exchange, Bangalore Stock Exchange, Kochi Stock Exchange, Vadodara Stock Exchange, Hyderabad Stock Exchange, and Inter-connected Stock Exchange are some of the regional stock exchanges that have ceased operations. It's the best of times in markets, it's the worst of times in . Iron ore jumped by the most on record on Monday, while Brent crude broke through $40 a barrel for the first time in three months. Then, Chinese export data Tuesday showed dollar-denominated shipments falling 25 per cent, the worst decline since May 2009. What is going on? Read more from our special coverage on "COMMODITIES" Options, index futures in commodities soon BALTIC DRY INDEX There are reasons to take both sets of data with a pinch of salt. Market prices are prone to speculation, momentum trading and short squeezes, all of which could explain some of the movement in iron ore and oil. Economic indicators can also be tricky. How much of China's export collapse in February had to do with the timing of Lunar New Year? If exports to Hong Kong were inflated in December by fake invoicing, is it bullish for the yuan that they declined to a six-year low in February?Here are five indicators worth watching for a clearer picture:To understand the state of real demand, Baltic Dry is invaluable. A benchmark for rates to charter the ships that carry iron ore, coal, and grain, the index is at particularly depressed levels. As it tracks real prices being paid to book ships, there's no speculative element. If real demand starts to pick up from Chinese consumers, the Baltic Dry will be one of the first places it shows up. CEMENT PRICES The post-2008 building boom showed that China's leaders were prepared to use the construction industry as a tool of economic management in the same way as Western central banks use debt . If Janet Yellen says the economy is looking weak, you'd do well to buy US Treasuries. If Chinese leaders say the same thing, pile into construction materials. It's possible that the surge in iron ore is showing the smart money betting on renewed construction stimulus. CHINESE ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION Chinese economic numbers are so unreliable that even Chinese leaders don't always believe them. While working as a party boss in northeastern Liaoning province, Premier Li Keqiang is said to have told a US diplomat that he ignored GDP data. His favoured indicator is a growth measure tracking bank loans, rail freight volumes, and electricity production. Electricity production is timely, and hard to fake as a guide to real economic activity. CHINESE REFINERY UTILISATION Tuesday's Chinese trade data suggested a positive demand outlook for oil, with a net 31 million tonnes of crude and refined products entering the country in February. Still, the picture is muddied by fuel flowing into public and private stockpiles - the country's strategic petroleum reserve, currently being built out, is intended to hold about 100 days' worth of imports by 2020. A useful cross-reference may be weekly run rate data, a measure of how Chinese refineries are operating relative to capacity limits. JAPAN THERMAL COAL CONTRACT PRICE While China has overtaken Japan as the world's largest coal importer, the contract prices Japanese utilities strike with Australian thermal coal producers in early April remain an important global benchmark. Waiting for confirmation of your hunches is a good way to miss out on an upturn in the market, so there's a lot to be said for putting some faith in the wisdom of crowds. But it's always worth checking speculative moves against more fundamental indicators. Source: Bloomberg In a major setback for Indian exporters, the government of Kuwait has banned the import of poultry products from this country, due to the fear of transportation of the H5N1 (popularly known as bird flu) virus. The news was conveyed by Kuwait government to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Exports Development Authority (Apeda). Despite Kuwait being a very small market (o.1 per cent of our total export), there could be a spillover to other countries. Oman, for instance, which takes 40 per cent by volume. In value terms, Oman is nearly 20 per cent of Indian shipment; Saudi Arabia's is seven per cent. If similar action follows elsewhere in the Middle East, India would go out of the poultry export markets, said a senior Apeda official. This has come after a H5N1 outbreak in Tripura this January, and then in Mizoram, resulting in the culling of thousands of birds. The central government and the health department of these states later declared the virus was gone. The government of Kuwait has taken a preventive measure, which could be temporary in nature and might be reviewed after the government intervenes, hoped the Apeda official. In 2014-15, Kuwait bought 24.2 tonnes of poultry products, valued at $120,000. With the low shelf life of poultry meat and eggs, its export from India is largely to nearby countries, with a focus on the West Asian region. Apeda data shows our total export of poultry products was 556,698.80 tonnes (worth $106.4 mn) in 2014-15 from 437,674 tonnes (worth $92.8 mn) in 2013-14 and 577,864 tonnes ($91.2 mn) in 2012-13. Oman was the largest importer in FY15, with 221,224 tonnes ($22.9 mn). Saudi Arabia was the fourth largest importer, at 18,740 tonnes ($7.8 mn). The outbreaks in Tripura was after three years, in 2011, which in turn was after three years from an earlier one in 2008. The government of Kuwait has taken a preventive measure which could be temporary in nature and might be reviewed soon after India governments intervention, the Apeda official quoted earlier said, on condition of anonymity. India has steadily increased its focus in the exports of poultry products. But given the short shelf life of poultry meat and eggs, exports are largely confined to nearby countries with special focus on the Middle East. Data compiled by Apeda showed Indias total exports of poultry products jumped to 556,698.80 tonnes (worth $106.38 mn) in 2014-15, against 437,673.53 tonnes (worth $92.83 mn) in 2013-14 and 577,864.24 tonnes (valued $91.24 mn) in 2012-13. Oman is the largest importer with 221,224 tonnes ($22.94 mn) in 2014-15 versus 107,953.71 tonnes ($13.26 million) in 2013-14 and 31,210.33 tonnes ($4.77 mn) in 2012-13. Also, Saudi Arbia proved the fourth largest importer of poultry products import from India its share of 18,740.42 tonnes ($7.77 mn) in 2014-15 in comparison with 14,018.78 tonnes ($7.94 mn) in 2013-14 and 31652.38 tonnes ($8.28 mn) in 2012-13. Exports of poultry products to Kuwait Financial year Quantity (tonnes) Value ($ million) 2012-13 22.00 0.12 2013-14 9.31 0.04 2014-15 24.19 0.12 (Source: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Exports Development Authority) YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Federal Republic of Germany Ashot Smbatyan reported on the Armenian-German relations, focusing on trade component of the partnership, as well as on bilateral ongoing projects, achievements and existing problems to the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on March 9. As Armenpress was informed from the Department of Public Relations and Mass Media of Republic of Armenia Presidents Office, considering that Armenian Presidents visit to Germany is scheduled for the near future and the regular session of Armenian-German intergovernmental commission and a business forum are planned to be held in the current year, the keynote speaker reported also about the works being carried out ahead of those events. Head of the Armenia-Germany Parliamentary Friendship Group Artak Davtyan, Minister of Finance Gagik Khachatryan, Minister of Economy Artsvik Minasyan, Deputy Foreign Minister Robert Harutyunyan and a number of officials from the Presidents Office attended the consultation. Germany is our number one trade partner among the EU member states, trade turnover fluctuated between $350-400 during the recent years, which is not a bad figure. Some dozens of companies operate in Armenia with German capital, which, undoubtedly, contribute to the development of our country, the President said, outlining Cronimet as one of the most reliable and responsible companies providing one of the most job opportunities. President Sargsyan stated that Armenia is already an EAEU member state, which is another opportunity to attract investments of our European partners. Serzh Sargsyan attached particular importance to investing German technologies in Armenian industry. Ambassador Ashot Smbatyan introduced the current state of Armenian-German trade and economic relations, development dynamics, ongoing and expected projects, partnership opportunities in a number of fields such as IT, tourism, health, education and so on, as well as the works implemented by the Armenian Embassy in Germany in those directions. The Ambassador stated Armenia and Germany have great potential for cooperation in IT sector, as Germany has made some changes in its economic policy in the recent years, giving much more importance to outsourcing. At the conclusion of the discussion, President Serzh Sargsyan gave instruction to the participants and relevant agencies on the issues, programs and problems which were raised during the meeting. . . Benchmark indices have trimmed some early losses but continue to trade in negative terrain weighed down by metal stocks and index heavyweights like HDFC and ITC. At 12:20 pm, the S&P BSE Sensex was lower by 102 points at 24,558 and the Nifty50 dipped 24 points at 7,461. Shares of metal companies were trading lower in morning deals on profit booking, as global commodity prices lost sheen. Vedanta, Hindalco Industries, Jindal Steel and Power (JSPL), Steel Authority of India (SAIL), Tata Steel and Hindustan Zinc were down 2%-5% on the BSE. Other losers are HDFC, ITC, Tata Motors, Sun Pharma and TCS. On the gaining side, Maruti Suzuki, Asian Paints, L&T, ONGC and Infosys have gained between 1%-1.5%. ****************************** Updated at 10:15 Benchmark indices continue to trade lower on the back of weak global cues along with selling pressure among metal and bank stocks. At 10:15 am, the S&P BSE Sensex was lower by 125 points at 24,534 and the Nifty50 dipped 33 points at 7,452. Among energy front, oil prices fell 3% on Tuesday, ending six days of gains for benchmark Brent crude, as Goldman Sachs suggested the rally was unsustainable and industry data showed US stockpiles reached record highs again last week. The rupee today lost another 15 paise to 67.50 against the dollar in early trade at the inter-bank foreign exchange market due to appreciation of the US currency overseas Top losers from the Sensex pack are Tata Steel, ICICI Bank, Adani Ports, Tata Motors and SBI. On the gaining side, GAIL, Asian Paints, L&T, Maruti Suzuki and HUL have gained between 1%-2%. Among other shares, Crompton Greaves has rallied 9% to Rs 152 on the BSE after the company announced the sale of transmission & distribution (T&D) business outside India to First Reserve International, a US Private Equity Fund, for an enterprise value of Euro 115 million. Ashoka Buildcon has rallied 5% to Rs 194 on the BSE in otherwise weak market after the company along with Bhartia Infra Projects has received letter of acceptance (LOA) from National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) for road project. ********************************* Updated at 9:30 am have started the session on a lower note tracking weak global cues. Metal shares have lost sheen due to fall in global commodity prices. At 9:30 am, the S&P BSE Sensex was lower by 182 points at 24478 and the Nifty50 dipped 52 points at 7,433. Broader are also trading weak in line with the benchmark indices. Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 775.07 crore yesterday, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. On Tuesday, ended flat after profit booking emerged at higher levels tracking weakness in global stocks even as commodity stocks rallied after sharp surge in global prices Among overseas markets, sharp losses in Chinese stocks pulled Asian equities further away from two-month highs on Wednesday, as weak trade figures from the world's second-biggest economy and a retreat in oil prices revived concerns about global growth. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.6 percent, down 1.7% from its two-month high hit on Monday. Japan's Nikkei tumbled 1% to a one-week low in morning trade. Chinese shares also lost ground, with the Shanghai Composite index and the CSI 300 both losing about 2%. In the commodity space, metals dropped on Tuesday with Iron-ore futures on the Singapore Exchange fell 5.2%, after a record 19% jump on Monday while copper fell 0.8% in London, trimming this month's advance to 5.7%. Back home, ICICI Bank, Tata Steel, SBI, Adani Ports, Tata Motors and BHEL are down between 2%-3%. BSE Metal index has slumped over 2%. JSPL, Vedanta, Hindalco, SAIL, NMDC and Tata Steel have melted between 3%-6% on sharp fall in global commodity prices. Tata Motors on Tuesday said the company has yet again reached out to the striking workers and advised them to resume duty on or before March 11, failing which, the company would take appropriate legal actions. The workers, however, said there was no plan to join back as of now. Shares of Tata Motors are down 3%. The Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) on Tuesday carried out searches at 10 locations spread across three cities after registering a case of alleged loan fraud estimated to be around Rs 1,000 crore in the Syndicate Bank case. The share is down over 4%. With Reuters input At least 15 Taliban insurgents were killed and eight others severely injured in a military operation in Afghanistan's central Uruzgan province yesterday. 205 Atal Military Corps in a statement said the military operation under the name of Toofan 53 was launched in Meyando, Sheen Ghola and Darshang areas of Dehrahood district to clear the area of insurgents, reports Tolo news. The statement also said that the security forces recovered weapons and explosive devices during the operation and the operation was underway to knock down the militants. The statement however, did not provide any details on causalities among security forces. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has released a statement on Wednesday rubbishing rumours about party chief Altaf Hussain's ill-health. MQM spokesperson reportedly said that Hussain is 'fine and fresh'. 'Rumors circulating about the leader's death are part of a conspiracy and script to spread despair and spread panic among workers and the public,'reports Dawn. MQM spokesperson reported Dawn that Hussain is 'fine and fresh'. Gossip about the MQM supremo's ill-health made the rounds on social media as former Karachi mayor returned from self-imposed exile this week with Anees Qaimkhani to form a new, unnamed party, inviting MQM members to defect. Reprimanding Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of Parliament from Sangrur Bhagwant Mann for terming the water dispute between Punjab and Haryana a fight between the Congress and the Akalis, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday sought to know as to what was the standpoint of Mann and his party's convener Arvind Kejriwal. "I would like to ask Bhagwant Mann, you are a Punjab party; you should have stand on this;what is your stand? What is Kejriwal's stand? He is with Haryana or Punjab," asked Amarinder. He said calling it a fight between the Akalis and the Congress was absolutely wrong, because it's a fight between Punjab and Haryana. Elaborating on his statement, Capt said, "When Punjab was divided in 1966, Punjab got 105 lakh acres and Haryana got 80lakh acres, while the flow series at that time was 70 million acre feet of water. However, the Irani Commission made it to 90 million acre feet on its own and increased a bit the water allocation to Punjab. Despite that the water for erstwhile Punjab also included Yamuna water from Tajewala hydraulics which was 5.2." "So at the end, Punjab got 105 lakh acre and 8 million acre feet of water, while Haryana was given 80 lakh acres with 12 million acre feet of water; is this justice," he asked. When asked whether he was planning a change in the PPCC, he said the PPCC would remain more or less the same, while they could bring about some changes at the district level. Asserting that the World Culture Festival being organised by the Art of Living foundation on the Yamuna floodplains was an event to unite everyone, appealed to all parties to not politicize the mega function. "I appeal to all parties to not politicize the #WCF2016. It is to unite all cultures, nations, religions & ideologies. Let's come together!," he said in a tweet. Earlier, the Opposition raised the issue of the Indian Army's involvement in the construction of pontoon bridges for the World Culture Festival, creating an uproar in the Rajya Sabha. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury hit out at the Centre asking why was the Army being roped in for a private event following which the Opposition MPs raised slogans of 'Army ka galat istemaal mat karo, raksha karo'. In response, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that is committed towards protecting environment and added that it would be wrong to doubt his commitment towards nature. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said that he was concerned about the event as the Delhi Police had also raised security concerns. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, however, lashed back at the Opposition saying that if a matter is pending with Tribunal, ordinarily the chair doesn't allow the issue to be raised in the House. Speaking to the media after the House was adjourned, Yechury reiterated that the Army was being misused and added the entire matter is a violation on the Green Tribunal. "How can the Indian Army be summoned to make arrangements for a private function? How are they violating the existing laws in this issue? How are they misusing the Army? The government owes an explanation for this," he said. Meanwhile, the Green Tribunal continued the hearing on the plea seeking to stop construction of temporary structure for event where the Water Resource Ministry informed NGT that they did not given any permission for the event. Mobile app for transportation, Ola announced launch of auto-rickshaws on its app, in Gurgaon and Noida, which will allow citizens to book their auto rides from the comfort of their home or office within minutes at standardized fares, bringing immense economy and predictability on their auto rides. With the launch in these two markets, Ola Autos are available in 12 cities across India, viz. Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Chandigarh, Indore, Jaipur including Gurgaon, Noida and Mysore which were launched today. The conventional process of hailing an Auto-rickshaw is cumbersome for citizens, given the challenges on availability and fares. With an assurance of traveling at a standard fare, commute in an Ola Auto becomes convenient and hassle-free without having to haggle over fares with auto-drivers. Customers can track their rides on the app and also share their ride details in real-time on a live map with friends and family. Ola Autos are available 24x7 in Gurgaon and Noida at Rs. Five per kilometer and an ETA of less than five minutes within the city. Ola has also launched a new billing system that will record the details of the trip including time of booking, distance travelled and fare payable, either in cash or through Ola Money. Users can request a bill on completion of their ride from the Ola app. Nitesh Prakash, Senior Director - Operations at Ola said, "We are excited to extend Ola Autos to Gurgaon and Noida now after seeing tremendous adoption from customers and drivers in Delhi since launch. Users in these cities will now be able to book an auto with a single tap on the Ola app and get access to a convenient, hassle-free and pocket-friendly commute option within minutes." "While Autos are the most ubiquitous form of personal transportation in Gurgaon and Noida, a consistent experience on booking and fares will go a long way in addressing the mobility needs of citizens," added Prakash. Each auto on the Ola platform is powered with a GPS enabled smartphone with the Ola app for drivers that allows driver-partners access to continuous demand from customers around them. Auto driver-partners are notified of booking requests on their smartphones and are given navigation to reach the customer's doorstep on accepting a booking request. The GPS enabled smartphone also helps customers track their ride in real-time. Ola's in-app SOS feature and an in-app feedback mechanism allows for a consistent experience for users. Every Auto driver-partner on the Ola app goes through a KYC verification and training across behavioral, etiquette and technology to make the ride experience seamless for customers. Ola has over 80,000 auto rickshaws registered on its platform across 12 cities and plans to launch in more cities in the coming months. The poster of Sraddha Kapoor and Tiger Shroff's much awaited movie 'Baaghi The production house, UTV Motion Pictures, took to its official Twitter handle to share the poster saying, "Abhi toh humne start kiya hai! Presenting the #BaaghiPoster! @iTIGERSHROFF @ShraddhaKapoor." The 'Heropanti' actor and the 'ABCD 2' actress look smouldering with an intense and fierce rebellious attitude in the poster of the Sabbir Khan directed romantic-drama. Going by some recently released pictures, it looks like Tiger and Shraddha will be taking childhood friendship camaraderie on-screen. The film also features Paras Arora and marks the Bollywood debut of Telugu actor Sudheer Babu, who will be seen essaying a negative role here. The poster of 'Baaghi: Rebels in Love' also informs about the official trailer, which will be out on March 14 and the release date on April 29. Earlier, on March 2, the first teaser poster of the upcoming film was unveiled on the occasion of Tiger's birthday. German engineered brand for quartz kitchen sinks, CARYSIL unveiled a gallery to showcase its extensive range of products in interior solutions. The event was inaugurated by Chirag Parekh, Chairman and MD, Acrysil India, along with Master Chef Season two winner Shipra Khanna. Addressing the media at the launch Chirag Parekh, Chairman and MD Acrysil India said, "The idea is to provide an answer for the increased demand for our products. I am pleased to introduce another CARYSIL gallery in Delhi that will hold out the brand promise of innovative looks and original designs." "Through this 3rd gallery in New Delhi, we want to reach out to all the people belonging to this category. The gallery will also give customers an opportunity to see live demonstration of our wide range of products. We further plan to strengthen our network in the city," added Parekh. Commenting on the launch, Sanjeev Dayal, Vice President (Sales and Marketing), Acrysil India said, "The kitchen is as pivotal as a living room for majority of people in Delhi. Through this gallery in New Delhi, we want to reach out to all the people belonging to this category." "We are expecting an imposing footfall in this gallery because our brand CARYSIL effortlessly strikes a chord with the buyers owing to its innovative looks and styling, originality in design and its ability to delight the eye," added Dayal. Carysil is on an aggressive expansion spree across the country and this is the 75th CARYSIL gallery in India. However, there's still a vast untapped market eager to seek out value in terms of better quality and functionality in kitchen products at affordable prices. CARYSIL Quartz Sinks are already creating ripples amidst discerning customers in over 30 countries worldwide such as USA, UK, Germany, France, Canada, China, Far East and Gulf countries ever since its inception in 1986. China's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said that it is concerned over reports that the United States plans to base long-range bombers in Australia within striking distance of the South China Sea. The spokesman of the ministry, Hong Lei, told a daily news briefing, that relevant countries should comply with the trends and people's wishes in the Asia-Pacific region, which feature the pursuit of peace, cooperation and development. Hong further said bilateral cooperation of any kind should not harm the interests of a third party. The United States wants to regularly rotate long-range heavy bombers through Australia, as concerns grow over China's military expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. The response from Beijing came hours after the Commander of United States Pacific Air Forces, General Lori Robinson, confirmed that Washington and Canberra are in talks at a high-level to have American B-1 bombers and aerial tankers temporarily stationed in Australia's Northern Territory. General Robinson said deployment would be on rotational basis, and would cover forces, bombers and tankers out of Australia (Tindal and Darwin). She told reporters in Canberra that this would give the United States the opportunity to train with Australia and further strengthen ties with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and have a better understanding of the theatre. General Robinson was candid in acknowledging the risk of a "miscalculation" as a result of China's rapid military build up in the South China Sea, but insisted that the United States would continue to fly above and sail through the disputed waterway. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirmed the development, but refused to go into specifics, saying outcomes were based on existing levels of defence cooperation between the two nations. The Federal Investigation Agency has reportedly commenced a probe into allegations of funding by Indian external intelligence agency RAW to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement(MQM) and summoned Sarfaraz Merchant, one of the suspects, for questioning in connection with the MQM money-laundering case. Pakistan's Interior Minister Chaudary Niasar Ali had asked the FIA to investigate the allegations levelled by Sarfaraz Merchant against the MQM and its leadership. An inquiry team of the FIA will investigate the charges against the party of money laundering, illegal purchase of weapons and RAW funding, reports Dawn. THe FIA summoned Sarfaraz Merchant to record statement, provide evidence related to the investigation. The interior ministry has also sent a communication to all security and intelligence agencies asking them to share with the inquiry team evidence or information relating to the allegations. The decision about the matter will be taken up with the British authorities after the submission of a report by the inquiry team. Sarfaraz Merchant claimed that several lists of explosive weapons had been found in the house of Altaf Hussain in London during a raid by Scotland Yard in 2014. The list shows that over 65,000 Euros has been paid for the weapons as well as its conversion into Indian rupee. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS: The Seismic Protection Service of the Seismological Network of the Ministry of Emergency Situations registered an earthquake at the northern latitude 41,120 and eastern longitude 44,390 geographic coordinates (Armenia), at 16:13 pm local time (GMT - 12:13 pm) with 2.7 magnitude and 10 km depth. As "Armenpress" was informed by the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the magnitude in the epicenter was 3-4. The quake was felt in Stepanavan city and nearby areas by 2-3 magnitude. FICCI and CUTS International are jointly organising a session on 'Evolving Global Trade Architecture and India' at FICCI, Federation House, on March 10. Dr. Martin Wolf, Chief Economics Commentator, Financial Times, London will be speaking on the topic. Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia will also share her views with the participants. Mega-regionals such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) have the potential of significantly redefining the world trade architecture. In this fast-changing global trade landscape, India has to recognize the emerging challenges from the mega-FTAs, and strategize how to respond. The conference would give us an opportunity to understand the evolving global market conditions, the challenges emerging for India and our response to it. Martin Wolf is an honorary fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford, honorary fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford University, an honorary fellow of the Oxford Institute for Economic Policy (Oxonia) and an honorary professor at the University of Nottingham. Wolf's unique perspective and experience gives him an unparalleled voice on European and global economies. He can speak with authority about the economic relationships underlying our complex financial systems, what we can learn from them, and what lies ahead for Europe, the US, and the rest of the world. He brings considerable practical experience to his writings. He was a member of the UK government's Independent Commission on Banking between June 2010 and September 2011. Previously, he was a senior economist for ten years at the World Bank's division of international trade. He has been a Forum Fellow at the World Economic Forum in Davos since 1999, where he has served as a moderator, and is a member of its International Media Council. He was Director of Studies at the Trade Policy Research Centre, London, and has advised governments and international organisations on trade and economic integration. He was made a Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, by Nottingham University in July 2006. He was made a Doctor of Science (Economics) of London University, honoris causa, by the London School of Economics in December 2006. Martin's most recent publications are Why Globalization Works and Fixing Global Finance. French Montana recently said that Rob Kardashian's new love interest Blac Chyna motivates him. The 31-year-old rapper said he thinks that anybody that makes one do great in life and motivates him is good for him, reports E! Online. Describing the 28-year-old reality star as his little brother, Montana said he loves the energy Kardashian has right now. While there were rumors recently that Kardashian and Chyna have split, they just returned to L.A. from a quick trip to Atlanta, where she hosted a party at Medusa nightclub on Sunday. Posting a close-up picture with his girlfriend on Instagram Kardashian wrote, "Chy and I are not broken up we just feel like it would be a lot healthier for our relationship if we kept a lot more to ourselves. It's impossible to have a positive relationship with so much negativity from the media and outsiders and we would appreciate it if everyone respects that. Shireen Mazari, the Central Information Secretary of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), has criticised British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond as a 'foolish man' for his statement that the issue of Jammu and Kashmir should not be a pre-condition for resumption of a dialogue between India and Pakistan. In a Twitter outburst, Mazari said Hammond should first understand the history of Pakistan and India before offering his opinions. "So UK Foreign Secretary wants Pakistan to talk to India without letting kashmir come in the way! Foolish man should understand our history first! Kashmir whether we like it or not defines parameters of Pak-India relations! Movement "forward" stops when something happens in IOK," tweeted Mazari. Mazari further tweeted,"We really don't need the British foreign secretary telling us how to conduct our relations with India. He should focus on his EU problem instead." Hammond, who arrived on a two-day official visit to Islamabad on Tuesday, addressed a joint news conference with Pakistan foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz. On his statement, the British Foreign Secretary stressed that Kashmir should not the pre-condition for resumption between the two nations. The foreign secretary-level talks between the two countries was supposed to take place last year but was deferred following a militant attack in the Pathankot air base in January this year. India, this morning, missed the spectacular phenomenon of a total solar eclipse, as only a partial eclipse was seen from some places in the country, which began at 4 "Today's eclipse, which was partial for many parts of India, was total in Indonesia and Malaysia regions," informed Dr. Ratnashree, the director of Nehru Planetarium. As the new moon passes directly in front of the Sun during the early hours of March 9, millions of people across Indonesia and the Pacific were treated a total solar eclipse, which began at 6:19 am, according to the official Meteorology. Western Australia saw a partial eclipse from 8am whereas Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart unfortunately missed the eclipse. It was also visible in Hawaii, east of the international dateline. Total solar eclipses, a rare event, occur when the moon comes between the Sun and the Earth, and casts the darkest part of its shadow on Earth. International media is reporting that Iran test-fired two ballistic missiles during military drills from the East Alborz Heights in the northern part of the country on Wednesday. According to reports, the missiles -- Qadr-H and Qadr-F -- were fired by Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). The Qadr-H missile has a range of 1,700 kilometers, while the Qadr-F missile has a range of about 2,000 kilometers. The IRGC missile drills being undertaken in different parts of the country are aimed at sending a message across that Iran has the deterrent power to counter possible external and internal threats. Meanwhile, according to the Xinhua news agency, the United States has said Iran's recent ballistic missile tests do not violate an international nuclear agreement. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Wednesday reiterated the government's position that the Opposition was trying to fix Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah in the Ishrat Jahan case. Naqvi said the Opposition was making desperate attempts to malign the reputation of Prime Minister Modi in connection with this case. The BJP leader dubbed as 'shameful' the Opposition's strategy and said that they have been exposed before the nation. "In the Ishrat Jahan case, the manner in which few minds weaved a criminal conspiracy against the then chief minister of Gujarat - our Prime Minister Narendra Modi - and our party chief Amit Shah to defame them politically was shameful," Naqvi told ANI here. "All those who made such ulterior attempts have been exposed. We wish to discuss this issue in both the houses of Parliament because it's an important issue as well as a lesson for those who politicize issues related with country's safety to tell them that they will be exposed if they try such stunts," he added. Asserting that there are no enemies in politics, the BJP leader further said it is extremely unfortunate that some elements do not understand the same and repeatedly come up with unwarranted allegations. Continuing its tirade against Prime Minister Modi over the Ishrat Jahan case, the Congress Party earlier in the day raised serious concern over the episode found to be a fake encounter. "Ishrat Jahan's encounter case pertains to 2004. The metropolitan magistrate had ordered a probe to ascertain if it was a fake or a genuine encounter. Then a High Court monitored SIT and CBI probe was ordered and it was found that it was a fake encounter. We are only concerned with that," said Congress leader P.L Punia. Former home secretary G.K. Pillai had earlier alleged that former home minister P. Chidambaram 'bypassed him' and rewrote an affidavit submitted to a court on Ishrat Jahan, the 19-year-old student killed in an encounter in 2004. Referring to the change in the Home Ministry's affidavit in the Ishrat Jahan case that did not refer to her as Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley yesterday while intervening in the motion of thanks for the President's address to Parliament told the Rajya Sabha, "In the process you unbarred the entire security apparatus of India because you wanted to fix a political leader. Some day an investigation will take place on how internal security was played with. Even after facing backlash for her nude selfie on social media, Kim Kardashian took to Twitter to hit back at her critics when they slammed her hubby Kanye West for tweeting on her behalf. The journalist and former 'Britain's Got Talent' judge Piers Morgan first accused the 38-year-old rapper of hacking the 35-year-old reality star's Twitter account when he responded to another bizarre message from Yeezy, reports Mirror. Morgan posted various tweets about what he believed happened, including a snap of the couple conspiring over Kim's phone alongside the caption: "What I suspect happened last night. #Kimye" Another post read: "I still think Kanye wrote those Kim tweets last night.... fyi" The 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians 'star then tweeted to voice her amazement about the rumours. She wrote: "Wait I can't believe people thought Kanye or Khloe hacked my Twitter. Liam Payne's former-girlfriend Sophia Smith feels his new romance with Cheryl Fernandez-Versini is weird. Speaking out about the romance, Smith admitted that she knew her 'ex' had moved on long before it was made public, reports News.com.au. In an interview with a leading magazine she said "It's so weird. I knew about them a little bit ago, but who thought it would actually come out? I didn't." The 22-year-old One Direction star earlier confirmed he was dating the former 'Girls Aloud' crooner, in an Instagram selfie. Payne and Smith broke up in October after two years together, but just two months later, the star had already moved on with the 'British X Factor' judge. The speed at which her former beau has got over their relationship has shocked the British student, but she insisted to the magazine that she is doing fine. Attorney General (AG) Mukul Rohatgi, who informed the Supreme Court that liquor baron Vijay Mallya has left the country on Wednesday, said that he was hopeful that the UB Group chairman would come back to India and settle the disputes with the banks. "I hope he (Mallya) will come back to India, good sense should prevail, but if he doesn't come back, then there are ways and means of trying to force somebody to come back," Attorney Genral Rohtagi told ANI. "It can be revocation of Indian Passport and once the passport is revoked the person has to come back because he has no right to stay in foreign country. It is a harsh thing and I don't think the matter should reach that point. It is in everyone's interest that things should be resolved between him and banks," he added. When asked if the there was a need to change the policies of the Finance Ministry, Rohtagi said it was for the ministry to take a call. "It is for the Finance Ministry to have a relook. I am sure that the RBI will have a look into it and the banks will also have a look into it. I think new policies should be made," he said. The Supreme Court has issued a notice to Mallya on a plea filed by a consortium of 13 PSU banks headed by State Bank of India. The lenders had moved the apex court to prevent Mallya from leaving the country and impounding his passport even as the loan recovery procedure for Kingfisher Airlines is still on. The notice will be served through the Indian High Commission in London. Based on CBI inputs, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the banks, informed the Supreme Court that Mallya is likely to have left India on 2 March and could be in the UK. The apex court has sought Mallya's response to the banks' plea by 30 March which is the next date of hearing. Malaysia has announced that its MH370 investigators will return its attention to the crew of the missing Boeing 777's, year after the 12 men and women were cleared as suspects after there the 2nd Interim Statement yesterday. The reports on MH370, released on the second anniversary since the plane went missing, identified eight areas under review by the Malaysian International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370 including flight crew profile. The report highly anticipated drew criticism because it failed to address key questions relating to radar anomalies and analysis of the flaperon. The only piece of debris confirmed to have come from MH370 was that found on La Reunion last July. The interim report shed no lights on how and what happened to Boeing 777 while flying en-route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board. However the newly-stated intention to review the background of the flight crew drew suspicions from people citing that Malaysia is preparing to divert the attention and with it blame the pilots if the plane was not found. Meanwhile, Martin Dolan, Australian Transport Safety Bureau Chief Commissioner had earlier this week said that he had not given up hope that the plane would be found before the official search is scheduled to wrap up in early July. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. Irans oil exports have risen to 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) for the first time since 2012, Armenpress reports, citing Iranian PressTv,Managing Director of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Rokneddin Javadi says. The rising trend of crude oil exports will continue in the next Iranian year which begins on March 20, during which total production will rise to 4 million bpd, the Shana news agency quoted him as saying in Tehran Wednesday. To materialize future objectives of the National Iranian Oil Company in the oil sector, 2 billion barrels of oil must be produced a year, he said. Since the lifting of sanctions in January, Iran has been working to raise production by 1 million bpd on top of another million barrels which the country has already been producing. As many as 29 vessels reportedly loaded crude from the country last month. On Sunday, President Hassan Rouhani predicted Irans oil exports to hit 2 million bpd before the middle of the next Iranian year, roughly falling around the month of August. Rouhani also said the country had added 400,000 bpd to its production since January. Javadis figure, as cited by the Ministry of Petroleums news agency, was twice that and it was not immediately clear how to reconcile them. Irans oil industry is buoyed by Europes resumption of imports. France's Total, Spain's Cepsa and Russia's Litasco Iran have bought 4 million barrels since January. Other major buyers such as Anglo-Dutch major Shell, Italy's Eni, Greece's Hellenic Petroleum and trading houses Vitol, Glencore and Trafigura are yet to resume purchases. On Sunday, Europe got its first cargo of Iranian oil since mid-2012. The Monte Toledo oil tanker covered the voyage from Iran to Europe with a haul of one million barrels of crude in just 17 days. The tanker discharged its cargo into a refinery owned by the CEPSA oil company near the Spanish port of Algeciras. Three other tankers carrying Iranian crude are heading toward Europe. The Eurohope tanker is sailing to the Romanian port of Constanta, and the Distya Akula is on the way to a Mediterranean port. The Atlantas is heading to France. Total is expecting to receive the tanker later this month in its refinery in Le Havre. The French oil and gas major plans to purchase up to 200,000 barrels per day of Iranian crude under an agreement signed in January. Europe imported about 400,000 barrels a day of oil from Iran before sanctions were imposed on the country in 2012, according to the International Energy Agency. Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister Kamal Thapa left for Thailand on Wednesday to take part in the 14th ministerial meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD). Thapa, who is attending Thailand on the invitation of ACD president and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, would address the meeting on Thursday as the guest chairman, reports Kathmandu Post. It is almost guaranteed that the meeting would endorse Nepal's membership. Nepal will be the 33rd member of the ACD if the two-day meeting beginning today endorses the country's membership. ACD is an Asia-wide cooperation framework established in Thailand in June 2002 with the main objective of promoting interdependence among the Asian countries in areas of cooperation, expanding trade and financial market within Asia and enhancing Asia's economic competitiveness in the global market. Thapa is later scheduled to visit New Delhi to attend the Culture Festival being organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living foundation. Thapa, who will be the chief guest at the event, will return to Kathmandu on Saturday. The Congress Party on Wednesday said that Green Tribunal's (NGT) decision will decide whether spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shnakar's ambitious international cultural festival will be celebrated or not. Congress leader Ashwini Kumar told ANI that, "I have read the reports the NGT has expressed its primary view and sought information and when it will receive all the needed information from all the agencies it will give its decision according to which it will be decided that will the programme take place or not." The (NGT) will today continue to hear the plea seeking to stop construction of temporary structure on the Yamuna floodplains for the event. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Swantanter Kumar had yesterday asked the Ministry of Environment and Forests to file an affidavit today and tell why no environmental clearance is needed for raising temporary structures. Meanwhile, The Delhi Police has raised serious security concerns over the World Culture Festival being organised by the Art of Living foundation on the Yamuna floodplains. A DCP rank officer, who inspected the venue on March 1 along with his team, in a report submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development, Art of Living, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma raised serious question about the preparation and safety arrangements. The report said that only one pontoon bridge is being prepared as opposed to seven, as proposed earlier, and the work on second bridge was still on. A pontoon bridge can at best be used by 15, 000 people in an hour, but the number of people expected to turn up for the event is around 2.5 to three lakh people, the report added. The report also raises serious concerns about the security arrangements near the main stage, where the VVIPS, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would be seated. The Green Tribunal will continue to hear today the plea seeking to stop construction of temporary structure on the flood plains of Yamuna for Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living World Culture Festival in Delhi. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Swantanter Kumar yesterday asked Ministry of Environment and Forest to file an affidavit today and explain why no environmental clearance is needed for raising temporary structures. The direction came after counsel appearing for the Ministry said that they have found no debris at the site, when an expert team had visited. The counsel added that as per Environment Impact Assessment notification 2006, no environment clearance is needed for temporary structures. In yesterday's hearing the Green Panel also questioned the building up of pontoon bridge by the Indian Army on river Yamuna for the festival. World Culture Festival organised by Art of Living is scheduled to be held from March 11 to 13 on the banks of the Yamuna. Earlier, defended the event, saying not a single tree has been cut and the ecological stability has been maintained during the preparations. "We are asserting that we will turn the place into a beautiful bio diversity park once we are finished with it. Since 2010, our volunteers have been working hard to clean the river and around 512 tonnes of dirt and garbage has been fished out. We want to save the Yamuna. We have not cut a single tree and have maintained ecological stability. We want to see Yamuna transformed into a beauty again," Ravi Shankar said. Sri Sri's Art of Living foundation says the event will feature yoga and meditation sessions, peace prayers and traditional cultural performances from around the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate event on Friday. Nick Gordon attorney has recently claimed that he tried to save Bobbi Kristina Brown's life. While the cause of Whitney Houston' daughter's death is claimed to be Lobar pneumonia that is caused by Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and water immersion combined with mixed drug intoxication, the manner of her death could not be defined, reports E! Online. Brown's former boyfriend was accused of causing her brain damage in a 40 million dollar civil lawsuit filed by Brown's estate. His lawyers assert Gordon did the opposite. Gordon's attorney said in a statement, "The truth is that Nick tried to save Bobbi Kristina's life. The truth is that Nick cooperated with law enforcement since day one. The truth is that no one loved Bobbi Kristina more than Nick and no one has suffered more as a result of her death than Nick." Instead of a possible perpetrator in the case, Gordon's attorney claimed that he has also been a victim in Brown's devastating loss. Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader of North Korea, has claimed that the country has miniaturised nuclear warheads that can be mounted on ballistic missiles, according to the state media. The front page of a newspaper in North Korea showed Kim standing beside a purported mock-up of a miniaturised nuclear warhead during a meeting with his top nuclear scientists when the announcement came. "The nuclear warheads have been standardised to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturising them. This can be called true nuclear deterrent," KCNA quoted him as saying reported Guardian. Kim also stressed the importance of building ever more powerful, precision and miniaturised nuclear weapons and their delivery means, report said. Kim also ordered improvements in power and precision of its arsenal. Meanwhile, South Korea said it was analysing the objects shown in the photos. South Korea yesterday announced measures aimed at isolating pyongyang by blacklisting individuals and entities that it said were linked to their weapons programme. Kim had called for his military to be prepared to mount pre-emptive attacks against the United States and South Korea following a new strict UN sanctions on Pyongyang for conducting its fourth nuclear test in January and launching its long-range rocket a month later. North Korea even threatened to turn Washington and Seoul into 'flames and ashes' as the joint military drills began this week, which it calls nuclear war moves and threatened to respond with an all-out offensive. Such threats from Kim have been a common one, since he took power after the dead of his dictator father in 2011. A privately-chartered Russian cargo aircraft crashed into the Bay of Bengal this morning, killing one person and injuring at least three others. The crash site was about half a kilometre off Cox's Bazar, at the estuary of the Bay and Bakkhali river. The Russian-owned True Aviation Limited's aircraft took off from Cox's Bazar airport around 9.30 a.m., reports the Dawn. The aircraft was carrying shrimp fry from Cox's Bazar to Jessore. Minutes after take-off, it crashed into the sea, Sadhon Kumar Mohanta, the airport's manager, said. Fisherman Sadhon Mia Majhi, an eyewitness, said he did not see any fire. The eyewitness added that the plane directly dropped into the sea and they quickly rushed with their trawler and rescued the victims. Four people, found at scene, were rushed to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital. One among them was declared dead. Further reports are awaited. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif left for Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to hold crucial talks and witness the military exercise. Both are on a three-day official visit to Riyadh. The visit comes on the invitation of King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud to witness the witness the military exercise 'North Thunder'. Special Assistant to the premier on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi is also accompanying Sharif and General Sharif to Riyadh, reports Radio Pakistan. Troops from 21 countries, including Pakistan, are participating in the exercise, in the northern region of Saudi Arabia. The main aim of the exercise is to improve training to respond to threats posed by terrorist groups. A large number of other leaderships and governments have also been invited to witness the ongoing military exercise and its closing ceremony. Earlier Pakistan's top civil and military leadership decided to expand its engagements with Saudi Arabia and will offer military training to the Saudi troops. Asserting that the nation was plagued by nepotism and corruption during the previous UPA regime, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that democracy runs on effective policies, not at the will of a lone entity. "I'm grateful to Ghulam Nabi Azad for highlighting problems with Jan Dhan in Bhopal. He compiled a list of people who haven't got a Jan Dhan account yet. You used a microscope and picked apart faults in Jan Dhan scheme. Had you used a binocular and critiqued your own initiatives while you were in power, then it'd have been better," Prime Minister Modi said while replying in Parliament on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address at the start of the Budget session. Prime Minister Modi further said that good governance relies on effective delivery of schemes to people adding that transparency is the cornerstone of good governance. "There has been lots of talk in the Opposition about Jan Dhan scheme. Now we are in power, it is important to push for a quantum jump in governance," he said. The Prime Minister further mentioned that his government has emphasised on decentralization of power. "Earlier these projects were forwarded to Delhi, and we all know what used to happen, they used to get stalled in some way or the other, we established ten regional offices to handle these projects," he said. "We have given states more rights to handle matters pertaining to environment clearances," he added. Prime Minister Modi also recited "Safar Mein Dhoop To Hogi" by Nida Fazli to conclude his address in Rajya Sabha. Britain's Prince Harry will visit Nepal for five days from March 19. A statement issued by the Kathmandu-based British Embassy on Wednesday said Prince Harry will stay in Nepal for five days during his first visit to the Himalayan nation. Upon his arrival on March 19, he will attend a reception hosted by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa. He will call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari on March 20, the statement read. He will also meet those affected by two devastating earthquake which struck Nepal in April and May 2015 to learn about efforts being made to restore buildings of historic significance and to assist disaster preparedness. On March 21, Prince Harry will travel to Bardiya National Park and Banke National Park. He will experience rafting on the Khauraha River and view tiger camera traps in the jungle, the same day. He will also visit Dalla, a local community which is benefitting from the economic potential of tourism by offering homestays to visitors, the statement further read. Later that day Prince Harry will travel north to the Pokhara area, where he will take part in a trek in the foothills of the Himalayas, read the statement. Prince Harry will also visit the British Gurkha Camp in Pokhara, reports the Himalayan Times. The trek will end in a remote hamlet in the hills where Prince Harry will enjoy a cultural show organised by local people before, watching the sun set over the Himalayas. He will spend the rest of the evening at a Gurkha homestay, where he will stay overnight, the statement read. On March 22, Prince Harry will watch the sunrise over the Himalayas before departing the hamlet and trekking to a local secondary school. The visit will conclude in Kathmandu on March 23. In the morning Prince Harry will open the Nepal Girl Summit together with President Bhandari who, in addition to being the country's first female President, has campaigned on the issue of women's rights. Following in his father's footsteps, Robert Downey Jr.'s son has come out clean from his previous drug record. Indio Downey showed up at an L.A. courthouse on March 8 morning, where a judge dismissed his cocaine case, after he submitted proof that he had successfully completed a drug diversion program, reports TMZ.com. The dismissal comes two months after California Governor Jerry Brown gave the 50-year-old actor, a full pardon for his drug convictions. Speaking to judge Lauren Weis Birnstein in open court, Indio said that he feels grateful for the experience he had over the last 20 months in recovery. Adding to this, he even said that he feels "so blessed to have my life back." Indio was arrested in June 2014 in West Hollywood when cops drove alongside the vehicle in which he was riding and noticed he was smoking something out of a pipe. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenia President Serzh Sargsyan visited House-Museum of Artsakh war hero Vardan Stepanyan (Dushman Vardan) on March 9. The House-Museum, after being reconstructed, reopened today on the occasion of 50th birth anniversary of Armenian national hero Dushman Vardan. Armenpress was informed from the Department of Mass Media and Public Relations of the Armenian Presidents office that the President, accompanied by the freedom fighter Dushman Vardans relatives and members of Armenian Defense Ministry, visited patriotic education room, museum and those rooms of the House-Museum where the freedom fighter spent his 26 years of life. Serzh Sargsyan left a note in the guestbook of the House-Museum. Vardan Stepanyan is a true example of conscious and farsighted intellectual; example of volunteer, dedicated himself to protecting the homeland. With the discipline and courage he was already an example for his service mates when he was alive. His last glorious battle path is the path of our whole army, Dushamn Vardan and the like stood in the origins of the establishment of our army. I am convinced that the House-Museum, which is intended to perpetuate his memory, will serve for making the example of Vardan Stepanyan instructive for the future generations, Armenia President wrote. The Opposition on Wednesday embarrassed the Centre in Rajya Sabha by adopting an amendment to the Motion of Thanks to the President's address. Congress' leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad had moved an amendment against making educational qualification mandatory for contesting panchayat elections, hoping opposition members will rally together as the change hits grassroots level politics. "Making educational qualification mandatory for contesting panchayat elections impacted the Dalit men and women.. it also impacted the minorities and the backwards as well. This amendment by the BJP has inhibited the backwards to contest the elections of Sarpanch and Panchayat. Many of the seats of the Panchayats in Rajasthan and Haryana were lying vacant due to this archaic law," Azad told the media here. "That is why I had moved a resolution on behalf of the party because we feel that there should have been a paragraph and the Centre has failed to fulfill the aspirations of people of this country," he added. The law in some BJP-ruled states like Haryana and Rajasthan makes mimimum educational qualification necessary to contest local elections. The "minimum" education required for eligibility to contest in a panchayat election is completion of matriculation in case of general candidates; completion of Class 8 for a woman candidate or a candidate belonging to Scheduled Caste; and completion of Class 5 pass for a Scheduled Caste woman candidate contesting for the post of 'Panch'. The Supreme Court will hear today a plea filed by public sector banks seeking a direction that liquor baron Vijay Mallya be restrained from leaving India. These banks had advanced loans of over 9,000 crore rupees to his firm. The consortium of banks, in their appeal, have assailed the March 4 order of the Karnataka High Court refusing an ex-parte ad interim order against Mallya, England-based Diageo Plc and United Spirits Limited. The banks said that the High Court should have passed an interim order, securing their financial interests. Prior to moving the High Court, the banks had filed four pleas in the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) at Bengaluru seeking reliefs like freezing of Mallya's passport and arrest warrant against him. They had also sought a direction to Mallya that he should disclose his assets on oath. The DRT, on March 2, heard arguments only on one plea and did not consider other three pleas which were related to freezing of the passport and restraining Mallya from leaving country. In a brand new hurdle for Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living World Culture Festival in Delhi, the Water Resource Ministry today informed the Green Tribune (NGT) that they have not given any permission for the event and the bench expressed its displeasure to the Ministry of Environment and Forests. The bench also pulled up the MoEF for not submitting their affidavit on the question asked by NGT yesterday. Asking the MoEF to not test their patience, the NGT asked them flatly whether permission had been granted to build the bridge-like structure. Later, the counsel of the Art of Living assured the bench that there will be no activity during the event which violates the NGT order and that a sufficient distance will be maintained from the river. The NGT reiterated its question to all respondents that if any environment impact assessment was carried out regarding consequential effects of this event. Meanwhile, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has appealed to all parties to not politicize the mega function, asserting that the World Culture Festival being organised by the Art of Living foundation on the Yamuna floodplains was an event to unite everyone. "I appeal to all parties to not politicize the #WCF2016. It is to unite all cultures, nations, religions & ideologies. Let's come together!," he said in a tweet. Earlier, the Opposition raised the issue of the Indian Army's involvement in the construction of pontoon bridges for the World Culture Festival, creating an uproar in the Rajya Sabha. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury hit out at the Centre asking why was the Army being roped in for a private event following which the Opposition MPs raised slogans of 'Army ka galat istemaal mat karo, raksha karo'. In response, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is committed towards protecting environment and added that it would be wrong to doubt his commitment towards nature. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said that he was concerned about the event as the Delhi Police had also raised security concerns. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, however, lashed back at the Opposition saying that if a matter is pending with Tribunal, ordinarily the chair doesn't allow the issue to be raised in the House. Amid uproar over the World Culture Festival being organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living Foundation on the Yamuna floodplains, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday hit out at the Centre for deploying the army for the construction of pontoon bridges for a private event. "Our country has democracy, and we are not opposed to any such event. We are asking the government if there was clearance by environment authorities. They roped in the amry to make two pontoon bridges. When the people asked for a bridge there then you said that it wasn't possible, and now two have been constructed," Yechury told ANI. "What is their explanation to induct the army for a private function. The questions are not being raised on the event, it is on the government. They should clarify, but they are quiet on this," he added. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has raised serious security concerns over the Art of Living event on the Yamuna floodplains. The Green Tribunal will continue to hear today the plea seeking to stop construction of temporary structure on the flood plains of Yamuna for Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living World Culture Festival in Delhi. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Swantanter Kumar yesterday asked Ministry of Environment and Forest to file an affidavit today and tell why no environmental clearance is needed for raising temporary structures. The direction came after counsel appearing for the Ministry said that they have found no debris at the site, when an expert team had visited. Counsel added that as per Environment Impact Assessment notification 2006, no environment clearance is needed for temporary structures. In yesterday's hearing the Green Panel also questioned the building up of pontoon bridge by the Army on river Yamuna for the festival. The World Culture Festival organised by Art of Living is scheduled to be held from March 11 to 13 on the banks of the Yamuna. Earlier, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar defended the event, saying not a single tree has been cut and the ecological stability has been maintained during the preparations. Abu Omar al-Shishani, one of the Islamic State's top commanders, may have been killed in a US-led air strike in Syria. Red-bearded Al-Shishani, a senior aide to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was likely killed in a bombing last Friday near the southern town of al-Shaddadi, which American-backed forces from the Syrian Arab Coalition seized from the Islamic State last month, reports the New York Post. Al-Shishani, who was based in Raqqa, was recently sent to al-Shaddadi to give a boost to the group's soldiers after a series of defeats to local forces supported by the US coalition, the Pentagon said. In a statement released by Pentagon yesterday, it said that Al-Shishani is a battle-tested leader with experience who had led ISIL [ISIS] fighters in numerous engagements in Iraq and Syria. The statement further said that his potential removal from the battlefield would negatively impact ISIL's ability to recruit foreign fighters - especially those from Chechnya and the Caucasus regions - and degrade ISIL's ability to coordinate attacks and defense of its strongholds like Raqqah, Syria, and Mosul, Iraq. The Pentagon also confirmed that al-Shishani was specifically targeted in the strike. US official however did not confirm his death. "We don't have any hard evidence showing he's been killed. We're still assessing the situation," one official told The Post reported New York Post. Al-Shishani, also known as ISIS's minister of war, was considered one of the most-wanted terrorists by the US reward program, which put a $5 million price on his head. Born in 1986 and raised in Georgia while it was under the control of the Soviet Union, he was nicknamed "Omar the Chechen" . The cloud over Pakistan's participation in the World T20 turned murkier after Islamabad has asserted that no security has been assured by India and that they will participate in the series only after a 'public assurance' of absolute safety by New Delhi. Pakistan Government sources told ANI that there are serious concerns over the safety of their players especially in Dharamsala and that no assurance has been given by the Indian government. The sources added that they team will visit India only after a public assurance was given by the government. However, tournament director M V Sridhar had said earlier that the much-anticipated match between India and Pakistan will be held as scheduled in Dharamsala. "The match is on. The state and central governments are onboard and all security arrangements have been made," he said after a meeting with Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the home ministry M K Singla besides others here. A two-member PCB security delegation comprising senior director of the Federal Investigation Agency Usman Anwar and Col. Azam from the Ministry of Interior arrived in India yesterday to assess the situation ahead of the Dharamsala T20. Earlier, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had hinted that the centre was ready to provide paramilitary forces after Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh expressed his inability to provide security after the ex-servicemen and families of slain army officials opposed to the match involving Pakistan in the wake of the recent Pathankot terror attacks. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has organised loyalty camps all across India. Car owners can now avail a free checkup at these camps, as of today. The event will conclude by March 12, 2016 and along with free checkups, the automaker is also offering a free car wash. Fiat is giving discounts of up to Rs. 1.25 lakh on new models, throughout the duration of the camp. The discount works towards as being an added attraction, along with being a contributor towards garnering public's attention. To make the initiative even more lucrative, a 10 percent discount is being provided on labour charge. Vehicles which are older than three years, get spare parts at adiscounted rate of 15 percent, while the newer ones get a discount of 5 percent during the 4-day event. The Italian-American brand expressed that customer satisfaction is of foremost importance to the company. Expressing his pleasure over the initiative, Mr. Kevin Flynn, president and managing director of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles India Operations said, The year 2016 marks an important year for FCA India as we foresee interesting times ahead in our long term goal to widen our existing customer base in India and retain existing Fiat consumer. The nationwide Fiat Loyalty Camps is not only a part of our extensive strategy to connect Fiat owners to the brand but also an effort to strengthen our relationship with our valuable customers. We are committed to provide world class products and services to our customers here and 100% customer satisfaction remains our constant endeavour. Fiat recently showcased its lineup at the Indian Expo 2016. Some of its products are even making headlines at the Geneva Motor Show 2016. The carmaker also launched the Punto Pure recently at the Indian automobile event, with a price tag of Rs. 4.49 lakh. Also Read: Mahindra Announces Free Service Camp Source : CarDekho Jaguar Land Rover India has inaugurated a new dealership in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Located at an easily accessible location within the city, the 3S (Sales, Service and Spare parts) facility has a 12 bay workshop with the body, paint and Approved facility (for Certified Pre-owned vehicles). Inaugurated by Cyrus P. Mistry, Group Chairman, Tata Group, the showroom is the JLR's 5th dealership in Maharashtra. Jaguar Land Rover now has a distribution network of 23 outlets in 22 major cities across India. The dealership will retail the entire range of Jaguar Land Rover. The Jaguar lineup includes the XF, XJ, F-Type and the recently-launched XE. The models on offer from the Land Rover stable will be the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Discovery 4, new Range Rover Evoque and the new Discovery Sport. This dealership facility has been designed to provide the highest quality of sales and after-sales services that has highly trained technicians to help serve customers better and reinforce Jaguar Land Rovers vision of setting a new benchmark for excellence in customer experience, JLR said in a statement. Commenting on the occasion, Rohit Suri, President, Jaguar Land Rover India Ltd (JLRIL), said We are delighted to introduce a new dealership facility in Aurangabad. This fifth showroom in the State of Maharashtra reiterates our commitment to tap the growing potential of premium cars and strengthens our foothold in the region. Unlike customers of other premium German brands, JLR customers in Aurangabad and surrounding areas need no longer be dependent on Mumbai or Pune workshops for servicing of their cars. They will be able to access, a state of art JLR workshop & spare parts store right at their doorstep." Also Read: Range Rover Evoque Expert Review Source : CarDekho BMW celebrates it's 100th birthday in 2016. Celebrations are in full swing at Munich and BMW has also unveiled a concept underscoring The Next 100 Years vision. The German manufacturer was receiving wishes from everyone, but one of them sure was surprising. Mercedes Benz took to social media to congratulate BMW, in its own unique way. Now, the rivalry between Mercedes and BMW has been iconic. The two manufacturers haven't seen eye to eye on many occasions and have never missed an opportunity to take a dig at each other. As BMW celebrates its 100th anniversary, Mercedes hasnt shied away from a friendly jab this time either. Mercedes tweeted Happy 100th birthday, @BMW! Heres to another 100 years of competition along with this video stating Thank you for 100 years of competition, the previous 30 years were actually a bit boring. Alongside this tweet, folks at Mercedes have also invited all BMW employees to visit their museum from March 8 - 13, 2016. These BMW employees will be allowed to park for free in front of the museum and the first 50 will also be offered a special "Swabian specialty". Some company officials also congratulated BMW on their new milestone. Ralf Glaser, head of press and marketing, Mercedes-Benz Classic said, We warmly congratulate the globally renowned company BMW on its anniversary and invite all employees of BMW AG to discover the complete history of the automobile at the Mercedes-Benz Museum. He added The unique exhibition at our museum, which opened at its new location ten years ago, takes visitors throughout the history of the automobile from its earliest beginnings always in the context of the given historical and cultural background and contemporary innovative developments. The two brands have often taken friendly jabs at each other in the past, indulging in witty advertising battles in every medium possible. Also Read: Mercedes-Benz AMG C43 Coupe Officially Revealed Source : CarDekho Chairperson, ASSOCHAM Women Foundation ASSOCHAM Women Foundation (AWF) and the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) will be signing 'A Letter of Intent' to promote education and skilling amongst women and girls in country, said Ms. Revati Jain, Chairperson, ASSOCHAM Women Foundation on the occasion of International Women's Day here today at New Delhi. Ms. Jain further said that agreement with the HRD ministry, under the aegis of National Literacy Mission is a first step. Over the course of the next 12 months we will be running a range of programs to support this partnership for upskilling our women work force. Further, the ASSOCHAM Women Foundation (AWF) will be running initiatives under its eight-fold pillar approach. These eight pillars which include creating livelihood, promoting financial literacy, spreading digital literacy, offering legal aid, simplifying existing laws and government policies, providing access to preventive healthcare, supporting women education, initiating sustainable development efforts for a cleaner India are focused themes for promoting women empowerment across the country across the country. In addition, we would also focus on imparting skilling activities through Adult Education Centres; promote non-monetary corporate donations under 'i-share' format to focus on donating appliances and technology equipment to further digital literacy, said Ms. Jain. To advance women & workplace bias sensitization, ASSOCHAM Women Foundation has also started a campaign Pledge for Parity. This is a unique and necessary pledge that will be digitally circulated and signed by the ASSOCHAM 4.5 lakhs, direct and indirect affiliate companies. Over the year we will be holding diverse and inclusive workshops that sensitises corporate about the legal and policy initiatives that safeguard women in corporate India. In addition, special focus on education will be made under mentorship programs for women in the primary to adult age bracket under the 'Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan' of the National Literacy Mission program. ASSOCHAM Women Foundation will also have a dedicated special wing or a 'Women's Development Cell' embedded within ASSOCHAM itself. Ms. Preeti Sinha, Co-Chairperson, ASSOCHAM Women Foundation said, In India the participation of women in organized workforce is only 22.5%. However, in unorganized sector, scores of women are working as in household as cleaners, and in construction as workers. If we do not empower these women with education & skills and bring them into the formal organized sector of livelihood opportunities, we will not be also to create the desired economic security for women that we wish to achieve. Ms. Sinha further said, Women are very vulnerable to social exclusion; while experiencing civil justice problems are excluded from the prevention and resolution of these in a complex social system. Therefore, sound legal aid is a key to tackling theses social exclusions. Legal aid means to empower women by facilitating their access to legal rights by the way of legal representation, counseling and legal education. Powered by Capital Market - Live News YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenian- Korean Parliamentary relations are at a turning point, Head of the Armenian delegation of Armenia-Korea Parliamentary Friendship Group Samvel Farmanyan wrote in his Facebook page, who is on a working visit in South Korea, Armenpress reports. I just arrived in Seoul, heading a Parliamentary Friendship Group delegation to Korea. I was warmly greeted by Mr. Noh Young-min, my colleague and a proud friend of Armenia, author of the famous 'Contemporary Tragedies', right at the Seoul Incheon airport. I will meet the Korean Parliament's President tomorrow. Armenian- Korean Parliamentary relations are at a turning point! MP wrote. Hindustan Unilever rose 0.76% to Rs 833.85 at 15:10 IST on BSE after the company announced that it has reached settlement with former employees of Kodaikanal factory with regard to dispute over the economic rehabilitation. The announcement was made during market hours today, 9 March 2016. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 18.84 points, or 0.13%, to 24,691.49. On BSE, so far 65,437 shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 1.12 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 840.30 and a low of Rs 827.95 so far during the day. The stock hit a record high of Rs 979 on 11 March 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 765.35 on 27 January 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 8 March 2016, falling 0.29% compared with gains of 1.53% in the Sensex. The scrip had, however, outperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 0.24% as against Sensex's 2.57% fall. The large-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 216.39 crore. Face value per share is Re 1. Hindustan Unilever (HUL) announced that the company and Pond's HLL ex-Mercury Employees Welfare Association, representing the ex-employees of the former thermometer factory in Kodaikanal, have reached a settlement with regard to dispute over economic rehabilitation after closure of this factory. The Memorandum of Settlement reached was recorded in an order passed by the Madras High Court. The settlement has been entered into on humanitarian considerations to put an end to a long standing matter pending in the Court for several years and also is in keeping with the suggestion of the Madras High Court. The former workers of the thermometer factory had filed a petition in the Madras High Court in February 2006 seeking economic rehabilitation. This petition was filed more than four years after HUL had made a full and final settlement in November 2001. As part of the agreement, HUL, with an objective to ensure long term well being of its former workers, has agreed to provide ex gratia payments to 591 former workers/association members and their families towards livelihood enhancement projects and skill enhancement programs. The former employees have confirmed this as a full and final settlement of all their claims and demands. They will withdraw the petition they had filed in February 2006 in the Madras High Court. Meanwhile, the other key aspect on the matter relates to soil remediation within the factory site. HUL has submitted the Detailed Project Report (DPR) to Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) in August 2015 and is awaiting consent, HUL said. HUL's net profit declined 22.4% to Rs 971.40 crore on 3.2% rise in net sales to Rs 7822.86 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. HUL is a leading fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Held on 01 October 2014 Sharda Cropchem announced that the Company have held Board Meeting of the Company on 01 October 2014. The outcome of the meeting is as stated below: 1. To approve acquisition of 24% residual stake in Axis Crop Science (Subsidiary): The Company has received a notice from Anil Kumta, minority shareholder of its subsidiary, Axis Crop Science, stating his intention to sell his entire stake holding of 40,000 equity shares of face value of Rs.10 each (Rupees Ten only) representing 24% of the shareholding of the Subsidiary for an initial consideration of Rs. 10,00,000/-(Rupees Ten Lakhs only) to be settled based on deferred final consideration which shall be determined based on the audited financial statements of the subsidiary for the year ended 31 March 2015 as per the call option deed entered into between Company, its Subsidiary and Anil G. Kumta on 30 November 2011. The Board has unanimously approved the same. 2. To accept the resignation letter received from Vishal Marwaha: Pursuant to the Initial Public Offering undertaken by the Company, HEP Mauritius ceased to hold any shares in the Company. Vishal Marwaha who was appointed as a nominee director of HEP Mauritius, has submitted his resignation from the Board of the Company on 23 September 2014 with immediate effect. The Board has accepted the resignation and placed on record the valuable contribution made by him in the growth of the Company during his association as a director with the Company. Powered by Capital Market - Live News A Mumbai-bound Air India flight made an emergency landing here on Wednesday after a bird hit it during take-off, officials said. The flight, AI 634, with 129 passengers on board, took off from Bhopal at 8.30 a.m. but had to return to runway as a bird hit its engine, resulting in technical problems, sources said. All passengers are safe, officials said. Bharti Airtel has increased maternity leave for its women employees from 12 weeks to 22 weeks, a company statement said here on Wednesday. "With this new policy, our aim is to offer adequate work-life balance to women employees and ensure that they continue to contribute to the Airtel growth story," Gopal Vittal, MD and CEO (India and South Asia), Bharti Airtel, said. "In case of adoption, if the child's age is less than two years, women employees can avail 12 weeks of leave and if age is above two years then six weeks. Male employees can avail one week of leave in both the cases," the statement added. The use of army personnel for a private or a non-governmental organisation's event, like the mega cultural show of the Art of Living Foundation in Delhi, is a wrong precedent, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Wednesday. "It is wrong to use army personnel in a private or a non-government work like cultural show of the Art of Living," he said. Nitish Kumar said army should not be involved in a private function. He also questioned the selection of the event venue on the bank of river Yamuna. Bollywood actress Athiya Shetty will take to the Amazon India Fashion Week A-W'16 ramp for the 'Maybelline New York presents Namrata Joshipura' show here later this month. She is thrilled about the opportunity. The "Hero" actress, who is the brand ambassador of Maybelline New York, will be the showstopper for the beauty brand's show with designer Namrata Joshipura on March 19 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here. The actress will showcase the designer's pret collection, aimed at a woman who is modern, edgy, experimental and diverse. Athiya said in a statement: "I am thrilled to be representing Maybelline New York as it is a brand which is all about empowering women to express themselves and define their beauty. The idea of high-street fashion and New York style resonates deeply with me as the city has always held a special place in my heart." "I am also very excited about Namrata's collection which is inspired by the Color Sensational Lip Gradation. I have closely followed the Graded Lips trend. It gives me the freedom and means to try out different lip looks depending on my mood and the occasion with just one product." Having been a student at the New York Film Academy in the US, Athiya has spent a lot of time imbibing New York fashion and style. Extending her support to Athiya, Maybelline New York - India's general manager Pooja Sahgal said: "We are confident that Athiya's personal connect with New York will bring this show alive. We believe that the exciting trend of gradation will be prominent throughout fashion week this season and will empower women to experiment with bold and subtle lip looks on different occasions." AIFW is to be held from March 16-20. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull downplayed the results of an SMS poll which indicated that almost 90 percent of the population see risk in the Darwin port being sold to a Chinese firm. The poll, conducted by the US State Department, revealed that 43 percent of the respondents felt that there was "a lot of risk" in selling the Port of Darwin to Chinese firm Landbridge Group, while 46 percent of respondents said there was "some risk". Eleven percent of the respondents saw "no risk" to Australia, Xinhua news agency reported. But Turnbull said on Wednesday that the government would not be taking the "text message opinion poll" seriously, and both his government and the US had "appropriately" assessed any outcome of selling the Port of Darwin to the Chinese firm. Turnbull said he had discussed the sale with US President Barack Obama when they met in the Philippines in 2015. "The security issues relating to that port sale were thoroughly investigated in Australia's national interest by the relevant security agencies. That's how we determine security issues; not by text message opinion polls," Turnbull said. "The US government is satisfied that the security issues relating to the lease of the port were examined carefully, professionally and appropriately by the Defence Department," he added. Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the survey, conducted by the US, meant nothing as Australia's foreign policy and defence policy are "decided by Australia". "It's not decided by the US, China or anyone else," Shorten said. The Port of Darwin was given to the Landbridge Group on a 99 year lease in a deal worth $376 million. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday demanded resignation of a Bihar minister for meeting jailed former MP Mohammad Shahabuddin, who is serving life imprisonment in connection with criminal cases including murder. Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar has demanded resignation of Bihar Minority Affairs Minister Abdul Ghafoor, who visited Siwan jail and met former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Mohammad Shahabuddin there. "Ghafoor should resign for attending 'darbar' of Shahabuddin inside the jail. It is a mockery of rule of law in the state," he said. Ghafoor along with ruling party RJD legislator Harishankar Yadav met Shahabuddin in Siwan jail on March 6, and a photo of that meeting has reportedly gone viral on social media,. BJP legislators also protested over the issue, inside and outside the state assembly on Wednesday. Senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi also criticised Ghafoor for meeting Shahabuddin in jail and demanded his resignation. A criminal-turned-politician, Shahabuddin has been convicted in six criminal cases and he is facing serious charges in over a dozen cases. Hundreds of migratory birds are bidding an early adieu to Kashmir this year because of unusually hot temperatures and scant rain and snowfall. "Normally, the migration back to summer homes from the Valley by the migratory bird species starts by the middle of March, but due to unusual rise in temperatures and scant precipitation during the winter months, these avian visitors are leaving earlier this year", said Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone, wildlife warden (Wetlands Kashmir). Lone said many species of migratory birds including Pintails, Mallards, Pochards, Wigeons and Shovellers have already left the Valley for their summer homes in Russian Siberia, Eastern Europe, the Philippines, China, central Asia and other places. The wildlife warden said last year 567,000 migratory birds including Greylag Geese, Mallards, Teals, Pochards, Wigeons, Shovellers, Gadwalls and Pintails came to spend the winter months in the bird sanctuaries and other water bodies of the Valley to ward off the extreme cold of their summer homes. "This year, we fear the number of avian visitors would be much less," said Lone. Srinagar city recorded a maximum of 20.4 degrees Celsius on February 24. Sonam Lotus, director of the local MET office, said this had happened after 76 years. For bird lovers and wildlife wardens like Lone, this is real bad news. "There are multiple factors responsible for lesser number of birds visiting the Valley this year. The biggest of course is the climate change, but shrinking areas of our bird reserves, pollution of water bodies because of discharge of effluents contribute heavily to affect the health of our water bodies", said Lone. In addition to the migratory bird species that live here permanently during the winter months, there are many species which come for a while. "There are many birds of passage like the Cormorants and Sandhill cranes which spend some time in the Valley both in the beginning of the winter season and towards the end of this season," he said. The birds of passage then move on to Indian plains spending some more time in the Valley on return journey to their summer homes. "This year, due to early spring setting in the Valley, the birds of passage could very well overshoot our water bodies by deciding not to spend any time here at all", the warden said. The Valley's best known bird sanctuaries are the Hokarsar on the outskirts of Srinagar city, Hygam and Mirgund in Baramulla district and Shallabugh in Ganderbal district. "Very few Greylag Geese came to the Valley this year. The Geese need much bigger water spaces for feeding and spending time. As water bodies shrank in the Valley this year, most of the migratory bird sanctuaries hosted fewer numbers of Geese this winter. The Wullar Lake hosted comparatively better numbers of Geese this season, but nowhere like the flocks that have been seen in the past. In unprotected water bodies like the Wullar Lake and many others, poachers are reportedly shooting the migratory birds as the local wildlife department is understaffed. "We are taking all steps to check poaching outside the bird reserves and we have seized many weapons and lodged cases against poachers. There is absolutely no chance of any poaching in the protected water bodies," the warden said, adding that any poaching would be happening in unprotected water bodies. Under the laws of the land, shooting of birds is an offence and a stringent punishment is prescribed for offenders. Migratory birds are great navigators travelling thousands of miles between their summer and winter homes. "The eldest in the flock leads during navigation as others fly behind in a highly disciplined pattern. If the leader falls sick or gets shot during the flight, the second in the lead takes immediate command," said Lone. Different species of the birds fly separately and that is why the maxim, birds of the same feather fly together. The cackle of the migratory birds, their wonderfully variegated plumage and the majesty of their flight are a legacy Kashmir cannot not allow to wither away. Lone said water bodies not directly protected by the wildlife department fall under the control of other government agencies. "It is the duty of these agencies to protect the migratory birds as they are an important aspect of the eco-system of water bodies", Lone asserted. (Sheikh Qayoom can be contacted at sheikh.abdul@ians.in) The Catholic Church of Canberra has created a separate body to handle sexual abuse complaints in a transparent manner, after the Vatican's Finance Minister George Pell admitted paedophilia cases in Australia were covered up. Archbishop Christopher Prowse from the Canberra and Goulburn Archdiocese said on Wednesday that although many victims of sexual abuse in the past may think the measure comes too late it could still be part of the solution, EFE news reported. "Too many (survivors), regrettably, have spoken of being confronted by a brutal and defensive church governance structure that refused to take responsibility," Prowse said. "The aim is to support survivors with the reassurance that all our communities are safe, our children and vulnerable people are truly cared for, and the spiritual dimension of all we do is not compromised by unethical and criminal behaviour," he added. Prowse said victims of sexual abuse could now directly contact the church with their complaints, without going through bureaucracy or lawyers. Last week, Pell admitted that paedophilia cases at the heart of the Australian Catholic Church were covered up and that he should have done more to stop them, while denying he had in-depth knowledge about the cases, or that he had covered them up or protected paedophile priests. Pell, the most senior Catholic Church official to admit the existence of paedophilia in the institution, testified before an Australian commission, investigating religious institutional response to child sex abuse, about the time he worked as a priest in Ballarat and was Auxiliary Bishop and Archbishop in Melbourne. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. French-Armenian Nouvelles dArmenie newspaper reports that co-chairs of the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF) Ara Toranian and Murad Papazian met with French secretary of state for veterans Jean-Marc Todeschini on March 7 to discuss ceremony of inflammation of the fire in the Arc de Triomphe Paris by the Azerbaijani Embassy in France. Armenpress reports that CCAF co-chairs condemned the Azerbaijani manipulation and using the traditions of French veterans in anti-Armenian propaganda. Secretary of state for veterans Jean-Marc Todeschini expressed his regret over the mentioned propaganda trick by Baku mentioning that French state is no way sponsoring such events. After the meeting it became evident for the participants that Azerbaijani diplomacy tried to carry out a propaganda trick in order to create an illusion of French state treatment within the framework of a certain audience. After the meeting the co-chairs were convinced that the Commission of Arc de Triomphe Paris were informed by the government on the need to be vigilant in the future. Chinese legislator Zhang Dejiang on Wednesday appreciated "full and effective enforcement" of the country's Constitution in 2015. "Ensuring the full enforcement of the Constitution represents the most important and fundamental task in building China into a socialist rule of law country," Zhang said while delivering a work report on the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee. In particular, Zhang noted that China has put into practice an allegiance pledging system to the Constitution, Xinhua news agency reported. According to a decision adopted by the top legislature in June 2015, "all those who are elected or appointed to public office by people's congresses at all levels shall make a public pledge of allegiance to the Constitution when they officially assume office". Meanwhile, the NPC Standing Committee exercised constitutional stipulations on amnesty, enacted the Law on National Medals and Titles of Honour, and improved the recording and review system for normative documents, Zhang said. The top legislator said that in 2016 China will intensify publicity and education on the Constitution, promote the spirit of the Constitution, hold activities on the National Constitution Day, and organise for government officials to pledge allegiance to the Constitution. "We will step up the recording and review of normative documents; take the initiative to review newly-formulated administrative regulations and judicial interpretations on an item-by-item basis," he said. We shall "explore the Standing Committee-initiated review of local statutes in key areas; and carefully study, handle, and respond to suggestions from various sectors during reviews, so as to uphold the unity of our legal system and the authority of the Constitution and other laws", he added. A civilian was badly injured on Wednesday when two gunmen opened fire in Jerusalem's Old City. Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the attackers first opened fire at a bus in Ramot, a settlement neighbourhood of Jerusalem. The shooters opened fire again near Jerusalem's Old City, Xinhua news agency reported. The attackers were killed when police fired back. Samri said a civilian in his fifties was critically wounded, apparently by Israeli fire, as police tried to subdue the assailants. She said the assailants were in their 20s. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said coordination between both houses of parliament was a must since many pending bills needed to be passed. "The nation is waiting for us to pass many bills," Modi said in the Rajya Sabha while replying to the debate on the motion of thanks on the President's Address to parliament. "This is a chamber of ideas. It must guide the nation. Coordination between both houses is essential." "Let us pass bills earlier passed in the Lok Sabha as soon as possible and give an impetus to India's progress," he added. Crompton Greaves will sell its power business overseas to a US private equity fund for an enterprise value of 115 million euros, the company said in a regulatory filing here on Wednesday. The statement said the company will sell its European, North American and Indonesian power transmission businesses to the US private equity fund, First Reserve International Limited. The company manufactures fans, air coolers and power transmission equipment. "The sale will enable the company to reduce debt and focus on its faster growing Indian businesses. The company continues to actively examine its other international B2B (business-to-business) businesses with a view to monetise these businesses to enhance shareholder value," the statement filed with the BSE said. The company's shares were trading Rs.147.70 per share, up 5.84 percent in the BSE at 1.11 p.m. As one looks from the Delhi Noida Direct Flyway, it seems like a township under construction. As one moves closer, a massive stage sprawled over seven acres greets you. On second thought, it seems as if a gladiatorial arena is getting ready for a historic combat, with seating arrangements for more than 11 lakh people daily and six towering floodlight masts focused down at the gigantic stage. Ask the Art of Living Foundation's organisers and they proudly say it is the biggest stage in the world, covering 3,34,358 square feet, almost 100 feet tall and a width of 1,200 feet. They say they hope it may find a place in Guinness World Records. But for the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which finally gave the go ahead on Wednesday albeit with riders, the mega event wouldn't have taken place. The stage is meant for the three-day World Culture Festival from March 11 on the Yamuna flood plain, considered an eco-sensitive area. By their own admission, the organisers say around 1,000 acres of land upstream of the DND elevated bridge and on the right bank of the Yamuna river is being used for the festival. They also claim that around 35 lakh people are expected to attend the event. Earlier, it was said that 97 acres will be used for the festival. "Around 8,000 musicians and 10,000 dancers will perform on the stage at a time. Participants from 155 countries will participate. I tried to represent 'Pancha Bhoota' (five elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether) in this massive stage," said Nitin C. Desai, stage designer, who claims to have designed sets for films like 'Lagaan', 'Devdas', 'Jodha Akbar', 'Tamas' and '1942 - A Love Story'. "More than 600 people are working daily to build the stage. It will be completed by tomorrow," he adds. In the festival area, one witnesses huge tracts of land being levelled with bulldozers and cranes, turning the entire area into a vast dust bowl. A number of tents and ramps have been set up for various purposes. The army personnel were seen busy working tirelessly on two pontoon bridges built only for the festival. Hundreds of Delhi Police and Central Reserve Police Force personnel were also seen engaged in conducting inspections. "We have built two bridges and each has a capacity of holding 40 tonnes (40,000 kgs)," said one of the army personnel. A few workers were seen taking some time off after the day's hard work. "About three lakh metres of carpet will be used for the festival," said one of them. One Praveen Sahu, who was given the responsibilty of installing the floodlights, said: "We have installed six high floodlight masts for the festival. Each of them has 36 bulbs (one bulb is of 2,000 watts)." Art of Living spokesman Sanjay Kumar said: "We are expecting around 36,000 participants from different countries for the cultural events. We are organising this event to mark the 35th anniversary celebrations of The Art of Living Foundation. We are also expecting around 35 lakh people during the festival from across the world. Our primary aim is to promote 'One World Family'." Hundreds of children and woman were alighting from the buses at the venue, each carrying a musical instrument. Asked the purpose of their visit, they said they were part of musical group 'Symphony' and were slated to perform at the event. "We have come here to perform. About 25,000 performers from our group will perform during the event. We'll play songs based on eight 'ragas', using 40 musical instruments," said Akash, a resident of Rohini. British liquor major Diagio plc on Wednesday confirmed paying Indian industrialist Vijay Mallya $40 million (Rs.275 crore) as part of the $75 million (Rs.516 crore) agreement it entered with the latter on February 25. "We paid Mallya $40 million immediately as part of the $75-million agreement he signed with our company on February 25, with the balance ($35 million) being payable in equal instalments over five years," Diageo spokesperson Kirsty King told IANS from London on telephone. Asked about the Debt Recovery Tribunal's (DRT) March 7 order to it not to pay Mallya any part of the severance package till its next hearing on March 28, King said the company was yet to receive such an order. "We understand that the Debt Recovery Tribunal is in the process of issuing an interim order, which we will review once the full details are available," King said, adding the company was yet to receive the notice. The tribunal's presiding officer, R. Benkanahalli, on March 7 directed Diageo and its Indian subsidiary United Spirits Ltd (USL) not to pay Mallya till the disposal of the State Bank of India's application and ordered temporary attachment of the deal amount till March 28. As part of the sweetheart deal, Mallya resigned as chairman and director of USL and agreed not to compete with Diageo in spirits business the world over for the next five years and not to interfere in its Indian arm's business matters. Though SBI rushed to the tribunal a day after the agreement on February 26 to advance hearing on its original application filed in June 2013 for recovery of loans it and 16 other state-run and private banks advanced to Mallya's now defunct Kingfisher Airlines in 2004-12, it was not aware of the Diageo's part payment to the 60-year-old liquor baron. "We were not aware that Diageo had paid Mallya $40 million and even Mallya's counsel (Uday Holla) did not tell the tribunal during arguments on March 4 about the payment. We will seek action against him (Mallya) for suppressing the fact," SBI counsel told IANS from New Delhi. As a lead bank of the consortium of 17 banks to which Kingfisher owes Rs.9,091.39 crore as combined loans with interest, the SBI filed four interlocutory applications in the tribunal on March 2 after CBI director Anil Sinha expressed concern over its delay in acting against Mallya. "We have also filed a caveat before the Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal in Chennai to hear us before adjudicating on any appeal on Mallya against the Bengaluru tribunal's March 7 order till its next hearing on March 28," the counsel said on the condition of anonymity. At least eight people were killed on Wednesday after Taliban militants attacked government offices in Afghanistan's Helmand province, an official said. The gunbattle started at 6.00 a.m. in Gereshk district, Xinhua news agency reported. "Those killed were seven attackers and one policeman," said a senior provincial security official. The militants seized a building and fired on a district governor office, a police station and the nearby educational department in the key district located in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah. "The initial information said 10 men armed with weapons and suicide jackets were involved in the attack. They arrived by vehicles and took position in separate locations in the district before security forces push them back," the official said. The militants also attacked several security checkpoints in outer parts of the district. They tried to take control of the buildings and overrun the district, a security official said. The world has been talking about email this week, after the death of American programmer, Ray Tomlinson, on March 5. Tomlinson has been variously called email's godfather, father and inventor, for having created a message transfer system between two computers in the same room in the 1970s. He did this as an employee of a defence contractor. Most memorably, he is credited with having chosen the "@" sign. But remember Marconi, famous for inventing radio? The world later realised that Jagadish Chandra Bose was the real inventor. Email has an Indian-origin creator too: Mumbai-born V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai. Once again, top academics, including the venerable Noam Chomsky at MIT, have come forward to validate this. But there are two key differences. Bose didn't live on to stake his claim to history, while Ayyadurai has been fighting a losing battle to set the record straight. But most importantly, he has a US government document to support his claim. As a high school student in 1979, Ayyadurai, then age 14, developed an electronic version of an interoffice mail system, which he called "EMAIL". He copyrighted it in 1982. Ayyadurai's EMAIL started as a system of electronic message management that digitised the old-fashioned process of writing a memo, routing a memo with "To", "Cc" (carbon copies) and "BCC", and storing memos in folders. He developed this software at the College of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 1978. The US government certified the official copyright on EMAIL on August 30, 1982, for Dr. V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai's 1978 invention. At that time, computer software and code could not be patented in the USA. Ayyadurai went on to earn four degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), including a PhD. Email transformed our business communication and collaboration like no other technology. It's probably the longest-surviving of Internet tools, in its various forms and designs. It also evolved over the next decade, but the fundamentals stayed as they were in 1978, with one notable addition: The now-ubiquitous "@" between the name and the host server, courtesy of the late Tomlinson. Why does academic credit matter? Because the journey matters, the motivation matters and history matters to generations of inventors, dreamers and entrepreneurs deserve to know the truth. Big change happens in small places when opportunity meets people who are driven to find answers. That's how email, as we know it, came to be. Tomlinson's work and selection of the "@" identifier advanced email among outside computers, and used TCP/IP as the basic building block of this communication system. Electronic messaging existed prior to that, within networks (which we now call 'intranets') and non-TCP/IP systems. The story of email exemplifies the journey of a team that included a precocious Indian-born teenager, eager to be useful in America -- grateful for the later opportunity to earn four degrees at MIT, after inventing and copyrighting the EMAIL system -- and human desire to solve problems. For far too long we have all been led to be believe that communication's greatest innovations came out of defence research, inspired by the needs of war. Great innovations can be inspired to advance life, not just retrofitted from defence technologies. Email was created in a place of light and cooperation and it is important for people across the world to understand and appreciate this. Telling the truth about the invention of email in Newark, New Jersey, therefore, is a historical imperative toward breaking this blind belief in the supremacy of defence research to reveal a fundamental truth. Innovation can occur, anytime, anyplace by anybody, and war and profit are not its necessary and required impetus. Despite much coverage in the US and global media as the inventor of email, including in Time in "The Man Who Invented Email", Ayyadurai has been attacked in the US as an imposter, someone who merely registered a program called EMAIL, rather than invent email. To them, MIT's Noam Chomsky has this to say: "Email, upper case, lower case, any case, is the electronic version of the interoffice, inter-organizational mail system, the email we all experience today -- and email was invented in 1978 by a 14-year-old working in Newark, New Jersey. The facts are indisputable." (Arvind Gupta is a technology entrepreneur and an Eisenhower Fellow for Innovation. Prasanto K. Roy is a senior technology journalist and former chief editor of CyberMedia. The views expressed are those of the authors. Gupta can be reached at argupta@illinoisalumni.org and Roy at pkr@ststephens.edu) Four police officers were shot and injured in New Zealand's North Island on Wednesday. The attack took place in the Bay of Plenty when police personnel were in the area to seize illegal cannabis when the first shots were fired. Two injured officers are in a stable condition, the third in a serious condition, and the fourth is receiving treatment for a gunshot wound on his hand, Xinhua news agency reported. Police initially said three officers were shot, but later the fourth officer also was found to have received a gunshot wound. The Armed Offenders Squad, a specialist unit of the New Zealand Police designed to cordon, contain and appeal to armed and dangerous offenders, is currently at the scene on a rural property near the town of Kawerau. St. John central communications spokesman Mark Tregoweth said, "Police are leading the operation so we have been told to direct all media queries to them." The public has been advised to avoid the area. Deputy police commissioner Mike Clement said that only one person has been suspected to be involved in the attack. The alleged offender was still in a house on the outskirts of the Kawerau town. Does the tax raised by finance minister have a direct impact on the livelihood of people, especially farmers? In the case of tobacco cultivators, it is very true, says their representative body. According to the represenatives, in all, 25 tobacco farmers have committed suicide in the last two years. They attribute this to a variety of factors which contribute to stress among tobacco growers, including the constant increase in excise duty on the product. Forty-year-old Ventakeshwar Rao, a tobacco farmer in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, committed suicide last year when he was unable to pay back his debt. "Rao, like most other tobacco farmers who committed suicide, was struggling to pay off accumulated loans mostly taken from money-lenders to meet the growing cost of cultivation as well as urgent family needs," B.V. Javare Gowda, president of the Federation of All India Farmers Associations (FAIFA), told IANS. He said the problem faced by tobacco growers was more acute in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, two states with the highest tobacco cultivation in the country. Gowda said high level of taxation ultimately impacts demand and it has an impact on the price that a farmer gets. For the government, which seeks to curb use of tobacco, the issue has its own set of complications. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley last month announced an increase in excise duty on tobacco products by 10-15 percent in the 2016-17 budget. According to Tobacco Institute of India, there were over two lakh tobacco growers in the country and the industry provides further employment to lakhs of others. Among the tobacco grown is FCV (Flue-Cured Virginia) - which is used in making cigarettes. Minister of State for Health Shripad Yesso Naik admitted it was a controversial issue. "We cannot directly support the tobacco industry as tobacco is injurious to health. At the same time we also cannot ignore the deaths of the tobacco farmers, The government will listen to their problems and see what can be done," he said. According to Tobacco Institute of India, exports are estimated to earn more than Rs.6,000 crore in foreign exchange with FCV tobacco alone contributing Rs.4,000 crore. Gowda said that cultivation cost of one kg of tobacco is about Rs.100 and the price that a farmer gets has steadily come down from 115 per kg to Rs.85 per kg in the last two years. He said tobacco farming was becoming unremunerative and the government decision to hike excise will further shrink demand. While the industry faces high level of taxation, there are also complaints that the government was not strictly enforcing its policy of pictorial warnings on foreign cigarettes. Murali Babu, general secretary of FAIFA, said the government should strictly enforce pictorial warnings on foreign cigarette brands. Gowda said the health ministry has issued a directory to revise graphic health warnings on tobacco products which stipulates an increase from the existing warning of 40 percent of the pack front to 85 percent on both sides from April 1, 2016. He said India was the third largest tobacco producer in the world but the production was fluctuating over the years, and added that many farmers have opted out of tobacco farming due to losses. FAIFA has also sought intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into their problems. (Rupesh Dutta can be contacted at Rupesh.d@ians.in) YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. On March 9 Session of the North Atlantic Council in 28+1 format was held at NATO Headquarters in Brussels which was attended by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, ambassadors of NATO 28 member-states, heads of defense agencies and NATO senior officials. Armenpress was informed from the Press, Information and Public Relations Department of the Armenian MFA that Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian touched upon various sectors of cooperation between Armenia and NATO, priorities of Armenias foreign policy, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement and fight against terrorism. He also referred to Armenias participation in peacekeeping missions, fulfillment of agreements on Irans Nuclear Program, Syrian crisis, as well as Armenias stance on a number of international urgent issues. Referring to Armenia-NATOrelations, Nalbandian positively assessed the effective cooperation in the framework of the Individual Partnership Action Plan, noting that the current Action Plan is the fourth one in a row, and the development of a plan for 2017-18 will soon begin. Edward Nalbandian presented the results of referendum on constitutional reforms held in Armenia last December and the process of reforms arising from the referendum. Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan referred to the defense sphere and expansion of opportunities in the area of military education, noting the importance of cooperation with NATO in this context. NATO Secretary General and ambassadors of member-states delivered speeches during the session. They positively assessed the cooperation. Prior to the session of North Atlantic Council, Nalbandian and Ohanyan held a meeting with NATOs Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The sides touched upon the implementation of various projects and exchanged opinions on regional issues. The government on Wednesday expressed the hope that parliament will pass the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill in the ongoing budget session for enacting the comprehensive reform of India's indirect tax regime. "I am sure parliament will appreciate the advantages of GST...we hope it will be passed in the current session," Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said at a post-budget interaction here organised by industry chamber Assocham He said the government, on its part, was fully prepared with the infrastructure for implementing the new tax regime. Regarding the budget 2016-17, Das said the government had stuck to the path of financial discipline, pegging the fiscal deficit for 2016-17 at 3.5 percent of the GDP. "Why fiscal deficit target is important because it is about credibility of the government, especially when it had benefitted from low crude oil prices," he said. In this connection, he said the proposed committee on review of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act would be constituted in a month or so for giving a road map to fix the deficit target in a band rather than to the last decimal figure. All deaths in Britain's hospitals will be examined by a second doctor unconnected to the patient's treatment, the media reported on Wednesday. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told The Guardian he will announce the change -- to take effect in England in 2018 -- in a speech on Thursday to a global summit on patient safety in London. From 2018, doctors acting as expert medical examiners will review and confirm the cause of all the deaths a year that occur in hospital. They will provide "a second look" at events preceding the death, although doctors involved in looking after the patient who has died will continue to be the ones who certify the death and list the cause or causes of death on the death certificate. The change was first recommended in 2005. Opposition Labour party welcomed the move but slammed Hunt of taking too long to make it, especially with it not starting until 2018. The Royal College of Physicians, which represents general hospital doctors in England, said having an expert medical examiner involved in every death would help "provide patients and their families with the openness and transparency which they deserve when things go wrong, and to support healthcare professionals to learn from and correct any deficiencies in care which are found. We will only improve if we move from a culture of blame to a culture of learning." The national security advisors of India and Pakistan continue to remain in touch with each other following the cross-border terror attack on the Pathankot airbase in January this year, the government said on Wednesday. "The two NSAs have been in touch with each other following the Pathankot attack in January 2016 regarding the follow-up by Pakistan on actionable information provided by India concerning the attack," Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh said in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. Seven Indian security personnel lost their lives when terrorists from across the border attacked the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, Punjab, early on January 2. The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) claimed responsibility for the attack in which all the six terrorists also were reportedly killed. The attack derailed the proposed foreign secretary-level talks that were scheduled for the middle of January after the two countries agreed in December last year to start a comprehensive bilateral dialogue. India has since sent "actionable evidence" to the Pakistani authorities to bring the perpetrators of the attack to book. Pakistan filed an FIR in Gujranwala last month against "unknown" terrorists in connection with the attack. It also said that it would send a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to India to probe the attack. In his reply to the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, V.K. Singh said that several terrorist attacks in India, including in Jammu and Kashmir, were perpetrated by infiltrators from Pakistan or Pakistan-administered Kashmir, "benefitting from the terrorist infrastructure existing there". "Recently, there has been a rise in such attacks which include the attack in Gurdaspur (July 27, 2015), Udhampur (August 5, 2015), Pathankot (January 2-4, 2016) and Pampore (February 20-21, 2016)," he stated. The minister also said that listing of several Pakistan-based individuals, including Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ur Rahman Lakhvi, and entities including Lashkar-e-Taiba/Jamaat-ud-Dawaa under the relevant provisions of the UN Security Council's Resolution 1267 was successfully pursued. "The government continues to pursue imposition and strict monitoring of 1267 regime on various Pakistan-based individuals and terrorist organisations directing their activities against India," he said. "Our concerns regarding anti-India terrorism emanating from Pakistan have been taken up with international community and also bilaterally with Pakistan on a number of occasions." This concern was also discussed by India's National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval with his Pakistani counterpart Nasir Khan Janjua when they met in Bangkok on December 6 last year, Singh said. "Government remains committed to taking all necessary steps to safeguard safety and security of the country and its citizens," he added. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, India and the US have agreed to deepen their collaboration against Pakistan-based terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), responsible for several terrorist attacks in India. Indian Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and the US National Security Advisor Susan Rice agreed to do so at a meeting at the White House here on Tuesday to review preparations for the March 31-April 1 Nuclear Security Summit (NSS). Modi is expected to have a bilateral meeting with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the 50-nation summit. There is widespread speculation that he may also meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, who too has been invited to NSS. While LeT is held responsible for the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, JeM is blamed for the January 2 attack on the Indian Air Force station at Pathankot. Rice and Jaishankar also "affirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation on climate change, trade, and defence", according to a statement by National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson Ned Price. "They also discussed US-India collaboration against Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and other terrorist threats," it said. "Building on their leaders' commitment to make the US-India partnership a defining relationship for the 21st Century, they agreed to deepen their already close collaboration on these issues." The last time Indian and Pakistani premiers met was on December 25, 2015, when Modi made a surprise visit to Lahore, a first by an Indian prime minister in over a decade. Modi briefly attended Sharif's grand-daughter's wedding ceremony and then held a brief meeting with his Pakistani counterpart. The attack on the Pathankot airbase came a week later leading to the cancellation of foreign secretary level talks between India and Pakistan. During his visit to Washington last week, Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz expressed Islamabad's "gratitude" to Secretary of State John Kerry and Obama for their "consistent support to the revival of Pakistan-India dialogue". He also affirmed Pakistan government's commitment to acting against all terrorist groups without any distinction. (Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in) An Indian medical student, who was in a state of coma after being attacked by unidentified miscreants in a Russian city, has died, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Wednesday. "I am pained to inform that Yasir, an Indian medical student from Srinagar, has succumbed to his injuries in Russia," Sushma Swaraj tweeted. In a series of tweets late Tuesday, she said an Indian doctor was treating Yasir at a trauma centre. She said this after an an SOS was tweeted that Yasir, a medical student in Kazan, capital of Tatarstan, was attacked by "local goons". According to the tweet, Yasir was in a state of coma after the attack and had lost all his money and documents. Sushma Swaraj said that she had also spoken to Indian Ambassador to Russia, Pankaj Saran. Stating that she was pained to hear about this, she said she would take up this issue with Russian authorities. Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday successfully test-fired two ballistic missiles in line with the country's defence doctrine. The missiles dubbed Qadr-H were test-fired during the ongoing large-scale drills, codenamed Eqtedar-e-Velayat, Iran's Press TV reported. Earlier, Iran on Tuesday test-fired two ballistic missiles during the drills. White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Tuesday said that Iran's recent ballistic missile tests did not violate an international nuclear agreement. Also on Tuesday, US State Department spokesman John Kirby echoed Earnest that the tests, if confirmed, will not be a breach of the Iran nuclear deal. However, he warned that the US will not "turn a blind eye to this". Separately, under UN Security Council Resolution 1929, Iran was prohibited from working on ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads. Irom Sharmila, who has been on fasts unto death since November 4, 2000, to demand the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, has rejected state Social Welfare Minister Akoijam Mirabai's appeal to call off her hunger strike. Also the Congress government in Manipur is in a damage control mode as Mirabai embarrassed it with her "misleading statement" before Sharmila that the state government's request for repealing the AFSPA was not being paid heed to by the Centre. The incident occurred when on the occasion of the International Women's Day on Tuesday two women legislators -- Mirabai and Okram Landhoni, wife of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi - visited Sharmila in her security ward of J.N. Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal. During the brief meeting, Sharmila wanted to know from the visiting leaders if she was asking for something impossible. "Am I asking for the moon? The role of women in making the society peaceful and vibrant is well-known. Though I have been on fast for 16 years, the state government has turned a blind eye and it is very disappointing. Tripura has shown that the AFSPA can be lifted any time," Sharmila said. Mirabai tried to mollify her by saying: "It is the central government which shall lift the AFSPA. The state government has been constantly exerting pressure on the Centre to lift it. So you must call off your hunger strike and all of us could continue demanding the same." It sounded incredulous to Sharmila who is well-versed with law and human rights movement. Besides all sections of people were taken aback by the minister's statement. Many sections in Manipur are asking whether it is a case of taking the people for a ride or the minister herself is unaware of the law. Advocate and human rights activist Khaidem Mani told IANS Mirabai is perhaps not aware of the clear-cut legal provisions. "The state cabinet is competent enough to lift the Disturbed Areas Act under which the AFSPA is imposed." When the Manipur government lifted the AFSPA from seven assembly segments in Imphal on August 12, 2004, the state cabinet took the decision and no permission was sought in advance from the Centre. "Tripura government did not seek permission or approval from the centre while lifting it from that state," Mani said. Sharmila has made it known that there is no question of calling off her fast unless the AFSPA is repealed. The court of chief judicial magistrate released her twice. However, within two days she was re-arrested as she resumed her fast instead of going home. Sharmila is facing charge of attempt to suicide in the court of the chief judicial magistrate, Imphal West, and the Patiala House Court, Delhi. Rome, March 9 (IANS/AKI) There are around 5,000 militants fighting for the Islamic State in Libya and there is a danger local groups may join their ranks, Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Wednesday. "According to our analysis, there are around 5,000 IS fighters in Libya, concentrated around Sirte," Gentiloni said, referring to the coastal city lying midway between Tripoli and Benghazi. "But they are capable of attacking the Ras Lanouf oil refinery and of incursions into the northwest of the country, as we have seen in Sabratha and at the border with Tunisia," he noted. Gentiloni warned that local militias could join IS in a "macabre franchising" of the bloodthirsty Islamist group. "Italy needs to protect itself from this terrorist threat," he said. Earlier, Gentiloni told the Senate that Italy would only be involved in a military intervention in Libya if requested to by the North African country, and with parliamentary backing. Italy will not let itself be drawn into risky military intervention in Libya and will not be swayed by "drums of war", he said. "The Italian government will not be dragged into useless and even dangerous adventures for our national security," he said, noting there are 200,000 armed fighters in Libya including from various armies and militias and Italy will ignore "drums of war" and "jingoistic muscle-flexing". "To those urging military action against the Islamic State , we say military intervention is not the answer and could worsen the problem," he said, stressing his country would only be involved in a military mission if requested to by the North African country, with the backing of the Italian upper and lower houses of parliament. Europe and the US are considering a military response to IS's expansion in Libya, which has descended into chaos since the 2011 NATO-backed ouster of long-time dictator Muammer Gaddafi. Media reports have claimed French and Italian special forces are already on the ground. Italy will allow armed US drones to depart from Sigonella air base in Sicily to carry out defensive air strikes in North Africa "on a case by case basis", Italian premier Matteo Renzi announced last month. A member of the anti-IS coalition and Libya's biggest buyer of oil and gas, Italy has a particular interest in defeating Islamist militias and stabilising its former colony, where the turmoil is fuelling the smuggling of tens of thousands of migrants to Europe across the Mediterranean. --IANS/AKI vd Militants of the Islamic State (IS) had planned to use mustard gas in Iraq and Syria, US media reported on Wednesday, quoting US defence officials. Defence officials said that an IS detainee who was captured last month in Iraq by US special operations force, revealed this during interrogation, Xinhua reported. The IS operative was identified by US defence officials as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, a chemical and biological weapons expert who once worked for Iraq's Saddam Hussein government. He is currently held at a temporary detention facility in Erbil, Iraq, The New York Times reported. Quoting US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the newspaper said that the mustard gas, weaponised by the IS into powered form, was believed to be not concentrated enough to kill anyone. The detainee would be handed over to the Iraqi and Kurdish authorities instead of being held indefinitely by the US military, the report said, adding that the Pentagon did not intend to establish a long-term US facility to hold IS detainees. Japan on Wednesday defended its 1947 Imperial House Law, which allows only a male to succeed the Chrysanthemum throne, following its criticism in a UN committee report. The law is not designed to discriminate against women and is "based on popular support and reflect the history and traditions" of the imperial family of Japan, same as in cases of royal families in other countries, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Wednesday. Earlier, a report by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women had included a section that recommended Tokyo should modify the succession law to allow women to accede the throne. The recommendation has now been removed from the final version of the report, adopted on Monday by the UN committee, after Japan lodged a formal protest, Suga said. Under the Imperial House Law, Aiko, the only daughter of Japan's crown prince Naruhito, will not be able to succeed her father to the throne, which instead will pass on to Naruhito's nine-year-old nephew Hisahito. YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS. U.S. Special Forces captured the head of the Islamic State group's unit trying to develop chemical weapons in a raid last month in northern Iraq, Iraqi and U.S. officials told The Associated Press, the first known major success of Washington's more aggressive policy of pursuing IS militants on the ground, Armenpress reports citing abc NEWS website. The Obama administration launched the new strategy in December, deploying a commando force to Iraq that it said would be dedicated to capturing and killing IS leaders in clandestine operations, as well as generating intelligence leading to more raids. U.S. officials said last week that the expeditionary team had captured an Islamic State leader but had refused to identify him, saying only that he had been held for two or three weeks and was being questioned. Two Iraqi intelligence officials identified the man as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, who worked for Saddam Hussein's now-dissolved Military Industrialization Authority where he specialized in chemical and biological weapons. They said al-Afari, who is about 50 years old, heads the Islamic State group's recently established branch for the research and development of chemical weapons. He was captured in a raid near the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, the officials said. They would not give further details. In Washington, U.S. officials confirmed al-Afari's identity. The officials, who both have first-hand knowledge of the individual and of the IS chemical program, spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to talk to the media. No confirmation was available from U.S. officials. A U.S. official said on March 9 that one or more follow-up airstrikes were conducted against suspected IS chemical facilities in northern Iraq in recent days. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence-related operations, was unfamiliar with details of the airstrikes but indicated that they did not fully eliminate IS's suspected chemical threat. The U.S.-led coalition began targeting IS' chemical weapons infrastructure with airstrikes and special operations raids over the past two months, the Iraqi intelligence officials and a Western security official in Baghdad told the AP. Airstrikes are targeting laboratories and equipment, and further Special Forces raids targeting chemical weapons experts are planned, the intelligence officials said. They and the Western official also spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. IS has been making a determined effort to develop chemical weapons, Iraqi and American officials have said. The militant group, which emerged out of al-Qaida in Iraq, is believed to have set up a special unit for chemical weapons research, made up of Iraqi scientists from the Saddam-era weapons program as well as foreign experts. Japanese information technology company NEC has planned to sell its advanced early alert systems for earthquakes in different countries, including Latin America. The company announced in a statement on Wednesday that it has reached an agreement with the Central Weather Bureau in Taiwan for ground testing the technology in September, EFE news reported. NEC's cutting-edge technology records preliminary tremors and provides alerts, in the event of major earthquakes, to citizens by sending messages to all mobile phones nationwide or projecting warnings and sound alerts on televisions. The company has been working with the Japan Meteorological Agency who adopted the system in trial mode in 2004 and turned it into its standard alert system three years later, and this is the first step to commercialise the technology outside the country. The company hopes to receive an order from Taiwan around December and expects to begin offering its system to other earthquake-prone regions in Asia such as Indonesia, Burma, the Philippines and Nepal, and also to Latin American countries such as Peru and Chile. Each system is valued at an amount ranging from $44 million to $88 million and includes, apart from the software, the installation of high performance seismometres and construction of a telecommunications infrastructure capable of collecting the data generated by the system, as well as operational support from NEC. In a serious jolt to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Telangana, two of its legislators crossed over to ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). Maganti Gopinath and Arikepudi Gandhi on Wednesday wrote a letter to Speaker Madhusudhana Chary, requesting him to merge them with TRS legislature party. The development came a day ahead of the budget session of the state legislature, beginning on Thursday. Both are legislators from Greater Hyderabad. Maganti, who represents the Jubliee Hills constituency, was also the president of TDP's Greater Hyderabad unit. Gandhi represents Serilingampalli constituency. This setback will leave TDP with just three members in 120-member state assembly. The party had won 15 seats in 2014 elections but 12 of the legislators have so far switched loyalties to TRS. Last month, five TDP MLAs including E. Dayakar Rao, who was leader of TDP in the assembly, had crossed over to TRS. They along with five other who earlier defected to TRS had written a letter to the speaker urging him to merge them into TRS legislature party. Kashmir issue should not be a pre-condition for resumption of India-Pakistan dialogue, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said. Hammond, who is on a two-day visit to Islamabad, on Tuesday urged both the countries not to provide space to non-state actors, militants and terrorists to derail the talks process, Dawn online reported. Hammond made the remarks in a meeting with Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz. He also met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif. Addressing a joint news conference with Aziz, Hammond said that India-Pakistan dialogue is essential for long-term economic development, peace and security in the region. "I must appreciate the beginning of investigation by Pakistan into the Pathankot attack," Hammond said. He also appreciated Islamabad for its resilience and resolve against terrorism, and said that days ahead for Pakistan would be safer and stable. During the talks, Britain and Pakistan also reviewed the security situation in Afghanistan, including the reconciliation process. "Terrorism in Pakistan and Afghanistan is a mutual problem which needs to be tackled jointly," Hammond said. He said there is a trust deficit between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which could be overcome when Islamabad and Kabul take steps to tighten space for militants. "Under the strategic dialogue we have five strands of cooperation: trade and business relations, financial and development cooperation, education and health, consultations on defence and security, and cultural cooperation," Aziz said. "In 2014 we prepared roadmaps and targets for each strand of cooperation to provide guidance to the concerned ministries and organisations for implementation," he added. A senior BJP leader on Wednesday denied media reports about union HRD Minister Smriti Irani allegedly behaving rudely with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in January. The chief minister had gone to meet her in her office in Delhi to seek funds for the off-campus centre of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) at Malappuram in the state. "The United Progressive Alliance government during the last leg of its second term in office sanctioned five off-campus centres of AMU due to vote bank politics. For necessary amendments to the law, the Congress will have to cooperate in the Rajya Sabha. "As things stand today, these five AMU centres do not have any legal sanctity and cannot be given any help by the Centre," former state BJP president V. Muraleedharan told reporters here. Media reports said that when Chandy sought her help on the matter, the union human resource development minister allegedly told him bluntly that he could take back more than 300 acres of land the Kerala government had allotted to the AMU off-campus centre at Malappuram. On his part, Chandy told IANS that he did not wish to comment. This question could be put to others present along with him during the meeting with Irani, he added. Chandy was accompanied by senior leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League. Khadi, the 'Made in India' fabric, has generated interest in the West, but there are problems that the sector needs to address if it is to widen its appeal, says the head honcho of Moral Fibre Fabrics, which has supplied khadi to Hollywood. "With encouragement to the khadi movement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, khadi is generating a lot of interest. This is the time to go deeper and evaluate the sector and its impact from all angles," Shailini Sheth Amin, the creative mind behind the Ahmedabad-based company, told IANS in an email interview. "Right now we have some focus on this most valued but dying legacy of khadi," he said. Noting that today's youth will not wear khadi for its symbolism or under any emotional pressure, Amin said the fabric needs to be seen as "much more than 'heritage' and a 'fashion statement'. It should reach beyond 'bhandars' and fashion shows". Moral Fibre Fabrics is a web-based social enterprise set up in 2008, and works locally with a few khadi cooperatives around Ahmedabad, creating work opportunities in production, processing, dyeing, printing and tailoring. With the business-to-business wholesale marketplace model, the brand has an international buyer base in Britain, the US, Australia and some European countries. The company's fabric has also been used in Hollywood films like "Pan", and it regularly supplies Oscar-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran, who has designed costumes for movies like "Pride and Prejudice", "Atonement" and "Anna Karenina". When Amin set up her brand, her aim was to reinvent khadi as a socially and environmentally sustainable fabric while maintaining high quality standards. But the journey has not been easy. "I could see that there was a need to upgrade and reinvent khadi as the most environmentally-sustainable fabric and expand its varied uses. I realised that the lack of marketing orientation and technological obsolescence are the major obstacles for khadi to play a larger role in the Indian textile arena," she said. "When I started, almost no one believed in what we did. In fact, most of the people I came across in the field... themselves did not believe in the hand-crafted fabric. No one was interested in taking it forward. "Khadi fabric was considered to be badly made, badly sold and cheap-looking. This fabric had, and still has, big identity issues and it was considered an attire of corrupt politicians," said Amin. Of late, several fashion designers have been doing their bit to popularise the fabric -- famously used by Mahatma Gandhi as a symbol of protest against the British Raj -- in creative ways. When she started out, Amin found that her brand had more international than domestic buyers -- some 85 percent of sales came from abroad. The milestone moment for the brand, she said, came when they supplied fabric to Hollywood projects. "Our fabrics were seen by a sourcing agent for a film in a London shop and she got in touch with us. She was very pleased when she heard about the social and environmental sustainability credentials of these fabrics." Amin feels proud that the "rustic fabric made by spinners and weavers from small villages in Gujarat is now recognised the world over". (Nivedita can be contacted at Nivedita.s@ians.in) Over 500 magicians from across India are here to showcase their bag of tricks and illusions at the five-day long Magic Fair, organisers said here on Wednesday. "Artistes with expertise in ventriloquism, juggling, puppet shows, hand shadow-graphy and street magic have gathered here from 11 Indian states to showcase their skills in the third edition of the fair. Experts from neighbouring countries like Bangladesh are also present," a member of Federation of Indian Magic Associates, the organising body, told IANS. Acts like close-up, impromptu and conjuring magic are the highlights of the fest while sand animation workshops are slated to be held on the sidelines of the event which is being held at Rabindra Sadan. "This is the largest and only such fair in Asia. Earlier magicians had a tough time to eke out a living but now they are getting invitations to launch products etc.," the member said. Striking a conciliatory tone, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday thanked the opposition in the Rajya Sabha for cooperation in ensuring that the upper house functioned well, and appealed for the passage of bills already passed in the Lok Sabha. Unlike the previous sessions, the proceedings were going on smoothly during the ongoing budget session, Modi said in the Rajya Sabha while replying to a debate on the motion of thanks on the President's Address to parliament. "Members, even after working overtime, were happy. I spoke to some of them; they were happy as they could put their point before the house," he said. The prime minister also urged the opposition in the Rajya Sabha to support the bills already passed by the Lok Sabha, saying the country was waiting for the legislations to be passed. He also laid emphasis on cooperation between the two houses to ensure the country progressed. Modi appreciated the members for raising their concerns during the question hour. "The question hour is very important. Members (ministers) are working overtime to prepare themselves to answer any question they may face (related to their ministries)," he said, and added "this is the power of democarcy". Modi said the house was positively influenced by President Pranab Mukherjee's address since the latter had urged all members to allow the smooth conduct of parliament. Describing the upper house as the "chamber of ideas", the prime minister said there has be a "balance" between the two houses of parliament. "They must cooperate with each other," he said. Modi said everybody has to work together to take the country forward. "It's not about blaming this or that government; we must cooperate with each other," he said, striking a conciliatory tone. The prime minister said that the National Democratic Alliance government was a "policy-driven government" trying to ensure transparency in every sphere of life. Modi said his government was also decentralising things since India was a big country and it was not good that the people have to come to Delhi for all sorts of clearances. He also took a dig at the Congress, saying had the earlier governments led by the present opposition party worked properly, he would not have to do a lot of things as prime minister. "Today, you are going around with a microscope (to find faults with my government). Had you tried working with a binocular, I would not have to work so hard now," he said after Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad raised the issue of Jan Dhan Yojana. In a rare moment of bonhomie between the treasury and opposition benches in parliament, union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday earned praise from the opposition members in the Lok Sabha. To slow down a spacecraft as it descends and lands on a distant planet on deeper space mission including Mars, NASA engineers are testing inflatable heat shield technology at the US space agency's Langley Research Centre in Hampton, Virginia. Engineers recently put the technology to the test by packing a nine-foot diameter donut-shaped test article - also known as a torus - to simulate what would happen before a space mission. Called the Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD), it works like a parachute, using the drag of a planet's atmosphere to slow the space vehicle as it descends toward the surface. Slowing the spacecraft protects it from the intense heat of atmospheric entry and allows it to land more softly. The technology will enable the delivery of heavy cargo, science instruments and people to other worlds. It could also be used to retrieve cargo from the International Space Station (ISS) and return it to Earth. "During testing, we used a vacuum pump to compress the test article into a small space," said Keith Johnson, a lead engineer for the project in a statement. "We packed and unpacked it and did thorough inspections to check for leaks and damage to the Zylon and Teflon materials. We repeated this three times," he added. According to test engineer Sean Hancock, HIAD was packed the same way each time to see how the material would handle folding, packing, and compressing. Doing so helps engineers understand how it would perform after exposure to handling, storage and deployment during a space flight mission. "The test included all the components for the latest inflatable torus design, so it was a good final check to prove that the materials can tolerate packing," Johnson added. After the successful testing, NASA engineers can move forward in the development of creating a larger HIAD that can withstand the stress of being tightly packed in a rocket and the high temperatures experienced when it descends through the atmosphere of a planet such as Mars. "In the end, we'll have a complete system that will be tested to show that it can meet the requirements for a space flight mission whether it's going to be returning a vehicle to Earth or future Mars missions," Johnson noted. Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti on Wednesday said her ministry had "no role" in granting permission to the World Culture Festival event being organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar-led Art of Living Foundation. "I want to make it very clear that my ministry has no role in giving or cancelling the permission," Bharti told reporters here, adding, however, that as a social activist and political leader she extends her full support to the festival. Extending her best wishes for the "success" of the mega event that has run into controversy over allegations of violation of environment rules, Bharti hoped the programme would bring Yamuna into focus and make people more sensitive to the needs of keeping this river clean. The minister expressed the hope that organisers of the event were responsible enough to follow the environment related stipulations. Sri Lanka on Wednesday said that there was no security threat in the island nation despite an increase in the crime rate. Security has been tightened in the capital city of Colombo and the south, and most of the incidents of crime had occurred due to personal conflicts, Xinhua quoted a police official as saying. In recent weeks, Sri Lanka has recorded a surge in gang-related shootings, the latest being on March 5, when a pregnant woman was shot by two unidentified gunmen opposite Colombo's Welikada Prison. The rise in shootings has also led to snap roadblocks in Colombo and special operational units were set up in many police stations in the country. A modest tax of 20 per tonne of carbon emissions across the UK economy would have 'little impact' on consumer prices, a new study from London School of Economics has found. The research found that consumer costs would increase by up to 0.9%, assuming all charges were passed along supply chains. However the researchers suggested that the actual costs could be even lower than that as consumers change their behaviour, businesses reduce emissions and tax revenues are recycled back into the economy. The paper states: In reality this impact would likely be smaller than these estimates suggest because our analysis has not allowed for any of the input substitution, innovation, production method change, or new investment behaviour that industries would exhibit to avoid the cost of carbon pricing. The researches claimed a carbon tax would provide incentives to increase energy efficiency and resource productivity. "This could afford UK producers a competitive advantage in the long term, in a world where fossil fuel prices could rise and carbon reduction policies are likely to become more widespread and ambitious, the paper said. Times are a-changing The researchers found that only a small number of industries including the oil refinement, coal, iron and cement sectors are likely to face production cost increases that put them under pressure from competition abroad. These industries account for 2% of UK GDP. The researchers recognised that new policies must be created to protect these energy-intensive industries. They wrote: The correct policy response is not to resist this change but to identify vulnerable sectors and buffer labour market participants against its sharpest effects. Countries and firms that resist enduring change and innovation may not be acting in their long-term interests. Elon Musk went on record in December saying the widespread introduction of a carbon price could halve the time it takes the world to transition to clean energy. He is joined in his support of a carbon price by broad coalition of organisations, including BP, Mars, Statoil, the New Climate Economy, Angela Merkel, Francis Hollande, the World Bank and Ikea. The opposition on Wednesday criticised the government in the Rajya Sabha for using army personnel for a three-day World Cultural Festival being organised by on the Yamuna floodplains here. The issue was raised by Sharad Yadav (JD-U) and other members during Zero Hour. Amid ruckus, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury said it was "highly irregular" that the services of Indian Army personnel were enlisted for a "private event". MoS for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said army deployment was from security point of view. "We are discussing this issue when the Green Tribunal is hearing the case...," he said, asserting the government is committed for environmental protection of either the Ganga or the Yamuna. "To doubt the intent of organisers will not be fair," Naqvi said. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said he was concerned about the event as Delhi Police had also raised security concerns. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is Leader of the House, said it was not proper to raise the issue in the Rajya Sabha when a tribunal is hearing it. "Rule 69 makes it absolutely clear that when a tribunal is hearing ...it cannot be raised," Jaitley said. Opposition members, however, remained dissatisfied. For the second year in a row, the government faced embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday as opposition parties joined hands to force an amendment to the motion of thanks on the president's address, despite an appeal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to approve it unanimously. The amendment added a line to the motion of thanks, saying the Rajya Sabha regretted that the president's address did not mention that the government is committed to securing the fundamental right of all citizen to contest elections at all levels. The motion of thanks read: "The members of the Rajya Sabha assembled in this session are deeply grateful to the president for the address he has been pleased to deliver to both houses of parliament assembled together on February 23 2016... but regret that the address does not mention that the government is committed to securing the fundamental right of all citizen to contest election at all level, including panchayat, to further strengthen the foundations of democracy which also forms part of the basic structure of constitution and is consistent with the spirit of the 73rd amendment to the constitution intended to expand and encourage the poor and the marginalised without embossing education or any limitation on the right to contest election." The motion of thanks is a message sent to the president separately by the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha for his address to the joint sitting of both the houses at the beginning of the budget session every year. The address itself is prepared by the government, but read out by the president. Traditionally, the motion of thanks has been passed without changes, but last year, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury moved an amendment which was passed, and this time it was leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad who moved the amendment. This was despite the prime minister's appeal. The prime minister, in his reply to the debate on the motion of thanks, said: "I will appeal to the members, trusting the president's vision, withdraw the amendments and pass the motion of thanks unanimously." However, that was not to be. Azad moved the amendment with reference to the education qualifications set for panchayat elections in Haryana and Rajasthan, even as the two states were not mentioned in the motion. Leader of the house Arun Jaitley argued that the amendment could not be moved as it referred to an issue that came under the state subject. "If we put this to vote, every state will have the right to move resolution criticising the decisions made by parliament," Jaitley said. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu also pointed out that the right to contest election was not a fundamental right, unlike the right to vote. He said that the Centre had no role in the decision. Despite the government's attempts, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien permitted the amendment as it did not refer to any state. "There is no mention of any state legislature. If there was a direct mention, we could have considered it in a different way," Kurien said, deciding to put the amendment to vote. It was then passed by the upper house after a division, which involved electronic voting. As many as 94 of the 155 members present in the house voted in favour. The opposition members were seen cheering the verdict, as the treasury benches appeared glum. Interestingly, none of the Bahujan Samaj Party members were present in the house at the time of voting, even though its supremo Mayawati was present during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech. In 2015, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury had moved a motion regretting that there was no mention of corruption and black money in the president's speech. Azad, during the course of the debate, had asked the Centre to bring in legislation to roll back the provision on minimum educational qualifications, made mandatory for fighting panchayat elections in Rajasthan and Haryana. Modi, in his reply, snubbed Azad, and said the parties protesting the imposition of minimum qualifications should give 30 percent tickets to illiterate candidates in the coming assembly polls (in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry). "There is attempt to bring qualitative change in . Some are giving it political colours. Those who say what about those who remained uneducated, I will urge them to give 30 percent tickets to illiterate candidates," Modi said. A pilot was killed and two crew members went missing as a cargo plane crashed into the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Bangladesh's Cox's Bazaar district on Wednesday. The Jessore-bound aircraft, used for carrying cargo of shrimp, crashed into the sea around 9.30 a.m., bdnews24.com quoted a beach town airport authority as saying. The accident occurred at the Naziratek Point of the sea, five km off the town, he said. A pilot was killed and two crew members were missing as a cargo plane crashed into the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Bangladesh's Cox's Bazaar district on Wednesday. The Jessore-bound aircraft crashed into the sea around 9.30 a.m., bdnews24.com quoted a beach town airport authority as saying. The accident occurred at the Naziratek Point of the sea, five km off the town, he said. Police said the Antonov A26 aircraft, operated by True Aviation, was used for carrying shrimps cargo between Cox's Bazar and Jessore. "All four on board were Russian nationals," Cox's Bazar police said. A search and rescue operation began immediately after the crash that took place almost a km off the beach. The fire service also joined the rescue mission. One person was rescued around 10 a.m. and taken to the hospital, said a fire service official, adding that they were still looking for the two missing. The hospital's emergency wing doctor Nobel Kumar Barua said the rescued person "is in critical condition." Lack of "structural stability" is among five major "shortcomings" detected by Delhi Police in the infrastructure being readied for the three-day World Culture Festival being organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living Foundation on the Yamuna flood plain in the national capital. The police report, recently submitted to the Home and Urban Development ministries, raised serious concern about the law and order situation during the event due to these defects. The report reveals that the basic requirement of the festival, on structural stability, is yet to get approval certification from the authority concerned. Delhi Police officers had inspected the venue with other government agencies involved in the organisation of the event. The AoL Foundation had said in its promotional literature that it was expecting 35 lakh people at the venue, although on Wednesday it told the Green Tribunal that the number of people at the festival would be around three lakh only. The venue is spread over 1,000 acres. The structural stability of the stage is a significant issue as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, besides other VIPs, is expected to attend the event. "The Delhi Police raised the security concern as it has to maintain law and order in the city along with the responsibility of prime minister's security," said a Delhi Police officer, on condition of anonymity. The passages leading to the event are also of major security concern to the Delhi Police brass as the number of temporary pontoon bridges constructed on the Yamuna river were only half of the number promised by the event organisers. Police said the event managers had promised to prepare seven such bridges but only two had been set up so far two days ahead of the event. The inspection team of the Delhi Police paid attention to these bridges as 15,000 people are expected to cross them in an hour, which could develop into a stampede-like situation. Further, there is no protection -- like handrails -- on the sides of the pontoon bridges which could prove to be life threatening as people may fall into the river while crossing, the report said. The report also mentioned the threat perception at such a mass gathering, in the wake of an Intelligence Bureau alert about the infiltration of 10 suspected terrorists through the Gujarat border with Pakistan. Lack of enough parking space is also a major lacuna in planning, the police report mentioned. "Organisers have claimed that around 10,000-12,000 cars, carrying VVIPs, would reach the venue. But the land for suitable parking has yet to be prepared," the report said. In response to the report, the home ministry has ordered the police to handle the event "carefully with adequate measures". Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday strongly defended his government's ambitious promise to double farmers' income in five years, that was doubted by the opposition. "Of course it is possible to double farmers' income," Modi said, responding to the debate in the Rajya Sabha on the motion of thanks on the President's Address to parliament. He said he was "not an economist like (former prime minister) Manmohan Singh and that is why I am not that knowledgeable". "But," Modi added, "I have worked with farmers and know some things." He said the ambitious plan was possible if farmers start using novel agricultural practices and value-add their products. Modi called for focusing attention on the health of soil in agricultural areas across the country that "will boost productivity" and enhance farmer income. "We have to work towards value addition. We have laid strong emphasis on value addition of agricultural products," the prime minister said. Revisiting the Indus Waters Treaty could open a Pandora's box for Pakistan, said an influential Pakistani daily. An editorial "Indus Waters Treaty" in the Dawn on Wednesday said that the Senate resolution asking the government to 'revisit' the Indus Waters Treaty with India is "bizarre". "What is even more confusing is the eagerness with which the resolution was supported by senators from the PPP, who have had many opportunities in power to do exactly that, but had made no mention of it until now," it said. The daily added: "It appears the senators are either not aware what 'revisiting' the treaty would entail or are not serious about what they are saying." The daily said that "revisiting this treaty could open a Pandora's box for Pakistan, and may not work to its advantage given India's far greater autonomy of action today as compared to the years following Partition, when the treaty was negotiated". "What must also be realised is that Pakistan's water woes are more a result of domestic realities than anything connected with the treaty." The editorial went on to say that agriculture accounts for the bulk of freshwater utilisation in Pakistan, and the problems are linked more to the entitlements regime that govern water allocations, as well as wasteful farm practices. "Hardly any effort has been made to rectify these or build more reservoirs." The daily wondered: "What legal options does Pakistan have to force India to 'revisit' the treaty? What would we seek to get out of this process? And what leverage do we have to obtain compliance with our terms?" It noted that the "hapless minister of state for water and power tried to point out these issues, but the chair sent the resolution for a vote before they could be addressed." "As a result, the situation ended up looking a little absurd, with the Senate holding a bombastic resolution in its hands but without a clue about what to do next." In reciting Urdu poet Nida Fazli's famous ghazal "safar main dhoop to hogi..." in the packed Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made known his difficult situation due to key bills stalled in parliament and asked the opposition to "change" its behaviour. It was an unusually soft-toned poetic Modi mixing his political predicament vis-a-vis paucity of numbers in the Rajya Sabha with literature, making a passionate appeal to the opposition to allow the government secure passage of crucial economic bills, including the Goods and Services Tax. The government doesn't have the required numbers in the Rajya Sabha where the opposition is in majority. Consequently, various key reform legislations, including the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill, stand stalled. "Safar main dhoop to hogi, jo chal sako to chalo," he said, invoking the famous Urdu poet and asking the opposition to walk along with him in his difficult journey under the scorching sun. There was thunderous applause from his colleagues in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and allies with opposition leaders, including his predecessor Manmohan Singh, smiling, when Modi asked the oppositon to change its disruptive tactics. "Kissi ke waaste raahein kahan badalti hain; tum apne aap ko khud hi badal sako to chalo" (Paths don't change their course for anybody; if you can change yourself, please do"), he implored quoting the poet. And then Modi asked the opposition to walk along on his path towards development: "Sabhi hain bheed main; tum bhi nikal sako to chalo." He said the culture of Indian political conduct was such that no one makes way for anyone and added that he doesn't mind being criticised if that helps the opposition to tread a corrective path. "Yahan kisi ko koi raasta nahin deta; mujhe girakay agar tum sambhal sako to chalo." And his voice diminished in the loud beating of the desks, when he dealt a final literary blow. "Yahi hai zindagi, kuchh khwab, kuchh chand ummeedain; Inhi khilonon se tum bhi bahal sako to chalo." "This is all that life is about -- a few dreams, a few wishes, and if you want to amuse yourself with these toys, please do." Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Wednesday stressed his country's support for the UN envoy's efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Yemeni crisis, Al Arabiya News reported. The announcement was made after a meeting in Riyadh of the Arab foreign ministers to discuss various regional issues, Xinhua reported. A Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis in Yemen welcomed on Wednesday the state of "calm" on the Saudi-Yemeni border to reach a political solution under the UN. The coalition, which has been engaged in a war in Yemen for almost a year, hailed the mediation of allowing the entry of medical and humanitarian aid to the nearby Yemeni villages. Meanwhile, spokesman for the coalition Brigadier Ahmed Asiri told reporters that the state of calmness and the Saudi commitment to a political solution in Yemen does not mean any negotiation with the Houthis. Also, the Gulf Cooperation Council countries expressed, in a joint statement, their support for a political solution in Syria and the importance of keeping Syria's territories unified. They also urged the UN Security Council for a process that could impose a more effective cease-fire in Syria. They reiterated their rejection to Iran's interference in the region and emphasised that Lebanon's Shia organisation Hezbollah is terrorist. The Saudi-coalition has reached a peace deal with Yemen's Shia Houthi rebels to secure the shared borders between the two countries, Yemen's foreign minister said on Wednesday. "The Saudi government has notified the Yemeni government of a truce deal with Houthi group to secure the borders shared between the two countries and to secure delivering aids to the damaged areas near the Yemeni-Saudi border," Xinhua quoted Foreign Minister Abdulmalik al-Mekhlafi as saying. "The government has also exchanged an officer detained by Houthis for seven Yemenis," he said. The Iran-backed Shia rebels in Yemen, sent a delegation to Saudi Arabia to negotiate a truce and exchange of prisoners on Monday, sources close to Houthi group said, adding that the move was mediated by Oman. More than 6,000 Yemenis have been killed in ground battles and air strikes, half of them were civilians since the Saudi government started daily air bombing on the Shia Houthi rebels and their allied forces in March 2015. The Supreme Court Wednesday extended, till April 28, the interim bail granted to social activists Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand in the alleged misuse of funds collected by their NGO Sabrang Trust for setting up a museum at Gulbarga Society which witnessed one of the worst carnage during 2002 Gujarat riots. Extending the interim protection, the bench of Justice Anil R. Dave, Justice Fakkir Mohammed Ibrahim Kalifulla and Justice V. Gopala Gowda also directed the registry of the court to place the matter before Chief Justice T.S.Thakur for its listing before a regular bench. Setalvad and Anand were granted interim bail by the apex court on February 19, 2015, as it restrained the Gujarat Police from arresting them in the case. The couple had moved the apex court challenging the Gujarat High Court's February 12 verdict declining them anticipatory bail in the alleged misuse of funds case. On January 28, the court had extended the protection till March 18. The court is also hearing a plea by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which has challenged the August 11, 2015, Bombay High Court order granting anticipatory bail to the couple, holding that the documents being sought by the CBI relates to accounts and therefore it does not require custodial interrogation and both were unlikely to flee the country. The apex court on December 1, 2015, had issued notice to the CBI on Setalvad's plea also challenging that part of the Bombay High Court on August 11, 2015 verdict which said that they were in breach of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. Setalvad has contended that there was no basis for the high court to say so. The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to beleaguered liquor baron Vijay Mallya on a plea by a consortium of 17 banks led by the SBI seeking his personal appearance before it along with his passport as it was told that he has already left the country. A bench of Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman issued notice as Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said that Mallya left soon after the consortium moved applications on March 2 before the Bengaluru-based Debt Recovery Tribunal to restrain British liquor major Diageo from paying him $75 million. Urging the court to ask Mallya to "appear before the court and bring his passport", Rohatgi said that the businessman is now posting messages like "I am not an absconder. I will come and clear the dues" on his social media account Telling the court that the banks were only interested in the recovery of loans given to Mallya's now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, he said: "We are not after everybody. We are not after his blood." He said that Mallya was using one pretext or the other for avoiding the settlement of the loans and had tried to delay the proceedings before the debt recovery tribunal in Bengaluru and Goa. He said that according to their information Mallya possesses "tremendous" movable and immovable assets in Britain that that are far in excess of the loans that he has to pay. The notice, returnable in two weeks, will be issued to him personally, through his company United Breweries (Holding) Limited, through his lawyers who appeared for him in the Karnataka High Court and in DRT and through the Indian High Commission in London. The notice will also be served on him on his official Rajya Sabha email ID. The court directed the next hearing of the matter on March 30. The bank consortium had sought the court's order restraining Mallya from leaving the country, his arrest and impounding of his passport, and have challenged March 4 order of the Karnataka High Court not accepting their plea. The high court instead of passing an interim order restraining Mallya from leaving the country as sough, had asked him, Diageo Holding Netherlands B.V., Diageo Holdings and United Spirits Ltd to file their objections to the banks' plea, the banks said in their plea, adding that the high court ought to have appreciated that the plea for an interim order seeking impounding Mallya's passport "was very urgent" as if he was to "succeed in moving away from India and settling in London", then the purpose of the entire exercise would be defeated. They said by way of Master Debt Recast Agreement, the existing loans were restructured and treated as a single facility on December 21, 2010," and Mallya and United Breweries (Holding) Ltd executed a corporate guarantee and personal guarantee on the same date itself assuring the repayment of entire amount. Since these accounts were not serviced and were declared as Non-Performing Assets, the consortium moved DRT for the recovery of the money. Addressing the court, Rohatgi said that the secured assets which Mallya has pledged are not even one-15th of the more than Rs.9,000 crore which he had taken for his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines. As the court asked how the banks could advance such a huge loan without matching securities and "if loans were against secured assets", he said that they were given against the brand and logo of Kingfisher Airlines which at that point of time was huge but now has collapsed. To this, Justice Joseph asked "if it is permissible" to advance loans against brands and logos. Besides State Bank of India, other banks who gave loans include State Bank of Baroda, State Bank of Mysore, Axis Bank, Corporation Bank, the Federal Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank, IDBI Bank, Punjab National Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, UCO Bank and United Bank of India. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif finalised the strategy for his Wednesday's trip to Saudi Arabia, where he is likely to define the role Islamabad will play in the 34-nation counter-terrorism alliance formed by the kingdom. Sharif on Tuesday met his top foreign policy, economy, military and intelligence advisers before he and the army chief General Raheel Sharif leave for Saudi Arabia, Dawn online reported. Sharif will attend the concluding ceremony of the multinational counter-terrorism exercise -- Raad al-Shamal. Discussions on the shape and scope of activities of the Saudi-led alliance are also expected to take place on the sidelines of the ceremony. Pakistan has kept its position on the alliance vague, but government ministers have on different occasions hinted that it could help in intelligence sharing, capacity building, provision of military hardware and formulation of counter-narrative to extremist propaganda. Anticipating a major return for engagement with Saudi Arabia in its venture, the government is pushing for a more active involvement in the alliance. The meeting, according to a source, also discussed the progress in investigation into the involvement of Pakistan-based militants in the Pathankot airbase attack and the impending visit of the investigation team to India for collecting further evidence. The investigation team is expected to travel to India in the next few days. Pakistan tipped off India about a terrorist plot hatched by Lashkar-e-Taiba for whose execution it was said that a team of 10-15 militants had crossed the border. In the domestic context, the meeting discussed the Karachi situation, terrorist attack on the court complex in Charsadda and the last phase of ongoing Shawal operation. The statement said the meeting had reaffirmed the government's commitment to fighting terrorism. "The meeting agreed that elimination of terrorism from our soil is a national resolve and paid tribute to the personnel of law-enforcement and security agencies who embraced martyrdom while fighting this menace of terrorism," it said. Sharif and General Raheel leave on Wednesday on a three-days visit to Saudi Arabia. Actor Simbu left everybody on the sets of his upcoming Tamil romantic-drama "Accham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada" stunned when he wrapped up a month-long schedule in just 14 days, despite an injury that he sustained during the course of the shoot. "The final schedule was supposed to be completed in a month, but Simbu ensured that he completed the shoot in 14 days. While the team feared the shoot might be postponed after he was injured on the sets, Simbu managed to complete everything much in advance," a source from the film's unit told IANS. Simbu sustained the injury last month while performing a stunt sequence. "The injury didn't stop him from shooting. As promised early on, Simbu wanted to complete shooting and then take a break. There were days he would shoot non-stop for many hours. The team was stunned with his commitment," he said. Barring one song, which will be shot abroad, the rest of the talkie portion of the film has been wrapped up. "The song is most likely to be shot later this month. The makers are currently on the lookout for a suitable location overseas," the source added. Directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon, the film also stars Madonna Sebastian and has music by double Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman. Suzlon Group plans to set up renewable energy units in Telangana with an investment of Rs.1,200 crore, the state government said on Wednesday. The announcement came after the state's Information Technology and Urban Development Minister K.T. Rama Rao on Wednesday met Suzlon chairman and managing director Tulsi R. Tanti in Mumbai. According to a statement from the state government here, Suzlon plans to set up 3,000 MW solar, wind hybrid power plants in the state. The minister assured all the support to the company. Rama Rao also met Kotak Group managing director and vice-president Uday Kotak, who said that the group will make more investment and create new jobs in Telangana. The minister also called on Mahindra Group chairman and managing director Anand Mahindra and discussed the group's investment and expansion plans in Telangana. Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, delivered the keynote address at VC Circle Partners summit, explaining the investment opportunities in Telangana and the policy initiatives taken by the government. A Thane college girl studying in Mumbai has been selected to attend the US Presidential Inauguration Leadership Summit to be held in Washington next year. Oishika Neogi, 16, who just completed her Class 12 exams in science stream from the B.K. Gadia A Level Junior College in Malad, north-west Mumbai, will represent India at the global summit of youngsters in January 2017 and interact with the newly-elected President and Vice-President of the US. Among the other invitees at the same event will be the youngest ever Nobel laureate, Pakistani girl activist Malala and her father Ziauddin Yousafzai. "I am really keen to meet them both," Oishika said. B.K. Gadia College principal Arundhati Nikam is pleased with Oishika's achievement and praised her as "a rare and gifted child, besides being an excellent orator". The Kolkata-born girl got the opportunity after winning the declamation contest at the Global Young Leaders Conference in the US in June 2015 after she excelled in the Harvard Model United Nations competition in Hyderabad. "The UN Model debates were specially conducted for students interested in international relations to expose them to a global audience. The Model United Nations events are designed for this," Oishika said. The D.G. Khetan International School, of which B.K. Gadia A Level Junior College is part, conducts a Mock UN Debate annually which Oishika won, and then went on to excel at the Hyderabad event before she travelled to Washington DC and New York last year for GYLC. However, though she would be attending the new US President's inauguration, Oishika shies away from making any prediction on who would be next incumbent at the White House. "I adore both President Barack Obama and Mitchelle and would love to meet them sometime...," Oishika gushed. On the upcoming US poll battle for the White House, she said: "Personally, I would like Hillary Clinton to win as it could be a historic achievement for a woman to become the US President, and I am sure she would make a great leader." On Donald Trump, she said: "Though he is aggressive, Americans seem to like him and most people have expressed that US has remained calm for too long and needs some aggression now." On her future plans, Oishika wants to become a television media professional and cover the United Nations sometime as that would be "a dream assignment". Besides pursuing undergrad studies and knowledge about global affairs, Oishika is training in western dancing and theatre, and does painting. She also loves to gorge alike on continental and spicy Indian cuisine. She lives with her mother Chumki Neogi in Thane's Mira Road suburb. One of Sri Lanka's most venerated Buddhist monk, Galagama Attadassi Thero, passed away on Wednesday after suffering a fall. He was the chief prelate of the Asgiriya chapter of the Siam sect, one of the highest positions held by a Buddhist monk in the island nation, Xinhua reported. Thero was hospitalised earlier on Wednesday after he suffered a fall within the temple premises and was rushed to the Kandy Hospital in the Central Hills of the country. He was 94 years old. Local media reports said that he was unconscious at the time he was admitted to hospital. Thero was appointed as the Mahanayake of the Asgiriya chapter in May 2015, following the passing away of Udugama Sri Buddharakkhitha Thera. Extending its string of victories further, Telangana's ruling TRS on Wednesday registered a clean sweep in the elections to Warangal and Khammam municipal corporations and one nagar panchayat in the state. In Warangal, the second biggest city in the state after Hyderabad, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) won 44 seats in 58-member municipal corporation. Congress, the main opposition party, won four seats. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) got a seat each. Eight independent candidates were also elected. The ruling party secured a clear majority by winning 34 seats in 50-member Khammam municipal corporation. Congress won two seats. Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI-M and YSR Congress Party bagged two seats each. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) drew a blank in both the corporations, adding to the party's woes in the state. TRS had a clean sweep in Achampet nagar panchayat in Mahabubnagar district. It won all 20 seats, completely eliminating the opposition. The ruling party's victory in these elections came close on the heels of its massive win in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the win in by-election to Narayankhed assembly seat with a huge majority last month. Celebrations erupted in the TRS camp in Warangal, Khammam and Achampet. Chief Minister and TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao said the results show people's wholehearted support to the welfare and development programmes of the TRS government. Republican frontrunner Donald Trump scored convincing victories in the Michigan and Mississippi presidential primaries to regain momentum in the face of the party establishment's concerted efforts to trip him. Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton also won a decisive victory in the party's Mississippi primary Tuesday but was locked in a tight contest with her self-styled Democratic Socialist opponent Bernie Sanders in Michigan. Trump, who has scored 14 victories in 21 contests so far set at rest doubts raised about his popularity among angry Republican voters after Kansas and Maine favoured rival Texas Senator Ted Cruz on Saturday. Cruz has won six states to date, while establishment favourite Marco Rubio has won just two and Ohio Governor John Kasich has yet to notch a win. As if to answer critics like the 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who has mounted a major effort to derail him calling him "a phony and a fraud" and not a very successful businessman, Trump used products like Trump water, Trump wine and Trump steaks as props as he celebrated his twin victories Tuesday. "I don't think I've ever had so many horrible, horrible things said about me in one week -- $38 million worth of horrible lies, but that's okay," he said at a news conference in Jupiter, Florida noting the efforts to take him down have not been successful. "It shows you how brilliant the public is, because they knew they were lies," he said. Kasich, at an election night rally in Columbus, Ohio, celebrated his stronger-than-expected finish in Michigan and reiterated his confidence that he'll win his home state of Ohio next Tuesday. "We're all familiar with March Madness, and now the home-court advantage is coming north. And next week we're going to win the state of Ohio," he said to cheers. On the Democratic side, Clinton praised the campaigns she and Sanders have been running while she slammed the divisiveness in the Republican race. "Running for president shouldn't be about delivering insults, it should be about delivering results for the American people," she told supporters in Cleveland, Ohio. Sanders, meanwhile, held an election night rally in Florida, which also holds its primary next Tuesday, where 246 delegates are at stake. "Next Tuesday here in Florida, let's show the world... let's show the world that democracy is alive and well with a yuge voter turnout. Yuge!" Sanders told his supporters imitating Trump. "The political revolution is strong in every part of the country and frankly we believe that our strongest areas have yet to happen," he said. (Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in) --Indo-Asian News Service ak/rd Turkish and Greek prime ministers said on Tuesday that they are determined to prevent illegal traffickers and migration in the Aegean Sea bordering the two countries. "Turkey and Greece share the same perspective with regards to solving the Syrian refugee crisis," Turkey's Prime Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, said during a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras in Turkey's Izmir city. Both leaders had previously co-hosted a Turkish-Greek High-Level Cooperation Council meeting focusing on joint efforts to better handle the influx of refugees into Greece and other European countries by sea via Turkey, Xinhua news agency reported. Greece, already suffering from an ailing economy, is confronted with tens of thousands of refugees along its border with Macedonia, a non-European Union (EU) country which closed its route into Western Europe. "Turkey and Greece have a common answer to Europe, which believes that Greece and Turkey should deal with the crisis alone," Davutoglu said. Both Davutoglu and Tsipras attended a special EU-Turkey summit in Brussels on Monday. There, Davutoglu asked for $3.3 billion in aid, in return for Turkey's help in stemming the influx of refugees into Europe and accepting those deemed ineligible for asylum into the continent. At the summit, Davutoglu also suggested a one-for-one deal, where the EU resettles one Syrian refugee from a camp in Turkey in exchange for a Syrian which Turkey will accept from Greece. Some 2.7 million Syrians are sheltered in camps in Turkey. Tsipras, while pledging his country will do its best to help the refugees, had vowed earlier not to allow Greece to become "a warehouse for souls," requesting from all European countries to share the burden. Addressing the joint press conference with Davutoglu, Tsipras referred to the thousands of refugees who died in the Aegean Sea on their way towards Europe, adding that both Ankara and Athens are dedicated to solving this humanitarian tragedy and preventing illegal trafficking. "Many refugees, seeking better life conditions in other countries, have become victims of illegal trafficking," he said. "We are here to relay the message that we will solve this issue together with Turkey, and we will not accept dictates from another country concerning what we must do." Two guerrillas were killed on Wednesday in a gunfight with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district and efforts are on to identify them, police said. "Two militants have been killed in the Goripora (Awantipora) gunfight near the plant nurs ery in Pulwama district," a senior police officer told IANS. "Firing exchanges have stopped, but searches are still going on in the area. The exact identity of the slain militants is being established," he said. Security forces had exchanged gunfire with separatist guerrillas in Puchal (Kakapora) village of the district earlier on Wednesday but the guerrillas had escaped to the nearby Goripora village near the Awantipora plant nursery. Security forces comprising the counter insurgency Rashtriya Rifles (RR), special operations group (SOG) of state police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) consequently threw a cordon over a large area to ensure that the guerrillas did not escape. Initial reports had said about eight to nine guerrillas including a top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander were involved in the gunfight with the security forces but there was no official word on whether the top LeT commander had managed to escape from the site or not. A Ukrainian pilot on trial in Russia over the killing of two journalists addressed the court on Wednesday and said she would continue a hunger strike she has been on for five days. Russia has proceeded with the trial of Nadiya Savchenko despite widespread international condemnation. Last week prosecutors demanded a sentence of 23 years' imprisonment, The Guardian reported. "It is an absurd situation when those who abduct people, subject them to torture then act as if they have a right to judge them," she said, adding "How can one talk about a fair trial? In Russia, there are no trials or investigations; only a farce played out by Kremlin puppets." Savchenko has declared a number of hunger strikes during her nearly two years in Russian captivity, but after last week's hearing she declared she would go on full hunger strike, refusing both food and fluids, until she was returned to Ukraine. Prosecutors claim Savchenko directed an artillery strike that resulted in the deaths of two Russian television journalists in June 2014. Savchenko, a military pilot, was serving on the ground with a volunteer battalion during the conflict in east Ukraine. The prosecutors said Savchenko was detained in Russia after crossing the border disguised as a refugee. However, Savchenko has said she was captured by pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine and then handed over to Russian troops, who took her across the border. On Monday, US secretary of state John Kerry called on Russia to release Savchenko, saying her detention showed a "disregard for international standards, as well as for Russia's commitments under the Minsk agreements". After Savchenko's statement, the judge retired to consider the verdict and sentencing, which are due on March 21. A US airstrike in Syria last week targeted a minister of war of the Islamic State extremist group, the Pentagon has said. The airstrike occurred on March 4 near al Shaddadi, Syria, targeted Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, the Georgian-born senior IS leader, also known as "Omar the Chechen", Xinhua quoted Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook as saying on Tuesday. The Pentagon was still assessing the results of this operation, he added. According to a US political website the Hill, initial assessments indicated that Batirashvili was likely killed along with other 12 IS fighters, a US defence official who spoke on condition of anonymity was quoted as saying. Cook added that Batirashvili held numerous top military positions, including the minister of war, within the IS and his potential removal would negatively affect the IS ability to recruit foreign fighters, especially those from Chechnya and the Caucasus regions. With the acquisition of Pivavav Defende formally in its fold, Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group is eyeing a sizeable share in the potential, $60-billion pie of the Indian and overseas defence-related market where it now has a presence, sources said. Towards this, the government has already approved 12 industrial licenses for Reliance Defence, a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure for the manufacture of a wide range of equipment required by the armed forces in India and abroad. Listing the potential, sources said in the aerospace segment, where Reliance Group has a nod for military aircraft and choppers, the potential is Rs.9,000 crore in amphibious aircraft for Indian Navy, light choppers worth Rs.20,000 crore and medium-to-heavy choppers worth Rs.50,000 crore. In land systems, where the group is looking at missiles and all-terrain combat vehicles, the potential has been assessed at Rs.100,000 crore over 10-15 years. Similar projects are being eyed in underwater systems, weapons, radars, unmanned aerial systems and strategic electronics. As regards Pipavav, Russia has selected its shipyard for the upcoming project for four frigates valued at over Rs.30,000 crore. Reliance Group is also looking at a second shipyard on India's eastern coastline, sources said. Reliance Defence is also setting up the Dhirubhai Ambani Aerospace Park at Mihan near Nagpur in Maharashtra and an Aerospace centre of excellence in Bengaluru. At the aerospace Park, spread over 400 acres at the multi-modal international cargo hub the idea is to create an ecosystem for the indigenous manufacture of aerospace components, with a cluster of manufacturers for components, spares and avionics. The recent Budget provided for Rs 25,000 crore to increase the capital of public sector banks; the Economic Survey has mooted the idea of using the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) balance sheet to help meet the Basel III capital norms; the RBI has also permitted banks to revalue real estate for the same purpose. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of Parliament Anju Bala appealed to the Lok Sabha Speaker on Wednesday that action be taken against a website that had defamed her. Bala, 36, an MP from Misrikh in Uttar Pradesh, complained that the website had declared her dead. Bala said the website claimed she had married twice - in 2001 to Satish Verma, and in 2011 to Krishna Kumar Singh. She said her wedding took place in 2008 to Satish Verma, also known as Krishna Kumar Singh. "What people who read the website must be thinking about me! I demand the strictest of action against the errant website," Bala said. Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda told the House it was "a serious matter" and that he would look into it. A day after a consortium of 13 banks approached the Supreme Court to prevent controversial industrialist Vijay Mallya from leaving the country, the court was told on Wednesday that the former chairman of United Spirits Limited had been in London since March 2. While he may not be able to escape the legal process for long, as the Supreme Court has issued notices to him, the entire saga is an example of how crony capitalism has grown deep roots in the country and how banks have dragged their feet when big names are involved. Several of his lenders have a lot to answer for, if they have to counter the growing perception about their cosy relationship with an errant promoter. Why, for example, did they take four years to move the apex court? How could they lend crores of rupees to Kingfisher when pledged assets were only one-tenth of the value of the loan? Or, as the apex court asked, why were loans given to Mr Mallya when he was a defaulter and was facing legal proceedings? It's also not clear how banks attached such a high value to the Kingfisher Airlines brand and used it as collateral for giving huge loans. The government's promises apart, public sector banks still await an institutional mechanism and an operational environment that can insulate their lending from political and other influences. The temperature in India-US trade relations has suddenly risen. First, the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled in favour of the US which challenged India's norms for local content in imported solar power equipment under its subsidy programme. Right after that, India complained against the US to the WTO for doubling fees for issuing non-immigrant temporary work visas like H-1Bs, widely used by Indian software companies to send workers to the US to work on projects there. What is more, the US president, Barack Obama, has said that "we can't have other countries cheating" and "we have just won a case against India." The temperature within the US has also risen with both Democratic (Bernie Sanders) and Republican (Ted Cruz and Donald Trump) presidential aspirants targeting the US visa regime for allowing the import of cheap labour which they claimed was taking away jobs from US workers. The importance of the issue can be gauged from the fact that Mr Trump first spoke in favour of giving more visas to highly skilled foreign workers during a presidential debate - but right after that issued a statement which called the H-1B visa "a cheap labour programme" which was "rampant with abuse" and pledged to ensure that American workers were hired "first" for "every visa and immigration programme". are not a cure-all. A new global study has found that forcing companies to put more women on boards hasn't helped to redress the gender imbalance among senior executives. It adds to the growing body of evidence which suggests that mandating change at the top doesn't have a trickledown effect. Yet that's no reason to dismiss the idea entirely. The study of 1,071 companies across six continents by the Cambridge Judge Business School found a big disconnect between the number of women in the boardroom and those in other executive positions. Take Norway, which introduced a 40 per cent female quota for boards back in 2003: women made up just 15 per cent of executive teams at companies covered by the report. That's a lower percentage than in Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand, none of which have minimum requirements for female directors. Compulsory rules have also been tarnished by tokenism. Last year, Indian tycoons responded to a requirement that they have at least one female board member by appointing wives and even stepmothers as directors. For accomplished professional women, quotas can feed the perception that their promotions are an exercise in box-ticking rather being based on merit. Yet for all their flaws, quotas are bringing more balance to the boardroom. From Germany to Malaysia, companies that were stuck in the dark ages are being forced to change. The implicit threat of quotas is also a big reason why voluntary targets in countries like the United Kingdom and Australia have been surprisingly successful in encouraging companies to appoint more female directors. The Cambridge Judge study suggests other ways of boosting the number of women in the executive suite: countries could enshrine gender diversity requirements in corporate governance codes, and set term limits for directors. More widely, employers must rethink their approach to the division of responsibility when it comes to caring for children and other relatives. The reality is that there is no single solution to bringing gender equality to the workplace. Quotas and targets focusing on the boardroom are just the start. But that is no reason to abandon them. Revenue uncertainties have dominated discussions about the goods and services tax (GST). This has been especially pronounced among the states which see the movement towards the GST as a leap in the dark. A united Opposition embarrassed the government on Wednesday when for a second successive year, it successfully voted in the Rajya Sabha to amend the to the Presidents address. The vote came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the Opposition to help the government pass key Bills and also withdraw its amendments to the Motion. The Presidents address, delivered on the first day of the Budget session every year, is approved by the Union Cabinet and details the governments achievements of the past year as well as policies and programmes for the year ahead. Wednesdays was only the fifth instance in the last 60 years of a government having been so snubbed. For, the Opposition customarily moves hundreds of amendments to the Motion of Thanks, which by convention are withdrawn after the discussion. However, in a strategy identical to last years, opposition members of Parliament (MPs) on Wednesday withdrew around 300 amendments barring one. The amendment aimed to criticise the move by Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states of Haryana and Rajasthan to make school education of up to eighth/10th class mandatory for those contesting panchayat elections. The government lost the vote 94 to 61. The Opposition was united, barring the 10 MPs of the Bahujan Samaj Party who were absent from the House. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, who had moved the amendment, argued that educational qualifications for panchayat elections would weaken the foundations of democracy and the same would be discriminatory to the poor, especially those belonging to the lower castes, and women. Communist Party of India (Marxist) chief Sitaram Yechury said there could be a day when some state government could pass a law that Muslims could not contest panchayat elections. That the Opposition succeeded in pushing the amendment highlighted the governments lack of numbers in the Rajya Sabha, which has also impeded its efforts to get key Bills such as the goods and services tax (Constitution amendment) Bill passed in the Upper House. In 2015, a united Opposition had won an amendment that regretted that the Presidents address did not mention the governments failure to curb high-level corruption and to bring back black money. Earlier, the PM said he found it strange that the Congress party, just like death, never gets a bad name in the media. Taking a potshot at the Congress for objecting to educational qualifications for panchayat elections in Haryana and Rajasthan, the PM asked the Opposition party to give party tickets to illiterates in the forthcoming elections to five states. Modi yet again quoted from the speeches of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi to appeal to the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha to work in tandem with the Lok Sabha and cooperate with the government in passing key Bills. He said India needed a quantum jump, not merely incremental progress. The PM spoke about the change his government has brought in expediting delayed projects, making auctions of resources more transparent and decentralised decision-making in giving environmental clearances to projects. The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016. According to sources, the Rajya Sabha will take up the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill on Thursday. Three persons, including an Assistant Mining Engineer (AME) were today arrested in connection with a bribery case here, police said. While foreman, Jagdish Prashad Meena was arrested by the Anti-corruption Bureau from Kota and Bundi for demanding a bribe of Rs 10,000, AME Devilal Bansiwal and Anand Singh Rajawat, an agent at the mining office were arrested with bribe amounts of Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,000 respectively, they said. The bribe was accepted to issue 'Short Term Permit (STP)' for digging pebbles and stones in mining area to a private contractor Hari Prashad Dhakar hailing from Bundi, police said. The bribe amount of Rs 12,000 was also recovered from their possession, police said, adding, searches are being conducted at the AME's residence at Udaipur, police said. The three would be produced in the ACB court tomorrow, they added. More than 40 persons, including some advocates, were today arrested for showing black flag at the entrance of the Madras High Court premises here, police said. The protesters were demanding that Tamil be made the official language of the court, they said. Police said asked the group, who claimed that they were fighting for the cause of Tamil language, to disperse as staging demonstration near the High Court premises is not allowed. They were arrested after they kept the demonstration on, they said, adding 44 persons were held in this connection. Central and state governments' agencies have arrested 46 Pakistani espionage agents between 2013-16, Rajya Sabha was informed today. However, in response to a question on whether the number of Pakistani spies is constantly on the rise in the country, Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said "No." "The Government has been pursuing a well coordinated and multi-pronged approach to tackle the activities of ISI which include strengthening vigilance on the borders to check infiltration and illegal cross border activities, gearing up the intelligence machinery to interdict Pakistani agents, close interaction and coordination between different agencies of the Centre and State Governments for neutralising plans of ISI/anti-national elements," he said. "Resultantly, during the period 2013 to 2016 (till date), a total number of 46 Pakistani espionage agents have been arrested," he said. Five regional centres of the prestigious National School of Drama (NSD) are to be set up across the country, besides upgrading a resource centre at Bengaluru to a regional centre, Rajya Sabha was informed today. "On the basis of recommendations made by Board-based committee...NSD Society proposed to establish 5 regional centres, one each at Kolkata, Mumbai/Goa, J&K, Northeast besides upgrading the existing Regional Resource Centre (RRC), Bengaluru, to a full-fledged regional centre," Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said in a written reply. These regional centres would be established in consultation with the concerned state governments which are required to provide accommodation for the purpose, he said, adding that only Karnataka government has allotted land for the purpose at Bengaluru. Meanwhile, Sharma said NSD has started a one-year teacher training programme in the Bengaluru Chapter from 2014-15. Besides, under consolidation of outreach programme in the Northeast region, NSD has opened its centres in Sikkim and Tripura, he added. Tunisia's army and security forces have killed five "terrorists" in an operation near the Libyan border, the interior ministry said, a day after a deadly raid the government has described as an unprecedented assault by the Islamic State group. "As part of the continuing operation at Ben Guerdane, security forces and the army were able to eliminate five terrorists tonight in the Benniri area," the ministry said in a statement yesterday, adding that weapons had been seized. Local media had reported that security forces had surrounded a house where several men were holed up, information that was not confirmed in the brief ministry statement. The swoop came a day after coordinated dawn attacks in the border town of Ben Guerdane which analysts say were a move by jihadists to spread their influence from Libya to Tunisia and set up a new stronghold in the country. Prime Minister Habib Essid said 36 attackers were killed and seven captured in a fierce firefight Monday that also saw the deaths of seven civilians and 12 security force personnel. Defence ministry spokesman Belhassen Oueslati said 17 other suspects were arrested yesterday near a military barracks and handed over to the National Guard for questioning. Tunisian authorities had said search operations were continuing in the region yesterday. A curfew has been in force in Ben Guerdane since Monday. Bankrupt hip-hop mogul 50 Cent has divulged the stacks of cash in his recent Instagram posts were just props used to keep up appearances. The "In da Club" hitmaker, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, filed for bankruptcy in a Connecticut court last July and is reported to owe a slew of creditors a total of USD 30 million, reported TMZ. However, he has been mocking reports of his lack of funds by flaunting wads of cash on his Instagram page since September last year, including one photo in which he spelled out the word 'broke' with stacks of USD 100 bills. He also raised eyebrows by showing off snaps of a mansion he is building in Africa. Last month, US Bankruptcy Judge Ann M Nevins expressed her concerns about the social media postings after prosecutors suggested the rapper may not have been completely honest about his assets. 50 Cent's attorneys insisted he has been "transparent with all creditors", but he was summoned to appear in court on Wednesday. The rapper officially responded to the claims in a new court filing, in which he admits the Instagram posts are just to keep up appearances. The emerges days after his lawyers filed papers detailing his assets, worth an alleged USD 65 million. 50 Cent filed for bankruptcy last year after he was ordered to pay rap rival Rick Ross' former lover USD 7 million in damages over the leak of her sex tape. Six militants of a banned outfit, including a top commander, were killed today by Pakistani security forces in an operation in the troubled Balochistan province during which two security personnel also died. The militants linked to the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) were killed in Sibi district of the province. Balochistan government spokesman Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar said those killed included Aslam Acho, alias Meerak Baloch, second- in-command of the BLA. "He was among those killed when security forces carried out a raid on an intelligence tip-off," Kakar said, adding that the commander carried a head-money of Rs six million. "He was also a spokesman for the proscribed outfit." The spokesman said two security personnel were also killed in the shootout with militants. At least six persons were killed today in a bloody clash between two rival groups over a land dispute in this northwestern city of Pakistan, police said. The incident occurred on Dalazak road in Peshawar city in the jurisdiction of Chamkani Police Station. The two rival groups traded heavy fire after they came face to face that resulted in the death of six people -- four from one group and two from the other, they said. One person was also injured in the clash and was admitted to a hospital. He was stated to be critical. No arrest has been made in this connection. About 125 huts of Mahadalit families were gutted in fire at Kachhiya in the district, police said today. The incident took place late last night destroying property worth lakhs of rupees, a police officer said. The reason behind the blaze was under investigation while the affected families alleged their huts were torched by some unidentified villagers nursing ill will towards them, he said. District administration officials rushed to the spot to probe the matter, the police officer said. Australian wine no laughing matter for famous Chinese comedian big-time investor A Chinese comedian has made the largest private label wine exporting deal in Australian history agreeing to export 800, 000 bottles of Victorian shiraz into his home country. Comedian Guo Degang is popular celebrity in China and is amongst the countrys top 100 richest celebrities. Degangs influence will now expand outside comedy after striking a deal with Mt Duneed Estate in Geelong, Victoria. The deal will start with the export of 800, 0000 bottles but should expand to a AUD$100 million AUD$200 million deal within six months if everything goes according to plan. The deal is the first major wine export arrangement made after the new China Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFT) came into effect on 20 December 2015. Under ChAFT tariffs on wine exported to China has dropped to 8.4 per cent. The tariff will be reduced to zero within the next four years. Prior to ChAFT it was 14 per cent. Sarah Henderson, the Liberal MP for Corangamite in the Geelong region, said she believes the deal should help bring Chinese tourists to the region. With Mt Duneed Estate sourcing the wine from across our region, this will deliver a major economic boost to our wine industry, she said. Consumption of Australian wine in China According to Wine Australia, an Australian Government statutory service body for the Australian grape and wine community, China has been Australias fastest growing export market for several years now. Exports of Australian wine to China in the 2015 calendar year surged by 71 per cent with 68 million litres brought into the country. The wines value increased by 66 per cent to AUD$370 million. The growth makes China the third largest market for Australian wine producers. The US is currently Australias biggest market, the UK is second. Australias market share in China also remains strong, accounting for 23 per cent of the value and 14 per cent of the volume of total bottled imports as of year ending October 2015, ranking second behind France, Wine Australia says. Australias average value of bottled imports (US$7.66 per litre) is the highest among the top five importing countries, Wine Australia reports. Austrade reports that Chinas middle class are the main market for higher-value Australian wines. The trade body says chinas middle-class will have long-term, stable purchasing power and brand awareness now and in the future. A Palestinian went on a stabbing spree along the Tel Aviv waterfront leaving an American tourist dead and 12 people wounded, police said, as US Vice President Joe Biden arrived in the city. The attacker, around 21 years old, was from the town of Qalqilya in the occupied West Bank and was shot dead by police, Israeli authorities said. Video showed a man running down a road and lunging at someone through a car window while being chased. The attack caused panic, and one witness told Israeli television he hit the assailant with his guitar, with a hole visible in the wood of his instrument. Police said the attacker wounded a number of people in the Jaffa port area, a tourist zone of Israel's commercial capital, before going on toward a restaurant and stabbing others. Around a 15-minute walk from where the stabbings occurred, Biden met former Israeli president Shimon Peres. Biden "condemned in the strongest possible terms the brutal attack which occurred in Jaffa during his meeting with president Peres, and commented that there is no justification for such acts of terror," his office said. "He expressed his sorrow at the tragic loss of American life and offered his condolences to the family of the American citizen murdered in the attack, as well as his wishes for a full and quick recovery for the wounded." One woman at the scene said "I heard two guys screaming that there was an attack." "I ran in the opposite direction and ran into a man who was on the ground in his blood," said the woman, who gave her name as Emily. She said she "covered him with my jacket. He was badly injured and we waited together for the ambulances to come." The US State Department identified the dead American as Taylor Allen Force, a 29-year-old native of Texas and a US army veteran, and denounced the attack. Violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories since October has killed 184 Palestinians and 28 Israelis. Most of the Palestinians were killed while carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. Others were shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes or demonstrations. Biden is due to meet separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas today. When meeting Peres yesterday, he spoke of an "unvarnished, complete commitment to the security of Israel. And I hope we will make some progress." The White House has said Biden will not be pursuing any major new peace initiatives during his visit despite the wave of violence. Gujarat government, in an affidavit filed before the High Court here today, rejected allegations of wrongdoings in sale of land to a private company reportedly linked to of Chief Minister Anandiben Patel's daughter Anar, saying it was the petitioner's "figment of imagination." The affidavit, filed by Joint Secretary in Revenue Department Bharat Trivedi, said the decision taken by the state government is bona-fide and in tune with the policies of the state government for promoting the tourism industry of the state. The affidavit was filed by Gujarat government before a division bench of Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice Anant Dave in response to a PIL by NGO RTI Activists Sangathan through its head Razak Baloch. The affidavit said the allotment of 99 hectare land was done by "strictly adhering to the prevailing policies of the various departments of the state government. It is a figment of imagination of the petitioner that the officers of the respondent departments have perpetrated fraud in the allotment of land." The petitioner sought two-week time to file a rejoinder to the affidavit, which was granted by the court. The government land at Patla village in Amreli district was allotted to one Wildwoods Resort & Reallties Pvt. Ltd (WRR), owned by the alleged business partners of Anar Patel, at a concession rate of Rs 15 per square metre as against the actual valuation of Rs 180 per square metre, the PIL had said. The PIL demanded a probe by a judicial committee and setting aside of the order of the state government to allot land to WRR. "A three-tier system for determination of the real market value of the land was followed in the present case before the cabinet considered and finalised the same owing to the fact that the valuation of the land in question was more than Rs 1 crore," the affidavit said. It stated that while determining the allotment of the land, reports from Mamlatdar and Collector were sought apart from opinion from the Department of Tourism and an NoC from the Forest Department. The land was allotted to WRR following a MoU signed between the Tourism Department and WRR on January 12, 2009 for setting up of a wildlife resort with a proposed investment of Rs 80 crore, it said. Replying to the allegation that auction was not conducted for allotting the land, the respondent stated that "auction is not a constitutional mandate and there is no such constitutional imperative in the matter of economic policies of the state." The Joint Secretary (Revenue) also denied the allegation that the land is within one kilometre from Gir Lion Sanctuary as alleged and said that according to the Centre's notification dated February 9, 2011, hotels and resorts are permitted in eco-sensitive zone as "regulated activities." The respondent sought dismissal of the petition on the ground that the petitioners delayed the PIL by 5 years after clearance was given to the land. The affidavit also stated that "no public interest was involved" in the petition. "On the contrary, the project in question for which the allotment of land is requested for is purely for the purpose of promoting tourism in the state of Gujarat and thereby, in directly and indirectly, generating employment in the said area," it stated. The petitioner had also said in the PIL that norms for allocation of land was violated as no public auction was conducted and concession in pricing of the land also violated the norms. In a bid to reach out to the voters of Tamil Nadu ahead of the May 16 Assembly polls, PMK's Chief Ministerial candidate Anbumani Ramadoss will hold seven meetings in seven cities where he will discuss his party's strategy for state's growth and take questions from people. The interactive meetings, titled 'Tamizhaga Valarchi Patri' (About Tamil Nadu's Growth), will include PMK's pet theme, of that of implementing prohibition, the party said today. Ramadoss will hold meetings in Vellore, Salem, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Chennai and discuss with the people issues concerning urban development, agriculture and total prohibition, it said. In the meetings scheduled between March 10 and 16, he will also talk in detail about how government departments had 'suffered' in the last 50 years, where the state was alternatively ruled by DMK and AIADMK, it said. Security forces today launched an anti-militancy operation in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir following information about the presence of militants. An intense search operation was launched in the area, bordering Srinagar's Hazratbal, this afternoon, a police officer said. Sound of gunshots were heard during the operation but no one was hurt. The militants apparently fired while fleeing from the spot, he said. An AK assault rifle was recovered at Hadoora Bala in Ganderbal district, the spokesman said. There was no trace of militants after several hours of intense search, the spokesman said. Meanwhile, the sound of a few shots were also heard at Goripora village in Pulwama district of south Kashmir today. Reinforcements were immediately sent and a cordon was laid around Goripora village. Search operations in both the villages are underway, he added. The Art of Living Foundation today said it will challenge the order of the National Green Tribunal imposing a fine of Rs five crore on it as environmental compensation while clearing the decks for its three-day cultural extravaganza. The organisation's chief Sri Sri Ravi Shankar also tweeted that AOL was not "satisfied" with the verdict of the NGT and would appeal against it. He urged political parties not to "politicise" the event. "We appreciate all those who came in support of World Culture Festival. The festival will go as per planned and, since we have not violated any rules, we will appeal against the NGT order," an AOL spokesperson said. Notwithstanding the raging row over environmental damage due to the 3-day festival, National Green Tribunal gave its go ahead to the event to be held on the Yamuna floodplains from March 11, expressing its helplessness in banning it because of "fait accompli". Nevertheless, it imposed a fine of Rs five crore on AOL as environmental compensation after coming down heavily on the foundation for not disclosing its full plans. The green bench also criticised the DDA and Environment Ministry for their role. "I appeal to all parties to not politicize the #WCF2016. It is to unite all cultures, nations, religions & ideologies. Let's come together! 172 international dignitaries comprising current & former Heads of State, Ministers & Members of Parliament are attending #WCF2016. "Around 20,000 guests from 155 countries are arriving. Let India welcome them to #WCF2016 with one voice & our traditional hospitality," Ravi Shankar said in a series of tweets. He further tweeted that he sought some land on the banks of the Yamuna from the people of Delhi but a few people said that "it's a crime and you will be fined". "We are not satisfied with the verdict. We will appeal against it. Satyameva Jayate!" the spiritual guru tweeted. The vigilance department today arrested an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police (ASI) on graft charges in Bihar's Patna district, an official release said. Acting on a complaint, a Vigilance Investigation Bureau team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Munna Prasad laid a trap and arrested ASI Sanjeev Kumar Thakur on graft charge as soon as he took a Rs 5,000 bribe outside Qadirganj police station from the complainant Vinod Kumar, the release said. Thakur, posted at Qadirganj police station, had demanded a Rs 5,000 bribe from Kumar, a native of Janakpur village, to present the case diary in connection with an FIR lodged at Qadirganj police station, before a local court, it said. The tainted ASI was brought to the vigilance headquarter for questioning, the release said adding, he would be later sent to jail after production before a designated vigilance court. Australia hopes to send thousands of Iranian asylum seekers back to their homeland under a new deal with Tehran, an Australian official said today. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's negotiations with her Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif were well advanced on a deal expected to be signed next week that would lift Tehran's long-standing refusal to accept Iranian asylum seekers who don't want to come home, The West Australian newspaper reported. Bishop's spokeswoman Rachel Obradovic confirmed that the newspaper report was accurate. Under the repatriation agreement expected to be signed by Zarif when he visits the Australian capital Canberra on Tuesday, Australia would demand guarantees from Iran that Iranians who returned home would not be persecuted or punished. The Iranian policy change could cover almost 9,000 Iranian asylum seekers. About 400 were in Australian-funded immigration centres on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. But most live in the Australian community. It is not clear how many of them are genuine refugees who could not be sent back to Iran, but Australia regards the majority of asylum seekers from Iran to be economic migrants rather than refugees. They have been left with uncertain futures, with Australia refusing to resettle them and Iran refusing to take them back. An Iranian refugee couple who resettled in Cambodia under an expensive program funded by Australia to keep asylum-seekers from its soil returned to their homeland in February, Cambodian and Australian officials said. Gen Tan Sovichea, head of the refugee office in Cambodia's Interior Ministry, said five bona fide refugees had resettled in Cambodia from Nauru under a four-year, 55 million Australian dollar (USD 41 million) program financed by Australia. "The Iranian couple told us that they decided to go back to Iran after they felt homesick," Tan Sovichea said. Last October, one of two ethnic Rohingya men resettled under the deal went home to Myanmar, leaving only an Iranian and another Rohingya in Cambodia. Tan Sovichea said they appeared to be happy with their new lives. The new Australian deal with Iran would reflect Tehran's determination to improve its economic and diplomatic relations with the West in the wake of last year's landmark international nuclear agreement which removed sanctions. Australia's immigration minister today brushed off calls to apologise after his department chief used "allegedly" to describe experiences in Nazi Germany during a defence of the government's hardline asylum-seeker policies. Canberra's tough measures against boatpeople - which involve detaining them in remote Pacific island camps while their refugee applications are processed - have attracted strong domestic and international criticism from rights groups. Doctors and whistleblowers have also said the detention of asylum-seekers, particularly children, has left some struggling with mental health problems. But a statement by immigration department head Michael Pezzullo - meant to counter a Sydney psychiatrist's criticism of the policies in the Australasian Psychiatry journal - drew fire when he used the term "allegedly" to describe experiences under Nazi rule in Germany. "Recent comparisons of immigration detention centres to 'gulags'; suggestions that detention involves a 'public numbing and indifference' similar to that allegedly experienced in Nazi Germany; and persistent suggestions that detention facilities are places of 'torture' are highly offensive, unwarranted and plainly wrong - and yet they continue to be made in some quarters," the statement released yesterday said. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton yesterday slammed critics of his department chief, saying in a statement that "any suggestion that Pezzullo deliberately sought to deny or qualify the crimes of the Nazi era is patently ludicrous". After the backlash on social media, the immigration department had issued a follow-up statement saying "any insinuation the department denies the atrocities committed in Nazi Germany are both ridiculous and baseless". It also accused critics of distorting the text to "create controversy". The row reflects the controversial nature of the government's policies, which Canberra has long defended as necessary to stop deaths at sea while securing the nation's borders. Opposition Labor immigration spokesman Richard Marles had urged Dutton to formally withdraw the remarks and apologise, saying the second statement only compounded the problem. "The reputation of the department is at stake, indeed the reputation of Australia is at stake," said Marles, whose party supports the offshore detention regime. But Dutton accused Marles of seeking to "join the rabid voices of twitter and sections of the media". He called for an apology from his Labor counterpart for "impugning (the) integrity" of immigration officials. Armed robbers looted Rs 1.27 lakh from a branch of a public sector bank in remote Saipung block in East Jaintia hills district of Meghalaya, police said today. Three armed robbers barged into the branch at around 1:30 pm yesterday firing in the air to silence the staff, district police chief S Thamar said. Branch manager Paban Kumar has lodged an FIR and investigation is on to nab the culprit. The bank branch is located at the premises of the block development office. The Bank Employees' Federation of India (BEFI) today came out in support of a two-day national strike by employees and officers of regional rural banks (RRBs) protesting against the government's move of alleged privatisation on March 10-11. "The union supports the genuine demands of RRB employees and appeals to the central government to stop privatisation moves and resolve the long pending issues of the employees," said P Venkataramaiah, General Secretary, BEFI, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, in a statement here. "We appeal all the bank employees and general public to support the RRB employees as they are going on strike as the last resort after failing in all their attempts to resolve the issues amicably," BEFI said. BEFI had also submitted a detailed memorandum to the finance minister to look into the "dangers" of the proposed amendments to the RBI Act, it added. US Vice President Joe Biden today implicitly criticised Palestinian leaders for not condemning attacks against Israelis, as an upsurge in violence marred his visit. Six separate attacks took place shortly before or after Biden's arrival yesterday, including a stabbing spree on Tel Aviv's waterfront by a Palestinian who killed an American tourist and wounded 12 people. The stabbings in the Jaffa port area took place as Biden met former Israeli president Shimon Peres about a kilometre away yesterday. Biden said his wife and grandchildren had been having dinner on the beach not far from the site of the stabbings. "The United States of America condemns these acts and condemns the failure to condemn these acts," Biden said while meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "The kind of violence we saw yesterday, the failure to condemn it, the rhetoric that incites that violence, the retribution that it generates, has to stop." Biden offered his condolences to the family of the American victim, 29-year-old Taylor Force, whom he noted served in the military in Afghanistan and Iraq. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has repeatedly called for peaceful resistance against the Israeli occupation, but has not specifically condemned a wave of knife, gun and car-ramming attacks that erupted in October. Islamist movement Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, often praises such attacks. Biden will travel to Ramallah later Wednesday to meet Abbas. A large number of the attackers have been young people, including teenagers, who appear to have been acting on their own. Many analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the unrest. Israel blames incitement by Palestinian leaders and media as a main cause of the violence, which has killed 188 Palestinians and 28 Israelis since October. Most of the Palestinians were killed while carrying out attacks, Israeli authorities say. Others were shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes or demonstrations. The wife of Bill Cosby said she never read a deposition in which her husband acknowledged he gave sedatives to women he was planning to have sex with, according to an excerpt of her testimony in a defamation lawsuit against her husband. Camille Cosby testified last month in the civil case filed in federal court in Massachusetts by seven women who claim he sexually assaulted them decades ago. The women allege the actor-comedian defamed them when his representatives branded them as liars after they went public with their allegations. An excerpt of Camille Cosby's deposition was attached to a court filing Monday by Bill Cosby's lawyers seeking to suspend the defamation case while a criminal case is pending against him in Pennsylvania. In that case, Cosby is charged with sexually assaulting former Temple University employee Andrea Constand. In the Constand case, Cosby acknowledged in a 2005 deposition, made public last year, that he gave quaaludes to at least one woman and unidentified others he wanted to have sex with. Camille Cosby says in her testimony in February that she and her husband discussed his deposition in the Constand case, but she wouldn't say specifically what they discussed about it. A US District Court judge in Massachusetts had ruled that she could refuse to answer questions that call for testimony prohibited by the Massachusetts marital disqualification rule, which generally prohibits spouses from testifying about private marital conversations. In the February deposition excerpt, Camille Cosby says she learned of Constand's allegations through her husband. The back-and-forth between Camille Cosby's lawyers and a lawyer for the seven women, Joseph Cammarata, became combative when Camille Cosby referred to private conversations she had with her husband. When Cammarata asked her whether she had a discussion with her husband about the substance of his deposition testimony in the Constand case, Camille Cosby replies: "That is just communication between my husband and me." After her lawyer advises her that she can answer "yes" or "no" whether she's discussed it without divulging any of what was said, Camille Cosby answers, "Yes," saying she did discuss his deposition testimony with him. The seven women who brought the defamation lawsuit are among about 50 women who have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct. He has denied their allegations. Cosby, 78, has pleaded not guilty in the Pennsylvania case, the only criminal case against him. Through a spokesman, lawyers for Bill and Camille Cosby declined to comment on Camille Cosby's deposition. Cammarata also declined to comment. Brown sugar worth about Rs one crore was seized and a 40-year-old drug-peddler arrested in Thane district, police said today. Acting on a tip-off, the anti-narcotic cell laid a trap at Chhatrapati Shivaji Civic hospital in Kalwa township of the district on Monday and nabbed the accused, said to be the kingpin of the drug-peddling racket, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), Thane, Parag Manere told reporters here. As per information received by police, the accused, hailing from Malda in West Bengal, was to come near the hospital on Monday to sell opium. Upon search, 3.040 kg of opium worth around Rs 4.56 lakh was seized from his possession, he said. Later, police searched the house of the accused at Nilje in Kalyan area of the district and seized a stock of around 1 kg of brown sugar, worth nearly Rs 1 crore in market, he said. The interrogation of the accused revealed that two more persons assisted him in the racket, police said adding that a search was on to nab them. According to police, the accused had been staying in Kalyan for last 3-4 years. He got acquainted with the locals and pretended as if he was working as a mason while carrying out drug-peddling. Police are trying to find out to whom he sold the narcotic and since when he had been into drug-peddling. As per police, the accused, whose name was not disclosed, took a farm land on rent from some farmers in Malda and cultivated opium and extracted brown sugar from it and sold it in market in Thane and nearby areas. Following his arrest, the accused was last evening produced before a magistrate who remanded him in police custody till March 14, the police officer said. Offences under sections 8(c) and 17 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act have been registered against the accused, police added. Effective policy-making and implementation are critical elements in nation building that calls for a capability for informed decision-making and integration of different thought processes, said businessmen at a panel discussion at the Indian School of Business (ISB), here today. The discussion held at the valedictory session of the of the Founding Class of the Management Programme in Public Policy (MPPP) offered by the Bharti Institute of Public policy in association with the Centre for Executive Education at ISB, was led by Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Bharti Enterprises and Analjit Singh, Founder and Chairman Emeritus Max India Group, said an official release. The Founding Class of MPPP comprises executives from Indian Railways, Department of Posts, Indian Telecom Service, Food Corporation of India, Ministry of Defence, Niti Aayog, the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Yes Bank, Rashtrapati Bhavan, DLF Group, UIDAI, Tribal Development Department, Dalmia Bharat, IMRB International, Pratham, Transparency International India, Indus Towers, and Vodafone and others, release said. Chairing the session, Rakesh Bharti Mittal, who is also the Chairman, Advisory Council of Bharti Institute said, "We live in a world that is struggling with excessive information. The combination of appropriate knowledge with power results in effective policy making. Our aim through MPPP is to equip the policy makers of tomorrow with the right insights and expertise that enable them to design better policies and equally importantly, implement them successfully." In his valedictory address, Analjit Singh Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Max India Group said, "India is a country of heterogeneous groups and one set of policies cannot fit all. What we need today is the need to create a multiple set of programmes, policies, and the like to address the needs of this diversity. This is possible by having policy makers who are equipped with the relevant and modern day skills, insights and best practices." The MPPP is tailor-made for mid-career professionals both in the public and private sector. The issue of compensation and loan waiver for the drought-affected farmers rocked the Chhattisgarh Assembly today. During the Question Hour, Congress MLA from Akaltara Chunnilal Sahu sought to know whether compensation had been disbursed to all the drought-hit farmers in his constituency. Revenue Minister Premprakash Pandey said 6,877 of 11,366 farmers in the constituency had got the compensation while the process of distribution to the remaining 4,489 was on. The state Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel said the fact that farmers in many parts of the state had not got compensation shows the apathetic attitude of the government. Chief Minister Raman Singh had announced in the previous Assembly session that in all the 117 drought-hit tehsils, if a farmer pays off 75 per cent of the agricultural loan, the rest would be waived. But in many cases, farmers did not get waiver even after paying off 75 per cent amount at one go, he said. Pandey said the government had announced this concession for the drought-affected farmers in the 117 tehsils, and it would be implemented. Interrupting him, Baghel said the Chief Minister had promised the loan waiver for every farmer in these areas but now it was saying only those affected by the drought can avail it. Other Congress legislators raised slogans, accusing the government of not helping the farmers. Subsequently, they staged a walk-out. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today presented the Rs 70,059-crore budget for next fiscal, which seeks to give a boost to infrastructure and healthcare projects. The chief minister also announced reducing value added tax on a number of items making goods such as dairy products, idli-dosa batter, mobile phones and cycle and its parts cheaper. "With an outlay of Rs 70,059 crore, the budget focuses on all-round development of Chhattisgarh," Raman Singh, who is also in-charge of the Finance portfolio,said in his speech. The state has planned to construct roads of 13,000 km length with an investment of Rs 42,000 crore over the next three years and the budget allocation for road works is Rs 6,101 crore. The state government has also inked an MoU with the Railway Ministry for expanding its rail network. Railway lines will be set up on three arterial routes, namely Raipur-Baloda Bazar-Jharsuguda, Ambikapur-Barvadih and Dongargarh-Kawardha-Mungeli-Bilaspur-Katghora, through public private partnership (PPP) mode, which will increase rail network by 780 kilometres in the state, he said. "The budget also made allocations to turn Raigarh and Jagdalpur (Bastar) airstrips into airports to operate regular flights," Singh said. Public healthcare system in Chhattisgarh will be strengthened by expanding the bed capacity by 44 per cent by setting up of 2,400 additional hospital beds. "The Dau Kalyan Singh Hospital campus at Raipur will be developed as a super-speciality hospital with ultra-modern facilities, including the first PET-scan facility in the state. For this purpose, Rs 21 crore have been allocated," he added. A 100-bed hospital-cum-trauma centre for Bastar region will be developed at Jagdalpur district headquarter via PPP mode and a 100-bed super-speciality hospital would also be established there with the help of National Minderal Development Corporation (NMDC), he added. "Chhattisgarh is currently running the most inclusive health insurance scheme in the country, providing universal health insurance with cover of Rs 30,000 per year to 16 lakh families. Insurance cover under Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana has also been enhanced to Rs 50,000," he said. With a view to combat malnutrition, the state also announced Mukhya Mantri Amrit Yojana, under which children in anganwadi schools will be given flavoured milk once a week. Besides,soyamilk will be distributed in all government schools up to Class 8in Bastar, Kabeerdham and Balod districts. Tax concessions in VAT have been announced to ensure relief to consumers. "VAT will be removed from cycle and cycle parts, brooms, mops, brushes and wipers. In order to create a level playing field for local retailers competing with online retailers, VAT on mobile phones will be reduced from 14 per cent to 5 per cent," the chief minister said. In a major tax relief for the steel industry, Singh announced reduction in VAT on iron ore, pig iron, sponge iron, iron ore pellets, ingots, billets andferro-alloysfrom 5 per cent to 2 per cent, he said. However, the state government has proposed to increase the general rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) from 14 per cent to 14.5 per cent on unspecified goods. The idli-dosa batter has been made VAT free in the state. The state government had also slashed VAT on ghee, paneer to promote dairy industry. Coconut oil, which is largely used as hair oil in Chhattisgarh, has been removed from the list of edible oils. To tackle agricultural distress due to drought, the government has offeredoptionto the drought-hit farmers to convert their crop loan into interest-free medium term loan, thereby providing a partial waiver. "For loan aid and short-term loan interest grant to the drought-hit farmers, a provision of Rs 223 crore has been made in the budget," he said. For the launch of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, allocation of Rs 200 crore has been made as state's share. Prime Minister's Housing for All by 2022 Mission has received major additional support from the state exchequer in the form of additional subsidy of up to Rs 4 lakh per house, over and above the subsidy of Rs 1 lakh per house already provided for, for in-situ housing redevelopment in slums. Vivekanand Gurukul Unnayan Yojana will be launched for all-round development of students in residential schools and hostels, with an outlay of Rs 119 crore. The Chief Minister also announced electricity to all hitherto unelectrified 818 villages and all 9,000-plus unelectrified schools by March 2017, through project outlays totalling Rs 761 crore. To add muscle to the counterinsurgency-operations, four new battalions of state security forces will be created under which 4000 personnel will be recruited. The CM also cited RBI data to show that the state's overall debt-to-GDP ratio is the lowest among all states. A Cambridge University college has removed a bronze statue of an African cockerel from display following a campaign by students amid an increase in activism against symbols of Britain's colonial past. Jesus College said it was taking down the statue known as "Okukor" from the former kingdom of Benin, which is now part of southern Nigeria, and was looking at the possibility of its repatriation. "Jesus College acknowledges the contribution made by students in raising the important but complex question of the rightful location of its Benin bronze, in response to which it has permanently removed the Okukor," a college spokeswoman said. "The college commits to work actively with the wider university and to commit resources to new initiatives with Nigerian heritage and museum authorities to discuss and determine the best future for the Okukor, including the question of repatriation," she said. Last month, Jesus College's student union passed a motion that said the statue was looted by British troops in 1897 during a "punitive expedition". The students' "Benin Bronze Appreciation Committee" said it was in contact with a Nigerian government minister who supported its repatriation, according to minutes of the meeting on the union website. "Considering the moral case and the positive benefits outlined in the proposal the time is now right to repatriate the cockerel to the Royal Palace of Benin in line with existing protocol," the motion said. Students at Oxford University launched a campaign last year for the removal of a statue of British imperialist and donor Cecil Rhodes at Oriel College. The college said it would remove a plaque honouring Rhodes, a white supremacist like many builders of the British empire, but would keep the statue in place. The campaign has since widened to target other figures associated with British colonial history, including queen Victoria. CBI today questioned CPI-M leader and former MLA P Jayarajan in connection with the murder of an RSS functionary in 2014. He was brought to the Central prison here for questioning from Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment. A lower court had yesterday remanded Jayarajan to CBI custody for three days in connection with the murder of RSS activist Kathiroor Manoj. CBI had in January listed Jayarajan as 25th accused and framed charges against him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the case. Manoj (42), a district functionary of RSS, was hacked to death in politically volatile Kathiroor in Kannur district on September 1, 2014, allegedly by a group of CPI(M) workers. The Centre and some states including poll-bound West Bengal and Tamil Nadu today sought revision of the Supreme Court verdict barring publication of leaders' photos in advertisements except those of President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India, saying that it infringed fundamental rights and federal structure. The bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi reserved its verdict on the review pleas of the Centre and seven states after hearing the day-long arguments in which it was submitted that besides Prime Minister, pictures of central ministers, Chief Ministers and others state ministers be allowed to be carried in public advertisements. Meanwhile, the bench, also comprising Justice P C Ghose, issued notice to Aadmi Party-led Delhi government and AIADMK-run Tamil Nadu dispensation on a separate plea of NGO Common Cause seeking initiation of contempt action against them for "disobeying" the apex court guidelines on public advertisements. The bench also asked Delhi and Tamil Nadu to reply to its notice within six weeks. The court had earlier barred publication of photos of leaders in government advertisements except those of the President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India. At the outset, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Centre, today strongly favoured review of the verdict on various grounds including that if Prime Minister's photograph is allowed in the advertisements then the same right should be available to his cabinet colleagues as the PM is the "first among the equals". "The Chief Ministers and their cabinet colleagues should also be allowed to feature in advertisements. The order is not in sync with the concept of federalism," Rohatgi said. He further said that Article 19 (freedom of speech and expression) of the Constitution empowers the state and the citizens to "give and receive" information and it cannot be curtailed and regulated by the courts. The fundamental right under Article 19 can only be regulated under Article 19 (2) which deals about reasonable restrictions to the freedom of speech and expression, he said. Rohatgi opposed the plea that the advertisements can be misused saying "the fact that any law or policy is capable of being misused, does not make the law or policy bad. The expenditure of governments is regulated either by Parliament or by state legislatures and moreover, there is a body like Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India to take care of accounting aspect of expenditure incurred on advertisements, Rohatgi said. "This is akin to pre-censorship imposed by court," Rohatgi said, adding that the courts should not venture into this area as it would violate the concept of separation of powers. Rohatgi also said that if only Prime Minister's photograph is allowed in government advertisements then it can be said that it would promote "personality cult" which has been described as "an anti-thesis of democracy" by this court only. Other ministers and the Chief Ministers are also answerable to public and they cannot remain "faceless", he said adding that the apex court verdict has dealt with print advertisements only in the time where electronic and social media are also there. Besides Rohatgi, counsel for Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Chattisgarh also sought review of the May 13 2015 verdict of the apex court. During the hearing, advocate Meera Bhatia said despite the court's order, the Centre has not set up to the three-member panel to oversee implementation of the guidelines regulating government-funded advertisements. The Centre had on October 27 last year joined hands with several state governments in seeking review of the Supreme Court's landmark judgement on the issue. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing NGO Common Cause, which had filed the original PIL, on review petitions filed by the states, had told the bench that certain state governments were violating the apex court's orders. On May 13, the apex court had passed a slew of directions including the order asking the Centre to constitute a three- member committee "consisting of persons with unimpeachable neutrality and impartiality" to regulate the issue of public advertisements. Hotels and restaurants in Chandigarh have been barred from levying service charge on food bills by the city administration, saying the levy was not "backed by any statute". "There will be no service charge on food bills that hotels and restaurants are levying on consumers as it is not backed by any statute," Ajit Balaji Joshi, Deputy Commissioner, UT Chandigarh said here today. At present, several restaurants and hotels in Chandigarh are charging service charge on the total food bill at their will and there is no law in the country, which allowed levying of service charge, he said. "By levying service charge, the restaurants are putting additional burden on consumers, who already have to pay taxes in the form of value added tax (VAT) and service tax," Joshi said. The city administration also warned of taking strict action if hotels or restaurants levy service charge. "Strict action will be taken if any customer is forced to pay any extra charge on the pretext of service charge," he said. Last year, Union Finance Ministry had clarified that "service charge" collected by certain restaurants and hotels is not "service tax". The administration had even inspected city-based restaurants and hotels to enquire about collection of such charges from consumers. City-based consumer activists had complained that certain restaurants and hotels were collecting service charges in the range of 5-10 per cent of the total bill amount and keeping it with themselves. The Club, a 300-square-metre lounge, provides guests staying on dedicated floors with personalised services and amenities. An e-concierge attends to guests' needs both inside and outside of the hotel. Restaurants and Bar Unique to Hong Kong, all five of the hotel's restaurants as well as its bar offer outdoor landscaped terraces overlooking Victoria Harbour - the perfect backdrop for the city's newest dining destination. Hung Tong, the hotel's signature restaurant, honours Hong Kong's past while creating a modern experience of Chinese cuisine. Inspired by the 19th century shipyards that once dominated the Hung Hom Bay neighbourhood, red brick walls evoke the feeling of 'old Hong Kong' and are complemented by traditional metal gates, wooden vents, vintage-inspired chairs and tinted glass pendants. The all-day dining restaurant, Big Bay Cafe, takes guests on a global culinary experience with seven individual pavilions dedicated to specific cooking methods and local and international cuisines. Aside from the buffet, diners can opt for lighter fare at the Grab n' Go Cart at the restaurant's entrance, where fresh pastries, deluxe sandwiches and premium coffee will be made daily for takeaway. The restaurant features indoor and outdoor seating. While enjoying the Lobby Lounge's menu that features Asian-inspired cocktails, homemade soft drinks and reinterpretations of some of Hong Kong's favourite and nostalgic dishes, guests can relax in the surroundings furnished in soft hues of mauve, bronze and mineral grey accented by beige and boticino classico marble. From the 270-degree wrap-around terrace at Red Sugar, the hotel's bar, sweeping views of Hong Kong's skyline adds to the vibrancy of the place when it transforms in the early evening with live music. Dockyard, opening in May, brings international culinary talents together under one roof. Open from mid-morning to late night, it caters to every palate and craving at affordable pricing. With its own app for iOS and Android, Dockyard brings a modern convenience to diners enabling users to browse purveyors, menus, order food and drinks, and pay. Meetings and Events Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong is home to the city's largest pillar-less hotel ballroom and 17 beautifully appointed event spaces. At an impressive 1,756 square metres, the Grand Ballroom can accommodate over 1,000 guests for a banquet and is ornately decorated with nearly 20,000 overhanging rock crystals. The venue is equipped with Hong Kong's largest LED wall measuring 15.4-metres wide by 4.3-metres high. Another adaptable function space - the Hung Hom Ballroom, at 1,125 square metres, is dressed in hand-painted wall-coverings embellished in an artisanal gold patina. Both ballrooms are capable of hosting conferences, weddings and special occasions and cleverly integrate indoor and outdoor space, with terraces offering uninterrupted views of Hong Kong's skyline. Recreation Overlooking Victoria Harbour, Base Camp Kerry Sports goes beyond the typical hotel fitness facility and extends an active lifestyle beyond the hotel's doors with outdoor activities including running clubs. Operating 24 hours a day, Base Camp includes a wide selection of fitness equipment, a 25-metre outdoor infinity swimming pool which is heated in winter, Jacuzzi, steam bath, sauna and spa facilities. In keeping with the hotel's myriad leisure pursuits The Bay Area Guide [http://www.Shangri- la.Com/hongkong/kerry/about/local-guide/explore-hongkong ], created by Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong, allows guests to rediscover the city's history and food culture trails along the shore of Hung Hom Bay. Transportation Centrally located on Kowloon peninsula, guests of Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong can venture around the city by ferry, train, subway, bus, taxi, limousine, or on foot. The hotel is a short walk from the Hung Hom Ferry Pier, Whampoa MTR Station and Hung Hom Train Station. The Hong Kong International Airport and Airport Express Line (Kowloon station) are 40 minutes and 10 minutes car ride from the hotel, respectively. Tsim Sha Tsui East, the famed shopping district, is within a short walking distance. Introductory Offer From now until 31 July 2017, guests booking the exclusive opening offer will enjoy the following benefits: - A choice of complimentary upgrade to the next room category or complimentary breakfast buffet for two persons per day or 20 % off the Best Available Rate - Two complimentary drinks at Red Sugar per stay - Complimentary minibar upon arrival Terms and Conditions: - The offer is only applicable to rooms (excluding suites) booked at the Best Available Rate and is subject to availability - Stays must be completed by 31 July 2017 - Bookings must be made directly with the hotel via telephone (852) 3069 9988, email reservations.Khhk@thekerryhotels.Com or the hotel's website Http://www.Shangri-la.Com/hongkong/kerry. About Kerry Hotels Launched in February 2011 in Pudong, Shanghai with a sister property in Beijing, Kerry hotels are urban lifestyle destinations seamlessly integrated with their surrounding environment. They cater to both visitors and local residents. Extensive sports and wellness facilities and trend-setting food and beverage concepts appeal to the youthful and spirited business and leisure traveller looking for a quality five-star hotel that focuses on their individual lifestyle needs. Kerry hotels represent passionate hospitality wrapped up in a stylish package. For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at http://www.Thekerryhotels.Com. Media Contacts: Sharon Foo Director of Communications The Kerry Hotels Sharon.Foo@thekerryhotels.Com +(852)-2252-5851 For India Brands We Love LLP Deepa Misra Harris +91-9820099771 Deepa.Harris@brandswelove.Org Photo: http://mma.Prnewswire.Com/media/509518/Kerry_Hotels_Lobby_Seati ng_Area.Jpg http://mma.Prnewswire.Com/media/509519/Kerry_Hotels_Premier_Sea _View_Room.Jpg Source: Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. Unilever launches a Flora butter blend Unilever has launched a new range that blends its Flora margarine with butter. The range includes a salted version and a salt-reduced option. Both products are made by combining butter and sunflower seed oil. Unilever says its two new spreads a have 40 per cent less saturated fat than regular butter. Flora has been sold by Unilever since 1964. At the time margarine was considered a butter substitute. In those days, consumers and medical specialists were concerned about the level of saturated fats in butter. Flora with Butter is available now from supermarkets across Australia. BJP today declared Chandra Kumar Bose, grandnephew of Subhash Chandra Bose, its candidate against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhawanipur constituency in the upcoming Assembly elections. "Chandra Kumar Bose will be BJP's candidate against Mamata Banerjee," Union Minister Smriti Irani told a press conference here. BJP is trying hard to make its presence felt in the state where it had drawn a blank in the Assembly polls and the party believes that a high-pitched battle against the TMC chief could be of help. Bose said the change for which people had voted TMC to power in 2011 had not come and only BJP was capable of bringing it. Asked about his chances, Bose said it was not about him, but about the people of West Bengal. Elections in West Bengal, which has 294 seats, will be held in six phases, on April 4 and 11 (under Phase-I), 17, 21, 25, 30 and May 5. The two-stage first phase in West Bengal covers Left-Wing Extremism-affected areas. Police today filed a charge sheet against Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel and 16 others in a case of rioting and assault registered at Visnagar town of Gujarat last July. The charge sheet was submitted in the court of Judicial Magistrate J A Rana in the presence of Hardik who was taken there from Lajpore jail in Surat. Police have pressed the charges under sections 337 (causing hurt by endangering life or personal safety), 394 (causing hurt while committing robbery), 427 (causing damage to property) and 435 (using fire or explosives to cause damage) of Indian Penal Code and also under Gujarat Police Act against him and others. They are accused of being part of a group of around 500 youths from the Patel community which vandalised the office of the BJP MLA Rushikesh Patel in the town, attacked journalists, and rioted on July 23 when the agitation was at its peak. "The group attacked a journalist who was recording the incident, broke video camera and injured him. They also looted a mobile phone worth Rs 10,000 and set a car on fire," the charge sheet says. Hardik's lawyers said they will file a bail application in the court in a few days. He is also facing sedition cases in Surat and Ahmedabad. Criminal charges have been withdrawn against one of Nelson Mandela's grandsons accused of raping a teenage girl, a spokeswoman for South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority said today. The state withdrew the charges against him for further investigation after new evidence was discovered, said spokeswoman Phindi Louw. Withdrawing the case while the investigation continued was in the interest of the teenage girl, "rather than subjecting her to postponements," Louw said. The Mandela grandson was arrested and charged with rape and attempted rape last year. He was later released on bail of nearly USD 540. Members of the Mandela family attended today's hearing that lasted about an hour, Louw said. "He's basically free for now up until the state decides whether we will be proceeding with criminal charges," said Louw. The Mandela grandson, in his mid-twenties, was accused of raping the teenager at a Johannesburg restaurant in August last year. Under South African law related to sexual assault cases, the man may not be named. Rajasthan government today said child sex ratio in the state has improved from 888 of 2011 census to 919 due to effective monitoring of pregnant women. Replying to a question in the Assembly, Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria said that average child sex ratio in the state was 888 girls for 1,000 boys according to 2011 census but it has improved to 919. It happened due to effective monitoring of pregnant women, he said. 274 cases of female foeticide, 575 cases of newborn found dead and 186 cases of children (generally up to 6 years of age) found unattended were registered from January, 2013 to January 31, 2016, Kataria said. He informed the Assembly that there is a provision that a government employee having three children is debarred from promotion for five years and the government is reviewing this condition. "We are at the stage of considering though no decision has been taken so far," he said in reply to the question by BJP MLA Nirmal Kumawat. UDH Minister Rajpal Singh on behalf of the finance minister informed the House that the present regime has recruited 40,000 persons in last two years where the number was 22,000 in the first two years of the former Congress-led government. Meanwhile, during the question hour, heated arguments took place between deputy chief whip Madan Rathore and Congress deputy whip Govind Singh Dotasara when Rathore interrupted Dotasara when he was raising a supplementary question. When the zero hours began, Dotasara accused Rathore of using "unparliamentary" word against him and demanded that the Speaker expunge it. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore also requested the Speaker to expunge if unparliamentary word was used by any member. The Speaker said that he will examine the matter and will get any such word expunged from the proceedings of the house. When the Opposition members and ruling party's Ghanshyam Tiwari also raised objection to the language, Speaker Kailash Meghwal announced to get the word expunged. China today asked the international probe team to continue its search of the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 which disappeared two years ago with 239 people on board over the Indian Ocean in the world's biggest aviation mystery. The call came after a statement issued by an independent international Air Accident Investigation Team yesterday on the second anniversary of the tragedy, which said MH370 wreckage has still not been found despite a continuing search in the South Indian Ocean where the flight had presumably crashed. "The Chinese side has noticed the interim statement issued by the team, and hopes the team can continue investigation to find the cause of the incident and give a responsible explanation to the families of those on board," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said at a press briefing here. MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board mostly Chinese nationals. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday said in a statement that Malaysia remains hopeful the plane can be found in the search area. Malaysia, Australia and China will hold a tripartite meeting to determine the next step if the current search fails to find the plane, Najib said. Hong spoke positively of the search efforts and investigation conducted by the three nations as well as their close communication and coordination. He said the deep water search led by Australia is still in progress. The Chinese government also sent a ship to the Southern Indian Ocean to join the search efforts in January. China will continue to keep close communication and cooperation with countries on the search efforts, he said. China today claimed there had been a sharp drop in terrorist attacks last year in its volatile Xinjiang province, saying the security situation in the region was now "stable" following the success of a massive crackdown against Islamist Uyghur militants. The frequency of terrorist attacks in the province has dropped significantly, Zhang Chunxian, provincial head of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), said on the sidelines of the annual session of the national legislature here. "The situation in Xinjiang is becoming ever more stable. Local authorities have strengthened their ability to prevent and fight terrorist activity," he said. But at the same time Xinjiang which remained restive for several years due to Uyghur Muslim protests over Han settlements from other provinces, still faces a severe and complicated counter-terrorism situation that requires a continuous campaign against terrorists, Zhang said. Religious extremism has dramatically dropped in Xinjiang, while the current counter-terrorism campaign has been attracting extensive support among people of various ethnic groups in the autonomous region, Zhang was quoted as saying by official media here. China has blamed the al-Qaeda-backed East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) whose origins and its leadership were little known. Xinjiang and rest of China witnessed some of the deadliest attacks in the last two years in which dozens were killed and scores injured. Also several Uyghurs were reported to have entered Syria to join the dreaded Islamic State terror group. China also successfully stopped the migration of Uyghurs through southeast Asian countries. The last major attack was reported in September, 2015 when a local coal mine was attacked killing 11 people. "The number of terror cases dropped due to efforts to crack down on terrorist activities and to destroy the hotbed of terrorism," Li Wei, an anti-terrorism expert at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told state-run Global Times adding that rising international terrorism contributed greatly to militancy in China. "Religious extremism created hatred among different ethnic groups under the guise of religion," Abudulrekep Tumniyaz, deputy director of the Xinjiang Islamic Association, said noting that Islam, as a religion of "peace, unity, tolerance and caring," as opposed to extremism. The counter-terrorist campaign has helped protect the rights and interests of the public, Nayim Yasen, director of the Standing Committee of the Xinjiang People's Congress, told the media at the conference. In counter-terrorism, human rights as well as freedom of religion and ethnic customs should be respected, he said. Chinese scientists in the country's northwest have developed two specialised robots that will record sand and dust levels related to desertification. The robots, one six-legged and the other wheeled with a loading capacity of 8 kg and 80 kg respectively, can measure wind speed, air pressure, humidity, sand vibration and wind erosion, Yang Zelin, a member of Ningxia University research team said today. The robots, which are equipped with solar panels, use microwaves to relay data over an area of 25 kilometers. They can run for one hour, state-run Xinhua agency quoted Yang as saying. Currently desert data is mainly collected from aerological stations, as it was previously difficult to collect on-the-ground information. "The various sensors installed on the robots are only 50 centimeters from the ground, offering us the much needed in situ data we require," said Yang. The robots are the result of a collaboration project between Ningxia University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, the University of Pennsylvania and the Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Ningxia, a dry and barren region in northwest China, borders Tengger Desert, China's fourth largest desert, which stretches over 43,000 sq kms. Pakistan along with its "all-weather" ally China has successfully blocked India's bid to become a member of the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group, Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has said. India has been seeking membership to the 48-member nuclear club, whose members can trade in and export nuclear technology. NSG is a powerful multinational body concerned with reducing nuclear proliferation. Pakistan with the cooperation of China had successfully blocked India's bid to seek membership of the NSG, Aziz told the Senate yesterday. While countries like the US have backed India's membership in the NSG, China has only offered conditional support to New Delhi. China's Foreign Ministry had called for "prudence and caution" over expanding the NSG. Asked whether China wants to back any other country's entry into NSG, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying had said, "as for the expansion of the group, the members should make the decision on consensus after thorough discussions. India's inclusion into this group is an internal matter of the group. It needs prudence and caution and thorough discussions among all members." "We support such discussion and we also support India's inclusion into this group if it meets all the requirements," she had said in January last year. In November, media reports said China had assured Islamabad that if India is granted membership of the NSG, China would ensure that Pakistan also joined the group. Pakistan has been saying that if it is deprived of NSG membership while India is accommodated, it would be taken as discrimination and lead to an imbalance in the region. Chinese and Pakistani leaders have views their relationship as "all-weather". China's skewed sex ratio resulting in millions of men to remain bachelors continues to be a major problem as Chinese President Xi Jinping found to his chagrin that while rural development schemes made villages prosper, marriage eluded their ageing men. During his meeting with lawmakers from Hunan province here yesterday Xi inquired the progress of tailor-made schemes to remove poverty in a remote village he visited in 2013. After inquiring about the increase in the village's per capita income, Xi asked, "How many of the single men there got married last year? Only Seven out of 20, Guo Jianqun, a lawmaker from an ethnic minority group told the perplexed President amid laughter from her fellow lawmakers. Guo said the village has more than 20 men who are considered far above a prime age for marriage, as few women there wanted to wed due to poverty, state-run China Daily reported. Shibadong, a mountainous village that is home mainly to the Miao ethnic group, has suffered poverty due to a severe shortage of arable land and poor transportation. Xi also general secretary of the ruling Communist Party had visited the village in 2013 and asked the local government to help it to alleviate poverty through tailor-made measures. Xi said it was the first place where he had raised the concept of targeted poverty alleviation. Since then, the village has become more prosperous, with its per capita income more than doubling through fruit processing and tourism development. The "single men" has remained a major problem all over China due to skewed sex ratio. As per 2014 official figures, there were 115.88 boys born for every 100 girls. Roughly about 34 million Chinese males had to either to find brides outside the country or remain life-long bachelors. According to latest figures, China had population of 1.37 billion at the end of 2015, up 6.8 million from the end of 2014. The skewed sex ratio was attributed to sex-selective abortion to have male children. Like elsewhere in Asia, Chinese people in general believe male heirs can ensure their families' bloodline is preserved. To combat the problem in the world's most populous nation, China has started a clampdown on illegal prenatal gender tests and sex-selective abortions to address the gender-ratio imbalance. Tibetan legislators, who wore badgeswith photos of China's President Xi Jinping and past Communist leaders during the party's ongoing annual parliament session, have faced criticism from netizens for reviving the Mao-era practice of personality cult. Internet users reacted with unease and said that it appears to be a return to the "cult of personality" crafted by Chairman Mao Zedong and employed during the violent Cultural Revolution (1966-76), a report in China's Caixin magazine said. Tibetan delegates for the annual meeting of China's parliament, the National People's Congress, which began on March 5, wore two badges when they attended the opening session of the legislature's annual meeting on March 5. One badge showed a smiling President Xi, head of the ruling-Communist Party, talking to a Tibetan woman. The other showed the busts of Xi and his four predecessors as top leaders of the party and country, Mao, his successor Deng Xiaoping, former Presidents, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao. Gesang Zhuoga, a delegate from a rural village in Tibet's provincial capital, Lhasa, said they wanted to wear the pins to show their "gratitude" to the party's top leaders for the changes made in Tibet, particularly in the past three years. However, many Internet users said the badges, which are similar to ones worn during the Cultural Revolution, were a reminder of a period which saw the country brought to the brink of collapse. One person wrote on Sina Weibo, China's micro-blogging site akin to Twitter, that the nation has moved past reminders of the cult of personality. "As such, we should never allow the worship of an individual to become a fashion again," he wrote. Another blogger wrote "If they are not told to stop doing this, other delegates could follow suit next year". A Chinese university has removed vulgar banners to mark Girls' Day following protests by netizens over its explicit content. South China Agriculture University in Guanzhou said it has banned the vulgar banners being hung in the campus without permission from the university, state-run Global Times reported today. It has become common in Chinese universities for boys to make banners to "please" girls on March 7, which has been dubbed Girls' Day - a festival derived from International Women's Day on March 8 - but the slogans have begun to feature vulgar content in recent years, local media reports said. Some of the slogans on the Girls' Day banners are "vulgar, dirty or commercial, which bring abad influence to the campus," the announcement by the university said. "From the boys' point of view, the slogans might be entertaining, while for girls they are humiliating," an unnamed student from South China Agriculture University was quoted in the announcement as saying. "The festival was set up to respect women, instead of being an excuse for males to release androgen," another student said. Systems of assessment and resource allocation throughout society disadvantage women while males are given more opportunities, Chen Lan, founder of a nongovernmental child abuse prevention organisation said. The social division of labour continues to define women as inferior and subordinate to males, she said. The issue of reported vandalisation of a Chhattisgarh church and manhandling of the congregants figured in Rajya Sabha today, with a Congress member demanding action against the culprits. Shantaram Naik of Congress said a group of over 15 men allegedly vandalised the prayer hall that served as a church and manhandled the congregants at the Kachana colony in the capital city of Raipur. "The incident happened at a time when a prayer meeting was in progress. It is learnt that the men came on motorcycles and shouted slogans like 'Jai Shri Ram'," he said during the Zero Hour and sought action against those responsible. Chattisgarh government has said police were investigating the case. "When Chattisgarh is ridden with scams of thousands of crore in public distribution system, the people have lost faith in the state government's investigation," he said. Talking about reported hate crimes against gurudwaras in the US, Vivek Gupta (TMC) referred to an incident last week when a 44 year old man broke into a gurudwara in Spokane. "The person who committed this crime also desecrated sacred items in the gurudwara and tried to damage it ... He posed as a naked man and vandalised it," he said and asked the Ministry of External Affairs to get the matter properly investigated. Nadimul Haque (also TMC) raised the matter of delay in appointment of Chairperson and other members of the Law Commission. He said the Ministry of Law and Justice had notified the constitution of the 21st Law Commission of India for a period of three years from September 2015. "However, almost six months have passed, but the Government has not appointed the Chairman and other Members of the Law Commission till date," he said. The delay in appointment will have adverse impact on the working of the Commission as they will have six months less to complete their assigned tasks, he said, urging the Government to appoint all the members expeditiously. registered his biggest win of the Democratic presidential race today by defeating party's front-runner Hillary Clinton in the Michigan primary, giving his campaign a bounce ahead of the vital March 15 primaries in Florida, Ohio and three other big states. Earlier, Clinton, 68 had an impressive win in the US State of Mississippi, as a result of which she was able to have more delegates in her kitty as against Sanders. However, her defeat in Michigan, which includes the auto Capital of Detroit, and its neighbourhood, at the hands of 74-year-old Sanders albeit by a narrow margin is an indication of the challenges she might face in the rest of her presidential campaign. Clinton was expected to have an easy win in Michigan, where according to some polls she was leading by more than 20 points. But when results came in, Sanders won the support of 50 per cent of the Democratic voters, while 48 per cent supported Clinton. People of Michigan have defied the pundits and pollsters, Sanders said in a statement. "This is a critically important night. We came from 30 points down in Michigan and we're seeing the same kind of come-from-behind momentum all across America," he said. "Not only is Michigan the gateway to the rest of the industrial Midwest, the results there show that we are a national campaign. We already have won in the Midwest, New England and the Great Plains and as more people get to know more about who we are and what our views are we're going to do very well," Sanders said. Despite the upset in Michigan, Clinton still has a lead in the number of delegates, which is crucial for winning the party's presidential nomination. Of the 4,763 delegates, she needs 2,382 delegates to become the party's first ever women presidential nominee. So far she has support of 1,215 delegates which includes 739 won through the primaries and 461 the support pledge by super delegates. Sanders has 566 delegates including 535 delegates through primary election. Clinton has so far has won 12 States, while Sanders has won nine States. Immediate registration of cases and quick response by police are two key factors in checking crime against women, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said here today. He unveiled a documentary on the women helpline '103' at an event organised by newly-formed Women Journalist Association (WJA). "Two important things need to be taken into consideration in (tackling) crimes against women. First, the case should be registered immediately and another that the response of police towards it should be quick," he said. WJA secretary Poonam Apraj said the documentary is made by the WJA in association with the Mumbai police. Fadnavis said the country which fails to utilise its huge woman population lags behind other countries in terms of progress. "The percentage of women employees working in Chief Minister Office here stood at 6 per cent during 1990 to 2014, but it has gone up to 20 per cent in just last one year," the CM said. State DGP Pravin Dixit, city Police Commissioner Dattatray Padsalgikar and other top police brass were present at the function held in South Mumbai. Fadnavis said the government will identify a place for WJA where women journalists can set up their office with rest rooms and function. "Though it's hard to find a place in city like Mumbai due to scarcity of land, we would certainly find the place for WJA," he said. Dixit said he has already asked all police stations in the state to file charge sheet within 24 hours in cases of molestation of women. "This move will instill fear in the minds of elements who harass and molest women," he said. Padsalgikar said the documentary should be screened at different places to spread awareness among women. (REOPENS BES 45) Meanwhile, Fadnavis directed officials of the tribal development department to have a "Standard Operating Procedure" for each and every operation. Stating that Savara had to face the "wrath of wrong doings of his predecessors", the he said things are improving now. "In the past 10-15 years in the department, many things had happened and even if the minister changed, the suppliers and contractors remained the same," he pointed out. The panel set up for resolution of disputes between state electricity agencies and Coal India with regard to coal grade slippage will meet by the month-end to further deliberate on the issue amid the government terming quality determination of fossil fuel as a challenge. "The meeting of the ADRM (Additional Dispute Resolution Mechanism) committee (on resolution of disputes between State Electricity Agencies and CIL (and its subsidiaries)/SCCL relating to third party sampling/grade slippage...Has now been fixed on March 29, 2016," according to the meeting notice. All the members of the panel from states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh have been asked to attend the meeting along with the representatives of respective state power corporation/GENCO. The committee formed almost a year back is co-chaired by Joint Secretaries of both Ministry of Coal and Ministry of Power, an official said. With quality determination of fossil fuels posing a challenge to the government, the state-owned CIL had earlier roped in additional third-party agencies to do the job. The agencies are Allied (India), Shree Coal Research LLP, Mitra SK Pvt Ltd, R V Briggs & Company Pvt Ltd, CIL said. Coal Secretary Anil Swarup had earlier termed the quality of coal as "an area of concern". The government had already brought in a new regime for sampling and testing of the dry fuel from January 1 to ensure supplying quality coal to consumers. Through this move that government aims at putting an end to controversies like the one between NTPC and the coal behemoth on the quality front, according to industry thinkers. CIL, which accounts for about 80 per cent of the domestic dry fuel production, supplies a chunk of the coal it produces to power utilities, the thinkers said. Amid a strike call by Coal India worker unions, the company management is likely to meet the protesting unions next week over the issue. "Most probably next week the management of Coal India will meet the workers' unions," an official said, adding that the date for the meeting is yet to be fixed but "it is likely to be next week". "During the meeting the management will try its best to convince the workers unions to call off the proposed strike," the official said. The proposed strike on March 29 is likely to hit the production of the coal behemoth, the official said. Last month, the government had said that four central trade unions (CTUs) of the coal sector had given notice to go on strike on March 29. The unions are protesting divestment of the coal PSU, among other issues. Indian National Mineworkers Federation Secretary General S Q Zama had earlier said trade unions during their meeting with CIL management will deliberate on various issues, including review of pension scheme and had added that the scheme has not been reviewed since its inception in 1995. Punjab Congress today walked out from the meeting of Business Advisory Committee of the Assembly to protest "non assurance" by the Speaker on their demands for including an adjournment motion over the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue. Channi said that "we had already given adjournment motion on the issue of SYL but the government is bringing a resolution on the same issue which is neither right nor ethical". Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal should tell what happened to our adjournment motion which was submitted two days back, he said. Channi, however, said, "we would participate in the budget discussion and governor address discussion". "We have given our dissenting note on the proceedings of the business advisory committee," Chief of Congress legislature party Charanjit Singh Channi said. Congress sought extension of the House session by two days or increase the sittings so that important issues could be debated but there was no assurance from the Speaker on this, he said. "We have also listed 13 core issues, which needed to be discussed. We have also demanded in the meeting that one representative from our party should be present when the balloting is being done for the questions from the members. It did not happen in the last nine years," he said. Ruling SAD-BJP alliance is "suppressing" the voice of democracy by showing its majority in the business advisory committee also, he alleged. Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao today said the state government has succeeded in improving the conviction rate in crime cases from 36 per cent to 52 per cent over the past one year. "The government has succeeded in improving the conviction rate from 36 per cent to 52 per cent over the past one year. Higher conviction rate will deter criminal and anti-social elements from indulging in unlawful activities," he said. The Governor said this while addressing a joint sitting of the Legislature as the budget session got underway. "My government has initiated stern measures to protect the people and control crime. To this end, the government has expedited technology upgradation of police force and has successfully completed the crime and criminal tracking network and systems project of Government of India," Rao said. "CCTV project in Pune has been completed and the government is now focusing on timely completion of CCTV projects in Mumbai, Thane, Aurangabad and Solapur," he said. "Safety of women and children is an important issue. In Mumbai, more than 90 women police patrolling teams have been pressed into service," the Governor said. "Anti-Naxal operations will be stepped-up further and overall improvement in policing affected area will continue to be the priority of the government," he said. Avantha Group company will sell its transmission and distribution (T&D) business outside India to First Reserve International, a US private equity (PE) fund, for an enterprise value of euro 115 million (about Rs 851 crore). In May last year, had received non-binding proposals from interested parties to acquire European, North American and Indonesian activities of power division of the company. said the transaction is subject to regulatory approval and signing of definitive share purchase agreement. It further said, The sale will enable the company to reduce debt and focus on its faster growing Indian business. The company continues to actively examine its other international B2B businesses (business-to-business) with a view to monetise. The stock was trading at Rs 148.10, up 6.13 per cent from its previous close on BSE. Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is facing legal proceedings for allegedly defaulting loans of over Rs 9,000 crores from various banks, has left the country a week back, government today informed the Supreme Court. "I spoke to the CBI little while ago and it told me that on March 2 he (Mallya) left the country," Attorney General(AG) Mukul Rohatgi told the bench comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman. The bench issued notice to Mallya and sought his response within two weeks on pleas filed by a consortium of banks seeking direction for freezing his passport and his presence before the apex court. Since the court was informed that Mallya has already left the country, probably to UK, the bench allowed the plea of AG that the notice to him can be served through his official Rajya Sabha Email ID, Indian High Commission at London and also through counsel representing him before various high courts, Debt Recovery Tribunal and also through his Company. During the brief hearing, the AG said that amount of more than Rs 9,000 crore was due to various banks and on one or the other pretext Mallya avoided to settle them. There have been various proceedings going on against him in debt recovery tribunals in Bangalore and Goa, he said. When the bench wanted to know what was the petitioner seeking, the AG said there was a need for a garnishee order and there was also a need for disclosure on behalf of Mallya. Rohatgi said the banks were seeking an order that Mallya should appear in person before this court and also sought a direction for freezing his passport. The AG said that Mallya has assets, both movable and immovable, abroad which are far excessive to loans secured by him here. At this, the bench wanted to know how the banks have granted him loan under such circumstances. The AG said the loans were granted keeping in mind that Kingfisher Airlines had a fleet of aircraft as well as brand value and loans were given also on the basis of the logo and the aircraft were attached to the third party. The AG said, "Today I submit he (Mallya) should appear before you (SC). We want disclosure. We want to recover money, which is public money." After this submission the bench concluded the hearing and dictated the order by issuing notice to Mallya saying, "if he is already out of the country, we will permit you to serve the notice through Indian High Commission at London and also through his official email ID of Rajya Sabha, of which he is a member." The consortium of banks, in their appeal, have assailed the March 4 order of the Karnataka High Court refusing an "ex- parte ad interim" order against Mallya, England-based Diageo Plc and United Spirits Limited. The banks said that the High Court should have passed an interim order, securing their financial interests, without hearing the industrialist and others including debtor firm Kingfisher Airlines Limited. Prior to moving the High Court, the banks had filed four pleas in the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) at Bengaluru seeking reliefs like freezing of Mallya's passport, arrest warrant against him and issuance of a "garnishee order against Respondent Nos. 10 (Diageo Plc) and 11 (United Spirits Limited) from disbursing USD 75 million". They had also sought a direction to Mallya that he should disclose his assets on oath. The banks had moved the DRT in the backdrop of Mallya's recent resignation from the chairmanship of United Spirits. Diageo Plc, the current owner of the liquor company, has agreed to pay USD 75 million (approx. Rs 515 crore) to Mallya as severance package. Besides SBI, other banks which have moved the SC are: Axis Bank Limited, Bank of Baroda, Corporation Bank, Federal Bank Limited, IDBI Bank Limited, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited, Punjab and Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of Mysore, UCO Bank and United Bank of India. The banks have also sought a direction to Mallya to "furnish suitable security for his appearance before the DRT" during the pendency of banks' original applications for recovering debts. The banks have also arraigned firms like Kingfisher Airlines Ltd, United Breweries (Holdings) Ltd, Kingfisher Finvest (India) Ltd, SBICAP Trustee Company Ltd as parties. The plea said the banks "individually" had advanced loans to Kingfisher Airlines Limited and by way of a Master Debts Recast Agreement (MDRA), executed on December 21, 2010, and related documents ("Financing Documents"), the existing loans were restructured and was treated as a single facility. This blog is written solely by John Ray, who has a Ph.D. degree in psychology and 200+ papers published in the academic journals of the social sciences. It does occasionally comment on issues in psychology but is mainly aimed at giving a conservative psychologist's view on a broad range of topics. There are very few conservative psychologists.The blog originated in Australia and many (but not most) posts discuss Australian matters. Australians have an unusually good awareness of events outside their own country. Australian newspapers feature news from Britain and the USA not as an afterthought but as a major part of their coverage. So Australians do tend to have a truly Western heart, which is the reason behind the old name for this blog. So events in Australia, Britain and the USA all feature frequently here, plus occasional coverage of other places, particularly Israel.SCOTUS is the Supreme Court of the United States, the highest court in the landThe "GOP" stands for "Grand Old Party" and refers to the Republican party. The GOP is at present center/Right, while the Democrats have been undergoing a steady drift Leftwards and now have policies similar to mainstream European Leftist parties.The ideological identity of both parties has however been very fluid -- almost reversing itself over time. In the mid 19th century, the GOP was the party of big government and concern for minorities while the Democrats advertised themselves as "The party of the white man" -- an orientation that lasted into the mid 20th century in the South. The Democrats are still obsessed with race but have now flipped into support for discrimination AGAINST whites.Was Pope Urban VIII the first Warmist? Below we see him refusing to look through Galileo's telescope. People tend to refuse to consider evidence if what they might discover contradicts what they believe.Climate scientist Lennart Bengtsson said. The warming we have had the last 100 years is so small that if we didnt have meteorologists and climatologists to measure it we wouldnt have noticed it at all.The term "Fascism" is mostly used by the Left as a brainless term of abuse. But when they do make a serious attempt to define it, they produce very complex and elaborate definitions -- e.g. here and here . In fact, Fascism is simply extreme socialism plus nationalism. But great gyrations are needed to avoid mentioning the first part of that recipe, of course.Beatrice Webb, a founder of the London School of Economics and the Fabian Society, and married to a Labour MP, mused in 1922 on whether when English children were "dying from lack of milk", one should extend "the charitable impulse" to Russian and Chinese children who, if saved this year, might anyway die next. Besides, she continued, there was "the larger question of whether those races are desirable inhabitants" and "obviously" one wouldn't "spend one's available income" on "a Central African negro".Hugh Dalton, offered the Colonial Office during Attlee's 1945-51 Labour government, turned it down because "I had a horrid vision of pullulating, poverty stricken, diseased nigger communities, for whom one can do nothing in the short run and who, the more one tries to help them, are querulous and ungrateful."The book,, authored by T.W. Adorno et al. in 1950, has been massively popular among psychologists. It claims that a set of ideas that were popular in the "Progressive"-dominated America of the prewar era were "authoritarian". Leftist regimes always are authoritarian so that claim was not a big problem. What was quite amazing however is that Adorno et al. identified such ideas as "conservative". They were in fact simply popular ideas of the day but ones that had been most heavily promoted by the Left right up until the then-recent WWII. See here for details of prewar "Progressive" thinking.R.I.P. Augusto Pinochet. Pinochet deposed a law-defying Marxist President at the express and desperate invitation of the Chilean parliament. He pioneered the free-market reforms which Reagan and Thatcher later unleashed to world-changing effect. That he used far-Leftist methods to suppress far-Leftist violence is reasonable if not ideal. The Leftist view that they should have a monopoly of violence and that others should follow the law is a total absurdity which shows only that their hate overcomes their reasonFranklin Delano Roosevelt was a war criminal. Both British and American codebreakers had cracked the Japanese naval code so FDR knew what was coming at Pearl Harbor. But for his own political reasons he warned no-one there. So responsibility for the civilian and military deaths at Pearl Harbor lies with FDR as well as with the Japanese. The huge firepower available at Pearl Harbor, both aboard ship and on land, could have largely neutered the attack. Can you imagine 8 battleships and various lesser craft firing all their AA batteries as the Japanese came in? The Japanese naval airforce would have been annihilated and the war would have been over before it began. FDR prolonged the Depression . He certainly didn't cure it. WWII did NOT end the Great Depression . It just concealed it. It in fact made living standards worse Joe McCarthy was eventually proved right after the fall of the Soviet Union. To accuse anyone of McCarthyism is to accuse them of accuracy! The KKK was intimately associated with the Democratic party . They ATTACKED Republicans!People who mention differences in black vs. white IQ are these days almost universally howled down and subjected to the most extreme abuse. I am a psychometrician, however, so I feel obliged to defend the scientific truth of the matter:The average African adult has about the same IQ as an average white 11-year-old and African Americans (who are partly white in ancestry) average out at a mental age of 14. The American Psychological Association is generally Left-leaning but it is the world's most prestigious body of academic psychologists. And even they have had to concede that sort of gap (one SD) in black vs. white average IQ. 11-year olds can do a lot of things but they also have their limits and there are times when such limits need to be allowed for. America's uncivil war was caused by trade protectionism . The slavery issue was just camouflage, as Abraham Lincoln himself admitted . See also here Leftist psychologists have an amusingly simplistic conception of military organizations and military men. They seem to base it on occasions they have seen troops marching together on parade rather than any real knowledge of military men and the military life. They think that military men are "rigid" -- automatons who are unable to adjust to new challenges or think for themselves. What is incomprehensible to them is that being(to use the extreme Prussian term for following orders) actually requires great flexibility -- enough flexibility to put your own ideas and wishes aside and do something very difficult. Ask any soldier if all commands are easy to obey. Amid reports of Centre asking the Punjab government to pay up Rs 6. 35 crore for the deployment of para-military forces in the state during and after the terror attack in Pathankot air force base, AAP MPs Bhagwant Mann and Sadhu Singh have asked the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to deduct the amount from their MPLAD funds. In a letter to Singh, Mann, parliamentary party leader of the AAP in Lok Sabha, said Punjab is already reeling under the debt of Rs 1.5 lakh crore. "Punjab has made maximum sacrifice in country's freedom fight. This year, neither the Sikh Regiment nor the tableau of Punjab found place in the Republic Day Parade. If you don't consider Punjab as part of India or if you don't consider the Pathankot terror strike as an attack on country, then as MP from the state I would request you to please deduct Rs 6.35 crore from our MPLAD funds," Mann said today. Earlier the Punjab government had refused to pay a bill of Rs 6.35 crore to the Center for deployment of paramilitary forces during and after the terror attack at Pathankot air force base. In a communication to the Centre, the state government had said that the deployment of these units was in " interest" and "expenditure thereon should not be billed to the state government", officials said here. NDA constituents Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP are in power in Punjab. The Defence Ministry is working on a new policy for using Army for civilian causes, a move that comes amid a raging controversy over the force building a pontoon bridge over the Yamuna for the Art of Living Foundation's upcoming World Culture Festival here. The Defence Secretary has been asked by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to look into the matter so that a controversy is avoided the next time. As per the initial plan, the help of the Army can be requisitioned by either the Chief Secretary or the Director General of Police of a state. It is not the first time that the Army has been involved in a private event. It had built two pontoon bridges for a Yanni concert behind Taj Mahal on the banks of Yamuna in 1997, sources said. In the current case, Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra had written to Parrikar seeking pontoon bridges of the Army. In a letter dated February 16, Mishra, Minister of Tourism, Art, Culture, Language and Water, said that a large gathering of people is expected to congregate at the Festival. "A very large number of people, who will be approaching the venue from Noida Link Road side, will be required to cross Yamuna to reach the venue of the Festival...Provision of adequate number of pontoon bridges on Yamuna river (around four) is being seen as imperative for this purpose. "We have learnt that the Army is making 1 pontoon bridge. This is not adequate for the safe movement of the large gathering and hence (we) request the Army for building at least one more pontoon bridge over river Yamuna," he said. The AAP Minister, however, said that Delhi government would not bear any expenditure whatsoever. Defence sources have said that the decision to rope in the Army was taken keeping people's safety in mind. "Lakhs of people are expected to turn up. There is a question of law and order and also fears of stampede. Permission has been granted by authorities concerned to host the event. If a permission has been given, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure everything is run smoothly," sources had said. They said the organisers had approached the Defence Ministry seeking six such bridges but the Army was asked to erect only one. A second bridge has been erected by the PWD. "The Delhi Police has given a report saying that there are fears of stampede and hence the Army might build another bridge," the sources said. A Ukrainian military pilot on trial in Russia over the killing of two journalists defiantly raised her middle finger at the court today and vowed to press on with a hunger strike. Nadiya Savchenko's high-profile case has raised deep concern in the West and in Kiev, where the government denounced the trial as a "farce" and demanded her immediate release. "I will continue my dry hunger strike," the 34-year-old said in her final address to the court in the small Russian town of Donetsk. The Iraq war veteran, who has been held by Russia since June 2014, first announced her protest action last Thursday, rejecting both food and water. Appearing feverish and visibly thinner after days of fasting, she said today she would continue the hunger strike if the court takes longer than a week to announce a verdict and sentence. "Maybe I will live that long," Savchenko declared. The judge said the verdict would be handed down on March 21 and 22. "Here's my final word," Savchenko said, climbing onto a bench in her glass enclosure and raising her middle finger in a defiant gesture at the judge and prosecution. Refusing both food and water is known in Russia as a "dry hunger strike" and was a method of last resort for some Soviet dissidents under Communism. Savchenko is seen by her compatriots as a symbol of resistance against the Kremlin, accused of fuelling the conflict in eastern Ukraine which has claimed more than 9,000 lives since April 2014. The prosecution has sought a 23-year jail sentence for Savchenko over the killing of two journalists from Russian public broadcaster VGTRK in shelling in Ukraine's eastern Lugansk region in June, two months after the pro-Russia uprising began. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party may have differences with the BJP on various issues but Delhi Assembly has chosen former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha as 'margdarshak' to guide MLAs on the city government's budget to be tabled in the House on March 28. Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel today said he had invited four persons including Sinha, who are experts in the field of finance, for an orientation programme for the MLAs on the process and procedure of the upcoming state Budget. "Former Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha has accepted our invitation to guide the legislators on the state Budget at the Assembly premises on March 15. Sinha will also guide MLAs on questions to be asked on the Budget," Goel said. Apart from Sinha, invitation was also extended to Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Delhi Finance Secretary. Goel said Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, would interact with the legislators. The BJP-ruled Centre and the AAP dispensation in Delhi have been at loggerheads over a range of issues. In a boost to Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group, DIPP has approved 12 industrial licences to Reliance Defence, an arm of Reliance Infrastructure, for manufacturing of a wide range of defence equipment. The licence approval by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) for strategic business units (SBUs) of is aimed at addressing defence programmes in India and overseas. "The foray of Reliance into these areas will give added traction to the Indian government's Make in India and Skill India initiatives," a senior official of the company said. In the aerospace segment, with licences to manufacture military aircraft and helicopters, the company looks to meet amphibious aircraft requirements of the Indian Navy, pegged at Rs 9,000 crore, and light utility helicopters, an opportunity valued at more than Rs 20,000 crore. In addition, there is a requirement of 160-200 medium-to-heavy helicopters valued at Rs 50,000 crore. The transport and the combat aircraft requirements for the Indian Air Force in the next 10 years will be in excess of Rs 60,000 crore, something the company is also eyeing. In Land Systems, Reliance has got licences for manufacturing of missiles and all-terrain combat vehicles. The key programmes in this segment include short-, medium- and long-range missile systems with programme value in excess of Rs 50,000 crore. The Indian Army will spend an additional Rs 50,000 crore over the next 10-15 years on different combat vehicles. As for Naval Systems, Reliance is focusing on key areas, as is evident from licences for air independent propulsion technology and Hull penetrators and connectors along with motor shafts and propulsion systems, the company official said. In the case of unmanned aerial systems, the company is looking at various requirements from the Indian Navy, the Army and the Air Force. The combined value of these programmes over next 10 years is expected to top Rs 30,000 crore. For the export market, Reliance Strategic Electronics Division (SED) plans to target the global market of $7 billion to manufacture night vision devices (NVDs) and surveillance ones. There is a large market for combat vehicles in the Middle East, Africa and South America. Reliance is aiming at developing an infantry combat vehicle, which will not only address domestic requirements, but can also take care of the global opportunities estimated at about $50 billion. A day after Madras High Court quashed a case of abetment to suicide and corruption filed against former Tamil Nadu Minister 'Agri' S S Krishnamoorthy, opposition DMK today asked the state government to seek CBI probe into the matter to ensure "justice." Party President M Karunanidhi said apprehensions had been raised when the probe into the alleged suicide of Muthukumaraswamy was handed over to the CB-CID wing, as it came under the state police. Many had demanded a CBI probe into the official's death, he said in a statement while alleging that CB-CID had not produced sufficient documents against the former minister. "Therefore, if there has to be justice in the case, the AIADMK government should suo motu seek CBI probe into the matter," he said. Justice V S Ravi of the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court had yesterday thrown out the case against the former minister, holding that there was no direct evidence linking Krishnamoorthy to charges of bribery demand and alleged abetment to suicide. The Congress' state unit had already said it will move the court seeking CBI probe into Muthukumaraswamy's death, an alleged suicide. DMK today sought an "immediate" response from the Centre on Tamil Nadu government's request for the release of seven life convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. "State Government of Tamil Nadu has written a letter to the Home Secretary, requesting him for the release, which the State Government has remitted. "The sentence of those seven life convicts -- Santhan, Murugan, Perarivalan, Nalini, Payas, Jayakumar and Ravichandran, who have been languishing in the prison for more than 24 years, has been remitted and they are to be released," Tiruchi Siva said during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha. Amid sloganeering by Congress members and interruptions by AIADMK members, Siva said the state government has written to the Centre for its views because Section 435 of the Criminal Procedure Code requires it to consult the Centre. "I request the Central Government to respond to the request of the State Government...The release of the seven life convicts is very, very imminent...I think the Central Government's views are required immediately... They have to respond. I want the response of the Central Government," the DMK member said. He said a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court while modifying its earlier interim order of July, 2014 has allowed the state governments to exercise their powers of remission to release life convicts. In another Zero Hour mention, A Navaneethakrishnan (AIADMK) said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has written a letter to the Prime Minister raising objection to the review petition filed before the Supreme Court by the central government regarding the entrance examination for medical admissions. "The Central Government shall not interfere in state autonomy...There is no entrance test in Tamil Nadu for medical admissions...Poor students will be affected. "We request the Central Government to withdraw the review petition and not introduce any entrance examination for medical admissions," he said. Congress MP T Subbarami Reddy raised the issue of disruption of health services in several government hospitals of Delhi as nurses went on strike and mass casual leave to protest against the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has installed additional Door Frame Metal Detectors at 50 stations to provide relief to commuters who had to wait in long queues for security check, Lok Sabha was informed today. In a written reply, Union Minister of State for Urban Development Babul Supriyo said during peak hours long queues for security check are observed at a few terminals or interchange stations of Delhi metro. "DMRC has informed that they have provided additional Door Frame Metal Detector at 50 stations," the minister said. Responding to another query on solar energy, he said DMRC has installed roof top solar photo voltaic plants at 20 of its stations to enhance consumption of green energy. "At present, DMRC has installed roof top solar photo voltaic plants at 9 stations on Badarpur to Faridabad line, 7 stations of Delhi, and 4 stations of Gurgaon," he said. He said solar power generated by these plants is utilised for elevators/escalators and other auxiliary loads such as lighting loads and air conditioning. Other metro companies at Kochi, Nagpur, Mumbai, Chennai and Banglore also plan to harness solar energy, the minister added. A scientist and state media say Vietnam has identified an extremely rare set of bi-paternal twins, or twins with different fathers. Prof. Le Dinh Luong, president of the Genetic Association of Vietnam, says DNA testing at his Hanoi lab confirmed the twins have different fathers, the first such case that he knows of in Vietnam, with only seven such cases reported in the world as of 2011. Luong declined to give details because of confidentiality with his client. Online newspaper Dan Tri reported that a 34-year-old man from northern Hoa Binh province had DNA testing after being pressured by his family because the twins did not look alike. One has thick wavy hair while the other has thin and straight hair. To rule out a hospital mix-up, DNA testing of the mother showed that she was the mother of both children, the report said. The twins who are now two years old were born the same day and have same sex, it said. Luong said bi-paternal twins could happen if two eggs from the same mother were fertilized by sperm from two different men within one to seven days apart in an ovulation period. Days after he warned of social divisions hurting development, Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian today refused to answer a question on saying he did not want "to lose his job". "You know that if I answer this question I will lose my job. But thank you nevertheless for asking the question," he said while interacting with students of the Mumbai University here. He had been asked if the will have any adverse impact on the farmers' incomes or the rural economy, and his matter-of-fact reply was met with a round of applause. The remark by Subramanian, who is on leave from the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington since October 2014, comes days after he spoke about the adverse impact of social tensions on development. "The way you react to social cleavages has a critical impact on economic development. India is a wonderful example. What have reservations done, what have they not done, what has religion done, what has it not done, illustrate the general principle that these things have a huge impact," he had said during a lecture in Bengaluru. became a issue after a man was lynched by a mob on the outskirts of the capital last year on the suspicion of stocking beef at house. The Coconino County Supervisors and Flagstaff City Council are considering reviving a 2005 Winter Recreation task force to tackle the areas snowplay visitor problems. We want to keep the attractions, but we also want to find a way to mitigate the effects that some visitors have on our public lands, said Supervisor Art Babbott. We need to emphasize respectful behavior for both our public and private lands. Traffic backed up as much five miles going to and from snowplay areas in the Highway 180 corridor over winter holidays weekends this year. The joint meeting of the two boards Monday at Flagstaff City Hall revealed a new app for use by visitors on their smartphones. But there were no new proposals or agreements coming out of the meeting other than the suggested task force revival. Heidi Hansen, the citys Economic Vitality director, said that the city is working with the Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona on a smartphone app that would provide live updates on snowplay traffic conditions for visitors. In response to a question, Brian Poturalski from the U.S. Forest Service said there wasnt sufficient parking at Wing Mountain. We can accommodate about 600 cars on a daily basis; we had an average of 1,208 cars daily this season, he said. There is some turnover, when people leave for lunch or to visit another area, but theres usually a line of traffic waiting to get in. That could be something the task force could address, if Council and the Board decided to reinstate the task force. Brian Grube from the Coconino County Recreation Department said the county is already working on a new snowplay area at Fort Tuthill County Park. The area would be located behind the current campground and would use a natural hill for sledding and a flat area for more static snowplay like making snowmen and having snowball fights. The department expects to bring a bid for proposals before the Board of Supervisors for approval in early April. They hope to get the project off the ground before the next snow season, he said. Councilmember Coral Evans also asked if there was a way to ticket people for leaving trash behind or if dumpsters could be put out to encourage people to dispose of their trash properly. Coconino County Sheriffs Office Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll said deputies have tried a lot of things to keep visitors from trespassing on private property and leaving behind trash. They put up barricades on nine different roads to keep snowplay visitors from invading local neighborhoods, which helps those residents but also pushes the traffic back onto Highway 180. Tickets dont work well, he said. As soon as you stop to write someone a ticket for littering or trespassing, four more people pull in behind you. The best way to prevent littering and trespassing is to educate visitors about the rules before they arrive, he said. Deputy Flagstaff Police Chief Dan Musselman said on most snowplay weekends, the department stations a police officer at Humphreys and Highway 180 in order to help direct traffic. Once traffic gets backed up Humphreys Street, theyll station another officer at Beaver Street and send traffic in that direction. Once Beaver Street is full, theyll add another officer at San Francisco Street and direct traffic in that direction or down Switzer Canyon Drive. Usually by the time San Francisco Street is full, Humphreys has cleared and they can start the process over again, he said. The city also works with ADOT on the timing of traffic lights on Milton Road to keep traffic flowing, he said. Jeff Meilbeck from the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transit Authority said it has worked with the county and city to provide bus service to Snowbowl this year. The program has been mildly successful. However, at the end of a busy weekend day, the buses sometimes get stuck in traffic, he said. Supervisor Matt Ryan said, Many of the short-term options have been taken care of. We need trash and bathrooms. We need multiple snowplay sites. Part of the fix is going to have to come from working with the private sector. The Dwarka water treatment plant, operation of which was halted during the Jat quota stir, will resume functioning on Friday, Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra said today. Water supply in large parts of the city was severely hit after Jat agitators had forcibly shut down the Munak Canal in Haryana and its Delhi sub-branch. The city has a demand of 1,200 MGD (million gallons per day). "I visited Munak Canal and water has been released last night and the quantity is being gradually increased. The Dwarka plant will start functioning on March 11 (Friday)," Mishra told PTI. The plant, which has the capacity to treat 50 MGD, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal last year to cater to the residents of the Dwarka sub-city. Mishra, also the Chairman of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), said the rest of the treatment plants will also reach their respective peak capacities with the normalisation of the Munak Canal, the largest source of water supply to Delhi. Jat protesters, demanding reservation, had stopped water supply to the canal and breached its banks. Two columns of the army comprising around 150 personnel, besides CRPF and Haryana Police contingents had taken control of the canal on February 22 after evicting the protesters who were squatting at the site. Congress today said it would release its manifesto for the coming assembly polls in Tamil Nadu in 15 days after approval from the high command. "The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee is now busy preparing the election manifesto and after completing it, they will send it for approval from AICC and then release it in 15 days," TNCC president E V K S Elangovan told reporters here. He said the party had entered into a tie up with DMK as its ultimate aim was to defeat the ruling AIADMK. If DMDK joined the fold, they could easily defeat AIADMK, he said. He evaded a reply to a question about his views on Congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and his followers in the party, saying he was not interested in replying to queries related to him. However he would recommend seats to 'real' Congress members to contest the polls, Elangovan said, adding that partymen who had already given in writing their option to contest would be given seats. A manager of a private life insurance company here has been arrested by Delhi Police for allegedly killing a female colleague with whom he had an extra-marital affair, an official said today. The accused, identified as Navin Kumar (30), a manager in the Rohini Branch of HDFC Life Insurance company, called the victim on March 2 to resolve some issues and murdered her. The 28-year-old woman, a business development executive in the same branch, used to live her parents in Rohini area. According to police, two persons, who were driving past Kanjhawla Road in the wee hours of March 3, saw the accused allegedly dragging a woman out of his car and then hitting her head on the pavement. They dialled 100 but by the time police could reach, he fled the scene with the victim. The duo chased the car and found that the man had admitted the woman to Jaipur Golden Hospital and fled, an information which they later gave to the police. The hospital authorities told police that the woman was alive and the man who brought her to the hospital had disappeared, claiming that she met with an accident. Subsequently, the victim was referred to another hospital. The police then registered a case of attempt to murder and formed a team to nab the accused. Around two days later, the woman succumbed to injuries in the hospital. Based on local and technical inputs, the police zeroed in on Navin Kumar and arrested him from Mongolpuri area on Monday under charge of murder, DCP (Outer) Vikramjit Singh said. During interrogation, Kumar confessed that he knew the victim for the past three years and both developed a relationship. Kumar, however, never disclosed to her that he was married and also had a child When the victim came to know of his marriage, Kumar, a native of Haryana, started pursuing the woman not to disclose their relationship to his wife. On March 2, he called her near a metro station in Rohini to resolve the issues. When he failed to convince her, he first allegedly tried to strangulate her and then hit her head on the pavement, police added. Kumar was hiding in the national capital, police said, adding a case was registered under IPC 302 (murder), they said. A 46-year-old financer was today shot dead by unidentified men at Thothar village near Dakha town, around 30 km from here. Jagraj Singh was returning home, riding a bicycle, when the assailants fired two shots from a close range, killing him on the spot, DIG Ludhiana police range S K Kalia said. Besides financing, Jagraj was also running a real estate business, the DIG said. Police is looking at different possibilities, including personal enmity and business rivalry, as the reason behind the murder, Kalia said, adding a case of murder has been registered against unnamed persons. Four youth suffered pellet injuries as intermittent clashes between stone pelting protesters and law enforcing agencies continued for the third day in Qoimoh area of south Kashmir's Kulgam district where a Hizbul Mujahideen militant was killed on Sunday. The youth were injured when security forces fired pellet guns and burst tear gas shells to disperse stone-pelting protesters during a clash at village Khudwani, 57 km from here, a police officer said. He said while Rouf, Sayeed Ashiq and Tufail Dar suffered injuries in their eyes, Ayan Ahmad received injuries in the abdomen. All the four youth were evacuated to different hospitals and are undergoing treatment, the officer said. Hizbul Mujahideen militant Dawood Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Qoimoh, was killed in an encounter with security forces during search operations at village Buchroo on Sunday evening, triggering clashes in the area. France will not "automatically" recognise a Palestinian state if a Paris initiative to host an international conference to revive Israel-Palestinian peace talks fails, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said today. His predecessor, Laurent Fabius, had stirred Israeli anger in January by proposing such a conference and saying France would "recognise a Palestinian state" if peace talks failed. "There is never anything automatic. France will present its initiative to its partners. It will be the first step, there is no pre-requisite," Ayrault said when asked by a journalist in Cairo about Fabius's remarks. Ayrault is on a two-day visit to Egypt to discuss the French initiative for hosting an international conference "by this summer" to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks brokered by Washington that collapsed in April 2014. "What we want, and that is our commitment, is to resume the negotiation process," he told reporters at a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shukri. Shukri said Cairo "appreciates" the French initiative, which "guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people". Israel had reacted angrily to Fabius's remarks on January 29. "This will be an incentive for the Palestinians to come and not compromise," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Fabius said that France was looking to revive plans for an international conference to "bring about the two-state solution" to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "And what will happen if this last-ditch attempt at reaching a negotiated solution hits a stumbling block?" Fabius asked. "In that case, we will have to live up to our responsibilities and recognise a Palestinian state." Ayrault said today that France's goal was "simple -- to mobilise the international community around the only possible solution, that of two states". "We shouldn't exclude anything, but I don't want to put this (recognition) as a pre-requisite," he told reporters travelling with him to Cairo. "Otherwise we are going to block everyone," he said, reacting to reservations expressed by several European countries including Germany. Cologne authorities today said they've taken two men into custody on suspicion of involvement in sex crimes on New Year's Eve in the western German city after releasing photos of suspects. Prosecutors' spokesman Ulrich Bremer said a 26-year-old Algerian was recognised in one photo released yesterday and was arrested in Kerpen, near Cologne. A 31-year-old Iraqi turned himself in in Hamm, northeast of Cologne, after recognising himself in a photo, Bremer said. The younger man is accused of being part of a group involved in the sexual assault and attempted robbery of a woman, and the older is suspected of making sexual comments to a woman and her family. The spate of assaults and robberies, blamed largely on foreigners, caused public uproar as Germany faces a huge influx of migrants. The net has widened in the investigation into the massive emissions-cheating scandal at auto giant Volkswagen, with German prosecutors adding more suspects to their list, while France launched a probe of its own. Prosecutors in Paris yesterday said they had opened an investigation into "serious fraud" against the embattled German carmaker on February 19, assigning three magistrates to head it. The probe follows a preliminary inquiry that started in early October. Serious fraud office chief Nathalie Homobono said investigators had already established that had cheated "with intent". At the same time, German prosecutors said the number of suspects under their own investigation had increased from six to 17, but that no former or current board members are involved. VW, which until recently had ambitions to become the world's biggest carmaker, is battling to resolve its deepest- ever crisis sparked by revelations that it installed emissions-cheating software into 11 million diesel engines worldwide. The software, known as a "defeat device", limits the output of toxic nitrogen oxides to US legal limits during emissions test by regulators. But when the vehicles are in actual use, the software allows them to spew poisonous gases at up to 40 times the permitted levels. Nitrogen oxide is a pollutant associated with respiratory problems and defeat devices are prohibited in the United States, where the VW scam was originally exposed, as well as in other countries. On top of still unquantifiable regulatory fines in a range of countries, VW is facing a slew of legal suits, notably in the US and Germany, from angry car owners, as well as from shareholders seeking damages for the massive loss in the value of their shares since September. In the wake of the announcement of a widening of the probe yesterday, VW shares were among the biggest losers on the Frankfurt stock exchange, shedding 2.9% by late afternoon while the overall blue-chip DAX index was down 0.5%. France said it would continue to cooperate with authorities, but said the French probe must proceed under a presumption of "innocent until proven guilty". FMCG firm Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) has hiked its stake in DGH Phase Two Mauritius, which owns Kenya's Style Industries, to 90 per cent from 51 per cent for an undisclosed sum. In a BSE filing, GCPL said, "The company through its subsidiary has increased its stake from 51 per cent to 90 per cent in DGH Mauritius, owning Style Industries Ltd, Kenya. The consideration is payable in cash. In view of confidentiality, the amounts are not disclosed." The company has been acquiring brands, especially in the African continent, mostly targeting local firms in emerging markets. It acquired a 51 per cent stake in Darling South Africa in September 2011 and Darling Mozambique in October 2011. Darling Group Holdings operates in 14 countries across Africa, which sells hair extension products under brand names like 'Darling' and 'Amigos'. Besides having stake in the Darling Group, GCPL had also acquired South Africa's Kinky Group in 2008 and hair colour brand Rapidol in September 2006. Kinky offers a variety of products, including hair, hair-braids, hair pieces, wigs and wefted pieces. The Mumbai-based firm had also acquired Nigeria's personal care brand Tura for an undisclosed sum in 2010. Tura's product range includes soaps, moisturising lotions and skin-toning creams. Shares of GCPL were trading at Rs 1246.05 apiece, down 0.54 per cent, from their previous close on BSE. Government has imported 4,927 tonnes of arhar dal through MMTC this fiscal, Parliament was informed today. "The government has not imported pulses during the last two years, 2013-14 and 2014-15. However, during 2015-16, the government has imported 4,927 tonnes of arhar through MMTC Ltd," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha. She said MMTC has not received any complaint relating to quality of arhar. In a separate reply, she said so far 14 national investment and manufacturing zones (NIMZs) outside the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor region have been given in-principle approval. The NIMZs are conceptualised as integrated industrial townships with world class infrastructure. In a separate reply on anti-dumping issue, she said an application for initiation of investigation was submitted by Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) concerning imports of certain categories of tyres from China. Due to certain deficiencies in the application, representatives of ATMA were advised to submit revised application and they re-submitted on March 2, she added. When I think of iconic wine regions, Bordeaux always comes to mind. But when I consider mid-priced wines of good value, I rarely think of Bordeaux. However, a recent tasting opportunity made me realize Im wrong in ignoring Bordeauxs affordable wines. Of course, Bordeaux is renowned for its First Growths, including Chateau Lafite-Rothschild and Chateau Haut-Brion. But at $1,000 or more a bottle, nobody I know finds them affordable. Fortunately, many very good Bordeaux wines are much more affordable. This was demonstrated in recent tastings across the United States sponsored by the Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux, an association of 134 Bordeaux wineries. I was fortunate to receive wine samples from several of these wineries and a few others. Tasting them opened my mind regarding affordability of Bordeaux wines as I discovered fine wines in the same price range as wines from regions of California, Italy, Australia and elsewhere. By way of background, Bordeauxs red wines are blends of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, often with lesser amounts of Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and/or Malbec. Young Bordeaux reds can be quite tannic; however, serving the wines with red meats and cheeses or aging the wines can soften them. Bordeauxs white wines are mostly blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, sometimes with a bit of Muscadelle. White Bordeaux ranges in style from dry, crisp wines to sweet dessert wines. Common food pairings for the drier whites include salads, shellfish, white fish and chicken. Sweet wines are often served unaccompanied by food, although a classic pairing is with foie gras. Most of the wines I recommend below are available to Arizonans only through online sources such as www.wine.com. They are worth the search! Exem 2013 red blend Bordeaux ($13): Quite attractive with good complexity on nose and palate and only moderate tannins. Fruit dominates at first sip, but the wine soon develops pleasing balance and finishes surprisingly long. Chateau Bonnet 2012 red blend Bordeaux ($15): Purple-tinged color and impressive complexity on both nose and palate. Dynamic in the mouth with forward flavors, fine balance and a lingering finish. Easily outperforms its price. Chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion 2013 red blend Pessac-Leognan ($24): Engages with a pronounced purple hue in the glass and an attractive nose. Refined, well-integrated flavors and attractive complexity carry through an extended finish. Clos Haut-Peyraguey 2013 dessert wine Sauternes ($30): Impressive quality for the price, this sweet wine is yellow-gold in the glass and features strength and complexity on the nose. Forward in flavor, smooth-textured and well-balanced, with engaging complexity developing in mid-palate. Chateau Olivier 2013 white blend Pessac-Leognan ($35): This beautifully expressive dry wine shines on the palate with forward flavor and wonderful balance between fruit and crispness. Its lengthy, powerful finish features striking complexity paired with great refinement. Chateau Villemaurine 2013 red blend Saint-Emilion ($37): Fruit, power and complexity are featured on the nose. A hint of sweetness on the attack disappears as complexity kicks in, accompanied by unobtrusive tannins and impressive refinement that lead to a strong, long-lingering finish. Chateau de Fieuzal 2013 white blend Pessac-Leognan ($45): Attractive in the glass with a hint of gold, this wine reveals itself rather gradually. Each sip expresses greater intensity, complexity and personality, and these extend through a powerful, protracted finish. Chateau Olivier 2010 red blend Pessac-Leognan ($45): I loved the forward complexity of the nose, as well as on the palate, where it is joined by fruity, full-bodied, finely balanced, long-finishing flavors. A bit tannic, but not if served with red meat. Chateau Dauzac 2006 red blend Margaux ($50): This strong red develops power and complexity in mid-palate. I found it finished rather tannic, but not when paired with steak. It also goes amazingly well with quality milk chocolate. Cypres de Climens 2007 dessert wine Barsac ($50): I was captivated by the strikingly deep gold color this white wine had developed with age. A powerful nose portends strength and engaging complexity, and these pair with thick body and fine balance on the palate, all ending in an extended finish. Chateau Canon-la-Gaffeliere 2013 red blend Saint-Emilion ($60): Fruit, power and complexity dominate the nose, followed by soft, well-rounded fruit on the attack. Then tannins kick in, unless served with red meat, to co-dominate into the lingering finish. Chateau Malartic Lagraviere 2013 white blend Pessac-Leognan ($75): This refined white blend is less boldly flavored than those recommended above. I enjoyed how its development of character carried throughout an excellent, complex, lengthy finish. The finance ministry today said the government will set up a panel in a month to look into the feasibility of setting a range for fiscal deficit targets rather than a fixed figure. "Considering the fact that FRBM is under implementation for the last 10 years, time has come to review the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) law. The finance minister has decided to form a committee and it will be constituted within a month or so," Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said at an Assocham event here. The finance minister has remained committed to the fiscal deficit target for the current fiscal as well as for the coming fiscal, he clarified. The government is expected to achieve fiscal deficit target of 3.9 per cent in the current fiscal and 3.5 per cent of GDP in 2016-17. In his Budget speech last month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said there is now a school of thought which believes that instead of fixed numbers as fiscal deficit targets, it may be better to have a fiscal deficit range as the target, which would give necessary policy space to the government to deal with ever-changing dynamics. "There is also a suggestion that fiscal expansion or contraction should be aligned with credit contraction or expansion, respectively, in the economy. While remaining committed to fiscal prudence and consolidation, time has come to review the working of the FRBM Act, especially in the context of the uncertainty and volatility which have become the new norms of the global economy," he had said. Despite slowdown in the global economy, Das said, India is expected to grow at 7.6 per cent in the current fiscal, which would get better at 8 per cent and cross that mark in years to come. On managing government expenses beyond its resources, he said, "The bigger issue is how much of the (market) borrowing sustainability the government has and how much of the borrowing space the government should occupy in the market because if the government mops up all these resources, then nothing is left for the private sector." Das added that the primary focus of the Budget has been agriculture and rural sectors, which also talks about re-invigorating public private partnerships (PPP). The government has taken some key initiatives, including setting up of the Credit Enhancement Fund by LIC in the next few months, in this regard. On the goods and services tax (GST) Bill, Das said it is before Parliament and the finance ministry is administratively ready to implement the comprehensive indirect tax law. He is hopeful that it is passed in the current session of Parliament. Setting new precedent, ruling BJP and Shiv Sena today accorded a Guard of Honour to Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao in the forecourt of Vidhan Bhavan as he arrived there this morning for his joint address to both the houses of the State Legislature on the first day of the Budget session. As the Governor arrived, he was greeted by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagade, Council Chairman Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Girish Baat with a bouquet. Later, a contingent of Mumbai Police gave him the Guard of Honor and the Police Band played the National Anthem. Having learnt lessons from last year's budget session when Opposition Congress and NCP members had tried to block the Governor's entry into the Vidhan Bhavan, a security cordon of women security guards was deployed around the main entrance to prevent any Opposition members from blocking Governor entering the Vidhan Bhavan. Another new precedent that was set today was that at the end of the Governor's joint address to both the houses of the State Legislature at Vidhan Bhavans Central Hall, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Girish Bapat proposed a Vote of Thanks for the Governor's address. Bapat's action proved to be another bone of contention between the ruling and Opposition parties, with the latter alleging that his Vote of Thanks was impromptu and that the government did not make proper provisions for all the members. "What happened was wrong. If the Parliamentary Affairs minister wanted to propose a Vote of Thanks, proper arrangements should have been made. We could not even hear what he (Bapat) said as he did not use a mike while speaking. This means that this action of his was impromptu," LoP in the Legislative Council, Dhananjay Munde said. Responding to his charge, Bapat said that directions to propose a Vote of Thanks had come from the Centre. "The proposal of Vote of Thanks had come from the Centre and we only followed it. We only did what we were asked to," he said. A day after Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki said Punjab's right to waters of its rivers should be "safeguarded", Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today asserted that his state is only asking for its own share of water through Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal. "The water belongs to Haryana and the state would get it," he told reporters here. Addressing the budget session of the Punjab Assembly yesterday, Solanki, who is also Haryana's governor, had said that "injustice and discrimination" was meted out to Punjab over its river waters. Recently, days after the Supreme Court began hearing the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal dispute on Presidential Reference, Khattar had expressed hope the verdict would be in favour of his state. While Khattar leads Haryana's BJP government, the party is SAD ally in Punjab. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had last week said his state "does not have a single drop of water to spare from its rivers and his party will fully ensure that there is no compromise on the inalienable rights of the state under the Riparian principle". Veteran actor Harrison Ford opened up about his daughter Georgia's battle with epilepsy. The 73-year-old "Star Wars" actor discussed her condition at the NYU Langone Medical Center's Find a Cure for Epilepsy and Seizures (FACES) event, reported Us magazine. "When you have a loved one who suffers from this disease, it can be devastating. You know how it affects their lives, their future, their opportunities and you want desperately to find mitigation. You want to find a way that they can live a comfortable and effective life," Ford said. The actor, who came close to tears, while delivering the speech said his 26-year-old daughter had her first seizure as a child during a sleepover. Calling her a "hero" the "Indiana Jones..." star said he is inspired by his daughter. "I admire a lot of things about her. I admire her perseverance, her talent, her strength. She is my hero. I love her," Ford added. Seeking to allay concerns of investors in the aftermath of Jat quota stir, the Haryana government today said the worst-hit districts of Rohtak, Sonipat and Jhajjar have together received an investment commitment worth Rs 1.46 lakh crore from a total of 37 pacts. On investment commitments in the quota agitation-affected districts in the state, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that "as many as 37 MoUs have been signed for setting up 19 projects with an investment of Rs 1.46 lakh crore in the three most affected districts of Rohtak, Sonipat and Jhajjar". The Chief Minister dismissed the argument that the recent events had shaken the investor confidence in the state. Notably, 30 people were killed and over 200 were injured during the recent Jat agitation, during which miscreants also inflicted heavy damage to both government and private property, with Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonipat, being the worst-hit districts. Khattar said that in all 357 MoUs had been signed for a total intended and well dispersed investment of Rs 5.84 lakh crore, having potential for five lakh jobs. "Haryana has become the first state in north India to attract investment of such magnitude, and has emerged as the first preferred investment destination," Khattar told reporters here today. "While the multi-sectoral MoUs augur well for uniform development of all parts of the state, the presence of 12 countries and a large number of investors, especially MNCs, at the two-day Happening Haryana Global Investors' Summit-2016 which concluded in Gurgaon yesterday, underscores their faith in the policies and functioning of the present government," he said. Keen on converting these pacts into projects, he said the HSIIDC would appoint relationship managers to facilitate the investors and ensure implementation. "Arrangements have also been made for fast-tracking clearances and avoiding any inconvenience to the investors in setting up projects. To facilitate implementation of the projects signed for in MoUs, land would be made available from the developed land bank. The HSIIDC has also started the system of Online Geo-referenced Display to provide the investors information regarding vacant lands in the Industrial Estates," he informed. Khattar said second global investors' Summit would be held in 2018. The state government would ensure uniform development of the entire state as MoUs have been signed for all districts, he said. Detailing the MoUs, the Chief Minister said the state government had signed 357 MoUs during the Summit for a total potential investment of Rs 5.84 lakh crore, "which far exceeds the expectations of the government". "What paves the way for uniform development of all parts of the state is that as many as 39 MoUs worth Rs 1.28 lakh crore have been signed for the districts which do not fall in the NCR. It shows that the investors are also interested in setting up ventures even in the remote areas of Haryana which are otherwise industrially backward," he said. Out of the total, 10 per cent of the MoUs have been signed with multinational companies "which underscores the fact that Haryana has become first preferred destination for investment. Moreover, it would result in flow of additional FDI in the state". Khattar said since Haryana is committed to strengthening the infrastructure sector, 40 per cent of MoUs have been signed for manufacturing projects. "The state government would go out of the way to make the ambitious project 'Make in India' of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, a success. Ancillary units will be set up near major projects to accelerate the pace of development, and generate job opportunities. It is with this end in view that we have focused our main attention on the setting up of mega projects," he said. Giving more details about the MoUs signed during the Summit, he said that 16 per cent of these had been signed for projects over Rs 1,000 crore and 30 per cent for projects over Rs 100 crore. Realising that MSMEs constituted the backbone of industrial development and enhanced job opportunities, 26 per cent of MoUs belong to this sector, he said. Giving the break-up of each sector, Khattar said that two MoUs had been signed for aerospace and defence sector, 10 for education and skill development, 117 for manufacturing, 22 for real estate, 16 for infrastructure, 48 for agro, food processing and allied industries, 39 for energy, renewable energy and solar parks. Thirty-five MoUs have been signed for electronics, IT and ITeS, eight for pharmaceutical and chemical industry, 13 for auto, auto components and light engineering, 15 for textile, apparel, knitting, embroidery and technical textiles, nine for footwear and accessories and 23 in other sectors. "The investors have reposed faith in the industry- friendly environment developed by the present Haryana government. The presence of such large number of investors at the Summit indicates that they have faith in the policies and functioning of the present government," Khattar said. He said that the Central Ministers, who came to the Summit, made several announcements for the state. In this regard, he said that Union Minister of Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu announced that 18 districts of the state would get funds under AMRUT scheme of the Central government. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu announced that a Rail Coach Factory would be set up over 120 acres. Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced setting up of downstream industries by expanding the Panipat oil refinery. Union Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space, Jitendra Singh, announced investment of Rs 21,000 crore for setting up a nuclear power plant while Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar, said that a public sector project for defence would be considered. (REOPENS NRG20) Addressing a 'Pragati Rally' in Mahendragarh today, Khattar said 1,000 cusecs of water will be supplied to Nangal Choudhary in the next two years to check scarcity of water in southern Haryana. A scheme has been formulated to supply water from Hathni Kund Barrage to Nangal Choudhary and it would be completed in two years, he said. This was Khattar's first visit to Mahendragarh after he assumed charge of the state, said an official release here. He laid foundation stones of several development projects. Khattar said he was aware of the problems being faced by farmers as he himself was born into a farming family. In its first year, the BJP government gave farmers compensation to the tune of Rs 2,100 crore for damage to crops due to hailstorms and whitefly, whereas in the previous 15 years, farmers had received only Rs 1,600 crore as compensation. He said taking note of water scarcity in southern Haryana, work on the Rs 143-crore Lift Irrigation Scheme was started. Union Minister of State for Planning and Defence Rao Inderjit Singh said under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan of 'Make in India', equipment and machinery used in defence services would be manufactured here. He stressed the need to increase accountability of officers and employees. Union Minister of State for External Affairs General (Retd.) V K Singh said the development of southern Haryana would lead to the development of the entire state. Observing that no Government Order has been passed so far regarding to various needs of CISF personnel deployed in its campus, the Madras High Court today directed Tamil Nadu government to expedite allotment of funds for the purpose. When a suo-motu PIL came up for hearing, the First Bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh, noted that no government order has been issued so far necessary amenities such as accommodation of the personnel, vehicles and provision of security gadgets. The status report filed by the Registrar-General shows that the proposal sent to the government for sanction of funds has resulted in only partial action. Funds forproposals relating to extension of the security scheme to the areas, at present covered by the local police and to the Madurai bench, have not been released, it noted. When the Government Pleader STS Moorthy requested the judges to grant more time to take necessary action, the bench called upon the state government to issue necessary orders before the next date of hearing and produce the same before the court, if not already done. Advocates Association president R C Paul Kanagaraj told the bench that in some of the entry points, there was no scanning machine and physical check of baggage and purse has to be done. The bench posted the matter for further hearingtoMarch 30. About 650 CISF personnel have been deployed at the Madras High Court fromNovember 16last year. The government had sanctioned Rs 16.6 crore for the first six months, which will expire byMay 15. The Delhi High Court today refused to quash a trial court decision declining to order lodging of an FIR against Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and others for allegedly dishonoring the national flag during a protest outside Tihar jail when Arvind Kejriwal was sent to prison for not furnishing a bail bond in May 2014. Justice Suresh Kait upheld the order of the trial court which instead of directing lodging of an FIR had asked the petitioner to lead pre-summoning evidence to his complaint against the AAP leaders. The high court said the trial court has rightly refused to order registration of an FIR, so there is no ground for interference with that. The court said petitioner Society For Voice of Human Rights and Justice has photographs and video regarding the alleged clash between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers and the police, so these can be produced before the trial court. It said no purpose would be served to direct fresh probe into the incident in which AAP leaders Rakhi Birla and Sanjay Singh besides others were allegedly seen dishonouring the national flag. The order came on a plea filed against the trial court's May last year order with regard to the protest in which the AAP leaders were allegedly seen raising national flag outside Tihar jail and were caught on camera allegedly disrespecting the flag. Kejriwal was arrested on May 21, 2014 and sent to Tihar Jail by a Delhi court after he refused to furnish bail bond in a criminal defamation complaint filed against him by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari. Chaotic scenes were witnessed outside Tihar jail on May 21, 2014 evening when clashes broke out between AAP supporters and Delhi Police. Kejriwal was summoned as an accused by the court in the complaint in which Gadkari had alleged he was defamed by the AAP leader, who had included his name in the party's list of "India's most corrupt". The court had granted bail to Kejriwal saying the offence of defamation under section 500 of the IPC is bailable and asked him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and a surety of the like amount. He, however, was taken into custody after he had refused to give a bail bond saying the case is politically motivated and he does not wish to seek bail. Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) today sought to allay fears about 'helicopter tourism' in South Goa saying it is a "boon for the area". "Don't get swayed by anti-government factions with regard to helicopter joy rides and consider this as a new tourism initiative which is an advantage and boon for the area and surrounding villages," a GTDC press statement said. The helicopter tourism, which faced opposition in North Goa, was shifted to Cansaulim village in South Goa on February 14. The helipad, constructed by a private five-star hotel, is being used to operate copters which provide a picturesque view of the beaches. In South Goa too, the helicopter joy rides are facing criticism with local groups, like Cansaulim Village Action Committee and Cansaulim Arossim Cuelim Civic Consumer Forum, expressing apprehension about it. They fear the helicopters hovering around will keep away tourists. They have also questioned the legality of the joy rides, a venture of GTDC and Pawan Hans company. There is nothing illegal about the helicopter joy rides. The operator (Pawan Hans) has got the required statutory clearances/permissions from Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Navy, district administration, airport authority and police, GTDC said. The state tourism body also said Pawan Hans has similar service in neighbouring Maharashtra (Mumbai), where the joy rides are a success. "Goa is fortunate to have such service introduced as an activity for tourists. The helicopter joy rides, being operational from a South Goa-based hotel at Arossim since February 14, have already received good response," GTDC General Manager Sanjay Chodnekar said. GTDC said locals of Cansaulim, Arossim, Cuelim, Majorda and Utorda should capitalise on this new tourism initiative, as it will not only improve the villages' profile but also boost employment opportunities of local industry stakeholders. "Tourism initiatives like helicopter joy rides will attract high-end and quality tourists to Goa and introducing such activities has become the need of the hour," GTDC Chairman Nilesh Cabral said. Pawan Hans also said helicopter joy rides do not cause any noise pollution or damage the environment. HT Media today said that it has launched FM channel 'Radio Nasha 107.2 FM' in Delhi. The new station would cater the Delhi and NCR region, HT Media informed BSE in a filing. "...This is to inform you that our FM Radio Broadcast station "Radio Nasha 107.2 FM" at Delhi has been launched," the company said. Besides, HT Media is also running Fever 104 FM radio stations in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata. Shares of the firm today closed at Rs 80.60 per scrip on BSE, up 0.19 per cent from its previous close. Hindustan Unilever and former employees of its Kodaikanal-based defunct thermometer factory today announced the signing of a settlement encompassing ex-gratia payout to 591 ex-staffers. The Memorandum of Settlement reached was recorded in an order passed by the Madras High Court, Hindustan Unilever said in a statement. The agreement was signed on March 4, in the presence of representatives of former workers and HUL. The settlement was between Hindustan Unilever and Pond's HLL ex-Mercury Employees Welfare Association, representing the ex-employees of the now defunct thermometer factory in Kodaikanal. As part of the agreement, HUL has agreed to provide ex-gratia payments to 591 former workers/association members and their families towards livelihood enhancement projects and skill enhancement programmes. The development comes against the background of sustained protests by former employees including the one held by them in Mumbai last year. They staged a protest at the company's headquarters in Andheri, Mumbai, when the Annual General Meeting with shareholders was held. "The former employees have confirmed this as a full and final settlement of all their claims and demands. They will withdraw the petition they had filed in February 2006 in the Madras High Court," the company said. "The settlement has been entered into on humanitarian considerations to put an end to this long standing matter pending in the Court for several years and also is in keeping with the suggestion of the Madras High Court," the release said. The former workers of the factory had filed a petition in the Madras High Court in 2006 seeking economic rehabilitation. "This petition was filed more than four years after HUL had made a full and final settlement in November 2001." Executive Director - Legal and Corporate Affairs, HUL Dev Bajpai said, "we have worked hard over many years to address this (issue) and find the right solution for our former workers. We, alongside all involved, are glad to see an outcome to this long-standing case." President, Pond's HLL ex-Mercury Employees Welfare Association, SA Mahindra Babu said,"we are pleased with all the terms of the agreement which will help to ensure the long-term health and well-being of the factory's former workers. The Coconino County Board of Supervisors is considering wading into the debate over the transfer of federal public lands to state control and coming down solidly against it. On Tuesday, the board discussed a draft resolution that would clearly and publicly oppose any effort to claim, take over, litigate for or sell off federal public lands within the county. The draft resolution mentions the $1.1 billion in tourism-related economic benefits in the county that are directly linked to public lands visitation as well as the vital role of federal partnerships on projects like the Four Forest Restoration Initiative and the 2010 Schultz flood response. The resolution notes that the state of Arizonas budget is already inadequate to fully support and manage its own lands while protecting public lands during emergencies often requires financial support from federal reserves. The board took up the resolution discussion after being approached by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, said Todd Madeksza, the countys government relations director. The national nonprofit is trying to recruit counties to publicly oppose the federal lands transfer concept, said John Hamill, Arizona representative for the organization, which advocates for federal policies and funding that preserve hunting and fishing. Were seeking their support in saying not everyone feels this way, Hamill said. Supervisors in Pima County passed a similar resolution in December. Cities and counties in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming have drafted documents publicly opposing land transfer efforts as well. The issue had been on the boards radar since last spring when Gov. Doug Ducey created a Transfer of Federally Managed Lands Study Committee, Madeksza said. He did so after vetoing two bills that directed the federal government to turn over public lands to the state. The committee, which is chaired by LD6 Representative Brenda Barton, sent out a survey in January asking counties about the status of public lands management within their boundaries. Coconino Countys supervisors had concerns about the survey questions and havent yet decided how to respond, Madeksza said. The board has considered approving and attaching the resolution to the survey or writing another letter in response, he said. The supervisors support for federal public lands aligns with a January poll conducted by Colorado College that found 65 percent of Arizona voters oppose the transfer of federal lands to the state. Similarly, voters in 2012 opposed by a 2-1 margin a proposition that would have declared state sovereignty over natural resources in Arizona. On Tuesday, the board of supervisors decided to take up the draft resolution again later this spring. TUSAYAN EASEMENT The board also received a presentation from the supervisors of the Coconino and Kaibab national forests on Tuesday. In addition to an update on springs restoration and the Four Forest Restoration Initiative, Kaibab Forest Supervisor Heather Provencio went into detail about last weeks decision to reject an application for a road easement needed for a major resort near the town of Tusayan. The easement application was unlike any other, receiving tens of thousands of comments from local and international sources, Provencio said. Boy, did we hear loud and clear about what people were feeling about that, she said. 98 percent or more of comments were negative, people not wanting to see that development. It was those comments, and particularly ones about potential impacts to Grand Canyon National Park and the nearby tribes, that caused her to take a second look at the application, Provencio said. That step wasnt a required part of the Forest Services review process and normally doesnt happen, she said. After looking back at the initial criteria that a project must meet to be considered and analyzed by the Forest Service, Provencio said she found several places where the project was lacking. The project that the easement would allow would have had an overly large impact on neighboring lands and tribes, and allowing the easement could have created an exclusive right should the development be built out, both of which were elements that disqualify the application from further analysis, Provencio said. The final criteria asks whether the proposal is in the public interest, which the comments demonstrated it clearly was not, she said. Considering the high profile of the project, Provencio said the easement decision was discussed within the top rungs of the Forest Service and the Department of Agriculture. Her decision was supported all the way up through the department, she said. FMCG major HUL today said it has entered into a settlement with ex-employees who were allegedly exposed to toxic mercury vapour at its former thermometer factory in Kodaikanal. The company has signed a settlement with Pond's HLL ex-Mercury Employees Welfare Association, representing the former employees thermometer factory, HUL said in a statement. "The Memorandum of Settlement reached was recorded in an order passed by the Madras High Court. The settlement has been entered into on humanitarian considerations to put an end to this long standing matter pending in the Court for several years and also is in keeping with the suggestion of the high court," HUL said. This agreement was signed on March 4, 2016 in the presence of representatives of former workers and HUL, it added. As per the terms and conditions of the agreement, HUL will provide ex gratia payments to 591 former workers and their families towards livelihood enhancement projects and skill enhancement programmes. The ex workers will also withdraw the petition they had filed in February 2006 before in the High Court. However, the company has not disclosed the amount on which it has negotiated the settlement. HUL Executive Director - Legal and Corporate Affairs Dev Bajpai said: "We have worked hard over many years to address this and find the right solution for our former workers. We, alongside all involved, are glad to see an outcome to this long-standing case." HUL has been engaging with former workers' representatives for several years now, on the advice of the High Court. In last two years, the company has had several meetings with the representatives to resolve this issue. Pond's HLL ex-Mercury Employees Welfare Association President S A Mahindra Babu said: "We welcome the actions taken by HUL to bring these negotiations to a satisfactory closure. We are pleased with all the terms of the agreement which will help to ensure the long-term health and well-being of the factory's former workers". The former workers of the thermometer factory had approached the High Court in February 2006 seeking economic rehabilitation. It was filed more than four years after HUL had made a full and final settlement in November 2001. (Reopens DCM53) The groups representing former employees of the factory at Kodaikanal had alleged that the staff members were exposed to toxic mercury vapour there with severe health risks. They had also sought economic rehabilitation and healthcare schemes for the former employees and other victims and had demanded the costs to be covered by HUL. In their petitions before courts, the employee groups had also alleged violation of the Factories Act and environmental laws by the company. The issue had created a huge public uproar, while a viral video on social media last year also highlighted the popular outrage against the alleged mercury contamination at the plant. This had led to Unilever's global CEO Paul Polman saying that he was determined to resolve the issue. India has become the 56th country to sign a pact on conservation of birds of prey in Africa and Eurasia, a move that will help the country gain knowledge in effectively managing the habitats of such raptors. The government signed the 'Raptor MoU', covering 76 species, out of which 46 including vultures, falcons, eagles, owls, hawks, kites, harriers and others are also found in India. The agreement was signed on March 7 this year at the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) in Abu Dhabi by Ambassador of India to the UAE T P Seetharam. The agreement, under Article IV paragraph 4 of the CMS, is not "legally binding". The Union Cabinet had on December 30 last year approved the proposal of the Environment Ministry to sign the pact on conservation of migratory birds of prey in Africa and Eurasia with CMS or Bonn Convention with regard to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The CMS aims to conserve migratory species and India is a signatory to it since November 1, 1983. An earlier official statement had said that given that the 'Raptor MoU' is also in conformity with the provisions of the existing Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, wherein the birds have been accorded protection, India would gain domain knowledge which would be helpful in effectively managing the habitats of these raptors. It would also include concerted trans-boundary efforts for conservation through interaction with other range countries by signing of the pact with the CMS. The agreement also seeks willingness of the signatory range states for working for conservation of the raptor species and their habitats. An action plan has been formulated which primarily envisages conservation action for raptor species, the statement had said. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US later this month, India and the US have agreed to deepen their already close collaboration on several issues, including the fight against LeT and JeM blamed for a series of terror attacks in India. This was decided during Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar's meeting with US National Security Adviser Susan Rice. "Rice and Jaishankar affirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation on climate change, trade and defence, and noted preparations for the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit," Ned Price, spokesman of National Security Council, White House, said in a statement yesterday. "They also discussed US-India collaboration against Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and other terrorist threats. "Building on their leaders' commitment to make the US- India partnership a defining relationship for the 21st century, they agreed to deepen their already close collaboration on these issues," Price said. LeT was behind several terror attacks in India, including the 2008 Mumbai attack. India has blamed JeM for the January 2 terror attack in Pathankot. Yesterday, Jaishankar met with officials at the State Department, Department of Commerce and US Trade Representatives here. He is expected to continue his meetings today. Modi will visit the US later this month to attend the Nuclear Security Summit to be hosted by US President Barack Obama. Jaishankar is on a two-day visit to Washington. Indian Chief Executives are more confident about their companies' growth prospects than their overseas peers and the country has been featured among the top five growth markets globally, says a PwC report. According to PwC's 19th Annual Global CEO Survey (India report), 64 per cent of the respondents are very confident of their growth prospects in the next 12 months as compared to 35 per cent globally. Moreover, India overtook Brazil in the global CEOs' ranking of growth markets, jumping up to the fifth place this year from sixth in 2015. "The confidence reposed by Indian CEOs on growth is quite encouraging, given the backdrop of market and currency volatility, and the transformation in the expectations of consumers, investors and employees," PwC India Chairman Deepak Kapoor said. The survey noted that the CEOs' perceptions of opportunities are "tempered" in the last one year. CEOs in India see more growth opportunities for their companies today than they did three years ago. However, the number of respondents holding this view has dropped from 84 per cent last year to 75 per cent this year. Meanwhile, CEOs see the speed of technological change as a top new threat; 79 per cent of them are concerned about the influence that speed of technological change will have on their organisation's growth. The report noted that CEOs are maintaining a focus on people while planning for automation. Around 70 per cent of the CEOs plan to increase their headcount in the next 12 months, and 89 per cent are focusing on workforce rights and well-being. Iran test-fired two ballistic missiles today with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written in Hebrew on them, state media reported, a show of force by the Islamic Republic as US Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel. Such phrases have been emblazoned on Iranian missiles before, but this test comes shortly after the implementation of a nuclear deal with world powers, including the US, and follows similar drills in recent days. Hard-liners in Iran's military have fired rockets and missiles despite US objections since the deal, as well as shown underground missile bases on state television. There was no immediate reaction from Jerusalem, where Biden was meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who strongly opposed the nuclear deal. Biden, speaking next to Netanyahu, did not acknowledge the missile launch directly but he issued a strong warning to the Iranians. "A nuclear-armed Iran is an absolutely unacceptable threat to Israel, to the region and the United States. And I want to reiterate which I know people still doubt here. If in fact they break the deal, we will act," he said. The semiofficial Fars agency offered pictures today it said were of the Qadr H missiles being fired. It said they were fired in Iran's eastern Alborz mountain range to hit a target some 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) away off Iran's coast into the Sea of Oman. The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which patrols that region, declined to comment on the test. Fars and state media reported the Hebrew inscription on the missiles. Soldiers often write slogans or messages on rockets and missiles. During Israel's 2006 war with Lebanon's Hezbollah militants, Israeli children were photographed writing messages on artillery shells in a community near the border. More recently, pictures emerged online of U.S. Missiles bound for Islamic State group targets that had "From Paris with love" written on them, referring to last year's attacks. Fars quoted Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division, as saying the test was aimed at showing Israel that Iran could hit it. "The 2,000-kilometer (1,240-mile) range of our missiles is to confront the Zionist regime," Hajizadeh said. "Israel is surrounded by Islamic countries and it will not last long in a war. It will collapse even before being hit by these missiles. said its armed forces had fired two more ballistic missiles today as it continued tests in defiance of US warnings. "Long-range Qadr-H and Qadr-F precision missiles were fired today... Which destroyed targets" some 1,400 kilometres (870 miles) away, official media quoted the deputy head of the Revolutionary Guards, General Hossein Salami, as saying. State television broadcast video of two missiles being fired from a site in the Alborz mountain range in northern . The Islamic republic also carried out multiple ballistic missile tests on Tuesday, defying US sanctions imposed earlier this year aimed at disrupting its missile programme. The missile sanctions were imposed a day after nuclear-related sanctions on were lifted. US State Department spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday he could not confirm Tehran's multiple tests, but warned that Washington might take unilateral or action in response. "The more our enemies increase the sanctions the more intense the Guards' reaction" will be, General Amir Ali Hajizadeh who heads the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace wing said today. Yesterday we saw missiles fired from silos and platforms and today the launches are taking place from the heart of our Islamic land," he added. "The reason we have designed these missiles with such a range -- 2,000 kilometres -- is to be able to hit our remote enemies, the Zionist regime," ISNA news agency quoted Hajizadeh as saying, referring to Israel. The series of tests included short-, medium- and long-range precision guided missiles, with ranges of 300 kilometres, 500 kilometres, 800 kilometres and 2,000 kilometres, state media reported. Iran said its armed forces had fired two more ballistic missiles today as it continued tests in defiance of US warnings. "Long-range Qadr-H and Qadr-F precision missiles were fired today... Which destroyed targets" some 1,400 kilometres (870 miles) away, official media quoted the deputy head of the Revolutionary Guards, General Hossein Salami, as saying. The Islamic State group's battle-tested equivalent of a defence minister has probably died in a US air strike in Syria, a US official said. The target of the March 4 attack was Omar al-Shishani, a Georgian fighting with Islamic State in Syria, the Pentagon said in a statement yesterday. It said the result of the attack was still being assessed. But a US official speaking on condition of anonymity said al-Shishani "likely died" in the assault by waves of US warplanes and drones, along with 12 other ISIS fighters. Two Palestinian gunmen carried out two shootings in Jerusalem before police shot and killed them, Israeli police said today, shortly before U.S. Vice President Joe Biden met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the city. A Palestinian man was seriously injured in the shootout. The incident began when passengers on an Israeli bus spotted the two gunmen on the street and heard shots fired, said police spokeswoman Luba Samri. No injuries were reported. A motorist responded by shooting toward the suspects, who fled by car. Police began searching for the gunmen's vehicle. When a policeman approached a car that matched the description, the gunmen raised their weapons at the officer and he fired at them. Other police units on the scene shot at the suspects, killing them, Samri said. The shootout took place on a main road alongside Jerusalem's light rail train tracks and close to the New Gate of Jerusalem's Old City. A Palestinian civilian at the scene was shot in the head and is in a serious but stable condition, an Israeli hospital said. Police are investigating whether he was shot by the gunmen or by police. Police identified the two gunmen as Palestinians, both about 20 years old, from the Jerusalem area. In the West Bank today, a Palestinian with a knife attempted to stab Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint, and soldiers shot and killed him, the Israeli military said. The two incidents follow a rash of Palestinian assaults yesterday, including a stabbing spree that killed an American student near where Vice President Joe Biden was meeting with Israel's former president. Biden is in Israel for a two-day visit as part of a regional tour of the Mideast. He is meeting both Israeli and Palestinian leaders and there have been speculations he would try to revive the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Jammu and Kashmir's Budget proposals will be considered at a special meeting of the State Administrative Council (SAC), scheduled to be held on March 15, a Raj Bhawan source said today. Governor N N Vohra was briefed about the preparation of the Annual Budget 2016-17 at a meeting attended by B R Sharma, Chief Secretary, B B Vyas, Financial Commissioner, Planning and Development Department and Navin K Choudhary, Commissioner-Secretary, Finance. P K Tripathi, Principal Secretary to Governor was also present during the discussions, the spokesperson said, adding Vohra was briefed by Financial Commissioner Planning and Commissioner Finance about the salient features of the Budget, including tax proposals. The Governor directed that before finalising projected allocations, adequate provision must be made to meet the state's share of all Centrally Sponsored Schemes, particularly Crop Insurance Scheme which was announced in the Union Budget, the spokesperson said. He told the Finance Secretary to rationalise the tax structure, plug existing loopholes, and promote ease of doing business while helping raise additional revenue. The Governor also stressed on the need for added impetus to agriculture, horticulture, fishery, poultry, animal and sheep husbandry, tourism and power development. Did you know that this week, March 6 12, is National Groundwater Awareness Week? We at the Arizona Hydrological Society thought we would take some time to summarize how important groundwater is to Flagstaff and the rest of the Northern Arizona region. Recharge to our aquifers comes dominantly from snowmelt. Of the snow we receive, the vast majority of it sublimates (goes directly from snow to vapor and back into the atmosphere). The snow that doesnt sublimate and summer rain that does not evaporate or is not used by plants, runs off in stream channels. Only 2 to 4 percent of all annual precipitation recharges our aquifers. This recharge typically happens only when the snow is melting and running off, and typically happens where the streams cross faults, fractures, very porous, cinder rich soil, or sinkholes (like the Bottomless Pits). These fault and fracture zones where recharge preferentially happens, are also favorable locations to site groundwater wells. Flagstaff residents and businesses relied solely on renewable surface water from the Inner Basin of San Francisco Mountain and from Upper Lake Mary until the 1950s. The growing community faced shortages as surface water supplies fluctuated. Because of the uncertain water supply, community planning for growth and development was difficult on a year-to-year basis, let alone any planning for the future. While many water importation ideas near and far were explored, the City settled on developing groundwater from a faulted area identified by geologists in the Woody Mountain area, where the Oak Creek and Dunham Faults intersect. Drilling in this area was and remains extremely challenging due to the depth of the aquifer and challenging geologic conditions. Groundwater was encountered however at about 1,300 feet below lands surface and the city was able to successfully develop four high-yield water wells in this area in the 1950s. The City now has 10 wells in the Woody Mountain area. This supply is considered a sustainable supply, in that water levels have remained relatively stable over the last 60 years while providing about 25 percent of Flagstaffs total drinking water over that same period. WELLS AT LAKE MARY Another groundwater campaign was developed by the City in the 1960s when drilling began in the vicinity of Lower Lake Mary. This is another highly faulted area in the Flagstaff region. It is also an area where significant and rapid groundwater recharge occurs partly due to the development of lower Lake Mary. Soon after Lower Lake Mary Dam was developed, it was discovered that most of the water in Lower Lake Mary Dam was draining away through fractures and sinkholes in the bottom of the lake. Two wells were drilled in the 1960s, and drilling continued in the Lake Mary and Woody Mountain areas each decade into the 1990s. Lake Mary wells have provided about 20 percent of Flagstaffs total drinking water over the past 60 years. In the late 1990s the City began to drill water wells within Flagstaffs City limits. The main reason for doing this is to spread the Citys groundwater withdrawals over a larger area of the regional groundwater-flow system to lessen this impact in any given local area. The eight wells in Flagstaffs City limits (one exception is the well at Fort Tuthill) are also considered relatively sustainable, in that drawdown of the aquifer in minimal. In 2012, nearly 40 percent of Flagstaffs drinking water came from the local wells. FLOWING C AQUIFER Not only is groundwater important to Flagstaff residents, the surrounding communities of Doney Park, Kachina Village, Forest Highlands, Mountainaire, Flagstaff Ranch and Bellemont rely 100 percent on groundwater from the same deep regional C Aquifer as the City of Flagstaff. Because of the experiences encountered by the City of Flagstaff and many of the other water supply companies in the region, water resource managers and scientists have been able to develop an understanding of the C Aquifer as a large regional groundwater flow system that underlies almost the entire northeast quarter of the state of Arizona. That does not mean, however, that it is a limitless supply. In some parts of the C Aquifer (the Navajo Reservation) the depth to water is so deep below the surface it is uneconomical to develop. The C aquifer east and north of Holbrook is so salty (saltier than sea water in some areas) that is not fit for human use. There are also environmental water needs that are supported by the C aquifer. How many of us have gone down to Oak Creek to fish, play in the water, or just enjoy the beauty of the meandering creek in the canyon. This would not be possible if there were not a C aquifer supplying the perennial flow of Oak Creek. Any amount of groundwater pumped out of the ground for human use is no longer available for these environmental water needs. We seldom see the impact of groundwater pumping right away, but it will happen. It may take decades, centuries, or even millennia for these impacts to show up, but they will occur. Recharge from rain, runoff and/or snowmelt can reduce these impacts but they can not offset them as long as groundwater pumping continues to occur. SHALLOW PERCHES In the high elevation areas of Northern Arizona in and around Flagstaff where the depth to the C Aquifer is so deep below the surface, people who do not have access to municipal or other water providers have to drive sometimes great distances to a hauled water source to purchase water they can take back to their home, or pay to have water delivered to their homes by truck. Other people who live in some of these outlying areas are fortunate to be able to develop shallow wells into perched water-bearing zones. However, these perched water-bearing zones are not as dependable source of water supply as a regional groundwater-flow system like the C aquifer because they are small, have limited areal extent and are not interconnected. This makes them much more sensitive to seasonal and longer term changes in precipitation that is the source of their recharge. The US Geological Survey and Arizona Department of Water Resources collect water levels from wells developed in the C aquifer and other water-bearing zones throughout Northern Arizona on an annual or quarterly basis. The City of Flagstaff has kept, in some cases, daily records of water levels in its wells since the 1950s. These water-level records are important for determining aquifer sustainability and aquifer properties. Without groundwater supply from the C aquifer it is hard to say if Flagstaff and adjacent areas would be the thriving community as we know it to be today. The next time you run your tap for a glass of water, take a shower, wash a load of cloths, water your yard, go fishing , float a boat on a lake or stream, or just sit beside a river or creek enjoying nature, pause and give some thought to where that water is coming from and what it means to your health and wellbeing. Especially during this National Groundwater-Awareness week March 6-12, consider how fortunate we all are to live in an area where both water resource managers and citizens can work together to use, preserve, and protect this essential need of life. Without groundwater supply from the C aquifer it is hard to say if Flagstaff and adjacent areas would be the thriving community as we know it to be today. Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra has approved the transfer of two acres of state-owned land for establishing an old-age home in Jammu district. The Governor has transfered two acres of land to Social Welfare department (SWD) for setting up a composite home for elderly at village Ghaink in Tehsil Bhalwal of Jammu district, an official spokesman said. The state government had enacted the Jammu and Kashmir Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2014. The spokesman said that Vohra has directed the Secretary, Social Welfare Department, to urgently finalise and notify the rules for the implementation of this Act. The Revenue Department had sanctioned transfer of land to the SWD for establishing a Composite Regional Centre (CRC) For Persons with Disability (PwDs) at the same village, he added. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar has met with US Security Adviser Susan Rice and discussed bilateral ties and cooperation against terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, the White House has said. "Rice and Jaishankar affirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation on climate change, trade and defence, and noted preparations for the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit," Ned Price, spokesman of Security Council, White House said in a statement yesterday. "They also discussed US-India collaboration against Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and other terrorist threats. Building on their leaders' commitment to make the US- India partnership a defining relationship for the 21st Century, they agreed to deepen their already close collaboration on these issues," Price added. A Japanese court today ordered the shutdown of two nuclear reactors previously declared safe under post-Fukushima safety rules, a decision that comes just days before the fifth anniversary of the atomic disaster. The order will bring the number of operating reactors in Japan down to two. Dozens were shuttered in the wake of Fukushima, the world's worst nuclear accident in a generation The ruling by the Otsu District Court - the first to force the shutdown of reactors switched on under stricter safety rules adopted after the 2011 disaster - is a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's bid to bring back nuclear power. The ruling ordered the shuttering of Kansai Electric's No 3 and No 4 reactors at the Takahama nuclear plant, some 350 kilometres (215 miles) west of Tokyo. The No 4 reactor was taken offline last month due to an unexpected technical glitch days after it restarted, while the No 3 reactor is currently operating. Kansai Electric said it would respect the "extremely regrettable" decision and shut down operations. But the utility firm said it would appeal. "This court order is not something the company can accept," it said in a statement. Television footage showed plaintiffs and local residents cheering and holding banners after the ruling. "I'm so happy and praise the court's courage," said one person celebrating outside the courthouse. The bid to restart Japan's nuclear reactors has become entangled in a web of lawsuits amid fears about another Fukushima-style accident. In December, another court sided with Kansai Electric by lifting a temporary injunction blocking the restart of the two reactors covered by today's ruling. The latest case was filed by residents in neighbouring Shiga prefecture who argued that the reactors posed a risk to Lake Biwa, a key water source for the region. An accident similar to Fukushima would contaminate the lake, they argued. "This is a landmark victory for people living in the shadow of shut-down reactors across Japan and a devastating blow against the nuclear industry and the policies of the Abe government," said Hisayo Takada, deputy programme director at Greenpeace Japan. "It's a clear message that nuclear power has no place in Japan's energy future." The decision comes about a week after three former executives of Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima plant, were indicted on criminal negligence charges over the 2011 accident. It will be the first criminal trial over responsibility for the tsunami-sparked reactor meltdowns that forced thousands from their homes in the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986. Taking suo motu cognizance of violence during Jat quota agitation in Haryana, the state Human Rights Commission today issued notices to authorities concerned seeking their responses even as it said it had not not received any complaint regarding alleged rape and molestation in Sonipat during the turmoil. "So far, we have issued notices to nine authorities. Today, we issued notices to NHAI, Railways, Principal Secretary, Environment and Conservator Forests, Haryana, and the state's Principal Secretary, Irrigation," the Commission's Chairperson Justice Vijender Jain (retd) told reporters here. "On March 4, we issued notices to Haryana's Chief Secretary, State DGP, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, who was asked to file a response on behalf of the Chief Minister," he said. On media reports of rape and molestation during Jat stir near Murthal in Sonipat, Justice Jain said that so far no one has made any complaint to them in this regard. Notices were earlier issued to the Director General of Civil Aviation and the Secretary Civil Aviation as there were charges that some airlines charged hefty sums of money from travellers between Chandigarh and Delhi as the national highway was blocked due to Jat stir. A representative of a private carrier appeared before the Commission here, Justice Jain said three other operators have sought more time to appear. "If they don't appear at all, we will pass ex-parte order then," he said. Justice Jain, a former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice, said that the Commission had invoked Section 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, to issue notices to the authorities, who have been asked to file their responses by April 18. Section 13 deals with powers of the Commission with regard to inquiries, empowers it with powers of a civil court trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. "We are having our own independent inquiry," he said referring to the incidents of violence, loot and arson during the Jat stir in the state last month. The Commission will come out with a report within three months. The rights body has also deputed its members and officers to visit the areas affected by the Jat stir. Replying to a question, Justice Jain said if it is found that the government officers failed to ensure peace and protect the lives and liberty of the citizens, then they will be held responsible. He also said there is a misconception that the Human Rights Commission is a "toothless tiger". "The government is bound to take action on our report which it has to accept within a month and if they don't then they have to give reasons for the same," he said. He said under the Act, "Human Rights Commission has full authority that to go even to the Supreme Court with our report and ask for mandamus to the government. That is if the government does not take action, this is what the Act mandates, we have the option that we can go to High Court or the apex court. We have power of recommendations of prosecution against the officers. (Reopens NRG24) Jain said the protesters had also inflicted heavy damage to Munak canal near Sonipat, which had resulted in water supply to Delhi getting badly affected for a few days. "The notice has been given to Principal Secretary of Irrigation as Munak Canal was damaged. Reports said the protesters used JCB machine and other mechanical apparatus. As per media reports the authorities have said repairing the damaged canal could take 3-4 weeks. So, we want to know what is the mechamsim of the government and the Irrigation Department to prevent such an incident from happening," he said. Jain said the Commission will inquire whether any action was taken against those who damaged and vandalised the property or if everything was left 'Bhagwan Bharosey' (leave everything to God). Justice Jain said as several roads including key highways NH-1 and NH-10, were blocked by the protesters, therefore NHAI has been asked to respond whether they had filed any complaint against those who had blocked the roads and if they had made one, then what action was taken by authorities concerned, including the police. "The notice has also been issued to Principal Secretary, Environment, and Conservator Forests, Haryana. There were reports that 17,000 trees had been axed by protesters. So, we want to know detail right from the forest guard at what time did he pass on the information that such a thing was taking place. If he brought the incident of cutting trees to the notice of his superiors, then what action was taken. Police must have registered FIRs and what about investigations. If such a large number of trees were cut, where did they vanish, these are national property..All details we have sought," Jain said. With reports that 17 railway stations were burnt by protesters during the Jat stir, the notice has also been issued to the Railways, he said. Justice Jain said that Dheeraj Setia, DSP of the Commission will get the information as to which all Railway Stations and police stations have been damaged by the miscreants so that the teams of the Commission while visiting those particular districts may assess the damage. Justice H S Bhalla, member of the Commission will visit Panipat-Sonipat, Justice J S Ahlawat, another member will visit Jhajjar, G K Khanna, Registrar of the Commission, will visit Rohtak, and all of them will assess the damage caused to the public and private properties. Some other members and officers of the Commission will also visit other areas including Jind, Hisar, Bhiwani and Kaithal. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today said his government may set up a judicial commission of inquiry to probe the incidents of violence and arson during the Jat quota agitation. He said an inquiry committee, headed by former DGP of Uttar Pradesh Prakash Singh, was set up by his government to inquire into the acts of "omission and commission" on the part of civil and police officers during the agitation. "And, if need arises, the option of setting up a judicial inquiry can also be exercised," Khattar told reporters here. Congress had on Monday demanded that a judicial inquiry by a Supreme Court judge be ordered into the incidents of violence. At least 30 people were killed and over 200 injured during the Jat agitation, during which miscreants also inflicted heavy damage on government and private property. Traders in the national capital will observe a 'bandh' on March 17 in support of jewellers who are on an indefinite strike against a levy of 1 per cent excise duty on manufacturing of gold and diamond jewellery, CAIT said today. "The Delhi traders will observe a Delhi trade bandh on March 17 in support of jewellery traders," Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said in a statement. It said the decision regarding this was taken yesterday in a meeting which was attended by more than 200 trade associations from all parts of Delhi. "It is a joint call of all trade associations of Delhi for expressing solidarity with jewellery traders. The Delhi traders will also participate in large numbers in a massive rally to be held on the same day by jewellers," it said in a statement. It also appealed to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to consider other options for generation of revenue and asked for a dialogue with striking traders to resolve the issue. "The traders are not afraid of paying the tax but it is the complex taxation system which is victimising the trading community. Several other options are available for augmentation of revenue and therefore the government should withdraw levy of excise on jewellery," it added. Further, it said as per an estimate, during the eight-day strike period, there is a business loss of about Rs 8,500 crore which further resulted into a revenue loss of about Rs 250 crore in terms of custom duty and about Rs 65 crore as VAT. Meanwhile, in the neighbourhood Ghaziabad, jewellers associated with Ghaziabad chapter of UP Sarafa Vayapar Association (UPSVA) staged a protest today. For the last five days, protesting jewellers have been holding 'torch light processions' in the city and have threatened to intensify their protests with novel methods of agitation to draw the attention of central government. JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar found himself in a spot today over remarks made by him at a student's gathering on women's day with the BJP's youth wing filing a police complaint over his alleged defiance of bail conditions by making "anti-national" statements. "No matter how much you try to stop us, we will speak up against human rights violations. We will raise our voice against AFSPA. While we have a lot of respect for our soldiers, we will still talk about the fact that in Kashmir women are raped by security personnel," Kanhaiya said while addressing students at a women's day march late last night. "During war in Rwanda 1000 women were raped. In Africa during the ethnic conflict, when military attacks other group firstly their women were raped. You take example of Gujarat, women were not just killed but were raped first," he added. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha today filed a complaint in Vasant Vihar police station against Kanhaiya and JNU professor Nivedita Menon saying they made "anti-national" statements in the aftermath of February 9 event. A senior police officer said, "we have received the complaint and the matter is being looked into. No FIR has been registered yet". "Despite the submission of an undertaking before court, Kanhaiya has yet again addressed a gathering of students and uttered poisonous words against the Indian Army, labelling them as rapists of Kashmiri Women," a BJYM statement said. "JNU professor Nivedita Menon has been spewing hatred against the Indian Armed Forces in public meetings as well. She made statements like it is recognized worldwide that India is illegally occupying Kashmir," it added. When contacted Menon, who teaches at the Centre for Comparative Politics and Political Theory at the School of International Studies in JNU said, " I don't believe anything I said was anti-national". Kanhaiya's party All India Students Federation (AISF) maintained that, "he made the remarks in context of atrocities on women worldwide and not just in Kashmir. He in no way meant to demean Army or any other force and he clarified that in his speech too". The ABVP which had objected to the February 9 event as well, issued a statement saying, "the judge in her order also advised Kanhaiaya to not forget the contribution of those sacrificing lives on borders. His statement is an attack on Indian Army". Kanhaiya was arrested on February 12 in a sedition case over an event on campus against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. He was granted an interim bail for six months by Delhi High Court last week. The displaced communities of Jammu and Kashmir led by BJP's migrant cell today held protests against the state government for "denial" of ration and non-enrollment of Kashmiri migrants as voters in the coming panchayat and municipal elections. Led by T N Bhat, President, BJP Kashmir Displaced Cell, the community demonstrated in front of the Raj Bhawan here. Bhat submitted two memorandum to the Governor highlighting the various issues confronting the community. Addressing the protesters, Bhat said that the Governor was fully aware of the conditions of the community who were forced to flee from their birth place and putting up in various camps and other dwellings in Jammu and other parts of India. "To add to our miseries, on the auspicious day of Maha Shivratri, the community was deprived of celebrating the festival with gaiety and fervor by denying us the ration being supplied by the central government," he said. The BJP leader alleged that the state administration and the departments related to providing relief create hurdles in implementing any policy of the central government for providing assistance to the community. He also criticised the implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in the state. "It is surprising that this administration took no time in implementing the callous NFSA in Kashmir," Bhat said. He noted that the central government has been providing cash assistance and ration to the deserving Displaced Community in Jammu and other parts in India. Amid joyous scenes, the son of slain Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who was rescued from the clutches of the Pakistani Taliban, was today reunited with his family here after nearly five years in captivity. Shahbaz Taseer, 33, was flown to Lahore in a special aircraft, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) media wing of the military, said in a statement, a day after his dramatic rescue from the restive Balochistan province. Photographs shared by DG, ISPR Asim Bajwa, showed Shahbaz had changed from the previous night's shalwar kameez into jeans and a polo shirt. In the second photo, Shahbaz smiles as he points towards the camera and his beard appeared to have been trimmed. Shahbaz, who was abducted in August, 2011, wasrecovered by security forces from a hotel on the outskirts of Kuchlak town in Quetta yesterday. He was then shifted to the Combined Military Hospital in Quetta for a complete medical check-up. of his recovery brought immense joy to his family members and a large number of the Taseers' friends and relatives reached their Lahore residence and shared the happy moments with them. "I am are very happy to have my brother among us. Thank God that our Shahbaz Taseer is recovered safely. We are also indebted to the security agencies for their effort to secure the release of Shahbaz," said Shahryar Taseer, younger brother of Shahbaz. The family members also uploaded photos of the family reunion on Facebook and Twitter. The Punjab government has provided fool-proof security to the Taseer family after threats from supporters of Mumtaz Qadri, the executed killer of Salman Taseer. Qadri, the police commando who was on duty to guard the Punjab Governor, had shot Taseer dead in January, 2011, for his liberal views on the controversial blasphemy law. Last week Qadri was hanged after President Mamnoon Hussain rejected his mercy plea. His supporters had held demonstrations against his hanging. "We have already doubled the security of the Taseers after the execution of Qadri," DIG Operations Haider Ashraf told PTI. REOPENS FGN 16 As of Shahbaz's safe recovery broke, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari telephoned Shahryar and congratulated him on the recovery of his elder brother. Bilawal's father Asif Ali Zardari and sisters Bakhtawar and Asifa also expressed their delight and congratulated the Taseer family. They also appealed to the government to make efforts for the safe recovery of Ali Haider, son of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. "The release of Shahbaz Taseer after about five years of captivity is most welcome not only for his family but also for the whole nation. It is hoped the son of former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani will also be released. It is hard to imagine the torture of uncertainty inflicted on a person and his family who is abducted and kept for about five years at an unknown location beyond any glimmer of hope and far beyond the reach of law," Bilawal said. The Zardaris commended Shahbaz and his family for enduring the ordeal. Gilani also congratulated the Taseer family on the safe recovery of Shahbaz and appreciated the role of the security agencies in this regard. "I am very much happy for safe return of Shahbaz. I am also hopeful that the government will make extra effort for safe and early recovery of my son, Ali Haider," Gilani said. Shahbaz was kidnapped by unidentified men in 2011 from Lahore's Gulberg area while he was driving when he was intercepted by the kidnappers. The abductors who, according to witnesses, used a Prado jeep and a motorcycle, bundled the young Taseer into the vehicle and escaped unimpeded. Similarly, Ali Haider was abducted by armed men in Multan just two days before the May, 2013 general election. The PPP government failed to recover both young men who were believed to be kept by their kidnappers in the areas bordering Afghanistan. The kidnappers of Shahbaz and Ali had reportedly demanded huge sums as ransom for their release. Ali Haider's family had received his recorded voice message a couple of years ago in which he had appealed to the government, security agencies and the people of Pakistan to listen to the demands of his kidnappers. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko today demanded that Moscow immediately free Nadiya Savchenko, a hunger-striking military helicopter pilot on trial in Russia. "In recent days, we have taken all the possible measures to put international pressure on Russia from the EU, US and our other partners, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Nadiya Savchenko from jail and her return to Ukraine," Poroshenko said in a video statement posted on Facebook. The pro-Western Ukrainian leader, who is currently visiting Turkey, called Savchenko's trial a "farce" that is being conducted in a "kangaroo court". Savchenko is accused of involvement in the death of two Russian state television journalists in a mortar attack that occurred two months after revolt erupted in Ukraine's pro- Moscow east in April 2014. The 34-year-old Iraq war veteran from Ukraine faces up to 23 years in prison if convicted in a case that has drawn global attention and been attended by Western monitors concerned about Russia's record on human rights. Savchenko denies the charges and has refused all food and drink since her hearing was adjourned last Thursday before she was given a chance to make a final statement. Her hearing resumed today with the judge saying that the verdict will be handed down on March 21 and 22. Speaking to the court Savchenko said she would continue refusing food and water in protest. The pilot's case is seen by many Ukrainians as a symbol of resistance against what Kiev's pro-Western leaders view as Russian aggression in the eastern industrial heartland of the former Soviet state. Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk today called Savchenko's trial "a challenge to the entire civilised world". "The entire civilised world must -- not just in words but in action -- prove that in this world there are human rights and respect for the individual." "That is why the entire world community must free Nadiya Savchenko," Yatsenyuk was quoted as saying on the government's website. At least 175 industrial units of Kutch district, which have been drawing power from extra high tension (EHT) lines of the Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation Limited (GETCO), are staring at closure, owing to a recent order passed by the discom. "The industrial units have been drawing power from 66 kVA transmission stations of GETCO through the state load despatch centre (SLDC), located in Vadodara," Nimesh Phadke, Managing Director of Federation of Kutch Industries Associations (FOKIA) told PTI. "However, the SLDC, in an order dated March 2, has cancelled the license of 175 industries to procure power at concessional rate over 'underdrawal' by them, stating that they need to consume at least 1 MW of power," he said. FOKIA is an umbrella body of large, medium and small industries of the Kutch region, established in 2000. The SLDC ordered the cancellation of license of Open Access of power, which has cast a shadow on the future of thousands of workers, Phadke said. "FOKIA, in its letter dated March 5, has sought the intervention of Roopwant Singh, Secretary of Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC), the state's regulatory body on power-related issues, and requested that the order be withdrawn," he said. Citing financial losses, FOKIA, whose members are SLDC consumers, has contested the legality of the order, and termed it "arbitrary". The industries have undergone a loss to the tune of Rs 135 crore till date, as they are compelled to keep operations going to meet their countrywide demand, he said. "Some of the distribution licensees of GETCO and the SLDC have been flouting regulations of the GERC with regard to the grant of Short Term Open Access," he alleged. Citing issues such as breakdown of machinery among other reasons, Phadke said it is unrealistic to expect constancy in power drawal by the consumers. He said the GERC has put in place penalty under its Intra-State Open Access Regulations, 2011 to address such problems. The federation has sought appropriate action to resolve the issue at the earliest. (REOPENS MES3) Narayanasamy also announced that Industries Secretary Arun Desai would go into the allegations of 'malpractices and corruption' in the government owned AFT mills here. He also said that the same official would probe into the alleged malpractices in the Puducherry government sponsored Road Transport Corporation. Revenue Minister M O H F Shahjahan said the inquiry would cover all aspects of 'maladministration in the two undertakings'. (REOPENS SRG27) Earlier, Narayanasamy told reporters that Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi would visit the union territory during the birth centenary celebrations of late prime minister Indira Gandhi. The chief minister, who visited the press gallery in the assembly, said he had a meeting with AICC General Secretary AICC Mukul Wasnik during his recent visit to Delhi. Later while replying to demands for grants for various departments in the House, he said the press and visitors galleries were too small and steps would be taken to improve the situation. A Sri Lankan court today ordered the arrest of a popular Buddhist monk for allegedly possessing a baby elephant without a license. Additional magistrate Nishantha Peiris of the Colombo magistrate court ordered remanding in custody of Uduwe Dhammaloka until March 17. Dhammaloka was earlier arrested in his Colombo temple. He will be charged for an offense under the public properties act, police said. Dhammaloka had denied the charge claiming that the baby elephant had been left abandoned at his temple premises. The Supreme Court yesterday refused a fundamental rights application by a judge to prevent his arrest for the same charge of keeping a baby elephant without a license. The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a Bill to amend a 48-year-old law to guard against claims of succession or transfer of properties left by people who migrated to Pakistan and China after the wars. The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016, which amends the Enemy Property Act, 1968, was passed by voice vote amid the government's assertion that the measure should not be seen from the prism of religion or caste. A demand by the Opposition for sending it to the Standing Committee of Parliament was also turned down. Replying to a debate on the bill, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, "It does not pertain to Pakistan alone, but also to those Chinese who left India after the 1962 Sino-India War. Even their property comes under the ambit of this Bill." In the wake of the Indo-Pak war of 1965 and 1971, there was migration of people from India to Pakistan and under the Defence of India Rules framed under the Defence of India Act, the Government of India took over the properties and companies of such persons who had taken Pakistani nationality. These enemy properties were vested by the Central Government in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India. The amendments include that once an enemy property is vested in the Custodian, it shall continue to be vested in him as enemy property irrespective of whether the enemy, enemy subject or enemy firm has ceased to be an enemy due to reasons such as death, etc. The new bill also ensures that the law of succession does not apply to enemy property; that there cannot be transfer of any property vested in the Custodian by an enemy or enemy subject or enemy firm and that the Custodian shall preserve the enemy property till it is disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the Act. The amendments are aimed at plugging the loopholes in the Act to ensure that the enemy properties that have been vested in the Custodian remain so and they do not revert back to the enemy subject or enemy firm. The was enacted in the year 1968 by the Government of India, which provided for the continuous vesting of enemy property in the Custodian. The Central Government through the Custodian of Enemy Property for India is in possession of enemy properties spread across many states in the country. In addition, there are also movable properties categorized as enemy properties. After the 1965 war, India and Pakistan signed the Tashkent Declaration on January 1, 1966 which included a clause which said that the two countries would discuss the return of the property and assets taken over by either side in connection with the conflict. However, the Government of Pakistan disposed of all such properties in that country in the year 1971 itself, which left no scope for talks on this issue. Seeking to allay fears that the Bill could be struck down by the judicary, the Home Minister said legal opinion has been sought from the Attorney General as well as the Law Ministry. He said the previous UPA government had brought similar amendments in the Act in 2010 through an Ordinance. With the amendments, the property vested in the hands of the Custodian would continue to remain in his hands and under no circumstances the Inheritance Law will be not be applied to that property, Rajnath Singh said. During the debate, Opposition parties slammed the government for taking the Ordinance route earlier to amend the Act saying there was no urgency or exigency for bringing in Ordinance. They said the Ordinance route is not a sign of "good governance". Opposing the measure, Shashi Tharoor (Cong) said it was a "dangerous" step that would "create problems" as he pressed for referring it to the Standing Committee. "We are contemplating to pass the bill where certain people (will be) called as enemy...It will affect interest of lakhs of people," the former minister said, adding the government should not take any step in haste. "It will create two types of Indians..We are bifurcating the very idea of Indian citizenship," he said, adding it would affect the interest of minority people particularly muslims. On the provision of retrospective, Tharoor said this government opposed the restrospective taxation. The UPA's bill on the issue did not go to this level and this bill is saying that the judiciary would not have any say. "My grave concern boils on to the legal principle," he added. "We are raising serious questions on citizenship...It is dangerous..It will create poblems. Let us not take unlawful punitive actions and refer it to the Standing Committee. If passed, it will be challenged in courts ," he said. He supported the resolution disapproving of the Ordinance, saying "my concern is a concern of principle" as laws should not be made to deal with certain or specific cause. (Reopen PAR33) The resolution disapproving of the Ordinance was moved by N K Premachandran (RSP), P Karunakaran (CPM), Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (Congress) and Sultan Ahmed (TMC). "Ordinance route for legislation is not good for a healthy democracy. Continuous promulgation of Ordinance is not a sign of food governance which the NDA government had originally promised. "Ordinance can be brought in only in case of exigency and emergency. But in Enemy Property bill there was no such urgency," Premachandran said. He demanded that the bill be sent to Standing Committee of Parliament for scrutiny of definition of "enemy and enermy property" as well as the proposed law of succession. "All these years since 2010 the governments have been sleeping and suddenly they bring in Ordinance taking away the right of Parliament to look into the fresh Bill. I disapprove the Ordinance route, even as I support the Bill," Premachandran said. Sushmita Dev (Cong) sought to know from the Home Minister as to "what was the urgency of the government to bring in an Ordinance on January 7 when Parliament was not in session". In 2010 the then UPA Government too had promulgated an Ordinance to amend the Enemy Property Act, 1968, but it did not turn into a legislation. Yogi Adityanath (BJP) accused Congress of playing votebank and not enacting the Enemy Property Ordinance of 2010. "The Congress under pressure from certain section of society did not pursue the Bill and did a 'U' turn. The UPA government stood up in favour of Jinnah (Mohammed Ali Jinnah) who was responsible for division of the country," he said. Adityanath said only Indian government should have right on the properties left behind by Chinese and Pakistanis after 1962 and 1965 wars. "The way the Jinnah's family is staging a claim over Jinnah House in Mumbai, it is in the interest of our nation that we pass the Enemy Property Bill," he said, while appealing to opposition to rise above and supportit. Jinnah House is the residence of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. "I am surprised to see that some people are playing with integrity for votebank . We saw similar situation in Ishrat Jahan case," Adityanath added. A new section has been inserted in the 2016 Ordinance to say that "the Custodian, may, after making such inquiry as he deems necessary, by order, declare that the property of the enemy or the enemy subject or the enemy firm described in the order, vests in him under this Act and issue a certificate to this effect and such certificate shall be the evidence of the facts stated therein". Supporting the bill, Saugata Roy (TMC) said it is a harmless thing in the interest of the country. "I did not find any amendment required," he said. Pinaki Misra (BJD), however, said the bill "must" be referred to the Standing Committee. He said the bill takes away the jurisdictions of civil courts on this issue and once passed, it would become a "non-sensical law" and invite public interest litigations. Citing the example of the Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act, he said the Supreme Court asked not to take inflexible state but the present government did not relent and "see the result. That bill was struck down". "Parliament must be cautious in passing any (such bill)... On day one, it will be challenged by way of writ jurisdiction," he added. Konda Vishweshwar Reddy (TRS) said: "The intention is good but I see lot of flaws in this bill". "The first is the definition of the word enemy," he said adding in the bill the legal heirs are treated as enemies. Citing example of famous bollywood movie 'Deewar', he said a son cannot be labelled as 'enemy' if his father was an 'enemy'. "How can we say that enemy's son is also an enemy? The word enemy should be removed and some other word should be used. We need to redarft this...We need to differentiate between self gain property and ancestral property," he said. "It should be limited to the property gained by an enemy and not the ancestral property. The bill should be referred to the Standing Committee," he added. Veteran lyricist Shailendra, who wrote several successful Hindi film songs in the 1950s and 1960s, has got a road named after him in Mathura, where he spent 10 years of his life before entering Bollywood. District Magistrate Rajesh Kumar along with Municipal Council president Manisha Gupta unveiled the name plate at the naming ceremony held in the locality of Dhauli Pyau here. Also present at the event were lyricist's two sons Manoj Shankar and Dinesh Shankar, who is a filmmaker, and his sister Amla Majumdar, among others. Born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Shailendra, at the age of seven, along with family moved to Mathura to live with his brother. He started his career as an apprentice with Indian Railways in Matunga workshop, Mumbai in 1947. He started writing poetry during these days. Filmmaker Raj Kapoor noticed him and offered him work but Shailendra refused. Later, however, Shailendra himself approached Kapoor. During that time, Kapoor was filming "Barsaat" (1949), and two of the film songs had not yet been written. Shailendra wrote these two songs: "Patli kamar hai" and "Barsaat mein". The team of Kapoor, Shailendra and music composer duo Shankar-Jaikishan went on to produce many other hit songs. The song "Awara Hoon" from the 1951 film "Awaara", written by Shailendra, became the most appreciated Hindustani film song outside India at the time. "I am surprised that till some time back people living in Mathura did not know that Shailendra was a resident of this town, though he could never forget the city and he used to tell us about his times here. There was hardly any day when he did not talk about Mathura," Amla said at the ceremony. Kumar said, "It is a matter of great pride for people of Mathura that it made a wonderful contribution to the world in the form of Shailendra. The lyricist's popular works include "Awara Hoon", "Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua", "Ramaiya Vastavaiya" , Aaj Phir Jeene Ki", "Piya Tose Naina Laage Re and "Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh. The recommendations of Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), if accepted by the UK government, will have adverse impact on the competitiveness of the Indian IT companies in Britain, Parliament was informed today. Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the financial impact of these measures would be in excess of 250 million pound each year for the Indian IT companies. The UK government commissioned the MAC last year to advise them on significantly reducing the level of skilled economic migration from outside the European Union entering through Tier-II visa route. Prasad said the report prepared by MAC was released on January 19, 2016, and under the consideration of the UK government. "Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India have already taken up the matter with the UK in this regard," Prasad said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. He said the UK is the second largest export market for the Indian IT-ITeS companies. "If the MAC recommendations are accepted by the UK government, it would have an adverse impact on the competitiveness of Indian IT companies in the UK," he added. The minister further said as per industry estimates, the financial impact of these measures would be in excess of 250 million pound each year for the Indian IT companies. The main recommendations of MAC include creation of a new category for third-party contractors (IT firms) and increase the minimum salary threshold to 41,500 pound in respect of Tier-II ICT category (short term) from current 24,800 pound. MAC recommends levying of immigration skill charge of 1,000 pound on all employers recruiting migrants under long-term and short-term Tier-II (ICT) categories. It also proposes to levy immigration health surcharge of 200 pound to ICT category including the dependents. The MAC recommends increasing minimum work experience requirement for the ICT visa category from 12 to 24 months for both long-term and short-term categories. "Sponsors to enter a more detailed description of the role required on the certificate of sponsorship application form to ensure that the role is sufficiently specialist," the recommendations said. A four-year-old boy fell into a 280-ft deep borewell in Gondia district today following which an army team was called in to rescue him. The rescue operation is still going on, a district official said. Vivek Khushal Donode, who was with his grandmother as she took goats out for grazing, fell into the open hole of a bore well, dug only yesterday, in a field this afternoon in Ranka village of Sadak Arjuni tehsil. Gondia Collector Dr Vijay Suryavanshi summoned the National Disaster Response Force from Pune after learning about the incident. An Army team was also summoned from Kamptee near Nagpur. Superintendent of Police Shashi Kumar Meena and Additional SP Dr Sandeep Pakhale also rushed to the spot. The NDRF team had dropped an oxygen pipe into the hole and had started digging a rescue shaft, Suryavanshi told PTI. Class III and IV employees of Revenue department in Maharashtra will hold a slew protests in support of their demand from March 10 onwards till May under the banner- Maharashthra Rajya Mahasul Karmachari Sanghatana. Sanghatana head Bhaskar Gavhale today reporters here that nearly 5000 employees will stage various protests at district and state-level, starting tomorrow, while an indefinite relay hunger strike will be launched at the Mantralaya in Mumbai from May 1 onwards. The key demands of employees include hike in salary, increment, promotion, regarding posting. One of the demands include non-inclusion of department staffers during assembly and general elections. Briefing on the plan, Gavhale said employees tomorrow will hand over memorandum at the district-level. On March 22, they will work by wearing black ribbons, on April 1, they will carry out demonstrations in front of district collectorate during lunch break. On April 12, employees will resort to one-day pen down strike, followed by a day-long dharana at the district headquarters on April 20. Maharashtra Legislative Assembly today paid rich tributes to veteran CPI leader A B Bardhan, who passed away in Delhi earlier this year. Tabling a condolence motion for Bardhan and other former members of the Assembly who passed away recently, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the CPI leader was "active in the Communist movement for seven decades". "The struggles he waged for students and labour movements are remembered till date. As he belonged to Nagpur, I had close ties with him. He represented the Assembly constituency which I represent now," the Chief Minister said. For many, he was a guide and in his death we have lost someone who was close to so many people. His was a leadership beyond party politics, Fadnavis said, adding, in Nagpur, it used to be said that there was a "Bardhan vote bank". He also paid tributes to Jain Irrigation Systems Limited founder chairman Bhavarlal Jain, who passed away last month and lauded his work for the welfare of farmers and his efforts to improve irrigation facilities in rural areas. Mahindra Aerospace aims to set up operations in the UAE in the near future, Chairman of the company S P Shukla has said. Speaking at the Global Aerospace Summit in Abu Dhabi, Shukla said Mahindra is currently the only Indian company that produces aircraft and sell them in 30 countries including in the US and in parts of Africa and Asia. He said Mahindra Aerospace aims to set up operations in Abu Dhabi in the near future. Mahindra Aerospace currently produces the Airvan 8, a rugged and versatile utility aircraft in its class. It is also developing a 10-seat turboprop, the Airvan 10, which is on schedule for certification, the company had said last year. Shukla said India, currently the world's largest importer of defence equipment, will become the third largest aerospace market by 2020. He identified key investment areas as design, component manufacturing, aircraft assembly and Indian Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO). "Within the MRO sector the bottlenecks are being sorted out little by little. It's now a matter of time before we see MRO hubs emerging in India," he said. At the summit, aviation and space leaders from India and Saudi Arabia have expressed their willingness to partner on FDI projects within their own market and said that time is right to collaborate as their industries are on an upswing. Abdulrahman Altayeb, Advisor to the Director General on Privatisation and VP Fleet Management and Agreements, Saudi Arabian Airlines, said that the Saudi aviation landscape, which is currently undergoing increased liberalisation, privatisation and expansion, will see its fleet and passenger numbers double within a few years. Predicting the country's aviation landscape over the next 15 years, Abdulmohsen O, Aynousah, Director Technical Sales & Marketing, Saudi Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI), said that within the space of one and a half decades, the Kingdom would be self-sufficient in assembly and maintenance within the components sector. "For those people who have cash in their pockets, this is the time to move into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," he said. Altayeb believes that the sector will contribute between 10-15 per cent of the country's non-oil GDP within the 15 years - up from its current level of 2 per cent. Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, facing probe in a loan default case of IDBI bank, apparently managed to leave the country in spite of a look-out notice against him by CBI. The agency has also asked the rest of the 17 banks which had given loans to now defunct Kingfisher Airlines to declare these loans as fraud, on the lines of IDBI bank, after which it can take over probe in their cases as well. CBI sources claimed the agency had taken all legally- permissible precautions including issuance of look-out notices to all exit points from the country to prevent any such move on part of the Rajya Sabha MP but he still managed to escape. The sources said look-out notices are issued to alert immigration authorities to prevent any move of a person facing probe from leaving the country. SBI, which leads the consortium of 17 banks that lent money to the grounded Kingfisher Airlines, had moved DRT in Bengaluru against the airline's chairman Mallya in its bid to recover over Rs 7,000 crore of dues from him. "We cannot arm twist a bank in terming a loan default as fraud. We can only advice them which we have done. It is up to banks now to give us complaints based on which we can act," a senior official said. CBI had registered a case against Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines, Chief Financial Officer of the airlines A Raghunathan, and unknown officials of IDBI Bank in its FIR alleging that Rs 900 crore IDBI loan was sanctioned in violation of norms regarding credit limits on the basis of complaint received from the bank. Clarifying his position in the loan owed by KFA, Mallya in a recent statement had said after the closure of the airline, since April, 2013, the banks and their assignees have recovered, in cash, an aggregate of Rs 1,244 crore from sale of pledged shares. "In addition an aggregate of Rs 600 crore is lying deposited in the Karnataka High Court (since July, 2013) and a further sum of Rs 650 crore belonging to United Breweries Holdings has been deposited in the Karnataka High Court since early 2014, being sums realised from the sale proceeds received by United Breweries Holdings from the sale of shares in United Spirits to Diageo Plc in July, 2013," he had said. "Thus, the aggregate cash recovery/security available is Rs 2,494 crore," Mallya said. The Attorney General today informed the Supreme Court that Mallya has left the country a week ago. "I spoke to the CBI little while ago and it told me that on March 2 he (Mallya) left the country," Mukul Rohatgi told the bench comprising justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman. The bench issued notice to Mallya and sought his response within two weeks on pleas filed by a consortium of banks seeking direction for freezing his passport and his presence before the apex court. Benedict, while the "father of the new liturgical movement" (in my estimation at any rate), is not the new liturgical movement; as such the new liturgical movement does not die with the end of his papacy. - Shawn Tribe, New Liturgical Movement Gunning for the Congress-Left alliance in the upcoming Assembly election in West Bengal, Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee today asked grass roots workers of the two parties whether they would support the "unprincipled" tie-up. "I would like to ask the grass roots level workers of Congress and CPI(M) whether they will support this unprincipled alliance. They have to decide," Banerjee told an election meeting in this Congress stronghold. Banerjee said her party would contest on its own and the "people are with us. We were with the people, we are with the people and we will be with the people." However, she said, "I am happy that instead of playing hide and seek, Congress and CPI(M) have tied up. This is nothing new. The Congress has worked with the CPI(M) in the state Assembly". Hammering the Congress, she said, "We have unmasked them. Because of this mask that they wore, we had broken away to form the Trinamool Congress. We were the first to show that the Congress was sold out to CPI(M)." Banerjee said that in the 2011 Assembly elections her party workers had worked tirelessly in favour of Congress candidates, but Congress had put up independent candidates to defeat TMC candidates. Sounding confident, she said that not only would the Trinamool Congress return to power after the coming election, they would win all elections till 2022. "From the hills to the sea, we have worked and that is why people of the state are happy. But our rivals are busy finding faults with us. They are scared to fight us politically," Banerjee said. A middle-aged man today threatened to immolate himself near Parliament House, sending security officials into a tizzy. The man, identified as Hari Singh, a resident of Sirsa district of Haryana, told police that he decided to take the extreme step in order to seek justice for his sister and niece who, he claimed, were murdered by criminals in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan, a senior official said. He was whisked away immediately and later detained for questioning at Parliament Street police station, the official said, adding that no inflammable material or object was recovered from his possession. Singh stood at the parking site for media at Vijay Chowk and while being whisked away after the incident reported around 12.30 PM, he told some reporters that his brother-in-law would also jump off from a water tank in Sirsa around the same time. However, this claim is yet to be verified by Delhi Police which is in touch with its counterparts in Haryana, the official said. The police are likely to take Singh for a medical examination and question his relatives, the official added. The shipping and ports sector is poised to generate 1 crore jobs in 5 years as the government is committed to according it high priority, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today said. Projects worth 1.2 lakh crore have already been lined up for the Maritime India summit next month with a likely participation by 57 nations, he said. "India offers immense investment opportunities in the maritime sector. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said growth of ports is instrumental in development of a nation. Unfortunately our maritime sector occupies the last place in globe but government has accorded top most priority to develop it," the Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Gadkari said. "This sector will create 40 lakh direct and 60 lakh indirect employment in next five years," he said at the media launch of upcoming Maritime India Summit scheduled from April 14 to 16 in Mumbai. Gadkari said manufacturing sector contributes 20-24 per cent to India's GDP but its growth has been hindered by high logistics cost. "We are set to address the issue by promoting water transport as logistics cost is 18 per cent in India as compared to barely 8-10 per cent in China and 10-12 per cent in European countries. Sending material to London from Mumbai is easy and less expensive as compared to dispatching it to Delhi," he said. The government's top priority is to develop waterways and ports to reduce the high logistics cost as while it costs Rs 1.5 a km to carry the cargo from road, the same stands at rupee one from rail while through waterways it reduces to only 25 paise a km, he said. The minister said maritime holds immense potential as India with its long coastline of 7,517 km and inland waterways of 14,500 km had vast untapped opportunities. "We have already identified projects worth Rs 1.2 lakh crore for maritime investment summit," the minister said. Besides government has lined up huge projects under its Sagarmala initiative for port-led development of the country. Gadkari said government has identified over 150 projects under its ambitious 'Sagarmala' initiative. The government earlier has said that these 150 projects will mobilise more than Rs 4 lakh crore investment The Minister said three new major ports were also on the anvil at a cost of Rs 21,500 crore that include a greenfield port in Maharashtra with an investment of Rs 10,000 crore, another in Tamil Nadu with an expenditure of Rs 7,000 crore and one in West Bengal at an estimated cost of Rs 4,500 crore under PPP mode. Providing details of port augmentation projects, Gadkari said work has already been started on 27 projects worth Rs 12,700 crore to add a capacity of 116 million tonne per annum. (REOPENS DCM 19) Speaking on the occasion, Gadkari reiterated the commitment of his ministry to reduce the number of road accidents and the associated fatalities by 50 in the next few years. He said his Ministry was working on all the 4 Es of road safety-engineering, enforcement, education and emergency care - to meet this objective. He informed that the work of rectification of identified accident Black Spots was on in full swing. An amount of Rs 11,000 crore has been set aside for this purpose. He also called upon people to report to the Ministry any spot where there were very frequent road accidents, so that steps could be taken to rectify the engineering defects. He also informed that flyovers, underpasses, crash barriers, rumble strips, traffic signages etc were being put up in an appropriate manner to bring down road accidents. Referring to the Good Samaritans Guidelines issued by the Ministry, Gadkari called upon people to come forward to help accident victims so that prompt intervention and emergency care can save precious lives. He called upon people to follow traffic rules and show responsibility on roads. In this regard he called upon the youth of the country to reach out to people and educate them about road safety issues. Raju said that it is not possible to make Indian roads safe unless people come forward and do their bit in this regard. Ahir also called for people's participation to bring down the number of road accidents and fatalities. Actress-director Meg Ryan will be honoured with the Sonoma Salute Award at the 19th Sonoma Film Festival. Ryan, 46, will be celebrated with a special screening of "Ithaca," her 2015 directorial feature film debut, reported Variety. A five-day program dedicated to the best in film, food, wine and spirits will also honour screenwriter and SIFF supporter Robert Mark Kamen, whose writing credits include the "Transporter," "Taken" and "Karate Kid" franchises. The festival will open with Joachim Trier's Jesse Eisenberg-starring drama "Louder Than Bombs" and conclude with the French romantic comedy "The Sense of Wonder." SIFF runs March 30 to April 3. Noted industrialist brothers from Goa, Sameer and Arjun Salgaoncar were arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) today in connection with the illegal mining scam and later released on bail. "Sameer and Arjun were summoned to appear before the Crime Branch this morning after which they were placed under arrest," Inspector General of Police, V Renganathan told reporters. "Since they had already secured pre-arrest bail from court, they were released on (furnishing) surety," he said. Sammer and Arjun are directors of Kantilal and Company,the iron ore exporter firm which was named by the Directorate of Mines and Geology in their FIR filed before the SIT. Their father Anil Salgaoncar, who was also named in the FIR, died in Singapore recently. The brothers were granted anticipatory bail by the Panaji district court on August 31, 2015. An FIR was registered against them by SIT on September 15, 2014 under various sections of the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960, r/w section 21(1)(2) of the Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and section 2 r/w 3A of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. In their application seeking pre-arrest bail, Sameer and Arjun had claimed that neither them nor their firm had committed any offence. According to police, Anil Salgaoncar, Arjun, Sameer and other directors of Kantilal and Company, along with former Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao and others allegedly extracted iron ore at Asni Donger, Curdi and Curpem in Sanguem taluka in illegal manner during 2006 and 2011. "Police are also probing Alemao in connection with this case. SIT has almost completed their investigation into this case and chargesheet would be filed soon," a senior police official said. Bihar Minister Abdul Gafoor's visit to Siwan jail to meet imprisoned RJD strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin rocked the state Assembly today, with opposition BJP demanding his resignation. Gafoor, the Minority Affairs Minister, however, refused to quit saying he did not commit any crime by meeting a former party MP in jail and he would go and meet Shahabuddin again if he got a chance. As the House sat for the day, BJP members, supported by NDA allies RLSP, LJP and Hindustani Awam Morcha, demanded that the House take up the issue first before everything else. Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar made the demand to Speaker Vijay Chaudhary who continued with the Question hour. NDA legislators then trooped into the well of the House shouting slogans against the government. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was not present in the House at that time, but his deputy Tejaswi Yadav was there. The Speaker carried on with the Question hour for 15 minutes amidst pandemonium and then ordered adjournment till post-lunch session. Prem Kumar said the Minister going to Siwan jail to meet a convict has sullied image of Bihar and hence he should quit and if he does not do so, the Chief Minister should dismiss him. Gafoor and RJD MLA Harishankar Yadav paid a visit to Shahabuddin in Siwan jail on Sunday. A photograph of the three in the jail has gone viral on social media. Lodged in Siwan jail since 2005 in several cases of murder and kidnapping, Shahabuddin has been convicted by Siwan court in eight cases and was sentenced to life in two. The Chief Minister has ordered an enquiry into the issue. Later, talking to reporters outside the House, Prem Kumar demanded a probe by a retired High Court judge into the event to bring to light how rules were violated to facilitate the meeting with the Minister and an RJD MLA Shahabuddin in jail. The opposition leader also hit out at RJD president Lalu Prasad for describing the meeting as "courtesy" and justifying their sharing snacks during the meeting. "Lalu Prasad, whose party is the largest constituent of the Grand Secular Alliance government wishes to take Bihar back to days of 'jungle raj'," he said. Even as the NDA was gunning for his head, Gafoor, an RJD MLA, stuck a defiant posture and ruled out quitting. "It was a courtesy meeting with Shahabuddin who has been MP from the party for long. I did not commit any crime in meeting him. So why should I resign?" he told reporters. Stating that he did not violate any jail manual and did not carry mobile phone inside the jail, Gafoor said, "I will meet him (Shahabuddin) again if I get a chance. (REOPENS CAL1) Gafoor, the MLA of Mahishi in Saharsa district, said, "I have not become a minister because of BJP." Another RJD MLA Akhtarul-Islam Sahin enquired from the Minister about Shahabuddin and said he too would go and meet him if he got a chance. Senior RJD leader and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi also defended Gafoor. "The BJP leaders who are making a hue and cry over the issue should speak about their meeting LJP leader Surajbhan Singh and Rama Singh in jail on many occasions," Rabri Devi, an MLC, told reporters outside the Legislative Council gate. Her husband, Lalu Prasad, yesterday said it was not a big issue. "When I was in jail, people used to meet me and they were given some snacks," he said. An outfit representing Muslims today accused the NDA government of launching attacks on minorities, Dalits and educational institutions and assailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for remaining silent when some BJP MPs were allegedly "spreading hatred" against the minority community. "The present situation is such that minorities are being attacked, especially Muslims. Some people, unfortunately some of them are members of Parliament which is supreme in the country, are saying whatever comes to their mind. "The government is keeping quiet, giving them liberty to spew fire against anyone they want. The Prime Minister should deal strictly with such people, but he is not doing so," chief of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Maulana Syed Arshad Madani, said today while briefing reporters about a day-long conference to be held on March 12. Referring to reports about Modi attending World Sufi Forum on March 17, Madani seemed to suggest the Prime Minister should not hold a section of the community "close", while "ignore" others and said such a move will not benefit the country. "I don't know if he (Modi) is going there or not, but if a section of Muslims is being held close and other is being ignored, hatred is being spread in minds of people, then this is bad for the country. None will benefit from this, but the country will be hurt, of course," he added. Madani said "Given the present circumstances created by BJP", the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind could not "dare" invite the Prime Minister for its event. He noted the situation was "different" two years ago and claimed the community members could speak "eye-to-eye" with the Congress-led UPA Government over their issues. "But the present situation is worse than that during freedom struggle," he added. "Also, I would get prompt reply if I submitted any report (during UPA regime). I respect the Prime Minister (Modi), he is legally our Prime Minister. I had submitted a report of first riot that broke in Gujarat after he became Prime Minister. But two years have gone by and there is no reply," he claimed. The Maulana expressed concern over alleged "saffronisation" of universities in the country and claimed Dalits and Christians, too, were being targeted. On the row over the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University, he insisted the varsity indeed is a minority institution. Madani said besides Muslims, members of Christian community are also likely to attend the conference, which he claimed is an "apolitical" event. A demand for stern action against some newspapers and TV channels for publishing "false" reports of rapes at Murthal during the recent Jat agitation in Haryana was made in the Lok Sabha today. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Dushyant Chautala (INLD) asked the government to take suo motu cognisance of the reports carried by certain newspapers and TV channels and take action. Noting that media is considered the fourth pillar of democracy, he regretted that a section of the media was now resorting to "tampered" videos to spread false information. Expelled RJD member Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav lamented the way social media was seeking to divert national discourse by giving a slant through its version and or ideology and said it was a matter of serious concern. This was seen in the Murthal case, as also in the suicide of Rohith Vemula and the incidents in JNU, he said. Raising another issue, K C Venugopal (Congress) drew the government's attention to an attack on a church in Raipur in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh. Venugopal said the matter was serious as the attack took place when prayers were being offered at the church. However, BJP members from Chhattsigsarh said the government had taken immediate steps and arrested the culprits. A Lok Sabha member today castigated the army for asking job aspirants to take written test only in their lower undergarments at a recruitment exam in Bihar and sought action against the officers involved. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Anupriya Patel (Apna Dal) said there could not be a more "shameful and ridiculous" incident and urged the government to issue strict directions to the army in this regard and take action against officers involved in the exercise. Read more from our special coverage on "ARMY EXAM" Bare body test for Army aspirants: Govt seeks report, HC wants reply "There could not be a more shameful and ridiculous examination. You cannot play with the respect of those seeking jobs. I will urge the government to issue strict instructions to the army. Action should be taken against those officers," she said, drawing support from some other members. Army had held a recruitment test in Muzaffarpur in Bihar in which aspirants were asked to take the exam only in their lower undergarments. Reports said it was done to prevent cheating. The condition of farmers came into focus in Rajya Sabha today with members expressing concern over their plight and making a number of suggestions, including a MNREGA-type law to ensure fixed income and an amnesty scheme to tackle their debts. The House took up a short duration discussion on the condition of farmers, reply to which remained pending today. Participating in the debate, Pramod Tiwari (Cong) said farmers and youth are the most ignored sections under the Modi government and claimed that farmer suicides have been continuously taking place. He said the average salary of a farmer was a meagre Rs 20,000 and urged Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh to ensure that farmers' needs are taken care of. Chandrapal Singh Yadav (Samajwadi Party) hit out at the government over the poor condition of farmers and urged the government to bring a law on the pattern of MNREGA to ensure a fixed income to the farmers. Referring to the Prime Minister's ambition of doubling the income of farmers by 2022, he said Modi should understand that it cannot be done by mere words. JD(U) leader K C Tyagi said the government should come with an amnesty scheme for the farmers so that their debts are taken care. He said mere words would not do and the government needs to take concrete action to improve the plight of the farmers. D Raja (CPI) said agriculture in the country is in deep crisis and farmers are facing unprecedented distress, forcing suicides. He demanded setting up of Farm Income Commission to ensure minimum living income for farmers. Alleging that free trade agreement at WTO has created adverse market for farmers, he also demanded debate before such pacts. Rajpal Singh Saini (BSP) demanded that only barren land be given for purposes of setting up industries. C P Narayanan (CPI-M) said government should not insist on farmers' tie-ups with corporates, stressing that it had led to worsening of their plight. Bhupinder Singh (BJD) demanded ensuring prompt loans to farmers. P L Punia (Cong) expressed serious concern over curtailment in budget for the agriculture sector. Avinash Rai Khanna (BJP), while expressing concern over farmers' suicides, said efforts should be made to educate the agriculturists to enable them to benefit from various government schemes. Madhusudan Mistry (Cong) emphasised the need for preserving the pure seeds with tribals and at the same time demanded passing of the legislation on seeds, pending before both the houses. Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena) said more than a lakh farmers have committed suicide and situation is grim in his home state Maharashtra, which is ruled by BJP-Shiv Sena combine. He said the state government has admitted in the High Court that 130 farmers committed suicide last month and that there have been 2,700 suicide cases from 2015 onwards. He expressed anguish that when it came to industrialists, banks were ready to waive off loans even of Rs 10,000 crore but in case of farmers, they were not ready to waive off even Rs 5,000 crore. Viplove Thakur (Cong) demanded a survey on farmers suicide. Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's decades-long battle to bring democracy to Myanmar is likely to come to fruition tomorow with a whimper, not a bang. Despite leading her party to a smashing election victory last year, she seems certain not to become her country's leader. After years of struggle and sacrifice by Suu Kyi and her legions of followers, it will be as much an anticlimax as a historical watershed when her National League for Democracy party takes over the reins of government April 1 from the military-backed party that's been in power since 2011. In practical terms, the new president will become known tomorrow, when the upper and lower houses of parliament and the military bloc that holds a constitutionally mandated 25 per cent of seats will nominate their presidential candidates. But until those nominations, virtually no one outside of Suu Kyi's inner circle knows who will be the country's next leader. The new president is virtually certain to be from Suu Kyi's party, since it holds majorities in both chambers of parliament, giving it not only the right to make two nominations but the numbers to pick the winner. The two runners-up become the country's vice presidents. But Suu Kyi, 70, cannot be president because the constitution bars anyone with a foreign spouse or children from holding the executive office. Suu Kyi's two sons are British, as was her late husband. No problem, Suu Kyi said after her party's massive election victory in November assured her followers that she would be the one pulling the strings in the new government. The 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner explained what she meant in an interview with the BBC two days after the election. "Well, I'll make all the decisions, it's as simple as all that," she said, dismissing constitutional requirements as a technicality "that won't stop me from making all the decisions as the leader of the winning party." Elaborating that same day with Singapore's Channel NewsAsia, she seemed even more dismissive of political etiquette, saying that the president picked by her party would "have to understand this perfectly well, that he will have no authority. That he will act in accordance with the positions of the party." A surprised interviewer asked whether the smooth functioning of government might be handicapped by having a president without power. "Why should it affect the functions of the government?" Suu Kyi replied. "Because there will be a government, it will be run properly, the president will be told exactly what he can do." In recent months, Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party, or NLD, made an effort to obviate the need for a proxy president, floating the idea that the constitutional article barring her from the top slot could be suspended. Special NDRF teams are trying to salvage and render safe a tanker laden with dangerous chemicals that had toppled some 40-km away from here on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway. The operation being conducted by the Chemical, Biological, Radioactive and Nuclear (CBRN) combat team of the force is on the spot for the last over 15 hours now. "Our teams are on the spot and efforts are being made to shift the tanker to an isolated place and render it safe. The operation is still on," NDRF Director General O P Singh told PTI from New Delhi. A senior National Disaster Response Force official said that as per ground reports, no loss of life has been reported till now. The tanker is said to be laden with phenoyl chloride, a dangerous chemical and NDRF men wearing special counter-CBRN protection suits have covered it with sand to contain its fumes. The mishap had taken place around 4.30 PM yesterday after which the NDRF chief got in touch with senior authorities of Karnataka following which the teams were sent. Neelam Katara today told the Delhi High Court that if Vikas Yadav, convicted of murdering her son Nitish, is released on parole, he may kill someone else and 10 years later the victim's mother could be standing before the court seeking justice. The submission was made before Justice Siddharth Mridul while opposing Vikas' plea for four weeks' parole to sell his ancestral property in Uttar Pradesh. "I do not want to hear that after 10 years some other woman stands in the court (Delhi High Court) and says that her son has been killed by the petitioner (Vikas) while he was out on parole," Neelam said and opposed the plea of Vikas, who is serving 30-year jail term without remission for killing Nitish Katara. She further submitted that the convicts in the case have not even taken a "baby step" to reform. This was supported by Delhi Police's Additional standing counsel Rajesh Mahajan, who said during the trial and pending of the appeal, Vikas has been manipulating and misusing the system. "His (Vikas) plea for parole is not maintainable," Delhi Police counsel said. Whereas, senior advocate N Hariharan, appearing for Vikas, said this attitude of the authorities will make him an animal and even worse. "There is every chance of his reformation," he contended. The arguments which remained inconclusive will resume on March 17. The high court on March 27 last year granted seven-day custody parole to Vikas to visit his 93-year-old grandfather who underwent an angioplasty. The high court had on February 6, 2015 enhanced the sentence of Vikas and his cousin Vishal from life imprisonment to 25 years without remission for murdering Nitish and five more years for destruction of evidence in the case. Yadavs' acquaintance Sukhdev Yadav alias Pehelwan was also awarded an enhanced life sentence of 20 years without remission by the high court. The three were awarded life term by a trial court for abducting and killing Nitish, a business executive and son of an IAS officer, on the intervening night of February 16-17, 2002. They did not approve of the victim's affair with Bharti, daughter of D P Yadav. The high court had on April 2, 2014 upheld the verdict of the lower court, describing the offence as "honour killing" stemming from a "deeply-entrenched belief" in caste system. In August last year, the Supreme Court had upheld the conviction of Vikas and others in the case. Notwithstanding raging controversies, decks were today cleared for the three-day cultural extravaganza of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living on the Yamuna flood plains with the National Green Tribunal expressing its helplessness in banning the event because of "fait accompli". Nevertheless, it imposed a fine of Rs five crores fine on AOL as environmental compensation after coming down heavily on the foundation for not disclosing its full plans and also on the DDA and Environment Ministry for their role. Late in the night, the AOL announced that it will appeal against the NGT order. Any challenge to the NGT order usually lies with the Supreme Court. The green tribunal which found several environmental violations committed by the organisers blamed the delay on the part of environmental activists in raising the issue before it which compelled it to grant permission for the event. As activists raked up the question of serious environmental violations on account of the event in which about 35 lakh people are expected to participate, President Pranab Mukherjee has already pulled out of the valedictory function on Sunday in which he was to speak. There was still speculation whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will open it on Friday. He is yet to take a decision whether to attend the inaugural function, official sources said. The government also came under attack from opposition in the Rajya Sabha for allowing the event and deploying army for construction of pontoon bridges in the area. But government rejected criticism saying Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was committed to environment protection and the issue cannot be discussed in the House when it is being considered by a tribunal. "For the reason of delay and laches on the part of the applicant in approaching the Tribunal and for the reason of fait accompli capable of restoration and restitution, we are unable to grant prayer of prohibitory order and a mandatory direction for removal of construction and restoration of the area in question to the applicant at this stage," a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar said. The NGT clearance came on a day the Delhi High Court described the event, from whose valedictory function the President has already pulled out, as a "disaster" from the ecological point of view. The tribunal said that as per documents placed on record it is evident that flood plains have been drastically tampered with and ramps, roads, compaction of earth, pontoon bridges and other semi-permanent or temporary structures were constructed without the requisite permission of the concerned authorities including Ministry of Water Resources. "For the damage caused to the environment, ecology, biodiversity and aquatic life of the river, the Foundation should be held liable for its restoration in all respects. In that regard and in exercise of our powers under Sections 15 and 17 of the NGT Act, 2010, we impose an Environmental Compensation, initially of Rs 5 crores," the green panel said. The bench said this amount would be paid by AOL prior to commencement of the event and would be adjusted towards final compensation determined to be paid by it for restoration work. State-run Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd is in talks with a number of American companies to set up nuclear power reactors in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Replying to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said the two sides are engaged in talks for construction of nuclear power reactors at Mithi Virdi in Gujarat and Kovvada in Andhra Pradesh. In a significant move aimed at putting an end to the contentious nuclear liability issue and assuage suppliers concerns, India last month had ratified the Convention of Supplementary Compensation (CSC) for Nuclear Damage, marking an important step in addressing matters related to civil nuclear liabilities. India had submitted its Instrument of Ratification for the for CSC to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Convention will come into force for India with effect from May 4, Singh said. The US had welcomed India's move saying the "important step" will facilitate participation by American companies in the construction of nuclear reactors in India. India had launched the nuclear insurance pool in June last year with a total corpus of Rs 1,500 crore which will provide coverage for operator's liability under the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010. "It also provides for Supplier's Special Contingency to Nuclear Operators (Buy-Back) policy for Suppliers," said the Minister. Besides the US, India had signed civil nuclear cooperation agreements with France, Russia, Canada, Namibia, Argentina, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Czech Republic, Australia, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom and Mongolia, he said. Replying to a separate question, Singh said India has all the credentials to become a permanent member in an expanded and reformed UN Security Council. To another query, Singh said the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation and Mahakali Yatayat Samiti of Nepal have started a bus service on the Delhi-Mahendranagar route via Tanakpur in Uttarakhand. (Reopens DES 38) To a separate question, Singh said posts of Indian ambassadors are currently lying vacant in Ethiopia, Fiji, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Nigeria, Romania, Tajikistan and Zimbabwe. He said as on date, 87 ambassadors, 27 high commissioners and five Permanent Representatives in the rank of ambassador are posted in 114 foreign countries. Out of the total, he said, 112 ambassadors are from Indian Foreign Service while one is from Indian Administrative Service. Singh said one retired officer from Indian Air Force and another from Indian Police Service are serving as ambassadors in Norway and Saudi Arabia respectively. The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has disbursed soft loans worth nearly Rs 500 crore to as many as 157 training partners during the last three years, Parliament was informed today. While Rs 236.76 crore was given in 2013-14, Rs 135.78 crore and Rs 122.57 crore was given in 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. In a separate reply, he said that NSDC is building research base in the skills domain and has commissioned several district and sector level skill gap studies. As per NSDC's sector specific reports on human resource and skill requirements in the 24 sectors, India had an employment base of 461.1 million in 2013 which is expected to increase to 581 million in 2022. "Thus, about 120 million people would be added to the workforce who need fresh skilling in these sectors," he said. He also said that NSDC has commissioned a study on overseas skill requirements in order to prepare Indian youth for employment opportunities overseas. The study covers 20 key countries including seven GCC countries, Australia and Canada. "As per the report, largest increase in job creation by 2020 is expected in the Asian emerging markets, with jobs in Singapore and Malaysia increasing by 100 per cent and 22 per cent respectively," he added. One person was today injured at a baton charge by the police during a demonstration of MG-NREGA workers in Ranchi, the police said here. The demonstrators were trying to be violent and minimum force was used to control the situation, Senior Superintendent of Police Kuldeep Diwedi said. One person was injured in the lathi-charge, he added. The workers, under the banner of 'Jharkhand MG-NREGA Karmachari Sangh' were demonstrating in support of their demands when the incident occurred. Meanwhile, Congress MLA Irfan Ansari informed the state Assembly that 40 MG-NREGA workers were injured in the lathi-charge during the demonstration near the Chief Minister's residence. Taking note of it, Rural Development minister Nilkanth Singh Munda said he would look into it. With 10 of its MLAs already switching loyalty to TRS in Telangana, TDP is likely to suffer another jolt as one more MLA has indicated that he might cross over to the ruling party. When asked if he is joining TRS, Maganti Gopinath, the TDP MLA from Jubilee Hills here, said "Yes". Media reports for the last couple of days suggested that Gopinath and another TDP MLA Arikapudi Gandhi (from Serilingampalli in Hyderabad) are likely to join the TRS soon. Gandhi claimed he has been approached by some people to join the TRS but he has not yet taken any decision. "It is true that we were asked (to join TRS). We said we will think and let you know after taking the views of our friends, well-wishers and our activists," he said. Of the total 15 MLAs of TDP in Telangana, 10 have already switched loyalty to the ruling TRS. They sent a letter to the Assembly Speaker last month seeking recognition as TRS members. A united opposition in Rajya Sabha today slammed the government for allowing Indian Army to be used for a private event of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living foundation, saying the event itself on the ecologically fragile flood plains of Yamuna was an environmental disaster. Government sprung to the defence of the 'Art of Living' guru saying his intentions cannot be doubted as he was committed to protecting environment. The event is being organised with all permissions, it claimed adding that the issue cannot be raised in the House as it was being heard by the Green Tribunal (NGT). But the members were not satisfied and rushed into the Well shouting slogans, forcing a brief adjournment. Sharad Yadav (JD-U) and Ghulam Nabi Azad (Congress) gave notice under rule 267 seeking adjournment of proceedings to discuss the issue but the Deputy Chairman P J Kurien ruled that the former's notice was not in order but he was allowing the issue to be raised as a Zero Hour submission. Terming the construction of temporary structure on the flood plains of Yamuna for Art of Living World Culture Festival from February 11 to 13 as "destruction unseen in history", Yadav said NGT had earlier given orders disallowing contruction activity on the ecologically fragile zone and DDA had cancelled permission twice. He wanted to know "under what pressure was Indian Army deployed to build pontoon bridge for one person." Demanding immediate stoppage of the construction, he said, "What function is he (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar) doing? Kya tamasha kar raha hai (what drama is he doing)?" Kurien asked members not to criticise anybody who cannot come and defend himself in the House. Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) asked "can Indian Army be roped in to assist a private function... It is highly irregular ... for Army to be called in to create facilities for a private function." Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Ravi Shankar was committed to environment protection and the programme was "being conducted with all permissions and is not illegal." Azad said he was not against 'Art of Living' foundation or any cultural festival but was concerned about environment, bio-diversity and ecology. The government, rightly so, became a great champion of environment at the recent climate summit at Paris but what was happening in the capital was of concern, he said and asked why no environment clearance was taken for the function and "who issued permission to build pontoon bridge. Stating that NGT had in January 2015 declared that any construction on Yamuna banks would be deemed a criminal act, Azad said big structures were being built to hold the event on 1000 acres of land. Diesel generators, car parking and sound sets are being set up, with the Delhi Police warning of stampede, pandemonium and chaos. No permission for structural safety has been given, while there was also a security angle involved with Pakistan warning of terror strikes, he said. "This function could have been held anywhere but not at the cost of Yamuna." M S Gill (Cong) asked if the Army would also be sent out to build bridges across Sutlej and other rivers by events by other spiritual gurus. He referred to the Commonwealth Games village also built on the Yamuna banks which saw flooding in October 2010. Naqvi said NGT was hearing the issue and the programme was happening with all permissions. "You cannot doubt his (Ravi Shankar) intentions. He is running a campaign to clean Yamuna and is committed to protection of environment. It is not right to question his intentions," he said. Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asked whether the issue "should be heard here (in Rajya Sabha) or in the Green Tribunal." If a matter is pending before any tribunal, it cannot be raised here, he said. "How is chair even allowing this? The rules are clear on this," he said quoting a rule of business procedure. As Kurien took up other issues, Congress, SP, JD-U and Left members were up on their feet rejecting the government response. They soon trooped into the Well raising slogans. "What is the rationale for coming and disturbing the House. This is unjustifiable. This is unnecessary shouting," Kurien said and urged the members to return to their seats. Amid sloganeering, Sharad Yadav cited a rule to counter Jaitley for citing a rule that matters pending before court or tribunal could not be raised in the House. "(He) is misleading the House," Yadav said. Congress members continued to raising slogans. At one point AIADMK members too trooped in the Well. However, the reason could not be known amid din. The Deputy Chairman kept asking the protesting members to return to their seats as some members sought to raise Zero Hour issues. "You people are becoming laughing stock before the people and country," Kurien told protesting members. Towards the end of Zero Hour, the Chair adjourned the House for two minutes. Over 1,200 government houses in Delhi are under unauthorised occupation which account for about 2 per cent of the total houses under government accommodations, Lok Sabha was informed today. There are 1,207 government houses of different types under unauthorised occupation, accounting for about 2 per cent of the total houses under General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) in Delhi, Minister of State for Urban Development Babul Supriyo said in a written reply. Of these, 299 were in the lowest categories of Type-1 and Type-1 S, 472 in Type-2 houses, 202 in Type-III, 189 in Type-IV and Type-IV S, 20 in Type-V (A and B), 5 in hostel accommodations, 16 in Type-6 (A and B) and 4 in Type-VII houses and 1 in Type-VIII. Of these, 36 cases are pending before courts, 33 are with Kashmiri migrants and 27 with journalists, he said. Former Home Minister Buta Singh and Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Virbhadra Singh have moved the court against their eviction from government bungalows in Delhi while former Finance Minister Jaswant Singh, who is seriously ill, is residing in one Type-VII accommodation. "A total of 1,531 houses were got vacated under the provisions of Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act during the last three years. These included 246 evictions in 2013, 539 in 2014 and 746 in 2015," Supriyo said. Eviction of unauthorised occupants has substantially improved over the last two years, he said, adding that while only 10 houses of higher type (Type VB to Type VIII) were got vacated in 2013, the number has increased to 69 in 2014 and 20 in 2015. Besides taking necessary measures for eviction, penal damages for such unauthorised occupation are charged at the rate of 55 times of normal rate of license fee for Type-VII and VIII category of houses, 50 times for Type-IV (Special) to Type-VI, 40 times of normal license fee for Type-I to IV category houses, he said. Over 100 antiquities have been stolen from centrally protected monuments since 2000, Rajya Sabha was informed today. However, the Central Bureau of Investigation has registered one case in connection with Indian antiquities stolen and sold in foreign countries in the last six years, Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said in a written reply. Further, he said as per information received from Tamil Nadu Police, 48 objects have been stolen from various temples in the state which are not in protection of Archaeological Survey of India. As per the records available, seven number of antiquities surfaced in foreign countries, he added. Responding to another query, Sharma said as per information received from Consulate General of India, New York, there are 712 art objects seized by US Immigration and Customs Information including objects of Indian origin. Consulate General of India, New York has already taken up the matter with US Immigration and Customs Information. Meanwhile, the minister said Economic Offences Unit-VI of Central Bureau of Investigation deals with offences related to antiquity, adding that the Tamil Nadu government has also set up Idol Wing -CID for the purpose. Ministry of Culture has also set up National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities, for documentation of built heritage and antiquities, he said, adding that till date, 15 lakhs artifacts/antiquities have been documented. As many as 2.37 lakh patent applications are pending with the government, mainly due to shortage of manpower, Parliament was informed today. "The total number of patent applications and trademark registration requests pending as on February 1, 2016 are 2,37,029 and 5,44,171 respectively," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. This pendency, she said, "is primarily due to shortage of manpower". The government has taken several measures to clear the applications and that includes sanctioning of 373 additional posts in the patent wing. "The selection process to fill up 458 vacant posts of examiners of patents and designs has already been completed. Besides, as a short time measure, 263 contractual posts of examiners of patents and designs have also been created," she said. In trademark wing also, she said, 108 additional posts have been created. Replying to a question on WTO, the minister said India remains committed to the Doha Development Agenda. "If it is concluded as per its mandate, it will result in better integration of developing countries in the global trading system," Sitharaman said. The mandate of the Doha Round of trade negotiations in the WTO includes phasing out of all forms of export subsidies. Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today left for Saudi Arabia on a three-day official visit to hold important security talks with the oil-rich gulf country, which also leads a 34-nation Islamic coalition against terrorism. Foreign Office (FO) said the prime minister was invited by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud to witness the military exercise 'North Thunder', where a large number of other Heads of State have also been invited to witness the closing ceremony. Nawaz, who is accompanied by the army chief Raheel Sharif, will meet the Saudi top leaders during his stay from March 9-11 and will offer to expand cooperation with Saudi Arabia in its fight against-terrorism, the FO statement said. Pakistan is part of the 34-nation coalition of Islamic countries cobbled together by Saudi Arabia to fight terrorism. Troops from about two dozen countries, including Pakistan, are participating in the 'North Thunder' exercise, in the northern region of Saudi Arabia. The main goal of the exercise is to improve training in responding to threats posed by terrorist groups. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy multi-faceted cooperation, including in the fields of defence and counter-terrorism. Pakistan has said several times that it will always stand shoulder to shoulder with Saudi Arabia against any threat to territorial integrity and sovereignty, the statement added. Palestinian attackers unleashed a series of shooting and stabbing assaults on Israelis, including a stabbing spree in the ancient Mediterranean port city of Jaffa that killed an American tourist near where Vice President Joe Biden was meeting with Israel's former president, police said. The Jaffa assault yesterday came as Biden arrived on a two-day visit as part of a regional tour of the Mideast. He is to meet both Israeli and Palestinian leaders and there have been speculations he would try to revive the moribund Israeli- Palestinian peace talks. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the man killed in Jaffa was an American tourist, but further details were not immediately available. A dozen Israelis, civilians and police officers, were wounded in the Palestinian knife and gun attacks. Along with the Jaffa attacker, three other Palestinian assailants were shot and killed in the day's rash of violence, the latest in a wave of near-daily Palestinian assaults on Israeli civilians and security forces that erupted in mid- September. The bloodshed mainly stabbings but also shootings and car- ramming attacks has killed 28 Israelis. During the same time, at least 176 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire. Most of the Palestinians have been identified by Israel as attackers, while the rest were killed in clashes with security forces. In the Jaffa attack, Israeli Channel 2 TV interviewed a man identified only by his first name, Yishai, who described how he confronted the Palestinian as he stabbing people in the street. "I was sitting down playing guitar and I heard screaming from across the street," said the man, who wore a T-shirt of the rock band Tool. "I saw a man run at me with a knife, I ran at him with the guitar and smashed it in his head. He was so stunned and didn't know what to do with himself and then started running away." Police said the attacker then ran toward the beach and continued attacking passers-by before he was shot and killed. Meanwhile, Biden was meeting with former Israeli President Shimon Peres at the Peres Center for Peace, not far from the attack in Jaffa. "I notified the Vice President on the terrible incident that took place just a few hundred meters away from here in Jaffa," Peres said. "Terror leads to nowhere." Biden "condemned in the strongest possible terms the brutal attack which occurred in Jaffa," his office said. PE firm Paragon Partners has raised USD 50 million, marking the close of its USD 200 million growth fund, PPGF-I to invest in mid-size companies. Siddharth Parekh, an experienced Indian private equity investor and entrepreneur Sumeet Nindrajog who manage the fund said PPGF-I plans to invest in 10-15 mid-market companies in India with an average deal size of USD 10-20 million. It will focus on five core sectors, including consumer discretionary, financial services, infrastructure services (capex light), industrials and healthcare services, Paragon Partners said in a statement. "We believe the next decade in India will see a strong resurgence of growth in key sectors such as manufacturing, financial services and infrastructure. Paragon Partners aims to become the capital provider of choice in these sectors, which form the backbone of the Indian economy," Paragon Partners Co-Founder Siddharth Parekh said. Paragon Partners has recruited a team consisting of six investment and operating professionals and a CFO, with several years of India private equity experience, the firm said. The Fund has made its first investment of USD 10 mn for a minority stake in Capacite Infraprojects Limited, a leading Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) player based in Mumbai. Capacite is engaged in the construction of buildings (including super high rise structures) and factories for large real estate developers, corporates and institutions. The Advisory Board of Paragon Partners includes HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh, Marico Chairman Harsh Mariwala, SPM Capital Advisors Chairman Sunil Mehta and Ex Sr. Partner at Ares Private Equity Jeff Serota among others. PPGF-I has seen significant interest from onshore and offshore institutions, family offices and HNI's, the PE firm said. Domestic investors include India Infoline, Edelweiss Group and Infina Finance Private Limited (an associate of Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd). The fund has also received a significant commitment from the Fairfax group based in Canada. The Dwarka water treatment plant, operation of which was halted during the Jat quota stir, partially resumed functioning today and it will be restored to full capacity by evening tomorrow, Delhi Jal Board said. Water supply in large parts of the city was severely hit after Jat agitators had forcibly shut down the Munak Canal in Haryana and its Delhi sub-branch. The city has a demand of 1,200 MGD (million gallons per day). "I visited Munak Canal and water has been released last night and the quantity is being gradually increased. The Dwarka plant will start functioning at 100 per cent capacity by March 11 (Friday)," Mishra told PTI. The plant, which has the capacity to treat 50 MGD, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal last year to cater to the residents of the Dwarka sub-city. "Around 400 cusecs of water has been released through the CLC out of which 25 MGD of water has been lifted at the Iradat Nagar Pump House to be supplied to the Dwarka Water Treatment Plant (WTP). "Although the water production at the Dwarka WTP has been restored at 25 MGD capacity presently, it will be increased upto full capacity by the evening of March 10," a DJB statement said. Mishra, also the Chairman of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), said the rest of the treatment plants will also reach their respective peak capacities with the normalisation of the Munak Canal, the largest source of water supply to Delhi. Jat protesters, demanding reservation, had stopped water supply to the canal and breached its banks. Two columns of the army comprising around 150 personnel, besides CRPF and Haryana Police contingents had taken control of the canal on February 22 after evicting the protesters who were squatting at the site. Only a part of the total solar eclipse was visible from India this morning with experts saying Kanyakumari and Andaman and Nicobar islands got the most spectacular view of the cosmic event. "In India partial eclipse was seen from the eastern half of the country. The maximum obscuration was around 66 per cent in Kanyakumari. It was a little higher in the Andaman and Nicobar islands," Dr Debiprosad Duari, Director of M P Birla Planetarium, Kolkata, told PTI. He said there were reports from places in Tripura, Assam and North Bengal that a cloud cover obstructed the view of skygazers. In most of the places in India, the eclipse started either before sunrise or around sunrise. The total solar eclipse was visible from within a narrow region, which extends from the Indian Ocean through the east Asian countries like Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi passing through some islands belonging to Australia and ending at the middle of the Pacific Ocean, far away from any country. For Kolkata, the eclipse was in progress when the sun rose at 5:51 AM and at around 6:06 AM the maximum partial eclipse of around 18 per cent was visible, Duari said. A local court here today awarded life imprisonment to five persons in connection with a murder case of 2010. Additinal District and Sessions (ADJ) (III) Krishna Pratap Singh sentenced them to undergo life imprisonment under sections 302 (murder) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC. The five persons sentenced are Dinesh Manjhi, Mithilesh Manjhi, Maheshwar Manjhi (three brothers) and Yogendra Manjhi and Raju Manjhi (two brothers). The court also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on each of the four accused while it awarded Rs 15,000 on Dinesh Manjhi. As per the FIR lodged on May 21, 2010, Dinesh Manjhi shot at victim Sushil Manjhi at latter's residence at the provocation of Yogendra and Raju Manjhi. Manjhi later told police that he was having dinner at his residence under Parsa Bazar police station when the five persons came at his residence and picked up a fight before firing on him (Sushil). Later, Sushil died during the treatment. The reason behind the altercation between Sushil and five other convicts seemed to be the rape case of Sushil's sister in which these five persons were made accused. These five persons were putting pressure on Sushil Manjhi for a compromise which he refused. China is negotiating with pharmaceutical companies to slash prices of five expensive drugs used to treat cancer or other major disease by at least half as part of a pilot programme. The five drugs are for treatment of cancer or other major diseases, and are very expensive as they are patented or imported, Li Bin head of National Health and Family Planning Commission said today. Their prices are expected to be cut by at least half, he told the media on the sidelines of the Parliament session here. Li, did not elaborate on drugs or pharmaceutical companies are involved. Once negotiations are concluded successfully, the drugs can be covered by health insurance, state-run Xinhua agency quoted Ma Xiaowei, the commission's deputy head as saying. Prices of drugs very expensive in China as they are mostly sold through public hospitals which makes profits out of them. Also China's pharmaceutical sector is dominated by multinational firms whose highly prices drugs are distributed through the hospitals. India has been making strong case to China in the last few years to open up the pharma sector to allow comparatively cheaper Indian drugs into the country to bring down the costs of the medicine in China. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate by remote control 100 mw power supply from Tripura's Palatana project to Bangladesh on March 23. The same day Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would provide 10 GB Internet bandwidth to India, Tripura Power and Communication Minister Manik Dey told reporters here today. Dey said there would not be any formal function in the state to mark the occasion as the entire programme would be held through video-conferencing. After the formal opening of international gateway of internet, Tripura will be third state which is having such gateway after Mumbai and Chennai. This will help the entire north eastern states, he said. Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had laid the foundation of the project in Agartala on July 13, 2015 that aims at strengthening telecom services in the north eastern states. Under the project, an international gateway for broadband connectivity will be set up at Agartala in which connectivity will be provided through Bangladesh under an agreement between BSNL and Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company limited. The cost of the project is Rs 19.1 crore and annual operational expenditure is around Rs 7.2 crore. The bandwidth of 10 GB can be extended up to 40 GB. Meanwhile, pricing of one unit of power was fixed at Rs 5.5 in a meeting between Tripura Power Minister Manik Dey and Bangladesh Minister of State for Power Nasirul Hamid on January 9 last in Dhaka. PGCIL erected 47 km long 400 kv double circuit transmission lines from Suryamaninagar powergrid near here to Comilla in Bangladesh. The 726 MW gas based thermal power project at Palatana in Gomati district is run by ONGC Tripura Power Corporation (OTPC). It is election time once again in West Bengal and the traders dealing in campaign materials and tools are out to make some fast bucks. Almost all political parties in the fray have placed their orders much before the announcement of the election dates to hit the campaign trail faster than others. The shop of 55-year-old Ashis Sadhukan at Burrabazar is buzzing with activity these days as campaigners make a beeline haggling over prices of materials. "My father started the business in late 70s. It is a profitable business during the poll time, whether it's municipal poll, Lok Sabha poll or Assembly poll," Sadhukan, who is in the business for three decades, told PTI. Campaign materials like vinyl box posters, flex, paper posters, cut-outs, banners, flags, handbills, kites, caps, pens and umbrellas printed with party symbols are the top draws among the parties. The traders are finding it difficult to cope with the flow of orders, which, they say, are still pouring in. Do they show any preference for the "big daddies" of election - TMC, CPI (M) or BJP? The answer is 'no'. "For us all political parties are the same. They are our customers and we treat them equally. We charge the same rate for products irrespective of political parties and their clout," Sadhukan said. Sadhukan said that one of the biggest attractions this time is flags carrying signs of both Congress (Hand) and CPI (M) (Sickle and hammer). "As you everyday sees report of alliance between the CPI (M) and the Congress, so orders have been placed for flags and posters embossed with the emblems of the two parties," he said. Just like Sadhukan, Biren Natto of Bowbazar who has been in this business for the last 17 years, has put up additional printing machines in his press to deal with the growing pressure of orders. "Orders will increase once all the parties come out with their candidates list. It will speed up further with the first phase of nominations," Natto said. The two said that they had received orders from the districts too - like those in Jangalmahal - which start the poll juggernaut on April 4. Dhiren Sarkar, another trader on College Street, specially deals in pens and umbrellas with names of party candidates or party symbols embossed in them. "Orders have started coming in since the last week of February. Once Holi is over, we expect to receive more orders from the districts," Sarkar said. Though none of the traders is willing to speak on the profit margin, Sarkar said that prices of campaign materials had gone up sharply in the last few years. "During the last Assembly elections, we sold flags for about Rs 10. Now, it is nearly Rs 40-50 depending on the quality of cloth used," he said. But Sarkar is wary of the shortage of manpower to cope with the rush of orders. Most of the manpower comes from Jangalmahal, Birbhum and Bankura and since these areas go to poll early this time and their priority is to service the local candidates, their availability is a problem, he says. The traders dealing in garments are also busy in the poll season delivering orders of T-shirts, caps, vests and even saris. "On a daily basis, we have been receiving orders of an average 3,000 to 4,000 pieces of T-shirts, caps, vests, and saris. If the elections are held in summer the demand of caps, vests, umbrellas goes up considerably. We did good business in 2014 also. We hope to do well this time too," said Rajiv Singh of Burrabazar. The umbrellas with logos of political parties are priced at Rs 150 to Rs 200, while saris nicknamed 'Congress sari' and the 'Trinamool sari' containing the twin flowers logo fetch anything between Rs 200 and Rs 250. The story is nearly similar for those dealing in mikes and sound systems. With the ongoing board examinations and restrictions on the use of loudspeakers during campaigns, their business has taken a beating. "Once the examinations are over, we will receive orders for loudspeakers and mikes," Ramen Pal of "Pal sound" said. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he was ready to exchange prisoners with Russia to secure the release of Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko, who has gone on hunger strike to protest her detention and trial in Russia. Savchenko, a military helicopter pilot, stands accused over the killing two Russian journalists in shelling in eastern Ukraine in 2014. She denies the allegations and both the European Union and the United States have called for her immediate release. "If you ask me if an exchange is possible I would tell you 'yes' for the first time, using my constitutional right," Poroshenko told reporters yesterday in Ankara after holding talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. But he added that Russia had until now not come up with "any satisfactory initiative" to arrange such a swap, according to remarks translated into Turkish. Poroshenko earlier described the trial against the 34-year-old pilot as "a farce" being conducted in a "kangaroo court". Savchenko is seen by her compatriots as a symbol of resistance against the Kremlin, accused of fuelling the conflict in eastern Ukraine which has claimed more than 9,000 lives since April 2014. Savchenko, an Iraq war veteran, began her hunger strike on March 3, refusing both food and water. In a defiant final address to the court yesterday, she vowed to continue her protest action and raised her middle finger at the judge. Prosecutors are seeking a 23-year jail sentence. They argue that she was involved in the shelling in her capacity as a volunteer in a Ukrainian battalion. But Savchenko says she was kidnapped even before the attack and smuggled across the border into Russia. President Pranab Mukherjee today met senior CISF officials on the occasion of the 'At Home' hosted by the paramilitary force ahead of its 47th Raising Day. The function was hosted by CISF Director General Surender Singh at its base here and a host of dignitaries including Vice President Hamid Ansari, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, the two Ministers of State in the Home Ministry, Kiren Rijiju and Haribhai Chaudhary and MoS for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore were present. The 1.43-lakh personnel strong Central Industrial Security Force was raised in 1969 and is tasked with the security of major civil airports, the Delhi Metro apart from rendering a variety of duties in the internal security domain. It will celebrate its 47th Raising Day on March 11. Prince Harry will embark on his maiden trip to Nepal next week to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and meet people affected by last year's devastating earthquakes. Harry's five-day trip starting from March 19 is aimed at supporting British interests in the region, according to a statement by the UK Embassy here. The visit also aims to highlight the broad and deep relationship between the UK and Nepal, it said. "2016 marks the bicentenary of bilateral relations between the two countries," it said. The visit is planned "taking into account Prince Harry's personal request to meet Nepali people in a variety of environments and to experience as much of what is important to them as possible." "He has a huge amount of admiration for the resilience of the people of the country, particularly in response to the earthquakes last year. During the visit, he will learn how the country has been recovering over the last 12 months," the statement said. The 31-year-old royal will meet survivors of last April's earthquake in the region, which claimed over 9,000 lives. Having served alongside Gurkhas in Afghanistan, the prince will visit the British Gurkha Camp in Pokhara, where he will commend the bravery and service to the Crown of an "exceptional group of soldiers", the statement said. "Prince Harry will also have the opportunity to experience the country's stunning natural beauty and highlight the importance of conservation-based tourism in Nepal," it said. Harry, the fifth-in-line to the British throne, will learn about Nepal's future through its young people and both the challenges and opportunities they will experience in the years to come. He will also call on the Nepali Prime Minister, K P Oli as well as President Bidya Devi Bhandari. Harry will also take part in a trek and visit a national park. The tour will begin and conclude in Kathmandu, where he will meet President Bidhya Devi Bhandari. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi today said the top priority for authorities here was to make liquor baron Vijay Mallya return and disclose his assets, most of which are abroad, failing which proceedings for revocation of his passport may be initiated as was done in the case of former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi. He said the issue of recovering over Rs 9000 crore from him would be a long-drawn legal process. "First option is to ask him to appear and, if he does not, then we can initiate proceedings for revocation of his passport. Once his passport is revoked, then technically a person does not have any right to reside anywhere else...Then the country where the person is, forces him to go back to the country from where he has come," he told a private channel. "In the case of Lalit Modi, revocation of passport procedures were taken but it was quashed by the Delhi High Court," he added. The AG also said he had came to know through media that the process to extradite Mallya has been initiated as India had signed a treaty with the United Kingdom. "I have read in a few newspapers that extradition procedures have been commenced as we have an extradition treaty with the UK," he said. The AG said he was not concerned much with the merits of the case in which a consortium of banks approached the apex court but for a direction for forfeiture of his passport as he has assets outside India. "All his assets are abroad, not within India. If assets are abroad its a long-drawn process. You cannot go and seize assets in England or South Africa. That's the issue. I am not really concerned about merits of the case. That will go on. "I was really concerned with one relief, that he should be asked to come to India and he should be asked to deposit his passport, so that we can ask him about the disclosure of his assets," he added. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today welcomed the NGT verdict that cleared the decks for the controversial cultural extravaganza of Art of Living on the flood plains of Yamuna river and said that "politics and controversies" around the event should be "put to rest". Delhi Government has consistently backed the AOL's World Cultural Festival saying that the constructions for the upcoming event were temporary in nature and had requested the army to build an additional pontoon bridge for the same. Water Minister Kapil Mishra had written to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on February 16 in this regard. "Now that NGT (National Green Tribunal) has given its verdict, all politics and controversies around AOL event should be put to rest. It's a huge cultural event to which people from 155 countries are coming. Delhi welcomes all guests," Kejriwal said in a series of tweets. In his letter, Mishra had mentioned that a provision for around four pontoon bridges was needed for adequate and safe arrangements for people to crossover Yamuna who will be approaching the venue from Noida Link Road side. "We have learnt that the army is making one pontoon bridge for the festival. This is not adequate for safe movement of the large gathering of people hence we request the army to build at least 1 more pontoon bridge over river Yamuna during the festival," he wrote. Notwithstanding raging controversies, the NGT today gave permission for the three-day cultural extravaganza of Art of Living on the flood plains of Yamuna river from Friday but imposed a fine of Rs five crores on it as environmental compensation. After posing tough questions, the Tribunal also slapped fine of Rs five lakh on DDA and Rs one lakh on Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) for not discharging statutory functions. Meanwhile, taking note of reports on the event, the Delhi High Court said it appears to be a "disaster" from the "ecological point of view". The observation was made during the hearing of a PIL on the issue of unauthorised constructions on the flood plain of Yamuna in the Jaitpur and Mithapur areas of the national capital. Buckingham Palace today issued a strong denial and filed an official complaint after a popular British tabloid claimed that Queen Elizabeth II was in favour of 'Brexit', as she believed the 28-nation European Union was moving in a "wrong direction". The 'Sun', Britain's most-read newspaper, quoted highly- placed anonymous sources as part of its front-page article headlined 'Queen Backs Brexit', alongwith a photograph of the 89-year-old monarch. "The Queen remains politically neutral, as she has for 63 years. We would never comment on spurious, anonymously-sourced claims. The referendum will be a matter for the British people,"a Buckingham Palace spokesperon said. The Palace later announced that it has registered an official complaint with the UK's Independent Press Standards Organisation against the report. Britain is to vote in a referendum on June 23 to decide if the country will remain in the EU or leave the 28-nation economic bloc. The newspaper claims a "bust-up" between the Queen and pro-EU former UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in 2011 in which the monarch told Clegg the EU was "heading in the wrong direction". Clegg has since dismissed the report as "nonsense". "This is categorically untrue. Nick has no recollection of this conversation and it is not the sort of conversation you forget," a spokesperson for the former deputy PM said. The newspaper's introduction reads: "The Queen was hailed as a backer of Brexit yesterday after details emerged of an alleged bust-up between her and Nick Clegg over Europe... A source said: 'People were left in no doubt about her views on Europe'." The paper also refers to a separate conversation with British lawmakers at the Palace a few years ago when it claims the Queen said: "I don't understand Europe". These words, an unnamed parliamentary source said, she spoke with "venom and emotion". Tom Newton Dunn, the 'Sun's' political editor, says that the paper would not have reported the Queen's remarks "had they not come from two different and impeccably placed sources". A newspaper spokesperson stressed the newspaper "stands by" the story after reports of an official complaint being filed by the palace. Opinion polls show voters are divided over the UK's membership of the EU with both "Leave" and "Remain" camps intensifying their campaigns to garner votes. The Lok Sabha is likely to discuss tomorrow the raging controversy over the affidavits filed in the Ishrat Jahan encounter killing case when it takes up a calling-attention notice on the issue. Home Minister Rajnath Singh is slated to reply on the calling-attention motion for which notice has been given by some BJP members led by Nishikant Dubey, who demanded a detailed reply from the government on the facts of the two affidavits filed by the previous government on Ishrat, who was killed in an alleged fake encounter in Gujarat in 2004. The first affidavit was filed on the basis of inputs from Maharashtra and Gujarat Police besides the Intelligence Bureau where it was said that the 19-year-old girl from Mumbai outskirts was a Lashkar-e-Taiba activist but it was ignored in the second affidavit, Home Ministry officials said. The second affidavit, said to have been drafted by the then Home Minister P Chidambaram, said there was no conclusive evidence to prove that Ishrat was a terrorist, officials said. Former Union Home Secretary G K Pillai had claimed that as Home Minister, Chidambaram had recalled the file a month after the original affidavit, which described Ishrat and her slain aides as LeT operatives, was filed in the court. "Only after the affidavit was revised, as directed by the minister, did the file come to me," Pillai had said. Chidambaram had said the second affidavit in the case was "absolutely correct" and as minister then "I accept the responsibility". He had also maintained that the intelligence agencies can only get inputs, they cannot certify. The state police, which has to file the charge sheet, has to investigate and get evidence before filing the charge sheet, he said. Chidambaram also expressed disappointment over Pillai distancing himself from the affidavit issue despite being "equally responsible". Ishrat, Javed Shaikh alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjadali Akbarali Rana and Zeeshan Johar were killed in an encounter with Gujarat Police on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on June 15, 2004. The city crime branch had then said those killed in the encounters were LeT terrorists and had landed in Gujarat to kill the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Big bang reforms will not be the operating template for India and the process will be a 'slow and tedious one', says a Morgan Stanley report. The global financial services major said that the recently announced Budget for 2016-17 has proved once again that major reform initiatives will not be the operating template for the country. "Reforms in India will be a slow and tedious process, requiring the buy-in of the opposition and the bureaucracy," it said. Since the beginning of this year, Indian markets have seen heavy volatility largely owing to high fluctuations in global markets led by the Shanghai Composite and domestic events such as the Union Budget, it said. The Indian equity markets have seen extreme weakness due to various negative factors, including global economic slowdown fears, falling crude prices, worries related to Chinese economy and muted quarterly earnings. Experts said domestic woes, including ballooning NPAs reported by banks and weak quarterly numbers in various other sectors, also added to the market weakness recently. Meanwhile, the index slumped to its lowest level in 21 months, when the Sensex crashed 807 points to drop below the 23,000-mark on February 11, this year. "Moreover, what was evident once again this year, is that while India may be in a relatively better position based on external macro indicators compared to 2013, the correlations with global markets always rise disproportionately during periods of heightened uncertainty in other parts of the world," the report added. The Budget session of Maharashtra Legislature got underway here on Wednesday, with Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao announcing that the NDA government in the state has disbursed Rs 2,536 crore to the drought affected farmers. "The state is facing drought for the fourth successive year and nearly 15,750 villages are adversely affected in the current Kharif season," Rao said addressing a joint sitting of the Houses. "The Central government has approved relief assistance of Rs 3,049 crore, which is the highest-ever central assistance given to Maharashtra. My government till date has disbursed an amount of Rs 2,536 crore to the drought affected farmers," he said. "My government has decided to extend relief assistance to the people who suffered crop loss, house damage due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm during the year 2015. The Central government has revised the Norms of relief Assistance under State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF)," he said. Accordingly, the state government has adopted the enhanced financial assistance norms with effect from 1st April, 2015, he said. "My government has taken a decision to waive three months' interest on the crop loans availed by the farmers who lost their crop due to natural calamities during November-December 2014 and February-March 2015. "Considering the recurrent crop failures due to natural calamities, my government took a decision to restructure crop loans, waived the interest on loans and stayed the recovery of loans. As a result of these decisions, Banks restructured about Rs 3,500 crore of crop loan into medium term loans, which have benefited nearly 5.5 lakh farmers. "Due to restructuring of outstanding crop loans, the District Central Cooperative Banks of Akola, Washim, Amravati, Yavatmal, Chandrapur and Nasik were able to extend fresh crop loans of Rs 405 crore to nearly 1,16,000 farmers whose loans were so restructured," he said. To help the farmers in drought affected areas, 33 per cent of the current electricity bills have been waived. On the lines of 'Krishi Sanjeevani Scheme', 'Paani Sanjeevani Scheme' has been started, which will benefit 50,000 drinking water schemes of local bodies, Rao said. For strengthening of the power infrastructure in drought affected areas of the state, substantial financial assistance is being provided to Mahavitaran, he said. Rejuvenation of farming in drought affected areas is the biggest challenge before the state. To conserve and harvest every drop of rain water and to utilise it judiciously for farming is the need of the hour, he said. Since the time the "Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan" was launched in December 2014 with the purpose of providing permanent measures to overcome adverse conditions in the drought prone villages about 1,33,000 works have been completed, creating a Water Storage potential of around 6,90,000 tcm. About 5,182 villages have been selected for this purpose for the year 2016-17, he said. To give an impetus to the Water Conservation works in the drought-prone areas of the state the Maharashtra State Water Conservation Corporation will be provided a grant of Rs 10,000 crore up to the year 2025 as share capital assistance, he said. My government has launched "Jalswaraj Programme-II" with World Bank assistance of nearly Rs 900 crore and state share of Rs 385 crore. A special campaign for Vidarbha and Marathwada regions has been launched to energise agriculture pumps with assistance of Rs1,000 crore, he said. "Under Atal Solar Krushi Pump Scheme, about 10,000 Solar Krushi Pumps are being provided to the farmers in drought-prone area. "Farmers are required to pay only 5 percent of the cost of the pump with no recurring energy bill and no maintenance charges. "The government has fixed a target of constructing 1 lakh wells under MGNREGA in the coming 3 years. In 2015-16, 31,000 wells have been completed so far," he said. "My Government has declared 'Magel Tyala Shet Tale Scheme which will promote sustainable agriculture. In its first phase about 52,000 farm ponds will be taken up. Nearly 6,800 Malgujari Tanks in the districts of Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli and Nagpur having irrigation potential of about one lakh hectares were constructed about 300 years ago and these tanks are presently in need of repair. So far, 1,400 tanks have been repaired under various schemes, and state government intends to take up more such tanks for repairs in the coming financial year, he said. Rs eight lakh sanctioned from the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund for a Thailand visit of government employees' dance troupe, has been returned, an RTI query has showed. The sanction from the Relief Fund had become controversial last October. "Following a fresh Right To Information query, Rs 8 lakh given as a grant for the dance troupe were deposited back in the CM's Relief Fund," RTI activist Anil Galgali said here. The cheque for the refund was received by the CM's office on February 18, he said. The sanction of the money -- disclosed in response to an RTI query by Galgali earlier -- had sparked off a row with the opposition questioning the BJP-led government's priorities at a time when the state is reeling under a severe drought. The dance troupe of government employees was to participate in a competition in Bangkok in December. According to the government, the money from the CM's Relief Fund can be given for aiding cultural activities too. The traditional khaki shorts worn by RSS swayamsevaks could soon be replaced by trousers and a decision in this regard is likely to be taken in a meeting starting March 11 in Rajasthan's Nagaur district. "A change in uniform is very much on the agenda of Akhil Bhartiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), the highest decision-making body of RSS, which is meeting in Nagaur from March 11," Manmohan Vaidya, All India Prachar Pramukh of the RSS, told PTI today. The issue of change in uniform, which was taken up in a meeting of ABPS in 2010, was deferred till 2015 due to a lack of consensus, he said, adding "the apex body may take a decision on the same in the upcoming meeting." RSS members currently sport khaki shorts and white full- sleeve shirts folded up to the elbow, besides black caps, as part of their 'ganvesh'. A group of men attacked a small bus carrying foreign and Russian journalists and activists from a non-governmental organisation near the border of Chechnya, beating the occupants and setting the vehicle on fire. The attack took place yesterday when assailants in three cars blocked the vehicle, Igor Kalyapin, chairman of the Committee For Prevention of Torture and a member of the Russian Presidential Human Rights Council, said on the council's website. Timur Rakhmatulin, the NGO's regional leader, told The Associated Press that two of the journalists and the bus's driver were hospitalised, but their conditions weren't immediately known. The journalists on the trip included a reporter for Swedish state radio and one from Norway's Ny Tid newspaper, Rakhmatulin said. There were also reporters from major Russian broadsheet Kommersant, as well as Russia's New Times and Mediazona, he said. Kommersant quoted the Mediazona journalist, Yegor Skovoroda, as saying the attack took place near the settlement of Ordzhonikidzevskaya in Ingushetia, just west of the border with Chechnya. "They yelled 'You're supporting terrorists, the killers of our fathers.' We laid on the floor but they began to scream for us to get out," he was quoted as saying. The meaning of the attackers' words was not immediately clear. Chechnya, and Russia's North Caucasus is heavily Muslim, but divided between those who follow Kremlin-backed Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov and adherents of extremist Islamists who lean toward groups such as the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Depending on their ideology, some in the region disdain Russia for the airstrikes it launched on Syrian fighters in September while others take umbrage at disapproval of Kadyrov, who is criticised abroad for autocratic rule backed by severe police tactics. Russia's defence ministry is looking to buy five dolphins, the government revealed today, as the country strives to revive its Soviet-era use of sea mammals for military tasks. The military has opened the bidding on a 1.75 million ruble contract to deliver dolphins to the military in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol by August 1, according to a document uploaded today to the government's procurement website. According to public contract documentation, it is seeking two female and three male dolphins between three and five years old with perfect teeth and no physical impairments. An unnamed source told RIA Novosti state agency in March 2014 that new training programmes were being designed to make the dolphins serve Russia's military interests. Dolphins were used by the Soviet Union and United States at the height of the Cold War, having been trained to detect submarines, underwater mines and spot suspicious objects or individuals near harbours and ships. Retired colonel Viktor Baranets, who observed military dolphin training in the Soviet and post-Soviet eras, said that the sea mammals were part of the broader Cold War arms race between the USSR and the United States. "Americans looked into this first," Baranets told AFP. "But when Soviet intelligence found out the tasks the US dolphins were completing in the 1960s, the defence ministry at the time decided to address this issue." Baranets added that combat dolphins in the Soviet era were trained to plant explosive devices on enemy vessels and knew how to detect abandoned torpedoes and sunken ships in the Black Sea. Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in March 2014 amid international indignation, has housed this training facility since 1965. The training centre was severely neglected after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Baranets said, and its dolphins were reportedly sold to Iran. The Ukrainian navy reestablished the centre in 2012 but Russia's landgrab two years later saw Crimea's combat dolphins fall under Moscow's control. The defence ministry could not be reached for comment today. The US navy also uses sea mammals to carry out military tasks, with sea lions deployed to Bahrain in 2003 to support Operation Enduring Freedom after the 9/11 attacks. Banking major SBI today said its board has approved raising the remaining Rs 5,000 crore of the Rs 12,000-crore fund raising programme through private placement of Basel-III compliant debt instruments. Earlier in December, the bank had announced raising Rs 12,000 crore through issue of debt instruments in tranches. SBI, on previous two occasions, had informed the exchanges that it raised Rs 4,000 crore and Rs 3,000 crore in two tranches through issue of debt instruments as part of the Rs 12,000 crore fund raising programme. The lender in a filing to the BSE today said, "The Committee of Directors for Capital Raising met on March 9, 2016 to review the implementation of its resolution dated December 21, 2015 with regard to issue of debt instruments". It authorised the Bank to "consider raising the residual amount (out of the overall approval obtained for raising the debt capital amount of Rs 12000 crores), either by way of issue of AT-I/Tier-ll instrument or any other debt instrument at appropriate time(s), by way of private placement, in such number of tranches, as may be considered appropriate," the filing said. Earlier on February 19, the bank informed BSE that it raised Rs 3,000 crore from Basel-III compliant bonds to fund business growth. On December 24, SBI had announced raising Rs 4,000 crore by issuing tier-II bonds on private placement basis under the Basel-III norms. According to a Fitch Ratings report, Indian banks need USD 140 billion capital to ensure full compliance with the Basel III norms by 2018-19. The Basel III norms are aimed at bolstering banks' resilience. Basel III capital regulations are being implemented in India with effect from April 1, 2013 in a phased manner. The winning run for markets continued for the sixth straight session, with the BSE Sensex reversing all its losses to close about 135 points higher at 24,793.96 -- a 5-week high -- on continued expectations that RBI would bring down the policy rate. Some fag-end buying saved the day as Nifty reclaimed the 7,500-level. Most Asian markets remained weak, taking cues from overnight losses in the US following lacklustre Chinese trade data and retreat in crude prices. The 30-share Sensex opened lower, but across-the-board buying towards the late session, backed up by a higher opening in Europe, meant that the index recovered and ended the day higher by 134.73 points, or 0.55 per cent, at 24,793.96 -- its highest closing in five weeks. It had ended at 24,824.83 on February 1, 2016. The benchmark had gained 1,657.23 points in the previous five sessions in a row. The 50-issue NSE Nifty went past the crucial 7,500-mark and closed higher by 46.50 points, or 0.62 per cent, at 7,531.80. Intra-day, it hovered between 7,424.30 and 7,539. Brokers said the ongoing bull run has come mostly on hopes of a likely rate cut by the Reserve Bank after the government retained its deficit target for the next fiscal at 3.5 per cent of GDP in Budget 2016-17. Revival of buying by foreign funds gave sentiment a lift too. Maruti Suzuki was the toast of town as it surged 4 per cent to Rs 3,600 after the carmaker launched its much-awaited compact SUV model 'Vitara Brezza'. Others that supported the uptrend include L&T, ONGC, Hindustan Unilever, BHEL, RIL, Axis Bank and Infosys. In the Sensex-30 kitty, 20 ended higher, while 10 including HDFC, Coal India NTPC and Adani Ports, lost due to profit-booking. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 775.07 crore yesterday, as per provisional data. The BSE capital goods covered the maximum ground by surging 1.63 per cent, followed by realty 1.51 per cent. Power index rose 1.42 per cent while auto went up 1.25 per cent. The broader markets too were in a better form, in line with the overall trend. The mid-cap index rose 0.94 per cent while small-cap gained 0.04 per cent. Other Asian markets closed in the red after disappointing Chinese trade data rekindled fears about global growth. Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.08 per cent lower while Shanghai Composite closed 1.34 per cent lower. Japan's Nikkei too shed 0.84 per cent. European markets rebounded after two days of decline as investors speculated on further stimulus support from the European Central Bank. Out of the 30-share Sensex, 26 scrips ended higher. Major gainers were Bajaj Auto (3.78 pc), Axis Bank (3.41 pc), ICICI Bank (3.28 pc), HDFC (3.12 pc), L&T (2.72 pc), ITC (2.38 pc), SBI (2.30 pc), Bharti Airtel (2.23 pc), NTPC (2.21 pc), Hero MotoCorp (2.19 pc), Asian Paints (2.00 pc) and HDFC Bank (1.89 pc). However, Dr Reddy's fell by 0.91 per cent followed by HUL (0.80 pc) and Tata Steel (0.12 pc). Among BSE sectoral and industry indices, bankex rose 2.45 per cent followed by finance (2.35 pc), capital goods (1.86 pc), telecom (1.80 pc), realty (1.74 pc), auto (1.60 pc), teck (1.48 pc) and power (1.39 pc). Broader markets too were in a better shape with the BSE mid-cap rising 1.25 per cent and the mid-cap up 1.20 per cent. The market breadth turned positive as 1,673 stocks ended higher, 972 closed lower while 162 ruled steady. The total turnover rose to Rs Rs 2,467.95 crore from Rs 1,990.71 crore on Friday. Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao today said the Shivaji Maharaj memorial off Mumbai coast will be completed by 2019. "I am happy to inform that all clearances have been obtained for constructing the national monument of revered Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj," he said while addressing a joint sitting of the state Legislature. "A project management consultant has been appointed for the purpose. The government intends to complete the work before 2019," he said. "On the occasion of the forthcoming 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in 2019, the government has drawn up plans to develop Wardha-Sevagram-Pavnar area, which would include development of basic infrastructure and civic amenities," Rao said. The state government has already announced the construction of a memorial for Balasaheb Thackeray at Dadar, and action is being taken to set it up at the earliest, the Governor said, adding in December 2015, the government allotted land in Aurangabad for a memorial of Gopinath Munde. "My government is serious about and sensitive to the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute. During the hearing of the case on September 12, 2014, the Supreme Court appointed ex-Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Manmohan Sarin as the Court Commissioner to record evidence," Rao said. "The government has appointed the Minister for Public Works Department and Co-operation as state coordinator to deal effectively with the problems faced by the Marathi-speaking people of Karnataka in the disputed areas," he said. The Governor said it has been decided to implement the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project, phase-II, in the coastal districts at a total cost of Rs 398 crore. To retain the state's top rank in industrialisation, a vigorous 'Make in Maharashtra' campaign has been initiated and various industry-friendly policies have been formulated, he said. Various government processes have been systemised and simplified for obtaining requisite permissions to ensure that Maharashtra remains a preferred destination for new industries, Rao said. In this regard, the Governor said 'MAITRI' has been proposed as a single window platform which will facilitate online application and disposal of 44 permissions across 15 departments using statutory powers under the Right to Services Act. Rao said, the state agriculture tenancy law has been amended, making it easy to purchase agriculture land for bonafide industrial purposes. Duly approved projects of state and Central governments can now be granted land by district Collectors. "Apart from ensuring ease of doing business, the government has approved a series of new industrial promotional policies. To attract more industries in Vidarbha and Marathwada, a policy of full exemption of Value Added Tax has been adopted," the Governor said. To promote FAB (manufacturing facility for silicon wafers used in semi-conductors) projects, a new electronics policy has been formulated, he said. Maharashtra is a pioneering state in formulating a new retail trade policy. Considering the increasing popularity of e-commerce and to incentivise establishment of logistics hubs, some tax concessions have been proposed, Rao said. 'Maharashtra Coastal Industrial Policy' has been formulated to harness the immense economic potential of coastal areas, the Governor said. "Maharashtra was honoured to host the 'Make in India Week' recently organised by the Government of India in Mumbai. An ecosystem of simplified permits, progressive new industrial policies and inherent strength of the state in the industrial sector were presented before national and international industrialists," he said. "As a result, the state has attracted investment including foreign investment of more than Rs 8 lakh crores which will create a potential for employment of 30 lakh people," Rao said. Being a part of Yash Raj Films' latest short "The Road Trip" was an exciting experience for Tahir Raj Bhasin, who feels the whole journey was similar to doing theatre. The 28-year-old actor, best known for playing the antagonist in Rani Mukerji-starrer "Mardaani", said the short was filmed in a couple of hours. "I believe short films are more organic. It's almost like doing theatre. It just takes few takes. The whole experience was exciting and fun. When I got the offer to be a part of the film, I was shooting for 'Force 2' and was on a break. We shot the film in just a day," Tahir told PTI. The short film by Ankur Tewari is a part of web series titled "Love Shots". It comprises of five other short movies on love and is produced by Y-Films, the youth division of Yash Raj Films. "The Road Trip" also stars "Airlift" actress Nimrat Kaur opposite Bhasin and focuses on rediscovering romance between a quarreling couple. "It's a normal love story, which has shades of dark humour. It explores love after death. Ankit has shot it brilliantly. It was a conscious effort to show the tiff between the couple in a mature way." Bhasin said he and Nimrat connected at one go. "She is outstanding. We never met before but we shared an instant connect and that helped us to give our best short. I am lucky to work with her," he said. The Delhi-born actor is looking forward to the last leg of John Abraham-starrer "Force 2", where Bhasin will again be seen in a negative role. "The film is looking outstanding. We will shoot the last leg in April. It's high on adrenaline. Goa-bsaed organisation Shrinivas Vasudeva Dempo, a trustee of the Vasantrao Dempo Education and Research Foundation (VDER&F), today announced that it has partnered with Bharti Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bharti Enterprises. "As part of this partnership, Bharti Foundation will provide guidance and mentorship support to VDERF's proposed rural schools project, sanctioned by the Goa government," Dempo said in a statement released here. Bharti Foundation will share learnings from the Satya Bharti Quality Support Program (which works with government schools) and support VDERE in articulating and achieving their goals towards creating a better schooling experience, he said. Through the project, VDERF aims to assist the educational endeavours of underprivileged students in two Government schools located in the heart of rural Goa, it said. Institutes like Government Primary School, Virnoda, Pernem, and Government Primary School Vadde Colony, Sanguem which will be undertaken for development under this programme. Slovenia has announced that it will refuse the transit of most migrants through its territory in a bid to seal off the Balkan route used by hundreds of thousands of people seeking a new life in Europe. The dramatic twist in Europe's tangled migrant crisis could set off a domino effect among Balkan states, with Serbia swiftly indicating it would follow Ljubljana's lead and Croatia and Macedonia also expected to follow suit. The moves to shut down the main route used by the vast influx of migrants hoping to find asylum or better economic prospects in northern Europe come barely a day after the EU and Turkey agreed a proposal aimed at easing the crisis. EU officials hailed Monday's deal with Ankara as an important breakthrough, but the head of the UN refugee agency cast doubt on its legality, while Amnesty International said the plan "dealt a death blow to the right to seek asylum". Slovenia's interior ministry said yesterday that access would only be granted to "foreigners meeting the requirements to enter the country", those wishing to claim asylum, and migrants selected "on a case by case basis on humanitarian grounds and in accordance with the rules of the Schengen zone". More than a million people have crossed the Aegean Sea into Greece since the start of 2015, many from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq and most aiming to reach wealthy Germany and Scandinavia, causing deep divisions among EU members about how to deal with Europe's worst migration crisis since World War II. Serbia said that following Slovenia's move, it would "align all measures with the European Union" and impose the same restrictions at its borders with Macedonia and Bulgaria. Slovenia and Serbia, along with Austria, Croatia and Macedonia, have dramatically restricted entry to migrants in recent weeks, leaving a bottleneck of some 36,000 stuck at the Greek-Macedonian border, unable to continue their journey. Turkey, currently hosting 2.7 million Syrian refugees, is the key springboard for migrants making the perilous sea crossing to Greece. Efforts to stem the flow have failed, with nearly 2,000 migrants landing on the overstretched Greek islands every day in February. At talks in Brussels on Monday, the EU agreed in principle to a Turkish proposal to take back all illegal migrants landing on the Greek islands. The Nebraska Passport program will include stops at Homestead National Monument of America, Filley Stone Barn and Filley Tavern this year. The tourism program includes 80 attractions throughout the state, fit into 10 themed tours. Travelers will have from May 1 through Sept. 30 to visit the destinations and collect stamps at each. This is the first year Filley has been included in the tour. I think its fabulous, said Lesa Arterburn, director of Gage County Historical Society and Museum, which oversees Filley Stone Barn. Id like to get the museum on (the tour) hopefully next year. This is a great opportunity to put us on the map, so to speak. The historic barn was owned by Elijah Filley and built in 1874. The barn is a tribute to the earliest settlers in Gage County and they stayed after the grasshopper plague to build the barn, Arterburn said. It belongs to the people. Arterburn said the barn will not be open as the museum does not have the staffing abilities to do so, but visitors can take photos of the barn at any time of the year and information will be available in a box outside the barn during the months of the tour. Information will also be available at the Filley Tavern, where tourists can receive their stamp. Filley has its roots from the builder of the barn, Arterburn said. They tend to go together like bread and butter. One wouldnt be there without the other. The program is paying special tribute to the National Park Services 100th anniversary this year with a tour called Find Your Park, including national, state and local parks in eight communities. Find Your Park is a national campaign that includes national, state and local parks, Homestead Superintendent Mark Engler said. So were excited that this campaign is being carried forward with the Nebraska Passport program, which is a very popular program and its a fun program for travelers, Engler said. Glennis McClure, director of Gage Area Growth Enterprise (NGage), said the inclusion of Gage County locations in the annual tour is beneficial to the area. I think any time that our local organizations can be part of a state program like the Passport program that helps market to people all of the good things we have around here, thats going to be a plus, McClure said. I think the Passport program seems to grow year after year. And so it may bring in more folks to the area. McClure said the program may bring new visitors to the area, which she called a great win. The Passport Program encourages travelers to explore the state collecting stamps, while reconnecting with Nebraska and supporting small businesses and attractions, said Nebraska Tourism Commission executive director Kathy McKillip. Year after year, the program gains popularity. In 2015, more than 24,600 travelers collected stamps and we expect 2016s participation to be even better. Passports will be available at participating stops in May or can be pre-ordered by emailing info@NebraskaPassport.com, with a name, mailing address and number of Passport booklets requested. The Nebraska Passport app is also available for download onto smartphones with 2016 updates to come on May 1. Prizes for this years participants will be announced at the start of the program. A began sweeping across the vast Indonesian archipelago today, with hordes of sky gazers set to watch the spectacle, which will be marked by parties, prayers and tribal rituals. The moon began to move between the Earth and sun at 6:19 a.m (0449 IST today), the official Meteorology, Climate and Geophysics Agency said. A rare total will be visible in a broad arc across the country about an hour later. All direct sunlight will be blocked for a short time from the western island of Sumatra, to the spice-fringed Maluku Islands thousands of miles to the east, before the total eclipse sweeps out across the Pacific Ocean. From a festival featuring live bands, to fun runs and traditional dances, events are being organised across the country for an estimated 10,000 foreign visitors and 100,000 domestic tourists who will be witnessing the phenomenon. Hotels in the best viewing spots filled up weeks ago -- in the city of Ternate, in the Maluku Islands, officials have had to find extra space for tourists on boats. "It's an extraordinary spectacle that only takes place about once a year in one part of the world," said Arnaud Fischer, a 33-year-old French tourist, who has witnessed several eclipses and was set to watch today's in Ternate. I Gde Pitana, the government's head of foreign tourism, described the phenomenon as "a tourism attraction created by God". However there are concerns that clouds could obscure the view in some places, as it is currently the wet season in Indonesia. It will be a deeply spiritual experience for many in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, with the faithful being urged by Islamic authorities to perform special eclipse prayers. "Our Prophet Mohammed said the prayer signifies the greatness of Allah, who created this wonderful phenomenon," said Ma'ruf Amin, chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council, the country's top Islamic clerical body. Some of Indonesia's tribes people are fearful of the phenomenon, however. Members of the Dayak tribe in one part of Borneo island will perform a ritual to ensure that the sun, which they view as the source of life, does not disappear entirely. The total eclipse will sweep across 12 out of 34 provinces in Indonesia, which stretches about 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometres) from east to west, before heading across the Pacific Ocean. BJP tonight announced the names of 88 candidates for the Assam assembly polls including those of its chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal, former Congress leader Himanta Biswa Sarma and Lok Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasha, who has been fielded against Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. The party's Central Election Committee (CEC) cleared the names for all but two of the 90 seats it will contest in the polls for the 126-member state assembly. The party also cleared 52 candidates for the election to 294-member West Bengal assembly. Party chief Amit Shah chaired the meeting which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi besides other CEC members. "Our list of candidates has the representation of greater Assamese society. It is a reflection of greater Assam," Union Minister and party's Parliamentary Board secretary J P Nadda told a press conference. Several Congress MLAs, who joined the saffron party along with Sarma, have been given tickets as well. Seeking to corner Gogoi in his constituency, BJP has pitted its MP Tasha from the Congress leader's constituency of Titabor. Sonowal will contest from Majuli, a reserved seat for ST, while Sarma has been fielded from Jalukbari. The party's decision to contest 90 seats means that some of its candidates will have a friendly fight with allies like AGP or Bodoland People's Front. "We had announced Mission 84 for Assam. So we had to fight a few seats more than this. Some of the fight will be strategic," a leader said, adding that some smaller allies will field their candidates on the BJP's symbol. Terming infiltration from Bangladesh as a major poll issue, BJP has forged a rainbow coalition with several regional outfits in its bid to wrest power from the Congress which has been ruling the state for the last 15 years. Assam goes to the polls in two phases on April 4 and 11. BJP also announced the names of 52 candidates for the West Bengal assembly polls. Chandra Kumar Bose, grandnephew of Subhash Chandra Bose, has been fielded against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhawanipur constituency. State party chief Dilip Ghosh will contest Kharagpur Sadar seat. Bengali film and TV actress Locket Chatterjee will contest Mayureswar while Samik Bhattacharya, who became the first BJP MLA in the assembly after winning a bypoll, will fight from Basirhat Dakshin, which he currently represents. Actor Joy Banerjee will try is luck from Suri. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today demanded a probe into the whereabouts of nearly 150-kg gold seized by the army from fleeing minority- Tamils during the country's civil war, after it emerged that 40-kg of this jewelery was already unaccounted for. The army has seized huge quantities of jewelery and gold, nearly 150-kg, from the 300,000 fleeing Tamil civilians during the last stages of war against the separatist-LTTE in 2009. Answering a question in the parliament, the prime minister said that while 30-kg of gold valued at Rs 131 million was handed to the Central Bank and 80-kg is still held by the military, the remaining 40-kg of precious yellow metal is unaccounted for, implying that it may have been stolen. "There are discrepancies. There are conflicting accounts of what happened to the gold. We must investigate this," Wickremesinghe said, calling on the parliament to set up a special panel to probe the whereabouts of the missing treasure that consists of necklaces, bangles, bracelets and other personal items of gold jewelery. Wickremesinghe said it was up to the parliament to decide on the type of the investigation. The army had collected the gold, gems and personal jewelery items from the abandoned homes of fleeing Tamils in 2009. More was discovered when the military stooped on the banks operated by the LTTE in the former war-zones of north and east, where the separatist militant group ran a parallel administration. In 2014, the military had identified 2,377 "legitimate claimants" of the gold, however, only 25 of them were handed back their gold ornaments during President Mahinda Rajapaksa's regime. The LTTE was engaged in an "armed conflict" with Sri Lankan government forces for nearly three decades, but were defeated in 2009 following the death of its chief Velupillai Prabhakaran. India, the world's third largest steel producer, imported steel worth Rs 36,073 crore in the first 10 months of this fiscal against almost Rs 44,893 crore in 2014-15, Parliament was informed today. India witnessed about 75 per cent year-on-year rise in imports of total steel (alloy + non-alloy) in 2014-15 and about 24 per cent increase during April-January period of 2015-16, Steel and Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told Rajya Sabha in a written reply. "The jump in imports is, however, largely on account of global steel glut. Due to this reason, steel is being exported by China and other countries, often at below cost of production," he added. The data provided by Tomar showed that India imported 9.3 million tonnes (MT) of total finished steel worth Rs 36,073 crore during April-January this fiscal against 9.32 MT worth Rs 44,893 crore in 2014-15. In 2013-14 fiscal, the country imported 5.45 MT of total finished steel worth Rs 30,416 crore against 7.93 MT worth Rs 39,290 crore in 2012-13, it showed. To protect domestic steel sector, government has taken various measures, which have reduced the pace of growth of imports, the minister said. "While imports grew by about 75 per cent in the Financial Year 2014-15, compared to the financial year 2013-14, the import growth has slowed to about 24 per cent in the period April 2015 to January 2016, compared to the same period in the last financial year," he added. Tomar said various steps have been taken to check import of cheap steel such as imposition of minimum import price, last month, on 173 steel products. Besides in September 2015, the government has imposed a provisional Safeguard Duty of 20 per cent on hot-rolled flat products of non-alloy and other alloy steel, in coils of a width of 600 mm or more, for a period of 200 days, he added. In June, 2015, an Anti-Dumping Duty was levied for five years on import of certain variety of hot-rolled flat products of stainless steel from China (USD 309 per tonne), Korea (USD 180 per tonne) and Malaysia (USD 316 per tonne). Tata Communications is still exploring options to exit from its South African telecom arm Neotel even as its deal with Vodacom for selling the company fell through. "We will look at options we have. Direction is still to exit Neotel business. While financials have improved, it is very domestic business and we want to look at cross border business and not do anything domestic except in India," Tata Communications Managing Director and Group CEO Vinod Kumar told reporters here. The deal between Tata Communications and Vodafone's South African arm Vodacom failed after 21 months of talks "due to regulatory complexities in concluding the transaction as well as certain conditions not being fulfilled". The deal was originally signed in May 2014 wherein Vodacom had reached an agreement to buy Neotel, controlled by Tata Communications, for 7 billion rand (about Rs 3,200 crore). In dollar terms, the value of transaction at that time was around USD 676 million. Tata Communications owns over 68 per cent stake in South Africa's largest fixed line telephone service provider Neotel. Kumar said that company's data business is now driving growth and Tata Communications will continue investing in it. The revenue of Tata Communications from voice solutions declined by about 5 per cent to Rs 2,009.54 crore from Rs 2,114.14 crore while that of data and managed services segment increased 16.7 per cent to Rs 2,723.3 crore from Rs 2,332.67 crore during the October-December quarter. The company is also in discussion to divest its stake from data center business which it expects to close in next financial year. The Tata Communications global network includes infrastructure includes one of the largest submarine cable networks and a Tier-1 IP network with connectivity to more than 240 countries and territories, as well as nearly 1 million square feet of data centre space worldwide. The company provides services to telecom operators in various countries by connecting their local network with global telecom network. Aung San Suu Kyi's incoming government is considering a rethink of a controversial Chinese-backed dam in Myanmar and looking for ways to end a military conglomerate's "privileges", according to her party's economic advisor. Her new government, which is expected to take office in early April, faces a raft of economic challenges, not least the continued financial clout of Myanmar's military, while needing to manage delicate relations with China, its biggest trading partner. Critics of the former junta long argued that Myanmar's military elite grew wealthy off a cosy relationship with Beijing that granted the giant northern neighbour lucrative concessions with little trickle down benefit. Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) have offered few policy details, beyond a broad manifesto, in the lengthy transition period since winning last November's elections with a thumping mandate. But Hantha Myint, the head of the NLD's economics committee, said voters were expecting tangible change. "The people have very, very high hopes and then if we misbehave in some way... The people's expectations will be crushed," he told AFP during an interview at the party's headquarters in Yangon. While underlining that Suu Kyi would make the ultimate decision on policy he said a potential redesign of the multi-billion dollar Myitsone hydropower project in northern Kachin State was on the cards -- comments likely to reverberate in Beijing. The trained engineer raised fears over its proximity to an active earthquake fault line, but said a compromise could be made to reduce risk. "If we refuse to build a dam at Myitsone we can build other dams upstream," he added. Hantha Myint also said it was time for Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) -- a military conglomerate that runs business interests as diverse as construction, transport and brewing -- to "compete at a level playing field". "The privileges given to MEHL by the previous government, we will not be able to give them those privileges," he said, adding however that other military financial ventures would remain outside of civilian control. Suu Kyi has shown a pragmatic streak in dealing with both Myanmar's powerful military and controversial Chinese-backed projects. She led an inquiry into the Letpadaung copper mine in central Monywa -- a joint venture between MEHL and China's Wanbao -- following a violent police crackdown on protesters including monks in 2012. Suzlon Group today said it is looking to set up 3,000 MW solar, wind and hybrid power generation plant in Telangana with an investment of Rs 1,200 crore. The development came during a meeting between Telangana Panchayat Raj and IT Minister K T Rama Rao and Sulzon CMD Tulsi Tanti in Mumbai, a state government release stated here. Rao also met Kotak Group MD Uday Kotak and Mahindra Group CMD Anand Mahindra and sought investments into the state. They responded positively on the requests, the release added. The Taliban attacked government offices early today in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, where the insurgents have been battling government forces for months. Omar Zwak, spokesman for Helmand's governor, said gunmen attacked the police headquarters and intelligence agency offices in Gereshk. He said security forces repelled the attack on the intelligence facility. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, in which suicide bombers struck inside the police compound. Jabbar Karaman, a lawmaker appointed by President Ashraf Ghani to investigate the situation in Helmand, said that seven attackers had been killed in the ongoing gunfight with police, as well as three police officers, with an unknown number of civilians caught in the crossfire. Earlier reports said four attackers were involved, but the number appears to be much higher. Fighting has raged across Helmand, a major poppy-growing region, for the past three months, with the insurgents battling government forces and fighting among themselves for control of smuggling routes. U.S. And British forces saw heavy fighting in Helmand at the height of the 15-year war. Since the international combat mission drew down in 2014, the Taliban have spread their fight across most of the country, forcing Afghan forces plagued by corruption and incompetence to spread their own assets thin. U.S. And Afghan military officials have said that the army in Helmand is being rebuilt so that it can take the fight to the Taliban, something it has not been able to do throughout the war. Riding on opener Tamim Iqbal's unbeaten 83, Bangladesh managed to eke out a narrow eight-run win over the Netherlands in their first match of the World Twenty20 Qualifiers, here today. Put in to bat, Bangladesh kept losing wickets at regular intervals but Tamim almost single-handedly lifted the team to 153 for seven and then restricted the Dutch to 145 for seven in their allotted 20 overs. The Netherlands required 33 from the last 12 balls with duo of Mudassar Bukhari (14 off 5 balls) and Peter Seelar taking 16 off the penultimate over bowled by Al Amin Hossain. Needing 17 off the final over, the 'Orange Brigade' could only manage 8 runs off the Taskin Ahmed as the 'Tigers' looked relieved with a win first-up. Earlier, swashbuckling Tamim did not let the fall of wickets at the other end affect him as he smacked six boundaries and three sixes during his impressive 58-ball innings. The other Bangladeshi batsmen couldn't score much with Soumya Sarkar and Sabbir Rahman contributing 15 runs each. The Netherlands medium-pacer Timm van der Gugten was the pick of the bowlers with figures of three for 21, while Paul van Meekeren (2/17) chipped in with two scalps. The Netherlands batsmen gave Bangladesh a run for their money while chasing the modest target, but ultimately failed to pull it off as Bangladeshi bowlers experience prevailed over the minnows. Opener Stephen Myburgh (29) gave a solid start to the team before skipper Peter Borren (29) took it forward. But left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan's struck twice put a lid on their hopes. However, it was still not over as lower-order batsman Mudassar Bukhari gave Bangladesh another scare with his five-ball 14. But unfortunately, Bukhari got run out. Brief scores: Bangladesh: 153 for 7 in 20 overs (Tamim Iqbal 83; Timm van der Gugten 3/21). Netherlands: 145 for 7 in 20 overs (Stephen Myburgh 29, Peter Borren 29; Al-Amin Hossain 2/21). The re-design of irrigation projects, implementation of election promises like double bed room houses and farm loan waiver, several opposition MLAs switching loyalty to the ruling TRS, besides the budget, are among the issues expected to dominate the Budget session of Telangana Legislative Assembly beginning heretomorrow. The state government has taken up re-designing of irrigation projects and entered into an agreement with Maharashtra yesterday for construction of five barrages on Godavari and two other rivers. Observing that the agreement with Maharashtra is extremely useful for Telangana, the state government said the projects, upon completion, would immensely benefit farmers of the state. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who travelled to Mumbai yesterday to sign an agreement with his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis, said Karimnagar and Warangal districts would benefit first and that Nizamabad district would regain its past glory. The main opposition Congress, however, slammed the Chief Minister for signing the pact with the Maharashtra government. Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir, who termed the agreement as "mega cheating", alleged that it caused injustice to people as the height of the proposed barrages would be decreased to 148 metres from the earlier proposal of 152 meters. TDP floor leader in the Assembly, A Revanth Reddy alleged yesterday that corruption is taking place in the name of re-designing of projects and that reducing the height of barrages would hurt the interests of Telangana. He has said that his party has identified 21 issues for raising in the assembly, including drought, scarcity of drinking water and alleged faulty implementation of election promises like double-bed room houses for the poor. As many as 10 MLAs, out of 15, from TDP and several others from Congress and YSR Congress have switched loyalty to the ruling TRS in recent months. Media reports suggested that two more TDP MLAs are likely to cross over to the ruling party in the coming days. Their parent parties have filed disqualification petitions against such MLAs and the issue may also come up in the assembly. The ruling TRS is, however, on a high after a series of electoral wins, including in Warangal and Khammam civic body polls today and massive victories in Medak and Warangal Lok Sabha bypolls and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) election earlier. This week Rare Earth Salts announced the addition of Jon Hykawy, a prominent rare earth and critical material analyst, and Glenn A. Friendt, a Nebraska-based serial entrepreneur, to its board of advisors. With our company on the cusp of initial production, we believe it is more important than ever to surround our team with top industry experts and experienced operational professionals who will challenge us and provide guidance towards achieving our goal of becoming an influential player in the rare earth industry, said Joseph Brewer, Chief Executive Officer of Rare Earth Salts, in a press release. What we believe is a world class board of advisors will provide critical strategic insight in driving further growth in our business at this important stage of our development. Hykawy is a veteran of Bay Street, having spent his time exclusively on the sell side. He is currently president of Stormcrow Capital, where he is broadly considered to be the globes leading rare earth and critical materials analyst, according to the press release from Rare Earth Salts. Glenn A. Friendt is a serial entrepreneur who is currently principal at Summit Consulting, a firm focused on early- and expansion-stage companies. He recently led the Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship at the College of Business Administration at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the press release states. Friendts business experience includes building a dental software business from early-stage to the third largest in the United States when it was then acquired by PracticeWorks. Hykawy and Friendt join board of advisors charter members Alastair Neill, a leading rare earth expert; Rick Serafini, portfolio manager at S Squared Investments; and Steven Deck, president at Wajax Industrial Components and member of PDACs board of directors and Executive committee. There has been a rise in attacks on India by Pakistan-based terrorists, government today told the Lok Sabha, noting it has been making efforts to have these terror networks and individuals banned by the UN. Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said listing of several Pakistan-based terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi, and entities including Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jamaat-ud-Dawaa under the UN Security Council's Resolution No 1267 was "successfully pursued". "The government continues to pursue imposition and strict monitoring of 1267 regime on various pakistan-based individuals and terrorist organisations directing their activities against India. "Our concerns regarding anti-India terrorism emanating from Pakistan have been taken up with the international community and also bilaterally with Pakistan on a number of occasions," Singh said. In this context, he also mentioned last year's attacks in Gurdaspur and Udhampur and the terror assault on Pathankot Air Force Station and at Pampore this year, noting such incidents have increased recently. Singh said India's concerns over cross border terrorism was also discussed by National Security Adviser with his Pakistani counterpart when they met in Bangkok in December last year. "The two NSAs have also been in touch with each other following Pathankot attack in January regarding the follow up by Pakistan on actionable information provided by India concerning the attack," he said. Replying to a separate question, Singh said China is assisting Pakistan in developing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). "Some of the proposed projects under CPEC are in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Government's consistent position is that Pakistan has been in illegal occupation of parts of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir since 1947." He said the government has conveyed to Chinese side, including at the highest level, its concerns about their activities in PoK and asked them to cease these activities. To another query, he said required permission from Pakistan government for an officer in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad to travel to Lahore to attend the 12th SAARC Trade Fair from December 4-6 last year was not received. He said the issue was taken up with Pakistan. Replying to another question, Singh said there is "no increase" in number of complaints against Indian diplomats posted in missions abroad. The number of complaints reported in 2013, 2014 and 2015 were 4,7 and 5 respectively. Donald Trump today grabbed two key US states, overcoming fierce efforts within his Republican party to blunt his momentum in the White House nomination race, while Bernie Sanders breathed new life into his campaign by chipping away Hillary Clinton's dominance in the contest. Trump, the 69-year-old real estate tycoon, won two key states of Mississippi and Michigan in the second Super Tuesday showdown. Celebrating his two victories, Trump criticised the establishment Republicans who have led recent attacks on him, including heavy negative advertising. In Mississippi, he received the support of nearly 50 per cent of the Republican voters. He was followed a distant second by Senator Ted Cruz with 35.2 per cent of the votes counted. In Michigan, Trump received 37.2 per cent of the Republican votes. To the surprise of many Cruz was pushed to the third spot by the Ohio Governor John Kasich in the state who received 25.5 per cent of the votes. Cruz gained the support of 23.7 per cent of the votes. Cruz won a Republican-only race in Idaho and Hawaii results are expected later in the day. Clinton had an impressive win in the US State of Mississippi, as a result of which she was able to have more delegates in her kitty as against Sanders. She won Mississippi by 88 per cent to 10 per cent, bolstered by her overwhelming support among African American voters. However, her defeat in Michigan, which includes the auto Capital of Detroit, and its neighbourhood, at the hands of 74-year-old Sanders albeit by a narrow margin is an indication of the challenges she might face in the rest of her presidential campaign. Clinton was expected to have an easy win in Michigan, where according to some polls she was leading by more than 20 points. But when results came in, Sanders won the support of 50 per cent of the Democratic voters, while 48 per cent supported Clinton. The victory in Michigan has given Sander's campaign a bounce ahead of the vital March 15 primaries in Florida, Ohio and three other big states. People of Michigan have defied the pundits and pollsters, Sanders said in a statement. Despite the upset in Michigan, Clinton still has a lead in the number of delegates, which is crucial for winning the party's presidential nomination. Some 21 states have so far had their say in the Democrat primaries and caucuses, with Clinton winning 12 and Sanders claiming nine. Republican front-runner Donald Trump today swept to victories in two key primary states, expanding his lead in the White House nomination race while Hillary Clinton won Democratic party's primary in Mississippi. Celebrating his two wins, Trump, 69, criticised the establishment Republicans who have led recent attacks on him, including heavy negative advertising. In Mississippi, the real estate tycoon received the support of nearly 50 per cent of the Republican voters. Senator Ted Cruz came second with 35.2 per cent of the votes counted. In Michigan, Trump received 37.2 per cent of the Republican votes. To the surprise of many Cruz was pushed to the third spot by the Ohio Governor John Kasich in the state who received 25.5 per cent of the votes. Cruz gained the support of 23.7 per cent of the votes. Clinton, 68, won the Democratic primary contest in Mississippi where she beat her party rival Bernie Sanders, 74 while her battle with Bernie Sanders in Michigan is too close to call. She won Mississippi by 88 per cent to 10 per cent, bolstered by her overwhelming support among African American voters. With Mississippi win, Clinton has grabbed 21 delegates at stake taking her total count to 1,134. To win the party's presidential nomination, she needs 2,384 delegates of the total 4,765. Before today's primaries, Trump was leading with 384 delegates. He needs least 1,237 votes from a total of 2,472 delegates. Texas Senator Ted Cruz, 45, follows Trump with 300 delegates and Florida Senator Marco Rubio, 44, with 151 delegates. In addition to Michigan and Mississippi, Republican presidential primaries are also being held in Hawaii and Idaho. After registering impressive primary wins, Trump exuded confidence of easily defeating his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the November presidential elections. "I am going to beat Hillary (Clinton). Hillary is going to be very very easy to beat. She is a very easy target, if she is allowed to run. If the government does its job properly, she would not allow to run," Trump told reporters at a late night conference in Florida. "I am going to clean the slate," Trump said. Asserting that he is a Republican unifier, he urged the party establishment to embrace his movement and the massive support that he is getting. This he said would help the Republican party to win the presidential elections. Trump claimed that he would win some of the States like New York where the Republican party normally does not win. In his victory-speech-cum-press conference, the New Yorker said his rivals - Cruz, Rubio and Kasich - have not done well. Responding to questions, he attributed his impressive wins to his distractors who are running advertisements against him and Mitt Romney, the former presidential candidate, for criticising him. Trump said so far he has spent just USD 25 million as against USD 160 million by some of his opponents. Comments by Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in support of waterboarding and the torture of terror suspects have damaged the United States' global standing, a UN expert said today. Juan Mendez, the United Nations special rapporteur on torture, made the comments a day after briefing the UN rights council in Geneva. "I think the... Standing of the United States as a law-abiding nation and as an example to other states to fight crime and terrorism within the strictures of the rule of law is very seriously damaged by this kind of rhetoric," Mendez said. Although he did not use Trump's name, Mendez was responding to a question about the real-estate mogul, who has said during the Republican campaign that he supports waterboarding and other extreme interrogation techniques that are a "hell of a lot worse" and said he had "no problem" with the targeting of terror suspects' families. Trump pledged over the weekend to abide by US laws but suggested they should be changed to permit the torture of terror suspects and targeting their family members, allowing the US to play "on the same field" as the Islamic State group. Speaking to reporters, Mendez said his remarks the US election campaign were made "as a citizen", not in his official UN capacity. "If any of these candidates gets elected and reinstates waterboarding or any of the other harsh techniques -- euphemistically called enhanced interrogation tactics -- that is going to be illegal," he said. "They are illegal as a matter of international law, they are illegal as a matter of constitutional law in the United States, they are illegal as a matter of military law. The uniform code of military justice (in the United States) expressly prohibits torture," he said. Mendez, a lawyer and Argentinian national, was arrested and tortured by the military dictatorship that ruled the country in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Trump won primaries in Michigan and Mississippi as well as caucuses in Hawaii yesterday, maintaining his lead in the Republican race. Tunisian security forces killed seven "terrorists" overnight near Ben Guerdane after a deadly jihadist attack on the town near the border with Libya, the authorities said today. The interior ministry said late Tuesday that five "terrorists" had been "eliminated" in the area, then today said two more suspected jihadists had been killed. Four Kalashnikov assault rifles were recovered, the interior and defence ministries said in a joint statement. Tunisian media reports late Tuesday said security forces had surrounded a house where suspected jihadists were holed up in the Benniri area. Benniri is a few kilometres (miles) south of Ben Guerdane which is still under curfew after Monday's dawn attack in which 36 assailants, 12 members of the security forces and seven civilians were killed. The latest deaths take to 43 the number of suspected jihadists killed since the attack. Schools nationwide observed a minute's silence early today ahead of funerals for some of the victims. "It is vital to show students the importance of defending the nation, that the blood of martyrs did not flow for nothing," teacher Sonia El Kefi told AFP at a school in central Tunis. "We will not allow terrorists to influence the minds of children." The authorities said Monday's attack was an unprecedented assault by the Islamic State group aimed at setting up a new stronghold in the country across the border from Libya, where IS already has a presence. Witnesses reported a massive security presence on Wednesday in Ben Guerdane, a town of 60,000 people. The authorities have warned that mopping up operations after Monday's attack would continue. Prime Minister Habib Essid said on Tuesday that about 50 extremists were believed to have taken part in the assaults on an army barracks and police and National Guard posts. Defence ministry spokesman Belhassen Oueslati said 17 suspects were arrested on Tuesday near a military barracks and handed over to the National Guard for questioning. A section of residents and retail traders today protested over the proposed land acquisition for the metro rail project in north Chennai and sought an alternative alignment of the segment. Land acquisition proceedings have been initiated by government authorities for the metro rail extension project from Old Washermenpet to Wimco Nagar in north Chennai. The move is strongly objected by some residents and retail traders in areas like Tiruvotriyur, Korukkupet, Tondiarpet and Old Washermenpet since they will be displaced if the move fructifies. Claims of "inadequate and below par market price" offered by the state, loss of livelihood options are among the factors that have driven them to object the project. At a consultative meeting held at the Chennai Collectorate last month they had sought change of alignment of the project. Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik today asked for the unedited CD and transcript of senior minister Azam Khan's speech in the state Legislature in which the latter allegedly accused Naik of working under the "influence of a party". "Taking cognizance of newspaper reports about remarks on him by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Khan and others, including Speaker yesterday in the House, the Governor has written to Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey asking him to provide its unedited printed copies and audio and video CD at the earliest," a Raj Bhawan release said here. The Governor in his letter said Khan and other members have referred to UP Nagar Nigam Amendment Bill 2015 in the House, which he wanted to "read and see". Khan has been engaged in a war of words with Naik for some time, with the Samajwadi Party leader accusing him of being a "kar sevak" and "communally vitiating" the atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh at the behest of the Modi government at the Centre. While sticking to his earlier statement that he is an RSS volunteer, Naik maintained that there was mutual cooperation between him and the Uttar Pradesh government and that his focus was on the development of the most populous state in the country. In a scathing four-page letter to the Governor last month, Khan had accused him of adopting a negative approach to him and claimed that he was receiving threats because of Naik's statements. Khan even said he would raise the issue with President Pranab Mukherjee. Khan had yesterday accused the Governor of stalling several bills by not giving his assent and alleged it was giving an impression that he was working under the "influence of a party". "A Bill (UP Nagar Nigam Amendment Bill 2015) is pending with the Governor for over one year through which Mayors could be removed for financial irregularities. The Governor has stalled the Bill giving an impression that he is working under influence of a party," Khan yesterday said in the state Legislature. Assent was not given to the Bill so that mayors could not be punished for their "dishonesty", Khan had alleged. (Reopens DES36) The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said if there was any problem with the Bill, it could be returned or if there was any suggestion, a clarification could be sought from him. Objecting to Khan's remarks, BJP Legislature Party leader Suresh Kumar Khanna requested the Speaker to expunge them as there was a "direct allegation against the Governor". The Speaker said as per the Constitution, the Governor has the right not to give assent to any bill but still he would apprise Naik of the minister's feelings. On the demand for removal of Khan's comments from the proceedings, the Speaker said he would look into it. The controversial UP Nagar Nigam (Amendment) Bill 2015, which vests the state government with power to remove mayors besides curtailing the power of local bodies, was passed in the House last year. The Bill provides for enhancing the financial powers of chairman of Nagarpalika and Nagar Panchayat to Rs five lakh and Rs one lakh respectively, while pegging that of the mayor at Rs 15 lakh. It also provides for merger of UP Nagar Nigam Act, 1959 and UP Nagar Palika Act, 1916. It has provisions for removal of mayor of municipal corporations, and Nagarpalika and Nagar Panchayat chairpersons by the government. The Uttar Pradesh Mayor Council had urged the Governor not to approve the bill. Certain other bills pending with the Raj Bhawan include Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University (Amendment) Bill 2015 and UP Medical Science University, Saifai, Bill 2015. According to sources, the Governor had expressed reservation over appointment of chief secretary as the president of Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University and CM as the chancellor of Saifai Medical University. Washington is in talks to station its strike bombers in Australia, according to a US General, amid concern about China's military expansion in the . General Lori Robinson, commander of US Pacific Air Forces, said negotiations were under way to have American B-1 bombers and aerial tankers temporarily stationed in northern Australia. "We're in the process of talking about rotational forces, bombers and tankers out of Australia and it gives us the opportunity to train with Australia," she said according to national radio aired Wednesday. "It gives us the opportunity to strengthen the ties we already have with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and it gives the opportunity to train our pilots to understand the theatre and how important it is to strengthen our ties with our great allies, the RAAF." The US has been pursuing a foreign policy "pivot" towards Asia, which has rattled China, and already stations Marines in Australia's north. Last May, Assistant Defence Secretary for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs David Shear raised the prospect of B-1 bombers in Australia when he appeared before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. But his comments were played down by Australia's then Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who said Shear had "misspoken". Current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull would not be drawn on the specifics of the discussions when asked about the bombers. "Well, we have rotation of American military forces through Darwin and through Australia all the time," he said Wednesday. "So we have a very, very close defence relationship with the US. "I'm not going to comment on a particular element of that, but I can just assure you that everything we do is in this area is very carefully determined to ensure that our respective military forces work together as closely as possible in our mutual national interests." Beijing claims almost the whole of the South China Sea, through which a third of the world's oil passes, and tensions have been rising as it asserts its territorial claims. A US official last month said Beijing had deployed surface-to-air missiles on Woody Island in the disputed Paracels chain. Reports also surfaced recently of probable radar installations on reefs in the nearby Spratly islands. Washington has in recent months sent warships to sail within 12 nautical miles -- the usual territorial limit around natural land -- of a disputed island and reef transformed into an artificial island. The US says it has dispatched three B-2 stealth bombers on a training mission to the Asia-Pacific region amid growing tensions with . The deployment was announced today by US Strategic Command, which is responsible for US nuclear forces. B-2 bombers are capable of launching nuclear as well as conventional weapons. They are based at Whiteman Air Force Base in the Midwest state of Missouri. Strategic Command said the bombers will conduct training with the Australian military during the deployment, which amounts to a show of force at a time of mounting tensions with . threatened pre-emptive nuclear strikes after the United States and South Korea began large-scale war games this month. Strategic Command declined to say where the bombers will be operating from, or for how long. Hoping to capture a high-profile target, US special forces hopped off helicopters a couple of miles (kilometers) from an al-Shabab-controlled town, slipped through the dark and then got into a fierce firefight that reportedly killed more than 10 Islamic extremists. A Somali intelligence official told The Associated Press that the person they wanted to get was apparently killed during the fight. "It was a high-profile target, and chances of capture were challenged by a stiff resistance by militants guarding the house targeted by the special forces, which forced the commando to resort to the kill or capture method," the official said. He spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press on the matter. Another Somali intelligence official provided a similar account to AP. The exact target of the raid, if any, remains unclear. The US forces were serving in an advisory role and provided the helicopter transportation for the mission, said Navy Capt Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman. The U.S. Forces accompanied the Somali troops on the mission, but did not "go all the way to the objective," he said. There were no US casualties, he said. More than 10 militants were killed, said other US officials today who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an operation that has not been announced publicly. Roughly 50 US special operations troops have been operating in Somalia on a rotational basis for the last few years. The raid came only three days after the U.S. Carried out an air strike on an al-Shabab training camp that the Pentagon said killed about 150 of its members. These are some of the most aggressive military actions in Somalia since a US military intervention in the early 1990s during a famine culminated in the so-called Black Hawk Down battle, with heavy US losses. A bill that would refine changes to the state parole administration got a hitchhiker Wednesday on its journey through the legislative process. And although several senators tried to kick it off the ride, the amendment, which would eliminate a prohibition against three-time drug felons getting food stamps, hung on and was advanced along with the bill (LB910). Its that time in the session when senators try to amend bills that are prioritized and being debated with bills they like, but that dont have a priority and not much chance of getting debated. Such was the case with a bill (LB690) by Lincoln Sen. Adam Morfeld that would allow Nebraska to join 18 other states and opt out of a federal ban on eligibility for food assistance for those with past drug offenses three or more convictions for possession, use or distribution. The federal rule was instituted in the 1990s during the war on drugs, he said. Morfeld made the argument that benefits such as food stamps are critical for people getting out of prison and trying to keep from going back in. If a parolee cant get a job and cant pay for food, the temptation to commit crimes to get money for basic needs is greater, Morfeld and supporters of the amendment said. The supplemental nutrition assistance program known as SNAP is short term, Morfeld said. You must be working to receive benefits for more than 90 days. Theres nothing, other than sleep, more basic than food, Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers said. They were talking about feeding people who have paid their debt to society, he said, even when that crime is not nearly as heinous and hurtful as some other kinds committed directly against people. Sen. Les Seiler of Hastings said he had a problem with the federal ban. A person who sells drugs, and goes to prison for it, can be banned for life from food stamps. But a person who holds up a bank to get drug money to support a habit, can get food stamps upon release. That makes no sense, he said. Opponents after trying and failing to rid the bill of the amendment by claiming it wasnt germane said the amendment would allow food stamps for serious repeat offenders. Theyve been given one, two chances. And they continue to sell drugs. Continue to use drugs. Continue to destroy our communities, said Sen. Bill Kintner of Papillion. Omaha Sen. Merv Riepe said the Bible told people to feed the poor, it did not tell the government to do so. The amendment would also remove from law a requirement that a person with one or two felony drug convictions would be eligible for SNAP benefits only if taking or completing a substance abuse program. That, said Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte, takes away the motivation for a person to participate in drug treatment. Why would you take that out? It makes no sense, he said. We preach, we preach, we preach treatment, and then we change a bill to take it out. The amendment was adopted on a 35-5 vote, with Sens. Groene, Kintner, Riepe, Beau McCoy and Dave Schnoor voting no. The parole bill itself requires the Office of Parole Administration to cooperate with the state inspector general for corrections and give that person direct access to computerized records. It requires reporting on inmates with mental and behavioral health needs who are in solitary confinement. And it defines more clearly the role of parole administrator. The bill advanced from first reading on a 31-5 vote. Director-producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra will be shooting his upcoming films in Jammu and Kashmir later this year. Chopra called on Governor N N Vohra at the Civil Secretariat here today to discuss the upcoming project. The "Mission Kashmir" director informed Governor about his plans to shoot his upcoming film in Jammu and Kashmir later this year, an official spokesman said. The Governor welcomed the prospect and assured Chopra of the State Government's support in the matter and directed B B Vyas, Financial Commissioner Information, to ensure that the filmmaker gets the required assistance. Wit, barbs, sarcasm and poetry marked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply on the motion of thanks to President's address in Rajya Sabha today, which he concluded with renowned poet and lyricist Nida Fazli's poem "Safar Me Dhoop to Hogi". The Prime Minister also invoked the image of "death" to take potshots at Congress during his reply and said the main Opposition party, like death, never gets any blame for whatever happens. "Death has a blessing. It never gets blamed for anything. If somebody dies, the blame goes to reasons like cancer, age.. Death itself is never blamed or defamed. Sometimes I feel that Congress also has this blessing... Congress never gets the blame," he said. Barring the imagery of death, his other references were mild and light ones even though sarcasm was not missing. Modi, who had arrived in the House minutes before it commenced in the afternoon, walked up to Opposition benches and mingled with them exchanging pleasantries. He shook hands Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party veteran Karan Singh sitting together and had a brief chat with Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad. As he was moving in first rows of Opposition benches, members from other Opposition parties sitting in back rows drew his attention towards them. Samwajwadi Party MP Choudhary Munawwar Saleem recited an Urdu couplet to the Prime Minister, which could not be heard in the din. After shaking hands with JD-U President Sharad Yadav, the Prime Minister walked up its general secretary K C Tyagi. The poetic ambience continued during the reply even as members from treasury and ruling benches occasionally engaged in verbal sparring. When Congress Mani Shankar Aiyar reacted strongly to Modi's suggestion that Congress was to be blamed for continuing illiteracy in the country, the Prime Minister trained guns on him invoking an old All India Radio programme 'Bhule Bisre Geet' (Old forgotten songs). "Long back there was a programme on Akashwani," the Prime Minister said, but was immediately interrupted by Congress members who mockingly reminded of 'Mann Ki Baat', the monthly radio programme addressed by Modi. However, the Prime Minister continued: "Bhule Bisre Geet aate then (this programme used to be played on the radio). Now when some persons' terms (in Rajya Sabha) are coming to an end, it is quite natural that these 'bhule bisre sur' (forgotten notes) are heard." Modi also cited a Sanskrit proverb "Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah" (the path taken by the elders is followed) to hammer home the point that Rajya Sabha, which is the House of elders, sets the pattern for other Houses. The Prime Minister also used the imagery of microscope and binocular to target Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad for trying to find fault with the implementation of the Jan Dhan Yojana in Madhya Pradesh and addressed the Congress leader as "Saheb" as he told him that had Congress performed in past, he would not have got a chance to work. The Prime Minister ended the reply with Nida Fazli's poem "Safar Me Dhoop to Hogi". He recited a couple of lines: "Safar mein dhoop to hogi jo chal sako to chalo, Sabhi hain bheed mein, tum bhi nikal sako to chalo, Kisi ke vaaste raahein kahaan badalti hain, Tum apne aap ko khud hi badal sako to chalo, Yahaan kisi ko koi raasta nahin deta, Mujhe giraake, agar tum sambhal sako to chalo. A 28-year-old woman was allegedly raped on the pretext of marriage by a Shashtra Seema Bal jawan, who has been arrested, police said today. The accused, Manoj Kumar, who is posted in 18th battalion of SSB at Thumka in Jharkhand, raped the 28-year-old victim several times after promising to marry, they said. He later deserted her, police said, adding an FIR was lodged yesterday and after initial investigation, the accused was arrested. Yemen's Iran-backed rebels have freed a Saudi soldier in return for seven detained Yemenis as part of a tribal-mediated border truce agreed by both sides, the Riyadh-led coalition said today. The agreement reached during a visit by a Yemeni tribal delegation to the kingdom is the first of its kind since the Saudi-led coalition began a military campaign against the rebels in March last year. The frontier between war-ravaged Yemen and its northern neighbour has seen many deadly incidents over the past 12 months. Yemen's delegation sought to negotiate a truce "along the border with the kingdom to allow the entry of medical and humanitarian aid to Yemeni towns near the theatre of operations", the coalition statement said. Coalition forces have responded by allowing aid to flow through the Alb border crossing, said the statement published by the official SPA agency. Saudi soldier Jaber al-Kaabi was handed over to the coalition in exchange for seven Yemenis who were detained by Saudi authorities at the border, it added. Sources close to negotiators said yesterday that the Shiite Huthi rebels had sent a delegation to mainly Sunni Saudi Arabia to discuss a truce along the frontier. The coalition "welcomes the continuity of calm" which would help "reach a UN-brokered political solution". It said. The United Nations is pushing for peace talks between the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Huthis and their allies, but those efforts have been deadlocked over disagreements on a ceasefire. More than 90 people - both military and civilian - have been killed on the Saudi side of the border by fire from Yemen during the conflict. Northern Yemen is controlled by the Huthis, who have allied with troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. The UN says that more than 6,000 people have been killed in Yemen since the coalition began its campaign of air strikes. TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's second biggest pension fund Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec said on Wednesday it will open its first Indian office in New Delhi to scout for investments in South Asia. The Caisse also announced the appointment of Anita Marangoly George as managing director for South Asia. Based in New Delhi, George will head up the new CDPQ India unit to seek investment opportunities across all asset classes. Canadian pension funds are expanding into new territories and investing directly in assets such as infrastructure and real estate as they seek alternatives to volatile global equity markets and low-yielding government bonds. India is viewed as a prime investment opportunity, given its rapid economic growth and burgeoning middle class. The Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board, Canada's biggest public pension fund, set up an office in Mumbai last year to scout for opportunities. Caisse Chief Executive Officer Michael Sabia in a statement cited India's "scope and quality of investment opportunities, the potential for strategic partnerships with leading Indian entrepreneurs, and the current government's intention to pursue essential economic reforms." The Caisse also announced a commitment to invest $150 million in renewable energy in India. (Reporting by Matt Scuffham; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn) TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's second biggest pension fund Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec said on Wednesday it will open its first Indian office in New Delhi and invest $150 million in a renewable energy project. Canadian pension funds are expanding into new territories and investing directly in assets such as infrastructure and real estate as they seek alternatives to volatile global equity markets and low-yielding government bonds. (Reporting by Matt Scuffham) BERLIN (Reuters) - Volkswagen's delay in announcing it had cheated U.S. diesel emission tests was a legitimate move in seeking to first strike a deal with regulators, the carmaker's lawyers said in an official report seen this week by . Following is an account by VW and its German law firm Goehmann of events leading up to the violation of U.S. emissions law being publicly announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Sept. 18, 2015. 2005: VW decides to promote its diesel technology, already popular in Europe, in the United States, with the development of a new engine, the EA 189. November 2006: VW's lawyers say in their report that the modification of the engine management software was probably carried out at this time. Staff in the powertrain electronics department (EAE), diesel engine development (EAD) and the engine test centre (EAS) were involved in the software changes. In the ensuing period, staff which VW says have yet to be identified decided to modify the software to meet strict U.S. emissions limits. The modification was relatively small and could be done within budget and without involving higher levels of management, VW said. May 15, 2014: The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) publishes a study that shows nitrogen oxide values for two VW diesel vehicles deviated significantly between bench testing and road operation. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) requests an explanation from Volkswagen Group of America and launches its own examination of emissions of a VW vehicle. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) follows with a separate investigation. Over the following months, VW carries out internal verification tests which subsequently confirmed the ICCT's findings. May 23, 2014: A memo about the ICCT study is prepared for Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn which was included in what VW calls his "extensive weekend email". VW says it has not been documented as to whether, or how much, Winterkorn took notice of the memo. Nov. 14, 2014: Winterkorn receives another memo that contains, among other items, information on current product defects and which refers to costs of approximately 20 million euros ($21.95 million) for the diesel issue in North America. December 2014: VW's U.S. unit meets with CARB and offers to recalibrate the first and second generation EA 189 diesel engines as part of regular service work that was already scheduled for December 2014. According to the lawyers' report VW recalibrates about 280,000 brand models built between 2009 and 2014 with the engine EA 189 in December 2014 and in the spring 2015. May 2015: According to the lawyers' report VW steps up internal questioning of engineers as it seeks explanations for diverging emissions test results. May 21, 2015: The head of product safety at VW's legal department, Cornelius Renken, was informed that irregularities with U.S. emissions tests could be caused by a problem with the engine management software, the lawyers' report says. From late May, signs were growing at VW that illicit software may have been used in its U.S. vehicles, the report said. June/July 2015: According to the lawyers' report VW's legal department learned that around 80,000 U.S. cars with the EA 189 engine's second generation and another 400,000 models with the first-generation EA 189 were affected by the software problem. July 8, 2015: CARB informs VW's U.S. division and the EPA that a new set of tests has shown emissions by a U.S. Passat car are still at unacceptable levels, the report says. July 21, 2015: The report says specialists at VW discussed a notification by CARB to withhold type approval of 2016 vehicles should VW fail to resolve its emission issues. That meeting led to VW's Committee for Product Safety (APS) establishing a diesel task force, it said. July 27, 2015: Some VW employees discuss the U.S. diesel problems on the sidelines of a regular meeting about damage and product issues, in the presence of Winterkorn and Herbert Diess, head of the VW brand. VW says it is still constructing details of the meeting, and establishing whether those present understood that the change in software violated U.S. regulations. VW says Winterkorn asked for further clarification of the issue. End of August 2015: The lawyers' report said former CEO Winterkorn was informed that first- and second-generation engines EA 189 were not compliant with U.S. emissions standards and that the APS was due to meet on Aug. 24 to try to resolve queries from CARB about the EA 189's second and third generation. VW said it was at this time that technicians gave a full explanation of technical causes for discrepancies in nitrogen oxide emissions to VW's in-house lawyers as well to U.S. attorneys from Kirkland & Ellis. A management board member - not identified by VW - realises the software changes constitute a defeat device prohibited under U.S. law. Sept. 3, 2015: VW formally communicates information about the defeat device to CARB and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during a meeting. Winterkorn is informed in a note, dated Sept. 4. Sept. 18, 2015: EPA issues a public notice of violation of the Clean Air Act to VW, alleging that model year 2009-2015 VW and Audi diesel cars with 2.0 litre engine included defeat devices. Sources: Volkswagen statement from March 2. VW law firm Goehmann report to a German court from Feb 29. ($1 = 0.9112 euros) (Reporting by Andreas Cremer and Victoria Bryan; Editing by Greg Mahlich) ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece and its international lenders resumed talks on Wednesday on its fiscal and reform progress, rekindling Athens' hopes that its first bailout review may be concluded before the end of April, with the big issue of pensions high on the agenda. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who has a fragile majority in parliament, wants to conclude the review swiftly so he can begin talks on debt relief and hope that will convince Greeks that their sacrifices are paying off after six years of austerity. European Union and International Monetary Fund inspectors set the agenda of the talks with Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos before meeting Labour Minister George Katrougalos to discuss pension reforms, including concessions offered by Tsipras to protesting farmers and self-employed professionals. A government official said the lenders did not demand cuts in standard pensions during the talks on Wednesday, which were preliminary, but "showed a tough stance on the issue of supplementary pensions and were concerned about their viability". Pension issues would be revisited this week, while income tax reforms would be discussed on Thursday. The mission was seen staying in Athens about ten days, the official said. The review was interrupted in early February due to differences among the institutions over the estimated size of a fiscal gap by 2018, but also disagreements with Athens on the depth of the pension reform and the management of bad loans. Athens has pledged to cut pension spending by 1 percent of GDP this year and reach a primary surplus of 3.5 percent by 2018. It was not clear if the lenders had reached a consensus on the projected fiscal gap which could force Athens to cut pensions further, despite its pre-election promises. [nL8N1686UN] Euro zone finance ministers acknowledged this week that a debate on debt relief was coming up soon, but Greece should first implement pension and tax reforms, set up an independent revenue agency and deal with non-performing loans. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he expected the review would be completed by early May. "It's positive that there is an end date for the bailout review, but also a date for the start of the negotiation on debt relief," a second government official told . (Reporting by Renee Maltezou; Editing by Louise Ireland) NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India cut the royalties paid by local firms for Monsanto's genetically modified cotton seeds by nearly 70 percent on Wednesday, ignoring a threat by the world's biggest seed company to leave if it did. The move follows complaints from local seeds companies that Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (India)(MMB), a Monsanto joint venture with India's Mahyco, was charging high royalties. This prompted the agriculture ministry to form a panel to look into the matter, whose recommendation the government has now accepted. MMB has filed a case in a Delhi court, challenging the authority of the panel to determine the trade fee agreed upon by MMB and a number of Indian seed companies. As well as cutting the royalties, the government also capped GM cotton seed prices at 800 rupees for a packet of 400 grams after appeals by some state governments and farmers to lower the rate of the Bt variety that commands 90 percent of the market. Bt cotton seeds are being sold at between 830 and 1,100 rupees per packet in different parts of the country. The government's move came after Monsanto threatened on Friday to pull out of the country and hold off new technology if the government forced a big cut in its payments from Indian seed companies. India's Mahyco and U.S.-based Monsanto launched a GM cotton variety in India in 2002, helping transform the country into the world's top producer and second-largest exporter of the fibre. Separately, the Competition Commission of India, the antitrust regulator, last month said there were indications that MMB had abused its dominant position in the country and asked its director general to complete an investigation within two months. (Reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Alexander Smith) By Suchitra Mohanty NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, under pressure from banks to repay more than $1 billion of debt owed by his collapsed airline, left the country last week, a lawyer for the lenders told the Supreme Court. More than a dozen state-run banks - led by the country's largest, State Bank of India, - had appealed to the Supreme Court asking that Mallya be stopped from leaving as they step up pressure on the one-time billionaire. On Wednesday, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, representing the banks, told the Supreme Court he had been told by police that Mallya left India on March 2, and asked the court to demand his return. Mallya's exact whereabouts are not known. The court has asked Mallya to reply to a notice issued to him within two weeks, after which it will hear the case again. Details of the notice were not made public. Mallya, an extravagant, larger-than-life personality who billed himself as the "King of Good Times", has become one of India's most famous errant borrowers, with newspapers closely following the fortunes of his yacht, jet and properties. The debt at the heart of his troubles is owed by his Kingfisher Airlines, but was personally guaranteed by Mallya. A spokesman for Mallya's UB Group did not respond to calls and email seeking comment. In a statement on Sunday, Mallya said he had no intention of running away from creditors and was in talks with them for a one-time settlement of the Kingfisher debt. Mallya was last month ousted as the chairman of top Indian spirits maker United Spirits, a unit of British spirits giant Diageo Plc. A separate tribunal on Monday temporarily blocked a $75 million settlement Mallya is due to receive from Diageo. Kingfisher, once India's second-biggest airline, collapsed in 2013, leaving creditors, suppliers and employees unpaid. The airline owed banks 69.63 billion rupees ($1.03 billion) as of the end of January 2014. Including interest and other expenses, its liability is about 90 billion rupees ($1.34 billion), Rohatgi told the Supreme Court. ($1 = 67.2900 rupees) (Writing by Devidutta Tripathy; Editing by Clara Ferreira-Marques and Mark Potter) By Amanda Cooper LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices broke above $40 a barrel on Wednesday, driven by anticipation that the world's largest exporters may agree as soon as this month to freeze output, which could accelerate a decline in the largest global build in unwanted crude in years. Producers in and outside the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries plan to meet in Moscow on March 20 to discuss an output freeze, an Iraqi oil official told state newspaper Al-Sabah. Russia's energy ministry said no date or place had been set for a possible meeting, but this had little impact on the oil market. Brent crude futures gained 73 cents to trade at $40.38 a barrel by 1200 GMT, having touched three-month highs on Tuesday above $41. U.S. crude futures were up 56 cents at $37.06. "The consensus is for supply and demand to improve in the second half of the year. The problem was always with the first half .. which is heavy," Petromatrix crude oil strategist Olivier Jakob said. "Add all this momentum for actually increased talks between OPEC and non-OPEC - if there is a freeze agreement of some sort, then it could (form) the bridge to the tighter supply/demand balance in the second half, so I think that has definitely helped to support prices." Oil prices have risen by around 25 percent since Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Venezuela and non-OPEC exporter Russia said in mid-February they would leave supply at January's levels if there was enough support from other producers. Nervousness is running high in oil-dependent nations whose budgets have been tattered by weak prices, such as Algeria, which warned the recovery in crude was "very unstable" and could reverse. Credit ratings agency Moody's warned of the potential for more curtailments to output from defaults arising from the low oil price, which in January was at its weakest in nearly 13 years. Analysts at Bernstein said poor economics could lead to more oilfield closures. "Only two months into 2016 we find cumulative shut-in production has already reached 60,000 bpd (barrels per day) and up to 260 million barrels of reserves," Bernstein said. U.S. output is falling, but slowing demand and a global production and storage overhang are capping any potential for bigger price gains. Energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie said it expected "the annual average price for 2016 to be lower than 2015 and then recover in 2017, reflecting large oversupply and high stock levels during the first half of 2016." (Additional eporting by Henning Gloystein in Singapore; Editing by Dale Hudson) By Barani Krishnan NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil rose on Wednesday, with Brent crude perched above $40 a barrel as hopes for a meeting of top producers that could cap output upstaged forecasts that U.S. data due later in the day would show record high inventories for the fourth straight week. Producers in and outside the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries plan to meet in Moscow on March 20 to discuss an output freeze, an Iraqi oil official told state newspaper Al-Sabah. Russia's energy ministry said no date or place had been set for the meeting. In the United States, the government-run Energy Information Administration was scheduled to issue at 10:30 a.m. EST (1530 GMT) a report that analysts polled by think will cite a 3.9 million barrels build in crude inventories last week. Worries about too much oil supply caused global benchmark Brent to fall 3 percent on Tuesday, snapping a six-day rally after hitting 2016 highs above $40. But buying in crude returned on Wednesday as talk of OPEC action gathered momentum, while U.S. gasoline also rallied on expectations of an early rally to the peak summer driving season. "It's going to be volatile for sure," Scott Shelton, energy broker at ICAP in Durham, North Carolina, describing potential market action for the day. Brent was up 58 cents, or 1.5 percent, at $40.23 a barrel by 9:51 a.m. EST (1451 GMT). U.S. crude rose 62 cents to $37.12. Oil prices have risen by around 25 percent since Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Venezuela and non-OPEC exporter Russia said in mid-February they would leave supply at January's levels if there was enough support from other producers. Energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie said it expected "the annual average price for 2016 to be lower than 2015 and then recover in 2017, reflecting large oversupply and high stock levels during the first half of 2016." "Add all this momentum for actually increased talks between OPEC and non-OPEC - if there is a freeze agreement of some sort, then it could (form) the bridge to the tighter supply/demand balance in the second half," said Petromatrix crude oil strategist Olivier Jakob. Credit ratings agency Moody's warned of the potential for more output declines and defaults in debt servicing by oil producing countries due to low oil prices. (Additional eporting by Amanda Cooper in LONDON and Henning Gloystein in SINAGPORE; Editing by Dale Hudson and Alden Bentley) By Zeba Siddiqui MUMBAI (Reuters) - India has given private assurances that it will not grant licences allowing local firms to override patents and make cheap copies of drugs by big Western drugmakers, a U.S. business advocacy group said. The comments were revealed in a submission last month by the U.S.-India Business Council to the U.S. Trade Representative, which is reviewing global intellectual property laws for an annual report identifying trade barriers to U.S. companies. The USTR has placed India on its "priority watch" list for two years in a row saying the country's patent laws unfairly favour local drug makers. A bone of contention has been a legal provision that allows the overriding of patents on original drugs and granting of 'compulsory licences' to local firms to make cheaper copycat medicines. India can grant such licences under certain conditions, such as public health emergencies, to ensure access to affordable medicines for its mostly poor people. It granted the first such licence in 2012, allowing local firm Natco Ltd to sell a copy of German drug maker Bayer's cancer medicine Nexavar at a tenth of the price. Since that ruling, big Western pharmaceutical companies have criticised India's patent law and lobbied for it to be changed. In its submission to the USTR, a copy of which was seen by Reuters, the USIBC said the Indian government "privately reassured" the group that it would not grant such licences to firms for commercial purposes. The Indian government has made no such statements publicly. Officials have said they are committed to protecting the interests of patients. Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, her joint secretary in charge of pharmaceuticals, and the USIBC did not respond to requests for comment. Washington-based non-profit Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) expressed concern over the USIBC submission. "If such an agreement in fact exists, this is extremely troubling ... this sort of pressure is basically a declaration of war on poor cancer patients," KEI said in its own submission to the USTR last week. It called for details of the agreement to be made public. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has been undertaking a review of its intellectual property policy. A revised policy is due to be released imminently. Several health activists and charities like Medecins Sans Frontieres have criticised the review, saying India is buckling under U.S. pressure and compromising the interests of patients. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the biggest U.S. industry lobby group, have both recommended keeping India on the U.S. "priority watch" list in separate submissions to the USTR. The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, which represents 20 big drug makers, argued in its own submission that India's patent laws were fully WTO-compliant. Its head chided the USIBC for breaching confidence in its submission. "If the government of India had said something privately, USIBC should not have embarrassed it by making it public," said Secretary General D.G. Shah. (Reporting by Zeba Siddiqui) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department sent German automaker Volkswagen AG a subpoena under a bank fraud law in its diesel emissions probe, a person briefed on the matter said Tuesday. The government is using the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act to issue the civil subpoena, a 1989 law used in investigating large financial institutions, said the source who requested anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the ongoing probe. The law allows the government's civil division to investigate fraud over the last 10 years. VW spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan declined to comment on talks with regulators, but said the automaker "will continue to cooperate with all relevant government agencies." The Wall Street Journal reported the subpoena earlier Tuesday. The law has been used to subpoena auto loan finance companies in recent years, among other companies. VW faces investigations around the world after it admitted in September to installing software in up to 11 million vehicles that allowed them to emit up to 40 times legally allowable pollution in real world driving. Last month, a federal judge imposed a March 24 deadline for Volkswagen to state whether it has found an emissions fix for 600,000 U.S. diesel vehicles that is acceptable to U.S. regulators. The U.S. Justice Department in January sued Europe's Volkswagen for up to $46 billion for violating U.S. environmental laws. VW and its Audi and Porsche brands are barred from selling any new 2016 diesel models in the United States. VW also faces more than 500 lawsuits from U.S. owners. Settlement talks are still ongoing between the Justice Department, EPA and California Air Resources Board that could include buyback offers and fixes for vehicles. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Richard Chang, Bernard Orr) Siddharth Parekh, younger son of Deepak Parekh chairman HDFC, and entrepreneur Sumeet Nindrajog today announced that they have raised $50 million in commitments, marking the first close of their $200 million private equity fund, Growth Fund I ("PPGF-I"). The fund was established in August 2015. With its first close, PPGF-I also announced that it has completed the funding of $10 million in Capacite Infraprojects, an EPC player based in Mumbai. PPGF-I will get significant minority stake in the company. Capacite is engaged in the construction of buildings (including super high rise structures) and factories, for large real estate developers, corporates and institutions. With this investment of $10million as growth capital, PPGF-I will gain significant minority stake in Capacite. Siddharth Parekh, Co-Founder, Paragon Partners, commenting on the first close, said, "We believe the next decade in India will see a strong resurgence of growth in key sectors such as manufacturing, financial services and infrastructure. aims to become the capital provider of choice in these sectors, which form the backbone of the Indian economy. We are thankful to have the support and confidence of some very credible domestic and foreign investors." PPGF-I plans to invest in 10-15 mid-market companies in India, with an average deal size of $10-20 million. It will focus on five core sectors, including consumer discretionary, financial services, infrastructure services (capex light), industrials and healthcare services. The Fund has an advanced pipeline of investment opportunities across these sectors. In line with this, has recruited a full team consisting of six investment and operating professionals and a CFO, with several years of India Private Equity experience. Sumeet Nindrajog, Co-Founder, Paragon Partners added, "We are delighted to partner with Capacite, and in particular, Rahul, Rohit, Subir and the rest of the management team, whom we have known for a number of years. Within a span of 3 years, the company has witnessed exponential growth under a credible and experienced leadership team and a strong focus on best in class customer service. Following a hands-on approach with a strong operational focus; we believe Paragon Partners will further add value and help scale the business." "Within a short span of three years from inception, Capacite has achieved significant scale with an expected top line of Rs 1,000 cr for the current financial year, backed by a gross order book of Rs 5,400 cr. We are delighted to partner with Paragon Partners, as Capacite embarks on its next wave of growth," said Rohit Katyal, Director Capacite. It was announced today that Irish energy supplier, Vayu Energy, has signed a renewable electricity deal with Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers, one of Irelands most successful producers of handmade cheeses. Valued at 130,000, the agreement will see Vayu Energy supply the family-owned business with 100% green electricity to meet its year-round energy requirements as it continues to expand both at home in Ireland and overseas. The deal provides Cashel Farmhouse with direct access to wholesale electricity prices normally only available to larger energy users, allowing the company to achieve significant savings compared with traditional fixed rate tariffs in the market. As part of a fully managed agreement, Vayu will provide Cashel Farmhouse with the procurement tools and advice to purchase energy at the best price available in the market. Cashel Farmhouse was established in 1984 and is famous for the outstanding quality of cheeses it produces from grass-fed milk at its 200 acre farm in Beechmount, Co. Tipperary. Renowned brands include Cashel Blue, Irelands first blue cheese, and Crozier Blue, Irelands only blue cheese made from sheeps milk. Each year, the farm produces over 300 tonnes of cheese with about 45% destined for the export market. Key overseas markets include Britain, the US, Australia, New Zealand and France where Cashel Blue recently won the prestigious Super Gold medal at the Mondial du Fromage in Tours. Louis Clifton Brown of Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers said, "Safeguarding the environment is a core value for Cashel Farmhouse. As we continue to expand, we are very focused on reducing our impact on the environment across all aspects of our business. Our partnership with Vayu helps us reduce our environmental footprint even further by providing us with green electricity with a 100% renewable rating." He added, "Not only does the deal provide us with direct access to sustainable electricity at wholesale market prices, but we are partnering with a company supplier that has demonstrated a deep understanding and expertise of Irelands energy market." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us European shares made slight progress in early trading on Wednesday, as stronger banking shares propped up the region's stock markets. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index, which fell 0.9% on Tuesday to around its lowest level in a week, edged up by 0.1%, as did the euro zone's blue-chip Euro STOXX 50 index. Shares in Credit Agricole rose around 1 percent after the French bank pledged to boost cost savings and synergies by 2019. Drinks group Heineken also advanced 1.3% after Goldman Sachs raised its rating on the firm to "buy" from "neutral." However, Volkswagen shares fell as the German carmaker faced a subpoena from the U.S. Justice Department related to its diesel emissions probe, while Russia also said it would recall some VW models. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie Irish oil producer Petroceltic International Plc claims the High Court approved the appointment of Michael McAteer as the company's interim examiner. Petroceltic, which received a buyout offer from its largest shareholder Worldview Capital last month, said it was under the protection of the court following the approval. The company, which operates in Algeria, Egypt, the Black Sea and the Kurdistan region of Iraq, has been struggling with a collapse in global crude oil prices. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie About us News landscape At Business World, we write our own news articles, content and blogs. In our blogs, we like to discuss the news in greater detail, get our views across or cover stories that dont fit into our other news platforms. We just like to write. When we look at the news landscape in Ireland, it is dominated by talk of the election, strikes, new job creation..and banks. Another sub plot in the news world is discussions on pensions; raising the age of pensions, articles on how to make the best of your pension etc., etc. Pensions According to latest news reports, most people dont think about their pensions until they are in their mid-30s, for women the pension landscape can be even tougher. For most people under 40, the thought of a pension is there in the background; something that needs to be done in the mid to long term. Obviously we know the advice for pensions; which equates to generally understanding your pensions policy! That advice is coupled with generic savings advice along the lines of save early and save often. Success Stories The most ridiculous pension success story is the Norwegian Government Pension Fund which is the world's largest sovereign wealth fund. This fund is where surplus cash produced by the Norwegian petroleum industry is deposited. As of 29 January 2016, its total value is $802.6 billion, this is larger than some countries GDP! The fund is not a pension fund in the conventional sense, as it derives its financial backing from oil profits as opposed to pension contributions. ..and failures The largest pension failure is not starting to contribute to your own as soon as you left school! Only joking.. Japans public pension reserve fund, the largest of its kind in the world, posted its biggest quarterly loss since the financial crisis; the Japan Government Pension Investment Fund lost $64 billion in the three months to September 2015, or 5.59% of its total value. Closer to home As people near their pension age, they can begin to look at maximising their pension pot, sometimes making risky decisions. The Irish Examiner reported just before Christmas that, the Irish Association of Pension Funds (IAPF) is fearful falling bond yields could entice pension funds and defined benefit contribution members to look for more volatile and riskier investment strategies that could leave them with losses should markets take a turn for the worse. Business World Here at Business World, we like to take a deeper look at the news stories of the day. We write news feeds for ourselves and for our clients in the financial industries (amongst other business areas). We also provide media analysis to leading state regulators in Ireland and we provide written content to a large number of industries, providing news, news feeds, blog and editorial content. Get in touch today and let us show you how we can create SEO rich content for your business across multiple platforms. Seventy per cent of Irish marketers plan to increase the percentage of their marketing budget given to social media in 2016. This is according to new research released today by Edelman and the Marketing Institute of Ireland. Over half of those surveyed (51%) highlighted Facebook as the single most important social platform for their business (up from 36% in 2015) with Linkedin and Twitter neck and neck on 22% and 21% respectively. Twitter remains the platform most likely to see an increase in activity, whilst Snapchat and Instagram saw the biggest percentage change from 2015 results. Given Facebooks already dominant position, it continues to perform exceptionally well with 60% saying theyll increase their activity in 2016. Furthermore, the report shows that the Irish marketing community is also very supportive of the new advertising regulations around the use of social media influencers. Seventy five per cent of research participants appear to endorse a recent announcement by the Advertising Standards Authoritys intent to crackdown on influencers who do not declare paid posts. Thirty seven per cent of marketers surveyed said that they had used a digital influencer in their brand activity, with 24% of this group paying them for their involvement. Use of social influencers in marketing campaigns is set to increase in 2016, with 52% of survey participants indicating that they would increase their use of prominent bloggers, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and Twitter users. Over half of respondents (54%) believe that online influencers can play a credible or very credible role but 25% are worried about the ethics of using online influencers to promote a brand or product. The research was unveiled ahead of DMX Dublin, Irelands largest digital marketing conference which takes place at the Aviva Stadium today. Chief Executive of the Marketing Institute of Ireland, Tom Trainor says, "This is the second year of our social media survey with Edelman and again it has raised some important questions for Irish marketers. "The Marketing Institute would encourage all Irish marketers to continually assess and improve their marketing activities and social media and its efficacy is growing ever more important. This research in addition to the sharing, learning and networking at DMX today will give Irish marketers some invaluable food for though and insights to improve their marketing." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us Britain's top share index rose on Wednesday, boosted by a rise in insurer Prudential after it announced a special dividend with results that beat expectations. Prudential rose 2.9%, among the top FTSE 100 risers, after its profit was lifted by strong performances at its British, U.S. and Asian life businesses. "Overall Prudential remains in good shape and ... has allayed investor concerns on management's ability to deliver on strategy," said Atif Latif, director of trading at Guardian Stockbrokers. "The announcement of a special dividend and 5% increase of the ordinary dividend has been well received." Britain's FTSE 100 index was up 0.5% at 6,154.11 points by 1441 GMT. British mining company Glencore recovered some of the previous session's heavy losses to trade up 2.8 percent, with investors citing bargain hunters dipping back into the stock following the sell-off. "We could find that the bounce today is fairly short-lived and it starts to shift back down again. Around these sorts of levels, you'd think Glencore is probably in no man's land," Manoj Ladwa, head of trading at TJM Partners, said. Shares in energy provider SSE also rose, up 2.2% after JP Morgan upgraded its rating on the company to "overweight" from "underweight", citing a ""diversified, defensive, cash-generative business mix". Among fallers, luxury goods company Burberry Group dropped 6.2%, almost entirely reversing gains made in the previous session on bid rumours, as HSBC cut its rating to "hold" from "buy". Construction equipment rental company Ashtead was down 3.1% after it was downgraded to "underperform" from "outperform" by Credit Suisse. "(We) conclude that, independent of the demand outlook, risks are building around rental rates," analysts at Credit Suisse said in a note, slashing its target price to 770 pence from 1,300 pence. Berenberg and JP Morgan also cut their target price on the stock. Mid-caps underperformed blue chips, with the FTSE 250 index down 0.3%, hit by disappointing updates from Restaurant Group and G4S. Restaurant Group plunged 21.7% to its lowest in two years after providing a disappointing outlook for the forthcoming year. G4S dropped 12.6 percent after it took an extra charge related to British government contracts. "Security group G4S failed to woo investors with an increased dividend as attention remained fixed on losses on its government contract to house asylum seekers," Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said in a note. Among risers, Cairn Energy rose 9.7% after announcing better-than-expected results from a well in Senegal. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie Chechnyas strongman Ramzan Kadyrov has recently come under increasing fire for publicly humiliating his critics and particularly when unable to reach out to his detractors in person for retaliating against their families. In late 2015 and early 2016, members of the Europe-based Chechen diaspora communities organized a series of demonstrations attended by hundreds of Chechens protested in Vienna, Stockholm and Berlin against the indiscriminate practices carried out by the Kadyrov regime in their home country. These protests and Kadyrovs consequent promise to hold protestors relatives living in Chechnya accountable for the supposedly anti-Chechen defamation campaign have drawn attention to the practice of collective punishment that has shaped Chechnyas social and political landscape since the early 2000s. BACKGROUND: Outraged by the first demonstration in Vienna in December, Kadyrov publicly pledged to track down the relatives of the protestors, pointing to what he called a Chechen custom stipulating that a brother answers for his brother. In a speech broadcast by Chechen TV, Kadyrov explicitly asserted that he gave instructions to find out whether they have brothers and fathers, which clan they belong to, where they were born, and who they are. Kadyrov also pledged to use every available resource to make sure that the Chechnya-based relatives sorted things out with their defiant family members abroad: If they don't make any decisions, we will demand that they do. In the past, the tradition of collective responsibility or punishment or blood feud in its ultimate form has worked as an effective deterrent against tyranny and inter-communal warfare in a society without strong traditions of statehood and feudal stratification was largely underdeveloped. Against the background of absent or weak authorities, individual clans were responsible for defending their own members, which eventually balanced the competing clans and their aspirations. At the same time, individual clan members constantly had to take into account the dire consequences of violating the customary law. As a result, as Semyon Bronyevsky, a Russian general and ethnographer aptly put it at the beginning of the nineteenth century: There are many small tyrants in the Caucasus, but there is no apparent autocracy. During the Tsarist and Soviet periods, the clan-based Chechens maintained their age-old tradition of blood feud in an effort to distance themselves from the authorities, which they regarded as alien and untrustworthy. Instead, Chechens usually sought to avoid what they saw as the authorities intrusion into their highly sheltered communal matters. In the 1990s, facing the collapse of the Soviet Union and the resulting rise of anarchy in de facto independent Chechnya, the tradition of blood feud saw a revival. Yet it was not until the early 2000s that blood feud or the related notion of collective responsibility saw a significant transformation in Chechen society. IMPLICATIONS: The Russian military largely used indiscriminate violence during the First Chechnya War. It refined its strategy in the Second Chechnya War, targeting villages and neighborhoods from which Russian garrisons or units were attacked. In the short run, this strategy proved effective as many Chechens sought to avoid retaliation in their home villages by targeting the Russian military in distant areas. The fact that Russian commanders generally lacked information on the identities of the insurgents as most Chechens committed to non-collaboration with the occupying force prevented them from deploying selective violence, the key to success in any counterinsurgency. To reverse the situation on the ground, Chechen paramilitary forces known as kadyrovtsy were established in the early 2000s. Kadyrovtsy routinely used violence against the relatives of insurgents, particularly of prominent rebel commanders, to force them to capitulate or switch sides. On some occasions, the abducted relatives of insurgent commanders were executed one by one. Under these circumstances, many rebels chose to capitulate or join the kadyrovtsy. New recruits in the emerging paramilitary formation, whether former insurgents or ordinary Chechens, knew that disloyalty or defection to the insurgents camp would inevitably lead to the execution of their relatives, ultimately ensuring that few defected from the kadyrovtsy. To further cement their loyalty, they were deployed in operations against the relatives of the remaining insurgents, which tied the fresh kadyrovtsy to the old ones and to the Kadyrov family by blood. This triggered a series of blood feuds between the kadyrovtsys and insurgents relatives, while the remainder of the Chechen population sought to remain neutral for the sake of survival (see the 05/31/2006 issue of the CACI Analyst). With Chechen society polarized into two warring camps, relatives of the kadyrovtsy started reporting on suspicious activities of their co-villagers, which damaged local support for insurgent groups and their recruitment. Tens of thousands of Russian troops deployed to Chechnya ensured a disproportionate superiority of the kadyrovtsy, a formidable force of up to 7,000 armed men, vis-a-vis the rest of the Chechen population, let alone individual Chechen clans. Hence, many Chechens either discarded retaliation or postponed it for better times, while most of Chechnyas population stayed away from the insurgency for fear of retribution against their families. Since the kadyrovtsy became the backbone of the local counterinsurgency in the mid-2000s, the number of insurgents shrank to dozens from a once-eminent force of several thousands. Since the late 2000s, the Kadyrov regime has increasingly deployed the same practice of collective punishment against Chechen detractors that it has been unable to reach within Chechnya or in Russia. Imams of Chechen mosques are obliged by the regime to report on Chechen males of conscript age missing for more than three Friday prayers. If suspicions arise that these males have joined the local insurgency or, more recently, departed for Syria, kadyrovtsy visit their families. Unless they can provide a good reason why their sons or brothers are missing, they are usually held accountable. The practice of killing relatives has become rather rare in recent years, but kadyrovsti have in some instances burnt down the houses of relatives of persons believed to be members of local jihadist groups. Since the early 2010s, Kadyrov has increasingly directed his attention to European Chechens. In some EU member states with large Chechen diaspora communities, Russian embassies have formed representations of Chechnya intended to monitor the activities of local Chechens. When inimical behavior is detected in public gatherings or in social media Chechen authorities seek to track down the Chechnya-based relatives of these troublemakers and hold them accountable. In some cases, they have been pressured to lure the regime critics back to Chechnya so that revenge can be exerted on them directly. This, too, has dramatically reduced the publicly expressed discontent with Kadyrovs policies; regardless of their dissatisfaction with the regime, many Chechens remain silent in order to protect themselves as well as their relatives. CONCLUSIONS: Interviews with EU-based Chechen emigres, many of whom left their homeland due to Kadyrovs vicious policies, reveal that the idea of retaliation is still alive among Chechens residing outside their republic. Likewise, hundreds perhaps even thousands of Chechens residing within Chechnya and Russia have not abandoned the aim of taking revenge on Kadyrov, his relatives, or his men. Nevertheless, they have postponed retaliation to a more suitable time to ensure that their entire families are not wiped out by kadyrovtsy as a consequence (see the 12/10/2014 Issue of the CACI Analyst). The tradition of blood feud has historically centered on the notion of reciprocity with one male being retributively killed for a grave offense, fatal injury, or murder. Since the early 2000s, however, kadyrovtsy have often killed entire families, including women and children. Their superiority, backed by the Russian military, has violated the traditional clan equilibrium in Chechnya in that no single clan or group of clans is currently in a position to challenge Kadyrovs exceptional standing. Yet the current situation, where Kadyrov has pitched masses of avengers against him, hinges on the backing of Moscow. Should Moscows backing or Putins regime weaken or collapse, the Chechen leader and dozens of his relatives will likely face the same fate that they have imposed on their fellow countrymen. Kadyrovs awareness of this is one of the reasons why he, alarmed by the worsening socio-economic situation in Russia, has put great effort into convincing Putin of his infinite loyalty and practical usefulness, for instance by going extra miles to spook the opposition (03/18/2015 CACI Analyst), deploying Chechen volunteers in Donbas (06/04/2014 CACI Analyst), or planning to deploy kadyrovtsy in the Syrian war (11/09/2015 CACI Analyst). AUTHORS BIO: Emil Aslan Souleimanov is Associate Professor with the Department of Russian and East European Studies, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic (https://cuni.academia.edu/EmilSouleimanov). He is the author of Individual Disengagement of Avengers, Nationalists, and Jihadists, co-authored with Huseyn Aliyev (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014), Understanding Ethnopolitical Conflict: Karabakh, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia Wars Reconsidered (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013), and An Endless War: The Russian-Chechen Conflict in Perspective (Peter Lang, 2007). Image Attribution: www.tribun.com.ua, accessed on March 9, 2016 On February 1-2, Georgias Defense Minister Tinatin Khidasheli paid an official visit to Armenia. During a meeting with her Armenian counterpart Seyran Ohanyan, the two defense ministers discussed issues pertaining to Armenian-Georgian relations as well as global and regional security issues. The parties also signed a military cooperation plan for 2016, prioritizing exchanges of experience, military education, professional training, and strategic planning as the main objectives of this years agreement. It is noteworthy that Armenia and Georgia have signed military cooperation plans annually since 2010. During the media briefing, Khidasheli noted that having Georgian and Armenian soldiers standing together for world peace and security in Afghanistan, in Mazar-i-Sharif, is one of the best examples of how the countries work together regardless of strategic differences between our states. Khidasheli also stated that peace and security in the South Caucasus is probably one of the most urgent, most important questions on the agenda that both our countries need to work on together. In his speech, Ohanyan said that despite Georgias and Armenias different security strategies, it will not hamper the cooperation on a common bilateral agenda aimed at the reinforcement of security and stability in the region. Khidasheli later had a meeting with Armenias President Serzh Sargsyan. The interlocutors discussed issues relating to the development and strengthening of Armenian-Georgian relations and in this context stressed the importance of high-level visits between the two neighboring states. President Sargsyan underlined that the traditional partnership between Armenia and Georgia and common balanced approaches aiming to maintain regional peace and stability are highly important to Armenia. In turn, Khidasheli stated that Georgia wants to be the guarantor of peace in the South Caucasus, therefore any kind of destabilization, be it in Nagorno-Karabakh elsewhere, will be a problem for Georgia on the same scale as for the countries involved in the conflict. On February 2, Khidasheli met with the Speaker of Armenias National Assembly Galust Sahakyan, who commended Georgias balanced approach towards the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and noted that despite its strategic cooperation with the Russian Federation, Armenia seeks to maintain a balanced position with regard to South Ossetia. Sahakyan also emphasized that despite the friendly relations between Armenia and Georgia, international parliamentary cooperation within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is not successful. As an example, he mentioned the recent voting (on January 26, 2016) on two PACE resolutions, namely the Escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan and Inhabitants of frontier regions of Azerbaijan are deliberately deprived of water, in which all three delegates from Georgia voted for. Sahakyan also raised the issue of Georgias cooperation with Azerbaijan and Turkey in the military-industrial sphere, opining that it will not undermine military cooperation between Georgia and Armenia. In Yerevan, Khidasheli also reiterated the fact that the cooperation with Turkey and Azerbaijan is of strategic importance for Georgia. Moreover, the minister underlined that the fact that Georgia neighbors Turkey, which is a NATO member, makes our [Georgian-Turkish] cooperation even deeper and stronger than cooperation with any other country in the neighborhood. During her two-day visit, Georgias Defense Minister also had meetings with Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian and the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Garegin II. Johnny Melikian, a Yerevan-based expert on Georgian studies, stated that by Khidashelis official visit, Georgia seeks to demonstrate its balanced policy towards its neighbors. Particularly, Melikian believes that the visit can be regarded as a continuation of the trilateral meeting of the defense ministers of Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan that took place on December 17, 2015 in Istanbul. On the other hand, Melikian stressed the fact that 2016 is a year of parliamentary elections in Georgia. Therefore the ruling Georgian Dream coalition wants to ensure the loyalty of Georgias Armenian citizens towards the coalition. Image attribution: www.asbarez.com, accessed on March 8, 2016 It has been far too many years since the Woke theology interlaced its canons within the fabric of the Indoctrination Realm, so it is nigh time to ask: Does this Representative Republic continue, as a functioning society of a self-governed people, by contending with the unusual, self absorbed dictates of the Woke, and their vast array of Victimhood scenarios? Yes, the Religion of Woke must continue; there are so many groups of underprivileged, underserved, a direct result of unrelenting Inequity; they deserve everything. No; the Woke fools must be toppled from their self-anointed pedestal; a functioning society of a good Constitutional people cannot withstand this level of "existential" favoritism as it exists now. Murphy Givens Columnist SHARE Rosalie Hart Priour taught school in her mother's store in Corpus Christi during the Civil War. Her family lived at the Salt Lake, where Confederate soldiers would butcher their stolen beeves. Rosalie Bridget Hart's parents came to Texas in 1832. Her mother ran a store in Corpus Christi and Rosalie was sent to a convent school in Mobile, where she married Julian Priour. They returned to Corpus Christi in 1851. She taught school during the Civil War in the house where her mother's store had been. "We moved our furniture down from our dwelling house, intending to remain in town, but were glad before long to return to the house we had built at the Salt Lake. The town was sometimes occupied by one side and sometimes by the other. "I used to watch my children as closely as possible, but when I would think they were asleep they would get out through the window and join the other boys. Confederate soldiers would see them in the day and appoint a place of rendezvous for the night. When all of the town boys were assembled, the soldiers would go into someone's pen and get the best beef they could find then the boys would surround it and drive it to the Salt Lake for slaughter. The next day, it would be hung up in the market and those who wanted meat were invited to come and get a piece. "This was the only way the Confederates could get meat. Confederate soldiers received half rations and even with the meat they killed they suffered from hunger. Mr. Priour went to Austin for flour and sugar, but it took all he made to cover expenses." When Rosalie's son Julian turned 18 he was conscripted into the Confederate militia. After his unit was transferred to Brownsville the officers threw a fancy-dress ball which angered the enlisted men and they lost some of their zeal for the Confederate cause. "They threw bricks and broke all the windows of the ballroom. No one could blame them. They had been kept for months on half rations and no pay while their officers were feasting and giving balls." -Rosalie Hart Priour's memoirs Mrs. Cheston Heath (the former Mary "Mollie" Smythe) arrived in Corpus Christi in 1875. She lived in the 100 block of South Chaparral. She recalled the bellowing of cows that came in from the pastures and fields to soothe their mosquito-bitten legs in the cool waters of the bay. She recalled that ice was brought twice a week on the mail boat from Indianola and that fresh vegetables were between scarce and not available. Fred Kaler grew some vegetables and had a few for sale. Mrs. Heath's mother would pay any price for these fresh vegetables. Later on, many families raised vegetables for their own use but few had any to sell. -Interview, March 13, 1940 Maude Wareham (later Mrs. William Gerhardt) recalled when she was a teacher, in 1893, at Aberdeen. She taught for four months. "I had 10 pupils in one small room. Among my pupils were the Watsons, Grahams and Fondrens. Zed Graham was one of the pupils. His father, P.A. Graham, was the conductor of the one-car trolley to Alta Vista." The trolley was pulled by one mule, a resentful animal with no ambition. Mr. Graham "had a long prod for the mule, which was rather willful and delighted in taking lengthy periods for rest and contemplation." -Interview, Feb. 21, 1939 Agnes Kelley and her husband, H.M., came to Corpus Christi in 1913. He ran the Alcove Confectionery and Chili Parlor on Mesquite Street, across from City Hall. The firemen would come over to get coffee and they called him "Alcove" Kelley. He became a partner with L.G. Collins in a North Beach bathhouse. "We lived on Leopard and every afternoon I would take the children on a streetcar to the beach. My husband served wonderful sandwiches and we would stay until he came home with us." -Caller, Jan. 2, 1960 Clara (Gephart) Stroman grew up on a farm in Lavaca County, near the Hope community. She was one of seven girls and two boys. Because there were so many girls in the family, her father switched from cotton farming to growing fruit. He thought it would be easier for his daughters to pick peaches instead of picking cotton. When the peaches were ripe her father took them to Victoria to sell and on the way he always spent the night in a cemetery. He figured that was one place where he wouldn't be robbed. During the harvest season they spent a lot of time canning food. "My mother always tried to have one jar for every day of the year." -Caller-Times, March 19, 1961 John Anderson, born in Kalmer, Sweden, was a sailor before he arrived in Corpus Christi on a lumber schooner in 1870. He stayed and got work as a carpenter and later became the foreman of a machine shop that built boxcars and flatcars for the Tex-Mex Railroad. The shop was on Railroad Avenue (now Kinney) and it included a blacksmith shop and a brass foundry. They turned out a boxcar or gondola a day. The plant built more than 2,000 boxcars in its time. Anderson didn't like cursing - except to say "By Josa!" - and he didn't like girls wearing pants like boys. When he married Mary Shoemaker his favorite song was, "When You and I Were Young, Maggie." -Caller, June 16, 1940 Porfidia "Nanita" Gonzalez remembered when her father, Jesus Gonzalez, joined the Confederate Army. He rode from Corpus Christi to Victoria to enlist while Porfidia and her mother, Petra (Saures), sought work in a number of places to stay near him. After the war, she recalled a long and torturous four days' journey from the Rio Grande to Corpus Christi in a mule-drawn cart, with no seat, no springs, and only a quilt to ease the rough ride. Once back in Corpus Christi she kept house and did the exquisitely fine stitching known as Mexican drawn work. She made her cigarettes of leaf tobacco wrapped in corn shucks, the way her grandmother taught her to relieve her asthma, with her fingers dark as the leaves of the tobacco. -Times, July 25, 1940 - - - (This is the fourth of six columns based on the memories of pioneers and settlers in the Corpus Christi area.) The ugly roots of segregation are difficult to eradicate. That's the story that emerges from the incident in Normanna in which a Hispanic man was denied burial in a small cemetery in the Bee County community. The widow of Pedro Barrera says the cemetery board told her he could not be buried in the San Domingo Cemetery because of his ethnicity. Now there is word that the Department of Justice will investigate. Bigotry that extends even to the grave seems extreme. Yet the segregation of the dead was once a widespread and accepted practice all over Texas. That was part of a whole system of segregation that included separate neighborhoods, separate schools, separate churches, separate theaters, an almost complete parallel Hispanic community to the dominant Anglo community. The difference is that the Hispanic side had the privies, the dirt roads, the open ditches and "shotgun" houses, the very symbol of poverty. Some might say, yes, but that was long ago. Why belabor it now? Yet listen to Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump boast about building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and I ask myself, how far is it from building a wall along the border to rebuilding the walls of segregation? The danger of losing our history, of forgetting the hard-won victories that made equality before the law the standard for all of us, is that abuses again become acceptable. Area civil rights organizations have descended on the Normanna cemetery and it is good that they have. The wrongness of segregation should be called out whenever it presents itself. Segregated cemeteries still exist in Texas. Some are legacies of history, no longer used, but still bearing witness to a time when segregation was so common place as to not even be questioned. For the following references, I am indebted to Anthony Quiroz, professor of history at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. One of those references was to cemeteries in Marfa in Presidio County in west Texas where one is known as the Anglo cemetery and two others Cementerio de la Merced and the Marfa Catholic cemetery are the Mexican cemeteries. The citation notes that the Anglo cemetery is well maintained and grassy, a contrast to the Mexican side. The same observation is made about another segregated resting place for deceased Hispanics in the east Texas town of Malakoff. Their section of the divided cemetery once was the location of a coal mining company that recruited and employed African-Americans and Hispanics, both native born and from Mexico, to mine the fuel. A descendant of one of those worker families notes in the citation that the Hispanic section, unlike the Anglo section, is isolated, with none of the amenities, such as a pavilion, that are in the other section. Perhaps the most complete picture of segregation comes from an extract of a book, "The Borderlands of Race," by Jennifer Nijera which examines the parallel society in La Feria, a separation that was purposefully built by the land developers of the Rio Grande Valley town. As Nijera points out, while there was no legal separation of the "Mexican" side of town from the more prosperous "Anglo" side, the railroad tracks that divided the communities was a vivid and visible mark of the separation. The separation was so accepted that custom alone upheld the segregation. Yet only the Anglo section, as in so many South Texas, was viewed as the model of what it is to be an American. Yet I remember that as a boy I saw the patriotic celebrations, both for Diez y Seis and for the Fourth of July, held at the hall of La Sociedad de la Union in San Antonio. La Sociedad was one of many mutual societies organized by Hispanics in Texas early in the 20th century whose benefits included burial benefits. My family grand-uncles, aunts, and my parents belonged to La Union for decades. When my mother died, La Union paid off the burial benefit she had been paying for years. The members marched around the hall of La Sociedad carrying their American flags with as much pomp and enthusiasm as they carried the Mexican flag during the Diez y Seis festivities. Veterans wore the uniforms they had worn while serving in the U.S. armed forces in World War II. Yet in death so many Hispanics across Texas rested finally in segregated cemeteries. That bigotry cannot be allowed to be resurrected again. Nick Jimenez has worked as a reporter, city editor and editorial page editor for more than 40 years in Corpus Christi. He is currently the editorial page editor emeritus for the Caller-Times. His commentary column appears on Wednesdays and Sundays. Natalia Contreras/Caller-Times File Members of Abundant Life Fellowship Church along with elected officials broke ground in January for a 210 feet tall cross at Interstate 37 and Carbon Plant Road across the highway from the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery. SHARE By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times Mayor Nelda Martinez's late father dreamed that one day a cross would stand at the helm of the Corpus Christi Bay. While Martinez was a City Council member at-large, she looked into the possibility but certain bay restrictions prevented such a structure, she said. Her hope to see her father's dream come true was renewed a few months ago when pastor Rick Milby with Abundant Life Fellowship told her of plans his church had to build the tallest cross in the Western Hemisphere along Interstate 37. Martinez, who was at times emotional as she spoke of her father's dream, attended the groundbreaking in January along with other community leaders. "The name of our city is Body of Christ and I will tell you I will never forget that conversation I had with my father about his dream and his hope," Martinez said. Now, a San Antonio man is suing the pastor and asking a court to admonish Martinez, among others. In his lawsuit, Patrick Greene accuses Milby of violating state law when he invited the mayor and council leaders to the groundbreaking. Milby did not return calls to the church Tuesday and Wednesday seeking comment. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Nueces County, cites an article of the Texas Constitution that states no person of authority should give preference to any religion or worship method. Though the lawsuit is not against the city or leaders individually, Greene wants Martinez and Councilwomen Carolyn Vaughn and Lucy Rubio admonished because they attended. Martinez though has no regrets. "No matter what belief you have, this is the name of our city and it was my constitutional right to attend, and I will never regret being there for this wonderful moment," Martinez said. City attorney Miles Risley called the lawsuit frivolous and said the leaders had a First Amendment right to attend. "He is absolutely misinterpreting this law," Risley said. Church officials were inspired to build the cross after visiting one that stands about 170 feet tall outside Galveston. The Corpus Christi cross will be at Interstate 37 and Carbon Plant Road, across the highway from the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery. It will be visible from about 3 miles away. Greene has sought to sue government officials over religious issues before. He said his first attempt was in 1999 when he filed a suit in Ontario, California, because the city paid for and kept Nativity scenes to be set up around Christmas time. He dropped the suit after city officials turned to volunteers instead of using city employees and funds. A Wikipedia page was set up for Greene and calls him an atheist activist. Greene said he does not know who created the page. Twitter: @CallerKMT SHARE Justin Richard Baggett Maria Veronica Gomez By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times A man accused of sexually assaulting his girlfriend's daughters with their mother's knowledge has hired a high profile lawyer from Houston. Justin Richard Baggett appeared in court Monday with his lawyer, Bill Stradley. Stradley was on the defense team that represented physician Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's personal doctor who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the pop star's death. Baggett, 33, and his girlfriend, Maria Veronica Gomez, were arrested in January on suspicion of continuous trafficking of persons and continuous sexual abuse of a child. They remained in the Nueces County Jail on Tuesday. Gomez, 33, is scheduled to appear before 347th District Judge Missy Medary on Wednesday afternoon. Gomez's daughters were ages 9 and 12 when they told law enforcement Baggett molested and raped them, according to a probable cause statement. One of the girls told an investigator her mother would refuse to feed them unless they showered with Baggett and threatened to hit them if the told anyone what Baggett did, according to the statement. Baggett denied the girls' accusations to police, according to the statement. A message left with his attorney was not returned Tuesday evening. Gomez told law enforcement her daughters have showered while Baggett was in the bathroom and that one time he was naked, according to the statement. She said she did not report it to police, according to the statement. As of Tuesday, neither case had been presented to a grand jury, according to court records. In January, County Court-at-Law Judge Timothy McCoy ordered Child Protective Services take the children. Twitter: @CallerKMT FARES SABAWI/CALLER-TIMES Gene Tackett looks at goods from Bazaar Istanbul on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, during the annual friendship dinner. SHARE FARES SABAWI/CALLER-TIMES Hasan Turkgeldi (left) shows his products to Andrea Amaya on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, during the friendship dinner. By Fares Sabawi of the Caller-Times PORTLAND Mustafa Safak grew up believing there's no problem food couldn't solve. That's why Safak, the Corpus Christi Director of the Dialogue Institute of the Southwest, hosted an annual dialogue and friendship dinner Tuesday evening at the NorthShore Country Club. It's the sixth time the organization has put together the dinner and the idea has remained simple, Safak said. He wanted to bring people together who otherwise wouldn't know each other. It's the best way to build understanding, he said. "That way, people are just eating together and seeing that we're all just human beings," Safak said. The idea isn't a new one. Safak, who grew up in Turkey, learned from his grandparents what a meal with other people can mean. "Our grandmothers knew gathering around good food would help solve any issues we have," he said. But food isn't just special to his culture, which is what makes the dinner so unifying, Safak said. "It's universal to gather around the table," he said. Hundreds of people belonging to different cultures and faiths came together for the dinner. Portland city officials attended the dinner, too. "I've met people from different religions. It's really been fantastic," said Portland Mayor David Krebs. "This is the best icebreaker there is." Krebs said it was his first time attending the dinner and that he enjoyed the experience. "That atmosphere has been great," he said. "We all seem to worry about the same issues." Safak said he hopes people can share his optimism about bringing people together, especially in today's political climate. "I hope people will see there are people that are working together for common, human values," he said. "It's about love and respect." Texas Tech professor Mark Webb gave a keynote address to the crowd about how to establish a healthy dialogue with people of all cultures. He is the chairman of the university's philosophy department. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Job seekers speak to potential employers Wednesday, March 9, 2016, during the Caller-Times and Monster.com 14th annual Spring Career Fair at the Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center. SHARE COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Job seekers speak to Texas Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend on Wednesday, March 9, 2016, during the Caller-Times and Monster.com 14th annual Spring Career Fair at the Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Jobs seekers inquire at the Kiewit Offshore Services table Wednesday, March 9, 2016, during the Caller-Times and Monster.com 14th annual Spring Career Fair at the Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center. By Courtney Sacco, courtney.sacco@caller.com The 14th annual Caller-Times Career Fair, presented by Monster.com, was held Wednesday afternoon at the Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center. More than twenty businesses participated in this year's career fair. Participants included H-E-B, Christus Spohn Health System, RTA, Kiewit, Port Royal, Sterling Personnel and Golden Chick. Natalia Contreras/Caller-Times File Members of Abundant Life Fellowship Church along with elected officials broke ground in January for a 210 feet tall cross at Interstate 37 and Carbon Plant Road across the highway from the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery. SHARE By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times A San Antonio man has filed a lawsuit against the pastor of a local church that is planning to build the tallest cross in the Western Hemisphere. Patrick Greene accuses Abundant Life Fellowship Pastor Rick Milby of violating state law when he invited the mayor and council leaders to the groundbreaking in January. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Nueces County, cites an article of the Texas Constitution that says no person of authority should give preference to any religion or worship method. Milby could not be reached late Tuesday for comment. Church officials were inspired to build the cross after visiting one that stands about 170 feet tall outside Galveston. The Corpus Christi cross will be at Interstate 37 and Carbon Plant Road, across the highway from the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery. It will be visible from about 3 miles away. "I pray that this court admonishes Mayor Nelda Martinez, and Council members Carolyn Vaughn and Lucy Rubio, and orders them to comply with their oaths of office and remove their support for this cross," the lawsuit states. "I also pray that the court issue an order for (Milby) to relocate the cross to a location out of view of the motorists driving on Interstate 37." Staff reporter Natalia Contreras contributed to this report. Twitter: @CallerKMT Cross lawsuit GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES A Coast Guard boat searches for a 13-year-old girl and a 28-year-old man Monday, March 7, 2016, at the Corpus Christi Bay. The boat they were in Sunday night capsized in the Corpus Christi Bay killing a 3-year-old boy. SHARE By Natalia Contreras of the Caller-Times Corpus Christi Coast Guard officials continued the search Tuesday for a 28-year-old man and 13-year-old girl who went missing after their boat capsized. Lt. Hans De Groot said a search cutter, a small search boat and helicopter are searching from Cole Park to shores near Ingleside. "That's the direction the wind is blowing and the weather has not prevented any search efforts at this time," De Groot said. Odry Lilieth Leon, 13, and Mario Alberto Leon Rangel, 28, were on a boat with six others when it capsized about a mile off shore from Swantner Park on Sunday night. Patrick Watson, 4, died after being pulled from the water late Sunday. Coast Guard officials did not know whether the boy was wearing a life vest. Odry Lilieth Leon was last seen wearing a swimsuit with a white short-sleeved shirt and life vest. Mario Alberto Leon Rangel, 28, was wearing black shorts, no shirt and an orange life vest, according to a Coast Guard news release. About 10:40 p.m. Sunday two people who had been on the boat swam to shore near an apartment complex in the 4600 block of Ocean Drive and asked for help, according to a Corpus Christi police news release. Police Marina Patrol, Corpus Christi and Flour Bluff firefighters and the Coast Guard were able to rescue four people, including Patrick, from the water, according to a Corpus Christi police news release. Three people were taken to Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial, and Patrick was taken to Driscoll Children's Hospital, where he died, police said. Forensic investigator Hugo Stimmler said the cause of death was asphyxia due to drowning. The family, some of whom were visiting from Mexico, were on an 18-foot Wellcraft fishing/leisure boat. Twitter: @CallerNatalia EDITOR'S NOTE: The Coast Guard previously identified Odry Lilieth Leon as Ovrry Leon and Mario Alberto Leon Rangel as Mario Leon. RALEIGH North Carolina's public schools rely on a steady stream of out-of-state teachers to fill hard-to-staff positions and meet the demands of student enrollment growth. According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Education, more than 7,200 teachers - or approximately half of those receiving their initial North Carolina teacher credential between 2010 and 2013 - were trained in another state.Naturally, public schools want to ensure that all incoming educators have the knowledge, skills, and character necessary to become successful classroom teachers. As a state, we are fortunate that a vast majority of those pursuing a teaching career in North Carolina meet or exceed our high expectations. But some deadbeats continue to slip through the cracks.An investigative report conducted by the USA Today Network awarded North Carolina an F, saying its "patchwork system of laws and regulations, combined with inconsistent execution and flawed information sharing between states and school districts, fails to keep teachers with histories of serious misconduct out of classrooms."How did North Carolina become what USA Today describes asIn 2008, the staff attorney for the North Carolina State Board of Education spearheaded an effort to strengthen the teacher review process. A 24-member task force convened and published its final report,in February 2010.The "Raising The Bar" report recommended taking steps to implement a system of fingerprint background checks, coordinate the sharing of relevant information, and improve reporting processes for state agencies and school boards. These common-sense strategies would have required state education officials to revise existing policies and implement new statewide screening practices.It also would have required the then-Democratic majority in the N.C. General Assembly to approve legislation during the 2010 session, which convened in May of that year. But then the inexplicable happened. Nothing.Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson appeared to shelve "Raising The Bar" just weeks after its release. At the April 2010 meeting of the State Board of Education, Atkinson reported plans to appoint an internal working group to address the task force recommendations. There was no published record of any subsequent work by the internal committee or further discussion of the report with members of the state board or legislators.By the time the newly elected Republican majority convened the 2011 session of theGeneral Assembly, state public school leaders had moved on to other matters.Education officials later said that the shocking murder of State Board of Education member Kathy Taft and the urgency of responding to Democratic proposals to slash the state's public school budget were to blame for their inaction. But neither of these explanations sufficiently accounts for their collective negligence.In response to the deficiencies exposed by the USA Today investigation, Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and members of the General Assembly have vowed to overhaul our defective system for screening teachers by passing legislation that will give state education officials the authority to implement some of the recommendations outlined in the task force report.Their role is straightforward. Lawmakers must approve confidentiality protections, authorize fingerprint background checks, and allow the state board to share background check information with school boards and vice versa.The State Board of Education, Department of Public Instruction, and local school boards will be responsible for implementing recommended policies and practices that have been hibernating for six years. Ultimately, it is their job to ensure that North Carolina public schools no longer put our future in the hands of those with a checkered past. SHARE By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault annual conference is being held this week in Corpus Christi. A statewide research study on the prevalence of sexual assault was released during the conference. The Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault report shows sexual assault is more prevalent than it was 10 years ago yet reports to law enforcement has gone down, according to a news release. The association and Women's Shelter of South Texas, housed in Corpus Christi, will discuss implications of the findings with state leaders and other advocates and professionals during the conference. About 300 people are registered for the nearly weeklong conference that began Sunday and ends Thursday. Twitter: @CallerKMT SHARE Contributed photo Katherine Dain (left), with Tish Betancourt who nominated her, was named Program Volunteer of the Year at the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault annual conference Wednesday. By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times A woman who volunteers with survivors of sexual assault was recognized for her service with a statewide award Wednesday. Katherine Dain was named Program Volunteer of the Year at the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault annual conference at the Omni Corpus Christi Hotel. Tish Betancourt, who nominated Dain, praised her for making extra efforts to comfort the people she helps as a volunteer with the Women's Shelter of South Texas volunteer. Dain has been known to sit silently next to survivors while they sleep during the reporting and examination process or to fetch a meal while they're at the hospital. "Kat's compassionate heart is a beacon of hope during a very dark time for survivors," Betancourt wrote in her nomination letter. Twitter: @CallerKMT GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES A Coast Guard boat searches for a 13-year-old girl and a 36-year-old man Monday, March 7, 2016, at the Corpus Christi Bay. The boat they were in Sunday night capsized in the Corpus Christi Bay killing a 3-year-old boy. SHARE Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Albert Martinez searches along the coast at Cole Park for signs of a 36-year-old man and a 13-year-old girl that are still missing after their boat capsized on Sunday. Martinez was one of several volunteers to search the shoreline at the park and along North Beach. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Henry Barjas (center), Jim Wells County fire chief, organizes volunteers Wednesday who prepare to search for a 36-year-old man and a 13-year-old girl who went missing after their boat capsized Sunday. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Erica Moreno searches Corpus Christi Bay at Cole Park on Wednesday for signs of a 36-year-old man and a 13-year-old girl who went missing after their boat capsized Sunday. She said she volunteered because if it was her family missing she would want others to do the same. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times The Corpus Christi Police Department searches in the Corpus Christi Bay near Cole Park on Wednesday for a 36-year-old man and a 13-year-old girl who went missing after their boat capsized on Sunday. By Natalia Contreras of the Caller-Times Annie Valencia looked out to the Corpus Christi Bay from a pier at Cole Park hoping to spot two people missing after their boat capsized Sunday. Valencia did not have a personal connection to them but that didn't matter. "We want to help. I know that if that was my 13-year-old out there, I'd want others to do the same for me," Valencia said. About 3 p.m. Wednesday and after about 70 hours of search, the Coast Guard Corpus Christi suspended the efforts. "At this point we have exhausted our resources and it is very unlikely that we'll find survivors," Lt. Hans De Groot said. "We have notified the family of the victims that our search results were negative." But Valencia was among about 30 volunteers still searching along the shoreline, and who will continue to help the family find their loved ones. Odry Lilieth Leon, 13, and Mario Alberto Leon Rangel, 36, who were visiting from Saltillo, Mexico, were on an 18-foot leisure boat with six others when it capsized about a mile off shore from Swantner Park. Patrick Watson, 4, died after being pulled from the water about 10:30 p.m. Sunday. Coast Guard officials did not know whether the boy was wearing a life vest. Jim Wells County Fire Chief Henry Barajas heard about the incident and gathered a crew of five firefighters to assist in the search. "We have been walking the shore from the Kennedy Causeway to Indian Point these last few days," Barajas said. "We know the family isn't from here so we want to help as much as we can. We want to do our part." After volunteers met at Cole Park they separated into two groups. One searched the shoreline from Cole Park north toward the American Bank Center, the other search from North Beach south toward the port. Odry Lilieth Leon was last seen wearing a swimsuit with a white short-sleeved shirt and life vest. Mario Alberto Leon Rangel, was wearing black shorts, no shirt and an orange life vest, according to a Coast Guard news release. The people launched the boat from the Flour Bluff area early afternoon Sunday and their boat capsized at about 3 p.m. near Oso Bay, Corpus Christi Police Senior Officer Travis Pace said. National Weather Service Corpus Christi said a small craft advisory was issued early Sunday afternoon. The advisory is sent out when winds reach more than 12 mph. On Sunday winds reached 20-30 mph with gusts of about 34 mph, officials said. About 10:40 p.m. Sunday two people who had been on the boat swam to shore near an apartment complex in the 4600 block of Ocean Drive and asked for help, according to a Corpus Christi police news release. Police Marina Patrol, Corpus Christi and Flour Bluff firefighters and the Coast Guard rescued four people, including Patrick, from the water, according to a Corpus Christi police news release. Three people were taken to Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial, and Patrick was taken to Driscoll Children's Hospital, where he died, police said. Forensic investigator Hugo Stimmler said the cause of death was asphyxia due to drowning. Corpus Christi police ask search volunteers only to call 911 only if they find the missing man and girl. "There's no need to call authorities if the find clothing or other items," Pace said. "With the storms now there's no telling where those items came from. That's not an emergency." Why is Trump coming to Robstown? Here's what political experts think. Trump will appear at the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds on Saturday to "advance the MAGA agenda," according to his Save America PAC. SHARE Our condolences to the family and friends of Pedro Barrera. May he rest in peace at San Domingo Cemetery in the small community of Normanna. And may the memories of his life overshadow the events that have brought attention to him in death. Unfortunately, that's a lot to overshadow. Barrera, a carpenter, lived an obscure life. The first attempt to give the man a decent burial was anything but obscure. It was extraordinary at least we hope it was extraordinary. For such a thing to be a routine occurrence in this day and age would be tragic. Barrera initially was refused burial at the cemetery that serves the community of about 100. The reason is in dispute. His widow, Dorothy Barrera, said he was rejected for being Hispanic. The daughter of the cemetery board member who initially told Dorothy Barrera no said the rejection was a temporary misunderstanding not connected to ethnicity, and that the Barrera family would be welcomed into the cemetery. The daughter, acting as unnamed spokeswoman for the cemetery, gave a plausible explanation that the cemetery initially was a family cemetery and still is considered primarily a resting place for descendants of the original settlers, which the Barreras were not. But discrimination, unfortunately, also is a plausible explanation. The occurrence of such a thing in the year 2016 is what makes this event extraordinary. So much progress has been made since the middle of the past century in breaking down the walls of discrimination. The board member's daughter's swift, reflexive action is an example of that progress. We choose to believe that doing the right thing was her first intention and damage control came second. The event can't help but remind South Texans of the Felix Longoria Affair in Three Rivers, a rejection of a Hispanic World War II casualty by a funeral home in 1948. The events that sprang from it the emergence of the American GI Forum as a powerful voice for civil rights and of Dr. Hector P. Garcia as its leader all but obscured who Felix Longoria actually was. That is what we hope doesn't happen to Pedro Barrera. The events that overshadowed the life of Felix Longoria needed to happen and the lives of all who followed, including Pedro Barrera, benefited. There is more to follow regarding Barrera that also will happen and probably for the best. Members of civil rights groups have rallied to the Barrera family and, according to the family attorney, the Justice Department is looking into the incident. Now would be a good time for the people of the Normanna community and the directors of the cemetery to show as much interest in honoring the memory of Pedro Barrera's life as is being paid to him by people outside Normanna who didn't know him. The Normanna community has a grieving family and friends to embrace and fences to mend. Speaking of fences, the cemetery fence either should come down or be extended to include a gravesite situated curiously outside of it. Santiago Ramirez's broken headstone, dated 1910, is outside that fence. Dorothy Barrera couldn't help but notice. A lot has changed since Santiago Ramirez died and it would behoove Normanna to show it. Circling the wagons at a time like this can be a bad move unless it surrounds the Barrera family and a man named Ramirez who has been dead more than a century. Then it might be the best move. It's up to Normanna to show that Pedro Barrera meant more to the community in life than in death. SHARE John Latimer Absurd column defends obsolete coal plants I did not want to read the Feb. 21 op-ed piece "Put carbon regulation on ice" by Thomas Pyle. I thought it was probably just another right wing screed about how wrong it is to try to reverse the build up of carbon in the atmosphere and its tethered climate change. But I read it anyway and now I'm angry. I hate to read stuff that is no more than a waste of time. I could, after all, spend that time practicing my cello. But no, I let you suck me into an abominable editorial choice. Pyle argues that for Texas to achieve its EPA goal, emissions must be reduced by 33 percent by 2030 and that the only way to achieve this goal is to "shut down affordable energy sources" and that the replacements "would largely come from wind and solar" so let's chew on these two statements. First, the EPA goal of 33 percent by 2030 is less than 2.5 percent per year. We could probably make that goal through efficiency improvements and just stop wasting generated power. Secondly, is "affordable energy sources" code for obsolete coal power generation plants grandfathered by the Bush Administration Clear Skies initiative? If so, then they really need to be shut down and be replaced by natural gas generation and probably will be anyway as gas becomes cheaper than coal. Finally, Texas is a leader in wind energy and our goal should be to continue the trend, not try to save old obsolete coal plants. The rest of the opinion piece is full of other innuendos and false assertions. The only thing that saved the opinion page was Herb Canales' piece on the Corpus Christi Police Department's "hot pursuit of best practices." Why can't the American Energy Alliance endorse an agenda of pursuing best practices and stop fighting the future? Winner of March 15 Democratic primary will have no GOP opponent RALEIGH North Carolina House District 32 will have a new representative next year, and it appears likely it will be either seven-term Vance County commissioner Terry Garrison or Gary Lamont Miles Sr.Attorney Nathan Baskerville, a Democrat who has represented the region encompassing Vance, Warren, and part of Granville counties for the last two terms, is not seeking re-election. No Republicans filed to run in the district, so barring a write-in or unaffiliated candidate in the General Election, the primary winner would be the next House member.Terri Campbell, a food service worker from Bullock, told Carolina Journal she was withdrawing her candidacy.Miles, an Army retiree, said he believes in grass-roots solutions to problems. For example, he would like to see churches and other social groups doing more to get a grip on crime.He is not opposed to legislators offering incentives to large companies that create jobs, but he would be more inclined to support incentives for small business, he said."I believe economic development first starts with community accountability. When there are abandoned buildings, and condemned houses in abundance, cities become unattractive, and the property values drastically decrease," Miles said."This creates a breeding ground for criminal activity. It is imperative that property owners maintain their properties by keeping them up to code and attractive. This is a crime prevention method as well as a lure attracting business owners, franchises, and companies to bring their businesses to the district," Miles said.He believes government should take better care of teachers, whose role in providing an education is essential to deterring crime as students grow to adulthood. Teachers should be paid wages high enough to slow attrition, he said, and he would like to see a pay scale structured like the military's.He also favors allocating more resources for veterans, the mentally ill, and the elderly, many of whom in his district live "from pension check to pension check," and must put food, shelter, and medications in triage."Our elderly population should never be stressed by the fears of becoming homeless or going without food. The Medicaid program has also cut out the services for the elderly to receive eyeglasses. We must render better service," Miles said.Miles is a former teacher, pastor, and single parent of four "educated, professional, law-abiding citizens." He says he's running because, "Personally, I am appalled at the conditions of our counties, and the minimal efforts to correct, build, and serve our communities."Garrison, currently chairman of the Vance County Board of Commissioners, is the owner of Tegarris Associates Realty.When contacted, Garrison said campaign and work schedules did not allow him time for an interview. He declined to do an abbreviated interview, or answer questions by e-mail.He is a member of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners Hall of Fame, having served as president and general board member.Garrison ran for the Senate District 4 seat left vacant in 2012 by the death of Sen. Ed Jones. Then-state Rep. Angela Bryant of Rocky Mount beat him in an election by the Democratic Executive Committee of the Fourth Senatorial District.At the time, Garrison cited as job qualifications having met with White House and congressional staff, and groups across the state representing, among other things, labor and education. There is no way to sugarcoat the situation, property markets across the region have been cooling while the level of competition for attention and sales leads has been heating up. A regional roundup by Property Report (recently acquired by PropertyGuru) noted that after several years of double-digit percentage increases in property prices in many of the regions markets, 2015 was a year that could most kindly be described as a holding pattern. Weve been on a pretty extended bull run in many parts of this region, Nicholas Holt, Asia Pacific head of research at Knight Frank told Property Report. It had to burn out to a certain degree, and it has. For PropertyGuru, an online property portal group founded in 2007, a slowing market situation and the ever-present slew of competition both new and old have heightened the need to keep on top of its game. This just means that the team has to work harder to deliver leads to advertisers, said CMO Bjorn Sprengers, in an interview with Campaign Asia-Pacific. Luckily, our approaches, and the tools that we use, have also evolved. The company claims a leadership position in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Every month, it says, more than 14 million property buyers view over 116 million property pages and generate more than 500,000 enquiries for real estate developers and agent advertisers. It is our brand promise to help property seekers make better, more informed, property decisions, said Sprengers. To help achieve that, we seek to make the market transparent. Asked about how much the company spends on marketing annually, he said that marketing and technology innovation are the prime destinations of investment for the company, both in terms of headcount and in terms of spend. The two disciplines synchronize tightly on brand promise delivery and differentiation, and we spend double-digit millions annually across our markets, Sprengers added. Sprengers said that the company does not work with digital agencies as it manages content, SEO and marketing automation in-house. Thats because we view these disciplines to be mission-critical and too entrenched in our technology bets to outsource, he added. But that doesnt mean the company is going at it completely alone. Sprengers said in Singapore, PropertyGuru works with Brilliant, a boutique agency for strategic and creative development, and in Indonesia, with Phibious. Media buys are done through UM in Singapore. Data, the building blocks If there is one weapon at PropertyGurus disposal, its all the data the company has available to leverage for its marketing objectives. Its a key change in the way we operate, said Sprengers. We use data for branding, traffic acquisition, conversion and retention. But whilst the prospects of big data are certainly exciting, especially in the long-term, it is the area of small data that holds the companys present focus. In fact, we believe that if a company does not fully leverage the opportunities of small data, it will also not fully leverage the potential of big data, said Sprengers. As such, the use of small data is a matter of mindset. Asked what message he had for fellow marketers looking to get started, Sprengers said that one common misconception is that it is difficult or complicated to do, or that you need to spend a lot of time doing it, or gathering the data. Thats not necessarily true," he said. "Marketers should always focus first on what data is available to them. Is it sales data, user data, traffic data? How can we combine, or manipulate this data, to come up with new and interesting insights? He points to PropertyGuru as an example, where the company processes over 500,000 laptops worth of data every day, and boasts some of the most comprehensive listings in all the markets it operates in. In Singapore, we have more than 80 percent market share, which means that we can quite accurately predict market movements, not by looking at transaction prices like most other players in the market, but by looking at asking prices, the prices that sellers are listing the information by, said Sprengers. This becomes really valuable and unique data that keeps our consumers and advertisers coming back to us, because no one else can provide it to them, he added. One of the services the company offers is automated customer performance insights reporting, which shows real estate agents how their property listings performed versus those of comparable agents, as well as what actions they can take to get more leads. Per report, we crunch about 200,000 data points, and this process is completely automated, said Sprengers, adding that the company currently counts 30,000 agents as customers. Content is king The company also wields the principles of data journalism in their approach, using data to inspire our brand-oriented content marketing strategy. The company currently publishes more than 600 pieces of content monthly across all markets, ranging from news and market trends to property guides. Many of the stories created are written on the basis of insights extracted from the unique data the company already has at its fingertips, such as market information, website traffic data, customer information and published public data. In its quest to create more sharable content with higher brand linkage, the company recently started writing in-depth reviews of new projects across the region. We hired and trained a dedicated team of property experts, said Sprengers. These experts review new projects and write in-depth reports about them and is part of our mission to help property seekers make a more confident property decision. Sprengers said that the companys focus is very much in making its marketing budgets scalable. To achieve that, we spend a lot of time on finding and building long-term content partnerships with leading media players across our markets, he added. In Malaysia the company has arrangements with Astro, Malay Mail and HGTV, while in Indonesia, it works with the likes of EMTEK and Masima Radio. These media partnerships also offer an additional benefit, enabling PropertyGuru to offer advertisers multiple touchpoints via its integrated property media capabilities spanning online, mobile and events. The company has 14 mobile applications across markets, which have been downloaded more than 2.8 million times. In January of this year, the company also acquired Print and Property Awards businesses, under the brand names of Property Report and Asia Property Awards. The company is now positioning itself to real estate advertisers across Asia as a media partner able to support regional branding initiatives across multiple platforms. The acquisition combines PropertyGurus 14 million users and Property Reports 70,000 online and offline readers. Sprengers said that a big part of the company's growth is due to two important factors that differentiate its from traditional media agencies or houses, the first being its domain expertise. We can give property advertisers very accurate advice on how to market their projects and properties, he added. We also take accountability for our results, as we have deep understanding of advertisement performance and are willing to work with advertisers on the basis of performance-based contracts. The year ahead will see the company continue its focus on content and organic performance of its website and apps, increasing the personalisation of user experiences and automation of marketing programmes. Ive been spending a fair bit of time in airports lately. Ive also spent a fair bit of time judging outdoor in various award showsthe latter sometimes the cause of the formerso I thought it would be fun to do my own judging of airport advertising. Im not a big fan of airports. True, theres a moment of excitement when you get there: the sense of adventure, the journey into the unknown.But then it becomes a series of queues, forms, X-rays and the like, all to be admitted into what looks a lot like London's Westfield shopping mall. (Maybe Westfield should set up a business managing airport shopping?) And then theres the architecture. Airports express power much like cathedrals used to, so the architects get some good briefs. Take Madrid. Richard Rogers did a great job on that one, and thanks to a strike by Iberia I had a full 12 hours to appreciate it. So airports can be good ads for architecture companies. But what about all the more overt advertisers? Well, most of it is shit. Written for...for.... Thats just it: Who? A billionaire businessman from Guangzhou looking to make another billion? The next Richard Branson? Its all a reflection of the ego of the company and its aspirations rather than any real insight into its audienceunless mirroring egos is what being a billionaire is all about. Im clearly not the target audience, but I dont think thats why most of the work would have been invisible if I hadnt been looking out for it. Nothing is related to the journey you are on. The emotions of a traveller, which are right up there, are completely overlooked. HSBC is a proud exception. Buying all those air-bridges all those years ago was inspired. Vodafone did the same thing when it owned luggage trolleys, but HSBC has stuck with it, which must mean its working. Not sure it works for me. I feel unworthy of their business, lacking the entrepreneurial and ambitious spirit of their target audience. No one seems to be doing anything interesting on a tech front, which seems like a lost opportunity given the millions of frequent flyers walking through the place clutching their mobile phones. Where are the beacons linking me to 10 percent off Bowmore whisky? Or a free call home? However, three things did stand out. And while you may not consider them ads, they certainly say a lot about the brand. The big Red Roo on the tail of a Qantas A380, or any plane tail seen by its compatriot traveller. When I first arrived in Australia I can remember bursting into tears on seeing a British Airways 747 take to the skies. An example of a big logo working. The X-wing fighter, TIE fighter and R2-D2 at Singapore's Changi airport. Actual size! Imagine all the social selfies spreading their way around the world from those three installations. Brilliant for Star Wars and Changi. But the winner is Qantas International's First Class Lounge. I dont fly first class, but I am fortunate enough to be Platinum, so I get to go into the lounge, and its the highlight of the trip. Best burger in Sydney, some of the best architecture around, Taittinger. Proof that Qantas can be world class. The only black mark is that the staff are from Sofitel, which must mean Qantas doesnt have faith in its own, and that, is surely a bad message. Ben Welsh is creative chairman, Asia, with M&C Saatchi The launch of the multi-channel networks local operations follows its announcement of new milestones in Thailand, hitting 200 million YouTube views and naming a new head of sales. The opening in Vietnam was driven by the rapid growth the company has experienced in the market. Over the last year it has been building its network of video creators from its Los Angeles headquarters and now boasts over 450 Vietnam-based creators and influencers, delivering 130 million views last month. Jak Severson, Thoughtfuls global CEO, called Vietnam a cornerstone of the companys expansion into Southeast Asia. With an enormous population of young, socially wired consumers, we feel very much at home here, he added in a statement. Mark Ingrouille, Thoughtfuls EVP for international operations, said that the growth trajectory has lent added importance to having a strong local presence. Our clients demand it, we need it, he added. We already have five major clients both local and international retained in the market, and thats before we opened our doors. Tony Truong Truong most recently built the digital capability for Creasia, an activation agency in Vietnam, and was formerly managing director of Golden Digital. Speaking to Campaign Asia-Pacific, Ingrouille shared that local operations in Manila, Jakarta and Singapore are slated to be launched within the year, but declined to share what kind of monetary investment the company is making in the region. Under the model we use we start 'country operations' at our headquarters in Hollywood with people from the respective countries and build our local networks up until we reach a critical mass, say 250 creators, he said. Once that is achieved we open an office in the actual market in order to be able to liaise with clients and agencies. Ingrouille said the company is pretty close to critical mass in all the abovementioned markets but added that the actual timing will depend on how quickly the team is able to do local hiring and find good office space. It currently has 95 staff in the region. The company has 22,750 creators in its managed network globally, with 3,800 originating from the Asia-Pacific region. Ingrouilles said China hosts the biggest network, with1,600 creators coming from ASEAN markets (Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia). Asked what the biggest barriers for the company will be in terms of fulfiling its expansion ambitions in the region, Ingrouilles pointed to broadband/4G infrastructure rollout and local law restrictions, especially in markets such as Indonesia, as the two biggest. Brand education is not a problem, he added. Willing and able young people producing great videos is common in the region. Value through innovation is perhaps easier to define for our researchers, developing new compounds and products that solve important health challenges. In consumer marketing, our effort is often focused on making ourselves faster and more efficient. We want to innovate in everything we do. We want to do the small things better, faster. Most importantly, we want to innovate through generating improved consumer insights. Our challenge is to find the right mix of rational and emotional benefits. The rational side will always be there in our sector, as legally we have to support every claim we make. Some consumer healthcare products, however, can dial up the emotional side a lot more. A multivitamin product that gives you added mental energy can be more of an emotional purchase than a product that, say, relieves constipation. In the latter case the emotional insight is very important but the way you communicate it is more rational, after all, consumers dont always want to engage too emotionally. My biggest ambition is that we find meaningful consumer insights especially in these areas that are a bit more of a taboo. We need to find the insight that moves the consumer to make them feel okay and realise that they dont have to suffer. There can be Dove moments for every brand even if it is perceived as functional and maybe taboo or unpleasant: Yes I have constipation but, you know what, its nothing I need to be ashamed of. Read more in the Project Reconnect series Our drive for innovation has also extended to our corporate structure. We now run Southeast Asia and South Korea from our Singapore office. This allows us to bring together our expertise and financial resources. We can deploy them where they bring the biggest return, which you cant do if you work in isolation as a small market We are also trying to build our purpose as well into partnerships, notably with Ashoka, the largest network of social entrepreneurs worldwide, where we have had a global partnership under the banner of 'Making more health'. Since launching the programme in 2010, Boehringer Ingelheim and Ashoka have taken the program to 30 different countries across five different Ashoka programmes, including Venture, Youth Venture, Changemakers, Executive in Residence, and Health For All. The partnership has been successful because of our shared commitment to identify new and better ways of improving health across the private and social sectors, and the strong relationships we have built with Ashoka employees and fellows. For example, we select entrepreneurs and help them with mentors and financial support. This provides a unique opportunity for our staff as they can mentor or take time off to work in these companies. Its a chance to get practically involved in delivering well-being around the world and can be immensely powerful and rewarding. Martina Gripp is head of CHC marketing for Southeast Asia and Korea at Boehringer Ingelheim. Gripp is supporting the WFAs Project Reconnect, which champions how marketing and brands can be a force for good. The project intends to improve perceptions of the industry. In BI's case, Project Reconnect provides the tools to help BI empower its consumers to make the right choices and also feel good about them, Gripp says. Even in rational product sectors, it helps the company to develop deep insights that are truly meaningful and powerful, she adds. Follow Project Reconnect @WFAReconnect. | BY Ricki Green | Iconic travel company Club Med has appointed STWs Switched on Media to help further grow its online business, as the global brand looks to transform its digital presence and increase web-based sales. Working as its strategic partner, Switched on Medias remit includes the development of a full digital marketing strategy, from paid advertising, adwords, display and paid social activity, through to some SEO and website changes to help customer acquisition. The agency was appointed following a competitive pitch, and with some work already underway, improvements in online traffic and sales are already being seen. Says Edward Womersley, business development manager, Switched on Media: Club Med is a highly successful company with more than 67 resorts in over 25 different countries around the world. It is already incredibly well known in travel circles, but it was time to take its online presence to the next level to accelerate the already strong growth of the brand in the Pacific over the past years. 2016 marks a digital transformation for Club Med with a real focus on digital marketing activity to help increase the brand presence on the pacific market and grow sales both online and offline. We are thrilled to be part of that process and help drive the digital marketing for this outstanding global business. Our approach is already seeing some success, and we are sure that the partnership will only continue to increase sales and awareness. Says Marine Blanchetier, marketing manager for the Pacific, Club Med: Club Med has successfully started its reintroduction in Australia and New Zealand over the past years, thanks to a clear focus on its most premium resorts like the Finolhu Villas in the Maldives. With many new amazing resorts planned to open in the coming years in the region, we felt it was time to step up in our digital strategy, and we are very excited to start working with the very expert and enthusiastic team at Switched on Media. | BY Ricki Green | Sydneys world-leading 360 video and virtual reality production company Rapid VR will take centre stage as Australias sole VR panelist at the 30th South by South West (SXSW) Festival in Austin Texas from 11 20 March, 2016. After being selected from more than 6,000 submissions to present at SXSW, Rapid VR has put together a panel of travel and technology industry heavy hitters to shine a spotlight on Virtual Tourism: 360, VR and the Travel Industry. The Rapid VR team joins a list of high profile speakers at SXSW including US President Barack Obama, who will take part in a keynote conversation on day one. Presenters include: David Murray digital advisor, brand, marketing and corporate affairs, Qantas Airways Dave Klaiber co-founder and creative director, Rapid VR Dan White director of technology, Rapid VR, and Susannah DiLallo co-founder and executive producer, Rapid VR The session will explore how brands, destinations and marketers can embrace VR and 360 video technologies to create virtual tourism experiences that deliver new ways to engage with and market to travellers. Says Susannah DiLallo, co-founder and EP, Rapid VR: SXSW is an incubator of cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity. Were thrilled to bring together some of the brightest minds in their fields to examine an industry that is proving to be an early mover in the VR revolution, particularly this year when VR is the buzz word of SXSW. Qantas has already teamed with Rapid VR to produce a 360 VR experience of the Great Barrier Reef and Hamilton Island, and we invite all Aussies traveling to Texas for SXSW to our panel session to get the latest insights on how 360 video technology is giving travellers the chance to explore holiday destinations virtually and marketers new ways to encourage them to then visit in real life. To coincide with their SXSW appearance, the Sydney company has also launched its own Rapid VR virtual reality mobile app for Android & iOS, compatible with Google Cardboard VR headsets, available to download now from the Google Play and Apple App stores. Press Release: Bonner Bridge History Contact: Crystal Feldman Crystal Feldman govpress@nc.gov Rodanthe, N.C. Governor Pat McCrory broke ground on the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge replacement over Oregon Inlet today. The official beginning of construction marks a long-awaited milestone for people who live, work or visit the Outer Banks from throughout North Carolina and from around the world.said Governor McCrory.Transportation Secretary Nick Tennyson, local, state and federal government officials, and hundreds of local residents joined Governor McCrory for the groundbreaking celebration.The new bridge is designed to have a 100-year life span and is scheduled to open to traffic in November 2018. The overall project, including the demolition of the existing bridge, is scheduled to complete in September 2019.said Secretary Tennyson.Another benefit of the new bridge is that the high rise will be 3,500 feet long and have seven navigational spans, each averaging about 300 feet in width, which will provide more options for navigation under the bridge. Comparatively, the arched high rise of the existing bridge provides for only one navigational span with an opening of 130 feet.said N.C. Board of Transportation Member Malcolm Fearing.Built in 1963, the existing bridge replaced an hour-long ferry ride over Oregon Inlet that could not operate in inclement weather or carry the growing population of islanders and tourists who sought to enjoy the cultural and natural beauty of the Southern Outer Banks. Today, the bridge carries tens of thousands of residents and visitors daily, helping support the state's tourism industry and providing a critical evacuation route.The N.C. Department of Transportation began working with the local community, as well as state and federal resource agencies, on plans to replace the existing bridge with a new parallel one in 1989. After reaching agreement on how and where to build the bridge, a contract was signed in 2011 for the design and construction of the new bridge, but construction was stalled by litigation.In June 2015, after four years of delay, Governor's McCrory's NCDOT team reached a settlement agreement with the petitioners that allowed the state to move forward with replacing the Bonner Bridge with a new parallel bridge.For more information on the Bonner Bridge replacement project, including videos, photos, fact sheets and construction timelines, visit: ncdot.gov/projects/bonnerbridgereplace/ Fenner Hall, which is off the main campus, will be relocated to the new SA5 accommodation development, intended to open at the beginning of 2018. The ANU has not yet determined what it will do with the existing Fenner Hall site on Northbourne Avenue. Our latest entry always comes up first... Click this link if you want to start at the beginning of our trip from South Carolina (where we bought the boat) to Lake Ontario Click this link: If you want to see the story of our 2 1/2 year project getting Three college students who first met while attending a Catholic high school in Florida have launched a scholarship fund to help others experience faithful Catholic education at a Newman Guide college. As we went off to different colleges, we kept in touch and found time to catch up whenever we returned [] Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. Runners & walkers dash around Delphi The Do It In Delphi Dash was Saturday morning with the 5K walk/run beginning downtown on the Courthouse Square. The... Special prosecutor issues report on Liggett campaign The Comet sponsored a sheriffs candidate debate on Sept. 29. After the debate, Sheriff candidate and deputy Tony Liggett provided... Delphi Council member Conner resigns post It has been an upward struggle for Delphi City Council member Gayle Conner to represent her constituents as witnessed at... A police officer was left stumped in Illinois after pulling over a woman driving a Lincoln Tree Car, and by tree car, we actually mean a Town Car with a 15-foot tree lodged in its engine compartment. A few weeks ago, a Roselle police officer saw a car driving southbound on Roselle Road with a 15-foot tree embedded in the front grill of the car, said the Roselle Police Department in a statement. After stopping the driver, he also noticed the airbags had been deployed (apparently from hitting the tree). Deputy Chief Roman Tarchala told the Daily Herald that they had received a call reporting the 2004 Lincoln Town Car driving south on Roselle Road from Irving Park Road at around 11:10 p.m. January 23. Its not every day you see a car driving around with a large tree planted in the grille, Tarchala told the newspaper. She was pretty easy to locate. The woman behind the wheel, Maryann Christy, 54, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol. She later told police that she did not remember when or where she had struck the tree. Photos Roselle Police Department Photo Gallery Video Its no secret that Chrysler wants to cut the 200 and Darts career short due to poor US sales (after FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne made it official in January), but apparently, the American giant wont completely abandon the segment. The models low sales figure forced a lengthy shutdown at one of the plants that builds them, but chief reason that the automaker will stop making the two sedans is to concentrate on crossovers and SUVs. Asked by Motor Trend at Geneva about potential partners to build the cars, Marchionne stated: There are discussions going on now. I think we will find a solution. We continue to talk. Its both a technical solution and an economic one. We need to find a solution that works economically. Basically, Marchionne explained that FCA wants to find a contractor to build the cars for them, stating: (Were looking for someone) who is better at it than we are and who has got capacity available. Were not going to make the car. Were not the guys who are going to do the manufacturing of the car. Hmm, we wonder who has a vast, general expertise of building small cars. Fiat, maybe? PHOTO GALLERY The problem with Ferrari is that everybody wants one, and thats clearly bad for business, right? In all seriousness, Ferrari has become one of the elite car manufacturers of the world, offering its desirable and exclusive products to (almost) anyone willing to spend top dollars on exotic automobiles. A perk that also translates in a very high rise in demand, which the Italian car maker isnt willing to meet, just so it can keep its exclusivity. To top it off, the Maranello-based company apparently wont overdo it with special or limited editions as well, as Sergio Marchionne wants customers to take these models serious. Speaking with Top Gear at the Geneva Motor Show, the Fiat Chrysler CEO stated: We wont do so many that people will take them as a series and go from one to the next. I dont want them to be too available. We need to be more stringent, especially at the price we expect people to pay. When asked if Ferrari will stick to the same recipe in its model line-up, keeping the two V8, two V12 pattern, Marchionne stated: Not necessarily, Ferrari is a malleable brand. We will adapt to market conditions. The rate of our model launches is increasing. But there will be no SUV. Of course, a Sport utility vehicle is out of the question at Ferrari, as almost everybody with an affiliation to the Italian car manufacturer debunked the idea; even so, it appears that a self-driving Cavallino Rampante is viewed as another abomination, Marchionne saying over my dead body when ask if there will ever be one. PHOTO GALLERY A greener version of the Maserati Levante is said to be just around the corner. Speaking with the Maserati CEO, Harald Wester, at the Geneva Motor Show, MotorTrend reports that the firms SUV will use components from the new Chrysler Pacifica minivan. A standalone program would be suicidal, so we have to look at FCA, said Wester. The plug-in hybrid variant of the Levante is expected to debut at the end of 2017 or in early 2018, with a powertrain that FCA is developing for the Pacifica. The frugal minivan is targeting 80 MPGe in the city and 30 miles of electric range, using a 16 kWh lithium-ion battery. FCAs PHEV will join the existing lineup offered by Maserati for the SUV in the United States, which includes a choice of a 3.0-liter twin turbo V6, available in two outputs: 345 HP and 424 HP. In Europe, there is also a 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel, which will not make it to North America. Developing the Maserati Levante family will not stop with the introduction of a plug-in hybrid, as a higher-performance version was reportedly considered from the start. However, a final decision in this direction has yet to be taken: We looked at it and decided not yet, added the companys CEO. PHOTO GALLERY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 9, 2016 Contact: Soyia Ellison, soyia.ellison@cartercenter.org ATLANTA The Carter Center has launched a new web tool that shows in near real time which groups control what areas of Syria. The dynamic dashboard, which was created with the help of Palantir Technologies and is available at www.cartercenter.org/syria-conflict-map, analyzes social media to trace changes in territorial control since Jan. 1, 2015. It shows the ebb and flow of power among the four main parties battling in Syria: the government, the opposition, the Kurds and their allies, and ISIS. "With Syrian peace talks set to resume next week, it's important for the public to have as much information as possible about what is happening on the ground," said Hrair Balian, director of the Center's Conflict Resolution Program. "Because it's based on publicly available information, this dashboard has no military value. Its value is in contributing to public awareness about a conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 400,000 people many of them civilians." The Carter Center has been using social media to track events in Syria since 2012. It shares its findings with the United Nations and humanitarian groups to help inform their efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict and to get much-needed aid to civilians. Periodic written reports have been posted here. "The Syrian conflict is the first to take place in a country with heavy social media users," said Chris McNaboe, manager of the Center's Syria Mapping Project. "With a relative absence of any free press, people naturally turned to social media to share information about events around them. The videos they uploaded of protests, the formation of armed groups, bombings, and clashes were not just meant for their families and friends, but for the world." The Carter Center pioneered new methods of recording and analyzing data in an attempt to make sense of this deluge of information. It has documented more than 70,000 conflict events, which, taken together, help illuminate trends and contextualize events. Recently, the Center expanded its collaboration with humanitarian organizations, training teams of analysts to use the ever-growing social media database, and working with local partners at Georgia Tech to build new tools to monitor and predict the movements of vulnerable internally displaced civilians. ### "Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope." A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide. The NFB says that for the 2015-16 fiscal year, 43.4% of its production spending will be on films directed by women, and 43.5% is being spent on films by men, with 11.3% spent on films directed by mixed teams, and the remaining 1.8% not yet allocated. The NFB has always taken a leadership role in womens filmmaking, said NFB chairperson and film commissioner Claude Joli-Coeur, who made the announcement this afternoon at a panel of the Vancouver International Women in Film Festival. In our current fiscal year, films directed by women represent half of our total spending on production. In 20162017, the numbers are projected to be well above that. But numbers can fluctuate. There have been good years and lean years for womens filmmaking at the NFB. No more. Today, Im making a firm, ongoing commitment to full gender parity, which I hope will help to lead the way for the industry as a whole. Women also play a significant role in creative and management positions at the NFB, with 55% of the boards producers and executive producers being women, and 66 percent of upper management and 70 percent of NFB Board of Trustee positions staffed by women. The NFB has a long history of supporting women filmmakers in animation, stretching back to the work of experimental filmmaker (and frequent Norman McLaren collabator) Evelyn Lambart. In fact, two of the last three women winners of the animated short Oscar have been NFB filmmakers Torill Koves The Danish Poet (2006) and Bobs Birthday (1994, co-directed by Alison Snowden) and other women animators from the studio have been nominated for Academy Awards, including Caroline Leaf, Janet Perlman, Wendy Tilby, and Amanda Forbis. The board produces a wide variety of content that includes animation, documentaries, and interactive media projects. Its upcoming projects from women directors include Ann Marie Flemings feature Window Horses, Torill Koves Threads, Marie-Josee Saint-Pierres Oscar, Janice Nadeaus Mamie, Diane Obomsawins Jaime les filles, Regina Pessoas Accounting of the Days, Janet Perlmans Trouver M. Pug, and Michele Lemieuxs Illusion, among others. Photo: Castanet Staff - File Photo It could soon cost more for developers to build new residential or commercial properties in Kelowna. That's because of an expected rise in development cost charges proposed by the city. DCCs are fees charges to developers to help finance major capital work like public roads, water, sanitary sewer, drainage and parkland. "The DCC bylaw sets out the charges imposed on developers to offset some of these infrastructure costs," said infrastructure planning manager Joel Shaw. Shaw said the last DCC amendment was done in 2011 in conjunction with the 2030 Official Community Plan review. "In that time, construction and land costs have risen, so it requires an update to our development cost charges bylaw." When the bylaw was updated in 2011, Shaw said there was a desire to lower DCCs to help stimulate growth as the city began to come out of a time of slow growth. "A number of projects were pulled out of the program. The overall cost was reduced by about $209 million." While the developers share was reduced by that amount, Shaw said the city share increased about $13 million. Due to increased construction and land acquisition costs, Shaw said the developer share of DCCs has increased from $468 million to $518 million, while the city share, the portion funded by either taxation or utility, has increased from $209 million to $224 million. "Stemming from all these construction and land cost increases, DCCs have increased for most service areas for most areas of the city. "When we combine all the services, we are looking at a rate increase of about 14 per cent for the South Mission down to about 4.8 per cent for north of the inner city. The inner city portion has increased around 9.3 per cent." Coun. Mohini Singh said she has heard from the Okanagan chapter of the Urban Development Institute, which said increased charges could impact growth within the housing industry. "We have heard UDI's concerns," said Shaw. "The cost update reflects true market conditions so, in order for the program to be sustainable, we need to have enough money to pay for the infrastructure to service growth. With that said, there are concerns in Alberta and abroad about market conditions, and we've committed to doing another DCC cost update should conditions change appreciably in the short term." He said Kelowna does have comparable DCC rates to cities its size. Coun. Luke Stack suggested the city use the Consumer Price Index to adjust the DCC rate being paid by developers. "I think what the development community needs is numbers they can count on and rely on in their budgeting," said Stack. "If we knew CPI was going up and we followed that same kind of trend, I think we could minimize the impact. The numbers would still be there and you would still have to pay it, but at least it would be something you could plan for and absorb in smaller bites." Shaw did say staff would likely review the rate every two years as opposed to the five years it has been since the last review. He also said the new rates would come into effect once the bylaw is given final approval. "But, if you have a building permit or subdivision application in-stream, you have a one-year protection. You would pay the lower rate from one year of the bylaw adoption." The proposed changes will go to an open house at the end of the month. At that point, it will come back to council for second and third reading and then be sent to the province for approval, likely in April. Pending that approval, Shaw said he will return to council for adoption of the bylaw, likely in late April or early May. Photo: The Canadian Press Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould Westbank First Nation is the unwitting third party as a Conservative MP cries conflict of interest over one of the band's lobbyists. Dr. Tim Raybould registered in January as a federal lobbyist for two clients, including WFN and First Nations Finance Authority. Raybould is also married to new federal Minister of Justice Jody Wilson-Raybould. The opposition Conservatives are crying foul, saying the minister is in a clear conflict of interest, while the Liberals say the issue is moot. In a recent debate in the House of Commons, Conservative MP Jacques Gourde raised the issue. "Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice sits on six cabinet committees, including one responsible for strengthening the relationship with indigenous Canadians. Her husband is a registered lobbyist who will lobby the government on issues related to First Nations. Her husband's lobbying work is a direct conflict of interest, since the justice minister will now deal with legal matters involving First Nations." "How can the Prime Minister justify this obvious conflict of interest?" he asked. Dominic LeBlanc, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, defended Wilson-Raybould, saying she went directly to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner for advice. "The Minister and her husband are following the ethics commissioner's advice to a T," said LeBlanc. Picking up the debate, MP Blaine Calkins said the Minister is responsible for projects funded under the aboriginal justice strategy. "That means she gets to decide which groups receive taxpayer funding. Given that her husband is a lobbyist for the Westbank First Nation and the First Nations Finance Authority, will she recuse herself from any decision with respect to aboriginal program funding?" asked Calkins. LeBlanc again pointed to the fact Wilson Raybould and her husband visited with the ethics commissioner and are following that advice. "Our advice with respect to conflict of interest or the appearance of conflict of interest comes from the person whom Parliament has chosen to provide that advice. Her name is Mary Dawson," said LeBlanc. "She is the ethics commissioner and the conflict of interest commissioner. We are happy to take her advice and follow it meticulously. That is what my colleague has done. I wish the honourable member might inform himself as to how the process really works." Photo: Thinkstock.com According to a recent poll, the majority of Canadians are in favour of health-care professionals and teachers getting shot. No, not that kind of shot. The flu shot. When asked if doctors and teachers should legally have to get a flu shot, more than 70 per cent of respondents said yes. The Angus Reid poll found seven-in-10 said emergency room doctors, family doctors, nurses, non-medical hospital staff, elementary school teachers and nursing home staff should be legally required to get a flu shot. Those aged 55 and older are especially in favour. At least four-in-five respondents (80 per cent) in this age group say flu shots should be mandatory for people in each occupation canvassed. Health-care workers in British Columbia have been required to either get vaccinated or wear surgical masks during the flu season since 2012, but last year an arbitrator in Ontario struck down a similar policy implemented at a hospital in Sault Ste. Marie. The latest polling data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests support for mandatory shots far outpaces the number of Canadians who say flu shots are effective at reducing the occurrence and severity of the virus. This widespread support for legally mandating flu shots for certain professionals comes despite the fact nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) did not get vaccinated this year, and nearly half (45 per cent) have not had a flu shot in the past five years. Key findings: Open Letter to our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Alberta Premiere Rachel Notley and Albertas Crown Prosecutor Jason Neustater. James Paul has plead guilty and the court's recommendation is 10 years for the rape and almost murder of a 6 year old. Thats it? Where is the justice? If this innocent child was one of yours, would you be ok with only 10 years imprisonment as valid punishment for such a crime? I am constantly disgusted at our (lack of) justice system. How can it be that we live in a country like Canada, yet atrocities such as this are 'rewarded' with the consequences of 10 years in prison? My heartfelt condolences and apologies on behalf of this wretched justice system go out to the 6 year old girl and her family. As a parent and a Canadian, I am horrified that this is an acceptable length of punishment and I hope she and her family will find peace and healing, despite a very public and blatant lack of justice. Bethany Wright Photo: Facebook There's good moos on a farm in southeastern Saskatchewan where a five-year-old cow has given birth to four healthy calves. The calves two boys and two girls weighing about 23 kilograms each were born Friday on the farm near Alida. Calvin Lamport and his son Layne helped with the birth, which went relatively quickly. After the first two calves were born, Calvin Lamport noticed a third one coming and pulled it out as well. The fourth calf was born about 30 minutes later unassisted. The mother and her babies are all doing fine, although some additional help has been called in. They are sucking on that cow and we also got a nurse Holstein cow," Layne Lamport said. "All four calves are sucking both cows and they are all looking real good. The Charolais mother has a history of multiple births. For the last two years in a row, she had twins. We were kind of expecting her to have twins again this year, but we definitely werent expecting that she was going to have four. Photo: CTV Refugee resettlement is driving a shift in Canada's immigration plan for 2016 as the Liberal government seeks to admit record numbers of new permanent residents while backing away from a previous focus on skilled labour. The Liberals are nearly doubling the number of humanitarian admissions, including tripling the number of spots for private sponsors, compared to the previous Conservative government, while also increasing available spaces in the family program compared to past years. Increases in the two streams are driving the government's maximum target for new permanent residents this year to 305,000, the highest in decades despite their planned decrease in economic immigration. A maximum of 162,400 will be accepted, down about 24,000 people from last year's high target, though it's in line with the years before that. Immigration Minister John McCallum said the plan is grounded in Canada's tradition of being a welcoming and generous country. "It outlines a significant shift in immigration policy towards reuniting more families, building our economy and upholding Canada's humanitarian traditions to resettle refugees and offer protection to those in need," McCallum told a news conference in Brampton, Ont. The head of the sponsorship agreement holders association, which oversees the privately sponsored refugees program, said the overall increase in refugee intake is good news. Private sponsors will now have up to 18,000 spots, compared to 6,500 under the Tories. A total of 46,000 resettled refugees will be accepted overall. Brian Dyck said he hopes it means the government is preparing to work though a backlog in private applications to sponsor refugees from Africa while also accepting applications for Syrians. Private groups are also concerned about the caps the government is placing on where it will accept applications from. In previous years, there was no maximum for Syrians or Iraqis but it appears a cut-off will be set this year. "There is a lot of frustration about the caps in the (sponsorship) community because we all get a lot of pressure from people to sponsor refugees from many populations and the interest in resettling Syrians through the (privately sponsored program) is growing as well," he said in an email. Meanwhile, Opposition critic Michelle Rempel said the decrease in the number of economic immigrants will be felt by provinces, even those with struggling economies like her home province of Alberta. Immigration policy isn't made for today but for the future, she said, and employers will need those skilled workers when things pick up. "I think that what the government has failed to do today is explain how their immigration programs are going to affect the Canadian economy," she said. The Conservatives had introduced a new application system for economic immigrants last year called Express Entry that was supposed to get more skilled labour to Canada faster. McCallum said that system is now under review, as is the application processing system for other immigration streams like family reunification. While the overall numbers in the family program are higher this year up to 82,000 from a high of 68,000 under the Conservatives there is still a massive existing backlog of cases. Existing backlogs are a problem in the caregiver program as well, and the government has cut spaces in that program this year a maximum of 22,000, down from 30,000 last year. McCallum said the government intends to learn from the Syrian program when it comes to getting applications moving faster. "If we can transfer the lessons learned from Syria to how to deal more quickly with caregivers and family class applications than we can make a lot of progress," he said. Photo: Contributed An 89-year-old Winnipeg diabetic who had recently been diagnosed with stage four breast cancer has chosen to end her life by refusing to take her insulin. And in lieu of flowers, her family is asking people to write politicians to show support for broadly defined right-to-die legislation, and to urge legislators to act soon. According to an obituary published in the Winnipeg Free Press, Jess Bowness died March 3 from complications related to her decision to refuse insulin. In the obituary, her family says they supported "her gutsy decision to die on her own terms." They also criticized "the legal and medical vacuum that still exists around the right to die," noting her death "took longer than it needed to" and there was "more discomfort and distress than needed to be." The Supreme Court of Canada struck down a ban on physician-assisted dying last year but gave the new Liberal federal government until June 6 to come up with replacement legislation. In the obituary, Bowness's relatives wrote of her flamboyant personality and love of shocking people or making them laugh. However, with diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, quadruple bypass surgery, neuropathy, memory loss and the cancer, "she'd had enough. There wasn't enough laughter anymore." Bowness was born in Singapore, where she worked as a nurse during the Japanese occupation of the city-state during the Second World War. She, her husband and children emigrated to Canada in 1965 and her husband, Michael, who died in 1999, became a professor of biochemistry at the University of Manitoba. Her obituary describes her as "stylish to the point of eccentricity," noting an outfit she wore once to an event to raise money for a son's terminally ill friend: "Silver knee-high platform leather boots, sparkly silver pants that tied at the knee, black-and-white striped blouse ... and lots of silver snake jewellery, bracelets and necklaces, some wrapped into her hair." The obituary recalls that sometimes, out of boredom, she would answer her phone with "city morgue." Photo: CTV Veteran Liberal MP Mauril Belanger will be accorded a rare distinction Wednesday, appointed to preside over proceedings in the House of Commons as honorary Speaker. It's both an honour and a cruel irony. Belanger is no longer able to speak at all, due to the ravages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. It is an incurable, progressive, neurodegenerative disease that causes muscle weakness, paralysis, and eventually, respiratory failure. He'll carry out his Speaker duties with the aid of a tablet computer, which converts pre-programmed text to audio. Belanger had been considered a front-runner for the post of Speaker last fall but he was forced to withdraw from the race after being diagnosed with ALS in late November. MPs from all parties subsequently unanimously passed a motion to appoint Belanger honorary Speaker for a day, as a way to record their deep appreciation of his "distinguished and faithful service to Parliament and to Canada." The Ottawa MP's condition has deteriorated rapidly since that motion was passed in December so his day as Speaker on Wednesday will turn out to be only about an hour. He is to participate in the daily briefing Speaker Geoff Regan receives from Commons clerks and will then take part, with the help of a walker, in the Speaker's parade into the Commons. He will take the Speaker's chair and preside over the daily prayer, the singing of O Canada, member's statements and the first 20 minutes or so of question period before handing the reins back to Regan. "Receiving such an honour is highly appreciated since this is a dream coming true amidst the health challenges which I am facing," Belanger said in a written response to questions. Just last week, Belanger travelled to Namibia and South Africa as part of delegation from the Canada-Africa parliamentary association, which he co-founded. His chief of staff, Alexandre Mattard-Michaud, said Belanger is determined to continue serving as an MP until he is no longer physically able to do so. How long that will be is impossible to say since some ALS sufferers deteriorate quickly and then plateau for several years. For now though, Mattard-Michaud said Belanger believes he has a duty to continue representing his constituents, which he considers to be an MP's primary responsibility. "Through my daily efforts and the efforts of my personnel, we have provided assistance to more than 10,000 people living in Ottawa-Vanier with cases such as immigration, taxes, citizenship, work, housing, pensions, among other things," Belanger said. "This is what I am most proud of." Photo: Google Street View Bowing to public pressure, the board of education has voted to delay decisions on the closure of schools within the North Okanagan Shuswap district until next year. At a crammed meeting in the district office Tuesday night, trustees decided to extend the consultation process for closure of Armstrong Elementary and Silver Creek Elementary until April 2017, according to Alice Hucul, spokesperson for School District 83. They voted to implement task forces for Armstrong and Salmon Arm, similar to the one that happened in Sicamous, said Hucul. These committees will review, among other things, demographic information, school configurations and catchment areas in the Armstrong and Salmon Arm schools. More than 150 people attended the meeting, Hucul said. Just last month trustees approved recommendations to close the two elementary schools in Armstrong and Salmon Arm before the start of the next school year, although a public consultation process was to have taken place first. The board must cut $1.3 million from its 2016-17 budget and that money still has to be found. Parents in Armstrong were so distraught by the proposed closure of Armstrong Elementary that they started up a petition, gaining thousands of signatures within the community, and won the support of Armstrong city council in their battle to keep the red brick building open. NDP education critic Rob Fleming was expected to visit the Shuswap region this week to hear from parents and teachers of schools threatened with closure. Public consultation meetings planned for April have been cancelled, according to a member of a parent advisory group. Photo: Thinkstock.com People walking their dogs in Enderby had better be prepared to poop and scoop. City council has approved a $100 fine for dog owners who don't carry some means of picking up their animals' feces. The fine drops to $50 if paid within 30 days. We had other bylaws that were ineffective, said Mayor Greg McCune. We talked to numerous communities to find out how they were handling the issue, and they said this way was quite successful. We are waking people up, said McCune, who complained that some dog walkers are going to public places and not bothering to clean up their dog's mess. Let's say some would take their dog to run around a school field, and then you have 150 or so kids playing every day where there's dog poop. The mayor said bylaw officers would keep their eye on trouble locations where there have been a lot of complaints. He said the city already has a plentiful supply of doggie bags and garbage cans situated around the community. We felt we've done as much as we can possibly do," he said. The bylaw takes effect immediately. Photo: The Canadian Press Buckingham Palace complained Wednesday to Britain's press watchdog about a tabloid story claiming the Queen wants the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. Under the headline "Queen Backs Brexit" a British EU exit The Sun quoted anonymous sources as saying the Queen had told then-Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in 2011 that the EU was heading in the wrong direction. The story said the Queen "left no room for doubt about her passionate feelings over Europe." The palace said it had written to the Independent Press Standards Organization to complain that the story had breached a prohibition in the Editors' Code of Practice against "inaccurate, misleading or distorted information or images, including headlines not supported by the text." The Queen is prohibited from taking sides in political debates and rarely makes her personal views public. British politicians are immersed in a heated debate about Britain's place in Europe ahead of a June 23 referendum on whether to remain in the 28-nation European Union. The palace earlier declined to comment on "spurious, anonymously sourced claims" and insisted "the Queen remains politically neutral, as she has for 63 years." "The referendum is a matter for the British people to decide," it said in a statement. Clegg called the report "nonsense." "I've no recollection of this happening (and) it's not the sort of thing I would forget," he tweeted. The Sun didn't immediately respond to the complaint. Change at the top for thyssenkrupp India 09 March 2016 Ravi Kirpalani will join thyssenkrupp India on 14 March 2016 and take charge as the CEO of the regional headquarters of thyssenkrupp India effective 1 July 2016. Indian-born, Kirpalani's last role was the Managing Director of Castrol India Ltd. Prior to joining thyssenkrupp he spent over 16 years at BP where he held a number of roles in India and in the UK. He will provide ongoing support for the strategic development of all thyssenkrupps business in India. He succeeds Dr Michael Thiemann, who has been responsible for the region since 1 May 2013 and previously held various management functions at thyssenkrupp Uhde GmbH over a period of more than 35 years, including member of the Management Board and CEO. India is currently the third most important market in Asia for thyssenkrupp, according to the company. In FY2014-15 the group generated sales of around EUR560m in the country and employed almost 6000 people at local companies. Published under Claudius Peters' Bolivian order 09 March 2016 The Spanish consortium, UTE ORURO, awarded a contract to Claudius Peters Projects for the delivery of a new packing and palletising plant for a greenfield cement plant in Oruro, Bolivia. UTE ORURO consists of Sacyr Industrial and Imasa Ingenieria y Proyectos SA, which received the order together with thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions to erect a new cement plant in the Bolivian highlands. The final customer, state-run Empresa Publica Productiva Cementos de Bolivia, plans a works with a clinker capacity of 3000tpd. The Claudius Peters scope of supply comprises: the packing plant with a 12-spout rotary packer, automatic bag applicator, material supply, bag handling and transport, a palletiser for 3600 bags/h with a palletless slip sheet system and two package removal units, a big bag filling station for one loop big bags with a weight of 500-2000kg per big bag and a Rockwell control system. The special challenge was the altitude of the plant which is 4000m above mean sea level. This requires special motors and special electrical switching and control elements which are suitable for this altitude. Delivery is scheduled for 2017. Published under CRH subsidiary challenges competition authority searches 09 March 2016 Irish Cement, a subsidiary of CRH, has brought a legal challenge to the seizure of certain emails of a senior CRH executive during a search as part of an investigation into alleged anti-competitive practices, according to a report in the Irish Independent. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission was not entitled to "essentially run riot" in the premises of Irish Cement at Platin, Co Meath, and just seize all material, regardless of relevance to the purpose of its search, Paul Sreenan SC told the High Court. Irish Cement objected, as "a matter of principle", to the seizure and retention of emails of Seamus Lynch relating to his role within CRH but had no objection to the commission examining emails related to his previous role within Irish Cement, counsel said. Mr Lynch left Irish Cement in June 2011 to join CRH and, when the search was carried out in May 2014, was managing director of CRH Europe (Ireland and Spain), counsel said. The District Court warrant authorising the search only entitled the commission to seize documents related to Irish Cement, he argued. Mr Sreenan was opening the challenge by Irish Cement, Mr Lynch and CRH arising from the unannounced search at Irish Cement's plant at Platin on 14 May 2014. Published under This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Illustration by Ryuto Miyake Around the World in 80 Birds is a new book written by Mike Unwin, with gorgeous, detailed illustrations by Ryuto Miyake. It is a masterpiece of art and words for the bird lover. The book combines folklore and facts about birds of significance from seven geographic regions: Africa, Eurasia, North America, South and Central America, South and Southeast Asia, Australasia, and Oceans & Islands. Meet the Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Peru's national bird, a songbird of myriad capabilities. Take the ritual dance during mating season when according to author, Unwin, the fluorescent scarlet males strut their stuff in flattering early morning and dusk light to compete for female attention. Males are polygamous and put their efforts into showing off fanciful displays, while the females - like many species throughout the world - are left to complete the breeding process, alas, alone. Kakapo, Illustration by Ryuto Miyake Read about conservation efforts that saved the reclusive Kakapo of New Zealand from extinction. A parrot of great weight, the males weigh nearly 9 pounds, using their heft to dig impressive holes that amplify their voices, which in turn attracts a mate. A boom boom here, a boom boom there, and before you know it, females are inspecting prospective suitors inflated chests' air sacs flattering display. And then, like the Andean Cock-of-the-rock, the impregnated females are left alone to raise their young, as the males begin anew, calling out to their next birdie. Monogamy is found in North America's Bald Eagle and Great Grey Owl, and serial monogamy in Antarctica's Emperor Penguin to name a few. Helmeted Hornbill of Indonesia. Illustration courtesy of Ryuto Miyaka The Sociable Weaver Bird in Namibia constructs huge multi-nest 'apartment blocks' in the desert, the Bar-headed Goose of China crosses the Himalayas twice a year, flying at dizzying heights, while France has the Common Nightingale, a songbird of nocturnal melodies used to entice females, and keep aggressors away. Many species have faced extinction by the hand of man whether for their feathers, meat, or bills such as the Helmeted Hornbill of Indonesia. And now with climate change lost habitat due to drought and sea level rise is wreaking havoc on bird populations everywhere. Many descriptive bird facts and folklore make Around The World In 80 Birds a fascinating book that belongs on all bird-lovers shelves. Around The World In 80 Birds written by Mike Unwin with illustrations by Ryuto Miyake is a winner. To learn more about birds and conservation, check out Audubon. The Chattanooga mortgage team of CapitalMark Bank & Trust, a division of Pinnacle Bank, accepted the Charity Award$ Challenge issued by Envoy Mortgage. By meeting the stipulations of the challenge and achieving desired results, Envoys correspondent division donated $7,500 to a charity selected by CapitalMarks mortgage team. CapitalMark Mortgage Manager Molly Haynes and her team chose Childrens Advocacy Center of Hamilton County to receive the funds. CACHC is a local non-profit that facilitates the teamwork essential for effective intervention and recovery for children who are victims of abuse, said officials. The work that the Childrens Advocacy Center does is essential to helping individuals who have experienced the unimaginable heal and learn to lead normal lives, Ms. Haynes said. Its a cause close to all of our hearts because of our love for children, and investing in health and human services is a priority at both CapitalMark and Pinnacle Were pleased to have had the opportunity to participate in Envoys challenge and greatly appreciate their charitable efforts in our community." Envoys correspondent Lending Division created this challenge to encourage and reward the efforts of mortgage lenders. Being a good business partner involves investing in each other, every day, said Todd Potter, senior vice president of sales at Envoy. The Challenge is just one way that Envoy Mortgage is creating innovative partnerships with its mortgage correspondents and making meaningful contributions in support of local communities. Governor Bill Haslam and Commissioner Kevin Triplett, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, on Wednesday announced the results of a return on investment study, the first since launching the Soundtrack of America, Made in Tennessee brand campaign, during a special event at Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Associations Day on the Hill. The new brand campaign was launched approximately 18 months ago. Research conducted from a third party, Strategic Marketing and Research Insights, indicates an 18-to-1 return on investment. This shows Tennessee is collecting 18 tax dollars for every 1 dollar spent on advertising for the new campaign. The national benchmark used by SMARI for tax revenue collected is 9 tax dollars for every 1 dollar. "This is great news, not only for our tourism industry but for all Tennesseans, Governor Haslam said. An 18-to-1 return on investment is pretty impressive no matter what kind of business youre in, but when you consider that the national average is only half that, it has an even bigger impact. We are blessed in Tennessee to have an abundance of incredible attractions our music, our history, our beautiful landscapes and family destinations, and I want to thank our tourism and hospitality industry for their hard work to attract so many people and so much investment from around the world to Tennessee. "The SMARI Report confirms two important facts, Commissioner Triplett said. The brand campaign messaging The Soundtrack of America, Made in Tennessee is inspiring vacationers to choose our state and Tennessee taxpayers are reaping the benefit of tourisms success with an 18:1 return on investment. The study also shows Tennessee visitors spent on average $229 for every dollar invested in the campaign. The national benchmark is $152. Additional data indicates Tennessee spent one-third less than the average state destination marketing organization with only $0.22 spent per traveling household against a national benchmark of $0.67 per household. SMARI Executive Vice President Denise Miller said, Our company measures marketing effectiveness for destinations across the country, and the Tennessee Tourism campaign performed extremely well, and significantly better than what we typically see for destinations. Tennessee Tourism combined strong creative with an effective media plan to influence significant travel to the state and this is travel that would not have occurred without the advertising. Tennessee achieved a strong return on investment, and the results were especially impressive given that this is a relatively new advertising campaign. The announcement provides added support for the positive economic impact of tourism in Tennessee, said officials. In August 2015, Governor Haslam announced record breaking numbers for Tennessee tourisms direct domestic and international travel expenditures, reaching $17.7 billion in 2014, up 6.3 percent, and an all-time high for the state. Tourism-generated jobs for Tennesseans reached 152,900, an increase of 2.8 percent. State and local sales tax revenue for the industry topped $1.5 billion, up 7 percent over 2013, and the ninth consecutive year tourism topped $1 billion, according to the latest statistics from the 2014 Economic Impact of Travel on Tennessee as reported by U.S. Travel Association. For the first time in history, travel to Tennessee topped 100 million, achieving 101.3 million person stays, a 5.1 percent increase over 2013. International travel increased 8.4 percent, reaching $576.5 million in economic impact. Tennessee is ranked in the Top 10 destinations in the U.S. for total travel. TDTD credits these accolades to the strategy behind this new branding campaign, the support of the Tennessee Tourism Committee, and the work of the entire tourism and hospitality industry. The TTC, appointed in 2011 by Governor Haslam, is made up of tourism leaders in both the public and private sectors. TTC is chaired by Colin Reed, chairman and CEO of Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc., and co-chaired by Jack Soden, CEO of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. and Sande Weiss, president of Music Road Resort. Parade steps off Audio Article For the first time since 2019, marching bands, classic cars, dance troupes, scouts and politicians made their way along Midlothian Turnpike for the annual Midlothian Day Parade on Saturday, Oct.... Mercedes-Benz invited employees from rival BMW AG to come "discover the complete history of the automobile at the Mercedes-Benz Museum" in Stuttgart, Germany. It was the 130-year-old company's way of wishing upstart BMW a happy 100th birthday. (Mercedes-Benz Classic) Germans are better known for automotive engineering than a sense of humor, but Mercedes-Benz is using both to deliver a backhanded happy birthday to rival BMW. For its 100-year birthday on March 7, Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) employees received an invitation to visit the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, where Mercedes-Benz is headquartered. Employees of BMW, headquartered two hours away in Munich, would enjoy free admission to the museum, as well as free parking near the entrance for all BMW vehicles during its birthday week. This generosity was extended to a free meal of a special Swabian specialty to the first 50 BMW employees. Were not sure what specialty is Swabian, but Mercedesblog.com indicates its a kidney-shaped dessert. Were more sure that Mercedes is using its invite to "tour 130 years of automotive history" to mock BMW for being the new kids on the block at just 100 years old. We warmly congratulate the globally renowned company BMW on its anniversary and invite all employees of BMW AG to discover the complete history of the automobile at the Mercedes-Benz Museum, Ralf Glaser, head of marketing at Mercedes-Benz Classic, said in a statement. If the discover the complete history barb wasnt enough, Mercedes-Benz also tweeted a video and ran a print ad thanking BMW for 100 years of competition, adding, The previous 30 years were actually a bit boring. @BMW_classic retweeted the greeting, but we didn't see anything from the main BMW Twitter accounts. Demerara sugar, minimally processed to keep some of sugar cane's natural flavors, is a winner in cocktails, whether used as is, front, or made into a syrup, right. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune) Balance is the key to a delicious cocktail. When a drink is too boozy, it's tough to swallow. When it's too sweet, it can be equally hard to swallow, in a cloying way. Refined white sugar, even in the form of simple syrup is often the culprit. Demerara sugar, or a simple syrup made from it, can resolve the problem. Sugar cane requires processing to become the sugar crystals we know and use. But the processing strips sugar of much of its character. This is where Demerara can be a superior choice. Advertisement "Demerara sugar is minimally processed, keeping the crystals fat and sticky, allowing it to retain some of the cane's natural molasses," says Luke Duncan, founder of Eli Mason cocktail mixers in Nashville, Tenn. His Demerara syrup has hints of caramel flavors and a velvety texture. "It works in most brown liquor (drinks) and fares exceptionally well in specialty cocktails grounded on molasses-based rums." He likes it especially with Tiki drinks that call for a hint of molasses and raw sugar notes. Henry Prendergast, beverage director of Analogue in Chicago, also finds that Demerara sugar pairs well with bourbon (or any aged whiskey), as well as dark rums, echoing the woody molasses flavor. Advertisement "We've been using Demerara sugar for most of our careers," says Prendergast. "The unrefined sugar comes from Guyana and works well in stirred cocktails and flips, adding a deeper slightly nutty flavor to cocktails, along with a richer mouthfeel than white sugar." Analogue uses Demerara sugar in its End of Daze cocktail, a take on a wintry beer flip made with Cruzan Black Strap Rum. At Sepia restaurant in Chicago, head bartender Griffin Elliott dissolves Demerara sugar into a syrup for his riff on an Old Fashioned. Laura Levy Shatkin is a freelance writer. End of Daze Prep: 5 minutes Makes: 1 cocktail Recipe from Analogue, which uses Cruzan Black Strap Rum in the drink. 1 ounce dark rum Advertisement 1 ounce Amaro di Angostura 1 ounce Cynar 3/4 ounce Demerara sugar 1 egg 4 ounces Yeti Imperial Stout Grated nutmeg Advertisement Vigorously shake all ingredients save the nutmeg in an ice-filled cocktail shaker; strain into a snifter. Top with grated nutmeg. Sepia Old Fashioned Prep: 15 minutes Makes: 1 cocktail In this Old-Fashioned from Sepia restaurant, bartenders use Very Old Barton 100 Proof Bourbon. You may use another brand. 2 1/2 ounces bourbon Advertisement Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > 1/2 ounce Demerara syrup, see below 3 dashes Angostura bitters 1 dash orange bitters Orange peel Maraschino cherry Build bourbon, syrup and both bitters in a mixing glass; stir and strain in a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with expressed orange peel and a cherry. Advertisement Demerara syrup: Heat 2 parts Demerara sugar to 1 part water in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature before using. 2013Venica Pinot Bianco, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy: The naturally round and sweeter citrus profile of this wine will complement the seafood in the dish, while the creamy texture will work well with the Jack cheese. Eating pizza is fun, and the wine to go with it should also be fun. Pinot blanc is an often-overlooked varietal because of its quaffable quality, but this producer takes it seriously and keeps it fun. But in a Tribune interview a few years later, McCartney contradicted that assertion. "George said that?" McCartney said. "Aww, noooo. George is sweet, but . . . I love it, don't you love that generation? So sweet. I think he's being very defensive and non-litigious, but it's not true. Those were the times. I don't defend or attack them, it's just how it was. It's like saying the soldiers didn't sleep with girls before they went off to World War II. We all know they did. And so did we. George is a hip guy, but he doesn't want to let you naughty journalists know we did naughty things. But to give him the benefit of the doubt, [the drug use] wasn't in his face. He was a grownup and you didn't do that sort of thing in front of the grownups." I would not say the rest of the show is up to that level of revelation. The storytelling lacks clarity, which makes the show feel longer than it should. You're likely to lose some of the lines, since some of the readings are mushy. And I was less than persuaded by the design elements, which feel very "Game of Thrones" and, at times, vaguely Middle Eastern, but that do not offer a whole lot of coherence. This production was long in the gestation it was originally going to be a Next Theatre production some 14 months ago, but Next went kaput before the show could open. Thus the original casting has morphed and, it feels, the amount of time passed has caused some fissures. And the show is now being staged in a very different kind of space. After their made-for-TV proposal last year, Kaitlin Roseman and John West are hoping for a made-for-TV wedding. The Glenview couple are one of three couples in the running for a wedding hosted by the "Today" show and Universal Pictures. Advertisement "We just both come from very big families and we thought this was just such a perfect opportunity for us," said West, 28, a senior account representative for a technology company. The couple said they met on the dating site PlentyOfFish and went on their first date at a sushi restaurant in April 2011. West proposed to Roseman on Dec. 31 on "Windy City Live." Advertisement "It was a complete surprise but just so magical, exciting, nothing I had expected on that night. It was just amazing," said Roseman, 28, a second-grade teacher. The couple were recently flown to New York for their contest segment, which aired Tuesday on "Today." They re-created the iconic V-J Day photo in Times Square with "Today" co-host Hoda Kotb. The winners of the contest, which are determined by votes from the public, are expected to be announced Friday on "Today." The wedding is scheduled to take place March 24 at the Rainbow Room in New York to promote the March 25 release of the Chicago-set film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2." If the Glenview couple win, America will weigh in on the details of their wedding from Roseman's dress, to the rings, to the wedding cake. Go to today.com for more information and to vote. "My mother said, 'You have to look up these people,' but to be honest I never did," Nitsch said. "It wasn't until I got married 10 years later to a lady from New York. We rented a car and met the family in Belleville, Pa. They had sent parcels to two dozen families. We were the first ones to come back and say, 'Here we are. We are the people you sent parcels to.'" Candidates on all sides shriek like banshees in the last few days before an election. It's all about cutting through the other shrieking and getting your name and bloody forehead in the news. It was also at that world's fair that one of the great snake oil salesmen, Clark Stanley, thrilled the crowd by slicing open live snakes and plunging them into boiling water. Legend has it that he skimmed the fat from the water and added it to his prepared oils then sold the concoction to the dazzled, gullible spectators, promising that it would cure everything from sciatica to frostbite. John Copeland spent his entire career in the meat processing business with Swift, later Esmark, and combined his industry experience with innovative approaches to take what became Swift Independent Packing Co. public in the early 1980s. "John was an old-line traditional executive who found himself dealing with some complicated strategic competitive threats," said Doug Gray, who became president of the new company, which he said was also known as Swift Independent Corp. "And he had the resourcefulness and mental agility to address those difficult issues. Advertisement "We created a lot of shareholder value out of what was a moribund business," Gray said. Copeland, 92, died of natural causes on Jan. 30 in Fort Myers, Fla., according to his son Victor. After retiring from Swift in 1986, the longtime Hinsdale resident and his wife, Lois, who died in 2013, divided their time between Hinsdale and Fort Myers until selling their Hinsdale home in 2009. Advertisement Copeland was born and grew up in Converse, La., the youngest of seven children. During the Depression, he helped his family by picking cotton, milking cows and chopping wood. After two years at Louisiana State University, he was drafted for service in World War II. After he completed officer candidate school and was commissioned a lieutenant in the Army infantry, Copeland was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. There he met Army nurse Lois Hansen. Both were shipped to Europe, but they kept in touch with regular letters and occasional visits, when Copeland could commandeer a Jeep, and sometimes static-filled calls on Army field telephones. As the war in Europe was winding down, Copeland proposed over one of those phones. His son said neither could hear the other clearly, so several telephone operators helped relay both the proposal and the acceptance. The two were married in Paris in September 1945. They were stationed together in Berlin for several months before Lois Copeland returned to the States to prepare for the birth of their first child. Copeland left the Army in 1946 and returned to LSU to complete his studies. After graduating in 1948, he and his family moved near his wife's hometown in Nebraska, settling across the river in Sioux City, Iowa, where he went to work for Swift and Co. He went in person to apply for a job, hoping to use his college training in accounting, his son said. But his experience and personality led to a job in operations, initially as a meat grader. He worked his way up at Swift through a number of jobs and locations before he was promoted to vice president in the company's headquarters in Chicago. Advertisement Along the way, Copeland was chairman of what was then the American Meat Institute, and also was chairman of the National Livestock and Meat Board, according to his son. He became president of Swift's fresh meat division in 1973, about the same time Swift formed the holding company Esmark. Gray said Esmark was unwilling to put needed capital into the meat business, and the decision was made to separate that business from Esmark. "We took it public in an (initial public offering)," Gray said, "but it was being divested from Esmark." At the time, the business was working under what Gray said were "onerous" labor contracts and was far from successful. "We were a business that was losing tens of millions of dollars," Gray said. The effort to take the company public paid off, according to Gray, who said the new company soon made the Fortune 200 list and created enough capital to "refresh the business and modernize it." After retiring in 1986, Copeland and his wife traveled the world, his son said. Copeland was an avid fisherman, so his travel included regular fishing trips to Canada with family members. Advertisement In addition to his son, he is survived by another son, Wade; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. Another son, John Jr., died in 2012. A memorial service was held in Florida. Graydon Megan is a freelance reporter. Dennis Nicholl, who is accused of using a jamming device to interfere with cellphone calls on a Red Line train, leaves Cook County Jail after bonding out March 9, 2016. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune) Aaron Robison was commuting home from work last fall on the Brown Line when an older man carrying a plastic bag of Old Style beer took a seat across from him. The man opened a beer and surveyed the car, scowling as he saw another rider talking on a cellphone a few feet away, Robison said. He watched as the man pulled a clunky black device topped with five antennas from his pocket and switched it on. Advertisement Almost instantly, commuters who had been talking on their phones went silent, checking their screens for the source of their dropped calls, Robison said. On Tuesday, undercover officers arrested the man who had allegedly created his own personal quiet car in recent months with an illegal device he imported from China, according to Cook County prosecutors and Chicago police. Advertisement An attorney for Dennis Nicholl, 63, a certified public accountant, said his client wanted only some peace and quiet on his commute from his North Side home to the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System, where officials confirmed he works as a financial analyst. "He's disturbed by people talking around him," attorney Charles Lauer said after a judge set bail at $10,000 while dubbing Nicholl "the cellphone police." "He might have been selfish in thinking about himself, but he didn't have any malicious intent." Records provided by the Federal Communications Commission show that the regulator has issued citations mostly for people attempting to sell the illegal jamming devices on Craigslist. But in at least one case, a Florida resident was hit with a $48,000 fine for using a cellphone jamming device as he commuted daily around Tampa. The offender told officials he wanted to prevent motorists from using their cellphones while driving. A CTA spokeswoman said Nicholl's arrest appears to mark the first for using a cellphone jamming device on the transit system. Photos of Nicholl holding the device on CTA trains had circulated online for months. Police had been tipped to the individual months ago and had obtained his photo. On Tuesday, a team of undercover officers conducting surveillance saw Nicholl enter the Loyola station on the Red Line. He was arrested a short time later after he switched on the device as an undercover officer near him spoke on his cellphone on a southbound train, according to an arrest report. The officer's call was dropped, the report said. Nicholl's family members declined to comment, but a co-worker expressed surprise that the financial planner he described as timid and not very social had been arrested. "He's a harmless guy he wouldn't want to hurt anyone," said Bobby Chacko, also a financial planner for the hospital. Advertisement Nicholl had never been a tyrant about noise around the workplace, according to Chacko. Robison and another rider who had witnessed Nicholl's antics on the train in the past reacted to his arrest with a mixture of amusement and relief. Both said they had worried that the jamming device would prevent 911 calls from going through or could interfere with CTA's communication systems. "I think he liked the feeling of being in control of the car," said Robison, who is also an accountant. "It's kind of a digital 'stay off my lawn, you young people with your cellphones.'" The other rider, Brian Raida, 30, said he was on his morning Red Line commute to his IT job in 2014 when he saw Nicholl on the train holding a device with multiple antennas on top. Suddenly, his phone lost service. "Everyone was looking at their phones like what the hell?" Raida said. Raida snapped a photo of Nicholl with a bulky device on his lap, and it eventually made its way onto social media. He also provided police with the photo and made a complaint that same day, Raida said. Advertisement And he confronted Nicholl as he got off the train, telling him, "Hey dude, nice jammer," Raida said. "He kind of looked at me and grinned," Raida said. Chicago police teamed up with the FCC and the CTA to track down Nicholl. Armed with a photograph taken by a CTA passenger of the suspect holding in his hand what appeared to be a black electronic device with multiple antennas, an undercover "mission team" set up at the Loyola stop on the Red Line at 6 a.m. Tuesday. A little more than an hour later, an undercover officer followed Nicholl onto the train. The plainclothes officer situated himself near Nicholl and immediately made a call on his personal cellphone, according to the arrest report. The officer saw Nicholl remove a black electronic device with multiple antennas from his pocket and push a button on it, police said. The officer immediately lost his signal and the call dropped, police said. After the train stopped at the Granville platform, Nicholl was taken into custody by officers. He was holding the jamming device in his hand, police said. Advertisement Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Nicholl admitted using the jamming device because "he gets annoyed at people talking on their cell phones while riding on the CTA," the arrest report said. Nicholl, of the 1000 block of West Loyola Avenue, was charged with unlawful interference with a public utility, a felony. This is not the first time Nicholl has been charged with jamming cell calls. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in June 2009, according to court records. He was placed under court supervision for a year, and his equipment was confiscated and destroyed. Robison had some simple advice for Nicholl to make his future commutes on the CTA more pleasant. "He should just use headphones," he said. sschmadeke@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @SteveSchmadeke Two people were killed and 19 others were wounded over 20 hours in Chicago from Tuesday through early Wednesday, the equivalent of someone shot every 58 minutes. The period was more violent than the entire previous weekend when one person was killed and 14 wounded and ranged across the city, from the Northwest Side to downtown to the Far South Side. The burst of violence included three shootings in the area of 63rd Street and Sacramento Avenue within two hours that left a man dead and three others wounded, including two 16-year-old boys. Five miles away, in the Gresham neighborhood, four people were shot in three incidents. The number of shootings and homicides in the city is more than double what it was the same time last year as Chicago experiences its most violent start of a year since the late 1990s. More than 500 people have been shot since the first of the year, and more than 100 of them have been killed. Advertisement One of the last shootings during the 20-hour stretch killed a 21-year-old woman in West Town. She was a passenger in a car in the 2100 block of West Maypole Avenue when someone walked up and fired shots around 12:10 a.m. Wednesday, hitting her in the back. The car slammed into an iron fence outside a row of townhouses. The woman, who was identified as Daysha Wright, 21, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 12:44 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Advertisement An autopsy Wednesday afternoon found Wright, of the 5100 block of South Paulina Avenue, died from a gunshot wound to the torso. Her cousin stood outside the crime scene, wearing short sleeves that bared the tattoos of names and dates on her arm. She was soon surrounded by people trying to sort things out: Where was the woman's young child? Which family members knew? Could anyone see if there were bullet holes in the car? How old was she? Could her loved ones retaliate without going straight to jail? How long would it take for her parents to get to Stroger Hospital from the South Side? "County (is) a beast," someone said, referring to the old name for Stroger, Cook County Hospital. "They'll pull her through." Men yelled at each other from across a playground, their voices indecipherable in the rain and wind. The cousin began to yell too. "If they're shooting to kill, they're killing the wrong people. People with kids!" she said. She gestured at the rows of brick townhouses lining the block. "Everybody's going to stay in their houses going, 'I didn't see nothing, I didn't see nothing,' and keep it that way for the rest of their lives." A detective drove up just as word spread that the woman had died. The cousin began to scream. "No, please, no," she said, gripping the iron fence and hopping up and down. She fell backward, hard onto the ground. She brought her cellphone to her ear, then threw it over the fence and turned to sit on a fire hydrant. "Why? Why? Why?" she cried. The other fatal shooting occurred around 7:50 p.m. in the Marquette Park neighborhood. A 31-year-old man was walking with a friend in the 6300 block of South Troy Street when shots were fired and he fell to the ground. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn with a gunshot wound to the back of his head and was pronounced dead there. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > The man was later identified as Gerardo Rodriguez, of the 6200 block of South Francisco Avenue, a spokeswoman for the Cook County medical examiner's office said March 31. Rodriguez was pronounced dead at 8:41 p.m., and an autopsy later determined he died from a gunshot wound to the neck. Other shootings: A man was shot and seriously wounded in front of two restaurants in the River North neighborhood about 2:25 p.m. Tuesday, according to Officer Kevin Quaid, a Chicago police spokesman. The man, who turned 24 on Tuesday, was arguing with another man in the 600 block of North Wells Street when the other man took out a gun and fired four or five times, hitting the victim in the groin, Quaid said. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in serious condition. The shooter got into a silver van with temporary license plates that fled west on Huron Street toward Kingsbury Street, according to police. The gunman was described by police as black, around 25, and wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. A witness said he was on his bicycle about a block away when he heard about five shots and rode over to the shooting. He saw a man in his 20s or 30s lying on the ground, his abdominal area covered with blood. A woman with the man was crying as five or six other people tried to help the victim. Chicago police investigate near Erie and Wells streets where a man was shot about 2:25 p.m. March 8, 2016. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune) The witness said he was told the man had been in a nearby restaurant before he came out and was shot. Daniel Masakowski, 23, said he was driving when he heard shots and pulled over and saw the victim lying on the ground. He got out and ran to help the man, elevating his feet, Masakowski said. He said the victim was "alert and speaking." Masakowski, from the west suburbs, said he comes to the city often, but that may change after the shooting. He said what angered him most was that people were too busy trying to record the wounded victim to call 911. Police and paramedics respond to an afternoon shooting near Wells and Erie streets March 8, 2016. (Grace Wong / Chicago Tribune) At 4:50 a.m. Wednesday, a 34-year-old man was shot in the Gage Park neighborhood, according to preliminary information from police. He was in the 5000 block of South Kedzie Avenue when he was hit in the leg. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and was in good condition. Five minutes earlier, a 32-year-old man was shot in the Kilbourn Park neighborhood. He was driving in the 3300 block of North Milwaukee Avenue when another vehicle pulled up and someone inside fired shots and he was hit in the arm. He went to Community First Medical Center and was listed in good condition. A 32-year-old man walked into the emergency room at UIC Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the back about 2:15 a.m. He told investigators he had been shot near Blue Island and Western avenues, and police later determined he was shot in the 2500 block of South Blue Island Avenue. He was transferred to Stroger Hospital, where he was in serious condition. A 23-year-old man was shot at 10:20 p.m. Tuesday in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood. He was in the 2800 block of West 63rd Street when he was shot in the arm. He was in serious condition at Christ Medical Center. Advertisement A 25-year-old man was shot in the left shoulder about 8:30 p.m. in the West Garfield Park neighborhood, Quaid said. The man was wounded in the 4100 block of West Washington Boulevard and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition was stabilized. About 8:35 p.m., a 50-year-old man was shot while driving in the 11600 block of South Prairie in West Pullman. The man, a member of the Black P Stones street gang, was driving through Latin Kings territory when a group of people threw bottles at his car and shot at him, according to a law enforcement source. He was shot in the back and went to Roseland Community Hospital, where his condition was stabilized. Two 16-year-old boys were shot about 8:30 p.m. in the Marquette Park neighborhood. Both were shot in the leg in the 3000 block of West 64th Street. One went to Mount Sinai Hospital and the other went to Holy Cross Hospital. Both their conditions were stabilized. A 32-year-old man was wounded in the Morgan Park neighborhood Tuesday evening. The man walked into MetroSouth Medical Center after being shot in the foot in the 11500 block of South Marshfield Avenue about 6:50 p.m. in a robbery. Two men were wounded in the 3700 block of West Ferdinand Avenue in the East Garfield Park neighborhood about 7 p.m. A 24-year-old man was shot in the neck and taken to Stoger Hospital, while a 26-year-old man was shot in the left leg and taken to Norwegian-American Hospital, police said. The two men told police they were standing on a corner on Ferdinand, "not paying attention," when they heard shots and felt pain, Quaid said. A 42-year-old man was shot in Gresham a few minutes earlier, about 6:45 p.m. He was in the 8800 block of South Wood Street when someone in a black SUV fired shots. He was hit in the head, arm and shoulder and taken to Christ Medical Center in critical condition. Two men, 30 and 31, were wounded at 79th Street and Ashland Avenue in the Gresham neighborhood, police said. Both were shot around 5:45 p.m. and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center. The younger man was hit in the arm, and the older man was shot in the hip. At least one of them drove or was driven to 71st Street and Western Avenue before the vehicle crashed. Police later said a 29-year-old woman suffered a graze wound in the shooting, but refused medical attention. About 4:40 p.m., a woman, 22, was shot in the Gage Park neighborhood, said Officer Thomas Sweeney, a police spokesman. The shooting happened in the 2800 block of West 57th Street, he said. The woman suffered a back wound and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where she was in fair condition. About 2:30 p.m., two men suffered minor gunshot wounds in the Englewood neighborhood, police said. The shooting happened near 57th Street and Laflin Avenue and left a 27-year-old man shot in the left foot and a 21-year-old shot in the right hand. The two made their way to St. Bernard Hospital and Healthcare Center, where they were treated for their wounds, police said. A 57-year-old man was seriously wounded Tuesday morning in the Gresham neighborhood. The shooting happened about 8:40 a.m. in the 8200 block of South Emerald Avenue, said Officer Ana Pacheco, a police spokeswoman. The man was wounded in the face and taken in serious condition to Stroger Hospital, Pacheco said. No one was in custody. Gov. Bruce Rauner, seen here talking about education funding last week, won't allow reporters into his Friday Illinois Republican fundraiser that features Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield. Topspin Friday's high-dollar fundraiser for the Illinois Republican Party, honoring Gov. Bruce Rauner and featuring Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, will be closed to reporters. Advertisement Cruz, who's trying to overtake Donald Trump in the Republican presidential primaries, was the only White House contender to answer the invitation of Illinois Republicans looking to cash in on Tuesday's primary. Tickets for the event at the Palmer House Hilton start at $500 per person and go up to $40,000 to serve as a "Gold Sponsor," which includes two tables of 10 with a photo opportunity and a one-year membership in the "Governor's Council." Advertisement The Illinois GOP isn't the only one trying to cash in. The Northwest Suburban Republican Lincoln Day Dinner also will be held Friday night and feature Cruz as speaker. The group represents Republican township organizations in Barrington, Elk Grove, Hanover, Maine, Palatine, Northfield, Schaumburg and Wheeling. Tickets for that event are $120 per person. (Rick Pearson) What's on tap *Mayor Rahm Emanuel will attend the CTA board meeting. *Gov. Bruce Rauner has no public events. *Ohio Gov. John Kasich will hold events in Lisle in the morning and in Palatine in the afternoon. Heidi Cruz, the wife of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, will speak at a City Club of Chicago breakfast. She'll also appear at the Cruz campaign's southwest suburban field office in Homer Glen. *Democrats running for Cook County Circuit Court clerk will debate at 7 p.m. on WTTW-Ch. 11's "Chicago Tonight." Station officials said Circuit Clerk Dorothy Brown and challengers Jacob Meister and 8th Ward Ald. Michelle Harris were confirmed. Harris, the county party's endorsed candidate, largely has stayed out of the public spotlight during the campaign *The Chicago City Council's Transportation Committee meets to consider 9th Ward Ald. Anthony Beale's proposal to allow cabdrivers to charge an additional 50 cents for credit card payments. Unclear whether a vote will be held, however. Some cabbies already have been charging extra fees. *The Illinois Senate is in at noon. Advertisement What we're writing *Duckworth easily outdistancing Democratic U.S. Senate rivals, Tribune poll finds. *Kirk opens up big lead on little-known challenger, Tribune poll shows. *Ex-U.S. Rep. Schneider faces North Shore primary for chance at Dold rematch. *Rauner blasts Madigan for House's absence until after primary election. *Republicans delete Duckworth tweet as her campaign tries to raise money off the flap. *Bill Clinton campaigns in Chicago and Evanston. Advertisement *Ald. Moreno offers plan to change trash pickup fees to fund property tax rebate. *Illinois treasurer sues Sprint over unclaimed rebates. From the notebook *Gutierrez helping Hillary Clinton: U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez is helping out Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign by narrating a minutelong ad in Spanish to air on Chicago's Hispanic radio stations. In the ad, Gutierrez says that on the issue of immigration reform, "I trust Hillary to guide nearly 12 million honest people from the shadows to the light." (Rick Pearson) *The Old Post Office: Mayor Emanuel's administration put out a news release late Monday night saying that on Tuesday the mayoral-appointed Community Development Commission "will vote to recommend" City Hall's plan to seize the Old Post Office through eminent domain and find a new developer to put the site back to economic use. The confidence was well-placed. That's exactly what the CDC did Tuesday. And the pressure mounts on the British developer who owns the site. Advertisement *Schoolhouse Rock presents? The nonprofit Chicago Votes group that aims to step up election participation has put together this unusual video urging folks to vote March 15 in the race for Cook County state's attorney. (Hal Dardick) *Noland blames Quinn for finances: In case you missed it, state Sen. Michael Noland, who's running for Congress in the 8th District Democratic primary, sought to blame former Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn for his financial situation. In our overview story on the congressional contest, we reported that Noland cited "financial hardship" in 2014 when he modified his mortgage through a federal assistance program that helps homeowners reduce monthly payments and avoid foreclosure. In an interview, Noland said his family faced a number of financial obligations, including student loans and private school tuition for his daughter. The senator called back the next day to add that his family struggled after then-Gov. Quinn zeroed out lawmakers' salaries during a 2013 budget fight. Lawmakers went two months without paychecks before a judge ruled the move unconstitutional and the money was paid out. Follow the money *Democratic state Rep. Christian Mitchell, facing a primary rematch against challenger Jay Travis, reported more than $52,000 in contributions, including $15,000 from a laborers' union fund. *Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez reported $77,000 more in contributions, while challenger Donna More reported another $28,000-plus. Advertisement *Track campaign contribution reports in real time with this Tribune Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ILCampaignCash Beyond Chicago *Presidential race, Republican side: Trump steaks claim to victory in Michigan, Mississippi. *Presidential race, Democratic side: Clinton wins Mississippi but Sanders surprisingly strong in Michigan. *Palestinian attacks kill American student, wound 12 Israelis. *Three decades later, a mixed legacy for "Just Say No." Israeli police officers look for evidence near the scene of a stabbing attack in the Jaffa neighborhood of Tel Aviv. (Thomas Coex / AFP/Getty Images) Palestinian attackers unleashed a series of shooting and stabbing assaults on Israelis on Tuesday, including a stabbing spree in the ancient Mediterranean port city of Jaffa that killed an American student near where Vice President Joe Biden was meeting with Israel's former president, police said. The Jaffa assault came as Biden arrived on a two-day visit as part of a regional tour of the Mideast. He is to meet both Israeli and Palestinian leaders and there have been speculations he would try to revive the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Advertisement Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the man killed in Jaffa was an American tourist, but did not provide further details. A dozen Israelis, civilians and police officers, were wounded in the Palestinian knife and gun attacks. Along with the Jaffa attacker, three other Palestinian assailants were shot and killed in the day's rash of violence, the latest in a wave of near-daily Palestinian assaults on Israeli civilians and security forces that erupted in mid-September. Advertisement The bloodshed mainly stabbings but also shootings and car-ramming attacks has killed 28 Israelis. During the same time, at least 176 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire. Most of the Palestinians have been identified by Israel as attackers, while the rest were killed in clashes with security forces. The chancellor of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, issued a statement identifying the American stabbing victim as Taylor Force, a student at its Owen Graduate School of Management who was on a school trip to Tel Aviv. Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos said all the other Vanderbilt students, faculty and staff on the trip are safe. Zeppos said Force had traveled to Tel Aviv "to expand his understanding of global entrepreneurship and also to share his insights and knowledge with start-ups in Israel." "This horrific act of violence has robbed our Vanderbilt family of a young hopeful life and all of the bright promise that he held for bettering our greater world," Zeppos said. In the Jaffa attack, Israeli Channel 2 TV interviewed a man identified only by his first name, Yishai, who described how he confronted the Palestinian as he stabbing people in the street. "I was sitting down playing guitar and I heard screaming from across the street," said the man, who wore a T-shirt of the rock band Tool. "I saw a man run at me with a knife, I ran at him with the guitar and smashed it in his head. He was so stunned and didn't know what to do with himself and then started running away." Police said the attacker then ran toward the beach and continued attacking passers-by before he was shot and killed. Meanwhile, Biden was meeting with former Israeli President Shimon Peres at the Peres Center for Peace, not far from the attack in Jaffa. Advertisement "I notified the Vice President on the terrible incident that took place just a few hundred meters away from here in Jaffa," Peres said. "Terror leads to nowhere." Biden "condemned in the strongest possible terms the brutal attack which occurred in Jaffa," his office said. "He expressed his sorrow at the tragic loss of American life and offered his condolences to the family of the American citizen murdered in the attack, as well as his wishes for a full and quick recovery for the wounded," the statement said. In other attacks Tuesday, a Palestinian opened fire at police officers near Jerusalem's Old City in the late afternoon, about a half hour before Biden arrived in Israel, wounding an officer before fleeing the scene. In the chase that followed, the Palestinian wounded another officer before he was shot and killed, police said. A short while before that, a Palestinian followed an Israeli into a store and stabbed him in the neck in the central city of Petah Tikvah before he was shot and killed. Earlier in the day, a Palestinian woman in her 50s who tried to stab Israeli security forces was shot and killed by officers, also in Jerusalem's Old City, police said. No Israelis were wounded in that attack Palestinians say the violence stems from frustration at nearly five decades of Israeli rule over the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Israel says the violence is fueled by a campaign of Palestinian lies and incitement that is compounded on social media sites that glorify and encourage attacks. Advertisement Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, praised the attacks on Tuesday but did not claim responsibility for them. Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. Some West Virginia lawmakers and Capitol staffers had a very bad weekend after celebrating the passage of a raw milk bill by drinking some. Now state health officials are investigating whether the milk was to blame for their fever, vomiting and diarrhea, and weighing allegations the raw-milk party broke the law. So far, state and county health officials say they haven't received medical reports of illnesses related to the dangerous bacteria that can live in raw milk, which include Campylobacter, Listeria, Salmonella and E. Coli. The lawmaker involved, Del. Scott Cadle, who also stayed home sick on Monday, blames his and other illnesses on an unrelated stomach virus circulating the Capitol. Advertisement "Everybody up there is getting it," said Cadle, a Mason County Republican. "It's a stomach virus. It didn't have nothing to do with that milk." Some of those who got sick, including House Speaker Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha, did not drink the milk, House spokesman Jared Hunt noted. Advertisement Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin signed a bill last Thursday that will let people share milk-producing animals and drink raw milk if people sign a document acknowledging the health risks, and if the animals have passed health tests within the previous year. The law, which takes effect in late May, maintains selling and distribution bans. Selling or even offering raw milk is illegal and still will be, subject to fines of $50 to $500, unless the new requirements are met. Tomblin, a Democrat, vetoed a similar bill last year, saying raw milk contains bacteria particularly dangerous for children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems. State health officials got involved after someone filed a complaint Tuesday alleging that the distribution of raw milk in the halls of the Capitol violated the law, and could have been to blame for illnesses over the weekend. Officials don't release the names of people who file complaints. It's not clear how many people got sick, or whether any of them were tested by doctors, who are required by law to report confirmed cases to the state health department. State Health Officer Dr. Rahul Gupta his department investigates about 200 possible outbreaks of all kinds of illnesses every year, so this one isn't unusual, nor is it confirmed. "It's important to note that a lot of the information out there is alleged," Gupta said. "It's important to conduct an investigation to figure out exactly the facts." Cadle said he brought in raw milk last week and drank it with friends after the governor signed the bill into law. "I might have been breaking the law," Cadle told the Charleston Gazette-Mail. "Hell, I don't know. I gave it away." Advertisement Associated Press "All the members of the black community have patiently waited, for seven years, with bated breath for President Obama to weigh in on the issues that impact our communities," he said in a statement released early Tuesday. "So, you can imagine our surprise when we heard about his endorsement especially considering the number of serious issues residents of the 5th (House District) and the state of Illinois face on a daily basis. For the Rev. Michael Jones, the new pastor of St. John United Church of Christ in Arlington Heights, the past six months have brought an abundance of personal accomplishments. Jones, 32, who is gay, married his husband in September 2015, and four months later, he stepped up as the leader of the 114-year-old congregation fondly known in town as the "church in the park." This month, the Harvard Divinity School graduate and Ohio native took a break from his church duties to reflect upon his faith journey, leadership skills and the role of religion in an increasingly secular society. Q: At what point in your life did you realize you had a calling to become a minister? Advertisement A: I was halfway through college as a music education major at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind., when I switched my major to religious studies. I had grown up in a conservative evangelical church community, so I got a lot of support from my parents on my decision to become a minister. I did well in college, but I wouldn't say I was Harvard-bound. But I had a professor at Indiana who felt Harvard would be a good fit for me, and he was right. It was great being a student in the Boston-Cambridge area, which was the first time I'd lived in a major metropolitan city. It was a three-year master's degree in divinity, and after that, I went through the ordination process. Q: What would you say to former church-goers who have stopped attending Sunday services? Advertisement A: Well, if you're looking for community, a place of acceptance, and a place to experience God, this church is one of the many places where you can find that. Church has always had a huge impact on my life, and there's something important about growing in faith together with other people. We are a Christian church and we do believe there is a living God and we stand by that. We believe God's love breaks down barriers. And believe me, being gay, I know a lot about all the good and bad things about church. I would hope that this church is a place where people feel comfortable. It's not a huge church, but it's a very exciting place when you look at all the things we have going on. Q: What is your most important role as a pastor? A: I give out my cellphone number to the congregation in case they have an emergency, because if I'm available, I want to be there for them. And I always have my cellphone with me, just in case someone has some type of accident, or is hospitalized, I could go to help them. I see it as part of my calling to be there when I'm needed. Some people might disagree with me, as there are so many roles that hold equal importance, but I think leadership is extra important. We are a community of people, but as a pastor, you are called to guide and lead a group toward a mission or goal. In our case, it's the good news of the gospel and sharing God's love. We are living in very different times than 20 years ago, with the rise of secularism and church attendance challenges. A lot of churches feel pressure to be the biggest and the best, and of course, everyone wants their church to grow. But it's really all about faith, love and community. Q: With all the mud-slinging this presidential primary season, what advice would you give to the candidates? A: I'd say to them that they should remember that every person in our society matters. A lot of people and groups feel left behind and forgotten in all the hype of the election season. I know that not all politicians are seeking fame, but politics is definitely not my calling. kcullotta@tribpub.com Twitter @kcullotta Heather Legner financed a commercial lawn mower using a friend's identity and made the $1,500 down payment with cash she reportedly pilfered from an elderly man, according to authorities. Those claims are among the allegations contained in recently filed charging documents, as well as a search warrant affidavit submitted by police to obtain Legner's phone last year. A judge issued an arrest warrant for 37-year-old Legner Feb. 3 that charged her with forgery and identity theft involving an Aurora woman described as a friend of Legner. Advertisement Prosecutors allege she used the friend's birth date and Social Security number to obtain credit cards, cash, services and various items - including a John Deere lawn mower which she financed for nearly $7,000, records show. The charges appear to continue a trend of thefts and fraud by Legner which stretch back at least a decade and resulted in three trips to prison since 2005, Illinois Department of Corrections records state. Her local troubles, which include a felony warrant in DuPage County on a deceptive practice case, have extended to Arizona where she is being held in Maricopa County Jail in connection to recent theft and drug paraphernalia charges. It is not immediately known when she will be returned to Illinois in the Kane County case. A "fugitive from justice" hearing is scheduled for May, Maricopa County court records show. Advertisement Investigators wanted to search Legner's phone after a Montgomery man who rented her a room said he recalled seeing photos on the device showing Legner with "stacks of cash," the affidavit states. Aurora police spokesman Dan Ferrelli recently said anyone who believes they or someone they know might have been victimized by Legner should contact Aurora police. Dan Campana is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News In the March primary, only one county-wide race in Will County has any competition the circuit court clerk. Two who are vying for the Democratic nomination and seeking to replace current five-term clerk Pamela J.McGuire, who is not seeking re-election are Andrea Chasteen and Bob Enright, both first time candidates for elected office. Advertisement Whoever wins the primary will face Republican challenger Marlene Carlson, of New Lenox, in the November election. Carlson is unopposed in the primary. Chasteen, of Frankfort, has worked in the circuit clerk's office for more than 20 years and said she wants to continue developing staff, implementing technical advances and building upon McGuire's accomplishments. Advertisement "I know I am the best candidate to provide the leadership to move the office forward and that is demonstrated in my accomplishments," said Chasteen in an email response to a candidate's questionnaire. She has been endorsed by McGuire. Enright, a New Lenox resident, who worked in McGuire's office from 1997 to 2013 and currently works in the IT department in Kane County, said in his emailed response that he is running for this office "to give the citizens a better alternative for their next circuit clerk rather than leave it to the political insiders." The top three issues Chasteen plans to address are budgetary constraints, technology enhancements, and expansion of electronic filings to include all types of cases, as required by law. To address the budget, Chasteen said she has sought ways to make the office more efficient by cross-training employees to handle various jobs that resulted in better service to the public and multiple promotions for employees. Secondly, she wants to enhance the online services now available to streamline tasks. The clerk's office recently launched a new mobile friendly website and expanded E-citations allowing police officers to write tickets and send the data directly to the clerk's office and reduce the redundant entry of data, she said. The circuit clerk's office currently offers electronic filings for arbitration and law cases at no additional costs to the users, and Chasteen said she wants to expand that to all civil, criminal and traffic cases. Chasteen began her career at the clerk's office after her high school graduation in 1993 and worked her way up to director of operations, where she has managed staff, wrote procedures and training materials and managed electronic initiatives. Technology has been the focus of Enright's career and he is currently managing a $10 million project in Kane County to incorporate computer systems from the circuit clerk, states attorney, public defender and the judiciary and interface it with the sheriff and probation departments. He said he has experience in working with all those departments. Advertisement "We need to bring that type of efficiency and long term vision to Will County," Enright said, who has a bachelor degree in computer science. This "systemic inefficiency within the justice community" is the biggest challenge in the Will County circuit clerk's office. "I will focus on combating the vicious cycle of inefficient repetitive data entry due to the lack of systems integration between offices," he said, adding that it will take a collaborative effort. He also wants to improve access to cases by attorneys, judges, law enforcement and the public, he said. Since most people work during the week, Enright said he would open the clerk's office on Saturday mornings because staff is already there for bond court, and would like to provide services in Crete, Bolingbrook and Plainfield, possibly in free space within townships and municipalities. Under his leadership, the circuit clerk's office implemented electronic orders of protection, electronic warrants, a public defender system, a drug test result system, and electronic traffic citations, Enright said. He also plans to "continuously look for grant opportunities that will benefit the entire justice community." Advertisement Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > "For the past 18 years my job has been improving court and justice community operations and functions. My hobby is reading about improving court and justice community operations and functions," Enright said. He has been on exploratory visits to state and federal courts throughout the country to examine how these courts use technology to improve their functions and operations. "Will County needs someone with a vision to usher in the 21st century. Will County cannot afford to remain in the dark ages," he said. "When it comes to court systems I have one of the most extensive resumes in Will County. No other candidate has my ideas, experience or education." But Chasteen said she is the only candidate who is endorsed by McGuire, county-wide elected officials and "a growing list" of unions. She is a long-time Will County resident, married and the mother of two young children. She said she has chaired many office fundraising events over the years, including Will County Take Back the Night Against Domestic Violence, the American Cancer Society, ALS and United Way. Enright, a veteran, is married with two daughters and one grandson. Advertisement slafferty@tribpub.com Eileen McNamee, (right) coordinator of the annual Thom McNamee Memorial St. Patrick's Day Parade, puts the parade sash on Diane Ahrens. Roger Shelton of Bandito Barney's Beach Club and Bordello looks on during the ceremony. (Erin Sauder / The Courier-News) As president of the Dundee Veterans of Foreign Wars 2298 Ladies Auxiliary, Diane Ahrens generally runs a pretty orderly meeting. But that was not to be Tuesday night. Advertisement Shortly after the group's meeting began, organizers of the annual Thom McNamee Memorial St. Patrick's Day Parade showed up to let Ahrens know she had landed the 2016 Tim and Thom McNamee Citizen of the Year Award. That means that Ahrens, of East Dundee's Piece-A-Cake Bakery, will serve as grand marshal during the parade, which steps off at 11 a.m. Saturday in East Dundee. Advertisement The Citizen of the Year Award was created to honor local residents who have made the Dundee Township area better because of their commitment. Ahrens' humbleness made the clandestine visit necessary, parade coordinator Eileen McNamee said. "We knew it had to be a surprise because if I told her she would have said 'no,'" McNamee said. After being presented with her sash and cane, Ahrens was told she would be picked up in a convertible on the morning of the parade. McNamee said Ahrens was chosen because of her service to the troops and the community. Ahrens and her husband, Roger, are U.S. Marine Corps veterans. In 2004, they began the Operation Sweet Tooth initiative, and have been sending boxes of cookies to U.S. servicemen and servicewomen overseas. The community's support has helped the business pay for postage and items for the shipments. In January, Ahrens organized a baby shower for about 25 Chicago area women veterans who are expecting. Last August, she donated a cake for the "Bella's Lemonade Stand" fundraiser hosted by Goddard School in Elgin for Bella Yakos, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer. Advertisement "We just thank you so much for everything you do," McNamee said. The announcement made Ahrens emotional. "Thank you so much," she said, wiping away tears. "This is awesome." Her daughter, Daisy Ahrens-Janisch, was in on the surprise. "She definitely deserves it," she said. "She's an amazing person." More information about the parade can be found at http://dundeestpats.com/. Alan Konwinski has been charged with burglary and criminal damage to property in Highland Park. He faces multiple burglary charges in other suburbs. (Northbrook Police Department) A 26-year-old Highland Park man dubbed the "salon burglar" by suburban law enforcement authorities was arrested again March 4 and charged in a half-dozen Lake County incidents, including a February burglary in downtown Highland Park. Alan Konwinski, of the 1200 block of Arbor Avenue, is suspected in dozens of burglaries at suburban beauty salons and spas beginning in August 2015 and through his arrest on Feb. 18 in Northbrook, according to Highland Park police. Advertisement Authorities have said the incidents occurred after the salons closed and before midnight, and often involved breaking the glass on the front door. On March 4, Highland Park police charged Konwinski in a Feb. 3 break-in at B Beautiful Salon and Spa on the 700 block of Central Avenue in downtown Highland Park, according to police reports. Advertisement That break-in was captured on camera, and Highland Park police shared the footage with other police departments, police said. Based on a tip from the DuPage County Sheriff's office, Northbrook police arrested Konwinski Feb. 18 for driving on a suspended license. He subsequently was charged with five salon burglaries in that village. "At the time of the stop, he was wearing the same hooded sweatshirt that he was wearing in the video of a burglary provided by the Highland Park police department," Northbrook police said in a press release at the time of the arrest. That video was released by authorities after a press conference on Feb. 15. Konwinski was on electronic monitoring, or home confinement, following his release from Cook County Jail Feb. 20 after posting $5,000 bond, according to a spokesperson for the Cook County sheriff's office. Highland Park Deputy Police Chief Timothy Wilinski said Tuesday he was taken into custody March 4 on the 5000 block of Kolmar Avenue in Chicago while on home confinement. According to Lake County court records, Konwinski has been charged with six separate incidents in the county, including the Feb. 3 burglary in Highland Park. In that case, he is charged with burglary and criminal damage to property of more than $300. The Lake County State's Attorney's Office did not return a call for comment on what other Lake County towns Konwinski faces charges in. Advertisement He is scheduled for a bond review hearing on March 10 in Lake County. kberkowitz@pioneerlocal.com @KarenABerkowitz Melodie Gliniewicz, 51, of Antioch, photographed with her attorney, turns herself in to the Lake County sheriff's office Jan. 27, 2016, after she was indicted on charges of money laundering and misuse of charitable funds. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) A conspiracy charge was lodged Wednesday against Melodie Gliniewicz, the widow of Fox Lake police Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz, who authorities said killed himself as allegations of alleged thefts from a youth program he ran were coming to light. Melodie Gliniewicz was indicted in January on charges of felony money laundering and misuse of charitable funds tied to allegations that more than $10,000 was misspent from accounts that were supposed to support the now-defunct Fox Lake Police Explorers chapter. Advertisement On Wednesday, a Lake County grand jury indicted Melodie Gliniewicz, 51, with one count of conspiracy. The new charge relates to more than one person being involved in a plan to commit a crime, officials said. If convicted on the initial charges, Melodie Gliniewicz could receive probation or up to seven years in prison, officials said. Advertisement Authorities said Wednesday the conspiracy charge is a lower class of felony than the previous charges, therefore she is not at risk of a longer prison sentence if convicted. State's Attorney Michael Nerheim said revising or adding charges is not an unusual procedure as prosecutors prepare for a potential trial. "We are continuously evaluating and reevaluating cases, and sometimes add charges when appropriate," Nerheim said Wednesday. Officials said the conspiracy charge is an additional and alternate way of charging her with the same offenses. She has already pleaded not guilty to the initial charges and is free from custody after posting a $5,000 bond. Officials said Melodie Gliniewicz's bond has not changed as the result of the new indictment, and scheduled court dates still stand. An arraignment date on the new indictment is scheduled April 6 before Judge Victoria Rossetti. Her defense attorneys have contended that rather than being an accomplice, Melodie Gliniewicz was "a victim of her husband's secret actions." Advertisement Authorities said detectives determined funds intended for the Explorer program designed to give aspiring youths police experience in the field were used by the couple to pay for a vacation in Hawaii and trips to Fox Lake Theatre, Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts. Explorer funds were also used for more than 400 restaurant charges, according to officials. Lt. Gliniewicz was found fatally shot on the morning of Sept. 1 after calling into dispatchers that he was following three men, authorities said. His death was initially investigated as a homicide in the line of duty, but investigators later ruled it a suicide, saying Lt. Gliniewicz staged his death to look like a murder amid fears that his alleged thefts would be discovered. Melodie Gliniewicz's attorneys have began making a case to get at least three of the initial counts dismissed. The defense will have until April 1 to file the motions to dismiss and another hearing is scheduled April 6. Defense attorneys also asked for a formal release of several accounts frozen in the wake of the investigation. Those accounts were not included in a seizure order that targeted those accounts believed to contain funds from the Explorers program. jrnewton@tribpub.com Twitter @jimnewton5 "Chive Mash" is among the recipes participants will learn to make Saturday during the Naperville Park District's St. Patrick's Day culinary course for couples. (Bill Hogan / Chicago Tribune) Wednesday David Lubar Book Signing: David Lubar will be signing copies of his latest book, "Character Driven," at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Anderson's Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville. Advertisement The event is free. For more information, call (630) 355-2665 or go to www.andersonsbookshop.com. Thursday Advertisement Sustainable Lawn/Garden Program: The Naperville Public Library is hosting a lecture on sustainable gardening and lawn care from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Nichols Library community room, 200 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville. Kay McKeen, founder and director of School and Community Assistance for Composting and Recycling Education, will speak about native plants, water conservation and composting. For more information, go to www.naperville-lib.org. "My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish" Book Signing: Mo O'Hara, author of the "My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish" series, will be signing copies of her latest book, "Any Fin is Possible" at 7 p.m. Thursday at Anderson's Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville. The event is free. For more information, call (630) 355-2665 or go to www.andersonsbookshop.com. North Central College Winter Concert: North Central College presents its Winter Concert featuring its Concert Winds and Symphonic Band ensembles at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and seniors. For more information, call (630)637-7469 or go to www.northcentralcollege.edu/showtix. Thursday-Sunday Advertisement "The Good Doctor": The Organic Theater Company will perform "The Good Doctor" by Neil Simon at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. For more information, go to www.northcentralcollege.edu/show or call (630) 637-7469. Friday Billy Elton Concert: Neuqua Valley High School will host "Billy Elton: Celebrating the Music of Billy Joel and Elton John" featuring Reid Spears, at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the school auditorium, 2360 95th St., Naperville. The band will be joined by special guests from the Neaqua Valley music faculty and the Neuqua Valley Symphony Orchestra. Tickets are $10, and the concert will benefit the memorial funds of teachers Tom Schlegel, David Scheidecker and Leslie Baumann. Advertisement Tickets are available at www.neuquamusic.org or at the door. Saturday St. Paddy's Day 5K: The Rotary Club of Naperville Sunrise in cooperation with West Suburban Irish is hosting a 5K run and walk prior to the St. Patrick's Day parade. The race kicks off at 8 a.m. Saturday at Jackson and West streets near Centennial Beach and will follow the St. Patrick's Day parade route. Race participants will finish before the step-off of the parade, and a post-race party will be held for all registered participants and sponsors near the finish line. Proceeds from the run and walk will benefit Rotary Club projects and charities. For more information, go to www.stpaddysday5k.org. Advertisement St. Patrick's Day Parade: The West Suburban Irish will kick off their annual St. Patrick's Day Parade at 10 a.m. Saturday at Naperville North High School and head through downtown Naperville. The 2016 grand marshal is Naperville resident Patrick Bowler and the parade queen is Allison Clymer, a senior at Neuqua Valley High School. For more information, go to www.wsirish.org. Culinary Date Night: The Naperville Park District is offering a St. Patrick's Day culinary course from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the 95th Street Center, 2244 W. 95th St., Naperville. The menu includes pale ale and cheddar soup, flank steak with confit shallots, chive mash and apple compote. Recipes will be provided, and participants can bring a bottle of wine to share with their partner as they learn to prepare a gourmet meal. Cost is $46 per person for residents and $69 per person for nonresidents, and participants must register 48 hours in advance. Advertisement For more information, go to www.napervilleparks.org. "Bring Your Own Beat": Chicago Sinfonietta presents "BYOB: Bring Your Own Beat" at 8 p.m. Saturday at North Central College's Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville. The concert features William Grant Still's "Festive Overture," Ricardo Lorenz's "Maracas Concerto" and a finale where the audience can join the orchestra. Tickets are $60, $48 and $10. For more information, call (630) 637-7469 or go to www.northcentralcollege.edu/showtix. Saturday-Sunday Maple Sugar Event: Naper Settlement presents its annual Maple Sugaring Spring Fever event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. Advertisement Festival-goers can learn how sap is collected, watch a maple tree tapping demonstration, take part in hands-on activities, watch presentations on Native American heritage, enjoy maple treats and more. Each of the buildings will offer a different theme and special activities. For more information, go to www.napersettlement.org or call (630) 420-6010. Sunday "Tribal Tales" Lecture: Naper Settlement is presenting a History Speaks lecture entitled "Tribal Tales from the River's Edge" from 4 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Naper Settlement's Century Memorial Chapel, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. The lecture will talk about stories, songs and artifacts collected from 19th century explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark from the different cultures they encountered in their journey west during the Corps of Discovery. For more information, go to www.napersettlement.org or call (630) 420-6010. Advertisement Tuesday Irish Mass: The West Suburban Irish will honor St. Patrick with an Irish Mass at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Raphael Church, 1215 Modaff Road, Naperville. The mass, which is open to the public, will feature Irish hymns, instrumental music, the McNulty Irish dancers and a soda bread reception at about 8 p.m. For more information, go to www.wsirish.org. Editor's note: An earlier version of this story said two developments would be loated on the Zero Gravity site. In fact, the second project -- 80 row houses being built by Pulte Homes -- has been proposed for a different Woodridge site on Route 53 at Main Street. Zero Gravity, a teen nightclub for more than two decades, will close its doors later this month to make way for an assisted senior living complex on the southwest corner of Route 53 and 75th Street. Advertisement The Woodridge Plan Commission unanimously recommended the developer's proposal Cedarhurst Assisted Living Monday night, and it is scheduled to go before Woodridge Village Board later this month. While the property address is Naperville, the land was annexed into Woodridge a number of years ago, said Jack Knight, assistant to the Woodridge village administrator. Although it was known in November that Zero Gravity would be closing to make way for the development, the club did not confirm the change until Monday, when it revealed on its Facebook page that March 19 would be the last day for teen customers. A "reunion party" will be held March 18 for anyone 21 or older, the site said. Advertisement "We are overwhelmed by the positive response we have been getting," the post read. "In the past 21 years, over 3 million people attended ZG. We want to thank all for the great support." Missouri-based Cedarhurst Living plans to build its first housing development for seniors in northern Illinois on the site of the Zero Gravity dance club, just east of Naperville. (Naperville Sun) The Facebook announcement also said a "bigger and newer club will be opening fall 2016," but provided no other details. Club owners and staff did not respond to requests for additional comment Tuesday. Cedarhurst Assisted Living, proposed by Dover Capital of Clayton, Mo., will be a 4-story, 100-unit facility for assisted living and memory care residents, according to village reports. The Woodridge Village Board is to consider the proposal March 17. Meanwhile, the closing of Zero Gravity represents something of an end of an era. In 1997, a Chicago Tribune story described the 10,000-square-foot, 800-person capacity club as "a turbocharged house of bass, with all the flesh and flash of an adult nightclub, sans booze." Young adults between the ages of 16 and 22 traveled from as far away as Antioch and Chicago's North Side "to sweat and be seen," the story said. Doors closed at 4 a.m. The club had its controversial moments over the years. In 1999, the DuPage County Sheriff's Department arrested three dozen club-goers over a two-weekend crackdown. Charges included the possession of ecstasy, cocaine and marijuana and underage possession of alcohol and tobacco, according to Tribune reports. Over the past five years, however, calls for service at Zero Gravity were "within the normal range" for a nightclub, with complaints typically for underage drinking and theft, said Traci Marrocco, spokeswoman for the village of Woodridge and its police department. An artist's rendering of how Uptown at Seven Bridges, proposed for land on which the Zero Gravity teen nightclub now sits, will look. (Courtesy of Pulte Homes of Schaumburg) "With the new development, we expect the types of calls to change and the call volume to decrease," Marrocco said. Advertisement gbookwalter@tribpub.com Twitter @GenevieveBook "Any Priory story ends in bloodshed. They were butchered by the Church. It all started over 1,000 years ago when a French king conquered the holy city of Jerusalem. The crusade, one of the most massive and sweeping in history, was actually orchestrated by a secret brotherhood: the Priory of Sion and their military arm, the Knights Templar." from the film "The Da Vinci Code" (2006) Advertisement Jon Fraley is a free mason and a native of Tennessee who carries a delightful southern accent. In "retirement," Fraley also carries a business card that reads: Medieval and Civil War presenter and re-enactor, model trains O scale, and smoked meats beef, pork, salmon. Advertisement Fraley 66, lives in Valparaiso with his wife Susie. He worked as an in-house ironworker at U.S. Steel in Gary which is highest paid craft in the mill. ** Where were you born? "Kingsport, Tenn.," he said. "My parents sent me to a military academy in Virginia for my high school education." What was the name of the academy? "Fork Union Military Academy. If you made D's and F's you didn't get to go home. If you had a C, you were allowed to go home once a month. A's and B's, every other week. Incentive. Military academies like Fork Union are college prep 100 percent go to college. Then, there are the academies that are in the class of reform school, where they get your mind right. "Young men from all over the world attended Fork Union. The southerners among us could understand each other. The ones from New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts uh huh. You probably could tell from the get-go that I'm not originally from Northwest Indiana. I have tried Drain-o, but I cannot get rid myself of this accent. It just makes my hair turn gray. Do you know the reason there is a middle Tennessee?" Uh-huh. Advertisement "Because East Tennesseans and West Tennesseans need an interpreter." Good one. Let's start with the trains. "The interest in trains began when my dad gave me my first Lionel set. I have everything laid out downstairs. I still have that train set my father gave me. In fact, I have one antique Lionel that's a year older than me." How old were you when you became interested in re-enactments? "I was about 46 when I discovered there was a local group that portrayed the 19th Indiana that was part of the Iron Brigade. There were three regiments that made up the Iron Brigade during the Civil War. One from Indiana, one Wisconsin and one from Michigan. They were under General McClellan." In his documentary film "The Civil War," Ken Burns wasn't too kind to McClellan. Advertisement "And rightly so. At Antietam, he was as much as four miles away from the action looking out at the horizon. That is not leadership." Tell me about your history classes in Tennessee and Virginia. "Being raised in the South, guess what, I was only going to get a southern view. Since living in Northwest Indiana, I have immersed myself in the viewpoint of a northern perspective. You see, I found out that I had been lied to in school. My teachers were either misinformed or chose not to tell the truth." Give me an example, Johnny Reb. "My favorite is when I overheard my history teacher talking to some of the other cadets in the hallway in between classes. He told those impressionable young men that (Gen. Ulysses S.) Grant was ready to surrender to (Gen. Robert E.) Lee, if only Lee had just held out for three or four more days." You go to almost all of the famous Civil War battlefields. Tell me about Shiloh in Tennessee. Advertisement "Shiloh is the most pristine, preserved battlefield of all of them because it's so far out of the way. You have to really want to get there to see it. The statues are tremendous and have not been vandalized like the ones at Antietam and Gettysburg." What do you know about the Hoosiers who fought in the Civil War? "Indiana took more soldiers per capita than any other state in the Union. When the first draft came, Indiana's quota was 3,000. There were 30,000 volunteers who showed up. "Let me tell you how (President Abraham) Lincoln used the 20th Indiana. Just after Gettysburg, there were riots in New York City because of a new draft. Who could be better sent than a battle-hardened group from Indiana. They had an attitude. First of all, Indiana already hates New Yorkers." Damn Yankees. Hey, I'm a White Sox fan. "Lincoln sends the 20th Indiana to terminate the riots in New York City." Advertisement As depicted in the movie "The Gangs of New York." "Exactly. Those Union soldiers in that movie are the 20th Indiana from Crown Point and the immediate vicinity." Let's travel back in time 2,000 years or so. "You see, instead of five years the length of time the Civil War encompasses I have 1,000 years of religion, philosophy and customs to study with medieval history." What time frame does the Dark Ages encompass? "Roughly, from the 5th to the 15th centuries. You have the total collapse of the Roman Empire. The Catholic Church actually preserved humanity in Europe. The Catholic Church also provided a quick means of communication for those who could read and write Latin." Advertisement Describe some of this medieval weaponry you have laid out for me. "This is called an iron hat. I purchase all these items from Germany. They are extremely well-crafted. This weapon with the round metal ball and spikes is called a morning star. It is a rigid instrument." What's this garb? "My Knights Templar robe." ** Besides model trains and costumes, the home of Jon and Susie Fraley also is filled with collections of fine art, unopened bottles of various brands of Kentucky bourbon and a tremendous library. Advertisement Susie makes Jon keep his gargantuan smoker outside. Jeff Manes is a freelance columnist for the Post-Tribune. jeffmanes@sbcglobal.net The defense attorney for a Porter County man accused of killing his wife has focused during his trial on the fact that no blood was ever found on his clothes. But a witness for the prosecution, LaPorte County Detective Capt. Patrick Cicero, a blood spatter expert, testified Tuesday that that does not rule Steven Lindsey, 36, out as the killer. Advertisement Lindsey is standing trial on the charge that he shot his wife, Melinda Lindsey, 23, in the head in their bedroom on the morning of Jan. 16, 2015. Lindsey claims an intruder caught him by surprise, tied him and left him in their daughter's bedroom before shooting his wife. Advertisement Previous witnesses have testified that they could not find any blood on the clothing Lindsey was wearing that morning, and Cicero, who did not testify during Lindsey's November trial that ended in a hung jury, also told the jury that he went over the clothing for more than an hour as well without finding any sign of blood. He also explained to the jury that when a bullet enters the head, it's common for blood and other bodily fluid to fly backwards anywhere from 3 to 12 feet. However, Cicero said that if something blocks it, such as the kind of curly hair that Melinda Lindsey had, then it's not uncommon for there to be very little or no back spatter. "It could very well block all the back spatter," Cicero said of her hair. He also testified that several spots of blood found on the wall near where the shooter would have stood did not match a gunshot wound, as they were too big and more circular in shape than elliptical. Other witnesses previously testified that at least two of the spots on the wall actually matched the DNA of Steven Lindsey and not his wife. Earlier in the day, Deputy Prosecutor Cheryl Polarek and a police officer read to the jury testimony Lindsey made during the November trial, including statements by him he had taken time off work in December 2014 and January 2015 to help his wife wean herself off of an addiction to prescription painkillers and his concern about several incidences that happened to their home in the week before his wife's death, including coming home to find a window open and a screen cut, items missing from Melinda Lindsey's car, and footprints coming toward their house from the back. Rogers has argued throughout the trial that these are signs of a stalker, but the police officer, reading in a monotone voice as instructed, read out Lindsey's testimony that it could also have been a thief staking out the house. When pressed by the government why he didn't take more precautions with the house in response to these incidences, such as making sure all windows and doors were locked, Lindsey testified that he never thought it would escalate to his wife being shot. Advertisement "I could never fathom that that was going to happen," the officer read from Lindsey's testimony. Lindsey, wearing black pants and a light blue dress shirt, looked down at paper on the table in front of him as the police officer read his words from four months ago. According to the transcript, he also testified that he had taken one dose of Xanax and two doses of Valium along with at least five shots of whiskey the night before, which the government also questioned him about doing if he was so concerned for his wife. "It was a bad decision," Lindsey says in the transcript. He was also grilled in November about his claim that when he woke up in his daughter's bedroom at the sound of the gunshot that he couldn't get up even though only his hands were tied, not his feet. "I don't know that I could have," he says in the transcript. Advertisement Lindsey also testified according to the transcript at the time that the reason he tried to collect on a $1.1 million life insurance policy for his wife was because he could tell police suspected him and he wanted the money to pay for his own private investigator. The claim was later denied because of inaccuracies on the application. The trial, which is in its fourth week, is expected to continue Wednesday. tauch@post-trib.com The auction of real estate property could help recover a portion of the millions of dollars lost by local taxing bodies in an allegedly fraudulent loan scheme. The Illinois Metropolitan Investment Fund, or IMET, told participants in mid-February that it estimated a recovery of just less than half 47.6 percent of the $50.4 million it lost in 2014, according to a memo obtained by the Tribune. Advertisement More than 200 Chicago-area municipalities, school districts, park districts and other public entities, including River Forest District 90, Oak Park District 97, the village of Oak Park and the village of River Forest, were exposed to the alleged fraud because they invested tax dollars with IMET. Each entity lost thousands of dollars to the fraud, and are unsure how much money, if any, they can recoup. During the March 1 River Forest District 90 meeting, Director of Finance and Facilities Anthony Cozzi provided an update to the school board. Advertisement "On Feb. 25, we received notice that one of the larger hotels, which was one of the assets of the person who committed this fraud, was auctioned off for over $25 million," Cozzi told the school board. "That took a big chunk into that recovery. That doesn't mean that $25 million is coming back. Obviously, there are other steps to go through in the process. It was a welcome surprise that it went so quickly and for that dollar amount." Cozzi hopes to provide another update to the board in the near future, and is hopeful the 47.6 percent recovery number may increase. Last year, a number of hotels were set to be auctioned off by a court-appointed receiver who took control of the properties from Nikesh Patel of Orlando, Fla., to help repay investors. Federal authorities have accused Patel in a criminal complaint of defrauding investors in a scheme involving government-backed loans. Patel, who has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges, allegedly used the funds to finance a lavish lifestyle and to purchase hotels. In July 2015, the village of Oak Park said they were "aggressively" pursuing the estimated $600,000 it lost to IMET. In that village budget, only about five percent of the lost money was being reported. "Everybody's in line," Daniel Bert of Sikich LLP told board members on June 29, 2015. "Some are ahead of the village, some are not. We don't know how much will be paid to each of the members." According to a Jan. 25, 2016, memo, Oak Park School District 97 Assistant Superintendent Therese O'Neill noted IMET has been decreasing its recovery estimate. District 97 lost approximately $750,000. "IMET continues to derive as much as is possible of the original $50.4 million lost in the 2014 fraud," O'Neill wrote. "Originally, it was hoped investors would recoup up to 80 percent, but that amount has been lessening over time and, as of [Feb. 2016], the expectation of recovery is closer to 47 percent." Advertisement O'Neill noted the 47.6 percent recovery number may also be in question, as claims may be asserted by the IRS, the Small Business Administration, the United States Department of Agriculture and other various taxing authorities which "may take priority over IMET's claim and therefore reduce the amount ultimately distributed to IMET." The village of River Forest, which lost approximately $145,000 to IMET, put the entire loss on its books last year. "I'm hopeful we receive back as much as we can," River Forest Village Administrator Eric Palm said. "[It's] hard to place a value on it, as the recovery of the funds is somewhat fluid." District 90 also doesn't foresee any recovery, writing off the entire $205,000 in June 2015, but continues to monitor the situation for any unforeseen changes. "Essentially, that means the district is running with a 0 percent recovery until further notice," Cozzi said. "As IMET's percentage continues to drop, it adds justification to the district's position to write if off when we did." Chicago Tribune reporter Ameet Sachdev contributed to this story. Advertisement sschering@pioneerlocal.com Twitter: @steveschering By Allan Xu, Manager, Business Advisory Services Editor: Alexander Chipman Koty New labor regulations came fully into effect in China last week, with the intention of preventing companies from abusing labor dispatch. Due to its flexibility and lower cost, labor dispatch is one of the most popular ways to hire employees in China. Dispatch agencies offer companies temporary workers for particular projects or a certain period of time. This is especially beneficial for businesses in seasonal industries or with project-based work, where the amount of labor needed is not consistent year-round. Labor dispatch is also attractive for employers because they face fewer risks in the event of a labor dispute. Dispatched laborers are technically employed by their agencies rather than the companies they do work for, so any workplace grievances must be dealt with by the dispatch agency. This is advantageous for companies using labor dispatch, as the risk of a labor dispute is transferred to the agency that provides them with workers. However, it also leaves dispatched workers more vulnerable to exploitation. With the regulatory framework surrounding labor dispatch now fundamentally changed, companies must be aware of alternative methods of hiring temporary workers to avoid labor disputes and government penalties. Overview of Chinas Labor Dispatch Laws In an effort to limit companies from taking advantage of labor dispatch, the Chinese government amended the Labor Contract Law in 2012 and promulgated the Interim Provisions on Labor Dispatch (hereinafter referred to as Interim Provisions) in 2014. The two regulations restrict what types of positions dispatched staff can hold, the proportion of workers in a company that can be comprised of dispatched staff, and how they are returned to their agencies. These measures emphasize that labor dispatch can only be used as a supplementary employment approach. The Interim Provisions further regulates that the amount of dispatched staff the employer hires shall not exceed 10 percent of the total number of its employees. In the event that such amount exceeds 10 percent before the effective date of the Interim Provisions, namely March 1, 2014, the employer must reduce the proportion of dispatched staff to 10 percent within two years of the effective date of the provisions. RELATED: Payroll and Human Resource Services The Interim Provisions expounds three requirements that such employers must adhere to during the two year interim period of March 1, 2014 to February 29, 2016: The employer shall develop a scheme for employment adjustments and file it with the local competent administrative department in charge of human resources and social security; The employer shall not add any new dispatched staff before reducing the number of dispatched staff to the specified level; and The labor contracts and labor dispatch agreements concluded pursuant to the law prior to the release of the Decision on Amending the Labor Contract Law of the Peoples Republic of China, whose expiry date is two years after the effective date of the Interim Provisions, are still in force until expiry by law. Options Available to Affected Employers Since the interim period expired at the beginning of March 2016, many employers are now facing the problem of reducing their dispatched staff to the specified level while maintaining their business scale. Generally, employers have three options: Hire dispatched staff as formal employees who have a direct relationship with the employer; Continue using labor dispatch to hire workers for certain positions while returning others; and Use other employment approaches, such as outsourcing, in place of labor dispatch. Consideration of alternative employment approaches outsourcing in particular is essential for companies to maintain their business scale without drastically increasing costs. However, employers are often not fully aware of the distinctions between labor dispatch and outsourcing, which can lead to costly labor disputes. The table below illustrates the basic distinctions between labor dispatch and outsourcing. Employers must be conscious of Chinas complex labor laws in order to avoid costly disputes. Failure to comply with new regulations regarding labor dispatch can also result in significant penalties from the government. Awareness of different methods to hire employees allows employers to comply with government regulations while running their businesses efficiently. About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email china@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight. Human Resources and Payroll in China 2015 This edition of Human Resources and Payroll in China, updated for 2015, provides a firm understanding of Chinas laws and regulations related to human resources and payroll management essential information for foreign investors looking to establish or already running a foreign-invested entity in China, local managers, and HR professionals needing to explain complex points of Chinas labor policies. Labor Dispute Management in China In this issue of China Briefing, we discuss how best to manage HR disputes in China. We begin by highlighting how Chinas labor arbitration process and its legal system in general widely differs from the West, and then detail the labor disputes that foreign entities are likely to encounter when restructuring their China business. We conclude with a special feature from Business Advisory Manager Allan Xu, who explains the risks and procedures for terminating senior management in China. How to Restructure an Underperforming Business in China In this issue of China Briefing magazine, we explore the options that are available to foreign firms looking to restructure or close their operations in China. We begin with an overview of what restructuring an unprofitable business in China might entail, and then take an in-depth look at the way in which a foreign company can go about the restructuring process. Finally, we highlight some of the key HR concerns associated with restructuring a China business. By Maria Kotova, Senior Associate International Business Advisory Incorporation of a WFOE can be very time consuming in China. While overseas parent companies are rushing to start preparation work, additional pre-incorporation expenses can be incurred. This is typically because foreign investors tend to underestimate the pre-incorporation expenses required for setting up a WFOE. In other cases, a parent company that is unfamiliar with Chinas pre-incorporation process may get into trouble with charging their paid expenses back after the WFOE legally exists. In this article, we discuss some key points to consider when setting up a company in China and provide suggestions for tax and financial planning during the pre-incorporation process. How to keep pre-incorporation expenses under budget? Generally, investors are required to disclose the amount of subscribed capital to Chinas Administration for Industry and Commerce (AIC) and Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), which will appear on the companys business license after being formally incorporated. Although the minimum registered capital requirement was abolished in 2014, in practice, registration authorities still check whether the companys subscribed capital is reasonable and can cover the WFOEs operational costs for the first business year. However, it may take a couple of months for a WFOE to obtain its business license (i.e., for it to legally exist), which allows it to open bank accounts for capital injection and pre-incorporation expenses. The most common expenses include office rent (a WFOE has to provide a lease contract with at least one years term to start the incorporation process), decoration, purchase of furniture, equipment, as well as service fees paid to various consulting and marketing firms. These expenses, paid by the parent company on behalf of the WFOE, can be difficult to transfer back due to Chinas strict foreign exchange controls. It is important to note that, in this instance, there is still subscribed capital to be paid in. What is a temporary capital account and why might you need it? A WFOE is permitted to open a temporary capital bank account under the parent companys name during the pre-incorporation period and merge it with its official capital account after formal establishment. The temporary bank account needs to be approved by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) once a WFOE obtains the company name approval. This generally takes around one month, depending on the banks. The investor may wire foreign currency into this account and spend these funds on pre-operation and other expenses. The purchase of office equipment is subject to a review conducted by the bank, who will decide the legitimacy of payment and ownership on a case-by-case basis. However, the temporary bank account cannot be used to pay salary to employees, or to purchase any materials for future manufacturing activities. The ceiling amount of the temporary capital account is usually US$300,000. Investors need to obtain special approval from SAFE for higher amounts. In practice, this amount should not exceed 20 to 30 percent of the total registered capital and will be examined by the SAFE depending on the WFOEs type, size, and business activities. The temporary bank account is valid for six months and may be extended upon SAFEs approval. Importantly, the companys petty cash cannot be used for foreign exchange settlement since there is no RMB account in place at this stage. As a result, foreign exchange settlement is a must for each transaction, which can be time consuming, particularly when the investor is abroad. Investors are advised to open a temporary bank account in the same bank as their overseas parent company. This is because most banks require the investors signature (original or a scanned copy) for a business account, and a shared bank may simplify the process. What are the available options if the parent company didnt open the temporary capital account, and wants to withdraw expenses already spent from the budget for the WFOE? Companies that have paid all their expenses (including subscribed capital) directly via their overseas company account will face problems when trying to charge the paid expenses back. Whether or not the expenses can be withdrawn is determined jointly by the bank and the SAFE. A bank might be reluctant to approve the withdrawal, as certain risks go hand in hand with such transactions. There are several issues that need to be taken into consideration when determining whether expenses qualify for withdrawn. These include the time of payment, contractual parties, supporting documents (e.g., invoices), nature of the transactions, and location of the WFOEs vendors (i.e., the WFOEs partners, entrusted accounting firm, marketing firm and product suppliers). In particular, the time when the payment occurs might be one of the key factors in the banks review. A WFOE is considered a legal entity once it obtains its business license. The expenses incurred prior to that are therefore likely to be deemed as the parent companys expense. In a case where the expenses occur after a WFOE has obtained its business license, the consistence of contractual flow, invoice flow and payment flow is important. This means that all the agreements signed during this period should be either between a WFOE and its supplier, or a three-party agreement which also involves the parent company. The invoice flow can be challenging investors need to ensure they are issued in the name of the WFOE rather than its parent company. The final decision largely depends on the banks judgment, with additional supporting documents occasionally required according to the internal policies of the bank. Even if both the bank and SAFE have approved the charge back, there is an additional consideration Chinas tax bureau. Most of these transactions (e.g., construction, marketing or consulting expenses) are subject to a withholding tax, which covers taxes such as value-added tax (VAT), corporate income tax (CIT) and local surtax, ranging from 14 percent to 20 percent depending on the description of the services in the agreement. Certain transactions, such as business travel expenses and accommodation, are tax free. Please note that these requirements, the tax payable, and the time required can vary widely across different areas of the country depending on the specific situation of the company, local banks and tax bureaus. RELATED: Tax Planning for your Pre-incorporation Expenses in China What are the other thresholds to consider after the WFOE is successfully established? Obtaining general value-added taxpayer status can potentially help the WFOE save a large amount of taxes, as the status allows WFOEs to offset output VAT against input VAT. This status needs to be applied for and WFOEs must meet certain requirements. A WFOE could also have paid for some expenses before they acquire general taxpayer status and may want to use the invoices they received to credit against output tax. This can be challenging in cases where the companys vendors issue special VAT invoices prior to the effective date of the general VAT taxpayer status. Overlooking the invoice issuance date could result in a huge additional tax burden (the VAT rate for services is six percent and 17 percent for goods). Recently, the SAT released Announcement 59 to clarify how to deal with input VAT incurred during the waiting period before the WFOE obtains general VAT taxpayer certification. More details regarding the status application procedure and tax deduction method can be found in our previous article, here. In practice, the new regulation is gradually implemented in China and challenges may still exist for taxpayers to get their input VAT recognized by the local tax officer. Therefore, companies are recommended to defer transactions with their vendors and delay the issuance of the special VAT invoices in order to reduce the input tax occurred during the waiting-for-status period. Specialist law firms and accounting firms working separately often overlook some of these key challenges, as they tend to focus on only one side of the issue mostly, the legal aspects of incorporation. Investors are therefore strongly recommended to have these specialists work side by side to ensure compliance while preparing for potential challenges and risks during the pre-incorporation process. About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email china@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight. An Introduction to Doing Business in China 2015 Doing Business in China 2015 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in China. Compiled by the professionals at Dezan Shira & Associates, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Chinese market, but also for companies that already have a presence here and want to keep up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes. Employing Foreign Nationals in China In this issue of China Briefing, we have set out to produce a guide to employing foreign nationals in China, from the initial step of applying for work visas, to more advanced subjects such as determining IIT liability and optimizing employee income packages for tax efficiency. Lastly, recognizing that few foreigners immigrate to China on a permanent basis, we provide an overview of methods for remitting RMB abroad. Strategies for Repatriating Profits from China In this issue of China Briefing, we guide you through the different channels for repatriating profits, including via intercompany expenses (i.e., charging service fees and royalties to the Chinese subsidiary) and loans. We also cover the requirements and procedures for repatriating dividends, as well as how to take advantage of lowered tax rates under double tax avoidance treaties. You are here: Home KFC became the first big Western fast food chain to open a branch in southwest China's Tibet on Tuesday. The restaurant is located in the Shenli Shidai shopping center in Tibetan capital Lhasa. Locals formed long queues in the restaurant on its first day. Kids posed for photo in front of the store. "KFC finally came!" said one diner. "Other fast food brands operating in Tibet over the past few years have showed people here have a big appetite for fried chicken and hamburgers," said Chen Biao, a manager of the Shenli Shidai shopping center. KFC will also be popular with foreign tourists, said Chen. With infrastructure improving in Tibet, more domestic and overseas brands are hoping to do business in the region. KFC, which entered China in 1987, now has more than 5,000 outlets in over 1,100 cities and towns in the Chinese mainland. The headquarters of ZTE's North America business in Dallas, Texas. [Photo/Xinhua] Chinese officials on Tuesday hit back at the United States over its decision to impose restrictions on telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp for allegedly selling products to Iran in violation of sanctions. Calling the restrictions "not a correct way" to handle economic disputes, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters the approach "only hurts others without necessarily benefiting oneself". The US Commerce Department on Monday banned US suppliers from selling components to Guangdong-based ZTE. It claimed the company "illicitly exported" controlled items to Iran and its suppliers in the US will need to apply for a hard-to-get permit before selling products to ZTE again. ZTE said the company is "fully committed" to compliance with the laws and regulations in the jurisdictions in which it operates. "ZTE has been cooperating, will continue to cooperate and communicate with all US agencies as required. The company is working expeditiously toward a resolution of this issue," it said in a statement. ZTE, whose 2015 revenue exceeded 100 billion yuan ($15 billion), has suspended trading in its stocks on the Shenzhen and Hong Kong exchanges since Monday. The Ministry of Commerce also criticized the US restrictions on the country's second-largest telecom equipment maker. "The US move will severely impair the normal commercial activities of the Chinese firm. China will continue to engage with the US side on the issue," the ministry said in a statement. James Yan, research director at consultancy Counterpoint Technology Market Research, said the hardest-hit area will be chip supply. ZTE relies heavily on San Diego, California-based semiconductor firm Qualcomm Inc for mobile chips. The company's other major US suppliers include programmable logic devices makers Xilinx Inc and Altera Corp. "I believe ZTE will team up with the Ministry of Commerce and its major partners in the US, including Qualcomm, to negotiate with the US authorities," said Yan. Qualcomm and other suppliers have yet to comment on the case. Because of robust sales of its inexpensive prepaid devices, ZTE is the fourth-largest smartphone vendor in the United States by shipment, taking about a 7 percent market share, according to research firm International Data Corp. Its sales channels include major telecom carriers such as AT&T Inc, T-Mobile US Inc and Sprint Corp. However, ZTE's presence in the world's most profitable handset market lags far behind the front runners Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. It is not the first time ZTE has faced tough scrutiny in the US. In 2013, the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee conducted a hearing on ZTE and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to see if their US operations were a risk to information security. Huawei and ZTE were bidding on a number of telecom infrastructure projects in the US at the time. Both companies have since been unable to clinch major telecom construction deals in the country. ZTE is focusing on telecom network construction projects in China, the Middle East and Europe as well as global smartphone sales for its profits. The company reported a net profit of almost 3.78 billion yuan last year, a 43 percent jump year-on-year. The Chinese company attributed the growth to 4G network expansion in China and handset sales around the globe. Australian investment company Australian Rural Capital has announced to the stock exchange it is partnering with Shanghai Pengxin Group to buy S. Kidman & Co, Australia's largest private landholder with properties covering 101,000 square kilometers in Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. Shanghai Pengxin was forced to rework its initial bidthought to be around $370 millionafter Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison said last year it was not in the national interest for him to approve a sale to a sole foreign buyer. As well as pairing up with ARC, it is understood Shanghai Pengxin has removed Anna Creek Station from its purchase offer. The station is the largest single parcel within the Kidman landholding and about half of it lies within the Woomera Prohibited Area in South Australia. ARC said it would hold a direct ownership stake in the Kidman rural portfolio if the new joint bid was successful. "It is the current intention of ARC to seek to raise equity funds in the Australian capital markets which will enable Australian investors the unique and direct opportunity to invest in Kidman in a fund and/or investment company managed by ARC," it said in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange. ARC, which is capitalized at almost $4 million, said its strategy was to invest in and manage investments in agribusiness and agricultural infrastructure. Its current focus is cotton, but in an address to shareholders last year, Executive Chairman James Jackson said the company was looking at opportunities in beef, sugar, wine and nuts. The company's major shareholders include Jackson, who runs a cattle business in northern New South Wales and who is also deputy chairman of Elders Ltd, and Stephen Chapman, the executive chairman of Australian investment bank Baron Partners Ltd and the deputy chairman of natural healthcare company Blackmores Ltd. Hong Kong-based Genius Link Asset Management is also understood to be bidding for the Kidman empire. Morrison will make a ruling on the reworked foreign bids after receiving a recommendation from the Foreign Investment Review Board. If the bid is approved, domestic rivals will have four weeks to lodge a counter offer. Australian transport magnate Lindsay Fox recently expressed his interest in the Kidman empire, which comprises about 2.6 percent of Australia's agricultural land and 1.3 percent of the country's entire landmass. S. Kidman owns 185,000 cattle and is one of the nation's largest beef producers, exporting to Japan, the United States and Southeast Asia. Shanghai Pengxin is a conglomerate in real estate, mining and modern agriculture. In 2012, It acquired Crafar farms and Synlait Farms in New Zealand as part of its efforts to improve its business structure. Exports of Australian agricultural products to China are expected to increase as a direct result of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement signed in June last year, said industry experts. Leading dairy industry expert Song Liang said that, in order to cope with the impact of China's slowing economic growth, the nation's investors are likely to invest more in Australia and New Zealand, particularly in the meat and dairy industries. Li Yining, renowned economist and member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) [Photo / China.org.cn] Li Yining, renowned economist and member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said he is confident in China's economy this year, during the ongoing sessions of both the NPC and CPPCC in Beijing. "China is undergoing structural reforms, which are bound to witness the restructuring of some sectors with overcapacity, but the trend of China's economy will be to progress and improve steadily," said Li, honorary dean of the Guanghua School of Management at Peking University, whose view is that the world's second largest economy is transforming from a trend of industrialization to post-industrialization. He added that when a country is trending into post-industrialization, it is normal to see a few indicators of slowdown in its economy. While China is still sticking to a proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy, the 86-year-old economist warns that caution and a focus on targeted regulation, fine-tuning and pre-adjustments are paramount. He applauded the growing dynamism of China's private sector and suggested that people look around in Beijing's Zhongguancun Science Park, dubbed China's Silicon Valley, where entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity are widely discussed by scholars, researchers and business leaders. "This is the future of China, an age of innovation," said the economist who expressed confidence in the country's economy amid recent lackluster economic data and growing downward pressure. He advised businesses to provide more customized products, humanized services and rev up brand building in a globalized economy. Li also urged the boosting of domestic consumption through better services and lower tariff rates against a backdrop of overseas shopping frenzy. Statistics showed that Chinese spent a record 90 billion yuan (US$13.80 billion) overseas during the country's 2016 Lunar New Year period. As a long-time professor at Peking University, Li was the teacher of major Chinese dignities including Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Vice President Li Yuanchao. Li's advocacy of joint reform has given him the nicknames of "Mr. Shareholding" and "the Keynes of China." Li Bin, head of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, says on Tuesday that demographic models suggest the population in China is going to eventually peak at 1.45-billion. [China.org.cn] Chinese officials are suggesting that China's population figures are not going to get out of control, despite the relaxation of the family planning policy. The decades-old "one child" policy was eliminated this year, allowing married couples in China to have two children. Authorities expect this should allow for an extra 3 million children to be born every year in China. Li Bin, head of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, said on Tuesday that demographic models suggest China's population is going to eventually peak at 1.45 billion. "According to our survey, 90 million couples are now permitted to have a second child. The country's total population will keep on growing over the upcoming years, especially the population of new born babies. By 2050, the population at working age is expected to see an increase of 30 million, while the proportion of aged people will drop. Then China's demographic structure will reach a balance." China's current population sits at around 1.34 billion. Meanwhile, addressing concerns about social issues connected to the loosening of the family planning restrictions, Li said parents with two children are going to have options when it comes to pre-school education. "The Education Ministry has already taken measures to increase public kindergartens, and social sources should be encouraged and guided to get involved in setting up inclusive kindergartens. Local governments have been asked to promote the construction of community-based nurseries for infants and children up to three years of age. We also encourage the women-workers-intensive institutions to restore their nursery facilities," she said. China began a voluntary organ donation trial in 2010 and promoted the practice across the country in 2013. [Xinhua] Organ donations in China reached a record high last year, after sourcing organs from executed prisoners was banned, said Huang Jiefu, former vice-minister of health. "Organ transplantation in China has made a successful transformation in the past year," Huang said. "It has won recognition by the world." The number of organ donors in China reached 2,766 last year, and more than 10,000 surgeries were performed, outnumbering the total for 2013 and 2014, Huang said. China stopped the use of organs from executed prisoners for transplant surgery on Jan 1 last year, and voluntary donations from citizens have become the only source. Statistics from the National Health and Family Planning Commission show organ donations have been increasing rapidly. The rate for organ donation per million of population reached 1.2 in 2014, a 60-fold increase from the level of 2010, the commission said. The rate was increased to 2.1 per million last year, Huang said. "Last year the success rate of transplant surgery in China was also the highest, as organs were donated from citizens rather than retrieved from executed prisoners," Huang, also chairman of the National Organ Donation and Transplantation Committee, said. The progress of organ donation and transplant in China has also won recognition from the world, Huang said. In last August, Huang became one of 19 receptions of the Gusi International Peace Prize, Asia's leading body to honor contributions to global peace and progress. Huang was rewarded for his remarkable contributions in medicine, including "orchestrating the entire organ transplantation reform, ending the use of executed prisoners' organs, and developing the necessary social, legal and clinical framework to enable large-scale organ donation in China." In August, an international conference on organ transplantation will be held in Hong Kong, where a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the Transplant Society will be held, Huang said. In addition, another international conference on organ donation will be held in Beijing in October, he said. Huang expects major progress in organ transplants and donations in China this year. Huang, who is also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee, said he has made a proposal that kidney transplant surgery should be covered by China's basic medical insurance system, so all those in need can access the service. Kidney transplant is an effective means to treat end-stage kidney diseases, which usually have high costs, and such patients' life quality can be greatly increased after surgery. "China's organ transplantation has become a cause of social interdependence," Huang said. "As all organs are donated free, all people should have equal rights to enjoy the transplant services. Nobody should be rejected just because they are poor." You are here: Home The State Council, China's Cabinet, called for better protection for the nation's cultural relics and stronger law enforcement in an instruction published Tuesday. According to the document signed by Premier Li Keqiang, protection of cultural relics will be included in the evaluation of local officials. It requires authorities to act on crime related to cultural relics. China has been striving to protect its past since reform began in 1978. The 1982 Cultural Relics Protection Law created institutional guarantees and various local regulations have sprung up since. In recent years, unmovable cultural relics were disappearing at a faster pace and responsibility of protecting them was not effectively delineated, though remarkable achievements had been made, said Liu Yuzhu, head of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. According to the document, annual evaluations should be carried out to learn the condition of cultural relics, in addition to annual renovations. It proposes better protection in construction work, underscoring the need for archaeological surveys, exploration and excavation. The document also calls for an improved registration system and database of resources. Measures and policies should encourage people to protect cultural relics and nurture social organizations focused on the mission. NGOs should be encouraged to collect cultural relics, and more museums should be given financial support to provide free admission. The central government issued a notice in early 2008, calling for free admission at most state museums and memorial sites. The document stresses nurturing and uphold core socialist values, in addition to boosting social and economic development and extending the influence of Chinese culture. Shanghai residents are calling for more sophisticated maternity insurance for female workers to improve their competitiveness in the job market, according to the findings of a new survey. Nearly 57 percent of respondents to the survey, published by the Shanghai Municipal Statistics Bureau ahead of International Women's Day, which falls on Tuesday, said they feel women encounter more barriers when looking for work and in career development, mainly because of issues around maternity leave and the fact that women face more distractions in the workplace due to family commitments and child care. Nearly 30 percent of respondents believed the best solution lay in a thorough maternity insurance system capable of easing the burden on employers. And some 22 percent said they would like to see quotas that stipulate the proportion of female workers in some industries through legislation. The survey polled more than 1,000 Shanghai residents above the age of 18. Feng Lijuan, a human resources expert at Chinese job finding website 51job.com, said women's outstanding performance in the workplace had ensured employers were less inclined to discriminate against them when looking for new workers. Some companies were targeting women because many request less pay than similarly qualified men. "However, the universal second-child policy has made some employers less willing to hire women, especially those who have got married but haven't started their families," Feng said. "Women frequently ask for leave around the time of giving birth and force employers, who are often cost-sensitive, to hire replacements." Another survey done by 51job.com on Monday showed 55 percent of those polled reported an increase in female colleagues who were having a second child. More than 2,600 people participated in the poll and women made up 86 percent of respondents. Yang Xiong, director of the Institute of Sociology under the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, suggested that the government levy less tax on businesses that employ an appropriate proportion of women, to offset the higher costs they may face. "Another way would be for the human resources authority to calculate the proportion of women of childbearing age at an enterprise and design a formula to compensate the enterprise," Yang said. A longer period of paid paternal leave, which is also a cost borne by the employer, has been applauded by social experts and the public as an important step in ensuring equal treatment at work. New fathers in Shanghai have, since the beginning of March, been entitled to 10 days child care leave, an increase on the previous three days. "It is an encouragement to fathers to be more engaged in bringing up children from the very beginning. More participation from fathers in bringing up their children and in carrying out family chores will give mothers more time and energy for their careers," said Yu Yalin, a mother of two girls from Shanghai. The trafficking of women and children has been curtailed in the past few years, thanks to multipronged efforts that include harsher judicial rules, China's top court said on Monday. While 3,631 people were found guilty of trafficking in 2010, that number fell to 1,362 last year, according to the latest numbers from the Supreme People's Court. Meanwhile, the number of related cases in Chinese courts during 2015 also fell, from 1,919 six years ago to 853. The two benchmarks were both well down from 2010, the first by 55.6 percent and the second by 62.5 percent, said the court, which added that it believed such abductions in the country had been brought under control. "Such an impact on trafficking-related crime should be attributed to stricter rules, harsher penalties and the increasing awareness of the need to protect women and children in the Chinese courts," the top court said. In 2010, the top court issued guidelines on dealing with the abduction of women and children. They call for police to immediately launch a criminal investigation as soon as a minor is reported missing. Adults who buy trafficked children are also now liable to be prosecuted as child abductors. The judicial document that tightened and toughened the laws effectively solved problems from the past associated with delays in investigating disappearances and relatively lenient sentences, it said. In addition, the top court also strengthened cooperation with the United Nations Children's Fund and a team that works against abductions in regions along the Mekong River, both aimed at reducing abductions with an international connection. But the court confirmed that some new crimes against women and children have surged recently. For example, the number of parents who have sold their own children has risen, as has the prevalence of sexual assaults. Chen Wei, a Beijing lawyer who specializes in family disputes and representing women, applauded the progress against child abductions, saying improvements can also be attributed to efforts on social media and the participation of the public. "This is not just the job of judicial bodies, such as the police and the courts, it is everyone's responsibility," Chen said. She expressed concern that sexual assaults seemed to be on the rise against children left behind in rural areas "while their parents work elsewhere in the country and elderly guardians, often grandparents, are not capable of protecting them". The number of offenders sentenced for sexual offenses against children between 2013 and 2015 was 6,620, according to official data. You are here: Home Black bags containing buildup of contaminated wastes are seen in the town of Iitate, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, March 7, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua] Five years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan has set a 2020 deadline to end water contamination at the site. More than 700-thousand tons of radioactive water are stored at the site, posing the greatest challenge to decommissioning the plant. Leader of the water contamination team at the site Yuichi Okamura highlights the urgency of the issue. "The volume of the water that has mounted over the years was beyond imagination so it was necessary to think about how to handle and dispose of the contaminated water. We have been going through a vicious cycle, and discussions are not proceeding smoothly either. " Water has been poured into the damaged reactors in a bid to keep their cores from overheating again. The water is then treated to remove all but one radioactive element, which experts say is inseparable from water. International and Japanese nuclear agencies have urged the government to carry out a controlled release of the treated water into the ocean, a routine move at other nuclear plants. Authorities have also been working on controlling underground water infiltration into radioactive areas. An earthquake and a tsunami swamped the plant in central Japan in March 2011. South Africa's agricultural sector has suffered losses worth 16 billion rand, or about one billion US dollars due to a severe drought, Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Gugile Nkwinti said on Tuesday. The government's response to the drought crisis now amounts to over 63 million dollars, including the allocation of about 33 million dollars to smallholder farmers and at least 8.2 million dollars to support indebted commercial farmers by the Industrial Development Corporation and Land Bank, the minister said at a press briefing in Parliament. "As the drought has a direct impact on the country's food security, we will import an estimated four million tons of maize to meet domestic needs," Nkwinti said. Moreover, the Department of Water and Sanitation has reprioritized about 32 million dollars to deliver water, protect springs and refurbish boreholes in response to drought conditions. Funds have also been provided to feed and support for livestock farmers as well as disaster relief measures, added the minister. South Africa is experiencing a severe drought that hasn't been seen in 100 years due to the El Nino effect. AgriSA, the country's biggest farmers' organization, said agricultural stakeholders need about 800 million dollars in disaster relief for the next three years. The worst drought is envisaged to eat into the country's economic growth, which is predicted at 0.9 percent this year, compared with 1.3 percent last year. The government has repeatedly rejected calls to declare the drought a national disaster although five of the country's nine provinces have been declared disaster areas. [Xinhua] The tranquil waters of the South China Sea have been stirred up lately as some outsider countries have been busy expanding their presence and flexing military muscles in the region. Such dangerous and irresponsible activities would only put regional stability at risk, and it is advisable for some of the countries outside the South China Sea region to refrain from muddying the waters here and fishing for their own political benefits. Media reports said Monday that Japan's maritime Self-Defense Forces plan to send a submarine and two warships to Subic Bay in the Philippines for a port call next month, and the warships will then proceed to Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam. It would be the first time in 15 years a Japanese submarine visits the Philippines, but it is apparently not the first time that Tokyo tries to make waves in the South China Sea by extending its military reach in the strategically crucial western Pacific. Although Japan has no claims in the South China Sea, it has in recent years adopted a gradual approach to increase its intervention over the waters to confront China. Seeking to ramp up its military presence in the region, Japan has held working-level discussions with some Asian countries over defense equipment cooperation. Meanwhile, Tokyo and Manila have entered negotiations so that Japan's ships and aircraft have access to Philippine military bases. Recent reports also revealed that Japan intends to give three Beechcraft TC-90 King Air planes to the Philippines as gifts. The TC-90 aircraft has a radius of action twice of those in the Philippine Navy and will be able to cover most of the Nansha islands. Manila will use the planes to carry out air patrol missions in the South China Sea. Instead of making tangible efforts to improve relations with China, the Japanese administration is obviously more interested in deepening its strategic ties with nations mired in South China Sea disputes to contain its neighbor. Such moves would only have a negative impact on the regional security situation as intervention, especially military involvement from outsider countries, is likely to lower the willingness of the countries in the region to solve longstanding disputes through dialogue and negotiation, thus increasing the likelihood they would opt for confrontation and resort to military force. The already complex situation in the South China Sea requires sobriety and restraint, instead of arbitrary involvement with selfish motives, which would only stir up trouble, and eventually jeopardize regional stability and hurt the interests of all countries in the region. Flash The tarmacking of the 130km Turbi-Moyale road by a Chinese firm, which connects Kenya and Ethiopia, is poised to unlock economic opportunities in Kenya's northern county of Marsabit, and ththe country as a whole. Construction machines work on the Turbi-Moyale road in Kenya's northern county of Marsabit, March 5, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] "The road has become a purveyor of opportunity and widened possibilities for the region that has hitherto lagged behind in development," Walda Jattani, a local government administrator in the county. "It greatly eases travelling to Nairobi that used to take three days, but now take one day," he added. The road is part of a Trans-Africa Highway, which starts from Cairo in Egypt to Cape Town in South Africa. It is being upgraded to bitumen standards by the Kenyan government with support of the African Development Bank and China Exim Bank. The road, which is set to be completed by June, is being constructed by the Chinese firm Wuyi. The region used to be characterized by intermittent communal fights and prolonged ethnic clashes. Police keep regular patrols in areas that were not accessible a few months ago. Even the Chinese firm was forced several times in the past to suspend the construction work after rival communities resorted to attacking, burning and looting vehicles along the road. However, the road that was often referred to as "the road of death and terror" is now a road of opportunity for Marsabit County. "We appreciate the tarmacking of the road that has helped improve development in the area," said Jattani, adding that it also becomes "faster and safer" for school children to travel to other parts of the country to attend colleges and secondary schools thanks to the new road. "This (upgraded) road has greatly improved security of this region, and we now access and respond effectively to any emergencies and cases of attack," Richard Korgoren, District Officer in Moyale told Xinhua. The road has also opened up the towns in the Upper Eastern part of Kenya to trade, and helped boost trade amongst locals and people from other parts of the country. "It will open the region to a wider market that includes Ethiopia's market that has a population of almost 100 million people," Ali Nur Mumin, the Chairman of the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Moyale said. He said Moyale is due to become a port of entry for goods from other neighboring and business partners. The road, coupled with abundance in natural resources, will also make Marsabit County an attractive area to investors, Mumin added. You are here: Home Flash A Taliban weapon facilitator has been captured in Afghan province of Logar near the country's capital of Kabul, National Directorate of Security (NDS) said on Tuesday. "The personnel of NDS have detained a Taliban weapons facilitator following a recent special operation in Du Bandi village, Khoshi district, eastern Logar province," NDS, the country's national spy agency, said in a statement. One AK-47 rifle, 16 landmines, 415 kg explosive materials, 29 mortar shell fuses were among other items seized in the operation, the statement said, without identifying the captured man. Seven vehicles were also confiscated by the NDS after the raid in the province, some 60 km south of Kabul, the statement said. The militants tried to use the discovered ammunition for conducting terror attacks in Logar and surrounding areas, it said. Taliban has yet to make comments. Flash A total of 24 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Tuesday as Iraqi security forces clashed with the extremist militants and liberated an area near the city of Ramadi, the capital of Iraq's western province of Anbar, a provincial security source said. The troops and Sunni tribal fighters, backed by Iraqi and U.S.-led aircraft, drove out IS militants from Zankoura area, just northwest of Ramadi, some 110 km west of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The troops raised the Iraqi flag on a building in the area after killing at least 14 IS militants and destroying five of their vehicles, including a booby-trapped one, the source said. Meanwhile, army helicopter gunships carried out air strikes on IS positions in Zuwiya area in west of Ramadi, leaving three vehicles destroyed and at least 10 militants killed, the source added. Government troops and allied militias have been fighting for months to retake control of key cities and towns in Anbar, Iraq's largest province, from IS militants, who previously seized most of Anbar and tried to advance toward Baghdad. Flash Turkish and Greek prime ministers said Tuesday that they are determined to prevent illegal traffickers and migration in the Aegean Sea bordering the two countries. "Turkey and Greece share the same perspective with regards to solving the Syrian refugee crisis," Turkey's Prime Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, said during a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart, Alexis Tsipras, in Turkey's western city of Izmir. Both leaders had previously co-hosted a Turkish-Greek High-Level Cooperation Council meeting focusing on joint efforts to better handle the influx of refugees into Greece and other European countries by sea via Turkey. Greece, already suffering from an ailing economy, is confronted with tens of thousands of refugees along its border with Macedonia, a non-European Union (EU) country which closed its route into Western Europe. "Turkey and Greece have a common answer to Europe, which believes that Greece and Turkey should deal with the crisis alone," Davutoglu said. Both Davutoglu and Tsipras attended a special EU-Turkey summit in Brussels on Monday. There, Davutoglu asked for three billion euros (3.3 billion U.S. dollars) in aid, in return for Turkey's help in stemming the influx of refugees into Europe and accepting those deemed ineligible for asylum into the continent. At the summit, Davutoglu also suggested a one-for-one deal, where the EU resettles one Syrian refugee from a camp in Turkey in exchange for a Syrian which Turkey will accept from Greece. Some 2.7 million Syrians are sheltered in camps in Turkey. Tsipras, while pledging his country will do its best to help the refugees, had vowed earlier not to allow Greece to become "a warehouse for souls," requesting from all European countries to share the burden. Addressing the joint press conference with Davutoglu, Tsipras referred to the thousands of refugees who died in the Aegean Sea on their way towards Europe, adding that both Ankara and Athens are dedicated to solving this humanitarian tragedy and preventing illegal trafficking. "Many refugees, seeking better life conditions in other countries, have become victims of illegal trafficking," he said. "We are here to relay the message that we will solve this issue together with Turkey, and we will not accept dictates from another country concerning what we must do." Flash The UN secretary-general's special representative for South Sudan on Tuesday reiterated the UN's commitment to the protection of civilians in the world's youngest country, a UN spokesman said here. Ellen Margrethe Loj urged all responsible parties to refrain from any actions or statements that escalate tensions and to respect the rules governing UN protection sites, including the no weapons rule inside the sites, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. The UN envoy made the remarks while visiting Malakal, a city in the northeastern part of South Sudan, on Tuesday to assess the situation there and to meet with parties on the ground, including community leaders within the protection site and Malakal town, Dujarric said. On Feb. 18, at least seven people were killed and many others injured when unidentified gunmen attacked a United Nations base in Malakal, the capital city of Upper Nile State in South Sudan. The UN base in Malakal is sheltering around 50,000 civilians out of about 201,000 South Sudanese displaced persons living in eight UN bases across the country. South Sudan plunged into violence in December 2013, when fighting erupted between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and defectors led by his former deputy, Riek Machar. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that an inter-agency humanitarian team has managed to reach Mundri West County earlier this month, following clashes in the area in February. Aid partners have distributed hygiene and emergency medical items as well as survival kits and clean water kits for people in the area. Loj is also the head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). She was appointed to the current post in July 2014 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Flash The ongoing conflict in Yemen has forcibly displaced more than 2.4 million people in Yemen and the situation is likely to worsen in the Middle East country, warned UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric Tuesday. While a daily news briefing held here, Dujarric said the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Yemen stood at around 2,430,178 since almost one year ago, quoting the statistic from the latest report on Yemen issued by the Special Task Force on Population Movement, led by UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). "The report added that the situation is likely to get worse, amid increasingly dire humanitarian and socio-economic conditions and with no political settlement in sight," Dujarric said. "UNHCR and IOM have stressed the need to keep humanitarian access open for deliveries of essential services." Also on Tuesday, the UN special envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, concluded a four-day visit to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. He met with the Yemeni president, Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, and several ministers in the government of Yemen, according to the UN spokesman. The UN envoy also had constructive meetings with members of diplomatic corps and the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Dr. Abdellatif Ben Rashid Al-Zayyani, in addition to Saudi counterparts. The special envoy will continue his diplomatic efforts in the region before announcing a new date for the next round of peace talks. In briefing journalists in Geneva, Switzerland, Leo Dobbs, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said the number of people displaced within Yemen "remains staggeringly high and a cause for grave alarm." The latest figure is slightly down from the 2.5 million reported by the Task Force in December, but the difference masks "the human face of the conflict and the continuing suffering and growing needs," said the UNHCR spokesperson. The report showed increased levels of displacement in areas where the conflict has escalated, notably in the governorates of Taiz, Hajjah, Sana'a, Amran, and Sa'ada, which together account for 68 percent of all IDPs in Yemen. UNHCR and IOM have called for ensuring access for deliveries of essential services. "At the very least we implore all sides to allow humanitarian access to the hardest-hit areas, where most of the displaced are located," Dobbs said. In the first two months of the year, some shipments of food and other life-saving aid were able to be delivered to the Yemeni city of Taiz. Dobbs said that despite the severely restricted humanitarian access and security constraints, organizations such as UNHCR and IOM and partners have delivered household items and emergency shelter to more than 740,000 IDPs. The needs are exhausting, according to the report. While most people seek shelter with relatives and friends, in schools, public or abandoned buildings, many live in makeshift shelters, or out in the open, with little or no protection. The Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, launched in Geneva last month, seeks 1.8 billion U.S. dollars for more than 100 humanitarian partners to provide critical and life-saving assistance to 13.6 million people in need. The Plan, however, is currently just 2 percent funded. The UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, Stephen O'Brien, said Thursday that since the start of the conflict in Yemen, more than 2,000 children have been killed and injured during the fighting in the country, including more than 90 deaths this year alone. The Saudi-led coalition started daily air bombing on the Shiite Houthi rebels and their allied forces since March 2015, vowing to drive out the rebels and retrieve Sana'a. Yemen has been mired in an all-out civil war since September 2014, when the Shiite Houthi group backed by forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh invaded the capital Sanaa and drove President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile. The war has killed nearly 6,000 people. Flash The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Tuesday voiced its concern over the European and Turkey's response to the migrant crisis that involves sending all immigrants back without sufficiently spelling out refugee protection safeguards under international law, a UN spokesman said. Refugees and migrants wait in Eidomeni for the opening of the border between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) on March 7, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] However, it welcomes the EU's financial contribution to support Turkey and the refugee communities in Turkey, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here. "UNHCR stressed that Turkey currently hosts close to 3 million refugees and has made enormous contributions for years and just recently adopted a work regulation for Syrian refugees, but, in light of the enormity of the task, it still struggles to provide for all the basic needs of the swelling Syrian population," Dujarric said. According to media reports, the EU and Turkey on Monday agreed on a provisional deal that would send all individuals arriving in Greece from Turkey back to Turkey. On Monday, Turkey offered to take back all refugees and migrants who cross into Europe from its soil in return for more money, faster EU membership talks and quicker visa-free travel for Turks, reports said. EU leaders accepted the offer in principle, with Donald Tusk, the European Council president, saying the deal was a "breakthough" that sent "a very clear message that the days of irregular migration are over." The EU had not even fulfilled its agreement last September to relocate 66,000 refugees from Greece, redistributing only 600 to date within the 28-nation bloc, the reports said. Also on Tuesday, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) reiterated that in the implementation of such decisions, the fundamental humanitarian principle of "do no harm" must guide authorities across Europe, the Balkans and Turkey at every step when it comes to caring refugees and migrant children. "It added that the current dire situation unfolding on the borders of Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia remains unacceptable for children who are now in the majority of those on the Idomeni border in northern Greece," the spokesman said. "UNHCR has taken note of the statement of the EU heads of state and government of Turkey last night, and we are concerned with some aspects of the proposal," the UN agency said in a statement. Although UNHCR is not a party to it nor privy to all the details and modalities of implementation, it believes that an asylum-seeker should only be returned to a third state if responsibility for assessing the particular asylum application in substance is assumed by the third country; the asylum-seeker will be protected from refoulement; the individual will be able to seek and, if recognized, enjoy asylum in accordance with accepted international standards, with full and effective access to education, work, health care and, as necessary, social assistance. Legal safeguards would need to govern any mechanism under which responsibility would be transferred for assessing an asylum claim, the agency argues. Pre-departure screening would also need to be in place to identify heightened risk categories that may not be appropriate for return even if the above conditions are met. Details of all these safeguards should be clarified before the EU Council's next meeting on March 17, the statement said. On the resettlement point, UNHCR welcomed any initiative that promotes regular pathways of admission for refugees in significant numbers from all neighbouring countries in the region, not just Turkey and not just Syrian refugees, to third countries. "We hope that individuals returned to Turkey who have specific resettlement needs, such as family reunification, would be considered for the resettlement/admission programme to the EU," the statement said. The high-level meeting on global responsibility-sharing through legal pathways for admission of Syrian refugees, to take place in Geneva on March 30, will be a good opportunity to put the spotlight on this important aspect of responsibility sharing, the statement said. Flash The United States said Tuesday that Iran's recent ballistic missile tests did not violate an international nuclear agreement, adding it will address the issue appropriately with "unilateral and multilateral tools." "This is not a violation of the nuclear agreement," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a daily press briefing, referring to "Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action" -- the nuclear deal implementation mechanism. The P5+1 group, namely the U.S., Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany, reached the comprehensive nuclear deal with Iran on July 14, 2015. The accord would provide sanctions relief for Iran in exchange for limits on its controversial nuclear program. Earnest, however, said an investigation was underway to review the incident and determine whether it should be raised at the UN Security Council. Earlier on Tuesday, Iran test-fired several ballistic missiles in the ongoing military drills attended by the senior commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). The missile drill was aimed "to show Iran's deterrent power and also the Islamic Republic's ability to confront any threat against the (Islamic) Revolution, the state and the sovereignty of the country", the IRGC's official website said. Earnest stressed that if it was determined that Iran ballistic missiles tests were in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, Tehran could face "some consequences." Also on Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby echoed Earnest that the tests, if confirmed, will not be a breach of the Iran nuclear deal. However, he warned that United States will not "turn a blind eye to this." "We have and we will use unilateral and multilateral tools to address this. If these latest reports are true, we'll take them up appropriately," Kirby said. Separately, under UN Security Council Resolution 1929, Iran is prohibited from working on ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads. Flash Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka on Tuesday said his country was ready to accept Syrian refugees directly from Turkey, and that this action could fill in a part of the existing quotas set for the relocation of refugees within the European Union(EU). Sobotka said the move would not involve new quotas or new systems, but would implement a part of the existing quotas. "The only difference is to take 20 or 30 Syrians from Turkey instead of taking 20 or 30 Syrians from Greece," he said. Sobotka said he expected the transfers of Syrians from Turkey would only be temporary. The Czech Republic pledged to voluntarily accept 1,100 migrants from Italy and Greece in 2015. According to a proposal approved by the EU in September 2015, the country must accept a further 1,691 refugees as part of a plan to redistribute 160,000 refugees across the EU. Flash Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday "successfully" test-fired two ballistic missiles in ongoing military drills across the country, Press TV reported. The missiles Qadr-H and Qadr-F were fired from East Alborz heights in northern Iran and could hit the targets in Makran Coasts southeast of the country, the report said. Qadr-H missile has a range of 1,700 kilometers while Qadr-F missile can destroy targets some 2,000 kilometers away, Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Division Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh was quoted as saying. On Tuesday, Iran fired several ballistic missiles in the military drills in different parts of the country. Senior IRGC officials said that the missile drills were aimed at enhancing the deterrent power of the Islamic republic in the face of threats against the revolution and the territorial integrity of Iran. Also, the chief commander of IRGC, Mohammad Ali Jafari, said that Iran's ongoing missile drills were "firm responses to the nonsense babbled by the enemies about (possible) missile-related sanctions" against Iran. "Firing of the missiles is an embodiment of the ready-to-operate status of Iran's missile depots in every part of the country, Jafari was quoted as saying by IRGC's website. The United States said Tuesday that Iran's recent ballistic missile tests did not violate an international nuclear agreement, adding that it would address the issue appropriately with "unilateral and multilateral tools." "This is not a violation of the nuclear agreement," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a daily press briefing, referring to "Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action" -- the nuclear deal implementation mechanism. Earnest, however, said an investigation was underway to review the incident and determine whether it should be raised at the UN Security Council. You are here: Home Flash China on Wednesday expressed concern over reports that the United States plans to base long-range bombers in Australia within striking distance of the South China Sea. Relevant countries should comply with the trends and people's wishes in the Asia-Pacific region, which feature the pursuit of peace, cooperation and development, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news briefing. Hong said any kind of bilateral cooperation should not harm the interests of a third party. Flash China called for continued international investigation to find the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 that disappeared two years ago. The call came after a statement issued by an independent international Air Accident Investigation Team on Tuesday, the second anniversary of the disappearance, which said MH370 wreckage has still not been found despite a continuing search in the South Indian Ocean, where the flight was presumably had ended its journey. "The Chinese side has noticed the interim statement issued by the team, and hopes the team can continue investigation to find the cause of the incident and give a responsible explanation to the families of those on board," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei at a regular press briefing. MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board, most of whom were Chinese nationals. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said in a statement on the same day that Malaysia remains hopeful that the plane can be found in the search area. Malaysia, Australia and China will hold a tripartite meeting to determine the next step if the current search fails to find the plane, Najib said. Hong spoke positively of the search efforts and investigation conducted by Malaysia, China and Australia as well as their close communication and coordination. He said the deep water search led by Australia is still in progress. The Chinese government also sent a professional vessel to the South Indian Ocean to join the search efforts in January. China will continue to keep close communication and cooperation with relevant countries on the search efforts. China Aid Reported in Chinese by Qiao Nong. Translated by Carolyn Song. Written in English by Brynne Lawrence. (Wenzhou, ZhejiangMarch 8, 2016) The number of church crosses demolished in Chinas coastal Zhejiang since the beginning of 2016 rose to 49 on March 3 as authorities across the province continue a cross removal campaign. Earlier this year, churches in the province received official notices that threatened to forcibly demolish the churches crosses if they refused to voluntarily dismantle them. After Zhongchang Church, located in Wenzhou, rejected this order, officials cut off the churchs access to water and electricity on Feb. 23. Currently, the church is incapable of holding religious services due to government interference. Officials remove the cross atop Haian Church. (Photo: China Aid) On Feb. 25, Haian Church in Wenzhou received a similar notice that demanded they rectify their church building by dissembling their cross by Feb. 29. After refusing to do so, the local government dispatched around 100 officers, and the cross was demolished on March 4. Additionally, the Wenzhou Municipal Ministry of Land and Resources ordered Guozhuang Church members to destroy their cross, claiming they built their church building without prior government approval. According to the notice, the church was asked to personally demolish their cross and return the so-called illegally occupied land officials within three days of Feb. 23. Since they refused to do so, their cross was demolished on Feb. 26. On March 1, when authorities arrived at Luxi Church to demolish its cross, a group of Christians confronted them, blocking their entrance as they sang Christian songs and prayed. According to a local official, some of the protesters became quite emotional, and the demolition crew was forced to cancel the demolition for fear of being responsible for an accident. Despite similar resistance efforts occurring throughout the province, news has spread through Zhejiang that all church crosses will be demolished by April. In addition to these churches mentioned above, Wenzhou authorities have demolished the following churches crosses since Jan. 26, 2016: Tangxia Christian Church, Zhuangyuan Catholic Church, Bajia Catholic Church, Xiuyang Church, Waipu Church, Qingkeng Church, Xixi Church, Sabbath Church, Dongtian Christian Church, Luoxi Church, Meiyuan Church, Lingjiao Church and Nanyangshan Church. China Aid exposes religious freedom abuses, such as those experienced by churches in Zhejiang, in order to promote religious freedom and rule of law in China. China Aid Contacts Rachel Ritchie, English Media Director Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985 Email: [email protected] Website: www.chinaaid.org A staff displays 3D print soft tissues produced by a German high-tech company during the 2015 China Yiwu International Manufacturing Equipment Expo on Nov 30. [Photo/Xinhua] You can't walk down the street in China without hearing the word "innovation" nowadays, as it is widely considered the golden key to driving growth in a country where the ongoing economic restructuring is taking a toll, especially on the northeast provinces. A deeper look would lead you to the fact that such innovative power actually comes from creative talents, who can not only come up with new ideas and make new products, but also transform them into productivity and market darlings. "If there's no innovation, there's no future. That's for sure," said Bayinchaolu, Party chief of Northeast China's Jilin province and also a deputy to the National People's Congress, during the ongoing two sessions. "For the northeastern areas, though, a more urgent issue is to cultivate a powerful and innovative team," he said. "Although the technological innovation capability may not rival that of first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong, we can manage to carve out a different path based on our own conditions." He added that companies as main market players should tap more into research institutes and universities, while vowing more support for the companies to set up R&D centers to draw elite talents. Northeast provinces such as Jilin have been suffering from a drain of talent due to the slowing economy, which has in turn undercut growth. Jilin's GDP growth stood at 6.5 percent last year, the best performance compared to Liaoning and Heilongjiang. Bayinchaolu's words echoed Premier Li Keqiang's report of government work this year during the opening ceremony of the two sessions. Li said China should launch more science and technology programs, build first-class centers and hubs, and encourage more highly innovative enterprises. Wan Gang, minister of science and technology, said earlier that the northeastern areas should continue to deepen reforms and carry out policies, especially policies for grooming talents, in a bid to meet challenges and embrace opportunities during the economic restructuring. The talent pool in research institutes and universities is currently the main source to innovate and drive growth in these areas, said Li yuanyuan, president of Jilin University and an NPC deputy. "Science education is critical because the economic impetus comes down to the country's achievements in the core and top-notch technologies and whether it can lead the trend in these areas," said Gao Yubao, president of Tianjin Normal University and a member of the CPPCC. More importantly, these innovations have to be transformed into productivity, he said. "That's a huge challenge for research institutes, universities, companies, and even the government." "The country's Investment in technological R&D has been expanding in the past few decades. We should continue to expand investment in." China's investment in research and development is expected to reach 2.5 percent of GDP by 2020, and the contribution of scientific and technological advances toward economic growth should reach 60 percent, said Premier Li in the work report. Farmland on a cloudy day in Western Australia. [Photo/IC] Australian investment company Australian Rural Capital has announced to the stock exchange it is partnering with Shanghai Pengxin Group to buy S. Kidman & Co, Australia's largest private landholder with properties covering 101,000 square kilometers in Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. Shanghai Pengxin was forced to rework its initial bidthought to be around $370 millionafter Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison said last year it was not in the national interest for him to approve a sale to a sole foreign buyer. As well as pairing up with ARC, it is understood Shanghai Pengxin has removed Anna Creek Station from its purchase offer. The station is the largest single parcel within the Kidman landholding and about half of it lies within the Woomera Prohibited Area in South Australia. ARC said it would hold a direct ownership stake in the Kidman rural portfolio if the new joint bid was successful. "It is the current intention of ARC to seek to raise equity funds in the Australian capital markets which will enable Australian investors the unique and direct opportunity to invest in Kidman in a fund and/or investment company managed by ARC," it said in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange. ARC, which is capitalized at almost $4 million, said its strategy was to invest in and manage investments in agribusiness and agricultural infrastructure. Its current focus is cotton, but in an address to shareholders last year, Executive Chairman James Jackson said the company was looking at opportunities in beef, sugar, wine and nuts. The company's major shareholders include Jackson, who runs a cattle business in northern New South Wales and who is also deputy chairman of Elders Ltd, and Stephen Chapman, the executive chairman of Australian investment bank Baron Partners Ltd and the deputy chairman of natural healthcare company Blackmores Ltd. Hong Kong-based Genius Link Asset Management is also understood to be bidding for the Kidman empire. Morrison will make a ruling on the reworked foreign bids after receiving a recommendation from the Foreign Investment Review Board. If the bid is approved, domestic rivals will have four weeks to lodge a counter offer. Australian transport magnate Lindsay Fox recently expressed his interest in the Kidman empire, which comprises about 2.6 percent of Australia's agricultural land and 1.3 percent of the country's entire landmass. S. Kidman owns 185,000 cattle and is one of the nation's largest beef producers, exporting to Japan, the United States and Southeast Asia. Shanghai Pengxin is a conglomerate in real estate, mining and modern agriculture. In 2012, It acquired Crafar farms and Synlait Farms in New Zealand as part of its efforts to improve its business structure. Exports of Australian agricultural products to China are expected to increase as a direct result of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement signed in June last year, said industry experts. Leading dairy industry expert Song Liang said that, in order to cope with the impact of China's slowing economic growth, the nation's investors are likely to invest more in Australia and New Zealand, particularly in the meat and dairy industries. ABC News contributed to this story. Investors check stock prices at a securities brokerage in Haikou, Hainan province on March 8.[Photo/China News Service] China's securities regulator is still studying reform of the registration-based system for initial public offerings, a senior securities official said on Tuesday without elaborating on the details or timetable. Reform of the new share sale mechanism has been a closely followed topic during the ongoing annual sessions of the nation's legislators and political advisers. "The regulator is studying the registration-based reform," Li Chao, vice-chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, told reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body. Li declined to offer further details, only stressing that his comments did not imply that the reform had been delayed. Investors have been hoping to gain further insight through discussions and debates of senior officials during the meetings on one of the most important reforms of the Chinese stock market, which will lead to a shift from an approval-based system to a registration-based one for new share sales. Surprisingly, officials have been reserved on commenting on details of the reform and have seemingly been placing greater emphasis on maintaining market stability. Premier Li Keqiang did not mention the new share sale reform in his highly anticipated Government Work Report delivered on Saturday to deputies of the National People's Congress, sparking discussions that the government may delay the process. Li Daokui, a CPPCC member and an economics professor at Tsinghua University, said that the absence of the registration-based reform in the report suggested a cautious attitude by the Chinese authorities on pushing financial market reform. "China must proceed with financial reforms, but only in a prudent manner. Reforms are not supposed to be about meeting deadlines," Li said, adding that the registration-based IPO system should be launched when the conditions are right, and this first requires improvements in regulatory oversight. Liu Qingfeng, chairman of software company IFLYTEK Co Ltd and an NPC deputy, said that China should create a system to allow data exchange among the various financial regulators to ensure effective oversight and the healthy development of the stock market. China's top legislature has authorized the State Council, the nation's cabinet, to launch IPO reform before completing amendments to the Securities Law. The authorization became effective on March 1 and will be valid for two years, meaning that the reform must be launched within that time frame. Wu Xiaoling, deputy director of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee of the NPC Standing Committee, said that the amendments to the Securities Law have been included in the main work of the top legislature this year. On Tuesday, Chinese equities rose with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index gaining 0.14 percent to close at 2,901.39 points. Cheng Yingqi contributed to this story. Dong Wenbiao, board chairman of China Minsheng Investment Corp Ltd. [Photo provided to China Daily] Private investment giant already in talks with possible partners to set up fund in the US China Minsheng Investment Corp Ltd, the country's largest private investment conglomerate, is looking for high-end manufacturing and renewable energy projects in Europe and the United States, a top company official said. "We have been discussing with more than 10 investment banks about possible opportunities and we will definitely do something this year," said Dong Wenbiao, board chairman of the company. Dong, also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the CPPCC. "Our investment overseas will be carried out through large-scale investment funds, with each of them no smaller than $3 billion," Dong said. China Minsheng is now talking with local partners to set up a fund in the US, but Dong declined to name the companies. The move came after the young but ambitious company set up its first investment fund in Europe in June last year by clinching a joint venture with international property service provider Savills in London. They established a real-estate fund, with China Minsheng being the cornerstone investor with seed capital of up to 30 million pounds ($42.8 million). The majority of the seed capital in the fund was invested in Savills' Prime London Residential Development Fund II. The joint venture will expand its investment into other markets in Europe after raising more capital from China and internationally. Prior to that China Minsheng had launched an investment fund with registered capital of $3 billion in Singapore with partners including Hana Financial Group Inc and CP Group. Dong said the fund would serve as a major platform for China Minsheng's investment in Asia. The conglomerate revealed plans in March last year that it would lead a group of Chinese private companies to invest $5 billion to develop an industrial park in Indonesia. The park will bring a wide array of industries to the southeastern Asian country, including power generation, machinery building, chemicals and general aviation. "The park will be launched in May and has attracted more than 30 Chinese companies," Dong said. China Minsheng was launched in August 2014. It has been dubbed as a private version of China Investment Corp, which manages the country's $200 billion sovereign wealth fund. With registered capital of 50 billion yuan ($7.7 billion), it was initiated by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and launched by 59 private companies in such diverse fields as machinery, information technology, finance and new energy. Its shareholders have combined assets of about 1 trillion yuan. The establishment of the company has been regarded as an important step in the reform of China's investment system as it could help stimulate the vitality of social capital. Private companies contributed 67 percent of the country's total overseas direct investment in the first three quarters of last year, according to the Ministry of Commerce. Data from Morning Whistle Group showed that private companies completed 76.78 percent of China's mergers and acquisition deals in 2015. "Private companies would play an increasingly important role in China's overseas investment," said Zuo Zongshen, chairman of Zongshen Industrial Group Co Ltd, which is one of the shareholders of China Minsheng. VANCOUVER - Canada's leading manufacturer of natural health products, Factors Group of Nutritional Companies Inc signed a licensing agreement with China's Tongrentang International (TRT) of China on Tuesday to distribute its flagship Natural Factors brand of natural health products in China. The agreement gives TRT, a Beijing-based China's well-established healthcare company founded in 1669, exclusive rights to distribute both online and in bricks and mortar stores and will further expand TRT's cross-border e-commerce market. According to Michael Hobson, President and CEO of Factors Group, the move is a strategic step in its continuing expansion into the global export market. "China is one of the world's largest and fastest-growing economies, one where demand for quality natural health products is exploding. This is a win-win opportunity to partner with a respected company that shares our dedication to providing consumers with safe, effective products that can make a positive difference in their lives," he said at the signing ceremony in its head office in Cuquitlam, which is a suburb city of Greater Vancouver. Guangfei Ji, Chairman and CEO of TRT, shares Hobson's view. He said at the signing ceremony that they were excited to introduce Natural Factors to Chinese consumers as their leading brand of nutritional supplements. "Our cross-border e-commerce platform along with our network of local pharmacies across China ensures our customers have access to the best products from around the world," Ji said. Hobson told Xinhua that they chose TRT as their sole distributor in China because TRT has a long history and reputated brand in China. TRT also knows the market and demand of the Chinese people, so he was confident their cooperation with TRT would be very successful. Factors Group is a Canadian owned and operated family business that has been manufacturing natural health products for more than 55 years. It has become one of the largest manufacturers of vitamins and nutritional supplements in North America, with facilities in nine locations across Canada and the US and over 1,500 employees. Homebuyers at the sales center of a property project in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. [Photo/CFP] The two largest cities in Guangdong province have launched an investigation into the credit channels that support housing down payment amid concerns over surge in property prices, reported China Business News on Wednesday. The credit covering Shenzhen homebuyers' down payment could be as large as over 2 billion yuan ($306.9 million) through small loan companies and peer-to-peer (P2P) lenders, said the newspaper citing initial result of the probe. Guangzhou, capital city of Guangdong province, is also inspecting the leverage condition of down payment, and some local banks have either lowered mortgage amount or shut out applicants with poor credit rating, sources told the paper. Compulsory measures will be taken in next step to stem the down payment financing, it said, as such loans are believed to be a major reason behind recent unexpected spike in property prices. The Shenzhen Financial Office declined to give any detail on the probe, while some P2P products lending directly to home buyers have already been removed, according to the paper. Chinese regulators are planning to impose new rules to end such practice amid concerns about the rising risks in the loan and property market in some first-tier cities, reported Bloomberg. Home prices in the country's 100 big cities climbed 0.6 percent in January, according to a survey by the China Real Estate Index System released earlier the month. The average price of a new property surged 5.25 percent to 11,092 yuan per square meter, with 61 cities recording month-on-month growth in prices, indicating a warm-up in demand. Zhong Nan contributed to this story. Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P and former mayor of New York City. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Chinese leaders are making a very smart investment for their future and are building strong foundation for the next generation of the Chinese economic growth, said Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P and former mayor of New York City. "Chinas ambitious one belt one road initiative, to put into prospective, covers the areas that include 50 percent of the world GDP and is about the same share as world trade," he said at Bloomberg global roadshow, themed "China: Navigate the New Silk Road," in London yesterday. Chinas One Belt, One Road initiative envisages the creation of a modern version of the old Silk Route, with maritime and land routes linking China and Europe. China and quite a number of countries along the proposed routes have aligned their respective development strategies, and signed more than 30 memoranda of understanding and cooperation agreements, including seven European countries. A number of key cooperation projects have been launched in collaboration with countries along the Belt and Road routes. Bloomberg said the Belt and Road initiative opens opportunities for trade and investment between East and West and will trigger major expansion of Chinese infrastructure investment throughout the region, will be one of the best ways to spur growth and raise living standards. "It will impact the flow of goods across larger areas of the world, from Asia to Europe to Africa. It far outreaches implications for financial and industrial companies and I think its critically important that global companies and investors understand the plan and the opportunities it presents," he added. As trading partners, such as China, the USA, and the UK, it is inevitably that there will be disagreements just as the way it is with family or friends, Bloomberg said, adding "if everybody acts as an adult, I do not think why everybody cannot profit." Zhang Jiming, minister counsellor from the Chinese Embassy to the UK, who also attended the event, shared Bloombergs view about Chinas Road and Belt initiative. "The Initiative of Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, which was put forward by President Xi Jinping in 2013, has met with great enthusiasm and support from more than 70 countries and international organizations," Zhang said. Zhang emphasized that the initiative is to realize common development through win-win cooperation, of which he highlighted three key elements: connectivity, the cooperation of industrial capacity, and people-to-people links and cultural exchanges. "The Belt and Road Initiative reflects openness in Chinas vision and action, and most importantly the open nature of its economy. While against some headwinds externally and domestically, China remains the powerhouse of the world economy," he added. Zhang said a 6.9 percent GDP growth by China last year is neither alarming nor insignificant, as every percentage of GDP growth in China now is equivalent to 2.5 percentage points a decade ago. He is confident that while risks and challenges exist, there will be no economic hard landing in China, and the Chinese economy will continue a growth of mid to high rate for a considerable period of time. Earlier this week, Bloomberg, mayor of New York for three consecutive terms, announced that he would not be running for the President of the United States, concluding that a three-way race with Hillary Clinton would only benefit controversial businessman Donald Trump and therefore threaten the domestic stability and national security of the United States. Premier Li Keqiang meets with Guangdong deputies to the annual session of the NPC during a panel discussion in Beijing on March 9, 2016. [Photo/China Daily] Premier Li Keqiang has encouraged Guangdong province to take the lead in introducing more Chinese brands and products to markets in developed economies such as the United States and the European Union. Praising the province for its 0.8 percent export growth last year, he urged the manufacturing powerhouse to further sharpen competitiveness. He made the remarks to about 160 deputies from Guangdong to the National People's Congress when he joined them for a panel discussion on Wednesday. Guangdong was at the forefront of the nation's reform and opening-up policy during the 1980s. Export growth is high on Li's agenda in meetings with deputies from four provinces during this year's NPC annual session. China's exports fell by 2.8 percent last year. Many in the Guangdong delegation own some of the most successful businesses in China, such as Ma Huateng, chairman and CEO of Tencent Holdings, one of the country's largest private Internet service portals based in Guangdong, and Dong Mingzhu, president of Gree Electric Appliances. Li said a key factor for the Chinese economy to achieve medium to high economic growth is to join competition in developed countries. He said this will be more challenging for China, as the competition for quality in developed countries is higher. Such competition will help domestic manufacturers to improve product quality, something that is hard to achieve through the country's present exports to many developing countries. China's exports to the US and EU countries fell by 12.2 percent and 10.7 percent year-on-year in January and February. This year, Guangdong has set a target of 1 percent growth in exports. Zhong Nanshan, a respiratory expert and academic at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said China also needs to improve its ability to build more good-quality air purifying machines. At present, most Chinese people tend to buy imported air purifiers, which sometimes cost 10 times more than domestic ones. Xu Hongcai, an economist at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, said real technology innovation is a key factor for Guangdong products to be able to compete in foreign markets. Price growth of new homes in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou (y-o-y). [Photo provided to China Daily] Government to offer more land in big cities to meet demand The central bank will prohibit real estate brokerages and property developers from running financing services if they do not have relevant licenses, People's Bank of China Deputy Governor Pan Gongsheng said on Wednesday. Pan, also a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, made the remarks at a panel discussion at the CPPCC annual meeting as concerns are mounting over potential risks fueled by those institutions' leverage in the real estate market. Media reports said a number of brokerages and financial institutions, including Lianjia and 5i5j, have lent their clients money to allow them pay the down payment. This move, which artificially increases the leverage in home purchases, will fuel a price hike and cause a big worry when a price correction occurs, industry experts said. "We are communicating with the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development to regulate such behaviors. Real estate brokerages and property developers are not allowed to run financing services before they obtained relevant licenses," said Pan. According to Zhang Dawei, chief analyst at Centaline Property, the size of such financing services in Beijing will be around 1.8 billion yuan ($277 million). "The down payment could be actually lowered by 10 to 20 percent with those financing products, thus allowing financially unqualified buyers to enter the market and result in a price hike of more than 30 percent in no time," said Huang Qifan, mayor of Chongqing and a deputy to the National People's Congress, during a panel discussion at the NPC. "This is no different from the ballooning of the Shanghai Composite Index fueled by the leverage last year." Currently, the down payment for first-home purchasers stood at 30 percent in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, and 20 to 25 percent in other cities. Home prices in cities like Shenzhen, Beijing and Shanghai have seen a surge in recent months. Prices in Shenzhen have increased 72 percent in the past 12 months alone, according to the Shenzhen Urban Planning, Land and Resources Commission. Shanghai and Beijing are following suit. The supply-demand imbalance and the easing of monetary policy are regarded as major reasons for this round of price surge. "Those financing services provided to homebuyers do add fuel to the flame and we should warn against the potential risks," said Jia Kang, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and former director of the Ministry of Finance's Research Institute for Fiscal Science. To ease concern over fast-rising home prices, Minister of Land and Resources Jiang Daming said on Wednesday that the government will offer more land in those cities experiencing a price surge. Li Xiang and Luo Wangshu contributed to this story. Employees work on an assembly line producing electric cars at a factory of Beijing Electric Vehicle Co Ltd, funded by BAIC Group, in the capital city. [Photo/Agencies] BAIC Group is seeking to raise about 3 billion yuan ($460 million) in a financing round for its electric-car business, with plans to sell shares in the unit on Shanghai's exchange for emerging companies, according to sources. Beijing Electric Vehicle Co, which is 60 percent controlled by BAIC, has attracted investments from technology companies including LeEco Holdings Co, said the sources, who asked not to be named. BJEV, as the unit is called, plans to use the funds from the initial public offering to cut debt, make investments and as working capital. China has made electric vehicles a strategic initiative as part of its push to lead in the automotive technology, curb pollution and cut dependence on imported oil. BAIC's financing plan follows BYD Co's filing last year to sell additional shares and raise funds for its new-energy vehicle business. Global automakers also plan to cash in on the rising demand, with Tesla Motors Inc seeking a local partner to start production in China. "There shouldn't be a lack of investor appetite to back China's electric-car industry," said Steve Man, a Hong Kong-based analyst covering the auto industry at Bloomberg Intelligence. "China is resolute in tackling the environmental calamity that it's facing." Representatives for BAIC and LeEco declined to comment. BJEV has three other founding shareholders besides BAIC, all of which are owned by the Beijing municipal government. The automaker's electric-vehicle sales may more than double to 55,000 units this year from 20,000 last year, and reach as many as 700,000 units annually by 2020, according to Chen Ping, chief engineer of BJEV, a majority-owned BAIC unit. The company is developing its first plug-in hybrid model, which runs on a rechargeable battery backed up by a small internal combustion engine, Chen said in January. It is working with China Petroleum & Chemical Corp, also known as Sinopec, to provide battery replacement for electric vehicles at its gas stations. LeEco is teaming with Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd to help bring its electric RapidE vehicle to market by 2018, providing the powertrain and battery pack. It also backs Faraday Future, the electric-vehicle startup planning to manufacture its first car in 2017 at a $1 billion factory near Las Vegas. Sales of new-energy vehicles, which includes plug-in hybrids, surged 3.4 times to 331,092 units in 2015, outpacing the industry growth for passenger vehicles, according to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. The headquarters of ZTE's North America business in Dallas, Texas. [Photo/Xinhua] Company says it is working toward a resolution of the issue Chinese officials on Tuesday hit back at the United States over its decision to impose restrictions on telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp for allegedly selling products to Iran in violation of sanctions. Calling the restrictions "not a correct way" to handle economic disputes, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters the approach "only hurts others without necessarily benefiting oneself". The US Commerce Department on Monday banned US suppliers from selling components to Guangdong-based ZTE. It claimed the company "illicitly exported" controlled items to Iran and its suppliers in the US will need to apply for a hard-to-get permit before selling products to ZTE again. ZTE said the company is "fully committed" to compliance with the laws and regulations in the jurisdictions in which it operates. "ZTE has been cooperating, will continue to cooperate and communicate with all US agencies as required. The company is working expeditiously toward a resolution of this issue," it said in a statement. ZTE, whose 2015 revenue exceeded 100 billion yuan ($15 billion), has suspended trading in its stocks on the Shenzhen and Hong Kong exchanges since Monday. The Ministry of Commerce also criticized the US restrictions on the country's second-largest telecom equipment maker. "The US move will severely impair the normal commercial activities of the Chinese firm. China will continue to engage with the US side on the issue," the ministry said in a statement. James Yan, research director at consultancy Counterpoint Technology Market Research, said the hardest-hit area will be chip supply. ZTE relies heavily on San Diego, California-based semiconductor firm Qualcomm Inc for mobile chips. The company's other major US suppliers include programmable logic devices makers Xilinx Inc and Altera Corp. "I believe ZTE will team up with the Ministry of Commerce and its major partners in the US, including Qualcomm, to negotiate with the US authorities," said Yan. Qualcomm and other suppliers have yet to comment on the case. Because of robust sales of its inexpensive prepaid devices, ZTE is the fourth-largest smartphone vendor in the United States by shipment, taking about a 7 percent market share, according to research firm International Data Corp. Its sales channels include major telecom carriers such as AT&T Inc, T-Mobile US Inc and Sprint Corp. However, ZTE's presence in the world's most profitable handset market lags far behind the front runners Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. It is not the first time ZTE has faced tough scrutiny in the US. In 2013, the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee conducted a hearing on ZTE and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to see if their US operations were a risk to information security. Huawei and ZTE were bidding on a number of telecom infrastructure projects in the US at the time. Both companies have since been unable to clinch major telecom construction deals in the country. ZTE is focusing on telecom network construction projects in China, the Middle East and Europe as well as global smartphone sales for its profits. The company reported a net profit of almost 3.78 billion yuan last year, a 43 percent jump year-on-year. The Chinese company attributed the growth to 4G network expansion in China and handset sales around the globe. China began a voluntary organ donation trial in 2010 and promoted the practice across the country in 2013.[Photo/Xinhua] Chinese organ donation has been on the rise after the country banned the use of prisoners's organs for transplant starting Jan 1 this year, a top medical expert said Sunday. As of Nov 9, China has recorded 5,384 voluntary organ donors, who donated 14,721 various organs, said Huang Jiefu, head of a national human organ donation and transplant committee and former vice health minister. China is expected to top the world in terms of organ donation in several years, said Huang at a forum in the central city of Changsha. "As long as the donation system is transparent, most of citizens will be willing to join the program," he said. The shortage of qualified transplant doctors is a major bottleneck. There are only 169 hospitals across the country eligible for organ transplant, with some 100 doctors able to do the operation, said Huang. Huang called for speedy training of medical talent and expanding the number of hospitals eligible for organ transplant to 300 and the number of doctors to 400 to meet the public demand. China began a voluntary organ donation trial in 2010 and promoted the practice across the country in 2013. Now, it tops Asia in the number of organ donations. Xu Shaoshi, minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission, gives a press conference for the fourth session of China's 12th National People's Congress (NPC) on the country's economic and social development and the draft outline of the 13th Five-Year Plan, in Beijing, capital of China, March 6, 2016. [Xinhua/Li Xin] Premier Li Keqiang's daily work schedule during the annual session of the National People's Congress reflects China's changing economic geography. By noting which provincial delegations he visits, one can tell which provinces the central government expects to lead the transition of the world's second-largest economy. It is obvious that the central government wants some provinces and places to serve as good examples and new growth leaders. While some others, mostly those suffering more from the old big-smokestack industries and environmental inadequacies, are to be allowed more time for restructuring even as they follow the direction of the growth leaders. Li's first attendance on Sunday was to the deliberations of the delegation of lawmakers from Shandong, one of the most powerful provincial economies in the Chinese mainland, along with Guangdong and Jiangsu. Shandong registered an 8 percent growth in GDP in 2015, more than 1 percentage point higher than the national average (6.9 percent), and it plans to target 7.5 to 8 percent growth in 2016, again 1 percentage point higher than the national target range. On Monday, the premier attended the discussions of deputies from Fujian, an eastern province across from the Taiwan Straits. A province with little industry 40 years ago, Fujian has not only built itself into an industrial powerhouse, reflected in its 9 percent GDP growth in 2015, but also done so with an eye on the local environment. For instance, it enjoys the highest rate of forest coverage among all Chinese provinces. The premier's choice of delegations reflects the government's strategic sense that distills from China's historic experience in running a large and diverse country. There are different kinds of regional gaps. Some, if they exist for too long and result in an imbalance in income distribution, will have to be closed. While other gaps, if they reflect different regional approaches to self-improvement, are healthy and can be used to prompt nationwide progress. At the moment, the very size of its society and its diversity are two important factors that can help China fight its current slowdown. Such understanding of China's economic geography may also help the country answer many of the questions it faces at the momentsuch as how will it manage to stay out of trouble in a time of looming uncertainties in many parts around globe? And how will it continue to grow and remain strong? Well, as Li would likely reply, by relying on its people and its diversity. TAIPEI -- A clear message was sent out from the top legislature's annual session that the Chinese mainland has strong determination and sufficient goodwill in the development of relations across the Taiwan Straits. A report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang Saturday said the mainland will continue to adhere to the 1992 Consensus as the political foundation for cross-Straits ties and will promote exchanges in diverse fields with Taiwan compatriots. Later that day, President Xi Jinping expounded on the mainland's firm stance when joining a group of lawmakers from Shanghai. STEADFAST DETERMINATION "Only by accepting the 1992 Consensus and recognizing its core implications can the two sides have a common political foundation and maintain good interaction," Xi said. The 1992 Consensus clearly defines the nature of cross-Straits ties, and is the basis for the peaceful development of cross-Straits ties in the long run. Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who won Taiwan's leadership election in January, remains ambiguous about her stance on the 1992 Consensus, just stating that she wishes to "maintain the status quo." Chang Wu-yueh, head of the graduate institute of China studies at Taiwan's Tamkang University, said that Xi's words reiterated the significance of the 1992 Consensus in the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations "Without this foundation, it will be extremely hard to maintain the status quo. Meanwhile, the mainland has steadfast determination to address the issue of 'Taiwan independence'," Chang said. In his speech, Xi vowed to resolutely contain "Taiwan independence" secessionist activities in any form, safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity and never allow the historical tragedy of national secession to happen again. "Our policy toward Taiwan is clear and consistent, and it will not change along with the change in Taiwan's political situation," Xi told legislators. Teng Che-wei, head of the Taipei-based non-governmental organization Cross-Straits Public Affairs Association, said that neither side of Taiwan Straits should sabotage the common foundation, or else exchanges across the Straits will suffer. "Tsai has been emphasizing the status quo, but status quo cannot be grown in the air. There must be concrete measures to maintain it," Teng said. A group of organizations on Tuesday posted an online statement protesting the way authorities responded to accusations from a female high school student that three male classmates spiked her drink with herbal "sex pills". The senior at Tianjiabing High School in Huangshan, in East China's Anhui province, posted an update on her micro blog last weekend that the boys used philter pills, which are marketed as an aphrodisiac for women. The NGOs, who work on behalf of women and children, expressed dissatisfaction with local public security and education authorities, who declined to release details about the boys, their motivation for the incident or their punishment. "We need to know whether the deed was a crime and what the authorities have done to punish the boys," said Li Sipan, a feminist who participated in the joint statement. The NGOs also urged the quick establishment of effective mechanisms against similar conduct. The Huangshan Bureau of Education, in its own statement released on Tuesday, responded that the evidence was insufficient for filing a case and the boys had already been punished according to school regulations. "We have no further information to provide other than the latest statement released on the education bureau's official website", said Ni Wenhua, an official of the municipal government's information department. According to previous reports, the boys excused their behavior, claiming it was merely mischief between classmates. But the girl said they did it on purpose, likely after learning she had told her friends that she was a lesbian and had a girlfriend. Students spread the information and the boys frequently laughed at her, she said. She said she was initially told the pills were a cathartic and reported the incident to a teacher. She said the boys told her the next morning that the pills were philters, which was also confirmed by the local authorities in the Tuesday statement. The student said the boys later threatened to poison her with arsenic in revenge for telling officials what happened. "Luckily, the philter didn't work due to unknown reasons," she said. Authorities also said in the earlier statement that the student had forgiven the boys, and no details would be released since all of the students were juveniles and it would be better for all of them to "focus on their studies and get good marks in the pending college entrance exams". A senior police officer has called for further co-operation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the fight against cross-border crimes. Li Zhuqun, deputy director of the International Co-operation Department with the Ministry of Public Security, made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Regional Forum Workshop on Strengthening Management of Cross-Border Movement of Criminals in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, on Wednesday. With economic ties between China and ASEAN becoming ever closer, the region is facing increasingly serious threats from the cross-border movement of criminals and related cross-border crimes. "A country or region will find it hard to achieve the success in the fight against cross-border crimes if it refuses to co-operate with other nations and regions," Li said. And Wu Jianmin, director of the ASEAN Affairs Division in Li's department, said priorities will be given to the expansion of co-operation in the fight against telephone fraud, terrorism, organized cross-border drug trafficking and in tracking down escaped criminal suspects and booties between China and ASEAN. The event is co-haired by China and Thailand. Phaspom Sangasubana, head of the Thai delegation, said ASEAN members and China should further expand their exchanges and analysis of information and intelligence in fighting cross-border crimes. "Both bilateral and regional co-operation should further be expanded to help crack down on cross-border crimes," she added. Lu Feng deputy director-general of the Guangdong provincial department of public security, said Guangdong has achieved success in co-operating with its counterparts in the fight against cross-border crimes in the recent years. Police officers from Guangdong province and Thailand detained 20 men and 10 women after they swooped on a secret telephone fraud den in the outskirt of Bangkok, capital of Thailand, on December 24. Eight computers, 35 mobile phones, many bank cards and other equipment were seized after police busted the major cross-border gang which used to be headed by Taiwan residents. Detainees included 14 mainlanders, 13 Taiwan residents and three foreigners. The crackdown has dealt a heavy blow to cross-border telephone fraud in the region. More than 80 representatives from around the world attended the forum which ends on Thursday. Chinese rocket engine designers have started to develop next-generation engines that will propel the nation's future super-heavy rocket, which is tentatively called Long March 9, according to a senior rocket scientist. "Engineers at my academy are researching and developing a 500-ton-thrust liquid oxygen/kerosene engine and a 200-ton-thrust liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen engine that will be used on the future heavy-lift rocket," Tan Yonghua, president of the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology and a national lawmaker, told China Daily on the sidelines of the annual session of the top legislature. The engines will together give the Long March 9 a launch weight of 3,000 tons and a maximum payload of 130 tons to the low Earth orbit, which is powerful enough to fulfill a manned mission to the moon, he said. Success of the country's Mars exploration programs, which have been approved by the government, and other deep-space projects will also depend on the new rocket because existing ones, including the Long March 5, are not powerful enough, according to Tan. Long March 9 is set to be as technologically advanced as the United States' Space Launch System, which is being designed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and it will be pollution-free, the scientist added. Tan said the new engines will be based on those used on the Long March 5, which will be launched for the first time in the fall, and that their development will take about 10 years. Liang Xiaohong, former deputy head of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and a political adviser, told China Daily that the Long March 9's core body will have a diameter of nearly 10 meters and a height of more than 100 m. The rocket's development is expected to take 15 years, he added. Liang's academy recently developed a super-large interstage ring that will be used to connect stages of the Long March 9. In another development, Tan said the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology will soon deliver engines to be installed on the Chang'e 5 probe, the third step of China's unmanned lunar exploration effort to land on the moon and bring back soil in about 2017. China is even eyeing the possibility of operating a space solar power station between Earth and the moon. Lieutenant General Zhang Yulin, deputy head of the Central Military Commission's Equipment Development Department, told Xinhua News Agency on Monday that China is making a blueprint for the construction of a solar power station. Li stresses the course for growth By Zhang Yue (China Daily) Updated: 2016-03-09 07:14:59 Premier Li Keqiang joins Chongqing deputies to the National People's Congress for a photograph after a panel discussion in Beijing on Tuesday, which marked International Women's Day. Li extended greetings to the female deputies.[Photo by Wu Zhiyi/China Daily] The central government is to continue with its self-reform program and delegation of power to lower levels to boost market vibrancy in central and western areas of Chinakey areas for future economic growth. Premier Li Keqiang stressed this point during a meeting with deputies from Chongqing on Tuesday during the annual session of the National People's Congress, where he heard their suggestions. Chongqing headed GDP growth in China last year, with an 11 percent expansion year-on-year, while the national figure fell to 6.9 percent. The municipality has set a goal of 10 percent GDP growth for this year. Li highlighted the economic achievements made by Chongqing last year. He encouraged it to play a leading role in economic reform and opening-up in central and western China as well as the overall development of the Yangtze River Economic Zone, driving the development of surrounding regions. He urged the municipality to introduce diverse measures to generate new economic driving forces, such as the service industry, and to upgrade traditional industries. Chongqing lies at the intersection of the route for China's Belt and Road Initiative and the country's Yangtze River Economic Belt. In November, the premier proposed expanding free trade zone policies for central and western China. Chongqing also hosts the third government-to-government project between China and Singapore. Launched in January, this focuses on cooperation in financial services, aviation, logistics and information communication technology. Zhang Xiaode, a regional economist at the Chinese Academy of Governance, said Chongqing has high geographic importance in central and western China, as it has performed better than neighboring provinces. It is also important for the city to have better high-speed rail transportation to further grow its economy, Zhang said. Delegating power to lower levels was stressed repeatedly by Li during Tuesday's meeting as he focused on cultivating local expertise. Liu Xiya, a deputy and principal of Xiejiawan Primary School in Chongqing, said she hopes that local primary schools can be given more power over teaching subjects, eliciting a warm response. Li also asked at the meeting about primary school students' education. He agreed to Liu's request for a group photo with all the female deputies from Chongqing after the meeting, as Tuesday marked International Women's Day. Looking to the new generation By Shan Juan (China Daily) Updated: 2016-03-09 07:23:54 A nurse at a hospital in Xiangyang, Hubei province, helps Chen Jing to breast-feed her second child on Friday.[Photo by Gong Bo / Provide to China Daily] The government is preparing to further deepen reform of the national policy on planned parenthood to ensure a stable workforce and continued growth. Shan Juan reports. Whether or not to have a second child has become a burning and urgent question for millions of Chinese couples who recently became eligible to have two children under the terms of China's revised family planning policy. Li Liangyu, a 36-year-old working mother in Beijing, has been discussing the issue with husband since December, when the central government announced the universal second-child policy. "It needs an urgent answer and action because my fertility is declining due to age, but it's hard," said Li, whose 7-year-old daughter entered grade school in the fall. Money is tight for Li and her husband. Although they are both employed by government institutions and have a combined monthly income of nearly 25,000 yuan ($3,800), their mortgage repayment is 8,000 yuan per month and they pay 3,000 yuan for after-school activities every four weeks. Like many children, Li's daughter attends a range of after-school activities, such as learning to play the piano, painting and dancing, which puts further strain on their budget. "With no other source of income, I'm afraid that we can't afford to have a second child and maintain the same standard of living," Li said. The quandary is even more difficult for residents of mega-cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, where a lack of quality educational resources means parents are often required to pay extremely high prices to buy a home in an area with good schools. "It's like hell when my son falls ill," said Liu Min, a 28-year-old mother who is pregnant with her second child. "It's always so crowed at the children's hospital, and you are lucky to see the doctor after a three-hour wait." According to government estimates, China will see a maximum 9 million more babies in the next three years. "But is the country actually ready to welcome them and treat them well?" Liu asked. "I would only compromise my present standard of living, such as missing out on an overseas vacation every year, to have a second baby. I want my boy to have a companion to grow up with," she said. The potential strain on family finances has led many couples to abandon the idea of having a second child. According to a 2014 survey conducted in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, the cost of raising a child until after university averages 2 million yuan in tier-one cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. At the end of 2013, the government made the first move to ease the decades-old policy that restricted most couples to one child. Although the revised rules allowed couples to have another baby providing one partner was an only child, less than 10 percent of newly eligible couples had filed an application by the end of 2014, according to statistics released by the National Health and Family Planning Commission. Wang Pei'an, the commission's deputy director, urged other government agencies, such as the ministries of education, finance, and human resources and social security, to draw up favorable measures and policies to encourage larger families. Passport relaxation assists opening-up By Cui Jia (China Daily) Updated: 2016-03-09 07:30:25 Xinjiang will step up efforts with neighbors to prevent people from illegally crossing borders Xinjiang's move to make it easier for residents to apply for passports could be used by extremists and terrorists there to carry out jihad, or "holy war", abroad but the tight controls of the past are no longer suitable for an area aiming to be more open, said a senior official of the region. "Xinjiang tightened its passport application process in 2006 and we subsequently simplified the procedure in August 2015, which is now in line with China's exit and entry regulations," said Che Jun, who is in charge of maintaining social stability of the region. Getting a passport is often complicated and takes more time in Xinjiang than in other regions because of the terrorism threats faced by Xinjiang and its ongoing anti-terrorism campaign. "We can't lose the benefits of a more relaxed process just because we fear some people may use their passport to carry out "holy war" in foreign countries. Xinjiang needs to be more open," said Che, who is also a deputy to the Xinjiang delegation of the National People's Congress. He made the remark on Tuesday during a group discussion session open to reporters at the NPC's annual session. He said that although the procedure to apply for a passport has been streamlined, Xinjiang will step up efforts to control its borders with the assistance of neighboring countries to prevent people crossing the border illegally. Xinjiang borders eight countries, including Afghanistan and Pakistan. Some Xinjiang people have been found to have joined terrorist training camps in neighboring countries after illegally crossing the border. The region has always been seen as important in China's battle against terrorism and is thought to be facing growing threats from foreign separatists and extremists. Security in Xinjiang is improving and the autonomous region is significantly more capable of handling terrorist threats, the region's top leader Zhang Chunxian said during the session. He said the number of terrorist attacks fell considerably in 2015, despite the increasingly complicated global anti-terrorism situation. He vowed to continue to strike hard against terrorist activities as long as they exist. Laid-off workers gaining new skills By Lyu Chang (China Daily) Updated: 2016-03-09 08:19:48 It was the last working day for Yang Hangming, a blast-furnace worker at Hangzhou Iron and Steel Group Company, but instead of being laid-off, Yang, 46, was sent to work in the human resources department at a privately-owned decorating company. "It's better than I expected and it is good to learn something else in my new position," he said of the move. Yang was among around 9,000 employees of the Hangzhou-based company who have been relocated along with some 3,000 contractors who have been compensated in just three months. Nationwide, millions of workers face being similarly relocated or laid off from uncompetitive State-owned enterprises as the government tries to reorganize and in some cases even close "zombie" companies in a bid to curb excessive production, mainly in the industries of steel, coal, glass and cement. Since 2009, China has been boosting its economy through infrastructure construction and that has fueled a huge demand for coal, steel and cement. But as economic growth in the world's second-largest economy has slowed, those industries now have to cut production and jobs because of overcapacity. Now, those layoffs are having an impact on the country. Longmay Mining Holding Group, a State-owned company in China's northeastern Heilongjiang province, operates four major mines in the region. It has relocated 22,500 workers into agriculture, timber and the public service sectors since November. Wang Yongqing, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the China National Democratic Construction Association and a member of the CPPCC national committee, said the relocation of laid-off workers is one of the most pressing problems in the process of cutting production. He commented during a consultation meeting about such proposals on Tuesday. "If the country wants to cut production within industries that have overcapacity, such as steel, by 30 percent, there will be 3 million people who need to be relocated," he said. "We need to deal with it very carefully because it is not only a problem of whether we are able to cut excessive production smoothly but it is also related to the benefits of employees and to social stability." To deal with the problem, the government said it plans to spend 100 billion yuan ($15.3 billion) during the next two years to relocate workers from the steel, mining and other sectors suffering from overcapacity. Xin Changxing, vice-minister of human resources and social security, who also a CPPCC member, said that the government will give support and compensation to the laid-off workers but it is also encouraging enterprises to create re-employment opportunities for those laid off. Hebei shoulders capacity cutbacks By Zheng Jinran (China Daily) Updated: 2016-03-09 08:19:48 Beijing's smog-hit neighbor Hebei needs more subsidies to help it reduce overcapacity in its major polluting industries, according to provincial officials. Zhang Qingwei, the governor, told a group discussion among deputies of the National People's Congress on Tuesday that iron and steel production capacity in the province would be limited to 200 million metric tons per annum by 2020. This means that 60 percent of existing iron and steel companies in the province will be shut down or merged during the next four years. Hebei has borne the brunt of China's shedding of excess capacity in recent years, with the province accounting for 83 percent of the 90 million tons of iron and steel production that the country has shed over the past three years. The province also contributed half of the phased out glassmaking capacity and a quarter of the cement-making industry, Zhang said. However, this weeding out of overcapacity - a major tenet of China's supply-side structural reform - has come with its own price and benefits. Since reform began in September 2013, severe air pollution in the province has been reduced, according to Zhao Kezhi, the province's Party chief and an NPC deputy. The number of days with good air quality increased to 192 in 2015, up from 152 in 2014, he said. Yet this good news has been tempered by diminished revenues from the province's iron and steel industry, which plummeted by 46.9 percent in 2015, Zhang said. The province will provide more support, both financial and through policies, to aid affected companies and governments to pursue other green growth, he said. Xing Guohui, mayor of the provincial capital Shijiazhuang, said that shutting down cement making companies had hit government revenue to the tune of 12 billion yuan ($1.8 billion), with 3,800 jobs affected. He suggested that the central government should give more subsidies to the affected industries and local governments to support their efforts in further controlling the polluting industries. Some leaders from other cities have agreed with Xing, including the delegation from Xingtai, which has voiced the suggestion for more subsidies several times during discussions. Infighting a sign of weakened Dalai Lama By Xu Wei (China Daily) Updated: 2016-03-09 08:19:48 The ongoing infighting amid the election for leader of the Tibetan "government-in-exile" is an indicator of weakened control by the Dalai Lama over the situation, a senior political adviser said on Sunday. The Tibetan "government-in-exile" will hold the second round of its elections for a government leader on March 20. Zhu Weiqun, head of the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said at the sidelines of the annual political consultative session that the election can only show increasing internal rifts. "It also indicates that the Dalai Lama's ability to control the situation is declining, and the overseas Tibetans are already having their own opinions over the political approaches he is advocating," he said. In one of the latest signs of infighting within the "government-in-exile", Dicki Chhoyang, head of the "department of information and international relations", resigned from her posts in late February, months before her term ends. Zhu reiterated that the debate over the "middle-way approach" is in fact focused upon the same purpose: trying to separate China. "But the future of Tibet will be firmly in our own efforts and our work ... As long as we have a stable situation in Tibet, the infighting within the 'government-in-exile' will continue," he said. The 80-year-old Dalai Lama is now receiving treatment in the United States for a prostate condition, The Associated Press reported on Feb 21. Zhu said his committee will pay attention to the so-called "election", but the key to ensuring the stability of the Tibet autonomous region still lies in the development of the region's economy and improving people's livelihoods. "The improvement of livelihoods in Tibet and the development and prosperity of the region have always been prioritized in China, no matter whether there are separatists or not," he said. Prevention better than cure on the grasslands By Li Yang (China Daily) Updated: 2016-03-09 08:19:48 After working as a doctor in Ganzi Tibet autonomous prefecture in Sichuan province for more than 40 years, Pema Yutso has plenty to say about improving medical care in the grassland areas where ethnic Tibetans live. "The government should refocus on prevention and the control of diseases, rather than treatment," said Yutso, who is a deputy to the fourth session of the 12th National People's Congress, the country's top legislature. "It is meaningless to talk about how many operations doctors have done on patients living in the grasslands if the source of their illness remains uncontrolled or unmanaged." Yutso spoke to China Daily in Beijing on Sunday and pointed out that common diseases among ethnic Tibetan people living on the plateau, who now enjoy a much improved standard of living, were similar to those of others on the plains. But Yutso said awareness among ethnic Tibetan people of healthcare issues was generally weaker than among other residents on the plains. "If local governments and medical care authorities could pay more attention to raising the plateau residents' awareness of the importance of personal hygiene and of drinking boiled water and creating a healthy living environment, they would end up saving on their medical expenditure," said Yutso. "An easy thing to do would be to treat dogs with medicines so they no longer have parasites in their droppings. These parasites from dog droppings are a major source of pollution of surface water on the grasslands and they are the cause of many diseases among shepherds and their families." She said many diseases that are common among the nomads and that can cause lifelong problems are easy to prevent. She also called on the government to ensure adequate funding for public hospitals, so they can attract more professionals to hospitals in Tibetan regions, and urged more private hospitals to locate to Tibetan regions. Yutso said the provincial government arranges training programs for doctors who will end up working in Ganzi. She said she would like to see training offered to doctors and nurses working in Ganzi include more attention for medical ethics and the legacy of traditional Tibetan medicine. China scholar praises pragmatic government work report By CHEN WEIHUA in Washington (China Daily USA) Updated: 2016-03-09 09:03:02 Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a government work report during the opening meeting of the fourth session of the 12th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] Premier Li Keqiang's government work report was a pragmatic and concrete one, pointing out challenges as well as strengths and opportunities, according to a US-based China scholar. The report, delivered by Premier Li at the opening of the fourth session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) on Saturday, is now being deliberated by some 3,000 deputies. Cheng Li, director of the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution, said the report tells people that the Chinese economy is facing difficulties as a result of structural reforms, the need for better environmental protection and the impact of a sluggish global economy. "It tells the public that such economic challenges will last for a period of time, so the report does not give the public an unachievable expectation," Cheng Li said. Meanwhile, the report has also elaborated on China's strength, such as the potential to be unleashed in urbanization, the development of the service sector, the employment policy and the innovation policy, according to Cheng Li. "So this is a report that neither gives the public too high an expectation nor disappointment," said Cheng Li, whose research has focused on the transformation of Chinese leaders and technological development in China. Cheng Li believes that this is especially important during the coming two years, or the beginning years of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), when there won't be excessive high economic growth rate, something he said China also does not need. In the work report, China's gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2016 has been set between 6.5 percent and 7 percent. It is the first time since 1995 for the target to be in a range rather than one single number. China's economy grew by 6.9 percent in 2015, the lowest in a quarter of a century, but it was still among the highest in the world. According to the report, an average annual growth of at least 6.5 percent should be maintained in the coming five years in order to achieve the goals of doubling GDP and household income by 2020 from the 2010 levels. It also says that by 2020, the contribution from scientific and technological advances should account for 60 percent of GDP growth. Cheng Li said structural reforms will bring a lot of challenges, all of which would require dealing with by the Chinese government. He described the goals in the work report as very specific. "There isn't much empty content and slogan type of things," he said. "It is what the Chinese public wants to see... and it's a relatively balanced and good report, one quite pertinent to China's situation today," Cheng Li said. He hoped that the report had emphasized more that many of the challenges are also opportunities. "It is just the beginning and the potential is huge," he said, citing how areas such as environmental protection could help job creation and business opportunities. To Cheng Li, the potential opportunities will help small- and medium-sized companies, large companies, Chinese companies overseas and foreign-funded companies in China break new ground. Cheng Li said the growth targets set in the 13th Five-Year Plan are quite reasonable. "More than 90 percent of what's in the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) had been achieved, and there is a better reason to achieve what's in the 13th Five-Year Plan," he said. Contact the writer through chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com Li Yihu, left, a deputy to the National People's Congress and head of Peking University's Taiwan Institute, answers questions from reporters at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday during the ongoing session of China's top legislature and advisory body. Li told reporters that relations across the Straits will be affected if the new leader of Taiwan continues to avoid upholding the 1992 Consensus after they take office on May 20. The 1992 Consensus clearly defines the nature of cross-Straits ties and is the basis for the peaceful development of relations in the long run. Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party, who won Taiwan's leadership election in January, remains ambiguous about her stance on the 1992 Consensus, stating only that she wishes to "maintain the status quo." [Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/chinadaily.com.cn] Hubei can become leader in commercial space sector By Liu Kun (chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2016-03-09 18:45:23 More efforts should be made to develop aerospace industrial bases in Hubei province and turn Hubei into hub of China's commercial space industry, said NPC delegate Hu Shengyun. "China is on path to develop commercial space, and Hubei has the potential to take the lead in this field," said Hu, who is also chief designer in China Sanjiang Space Group. Hu said: "The development of China's commercial space industry needs to be supported by State, especially when it comes to projects and setting a commercial model. At present, Hubei province and China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation are working at develop aerospace industrial bases in Wuhan. If Hubei could take the lead in aerospace industry, it would become the center of China commercial space industry with its Beidou industrial base and technological base on research institutions. He suggested encouraging the participation of non-government capital into rockets and satellites' manufacturing, production and launch, supporting cooperation among research institutions, private enterprises and State-owned aerospace companies pushing development of aerospace industry, improving the application of aerospace technology in other fields and contributing to the development of other industries. Hu said although market demand on State research institutions and enterprises is hot, the number of launch plan is only up to 21 year, the cost of launch is prohibitive and the relationship between supply and demand is uneven. "Baidu CEO Robin Li is planning to build space-based Internet and launch 100 geostationary satellites. Although it seems it can be achieved on technological sides, it may take several years according to the speed of satellite launch. However, Li's desire may be realized and the cost of launch could be reduced dramatically on the condition that employing social capital to develop commercial launch." Hu said today in the United States more than half of the satellite are commercial ones. The government's space launch business are outsourced to commercial launch companies, which contributes to the emergence of a large number of world famous enterprises on commercial aerospace, such as SpaceX and Orbital Sciences Corporation. What we need to do is that aim at development trend, introduce mechanism to aerospace industry as soon as possible and contribute to an early appearance of China's SpaceX." Second Tibetan railway line planned By Xu Wei (chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2016-03-09 19:36:15 China's second railway line into the Tibet autonomous region could be completed by 2025, and ecological protection will be a top priority during construction, a senior political adviser from the region said during the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Construction of another railway line linking Lhasa and Chengdu could be completed during the 14th Five Year Plan period (2021-2025), Sonam Dorje, director of the economic, population, resources and environmental affairs committee within the Tibetan regional committee of the CPPCC, said on Monday. The new railway line will help boost tourism and improve the livelihoods of residents along the line, as a lack of transportation facilities has always hampered the regional development, Sonam said. "It will require a huge investment," he added. There are many valleys and mountains along the new railway line, requiring the construction of many bridges and tunnels. Construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway provided the experience needed to build the new railway line, said Sonam, who has participated in research discussions on the project. "We have accumulated rich experience in the protection of ecology during the Qinghai-Tibet Railway period. That will be very helpful in the construction of the new railway line as well," said Sonam, who is also a member of the CPPCC National Committee. Sonam also made a proposal to the CPPCC to speed up the development of new energy resources in Tibet. "The exploitable deposits of solar power, hydropower, wind power and geothermal power in Tibet are almost one third of the country's total. Yet right now, only one percent of the deposits have been developed," he said. "We need to develop the clean energy sector into a strategic industry in Tibet, to increase the self-supporting capacity of the region," he said. "The situation in Tibet is that too much emphasis has been placed on the protection of resources, and little has been done to develop them." Poverty alleviation has been the most important part of the people's livelihood, and President Xi Jinping is most concerned about it. On March 8 at a meeting with Hunan province deputies during the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), Xi reviewed a report on poverty alleviation progress in Shibadong village in Southwest Hunan province. He also discussed precise poverty alleviation plans with them. Three years ago, Xi put forward tasks to reduce poverty in Shibadong village. The task has just entered the essential stage. Xi urged local leaders to raise their workloads and work with the local community to achieve their goals. Prosperity is earned through hard work. Poverty is not an inevitable destiny. The most difficult task for building a moderately prosperous society is poverty alleviation. Xi and the Central Government have highlighted current objectives, which require precise applications and a sense of urgency. With great efforts can we pull the roots of poverty and transform barren hills. Confidence can turn a rock into gold. With determination to tackle problems, we can change the short board, and turn poverty into development for building a moderately prosperous society on schedule. By Sun Xiaoli, deputy director of the Department of Political Science of the Chinese Academy of Governance, comics drawn by Wang Dongjie Since Alan Turing proposed the concept of artificial intelligence in the 1950s, human beings have exerted great efforts to create machines that can think and communicate like humans. To see if a computer can think like a human, he fashioned a test, later called the Turing Test, in which a computer is submitted to a five-minute blind assessment given by human questioners. A computer is deemed to have passed the test if more than 30 percent of its answers are mistaken for having been given by a human being. In June 2014, media reports claimed that "the 65 year-old iconic Turing Test was passed for the very first time by supercomputer Eugene Goostman during Turing Test 2014 held at the renowned Royal Society in London". Customers watch android robot Aiko Chihira at the reception of Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo. The lifelike android robot marked its first day at work as a receptionist at the department store, greetings customers as they walked in. Shizuo Kambayashi / Associated Press Eugene Goostman, simulating a 13-year-old boy from Ukraine, achieved 33 percent. However, some researchers questioned the success by pointing out that by making the computer a 13-year-old boy from Ukraine gave it an advantage, as when it provided some odd answers in English. Others identified the supercomputer as only a chatbot without artificial intelligence, and said many other chatbots - including Cleverbot that achieved 59 percent in 2011 - had also claimed to have passed the test. But they are not AI. One of the most exciting achievements in the development of AI technology in recent years is the breakthrough made by Google's DeepMind team in London. The team's Deep Q-Network algorithms can learn to play new computer games like Breakout or Spaceship Invaders. Gradually, the algorithms will play better and better by accumulating experience in previous rounds, and in some cases, they can even develop new strategies. "Whether robots can overtake human beings depends on the learning ability of robots," says Qu Daoqui, chief executive officer of Siasun Robots & Automations in Shenyang. Christopher G Atkeson, professor in the Robotics Institute and Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie-Mellon University, is one of the scientists who help to create the lovely inflatable caregiver robot Baymax in the animation film, Big Hero 6. "I believe this achievement is the best of its kind at learning to play video games. I believe these learning techniques are also doing well in speech recognition and vision," he says in an e-mail response to China Daily, referring to Google's efforts. "This is a step forward, but not a complete solution to AI," he qualifies. One of the bottlenecks for AI is "we do not yet have a general theory of how thinking works. We can (only) develop algorithms for specific tasks." Michael A Osborne, associate professor in machine learning at the University of Oxford, shares a similar view. "The DeepMind team has made amazing advances at the frontiers of deep learning and reinforcement learning. Nonetheless, I think all at DeepMind would recognize the substantial challenges that remain in developing full AI. "We're still far from being able to reproduce in software the deep understanding of our environments, like societal norms and cultural cues, that comes naturally to us given only limited examples," he says. Just as Google positions itself as an AI company, China's search engine giant Baidu is also investing heavily in AI development. Since 2013, Baidu has been working on a cutting-edge project Baidu Brain. With a strong research and development team, the project uses computer to simulate human brain and has achieved the intelligence level of a three-year-old. In 2014, Baidu poured 7 billion yuan - 15 percent of its total revenues - into R&D. Last year, registered patents of Baidu also soared to nearly 2,000 items, up 146 percent compared with the previous year. And 25.4 percent is relevant to AI, including 270 items in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and 120 in Deep Learning. "China's AI research and development does not lag far behind those in developed countries," said Baidu CEO Robin Li at the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Baidu's Deep Speech can recognize speech in noisy surroundings like in a restaurant as often as 81 percent, higher than the 65 percent of other commercial speech-recognition application programming interfaces, according to a Forbes report. Another major breakthrough for Baidu last year was to develop software that can describe a picture with languages. This technology will allow people to search for pictures with oral instructions, and will especially benefit the blind. Based on its R&D, Baidu is developing applications including Baidu Magic Mirror, Carlife, self-driving cars and robots. When you get up in the morning and look into the magic mirror, it will tell you what to do with your face - shave or apply cosmetics. You can also read the news on it. When you need to go out, Carlife will tell you the best way to travel to your desired location and point out the best parking lot. The self-driving car will ferry you to the location. You can take the robot with you so that it will help you deal with various information and work and chat with or entertain you. Life could seem much easier in the future, especially for people with disabilities. (China Daily 04/25/2015 page14) US author Mark Ferrara offers in his new book a comparative study on higher education in China and the United States.[Photo provided to China Daily] A new book says that, while the higher education system has progressed in China in the past 30 years, it has declined in the US. Mei Jia reports. Has China's higher education system succeeded in producing top talent for the fiercely competitive global market? The question tends to yield mixed responses from Chinese. But Mark Ferrara, an associate professor of English at State University of New York, has a definitive answer: Higher education in China has been on the rise in the past three decades while there's been a "corresponding decline of it" in the United States. His latest book, Palace of Ashes: China and the Decline of American Higher Education, recently published by Johns Hopkins University Press, is a comparative study of changing trends in higher learning in the two countries and it points to China's scale of development in the sector. "In my view, the US remains ill-prepared for convergence in higher education and the race to establish research universities of 'world-class' standing," Ferrara tells China Daily in an e-mail. "China positioned itself to steadily catch and eventually surpass the US as an undisputed leader in international tertiary education." Ferrara, in his 40s, has authored books based on the Chinese classic A Dream of Red Mansions and on US President Barack Obama. He has also taught in universities in China, South Korea and Turkey. Through the years, he has witnessed the sprouting of many new campuses in China. "I was continually amazed to find sprawling new campuses outside of almost every Chinese city or town," he says. "China now boasts the largest higher education-delivery system in the world with upward of 30 million students, and it produces roughly 8 million graduates per year, about 5 million more than that in the US." Some government efforts in China are also clearly visible, he says. For example, when he visited Fudan University in Shanghai to give a lecture on William Blake in 2012, he found a new and spacious humanities library that has a room with high-tech gadgets for global conferences in place of the "dark and dank" library he had seen there in the 1990s. The Story of Jian'an, a Peking Opera piece about an Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220) woman named Cai Wenji, will be staged at the Ninth Classic Chinese Operas Series event at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center.[Photo provided to China Daily] When he was a teenager, Luo Huaizhen competed against Jet Li in a national martial arts tournament. He ranked sixth in the event, while Li, who was six years younger than him, became the champion. Luo then decided that a career in martial arts was not for him. The 59-year-old is now one of the most productive playwrights in China, and one of the most active advocates of the modernization and urbanization of traditional Chinese opera. Luo's play, The Story of Jian'an, will be staged at the Ninth Classic Chinese Operas Series event at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center. The play is based on the life of Cai Wenji, a woman from the second century who was famous for her intellect. Written in 2010, the play was commissioned by the Hubei Peking Opera Theater. Since its premiere, the play has won several national awards and become part of the company's new repertoire. Luo has been a frequent participant in the Classic Chinese Opera Series - an annual festival of Chinese opera hosted by the SOAC - and many of his works have also been staged at the festival over the past few years. As the vice-chairman of the national playwrights' association, Luo has continually recommended projects for the series, says Lin Hongming, president of the SOAC. The festival will take place from March 18 to April 24 at the SOAC, where 12 plays will be presented, besides a few opera recitals and concerts. The series started eight years ago, says Lin, adding that takes lots of effort and manpower to attract audiences to the Chinese opera series every year. "But we have managed to carry on with considerable success," he says. On average, up to 70 percent of the festival tickets are sold, he adds. Lin says that due to brisk economic development, the Chinese appetite for cultural activities has been growing steadily in the past few years as evidenced by the increasing fan base for Chinese opera. Xu Haofeng (first from right), director of The Master, gives an acceptance speech for best film award. [Photo/Xinhua] The first Gold Aries Award Macau International Film Festival was held in Macau on March 8, with Chinese movie Goodbye Mr. Loser receiving five awards to become the biggest winner. The best actor award went to Chinese actor Qin Hao, who starred in the movie Blind Message. The best actress award was shared by Chinese actress Song Jia and Jiang Qinqin, respectively for their performances in The Master and A Fool. The Master was also awarded best film of the year, and Lou Ye, director of Blind Message, won the title of best director. Zhou Dongyu and Tony Leung in Lost in White. [Photo provided to China Daily] Picture an ice-covered river shining beneath the winter sunshine. The scene, which could be a picturesque attraction in real life, turns out to be a thrilling crime scene in Tony Leung Ka-fai's forthcoming movie. Lost in White, starring Leung in the lead role, will be released across the Chinese mainland on April 15. Leung, who shot to prominence with the French romance movie The Lover (1992), has appeared in more than 130 movies in his glittering career during the past three decades. Leung was recently in Beijing to promote the new film. The cast also includes the mainland actor Tong Dawei, known for the 2013 comedy American Dream in China, and actress Zhou Dongyu, who rose to fame in the 2010 romance Under the Hawthorn Tree. Set in a chilly town in northeastern China, the movie centers on a local police officer's hunt for the criminals behind two linked cases: an unrecognized body on icy river and a kidnapped villager. 49 detained in massive explosions that killed 165 in port area; 13 at warehouse owner held More than 120 people have been held responsible for the massive explosions in Tianjin in August that killed 165 and devastated the port area, according to an investigation report released on Feb 5. Forty-nine people have been detained. Public security authorities are conducting criminal investigations into 24 staff members from related enterprises, including 13 from Tianjin International Ruihai Logistics Co, which owns the warehouse where the explosions occurred. In addition, 25 officials from the port, customs, work safety and transportation sectors are being investigated. Apart from them, disciplinary punishments are suggested for 74 people, including five at the ministerial level, said the report by the State Council's investigation team. The explosions occurred in Tianjin Binhai New Area on Aug 12. In addition to the deaths, 798 people were injured and eight missing, and economic losses of more than 6.8 billion yuan ($1.03 billion) were reported. The investigation found that the disaster was caused by ignition of hazardous materials improperly or illegally stored at the site. The fire started in a container through auto-ignition of nitro-cotton, due to vaporization of the wetting agent during hot weather. The fire spread, igniting other chemicals, including 800 tons of ammonium nitrate. Du Lanping, head of the investigation team's technical group, said that storage of such a large amount of chemicals was illegal because of the high risks involved. The Tianjin company and the government departments are both blamed for the accident. "The company seriously breached rules ... and illegally stored the chemicals," said Li Wanchun, head of the team's management group. "Its operation ... had had potential safety hazards for a long time." As a supervisor of the port, the Tianjin Transportation Commission did not conduct safety checks in line with the law and had lapses in its inspections, Li said. In addition, many officials involved are also suspected of power abuse and bribery, he said. "We found some people in the city's Planning Bureau and Land Department allegedly helped the company illegally get the planning permits and made fake certificates in safety and environmental assessments," he said. caoying@chinadaily.com.cn China International Cartoon & Animation Festival will be held in Hangzhou from April 27 to May 2. [Photo provided to China Daily] For Chinese animators struggling with budgets, the upcoming China International Cartoon & Animation Festival could be a good opportunity to meet with investors. The festival will be held in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, from April 27 to May 2. The annual event is jointly sponsored by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, and the provincial government. One of the festival's most marketable sections, "animated films promotion and venture capital", is scheduled from April 23-26. The section is a platform for animators to promote their ideas, by way of scripts or film clips to raise funds. This year, dozens of TV channels and major studios that make children's programs and films will participate in it. The 2015 Report of China's Animated Movies, an overall look at the industry, will also be released at the event. Last year, deals worth 12 billion yuan ($1.85 billion) were signed at the festival. Related: Fans flock to Hong Kong for 17th annual event Despite the complicated economic environment, East China's Shandong province reported strong economic growth in the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-15). "Over the five years of the period, Shandong has had outstanding achievements in economic growth, people's livelihoods, innovation and opening-up," Guo Shuqing, governor of the province, said during the ongoing National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference meetings. Shandong's GDP reached 6.3 trillion yuan ($962 billion) last year, ranking it among China's three largest economies. The average annual growth rate over the five years was 9.4 percent. Guo said the provincial government is doing its best to improve the livelihoods of residents. The government helped 6.65 million rural workers find jobs in cities and offered 5.94 million new vacancies to urban residents. The per capita disposable income of its urban residents has risen by an annual average growth rate of 8 percent while the net income of rural residents has grown by 10.1 percent. Shandong currently has 13 national high-tech industrial zones, 1,427 provincial-level or above company-owned technology centers and 35 engineering research centers. Expenditure on research and development accounted for more than 2.2 percent of Shandong's GDP in 2015, up from more than 1.7 percent in 2011. "During the past five years, Shandong made significant progress in opening-up and international cooperation," said Guo. According to statistics from the Shandong provincial department of commerce, China built 13 State-level overseas economic and trade cooperation zones by the end of the year, three of which are backed by Shandong. They are the Sino-Russian Industry and Trade Cooperation zone, the Haier-Yoruba Economic Park in Pakistan and the Central European Trade and Logistics Cooperation Zone in Hungary. Shandong's volume of exports and imports combined was valued at $241.75 billion last year, up 27.8 percent over 2010. More than 6,800 foreign-invested projects were launched in Shandong in the past five years. The province's total used foreign capital was $69.1 billion, about 1.5 times more than the previous five years. Shandong has also attracted 149 Fortune Global 500 companies to establish branches in the province. One example is the $2-billion IT industry base and software talent training center invested by US IT giant Hewlett-Packard in Jining. Following HP's step, about 150 leading IT companies such as Oracle, IBM and Siemens also decided to invest in the city. "The provincial government introduced a variety of measures to attract overseas investors during the past five years. A series of investment promotion activities were held annually in China's Hong Kong and Taiwan as well as South Korea and Japan," said Wang Hua, chief of the provincial department of commerce. Shandong has held the annual trade and investment promotion meeting in Hong Kong for seven years, which has become an important platform to showcase Shandong's resources and industrial advantages to Hong Kong investors. Shandong's total use of Hong Kong investment jumped to $7.55 billion in 2015 from $4.33 billion in 2010. It accounted for nearly half of the province's overseas investment. Hong Kong has been the largest source of overseas investment in the province for seven consecutive years. "Shandong is looking for a pioneer role on the international stage by seizing the opportunities associated with the Belt and Road Initiative and China's free trade agreements with South Korea and Australia," said Guo. The Chinese government's action plan on building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road released last year listed Shandong's two coastal cities, Yantai and Qingdao, among 15 key Chinese cities along the Belt and Road. Last year Shandong signed $6.14 billion in contracts with countries along the Belt and Road, according to the provincial department of commerce. Taking advantage of the free trade agreements, Shandong will speed up the construction of regional economic cooperation demonstration zones of China-South Korea trade and investment in Weihai and Yantai. The province also plans to apply for developing a pilot free trade zone, according to Guo. wangqian2@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily 03/09/2016 page10) Shanxi airports see growth in arrivals and departures last year ( chinadaily.com.cn ) Updated: 2016-03-09 The number of travelers arriving and departing from Shanxi airports in 2015 exceeded 400,000, up by 4.3 percent over 2014, with Taiwan, Thailand, and Hong Kong among the top destinations, announced the province's port office. The figure resulted from 2,947 flights, and was roughly equal to that of 2014. Taiyuan airport saw more than 390,000 travelers and 2,830 flights last year, while the Datong temporary airport accommodated 11,455 people on 117 flights. The Taiyuan airport was servicing 21 international airlines to Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, and Indonesia by the end of 2015. More than 162,000 residents exited Shanxi province, an increase of 3 percent over 2014. They traveled to a total of 45 countries and regions, including Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea, Macao, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The number of people flying to Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam grew dramatically by 150 percent, 784 percent, and 560 percent respectively compared to 2014. On the other hand, around 23,000 people from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macao, along with 5,000 foreign tourists entered Shanxi province. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi takes questions from the press during a news conference on the sidelines of the two sessions on Tuesday. [Photo/Xinhua] Beijing's quarrels with Tokyo and Washington, whether about territorial disputes or so-called freedom of navigation, are essentially about international law. But increasingly they are drifting away from the truth, causation of the matter, and international law. Increasingly they seem to be stuck in an endless loop of meaningless finger-pointing. If they are to break free of that loop, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made some valid points on Tuesday that are worth deliberation. At a news conference on the sidelines of the National People's Congress, Wang reminded us of a less-mentioned, yet very important, aspect of the diplomatic bickering. Talking about the frictions between China and the United States, Wang said: "The source of these frictions is that there have always been some people in the US who cherish strategic suspicions about China, they are worried that China will one day supersede the US." Reiterating that China has "no intention to displace anybody or dominate anybody", he suggested Washington try to appreciate China's history and traditions, and refrain from the impulse of "judging China with an American mindset". His diagnosis and prescription for the troubled China-Japan relations were similar. "The root cause is something has gone wrong in Japanese leaders' understanding of China," he pointed out, suggesting that they ask themselves whether they want China to be a friend or enemy, partner or rival. Problematic mutual perceptions are actually the most troubling factor in present-day China-Japan, China-US relations. It was crucial for Wang to clarify that China has never, will never raise new territorial claims in the South China Sea. And that Beijing's refusal to accept the Philippines-proposed international arbitration is entirely in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, while the Philippine practice is "unlawful, unfaithful and unreasonable". Beijing also has its own homework to do in both crisis control and dispute resolution. Its past failure to articulate such revealing truths is partly to blame for outsiders' misperceptions about China's behavior and strategic purposes, and left room for manipulation by parties with malicious intentions. Tokyo and Washington's misinterpretation of Beijing's intentions does involve ignorance and misunderstanding, but to a greater extent it is due to their over-interpretation of and over-reaction to Beijing's strategic purposes. It will not be easy for Beijing to talk Tokyo and Washington into believing it is committed to becoming a different type of major power, as evident from Washington's lukewarm response to its proposal of a new type of major-country relationship. But that is no excuse to give up. Instead, besides acting differently from previous world powers, Beijing should redouble its efforts to explain itself and communicate its intentions. Users of social-networking app WeChat found their feeds full of blurred pictures, many accompanied by flirty captions. [Photo/IC] AN ELDERLY COUPLE in Haidian district, Beijing, who were ridiculed by two other people in one of their chat groups because they grabbed e-hongbao, or red envelopes containing small amounts of cash, without immediately offering any in return, are taking the two who mocked them to court. The couple claim the two "friends" damaged their reputation in the chat group, and are asking for an apology along with compensation of 200 yuan ($30 dollars) from each. Haidian District People's Court has accepted the cases. Beijing Times said on Tuesday: It is an illusion that the distance between people is eliminated by social media. Indeed, the virtual nature of bilateral exchanges can make it even more difficult to bridge misunderstandings. In this instance, the two elderly people didn't know at first how to send the digital red envelopes, which caused others in the chat group to view them as "taking without giving", even though the old man gave out e-hongbao later. The distance in time and space that is a feature of social media makes it easy for some who might be gentle in person to turn aggressive. Once conflicts explode, nice people may be less careful with their words. Although the court has yet to determine whether the ridicule endured by the elderly couple reached the level of defamation of character, it is certain that social networks can be a distortion of real society. A Hunan teacher hands a bouquet to one of his female coworker, on Tuesday. [Photo/CFP] SINCE SHANDONG UNIVERSITY INITIATED it in the early 1990s, so-called Girls' Day on Mar 7, one day before International Women's Day, has been celebrated by an increasing number of Chinese universities. On this day, male students are supposed to take care of their female peers, but in recent years some of them have resorted to banners embroidered with abusive quips that they then display on campus. Rednet.cn condemned such sexual harassment on Tuesday: Apparently, the celebration of "Girls' Day" has unnecessarily involved into male chauvinism, as the "celebratory" banners displayed by male students usually show little respect to women. The language used by many banners is not only vulgar but also discriminatory, deeming female students as sexual partners and child-bearers. In general, women now enjoy better career and education choices, as well as more political participation, but sex discrimination still exists, especially when it comes to employment. Married women with children are more likely to get their dream job in comparison to unmarried women, some of whom are required to sign a contract promising that they will not get married during a certain period of time. Although the Girls' Day banners were designed to generate sensational effects, the embedded sexism and male superiority displayed are still worth noting. That the 30 million plus bachelors, or "leftover men", in China's rural areas keep hitting the headlines lately is also a case in point. Stressing the need to address the "leftover men" issues, apparently, fails to take into consideration women's interests. It is even more lamentable that such a mentality has made easy inroads into universities, which are supposed to be home to fairness, equality, and knowledge. China still has a long way to go to promote gender equality, despite what it has achieved in the past decades. In particular, the well-educated college students should be taught to respect women and their legitimate interests, and the legislative authorities should speed up their efforts to eradicate sexism. Julia Broussard, Country Programme Manager of the UN Women China Office, speaks at the announcement of the first gender equality fundraising event in China. [Photo by Zhang Yuchen/chinadaily.com.cn] As a boy growing up in post-war Korea, I remember asking about a tradition I observed: women going into labour would leave their shoes at the threshold and then look back in fear. "They are wondering if they will ever step into those shoes again," my mother explained. More than a half-century later, the memory continues to haunt me. In poor parts of the world today, women still risk death in the process of giving life. Maternal mortality is one of many preventable perils. All too often, female babies are subjected to genital mutilation. Girls are attacked on their way to school. Women's bodies are used as battlefields in wars. Widows are shunned and impoverished. We can only address these problems by empowering women as agents of change. For more than nine years, I have put this philosophy into practice at the United Nations. We have shattered so many glass ceilings we created a carpet of shards. Now we are sweeping away the assumptions and bias of the past so women can advance across new frontiers. I appointed the first-ever female Force Commander of United Nations troops, and pushed women's representation at the upper levels of our organization to historic highs. Women are now leaders at the heart of peace and securitya realm that was once the exclusive province of men. When I arrived at the United Nations, there were no women leading our peace missions in the field. Now, nearly a quarter of all UN missions are headed by womenfar from enough but still a vast improvement. I have signed nearly 150 letters of appointment to women in positions as Assistant Secretary-General or Under-Secretary-General. Some came from top government offices with international renown, others have moved on to leadership positions in their home countries. All helped me prove how often a woman is the best person for a job. To ensure that this very real progress is lasting, we have built a new framework that holds the entire UN system accountable. Where once gender equality was seen as a laudable idea, now it is a firm policy. Before, gender sensitivity training was optional; now it is mandatory for ever-greater numbers of UN staff. In the past, only a handful of UN budgets tracked resources for gender equality and women's empowerment; now this is standard for nearly one in three, and counting. A doctor sees a young patient in a clinic in Chiping county in Liaocheng city, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/IC] Had the long-awaited two-child policy not been announced at the end of last year, the severe shortage of pediatricians in China would probably have not attracted public attention. The irony is that the most populous nation is running short of not only babies, but also physicians to attend babies. While long queues and big crowds in Chinese public hospitals are not new, those in pediatric departments can be even more appalling. Waiting overnight just to register an ill child is fairly common experience for anxious parents and grandparents. Now, the expected baby boom and anticipated growing demand for child and maternal care have prompted medical policymakers to pay serious attention to the issue. The weak capacity of pediatric departments in China is complex and multifaceted. First, the philosophy of medical education prevalent in the late 1990s somehow preferred general medical training over specialized pediatric training, compounded by the perceived declining demand because of low birth rate. And starting from 1999, many medical schools stopped offering undergraduate programs in pediatrics. Postgraduate education alone has not been able to train enough pediatricians. In stark contrast to the mounting needs, the number of pediatricians in China has actually dropped. For every 10,000 children under 14, China has just 5.3 pediatricians, a figure much lower than the international standard. Estimates suggest 200,000 more physicians are needed to fill up the personnel gap in pediatric departments. Second, growing demand and shrinking supply combine to mean heavy workload for physicians. The average outpatient load for pediatricians is 2.6 times heavier than other specialist physicians. It is not uncommon for those in major tertiary hospitals to attend more than 100 children a day while putting in more than 20 hours of overtime a week. Many studies have reported severe burnout syndrome and occupational stress of Chinese pediatricians, leaving this profession often the last choice when medical graduates choose their specialties. Speaking at the fourth session of the 12th National People's Congress in Beijing on March 7, Wuxi Party secretary, Li Xiaomin, lays out his vision for the city's future industrial landscape. Industry is an economic lifeline for a city, which determines Wuxi's economic strength and status. From the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century-771 BC) to the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), the handicraft industry and commerce around Wuxi and the Taihu Lake basin had already begun developing. The Ming (AD 1368-1644) and Qing (AD 1644-1911) dynasties saw further development of the handicraft industry in Wuxi. In modern times, in particular, Wuxi has achieved remarkable success across industries, ranking third in China in gross output value after only Shanghai and Guangzhou, and second in the number of industrial workers after Shanghai. In 1980s, Wuxis township enterprises emerged, making Wuxi the birthplace of the Chinese national commercial business and township enterprises. Wuxi entrepreneurs have built many famous brands, thanks to their can-do attitude, spirit of excellence, perseverance and innovation. Wuxi people's craftsmanship spirit of striving for the best contributed to the citys commercial culture and brilliant achievements, and will lay a foundation for its industrial revival. 2016 is the first year of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) and a crucial time for structural reform on the supply front. It was stressed by President Xi Jinping at the 11th meeting of the central finance and economy leading group on Nov 10, 2015 that China should strengthen this area to increase the quality and efficiency of supply system and provide impetus for growth and sustainable economic development. In the spirit of the two sessions this March, Wuxi will cut excessive production capacity, downsize property market inventories, deleverage to guard against financial risks, help companies reduce costs, and improve weak links to expand effective supply. This move will raise the quality and efficiency of economic development, guided by the new concept of development, that is, innovation, coordination, green, opening and sharing. The city will carry out the innovation-driven strategy and make Wuxi stronger in industry. It will build a modern industrial development system with emerging industries as the leader, advanced manufacturing industries as the main body and the modern service industries as the support. It will build the market-oriented technological innovation mechanism for scientific and technological reform and build the new standard of modern industries, featuring intelligence, green, service and advanced development. Speaking at the fourth session of the 12th National People's Congress in Beijing on March 7, Wuxi Party secretary, Li Xiaomin, expresses the importance of protecting the city's water ecology. The fifth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee has emphasized the concept of green development as one of the key factors in the country's economic and social development. The 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) as well as the report on the work of the government by Premier Li Keqiang have made overall arrangements and put forward explicit requirements to guide the direction towards ecological construction, regarding which the issue of water environment serves most critical for the city of Wuxi in Jiangsu province. We need to scale up efforts in water environment management and water quality improvement to implement the concept of green development. Wuxi has placed the highest priority on the Taihu Lake basin management in the process of ecological construction since the water supply crisis in 2007. With support from the country and the province, the city firmly implemented the general and specialized plans to integrate emergency water pollution prevention with long-term scientific water management, which has contributed to some remarkable achievements. The water quality of Taihu Lake for Wuxi's part has improved a lot compared with other parts, improving from moderate eutrophication into mild eutrophication. The six centralized drinking water sources in the city have reached standard water quality stability for eight consecutive years, reaching the previous target set. We should still be aware of the various difficulties lying ahead for the improvement and management of Taihu Lake. On March 1, Wuxi city held a meeting to set the goals and key measures of the basin management of Taihu Lake, calling for public efforts in solving the problems of the water environment. The city will make Taihu Lake management a leading strategic step in building a well-off society in an all-round way, and adopt management effects as a significant indicator to evaluate the achievements of the city's economic and social development. The city will improve lake water quality for both production and living, and emphasize both pollution prevention and water protection. By 2020, the city will exploit a water ecological construction road, featuring Wuxi characteristics, with the water quality of Taihu Lake for Wuxi's part, meeting the country's criteria. Chinese tourists have found Guam an intriguing destination with clear seawater, colorful corals, steep cliffs and rich island culture.[Photo provided to China Daily] The small island that's the US territory nearest to China is pushing to pull big waves of tourists from the Asian nation over to its shores. Yang Feiyue reports. Yu Peng went wild over Guam when he visited in 2015. Beaches, traditional island culture and duty-free shopping made the trip he'd long envisioned worthwhile, he says. "I was always intrigued by the island since I heard many extravagant celebrity weddings are held there," says Yu, who lives in Yantai, Shandong province. The isle hosts more than 20 churches for weddings. People can enjoy unforgettable big days with picturesque photos, says Pilar Laguana, director of global marketing with the Guam Visitors Bureau. Chinese travel agencies have begun to develop honeymoon packages as well. "We have clear seawater, colorful corals, steep cliffs and wreckages from World War II at the bottom of the sea," says Laguana. Rich island culture and duty-free shopping are other highlights, Laguana adds. Yu enjoyed the annual Micronesian cultural celebrations, where islanders from the neighboring atolls perform in Guam. German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) and European Council President Donald Tusk attend a bilateral meeting during an EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, as the bloc is looking to Ankara to help it curb the influx of refugees and migrants flowing into Europe, March 7, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] BERLIN - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday things were moving in the right direction after the European Union agreed a draft deal with Turkey to stem the flow of migrants to Europe, a touchstone issue for voters in state elections on Sunday. The deal is a crucial sign of progress for Merkel, who is battling domestic resistance to get an EU plan for handling the crisis, which brought more than a million migrants to Germany last year. "Overall, things are going in the right direction," Merkel told SWR radio, while trying to assuage worries that Turkey is blackmailing Europe: "No. We are seeking a balance of interests," she said. EU leaders welcomed an offer by Ankara to take back migrants crossing into Europe and agreed in principle to its other demands but delayed a deal until March 17-18. "Finally, there are concrete steps towards a joint European refugee policy," said Sigmar Gabriel, leader of the Social Democrats (SPD), the junior partner in Merkel's ruling coalition. The CDU and SPD had lost support before Sunday's votes in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt, but Merkel's own rating rebounded last week from February's 4 1/2- year low in February. Forsa pollster Manfred Guellner said the draft deal would help shore up her support among Germans, although it would widen the divide separating the CDU and SPD from the anti-immigration AfD party and Bavaria's conservative Christian Social Union (CSU). "The majority will say 'That is Merkel. She is toiling away again ... and she is on the right path'," Guellner said. But pollsters draw a clear distinction between support for Merkel as chancellor and for her party in the state votes. The anti-migrant AfD is expected to do well after it scored 13.2 percent in local elections in the state of Hesse at the weekend to become the third biggest party in councils there. Senior AfD member Paul Hampel condemned the summit outcome. "Using Turkey as a highly paid bouncer has several dangerous pitfalls," he said, mentioning Ankara's demands for more money, faster EU accession talks and quicker visa-free travel. There is widespread scepticism among conservatives in the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party to Merkel's CDU, about Turkey joining the EU. CSU leader Horst Seehofer said Bavaria had "serious misgivings" about granting this plus EU visa liberalisation to Turks in return for Turkish concessions on the refugee crisis. He said clarity was needed on which EU states would take refugees from Turkey. "It can't be the case that we ultimately have a German contingent." CSU lawmaker Hans-Peter Friedrich told SWR: "We mustn't put ourselves in the hands of the Turks." Peter Liang has hired a legal new team to help with his appeal of a jury verdict that found the former New York City police officer guilty of second-degree manslaughter and official misconduct. A man attends a rally in support of former NYPD officer Peter Liang in the Brooklyn borough of New York February 20, 2016. Liang was convicted of manslaughter and official misconduct on Thursday for fatally shooting an unarmed black man, Akai Gurley, in a darkened public housing stairwell in 2014, according to media reports. [Photo/Agencies] Paul Shechtman, a New York defense attorney, and Gabriel "Jack" Chin, a California law professor, will represent Liang at sentencing and in his appeal. Shechtman told China Daily on Tuesday that he has begun reading the transcripts of Liang's trial. Shechtman is a partner at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP, based in New York. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he has more than 30 years' experience in government service and private practice. He is known for his appellate work, according to the firm's website. In 2004, Shechtman represented then-governor George Pataki in Pataki vs. Silver in the New York Court of Appeals. The landmark case centered on the governor's powers in the budget-making process,and Shechtman won a ruling that "resolved the dispute in the Governor's favor". Chin is a teacher and scholar of immigration law, criminal procedure, and race and law at the University of California, Davis. "A" Magazine named him one of the "25 Most Notable Asians in America". He and his students successfully worked for the repeal of anti-Asian land laws that were on the books in Kansas, New Mexico and Wyoming. According to the university website, Chin's work also has been cited by the US Supreme Court. It is the second time that Liang has switched attorneys. In November 2015, he dismissed his police union-appointed lawyers and hired Robert Brown and Rae Downes Koshetz. Brown told NBC News that he and Koshetz will file a motion on Wednesday to set aside Liang's Feb 11 guilty verdict. Many people in the Chinese community have supported Liang, and a handful of organizations have raised money toward Liang's legal fees. Brooklyn Asian Communities Empowerment and Lin Sing Association alone said they have collected more than $650,000. Community leaders also have sought support from other Chinese-American lawyers and experts. Henry Lee, one of the most celebrated forensic scientists in the world, has received calls from about five different Chinese groups asking him to help Liang. Lee said he told everyone that he would be happy to help and would work pro bono. However, he can only do so if Liang's attorneys request his help. So far, Lee said neither Liang nor any of his lawyers have contacted him. "Right now I can only morally support him as a Chinese American," Lee told China Daily. Lee believes that more forensic work should have been done, but declined to speak further due to his possible future involvement in the case. Liang is scheduled to be sentenced on April 14, when he faces up to 15 years in prison for the shooting death of Akai Gurley in November 2014. Liang, a rookie NYPD officer, discharged his gun in a darkened stairwell of a Brooklyn housing project during a vertical patrol, and the ricocheted bullet fatally struck Gurley, a 28-year-old African-American man, on a lower floor. Liang was the first NYPD officer to be convicted of killing a civilian since 2005, and many in the Chinese community have stated that Liang is a scapegoat. On Feb 20, tens of thousands of members of the Chinese community held rallies in more than 40 cities across the United States to protest the verdict. A second New York rally scheduled for March 11 was postponed after the organizer consulted with Shechtman, according to the Chinese Action Network Facebook page. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has bashed immigrants and China in the US presidential race, is lending his brand to a building partly financed by a visa program that mainly benefits wealthy Chinese investors. Media reports say that Trump Bay Street, a luxury rental apartment building being built in Jersey City, New Jersey, is being funded in part through the federal EB-5 visa program. Created in 1990 to help stimulate the US economy through job creation and foreign investment, immigrants who invest a minimum of $1 million or $500,000 in low- employment or rural areas, and create at least 10 full-time jobs through the project they are funding become eligible for permanent US residency. "Investors from China currently account for almost 90 percent of all EB-5 investors," Stephen Yale-Loehr, a law professor at Cornell University, told China Daily. Trump Bay Street is being developed by the Kushner Companies, whose chief executive officer, Jared Kushner, is married to Trump's daughter Ivanka. Trump has licensed his name to the project, according to news reports. A Trump spokeswoman told Bloomberg in an e-mail, "This was a highly successful license deal, but he is not a partner in the financing of the development." She did not respond to questions about EB-5. A Kushner spokeswoman said the project was legal and creating jobs, according to Bloomberg. CNN reports that US Immigration Fund, a private firm that solicits foreign investors for EB-5 projects, confirmed 100 Chinese investors in the project. EB-5 financing is common in large commercial projects like the Hudson Yards development in New York City, the Silverstein World Trade Center 2 building in New York, and the Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles. Originally, few people immigrated to the US using EB-5. As late as 2008, only 1,000 people a year came in through the program,said Yale-Loehr. However, the financial crisis resulted in the loss of domestic lending sources for many US developers who discovered the EB-5 program as an alternative way to finance some or all of their projects. In 2014, 10,000 took advantage of the EB-5 program, Yale-Loehr noted. Congress considered making significant changes to the program in2015, but instead extended the EB-5 regional center program until Sept 30, 2016. EB-5 has become controversial, as the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, found last year that many EB-5 applications contained a high risk of fraud. The GAO also discovered cases of counterfeit documentation. State Department officials told the GAO that there is "no reliable method to verify the source of the funds of petitioners," Bloomberg reported. "Although EB-5 investors only account for about 1 percent of all US immigration annually, the program has an outsized economic impact. EB-5 applicants have invested more than $13 billion since 2008 and have created tens of thousands of jobs for US workers," said Yale-Loehr. Despite the Trump name on a building financed in part by Chinese investors and the candidate's attacks on China and immigration, Yale-Loehr doesn't anticipate EB-5 becoming a hot topic in the presidential campaign. "I doubt EB-5 will be that big of an issue in the presidential race if only because they have so many other issues to discuss. For example, Donald Trump's proposal to build a wall along the US-Mexico border to stop illegal immigration has garnered a lot more attention than EB-5," he said. WASHINGTON - An Islamic State commander described by the Pentagon as the group's "minister of war" was likely killed in a US air strike in Syria, US officials said on Tuesday, in what would be a major victory in the United States' efforts to strike the militant group's leadership. Abu Omar al-Shishani, also known as Omar the Chechen, ranked among America's most wanted militants under a US program that offered up to $5 million for information to help remove him from the battlefield. Born in 1986 in Georgia, which was then still part of the Soviet Union, the red-bearded Shishani had a reputation as a close military adviser to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was said by followers to have relied heavily on Shishani. The strike itself involved multiple waves of manned and unmanned aircraft, targeting Shishani near the town of al-Shadadi in Syria, a US official said. The Pentagon believes Shishani was sent there to bolster Islamic State troops after they suffered a series of setbacks at the hands of US-backed forces from the Syrian Arab Coalition, which captured al-Shadadi from the militants last month. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said the US military was still assessing the results of the strike, but acknowledged its potential significance. Shishani "was a Syrian-based Georgian national who held numerous top military positions within ISIL, including minister of war," Cook said, using an acronym for the group. Cook said Shishani's death would undermine the group's ability to coordinate attacks and defend its strongholds. It would also hurt Islamic State's ability to recruit foreign fighters, especially those from Chechnya and the Caucus regions, he said. Several US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed optimism that the strike was successful, although none were prepared to declare Shishani dead with certainty. The first official said initial assessments indicated Shishani was likely killed along with an additional 12 Islamic State fighters. An official in the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which has been fighting Islamic State in the al-Shadadi area, said it had received information that Shishani was killed but had no details and had been unable to confirm the death. The official declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter. ONCE FOUGHT FOR GEORGIA Born with the name Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, Shishani once fought in military operations as a rebel in Chechnya before joining Georgia's military in 2006 and even fighting against Russian troops before being discharged two years later for medical reasons, the first US official said. He was arrested in 2010 for weapons possession and spent more than a year in jail, before leaving Georgia in 2012 for Istanbul and then later to Syria, the official said. He decided to join Islamic State the following year and pledged his allegiance to Baghdadi. The State Department said Shishani was identified as Islamic State's military commander in a video distributed by the group in 2014. The strike would be one of the most successful operations to take out Islamic State's leadership in Iraq and Syria since May, when US special operations forces killed the man who directed the group's oil, gas and financial operations. In November, a US air strike killed Islamic State's senior leader in Libya, known as Abu Nabil. TEHRAN -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday "successfully" test-fired two ballistic missiles in ongoing military drills across the country, Press TV reported. The missiles Qadr-H and Qadr-F were fired from East Alborz heights in northern Iran and could hit the targets in Makran Coasts southeast of the country, the report said. Qadr-H missile has a range of 1,700 kilometers while Qadr-F missile can destroy targets some 2,000 kilometers away, Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Division Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh was quoted as saying. On Tuesday, Iran fired several ballistic missiles in the military drills in different parts of the country. Senior IRGC officials said that the missile drills were aimed at enhancing the deterrent power of the Islamic republic in the face of threats against the revolution and the territorial integrity of Iran. Also, the chief commander of IRGC, Mohammad Ali Jafari, said that Iran's ongoing missile drills were "firm responses to the nonsense babbled by the enemies about (possible) missile-related sanctions" against Iran. "Firing of the missiles is an embodiment of the ready-to-operate status of Iran's missile depots in every part of the country, Jafari was quoted as saying by IRGC's website. The United States said Tuesday that Iran's recent ballistic missile tests did not violate an international nuclear agreement, adding that it would address the issue appropriately with "unilateral and multilateral tools." "This is not a violation of the nuclear agreement," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a daily press briefing, referring to "Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action" -- the nuclear deal implementation mechanism. WASHINGTON -- US space agency NASA said Wednesday that its Mars lander is now targeting a new launch window that begins May 5, 2018, with a Mars landing scheduled for Nov 26, 2018. "We're excited to be back on the path," John Grunsfeld, NASA's associate administrator, said in a statement. NASA originally planned to launch the Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) mission this month, but it was forced to call it off in December due to a vacuum leak in the prime science instrument of the lander. The instrument involved was the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS), a seismometer provided by the French Space Agency (CNES) that will help answer questions about the interior structure and processes within the deep Martian interior. Designed to measure ground movements as small as the diameter of an atom, the instrument requires a vacuum seal around its three main sensors to withstand the harsh conditions of the Martian environment. In announcing the new schedule, NASA said that its Jet Propulsion Laboratory will redesign, build and conduct qualifications of the new vacuum enclosure for the SEIS that failed in December's leak testing and that the CNES will lead instrument level integration and test activities. The US agency also said the cost of the two-year delay is being assessed with an estimate expected in August. Chinese ambassador says efforts by Tokyo to 'encircle' China are utterly wrong from outset Cheng Yonghua, China's ambassador to Japan Tokyo must not "flare up tension in the South China Sea" or try to contain China by aligning with other countries involved in disputes there, the Chinese ambassador to Japan told China Daily. Veteran diplomat and political adviser Cheng Yonghua, 61, made the remarks when asked about Japan's recent high-profile stance on maritime issues and its support for joint patrols in the South China Sea. "Japan is unilaterally standing against China on a basis of partiality, and it addresses any country having disputes with China as its 'pal' or 'brother' in an attempt to encircle China. This is utterly wrong from the outset," Cheng said. Some observers have attributed Japan's stance to the US "pivot to Asia" strategy. Cheng responded that "Japan is not even a contracting party in the relevant disputes". "Freedom of navigation is also a false issue, and what the US is doing in the sea is leading the situation to one of further tension. Both Tokyo and Washington should clearly bear in mind the status quo and not produce tension," he said. "Japan has turned a blind eye" to a slew of key historical facts, he said, including China retaking islands illegally occupied by Japan during World War II, and countries such as the Philippines illegally occupying some islands and boosting military buildup on them since the 1970s. Cheng, who has been China's top envoy to Japan since 2010, said Sino-Japanese ties are improving, "but the momentum is still fragile" due to Japan's negativity, in word and deed, toward China. The reason behind this is how Japan views China's development, he said. During a news conference on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi summarized Japan's official attitude toward China as "double-dealing", and he urged Tokyo to think about "taking China as a friend or foe". (Photo : ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images) Tourists visit a coal mine at Gutuo Village on Jan. 6, 2016 in Handan, Hebei Province of China. China is planning to extend the validity of its multiple-entry visa to support the influx of talented professionals. Advertisement In a bid to encourage more foreign experts to come to China, the Chinese government is set to extend the validity of multiple-entry visas to the country starting this year. The extension for the said visas would range between five to 10 years - a remarkable leap from the current validity of only one or two-year multiple-entry permits. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "Many foreign experts wrote me e-mails to complain about the visa problem. They want five-year or even 10-year multiple-entry permits, which will make their visits easier," the head of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs Zhang Jianguo revealed. He pointed out that the issuance of China visas with longer validity will attract highly-talented overseas experts. "Most of them are high-end talented people. Some are even Nobel Prize winners," the government official added, according to the website of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. "Currently, they can get only one-year or two-year multiple-entry permits, which are not very convenient for them." With several Chinese experts and students enjoying the benefits of longer multiple-entry visas in other countries at present (such as in the United States), Zhang noted that the same thing can actually be done in China. While he vowed to get rid of career barriers for foreigners who want to work in China, visa would eventually be availed of with some help from educational institutions. "We will encourage establishing a recruitment mechanism within research institutions, colleges and universities that will take job applications from around the world," Zhang stated. According to the draft 13th Five-Year Plan (2016 - 2020), China is planning to open up various opportunities for foreign talents. Thus, the granting of longer multiple-entry China visa can be a helpful strategy to entice them. Advertisement Tagschina, China visa, China Multiple-Entry Visas (Photo : Franco Origlia / Stringer) ROME, ITALY - JANUARY 17: Pope Francis greets leaders and members of the local Jewish community during his visit to the Rome's synagogue on January 17, 2016 in Rome, Italy. The visit marks the third time a pontiff has been invited to the synagogue, following on from the visit by Benedict XVI in January 2010 and the historic encounter of Pope John Paul II with former Rabbi Elio Toaff there in 1986. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) Advertisement A new rule governing visits to Pope Francis by heads of state has been implemented by the Vatican since Feb. 27. The Pope has now began meeting Catholic leaders from different parts of the world with irregular marriage vows (annulled or divorced) together with their partners. Prior to the new rule, heads of state married to their spouses following either a divorce or an annulment are met by the Pope first. Their spouses will be met by the Pontiff later on, usually in a separate room. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Vatican Insider (La Stampa) coordinator and reporter Andrea Tornielli reports that moving forward, spouses of national and world leaders will start getting the benefit of seeing the Pope together with their spouses during visits. They will also now be allowed to join in official photos with Pope Francis and will also be part of gift exchange ceremonies with the Holy See. Pope Francis has been more welcoming of changes in the Catholic Church especially the ones he thinks are obsolete. In a report on Catholic Online in March 2015, writer Abigail James mentioned that according to Oscar Crespo, the Pontiff's long-time friend from Argentina, Pope Francis has plans of allowing priests to get married and of taking back the banishment set upon Catholic Church divorcees. CNN reported last Sept. 2015 that the Pope also intended on making annulments and remarrying easier for Catholics. These above-stated reforms are part of the Pope's plan to get a more interactive and responsive congregation, intending to directly solve and deal with the needs of every Catholic laity in the world. During a flight last month from Mexico, Pope Francis told journalists that, "The key phrase used by the synod, which I'll take up again, is 'integrate' in the life of the Church the wounded families, remarried families, etcetera." The Catholic Church accounts has more than 1.25 billion members around the world and has a clergy of 5.100 bishops and 413,000 priests. Advertisement Tagspope new rule, vatican new rule, Pope Francis, pope francis remarrying, pope francis divorce (Photo : Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) China's ministry of commerce has criticized the US' decision to impose trade restrictions on ZTE. Advertisement The government of China is reportedly unhappy and dismayed over the sanctions imposed by the US on ZTE. The mobile technology giant from the Asian country received trade restrictions from the United States' Commerce Department after it alleged violated export sanctions to Iran. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "The US move will severely impair normal commercial activities of the Chinese firms," China's Ministry of Commerce disclosed in a statement on Tuesday, shared by China Daily. "China will continue to engage with the US side on the issue." Prior to the release of its official statement, the MOC of China warned on Monday that the US must revoke its decision against ZTE so that bilateral ties and economic cooperation would not be affected. The restrictions placed on the Chinese telecommunication equipment producer is bad news for the company's American technology suppliers and vendors, according to Handel Jones, a consultant at International Business Strategies Inc. "It's going to have a significant impact on US companies that really want to be selling into China," Jones noted. "This is a catalyst for significant change." The restrictions on ZTE would effectively prevent American companies from selling their products - such as semiconductors and software products - to the Chinese brand. This has led to some concerns. However, experts have pointed out that ZTE is not big enough to create a financial blow to US companies. Advertisement Tagschina, US, ZTE Workers set up a KFC billboard in Beijing, China. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images) Advertisement American fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) sets foot in southwest China's Tibet on Tuesday, becoming the first Western fast food chain giant to open a branch in the region. KFC opens its first branch in Lhasa, Tibet's capital, in the Shenli Shidai shopping center, with the hope of attracting consumers that long to taste what Western fast food chains have to offer. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The opening of the first KFC branch in Tibet was welcomed by residents, as locals were seen forming long lines in the restaurant on its first day. Tibetian kids were also seen posing for photo in front of the KFC store, according to a report by the official Xinhua news agency. Shenli Shidai shopping center manager Chen Biao expects KFC to be popular not just with the people of Tibet but also with foreign tourists. ""Other fast food brands operating in Tibet over the past few years have showed people here have a big appetite for fried chicken and hamburgers," said Chen. Although the store is a first for KFC in Tibet, the American fast food chain giant is not new to the Chinese market. The fast food chain entered China in 1987 and now has more than 5,000 stores in over 1,100 cities and towns in the Chinese mainland. It was the first Western fast food company in China after its first outlet opened in Qianmen, Beijing in November 1987. The operation was a joint venture, with a 60 percent stake held by KFC, 27 percent by the Beijing Tourist Bureau and 13 percent by Beijing Food Production. In early 1988, Bank of China took a 25 percent stake in the venture, and KFC's original stake was diluted to 51 percent. KFC's entry into Tibet underscores the region's improving infrastructure, which has been attracting domestic and overseas brands. Advertisement TagsKFC, KFC China, KFC Tibet (Photo : Getty Images) A top US General has said that the US Air Force will continue conducting daily missions over the disputed South China Sea region despite China's protests. Advertisement A top US General has urged other countries to exercise their right to fly over and sail in the disputed South China Sea, or stand to lose these rights in the region altogether. The Freedom of Navigation program has been a US policy since 1983. Expert say it provides the United States an opportunity to assert its rights to sail and fly over international airspace worldwide in a manner that is consistent with the balance of interests reflected in the United Nations Law of the Seas Convention (UNCLOS). Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Gen. Lori Robinson, commander of the US Pacific Air Forces, said on Tuesday that the US Air Force will continue to exercise the right to fly over the South China Sea by conducting daily missions over the contested region despite China's military buildup in the area. Recently, news surfaced that China has deployed air-to-surface missiles and fighter jets to the South China Sea. Daily flight missions Robinson said the daily flight missions will take place at the same time the militaries of China and the US are holding discussions to avoid a 'miscalculation' in the disputed region. "We've watched the increased military capability on those islands, whether it's the fighters, whether it's the missiles or the 10,000-foot runways. We will continue to do as we've always done, and that is fly and sail in international airspace in accordance to international rules and norms," Robinson told reporters in Australia. Several Southeast Asian countries--Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan, and the Philippines-- have competing claims over the international waterway, where $5 trillion worth of maritime trade passes through each year. International law Although the US has no territorial claims in the disputed waters, it says it has an interest in making sure that freedom of navigation and overflights over the disputed waters is being freely exercised by all nations within the realm of international law. General Robinson added that the US presence in the region is one way of reassuring all claimant-countries that Washington will not allow China use force and coercion to assert its claims. Beijing, for its part, took a hard line on Tuesday saying that it will not allow any nation to violate its sovereignty in the South China Sea. Absolute freedom Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, at a press conference, said that a country's claim to freedom of navigation does not translate into giving it the absolute freedom to do whatever it wants to do - obviously targeting the US' recent deployment of a carrier strike group to the region. Robinson said China and the US, in a bid to avoid a 'possibility of miscalculation' in the region, had both signed an agreement on the rules of behavior in the international airspace in September. She revealed that the two sides are set to continue discussions on the subject sometime this year. "That has allowed us to have continuous dialogue with the Chinese about how to conduct safe intercepts in accordance with international rules and norms," Robinson said. Advertisement TagsFreedom of Navigation, US General Lori Robinson, US Air Force, South China Sea, china A Tibetian macaque, also known as macaca thibetana, is tended to in an intensive care unit (ICU) after undergoing a liver transplant at a hospital of a military medical university on May 8, 2013 in Xi'an, Shaanxi province of China. Advertisement China will see up to 20,000 organ transplants this year, with 4,000 organ donations, according to a former Chinese deputy health minister. The figure is higher than the 11,000 organ transplants recorded last year and the 2,766 organ donations, which was a record. In the coming years, Huang said China will become the country that carries out the most organ transplants around the world. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Huang, however, said organ transplants remains a costly operation in China, affecting the poor and the less well off in the country, most of them die because they do not have enough resources to undergo transplants. In order to help the poor and the less well off in China undergo organ transplants, Huang has proposed the inclusion of organ transplants in the country's critical illness health insurance scheme. In an interview with The Beijing News, Huang, who is a delegate on the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the main advisory body of the Chinese government, said he has proposed the inclusion of kidney transplants in the state-backed health insurance scheme. "Organ transplants in many countries are included in basic medical services. It's a matter of human rights and the government has an obligation to provide such public services," Huang said in the interview. Huang also criticized the slow pace of China's public hospital reforms. He said the progress of the said reform had been stalled by the bureaucracy and conflicts of interests. The former health official even said that some departments have become a hindrance to reform because of the conflicts over different objectives. "Currently there are more than 20 departments that are involved in health-care reform. With the conflicts over different objectives, some departments have become a hindrance to reform," he said. Advertisement TagsChina Organ Transplant, China Organ Donation (Photo : Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) China's National Health and Family Planning Commission plans to improve the country's child care sector in the next five years. Advertisement China's National Health and Family Planning Commission has announced that over the next five years, more resources will be allocated for children's healthcare. This plan is timely, as the recent adoption of the policy that allows all Chinese couples to have two children is expected to bring about a massive growth in child population, and the subsequent demand for more pediatricians is also expected to rise, according to Xinhua. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The head of the commission Li Bin said at a press conference that by 2020, medical educational institutions or schools will accept an additional 30,000 students majoring in pediatrics. By that time, Li also said that a city with a permanent population of more than three million will have a dedicated hospital for children. We need to expand service supply on the one hand, Li said, and strengthen disease prevention on the other. The Need for a Boost in Children's Health Care China sees a great need for a boost in the child health sector. By the end of 2014, only 99 out of 25,860 hospitals found in the country were dedicated to children. The number of children's hospital beds found across the country also followed suit: only 5.6 percent of all hospital beds were for children. Of certified doctors and medical practitioners, only 3.9 percent were practicing pediatricians. In 2010, during the sixth national census, it was found that China had about 220 million children under 14. With the new policy enforced, the number of children born to Chinese couples every year is expected to rise to about 3 million annually. The long-running one-child policy, which took effect in 1970, was abolished just last year. The new two-child policy was embraced on Jan. 1 this year. Advertisement TagsNational Health and Family Planning Commission, Li Bin, Child health care, two-child policy (Photo : Getty Images) Photos published by North Korean media shows that China-made trucks are being used by North Korea for its new rocket launcher. Advertisement Photographs released by the North Korean state media shows that the isolated state is using China-made trucks for a new mobile rocket artillery system, which was on display last week, underscoring the difficulty in implementing the UN-backed sanctions against Pyongyang. The images, which were published by the North Korea's state-media, shows that the vehicle used to carry Pyongyang's new Multiple Rocket Launcher System (MRLS) resembles the commercially-available Chinese-made Sinotruck (3808 HK), HOWO truck. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The trucks are being widely sold locally and internationally and are used by Pyongyang in its construction and mining sectors. Multiple rockets Weapon experts said an MRLS is a kind of rocket-propelled artillery system which can fire multiple rockets at a target. It is usually mounted on a truck like the Sinotruck without much need for changes and adjustments,. "You just need a launch tube that you mount on the truck," said Markus Schiller, a rocket expert based in Germany. "It's almost as easy as mounting a machine gun." New sanctions Last week, the United Nations Security Council slapped Pyongyang with new sanctions in a bid to halt its nuclear program. The US and China drafted the resolution imposing harsh punishments on North Korea. Pyongyang's media last week showed photos of the country's leader Kim Jong-un observing the military testing the MRLS. Kim has ordered North Korea's military to be ready to initiate a fresh round of nuclear tests. Meanwhile, the manufacturers of the Sinotrucks have not answered queries about the China-made vehicles being sold to North Korea. Experts say this does not in anyway reflect China's unwillingness or otherwise to enforce the new sanctions against its hermit neighbor. Advertisement TagsMultiple Rocket Launcher System, North Korea, Sinotrucks, new sanctions, china Catherine Gang, whose husband is a missing passenger on Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 holds a sign as she and other relatives protest after trying to hold a prayer at the Lama Temple on March 8, 2015 in Beijing, China. There were 239 people on board the flight when it disappeared March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. After one year and an exhaustive search, investigators still have no clue as to the whereabouts of the missing airliner. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) Advertisement It has been two years since Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing on its way to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur and China wants the international investigation to continue. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei told reporters at a regular press briefing that China remains hopeful that the independent international Air Accident Investment Team can continue its investigation. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement China's call for a continued investigation came after the independent team said no MH370 wreckage has been found despite a continuing search in the South Indian Ocean. The statement was issued last Tuesday, the second anniversary of the plane's disappearance. "The Chinese side has noticed the interim statement issued by the team, and hopes the team can continue investigation to find the cause of the incident and give a responsible explanation to the families of those on board," said Hong. The spokesman spoke positively of the ongoing search efforts and the investigation conducted by China, Malaysia and Australia. The three countries, he said, have been in close communication and coordination. "China will continue to keep close cooperation and communication with countries involved in the search efforts," Hong said. Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur on March 8, 2014 when it disappeared. The plane was carrying 239 people on board, most of whom were Chinese nationals. Aside from China, Malaysia also expressed hope that the plane will soon be found in the search area. China, Malaysia, and Australia are expected to hold a meeting to discuss the next step as the search fails to find any wreckage. Australia's Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester announced on Tuesday that Australia is committed to the search to solve the mystery behind the missing airplane. "Finding the aircraft would give answers to the world, in particular the families of missing loved ones, about what happened," Chester said in a press release. Chester said authorities have completed around 90,000 square kilometers of the 120,000 square kilometer search zones. "As we search the remaining 30,000 square kilometer zone in the days and months ahead, Australia, Malaysia and the People's Republic of China remain hopeful the aircraft will be found," Chester said. Advertisement Tagsmh370, Malaysia Airlines (Photo : Kevin Frayer / Stringer) BEIJING, CHINA - MARCH 08: Catherine Gang, whose husband is a missing passenger on Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 holds a sign as she and other relatives protest after trying to hold a prayer at the Lama Temple on March 8, 2015 in Beijing, China. There were 239 people on board the flight when it disappeared March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Advertisement The disappearance of flight MH379 remains a mystery two years after it vanished without a trace. The Malaysian parliament commemorated the sad incident by honoring the missing passengers through silence and prayers. Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib Razak said in a statement that the government is doing everything in its power in the case. He said that the country remains dedicated to exhausting every means to solve the mystery and put an end to the agony of people who lost their relatives on the flight. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The lack of any development, however, is frustrating for relatives and friends of the lost passengers. Most of them have become frustrated with how the case is going and still demand answers about what could be the most puzzling aviation incident of all time. Even the team of experts assigned to further investigate the case remain perplexed about what could have caused the plane's disappearance. A yearly progress report is expected from the team and the latest statement given by aviation experts did not provide much insight for awaiting families. "To date," the report states, "the MH370 wreckage has still not been found despite the continuing search in the South Indian Ocean." The plane went missing since March 8, 2014 after it lost communication with air traffic regulators and controllers. The plane was on its way to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. There were 239 people on board - 227 passengers and 12 crew members. Since July 29, 2015, when a part of the plane's debris was washed towards the shore of France's Reunion Island, no other lead has come up to date. Authorities in Malaysia and China, however, remain optimistic that this year will provide both countries with positive developments in the case. Advertisement Tagsmh370, mh370 two years, mh370 2 years, mh370 news, mh370 updates, MH370 Search, Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 (Photo : Getty Images) A Chinese financial magazine is challenging the government's censorship of its contents Advertisement China's financial magazine Caixin has accentuated its concerns over the censorship over its content - a rare act of rebellion towards the communist government. In an article published on Monday, the news agency claimed that censors have omitted interviews with regard to the issue of freedom of speech. However, on Tuesday evening, the article seemed to have also been removed. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement According to BBC News, the recent Caixin article revealed that the "government censorship organ," dubbed the Cyberspace Administration of China, removed an interview posted on its Chinese language website on Monday (March 5). Jiang Hong, a representative from the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, told the BBC that its members are free to exercise their freedom of speech. However, he claims there are some circumstances that people are stunned and prefer to not to talk about an issue too much. According to Caixin's report published on Monday, its editors were warned that the interview contains some illicit contents and failed to follow necessary restrictions. Jiang, on the other hand, did not seem to agree with the deletion, calling the move "terrible and bewildering." The initiative comes after President Xi Jinping concluded a tour of state media agencies. This was widely viewed as the government's approval of the work of journalists. Caixin, a widely respected Beijing-based firm, is a magazine known for its financial news and investigative journalism. Advertisement TagsCaixin, magazine, Freedom of Speech, china, President Xi, government censorship organ (Photo : youtube.com ) Netizens responded emphatically to help Dorian Murray realize his last wishes to become famous in China. Advertisement Dorian Murray, an 8-year-old cancer patient whose last wish was to become famous in China, has passed away. The announcement of his death was made through a post on social networking site Facebook. "It is with a very heavy heart that I share this news. Dorian J. Murray (#dstrong) has gained his beautiful angel wings tonight and is now pain free. He was surrounded by people who love him and his transition to heaven was very peaceful. He was embraced by both mom and dad," the post reads. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Dorian, who lived in Rhode Island in the United States, was diagnosed with advanced rhabdomyosarcoma when he was 4 years old. Rhabdomyosarcoma is a very rare form of pediatric cancer. The world came to know about Dorian's struggle with cancer on January 11 this year, when Dorian's family made an emotional post on Facebook. The post with the hashtag '#dstrong' said that Dorian's last wish is to become famous in China - particularly on the Great Wall of China. The post requested people in China and across the world to send photos of themselves on the Great Wall of China with the hashtag #dstrong so that Dorian can know that he has become internationally famous. Within just few a minutes after the post was uploaded on Facebook, there were flurry of response from China - despite the fact Facebook is banned in the country. Many Chinese netizens posted photos of themselves posing on Great Wall of China with banners bearing the hashtag #dstrong. Thousands of Wibeo users also uploaded photos of themselves greeting Dorian from famous Chinese locations including Great Wall of China. Even staff of China Daily newspaper joined the movement. They uploaded a photo on social networking site Weibo with a placard that read 'D Strong.' The '#dstrong' movement also evoked a response from America and other countries. American politicians and celebrities sent encouraging messages to the 8 years old cancer patient. Advertisement TagsDorian Murray, #D-strong Stylish Star Allu Arjuns upcoming action entertainer Sarrainodu is one of the most hyped film which is coming up for Summer other than Sardaar Gabbar Singh. The recently released teaser received thumping response from the audience. Already, Allu Arjun has created enough hype for the film by making sure that more than 1000 theaters are screening the teaser from nearly one week. Whats happening more with this movie? And now the movie unit flew to the South American country for a song shoot in some exotic locales. A pic of the Sarrainodu unit with Bunny, Rakul, Boyapati Srinu and others in the flight is also going viral on the social media. It is heard that it may take 50 hours from Hyderabad to Boliva. It happens to be a white salt bed and the terrain is spectacular locale to watch. It is learnt that the two songs will be shot in this salt terrain while one will be a solo melody featuring the lead pair, another one is a group song under the supervision of Bollywood choreographer Ganesh Acharya. Boyapati is going to showcase Allu Arjun in a never-seen- before mass look throughout the film. The movie also features Catherine Tresa in an important role while Anjali is shaking a leg with Allu Arjun for a special song. The film is being bankrolled by Allu Arjun home banner Geeta Arts, and it is coming out as his third venture in Allu Aravinds production. The audio launch will take place in the third week of March, and the film is scheduled to hit the screens on April 22nd. COMMENTARY: The puzzling case of maternal feminism 09 March, 2016 by Candi Finch , | FORT WORTH, Texas (Christian Examiner) Have you ever had one of those moments that left you utterly speechless? Rarely has that ever happened to me. That's not surprising since my childhood nickname was "mouth" (I had many thoughts and opinions to offer my parents from an early age; I am not sure they thought I was as brilliant as I thought I was!). I have to tell you that the experience of being shocked into silence is quite unnerving. In the fall of 2015, I spoke at the World Congress of Families meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. One afternoon of the conference, I swung by the exhibit area and came across an organization called Big Ocean. The tagline on the banner behind the booth read "Women for Faith, Family, Motherhood." My interest was immediately sparked. When I picked up one of the promotional flyers, the mission statement of the organization caught my eye: "Our mission is to unite and empower women throughout the world to stand for faith, family, and motherhood. We call the movement Maternal Feminism." Women that are supportive of faith, families, and motherhood. Check, sign me up! But, whoa, wait a minute!?? Did you say maternal feminism?? When that phrase registered in my mind, that is when I was rendered speechless. A polite, college-age, young woman who was manning the booth walked over to tell me about Big Ocean, and I am afraid I scared her a bit. I was still reeling from the idea of "maternal feminism" and had trouble responding to her questions. Once I recovered, I asked, "Why call your movement maternal feminism?" She said something along the lines of being for women and for motherhood. Hmm... "Yes, but why call it feminism?" I pressed. She said because they are pro-women. In this young women's mind, being for women meant being a feminist. I stayed and spoke with her and another lady at the booth for a few more minutes trying to understand their perspective, but it was clear we had very different understandings of the word "feminist" and "feminism." Since returning from the conference, I did a little more digging into Big Ocean. It is an interfaith organization that was founded in 2014 by Carolina Allen, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in order to give a voice to the power of mothers. Members of the group attended the United Nations in New York to defend motherhood and promote the importance of families. In an interview, Allen stated, "I consider myself a maternal feminist, and that means I am expanding my sphere of influence starting from myself to my home, my community and then reaching the world." Everything these ladies were saying about the importance of mothers was music to my ears. In our day and age, families are under attack. Motherhood is disparaged. We need more people advocating the importance of mothers and families. However, to do so under the banner of feminism is simply foolish. Feminism is not pro-motherhood. Now, I am sure there are feminists who are pro-motherhood, but the second wave of this movement was sparked by anti-motherhood and anti-marriage rhetoric. The message at the heart of this movement was that marriages and families held women back. In the early 1960s, the journalist Betty Friedan became convinced that women were frustrated and unfulfilled in their roles as wives and mothers. In fact, these roles were likened to prisons. In her 1963 book The Feminine Mystique (a book that essentially launched the second wave of feminism in America), Friedan proclaimed, "We can no longer ignore that voice within women that says: 'I want something more than my husband and my children and my home.'" Later in the book, Friedan claimed that being a stay-at-home mother is eventually dehumanizing and likened it to a German concentration camp: "All this seems terribly remote from the easy life of the American suburban housewife. But is her house in reality a comfortable concentration camp? Have not women who live in the image of the feminine mystique trapped themselves within the narrow walls of their homes? They have learned to 'adjust' to their biological role. They have become dependent, passive, childlike; they have given up their adult frame of reference to live at the lower human level of food and things. The work they do does not require adult capabilities; it is endless, monotonous, unrewarding. American women are not, of course, being readied for mass extermination, but they are suffering a slow death of mind and spirit." In 1969 a leaflet titled "Do You Know the Facts about Marriage?" was produced by second wave feminists to hand out at a protest at the New York Marriage License Bureau. It ended with this statement: "We can't destroy the inequities between men and women until we destroy marriage. We must free ourselves. And marriage is the place to begin." Feminism cannot be divorced from the sentiments above. Betty Friedan's worldview is intrinsically linked to the feminist movement. And this is why the idea of "maternal feminism" is so puzzling to me. At the heart of the feminist movement is a decidedly anti-motherhood message. We must reject the notion that to be "pro-women" means you are a feminist. I am pro-women, pro-families, and pro-motherhood because the Bible is all of these things. And, despite what some people like the organizers of Big Ocean may believe, the feminist movement has advocated things that have actually harmed women. My friends, you can be for women and motherhood without linking yourself to the feminist movement that has a long history of demeaning motherhood. This blog article first appeared on BiblicalWoman.com, a ministry of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Idaho Senate passes Bible reading bill allowing for academic study 09 March, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , | BOISE (Christian Examiner) State senators in Idaho have voted 34-3 to approve a bill allowing for the academic study of the Bible in public schools. In Senate Bill 1342, legislators noted that "the Bible is expressly permitted" for use as a reference tool where religion intersects with other subjects, such as literature, comparative religion, U.S. and world history, music, sociology, astronomy, ethics, biology, and "other topics of study where an understanding of the Bible may be useful or relevant." The law codifies on a state level what the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Abington v. Schempp in 1963. In that case, the high court struck down a law mandating daily Bible reading in schools. However, it provided an important distinction on the study of religion. "It certainly may be said that the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities. Nothing we have said here indicates that such study of the Bible or of religion, when presented objectively as part of a secular program of education, may not be effected consistently with the First Amendment," justices said in the ruling. Idaho's first Bible reading law, passed in 1963, required that "selections from the Bible, to be chosen from a list prepared from time to time by the state board of education, shall be read daily to each occupied classroom in each school district." The law also said the reading should be without interpretation and any questions which arose from the reading should be referred to parents. Enforcement of the law was struck down in 1964, but it remained on the books. SB 1342, which now moves to the Idaho House for consideration, would officially repeal the older law. Republican Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll said the bill was intended to remove the antiquated education code about the Bible and inform teachers what use of the Bible (or other religious texts) is permissible in classrooms. "In an environment often clouded by political correctness, Senate Bill 1342 eliminates confusion as to what your rights are and affirms free speech for our students, parents and teachers," Nuxoll said. Several Democrat senators opposed the bill, claiming it did not mention other religious texts and gave the Bible elevated status. 'Queer Bible' translation aims to be 'radical' Guest Reviewer | 09 March, 2016 by Michael Foust A poet and translator based in New York is working on a so-called "Queer Bible" he says will allow for "queer representation" within the text, and it's funded by a Kickstarter campaign that already has reached its goal. Brooklyn poet Robert Whitehead says it will be a "radical translation" that is "radically inclusive," with the intent to push back against conservative interpretations of Scripture. "I will make shifts to pronouns, word choice, and rhetoric that will allow for queer representation," Whitehead wrote at Kickstarter.com. "I will revise metaphor, allegory, and narrative in order to undo the problems of male gaze, redistribute attention to marginalized characters, and scrub heterosexist ideology from the stories. My intent is not to change meaning-- that is, what I see as the fundamental truths of the text -- but rather to show meaning in a queer way." Whitehead acknowledged he is not a theologian but said a new translation is needed. It will be a "long and arduous process," he said. "I see the radical act of this project as having the potential to assert the power of queerness against the brutal conservative, literalist reading of this religious text" he wrote. "I see this project as telling my own story and the story of countless queers who have been told they are wrong because it is written in the Bible. I see this project as using Biblical idiom as the material for representation of a queer mythic and psychological existence. It is a project of queer liberation, queer representation, and queer celebration." He already has translated the first three chapters of Genesis and has passed his goal of $2,000 to get the project started. The biblical text, he claims, "changes with" humanity. "Unfortunately, the Bible has been misused by religious, political, or cultural leaders and institutions to negatively influence the lives of queer people," he wrote. "Recently in the US, a county clerk in Kentucky started a national conversation when she refused marriage licenses to same-sex couples on Biblical grounds. In Omaha, NE, religious affiliation and Biblical teachings are being used as arguments to keep young people from receiving comprehensive sexual education that includes information on gender identity and sexual orientation. A religious university in Portland, OR, wants to ban transgender students from their campus and is using the Bible to back it up." The translation, if it is completed, will be different from the "Queen James Bible," which was released in 2012 and changed only eight verses not the entire text. Queen Elizabeth was not pleased with the plans to legalize same-sex marriage in 2013, according to a report by the Daily Mail. The report says that because of her deep Christian faith, she did not approve marriage between the same sexes, but was not opposed to civil partnerships. According to the newspaper, their source was her "friend," who said that the queen was exasperated at not being able to take part in the debates on the issue. She is also quoted as saying, "I can only advise and warn." "It was the 'marriage' thing that she thought was wrong, because marriage ought to be sacrosanct between a man and a woman," the friend recalled of the Queen. Meanwhile, The Daily Beast reports that courtiers from the palace have denied the claims made by The Daily Mail. It seems unlikely that one of her friends would pass on her thoughts to The Mail, a senior courtier told The Daily Beast. In 2014, the Marriage Act (Same Sex Couples) was made into law in Scotland, England and Wales, but the Church of England was opposed to it. Gay marriage is not yet legal in Northern Ireland, a member nation of the UK. The act has protections for Anglican churches from being compelled to conduct same-sex weddings, even when some of the members of the church might be in favor of them. A majority (47 percent) of the Anglicans did not support the law at the time when it was enforced, and only 38 percent were sympathetic to it, according to a 2013 YouGov poll. However, this year the YouGov poll conducted on 1,500 Anglicans said that as many as 45 percent Anglicans now support same-sex marriage, and 37 percent oppose it. Russell Moore recently wrote a piece whose title I resonate with: Why this election makes me hate the word evangelical. As he notes, the word has become nearly meaningless in this election year. Most journalists, who should know better, use the word to mean only one segment of evangelicalism: those who are white and Republican. This is annoying, because evangelicalism has traditionally been a many splendored thing. And because evangelicalism has not been primarily about politics. But precisely because it is a movement made up of many races and ethnicities, many worship styles, and many political persuasions, it hasnt taken much for one group of evangelicals to become embarrassed at the unseemly views and behavior of other evangelicals. Some evangelicals just shake their heads in despair when fellow evangelicals want to build a wall to keep out Mexicans, say we should all carry guns to defend ourselves, or insist that Donald Trump is Americas best hope. They are so embarrassed, they go out their way to say, Im not that type of evangelical. Or they write blog posts and columns fervently arguing why evangelicals should not vote for Trump. In part, they are trying to communicate to the larger world that not all evangelicals support Trump. Some really do assume Trump represents a mortal dangermore on that in a bit. But Ive read enough posts over the past few weeks to suggest that some, at least in part, want to put some distance between themselves and these crazy relatives. To put my cards on the table: I tend to identify with these evangelicals and their desire to change our identity: If thats what many evangelicals believe, and if thats ... 1 In a recent New York magazine cover story, journalist Rebecca Traister notes that many more US women are embracing that its okay for them not to be married. She calls the decline of marriage the most radical of feminist ideas. But in fact, many women throughout history chose to be single not out of feminist commitments but out of Christian faith. One such woman was Lilias Trotter, an English missionary who remains surprisingly obscure, even among missionary-loving evangelicals. Born to a well-to-do London family in 1853, Trotter showed an early aptitude for watercolor painting and in her teens became a protege of John Ruskin. She challenged the influential art critics assumptions about women artists (namely, that they shouldnt be), and he promised her a life of fame under his guidance. Then, at just the moment her career was set to take off, Trotter traveled by boat, then train, to Algeria with two other single women to preach the gospel to Muslims. She died there in 1928. Trotter is the subject of Many Beautiful Things, a new documentary by D.C.-based filmmaker Laura Waters Hinson. The film, which is much more narrative and aesthetically pleasing than most of its genre, premiered in February at the National Gallery of Art. It features voiceover narration from Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary in Downton Abbey) and a soundtrack from Ryan ONeal of Sleeping at Last. It released to DVD and online streaming channels in time for International Womens Day, observed on Tuesday. Hinson recently spoke with print managing editor Katelyn Beaty about the film, and whether we must necessarily choose between the way of art and the way of faith. 1 Several faith leaders were asked to write brief comments about the future of Roe. I was glad to see that I was not the only person asked who sees life as beginning at conception and who is ready to see Roe overturned. The Young Messiah: Will Christians Take this Film as Gospel or Fiction? Contact: Rick Dack, 763-913-0351 MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., March 9, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- Bible scholars know little about the early life of Jesus but that hasn't stopped filmmakers from blending fact with fiction. The upcoming March 11th release of "The Young Messiah" is no exception yet it's unfair to paint all productions with this brush. "The Jesus Film" (1979) and some portions of "Jesus of Nazareth" (1977) accurately depict the angelic visitation to Mary as well as Jesus' three-day temple court experience (Luke 2:41-50). After Jerusalem, the Bible tells us little about Jesus until the age of thirty (See Luke 2:51-52). The Young Messiah, based upon Anne Rice's novel "Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt," is a fictional account of Jesus' life (age seven), the uncovering of secrets about his Messianic identity and his re-introduction into Israeli society. But there are obvious scriptural/archaeological/chronological problems one must address. It is known, according to the Jewish historian Josephus, that King Herod the Great died in 4 B.C.E./B.C. and that Jesus was born no earlier than 6 B.C.E./B.C. Prior to his death the paranoid Herod orders the "Massacre of the Innocents" (Matthew 2:13 -18) targeting males two years and younger in Bethlehem and surrounding areas. Jesus' family flees to Egypt and then are told to return to Israel after the kings death via dreams (Matthew 2:13, 19-20). This would place Jesus at age two or less not seven, stated Rick Dack of Defending the Bible Int'l (www.defendingthebible.com). In addition to bad chronology other cinematic Bible myths may include Jesus accidentally killing a bully and resurrecting him. Joseph's prior marriage and son before Jesus' birth. Joseph's non-sexual, emotionally cold relationship with Mary (contradicts Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55-56). The family struggle in telling Jesus about his true Messianic identity. Jesus and his family are almost trampled in Jerusalem during a Passover riot. Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, is killed by Roman soldiers. Will you go see "The Young Messiah" even if it's fiction? This ministry wants to hear from you (defendingthebible@usfamily.net). Has your Pastor and Principal addressed media Bible myths and offered a defense of the scriptures? If not, your church and school needs to invite Defending the Bible Int'l. This ministry's "Biographies of the Bible" classes and presentations supply all the answers you will ever need (3D animations of Bible sites, Hollywood stories of faith, archaeological biographies of Bible characters and more). Check out www.defendingthebible.com. UNC excavation crew in Galilee region of Israel uncover first known depictions of biblical heroines An excavation team in Israel has discovered the first known depiction of two biblical heroines from the Old Testament. World to reach 8 billion people in November, India to unseat China as most populous in 2023: UN By Nov. 15, the worlds population is projected to reach 8 billion, and by 2023, India is projected to surpass China as the worlds most populous country, according to a new report from the United Nations. Single, non-religious young adults are most unhappy Americans post-COVID-19: report Young adults under 35 who are single and non-religious report the highest levels of unhappiness since the COVID-19 pandemic began and since 1972, when the General Social Survey began measuring levels of happiness among Americans, a new analysis from the Institute of Family Studies suggests. 5 ways to test whether you've heard from God So God is calling me to do something...or is he? I haven't heard an audible voice but somehow I have the sense that God is saying something just to me. I don't want to be gullible perhaps it is just wishful thinking or my own ideas formulating. On the other hand if it is God speaking to me I certainly don't want to be disobedient. If only I knew for sure it was God's voice... The problem is I have heard too many crazy claims. I've heard boys say to girls, "God has told me that you should be my girlfriend". And I've heard a girl respond to this somewhat creepy chat-up line with an abrupt, "Well he hasn't told me that so push off". I've also read more sinister stories like the primary school teacher who recently physically attacked skateboarders because apparently Jesus told him to. On an almost daily basis we hear news of atrocities committed because somebody thought God was telling them to do it. But I have also seen people clearly led by God to do incredible things adopt children, quit their jobs to help the vulnerable, become a a social worker or a politician or a scientist. I even met someone who felt God told him to give away a year's wages. So how can we know if God really is speaking to us? Here are five pathways that may help: 1. Search your heart Sometimes saying we have heard from God is simply a means of justifying what we wanted to do anyway. The infatuated young man who seeks divine backing for asking the object of his affections out on a date is one obvious example. Many of the wars waged around the world involve egomaniacal leaders who put words in God's mouth so that they hear him saying just what they want him to say. So if we think God is speaking to us, we must first check our hearts and our consciences to see if we are using God as a ventriloquist's dummy for our own desires. One way we can respond to God's voice is to pray with the Psalmist, "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24). 2. Search the Scriptures I have all sorts of strange thoughts that come into my head, often influenced by how much coffee I have imbibed or how much cheese I have eaten before I go to sleep. I can easily be moved by a movie or a news story. My priorities and ideas shift around depending on who I have spoken to, what I have read and how I feel. Having an external reference point to assess God's voice and priorities for me is vital. For Christians the Scriptures provide the clearest revelation of what God wants of us. Scripture provides both clarity and authority when it comes to God's direction in our lives. We get clarity through direct commands such as the Ten Commandments where God sets out what he considers normative for Christian obedience. We get authority from the fact that Jesus himself demonstrated how to use the Bible appropriately to remain obedient to God. I say 'appropriately' because even our use of Scripture can be biased, whether it is our love-struck young example pointing to "You shall go out with joy" (Isaiah 55:12), or those egomaniacal dictators pointing to genocides in the Old Testament. Sadly, Scripture has been used to justify many horrific things. We must make sure we have done our homework to understand the original intent and context of the Bible. If we are feeling led to do something that is contrary to the clear teaching of the Bible, however sincerely we may feel it, we are being misled. 3. Search out the counsel of friends Our consciences are slippery and our desires and hopes are too easily confused with God's voice. Even our use of Scripture can easily become self-serving. But we can employ another way to test the guidance we think we have received from God by searching out the counsel of others. Having friends whom we can use as sounding boards when we think God might be leading us can be very helpful. It is often easier to justify something to ourselves than it is to convince others. Sharing the leading we have received can bring a sense of objectivity to our reasoning. Of course this is not an infallible measure either, as we could subconsciously choose friends who will tell us what we want to hear, or perhaps, as was the case with Job's friends/comforters, all of our friends could be mistaken. But as part of the checks and balances of listening to God, involving others in our reflection is vitally important. Christian discipleship was never meant to be a solitary practice. It was always intended to take place as part of a church community. Not that this always makes it easier as different friends add in their views, God's voice sometimes becomes even less clear but as we continue to pray and discern with praying and discerning friends, if God is trying to tell us something there will be clarification. 4. Search your wisdom and experience Some people treat divine guidance as intentionally irrational, but this runs counter to what the Bible actually says. The Proverbs describe the search for wisdom and discernment as one of the highest goals of human existence (Proverbs 2:1-11). The quest for wisdom comes with the promise that we will know how to make good decisions and choose the right paths. Being a Christian disciple means loving God with every part of our being: "heart, soul and mind", as Jesus puts it, and deliberately choosing to ignore your mind is deficient discipleship. Of course our reasoning can be flawed and biased. Sometimes in the Bible God asks people to do things that didn't seem wise at all or that deliberately take his people in a direction that is counter to the ways of the world. "Sell everything you have and give to the poor" is a clear command Jesus gave to the rich young ruler which didn't seem like a wise financial decision. But for those of us who are not being spoken to face-to-face by the Son of God incarnate, I would argue that if guidance we think we might have received does not appear to be wise and rational, we need to search for wider and clearer confirmation. 5. Search for confirmation In some Christian churches prophetic utterances are encouraged. A prophetic word is a potentially God-given insight or message to help Christians serve God in our current context. I come across many Christians who tell me they have received a prophetic word regarding decisions they are making. Sometimes they are clearly God-anointed words that help them to walk with confidence in an otherwise difficult decision. Sometimes they are bizarre, unlikely or just bad advice thinly disguised as prophecy. The kinds of prophetic messages that the New Testament seems to state will continue into the Church age are not doctrine-defining new revelations from God but rather insights and pointers for how to serve God in our time. For example in the New Testament, when Paul received a prophetic message to take the gospel to Macedonia, this was an extra nudge in the right direction. For the content of the message he shared, Paul preached the Scriptures and retold the historic events of Jesus' life. I believe that God still operates in this way and any prophetic words we receive will call us back to check, uphold and share Scripture. This is why Paul commands the church in the Greek city of Thessalonica to be open and also to be discerning he tells the church: "Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:20). When I feel that God might be speaking to me I search my heart and search the Scriptures, I take advice from friends with wise counsel and I apply my wisdom and common sense. I also try to remain open to prophetic insight, which I will test against Scripture. There is no infallible test to make sure that we are really hearing direction from God, but I believe these pathways can act as helpful checks and balances so that we can sincerely seek to hear, honour and obey our God. For me the ultimate test is whether, hand on heart, I can say that I am seeking first God's kingdom. I come across people seeking to hear the voice of God on all sorts of decisions. Whether they are trying to decide whether to go for a new job, move to a new area to help plant a church, visit a neighbour, forgive a relative, switch political allegiances or adopt a child, often the problem is not our ability to hear the voice of God, but the courage, grace and willingness to obey it. That's a whole different article... Dr Krish Kandiah is a Contributing Editor to Christian Today and founder and director of Home for Good. Christian campaigners hail 'victory' as government defeated on Sunday trading The government was defeated on Wednesday night over its proposals to liberalise Sunday trading rules. The controversial changes were defeated by an alliance of 25 Tory rebels led by Christian MP David Burrowes who formed an "unholy alliance" with SNP and Labour MPs. The government lost by 317 votes to 286 after a succession of failed bids to appease the rebels who declined a compromise offer ahead of the debate. Ministers made a last minute offer to Burrowes and his colleagues to introduce the changes as a pilot scheme over a one year period. However the rebels declined the offer saying it would "chip away" at the changes, and the last minute change was not debated after the Commons' Speaker John Burcos said it was tabled too late. In his speech to the House of Commons today Burrowes cited a number of failures of transparency on behalf of the government. He criticised ministers for not allowing longer to debate the changes which were introduced as a last minute amendment to the Enterprise Bill meaning there has been minimal scrutiny. However he focused his argument on protecting Sunday as a day off for time with family. "We may have a choice about whether to go to church, shop or spend time with our families," he told MPs. "We need to be a voice for people who do not have such a choice, perhaps because of caring or work responsibilities. We need to be very careful about imposing further requirements or obligations on them." Burrowes' rebellion was backed by a number of Christian organisations including the Church of England, CARE and a coalition of unions under the Keep Sunday Special campaign. After the defeat, CARE's CEO Nola Leach joined Burrowes in highlighting the government's approach to this issue which she described as "lamentable". "You cannot put a price on the importance of family life and so we are delighted MPs have kicked the government's pointless Sunday trading plans into the long grass," she said. She hailed the result as a "victory for families, workers, small businesses and all the other groups who opposed these wholly unnecessary and unpopular plans". However in the immediate aftermath of the debate, the business secretary Sajid Javid hinted the government would bring back the proposals for a third time, having faced an embarrassing climbdown when they were first suggested in November. He said: "England and Wales MPs voted for this motion and it was denied to them by the SNP." Javid criticised the SNP's intervention as "childish and hypocritical" after they announced they would oppose the change, even though it would only affect England and Wales. The SNP said it was opposing the measure because they feared it would affect the pay of Scottish workers. Egypt: Questions over authorities' claim of Christian army conscript's 'suicide' An Egyptian Christian army conscript has died in what his family believe are suspicious circumstances, according to World Watch Monitor. Michael Gamal, 22, was due to finish his two-year compulsory military service this May, but his family were told in February he had committed suicide. They had last heard from him on February 15. His brother Osama said: "As often, we talked over the phone. Michael was in good spirits. He was jesting and joking. He had a couple of months to go before his service was over." However, he said, "When I called the next day, Michael, unusually, didn't respond." He later received a phone call from his brother's phone telling him Michael was seriously injured. When he and other family members visited the camp where Michael was posted they were told he had killed himself. At the hospital, an initial coroner report stated the cause of death as a "gunshot to the upper chest from close range". The body bore trauma marks to the forehead and right temple, they said. The family say the military authorities tried to discourage them from having a post-mortem and that they lied about a family row. Furthermore, said Osama Gamal, "There were no hospital admission papers, despite the claim that Michael had still been alive when brought to the hospital. Later, a lieutenant from Michael's unit, Lt Mohamed Medhat, tried to persuade us to immediately bury the body. He even said he'd fly the body on a military chopper and speed up all the necessary paperwork." The family is convinced Michael did not kill himself and that further investigation is needed. Coptic priest Fr Hydra Garas said: "While in his last unit, Michael complained of ill-treatment by fellow soldiers and some officers." However, he added: "Last time I saw him, he was happy. He said 'Father, it's almost over!'" There have been previous reports of the ill-treatment of Christian conscripts in the Egyptian army and of Christians committing suicide. Four deaths have occurred in the army and police since June 2015 and there have been seven during the last decade. An Australian government report refers to allegations of ill-treatment and 'forced Islamization' among Christian conscripts, particularly in remote areas. France: 80-year-old arrested over theft of 3,000 church statues, crucifixes and religious icons Two elderly people have been arrested in a Paris suburb in connection with the theft of thousands of objects from churches. One of them is an octogenarian known to have anti-clerical views while his neighbour, who is in her 60s, has only recently been baptised. More than 3,000 religious objects including statues and crucifixes were recovered from their homes in the southern Paris suburb of Bagneux. They ranged in value from cheap candles to valuable old Russian icons. The pair were caught after a parish priest worked out the timing of their raids and alerted the police. Father Ludovic Serre said: "As soon as I put a cross out on the altar of confession, it would disappear." He added that when the crib was taken from the Christmas nativity display in December "it was too much and I filed a complaint". Serre said: "At the home of the octogenarian, the toilets were absolutely full of crucifixes, there wasn't so much as a square centimetre of space." He said the thieves seemed to run to a schedule, arriving "every four or five weeks, on Sundays between 4-4:30 pm". "I told the police that, according to my calculations, they should return on February 21. And they did! Although half an hour early," he added. The investigators followed the two suspects to their homes and they were arrested. Serre's church is now protected by a video surveillance system. Germany: Congregation backs priest driven out by death threats for defending refugees Local people have rallied to the support of a Congolese-born priest in Bavaria who resigned after receiving death threats after speaking up for refugees. Oliver Ndjimbi-Tshiende resigned after tensions erupted between him and two local politicians from the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) party. The 66-year-old priest had criticised local CSU leader Sylvia Boher who had spoken of an "invasion" of Eritrean "refugees from military service". The comments were made in reference to a surge in the number of Eritreans seeking asylum in Germany as they flee spending years in military service for awful pay and appalling conditions. After Ndjimbi-Tshiende's intervention another CSU politician, Johann Haindl, racially abused the priest, who announced his resignation from the parish of Zorneding, near Munich, on Sunday. According to The Associated Press, two small cardboard banners have been placed on the ground next to Ndjimbi-Tshiende's mailbox, reading "solidarity with the priest" and "arrest those who threatened the murder". Zorneding's deputy mayor, Bianka Poschenrieder, told AP: "I don't know why he now left in such a rush. It actually seemed like things had calmed down in recent weeks." She condemned the threats against the priest: "For our community this is very sad and I personally find it horrendous that these death threats have succeeded in pushing our priest out." She said community officials, parishioners and police planned a candlelight vigil on Wednesday night to show their solidarity with the priest. Bavaria state governor Horst Seehofer also condemned the death threats against the Congolese priest as "unacceptable". Munich prosecutors say the priest was sent three threatening letters, one with the message "We will send you to Auschwitz", which is regarded as a murder threat. Germany has struggled under the numbers of asylum seekers making their way into the country and the issue has become deeply divisive politically. India: Hindu radicals arrested for attack on Pentecostal church Seven people have been arrested in connection with an attack on a Pentecostal church in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. A mob believed to comprise members of the militant Hindu Bajrang Dal organisation attacked the church in Raipur during prayers, having arrived on motorbikes. According to media reports they broke chairs, fans and musical equipment. The president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, Arun Pannalal, said Bajrang Dal members had chanted "Jai Sri Ram" ("Victory to Lord Rama") and had attacked women and children. "They alleged that people were being converted here," Pannalal said. "The police came and seized vehicles the attackers came in. They desecrated the Bible and some of the pictures that were hung on the wall." He said it was the fourth attack on churchgoers in Chhattisghar in the last six weeks. A local Christian told International Christian Concern (ICC): "Every day Christians are attacked. What is reported in the media is like the tip of an iceberg." "The vandalizing of the church comes as the entire nation of India is debating the role of [radical Hindu nationalism] and the government in exacerbating an environment of hate and intolerance against civil society, the intelligentsia, and, above all, religious minorities such as Muslims and Christians," United Christian Forum spokesman Dr John Dayal told ICC. A report issued in January by the Catholic Secular Forum claimed there were more than 200 major incidents of anti-Christian hate speech and persecution in India last year. According to the report, India Christian Persecution, seven Protestant pastors and one lay person were killed in 2015. It says the total number of victims of violence, including women and children, was around 8,000, and many churches were damaged or destroyed. The Hindu nationalist ideology espoused by the ruling BJP party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), of which the Bajrang Dal is part, has led to hostility toward Christians in some areas. This is complicated by the appeal of Christianity to tribal and Dalit people; the RSS is opposed to conversions out of Hinduism and its offshoots have staged elaborate "ghar wapsi" conversion ceremonies for Christians and Muslims wanting to return as they describe it to Hinduism. Mary's Meals: How a Christian-inspired charity is bringing hope to refugees in Lebanon A charity inspired by the Catholic faith with a vision to see each child fed and educated is moving into Lebanon to provide school meals for 1,000 children. Rather than be overwhelmed by the statistics over 1.1 million refugees have crossed the border into Lebanon since the beginning of the Syrian civil war five years ago Mary's Meals is committed to action. "Like so many others around the world, all of us at Mary's Meals have been deeply moved by tragedy unfolding in and around Syria and the desperate plight of those forced to flee from their homes to escape the conflict," the head of programmes, Fiona Gilmour, told Christian Today. "For a number of months, we have been looking into how we can best help to alleviate the suffering caused by this greatest humanitarian crisis of our time". Mary's Meals is hoping to "provide a glimmer of hope" amid the "carnage of the conflict in Syria" through offering school meals to children in Antelias, on the outskirts of Beirut, enabling them to be both fed and educated. Its vision is to provide one good meal to some of the world's poorest children every school day and is "named after Mary, the mother of Jesus, who brought up her own child in poverty", according to its website. "Like all parents, those Syrian mothers and fathers who had to leave their homes want more than anything for their children to be fed and educated, so they can hope for a future beyond this current misery," founder and CEO Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow said in a statement. Mary's Meals "will soon begin serving school meals to a small number of Syrian children who have settled in Lebanon, along with their Lebanese classmates," Gilmour said. "Lebanon has taken in a greater proportion of refugees per head of capita than anywhere else in the world," she said. This has placed "great strain on the country and we will be supporting both Lebanese and Syrian communities through our work there." Mary's Meals is committed to community engagement and empowering the locals with whom they are working. "It is absolutely essential to work hand in hand with the local authorities," said Gilmour, explaining that the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education has been involved in the design of the project. Both parties have benefited from the partnership. The government has welcomed the school feeding programmes as it is struggling to respond to the overwhelming demand of the refugee crisis, and Mary's Meals has benefited from the authorities' expertise and local knowledge they "know best where the need is greatest". The feeding program will not be limited to Syrian children, but all those enrolled in the school, including local Lebanese children. "Community engagement, empowerment and ownership is key" to the project, and the charity "will involve Syrian and Lebanese parents of the children in the project equally, with the families being responsible for the lunch preparation," Gilmour said. Mary's Meals has collaborated with Dorcas, a Dutch relief organisation that has been working in Lebanon since 2013, as "their experience allows us to identify and respond to the existing needs of communities." Mary's Meals is experienced in working in conflict areas and responding to humanitarian crises, having worked previously in West Africa during the Ebola crisis and in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. Pakistan: Kidnapped son of murdered blasphemy law campaigner rescued after four years captivity The kidnapped son of a Pakistani governor who was murdered after he criticised the country's blasphemy laws was freed on Tuesday, authorities have said. Shahbaz Taseer, in his 30s, had been missing for more than four years, ever since he was abducted in Lahore months after his father, Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, was killed in 2011. The Pakistani army said Shahbaz Taseer had been rescued by intelligence agents in the southwestern province of Baluchistan. "Shahbaz was recovered safe and sound," Baluchistan police inspector general Ahsan Mehboob told Reuters. Intelligence agents and counter-terrorism officers found Taseer after receiving information he was being held in a hotel in Kuchlak, 25 km north of Quetta, the provincial capital, Mehboob said. No arrests were made in the raid, and there was no confrontation with the captors, he added. Last week, Salman Taseer's former bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri, was hanged for the murder. The killer's funeral attracted tens of thousands of supporters who proclaimed him a hero for defending Islam. On Monday, a suicide bomber killed at least 10 people near a court, an attack the Pakistani Taliban's Jamaat-ur-Ahrar faction said it had committed to avenge Qadri's execution. Salman Taseer had spoken in support of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy and had called for the laws that mandate the death penalty for insulting Islam to be revised. After his death, Taseer's family received multiple threats from religious hard-liners. On the day of Qadri's execution, another of Taseer's sons, Shehryar, tweeted: "MumtazQadri being hanged is a victory to #Pakistan. NOT the #Taseer family. The safe return of my brother is the only victory my family wants." According to the director of the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS), which works on behalf of persecuted Christians in Pakistan, Christians in the county are living in fear following Qadri's hanging. Nasir Saeed said: "Christians are scared and cautious. The execution will also enhance the threat to the lives of those who are charged under blasphemy law and are currently detained in various prisons." Quadri was unrepentant for his actions, telling his attorney: "even if Allah gave me 50 million lives, I would still sacrifice all of them". He is regularly referred to as a 'martyr' on pro-Islamist news outlets. Another campaigner against the country's oppressive blasphemy laws, Shahbaz Bhatti, could be formally declared a martyr after local Roman Catholic authorities formally opened his cause. In Catholic practice the process for declaring martyrdom can begin five years after a person's death. Bhatti was murdered on 2 March 2011 and local authorities have begun to collect evidence to support their claim. Shamaun Alfred Gill, spokesperson for the All Pakistan Minority Alliance, the political party formed and led by Bhatti, told International Christian Concern: "A committee from the Vatican is reviewing Shahbaz Bhatti's struggle for equal rights and gathering information on his murder. We are hoping that this outspoken hero of the nation will soon be given the official status of martyr by the Vatican for raising his voice for the voiceless in this country." Additional reporting by Reuters. Russell Moore slams gambling, says it hurts the poor and causes a 'justice' issue Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission president Russell Moore is very disheartened to see that gambling has pervaded today's societyfrom television commercials to the state lottery, and even in advertisements for "daily fantasy sports" leagues. The invitation to play games with money is never ceasing, he says. Even when he was young and living in his ancestral home on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the threat of gambling has already begun since the casino industry "promised an economic turnaround if voters would just give them the right to exist." Politicians who support gambling are not really evil, according to Moore. Even though some of them are personally corrupt, there are still others who have good intentions. "They want to educate children, build infrastructure, and so on without raising a tax burden. I think gambling is an illusory way to do this, but, still, I acknowledge good intentions at the root of some of the cheerleaders for the industry," he writes on his website. Many also think that gambling is merely a "values" or "moral" issue, but Moore believes it is a "justice" issue. "Gambling is a justice issue that defines how it is that we love our neighbours and uphold the common good," he explains. "Gambling is a form of economic predation. Gambling grinds the faces of the poor into the ground. It benefits multinational corporations while oppressing the lower classes with illusory promises of wealth, and with (typically) low-wage, transitory jobs that simultaneously destroy every other economic engine of a local community." He says people cannot address the problem of gambling if they ignore the larger issue of poverty. In the same vein, evangelicals who do not care about the poor should not go speaking in behalf of gambling issues. Sunday trading: Christian Tory MPs form 'unholy alliance' with SNP and Labour to oppose government Christian Tory MPs have said they will form an "unholy alliance" with the SNP and Labour to defeat the government's plans to liberalise Sunday trading rules. The House of Commons will vote on the proposed changes this evening with at least 23 Conservative MPs set to rebel. The SNP initially opposed the measures when they were first introduced in November, resulting in an embarrassing climbdown from the government. However they were re-introduced as a last minute amendment to the Enterprise Bill in February, prompting rumours of a "dirty deal" between the SNP and Conservative leadership. Last night the SNP confirmed they would oppose the changes which would be the biggest shake-up of Sunday trading laws in over 20 years. The government said the SNP's decision was "extraordinary" and "hypocritical". The Conservative rebellion is being led by Christian MP David Burrowes who called for a "more sensible and palatable way forward". "It is a fairly unholy alliance but it is not so much about what the SNP thinks but how the government will deal with the large concerns across party," he said. He defended the SNP's decision despite the fact the plans would not apply to Scotland because of the "domino effect" it could have on Scottish workers' pay. Scotland already has relaxed Sunday trading laws but workers enjoy premium pay for working on a Sunday. The SNP has said it fears any change to current laws in England and Wales, which limit opening hours for large stores to six hours on a Sunday, would reduce pay for Scottish workers. Burrowes' rebellion has gained the support of at least 23 Conservative MPs and could mean the plans, masterminded by Chancellor George Osborne, will be defeated only a week before the Budget. A UK government source said: "It's disappointing and hypocritical of the SNP to be trying to deny people the freedoms to shop that are already available to those they represent in Scotland." The SNP's decision came after Christian and Muslim leaders united to urge them to vote against the changes. In a public letter on Monday, leaders in the Catholic, Episcopal and Free Churches in Scotland were joined by the Muslim Council of Scotland as well as campaign groups including CARE, the Christian Institute and the Evangelical Alliance. The joint letter argued the issue "most certainly is" a matter for Scotland and called on all Scottish MPs to "stand up for Scottish workers and Scotland" and vote against the proposals. Trump wins races in 3 states Michigan, Mississippi, Hawaii as Cruz takes Idaho; Sanders upsets Clinton in Michigan Donald Trump won three of four Republican presidential races on Tuesday, taking the Michigan and Mississippi primaries and Hawaii caucus, as he strengthened his grip on the party's nomination race despite massive personal attacks on him in recent days by his rivals and the Republican establishment. Ted Cruz, Trump's strongest rival, won the Idaho primary. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton suffered a stunning upset from Bernie Sanders in Michigan. However, the Democratic presidential front-runner won an emphatic victory in Mississippi with the overwhelming support of black voters, Bloomberg reported. While the results of Tuesday's Republican contests bolstered Trump's status as the front-runner, the results of the Democratic races exposed Clinton's political weaknesses, according to Bloomberg. The biggest prizes were in Michigan and Mississippi, which Trump both won. He got 59 delegates from Michigan and 40 from Mississippi. The New York billionaire also snagged 10 delegates from Hawaii, according to the New York Times. Cruz finished second in all three contests. However, Ohio Gov. John Kasich tied him for second place in Michigan, where they each got 17 delegates. Cruz won 13 delegates in Mississippi and 6 in Hawaii. Cruz won 14 delegates from Idaho, where Trump also scooped up 10 delegates by virtue of his second-place finish there. Marco Rubio, the other Republican candidate, was shut out in all four races, failing to get even a single delegate. After Tuesday's voting, Trump now has a total of 446 delegates, Cruz has 347, Rubio 151 and Kasich 54. Trump needs 791 more delegates to reach the 1,237 needed to win the nomination. Sanders won a narrow victory in Michigan, defeating Clinton, 50 percent to 48 percent. However, Clinton overwhelmed him in Mississippi, winning 83 percent to Sanders' 17 percent. Clinton got 87 more delegates for a total of 759 while Sanders scooped 69 for a total of 546. One of them needs to win 2,383 delegates to lock up the Democratic presidential nomination. Meanwhile, in the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News national poll released on Tuesday, Cruz has reduced Trump's lead to just 3 percent, Newsmax reported. According to the poll of Republican primary voters the current standings are: Trump: 30 percent Ted Cruz: 27 percent John Kasich: 22 percent Marco Rubio: 20 percent Cruz even led Trump by two points in the same poll last month, the only poll that showed anyone but Trump ahead since November. Significantly, the poll shows that should the contest become a two-man race, Trump loses in head-to-head matchups to all three of his remaining rivals, Newsmax reported. Cruz and Kasich outpoll him 57 percent to 40 percent, while Rubio bests him 56 percent to 43 percent. An ABC News/Washington Post poll released Tuesday also showed Cruz and Rubio beating Trump head-to-head. Moreover, while Trump still leads among all four candidates in the remaining states, his numbers are lower than they were in the states that already have voted, the poll showed. In his victory speech in Jupiter, Florida, Trump called for unity among Republicans, as he underscored the importance of his party winning in the November's general election. "With all of these people coming over, we're going to have something very, very special, if I win and if I get to go against Hillary," he said. He also addressed criticism about his "unpresidential" behavior and comments, saying, "I can be more presidential than anybody, if I want to be." Trump has come under intense fire not only from Cruz and Rubio but also from Republican establishment leaders led by 2012 nominee Mitt Romney, who said his behavior and ill-defined policies make him unfit to lead the party and country. These party leaders have made known their intent to defeat Trump by preventing him from gaining the needed delegates to clinch the nomination before the party's convention in July. Women are beaten and abused: Why a Christian peer is trying to ban advertising for prostitutes The violence involved in prostitution is "horrific", a peer who is trying to ban advertising for prostitution told Christian Today. Lord McColl of Dulwich's bill to make it illegal to advertise prostitution services will be debated in the House of Lords tomorrow. The bill is an attempt to clarify the current law. At the moment it is illegal to run a brothel or solicit sex but it is legal to advertise prostitution in newspapers or magazines. "I don't think people realise how much violence is involved in prostitution," Lord McColl told Christian Today this afternoon. "People just deny that violence is going on. When you say millions of men are smashing up millions of women, either physically or psychologically, they just won't believe you. I know it's going on because people have been telling me about it for years. "People are not just using fists to beat up women either. They are beating up women with iron bars." Refuting the argument that prostitution is a legitimate profession which women and men engage in out of free choice, Lord McColl said: "I don't think they have a choice." Evidence from various studies appears to support this view. One study by Eaves, a charity campaigning on violence against women and girls, found in 2012 that 83 per cent of people involved in prostitution had current or former problems with drug or alcohol addiction and frequently reported they work to support their drug habit or that of their pimp. The same study also found that 61 per cent of women reported violence from 'clients', adding weight to the peer's assertion of the violence in prostitution. A confessing Christian from Glasgow, Lord McColl said that his motivation for wanting to tackle prostitution was the example of Christ. "It is to do with the dignity of women. They are being treated as inferior, which has been going on for centuries. "I think the example of Christ and his attitude to women was particularly revolutionary. At the time they were scandalised by what he was saying and doing. But he has always struck me as being a particularly good example to follow," the 82-year-old peer said. Lord McColl has been supported in bringing forward this bill by Christian lobbying charity CARE . "Prostitution adverts do not reveal the truth beyond the pictures that so often behind the smiles and the appearance of glamour are stories of abuse, coercion and violence," said CARE's director of parliamentary affairs, Dr Dan Boucher. "The evidence demonstrates it is one of the most dangerous professions in the world and it makes sense to tackle the issue head on. Society and the way we advertise has moved on significantly so this fresh debate is both welcome and necessary. "The current law does not provide adequate protection for victims so Lord McColl is absolutely right to be attempting to correct the current inconsistency." A similar move was proposed by Labour MP Harriet Harman in 2010 but the attempt failed. At the time, critics said it would make the professon more dangerous as it would encourage back-street prostitution. However the Tory peer said that his aim was to reduce demand and banning advertising would help do that. "Advertising fuels the whole business of prostitution so the more you advertise the more you encourage people to go and do it," he said. He admitted that his bill was not enough and said he hoped legislation on prostitution will go much further. "We would like to follow the example of Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Canada and Northern Ireland," Lord McColl said. All these countries have criminalised the buying of sex, rather than the selling of sex, making the weight of legal responsibility on the client. "We want to focus on the men predominantly," he continued. "It was always the women we were attacking but that is the easy thing to do to arrest them but it is the men who get away scot free. We need to tackle that." "It seems to me that we need to change the whole focus [to criminalising buying sex] and emphasise that." As a private member's bill, the Advertising of Prostitution (Prohibition) Bill is not government policy and therefore unlikely to become law. However he hopes the effect will be to raise the issue with decision makers in government to prompt a change. "I am interested in helping people who are abused in any way," the peer concluded. "It is all to do with respecting people and not treating people like dirt. These women are treated like a lower form of life. That is not acceptable for all civilised people, not just for Christians." Yemen nuns killed by gunmen knew they faced martyrdom, says superior The Mother Teresa sisters killed in Aden knew the risks they faced in remaining in the country, according to the Catholic Vicar Apostolic for Southern Arabia. The four nuns were killed when gunmen stormed a Catholic-run retirement home in Yemen's southern city, killing 16 people. A priest was taken captive and is still missing. The home, run by the Missionaries of Charity, an organisation established by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, has about 80 residents. Bishop Paul Hinder told the Fides news agency he had discussed the volitile situation in Yemen with the sisters about a year ago. "They told me there was nothing to discuss: they would not leave whatever happened, because they wanted to stay with the people entrusted to their care. It was clear that on the part of the sisters this was no exhibition of heroism, it was purely their desire to follow Jesus Christ. I respected the sisters' decision, and am convinced that their martyrdom will bear fruit also for the lives of other Christians living in the Arabian peninsula". Hinder said the local people loved the sisters and admired their selfless service. "This earned the Sisters the people's warmth and affection and perhaps that was precisely what some disliked," he said. In a sign of the insecurity in Aden, jihadists raided a school yesterday and gave a "last warning" to students who had not complied with a dress code ordering women to adapt their clothing to comply with Islamic law. A leaflet was circulated threatening death to Jews, Christians and 'infidels' who breached it. "We will kill anyone who violates the law of God," the leaflet said. The British artist was an influential figure in Paris during the 1930s, yet much of Mosss work was lost in the 1944 shelling of her Normandy home A man is being sought after allegedly assaulting a police officer last month when he scuffled with deputies, injuring one officer. The man escaped as drugs were discovered in his vehicle. The Feb. 24 incident began when deputies with Constable 4 Mark Herman's office responded to a suspicious persons complaint at the 11200 block of Perry Road. They discovered Jarvis Trevor Hawkins, 37, in his car and attempted to detain him after marijuana was detected in his vehicle. After fighting with the detectives and falling through a plate glass window, Hawkins managed to escape, injuring one of the deputies, according to a news release from Herman's office. "A deputy involved in the struggle sustained several cuts from the broken glass and was taken to the emergency room for treatment and released," Constable Mark Herman said in the release . According to authorities, after Hawkins fled, a Precinct 4 Narcotic K-9 responded to the scene and a search was conducted of his vehicle. Inside, deputies found 33 grams of cocaine, 40 grams of crack cocaine, 4 ounces of marijuana, 15 grams of ecstasy and a loaded handgun. Hawkins is to be charged with Assault on a Police Officer, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Evading Arrest, and warrants are issued for his arrest. If you have information regarding Jarvis Trevor Hawkins' location, please contact the Precinct 4 Constable's Office or your local Police. Rival Republicans have hit Donald Trump hard on running an allegedly fraudulent academic institution. In turn, the GOP front runner has responded by saying that the Better Bureau Business gave Trump University an A+ rating. That statement has been parsed and debunked in the past week. Trump University currently has a no rating from the BBB. The institution stopped accepting new students in 2010. There are probably a lot of great people out there with face tattoos. This man, according to California police, does not help their reputation. Khamprasong Thammavong, 33, was pulled over by police Monday while on probation. The suspects probation made him and his home subject to a search without needing a warrant, according to local Fox affiliate KMPH. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Urban Land Institue Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Urban Land Institue Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Starting Friday, the East End Foundation will stage four pop-up dinners set in unique East End locations matched with four Houston chefs. The kickoff event Friday - an al fresco dinner on the award-winning new Navigation Esplanade - will feature chef Soren Pederson, known for his work at the late Sorrel Urban Bistro and Ray's Gourmet Country in Fulshear. Pederson will focus on local, seasonal ingredients for the meal, inspired by dishes cooked by his mother and grandmother during his childhood in Denmark. The dinner runs from 7 to 10 p.m. at 2800 Navigation on the Esplanade. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Several men broke into a grocery store early Wednesday morning, snatching cigarettes and other tobacco merchandise in west Houston. The heist happened about 4 a.m. at a Kroger store in the 9900 block of Westheimer near West Rivercrest, said Lt. Larry Crowson of the Houston Police Department. Crowson said workers were inside the store stocking shelves when they heard the front doors being pried open. Then they spotted several men dash inside. The men wore masks. They snatched cigarettes and other tobacco products and then left the store. The suspects sped away in a black-colored Dodge and a silver vehicle. No descriptions of the men were available. No injuries were reported. Crowson said a few other similar heists have recently occurred. It was not known if they were connected. "It does seem like we've had a couple of these in the last week,"Crowson said, "so there may be a little trend going on." Texas Monthly has taken up the noble cause of changing Texas official state song. As we celebrate the 180th anniversary of Texas declaring its independence from Mexico, a lot of Texans have been reassessing some of the ways we commemorate the great Lone Star State. Recently Texas Monthly staffer Christian Wallace, an Andrews native, dared to suggest that maybe, just maybe, Texas needs a new, modern state song. When you ask a group of Texans what they think could or should replace Texas, Our Texas (written back in 1924 by William Marsh) you will get responses ranging from ZZ Top to Willie Nelson, Bob Wills, UGK or even Stevie Ray Vaughan. Wallace advocated for UGKs One Day for inclusion into the conversation, along with the late Kent Finlays What Makes Texas Swing. Most people probably think that the official state song is The Eyes of Texas or Deep in the Heart of Texas, to be honest. A state song is meant to celebrate the richness and diversity of a places musical heritage. Its a song used to welcome foreign diplomats. One sung by those missing home, Wallace writes. A states personality expressed in whole, half, and quarter notes. Texas music is one instance where all our big talk is backed up, so there is no excuse for this state, with all of its auditory flavors, to settle for the musical equivalent of dry toast. Marsh, the then-president of the Texas Composers' Guild, wrote the anthem while he was choir director and professor of organ, composition and theory at Texas Christian University. He collaborated with Gladys Yoakum Wright on the lyrics. Did we mention he also happened to be from Liverpool, England? The very birthplace of the Beatles also gave us the composer of the Texas state song. The song was made the official state song in 1929 and for decades Texas schoolkids sang it every morning at school. Wallace isnt alone in posing the question of whether Texans should rap on Governor Greg Abbotts door and ask for a change. Back in early 2008, Houston Press music editor suggested songs from everyone from Doug Sahm, Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker and Lyle Lovett to Mr. Mike. This reporter thinks that George Straits recent Take Me To Texas might be a worthy candidate, failing a consensus vote on the Willie Nelson song best fit for our state. If youre feeling froggy, might we also suggest Ray Wylie Hubbards Screw You, Were From Texas for a bit of attitude? Could we get to a point in Texas progression when a song with lyrics like So screw you, we're from Texas / Screw you, we're from Texas Screw you, we're from Texas / We're from Texas baby, so screw you could be officially vetted? We probably need to legalize marijuana first. The Memorial Hermann health system has opened its third Mental Health Crisis Clinic in Meyerland's Meyer Park Shopping Center. The crisis clinic, located at 4850 W. Belfort St., joins two others Memorial Hermann operates in Humble and Spring Branch. Think of the clinics as mental health versions of those urgent medical care facilities to be found across Greater Houston. Instead of stitching up cuts, treating the flu or wrapping sprained ankles, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, social workers and other patient care staff provide walk-in patients with quick access to initial psychiatric attention and help them locate outpatient services for further assistance. More Information Details To learn more about Memorial Hermann Mental Health Crisis Clinics, call 713-338-6422 or visit www.memorialhermann.org. See More Collapse Anyone with a mental health need, insured or not, is welcome to visit the clinic, said Theresa Fawvor, associate vice president of Behavioral Health Services for Memorial Hermann. "We expect the Meyerland location to serve a large population with its proximity to southeast, southwest and central parts of Houston," she said. Services include psychosocial assessments, emergency medication, short-term prescriptions, connections to more permanent psychiatric treatment and social services. The Meyerland clinic is focusing on offering nontraditional access to a psychiatric team from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday. Spring Branch, Humble Together with the other two clinics, Houston area residents have access to urgent mental health care nearly 24/7. The Spring Branch location is open from 4 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday. The Humble location is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Offering walk-in access to psychiatric specialists, Fawvor said, is almost unheard of. "We want our clinics to be an additional resource in the community that will direct people to the appropriate setting and level of care," she said. "Those in need of care can literally walk in and have immediate access to psychiatric providers and clinical social workers prepared to serve them if they or a family member are experiencing a mental health crisis." Memorial Hermann's crisis clinic initiative is among nine the health system sponsors through the state's Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment pool, which is made available to hospitals and other medical providers to develop programs to enhance access to health care, increase the quality of care, the cost-effectiveness of provided care and the health of patients and families they serve. Through the program, Memorial Hermann opened its first Mental Health Crisis Clinic in Humble in April 2014. The second clinic in Spring Branch opened in November that same year. The staff at the clinics see all ages. And not everyone is seeking help with chronic mental health illnesses such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Stress, depression The clinics also treat those experiencing stress, depression and anxiety. Fawvor said a crisis might be a single mom seeking help for her child who was kicked out of school after displaying repeated behavioral problems. "We have a mental health crisis clinic that allows the woman and her child to walk in, report what the problems are, be seen right away and be evaluated by a psychiatrist and a clinical social worker and some treatment planning is done," she said. "They receive a determination of what kind of ongoing care is necessary as well as, if needed, immediate medication or a short-term prescription." The clinics also treat individuals who are depressed and have never sought psychiatric care and do not know how to navigate the system. Outpatient only The clinics are not psychiatric care institutions. "It is an outpatient service only, and it is designed specifically to be that," said Matt Feehery, senior vice president of Behavioral Health Services for Memorial Hermann. "Our community has a number of hospital-based resources out there for people who are in a psychiatric emergency and would need to be in a more restrictive level of care." Memorial Hermann's Mental Health Crisis Clinics, he said, are meant to be consumer-focused, allowing someone to talk with someone, receive guidance, get some treatment and get a better idea of how to handle their mental health concern going forward. A lot of times, it is not just the identified patients who come in and get treated, but the family or friend that might be accompanying them who receives information and guidance on how to help the person they are with. "Access (to mental health care) is the big challenge in the community and most communities in our country," Feehery said. "If someone is having a mental health situation, crisis, an emergency, whatever you want to call it, there's really not an immediate access point for them to go to where they can talk to a professional and get some relief. "That is one of the beauties of this model. "It doesn't require you to wait 30 or 60 days or to meet certain criteria or whatever." A lot of state mental health resources operate by putting people in a virtual line to receive interventional care and finding the providers also often proves to be a challenge, said Donna Amtsberg, a clinical assistant professor at the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Houston. She is happy Memorial Hermann is operating the mental health crisis clinics because, she said, "they are putting these services in communities that need it." 43.8 million By the end of 2016, an estimated 43.8 million adults will have experienced some form of mental health illness, anything from stress and depression to more chronic illnesses such as schizophrenia or debilitating depression, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The nonprofit mental health advocacy group publishes a Mental Health Facts in America sheet, which indicates that 1 in 5 American adults experience a mental illness and nearly 1 in 25 adults live with a serious mental illness. One-half of all chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14 and three-quarters by the age of 24. The majority of adults, 42 million, live with anxiety disorders, according to the alliance. Amtsberg estimates that 16 percent of the population of Texas is currently suffering from a mental health disorder. She said not everyone is seeking help because of costs associated with mental health care, lack of access to mental health services as well as the perceived stigma of having a mental disorder. Many who do find treatment are going to hospital emergency rooms, which she said do not have the appropriate resources to diagnose properly and treat mental illness. "They are treating physical conditions," Amtsberg said. And, she said, in Harris County and in many communities across the country, the largest mental health provider is a jail. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, approximately 24 percent of state prisoners have a history of mental health conditions. Amtsberg said many people with mental health disorders never seek help because they do not know how to navigate the mental health system. Hard to navigate "I went online to do a quick check of how many mental health services across there are across the state, and I'm looking at this from a perspective where I'm calm, I'm not stressed out, I don't have anything dramatic going on in my life, and I'm going through these websites and I find that the state department shows there are mental health services across the state but the list itself, for instance, is done in alphabetical order by the name of the agency, not by the location," she said. "If I'm really looking for something in a hurry, or I'm looking for someone that is a loved one of mine, I'm going to have to scroll through seven pages of services in the Houston-Harris County area. "It wasn't a very user-friendly type of system." It is another reason, Amtsberg believes Memorial Hermann's Mental Health Crisis Clinic in Meyerland, along with it sister clinics in Spring Branch and Humble, are needed. "I have not heard of any place like what Memorial Hermann is doing, but that doesn't mean that they're not available," she said. "I am so very happy that they are doing this because this is putting those services in communities that need it. "The individuals that are seeking out services, they are our loved ones. They are our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers. They are us. "To be able to access services in our own communities is huge." The decline of the honeybee and it's impact is a contentious topic, as seen in documentaries and environmental publications and students at Mirabeau B. Lamar High School are taking action, raising hives after class and bringing hyperlocal honey to the area. The beekeeping program was approved by the Houston school district in October as a Future Farmer's of America project. The beekeeping program, like other FFA programs, is tied to a class which counts toward graduation credits. Officials at the principal's office at Lamar said the beekeeping program is tied to a horticulture class which is part of the school day. Their after-class beekeeping duties are considered a part of their work, and is a factor in grade and credits received for the class. However, funding was a problem that had to be tackled. Even with some items donated, beekeeping equipment and suits prove a costly commodity and the group needed to find start-up money. Bellaire bee enthusiast Shelley Rice was a driving force behind the program. She donated the beehive boxes and would be teaching, but Rice didn't want the entire project handed to students. "I wanted them to have ownership," she said. Rice also wanted the students to have a part in financing their project, but she wasn't certain just how. About a month earlier, on September 1, Senate Bill 1766 was passed. The bill allowed Texas beekeepers producing less than 2,500 pounds of honey a year to sell their honey with exemption from commercial regulations. But within the new FFA program, there was not yet any honey to sell. In a timely twist of fate, Rice received a call to extract a nuisance beehive bursting with honeycomb that first week of October. "It's like it was meant to be," Rice said. "These doors just keep opening." With the help of students and volunteers, the extraction would yield 67 square feet of honeycomb, and enough honey to sell to get the Lamar FFA beekeeping program started. East End resident Gaston Olvera said the nuisance hive of more than 100,000 bees had kept many of his neighbors out of their own backyards for the better part of a decade. A neighboring homeowner had let the wild hive move in and grow, ignoring the pleas of their neighbors to put in a call for help. At a local market on "The Esplanade" along Navigation Street in Houston's East End neighborhood, Olvera met Rice at her beekeeping and honey booth in July. Initially, he asked her for advice on what he could do to help his community get rid of the bees that kept him from mowing his own backyard. To Olvera's surprise, Rice didn't refer him to a bee removal service, she just offered her help free of charge. "I would rather come and help re-home the bees than have an exterminator come in," Rice said. Olvera and his neighbors were hopeful that the bee problem would soon be over, but the homeowners were unwilling to allow even a free bee removal outfit on their property. "If we were to call the city on this gentleman, they probably would have condemned the house and he would have nowhere to live," Olvera said. "The bees bothered me, but we didn't want to make the man homeless." In October, Olvera learned that the homeowner was gone and a demolition of the property had been scheduled. He picked up the phone and called Rice. With the newly passed honey sales law on the books, Rice knew a hands-on financing opportunity for the Lamar FFA program had just fallen into her lap. She gathered a team of 15 volunteers, which included Lamar FFA members, and friend and local restaurateur Rob Cromie of Picnic Box Lunches on Bissonnet. The team was able to remove the honeycomb in three hours time. The 67 square feet of honeycomb was transported on trays and in 5-gallon buckets to the walk-in cooler at Picnic, where Cromie had offered to store the harvest for the group. The bees were not destroyed, but were brought in bee boxes by the volunteers and given a new home in the back of the Last Organic Outpost, an urban farm in the Fifth Ward. Under Rice's guidance, the FFA students extracted the honey from the comb, bottled and packaged the bounty, and then sold their honey - some of the first to be sold under the new Texas law- to finance some of the beekeeping equipment needed for their new beekeeping program. And just like that, the Lamar FFA beekeeping program was born with four inaugural student members. Rice said interest in the program has spread like wildfire and she's had many inquiries from Lamar students wanting to join the program next year, and even from another school, Bellaire High, which has expressed interest in starting itsr own beekeeping program. Lamar's FFA Chapter President, Kathleen Young, 17, said the beekeeping program has taught her and her classmates many valuable lessons. Young had no beekeeping experience prior to joining the Lamar program. "I think working with these bees has done a lot for me," said Young. "I know that there are not a lot of them anymore, and I feel like I am doing something good for the environment." As they focus on "Beekeeping 101," Lamar's student beekeepers now anxiously await their first mid-March honey harvest, from which they plan to use sale proceeds to support and grow their program. These student beekeepers will auction their honey at the Lamar FFA Livestock Show and Auction on April 22-23, at Lamar High School, 3325 Westheimer Road. A Rosenberg man who attempted to nab a purse in a Wal-Mart parking lot went on to steal three vehicles, crashing each in turn, before being apprehended on foot more than an hour later, authorities said. Joey Ray Diaz, 30, allegedly took a purse from a woman just before 3 p.m. Monday in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart store on FM 1640 in Richmond, city police said in a news release. The suspect began running -- only to be confronted by another woman, who took the purse back from him. Diaz then got into that woman's vehicle, police said, and demanded her keys. She pepper-sprayed him. Others came to the woman's aid, and the suspect ran to a nearby Murphy Oil, where Richmond police allege he pulled a motorist from his vehicle near the gas pumps, got in the vehicle himself, then drove away. Richmond police combed the area for Diaz. They spotted him a couple times, but he would always disappear, Lt. Lowell Neinast said. "I don't know if he felt like he was going to get away or what the deal was," Neinast said. "But he kept on and kept on." Police say the suspect ultimately crashed the car, an Oldsmobile, in a traffic accident in the 4500 block of S. Main St. in Stafford -- 15 miles from where'd he allegedly stolen it. A woman pulled over to help, and Diaz jumped into her car and took off, said Lt. James Leedom, of the Stafford Police Dept. Diaz crashed that car, and stole and crashed one more, before fleeing on foot, Leedom said. "This is a weird one," Leedom said of the case. The Sugar Land Police Department apprehended Diaz at around 4:20 p.m. at the intersection of Texas 90 and U.S. 59, according to Neinast. The man immediately surrendered and was transferred to Stafford police to be arrested, Sugar Land spokesperson Doug Adolph said. Diaz was booked into the Fort Bend County jail at 1:09 a.m. Tuesday, online county records show. His booking photo shows a large cut on his forehead that appears to have been treated, as well as smaller injuries across the bridge of his nose. Diaz was booked on two counts of robbery and one count of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, all felonies. Heights motorists and bicyclists will soon share stretches of Houston Avenue during a temporary detour of bicycle trails. Stretches of the Heights and White Oak bike trails will be rerouted to Houston Avenue during construction along Interstate 45 next to and over White Oak Bayou where the trails normally run. Mayor Sylvester Turner's office stated that the plan will aim to keep the route "trail-like," designating the west side of southbound Houston Avenue between Spring Street and White Oak Drive as a two-way temporary bike lane closed to motor vehicle traffic. This will not close all of Houston Avenue to motorists, but route them around the bike lane. The detours will not be continuous, but periodic throughout the construction project when construction nearby could create unsafe conditions along the original bike trails. Deidrea George, a Texas Department of Transportation representative, said the detour and reroute are expected to begin between April and May and will last through the third quarter of 2017, at which time the entire project is projected for completion. The bike trail re-route placement was a joint decision by the City of Houston and TxDOT. George said cyclists can expect to see instructional signs in black and orange or black and white posted along the bike trails, directing folks to the detour route. These signs will be posted and maintained by contractor Balfour Beatty, and will be rectangular in shape. The I-45 construction is part of a three phase, $19.64 million TxDOT project that began in 2015. The project replaces a bridge and bridge deck, and adds a new connector all on I-45. All of the work falls along a 1.072 mile section of I-45 from Memorial Drive to Quitman. The project is currently on it's third and final phase, which replaces the northbound bridge on I-45 from Hogan Street to White Oak Bayou. Partial funding for the project is through the Federal Highway Bridge Program, with the Federal government footing 80 percent of the bill and the remaining 20 percent paid for by the State of Texas. To qualify, all HBP projects must improve safety and efficiency of the highway. The bridge from Hogan Street to White Oak Bayou, and the bridge deck on northbound I-45 from Memorial Drive to Hogan Street will replace and improve upon existing structures; while the connector is an entirely new structure that TxDOT has earmarked for added safety. "It is a safety feature so that now traffic going from I-10 westbound to I-45 northbound will veer on to their own connector instead of being tied up in traffic continuing along I-10," George said. "This will go a long way in reducing congestion in the area as well." She also said private property or parks nearby will not be changed or effected by the construction of the new connector bridge. Once the construction is completed in October 2017, George said that the bike trails will resume their normal routes, unchanged. Houston mayor Sylvester Turner discussed transportation issues at a Kingwood town hall meeting Feb. 23. More than 300 Kingwood residents heard Turner reiterate the important of mobility issues in the area. "I know that when it comes to the Kingwood area, it's mobility once, mobility twice, mobility three times. I know that mobility and transportation are critical components, and we are going to work with your council member to make sure that Kingwood is represented in every sense of the word," Turner said. District E councilman Dave Martin also talked about mobility and transportation in the city's comprehensive improvement plan and the Kingwood Transportation and Mobility Study. Kingwood Drive, considered one of the worst roadways in the city of Houston, has been earmarked for several years for expansion from four to six lanes, as well as for a total resurfacing of the roadway. Kingwood Drive was listed on the Kingwood Mobility Study conducted in 2015, but will more than likely be funded through the city's capital improvement plan. Kingwood Drive is earmarked for expansion on the CIP for sometime in 2018. Northpark Drive Stan Sarman, chairman of Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 10 and the Kingwood Mobility Steering Committee, said they've been continuing their discussion with Montgomery County, Harris County, the Houston-Galveston Area Council and the Texas Department of Transportation, in an effort to coordinate funding for projects, such as the expansion of Northpark Drive, a key traffic artery in the mobility study. "We are doing everything we can from the TIRZ board to try and move these projects forward," he said. " Northpark Drive is the first thing we need to get moving on." Sarman said the talks have gone well with many of the entities, and that all of the parties are trying to determine the best course of action to obtain the needed funding in order to begin the Northpark Drive project. Sarman said the TIRZ also has hired a financial adviser to help guide them in identifying key funding mechanisms. Growth in this region is making all these improvements necessary. "There are more people moving into the region and in the next 20 years, it is estimated that three million more people will living within our region - the equivalent of putting another Chicago right here in the Houston region," Turner said. "That's a lot of people." Some growth already isbeing seen in new commercial development. Main Street Kingwood In 2015, Martin announced the development of Main Street Kingwood, which will be located on a 33-acre site that was home to the former Kings Crossing apartment complex purchased in 2013, and for many years regarded as an eyesore and a magnet for criminal activity in Kingwood. The site, which is located at the intersection of Kingwood Drive and West Lake Houston Parkway is expected to see the first occupants move in before the end of October. Liz Jacob, executive vice president at Lovett Commercial Development, which owns the site, said Lovett Development was excited about the development of Main Street Kingwood. "We think we've done some pretty architecture to put in the Kingwood area," she said. Among the most anticipated of these is the H-E-B store that will anchor Main Street Kingwood and be among the most unique stores in the H-E-B family. The store will be 99,000 square-feet, as opposed to the average 50,000 square foot H-E-B store, and will include a sit-down Chinese style restaurant, and enclosed bakery, an enclosed fish market, a prep room for juices made on premises, a larger produce market, and meat case that will offer 21-day dry-aged beef, and four grades of beef, a massive wine case that will offer up to 1,600 varieties of wine, as well nearly every kind of craft beer, and the Cooking Connection, which provides recipes and live cooking classes presented by chefs. "At H-E-B, we seek to be the best retailer we can be, so that we can invest in our customers through the lowest possible prices and the best products that help Texas families," said Scott McClelland president of H-E-B. The new store will also be one of only three in the H-E-B family to offer curb side delivery for those who don't want to go in, or simply don't have the time to go shopping. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Houston-area residents getting ready to brave the morning commute on Wednesday should use extreme caution navigating local roadways, as heavy rainfall is predicted to soak much of Southeast Texas overnight and not ease up until later in the day. By Thursday morning, much of the area could see anywhere from 4 to 8 inches of rain, while some isolated areas could see up to 12 inches. Tornadoes, damaging winds and hail are also possible; however, most meteorologists believe flash flooding would be the most likely threat faced by Southeast Texas residents on Wednesday. Check before you go out: See live traffic updates in the Houston area "By Wednesday evening, there still may be some isolated showers or thunderstorms, but the most intense activity should have passed," said Kent Prochazka, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's local office. "That's the good news." Still, some flooding seems likely. On Tuesday, local emergency responders were planning to have additional crews on the ground in case there should be a need for water rescues. Along the coast, tides are expected to be 1 to 2 feet above normal. A small-craft advisory was in effect for Galveston and Matagorda bays through Thursday. The weather forecast: See updates for the Houston area The same storm system expected to wallop Houston struck the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Tuesday, bringing reports of flooding and damaging winds. Crews had to rescue a group of schoolchildren and a bus driver from flood waters in Denton. Heavy winds and at least three identified tornadoes caused damage to several areas in north Texas, according to the National Weather Service. Drivers, beware: You may want to avoid these Houston spots when it rains The first tornado, spotted near Cool in western Parker County, damaged or destroyed several homes. The second tornado struck Stephenville, damaging several businesses including an apartment complex. The third tornado of the day was spotted just east of Tolar. The National Weather Service said two people were hurt after the twister struck a mobile-home park, heavily damaging at least six homes. The National Weather Service said all three tornadoes were categorized as EF-1s, with peak winds between 85-105 mph. Forecasters said they will investigate further on Wednesday to measure other areas of possible storm damage. It's been months since Houston saw much in the way of rainfall. In October, the area got socked by the remnants of Hurricane Patricia, which helped lay the groundwork for a wet Halloween. The dry ground conditions should help mitigate some of the impact of this week's rains, but they certainly won't eliminate the chance of flash flooding. Staff writer Mike Glenn contributed to this report. DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI-TV) Officials warn drivers to change lanes or slow down flashing lights on the side of the road after an officer was nearly hit by a semi. Captain Randy Jones of the Iowa State Patrol pulled over to help a broken-down buss on Highway 20 near Webster City on January 22. Just seconds after Jones left his car to help the bus, a semi-truck barely missed hitting him and side swiped the bus. "My heart definitely jumped up into my throat," said Jones. "It just happened so fast I had no opportunity to move any other place." CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Texas trooper 'karate kicks' suspect See how much money you're losing in traffic in the gallery above Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Nathan Ludwig said it happens more than drivers realize. "We see it every day and it's not just deputies," said Ludwig. "It's city officers, tow truck drivers, DOT maintenance." "No matter what it is, if there is emergency lights on the side of the road you either got to move over or slow down," said Ludwig. None of the 40 kids on the bus were hurt. The semi-truck driver, 48-year-old Todd Nunemaker, said he glanced down for a second to pick up something. "He seemed to me to be very sorry and upset at what occurred and how close it was to being a lot bigger tragedy than what it was," said Jones. Nunemaker was fined $195 for failing to move over. "You ask any police officer, the fine isn't enough because you can't put a value on somebody's life who almost got hit," said Ludwig. Ludwig said drivers often fail to move over because they are not paying attention or are following the car in front of them. Story originally published on KCCI.com The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p. Braves advance to semis at Unity CHEROKEE - Cherokee's volleyball girls took down Harlan 3-0 on Monday and headed to Orange City this past Wednesday to... Wolverines end season at West Bend-Mallard WEST BEND - The South OBrien volleyball team traveled to face West Bend-Mallard in the first round of the regional... Warriors suffer 44-14 loss to Gehlen Catholic ALTA - The Alta-Aurelia football team hosted Gehlen Catholic on Friday evening, but lost the game 44-14. The Warriors struck... Warriors take down Raiders to finish regular season ALTA - The Alta-Aurelia volleyball team hosted East Sac County on Thursday evening and took down the Raiders 3-1 to... Braves go 3-6 at Heelan Invite SIOUX CITY - Cherokee's volleyball team, 23-9, worked on fine tuning its skills here Saturday in a 12-team Sioux City... Fear was a New Yorkers constant companion in the 1970s and 80s. We lived behind doors with triple locks, some like engines of medieval ironmongery. We barred our ground-floor and fire-escape windows with steel grates that made us feel imprisoned. I was thankful for mine, though, when a hatchet turned up on my fire escape, origin unknown. Nearing our building entrances, we held our keys at the ready and looked over our shoulders, as police and street-smart lore advised; our hearts pounded as we tried to shove the heavy doors open and slam them shut before some mugger could push in behind us, standard mugging procedure. Only once was I too slow and lost my money. A neighbor, who worked at a midtown bank, lost his life. So to read Saul Bellows Mr. Sammlers Planet when it came out in 1970 was like a jolt of electricity. Just when New York had begun to spin out of controlsteadily worsening for over two decades until murders numbered over 2,200 a year, one every four hoursBellows novel described the unraveling with brilliant precision and explained unflinchingly why it was happening. His account shocked readers: some thought it racist and reactionary; others feared it was true but too offensive for a decent person to say. In those days, I felt I should cover my copy with a plain brown wrapper on the subway to veil the obscenity of its political incorrectness. The book was true, prophetically so. And now that we live in New Yorks second golden agethe age of reborn neighborhoods in every borough, of safe streets bustling with tourists, of $40 million apartments, of filled-to-overflowing private schools and colleges, of urban glamour; the age when the New York Times runs stories that explain how once upon a time there was the age of the mugger and that ask, is new york losing its street smarts?its important to recall that todays peace and prosperity mustnt be taken for granted. Hip young residents of the revived Lower East Side or Williamsburg need to know that its possible to kill a city, that the streets they walk daily were once no-go zones, that within living memory residents and companies were fleeing Gotham, that newsweeklies heralded the rotting of the Big Apple and movies like Taxi Driver and Midnight Cowboy plausibly depicted New York as a nightmare peopled by freaks. Thats why its worth looking back at Mr. Sammler to understand why that decline occurred: we need to make sure it doesnt happen again. A septuagenarian Holocaust survivor who lives on 90th Street near Riverside Drive (my turf for most of the last 45 years), the novels main character, Artur Sammler, sees disorder and decay wherever he looks. Out in the public realm, vandals have cut the receivers off pay phones and turned the booths into reeking urinals. In the parks, dog waste has killed the grass, and bums are everywhere. In one park, Sammler observes a wino sullenly pissing on newspapers and old leaves, while a homeless woman sleeps on a bench, her sea cows belly rising, legs swollen purple. Even the freshly opened daffodils show smudges of soot on their pure yellow petals. Central Park promenaders who now savor the lush Great Lawn or the sublime Bethesda Fountain should know what a heroic effort of philanthropy and policing it took to reclaim what less than two decades ago was a dusty, sterile, graffiti-marred wasteland where dope dealers and muggers reigned. Nothing you see today is the pure production of nature but springs instead from civic will and vision. Along with disorder went crime. Sammler knows he cant jog in Riverside Park any more because of the muggers, and he sees in the parks trees and bushes cover for sexual violence, knifepoint robberies, sluggings, and murders. Crime pervades the whole city, even into private sanctuaries. Sammlers niece opens her window to admire a beautiful sunset and then forgets to lock it, allowing burglars to climb in from the roof below, as used to happen routinely. The least of her losses is the financial one. The sentimental value of her lockets, chains, rings, heirlooms was not appreciated by the insurance company. Such things are precious to her because they link her to her dead husband, her dead parents. For such loss, and the loss of her sense of safety in her own home, there can be no recompense. How wonderful it would be to have the privileges of remoteness that $50,000 a year could buy, Sammler thinksclub membership, taxis, doormen, guarded approaches, all of the insulation that only 17 years later, as Tom Wolfe calculated more lavishly in Bonfire of the Vanities, took an income of $1 million a year. (Since Dickens, our best urbanologists have been our novelists.) But, Bellow points out, even the opulent sections of the city were not immune. You opened a jeweled door into degradation, from hypercivilized Byzantine luxury straight into the state of nature. The novels personification of all that crime is a tall, powerfully built thief whom Sammler sees several times working the Riverside Drive bus, a dandified black man sporting a camels-hair coat, homburg, and Dior sunglasses. Sammler, slightly taller, can watch him over the heads of the other standees as he skillfully snaps open the handbags and methodically empties the purses of his unaware victims. One day, shielded from the other passengers by his broad, well-tailored back, the thief robs a weak old man with red-lidded eyes of sea-mucus blue, cowering in the buss back corner, his false teeth dropping from his upper gums in his terror. The thief pulls open the mans jacket with its ragged lining, takes out his plastic wallet, and methodically rifles through the contents, pocketing the money and the Social Security check, while dropping the family photos like so much trash. Then, in a gesture of ironic contempt, he jerks the knot of the old mans tie approximately, but only approximately, into place. So much, in other words, for the old mans claim, through the symbol of his otherwise useless necktie, of membership in a civilized community, where civility and forbearance govern our relations with one another and family bonds matter. And so much for his social security in the literal sense, if the state cant even secure him from invasion and violation in public and in broad daylight. Its the ultimate satire: the state that promises you the security of an old-age pension cant even provide you the security to keep itthe primary purpose of a state. Its almost as bad as todays Britain, where the welfare state provides for your welfare not by stopping omnipresent thugs from beating you senseless but by sewing you up afterward for free. As a Holocaust survivor, Sammler views this fraying of the social order with special unease. Like many people who had seen the world collapse once, Mr. Sammler entertained the possibility it might collapse twice. He knows firsthand the evil of which men are capable. Clubbed in Poland into a mass grave, he alone survives and crawls out through the blood-slick bodies of the innocent dead, among whom lies his wife. Fighting alongside the partisans in the Polish forests, hunted like a rat, he learns the evil he himself can dowith pleasure in the doing. He surprises a Nazi soldier, makes him throw his rifle into the snow and strip off his warm clothes, which Sammler, himself nearly a corpse, badly wants. Dont shoot, the scared young man cries, I have children. But Sammler, his human compassion dried up, puts two bullets into the young mans head. Bone burst. Matter flew out. And Sammler felt joy, felt bliss. His heart was lined with brilliant, rapturous satin. And now, in New York, Bellow remarks, this civil margin once removed, Mr. Sammler would never trust the restoration totally. Out of understandable anxiety for the social order, Sammler phones the police twice to have the bus thief arrested. They go through the motions with bored cynicism. If they will post a cop on the bus, Sammler says, hell point out the pickpocket. We dont have enough manpower, the desk officer replies; youll have to get on our waiting list. A waiting list? Sammler objects. This man is going to rob more people, but you arent going to do anything about it. Is that right? The confirmatory answer is silencethe contempt-edged passivity that anyone who called the cops in the seventies and eighties, when, as Bellow remarks, the police were never around when you needed them, will remember well. Obsessed with the thief, in whose evil actions there is illumination of normally hidden potentialities within human nature, Sammler watches for him on the bus. Like most law-abiding citizens in those days, he pretends not to see malefactors in the midst of their doings, lest his look be construed as a challengea continual experience of self-abasement, as I remember well. A dry, a neat, a prim face declared that one had not crossed anyones boundary; one was satisfied with ones own business. But the robber notices Sammler watching him and follows him home into the lobby of his building. Holding him against the wall with his forearm, speaking no more than a puma would, the robber calmly unbuttons his camels-hair coat, opens his fly, and displays to Sammler his penis, a large tan-and-purple uncircumcised thing like a snake or an elephants trunk, along with his great oval testicles. The thing was shown with mystifying certitude as a prominent and separate object intended to communicate authority. Then the thief returns it to his trousers. Quod erat demonstrandum. He releases Sammler, concluding the session, the lesson, the warning, the encounter, the transmission. No reader of Sammler has ever forgotten this scene, and even the novels characters cant stop talking about it. Was it sixteen, eighteen inches? a wide-eyed nephew asks Sammler. Would you guess it weighed two pounds, three pounds, four? And indeed, it is the books central moment: in it come together Bellows key themes of crime, race, the sexual revolution, and the fragility of the social order. While Bellow was writing Mr. Sammlers Planet, not only were the criminals who preyed on the city overwhelmingly black (as is still true in New York), but much worse black violence threatened to destroy urban America in a latterday version of the European upheaval that nearly killed Sammler. Race was the social problem. In 1965, riots raged for six days in Los Angeless Watts ghetto, leaving over 30 dead and whole blocks in ashes; in 1967, over 40 died in the Detroit ghetto riots before the National Guard, with army reinforcements, restored order; and over 25 died in the Newark riots, in which the looters, shooters, and arsonists left $10 million of property in ruins. A year later, after Martin Luther Kings assassination, rioting raged in black neighborhoods for days in over 100 cities. Meanwhile, black radicalsmost notably, the weapons-toting, cop-killing Black Pantherswere calling for armed revolution. The year Sammler appeared, Tom Wolfe jeered at the white elites embrace of the Panthers in his hilarious essay Radical Chic, describing a party Leonard Bernstein had thrown to introduce the paramilitary-garbed black-power group to such friends as Richard Avedon, Lillian Hellman, Robert Silvers, and Barbara Walters in his Park Avenue duplex. But for Bellow, despite his keen sense of the absurd, such antics were no laughing matter. They were part of the reason why New York was falling apart. Since the nineteenth century, bohemians, writers, and intellectuals have toyed with the romance of the outlaw, as Sammler puts it. He thought often what a tremendous appeal crime had made to the children of bourgeois civilization. Whether as revolutionists, as supermen, as saints, Knights of Faith, even the best teased and tested themselves with thoughts of knife or gun. Lawless Raskolnikovs. But in Sammlers New York, and in elite culture generally in the sixties, that romance of the outlaw focused primarily on blacks, whose status as social victims and outcasts transformed their criminal acts (ex officio, so to speak) into manly, quasi-heroic revolts against oppression, however inchoate. Another of Sammlers nieces, a rich, pretty Sarah Lawrence grad, embodies this prevailing worldview: she regularly sends money to defense funds for black murderers and rapists. Her uncle has no patience with this attitude. You cant excuse a crime by saying it has been committed by a victim. To whom would this not apply, if you start to say poor creature? he dryly objects. But though this exculpatory impulse springs partly from a widespread wish to make amends for centuries of racial injustice and to see the unity of the different races affirmed, its roots go deeper than that. The American elite, Bellow saw, had lost confidence in its core values. The labor of Puritanism was now ending; the Puritan outlook that had guided America for three and a half centuries, the bourgeois outlook that formerly was believed, trusted, was now bitterly circled in black irony. Without faith in their core bourgeois values and in the social order that rested on those values, the old elite had ceased to believe in its own legitimacy. Not surprisingly, Mr. Sammler was testy with White Protestant America for not keeping better order. Cowardly surrender. Not a strong ruling class. Eager in a secret humiliating way to come down and mingle with all the minority mobs, and scream against themselves. Perhaps he had in mind Johnson-administration attorney general Ramsey Clark, son of Supreme Court justice Tom Clark, who was asserting at that moment that white Americas racism and oppression (rather than black criminals) were responsible for black crime and that evil America was the worlds chief perpetrator of crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. (In later years, he became a defender of Saddam Hussein and the blind terrorist sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman.) Or perhaps he had in mind Mayflower descendant William Sloane Coffin, son of a Metropolitan Museum board president, who as Yales chaplain and then as minister of Riverside Church went from being a civil rights Freedom Rider to becoming the countrys leading Vietnam War protester, draft-resistance advocate (for whom civil disobedience seemed to be his creeds main sacrament), and denouncer of Americas lack of social justice. Or hundreds like them, including New Yorks then-mayor John Lindsay, whose Dutch ancestors arrived in Manhattan in the seventeenth century. Americas elites, at least the most vocal among them, no longer believed in the importance or legitimacy of policing their own streetsor the world. As we only later came to grasp clearly, all the resultant disorder that Bellow catalogedpublic spaces despoiled by drunks, drug dealers, addicts, and madmen; unchecked vandalism; the stench of human and canine waste everywhere; the sordid parade of prostitutes of all genders around Times Square (whose modern romanticizers either werent there or else have a rarefied taste for the squalid and perverse)all these so-called victimless crimes turned out to be the great incubator of serious crime. Potential wrongdoers accurately concluded from the lack of order-keeping policing that the authorities didnt care, so they could rob, mug, steal cars, and so on with impunity, right up to a gang of black 14-year-olds shooting another kid to death, as Sammlers nephew casually reports. To the elites, in fact, all the victimless disorder wasnt just harmless but healthy: drugs were mind-expanding, madmen were marching to the beat of a different drummer, blasting boomboxes were the exuberant expression of what we hadnt yet learned to call multiculturalism, and restraint was oppression. As Bellow understood, social disorder flowed from cultural change. Of all the Puritan restraints, sexual restraint was Number One on the elites hit list. The opposite of a virtue, it was now deemed harmful, malignant. As the ascendant psychotherapeutic worldview had it, Sammler caustically notes, the bad puritanical attitudes from the sick past . . . have damaged civilization so much. In the 1960s, the elites wanted the final triumph of the EnlightenmentLiberty, Fraternity, Equality, Adultery! With the struggles of three revolutionary centuries finally won and the constraints of church and family cast off, the American elites demanded one ultimate liberation. They clamored for the privileges of aristocracy, . . . especially the libidinous privileges, the right to be uninhibited, spontaneous, urinating, defecating, belching, coupling in all positions, tripling, quadrupling, polymorphous, noble in being natural, primitive, combining the leisure and luxurious inventiveness of Versailles with the hibiscus-covered erotic ease of Samoa. Because black Americans, as elite culture saw it, already enjoyed this sought-for sexual freedom, white Americans, Bellow says, had formed an idea of the corrupting disease of being white and the healing power of black. They saw blacks as the mythical noble savages, free from hypercivilized inhibition, their natural potency unimpaired. From the black side, Bellow writes in Sammler, strong currents were sweeping over everyone. Child, black, redskinthe unspoiled Seminole against the horrible Whiteman. Millions of civilized people wanted oceanic, boundless, primitive, neckfree nobility, experienced a strange release of galloping impulses, and acquired the peculiar aim of sexual niggerhood for everyone. Hence, as Sammlers pretty niece tells him after a few drinks, A Jew brain, a black cock, a Nordic beauty is what a woman wants. And men have similar ambitions, Sammler muses. Did not LBJ, according to an apocryphal but plausible story, expose himself to reporters, demanding to know whether a man so well hung could not be trusted to lead his country? Trouble was, Americans wanted two mutually exclusive things, Sammler observes. They sought the privileges, and the free ways of barbarism, under the protection of civilized order, property rights, refined technological organization, and so on. But you can have only one or the other. That is the meaning of the camels-hair-clad robbers self-display. Yes, here is the big black member that everyone wants; but it is attached to a criminal. Its freedom, power, and authority are lawless, ready to make use of anyone, barbaric, bestial. Throughout, Bellow describes the robber as an elegant brute with the effrontery of a big animal. He is an African prince or great black beast . . . seeking whom he might devouras Saint Peter described that incarnation of evil, the devil. His gesture expresses to Sammler that he has the power and the will to devour him if need be. President Johnson might claim the authority to rule the world; the robber claims the alpha males authority to rule the jungle, the state of nature, by force and violence. As the classical political philosophers held, the civilized order that protects our lives and property rests on restraint. We curb our freedom of aggressive impulse to ensure the safety of all, ourselves included. The resultant freedom to go about our cities unmolested and to channel our energies into the civilized arts and sciences that generate human progress is a higher freedom than the liberty we relinquish. We limit our sexual freedom in order to form stable families that teach children to internalize civilizations self-restraint and make it part of their character, a process that turns the raw material of nature into human beings. I thought everybody was born human, Sammlers pretty niece tells him. He replies, with this civilizing process in mind: It is not a natural gift at all. Only the capacity is natural. All the old impulses persist in all of us, of course, which requires a perpetual effort of restraint from both the individual and the society. When the curbs break down enough, whether within the individuals conscience or the order-keeping activity of society at large, what results is the elegant brute of a robber or the 14-year-old murderers or the black urban underclass that was forming at the very moment Bellow was writinga subgroup of blacks whose sexual freedom produced skyrocketing illegitimacy rates and weak families whose children crowded into the ranks of robbers and murderers. For many middle-class people, like Sammlers pretty niece, a sexual adventurer who has done it in too many ways with too many men, the result was an epidemic of divorce that left a generation of wounded children, determined either never to get divorced and inflict the same pain on their own children or else never to get married in the first place. Bellow himself, who had five wives, plus affairs and one-night stands beyond enumeration, came to judge the sexual revolution a thirty-year disaster. The Enlightenment, emphasizing reason, liberation, and dreams of human perfectibility, lost sight of these fundamental truths about human nature and the social order. It expelled the old worlds demons, Bellow saysthose imaginary embodiments of the human evil that everyone once knew existed. But the heirs of the Enlightenment notables who freed mankind from superstition and vassalage now threaten to bring the demons back through sheer ignorance of the reality they represented. Sammler wonders whether the worst enemies of civilization might not prove to be its petted intellectuals who attacked it at its weakest momentsattacked it in the name of proletarian revolution, in the name of reason, and in the name of irrationality, in the name of visceral depth, in the name of sex, in the name of perfect instantaneous freedom. Ignorant of what they are doing, they hack away at the basic conditions of the civilized order by which they live. When Sammler, who between the wars was the London correspondent for several Warsaw magazines, gives an informal talk at Columbia about his acquaintanceship with such luminaries as H. G. Wells, J. M. Keynes, and John Strachey, a bearded listener rudely interrupts. How dare Sammler quote George Orwells statement that British radicals were protected by the Royal Navy? . . . Thats a lot of shit, the man splutters. Orwell was a fink. He was a sick counterrevolutionary. Its good he died when he did. The Levis-clad man has no use for the notions that an anti-Communist (though still a leftist) like Orwell could be great and that radicals were free to spout their revolutionary nostrums not only because liberal England gladly tolerated diversity of opinion but also because it guarded its liberal freedom with the very military might the radicals despised. The audience shouldnt listen to Sammler, this effete old shit, the young man continues. His balls are dry. Hes dead. He cant come. The young man, in other words, subscribes to the philosophy of the thief in the camels-hair coat: all authority resides in the genitals, beside which Sammlers wide erudition and the Western culture over which he ranges so widely throughout the novel count as nothing. The mans last charge comes almost verbatim from an outburst during a lecture Bellow gave at radical San Francisco State. He resisted his initial impulse to say, Lets choose a young lady from the audience for a trial heat and see about this, he reported in a letter. But in Sammler, he changed the heckler from the creative-writing instructor he actually was to a poor mans Jean Genet who wrote a book about homosexuals in prison. . . . Buggery behind bars. Or being a pure Christian angel because you commit murder and have beautiful male love affairs. He made him, in other words, a representative of the emerging academic culture that was turning against the Western tradition it was entrusted to transmit: ignorant, coarse-minded, anti-intellectual, irrational, hyper-ideological, sex-crazed, substituting sloganeering and invective for argument, obsessed with the marginal and the oppressed as evidence of Western societys fundamental, inexpiable injustice. The professors were turning against Western culture because, with religion weakened among the elites, culture was the last authoritative bastion of Thou Shalt Nots, the repository of the great thinkers conclusions about what kind of life and behavior is best for man, what makes our existence meaningful and human, what allows us to fulfill our highest potentialitiesand what leads to strife and sorrow. This final push for liberation on campus, including a liberation from Enlightenment reason itself, didnt want to hear about the right life or the wrong. Every kind of experiment in livingcoupling in all positions, tripling, quadrupling, polymorphouswas fine in elite cultures united effort to conquer disgust. The eras artists and playwrights turned against culture, too: Bellow mentions the painting of Andy Warhol, with its fey, arch insistence that theres no difference between the higher accomplishments and the lower, or among art, commerce, and celebrity; and he mentions the Performance Groups famous production of Dionysus in 69, whose naked actors evidently had missed Nietzsches caution that art needs the shaping, ordering Apollonian element to contain the frenzy, sexual license, and intoxication of the Dionysian, which, left to itself, ends in murder. For the elites, it was Dionysus all the way. Thats what worried Bellow most about the radical professors and their elite allies. You dont found universities in order to destroy culture, he wrote after the fracas at San Francisco State. For that you want a Nazi party. Who could tell where the professors overturning of the Thou Shalt Nots would end, now that sexual restraint had evaporated? They claimed they wanted a revolution, and they hailed the Black Panther revolutionaries and black radicals who brandished rifles at Cornell in 1969. Sammler, for his part, cant help recalling that almost all modern revolutions, from the Jacobins to the Nazis and the Communists, have ended with the streets running with blood, because murder has been at their heart, rather than an incidental means to an end. For revolutionary leaders like Stalin, the really great prize of power was unobstructed enjoyment of murder, while the revolutionary masses in turn loved the man strong enough to take blood guilt on himself. For them an elite must prove itself in this ability to murder. Each modern revolution (the American one alone excepted) overturned civilizations ultimate restraint and became a conspiracy against the sacredness of life. So while Sammler understands the violence of the camels-hair-clad robber as a brutish reversion to the state of nature when society fails to keep order, he knows from experience that when a revolutionary elite calls for the overturning of restraints and the trashing of culture, it can end in something still worsein the elites seizing control of the government and unleashing against some of its own citizens the very same murderous violence that government theoretically exists to curb. And such elites have done so even with the genius of the Nazis, who learned how to abolish conscience and how to get the curse out of murder by making it look ordinary, boring, or trite. Even in the sixties and seventies, New Yorkers didnt expect to hear jackboots marching up Riverside Drive, however, and for all his dark thoughts, Sammler doesnt believe, as a few refugee friends do, that Nazisms second coming is inevitable. But at that time, we certainly understood Sammlers weary resignation that hed have to give up the Riverside bus and use the subway instead, which he hated. We were giving up so much of our citywalking in certain neighborhoods, coming home very late (or even going out after dark for milk or bread) unless absolutely essential. We came to wonder if New York was a place that stunted human possibility instead of expanding it. I remember coming back from London in the mid-seventies and seeing Gotham with new eyes, as one does after an absencethe potholed streets and broken sidewalks; the graffiti smeared everywhere, as if punks had defaced the whole city; the dirt and litter; the shabby, ill-tended buildings; the thugs and bums; the rumpled, stoop-shouldered, careworn pedestrians, even on Fifth Avenue. It looked like a second-class town, trending downward toward insignificance, with the whimper of disorder and crime. Or toward death, with the bang of race riots. Many of us felt with Sammler that liberal beliefs [in the classical sense] didnt seem capable of self-defense, and you could smell decay. Could it be that the radical assault on culture would succeed and that a whole generation of new mutants, in critic Leslie Fiedlers term, would grow up not understanding the traditional virtues and vices, and blind to lifes nobler possibilities? Already you could see that some of the professorial radicals students, the hippie flower children pursuing their bliss, would crumble under the dangers the world holds for everyone. Innocent, devoid of aggression, opting out, much like Ferdinand the Bull, Sammler muses of them. How similar also to the Eloi of H. G. Wells fantasy The Time Machine. Lovely young human cattle herded by the cannibalistic Morlocks who lived a subterranean life and feared light and fire. Or prey at least for the muggers and seducers all around themand in for the rude surprise that the world would demand more than sex, drugs, and rock and roll. God forbid that jackboots ever did goose-step up Riverside Driveor need to be halted under some distant palm or pine by the likes of these. But neither the death of New York nor the death of conscience ever happened. Like most Americans, the majority of New Yorkers (chiefly in the outer boroughs rather than Manhattan) were pragmatic folk, capable of learning from experience. They didnt want to lose their town, and they elected Rudy Giuliani to clean it up. And all over the country, kids turned against the way their baby-boomer, sexual-revolutionary parents had brought them up, and resolved to do something different. They understood there was a better way to live. How did they know it? A residue of the old culture, too strong to die? A pragmatic or instinctive understanding that there is a right and a wrong life for man, which some of the old philosophers called Natural Law? From page one of Mr. Sammlers Planet, Bellow himself insists that, beyond the explanations we construct through Enlightenment reason, the soul has its own natural knowledge. We all have a sense of the mystic potency of humankind and an inclination to believe in archetypes of goodness. A desire for virtue was no accident. We all know that we must try to live with a civil heart. With disinterested charity. We must live a life conditioned by other human beings. We must try to meet the terms of the contract life sets us, as Sammler says in the astonishing affirmation with which Bellow ends his book. The terms which, in his inmost heart, each man knows. . . . As all know. For that is the truth of itthat we all know, God, that we know, that we know, we know, we know. Top Photo by Express Newspapers/Getty Images Exit Right: The People Who Left the Left and Reshaped the American Century, by Daniel Oppenheimer (Simon & Schuster, 404 pp., $28) Daniel Oppenheimers Exit Right: The People Who Left the Left and Reshaped the American Century is an extended, misnamed argument-by-indirection. Its title notwithstanding, this is a book about the Left in which there is very little about how the Right reshaped the American century. Oppenheimer looks at the lives of six figuresWhittaker Chambers, James Burnham, Ronald Reagan, Norman Podhoretz, David Horowitz, and Christopher Hitchensin chronological order, he says, to show how beliefs are shaped and reshaped by psychological traumas and, for the first three figures, by the course of history. The upshot is a disjointed effort to acknowledge the crimes of Communism while turning a blind eye to the soft Stalinism and neo-Black Nationalist politics that have taken root today on campuses and in the Democratic Party. The book opens with the early life of Chambers, whose extraordinary memoir Witness detailed his six-year stint as a Soviet spy and subsequent conversion to Christianity. The second chapter, on James Burnham and Trotskyism, shines, in part because Oppenheimer takes a break from pop psychologizing. In a footnote, the author quotes my old mentor and former Trotskyite Irving Howe on how the old man (Trotsky) believed that to write is to engage in a serious political act, a gesture toward the redemption or recreation of man. Seeing themselves as the true heirs of the Bolshevik Revolution, Trotskyites felt free to criticize the crimes of Communism. But in the wake of the 1939 HitlerStalin nonaggression pact, Burnhama leading anti-Stalinist leftistabandoned Trotskyism. Burnhams 1941 book, The Managerial Revolution: Whats Happening in the World, had a major influence on George Orwell, who transmuted his ideas about both the end of capitalism and the rival assertions of oligarchical power into the drama of 1984. Oppenheimer rationalizes his labored treatment of these six figures by noting that it is during periods of political transition when the bones of ones belief system are broken and poking out through the skin, that the contingency and complexity of belief become most visible. This comely but tenuous formula falls apart when Oppenheimer writes about Norman Podhoretz. Maintaining that Podhoretzs shift from left to right was simply a result of the harsh reaction to his memoir, Making It, Oppenheimer ignores shattering events like the Six Day War and the civil war among American liberals set off by the battle over black self-segregation in Gothams Ocean Hill-Brownsville school crisis. He mentions neither incident, not even in passing. Throughout his discussion of Podhoretz, Oppenheimers pop psychologizing substitutes for history. He seems puzzled by Podhoretzs disdain for Hannah Arendts Eichmann in Jerusalem and its benighted argument about the banality of evil. If Oppenheimer had paid attention to the evidence laid out in Bettina Stangneths Eichmann Before Jerusalem, he would have understood that the imperious Arendt had been hoodwinked by the Nazi war criminal. Similarly, if Oppenheimer hadnt concluded his examination of Podhoretz so abruptly, he could have noted that the Commentary editor and his then close friend, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, had broken with the Left without joining the Right. The root problem with Exit Right is its ahistorical focus on how its subjects processed their anger. The book fails to account for the differences between political correctness in the 1940s and political correctness today. At the end of World War II, Ronald Reagan spoke of Americas triumph over the venom of fascist bigotry. But as Stalin was conquering Eastern Europe, Franklin Roosevelts oldest son, James, was assailed by Soviet supporters for supporting American ideals. Jimmy [Roosevelt] needed someone to stand up for him, said Reagan. Well, sir, I found myself waist-high in epithets such as fascist and capitalist scum and enemy of the proletariat and witch-hunter and red-baiter before I could say, Boo. Its redolent of Martin OMalley being pilloried by Black Lives Matter for stating that all lives matter. But unlike Reagan, OMalley quickly apologized for his politically incorrect faux pas. Oppenheimer attempts to reduce the transformations hes written about to largely personal journeys. He fails to grasp that the tolerant liberalism he identified with the middle-aged Ronald Reagan was merely an interregnum. By the time Oppenheimer awkwardly concludes with a section on the idiosyncratic and independent leftist Christopher Hitchens, the book has sunk into a morass of misunderstandings. Hitchens was the Madonna of Western journalisma man skilled at striking different poses. On the Israeli-Palestinian matter, Oppenheimer writes, which came to define Hitchens leftism perhaps more than any other issue in the 1980s, the British-American journalist took as guiding light the literary confidence man Edward Said. But Oppenheimer never mentions Saids Trump-like con, in which he posed as a victim of Israeli eviction from Jerusalem during the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. The young Said, son of an American citizen, was actually living a comfortable life in Cairo at the time. The adult Said became an apologist for Palestinian terrorism and Arab dictators on the grounds, as he explained in his academic bestseller Orientalism, that the failures of the Arab world were created by the imperialist constructs of Western literature. Oppenheimer has a hard time explaining Hitchenss conflicted postures. Strikingly, he misses one of Hitchenss central motivationsanti-fascism. No matter how much the British Left gyrated on issues, anti-fascism seemed to Hitchens the sturdy pole around which its enthusiasms orbited. That was largely true until the 2003 Iraq War, when the U.S. deposed Saddam Hussein, whose government had been modeled, like the Baathist Assad regime in Syria, on Mussolinis fascism. Hitchens had friends in London whod been tortured by Saddam Hussein. He was shaken free of much of his leftism by the Labourite defense of the dictator. Needless to say, none of this appears in Oppenheimers book. Exit Right will get good reviews on the left and polite reviews elsewhere, but it offers no insights. It is simply pop psychology. Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images In a surreal reversion to the reactive thinking that contributed to New Yorks sky-high crime rates of the early 1990s, Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance has just announced that his office and the NYPD will focus their attention on serious crimes instead of on low-level offenses like litter, public drinking, and public urination. Persons committing such allegedly minor offenses will now overwhelmingly be given a summons, if they are stopped at all, rather than be arrested; in response to that summons, they will have to pay a fine rather than face a judge and prosecutor. It was this specious distinction between serious and insignificant offenses that Commissioner William Bratton torpedoed in his first tour as head of the New York Police Department in 1994. Bratton was then the most influential exponent of Broken Windows policing; that theory recognizes that allegedly minor offenses are often committed by individuals engaged in more serious crimes. Get a criminal off the streets for a low-level misdemeanor and you stand a good chance of preventing a felony. New York States prison population gives evidence for that proposition: the state prison rolls dropped 17 percent from 2000 to 2009, even as misdemeanor arrests in New York City (the overwhelming source of the state prison population) more than doubled. The reason for that decrease in the prison population (even as felony sentence lengths were rising) was that officers were intervening in criminal behavior earlier, before it had the chance to ripen into a felony. But even if there were not a great chain of being in criminal offending, responding seriously to Broken Windows offenses is a moral imperative. Residents of high-crime neighborhoods complain to the police most frequently about the public disorder in their neighborhoods, rather than about violent felonies. They rightly want the same of quality of life that residents of more affluent neighborhoods take for granted. Vance and Mayor Bill de Blasio justify this change in policy as a way to free up more police and court time toward the pursuit of serious offenders. These policy makers are signaling to police officers that the NYPD and Manhattan prosecutors no longer regard public-order offenses as a high priority. Some officers still equate real police work with arresting a robber; motivating them to take quality-of-life offenses seriously has always been a challenge. After this official recalibration of response, it is unlikely that officers will continue to devote much attention, if any, to public disorder. The litter on Manhattan streets has already become intolerable over the last year, signaling a city in decline. Such urban filth will now only grow worse. The change in policy signals to offenders as well that the police department no longer regards offenses against the public order as serious. In theory, a summons and fine could be an adequate deterrent to anti-civil behavior. But arrested criminals already have a sky-high rate of evading court and of skipping out on warrants. Compliance with the law is not likely to increase under this change. Like all of the ongoing seismic changes in the criminal-justice system, the attack on Broken Windows policing is driven by race. But if the majority of arrests for public-order offenses occur in minority neighborhoods, that is because the majority of such offenses occur there as well. The solution to racial disparities in the criminal-justice system is not to target policing. It is to bring the black crime rate down, something that depends first and foremost on revalorizing the two-parent family. Until that happens, however, downgrading the police response to public disorder does a disservice to the residents who have to live with its consequences. Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images Many aspects of the Donald Trump phenomenon are gratingthe crypto-fascism and assault on civility, for startersbut spare a thought for a lesser annoyance: the opportunism of every commentator peddling a pet criticism of the Republican Party. The list of explanations for Trumps popularity is as long as it is tedious: its the partys insistence on riling up the base over illegal immigration but also its refusal to take a tough stance on the issue; its the partys willingness to compromise with Washington liberals but also its constant obstructionism; its the partys refusal to repudiate various voter groups but also its refusal to acknowledge those voters grievances; its insufficient policy specificity on health-care reform and too much on entitlement reform; and on and on. Every objection anyone has ever had about the Republicans has become an explanation for Donald Trumps rise, even though the theories are often in direct conflict and always conveniently aligned with the analysts own preferences. Never mind that while Trump was rising, almost no one currently heaping scorn on Republicans believed that he was likely to become a serious threat. And never mind that for years, the thinking mans unthinking critique of the GOP was that it relied on divisive social issues such as gay marriage and abortion to build a base of evangelical support inclined toward theocracy. What happened to that assessment, now that the actual rupture has come from a movement entirely uninterested such goals? With religion out of play, the Republican Partys problem is instead too many white people. Jonathan Chait: Conservatism, and the modern Republican party, is the lineal heir of a historically continuous defense of white racial hierarchy that has been written out of the American civic tradition. Except, as the New York Times reported, Trumps strongest backing comes from traditionally Democratic voters. And he polls best in Massachusetts. Which theory of the GOPs flaws manifests itself most strongly in the Land of Elizabeth Warren? These critiques also seem unmoored from recent political history. What do the nominations of Bob Dole, George W. Bush, John McCain, and Mitt Romney say about the Republican Partys message? That its too mainstream, perhaps? That theres too reasonable a balance among the partys factions? Which other national politicians offered a better direction? That the partys trajectory is criticized as both too beholden to the base and too divorced from the base suggests that perhaps it was neither. If Trump hadnt run, were all these purportedly catastrophic missteps of the recent past poised to doom the party anyway? The GOP likely would be on the brink of nominating a conventional candidate like Marco Rubio or John Kasich, who would be favored to win against a Democratic Party that could not muster an option beyond a socialist punchline and a Clinton under federal investigation. Combine that with unprecedented congressional strength and dominance at the state level, and the Republican collapse would be hard to discern. Remember the epic House meltdown that produced Speaker Paul Ryan? Looking back, it was a less-than-obvious harbinger of the Trumpocalypse to come. None of which is to say that before Trump all was grand in the Grand Old Party. I have no shortage of my own complaints about its leadership, message, politics, and policy. In recent years, I, too, have argued that conservatives need to rethink their approach to issues from climate change and environmental regulation to poverty, inequality, and international trade. But I dont think Trumps success proves that I was right, or that if only someone had listened, we would be in a different spot today. Clearly, this campaign cycle has revealed deeper-than-appreciated dissatisfaction with Americas political system and appetite for a stark alternative. But it also represents a bizarre confluence of long-term trends and one-time phenomena. Lets not pretend that it was predictable, attributable to a particular set of decisions by a particular group of actors, or that it convincingly proves anyones preexisting hypotheses. Lets not even pretend that such a movement was predestined to emerge from the Rightwhen the real enthusiasm on the left is for a candidate who is not even a member of the Democratic Party. Regardless of where he lands, Donald Trump has already ruptured the GOP and posed a major challenge to American conservatism. But with postmortems for both party and movement already underway, we shouldnt make the mistake of developing solutions that fight the last war. Conservatives should be developing good policy and a compelling message, not something-that-would-have-stopped-Trump. No one knows what would have stopped Trump, and arguments from that premise are both disingenuous and a poor approach to planning for the future. Those who hate conservatism can indulge their schadenfreude while it lasts. Conservatives will just have to get back to work. Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images Californias legislature set out in 2012 to encourage the current and future development, testing, and operation of autonomous vehicles on the public roads of the statebut now, the state is poised effectively to ban such cars from the roads and highways. The Department of Motor Vehicles held a public workshop in Sacramento in late January and another in Los Angeles in early February to discuss draft regulations for autonomous vehicles. Though the rules wont be finalized before the end of the year, the news so far isnt goodfor the cars. Under the cover of consumer protection, the DMV proposes to limit the rollout of autonomous technology by, among other things, barring its commercial use, precluding truly autonomous operation, and prohibiting private sale and ownership of self-driving cars. The DMV is best known for ensuring that 16-year-olds are minimally competent behind the wheel of traditional motor vehicles; it has no particular expertise in evaluating the appropriateness of vehicle-safety requirements. But that hasnt stopped the department from imposing an excess of caution on the approval of autonomous-vehicle technology. The idea of cars or trucks operating without steering wheels or human drivers is exciting to entrepreneurs and commuters. Googles autonomous car would have no steering wheel, or even pedals. A delivery service such as Google Express would likely roll out without drivers. Uber is researching how to replace drivers as well. Shipping and logistics companies also envision a future when goods move from harbors to warehouses in autonomous trucks. More than a dozen disabled activists appeared at the hearing in Los Angeles to urge the DMV to allow purely autonomous vehicles, saying they would be a boon for people, such as the blind, who are incapable of driving right now. But the idea is terrifying to bureaucrats and regulators. The DMVs smotheringand costlyapproach will likely become state policy, squelching such innovations. Keeping driverless cars off the streets is one thing; why ban their sale entirely? DMV chief information officer Bernard Soriano said last month that because the proposed rules would place a three-year limit on the use of approved vehicles, buyers likely wouldnt receive much benefit over such a short period of ownership. Furthermore, the DMV believes that by prohibiting sales, the rules would protect early adopters of the technology from being stuck with vehicles that are later deemed unsafe by the department. Finally, the DMV maintains that leased vehicles, which remain under the ownership of the vehicle manufacturer, will be easier to collect data from. The first of the rationales is the most compelling, but only compared with the others. With only three years before retirement, a purchased vehicles valuemuch of it traditionally recouped in its resalewould be destroyed by these regulations. The rule would shift a greater financial burden onto manufacturers and all but guarantee that the only people able to afford early vehicles, even by leasing them, will be wealthy. If anything, the three-year sunset requirement is itself a constructive ban on ownership, which makes the DMVs second rationale irrelevant. If a small, wealthy segment of the population is aware of the states strictures and doesnt mind temporarily possessing a vehicle thats doomed by law, it can certainly afford the risk. The states supposed desire to protect these people from loss seems at once unnecessary and disingenuous. The DMVs third and final rationalecompliance with reporting requirementsis even more poorly conceived. As with every vehicle sold today, the manufacturer, for better or worse, controls the technology used and the data it produces. When you buy or lease a car, you sign a contract that says so explicitly. So the DMV would have access to any safety data it likes, regardless of whether the owner is the manufacturer or the end user. Without question, prohibiting private sale and ownership of self-driving cars and trucks would destroy value and raise costs. Google has already threatened to take its autonomous vehicle business elsewhere. Given that outcome, the DMVs justifications simply dont hold up. So why would the DMV push prohibition with such gusto? Why would the state pursue policies to discourage the adoption of vehicles that, by virtually all accounts, would be orders of magnitude safer than traditionally operated vehicles? And, how does a department charged with enacting the will of the legislature land so far afield of the legislatures stated goal of creating a legal framework that promotes autonomous vehicles? Very simply, lawmakers deferred too much authority to a bureaucracy, and Californias motorists will pay the price. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Peste 300 de liceene s-au inscris in Startup School si sunt gata sa invete bazele antreprenoriatului tehnologic. Vezi cum a fost la evenimentul de lansare a programului national de educatie antreprenoriala A Florida man who flew a small gyrocopter through protected Washington airspace before landing outside the U.S. Capitol last spring was seconds away from colliding with a Delta flight that had taken off from Reagan National Airport, prosecutors said. In a court filing Friday, prosecutors said Douglas Hughes flew his one-person aircraft almost directly into the oncoming flight path of the 150-person Airbus turbojet last April. Hughes came within 1,400 yards of Delta Flight 1639, while safety rules require aircraft to remain separated by more than 3,000 yards. If the gyrocopter had drifted slightly west, or the airline had taken a slightly more easterly path, a collision could have occurred, prosecutors said. Such a collision could have been catastrophic, they added. Hughes, who agreed to a plea deal in November, is set to be sentenced April 13. Prosecutors are asking for 10 months in prison, arguing the former mail carrier from Ruskin, Florida, put countless lives at risk. Hughes rejected the prosecution court filing in an email Saturday to The Associated Press, saying he knew where the commercial air traffic was and I didnt go there. The story that I almost collided with a passenger jet is a fabrication, wrote Hughes, adding that the prosecution is either intentionally deceptive or grossly negligent in their presentation of the evidence. He added in his email, At NO time, was I a threat to commercial traffic. Hughes attorneys say they dont think he should have to serve any more time behind bars, noting that no one was injured and no property was damaged. Hughes spent one night in jail after the stunt, served five weeks in home confinement and had this travel privileges restricted for nearly a year. Mark Goldstone, an attorney for Hughes, said they will look into the governments claim about the Delta flight. But he questioned why prosecutors are now saying Hughes flew closer to the plane than they previously reported. It seems suspicious that on the eve of sentencing, all of a sudden his flight was about to blow up a commercial airliner, Goldstone said Saturday. Hughes pleaded guilty in November to a felony of operating a gyrocopter without a license. The charge carries a potential three years in prison, but prosecutors agreed not to ask for more than 10 months in prison as part of a plea deal. Hughes has said he was trying to send a political message about the need for stronger campaign finance restrictions by flying the aircraft to Washington after taking off from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He told investigators during an interview after he was arrested that the only way he potentially put lives in danger was if authorities overreacted and tried to shoot him down. Hughes attorneys argue that while Hughes broke the law, prosecutors should not respond in a way that discourages Americans from expressing their grievances about their government. Suppressing or even discouraging political dissidence is a very dangerous and undemocratic prospect, his attorneys wrote. Prosecutors said Capitol Police officers were in position to shoot Hughes when he landed and that one of the officers had him in his gunsight with a round in the chamber. They noted that Hughes flight took him less than a mile from Vice President Joe Bidens home, about 175 feet from the Washington Monument and close to other landmarks. They say prison time is necessary to deter such action in the future. Whether the next airspace violator is an unpopular religious extremist who wants to impact US foreign policy or a popular advocate on any issue of domestic policy, the deterrent message must be clear: If you violate the airspace of our nations capital _ regardless of your message you will be punished because of the substantial risks to safety and national security, prosecutors wrote. Hughes attorneys say he has pledged that he will comply with the law from now on as he continues his push for political change. Hughes has said he plans to challenge South Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz for her 23rd Congressional District seat. (Associated Press reporter Jessica Gresko contributed to this report from Washington.) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Washington Insurance Fraud Most Wanted Suspect Arrested in California Leandre Garner, one of Washington states insurance fraud most wanted suspects, was arrested in California and jailed. With bail set at $10,00, Garners trial is set for April 21 in Pierce County Superior Court. Garner was charged with second-degree attempted theft and filing a false insurance claim in September 2013 after an investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidlers Special Investigations Unit (SIU). According to the investigation, Garner, a resident of University Place at the time, obtained insurance for his 2007 Chrysler 300 in November 2012. The next day, he filed a claim with State Farm that his car was damaged in an apartment complex parking lot, along with a damage repair estimate of more than $4,300. However, the car was damaged before he purchased the insurance. Garner failed to appear in court to face the charges and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Louisiana Mother, Daughter Arrested for Crash Scam State police say an Alexandria, La., woman who claimed that she and her daughter were injured in a car crash now is facing charges. The Town Talk reports 20-year-old Alexis Jack was booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center Tuesday on two counts of insurance fraud and two counts of felony criminal conspiracy. The State Polices Insurance Fraud and Auto Theft Unit in Alexandria investigated the December 2015 crash. Troopers say Jack claimed that she and her daughter were passengers in a vehicle that allegedly crashed. She had sought compensation from several insurance companies for injuries she claimed that both she and her daughter sustained. Trooper say an investigation revealed that a crash did not occur. Online jail records do not list an attorney for Jack. California Construction Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Insurance Fraud The owner of a Sacramento,Calif., construction company has pleaded guilty to tax evasion and insurance fraud. The Sacramento Bee reports that 47-year-old William Alan Huffman on Thursday entered his plea after being arrested in January. The Sacramento County District Attorneys Office says Huffman falsely reported to his workers compensation insurance carriers that he had no or very few employees at Capital City Construction Co. During this time he paid his employees in cash and avoided paying the California Employment Development Department and insurance premiums. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Huffman will be ordered to serve one year in county jail, be on probation for five years, and to pay more than $303,000 in restitution. He is scheduled to be sentenced March 24. Washington Casino Dealer Must Repay $27,000 in Workers Comp Scam A Spokane card dealer caught working at casinos while receiving disability benefits must repay the state more than $27,000. Arredondo claimed he injured his lower back in May 2013 while working as a card dealer at a Spokane casino. L&I opened a claim for Arredondo, and two doctors and a nurse practitioner certified he should receive wage-replacement payments. He received workers comp benefits from June 2013 through March 2014, repeatedly stating on official forms that he couldnt work and wasnt working. A cross-check of L&I records with that of other state agencies, however, revealed otherwise. L&I investigators found that Arredondo continued to work as a card dealer for nearly the entire eight months he was collecting workers comp benefits, but at casinos other than the one where he was injured. The casino where he was injured closed, so he worked separate stints at two other casinos in Spokane. Arredondos medical providers told L&I that if he had told them he was working, they would not have certified him to receive the state benefits, charging papers said. Victor Arredondo pleaded guilty in Spokane County Superior Court to felony second-degree theft and misdemeanor third-degree theft. Judge Gregory Sypolt ordered Arredondo to repay the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) $27,183, the amount he admitted stealing in workers compensation benefits. Sypolt also sentenced Arredondo to 10 days in jail, but converted the jail time to 80 hours of community service. If Arredondo breaks the law or fails to comply with the sentencing terms within one year, he faces up to 364 days behind bars. The Washington Attorney Generals office prosecuted the case based on an L&I investigation. AP contributed to this content. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Florida Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday that an artist can sue UPS in state court over two paintings removed from their shipping tube while in transit and sold by the company UPS contracts to handle its lost-and-found operation. The court ruled that artist Ivana Vidovic Mlinars lawsuit can go to trial, rejecting UPS argument that federal law applies. Mlinar didnt purchase insurance in 2005 when she shipped her paintings, Advice and The Messenger, from a South Florida package store that used UPS. The paintings, which she valued at $30,000, were headed to a New York City exhibit that she saw as a major opportunity to advance her career. When the shipping tube arrived at the gallery, however, it had been cut open and was empty. Mlinar contacted UPS, which told her it couldnt help her directly because the package store was its customer, not her even though she had been given a UPS receipt and tracking number. The package store gave her a $100 coupon and she partly blamed herself for not buying insurance. But the situation changed in 2007. Mara Hatfield, Mlinars attorney, said the artist was contacted by a Missouri man who had bought Advice from a company, Cargo Largo. UPS contracts with that Kansas City, Missouri,-based company to handle its lost-and-found operation. Any goods Cargo Largo cant return, it gets to sell. Hatfield said Cargo Largo sold Advice to the Missouri man for $1,000 a fraction of its value. He also acquired The Messenger from another party. Realizing the paintings value, he listed them on Craigslist, offering to trade them for a used Mercedes-Benz. He also contacted Mlinar, who had placed an identification sticker on the back of her paintings. This development led Mlinar to file suit in Florida court against UPS, Cargo Largo and the packing store, alleging they had profited from criminal activity the theft of her paintings and had violated her copyright. She also accused UPS of deceptive trade practices by having the packing store give her a UPS receipt and make it appear she was a UPS customer. The buyer returned the paintings in exchange for being dropped from the copyright lawsuit. UPS argued that under a century-old federal law governing interstate shipping, lawsuits involving lost goods must be tried in federal court. The companys lawyers argued that since the two-year federal statute of limitations had expired, Mlinar couldnt sue in federal court, either. Floridas lower courts agreed with UPS, but the state Supreme Court reinstated the lawsuit Thursday and ordered it heard. The seven members ruled Mlinar has a possible argument that her paintings werent simply lost, but that criminal activity took place. Under those circumstances, the lawsuit can be tried in state court. UPS spokeswoman Susan Rosenberg said Thursday that the company looks forward to trying the case and that Mlinar has not provided any evidence substantiating wrongdoing by the company. Cargo Largo did not return a phone message seeking comment. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Donald Trump's Foray Into Theater Was an Immediate, Unequivocal Failure Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the American Airlines Center on September 14, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. More than 20,000 tickets have been distributed for the event. (Photo : Tom Pennington/Getty Images) There are many ventures on Mr. Donald Trump's resume, but you may not have guessed Broadway producing to be one of them. That's right, when Mr. Trump was a mere 23-year-old he marched into the office of David Black atop the Palace Theater, offered the producer a large sum for a credit and soon he was an executive on set of a brand new Broadway performance. The production was called Paris Is Out! and it marked Trump's first and last attempt at theater. Of course, that's because of the Republican frontrunner's penchant for business instead of histrionics and that was quite apparent during the rehearsal phase of the show. The New York Times wrote: "..His approach to producing - at one point he questioned why the show's poster wasn't more prominently displayed outside a Times Square ticket office - foreshadowed his approach to other businesses. And, although Paris Is Out! remains Mr. Trump's only Broadway credit, his off-and-on flirtation with the theater world, which included abortive talks about musicals inspired by his career, add some drama to the biography of the man who has unexpectedly become the leading contender for the Republican nomination for president." It was also noted that his interactions with the theater business were representative of his tactics that he usually employs today--that is, throwing his celebrity weight around in order to get things done. The show starred Sam Levene alongside Molly Picon and didn't do many press performances ahead of time. For good, though, as the production ended up being a total flop. And so just like his career in theater, the production didn't last long and was even written up as, simply, a "bay play" by Clive Barnes. Be sure to read the rest of the story and make sure to keep yourself abreast of the Trump train with a clip of mogul below. 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsDonald Trump, Paris is Out!, David Black, Clive Barnes Watch Vermin Supreme Lead a Megaphone Rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' Fringe candidate Vermin Supreme demonstrates with Occupy Boston protesters outside a restaurant where Republican presidential candidate, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, was holding a town hall meeting January 8, 2012 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Supreme, a candidate on the Democratic ballot, has promised to give everyone in the United States a free pony if elected. (Photo : Win McNamee/Getty Images) As if you needed another reason to vote for him, Libertarian hopeful Vermin Supreme has since switched parties in hopes of landing the nomination. At a recent International Students for Liberty Conference, Mr. Supreme led the crowd in a Hendrix inspired rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, all entirely on a megaphone. If you don't know him, Vermin is an iconoclast, gaining a following on all social media platforms for his eccentric tactics and, um, dress. Often parading around with something on his head, this time, Mr. Supreme was adorned in a rubber boot and ill-fitting suit. In a post on Death and Taxes: "After asking [the crowd] to join him in 'the theme song of this great nation,' Supreme takes the terrified and elated Libertarian crowd on a journey, leading them into the Valley of Confusion and out again. At times stalking the stage and at others collapsing into an orgasmic heap, Supreme punishes his trusty bullhorn, resulting in a screaming, feedback-fueled rendition of our national anthem that would make Jimi Hendrix himself weep with joy." There's not much one can do to shock the party this election. Speaking of he-who-shall-not-be-named, Vermin seems like a healthy alternative to what the Republican party is producing. Representing the "free pony" platform, Mr. Supreme is just a boot-wearing, pony-loving satirist who's trying to shed light on the ridiculousness that has seemed to infiltrate the race for the nomination. In fact, earlier in February, Supreme finished just behind Gov. Martin O'Malley in New Hampshire's Democratic primary election, receiving an incredible 256 votes. Nonetheless, check out Vermin's colorful rendition of our anthem below. 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsVermin Supreme, The Star-Spangled Banner AKRON, Ohio -- Two dozen family members and friends of Ivory Thomas II burst into tears Wednesday as a judge allowed Thomas to walk out of jail after he admitted to fatally stabbing his brother. The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of his 20-year-old brother Dion Thomas. He cried as he thanked Summit County Judge Mary Margaret Rowlands. The judge sentenced him to probation because of Dion Thomas attacked him shortly before the stabbing and because Ivory Thomas had a low risk of reoffending. Rowlands also found Ivory Thomas to have good character based on numerous letters from friends and family members. "Thank you. Thank you so much," he said. "I want to hug you but I don't think I'm allowed." Rowlands told Ivory that he could thank her by going through his two years on probation without a hitch. "I want to see you at Acme with your nieces and nephews and have you say you are doing great," Rowlands told Ivory after the hearing. He faced up to 11 years in prison. The charge does not carry mandatory prison time. Thomas' father, Ivory Thomas Sr., burst into tears and ran from the courtroom following Rowlands' sentence. His mother, Belinda Phinnesse-Thomas, stayed in her seat and wept. "I'm going to give him a big hug when he gets home," Phinnesse-Thomas said after the hearing. "That's all he's wanted since he's been in jail. We're not going to have a party -- we're going to pray." Family members described Ivory Thomas II as the son who always took care of his family. He made sure that his mother got to her doctor's appointments and had her heart medication. He took care of his two brothers' children. He stayed out of trouble. He used money from his seasonal job as a laborer for the city of Akron to help pay for Dion Thomas' recording sessions at a local studio. Dion Thomas was an aspiring rapper who went by the stage name Don Bino. Ivory Thomas II endured physical and mental abuse from Dion Thomas for years. Their father said during the hearing that Dion Thomas terrorized their entire family. "If Dion was on drugs and alcohol and he caught you looking at him a certain way, he'd attack you," Ivory Thomas Sr. said. "I've seen him do it." One of those nights was Sept. 11. Dion Thomas asked his older brother for a ride to Central 8 studios on Grant Street. Ivory Thomas refused, which sent the younger brother into a rage. He walked outside their home in the 900 block of Palmetto Avenue. The angry young brother, but the door was locked. He shoved his way into the home and argued with his older brother. Dion Thomas forced his way into his brother's locked bedroom. He spit on Ivory Thomas II and punched him. Ivory Thomas II grabbed a nearby pocketknife, wrestled with his brother and stabbed the 20-year-old four times in the face and neck. Dion Thomas died at Akron City Hospital about 45 minutes after police found him on the front lawn of his home. His family petitioned Rowlands to allow Ivory Thomas II to be freed from jail. He served more than six months in the county jail leading up to the resolution of the case. Several family members wrote letters to the judge. Rowlands also complemented defense attorney Matt Fortado for "the best sentencing memo" she's ever seen. Assistant Summit County Prosecutor Brian LoPrinzi didn't make a sentencing recommendation and deferred to the family's wishes. Ivory Thomas II, who cried during most of the hearing, said he still loved his brother. "I miss my brother every day," he said. "I think about it every day. I love my brother. I'd have given him the whole world if I could." Classic Cuts Barber Shop (real) Akron police are investigating a fatal shooting on Copley Road in Akron. (Adam Ferrise, cleveland.com) AKRON, Ohio -- A man was fatally shot Tuesday afternoon in the parking lot of a barbershop. Akron police found the man with gunshot wounds to his torso about 2 p.m. in a barbershop parking lot in the 800 block of Copley Road. The man was taken to Akron General Medical Center by ambulance where he was later pronounced dead. Investigators have made no arrests in the case. Akron police are still investigating, according to Lt. Rick Edwards. Kenny Woods said he was cutting hair at the Classic Cuts Barber and Beauty World when he heard two or three gunshots. He looked out the window and saw someone run across Copley Road. Woods said he poked his head out the shop's front door and saw a man crawl to the front of the store and collapse. Woods asked the man if he was okay. The man picked his head up and dropped it, Woods said. "I didn't want to go out any further because I was scared they might still be shooting," he said. Another person inside the shop called 911. Woods said Akron police arrived shortly after they called. Woods said paramedics cut off the man's shirt, then put him on a stretcher and loaded him into an ambulance. The stretch of Copley Road where the shooting occurred is lined with businesses. About a dozen kids played outside on Madison Avenue, near the side where the shooting happened, about three hours after the shooting. The shooting marks the seventh homicide this year in Akron. It's the second in four days. Recardo Travis, 26, died about 11 p.m. Friday after being shot several times outside his home in the 1200 block of Onondago Street. "I like how the judge presented it," said Julie Smith, Morgan's mother. "I just want justice for my baby. Nothing will bring her back, but I know she'll be waiting for me with a hug in heaven." Vlad said he considered himself Morgan's best friend. He said he let her down and would one day tell Brandi's story. He didn't elaborate before or after the hearing. Defense attorney Jim Haupt said Vlad cared for Morgan like a father and remains devastated by her death. Morgan's alcohol consumption contributed to her accidental drowning, the Summit County Medical Examiner ruled. Her blood-alcohol content at the time of her death measured at .23. By comparison, the blood-alcohol content for drunken driving is .08 for an adult who is of legal drinking age. Investigators obtained video surveillance from Spee-D-Foods in Uniontown the day before the drowning that showed Vlad buying a bottle of wine for Morgan. Morgan later posted a photo of the bottle on the social media site Snapchat. Morgan was nearly a month away from graduating from North Canton Hoover High School when she went to a pond about 200 yards behind a supply shop on Greensburg Road in Green. Vlad was with Morgan at the time of her drowning. He told 911 dispatchers that he believed she tried to commit suicide because she was struggling in school and because she had recently decided against going into the Ohio National Guard. He said she drank alcohol and took prescription medication that night and that "nothing had gone right for her for weeks." He also mentioned Morgan being upset over someone she knew committing suicide. Morgan swam in to the pond and went under, Vlad said on the recording. He said he called her name for about five minutes, then dove in after her. He said that he searched the pond for 10 or 15 minutes before calling 911. Morgan's body showed no signs of trauma after the Green Fire Department dive team pulled her body from the pond. Morgan's family members questioned Vlad's statements about her state of mind that night. Smith said she forgave Vlad but still blamed him for her daughter's death. "Charles you may continue to live your life hiding behind lies about yourself and Brandi," Smith said. "You may choose to never reveal the truth. Your actions that night took the life of my baby." Twinsburg police Twinsburg police accused a 17-year-old boy Wednesday of posting nude photos on Tumblr. (File photo) TWINSBURG, Ohio -- A 17-year-old boy is accused of posting nude photos of 17 Twinsburg High School girls on a Tumblr page. The boy, a Twinsburg High School student, was arrested by police on Wednesday. He was charged with nine child porn counts in Summit County Juvenile Court, according to Assistant Police Chief Robert Gonsieweski. The photos were all several years old, Gonsieweski said. The teen is being held in the Summit County Juvenile Detention Center until a hearing Wednesday. School officials alerted Twinsburg police on Jan. 27 about rumors of a website posting nude photos of the students. Police found the website, titled ""burgnudez" with the headline "Only Girlz." Officers alerted Tumblr, which shuttered the site. Twinsburg police found photos of 17 nude girls from age 15 to 17 on the site, according to court records. Some of the photos attached the girl's first name to their photo, court records say. Officers noted a message on the site said: "This tumblr blog is a page where people from twinsburg, Ohio can look, see, and save twinsburg girl nudez. Twinsburg has a lot of sexy people but it's really rare to get there nudez if they send some out. Here is an ez way to et them without trading or buying them from someone. Please enjoy what I have worked so hard to make and expose. Thank you for your support. NUDE ON!!" Investigators wrote they believe the photos were initially voluntarily sent to one person via text messages or Snapchat with the understanding the photos were not to be shared. The person who received the photos sent them to someone, who took a screenshot of the photos and uploaded them to the website without the sender knowing or giving permission, according to court records. Twinsburg Police Chief Christopher Noga said Tumblr required a search warrant signed by a judge rather than an investigative subpoena, as other websites require. Tumblr did not provide information to police for more than a month, stalling their investigation. beer on bar There's one day left to nominate your top choice for the best Irish bar in Greater Cleveland. (Peggy Turbett / The Plain Dealer) CLEVELAND, Ohio - The nominations for the best Irish bar in Northeast Ohio are pouring in, further proof that Cleveland is full of Irish pride. We're excited about all the bars that have received nominations, but we still want more. Cleveland.com is searching for the best Irish pub in the Greater Cleveland area ahead of St. Patrick's Day. The deadline to nominate your favorite bar is Thursday at noon. Nominate your top choice by leaving a comment below, or send an email to best@cleveland.com. Let us know what you love about that particular Irish pub. Readers will then get to vote for their favorite among the finalists starting Monday, March 14. We'll announce the winner on March 16, and visit the top three winning pubs on St. Patrick's Day for content on cleveland.com. The Pride of Erin on Lorain Avenue in Cleveland got several nominations overnight. One reader wrote to us to say the Pride of Erin has "no gimmicks just great craic, music, friends like family!" Another reader claimed it was the first Irish bar in the city. PJ McIntyre's on Kamm's Corner, Parnell's Irish Pub in the Theatre District and in Cleveland Heights, and Stone Mad on West 65th Street all received more nominations. So too did The Harp, which one reader declared "an original, not a latter-day corporate wannabe!" Gandalf's Pub & Restaurant in Valley City also got a nod from one of our readers, who raved about its "Irish nachos" and good selection of boxty, a traditional Irish potato pancake. Is one of those your favorite Irish pub? If not, what is your favorite Irish bar in the area? And do you know of any great Irish bars in the Akron area, or a bit further afield from Cleveland? Let us know! Robocalls on behalf of the government shouldn't be made to cell phones, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown said today. A section added to the 2015 Budget Act exempts government debt collectors from a 25-year-old law that prohibits automated phone calls or texts to people's cell phones without their permission. If the exemption goes through, millions of people could be harassed by government robocalls and texts. The calls and texts wouldn't just go to borrowers who are behind on payments. The unwanted calls and texts could go to people who are current on payments, relatives and friends of borrowers and people who have a cell phone number that used to belong to someone who once had a government loan. At issue are robocalls and automated texts to people regarding federal loans, mortgages, business loans or taxes, Brown said. It's estimated that more than 60 million people who could be impacted, including 42 million with student loans, 5 million with FHA loans, at least 12.4 million people behind on taxes to the IRS and and unknown number with loans through the Small Business Administration. Brown, a Democrat representing Ohio, today sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission, urging the FCC to protect consumers as it adopts the new rules. The FCC has until Aug. 2 to roll out the new requirements. Brown wants the FCC to block government debt collectors from making robocalls, and block them from calling reassigned phone numbers and people who are acquaintances of the borrower. In cases where the calls are made to the appropriate person, he also wants to limit the frequency and duration of calls that are allowed. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 protects consumers in several ways, including prohibiting calls from telemarketers and other companies before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. The law also requires companies to identify themselves and cite where they can be reached. The law also protects consumers from calls to cell phones. Section 301 of the Budget Act exemptions government debt collectors. "While it is important to ensure that the federal government can effectively collect on debt it is owed, it is also important to ensure that the federal government is not itself an instrument to harass and mistreat individuals through robocalls," Brown wrote. Brown, who is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, wants the FCC to work with the Internal Revenue Service and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to draft new rules that continue protections that exist under the 1991 law. Among the protections he's asking for: Bernie Sanders speaks at Olivet Institutional Baptist Church Bernie Sanders acknowledges the crowd before speaking at a town hall forum hosted by the Community Coalition Concerned for Black Life at Olivet Institutional Baptist Church on March 5. On Tuesday, Sanders' campaign filed a federal lawsuit against Ohio Secretary of State pertaining to his policy regarding 17-year-old voters in the primary election. (Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com) CLEVELAND, Ohio - Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted regarding policies that block 17-year-old voters from casting primary ballots. Ohio law allows 17-year-old voters who will turn 18 by the November election to also vote in the primary. Husted has said that presidential primary votes casted by these underage voters should not be counted. In the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Columbus, Sanders' campaign teamed up with six 17-year-old voters -- five of whom reside in Northeast Ohio. The Sanders campaign and the voters say that Husted's policy would "arbitrarily discriminate" against young voters, many of whom are black or Latino, according to U.S. Census data. The lawsuit also says that Husted's directive "is contrary to legislative intent [of the Threshold Voter Law]" and violates the teens' "constitutional rights of equal protection and due process." While the Sanders campaign most directly targets Husted's policy, some of Ohio's boards of elections haven't counted underage voters' ballots for the presidential primary for years. Husted has said that 17 year olds cannot vote in the presidential primary because they are technically electing delegates that pledge to candidates, and these underage voters cannot directly elect any official. cuyahoga county jail.jpg Cuyahoga County has settled with two Muslim women who said they were forced to participate in Christian prayer services while serving time in the county jail. (Plain Dealer file photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County has agreed to pay a combined $81,000 to two Muslim woman who say they were forced to attend Christian prayer services while serving time at the county jail. Under separate settlement agreements, the county will pay $48,500 to Sakeena Majeed of Rocky River. Sonya Abderrazzaq of Cleveland will receive $32,500. County spokeswoman Mary Louise Madigan also said that jail staff now performs the religious services in a separate space, instead of the specific pod where both of the women were housed. "All of the corrections officers and the chaplains were reminded of the appropriate accommodations for the services," Madigan said. Each woman filed lawsuits that said jail staff, specifically corrections officer Regina Watts, forced them to participate in Christian services. According to Abderrazzaq's lawsuit, Watts told her that attendance was mandatory and failure to participate would result in being moved to general population, instead of the "trustee pod" where they were housed. Majeed and Abderrazzaq's lawsuits say this happened in 2014, when they were serving sentences for misdemeanor assault and drunken driving, respectively. Madigan said the county's decision to settle "was not an admission in liability, but an exercise in risk management." She said Watts is still employed as a corrections officer. Majeed's attorney Matthew Besser said Tuesday that his investigation showed that the amount of training for corrections officers as it pertains to religious rights is "virtually nonexistent." He said he hoped the county would agree to more training, but understands that the settlement was a compromise. "I think she is happy with it. Her goal in bringing the lawsuit is to bring this practice to light and to ensure that it doesn't happen to anybody else," Besser said. Raymond Vasvari Jr., who represents Abderrazzaq, said that he hopes that "the county has recognized there was degree of wrongdoing here" and that it is aware that it needs to keep a close eye on how jail guards treat prisoners. Tamir Rice The family of Tamir Rice and the city of Cleveland have indicated that they are willing to engage in settlement talks. (File photo) U.S. District Judge Dan Polster CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A lawsuit filed over the police shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice appears to be entering settlement talks, as both sides have indicated through court filings that they are willing to resolve the case to avoid a trial. Chief U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr., who is presiding over the lawsuit, issued an order Tuesday sending the case to fellow federal Judge Dan Polster to hold settlement talks. Polster has a reputation in local legal circles for successfully pushing those involved in civil litigation toward resolving their cases. He has mediated two other recent high-profile use-of-force cases involving the city of Cleveland. A meeting date has not yet been set. Such talks are not guaranteed to bring about a settlement, though the fact that both sides told Oliver that they are willing to talk likely indicates that they want to avoid what could be a painful and drawn-out legal battle. High-profile police-involved shootings in other parts of the country have yielded multimillion-dollar settlement agreements, and some have speculated that the Rice family could receive as much from the city. Messages left for the Rice family attorneys were not immediately returned. The city declined to comment. Officer Timothy Loehmann shot Tamir at Cudell Recreation Center on Cleveland's West Side in November 2014. The boy was playing with an airsoft pellet gun at the time. A Cuyahoga County grand jury in December declined to indict Loehmann and his partner Frank Garmback, who drove their patrol car close to Tamir after police received a call about a man with a gun in the park. The family filed suit in December 2014, a few weeks after the fatal shooting. The civil case has progressed since the grand jury made its decision. While the criminal investigation against Loehmann and Garmback was more narrow and focused on their actions immediately leading up to the shooting, the lawsuit is broad. It calls into question the actions of the dispatchers who first put out the call about a disturbance at Cudell. It also has claims against Lt. Gail Bindel and Sgt. Edwin Santiago, who helped to hire Loehmann in 2014 despite the then-cadet having a poor track record with Independence police. Polster, who took the bench in 1998, facilitated a $3 million settlement in 2014 between the city and the families of Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams. Both were killed in November 2012 following a 22-mile chase that ended in East Cleveland with police officers filing 137 shots. Paul Cristallo, who represented Russell's family, said that while the case was contentious, Polster was "incredibly effective. "It was a room filled with lawyers and he got it done," Cristallo said. Polster, in a brief interview, also pointed out that he also brokered a settlement between the city and Edward Henderson, a Cleveland man who said police officers held him down and kicked him in the head after a January 2011 car chase. The settlement was worth $600,000. He said he often mediates his own cases and does it when another judge makes a request, but he does not know why he was requested for the Tamir Rice case. "I didn't ask why they asked for me, I just said I'd do it," Polster said. This story was updated with background about the lawsuit, as well as more information about Polster. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Today, cleveland.com launches the first installment of Impact 2016: Where the cuts hurt most. The series will examine the impact of Gov. John Kasich's budgeting and tax decisions, backed by the Republican-controlled legislature, on Ohio's communities and taxpayers. The following slides will explain why the leaders of many Ohio cities and villages say they are paying a huge price for decisions made in Columbus without their input. The decisions involve the elimination of the Ohio estate tax, sharp reductions in the state's Local Government Fund and changes in a reimbursement program for the former local tax on machinery and inventory. The moves, implemented since Kasich took office in 2011, at first helped the state solve budget problems and later helped pay for cuts in Ohio income tax rates. Scroll through the slides to learn more. Rich Exner, cleveland.com How cities are paying the price for Ohio tax cuts State budget and tax decisions under Gov. John Kasich have meant tighter budgets for many Ohio cities and villages. Some are cutting services, adding fees or increasing local taxes. Scroll through this slideshow to learn about some key changes. (File photo of Wooster by Peggy Turbett, The Plain Dealer) Don't Edit Rich Exner, cleveland.com Estate tax abolished Ohio's estate tax was abolished as part of the state budget in 2011, though it remained on the books until the end of 2012. Some of the money is still trickling in because of delays in settling up some estates. In an 80/20 split with the state, local communities received about $250 million a year from the estate tax, with the rest close to $60 million staying with the state government. (File photo of Gov. John Kasich by Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer) Don't Edit Rich Exner, cleveland.com How the estate tax worked The estate tax, at a rate of up to 7 percent, was imposed only on estates valued at over $338,333, about 1-in-14 estates in Ohio at the time. One argument against the estate tax was that it could encourage older Ohioans to move to states without such a tax. The photo shows Parma residents protesting in 2015 against the closing of city swimming pools and a new garbage fee. These changes, Parma officials said, were needed to offset losses in money from the state. The pools, however, will reopen this summer. (Photo by Maura Zurich, cleveland.com) Don't Edit Rich Exner, cleveland.com Towns hit hardest by elimination of estate tax Since most of the estate tax money went to the home communities of the deceased, places with wealthy retirees tended to benefit far more than other places. For the cleveland.com analysis, a three-year average was used because of large swings in the tax proceeds for individual communities from one year to the next. Hunting Valley led Ohio with an average of $24.4 million a year from 2010 to 2012, followed by Cincinnati at $16.5 million, Columbus at $7.8 million at Akron at $5 million. Other Greater Cleveland/Akron communities topping more than $1 million a year, on average, were Akron, Beachwood, Cleveland, Cuyahoga Falls, Independence, Mentor, Parma, Pepper Pike, Rocky River, Shaker Heights, Westlake and Willoughby. (Photo by Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer) Don't Edit Rich Exner, cleveland.com What's the Local Government Fund? The Local Government Fund a designated way for the state to share tax money with local cities and villages dates to the Depression. In 1934, with foreclosures running high and property tax revenues down, the state reduced property tax rates and promised to share a portion of the new state sales tax with local governments. Then, when Ohio created a state income tax in 1972, a designated portion of the taxes collected was set aside in the Local Government Fund for cities that already had municipal income taxes of their own. (File photo of Hudson by Lonnie Timmons III, The Plain Dealer) Don't Edit Don't Edit Rich Exner, cleveland.com State shares less and less In 2010, the last year before Kasich took office, cities and villages received $375.5 million from the Local Government Fund. But, facing a state budget shortfall in 2011, the budget Kasich signed permanently cut that amount roughly in half. Some $201.8 million was paid out to villages and cities statewide in 2013, the last year for which complete data is available. (Ohio Statehouse file photo by Patrock O'Donnell, The Plain Dealer) Don't Edit Rich Exner, cleveland.com 10 Greater Cleveland cities are down at least $1 million a year The cleveland.com analysis examined what cities and villages received from the Local Government Fund from 2010 until 2013, the last year for which full data is available. Cleveland received $19.1 million less in 2013 than it did in 2010. Columbus was down $18.9 million and Cincinnati received $12.3 million less. Greater Cleveland communities were especially hard it by the change. Ten of the 19 places down at least $1 million are from the area: Akron, Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga Falls, Elyria, Euclid, Lakewood, Lorain, Mentor and Parma. (File photo by Eric Sandy, Sun News) Don't Edit Rich Exner, cleveland.com Eliminating the tangible personal property tax In 2005, the state legislature and then-Gov. Bob Taft decided to stop collecting tangible personal property taxes in Ohio. The tax on business machinery and inventory was a source of revenue for cities and villages rather than the state. To ease the impact on local governments, the state promised to fully reimburse local governments for five years, and then phase out reimbursements over another seven years - totally eliminating the reimbursements for cities and villages in 2019, said Timothy S. Keen, director of the Ohio Office of Budget and Management. (File photo of former Gov. Bob Taft, AP) Don't Edit Rich Exner, cleveland.com Cutting reimbursements Timothy S. Keen, director of the Ohio Office of Budget and Management, said the state reduced reimbursements in 2011 and again as part of the 2015 budget.But the hardest-hit communities will receive reimbursement over a longer period. Much of the reimbursement money is from a commercial activities tax (CAT) collected by the state. The CAT tax was created when the tangible personal property tax was eliminated. Most of the $1.7 billion collected now by the CAT tax goes to the state. Gary Gudmundson, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Taxation, said the state shared 30 percent of the CAT collections with local municipalities prior to the change in mid-2011. During the current fiscal year, Gudmundson said, local governments will receive 5 percent of the money. Schools receive a larger share than villages and cities. (File photo of Gov. John Kasich and former Ohio Speaker of the House William Batchelder, Gus Chan, The Plain Dealer) Don't Edit Rich Exner, cleveland.com Losses to cities and villages A town-by-town accounting of the CAT distributions is not available from the state before the 2011 changes. So, for the analysis, cleveland.com compared payments in state fiscal year 2011-12, the first year of the change under Kasich, to the current fiscal year. This does not capture the full impact of the changes, but does show Bedford Heights ($363,000) and Solon ($321,000) are down the most during this period among Greater Cleveland communities. Perhaps more significantly, just 118 of the 938 villages and cities in Ohio will receive any CAT money in this state fiscal year, down from 555 four years ago. (Downtown Medina file photo, Ann Norman, special to cleveland.com) Don't Edit Don't Edit Rich Exner, cleveland.com How much money has your town lost? Read more about the state cuts and use our database to find out how much your village or city has lost in tax money from these sources. (Photo by AP) Don't Edit Rich Exner, cleveland.com Ohio tax cuts meet local reality in Chagrin Falls Read how Chagrin Falls is like a lot of cities across Ohio, facing tough financial questions after a series of cuts by the state. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Gov. John Kasich has crisscrossed the nation during his presidential campaign boasting of how he solved Ohio's budget problems and cut taxes at the same time. But what he bills as successes for the state have come at the expense of Ohio's cities and villages, some of which are now raising local taxes, imposing new fees or cutting services. A town-by-town examination by cleveland.com found that more than 70 cities are down at least $1 million a year because of budgeting and tax decisions made since Kasich he took office in 2011. How much is your town out? to load this Caspio . A closer look Today, cleveland.com launches the first installment of Impact 2016: Where the cuts hurt most. The series will examine the impact of Kasich's budgeting and tax decisions, backed by the Republican-controlled legislature, on Ohio's communities and taxpayers. The series will explore how cities are coping and whether at least some of the money for communities should be restored now that the state budget is in better shape. Parma residents protest in 2015 against the closing of city swimming pools and a new garbage fee. These changes, Parma officials said, were needed to offset losses in money from the state. The pools, however, will reopen this summer. At issue are three key changes: * Elimination of the Ohio estate tax. Eighty percent of this money had gone to local communities. * Sharp reductions in the state's Local Government Fund, which was created during the Depression when the sales tax was enacted to share money with the cities and villages. * Stepped up phaseouts of reimbursements that were designed to help communities replace money lost by a 2005 decision to eliminate local property taxes on business machinery and inventory. By reducing the amount of money shared with cities and villages, Kasich and GOP lawmakers helped to erase a budget shortfall in 2011, and to pay for cuts in state income tax rates beginning in 2013. The estate tax was eliminated because lawmakers viewed it as bad policy. The mayors and mangers of Ohio's cities and villages had no say in those decisions, but they have been left to cope with the resulting loss in revenue, a loss that cleveland.com calculates at more than $360 million. The Kasich administration has said the losses for the cities amount to a small part of their budgets. Cleveland.com based its analysis on data from the Ohio Department of Taxation. The losses are likely understated because information on payments to the individual municipalities is not available for some years. Adding up the local losses Cleveland is down at least $21 million annually, Columbus $27 million, and Cincinnati $28 million. Twenty-six other villages and cities across the state are down at least $2 million each. They include Beachwood, Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga Falls, Elyria, Euclid and Lakewood. Kent Scarrett, director of communications for the Ohio Municipal League, said municipal leaders across Ohio are asking for the money to be restored to "take the financial pressure off the taxpayers in our communities." The changes occurred under a Republican legislature and a Republican governor. But Scarrett said partisan issues are not in play at the municipal level. "Republican, Democrat, independent administrations and councils, they all agree. They might have a different philosophical reason, but they agree our municipalities are hurting. These are services businesses and residents depend on. They agree it is time for the state to be a partner again." Timothy S. Keen, Ohio's budget director, said in defense of the changes that some communities, including Cleveland, are receiving money from a new source -- casino taxes -- and that the economic recovery has helped cities raise more money through local income taxes. Gov. John Kasich, left, listens as Timothy Keen, director of the Office of Budget and Management, discusses the state budget during a 2013 appearance at the City Club in Cleveland. Keen said the Local Government Fund was chosen as a place to cut the state budget because cities have other ways -- mainly through local income taxes -- to generate money. Some 609 villages and cities with local income taxes collected $4.7 billion in 2013, up from $4.1 billion the year before Kasich took office in 2010, said Gary Gudmundson, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Taxation. Keen said that if cities believe more money is needed from the state, "they ought to take their case to the legislature. "What should the priority be for state tax dollars?" Keen said. "Should it be schools ... supporting higher education ... helping the developmentally disabled?" The ramifications Cleveland Mayor Jackson is not holding out hope for a change at the state level. That's why he plans to ask voters to increase Cleveland's income tax from the current rate of 2 percent to 2.5 percent. Some cities have already increased their local income tax rates. Others are facing serious financial decisions. For example, Parma, which is out about $4 million a year because the state's budgeting and tax decisions, closed its outdoor pools for a year, delayed filling openings in its police and fire departments, and sold an old library building, Mayor Tim DiGeeter said. But trimming the budget by $750,000 wasn't enough. Parma has begun charging residents $144 a year for garbage pickup. "This affects all mayors, across party lines," said DeGeeter, who as a Democrat member of the state legislature in 2011 opposed the cuts. It was a straight party-line vote, 40-0 against by the Democrats and 59-0 in favor among Republicans. Details of the cuts, and where they hit hardest Parma has lost more money through the cuts than all but 10 communities statewide, the cleveland.com analysis found. Yet Parma so far has coped without raising the city's income tax rate of 2.5 percent. Income tax rates are up, with voter approval, in a number of places, including Cleveland Heights, Lyndhurst and Rocky River. Increasing tax rates by a half percentage point, as was the case for Lyndhurst and Rocky River and as is proposed in Cleveland, translates to an extra $250 a year in taxes for someone making $50,000. Garbage fees, increased parking fines and taxes are among the options on the table in Chagrin Falls to offset losses from state tax dollars. The state cuts led to the first income tax increase in Rocky River since 1977. In addition, the city tightened the budget by $7 million. Mayor Pamela Bobst said she didn't have a problem with the cuts, because they forced the city to become more efficient. But Bobst, a Republican, said she hoped some of the money could be restored in the future for capital improvements. Across the county in Chagrin Falls, voters twice rejected increases in the income tax rate; now the village is looking at other ways to raise money. "The state decided to cut taxes, but they're not the ones who had to cut services," said Mayor William Tomko, a Republican elected last fall in the village's non-partisan election. "The state didn't suffer any of the consequences." Note: Cleveland.com calculated losses from the elimination of the estate tax by using averages of what each city and village received in 2010 to 2012. Reductions from the Local Government Fund were based on payments to municipalities in 2010 and 2013. Losses in Commercial Activity tax reflect distributions in the current fiscal year versus state fiscal year 2012. CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio -- The work of budget wonks and politicians in Columbus is being turned into a plain-speak gathering next week in small-town Ohio. Chagrin Falls Mayor William Tomko wants to hear whether residents would rather see new parking fees, increased fines, a tax increase or any number of other changes to solve the affluent community's budget woes. He is inviting the public to talk things out at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The issues are common to what a number of cities across Ohio are facing. (View the video above to learn more.) Chagrin Falls is trying to determine how to deal with diminished revenue because of a series of tax decisions made Gov. John Kasich and the Republican-controlled legislature since Kasich took office in 2011. For example, gone is the estate tax, a big source of local money that Chagrin Falls had for years used for things such as street repairs and the replacement of century-old water pipes. Chagrin Falls Mayor William Tomko uses a piece of deteriorated water pipe to illustrate the village's needs for capital improvements. About 60 percent of the village's pipes were replaced before Ohio abolished a key local revenue source, the estate tax. Some of the pipes not yet replaced may be more than 100 years old. "The state decided to cut taxes, but they're not the ones who had to cut services," said Tomko, a Republican elected last fall in the village's non-partisan election. "The state didn't suffer any of the consequences." Three key cuts at the state level left Chagrin Falls out about $500,000 in 2015 over what it received in 2011, village financial data says. Locally, the blame is being placed squarely on the state. The fix, however, is less clear in the eyes of village residents. Chagrin Falls voters twice said no to increasing the local income tax. So the new mayor, before taking office in January, appointed a citizens committee to examine the finances and present some options. Few villages would have such highly qualified volunteers. The committee includes a former managing general partner at the business and tax firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, a former law partner at Baker Hostetler, and a former bank president from Cuyahoga Savings. The committee said the village's financial condition has deteriorated sharply since 2012. "While the Governor and State legislature have been successful in the turnaround of the financial position of the State of Ohio, a major driver of that turnaround has been the elimination or significant reduction in historic revenue transfers to municipal communities such as Chagrin Falls," the committee's report says. The committee found the village to be running efficiently. Tomko said the village has gotten by so far by sharply reducing capital repairs and by using up reserves. So what's next? Chagrin Falls by the numbers 4,113 $293,050 $98,750 62 percent The committee estimated: Creating new paid parking areas on streets and in lots could generate more than $100,000. Increasing parking fines to $25 could raise $50,000 or more. Adding fees for garbage and leaf collections could bring in $100,000 to $300,000. Increasing property or income taxes could generate an unspecified amount. Decisions by the community or elected officials on these issues will help answer another question. "What kind of village do they want Chagrin Falls to be?" the mayor said. Elyria High School.JPG A strange man offered an Elyria High School student a ride Tuesday, prompting school officials to issue a warning to students and parents. (Michelle Phillips Fay) ELYRIA, Ohio -- A strange man offered an Elyria High School student a ride Tuesday, prompting school officials to issue a warning to students and parents. "The student was walking home from school, and a car that the student described as black with black tinted windows pulled alongside and offered the student a ride," Elyria Schools spokeswoman Amy Higgins said. The student gets out of school early, and the incident happened about 1:25 p.m. near Yale Avenue. The student walked away and called police. The man drove away, Higgins said. The student described the person in the car as a white man, with a white beard, and a full head of white hair. The district sent out a robo-call to parents around 2:10 p.m., and posted a message on the district's Facebook page about the incident. It was brought to our attention that a high school student was approached by a vehicle in the area of Yale this... Posted by Elyria City Schools on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 "We remind parents and students to be vigilant, and we do the same with our staff," Higgins said. "We have a lot of walkers and we want to be sure that parents know the route their children take to and from school, and any friends that they may stop to visit." Elyria City Schools officials also notified non-public and private schools in the city, as well as police and school officials in neighboring Lorain, where a man tried to grab two juveniles, and exposed himself to another on their way to school the morning of Feb. 25. Those incidents led to lockdowns at Lorain schools. Another student reported to police she saw a man with a ski mask outside her bedroom around the same time. Earlier the same morning, a man tried to grab a 10-year-old girl out of her Elyria bedroom. Police do not believe Tuesday's incident is related to the Feb. 25 cases, Higgins said. "The kids in all of these situations, both Lorain and Elyria did the right thing -- run the other way, yell for help, and tell a trusted adult," Higgins said. "They are to be commended, and their parents are as well, for teaching them to do so." Elyria police were not available for comment Wednesday morning. Like Chanda Neely on Facebook. Follow me on Twitter: CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Every spring, mankind is confounded by that age-old question. You mean, "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" Nope. Rather, "How do Ukrainian Easter-egg artists create such glorious works without breaking the shells?" "People always ask us that," says Aniza Kraus, curator of the Ukrainian Museum-Archives. "Then they ask if the eggs are made out of wood, because they don't believe us when we tell them that those are actual eggshells." Since 1993, the Tremont-based Ukrainian heritage museum has been tracing the story of the very eggacting work that goes into the art form with its annual Ukrainian Easter Bazaar. You see, the art of crafting Ukrainian eggcellence can take days of work, patience and discipline - not to mention a metal stylus, wax, dye and varnish. The bazaar, which starts Friday and runs through Saturday, March 19, features hundreds of the meticulously-crafted works known as pysanky (pee-SAHN-kee). PREVIEW Ukrainian Easter Bazaar 2016 What: An exhibition featuring hundreds of Ukrainian Easter eggs, as well as demonstrations on the art form. When: It opens Friday and runs through March 19. Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; noon-4 p.m. Sunday; noon-6 p.m. Monday-Thursday, March 14-17; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, March 18; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, March 19. Where: Ukrainian Museum-Archives, 1202 Kenilworth Ave. in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood. Admission: Free, but it's $20 to participate in the workshop. More info: Go to umacleveland.org or call 216-781-4329. It also traces the colorful story that's almost as old as the whole chicken-egg debate. It begins more than 2,000 years ago, in pagan times, when the eggs were part of a ritual to signify seasonal rebirth. Derived from the Ukrainian word for "to write," pysanky celebrated the harvest and the harvester with natural images and colors. Wheat symbolized work. Livestock represented wealth. White stood for purity, green for growth, black for darkness. When Christianity was introduced in the Ukraine in the 10th century, the eggs rolled with the changes. Just as Christianity adopted pagan symbols, the eggs became a canvas for Christian expression. The art form enjoyed a rebirth after the death of communism and renewal of religious expression in a post-Soviet Ukraine. The event like the art form, however, has increasingly become part of the American Easter experience, says Kraus. "When we started doing this, it was all Ukrainian-Americans coming, but now it's Americans," says Kraus, who estimates upwards of 1,500 visitors. That's just fine with Andy Fedynsky, who co-founded the bazaar with his wife, Chris. "The mission of our museum is to share Ukrainian culture and the immigrant experience," he says. "That experience has played a big part in the creation of America, Cleveland and Tremont." The UMA, which was founded in 1952, recalls a Cleveland past when Ukrainians and other Eastern Europeans settled in Tremont to work in nearby factories. The museum resisted calls to follow Ukrainian immigrants moving out of the city and into suburbs such as Parma in the 1970s. "We planted our flag in America and also in Tremont," says Fedynsky. "And now we see all these people coming to our festival, one that has become a sign that spring is here and a sign that Tremont and Cleveland are enjoying their own kinds of rebirth." EUCLID, Ohio -- A Euclid High School guidance counselor is accused of having a sexual relationship with an 18-year-old student. Ronetta N. Smith, 36, was indicted Tuesday on four counts of sexual battery and one count of tampering with evidence, according to Cuyahoga County Common Pleas records. Euclid City Schools Assistant Superintendent Charles Smialek notified the Euclid Police Department about the relationship Jan. 29, according to a release from the police department. The Cleveland Heights woman was placed on leave by the school board the same day. She later resigned. Investigators say Smith's relationship with the student began in December. School officials were tipped off by an anonymous phone call, according to a release from Superintendent Keith Bell. "We have acted upon their recommendations and notified the Ohio Department of Education of this issue," Bell said. "The faculty member has resigned and is not permitted on our campus. "We will continue to cooperate with both the EPD and the ODE to determine the best course of action for our students and school. We continue to encourage all students, parents, staff and community members to share concerns or threats of danger." 27clevD.jpg Cleveland city councilman Michael Polensek, front left, at a public hearing in March, 2013. Polensek expressed outrage Wednesday over a Cleveland Clinic proposal to move rehabilitation beds from Euclid Hospital to Beachwood. (Marvin Fong / The Plain Dealer) (Marvin Fong) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Clinic said on Wednesday that it is planning to relocate a rehabilitation unit from Euclid to Beachwood, prompting sharp criticism from a Cleveland councilman who says the move could spell the end of Euclid Hospital. Ward 8 Councilman Michael Polensek said removing the rehab unit would pull the financial rug out from under Euclid Hospital, resulting in diminished services for area residents. "They move the rehab unit out and you might as well kiss that place goodbye," Polensek said Wednesday. "We can't let them do to Euclid what they did to Lakewood and East Cleveland. What's happening here is outrageous, and they wonder why the average citizen is so angry with the corporate elite." In a statement, Cleveland Clinic spokeswoman Heather Phillips replied, "We are disappointed in the councilman's comments. Health care is changing and we are changing as the needs of our patients change. This is an important conversation about expanding specialized rehabilitation services to patients throughout Northeast Ohio, as well as bringing in new services to Euclid." Phillips said the effort to relocate the unit to Beachwood is part of a broader reorganization of rehabilitation services meant to expand access throughout the region. She said she did not know what services would be added to replace the Euclid rehab unit, as that will be subject to a review process during the next 18 months. The reorganization is being driven by the Clinic's partnership with Select Medical, a provider of inpatient rehabilitation services to adults who suffer strokes an other debilitating injuries. The Clinic wants to move the unit out of Euclid to create a 60-bed rehab facility at its Beachwood administrative campus on Science Park Drive. It would also move 35 beds from the Edwin Shaw Rehabilitation center in Cuyahoga Falls to a facility it operates with Akron General Hospital in Bath township. Polensek said the move is taken from a Cleveland Clinic playbook to remove services from facilities that it wants to close or reduce in size. He wrote a letter to Pamela Holmes, a senior government relations executive with the Clinic, protesting the move. "The Clinic moves out services and health care related programs and then indicates sometime later to the community that the institution is losing money and/or patients or is in poor condition," Polensek wrote in the letter, adding: "Then it is only a matter of time before the hospital closes and they serve us up some reduced health care facility with some deceased former officials name on it, which is nowhere near the services once being offered by a full service hospital." Polensek sought to draw parallels to the Clinic's planned closure of Lakewood Hospital, which is expected to be reconstituted as a family health center. He also invoked prior controversy over the closure of Huron Hospital, which removed key medical services from Cleveland's east side neighborhoods. But Phillips said that the Clinic will follow through on its plans to bolster the offerings at Euclid Hospital. "What I can tell you is this is really about bringing services to Euclid," she said. Coast Guard.JPG The Coast Guard has called off their water search for a Toledo boater who failed to return from a trip to Turtle Island. (Cliff Pinckard, cleveland.com) TOLEDO, Ohio - The U.S. Coast Guard called off their search Tuesday evening for a missing Toledo boater, about one day after he didn't return from a trip. Brenton Burton, 35, of Toledo did not return from an outing to Turtle Island, causing the Coast Guard to launch a 250-square-mile search by air and water to find him, NBC24 reports. Erie Township Police Chief Dean Ansel told NBC24 that a motor with a gas tank was found in the lake Tuesday, along with a life vest. The Coast Guard also found an overturned boat, but no sign of Burton. The decision to call off the search for Burton is "one of the most difficult to make," Commander Kevin Floyd told NBC24. Burton's phone was last used at 11:30 p.m. Monday. While the Coast Guard is no longer actively searching the water for him, Ansel said the search continues along the Lake Erie shoreline. watch now To investors kicking themselves for missing the gains on Verizon , Caterpillar and Home Depot , Jim Cramer says to stop fretting. "Welcome to the club that defines this market, especially on days like today," the "Mad Money" host said. Instead, Cramer wants investors to learn from these moves and figure out how to nail the opportunity in the future. One play that seemed ripe for the picking right now are defense stocks, like Lockheed Martin, as Cramer thinks this group will stay in a bull market regardless of the volatility of the averages. Ultimately, not every sell-off is a buying opportunity, but for each one of these stocks, there was an opportunity out there just waiting to be grabbed. Just remember that the S&P 500 futures will take down a lot of stocks that don't deserve to be crushed. "You just need to stay clear-headed so you can stop saying 'I missed it,' and start screaming, 'I nailed it,' " Cramer said. Read More Cramer: How to stop missing big gains & nail it Cramer knows that many think that streaming video is the way of the future, and younger generations are cutting the cord to their cable boxes. But that doesn't mean everyone should just give up on all things cable in the investing world. "When you look past all of the glib headlines about cord cutting and actually check out what is happening with the higher quality cable stocks, it is clear that we are dealing with a very different story reports of cable's death have been greatly exaggerated," the "Mad Money" host said. To get an inside look at what the charts could say about higher quality cable companies like Time Warner Cable , Cramer turned to Tim Collins. Collins is a technician and colleague of Cramer's at RealMoney.com. When Collins looked at the charts, he found that Time Warner is actually on of his most favorable long-term charts out there. "When you actually look at the monthly chart of a stock like Time Warner Cable, it is very clear that when it comes to the death of cable, these guys obviously haven't gotten the memo," Cramer said. Read More Cramer: Cord-cutting fears could be exaggerated There is a brand new pattern occurring with stocks these days, and Cramer wants investors to take advantage. This is a new era where down doesn't necessarily mean out when it comes to earnings. "This is an era where we forgive and forget, and then take advantage of changes that management has made that are working," the "Mad Money" host said. Urban Outfitters soared 16 percent on Tuesday simply because when it reported, it wasn't as bad as many thought it would be. Urban expanded its format to transform into more of a home goods store. At the same time, it offered more merchandise for intimates, accessories, footwear and beauty. In other words, it adjusted to what the consumer wanted and is doing substantially better than expected. This was a similar dynamic to what Cramer saw from J.C. Penney , which said on its conference call that categories such as handbags, footwear and Sephora all outperformed. While it is still a bit early in the trend, Cramer suspects that the reason why investors are suddenly embracing these beaten-down names is because there is a large gap between the stocks of the haves and the have-nots not necessarily the companies themselves. Read More Cramer: We are in a new era. Take advantage A shopper exits an Urban Outfitters Inc. store in New York, U.S. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images Urban Outfitters soared 16 percent on Tuesday simply because when it reported, it wasn't as bad as many thought it would be. Urban expanded its format to transform into more of a home goods store. At the same time, it offered more merchandise for intimates, accessories, footwear and beauty. "This is an era where we forgive and forget, and then take advantage of changes that management has made that are working," the " Mad Money " host said. There is a brand new pattern occurring with stocks these days, and Jim Cramer wants investors to take advantage. This is a new era where down doesn't necessarily mean out when it comes to earnings. This is an era where we forgive and forget, and then take advantage of changes that management has made that are working. In other words, it adjusted to what the consumer wanted and is doing substantially better than expected. This was a similar dynamic to what Cramer saw from J.C. Penney , which said on its conference call that categories such as handbags, footwear and Sephora all outperformed. While it is still a bit early in the trend, Cramer suspects that the reason why investors are suddenly embracing these beaten-down names is because there is a large gap between the stocks of the haves and the have-nots not necessarily the companies themselves. Read more from Mad Money with Jim Cramer Cramer Remix: Beware the Fed's impact here Cramer: Oil patch could save itself, as banks did Cramer: The shake-out in restaurants has begun Cramer was also mystified when Whole Foods didn't jump after it reported the last quarter, but that all changed in the past 48 hours. "The guys at Whole Foods clearly believe that their stock deserves to go higher, and I can't say I disagree with them," Cramer said. He thinks the stock is a buy at current levels, given the fact that it is only at the levels where he expected it to be after it reported its first good quarter in ages just four weeks ago. Management at these companies has finally figured out that the old ways of achieving success were not working, and they have finally pivoted their approach. "Urban Outfitters, J.C. Penney and Whole Foods remind us that nothing is static in this market, and smart changes will be rewarded with higher share prices, just as they should be," Cramer said. watch now watch now watch now Entering Tuesday's primaries, some national polls showed a dip for Donald Trump, while there was talk that Bernie Sanders' campaign was all but dead. Never mind all that. Sanders had one of his most important victories of the Democratic race, winning his first primary in a state with a large (23 percent) black electorate and carrying a state where Hillary Clinton was the favorite. Sanders still fell further behind Clinton in the delegate race on Tuesday night, because of the former secretary of state getting more than 80 percent of the vote in Mississippi. Clinton only narrowly lost Michigan, meaning she and Sanders will split the delegates. The former secretary of state remains the heavy front-runner in the Democratic race. Clinton won 81 delegates last night, compared to 64 for Sanders. She leads over 754 to 541 among pledged delegates, with 2,383 needed to win the nomination. But with primaries in Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri and North Carolina next week, Clinton's path to the Democratic nomination no longer looks completely assured. Exit polls suggested that, unlike in other states, including Mississippi, black voters did not overwhelming reject Sanders. He appears to have won at least 30 percent of the black vote in Michigan, after getting less than 20 in several Southern states. Clinton won heavily-black Wayne County around Detroit, but with a more narrow margin than she has in other regions during the primary season that have lots of African-Americans. And in the rest of Michigan, particularly its more rural areas, Sanders carried more than 60 percent of the vote in many counties. His performance in Michigan suggests Sanders could win rural counties in Ohio, Illinois, Florida and Missouri next week, a potential path to victory in those states if he does not overwhelmingly lose the black vote. Trump's wins were significant not only because he extended his delegate lead but that his potential rivals illustrated fundamental weaknesses. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has been saying that he could win a one-on-one race with Trump. But he lost in Mississippi, a state that should have been favorable to Cruz, because it is in his home region, the South, and packed with very conservative voters and evangelicals, who tend to favor the senator. Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio barely campaigned in the state, so it was in effect a one-on-one between Trump and Cruz. Cruz did win the majority of very conservative voters, according to exit polls. They were about half of Mississippi's electorate. But like in previous primary contests, Cruz lagged way behind Trump in Mississippi among voters who identified themselves as moderate and somewhat conservative. The exit polls showed that about half of Mississippi's GOP electorate was either moderate or somewhat conservative, and Trump won by more than 25 percent over Cruz among those voters. As the primaries move north next week, even fewer of the GOP voters will be very conservative, and this looms as a huge barrier for the Texas senator. Kasich spent much of the last week campaigning extensively in Michigan and was surging in polls. But he was about even with Trump in the wealthy suburbs around Detroit and among Republicans with college degrees. He needed to win big margins in urban areas to make up for Trump's strength in more rural areas. One of Kasich's problems in Michigan and potentially in other states is that many of the Republicans with college degrees who don't back Trump are very conservative and evangelical and therefore support Cruz. With the college-educated vote divided three ways, Trump easily won Michigan because of his advantage among rural voters and those who don't have college degrees, the mogul's base. More from NBC News : Rubio:I Will Undo Obama's Agenda CivilWar Shipwreck Found FollowLive: All Eyes on Michigan in White House Races Rubio finished below 10 percent in both states, continuing a string of dismal finishes. He is banking on winning the Florida primary next week, but Republican voters there could opt for other candidates if they sense Rubio is fading and view him as having no chance at the nomination. At least in Michigan, Kasich won the kinds of voters (somewhat conservative, college graduates) who had backed Rubio in previous primaries. It's that time again! Jim Cramer rang the lightning round bell, which means he gave his take on caller favorite stocks at rapid speed: Kinder Morgan : "I don't think Kinder Morgan is all that related and will not go up or down on that pipeline [keystone]. What matters right now is that Kinder Morgan has spent a fortune building new pipelines and we may not need them all. I do not like the stock." Smith & Wesson Holding Corp : "Here is a company that reported a big upside surprise. The stock then went down and it's starting to come back. I think you have to wait, I do prefer the stock of Taser, which was down today off of a little bit of negative press commentary." Cracker Barrel Old Country Store : "It is the ultimate gasoline play, and every time it has pulled back it has been right as long as natural gas stays low. So I'm going to say buy, buy, buy." Read more from Mad Money with Jim Cramer Cramer Remix: Beware the Fed's impact here Cramer: Oil patch could save itself, as banks did Cramer: The shake-out in restaurants has begun Liberty Property Trust : "I know this company and I've got to tell you it's not special enough for me. It's got a decent yield. I would rather see you in EPR, which has a very good yield exactly the same and I think has more upside." Starbucks : "The stock has been acting weak ever since that last quarter. I've got to tell you I think the prospects are great, but I am urging you not to take a monthly or even a quarterly view of Starbucks. I think this is a multi-year play and I like it very much." Seadrill : "No, way too speculative. I know all of these stocks have moved up, and I think that every one of these stocks in the drilling segment whether it be Ensco, Transocean, or this one sell, sell, sell. I just don't care for them." Energy Transfer Partners : "I liked it for a long time, but we decided to leave it for actionalertsplus.com. Why? Because we still don't understand how they are going to be able to finance longer term that dividend given the deal that Energy Transfer Equity is doing with Williams." watch now watch now watch now The liquefied natural gas market (LNG) has a big problem: supply of the commodity is expected to outstrip demand for rest of the decade, said an analyst Wednesday. The mismatchbumper facilities coming on stream just as large buyers such as Japan are weaning away from LNGcasts doubts over one of the biggest alternative fuel stories in the past five years. Natural gas prices have already cratered to 17-year lows of around $1.70 per million British thermal units (mmBtu). "Whereas there will be the supply response and ongoing strength in demand coming through for oil there isn't necessarily the same amount of demand growth coming through for LNG while we are getting bombarded with LNG supply coming into the market because these projects take a much longer time to come to fruition," said Matt Smith, director of commodity research at New York-based ClipperData, a data company. Supply has picked up pace recently. The U.S. exported its first cargo of shale LNG from Sabine Pass on February 24 while energy giant Chevron is planning to ship its first cargo from its massive $54 billion Gorgon Project in Australia next week. Despite concerns over the health of the LNG market, Chevron chief executive John Watson told CNBC Tuesday that it is upbeat about the market. "Prices are under pressure in both oil and gas; natural gas prices in this country are very low, and LNG prices that are on a spot market are low. But we've sold 75 percent of our gas on our two big projects in Australia to oil linked pricing going forward," Watson said. "As we start to see some strengthening in the oil markets we think that we will be growing production into a rising market," he added, noting that Chevron foresees its Gorgon Project will be profitable in a $40 oil environment. The price of U.S. WTI light sweet crude is flat around $36.50 a barrel while crude is just below $40 a barrel after both grades fell about 3 percent overnight as industry data showed U.S. crude stockpiles grew 4.4 million barrels last week, sending inventories to a record high. Rhetoric continues to drive the oil market as market watchers seek production interventions amid the crude glut. The latest to join the Middle East's production freeze discussion is Kuwait, which produces 3 million barrels of oil per day. The country said Tuesday that it will freeze output only if all major producers participate, including Iran, which is publicly against a freeze. After the news, the internationally traded Brent broke a six-day winning streak to settle down 3 percent at $39.65 on the day. In the same vein, WTI settled down nearly 4 percent at $36.50. While OPEC and other oil producing countries mull over a freeze, Chevron CEO John Watson told CNBC that the company expects U.S. oil production to decline by about 100,000 barrels per month, month over month. "A million barrels per day of surplus production is starting to dissipate and that's why you're seeing some strengthening in the oil markets over the last couple of weeks," he told "Closing Bell." watch now Buying a Tesla will get you green kudos in plenty of places but not Singapore, where the carbon emissions surcharge slapped on a Tesla has caught the attention of the auto-maker's founder Elon Musk. Joe Nguyen imported a used Tesla Model S P85 from Hong Kong in July 2015, hoping to have the first Tesla vehicle to hit Singapore's roads. Little did he know he was at the start of a seven-month regulatory ordeal, at the end of which he'd pay a 15,000 Singapore dollar ($10,850) carbon emissions surcharge on a vehicle that does not even have a tailpipe. VICOM, a private vehicle inspection provider that tested the Tesla for Singapore's transport authority, found that Nguyen's 2014 Model S had an equivalent CO2 emission of 222g per kilometer. The emissions were calculated using a "grid emissions factor" that puts a value on the emissions created by energy use - in the Tesla's case, when it converts electricity into power. Nguyen, who is vice president of an Internet analytics firm, was outraged that an electric vehicle attracted an emissions surcharge. "Give me a surcharge for my high use of electricity in my utilities bill, but don't take my money for the wrong reasons," Nguyen told CNBC in an interview. He argued that one of the tests used by Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA), set out under its Carbon Emissions-based Vehicle Scheme (CEVS), was flawed. "There is absolutely zero CO2 emissions generated by my car or any electric vehicle. The CEVS scheme is meant to evaluate cars with internal combustion engines, which includes hybrids," Nguyen, who graduated from Princeton University with a mechanical engineering degree, said. Singapore's CEVS aims to incentivize consumers to purchase lower carbon-emitting vehicles by offering up to S$30,000 worth of rebates for vehicles with low carbon emissions, and setting up to S$30,000 in surcharges for higher carbon-emitting vehicles. The CEVS surcharges and rebates are set based on United Nations standards on how to measure the amount of electricity cars consume, rather than standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Under the UN standards, the Model S uses 444 watt-hours per kilometer (Wh/km), while the EPA standard puts it at 237.5 Wh/km, Nguyen said. An LTA spokeswoman told CNBC that the same grid emissions factor was then applied to the electricity consumption of all electric vehicles. "This is to account for CO2 emissions during the electricity generation process, even if there are no tail-pipe emissions," she said. This meant that under the higher, UN standard usage reading, the Telsa generated a level of emissions that put it in a surcharge band as set by the CEVS. The LTA spokeswoman said that Nguyen's Tesla is not the first fully electric vehicle in Singapore to have the grid emission factor applied to it, and that in July 2014 a Peugeot Ion won a rebate of S$20,000 ($14,400) under the same test. It was the highest CEVS rebate available at the time. The spokeswoman said Nguyen's long wait for official approval to drive the car in Singapore was due to the fact that the agency had not previously tested a Tesla. watch now But Nguyen's complaints grabbed the attention of Tesla chief executive Elon Musk, who replied to a tweet about the LTA's decision on Friday to say that he had been in touch with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong about the issue. Lee told Musk he would "investigate the situation," the Tesla boss said. Lee had met Musk in San Francisco during the PM's week-long trip to the U.S. in February, and even enjoyed a test ride in the Tesla Model S P90D, according to Lee's official Facebook page. Tesla, which has a presence in Japan, China and Hong Kong, exited Singapore in 2011. According to a spokesperson in Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB), Tesla had requested support from the country's Technology Innovation and Development Scheme (TIDES), which is jointly administered by EDB and LTA. The scheme provides a waiver of vehicular taxes and is "intended to support companies that undertake test-bedding and R&D of cutting-edge transport at technologies." Tesla's request was declined. The scheme was "not applicable to automotive manufacturers that are only interested in the commercial sale of its cars in Singapore," the EDB spokesperson said to CNBC. A Tesla spokesman said the company was in close contact with LTA and was "working with them to bring Tesla vehicles to Singapore." "Tesla is on a mission to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable transportation and bringing Tesla vehicles to new markets is part of that," the spokesman added. The cars attract a range of tax rebates and incentives in the U.S. where they're made, and in several other countries including Hong Kong, where the Model S can be registered tax-free and is eligible reduced annual licensing fees. Activists are looking to shake up United Continental Holdings , but "Fast Money" traders were split over whether the airline company's shares will benefit. Two hedge funds, PAR Capital Management and Altimeter Capital Management, said Tuesday they want to install six new board members at the company. United shares have fallen more than 15 percent in the last year, lagging competitors like Southwest and Delta . Trader Pete Najarian, who has a long position in United call options, said the activist action makes him more optimistic. He contended that the stock "should come back" from the declines. German insurer Allianz plans to sue Volkswagen over the sharp drop in its shares as a result of the carmaker's diesel emissions scandal, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters. If successful, the lawsuit would add to financial pressures on Volkswagen that its chief executive said on Tuesday would be "substantial and painful". At the same time, the company's labour leader warned that the extent of possible job cuts at VW would depend "decisively" on the level of U.S. fines for its cheating of emissions tests. "Should the future viability of Volkswagen be endangered by an unprecedented financial penalty, this will have dramatic social consequences," works council chairman Bernd Osterloh told more than 20,000 workers at company headquarters in Wolfsburg. The 'Dieselgate' scandal has forced out the previous chief executive, tarnished one of Germany's most renowned corporate brands and driven down VW's share price by 31 percent since it emerged last September. According to Thomson Reuters data, Allianz Global Investors holds 0.06 percent of VW preference shares and just 10,000 ordinary shares, so will have lost some 8.6 million euros ($9.5 million) on its stake. The source said the Allianz lawsuit would happen "within this month." Allianz said in a statement it had not yet filed an actoin against VW but was weighing a suit. The action will add to VW's litigation risks in Germany, where the carmaker already faces dozens of private lawsuits. A recent ransomware attack that forced a Los Angeles hospital to fork over $17,000 to criminals to get its computer system unlocked might be the most brazen health data crime of 2016 so far. But the money paid in that case is small compared to what medical providers risk in fines for having faulty data security measures, and to the economic harm that can be wrought by criminals who exploit holes online and get access to personal information about patients. And while the ransomware attack on Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center raised eyebrows, it's still a rare method compared to other data breaches. Brian A Jackson | Getty Images Since 2016 began there have already been more than 30 publicly reported breaches of health data involving 500 or more people at medical providers around the country. The total number of people whose health records were compromised to date exceeds 900,000, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights, which tracks those breaches. The actual number of breaches and patients affected is likely higher. Hospitals, doctors, insurers and other health industry entities are only required to report cases involving 500 people or more to federal authorities. The tally for 2016 came on the heels of a year that saw an explosion in the number of cases involving online hacking of health data information. And an estimated 1 in 3 Americans had their health data records compromised in 2015, according to a report issued last month by Bitglass, which based its findings on analysis of federal records. There also has been a sharp increase in the value of such data when it is sold by criminals to other criminals. "There's definitely an uptick," said Mick Coady, a partner in the health information and security practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Coady said that on the "dark Web" the shadowy section of the Internet that criminals use to communicate and do business without being tracked by authorities a single medical record tied to an individual can now sell for "up to $1,100." "About two years ago, it was probably worth no more than $50," Coady said. He noted that when patients go to see a doctor or visit a hospital for treatment they willingly and often unthinkingly turn over vital personal information that can be valuable for would-be identity thieves. "You hand over your driver's license, your credit card for the copay and your insurance card," Coady said. In addition to traditional identity theft, which can include filings for income tax refunds in someone else's name, online health data snoopers are increasingly interested in genomic information about patients that can be stolen from medical providers. "There are people who are willing to pay an awful lot for that genomic profile ... of individuals," Coady said. Patients are often oblivious to the risk of such personal information being stolen from their provider, or lost through carelessness. "I think that the automatic assumption when you walk into your provider that the security is there," Coady said. "But I think in a lot of cases it's over-assumed." Stuart Gerson, a lawyer whose practice includes representing companies that have heath data breaches, said that data security is "definitely much better in the wake of HIPAA," the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act that became law in 1996, and since then has mandated protection standards for patient information. "But I don't think you would give the industry more than a C-plus or B-minus, across the board," as a grade for its success in securing patient data, Gerson said, adding that that kind of report card on data security is common for other industries as well. The Epstein Becker & Green attorney said that health company corporate boards "acknowledge their lack of training in the area, and it's a vulnerability that they want their management to address." "Boards are increasingly focused on it, and among the reasons is that boards are being held increasingly responsible" by government agencies for lax data security, Gerson said. "We know that the FTC [Federal Trade Commission], the OCR of HHS and other agencies are levying substantial monetary fines," Gerson said. "In egregious [cases] I think we can expect to see some individual liability and individual sanctions ... and that creates pressures on companies that are both privately and publicly held to make sure that they are doing this correctly." "Everybody in the health-care sector [is] ... increasingly paying attention to cybersecurity and data processing." Gerson said that while health hacking cases involving online penetration of databases receive public attention, the majority of data breaches are due to other causes. Those include the thefts or loss of laptop computers and other electronic devices containing patient records, or cases of "social engineering," where criminals dupe employees into giving them information about patients over the phone. "The majority of breaches have to do with human failure," Gerson said. In addition to health companies, "consumers need to do a great deal in protecting their own data," particularly when interacting with health companies online, he said. That includes creating strong online passwords, and revising them frequently. But, "there's only so much a consumer can do in protecting data that's in the hands of a third party," Gerson said. "Certainly, when someone else holds your data, you are in a sense at their mercy." That can be true for health-care providers as well. In January, Henry Schein Practice Solutions, which is the leading provider of office management software for dental practices, agreed to pay $250,000 to settle charges from the Federal Trade Commission that it "falsely advertised the level of encryption it provided to protect patient data," according to the FTC. The agency had alleged that Henry Schein had marketed a software product, Dentrix G5, "with deceptive claims that software provided industry-standard encryption of patient information," the FTC said. "Strong encryption is critical for companies dealing with sensitive health information," said Jessica Rich, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, when the settlement was announced. "If a company promises strong encryption, it should deliver it." In a statement to CNBC, Henry Schein spokesman Gerard Meuchner said the company admitted no wrongdoing in the case, and that it agreed to the settlement "to avoid long and costly litigation." He also said that "we had a disagreement with the FTC about how we used the word encrypted" in marketing from 2012 until early 2014, "but we want to assure our customers that our product works, and works well." Mark Hollis, CEO of MacPractice, a medical management software company, said the Henry Schein case underscores a risk that health providers run in trusting the word of vendors that their software will adequately encrypt patient data, as is required under the law. "A patient and a provider cannot assume, should not assume without evidence of some kind that patient data is being protected" by a piece of software, Hollis said. In December, Alliance Health Networks in Utah notified more than 40,000 customers that a database containing information about them had been accessed from an outside party. Brian Watkins, a spokesman for Alliance Health Networks, told CNBC that a "white-hat hacker" contacted the company, which specializes in health-focused social networks and a prescription drug program, and alerted it to the fact that he had accessed "a test database containing customer information [that] had inadvertently been left accessible via the Internet." No Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, or banking information was contained in the database. The breach, the first in Alliance Health Networks' history, led the company to enhance its security measures, extensively audit all of its databases to prevent further such breaches and to hire an external forensic security company, according to Watkins. The breach prompted some customers "to have their names permanently removed from our database," he said. Hollis of MacPractice noted that under the law currently, patient health data must be encrypted if it's being held in electronic form, whether that data is "at rest," such as on a computer hard drive or server, or "in motion," when it is being transmitted via email or by other means to another party. Asked what the industry compliance rate is for that standard, he said, "No one knows." Hollis said "my suggestion would be to patients is that they begin to ask that question, if their data is secure ... 'Before I give you my data, what are you doing to protect it?' It's not an unreasonable request." "Patients don't understand they have to have that information, and they have a right to know that their doctor is protecting their data," he said. In scenes straight from a horror movie, a Chinese woman has been been found dead a month after apparently being trapped in a malfunctioning lift. Now the case has sparked a public outcry in the country over the everyday death traps caused by lax building management. The 43-year-old woman, identified only by her surname Wu, was stuck between the 10th and 11th floors of her apartment building in Xi'an when the elevator broke down. Two repairmen turned off the power to the lift on Jan. 30 without opening the doors to ascertain it was empty, then went on their Lunar New Year holidays, according to reports citing government officials. Wu's body was discovered only on March 1, more than 30 days later, when other workers went to the building to repair the lift. European stocks closed mostly higher on Wednesday, as investors eyed the fluctuation in commodity stocks, ahead of this week's European Central Bank policy meeting. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index finished up some 0.5 percent provisionally, with most sectors closing higher. London's FTSE ended 0.3 percent higher, while its European counterparts, the French CAC and German DAX finished up 0.5 and 0.3 percent respectively. One factor influencing global market sentiment was the fluctuating prices in oil. Prices initially came under pressure due to a strong U.S. dollar and slowing demand concerns; however prices rose, after the Energy Information Administration reported that crude stocks had increased by 3.9 million barrels in the last week, in line with analysts' estimates. At Europe's close, Brent and U.S. crude both rose sharply, up over 3 percent, last standing at $41 and $38.12 respectively. Stocks in the sector ended mostly higher, with Tullow Oil and Shell posting strong gains. Seadrill however tanked almost 17 percent. A recovery in metal prices helped boost miners on Wednesday, following a sharp tumble on Tuesday, which saw the Basic Resources slip over 9 percent on worse-than-expected trade data out of China. Glencore close up 2.5 percent, with BHP Billiton also closing higher. ArcelorMittal however slipped over 1.5 percent by Europe's close. In Asia, most markets stumbled to close mixed on Wednesday as analysts pointed to renewed concerns over China's economy following its recent lower-than-expected trade data. U.S. stocks traded mostly higher at Europe's close, supported by a recovery in oil prices. French President Francois Hollande looks on during a conference in Milan, Oct. 8, 2014. Reuters After four years in the Elysee Palace, Francois Hollande has become a political puzzle: elected president after designating finance as his enemy and promising to tax the wealthy, the socialist leader is entering the final stretch of his term praised by employers and vilified by unions. The latest cause of ire in his own camp is a planned labor reform that, if adopted, would be the boldest attempt by any postwar government to inject flexibility into France's two-tier jobs market. The measures, which allow for extending working hours and capping the cost of wrongful dismissals, prompted a revolt in the socialist party and full union opposition. "Enough is enough," thundered Martine Aubry, instigator of the 35-hour maximum working week and standard-bearer of the left. Worse, student organisations, traditionally the shock troops of political protest, are planning to join a day of nationwide demonstrations on Wednesday that threaten to paralyse the country's schools and public transport. The row has left political analysts baffled about the president's political strategy. One year out from the next presidential election and with his popularity ratings at rock bottom, he needs to rally the left behind his candidacy, or risk being easily beaten into the run-off by centre-right and far-right rivals. Yet he continues to stoke divisions within his government and the Socialist party. It is all the more surprising, given Mr Hollande built his career being a malleable character ready to compromise. watch now "Francois Hollande is an enigma," said Philippe Marliere, political sciences professor at University College in London. "Since 2014, he hasn't stopped making decisions that rattled his own party. But he needs a unified left to qualify for the second round of the presidential election." At the heart of Mr Hollande's political travails is a single vexing challenge that has hung over his presidency: how to revive a flagging economy that has left the country with stubbornly high unemployment and persistent public deficits in breach of EU rules. More from the Financial Times : US investment banks open gap over Europeans with quick moves Donald Trump wins Republican primaries in Mississippi, Michigan Shipping's size obsession could be ending, study finds Mr Hollande shifted towards the political centre two years ago by embracing supply side reforms, including more than 40bn in tax breaks for companies. The move was meant to reduce unemployment, stuck at 10 per cent of the workforce, which Mr Hollande has made a precondition for seeking a second term. A year later, the government led by prime minister Manuel Valls bypassed rebel socialist MPs and forced a liberalising law through parliament to extend Sunday trading hours and opened a few sectors to competition. The left has also been enraged by a plan to strip French-born citizens of their nationality if they are convicted of terrorist crimes a measure backed by Marine Le Pen's far-right National Front party and former centre-right president Nicolas Sarkozy. At one stage this year, Mr Hollande appeared to be tacking back to the left. A 2bn plan to fund 500,000 training schemes for the unemployed, announced in January, was classic socialist interventionism. He then brought back into his government Jean-Marc Ayrault, the former prime minister he had ousted to embark on his pro-business shift. But the new labor reform has upended assumptions. "Maybe he truly believes in his reforms after all, but I can't see the political logic of introducing such a divisive bill a year before the elections," said Laurent Bouvet, professor at Versailles university. Mr Hollande needed every vote on the left to make it to the second round against Ms Le Pen, he added. "It's mathematic." watch now University student studying in library ML Harris | Getty Images Post-graduate students are no longer just hoping to get a job after university but many are expecting it, and taking a closer look at their universities if this does not materialize. Courses especially in degrees such as law and medicine are being viewed as a large financial investment, with students expecting a return on the money they fork out for their degrees. In response, post-graduate schools both in the U.S. and in the U.K. are coming up with ways to convince potential students to sign up to their expensive courses. "There is a continuing issue around students becoming increasingly disappointed with what they believe they will achieve after their higher education," said Zain Ismail, a student and president of the law society at City University in London, in an email to CNBC. Brooklyn Law School, in New York, is offering to repay 15 percent of total tuition costs to those who have not found full-time jobs nine months after graduating. That, according to school officials, is how long it typically takes graduates to get such jobs and, if necessary, to obtain the requisite licenses, reports the New York Times. To qualify, students must take the bar exam after graduating, though they need not pass it. They must also demonstrate that they have actively searched for full-time work and have made use of the school's career resources. The planned program, called Bridge to Success, says the reimbursement applies only to out-of-pocket tuition expenses, including loan payments; scholarships and grants are not covered, according to the NYT. Graduates on both sides of the Atlantic face increasing competition in a jobs market that is slowly recovering from the economic downturn. In the U.K., one university is committing to its students by offering its graduates up to 7,000 ($9,959) back if they don't land a job within nine months of leaving their course. The University of Law (ULaw) in Guildford, near London, launched the new initiative for its legal practice course students in an attempt to "shake-up" the legal training sector following a 97 percent graduate employment rate, reports the U.K.'s Independent newspaper. "Many businesses are now progressing with huge restructuring plans and therefore in reality, are recruiting internally only. This then clearly has an effect on the external recruitment processes," Ismail told CNBC. Meanwhile, in California on Monday, a post-graduate student took her law school to trial. Anna Alaburda graduated in the top tier of her class nearly a decade ago, passed the state bar exam and set out to use the law degree she had spent about $150,000 to acquire. However, since graduating from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2008, she has yet to find a full-time salaried job as a lawyer, according to the New York Times. Alaburda is accusing her school of inflating its employment data for its graduates as a way to lure students to enroll. "One must remember that universities are also businesses and are subject to legal claims. They have to protect themselves and ensure they remain competitive within the higher education market, whilst also being honest with potential students," Ismail told CNBC. Thomas Jefferson School of Law wasn't immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC but a statement from the school, published by local media, said that it was whole-heartedly committed to providing students with the knowledge, skills and tools necessary to excel as law students. It added that it had a "strong track record of producing successful graduates, with 7,000 alumni working nationally and internationally." Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. The so-called gig economy will cease to exist in 20 years, according to a new report from venture-backed start-up Thumbtack, an online marketplace that helps skilled workers find customers. The study predicts that logistics companies from start-ups like Uber to tech giants like Amazon will soon replace drivers and delivery workers with autonomous vehicles and drones. Highly skilled workers, such as lawyers and accountants no longer guaranteed jobs at big firms will be the new gig economy workers, the study finds. A UberX driver calls a customer she is picking up, in Washington, DC. Evelyn Hockstein | The Washington Post | Getty Images "The gig economy as we know it will not last," Jon Lieber, chief economist at Thumbtack, and Lucas Puente, an economic analyst at the firm, said in the report. "In the past few years, analysts and reporters have obsessively focused on transportation technology platforms such as Uber and Lyft and delivery technology platforms such as Instacart and the workers needed for these on-demand services. This narrow focus on low-skilled 'gigs' misses a larger story. These relatively commoditized, undifferentiated services are supplementing income, not generating middle-class lifestyles. Moreover, these tasks are overwhelmingly likely to be automated over time, performed by self-driving cars and drones." Uber is upfront about its plans to replace drivers with robots over time. "Autonomous driving technology has the potential to drastically reduce deaths in cars and make transportation even more affordable," an Uber spokesperson told CNBC. "That's an exciting future and one Uber intends to be part of, but that transition for technical, regulatory and adoption reasons, at scale, will take some time." "In the meantime, our focus is providing flexible work opportunities for as many people in the world as possible," said the spokesperson. Almost half of U.S. jobs are at high risk of computerization over the next 20 years, according to Oxford academics Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael A. Osborne. Their findings were published in 2013 and remain unchanged, though there are some caveats such as resistance from stakeholders and relative wage levels that will determine if a job is in fact automated, said Osborne. Predictions about how many jobs robots will ultimately displace vary widely. "We forecast that 16 percent of jobs will disappear due to automation technologies between now and 2025, but that jobs equivalent to 9 percent of today's jobs will be created," said Forrester analyst J.P. Gownder in a report. "Physical robots require repair and maintenance professionals one of several job categories that will grow up around a more automated world." Taking a global view, more than 3 million workers will be supervised by a "robo-boss" by 2018, research and advisory firm Gartner predicted late last year. watch now The jobs least likely to be automated first are those that require a high level of creativity or emotional intelligence, Osborne said. For example, school teacher jobs are relatively safe because of the elevated level of social intelligence required to teach and mentor children. Positions that are particularly vulnerable to automation include telemarketers, tax preparers, watch repairers, insurance underwriters, cargo and freight agents, and mathematical technicians, the Oxford study found. Within each category, some jobs will be automated sooner. "There are a lot of driving tasks today that really only require the navigation of relatively structured environments," said Osborne, co-director of the Oxford Martin Program on Technology and Employment. "In those types of environments, autonomous vehicles are very much on the near horizon." Driving jobs on mining sites are already being automated and long-distance truck drivers, forklift operators and agricultural drivers could be replaced within five to 10 years, he said. Professional drivers navigating complex inner-city environments, tricky intersections and pedestrians crossing roads involve all the higher-end difficulties of driving. That's why Uber drivers will be the last to be replaced by robots, perhaps within a couple of decades, said Osborne. In the meantime, the gig economy is creating invaluable data to feed Uber's algorithms and build artificial intelligence systems the brains of those robots. For example, an Uber driver is sending back a lot of data on where customers are as well as traffic and road conditions. The remaining choices are Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio or John Kasich. Kasich, is seen as a harmless, likeable Republican. Still, he has no huge ground swell and his political stance beyond likability is hard to define. Ted Cruz is openly reviled by apparently anyone who has ever met him besides his wife and children, which could obviously lead to problems in a general election. If Rubio can secure Florida, he may gain a foothold on which to leap forward and secure the nomination as the only viable establishment candidate. With the possibility of a brokered convention - a contested convention where no clear candidate has secured the majority of delegates - Cruz and Rubio would be vying for that second spot. Cruz's unpopularity among his colleagues could be his undoing as Rubio steps into the role he has been bred for since his 2012 Republican National Convention speech proclaiming himself the GOP version of Obama. Though this would not be the "YES WE CAN," victory either the GOP or Rubio envisioned, it would launch him into a position to unify a broken political party and bring a Latino nominee to the forefront. That could help the GOP improve its growing diversity problem thanks to years of implied anti-immigrant and minority sentiment and a campaign season of openly hostile commentary from Donald Trump. Top Silicon Valley CEOs met with top Republicans in secret last weekend to discuss stopping Donald Trump from becoming the Republican presidential candidate, a report by the Huffington Post claims. Top tech leaders including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Tesla Motors and SpaceX chief Elon Musk and Google co-founder Larry Page, all met top GOP members at the super-secretive American Enterprise Institute's annual World Forum, where Trump was the main point of discussion, according to the news site's anonymous sources. The AEI's World Forum is the conservative think tank's yearly press-free event held on a private island resort off the coast of the state of Georgia. As we speed into the future, an increasing number of components linked to our nation's and corporations' critical infrastructure are reliant on a connection to the Internet. The possibility of devastating cyberattacks from aggressive nation-states, cyberterrorists and hacktivists becomes much more real: All of Manhattan's streetlights turning green at the same time; a U.S. military drone hitting an unintended target; a fleet of hundreds of driverless cars crashing into a police precinct. Big, successful "kinetic" won't likely be the result of one or two technological tweaks or break-ins, say security experts. Instead, the attackers will use many different steps and elements to penetrate a system over time. A key piece of such cyber events will probably be some form of data sabotage, the subtle tweaking of data within transactions to gain some type of benefit. It's a concept that U.S. intelligence officials and security firms have identified as one of cybercrime's next big fronts for 2016. And it implies that data sabotage will also exploit less sensational, though highly influential, opportunities: manipulation of personal finance information, stock tickers or even a company's earnings report for financial gain. "Most of the public discussion regarding cyberthreats has focused on the confidentiality and availability of information," James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, told Congress in September 2015. "In the future, however, we might also see more cyber operations that will change or manipulate electronic information in order to compromise its integrity. ... Decision-making by senior government officials, corporate executives, investors or others will be impaired if they cannot trust the information they are receiving." watch now Data-integrity attacks have been occurring for the past few years in various sectors and forms. In 2010, the Stuxnet worm forced minor changes in targeted devices to destroy Iran's nuclear program. And in 2013, Syrian hackers tapped into the Associated Press' Twitter account and broadcast fake reports that President Obama had been injured in explosions at the White House; within minutes the news caused a 150-point drop in the Dow. "Data-integrity attacks have a number of dimensions to them," said Eddie Schwartz, international vice president at ISACA, a global cybersecurity association. "If you take a controlled system like the power grid or water system that involves machinery that's operated by computers and make some change in the operational instructions for that equipment, that can lead to some catastrophic results power outages or changes in chemical balance." And while Schwartz points out that "there's certainly evidence through security research that such extreme-use cases are possible, if they exist, they haven't come to the public light at this time." Many of the potentially catastrophic events carried out via data sabotage relate to the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT). "IoT is a massive attack surface that allows people to touch systems that for previous decades haven't been available to be interacted with," said Daniel Miessler, director of client advisory services for security services firm IOActive. "This is increasing exponentially; the amount of systems that are currently online versus the amount that are going to be online in the near future is so small that whatever problems we have now will just get bigger." According to research firm Gartner, there were 3.6 billion IoT endpoint devices in 2013; that's expected to rise to 8.7 billion by the end of this year. "We expect an expansion to over 29 billion IoT endpoint devices by 2020," said Lawrence Pingree, a research director at Gartner. Researchers at IOActive have identified specific places across numerous industries where systems remain especially susceptible to cyberattackers. Vulnerabilities abound in so-called smart cities ultrawired locales where information and technology are used but rarely tested for cybersecurity controls to deliver efficient use of resources. The firm found 200,000 vulnerable traffic-control sensors installed in cities, including Washington, New York, Seattle, San Francisco, London, Lyon and Melbourne. Dave Mahon, chief security officer of broadband provider CenturyLink , says that initial targets of data-integrity attacks will be obvious ones, like military operations and critical infrastructure, as cyberwarfare capabilities of even small adversaries become more sophisticated. Others say that data manipulation will be less about large, catastrophic events and more about criminals quietly cashing in on the value of transactional data. "Criminal enterprises they look for levers within society that are economically tuned to helping them make money," said IOActive's Miessler. "If you could tweak a credit score and get a better rate on money and you're making money by borrowing at better rates, these are things criminal enterprises look at their ability to modify the system in some way to get an economic return." Manipulating credit scores or bank account numbers is a natural evolution from yesterday's big data breaches, where the personal information on millions of U.S. shoppers, health-care patients and government workers could already be in use for such manipulation schemes. "That's the interesting thing about integrity attacks they can be highly beneficial to the attacker in that they can often achieve their goals more effectively than a traditional attack," said Steve Grobman, chief technology officer of Intel Security Group, noting that it can be difficult for criminals to make money off stolen credit card numbers. "In an integrity attack, if you're manipulating bank routing numbers or the way that money is transferred, you can directly steal funds and essentially capitalize on all of your theft versus the data you need to sell [in a traditional attack.]" If you could tweak a credit score and get a better rate on money and you're making money by borrowing at better rates, these are things criminal enterprises look at their ability to modify the system in some way to get an economic return. Daniel Miessler director of client advisory services for security services firm IOActive Integrity attacks are stealthy; the key for attackers is to fly under the radar as long as possible. In the case of a corporate competitor who wants a leg up against another company, "if you've tampered with financial account data bases and think of a very simple attack where you multiply all your account receivables by a random number that varies from negative 1 percent to 1 percent, that little variability in the data would go unnoticed by a casual observer," Grobman said. "That could completely ruin your earnings reporting, which would ruin your relationship with your customers," he said. J.J. Thompson, founder and CEO of security solutions provider Rook Security, cited an extreme example of an existing threat involving health-care information that could reach the level of corporate cyberwar and data sabotage: a company, dissatisfied with the way another firm is carrying out a business deal, hires someone to hack an organ transplant list to tweak a piece of information say, inserting that the person on the list, the CEO of the rival firm, is a smoker. "Making sure that the founder who's holding up the deal at the prices they want gets dropped off a transplant list that would be worth billions," he said. "That's an example of what can I do to make them move up or down by manipulating data downstream where nobody's looking." While behavior analytics, the security technology that detects behavior anomalies throughout an entity's system, is still very much evolving, so is the ability and willingness of at-risk entities to share threat information, which experts say will help thwart the most sophisticated cyberattackers. The passing of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 in December was a start, but there are still many entities that have to adapt their data to the uniform formatting languages put in place. The big cyber unemployment problem NEW YORK, NY--(Mar 9, 2016) - The Sohn Conference Foundation and CNBC, First in Business Worldwide, today announced a powerful collaboration to present the Sohn Investment Conferences, kicking off with the 21st Annual Sohn Investment Conference and Next Wave Sohn on May 4, 2016 in New York City. By combining the resources of two internationally celebrated organizations, this partnership will help to advance the Foundation's mission to treat and cure pediatric cancer and other childhood diseases. "CNBC's international influence will be invaluable to supporting The Sohn Conference Foundation's continued global expansion," said Douglas Hirsch, co-chair of The Sohn Conference Foundation. "Working with CNBC presents an exciting opportunity to take our world-class conferences to the next level and we are confident that they will provide an unsurpassed experience to conference attendees." Over the past 21 years, the Sohn Investment Conferences have established a reputation as premier investor events, convening the global finance community for a day of fresh market insights provided by industry leaders. Building on the successes of previous conferences, this partnership with CNBC will enrich the conference experience while supporting the Foundation's global efforts. "The Sohn Investment Conferences attract the brightest minds in finance and the presentations consistently make news and move markets. We are privileged to partner with such a distinguished organization, while providing our audience around the world with exclusive coverage from these conferences," said Nikhil Deogun, senior vice president and editor-in-chief of CNBC Business News. "We look forward to combining our expertise in events with The Sohn Conference Foundation's extraordinary ability to attract great speakers to raise funds for such a worthy cause." The partnership will begin with the flagship Sohn Investment Conference in New York. More exciting details about the New York conference, including the highly-anticipated speaker lineup, will be announced in the coming months. For more information and to register for the Sohn Investment Conference in New York, visitwww.SohnConference.org. ABOUT THE SOHN CONFERENCE FOUNDATION: The Sohn Conference Foundation is dedicated to the treatment and cure of pediatric cancer and other childhood diseases. The Foundation supports cutting-edge medical research, state-of-the-art research equipment, and innovative programs to ensure that children with cancer survive and thrive. The Foundation raises its funds through premier investment conferences and special events, including its renowned annual New York Sohn Investment Conference. Founded in 1995, the Conference honors the memory of Ira Sohn, a successful trader on Wall Street who lost his battle with cancer at age 29. The Foundation has expanded its reach to include the Sohn London Conference, Sohn San Francisco Conference, Sohn Canada Conference, Sohn Hong Kong Conference, and Sohn Tel Aviv Conference. To date, the Foundation has raised $65 million. More information on the Sohn Conference Foundation can be found here: www.sohnconference.org. About CNBC: With CNBC in the U.S., CNBC in Asia Pacific, CNBC in Europe, Middle East and Africa, CNBC World and CNBC HD , CNBC is the recognized world leader in business news and provides real-time financial market coverage and business information to approximately 371 million homes worldwide, including more than 100 million households in the United States and Canada. CNBC also provides daily business updates to 400 million households across China. The network's 15 live hours a day of business programming in North America (weekdays from 4:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET) is produced at CNBC's global headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and includes reports from CNBC News bureaus worldwide. CNBC at night features a mix of new reality programming, CNBC's highly successful series produced exclusively for CNBC and a number of distinctive in-house documentaries. CNBC also has a vast portfolio of digital products which deliver real-time financial market news and information across a variety of platforms. These include CNBC.com, the online destination for global business; CNBC PRO, the premium, integrated desktop/mobile service that provides real-time global market data and live access to CNBC global programming; and a suite of CNBC Mobile products including the CNBC Real-Time iPhone and iPad Apps. Members of the media can receive more information about CNBC and its programming on the NBC Universal Media Village Web site at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/networks/cnbc/. The contrast is marked between United's woeful performance and the stunning leadership of Richard Anderson, Chairman and CEO of Delta Airlines. Anderson is an airline industry veteran who revived the former Northwest Airlines as its CEO, before a brief sojourn as executive vice president of United Health Group. Anderson became Delta's CEO in 2007 to lead it out of its 2005 bankruptcy. The following year he merged Delta with Northwest, which had also gone through bankruptcy, and quickly created a unified culture, sound relations with the pilot's union, and an integrated route structure. He took the unusual step of changing ID numbers on employee security badge to erase any identification with Northwest or the old Delta. Anderson is a hands-on leader who meets regularly with employees and is often found on the flight line talking with the maintenance crew or in the cockpit jump seat chatting with pilots. He eliminated the bottlenecks in flights by boarding passengers forty minutes early, ensuring minimal lost baggage, and enabling many flights to arrive early all of which have led to high levels of customer and employee satisfaction. Since the 2008-09 recession, Delta has experienced strong profitability and is using its cash flow to invest in updated aircraft and improvements to in-flight customer service. The U.S. Justice Department sent German automaker Volkswagen a subpoena under a bank fraud law in its diesel emissions probe , a person briefed on the matter said Tuesday. The government is using the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act to issue the civil subpoena, a 1989 law used in investigating large financial institutions, said the source who requested anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the ongoing probe. The law allows the government's civil division to investigate fraud over the last 10 years. VW spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan declined to comment on talks with regulators, but said the automaker "will continue to cooperate with all relevant government agencies." The Wall Street Journal reported the subpoena earlier Tuesday. The law has been used to subpoena auto loan finance companies in recent years, among other companies. VW faces investigations around the world after it admitted in September to installing software in up to 11 million vehicles that allowed them to emit up to 40 times legally allowable pollution in real world driving. Last month, a federal judge imposed a March 24 deadline for Volkswagen to state whether it has found an emissions fix for 600,000 U.S. diesel vehicles that is acceptable to U.S. regulators. The U.S. Justice Department in January sued Europe's Volkswagen for up to $46 billion for violating U.S. environmental laws. VW and its Audi and Porsche brands are barred from selling any new 2016 diesel models in the United States. VW also faces more than 500 lawsuits from U.S. owners. Settlement talks are still ongoing between the Justice Department, EPA and California Air Resources Board that could include buyback offers and fixes for vehicles. watch now In most countries, reports of $1 billion of unknown providence landing in a prime minister's personal bank account would likely herald a change at the top. But Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak looks set to keep his grip on power despite unprecedented political opposition, analysts said. The opposition to Najib took a high-profile step Friday when Malaysia's iconic former leader Mahathir Mohamad, who was prime minister from 1981-2003, joined members of both opposition and ruling parties to sign a declaration calling for Najib's removal. Reuters also reported that opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who Mahathir removed as deputy prime minister in 1998, issued a statement from jail saying that he supported the push to remove Najib. If Najib is allowed to remain in power, the damage from the scandal related to the deeply indebted state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) will become worse, Mahathir said Friday. The declaration was a shot across the bow. "The fact that Mahathir and the other opposition leaders are banding together to put more pressure on Najib to resign is unprecedented," Wan Saiful Wan Jan, chief executive at the self-described cross-partisan think tank Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) in Malaysia, told CNBC's Squawk Box. "No one could have expected that Mahathir would be willing to sit down with his foes." The scandal driving the opposition has run for months. Najib has been under pressure since the Wall Street Journal published a report in July alleging that nearly $700 million had flowed from 1MDB to Najib's personal bank account. Najib has repeatedly denied wrong-doing and, under pressure from the WSJ report, said at the time the funds were a private donation from a Middle Eastern country he declined to name. In January, Malaysia's Attorney General Mohamed Apandi Ali told an unscheduled press conference that Saudi Arabia's royal family gave Najib a $681 million gift that was subsequently partially returned. Apandi said at the same press conference that no criminal offense had been committed, but investigators are continuing to probe the allegations in other countries, including Switzerland, which said it had found misappropriation of around $4 billion from Malaysian state companies. Singapore has also said it has seized several bank accounts in recent months as part of its investigation into possible money-laundering related to 1MDB. Despite the accusations, Wan Saiful has doubts that the movement will be successful. "Whether or not Najib steps down depends on him and on UNMO (United Malays National Organization)," he said, referring to the ruling party, which has been in power since the country's first election in 1959. "If UNMO does not put pressure from inside for Najib to resign and if he himself does not want to resign, he doesn't have to resign." Indeed, in a statement Friday, a Malaysian government spokesperson said, "If Tun Mahathir wants to change the government, he must follow democratic process and await the next election, in line with Malaysia's laws and federal constitution." Others also expect any attempt to get rid of Najib will face a hard slog. Jupiterimages | Getty Images France was hit by a wave of protests Wednesday, as labor unions and students took to the streets to demonstrate against French president Francois Hollande's proposed labor reforms -- including an end to the shortest working week in Europe. The sweeping reforms, which most notably contain a proposal to scratch France's famous 35-hour work week, have been met with angry reaction throughout the country. Overtime pay for work beyond 35 hours could also be cut. Other changes put forward by Hollande's socialist government include more flexibility in hiring and firing, thus giving French companies more flexibility to employ. It will give employers more scope to lay off workers and cut costs, allow some employees to work far longer than a 35-hour week and make it easier to fire workers on economic grounds when companies run into difficulties. The government says this would free up businesses to offer more permanent contracts. Currently, the majority of new French private sector jobs that are offered are on short-term contracts with little security. French employment law notoriously favors the employee in dismissal cases, making it very expensive for the employer to hire. Many blame France's high unemployment rate on this. France's jobless rate is at an 18-year high of more than 10.2 percent with almost one in four under-25s unemployed, according to the European statistics service Eurostat. Graduates find themselves working temporary contracts for years at a time or doing internship after internship while hoping to secure a job. However, although France sticks to its rigid 35-hour week, French productivity per hour remains far higher than Britain's and even a touch above Germany's (though yearly hours worked in France are lower, and the unemployment rate twice as high) reports The Economist. As the labor protests kicked in, transport was affected across France - the Eurostar and national rail operator SNCF both reported cancellations and delays. BFM TV reported that there were more than 220 miles of traffic jams in the roads in and around Paris. A majority of French people favor a reform of the labor laws, but 70 percent oppose the government's way of going about it, according to a poll in Le Parisien. A second demonstration and strike day is planned for March 31. Mark Murphy, senior VP for system development and ambulatory care leadership at St. Josephs Health, discusses the grant funding that Trinity Health awarded St. Josephs and its partners in what they call the Syracuse Health Coalition. The Livonia, Michiganbased Trinity Health has awarded the organizations $500,000 per year for up to five years. St. Josephs Health is part of Trinity Health, which describes itself as one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health-care delivery systems in the nation, according to its website. (Eric Reinhardt / BJNN) SYRACUSE, N.Y. Trinity Health has awarded St. Josephs Health and the Syracuse Health Coalition grant funding as part of Trinitys Transforming Communities Initiative (TCI). St. Josephs and our partners have received a grant from Trinity Health for $500,000 per year for up to five years, Mark Murphy, senior VP for system development and ambulatory care leadership at St. Josephs Health, said in his remarks on Thursday. Trinity Health and St. Josephs announced the grant funding during an event at the Salt Quarters Building at 301 Wyoming St. in Syracuse. Trinity Health on Feb. 17 announced the TCI grant recipients in a news release on its website. The program involves the investment of about $80 million in grants, loans, community match dollars and services for six communities, including Syracuse, over the next five years. St. Josephs Health is part of Trinity Health, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health-care delivery systems in the nation, according to its website. St. Josephs Health on April 28, 2015 transferred its nonprofit sponsorship from the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities to Trinity Healths Catholic Health Ministries. Trinity Health had asked for all of the communities it serves in 21 states to apply for the funding, Dr. Bechara Choucair, senior VP for safety net transformation & community health at Trinity Health, said in his remarks on Thursday. Through this initiative, Trinity Health is investing in partnerships nationwide that address some of the root causes of poor health to encourage beneficial health care and community collaborations, according to a news release that St. Josephs issued Thursday. Partners in the Syracuse Health Coalition include St. Josephs Health, Onondaga County Health Department (OCHD), Near Westside Initiative, Northside Urban Partnership, Lerner Center at Syracuse University, and HealtheConnections. St. Josephs Health will serve as the lead organization for this project. The coalition partners have already jointly participated in multiple community programs and meet regularly to discuss current initiatives, ideas, and opportunities to leverage work and investments. Funding objectives The Syracuse Health Coalition will use the funding to address tobacco use, physical activity, and nutrition, said Murphy. Well increase opportunities to favor routine, easy choices for healthy lifestyles in the Syracuse community. Expected community benefits include reduced rates of smoking, reduced obesity rates, improved access to nutrition and physical-activity opportunities, fewer health disparities, and enhanced community wellness, said Murphy. The groups involved will also focus on creating early childhood nutrition standards; along with food and beverage standards and a policy to increase physical activity in the Syracuse City School District. The Onondaga County Health Department will be involved in several of the project connected to this grant funding. Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com March 9, 2016 The largest sub-scale engineering model of a NASA space shuttle ever built has touched down at a Georgia airport, where the almost five-story-tall test article will be stored until its public exhibit is ready to launch. The quarter-scale space shuttle was delivered on a flatbed truck to the Flightways Columbus hangar at the Columbus Airport on Monday (March 7) to wait its future display to be funded and built at Columbus State University's Coca-Cola Space Science Center. "An extraordinary artifact from NASA's shuttle program is coming home to Columbus," the center stated in a release. "As a prototype, this [replica] served a vital function in the development of America's space program. As an artifact, it is an irreplaceable part of our nation's heritage." The 30-foot-long (9 meter) orbiter, with its companion 38- foot-long (11.5 m) external tank and twin 37-foot-long (11 m) solid rocket boosters, were built in 1974 to address an issue NASA was facing in proving that its then-new space transportation system could withstand the stresses it would encounter during launch. Archival photograph showing the stacking of NASA's quarter scale space shuttle engineering model for testing. (NASA/CCSSC) "One of the most difficult engineering challenges was that this complex, reusable system could not be flown for test purposes without astronaut pilots at the controls," officials at the space science center described. "This circumstance created the dangerous reality that the first time the space shuttle flew, humans would be on board." A full size mockup, Pathfinder, and a prototype, Enterprise, were used for certain trials, but neither could put the entire stack through its paces during vibration and structural load testing. The solution was the quarter-scale test article. The replica was large enough to simulate all of the primary structural elements and joints of the space shuttle, without exceeding the limitations of the available test facilities. "They chose quarter-scale because [if you made a vehicle] that is scaled in proportion ... you had to have some sense about what's important," said Don Emero, chief engineer of the space shuttle program at Rockwell (now Boeing), in a 2010 oral history. Archival photo of the quarter scale space shuttle. (NASA/CCSSC) "We have lots of small pieces of structure, like vent doors and so forth, that are not necessary to replicate ... they just go along for the ride," Emero continued. "Whereas other things, like the access door to the [orbiter] midbody, were replicated. The scale is chosen such that you can actually make some fasteners. Once you get a smaller scale, like one tenth, then you can't even see the fasteners you have to use." The scale replica was tested in a variety of configurations, including variable loading of the external tank and rocket boosters, enabling replication of the most critical stages of the shuttle's flight to space. The orbiter came to Columbus from Canada, where it was on display at the Calgary International Airport for 14 years. NASA awarded the engineering artifact to the Coca-Cola Space Science Center for its permanent display. NASA's quarter scale space shuttle arrived at Columbus Airport on March 8, 2016 to be stored until its display is ready. (CCSSC) "Your model, the [prototype] shuttle Enterprise and space shuttles Atlantis, Discovery and Endeavour encompass the [program's] most extraordinary components," wrote Robert Sherouse, transition manager in the Office of Infrastructure at NASA Headquarters, in a letter to the science center. The quarter-scale space shuttle will remain in storage, first at the airport and then at the university until the Coca-Cola Space Science Center can raise the funds to build its new display. Elementary students thrilled by Jersey cow in dairy lesson The educational demonstration is part of a partnership between the St. Louis Dairy Council and Southwest Dairy Farmers. Crime Report Shelby County 911 - A Crime Report SHARE Crime news from The Commercial Appeal By Yolanda Jones of The Commercial Appeal A Memphis police officer has been cited for driving through an intersection and crashing his squad car into the side of the Memphis College of Art building Tuesday night. The accident occurred at 11 p.m. at Poplar Avenue and Tucker Street. According to the accident report, police said the officer was headed east on Poplar Avenue when he hit the back of a car that was headed south on Morrie Moss Lane. The impact spun the squad car in the opposite direction on Poplar and the officer crashed into the College of Art building at 1939 Poplar. The officer told investigators that the traffic light was out because of a power outage in Midtown. He said he blew his horn as he, went through the intersection with caution. He collided with another car, causing the squad car to spin and hit the side the Memphis College of Art building. The other car stopped on Tucker, and the driver said she saw the lights were out, so she stopped. Witnesses said the officer did not stop but did blow his horn as he went through the intersection. The officer was cited for failure to maintain a safe lookout. No injuries were reported. The name of the officer has not been released by police. Developers want to add a building that would be separated from Crosstown Concourse (right) by a plaza. The new structure would house pools for the Church Health Center and a gymnasium for Crosstown High School. SHARE A map shows the parcel near the Crosstown Concourse building where developers propose building a gymnasium. By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal Crosstown Concourse will offer 1.1 million square feet to its mix of tenants, but not quite in the configuration needed for a couple of them. That is why the developers want to build yet another building of 25,000 square feet on the property to house pools for the Church Health Center and a gymnasium for the planned Crosstown High School. The $200 million redevelopment of the 90-year-old building formerly known as Sears Crosstown is on schedule for completion early next year. But the development team headed by Todd Richardson and McLean Wilson now need approval from local government because the proposed gym represents a change to the already approved planned development. The gym would be built on grounds north of the building, which towers over the southwest corner of Watkins and North Parkway. The facility would be directly behind some of the dozen houses lining the south side of North Parkway. A large plaza would separate the gym from the main building. Some of the property upon which the gym would be built is now designated in the planned development for passive green space. "This has been on the drawing board for a long time,'' Ann Langston said of the gymnasium on Wednesday morning. She is the Church Health Center's senior director for strategic relationships and opportunities. The nonprofit health organization started work a month ago building out its 132,000 square feet on floors 1, 2 and 3. But it would be difficult to sink into the floors the therapy pool, lap pool and resistance pool that the Church Health Center plans to provide its patients. The main building's floors also would not make it easy to create space tall enough to serve as a gym for the planned Crosstown High. Sharing the gym with a high school meshes with the collaborative spirit of Crosstown Concourse, Langston said. The tenants are not to merely co-exist, but to interact and engage with each other. Crosstown Concourse has always planned to house a school among its tenants. One of the development's founding partners was Gestalt Community Schools, which had planned to put a charter college prep school in the building. But Gestalt pulled out of the project last year. Earlier this year, Christian Brothers University announced it was interested in partnering with Crosstown Concourse to help operate a public school that would be part of Shelby County Schools. The school would be a contract school similar to Campus School operated by the University of Memphis. The university and other partners recently formed a nonprofit Crosstown High School, which would be run as a magnet school. Enrollment would be about 450 students. The nonprofit and Shelby County Schools have been negotiating a proposed arrangement. The latest document filed with the Office of Planning & Development shows that the developers are preparing 1,156,007 square feet of space, including: 263,520 square feet of offices; 218,657 square feet of retail; 6,857 square feet for restaurants; 404,000 square feet of apartments; 48,973 square feet for the school; 14,000 square feet for assembly and performance space; and 150,000 square feet of unassigned space. The Land Use Control Board is to consider the requested change to the planned development during its meeting at 10 a.m., April 14, at Memphis City Hall. October 7, 2015 - Max Taylor and his daughter Mafara walk past one of the high-end shops being renovated in Saddle Creek South. The Texas-based owner of Saddle Creek this week filed for a construction permit to upgrade Saddle Creek's north side. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal One of the Memphis area's most upscale shopping centers is about to undergo another $1 million worth of improvements. The Texas-based owner of Saddle Creek this week filed for a construction permit valued at $1,059,399 to upgrade the north side of the 168,000 center. The work is designed, in part, to make Saddle Creek North, on the northeast corner of Poplar and Farmington, look more like Saddle Creek South, on the southwest corner of Poplar and West, according to a release by Trademark Property Co. of Fort Worth. The renovation includes remodeled facades, new signs, landscaping and lighting, and improvements to plazas. The work is scheduled to be completed this year. There is no other retail property in the Memphis area like Saddle Creek, and to remain an iconic property its important to evolve,'' Terry Montesi, chief executive officer of Trademark Property, said in prepared remarks. "The redevelopment efforts offer the additional space and upgraded amenities necessary for the shopping center to remain the dominant lifestyle destination for tenants and customers alike, he said. Were focusing our leasing efforts on filling the added 25,000 square feet of space with key tenants like Soft Surroundings, Michael Kors, Kendra Scott, and others who fit the distinct, upscale mix at Saddle Creek. The redevelopment follows what Trademark calls its "Conscious Place'' initiative. The approach strives to make its shopping centers more than just places for commerce, but also places for "community and meaning,'' company officials said. The "Conscious Place'' design includes installation of bike racks, improved landscaping, and outdoor seating areas. The first phase of Saddle Creek's redevelopment included renovation and expansion on south side. A two-story building there was razed to create space for 20,000 square feet of new retail and restaurants. The second phase included adding about 5,000 square feet of retail space and additional parking at Saddle Creek North. That work was finished late last year. The 29-year-old shopping center houses more than 40 fashion and specialty retailers. They include Anthropologie, Apple, Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, Chicos, Free People, J. Crew and Madewell. Photo by Ali LeRoi Neo-soul singer Lalah Hathaway performs Saturday at the Orpheum. SHARE By Mark Richens of The Commercial Appeal It's a question Lalah Hathaway grew up hearing. "From the time I was probably 12 or 15, people started saying, 'When are you gonna sing your father's songs?" says Hathaway, elder daughter of soul great Donny Hathaway (1945-1979) and a successful solo artist in her own right. "It wasn't so much about distinguishing myself I knew that would happen naturally. I just do things in my own time, is what it is." Having recently won her third Grammy in as many years Best Traditional R&B Performance for her cover of Donny Hathaway's "Little Ghetto Boy" from the 2015 album "Lalah Hathaway Live" Lalah returns to Memphis for a concert Saturday night at the Orpheum. "We do a lot of my dad's songs from time to time. Sometimes we don't do any," Hathaway, 47, says by phone while shopping at an Ikea in Los Angeles. "But he recorded it for his live record, and I knew that at some point I would record it live. So at that point it made sense." Recorded at the Troubadour theater in Los Angeles, the live album was Hathaway's first after six studio releases, but it won't be her last. "I grew up with so many great live albums: Peter Frampton, Earth, Wind & Fire, Joni Mitchell," she says. "Weather Report 'Live (in Tokyo)' is one of my favorite albums of all time. I listen to a lot of jazz, which is usually a live situation. I'm probably going to make many more live records. I'm interested in the relationship that musicians have and in the conversation they have on stage. That environment can't be recreated in a studio." Hathaway enjoys a particularly strong rapport with her audience, and fans at shows often request for her vocals to be turned up higher than the band in the mix. On "Lalah Hathaway Live," her engineer seems to have returned the favor, as hollers from the house come through loud and clear. "Part of that Donny Hathaway 'Live' (1972) record for me as a 10-year-old I was wondering like, 'What are the people wearing?'" she says. "I can hear them talking to my dad. The voices on the record are a part of the music. It has always been my aspiration as a live performer to have that kind of camaraderie with the audience, that kind of comfortable feeling with audience, that they know they are a part of the music. The show is super interactive, sometimes a little bit too interactive ... but when it's great and people are in, they are a part of the band. That show belongs to them." To release the live album, Hathaway raised money through crowdfunding service Pledge Music and then signed a distribution deal with eOne Music. That followed a pair of albums released on Stax Records, which is owned by Concord Music Group and to which she was signed from 2007 to 2012. "I enjoyed my time at Stax and being affiliated with that brand, a brand I grew up with and have an immense amount of respect for," she says. "It was just time to move on and do my own things." Another link to the famed Memphis soul label: Hathaway has a long-running friendship with Kirk Whalum, the Memphis saxophone great and former chief creative officer of the Soulsville Foundation, which oversees the Stax legacy (though not the active label). "He just texted me five minutes ago," Hathaway says with a laugh. "Kirk and I have known each other since like '95. He is actually the sax player on the Joe Sample featuring Lalah album (1999's 'The Song Lives On'), so I have been playing with him on and off for years. He's one of my favorite people, literally of all time." In between scattered tour dates, Hathaway says she'll be headed back into the studio. "I don't know what it's going to be," she says. "I'm super creative right now. I've been working meeting with people to get a vibe. I went and did some work with (L.A.-based synth-funk crew) The Internet." In the meantime, she's enjoying rapper Snoop Dogg's remix of her version of "Little Ghetto Boy," simply titled "Ghetto Boy." "It's got a video and everything! He super delivered," she says. "People come up to me saying it's his hardest verse in a long time, and I'm super inspired by that." Lalah Hathaway 8 p.m. Saturday at the Orpheum, 203 S. Main. Tickets: $42-$52 through Ticketmaster. orpheum-memphis.com Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland (Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal) By Richard Locker of The Commercial Appeal NASHVILLE A state bill allowing residents of six Tennessee cities to de-annex their communities "is potentially damaging" to Memphis moves that could cost the city more than 100,000 residents, $64 million in property tax revenue and $15 million in sales tax revenue, Mayor Jim Strickland said Wednesday. The bill is the second phase of a massive shift in Tennessee municipal annexation law that began in 2014 when the General Assembly ended six decades of annexation simply by majority votes of city councils. Instead, the 2014 law required consent through referendums or petitions of area residents targeted for annexation The deannexation bill would allow 10 percent of the registered voters of a territory annexed since May 1, 1998, or whose annexation "became operative" after that date, to petition for a deannexation referendum. The deannexation would occur if approved by a majority of the area's voters in a referendum. The bill, House Bill 779, failed on the last day of the 2015 legislative session, but its supporters vowed to return with it this year. The House Calendar Committee Thursday morning scheduled the bill for a House floor vote on Monday. It's sponsored by two Chattanooga area Republicans, Rep. Mike Carter of Ooltewah and Sen. Bo Watson of Chattanooga. The current amended version limits deannexation to Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Johnson City, Kingsport and, oddly, Cornersville (pop. 1,199) -- places where the amendment says "citizens have experienced the most egregious forms of annexation and have no other reasonable course to redress their grievance than to petition for a vote." Strickland, who took office as Memphis mayor Jan. 1, said the city identified 10 potential deannexation neighborhoods that could petition for referendums if the bill is approved in its current form. "It's potentially devastating to the city of Memphis if all these areas de-annex. It's approximately 100,000 people and up $64 million in property taxes," Strickland said, later providing an exact figure of 111,228 people. "We don't know how much in sales taxes yet," the mayor said. "I'm open to the discussion of shrinking the footprint of Memphis. I just think this is the wrong way to do it." The phrase in the bill allowing deannexation to occur in areas where annexation "became operative" after May 1, 1998, is key because that covers areas, like Cordova South, where the City Council approved annexations before 1998 but the action was delayed until later by court battles. "I had been under the impression the effort to de-annex in Memphis was limited to South Cordova and Southwind," Strickland said. "This has been a relatively recent discovery that it included many more areas than that," including Hickory Hill, the Countrywood-Eads corridor, Berryhill, Hillshire, Getwell West, Raleigh North and the southeastern Memphis industrial corridor along U.S. 78. Joseph Fox, co-founder of the deannexation group Cordova's Voice, said deannexation will mean the city won't have to maintain a police and fire presence, pave roads or provide other services. But the bill contains provisions requiring property owners to continue paying taxes to cover city debt incurred since their annexation. "The city is actually going to save money in the long run," Fox said. He doesn't expect the mayor's warnings to sway legislators, who he said are "listening to the citizens who elected them." If the bill wins approval, Cordova's Voice will work to put a deannexation vote on the ballot this November, Fox said. Strickland said the deannexation issue comes on top of other previous and pending state actions that combined could seriously destabilize the city's finances. "As everyone knows, Memphis city government has real fiscal challenges. And some of those were brought through state action," Strickland said, citing the state's mandate that Memphis increase its pension funding by $55 million and a potential $15 million loss if the state abolishes the Hall income tax on stocks and bonds, a portion of which the state shares with local governments. "We've got to hire more police officers. A net increase of 250 officers would cost us $14 million ... If you take out all the commercial and industrial parts of these (potential deannexation) areas, it still would be a $27 million loss in property tax. And then add the $55 million increase in expenses from the pension with the possible reduction of $15 million in the Hall income tax with the possible reduction in income of $27 to 64 million in property taxes, that's roughly a $100 million hit to the city's $658 million budget. "If all these areas did de-annex and we really do realize an approximate $100 million loss from state action it would result in a huge property tax increase. We are just now realizing the economic impact of this. "Again, I'm open to a discussion on shrinking our footprint. It's just this massive wave of de-annexations all at one time would be devastating. But I do want to emphasize I'm open to that discussion," Strickland said. The mayor said he's reaching out to his colleagues in Knoxville, Chattanooga and the other affected cities. "And we are going to reach out to the governor's office to talk about this issue." The current version of HB779 is available online: http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/109/Amend/HA0671.pdf City hall reporter Ryan Poe contributed to this story Melvin Burgess (right) and Chris Caldwell (left) By Linda A. Moore of The Commercial Appeal Shelby County government and Shelby County Schools officials are moving toward a solution to the school system's $1.5 billion OPEB liability and members of an ad hoc committee are hoping to bring entities from throughout the county into the discussion. The committee, at a recent meeting, reviewed a list of objectives that include developing five to 10-year financial projections for the school system if no remedial action is taken, and the possibility of modifying benefits. Those recommendations came from finance expert Tony Saunders, chief restructuring officer for Wayne County, Michigan and a member of the Detroit Financial Review Commission. County Commissioner Melvin Burgess, ad hoc committee chairman, also recommended that others be involved in finding a solution, including officials with the city of Memphis, charter school operators, leaders with Tennessee's Achievement School District and officials with the suburban municipal school districts. "This is not going away," Burgess said. "This is something that's going to be with us for quite a while. We need a good comprehensive plan." The school system's OPEB obligation includes $1.1 billion from the former Memphis City Schools. OPEB includes life insurance for retired school system employees, but the bulk of the debt is for health care, said Chris Caldwell, ad hoc committee and county school board member. In January, the Tennessee Attorney General opined that Shelby County government was not responsible for that portion of the debt but did not detail who was responsible. Some in county government thought the city of Memphis should be responsible, but the city's lawyers have said Memphis is not. "I think it is a community issue and would hope all Shelby County stakeholders would be involved in this discussion," Caldwell said. City Council chairman Kemp Conrad said he would not send anyone from the council to sit on the ad hoc committee. Conrad noted in the letter to the County Commission declining the invitation that participating in the committee could prejudice the city's trial strategies in the event of litigation. That's something Burgess considered in his plan, noting that preparations should be made if legal action needs to be taken by or against the county or the school system. "We just don't know," Burgess said. "If we have to go there, it is what it is." The next step is to finalize how much hiring Saunders will cost and his scope of work if hired. Those involved will then begin to address ways to reduce the debt while preserving benefits for thousands of current and retired school system employees, Caldwell said. "I think the focus for the school board and Shelby County Schools administration is to try to do what's fiscally and morally responsible," he said. "To that end, that's why we're diligently working to see what we can do in looking at all the alternatives in terms of reducing it." SHARE Chris Thomas, Shelby County Commissioner By Linda A. Moore of The Commercial Appeal The Shelby County Election Commission on Friday will interview Chris Thomas, a former county commissioner, probate court clerk and Memphis city school board member, for the post of administrator of elections. Thomas works in government relations/business development for The Redwing Group, a local public relations firm, and was formerly the Lakeland city manager. The commission will also conduct a telephone interview with Linda Phillips, the election administrator in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. The job was offered to Tammy Smith, assistant administrator of elections in Wilson County, who declined. The election commission is searching to replace Richard Holden, who retired as administrator of elections in December. Holden's term was riddled with controversy, with thousands of voters receiving incorrect ballots, an overturned election and votes of no-confidence from the Memphis City Council and the County Commission. The election commission will meet at 1:30 p.m. Friday at 980 Nixon Drive. A Tuesday afternoon fire had reduced Midtown restaurant Saigon Le to rubble by Wednesday morning. (Thomas Bailey Jr./The Commercial Appeal) SHARE March 8, 2016 - Memphis firefighters battle a blaze at the Saigon Le in Midtown Tuesday afternoon. (Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal) By Jody Callahan of The Commercial Appeal A large fire swept through the Saigon Le Restaurant late Tuesday afternoon, destroying a place that has, over two decades, become a Midtown institution. Although several employees and customers were inside the one-story building at 51 N. Cleveland St., all managed to get out safely when the fire erupted a little after 4 p.m., Memphis Fire Department spokesman Lt. Wayne Cooke said. It was heavily involved when we got here. Fire was coming from the roof, Cooke said, adding that MFD sent 19 pieces of equipment and 47 firefighters to the blaze. More than an hour after the fire started, crews were still trying to control the blaze, which had caused a partial roof collapse. Brown smoke and water cascaded out of the back of the building.The cause of the fire was undetermined, but believed to have begun in the kitchen. Damage was estimated at $132,500. Benjamin Ward was leaving his volunteer shift at the Friends for Life building next door when he saw flames spurting from a vent on the roof. I went over and told the people about the fire, Ward said. They were trying to get the money out of the cash register. The Le family opened the Vietnamese restaurant in April 1993 with Hoa Nguyen, the mother, as chef and her daughters working the front of the house. While it didnt introduce Memphians to Vietnamese foodLotus opened on Summer in 1980 the abundance of fresh herbs, homemade broths, creative dishes such as the birds nest egg rolls, and a bit of hipster appeal helped it gain popularity. It was one of the first of numerous Vietnamese restaurants to open on Cleveland, which has been home since to perhaps half a dozen or more, as well as the Asian grocery store Viet Hoa. On March 3, 1995, a fire destroyed the restaurant, but the Le family rebuilt and reopened six months later. Tieng Le hoped Tuesday that the same would happen again. Pretty bad. Its going to be a total loss, he said. Wed like to rebuild. Food writer Jennifer Biggs contributed to this report. Barney Sellers/The Commercial Appeal The 1958-59 Humes Tigers pose in a photo published on March 9, 1959, ahead of a match-up against city leaders Treadwell in a Prep League Basketball game. Coach Johnny Mann (center) is surrounded by players (from left) Johnny Mac Johnson, Billy Dixon, Tommy Johnson, Kelly Pugh, Bobby Wigington, Jimmy Cruthirds and Billy Chitwood. SHARE March 9 25 years ago: 1991 Dr. C. Roland Haden, dean of engineering at Arizona State University, talked with Memphis State University officials at a breakfast meeting Friday at the Fogelman Executive Center. He is the last of four finalists for the MSU presidency to be interviewed by a search committee. 50 years ago: 1966 Tennessee and Arkansas highway officials yesterday asked Federal approval of widening by 60 feet the two major navigation spans on the proposed 50-million-dollar interstate highway bridge at Memphis. The latest proposal, offered as a compromise to objecting rivermen, could result in a slight delay to starting construction of the Mississippi River bridge, a major link in interstate 40. 75 years ago: 1941 Mayor Chandler yesterday turned thumbs down officially on Daylight Saving Time for 1941 following a conference with the City Commission. 100 years ago: 1916 Those elected to office of the Porter Home and Leath Orphanage are: Mrs. W.S. Myrick, Mrs. F. Scott Miller, Mrs. F.S. Latham, Mrs. W.T. Black, Mrs. William E. Nickey, Mrs. R.C. Newsom and Mrs. Milton J. Anderson. 125 years ago: 1891 There may be a shadow of an excuse for calling men by the "appellations" general, colonel, major, captain and judge, but there is no excuse for applying the appellative "honorable" to members of the Legislature or others in this land of liberty. Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press SHARE Brynn Anderson/Associated Press Republican presidential candidate Texas Sen. Ted Cruz waves to the crowd during a campaign rally on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, at Calvary Baptist Church in Raleigh, N.C. (Travis Long/Raleigh News & Observer/TNS) Republican presidential candidate Texas Sen. Ted Cruz speaks to the media prior to his rally at Calvary Baptist Church on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, at Calvary Baptist Church in Raleigh, N.C. (Jill Knight/Raleigh News & Observer/TNS) Republican presidential candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks at the Lansing Brewing Company, Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) By Julie Pace And David Eggert, Associated Press LANSING, Mich. Republican front-runner Donald Trump swept to victory in the Mississippi and Michigan presidential primaries Tuesday, tightening his grip on the GOP nominating contest even though Sen. Ted Cruz notched a late win in Idaho. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton easily carried Mississippi but narrowly lost Michigan to scrappy rival Bernie Sanders. Sanders said the Michigan vote signaled that his campaign "is strong in every part of the country, and frankly we believe our strongest areas are yet to happen." "We already have won in the Midwest, New England and the Great Plains and as more people get to know more about who we are and what our views are we're going to do very well," the Vermont senator said in a statement. But even with Sanders' win in Michigan, and Cruz's victory in Idaho, Clinton and Trump were moving steadily closer to a general election face-off. Clinton now has more than half the delegates she needs to clinch the Democratic nomination. Trump, too, padded his lead over Cruz, his closest rival. The front-runners turned their sights on November as they reveled in their wins. At a rally in Cleveland on Tuesday night, Clinton countered Trump's slogan "Make America Great Again." "America is great," Clinton told cheering supporters. "We are better than what we are being offered by the Republicans," she said, mocking their messy nomination fight. "Every time you think it can't get any uglier, they find a way," she said. "As the rhetoric keeps sinking lower, the stakes in this election keep rising." Trump celebrated his victories at one of his Florida resorts, emphasizing the importance of helping Republican senators and House members get elected in the fall. Having entered Tuesday's contests facing a barrage of criticism from rival candidates and outside groups, he reveled in overcoming the attacks. "Every single person who has attacked me has gone down," Trump said. In his typically unorthodox style, the billionaire was flanked by tables displaying his retail products, including steaks, bottled water and wine, which he urged those present to purchase. While a handful of recent losses to Cruz have raised questions about Trump's durability, Tuesday's contests marked another lost opportunity for rivals to slow his momentum. Now, next week's winner-take-all primaries in Ohio and Florida are perhaps the last chance to stop him short of a long-shot contested convention fight. Ohio Gov. John Kasich was in a fight for second place in Michigan and hoping for a boost heading into next week's crucial contest in his home state. For Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a favorite of Republican elected officials, Tuesday marked the latest in a series of disappointing nights. He emerged from Michigan and Mississippi with no delegates. Rubio insisted he would press on to his home state's primary in Florida. "It has to happen here, and it has to happen now," Rubio told supporters Tuesday during a rally in Sarasota. If Rubio and Kasich can't win at home, the GOP primary appears set to become a two-person race between Trump and Cruz. The Texas senator is sticking close to Trump in the delegate count and with seven states in his win column, he's argued he's the only candidate standing between the brash billionaire and the GOP nomination. During a campaign stop at a North Carolina church Tuesday, Cruz took on Trump for asking rally attendees to pledge their allegiance to him. He said the move strikes him as "profoundly wrong" and is something "kings and queens demand" of their subjects. "I'm not here asking any of you to pledge your support of me," Cruz said, to thunderous applause and cheers. "I'm pledging my support of you." Others have said that Trump's pledge request is similar to the Nazi salute used in Hitler's Germany. Republicans were also holding contests Tuesday in Hawaii and Idaho. GOP candidates were fighting for 150 delegates, while 179 Democratic delegates were at stake in the party's two primaries. With Tuesday's wins, Trump leads the Republican field with 428 delegates, followed by Cruz with 315, Rubio with 151 and Kasich with 52. Winning the GOP nomination requires 1,237 delegates. Clinton has accumulated 1,134 Democratic delegates and Sanders 502, including superdelegates. Democrats need 2,383 delegates to win the nomination. The results in Mississippi underscored Clinton's overwhelming strength with black voters and Sanders' inability to draw support from voters who are crucial to Democrats in the general election. Clinton carried nearly 9 in 10 black voters in Mississippi, mirroring her margins in other Southern states with large African-American populations. The economy ranked high on the list of concerns for voters heading to the polls in Michigan and Mississippi. At least 8 in 10 voters in each party's primary said they were worried about where the American economy is heading, according to exit polls conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press and television networks. Among Democrats, 8 in 10 voters in both states said the country's economic system benefits the wealthy, not all Americans. SHARE By Margaret Carlson In the span of a week, we've gone from Donald Trump having an unstoppable path to the Republican nomination to the possibility that he could be beaten. That's the good news for the majority of Americans who believe that an authoritarian, ill-informed, bellicose real estate mogul is unsuited to be president. The bad news is that the vehicle of Trump's defeat is turning out to be Sen. Ted Cruz. With his faux-folksy recitations of Dr. Seuss and "The Princess Bride," his singular insistence that Obamacare could be repealed, and nonstop obstruction fueled by his self-regard as the only principled man in Washington, he helped grind governing to a halt in recent years. One of the few points of bipartisan agreement on Capitol Hill is antipathy to Cruz. Vice President Joe Biden captured the feeling at the annual Gridiron Club dinner on March 5, joking that if President Barack Obama really wanted to put his mark on the Supreme Court, he should name Cruz to the open seat. "Before you know it, you'll have eight vacancies." The emergence of Cruz as the savior of his party offers the painful choice between a fast death by gunfire (Trump romping to an unbeatable plurality of delegates within days) or a slow one by poison, as Cruz chips away at Trump's lead with his latest wins in Kansas and Maine. But there's no time to waste. The most super of Tuesdays is coming up on March 15 with the winner-take-all contests in Ohio and Florida. If Trump were to win both, the fat lady has sung. That makes the strategy Cruz announced Friday perilous. Rather than stop Trump from pocketing 99 delegates in Florida by leaving Sen. Marco Rubio to consolidate the anti-Trump vote on his own, Cruz has chosen to try to kill off Rubio in the Sunshine State. He announced Friday that he would be moving big time into Florida, opening 10 offices, buying ads, and spending much of his time there. Rubio did Cruz's dirty work descending to Trump's level where the media lives and exposing his weak spots. And strategically, it might make more sense to let Rubio deprive Trump of delegates. But Cruz also may have decided that taking the risk of having to catch up later is a worthwhile trade-off for the opportunity to humiliate Rubio on his home turf. Cruz may be smart he certainly has a photographic memory but we know he's lucky. The calendar favored him in many ultra-conservative early primary states and his home state of Texas. He got help from ads run by the Club for Growth and the benefit of evangelicals beginning to doubt the multimarried Trump's values. He deflected some of Ben Carson's votes in Iowa by spreading the incorrect rumor that the neurosurgeon was dropping out (for which he paid no price since he's already considered a dark character). That got him bragging rights for winning Iowa when Trump was winning everywhere else. Most of all, Cruz is benefitting from time taking its toll on Trump. He doesn't wear well and the controversies over Trump University, his eviction of a widow in Atlantic City to make space for limos, his stiffing of small businesses and creditors and revelations about less-known failures from Trump Vodka to Trump Mortgages are widening the cracks in his facade. Trump dented his telling-it-like-it-is persona when he admitted that he told the New York Times editorial board off the record that he was open to deal-making on immigration (Of course, he makes deals. Doesn't everyone?). For the first time, Trump had to outright reverse himself on his pledge to take off the gloves to defeat terrorists. Even when it comes to his most borderline ideas, he said, the military is "not going to refuse me. Believe me." On Friday, in response to criticism from top brass including Michael Hayden, a retired general and former Central Intelligence Agency director, Trump said: "I will not order a military officer to disobey the law. It is clear that, as president, I will be bound by laws just like all Americans and I will meet those responsibilities." It wasn't clear at all. In fact, he has built his campaign on warmongering, denying dignity to an entire religion, building a wall and the promise of mass deportations. That elicits big cheers at his rallies. He laces the Kool-Aid with Mussolini quotes and intermittently playing coy about white supremacists among his supporters. In North Carolina on Monday, Trump opened his rally with his string of wins, a tribute to his own courage, throwing out a protester and a call for a raising of right hands by those promising to vote for him, which couldn't help evoking a parade in North Korea. In an interview after Cruz won Texas, Oklahoma and Alaska last week, Sen. Lindsey Graham said that even though his Texas colleague is not his favorite, "we may be in a position where we have to rally around Ted Cruz as the only way to stop Donald Trump." This from the person who joked that if Cruz were to be murdered in the Senate it would be considered justifiable homicide. For the moment, Cruz is a lucky man. Margaret Carlson is a Bloomberg View columnist. SHARE By Ruth Marcus WASHINGTON For those of you salivating, or trembling, at the thought of Hillary Clinton being clapped in handcuffs as she prepares to deliver her acceptance speech this summer: deep, cleansing breath. Based on the available facts and the relevant precedents, criminal prosecution of Clinton for mishandling classified information in her emails is extraordinarily unlikely. My exasperation with Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary of state is long-standing and unabated. Lucky for her, political idiocy is not criminal. "There are plenty of unattractive facts but not a lot of clear evidence of criminality, and we tend to forget the distinction," American University law professor Stephen Vladeck, an expert on prosecutions involving classified information, told me. "This is really just a political firestorm, not a criminal case." Could a clever law student fit the fact pattern into a criminal violation? Sure. Would a responsible federal prosecutor pursue it? Hardly absent new evidence, based on my conversations with experts in such prosecutions. There are two main statutory hooks. Title 18, Section 1924, a misdemeanor, makes it a crime for a government employee to "knowingly remove" classified information "without authority and with the intent to retain such documents or materials at an unauthorized location." Prosecutors used this provision in securing a guilty plea from former CIA Director David Petraeus, who was sentenced to probation and fined $100,000. But there are key differences between Petraeus and Clinton. Petraeus clearly knew the material he provided to Paula Broadwell was classified, and that she was not authorized to view it. "Highly classified ... code word stuff in there," he told her. He lied to FBI agents, the kind of behavior that tends to inflame prosecutors. In Clinton's case, by contrast, there is no clear evidence that Clinton knew (or even should have known) that the material in her emails was classified. Second, it is debatable whether her use of the private server constituted removal or retention of material. Finally, the aggravating circumstance of false statements to federal agents is, as far as we know, absent. The government used the same statute in 2005 against former national security adviser Sandy Berger, sentenced to probation and fined $50,000. Here, too, the conduct was more evidently egregious than what the public record shows about Clinton's. Berger, at the National Archives preparing for the 9/11 investigations, twice took copies of a classified report out of the building, hiding the documents in his clothes. For Clinton, the worst public fact involves a 2011 email exchange with aide Jake Sullivan. When she has trouble receiving a secure fax, Clinton instructs Sullivan to "turn [it] into nonpaper [with] no identifying heading and send nonsecure." But Clinton has said she was not asking for classified information. In any event, it does not appear her instructions were followed. Another possible prosecutorial avenue involves the Espionage Act. Section 793(d) makes it a felony for a person entrusted with "information relating to the national defense" who "willfully communicates, delivers [or] transmits" it to an unauthorized person. That might be a stretch given the willfully requirement. Section 793(f) covers a person with access to "national defense information" who through "gross negligence permits the same to be removed from its proper place of custody or delivered to anyone in violation of his trust." The government has used the "gross negligence" provision to prosecute a Marine sergeant who accidentally put classified documents in his gym bag, then hid them in his garage rather than returning them, and an Air Force sergeant who put classified material in a dumpster so he could get home early. The argument here would be that Clinton engaged in such "gross negligence" by transferring information she knew or should have known was classified from its "proper place" onto her private server, or by sharing it with someone not authorized to receive it. Yet, as the Supreme Court has said, "gross negligence" is a "nebulous" term. Especially in the criminal context it would seem to require conduct more like throwing classified materials into a dumpster than putting them on a private server that presumably had security protections. My point here isn't to praise Clinton's conduct. She shouldn't have been using the private server for official business in the first place. It's certainly possible she was cavalier about discussing classified material on it; that would be disturbing but she wouldn't be alone, especially given rampant overclassification. The handling of the emails is an entirely legitimate subject for FBI investigation. That's a far cry from an indictable offense. Ruth Marcus is a columnist for The Washington Post. 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Cumbu T.V. Cumbu Tamarind Fruit Tamarind Seed Tapioca Taramira Tender Coconut Thinai (Italian Millet) Thogrikai Thondekai Tinda Tobacco Tomato Toria Tube Rose(Double) Tube Rose(Loose) Tube Rose(Single) Turmeric Turmeric (raw) Turnip Walnut Water Melon Wheat Wheat Atta White Peas White Pumpkin Wood Yam Yam (Ratalu) Select State Select Market This is a guest post for Computer Weekly Open Source Insider written by Umair Shahid in his role as head of PostgreSQL at Percona -- a company known for its work delivering enterprise-class ... In this guest post, Aidan McClean, CEO and co-founder of online electric vehicle hire firm UFODRIVE, highlights the shortcomings in the UKs car charging infrastructure The UKs 2030 ban on the ... The artist formerly known as Kanye West has tied a ribbon round his recent package of white supremacist slogans, George Floyd family agitation and anti-Semitic tropes with an agreement to purchase ... This is a contributed piece for the Computer Weekly Developer Networks API series written by Galeal Zino in his capacity as co-founder and CEO of NetFoundry the company is the originator and ... As we connect more systems, applications, compute resources and containerised entities to each other through the neural networking connections offered by APIs, there is a clear and present need to ... Many organisations are shifting to a less-paper environment as they accelerate their digital transformation initiatives. Scanning plays a key role in this transition, enabling companies to ... In this guest post, Ciaran Dynes, chief product officer at data integration platform, Matillion, explores the role of cloud data in informing decisions that reduce global impact As the world turns ... Once simply known as IFS World Conference, the last pre-pandemic gathering from the US and European-headquartered cloud enterprise software company was called For The Challengers - a nod of sorts ... In what at first glance looked like the inventor of affordable rolled gift wrap finally having enough, Damien Hirst last week began the process of burning those of the 10,000 individual A4 ... With Oracle CloudWorld in Las Vegas kicking off, the on-going battle with third party support provider Rimini Street is once again making the news. On October 10th Oracle said it had informed the ... Cliff Saran's Enterprise blog Diminishing returns Cliff Saran Managing Editor Many moons ago, the tech sector would gel around a big product launch, like the next version of Windows. But in the era of over-the-air (OTA) continuous updates, especially on smartphones, there is ... Green Tech Why electric vehicles are the next big step for developers working in sustainability In this guest post, Rollo Home, head of product at national mapping agency Ordnance Survey, sets out the opportunities for software developers to get more actively involved in sustainability ... Eyes on APAC IT and sustainability: The 21st century paradox? Aaron Tan TechTarget This is a guest post by Han Chon, managing director for ASEAN at Nutanix There has been much discussion around how technology can be used to accelerate sustainability efforts, from green IT to ... CW Developer Network Holy (boundless) observability: Dynatrace launches Grail Adrian Bridgwater Dynatrace is of course not just a systems and data observability specialist. The company quite specifically describes and denotes itself as a software intelligence company with a platform ... CW Developer Network API series - Pantheon: Building web experiences with APIs & Jamstack Adrian Bridgwater This is a guest post for the Computer Weekly Developer Network API series written by Josh Koenig in his role as co-founder and chief strategy officer at Pantheon. Pantheon is a WebOps platform for ... CW Developer Network ThoughtSpot dev lead: The modern developer relations stack - part #2 Adrian Bridgwater This couplet of joint analysis pieces is written in full by Quinton Wall in his role as head of developer relations at ThoughtSpot. As a company, ThoughtSpot likes to call itself a modern analytics ... Data Matters Bono-Benioff fireside chat at Dreamforce 2022: divinity in the destitute Brian McKenna Business Applications Editor The last time I sat in the Yerba Buena Theatre near the Moscone Centre in San Francisco at Salesforces annual conference Dreamforce, was to hear David Beckham having a fireside chat with the then ... CW Developer Network ThoughtSpot dev lead: The modern developer relations stack - part #1 Adrian Bridgwater This couplet of joint analysis pieces is written in full by Quinton Wall in his role as head of developer relations at ThoughtSpot. As a company, ThoughtSpot likes to call itself a modern analytics ... Cliff Saran's Enterprise blog Ofcom adapts to the changing face of communications Cliff Saran Managing Editor Earlier this year, Ofcom commissioned Analysys Mason to look at the digital value chain. It is this study that sets the scene for a more expansive role at the regulator, as Ofcom looks to stay ... Green Tech Energy crisis in schools: Is the edtech sector doing enough to become energy efficient? In this guest post, Angela Townsend, director of channel sales at edtech provider SMART Technologies, talks about the impact rising energy prices are having on school IT systems. The rising cost ... CW Developer Network API series - Axway: The 'API Guild' operationalises us towards API-first Adrian Bridgwater This is a guest post for the Computer Weekly Developer Network written by Brian Otten in his role as VP of the digital transformation catalysts division at Axway - a company known for its ... Open Source Insider Newly formed Linux Foundation Europe provides inside track on OSS Dublin 2022 Adrian Bridgwater This is a guest post written by Dan Whiting, director of media relations and communications for the Linux Foundation. Whiting has filed this piece writing live this month from the Open Source ... Cliff Saran's Enterprise blog Has Putin started a server revolution? Cliff Saran Managing Editor The European Commission wants Member States to reduce consumption. Demand reduction is fundamental: it lowers energy bills, ends Putin's ability to weaponise his energy resources, reduces ... CW Developer Network Progress promotes people-centric programming Adrian Bridgwater Developers build code and so, logically, they need to deliver code above all else, right? This misconception was one of the lies developers tell themselves tabled by Microsoft's Billy Hollis during ... Green Tech How fuel cells could power the transition to a greener datacentre industry In this guest post, Russel Bulley, senior application engineer at datacentre equipment manufacturer Vertiv, shares his thoughts on how fuel cell technology could help the server farm industry go ... CW Developer Network Progress360 2022: day one keynote live report Adrian Bridgwater The email came in quite quietly over the weekend, just in advance of the morning keynote the following day and it read, So, its like a normal developer event - all over again right? The truth ... CW Developer Network API series - Salt Security: Unified monitoring of APIs for seasoned security Adrian Bridgwater This is a guest post for the Computer Weekly Developer Network written by Nick Rago in his capacity as field CTO at Salt Security - a company known for its specialist skills related to API ... Cliff Saran's Enterprise blog Apple iPhone 14: Time to put our desire for shiny new things into perspective Cliff Saran Managing Editor Can the launch of the iPhone 14 have come at a worse time? The standard of living of people is falling, inflation is rising rapidly, the pound is crashing and fuel bills are sky high and set to ... CW Developer Network What to expect from KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America 2022 Adrian Bridgwater Almost freezing, not quite, but very interesting with a definite chance of Motown, some renowned US Midwestern culture and the possibility of eating at Big Boy, the home of the first double ... Green Tech Taking the lead: How leaders can help address global sustainability and human rights challenges In this guest post, professor Matthew Gitsham, who leads on sustainability at Hult International Business School, sets out the role that leaders should take when helping their organisations hone ... 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Details are scarce about the Pentagons domestic spying missions other than they have happened on rare occasions fewer than 20 times between 2006 and 2015 according to a Defense Department report obtained by USA Today via a Freedom of Information Act request. The Pentagon must have laughed when USA Today requested a list of the spy flights; the request was denied. Nevertheless, the report issued by the DoD inspector general in 2015 did include a few examples of how spy drones have not been used. USA Today described one in which an unnamed mayor asked the Marines to fly a drone over a city to identify potholes; the Marines nixed the request, saying obtaining the defense secretarys approval to conduct a UAS mission of this type did not make operational sense. Several military units reportedly told the IG theyd like more opportunities to fly drones on domestic missions. The report, USA Today added, quoted a military law review article that said the appetite to use them (spy drones) in the domestic environment to collect airborne imagery continues to grow, as does Congressional and media interest in their deployment. Pentagons swarming micro-drones and Avatar project Speaking of drones, The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon tested tiny, secret prototype drones 150 times over Alaska last summer. The 3D-printed micro-drones from the Perdix Project can be launched via ground troops or be fired from flare dispensers of moving F-16s and F/A-18 fighter jets. Canisters containing the tiny aircraft descended from the jets on parachutes before breaking open, allowing wings on each drone to swing out and catch the wind. Inch-wide propellers on the back provided propulsion as they found one another and created a swarm. While this might sound like the brainchild of DARPA, the ideas come from the DoDs Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) an organization tasked with creating new trick plays for the Pentagon. Capabilities of the micro-drones are considered classified, but The Post was told they could be used to confuse enemy forces and as a less expensive unmanned aircraft alternative to carry out surveillance missions. The Post also revealed another new Pentagon project, previously called Skyborg but now dubbed Avatar. It involves pairing fifth-generation fighter jets like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with unmanned versions of older jets like the F-16 Fighting Falcon or F/A-18 Hornet, which would be flown without a pilot for the first time. The Avatar program will require unmanned fighters to act with enough autonomy that the pilot in the manned jet doesnt have to direct them all the time. Microsoft has released the next version of its Dynamics AX enterprise resource planning software, giving companies a path to running more of their businesses in the cloud. The update, made available in Microsoft's cloud on Tuesday, has a new design intended to make the software easier to use, so people can get more work done. Its all run through a browser-based portal, so people can access it wherever they are, and on any sort of device, whether thats a desktop PC, a smartphone or something in between. The on-premises version of the suite will be released at a later date. Dynamics AX also connects with Microsofts Power BI to do data visualization, which means users can get an easy, at-a-glance look at key business metrics, and implement custom visualizations for understanding data. Users also get additional help with complex tasks through a Task Guides feature that gives them step-by-step instructions for doing anything inside Dynamics AX. Users can also create their own guides using a Task Recorder, and share them with others. Task Guides are also useful for troubleshooting problems with Dynamics. Users can record an instance where they ran into trouble and then share that with someone who can help them. That engineer can then look at telemetry from a customers Dynamics instance. Customers also get help implementing best practices. This release builds in a Lifecycle Services feature that allows companies to test changes to their Dynamics instance without rolling them out in production. Businesses can spin up an instance to try out an integration and test what they have planned before rolling it out to employees, while paying only for the compute resources that they use. Theyll also get a dashboard that shows them the health of their Dynamics instance, and if their configurations are out of sync with what Microsoft recommends. The feature is already available for Dynamics AX 2012, but it's required for using the new Dynamics AX. Lifecycle Services represents a shift in how companies manage the lifecycle of an ERP system in a way thats never really been done before, Enterprise Application Consulting analyst Josh Greenbaum said. The ability to test in the cloud and use the clouds natural elasticity and functionality to take the test, flip a switch and make it the actual production environment, that truly is magic. The software is delivered entirely though Microsoft Azure, and the company said it has spent a massive amount of time re-architecting Dynamics AX to run inside Azure. There are currently 10 companies using the cloud-based version of Dynamics AX in production, with Microsoft boasting that 50 other customers will bring their deployments online in the coming months. Theyll be supported by an ecosystem of more than 50 integrations developed by third-party software vendors that are designed to help tailor Dynamics AX for different businesses. Looking ahead, Microsoft will also have a version of the new Dynamics AX that can be run on-premises, like its predecessors. Thats on hold until the company releases its Azure Stack private cloud administration software, which will allow businesses to turn servers they own into an instance of Microsoft Azure that can be used by applications in the same way that they access the Azure public cloud. Dynamics AX joins Microsoft's other cloud-based business applications, including Power BI, Office 365 and Dynamics CRM Online, which are all aimed at letting businesses get away from running on-premises applications and focus on using Microsoft's cloud. In the General Election in London last year, Labour won 300,000 more votes than the Conservatives. As a share of the vote Labour won 44 per cent to the Conservatives 35 per cent. By contrast across the UK the Conservatives were ahead of Labour 37 per cent to 30 per cent. Its true that Labour are unpopular now in the Corbyn era. Opinion polls nationally suggest a Conservative lead of around seven points, as at the General Election. Perhaps the Conservative lead is understated and Labour has fallen back a bit. Yet the General Election figures for the capital last year show the huge challenge facing Zac Goldsmith in seeking to be elected the Mayor of a Labour city. Labour has more MPs, more councillors, more Party members. A poll for the Evening Standard yesterday by Opinium showed Goldsmith five points behind on first preferences and (of more relevance) ten points adrift once second preferences are included. A poll from YouGov for LBC in January showed Goldsmith behind by ten points on both measures. And yet, and yet The impression I have from my own canvassing is that Party allegiance is fluid with a Mayoral race. The conversations suggest an inclination to decide on how to vote on the basis of the individual candidates and their policies. In west London, Goldsmith is well known for his opposition to Heathrow expansion. I have came across (a few) Conservatives reluctant to vote for him as a result and (rather more) Labour and Lib Dem supporters contemplating doing so. Goldsmiths decision to vote for leaving the EU in the referendum has also been spotted and provoked mixed reactions. There is an appreciation that Goldsmith is a man of integrity an appreciation that he means what he says, even if you disagree with him. For his Labour opponent, Sadiq Khan, there is a hunger for the job, which is a plus, but it has also led to flip-flopping amusingly documented on this site by Peter Golds. An inclination to vote on the basis of the candidate rather than the party will not always favour Goldsmith. But it does shake up the kaleidoscope. It makes the contest more uncertain. One unedifying aspect to the election may be some of us voting on the basis of tribe rather than belief. Khan is a Muslim so rather depressingly some may vote for him or against him on that basis. He can be expected to win some votes from non-Socialist Muslims. If there is a low turnout generally, but a high turnout among Muslims, this could be very important. Some white traditional Labour voters may refuse to vote for him due to prejudice. Perhaps just as many, if not more, Hindus and Sikhs may switch away from the Labour candidate for the same reason. More happily, of course, we have more of the aspirational, upwardly mobile ethnic minority communities in places like Harrow and Barnet voting Conservative for positive reasons. Another factor is that Khan has also played the race card to claim that any criticism of his extremist connections is anti-Muslim. This crass behaviour has not succeeded in silencing scrutiny in the media and nor should it. The big unknown however is turnout. The Livingstone/Boris contests caught the imagination of the media. This years London Mayoral race is struggling to compete against the far more important choice being faced the following month in the EU referendum. Goldsmiths personal following in and around his home territory of Richmond and Twickenham will be crucial. Will the white working class voters on the housing estates of Havering and Bexley go to the polls without the excitement of Boris? Will pensioners (mostly pro-Goldsmith) maintain there sense of civic duty while fewer youngsters bother? The Goldsmith team are busy at present with a postal votes drive. Constituency agents from outside London have been seconded to help. The campaign machine has become better organised in recent months. Goldsmiths media performances have become more assertive. He is still the underdog. But he remains a strong contender. Cameron attacks SNPs monopoly on power This week the Prime Minister launched a fierce attack on Nicola Sturgeons Nationalist administration in Scotland, and claimed that the Scottish Conservatives were voters best hope for an effective opposition. STV reports that David Cameron made his remarks during his speech to the Partys Scottish conference on Friday during which he also made an ill-fated attempt to mimic a Scots accent. Meanwhile Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, has watered down her partys tax-cutting offer for Mays Holyrood elections, due to tougher than expected spending cuts planned by George Osborne. We set out more on the thinking behind this earlier this week. But Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, stepped in to reinforce her bid to make Trident a central feature of the campaign: the Tories are running as the only avowedly pro-nuclear weapon party, on both employment and security grounds. Villiers accused of side-stepping Brexit questions as UUP campaign for Remain Labour have accused the Northern Irish Secretary of avoiding questions about the impact that Britain leaving the EU would have on the province, according to the Belfast Telegraph. Vernon Coaker, the Shadow Secretary, criticised her for having a junior minister fielding many economic questions and highlighted how strong support for EU membership is amongst Ulster businesses. Also this week the Ulster Unionist Party, the smaller of Northern Irelands two main pro-UK outfits, decided to campaign for Remain. This puts it at odds with its larger rival, the Democratic Unionists, who back a Leave vote. Tom Elliott, a former UUP leader who unseated Sinn Fein to win Fermanagh and South Tyrone in 2015, also claims to be undecided on the issue. Welsh Conservatives propose scores on doors system for hospitals Hospitals would be forced to prominently display information to let patients quickly and easily assess their customer service performance under plans being proposed by the Welsh Conservatives. WalesOnline outlines the system, which it describes as an expansion of the existing regime for hygiene standards. Scores on issues such as waiting times and infection rates would be prominently displayed near the doors of hospitals. This is part of a broader package of measures designed to help the Tories go on the offensive against Labour on health, including an NHS Safety Bill and a charter of patient choice, which would give people the right to choose their GP and hospital. Ex-SNP MP risks court after defaming unionist group Natalie McGarry, the former Scottish Nationalist MP who lost the whip due to questions over 30,000 in missing donations to a referendum group, has landed herself in hot water on Twitter yet again. Only weeks after being threatened with legal action by billionaire author JK Rowling, she is now again facing court by a unionist group after calling its leader a holocaust denier. Meanwhile, Total Politics reports that a large number of the SNPs 54-strong bloc of MPs are getting increasingly bored and frustrated in Westminster, and that the partys Leninist discipline may crack as a consequence. Jones sets out rival devolution vision After crossing swords with Stephen Crabb, the Welsh Secretary, over the next stage of devolution Carwyn Jones, the First Minister, has set out his own proposals. These include a much narrower range of reserved powers, the invention of a distinct concept of Welsh Law, and the renaming of the National Assembly as the Welsh Parliament. However it fights shy of new fiscal powers, which Jonathan Edwards, a Plaid MP, has branded pathetic. Two-thirds of AMs would need approve the acquisition of income tax powers by the Assembly. SNP take cover from financial figures Ministers from the Nationalist administration in Edinburgh will not be on hand to answer questions tomorrow on the Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland (GERS) report, despite doing so last year. The Herald reports that tomorrows figures, which are the closest thing we have to Scotlands accounts, will likely show the Scottish Government to be even deeper in the red than last year. By failing to respond, the paper notes that it is difficult to judge how seriously Sturgeon is taking the bullish talk of a second independence referendum in the event of Brexit. Ex-SDLP leader storms out of Commons committee Alasdair McDonnell, the MP for Belfast South and until recently the leader of the soft-nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party, baffled MPs when he dramatically walked out of a select committee on Monday. According to the News Letter, this reaction was provoked by Kate Hoey, a Labour MP with Ulster connexions, whom he felt was treating an SDLP witness disrespectfully. She dismissed the complaint. The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee was convened in Belfast at the time, although it normally meets in London. Campaign to fund Independent MPs may extend to Holyrood The Campaign for a Free Parliament, which is putting 10,000 behind an Independent candidate in every UK constituency at the next general election, has announced that it will extend to this years Holyrood poll. Bankrolled by a mystery Scottish industrialist and backed by figures such as Digby Jones, the recipients of the funding will be chosen by open primary and The Herald reports that applicants are already expressing an interest in a Scottish Parliamentary version. A spokesman says that there probably wont be time to set anything up ahead of Mays vote, but it is something they will consider in future. David Cameron is a bit on edge. Generally speaking, this improves his performances, by lending them a touch of asperity. Today he demonstrated a surprising keenness to cross the road and beat up the Labour Party. Not for him the complacent view that the Labour Party is quite good enough at beating itself up. The Prime Minister chose a liberal issue and clubbed Labour over the head with it. He suddenly declared in an angry tone, while answering a question about women, that there must be no more segregated political meetings. He added that bigoted religious views can no longer be tolerated: I think we should all take the pledge no more segregated meetings. Note the word we: Cameron places himself at the head of what he presents as the only reputable opinion. After all, what Labour member is likely to challenge what he said, and call for a degree of respect to be shown for traditions, whether Christian, Muslim or Jewish, which entail a degree of segregation. The Prime Minister presents himself, for the purposes of political combat, as an intolerant liberal. He is actually an Anglican, which is a much subtler thing, but he knows there is not the slightest point in trying to explain his own religious inheritance at PMQs. How much more convenient for this eloquent and versatile product of a traditional, single-sex education to step forward as the fearless champion, in the political sphere, of complete equality. The reason Cameron is on edge is that he needs to win the referendum, which means he needs to defeat a numerous and increasingly angry body of opinion within his own party. Sir Bill Cash (Con, Stone), who had entered the Chamber with Jacob Rees-Mogg (Con, North East Somerset), complained that the three White Papers the Government has published about Europe fail to meet the requirement of being accurate and impartial. The Prime Minister rebuffed this by saying that people like Sir Bill should challenge the content and stop having an argument about the process. Once again, Cameron was asserting his moral superiority, by implying that he deals with content, while his adversaries are obsessed by mere procedure. This is an incredibly insulting, indeed constitutionally illiterate thing to say to someone like Sir Bill, who has devoted decades of his life to getting to grips with the dry, dull, but extremely important content of European measures, and who also knows that procedure is a vital part of parliamentary politics. Jeremy Corbyn was out of it. He told us he was asking his hundredth question, but the more we see of him, the less impressive he looks. Labour have got to get rid of him. Whether Cameron is forced to go, or steps down at some time of his choosing, whoever succeeds him as Conservative leader will surely find it irresistible to call an immediate general election if Corbyn is still in charge. Richard Burgon (Lab, Leeds East), asked whether, in the event of a Leave vote in the referendum, the Prime Minister will resign Yes or No? No, Cameron answered, with admirable brevity. AIG Auto Insurance Read 101 Reviews Provides car insurance to members of its private client group. 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O3b satellites orbit much closer to Earth than conventional geostationary satellites. The O3bTrunk service employed by Entel delivers latency equivalent to long haul fiber, with round-trip times of less than 150 milliseconds. This allows access to improved quality voice, streaming HD video, social media, online gaming, enterprise software applications and overall performance for the end-user on par with connections in Santiago or other mainland cities.We are excited to see that O3bTrunk is now live on Easter Island, a place right in the middle of the Pacific, which makes it very difficult to reach by terrestrial networks said Omar Trujillo, VP Americas for O3b. We are pleased to be enabling broadband, and a true 4G experience to the islands residents, thanks to our low latency. We look forward to continuing our work with Entel to provide flexible, reliable and scalable solutions to difficult to reach areas in Chile, Peru and beyond.http://www.o3bnetworks.com/ Arab World And The Refugees: Could The Arab Leaders See The Mirror? By Mahboob A Khawaja 09 March, 2016 Countercurrents.org Once the Arabs were leaders in knowledge, creativity, science and human manifestation, progress and future-making - the Islamic civilization lasting for eight hundred years in Al-Andalusia- Spain. But when they replaced Islam - the power and core value of their advancements with petro-dollars transitory economic prosperity, they failed to THINK intelligently and fell in disgrace and lost what was gained over the centuries. They relied on Western mythologies of change and materialistic development which resulted in their self- geared anarchy, corruption, military defeats and disconnected authoritarianism. The Western strategists ran planned scams of economic prosperity to destroy the Arab culture with their own oil and their own money turning them redundant for the 21st century world. Today, the Arab leaders are so irrational and cruel that they reject all voices of REASON for Change and Human Development only to bring more deaths and destructions to their societies. (Mahboob A. Khawaja, Arab Leaders: Waiting to Count the Dead Bodies. 01/2013). Moncef Marzouki is no stranger to contemporary Arab politics. As a former President of Tunisia, he shared transformational leadership to envisage a new era of Tunisian Arab Spring - a revulsion against dictatorship and leading to free elections and emergence of democracy. Talking to the DW Germany TV moderator Brent Gofft (3/8/2016), Marzouki felt ashamed that despite immense resources, the Arab world could not provide safety and protection to Syrian and Iraqi refugees dispersed and helpless at European borders. At least, Marzouki had the courage and intellect to speak of Arab leadership failure and indifference towards a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Hardly any other Arab leaders can utter few words of knowledge-based reason and wisdom to any international journalist or news network. This week, under the OIC, Arab leaders held a conference in Indonesia to boycott the Israeli goods. Whereas, the priority should have been to discuss the Two State solution and how to reason the unreason with the Israeli leaders. Palestine and Israel both exit in fear of the unknown and open prison and need a rational solution and it must come of dialogue and peaceful meeting of minds, not bloodbath as going on in Jerusalem and elsewhere in Palestine. While the Arab masses are haunted by the swindles and perversion of the radical Islamists, the authoritarian Arab leaders show a vivid image of bloodstained tyranny against their own masses. Recall that few centuries earlier there were no demarcations of borders, gimmick of nationalities and flags but One people - One Ummah freely moving across the Arabian Peninsula. Arabs were poverty stricken but courageous and idealistic to enhance the unity of the faith and treat everyone fairly and humane way. How strange that with oil discovery and fake economic prosperity, the Arab world had changed into abstract dummies and leaders who live in far away palaces, not with people to understand the human agony and tormenting pains of being ignored by their own brethrens. The time and resources Arab oil exporting leaders possess, settling few millions Syrian-Iraqi humanitarian asylum seekers was no big problem. In essence, this would have been a temporary shelter until Syrian-Iraqi conflicts were resolved to restore peace and normalcy for the refugees to return to their homes. Arab leaders had the resources and capacity to do this what Marzouki was talking about. What a shame, there are no Arab leaders to think of the common people and the onslaught of military tyranny imposed on them. Once the Arab heartland was a place of knowledge, moral, scientific and intellectual advancements and European used to come there for learning to envisage the Age of Renaissance. But European colonization divided and destroyed the Arab unity and their culture and Islamically democratic systems of peoples governance of reason and accountability. One feels impelled to blame the European imperialism and subsequent American hegemonic control over the Arab world and excessive militarization of the entire region. Authoritarianism is the net outcome of this historic legacy. Western Militarization is the primary cause of the Arab Political Crises For over a decade, the unending and bogus War on Terrorism continues throughout the Arab world onward to Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is primarily to support the faltering US economy of war and the ruling elite with vested interests. In a way, the US and naive Arab rulers view it as a success but rationally speaking, this success is claimed at the cost of unimaginable atrocities, dehumanization of the Arab-Muslim people and their culture, military ruthlessness and degeneration of many to come. There is no accountability for these crimes against the helpless humanity as the wars linger on across the Arab world. The doctrine of militarization was in direct support and enhancement of the Arab authoritarianism causing peoples uprising in Tunis, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Syria, Libya and elsewhere in the Arabian Peninsula. Daily bloodbaths and torture of the people paint a picture of the Arabs as if living in the draconian age without any recourse to civilization, reason and Islamic system of governance. Was the discovery of oil a conspiracy (Fitna) to dehumanize the Arabs and Muslim people and to destroy their sense of originality, culture and values? But in some parts of the Middle East, people are getting organized and rising up to the political challenges which have been imposed on them by the sadistic rulers. Ostensibly, the Arab world of today will not be the same for tomorrow. Todays Arab world is being dismantled arbitrarily for a purpose but Arabs destiny for future is shrouded by dark clouds. Out of a terrible sense of helplessness, people have emerged with political imagination, courage and strength to challenge the authoritarian rulers on solid grounds and reasoning and attract global support and appreciation for their cause of peace and freedom from oppression. That was Arab Spring - peoples movement for political change, human rights and new responsible leadership across the Arab world. Change is a reality for Human Progress but a Fake Simplicity for the Arab world The world is changing but not fast enough for the authoritarian Arab rulers - fattish fed by the oil revenues and stupid and mindless in thoughts and behaviors if you view them in the real world of political actions and prevalent deplorable atrocities imposed on the Arab people. The affluent and oil enriched indulged in conspiracy to assume power and institutionalize corruption simply to maintain few tribal powerhouses favored by the ex-colonial masters managing the power centers from distance. Now, the Arab people have awakened after long slumber of complacency and disorder. The problem was well defined by Shakespeare the destiny of peoples coincided with the destiny of their monarch and nobles. The knowledge-based, information age has dismantled some of the illusory borders and demarcation of nobilities and has challenged to bridge the conflicting time zones between the palaces and the people with the internet, cell phones, facebook, twitter and instant communication technologies. For all corners in the Arab world, political change is much desired and inspirational goal for the young and new educated generations. Form Palestine to North Africa, Arab people hope for new visions, new political imagination and energetic 21st century knowledge-based leadership. This was the progressive aim of the 2011 Arab Spring which is still alive in spirit and political activism. The Arab peoples revolutionary movements for change and freedom is not dead but slow and alive on the horizon but the authoritarian rulers and their history makes no sense on any rational criterion of analysis and objective assessment. How should history see them in a broader global context? What kind of picture do these leaders paint about the nature, moral and historical values of the Islamic-Arab societies? Would they all be tried in public courts of law? Would they run away with accumulated wealth and hide in secret palaces somewhere under the protection of the US, Britain or others? How would they compensate the innocent people targeted by their guns and bullets? How would they return the time, opportunities and wealth stolen from the people and hopes for a value-oriented democratic culture and promising future to co-exist in a global community? Refugees Deserve Humanitarian Compassion and Priority for Protection from the Savagery of Wars If the Arab leaders are not morally and intellectually bankrupt, rationality demands that they should demonstrate a sense of moral and political responsibility to rethink about the emerging crises in their own dwelling. Millions are forcibly evicted from their homes because they oppose dictators like Bashar al-Assad, Shiite Al- Abaidi or Sissi or others. How come Russia, America and Europeans are bombing the innocent civilians and causing massive influx of refugees across Europe? Why cant the Arab leaders challenge the foreign interventionists and stop the unwarranted wars against the Arab citizens? Are the Arab leaders waiting for Divine help to fix the crisis? Do they have the trust and support of the people and legitimacy to attract any Divine consideration? Do they anticipate any miracles to happen out of the nothing? Do they imagine that the humanitarian problems will disappear out of the nothing? It is the foremost Arab leadership role and responsibility to extend humanitarian compassion to fellow Arabs in extreme distress and sufferings as they find nowhere to seek protection and safety from the wars. Imagine, if the Arab world had public institutions and Islamic system of people-based governance, there was no scope for the Western oil importing nations and their military forces to intervene, bomb, destroy and subjugate those already living under half of a century of authoritarian oppressions. It is the same story in Syria, Libya, Iraq, Baharian, Yemen, Egypt and in other parts of the Arab societies - common people are gunned down, their rights and human dignity is purged, the only voices of reason are coming out of the Western thinking people and human organizations, not of the Arab ruling elite. All of the Arab individualistic absolute rulers have institutionalized secretive police apparatus and Rapid Deployment military units to maintain fear game and to keep the herd under control by force and torture. This was business as usual for almost sixty years but nobody spoke against it in the so called free world, not even the Western pro-democracy proponents claiming to be optimists and peacemakers. The Arab rulers solidarity stems from their own circle of monsters managing the governance - solidarity of the fittest of the few to survive and not to undermine anybodys harem - palace life. After the Palestinian refugees, why are there millions of more Arab refugees displaced and drowning in the Aegean sea? Who will deal with the pressing problems of life and deaths facing the Arab masses? Who will deal with restoration of peace, normalcy and conflict management? Do these leaders have any moral and intellectual capacity to extend security and sense of protection to the helpless people? Rationality is replaced by insanity. The coward and sadistic Arab rulers preoccupied with their greed and need are crossing the limits of the Laws of the Nature in killing the innocent masses just because they demands rights, human dignity and a voice to reason the unreason. Time and history are not on the side of the authoritarian dictators doomed to be crushed by the power of reason and political imagination of the new generation of Arab people. (Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in global security, peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations, and author of several publications including the latest: Global Peace and Conflict Management: Man and Humanity in Search of New Thinking. Lambert Publishing Germany, May 2012). Syrias Truce Bodes Well For Salvaging Our Cultural Heritage By Franklin Lamb 09 March, 2016 Countercurrents.org Aleppo: The tentative cessation of hostilities in Syria, which came into effect on 2/28/2016, brokered by Washington and Moscow, is only in its second week. The sides have agreed to an initial cease-fire of two weeks with an extension if it works. The AL-Assad government has announced that it would participate in renewed peace talks in Geneva, offering new proposals, which are due to begin next week (3/14/16). The opposition is still considering whether to attend despite a lull in fighting. It is well documented that there have been daily incidents of artillery shelling, airstrikes and clashes. Yet, for the nearly 12 million displaced civilians, half of Syrias population, its a much welcomed respite and diminution of the five year slaughter which has decimated hundreds of towns and nearly 1000 villages, killing between 300,000 and 475,000 depending on which body counts one credits. As of this week nearly half a million Syrians trapped in areas under siege are finally receiving desperately-needed food and medicine. Various monitoring groups including the office of Staffan de Mistura, UN special envoy for Syria, have estimated that the overall per-truce violence has decreased by 90 percent. Opposition groups, including the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which claims scores of on the scene volunteers, have agreed with this estimate. But due to logistical problems the cease-fire has failed to achieve one of its most important objectives which is to facilitate a long term free flow of desperately needed aid supplies to more than 160, 000 people in nearly two dozen besieged areas. More time is also required to learn if there will be reasons to discourage more massive numbers of citizens from fleeing Syria and whether those who have done, and whose numbers have reached nearly five million, will contemplate returning from neighboring countries or from even further afield including European countries. In all areas where the bombing and shelling have ceased there is palpable relief and even reported celebrations. Damascus is perhaps the main city that has experienced relative peace without serious breaches. Much of Damascus is nearly blissful with hope aided one imagines by the arrival of a motherly warm spring. Visitors notice countless family picnics and children filling this cities many parks, playgrounds and green spaces. From Lebanon one hears expressions by Syrian refugees who have been forced to flee their homes, declaring their intentions to return to Syria as soon as possible, within weeks, if the cessation of hostilities even partially holds. Explaining that his familys home in Aleppo was reduced to a pile of rubble, Ahmad, a father of six, explained to this observer, If the violence ends, and if we can get water back, we will return home and live on our property in a tent and immediately start to rebuild. There are also reports that in certain areas of Syria which host archaeological sites, most also being tourist destinations, citizens and volunteer civil society organizations are ready to help restore them immediately when security conditions allow. So too is Syrias Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM) under the direction of the indefatigable international patriot, Dr. Maamoun AbdulKarim. A number of developments over the past several months, and since the start of the current truce, create some optimism that damaged and destroyed archaeological sites can be largely restored. Some estimates, including this observers calculations based on more than two years of site-visits and study of recently available archaeological site reports put the number currently able to be repaired, restored or rebuilt at between 85 and 95%. Obviously looted artifacts and burned historic documents are much more problematical and based on the information provided to this observer by different sources, as well as personal observations, it is safe to say some world heritage sites, or at least some of its components, are irrevocably lost to us and to those who will follow us. When one has conversations with villagers or a local population representatives of those forced to flee but whose families have lived among particular archaeological sites for generations, one hears emphatic pledges to restore the piles of rubble, as best craftsmen and science can achieve, to their previous splendor. Locals explain that the restoration may not be perfect in every respect but that they will gratefully welcome expertise from anyone in any country who wants to help them and their government with restorations. The current truce is exciting the many would-be antiquities restorers across Syrian society. And even among many rebels and former rebels who do not accept the rabid iconoclasm of ISIS and like minded groups. An archaeological student from Aleppo University opined to this observer last week that Every true Syrian nationalist wants to rebuild our shared cultural heritage and now we have good reason to hope that restoration can begin soon. Similar sentiments are being expressed in other places which have experienced iconoclasm. One example being by citizens in Timbuktu , Mali many of whom reportedly have declared about the destruction of ancient shrines by Ansar Dine, Let them destroy them. We will rebuild them. This observer recalls that during his last visit to heavily damaged Aleppo, the director of the National Museum insisted, Just as the Germans restored and rebuilt Dresden, we |Syrians shall rebuild Aleppo. Art and Archaeology historians have begun to talk about Syrias attitude toward, in some cases, difficult restorative challenges, as the principle of substitution found in many cultures. Substitution means that many times something new can be built as best recreating that which was destroyed and be substituted for something that has been lost. In the case of the Timbuktu shrines they are made of mud brick and thus have always required repairs and rebuilding. Just last week (3/2/2016) Malian jihadi leader Ahmad Al-Faqi Al-Mahdi appeared at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for a hearing to face charges of destroying part of the North African countrys rich cultural heritage. Al-Mahdi is accused of overseeing the 2012 destruction of medieval mausoleums and the Sidi Yahia mosque, which formed part of Timbuktus World Heritage Site. Al-Mahdi is the first suspect in the ICCs history to face prosecution for attacks against our cultural heritage as opposed to direct humanitarian reasons. The Timbuktu case represents a much needed, if egregiously overdue, application of international law and the Responsibility to Protect t from and punish cultural heritage crimes. Syrias cultural heritage restoration process will no doubt have a profoundly cathartic effect and engender pride in Syria as it begins the healing process. Modern history offers precedence. One recalls that on 11/9/ 1993 in Bosnia, the elegant Mostar Bridge, which was completed in 1566 after nine years of construction and which was designated a World Heritage site in the 20th century, was destroyed in a frenzy of hate by a barrage of tank shells. The local population with help from UNESCO and the World Bank launched a project to rebuild the 429 year old bridge. Using as much of the original white limestone as possible salvaged from the river bed below and adding new stone from nearby quarries, the project became and stands todays as a much valued symbol of peace and culture and of the ability of a population to restore obliterated heritage sites. Having come to know many Syrians over the past few years, this observer predicts that the same will happen across Syria at scores of archaeological sites, and that the restoration efforts will aid in the reunification of Syria and will be an essential part of this cradle of civilizations healing process. Syrias planned massive archaeological site restoration efforts do not have to be perfect in every cm of detail-although surely that is the goal. But what must be avoided is falling into the temptation of quick money by destroying archaeological sites and turning them into strip-malls of boutiques for the rich tourists as Beiruts leaders did during the 1990s. They bulldozed their and our damaged culture heritage into the Port of Beirut to create more space for development. On top of the archaeological sites speculators created an empty abomination chic stores and restaurants many of which have shut their doors due to the local population boycotting them in protect and few, if any at all these days, rich Gulf tourists are to be seen. Many Lebanese are rightfully enraged. This observer has seen no evidence over the past few years that the Syrian people intend to follow Lebanons solution at damaged cultural heritage sites. The frenetic destructive iconoclasm of ISIS in Syria may be lessening to some degree given the growing popular resistance in a majority of areas under its Caliphate. ISIS brutality and its wanton destruction of Syrias much cherished past is increasingly meeting local resistance. It is well known that ISIS views its movement as a return to the roots of Islam although this claim is contested by Muslims throughout Syria and the world. The ISIS perception involves a built-in brutality toward non-Muslims and its definition of Shirk as any form of innovation (or Bidah) in Islamic belief, theology, worship or custom. In the overarching scheme to command right and forbid wrong, ISIS militants will often physically destroy all material artifacts and edifices they define as Shirk. ISIS sees itself as the all-encompassing educator about, eradicator of and enforcer against Shirk. More than one ISIS supporter has explained to this observer that they strongly condemn the Taliban and others who have failed to totally erase Shirk in their wake and left some centers of reverence, ritual prayer and devotion, or amulet production behind. ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi repeatedly commands his followers to strike the apostates Shirk with your Tawhid (Tawhid is the indivisible oneness concept of monotheism in Islam) and Allah will break their strength. There is a growing rising chorus among Sunni and Shia Muslims in Syria and elsewhere rejecting this Shirk idea as applied by ISIS. Many Syrians, especially those under its domination, are accusing ISIS of not defending the true Koranic heritage of the Prophet Mohammad which generally admired and valued and even protected antiquities including Greek and Roman architecture. Rather, ISIS is increasingly be accused of inventing a modernist, opportunistic perverse cult for political and not religious purposes. A Muslim dialogue, more likely an internecine Sunni-Sunni bellum sacrum-not to be confused with the deepening Shia-Sunni sectarian war, appears to be underway to confront and expel ISIS. History will judge its course. At the same time, given a truce among their many enemies, ISIS faces heightened challenges of manpower, finance, and credibility about its message among local populations. ISIS has been forced to cut salaries by 50% reduce public services, and face up to and punish significant desertions among its fighters who want to opt out of the Caliphate. Contrary to earlier recruit-centers hype of salaries of $ 600 per month for recruits, the salary this week is only $50 per month for fighters, raised to $100 if he is married, and another monthly sum of $35 per child. The latter figure obtains except for male children over the age of 15, in which case they are required to become Caliphate fighters and head to the front after four weeks or less of military and religious training. Too make matters worse for ISIS, for a number of reasons foreign jihadists are not arriving in the numbers as during the heady Caliphate days of much of late 2014 and 2015. If the truce holds and the war ends, there are many reasons to believe it will have helped save our cultural heritage in Syria. And that its protection, preservation and restoration will begin in earnest. Franklin Lamb is a visiting Professor of International Law at the Faculty of Law, Damascus University and volunteers with the Sabra-Shatila Scholarship Program (sssp-lb.com). Australian And Western Mainstream Media Ignore Massive And Deadly Western Child Abuse In War And Peace By Dr Gideon Polya 09 March, 2016 Countercurrents.org Australians are quite rightly upset because the Catholic Church hierarchy failed to act to expose and stop long-term, egregious child sexual abuse of about 40,000 Australian children by Catholic Church personnel. However look-the-other-way Australia resolutely ignores 4.4 million Australians adults who have been sexually abused as children, and the deaths this century of 11.9 million under-5 year old infants and 15.8 million avoidable deaths (half of children) in Muslim countries being war criminally violated by pro-Zionist, pro-Apartheid Israel, US lackey Australia. Australia has a long-running, $0.5 billion-cost Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that has been investigating child sexual abuse by government institutions and by non-government institutions including church organizations. It has recently investigated child sexual abuse by Catholic Church personnel (priests and Christian brothers) in the Victorian city of Ballarat . The Royal Commission demanded the attendance of Australia 's top Catholic prelate, Cardinal George Pell, who had served in Ballarat, but when Cardinal Pell (based in the Vatican ) declined for medical reasons, the Royal Commission permitted him to be questioned at length in Rome via a video link. In short, Cardinal Pell claimed that he didn't know of these awful crimes, a position that many regard as implausible. Top Australian ABC TV journalist Leigh Sales interviewing a Catholic priest over the silence of the Catholic Church over egregious child sexual abuse over many years by Catholic Church personnel in Ballarat: Let's start with the first scenario and if I just take the example of Ballarat, where we know there were just so many egregious examples of abuse. How is it that there was not one good man there who was willing to stand up and say - and blow the whistle on this? [1]. Leigh Sales, in articulating this key point in this and related matters of egregious child abuse, has evidently referenced the aphorism attributed to Edmund Burke that Evil happens when good men do nothing. While one clearly must approve of the legitimate indignation of Leigh Sales and indeed of Australian Mainstream media in general over Catholic Church inaction over sexual abuse of 40,000 children by Catholic Church personnel, one is obliged to stand up and say - and blow the whistle on vastly greater crimes against children that are resolutely ignored by Mainstream media in look-the-other-way Australia, specifically (1) another 4.4 million Australians adults who have been sexually abused as children, (2) 1.2 million under-5 infant deaths and the avoidable deaths of 1.7 million Iraqis under Sanctions (about half of them children), and (3) 11.9 million under-5 infant deaths and 15.8 million avoidable deaths (half of children) this century in Muslim countries being war criminally violated by pro-Zionist, pro-Apartheid Israel, US lackey Australia. The cowardly silence of Australian Mainstream media about horrendous and deadly, mass paedocidal US Alliance atrocities against children throughout the world (and currently mostly in the Muslim world) can be explained by the ugly realities that Australian Mainstream media are substantially American-owned and overwhelming US-subservient. Indeed US Mainstream media (and to a slightly lesser extent Western Mainstream media in general) are craven propaganda agents of the war criminal and mass murdering state terrorists running the United States of America (for a cogent scholarly analysis of this propaganda model see Manufacturing Consent. The Political Economy of the Mass Media by Professors Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky) [2]. Nevertheless, there are notable exceptions to this Mainstream culture of cowardly silence and none more pertinent here than Lesley Stahl (born December 16, 1941), an anti-racist Jewish American television journalist. Since 1991, she has reported for CBS on 60 Minute. A graduate of Wheaton College , her career received a boost from her coverage of the Watergate scandal. In October 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, war criminal, warmonger and pro-Zionist, stood up and walked away from an interview with Lesley Stahl, because she asked him about his relationship with his soon-to-be estranged spouse [3]. Lesley Stahl is famous for asking then US Ambassador to the UN (1993-1997) and later US Secretary of State (1997-2001), Madeleine Albright, on 60 Minutes in 1996 about the half a million children who had died by then under Sanctions on Iraq. On May 12, 1996, Albright defended UN sanctions against Iraq in this 60 Minutes segment in which Lesley Stahl asked her "We have heard that half a million children have died. I mean, that's more children than died in Hiroshima . And, you know, is the price worth it?" and Albright obscenely replied "we think the price is worth it" [4, 5]. Where are the Lesley Stahls today in 21st century Australia , America or the West? Indeed a search of the Australian ABC for Lesley Stahl gives only 4 results, 3 dealing with her reportage of the US sub-prime crisis and only 1 (a detailed reader comment by me) dealing with her confrontation of Madeleine Albright. I have outlined below some of the most appalling child abuse realities that are ignored by Australian and indeed Western Mainstream media. (1) 4.4 million adult Australians have been sexually abused as children. The appalling abuse of 40,000 Australian children by Catholic Church personnel represents the 1% tip of the iceberg of horrendous child sexual abuse which is endemic in Australia [6-14]. Thus psychiatrist Dr Carolyn Quadrio (University of New South Wales School of Psychiatry) advised the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that They [child abuse victims] often have unhealthy lifestyles so they're prone to substance abuse and poverty and unemployment ... and all of that adds up to something like 10 to 20 years less life for a child who's been traumatised" and estimated that 25- 30% of Australian girls and about 5- 15% of Australian boys suffered some form of sexual abuse, with 30% of girls and 20 % of boys in institutions being abused [11]. The former Gillard Labor Government instituted a Royal Commission into child sexual abuse that is unfortunately confined to investigating horrendous institutional child sexual abuse (e.g. up to 40,000 cases over the last 40 years by Catholic Church personnel). However both the ultra-conservative Liberal Party-National Party Coalition Government and the Right-dominated Labor Party Opposition continue to ignore the awful, expert-reported reality that about 34% of Australian women and 16% of Australian men 4.4 million Australians in all - have been subject to child sexual abuse i.e. the Coalition and Labor (aka the Lib-Labs) have ignored huge non-institutional child sexual abuse. This horrendous child sexual abuse continues unaddressed under the new Coalition Government. Similar estimates of high child sexual abuse have been made for the US and Israel . Notwithstanding enormous Government and Mainstream media claims of horrendous Indigenous child sexual abuse (claims that led to a racist military Intervention in Australian Northern Territory Indigenous communities), the subsequent Little Children are Sacred Report (p57; [8]) stated that As noted previously, it is not possible to accurately estimate the extent of child sexual abuse in the Northern Territory's Aboriginal communities (see The Extent of Child Sexual Abuse, Part II). However, the Inquiry has found clear evidence that child sexual abuse is a significant problem across the Territory. However in contrast to its inability to accurately quantitate the extent of child abuse in Indigenous communities, the Little Children are Sacred Report (pp234-236; [8] ) refers to studies in America indicating that 25% of females and 10% of males experience childhood sexual abuse [15] and studies in Australia indicating that 34% of females and 16% of males today experienced child sexual abuse [9]. The Australian Institute of Criminology determined that in Australia 1 in 3 females and 1 in 6 males will be sexually abused as children [12, 13]. Of course Australia and the US are not alone in this and child abuse is a horrible international problem, David Finkelhor finding that Surveys of child sexual abuse in large nonclinical populations of adults have been conducted in at least 19 countries in addition to the United States and Canada , including 10 national probability samples. All studies have found rates in line with comparable North American research, ranging from 7% to 36% for women and 3% to 29% for men. Most studies found females to be abused at 1.5 to 3 times the rate for males. Few comparisons among countries are possible because of methodological and definitional differences. However, they clearly confirm sexual abuse to be an international problem [16]. A recent survey of Israeli children found that 50% reported child abuse and 17% reported child sexual abuse [14]. If the upper estimate of 25% of adult Australians have been sexually abused as children, this corresponds to 4.4 million Australians having been thus abused (as determined from UN Population Division demographic data) [8]. 6.65 per 1,000 Australians die each year and accordingly, if we ignore child mortality (very low in rich countries like Australia) and apply this figure to adult Australians, then 117,050 adult Australians die each year and of these 25% (29,000) die prematurely each year linked to child sexual abuse [10, 11]. However these appalling realities are utterly ignored by Australian Mainstream media. Of course children are horribly abused in Australia in all kinds of other ways, ranging from the intellectual child abuse of state-subsidized religious schools to the highly abusive imprisonment of refugee children in remote concentrations camps without charge or trial and for the asserted crime of being refugees [17]. While 80% of the Australian electorate vote for such cruel treatment of refugee children by voting for the dominant Lib-Labs (Coalition and Labor Right), there is nevertheless widespread disquiet as reflected in Mainstream media discussion. Nevertheless, while this horrible maltreatment of refugee children is widely discussed, and there is huge public indignation over the rape of 40,000 children by Catholic clergy, there is virtually no Mainstream discussion of the 4.4 million adult Australians who have been sexually abused as children. (2) 1.2 million under-5 Iraqi infant deaths and 1.7 million avoidable Iraqi deaths under Australia- and US Alliance-imposed Sanctions. In 1996 Lesley Stahl had read expert reports indicating that by then 0.5 million Iraqi children had died under the war criminal Sanctions applied on Iraq by the US Alliance [3-5]. However the killing of children under Sanctions continued and it was estimated from UN Population Division demographic data (from before the US installed the Maliki Government in Iraq) that 1.2 million under-5-year old Iraqi children had died under Sanctions in the period 1990-2003, about 90% avoidably and due to war criminal US Alliance targeting of the civilian population. It could be further estimated that 1.7 million Iraqis (half children) died avoidably from deprivation under Sanctions [18-23]. While these UN-based estimates by me were published by Australasian Science [21] and the ABC [22] and broadcast nationwide by the ABC [23], they were otherwise resolutely ignored by Australian Mainstream media, politicians and academics. (3) 11.9 million under-5 infant deaths and about 15.8 million avoidable deaths from deprivation (half of children) this century in Muslim countries being violated by US lackey Australia . Pro-Zionist, pro-Apartheid Israel and US lackey Australia has been involved in large-scale and deadly child abuse overseas in impoverished countries in which it is still war criminally waging war. US lackey Australia has variously had its armed forces or intelligence agencies involved in US wars in a swathe of largely Muslim countries as follows: Afghanistan (variously invasion, occupation, training, guarding; 2001- present; 14.5 years); Iraq (variously sanctions, invasion, occupation, training, guarding, and now renewed training and bombing in Australia's Seventh Iraq War in 100 years; 1990-present; 25.5 years); and Syria (bombing in Australia's Third Syrian War in 100 years; September 2015-present; 0.5 years) [18-24 ]. In addition, this century Australian military and intelligence personnel have been involved in illegal US drone strikes in a swathe of Muslim countries through the critical drone targeting information from the US-Australian electronic spying facility at Pine Gap [25-27]. In addition some Australian personnel have been seconded to serve with US forces in conducting illegal drone strikes [27]. These Australia-assisted US drone strikes have been conducted in various Muslim countries as follows: Afghanistan (2008-present; 8 years); Iraq (2008-present; 8 years); Libya (2011-present; 4 years); Pakistan (2004-present; 12 years); Somalia (2007-present; 9 years); and Yemen (2002-present; 14 years) [28, 29]. Finally, Zionist perverted and subverted Australia is arguably only second to Zionist-perverted and subverted America in its support for nuclear terrorist, racist Zionist-run, democracy-by-genocide Apartheid Israel and hence its ongoing Palestinian Genocide (100% of the ruling Coalition and over 90% of the Labor Opposition support Apartheid Israel; in contrast the decent Australian Greens are opposed to Apartheid, human rights abuse, war crimes and genocide). Zionist Australians are free to serve and commit war crimes (even against Australians) in the war criminal Israeli Defence Force; Australian donations towards the Jewish National Fund (and hence the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestine) are tax deductible; and there is extensive Israeli-Australia collaboration in the intelligence and military research and development areas [30-35]. Australia is involved in war crimes in these wars in 4 major ways as summarized below. (1) A nation can only invade another country if (a) it has UN permission, (b) it has been invited to do so by the government of the country being invaded, or (c) if it has been invaded by the country to be invaded, and then only after serious negotiations with the country to be invaded. These criteria have not been satisfied by Australia in these late 20th century and 21st century wars against Muslim countries. The sine qua non of Australian politics since the CIA-backed removal of the Whitlam Government in 1975 has been all the way with the USA and accordingly the only invitation Australia needs to invade other countries is one from America . The Australian re-invasion of Iraq in 2014 with the bombing of Sunni rebels and training of Iraqi soldiers ( Australia 's Seventh Iraq War in 100 years) was requested by the US and invited by the Shia-dominated Iraqi Government that was installed by the US after US Alliance destruction of secular Iraqi Baathists and others it did not like. (2) The use of drones and of other high impact, high technology weapon systems necessarily involve the killing of Indigenous inhabitants with major collateral civilian deaths anywhere on earth that the US chooses [26, 27]. (3) Killing of large numbers of Indigenous people in such wars can violate Article 2 of the 1948 UN Genocide Convention which states that : In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such: a) Killing members of the group; b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group [36]. (4) The occupation of other countries by such invasions imposes a crucial obligation on the invaders as set out by Articles 55 and 56 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War which both declare that an Occupier is obliged to provide the conquered subjects with life-sustaining food and medical requisites to the fullest extent of the means available to it [37]. As described below, the Geneva Convention is being grossly violated by the US Alliance and Australia as revealed by appalling UN Population Division-estimated infant mortality statistics in Muslim countries variously attacked and /or occupied by the US and Australia in the 21st century. The UN Population Division World Population Prospects 2015 Revision provides detailed, year-by-year information for all countries of population, births, and under-5 infant deaths [38]. This information has been used to estimate (a) the average annual under-5 infant deaths in the first 15 years of the 21st century, (b) total 21st century under-5 infant deaths (15 x (a)), and (c) total 21st century avoidable deaths from deprivation [39] for the following countries violated by Australia as part of the US Alliance: Afghanistan : (a) 132,473 per year, (b) 1,987,000, (c) 2,356,000. Iraq : (a) 42,744 per year, (b) 641,000, (c) 750,000 [a likely gross underestimate due to US-installed Iraq Government fraudulence]. Libya : (a) 4,007 per year, (b) 60,000, (c) 84,000. Pakistan : (a) 475,252 per year, (b) 7,129,000, (c) 9,746,000. Palestine : (a) 3,510 per year, (b) 53,000, (c) 75,000. Somalia : (a) 61,292 per year, (b) 919,000, (c) 1,285,000. Syria : (a) 8,685 per year, (b) 130,000, (c) 203,000. Yemen : (a) 65,513 per year, (b) 983,000, (c) 1,285,000. We can therefore determine that about 11.9 million under-5 year old infant deaths have occurred this century in Muslim countries violated by Australia as a US lackey. Under-5 year old infant deaths in Apartheid Australia and Apartheid Israel are 1,464 and 740 per year, respectively, or 22,000 and 11,000, respectively, for the 21st century. Under-5 infant deaths per thousand births is 5 for Israel and Australia as compared to 112 (for Afghanistan), 39 (Iraq; and possibly higher since there is evidence that US-installed Iraqi Government is minimizing infant deaths), 29 (Libya), 97 (Pakistan), 27 (Palestine), 147 (Somalia), 17 (Syria) and 83 (Yemen), this indicating that the under-5 infant deaths in these Australia- and US Alliance-violated countries are about 70-95% avoidable. However it gets worse. Thus using the latest UN Population Division demographic data (World Population Prospects 2015 Revision) [38] one can estimate that in the 21st century 15.8 million people (about half children) have died avoidably from deprivation in Muslim countries violated by Australia as part of the US Alliance. This may be underestimated by over 1 million because of evidence that the US-installed Iraq Government is minimizing mortality data thus, according to data given to the UN by the US-installed Iraqi Government, the infant mortality rate in Iraq decreased under the successive burdens of Sanctions and Occupation! Concluding remarks. Barbara Kingsolver in her great novel "The Lacuna" (lacuna meaning hiatus, blank, missing part, gap, cavity, or empty space) has Russian Communist revolutionary and theorist Leon Trotsky (Lev) and his assistant Van having the following discussion about media (2009): ""But newspapers have a duty to truth", Van said. Lev [Trotsky] clicked his tongue. "They tell the truth only as the exception. Zola [French novelist of "J'accuse" fame] wrote that the mendacity of the press could be could be divided into two groups: the yellow press lies every day without hesitating. But others, like the Times , speak the truth on all inconsequential occasions, so they can deceive the public with the requisite authority when it becomes necessary." Van got up from his chair to gather the cast-off newspapers. Lev took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. " I don't mean to offend the journalists; they aren't any different from other people. They're merely the megaphones of other people" [Trotsky observes to his assistant Shepherd] Soli, let me tell you. The most important thing about a person is always the thing you don't know [40, 41]. This subtle aspect of Mainstream media lying is well illustrated by both the Murdoch yellow press and the quality press of White Australia rightly condemning the appalling abuse of 40,000 Australian children by Catholic clergy and the subsequent repugnant inaction of the Catholic Church hierarchy, while utterly ignoring the appalling realities of (1) 4.4 million adult Australians having been sexually abused as children, (2) 1.2 million under-5 Iraqi infant deaths and 1.7 million avoidable Iraqi deaths under Australia- and US Alliance-imposed Sanctions, and (3) 11.9 million under-5 infant deaths and 15.8 million avoidable deaths from deprivation (half of children) this century in Muslim countries being violated by US lackey Australia. It appears that for Mainstream media presstitutes, the greater the crime the greater the silence. In 1945 many of the defeated Germans declared that they didn't know and adopted a CAAAA (C4A) protocol involving Cessation and Acknowledgement of the crimes, Apology and Amends for the crimes and Assertion never again to anyone. However in US lackey Australia , there is no Cessation, Acknowledgement, Apology, Amends or Assertion never again in relation to massive endemic child abuse within Australia that has impacted over 4 million now adult Australians, and the passive mass murder of millions of Muslim children in the genocidal, Zionist-promoted US War on Muslims. Those who ignore, minimize, obfuscate, suggest, support, promote or are otherwise complicit in crimes against children have crossed the line between decent Humanity and Nazi-style barbarism. As they wait in vain for just one more Mainstream journalist to report these horrendous, deadly, Elephant in the Room child abuse realities, decent people must (a) inform everyone they can, and (b) urge and apply Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against all those people, politicians, parties , companies, corporations and countries disproportionately involved in crimes against children. References. [1]. Catholic priest says Royal Commission wouldn't exist if people fulfilled their pastoral duty, ABC TV 7.30 Report, 3 March 2016: http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2015/s4418285.htm ). [2]. Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky, Manufacturing Consent. The Political Economy of the Mass Media , Pantheon, New York , 1988, 2002. [3]. Lesley Stahl, Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesley_Stahl . [4]. Lesley Stahl and Madeleine Albright quoted in Madeleine Albright, Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeleine_Albright . [5]. STAHL, Lesley. Lesley Stahl to Madeleine Albright: "Half a million [Iraqi] children have died ... is the price worth it?", Iraqi Holocaust, Iraqi Genocide: https://sites.google.com/site/iraqiholocaustiraqigenocide/stahl [6]. Gideon Polya, Horrendous Australian child sexual abuse, MWC News, 15 November 2012: http://mwcnews.net/focus/analysis/22859-gideonpolya-sexual-abuse.html . [7]. Gideon Polya, Horrendous Child Abuse By Pro-war, Pro-Zionist, Climate Criminal Australian Coalition Governments, Countercurrents, 4 December, 2013: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya041213.htm . [8]. Little Children are Sacred Report: http://web.archive.org/web/20070703014641/http://www.nt.gov.au/dcm/inquirysaac/pdf/bipacsa_final_report.pdf . [9]. Dunne, M.P., Purdie, D.M., Cook, M.D., Boyle, F.M. & Najman, J.M.(2003), Is child sexual abuse declining? Evidence from a population-based survey of men and women in Australia , Child Abuse & Neglect, vol. 27 (2), pp141-152). [10]. Gideon Polya, Sectarian Australian Mainstream Ignores Horrendous Child Sexual Abuse Of 4.4 Million Australians, Countercurrents, 15 November, 2012: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya151112.htm , [11]. Jane Lee, Child abuse victims lead shorter lives than other children, royal commission hears, The Age, 25 May 2015: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/child-abuse-victims-live-shorter-lives-than-other-children-royal-commission-hears-20150525-gh8y1d.html . [12]. Australian Institute of Criminology (1993). Second Conference on Violence (June 1993). [13]. Brave Hearts, Child sexual assault: facts and statistics: https://www.bravehearts.org.au/files/Facts%20and%20Stats_updated141212.pdf . [14]. Gideon Polya, Horrendous Pro-Zionist, Zionist And Apartheid Israeli Child Abuse Exposed, Countercurrents, 21 April, 2014: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya210414.htm . [15]. Finkelhor, D. (1994), Current information on the scope and nature of child sexual abuse, Future of Children, 4(2), pp31-53). [16]. David Finkelhor, The international epidemiology of child sexual abuse, Child Abuse & Neglect, Volume 18, Issue 5, May 1994, Pages 409417 : http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0145213494900264 . [17]. Gideon Polya , Australian Coalition Government & Labor Opposition Trash Human Rights, Child Rights, Free Speech & Medical Ethics , Countercurrents, 15 July, 2015: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya150715.htm . [18]. Iraqi Holocaust, Iraqi Genocide: http://sites.google.com/site/iraqiholocaustiraqigenocide/ . [19]. Muslim Holocaust Muslim Genocide: https://sites.google.com/site/muslimholocaustmuslimgenocide/ . [20]. Gideon Polya, Body Count. Global avoidable mortality since 1950, that includes an avoidable mortality-related a history of every country since Neolithic times and is now available for free perusal on the web: http://globalbodycount.blogspot.com/ . [21]. Gideon Polya, Iraqi Holocaust, ConScience column, Australasian Science, 2 June 2004: http://www.shiachat.com/forum/topic/33427-iraqi-holocaust/ . [22]. Gideon Polya, Australian complicity in Iraq mass mortality in Lies, Deep Fries & Statistics (edited by Robyn Williams, ABC Books, Sydney, 2007. [23]. Gideon Polya, Australian complicity in Iraq mass mortality, ABC Radio National Ockham's Razor, 28 August 2005: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/ockhamsrazor/australian-complicity-in-iraq-mass-mortality/3369002#transcript . [24]. Afghan Holocaust, Afghan Genocide: http://sites.google.com/site/afghanholocaustafghangenocide/ . [25]. Philip Dorling, Australian intelligence feeding data for deadly US drone strikes, Sydney Morning Herald, 26 May 2014: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/australian-intelligence-feeding-data-used-for-deadly-us-drone-strikes-20140526-38ywk.html . [26]. Mark Corcoran, Drone strikes based on work at Pine Gap could see Australians charged, Malcolm Fraser says, Sydney Morning Herald, 29 April 2014: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-28/australians-could-be-charged-over-us-drone-strikes-fraser/5416224 . [27]. John Stapleton, Australia 's dirty secret, UNSW Canberra, 4 December 2015: https://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/drone-wars-australias-dirty-secret . [28]. Get the data: drone wars: https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drones/drones-graphs/ . [29]. Chris Woods and Alice K. Ross, US and Britain launched 1,200 drone strikes in recent wars, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, 4 December 2012: https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2012/12/04/revealed-us-and-britain-launched-1200-drone-strikes-in-recent-wars/ . Australia and Humanity, Palestinian Genocide: [30]. Gideon Polya, Racist Zionism and Israeli State Terrorism threats toand Humanity, Palestinian Genocide: https://sites.google.com/site/palestiniangenocide/racist-zionism-and-israeli US share raw intelligence on Australia with Israel , Sydney Morning Herald, 12 September 2013: [31]. Philip Dorling, share raw intelligence onwith,Morning Herald, 12 September 2013: http://www.smh.com.au/national/us-shares-raw-intelligence-on-australians-with-israel-20130912-2tllm.html [32]. Gideon Polya, Coalition-Ruled Apartheid Australia Backs Apartheid Israel & Rejects Descriptive Occupied For The Occupied Palestinian Territories, Countercurrents, 11 June, 2014: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya110614.htm . Israel and Australia , Electronic Intifada, 7 November 2006: [33]. M. Shahid Alam, Two White sisters in Asia:and, Electronic Intifada, 7 November 2006: http://electronicintifada.net/content/two-white-sisters-asia-israel-and-australia/6510 [34]. Gideon Polya, Australian Universities Complicit With Pro-Zionist Censorship And Genocidal Israeli Militarism, Countercurrents, 24 May, 2012: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya240512.htm . [35]. Palestinian Genocide: https://sites.google.com/site/palestiniangenocide/ . [36]. Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide: http://www.hrweb.org/legal/genocide.html GENEVA CONVENTION. Articles 55 and 56 of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilians in Time of War: Occupier must supply life-sustaining requisites "To the fullest extent of the means available to it", Muslim Holocaust Muslim Genocide: [37]. CONVENTION. Articles 55 and 56 of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilians in Time of War: Occupier must supply life-sustaining requisites "To the fullest extent of the means available to it", Muslim Holocaust Muslim Genocide: https://sites.google.com/site/muslimholocaustmuslimgenocide/geneva-convention [38]. UN Population Division World Population Prospects, the 2015 Revision: http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/ [39]. Gideon Polya,Paris Atrocity Context: 27 Million Muslim Avoidable Deaths From Imposed Deprivation In 20 Countries Violated By US Alliance Since 9-11 , Countercurrents, 22 November, 2015: http://www.countercurrents.org/polya221115A.htm . [40]. Barbara Kingsolver, The Lacuna, Faber & Faber, London , 2009, part 3, p159. [41]. Mainstream Media Lying: https://sites.google.com/site/mainstreammedialying/home . Dr Gideon Polya taught science students at a major Australian university for 4 decades. He published some 130 works in a 5 decade scientific career, most recently a huge pharmacological reference text "Biochemical Targets of Plant Bioactive Compounds" (CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, New York & London , 2003). He has published Body Count. Global avoidable mortality since 1950 (G.M. Polya, Melbourne, 2007: http://globalbodycount.blogspot.com/ ); see also his contributions Australian complicity in Iraq mass mortality in Lies, Deep Fries & Statistics (edited by Robyn Williams, ABC Books, Sydney, 2007: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/ockhamsrazor/australian-complicity-in-iraq-mass-mortality/3369002#transcript ) and Ongoing Palestinian Genocide in The Plight of the Palestinians (edited by William Cook, Palgrave Macmillan, London , 2010: http://mwcnews.net/focus/analysis/4047-the-plight-of-the-palestinians.html ). He has published a revised and updated 2008 version of his 1998 book Jane Austen and the Black Hole of British History (see: http://janeaustenand.blogspot.com/ ) as biofuel-, globalization- and climate-driven global food price increases threaten a greater famine catastrophe than the man-made famine in British-ruled India that killed 6-7 million Indians in the forgotten World War 2 Bengal Famine (see recent BBC broadcast involving Dr Polya, Economics Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen and others: http://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/history/social-economic-history/listen-the-bengal-famine ). When words fail one can say it in pictures - for images of Gideon Polya's huge paintings for the Planet, Peace, Mother and Child see: http://sites.google.com/site/artforpeaceplanetmotherchild/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/gideonpolya/ . BDS India Convention Calls For Total Boycott Of Israel Press Release 09 March, 2016 Countercurrents.org An appeal for the total boycott of Israel was made at the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions(BDS) India Convention held on 6 March 2016 at New Delhis Gandhi Peace Foundation as a mark of protest against the apartheid policies and the genocidal campaign of Israel against Palestine. The intellectuals and activists coming from different parts of the country unanimously passed three resolutions at the BDS India Convention being organised by Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine. An appeal was made in these resolutions for cancelling the proposed visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel, to suspend all the agreements-collaborations with Israel and for economic, academic and cultural boycott of Israel. It was also agreed to take this issue with the masses through widespread campaigns. During the Convention a consensus emerged that any campaign against Zionism cannot be carried out effectively without exposing its ideological partners viz. Hindutva fascists. We need to convince the common people that the secret behind the increasing proximity between the murderers of Gaza and the murderers of Gujarat is that both are enemies of people. In the convention report (https://www.facebook.com/notes/bds-...) presented by Anand Singh on behalf of Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine, it was stated that Gaza continues to be an open prison. The construction of illegal settlements in the West Bank continues unabated. Owing to the brazen support from the Israeli government the Israeli soldiers and settlers have become so audacious that they are carrying out fatal attacks not only on the Palestinians but also on the international solidarity activists, investigation teams and journalists. He said that BDS occupies an important place among the ways through which the Palestinians are challenging the might of Israel. In 2005, a few Palestinian civil society groups, taking inspiration from the global boycott and sanctions of the apartheid regime of South Africa in the last century, gave a call to the justice loving and progressive people all over the world that in the wake of the blatant violation of Palestinian rights by Israel they must boycott Israel, the companies which have made investment in Israel must withdraw their investments and sanctions must be imposed on Israel so that it could be pressurized to follow international laws. BDS is directly impacting Israeli economy and the Zionists are desperately trying to pressurize the governments of USA, Canada, Britain and France etc. to criminalize the boycott Israel campaign and make it illegal.The countries such as Venezuela and Bolivia and several eminent intellectuals have already declared Israeli regime to be apartheid. Bolivia has in fact declared Israel to be a terrorist state. Defense industry happens to be the bedrock of Israeli economy and India is the largest buyer of Israeli arms industry. We have to protest that the tax payers money is being used for killing innocent children in Palestine. Senior journalist Sukumar Muralidharan said that even though India has always been a supporter of the Palestinian liberation, there is a shift in this policy in recent years. Last year Indian president visited Israel for the first time, though it was not very pleasant trip because the third Intifada began in those very days and secondly Israel in a way insulted him by seizing the relief material sent for Palestine. Meanwhile India has signed defense agreement with Israel worth billions of dollars. He said that Narendra Modi might visit Israel after the legislative assembly elections. We will have to put pressure for cancelling this trip from today itself. While describing the imperialist conspiracies in the west Asia in detail he said that Israel wants to annihilate Palestinians and occupy the entire territory. Israel is destroying all the symbols of Palestinian sovereignty one by one, though it could never destroy the militant spirit of the Palestinian people. Today Gaza has been turned into a prison of 2 million people, but this situation cannot last for very long. The BDS movement has made Israel quite anxious. Saurabh Kumar Shahi, assistant editor of Sunday Indian and visiting faculty of Institute of International relations of Warsaw university, said that owing to internet the people in the western countries have come to know about the situation in Palestine and the barbarity of Israel due to which there has been a tremendous upsurge in the pro-Palestinian sentiments in European countries and hence BDS is having more impact in those countries. This movement is now spreading to Europe as well. The support for Palestinian liberation is increasing not just in the Academic sphere but among the trade unions, students and common people as well. That is why Israel has begun to concentrate more on India and China. He said that it is a challenging task to spread this movement in India because the issue has been used for exploiting the anti-muslim sentiments prevailing in India. Due to the increasing anti-muslim sentiments in the society many people think that we need to give muslim the same treatment which Israel gives them in Palestine. Saurabh said that while implementing BDS we have to think rationally and not emotionally. We cannot target all the companies which are collaborating with Israel at once. First we have to pick a few companies such as HP and G4S and convince people that why is it that whatever is bad for Palestinians is also bad for them. Secondly, we must but pressure on left parties and other non-BJP, non-Congress regional parties. We must convince them that today the global narrative is changing in the favor of Palestine and we must channelize our efforts in this magnificent liberation struggle in a systematic manner. Author Peggy Mohan said that the difference between Judaism and Zionism is analogous to that between Hinduism and Hindutva and hence the unity between the two ultra right-wing ideologies. The Israeli Zionists exploit the sentiments of their youth in the same way as the Hindutva politics provokes people in the name of ultra-nationalism. Modi government is in fact taking advice from Israel about repressing and controlling people. However the BDS movement has made a dent and many Israeli youth are joining it as well. It has given the opportunity before many Israeli youth to say that it cannot go on in my name. She said that it often happens that in the fight of people against a giant enemy the outcome is not visible immediately and it appears as if nothing is happening. But suddenly a brick falls somewhere and then a second brick and then some cracks appear and one day the entire edifice collapses. So we have to keep hitting relentlessly. Prof. Ajmal from the Arabic and African studies centre, JNU, while terming the Palestinian question as an international issue said that this issue is not one of muslims but a fight for justice. Israel has been continuously capturing the Palestinian land and refusing to agree the various proposals of United Nations. Among those killed in Gaza majority was that of children, women and old people. Qamar Agha, senior journalist and former faculty member of the Centre for West Asian Studies, stressed on the need to take this campaign to the small cities and town and the use of cultural forms to make people aware about the atrocious acts of Israel. He described about the intentions of Israel which is hell bent on annihilating Palestine and about the imperialist conspiracies in the entire region. Feroze Mithiborwala from Palestine Solidarity Committee, Mumbai, while stressing on the need to expedite the movement of the boycott of Israel said that apart from opposing the Hindutva fundamentalists we must also oppose the Islamic fundamentalists. US-based veteran anti-war crusader Mary Scully who champions Women's, Civil Rights and Disability Rights Movement, had sent a solidarity message which was read out during the convention. In the three resolutions passed during the convention the appeal was made to cancel the proposed visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel and to suspend all the agreement-collaboration with Israel, boycott the Israeli companies and products and carrying out academic and cultural boycott of israel. It was also agreed to take this issue to the common people. Palestinian student Dina Hijjo, Jamia's student Nadiah Ada Hussain, journalist Bodhisattwa Maity, JNUs research scholar Lata, Naujawan Bharat Sabhas Shivam Aniket and Palestinian civilian Naser Barakat who stays in India and Musadiq Noor from Kashmir also put forward their views during the convention. Large number of intellectuals, students and activists participated in the convention including senior journalist Ramsharan Joshi, Prof. Ramesh Dixit from Lucknow, Rihai Manch' president Md. Shoaib from Lucknow, poet Katyayani, journalist Varghese Koshy, Bihar's legislature Dr. Shakeel Ahmad, Rakesh Rafeeq from Yuva Samvad, writer Sazeena Rahat, Shubhda Chaudhary, A. Biswas, Dr. Subhash Gautam, Ranjana Bisht, Kalpana Shastry, Nidhhesh Chittur, A. Biswas, Gauhar Iqbal, Aman Singh, Manohar Prasad. Satyam moderated the convention and Kavita Krishnapallavi presented the opening statement on behalf of the organisers. 'Resonance's Tapish Maindola presented some songs in solidarity with Palestinian struggle and Katyayani recited her poem 'Gaza-2015'. The videos can be watched here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd_mC_KHEunW3SF5m6-fdTw China: Crisis Set To Deepen By Socialistworld.net 09 March, 2016 Socialistworld.net As its factories restarted after the Chinese New Year holidays, China was facing its worst economic crisis in decades. The governments official data do not give the true picture, maintaining the fiction of GDP growth of 6.9 percent in 2015. Even this represents the weakest growth in 25 years. But several independent agencies put the figure as low as 3 to 4 percent. The economic pain is spread unevenly, with industrial strongholds like the northeast suffering what is close to a full-blown recession (i.e. negative GDP), while things are better in the richest first-tier cities and some of the countrys second-tier cities. The coal industry has shed 890,000 jobs in the past two years, according to Ernan Cui, a Beijing-based analyst at researcher Gavekal Dragonomics. This is almost 15 percent of the total workforce in coal mining. In the same period, 550,000 workers were laid off in the steel industry. In January, the State Council took a decision to close a further 4,600 coal mines. While there is an urgent need to shift towards clean energy, these policies do nothing to protect workers by guaranteeing employment and creating new jobs in green industries. A socialist plan rather than market chaos is needed to solve these contradictions. Deindustrialisation Manufacturing industry is also in the doldrums. Employment in the sector has declined every month for over two years. Dongguan, the huge factory city in Guangdong province, sums up the increasingly desperate straits facing migrant workers who make up the manufacturing labour force. In a speech at the end of January, Dongguan Mayor Yuan Baocheng said 500 foreign companies had pulled out of the city in 2015. The total number of factory closures in Dongguan in the past year was more than 4,000 according to The Beijing News. This was mostly in the electronics industry. This deindustrialisation, with a corresponding effect of shops and restaurants closing down, has resulted in millions leaving the city. According to data from cellphone providers the number of users in Dongguan fell to 8 million last year from 12 million in 2007. Wave of strikes Workers are forced to stage protests and strikes, despite the more serious penalties beatings, dismissal, imprisonment as the authorities become more and more repressive. In the two months prior to the New Year holidays the number of strikes surged to 924, which compares with 1,378 strikes in the whole of 2014. This is not only in the manufacturing industry where most strikes occur. Recent months have also seen a wave of strikes by nurses and hospital staff, especially on the issue of unequal short-term contracts. In January, nurses in the city of Chongqing and Huaibei in Anhui province went on strike to demand pay rises and equal employment status. Peoples Republic of Debt Even the Xinhua news agency warns 2016 could be a very difficult year. The explosive start to the year on Chinese and global stock markets leaves no doubt on that score. Chinas stock markets have fallen by a further 20 percent in the first weeks of 2016, after falling 43 percent last summer. Global stock markets have also tumbled, showing it is not a purely Chinese phenomenon. Sinking oil and commodity prices, fears over Chinas economy, currency turmoil, and the rise in global debt these are the factors feeding the financial turbulence. These are all legacies of the global capitalist crisis that began in 2008 and has not relaxed its grip. Chinas growing debt load is one of the factors causing serious concern for global capitalism. This was a hot talking point at the Davos World Economic Forum in January, a meeting of the global elite. Even as Chinas economy slows sharply, the debt is still growing fast three times faster than GDP. Chinas total debt stood at 282 percent of GDP in 2014 and may have risen to 346 percent of GDP in 2015. This is according to research from Michael Every, head of financial markets research Asia Pacific at Rabobank. In 2007, Chinas debt-to-GDP ratio was 158 percent (McKinsey Global Institute). Some economists now describe China as the Peoples Republic of Debt. This could push the financial system to breaking point, forcing the Chinese regime to stage a costly rescue. The cost of a bailout could be truly gigantic, diverting resources that could otherwise be used for investment and to soften the economic pain for workers and the middle classes. The government wants to avoid a financial crash by staging hidden bailouts with the banks making new loans so that indebted companies can repay old loans. But this is reducing the efficiency of credit the economy needs more and more credit to achieve the same, or lower, rates of growth. And this is the reason why Chinas debt load keeps growing. Shock and awe For the Chinese dictatorship the coming year can be the most tumultuous in decades. Increasing repression including the more frequent use of arrests, disappearances, kidnappings and forced confessions, as well as more serious political charges such as subversion which is punishable by life imprisonment these are all symptoms of a regime preparing for social and political emergencies. In the short-term this display of shock and awe may succeed in deterring the working class from engaging in struggle. The belief that economic distress is only temporary may also play a part. But as the economic problems mount and we socialists believe this is now inevitable a mighty wave of mass struggle looms ahead. Why Does The West Hate North Korea? By Andre Vltchek 09 March, 2016 Countercurrents.org New sanctions, and once again, new US-ROK military exercises right next door; new intimidations and new insults. For no other reason than because the country that never attacked anyone, is still determined to defend itself against appalling military, economic and propaganda provocations. How much more can one country endure? More than 60 years ago, millions of people above the 38th parallel died, were literally slaughtered by the US-led coalition. After that, after its victory, the North Korea was never left in peace. The West has been provoking it, threatening it, imposing brutal sanctions and of course, manipulating global public opinion. Why? There are several answers. The simple one is: because it is Communist and because it wants to follow its own course! As Cuba has been doing for decades As several Latin American countries were doing lately. But there is one more, much more complex answer: because the DPRK fought for its principles at home, and it fought against Western imperialism abroad. It helped to liberate colonized and oppressed nations. And, like Cuba, it did it selflessly, as a true internationalist state. African continent benefited the most, including Namibia and Angola, when they were suffering from horrific apartheid regimes imposed on them by South Africa. It goes without saying that these regimes were fully sponsored by the West, as was the racist madness coming from Pretoria (let us also not forget that the fascist, apartheid South Africa was one of the countries that was fighting, on the side of the West, during the Korean War). The West never forgot nor forgave the DPRKs internationalist help to many African nations. North Korean pilots were flying Egyptian fighter planes in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. The DPRK was taking part in the liberation struggle in Angola (it participated in combat operations, alongside the Peoples Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FAPLA)), it fought in Rhodesia, Lesotho, Namibia (decisively supporting SWAPO) and in the Seychelles. It aided African National Congress and its struggle against the apartheid in South Africa. In the past, it had provided assistance to then progressive African nations, including Guinea, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Mali and Tanzania. The fact that people of the DPRK spilled their blood for freedom of the most devastated (by the Western imperialism) continent on earth Africa is one of the main reasons why the West is willing to go all the way, trying to punish, systematically discredit, even to liquidate this proud nation. The West is obsessed with harming North Korea, as it was, for decades, obsessed with destroying Cuba. The West plundered Africa, an enormous continent rich in resources, for centuries. It grew wealthy on this loot. Anybody who tried to stop it, had to be liquidated. The DPRK was pushed to the corner, tormented and provoked. When Pyongyang reacted, determined to protect itself, the West declared that defense was actually illegal and that it represented true danger to the world. The DPRK refused to surrender its independence and its path it continued developing its defensive nuclear program. The Wests propaganda apparatus kept going into top gear, spreading toxic fabrications, and then polluting entire Planet with them. As a result, entire world is convinced that the North Korea is evil, but it has absolutely no idea, why? Entire charade is only built on cliches, but almost no one is challenging it. Christopher Black, a prominent international lawyer based in Toronto, Canada, considers new sanctions against the DPRK as a true danger to the world peace: Chapter VII of the UN Charter states that the Security Council can take measures against a country if there is a threat to the peace and this is the justification they are using for imposing the sanctions. However, it is not the DPRK that is creating a threat to the peace, but the USA which is militarily threatening the DPRK with annihilation. The DPRK has clearly stated its nuclear weapons are only to deter an American attack which is the threat to the peace. The fact that the US, as part of the SC is imposing sanctions on a country it is threatening is hypocritical and unjust. That the Russians and Chinese have joined the US in this instead of calling for sanctions against the US for its threats against the DPRK and its new military exercises which are a clear and present danger to the DPRK is shameful. If the Russians and Chinese are sincere why dont they insist that the US draw down its forces there so the DPRK feels less threatened and take steps to guarantee the security of the DPRK? They do not explain their actions but their actions make them collaborators with the USA against the DPRK. US/NATO Threatens the DPRK, China and Russias Far East The US/NATO military bases in Asia (and in other parts of the world) are actually the main danger to the DPRK, to China and to the Russian Far East. Enormous air force bases located in Okinawa (Kadena and Futenma), as well as the military bases on the territory of the ROK, are directly threatening North Korea, which has all rights to defend itself and its citizens. It is also thoroughly illogical to impose sanctions on the victim and not on the empire, which is responsible for hundreds of millions of lost human lives in all corners of the Globe. Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. His latest books are: Exposing Lies Of The Empire and Fighting Against Western Imperialism.Discussion with Noam Chomsky:On Western Terrorism. Point of No Return is his critically acclaimed political novel. Oceania - a book on Western imperialism in the South Pacific. His provocative book about Indonesia: Indonesia The Archipelago of Fear. Andre is making films for teleSUR and Press TV. After living for many years in Latin America and Oceania, Vltchek presently resides and works in East Asia and the Middle East. He can be reached through his website or hisTwitter. This Is How Corruption Works: A Hillary Clinton Example By Eric Zuesse 09 March, 2016 Countercurrents.org Hillary Clinton approved the construction in South Africa of the world's two largest coal-fired power-plants, and helped them get Export-Import Bank financing (U.S. taxpayer backing); then, some of her friends received construction contracts to build them. The plants named Medupi and Kusile were set to each emit a staggering 25 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere a year. To help finance the Medupi plant, the South African government turned to The World Bank, requesting a $3.5 billion loan. South Africa lobbied World Bank officials and sought to gain the support of the US government. A series of diplomatic cables from then-US ambassador to South Africa to Washington reveal a number of quiet efforts to persuade the US government to support the loan. The cables, released by Wikileaks, were written in the latter part of 2009 and early 2010, leading up to the decisive vote on the loan in April 2010. In late March 2010, according to newly released Clinton emails, the South African foreign minister contacted the State Department requesting to speak with the Secretary on the phone. The emails state that the minister was specifically seeking the US government's support' for the loan. Clinton said: this project is essential to deliver electricity which I think our experts agree is right.' Seven days later, The World Bank approved the huge loan. The United States, along with the UK and Holland, abstained during the vote. I am not going to give them points for abstaining. This was totally the easy way out,' said Karen Ornstein of Friends of the Earth. If the US were to follow its own clean coal guidance for multilateral development banks it would have had to vote no on this loan.' To construct the Kusile coal plant, South Africa sought a different funding route, now eyeing private capital. To this end, in 2010 Eskom solicited its main contractor for the plant, Kansas City-based infrastructure engineering and construction company Black & Veatch to apply for financing from the US Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank). As an independent government agency, the bank invests in projects that guarantee the employment of American workers and suppliers. In April 2011, the Ex-Im Bank approved the $850 million loan for the Kusile plant again to the great dismay of environmentalists. The decision came despite more than 7,500 public comments in opposition to the project. Activists were baffled as to why the governmental bank approved the loan for the controversial project. [PHOTO] Black & Veatch Director Parties with Hillary Clinton. One of Black & Veatch's directors , Harold (H.P.') Goldfield, wears several other important hats. A veteran Washington insider, Goldfield is a former Reagan-era administrator and ex-director at the Ex-Im Bank. He is currently the vice chair of Albright Stonebridge, the lobbying and advising firm of longtime Clintonite and former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. Goldfield is also a Senior International Affairs Advisor at the international law firm Hogan Lovells. One of the firm's Partners, Howard Topaz, is Bill and Hillary Clinton's personal tax advisor . Seven months after the Ex-Im Bank approved Black & Veatch's financing for the project, Hillary Clinton attended an exclusive 60 th birthday party thrown for H.P. Goldfield at the posh Hamptons home of investor George Hornig. In a photo from the party Clinton is seen in extremely good spirits, glowingly hugging a group that included Goldfield and former US ambassador and State Department official, Richard Haass. [Richard Haas subsequently became appointed to head the Wall-Street-funded Council on Foreign Relations.] [Richard Haas subsequently became appointed to head the Wall-Street-funded Council on Foreign Relations.] The Albright Stonebridge Connection During the time Ex-Im Bank considered Black & Veatch's request, Madeleine Albright's daughter, Alice Albright served as the bank's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. The released Clinton emails show that at the time the bank was considering the Kusile loan, Clinton and Madeleine Albright maintained a close relationship. Two weeks prior to the bank's deliberations, Albright sent a direct email to Clinton, suggesting she hire Wendy.' This presumably refers to Wendy Sherman, then Vice Chair at Albright Stonebridge a title she shared at the firm with H.P. Goldfield who later that year was appointed by Clinton to serve as Under Secretary for Political Affairs. Albright ended the message with I'm off to Prague to research new book but always ready to talk. Love, Madeleine.' According to an email from December 2011, Clinton and Albright met again, this time in Prague. Albright wrote, Happy to help on whatever you need wherever and whenever.' Six months later, Clinton's schedule reveals she attended Madeleine Albright's 75th birthday party at Alice Albright's house. Since the approval of the coal plants, several figures involved in the matter landed positions at Albright Stonebrige. Upon retiring form the Foreign Service in 2013, former Ambassador Don Gips was hired as Senior Counselor. Former State Department official Johnnie Carson, who was part of the Clinton team during South Africa's lobbying for the World Bank loan, also became Senior Counselor for the firm. Ex-Im Bank's Ties to Hillary Clinton The Ex-Im Bank is headed by Fred Hochberg, a longtime Clinton family associate, financial contributor, and campaign bundler. Hochberg's partner, Tom Healy, was nominated during Clinton's tenure as Secretary to the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, a State Department body. Between 2012-2014 Healy served as Chair of the Board. Hillary's emails during these years reveal her close connection to both Hochberg and Healy. In February 2012, one of Clinton's daily schedules includes attending Hochberg's 60th birthday party at the upscale DC dining spot, Sidra's Home Restaurant. A few months later Hochberg extended a personal invitation to Clinton to attend a friend's book launch. Hochberg then sent a happy birthday wish to Hillary, signing with Much love, Fred.' Tom Healy sent his own personal birthday note that year, adding I didn't get to say hello in Haiti on Monday because the rain started and we rushed to the airport.' In 2014, The Ex-Im Bank announced the appointment of new members to its Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee. Former ambassador Gips, and Shahid Qadri, Black & Veatch's Vice President and Regional Director Africa, were among them. That carefully researched news-report, which was headlined Hillary Clinton Showed Support, Associates Profited from Ex-Im Bank Financing World's Largest Coal Plants in South Africa , isn't unusual for the best of all news-sources on environmental matters, the desmog blog. Vardi's report there provides an indication as to why Secretary of State Clinton, unlike any other Secretary of State before or since, refused to use the government's authorized and secure email system and its predecessors, the systems that were for official U.S. Government business (which was what has been disclosed here from her private email server all of this clearly was, though Hillary Clinton has stated many times she never used her private server for government business). That reason is: she didn't want voters (nor prosecutors) to be able to know how she transacts her corruption. Aimee Blume / Special to The Courier & Press The ingredients for the brine that will transform your beef brisket from pot roast to gloriously pink and flavorful corned beef: salt, brown sugar, curing salt, juniper berries, allspice, mustard seeds cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, bay leaf and ground ginger. SHARE Aimee Blume / Special to The Courier & Press The raw beef brisket going into the cooled brine (note the remaining ice cubes) where it will sit for 10 days. Aimee Blume / Special to The Courier & Press After emerging from the brine, the cured beef is slightly gelatinous and a clear translucent pink color. In the foreground are pink curing salt and a handful of spices we used in the brine. Aimee Blume / Special to The Courier & Press The cooked corned beef, sliced across the coarse grain of the brisket, just the way it should be: bright pink, soft yet sliceable, with lots of gelatin and a good bit of fat (you can cut that away after cooking if you like). By Aimee Blume, Special to the Courier & Press (Evansville, Ind.) In the U.S., corned beef is the most popular dish for St. Patrick's Day, regardless of the fact that corned beef has never been particularly enjoyed in Ireland. In a way this is fitting because St. Patrick's Day is more celebrated as a cultural tribute to Irish heritage in the U.S. than it is in Ireland itself ... and corned beef has long been a favorite of the Irish in America. Ireland was historically a country poor in money but rich in farmland. As historical sources attest, in British colonial times, the Irish themselves mostly subsisted on potatoes, dairy products and a little pork while raising beef for English landowners. Vast quantities of beef were preserved (brined or "corned") in Ireland but were then shipped off, mostly to the colonies or the British military. In Ireland, pork shoulder or loin was brined in a fashion similar to corned beef, and still is. This product is called "bacon," although it has nothing to do with what we call bacon, and it is sometimes simmered with cabbage. But back to the origin of "Irish" corned beef. When the potato crops failed in 1845 and tens of thousands of Irish emigrated to the U.S., many landed in New York and stayed in the city. There, they found themselves living alongside the large New York Jewish population, who greatly enjoyed beef brisket, which, in the U.S. with it great ranching West, was considered a tough cut and sold cheaply. Corned beef brisket quickly became a favorite among them and soon was identified as an "Irish" food. Generations later, it has become labeled as old-fashioned and traditional, which it is, to the Irish in America. Corned beef brisket can be bought at nearly any grocery store already brined, vacuum-packed and ready to be cooked with its own little package of seasonings. More sinister is the cylindrical, firm, very lean and not very flavorful "corned beef" eye of round often sliced and sold in delicatessens for serving on cold sandwiches. Everyone has their own opinion and lean meat has its benefits, but in my opinion, corned beef, either on a plate or on a sandwich, should be hot, fatty, soft and from the brisket. It's most fun to corn your own. You can use a brine made with spices and salt only, but this will result in a grayish-brown cooked product that looks like any boiled piece of beef. To get the pretty pink color we associate with corned beef (or bacon, or ham, pastrami or any other cured meat product) you'll need to get curing salt or "pink salt." The other things you need are time and space. Your meat needs to soak in its spicy brine for at least five days according to many recipes, and for 10 days according to Alton Brown's recipe that we included below. Smaller flat cuts of brisket have less fat and might weigh from 4-5 pounds. If you corn a full brisket, plan on making room in the fridge for meat that usually weighs from 15-20 pounds. Make sure you choose a nonreactive vessel of food grade plastic, glass, ceramic or stainless steel in which to soak your meat, or place it in a large zipper bag with the brine. It can be cooked either by boiling or roasting. Since corning is a bit of a scientific process, we chose to print a recipe from Alton Brown, Food Network's guru of food science. See the recipe and pictures of the process below. We thought about making a video, but you can watch Brown himself making the recipe at foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/corned-beef-recipe.html#lightbox-recipe-video. Also note that as Brown says, the only real necessary ingredients to corn beef are salt, sugar and curing salt for the pink color. The spices are just for flavor, so you can adapt them as you like. If you have pickling spice on hand, you can just use that. Adjust the quantity of whole cloves depending on your liking of them. Add hot red pepper flakes, a few cloves of garlic or a bit of coriander seed if you like. Corned Beef 6 to 8 servings INGREDIENTS 2 quarts water 1 cup kosher salt 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons saltpeter (curing salt) 1 cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 8 whole cloves 8 whole allspice berries 12 whole juniper berries 2 bay leaves, crumbled 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 2 pounds ice 1 (4 to 5 pound) beef brisket, trimmed 1 small onion, quartered 1 large carrot, coarsely chopped 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped DIRECTIONS 1 Place the water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, saltpeter (curing salt), cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, bay leaves and ginger. 2 Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees F. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip top bag and add the brine. Seal and lay flat inside a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged and stir the brine. 3 After 10 days, remove from the brine and rinse well under cool water. Place the brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat, add the onion, carrot and celery and cover with water by 1-inch. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 2 to 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Remove from the pot and thinly slice across the grain. Source: TV Food Network, Alton Brown SHARE Linda Bennett By Megan Erbacher of the Courier and Press University of Southern Indiana President Linda Bennett may not even take the time to eat breakfast at the annual Breakfast with the President, according to Caylin Blockley. Blockley, USI assistant director of alumni and volunteer services offices, said Bennett typically "jumps right into it while everyone else is eating." Students, faculty and alumni are invited to the 27th annual Breakfast with the President at 8 a.m. March 30 in University Center West's Carter Hall. The breakfast is free for students, and $7 for family, faculty, staff and alumni. This year's menu is French toast, bacon, fresh fruit buffet, with orange juice and coffee. Blockley said Bennett walks around to different tables during the informal breakfast to engage and answer as many questions as she can. The goal is to ask Bennett or other USI leaders questions about the university, campus, share concerns and discuss ideas. Blockley said the event is hosted by Student Alumni Association. A new aspect that launched last year, and Blockley said worked well, is previously submitted questions. And there will also be an open question-and-answer opportunity. Blockley said many good ideas come from the event. "It's extremely beneficial," he said. "She is doing a service to us to give students kind of an easy environment to ask her specific questions. ... This is really one of the few times a lot of student leaders get to come and ask one-on-one questions to the president. It's beneficial for everyone to be on the same page going forward." Student tickets can be picked up at the Alumni and Volunteer Services offices in University Center West, next to the campus store. To purchase tickets or make a reservation, which is required to plan for enough food, visit usi.edu/alumni/saa/traditions-events/breakfast-with-the-president. SHARE By The Associated Press KOKOMO, Ind. More cities across Indiana are working toward adopting local ordinances that ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity after a push for statewide protections failed in the General Assembly last month. The Kokomo City Council voted 5-4 Monday night to give initial approval of a proposed ordinance after more than an hour of debate. Munster in Northwestern Indiana could have similar rules adopted next month, while the Evansville City Council has been given more authority to investigate and enforce its local anti-bias law. CANVASS PODCAST: Does our community protect LGBT? An audience packed the Kokomo council's meeting room, with opponents saying they feared the ordinance's exemptions for religious organizations could be eliminated in the future and that it would allow men claiming to be transgender to enter public women's restrooms. Supporters argued other cities around Indiana with similar ordinances haven't had such problems and that the protections could help Kokomo attract businesses. The Kokomo proposal would also add anti-discrimination protections related to a person's marital status, age or veteran status, the Kokomo Tribune reported. The current city ordinance covers race, religion, gender, familial status, disability, national origin and ancestry. "I believe it gives the city an economic advantage from other cities who have not taken this step to make sure everyone is welcome," supporter Chuck Sosbe of Kokomo told WTHR-TV. "Hopefully that will bring more jobs and more businesses." Charles Riley, pastor of Abundant Life Church, said he worried about churches and religious organizations being covered by the ordinance in the future, saying "the exemption process cannot hold water." The Kokomo ordinance, which was proposed by Democratic Mayor Greg Goodnight, could get final council approval next Monday. Carmel, Columbus and Terre Haute are among cities that have adopted similar protections since last spring's uproar over Indiana's religious objections law, which opponents say sanctioned discrimination against gays. Cities such as Indianapolis, South Bend and Fort Wayne previously had such anti-bias rules. Those local ordinances would have been prohibited under a Republican-sponsored bill in the state Legislature that proposed extending state anti-discrimination protections to lesbian, gay and bisexual people. That bill was pulled from consideration in February as it faced criticism from both LGBT rights activists for not including transgender people and religious conservatives who believed it still required services for same-sex marriages even if they had religious objections. The council in Munster, a wealthy suburban area of Lake County, is expected to vote April 18 on approving an LGBT protections ordinance. A group of local residents began pushing for the ordinance last year after a Town Council speech by Munster resident Amy Sandler, who successfully sued to have her same-sex marriage recognized by the state before her spouse Niki Quasney died in February 2015 from ovarian cancer. "Honestly, for me it was not something that I had thought about, but I jumped right on it," Munster resident Ann Bochnowski told the Post-Tribune. "There should be nobody in this country that should have their rights abridged." The culture of war When visitors fly in to Canberra, they are welcomed at the baggage carousel by large, prominent advertisements promoting the wares of some of the biggest weapons manufacturers in the world. These include BAE Systems, Raytheon, Northrop and ThyssenKrupp. No sign of the usual sunny beaches, Red Centre or crocodiles or even Parliament House that tourists are more familiar with. The ads portray Canberra as the capital of a nation preparing for war. Unfortunately, as the 2016 Defence White Paper confirms, that is an accurate conclusion. (See Guardian Defence White Paper Making Australia poorer not safer, #1721, 02-03-2016) In fact 10 out of 13 of the large display ads at the airport are images for war. Advertisements are usually aimed at consumers, hoping that they will buy some brand of detergent, face cream or other product. But these companies are advertising something that ordinary consumers do not buy warships, F-35 bombers and other war-related products. No, the advertisements are selling something else the culture of war. The government is attempting to present warfare and a huge military budget as though all those missiles, warships, submarines and bombers are part of every day life, a necessity that protects us. That we need them. Senator Lee Rhiannon has moved a resolution in the Senate stating that weapons of war are inappropriate images to greet visitors to our national capital, especially with direct international flights to Canberra to begin later in 2016. Her resolution supported a campaign to remove the weapons advertisements. It was defeated with both Labor and the Coalition voting against it. The 2015-16 budget allocated more on defence than on education. That was before the announcement in the Defence White Paper that it would be spending an additional $198 billion on new investments over the next 10 years on Australias capability to wage war. Around $448 billion will be spent on the defence forces, bases and other facilities, essentially to support the US in its wars, over the next 10 years, and $1 trillion over 20 years. The big question for the Turnbull Coalition government was how could it justify such huge outlays when $80 billion was being cut from schools and public hospitals. Thousands of public servants have been sacked, and the sackings continue. Their wages have been frozen, in some instances for a number of years. Pensioners, families and many others have also been hit by budget cuts. The advertisers at the airport are big customers of the Australian and US governments and the main manufacturers of the governments shopping list. The task is not helped by the fact that the White Paper acknowledges that there is no more than a remote prospect of a military attack by another country on Australian territory in the foreseeable future. So the massive military expenditure and build-up of arms is not even aimed at protecting Australias shores. The war or wars that are being planned are logistically at a distance. This is very evident from the types of purchases being made. This also makes it more difficult to sell the concept of war and a massive military budget which will no doubt be funded by further cuts to health, education, social security and the public service. Military industrial complex Innovation drives the development of defence capability. Defence, Australian defence industry and our national research community have a proven record of collaborating on leading-edge innovation that enhances the ADFs capability, the White Paper states. Over the next two decades, other technological advances such as quantum computing, innovative manufacturing, hypersonics, directed energy weapons, and unmanned systems are likely to lead to the introduction of new weapons into our region. This also explains why the Coalition, under both Abbott and Turnbull, have slashed spending on science and research at the same time as emphasising the need for more graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics STEM. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been diverted from important research being carried out by the CSIRO to assist farmers, to deal with future climate change, from universities and other research organisations. This money is being poured into innovative research for espionage, cyber warfare, weapons systems and other military activities. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has repeatedly emphasised the importance of STEM graduates. The Defence White Paper places great importance on the question of innovative military research programs. It reads as though the structures are being put in place for an Australian military version of the Silicon Valley. False hopes The big selling point to the South Australian government is jobs. With the loss of thousands of jobs in the auto industry and the unlikelihood that South Australia will receive the contract for the new submarine fleet, the White Paper did bring some good news. Describing the Defence White Paper as a win for South Australia, Premier Jay Weatherill said, the defence of our country is now recognised as being more than army, navy and air force it now has a fourth partner in Australian defence industry. The South Australian government sees jobs, jobs, jobs as the federal government spends some billions of dollars at the RAAF Base Edinburgh, Woomera and Woodside base and the building of future frigates in South Australia. South Australia even has a Defence Industries Minister, Martin Hamilton-Smith, who has a military background. The military industrial complex is notorious for its inflated profits and corruption. It needs wars to feed on which result in death and destruction, as well as environmental carnage. As generators of jobs, it comes a poor last for dollars invested*: $1 million spent on military creates 8.3 jobs $1 million spent on education creates 15.5 jobs $1 million spent on healthcare creates 14.3 jobs. It is criminal that billions of dollars will be diverted from health, education and other services of benefit to people and result in fewer jobs. For those workers who lose their jobs in the auto industry or the building of submarines, the government should be looking at a conversion program to use existing and new facilities for the construction of wind turbines, solar panels, the batteries for storage of energy. Military research funding should be redirected to support socially useful research, including the restoration of funding and jobs to the CSIRO and other areas where it has been cut. * Hugh Gusterton, The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, (08-09-2011) If you wish to support or know more about the No Airport Arms Ads Campaign, visit www.mapw.org.au/node/2423 CPA Campaign for workers rights in support of the CFMEU! On the early hours of Wednesday March 2 the CPA WA branch joined the campaign in support of the CFMEU by dropping a massive banner off the pedestrian bridge across the Kwinana Freeway in Perth. The CFMEU has been under intense political attacks by the Coalition government with the Royal Commission into Trade Unions aimed at damaging the image of one of the most militant unions in Australia. Furthermore, around 300 individual members are facing charges of unlawful industrial action which carry penalties of up $10,200 per individual and costly legal fees. The key objective of the draconian legislation is to penalise the right to organise and to diminish the influence of the CFMEU in the construction industry. It also brings additional obstacles trying to prevent the legitimate access to members and potential members by union officials in building sites. Recruitment is a bit harder if builders feel protected by law in their union busting campaign. It also makes it more difficult to speak to workers and mobilise construction workers. Since the legislation has been in place many more workers and officials are facing draconian charges of unlawful industrial action as the line between what is lawful or unlawful on a building site is very fine. The laws are in place to be broken and they breach essential ILO conventions on the right to collective bargaining and the right to organise. As a result, conditions are slipping in the industry, affecting workers by diminished wages and conditions. Sham contracting is rampant and many workers go without annual leave, sick leave, penalty rates and full employment. The majority of construction workers are casual, working on flat rates of pay and when the boss is not making money due to inclement weather or a downturn in the industry the workers miss out. The construction industry is one of the most dangerous occupations claiming 16 lives to date in 2016. The industry is tough; workers safety is a key demand of the CFMEU, its members and officials. The draconian legislation must be repealed or broken if we are to have safer workplaces and a rise in wages and conditions. Currently the right-wing government is in control of the industry. We must support militant trade unionism. As the CPA banner reads, Workers need Strong Unions like the CFMEU. The CPA demands the abolition of legislation which criminalises workers, unions and the right to organise. We say No to the reintroduction of the Australian Building and Construction Commission, ABCC! We demand the right to strike over safety on the job and better wages and conditions! We call on our readers, CPA members and the community in general to stick together in solidarity with the trade unions in particular the CFMEU. See Strength in the union for interview with NSW CFMEU president Rita Mallia. Strength in the union The CFMEU has been and still is on the receiving end of much of the Coalitions and the corporate medias war on unions. The recent royal witch hunt into trade unions (aka Heydon Royal Commission) devoted a great deal of time and taxpayers money to come up with very little of substance. Rita Mallia is the president of the NSW branch of the Construction Division of the CFMEU in NSW. She spoke with Anna Pha from the Guardian. Rita Mallia. (Photo: Anna Pha) Anna Pha: The building industry is pretty much a male dominated industry. So how did you come to be an official of the CFMEU? Rita Mallia: I started with the CFMEU almost 20 years ago as the workers compensation officer. I have a law degree. I joined the branch in October 1996. John Howard had come to power in March 1996. So I guess we were already in battle mode by that stage. So my job then was to take care of workers who were members who had been injured at work with their workers comp. The workers comp system is pretty bad now. But in those days the benefits were not so bad but the system was terrible. You had to chase cheques, insurance companies didnt pay people for weeks. Employers just wiped their hands of an injured person pretty much from the first minute they became injured. So there was a lot of work. The office was a bit like a doctors surgery. There were workers lined up pretty much to see me every day. It was a pretty much full on position. And from there I developed into the role of industrial officer, became the senior legal officer in about 2000 or 2001. And then worked leading the branchs legal work in an industrial sense and through the first of the Royal Commission that I was involved with the Cole Royal Commission. Then ultimately I was appointed as the president in 2011, and then elected in my own right in 2012. Its a privilege to work for building workers. After all they did build the country and its a fascinating industry. And its an industry where there is a lot of exploitation, so there is a great need for a union. We are pretty much a grassroots rank and file organisation. So its all about the members at the end of the day. AP: Do you find that they accept a woman in that position? RM: Ive never had an issue with our members in terms of my gender. I think they appreciate the good work that the union does. They expect you to be fighting for their interests. In all those years Ive not had that issue which is good because I know that there is a lot of harassment, sexual harassment, and weve dealt with those complaints on site. Women on site are often treated very poorly. There is a macho culture which needs to be broken down. I think its breaking down in the sense that there are now a lot more white-collar women on sites architects, engineers, safety officers, project managers. We see a small number of women enter the trades and in traffic control and a lot of women in cleaning. It can still be a very isolating job for a woman on a building site and incidents do occur which need to be followed up. We have done a fair number of discrimination and harassment type cases as well. AP: Can you summarise what the current Fair Work Building Commission (FWBC) [Labors version of the Australian Building and Construction Commisson (ABCC)] does and its powers? RM: The original Act [under Howard] and the current situation are very similar. They are almost a police force for the industry. They can turn up on site, they can audit companies. They basically are supposed to be enforcing either the Fair Work Act, or what was then the Workplace Relations Act in the original format, for breaches of that legislation. They basically spend all their time starting prosecuting cases against the unions, particularly the CFMEU. You will have heard comments from our national secretary, they almost solely focused on the activities of the union. They dont really care about, dont see it as their responsibility, to deal with the non-compliance by employers, either in safety or non-payment of wages. I think they are ultimately there to intimidate workers not to participate in their union because people get threatened about prosecutions all the time by the Fair Work Building Commission [FWBC]. There was a change to the legislation under the Labor government but its powers are almost exactly the same. They just spend their time trying to put together cases against the union and I think ultimately to prevent workers from having a union that is effective by limiting the capacity of unions to go about representing our members. I think it is part of this right-wing agenda to damage and destroy the labour movement and to use the legal system to do that. AP: Can you give a couple of examples of where they have actually taken union officials and workers to court? RM: The legislative regime in this country does not support people exercising rights at work, either the right to strike, or to have ready access to their union representative. It is very technical, very easy for union officials to find themselves on the wrong side of prosecution because of the technicalities of the legislation. Were not going to let technicalities prevent us from dealing with a safety issue or representing our members interests if they have lost money. So there have been a number of cases where they have brought applications which have resulted in [right of entry] permits being revoked or permits having conditions on them. Commission one-sided Generally those cases arise out of safety issues. For example, one of the cases being brought currently against us arose in the context of us raising some issues in Western Sydney where we exposed the exploitation of foreign workers. So rather than dealing with the issue of foreign workers, the FWBC sought to prosecute the secretary and the assistant secretary for breaches of the Fair Work Act. Weve got a prosecution against us arising out of taking protected action in our victory against Boral in getting a really good enterprise agreement up on behalf of a concreting company. They are just constant. Its a very right-wing political agenda to use the law to monster unions and workers and delegates away from being active and vocal in the workplace. Compulsory interrogations You also have the very famous case of Ark Tribe who worked on a building site in South Australia. He was involved in negotiations around a safety issue. The safety issue was resolved and lo and behold he was called in, for what is another part of their powers, for compulsory interrogations. He refused to have a compulsory interrogation and give up his workmates and union officials who had participated in the meetings which gave rise to the resolution of the safety dispute. He was prosecuted and threatened with six months jail if he did not comply with that request. That case was ultimately thrown out in court because the body had exceeded its powers in terms of the notice that it had issued. Its not the best use of taxpayers money but I think part of their agenda is to keep us tied up in the courts as best they can. Criminalising union activity Then there has been use of the criminal law. For example, they brought a case against one of our officials, for breach of the Commonwealth Crimes Act, claiming he had interfered with an officer of the Commonwealth being a Fair Work Inspector, alleging intimidation. We recently won that case. The magistrate threw that case out finding that there was no intimidation. Weve got two officials in Victoria who are being prosecuted for blackmail in the context of representing their members. Industrial disputes and their consequences have been dealt mostly as civil matters. But the idea now that you can be representing a group of workers achieve a result for them, as John Lomax did, in the ACT, and be accused of trying to blackmail an employer into taking on an enterprise agreement is farcical and dangerous. Its really serious that they are trying now to criminalise what is very legitimate trade union business. So thats a concern for all unions that really has a much broader impact. There is a lot happening in the law in this area, which is being used to fundamentally attack workers rights and entitlements and the very existence of the trade union movement. AP: Have you any idea how much the union has paid in fines in the past few years? RM: Its a significant amount of money. When our officials are out there fighting the fight for workers and are on the receiving end of these prosecutions, solely for doing their job, then sometimes youve got to pay the fine that comes with that. The alternative is to do nothing, sit on your hands, and leave workers exposed to poor safety and exploitation. Death and fatalities occur weekly in our industry. There was a massive crane collapse in Sydney on Saturday [February 27]. It is lucky nobody was killed. There was a crane that was on fire in Melbourne. Lucky nobody was killed. Our focus is on the trade union fighting very hard to get better safety and better regulation in the industry, particularly around the issue of safety but also around the issue of compliance. Employer intimidation There are hundreds of millions of dollars that havent been paid in superannuation across the country is the vast majority of it is not paid in the building industry. People who are relying on their superannuation for some sort of dignified retirement are not receiving their entitlements. The Australian Taxation Office does not enforce these conditions. Theres a lot of non-compliance and exploitation of workers across-the-board in this industry but the authorities seem less interested in that and more interested in cutting us off at the knees. Certainly there is a feeling of intimidation and uncertainty on sites inhibiting workers from speaking up. They are worried about being accused of breaching the law if they raise an issue of safety or of being caught up in some prosecution. Workers are discouraged to stand up and take a stand on safety. The FWBC reinforces the master-servant type of relationship where employees do not in practice have a right to be heard, even though all the rhetoric would suggest they have such rights. Workers do worry about losing their jobs in an industry that is very cyclical and transient. Its very easy for employers to get rid of people they perceive as troublemakers. Its difficult to prove someone is being discriminated against because they raised an issue of safety or brought the union in. So its a really difficult position to put employees in which is why we fight so hard against this regime even though sometimes it costs us. AP: The ABCC legislation that the Turnbull government is possibly going to use for a double dissolution, does it just restore the old ABCC or are there extra nasties in it? RM: They want to shore up the capacity of the ABCCs powers to undertake compulsory interrogations and increase penalties. It is one of the issues of concern amongst many of the crossbenchers that a person can be hauled in and asked questions with limited access to legal representation. In an industrial relations context this is overkill and nothing more than a tool for intimidation by the state. Youre not dealing with espionage or international security. These are workers on site dealing with the day-to-day realities of the industry. AP: The media certainly portrayed a picture of corruption and bikie gangs almost daily during the Royal Commission with the most disgusting headlines. What has actually come out of all of that? RM: Firstly there were two CFMEU officials who were exposed as doing the wrong thing and they have been dealt with. They have been expelled from the union to the extent that they were using their position to improve their personal interests. There were no allegations of governance problems in our union in terms of use of members money. All the criticism of the CFMEU across the country really is about its dealings with people in the industry and our militancy on behalf of our members. At the end of the day, we will deal with employers that employ our members. We are not ASIC, we dont register people who have these companies in the industry, we are not the builder who engaged these people as subcontractors. To the extent they represent building workers, those workers are our members, we have to represent their interests. The evidence about some of our officials portrayed them in such a way as to make them look as bad as possible without consideration of the considerable evidence to the contrary. The other side of the story was the work that those officials in NSW had done to recover millions of dollars of unpaid entitlements which went to those workers. We put the evidence up, it was largely ignored. It just shows how one-sided the Royal Commission was and they were intent on portraying all of our officials who work in a very difficult industry, sometimes having to deal with unsavoury characters. But we dont invite them into the industry. Vilification of unions The Commission and the right-wing press used that as a great way to paint the union in a poor light. Workers on building sites know thats not the case. I dont think the general public really accepted that was the whole of the CFMEU in that sense. If you put an $80 million Royal Commission into the banking sector Im sure you would find many people who have been doing the wrong thing. There is plenty of evidence of banks ripping off their customers to the tune of millions of dollars, but its not in the interest of the Federal Governments mates to shine a light on that. The political climate in which we find ourselves is where unions are portrayed in the worst possible light. Weve got to counter that by showing the real issues that exist in the industry and to continue to fight for our members. AP: Can you comment briefly on the recommendations that come out of the Royal Commission? RM: Some are referrals, some are suggestions around legislative change. The big thing is this idea that union officials should somehow be held to the standard of a publicly listed corporation. That just seems unworkable and overblown. I think there are some lessons to be learned from some of the case studies about unions having good governance, being transparent in their processes, having members involved in the decision-making of the union. These are all features of the CFMEU currently, so we have no fear of any of those sorts of recommendations around governance. But the idea that there should be massive fines and somehow we are the same as a publicly listed corporation is ludicrous especially as, in a union like ours driven, it is run by the rank and file members. Im a full-time union official but it is the committee of management that Im answerable to it is 26 building workers and a state council made up of another 30 or so workers. They are not directors, they dont get paid for what they do for the union. They are committed to the industry representing their fellow building workers. The idea that they should be given exposure to the same penalties as a director who is being paid $250,000 or $300,000 or $500,000 or million of dollars a year on a corporate board is ridiculous. Again its all part of this agenda to attack the labour movement. AP: I believe there is a recommendation that unions not be permitted to pay the fines of individual workers or union officials. RM: If people are doing their job, then their organisation should be able to indemnify them for doing a job. If such a proposal was adopted its just another way of providing a disincentive, for people to stand up and be workplace representatives, on the boards or committees of their union or union officials. Whos going to stand on a board or a committee often held in an honorary capacity if you might be stuck with having to pay these large fines for infractions that sometimes amount to nothing more than the equivalent of jaywalking. This all goes to the very heart of the right to freedom of association. The International Labour Organisation has found that the ABCC laws breach international conventions regarding freedom of association and trade union rights. It is just all about making it very hard and scary for people to actively participate in their union. AP: One last question, can you comment on the attack on industry superannuation funds? RM: Im director on CBUS industry superannuation fund*. It is in the top 10 of super funds that is industry and retail funds in terms of the return on the investment of members. We manage nearly $30 billion of members money and as a director who is an employee representative nominated by the CFMEU, I take that job very seriously. To think that, just because I am a union official, I am discounted from having that role is really appalling because we all take our role very seriously. But the other thing is industry super funds have been shown time and time again to be far better managed, and deliver far better returns plus insurance and services to their members than any of the retail funds. So basically, again it is another example of the ideological war being waged for no good end. At least when some of this legislation was brought up to the Parliament recently, the crossbenchers saw it for what it was for. You had people like Glenn Lazarus saying there is nothing broken with the system to the extent that there needs to be reforms. Industry funds are very transparent with their members. We, for example, have an annual members meeting, members themselves have their representatives on the boards of these organisations that are charged with investing and looking after their retirement income. So workers have a direct voice on these boards. It a really effective model and the proof is there in constant good performance. The changes are not about improving the system. They are about giving access to that pool of money to the retail sector and banks. A prospect that is appalling. Attack on workers super They want to get rid of the default status where an award or enterprise agreement can specify a fund. When under Howard they introduced the choice idea, people gravitated to industry funds, not away from them. Theres no economic legitimate basis for these attacks. So thats why weve been very strident in supporting the current model which was fought for by workers, particularly by building workers. Ultimately Labor put in place the legal structure. The funds belong to workers. The Liberal Party have never supported superannuation. The plan by Labor previously to increase the compulsory contribution is frozen because all the evidence is that 9.5 percent is insufficient to give people a dignified retirement. If that is the model for providing people with some security in their retirement then it should be supported, not destroyed or conditions deteriorated. It is just another part of the agenda to get unions off boards to reduce union influence. Continue to fight Its extraordinary. The attack is on so many fronts, its not just unions the attack on Medicare, on refugees, the under-privileged. On the one hand, the Federal and State Governments rhetoric in support women who are victims of domestic violence and then cutting funding of refuge and other services. Unless youre a big corporate with a lot of money, you cant rely on the government to support you and your family; in difficult circumstances that you might face, or to get a better education and decent health services or a fair workplace. I think its a really sad indictment on where weve come as a country, which is so prosperous and such a lovely place to live. Hopefully things will swing back. Concern about the increase in the GST, the attacks to Medicare, real bread and butter issues, might wake those so far disengaged with the politics. If the conservatives succeed it will fundamentally change the nature of our country. It will be a meaner place. The CFMEU will continue its fight on behalf of its members. We are not going to resile from our commitment to safety and better working conditions. We think the ABCC is nothing more than an attack on peoples rights to have a good union with an an active rank and file membership. The conservatives unashamedly go after any institution or system that challenges their free-market neo-liberalism. Its our job to counter that. * Covers workers, their families and retirees in the building and construction and allied industry. Mexico is our neighbour, not the enemy Presidential campaigns often turn raw. Politicians reach for sound bites that bite. Often they gain by playing on fears, winning by division, not by addition. In 2016, insult has become the coin of the campaign, particularly in the Republican primaries. And too often the enemy singled out has been Mexico and Mexicans. Mexico has been burlesqued as a source of illegal immigrants, who are slandered as rapists and criminals. Mexico is accused of taking our factories abroad and Mexican immigrants of stealing our jobs at home. Trumpets sound for building a wall across a 2,000-mile border, for deporting millions of Mexicans living in America, for booting out the Dreamers who were born here, and more. We would be wise to step back and take a deep breath. Mexico isnt our backdoor; it is our next-door neighbour. One hundred million people live in the 10 US and Mexican states along the border region, and taken together these form the equivalent of the fourth largest economy in the world. Our ties with Mexico are deep, our peoples intertwined. They should not be reduced to a sound bite or an insult. Thirty-four million Mexicans and Mexican-Americans live in the United States; about 22 million were born here. Every day, the US and Mexico exchange US$1.4 billion in two-way trade. Mexico is our second largest export market (after Canada). Mexico buys more US goods than all of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) combined, nearly as much as the entire EU. Mexico is the third largest supplier of crude oil to the US It is the largest export market for US refined petroleum products and a growing market for our natural gas. Cooperation between our two great countries is inescapable. We must and do coordinate on transportation, on legal entry points, on international organised crime, on trans-border infectious diseases and trans-border environmental challenges. In recent years, focus has necessarily been placed on criminal activity - the flow of drugs coming north and the flow of guns and contraband cash going south. We are the biggest market for illegal drugs in the world. Our appetites feed the criminal drug rings that threaten entire countries. We have an obligation and a national interest in bolstering enforcement on both sides of the border. We dont need a wall; we need a bridge. We are neighbours, bound together by geography and by history. Now we hear all these fulminations about undocumented workers. People dont leave their homes on a lark. They flee parched earth for green grass. For too long, we have exploited Mexican workers on both sides of the border. They pick our fruit and vegetables. They clean our houses. They fight and die in our wars, hoping for a green card and a shot at an American dream. Mexicans didnt take our jobs to Mexico; US corporations used NAFTA to take our jobs to Mexico. Mexicans dont seek sub-minimum wages here. US employers exploit the undocumented to pad their own pockets. This furious debate about immigration is taking place as illegal immigration has virtually disappeared due to the lack of jobs in the US. The biggest flood of immigration came after NAFTA forced family farmers in Mexico to compete with subsidised agribusiness in the US. Many lost their lands and their livelihood and came north to survive. We need economic policies that work for working people on both sides of the border, not a policy of division and insult that allows employers to keep exploiting workers in both countries. Americas strength is its diversity. And our security is enhanced by having close relations with our neighbours. American workers have every reason to be angry about an economy that is rigged to work against them and a politics that is corrupted by big money. But our Mexican neighbours didnt do that, and building a wall wont change it. The politics of insult ends up insulting us. * Reverend Jesse Jackson is the founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. He was a leader in the civil rights movement alongside Dr Martin Luther King, Jr and was twice a candidate for President of the United States. Peoples World Jailed Colombian academic on hunger strike Miguel Angel Beltran, a sociology professor at Colombias National University, is being held in maximum security at La Picota prison in Bogota. He began a hunger strike on February 15. Beltran studied armed conflict and social division in Colombia. His ideas displeased Colombias rulers, and hes been imprisoned intermittently since 2009. Miguel Angel Beltran. Why the hunger strike? He was doing it, he explained, out of solidarity with fellow political prisoners, hunger strikers among them, whove been protesting anti-human conditions in Colombias prisons. He indicated also that he was defending critical thinking, his own cause. Beltran recalled that the government of President Juan Manuel Santos had recently promised to ease conditions for Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) prisoners of war and to arrange for evaluating their personal situations in order to prepare them for civilian life in a Colombia at peace. Beltran also cited demonstrations three months earlier by political prisoners in 20 prisons who were demanding the release of prisoners who were very sick, elderly, or handicapped. He denounced government inaction, adding, I join with these men and women that today are on hunger strikes [protesting] overcrowding, no sunlight, scanty meals ... and sub-optimal medical services. He noted his own commitment to defending critical thinking, to have it articulate theory along with transformative practice. Left-leaning historian Renan Vega Cantor is a supporter of Beltran and in a recent interview explained what critical thinking may have to do with Beltrans imprisonment. According to Vega Cantor, the Colombian intelligence service during the previous presidency of Alvaro Uribe maintained a list of activist intellectuals to be assassinated and did kill several of them. It was in that context that persecution of Miguel Angel Beltran was initiated ... because he simply had a different point of analysis as to the Colombian conflict. He said Beltrans analysis was about the politics of criminalisation of critical thinking and of attitudes opposed to the misnamed politics of democratic security under the Uribe government. For Vega Cantor, Miguel Angel exemplifies the dignity inherent in critical thinking, with convictions solid like steel, that bend neither to every kind of threat nor to false promises. Beltran was carrying out post-doctoral studies in Mexico when on May 22, 2009, police there arrested him. Disregarding a bi-national extradition treaty, they transferred him illegally to Colombia. Charged with the crime of rebellion, Beltran would be in prison for 25 months before a judge issued a verdict in his case. Identifying him as Jaime Cienfuegos, Colombian officials claimed Beltran was a member of the FARC international commission. For President Uribe, he was the most dangerous FARC terrorist. Prosecutors supposedly had found incriminating evidence in computers belonging to Raul Reyes, a FARC leader. The Colombian military had taken possession of the computers after its March 1, 2008, bombardment (with US assistance) of a FARC campsite in Ecuador that killed Reyes and others. Later on, the Supreme Court questioned the states handling of the computer files and disqualified alleged evidence from that source in prosecutions. The files were being used as a tool for hobbling political opponents, Beltran among them. On July 27, 2011, a judge acquitted Beltran, and he was released. In the judges ruling she cited the earlier Supreme Court rejection of the evidence. In 2013 Colombian Attorney General Alejandro Ordonez ordered Beltran fired from his academic post at the National University. Professors and students there protested, and Beltran was able to return to teaching in early 2014. Ordonez soon confirmed his order, decreeing also that Beltran would be unable to teach at a public university for 13 years. The rector of the university, functioning as a peon of the establishment according to Vega Cantor, fired Beltran. In December 2014, the Superior Tribunal of Bogota overruled Beltrans acquittal and sentenced him to eight years in prison. Beltran returned to prison in December 2015 and has been there since then. At Picota prison he shares space with common criminals and paramilitaries. On January 25, 2016, Beltran participated in a cassation process before the Supreme Judicial Court. Cassation refers to a last-resort appeal before a high court seeking review of previous legal interpretations rather than the facts of a case. Beltran delivered his statement to the court by means of a video presentation recorded in prison. Its useful here for elucidating what critical thinking means to Beltran. Beltran begins by emphasising the importance of freedom of thought as a fundamental component of knowledge and academic activity. He continues: Freedom of thought has served the acquisition of knowledge in the face of interference from the political, economic, cultural, and religious powers. Beltran notes that he has rigorously debated [his conclusions regarding] armed social conflict in Colombia in national and international settings, defending the thesis that armed social conflict has objective causes and is rooted in social inequality, injustice, and in social and political exclusion. He explains that, During the [presidential] term of Alvaro Uribe, it was prohibited to speak of armed social conflict, or it was only possible if one referred to the conflict in terms of a terrorist threat. Beltran regards peace being negotiated now in Havana as a positive sign that it may soon be possible to think differently, to sustain [alternative] opinions. And, my students are looking for signs that values proclaimed in my classes like honesty, tolerance, pluralism, and rigorous academic analysis are a really legitimate part of academic work. Miguel Angel Beltran included an anti-dedication in his latest book, written in prison. It reads: To Attorney General Alejandro Ordonez; to Prosecutor Ricardo Bejarano, and to Judge Jorge Enrique Vallejo Because with your incessant persecution you have strengthened me in my determination to defend critical thinking. Peoples World Austerity ousts Jamaican government On February 26, Jamaican voters turned the government of Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller, of the Peoples National Party (PNP), out of office. She will be replaced as PM by Andrew Holness of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). Andrew Holness of the Jamaica Labour Party campaigning during the elections. Simpson-Millers PNP won only 30 of the 63 seats in the lower house of the Jamaican Parliament, while the JLP won 33. Voter turnout was only 47.5 percent, the lowest in the countrys electoral history. (Jamaica gained independence in 1962; the head of state is still Queen Elizabeth II, and the country still belongs to the Commonwealth of Nations, formerly the British Commonwealth). The margin of victory for JLP was only about 4,000 votes out of 870,663 cast in this country of 2,800,000 inhabitants hardly an overwhelming victory for Holness. Jamaica has been experiencing economic decline, sky-high unemployment, and a seemingly intractable crime rate for years, but some of these problems have been getting worse since the world financial crisis began in 2007-08. Jamaica has a particularly horrific burden of debt to the International Monetary Fund and private lenders, payments of which severely cripple the ability of the government to deal with the peoples needs. Jamaica is one of the worst examples of the debt trap that bedevils so many poor countries around the world. Both PNP and JLP governments have felt obliged to go along with the neo-liberal program of imposing austerity in exchange for loans. Neither party presented any way of getting out of this situation in its election manifesto this year. JLP promised a big tax cut but it is far from clear how this would be accomplished. The JLP has the reputation of being the more conservative of the two major parties (there are some smaller ones also), while the PNP has moved far from the leftist positions espoused by its PM Michael Manley in the 1970s. In his first term in office, 1972-80, Manley carried out a radical left-wing program of reforms which greatly improved the lives of poor rural and urban Jamaicans. However, the country was plagued by a campaign of violent destabilisation. The United States government put heavy pressure on Jamaica to back off from its friendly overtures to Cuba and the Soviet Union, which Manley was relying on to help get his country out from under economic dependence on the US and Great Britain. A vicious press smear campaign against Jamaica got underway in the United States. Manleys second term in power, 1989-92, coincided with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Eastern European socialist states and the triumph of what became known as neo-liberal capitalism. Possible help from the Soviets dried up, and friendly Cuba also found itself in difficult straits. So any hope that Jamaica could, in the short run, create an alternative route to development disappeared. Manleys second term was therefore characterised by a much slowed-down reform program and a much higher reliance on aid from the International Monetary Fund and foreign private investment. The bright promise of the first Manley term in office disappeared, and Jamaica set out on a course of chronic indebtedness. A punishing loan Jamaica suffered other blows after Manley left office. It had a medium-sized banana industry, but in the late 1990s the US began to hack away at one of the supports of that industry, namely the Lome Convention, whereby France and Britain, working through the European Union, had committed to preferential purchasing of bananas from their former colonies in the Caribbean and Africa. The US went to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to complain that this was a violation of the rules of free trade. The US is not a major producer of bananas itself, but US companies like Chiquita and Dole produce huge amounts of the crop, and profits for themselves, in South and Central American countries, including the infamous, despotically ruled banana republics where wages are lower and working conditions worse than in the Afro-Caribbean countries. The WTO, established in 1994, ruled in favour of the US in this dispute. This was a big blow to all the countries covered by the Lome convention. Jamaica now does not produce bananas for export. The mining and processing of bauxite (aluminum ore) was once seen as Jamaicas royal road to prosperity, but in recent decades this hope has faded as other low-wage countries have edged out Jamaica in the competition, and a number of mines have closed. To some extent, tourism has filled the gap, but the astronomical crime rate in Jamaica is seen as dampening the potential of tourism also. As in other poor countries, foreign investment is only attracted while wages remain low and regulation weak. So Jamaica has ended up depending on one international loan after another, with more and more draconian conditions attached to each one. The latest one, which Jamaica negotiated in 2013 to replace an earlier one on which the country had defaulted, is particularly shocking. Jake Johnston of the Centre for Economic Policy and Research has done a detailed analysis of this piece of usury, highlighting the fact, for example, that in exchange for the loan, Jamaica must run a budgetary surplus of 7.5 percent per year, far more than the surplus imposed by lenders on the distressed economies of the poorer Western European countries. As a result, Jamaica is the only nation in the Caribbean whose per capita Gross Domestic Product has actually been declining over a 20-year period (Haitis is stalled at zero growth). According to Johnston, much of the failure of the Jamaican per capita GDPs failure to advance can be attributed to the stringent governmental austerity measures imposed on Jamaica as a condition for the 2013 loan. Johnston writes: The IMF program required a large, up-front adjustment, which resulted in the government cutting spending by over 2 percentage points of GDP in 2012/13 and by 2.7 percentage points in 2013/14. This in a country whose social safety net was inadequate to begin with! Jamaica has benefited from the PETROCARIBE program of discounted Venezuelan oil sales, and other aid coming from the countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for Our America (ALBA). It is yet to be seen how long such aid can be sustained, given Venezuelas current economic troubles and the threat from the newly elected right-wing legislature there to withdraw Venezuela from ALBA. Peoples World Culture & Life Disinformation you think? To state the bleeding obvious, the basis of capitalism is exploitation. Workers are paid less than the actual value of their labour, their working conditions are constantly under attack, they live under conditions of perennial insecurity afflicted by gross inequality, graft and corruption flourish and war has become the norm. Refugees line up at a port of the Greek island of Lesbos. Considered objectively, the great majority of people receive little or no benefit from such a system. It is designed to favour a privileged few and that is precisely what it does. From the point of view of the privileged minority, it is a very successful system. However, for everybody else, it basically sucks. That privileged few, however, holds the power under capitalism, so they control the system to suit themselves. They also control the way the system is depicted and presented, a factor which has become increasingly important as propaganda and agitation has become more sophisticated and scientifically targeted. The role and power of the mass media has been extensively researched by capitalism, which has incorporated these powerful tools into its arsenal. Riddled as it is with inequality and general unfairness, it is hardly surprising that capitalism has always gone hand in hand with lies. Capitalists have called for improved relations between countries even as they have launched bids to take over those countries and loot their resources. And in the course of lining their pockets, capitalists have refined the art of being selective with the truth. In fact they have elevated lying to a whole new level called disinformation, a concerted deliberate policy of well-organised false or misleading information. This is not a new development of capitalism. During the Russo-Finnish War of 1940, when British imperialism was determinedly trying to start a war with the Soviet Union, the worlds capitalist press was awash with hair-raising eye witness accounts of Russian military disasters written by correspondents who werent even in the same country as the conflict they were supposedly reporting. And let us not forget the notorious and totally phoney Gulf of Tonkin Incident that was invented by US imperialism in 1964 to justify the escalation of the war in Vietnam, or the equally bogus plight of supposedly endangered American medical students that was used as a pretext for invading Grenada in 1983. When US and German imperialism set out to invade and break up Yugoslavia in 1999, they first organised and abetted disruption between ethnic minorities then launched the lie of ethnic cleansing to justify their aggression. Four years later, the governments of Britain and the USA were loudly trumpeting the lie that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction that necessitated an immediate invasion. The people of Iraq have suffered through a nightmare ever since. The same process is being repeated today in Syria, where US efforts to overthrow the elected government of Bassar Al Assad mean that all anti-Assad fabrications are reported as unquestioned fact whereas accounts of the Syrian Armys successes against the IS terrorists are ignored or turned on their head as evidence of Assad-government atrocities. Part of Syrias biggest city, Aleppo, was captured by rebels in 2012. These heavily armed rebels included Turkish, Saudi and US special forces augmented by Jihadists recruited by religious fanatics from as far afield as Chechnya and Australia. Three years later, with the city largely destroyed, the rebels are finally being defeated by the Syrian Army supported by Russian air power. However, instead of celebrating the imminent liberation of Aleppo from the besieging terrorists, the line being pedalled in the capitalist media is that the city is under attack by the Assad government which is supposedly barrel bombing its own people. Any lie will do as long as it furthers the interests of imperialism. Take the widely circulated stories of mass starvation in the Syrian town of Madaya, about 25 miles north-west of the capital Damascus. The stories are very reminiscent of the equally colourful tales of mass starvation in North Korea. And like the Korean fabrications they too were accompanied by an array of doctored photographs of starving people. Unfortunately for the US propagandists involved in this stunt, the supposedly starving young girl in Madaya turned out to be from the city of Tayr Filsey in south Lebanon. Her name is Mariana Mazeh, and she went on YouTube to refute the story that she was from Madaya. She wasnt starving either. In fact, the Syrian government has been supplying food to Madaya, but the armed rebel groups developed the practice of looting the convoys bringing food to the town and then selling it to the inhabitants at exorbitant prices. In this way they not only gained political leverage but also supplemented their funds. As we have said, capitalism is not at all averse to using lies to further its ends. In fact, lies are much more convenient than actual facts, which usually need distorting or twisting before they can be used in the interests of imperialism. One has to wonder, however, at the morality of the legion of bright young people imperialism employs to dream up and circulate the ingenious propaganda that flows from its rumour mills. They know that what they are writing is phoney baloney, but they disseminate it anyway. Apparently, they are persuaded that they are lying in a good cause, and that the ends justify the means. Just how they reconcile that with the fact that 250,000 Syrians have been killed in the conflict so far and nine million have had to flee from the Islamic State terrorist outfit is anyones guess. Significantly, the Syrian ceasefire hammered out between the Russian and US foreign ministers was immediately rejected by the US creation, the so-called Free Syrian Army which is dependent on US support for its very existence. That the FSA could reject a US-brokered cease-fire with impunity is preposterous. Continue Reading Below Advertisement Have you ever wondered exactly how rich Scrooge is, though? If so, don't worry: Science is officially on the case. After Billfold writer Matt Powers wrote a parody article calculating Scrooge's wealth and arrived at the impressive number of more than $210 billion (that's about five Charles Kochs), science news website LiveScience decided to check the math. What they found is that Powers had vastly, vastly undershot it. Using story details from the Scrooge McDuck comics and the official blueprints for Scrooge's money bin, LiveScience determined that the vault must contain approximately 171,450 cubic feet of gold ... Dan Shane Not pictured in the blueprints: a room for Huey, Louie, and Dewey, who apparently sleep in the closet. Continue Reading Below Advertisement ... which translates to 3,302,088,419 ounces. Since gold is selling at $1,127.34 per ounce as of this writing, according to our calculations (read: Google's) that means Scrooge has $3.7 trillion dollars. Or: enough to buy some fucking pants. Come on, man. But, wait, there's more. Way more, in fact. LiveScience reached their number by assuming that the 127-foot vault is half full, but that's clearly not the case. As seen in the drawing above (among many others), Scrooge's gold pile is about 90 feet tall -- and, as djublonskopf at Observation Deck calculated, all of the gold in the world would only fill the vault up to 57 feet. That means Scrooge McDuck has more gold than exists on the planet. He has gold from alien worlds and is presumably holding back scientific progress because no one can use gold in transistors or computers and such. Continue Reading Below Advertisement A Washington nonprofit, the Environmental Investigation Agency, has spent the past three years looking into connections between protected forest logging and Lumber Liquidators. Posing as illegal buyers, the group went undercover to the Russia-China border to see what noise a tree made when it was knocked down by illegal loggers. The trees were cut down in the middle of the night, and then taken to saw mills to be mixed with legal wood. Environmental Investigation Agency "Shit, our bad. If you just point out your tree we'll give it right back." Continue Reading Below Advertisement The loggers then turned smugglers, transferring the product to Russian and Chinese buyers, who in turn sold it to United States companies. It is alleged that Lumber Liquidators is one of these. They might not be bothered about Siberian Tigers, but the government has claws that they can't ignore. irontrybex/iStock/Getty Images Though the occasional round of tiger claw to the dick certainly wouldn't hurt. Continue Reading Below Advertisement Regain some good karma by following Hoss on Twitter @M_Hossey. Psst ... want to give us feedback on the super-secret beta launch of the upcoming Cracked spinoff site, Braindrop? Well, simply follow us behind this curtain. Or, you know, click here: Braindrop. If you want to see more horrifying truths about the stuff in your house, check out 22 Disgusting Unseen Downsides To Your Everyday Life and 5 Stories That Will Change Your Opinion Of Famous Companies. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and check out The 6 Most Blatant Lies Companies Based Entire Ads On, and watch other videos you won't see on the site! Continue Reading Below Advertisement Also, follow us on Facebook, because we'll follow you everywhere. Did you know cats modeled their "meow" after the cries of human babies, just because they knew us humans care about that noise? Did you know dogs can read your mind (emotionally), and live in constant suspicion that you know where the good food is (you totally do)? In the next LIVE episode of the Cracked Podcast, host Jack O'Brien leads Cracked's team of pet-loving/fearing comedians through all the ways our dogs and cats are more powerful, creepy, and awesome than we ever could have imagined. Jack will be joined by Carmen Angelica, Dan O'Brien, Alex Schmidt, and Jake Weisman at the UCB Sunset Theatre on Wednesday, March 9, at 7 p.m. Purchase your tickets here! Sussex News Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. One of the hot topics in the channel is the speed and size of the change to cloud computing. BetterCloud, an IT management tool for Office 365 and Google Apps, has released a 73-slide report that shows the move to cloud is happening far faster than some would like. Yes, the report is self-serving to a degree given the company behind it, but its still worth a read. It pulls together stats from several research firms to paint a convincing picture of the pace of change. For example, forecasts for the number of companies running totally in the cloud double in the next five years (source, Trends in Cloud IT). The number of SMEs running 100 percent in the cloud (the American version of SME, 1-1,000 employees) will jump from 14 percent in 2015 to 51 percent by 2020 and 71 percent by 2025. Mid-market operators (1,000 to 5,000 staff) going all-cloud will jump from 6 percent in 2015 to 32 percent in 2020 and 63 percent by 2025. Currently, no enterprises (5,000 staff and up) run only cloud software, but this will jump to 21 percent by 2020 and 51 percent by 2025. Now, no IT analyst ever had to explain why their forecasts were wrong (theyre too busy making their next round of predictions), so its wise to take these stats with a grain of salt. It would be wrong to dismiss them entirely. Part of the reason for such bullishness is the shift in demographics. By 2020 millennials, most of whom would identify as digital natives, will make up 50 percent of the global workforce. Digital natives have different expectations about how they should work and enjoy testing new technology to see if it makes their lives better. BetterCloud says millennials will demand a modern workplace it defines as a professional environment where individuals are enabled and encouraged to use the latest technology to stay engaged and productive. You can see how an organisation mostly made up of people born in the past three decades would prefer to play with a new browser-based data visualisation tool than wait for an Oracle or SAP upgrade. The reports greatest revelation for the channel is the movement from homogenous environments based on technology suites with one main vendor to heterogenous or best-of-breed environments. Enterprise IT departments tend to have stuck to marquee brands to streamline solutions and deployment. This may no longer fly at the mid and enterprise level. Where does this trend leave resellers? Can they still prosper by backing a single vendor? Its not enough to set up a product, give the IT team a crash course in using it and walk away. The company featured in this issues profile, BizTech Enterprises, won an award from Adobe last year for selling the most licences of its digital marketing software. BizTech boss Michael Patishman talks about the painful process of transitioning from an IT-focused reseller to a holistic business consultancy. BizTech can have detailed discussions with the CMO as well as the CIO and IT manager, and be held accountable by executives of all stripes for the business impact of its software deployments. Its a tough choice resellers face. Do you follow BizTechs example by doubling down on your vendor and deepening your business strategy skills to engage the whole enterprise? This involves hiring specialists to build a very capable and very expensive bench. Or do you go for breadth in one or two verticals and understand the full suite of cloud apps, from multiple vendors, that epitomises best practice? This is also far from easy because the innovation wheel, spinning ever faster, is throwing out more and more niche vendors. This all adds up to a higher cost of sales for resellers. If you werent close to your numbers before, now you have no choice. Cash flow will become even more critical. Hopefully youre already moving down one path. With Australias skew towards SME (lets cap that local definition at 200 staff), we are already much further into the cloud than the US. The pure services game wont always be this tough. The wheel will turn. Until then, stay close to your customers and hang on. Sholto Macpherson is a journalist and commentator who covers emerging technology in cloud. A bevy of network providers and carriers are establishing cloud exchanges to connect to public cloud services such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Office 365 with Perth a major battleground. CRN last week reported that Megaport and NextDC which compete head-to-head with on-demand elastic cloud exchanges were both pushing into the Perth market with on-ramps to hyper-scale cloud providers. While the two companies are both keen to spruik their first-mover advantage, multiple providers, including Vocus, Zettagrid and Intellipath, are actively courting users in Western Australia and across the country with connections to Microsoft ExpressRoute and AWS DirectConnect. Intellipath is the newest entrant to the Australian market, this week introducing its bandwidth-on-demand service to Australia, in partnership with Nextgen Group. Intellipath, which is directly integrated into Nextgens new Fusion API, offers rapid provisioning of connections to the cloud "in under 90 seconds", virtual cross connections in 20 seconds with no contracts and greater coverage than traditional bandwidth-on-demand companies. James Veness, Nextgen general manager for wholesale and channel, said Intellipaths service was available now in 45 data centres with many more coming online in the next month. It is also available in Metronodes 10 data centres as well as all other major data centres in the Nextgen network, providing easy access to Equinix Cloud Exchange and other cloud platforms for customers in Perth and on the East Coast." The battle for first place So which outfit was first to offer Western Australians a cloud exchange into Azure and AWS? It depends who you ask. Megaport chief executive Denver Maddux previously told CRN he thought Megaport was first to market in Perth. Asked to clarify his position in light of competing services from NextDC, Vocus and others, Maddux stressed that Megaport could still claim the title as "first in the market, first in the world" with its model for an on-demand public cloud exchange. "Just over two years ago, nobody really knew what Megaport was, and we were already doing these things. Now the market is paying attention to what we are doing and how we are doing it, and in some cases trying to copy it," said Maddux. Megaport connects to Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute, Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute for Office 365, Google GCI, AWS DirectConnect and Rackspace Hosting, as well as local players such as Zettagrid, OrionVM and Servers Australia. "We also have several global cloud partnerships that are about to drop onto the Megaport Fabric," Maddux hinted. NextDC which was also founded by Bevan Slattery before he went on to establish Megaport in 2013 brought out a competing product in July 2015, dubbed AXONVX. The company has taken its services to Western Australia via a partnership with Nextgen Group, pipping Megaport by launching its first live Office 365 service in January this year. Megaport's Maddux said: "We have changed the model and we did it over two years ago. We also deliver all of these services natively through Megaport and our software-defined platform, rather than being integrated into a third-party network and passing services along to them through an outdated service delivery model. "Lastly, we are offering a full suite of cloud networking services, not just part of them. You can get them all on one Megaport, rather than getting some here with those guys, and some there with others," added Maddux. Megaport charges users $500 per month for a 10GbE port, and Maddux pointed to some "six-month promos happening in several markets". "Our virtual connections are currently at $200 in the metro for any speed to any destination, and priced at a per megabit rate on intercap and international. You can use 1 megabit per second, or your whole 10Gbps on your port if you want to. The choice is the user's based on the economics and needs of their own business. "We also offer 1GbE ports for $350 per month and offer the very same features. Prices for intercap and international are varied, but users can see them in real time in our portal when they are building up the connections they want," he added. A NextDC spokesperson told CRN that its AXONVX network was activated in Perth on 30 October 2015, with Nextgen Networks installed in Perth on 3 December. "The first ExpressRoute and Office 365 order was placed on 19 January 2016 on behalf of WA client via IX Australia and IAA." AXONVX connects to Microsoft Office 365, Azure, AWS and IBM SoftLayer, and is "a 100 percent carrier-neutral platform," said the NextDC spokesperson. "Network providers Nextgen Networks and TransGrid were the first to publicly announce that they are providing intercapital connectivity products over our fabric. Nextgen Networks interconnects over 75 data centres across Australia. We will continue to work closely with them to deliver AXONVX to as many of them as possible. Our peering partner IX Australia has a presence in 27 data centres in six states to which they are delivering AXONVX services." AXON ports are available in 10Gbit and 40Gbit options. Elastic cross connects are billed by the hour with costs varying based on where the A and B ends are located. "NextDC is currently offering AXONVX partners six-months free AXON port rental for a limited time." Vocus told CRN that its Cloud Connect private, high-speed connection went live in October 2015, providing an on-ramp to Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute, IBM Softlayer and Amazon Web Services. Vocus Cloud Connect is available in Layer 2 and Layer 3 connections with speeds from 50Mbps up to 1Gbps and 10G in pre-determined increments. Perth-headquartered Zetta launched Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute connectivity into Perth back in March 2015. Zetta, which recently beat AWS, Azure and Telstra to win Mitsubishi's infrastructure-as-a-service contract, offers speeds from 200Mbps to 10Gbps, with multiple Perth data centre interconnects, last mile integration for on-premise connectivity, unlimited network traffic and direct connection to all Azure IaaS and PaaS products. Microsoft connectivity is essential in Perth, where the vendor's public cloud has a strong market position against global leader AWS. Speaking to CRN last week, Joshua Boys, director of Microsoft partner Ignia, said: "We don't see a lot of people using [AWS] Direct Connect. A couple of customers use that, but we are definitely an Azure town, especially in government." Boys pointed to the whole-of-government Common Use Arrangement with the vendor, which gives state agencies access to Microsoft's cloud tools. "Eighty percent of the staff members have access to Office 365 part of the plans for all of them will involve ExpressRoute." Telstra and Cisco kicked off Cisco Live with a trio of products to let corporate customers deploy and configure software-defined network services on a consumption-based model. The telco's Internet Virtual Private Network service, which will be available later this month, allows enterprise customers to rapidly provision network services using secure, encrypted links over the public internet. It is aimed at letting SMB businesses securely manage multiple sites and remote workers with an encrypted link over the internet, spun up "with few simple clicks of a portal", said Telstra CTO Vish Nandlall. Cloud Gateway Protection, currently in beta, is a virtual security appliance that can be "deployed and configured within minutes" to protect internet access, cloud services and IP networks from malicious attacks. Currently based on Cisco's next-gen firewall technology, Telstra will also add a Palo Alto Networks option at a later date. Coming later this year is Data Centre Interconnect, which extends Telstra's global data centre interconnect acquired in its purchase of PacNet and adds 10 Australian points-of-presence to 25 global POPs. Customers will get point-to-point Layer 2 Ethernet from 1Mbps to 10Gbps with options around latency, from low latency to standard to "best effort". Customers can spin up these services via an online portal Telstra's central marketplace for virtualised managed services. Nandlall said the old "plan, deploy cycle" is "no longer fit for purpose", especially for bandwidth-hungry video content and complex data applications. "All these forces are conspiring to create a lack of affinity between the data consumption needs of the enterprise and the network itself." The three new products will allow customers to provision network infrastructure in the same flexible, on-demand way they purchase cloud, with the process as automated as possible. Nandlall added that allowing network engineers to configure the network was "error-prone and dangerous." "You want to automate as much as you can." The packages will be available on a range of pricing models with Telstra execs at Cisco Live stressing the flexibility with terms like "pay-as-you-go", "try before you buy" and "no-commit" though the Internet VPN package does require a Cisco router on a 24-month contract. Pricing starts at $119 for the basic Internet VPN package, up to $299 for the premium bundle. Jim Fagan, head of Telstra's cloud practice, explained how the Data Centre Interconnect offering stood apart from comparable services from the likes of Equinix and Megaport. He said that the Equinix model was "very much an 'in data centre, in metro' type offering". Fagan added that from a technology perspective, Megaport "has done a great job, so kudos to them but it is still really an aggregator of bandwidth". "The difference with us is that we are not only connecting data centres in Australia but around the world and allowing customers to connect to their cloud of choice throughout the world." He added that the fact Telstra "owns the network and the core" allows better quality of service. The journalist travelled to Melbourne courtesy of Cisco. Budget telco Vaya has stopped charging its customers a fee to 'freeze' the terms of their contract beyond its expiry, following an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Complaints to the telco spiked in September 2014 when Vaya began emailing customers at the end of their 24-month contracts saying they could keep their current plan if they paid a plan freeze fee of $9.90 on top of their existing contract. In some cases, Vaya charged customers the additional fee before their contract had expired. The ACCC found that the plan freeze fee email was misleading as customers rates were fixed under their contract. Complaints continued into February 2015 when Vaya told customers they were required to pay a once-off, refundable $20 security deposit. The ACCC found that the additional fee failed to inform customers of their rights to terminate their contracts with Vaya. Vaya has responded by refunding customers the plan freeze fee and security deposit and has informed customers of their right terminate their contracts without penalty. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission welcomes voluntary action by businesses in addressing consumer complaints, said ACCC commissioner Sarah Court. The ACCC advised customers that they should familiarise themselves with their rights if a service provider changes contract arrangements. A Vaya spokesperson told CRN: The ACCC media release issued on Tuesday 8 March concludes the Vaya investigation, following voluntary steps taken by the company to address the areas of concern. We are committed to improving our customer communications and advertising. Vaya was acquired by Amaysim for $70 million in January. Amaysim also copped its share of criticism this week after it changed its billing cycle from 30 days to 28. Advent One has received international recognition for its skill in delivering IBM-based solutions. Advent One claimed the the Outstanding Storage Solution category at the IBM Beacon Awards the fourth Beacon gong it has won over the years. The awards recognise IBM business partners that have demonstrated a unique ability to deliver innovation and results with IBM technology. Clients must be willing to provide a reference to companies that nominate for the awards. Rhody Burton, director of global business partners at IBM Australia & New Zealand, said Advent One is a trusted business adviser to clients. The award recognises the ongoing investment and commitment by Advent One to continuously deliver transformative solutions and high levels of skills that help our clients prepare for the cloud and cognitive era, she said. The Beacon Awards were announced at the IBM PartnerWorld Leadership Conference in Florida. Advent One is a six-time CRN Fast50 company. Integrated Products has been appointed as a distributor for Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise's (ALE) business communication products and services in Australia. The deal will see Integrated Products, an IP CCTV and unified communications distributor, provide sales, service and support for Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise's entire range of hardware and software solutions through new and existing partners. Integrated Products other vendors are Indigo Vision, Legge Locks and Empson Design. "Integrated Products represents a strong opportunity for ALE to reach new verticals and new customers," said ALE channel sales director Chris Downes. "Working with distributors like Integrated Products, which has a far reach into businesses across Australia, we can continue to grow in the Australian market to reach more users that can take advantage of the advanced communications and networking technology to solve their business needs". Stuart Fowler, managing director at Integrated Products, said: "We see a number of opportunities as the IP CCTV security market is now very closely aligned to the business communications market and the award winning Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise communications and network solutions. We have also identified significant synergies within the vertical markets that both companies successfully address". VExpress is Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise's other local distributor. Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise was formed after investment firm China Huaxin bought Alcatel's Enterprise unit in October 2014 for $290 million. ALE has more than 2900 partners and operates globally. Managed services News Report: Indian Firm Pulls Out Of Running For Mphasis Rick Saia Share this Technology services firm Tech Mahindra is pulling out of the battle to acquire India-based solution provider Mphasis from Hewlett Packard Enterprise, according to a published report. The Indian news website Business Standard said Wednesday that Tech Mahindra wanted to avoid a bidding war with other suitors for Mphasis, based in the technology center of Bangalore. HPE owns 60.5 percent of Mphasis. In January, HPE launched an auction process to sell that stake, according to The Times of India, which also reported that HPE had brought in banking giant Citigroup to manage the sale process. Mphasis is believed to be valued at about $1 billion. [Related: Report: Hewlett Packard Enterprise To Auction Mphasis Off To Private Equity, Foreign Titans] Business Standard said Tech Mahindra had been seen as a serious contender for Mphasis. Earlier this week, Tech Mahindra, Apollo Global Management and Blackstone Group were performing due diligence before submitting final binding offers, according to a separate report from The Times of India. "Tech Mahindra is no longer contesting to acquire Mphasis," sources told Business Standard, which said a company spokesperson declined to comment. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for HPE said the company doesnt comment on rumors or speculation. Hewlett-Packard -- before it split last year into HP Inc. and HPE -- nearly began work two years ago to sell Mphasis, according to The Times of India, but ultimately held off for internal reasons. Earlier media reports had also identified Mumbai, India-based L&T Infotech and Tokyo-based NEC Corp. as potential suitors, along with private equity behemoths the Carlyle Group of Washington, D.C., and Advent International of Boston. Meanwhile, Mphasis shifted its business away from the Palo Alto, Calif.-based vendor, with Hewlett-Packard going from accounting for 70 percent of Mphasis' revenue three years ago to just 30 percent as of July 2015, according to the company. The financial services vertical has filled in some of that gap, with banking contributing 41 percent and insurance contributing 14 percent to Mphasis' top line. Mphasis' shift toward big banking has been accompanied by a geographic realignment. In 2011, the company bought Bloomington, Minn.-based Wyde Corp., a solution provider serving the insurance vertical in the U.S. and Europe, and in 2012 purchased Digital Risk, a Maitland, Fla.-based provider of risk, compliance and transaction management solutions, for $175 million. Mphasis also sold its India business process outsourcing (BPO) unit in the past year. Business Standard reported Wednesday that Tech Mahindras interest in Mphasis was driven by its strength in financial services, which it's trying to build after it provided nearly 10 percent of its revenue in the quarter that ended Dec. 31. Tech Mahindra rivals TCS, Infosys and Cognizant derive between 30 percent and 45 percent of their revenue from financial services, according to Business Standard. Security News Samsung To Launch Certification Program For Samsung Knox Mobile Security Platform Joseph F. Kovar Share this Samsung is planning to launch a new partner certification program for its Samsung Knox mobile security platform aimed at helping solution providers generate new revenue from their mobile business. Richard Hutton, director of channel marketing for Samsung Electronics America, on Tuesday introduced the new program during his keynote presentation at this week's XChange Solution Provider 2016 conference in Los Angeles. The new program will provide incentives to channel partners of the Samsung Knox mobility security platform based on the level of certification and training they have received, Hutton told the solution provider audience. [Related: Partners Cheer New Samsung Channel Training Tools To Expand Sales Pipeline] The program will also include a demand-generation program and automated partner marketing for certified partners, and will offer non-Samsung-specific soft skills training, such as teaching sales reps how to talk to customers the way they want to be talked to, he said. The program comes as Samsung looks for ways to simplify the mobile device market by providing tools to help partners develop their mobile business, Hutton said. "[Samsung has] done the investment for you," he said. Patrick White, business development manager for Samsung Knox, told the audience that mobile security is becoming a major issue for customers. "As the type of data and amount of data grows on those devices, the ramifications of losing the devices grow," White said. According to analyst reports, 555 million mobile devices will be sold in 2016, despite a widespread belief that the mobile device market is saturated, White said. However, when it comes to the enterprise, "we're still on third base," he said. Customer concerns about the security of Android devices is growing, and 2015 saw multiple exploits aimed at the Android market, White said. However, Samsung about five years ago started building a platform to lock down Android devices, he said. Samsung Knox puts hardware-based security in the company's mobile devices featuring an open architecture that allows partners to leverage the platform as part of complete solutions, White said. Solution providers said that Samsung is on the right track with Samsung Knox. The fact that Samsung Knox adds hardware-based security to mobile devices is important for customers, said Roger Klein, president of Method Technologies, an O'Fallon, Mo.-based solution provider tying Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft Exchange to customers' mobile devices. Tying in hardware-based security from the Samsung Knox platform could be a key value-add for Method Technologies' Microsoft software business, Klein told CRN. "This helps prevent issues where Android may face the kind of exploits that are impacting other operating systems," Klein said. "With a hardware-focused platform, it's harder for software-based exploits to take effect." Alan "Skip" Gould, president and CEO of BrightPlanIT, a Buffalo, N.Y.-based solution provider and consultant, said he has been working with Samsung Knox for some time, although his customers have yet to adopt the technology. "Samsung Knox is unique," Gould told CRN. "I don't think anybody else has paid attention to hardware security. And add in its open architecture, and it becomes an expandable solution." Regent Seven Seas Cruises announced the promotion of Serena Melani to Captain of Seven Seas Mariner. The first female Captain in the Regent Seven Seas Cruises fleet, Captain Melani -- age 42-- is one of just a handful of women to ascend to the rank of captain in the history of the cruise industry. Overseeing 700 passengers and a crew of 450, she embarked February 21 on her maiden voyage as captain a 12-night South American sojourn, from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro. Our guests expect the highest standard of cruising excellence, both in our ships and those who serve aboard it. Captain Melani exemplifies those qualities through her vast experience and leadership abilities, said Jason Montague, president and chief operating officer for Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Her promotion to captain is well-earned, and I know she will perform admirably in guiding Seven Seas Mariner as she sails from the Caribbean to Alaska. A native of the Tuscany region of Italy, Captain Melani became enamored with the sea at a young age and prepared for her career by attending nautical school. She attained her first shipboard position in 1998, serving on a roll-on/roll-off ship carrying cars and general cargo. Later, after four years working on oil tankers and gas carriers, she made a career switch to the cruise ship industry. On cruise ships, you travel to more exotic places and get to meet so many interesting people, said Captain Melani, whose favorite cruise destination is West Africa. The ship is like a small village, and I take pride in ensuring that all of our guests experience a unique and enjoyable journey. Captain Melani downplayed the significance of her gender. Yes, I am a female in a traditional male environment. But when you are on board, you are part of a team. Regardless of your gender, you have a job to do. And you must do it well. After seven years with another cruise line, Captain Melani joined Regent Seven Seas in 2010. She has served in several increasingly-responsible officer-level roles, including 2nd officer and safety officer. She most recently served a two-year stint as Staff Captain aboard Seven Seas Mariner, which she now captains. When not at sea, Captain Melani lives with her husband in Croatia and her native Italy. Miroslav Kljajic of Carnival Cruise Line has been crowned winner of the 2016 Bacardi Legacy Cruise Competition Bartender of the Year and now goes forward to compete in the global finals of the Bacardi Legacy Global Cocktail Competition in San Francisco being held in April. Miro impressed the judges with his bespoke and innovative Elixir Fizz cocktail creation, featuring Carta Blanca rum, tawny port wine, homemade vanilla & thyme syrup, prosecco, cherry bitter spray and fresh sprigs of thyme. This years Cruise Competition was judged by William Ramos, Senior Brand Master for, Adrian Biggs Senior Portfolio Ambassador, and John Lermayer, owner of Sweet Liberty cocktail bar in Miami Beach and 2010 Legacy US winner. Zachary Sulkes Regional Manager Bacardi Travel Retail Americas comments: Miros winning cocktail perfectly captures the spirit of Bacardi. His confidence and professional presentation really impressed the judges and he is clearly a fantastic example of how bartending standards in the cruise industry are fast becoming ever more professional with talent like Miro whose total commitment to his craft, knowledge and skills are an absolute pleasure to witness in action. We were also very impressed with the marketing campaign he created to promote his cocktail in the months leading up to the final. William Ramos provides the judges feedback on the cocktail reaction itself: Elixir Fizz itself is light, floral and aromatic in nature, perfectly complimenting the Bacardi Carta Blanca rum. The initial scent of cherry gives way to the uniquely fresh aroma of thyme. Once sipped the medium bodied port hits you with rich intense flavours of dark fruits finally finished by a smooth, oaky, vanilla ending. Explaining how he promoted the cocktail, Kljajic added: In the three months leading up to the final my cocktail was featured as the drink of the day onboard Carnival Glory twice a week at the Alchemy bar. I got in touch with my friends who work on-board and others in bars around the world and was able to get it featured in some incredible locations. I also spent 2 weeks attending a professional mixology course in Stockholm where I presented Elixir Fizz in Marie Laveau, one of the most famous cocktail bars in the city, with 35 of the worlds best bartenders in attendance. I also wanted to give a something back to the community and through my cocktail Carnival Cruise Line has been able to raise $1,000 for a local children's hospital in Miami. In partnership with Weltkunst art and lifestyle magazine, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises Europa 2 is offering a new art theme cruise this Sept. - featuring the art2sea theme. Onboard, guests can look forward to lectures and discussions with knowledgeable experts, while in port there will be guided visits to galleries, museums and exhibitions. The cruise sails from Montreal to New York. The Europa 2 itself has over 800 original works of art displayed onboard, some of which have been especially created for specific places on the ship. On the art2sea cruise in September 2016, the subject will be given a whole new dimension. Renowned experts such as Dr Lisa Zeitz, editor-in-chief of Weltkunst magazine, Axel Ruger, director of the Van Gogh Museum, Thole Rotermund, art dealer and art historian, and Carola Persiehl, a gallery owner from Hamburg, will hold inspiring lectures and discussion. The highlights of the program include exclusive visits to exhibitions, galleries and museums on shore for example, to the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, which reopened at its new location in 2015. The artist Rupprecht Matthies will be accompanying the cruise, along with an on-board artist who will be drawing live portraits. The cruise from Montreal to New York in 2016 is already fully-booked, however, having proved popular, there will also be an art2sea themed cruise operated in 2017 in collaboration with Weltkunst, said Hapag-Lloyd. art2sea 2017: from Hamburg to Lisbon, 02.10.2017 15.10.2017 (13 days) via Greenwich / London, St. Peter Port / Guernsey, St. Malo, Bilbao, Vilagarcia and Leixoes to Lisbon, from $7,190 per person, cruise-only. Eastern Europe is responsible for what F-Secure Security Adviser Sean Sullivan calls "commoditized crimeware."In part, this is due to the laws there surrounding cybercrime. "The law allows the development of malicious code in these countries, or else there would be no strong penalties," says Sullivan. Barry Shteiman, director of labs at Exabeam, elaborates: "In Romania and Ukraine, where there are limited to no laws regarding hosting and Internet monitoring, essentially anyone can do anything unsupervised in a public data center or from their homes. Because of this, and their location relatively central to Europe, these countries are favorites as malware command and control server locations." HARTFORD Even if the legislature decides against forever decoupling teacher evaluations from results of the states standardized test it appears there will be at least another year before the exams student test scores can be used to judge teachers. The Performance Evaluation Advisory Council, meeting on Wednesday, voted 8-1 to recommend that results of the Smarter Balanced Assessment not be factored into teacher evaluations in the 2016-17 school year. The recommendation goes to the state Board of Education in April. Earlier this week, the legislatures Education Committee heard testimony both for and against a plan to permanently decouple the test from teacher evaluations. The effort to factor in some measure of student learning into judging a teachers job performance was a key part of Gov. Dannel P. Malloys education reform efforts when he first came to office. The advisory panel, made up of representatives from a number of educational organizations in the state including teachers unions, crafted an evaluation system in 2012 that required 22.5 percent of a teachers evaluation be based on the state test. It put off implementation after the test changed and this year, a new federal law gave the state more breathing room. Not everyone is happy about the continued delay. Jeffrey Villar, executive director of the Connecticut Council for Education Reform said he is concerned. We fully understand that the members of PEAC are concerned about identifying a perfect metric by which to incorporate learning measures into evaluations, Villar said in an email. But we should not let perfection become the enemy of good. I urge PEAC to accelerate its pace. CEA President Sheila Cohen called the delay a stalling tactic but for very different reasons. She supports a permanent decoupling. There is no scientific or research-based evidence that such a link is valid, reliable, or fair for the purpose of teacher evaluation, Cohen said. No vendors of mastery examination tests claim their test is a valid measure of teacher performance. lclambeck@ctpost.com; This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MILFORD On paper, the Infantes seemed to be a typical family with good jobs, a nearly 27-year marriage, and a house in suburbia with their four children. In reality there were serious problems in their lives. Lisa Infante, a former Monroe resident working as an emergency medical technician with Echo Hose and Trumbull EMS, was having an extramarital affair, according to court documents. And her husband, Thomas Infante, 53, was nearly fired from his job as an equipment operator with Trumbulls Department of Public Works, according to town First Selectman Timothy Herbst. In 2010, I gave the order to terminate Mr. Infante as a result of violence in the workplace, which caused some of our employees to be injured, Herbst told Hearst Connecticut Media. My decision was grieved by the union and ultimately overturned. Infante is accused of shooting his wife to death as she lay in her Hickory Lane, Shelton, bed on Sept. 27, 2015. Two of the couples four children were home at the time, but apparently did not hear the shots, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. One was watching TV, and the other was listening to music. But one of the children did hear the family dog scratching on the master bedroom door. That led the youngest boy to enter the room, make the gruesome find of his dead mother, and yell to his older brother for help. Neither boy heard their father leave the house. By the time police tried to call his cell phone, he was in Pennsylvania. Infante drove to Ohio before returning to Connecticut and surrendering to authorities. Police recovered a Ruger .380 handgun. On Wednesday, Infante, dressed in prison khakis, stood silent as his lawyer John Robert Gulash made his case for a continuance. He is charged with murdering his wife. He previously pleaded not guilty to the charge. We just got some discovery material from the state today, he told Superior Court Judge Frank Iannotti. The judge granted the request to continue the matter until May 4. For the past six months Infante has been detained in the Northern Correctional Institution in Somers, unable to post the $1 million bond. HARTFORD Another attempt by lawmakers to mandate paid family and medical leave is drawing support from advocates and stiff opposition from the business community. Paid family leave is not an option, said state Rep. Kim Rose, D-Milford, who added she once lost her job and income after she had to care for an ill grandmother. I had to put my grandmother in a nursing home and she died six days later, Rose said during a public hearing Tuesday. If I had had paid leave, I believe she would have lived longer. But the General Assemblys Labor and Public Employees Committee was also told that requiring employers to offer paid leave will drive business out of Connecticut. A similar bill last year failed to pass, mostly due to business objections. This act is another way to tax workers, increase costs to businesses and add more state workers to administer the program, said John MacMonagle, of Fairfield. It will drive more businesses either to leave Connecticut or just close up shop. If the bill is signed into law, Connecticut would join Rhode island, New Jersey and California in mandating paid leave for family issues and medical problems. The state now requires employers to grant unpaid leave. The bill establishes up to 12 weeks of paid leave for pregnancy, non-work-related illness or to care for a family member. An employee would have to make at least $9,300 a year to receive the benefit and the law would apply to any business with two or more employees. A worker would receive 100 percent of their weekly pay, up to $1,000 a week. The benefit would be paid for through payroll deductions from each employee, although how much is not clear. A consultant hired by the state to study paid leave concluded a half percent deduction from weekly paychecks would be sufficient, while opponents said the amount would be far more. Too costly Eric Gjede, an assistant counsel for the Connecticut Business and Industry Council, said the mandate would harm businesses already facing among the highest operating costs in the nation. CBIA is not opposed to employers voluntarily adopting paid family and medical leave programs that are affordable and work for both the employer and employees, Gjede said. We are opposed to the type of inflexible state mandate proposed in (the bill). This tilts the playing field against Connecticut businesses to other states, typically ones that are not forcing such mandates on their businesses, Gjede said. This is why more than 70 of Connecticut's leading business organizations and chambers of commerce sent lawmakers a letter this past January urging rejection of this very concept. Gjede said the projection that only a half percent of an employees weekly income would be sufficient to fund the paid leave benefit is absurd. That would mean an employee earning $52,000 a year would need only to contribute $260 a year to the program, yet would be able to collect $12,000 each year, Gjede said. At this rate, this program will be financially unsustainable from the day its implemented. Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, conceded changes in the bill may be needed considering the difficult financial times lawmakers and businesses face. Those revisions could include reducing the requirement to pay 100 percent of wages or initially applying the benefit only to larger employers, he said. There are a number of options to narrow the scope of this legislation, Looney said. But the U.S. is very much in the minority of developed countries in not offering this paid leave. I believe we have an obligation to do so. Mothers and babies In a written statement, the Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition said mothers and fathers are often forced to protect their job and paycheck instead of caring for a newborn or giving their baby the attention needed to thrive. When employees have access to paid family and medical leave, they are more productive and less stressed in the workplace, the coalition said. (Paid leave) would be fully funded by employees with no employer contribution, BCAC added. Mothers and fathers no longer have to stress needlessly the first few months of their baby being born. Both can stay at home, bonding and nursing with their child. They can rest easy knowing they both have jobs to go back to, and werent docked hours because of their absence. U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said paid leave once helped her get by after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Paid leave helped me get through a difficult time in my life, said DeLauro, who noted she is now cancer free. Too many families are one crisis away from disaster. Access to medical leave should be an automatic right. Yet just 13 percent of the workforce has paid family leave. Several southwest Connecticut communities are among 17 towns that have been awarded America the Beautiful grants from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The grants are designed to advance urban forestry in Connecticut. Urban forestry is management of trees that grow in close proximity to people - trees where people live, work and play. As an entrepreneur looking for professional investors, one of the quickest ways to lose credibility and get rejected is to start with a ridiculously high pre-money valuation. I see it happen often in my angel investment group, and you can see it happen almost every week on the Shark Tank TV show. Its like trying to sell a home still being built at next years dream market price. Related: Examining True Valuation In the Wake of Disappointing Tech IPOs Equally bad is professing no valuation estimate at all, asking investors to make me an offer. You look like a chump, and probably wont like their low-ball response. Investors know that valuations at startup early stages are negotiable, but they do expect that smart entrepreneurs understand the top three elements of a startup valuation would include the following. 1. First priority is real revenue, customers and contracts. If you have a proven business model with some sales, its credible to apply a multiplier of five to 10 times this number for the first element of valuation. Thus, $100,000 of gross revenue in the last 12 months might be extrapolated to $500,000 to $1 million in valuation. Future revenue projections are not relevant at the pre-revenue stage. 2. Team strength and experience is value. If the founder and team members have built a previous startup in a related business domain, that fact may add up to an additional $1 million in valuation for your startup. Investors will look to see how many employees are full-time and paid, versus week-enders or volunteers. Connections to industry experts and channels are another positive to highlight. Related: As Ad Business Struggles, Investors Question Snapchat's $16 Billion Valuation 3. Registered intellectual property adds value. Patents filed, even provisional, as well as trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets count as barriers to entry and sustainable competitive advantages. A rule of thumb used by investors is that real intellectual property can justify an additional $1 million in valuation. According to the Angel Capital Association (ACA) blog, the average startup valuation for new ventures receiving angel investments has been around $2.7 million. I think you can see how the three elements listed above can be used to justify a valuation in that range for your startup. Of course, there are several additional elements which may be relevant, and should be considered to increase the valuation: Your startup owns physical assets with significant market value. Most new ventures have not yet acquired test equipment, buildings or other expensive items that could be resold or would be hard to replace. Take a hard look around and add valuation for anything you find in this category. Most new ventures have not yet acquired test equipment, buildings or other expensive items that could be resold or would be hard to replace. Take a hard look around and add valuation for anything you find in this category. Value of solution work to date which cannot be replicated easily. If you have a finished solution that would cost anyone a million dollars to reproduce, it makes sense to include that in your valuation. Investors usually discount these claims, since they know you had a learning curve and potentially several throw-away iterations. If you have a finished solution that would cost anyone a million dollars to reproduce, it makes sense to include that in your valuation. Investors usually discount these claims, since they know you had a learning curve and potentially several throw-away iterations. Factor in rapid growth and large future revenue projections. Using discounted cash flow (DCF) on future projections only makes sense if you can show you are already making revenues on the curve of your projections. This factor is more relevant to venture capital investors who come in at a later stage and expect more traction to qualify. Using discounted cash flow (DCF) on future projections only makes sense if you can show you are already making revenues on the curve of your projections. This factor is more relevant to venture capital investors who come in at a later stage and expect more traction to qualify. Get premium for billion-dollar markets with double-digit growth rates. If your target market segment is very large and growing, an additional goodwill factor of a million dollars may be justified. It also helps to show that you have a big lead on competitors, there are very few alternatives at this point, and the barriers to entry are very high. If your target market segment is very large and growing, an additional goodwill factor of a million dollars may be justified. It also helps to show that you have a big lead on competitors, there are very few alternatives at this point, and the barriers to entry are very high. Relate your startup to similar startups funded with a higher valuation. The concept of "comparables" applies to your startup, just like it does when you sell your house. If you can compare your startup favorably to another one recently funded down the street, its highly likely that you can get a similar valuation, no matter what the size. Related: 5 Tips to Getting an Accurate Valuation As you can see, the valuation of an early-stage startup is not rocket science. The calculations of investment in mature businesses, including earnings multipliers, financial ratios and inventory analysis do not apply. Investors are not looking for precision but do expect you to understand the basics. You dont want to be accused of giving away the company or find your dream dying due to grandiose expectations that cant be met before your startup runs out of money. Related: A Startup Is Like a Home Still Being Built. Don't Value it at Next Year's Dream Market Price When Pitching an Angel Investor. Snapchat Raises $175 Million in Latest Funding Round Uber Losing $1 Billion a Year to Compete in China Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved In January 2015, two former players on the football team of a Meriden high school along with two other people were suspected of obtaining and using credit card numbers gained from a data breach at Home Depot Corp. One of the men used the stolen credit card number to spend more than $1,000 at Stew Leonard's and other stores. More News Home Depot credit breach nails 60 million This theft was a result of a nation-wide breach that happened in September 2014. Home Depot confirmed that hackers captured credit and debit card numbers at more than 2,200 stores in the U.S. and Canada, possibly the largest retail data breach in history. This week, the lawsuit that resulted from it has been settled. According to Reuters, Home Depot Inc agreed to pay at least $19.5 million to compensate the 50 million or so cardholders who were affected. Click here to read the full story. Reuters reports that the company will set up a $13 million fund to reimburse shoppers. They will also invest in identity protection services. "Lawyers for the consumers said the accord compares 'favorably' with other data breach class actions, including Target Corp's (TGT.N) $10 million settlement over a 2013 data breach that compromised at least 40 million cards," Reuters writes. "Home Depot did not admit wrongdoing or liability in agreeing to settle," Reuters wrote of the settlement that requires court approval. Legal fees and costs for the lawyers could top $8.7 million, Reuters reports. Home Depot spokesman Stephen Holmes told Reuters, "We wanted to put the litigation behind us, and this was the most expeditious path Customers were never responsible for any fraudulent charges." Somerset jury finds two of three defendants guilty of murder Now in its fifth day of testimony and seventh day overall, the double murder trial taking place in Somerset County is now over. The jury decided. Sign up now to receive the latest Hurricane Ian updates via text Lifestyle | Daily Life | News | The Sydney Morning Herald Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Broadcaster and ex Tory MP Gyles Brandreth, who turned 68 yesterday, says: Now I can speak the truth. I can tell you that the one thing I really, really couldnt bear when I was an MP [for Chester, 1992-1997] were my constituents. Happiness is the constituency in the rear-view mirror. Chesters Tory lord mayor Hugo Deynem, 50, tells me: I am sure Gyless tongue was planted firmly in his cheek Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth revealed he was not a fan of constituents during his time as an MP - although it has been suggested his tongue was planted firmly in his cheek Former armed forces minister Sir Nicholas Soames MP on the drugs row over Russian tennis beauty Maria Sharapova, 28: Yet another ghastly Russian sporting cheat. No excuse. Ban. Evidently Nick hasnt inherited the diplomatic skills of his late father, Sir Christopher, the last governor of Southern Rhodesia. Screen beauty Sophia Loren, 81, is to embark on a US one-woman stage show, discussing her eventful life and career, predicting: Its going to be quite moving for me. In 1957, aged 22, she secretly married movie director Carlo Ponti, then 44, and they moved to America. (They met when she was 15 and he was 37.) As his second wife, Ms Loren learned she would be charged with concubinage and he with bigamy if they returned to Italy. So they had their marriage annulled in 1962. Astonishingly they then arranged with Pontis first wife, Giulana, for the three of them to move to France. There, in 1965, Giulana divorced Ponti, allowing him to marry Ms Loren properly. He died aged 94 in 2007. A cracking one-woman show especially if she takes questions. Screen beauty Sophia Loren, 81, is to embark on a US one-woman stage show, discussing her eventful life and career. Pictured at age 22 - when she secretly married movie director Carlo Ponti, then 44 Radio 4s Front Row arts show hasnt been much good since its star presenter, Mark Lawson, 52, was forced out in 2014, after 16 years, accused of bullying or, editorial arguments as he called them. Now hes back on R4, presenting shows, but a spokeswoman says: There are no plans for him to return to Front Row. Mores the pity. Has John le Carres reputation as our greatest living spy writer been enhanced by BBC1s adaptation of his 1993 novel, The Night Manager, starring Old Etonian actor Tom Hiddleston, 35? Those who saw their 1979 adaption of le Carres Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy might think not. But James Bond wannabe Hiddleston says: I think hes happy with it. I got this wonderful email from him, and a first-edition copy of Seven Pillars of Wisdom by TE Lawrence. Tom Hiddlestone has revealed John Le Carre is 'happy' with the BBC version of The Night Manager Prince Charless presence at the Palladium for his Princes Trust Celebrate Success Awards show was noted in the Court Circular but there was no mention of presenters Ant and Dec. Some courtiers say theyve become Charless court jesters. Will they toss a coin to decide which one puts the crown on his bonce? inquires one. For proof of the EUs utter incompetence in tackling the worst migration crisis since the War, look no further than this weeks draft agreement with Turkey. Under the plan, all new migrants crossing the Aegean to Greece by irregular means will be returned to Turkey, with Brussels meeting the costs. So far, so reasonable. But now come the catches and they could hardly be more bizarre. Bizarre: The EU has made clear it will pay Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's corrupt government a truly vast sum with 500million coming from British taxpayers alone For the extraordinary plan is that in exchange for each Syrian who is sent back after making the perilous crossing to Greek soil, another who has remained in Turkey will be resettled in Europe. As for the Syrians, Somalis, Afghanistanis and Pakistanis intercepted on the boats, Turkey will be left to deal with them. But it gets more bizarre. In return for Turkeys agreement to this dubious deal, the EU has made clear it will pay President Erdogans corrupt government a truly vast sum with 500million coming from British taxpayers alone. More breathtaking still, Brussels is offering visa-free travel to Turkish citizens, perhaps as early as June, while promising to speed up talks on admitting their country to the EU. So lets get this straight. In answer to unmanageable migration, the eurocrats propose to give 79.4million Turks 98 per cent of them Muslims free access to continental Europe! And they think this makes sense? Leave aside doubts over Turkeys keeping its side of the bargain (though would you trust a government, with an appalling human rights record, that has just sent in riot police to close down the countrys main opposition newspaper?) Forget the UNs concerns about the deals legality and the fact that Hungary has sworn to block any quota system for resettling Syrians. If there were no other arguments for cutting loose from Brussels, wouldnt these mind-bogglingly inept proposals be enough to push voters into the out camp? Home Secretary Theresa May says she wants to remain in the EU because cooperation with our partners is crucial in the fight against terrorism Danger in the skies Once reckoned a Eurosceptic, Theresa May says she wants to remain in the EU because cooperation with our partners is crucial in the fight against terrorism. So how embarrassing for the Home Secretary that Left-wingers in the European Parliament have yet again sabotaged a counter-terror plan to collect personal data on all passengers flying in and out of Europe. Indeed, nine years have passed since this proposal was first raised, while ministers agreed that Novembers Paris attacks made its implementation urgent. Yet still we wait, while it is repeatedly blocked by disagreements between member states and MEPs. Could anything better illustrate the bureaucratic arthritis of the EU and the threat it poses to our safety? Treatment of whistleblowers: We warmly applaud Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt on his guarantee to protect those in the NHS who bring the truth to light Honesty and the NHS For years this paper has highlighted the scandalous treatment of NHS whistleblowers, who have suffered for the crime of bringing life-threatening failures to the publics attention. So we warmly applaud Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt on his guarantee to protect those who bring the truth to light and his introduction of league tables rating hospitals for honesty and openness. A similar scheme has worked in the airline industry, where pilots who report threats to passengers safety are promised immunity from repercussions. There is good reason to hope that in the health service, it will help prevent another Mid-Staffordshire. After some political dust-up or another, David Cameron may occasionally wish he could send riot police into the offices of the Daily Mail and have the Editor dragged out. Of course, he would never be allowed such an appalling abuse of power, yet that is exactly what another national leader one with pretensions to join the EU has just done. Last Friday, an edict from the Turkish courts with the blessing of the all-powerful President Recep Erdogan saw police storm into Turkeys biggest-selling daily paper and use tear gas as they rounded up the staff. Turkey's biggest-selling daily paper: People run as riot police use tear gas and water cannons to disperse people gathered in support outside the headquarters of Zaman newspaper in Istanbul on Saturday The reason? The paper had run disobliging stories about the despotic premier, such as a focus on the 400 million he has spent on a 1,000-room White Palace for his own use, or the fact that a radio DJ was arrested for insulting the president on Twitter. But then there is a statute in Turkey called Article 299 which decrees that insulting the head of state is an offence. Which is why a schoolteacher was sentenced to almost a year in prison for making a rude hand gesture at a political rally, and a former Miss Turkey was prosecuted for insulting the leader by posting a satirical poem online. Meanwhile, opposition satellite television stations have been taken off air and 20 journalists jailed. It may sound like a banana republic as portrayed in a far-fetched Hollywood film, but this is the reality of life in a nation which is this week in the process of blackmailing the entire European Union. In short, Erdogan and his prime minister are demanding $6 billion from the EU no less than 500 million of which could come from Britain to check the relentless flow of largely Muslim migrants making their way across the Aegean Sea to Greece and further west. The implicit message is clear: if the money is not forthcoming, the floodgates will be opened, and the social and religious fabric of Europe could be changed for ever. Not only that, a vital part of the deal is that from June onwards 77 million Turks will be given the right to travel all over the so-called Schengen open borders area of the EU without a visa. The effrontery is breathtaking. Yet Germanys Chancellor Merkel and her Brussels stooges appear to have caved in to a regime whose human rights abuses and contempt for democracy should make it a pariah state, not the recipient of billions in European aid. Powerful: President Recep Erdogan and his prime minister are demanding $6 billion from the EU to check the relentless flow of largely Muslim migrants making their way across the Aegean Sea to Greece and further west But as I will explain later, there are even more sinister reasons, involving the Syrian war and the rise of Islamic State, which should give us all grave cause for concern over the EUs dealings with the appalling Mr Erdogan. First, we need to recall that Turkey was originally promised a package of three billion euros by the EU last November, to help Ankara cope with the 2.5 million refugees who have streamed across its borders, mostly from the Syrian civil war. Germanys Chancellor Merkel and her Brussels stooges appear to have caved in to a regime whose human rights abuses and contempt for democracy should make it a pariah state Of course, the quid pro quo for those billions was that Turkey had to check the flow of illegal migrants, but four months later it appears that the Turks have made no effort to meet their side of the bargain. Fifty-six thousand migrants have arrived in Greece so far this year, courtesy of Turkish smugglers, and corrupt police who collude with them. Turkish coastguards also turn a blind eye to enable smugglers boats to reach Greek territorial waters just a few miles away. To the backdrop of this double-dealing, Erdogans tame prime minister turned up in Brussels on Sunday night and invited Chancellor Merkel to a five-hour dinner at the Turkish embassy where he delivered a bombshell. Instead of fulfilling the existing deal, he said, he wanted double the money $6 billion, no less as well as that visa-free travel by June for all Turks, and the immediate opening of new discussions to accelerate Turkeys membership of the EU. Indeed, what Erdogan and his nation really want is the right to join the EU. They have been agitating for it for a quarter of a century, and in the migrant crisis they see the perfect opportunity to bargain and threaten their way into the club. At a summit the next day, what the Europeans would get in return became clear. Turkey agreed to take back every single illegal migrant in Greece, provided the EU agreed to take refugees from camps in Turkey one for every migrant returned from Greece. This, so the thinking goes, would give a chance to women, children and the old, rather than the desperate young men we have seen barging over frontiers across Europe. There are, of course, huge obstacles to this bizarre plan of one for one. As we all too painfully know, most attempts to repatriate failed asylum seekers have failed. Significant moment: Prime Minister David Cameron (pictured in Brussels on Monday) had to deny this week that Britain would have a quota of asylum seekers foisted on it by the EU It is therefore highly unlikely that having established a toehold in Europe, these tens of thousands of migrants will accept being bundled back to Turkey. The fact is, even those who are legally admitted by Greece and the EU will encounter the point-blank refusal of several states (especially in central Europe, but also France and the UK) to participate in the national quota system for refugees that Germany has been trying to foist on its partners since Mrs Merkel triggered the catastrophe by saying migrants were welcome in Europe. Turkeys support for Islamist rebels fighting against President Assads Syrian government troops has exacerbated that countrys civil war Significantly, David Cameron had to deny this week that Britain would have a quota of asylum seekers foisted on it by the EU. The whole deal is a squalid mess. One consequence of this plot by Brussels to include Turkey would see the European Union directly bordering active war zones in Syria and Iraq. Thats why Erdogan is so keen to involve Nato and the EU in policing the sea between Turkey and Greece, in the hope that they will be more inclined to support Turkeys nefarious role in the Syrian civil war. But more pertinently, European leaders are pretending that Turkey is just like any other state which ignores the fact that most people in Europe do not wish to add 77 million Turkish Muslims to the EU. Not that that will quash the ambitions of Erdogan, who became his nations first Islamist president in 2014. Since then, he has become increasingly authoritarian. Hes used charges of subversion and treason to smash the power of the secular armed forces. Hes exploited draconian libel laws to crush critics and has not hesitated to utilise brute force on those who protest against him. He has also launched a vicious new military campaign against the rebel Marxist Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) who have been engaged with the government in 30-year conflict over its desire for an independent Kurdistan that has cost 40,000 lives. Attempts to investigate the corruption that permeates his regime have resulted in judges and prosecutors being fired, and detectives being transferred to traffic duty in remote cities. Both judicial independence and Press freedom have been crushed. Having lost his parliamentary majority last June, he oversaw a re-run of the election which put him back on top. Just to make sure, his supporters burned the offices of the main liberal Kurdish opposition party, and reignited the war with the PKK. He is desperate to thwart any bid to established a sovereign Kurdish nation on his borders, so much so that he has bombed Kurdish forces in neighbouring Syria, even though the Kurds have the support of both the U.S. and Russia as an effective ground force fighting Islamic State. The whole deal is a squalid mess. One consequence of this plot by Brussels to include Turkey would see the European Union directly bordering active war zones in Syria and Iraq Such is Erdogans loathing for the Kurds that he has done nothing to stop thousands of foreign jihadis joining ISIS by travelling through Turkey to Syria. Worse, Turkeys support for Islamist rebels fighting against President Assads Syrian government troops has exacerbated that countrys civil war. Such largesse does not extend to Russian forces operating against Islamic State in Syria: last year Turkey shot down a Russian fighter plane which it claimed had strayed over its air space. As Erdogan threatened to invade northern Syria, Vladimir Putin talked darkly about using tactical nuclear weapons against Turkey. This, then, is the man to whom European leaders have just promised six billion euros and whom they have trusted to stop the tidal wave of migrants overwhelming the EU. At just sixteen years old, Raegan Katene from New Zealand, tipped the scales at 104 kilograms. However, it wasnt until the teenager was told after a medical exam that she was morbidly obese (at the time she weighed 104.3 kilograms), that Katene knew something had to change, and that she needed to lose weight. Here, FEMAIL meets Katene, after she lost 36 kilograms throughout 2015, and finds out why she credits her incredible weight loss and current 72-kilogram frame to healthy eating and exercise. Unhappy girl: At 104 kilograms and 16 years old, New Zealand teenager Reagan Katene was an unhappy child Weightloss prompt: However, she was prompted to lose weight after a medic called her 'morbidly obese' Success story: Katene has since lost 36 kilograms of weight - in a year - through healthy eating and exercise I began putting on weight in year 10, when I was 15 and going through a really rough stage,' Katene tells Daily Mail Australia. I kind of ate my way to happiness. While she wasnt an unnaturally big child, Katene says that her weight skyrocketed when she was bullied and 'excluded' by the other children at her school. How it began: Katene says she started putting on weight in year 10, when she was being bullied at school Unhealthy diet: In Katene's words: 'I ate my way to happiness' and ate too many things that were bad for her Military convert: Katene's weight-loss catalyst was when she moved schools and got into military fitness I didn't fit in with my year group and so I didn't eat what I should have been eating, she says. I drank too many fizzy drinks, ate lots of lollies and chips and things that were bad for me. For Katene, the weight loss catalyst was when she had a full medical clearance and was told she was morbidly obese. She then switched schools, moving to Queen Elizabeth College and started trying to lose weight. Tough routine: This routine sees the teenager exercise five times a week, plus regular running sessions Banned foods: While she says she doesn't ban foods, Katene avoids lollies and fizzy drinks for the most part 'I was highly embarrassed by the fact that I was called obese,' she says. At her new school, she discovered their Service Academy programme, which is a military-style fitness programme that aligned with what she wants to do in her life Katene hopes to join the Navy Air force this year as a medic. I quit drinking fizzy drinks and stuck to only drinking water, she says. I didn't ban any foods; I just made sure I ate a lot less. As well as this, I worked out five times a week with personal training and bootcamps. I also did my own running on the side. Moments of mercy: She says she still enjoys the occasional treat of a chocolate bar, but is more moderate While Katene says she does treat herself occasionally, with sporadic chocolate bars, she says that for the most part, she loves her new healthy routine. The start was hard, she says. But by week five or six I started seeing major results. I set myself an initial goal of losing just two kilos, but when I achieved that I set another, until I lost the 36 kilos. It's been a steady journey, but now it's just about maintaining my weight. Sage advice: Katene's advice to people trying to lose weight is to set small goals, and to achieve each one My advice is that if you can achieve one small goal, you can achieve another. Now that Katene has had so much success with her weight loss goal, she has some advice for fellow dieters: Little does it, she says. If you can achieve one small goal, you can achieve another. I am not ashamed of my past; if I can inspire one person to motivate themselves to lose weight, that is my aim. Ultimate goal: She hopes that she can motivate people to lose weight like she did by her journey 'If you pump 300ml of milk with an electric breast pump every three hours, chances are your supply won't meet babies' demand. The consequence? Dolly Parton boobs and raging mastitis.' This is the type of truth-telling readers can expect from Millie Di Maio, the young mother of identical twins boys who pens an irreverent blog, Two, No More. 'For me, my blog isn't about perpetuating the myth that life is so chaotic - even though it can be - it's to give other mums a chance to grab 30 seconds to themselves and read something funny,' the 26-year-old from Sydney tells Daily Mail Australia. Mummy newbie: Sydney-based 26-year-old Millie Di Maio is a young mother of two identical twin boys Different blog: Since becoming a mum, she has set up a blog, which aims to 'take the p*ss out of parenting' CEO of a family: Instead of being the CEO of a big corporation, Di Maio is the CEO of her burgeoning family As a child, Sydney-based Millie Di Maio always wanted to be a mother. She recalls being 'obsessed' with babies from a very young age, and insisted at five years old that her own mother take her to David Jones to visit the baby section so she could look at cots and prams. But she never expected to be raising boisterous identical twin boys as a result of going through IVF at just 25, after being diagnosed with 'unexplained infertility'. 'Going from being a working professional to a stay-at-home mum of two was interesting,' Di Maio says. Personal journey: Di Maio says that previously she has felt alienated by other mummy blogs Something different: However, for Di Maio, she is representative of neither and wants to create something fun 'It basically turned my brain to mush looking after two one-year-olds, so I thought I would make a creative avenue through which I could express myself. I work in digital media so I've always had an interest in blogs and websites. 'But I have, in the past, felt alienated by some mother's blogs. I wanted to make one where I could take the p*ss out of it all and have fun.' On one post, she writes about the 'five things no one told me, so I'm telling you'. The post details delightful revelations such as: 'Babies may have more than one neck roll. Only after a week of smelling cottage cheese every time I kissed my twins did I realise this delightful fact.' Bridging the gap: Millie Di Maio says that traditionally mummy bloggers divide into two different camps Day-to-day plans: Di Maio says her day-to-day life is filled with errands, planning and extreme organisation While she says that traditionally mummy blogs fall into two categories - the ones that paint motherhood as something 'chaotic' and the ones which encourage you to teach and nurture your baby to be the best he or she can be - Di Maio says that not many of them represent her experience as a young 26-year-old mum: 'There are obviously times when I'm covered in food and everything is crazy and chaotic, but it's not every day,' Di Maio says. 'Similarly, I find teach-y parenting blogs are unrealistic as well as they put too much pressure on you as a mum. Representative of neither: There are those who paint motherhood as chaotic and those who teach on their blog Things you didn't know: In one hilarious blog post, Di Maio writes about the rolls in babies' necks No holds barred: She also writes about breastfeeding, and the development of 'Dolly Parton boobs' While she says she may well look back on Two, No More in fifteen years and think of it as 'archaic', di Maio says it is nice to write words on a page and give her a creative hobby again: 'You can only capture so much in a picture,' she says. 'And so long as the kids keep doing funny things - which is pretty much every single day - I will keep posting. I'm creating memories for the future and it's totally a labour of love. I think I learn something from the boys every day.' More than a photo: According to Di Maio, you can only capture so much in a photograph - hence her words Labour of love: She says that as long as the children keep doing funny things, she will keep posting Millie Di Maio says, when talking about her blog, that she would probably stop short of the sort of detail that fellow mummy blogger Constance Hall provides, but admits that she, too, wants to be blunt and honest about her experience: 'I have no issues sharing aspects of my life,' she says. 'And I'm very open to sharing my personal experience. The blog is not there to say that my experience is the best experience; more just something personal.' Personal experience: Millie Di Maio admits that she would possibly stop short of Constance Hall's blog posts Fun seeker: She says that with Two No More, she wants to have fun and a laugh Meanwhile, her day-to-day life is filled with errands, meticulous planning and extreme organisation: 'It's like I'm a CEO,' di Maio says. 'But instead of being a CEO for a big company; I'm the CEO of the family. BJ and Frankie are upset that their personal photo is being used in ads bashing their own values The politicians have included the image in campaigns arguing that babies need a mother The picture has cropped up in the news again, with ultra-conservative politicians in Italy and Ireland using it to promote traditional families Two gay dads from Canada were shocked and upset to learn that a photo of them lovingly and tenderly welcoming their son into the world has been used in several international campaigns against gay parents. The picture which sees Toronto residents BJ Barone and Frankie Nelson at the birth of their son Milo on June 27, 2014 first earned attention when Milo was a newborn, warming the hearts of millions of strangers on the internet. But nearly two years later, it is in the news again, as politicians in Italy and Ireland are using it to warn against gay parents and insist that children need a mother and a father. Happy family: This photo of Toronto residents BJ Barone and Frankie Nelson welcoming their baby son Milo to the world is being used by anti-gay European politicians Not right: The couple were upset to find out that politicians in Italy and Ireland were using their picture to speak out against gay parents BJ and Frankie were both thrilled to welcome their son via surrogate, and photographer Lindsay Foster was there in the delivery room to capture the emotional moment. In the widely-seen photo, the men are on the verge of tears and filled with happiness as they hug the seconds-old baby to their chests, which are bare for the purpose of beneficial skin to skin contact. 'It was an emotional, scary, incredible time, and all of a sudden, this baby is in our arms, and he's there, and he's ours,' BJ told CBC News. At the time, the couple responded to the waves of support they were met with online, writing on Lindsay's Facebook page: 'This is a moment of pure love and acceptance. 'Milo is surrounded by unconditional love and he will grow up knowing many different types of families and accept everyone, (intolerant people included). Personal moment: They said that their son has a lot of love in his life and it's not right a photo of them would be used to promote something against their own values Warm home: Contrary to what the ads imply, Milo, now almost two, is being raised in a home with a lot of love 'Milo was born during World Pride. This picture represents everything Pride is about. Love has no color nor gender nor sexual preference. Love is unconditional.' Unfortunately, though some time has passed, not everyone felt that way. Recently, some politicians and political parties have using the image in anti-gay ads, somehow turning two new parents' obvious joy into a picture of what a 'wrong' family looks like Three weeks ago, the right-wing Italian political party Fratelli dItalia-Alleanza Nazionale began using it in posters for an anti-gay-parent campaign. Under their picture, the poster reads: 'He will never be able to say "mom". We should be defending the rights of the children.' Then two weeks ago, an Independent politician from Ireland named Mary E. Fitzgibbon used the same image in her own campaign, in an election she did not win. She has since taken the photos down. BJ and Frankie learned about the Italian ad from a cousin in Italy, and the Irish politician on Twitter. and explained to BuzzFeed how upsetting it was. Don't poison it! BJ said the moment Milo was born was 'an emotional, scary, incredible time' The tides have changed: The little boy was born via a surrogate, and the first time the family photo went viral, it was met with a positive response 'They are campaigning that every child needs a mother and they are using our picture to support their political agenda that we are denying our son Milo the right to a mother,' said BJ. 'Obviously this is a something we do not support or agree with! 'Families are not about moms and dads, they are about love. Milo has so much love in his life that if everyone had as much love as him, this world would be a much better place.' It was especially frustrating that strangers were using a personal photo of there's to campaign against their lifestyle. BJ told the Toronto Star: 'Everything that we had stood for and we were fighting for gay rights and rights for fathers to have children, now these photos are being used for the exact opposite.' '[Milo is] one of the happiest little boys youll ever meet,' Frankie added. 'I cant see how hes missing out on anything.' Mind your own business! Frankie added that Milo is a very happy little boy who isn't missing out on anything even if foreign politicians want to imply that he is Even their photographer was unhappy to learn that her photos were being used without her permission, particularly in such a negative way. 'Im pretty easygoing about people using this picture as long as it is for a positive and uplifting reason and, as long as I get proper credit,' Lindsay told BuzzFeed. '[But] its against the law [to use the photo in this way].' She and the couple are considering taking legal action, but in the meantime, BJ and Frankie are taking the opportunity to educate others. They're currently writing a children's book about surrogacy, and are encouraging LGBT parents to share pictures of their families on social media with the hashtag #WeAreFamily. Mark Wright has revealed he's not short of female company when his wife Michelle Keegan is away - as he gets to spend time with his brother Josh's miniature dachshunds. While Michelle, 28, is filming BBC military drama series Our Girl In South Africa, her husband says he looks forward to spoiling pooches Scunny and Milly. The 29-year-old cannot contain his joy as he poses for the camera with the tiny dogs in each hand - as he admits Michelle sometimes tells him off if he gives their own dogs too many treats. Mark Wright's wife is away filming but the presenter has found two other females to spend his time with - his brother Josh's miniature dachshunds Scunny, left, and Milly Mark said while he missed Michelle Keegan, who is filming BBC military drama series Our Girl in South Africa, he looks after the dogs, pictured at the NTAs in January He told MailOnline: 'My love for dogs started [from] as long as I can remember. 'When I was about five we had a little Westie called Cassie who lived until the age of 15.' Mark, who has posed with his brother Josh's dogs as he backs a competition to find the UK's perfect pet-owner partnership, certainly views the pups as part of the family. The former TOWIE star insists his wife's dogs Phoebe, a miniature dachshund, and Pip, a Chihuahua, are 'incredible' and calls them his 'best friends'. In fact, the Take Me Out: The Gossip presenter, can often be seen walking the hounds around the lake at Hainault Forest in Essex with his mum Carol and sister Jess. And he confessed the couple's house can feel 'empty' when the four-legged companions occasionally stay with Michelle's mother due to the pair's hectic work schedule. Mark said: 'My love for dogs started [from] as long as I can remember' and grinned for the camera Mark pictured with Milly as a puppy, also looks after Michelle's dogs while she's away on filming He said: 'On the way home from work I'm buzzing to get home to see them, it's the best feeling. 'I hate them not being there. The Epping resident, who is also encouraging pet owners to keep their dogs and cats parasite and flea free, is particularly enamoured with five-year-old Phoebe and has posted Instagram videos showing the miniature dachshund performing tricks. He said: 'She has to be one of the most intelligent dogs I've ever met. You only need to say the words walk or dinner and she knows what [they] mean. 'She does tricks on tricks. I make her smile and she gets her teeth out for me. Our dogs are the most affectionate things ever. 'If you give the dogs the love and the care they need, they are so loyal. Phoebe just wants to cuddle all the time.' Even so, cute sausage dogs can be destructive. Mark believes Michelle's dog Phoebe, five, is extremely intelligent and the dachshund just wants to cuddle all the time Mark gets told off by Michelle for feeding pets too much and treating them to chicken Although dachshunds can be destructive, Mark says their dogs are very well behaved Over its lifetime, dachshund owners spend an average of 810 on cleaning bills and repairing damage caused by ripping, chewing and scratching, according to Sussex-based financial comparison site PayingTooMuch.com. That figures rises to 866 for mischievous Chihuahuas. But Wright claims he and Michelle are fortunate to have 'well behaved' dogs. So who is the stricter parent? 'We're both softies,' Wright says. 'When they're being good we let them sleep in our roomwithin an hour they're both in bed with us.' Nonetheless, Wright admits he occasionally ends up in the doghouse with the former Coronation Street actress when he spoils the pets. 'I get told off a little bit by my wife,' he laughs. 'I give them treats not chocolate but I might give them a bit too much chicken.' Kathryn Knight lives in South-West London with her husband, Duncan, and their daughter, Connie, two Kathryn Knight lives in South-West London with her husband, Duncan, and their daughter, Connie, two. As any parent knows, the line between peace and disaster can be gossamer thin and it never feels more fragile than when you are out in public. Ive become accustomed to the sighs and silent judgment of others when my daughter has a tantrum. Never, though, has anyone made that sentiment explicit until a few months ago. My mother and I were in a coffee shop and I was giving Connie her dinner. But before Mum and I had taken a single sip of our lattes, Connie was making her opinions known about her bowl of pasta. I dont want it, she shouted. Engaging the hiss the firm but low-volume voice employed in such instances I told her it was all that was on offer. Connie became more insistent. When, red-faced and screaming, she started to throw sugar packets off the table while lunging for our coffee cups, I decided enough was enough. I shouted at my mum to grab some takeaway cups as I tried to hustle Connie out of the door. But a well-dressed man in his 30s had come over to offer his opinion. Your child is trying to communicate with you, he calmly informed me over her escalating cries. You need to learn to listen to her. Stunned, all I could manage to say was: Shes just being naughty. But to this day I fantasise about bumping into him and communicating my feelings in the form of a punch on the nose. Jill Foster lives in West Yorkshire with her husband, Robin, and their twin daughters Jill Foster lives in West Yorkshire with her husband, Robin, and their twin daughters, Charlotte and Martha, three. My daughter, Charlotte, had thrown herself on the floor and was screaming: No Mummy, nooooo! as hot, angry tears flowed down her cheeks. My crime? The chunk of cucumber Id passed to her had been the wrong green. Wed experienced a similar meltdown the previous week with her twin, Martha. She was perfectly fine one minute, and the next she was holding her arms aloft and screaming: I have nothing! I have no one! The problem, it turned out, was her father had walked up the stairs in front of her rather than behind. The only kind of person who believes parents should control this behaviour is also the kind of person who has never had the following mind-boggling conversation . . . Me: Would you like a yoghurt? Child: No. Me: So what would you like? Child: A yoghurt. I have this conversation every day and its taught me that there is no rhyme or reason to how a young child thinks. Ursula Hirschkorn lives in North London with her husband, Mike, and their four sons Ursula Hirschkorn lives in North London with her husband, Mike, and their four sons. As my sons blond head smashed repeatedly into the seat in front and his screams became ear-splitting, I pitied the passengers around us. My usually sunny 18-month-old, Jacob, had chosen a plane journey to stage the most dramatic tantrum of his life. After two weeks at Disney World in Florida, he was tired and tetchy for the night flight home. By the time we took off, he was already wailing with indignation because I refused to undo his seatbelt. The moment he was set free, he threw himself on to the floor where he lay writhing with anger and going puce in the face. I still recall the hot feeling of humiliation. I know what a nightmare it is to be stuck on a plane with someone elses squalling child, and it made me feel like the worst mother in the world. The cabin crew helped me get some Calpol down him, to no avail. In between shrieks he was gasping for air. In desperation, one air hostess suggested we move into business class, where there were fewer passengers. As we half-dragged our still-wailing son after us, my husband and I couldnt believe our luck. The two other people in the cabin didnt look happy, but as we took in the huge, leather seats we didnt care. As we settled ourselves, my son snuggled into the lap of the lovely business-class hostess and finally calmed down. He drifted off to sleep, angelically sucking his thumb as if butter wouldnt melt in his mouth. For the rest of the journey she refused to move for fear of waking him. It was the most luxurious flight I have ever enjoyed thanks to the mother of all tantrums. Antonia Hoyle lives in North London with her husband, Chris, and their children, Rosie, five, and Felix, three Antonia Hoyle lives in North London with her husband, Chris, and their children, Rosie, five, and Felix, three. If the bus had been crowded, it might not have been quite so embarrassing. But there were plenty of spaces, Felix just didnt want any of them. He considers it his right to have a window seat on public transport and heaven help the people already sitting in them. His bottom lip started to quiver. Quelling the fear in my voice, I tried to explain that the people sitting in them were here before us. He stamped his foot and started shouting no as harried commuters looked up from their smartphones. I pulled out the emergency sweets stashed in my handbag they were batted out of my hand, a sure signal of crisis. His protests escalated to an ear-splitting scream. Reaching his crescendo, he started pointing at the passengers in window seats yelling: Want to sit there. A young man tutted. A woman my age rolled her eyes. Felix, undeterred, set his sights on an elderly lady, who ignored my pleas that she stay put and surrendered her seat with a tight smile. Id love to say I refused to let him sit in it. But I was desperate for the crying to stop. Which it did. With his nose pressed to the window, Felix delightedly waved at passing cars. Meanwhile, tears of humiliation trickled down my crimson cheeks and I vowed that next time, we would walk. Liz Stout lives in Buckinghamshire with her partner, Jo, and children, Lula, 11, and George, eight Liz Stout lives in Buckinghamshire with her partner, Jo, and children, Lula, 11, and George, eight. I was eight months pregnant with my son when his two-year-old sister lost it in our local Tesco. Navigating with a pushchair, an overflowing shopping basket and a very large baby bump was a challenge in itself. Then, with the checkout in sight, Lula asked if she could have one of the giant Easter eggs on display. My smiley-but-firm response: Not right now, Lula unleashed the beast. She let out a piercing scream and flung herself to the ground, legs kicking furiously, cheeks scarlet with fury. Fellow shoppers hurriedly swerved to a safe distance. Cant she control that child? I heard one say. I couldnt. I tried a kindly approach, then switched to menacing. Finally, desperate, I offered to buy her the Easter egg. But even that didnt work. I dont think even Lula could remember what she was angry about any more. Abandoning my shopping basket, I dragged her outside by an arm and a leg, manoeuvred her into her buggy, strapped her in and walked off in a state of shock. Youll never hear me complain or judge a screaming child. Unless youve had to deal with one, you have no idea how hard it can be. Rachel Halliwell lives in Cheshire with her husband, Carl, and their three daughters, Bronte, 20, Merrily, 17, and Bridie, nine Rachel Halliwell lives in Cheshire with her husband, Carl, and their three daughters, Bronte, 20, Merrily, 17, and Bridie, nine. Merrilys worst tantrum is seared on to my consciousness. The location: a balmy Cornish beach. The reason: Merrilys wicked mother refusing to lug a bucketful of snails back to their holiday cottage to keep as pets. She cried, wailed and kicked up sand in her fury. I was determined to stand firm, so I loudly announced that if Merrily, then two, couldnt behave, wed have to leave. Unfortunately, I hadnt thought through this threat properly. There was a steep ramp Id have to manhandle her up before we could flee. I could feel the other parents eyes boring into me, but thankfully in those days people were far too polite to butt in. In the end, her older sister, Bronte, enjoying being the good child, saved the day by giving her sister a hug. A young woman has captured the moment she asked the man who raised her to officially become her father, in a heartwarming clip that has swept Facebook and landed her thousands of friend requests. Misty Nicole Knight, from Richton Park, Illinois, shared the three-and-a-half-minute video, which has been viewed 22 million times and shared by more than 18,000 people in just three days. After asking a family member to film the exchange, she is seen handing Ryan - who is believed to have been married to Misty's mother, Nicole - a box wrapped in brightly-coloured paper with a note stuck to it, asking him to read it aloud. Misty Nicole Knight posted the video of her surprising her 'dad' Ryan to officially become her father At first Ryan is reluctant, insisting 'You're going to make me cry,' and begging everyone in the room not to record him. But Misty - who describes herself on her Facebook page as a Hooters waitress - convinces him to read the letter aloud. It begins: 'I just want you to know that you are the most amazing man I have ever met. 'You've raised me my whole life, from putting my hair in tight Princess Leia buns, forging my signature in fifth grade, jamming out to alternative music, going on Warped Tour and even our first rock concert together, leading up to us laughing at cats wearing leggings. Misty pictured with Ryan, who she describes as 'the most amazing' man she has ever met. Ryan, who is believed to have separated from Misty's mother, broke down in tears as Misty asked her to officially adopt her Ryan is seen reading aloud from the letter, before delving into his box of presents including a Batman onesie 'I know we are so weird together, but that's what makes you you, and I cannot imagine not having you in my life. I'm so grateful to be able to call you Dad. 'You're probably wondering what this letter is for - well, open the damn present already!' She adds: 'PS. This is bigger than Batman vs. Superman, bigger than how Kylo Ren kills Han Solo - spoiler alert! Alright, I'm impatient - open the box already. It's OK to cry.' He then unwraps the box to find a Batman vs. Superman onesie and some sweets before Misty tells him: 'Now that's the main surprise.' The final present is an application for adoption. Ryan, who appears speechless, gives Misty a hug before bursting into tears, as the rest of the family applaud. In the letter, Misty told Ryan: 'I just want you to know that you are the most amazing man I have ever met' Emotional scenes: Ryan throws his arms around Misty as he realises she wishes for him to officially adopt her The heartwarming video has been viewed more than 22 million times since it was posted on Facebook He says: 'God, I've been wanting to do that forever.' Posting the video on Facebook on March 6, Misty wrote: 'So everyone has been waiting for this but I finally asked the man that raised me to adopt me. love you with all my heart and can't wait to be a FARREL.' Hundreds of people took to Facebook to congratulate the pair, with Ashlee Knight writing: 'Omg!! This melted my heart and definitely had tears flowing! Congrats! Love you both!' Misty's mother Nicole, who is believed to have separated from Ryan some time ago wrote: 'Awww so sweet! I'm so glad you followed through with this! I couldn't have chosen a better father for you! You have a great father! He loves you and your brother so much!!!!!' Brenda Gewalt commented: 'So happy to finally see it happen! Misty pictured at her high school graduation in 2014 with Ryan, left, and mum Nicole, right. Ryan can now legally apply to become Misty's 'official' father after she surprised him with a petition for adoption Misty later took to Facebook to tell friends that her video had been sent into the Ellen show Another friend said her heart was 'melting', while Crystal Anne Marie said: 'I love this!! My heart is so full!' It seems that after her video went viral, Misty became an overnight celebrity, taking to Facebook the next day to write: 'Over 2000 shares.. Lol we may be on Ellen. 4 people sent our video in to her already.' A travel blogger who ditched a successful career as a financial adviser in favour of a life travelling the globe says she earns more now than she ever did as a bookkeeper. Christy Woodrow, 36, had her own business in San Diego but decided to give it up in favour of her real passion - travel - despite fearing that she was giving up a lucrative career. Much to her surprise, Woodrow actually earned a six figure sum in 2015, thanks to astutely marketing her travel writing and photography services. Scroll down for video Christy Woodrow, 36, from San Diego, gets paid to blog about her travels. She ditched a successful career as a financial adviser in favour of a life including experiences like feeding flamingos in Aruba (pictured) Christy, snapped here dancing through a fountain in San Diego, is now living the dream travelling the world Christy started her travel blog after a six-week trip to Southeast Asia in 2010 with boyfriend Scott, 37, right Before she started her travel blog in 2010, Woodrow says of her day job: I wasnt passionate about it, but it was easy money and allowed me to travel often because of the flexible hours. Six years on and Woodrow has 20,000 followers on Twitter and thousands of people reading her blogs which offer easily digestible tips on destinations worldwide. She told Metro decided to start her travel blog Ordinary Traveler after a six-week trip to Southeast Asia in early 2010 with boyfriend Scott, 37. At the time, she recalls, many of the popular travel blogs were written by permanent, or soon-to-be permanent, nomads. She continues: People who want a family, a home, and an adventurous life are the ordinary people we strive to connect with and inspire. Thats the idea behind the name Ordinary Traveler. Christy ( now earns six figures with her suitcase. Before she started her blog Woodrowdwas not at all passionate about her career, but says that it was easy money and allowed her to travel often. She started start her travel blog after a six-week trip to Southeast Asia in early 2010 with boyfriend Scott, 37, right Christy (pictured on a solo trip to Cabo, Mexico) 'Ordinary Traveller' was named because many travel bloggers were written by nomads, but that the people who want a family and an adventurous life are the 'ordinary' people While still experiencing the peaks and troughs of being self-employed, Woodrow (pictured in Palm Beach, Aruba) says the last two years have been incredibly fruitful While still experiencing the peaks and troughs of being self-employed, Woodrow says the last two years have been incredibly fruitful. She says: Self employment is a rollercoaster: money ebbs and flows, contracts fall through, and clients pay late.' Woodrow adds: 'The hours are LONG. In my first three years of travel blogging, my income worked out to be about $5 per hour.' Woodrow, pictured diving in the crystalline waters of the Cook Islands, in the South Pacific, says that in the first three years of travel blogging, her income worked out at about $5 per hour I still work long hours, but Ive been fortunate enough to make a very comfortable living over the past two years. Boyfriend Scott has decided to preserve his job at a software company meaning they always return from their travels for a period at home and relish the moment they step through the front door. During her time travelling, Woodrow has clocked up air miles and made 'lifelong friends' visiting 'dream destinations' including the Norwegian fjords, meeting puffins in Newfoundland, getting PADI-certified in Bonaire and snorkelling with Humpback whales. Boyfriend Scott has decided to preserve his job at a software company meaning they always return from their travels to paradise destinations such as Mauritius (pictured here, at sunrise) During her travels, Woodrow has clocked up air miles and made 'lifelong friends' visiting 'dream destinations' like Scotland, where snapped this puffin She says: I believe travel helps people realize that we are all the same, she concludes. Travelling teaches us to love other cultures and it teaches us that the world is not as scary as it seems. The downsides? Woodrow says family relations have been hard to keep up as she's often been away for key events such as birthdays. So should anyone with wanderlust give up their job and start writing? Not immediately, says Woodrow. 'Keep another job for at least the first 2 to 3 years otherwise it can be very stressful. Although her life sounds like a dream Christy says her relations have been hard to keep up with as she's often missed key events such as birthdays, as she's in countries including Sweden (pictured in Gothenberg, above) 'Build your audience first; dont focus on making money for at least the first year of travel blogging. Never stop educating yourself this industry is constantly evolving and you have to stay ahead of the curve. 'If you are prepared to work extremely long hours, stay motivated when times are tough (and they inevitably will be), sacrifice time with friends and family, and you are extremely passionate about what you do, then I say go for it. She's been dubbed the party princess for her love of socialising and, not to mention her fondness for holidays. But tonight Beatrice revealed why she's top of any A-list hostess's invite list - she can bust out a move with the best of them and make her friends laugh in the process. The 27-year-old royal had friend Sam Branson in fits of laughter as she pretended to take her dance moves very seriously as they attended the WE Day concert at Wembley Arena. Scroll down for video Princess Beatrice closes her eyes with concentration as she rocks out at the the WE Day concert but luckily her friend Sam Branson finds the funny side and laughs with her as she swings her arms Sam Branson and Beatrice look serious as they dance in sequence along with audience members behind them Beatrice shoots Sam an intense look as they put their arms outstretched, with their fingers pointing The pair pulled a series of moves that wouldn't have been out of place in a Seventies disco but it soon became apparent that they weren't alone. Around them, other concert-goers were making the same shapes, from flinging their arms in front of them and pointing their fingers to crossing their forearms across their chests. While Beatrice stuck to her preppy outfit of a top over a smart white shirt, paired with a black skirt and button-up boots, Sam stayed wrapped up in a grey beanie and black biker jacket. The pair were part of the VIP posse at the event that saw stars including Rita Ora address audiences. Today's WE Day performance was planned to bring together world-renowned speakers, A-list performers and thousands of young people. The event is held every year raise money for youth projects around the world to help young people take social action and is backed by Free the Children UK. Sam either lost track of where he was in the dance or perhaps it was just a matter of losing interest You put your two hands down... Beatrice looks focused as she thrusts her arms downwards Everyone around Sam and Beatrice seems to be doing the same moves, lifting both arms at the same time The pair smile broadly as they point to the side but Beatrice's friend to her right seems to be a beat behind Beatrice sported a glamorous look last night when she attended the WE Day dinner hosted by Richard Branson, and she was once again joined by the billionaire's daughter Holly, 34, as she arrived at London stadium this morning. The eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson wore her hair in loose waves and kept her make-up to a minimum as she arrived at the concert to see Rita Ora and X Factor's Fleur East perform. Close friend Holly, who is patron of the charity Free The Children, which runs the event, and co-chair of WE Day UK, kept it casual in skinny black jeans and boots, paired with a white jumper worn over a baggy blue shirt. Beatrice stepped out in a preppy black blazer worn over a white shirt with button-up boots at the Wembley Stadium concert for We Day, which brings together speakers, performers and thousands of young people Beatrice, 27, and friend Holly Branson, 34, had been out celebrating the night before at a lavish dinner hosted by Holly's father Richard at the Bulgari Hotel in London ahead of today's Wembley Stadium event The girls posed photographs alongside Holly's sister-in-law Isabella Calthorpe, who kept cosy in a green, fur-lined parka, while Beatrice was seen greeting fellow guest, Canadian author Craig Kielburger. Isabella, shares a series of connections to the royal family. She married to their great friend, Richard Branson's son, Sam, and has a one-year old daughter Eva-Deia with him. She is also half-sister to Cressida Bonas, Prince Harry's ex and her other half-sister Gabriella Calthorpe, who acts under the name Gabriella Wilde is about to make her name on the small screen in Poldark. She certainly completed the high society trio with Beatrice and mother-of-two Holly. Princess Beatrice and Holly are joined by Isabella Calthorpe, who kept cosy in a green fur-lined parka. While her friends were more dressed down, Beatrice went for a more preppy look and wore her hair in loose waves Beatrice air-kisses Canadian author Craig Kielburger, who also attended last year's We Day event Princess Beatrice played it safe in all-black ensemble at a dinner event at the Bulgari hotel, in London The community-based project is part of of WE Schools, which gives educational resources to school groups, and children were able to volunteer to earn a ticket to the star-studded concert. When she stepped out last night for dinner, Princess Beatrice played it safe in all-black ensemble at the Bulgari hotel, in London. She wore an inky dress paired with a blazer and court shoes to attend the WE Day UK dinner at the Knightsbridge hotel and showed her support for today's event. Beatrice softened her black outfit with a puff-sleeve blazer and added some sparkle to her flared dress with a metallic clutch and patent heels, right, pictured with Holly Branson The Princess wore her hair in bouncy curls and played down her make-up with a natural look. The royal softened her dark ensemble with a puff-sleeve blazer and added some sparkle with a metallic clutch and patent heels. Beatrice, who is rumoured to have landed a job with a New York-based fashion investment company, was snapped with Holly, who wore a forest-green asymmetric dress with zip detailing. She paired her statement top with matching leather skinny trousers and - in contrast to Beatrice - chose comfort with a pair of flat shoes. American actress Marlee Matlin attended the celebration and smiled for the camera with Beatrice and Holly Beatrice was supporting the celebration for WE Day, which kicks off tomorrow night at Wembley Stadium, pictured with Hanan Ahmed American actress Marlee Matlin attended the celebration and smiled for the camera with Beatrice and Holly. The Oscar-winning deaf actress also chose black in a knitted dress with cut-out detailing, but contrasted her outfit with her curled blonde hair. Beatrice's new opportunity came after she completed a finance course at university in San Francisco but was back in London to attend the launch. Her long-term boyfriend Dave Clark works for Sir Richard's spaceflight company Virgin Galactic. In a preview, his wife Anna appeared to be filmed while leaving to visit Josh at his faith-based rehab facility TLC announced that a new season of Jill and Jessa: Counting On will premiere March 15 The siblings all agree that they've found it in their hearts to forgive him, though they add that trust will take a while to rebuild Josh, 28, admitted to adultery and a porn addiction after it was revealed that he had an Ashley Madison account last year The news comes just hours after his siblings Jessa, Jana, Jinger, and four other adult Duggar children spoke about life after Josh's adultery scandal According to sources close to the former reality star, he left his Christian treatment center in Illinois 'a few days ago' Out: Josh Duggar has reportedly left his faith-based rehab facility after six months of treatment Josh Duggar has reportedly left the Christian rehab facility where he has spent the last six months receiving treatment for his sex and porn addiction. According to Entertainment Tonight a source close to the disgraced reality star, 28, said that he has been 'out for a few days', although it is not currently known whether he has returned home to be with his wife Anna and their kids in Arkansas, or whether he is staying elsewhere following his exit from the Illinois-based facility. The news comes less than seven months after it was revealed that Josh had cheated on his wife by paying for a 'guaranteed' affair on adultery website Ashley Madison, and just days after a preview clip for the family's upcoming TLC reality series showed Anna loading her bags into the car on the way to visit Josh at the rehab facility, where he had been staying since August. In the clip, Anna also spoke about her recent troubles, saying: 'I don't know what I'm stepping into. I don't know how to handle each situation. 'It's not anything I ever would have thought I would walk through. Just do the next right thing. Have the next right response for the next 15 minutes.' And while Josh's treatment at the facility may well be over, it seems it may take more time for the rest of his family to fully come to terms with his actions - and for him to be accepted back into the tight-knit Duggar fold. In a recent interview with People, the older Duggar children insist that they've already forgiven their big brother, however admit that they have yet to build up the same level of trust that they once shared with their sibliing. Waiting at home? It is not currently know whether Josh has returned to Arkansas to be with his wife Anna, pictured in a preview clip for the family's new reality series, or whether he is staying elsewhere Big day: In a preview clip for the Duggar's new TLC show, Anna appears to be going to visit Josh with daughter Meredith after packing her bags and loading them into a car Moving on: The rehab facility where Josh was staying, Reformers Anonymous, requires participants to take part in 'Bible readings, prayers and manual labor' Jessa, 23, her husband Ben Seewald, 20, Jana, 26, John, 26, Jinger, 22, Joseph, 21, Josiah, 19, and Joy Anna, 18, all shared their feelings on the family drama with People, explaining how their faith gave them the courage to forgive even if they don't exactly trust the philanderer and alleged child molester. 'I definitely have forgiven Josh. It is a process, though, that you have to work through in your heart,' Jessa said. 'And trust is not quickly rebuilt. It is something that takes a while. We love him very much, though, and we are very hopeful for the future.' Her husband Ben, with whom she welcomed four-month old baby Spurgeon Elliot last year, echoed his wife's sentiment. 'I love Josh and I want the best for him,' he said. 'There are a lot of people who have been hurt in this situation. I want to look for ways to help heal the situation for Josh and for Anna and their kids especially.' Some people were surprised when, after news of Josh's indiscretions broke, Ben's father Michael Seewald broke from the family script to plainly condemn the professed cheater. In August, he wrote in a blog post: 'It distresses me to say that Josh Duggars greatest sin is a byproduct of the sum total of his secretly sinful lifestyle. It's OK: In a recent interview, the older Duggar children revealed that they have already forgiven big brother Josh for his transgressions Still their big bro: Jessa and Ben, pictured with their son Spurgeon, both said they love Josh Hard times: Josh's sister Joy Anna is seen crying in the new preview for the upcoming season of Jill and Jessa: Counting On 'That is, that by his hypocrisy, he blasphemed the name of God. He claimed to be a Christian, but by his deeds he has suggested otherwise. With the name of God on his lips he lived a covert and extensive lifestyle of evil.' Now, though, it seems that most of the family is trying to move on. Jinger told People that they've actually come out stronger and 'purified' since they 'walked through the fire', while Josiah noted that holding onto bitterness is pointless, because all it does is hurt the bitter person. 'When something likes this happens, it is a shock, of course. It is something where it is a constant thing. But if you think about what God has done for you in your life and what you have been forgiven for, you have more of a liberty to forgive,' said Joseph. Joy added: 'I have forgiven him and I feel that, but the trust is not there.' All of the siblings seem to agree that it will take a long time and hard work for Josh to rebuild trust, especially because of the way his actions affected each of them personally. In fact, Josiah who ended his courtship with 18-year-old Marjorie Jackson in the midst of his family's scandal revealed that it was she who called the whole thing off, though he didn't specifically say whether Josh's shocking double-life played a part. Two steps: Jessa said that forgiveness is a process one has to work through in his or her heart and it's not the same as trusting Think of the kiddos: Ben said he is particularly worried for Anna and her four children Moving forward: Joseph (left) and Janna (right) also offered up forgiveness, even if they say trust will take a while 'She didn't feel that it was the right timing then,' he said. The Duggars are sure to offer more thoughts on the matter on the upcoming season of Jill and Jessa: Counting On, which will debut on TLC on March 15. In the new season which is advertised to be following the lives of Jill and Jessa but includes scenes and interviews with the other children and the Duggar parents as well, much like 19 Kids and Counting viewers will also hear from Anna, who has has been raising her four children as a single mom during Josh's absence. The new preview also seems to suggest that Jinger may in fact be courting family friend Lawson Bates, as she refuses to talk about who might be the next to enter a courtship when asked by producers on the show. Joy Anna may also have a large role in the new series, and she is seen crying in the first promo as she discusses how difficult last year was, with Josh's molestation scandal followed a few months later by news of extramarital affairs and a porn addiction. Coming up next: John (left) and Jana (right), the next-oldest kids after Josh, are asked about their courtship prospects in the new preview New man? Jinger Duggar (pictured) seems to blush and declines to comment on her own courtship status 'With all our family's gone through, I've grown up a lot,' she admits. However, despite much discussion about Josh, whose molestation scandal led to the cancellation of the family's original reality show 19 Kids and Counting last summer, the oldest son will not be on the show. This new season will also be different from the episodes that aired last year, due to the fact that Jill and her husband Derick Dillard will be in Central America doing missionary work with their newborn son Israel. Jessa and her husband Ben will remain in Arkansas, though, with their newborn son Spurgeon. Jessa says at the end of the new preview; 'We've shared this journey with the world. Family is everything.' Last May, the public learned that Josh molested five minors as a teenager, including four of his sisters. He was never tried or charged for those offenses, and law enforcement was never notified in any official capacity by his parents. In the aftermath of this scandal, the family's popular reality show 19 Kids & Counting was cancelled by TLC. Acting coy: Joy Anna is also asked what she is looking for in a guy and seems to get bashful Back to normal-ish: Anna can be seen relaxing and enjoying herself, painting her nails with her sisters-in-law The summer then ended with the news that Josh had an account on the adult cheating website Ashley Madison, and had been having sexual encounters with women outside his marriage, including adult film star Danica Dillon. Josh confessed to having affairs in a letter in August, writing: 'I have been the biggest hypocrite ever. While espousing faith and family values, I have secretly over the last several years been viewing pornography on the internet and this became a secret addiction and I became unfaithful to my wife. 'I am so ashamed of the double life that I have been living and am grieved for the hurt, pain and disgrace my sin has caused my wife and family, and most of all Jesus and all those who profess faith in Him.' He has been visited at his faith-based rehab program by his wife Anna on multiple occasions, who has said she is standing by her husband. The couple wed in 2008, and are parents to five-month-old Meredith Grace, two-year-old Marcus, four-year-old Michael and six-year-old daughter Mackynzie. Out of the country: Jill and her husband Derick Dillard (pictured) are seen in Central America doing missionary work with their newborn son Israel during the new season Expanding their family already? Jessa and Ben are at home with Spurgeon, and are still considering adoption once the baby is nine months old Anna was first able to address her husband's infidelity last year when she appeared on the first leg of Jill & Jessa: Counting On, which aired in December. Anna broke down in tears while speaking about her marriage. 'I knew about this long before it hit the press,' said Anna while describing why she decided to stick by Josh during the molestation scandal. Anna explained that she visited Josh and his family in Arkansas before they were officially courting, and that Josh told her family 'his life story' including his sordid past. 'He was very detailed and honest with my parents because in his heart he knew he wanted to pursue a relationship.' Anna then said that when their daughter Meredith was born in July, the media storm surrounding her husband's adolescent activity was calming down, and that the baby was a 'ray of sunshine' through all of the chaos. Then, a month later, came the news of his affairs. 'I think it is such a betrayal for a spouse to go through what were walking through,' said Anna as she fought back tears. She then added: 'It was hard to realize that it was such a public thing, and so, not only was it a betrayal against me, but it was also a betrayal for those who call themselves Christian. Mr. Mom: Ben says he's already learned that stay-at-home moms don't like it their clueless husbands say they're 'babysitting' Moving on: The series will show the family pushing forward after Josh's scandals 'Everyone was able to see us get married and to vow before God to be loyal to each other, and that loyalty was broken. And so, for my heart, it was just broken.' Josh's sisters described rallying around Anna and wanting to be there for her in her time of need and said that she was an example of the power of unconditional love. 'Josh was my first love, my one and only, but I knew that my only hope was to cling to my faith, because I knew if I went off of what I was feeling, I would turn a mess into a disaster,' said Anna. 'In the stun and shock of everything, I was just praying, "God, help me to respond to all of this." 'I didn't know what to do. I knew we needed help, and I was just praying God would give the wisdom and the help that we needed to take the next step.' She also said that her husband's decision to go to a Christian recovery program was a difficult one because she knew was going 'to be alone for an extended period of time' with a newborn. Advertisement The life and times of Barbie will be celebrated at Paris Fashion Week with a glamorous exhibition. 'Barbie, life of an icon' will see more than 700 plastic figures displayed at the Museum of Decorative Dolls from tomorrow. The colourful collection features models who 'walk' the catwalk in high-fashion creations from the likes of Christian Lacroix and Jean Paul Gaultier - as well as historical figures including former Queen of France, Marie Antoinette. 'Barbie, life of an icon' will see more than 700 plastic figures displayed at the Museum of Decorative Dolls from tomorrow. The colourful collection features models who 'walk' the catwalk in high-fashion creations from the likes of Christian Lacroix and Jean Paul Gaultier Barbie is turned into historical figures, like former French queen Marie Antoinette in this elaborate ruched ballgown, pictured, for some of her guises Barbie also becomes screen icons such as Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With The Wind, for which she wears a caped jacket and yellow gown with a glamorous feathered hat. The French museum will be setting aside 1,500 square meters for its tribute to the world-famous Mattel toy, with dolls starring in artworks, newspaper articles, photographs and videos. The exhibition has two dimensions, firstly exploring its role as a child's toy and how it developed since its launch in 1959. But alongside that it also recognises how Barbie has become an object of sociological and historical significance. Using in-house archives from the maker of the dolls, Mattel, the exhibition examines how Barbie originally embodied the 'American way of life' before adapting to social, political and cultural changes. The French museum will be setting aside 1,500 square meters for its tribute to the world-famous Mattel toy, with dolls starring in artworks, newspaper articles, photos and videos The exhibition shows just how many costume changes Barbie has experienced over the years - including everyything from swimsuits to dungarees dresses Dolls in all different kinds of outfits from regal glamour to rollerblading Barbies, pictured, are on show. The exhibition examines how Barbie originally embodied the 'American way of life' before adapting to social, political and cultural changes Barbies becomes tailors and dressmakers in one tableau from the exhibition, with another doll wearing a glamorous Fifties-style frock A visitor looks at the collectible Barbies on show in bell jars, including an astronaut Barbie and surgeon Barbie Barbie's from across the ages show how it's not just her wardrobe which has changed over the years, her face has also altered, pictured with boyfriend Ken Barbie has a regal makeover as Queen Elizabeth I with a striking hairstyle and crown with intricate embroidered detail on the dress Barbie embraces Eighties culture in leggings and metallics as she socialises with her equally vibrant friends Early Barbies are seen in Chanel-style monochrome and a fitted nude coat as they mingle in a luxury apartment Barbie is then seen evolving over the years to embrace modern technology and later challenging stereotypes. When it was launched in 1959, Barbie's extremely feminine figure marked a revolutionary departure from the traditional doll. Ruth Handler, one of Mattels founders, had wanted to create a fashion doll which would help children imagine themselves in their future lives, as young women rather than as mothers and housewives. Directly inspired by the German advertising doll Lili, Barbie was launched with her own mythology as Wisconsin-born Barbara Millicent Roberts. Barbies in Eighties' style get up showcase large earrings and short hemlines with the doll's blonde hair worn very long Barbie takes on the guise of royal women in wide bustier gowns and elaborate headwear as a visitor caprtures the display on her camera Barbie becomes Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With The Wind in a caped jacket and yellow gown with a glamorous feathered hat A visitor leans in to look at the Barbie's on display, each one with its own Ken doll in a matching outfit Barbies' outfits are recreated in full-size for mannequins at the exhibition - from a futuristic mac to an army-style jumpsuit Barbie takes to her retro pink bike and wears a demure white cotton dress tied with a pick bow with her hair in waves Malibu Barbie wears palm-tree earrings and brightly-coloured outfits with a graphic print while Ken wears a sleeveless jacket Barbie's love for accessories is well-known and this Eighties doll has a lavish pink convertible car to run around in Barbie took on roles such as a high school pupil and university student before exercising more than 150 professions -from the more traditional nurse and air hostess to much more unusual vocations, like being an astronaut. Many couturiers have crossed paths with Barbie creating stand-out outfits for their collaborations. The exhibition will feature several of these creations by Paco Rabanne, Thierry Mugler, Christian Lacroix, Jean Paul Gaultier, Maison Martin Margiela and Christian Louboutin. Barbie doll wigs are displayed in different styles from a daring undercut and dark blue waves to a classic bob with a fringe The Barbies are exhibited in their original packaging and a celebrity version of the doll, based on Charlie's Angels actress Farah Fawcett is also on display Clothing patterns and design drawings reveal the creative process behind Barbies' various outfits A glamorous Barbie wears a contrasting green and purple gown while flanked by two Sphinxes A football table made form Barbies will go on display with one team wearing Barbie's signature pink and the other in silver Barbie wears a classic creation with floral detail and a red hairstyle, a departure from her well-known blonde hair Patriotic Barbies wear a red suit with American-flag detailing around the neckline and natural make-up Barbie and Ken are reunited in a running pose where Barbie wears a ruffle-pink dress with a pink bag while Ken's hair is spiked up Although Barbie has become an icon, her presence in popular culture has been widely criticised - in particular for her unrealistic dimensions, which some argue can make young girls focus on their own appearances. The doll has tried to be a more positive role model in recent years by focusing on Barbie's widening career choices. Mattel is also planning to launch a range of dolls which embody a variety of skin colours and body shapes. 'Barbie' runs from March 10 to September 18, 2016, at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, France. He is raising funds for the body-positive toy on Kickstarter Nickolay has now created a male version, which is based on the average 19-year-old guy Before Mattel introduced its new 'curvy' Barbie in January, the company had been getting flack for years from people who said Barbie promoted unrealistic body standards. But it turns out, it might not just be little girls who are comparing themselves to their dolls. In 2014, artist Nickolay Lamm invented the Lammily doll to combat body image issues. Lammily, which sells online for $25, has more realistic proportions, comes in different races, and can be customized with freckles, acne, and even cellulite. And now he's trying to appeal to little boys, too, offering up a new kind of Ken doll whose figure reads more as 'dadbod' than bodybuilder. Scroll down for video Mixing it up: Artist Nickolay Lamm has invented an 'average' male doll (left), whose body greatly differs from a Ken doll (right) Just a regular guy: The male Lammily doll is less toned and was modeled off the average 19-year-old man's physique 'Women face relentless beauty standards, and I launched Lammily dolls to show that real is beautiful,' Nickolay told People. 'Men also feel pressure in the form of not being tall, not having enough hair, or not having enough muscle. I think those are things which few talk about because, as a guy, you're expected not to worry about your appearance." But Nickolay is talking about it and doing something about it, too. He's now fashioned a male version of his doll, and has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund it. So far, the campaign has raised over $8,000. Unlike a totally-ripped Ken doll, the male Lammily was modeled off the proportions of the average 19-year-old man. That means he doesn't have broad shoulders, toned biceps, and hard pecs, but a slightly rounder belly and arms that won't be tempting anyone to come to the gun show. Beauty standards: Nickolay said the proportions are more in line with what the average young man looks like A sense of pride: He said little boys can have self-esteem issues about their bodies, too, and he hopes to help work against that 'He may not have a six-pack abdomen, but he has a fantastic sense of humor,' Nickolay wrote in his description for the doll. 'He may not have the biggest biceps, but he has a big heart. 'He may not look like a runway model, but he values himself for who he truly is, and always makes sure to pay the same respect to others!' These things are especially important to Nickolay, who said that he, too, suffered from self-esteem issues as a teen. 'Back in high school, I decided I really wanted a six-pack. So I thought to myself, if I just lose enough weight, then I'll get those chiseled abs,' he explained in a Kickstarter video. 'I exercised myself to exhaustion, and got so skinny that I just didn't recognize myself anymore. And I know that I'm not the only one.' Boosting self-esteem: Parents might boy them for their sons, or little boys could end up playing with their sisters' or friends' dolls The original: In 2014, he debuted the female Lammily doll, which has realistic proportions and can be bought with stick-on cellulite or acne Like the female version of the doll, the male version has moving joints, so little boys can still play with them like action heroes. Nickolay also explained that customers will get to vote on the Lammily man's occupation, and will have the option to name their own doll when they buy one. 'I feel a realistic male doll can influence boys in its own small way, before boys start comparing themselves to their peers, what they see in the media, in the movies, and on social media,' he added in his People interview. Nickolay first started making dolls while shopping for one for his niece. Since the female version went viral in 2014, even Mattel seemed to take notice, finally creating its own more realistic Barbies this year. She had her first child just before she was 40 and is the first to admit she almost left it too late because she assumed she was still fertile. But Mary Nightingale is only too aware she was fortunate to get away with doing so and yesterday urged young women to undergo fertility checks early to determine their chances of having a family and avoid following her example. The long-standing ITV newsreader, 52, feels as though she screeched in at the last moment to have children and was lucky to get away with it. Mary Nightingale, above at the Women of the Year Awards 2015, admits she almost left it too late to get pregnant. The long-standing ITV newsreader, 52, 'screeched in at the last moment' when it came to having kids Miss Nightingale said: I had Molly when I was almost 40 and Joe when I was almost 41. I dont know it was the last moment but it felt like that. I screeched in at the last moment, I was the last chance saloon. But I got lucky, and after a couple of miscarriages, which were awful at the time but Ive almost forgotten about now, I had two children. I dont regret it at all, Im lucky it worked out for me. Some people it doesnt work out for but I was lucky. Mary Nightingale pictured with her daughter, Molly, as a baby, who she gave birth to when she was almost 40 With a 13-year-old daughter and as an ambassador for the womens health charity Wellbeing of Women, she has taken a keen interest in fertility. Mary also believes women should start planning to have children by the time they are 23 to give themselves the best possible chance. She said it can be scary for women to think about the age they should start trying for a family, but is spreading the word. Stats are stats but if you want to be sure youre going to have, say, three children with no problems, you should start at around 23. Its scary. Dont assume [youre fertile]. I think its the assumption that we all went through in our generation. Its always better to have knowledge and be checked out. The mother-of-two was speaking at an event hosted by Wellbeing of Women to celebrate International Womens Day and announce a collaboration with designer Fiorelli. The mum-of-two was speaking at an event hosted by charity Wellbeing of Women. She believes women should start planning to have children by the time they are 23 Joining a host of speakers to raise awareness about pregnancy and childbirth issues, she said that as a mother she wants to be open with her children and break down taboos surrounding topics such as periods. I think openness is best. Modern girls are much more informed than we were. Modern girls seem to know more and there is openness. Were all women and we all go through the things that women go through. When I was a girl, and Im one of four girls, my mum was always embarrassed. We never discussed anything, and called [periods] the Curse. There are lots of women of our generation for whom it was the Curse and was not spoken about. 'You would nudge your games teacher to get out of swimming, and that is fine. But this is now. I think the knowledge and education of young women is incredibly important. Keen to get her point across, Miss Nightingale is on the campaign trail, and recently spoke to sixth form pupils at Wellington College about the importance of their health and getting checked up. They all chat and they can all Google things and find out what they need to know, she said. The internet can have real down-sides but social media can have real up-sides as well. Even that girls have the HPV vaccination [for cervical cancer] now is great, and my daughter has had the first of two. Panic attacks in rush-hour traffic. Trying to make it to parents' evening. Ironing school shirts at midnight, then up again five hours later to make packed lunches. Bone-aching exhaustion. Sex life dead. Crippling insomnia and depression. The long limp until it is wine o'clock. And all the while, the nagging voice saying again and again . . . 'you really could do better'. Women caught in the cycle of guilt and exhaustion that comes with being a working parent will recognise this scenario. Ian Betts, 43, risks health and happiness to work and be a hands-on dad. He rises at 4am, leaving home in Horsham, Surrey, at 5am so he can be at his London desk for 6.30am. He then leaves at 4.30pm, so he can be home in time to help cook dinner, bath his chldren, Molly ten, and six-year-old Toby, and read them a story The number of working mothers has tripled since the Fifties, with 68 per cent returning to work. Their struggle to 'have it all' has been long documented. But now it seems the boot is on the other foot, with men expected to be perfect father, husband and provider. Women like their men multi-functional, to be able to change a nappy with the same ease as chairing a meeting. They're even backed by legislation which makes it easier for fathers to take on an equal share of childcare. And now they are the ones struggling to cope. Many take antidepressants, or drink too Ian admits that he is anxious, overwhelmed and out of his depth - and that the tiredness is making him neurotic and afraid of disappointing people much, to cope with the stress. Others have developed anxiety or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). And most say their marriages are buckling under the strain, with happiness at home a thing of the past. Equality, it seems, has come at a very heavy price - for men. Ian Betts can identify with this. Since becoming a parent ten years ago, he says he has risked his health, happiness and self-esteem juggling being a hands-on father with a stressful career as a civil servant. Taking advantage of flexible working four days a week, Ian rises at 4am, leaving home in Horsham, Surrey, at 5am so he can be at his London desk for 6.30am. He then leaves at 4.30pm, so he can be home in time to help cook dinner, bath his chldren, Molly ten, and six-year-old Toby, and read them a bedtime story. Once they're asleep, he's back on his laptop, often working until 11pm in an attempt to maintain his breadwinner role and support his wife Michelle's career. Unsurprisingly, it's taking its toll. 'I'm anxious, overwhelmed and out of my depth,' admits Ian, 45. 'Tiredness is making me neurotic. I live in fear of disappointing people.' There are many more like him. A Modern Families Index report released last month showed that, like Ian, working dads are taking on more and more household and childcare duties. And the cost is high. 'I am seeing increasing numbers of professional fathers who are struggling to juggle their career and children,' says Dr Shamila Moodley, a consultant psychiatrist at Nightingale Hospital London. 'They want to be around for their child's formative years but still feel pressure to be the family breadwinner. They often end up needing antidepressants or therapy.' A Modern Families Index report released last month showed that, like Ian, dads with full-time jobs are taking on more and more household and childcare duties. Ian's wife Michelle, 41, left, agrees the demands of an equal marriage have led to tension and he is juggling too mach to work and take care of Molly and Toby, right And the wives of this new generation of burnt-out fathers? Their pursuit of a career may actually be fuelling their husbands' exhaustion. But after all, somebody has to pick up the slack at home - and nowadays, it's often the working man who feels compelled to do so. The pressure on a marriage can be relentless, as Ian acknowledges: 'Michelle and I see less of each other and we're so tired that when we are in bed, all we want to do is sleep.' Michelle, 41, a successful marketing manager at a Horsham estate agency, works a 30-hour week over four days and agrees the demands of an equal marriage have led to tension. Above: Ian & Michelle on their wedding day at Ghyll Manor in Rusper West Sussex on 30th May 2003 'Ian puts too much pressure on himself. It worries me,' she says. 'But we still bicker and compete over who's had the hardest day. Our tolerance levels towards each other aren't as high as they should be.' This was illustrated by a typically frosty exchange when Ian was late back from work to the family's 450,000, three-bedroom home to help at their son's third birthday party. Despite leaving the office at lunchtime, Ian's train was delayed and he arrived with just moments to spare - only to find Michelle waiting exasperatedly for him on the drive. 'My heart was pounding as she said crossly it was typical that I was late on that of all days,' says Ian. 'I felt terrible for letting her down, and shattered from the effort of trying not to. Ian is determined not to be an absent father to Toby and Molly, above. 'I was close to my dad - a lecturer - and wanted to recreate that bond with my own children and play as much a part as possible in their lives,' he says 'I'd been awake since 4am so I could fit in a full day at the office, and knew that after I'd put the children to bed I'd be on my laptop working.' Ian is determined not to be an absent father. 'I was close to my dad - a lecturer - and wanted to recreate that bond with my own children and play as much a part as possible in their lives,' he says. To that end, he has worked from home every Wednesday since Toby was a baby. He carries out his professional responsibilities from home with caring for the children, while Michelle is at work. He holds conference calls outside the school gates and fields emails while helping with homework and violin practice. With his focus squarely on his children and job, it's hardly surprising his marriage has suffered. 'We have arguments about silly things like Michelle not doing the washing up, when I always make an effort to. 'She tries to get me to talk, but I'm so exhausted I find it difficult and snap instead so she just leaves me alone,' says Ian, who is in sole charge of the children on Saturdays, as Michelle has to work at weekends. Ian has worked from home every Wednesday since Toby was a baby. He carries out his professional responsibilities from home with caring for the children, while Michelle is at work As well as dividing domestic chores, the couple also share the cooking - but all too often it results in a battle of wills over who will prepare the evening meal. 'Ian has the added responsibility of being the main breadwinner but we're both shattered and neither wants to make dinner,' says Michelle. 'It's a silent war until one caves in.' This is all too common, says Dr Moodley. 'If the husband does admit to tiredness, it can lead to nasty 'tit for tat' arguments in which husband and wife compete to see who has done most for the family. Historically, women have had to multi-task much more than men. Many have become adept at it and may not understand why their partners can't cope.' Dogged by exhaustion, Ian can't remember the last time he had a lie-in. And he believes surviving on five hours' sleep a night has not helped his career. 'I've always been a worrier and tiredness exacerbates that. I make mistakes, apologise more and question my ability. I'm more careful about the jobs I take on so I can see the children. For example, I no longer travel, which obviously affects my progression at work.' Looking for an outlet for his stress, he got into the habit of drinking a few bottles of beer in the evening while working on his laptop. But this just made him more anxious. 'It was a vicious cycle he had to break,' says Michelle. Concerned, she sent Ian to his doctor for a check-up, who found he had high cholesterol and prescribed statins. 'It was a wake-up call to take better care of myself,' says Ian. He has stopped drinking alcohol and even started taking the occasional lunch break. 'I know I need to relax,' he says. 'Worrying won't make me a better father.' Despite the fact many men are encouraged to do more at home by initiatives, such as flexible working and shared parental leave, it is an inescapable fact that two-thirds of men are still the main breadwinner. And it is this responsibility that exacerbates male burn out, as Richard Judges discovered. His quest to be a hands-on father while also shouldering his family's financial burden led to depression, anxiety and OCD. 'I love my children but having young lives entirely dependent on me makes me feel trapped, overwhelmed,' says Richard, 33, an IT consultant, who has a son Charlie, five, and daughter Tilly, three, with wife Katie, 41. Richard was prescribed anti-depressants three years ago to help stabilise his mood when the pressure of parenthood grew too great. But his angst returned last July when he was made redundant. 'I felt powerless and robbed of my identity,' he admits. 'I felt emasculated by not bringing home a wage.' After many rejection letters, Richard found a new job last month, but at a lower salary. And so his wife has had to take on extra shifts as an adviser for a wine firm, working from home four evenings a week, to cover bills. 'Katie has always wanted to be a full-time mum and I feel awful I can't let her be one,' says Richard. I love my children but having young lives entirely dependent on me makes me feel trapped, overwhelmed Home to the family is a three-bedroom house in Quedgeley, Gloucestershire. Holidays are spent with grandparents on the North Devon coast. Richard would 'desperately love' to provide his family with an annual fortnight in the Mediterranean sun, but admits this is just a 'pipe dream' at present. Out of guilt, and to make things easier for his wife, he hurries home on the dot of 5.30pm so he can take over the childcare, so they don't have to pay for any extra help. He says: 'My career suffers as I have to leave on time. Stress makes me less competent and distracted.' While he cherishes the time spent with his children, he says he would be a better hands-on dad were he not so exhausted. 'My dad was an accountant but made an effort to be involved in my upbringing. I want to do the same,' he says. 'But I'm so tired I often don't give the children the time they deserve. I shout and don't make allowances for them being small.' However, he persists with his juggling act. Wracked with anxiety, last year Richard even developed OCD, obsessively picking the skin on the side of his fingers and jumping out of bed in the middle of the night to check the front door was locked, disturbing Katie's sleep. Their nine-year relationship is punctuated with rows and resentment. 'She says I don't appreciate everything she does to keep the family together. She's right - I haven't been the best husband.' This is ironic, given how hard he tries. 'He just isn't as pragmatic as I am and finds it difficult to dust himself off,' sighs Katie. 'Sometimes I could happily throttle him.' Inevitably, their sex life has suffered. 'Richard is so withdrawn he rarely wants to make love - but equally I'm so cross with him I don't want him near me,' says Katie, but adds: 'We stay together, as I love him. I have to believe things will get easier.' Ian carries out his professional responsibilities from home with caring for the children, while Michelle is at work. He holds conference calls outside the school gates and fields emails while helping with homework and violin practice. Worried Michelle sent Ian to his doctor for a check-up, who found he had high cholesterol Martin Petty is another man on the edge due to the demands of a career and children. He is largely responsible for his son while fiancee Lucinda, 33, works as a teacher, but his salary as a photographer is equal to hers. It's a tightrope act that has left their relationship floundering - and him suffering with insomnia. The 34-year-old takes Eliot, two, to pre-school twice a week and relies on Eliot's grandparents, his son's nap times and evenings to finish work. 'I'm often stressed,' he says. 'Childcare on top of work sparks conflict.' Yet he refuses to pay for more childcare, insisting he wants to be there for his son. 'My own father died of a heart attack when I was 12. He was just 47. I want a watertight relationship with Eliot,' he says. 'It's important I'm the best father I can be - that Eliot learns from me, we go on days out and I read him stories.' Sometimes, though, work has to take precedence. He says: 'I don't want to plonk Eliot in front of the television while I work, but I might give him a book and sneakily reply to a couple of emails. 'Largely, however, I find it impossible to get anything done, which is frustrating.' Although he and Lucinda, who live in Bedford, have been engaged for three years, there has been no time to plan a wedding. 'My stress means we are not as devoted as we have been,' says Martin. 'I appreciate Lucinda works hard, too, but she doesn't understand the pressure I'm under - I'm not sat at home doing nothing. 'I'm so short-tempered when she comes home the last thing I want to do is make small talk. I snap if she so much as asks how my day was.' Lucinda adds: 'Martin lets things get on top of him. He gets frustrated when I leave clothes on the bedroom floor and this morning, for example, he was cross because I was leaving home later to go to a conference but still couldn't take Eliot to nursery. 'He tried to call me during the day, but I ignored the call so as not to get into an argument.' It hardly sounds the formula for a happy relationship, especially as Martin has recently developed insomnia. 'I lie awake thinking about work piling up wondering how Lucinda can sleep while I can't. It's hard not to feel resentful,' he says. 'My doctor has suggested sleeping pills, but I don't think drugs are the solution.' So what is? Some might say that Martin - like many mothers - might be better off choosing between fatherhood and his career rather than trying to combine both roles. But this is something he just won't contemplate this. Princes Charles shook hands with screen royalty tonight as he met Hugh Bonneville at a concert in St James' Palace, London. The 67-year-old royal met the actor best known for his role as the Earl of Grantham in ITV's Downton Abbey at the gala concert marking the tenth anniversary of the Children and the Arts charity. Some of Britain's greatest actors, including Hugh, then went onto perform a series of sketches in celebration of William Shakespeare, on the 400th anniversary of his death. Charles looked sharp at the gala at St James' Palace, in London, for the tenth anniversary of Children and the Arts charity Charles met Hugh Binneville, best known for his role as the Earl of Grantham in Downton Abbey, and Miranda Raison Charles looked sharp for the occasion in a bow tie and suit accessorised with a gingham pocket-handkerchief. Hugh, who played Robert Crawley in the BAFTA-award winning series, looked deep in conversation with the prince. Charles also met Joseph Fiennes, brother of actor Ralph, Dame Harriet Walter, Julian Ovenden, Joe Stilgoe and Miranda Raison - who performed a series of sketches directed by Christopher Luscombe. Charles also met Joseph Fiennes, brother of well-respected actor Ralph, at the gala for the prince's charity Ralph bowed to the prince while Dame Harriet Walter looked on at the event at St James's Palace, London Charles shakes hands with actress Dame Harriet Walter, who appeared in Atonement Hugh and Dame Walter took to the stage to perform one in a series of sketches at the grand event Miranda Raison and Hugh Bonneville perform at the gala concert marking the 10th anniversary of the Children and the Arts charity Miranda wore a navy embellished dress with her hair in a soft bun while Dame Walter looked glamorous in a black full-length gown with pleated sleeves. Hugh sported a tux for the occasion while Joseph went for a tailored suit and silver-grey tie. The prince welcomed the guests into the grand venue before taking his seat to watch the show. The charity was created by Charles after a visit to a school in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, where pupils were studying Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet. Prince Charles was all smiles as he greeted guests at the packed event, which had performances from some of Britain's top actors Charles was celebrating 10 years of his charity and appeared in good spirits for the occasion Miranda shook the prince's hand during the gala and smiled warmly at the royal. She wore a navy dress with cut-away detail for the event Miranda reads on stage as part of the performances. The charity was created by Charles after a visit to a school in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, where pupils were studying Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet Hugh takes the spotlight for a solo performance during the evening's entertainment Joseph Fiennes, brother of actor Ralph, has his moment on stage in front of the other performers Pictured from left to right: Sam Alexander, Joe Stilgoe, Edward Bennett, Miranda Raison, Hugh Bonneville, Harriet Walter, Julian Ovenden, Ian Bostridge and Joseph Fiennes stand to accept applause After learning that many of the children had never visited the theatre to see a production, Charles - who is also president of the Royal Shakespeare Company - created the foundation to pupils across the country to enjoy a range of art forms. In 2015, the charity introduced 9,300 children with social, economic or disability barriers to high-quality art activities, including theatre, orchestra, dance and opera. Teenage pregnancies have fallen to their lowest level since records began, new figures have revealed. The number of girls under-16 who became pregnant dropped by 10 per cent in a year to 4,160 in 2014. The latest figures, from 2014, show that out of every 1,000 teenage girls aged 15 to 17 there were 22.9 pregnancies. The fall has been attributed to young women wanting to continue their education, the stigma of being a teenage mother and better sex education. Encouraging the use of long-acting contraception, such as the implant or injection, rather than the Pill, has also helped. However experts warned today that Britain still 'lags behind much of Europe' and more must be done to reduce the level further. And there are wild variations around the country, with the teenage pregnancy rate in the North East almost double that in the South East and South West. The number of girls under-16 who became pregnant dropped by 10 per cent in a year to 4,160 in 2014 Overall, conceptions fell slightly in 2014, data from the Office for National Statistics found. Key findings of the report include: Conceptions to women aged under 18 fell to 22,653 in 2014 compared with 24,306 in 2013 (a decrease of 6.8 per cent) There were 4,160 girls under-16 who became pregnant in 2014, compared with 4,648 in 2013 (10 per cent fall) In 2014 there were an estimated 871,038 conceptions to women of all ages, compared with 872,849 in 2013, a slight decrease of 0.2 per cent Conception estimates include all pregnancies that lead to a maternity leading to birth or stillbirth, or an abortion. The ONS said that conception rates in 2014 increased for women aged 25 years and over, and decreased for women aged under 25 years. Teenage pregnancy rates and early motherhood is significant, as it is linked to poor educational achievement, poor physical and mental health, social isolation, poverty and related factors, the ONS said. The ONS believes the drop in the number of under-age pregnancies could be explained by several factors, including the improved programmes of sex and relationship education introduced by successive governments. Its report also stated that it could be due to a 'shift in aspirations of young women towards education' or the 'perception of stigma associated with being a teenage mother'. The number of teenage pregnancies is now at the lowest level since records began in 1969 Conception rates vary dramatically around the country, with the teenage pregnancy rate in the North East almost double that in the South East and South West GIVING GIRLS MORE RELIABLE CONTRACEPTION Encouraging the use of long-acting contraception, such as the implant or injection, rather than the Pill, has also helped drive down pregnancy rates. There are a wide range of contraceptive choices available for women different methods suit different people, leading expert Alison Hadley told MailOnline. Ms Hadley led the implementation of the previous Government's Teenage Pregnancy Strategy for England. She said while the Pill is the most common form of contraception used by young women, there are several less well-known choices available which may suit some women better. The injection, implant and, contrary to popular belief, even a copper coil - or n IUD - are all types of long lasting contraception suitable for teenage girls. They are over 99 per cent effective, making them the most reliable types contraception available. Meanwhile the Pill is only 99 per cent effective if it is taken properly. In the 'real world' the it has a failure rate of 8 per cent because women often forget to take it at the same time every day or do not realise certain medicines can stop it from working. The key, said Ms Hadley, is to get a form of contraception woman is comfortable with. 'Some young women are organised and methodical and want to take the Pill - whereas others who are forgetful or a typical chaotic teenager may be better off with a long-acting form of contraception,' she explained. Figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre show that over the last ten years, the proportion of women using Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives has been increasing - while the proportion using user dependent methods has been decreasing. However, oral contraceptives (a user dependent method) are still the most common form of contraception, being the main method for 45 per cent of women. Advertisement Alison Hadley, who led the implementation of the previous Government's Teenage Pregnancy Strategy for England, said it was an 'extraordinary achievement'. The director of the Teenage Pregnancy Knowledge Exchange, at the University of Bedfordshire, said: 'Many people thought the goal was unattainable and that high rates were an intractable part of life. 'This shows that committed senior leadership, dedicated local practitioners, effective education programmes and easier access to contraception equips young people to make informed choices and brings down rates even in deprived areas.' 'But despite the big reduction, the job is not done. 'England continues to lag behind comparable western European countries, teenagers continue to be at greatest risk of unplanned pregnancy and outcomes for some young parents and their children remain disproportionately poor.' The sexual health charity FPA (Family Planning Association) welcomed the continued decrease but insisted there was still a long way to go. 'Not all teenage pregnancies are unplanned or unwanted, but young people who become parents under 18 have a higher risk of poorer health, education, economic and social outcomes,' said CEO Natika Halil. 'This ongoing reduction is the result of a joint effort, including the legacy of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, which ended in 2010, and the continued work of health and education professionals to support young people in making informed choices that are best for their lives.' However, the charity pointed to huge variations by region ranging from 18.8 (per 1,000 women aged 15 to 17) in the South East and South West to 30.2 in the North East. 'In the last year we have seen the Government fail to make sex and relationships education statutory and significant cuts made to public health budgets in England. 'Neither is going to help bring the country's teenage pregnancy rate more in line with other countries in Europe and both need to be given serious consideration.' The new figures come as a growing number of women are delaying motherhood as they prioritise their careers. Balancing concerns over the cost of raising a child, uncertainty over job security and unstable relationships are increasingly causing women to delay having a baby. Breast cancer patients could be spared the distress of permanent disfigurement after a study found targeted radiotherapy is just as effective as treating the whole breast. Following surgery, focusing radiotherapy around the tumour site produces similar results as treating the whole breast and had fewer long term side effects, the authors said. Radiotherapy is a standard treatment used after an operation to remove a breast tumour, and is even given to those deemed to have a low risk of their cancer returning. However, it can cause changes in the appearance of the breast, which may become darker, redder, firmer and more tender to the touch, causing psychological distress. Just as effective: Targeted radiotherapy for breast cancer patients could be just as effective as treating the whole breast, a study has found The clinical trial, funded by Cancer Research UK, examined more than 2,000 women aged 50 or older who had early breast cancer with a low risk of it returning. The study saw the women split into three groups following surgery - which removed the tumour but conserved their breast. The first group had full dose radiotherapy to the whole breast - the current standard treatment. The second had the full dose of radiotherapy to the area where the tumour had been - with a lower dose to rest of the breast. The third group received the full dose to the area where the tumour had been but were given no radiotherapy elsewhere in the breast. Five years after their treatment, only one per cent or less of women in each group saw the cancer return to their breast, the researchers, led by The Institute of Cancer Research, London, found. The trial patients will be monitored for another five years to check the cancer has not returned. Psychological distress: Full breast radiotherapy is the standard treatment given to women used after an operation to remove a tumour - but it can cause distressing changes to the breast The lead author Dr Charlotte Coles, clinical oncologist at Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'We're really pleased we have demonstrated a very effective radiotherapy approach that also reduces the side effects of treatment. 'Minimising these long term side effects is essential, as not only do they impact on physical health, but they can also cause psychological distress.' Professor Arnie Purushotham, senior clinical adviser at Cancer Research UK, said: 'This could result in a crucial change to how we treat breast cancer. If this changes practice it could prevent many women having lasting effects from their treatment and reduce the discomfort and emotional stress women have from these side effects Professor Arnie Purushotham, senior clinical adviser at Cancer Research UK 'If this changes practice it could prevent many women having lasting effects from their treatment and reduce the discomfort and emotional stress women have from these side effects.' Charity Breast Cancer Now said reducing toxicity from radiotherapy treatment would be 'invaluable' to women. Commenting on the study, Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, said: 'These are early but promising results that could be of real benefit to breast cancer patients in the future. 'Radiotherapy is a standard part of treatment for almost all women with breast cancer, and an opportunity to reduce toxicity from treatment would be invaluable. The fact that this approach could also reduce the impact of treatment on the appearance of their breasts is also significant, particularly at an already distressing time for patients. 'Breast cancer can of course recur many years after first diagnosis and so we now look forward to the planned follow-up of this study to confirm these results.' Standard mammogram X-rays, which are offered to just over 2 million middle-aged women each year, may be failing to spot as many as one in six tumours Britain's NHS screening programme could be missing 3,500 cases of breast cancer each year, new research has warned. Standard mammogram X-rays, which are offered to just over 2 million middle-aged women each year, may be failing to spot as many as one in six tumours. A major trial has now found using 3D X-rays instead, along with ultrasound scans, would pick up tumours in thousands of women whose cancer had been missed by the standard mammogram scans. Experts today called for an urgent reconsideration of the NHS screening programme in light of the results and said the evidence had the potential to change the future of breast screening. While mammograms pick up 18,000 tumours every year, they often miss cancer in women who have high density breasts. Around one in every four women have dense breast tissue, which contains more glandular tissue and less fat. Although it feels no different to touch, dense breast tissue contains many more cells that are likely to turn cancerous meaning women are up to six times more likely to develop the disease. To make matters worse, tumours in dense breast tissue are much harder to detect using standard mammogram scans. As a result, these women are 18 times as likely to only discover they have cancer when they start seeing symptoms, rather than as a result of screening. The current NHS screening programme, which is offered to all women between the age of 50 and 70, is credited with saving 1,400 lives each year by flagging up the cancer before it has spread. But the new trial, presented today at the European Breast Cancer Conference in Amsterdam, suggests one in six tumours are being missed. This means potentially hundreds of people dying early as a result. Researchers from Australia and Italy carried out 3D tomosynthesis X-rays, along with ultrasounds, on 3,000 Italian women with dense breast tissue whose mammogram results had come back negative. They picked up an additional 24 cases of breast cancer that had been previously missed, 23 of them invasive. If their findings are applied to Britain, an extra 3,500 cases of breast cancer would be picked up every year. Professor Nehmat Houssami, of the University of Sydney, speaking in Amsterdam today, said: These findings will have immediate implications for screening practice. She said there was almost no difference in rates of false positives or misdiagnoses problems that have beset Britains screening programme - even though the new methods were able to pick up smaller tumours which mammograms can miss. Experts today called for an urgent reconsideration of the NHS screening programme in light of the results and said the evidence had the potential to change the future of breast screening' Anthony Maxwell, consultant radiologist at the Genesis breast cancer charity in Manchester, said because there is currently no additional screening for dense breast patients on the NHS, women are often not told they are at risk. In many US states, in comparison, radiologists by law have to tell women if they have dense breasts, and usually offer extra checks. NUMBER OF WOMEN ATTENDING SCREENING HITS DECADE LOW Last month it was revealed the number of women attending a breast screening is the lowest in a decade. The proportion of eligible women aged 50-70 screened for breast cancer after their first invitation fell to 63.3 per cent in 2014-15, down from 70.1 per cent in 2004-5. And breast screening coverage - which is the overall number checked - has also fallen for the fourth year in a row, official NHS figures revealed. Under the programme, women are invited for their first routine check between the ages of 50 and 53 and are usually invited back every three years until the age of 70. The Government considers screening a success if 70 per cent of women take up the offer- something that was only just achieved this year, everywhere except London.In recent years, a mounting body of evidence has suggested breast cancer screening may do more harm than good for some women. Scientists have concluded that women risk false positives, where abnormal results turn out to be normal. And experts fear women are being subjected to over-treatment, which has included needless breast removal and surgery on harmless cancers that would never have caused symptoms or death during a patient's lifespan. Advertisement This is a significant issue, Dr Maxwell said. The problem is theres no point telling a woman shes got dense breasts unless youre going to offer her additional screening. But at the moment were not in a position to do that. Samia al Qadhi, chief executive of the Breast Cancer Care charity, said: These exciting findings confirm 3D mammography has the potential to change the future of breast screening. It is much more challenging to detect cancer in dense breasts through traditional mammograms. So its fantastic to hear further evidence showing that 3D mammography can pick up more cancers in women with dense breasts, and when the tumour is a small size. 'This means treatment may be more effective and could potentially save lives. However more research is needed before we can expect any widespread changes to screening practices in the UK. Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said: We know mammography is less effective at detecting breast cancer in women with dense breasts. 'So this new evidence reinforces the urgent need to consider how these women can be best served by the NHS Breast Screening Programme. Jacquie Jenkins, Public Health Englands breast screening programme manager, said hospitals offer the best possible two-dimensional scans. The NHS Breast Screening Programme in England currently offers digital mammography which captures high-quality digital images capable of detecting tumours even in women with denser breasts, she said. This remains the best proven method for detecting cancers at an early stage when treatment is most effective. Girls star Lena Dunham, pictured, has spoken of her battle with endometriosis on social media It is a common condition, affecting one in 10 women across the world. Yet, it remains incurable, and scientists are still trying to discover exactly what triggers the agonising affliction. Endometriosis is the name given to the condition, where cells like those that make up the lining of the womb are found elsewhere in the body. Celebrities including Hollywood actresses Susan Sarandon and Whoopi Goldberg, dancer Julianne Hough, presidential hopeful Hilary Clinton have reportedly suffered the with the condition. And, just this weekend, Girls star Lena Dunham, who revealed her battle with endometriosis on social media, was rushed to hospital suffering a ruptured ovarian cyst. The 29-year-old is now home and recovering after surgery, posting this message to her 2.5 million followers on Instagram and Facebook: 'Thank you so much for the love. I'm safely out of hospital and recuperating. 'Your well wishes mean the world. I can't wait to be up and active, and to show my thanks.' Her representative Cindi Berger, added, in a statement: 'Lena Dunham has been very public with her personal bouts with endometriosis. 'This morning, she suffered from an ovarian cyst rupture and has been taken to the hospital. 'Lena will be undergoing surgery at an undisclosed hospital. We thank you for your understand and hope that Lena's privacy will be respected.' The health scare came two weeks after the Golden Globe winner announced she would be taking a career break, due to a 'rough patch' with her endometriosis. Despite the fact the condition is so common - it is the second most common gynaecological condition in the UK, there is often much confusion over what it actually is, the warning signs to look for and how it can be treated. In order to shed more light on the condition, which can render women infertile, Dr Xavier Santamaria, a fertility specialists at IVI Fertility, reveals all... Recently the Golden Globe winner posted this on Instagram, revealed she was going through a 'rough patch' with her condition. Shortly afterwards, this weekend, she was rushed to hospital to undergo surgery for a ruptured ovarian cyst. She has since left hospital and is recovering well What is endometriosis? Endometriosis is the name given to the condition where cells like the ones in the lining of the womb (the endometrium) are found elsewhere in the body. These tissues behave in a similar way to the tissue that is found in the lining of the womb, mimicking the menstrual process. Each month these cells build up and then break down and bleed. Unlike a period, this blood has no way to escape. Endometriosis is a chronic, debilitating, and often painful condition, which can also lead to infertility, fatigue and bowel and bladder problems. This condition affects around two million women in the UK, and can manifest itself in a range of symptoms, varying from person to person. Endometriosis has the potential to affect all women and girls of a childbearing age. What causes the condition? Unfortunately, there is still some confusion throughout the medical world as to what causes endometriosis. However, the most widely accepted theory is retrograde menstruation. This is where the womb lining doesnt leave the body properly during a period and embeds itself on the organs of the pelvis. Despite this theory being the most popular, endometriosis can still occur in women who have had a hysterectomy, which cannot be explained by this cause. We also know that endometriosis can be more common in the sisters and mothers of women who have endometriosis and therefore it is sometimes believed to have a genetic background. Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon, left, and Dancing With The Stars champion Julianne Hough have both spoken of their experiences living with the painful condition Whoopi Goldberg and Marilyn Monroe are also said to have been diagnosed with endometriosis Other potential causes of endometriosis have also been suggested to be the weakness of a womans immune system, environmental causes and metaplasia (in which cells can change into endometrial cells to adapt to their environment). However, none of these theories are a definite cause of Endometriosis and therefore its exact cause remains unknown. What are the main symptoms? The symptoms associated with endometriosis will vary from woman to woman, and some people will also suffer more severe symptoms than others. Generally speaking though, the most common symptoms experienced by women suffering from endometriosis include: painful periods or heavy periods pain in the lower abdomen (tummy), pelvis or lower back pain during and after sex bleeding between periods difficulty getting pregnant. In addition to the most common symptoms listed above, women suffering from endometriosis can also find themselves susceptible to some more serious health problems such as, persistent exhaustion and tiredness, discomfort when going to the toilet, bleeding from the back passage (rectum), or coughing blood. It is interesting to note that the severity of symptoms is dependent on where in a womans body the abnormal tissue is, as opposed to the amount of tissue found. Endometriosis is the name given to the condition where cells like the ones in the lining of the womb are found elsewhere in the body. These tissues behave in a similar way to the tissue that is found in the lining of the womb, mimicking the menstrual process. Each month they build up and then break down and bleed. Unlike a period, this blood has no way to escape It is a chronic, debilitating, and often painful condition (pictured in the abdominal wall) which can also lead to infertility, fatigue and bowel and bladder problems How can endometriosis affect fertility? Anatomical distortion and adhesions caused by endometriosis reduces the chance of natural conception. This is a more serious problem in those who suffer severe endometriosis, as the increased number of adhesions means there is higher possibility the egg will get trapped and prevented from getting down the Fallopian tube. It is particularly significant if the ovary is wrapped in adhesions or if the Pouch of Douglas (the lowest area of the peritoneal cavity) is covered by adhesions. Endometriosis is classified into minimal, mild, moderate and severe using the American Fertility Society Revised Classification of Endometriosis (AFS) score, and this score helps dictate the chance of conceiving naturally. What should you do if you think you may have endometriosis? If you are suffering from any of the symptoms associated with endometriosis then in the first instance it is advisable that you book in to see your GP who will often refer you to gynecologist. However, it is often difficult to diagnose the condition, because the symptoms can vary considerably, and many other conditions can cause similar symptoms. Due to this, the average length of time it takes to diagnose is 7.5 years from the initial symptoms. The gynecologist might carry out an ultrasound scan, alongside asking about your symptoms and sexual activity. However, the only way to diagnose endometriosis is through a procedure called a laparoscopy. This procedure is done under a general anesthetic, in which a small telescope with a light on the end (the laparoscope) is inserted into the pelvis through the belly button. The laparoscope has a camera which transmits the images to a video monitor, where the surgeon can look for endometriosis. Often biopsies are taken for analysis. Following a diagnosis you may be referred to an endometrial specialist who will be able to help advise you on the best way to manage the symptoms. Anatomical distortion and adhesions caused by endometriosis reduces the chance of natural conception. Many women with the condition have to undergo IVF in order to conceive How is endometriosis treated? Sadly, there is no cure for endometriosis however; there are a number of ways in which patients can manage their symptoms effectively. This can include surgery, hormone relief and pain relief. Hormone relief can include the contraceptive pill, as an attempt to mimic pregnancy and reduce symptoms, and surgery can excise endometriotic nodules and release adhesions. If you are over the age of 30 and suffer from endometriosis then it is recommended that you visit a fertility specialist regardless of whether or not you are currently trying to conceive. A specialist will be able to test your ovarian reserve via a simple blood test, which can help predict an individuals ability to conceive, and can also provide insight into the best treatment options available such as IVF, which we know has superior pregnancy success rates for women with endometriosis. It is known that surgery to destroy endometriosis can have a positive effect on fertility in certain cases. However, repeated surgery can actually be detrimental and have a negative impact on your ovarian reserves so its important for your doctor to monitor this. Another option which may be recommended, particularly for those endometriosis sufferers who are not currently looking to conceive, is egg freezing. The process can preserve eggs so that they can be used later down the line in combination with IVF and other fertility treatments should a women discover they are struggling with infertility. The woman auto driver By Sneha Agrawal For Sunita Chaudhary, the roads of Delhi are her first and only love. Chaudhary, 35, who has been driving for the past 12 years, was the first woman auto driver in the Capital - and may still be the only one. It has not been easy for Chaudhary to earn her livelihood as an auto driver, which is largely a male-dominated profession. Sunita Chaudhary faced opposition from male drivers and officials when she set herself up as a driver She faced resistance from the male auto drivers, and the officials who granted her licence and permits were extremely sceptical of her choice. Recalling her fight against gender bias, she told Mail Today: I came to Delhi 16 years ago as I wanted to make something out of my life. I had never thought of driving an auto, but I always wanted to do something on my own. Hailing from a conservative family that was against the concept of a working woman, I had no option but to flee from the house. After I left home, there was no stopping. I was determined to pave my own way. Chaudhary lived at a shelter home in the beginning of her stay in the Capital, and took odd jobs to make her living. I had studied till class X. I knew that in no way would I get a decent job with my school education and I also did not have enough money to take up part-time skill course. Initially, I made my living by delivering couriers and worked in cardboard factories. Even there, I had a tough time finding employment as the preference used to be given to male candidates. When she did not find any concrete work, Chaudhary decided to learn to drive. She took up a 15- day course in Ghaziabad, and soon she was all prepared to enter the mans world. Access to commercial licence was limited to male counterparts, she says. It took me three long years to convince the licence authorities to issue me the licence as well as the permit. The officials used to call me a mad woman. After a while, the situation was such that whenever I visited the office for the licence, they used to leave their designated seats and go missing for hours. Sunita says her mother still can't believe she is driving for a living - but she wants women to know their gender shouldn't dictate their choice of profession However, three years later, she managed to become the first woman to get a commercial licence and an auto permit. But her struggle did not end there. Chaudhary had to face harassment from fellow (male) auto drivers who turned violent after she refused to leave certain auto stands. She says: I used to wait for passengers at the New Delhi Railway Station, but the male drivers didnt allow me inside the passenger waiting area. They said that I would attract more passengers and this would lead to a financial loss for the rest. When I resisted one day, they turned violent. They tore my auto cover, punctured the tyre and even threw my passengers luggage. The violent episodes continued for days till it broke into a massive fight that ended with the police arresting a few miscreants. The decision to drive an auto has triggered a complete personality transformation for Chaudhary. I had to give up my conventional dressing, and disguise myself as a man, she says, adding: The profession has made me a confident and a focused woman. I have also learned to overcome my fear and keep myself equipped enough to face an emergency-like situation. Once you are used to the kind of environment you live in, you are in a position to control your fears and inhibitions. As for the passengers, Chaudhary gets a mixed crowd. I encounter both good and bad customers, she says. They throw all kinds of questions at me. They want to know everything about me. From why did I decide to drive an auto, to the kind of experiences I have had they want to know everything. The commuters and the passerbys also get surprised when they see a female auto driver. It is an experience beyond words. Her family is yet to come to terms with her decision to become a driver. My mother still cannot believe that the auto not only belongs to me, but also I am the one driving it, says Chaudhary. She thinks that there is somebody else hired to drive it. But I have learned to live with it. For those who still think that certain professions are not meant for women, Chaudhary has a piece of advice for them: One should give equal respect to all professions. So what if I am an auto driver? I command the same respect as one would give to any high-ranking official. These days, women are entering all kinds of fields. The gender does not matter in todays world. Chaudhary, who has broken quite a few barriers herself, wants her auto to be kept in a museum as a symbol for women's empowerment. The auto I drive was issued to me as a special case. I want it to be preserved in a museum with a message promoting gender equality, she says with a smile. The cancer campaigner By Giridhar Jha Patna-based architect Sneha Routray was leading a happy life, contributing to society by supporting different causes, when her whole world started crumbling. At first she did not believe the doctors who told her, two years ago, that she had breast cancer. Routray was shaken. It was the darkest day not only for her, but also for her family, who were all devastated by the diagnosis. Sneha Routray survived breast cancer aged 32, and now dedicates her life to spreading cancer awareness and organising detection camps I was only 32 years old at that time, recalls Routray. I thought, why did it have to happen to me? However, Routray soon realised that there was no point in cursing her fate. She knew there were lakhs of other people like her who were afflicted with the disease. It was important to her to put up a spirited fight and face the disease bravely. I had two choices - either I resigned to my fate or gathered all my strength to rid myself of cancer, says Routray. I told myself never to give up. Thankfully, Routrays husband, Ganga Kumar, an IAS officer, stood by her side not only to lend all support in her fight but also to help her overcome her initial anxiety and trauma. The disease was diagnosed in its initial stages, and Routray was lucky enough to be cured. But her experience set her thinking. Realising that scores of people, especially those living in rural areas, still die from the same disease due to lack of information, she decided to dedicate the rest of her life to spreading cancer awareness. Routray and her husband set up a voluntary organisation - Grameen Sneh Foundation - in 2009 to work in the fields of primary education, health awareness, and art and culture. But now, her focus has shifted to cancer. With support from her husband, she organises workshops, seminars, and cancer detection camps at different places in Bihar, Odisha, and Delhi-NCR to spread awareness about the disease. Her health camps have helped detect cancer in the early stages in many patients, who are subsequently given guidance on how to go about their treatment. Her efforts have helped save the lives of many individuals. As part of her mission, a three-day health and wellness festival was organised in Patna in January this year which was attended by Bollywood veteran Shatrughan Sinha among others. Sinha has been spearheading a cancer awareness campaign in Bihar for more than a decade, and actress Manisha Koirala, another supporter, is herself a cancer survivor. The success of her mission has inspired Routray and her husband to reach out to more people and as many places as possible. I would not mind if I have to give up my job for the sake of this campaign, says her husband. The international lawyer By Srijani Ganguly Like many college students, Pavani Reddy decided to undertake a part-time job along with her studies. The job, in her case, was at a law firm. I developed an interest for law, says Reddy, adding: At that time studying law was not a lucrative option for women. However, my family supported me wholeheartedly. And after completing my law degree back home, I moved to the UK. Although she had her familys support, the going wasnt as smooth in the beginning. The challenges, she says, began the moment she decided to take up law as a full-time profession. Pavani Reddy is now one of the foremost Asian women lawyers in the UK My choice of profession, especially being a woman, was frowned upon. I was told that law was a male territory, and openly discouraged from going ahead with it. I counted on my determination to succeed and was strongly backed by my parents in my pursuits. I believe my drive to establish a career in the legal field was so intense that the negativity or low moments that came my way only strengthened my resolve to succeed, says Reddy. Pavani is now one of the foremost Asian women lawyers in the UK, and also becoming the managing partner of the renowned international law firm, Zaiwalla & Co. Ive had the opportunity to add my name to some of the challenging and widely covered legal cases. This has been a great learning experience professionally and personally, says the 36-year-old, adding: A recent case that was challenging, and also received a lot of coverage, was where we represented the Iranian private bank, Bank Mellat. We won the case after successfully challenging the sanctions imposed on the bank by the UK and the European Council. An expert in arbitration, having recently won three London arbitrations for Indian clients, Reddy is also a proud feminist. She feels that there is still much to be done with regards to pay equality and career progression opportunities for women in the workplace. But, she adds, I also feel that the environment is increasingly getting better for women in business now. To me, it seems that there are now more opportunities for women to progress in their chosen careers. The playing field is slowly levelling out, and we are seeing more and more women breaking through the glass ceiling. In her line of work, there have been similar changes. Reddy explains: Things have also changed since the time I decided to pursue law. More and more women are pursuing law as a career option today. It should only get better from here. Speaking about my own experiences in the profession, she continues, I would say that the road travelled so far has been both smooth as well as winding. I have had lows, but I have also experienced some incredible highs. It might seem difficult at first, she says, but one needs to be passionate about ones task or responsibility to truly succeed. Baba Ramdev wantsto hold a yoga camp for students at Jawaharlal Nehru University After azaadi chants, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is getting ready to breathe in, breathe out. Baba Ramdev has planned a yoga camp on the campus. That is what babaji has expressed. He said we must organise a camp or shivir in JNU to teach students yoga there, to give them a right direction, healthy lifestyle and imbue positivity in their thoughts. He said that he will go to the JNU and teach yoga, though a concrete plan has not been chalked out right now, said SK Tijarawala, the chief spokesperson for Baba Ramdev. We have been teaching yoga to students, children and elderly and people from all walks of life. For example, we also go to jails. We are taking yoga to all sections of the society. In December last year, word had spread that Ramdev would speak at an academic convention in the university on Vedanta and Ayurveda, evoking strong reactions from a section of teachers and the students union (JNUSU). The yoga guru never made it to the university. The convention had been organised by the universitys Special Centre for Sanskrit Studies (SCSS) in collaboration with the Institute of Advanced Sciences, Dartmouth, United States, and the Centre for Indic Studies, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. Last time there was confusion. There was a programme about which we had not given our confirmation. Had we given confirmation, we surely would have gone there. We were ourselves shocked to hear from media reports that there was a controversy, Tijarawala said. The Left-dominated JNUSU told Mail Today that it had no problems with Ramdev teaching yoga. The ABVP welcomed the stand of the rest of the union and called it a true coming of democracy to the campus, referring to the aftermath of the February 9 Afzal Guru row. The Left-dominated JNUSU told Mail Today it had no problems with Ramdev teaching yoga (Picture for representation only). The last time he was called as a keynote speaker at a function and there were protests claiming that he was not qualified to speak. However, if he comes in his individual capacity as a yoga guru, we do not have a problem. We have never opposed to such things. Subramanian Swamy keeps coming to address ABVP programmes. There was no blanket opposition even the last time when Ramdev wanted to come, said JNUSU vice-president Shehla Rashid. JNUSU joint secretary Saurabh Sharma, the lone Right-wing voice in the students body, hailed Ramdevs acceptance as evidence of the ideological shift on the campus. Democracy has finally arrived in JNU after the unfortunate celebration of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat on February 9 when anti-India slogans were raised. The stand taken by the leftist block of the union is indicative of a paradigm shift on the campus. Earlier, these people protested against Baba Ramdev when they heard he was coming to address a seminar. Indian Constitution has finally won in JNU, said Sharma. The JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) also did not sound very keen to oppose the plan. They have to seek permission from the administration first, and then we do not have any problem. Earlier too, Ramdev had to come to the Sanskrit centre for some academic session. We heard in press that he had only cancelled it, said president JNUTA Ajay Patnaik. Another functionary of the JNUTA smiled at the proposal, saying yoga was already taught on the campus stadium and if Ramdev was so keen to teach JNU students and teachers he might as well consider coming every day in the morning. As a young girl, all Avani Chaturvedi wanted was to fly like a bird. Little did she know that not only would her childhood dream come true one day, but she would also go on to make history. Flying Cadets Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth, and Mohana Singh will shortly enter the history books by being the first three women cadets to be cleared to fly fighter aircraft in India. It doesnt feel very special just as yet. Our main focus is to undergo training and live up to the expectations of our instructors and excel in all examinations," says Flying Cadet Bhawana Kanth. Trailblazers: The three flying cadets (left to right) Mohana Singh, Bhawana Kanth and Avani Chaturvedi are undergoing flying training at Indian Air Force base, Hakempet. The three flying cadets are undergoing training at the Indian Air Force base in Hakempet, along with their male counterparts. There is no special treatment for the women cadets, who undergo the same rigorous training as the men. No concessions for us. Physical fitness or mental robustness, the tests are the same," says Flying Cadet Mohana Singh. While women pilots have been flying helicopters and transport aircraft since 1991 in the IAF, it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar who finally took the decision to open the cockpits of fighter aircraft for women. Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said the IAF will get its first female fighter pilots on June 18, 2016 There was some reluctance initially, but the IAF is now going all-out to make this experiment a success. This is a learning experience for us. This is the first time we will be putting women cadets in the fighter aircraft cockpit. There are lessons for all of us. We will benefit from these experiences," sources in the IAF headquarters said. The three women cadets have undergone the mandatory 55 hours of flying on Stage I trainer - the Pilatus PC 7 basic trainer. They are currently undergoing Stage II training on the Kiran Mark II. Once they clear this stage, they will graduate to the Advanced Jet Trainers (AJT) for fighter craft training. The IAF will get its first woman fighter pilot on June 18, 2016," Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, chief of air staff announced to thunderous applause while addressing a seminar on women in uniform - on the occasion of International Womens Day. The women cadets will have to clear every physical, mental and psychological test to be cleared to fly fighter jets. So far they are performing better than our expectations. They are mentally very alert and physically as fit meeting all the requirements. Once we put them in a fighter cockpit we will test them to take more than 5 G + (more than five times the gravitational pull the body experiences) while flying," sources added. The male fighter pilots undergo up to 9 G pull during some complex maneuvers. The women cadets will have to undergo the same before being cleared for combat fighter flying. The missions envisaged for women fighter pilots will be slightly different from their male counterparts initially, according to top sources in the IAF. The women fighter pilots will fly combat air patrols (CAPs) and protect Indian skies from hostile elements. They will not fly over enemy territory. Why put them or the country at risk of women fighter pilots being shot down over hostile territory, God forbid? There are several missions that are flown in our own territory which are as complex and require as much expertise, sources added. With the high-voltage West Bengal Assembly elections closing in, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has a lot to deal with already. But with recent clashes among supporters and dissent within the party coming out in the open, Banerjee has some firefighting to do. Trouble within the TMC spilled out in various districts of West Bengal as supporters protested with placards and banners expressing objections over candidates selected to stand for the assembly elections. On March 4, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee released the TMCs list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections Disgruntled TMC workers blocked roads, threatened to boycott elections, and hurled abuse at candidates demanding they be reconsidered. Supporters also expressed objections to Banerjees idea of para-dropping candidates, mostly celebrities and people from different walks of life. Camp trouble Seven-time legislator and senior CPI(M) leader Rezzak Mollah (who was Minister of Land and Land Reforms in the erstwhile Left Front government) was fielded from South 24-Parganas Bhangor constituency on a TMC ticket. Party activists burned his effigy and put up posters that read Murderer Rezzak, Harmar Rezzak in protest. A section of TMC workers, backed by a rival faction, also expressed dissatisfaction over the renomination of Singur legislator Rabindranath Bhattacharya. At Birbhums Nanur, the party selected outgoing MLA Gadadhar Hazra for the second time, despite vehement protests by another faction led by Kajal Sheikh. Tension has also been brewing in areas like Gokulpur, Deganga, Kandi in Murshidabad, Hemtabad in North Dinajpur, and Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar over the selection of candidates, party sources said. Besides facing trouble with candidate selections, supporters of TMC-backed factions also clashed in some troubled districts. In the wee hours on Tuesday, two people were killed and another severely injured in a crude bomb blast at Bharatpur, Murshidabad. The deceased have been identified as Minar Sheikh and Bashir Sheikh. The injured person, Azad Sheikh, was admitted to Kandi sub-divisional hospital with critical injuries. Sources said the trio were making crude bombs and one accidentally went off. Three large containers full of crude bombs were recovered from the site. The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought the Centre's view on a public interest litigation (PIL) to bring in plain packaging for cigarettes and other tobacco products. Laws have been passed in other countries on the basis that the jazzy covers and messages on cigarette packets attract more customers and make pictorial warnings useless. The petition, filed by a Allahabad-based lawyer Umesh Narain Sharma, contended that cigarette, bidi and gutka companies violated the rules pertaining to pictorial warnings on the packets of tobacco products and said that it defeated the whole purpose. The PIL said cigarette companies are publishing colourful pictures and messages on packets to divert customers' attention from pictorial warnings. (Pictures for representation) The Health Ministry had in September 2014 issued a notification making it mandatory for cigarette manufacturing companies to carry a statutory warning against smoking on both sides of a cigarette pack with a pictorial depiction of throat and mouth cancer covering at least 85 per cent of the package. Appearing for Sharma, who himself is bed-ridden after being afflicted by tongue cancer after continuous use of tobacco products for the past 40 years, advocate Aishwarya Bhati said the tobacco product companies have found a novel way of diverting attention of the customers from the pictorial warning by publishing various colourful pictures and messages on packets. Bhati argued that even the pictorial warnings occupied less than 40 per cent of one side, which is mandatory as per the Health Ministry rules. The PIL demanded plain packaging of tobacco products, as in several foreign countries like Australia. What was required was plain packaging in addition to the pictorial health warning as per provisions of Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products Act, 2003. The companies are making use of the delay in non-implementation of plain packaging of tobacco products. What they are doing is contrary to direction of courts, Indias international commitments, global best practice and is detrimental to the countrys fight against increas ing use of tobacco, and thus it violates Article 21 (right to life) of the Constitution of India, Bhati argued. At present, cigarettes are being packed in India in very attractive colours and the same are being displayed openly in open shops. Such colourful packaging draws the attention of the youths and it becomes an incentive in the mind of the immature youth to start smoking. But if plain packaging scheme is implemented then all the cigarettes brands shall be packaged in a common form, in a common colour, said the PIL. Only on a restricted part of the packet the name shall be displayed. On the rest of the packet, the health warning - as required under the rules - has to be printed. This can be done only under strict regulations. We have been informed that after implementation of the plain packaging rules in Australia, the sale of cigarettes has considerably reduced. Australia has adopted plain packaging in the year 2013, the PIL said. Delhi Universitys new Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Kumar Tyagi Delhi Universitys new Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Kumar Tyagi will finally be taking charge on Thursday. Tyagis joining was delayed as the Ministry of Human Resource and Development was busy handling the JNU affair. Sources said that all the paper work has been done now. Tyagi was working as a dean of the law faculty with South Asian University (SAU). The post of the vice-chancellor at Delhi University has been vacant ever since Dinesh Singh completed his tenure in November 2015. JNU's Right wing takes a Left turn The Right-wing in JNU has finally learnt the ways of the Left. The JNU ABVP held a talk-come-protest meet on World Womens Day. The women activists of the organisation went on a silent protest demonstration at the administrative block against what they called the witch-hunting, targeting and harassment of ABVP workers in general, and female activists in particular by students and teachers belonging to other ideologies, particularly the Left. They sported zero tolerance for ABVP girls placards and wore black bands in protest. Ministers hold Budget talks In a major outreach programme to explain the Budget provisions for the commoners, several Union ministers held media briefings on Tuesday with their teams. Union ministers Kalraj Mishra, JP Nadda, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Narendra Singh Tomar, Sadananda Gowda and Anant Geete held independent sessions with their respective ministries to explain the 2016-2017 Budget to them. Delhi Secretariat goes hi-tech Nine floors of Delhi Secretariat have been turned into Wi-Fi zones, which will bring relief to those visiting the building as there is a huge mobile network issue. Regular visitors and officers have been complaining of poor connectivity in the building. Free Wi-Fi service will allow access to easy communication and internet on portable devices. Free Wi-Fi was among the top promises of the AAP government. It is the second building to go Wi-Fi after Delhi Haat at INA. CISF plays good host to journos Acting like perfect hosts, senior CISF officials vacated their reserved seats for journalists who were invited to cover the annual press conference of DG CISF. Officials including DIGs and IGs were quick to offer their seats to the journalists who couldnt find place as the hall was packed. America's decision to sell eight additional F-16s to Pakistan is problematic for India. It exposes the disconnect between the stronger strategic and defence thrust the US wants to give to its ties with India, and decisions that damage Indias security and aggravate the strategic challenges we face in our neighbourhood. Balance This may look contradictory to us, but this is how the US exercises its global hegemony. The US will pursue its larger interests and assert its freedom of action even if its decisions do not meet the approval of its partners. The US has recently approved the sale of eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan Across tension-filled regions, it juggles between opposing sides, constantly engages them and even arms them. The effort is to maintain a degree of balance between adversaries and avoid the eruption of an actual conflict by using the leverage it acquires through building political and security links with them. We see this in West Asia in the Arab-Israeli conflict, and in the western Pacific in tensions between China and several of its neighbours. The US has forged exceptionally strong economic and financial ties with China that create a logic of their own in terms of how far they can go to confront it militarily, and has, at the same time, defence treaties with East Asian and Southeast Asian countries that would embroil it in a military stand-off if China became unacceptably assertive. High Tensions: Coming soon after the attack on India's Pathankot airbase, the timing of America's F-16 sale to Pakistan is awkward. (File picture). Having already pivoted towards China since 1974 and created a strategic imbalance in the region in time, the US is now pivoting against China and seeks re-balancing. The US is supplying additional F-16s to Pakistan knowing that India will react negatively. It has overlooked Indias concerns in the past about arming Pakistan, and will do so in the future. It believes that it has important equities in Pakistan and its representatives are quite clear that the US will not downgrade its relations with Pakistan to levels that would satisfy India. The US will calculate quite coldly that India has no option but to live with the American decision, as in the past. This is even more the case today when our overall relationship with the US has greatly improved, with numerous government-level dialogues, our bid for greater involvement of US companies in our growth ambitions, and, most importantly, expanding defence ties. That the US is emerging as Indias major defence partner despite its arms relationship with Pakistan conveys that we can live with this source of vexation. The cost to us of a downturn in our ties with the US becomes higher as our relationship grows, which gives it, as the stronger partner, more space to pursue policies in our region that go against our interests. Pakistan already possesses a large number of F-16s, and so the justification that it needs more for counter-terrorism operations is disingenuous. The US has to find a plausible justification for a controversial step, and enhancing capacity to combat terrorism serves as one. Terrorism It is ironical that a country most implicated in terrorism regionally, including against the US/ISF forces in Afghanistan, is supposedly receiving the means to fight against terrorists whom it incubated in the first place, and who now target Pakistan principally, not the West. A further irony in giving Pakistan additional means to fight terrorism is that the Taliban have stepped-up vicious terrorist attacks in Afghanistan under Pakistans watch, including against India by targeting its consulate in Jalalabad a few days ago. Pakistans duplicity is visible from the admission in Washington last week by its de facto Foreign Minister - despite vigorous denials in the past - that the Taliban leaders are located on Pakistani soil. Now that Pakistans links with the Taliban have become a diplomatic plus point instead of a liability, it can now admit to facts that it studiously hid earlier by claiming that Mullah Omar was never in Pakistan. It also tried to make-believe, contrary to facts, that Mullah Mansours anointment as his successor occurred on Afghanistan soil and not inside Pakistan. With the US, along with China, seeking Pakistans assistance in the reconciliation process and thereby endorsing a role for it in the evolution of the political situation within Afghanistan - which Pakistan channeled in the worst possible directions in the past - it can now openly confess to its sins without embarrassment. Disconnect Rewarding Pakistan with advanced weaponry contradicts the USs own push for an India-Pakistan dialogue. (File picture). From Indias point of view, the timing of the F-16 sale is wrong on many counts. Coming soon after the attack on our Pathankot airbase, it signals to Pakistan that its terrorist acts against India would not attract any serious rap-on-its-knuckles by the US, despite India and the US describing their mounting counter-terrorism cooperation as defining. Just when Narendra Modi re-opened the doors to a dialogue with Nawaz Sharif, which the Pakistani military wants to constrict, rewarding the latter with advanced weaponry contradicts the USs own push for an India-Pakistan dialogue. The delivery of F-16s builds General Raheel Sharifs stature, not that of Nawaz Sharif, which means that the distortions in the Pakistani polity caused by the dominant role of the armed forces that are responsible for Pakistans disruptive regional and nuclear polices, with the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy, will continue. The F-16 sale also highlights the disconnect between greater India-US strategic understanding in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, and serious gaps in their respective strategic perspectives pertaining to the region to Indias west. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Tuesday laid the blame for any violation of NGT directions on the Yamuna floodplain squarely on Art of Living (AOL). It told the National Green Tribunal (NGT): We told them, you get all the required sanctions, approvals and permits from relevant authorities: Political, judicial, municipal, etc. Regarding the compacting and levelling of marshland, the DDA counsel said: We asked them to proceed as per NGT directions (as given in a January 2015 order titled Maily Se Nirmal Yamuna). The construction work in progress on the Yamuna floodplains in Mayur Vihar. The World Culture Festival is expected to be attended by 35 lakh people from 155 countries. To this, NGT Chairperson, Justice Swatanter Kumar, asked him: Did you guys visit the floodplains even once after giving the permission? Was even one inspection done after handing over the land to AOL? Art of Livings World Culture Festival is slated to be held on the Yamuna riverbank, just across the DND Flyway, from March 11-13. AOL is the NGO of spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar. The events choice of location has attracted strong criticism and a petition in the green court. An NGT-appointed scientific panel has even recommended a fine of Rs 120 crore on AOL to restore the Yamuna sites natural vegetation. The judicial bench comprising Justices Swatanter Kumar, MS Nambiar, and expert members Dr DK Agrawal and BS Sajwan, asked some more tough questions of the attending counsels. It asked the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) why no environmental clearance is required for erecting structures on the Yamuna floodplain. At the same time, Justice Kumar asked AOL: As a conscientious organisation, tell us, did you conduct any environment assessment impact study on the river site before building there? Have you considered what impact your event will have on Yamuna, its biodiversity and pollution? The Green panel also questioned the building of a pontoon bridge by the Army on the Yamunas main channel for the event The Green Panel also questioned the building up of a pontoon bridge by the Army on the Yamunas main channel for the festival, and asked the DDA counsel who gave the permission for it. While the DDA said it was only required to give a no objection certificate for the bridge, the Delhi government submitted that its role for the pontoon bridge comes only at the time of the flood, and the MoEF passed the buck on to the Ministry of Water Resources. Advocate Rajiv Bansal, appearing for the DDA, defended the decision to grant permission for the event, saying it has given the nod with conditions that no permanent construction will be permitted. We asked them not to make any concrete (cement) structures, besides maintaining a safe distance from Yamuna and not dumping any sewage into the river. To this, Justice Kumar, said: But it is not necessary that cement be used to concretise. Even levelling and solidifying of the land is concretising. During the hearing, the DDA said the plea seeking a stay of construction activity was filed with a delay after the activity had started at the site and it needs to be dismissed. It said a constant watch is being maintained so that no debris or municipal waste is dumped on the Yamuna floodplain, and a running contractor is there to remove the debris, if any. The bench then said the DDA cant just wash its hands by saying no debris are there, as the photographs on record show the presence of waste at the site. The bench asked the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department under what authority of law the parking area was allotted, whether the parking area falls under the floodplain area, and whether AOL exceeded the area permitted? The counsel appearing for it said: It is, indeed a floodplain, but it has only been allotted for three days, to which Justice Kumar retorted: So can the government change land usage and policy on a temporary basis? The bench also asked the counsel whether thousands of cars making emissions will not cause pollution to the environment. To this, AOL counsel Saraswati Aksham Nath said: A request has been put in to the Millennium Bus Depot authorities to allow us to park cars there. The NGT is hearing pleas seeking an end to ongoing construction on the floodplain for the cultural festival. Sri Sri says villagers are happy By Mail Today Bureau in New Delhi Art of Living guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who is under fire for organising the massive World Culture Festival on the Yamuna floodplain, on Tuesday rubbished all allegations of ecological harm. He said: We will make a biodiversity park at the site. Ravi Shankar told reporters that not a single tree has been cut in the run-up to the World Cultural Festival to be held between March 11-13, and that four trees have only been trimmed in the river area. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar told reporters that not a single tree has been cut in the run-up to the World Cultural Festival Villagers said their buffaloes never went near the water in the past. Now, I have been informed by that those buffaloes have entered the water. The villagers are very happy. We will leave the place after making a biodiversity park there. In the past, our volunteers have brought out 512 tonne of garbage from Yamuna. We have not cut any trees, have just trimmed four. We want a clean Yamuna and we care about the environment, Ravi Shankar said. The event, to be held on the west bank of the Yamuna floodplain near the DND flyover, has been organised to celebrate 35 years of The Art of Living. The event is apparently being supported by the PM Modi-led central government and the Delhi government, among others, and is expected to attract around 35 lakh people. The Art of Living event has come under the scanner of the National Green Tribunal after a set of petitions were filed demanding its cancellation over concerns of potential permanent damage to the riverbed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the event on Friday. President Pranab Mukherjee, who was suppose to attend the valedictory function on Sunday, pulled out of the event in the wake of controversy, citing unavoidable circumstances. PM may say no to culture festival By Mail Today Bureau in New Delhi After President Pranab Mukherjees office said he would skip the AOL event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to take a call on attending the World Culture Festival now. Apparently, the Special Protection Group (SPG) has cited security concerns, sources said on Tuesday. The PM was supposed to inaugurate the event being organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankars Art of Living, on Friday. Art of Living's World Culture Festival is slated to be held on the Yamuna riverbank, just across the DND Flyway, from March 11-13 Meanwhile, the use of Army soldiers to build bridges on the Yamuna floodplains for a private event gave ammunition to the Congress on Tuesday to attack Modi. They said it was shameful and asked him if this is his type of nationalism and patriotism. The Art of Living foundation has said it will have yoga and meditation sessions, peace prayers by Sanskrit scholars, and traditional cultural performances from around the world. On the PMs visit, sources said, agencies fear a major stampede because of poor evacuation plans in case of any emergency. Only two pontoon bridges are in place even though seven bridges were proposed. Sources said the riverbed is not safe to accommodate such a large gathering. And no security agency is ready to certify the safety of the stage, sources said. The AOL has told the National Green Tribunal that police have not yet given them permission as fire clearance is still pending. The PM is scheduled to inaugurate the event on February 11, but sources said he is still considering whether to attend the event or not. Opposition party the JD(U) gave a notice in the Rajya Sabha to raise the issue of environmental degradation. The last few days have been an eye-opener. The first shocker was the distressing news that the Defence Ministry had asked Indian Army Jawans to build (pontoon) bridges for a private event on the banks of Yamuna river. Is this the job of the Jawan? Is this the respect that the Modi government gives to our Jawans? What is the justification of using the Army as contract labourers? the AICC said in a commentary. The AICC said it is shameful that one of the worlds largest and the bravest armies is asked to do the bidding of a private organisation. Is this your Nationalism, Mr PM? the party asked. Beleaguered Vijay Mallyas desire to spend more time in England with his children may not be fulfilled anytime soon. The Supreme Court (SC) has agreed to hear a plea from 13 banks with loans of more than Rs 9,000 crore to Mallya's firm seeking to restrain the former airline chief from leaving India. Previously, while resigning as chairman of United Spirits Limited (USL) on February 25, Mallya had said: Having recently turned 60, I have decided to spend more time in England closer to my children. Out of pocket: Beleaguered Vijay Mallyas desire to spend more time in England with his children may not be fulfilled anytime soon with 13 banks seeking to restrain the troubled tycoon from leaving India Chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian joined the issue taking an apparent dig at Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) and Mallya. Without naming Kingfisher Airlines, Subramanian told Mumbai University students: Lets say there is a Woodpecker Airlines. And say Woodpecker Airlines also makes intoxicants ... say Eagle Breweries. "What we find is that Woodpecker Airlines is being very inefficient, but for some reason we havent been able to make sure that those who ran Woodpecker at that time, they made a lot of mistakes they havent actually paid the cost for those mistakes. So, thats an example of weak institutions which prevent exit. When attorney general Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the banks, mentioned the matter for urgent hearing, a Bench comprising of Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur and Justice U.U. Lalit called for a hearing the following day. The consortium of banks, in its appeal, has challenged the March 4 order of the Karnataka High Court (HC) refusing an ex-parte ad interim order against Mallya, England-based Diageo Plc, and United Spirits Limited (USL). The banks said that the High Court should have passed an interim order securing their financial interests. Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan, Pakistan's Interior Minister, confirmed the infiltration report in the county's upper House In a move which raised several eyebrows in Pakistan, Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan, the countrys powerful Interior Minister, confirmed on Wednesday that 10 terrorists had entered India from Pakistan. Chaudhary Nisar told members of the upper House that the Pakistani government had shared the information with India as well. Ten terrorists had entered India from Pakistan. We have alerted Indian side about this," Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan told members of upper House. Three days earlier, Pakistans National Security Adviser (NSA) Nasir Khan Janjua reportedly shared the same intelligence report with his Indian counterpart. However, this was the first time that a key minister of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs Cabinet confirmed the same on the record. Chaudhary Nisar, however, claimed that it was non-state actors who have long been attacking India. He added that the Indian side has sadly been blaming Pakistan. There were media reports quoting officials from the Indian Intelligence agencies saying that this infiltration is aimed at creating disturbances around Shivaratri. Earlier on Tuesday, Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to the PM on Foreign Affairs, said the sharing of intelligence among various nations of the world is a routine practice, but this time it was somehow leaked to the media. Intelligence sharing between intelligence agencies is something that happens in all parts of the world, and Pakistan has also been doing it with its counterparts for many years, he said at a joint press conference with the British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Philip Hammond in Islamabad. The infiltration was intended to create disturbance around Shivratri, according to reports The only thing unusual about this case is that usually such intelligence-sharing is not leaked to the media. In this case, it was done, he added. Aziz refused to divulge further details when asked to do so. It has been bitterly cold and energy firms refuse to pass on gigantic falls in the cost of wholesale oil and gas. Youve switched suppliers (it could save you 301 a year), but still feel as if youre being ripped off. Theres only one thing left to do: take matters into your own hands by using cunning tricks to slash your energy usage. Were often told to use special light bulbs, turn the TV off at the mains and stop filling the kettle. But are these energy-saving tips really worth the hassle - and just how much can you save? Washing machine: Running it at night can be cheaper than using it in the day, but only if you are on a special energy tariff SHOWER, DONT BATH Many people swear that having a shower instead of a bath uses less water and saves money. This can save you 20 a year on heating - and up to 25 on water bills, too. However, theres a catch: you have to limit yourself to a four or five-minute wash for it to make a difference. Shower for more than ten minutes and you might actually add to costs. VERDICT: Ignore the shower myth - whether it makes a difference will be a very close call. USE AN ECO SHOWER HEAD Eco shower heads give you the same pressure as a normal shower but use less energy by injecting air into the stream. Using one could save you just over 16p every time you shower - shaving 67 a year off your gas and 100 off your water bill (based on a family taking 20 showers a week). The attachments cost around 35. VERDICT: This will pay for itself in less than three months. So if you take more showers than baths, its definitely worth considering. Switch off plugs? It can cost you 2p a night per appliance on standby, 7.30 over the course of a year TURN DOWN THE HEAT Its the old classic: turn your heating down by one degree and put on a jumper. Experts say you should set your thermostat to 18 degrees and turn it up by one degree a day until you find a temperature you are happy with. Bringing your heating down just one notch you could save an average of 90 a year. VERDICT: It makes sense - but be reasonable. If youre cold youve gone too far. SWITCH OFF PLUGS One of the most common bits of advice for households is not to leave televisions and mobile phone chargers plugged in. It can cost you 2p a night per appliance on standby - 7.30 over the course of a year. In total youll pay an average of 30 a year more than you need to if you leave them on. VERDICT: This is a no-brainer. Just leave the fridge on. BOIL LESS WATER So what about only boiling the water you need to make a cup of tea? The average person uses their kettle five times a day thats 44p a week in electricity. If you stop overfilling you could save 7 a year, says charity Energy Saving Trust. VERDICT: Is it worth the hassle for such a paltry saving? SWITCH OFF LIGHTS Should you turn off the lights if you are only leaving the room for a minute? Or does it cost more to switch them back on? A fluorescent tube bulb uses 500 times more energy if left on for 15 minutes than is needed to restart it. The average household spends 70 a year on lighting - if you turn the lights out every time you a leave a room you can save 15 a year. VERDICT: Children tend to be the biggest culprits - remind them to turn switches off. LEAVE HAIR WET Hair dryers seem like theyre guzzling energy - particularly expensive ones. The question is whether ditching the electricity-eating appliance and towel-drying your hair is worth the effort. A typical drier costs about 3 a year to run, according to Energy Saving Trust so 12 for a family of four. VERDICT: Surprisingly, hair dryers are cheap to run. So no need to upend your routine. Close the curtains: Doing so can save the average family up to 100 a year COVER UP PANS Covering saucepans saves energy because the heat is kept in and food cooks quicker. A Government study suggests doing this saves you an average 120 kilowatt hours of energy per year - but annual savings are small. If you have gas hobs, it works out at about 5. For electric hobs, it would be 17. VERDICT: A simple change thats useful if you have electric hobs. But the savings are too small to risk your dinner. WASH YOUR CLOTHES AT NIGHT Running your washing machine at night can be cheaper than using it in the day. But this is only true if you are on a special energy tariff called Economy 7 which gives you cheaper power at night. If you do have this type of energy meter you could reduce the cost of running a washing machine from 24 a year to 12. VERDICT: Only do this if you have the right meter. FIT LOW-ENERGY BULBS Older light bulbs drain energy. So replacing them with energy-saving ones seems sensible. But what to choose and when? You have two options - compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs). CFLs typically cost more than a traditional bulb but will each save you 3 a year. LEDs are more expensive but can last more than 20 years. Changing every bulb in your house will cost around 100 and save about 35 each year. VERDICT: A good long-term investment. But replace bulbs as and when they need it. CLOSE THE CURTAINS Can keeping curtains closed at night help insulate your house and reduce bills? Academics at the University of Salford found it could reduce heat loss by up to 17 per cent. This would save the average family up to 100 a year. VERDICT: A hugely effective way of keeping costs down. GRAB A CHEAPER ENERGY DEAL By Victoria Bischoff First Utility has launched the cheapest energy deal the UK has seen in five years. The First Fixed April 2017 v7 gas and electricity tariff will cost a typical household using 12,500 kilowatt (kWh) of gas and 3,100 kWh of electricity, just 751 a year. This is 415 cheaper than the average standard deal with a Big Six supplier. There is a 60 exit fee if you switch to a different deal before the year is up. And you must be able to manage your account online and pay by monthly direct debit. The next cheapest deals are Flow Energys Connect 6 and Places for Peoples Together September 2017 Fixed 32 tariff, both costing 752. Npower is the only Big Six supplier to make it into the top ten cheapest tariff list with its Fixed Energy Online April 2017 deal at 772, says price comparison site uSwitch. Mark Carneys Brexit appearance before the Treasury Select Committee was a high voltage affair with the Eurosceptic tendency fearful that the Bank of England has been taken over by a gang of traitors. The idea that the Bank is in some way acting on the bidding of the Downing Street machine must be discounted. Nevertheless, the Canadian governor does appear to have a more benign view of the EU and eurozone than his two immediate predecessors, the late Eddie George and Mervyn King. Carney and deputy governor Jon Cunliffe are more creatures of their backgrounds than of the Europhile tendency. Carney as chairman of Financial Stability Board and Cunliffe as a former Downing Street adviser on Europe and HMGs man in Brussels spent a huge amount of time with their Continental counterparts. They are part of a Davos tendency which would rather be in the tent than on the outside. In: Mark Carney, pictured, and deputy governor Jon Cunliffe are part of a Davos tendency which would rather be in the tent than on the outside, says Alex Brummer They are, of course, right to point out that Brexit would be uncomfortable on the markets and that some jobs in banking would be lost if the UK lost the current regulatory passport arrangements which allow banks to offer services across the other 27 EU countries. What is less convincing is the view that somehow Britain is a more dynamic economy as part of the EU than it would be out, and that the eurozone can be trusted not to interfere with the financial systems of the non-eurozone members. All we see of Europe, since 2000 at least, is the increasing economic power of Germany, the build-up of an unsustainable trade surplus there of 8 per cent of total output and ghastly unemployment levels in ClubMed. Far from being more dynamic the eurozone is stifling growth across the region and Germanys trade surpluses are destabilising for the whole international economy. As for financial rule making, David Camerons negotiated freedom from eurozone rules is far from watertight. We have seen the vulnerability of our own financial system to Brussels with measures such as the ban on short selling and bonus restrictions. The best line for the Leave campaign from the Bank of Englands letter is recognition that financial chaos and indecision in the eurozone may have impact on our own stability. Of course it will. When Brussels and Frankfurt sat on their hands in 2008, it was the UK Treasury which came rushing to the assistance of the Irish banking system. The UK also has been intimately involved in rescuing Cyprus and banks such as Barclays have been rushing for the European door. Economic stagnation and financial paralysis in the EU, our biggest trading partner, cannot be helpful. Paying its way Of all of last years London public offerings Worldpay was the most significant. Not only was it the largest, with a current market value of 5.2billion, but it is in the most interesting space. Its former parent the Royal Bank of Scotland may still be struggling to sell its shares but Worldpay is having no such trouble. This is because the company, brought to the market by private equity firms Bain and Advent, is seen as a potential British leader in FinTech. Its problem, if it has one, is its recent roots in private equity. Much of the evidence from other firms which have been through this form of ownership suggests that there is very little left on the table for the succeeding generation of investors. The companys first results since going public are in line with expectations with earnings, before all the bad stuff is written off, 8 per cent higher at 406million. Most of the Worldpays income comes from processing credit cards in shops, cafes and restaurants. But it is also heavily involved in ecommerce with the hipster brands of Netflix and Airbnb among its clients. The danger is that is an increasing crowded space where Americas Paypal has real traction and where Apple through Apple Pay and Amazon are gaining increasing footfall. At the Daily Mails local branch of Whole Foods supermarket Apple Pay comes up first on the devices at the tills, before the regular credit cards processed by Worldpay. Among the reasons why the shares were marked down after the results is because Worldpay spent 550million on building a new platform. If Britain is ever to compete with Silicon Valley and create its own digital leaders, City investors and analysts need to rethink the way they look at tech companies. R&D and investment over the long haul will be far more important than the dividend. Amazon has continued to expand into ever more areas by reinvesting almost all its earnings. Tech requires more patience than we are accustomed to in the Square Mile. Nikkei challenge Running media groups in these days of digital transformation is not easy. New proprietors of the FT, employee owned Nikkei, are finding the going tough. Print advertising is falling as younger readers seek free online content. Nevertheless, Nikkei is still delivering reasonable profits of $90million despite the stresses and strains. Scandal hit Volkswagen told staff they will be handed a well-earned bonus for the year in which the firm was caught cheating over the emission levels from 11m diesel engines. The German car giant held crisis talks with staff on Tuesday reassuring them about the future of the disgraced firm. It came officials revealed almost three times as many employees were now under investigation over the scandal than it had first revealed. Emissions scandal: Prosecutors widened their probe from the six employees under investigation to 17 Prosecutors widened their probe from the six employees under investigation to 17. And in a further development France opened a formal investigation into suspected aggravated fraud by Volkswagen. A prosecutor had already opened a preliminary inquiry in October, and police had carried out searches at the German car makers offices in France, seizing computer data. Volkswagen has said 946,092 vehicles in France were equipped with engines containing the cheat software. Yesterday Volkswagens chairman Matthias Muller said he was deeply impressed with his loyal staff who will receive an undisclosed bonus for 2015 which was well-earned and justified. We are laying the foundation for the renewal of the group in 2016, he said. Volkswagen is more than just a crisis. I am deeply impressed by the way our employees are standing by Volkswagen despite everything that has happened and how everyone is working to confirm, the trust of our customers. Mueller told employees at the Wolfsburg headquarters that the emission scandal will inflict substantial and painful financial damage on the carmaker. He said the scandal will keep VW busy for a long time. There is still no fix for nearly 600,000 cars affected in the United States almost six months after the scandal broke. In the extraordinary presentation delivered to 20,000 workers German politicians also pledged their support for the troubled firm. Overweight bears came out to play again following truly shocking Chinese trade figures. Exports in February plummeted 25.4 per cent year-on-year to $126.1billion, the worst since 2009, and compared with economists expectations of a decline of around 14.5 per cent. Imports fell 13.8 per cent year-on-year, worse than the 12 per cent forecast. The ugly reminder that growth in Chinas economy, the worlds biggest consumer of metals, is slowing down saw all the major miners get mauled for the umpteenth time this year. Their depressing performance dragged the Footsie 56.96 points lower to 6125.44. China's slowdown: Exports fell more than 25% last month - the worst since 2009 Making matters even worse for Glencore, 18 per cent or 31p down at 139.75p, was news that two workers at its Katanga Mining copper and cobalt operation in south eastern Democratic Republic of Congo died on Tuesday and five remain missing after a pit wall collapsed. The group said a search for the remaining five individuals continues with all available resources allocated to the search and rescue operations. Anglo American, which had rallied spectacularly from an end-January low of 215.6p, dropped 15 per cent or 97.2p to 530.9p, while Antofagasta lost nearly 10 per cent or 56p to 536.5p, Rio Tinto more than 9 per cent or 211p to 2026p, BHP Billiton 8.5 per cent or 76.4p to 821.4p and Fresnillo 34.5p, or 3.6 per cent, to 917p. The FTSE 250 dropped 177.4 points to 16,654.03 and its biggest casualty was copper miner Vedanta Resources, nearly 13 per cent or 48.5p cheaper at 332.7p. Wall Street closed more than 100 points off following the weak Chinese data and after the oil prices lost some of recent gains. Tullow Oil slipped 16.6p to 206p and oil services group Amec Foster Wheeler 33p to 460.3p. Floated at 240p in October, payments processor Worldpay declined 14.1p to 277.8p following in-line results. Analysts were apparently concerned that the company still plans to invest 9 per cent of net revenues in an effort to stay ahead of its rivals. Luxury fashion house Burberry showed the rest of the Footsie a clean pair of high heels, touching 1468p before closing 91p better at 1462p. Buyers took a closer look following reports it is trying to identify a mystery investor who has built up a near-5 per cent stake in the company. It has apparently spoken to financial advisers Robey Warshaw and Morgan Stanley about the shareholding. Drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline rose 25p to 1400p following confirmation that patients with severe asthma experienced a significant improvement when treated with Nucala, the brand name for an under the skin injection of its mepolizumab drug, compared to placebo. A Berenberg downgrade to sell from hold and price target to 340p from 470p dragged hotel group Millennium & Copthorne 20p lower to 412.4p. The broker says recent full-year results were weak. The company has given a very cautious outlook, the development and refurbishment pipeline is becoming increasingly expensive and management remains adamant that there is no possibility of asset sales. Walker Greenbank, the luxury interior furnishings group, put on 3p to 208p after receiving an interim insurance payment of 8million in connection with the flooding last year at Standfast & Barracks, the companys fabric printing factory in Lancaster. It was blue skies all the way for RapidCloud as shares of the cloud computing infrastructure provider soared 10.25p or 30 per cent to 44.75p. Investors appetites were whetted by the announcement it has signed a strategic partnership and distributorship with the international business and cloud computing arm of Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group. Under the terms of the partnership with Alibaba.com Singapore E-commerce, the company will be able to offer AliClouds public cloud infrastructure, consulting, managed services, training and support across its offices in South East Asia. Broadcaster STV, in which Crispin Odeys fund sits on 7.6 per cent, featured a gain of 20p at 445p. Director Anne Marie Cannon bought 9,042 shares at 440p a pop. Victoria Carpets rolled out a gain of 50p at 1333p after confirming it is engaged in early talks to buy Belgian rival, Lano Carpets. Vertu Motors accelerated to 75p on a bullish trading update before profit-taking slammed the brake on and the close was 2.5p off at 68.5p. The company expects full-year trading to be ahead of expectations. The announcemnent that Gulf Keystone Petroleum has received an 8.45million net payment from the Kurdish Regional Government for January sales left the share price underwhelmed at 13.75p, down a penny, or by nearly 7 per cent. It's early morning in the fashionable Plum + Spilt Milk restaurant in Kings Cross, central London, but Joanne Segars has already found time for her favourite pastime. Shes been out and about, snapping portraits of strangers on her camera. The engaging boss of the Pensions And Lifetime Savings Association loves photographing people minding their own business. How fitting that the woman responsible for looking after the pension schemes of millions of people shes never met, should spend her free time capturing the lives of strangers. Responsibilities: Joanne Segars manages 900billion in savings across the private and public sector Like many she snaps today, Joanne is passing through. Shes just off to Edinburgh for the PLSAs investment conference. As she eats her eggs benedict, she expresses surprise at George Osbornes decision to end speculation about pensions tax reforms. We could sense the politics was getting very difficult. It was interesting to me that we hadnt heard any real hint of the option which might be chosen, Segars says. The representative of 17million pensions managing 900billion in savings across the private and public sector might expect to be alerted to big changes. But that has not always been George Osbornes way. Like all Chancellors, he likes to pull a rabbit out of the hat as when he announced pensions freedoms in 2014 without having consulted the industry. Pensioners were given the right to invest or spend their pots, instead of having to buy an annuity. In the build-up to next Wednesdays Budget, much of the speculation focused on three possible changes: A cut in the lifetime allowance, which Osborne had already brought down from 1.8million to 1million; an end to higher-rate tax relief; or the introduction of a pensions ISA. The latter would have transformed pensions saving. Instead of workers getting tax relief when they paid into a plan, they would pay no tax when they retired. PHOTOGRAPHY FAN WITH AN EYE ON YOUR SAVINGS Full Name: Joanne Segars Age: 52 Family: Partner, David Coats Hobbies: Travel, photography Favourite gadget: A purple Fitbit health monitor Box set: House of Cards Reading: A stack of unread volumes! Career: Graduated from Liverpool Poly with a BA in Economics before doing an MA in Industrial Relations at the University of Warwick. Joined the TUC as a senior policy officer looking at pensions. In 2001 she became head of pensions and savings at the Association of British Insurers. Became chief executive of the National Association of Pension Funds (now the PLSA) in 2006 and is still enjoying it. Working Day: Not a massively early starter. Arrives at the office at 8.45am after breakfasting on porridge and coffee. Eggs benedict a special treat. Look over the media coverage on pensions and see if there are any issues to be discussed or statements to be issued. Rest of the day spent in meetings with staff, government officials and often ministers. Will think about big conference agendas and discussing with colleagues the direction of policy. Tends to have a working lunch in the office and leaves at 7pm. Heads to the gym to try and run 5km. Works through emails when she gets home. Spare time: As when we meet, she enjoys taking candid street photographs in the hip London borough of Shoreditch, where she lives. Segars suggests several reasons for the Treasury retreat, adding: Short-term, it was the politics. You could see the mood music changing through the Daily Mail and other papers. You could sense that backbenchers were starting to get quite unhappy. The overlay on that was Europe and the unrest and disquiet. But, most importantly, she said: They were finding it genuinely difficult to make a policy stamp on either of the main options flat-rate pensions relief or the ISA. In spite of a career in which she spent 13 years working in pensions for the TUC, she doesnt see todays system, in which relief is biased towards higher-rate taxpayers, as particularly unfair. Its very easy to say that lots of tax relief goes to higher-rate taxpayers, but theyre the people that pay more tax in retirement. She also disputes claims that the 1million limit on pension pots is too high. You dont have to be terribly highly paid to be caught by the 1million limit, she says. The real question, she says, in an era when there are so many calls on younger peoples incomes, is how to incentivise more saving. She is still not ruling out changes in the Budget. But Segars wants to see more stability and a long-term vision. She thinks the best way to do this is to have a second Pension Commission, a follow-up to Adair Turners report in 2005, which set the scene for the higher, improved flat-rate state pension and introduced auto-enrolment. She adds: How do we make sure more people are saving more for the long-term and can we help people when it comes to the end of their pensions saving? We need to make a bigger pot for more people. 'The big success of the Turner Commission was the political consensus, which is sticking but could easily start to peel. Segars thinks such a commission could look at inter-generational problems, such as millennials who begin working later than previous generations because of education changes and arrive loaded with student debt and facing an increasingly expensive housing ladder. At the other end of the age spectrum there is concern about the ageing population, which presents its own problems. Segars says: What about a link between pensions and long-term care? Today, she launches a defined benefit taskforce to look at the future of final-salary pensions. One model is reshaping local-government schemes, of which the PLSA represents 72 of a total of 101. She said: They are pooling assets. That might be something we could do in the private sector to give investment efficiencies. She thinks the PLSA is in a good position, if funds are pooled, to invest in the UKs infrastructure at a time when pension funds are desperate for new asset classes. It has set up its own infrastructure investment manager, with 1billion committed to UK building. World leaders must act now to prevent the global economy from being blown off course, the International Monetary Fund said yesterday. Speaking in Washington, the watchdogs second-in-command David Lipton said the global economy is clearly at a delicate juncture and there is a growing risk of another crisis. The risk of economic derailment has grown, Lipton warned, citing concerns about the sharp retrenchment in trade as economies around the world have slowed down. Warning: David Lipton, IMF's first deputy managing director, said the risk of economic derailment has grown The concerns were underlined by dire trade figures from China, which registered the biggest monthly drop in exports since the financial crisis. The worlds second biggest economy said exports dropped 25.4 per cent in February from a year earlier the sharpest fall since 2009. Imports also fell 13.8 per cent, after an 18.8 per cent fall in January. The slowdown in China which grew at its slowest pace in a quarter of a century last year has contributed to the rout in commodity prices which has spooked financial markets around the world. Lipton said this has created fresh concerns about the health of the global economy. He said that these concerns are partly being fed by a perception that policymakers have run out of ammunition or lost the resolve to deploy it. More than three million jobs will be created over the next decade as British workers swap the factory floor for offices, schools and hospitals, according to a report published today. The number of jobs in the UK will soar to an all-time high of nearly 37million in 2025 as people work longer and migrants come to Britain in search of employment. But the number of manufacturing jobs will fall by 600,000 while some 3.6million new opportunities are created in the rapidly expanding services sector. By 2025, less than 5.5 per cent of the workforce is expected to be in manufacturing, down from 7.7 per cent today and more than 35 per cent in 1961, as advances in technology and robotics cost jobs. The analysis, by PricewaterhouseCoopers, underlines the dramatic change in the workforce as manufacturing declines and other sectors prosper. The UK has been a powerful job-creating machine in recent years and the dominant story of the last century has been the rise of services, says PwC chief economist John Hawksworth. Manufacturing accounts for less than 10 per cent of UK jobs and there is little prospect of this reversing. The report comes after official figures yesterday showed manufacturing growth of 0.7 per cent in January the first expansion for four months. A separate report from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research showed GDP grew by just 0.3 per cent in the three months to February. Jack Meaning, research fellow at NIESR, said the start of the year has been subdued setting the scene for a bleak Budget next week. Santiago Uribe's arrest over claims is politically motivated, says his brother In the burning heat of the Colombian sun, a red Toyota careered through the quiet streets of Yarumal, blaring its horn. Tied to its back bumper was the body of a young man, with a sign around his neck with the words: 'I am an extortionist. The 'extortionist' in question was Vicente Varela's - and he had just become the latest victim of the legendary '12 Apostles' a vigilante mob behind the murders of 50 petty criminals in a 20-year reign of terror. Scroll down for video Allegations: The brother of former president of Colombia president Alvaro Uribe (pictured) is being held by detectives over his alleged involvement in a notorious far-right death squad known as the '12 Apostles' Seized: Alvaro's younger brother Santiago (pictured) is accused of masterminding the vigilante gang with witnesses claiming he was known as El Abuelo - meaning 'The Grandfather' Headquarters: The '12 Apostles' are accused of being behind dozens of vigilante murders which terrorised Yarumal, in Antioquia State, Colombia A far-right death squad made up of outwardly respectable members of the community, the Apostles were a blood-thirsty band of brothers made up of police officers, businessmen and even a priest, it is alleged. Their blood-thirsty reign has been described by many as social cleansing meting out vigilante retribution to petty criminals, drug dealers and guerrilla sympathisers. The Apostles had a notorious reputation and were utterly without compassion. Their victims would just 'disappear', usually under the cover of darkness, from their homes or as they walked the streets of the small town. As well as petty criminals among their alleged victims were the homeless and the poor. One, Luis Armando Holguin Jurado, unwittingly moved his family onto private land without realising the land belonged to one of the Apostles. Luis paid no attention to the warnings to clear his family off the land, and on the night of August 12 1993 armed men burst into his home. Close to midnight, a group of men dressed all in black as was the custom for this group when they carried out executions dragged him from his bedroom, semi-naked, and snatched his youngest daughter from his arms, the State Attorney said in apology to the Apostles victims' families. Connected: Photos show Santiago (far right) with some of Colombia's most notorious gangsters. Here he is in the company of Fabio Ochoa (left), founder of the Medellin Cartel along with drug lord Pablo Escobar Accusations: Alvaro Uribe (left) has accused current Colombia president Juan Manuel Santos, of ordering his brother Santiago's (right) arrest to quash dissent Trouble: Santiago's (pictured) arrest is considered the most decisive step in an investigation which has hung over the heads of the Uribe family for 20 years As he stood barely dressed in his home, the men shot Luis dead while his wife and his three young children looked on. After his death, almost all those living on the Apostle members land abandoned their homes terrified the same thing would happen to them. On September 7 1993, Oscar Hernan Upegui Saldarriaga was gunned down in the street by masked Apostles hit men. I saw him with my own eyes, carrying weapons and carrying radios. Santiago Uribe, with my own eyes. Farmhand Eunisio Alfonso Pineda The authorities did nothing to prevent his death or pursue those responsible, the state attorney said - adding: The 12 Apostles ended up believing that they could do anything guided only by hatred, the desire for revenge or mere arbitrariness about whether their fellow men should be allowed to live. If they didnt fit their particular vision of the world, they would be executed without trial and without the slightest hint of compassion. And last week the Apostles' story took a fresh twist when the former Colombia president's younger brother was arrested accused of being the gang's ringleader. While Alvaro Uribe was rising up the political ranks to become the Colombia president his younger brother Santiago was leading the lawless gang in a murderous reign of terror, it is claimed. A key witness against Santiago is former police chief Juan Carlos Meneses who claims Santiago led the gang from his La Carolina cattle ranch. In his testimony Meneses says when he first arrived in Yarumal, Antioquia State, in 1994 he was ordered to cover the operations of the Apostles. [My boss] said to me, "you have to collaborate with them; the group has a boss called Santiago Uribe Velez. In return for turning a blind eye, Meneses says he received $2,000 a month delivered personally by Santiago. Investigation: Former police chief Juan Carlos Meneses claims he received $2,000 a month from Santiago in exchange for ignoring the Apostles' criminal activities Outrage: Supporters protested after the former Colombia president's brother was held on suspicion of leading the Apostle death squad By that time the Apostles had already been established in the town for at least two years and some 29 murders had already been reported. Over the next few years at the height of their violence they were allegedly behind 164 crimes, including at least 50 murders, all planned and executed from the Urbine family farm. Santiago led the group, which included restaurant owner Alvaro Vasquez and Catholic priest Father Palacio. Father Palacio's alleged role was to befriend congregation members, listen to their confessions about friends who were anti-government sympathisers and report them to the Apostles. He later told detectives the Apostles did not exist and were a figment of the town's imagination. But he wasnt able to explain away a .38 calibre revolver discovered hidden inside a bible in a police raid on his property in December 1995. Terrorised: The small of Yarumal was plagued by the murderous '12 Apostles' death squad in a 10-year reign Small town: Yarumal in Antioquia State, 300 miles north west of the capital Bogata has a population of 35,000 people While Meneses is the key witness more names have come forward to finger Santiago. Former paramilitary chief Salvatore Mancuso currently serving a lengthy sentence in a U.S. federal prison supported his claims, along with farm labourer Eunisio Alfonso Pineda. Pineda gave his testimony in Santiago, Chile, where he had fled in fear for his life. He claimed Santiago went by the nickname of El Abuelo or The Grandfather, and that he had regularly seen armed men in military uniforms at the family ranch. He said: 'I saw him with my own eyes, carrying weapons and carrying radios. Santiago Uribe, with my own eyes. He told of the time his fellow workers said they had witnessed the Apostles in action. 'They told me "last night we took someone from the house up there", and the next day he turned up in some place, dead.' Pineda said the first time he came into contact with the Apostles was when a gang member called 'Rodrigo' offered him $100 and gave him a gun to work with Santiago Uribe. When Pineda refused Rodrigo shot someone dead in front of him. 'Now you're in up to your neck,' he was told, and warned he would be next unless he joined them. Despite trying to flee, the group eventually caught up with Pineda, threatened him, tried to pull out his teeth with pliers and then shot him through the hand before he was able to escape again. Although in unbearable pain, Pineda couldn't go to the local hospital because the Apostles, he claimed, used it as a hunting ground for the ones who had got away. The La Carolina ranch is still believed to be home to mass graves belonging to the Apostles victims. Meanwhile, the Uribe brothers continue to claim that the murky allegations against them have been concocted by Alvaros political enemies. Speaking out: Farm worker Eunisio Alfonso Pineda also claims he saw Santiago carrying weapons Fury: Leader of the opposition, congressman Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, at a protest after Santiago's arrest Last week when Alvaro addressed the claims for the first time, he accused the current Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos, of ordering the arrest to quash dissent. While there is no concrete evidence against the former Colombia president, the claims against his brother could leave the US in an uncomfortable position. Alvaro has been a long-trusted caretaker of US money in the fight against armed groups and the cocaine trade. Marcia Clark suffered much public humiliation over the course of the OJ Simpson trial - but no incident was more difficult for the prosecutor than when nude photos of her taken years earlier were sold to a tabloid. It was five months into the Simpson trial when The National Enquirer published photos of Clark taken in September 1979 topless on a beach in St. Tropez with her first husband Gaby Horowitz. The photos had been sold to the tabloid by Horowitz's mother Clara, more than a decade after her son's divorce from Clark. Scroll down for video Bad news: Nude photos of Marcia Clark (above in September 1979 with first husband Gaby Horowitz) were sold to The National Enquirer five months into the OJ Simpson trial in February 1995 Happy couple: Clark and her second husband Gordon Clark (above) at an event in 1990 'It didn't bother me as much on a personal level as it did professionally,' Clark recently told People about the publication of the photos. 'How the media was treating me was of much less concern than how [Judge Lane Ito] was treating me in the courtroom. 'Everyone forgot about [murder victims Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson], and it became this enormous circus.' She also added that she was grateful her two sons with her second husband Gordon, Kyle and Travis, 'were too young to remember any of the trial'. Kyle was five and Travis was just two in February 1995 when the photos ran in the tabloid. American Crime Story: The People V. OJ Simpson depicted the moment Clark learned about the nude photos on Tuesday's episode. Horowitz and Clark (pictured in the late 70s) got married in 1976. Horowitz revealed that Clark's hair was already thinning in her 20s (left) and she sometimes wore a wig Clark (left) and Horowitz (center) pose on another beach during their European vacation in the late 70s Clark (played by Sarah Paulson) is called into the office of her boss, Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti (played by Bruce Campbell), who produces a copy of the tabloid. Clark is standing naked on the beach in just her bikini bottom in one photo with her arm around Horowitz. The Enquirer placed a black bar over her breasts. Garcetti assumes the photos are fake and promises Clark they will sue the tabloid, but she quickly informs him that they are in fact real and the man is her first husband - also prompting her to disclose that she had been married before. After this Clark is forced to return to the trial, and is shown being met with intense stares as she enters the courtroom. Master player: The book writrten by Clark's first husband Gaby Horowitz Judge Lance Ito (played by Kenneth Choi) announces as soon as she sits at the table, trying to hold back her tears, that he is recessing court until the next morning. In real life, this is almost exactly how things played out for Clark. The Washington Post reported soon after that her former mother-in-law had no issue with selling the photos to the Enquirer and did not think it was a big deal because Clark was on a European beach and with her husband. Clark and Horowitz met when they were both 18 while attending UCLA, where Clark was studying political science. She wrote about her relationship with Horowitz in her bestselling account of the Simpson trial, Without A Doubt. The two were both Israeli and met while she was having dinner with her girlfriends one night. She moved in with him just one month later. Horowitz was a professional backgammon player with a number of celebrity students, most notably Lucille Ball, and Clark said the two would spend their nights going to clubs in Los Angeles where Horowitz would try to find games to play to pick up money. 'Gaby was flashy, always dressed to the nines in body-hugging suits. He seemed to have plenty of money,' Clark wrote in her book. 'He slept all day and went nightclubbing all night. I found his lifestyle very glamorous, and allowed myself to be swept along by it.' She eventually grew tired of this lifestyle however, and said she stopped going with Horowitz to the clubs after a year and later devoted her focus to law school. Awful: American Crime Story: The People V. OJ Simpson depicted the moment Clark learned about the nude photos on Tuesday's episode Difficult: Clark (played by Sarah Paulson) is called into the office of her boss, Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti (played by Bruce Campbell), who produces a copy of the tabloid 'I grabbed onto law school like a drowning woman clings to flotsam. It was to become my salvation. Law school took more effort than undergraduate work. I had to study. I had to memorize. I actually had to attend classes,' wrote Clark. 'Studying law served as an absorbing and invigorating counterpoint to my life with Gaby. The deeper I got into law, the more I withdrew from him.' She first married Horowitz when she was still in college so he could obtain his green card to stay in the country and did not tell any of her friends, but the two eventually had a formal ceremony and made it public. 'A year or so passed and Gaby started to talk about doing it properly. The idea of a wedding seemed to make him happy, so I gave in,' wrote Clark. 'On November 6, 1976, we were married again.' They began to drift apart however after Clark graduated from Southwestern law school and began to work, around the same time the backgammon craze started to die down and Horowitz's livelihood took a hit. Sad: After this Clark is forced to return to the trial, and is shown being met with intense stares as she enters the courtroom That is when Clark said one of Horowitz's students, Bruce Roman, introduced him to Scientology. She split with Horowitz soon after and the two were granted a quick Tijuana divorce in 1981, with Clark marrying her second husband that same year. Clark met her second husband Gordon when he was working at the Scientology administrative office, she writes in her book. Horowitz's life meanwhile took a terrible turn in 1989 when he was shot in the head by his good friend Roman while looking at his gun collection. He was left paralyzed by the accident. 'Gaby'd been visiting Bruce Roman and the two of them were looking at guns - they were both collectors - when the gun Bruce was holding went off and the wild shot found its way into Gaby's head, 'wrote Clark. 'It had been a freak accident. The shot had ricocheted off the ceiling and hit Gaby on the rebound. It left him paralyzed. 'Such a bizarre twist of fate.' occasions, which came to light during the OJ trial Johnnie Cochran was accused by his first wife of domestic abuse multiple times over the course of their relationship, accusations that became very public during the OJ Simpson murder trial - and are seen again in this week's American Crime Story: The People V. OJ Simpson. Barbara Jean Berry, who married Cochran in 1959 and filed for divorce in 1967 from the lawyer before getting back with him and then again filing in 1977, claimed her husband beat her and said that he and Simpson were 'mirror images of each other in their apparent disdain for women'. The comparison to Simpson came from the book Life After Johnnie Cochran: Why I Left the Sweetest-Talking, Most Successful Black Lawyer in LA, which Berry released during the trial after she claims Cochran and his father pressured her to deny the abuse claims she made in the past. Berry, an elementary school teacher, said in her book that Cochran was 'deceitful, manipulative, controlling and abusive'. Scroll down for book Johnnie Cochran's first wife Barbara Jean Berry accused him of domestic abuse on multiple occasions. Above, Cochran (left) sits with OJ Simpson in court Barbara wrote about Cochran's abuse in Life After Johnnie Cochran: Why I Left the Sweetest-Talking, Most Successful Black Lawyer in LA Second wife: Johnnie Cochran and his wife Dale (above) who he married in 1985 In her motion to receive a restraining order against Cochran in 1967, Berry wrote in court papers; 'On April 29, 1967, my husband violently pushed me against the wall, held me there and grabbed me by my chin. 'He has slapped me in the past, torn a dress off me [and] threatened on numerous occasions to beat me up.' She then filed papers again ten years later that said Cochran had 'without any reasonable cause, provocation or justification physically struck, beat and inflicted severe injury up on the person of the Petitioner'. The allegations could not have become public at a worse time for Cochran, who was defending a man who had pleaded no contest to beating his now-murdered wife and was on trial for killing her and her friend. The Los Angeles Times attempted to dig deeper at the time, something that was depicted on Tuesday's episode of American Crime Story: The People V. OJ Simpson. 'I have never touched her or hit her, and we are very good friends to this day,' Cochran said at the time. 'Those are 20-year-old statements for legal reasons. She knows they are not true and will be happy to talk to you about it.' When the paper contacted Berry however, she had little to say about the subject, ultimately saying; 'I will not discuss it. I never said I wanted to be interviewed.' Berry released her book shortly after in August 1995, which not only detailed the incidents of abuse but also Cochran's philandering with his first wife, saying the lawyer was 'essentially a bigamist, portioning himself out to two families'. That other family was Cochran's mistress Patricia, who was the mother of his son Jonathan. Berry and Cochran had two daughters, Tiffany and Melodie. Tiffany spoke with the New York Observer in 2006 and was asked what she thought about her mother's claims, saying; 'Its hard for me to imagine its true, but I cant imagine her lying, either. Its one of those strange things.' She then added; 'This trial brought out the worst in everybody.' That was likely a reference to Patricia, who went public with her 28-year affair with Cochran during the trial and the fact that the two had a son. Both Berry and Cochran's second wife Dale, who he married in 1981 after the two met in 1985, were aware of the lawyer's relationship with Patricia. On screen: The domestic abuse claims were referenced on Tuesday's episode of American Crime Story: The People V OJ Simpson (pictured) Family: Tiffany Cochran Edwards, Melodie Cochran and their brother Jonathan Cochran speak during the funeral service for their father Johnnie in 2005 Other woman: Patricia Cochran (above) holds a press conference announcing she is suing him during the OJ trial in 1995 Tiffany told People that her father had given Patricia $4,000 a month and that she was treated like family but still decided to go public and demand more money from Cochran. 'She made it seem like she was a secret ... that was not the case,' said Tiffany of Patricia's appearance on Geraldo during the trial when she revealed her relationship with Cochran. 'We all embraced Patty.' In that same interview Berry said that she supported Patricia in filing her palimony suit against Cochran, in which she asked for $1million. She also said; 'I'm just glad I'm not part of that circus any more.' Berry also addressed her refusal to comment to the Los Angeles Times in her book, saying that after they discovered her claims, Cochran called her saying: 'You will want for nothing ever, if you'll just deny the allegations. Tell the reporter I was a wonderful guy.' She said that if she had done that she would have made far more money than she was making with her book. Berry said it was more important to go forward and tell her story after years of torment, saying Cochran had told her for years: 'You're just a poor orphan schoolteacher. You wouldn't have anything if it weren't for me.' She said the book was done not just for her but for all abused women. There was also a report of another mistress named Elaine by the New York Daily News in March 1995. That woman was discovered after Cochran allegedly deposited a check meant for her into his daughter's bank account. Missouri Highway Patrol said Serrano-Vitorino may be armed with an AK-47 Pablo Serrano-Vitorino, 40, has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder that Pablo Serrano-Vitorino, 40, has been charged with the murder of four men and is wanted for questioning in the fatal shooting of a fifth in a different state A man charged with the murder of four men in Kansas on Monday is on the run and considered armed and dangerous, police said. Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino, 40, has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and is wanted in connection for the shooting of a fifth man found dead in Missouri the next morning. Randy Nordman, 49, was killed at his home near New Florence, Missouri - more than 180 miles away from the quadruple homicide in Kansas City. Authorities said Nordman's home is on a road that parallels Interstate 70, where Serrano-Vitorino's pickup truck was found by an off-duty deputy Tuesday morning. A witness reported seeing a man believed to be Serrano-Vitorino running from the home where Nordman's body was found around 7am. Serrano-Vitorino may have tried to break into Nordman's home after abandoning his car and then allegedly killed him before fleeing the scene, trooper Scott White told Fox 4 KC. The New Florence murder has since been linked to the Kansas City quadruple homicide. Serrano-Vitorino may be armed with an AK-47, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol. A manhunt has since ensued, with 100 law enforcement officers and two helicopters searching the area along with K-9 squads and teams from the Highway Patrol. Friends and neighbors have identified three of the Kansas City victims as Mike Capps and brothers Clint and Austin Harter, according to the Kansas City Star. Police have not officially confirmed their identities. Brothers Austin (left) and Clint Harter (right) were identified as two of the victims. Clint Harter's wife is eight months pregnant and Austin Harter is believed to have called 911 after the shooting Serrano-Vitorino allegedly killed his next-door neighbor and three of the man's friends around 11pm on Monday night at this home in Kansas City, Kansas The orange home is Serrano-Vittorino's, where neighbors said the father-of-two lived with a girlfriend Capps was Serrano-Vittorino's neighbor. He was the father of two sons, aged 7 and 3. Kelly Capps, who is no longer married to Mike but said they maintained a good relationship, had to break the news to her boys that their father was dead, she told the Kansas City Star. The mother said her oldest son started ahead as tears ran down her cheek. She doesn't believe her younger son understands yet, but told him 'daddy went to sleep and won't wake up anymore'. Relatives informed the paper that Harter's wife was eight months pregnant and that he already had one young child. Police arrived at the Kansas City scene after Austin Harter called 911. A neighbor said she saw him still alive on the porch and being treated by emergency responders The fifth murder victim, 49-year-old Randy Nordman, was killed at his home (pictured) near New Florence, Missouri - more than 180 miles away from the original crime scene One neighbor said she saw Austin Harter still alive on the porch and being treated by emergency responders after she heard screams Monday night. It is believed Austin Harter called 911. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to KSHB. Neighbors said Serranto-Vitorino has two children, an eight-year-old son and a younger daughter. Schools in Missouri's Montgomery County were placed on lockdown at 8am, affecting 1,200 students, as police searched for Serranto-Vitorino. A woman is 'lucky to be alive' after she was forced to stab her flatmate when he broke into her room, slashed her throat and tried to rape her. The 23-year-old was stabbed multiple times in the chest and neck, narrowly missing a main artery, when her attacker flew into a rage after she resisted his sexual advances. She was able to break free momentarily and is believed to have arm herself before stabbing the man in the chest in Redfern, Sydney, on Tuesday. Witnesses said they heard 'crazy screams' and saw a woman running out of the house in Sydney 'covered in blood with her throat slit'. Scroll down for video A woman is lucky to be alive after she was forced to stab her house mate in the chest when he broke into her room, slit her throat - narrowly missing a main artery - and tried to rape her. A 27-year-old (pictured, above) was arrested two blocks from Redfern home after the woman fought back and stabbed him in the chest Police stormed the building, where up to 20 residents are believed to be staying, however the man had fled the scene by the time they arrived. The victim, who also suffered punctured a lung, has undergone surgery. The alleged attacker is a 27-year-old Mexican national. He has reportedly undergone surgery and is in a stable condition. He remains under police guard. Witnesses described the terrifying moment he ran down the street with blood pouring from his chest as a woman in a towel 'covered in blood with her throat slit' screamed out for help. 'I was driving down Cleveland Street when I saw a girl in a towel who looked really frantic with blood on her... then you could see there was a guy running down the street with blood on his shirt,' witness Samantha Swilks told Daily Mail Australia. 'You could see it pouring from the wound, it looked like he had been stabbed,' she added. Ms Swilks said that within 15 minutes the man was two blocks away and surrounded by at least six police officers, with his hands above his head. Witnesses described the terrifying moment he ran down the street with blood pouring from his chest as a woman in a towel 'covered in blood with her throat slit' screamed out for help A female witness to the attack said she heard 'crazy screams' and then saw a woman 'running out of the house covered in blood with her throat slit'. The witness, who was on street when the attack took place said the scene 'was so surreal I thought they were filming a movie'. She said her friends didn't realise something was wrong until they heard the 'crazy screams clearly from a woman in distress'. Then she said people, both male and female, came 'running out of the house screaming covered in stab wounds'. The screaming woman had 'her throat slit' and there was 'just so much blood and distressed people - [it was] a very scary scene'. A woman has had to fight off her housemate after he allegedly stabbed her in her own bedroom 'It's a terrible ordeal for someone to have to try and resist and arm themselves to actually get free from this person,' Detective Inspector Despa Fitzgerald said on Wednesday. 'It's horrific for anyone to go through.' The alleged attacker was taken to St Vincent's Hospital where he remains under police guard. He has reportedly undergone surgery and is in a stable condition. A NSW Police spokesperson said no charges have been laid in relation to the incident and that the man is expected to remain under police guard at the hospital until Thursday. The woman, who punctured a lung, has also undergone surgery and is now recovering in the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Doctors told Nine News the knife narrowly missed a main artery and that she is 'lucky to be alive'. The man was arrested after a short police chase on foot and taken to hospital where he remains under guard Footage shows dramatic moment police forced their way into the home after receiving a call from the victim When authorities arrived at the home, the armed man allegedly fled the scene to avoid police officers Det Insp Fitzgerald has praised the woman for showing phenomenal bravery. 'Obviously her survival instincts kicked in and she was able to remove herself from the situation,' she said. One witness rushed to the woman's aid shortly after the attack. There are reports the alarm was first raised on social media. The residents of the home are said to be shaken by the daylight attack. The 23-year-old woman was allegedly attacked in her own bedroom at a Redfern home O.J. Simpson's former manager said he knows who murdered Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in 1994. Norman Pardo said during an interview on KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO that, 'I know who did it and I knw why they did it'. 'I just can't disclose it right now.' Pardo said that he and Simpson neglected to disclose the information to authorities because when they tried to speak with police, 'they took all my stuff regarding the incidents'. Scroll down for video Norman Pardo (left) said he and Simpson (right) neglected to disclose the information to authorities because the police took all of the stuff regarding the incident from Pardo's office when they tried to speak with them He said that there were people working on it and when they talked to police, 'they raided my office and took it all'. Last week Los Angeles police announced that they were testing a knife believed to have been recovered nearly two decades ago by a construction worker working on the demolition of Simpson's home. In an interview with People Magazine, Pardo said Simpson, who is in prison for an unrelated robbery conviction, 'isn't losing any sleep'. In fact, Simpson burst into loud, uncontrollable laughter when he heard the news that the LAPD was testing a knife as the murder weapon that was found at his former Brentwood mansion. 'It's complete bulls**t. But this is all they got. It's pathetic, really pathetic,' Simpson told a prison source. 'Let me tell ya'll something, I'm not that stupid, I got on a plane that night going to Chicago, that's all I'm gonna say.' Police are investigating this knife - found at the disgraced athlete's home and kept hidden by a traffic cop for up to 18 years - as the possible weapon they believe OJ used to murder his ex-wife, Nicole Brown-Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman in 1994. Crews demolish the former home of O.J. Simpson, July 29, 1998. A knife was reportedly found buried on the property by a construction worker O.J. Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson (left) and her friend Ron Goldman (right) were found dead in Los Angeles on June 12, 1994 Nicole, 35 at the time of her death, had been stabbed multiple times in the head and neck and she was nearly decapitated. There were also defensive wounds on her hands. Ron, just a few weeks shy of his 26th birthday, was also stabbed multiple times, including a gaping wound in his neck. Since the murder weapon was never found, police believe that it could contain crucial evidence. Pardo told People that Simpson is ignoring the LAPD's investigation and 'not talking about it'. It's not immediately known when the LAPD will announce the results of its investigation. Marcia Clark's life outside the courtroom was depicted in Tuesday's episode of American Crime Story: The People V OJ Simpson, detailing how much personal trauma the single working mother was going through at the time. The prosecutor and her second husband Gordon were going through a bitter custody battle over their two sons, and she was trying to balance prosecuting the biggest case in the country while raising the two young boys. She was also not getting much support inside the courtroom, particularly from defense attorney Johnnie Cochran who made light of her struggles at one point during the trial. Then, there were the attacks on her appearance. Scroll down for video Difficult time: Marcia Clark's unfair treatment by the media and struggles outside the courtroom were explored in Tuesday's People V OJ Simpson (above Sarah Paulson and Sterling K. Brown) Awful: Clark was also told by her boss, Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti (above played by Bruce Campbell) that she needed to meet with a media trainer In one scene, the episode shows Clark entering the courtroom after getting her hair cut short to shocked stares from the public, causing writer Dominick Dunne (played by Robert Morse) to remark; 'Oh Lord.' Los Angeles Sentinel reporter Dennis Schatzman (played by Leonard Roberts) adds; 'Goddamn, who turned her into Rick James?' She is met with more bewilderment inside the courtroom from Simpson (Cuba Gooding Jr.) and a sarcastic thumbs up from Robert Shapiro (John Travolta). Clark begins to realize she is being mocked when Judge Lance Ito (Kenneth Choi) says to her in front of the courtroom: 'Morning Miss Clark. I think.' She begins to tear up at the table, at which point her fellow prosecutor Christopher Darden (played by Sterling K. Brown) writes: 'It's fantastic. I love it.' This incident came after she was told by her boss that she needed to meet with a media trainer. The end of the episode depicted an even more difficult incident for Clark though - the publication of her nude photos. Clark is called into the office of her boss, Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti (Bruce Campbell), who produces a copy of the National Enquirer. Clark is standing naked on the beach in just her bikini bottom in one photo with her arm around Horowitz. The tabloid placed a black bar over her breasts. Garcetti assumes the photos are fake and promises Clark they will sue the tabloid, but she quickly informs him that they are in fact real and the man is her first husband - also prompting her to disclose that she had been married before. After this Clark is forced to return to the trial, and is shown being met with intense stares as she enters the courtroom. Judge Ito announces as soon as she sits at the table, trying to hold back her tears, that he is recessing court until the next morning. In real life, this is almost exactly how things played out for Clark. The brave woman is in 'excellent spirits' following the attack Roberston was taken to hospital three plates inserted to her arm A brave crocodile handler has told of the heroic moment he fought off a 2.5 metre croc to save the life of his junior colleague during a frenzied attack. Rick Lingard, a senior reptile handler at Billabong Sanctuary in Townsville, North Queensland, was leading a feeding show when crocodile 'Tipper' ran from the water and corned Renee Robertson, a junior colleague who was assisting in the show. After a brief and frenzied struggle where the croc locked its jaws on Ms Robertson's arm, Mr Lingard's extensive training kicked in and he fought off the beast with a wooden stick. Scroll down for video Rick Lingard (pictured), a senior reptile handler at Billabong Sanctuary in Townsville, North Queensland, was leading a feeding show when crocodile 'Tipper' ran from the water and corned Renee Robertson Mr Lingard (pictured), remained cool-headed while he fought off the croc, using his experience of six years to save Ms Robertson 'I responded to the situation to the best of my ability in accordance with my training and experience working with crocodiles over the past six years,' Mr Lingard read from a prepared statement to the Townsville Bulletin. 'The techniques that I used to pacify Tipper are recognised in the industry as appropriate to get a crocodile to release and move away from the area, thus ensuring that I could safely remove Renee from the enclosure to prevent further harm. Mr Lingard, who has more than six years experience in handling crocodiles, travelled with Ms Robertson to the hospital immediately after the attack. After a brief and frenzied struggle where the croc locked its jaws on Ms Robertson's arm, Mr Lingard's (pictured) extensive training kicked in and he fought off the beast with a wooden stick 'I'm still very passionate about crocodiles and I look forward to returning to work in the future,' he said. She suffered a 'significant arm injury' and eight people have also been treated for shock after witnessing the attack, Queensland Ambulance confirmed. The Bulletin reported Ms Roberston, 25, has had three plates inserted to her right harm, but has no nerve damage. 'She is in excellent spirits and one thing she keeps on saying it she is so thankful to Rick for saving her life and that's really the only thing she keeps on thinking,' Billabong Sanctuary owner Bob Flemming said. Tourists who filmed the attack described Ms Robertson's 'shocking' screams as she was mauled by the crocodile, before crawling towards the fence trying to escape. 'The screams you could hear were shocking, we felt so helpless for the poor woman in the enclosure,' tourist Frank He told the Courier Mail. 'In excellent spirits' - Ms Roberston (pictured), 25, has had three plates inserted to her right harm, but has no nerve damage Mr Flemming told the publication this was the first attack in 20 years, and the crocodile would not be euthanised. The 25-year-old was still undergoing training in feeding salt water crocodiles and had been at the sanctuary for 12 months. Senior operations supervisor Ross MacDonald said Ms Roberston was 'backed into a corner' by the crocodile as 'some form of interaction.' Billabong Sanctuary owner Bob Flemming said this was the first attack in 20 years, and the crocodile (stock image) would not be euthanised Ms Robertson was still undergoing training in feeding salt water crocodiles and had been at the sanctuary for 12 months 'We are making sure that Renee's interests are looked after at this point in time, that she is receiving all treatment that is required. We are wishing her a full recovery,' Billabong Sanctuary curator Brad Cooper told The Brisbane Times. 'Staff are shaken up, in shock, we have an impeccable record so to have something like this happen is a shock to the system.' At least a dozen Congressional Republicans along with Silicon Valley's top dogs attended an off-the-record conference at a swanky Georgia retreat and discussed how they might derail Donald Trump's bid for the presidency. The Huffington Post tracked down a number of attendees of this year's World Forum, hosted by the right-leaning think tank the American Enterprise Institute and held at the opulent Sea Island resort over the weekend. Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google co-founder Larry Page, Napster creator Sean Parker and Tesla Motors and SpaceX boss Elon Musk gathered at the confab alongside House Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, longtime GOP strategist Karl Rove and many more. The No. 1 topic of discussion, the Huffington Post wrote, was how to stop Trump in his tracks. Stop Trump: Attendees at the American Enterprise Institute's World Forum - which included top Congressional Republicans, Silicon Valley titans and media moguls - discussed how to derail the billionaire's White House bid Attendees of the secretive conference included Apple CEO Tim Cook (left), GOP strategist Karl Rove (center) and Tesla and SpaceX head honcho Elon Musk The American Enterprise Institute's World Forum is held on Sea Island, which is devoted in its entirety to housing a secluded resort Top Congressional Republicans Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (left) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (right) were reportedly in attendance The annual conference, which additionally attracted Senate Republicans including Tom Cotton, Cory Gardner, Tim Scott, Rob Portman and Ben Sasse the latter of which publicly committed to not support Trump is known for its secrecy. So much, in fact, that a writer for Bloomberg Politics last year grumbled that the gathering was 'so secretive we couldn't even get a snow update.' At the time, a winter storm had beat up the East coast. The locale, an island resort, is known for its seclusion. The Huffington Post used aviation records and congressional sources to map together a listing of attendees as the American Enterprise Institute wouldn't confirm any names of the guests. 'The event is private and off-the-record, therefore we do not comment further on the content or attendees,' said spokeswoman Judy Stecker to the Huffington Post, describing the gathering as 'informal' and for the 'leading thinkers of all ideological backgrounds to discuss challenges that the United States and the free world face in economics, security and social welfare.' Sea Island's Cloister Hotel is one of the largest landmarks on the secluded island, which hosted some of the country's top politicians and tycoons over the weekend The Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol did shed some light on the what the conference attendees discussed, saying that there were many conversations about derailing Donald Trump's candidacy Trump was clearly viewed as a challenge. The Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol sent an emailed report from the gathering heavily borrowing from the 'Communist Manifesto' to articulate his thoughts. 'A specter was haunting the World Forum the specter of Donald Trump,' Kristol wrote. 'There was much unhappiness about his emergency, a good deal of talk, some of it insightful and thoughtful, about why he's done so well, and many expressions of hope that he would be defeated.' 'The key task now, to once again paraphrase Karl Marx, is less to understand Trump than to stop him,' Kristol continued. 'In general, there's a little too much hand-wringing, brow-furrowing, and fatalism out there and not quite enough resolving to save the party from nominating or the country electing someone who simply shouldn't be president,' the conservative writer added. Even with Kristol's advice, other sources told the Huffington Post that Trump-centric conversations often fell back on 'how this happened, rather than how we are going to stop him,' one attendee told the publication. Rove reportedly did his part by presenting how focus groups had reacted to The Donald. Key weaknesses included Americans having trouble envisioning Trump as 'presidential.' Additionally, voters were unsure Trump was somebody their kids could look up to. The Republican frontrunner was viewed as erratic and someone who shouldn't hold the nuclear codes. A spokesman for Scott, the South Carolina senator, reached out to Dailymail.com to say that the senator, who is supporting Sen. Marco Rubio in the presidential race, 'neither heard about nor participated in any panels or meetings regarding the 2016 race period,' Press Secretary Sean Conner said via email. Alongside Senate Republicans, a smattering of House Republicans attended the conference too including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Reps. Fred Upton, R-Mich., Kevin Brady, R-Texas, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., Tom Price, R-Georgia, Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas and Diane Black, R-Tenn. Kristol's boss, billionaire Philip Anshutz, a GOP donor who owns the Weekly Standard and the Washington Examiner, attended too, along with Arthur Sulzberger, the publisher of the New York Times. A 52-year-old man returned to a police station in far north-western Sydney to collect his bong and cannabis stash after accidentally leaving the items at the station. On Monday the man was attending Windsor Police Station, north-west of Sydney, on another matter, the Hawksbury Gazette reported When he left the station he forgot to take with him his bag containing personal belongings including his bong and a small amount of cannabis. A 52-year-old man returned to a police station in far north-western Sydney to collect his bong and cannabis stash after accidentally leaving the items at the station (stock shot of a bong, above) The man forgot to take his bag which contained cannabis, of a smaller quantity than this bag of drugs pictured, and a bong on Monday afternoon after attending the police station on another matter When the man eventually remembered he returned to Windsor Police Station (pictured) 30 minutes later and was told by officers that they had seized the drug items and were issuing him with a 'cannabis caution' The man left the bag in the foyer of the police station after attending the station at around 5pm on Monday. The bag was safe, but police searched it and found the bong and the cannabis. Thirty minutes after leaving, the man returned to collect his bag and was told by Windsor police officers that they were seizing the drug items. A 14-year-old Michigan girl critically wounded during a deadly shooting spree allegedly committed by an Uber driver has left hospital. A family friend, Martha Thawnghmung, said Monday on a GoFundMe page to help pay for Abigail Kopf's hospital costs: 'Abbie is improving every day. Tomorrow she will be sent to a rehab facility.' There have been no further posts updating Abigail's situation. The girl initially was in critical condition after she was shot in a Cracker Barrel parking lot on February 20 during a five-hour shooting rampage that left six people dead in Kalamazoo, about 150 miles (240 km) west of Detroit. Abigail Kopf, left, who was critically wounded during a deadly shooting spree allegedly committed by Uber driver Jason Dalton, right, was due to leave the hospital on Tuesday, according to online posts The girl initially was in critical condition after she was shot in a Cracker Barrel parking lot on February 20 during a five-hour shooting rampage that left six people dead in Kalamazoo, about 150 miles (240 km) west of Detroit Her GoFundMe page says: 'Abigail Kopf, 14, was on her way back from a show with Grandma Barb and friends when she was brutally shot and critically wounded in a series of random and senseless shootings in Kalamazoo, Michigan. 'As Abbies doctors began talking about donating her organs after death, Abbie suddenly squeezed her mothers hand. 'She was not done fighting for her life. 'Abbie is continuing her struggle to overcome a horrific gunshot wound. 'Medical expenses will be overwhelming for her family during her long expected recovery. 'We now have a chance to stop this most vile act from prevailing over the most innocent and best of us. 'The story cannot end here.' Her GoFundMe page has already raised more than $54,000. A Sunday update from the page quoted her parents as saying: 'She is laughing and joking. 'She laughed at bits of Harry Potter and even made political jokes with us.' A GoFundMe page set up for the teenager has already raised more than $54,000 Jason Dalton, 45, is charged with shooting eight people, killing six of them in between driving customers for the Uber car service. Dalton was arrested early on February 21 and denied bail the next day at a court hearing, where a detective testified that Dalton had admitted to the shootings. Last week, a judge ordered Dalton, who faces six murder counts that could bring life in prison, to undergo a competency exam. Abigail Kopf's mother, Vickie, has been providing updates on her daughter's improving condition. 'Spent most of the day in Abby's room watching movies. We had a good time abbie wasn't feeling the greatest today,' Vickie Kopf said on Facebook on Monday. She later said they were leaving for rehab on Tuesday. A newly opened bar has been accused of 'racist, misogynist and homophobic drink names' after selling cocktails such as the 'Afghanistany Wh***', 'Pillow Biter', and 'Asian Fetish'. The bar, Orpheus, in New Zealand's capital, Wellington, lets customers use an iPad-based ordering app to request the cocktails, sourcing recipes from the internet, including names like 'Abortion' and 'Alzheimers'. Blogger Tom Beard, a former restaurant reviewer, slammed the venue for the names after a recent visit, writing that those who he visited with 'were confronted with some of the most racist, misogynist and homophobic drink names wed ever encountered'. A newly-opened bar in New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, has been slammed for its 'racist, misogynist and homophobic drink names' (stock image) Blogger Tom Beard wrote: anyone whos been the victim of violence or harassment while being called a wh*** or a Pillow Biter, or suffered from racial abuse or discrimination, will know that words are part of much wider systems of oppression, and can be actively harmful' People who visited Orpheus Cocktail Bar were offended by the cocktail names 'Afghanistany Wh***', 'Pillow Biter' and 'Asian Fetish' This social media user was in full agreement with Mr Beard's view on the offensive nature of the names But the bar's owner, Jeremy Morris-Jarrett, said the names were a joke, and were not intended to cause offence, Stuff.co.nz reported. However, Mr Beard said 'its not often that Ill go out of my way to write bad things about a hospitality business',wrote: 'anyone whos been the victim of violence or harassment while being called a wh*** or a Pillow Biter, or suffered from racial abuse or discrimination, will know that words are part of much wider systems of oppression, and can be actively harmful'. When searched on the internet, all of the names listed appear frequently as cocktails. Mr Morris-Jarrett, whose first language is French, said he did not know 'Pillow Biter' was an insult to gay men, and was confused at the problem with the name 'Asian Fetish', Stuff.co.nz reported. The owner of the bar, Jeremy Morris-Jarrett said the drink names were a joke and not intended to offend (stock image) While the bar faced some heavy criticism, others who had reviewed it gave positive feedback This Facebook poster asked what had happened to the 'carefree, laid back reputation that Kiwis had' One Facebook challenged the opinion held by many who said the names were not offensive, using this example to try and make their point As he was of Jamaican and Jewish descent, he said it would be hard to label him a racist, he said. He said he was open to talking about removing offensive names, and Mr Beard noted in his blog; 'To their credit, they immediately started removing some of the worst ones we mentioned'. But he ended his lengthy critique of the bar by suggesting its owner should not 'assume that your customers enjoy sniggering at the abuse of marginalised people', and slammed its app-based ordering system. On Facebook, Mr Beard's views were shared by Raena Jackson-Armitage, who reviewed Orpheus and gave it one star. She wrote: 'If you think it's hilarious to order a "Afghanistany (sic) W****", an "Asian Fetish" or a "Pillow Biter" then you'll love this pit of voles. Stay far away and take your business to a place that has respect for women, our rainbow community, sex workers, and different races'. A number of people came to the defence of the bar or posted positive reviews for it. However, several of them were also friends with the owner on Facebook or in some way connected to the restaurant - for example, posting material to advertise it. Some people saw no problems with the names of cocktails or the app used to order them, and left positive reviews for the bar Others also pointed out that in other bars similar cocktails with similar names were served Buckingham Palace last night moved to deny extraordinary claims the Queen is backing a Brexit in the forthcoming referendum on EU membership Buckingham Palace last night moved to deny extraordinary claims that the Queen backs Brexit in the EU referendum. She is said to have told former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg during a lunch at Windsor Castle that she thought Europe was going in the wrong direction, according to The Sun. A source told the paper the pro-EU then deputy PM was reprimanded by the Queen who is politically neutral in public for quite a while over the issue of Europe. Mr Clegg last night said he had no recollection of such a conversation and branded the story nonsense but did not offer an outright denial. The paper does not specify exactly when the meeting took place, other than it was in 2011. According to official Court Circular records, Mr Clegg was a guest at Windsor Castle for a Council with the Queen on April 7 that year. Buckingham Palace said in a strongly-worded statement last night: The Queen remains politically neutral, as she has for 63 years. We would never comment on spurious, anonymously-sourced claims. The referendum will be a matter for the British people. However, the suggestion that the Queen is sympathetic to Euroscepticism will intrigue many people. Her intervention during the Scottish independence referendum in September 2014 proved explosive. She warned well-wishers after a Sunday church service that voters should think very carefully before making a decision on whether to become independent. With the EU referendum taking place on June 23, her every word is likely to be pored over for clues about her feelings towards a possible split. According to The Sun, the Queen told Mr Clegg she thought Europe was going the wrong way. However, from the report, it was not clear that the papers source actually heard the conversation. People who heard their conversation were left in no doubt at all about the Queens views on European integration, the unnamed source told the newspaper. It was really something, and it went on for quite a while. The EU is clearly something Her Majesty feels passionately about. The 89-year-old monarch is said to have told Nick Clegg during a lunch at Windsor Castle that she thought Europe was going in the wrong direction Last night Mr Clegg tweeted: Re Sun story. As I told the journalist this is nonsense. Ive no recollection of this happening and its not the sort of thing I would forget On another occasion, according to the paper, a Parliamentarian asked the Queen what her thoughts on Brussels, to which she replied: I dont understand Europe. A parliamentary source said: It was said with quite some venom and emotion. I shall never forget it. Last night Mr Clegg told The Sun: I have absolutely no recollection of it. I dont have a photographic memory. But I would have remembered something as stark or significant as you have made it out to be. No doubt youll speak to someone else and theyll say, I was there, I heard it. Fine. But I really cant remember it at all. Anyway, without sounding pompous, I find it rather distasteful to reveal conversations with the Queen. Mr Clegg (pictured with his wife Miriam) last night said he had no recollection of such a conversation and branded the story nonsense but did not offer an outright denial Last night Mr Clegg tweeted: As I told the journalist this is nonsense. Ive no recollection of this happening and its not the sort of thing I would forget. Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg told the paper: Id be delighted if this was true and Her Majesty is a Brexiter. The reason we all sing God Save The Queen so heartily is we believe she is there to protect us from European encroachment. The Palace had no choice but to stop short of an outright public denial that the Queen was in favour of Brexit because of her constitutional political neutrality. Images are believed to have been taken on May 24, 2015 in Australia Police desperately searching for information on a little girl believe she is in imminent danger and hold grave fears for her safety. Victoria Police released two images of the young girl on Tuesday asking for the public's help to identify who she is. It is believed the images of the girl relates to a child exploitation case and Seven News reports police have had been searching for her for about 12 months. The images are believed to have been taken on May 24, 2015. It is not clear whether they are still photographs or images from a video. Victoria Police released two images of the young girl on Tuesday asking for the public's help to identify who she is. They fear she is in imminent danger and hold grave fears for her safety 'Investigators hold fears for her safety and welfare and hope the release of the images will assist in identifying her,' a police statement said. At the time the images were taken, the little girl is believed to have been between four to six years of age. She has shoulder-length brown hair and is Caucasian in appearance. It is extremely rare for police to publicly release an image of a child who is part of an investigation. Police could not provide any further details about the case, including the nature of the investigation due to 'operational reasons'. Detectives say the images show the girl in an apartment or similar building, which is well furnished, with modern, large windows and is possibly overlooking a city skyline or other tall structures. An AFL game is also being played on the television behind the girl, prompting police to believe she is potentially in Australia. Doctors who own up to their mistakes could avoid being suspended or taken to court under an NHS safety drive. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will tomorrow announce a package of proposals to encourage medical staff to be more honest about reporting errors. In addition, there are plans to recruit hundreds of experts to review all NHS patient deaths to see if any were avoidable a measure first suggested 11 years ago in response to serial killer GP Harold Shipman. There is now widespread evidence that medical staff are still too scared to flag up poor care, despite repeated attempts by ministers to open up the NHSs culture of secrecy. Tragic case: Joshua Titcombe, from Cumbria, died needlessly from sepsis in 2008 following errors by midwives at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust A new honesty league table, published today to coincide with the reforms, shows that half of all hospitals are failing to report mistakes or near misses. And only yesterday, a separate report by Imperial College London said just 5 per cent of NHS errors are ever recorded, partly because staff fear repercussions. The Government pledged to make the NHS more open after a damning inquiry into the Mid Staffs hospital scandal three years ago, where hundreds of patients died after they received poor care. In a speech tomorrow, Mr Hunt will say that although huge improvements have been made, there is still a quick fix blame culture. He will warn that at least 150 hospital patients die needlessly every year in part because staff are not learning from previous unreported errors. Addressing the Patient Safety Global Action Summit in central London, he will say: We need to unshackle ourselves from a quick fix blame culture. HOW THE NEW SYSTEM WOULD WORK The Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt proposes that doctors and nurses who report their mistakes should be protected from being sued by a patients relatives or disciplined by their regulator. This would enable their hospital to carry out a full investigation, and if it decides the error was a one-off or not entirely the staff members fault they would be cleared of blame. On the other hand, if doctors and nurses are found to have been careless or negligent they would no longer be protected from legal action or from disciplinary tribunals. Mr Hunts other proposals include appointing up to 385 experienced doctors as medical examiners by 2018 to review all deaths to check for poor NHS care. The experts would consider whether the death was avoidable or if any patterns were emerging in hospital departments, or under certain doctors. Advertisement It is a scandal that every week there are potentially 150 avoidable deaths in our hospitals, and it is up to us all to make the need for whistleblowing and secrecy a thing of the past as we reform the NHS and its values, and move from blaming to learning. Today we take a step forward to building a new era of openness and the safest healthcare system in the world. Mr Hunt proposes that doctors and nurses who report their mistakes should be protected from being sued by a patients relatives or disciplined by their regulator. This would enable their hospital to carry out a full investigation, and if it decides the error was a one-off or not entirely the staff members fault they would be cleared of blame. On the other hand, if doctors and nurses are found to have been careless or negligent they would no longer be protected from legal action or from disciplinary tribunals. Mr Hunts other proposals include appointing up to 385 experienced doctors as medical examiners by 2018 to review all deaths to check for poor NHS care. The experts would consider whether the death was avoidable or if any patterns were emerging in hospital departments, or under certain doctors. Medical examiners were first proposed in 2005 by an inquiry into Shipman, a GP from Hyde, near Manchester, who killed as many as 250 of his patients. Hospitals will also be told to estimate the number of excess deaths on wards each year, based on staff going back through medical notes. The league table published by the Department of Health today shows that 110 out of 230 hospital and mental health trusts are failing to report mistakes properly. This includes 78 trusts where there are significant concerns about transparency, and 32 which are deemed even worse and to have a poor reporting culture. The figures are based on how often trusts report mistakes as well as results from staff surveys on openness. Health Secretary: Jeremy Hunt (pictured yesterday outside 10 Downing Street) will say tomorrow that there is still a 'quick fix blame culture'. Pictured right is James Titcombe, son of baby Joshua, who said it is 'clear we need to do something different' James Titcombe, whose son Joshua died needlessly from sepsis in 2008 following blunders by midwives at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, said: Time and time again, we hear the promise that lessons will be learned following reports about systemic failures and individual stories of avoidable harm and loss in the NHS. Yet, far too often, the same mistakes are repeated and meaningful learning and lasting change simply doesnt happen. If we are going to transform this, its clear that we need to do something different. Events at Mid Staffs and Morecambe Bay serve to highlight the devastating consequences of a culture that fails to learn. Mr Titcombe, who now advises the NHS on safety, added: These announcements are about saying never again. The measures announced are major steps that will help move the NHS towards the kind of true learning culture that other high-risk industries take for granted. Heidi Alexander, Labours health spokesman, said: Labour is supportive of any measures that will improve safety and make the NHS more open to learning from mistakes. A quick-thinking 26-year-old stunned a Palestinian man on a stabbing spree in Tel Aviv, Israel on Tuesday when he smashed his acoustic guitar over the terrorist's head. Yishai Montgomery was playing his guitar on the beach when he heard screams and saw a man later identified as Bashar Masalha, 22, running towards him with a knife, Jerusalem Online reported. In the heroic effort to stop the assailant, Montgomery managed to stun Masalha, who reportedly killed an American tourist and injured up to a dozen people before he was gunned down by the police. With a large hole left in Montgomery's guitar, people have lauded the 26-year-old for his bravery and contributed money towards a new instrument. Scroll down for video Yishai Montgomery (pictured) was playing his guitar on the beach when he heard screams and saw Bashar Masalha, 22, running towards him with a knife. He bashed the attacker over the head in a moment of bravery Montgomery (pictured) stunned Masalha, who ran off before he was later shot dead by the police. A number of people have offered to replace the 26-year-old's damaged instrument, and a GoFundMe page created by Ed-Malki Divr has already raised more than $1,000 In a report on Jerusalem Online, Montgomery told Channel 2 News: 'I had just sat down to play my guitar near the ocean when I heard screams from down the road.' The 26-year-old then realized a man was running towards him with a knife. According to the Times of Israel, Montgomery said: 'He jumped on the bench yelling at me and trying to stab me so I grabbed my guitar and hit him over the head with it. 'He was so stunned and didnt know what to do with himself and then started running away.' Montgomery then pursued the 22-year-old from the West Bank settlement of Qalqilyah, yelling: 'Terrorist!' Other bystanders joined the chase, and police eventually shot Masalha dead. On a GoFundMe page created Ed-Malki Divr, Montgomery is brandished as a 'guitar hero' and more than 60 people have already pitched in to raise $1,000 of the total $1,500. It is unclear what Divr's relationship is to Montgomery, but he wrote: 'Yishai may very well have saved many lives as he neutralized the attack. He deserves a new guitar or two or 3. Only the best for this lifesaving guitar hero!' One contributor who donated five dollars offered to deliver a brand new guitar to Montgomery and left his phone number in a message on the site. Others have made similarly generous offers, with another woman willing to give Montgomery her guitar, Jerusalem Online reported. Another woman tweeted at the guitar manufacturer, Gibson, in an appeal to get the hero a new one. Video of the attack shows the man, 22, running along a road close to the marina before approaching cars as they slow down and then apparently stabbing the occupants The Jaffa stabbings occurred in three different locations about a mile away from the Peres Center for Peace where Vice President Joe Biden was visiting on his trip to Israel. Pictured, a group of men cleaning up blood from a stabbing An American tourist was killed, and up to 12 others were wounded, with four in serious condition. Pictured, a wounded man being evacuated from the scene The attack, which was just one of three today in Israel, occurred about a mile away from the Peres Center for Peace where Vice President Joe Biden was visiting on his trip to Israel. According to police commissioner Roni Alsheikh, there were three stabbing attacks in Jaffa, Petah Tikva and Jerusalem, but he assured people the incidents were over and not related. Police say Masalha stabbed several people close to the marina in Jaffa, Tel Aviv, before running towards the Manta Ray restaurant on the seaside promenade, stabbing more victims. Masalha then fled towards the center of Tel Aviv, stabbing motorists as he ran, police said. Taylor Force, 29, of Lubbock, Texas, was killed in the 20-minute attack while he was at the boardwalk in an area popular with tourists. Force, a student at Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management, was in Israel on a school trip with several other students and staff. Taylor Force, 29, of Lubbock, Texas, (pictured) was killed in the 20-minute attack. Force, a student at Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management, was in Israel on a school trip with several other students and staff Up to 12 others were wounded, with four reported to be in a serious condition, according to ambulance service officials. According to social media, Masalha is a graduate from Damascus University in Syria who is in a relationship with an unknown partner. Posts on his Facebook page reveal that he has recently returned from the pilgrimage to Mecca. Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai told Army Radio: 'A terrorist, an illegal resident who came from somewhere in the Palestinian territories, came here to Jaffa and embarked on a run along the boardwalk. On his way he indiscriminately stabbed people.' Back in prison: Jason Fleming, 36, was jailed for five years after admitting carrying out four burglaries After claiming he was going straight, career criminal Jason Fleming was recruited by police as a crime consultant to help track down burglars. He was paraded on TV as the public face of a campaign to crack down on break-ins. He went on patrol with officers, showed them tricks of his trade and helped them translate a burglars to-do list, which gave coded information about what type of houses might be worth targeting. But this week Fleming, 36, was jailed for five years after admitting carrying out four burglaries. Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester was told he went back to his old ways last year after getting hooked on drugs. Last July, he carried out two burglaries only an hour apart. In the first, the homeowner woke to see Fleming searching for valuables at the bottom of his bed. He fled but raided a second property in which the householder was woken up by the sound of breaking glass. When challenged, Fleming shouted, Its the police and ran off. He was detained by a police patrolman, who had seen him acting suspiciously. But he was given bail and days later he broke into two flats. One of the victims woke to find him standing in his bedroom. Fleming, from Oldham, started his life of crime aged 15 and was later jailed for seven years for burgling 400 homes. In 2007, he was given a further six years for burglaries. 'Going straight': Fleming is seen in 2011 with PC Andy Pickering after being recruited as a 'crime consultant' But he was released early following rehabilitation courses with probation officers and during Christmas 2011 he teamed up with Greater Manchester Police to try to help residents prevent their homes being burgled. In interviews with local newspapers and regional TV shows, Fleming told how he would sneak through open doors while residents were asleep and would return two or three times if they were away. By the time you get out I will have retired Judge Jeffrey Lewis But he told an interviewer: Prison is not a life Theres more out there than that. This week Fleming was brought back before Judge Jeffrey Lewis, 66, who told him: No doubt your intention was to turn over a new leaf, but when you ran into difficulties you reverted to old habits. Colonel Richard Kemp, who commanded British forces in Afghanistan, said last night: 'The Government said this should be stopped but clearly they are doing nothing to stop it' Detectives hounding soldiers over their role in the Iraq War are probing 40 new claims made by 'ambulance chasing' lawyers. Eight of the claims are allegations of unlawful killing, which could lead to war veterans facing murder charges. David Cameron has promised a crackdown on the legal 'witch-hunt' against troops 13 years after the 2003 invasion. But new figures show that the number of cases being examined by the 57million 145-strong Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) has risen to 1,555. The Government is legally obliged to investigate the claims under the Human Rights Act, meaning hundreds more soldiers could be harassed for simply doing their duty. Colonel Richard Kemp, who commanded British forces in Afghanistan, said last night: 'The Government said this should be stopped but clearly they are doing nothing to stop it. 'These additional 40 cases will now result in probably several hundred soldiers being quizzed and them and their families facing enormous pressure on their lives. 'When you pile these inquiries on top of what soldiers have already been through in a war zone, the impact is horrific. It is just dragging it all up again. 'It is up to the Prime Minister to stop soldiers being persecuted.' Senior MPs on the defence select committee announced they would launch an inquiry into IHAT following a campaign by the Daily Mail. Tory MP and ex-Army officer Johnny Mercer, who will lead the inquiry, said of the latest figures: 'While I cannot comment on individual cases, I think this serves as a poignant reminder that the IHAT investigation is not something consigned to history, but still very much ongoing. I am keen to start examining the evidence put forward so we can understand how this process has been carrying on and hopefully provide some peace of mind to those caught up in it.' Nigel Kelsall, from pressure group UK Veterans One Voice, said: 'Troops and veterans should not be made to relive these moments years later to make the ambulance-chasing law firms richer.' It is understood lawyers from Leigh Day and Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) the firms mounting the legal claims will be dragged before MPs. When IHAT was launched five years ago, there were just 152 allegations of ill-treatment and unlawful killings. But the latest statistics, published on the Government website, show it is now investigating 1,555 cases, including 288 of unlawful killing. Johnny Mercer, who will lead the inquiry, said: 'While I cannot comment on individual cases, I think this serves as a poignant reminder that the IHAT investigation is not something consigned to history' The quarterly update from October to December last year also reveals how three teams were deployed abroad to interview 35 Iraqi witnesses. As part of IHAT's work, it has to 'weed out' cases submitted by PIL and Leigh Day and decide which ones should be examined. Some of the claims have been found to be duplicates, which have already been examined by IHAT, and others do not have witness statements to support them. The Mail has revealed how more than 280 soldiers have been handed letters asking for their involvement in alleged incidents during the war. Many of them were quizzed on their doorsteps, or on military bases where they are still serving, by taxpayer-funded former police officers. In January, Mr Cameron declared war on ambulance-chasing law firms who were 'tormenting' troops with spurious legal claims. He ordered changes to legal aid, no-win no-fee agreements and the civil court regime in a bid to stop the witch-hunt against soldiers. Many parents are reluctant to take children hurt in an accident to the doctor in case they face harsh questioning by social workers, a survey found. One in four are worried about visiting A&E or their GP with bumps and bruises after a genuine mishap, amid growing concern about authorities over-reacting by launching unwarranted investigations. Colin Hart, director of The Christian Institute charity which commissioned the study, called the findings shocking. Colin Hart, director of The Christian Institute charity which commissioned the study, cited the case of Ashya King (pictured) as evidence that parents are facing draconian and unjustified state interference He cited the case of Ashya King as evidence that parents are facing draconian and unjustified state interference. The five-year-olds parents took the boy out of a Southampton hospital after pleading for him to receive proton beam therapy for his brain tumour, which the NHS would not provide. They fled to Spain where they were arrested but later released, before their son was treated in the Czech Republic. Mr Hart said: Parents should never be frightened about taking their children after an accident to see a doctor but, as state interference in our private lives increases, anxiety among normal caring parents also rises. And you dont have to go very far to find cases which have involved the most appalling and draconian treatment of loving parents the family of Ashya King were hounded across Europe and his mother and father arrested and imprisoned because of a disagreement between those providing medical treatment and those who gave him life. He added: The Government and social services are seen as interfering and too quick to launch aggressive and unwarranted investigations. No wonder parents are living in fear. Parents believe that money and resources should be focused on those children who are at risk. The ComRes study asked 2,000 parents if they were concerned a trip to the GP or A&E could lead to an unwarranted investigation by child protection staff. Some 26 per cent said they were worried, including nine per cent who said they were very worried. Just less than half, 44 per cent, said they were not concerned at all, while 26 per cent were not very worried. One in four are worried about visiting A&E or their GP with bumps and bruises after a genuine mishap, amid growing concern about authorities over-reacting by launching unwarranted investigations Nearly six in ten parents feared officials are sometimes too quick to take action against parents who have done nothing wrong. Just three in ten thought the Government was doing a good job balancing the need to protect children at risk while not penalising ordinary parents. Seven in ten believed child protection resources should be focused on finding youngsters who are most at risk rather than monitoring every child. Since the death of Baby P in August 2007 the number of children being taken into care has soared. Peter Connelly was 17 months old when he died after suffering more than 50 injuries in eight months he was seen by numerous social workers and NHS staff. His mother and two men were convicted of causing or allowing his death. But critics claim that rather than targeting such genuine cases, social workers investigate minor injuries. Senior judge Sir Mark Hedley has warned of a highly defensive atmosphere around both social services and in the state generally. He says this results in an increased pressure on social workers to intervene where they might not have done so in the past. A motor-mad toddler has been crushed to death by a log at his fathers workplace, leading his family to call on strangers with rotary cars to attend his funeral in tribute. Felyx Rhys Hatherley, three, died on Sunday after a log fell on him at a lumber yard in Washdyke, two hours south-west of Christchurch. He had climbed a pile of logs at Point Lumber when the tragedy struck, family spokesman Trent Bishop confirmed to Daily Mail Australia. The parents are calling on anyone with a loud and fast or rotary car to attend Felyxs funeral. Three-year-old Felyx Rhys Hatherley died on Sunday after a log fell on him at his father's workplace, a lumber yard in Washdyke, two hours south-west of Christchurch A rotary car cruise has also been organised in his honour for 12.30pm on Saturday at Pleasant Point. 'We have set up the 12.30 cruise for the rotary boys to take Felyx to his funeral then meet back in Pleasant Point around 3pm where all are welcome,' Mr Bishop told Daily Mail Australia. He said Felxyx was a rotary car enthusiast, and 'the louder the better'. He loved his cars. I know thats typical to say of a three-year-old boy, but he really loved them, Mr Bishop told NZ Herald. Especially rotary cars. You should have seen his face whenever he saw them. He was one of the boys old soul, young boy. A crowd-funding page has been launched to raise funeral costs for the family who had attempted to sell their car to pay for the farewell. In just 24-hours, more than $9,100 has so far been donated to Funds for Felyx, a Givealittle page made by Dunedin woman Megan Paddon. He had climbed a pile of logs at Point Lumber (pictured) when the tragedy struck, witnessed by both his parents when the three-year-old and his mother visited his father at work She is not known to the family, just an 'amazing random girl who has a heart as big as gold', Mr Bishop told Daily Mail Australia. Lets help Felyxs family through the hardest thing theyve had to face, it says on Funds for Felyx. Lets help his family grieve without financial pressure and help them send Felyx off in the way only the best deserve; to the sound of a lineup of dirty rotas! On Wednesday, Ms Paddon said the family were so thankful and feel very honoured to have the support. One donor said they couldnt imagine what the parents are going through. Wish we could do more and I will never forget that awesome dude!!! Felyx was an only child and the fatal incident was witnessed by both his parents when the three-year-old and his mother visited his father at work, Stuff.co.nz reported. Mr Bishop declined to comment to Daily Mail Australia on how the family is coping. 'Just know they are with good friends and family who are supporting them. They are two of the most amazing people I have met.' The family are devastated by the tragedy, New Zealand Police said in a statement. Investigations into the circumstances behind the incident are continuing. About half a dozen of teenagers who were feared trapped inside a stormwater drain have been found safe and well after they returned to school, police have confirmed. On Wednesday morning, six teenage boys were spotted entering the tunnels on Carnarvon Road near Indooroopilly State High School in Brisbane's inner south-west. Swift water rescue technicians scoured the drain in a desperate search to find the group who were presumed missing after police held concerns for the teens' safety. Scroll down for video Swift water rescue crews scoured the drain after police feared the missing teenagers were trapped inside Acting Inspector Mark Bradford, from the inner-west patrol group, fronted the media on Wednesday afternoon to confirm the six teenagers were located after they exited the drain on the other side. 'Approximately 8.40am, police received a call from a groundsman at a local school indicating that a number of students had been seen going into a stormwater drain,' he said. 'A joint search was conducted at the nearby area, which included school grounds, neighbouring streets as well as the drain pipe area and waterways surrounding the Indooroopilly State High School. 'As a result of the search and our inquiries, six persons have been located. They are all well and unharmed.' Acting Inspector Bradford said the boys had 'entered the drain, gone through the area of the drain and come out at a point further east' before returning to school. 'It's extremely risky behaviour,' he added. 'Obviously, it's been raining today [Wednesday]. There's been a fair amount of water in the drains - so very risky activity, which could've ended very badly for a number of the students there today. 'But thankfully, they've all been accounted for.' Up to half a dozen students were spotted entering the water tunnels just before school time on Wednesday Acting Inspector Mark Bradford (left) fronted the media to confirm the teens were found safe and unharmed Emergency crews initially scoured a storm drain next to a high school in Indooroopilly in Brisbane's west Up to a dozen swift water rescue technicians are scouring the drain in a desperate search to find the group A Department of Education and training spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'All students of Indooroopilly State High School are present and accounted for.' 'The safety and wellbeing of students and staff is the departments highest priority,' the spokesperson said. 'The department wishes to thank all emergency service personnel involved in this search.' According to Nine News, the water inside the creek system have been rapidly rising and flowing very fast following heavy morning rain. About 6.2 millimetres of rain was recorded overnight and into the early hours of Wednesday morning, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. A frantic search is underway for up to six teenagers who are feared trapped inside a stormwater drain Six teenagers have been arrested following an out-of-control brawl which spilled over from a high-school to a shopping centre. The scuffle kicked off between two groups of boys at Bass Hill High School in Sydney's south-west, before reigniting at Bass Hill Shopping Plaza on Monday afternoon. Police were called to the shopping centre car park following reports a brawl had erupted between hundreds of people forcing shoppers to stay inside, reports Yahoo. Scroll down for video Police battle to contain the out-of-control brawl at Bass Hill shopping plaza on Monday afternoon It's alleged six teenagers, four boys aged 17 and 15, and two girls aged 14 and 15, refused to follow police direction to leave the area. Witnesses said the brawl involing about 100 people was sparked after the brother of one of the teens being arrested assaulted the officers. 'The younger brother was pretty much the one who started it and the older brother came in and started pushing the police officer who arrested his brother,' 'That's when it started, all of their friends jumping in and a lot of crowd getting around.' Witnesses said the brawl was sparked after the brother of one of the teens being arrested assauled the officers Six teenagers - four boys aged 17 and 15, and two girls aged 14 and 15 -were arrested at the scene Several families were advised to stay inside the shopping centre when the out-of-control brawl erupted. The arrested teens were taken to Bankstown Police Station dealt with under the Young Offenders Act. It proved to be a sticky situation when council workers resurfacing a road lay asphalt around the one car that was still parked in the street. Road workers with Glen Eira Council in Melbourne obviously had not time to waste as they laid tarmac on Gardenvale Street, working around the parked vehicle and then moving on. Their handiwork was photographed by local resident Emma Chandler on Monday night, the Sun Herald reports. Council road workers resurfaced around a parked car in a Melbourne suburb 'When youre the Glen Eira Council and you want to resurface the road, but theres a car in the way do you: A) wait until the car moves or B) resurface around the car, leaving a bare patch underneath and just hope for the best? B, obviously #geniusatwork,' she wrote on social media. Glen Eira Council spokesman Paul Burke said officials had done all they could to advise locals about the upcoming road works. He said that traffic controllers got their at 6am, and notes were dropped in letter boxes for all affected residents three days beforehand. The council put cones around the area and painted a message on the road so that he couldn't park there again before they could resurface it Workers even drew on the road in large, clearly painted letters no parking Tuesday'. It is difficult for council to move a private car without risking a possible damage claim so the asphalt crew worked around the car, Mr Burke said. Just in case the offending driver hadn't already noticed the council put cones around the offending area and painted another message on the road, so that he couldn't park there again before they could resurface it. Anti-terror police have been called in to investigate the death of Rochdale imam Jalal Uddin after officers looking into the case discovered material linked to ISIS. The documents, thought to include digital media found on computers or smartphones, were uncovered during raids last week - prompting the North West Counter Terrorism Unit to take over the case. Before his death, Mr Uddin, 64, from Rochdale, had been working to encourage young people in the area to turn away from radical Islam. Former Imam Jalal Uddin, pictured, died after being found with serious head injuries in a Rochdale playground He was attacked as he walked through a children's park last month, and although he was taken to hospital he later died. Mr Uddin had been to evening prayers at the Bilal Jamia Masjid Mosque the night of his death. He was on his way to visit a friend when the attack happened close to South Street in the Wardleworth area of the town on February 18. A post mortem examination revealed he died from a head injury. Detectives investigating the death raided three properties last week, and so far three people have been arrested. But the discovery of material connected to the so-called Islamic State terror group prompted Greater Manchester Police to call in counter-terrorism experts, who were said to be 'better placed' to lead the investigation. The North West Counter Terrorism Unit is now heading the probe, assisted by detectives from GMP's Major Incident Team, who are examining the material found. Mr Uddin was walking through the children's playground, pictured, when he was assaulted A GMP statement said: 'The investigation into the murder of Jalal Uddin is now being led by the North West Counter Terrorism Unit in cooperation with officers from the Greater Manchester Police Serious Crime Division. 'Whilst the investigation is yet to establish a firm motive for the murder, the NWCTU are better placed to provide the expertise necessary to successfully investigate this crime and any associated offences. 'The investigation team continues to remain open as to the reasons why this tragic incident occurred but we are continuously reviewing the evidence to establish whether this killing was motivated by hate or religious extremism.' Paying tribute to his father, Mr Uddin's son said: 'He was a selfless man of principle, who always strived to do the right thing. For the community, it is a great loss to lose such a soul. 'With his extensive knowledge of Islam and his ability to share this knowledge, he captured the hearts of the old and the young, truly making a difference in people's lives.' Mohammed Hussain Syeedy, 21, of Ramsay Street, Rochdale, has been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder. A 17-year-old and a 21-year-old have also been arrested in connection with the attack. Smokers in prison have won back the right to carry on their tobacco habit behind bars. Senior judges ruled that the ban on smoking in public places did not apply to state-run jails. In a key ruling, the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court judgment that the 2007 ban covered all public places and workplaces in England and Wales. It means the Government can carry on with its plans to roll out a ban in jails gradually in a safe and secure way rather than rushing it through. Smokers in prison have won back the right to carry on their tobacco habit behind bars after senior judges ruled that the ban on smoking in public places did not apply to state-run jails Repeat offender Paul Black, who was jailed for sexual assault in 2007, brought the case after claiming second-hand smoke from other inmates exacerbated his health problems. Black, an inmate at HMP Wymott in Lancashire, who has been serving an indeterminate sentence since 2009, had complained that fellow prisoners smoked on landings, laundry rooms and healthcare waiting rooms. He successfully argued the Prison Service was breaching the Health Act 2006 by allowing inmates to light up. But on Tuesday Appeal Court judges reversed the decision and said state-run prisons did not have to enforce the current no-smoking ban in communal areas. Smoking has, until recently, been allowed in cells and exercise yards at all 136 state-run prisons in England and Wales. The ban already applies to private prisons as they are not Crown premises. Government lawyers had warned against a particularly vigorous ban on smoking in state prisons amid fears it could spark disturbances and risk the safety of staff and inmates. Repeat offender Paul Black, who was jailed for sexual assault in 2007, brought the case after claiming second-hand smoke from other inmates exacerbated his health problems (file pic) Instead, the Ministry of Justice is gradually rolling out a ban across all 136 prisons. Four jails in Wales went smoke-free in January and four in South West England will follow within a few weeks. Sean Humber, of law firm Leigh Day, which represented Black, said the ruling was absurd. He said: The judgment is disappointing as it denies non-smoking prisoners and prison staff the same legal protection from the dangers posed by second-hand smoke as the rest of us. But the judgment was welcomed by the Prison Service, which said: The result of this appeal means we are able to roll out smoke-free prisons in a safe and secure way. Our careful approach will ensure staff and prisoners are no longer exposed to second-hand smoke, while not compromising the safety and security of our prisons. The Prison Governors Association is in favour of a ban but had raised concerns it could potentially lead to instability in jails. Prisons Minister Andrew Selous unveiled plans for a gradual ban amid fears that the Ministry of Justice could face huge compensation claims over the effects of passive smoking. He said implementing the ban was difficult because 80 per cent of prisoners smoke, many to relieve the boredom of being locked up. Inmates in open jails can only smoke in outdoor areas. But Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: Smoking is one of the few choices left to people in prison. Stress, desperation and self-harm are common among prisoners and many use tobacco as a way of coping with life behind bars. Camille Cosby utilized her spousal privilege and refused to answer 98 questions during her deposition in the defamation lawsuit brought against Bill Cosby by seven women. Previous efforts failed to get her out of testifying against her husband, and on February 22, in Springfield, Massachusetts, she gave a deposition which was videotaped. A partial transcript was released on Monday. While she refused to answer several questions, Camille did say she never read a deposition in which Bill Cosby acknowledged he obtained sedatives to give to women he was planning to have sex with, according to the transcript. Seven women have filed a defamation lawsuit accusing Bill Cosby of harming their reputations when he defended himself against sexual assault claims and branded them as liars. Camille Cosby (right) utilized her spousal privilege and refused to answer 98 questions during her deposition in the defamation lawsuit brought against Bill Cosby by seven women (pictured, with Bill Cosby in 2014) Previous efforts failed to get her out of testifying against her husband, and on February 22, in Springfield, Massachusetts, she gave a deposition which was recorded. A partial transcript was released on Monday Camille and her lawyers filed several motions to avoid and delay testifying against her husband, arguing at one point that the court appearance would 'serve no purpose other than to harass and embarrass her'. The motions were denied, but a US District Court judge in Massachusetts ruled that she could refuse to answer questions under the state's marital disqualification rule, which generally prohibits spouses from testifying about private marital conversations. An excerpt of Camille Cosby's deposition was attached to a court filing by Bill Cosby's lawyers on Monday, seeking to suspend the defamation case while a separate criminal case is pending against him in Pennsylvania. In addition to the defamation case, Cosby is charged with sexually assaulting former Temple University employee Andrea Constand. In the Constand case, Cosby acknowledged in a 2005 deposition, made public last year, that he gave Quaaludes, a sedative, to at least one woman. He then answered 'yes' when asked whether he obtained Quaaludes thinking he would use them for young women he wanted to have sex with. In the transcript of her deposition given in February, Camille said she learned of Constand's allegations through her husband, and said she was aware that he had given a deposition in the case. However, when the lawyer for the seven women asked whether she had read the deposition Bill gave in the Constand case, she simply answered: 'No'. He continued to grill her about her knowledge of his sworn testimony, finally asking: 'Sitting here today you have no understanding of what topics or what statements your husband made at the deposition; is that your testimony?' She replied with a curt: 'That is my testimony.' The back-and-forth between Camille Cosby's lawyers and the lawyer for the seven women, Joseph Cammarata, later became combative. While Camille skipped a number of questions, she did say she never read a deposition in which Bill Cosby acknowledged he obtained sedatives to give to women he was planning to have sex with, according to the transcript When Cammarata asked her whether she had a discussion with her husband about the substance of his deposition testimony in the Constand case, Camille Cosby initially said she didn't want to answer before saying: 'That is just communication between my husband and me.' After her lawyer advised her that she can answer 'yes' or 'no' to whether she had discussed it without divulging what was said, Camille Cosby answered, 'Yes,' saying she did discuss his deposition testimony with him. But when Cammarata asked her when it happened, who might have been around during the conversation, where it took place, how long they talked or what they talked about, Camille said she didn't not remember. The seven women who brought the defamation lawsuit are among about 50 women who have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct. He has denied their allegations. Cosby, 78, has pleaded not guilty in the Pennsylvania case involving Constand, which is the only criminal case against him. The ousted director general of the British Chambers of Commerce last night launched an extraordinary attack on Downing Street and the ruthless tactics it is using to persuade British voters to stay in the European Union. In his first major interview, John Longworth laid bare the power of Number Ten advisers and how they have committed the whole machinery of government to isolating and countering advocates of Brexit. But he says that his allegedly inflammatory comments at the BCC annual conference last week in favour of leaving the EU should not have come as a surprise because I have always made my views known to government officials. In his first major interview, John Longworth (pictured) laid bare the power of Number Ten advisers and how they have committed the whole machinery of government to isolating and countering advocates of Brexit Earlier this week after No 10 had denied that any pressure had been brought on the BCC over Mr Longworth it emerged that No 10 adviser Daniel Korski had telephoned Mr Longworth to make clear his displeasure over his remarks. Mr Longworth today reveals: Mr Korski requested that Downing Street be consulted by European leaders prior to any speeches or big statements aimed at domestic audiences as they may have an impact on the UK debate; Signatories of a business letter supporting David Camerons renegotiation deal were cajoled into signing under the threat of losing government contracts or honours; Unpleasant text messages known as s***ograms sent by No 10 officials to those who are considered off message; Details of secret dinners at the German embassy in London which are being held to influence UK-based opinion formers including BBC staff; Mr Korski attended a Dutch-organised lunch in Brussels attended by diplomats from 27 countries who were told to speak out against Brexit. Mr Longworth stepped down from his position at BCC on Sunday night. His decision followed a three-day row over comments he made at a London conference last Thursday where he said Britain would be better off outside the EU. On Friday, the BCC suspended him and by Sunday he had quit. Mr Longworth said yesterday he had lived and breathed the issue of the referendum for the last two years. I have extensively researched and investigated the issue of leave or go because it is obviously crucially important to the business community. Ten days before the BCC conference he went to see George Osborne and told him as director general of the BCC, which represents thousands of businesses, that the PMs negotiations fell far short of the deal he wanted and even provided excerpts of his intended speech so the Government was forewarned. Mr Longworth cannot talk about the precise details of his own departure from the BCC, just months after signing a new 200,000 contract of employment, because of confidentiality agreements. But he is dismissive of Mr Camerons renegotiation and says that when the Prime Minister came back from Brussels with a poor deal, it was [the last] nail in the coffin and convinced me that the whole thing was going to be bad for the UK. Mr Longworth has been taken aback at the way in which Number 10 and business adviser Mr Korski are seeking to control the national debate. It is not the first time he has fallen foul of Mr Korski and Downing Street. Earlier this week it emerged that No 10 adviser Daniel Korski (pictured) had phoned Mr Longworth to make clear his displeasure over his remarks At the end of last year the business veteran, who has been a director of Asda and Tesco, described Mr Cameron as being gutless over the postponement of a decision to go ahead with runway expansion at Heathrow: I got the usual s***ogram from Number Ten, he says. Over the years of dealing with government departments, including Number Ten, I have lots of experience of them giving their views on pronouncements of policy in the most strident and aggressive way. I have never taken any notice of it. He believes that the political macho culture dates back to the Blair-Brown years and has been enthusiastically embraced by the Tory special advisers. It is perfectly legitimate for government to express its view. My concern is the way that they express it which can be quite aggressive and some people would find it intimidating. The former BCC chief provides extensive detail of how the Government is trying to control the debate. He describes how all the signatories of a business letter, sent last month by the bosses of a third of FTSE firms in support of Mr Camerons deal, were persuaded and cajoled into signing under the threat of losing government contracts or being struck off the list for future honours. He said: Some organisations want a government contract. You can go down the list. Some corporate chiefs want a gong, others are foreign or multinational and other pressure can be applied. Mr Longworth discloses the details of a series of discreet dinners held at the palatial German embassy where guests are given a hugely pro-European briefing. He revealed: The German embassy have been running a series of dinners. They have invited sympathetic politicians, people they believe they can persuade, editorial directors of the BBC. And the tone of the dinners has been how can we collectively persuade the British public to stay in. He says the dinners started before Christmas and Mr Longworth was among the guests. Of the dinners, he said: Its definitely a co-ordinated effort. But there is a fine line to be drawn between feeling loved by our European partner and interfering in the internal affairs of another state. The conversations, he said, were bordering on the latter. Mr Korski attended a lunch last week organised by the Dutch presidency in Brussels, attended by diplomats from 27 countries, at which Britains rules of engagement on Brexit were laid out. Diplomats were told by Mr Korski that politicians should think twice before publicly belittling or criticising the deal achieved by David Cameron. Mr Korski is understood to have requested that Downing Street be consulted prior to any speeches or big statements aimed at domestic audiences as they may have an impact on the UK debate. It is understood that banks and big business were to be discouraged from speaking up too loudly in support of EU membership and that supporters of the EU should instead shine the spotlight on small and medium sized companies who will be affected by Brexit. Downing Street is keen to counter the claims by the Leave campaign that it is in bed with big business. It wants to emphasise that both big and small business will be affected by Brexit. At the same meeting, Mr Korski told the diplomats the Government was exploring ways to build a bridge with Labour but wasnt sure of the best way to deal with Jeremy Corbyn. One approach, it was suggested, might be to reach Labour voters directly through the party and the trade unions. Mr Longworth believes that the careful efforts by Downing Street to control the message about the upcoming referendum help to explain what has been happening in his own organisation, the BCC. Even though he is used to the Governments hardball tactics and its text messages and emails he was still shocked and concerned by the events of the week. Mr Longworths first knowledge that he had been suspended from the BCC came at teatime last Friday when all of his electronic devices were summarily cut off. No new complains were reported as the company winded down, causing the rating to go up The D- rating happened when the university was active and received multiple customer complaints Trump University's rating went from D- to A+ between 2010 and 2015 The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has explained why it gave Trump University a D-minus rating in 2010, days after the mogul said it had earned an A. 'During the period when Trump University appeared to be active in the marketplace, BBB received multiple customer complaints about this business,' the BBB said in a statement on Tuesday. 'These complaints affected the Trump University BBB rating, which was as low as D- in 2010. As the company appeared to be winding down, after 2013, no new complaints were reported.' Complaints roll off the BBB's database every three years according to the BBB's policy. As a result, Trump University's rating went up over time, reaching A in July 2014 and A-plus in January 2015. The BBB, a business review non-profit headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, stopped rating Trump University in September 2015. Scroll down for video The Better Business Bureau said it received multiple customer complaints when Trump University appeared to be active in the marketplace, causing its rating to go down to D-minus in 2010. Donald Trump (pictured at a rally in Concord, North Carolina on Monday) said last week Trump University had an A rating Donald Trump first claimed Trump University received an A rating during Thursday's GOP debate on Fox News. This was repudiated by Marco Rubio, who said 'the rating from the BBB was a D-minus, and it was a result of a number of complaints they received.' Later that night, Trump posted the photo of a BBB report on his Twitter account, saying it showed an A rating for Trump University. The BBB said in Tuesday's statement the report posted on Thursday night was not a current review of Trump University and appeared to date back to 2014. The ratings debate got even muddier after a video emerged Thursday that appears to show Trump handing Fox News debate moderators a fax from the BBB. 'Better Business Bureau just sent it. It just came in. I just got it,' Trump can be heard saying in the video clip, which was published by the Independent Journal Review. Marco Rubio reacted to Trump's claim during the Fox News GOP debate on Thursday (pictured), saying Trump University's BBB rating was actually a D-minus Trump then tweeted a report that appeared to show an A-rating for Trump University from the BBB. The BBB said in a statement Tuesday that the document posted on the night of the debate didn't reflect Trump University's current rating and appeared to be part of a 2014 review Trump handed a fax to the @FoxNews anchors during the #GOPDebate just a bit ago pic.twitter.com/EvVbvFZAgK Independent Journal (@INJO) March 4, 2016 BBB fought back Friday, writing in a previous statement that it did not send Trump a fax during the debate. 'A video released by Independent Journal implies that BBB sent a fax in the middle of last night's Republican debate, which we did not. The BBB Business Review of Trump Entrepreneur Initiative (formerly Trump University) has shown 'No Rating' continually since September 2015,' the statement read. The BBB reiterated this denial in Tuesday's statement, writing: 'BBB did not send a document of any kind to the Republican debate site last Thursday evening. The document presented to debate moderators did not come from BBB that night.' In 2010, Trump University was forced to stop calling itself a university since it wasn't one. 'Use of the word 'university' by your corporation is misleading and violates New York Education Law and the Rules of the Board of Regents,' read part of the New York Department of Education ruling that resulted in the name change, according to the New York Daily News. The company later became the Trump Entrepreneur Initiative and is now embroiled in a $40million fraud lawsuit. Tony Windsor looks set to come out of retirement to challenge Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce for his old seat of New England at this year's election. Mr Windsor, 65, retired in 2013 after 22 years in politics, a dozen of those as federal member of parliament for the northern New South Wales region. 'Contrary to some reports in the media I haven't made any announcements in relation to any political intentions. Will do tomorrow 10am,' Mr Windsor tweeted on Wednesday. Scroll down for video Former New England MP Tony Windsor is reportedly set to challenge Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce at this year's federal election for the rural NSW seat Barnaby Joyce holds a margin of almost 20 per cent in New England - the seat which was once held by Tony Windsor before the independent MP retired in 2013 The former independent MP has scheduled a media conference in Canberra for 10am on Thursday. Mr Joyce, the deputy prime minister and Nationals leader, holds Mr Windsor's former seat of New England by a margin of almost 20 per cent. Mr Windsor made his thoughts on Mr Joyce known in an interview with Fairfax Media this year, describing the outspoken Queensland MP's elevation to the office of deputy prime minister as 'a bloody disaster for the nation.' 'The bloke's a fool. Some of the things that come out of his mouth are embarrassing. There's no policy depth to him. I think he's a goose,' Mr Windsor was quoted as saying. Mr Joyce had a widely reported verbal stoush with actor Johnny Depp in May last year after the Hollywood star's two terriers were allegedly illegally smuggled into Australia aboard a private jet. Mr Joyce, as Minister for Agriculture, threatened to have Depp's Yorkshire terriers put down after the revelations were made. With his wife Amber Heard facing a possible jail term over the scandal the Pirates of the Caribbean star joked he would 'assault' Mr Joyce. A petition on the GetUp website has so far attracted 3900 signatures supporting Mr Windsor's return to parliament. Liverpool Plains farmer Rosemary Nankivell, who set up the petition, said the rich agricultural area was being put at risk by coal and gas development. She said Mr Joyce had been 'silent' on the issue and the area needed someone who would stand up for farmers. Mr Windsor retired at the 2013 election after 12 years in federal parliament, having been a key figure in keeping the minority government of Julia Gillard in power. His agreement with the then Labor Prime Minister reaped benefits for the rural NSW seat, from the national broadband network to hospital funding. Mr Joyce made political history in 2013 in his shift from being a Queensland senator to a NSW lower house member. Head-to-head: When Mr Joyce (left) was touted as the Deputy PM when Warren Truss announced his intention to retire earlier this year. Upon hearing the news Mr Joyce would take over as Nationals leader and Deputy PM Mr Windsor (right) was quoted as saying 'I think he's a goose' He grew up in the New England area, went to university there and started work as an accountant before moving to south-west Queensland. If he was to run Mr Windsor's hopes of winning back the seat would rely heavily on preferences from Labor, the Greens and other independents. A key issue will be the proposed Shenhua Watermark coal-mine, which has conditional government approval, but still needs a NSW mining licence and federal approval for the project's water management plan before it proceed. Farmers fear it will irreparably damage groundwater that feeds the fertile farmlands. On his retirement Mr Windsor made it clear he would be staying close to local events. 'Im not going anywhere I was born here and lived all my life here so I look forward to seeing the growth of opportunities and services in the region so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy everything the New England has to offer,' he said. 'Its a great place in which to have a great lifestyle and I look forward to continuing to be part of the community in the years ahead.' A spokesman for Mr Joyce said they did not know what Tony Windsor was planning or going to say tomorrow in Canberra. 'We are fortunate to live in a democracy in Australia and any person is entitled to run for parliament and Mr Joyce is looking forward to hearing Mr Windsor's intentions,' he said. JK Rowling has been accused of 'cultural appropriation' in her latest Harry Potter offering online. The first part of her new series of writings on the history of magic in North America has come under severe criticism for bracketing Native American customs with wizardry - with the author even appearing to attribute Native legends to her own fantasy world in parts. Uploaded on Pottermore - the website dedicated to the hugely successful book and film franchise - the piece has since received a negative backlash from those who consider its content to be lacking in respect for the beliefs of Native Americans. JK Rowling (pictured) has been accused of 'cultural appropriation' in her latest Harry Potter offering online. The first part of her new series of writings on the history of magic in North America has come under severe criticism for bracketing Native American customs with wizardry In a post response post, Dr Adrienne Keene of the Cherokee Nation, who is a post-doctoral fellow in Native American studies at Brown University, wrote: 'Native spirituality and religions are not fantasy on the same level as wizards. These beliefs are alive, practised, and protected.' Dr Keene, like many others, took offence to Rowling's inference that the Native world was beyond reality and a source of fantasy, responding: 'It's not "your" world. It's our (real) Native world. And skin walker stories have context, roots, and reality.' The Pottermore post read: 'The legend of the Native American 'skin walker' - an evil witch or wizard that can transform into an animal at will - has its basis in fact. 'A legend grew up around the Native American Animagi, that they had sacrificed close family members to gain their powers of transformation.' In response to one Twitter user's question, 'Were the skin-walkers evil or not? Or were they simple animagus?', Rowling replied: ' In my wizarding world, there were no skin-walkers. The legend was created by No-Majes (non-magical people) to demonise wizards.' Dr Keene's blog post continued: 'We fight so hard every single day as Native peoples to be seen as contemporary, real, full, and complete human beings and to push away from the stereotypes that restrict us in stock categories of mystical-connected-to-nature-shamans or violent-savage-warriors. 'How in the world could a young person watch this and not make a logical leap that Native peoples belong in the same fictional world as Harry Potter?' Uploaded on Pottermore - the website dedicated to the hugely successful book and film franchise - the piece has since received a negative backlash from those who consider its content to be lacking in respect for the beliefs of Native Americans Her comments were supported by many on Twitter. Angela Semple wrote: 'I am disgusted and disappointed by your lack of respect for us.' Debbie Reese, of the Nambe Owingeh tribe, called Rowling's writing a 'misrepresentation' of the culture. She added: 'It is clear that she is writing as an outsider who is using Native story/imagery for her own purposes. Not ok.' (sic) And Aaron Paquette tweeted: 'And so another generation has to grow up fighting through another non-Indigenous author's definition of who they are to society.' The gunfight took place 6pm on the corner of Wilson Ave and Troutman St Geraldo Rodriguez, 51, was arrested; a third suspect is still on the loose Oscar Vera, 46, was shot in the wrist and legs by another cop but is stable Officials say that he may have been hit by 'friendly fire' from a colleague Detective Jon Gladstone was hit in the shoulder but is recuperating NYPD detective Jon Gladstone was shot in the shoulder during a gunfight in Bushwick Tuesday evening that ended with one suspect shot, another one arrested and a third on the run. It has been reported that Glastone was hit with 'friendly fire' from another cop. The shooting started at around 6.15pm on the corner of Wilson Avenue and Troutman Street during an undercover narcotics sting, CBS New York reported. Officers were buying $80 of heroin when the suspect attempted to flee in his van with Gladstone still hanging out of the window, the New York Post said. As he was dragged away, another detective and a sergeant opened fire. The bullets hit the driver in the leg and wrist, and, it is believed, hit Gladstone in the shoulder. Crime scene: Detective Jon Gladstone was shot in the shoulder at around 6pm on the corner of Wilson Avenue and Troutman Street in Bushwick. He went to Elmhurst Hospital and is conscious Hospitalized: One suspect, Oscar Vera, was hospitalized after being shot by a second officer. A second, Geraldo Rodriguez, was arrested and a third is on the run. Gladstone is said to have been hit by a cop's bullet The officers who pulled the triggers are a detective and a sergeant who both have 11 years on the job. Officers told the New York Post that the sergeant's bullet is believed to have hit Gladstone. One witness, who did not wish to be named, told CBS: 'The detectives were stopping the car in front of them, and they reversed to try to get away. 'I think one of the cops ran inside - like, he jumped through the window, and Im guessing thats the one that got hit. He got hit on the shoulder.' The driver is reported to be 46-year-old Oscar Vera, who is currently in a stable condition at Bellevue Hospital. The other suspect is Geraldo Rodriguez, 51, who is currently in custody. Vera is reported to have had 58 prior arrests and Rodriguez 17. Both of the arrested suspects were unarmed. A third suspect, wearing a green hat, was reported to be on the run at the time of writing. Police deployed bloodhounds and helicopters to track the man. Gladstone was described as 'alert' and being in 'good spirits for someone who just got shot,' reported PIX11. Crowds: Crowds gathered at the block where the shooting happened, eager to find out what had happened Vigilance: A police helicopter scanned the neighborhood with a searchlight while police hunted the escaped suspect Mayor Bill de Blasio released a statement following the incident. 'Tonights shooting is an important reminder of the critical and dangerous work our police department does each day,' he said. 'Today, a detective put his life on the line as he bravely performed his duty to protect our city and its residents from harm, the mayor said in the statement. 'The team of police officers involved in tonights incident represents the best of the NYPD, and I want to thank them on behalf of our city for their actions tonight. Were grateful the detective is doing well, and we wish him a safe and swift recovery.' Photographs of the event show crowds of onlookers around taped-off areas, and several police officers keeping an eye on the scene. Others show helicopters flying overhead, with spotlights engaged. One witness, Bri Brown, who works at a bar on the block, told The New York Daily News that she saw people running down the street and heard someone yelling, 'Shots! Call an officer! Ive been shot!' Another said that police told people to stay in their stores as they were seeking the third suspect. The shooting marks the sixth time since January a New York City police officer has been shot in the line of duty, Associated Press reported. The machines have been slammed for malfunctioning and being too slow Coles and Woolworths use them in over 70 per cent of stores Australia's ever-waging grocery wars have flared up once more after Aldi accused its competitor's service systems of being a waste of time. The German discount chain said they have no plans to install self-service checkouts at any of their supermarkets, despite competitors Coles and Woolworths using them in over 70 per cent of stores, reports Sydney Morning Herald. A spokesperson for the supermarket said the automated-checkouts are far-slower than their own staffed conveyor belts, and claimed shoppers invariably prefer face-to-face contact. Scroll down for video Discount chain Aldi believes its competitor's self-service checkout systems are a waste of time A spokesperson for the supermarket said the automated-checkouts are far-slower than their staffed conveyor belts (pictured) 'Feedback has told us that our shoppers prefer face-to-face interactions at registers and checkout wait times are an important part of their in-store experience,' the spokesman said. The company said many of their products are packaged with multiple barcodes, allowing checkout staff to scan items much faster than customers turning items around in search of a single barcode. 'Aldi's checkouts operate with industry-leading efficiencyWe have no plans to implement self-service checkouts at any of our stores.' Aldi use elongated conveyor belts which customers unload their trolleys onto for a checkout operator to scan, after which customer can pack the groceries themselves. Coles have installed them in 750 of their 780 stores, and Woolworths use them in 683 of their 976 outlets The machines have come under fire from frustrated customers who say they are more of a hindrance than a help Coles and Woolworths both launched self-service checkouts in 2009 and they've been progressively rolling them over their stores nationwide. Coles have since installed them in 750 of their 780 stores, and Woolworths use them in 683 of their 976 outlets. Both supermarkets give customers a choice between using the self-service bay or staffed checkouts, but the machines have come under fire from frustrated customers who say they are more of a hindrance than a help. School-aged teens are increasingly using an online dating website which police call a 'playground for paedophiles' and warn parents to get their children off the site. MYLOL advertises itself as 'the number one teen dating site in the U.S., Australia, UK and Canada', and claims to have more than 300,000 members from around the world. Its terms and conditions say that users must be aged 13 and up and no older than 19 - but a Queensland police officer says a Child Protection Unit confirmed to her it was a 'playground for paedophiles', the Townsville Bulletin reported. Kirwan State High School in Queensland issued this warning on Facebook about the website and app MYLOL on Sunday and it has been shared more than 8,600 times in three days The website claims to be the 'number one teen network in the world', and displays a panel of user profile photographs Kirwan State High School-based Senior-Constable Julie Cooke said she was alerted to the group recently after pupils discussed it. She notified the Child Protection Investigation Unit and Taskforce Argos of the app and the school issued warning on Facebook on Sunday, which has been shared more than 8,600 times in three days. The warning issued by the Townsville school states MYLOL is 'primarily a sexual predator website. If your kids are on it, get them off. 'It has poor administration monitoring and a lack of supervision. 'With its target audience of young people, there are a number of dangerous concerns in relation to the age, maturity, capabilities and intentions of its users'. It says the site has been labeled 'Tinder for teenagers'. A police officer based at Kirwan State High School, Senior Sergeant Julie Cooke, said she was alerted to MYLOL when she heard school pupils talking about it Snr Sgt Cooke said with sites such as MYLOL, children did not know who they were talking to. 'It could be some 40-year-old posing as a 13-year-old,' She said. 'Kids really shouldnt be chatting to anyone online unless they know them in real life.' MYLOL reportedly provides functions such as messaging, video chat and photo sharing. A blog on the website features posts targeted at school-aged teens, such as 'Big changes are coming to the SAT test: What you need to know', 'Safety tips for those that are studying abroad this summer', '10 things every teenage girl should know' and '10 social apps every teen should have'. In MyLol's website forum, users post on a range of relationship related topics. Users with locations in Australia such as Townsville, Brisbane, Wagga Wagga, Sydney, as well as some from New Zealand locations, have commented in the forums. The website claims to be the number one teen dating site in several countries, including Australia Terms and conditions on the website state those using MYLOL must be at least 13 years of age and users over the age of 19 are forbidden from joining In one of the threads, titled 'Matchmaking', users post their sexuality, age preferences, interest, and attractions in a bid to start a relationship. Underneath each user's profile photograph, Safety precautions outlined on the site describe screening for 'suspicious sexually oriented keywords', photographs, chat room moderation, user blocking and a reporting function for people acting inappropriately. Tips for staying safe online and links to online safety-related websites are also provided. Queensland Association of State School Principals president Michael Fay told the Townsville Bulletin use of social media 'in general' had been a concern for some time, and that while smartphones were often banned at school, they could not control what happened outside school. He said teen dating sites like MYLOL were 'problematic at best', and questioned how it was monitored. Daily Mail Australia contacted MYLOL for comment. A Queensland Police spokesman said Taskforce Argos had so far declined to respond further to requests for comment about MYLOL. Kyle Andrew Odom, 30, was taken into custody by the Secret Service after he threw suspicious objects over the south fence of the White House The suspect in the shooting of an Idaho pastor, was taken into custody at the White House. Kyle Andrew Odom, 30, was taken into custody on Tuesday by the Secret Service after he threw suspicious objects over the south fence of the White House, according to CNN. The incident started about 8.30pm. Police Department Chief Lee White said the suspect threw some flash drives and other unknown items over the fence. Hazmat and bomb teams are working to identify those items, according to CNN. Odom is the suspect in the shooting of 55-year-old Pastor Tim Remington. Remington was shot and critically wounded in the parking lot of his church just a day after he prayed with Republican presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz and delivered the invocation at one of his campaign rallies this weekend. Police found Remington at 2pm Sunday in the parking lot of the Altar Church in Coeur d'Alene. Remington was shot six times - including in the head, lung, hip and shoulder, but he is expected to survive. John Padula, an associate pastor at the church, said surveillance footage captured the shooter attending the morning services before waiting for Remington in his silver car, he told KHQ. Padula said the shooter then went up to Remington as he opened his car door and 'just started shooting him in the back'. 'It didn't look like the first time he had shot,' Padua told The Spokesman-Review. 'He stood pretty professional as he was shooting'. Police said the shooting in Remington's church was 'a preplanned attack,' but they are still searching for a motive. Odom sent a letter and flash drive containing multiple documents to his parents, according to CNN. The documents show Odom planned to attack Remington and another church member, Detective Jared Reneau said in a written statement. Odom flew from Boise, Idaho, to Washington, on March 7 despite a felony warrant, White said. He said that Odom's car was found in Boise, and secured by law enforcement officials. Scroll down for video The shooting happened just a day after Remington prayed with Ted Cruz (right) and gave the invocation at a campaign rally Cruz held at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds on Saturday Remington (pictured with his wife Cindy) is a father-of-four and the director of a faith-based drug and alcohol residential program in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Police said that Odom is a decorated former Marine. Odom has no criminal record, but does have a history of mental illness, White said. He served in the Marines from 2006-2010, winning an Iraq Campaign Medal and other awards, and rose to the rank of corporal. Odom later graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in biochemistry. White said that Odom headed west to nearby Spokane after the shooting. Then he headed south and police lost his trail, according to ABC News. A spokeswoman for Cruz's campaign released a statement following news of the shooting. 'Our prayers are with Pastor Tim, his family, and the doctors who are supervising his care,' it read. 'We pray for his full recovery and are thankful for the efforts of law enforcement to ensure the attacker is swiftly brought to justice.' Police say they have not found any information indicating the shooting was politically motivated. 'We've been waiting for somebody who represented God for a long time,' Remington said at the rally. Authorities do not yet have a motive for the shooting but Padula said Remington has received threats over the years from addicts he has tried to help. Remington is director of the faith-based Good Samaritan Rehabilitation drug and alcohol residential program. He has been known to invite recovering addicts to live with him and his family in the past. He is married and has four children. An echidna named Pugsley has been filmed by zoo staff guzzling down water during Sydney's recent hot spell. The 20-second clip shows the spiny anteater at Taronga Zoo taking a drink from a large container before getting down onto her belly for a rest. 'We caught Pugsley having a refreshing drink then settling down for a well-earned rest,' Taronga Zoo said on YouTube. Scroll down for video Pugsley, a 19-year-old short-beaked echidna, was filmed taking a drink to cool down at Taronga Zoo Echidnas, which are found throughout Australia, do not like extreme heat and will usually try and take cover in caves, crevices or hollow logs. Although well-adapted to Australia's climate, they can't pant or sweat to cool down. The spiky mammals get most of their water by eating ants and termites, but occasionally drink water or lick dew from leaves. When water is available they're also known to go for a swim. Pugsley, a 19-year-old short-beaked echidna, was brought to Taronga Wildlife Hospital as a juvenile in 1996 after being rescued from a dog park. After her drink Pugsley flops down onto her belly for a hard-earned rest. Echidnas do not like extreme heat 'The story goes that a man threw a ball for his dog and it returned with Pugsley instead. She was partly hand-raised by hospital staff and eventually found a home at Tarongas Education Centre,' a zoo spokesman told the Daily Mail Australia. There are five supspecies of echidna in Australia and they live in most places they can get a feed of ants and termites - forests, deserts, bush and backyards. When they feel they're in danger, the curl up into a ball using their spiky spines to protect themselves. Pugsley was brought to Taronga Wildlife Hospital as a juvenile in 1996 after being rescued from a dog park Bob Brown was molested by his choirmaster as a year six student in the 1950s, the founder and former leader of the Greens has alleged in court. Dr Brown on Wednesday morning gave evidence that he was fondled on several occasions by Ian Douglas Davidson at the Armidale Demonstration School, west of Coffs Harbour. Mr Davidson, now 84, faces 14 charges of alleged indecent assault from 1962 at the Sydney Grammars St Ives preparatory school in the north shore, Daily Telegraph reports. He has plead not guilty to all charges, none of which relate to Dr Browns allegations. Former leader of the Greens Bob Brown (stock photo from 2011) gave evidence to Sydney's District Court on Wednesday morning via videolink that he was 'fondled' on several occasions by Ian Davidson Dr Brown said he'd been molested at Armidale Demonstration School - now Armidale City Public School (pictured) - in 1956, when he was in year six Dr Brown alleged hed been fondled in an empty classroom after choir practice, again in a storage shed and on a steam train, where he was allegedly fondled by Mr Davidson in the box carriage. He insisted the allegations were true under cross examination from Mr Davidsons barrister. It happened, I have a very clear recollection, Dr Brown told the Sydney District Court on Wednesday, according to Daily Telegraph. I was so embarrassed, it has burned into my mind. Dr Brown, now 71, made the allegations to the Sydney District Court through videolink. He told the jury all the incidents happened in 1956, when Dr Brown was in year six, about 11-years-old. The trial continues. Mr Davidson, now 84, faces 14 charges of alleged indecent assault from 1962 at the Sydney Grammars St Ives preparatory school (pictured). He has plead not guilty to all charges, none of which relate to Dr Browns allegations The derelict Terminus Hotel has since been overgrown by ivy An abandoned inner-city pub could reopen it's doors after its owners have put it back on the market - 30 years after it last called last drinks. The Terminus Hotel in prime social spot Pyrmont, inner-Sydney, has long been an eyesore for the community since closing in 1985, and has even been overgrown by a thick carpet of ivy. Despite earlier reports, the building is not owned by Sydney property group couple, Isaac and Susan Wakil, who sold the property to Auswin TWT group last year, according to Ray White who is managing the sale. The Terminus Hotel in prime social spot Pyrmont, inner-Sydney, has long been an eyesore for the community since closing in 1985, and has even been overgrown by a thick carpet of ivy Ray White Asia-Pacific hotels director Andrew Joliffe said he expected the property to sell between $5 and $10 million Ray White Asia-Pacific hotels director Andrew Joliffe said he expected the property to sell between $5 and $10 million. 'The activity that is happening in and around the Darling Harbour precinct is extraordinary...including the new Sofitel and the International Convention Centre,' Mr Joliffe said. An interior shot of the pub shows original tiling and furniture still strewn across the bar floor, and flaking paint marking the walls. The Terminus Hotel in prime social spot Pyrmont, inner-Sydney, has long been an eyesore for the community since closing in 1985, and has even been overgrown by a thick carpet of ivy The pub's abandoned state has been one of local discussion since it closed in 1985. A Reddit thread posted a year ago, features an image of the pub interior and generated interest from locals. One user wrote: 'I can practically smell the years-old beer on the floor', while another person wrote 'I've been wondering when someone will do something with this pub!' But it is unknown whether the pub will ever see a publican return to its bar, as the building has potential for retail and office space, due to its inner-city location. 'We've had a large number of hotel operators approach us today after the press, but it also has the ability for alternative commercial uses,' Mr Joliffe said. The previous owner's, the Wakil couple, who own Citilease, a property group headquartered in the same street as the Terminus, share a large portfolio of Sydney real estate, including several abandoned buildings, according to the Daily Telegraph. An interior shot of the pub shows original tiling and furniture still strewn across the bar floor, and flaking paint marking the walls Lawyers for Adrian Bayley are fighting to have the notorious killer cleared of two rape convictions, arguing that the two victims wrongly identified him as their attacker. In a move that could slash his time behind bars, the Victorian Court of Appeal in Melbourne heard that the two women raped by the violent serial sex offender, who also murdered Jill Meagher in 2012, may have incorrectly identified him. Bayley appealed over two of the three rape convictions made against him in 2015, two years after he was jailed for the rape and murder of Brunswick woman Meagher. Scroll down for video Adrian Bayley (pictured), the serial sex attacker who raped and killed Jill Meagher, is trying to be cleared of two rape convictions Those convictions saw his non-parole period increased from 35 years to 43 years. The Age reports that a young woman who Bayley was convicted of raping may have made a mistake in identifying him as her attacker 12 years after the crime was committed. However, during the trial, the victim said she was '120 per cent sure' that Bayley was the man who had attacked her. Bayley's barrister Saul Holt QC told the Court of Appeal on Wednesday weaknesses in evidence tendered in the first trial - the 2000 rape of a sex worker in St Kilda - were multiple and profound. 'The only issue at trial was the question of identification,' Mr Holt said of the 2000 matter. He said the victim used only two photographs to identify Bayley, now 44. One, a Facebook photo, was taken 11 years after the 2000 incident and seen by the victim 12 years after she was attacked, Mr Holt said. Bayley was jailed for the rape and murder of Brunswick woman Jill Meagher (pictured) Mr Holt, who is acting pro bono for Bayley after Legal Aid again rejected the killer's bid for appeal funding, also argued there was evidence Bayley's red Mini Minor was not the same car described by the victim. Bayley had purchased such a car, but it was 'off the road' at the time of the 2000 attack, Mr Holt said. Bayley is also appealing a finding he viciously attacked a Dutch backpacker in St Kilda in July 2012. Mr Holt said prosecutors in that trial relied on a combination of similarity and opportunity evidence. On its face ... it raises an immediate red flag about the Crown case, Mr Holt told the court. Mobile phone tower signal evidence used by the Crown to place Bayley in St Kilda could not be relied upon, Mr Holt said. The 44-year-old's defence team are arguing that Bayley had been wrongly identified by the two victims The only use that could be made of (the evidence) was that Mr Bayley's mobile phone was in range of the tower at the time (the first call was made), Mr Holt said, referring to a series of calls Bayley made the night of the 2012 rape. The call tower can only tell us he was within 15km of the offence, Mr Holt added. Justice Mark Weinberg said there was a strange absence of phone activity by Bayley between 2.57am and 4.13am the morning of the 2012 rape. This was precisely when the rape was said to have occurred, Justice Weinberg said. The appeal hearing continues. Bayley, pictured here in his driver's licence photo in 2000, was found guilty of the 2000 rape of a sex worker in St Kilda He was sentenced to an additional minimum sentence of 43 years in prison Jill Meagher, pictured with her husband Tom, vanished was murdered by Bayley in the early hours of September 22, 2012 Sean Penns notorious meeting with El Chapo was orchestrated by director Oliver Stone, who wanted to buy the rights to the druglords life for a mere $6million and make a Hollywood blockbuster starring the Oscar-winner, a new documentary will reveal. In his widely lampooned article for Rolling Stone, Penn claimed he pursued a rendezvous with Joaquin El Chapo Guzman the most wanted and dangerous drug lord in the world purely for journalistic purposes. The leader of the Sinaloa cartel had ostensibly granted his first and only interview after escaping from a maximum security prison through a tunnel months earlier to the 55-year-old actor. But a new one-hour documentary claims the truth behind the encounter is more tangled than the script it was meant to lead to. Scroll down for video Sean Penns notorious meeting with El Chapo (pictured together, above) was orchestrated by director Oliver Stone, who wanted to make a Hollywood blockbuster about the druglord starring the Oscar-winner, a new documentary will reveal Oliver Stone (left) was willing to pay $6million for the rights to El Chapo's life. Actress Kate del Castillo claimed she was blindsided by Penn's article for Rolling Stone A new documentary, called El Chapo & Sean Penn: Bungle in the Jungle, reveals El Chapo granted Penn the secret meeting to discuss the possibility of immortalizing the drug kingpin on the silver screen. The diminutive drug lord, known as 'Shorty' because he is only 5 6, wanted Hollywood to make him bigger than Pablo Escobar and Scarface - and Penn, at 5 8, was to play him. While on the run, he is said to have watched recent Netflix hit Narcos, about his Colombian counterpart, and wanted to be similarly revered. Chris Brancato, Narcos co-creator and producer, tells the documentary: 'I spoke with a friend of mine whose one of the people whose life rights we had for Narcos and he's involved with the DEA and he said El Chapo saw Narcos while on the run. 'Obviously these guys have access to computers and quite honestly, probably had quite a lot of time on his hands, with half the country looking for him.' And a source close to Stone revealed to the documentary makers that the top Hollywood director was willing to pay $6million for the rights to El Chapos life. And although Penn took great pains to conceal the identities of two mysterious men who accompanied him and Mexican actress Kate del Castillo to the jungle referring to them only as Espinoza and El Alto the documentary exposes them as Argentinian movie producers Fernando Sulichin and Jose Ibanez. Both have worked often within Stone on films including Alexander, South of the Border, Savages and the upcoming Snowden, as well as the Showtime series The Untold History of The United States. The documentary reveals Argentinian movie producers Fernando Sulichin (pictured left) and Jose Ibanez (right) were the mystery men who accompanied Sean Penn and Kate del Castillo to the meeting with El Chapo Del Castillo, who played a drug boss of Mexican telenovela La Reina del Sur - first contacted Sulichin with the hope of forming a Hollywood dream team to make a film about El Chapos life, according the documentary. She also reportedly wanted him to invest in her fledgling tequila brand Honor. The producers accompanied Penn and del Castillo on a private jet from Van Nuys airport to Guadalajara in October last year. Penn whose relationship with Stone dates back to 1997 tagged along for the meeting and used the opportunity to study the man he hoped to portray on screen, it is claimed. The actor spent seven hours with El Chapo drinking and eating and took no notes. Sharon Waxman, editor-in-chief of The Wrap, says in the documentary: At the end of the day he sat there with a fugitive drug lord for seven hours and didnt interview him. They sat around and drank beers and ate tacos. The whole thing is very much through the looking glass. Raquel Queen of Bail, a bondswoman who deals with celebrities and drug cartel members alike, added: The meeting may not have helped his Rolling Stone article, but Im sure it helped him as an actor tremendously how he walks, how he talks. Seven hours of somebody, Im sure, is a great study. Penn was criticized for meeting El Chapo in October last year without alerting Mexican authorities. Pictured, a man reads Penn's article for Rolling Stone Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, pictured in a hotel in the city of Los Mochis, Mexico, after he was recaptured on January 8 after escaping prison in July last year Penns Rolling Stone piece titled El Chapo Speaks describes his time with the drug lord in mind-numbing and excruciating detail. The questions El Chapo ultimately answers were ultimately submitted via text messages and the responses sent to Penn on video without the actor present. And Penn even submitted the piece in its entirely to El Chapo for approval prior to publication. And just a day before Penns article was published, El Chapo was recaptured in Los Mochis in January after escaping a safe house through a sewer tunnel. He is now back in the very same maximum security prison he escaped from last year and fighting extradition to the United States. Both Penn and del Castillo were criticized for meeting the drug lord without alerting any authorities. Authorities later said the actor's encounter led them to the fugitive. Pictured, Mexican army soldiers escort the drug lord to a helicopter to be transported to a maximum security prison after his recapture But Mexican officials later said that the ill-fated meeting with the cartel leader, who the FBI claim is responsible for 70,000 deaths - led to his capture. And in the aftermath of El Chapos capture, del Castillo claimed she felt betrayed by Penn and was blindsided by his Rolling Stone article. She says the piece exposed her to the vengeance not only of El Chapos cartel, but Mexican authorities, who want to question her about her relationship and involvement with Guzman. Vance Owen, an attorney, film produce and friend of del Castillos, said: Perhaps Sean was advised by his lawyer to say, 'Look man, you better run out and write an article by Rolling Stone for this thing so you can be protected under the first amendment freedom of press because the freedom of the press protects interviews like this.' A celebrity real estate agent who lists Kim Kardashian as a client says there's two types of locations where keen Australian investors should look for property regardless of what happens to the market. Many investors have become jittery recently amid talk the Australian property market bubble may 'burst', with one expert warning last month that property values could plummet up to 50 per cent. But while he confesses to be no expert on the local market, Los Angeles agent Josh Altman said there is a couple of features Australian buyers should look for. American real estate agent Josh Altman says Australian investors should put their money in coastal property and hot areas for international buyers Josh Altman has sold properties for Kim Kardashian-West (left) in the past and has recently been spotted with Scott Disick, the father of Kourtney Kardashian's children Look for what international investors will buy: Mr Altman could have been referring to properties such as this - a lavish $13 million hillside mansion at Mosman which was purchased by Chinese billionaire Huang Xiangmo 'I would always put my money in two different places,' Mr Altman said. 'One is coastal property on the water - because there's only so much available.' That's because properties in prime locations are going to be the last ones to lose value if the market contracts, he said. 'The other place is in the major cities where a lot of international clients would be moving to.' And make sure you get them by the coast: Cricketer Shane Watson and wife Lee bought this mansion in Bronte, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, for $9 million in January 2015 If the property market tightens, Mr Altman said it's all about location, location, location - as those homes in a prime position are going to be the last to lose their value Mr Altman forecast there will be an increased emphasis on quality developments if the market tightens up further. 'What we're seeing now in a market where it's going to be a more competitive - your product has to be great. 'In a hot market you can build whatever you want and tend to sell it. [But] when the market tightens up a bit you better be really good building. 'Your finishes have to be strong because people are smarter, your product has to be better'. A young mother has been left 'devastated,to raise her two young children alone after her amazing, loving husband died in a motorcycle crash. Bryn Peden, 25, moved from Devonport in northwestern Tasmania to Canberra a month ago to start a new job as a cabinet maker. His wife Katie, also 25, and their two young sons Braxton, two, and eight-month-old Archie were set to follow later this month, Canberra Times reported. But their lives were shattered last Wednesday when Mr Pedens motorcycle crashed into a tree in the Canberra suburb of Stromlo at about 5pm. Katie Peden (pictured) has been left to raise her two young sons, Braxton, two, and eight-month-old Archie, when her husband Bryn died last week Bryn Peden (pictured), 25, died last Wednesday when his motorcycle hit a tree at about 5pm He suffered head and chest injuries and died shortly after arriving at the Canberra Hospital, said ACT Emergency Services Agency. The widow learned of the news when police knocked at their door in Tasmania, and is now planning her husbands funeral rather than setting up their familys new life in Canberra. Ms Peden shared her grief on Facebook just a day after Mr Pedens death. She wrote that she was devastated, lost, numb, angry, upset, the list goes on. Its heartbreaking. You are the light of my life, I absolutely adore you and will continue to love you with all my heart, until the day I die. You have left behind a beautiful legacy of these two gorgeous children we created, that you unfortunately will not see grow into fine young men, but I know you will always be watching over us,' the mother-of-two wrote on Facebook We sure had many ups and downs, but the ups outweighed everything, she wrote. You have left behind a beautiful legacy of these two gorgeous children we created, that you unfortunately will not see grow into fine young men, but I know you will always be watching over us. He was an amazing, loving, caring person, who was respectful and had been working to provide for the family and buy a house, Ms Peden told Canberra Times. The 25-year-old mother-of-two said she still plans to move to Canberra and honour the plans hed made for the family. Mr Pedens brother Adam said he should have beaten that tree. The couple met when they were 15-years-old, and married at age 22. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Katie Peden for further details. A GoFundMe page is crowd-funding for Ms Peden with Braxton and Archie to move to Canberra, so far raising almost $4,300 in its four days running. Mr Peden's motorcycle (pictured) crashed into a tree at about 5pm last Wednesday Not only has she lost the love of her life and the father of their boys, shes now left with massive costs including funerals as well as the funds she has lost preparing to move over there, the GoFundMe page says. We cant imagine the pain she is feeling so would love to take one thing off her mind and take some financial stress away. You can donate to support Ms Peden and children at the GoFundMe page. ACT Police said they are examining the circumstances surrounding the collision. A report will be prepared for the coroner. Any witnesses to the incident who have not yet spoken with police should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. David Cameron and George Osborne suffered a major defeat in their bid to extend Sunday trading laws tonight as a larger-than-expected Tory rebellion voted down the plans. Ministers had scrambled to table new amendments in the Commons ahead of the crucial vote, but they were defeated by a majority of 31. An estimated 26 Tory rebels consigned the Government to defeat over the proposals to give local councils the power to allow large stores to open for longer than the current six-hour limit on Sundays. An estimated 26 Tory rebels consigned the Government to defeat over the proposals to give local councils the power to allow large stores to open for longer than the current six-hour limit on Sundays. Above, the tellers announce the result of the vote to a packed House of Commons chamber The defeat is embarrassing for David Cameron (pictured in the Commons, left) and George Osborne (pictured centre), who both spent the afternoon pleading with Tory MPs not to vote against the Sunday trading plans The SNP's decision to oppose the plans, despite the proposed new laws having no direct effect in Scotland where shops are already allowed to open longer on Sundays, guaranteed the Government lost the vote. Business minister Sajid Javd said he 'respects' those opposed to Sunday trading in principle but blasted the SNP's opposition as 'childish and hypocritical'. The Government claimed the party had previously offered their support. It is a hugely embarrassing defeat by the Government and came after the Prime Minister and the Chancellor spent this afternoon ringing Tory MPs pleading them not to rebel against the Government. They even called in sports minister Tracey Crouch from maternity leave to boost their chances of winning the vote. She was spotted in the Commons with her newborn son strapped to her chest. Ministers had scrambled to table new amendments in the Commons ahead of the crucial vote, but they were defeated by a majority of 31 SNP MPs will vote with Tory rebels and Labour to kill off the prospects of longer Sunday trading hours - even though the proposed law does not directly affect Scotland - in what will be a blow to Chancellor George Osborne's plans to liberalise Sunday trading laws just days before he delivers his Budget A Labour party source said: 'This was a huge defeat for the Government on George Osborne's Sunday trading law changes.' New concessions - which would have replaced a plan to devolve power over Sunday trading to local councils with a series of pilots - were not debated or voted on. Chancellor George Osborne announced the planned changes at last summer's Budget but has now been humiliated just days before he delivers his next one. Speaker John Bercow refused to allow the so-called 'manuscript amendment' to be entered into today's debate. Tory rebel David Burrowes earlier made clear he was prepared to be part of an 'unholy alliance' with the SNP and Jeremy Corbyn's Labour to block the plans and 'keep Sunday special'. Mr Burrowes today told the BBC: 'This is about what has been the case for many years in England and Wales, which is a good compromise. 'It's a fairly unholy alliance with them. It's not so much about the SNP but how the Government will deal with large concerns in the Conservatives and cross party.' Mr Burrowes warned there would be a 'domino' effect on workers because employers would inevitably favour staff willing to work the extra hours. Tory MP David Burrowes today acknowledged he would need an 'unholy alliance' to keep Sunday 'special' He said the present plan would lead to a 'race to the bottom and most places will be open all hours'. Mr Burrowes indicated he might be prepared to back pilot schemes in specific locations. But the SNP's opposition will deal a blow to Chancellor George Osborne's plans to liberalise Sunday trading laws just days before he delivers his Budget. Mr Osborne revealed the plans last year but had to cancel them in the autumn after the SNP said they were opposed. The Scottish nationalists had indicated they could support the plans until last night's decision to vote against. Stores in Scotland can already stay open for longer on Sundays, but bosses usually pay a voluntary premium to encourage staff to work longer shifts. Stewart Hosie, the SNP's deputy leader at Westminster, defended the party's decision to vote to restrict shopping hours for English and Welsh families. He said: 'The SNP are supporters of Sunday trading we think in principle it can be a good thing but we are clear that it should not be happening on the back of often low paid shop workers in Scotland and throughout the UK.' Mr Hosie added: 'Protecting Scottish workers has been paramount to our decision to oppose the government's plans on Sunday Trading.' He said the SNP feared longer trading hours on Sundays in England and Wales would lead to a pay cut for Scottish workers as many were paid a voluntary premium for working anti-social hours. Scottish shop assistants who work on Sundays get on average an extra 1,300 per year but this is a goodwill gesture from employers rather than enshrined in legislation. The party is now trying to negotiate to get powers over premium pay for Scottish workers to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament. Mr Hosie has also denied earlier speculation of a deal for the SNP to support the Government in exchange for protecting 7billion in funding for Scotland. Conservative MP Grant Shapps, who has campaigned to relax Sunday trading laws, described the SNP's stance as 'the most bizarre position I've ever heard'. A Government source said it was 'extraordinary' that a party which campaigned for devolution from Whitehall was now opposing passing more powers to local councils. 'It's disappointing and hypocritical of the SNP to be trying to deny people the freedoms to shop that are already available to those they represent in Scotland,' the source said. Ministers at Westminster want to give local authorities the power to decide opening hours of shops. They came under renewed pressure last night from more than 100 council chiefs who wrote to Local Government Minister Brandon Lewis urging him to give them control over opening hours. Councillor David Hodge, the Local Government Association's Conservative group leader, wrote a letter signed by 101 other senior councillors, urging the Government not to cave in: 'As leaders of our local communities we want the Government to put its trust into councils. We are best placed to make decisions about Sunday trading. MPs from every political party in the House are unconvinced by the Chancellor' s arguments on Sunday trading James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores He added: 'However, to make those decisions in the best interests of our communities it is absolutely vital that these devolved powers come with flexibility including the ability for councils to zone their Sunday trading so that we can give consideration to a wide range of factors including our local economic circumstances. 'Therefore, we would urge you to continue with proposals to localise these decisions and help us deliver what is best for our local communities.' Labour's Tristram Hunt said: 'In this age of online shopping and round-the-clock entertainment, I can see why some people think we should treat Sunday as if its any other working day. 'But for our shop-workers, our family life, and for the small retailers that lie at the heart of our communities, I believe changes to Sunday trading rules would be a terrible mistake. 'For once, the Tories need to stand up to the vested interests of big business and show that theyre on the side of ordinary working people.' Stewart Hosie (pictured), the SNP's deputy leader at Westminster, defended the party's decision to vote to restrict shopping hours for English and Welsh families Small retailers fear longer hours for big shops such as supermarkets will help drive them out of business. James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said: 'MPs from every political party in the House are unconvinced by the Chancellor' s arguments on Sunday trading, including many within Government. 'There is clear evidence that these proposals will be damaging both economically and socially, and we urge MPs to vote against the Government's plans.' Some 24 Tory MPs have already signed a rebel amendment to scrap longer hours, while Tory MP David Burrowes has warned that at least one minister was 'wrestling with their conscience' over whether they could support the Government on the matter. The move was not included in the Tory manifesto ahead of the election. There is widespread opposition from Christian groups and unions who argue that it will further destroy family life and put pressure on workers. Caroline Spelman, a former Cabinet Minister, has put forward another amendment to the bill which would allow tourist areas to opt out of Sunday trading restrictions. The Government's working majority is just 17, leaving it vulnerable to losing key votes without concessions. But ministers insisted they will not pull the amendment from today's Bill. It was already pulled once from a bill on local government in November. Downing Street last night defended its support for more liberal Sunday hours. 'We think this is a way to enhance the ability of communities to support their high streets to deal with some of the pressures that they face from the online market that we have these days and where we haven't updated Sunday trading rules to reflect that,' a No 10 spokeswoman said. The alleged cat-burglar responsible for a series of high-end Melbourne thefts did not leave a single fingerprint along the way, a court has heard. Police say Di Miao stole swags of luxury items, including rare designer handbags and jewellery, cash, computers, cameras and French champage from homes in affluent areas such as Toorak, Kew, Doncaster, Burwood, Clayton and Balwyn. The 53-year-old Chinese national faces 58 charges over alleged thefts between 2012 and 2015, although it is believed his crime spree went on for more than a decade. Alleged 'cat-burglar' Di Miao, who stole high-end items from wealthy homes, arrives at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday The 53-year-old Chinese national is facing 58 charges over alleged thefts from 2012-2015 Police were investigating a decade-long spate of burglaries when they raided Miao's Doncaster home last year, allegedly finding thousands of items underneath it. Miao appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday ahead of a contested committal hearing in August. The court heard there was some forensic evidence, including blood left on the inside of a door. But there were no fingerprints, prosecutor Sarah Lenthall said. 'No fingerprints were ever lifted in relation to any of the burglaries,' she told the court. A surveillance team had been trailing Miao before he was arrested, the court was told. In January, police held an open day where they displayed some of the allegedly stolen goods, putting a call out for people who suspected they may have been burgled to come and look. Some of the many items allegedly stolen by Miao were a Prada bag, Bvlgari watch, Chanel necklace and Louis Vuitton accessories, court documents show. 'Police will be alleging that this individual had been committing these burglaries at high-end suburbs, targeting certain nationalities over that period of time, Senior Sergeant Kaeser told The Age. 'Police will allege that he's also put a significant amount of money through the casino over the past five years, approximately $2.2 million a year Miao was bailed to reappear in court on August 22. Police allegedly found thousands of items underneath Miao's Doncaster home when they raided it last year Advertisement An gunman who shot four New Zealand police officers during a drugs operation in rural Bay of Plenty remains holed up, and extra police are being sent to the scene. A large-scale operation is taking place at the rural property near Kawerau, with the Armed Offenders Squad and multiple police units attending. Deputy Commissioner Mike Clement told reporters on Wednesday the standoff started in the morning when shots were fired at a police spotter plane on a cannabis operation. Police closed in on the offender's property, but by 4pm three officers had been shot. Police gather near Kawerau, New Zealand, after police officers were shot Wednesday, March 9, 2016. A gunman suspected of shooting and injuring four police officers is holed up at a rural house Police block a road near Kawerau, New Zealand, after police officers were shot Wednesday, March 9, 2016. A gunman suspected of shooting and injuring four police officers is holed up at a rural house Two of the officers were taken to Whakatane Hospital in stable condition, and a third is in Rotorua Hospital in a serious but stable condition. A fourth officer was later shot in the hand, and has received medical treatment. All officers were male, but Mr Clement would not confirm ages or the details of injuries. Brenden Abbott spent six years on the run and escaped from two prisons A notorious prison escapee dubbed the 'Postcard Bandit' has reportedly been granted parole after serving 18 years behind bars for bank robbery. Brenden James Abbott, 53, spent more than six years evading authorities and managed to escape from two prisons - by dressing up as a guard and using wire to slice the bars on his cell - before finally being sentenced to 25-years served at the SuperMax at the Woodford Correctional Centre northwest of Brisbane. While on the run, Abbott would reportedly send detectives postcards of himself, quickly making himself 'the most wanted man in Australia.' Notorious 'Postcard Bandit' Brenden Abbott (pictured) has reportedly been granted parole after serving 18 years behind bars for bank robbery While on the run, Abbott (pictured) would reportedly send detectives postcards of himself, quickly making himself 'the most wanted man in Australia' Abbott is reportedly set to walk free on April 20, but on his release is expected to be arrested by Western Australia Police over a number of past crimes,The ABC reported. He was not due for release until 2020, but applied for parole in September. 'It is on the public record that Brenden Abbott has outstanding criminal matters in WA,' a statement from Western Australia Police said. Abbott has been knocked back for parole five times. Two weeks ago, he applied for a judicial review in the Supreme Court of Brisbane and the court found he has been incorrectly classed a high-risk prisoner. Abbott grew up in the suburb of Broadmeadows in Melbourne's north and when he was just 12 years of age, he hit a schoolgirl with a bicycle pump and was subsequently sent to a Perth detention centre as a ward of the state, according to The Courier Mail. He left school at 15 and by his mid-20s, joined a gang who robbed Perth electrical stores. After being arrested in a raid, he asked a Nollamara police officer for a drink, unlocked the door to the interrogation room and escaped. His brother was also arrested for similar offences and Abbott later called the station pretending to be a lawyer to be allowed to speak with him. Abbott (pictured left with tourist) spent more than six years evading authorities and managed to escape from two prisons before finally being sentenced to 25 years served at the SuperMax at the Woodford Correctional Centre northwest of Brisbane Abbott is reportedly set to walk free on April 20, but on his release is expected to be arrested by Western Australia Police over a number of past crimes While behind bars, Abbott took up painting portraits of famous figures and on the back of each work, would leave a thumb print and sign his name Abbott (pictured here in a 1994 police photo) has been knocked back for parole five times. Two weeks ago, he applied for a judicial review in the Supreme Court of Brisbane and the court found he has been incorrectly classed a high-risk prisoner Abbott then participated in a number of bank robberies throughout the 1980s, where he would 'drop' from the ceiling wearing a balaclava and threaten staff with a gun. He was convicted of one of the robberies in 1987, and sentenced to 12 years in prison served at the high-security Fremantle prison While behind bars, Abbott was hired by the tailor shop and used the opportunity to make prison guard uniforms. Along with fellow inmate Aaron Reynolds, he managed to escape through the roof of the prison. Abbott, spend five and a half years on the run, donning disguises, making fake IDs and committing bank robberies to keep himself afloat. It is estimated he stole up to $6 million. He would send postcards to detectives around the world, earning him the name The 'Postcard Bandit'. While behind bars, Abbott began painting portraits of famous figures such as former prime minister Gough Whitlam and boxer Mike Tyson (pictured) to send to his then-girlfriend Abbott also painted a water colour of former Australian cricketer Steve Waugh (pictured) and his child while behind bars He was finally captured in Queensland in 1995 and sent back to prison in Brisbane. Two years later, he broke out for a second time by cutting through his cell bars with wire smuggled in by an accomplice. Abbott and his accomplice Brendan Berichon, 19, travelled to Melbourne and managed to evade authorities for another eight months, before Abbott was finally arrested at a laundromat in Darwin in 1988. He was sentenced to 25 years at the then-new SuperMax at Woodford Prison, 80 kilometres north of Brisbane. Abbott has been subject to surveillance checks every 15 minutes and the bars checked twice a day while in solitary confinement. He has been moved between cells more than 200 times. While behind bars, Abbott began painting portraits of famous figures such as former prime minister Gough Whitlam and boxer Mike Tyson to send to his then-girlfriend. Iran has launched two missiles with 'Israel must be wiped out' written on the side in Hebrew as the country continues to ignore criticism over its ballistic weapon tests. The rockets were test-fired in Iran's eastern Alborz mountain range in a new show of force by the Islamic Republic as US Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel. Such phrases have been emblazoned on missiles fired before by Iran - but the latest test comes after the country recently signed a nuclear deal with world powers, including America. It also comes a day after the country carried out a similar launch. Scroll down for video Iran has launched two missiles with 'Israel must be wiped out' reportedly written on the side in Hebrew as the country continues to ignore criticism over its ballistic weapon tests The rockets were test-fired in Iran's eastern Alborz mountain range in a new show of force by the Islamic Republic as US Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel The new show of force by the Islamic Republic came as US Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel. Iran's underground arsenal of rockets is pictured above Hard-liners in Iran's military have fired rockets and missiles despite US objections since the deal, as well as shown underground missile bases on state television. There was no immediate reaction from Jerusalem, where Biden was scheduled to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who strongly opposed the nuclear deal. The Fars news agency offered pictures on Wednesday it said were of the Qadr H missiles being fired. It said they were fired to hit a target some 870 miles (1,400 km) away off Iran's coast into the Sea of Oman. The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which patrols that region, declined to comment on the test. Fars quoted Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division, saying the test was aimed at showing Israel that Iran could hit it. 'The 2,000km (1,240 mile) range of our missiles is to confront the Zionist regime,' Hajizadeh said. 'Israel is surrounded by Islamic countries and it will not last long in a war. It will collapse even before being hit by these missiles.' Iranian technicians work on a ballistic rocket before its launch. The latest tests comes after the country recently signed a nuclear deal with world powers Missile launchers are pictured in an underground tunnel at an undisclosed location in Iran A nuclear deal between Iran and world powers including the US is now underway, negotiated by the administration of moderate President Hassan Rouhani Israel's Foreign Ministry declined to immediately comment. Iran has threatened to destroy Israel in the past. Israel, which is believed to have the only nuclear weapons arsenal in the Mideast, has repeatedly threatened to take military action against Iran's nuclear facilities. Hajizadeh stressed Iran would not fire the missiles in anger or start a war with Israel. 'We will not be the ones who start a war, but we will not be taken by surprise, so we put our facilities somewhere that our enemies cannot destroy them so that we could continue long war,' he said. The firing of the Qadr H missiles comes after a U.S. State Department spokesman on Tuesday criticised another missile launch that day, saying America planned to bring it before the United Nations Security Council. A nuclear deal between Iran and world powers including the US is now underway, negotiated by the administration of moderate President Hassan Rouhani. In the time since the deal, however, hard-liners in Iran's military have made several shows of strength. The rockers were fired to hit a target some 870 miles (1,400 km) away off Iran's coast into the Sea of Oman, an Iranian news agency claimed The firing of the Qadr H missiles comes after a U.S. State Department spokesman on Tuesday criticised another missile launch that day In October, Iran successfully test-fired a new guided long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile. It was the first such test since Iran and world powers reached a landmark nuclear deal last summer In October, Iran successfully test-fired a new guided long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile. It was the first such test since Iran and world powers reached a landmark nuclear deal last summer. U.N. experts said the launch used ballistic missile technology banned under a Security Council resolution. In January, the U.S. imposed new sanctions on individuals and entities linked to the ballistic missile program. Iran has also fired rockets near US warships and flown an unarmed drone over an American aircraft carrier in recent months. In January, Iran seized 10 US sailors in the Gulf when their two riverine command boats headed from Kuwait to Bahrain ended up in Iranian territorial waters after the crews 'misnavigated,' the U.S. military said. A former middle school teacher admitted to having two drinks and four prescription pills before she drove on a Florida Interstate with her two-year-old son in the backseat, an arrest report stated. Colleen Loughman, 43, was pulled over on Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale after a highway patrol trooper noticed her SUV was missing the right front tire, a police report stated. According to the trooper's report, he smelled alcohol on her breath and noticed her speech was slurred, so he asked her to undertake field sobriety tests. Loughman appears to be joking around and even waves into the dash cam before pleading with the trooper and yelling, 'Please! I'm a teacher,' when he tries to arrest her. Colleen Loughman, 43, (pictured left) was pulled over on Saturday night on I-95 in Florida and arrested for driving under the influence. In the dash cam footage, Loughman waves and poses for the camera before resisting arrest (right) Loughman, who has been released from jail after posting bond, is charged with driving under the influence and child abuse without great bodily harm. Police had received reports of a red Kia Sorento driving without its front tire when they spotted Loughman's car several miles away on I-95 near State Road 84. She was pulled over and troopers wrote in an affidavit that she had bloodshot eyes, an open zipper, and an overall disheveled appearance. Her car was also disheveled, with yogurt spilled all over, the report said. Loughman was asked to perform field sobriety tests, which the Florida Highway Patrol said she failed. In the dash cam footage released by the FHP, Loughman can be seen swaying as she struggles to walk in a straight line. She then smiles and poses in front of the dash cam, but when the trooper asks her to place her hands behind her back, she resists and starts yelling 'no' repeatedly. At one point she shouts: 'I'm going to call CNN!' Loughman can be seen grappling her arm away from one trooper before another jumps in to help. She wrestles herself out of view of the camera, and seconds later, three of the officers surround her. According to police, Loughman admitted to having two drinks earlier in the evening before taking three Xanax and one Zoloft pill. Her child, who was unharmed, is now in the custody of his father, according to the FHP. Local10 reported that Loughman was charged with a DUI in 2009 in Palm Beach County according to court records. According to the news website, Loughman was a middle school teacher Broward and Palm Beach County in Florida. Loughman (pictured) can be seen swaying as she struggles to walk in a straight line during the field sobriety tests After joking around, the 43-year-old (center) begins to shout and wrestle with officers as they try to arrest her US special forces hunting for a high-profile target killed more than 10 Islamic extremists during a nighttime firefight near an Al-Shabab-controlled town in Somalia. A Somali intelligence official said that the person they wanted to capture was apparently killed during the fierce battle. 'It was a high-profile target, and chances of capture were challenged by a stiff resistance by militants guarding the house targeted by the special forces, which forced the commando to resort to the kill or capture method,' the official said. He spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press on the matter. US special forces hunting for a high-profile target killed more than 10 Islamic extremists during a nighttime firefight in Somalia Wednesday. This stock image shows Al Shabaab militants parading new recruits in 2010 Helicopter raid: The overnight attack took place in the Al-shabab-controlled town of Awdhegle in southern Somalia Al-Shabab said its fighters had foiled the overnight attack, and that the foreign raiders retreated with casualties Another Somali intelligence official provided a similar account. The exact target of the raid, if any, remains unclear. The US forces were serving in an advisory capacity and provided the helicopter transportation for the mission, said Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman. The American commandos accompanied the Somali troops on the mission, but did not 'go all the way to the objective,' he said. There were no US casualties, he said. More than 10 militants were killed, confirmed other US officials Wednesday who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an operation that has not been announced publicly. Roughly 50 US special operations troops have been operating in Somalia on a rotational basis since 2007. The raid came only three days after the US carried out a drone strike on an Al-Shabab training camp that the Pentagon said killed about 150 of its members. Al Shabaab said the number was inflated. The raid came only three days after the US carried out a drone strike on an Al-Shabab training camp (seen on the map) that the Pentagon said killed about 150 militants These are some of the most aggressive military actions in Somalia since a US military intervention in the early 1990s during a famine culminated in the so-called Black Hawk Down battle, with heavy US losses. For its part, Al-Shabab said its fighters had foiled the overnight attack on Awdhegle town in southern Somalia, and that the raiders retreated with casualties. Residents of Awdhegle described bullet-pockmarked walls blackened from explosions after the attack. Al-Shabab fighters cordoned off the area in the morning and made arrests of people suspected to be spies, a resident in the town told AP by phone. He refused to be identified, fearing reprisal by militants. Al Shabaab's military operations spokesman told Reuters the two helicopters landed on the banks of the River Shabelle and commandos from the aircraft advanced on the base. 'They were masked and spoke foreign languages which our fighters could not understand,' Sheikh Abdiaziz Abu Musab told Reuters. 'We do not know who they were but we foiled them.' He said the commandos carried rocket launchers and M16 rifles - referring to a weapon used by US forces although Abu Musab did not mention any nationality. Mohamed Hassan, an elder in Awdhegle, told The Associated Press that the foreign forces parked their helicopters outside the town under the cover of darkness and walked at least 1.9 miles, sneaking into the town to avoid detection by the Islamic fighters and launch a surprise raid. Bloodshed: Three police officers and one civilian were killed Wednesday in a suicide car bombing outside a cafe near the police academy in the Somali capital The wreckage of a car used for a suicide bombing sits outside the police academy in Mogadishu, He said there was gunfire between militants and Al-Shabab foot soldiers that started near the police station. Other residents in the area also said they saw helicopters in the area. They said the mobile phone network did not work during fighting. 'We were awoken by exchange of heavy guns,' said resident Ahmed Farah speaking by phone later on Wednesday. 'We could see the helicopters land and fly.' Meanwhile, three police officers and one civilian were killed Wednesday in a suicide car bombing outside a cafe near the police academy in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, said police Gen. Ali Hersi Barre. Were you on the flight? Email jen.smith@ French police dragged him off the plane and took him away in a police car Witnesses said he tried to open an emergency door and was restrained But it was forced to land in Bordeaux after man became drunk and abusive A drunken British was restrained by four passengers on board an easyJet flight and dragged off the plane on his knees after attempting to open its emergency door at 30,000ft. The man, in his 30s, was said to have pushed his girlfriend after drinking spirits on the flight from Marrakesh, Morocco to London Gatwick on Monday. He later tried to open one of the doors on the 180-seater Airbus A320 mid flight and had to be restrained by others on board before the aircraft detoured to Bordeaux. Footage taken on board showed him being dragged off the flight on his knees by French police who were waiting on the tarmac. A video taken by a passenger on board the flight shows the man being carted away by French police A fellow passenger told MailOnline the man had to be restrained by four people before crew landed the plane in France. 'He was being restrained by at least four other passengers. This went on for at least 10 minutes.' When the captain was forced to land the plane in Bordeaux, French police unceremoniously dragged him off the plane and into a waiting car. Fellow flyers told The Sun that the man started drinking from a bottle duty-free rum or whisky soon after he got onto the flight and later became abusive. Pictures taken by one of those on board show him being carted down the aisle of the plane after it was forced to land and taken away by three officers to a French police car. The captain of the easyJey flight had to land the plane in southern France after the man's terrifying actions The man's girlfriend remained on the flight and was heard speaking of her embarrassment after the incident, said others on board. 'His girlfriend was left on the flight and she was heard saying she was gutted and embarrassed by his actions,' one witness said. Once the man had been removed from the flight the captain told remaining passengers the man would 'never be allowed to fly' with the airline again, they added. An easyJet spokesman said: 'We can confirm that flight EZY8896 from Marrakesh to London Gatwick on 7 March diverted to Bordeaux as a result of a passenger onboard behaving in a disruptive manner. 'The aircraft was met by the police on arrival at Bordeaux and the passenger disembarked. 'easyJet's cabin crew are trained to assess and evaluate all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other passengers is not compromised at any time. The incident happened on an easyJet Airbus A320 (like that pictured) which was flying to London Gatwick 'Whilst such incidents are rare we take them very seriously, do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour onboard and always push for prosecution. 'The safety and wellbeing of passengers and crew is always easyJet's priority.' The shocking incident is the latest in a series of recent issues with drunken, rowdy or abusive air passengers causing chaos. Earlier this week, a flight from Gatwick to Costa Rica was delayed for hours as a group of 25 people were escorted off the plane for fighting and swearing at crew. Earlier this month, shocking footage emerged of a brawl between stag party revellers which forced a flight from London to Bratislava to land in Berlin. Kim ordered military to be ready to attack U.S. and South Korean drill Russia has warned Kim Jong-Un to stop threatening to launch nuclear weapons on foreign powers, as it could create 'a legal basis' for military action against North Korea. The Russian warning followed a call by Kim for his military to be prepared to mount pre-emptive attacks against the U.S and South Korea and stand ready to use nuclear weapons. U.S. and and South Korean troops began large-scale military drills this week, which the North called 'nuclear war moves' and threatened to respond with an all-out offensive. Scroll down for video Warning: Russian President Vladimir Putin's Foreign Ministry has warned North Korea against threatening to launch nuclear weapons on foreign powers, as it could create 'a legal basis' for military action against them Russia's Foreign Ministry, released a statement on Monday, warning Kim Jong-Un to think of the consequences of his nuclear threats. 'We consider it to be absolutely impermissible to make public statements containing threats to deliver some 'preventive nuclear strikes' against opponents,' a Russian Foreign Ministry statement said, according to NK News. 'Pyongyang should be aware of the fact that in this way the Demcratic People's Republic of Korea will become fully opposed to the international community and will create international legal grounds for using military force against itself in accordance with the right of a state to self-defense enshrined in the United Nations Charter The warning from Russia comes as Kim Jong-Un announced in state media that North Korea has successfully miniaturised nuclear warheads to mount on ballistic missiles. However South Korea, which is currently carrying out it's largest ever joint-military drill with the U.S. on the peninsula, has rubbished the claims Trigger happy: Putin has warned North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, pictured last week, to think of the consequences of his nuclear threats Kim Jong-Un's comments, released on Wednesday, were his first direct mention of the claim, made repeatedly in state media, to have successfully miniaturised a nuclear warhead, which has been widely questioned and never independently verified. 'The nuclear warheads have been standardised to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturising them,' KCNA quoted Kim as saying as he inspected the work of nuclear scientists, adding 'this can be called a true nuclear deterrent'. 'He stressed the importance of building ever more powerful, precision and miniaturised nuclear weapons and their delivery means,' KCNA said. Kim also inspected the nuclear warhead designed for thermo-nuclear reaction, KCNA said, referring to a miniaturised hydrogen bomb that the country said it tested on January 6. Rodong Sinmun, official daily of the North's ruling party, carried pictures of Kim in what seemed to be a large hangar speaking to aides standing in front of a silver spherical object. South Korean army soldiers stand on their K-55 self-propelled howitzers as the country's military began it's largest ever joint-military drill with the U.S. on the peninsula A U.S. Army soldier stands on an armored vehicle during an annual joint-exercise in Yeoncheon, near the border with North Korea 'Should I push it?' Kim Jong-Un get ready to carry out a test-fire of the new-type large-caliber multiple launch rocket system at an undisclosed location in North Korea last week They also showed a large object similar to the KN-08 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) previously put on display at military parades, with Kim holding a half-smoked cigarette in one of the images. South Korea's defence ministry said after the release of the images that it did not believe the North has successfully miniaturised a nuclear warhead or deployed a functioning ICBM. That assessment is in line with the views of South Korean and U.S. officials that the North has likely made some advances in trying to put a nuclear warhead on a missile, but that there is no proof it has mastered the technology. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking by telephone to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, described the situation on the Korean peninsula as 'very tense' and called for all parties be remain calm and exercise restraint, China's foreign ministry said. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test on January 6 claiming to have set off a miniaturised hydrogen bomb, which was disputed by many experts and the governments of South Korea and the United States. The blast detected from the test was simply too small to back up the claim, experts said at the time. The U.N. Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on the isolated state last week for the nuclear test. It launched a long-range rocket in February drawing international criticism and sanctions from its rival, South Korea. South Korea on Tuesday announced further measures aimed at isolating the North by blacklisting individuals and entities that it said were linked to Pyongyang's weapons programme. Furious pupils have accused their new head teacher of 'breaching their human rights' by banning them from using the school toilets during lesson time. More than 2,600 students and parents have signed a 'Free the Bladder' petition calling on the head teacher of Perth Grammar School, Fiona Robertson, to apologise and revoke the new rule. Pupils have argued that the clampdown affects their 'concentration' and means that girls are not able to change their tampons regularly enough. 'Preventing us from one of our basic human rights is NOT the way to solve the problem,' the petition states. More than 2,600 students and parents have signed a 'Free the Bladder' petition calling on Perth Grammar School head Fiona Robertson to apologise and revoke the new rule 'We won't be able to concentrate. With restricted access to toilet facilities students will avoid keeping hydrated and therefore lose concentration and consequently fall behind in class. Same goes for those sitting with a full bladder, it affects our education. 'There's an incredibly large number of girls in our school and what do girls do? We bleed. 'Though it's advised you change a tampon every four hours, there are girls that must change more frequently due to a heavy flow.' The school, in south-east Scotland, has confirmed that the toilets are closed during lesson times, saying pupils are only allowed out of class in 'exceptional circumstances'. 'There has been an ongoing issue with a large number of pupils asking to be excused from during class time,' a Perth and Kinross Council spokesman said. Pupils at Perth Grammar School have argued that the clampdown affects their 'concentration' and means that girls are not able to change their tampons regularly enough 'The headteacher has taken steps to reinforce the school's existing policy that pupils should not be out during class time unless under exceptional circumstances. 'We will work with the school's staff, pupils and parents to ensure that everyone understands the policy and how it is being implemented.' Pupils pointed out that asking to go to the toilet has now been made 'impossible' for students with low self-esteem. The petition claimed that one student wet themselves because they were so terrified to ask to go to the loo. 'An example of this is the alleged case of a young student that was prevented from being let out of class, unable to penetrate locked doors and too scared to ask again, and consequentially wet themselves.' Fi Penman, who has children at the school, said she was 'disgusted' by the 'outdated' rule. 'As a parent who has children attending this school I am disgusted by such outdated ideals and behaviour,' she said. 'I realise she may feel the need to make her mark on the school, having large shoes to fill, but she is going in the wrong direction.' Another parent said: 'As a parent who has always been very supportive of the school leadership I am surprised that this has been thought of as a pressing matter for a school recently recognised in the good school guide.' One student wrote under the petition saying that the rule was 'not very fair' on all the pupils. Ms Robertson, the former head teacher at Mackie Academy in Stonehaven, joined the Perth school in February. The profits made by Europe's five biggest investment banks were significantly outstripped by their top five American counterparts, new figures revealed today. In nearly all financial measures the American banks beat their European rivals, with revenues made by the top five US investment banks more than double brought in by the European operators. Senior Tory MPs told MailOnline it was proof that British banks would be better off operating outside of the EU's crippling regulations as they would be able to adapt to market changes and other external factors faster. Combined revenues made by the top five American banks were more than double brought in by their top five European counterparts last year The revenues of the top American investment banks in 2015 was 97billion - more than twice the 42billion earned by the top five European banks, according to analysis by the Financial Times. The contrast was even more stark when it came to pre-tax profits, with the Americans reporting combined pre-tax profits of 23.5billion - more than seven times the cumulative 3billion pre-tax profits recorded by Europe's top five investment banks. Jacob Rees-Mogg, who sits on the influential Treasury Select Committee, said the comparatively poor performance from European banks was because Brussels 'doesn't understand' the industry and its 'collective approach' to governing was holding back British banks. He said EU measures such as the cap on banker bonuses was driving the highest qualified individuals to the US. 'It shows the banking dynamism outside the EU; it shows that we are shackled to the dead hand of EU regulation which is damaging to British interests and that we would be better off outside and more able to follow what the United States is doing because we wouldnt have all our regulations coming from the European Union,' Mr Rees-Mogg told MailOnline. The profits made by Europe's five biggest investment banks were significantly outstripped by their top five American counterparts, new figures revealed today 'The European Union doesnt understand financial services, its broadly hostile to them because it has a much more collectivist approach to Government and to society, whereas investment banking is the red meat of capitalism and that makes the bureaucrat a bit queasy they find it a bit indigestible.' He added: 'Things like the bonus ban that has meant that some of the best people have gone to the US because they can get more money and these operations are very dependent on individuals high quality individuals.' European banks also saw their revenues fall significantly more than their American counterparts last year. The top five American banks - JPMorgan, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Bank of America - saw their combined revenues fall by 0.8 per cent. But revenue across the top five European banks - Deutsche, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse and UBS fell by nearly 8 per cent. Banking experts explained that US banks adapted to changes in their industry faster. Brad Hintz, a global investment banking professor at New York University Stern School of Business, told the FT: 'No US bank clung tenaciously to bond trading like. No US bank completely reversed strategy like Barclays and and no US bank had to face Swiss capital rules like Credit Suisse.' Other experts attributed the US banks' superior performance to the decision by US authorities to force banks to restructure faster following the 2007 financial crash. The likes of Credit Suisse, Barclays and Deutsche are only carrying out the necessary restructuring now, experts explained. Dozens of homes have left with thousands of dollars worth of damage in South California as devastating thunderstorms continue to batter the area. Several properties were left hanging precariously over cliffs in Pacifica as a deluge of rain caused chaos across the state. Lightning sparked a blaze which engulfed several businesses over the weekend causing $30,000 of damage while shocking footage taken by one resident showed a burning tree after it was struck by lightning on Monday morning. Scroll down for video Shocking footage taken by one resident showed a burning tree after it was struck by lightning in South California on Monday morning Several properties have been left hanging precariously over cliffs in Pacifica as a deluge of rain causes chaos across the state Ken Chung, who was travelling to work when he spotted the fire, wrote alongside the 15-second video: 'Just saw a tree getting struck by lightning and setting on fire on my way to work. Reported it to 911.' Firefighters were also forced to respond to a call about an attic fire in Mission Viejo, KTLA.com reported. Photographs taken by officers showed a tree collapsed on one property in Stanton while business owners faced huge bills after lightning destroyed roof tiles and left burning holes. The family of the destroyed Stanton house were safe and well, the fire department confirmed. The seaview properties are going to be demolished after violent El Nino storms ruined the coastline The homes, which are perched on top of huge cliffs, are at risk of crumbling into the ocean as a result of the relentless El Nino storms It comes after a woman died in Northern California after being trapped in a car that became submerged in floodwater, authorities said Sunday. The vehicle is believed to have been on a section of highway that was closed due to heavy rain. Thousands of people in the two states also lost power after powerful winds toppled trees and power lines. Firefighters were also forced to respond to a call about an attic fire in Mission Viejo, thought to have been caused by lightning Lightning sparked a blaze which engulfed several businesses over the weekend causing $30,000 of damage. Above, the damaged roof Photographs taken by officers responding to emergency calls showed a tree collapsed on one property in Stanton A seven-day total could approach 20 inches of rain in North California and up to three inches in the southern end of the state. Heavy rainfall and flooding are possible throughout Oklahoma as a storm system makes its way through the state, forecasters said. Advertisement Human barriers were formed by police in London tonight as heavy flooding led to overcrowding and severe rail disruption for thousands of commuters. British Transport Police officers locked together in front of Eustons main concourse to prevent passengers from gathering on the platforms. They told travellers they were trying to ensure safety, with one saying that people had fallen from trains earlier and warning people could be killed. Overhead announcements informed passengers at the station that heavy rain had caused flooding between Rugby and Milton Keynes. It came as Britain was hit by flooding and 80mph winds that saw an HGV blown over and crash onto the A35 dual carriageway near Bridport, Dorset. Overcrowding: Passengers crowd the concourse at London Euston station as heavy flooding led to severe rail disruption this evening Rail problems: Announcements informed passengers that heavy rain had caused flooding between Rugby and Milton Keynes (above) Train delays: The severe flooding between Rugby and Milton Keynes caused problems with signalling and electrical equipment today Footage filmed by Jacqui Sieger who was travelling in the car behind showed the driver struggling to control the lorry before it smashed onto a verge. Elsewhere roofs were ripped off buildings and cars were crushed under falling trees as wet and windy weather played havoc in many southern areas. And there is further misery to come with more than 200 flood alerts and warnings imposed on England and Wales as of 10pm tonight. At London Euston, an officer said police were at the station due to a shortage of rail staff as hundreds of travellers awaited information. Passenger Lou Davies, who lives near Watford, said: There were quite a lot of police. They were standing in lines to stop people getting down the corridors that lead to some of the platforms. They said the trains had been delayed because of flooding and they were there to keep people safe. It was odd. There weren't many train staff around. There were a lot of people waiting. Pretty much all the trains were delayed. This it the shocking moment a HGV was blown over in 80mph winds near Bridport, Devon as heavy rain, gusts and snow battered Britain The dramatic scene, filmed by Jacqui Sieger who was travelling in the car behind, showed the driver struggling to control the vehicle Incoming: Massive waves crash into the shore today at St Ives, Cornwall, as severe gales and flooding hit Britain Going nowhere: A car in high water today near Knowle in the West Midlands following a flash flood Overwhelmed: A car is driven through water near Kenilworth Castle today following a flash flood in the West Midlands Before and after: Two people are seen running (left) as a huge wave crashes into the shore at St Ives in Cornwall today (right) Train operator London Midland said the severe flooding in several areas had caused problems with signalling and electrical equipment. Passengers were also advised that bus replacement services were not an option due to the weather conditions in parts of Northamptonshire. Although some services to and from Northampton resumed, disruption was expected for the rest of the day between Rugby and London Euston. A London Midland spokesman saidL Unfortunately passengers can expect disruption for the rest of the day. Once the floodwater subsides we are still faced with trains and train crew out of place across the network. This may mean some trains could have fewer carriages than normal. The advice is please allow more time and check your journey before you travel. In addition to the problems on the trains, the rainfall caused issues on the roads in the Midlands. The A43 between Towcester and Northampton was shut due to flooding while driving conditions on other roads were made difficult by standing water. Miserable conditions: Runners on The Long Walk in Windsor, Berkshire, go out for a jog today despite the torrential rain A driver had to be rescued after his car became stuck in flood water near Ledbury, Herefordshire, as heavy rain and high winds hit the area Firefighters attended the scene but the driver was already out of the vehicle when crews arrived. He was not believed to have been injured. The floodwater near Ledbury, which hit overnight, is pictured above Extreme winds played havoc in parts of Britain today, with this roof being torn off the Booker food retail store in Newquay, Cornwall The dramatic scene at the Treloggan Industrial Estate came amid severe weather warnings for the south of England and 80mph gales Debris was strewn across the car park next to a Lidl store at the estate in Newquay after the roofs suffered damage due to the high winds Huge waves batter the sea wall at Portreath in Cornwall this morning, as coastal areas in the county experienced gale-force winds Forecasters issued warnings for wind and rain in southern England and Wales, including Cornwall, where this photograph was taken Sue Butler, 54, was hoping to travel back to Macclesfield, but was caught up in the delays. She said: If the worst comes to the worst, I'll go back to my daughter's. But I'm meant to be at work tomorrow. I haven't got any clothes with me. I just want to go home, she added. Other passengers took to social media to vent their frustration. Jude Butler @nelltent wrote: Chaos at Euston. Delays are annoying, but my God, people's behaviour to race down the platform with no regard to who they bash on the way! Rob @robsribsmk wrote: Euston is an absolute bun fight. Delays all over the shop. Earlier, a driver had been rescued after his car became stranded in flash flooding. The motorist was travelling near Ledbury, Herefordshire, when his vehicle became submerged under several feet of rainwater, forcing him to have to break free from the car. Chaos also ensued in Newquay, Cornwall, as the industrial roofs of Bookers and Lidl were ripped off by gale-force winds which struck the South West. In Plymouth, emergency services had to be called after a huge tree collapsed overnight, crashing into a car parked nearby (pictured) Flooding has played havoc in parts of the country. This tree fell overnight in Plymouth amid strong winds Forecasters issued severe weather warnings for wind and rain in southern England and Wales, including Devon, where the car was struck by the tree The emergency services were called to the scene to help remove the tree from the car. Highways England is urging drivers to take extra care Motorists struggled to deal with difficult driving conditions in County Durham today as the north of England was hit by flurries of snow The snow in the north of England came as heavy rain and strong winds spread across the southern parts of England and Wales The snow is expected to turn to rain overnight, making way for improved and slightly warmer weather conditions by Friday Roads around the area were cordoned off as firefighters attempted to salvage the torn-up panels and clear some of the debris which had been strewn across the Treloggan Industrial Estate. Meanwhile in Plymouth, emergency services had to be called to a residential street after a huge tree collapsed overnight, crashing into a parked car, while more than 2,500 homes were also left without power between Helston and Launceston. And in County Durham, motorists battled against difficult driving conditions, as inches of snow fell across northern England. Highways England urged drivers to take extra care amid warnings that the East Midlands and the East of England could see water deep enough to cause cars to stall. Met Office forecaster Rebecca Simpson said road users should 'be aware and be careful'. She added: There is a chance of some hill snow around, possibly some sleet at lower levels but it's not going to settle.' The wet and windy weather slowly eased this afternoon, as the band of rain moves eastwards. See more news on ISIS in Europe at www.dailymail.co.uk/isis Said two in five of Europol terrorism cases Many of these now returning to Europe potentially The threat of terrorist attacks in the EU is at its highest level in ten years, as hundreds of European ISIS fighters get ready to return to their home countries, the head of Europol has warned. Rob Wainwright said at least 5,000 Europeans have become radicalised and left to go to Syria and fight for ISIS, with many now returning, potentially planning terrorist attacks across the continent. The Europol director added that nearly half of all terrorism cases handled by the European Union's law enforcement agency involved a 'British element'. High risk: Rob Wainwright, the director of Europol, said that nearly half of all terrorist cases handled by the European Union's law enforcement agency involved a 'British element'. The former MI5 officer said that the chance of a terror attack on the scale of Paris was growing and European co-operation was needed. 'I think it is likely that we will have another attack,' Mr Wainwright told Sky News. 'We are working of course around the clock to prevent that from happening but this is a very, very serious threat.' Mr Wainwright said the current threat level was the highest it had been for ten years and that the counter-terrorism community needed to up its game to protect citizens. Returning: Wainwright said at least 5,000 Europeans have become radicalised and left to go to Syria and fight for ISIS with many now returning, potentially planning terrorist attacks across the continent Tragedy: The terrorist attacks in Paris on November 13, where 130 people were killed and 352 people were injured, a majority of the attackers were French and Belgian nationals radicalised by ISIS. Commenting on the upcoming referendum on EU membership, Mr Wainwright warned that a Brexit would have an impact on the UK's security capabilities. Up to 40 per cent of Europol's casework involved a 'British element', Mr Wainwright said. He said: 'One can expect that the arrangements will be not as optimal (in the event of the UK leaving the EU) and therefore it will be difficult for the UK to replace what it currently relies on in the EU with arrangements that would be as effective and as cost efficient as well.' This comes just two days after a warning by the UK's top anti-terror officer that ISIS is planning a 'spectacular' attack on British soil. Warning: Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, pictured, said Mondat that ISIS is 'trying to build bigger attacks' in Europe - and has its eye on the UK Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley has said the terror group is 'trying to build bigger attacks' around the world and the UK is one of its top targets. The Met officer said that while in the past few years the Islamist group has called on would-be jihadis to attack police and the military, their plots are now broader 'plans to attack Western lifestyle'. Mr Rowley, who is the national policing lead for counter-terrorism, said that ISIS is trying to get supporters who have received military training in Syria into northern Europe to stage attacks. Advertisement The haunting remnants of fighter planes shot down during a mighty Second World War battle have been pictured 185ft feet underwater. Dramatic images show these once powerful war machines, now lying dormant on the sea-bed off the coast of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. The planes, a Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero long ranger fighter aircraft, an America Grumman F6F 3-Hellcat and a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, were all lost in 1943 during fierce battles in the region between the US and Japan. Scroll down for video Haunting: The remnants of fighter planes - including this US F6F-3 Hellcat - shot down during a mighty Second World War battle have been pictured 185ft feet underwater Discovery: Dramatic images show these once powerful war machines, now lying dormant on the sea-bed off the coast of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. The remains of a Grumman F6F 3 Hellcat are pictured covered in coral Wreckage: The planes, including this Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, were all believed to have been lost in 1943 during fierce battles in the region between the US and Japan They are shown in varying degrees of decay with colourful coral growing out from now their rusted shells, some of which included the human remains of the crewmen. The Hellcat is believed to be Betsy II, which came down when its engine failed on September 16 1943 during an assault on Ballale Island in the Solomons. The Boeing B-1, thought to have been named Black Jack / The Joker's Wild, was lost on July 11 that year during bad weather after a bombing raid on Rabaul, Papua New Guinea. Three of the crew were injured when the plane went down, but incredibly, the entire crew escaped the aircraft, climbed into life rafts and were helped ashore by villagers who gave them food and shelter, according to Pacificwrecks.com. All three planes were lost during the Solomon Islands campaign, a major Second World War operation which started after the Japanese landings and occupation of several areas of the British Solomon Islands and Bougainville, in the Territory of New Guinea in early 1942. Resting place: The aircraft, including this Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero, are shown in varying degrees of decay with colourful coral growing out from now their rusted shells Canadian underwater photographer Christopher Hamilton, 34, embarked on a diving expedition to the Solomon Islands, near Papua New Guinea to photograph these underwater relics. A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is pictured above Lost at sea: The Hellcat pictured above is believed to have come down in September 1943 during an assault on Ballale island The Allies launched a counteroffensive in New Guinea attacking the Japanese base at Rabaul and in the Solomons with landings on Guadalcanal. This sparked a campaign of attrition fought on land, on sea and in the air which eventually wore the Japanese forces down. Canadian underwater photographer Christopher Hamilton, 34, embarked on a diving expedition to the Solomon Islands to photograph some of the planes that took part in the conflict, now lying deep underwater. These wrecks were first discovered in the 1980s. Previous to that discovery by Westerners had only been known about by local people. 'I could actually place my hand on the controls that the pilot would have gripped with such adrenalin, all those years ago, as he attempted to achieve a smooth water landing,' said Christopher. 'The first Pacific plane wreck I encountered was the WWII Zero off the East coast of Papua New Guinea. TITANS OF THE SKIES: HOW THE MITSUBISHI A6M ZERO, F6F HELLCAT AND BOEING FLYING FORTRESS MEASURE UP F6F-3 Hellcat Role: Carrier-based fighter aircraft Primary users: United States Navy Manufacturer: Grumman Entered service: 1943 Top speed: 376 mph Weapons: six 50 caliber machine guns Range: 1,090 miles Length: 33 ft 7 ins Wingspan: 42 ft 10 ins Crew: Pilot The F6F Hellcat had a top speed of 376mh Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Role: Heavy bomber Primary user: US Air Force Manufacturer: Boeing Entered service: April 1938 Top speed: Up to 325mph Weapons: 13 machineguns, 17,600 lb of bombs Range: about 2,000mph Length: 74 ft Wingspan: 103 ft 9 ins Crew: 10 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress had 10 crew Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero Role: fighter aircraft Primary user: Imperial Japanese Navy Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Entered service: 1939 Top speed: 350mph Weapons: 4 maching guns, two bombs Range: Up to 1,930 miles Length: 27ft Wingspan: 36ft Crew: pilot Japan's long range Mitsubishi A6M Zero Advertisement 'I was stunned to find something so intact, such a solid remnant of events that happened so long ago, out there in the middle of nowhere. 'Under the encrusting coral and sponge I could see the body of the plane, this shell that a handful of men trusted with their lives. 'Photographing wrecks allows me to be near something that has been frozen in time, untouched for so many decades. 'It's difficult to describe the feeling of going into a wreck, particularly on wrecks where human remains are still trapped inside, it is very strange yet exhilarating and very moving.' The F6F Hellcat was best known for its role as a rugged, well-designed carrier fighter for the US Navy service. It made its first appearance in 1943 to counter the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. It was successful in helping to secure US air superiority against the Japanese in the Pacific. The F6F Hellcat (pictured) was best known for its role as a rugged, well-designed carrier fighter for the US Navy service. It made its first appearance in 1943 to counter the Mitsubishi A6M Zero Eerie: The incredible underwater pictures were taken by the Canadian photographer Christopher Hamilton during a diving expedition A diver approaches the looming shape of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress - a key player in the US offensive in the Solomon Islands in 1943 Mr Hamilton said he planned a six-month sailing voyage from New Zealand, through to Vanuatu and Solomon Islands with a view to getting to some of the 'most inaccessible, forgotten wrecks of the Second World War' The Hellcats were built with such quality and simplicity of design that they were the least modified fighters of the war, with a total of 12,200 being built in just over two years. 'From a technical point of view there is often the great and really enjoyable challenge of shooting wrecks in a perspective which allows the viewer to piece together the whole of the scene,' said Christopher. 'I planned a six-month sailing voyage from New Zealand, through to Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, and Papua, with a view to getting to some of the most inaccessible, forgotten wrecks of the Second World War. The Hellcats were built with such quality and simplicity of design that they were the least modified fighters of the war, with a total of 12,200 being built in just over two years Relic: The Hellcat was successful in helping to secure US air superiority against the Japanese in the Pacific during the Solomon Islands Campaign Lost to the sea: The photographer said the area in which he was diving was 'littered with incredibly remote wreck sites, seldom visited' 'This route is littered with incredibly remote wreck sites, seldom visited. It was an incredibly rewarding trail. 'Naturally, I would not have been able to find anything if it were not for the help of the local people. 'I think the key to finding the wrecks is to not be on a timetable. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you search all day and still come away with nothing. 'It's just one of those passions, the closer you look, the more addicted you become.' Many of the wrecks have become habitats for fish with colourful coral growing on the rusting frames of the Second World War planes Mother Zakia, 18, told MailOnline they wanted 'a better life' for their son and hope to make it to somewhere safe They have passed through Iran, Turkey and the Greek islands of Lesbos, covering more than 3,000 miles Advertisement Cradled for weeks in the arms of his teenage parents, infant Abulfaz has already travelled over 3,000 miles more than most people venture in a lifetime. At less than one year old he has crossed mountains and deserts, ridden aboard trucks, buses and a train, and taken possibly the most perilous sea journey on earth crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece in a tiny rubber boat. Just months after he came into the world his young parents bundled him up along with a few possessions and set off from rural Afghanistan for northern Europe - regarded by many as the promised land. Perilous journey: Ruhoula, 19, and his wife Zakia, 18, from Afghanistan, have carried their infant son Abulfaz, aged 11 months, from Afghanistan to Athens Desperate: 11-month-old Abulfaz has survived the most dangerous sea journey on earth, but is now sleeping rough among migrant men as his young parents try to make their way into 'the promised land' Baby Abulfaz's journey has seen him travel thousands of miles from their village in Afghanistan (far right) to the Greek capital of Athens in a bid to reach the 'promised land' of Europe But as the well-trodden path from Greece to Germany has been blocked tiny Abulfaz finds himself stuck in Athens along with thousands of other children, women and men. Pictured yesterday being breast-fed the 11-month-old baby was oblivious to the dangers around him as he makes an alley off Victoria Square home, sleeping on the street between his parents. Wrapped up in his red Spider Man baby-grow 11-month-old smiled as he sat on the ground with his mother Zakia, 18, and father Ruhoula, 19. Teenage mother Zakia told MailOnline: My baby was born in Afghanistan but we want to go to Germany. In Afghanistan life is bad. There is war, there is danger. We want a better life for our son. We want him to have safety, to go to school, to get a job. The young family have travelled thousands of kilometres over several weeks to come this far. They rode in a truck from their rural village north of Afghanistan to the capital Kabul. From Kabul they took a bus across the deserts of eastern Afghanistan into Iran and onto Tehran. After several days rest the young family boarded another bus to northern Iran and across the mountainous border into Turkey. In Turkey they endured the 930km journey from the dangerous border town of Dogubeyazit to Istanbul. Sheltering in a cheap hostel the family waited several weeks before they could arrange their illegal passage to Greece. No place for a baby: Tiny Abulfaz is sleeping rough among the migrants who are bedding down in the streets surrounding Victoria Square as they make their way towards Europe Hundreds of migrants fleeing the Middle East are currently trapped in the city after border blockades were established in the country's north A man sleeps in the town square where men, women and children have been living rough the past few weeks The family travelled to a village on Turkeys Aegean coast. Then one night they were loaded into a tiny rubber boat and made the dangerous crossing to a Greek island. Zakia does not know where they landed, but it is believed they first set foot in Europe on the Aegean island of Lesbos. Once registered with the Greek authorities the family boarded the ferry for Athens and landed in the port of Piraeus. From the city port the trio boarded the suburban train to Victoria Square, the central Athens, which has become the unofficial staging post for the thousands of migrants heading to northern Europe. And they must travel a further 1,200 miles if they are to reach Germany. But now the border between Greece and Macedonia has been shut - closing the western Balkan route through Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria to Germany, the family say they do not know what to do. Abulfazs father Ruhoula asked: What can we do now? We want to go to Germany, we dont want to stay in Greece. Yesterday the young family were among hundreds of migrants from Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan stuck in Athens with an uncertain future. Widowed mother-of-five Karima fled Afghanistan when her husband was killed by the Taliban because her husband had worked with the coalition forces, she claims. Karima, 35, told MailOnline: We want to go to Germany. My husband was shot by the Taliban because he worked for the British Army as a translator. Migrant families wait in the public square, in the Greek capital of Athens, in the hope of being allowed to cross the border to go north A man rests in Heyden Street near the town square among bags full of migrants' possessions Two youngsters, oblivious to the plight they are undergoing with their families, play in the street Afghan widow and mother-of-five Karima plays with three of her children, pictured from left to right is Samar, 5, Fahad, 7 and Saud, 9 We cannot stay in Greece. We have been here for 20 days. There is nothing here. We have a small room in a university for all of us. My daughter Leila is very sick. Pictured eating with her three sons, Samar, five, Fahad, seven and Saud, nine, the family rely on the charity of welfare groups for most of their meals. Yesterday groups of young men queued impatiently for hot tea and sandwiches given out at the curb-side. Others returned to Victoria Square with newly purchased tents and sleeping bags they plan to use for shelter on their way to northern Europe. Naweed, 18, from Afghanistan, told MailOnline: I will go to the border, maybe it will become open and I can get through. I know it is closed but I have come this far. I will not stop my journey now. The Port of Piraeus, where many of those making their way to Europe from the Greek islands land, is now also home to hundreds of migrants stuck in limbo due to border closures in the north. Some families have resorted to drastic measures in a bid to find shelter for the night, including even sleeping under parked trucks used during the day to transport freight containers. Naweed (pictured far right with friends), 18, vowed to continue his trip into Europe despite the border into Macedonia being closed Many migrants were also seen returning to the square with equipment they planned to use to reach Europe A group of young men queue for hot tea and sandwiches given out at the curb-side Three migrants relax on the pavement in Athens, waiting patiently to be allowed into Macedonia in the north Shehin Shah-Khan from Pakistan (left) is pictured with his friends in Heyden Street, Victoria Square, Athens A woman is being forced to make a 600 mile round-trip to visit her disabled son because there is only one hospital in the UK that can give him the support he needs. Adele Hanlon's 16-year-old son, Eddie Marshall, has been diagnosed with a range of learning disabilities and mental health issues that means he requires 24-hour care. At the age of 13, Eddie was initially placed in a residential school close to the family home in Southmead, Bristol, but the centre was unable to cope and his behaviour started to deteriorate. The teenager was detained under the Mental Health Act and transferred to a hospital in Northampton, some 250 miles away. Heartbreaking: Adele Hanson needs to make a 600-mile round trip to visit her 16-year-old son Eddie (pictured together) in hospital. The teenager has a range of learning disabilities and needs round-the-clock care Cross-country: The family are forced to make an extraordinary journey from Bristol to Liverpool to visit Eddie But when the family went to visit Eddie they found him heavily sedated and unhappy and after a damning report by the Care Quality Commission, the teenager was moved once again. Mother-of-three Ms Hanlon, who gave birth to her youngest child five months ago, has been told the only centre capable of caring for Eddie is St Nicholas Hospital in Newcastle, which is a six-hour drive from home. The distance and the cost of the journey, as well as problems with arranging childcare, mean Ms Hanlon is only able to visit Eddie one a month. As a result the teenager, who has attachment issues as well as ADHD, autism, dyspraxia, epilepsy and bipolar disorder, becomes distressed when it comes to saying goodbye. Ms Hanlon, an insurance worker, has now launched an online campaign to get better NHS facilities which could accommodate Eddie, and other children from the South West, closer to home. She said: 'I just want to be able to be a mum to Eddie. The visits used to be so much more regular. If I wasn't on maternity leave I wouldn't be able to see him at all. Alone: The distance and cost of travel means family can only visit Eddie, pictured, once a month 'When I go and see him it's great for the first half but in the second half Eddie gets distressed about me leaving. We come away knowing that he is going to be upset. It's heartbreaking.' Ms Hanlon, 34, said she first saw signs that Eddie wasn't developing normally when he was a toddler. By Year 2 she realised he needed specialist care. 'When he was growing up he wasn't hitting milestones so we were eased into the fact that he was different and as he grew older he couldn't cope in mainstream schools,' she said. 'He started spending more and more time at home because he wasn't coping with change or noise of distractions and the teachers couldn't cope. 'We needed carers just to get him to school in the first place. It just wasn't working.' In December 2012, Eddie, then aged 13, started at the residential school near Bristol but it later became apparent it was not the right fit for Eddie. On Christmas Day, Adele was asked to stop her daily visits to Eddie because he was becoming too agitated and unmanageable when she left. The following week, as his behaviour continued to deteriorate, the teenager was sectioned under the Mental Health Act. He was moved to St Andrew's Hospital, Northampton, a 250-mile round trip from the family home. The journey was just about manageable for Ms Hanlon and Eddie's stepfather, healthcare assistant Rob Green. But when they went to visit Eddie they found him heavily sedated and unhappy, and after a damning report by the Care Quality Commission they decided to move him again. Family: Mother Adele Hanlon with partner Rob Green and children Eddie Marshall, 16, and four-year-old Alfie Ms Hanlon said: 'When he phoned me the first thing he said was, "They've got lockers here mummy". 'I said, "That's lovely, you can keep your things safe" and he replied, "No mummy, the lockers are for me". When the children don't cope they go into seclusion. 'Trying to imagine what that was like for him was difficult. No parent should ever have to go through that. Far apart: Eddie with his four-year-old brother Alfie 'When we went to visit him he was drooling because he was so heavily sedated. I had never seen a child like that before. It was scary. 'He was being treated like a prisoner, but he wasn't a criminal he was unwell.' In May 2014, the family took the decision to move Eddie and plans were discussed to create a bespoke unit in Bristol to care for him. But the teenager was instead moved further away from home, to St Nicholas Hospital in Newcastle. Now Ms Hanlon, along with Eddie's brothers Jordan, 18, Alfie, four and five-month-old Reggie, have to endure a five-hour train ride or an expensive flight to visit the hospital. 'It is just too far,' she said. 'It is unfair to expect any family to travel so far. Something needs to be created in the South West. There is a demand for it. 'We love Eddie to pieces, but this is really hard. We really need this to get out so that people are aware of what we have to go through to see him. 'We don't want other families to have to go through this.' NHS England South West Assistant Director of Specialised Commissioning, Joe McEvoy said placing children so far away from their parents was the last resort. He said: 'It can be desperately sad for families when young people with very complex conditions have to be treated far away at highly specialist centres. 'This must be a last resort and our absolute priority is always to get them living back in their own homes with specialist community support as soon as possible.' Adele has started an online petition to get Eddie moved closer to home, which has been signed by more than 2,500 people. More information can be found at Change.org. Advertisement Macedonia said it has now closed its doors 'completely' to migrants, leaving thousands trapped in a tented slum on the Greek border. Skopje had been allowing small numbers of Syrians and Iraqis through, but is now stopping doing so after its neighbours tightened up their policies. Slovenia and Croatia said last night that no migrants wishing to transit towards other countries would be allowed to enter, while Serbia indicated it would also follow suit. It means the Balkan trail used by floods of migrants was now shut, hiking pressure on the EU and Turkey to nail down a 'game-changing' solution. Meanwhile, it has been claimed Greece is planning to clear the Idomeni refugee camp and relocate its inhabitants to five different sites. Scroll down for videos A migrant waiting to cross the Greek-Macedonian border walks through a makeshift camp near the village of Idomeni, Greece A woman passes toilet paper across a puddle during rainfall at the Idomeni camp after Macedonia completely shut its border A child closes a tent by a banner placed on the enforced razor wire fence between Macedonia and Greece that reads 'Made in EU' A Macedonian police official, who declined to be named, said: 'We have completely closed the border.' According to the Macedonian Interior Ministry, no migrants entered from Greece on Tuesday. 'Macedonia will act according to the decisions taken by other countries on the Balkan route,' an Interior Ministry spokesman said, referring to the main routes taken by more than a million migrants to reach the European Union over the last year. The decisions were announced hours after EU leaders declared an end to a mass scramble to reach wealthy countries in Europe from war zones along the Balkan route. Around 1,000 migrants remain stranded in a refugee camp on the Macedonian side of the Serbian border while more than 400 are stranded in 'No Man's Land' between Serbia and Macedonia. A migrant gestures while being photographed at a makeshift camp near the village of Idomeni on the Greek-Macedonia border Migrant children play outside their tent at a makeshift camp near the village of Idomeni, Greece A migrant covers himself in a blanket during rainfall at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni. Despair and confusion spread through the camp at the Greek-Macedonian border as thousands of stranded refugees were forced to acknowledge the Bakan route was now shut A migrant, who is waiting to cross the Greek-Macedonian border, carries his belongings at a makeshift camp near the village of Idomeni They refuse to go back to Macedonia and are not being allowed to cross in to Serbia. EU member Slovenia said that from midnight (11pm GMT), the only exceptions were for people wishing to claim asylum in the country or for migrants 'on humanitarian grounds and in accordance with the rules of the Schengen zone'. Prime Minister Miro Cerar said the move meant that 'the (Balkan) route for illegal migrations no longer exists.' Croatia's Interior Minister Vlaho Orepic called it a 'new phase in resolving the migrant crisis'. The measures follow Austria's decision in February to cap the number of migrants passing through its territory and Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz late Tuesday welcomed the news. 'This is putting into effect what is correct and that is the end of the 'waving through' (of migrants) which attracted so many migrants last year and was the wrong approach,' Kurz told public television. 'As Europe, we must help Greece but we have to make sure that arriving in (the Greek island of) Lesbos doesn't mean a ticket to Germany,' he said. A Syrian woman holds her cat named Taboush, which she brought with her from Syria, at the camp at the Greek-Macedonian borders A migrant boy covered in a plastic poncho walks during rainfall at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni Slovenia and Croatia said no migrants wishing to transit towards other countries would be allowed in, while Serbia said it would follow suit In Greece, however, the tightening of border restrictions in recent weeks sparked by Austria's move has created a bottleneck at the border with Macedonia. There was no official reaction from Athens to Slovenia and Croatia's moves, but a Greek government source said it now considered borders through the Balkans as 'de facto closed'. The authorities were trying 'to convince the refugees that are stuck to go temporarily to welcome centres throughout Greece,' the source said. More than 14,000 mainly Syrian and Iraqi refugees are camped out by the border crossing at Idomeni - many of them for weeks - at a muddy, unhygienic camp operated by beleaguered aid groups. Greece has tried to coax migrants south in recent days after the border was closed to everyone apart from those travelling with a valid EU visa. Campaigners working on the ground at the camp confirmed to MailOnline it would only be a matter of time before officials moved in and closed the camp. One of the workers said: 'The word is that the camp is going to be closed, and to be honest that has to be a good thing because it's becoming harder and harder to handle the situation here. 'There are simply too many of them and it's growing all the time. I don't see how the officials can do anything else? 'People in this camp are those that are determined to get to the EU as quickly as possible, but the borders are closed. 'They are trying everything, but when they are caught they are simply sent back here. 'There are also those who have been told there was a problem with their documents, and were sent back, but none of them are being given proper information.' The tightening of border restrictions in recent weeks sparked by Austria's move has created a bottleneck at the border with Macedonia where more than 13,000 people were stranded at the camp at Idomeni (above) More on their way: Migrants walk on a road towards a makeshift camp at the Greek-Macedonian border, near the Greek village of Idomeni Aid workers have been struggling to clamp down on an outbreak of illness in Idomeni particularly among children, with ambulances being sent from Athens to pick some of the more seriously affected. As well as being unhygienic, it is also the base from which refugees have been making frequent attempts to illegally cross the border, by cutting holes in the fence and sneaking through. The site of Macedonian armoured personnel carriers fitted with machine guns stationed along the border has done little to deter them. Father-of-six Ahmed Hasan, 47, is one of those who accepted a place at a nearby camp together with his wife Syher, 37, who was a maths teacher at their home in the eastern Syrian city of Deir Ezzor before becoming a refugee. The couple are there with their children including his youngest daughter Drand, who is one year old, Massa aged 5 and his oldest daughter Aya aged 13. His boys Omar, 11, Maxhit, 10, and Muhamed, 17, were playing football. He said: 'We have been here five days now. Because of the children, we wouldn't consider putting them through the ordeal of staying in Idomeni. We get fresh fruit and sandwiches every day, and it's much better here than at Idomeni. 'I went there briefly just to see how it was and realised we were much better off here, there are around 1,200 people, and it's a lot cleaner. 'We have all registered and are just waiting to hear when we can be relocated stop without which EU country we end up in, we just want to have a safe life.' Syrian children Massa and Drand are staying at a camp near Idomeni with parents Ahmed and Syher Hasan who fled their city of Deir Ezzor Waiting game: The family have regstered for asylum and waiting to hear whether they will be resettled in another EU country More than a million people have crossed the Aegean Sea into Greece since the start of 2015, many from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq and most aiming to reach wealthy Germany, Austria and Scandinavia. This has caused deep divisions among EU members about how to deal with Europe's worst migration crisis since World War Two and put German Chancellor Angela Merkel under severe pressure domestically over her open-door asylum policy. Merkel hopes that a mooted deal with Turkey discussed at an EU summit on Monday, and due to be finalised on March 17-18, will be the answer, with Turkey offering to take back all illegal migrants landing on the Greek islands. Turkey, currently hosting 2.7 million refugees escaping the five-year-old civil war in neighbouring Syria, is the main springboard for migrants making the perilous sea crossing to Greece. Ankara proposed an arrangement under which the EU would resettle one Syrian refugee from camps in Turkey in exchange for every Syrian that Turkey takes from Greece, in a bid to reduce the incentive for people to board boats for Europe. In return though, Turkey wants 6billion ($6.6billion) in aid, visa-free access for Turkish citizens to Europe's passport-free Schengen zone and a speeding up of Ankara's efforts to join the EU. European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker called the plan a 'real game-changer' and insisted it was 'legally feasible', but it has sparked concern from UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi and others. 'As a first reaction I'm deeply concerned about any arrangement that would involve the blanket return of anyone from one country to another without spelling out the refugee protection safeguards under international law,' Grandi told the European Parliament. Advertisement Thousands of people took to the streets across South America to highlight a number of human rights issues, including gender equality, violence against women, women's rights and abortion law, on International Women's Day on Tuesday. Large demonstrations were held in capitals all over the continent, including Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica and Venezuela, as part of the global observation of International Women's Day. Many of the protests saw women poignantly using their bodies to fight for their cause, opting to walk topless during the demonstrations with slogans written across their chests and stomachs. Shout for change: Thousands of activists march for women's rights on International Women's Day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Tuesday Heart of the issue: A woman walks wopless through the crowd, with 'legalize' written across her chest, demanging a change in Brazilian law, which currently only allows abortion in cases of rape or certain dire health threats Zombie walk: A demonstrator wearing make-up to resemble assault marks holds up a banner that reads 'They are killing us' in Santiago Highlighting issues: A woman holds a torch during a demonstration against violence against women in Santiago, Chile Activists in Brazil marched through the streets of Rio De Janeiro calling for a myriad of reforms, including protection from genderised violence, expanded female reproductive rights and legalization of abortion. Brazilian law currently only allows abortion in cases of rape or certain dire health threats, and protesters were heard shouting slogans to change legislation on terminations of pregnancies while marching through Rio De Janeiro with 'legalize' written across their topless bodies. Demonstrations were held in Santiago, Chile, Mexico City, Mexico, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, protesting femicide - the murder of women because of their gender - and saw protesters wearing make-up to resemble assault injuries and carrying crosses bearing slogans such as 'Not one more death'. Protesters in Bogota, Colombia, held a 'Slut Walk', highlighting street harassment, slut-shaming and women's rights to their own bodies. Fists in the air: Demonstrators participate in a massive march in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to highlight the issue of femicide - the murder of women because of their gender Walking tall: A group of young women re-enact street harassment during a demonstration in Santiago, Chile's capital and largest city Enough is enough: Women carrying crosses reading,'Not one more death', left, and 'For you, for all', right, during a protest against violence against women marking International Women's Day in Mexico City, Mexico Rosie the Riveter: Demonstrators demanding and end to gender discrimination and the decriminalization of abortion participate in a march on International Women's Day in Santiago de Chile Women's reproductive rights have taken on a new focus in Brazil, pictured, following the onset of the Zika virus outbreak, which authorities strongly suspect is linked to birth defects No longer puppets: A demonstrator holds up a placard reading 'Anti-Patriarcal', with a male puppet head in Santiago, Chile A woman's right: A woman holding a baby and a sign reading 'My body is mine, I decide' during a protest in San Jose, Costa Rica No longer silenced: A woman with her face painted with a drawing of a screaming mouth poses for a photo during a demonstration demanding policies to prevent femicides outside the Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina Day for all women: A group of supporters of the Venezuelan government participates in a march in Caracas Proud: Colombians take part in a 'Slut Walk' protest through the capital of Bogota, Colombia on Tuesday Fight for your right: A group of Salvadoran women from different feminist and human rights organizations march in San Salvador Pussy riot: A protester wearing the pink balaclava associated with the Russian feminist punk rock protest group Celebration: Men, women and children danced through the streets of Santiago as the protest continued into the night Marching together: Demonstrators and feminist groups filled the streets of Caracas, Venezuela on Tuesday Celebration: Participants shout slogans during a rally in Istanbul, Turkey on Tuesday evening An orphaned joey, whose mother was hit by a truck in Western Australia's remote Mid West, has been adopted by a police officer with a passion for animals. Constable Scott Mason, a former paramedic, said the young animal was brought into the Cue Police Station on Wednesday morning after being found in its dead mother's pouch. 'It's very dehydrated and skinny, but we're doing what we can,' Const Mason told AAP. The young officer - who moved to Cue six weeks ago - said he would have his hands full over the next few months as his wife just gave birth to their first child. An orphaned joey, whose mother was hit by a truck in Western Australia's remote Mid West, has been adopted by Constable Scott Mason (pictured) 'Because it needs to be fed every three hours, it's going to be my little child basically as my wife's in Perth with our newborn,' he said. 'So she's got her newborn and I've got a little one as well.' Const Mason, the Cue community liaison officer, said he hoped to start a wildlife rescue centre in the remote town, with a population estimated at less than 300. Police have asked for help from the public in naming the joey, who will need to be reared over several years before being released. 'I was going to name it after my son, but my missus wasn't too happy about that so we thought we'd put it out for everyone else to name the 'Cue Roo',' Const Mason said. have now dismissed his claims and questioned his credibility A major search for Madeleine McCann in South America was initiated by bizarre claims in a local newspaper that she had been spotted in Paraguay, it was revealed today. Miraz Ullah Ali Isa, who claims to be a private eye from London, had said the missing girl from Leicestershire was living 'in the custody of a woman' in the southern city of Aregua. And an advert by Mr Ali which appeared in Aregua this week is believed to have triggered a major search involving four local police stations, an anti-kidnapping division and Interpol. Appeal: A newspaper advert by a private eye which appeared in Aregua this week is believed to have triggered a major search involving four local police stations, an anti-kidnapping division and Interpol Translated into English, it said: My name is Miraz Ali, a private investigator from London. We have been informed that Madeleine McCann has been found living in Aregua, possibly with a woman. She was kidnapped from her hotel on May 3 2007 aged three at the Praia da Luz complex in the Algarve, Portugal. Please look at the photo above. She is now 12 years old and a photograph has been produced of how she would look when she was nine years old. We believe two men were involved and left the country using a boat. According to the Daily Mirror, the advert told how Madeleine had suffered in an indescribable manner and said there is a 2million (1.6million) reward for information leading to her safe return. Madeleines parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, were informed of the reports and appealed for more details, but investigators have now debunked the alleged sighting and questioned Mr Isas credibility. 'Investigator': Miraz Ullah Ali Isa (left), who claims to be a private eye from London, had said missing Madeleine McCann (right) from Leicestershire was living 'in the custody of a woman' in the southern city of Aregua Over the weekend, Mr Isa told local newspaper ABC Color: 'My team and I received the information that Madeleine arrived in Paraguay a month or two ago.' We have been informed that Madeleine McCann has been found living in Aregua, possibly with a woman Advert by Miraz Ullah Ali Isa He claimed that Madeleine was 'in the custody of a woman' in Aregua, about 17 miles from the capital of Asuncion, but refused to reveal the name of his firm and could not offer any documentation to support his claims. The newspaper also discredited his investigation by noting that he 'only stayed (in the country) a couple of days and didnt speak with anyone'. But the report is still understood to have sparked in investigation. Commissioner Sanny Amarilla, a deputy chief involved in the search, said four police stations, intelligence personnel from the Interior Ministry and Interpol divisions were involved in the search. Mystery: Madeleine (pictured, left, aged three and, right, in a police computer generated image showing what she may look like aged nine) went missing from a holiday flat in the Algarve resort of Praia de Luz in 2007 Heartache: The young girl's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, had been informed of the reported sighting He said: 'We are investigating neighbourhoods where there are foreign citizens, villas, condos, to see if there is someone with a similar description that corresponds to the newspaper clipping. We are investigating neighbourhoods where there are foreign citizens, villas, condos, to see if there is someone with a similar description that corresponds to the newspaper clipping Commissioner Sanny Amarilla 'This news stretches across the globe, it is very important. So if they are in the area we need to find this girl and return her to her family.' But the allegations have now been dismissed by inspector Luis Ignacio Arias of Interpol in Paraguay, who said that his office had 'nothing concrete' about Mr Isa's identity. He told EFE that the researcher had never contacted the National Police or the Foreign Ministry with his reported sighting. Mr and Mrs McCann said they had never heard of Mr Isa. Arias Paraguays National Police said it will investigate his story and identity. The sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona held a press conference on Tuesday, blasting the Obama administration for preventing border patrol agents from doing their jobs. Sheriff Paul Babeu says the White House has stopped border patrol agents from patrolling huge swathes of the Mexican border in Arizona because it's just too dangerous. Meanwhile, he says the gaps in the border are functioning as smuggling routes for drug cartels. Scroll down for video Pinal County, Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu (left) blasted President Obama's (right) border patrol actions during a press conference on Tuesday 'This administration has handcuffed the Border Patrol,' Babeu said. Babeu also released figures at the press conference on Tuesday, revealing that traffic of illegal immigrants in the first four months of the fiscal year is up 25 per cent as is a 102 per cent increase in unaccompanied juveniles. Babeu pointed out that there are 1,500 Border Patrol agents mandated by Congress 'that are not being hired'. Additionally, he says another 300 agents are being cut. 'That's approaching almost 10 per cent of our Border Patrol that is not being added to guard and defend America... 'What we see from this administration is an actual reduction at a time we should be providing more support to secure our border,' Babeu said. And it's not just drug traffickers that Babeu worries about. He says if the border is not properly secured, it will become a route for terrorists. 'This is a likely avenue of approach for them to come into our unsecure border,' Babeu said. 'We should be putting every resource to the border. And instead of threatening the very people who are charged with protecting our country, securing the border, they should be finding ways to further support them.' Advertisement An adrenalin junkie known only as Urban Endeavors has climbed to the top of the world's tallest TV tower in North Dakota without the aid of any safety equipment apart from a pair of gloves. The adventurer was buffeted by 50mph winds which caused the tower to sway as it clambered up the structure. Normally, engineers use a central ladder to reach the top of the 1,550-foot tower, but the explorer decided to climb along the outside of the structure, without any safety harness to prevent a fatal slip. One year before performing his amazing stunt, the adventurer known as Urban Endeavors, pictured, said he was 'scared of heights' Urban Endeavors, pictured, decided against using the ladder at the centre of the tower and instead clambered along the outside An anti collision light is fitted to the very top of the tower to warn any aircraft in the area about the potential danger Urban Endeavors was fitted with a camera attached to his head, while a friend piloted a drone to provide a different perspective for the ascent. The tower is located in Blanchard, Traill County in North Dakota. Climbing to the top was not enough for the adventurer, once he regained his strength, he decided to perform a series of death-defying stunts from an anti collision light designed to warn aircraft about the tall structure. The daredevil said: 'It was unreal, in the most literal meaning of the word. 'I would look down at my feet and it would seem as if they were somebody else's. 'Most of the duration of the climb my nerves were under control. 'The only thing worrying me was that I had no control over them randomly turning the antenna on, effectively killing me. 'This was a hard thing to put out of my mind. 'Also when the wind kicked up and made the tower sway, that got me sweating a little bit. 'Usually when I climb my mind is very calm, focusing only on my body movements. 'Put me one metre in the air or 1000metres, I'll have the same emotions. 'After many arm cramps, snack breaks, and moments of clarity, I found myself on the ground again safe and sound.' To prepare for his unbelievable stunt he performed 15 other climbs including the ascent of two radio towers The adventurer used a GoPro-style camera to film his ascent which was also captured by a second camera fitted to a drone From his vantage point at the very top of the tower, it is very clear that there are very few houses in the surrounding To prepare for this incredible stunt, Urban Endeavors practiced on two radio towers among 15 other major climbs. He added: 'I've ascended structures including skyscrapers, bridges, signs, cranes and chimneys. 'Less than one year ago I was terrified of heights. I had a vision of a climb and realised no one was going to do it for me, I had to do it. 'Starting small and working my way up, training every day, I dedicated most of my time and money to this dream. 'It's enlightening having only yourself to depend on to stay alive.' The urban climber wants to keep the location of the tower secret to discourage others from potential danger. He said: 'It's really important to me that no one else try this climb. If something happened to them I would suffer from a lifelong guilt.' The TV tower was built in the 1960s and was the tallest structure in the world for a decade, but now it is only number four Urban Endeavors said he spent most of his time and money over the past twelve months to complete his dream of climbing the tower He said: 'It's really important to me that no one else try this climb. If something happened to them I would suffer from a lifelong guilt' Buckingham Palace vented its fury today over claims the Queen is backing Britain's withdrawal from the EU as Michael Gove emerged as the prime suspect as the source of a leaked conversation with Her Majesty in 2011. The Justice Secretary, one of the leading figures in the Brexit campaign, is seen as the most likely figure who leaked details to The Sun that the Queen reportedly told former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg at a lunch in 2011 that she thought Europe was going in the wrong direction five years ago. Mr Gove was one of just five people present at a meeting with the Queen at Windsor Castle on April 7 2011, when the exchange is believed to have taken place. But this afternoon Buckingham Palace confirmed it had written to the press watchdog to register an official complaint over the claims. Michael Gove (pictured left) was at the centre of a Cabinet row over who leaked details of a private exchange between the Queen (pictured right) and Nick Clegg at a private lunch at Windsor Castle in April 2011 The 89-year-old monarch is said to have told Nick Clegg during a lunch at Windsor Castle that she thought Europe was going in the wrong direction The complaint relates to the accuracy of the reports. The Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood has also been urged to launch an investigation into who revealed the exchange between Her Majesty and the then Deputy Prime Minister. The other four people present at the meeting of the Privy Council at Windsor Castle - according to official Court Circular records - were Cheryl Gillan, the then Welsh Secretary, Lord McNally, who was a Lib Dem justice minister at the time and Judith Simpson, a clerk. Responding to claims Mr Gove was the source of the leak, a spokesman for the Justice Secretary said: 'We don't comment on private conversations with the Queen.' Mr Gove helped David Cameron prepare for Prime Minister's Questions this morning, as he often does. Asked whether the pair discussed the reports that the Queen is backing Brexit, the Prime Minister's spokeswoman said: 'I wouldn't guide you towards that conclusion.' MICHAEL GOVE WASN'T THE ONLY EUROSCEPTIC MINISTER PRESENT AT THE LUNCH WITH THE QUEEN Cheryl Gillan (pictured in 2010) attended a lunch with the Queen on April 7 2011 in her role as Welsh Secretary Michael Gove is the prime suspect as the source of leaked reports that the Queen vented her anger at the EU at a private lunch in April 2011, but he is certainly not the only one. Official Court Circular records show that fellow Eurosceptic Tory MP Cheryl Gillan was also at a lunch with Her Majesty, Mr Gove and Nick Clegg at Windsor Castle on April 7 2011, when the exchange is believed to have taken place. She is supporting the campaign for Britain to leave the EU but has not responded requests for comment on reports the Queen expressed Eurosceptic views. The other minister present was the Lib Dem peer and then justice minister Lord McNally, while a clerk, Judith Simpson, was also present. Advertisement Buckingham Palace moved to deny the claims that the Queen - who is politically neutral in public - reprimanded Mr Clegg for 'quite a while' over the issue of Europe. Confirming the Palace had written to Ipso, the newspaper regulator, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'We can confirm that we have this morning written to the chairman of the Independent Press Standards Organisation to register a complaint about the front page story in today's Sun newspaper. The complaint relates to Clause One of the Editors' Code of Practice.' The clause relates to accuracy and states that the press must 'take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information or images, including headlines not supported by the text'. However The Sun issued a statement this afternoon defending the story. It said: 'The Sun stands by its story, which was based upon two impeccable sources and presented in a robust, accessible fashion. The Sun will defend this complaint vigorously.' Meanwhile the Labour party is demanding an urgent inquiry into how the reports came about. Labour MP Wes Streeting, a member of the party's In campaign, has written to the Cabinet Secretary calling for a 'thorough investigation and an immediate response'. He writes: 'For an issue of such national importance as Britain's future membership of the European Union, it is vital that views expressed in such meetings are not made public. 'It is extremely worrying that claims which appear to refer to a meeting held in 2011 are being so evidently exploited for political purposes today by those advocating Britain's withdrawal from the EU.' Leading Tory Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg told MailOnline that he believed the Queen is privately in favour of Britain leaving the EU because her 'deepest commitment is to the United Kingdom and to the Commonwealth'. 'One of the great things about the Queen is that we all believe that she is on our side regardless of which side we are on and that's actually quite the right position for a constitutional monarch,' he said. 'I like to think she's a Brexiter.' Mr Clegg this morning denied the reports the Queen had expressed Eurosceptic views but said he had 'no recollection' of such a conversation and branded the story 'nonsense'. Speaking as he left his home in south west London this morning, Mr Clegg told reporters: 'I just think it's wrong that people who want to take us out of the European Union to now try and drag the Queen for their own purposes into this European referendum debate'. He added: 'The Sun story is nonsense. It is not true. I have certainly, absolutely no recollection of a conversation like that, which I suspect I would have remembered if it had taken place.' The Sun newspaper did not specify exactly when the meeting took place, other than it was in 2011. According to official Court Circular records, Mr Clegg was a guest at Windsor Castle for a Council with the Queen on April 7 that year. Buckingham Palace said in a strongly-worded statement last night: 'The Queen remains politically neutral, as she has for 63 years. We would never comment on spurious, anonymously-sourced claims. 'The referendum will be a matter for the British people.' The former Lib Dem Cabinet minister Sir Edward Davey said he was not present at the meal in question, but believed the claims about the Queen's alleged comment had 'no credibility'. He told the Today programme: 'The Queen knows that if we vote to pull out of the EU, it's the surest way to destroy the United Kingdom, because Scotland will then vote to go independent, as we all know. So I very much doubt she holds the views that are given her in the Sun.' He added: 'I know Her Majesty believes in the United Kingdom, believes in Great Britain. And if we pull out of the EU, we will destroy our country because Scotland will go independent, the peace process in Northern Ireland will be under real pressure and we won't have something called the United Kingdom or Great Britain any more. I doubt the Queen wants that.' Last night Mr Clegg tweeted: 'Re Sun story. As I told the journalist this is nonsense. I've no recollection of this happening and it's not the sort of thing I would forget' Mr Clegg (pictured with his wife Miriam) last night said he had 'no recollection' of such a conversation and branded the story 'nonsense' but did not offer an outright denial However, the suggestion that the Queen is sympathetic to Euroscepticism will intrigue many people. Her intervention during the Scottish independence referendum in September 2014 proved explosive. She warned well-wishers after a Sunday church service that voters should 'think very carefully' before making a decision on whether to become independent. With the EU referendum taking place on June 23, her every word is likely to be pored over for clues about her feelings towards a possible split. According to The Sun, the Queen told Mr Clegg she thought Europe was going the wrong way. However, from the report, it was not clear that the paper's source actually heard the conversation. 'People who heard their conversation were left in no doubt at all about the Queen's views on European integration,' the unnamed source told the newspaper. 'It was really something, and it went on for quite a while. The EU is clearly something Her Majesty feels passionately about.' On another occasion, according to the paper, a Parliamentarian asked the Queen what her thoughts on Brussels, to which she replied: 'I don't understand Europe.' A parliamentary source said: 'It was said with quite some venom and emotion. I shall never forget it.' Last night Mr Clegg told The Sun: 'I have absolutely no recollection of it. I don't have a photographic memory. But I would have remembered something as stark or significant as you have made it out to be. 'No doubt you'll speak to someone else and they'll say, 'I was there, I heard it'. Fine. But I really can't remember it at all. 'Anyway, without sounding pompous, I find it rather distasteful to reveal conversations with the Queen.' Last night Mr Clegg tweeted: 'As I told the journalist this is nonsense. I've no recollection of this happening and it's not the sort of thing I would forget.' Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg told the paper: 'I'd be delighted if this was true and Her Majesty is a Brexiter. The reason we all sing God Save The Queen so heartily is we believe she is there to protect us from European encroachment.' The Palace had no choice but to stop short of an outright public denial that the Queen was in favour of Brexit because of her constitutional political neutrality. Lord Janner is alleged to have exploited children to commit a 'full range' of sexual offences against them dating back to the 1950s, the public inquiry into child abuse has been told. The late politician was said to have arranged for children 'in whom he had a sexual interest' to be brought to the Houses of Parliament. He died aged 87 in December, just days after he was found unfit to stand trial over historical child sex claims. Claims: Lord Janner is alleged to have exploited children to commit a 'full range' of sexual offences against them dating back to the 1950s. He is pictured left welcoming children to the Commons in 1976 Lord Janner, pictured last year before his death, was accused of the 'full range' of child abuse offences, an independent inquiry was told today But now the allegations involving the former MP are being examined as part of the wide-ranging Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, chaired by Justice Lowell Goddard. Speaking at the probe's first preliminary hearing on Wednesday, counsel to the inquiry Ben Emmerson QC said: 'The allegations in summary are that Greville Janner exploited children and perpetrated a full range of sexual offences against them, including what would now be termed as rape.' 'In relation to a number of the complainants it is alleged that Janner abused his position as an MP by arranging for children in whom he had a sexual interest to be brought to the Houses of Parliament.' Lord Janner, pictured in a court sketch from August 2015, died aged 87 in December, just days after he was found unfit to stand trial over historical child sex claims The late politician (pictured left in 2000, and right in 2002) was said to have arranged for children 'in whom he had a sexual interest' to be brought to the Houses of Parliament The offending was alleged to have taken place at children's homes and hotels and dated between 1955 and 1988, the hearing was told. In relation to a number of allegations it was claimed that Lord Janner abused his position as an MP, Mr Emmerson said. He added that there were 30 alleged victims, 12 of whom were selected to give evidence at trial. Seventeen complainants have been given core participant status at the inquiry. CPS AND POLICE REJECTED THREE CHANCES TO PROSECUTE JANNER Allegations against the late Lord Janner were reported to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse after years of missed opportunities to prosecute him. When the allegations became public following a December 2013 investigation, Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders originally decided that the peer should not be charged because he was suffering from dementia. This was overturned by an independent review and a so-called 'trial of the facts' was called - but the peer died before the proceedings could begin. In January a report by retired High Court Judge Sir Richard Henriques found that three previous chances had been missed to charge Lord Janner while he was alive: 1991: A complaint of sexual assaults by one individual who featured in the trial of paedophile care worker Frank Beck. The allegation, in essence, was one of grooming and sexual abuse of the alleged male victim between the ages of 13 and 15. The CPS decided there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. 2002: In an investigation named Operation Magnolia. Lord Janner was the subject of allegations as part of a probe into abuse children's home. The CPS says specific allegations relating to him were not referred to them and claim police chose not to pursue him. 2006: As part of a new sex abuse investigation, Operation Dauntless, an alleged victim made allegations of serious sexual offending around 1981 by three individuals including Lord Janner. The CPS decision in 2007 was again that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. Advertisement Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders originally decided that the peer should not be charged because he was suffering from dementia, but this was overturned by an independent review. While he was unfit to stand trial, a proceeding called a trial of the facts was due to take place at the Old Bailey. However this was dropped when he died. Mr Emmerson said the inquiry has so far not received an application for core participant status from Lord Janners family. They have previously said he is 'entirely innocent of any wrongdoing'. The examination of claims linked to Lord Janner is one of 13 investigations launched by the inquiry, which is being chaired by New Zealand judge Justice Goddard. The inquiry is unable to make findings of criminal or civil liability, but Mr Emmerson said it will 'often be required to make findings of fact on allegations which, if true, may amount to the commission of a criminal offence'. He added: 'No one should be in any doubt, therefore, that where the evidence justifies it ...the panel will make findings of fact on allegations of child sexual abuse.' Referring to the inquiry as a whole, Mr Emmerson said: 'The task is vast but critically important.' He cited figures indicating that between April 2012 and March 2014 more than 50,000 children were identified as victims of sexual abuse, adding that there were suggestions the true number may be as high as 450,000. Mr Emmerson added: 'These figures should answer the doubts of anyone who questions the need for this inquiry.' However, Mr Emmerson said: 'No-one should be in any doubt that, where the evidence justifies it ... the panel will make findings of fact on allegations of child sexual abuse. In January a report by retired High Court Judge Sir Richard Henriques found that three chances had been missed to charge Lord Janner while he was alive. The judge found that in 1991 prosecutors made the wrong decision not to charge Lord Janner after an 'inadequate' police investigation. The inquiry will consider whether there were institutional failures to protect children, with bodies including Leicestershire County Council, the police and the Labour Party set to come under scrutiny. In 2002 Leicestershire Police failed to pass claims made by a second alleged victim to prosecutors, and in 2007 again a flawed decision was made not to charge the politician when a third man came forward. Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders (left) had decided that the peer should not be charged, but this was overturned by an independent review. Now the allegations involving the former MP are being examined as part of the wide-ranging Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, chaired by Justice Lowell Goddard (right) The examination of claims linked to Lord Janner is one of 13 investigations launched by the inquiry, which is set to last for five years and has a budget of 17.9million for this financial year. An overarching investigation will also look into allegations of child sexual abuse and exploitation involving people of public prominence associated with Westminster. Mr Emmerson said: 'Allegations of the involvement of politicians in child sexual abuse are reported, on the one hand, as evidence of a paedophile conspiracy at the heart of Westminster and, on the other hand, as evidence of a modern-day witch-hunt. 'It is the role of this inquiry to move from the realms of rumour and speculation, allegation and counter-allegation, to the assessment of objective facts.' He added that the inquiry 'will also need to recognise the damage that can be caused by false accusations of sexual abuse, without hesitating to make findings against individuals and institutions if justified by the evidence'. BBC producer Alexander Parkin has admitting supplying drugs after a man died of an overdose A BBC producer has admitting supplying 'meow meow' after a barrister's boyfriend died of an overdose. Alexander Parkin, 40, appeared in the dock with top barrister Henry Hendron, 35, who denies supplying drugs. It was Hendron's boyfriend, waiter Miguel Jimenez, 18, who died from an overdose at London's Temple, the buildings housing the country's top legal chambers. Hendron, who was represented by his brother Richard Hendron, denied two counts of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs. He further denied two counts of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply and two counts of possession of controlled drugs. Parkin admitted two counts of supplying controlled drugs to another. Dominic Bell, for Parkin, said: 'He is 40-years-old, he's an executive producer at the BBC, he has one caution for possession of Mephedrone - there's clearly a background to the abuse of narcotics.' Hendron, who charges 1,750 per day, previously represented conservative MP Nadine Dorries when she was accused of smearing a rival during the 2015 election campaign. Other famous clients include the Earl of Cardigan and The Apprentice winner Stella English against Alan Sugar's firm Viglen. Hendron was once spoken of as a possible future leader of the Tories after making a citizen's arrest on a would-be bank thief. Henry Hendron, left, was also arrested after his boyfriend Miguel Jimenez, right, was found dead in London Prosecutor Nathan Miebai said at a previous hearing at City of London Magistrates' Court: 'The defendant, Mr Hendron, and his partner Mr Jimenez were present at their flat on the evening of January 19 through to January 20, 2015. 'Mr Jimenez was found unresponsive by Mr Hendron on January 20. There has been a toxicology analysis which found that Mr Jimenez died of a drug overdose.' A search of the pair's flat found a number of drugs which were later identified as Mephedrone, or meow meow, GHB and GBL. Hendron, of central London, denies two charges of possession with intent to supply drugs, two of drug possession and two charges of conspiracy to supply a Class B and C drugs. Parkin, of Westminster, admitted supplying a Class B drug and supplying a Class C drug and will be sentenced once probation reports have been produced. The schemes were set up a decade ago to avoid tax on bankers bonuses Two giant banks used elaborate Houdini schemes to help hundreds of staff dodge tax. Deutsche Bank and UBS enriched their senior executives in London by routing more than 180million of bonuses through notorious tax havens. The money was channelled into companies set up in the Caymans and Jersey purely to collect the payments. The bankers saved around 100million in national insurance and income tax in 2004 before the share schemes were outlawed. Yesterday a judge said the arrangements had no purpose other than to avoid tax. The firms had taken advantage of laws designed to encourage employee share ownership. The Supreme Court found in favour of HMRC and ruled that tax should have been paid on the bonuses The BBC reported yesterday that Business Secretary Sajid Javid had been part of the scheme at Deutsche when he was a senior investment chief at the bank. A spokesman for the Business Secretary insisted he had not benefited from the arrangements and had paid all his taxes. However the spokesman refused to deny that Mr Javid had been in the Deutsche scheme itself. Sajid Javid was paid with all tax deducted already, the spokesman insisted. He received no benefit whatsoever from this scheme and all taxes due have been paid. Mr Javid left Deutsche in 2009 prior to becoming an MP in the 2010 election. He had joined the bank in 2000 and rose to become managing director in 2004. Senior directors were approached in late 2003 over bonuses being paid in the form of shares. Mr Javids spokesman refused to answer further questions on the precise nature of the arrangements. The revelations may leave the minister open to accusations of hypocrisy. During his 18-month stint at the Treasury, he spearheaded a drive to crack down on tax dodging, declaring the closure of all avenues for tax avoidance, whether it is companies or individuals. Yesterday the Supreme Court ordered Deutsche and UBS, which employ more than 14,000 staff in London, to pay back around 50million each to HMRC plus 35million in interest. The ruling brings a bitter 12-year battle with HM Revenue & Customs to an end. The 135million haul is 5million more than US giant Google agreed to pay for a decades worth of taxes, following a controversial deal with the Treasury. The Chancellor has pledged to wage war on aggressive tax avoidance, with the meagre or non-existent UK tax bills of huge companies including Facebook, Amazon, Starbucks and Google having sparked public uproar. In his withering judgment, Lord Justice Robert Reed said: In our society a great deal of intellectual effort is devoted to tax avoidance. Referring to the escapologist Harry Houdini, he added that Deutsche and UBS were guilty of the most sophisticated attempts of the Houdini taxpayer to escape from the manacles of tax. Lord Justice Jonathan Mance said the schemes were commercially irrelevant and had no purpose other than to escape taxes, which is not what the government intended when they created the rules. BUS DRIVER'S SON MADE MILLIONS AS A CITY BANKER Business Secretary Sajid Javid was a managing director at the Deutsche Bank when the scheme was set up in 2004 The son of a bus driver, Sajid Javid has enjoyed a meteoric rise since setting out in politics and has even been tipped as a future Conservative leader. The 46-year-olds father, Abdul Ghani-Javid, came to Britain from a Pakistani village with just 1 in his pocket. After a spell working in a cotton mill in Rochdale, Abdul got a job as a bus driver. The family soon moved to Bristol where Mr Javid one of five sons went to the local comprehensive school, before heading to the University of Exeter to study economics and politics. Inspired by Margaret Thatcher, he signed up to the Conservative Party. Even now, her portrait hangs on his office wall. But Mr Javid set out to make his fortune in investment banking. He joined Chase Manhattan Bank in New York straight after leaving university, and was quickly posted to South America. At just 25 he became the youngest vice president in the history of the bank. But the high-flyer spent the best part of his banking career at Deutsche Bank Germanys biggest bank which he joined in 2000. After a spell in London, he was promoted and posted to Singapore as one of the investment banks most senior executives. During his 20-year spell in banking, Mr Javid became rich reportedly earning up to 3million a year. This fortune has enabled him to send his four children to private schools. Mr Javid entered politics in 2009 winning the Bromsgrove seat after Tory MP Julie Kirkbride resigned over the expenses scandal. He quickly rose through the ranks aided by his close ally Chancellor George Osborne. After junior positions in the Treasury as well as a stints as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Mr Javid now heads the Department of Business. Although one of Mr Osbornes key allies, the two men clashed recently over a controversial tax deal struck between the Treasury and Google. Under the deal, Google agreed to pay 130million in taxes dating back to 2005. Mr Osborne hailed the deal as a victory, but Mr Javid took a very different view, admitting it wasnt a glorious moment. Advertisement The landmark judgment overturns previous verdicts in the Appeal Court in favour of both UBS and Deutsche. WHAT'S HAPPENED? Deutsche Bank and Swiss lender UBS have lost a case with HM Revenue & Customs in the Supreme Court. They dodged a total of 100million in tax on bonuses paid to more than 700 staff across both banks in 2004. They have been ordered to pay the tax back, plus around 35million interest. How did the scam work? The firms exploited one of many loopholes in the UKs complex tax system. Normally when a company awards bonuses to staff it will pay them in to their bank account, or award shares. This means that the payments qualify for income tax (which was 40 per cent for higher rate payers in 2004) which is deducted at source. Instead however, the banks handed out shares that were held through offshore companies in tax havens. Later these shares could be cashed in. Because they were not the banks argued paid as bonuses, the only tax to pay was capital gains of 10 per cent saving the banks and their employees millions in tax and National Insurance. In the case of Deutsche Bank, bonus shares worth 91.3million were awarded to 300 staff in 2004 through a Cayman Islands company, known as Dark Blue Investments. To qualify for the bonus, staff had to remain employed for six weeks of receiving their shares. UBS set up a similar company called ESIP in Jersey to collect 91.88million for more than 400 staff. Why choose the Cayman Islands and Jersey? These are notorious tax havens which are still routinely used by the wealthy and big corporations to hide profits. Is this loophole open now? No. The Government closed it down at the end of 2004 but decided to chase those firms who had used it. Companies claimed they were acting legally, but HMRC said these schemes were used purely to avoid tax. HMRC is pursuing 27 other companies who used similar schemes to dodge some 30million in tax. It believes yesterdays victory in the Supreme Court will scare these firms into paying back the money rather than fight it out in the courts. Advertisement The ruling could have implications for other companies that sought out loopholes in the UKs infamously complex tax system to slash their bills. HMRC issued a statement immediately after the judgement announcing it will pursue 27 other firms which have dodged 30million in tax through similar schemes. David Gauke, financial secretary to the Treasury, said: This is an important victory and confirmation from the UKs highest court that tax avoidance is simply unacceptable. The UK is home to some of the worlds most successful banks and we have been clear we expect them and their employees to pay their fair share of tax. HMRCs compliance and enforcement boss, Jennie Granger, said: This is the latest in a series of successful HMRC challenges to such schemes marketed at wealthy individuals to get out of paying tax. Earlier this week a complex tax avoidance scheme being used by transport group Stagecoach to wipe 11million off its tax bill was defeated in the courts. The scheme involved shifting money between companies within the Stagecoach group to create a large loss in one of them without a corresponding gain in any other. HMRC also won a high profile tax avoidance case worth 54million against bookmaker Labrokes in December. But its latest victory against Deutsche Bank and UBS will make no difference to hundreds of investment bankers. Last night it emerged that 300 former and current Deutsche employees who dodged tax will not have to pay back a penny as the bank has footed the bill. UBS has also paid back the money but is said to have recouped some of it from 426 employees who benefited from the scheme. Margaret Hodge, a Labour MP who leads a cross-party task force promoting responsible taxation, said: This is more evidence of corporate greed and irresponsibility. It shows banks are just as bad as everyone else when it comes to dodging tax. Given banks have been bailed out by taxpayers, it is doubly insulting that they have been exploiting these loopholes. Tax campaigner Richard Murphy said: Its amazing that UBS and Deutsche bought this case against HMRC when it was obvious to everybody these schemes were completely artificial and purely designed to avoid tax. Despite the verdict, neither bank apologised. A spokesman for UBS said: This matter concerns a disagreement over the interpretation of highly technical tax legislation and dates back to a one-off compensation plan for 2003. While we are disappointed with the outcome, we are grateful to the Supreme Court for their careful consideration of the issues. A little boy with many of his vital organs on the outside of his body wasn't expected to survive birth, but has stunned doctors by celebrating his third birthday with a huge smile on his face. 'Little fighter' Sam Gellie has beaten the odds, living with what he calls his bump' his entire life despite doctor's warning he would likely not survive. His liver, spleen and parts of his bowel on the outside of his body due to an incredibly rare condition. Doctors are still trying to determine the best way to amend his condition and expect to begin operating later this year, with many years of extensive procedures ahead for little Sam, according to Seven News. The remarkable little boy has lived his whole life with a large bump on his stomach, with his organs on the outside of his stomach covered with a thin membrane attached to his abdomen. 'Little fighter' Sam Gellie has beaten the odds, living with what he calls 'his bump' his entire life His liver, spleen and parts of his bowel on the outside of his body due to an incredibly rare condition The serious abnormality was detected just 12 weeks into the pregnancy and Sam's parents were told their child may not survive His doctors at the Royal's Children Hospital in Melbourne, including Dr Michael Nightingale, have never seen anything like it before and will need to help the little boy's abdomen expand to accommodate his liver, spleen and bowl Everyday the brave little boy has his bump secured with a compression bandage. 'It's a miracle and it's amazing that he is here,' his mother Amy Gellie told Seven News. 'If we were listening to everything the medical people were thinking, we definitely wouldn't have thought he would be here today'. The serious abnormality was detected just 12 weeks into the pregnancy and Sam's parents Amy and Mark were told their child may not survive. His doctors at the Royal's Children Hospital in Melbourne, including Dr Michael Nightingale, have never seen anything like it before and will need to help the little boy's abdomen expand to accommodate his liver, spleen and bowl. Sam has shown incredible resilience and didn't let his 'bump' get in the way of his third birthday celebrations last week at the hospital 'If we were listening to everything the medical people were thinking, we definitely wouldn't have thought he would be here today,' his mum Amy said of Sam (pictured left and right) Amy and Mark say their son has been a little fighter his whole life and continues to defy the odds The biggest challenge will be putting his liver in its place in his stomach. Sam has shown incredible resilience and didn't let his 'bump' get in the way of his third birthday celebrations last week at the hospital. It comes as The Royal Children's Hospital prepare for their Good Friday appeal on March 25 to help children in need like Sam, raising funds for equipment, research and education. People can donate to the appeal online. Advertisement Nancy Reagan's body was taken by motorcade along the Ronald Reagan Freeway to her husband's presidential library on Wednesday afternoon ahead of three days of formal mourning and solemn ceremonies for the former first lady.. As a mark of respect, her casket was carried by eight of her Secret Service detail as she was transported from a Santa Monica funeral home to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. The motorcade drove the 45-miles along a closed-down stretch of State Route 118 to the library in hill country northwest of Los Angeles where she will lie in repose from 1pm to 7 pm on Wednesday and again from 10 am to 2 pm on Thursday. Tens of thousands are expected to visit and show their respect before Friday's funeral which will be attended by dignitaries including Michelle Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Katie Couric and even Mr. T. Earlier, a small ceremony was held in the morning for family and friends ahead of Friday's funeral which has been planned down to the smallest details by the former first lady herself. Just as she was always by his side in life, Nancy Reagan will be laid to rest just inches from President Ronald Reagan on a hillside tomb facing west toward the Pacific Ocean. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Remembrance: The casket of Nancy Reagan rests at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Wednesday after being driven their following a small family service Emotional: A woman wipes a tear away as she pauses beside the casket of Nancy Reagan at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Tribute: House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. stands near the casket of Nancy Reagan at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Wednesday Paying respects: Stella Delgado, left, and her mother Yoko Santos, draped in an American flag pause while paying tribute to Nancy Reagan Arm in arm: A couple pause as they pay their respects beside the casket of Nancy Reagan at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Flowers are placed on the casket of Nancy Reagan at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on March 9, 2016 in Simi Valley as a well-wisher leaves an American flag Lines: People line up to board buses to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library to pay their respects to former First Lady Nancy Reagan Former first lady Nancy Reagan's public viewing ceremony Los Angeles residents pay their respects to Nancy Reagan outside the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley Love for Nancy: Dane Senser arranges flowers placed outside the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library left for the former First Lady Rachel Handy carries an American flag after watching the motorcade escorting the body of former first lady Nancy Reagan pass by on the Ronald Reagan Freeway en route to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Her daughter Patti Davis, dressed in black and around 20 family members and close friends arrived at the funeral home for a 20-minute service that was presided over by the Reverend Stuart Kenworth. Also there were the children of Ronald Reagan's son Michael and Dennis Revell, who is the widower of the former president's late daughter Maureen. He arrived with his current wife. Nancy Reagan's casket was then carried by pallbearers that included members of her Secret Service detail to a hearse to begin her final journey, a 45-mile drive to the hill country of Simi Valley northwest of Los Angeles where two days of public viewing will precede the funeral. Los Angeles firefighters raised a large flag from a freeway overpass as the hearse passed by. Several hundred onlookers stretched along the boulevard leading away from the Tudor-style funeral home in Santa Monica, holding up cellphones and cameras to capture photos of the moments. The procession included a lengthy stretch of the Ronald Reagan Freeway, a state route named in her husband's honor in the 1990s. Before her death she planned the funeral's flower arrangements, the music to be played by a U.S. Marine Corps band and the people who received invitations to the private memorial. Respect: Eight Secret Service agents who served the Reagan's act as pallbearers as they lift the casket towards the hearse at Gates, Kingsley & Gates Moeller Murphy Funeral Home in Santa Monica funeral home Touching: The eight Secret Service agents had all served Nancy and Ronald Reagan during their time in the Oval Office and after. Solemn: The eight Secret Service agents all have a history with the Reagan family. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Kinnersley was assigned to President Ronald Reagan after he left office, according to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. The seven others all served Nancy Reagan in the past: Supervisory Special Officer Christopher Cousino and special agents Thomas Feuerborn, Tim Yoshitake, Cory Chhiap, Steven Kulpaca, Nathan Judd and Melanie Lentz Blessing: The Rev. Ken Worthy Stuart, Vicar of the Washington National Cathedral, gives the final blessing after the casket carrying the former first lady Nancy Reagan was loaded into a hearse in Santa Monica Prayers:A small ceremony in the morning for family and friends including Ronald and Nancy Reagan's daughter, Patti Davis (5th left), and their granddaughter Ashley Reagan (first left). Also pictured is Dennis Revell (second left), who was the first husband of Maureen Reagan, who died in 2001. To Revell's right is his current wife, Diana Wilson. Guard: Before her death she planned the funeral's flower arrangements, the music to be played by a U.S. Marine Corps band and the people who received invitations to the private memorial Presidential: A motorcade carrying former US First Lady Nancy Reagan travels from Santa Monica to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California on Wednesday Thanks: Firefighters salute as the hearse carrying the body of Nancy Reagan makes its way to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Powerful: Firefighters salute as the hearse carrying the body of Nancy Reagan makes its way to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Wednesday People gather on a freeway overpass to watch as the motorcade escorting the body of Nancy Reagan approaches on the Ronald Reagan Freeway en route to the Presidential Library Among those who had RSVP'd for the service were former President George W. Bush and his wife, former first lady Laura Bush; former first lady Rosalynn Carter; first lady Michelle Obama; and former first lady Hillary Clinton. 'No doubt about it, the most important of her special requests was that she be laid to rest right next to the president, as close as possible,' said John Heubusch, executive director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library. 'The way the tomb is constructed,' he continued, 'her casket will literally be set forth in the ground inches from President Reagan's.' The hour-long service, to which approximately 1,000 people have been invited, is to take place on the library's lawn. On a clear day the gravesite affords visitors ocean views. Others who have said they will attend include President Richard Nixon's daughter Tricia Nixon Cox and President Lyndon Johnson's daughters Lynda Bird Johnson Robb and Luci Baines Johnson. 'One of our saddest situations is we have so many people who have called or written, saying they would like to attend, but unfortunately it needs to be by invitation only because we only have so much room on the lawn, Heubusch said. Honoring her memory: Guests arrive at the mortuary where a small ceremony for former first lady Nancy Reagan that took take place on Wednesday in Santa Monica A police officer stands guard outside the mortuary in Santa Monica on Wednesday ahead of the family ceremony Three days of formal mourning and solemn ceremonies for former first lady Nancy Reagan are set to begin on Wednesday A small ceremony in the morning for family and friends at the Little Chapel Of The Dawn (pictured) in Santa Monica, California, will be followed by a motorcade leading to a public viewing in Simi Valley's Ronald Reagan Presidential Library that will continue on Thursday The former First Lady, who was married to President Ronald Reagan, passed away in Bel Air 'As a result, Mrs Reagan was very adamant about having some time where the public could come by and pay last respects.' Public viewings are scheduled at the library from 1pm to 7pm on Wednesday and 10am to 2pm on Thursday. First ladies' funerals, once a quiet affair, changed significantly following the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's widow, Eleanor Roosevelt, in 1962. THREE DAYS OF MOURNING Wednesday morning A small ceremony in the morning for family and friends at the Little Chapel Of The Dawn in Santa Monica, California Wednesday noon Motorcade to Simi Valley, California Wednesday afternoon Public viewing in Simi Valley's Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Thursday Public viewing continues Friday Funeral which was planned down to the smallest details by the former first lady herself Friday afternoon Nancy Reagan will be laid to rest just inches from President Ronald Reagan on a hillside tomb facing west toward the Pacific Ocean Advertisement Mrs Roosevelt, a United Nations delegate, author and prominent political figure in her own right, tried to keep the event fairly quiet, limiting the guest list to 250 people, although those guests included President John F. Kennedy, former Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower, and future President Lyndon Johnson. More than 1,000 mourners jammed the streets outside the church in Hyde Park, New York. The most recent first lady's funeral was for President Gerald Ford's widow, Betty, in 2011. Some 800 people, including Mrs Reagan, attended a private memorial service for her in Palm Springs, California, followed by a second, smaller service in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. When former President Richard Nixon's wife, Pat, died in 1993 some 4,000 people attended a public viewing for her at the Richard Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, California. A private service took place the next day, and Mrs Reagan and her husband were among those who attended. The former First Lady passed away in Bel Air on Sunday after suffering congestive heart failure. Starting as an actress in the 1940s and 1950s, she married Ronald Reagan - then president of the Screen Actors Guild - in 1952. Mrs Reagan was an influential First Lady during her husband's presidency from 1981 to 1989. Notably she spearheaded the 'Just Say No' to campaign against drugs, speaking at schools and appearing on TV shows such as Dynasty and Diff'rent Strokes to promote the cause. 'Drugs take away the dream from every child's heart and replace it with a nightmare, and it's time we in America stand up and replace those dreams,' she said in a speech which led to 12,000 Just Say No clubs being set up across the country and a Just Say No Week implemented by Congress. Her efforts are credited with driving cocaine use down to a 10-year low. Ronald Reagan died on June 5, 2004, after a 10-year battle with Alzheimer's disease. In recent years, Nancy struggled with her health after falling at home and breaking three ribs in 2012, not long after breaking her pelvis at home in 2008. Despite her own health setbacks, however, Mrs Reagan remained active in politics, particularly in relation to stem-cell research. She also endorsed Mitt Romney for the presidency in 2012. On Sunday, President Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W Bush led tribes to the former First Lady. Nancy Davis was an actress when she married Ronald Reagan - then president of the Screen Actors Guild - in 1952. Pictured: their wedding, left, and a head shot from a play at Smith College in Massachusetts, right Nancy Reagan touches the casket of her husband, former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, as it lies in state in the rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, June 9, 2004 Despite her own health setbacks Mrs Reagan remained active in politics, particularly in stem-cell research Describing Mrs Reagan as an icon who defined the role of First Lady, the Obamas wrote: 'Nancy Reagan once wrote that nothing could prepare you for living in the White House. She was right, of course. But we had a head start, because we were fortunate to benefit from her proud example, and her warm and generous advice. 'Our former First Lady redefined the role in her time here. Later, in her long goodbye with President Reagan, she became a voice on behalf of millions of families going through the depleting, aching reality of Alzheimers, and took on a new role, as advocate, on behalf of treatments that hold the potential and the promise to improve and save lives. 'We offer our sincere condolences to their children, Patti, Ron, and Michael, and to their grandchildren. And we remain grateful for Nancy Reagan's life, thankful for her guidance, and prayerful that she and her beloved husband are together again.' Hillary Clinton will take a break from campaigning on Friday to attend Nancy Reagan's funeral. Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill shared the news on Twitter. 'HillaryClinton is going to drop off the trail briefly on Friday to attend Nancy Reagan's funeral services in California,' he said. Cuba said it would welcome President Barack Obama to Havana later this month, but the Communist government had no intention of changing its policies in exchange for normal relations with the United States. In a long editorial on Wednesday in Communist Party newspaper Granma and other official media, Cuba demanded Washington cease meddling in its internal affairs and said Obama could do more to change U.S. policy. The March 20-22 visit from Obama comes 15 months after he and Cuban President Raul Castro agreed to end more than five decades of Cold War-era animosity and try to normalize relations. Scroll down for video No dice: The Communist party used its newspaper to deliver a message to President Obama before his historic visit to Havana later this month that it would not change policies as a result of the his detente They have restored diplomatic ties, and Obama has relaxed a series of trade sanctions and travel restrictions, leading Republican opponents and even some of the president's fellow Democrats to question whether Washington was offering too much without any reciprocation from Havana. But the editorial made it clear that Cuba still has a long list of grievances with the United States, starting with the comprehensive trade embargo. Obama wants to rescind the embargo but Republican leadership in Congress has blocked the move. Cuba also objected to U.S. support for its political dissidents, whom some Americans consider champions of human rights but whom the Cuban government views as an unrepresentative minority funded by U.S. interests. '[The United States] should abandon the pretense of fabricating an internal political opposition, paid for with money from U.S. taxpayers,' the nearly 3,000-word editorial said. The editorial came during Cubans' growing anticipation of the Obama visit, only the second by a U.S. president and the first since the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro that overthrew a pro-American government. The editorial said Cuba was working to build a new relationship with the United States, but no one should assume it had to 'renounce any of its principles or cede the slightest bit in its defense' to do so. The two countries have also negotiated greater cooperation on law enforcement and environmental issues and agreed to resume scheduled commercial flights and postal services. Obama has removed Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism. Eating a slice of pizza at a Buena Park, California, eatery on the afternoon of July 5, 2010, Lonnie Franklin Jr had no idea that a middle-aged busboy lurking nearby was watching his every move and waiting for a chance to get a hold of his dirty plate and used napkins. Franklin also did not know was that the hardworking staffer at John's Incredible Pizza was, in fact, an undercover Los Angeles police detective, and that he was in the middle of a three-day sting operation to catch the elusive 'Grim Sleeper' serial killer. Details of Franklin's dramatic capture emerged in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday. The 63-year-old man is on trial for allegedly killing nine women and a 15-year-old girl between 1985 and 2007 in one of the city's most notorious serial killer cases. Scroll down for video Lonnie Franklin Jr, left, a suspect in the Grim Sleeper serial killer case, pictured in court on February 16, was arrested in 2010 after a sting operation involving an undercover detective posing as a pizza parlor bus boy Elaborate ruse: The LAPD cop was sent to John's Incredible Pizza in Buena Park, California, to secretly collect Franklin's plate and utensils for DNA testing Franklin, a former garage attendant, has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. He has been behind bars awaiting trial for nearly six years since his arrest in 2010 based on DNA evidence collected by the enterprising cop masquerading as a pizza parlor employee, reported the Los Angeles Times. On that July afternoon five years ago, Franklin was eating pizza at a child's birthday party while the undercover cop was walking between tables at Johns Incredible Pizza carrying a plastic tub to collect dirty dishes. Inside the bin, however, he had a separate metal pan reserved just for Franklin's trash. In a CCTV video from the pizzeria that was played for the jury on Friday, Franklin is reportedly seen getting up from his table at the end of the meal and leaving the room where the birthday celebration was taking place. With the suspect out of sight, the bogus busboy picks up Franklins plate and carefully deposits it in the metal container, covering it with a trey to avoid contaminating the evidence, which included a half-eaten slice of pizza; a fork; two napkins; two plastic cups, and a piece of chocolate cake. Franklin, pictured in a mugshot from 1999 on the left and in court in August 2010 on the right, is suspected of killing 10 women between 1985 and 2007 Judge Kathleen A. Kennedy wipes her eye while Prosecutor Beth Silverman, left, delivers her opening statement in the People vs. Lonnie Franklin Jr. trial which began on February 16 DNA samples collected from those items would eventually lead to Franklins arrest in the Grim Sleeper case. Final victim: The groundwork for Franklin's capture had been laid in 2007, during the investigation of the shooting of 25-year-old Janecia Peters (pictured), whose naked body was found in the fetal position inside a trash bag The groundwork for Franklin's capture had been laid three years earlier, during the investigation of the January 2007 shooting of 25-year-old Janecia Peters, whose naked body was found in the fetal position inside a trash bag under a Christmas tree, about 5 miles south of Franklins home. DNA evidence collected from Peters' crime scene matched samples linked to two other killings, but at the time police did not know to whom the DNA belonged. Police decided to try and match the DNA found at the various crime scenes to see if they could identify a family member, to narrow down the search. The year before, Franklin's son Christopher was found guilty of a weapons charge. As part of the legal process, his DNA had been entered onto a database. When officers ran the mystery DNA through the database, they found a partial match with Christopher Franklin. But they still needed a sample from Franklins father, Lonnie, to test against the previously collected evidence, which is why the LAPD decided to send in the undercover detective posing as a busboy to John's incredible Pizza in July 2010. When police searched Franklin Jr's home three days later, they discovered more than 1,000 photographs of women and several hundred hours of video. Two of the still images were of murder victims, including one who had just been shot in the chest when she was photographed. The raid on Franklin's residence on 81st Street in South Los Angeles also yielded a semi-automatic handgun, described by prosecutors on Monday as the murder weapon in the slaying of Janecia Peters, who is believed to be the 'Grim Sleeper's' final victim. Officers raiding Franklin's house after his arrest found pictures of more than 1,000 women and videos The LAPD has released copies of the photographs in the hope that friends or family can identify the women It is feared that many of the women on the list may have been murdered by the Grim Sleeper The 'Grim Sleeper' nickname was coined because of an apparent 14-year gap in the murders between 1988 and 2002. Police have dueling theories about the gap. Some think the killings stopped after one intended victim survived in 1988, scaring off the attacker. Other investigators believe there were more victims but their bodies just weren't found. The Grim Sleeper was among at least three serial killers who stalked Los Angeles-area women during the crack cocaine epidemic in the 1980s and 1990s. The attacks were dubbed the 'Southside Slayer' killings before authorities concluded more than one attacker was involved. Vice President Joe Biden has slammed Palestinian officials after they hailed the terrorist who knifed an American tourist to death in Tel Aviv a 'martyr' and a 'hero'. Biden, who revealed he was having dinner with his family in a restaurant just a mile away from the attack, criticized Palestinians for failing to condemn the stabbing rampage. Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran Taylor Allen Force, 28, of Lubbock, Texas, was on a university trip when he was murdered as he walked along a boardwalk in the tourist resort of Jaffa yesterday. Force, an MBA student at Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management, died on a day of violence which saw at least a dozen Israelis injured in a series of knife and gun attacks. Scroll down for video Vice President Joe Biden (pictured with his wife, Jill, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara) has slammed Palestinian officials after they hailed the terrorist who knifed an American tourist to death in Tel Aviv a 'martyr' and a 'hero' Taylor Force (pictured), a student at Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management, was stabbed to death by a Palestinian terrorist on a knife rampage in Tel Aviv before he was shot dead by police The Vice President slammed Palestinian officials after the party of the territory's president Mahmoud Abbas called the stabber who killed Force a 'martyr' and a 'hero'. The Fatah political party also tweeted a picture of a hand holding a knife of a map of Israel and Palestine. Biden said he was just a mile away, having dinner with his wife, Jill, and his grandchildren at a seaside restaurant when a man identified as Bashar Masalha, 22, started knifing people. Both the Vice President and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent their condolences to Force's loved ones as they criticized Palestinian officials. 'The United States of America condemns these acts and condemns the failure to condemn these acts,' Biden said. 'The kind of violence we saw yesterday, the failure to condemn it, the rhetoric that incites that violence, the retribution that it generates, has to stop.' Taylor Force (left, with his parents and sister Kristen) was on a school trip when he was fatally stabbed The 28-year-old, pictured with his sister Kristen, was a student at Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management In a statement, Vanderbilt's Chancellor said Forcce (pictured with his sister) 'exemplified the spirit of discovery, learning and service that is the hallmark of our wonderful Owen community' Nabil Shaath, a spokesman for President Abbas, shot back: 'Mr Vice President should start from where the real crime is, which is the Israeli occupation and Israeli colonial settlement, because the beginning is here for those who want peace in the Middle East.' Force was stabbed yesterday afternoon in the Jaffa area of Tel Aviv, which is popular with tourists. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served in the Army from 2009 to 2014, according to his LinkedIn page. Force had been based at Fort Hood, Texas, as a platoon leader and fire support officer, among other duties. At West Point, Force was a member of the ski team and received a bachelor's degree in engineering and industrial management. Force went to high school at New Mexico Military Institute and was an Eagle Scout, according to the LinkedIn page. His father, Stuart Force, said: 'He was a great kid.' Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos, in a letter notifying students, faculty and staff, called the incident a 'horrific act of violence' but provided no details. Video of the attack showed the man, 22, running along a road close to the marina before approaching cars as they slow down and then apparently stabbing the occupants Among those severely injured were believed to be a pregnant woman, a Russian tourist, and the wife of the dead tourist, local media reports (pictured, the knife used during the stabbings) Force was killed in Israel after a mass stabbing attack by a Palestinian man in the Jaffa neighborhood of Tel Aviv as Joe Biden began his visit to Israel Mr Zeppos said in his letter that the other 28 students and four Vanderbilt staffers on the trip were safe. The university is arranging for their return to the United States. 'Taylor embarked on this trip to expand his understanding of global entrepreneurship and also to share his insights and knowledge with start-ups in Israel,' Mr Zeppos said. 'He exemplified the spirit of discovery, learning and service that is the hallmark of our wonderful Owen community. 'This horrific act of violence has robbed our Vanderbilt family of a young hopeful life and all of the bright promise that he held for bettering our greater world. 'Taylor's family and his friends and colleagues have our deepest sympathy and utmost support.' He said university resources were being made available for students, faculty and staff who may seek counseling. The U.S. State Department strongly condemned the attack last night as it identified the slain American as Force. In a statement, department spokesman John Kirby said: 'The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms today's outrageous terrorist attacks in Jaffa, Petah Tikvah, and Jerusalem, which tragically claimed the life of U.S. citizen Taylor Allen Force and left many others severely injured. 'We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Taylor and all those affected by these senseless attacks, and we wish a speedy recovery for the injured. 'As we have said many times, there is absolutely no justification for terrorism. We continue to encourage all parties to take affirmative steps to reduce tensions and restore calm.' Biden is pictured with Israeli statesman Shimon Peres at the Peres Center for Peace in Jaffa yesterday, which is only around a mile from where Tuesday's fatal knife attack took place Biden is taking part in a two-day visit to Israel where he is expected to meet with senior political figures in an attempt to mend relations following the Iran nuclear deal The attacker, 22, began stabbing people along a boardwalk close to the marina in Jaffa (pictured), an area popular with tourists, before making his way towards a restaurant where more people were stabbed Ambulance crews reported at least four people were seriously injured in the attack, while local media reported another four had moderate injuries and two people escaped with only minor wounds The attacker, identified as Bashar Masalha, 22, from the West Bank settlement of Qalqilyah, was shot dead by police after he failed to stop for officers. A dozen Israelis, civilians and police officers were yesterday wounded in a series of knife and gun attacks that authorities in Tel Aviv said were carried out by Palestinians. Along with Masalha, three other Palestinian assailants were shot and killed in the day's violence - the latest in a wave of near-daily Palestinian assaults on Israeli civilians and security forces that erupted in September last year. Police say Masalha stabbed several people close to the marina in Jaffa, Tel Aviv, before running towards the Manta Ray restaurant on the seaside promenade, stabbing more victims. Masalha then fled towards the center of Tel Aviv, stabbing motorists as he ran, police said. 'A terrorist, an illegal resident who came from somewhere in the Palestinian territories, came here to Jaffa and embarked on a run ... along the boardwalk. On his way he indiscriminately stabbed people,' Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai told Army Radio. One of the people who was seriously injured during the attacks was a pregnant woman while another was a Russian tourist, the Jerusalem Post reported, citing Israel's Channel 2. Police officers inspect the body of the Palestinian attacker after he was shot dead in the Jaffa neighborhood of Tel Aviv yesterday Israeli police look for evidence near the scene of the stabbing in the neighborhood of Jaffa, Tel Aviv, yesterday Shocking video of part of the attack, uploaded to YouTube, shows a man believed to be Masalha running along a darkened street into oncoming traffic. As cars slow down, he can be seen running up to several of the vehicles and apparently stabbing the occupants before carrying on up the road. Yosef, a witness who spoke to Ynet, said: 'The terrorist, young with a sweatshirt, came from the direction of the Jaffa port. 'At the promenade's plaza he jumped on a couple of tourists. A woman was stabbed several times, tried to get away and collapsed. He continued stabbing a man and another younger guy in the leg. 'I was in my car. I ran out, grabbed a metal bar and hit him on the back. He tried to stab me and then fled.' Another witness, who gave her name as Emily, said: 'I heard two guys screaming that there was an attack. I ran in the opposite direction and ran into a man who was on the ground in his blood.' 'I covered him with my jacket. He was badly injured and we waited together for the ambulances to come.' A third man told Israeli television he hit the attacker with his guitar, showing cameras the instrument with a hole visible in the wood. According to social media, Masalha is a graduate from Damascus University in Syria who is in a relationship with an unknown partner. Posts on his Facebook page reveal that he recently returned from the pilgrimage to Mecca. A wounded man is taken away from the scene of the stabbing in the Jaffa district of Tel Aviv on Tuesday A man passes blood and medical bandages along the sea front in Jaffa, a neighborhood of Tel Aviv, where up to 12 people were wounded during a knife attack Blood is spattered across the pavement next to bouquets of flowers with the marina in Jaffa, the scene of the knife attack, pictured in the background Tel Aviv District Police Commander Chico Edry arrived on the scene and said the police would bolster its presence in the Tel Aviv area. Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh told Ynet: 'There was a wave of three attacks [in Jaffa, Petah Tikva and Jerusalem on Tuesday] that had no connection between them. All the incidents are over. 'Our goal is to return the situation to routine as quickly as possible. We will seek to understand if there is anything new we need to take into account... and we will update the public.' According to the Israeli National News, the attacker came from the city of Qalqilya in the West Bank, but did not give a source for this information. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who began a two-day visit to Israel on Tuesday, was just a mile away from the site of the attacks when they took place. A source from Biden's team told J Post that the Vice President's delegation was aware of the incident and had not altered its schedule. The source said that vice president met with former Israeli President Shimon Peres as planned, adding that Biden was in a secure location and therefore did not need to change course. When meeting Peres on Tuesday, he spoke of an 'unvarnished, complete commitment to the security of Israel. And I hope we will make some progress.' Biden is due to meet separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Wednesday. The White House has said Biden will not be pursuing any major new peace initiatives during his visit despite the wave of violence. Members of an ultra-orthodox Jewish burial society clean blood off the sidewalk after Tuesday's attacks Local media reported that the man began his attack along a boardwalk close to a popular beach before running into a nearby restaurant and continuing to stab people Meanwhile in Jerusalem two Israeli police officers and a civilian were injured when gunmen opened fire. They were the latest acts of bloodshed in more than five months of near-daily Palestinian violence that shows no sign of abating. Earlier, Israel disputed a White House claim that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'surprised' the Obama administration by canceling a planned visit to Washington, saying that the White House knew Netanyahu was considering not coming. Netanyahu had been expected to visit later in March on a trip coinciding with a major pro-Israel group's annual summit, but his office said he would not travel because he did not wish to come at the height of U.S. presidential primaries. The spat comes amid tense relations with President Barack Obama in the last year of his presidency. Biden landed in Israel about an hour after a Palestinian opened fire at police near Jerusalem's Old City wounding an officer before fleeing the scene. In the chase that followed, he wounded another officer before he was shot and killed. A short while before that, a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli in the neck at a store in the central city of Petah Tikvah. The Times of Israel reports that a 35-year-old man was attacked inside a wine shop and was stabbed several times in the upper body. At one point, he is said to have pulled the attacker's knife out of his own neck before turning it on the man, killing him. Images from the scene show a blood-covered knife about four to six inches in length. Miraculously the victim was only moderately wounded. Earlier in the day, a Palestinian woman who tried to stab Israeli security forces was shot and killed by officers, also in Jerusalem's Old City, Israeli police said. It was the latest in a wave of Palestinian attacks that have killed 28 Israelis, mostly in shootings, stabbings and assaults with cars. At least 174 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire during that time. Most of them were attackers and the rest were killed in clashes, Israel says. The attack only ended after armed Israel police arrived and shot the attacker dead, according to officers Israeli police search buildings close to the scene of Tuesday's knife attack in Tel Aviv after reports of more than one attacker, but later confirmed it was carried out by one man As well as the stabbing in Jaffa, a shooting attack also took place in Salah al-Din Street in East Jerusalem, where two police officers were shot (pictured) Another knife attack also took place in the Israeli city of Petah Tikvah where a man was stabbed in the chest and neck before the attacker was killed (scene pictured) The Petah Tikva victim pulled the knife (pictured) from his own neck during the attack before turning it on his assailant and killing him, according to local reports Porn star Trista Geyer, 30, aka Kendall Brooks, had charges against her ex Thomas Geraldo, 33, thrown out of court after almost two years of delays The porn star former lover of a reputed Mafia associate who took him to court over allegations he broke into her New York apartment has had her case thrown out of court. Trista Geyer, 30, who performs under the name Kendall Brooks, accused Thomas Geraldo, 33, an associate of the Lucchese crime family, of breaking into her $2million Manhattan apartment in 2013. But after more than two years of delays, during which Geyer falsely claimed to be caring for a sick relative, a judge at the Manhattan Supreme Court threw the case out on Tuesday. Geraldo had been held in jail for 18 months pending the start of a trial which never came, his lawyers said. The court heard how Geyer excused herself from proceedings in May 2014, after jury selection had finished and her trial was about to begin, saying she had to return to her home state of Florida. The adult actress claimed that a relative of hers had fallen ill, and she was required to go home and care for them, the New York Daily News reports. However, police records show that Geyer was arrested in Florida five times between November 2014 and this month, including for breaking into the home of her lawyer and former lover. The court heard that Geyer was caught on CCTV monitoring equipment breaking to the home of Michael Dicembre, an attorney who she was dating from August to November last year. Dicembre described watching a live feed on his smartphone as Geyer walked into his home and over to the night stand, before turning around and seeing the camera. She was eventually charged with breaking and entering and stealing $200 worth of camera equipment. She was also quizzed over the theft of a firearm, but never charged. Geyer was also arrested for cocaine possession, shoplifting Nicorette gum and pre-natal vitamins from a supermarket and stealing a $55 pair of Van's shoes from a J.C. Penney. Prosecutors confirmed that a sick relative did exist, but conceded that Geyer had not spent her time exclusively caring for that family member. Justice Charles Solomon, in a written judgement, said: 'Based on exhibits submitted by both parties, it cannot be credibly argued that the complainant was unavailable to testify during the entire period. 'Any claims by the complainant to the contrary are belied by her conduct, which included narcotics use, arrest, incarceration and limited participation in the family member's care during the period in question.' Geyer had accused Geraldo of breaking into her $2million Manhattan apartment (street pictured) but had excused herself from court after falsely claiming to be caring for a sick relative Geraldo, who gives his occupation as a union construction manager, has a history of violence and harassment against Geyer, according to prosecuting attorneys presenting evidence at initial hearings in the case. Back in 2013, the court was told Geraldo had previously thrown Geyer into a wall, injuring her, and had once kicked in the door to her apartment along with an accomplice, saying they believed another man was inside and were going to stab him. Geyer also had two restraining orders against Geraldo, the court heard, who still persisted in calling her 'up to 60 times a day'. Speaking yesterday, Geraldo said: 'I'm just glad it's over. I ain't got nothin' to say about Trista. I just want to get on with my life.' European Parliament president Martin Schulz will be one of the 751 MEPs The European Parliament is to vote on plans to spend an extra three million euros a year on chauffeur driven cars. MEPs will vote today on whether to buy outright a fleet of limousines and hire their own drivers. Included in the proposal is a 116,000 euro budget for driver uniforms. The proposals would add to an existing seven million euro bill but end a practice where cars and drivers are contracted in. The objective of the scheme is to improve the security of MEPs, official papers reveal. A summary of the proposal said the 'security situation in Europe' was behind the plan. It said: 'The main objective of the internalisation is the improvement of security of members as Parliament will be able to conduct security screenings of drivers before employment, provide continuous training and monitoring of its staff. 'This allows Parliament furthermore to improve its image as a modern employer fully respecting the working conditions of staff employed in its premises. 'Furthermore, Parliament will be able to improve the security equipment of the cars.' The plan is thought likely to pass and the new service would start in February next year. UKIP leader Nigel Farage told MailOnline: 'There is a huge fleet of limos and Mercedes costing 5 million with a crew of professional drivers downstairs in the European Parliament. This service is laid on for all 751 MEPs. 'There is a chauffeur-driven car at an MEP's disposal all the time you are in Strasbourg or Brussels. 'If ordinary taxpayers knew how their money was being blasted around in Brussels they would be horrified and we will of course be highlighting the huge, burdensome cost of EU membership throughout this referendum campaign. 'The EU is a racket to take money from those who don't work for the EU and transfer it to people who do work for the EU. ' A source told Politico: 'First they internalized the security service, and now they are internalizing this chauffeur service.' 'Frankly I don't see a reason to do it for cost or security issues. 'For me it's crazy to internalize posts. Why do we need a chauffeur service? 'The MEPs can't take a taxi like everyone else?' European Parliament spokeswoman Marjory van den Broeke said the possibility of threats to MEPs is not unfounded. EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker regularly addresses MEPs at the Parliament building in Brussels She said: 'There have been some incidents and risks established, which we cannot go into for security and personal data reasons. 'So improved security is one reason to internalize this service.' The spokeswoman added union concerns were an additional factor behind the plan. Trade unions in Brussels have reportedly had concerns about the use of contracted drivers around the European Parliament. There are also concerns about the security of confidential documents carried by MEPs. In 2014, the official car of Viviane Reding, then a European Commission vice president and now an MEP, was broken into. Thieves left behind her official documents but made off with a suitcase and a cottage pie. European Parliament President Martin Schulz is a key figure within the European Union and played a crucial role in David Cameron's renegotiation last month. A migrant abducted a four-year-old boy at an Austrian swimming pool just so he could molest his mother when she came to look for him in the latest terrifying sex attack. The man, who barely spoke German had attempted to chat to the 37-year-old woman who was at the pool in the town of Klagenfurt with her young son. When she rejected his advances, the asylum seeker went into the children's play pool, where her son was and grabbed the boy. A mother was groped by a migrant at a swimming pool in Klagenfurt, Austria, who had earlier led away her son behind a fake waterfall, pictured He then ran off with him into a grotto behind a fake waterfall within the swimming complex. The boy's panicked mother then ran after him and found the pair hiding in the coroner. But when the mother arrived, the man put the child aside and instead grabbed her and groped her inside her swimming costume. The woman managed to fight him off and escaped from the pool with her son and the migrant left shortly afterwards. Police spokesman Markus Dexl said: 'The attacker was around 50 years old and almost certainly a foreigner, who attempted to speak to her. 'Because she didn't understand him, he had indicated that she should come nearer to him which she did not do.' Mr Dexl said that the little boy had been splashing in the water in the nearby children's paddling pool and the man then picked him up and put him on his shoulders. The spokesman added that he then took the child to the water grotto, which is a dark covered area in the main swimming pool.' The incident happened in the town of Klagenfurt in Austria, pictured, and local police are now investigating He said the man is described as dark-skinned, six foot one inches tall, powerfully built with short curly hair, brown eyes and a moustache. Meanwhile Austrian police also confirmed today that a seven-year-old girl was threatened by an asylum seeker from Afghanistan. The man had approached the girl in the indoor swimming pool in the Penzing area of the Austrian capital Vienna, and had been spotted by outraged guests pointing at his crotch and indicating what he wanted her to do. Austrian police spokesman Roman Hahslinger confirmed that the man had been arrested before the had been any physical contact. He had been spotted by outraged swimmers who raised the alarm and the man has been released on bail while the investigation continues. It is the kind of Big Brother checkpoint used by security services from modern Israel to the old Soviet Union. Biometric hand scanners, CCTV cameras and metal turnstiles are all part of the high-tech command centre guarding the new official refugee camp in Calais. The French authorities installed all the safeguards at vast expense, claiming it was needed to 'protect' residents, including women and children, who are living in the 125 heated accommodation units inside. A migrant avoids the new 'Big Brother' style security systems by scaling the fence of the refugee camp, allowing him to mingle for as long as he likes with those based in the unofficial 'Jungle' site next door Among the new security measures installed at the site are turnstiles which allow only registered individuals in and out of the camp A migrant walks through the turnstiles while are supposed to increase the safety of the migrant camp site Other security measures installed include a fingerprint scanning device (pictured) and CCTV cameras But MailOnline has learned that those living in the lawless camp next door the so-called Jungle are simply hopping in and out of the new facilities via a back fence. This enables them to spend as much time as they like inside the official camp, mixing with those who have gone through stringent checks. It makes an absolute mockery of all the security, said one onlooker, as he watched an Afghan man in his 20s entering and leaving at will on Wednesday afternoon. At the front of the camp you have all these security guards, and strict measures, while at the other men are just coming in and out as they please. Nobody knows who they are, yet they can go where they like in the camp, including sleeping in the units, and using the showers.' The 7ft fence takes a few seconds to get over, and there are no security guards at all at the back of the camp. It has led to accusations that the security measures for the new camp have simply been introduced to process refugees who desperately trying to get to Britain. Many play a regular game of cat and mouse with the police as they try and get onboard lorries or trains heading for England. The French want our hand prints, and other data so that they can monitor us, said another Afghan refugee, who asked to be referred to as Adi. Once we are on French computers, it is much harder for us to claim asylum in Britain, which is what we want to do. The new camp already resembles a prison it is a very sinister place. A large section of the 'Jungle' migrant camp has been torn down amid protests over the past two weeks. Pictured is a riot police officer standing guard as a dwelling burns in the background The charred remains of structures inside the southern section of the camp lie in ruins following the protests A migrant makes his way through the mud carrying a sign reading: 'We are all the same, we want safe life' Pretending it is designed to protect us is just laughable. It is there to keep us penned in, and to make sure we appear on police files. The Jungle, which is currently being partially demolished, is notorious for gang fights, stabbings and a range of crimes involving people smugglers. This is one of the reasons the French government said it opened the official camp made up of white-painted converted shipping containers. It is designed to accommodate up to 1,500 people, with the metal box units equipped with bunk beds, heaters and electricity points. There are also shower units, toilets, and facilities for mothers with babies. Fabienne Buccio, the Pas-de-Calais Prefect, said those with young children had been given priority access to the new shelters. Ms Buccio said migrants had to register their handprints every time they went in or out of the centre, for safety reasons. Asked about the obvious security breaches in the new camp, a uniformed guard on duty told Mail Online: Thanks for the information. Its something well have to look at. U.S. special forces have captured the head of the ISIS unit trying to develop chemical weapons in a commando raid last month in northern Iraq. The man, captured near the town of Tal Afar, has been identified as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, who worked for Saddam Hussein's now-dissolved Military Industrialization Authority where he specialised in chemical and biological weapons. Two Iraqi intelligence officials said al-Afari, who is about 50 years old, heads up the recently established branch for the research and development of chemical weapons for ISIS. The man, captured near the town of Tal Afar, has been identified as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, who worked for Saddam Hussein, where he specialised in chemical and biological weapons Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi, center, arrives at a military a base outside Tikrit, 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq. Al-Obeidi played down fears of the Islamic State group's chemical weapons capabilities, saying the group lacks chemical capabilities He was captured in a raid near the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, the officials said. They would not give further details. The officials, who both have first-hand knowledge of the individual and of the IS chemical program, spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to talk to the media. The capture will be seen as the first major success of the Obama administration's decision to deploy a commando force to Iraq dedicated to capturing and killing ISIS leaders in clandestine operations. The strategy, started in December, also generates intelligence leading to more raids. U.S. officials said last week that the expeditionary team had captured an Islamic State leader but had refused to identify him, saying only that he had been held for two or three weeks and was being questioned. A U.S. official said on Wednesday that one or more follow-up airstrikes were conducted against suspected ISIS chemical facilities in northern Iraq in recent days. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was unfamiliar with details of the airstrikes but indicated that they did not fully eliminate IS's suspected chemical threat. Sources also revealed the U.S.-led coalition began targeting the terror group's chemical weapons infrastructure with airstrikes and special operations raids over the past two months, adding that further raids are planned. Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi, centre, said the attacks the group has carried were only intended to 'hurt the morale of our fighters' as they have so far not caused any casualtie ISIS are believed to have set up a special unit for chemical weapons research, made up of Iraqi scientists from the Saddam-era weapons program as well as foreign experts. Iraqi officials expressed particular worry over the effort because the militants gained so much room to operate and hide chemical laboratories after overrunning around a third of the country in the summer of 2014, an area which they then joined with territory they controlled in neighboring Syria. But the extremists are thought to have made limited progress in developing the weapons - although it is believed to have created limited amounts of mustard gas. Tests confirmed mustard gas was used in a town in Syria in August, while other unverified reports in both Iraq and Syria accuse ISIS of using chemical agents on the battlefield. Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled Al-Obeidi's claims they had not got far with the development of chemical weapons have been backed up by other experts But so far, experts say, the extremist group appears incapable of launching a large-scale chemical weapons' attack, which requires not only expertise, but also the proper equipment, materials and a supply-chain to produce enough of the chemical agent to pose a significant threat. 'More than a symbolic attack seems to me to be beyond the grasp of ISIS,' said Dan Kaszeta, a former U.S. Army chemical officer and Department of Homeland Security expert who is now a private consultant, using an alternative acronym for the IS group. 'Furthermore, the chemicals we are talking about are principally chlorine and sulfur mustard, both of which are actually quite poor weapons by modern standards.' Iraq's defense minister also played down fears, saying the group lacks 'chemical capabilities'. A high-profile pro-gun activist was shot in the back by her four-year-old son after he found her pistol lying on the back seat of her truck just 24 hours after he boasted about his shooting skills online. Jamie Gilt, 31, who posts about firearms on her social media accounts was driving through Putnam County, Jacksonville, Florida, on Tuesday in her truck when she was wounded after the toddler picked up the weapon and shot her in the back. It came just a day after she said the youngster would get 'jacked up' before a shooting practice on a page dedicated to her musings on Second Amendment rights. On the profile Jamie Gilt for Gun Sense she wrote: 'Even my 4 year old gets jacked up to target shoot with the .22'. She reportedly believes she has the right to shoot anyone who threatens her family - and plans to teach her offspring the same mentality. According to CBS47, Gilt was on her way to pick up a horse when the shooting unfolded. Scroll down for video Jamie Gilt was shot in the back by her son as they drove through Putnam County in Jacksonville Florida Guilt, 31, was wounded after the .45 caliber round passed through the seat and struck her in the back She runs the Jamie Gilt for Gun Sense page on Facebook which promotes Second Amendment rights Her four-year-old son picked up a loaded .45 semi-automatic handgun from the back seat, pointed it towards his mother and pulled the trigger. The powerful round went through the front seat and passed through Gilt's body . Gilt flagged down a passing Sheriff's deputy and told him that she had been shot. Deputies recovered a .45 semi-automatic handgun from the floor of the truck. They are satisfied that the round was fired from inside the vehicle. Gilt and her son had been travelling to pick up a horse from a relative when the accident happened. Putman County Sheriff's office spokesman Joseph Wells said a deputy noticed a truck with a horse trailer driving erratically: 'As the deputy slowed to check on the vehicle, he observed an adult female in the drivers seat motioning to him as if she needed assistance. 'The deputy ran to the vehicle and quickly determined that the driver had been shot. 'The deputy notified the dispatcher of the situation and Putnam County Fire / Rescue was dispatched. 'The deputy provided first aid until the arrival of paramedics. The victim was transported to University of Florida Health in Gainesville and was last reported to be in stable condition. 'The only other occupant of the vehicle was the victims four-year-old son, who was unharmed. Deputies confirmed they found a .45 caliber handgun on the back seat of the car following yesterday's incident Last month, Gilt uploaded an image to her Facebook page upholding her right to protect her child with a gun Before being transported to the emergency room, the victim told deputies that her son had accidentally shot her. 'The investigation by Major Crimes Unit Detectives and the analysis of the crime scene confirmed that the victim was accidentally shot by the young boy who was sitting in the back seat of the vehicle. 'The young man was reunited with other family members and Putnam County Sheriffs Office Victim Services Specialists continue to work with the family. 'The Florida Department of Children and Family Services are being notified and the investigation into how the child came to be in possession of the handgun is ongoing.' According the Florida Times Union, the responding deputy noticed the boy was not strapped to the booster seat in the car when he arrived at the scene. Wells said: 'Were satisfied that this is not a criminal shooting.' A radicalised Frenchman took knives and a gas bottle on to a Ryanair flight to Morocco. The 31-year-old named as Manuel Broustail, who has previously been under house arrest in France, was held upon arrival in Fez airport on Sunday, where authorities discovered the items as well as a black balaclava in his hold luggage. He had flew there with the low-cost airline from Nantes in western France and managed to make it through airport screening, despite heightened security following an ISIS attack on Paris in November that left 130 people dead. Radicalised Frenchman Manuel Broustail was discovered with the knives in his hold luggage after he landed at Fez Airport, Morocco, pictured, after flying there from Nantes According to local government officials, Broustail, a former soldier, had converted to Islam and had been under house arrest in France since the Paris attacks. The municipality of the Loire-Atlantique region said Broustail was no longer under house arrest when he checked into the flight and there was no reason to stop him leaving France. According to images published in Moroccan media, Broustail's luggage appeared to contain at least four kitchen knives, a machete, two pocket knives, a truncheon, a balaclava and a gas bottle. France said it had signalled the man's presence to the Moroccan authorities and that his arrest in Fez 'was not a matter of chance'. However, they added that his hand luggage had contained nothing out of the ordinary, and his checked baggage had not raised alarm bells when passing through electronic detectors as it did not contain explosives. A source close to the investigation said Broustail had moved to Morocco with his wife last year and had returned to France to sell his apartment. Broustail had flew to Morocco with the low-cost airlineand managed to make it through airport screening, despite heightened security following an ISIS attack on Paris in November that left 130 people dead The Dublin-based carrier Ryanair said the case was 'the responsibility of Nantes airport security officials who are investigating.' Meanwhile French authorities have also launched a probe after passengers on board an Air France flight found a baby hidden in a woman's bag. The one-year-old was seen moving around in the woman's luggage on board flight 1891 from Istanbul to Paris and authorities say the child did not have a valid ticket. A student at an Indiana high school was appalled when she peeled back the foil lid from an individual container of cream cheese, only to discover a thick layer of green, fuzzy mold. The image of the stomach-turning breakfast that was served on Monday in the Muncie Central High School cafeteria was shared on Facebook and Twitter, where it has since gone viral. Quinesha Pointer, a senior at Central High, posted the photo on her Facebook page with the description 'This What We Get For Breakfast.' As of Wednesday morning, it has drawn 468 shares. Say, 'Cheese!' Two students at an Indiana high school opened an individually packaged container of cream cheese and discovered a thick layer of green mold. This photo of the disgusting food has gone viral The incident took place inside the cafeteria at Muncie Central High School in Muncie, Indiana Pointer and her friend Isaiah York, also a senior, were the ones who discovered the moldy dairy product and took it to the school principal. York, who snapped a picture of the decaying food and shared it on Twitter, said he had never encountered anything like this in the school lunchroom, and the experience has left him feeling 'grossed out' and 'uneasy.' Whistleblower: Senior Quinesha Pointer was the one who discovered the decaying food and shared a photo of it on her Facebook page Dianna Choate, head of food services at Muncie Community Schools, tells Muncie Star Press her staff immediately contacted the manufacturer of the festering cream cheese, which had been delivered to the school in individually packaged, sealed containers and was within the expiration date. Choate says her employees opened several other containers and found no signs of mold but discarded the whole batch out of an abundance of caution. An official with the Delaware County Health Department said the agency is investigating the incident but noted that the school was not to blame for it because the spoiled breakfast staple came pre-packaged from the manufacturer. I feel its a shame that MCS is being made out negatively for something that could occur anywhere, at any time, whether a school, business, or personal home, Jammie Bane told the paper. An incident occurring does not point towards a trend, and does not point towards the schools not caring or not taking actions in an effort to ensure it doesnt occur again. According to Muncie Community Schools' official website, student breakfast at the high school costs $1.70 per day. Ms Pointer, who shared the photo of the revolting breakfast item, said she decided to put it up online to make sure it does not happen again. Students took to the streets of Oxford today as they continued their efforts to have the statue of Cecil Rhodes removed from one of the university's colleges. A number of students took part in the 'Mass March for Decolonisation' in the city centre, protesting against the presence of the statue of the 19th Century colonialist outside Oriel College. Demonstrators chanted 'tear it down' and 'Rhodes must fall' as they made their way through the city, many of them carrying banners and placards reading slogans such as 'Decolonise education', and 'students over donors'. Students took to the streets of Oxford today as they continued their efforts to have the statue of Cecil Rhodes removed from one of the university's colleges The 'Mass March for Decolonisation' in the city centre was staged in protest against the presence of the statue of the 19th Century colonialist outside Oriel College They also staged a 'die-in' protest outside the university's Rhodes House, where both the Rhodes Scholarships and the Rhodes Trust are based, lying on the grass outside the building in in honour of 'all lives lost' to build it. The march was billed as part protest, part 'imperial tour of racist Oxford', and the Oxford students were joined by some of their peers from other universities - who have also been campaigning to get a bronze cockerel removed from Jesus College, Cambridge, and a statue of Queen Victoria taken down at Royal Holloway, University of London. As well as the statue and Rhodes House, sites around Oxford that were targeted by campaigners included the Codrington library at All Souls College - which was named after a 17th century slaver who like Rhodes left money to the university, and the Old Indian Institute building. The statue, which is around 4ft tall, is one of six on the front of the Oriel building and has stood there since 1911. The statue, (left) which is around 4ft tall, is one of six on the front of the Oriel building and has stood there since 1911, but campaigners say it is a symbol of oppression and want it torn down Demonstrators chanted 'tear it down' and 'Rhodes must fall' as they made their way through the city Many of the protestors carried banners and placards reading slogans such as 'Decolonise education', and 'students over donors' It commemorates the founder of Rhodesia, a revered figure from the days of the British Empire who left a large sum of his fortune to Oxford to fund scholarships for students from around the world. Famous Rhodes scholars have included astronomer Edwin Hubble, musician Kris Kristofferson and world leaders such as Wasim Sajjad, Tony Abbott and Bill Clinton, as well as his daughter Chelsea. However, students began calling for the Rhodes statue to be removed from Oriel last year, arguing that the mining magnate and founder of Rhodesia was racist - and benefited from African resources at the expense of many South Africans. The campaign followed a similar #RhodesMustFall movement in South Africa, which succeeded in having a statue of Rhodes removed from the University of Cape Town after it was attacked as a symbol of oppression. Students make their feelings on the statue known during today's protests Campainers have vowed to fight the 'outrageous' decision by Oriel to keep the statue in place Oxford campaigners claim that forcing ethnic minority students to walk past the Rhodes memorials amounts to 'violence' as he helped pave the way for apartheid. The student who has been leading the Oxford campaign, Ntokozo Qwabe, is himself a Rhodes Scholar - but in response to claims of hypocrisy argued that by accepting the money he was taking back 'tiny fractions' of what Rhodes looted during his time in Africa. The movement has sparked fierce debate between students past and present, with many arguing that it was not possible to airbrush Rhodes from history in such a way. Bot the university's chancellor, Lord Patten, and new vice chancellor Professor Louise Richardson have said that the statue should remain. On January 19, students at the Oxford Union voted 245 to 212 in favour of removing the statue of Rhodes, but days later Oriel announced that it would be staying put. Campaigners also staged a 'die-in' protest outside the university's Rhodes House, where both the Rhodes Scholarships and the Rhodes Trust are based They lay on the grass outside the building in in honour of 'all lives lost' to build it Campainers vowed to fight the 'outrageous' decision to keep the statue in place, as the college maintained the decision was not down to financial reasons - despite reports that fears had been raised over college donors pulling their funding should the statue been removed. 'A statement on the event page for today's march said: 'Oriel College sold out to big money. Oxford's Chancellor said students who don't like Rhodes should 'think about studying elsewhere.' A dictatorship of donors and administrators have shown no regard for the student voice, or for black life. Oxford has revealed its hand, which has only made us stronger and more determined. 'Now, we demand that Rhodes falls in all his manifestations in Oxford and beyond. We will march peacefully to various sites, and issue new demands for the fall of racist symbols, decolonisation of the white curriculum, reparatory justice, and greater black representation at all levels of the university. 'We will announce the sites to be visited leading up to the march which will be part protest and part 'imperial tour' of racist Oxford. ' The march was officially backed by the National Union of Students' black students campaign, who said the protest against the Rhodes statue is 'part of a wider struggle for decolonial learning, and anti-imperialist struggle' Organisers had billed the march as part protest, part 'imperial tour of racist Oxford' The march was officially backed by the National Union of Students' black students campaign, who said the protest against the Rhodes statue is 'part of a wider struggle for decolonial learning, and anti-imperialist struggle' and that 'white supremacy is built into the very structures of Oxford University's buildings'. In a statement, it added: 'It is no coincidence, that Oxford's elite classism, long history of excluding women from many of its colleges, in addition to its colonial contributions, make it one of the most male, pale and stale places of learning in Britain. 'White supremacy is built into the very structures of Oxford University's buildings, with the statues, names of buildings and physical structures all uncritically celebrating an Empire which dehumanises every student we are elected to represent. There can be no doubt, that part of Decolonising the student population, staff composition and curriculum, must involve a critical engagement with the physical relics of Empire. 'When we say Rhodes Must Fall, we are not simply talking about a statue: we speak to the philosophy of racial violence and apartheid, the myth of white superiority and the reality of white domination which were are dedicated to dismantling. Rhodes Must Fall Oxford is part of a wider struggle for decolonial learning, and anti-imperialist struggle, and we are proud to call them an ally.' An Oxford University spokesman said the Rhodes Must Fall campaigners had been invited to meet with senior figures, however, it is understood that this will not involve discussions over the removal of statues and paintings or the renaming of buildings. 'Modern Oxford is a welcoming, tolerant and diverse community,' she said. The college has maintained the decision to remove the statue was not down to financial reasons - despite reports that fears had been raised over college donors pulling their funding should it be removed A VICAR'S SON TURNED POWERFUL IMPERIALIST: WHO WAS CECIL RHODES? The 19th century mining magnate Cecil Rhodes was a student at Oxford and a member of Oriel College in the 1870s. Born in 1853, the vicar's son became one of the era' most famous imperialists, with Rhodesia - now Zimbabwe and Zambia - named after him. Rhodes had gone to work on a cotton farm in South Africa at 17, and moved into the diamond industry before belatedly obtaining a degree at Oxford, where students were intrigued by his colourful manner and monologues on the Empire. By the age of 30, he had formed the De Beers Mining Company, which came to own 90 per cent of the worlds diamond production and remains a major player to this day. In 1881, Rhodes was elected to the parliament of the Cape Colony, in present-day South Africa and Namibia. One of his major aims was to open up the northern territories of what is now Zimbabwe, for mineral wealth, communications, and, eventually, white settlement. In 1889, he obtained a royal charter to start mining in what is now Botswana. From there, his pioneers began their hazardous march north, where they named the new territories Rhodesia in his honour. But it was after he became prime minister of the Cape Colony that he introduced policies credited with laying the foundations for apartheid. In 1892 he restricted the African vote to those with wealth and qualifications, and in 1894 he assigned an area for exclusively African development effectively a native reserve. Rhodes described it as a Bill for Africa. In reality, it served to enforce segregation of native Africans. His last years were soured by an unfortunate relationship with a Polish aristocratic adventuress, Princess Caroline Radziwill, who sought to manipulate Rhodes to promote her ideas of the British Empire. He never married pleading I have too much work on my hands and died of heart disease in 1902. The diamond miner left vast sums of money to the university, and a scholarship programme in his name has so far been awarded to more than 8,000 overseas students. But Oriel college has distanced itself from his views, saying in a statement: 'Rhodes was also a 19th-century colonialist whose values and world view stand in absolute contrast to the ethos of the Scholarship programme today, and to the values of a modern university.' Advertisement 'We are working with black and minority ethnic students on many initiatives towards greater inclusion and representation. For example, we have introduced a summer conference to encourage more BME applicants from state schools, jointly led by students in the Universitys African-Caribbean Society. 'We are also working in consultation with minority ethnic students on curriculum change, supporting this process with a series of high-profile public lectures on cultural change in higher education. 'These, and many others, are exciting developments and we would very much like Rhodes Must Fall to be involved. We hope they will accept our standing invitation to meet with senior staff and help shape the plans for an ever-more inclusive university.' Yesterday, Cambridge University agreed to remove the Benin Bronze cockerel statue from public view in its dining hall, and will start discussions about whether to repatriate it to Africa. Last month, students demanded the statue be returned to a royal palace in Nigeria from where it was plundered during a 19th century British naval expedition. The cockerel was one of hundreds of bronze sculptures taken from Benin City in 1897. Cambridge said the move followed an important and complex question raised by students but critics branded it a mistake. Alan Smithers, professor of education at the University of Buckingham, said: Students always look for things to protest about, and at present universities seem to make the mistake of taking these protests too seriously. We cant be in the business of trying to re-write history. How a cockerel can make some students feel bad amazes me. Its something that they are projecting on to it, not something that it signifies in itself. Students at Christs College, Cambridge, have also allegedly called for links to benefactor Jan Smuts, a South African general and statesman, to be severed. And earlier this week it emerged that students were taking aim at a monument to Queen Victoria at Royal Holloway - claiming it has racist colonial connotations. Murdered by militants: Margaret Hassan was director of the humanitarian group Care International in Iraq when she was taken hostage in Baghdad in October 2004. Her body has never been found An ISIS prisoner has stunned interrogators by claiming to have witnessed the final hours of a murdered British aid worker whose body has never been found or killers brought to justice. Margaret Hassan was director of the humanitarian group Care International in Iraq when she was taken hostage in Baghdad in October 2004. She was twice paraded before the cameras to beg for help before being shot dead on video by masked gunmen three weeks later. No group has claimed responsibility and a combination of missed opportunities, bungled police work and judicial corruption has meant her murderers have evaded justice. But a surprise confession by a militant brought in for questioning five months ago over his links to ISIS may hold the key to finally locating her body and finding those responsible. Mustafa Amer, 23, described in shocking detail how he witnessed Mrs Hassan's final moments when he was just a boy, around nine years old. He told how she had been abducted by a Sunni criminal gang with insurgent and political links who were now fighting for ISIS or had links to the terror group, it was reported by The Times. He kept talking about a 'British Margaret' and it took some time before it dawned on the interrogator who he was referring to. Ali al-Sudani, a Colonel in the Iraqi military who questioned him in Tikrit, said: 'He knew everything: who kidnapped her, where she was held, who killed her and where she is buried.' But two weeks ago Amer was freed by a court on the basis of forged documents and Col al-Sudani says the authorities have done little to arrest her killers or find her grave. He said: 'I have no idea why arrests have not yet occurred. We have all the necessary information. 'My commanders keep telling me it is a matter of timing. What are they waiting for? 'Perhaps they are scared or distracted by other things. Or perhaps they have forgotten about Margaret Hassan.' Terrified: Mrs Hassan was paraded before the cameras to beg for help before being shot dead weeks later Mrs Hassan was one of the highest-profile figures to fall victim to the wave of kidnappings which swept Iraq after the 2003 US-led invasion. The Dublin-born Roman Catholic, who had joint British, Iraqi and Irish nationality, was married to an Iraqi, Tahseen Ali, and had lived in Iraq for 30 years. In 2009, Ali Lutfi Jassar, 36, a Sunni, was given a life sentence at Baghdad's Central Criminal Court for his part in her murder. He had been arrested by Iraqi and US forces in 2008 after contacting the British Embassy in Baghdad and attempting to extort $1million in return for leading them to Mrs Hassan's body. Jassar, an architect from Baghdad, denied the charges but was convicted after a one-day trial. He was due to appear in court in Baghdad the following year for a retrial, but escaped. Appeal: The Dublin-born Roman Catholic, who had joint British, Iraqi and Irish nationality, was married to an Iraqi, Tahseen Ali (pictured at a press conference in 2004) and had lived in Iraq for 30 years The only other person to face justice was Mustafa Mohammed Salman al-Jabouri, who was given a life sentence in June 2006 after being convicted of aiding and abetting the abductors. His sentence was later reduced on appeal and he was released in 2008. Mrs Hassan's family have spent the last 12 years trying to discover where her remains are so she can be brought back to Britain. Speaking in 2009, her sister, Deirdre Fitzsimons, said: 'We want to ensure she gets buried with the respect she deserves because she has not been treated with respect. 'My sister was a Catholic and it would be her wish to have a proper Christian burial. Belgian paedophile Marc Dutroux planned to 'kidnap many children as possible' and create an 'underground city' in an abandoned mine to imprison them, according to his former lawyer. Dutroux was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping, molesting and imprisoning six girls and murdering four of them, in a case that sparked demonstrations across Belgium and an overhaul of the nation's criminal justice system. Julien Pierre, who was Dutroux's lawyer from his arrest in 1996 until 2003, the year before he was sentenced, gave Belgian weekly magazine Soir Mag details of conversations with the convicted murderer. Belgian paedophile Marc Dutroux, who kidnapped and murdered children. His lawyer Julien Pierre said that Dutroux wanted to kidnap as many children as possible Dutroux, now 59, reportedly told his lawyer: 'Do you realise that no one has ever asked why I chose that house, that region? 'My idea was to carry out mass kidnappings of children and then to create, in a mine shaft, a sort of underground city where good, harmony and security would prevail.' He was arrested in August 1996 and two days later two missing teenage girls, Laetitia Delhez and Sabine Dardenne, were found alive in a hidden cellar in one of his houses in Marcinelle, close to Charleroi in Belgium's south west. In the following weeks, the bodies of eight-year-old friends Julie and Melissa who had been kidnapped in Liege in June 1995 were found in a basement at one of Dutroux's houses, having died of starvation. Mr Pierre added that Dutroux wanted to create an 'underground city' in an abandoned mine to imprison children he kidnapped Following the grim discovery, Belgian authorities subsequently found the bodies of An Marchal, 17, and Efeje Lambrecks, 19, buried in a garden at another of Dutroux's properties. During his trial, Dardenne explained that her tormentor had adopted an alternative name and insisted that he was protecting her from mysterious 'wicked' people, all the while subjecting her to sustained sexual abuse. He also claimed to her that he had kidnapped Laetitia Delhez to 'bring her a companion'. After Dutroux's arrest in 1996, two missing teenage girls, Laetitia Delhez, left, and Sabine Dardenne, right, were found alive in a hidden cellar in one of his houses During the kidnapping of Delhez that Dutroux's van was spotted by people in her hometown, which led to his arrest. Dutroux admitted his crimes and was duly found guilty of the kidnap and sexual abuse of six girls, and the killing of four of them. Pentagon chiefs have admitted using military drones to spy over the mainland United States but have refused to say exactly how many times the craft were deployed. According to a report prepared by the office of the Department of Defense Inspector General, 'fewer than 20' requests were made to use the craft for missions inside America between 2006 and 2015. However, the report does not make it clear how many of the requests were granted, or say when, where or how the devices were used, or what information was gathered. Pentagon officials have confirmed that 'less than 20' requests were made to use drones to spy over U.S. soil in the last decade, but refused to say how many of those requests were granted (file image) The report, which was completed in March 20, 2015, was not released until Friday last week after a Freedom of Information request, USA Today says. One example of a request given was from an unnamed mayor who asked for a drone to help fix potholes in his city. The request was denied. Included in the documents are admissions from military units that they would like to fly more missions over the mainland U.S. for training purposes. It says: 'Multiple units told us that as forces using the UAS (unmanned aerial surveillance) capabilities continue to draw down overseas, opportunities for UAS realistic training and use have decreased.' The report also quoted a military law article which stated: 'The appetite to use them (spy drones) in the domestic environment to collect airborne imagery continues to grow, as does congressional and media interest in their deployment.' Then-FBI director Robert Mueller admitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee back in 2013 that his agency owns several unarmed drones which are used on spying missions against citizens. Mueller said the drones are 'very seldom used' and at the time it was reported that the FBI had developed no guidelines on using them in this country. Then-FBI Director Robert Mueller admitted in 2013 that his agency had 'very seldom used' drones over the U.S. during a hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee (pictured) At the time he said: 'We are in the early stages of doing that, and I will tell you that our footprint is very small, we have very few, and have limited use. And we're exploring not only the use, but the necessary guidelines for that use,' he added. 'There are a number of issues related to drones that will need to be debated in the future,its still in its nascent stages, this debate.' The new report shows that interim guidance was developed in 2006, allowing drones to be used for the rather wide-reaching purpose of 'homeland defense purposes in the U.S. and to assist civil authorities'. The policy did state that the Secretary of Defense would have to be consulted each time a drone was used, a responsibility that was never delegated to another person, the report shows. New guidance says that unless permitted by law and approved by the secretary, drones 'may not conduct surveillance on U.S. persons.' It also bans the use of armed drones over the United States for anything other training and testing. Victoria Derbyshire returned to her first full day of work this morning looking the picture of health after finishing treatment for breast cancer. She was pictured at the BBC studios in London just days after announcing she had completed her gruelling treatment. The presenter discovered she had breast cancer in July last year, and has since had a mastectomy and chemotherapy, which caused half of her hair to fall out. At the start of January, she revealed she had started wearing a wig after starting to lose her hair as a result of the treatment. The BBC presenter wore the hair piece and a figure-hugging red dress for her return to work on the Victoria Derbyshire show today. Victoria Derbyshire returned to her first full day of work this morning looking the picture of health after beating breast cancer The BBC presenter wore a figure-hugging red dress for her return to work on the Victoria Derbyshire show She recorded her treatment in an emotional video diary, including her last chemotherapy treatment The presenter discovered she had breast cancer in July last year, and has since had a mastectomy and chemotherapy treatment. She recorded her treatment in an emotional video diary, including her last chemotherapy treatment. Wiping away tears, the 47-year-old said she was looking forward to having a cuddle with her sons to celebrate. In the video the former Newsnight and BBC Radio 5 Live presenter said: 'I'm home and I'm happy and I can't stop crying, which is mad. 'When it was over, the drugs had stopped going into me through the IV drip ... I think I felt in shock, I couldn't really speak. 'Which is not like me, as you'll have gathered. 'Now I just want to see my boys after work. After work? After school, and have a cuddle and have a celebratory tea and get on with the rest of my life.' The clip then cuts to Ms Derbyshire's boys presenting her with a bouquet of flowers and chorusing 'Happy end of chemo mummy. No more chemo!', to which she squeals and replies 'Gosh, thank you'. Ms Derbyshire shared the video with her 50,000-plus followers on Twitter accompanied by the words: 'GOODBYE CHEMO!!!'. Ms Derbyshire has been making the video diaries since her diagnosis to try to open up on some of the procedures and treatment for cancer. She previously said she hoped sharing the clips would reassure women that having treatment for the condition is 'do-able'. 'The reason I wanted to talk about what has happened to me is that I am a pretty open person,' she explained. 'But also because more than one in three people will be diagnosed with cancer. And here's the thing: having cancer is manageable'. The chief executive at Breast Cancer Care thanked Ms Derbyshire for her 'incredibly open and honest' videos. Samia al Qadhi said: 'We know that, like Victoria, many women feel overwhelmed when they reach the end of chemotherapy. 'They may be relieved that the ongoing barrage of appointments is coming to a close, but are also reflecting on what they have been through, perhaps for the first time. I can feel myself getting emotional now because it's coming to an end I've been reflecting on what I've experienced and I suppose it's just a release of emotions and a relief Victoria Derbyshire 'Many tell us they feel very anxious and fearful about what lies ahead.' At the start of January, she revealed she had begun wearing a wig after starting to lose her hair as a result of chemotherapy. She explained the change began in December when a clump of hair fell out as she was getting ready for a friend's 40th. Ms Derbyshire was warned that the adjuvant chemotherapy she is having - designed to help stop cancer returning or spreading to other parts of the body - usually leads to the loss of 'all the hair on your head'. The latest video shows what is hoped will be her final round of chemotherapy - and spans January and February this year. In it, she explains how all but 'about three' of her eyelashes have gone as a result of her treatment, which has also been causing her eyes to stream. But she remains defiant saying: 'I think, come on, what else have you got? What else do you want to test me with?' She also takes viewers back into the studio, where she admits work is a great distraction but then notices her veins looking bruised. The presenter says washing her wig has become part of her 'routine' but says it doesn't take too long She wipes away tears in an emotional final chemotherapy session, later admitting she was in 'shock' at the prospect of finishing the chemotherapy treatment A nurse removes the cold cap which Ms Derbyshire credits with saving about half of her hair BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire, 47, bid chemotherapy farewell in an emotional video diary 'I don't know if you can see this, I've just noticed this on my hand which is kind of a souvenir of chemotherapy. Those are the veins into which the chemotherapy drugs go,' she said. Later, the 15-minute video cuts to her washing her wig in a bath tub, something she admits has become part of her 'routine'. 'If I think about it, I can't actually believe I'm washing my wig because I have so little of my own hair. Anyway, it is what it is,' she said. We know that, like Victoria, many women feel overwhelmed when they reach the end of chemotherapy Samia al Qadhi, chief executive Breast Cancer Care On the day before her final chemotherapy session, Ms Derbyshire said she felt relaxed after having a tearful few days. 'I have shed tears which is really unusual because I haven't much throughout the last six or seven months at all,' she said. 'I think it's because for the whole of this process I have just been concentrating on and focusing on getting through it and taking each day as it comes, as much as possible and being pragmatic and cracking on. 'Because it's coming to an end, I can feel myself getting emotional now because it's coming to an end I've been reflecting on what I've experienced and I suppose it's just a release of emotions and a relief - a release and a relief.' Wiping a way a tear and smiling, she says: 'These are actually happy tears because it's going to be over soon.' Her final session, on February 22, reveals the torrent of emotions she has felt throughout her journey. 'I feel like I'm almost skipping in. If I wasn't carrying so much stuff like blankets and hot water bottles I would be skipping,' she starts on a high. 'It's the last time I'm ever going to wear a cold cap which is great. It's been a bit grim but worth it because I've probably got about half of my hair left. So that's good. 'I think I might be slightly hysterical, happy hysterical, because it's coming to an end.' A clock can be heard ticking in the background before a buzzer sounds, signalling she's done and causing her to raise her arms in elation. The magnitude of the moment clearly hits her Ms Derbyshire, who buries her head in a fleecy blanket. She then asks the nurse 'does everyone cry at the end?' before letting out a massive sigh. Then Ms Derbyshire quickly puts her hat back on, covering her visibly thinned hair before holding her face in her hands as she struggles to compose herself. Jeh Johnson said that his agency is making progress in trying to apprehend the unaccompanied minors Chairman Sen Ron Johnson, R-Wis said this is 'beyond crisis proportions' minors trying to cross the border will be apprehended in 2016 He said that at this pace, 77,000 A record number of unaccompanied minors trying to enter the United States from Mexico could be apprehended this year, the Senate Homeland Security chairman has said. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said on Tuesday that officials have apprehended 23,533 unaccompanied minors trying to cross the border since the beginning of the fiscal year. He said that at this pace, 77,000 minors will be apprehended in 2016. The record was set in 2014, when officials apprehended 68,541 unaccompanied minors at the border. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said on Tuesday that officials have apprehended 23,533 unaccompanied minors this fiscal year, and the number could be up to 77,000 by the end of the year 'I think we're possibly beyond crisis proportions here,' said Chairman Sen Ron Johnson, R-Wis 'Four months and we're up to 23,000 already 2014 was a crisis, right now I think we're running ahead of 2014 levels. 'If we maintain this pace, we'll have 77,000 in 2016.' Jeh Johnson said that his agency is making progress, calling 2015 a 'pretty good year' after the agency apprehended 39,970 unaccompanied minors, according to the Washington Examiner. 'I want to compare numbers with you,' the secretary said. 'We had a pretty good year, it was down significantly from FY14 in terms of total apprehensions along the southwest border.' 'In the fall, October, November, December, we saw an increase,' he said. 'The number was 6,775 in the month of December. In January, the number went down by more than half to 3,111. The record was set in 2014, when officials apprehended 68,541 unaccompanied minors at the border. Pictured above, a boy from Honduras watches a movie at a detention facility run by the U.S. Border Patrol on September 8, 2014 in McAllen, Texas 'In February, 3,113. The March number so far, we're only seven or eight days into March, is pretty much at the same pace as February, slightly higher.' But Ron Johnson stood by his concern. 'Again, the point being 2014 was a crisis, right now I think we're running ahead of 2014 levels from the numbers I'm getting,' he said. Sen Tom Carper, D-Del, jumped into the conversation to mention that he found a different projected number entirely. The ban would apply in public places and government Egyptian lawmakers are set to vote on banning women from wearing a full-face Islamic veil, local media reports. Parliament is drafting a law which would prohibit women from wearing a niqab in public places and government institutions. It follows a ban at Egypt's premier public university in the capital Cairo, which banned lecturers from wearing the niqab in October. Ban: Egyptian Parliament is drafting a law which would prohibit women from wearing a niqab - a full-face Islamic veil - in public places and government institutions (stock image) Member of Parliament Amna Nosseir, also a professor of comparative jurisprudence, said the full-face veil is neither an Islamic tradition, not required in the Quran, the Independent reports. Dr. Nosseir, a former dean of Al-Azhar University and a member of Egypt's Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, said the niqab is a a Jewish tradition, not Muslim. Dr. Nosseir added that while the Quran calls for modest clothing and for women to cover their hair, the holy book of Islam does not ask women to cover their faces. The vast majority of Egyptian Muslim women wear a form of veil that covers the hair but leaves the face uncovered. Not required: Egyptian MP Dr. Amna Nosseir (not pictured) argued for the ban, as the niqab is a a Jewish tradition, not Muslim, and that its use is not called for in the Quran However the number of women wearing the full niqab veil has increased dramatically in the past 10-20 years. In the wake of the increase in niqab wearers, Egypt has imposed a series of restrictions on wearing full-face veil in public. In October last year, Cairo University banned all female staff from wearing the full face veil, as it led to 'poor communication' in lectures. The niqab had become especially problematic in language courses, where it hindered student-teacher communications, producing low grades and graduates incapable of enunciation, Gaber Nassar, head of Cairo University, said at the time. The chilling 999 phone call made by a man just minutes after he allegedly murdered his fiancee by stabbing her in the throat was today played in court. Tony Jobling, 51, is accused of killing fiancee Samantha Aktinson, 42, known as Petra, at the home they shared just days after he proposed to her while on holiday in the Dominican Republic. The prosecution claims he stabbed Ms Atkinson 'several times' in the neck with a knife during a drunken argument in the early hours of September 6, last year. Engaged: Tony Jobling, 51, is accused of killing fiancee Samantha Aktinson, 42, pictured together Sheffield Crown Court heard Ms Atkinson bled to death while her son Harry, 16, slept upstairs. Jobling, of Hull, East Yorkshire, denies murder. Today the jury heard the phone call Jobling made to emergency services just minutes after he allegedly stabbed his fiancee. In the call Ms Atkinson can be heard gasping and gurgling in the background as the operator pleads with Jobling to follow her advice in a bid to save the woman's life. When asked by the operator what had happened, Jobling says: 'Er, well I've just stabbed her in the throat.' The operator asks: 'You've what sorry?' Jobling replies: 'She's been stabbed in the throat.' Jobling is then heard pleading with the operator to send an ambulance to their home in Withernsea, East Yorkshire, before saying: 'She's had it. She's gone'. Initially, when asked whether Ms Atkinson is awake, Jobling replies: 'Yeah, she's awake but hurry up please.' He then tells the operator: 'Right, hurry up....she's dying, hurry up, she's dying.' Victim: Samantha Aktinson, 42, known as Petra He tells the operator Ms Atkinson was stabbed about '10 minutes ago'. When the operator asks whether the attacker is still nearby, Jobling says: 'No, no he's gone'. The operator is heard talking Jobling through the steps he needs to take to try and help Ms Atkinson, instructing him to press a towel to the wound to stem the bleeding. Jobling says: 'Alright, she's dying, hurry up... I think she's dead.' The operator says: 'We are helping her until the ambulance gets there. We need to get her on the ground. Don't worry about hurting her.' Jobling tells the operator: 'She's had it. She's gone. The call ends when the operator asks what Ms Atkinson is 'doing' and he says: 'She's lifeless'. Jobling was arrested by police at the scene. When first questioned he spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth. Prior to being interviewed for a second time, Jobling had made a prepared statement, which was read to the court by interviewing officer DC Steven Jewell. In the statement, Jobling said the couple had arrived back in Britain on September 1 after a holiday in the Dominican Republic. He said Ms Atkinson was 'very tired' on their return and went back to work on Friday and they went out for a meal on Saturday night before visiting 'various pubs'. He said: 'I do not agree that there was friction whilst we was out. We had both consumed alcohol on Saturday evening. I would say I was not drunk. 'Samantha in my opinion was in drink and not fit to drive. The last pub we visited was The Pier. I lost her for about five minutes. She had returned to the car. 'Arriving home we both entered the property and went into the kitchen. We were still talking about her driving home under the influence of alcohol. 'At this point Samantha took hold of a knife from the washing up bowl. Having hold of the knife I approached her intending to take the knife away from her. Sheffield Crown Court, pictured, heard Ms Atkinson bled to death while her son Harry, 16, slept upstairs 'I tried to grab the knife but failed. She caused a cut to my left forearm. She then moved into the front room. I followed. She turned to face me. She was not herself. I couldn't reason with her. 'Stood facing each other I pushed her back on the sofa. I was to receive further cuts as a result. 'We both ended up holding the knife. We were struggling. I was in fear of her and that she may cause me serious harm. 'Whilst struggling with me on top she sustained the wounds to her neck. I have no recollection of stabbing her five times. Nobody else was responsible. I had lost self-control.' Ambulance crew arrived at the couple's home in Withernsea 16 minutes after Jobling made a 999 call. He told one paramedic: 'She f****** stabbed me and I just stabbed her in the neck.' The court heard Ms Atkinson had a total of 12 'sharp force' injuries. Jonathan Sharp, prosecuting, said Jobling didn't make the emergency call until Ms Atkinson had fallen to her hands and knees and began moving across the living room. Forensic scientist Kathryn Bird told the court that blood stains found in the couple's living room suggested that Ms Atkinson had crawled around the living room after being stabbed by Jobling. At this point Samantha took hold of a knife from the washing up bowl. Having hold of the knife I approached her intending to take the knife away from her Tony Jobling's statement Ms Bird said Ms Atkinson then managed to move herself over to a two-seater sofa where she continued to bleed profusely. Ms Bird said: 'The pools of blood on the sofa and the carpet are cause by blood repeatedly dripping which has caused it to splash back onto the sofa.' Asked by Mr Sharp if blood splatters had shown there had been any sign of a struggle between Ms Aktinson and Jobling, Ms Bird said there wasn't. Mr Sharp told the court after hearing from a police officer that Ms Atkinson wouldn't survive the attack, Jobling said: 'I won't be able to live with myself after this. 'I won't be seeing the outside world for a long time.' The court heard the couple had know each other for 10 years but had only been dating since October 2014. Their relationship at first 'seemed fine' but they had begun arguing which often happened after they had been out drinking at weekends, the court heard. In previous arguments Jobling had smashed the rear window of her car with a brick and allegedly thrown Ms Atkinson and her son out of the house. Ms Atkinson's mother had said the couple seemed 'happier than ever' after returning from holiday, the court heard. Mr Sharp said Ms Atkinson had described Jobling as a 'Jekyll and Hyde character when he went out', while her son said he 'has to get absolutely out of his face, to the point where he's not in control'. The court also heard Jobling had previously carried out internet searches for 'hyperactive sexual desire disorder' and 'attention deficit hyperactivity disorder' as well as 'severe aggressive mood swings'. President Barack Obama's choice to be the next U.S. commander for the Middle East sought to assure lawmakers a revised effort to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels for the fight against the Islamic State group won't repeat the same mistakes that doomed a similar program last year. Testifying Wednesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Army Gen. Joseph Votel described the new approach as a 'thickening effort' as opposed to the raising of a large, decisive force. 'I do think it is helpful to have people who have been trained by us, who have the techniques, who have the communications capability and the resources to link back into our firepower,' Votel said. The trained fighters, Votel added, will present the Islamic State with added 'dilemmas.' Army Gen. Joseph Votel (left) described the new approach as a 'thickening effort' as opposed to the raising of a large, decisive force If confirmed, Votel would take over leadership of U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in Iraq, Syria and 18 other countries. He would succeed Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, who is retiring. Austin told the committee Tuesday that he's already requested permission from the Obama administration for the retooled Syrian train and equip effort. Austin emphasized that the new program will focus on training smaller numbers of fighters for shorter periods. During a wide-ranging confirmation hearing, Votel said he does not have all the people and equipment required to eliminate the Islamic State. He said he anticipates needing 'additional resources' to retake the group's strongholds in Mosul, Iraq, and Raqqa, Syria, although he didn't specify what he has in mind. The only U.S. ground forces in Syria are a contingent of roughly 50 special operations troops who deployed last year to work with local Syrian fighters trying to break the Islamic State's grip on Raqqa, the group's self-declared capital. A separate U.S. commando force is in Iraq dedicated to capturing and killing the group's leaders and gathering intelligence that can be used to conduct follow-on raids and strikes. Votel pledged to push for the 'right resources for our people to have to accomplish the missions that we are asking them to do.' Skeptical lawmakers questioned Votel about how potential rebel recruits in Syria would be vetted and whether they would be constrained from attacking Syrian President Bashar Assad troops. The general said that individual fighters would not be vetted prior to the training, but the leaders of those fighters would be. The Islamic State would be their target. 'We're trying to avoid is the problem that we had the last time, where we didn't know what their allegiances are,' Votel said. 'Certainly our mission is (the Islamic State) and so it is our intent that they help with the (Islamic State) mission.' Votel acknowledged that approach might limit the pool of recruits. The committee's chairman, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said it's unrealistic to limit Syrian fighters after Assad's forces have repeatedly attacked civilians with barrel bombs, a crude weapon used to inflict mass casualties. The Islamic State 'isn't barrel bombing the men, women and children,' McCain said. 'Bashar Assad is.' The Obama administration last year scrapped a beleaguered $500 million train and equip program for Syria after Austin told Congress that only four or five trained fighters were battling the militants significantly short of the U.S. goal to train 5,000. About 50 new fighters had been captured, wounded or fled in their first encounter with extremist militants. Votel, 57, is a former commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment and a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He headed the secretive Joint Special Operations Command before taking over U.S. Special Operations Command in 2014. ISIS' chemical weapons chief has been captured by U.S. special forces and has admitted the terrorists plan to use mustard gas in future attacks. In another huge blow for the militant group, chemical weapons expert Sleiman Daoud al-Afari has been detained by the U.S., according to Iraqi military sources. Al-Afari, who worked in Saddam Hussein's barbaric regime as a biological munitions specialist, was captured last month and is being interrogated at a temporary detention site in Erbil, Iraq. The U.S. has not confirmed the prisoner's identity, but said it had arrested a prominent ISIS leader. ISIS' chemical weapons chief has been captured by U.S. special forces and has admitted the terrorists plan to use mustard gas in future attacks (file picture) American officials told the New York Times that al-Afari admitted during interrogation that ISIS plans to use mustard gas in future attacks. The 'significant' terror chief told his U.S. captors that ISIS has weaponized mustard gas into powder that it can load into artillery shells. Al-Afari, who is thought to be in his early 50s, was captured in a raid by commandos last month near the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, officials said. He used to work in Hussein's regime before its downfall during the Iraq War and was ISIS' chemical weapons chief until his capture. Information provided by al-Afari has already led to a number of airstrikes on ISIS bomb-making laboratories, with special forces operations targeting weapons experts on the ground, according to intelligence officials. The U.S. bombed 'improvised weapons facilities' near Mosul, Iraq, this week but has not revealed whether these were related to al-Afari's capture, CNN reported. In another huge blow for the militant group, chemical weapons expert Sleiman Daoud al-Afari has been detained by the U.S., according to Iraqi military sources (file picture) ISIS is believed to be plowing money into its efforts to develop chemical weapons and is said to have set up its own research unit. The terror network is said to have recruited a number of scientists from Hussein's toppled regime. Mustard gas - which causes the lungs and skin to blister - has been used in attacks in Iraq and Syria but reports of ISIS being responsible are unverified. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said last month that the chemical weapons program was 'something we watch very closely'. Experts say the militants are so far unable to launch any large-scale chemical attacks because they do not have the proper equipment or supply chain. 'More than a symbolic attack seems to me to be beyond the grasp of ISIS,' Dan Kaszeta, a former U.S. Army chemical officer and Department of Homeland Security expert, said. 'Furthermore, the chemicals we are talking about are principally chlorine and sulfur mustard, both of which are actually quite poor weapons by modern standards.' The U.S.-led coalition bombing ISIS in Syria and Iraq may have struck another significant blow against the terror group last week. U.S. officials said ISIS' minister of war Abu Omar al-Shishani was 'likely killed' in a bombing raid. David Cameron, seen leaving No 10 today, said Labour should kick out Gerry Downing a second time David Cameron today urged Labour to kick out a member who has made excuses for 9/11 and defended ISIS for a second time. Gerry Downing was removed from Labour last year but appealed and was allowed to become a full member again. Mr Cameron today told MPs: 'I have to say I was completely appalled to see yesterday that the Labour Party has readmitted someone to their party who says... that the 9/11 suicide bombers, and I quote, 'must never be condemned', and belongs to an organisation that says 'we defend the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq'. 'Those are appalling views and I hope the leader of the Opposition will throw this person out of the party rather than welcoming him in.' Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn ignored the issue in the Commons but party sources said Mr Downing's membership would now be reviewed. A spokesman said: 'We need to look at whatever evidence there is. 'If there are concerns expressed, we will obviously look at that.' Labour MP John Woodcock joined calls for Mr Downing to be removed from Labour in an open letter to Mr Corbyn. He said: 'Mr Downing's stated views on the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 and his membership of an organisation that 'defends' Daesh's brutality are sickening and bring our party into disrepute. 'It should be noted that his disgraceful comments about terrorist atrocities were only made a couple of months ago in January of this year.' Mr Woodcock urged Mr Corbyn to take 'all necessary action' to remove Mr Downing from the party. Jamie Reed, the Copeland MP, joined the calls for the Labour leader to act. He said: 'It's sickening, it's shameful and the decision should be over turned. Worse than incompetent.' Mr Downing, who describes himself on Twitter as a 'Trotskyist retired bus driver with ambitions to end capitalism on the planet by socialist revolution', reportedly appeared alongside shadow chancellor John McDonnell three years ago. Writing on the Socialist Fight website in January, Mr Downing said of 9/11: 'It is the justified outrage of the oppressed as opposed to the outrage of the oppressor, one violence is that of the slave and the other is that of the slave-owner. 'One is progressive, no matter how distorted its actions are, and must never be 'condemned', imperialism is the violence that holds the whole planet, or almost the whole planet, in thrall, and that violence can never be supported by serious Marxists in any circumstances. 'That is the entirely understandable motivation for 9/11 and suicide bombers. You may object that it is entirely counter-productive for their case.' Mr Cameron, left in the Commons today, issued the challenge to Mr Corbyn, right asking his questions today, but the Labour leader opted not to reply Asked on Twitter today if he was a 9/11 apologist or ISIS supporter, Mr Downing said: 'No, neither. I don't support bombing them by US.' Mr Downing's application was reviewed by party officials at a local and national level before he was let back in. In a blog post on his 'Socialist Fight' website in December, Mr Downing said he had been 'auto-excluded' from Labour after he moved a motion on Trident and stated online he was a 'Trotskyite'. Mr Downing, pictured on his website, describes himself as a 'Trotskyite' and revealed his readmission to Labour in a bliog post But after an appeal, Mr Downing said he received a new membership card in the post and an email informing him he would be readmitted if nobody in his local association objected. No objections were lodged and Mr Downing became a full Labour member again in January. The Prime Minister also used today's Prime Minister's Questions to accuse Labour of segregating women during political meetings. Mr Cameron turned on the Opposition front bench during a question about International Women's Day to criticise the party for reportedly separating men and women during rally meetings. The sexism row first erupted ahead of the general election last May, following reports that grassroots members had split supporters at a meeting held in an Islamic centre in Birmingham and later at a meeting in Oldham West and Royton during the by-election in December. Mr Cameron said: 'But let me say this to the Labour Party, one thing you could help with: no more segregated political meetings. 'Let us end the process of having people with bigoted religious views treating women as second-class citizens. 'I think you should all take the pledge - no more segregated meetings.' A senior Labour source said after PMQs: 'The Labour Party organises no segregated meetings and that practice is unacceptable. 'No Labour Party body should be organising segregated meetings.' Labour MP John Woodcock sent an open letter to Mr Corbyn demanding Mr Downing be removed from Labour's ranks today Carly Fiorina said she is 'horrified' at the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency so this morning she endorsed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. 'The only guy who can beat Donald Trump is Ted Cruz,' Fiorina said at a Cruz rally at Miami Dade College. 'It's time to unite behind Ted Cruz.' Cruz, touting the endorsement on his campaign website called Fiorina a 'strong, principled leader and woman of faith.' 'Carly speaks the truth with courage, doesn't back down to the Washington powerbrokers, and terrifies Hillary and the Democrats,' Cruz said. Scroll down for video Ted Cruz (right) received a surprising endorsement today from Carly Fiorina (left), who pulled out of the race after the New Hampshire primary Carly Fiorina reentered the political arena this morning in Florida by endorsing former rival Sen. Ted Cruz who she said has the best shot of beating Donald Trump Carly Fiorina and Ted Cruz embrace at this morning's rally in Miami, Florida as she gave Cruz her endorsement explaining that he 'doesn't care if the Washington cartel invites him to their cocktail parties' Ted Cruz touted Fiorina's endorsement on his website saying she 'doesn't back down to the Washington powerbrokers, and terrifies Hillary and the Democrats' Fiorina, who dropped out immediately after the New Hampshire primary after placing seventh, didn't always have the smoothest relationship with Cruz notably calling him out for pandering. 'Ted Cruz is just like any other politician. He says one thing in Manhattan, he says another thing in Iowa,' Fiorina said back in January. But the former Hewlett-Packard CEO, who was the only female candidate on the Republican side, had an even more acrimonious relationship with Donald Trump who, at one point, insulted her looks. 'Look at that face!' Trump said to a Rolling Stone reporter. 'Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?' The remark provided Fiorina with fodder for one of her best debate moments in September, but her poll numbers drifted back to mostly single-digits after that. Her disgust for Donald Trump did not subside. 'Some in our party are saying theyd prefer a liberal like Donald Trump because he is a deal maker. Weve had enough of the deals, enough of the cronyism,' she said today, according to prepared remarks. Carly Fiorina was the only woman to run for president on the Republican side and dropped out immediately following the New Hampshire primary after coming in seventh in the Granite State 'Of course, there are also many Republicans who are now horrified at the prospect of Donald Trump as our nominee. I am one of them,' she continued. 'The only way to beat Donald Trump is to beat him at the ballot box. And, guess what? The only guy who can beat Donald Trump, who has beaten Donald Trump is Ted Cruz,' Fiorina said, echoing what Cruz has been saying now for weeks since he first bested the billionaire in Iowa. Fiorina looked back to 2012, saying that the 'Republican establishment' decided the best course of action to win in 2016 was to pass comprehensive immigration reform, 'stop talking about "social issues"' and move the party to the middle. 'But they didn't count on Ted Cruz,' she said. 'They didn't predict that against all the odds and most of the predictions, Texas had just elected a senator who is a true constitutional conservative, a real reformer and who definitely doesn't care if the Washington cartel invites him to their cocktail parties.' Cruz won another state last night Idaho but Trump won the bulk of the delegates with wins in Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii. Cruz is now 99 delegates behind the frontrunner in the delegate count. He has argued, and Fiorina reinforced that point today, that if rivals Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio dip out of the race he'll be able to consolidate support and eventually beat Trump in the delegate count. Now, Rubio is lagging behind at 151 delegates, while Kasich has 54, while 1,237 are needed to clinch the GOP nomination. An ABC News/Washington Post poll that came out yesterday suggests that Cruz may be right. A mother-of-two who suffers from muscular dystrophy has described the terrifying and bizarre moment a naked man burst into her living room before trying to hug her while saying: 'Hi, honey.' Gail Wilson, a former corrections officer from Pendleton, Oregon, said she thought she was going to be raped or killed after suspect Steven S. Burton, 30, broke into her home on Saturday. Wilson said the traumatizing incident only stopped when she called the police, Burton fled her home and attempted to jump 50ft into a river before getting stuck in a tree. Steven S. Burton, 30, had to be rescued from a tree by police officers after he allegedly broke into mother Gail Wilson's house while on drugs and tried to hug her before jumping 50ft off a cliff Burton (left and right, in his arrest mugshot) is accused of breaking into Wilson's house on Saturday and saying 'hi, honey' before locking her dog in a back room and then fleeing when police arrived The incident began around lunchtime on Saturday, according to the East Oregonian, when Wilson was sitting in her home eating soup while husband Robert and her two children were out of the house. She said that Burton suddenly appeared in the doorway of her home naked and with a big grin across his face before throwing his arms open and trying to hug her. Wilson said that because of her weakened muscles she had to wait for Burton to get close before she was able to push him away, Fox 12 Oregon reports. She recalled being forced to push Burton several times while telling him to stop, before he picked up the family dog and shut it in a room at the back of the house. Police said Burton lashed out several times as they tried to rescue him from the tree, and on one occasion even lunged for an officer's gun before they were able to strap him to a back-board Officers said that Burton appeared to be in a state of mind-altered agitation, sometimes seen in people who take PCP or hallucinogen LSD and they were forced to sedate him Wilson said: 'My first thoughts were, this is it. This is my time. He's going to rape me, beat me, kill me.' After locking the pet in a back room, Wilson said Burton returned to her living room where he sat on her mobility scooter and looked around for a while. At some point she managed to dial 911 and said police arrived as Burton was checking out the shed in her front yard, at which point he fled. Pendleton Police Chief Stuart Roberts said Burton ran two streets over to a bank above the Umatilla River, climbed up a cyclone fence, and then dived 40ft to 50ft into the ravine below. After tumbling down sheer rocks Burton got his ankle caught in between two branches of a tree around two feet off the ground, where he was left dangling until crews came to rescue him. Wilson (left and right, with brown hair), a former corrections officer who suffers from muscular dystrophy, said she thought she was going to be raped and killed after Burton walked into her home Roberts added that Burton appeared to be in a mind-altered state, similar to the effects of PCP or hallucinogen LSD, and lashed out several times as he was taken down - including on one occasion where he reached for an officer's gun. Eventually Burton was subdued and strapped to a back-board where he was sedated before being winched back up the cliff and arrested. Donald Trump said Wednesday morning that he may be on the losing side of a gender gap because of the 'harsh' tone he has embraced while campaigning for the presidency. And while being occasionally nasty to a gargantuan field of Republican rivals has been a necessary part of his plan, he said on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' program in the wake of a solid primary election night that his mean streak may have an expiration date. Exit polls conducted in Michigan on Tuesday by the Fox News Channel and CNN showed Trump fared far better among men than among women. In the CNN poll, he attracted just 29 per cent support from female voters, compared with 45 per cent of males. Asked Wednesday if he thinks his brusque style 'may have put some women off,' Trump replied: 'I do. I think that I've had to be very tough over the last period of a number of months.' Scroll down for video NO CHOICE: Donald Trump said he's been forced to take an aggressive tone on the campaign trail, and some women may be put off by it BATTING 0.750: Trump won three of the four primary contests held on Tuesday and took a victory lap afterward at his country club in Jupiter, Florida 'I've had 17 people total, and they've come at me very viciously ... and I was being hit from every single angle,' Trump said, singling out Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for throwing the first punches in their war of words. 'And in order to be victorious, frankly, I had to be very tough and I had to be very sharp and smart and nasty.' 'I can see women not necessarily liking the tone,' he said, 'but I also had to get to the finish line. And if I didn't have that tone, I wouldn't be talking to you this morning, I guarantee you that.' 'I would've been sitting home with Lindsey Graham watching television.' Graham, a South Carolina senator, was among the lowest-polling candidates in the GOP field and dropped out of the race a few days before Christmas. 'So you know,' the billionaire said, 'they were very, very nasty to me. A lot of people were very, very harsh. And I gotta be harsh in order to win. And I can see women not liking that. That will change once this is all over.' A pivot back to the warm and fuzzy for November will be too little, too late, according to some feminists. PUBLIC SPATS: Trump has tussled with Fox News Channel anchor Megyn Kelly (left) and former GOP presidnetial rival Carly Fiorina (right) 'I think Trump will be unelectable to a large swath of female voters,' Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen told CNN on Monday. 'I think you're going to have moms who don't like the role model for their children. I think you're going to have unmarried women who see this as belittling and patronizing. I think women are going to coalesce around Hillary [Clinton] on this issue.' 'The most motivating thing for women voters would be to have Donald Trump as the nominee,' added Marcy Stech, the communications director for EMILY's List. Stech's group is a Democratic political committee that pushes for more pro-abortion-rights women in public office. Trump has run into trouble on the campaign trail with offhand comments aimed at women he doesn't particularly like. He crossed swords with Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly after the first Republican debate last August, which she began by challenging him about insults he had flung at women who feuded with him. They included calling females 'fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals.' 'Only Rosie O'Donnell,' he quipped on the debate stage. The following day in a CNN interview, Trump carped about Kelly's line of inquiry. 'She starts asking me all sorts of ridiculous questions,' he said, 'and, you know, you can see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever." Trump later insisted he was talking about Kelly's nose, not suggesting that her menstrual cycle had made her combative. And during a flight on his iconic Boeing 757 jet, a Rolling Stone writer noted Trump pointing to his TV set when then-rival Carly Fiorina came on the screen, and jabbing: 'Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?' Trump later said he was referring to Fiorina's 'persona,' not her looks. The last living cast member of Citizen Kane has died aged 100. Kathryn Trosper Popper played the inquiring photographer in the cult 1941 film, and delivered the memorable line: 'What's Rosebud?', following Kane's famous last words. She died at her home in New York City on Sunday, of pneumonia, eleven days shy of her 101st birthday, according to her daughter's Facebook dedication. Scroll down for video Kathryn Trosper Popper (bottom right) who died aged 100 Sunday, played the inquiring photographer in the cult 1941 film Citizen Kane, directed by Orson Welles (left). Pictured, the pair on set Trosper, pictured right with her daughter Laura, was born in in Wyoming on March 18, 1915, and later moved to California with her family, where she later entered the film business Pictured on set: Susan Alexander and Orson Welles looking at Ruth Warrick reading a note, while Ray Collins watches in a scene from the film Trosper was also Orson Welles' longtime personal assistant and worked with the famous director at the Mercury Theater division at RKO. The actress famously defended the filmmaker, after Pauline Kael's essay Raising Kane argued that screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz was actually the writer for Citizen Kane. But Trosper declared: 'Then I'd like to know what was all that stuff I was always typing for Mr. Welles!'. The allegations were later discredited. According to Harlon Lebo, whose book 'Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker's Journey' will be published next month, Welles had 'tried very hard to make Kathryn Popper an actress' but her career was limited to two lines in the film. Trosper (left) was also Orson Welles' (right) personal assistant and and worked with the famous director at the Mercury Theater division at RKO Trosper died at her home in New York City on Sunday, of pneumonia, eleven days shy of her 101st birthday In an interview with Newsbeat Social last year, Trosper described balancing her roles as a actor an assistant on the film: 'I would just drop my notebook and run on the set.' Prosper was born in Wyoming on March 18, 1915, and later moved to California with her family, where she received a scholarship with USC, aged 16. She then made her way into the film world, working for both MGM and RKO. Trosper's brother, Guy, also worked in the film industry as a screenwriter and producer and wrote the screenplay for films including Birdman of Alcatraz and The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. Her husband Martin Popper, was the co-chief defense counsel for the Hollywood Ten and defended Dalton Trumbo and John Howard Lawson, who were convicted in 1950 of contempt of Congress for refusing to declare whether they were Communists, according to The Hollywood Reporter. In 1961, Popper, who died aged 79 in 1989, was also convicted of the same offense. Trosper is survived by son Joe, daughter Laura, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren Advertisement The closure of the Macedonian border will force migrants with a more aggressive attitude to find new, illegal ways to enter Europe, experts have told MailOnline. New routes include perilous sea crossings from Albania to Italy and even from Turkey to Italy, a distance of more than 900 miles. Migrants may also brave the mountainous border between Greece and Albania, and travel from there by sea to Italy, or via Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina to Croatia. Some may even travel through Russia and attempt to cross its porous northwestern border with Finland. Most of the migrants making these illegal journeys will be the 'aggressive, single males' who are not refugees and know they will be refused asylum, Gianluca Rocco from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said. New migrant routes: After the closure of the Macedonia border, migrants will find new ways to reach Europe, including 1. From Greece through Albania and by sea from Albania to Italy, 2. From Turkey into Bulgaira and then into Boznia, 3. By sea from Turkey to Italy, 4. From Russia into Finland, and 5. Through Libya and Turkey Crisis: Migrants were pictured enjoying themselves around a fire this evening at the Macedonian-Greek border refugee camp of Idomeni Life in the camp: Children watched as people played music together at the Macedonian-Greek border camp of Idomeni Fire burning: The camp is situated in Idomeni, a small village in Greece located about 50 miles north of Thessaloniki These migrants have 'a different attitude' from genuine refugees in fear of their lives, and are 'more nervous, aggressive and dangerous'. 'Genuine refugee families from Syria will wait in Greece until they are able to enter a relocation programme,' he said. 'But the ones who know their asylum applications will be rejected will try more dangerous and illegal ways now that the Macedonian border is closed.' It is almost impossible to close the borders completely, unless you put up a fence, like Hungary is trying to do, Mr Rocco added. 'But most borders are more porous, and even if you put a policeman every 10 metres, they are very difficult to secure. 'If you know your asylum application will be rejected, you will try anything.' Old criminal networks still exist in Bosnia Herzegovina which used to smuggle people into the EU five or 10 years ago, via the porous, sparsely populated border with Croatia. But they stopped doing so when Croatia joined the EU in 2013, due to a lack of demand. 'The criminal networks from before are still able to become active,' Mr Rocco said. 'Already they have all the connections. If new clients suddenly begin to appear now that the Macedonian border is closed, they will be back in business.' Macedonian-Serbian border: People warm themselves around a bonfire among tents at a migrant camp near the village of Tabanovce Walking: Refugees on their way to a camp at the border between Greece and Macedonia, near Idomeni today Cold conditions: People warm themselves around a bonfire among tents at a migrant and refugee makeshift camp near Tabanovce Taking cover: Migrants eat rations of hot soup during a heavy rain storm at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni Cold: A child tries to warm his hands, backdropped by Germany's flag as migrants stage a sit in protest on the railway tracks at Idomeni Airing: Refugees dry clothes at a barbed-wire fence in a camp at the border between Greece and Macedonia near Idomeni today At the moment, about 20 or 30 migrants a week enter Albania and move into Montenegro, often joining the main flow of migrants in Serbia. This may change now that the main Balkan route has been cut off. The ones who know their asylum applications will be rejected will try more dangerous and illegal ways Gianluca Rocco, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Economic migrants will likely be driven into the arms of gangsters who are making thousands of pounds from refugees by selling them places on illegal journeys, and have no concern for their welfare. IOM's JoeI Millman said: The thing we fear most is that migrants will come to rely on criminal gangs to access territories that are out of bounds legally. The consequences can be highly lethal on sea, and also very dangerous over land as we saw when 71 migrants were killed in a truck in Austria. We are always concerned when legal channels close, because desperate situations lead to desperate methods. It just increases the chaos.' He added: Closing borders has not stemmed migration ever in the history of the world. I dont know why it would work now. The pressure is building as the fighting deepens in Libya, he said, with new crowds of people emerging from that country, including increasing numbers of Moroccans. Stuck: Genuine refugees are now stranded in a squalid refugee camp at the Greek-Macedonian border. Migrants with a more aggressive attitude will find other ways to reach Europe, experts say Squalid: Macedonia has closed its doors to migrants coming from Greece, leaving those there stranded Trapped: Thousands are living under canvas in a slum on the Greek-Macedonia border. Only small numbers of Syrians and Iraqis had so far been allowed across, but this was stopped Tent village: Macedonia shut the border after its neighbours tightened their policies, sparking a chain reaction Chain reaction: Slovenia and Croatia said that no migrants wishing to travel to other countries would be allowed to enter, while Serbia indicated that it would follow suit Yesterday, Macedonia announced that it had closed its doors 'completely' to migrants, leaving thousands trapped under canvas in a slum on the Greek border. A Macedonian police official, who declined to be named, said: 'We have completely closed the border.' According to the Macedonian Interior Ministry, no migrants entered from Greece on Tuesday. Small numbers of Syrians and Iraqis had so far been allowed across, but this was stopped after Macedonias neighbours tightened up their policies, sparking a chain reaction. More than 14,000 mainly Syrian and Iraqi refugees are camped out by the border crossing at Idomeni - many of them for weeks - at a muddy, unhygienic camp operated by beleaguered aid groups. Campaigners working on the ground at the camp confirmed to MailOnline it would only be a matter of time before officials moved in and closed the camp. One of the workers said: 'The word is that the camp is going to be closed, and to be honest that has to be a good thing because it's becoming harder and harder to handle the situation here. Smugglers: Economic migrants will likely be driven into the arms of gangsters who are making thousands of pounds from refugees by getting them into Europe via dangerous routes Unjust: 'Genuine refugee families from Syria will wait in Greece until they are able to enter a relocation programme,' Gianluca Rocco, of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), told MailOnline Camp: More than 14,000 mainly Syrian and Iraqi refugees are camped out by the border crossing at Idomeni Sick: Aid workers have been struggling to clamp down on an outbreak of illness in Idomeni on the border 'There are simply too many of them and it's growing all the time. I don't see how the officials can do anything else?' Aid workers have been struggling to clamp down on an outbreak of illness in Idomeni particularly among children, with ambulances being sent from Athens to pick some of the more seriously affected. Earlier this week, Slovenia and Croatia said that no migrants wishing to travel to other countries would be allowed to enter, while Serbia indicated that it would follow suit. It means the Balkan trail used by floods of migrants is now closed, intensifying pressure on the EU and Turkey to nail down a 'game-changing' solution. Advertisement Children as young as nine in the Mexican city of Durango have laid bare the details of their crystal methamphetamine addictions and how they formed their habits watching their drug-addled parents or being supplied at school. Marco Leyva, 11, became addicted to crystal meth at just seven. The son of a meth cook who helplessly watched his mother die from an overdose two years ago, hes now in rehab for the third time. One of over 400 minors aged eight to 15 undergo rehabilitation for addiction to crystal meth at the Analco Youth Rehab Centre in Durango, northern Mexico, Marcos case is nothing out of the ordinary in his hometown. Everyone I know smokes crystal meth, he told MailOnline, his scarred hands shaking from withdrawal symptoms. I smoked it to be normal, to be able to relate to my family and friends. Too young: Marco Leyva, 11, became addicted to crystal meth aged seven and is the son of a meth cook who watched his mother die from an overdose. He is one of over 400 minors aged eight to 15 to undergo rehabilitation for addiction to crystal meth at a centre in Durango Parenting: Marco's father Miguel Leyva, 49, gave up producing crystal meth in the apartment he shared with his six children when he found Marco - aged eight at the time - consuming a freshly produced batch A city brought to its knees by crystal methamphetamine, 35 percent of Durangos 500,000 residents admit to consuming the narcotic, which is inexpensive, highly addictive and available on every corner. I blame myself for my sons drug habit, says Miguel Leyva, 49, who gave up producing crystal meth in the apartment he shared with his six children when he found eight-year-old Marco consuming a freshly produced batch. His mother and I smoked to excess and it cost us her life. Now I see the same happening to my own children. The aggressive narcotic has become so widespread in the city that it is commonly sold in primary schools, where hooked students are encouraged by drug dealers to sell to their classmates so as not to have to pay for their own doses. I first bought crystal meth during my lunch break, and after smoking it was the only thing I was interested in, said 14-year-old Angel Alberto, who has struggled to gain mass since arriving at the youth rehabilitation centre two months ago weighing just 34kg. Eventually I ended up selling it to my friends, he told MailOnline, a single dose costs just 50 pesos (2), so everyone could afford it. Another patient at the centre, nine-year-old Javier Ayud has struggled with abuse of substances including alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, solvents and crystal meth. Theyre all very easy to get, he says. The guys who sell drugs on the street dont care that Im a kid, they only care about making money. Durangos local government refused to comment when approached by MailOnline. One of over 100 rehab clinics in Durango, the Analco Youth Rehab Centre runs a three-month program, with capacity for 18 patients at a time. While 407 boys aged have passed through its doors, the government-run clinic has 94 further boys on its waiting list. Addicted: A city brought to its knees by crystal methamphetamine, 35 per cent of Durangos residents admit to consuming the narcotic Widespread: Durango's local government refused to comment on the issue when approached by MailOnline, but the drug is available on 'every street corner'. The narcotic has become so widespread in the city that it is commonly sold in primary schools Childhood: Angel Alberto, 14, who arrived at the youth rehab centre weighing 5.3 stone, first bought the drug on his school lunch break Hooked: After his first taste of the drug, Angel said it was the 'only thing I was interested in'. He says drawing pictures at the rehabilitation clinic helps him take his mind off the drug The clinics director Martina Sosa says that 65 percent of their patients have managed to continue their abstinence since discharge, but that for the rest a return to old ways is a sad inevitability. The vast majority of our patients have parents who are also addicts, she told MailOnline. We do our best to treat them while they are with us, but when they return to family lives where consumption of crystal meth is a daily fact of life, it can be almost impossible to keep from relapsing. Marco Leyvas father Miguel still consumes crystal meth on a daily basis, while his elder brother now works as a drug dealer for the Sinaloa Cartel, the dominant organised crime organisation in Durango. Miguel Leyva says that getting clean on the tough streets of Durango is almost impossible. The Ice (a slang name for crystal methamphetamine) is extremely addictive, he told MailOnline during his weekly visit at his sons rehab centre. Its cheap, its available everywhere and it makes you forget about all your problems, which is very attractive to people like me who live in abject poverty. Once a prosperous mining hub of the colonial era, the six short years between the collapse of local industry and the expansion of the Sinaloa cartels local narcotics production have seen state capital Durango torn apart by crystal methamphetamine. Drug dealers are visible on every corner of the citys peripheral slums, taxi drivers offer to sell directly to clients and in the notorious Villas del Guardiana district, the police themselves take charge of dealing drugs to local residents. I always had to buy crystal meth from the police, who sell it out of their patrol cars, says 15-year-old Manuel Enrique, who grew up in Villas. They dont allow anyone else to sell drugs in my neighbourhood. Help: Clinic director Martina Sosa says 65 per cent of their patients have managed to continue their abstinence since being discharged Ice: Dr Julio Cesar Ramirez, a medical officer at a luxury government-run centre on the outskirts of the city, says crystal meth has taken hold in Durango like no other substance The chief medical officer at Mision Korian, a luxury government-run centre on the outskirts of the city that charges 2,000 for a five-week rehabilitation program, Dr Julio Cesar Ramirez says crystal meth has taken hold in Durango like no other substance. Amphetamines stimulate pleasure centres in the brain, releasing dopamine, serotonin, adrenaline and other stimuli which manifest feelings of euphoria and pleasure in the user, he said. When you consider that the substance is readily available, affordable, extremely pleasurable and highly addictive, and add the factors of unemployment and poverty with which many Durango residents live, its clear why crystal meth has stuck like no other in this town. Whilst 35 percent of underage patients return to using crystal meth in Durango, the relapse rate amongst post-rehab adults is a massive 98 percent. Out of over 3,000 addicts to undergo treatment at the citys Fundacion Durango clinic, only around 200 remain clean today. Cuauhtemoc Avellano, 56, now the resident day manager, is one of them. Crystal meth is the devil, he told MailOnline. It made me do unimaginable things. A once-successful businessman who lost everything due to his methamphetamine addiction, Cuauhtemoc was forcibly admitted to the non-government centre in 2007 after his wife called for help. Even after eight years of abstinence, today he does not feel ready to face the outside world, where crystal meth is available everywhere in his city. Ruthless: Patient Javier Ayud, nine, said the drug was 'very easy' to acquire and drug dealers have no qualms with selling it to children I see my family every other Sunday for an hour or two, he told MailOnline. There are things that can be forgiven, but not forgotten. By 40 years old, Cuauhtemoc owned two seafood restaurants, a tortilla shop, a car wash, a flour distribution company, an apartment, two houses and four cars. By 44, he had lost everything. I smoked the lot away, he told MailOnline with a grim smile, displaying his meth mouth teeth, a gruesome reminder of his past. I would need to smoke a cocktail of marijuana, cocaine and meth every morning just to get my day started. But eventually I dropped everything for the crystal; meth is a very jealous drug. At my lowest point I was smoking four grams of Ice a day (one tenth of a gram is considered a large dosage), I went weeks without eating or sleeping, I missed every significant event in my childrens upbringing. The Fundacion Durango, a non-government rehab centre run by former addicts, espouses the tough love detoxication policy, claiming the government centres care little about resolving the root problems of addiction. My patients all display a huge amount of guilt and self-loathing, says the clinics resident psychologist Adriana Garrola. Unfortunately these feelings result in a vicious circle, since its possible for a patient to mute them temporarily with the use of methamphetamine. Consequences: Cuauhtemoc Avellano, 56, is one of the few residents lucky enough to receive treatment at Fundacion Durango Clinic, and one of an even smaller group to remain clean. He shows off the scars on his tongue and his rotted teeth - all reminders of his old addiction Rehabilitation: One of over 100 clinics in Durango, the Analco Youth Rehab Centre runs a three-month program, for 18 patients a time We mix professional help with the empathy of those who have shared a patients pain, said the centres director Mariano Sanchez, who first recognised the growing problem of addiction amongst minors in Durango. We are realistic about our goals and depend on the support of a patients family and friends. An addict infects everyone around him, he told MailOnline. Be it introducing the substance to other members of his social circle, prostituting his wife and daughters, or turning to robbery and kidnap in order to pay for his next dose, its a problem that needs to be dealt with at its source. Despite his work with addicts to fight the scourge of methamphetamine, Mariano sees no end to Durangos addiction to the aggressive narcotic, which he believes to be worse than cocaine and heroin combined. Khamprasong Thammavong, 33, a registered member of the Laos Bloods gang who has 'Gucci' inked on his forehead, has been arrested in Fresno, California A heavily tattooed man has been arrested after police found a stash of weapons and marijuana plants in his home. Khamprasong Thammavong, 33, who has 'Gucci' inked on his forehead, was taken into custody in Fresno, California, on Monday after cops allegedly discovered SWAT gear, a semi-automatic rifile, hand guns, and evidence he was affiliated to a gang. They also unearthed photos of him posing with the weapons, which were not registered to him He was first collared when officers conducted a traffic stop. According to KRCA 3 he was on probation and was a registered member of the Laos Blood gang. Thammavong was arrested on numerous felony charges, including being a felon in possession of a firearm and cultivation of marijuana. Fresno Police department released a statement saying: 'On March 7th, 2016 at about 5:40 PM, Officer C. Howard assigned to the Traffic Unit conducted a traffic stop in the area of E Kaviland Ave / S Holloway Ave. 'Officer Howard contacted the driver who was later identified as 33-year-old Khamprasong Thammavong; a Fresno resident. Officer Howard learned that Thammavong was on AB109 probation and a documented Laos Blood gang member. 'Officer Howard requested assistance from the Southeast Violent Crime Impact Team to assist him on this traffic stop. Officers assigned to the SE VCIT team arrived on scene and researched Thammavong to identify his address; which is open to search and seizure. 'The team then responded to the 5200 block of E Hoxie Avenue in order to conduct a probation search after taking custody of him. Once officers arrived and searched this residence, numerous items of gang indicia were located; most notably photographs depicting Thammavong holding different firearms. He was taken into custody in Fresno, California, on Monday after cops allegedly discovered SWAT gear, a semi-automatic rifile, hand guns, and evidence he was affiliated to a gang 'The search of this residence ultimately revealed a semi-automatic rifle and a semi-automatic handgun which matched the firearms depicted in the photographs Thammavong was posing with. These firearms were not registered to Thammavong. 'Additionally, tactical gear similar to law enforcement equipment, a marijuana grow consisting of 38 plants and narcotics paraphernalia were also discovered. Thammavong did not hold a license to possess or grow marijuana in the state of California. A former guidance counsellor from Ohio has been charged with sexual battery after police say she carried on a month-long relationship with an 18-year-old male student. Ronetta Smith, 36, from Cleveland Heights, was indicted on Tuesday on four felony counts of sexual battery and one count of tampering with evidence in the case. Smith had been employed as guidance counselor in Euclid High School, where the alleged victim was a student. Scroll down for video Indicted: Ronetta Smith, 36, a former guidance counselor from Ohio, has been charged with carrying on a month-long sexual relationship with an 18-year-old male student Euclid Public Schools Superintendent Keith Bell told NewsNet5 allegations of impropriety against Smith first came to light in late January when administrators received an anonymous tip. Police say on January 29, they got a call from Euclid Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Charles Smilaker asking to look into claims of sexual misconduct involving Ronetta Smith. The guidance counselor was initially placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Police say they were able to determine that beginning on Christmas Day 2015, Smith engaged in a sexual relationship with the 18-year-old student. Smith eventually resigned from her $48,000-a-year-job and was banned from the Euclid High School campus. Smith eventually resigned from her $48,000-a-year-job and was banned from the Euclid High School campus Whether it's consensual or not really isn't the issue, Bell said. It was wrong and that's what we hang our hats on. It should not have occurred. Regardless of the age, it was inappropriate. The British millionaire driver of a supercar that careered into dozens of race spectators in Malta injuring more than 20 people has been charged in connection with the crash, say local media. Paul Bailey, a 55-year-old former businessman and friend of Jeremy Clarkson, was at the wheel of the Porsche Spyder when it ploughed into the audience last year. Footage of the crash in October showed the 750,000 supercar spinning out of control on the tarmac before smashing through safety barriers and into the thick mass of people. Driver Paul Bailey (pictured with his wife Selena) is to blame for the crash during the rally in Malta last year which injured more than 20 people, including a six-year-old girl Mr Bailey, a millionaire businessman from the East Midlands, was not a professional driver, an inquiry found Now it has been reported that Bailey, from Rutland in the East Midlands, who was also found to be at fault for the crash by an inquiry, has had charges filed against him in Malta. Reports in the local press say that Bailey and 11 members of the organising committee of the supercar event had charges filed against them in court today. Those who organised the event have not been named but are expected to be identified once they appear in court. Mailonline has contacted the Malta Police Force and is awaiting comment. The charges come after the publication of a magisterial report last month concluded Bailey, who is a car enthusiast rather than professional driver, did not have the 'necessary skills' to drive the vehicle at such speeds. Some 23 people - including a six year old girl - were injured when he hit the crowd at the annual Paqpaqli ghall-Istrina motorshow. Footage of the horrific crash showed bodies lay strewn across the tarmac while Mr Bailey was seen exiting the vehicle with his face covered in blood. The magistrates' report stated: 'While the driver is a collector of cars, he doesn't appear to have the necessary skills to drive such cars with such velocity,' the Times of Malta reported. It concluded there were no mechanical failures with the car - rather, it was the result of excessive speed and a lack of handling techniques and corrective measures. This is the moment Mr Bailey's Porsche smashed through safety barriers after spinning out of control Footage of the accident showed the carnage of the scene in the moments after he crashed into spectators Bodies lie strewn across the ground as bystanders rush to help those who were hit by the vehicle Some 23 people were injured in the accident - including a six-year-old girl and two critically Mr Bailey is seen in this image lying on the ground clutching his head while covered in blood The Porsche Spyder - one of many supercars the billionaire owns - was left mangled after the crash The inquiry also noted the 11-man race organising committee was responsible for 'secondary causes' as they were without a safety plan and neglected to conduct a risk assessment. Shocking footage of the accident showed hundreds of people were lining the sides of the track at the time of the crash. Moments after hitting the spectators, Mr Bailey emerges from the vehicle appearing disoriented, while blood covers his face and clothes. He soon collapses to the ground where he is comforted by a woman believed to be his wife. Amid the chaos, bodies can be seen lying across the ground and bystanders rushing to help pull the injured to safety. Witnesses described the 'chaos and screaming' as the car, which has a top speed of 210mph, skidded out of control, careening into the barriers and crowd. Mr Bailey is believed to be the first person in the world to own the 'Holy Trinity' of hypercars - with a combined worth of more than 3million. He already owned the 866,000 McLaren P1 and in just one day added a Porsche 918 Spyder and the LaFerrari - tripling his hypercar collection in a matter of hours. A bystander who avoided injury waves paramedics over to those who were badly injured in the crash Mr Bailey exits the Porsche in the moments after the crash clutching his head in apparent pain Mr Bailey, from the East Midlands, was admitted to hospital in Malta along with 23 others A woman believed to be his wife crouches over him as blood pours from a wound on his head He was later filmed being covered in bandages by paramedics before being taken to hospital The three vehicles, which all boast top speeds of more than 200mph, are all considered to be 'hypercars' - top-tier cars whose features, price and rarity sets them apart from 'regular' supercars. Mr Bailey, who lives in Rutland with his wife Selena, is believed to be worth more than 1million. The couple made their fortune when they sold the communications company they founded for 28million in 2012. At the time, he described his fleet of hypercars as 'totally amazing'. He said: 'I have been waiting, in real terms, about two years for the LaFerrari. Early images of these cars were snapped and emotions rose as delivery dates came closer. 'I was offered one of the first five UK cars but these did not have the level of personalisation that I have had. This is the first UK car with full personalisation and it was worth the wait. 'I live a very surreal life and being the first to own all three does not feel real. This is why I want to use and share the cars with enthusiasts. Jewish students are being made to feel isolated by a growing tide of anti-Semitism sweeping across Britain's elite universities, according to a new report. A dossier compiled by Student Rights reveals dozens of incidents involving students from a large number of universities including Oxford, Nottingham and the London School of Economics. Some students were shouted down in meetings with anti-Semitic abuse while in other cases rants were posted on student society social media pages. At one event at the Oxford Union, a debating society affiliated with the university, a student allegedly shouted 'slaughter the Jews' at Israel's deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon Events featuring extremist anti-Jewish speakers have also been advertised on some campuses. At one event at the Oxford Union, a debating society affiliated with the university, a student allegedly shouted 'slaughter the Jews' at Israel's deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon. In another incident, an anti-Israel activist is reported to have said that the best thing Jews have done is to 'go into the gas chamber' at an event at the School of Oriental and African Studies. Student Rights, a project run by the Henry Jackson Society think tank, said it had logged more than 30 acts of intimidation towards Jewish students in person and online over the past five years. Rupert Sutton, Director of Student Rights, said: 'Too many campuses have seen a form of identity politics, which perceives Jews as privileged and powerful, combined with a virulent anti-Zionism fuelled by one-sided speaker events and inflammatory social media posts. 'This has led to a blurring of the boundaries between pro-Palestine activism and anti-Semitism, exacerbated by the failure of students and university authorities to challenge bigoted views, and by a culture in which Jewish students who raise concerns are mocked or accused of 'crying wolf'. 'Until this changes, and universities take disciplinary action against those students and societies involved, we will continue to see anti-Semitism on our campuses.' It comes after a co-chairman of the Oxford University Labour club claimed a large proportion of members 'have some kind of problem with Jews' and resigned. Members are alleged to have called Jewish students 'Zios' and sang a song about rockets over Tel Aviv. Labour Students, the national youth body of the political party, is investigating the claims. Earlier this year, a talk at the King's College Israel Society had to be abandoned because of violent protests by pro-Palestine protesters. Student Rights said it had seen the boundary between pro-Palestine activism and anti-Semitism become increasingly blurred, with the promotion of conspiracy theories about Jews. In 2012 a Jewish student was allegedly assaulted during a Nazi-themed drinking game on a London School of Economics ski trip In 2012, a University of Westminster student's attempt to challenge the views of the radical Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir was met with groans and shouting when he made the admission that he was Jewish, resulting in the student leaving the room in distress. The same year a Jewish student was allegedly assaulted during a Nazi-themed drinking game on a London School of Economics ski trip. Anti-Israel activists are also reported to have vandalised the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) at the National Union of Students (NUS) Conference. The Oxford Union incident, which Mr Ayalon described as 'tantamount to a call for genocide', was investigated by the police in 2010 but the case was dropped. The student involved said their Arabic words had been misinterpreted, but Mr Ayalon stood by what he said he heard. Since 2014, Student Rights has also been documenting the on-campus activity of National Action, a neo-Nazi group with a history of targeting universities whose members promote anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and share Nazi imagery and Holocaust denial online. One member is accused of shouting 'Gas the kikes, race war now!' at a conference in May 2015 and activists from the group distributed posters at the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University during February 2016. On social media, the researchers found a number of posts on student society pages relating to conspiracy theories to do with Jews. One member of Westminster Palestine Solidarity Society page stated: 'I believe that Zionist Israel is actually worse than the Nazi's'. The report recommended students be encouraged to report and challenge anti-Semitic material posted on student social media. BUTTE A former Montana State Hospital doctor who was arrested Friday in Butte on misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and possession of dangerous drugs pleaded not guilty to those charges in Butte City Court Tuesday morning. Mark Jay Catalanello made his initial appearance at about 11 a.m. before city Judge Glen Granger. Catalanello requested a jury trial. He also told the judge he has a private attorney. Catalanellos court date has not been set. He faces two counts of disorderly conduct and one count of criminal possession of pot, all misdemeanors. He was released from the county jail Saturday on $955 bond. Catalanello was a staff physician at the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs and served as the medical director at the Montana Chemical Dependency Center in Butte until October, when the Montana Board of Medical Examiners temporarily suspended his medical license because of accusations he was using illegal drugs. The state placed Catalanello on paid administrative leave following his Sept. 29 suspension and his last day working for the state was Oct. 19, 2015. Catalanello has a long history of drug and alcohol abuse and has had his medical license suspended in Montana and revoked in California following felony drug arrests in 2001 and 2005. Catalanello was taken into police custody early Friday evening after he allegedly yelled and screamed at police as well as an owner and bartender at the IT Club in Rocker. Butte-Silver Bow Undersheriff George Skuletich told The Montana Standard on Monday that Catalanello was reportedly belligerent, angry and made vulgar comments. Police had earlier responded to the Living Water Coffee Co. in Rocker, where an employee reported that Catalanello yelled and screamed at her as he waited in the drive-through. His black 2016 Dodge Ram pickup truck was located at the nearby IT Club where he was found inside. award - 'twice's and 'his business card simply says 'I'll call you' such as 'his passport requires no photograph' Advertisement He has trekked through jungles, dived for pearls and, by the end of the ad, is always surrounded by beautiful women. But after almost a decade, Dos Equis have announced they are replacing The Most Interesting Man in the World. Jonathan Goldsmith, the suave, white-haired 77-year-old, who plays the 007-style character in the beer adverts, has made his final advert for the beer producer. Scroll down for video The Most Interesting Man in the World: He has trekked through jungles, dived for pearls and, by the end of the ad, is always surrounded by beautiful women After a decade, The Most Interesting Man in the World is being retired from commercials by Dos Equis (pictured in his final advert) The Most Interesting Man in the World has embarked on countless daring exploits during the ad campaign such as trekking through the jungle Jonathan Goldsmith, the suave, gravel-voiced 77-year-old, played the 007-style character in the iconic beer adverts His character could charm anyone - even a queen in the adverts for Dos Equis which became popular for their outrageous stunts and narrator quotes In one advert, the Most Interesting Man in the World arrived for a winter party on a sled pulled by a team of Huskies But in true, Most Interesting Man fashion, he is leaving in style His final advert sees Goldsmith saying farewell to some of the characters who have popped up in the adverts over the years before he blasts into space in a one-way trip to Mars. 'His only regret, is not knowing what regret feels like,' the advert's narrator says. The ad ends with a man in military garb holding up a Dos Equis, saying 'Adios Amigo' to Goldsmith's character. Heineken USA execs would not reveal who the new actor replacing Goldsmith will be but told Ad Age that the campaign 'will feel familiar, but it will be different. 'There will be elements that are very, very recognizable, that are super iconic to us, but it will have a very fresh take on things. It will not feel like we've just swapped actors.' Goldsmith first began appearing in the iconic Most Interesting Man in the World adverts in 2006. Whether he's dog sledding, surfing a killer wave, cliff diving or flying a mini aircraft, his daring exploits are always 'interesting.' Goldsmith has made his final advert for Dos Equis as his iconic character - looking every inch the cool and mysterious Most Interesting Man in the World The final ad features Goldsmith as he says farewell to many of characters who have appeared in the ads alongside him Greeted by a female astronaut, gave a wave to his adoring fans before entering the rocket for a one-way trip to Mars The Most Interesting Man in the World is blasted off into space in the rocket as the narrators says: 'His only regret, is not knowing what regret feels like' In one advert, a younger version of the Most Interesting Man is seen literally diving for a beautiful woman's pearls who had dropped them from a boat. In others he rescues an angry bear from a trap, wins an arm wrestling competition in Latin America and performs a trick shot in pool by shooting a cue ball out of the mouth of a man. A smooth talking narrator make funny, and often ridiculous statements about the impossibly cool Most Interesting Man. The voice-overs claimed he had given his own father 'the talk', he'd received a standing ovation from a juror's box and was able to slam a revolving door. Other claims about the Most Interesting Man said that mosquitoes refused to bite him 'out of respect' while his fortune cookies would simply say 'congratulations.' Almost every advert would end with Goldsmith in a bar, surrounded by women, where he'd utter the the phrase: 'I don't always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis' and 'keep thirsty my friends.' The 'Most Interesting' campaign has been hugely popular and has even been turned into a meme. Goldsmith first began appearing in the iconic Most Interesting Man in the World adverts for Dos Equis in 2006 Goldsmith, who has been an actor for more than half a century, now has plans to explore 'a lot of other opportunities that I haven't been able to do' due to contractual obligations with Dos Equis' Jonathan Goldsmith, the suave, gravel-voiced 77-year-old, who plays the 007-style character in the beer adverts, has made his final advert for the beer producer In one advert, a younger version of the Most Interesting Man is seen literally diving for a beautiful woman's pearls who had dropped them from a boat Another ad shows his younger self flying solo in a mini aircraft - as a flock of geese fly alongside the plane Dos Equis saw sales nearly triple since they introduced the ads, according to USA Today. TOP TEN FUNNIEST MOST INTERESTING MAN QUOTES 1) Mosquitos refuse to bite him purely out of respect 2) He lives vicariously through himself 3) His only regret, is not knowing what regret feels like 4) He once had an awkward moment, just to see how it feels 5) The police often question him just because they find him interesting. 6) His fortune cookies simply say 'congratulations' 7) His business card simply says 'I'll call you' 8) He has won the lifetime achievement award, twice 9) His passport requires no photograph 10) When he drives a new car off the lot, it increases in value Advertisement 'It's been a wonderful experience, I've enjoyed it enormously,' Goldsmith, 77, told the NY Daily News, insisting that the split is amicable and that 'the campaign is just going in another direction.' Goldsmith, who has been an actor for more than half a century, now has plans to explore 'a lot of other opportunities that I haven't been able to do' due to contractual obligations with Dos Equis.' The Most Interesting Man In The World has also proven he is not just interesting in Dos Equis commercials. Goldsmith revealed that he once rescued a drowning girl and saved a boy who was having an epileptic fit, Esquire reported. The first was while working with disabled children at New York City charity The Fresh Air Fund, when a child began having a fit. Goldsmith had to carry the boy for miles - a trip which meant that still caused him to sometimes wear a night brace at night 55 years later. The actor has spent much of his life working with disabled children which was 'going to be my life's work' until he got 'sidetracked.' Years later, in Malibu, he had noticed a little girl struggling and had saved her from drowning. Goldsmith also revealed that he was once a 'surprise guest' at a birthday party for a rather 'interesting' host - President Barack Obama. He did not say when his rendezvous with the president and his pals took place, but it may have occurred during the first year Obama was in office. That summer the first lady held a surprise party for her husband at the presidential retreat in Frederick County, Maryland, to celebrate his forty-eighth birthday. Russia's defence ministry is looking to buy five dolphins with perfect teeth and no physical impairments in a nod to its Soviet-era use of sea mammals for military tasks. The military is seeking two female and three male dolphins between three and five years old, according to a document uploaded to the government's procurement website on Wednesday. It has opened the bidding on a 17,300 (1.75 million ruble) contract to deliver dolphins to the military in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol by August 1. The Russia's defence ministry is looking to buy five dolphins as the country strives to revive its Soviet-era use of sea mammals for military tasks An unnamed source told RIA Novosti state news agency in March 2014 that new training programmes were being designed to make the dolphins serve Russia's military interests. Dolphins were used by the Soviet Union and United States at the height of the Cold War, having been trained to detect submarines, underwater mines and spot suspicious objects or individuals near harbours and ships. Retired colonel Viktor Baranets, who observed military dolphin training in the Soviet and post-Soviet eras, said that the sea mammals were part of the broader Cold War arms race between the USSR and the United States. 'Americans looked into this first,' Baranets told AFP. 'But when Soviet intelligence found out the tasks the US dolphins were completing in the 1960s, the defence ministry at the time decided to address this issue.' Baranets added that combat dolphins in the Soviet era were trained to plant explosive devices on enemy vessels and knew how to detect abandoned torpedoes and sunken ships in the Black Sea. Dolphins were used by the Soviet Union and United States at the height of the Cold War to detect underwater mines and submarines like Russia's largest Soviet-built nuclear submarines, Typhoon (pictured) Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in March 2014 amid international indignation, has housed this training facility since 1965. The training centre was severely neglected after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Baranets said, and its dolphins were reportedly sold to Iran. The Ukrainian navy reestablished the centre in 2012 but Russia's landgrab two years later saw Crimea's combat dolphins fall under Moscow's control. The defence ministry could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. Edward Snowden has hit back against the FBI amid its current battle with Apple, calling claims that it cannot unlock a San Bernardino shooter's iPhone without the tech company's help 'bulls***'. The FBI is pressing Apple to develop a system that would allow the law enforcement agency to break into the locked iPhone, a demand Apple claims would make all its devices vulnerable. The NSA whistleblower was speaking in the Common Cause Blueprint for a Great Democracy conference in Washington DC via video link from Moscow when he waded into the controversy. 'The FBI says Apple has the "exclusive technical means" to unlock the phone,' he said. 'Respectfully, that's bulls***'. Edward Snowden has hit back against the FBI amid its current battle with Apple, calling claims that it cannot unlock a San Bernardino shooter's iPhone without the tech company's help 'bulls***' Following the conference, Snowden tweeted out a link to a piece by the American Civil Liberties Union that argues the FBI's fears of the phone's 'auto-erase' feature are unfounded Snowden then said the government agency has been aware of methods 'since the 90s' that would allow it to access information on the iPhone 5c used by gunman Rizwan Farook, according to Time. Following the conference, Snowden tweeted out a link to a piece by the American Civil Liberties Union that he wrote explained 'why the global technological consensus is against the FBI'. The article argues that the FBI's fears about the 'auto-erase' feature, which wipes a phone of all information after 10 failed passcode guesses, are unfounded. Such a feature isn't enabled by default on most iPhone devices, according to the article, and even if it was on Farook's phone there are other methods through which the FBI can bypass it. The government agency could back up the phone's 'Effaceable storage' before making attempts at the passcode, according to the article. When the phone is wiped, it doesn't physically erase all the data but instead destroys the 'file system key', which then renders everything permanently unreadable. This file system key is stored in the Effaceable storage - thus the FBI would merely need to back-up the phone's flash memory, where it is included, and would be able to restore it as many times as possible with as many passcode attempts as needed. Snowden joins a number of tech companies who have defended Apple, including Microsoft, Facebook and Google. FBI director James Comey testified on Capitol Hill in Washington last week before the House Judiciary Committee hearing on 'The Encryption Tightrope: Balancing Americans' Security and Privacy' Federal Bureau of Investigation director James Comey is sworn in left during the House Judiciary Committee hearing. Senior vice president and general counsel for Apple Inc Bruce Sewell is sworn in, right On Monday Steve Wozniak said the FBI 'picked the lamest case' in their attack against the company he co-founded with Steve Jobs, according to The Guardian. 'Verizon turned over all the phone records and SMS messages,' Wozniak said during an appearance on the Conan O'Brien show. 'So they want to take this other phone that the two didn't destroy, which was a work phone. It's so lame and worthless to expect there's something on it and to get Apple to expose it.' Last week FBI director James Comey told a congressional panel that a final court ruling forcing Apple to hand over the datat would be 'potentially precedential' in other cases where the agency might request similar cooperation from tech companies. The remarks were a slight change to Comey's statement last month that ordering Apple to unlock the phone was 'unlikely to be a trailblazer' for setting a precedent for other cases. Tuesday's testimony from Comey and remarks before the same US House Judiciary Committee by Apple's general counsel, Bruce Sewell, brought to Congress a public fight between Apple and the government over the dueling interests of privacy and security that has so far only been heard in the courts. On February 16 a federal court in California instructed Apple to write special software to unlock Rizwan Farook's iPhone 5C On February 16, a federal court in California instructed Apple to write special software to unlock Farook phone, an order the company is contesting. Sewell and Comey's remarks also clarified some areas where the two sides fundamentally disagree. Comey said the tool created for Farook's iPhone would not work on other models. But Sewell said the tool that Apple was being asked to create would work on any iPhone. 'This is not about the San Bernardino case. This is about the safety and security of every iPhone that is in use today,' Sewell said. Committee members seized on Comey's statement that the case could set a legal precedent allowing the agency access to any encrypted device. 'Given... that Congress has explicitly denied you that authority so far, can you appreciate our frustration that this case appears to be little more than an end run around this committee?' asked the panel's ranking minority member, Michigan Representative John Conyers. Comey responded that the FBI was not asking to expand the government's surveillance authority, but rather to maintain its ability to obtain electronic information under legal authorities that Congress has already provided. He also acknowledged that it was a 'mistake' for the FBI to have asked San Bernardino County officials to reset the phone's cloud storage account after it was seized. The decision prevented the device, which was owned by the county, Farook's employer, from backing up information that the FBI could have read. Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, shot and killed 14 people and wounded 22 others on December 2 before they were themselves killed in a shootout with police. The government has said the attack was inspired by Islamist militants and the FBI wants to read the phone's data to investigate any links with militant groups. Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, shot and killed 14 people and wounded 22 others on December 2 before they were themselves killed in a shootout with police Comey told a congressional panel that the phone could have 'locator services' that would help the agency fill in a gap in its knowledge of the route the couple traveled as they fled. 'We're missing 19 minutes before they were finally killed by law enforcement,' Comey said. 'The answer to that might be on the device.' A federal judge handed Apple a victory in another phone unlocking case in Brooklyn last week, ruling that he did not have the legal authority to order Apple to disable the security of an iPhone that was seized during a drug investigation. US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said on Tuesday at the RSA Cybersecurity conference in San Francisco that she was 'disappointed' by the Brooklyn ruling, and rebuffed Apple's claim that its Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination was being violated. The Justice Department is 'not alleging that [Apple has] done anything wrong,' Lynch said, but is treating the company as a third party holding data valuable to an ongoing investigation. Britain has been 'blackmailed' over the migrant crisis into helping secure Turkey's EU membership which would open the border to 77 million people. Eurosceptic Tories warned quitting the EU would be the only way to make sure Britain was not trapped into supporting free movement for Turkish citizens. Former cabinet minister Liam Fox had earlier warned the millions of migrants who had already reached Europe's shores could eventually become EU citizens and gain the right to move to Britain. The row exploded in the Commons today amid growing concern over a deal struck with Turkey to help ease the migrant crisis. Sir Edward Leigh, left, and Peter Bone, centre, both used a Commons statement today to warn Britain could have to open its borders to 77 million Turks. Liam Fox, right, warned the millions of migrants settled in Europe because of the deal with Turkey could get EU citizenship and the right to come to Britain A deal with Turkey on handling the thousands of migrants, pictured on the Greek-Macedonia border today, led to claims Britain was being blackmailed into supporting EU membership Europe Minister David Lidington dismissed the concerns, insisting any accession deal with Turkey was years away and free movement would be subject to negotiations. But Gainsborough MP Sir Edward Leigh said concerns over human rights and the protection of freedom of speech should veto any current application. He said: 'You have been absolutely clear today it is Her Majesty's Government's considered opinion that Turkey should be a member of the EU. 'Apparently we've allowed ourselves to be blackmailed into progressing this now. 'Given the closure of the main opposition paper this week, Zaman, can you confirm as a matter of fact that once Turkey joins the EU - because the EU believes so passionately in the free movement of people - all 77 million Turks will be allowed to come and work here and live here without any check, opposition at all and there's nothing we can do about it.' Peter Bone, Tory MP for Wellingborough, said: 'The British people can only be certain that 77 million Turkish citizens won't have the right to come to this country... if we vote to come out of the European Union.' Mr Lidington insisted: 'We're not yet at the point where anything has been finally agreed and the Prime Minister will make a statement after next week's European Council. Europe Minister David Lidington insisted there would be no rush to allow Turkish citizens access to the UK 'The support for Turkey eventually joining the European Union is an objective that's been shared by Conservative and Labour governments alike since before I was in the House of Commons. 'You are not correct to say that this is going to be rushed, that is certainly not the history of previous accession negotiations, they take many years and there is a right of veto for every member state over every single decision associated with an accession process.' Mr Fox had earlier claimed that even if Britain was not obligated to take any more migrants under the deal with Turkey, those who gain citizenship in Europe would eventually gain the right to come here anyway He said: 'Will you confirm that any of the one million migrants who have come to Europe in the past year and the million expected this year, once they are given EU citizenship, will all technically have a right to come to the United Kingdom as long as we remain in the European Union?' Mr Lidington replied: 'The fact we are outside Schengen means we do impose border checks on everybody, including EU citizens, and we do stop and turn back EU citizens where we have good reason for thinking their presence in the United Kingdom would be a threat to public safety.' Police said Serrano-Vitorino 'looked exhausted' when he was found by police at about 12.18am in a muddy ditch on Wednesday Randy Nordman, 49, was killed at his Missouri home around 7am Tuesday The victims were identified as his neighbor, Michael Capps, as well as Jeremy Waters, Clint Harter and Austin Harter He is accused of killing four men in Kansas City, Kansas on Monday Pablo Serrano-Vitorino, 40, was taken into custody on Wednesday morning A suspect in the killings of five men was taken into custody on Wednesday after he threatened someone with a gun in Missouri. Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino, 40, was armed with a rifle at the time, but no one was hurt during the capture, Missouri Highway Patrol spokesman Scott White said at a news conference early Wednesday near the scene of the arrest. Sgt James Hedrick said Serrano-Vitorino 'looked exhausted' when he was found by police at about 12.18am in a muddy ditch just north of I-70 in Montgomery, 75 miles southwest of St Louis. Serrano-Vitorino, a Mexican national who lived undocumented in Kansas City, Kansas, is accused of fatally shooting four men late Monday night at his neighbor's home. Scroll down for video Pablo Serrano-Vitorino, 40, was taken into custody on Wednesday morning. He is accused of killing four men in Kansas City, Kansas on Monday and potentially another man on Tuesday in Missouri He was also wanted in connection with the shooting death of 49-year-old Randy Nordman near New Florence, Missouri, in Montgomery County. Authorities in Kansas have released the names of four men who they say were allegedly gunned down by Serrano-Vitorino. Police identified them Wednesday as his neighbor, Michael Capps, as well as Jeremy Waters, Clint Harter and Austin Harter. They were ages 27 to 41. Wyandotte County prosecutors charged Serrano-Vitorino with four counts of first-degree murder in the killing of the men at his neighbor's home late Monday. Serrano-Vitorino had not been charged in Nordman's death as of Wednesday morning. Authorities haven't discussed a possible motive. Serrano-Vitorino was taken to jail in Montgomery County where he was held in lieu of a $2million bail. Missouri authorities are also considering charges for the New Florence homicide, according to the St Louis Post Dispatch. Brothers Austin (left) and Clint Harter (right) were identified as two of the victims. Clint Harter's wife is eight months pregnant and Austin Harter is believed to have called 911 after the shooting Michael Capps (left) was also named a victim in Monday's shooting rampage. Serrano-Vitorino is also being questioned over the death of 49-year-old Randy Nordman (right) near New Florence, Missouri, in Montgomery County on Tuesday Serrano-Vitorino's red 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup was spotted on the shoulder of eastbound I-70 on Tuesday shortly before a 911 caller reported the new Florence homicide. A witness reported seeing a man believed to be Serrano-Vitorino running from the home where Nordman's body was found around 7am. Serrano-Vitorino may have tried to break into Nordman's home after abandoning his car and then allegedly killed him before fleeing the scene, trooper Scott White told Fox 4 KC. Police in Kansas City began searching for Serrano-Vitorino, who was deported from the United states in 2004 and returned illegally, after the deaths of the four men on Monday. One man called police before he died, but it is unclear what led to the shooting, Kansas City police Officer Thomas Tomasic said. Capps one of the victims, was Serrano-Vittorino's neighbor. He was the father of two sons, aged 7 and 3. Serrano-Vitorino allegedly killed his next-door neighbor and three of the man's friends around 11pm on Monday night at this home in Kansas City, Kansas The orange home is Serrano-Vittorino's, where neighbors said the father-of-two lived with a girlfriend Kelly Capps, who is no longer married to Mike but said they maintained a good relationship, had to break the news to her boys that their father was dead, she told the Kansas City Star. The mother said her oldest son started ahead as tears ran down her cheek. She doesn't believe her younger son understands yet, but told him 'daddy went to sleep and won't wake up anymore'. Relatives informed the paper that Harter's wife was eight months pregnant and that he already had one young child. One neighbor said she saw Austin Harter still alive on the porch and being treated by emergency responders after she heard screams Monday night. It is believed Austin Harter called 911. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to KSHB. Neighbors said Serranto-Vitorino has two children, an eight-year-old son and a younger daughter. Schools in Missouri's Montgomery County were placed on lockdown at 8am, affecting 1,200 students, as police searched for Serranto-Vitorino. Public schools in Herman, Missouri were also on modified lockdown. Police arrived at the Kansas City scene after Austin Harter called 911. A neighbor said she saw him still alive on the porch and being treated by emergency responders Marinela Benea, 40, tore off her husband's left testicle after he refused to do the housework on International Women's Day A Romanian woman tore off her husband's left testicle after he failed to give her flowers on International Women's Day and then refused to help with the housework. Ionel Popa, 39, from Vaslui County in the north east of the country, was rushed to hospital with his scrotum torn open after his wife Marinela Benea, 40, launched a vicious attack. The mother-of-one grabbed hold of her husband's testicles and pulled violently during the argument. Mr Popa's left testicle was left hanging out of his scrotum after the skin was ripped apart. He was forced to undergo emergency surgery to repair the damage and remains in a stable condition. Following the incident, Ms Benea said she did not know her own strength, adding that her husband deserved what had happened to him. She said: 'Ionel had been given a bottle of wine for a days work instead of getting paid, and had arrived home drunk. 'When he gets drunk, he changes. All night he made me keep the fire on because he was cold and I did it to avoid having an argument. 'In the morning I opened the curtains and told him to go out and do some work, or at least to help with the household chores but he shouted that Im not entitled to give him orders. 'I told him he was not any kind of man and I grabbed his testicles. 'It was not my fault that he pulled away, and thats when it happened. 'I thought maybe that some ice would solve the problem, but he insisted on calling an ambulance. 'He was pretty annoyed.' The couple have been together for 15 years and have a 15-year-old son. Paramedic Aurora Popa said: 'The man had a severe open wound on his scrotum. 'He told us his wife had attacked him because he did not give her flowers for International Woman's Day.' The attack is currently being investigated by police. Substitute teacher Holly Joel, 52, was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly coming to work at an elementary school drunk A substitute teacher was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly coming to work drunk to teach a second grade class. Holly Joel, 52, was apparently so dazed that she couldn't remember the president's first name when asked. The Winter Park, Florida woman now faces charges of disorderly intoxication, child neglect and disturbing the peace. The Orlando Sentinel reports that Joel went to Bentley Elementary School on Tuesday to watch a second grade class, but soon raised concerns with her strange behavior. The class of less than 25 students was then taken elsewhere while the school's principal, Martha Garcia, went to speak with Joel. Garcia told police that when she first started speaking with Joel, the woman's head was swaying and her eyes were closing. Joel just claimed to be tired, but it appeared to be more serious than that since she didn't know what day it was. When asked who the president is, Joel responded 'Obama'. But when asked what his first name is, she said 'Obama' again. Joel also reportedly stumbled and fell to the ground and had a water bottle filled with pink liquid with her. A police officer who came to the school to deal with Joel reported that the liquid smelled of alcohol. Joel was apparently so dazed that she couldn't remember the president's first name when asked. She was in charge of a class of second-graders on Tuesday That officer also said that there was a smell of alcohol on Joel's breath and that her speech was slurred. The officer then took Joel to Central Florida Regional Hospital for a medical check-up before she was booked at the Seminole County Jail. Joel will appear before a judge on Wednesday. The school sent the parents of the children involved in the incident a letter explaining what happened. Garcia wrote that Joel 'behaved oddly' and that school officials feared she was under the influence of a 'prohibited substance' on Tuesday. 'At no time were the students in danger or unsupervised,' Garcia said in the letter. Prominent scholar: Maulana Syed Ali Raza Rizvi declared that freedom of worship and the cultural mix in London do much to promote Islamic values London is a more Islamic city than most cities in Muslim countries, a prominent Islamic scholar declared today. Pakistan-born Maulana Syed Ali Raza Rizvi said freedom of worship and the cultural mix in London did more to promote Islamic values than Muslim political leaders elsewhere in the world. The endorsement of religious tolerance comes as a boost to ministers who are facing criticism over key elements of the Governments efforts to combat extremism among Muslim groups in Britain. In particular, the Prevent counter-terrorism strategy has been condemend as toxic and tainted by critics who say it encourages discrimination against Muslims. But the Shia cleric, who was brought up in Birmingham, said at an interfaith debate with other religious leaders that the atmosphere in London makes Muslims feel at home. Malana Rizvi said that unlike Jewish and Christian brothers Muslims in Britain are a new community who have been established for decades rather than hundreds of years and stood to learn from the experiences of other religious groups. I feel that London has more Islamic values than many of the Muslim countries put together, he said. There are many different communities living together in peace and harmony, giving respect to the others and loving others and that is what Islam is all about and unfortunately much of the Muslim leadership has failed to provide that. Islamic city? A file image of Muslims celebrating the Eid festival in London's Trafalgar Square in August 2014 The cleric, who is president of the Majlis Ulama-e-Shia which represents South Asian Shia mosques and scholars, added: I feel more Islamic here because I can easily practise my faith and give respect to all other members of the community belonging to different faiths and not even belonging to a faith, to anything. Islam is about love and justice, he said. That is what Islam is all about, respecting and giving to others. If in one line I could say what Islam is all about, it is all about love and justice. His remarks were delivered in a discussion with Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and Cardinal Vincent Nichols at the Roman Catholic Archbishops House in Westminster. Cardinal Nichols warned that definitions of extremism could become far too embracing of simply the current social consensus. He said the Governments definition of British values needs to go much deeper, and added that the Prevent strategy may alienate those who come under suspicion. Religious leaders: The cleric's remarks were delivered in a discussion with Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis (left) and Cardinal Vincent Nichols (right) at the Roman Catholic Archbishops House in Westminster. He cited the example of teachers contacting police about pupils suspected of extremism. This can do immense damage to levels of trust, he said. The Cardinal added that there is no doubt that the threat of active terror is real. But my impression is that we are at a very delicate point at which the defining of extremism could go quite seriously wrong. I feel that London has more Islamic values than many of the Muslim countries put together Maulana Syed Ali Raza Rizvi However the Chief Rabbi said minorities should pass the Tebbit test the idea promoted by the former Tory Cabinet Minister that the loyalty of minority groups can be assessed by which cricket team they support. Rabbi Mirvis said at the Benedict XVI lecture: Minorities are responsible to maintain their own traditions, to be proud of their background, loyal to their faiths, and at the same time to be proud members of their countries. A team of 12 people are trying to determine how a baby humpback whale came to wash up dead on a beach in California on Tuesday. The 23-foot-long carcass was discovered on the sand on Silver Strand State Beach in Coronado, San Diego County. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Marine Fisheries are performing a necropsy to determine how and why the whale died, Fox 5 San Diego reported. 'There were no obvious new injuries,' said Kerri Danil, a NOAA biologist. Scroll down for video Washed up: The 23-foot-long carcass was discovered on the sand on Silver Strand State Beach in Coronado, San Diego County. There were no obvious signs of injury A team of 12 people are trying to determine how a baby humpback whale came to wash up dead on the beach Swollen: There were signs that the mammal had previously been entangled but the wounds had healed Danil noted that there were signs that the mammal had previously been entangled. However the wounds had healed so it had been ruled out as a possible cause of death. The whale was determined to be less than a year old because it weighed less than 2,000 pounds. Most calves spend the first year of their lives with their mother and consume hundreds of liters of milk each day. However it is the most dangerous year as they attempt to survive in the world, and ward off threats from male whales wanting to mate with their mothers. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Marine Fisheries are performing a necropsy to determine how and why the whale died The calf was first spotted offshore last Friday. The necropsy should be able to determine how the whale died. 'We'll start peeling back the blubber of the animal to see if there is any kind of injury and take a look at the organs, see what's been feeding,' Danil told Fox 5. If you stumbled across a bag containing $15,200 in cold, hard cash, what would you do? Some would take it, grabbing the money for themselves. Others would leave it, fearing whose it was and why it was abandoned there. But Bob Tracey, from west Philadelphia, knew he had to hand the huge sum of money into the police. Bob Tracey (right, with Upper Darby Police Superintendent Mike Chitwood) found a bag containing $15,200 in cash but decided to hand it in to the police The leather pouch Mr Tracey found abandoned next to a road was filled with dozens of $20, $50 and $100 bills (pictured at the press conference on Tuesday) Mr Tracey, 61, was heading home from work at around midnight on Monday when he spotted a leather pouch in the middle of the road. He stopped his car and unzipped the bag - to find it was filled with dozens of $20, $50 and $100 bills. The rail worker had just returned from a trip and, for a brief moment, the possibility of taking the money for himself crossed his mind, Philly.com reported. 'I thought, "Wow, this is going to pay off my vacation,"' the grandfather said. 'But it's not my way.' Mr Tracey called the police and handed the money in, to great applause from Upper Darby Police Superintendent Mike Chitwood. However, other people were less than impressed - with one man calling Mr Tracey 'the dumbest man in Delaware County'. Some were less that impressed with Mr Tracey's actions, with one man calling him 'the dumbest man in Delaware County' 'Be thankful': Dozens came out in support of Mr Tracey, including his daughter, Sommer Tracey Kelly One Twitter user wrote: 'Bob Tracey, you're a fool sir.' Kya Shirley Johnson wrote on Facebook: 'That's like slapping God in the face.' Others called him an 'idiot' and 'moronic', while others joked that Mr Tracey may have found more than the $15,200 he handed in. Black Ruxin tweeted: 'Hope he actually found like a 100k and decided to just turn in 15k.' Dozens came out in support of Mr Tracey, including his daughter, Sommer Tracey Kelly. She wrote: 'For all you people who are so quick to call my father a moron or an idiot, be thankful there are honest people in this world. 'He did the right thing and I guarantee you would be happy if that was your money that went missing and he turned it in for you.' Supt Chitwood (left) said Mr Tracey (right) was a 'Good Samaritan' for handing in the money. Cops suspect the money could have been left there by criminals Supt Chitwood said he was unsure if Mr Tracey would be allowed to keep the money if no one claims it. 'In the world of Mike Chitwood, if nobody claims the money, it should go to him. But in the legal world, I don't know,' he said. Pennsylvania State Police do not routinely give out rewards to people who hand in money. The police officer said Mr Tracey was a 'Good Samaritan' for handing in the money. Cops suspect the money could have been left there by criminals. The grandfather is a yardmaster for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and is also a volunteer firefighter. BOZEMAN A Montana man gunned down his girlfriend and then sent a text message about the killing to her ex-husband and others, authorities said Wednesday. Anthony Tobias Fagiano, 35, was charged with deliberate homicide hours after he turned himself in, telling officers he broke into Darcy Buhmanns house and shot her, police in Bozeman said. Buhmanns ex-husband, Christopher Wood, called 911 to report he received a text from Fagiano that said he had shot Buhmann. The text added: Its best for you, shell never be faithful. Police found Buhmanns body in her bedroom closet. She was shot in the head and stomach. Public defender Mary Kramer did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Fagiano told investigators that he took Buhmanns car after the shooting and went to the woods, where he sent texts to several family members about the shooting. A relative urged him to report what he had done to law enforcement, so he drove to the court and police facility in Bozeman, charging documents said. When an officer asked if his girlfriend needed medical attention, he replied, No man, shes dead. I popped her in the head, court records said. Fagiano told officers he had been in a relationship with Buhmann for about a year and had been thinking about killing her for several months. He said he recently stole a rifle, intending to use it to kill her. Fagiano was served with a restraining order filed by Buhmann on Feb. 21, prosecutors said. She listed him as her ex-boyfriend. It took less than one month, and we have a homicide case, Gallatin County Attorney Marty Lambert said in recommending bail be set at $1 million. Hes an extreme risk to the members of this community. Fagiano appeared in court via video. He did not enter a plea. Kramer said Fagiano did not oppose the bail amount, but said he might seek a reduction when the case is moved to district court. A Canadian couple charged with allowing their toddler son to die of meningitis were told by a nurse friend that the boy could have the condition, a court has heard. David Stephan, 32, and wife Collet, 35, from Alberta, who own a nutrition business, are accused of giving 18-month-old Ezekiel home remedies in a failed attempt to cure him and only calling doctors after the boy stopped breathing. On Tuesday a court heard Collet called nurse and midwife Terry Meynders, who had assisted her with her home births, to look at Ezekiel two days before he died. Scroll down for video David Stephan, 32, and wife Collet, 32, from Alberta, are on trial accused of allowing son Ezekiel (pictured far left, as a baby) to die of meningitis while attempting to cure him with home remedies such as maple syrup On Tuesday their trial heard that Collet called nurse and friend Terry Meynders to her home two days before Ezekiel (left and right) stopped breathing in order to examine the boy Meynders testified that Collet believed Ezekiel might be suffering from croup after he feel asleep in the bath, but when Meynders examined the boy as he lay asleep he did not appear to be infected. Meynders said she mentioned that Ezekiel might have been suffering from meningitis and advised Collet to take him to see a doctor. Throughout her testimony, Meynders stressed that she did not go to the Stephans house as a medical professional, and went simply because she was friends with Collet. Prosecutors previously told the court that by the time Ezekiel died he had been ill for a couple weeks, before he stopped breathing. He later died in a hospital after five days on life support. The Stephans allegedly fed the boy, who was lethargic and becoming stiff, supplements with an eye dropper. In hopes of boosting Ezekiel's immune system, the couple gave the boy home remedies such as water with maple syrup and juice with frozen berries. Despite his deteriorating condition, they also forced him to consume a mixture of apple cider vinegar, horse radish root, hot peppers, mashed onion, garlic and ginger root. Meynders said she suggested to Collet that the boy could be suffering from meningitis and advised her to take him to the doctor, but added that he did not appear very ill at that stage Ezekiel stopped breathing on March 22, 2012 aged 18 months (pictured) and was rushed to hospital where he spent five days on life support before passing away The Stephans also tried treating Ezekiel with Empowerplus, a product sold by the couple's company, Truehope Nutritional Support Inc The company claims the product can help to manage mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, the court heard. Health Canada launched an unsuccessful court case to stop the distribution of the company's supplement in 2004 and issued warnings about it. When the boy stopped breathing, he was airlifted to a Calgary hospital where he later died of meningitis. In an audio tape played in court by Crown counsel, the couple are heard explaining to a police officer that they prefer naturopathic remedies. They are heard saying that the family has had negative experiences with the medical system. 'I'm not saying they killed him, abused him or ignored him - they loved him,' Crown Prosecutor Clayton Giles said in court Monday, according to the Global News. 'They didn't take him to a doctor until it was too late - far too late.' The Stephans, who own a nutrition business, told the court they prefer natural remedies to conventional medicine and argue that they are being unfairly prosecuted When the couple were first charged in February 2013, David Stephan released a statement about Ezekiel, saying he appeared to be improving before his health quickly deteriorated. 'Like any other good parents, we attended to the matter and treated him accordingly to standard practices and recommendations like millions of parents do each year,' he told the Calgary Herald. Medical responders took 40 minutes to reach Ezekiel after the 911 call and lacked necessary equipment to help the small child breath. The family posted on social media that they believe they are being unfairly persecuted and that their approach to health and medicine should be respected. 'If it was an overdose, then I want to know. If it wasn't, then I want to know that too,' she says Mills says he told her about her sister's death by text message hours after documents show she was found dead found she was strangled and her boyfriend, John Loveless, 59, from her The family of a disabled woman allegedly murdered in Mexico by her much older lawyer boyfriend are demanding answers - and have pointed to a number of discrepancies in his story. Tamra Turpin, 36, from Union, Missouri, was found dead on Wednesday in her hotel room in the luxury Playa del Carmen resort near Cancun. Her death first ascribed to an overdose of prescription medication. After an initial autopsy revealed she had been strangled, 59-year-old John Loveless was arrested by Mexican police as he attempted to board a flight to Atlanta. Loveless, an attorney specializing in personal injury, remains in custody in Mexico and is being questioned by authorities about Turpin's death. Now Turpin's sister, Jodi Turpin Mills, 43, has told Daily Mail Online the facts she has just 'don't add up'. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Traveling: Jodi Turpin Mills said her sister Tamra and her boyfriend John Loveless had been on vacation repeatedly over the past year. She said they appeared happy together Dramatic: This is the moment John Loveless was held as he was about to board a flight from Cancun to Atlanta, after the death of his girlfriend, Tamra Turpin Questions: Jodi Turpin says she wants John loveless to explain exactly what happened the evening before her sister's death, when he contacted her saying she was acting erratically, and on the day her body was found Mills also questioned the sequence of events given to her by Loveless and disclosed that the couple had argued on the night before her sister's death. The family also raised concerns over reports that Turpin had overdosed on prescription medication, telling Daily Mail Online that although she had attempted suicide once before, she was 'very happy' in the run up to last week's events. 'She did attempt suicide once but she said afterwards that she would never do something like that again,' said Mills, of Mexico, Missouri. 'I can't say that she would never have tried something like that again but she had been so happy, so loved. I think she had more friends than she ever realized.' Mills said the first inkling she had that something was wrong came the night before Turpin's death, when Loveless called to say she was acting erratically. 'He sent me a text saying "you have to call me now" and when I did, he said she had been acting crazy,' Mills disclosed. 'He told me they had been arguing, and that she had got very upset and had taken a lot of pills. I think they had been drinking. 'He told me he was taking her to hospital, so I told him to look after her and to tell me what happened.' The next morning, Mills received a further call from Loveless, this time to say Turpin was 'acting funny' and had had a series of seizures. 'I said he should take her to hospital again and he said he would. I asked to talk to her as well but he said she didn't want to. 'Forty-five minutes later, he called me back and said she was OK and was lying in bed, resting comfortably.' Business as usual: John Loveless' law offices said they were continuing to work despite the attorney being held in Mexico Deserted: John Loveless' home (left) and Tamra Turpin (right) in Union, Missouri. Her family say they want answers Her next contact with Loveless came at 3.49 that afternoon, when the 59-year-old informed her of her sister's death in a text message. 'I thought it must have been a typo, the autocorrect doing something funny or something like that,' added Mills. 'I tried to call him back but he didn't pick up. I kept calling and eventually we spoke. I remember talking to him briefly, and she said she was gone. After that, I don't know what the rest of our conversation was.' Loveless and Turpin are thought to have known each other for around four years before becoming romantically involved 12 months ago. Turpin, who was left with chronic joint pain and migraines following a car accident at the age of 16, was unable to work full time but did pose nude for art classes at a local university and, says her sister, was 'proud of her body'. 'She was a very strong personality,' says Mills. 'She was fun-loving, she had a band that she liked to follow and go and see. 'Tamra loved summer time. Boating, floating and riding motorbikes. She went to a lot of fundraising events too and she loved her pets they were like her babies.' Now Mills says she has been left 'numb' by her sister's death but is angry at the lack of official information and at the surprise development that Loveless was allowed to request a second autopsy on Turpin's body. 'Right now, we're waiting to hear the results,' she said. 'It was done at her boyfriend's request. I don't know why he was allowed to do that.' Loveless, who is divorced with two adult sons, is currently being held in Cancun, where he briefly appeared before a judge on Friday. Happy: Tamra Turpin's sister said the 36-year-old was happy with her new boyfriend. 'He has a property by the river and he invited us all there for a party last summer. 'We went boating and he seemed nice.' Remembered: 'She was a very strong personality,' Jodi Turpin Mills said. 'She was fun-loving, she had a band that she liked to follow and go and see. Tamra loved summer time. Boating, floating and riding motorbikes.' Speaking out: Jodi Turpin Mills says she wants her sister's boyfriend to say what happened 'We were first told that he had been held just for protocol and then the embassy told us he had been arrested,' says Mills. 'What I don't understand is why he would try and leave - flee if you like. If you love someone, you would surely stay. 'There's a lot that doesn't make sense, like that the autopsy says she died at 9am but he didn't text me to say that until 3.49.' Loveless' family remain unavailable for comment and Mills says that for now, she doesn't want to jump to conclusions about his involvement in her death. 'I've met him two or three times and he's always been very nice,' she says. 'He has a property by the river and he invited us all there for a party last summer. 'We went boating and he seemed nice. She told me they bickered occasionally but he seemed to really love my sister and I was happy for her. 'They liked to travel a lot as well. Since September, they've been away around four or five times a few trips to Florida, one to Puerto Rico and maybe another to Mexico too.' The home, an eight-mile drive from the small town of St. Clair, was sold last month but neighbors who knew Loveless say they have been left shocked by his potential involvement in Turpin's death. 'He seemed ordinary,' said one, a 65-year-old man who asked not to be named. 'There was nothing unusual about him as far as I can tell. 'He's just a businessman with an office up in town [St. Clair]. My wife and I were saying it's very strange what happened just last night. It was very unexpected.' Turpin's former step-nephew Darien Mills said he was equally shocked. Speaking outside his home in Mexico, Missouri, he said: 'I met him once last summer after they had met and around the time they started dating. He seemed fine and they looked happy together.' At Loveless' law office in St. Clair, staff refused to comment on the case but say the business will remain open. For Mills and her family, the priority is now getting to the truth about what happened to Turpin and to get her home as soon as possible. 'I want answers because things just don't add up,' she said. 'Based on the facts that we have, things seem suspicious but I don't want to falsely accuse John he has a family too. 'Right now, we're shocked and we're numb. I just want answers, I want her body back and I want it all to stop. President Barack Obama is interviewing potential nominees to the Supreme Court and has reportedly settled on five possible picks. According to NPR, Obama is looking at Chief Judge Merrick Garland of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Judge Sri Srinivasan, also of the D.C. appeals court and Judge Paul Watford of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which is based in San Francisco. Also on his list is Judge Jane Kelly of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, which operates out of St. Louis, and U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson of Washington, D.C. Republicans say they won't even entertain an appointment to the court to fill the vacancy left by Antonin Scalia until after Obama leaves office, but the president says he'll send them a name anyway. President Barack Obama is interviewing potential nominees to the Supreme Court and has reportedly settled on five possible picks. The White House has been characteristically coy about the Supreme Court nomination process, refusing to say who the president is looking at and how much longer he intends to take. 'Im not going to be in a position to give you a heads-up when the President has begun interviewing potential Supreme Court nominees,' the president's top spokesman, Josh Earnest, told reporters yesterday. The president laid out a list of characteristics he was looking for in whoever he picks - 'eminently qualified...independent mind, rigorous intellect, impeccable credentials... a record of excellence and integrity' and so on and so forth - in a post on the SCOTUSblog - last month. The White House has otherwise kept secret the president's progress on making a decision. Attorney General Loretta Lynch was thought to be on his short list, but the Justice Department said on Tuesday that the the department head, still less than a year on the job, had asked to be left off. 'Given the urgent issues before the Department of Justice, she asked not to be considered for the position,' Justice said. A Cuban-American federal appeals judge also said to be under consideration, Judge Adalberto Jordan of the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, also said thanks, but no thanks, according to a spokesman for Democratic Senator Bill Nelson of Florida. Srinivasan, 49, is widely considered to be one of Obama's top choices. He was born in Chandigarh, India, grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. Not only would he be the first Indian-American on the Supreme Court, he'd be the first Hindu. NPR reports that Garland and Watford also have the president's eye. Garland is a strong choice on paper, based on what Obama has said he's looking for, but isn't a statement making choice like Srinivasan or Watford, who is African-American and would be only the third black man to serve on the court. Kelly and Brown Jackson would continue Obama's record of selecting women. Brown Jackson would also be the first black woman on the court. Both are long shots for the seat, however, NPR says. And, regardless of who Obama goes with, none of them are likely to end up on the court anyway. Republicans who sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which must first approve the nomination before it can go to the full legislative body, are united in their commitment to keeping Obama's hands tied. Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley said last Thursday on the Senate floor that it's a moot point even if he were to let Obama's nominee through because Republicans are in the majority. 'The other side knows that this nominee isnt going to get confirmed. Everyone knows it. The only reason that theyre complaining about a hearing on the nominee is because they want to make the process as political as possible,' he said. Grassley said 'goes to the heart of the matter - Were not going to politicize this process in the middle of a Presidential election year.' 'Were going to let The People have a voice.' The president could make an announcement any day, though he's unlikely to do so while the Canadian Prime Minister is in town tomorrow. He's leaving on Friday for a trip to Texas. The same day the first lady will attend Nancy Reagan's funeral, so Friday is likewise not ideal. He leaves next weekend for an overseas trip to Cuba and Argentina and is anticipated to make an announcement some time before then. Tairod Pugh, a U.S. Air Force veteran, was found guilty on Wednesday of attempting to join Islamic State, according to his lawyer. The conviction marks the first case in more than 75 Islamic State-related prosecutions brought since 2014 by the U.S. Department of Justice to reach a jury verdict. After a week-long trial in Brooklyn federal court, a jury found Pugh, 48, guilty of attempting to provide material support to a designated terrorist organization, and obstruction for destroying four portable electronic storage devices after his detention in Turkey. Tairod Pugh, a U.S. Air Force veteran, was found guilty on Wednesday of attempting to join ISIS. Pictured on the right in court last month 'Of course, we are disappointed with the verdict as we put in great effort to defend the case, but the jury appeared to be fair and genuinely concerned about reaching the correct verdict as they saw it,' Pugh's lawyer Eric Creizman said. Pugh will be sentenced in September, Creizman said. Prosecutors said Pugh immersed himself in violent Islamic State propaganda for months before buying a one-way flight from his home in Egypt to Turkey, where he hoped to cross the Syrian border into territory controlled by the extremist group. The 48-year-old bought a one-way ticket to Turkey where he planned to cross the border into Syria to join the terrorist group . But he was stopped by authorities in Turkey He was detained by Turkish authorities at an Istanbul airport and eventually flown to the United States to face terrorism charges. Pugh's defense lawyers argued that his only offense was to express 'repugnant' views about Islamic State in Facebook posts and to watch dozens of the group's slickly produced recruitment videos. They said he traveled to Turkey to find work, not to become a jihadist. But prosecutors pointed to a letter he drafted to his Egyptian wife, found on his laptop, in which he vowed to fight for Islam and declared he had two options: 'Victory or Martyr.' The letter was written days before he flew to Turkey, though it was unclear whether he ever sent it. He also took with him to Istanbul a black facemask, a map depicting Islamic State's strongholds in Syria and a chart of the border crossings between Turkey and Syria. Only one other Islamic State-related U.S. prosecution has reached trial. In Phoenix, Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem is on trial for plotting with others to attack a Prophet Mohammed cartoon contest in Texas. Two of his alleged associates were killed in a shootout with police at the event. The 34-year-old is on hunger strike protesting against the 'show trial' But she says she has proof she was nowhere near the battle field A Ukrainian pilot showed a Russian judge the middle finger at the final hearing of her trial over the death of two journalists - a process the female officer has denounced as a 'farce of Kremlin puppets'. Nadezhda Savchenko, who has become something of a hero to those resentful of Valdimir Putin's alleged backing for pro-Russian insurgents, also sang the Ukrainian national anthem during the hearing. The 34-year-old is accused of helping to direct the fire of Ukrainian artillery in the Luhansk region in June 2014, when two Russian journalists were killed. If convicted, she faces as long as 25 years behind bars. Nadezhda Savchenko, who has become something of a hero to those resentful of Valdimir Putin's alleged backing for pro-Russian insurgents, reacts angrily during the final day of a trial where she is accused of directing the artillery fire which killed two Russian journalists Savchenko faces 25 years behind bars for a crime she says she did not and could not have committed But Savchenko, who was captured by Russian forces in 2014 during fighting between the two sides, has refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the trial. 'In Russia, there are no courts and no investigations,' Savchenko told the court in the Russian border town of Donetsk. 'Here there is the farce of Kremlin puppets.' She added: 'If you want to show your strength, go ahead. But remember, we are playing with my life. The stakes are high and I have nothing to lose.' Her lawyers say the time and location of calls made from her mobile phone disprove the allegations. Savchenko said: 'I don't accept my guilt or recognise the sentence of a Russian court.' Savchenko has been on hunger strike since last week in protest of against the 'show trial'. Her lawyer, Nikolai Polozov, said she had suffered heart problems and fever since beginning the hunger strike. Her life, he said, was in danger and she needed the attention of Ukrainian doctors. The helicopter pilot has become somewhat of a hero to those resentful of Valdimir Putin's alleged backing for pro-Russian insurgents. Pictured: A protest in support of Savchenko Savchenko has been on hunger strike since last week in protest of against the 'show trial' However, in a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia had been prepared to allow Ukrainian doctors to visit Savchenko but that was no longer possible because of her behaviour in court. The pilot will now be denied any further visitors until her sentencing, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Rising numbers of Americans are suffering from Trump Anxiety as the billionaire moves closer to the Republican presidential nomination. U.S. psychologists said that patients are having sleepless nights and panic attacks at the prospect of Donald Trump becoming their commander-in-chief. Trumps brash style is disturbing liberals because he is saying outrageous things on racism and intolerance. Rising numbers of Americans are suffering from Trump Anxiety as the billionaire moves closer to the Republican presidential nomination Families are also being split in two because some of them support the billionaire real estate mogul whilst others cannot stand him. Trump is firmly on course to be the Republican presidential candidate after convincing victories in Michigan and Mississippi in the latest round of voting in the primaries. He has tapped into anger at Washington and fears about globalization with attacks on Mexico and calls for a ban on all Muslims entering America. The Washington Post reported that Democrats are already showing mental battle wounds even though Trump has not even won the Republican nomination. Psychologist Alison Howard, who practices in Washington, said: He has stirred people up. Families are also being split in two because some of them support Trump whilst others cannot stand him Weve been told our whole lives not to say bad things about people, to not be bullies, to not ostracize people based on their skin color. We have these social mores and he breaks all of them and hes successful. And people are wondering how he gets away with it. Judith Schweiger Levy, a psychologist in Manhattan, said that one female client of hers said she was rowing with her sister because she is a Trump voter. She said: She was so upset and worried that she could have a sister - someone so close to her - who would have zero problem with Trump. Another patient - also a woman - all she could talk about was Trump and how hes crazy and frightening.' Explaining Mr Trumps appeal, she added: Part of the reason he makes people so anxious is that he has no anxiety himself. Its frightening. Some older patients whose families fled the Holocaust for the U.S. have been left disturbed by parallels between Mr Trumps rhetoric and WWII dictators. Others are chilled by his failure to immediately disavow the Ku Klux Klan. An ABC News poll in January found that 69 per cent of Americans were anxious about Mr Trump becoming President. Some 51 per cent said they were very anxious about the prospect of his rise to the top. On Super Tuesday earlier this month, when 11 states chose their primary candidate, Google searches for How do I move to Canada? spiked 350 per cent in the U.S.. Bernie Sanders scored a major upset against Hillary Clinton in the race for the Democratic nomination by winning hotly-contested Michigan Among those having a hard time at the prospect of a Trump presidency is Emma Taylor, 27, from Los Angeles, a Democrat. She said: I literally cant sleep because I just thought about how Trump may actually win the presidency and now Im having a panic attack. Its like a hurricane is coming at us, and I dont have any way of knowing which way to go or how to combat it. Hes extremely reactionary, and thats what scares me the most. I feel totally powerless, and its horrible. In the latest round of voting on Tuesday night, Mr Trump won three of the four states that went to the polls. In his victory speech, he told the Republican establishment to accept him and said that he would be more presidential than anyone other than Abe Lincoln. For the Democrats, Bernie Sanders scored a major upset against Hillary Clinton by winning hotly-contested Michigan. The socialist senator from Vermont scored one of the biggest wins of his underdog campaign by focusing on fair trade in a state which has been hit hard by the collapse of the auto industry. Nihad Barakat Shamo Alawsi was abducted by Islamic State militants when she was just 15 A teenage girl has spoken of the trauma of being sold as a sex slave to ISIS and having to leave her three-month-old son behind to escape. Nihad Barakat Shamo Alawsi was just 15 when Islamic State militants seized the Yazidi town of Sinjar in northwest Iraq two years ago. The teenager was abducted along with 27 members of her family and thousands of civilians. She was taken to Syria and then to the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul in northern Iraq where she was tortured for weeks, she told an event in London on Wednesday. Nihad, now 17, recalled: 'They raped us, they killed our men, they took our babies away from us.' 'The worst thing was the torture in Mosul. We were beaten and raped continuously for two weeks.' 'Girls were taken from their families and raped constantly and then they were handed out to "emirs".' Nihad said a man who took her as a slave died a few weeks later. She was then sold to another man who already had a wife and another Yazidi sex-slave. He beat and raped her and a month later she became pregnant. The brave teenager shared her horrific experiences at an event organised by the UK-based AMAR Foundation, a charity that provides education and healthcare in the Middle East. Nihad, now 17, was taken to Syria and then to the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul in northern Iraq, she told at an event in London on Wednesday A man who took her as a slave died a few weeks later, and she was then sold to another man who already had a wife and another Yazidi sex slave. He beat and raped her and a month later she became pregnant 'I thought the child I was carrying was a member of Daesh and would become a Daesh criminal when he grew up,' she recalled, using a pejorative Arabic name for Islamic State. Nihad gave birth to a baby boy and managed to escape when three months later after the baby's father decided to marry her to his cousin. She made a phone call to her family and was then rescued by Steve Maman from The Liberation of Christian and Yazidi Children of Iraq (CYCI). 'I managed to escape, but I had to leave the baby behind,' she said. Nihad gave birth to a baby boy, but three months later she managed to escape after the baby's father decided to marry her to his cousin (file photo of a freed Yazidi sex slave) Islamic State considers the Yazidis to be devil-worshippers. Nihad now lives in a camp in Iraq's northern Kurdistan with her mother, father and siblings The ancient Yazidi faith blends elements of Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Islam. The United Nations says Islamic State still holds an estimated 3,500 people captive in Iraq. The majority of the captives are women and girls from the Yazidi community. The Sunni militants captured around 5,000 Yazidi men and women in summer 2014. Some 2,000 have managed to escape or have been smuggled out of Islamic State's self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria, activists say. Most of the Yazidi population, numbering around half a million, are displaced in camps in Iraq's northern Kurdistan. Nihad now lives in one of the camps with her mother, father and siblings. She works with AMAR, volunteering to come to London to speak of her people's plight. Her story is being documented by Fusion and Univision and is being told through her own words. Two of her brothers and two sisters are still held by Islamic State. She said: 'It's not a life, we are not living a life until the rest of our people are released by Daesh. 'I beg you to help my people. 'Save them from Daesh, and free especially the sex slaves, the young girls and children that have been taken.' A cache of documents containing the personal information of 22,000 ISIS jihadists in Syria and Iraq has been seized today in the 'biggest counter-terrorism breakthrough in years'. The treasure trove of data for security services battling the terror group contains the names, nationalities, addresses, telephone numbers, family contacts and the fighter's personal recruiter. The leak by a disgruntled jihadi contains the details of at least 16 British fighters, including Birmingham hacker Junaid Hussain and Cardiff-born Reyaad Khan, who were both killed by a US drone last year. Former UK intelligence chiefs described the documents as a 'goldmine' and it is believed to be the biggest ISIS intelligence haul ever uncovered. Cache: Briton Junaid Hussain, left, travelled to Syria from Birmingham in 2013, and was married to 'Mrs Terror' Sally Jones, and his ISIS file, right, is among 22,000 leaked today The memory stick reveals recruits had to fill in the 23-question registration card to be allowed into the group, also known as Daesh, including details like next of kin, and previous employment Questionnaire: All ISIS fighters need to fill in a survey on their most personal details - but today's leak will leave the group in crisis The files also include British rapper Abdel Bary, a 26-year-old from London who joined IS in 2013 after visiting Libya, Egypt and Turkey. THE 23 QUESTIONS EVERY ISIS FIGHTER IS ASKED BY THE GROUP 1. Name 2. Nom de guerre (fighter's name) 3. Mother's maiden name 4. Blood type 5. Date of birth and nationality 6. Marital status 7. Address and city/town/village of residence 8. Level of education 9. Level of Sharia understanding 10. Previous job title 11. Countries travelled through to Syria/Iraq 12. Area entered from 13. Whic ISIS member recommended them 14. Date of entry 15. Have they fought before and where 16. What role will they take in ISIS 17. Special skills 18. Place of work 19. Security deposit 20. Considered level of obedience 21. Contact telephone numbers 22. Date and place of death 23. Notes Advertisement The son of convicted terrorist Adel Abdul Bary, he was pictured in August last year holding the severed head of a captured Syrian army soldier who had been executed. Security sources had suspicions that he was ISIS' executioner-in-chief Jihadi John before it was revealed to be Mohammed Emwaz, Bary's friend from West London. Experts believe the files could be invaluable in tackling jihadists who have sneaked back into Europe intent on bringing bloodshed to the streets in 'enormous and spectacular' attacks. The documents are from ISIS' entrance interviews, probably held in Raqqa, Syria, and show that the terror group has its own human resources department. The documents also show the name of the ISIS 'fixer' who 'recommended' the individual on the form, giving spies a better idea of who runs the group's recruitment network. And the forms also have the route they took to Syria or Iraq date, time and place of death if applicable, meaning security services now know exactly who has perished. In a major coup for the West, a memory stick stolen from an IS leader by a disgruntled recruit was obtained by Sky News. The details it contains are understood to be authentic. Recruits from at least 51 countries, including the UK, who travelled to the region to join the murderous terror organisation notorious for its brutality, including beheadings, crucifixions and massacres were ordered to give up their most sensitive information. Details were logged on an extraordinary induction form. Only when a recruit had filled in the 23-question registration card were they allowed into the group, also known as Daesh. Questions on the form included date of birth, marital status, previous jobs, who recommended them, if they had fought before, what role they would take for instance, 'fighter' and any 'specialist skills'. The forms even includes contact details for next of kin. Many of the names on the registration cards are well known. Many of the names on the registration cards are well known - including a number of British fighters A memory stick packed with the names, addresses, telephone numbers and family contacts of recruits has been discovered, and may include details of hundreds of British fighters Another jihadi named in the documents is Junaid Hussain, a computer hacker from Birmingham who was head of Islamic State's media wing. Along with his wife, former punk Sally-Anne Jones, he plotted attacks against the UK. TOP NATIONALITIES REVEALED IN LEAKED ISIS TREASURE TROVE Not all the fighters in the forms revealed their nationality, but of those who did, these are the top ones: 485 Saudi Arabia 375 Tunisia 140 Morocco 101 Egypt 35 France 18 Germany 16 Britain 4 USA 126 others from: Lebanon, Belgium, Australia, Netherlands, Russia, and Afganistan Advertisement He was killed after being targeted in a drone strike last August. His jihadi widow, known as 'Mrs Terror', has been put on a government list of the most dangerous British recruiters for Islamic State. Some 700 British Muslims have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join IS and around half have returned to the UK, according to British spies, and may be plotting atrocities on the streets. But the major breakthrough from the documents is the revealing of the identities of a number of previously unknown jihadis in the UK, northern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, the United States and Canada. Their whereabouts are crucial to breaking the organisation and preventing further terror attacks. Richard Barrett, a former MI6 global terrorism operations director, said the files could prove to be the 'biggest breakthrough in years' in the counter-terror fight. He said: 'It will be an absolute gold mine of information of enormous significance and interest to very many people, particularly the security and intelligence services.' Some 700 British Muslims have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join ISIS and around half have returned to the UK, according to British spies Nationals from more than 51 countries including the UK filled in a 23-question 'registration' form as they were inducted into IS, according to Sky News, which obtained the data. Many came from so-called terror 'hot spots' like Tunisia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen - although it appears the highest numbers came from Saudi Arabia. ABDEL BARY: LONDON RAPPER TURNED VIOLENT JIHADI Adel Abdul Bary was initially suspected by MI5 of being Jihadi John before being ruled out The former rapper and son of convicted terrorist Adel Abdul Bary was initially suspected by MI5 of being Jihadi John before being ruled out. In August last year, Bary was pictured holding the severed head of a captured Syrian army soldier who had been executed. Underneath the image, posted on a social media account, Bary wrote: 'Chillin with my other homie, or what's left of him'. The 26-year-old, from Maida Vale in West London, joined Islamic State in 2013 after visiting Libya, Egypt and Turkey. His whereabouts are currently unknown. It is understood that he fell out of favour with IS last year and left Syrian for Turkey. Bary is thought to have disguised himself as a refugee and escaped during the chaos of an IS retreat from Tal Abyad near the Turkey Syria border in June 2015. His father, who is believed to be closely linked to Osama Bin Laden, admitted working for Al Qaeda and Egyptian Islamic Jihad after being extradited to the US from Britain. Last February the 55-year-old was sentenced to 25 years in a US jail for conspiring to kill Americans in the 1998 embassy bombings in Africa which left 224 dead. Advertisement Shashank Joshi, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) security think-tank, described the leak as 'incredibly important'. He said: 'It is a law enforcement gold mine. It means it might make it easier to prosecute those who have returned. 'Beyond that it is also an intelligence gold mine because it may include people whose departure wasn't known and a lot of information about other contacts because there is an entry about who recommended this individual.' He added: 'Rarely do intelligence organisations get complete caches of documents in this way.' The documents were reportedly stolen by a former member of the Syrian Free Army who joined IS and then became disillusioned, saying it had been taken over by soldiers from the Iraqi Baath party of Saddam Hussein. Mr Joshi cautioned against drawing any broad conclusions about morale within the group. He said: 'It is tempting to want to believe that this is evidence that the organisation is suffering a grievous lapse of morale. I'm not so sure.' The whistlebolwer, an ISIS security official was asked if the files could cause the collapse of the group he said: 'God willing'. Experts believe that IS is refocusing its base of operations abroad and is intent on carrying out high-profile attacks in Western countries, instead of radicalising vulnerable and mentally-ill people to carry out 'lone wolf' strikes against soldiers and police officers. Yesterday the British head of the EU's crime fighting organisation warned that the chance of a Paris-style terror atrocity on the streets of Britain was growing. Rob Wainwright, the director of Europol, said the continent was facing its biggest security crisis in ten years and has previously warned almost 5,000 Islamist jihadi fanatics could be at large in the European Union. Radicalised Europeans who have gained conflict experience in Syria are now returning to the continent, he said. He said: 'We are working of course around the clock to prevent that from happening but this is a very, very serious threat.' Meanwhile, a chemical weapons expert from IS's operations in Iraq has been captured by US special forces and is being questioned. The man was once a specialist in chemical and biological weapons for Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi leader overthrown by the US invasion in 2003, Iraqi and US sources told US media. Named as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, he was reportedly seized last month. The Pentagon would not confirm his capture. But the man has already told interrogators how IS loaded mustard gas into shells, according to the New York Times. Last month it was claimed that sulphur mustard had been used last year in an IS attack on Kurdish forces. JUNAID HUSSAIN: THE COMPUTER HACKER MARRIED TO 'MRS TERROR' Junaid Hussein was married to Kent convert Sally Jones, known as 'Mrs Terror', pictured The computer hacker named as an ISIS fighter in leaked files today, fled his home in Birmingham to Syria in 2013 and quickly rose to prominence within Islamic State. He ran the information and recruitment arm of the terror group and was ranked third on the Pentagon's 'kill list'. Last year Hussain helped plan an attack on the VJ Day celebrations in London using a pressure cooker bomb. The plot failed after Hussain unwittingly recruited an undercover journalist. Describing the plan, he wrote: 'It will be big. We will hit the kuffar (unbelievers) hard. Hit their soldiers in their own land. Soldiers that served in Iraq and Afghanistan will be present. Jump in the crowd and detonate the bomb. 'They think they can kill Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan then come back to the UK and be safe. We'll hit them hard.' Hussain was on police bail on charges of violent disorder during an English Defence League rally, but fled just before his trial. He was jailed for six months in 2012 for hacking into the email account of an assistant to former Prime Minister Tony Blair and leaking confidential information about him on the web. He was also convicted of bombarding the Metropolitan Police anti-terrorism hotline with bogus calls. Hussain, who helped bring down the Pentagon's official Twitter page, was killed by a US drone strike on his car near Raqqa in August last year. His wife Sally Jones, a 45-year-old mother-of-two and former punk rocker from Chatham, in Kent, is believed to still live in Syria. The pair were dubbed 'Mr and Mrs Terror' after they fled to Syria. Advertisement A Houston man who was allegedly caught having sex on a Ferris Wheel with a woman he had just met has taken a plea deal. Philip Panzica, 27, was accused of performing the lewd act on Chloe Scordianos, 21, in Las Vegas, the same day he was supposed to marry his 36-year-old fiancee Mistie Bozant. Bonzant paid his $3,000 bail two days later and ,according to their Facebook pages, the pair are still together, despite his legal issues. The bizarre indicent allegedly unfolded Panzica found out Bozant, who is a mom to young kids, was potentially pregnant with another man's baby, he allegedly went gambling and downed 'four or five' margaritas instead of tying the knot. It was then that he met 21-year-old Chloe Scordianos, and 'one thing led to another' and the pair were soon arrested for engaging in sex acts, 550 feet above the Las Vegas Strip. His lawyer, Bennair Bateman, said during a brief court hearing on Wednesday as said his client agree to plead guilty to a misdemeanor, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal. Scroll down for video Phillip Panzica (right) and his fiancee Mistie Bozant (left) traveled to Las Vegas on February 5 to get married, but when Panzica found out Bozant was potentially pregnant with another man's baby, he went gambling and downed 'four or five' margaritas instead of tying the knot Panzica (left) then met 21-year-old Chloe Scordianos (right) , and 'one thing led to another' and the couple were soon arrested for engaging in sex acts during a 30-minute ride in the glass-enclosed cabin, 550 feet above the Las Vegas Strip. He is now expected to take a plea deal for a misdemeanor After bailing Panzica out of jail for $3,000, Bozant sat by her fiance's side as he spoke to reporters about the incident 'I think this was over charged to begin with,' Bateman said. 'So a misdemeanor is a fair resolution.' Scordianos however has said she will not take the deal and will go to trail, as she believes she didn't do anything wrong. Her attorney Chris Rasmussen told the newspaper: 'We believe she's not guilty. There was no public sex act. We want to review the video. How do you know there's a sex act until you've seen the video. 'We don't just take the police's word on what the evidence is.' 'The guests in Cabin 17 didn't seem to notice, but the guests in Cabin 15 not only noticed but were video recording the acts' with their cell phones, according to court documents. Two nights later, Bozant paid $3,000 to bail Panzica out of jail. 'It wasn't planned, it was just, I felt it,' Panzica, with Bozant by his side, told KTNV. 'We get up to the highest point, and we were like, 'We're golden!' Police say surveillance cameras captured the act, security warned the couple to stop, and people in another car shot cellphone video. A security officer first noticed them smoking and undressing, according to KTLA. The officer told the pair to stop over an intercom system, but after a pause, they continued. 'I clearly saw Scordianos laying on her back in the center of the cabin. Panzica was on his knees over Scordianos and removed her dress,' the security officer said in police documents. Panzica said he didn't know people could see into the glass-enclosed cabin, and he thought the intercom message was a recording that kept playing over and over again. When the ride was over Panzica and Scordianos, of Hicksville, New York, were arrested and charged with Commission of Certain Sex Acts in Public. 'I was drunk as f***. I was running around naked acting like a little kid again,' Panzica told KNTV. Bozant and Panzica were set to be married about two months after they began dating. Since the incident, the couple have stayed together, though Bozant said she was 'extremely hurt' Bozant paid $3,000 to bail Panzica out of jail. two nights after he was arrested. Since then, she has posted several pics of them together A police report from the arresting officers, according to The Mirror, said: 'They both said they were just having a good time and didn't think anyone would notice.' They added: '[CCTV footage] clearly showed Scordianos laying on her back in the center of the cabin. Panzica was on his knees over Scordianos and removed her dress. 'He also removed his clothes while standing up, exposing his penis and bare buttocks, allowing anyone in public to see.' Panzica said that he 'appreciates' that Bozant bailed him out of jail and that he feels 'bad about everything'. 'The thing that hurts me the most is her kids. I love her babies,' he added. 'Doesn't that show what a good heart I have?' Bozant said of rescuing her fiance from jail. She did say, however, that she was 'extremely hurt' by Panzica's actions. Additionally, it turned out that Bozant wasn't actually pregnant. A Las Vegas judge on Tuesday set a March 9 date to see if the charges against Panzica and Scordianos can be resolved without trial. Police say surveillance cameras captured Panzica and Scordianos in the act and security warned the couple to stop - and people in another car shot cellphone video reported owed money to the mob and his last name was also Rubenstein On March 8, 1966, seven-year-old Wendy Sue Wolin was waiting for her mother outside their apartment building in Elizabeth, New Jersey, when a stranger went up to the little girl and fatally stabbed her in the stomach with a hunting knife in broad daylight. Despite a detailed sketch and an intense search for the suspect, one of the largest in the history of New Jersey, the trail soon went cold. But the unsolved brutal murder of an innocent little girl never lost its grip on the community, eventually prompting Elizabeth Police Captain Todd Mooney to do something about it. Wendy sue Wolin, age, 7 (pictured left and right), was fatally stabbed in the stomach in March 1966 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. A year before her death, 11-year-old Mae Rubinstein died under similar circumstances in a neighboring city Clue: This composite sketch of the suspect in the Wolin murder depicts a while male in his 40s or 50s, who also may be tied to the Rubenstein killings Several years ago, Mooney started a Facebook group hoping to generate new tips about Wolin's slaying, and possibly help police finally crack the case 50 years later. 'March, 8, 1966. Wendy Sue Wolin was murdered in front of her home on Irvington Avenue,' Mooney wrote. 'Someone out there knows who did it.' Murder weapon: This 4-inch hunting knife was used to stab 7-year-old Wendy Sue in the stomach The veteran cop, who was about the same age as Wendy when she was killed, also included the composite sketch of the suspect from 1966, which shows what appears to be a middle-aged white male in a fedora hat. According to a 'Wanted' poster that was circulated at the time, the suspect was wanted for a series of violent and seemingly random incidents targeting girls that took place on the same day Wolin was killed, including stabbing an 11-year-old girl in the buttocks, punching a 12-year-old Catholic schoolgirl in the eye and putting his arms around a 16-year-old girl. At around 3.30pm, Wolin was waiting for her mother to bring the car around when a man with grey hair and stocky built came up to her and thrust a 4-inch blade into her stomach, puncturing her right lung and liver. The child succumbed to her injuries in the hospital less than an hour later, reported The Daily Beast. Mooney's Facebook post about the murder has drawn hundreds of comments, including one from a woman who claimed to have recognized the man in the sketch, but in the context of another grisly crime that took place in the nearby city of Highland Park the year before Wolin's killing. On February 13, 1965, 11-year-old Mae Rubenstein was stabbed 15 times and had her throat slashed inside her family's home on South 3rd Avenue, reported The Star Ledger. The attack also killed her mother, 41-year-old Anne Rubenstein, who was knifed 35 times after returning from grocery shopping and confronting her daughter's assailant. Like in Wolins case, the mother and daughters killer was never caught. And that was only the first in a series of bewildering coincidences linking the two murders. Beth Moroney, who was Mae's childhood friend, told NBC New York she is almost certain she saw the man in the sketch, believed to be Wendy Sue Wolin's killer, on the day the Rubensteins were knifed to death. Elizabeth Police Captain Todd Mooney (left) has created a Facebook group dedicated to the murder of Wendy Sue (pictured as a baby with her sister, Jodi) in hopes of generating new tips Crime spree: The suspect in Wolin slaying was believed to have also punched a 12-year-old girl in the eye and stabbed an 11-year-old girl in the buttocks on the same day I saw the face and I knew right away it was the same man, Moroney said. All I could do was scream. I just kept screaming, Its him, its him. Ms Moroney told the station that she described the suspect to police after her friend's brutal killing, but no composite sketch was ever made based on her words. Investigators never established a connection between the two crimes. But according to reporting by the station, there may have been a strange link between the two girls, Wendy and Mae, after all. Wendy Sue and her sister, Jodi, lived in Highland Park in their grandparents' home located just a block away from the Rubensteins' residence. Coincidentally, the last name of the sisters' grandparents was also Rubenstein, but the two families were not related. Less than two weeks after Anne Rubenstein and her 11-year-old daughter were killed inside their home, Wendy and Jodi's mother suddenly packed up their belongings and moved the family to Elizabeth. Jodi Wolin, who now resides in Florida, wonders whether Mae Rubenstein, whose name she first encountered on Captain Mooney's Facebook group, may have been killed by mistake. Wolin revealed that her late grandfather owed money to the mob, raising the possibility that Wendy Sue's death may have been an act of retaliation, while Mae Rubensteins a tragic case of mistaken identity. Wendy Sue's sister raised the possibility that May Rubenstein may have been killed by mistake For a time in the mid-1980s, detectives believed they were on the brink of cracking the Wolin case after a woman came forward saying that she recognized the man from the old police sketch as the man who molested her as a child. The man, who was never publicly named, was originally from Elizabeth and had a history of mental problems. On the day of Wendy Sue's killing, he took a sick day from his job at a factory. Police questioned the person of interest but failed to elicit a confession. A sex worker claims she was bound and raped by a real estate agent who seemed nice at first when they smoked ice together before the devil jumped into his body. Henry Jiang, 34, is accused of binding the woman with cable ties and raping her repeatedly in a vacant house after being told his early-morning booking with her had ended. He and the sex worker smoked ice and chatted for about half an hour when she arrived at a vacant property in Doncaster in north-west Melbourne, the County Court of Victoria heard. Prosecutor Jo Piggott said the woman described Mr Jiang as being a very nice guy at the beginning of the booking on April 2, 2014. She claimed he later appeared physically different, his pupils very large, and he became nasty. The woman said: It's almost like the devil had jumped into his body or something, Ms Piggott told the court this week. A sex worker has alleged in the Country Court of Victoria (pictured) that realtor Henry Jiang, 34, bound her and raped her repeatedly in April 2014 when he was told his booking had ended after the pair smoked ice together She said the pair had engaged in consensual sexual activity but Mr Jiang wasn't able to perform and asked the woman to extend her time there. The Crown alleges she declined and was preparing to leave when Mr Jiang grabbed her, bound her wrists and shoved a sponge in her mouth. It's alleged the woman was raped repeatedly before fleeing the property about 6am when a smoke alarm sounded, running naked and screaming into the street where her driver was parked. She had feared Mr Jiang would kill her, Ms Piggott told the court. Mr Jiang's barrister Con Heliotis QC told the courtroom Mr Jiang and the woman agreed she would stay later for more cash and drugs and she didn't tell her escort agency about it so she didn't have to share the extra money with them Mr Jiang's barrister Con Heliotis QC said Mr Jiang and the woman agreed she would stay later for more cash and drugs and she didn't tell her escort agency about it so she didn't have to share the extra money with them. Everything that happened was consensual, he told the court on Tuesday. Mr Jiang admitted taking money from the woman, because he calculated he was owed it for drugs, Mr Heliotis has said. The sex worker was concerned she had been robbed and only claimed she had been raped about half an hour later when asked it directly by police, he told the court. Discussing the woman's behaviour as she left the house, Mr Heliotis told the jury: She would be extremely distressed if she had lost her money and couldn't buy drugs. Jiang has pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and one count each of false imprisonment and indecent assault. All those who love a good read before sleep can now take their bibliophilic tendencies to the next level, with a series of Chinese bookstores converting themselves into fully-fledged hotels. According to People's Daily Online, Chinese social commentator Pan Caifu has predicted that bookstores can survive the decline of the print medium by becoming cosy lodgings for backpackers. Several shops across China have already followed the trend and are offering comfy tents, plush rooms and of course plenty of books to eager readers. Cosy: Chinese bookstores like this one in Nanjing, Jiangsu, are offering accommodation to backpackers Quiet and calm: A bookshop in Wuhan, Hubei, where a double bed awaits any reader enjoying their good book Aside from the obvious monetary incentive of converting a shop's rooms into a hostel, the idea of being able to live in a bookshop is enticing for open-minded lovers of both travelling and literature. In Shanghai, a shop called 'Mephisto' is offering a queen-sized bed to discerning backpackers passing through the coastal hub, with hundreds of old books on offer to browse. The shop closes up to non-guests at 10pm daily and welcomes many customers late at night, many of whom return to make the most of the store's short-term rent-sharing options. Similarly enterprising establishments in Hubei and Jiangsu have followed suit, offering remarkably comfortably lodgings akin to quirky holiday accommodation found on the hosting app AirBnB. Lian Zhen, founder of Fengyasong Bookstore, Quanzhou city, who is considering converting her shop, said: 'Sometimes I spend a long time searching for a famous bookstore in a strange city, but I'm always in a hurry to see the next thing.' Amazing: Mephisto bookshop in Shanghai has hundreds of rare books for lodgers to peruse before they sleep Perfect rest: Upstairs in Mephisto, the bibliophiles can relax amongst comfortable luxury surroundings 'It would be a fantastic experience if I could stay overnight in a bookstore and have a good sleep.' One hotel in Japan - 'Book and Bed' - appeared to be ahead of the curve when it opened to the public last summer, giving guests the chance to snuggle up in bunk beds built into the bookshelves. Meanwhile the trend for 24 hour bookstores in Taiwan has been widely reported, with shops attracting sizeable late-night audiences. Eslite bookstore in Taipei allows customers to read for as long and as late as they like before they decide to purchase, a move which has proved incredibly popular locally. Secluded: This bookshop in Nanjing, Jiangsu, has plenty of nooks and crannies for readers to unwind in peace Valuable: The move towards marrying the worlds of book-browsing and lodging makes particular sense now The move towards marrying the worlds of book-browsing and accommodation makes particular sense given the struggles the global book industry has faced over the past decade. Data published by PwC predicted that global print revenue would dip to $92bn (65bn) by 2019. A widowed mother from China broke down in tears of joy as she was united at last with her son who was abducted a quarter of a century ago as a toddler, after she never gave up hope of finding him. Zhang Xuexia, 51, from Guizhou, south-west China, spent the two-and-a-half decades since her son Song was kidnapped aged three in 1991 travelling the country to hand out leaflets and pamphlets asking for help, according to People's Daily Online. Her husband's grief and guilt over their missing son led him to commit suicide in 2006, jumping from a building and leaving a heartbreaking note behind reading: 'I only want my son, Song Yangzhi'. Five years ago the mother and son were very nearly reunited on social media, but a mix-up over the positioning of a crucial birthmark on his body made it seem as if the trail had gone cold. Finally together: Zhang Xuexia, 51, from Guizhou, south-west China, spent 25 years looking for her son Song Relief: Song, who was snatched outside a theatre in 1991 aged three, also tearfully embraced his god father Mother's love: Zhang used touching photos of her with her son, like this one, on her ceaseless quest to find him Song read about a woman looking for a child with a mole on his left arm and a birthmark on his left buttock. Zhang had mis-remembered: the marks were actually on his right arm and right buttock The pair finally met up properly after Song saw her story by chance in Jinhua Daily newspaper, leading to a DNA test in Dujun, Guizhou Province to confirm the happy truth on March 4. During the eventual tearful embrace between the two, Zhang said: 'Mum is so happy to find you - Mum is so happy to see you living well.' The 28 year old's decision to follow his hunch and meet his mother was supported by his new family, who all but confirmed that he could be the one that Zhang had been searching for. Song was abducted on December 29, 1991. Zhang and her husband had been travelling with their young child through the provinces when the crime took place outside a theatre near their home. Strong: Zhang travelled across China's major cities handing out information and pamphlets and lived in hope Relentless: Zhang and her best friend Zhang Guihong - whose son was also adopted - refused to ever give up Recalling the day of the abduction, Song told reporters: 'Someone came over to give me a lollipop and carried me. Then I passed out. When I woke up, I was already on a train.' He was sold to become the youngest of four siblings in his new family in rural Guangdong and now has two sons of his own, but said he always suspected he could be adopted. Song said: 'For as long as I could remember, I knew I was adopted because the two poems I could recite were not taught by my adopted father: The Goose Song and Spring Dawn.' He is now a successful business in Guangzhou and has built his own happy family. Meanwhile Zhang, with her best friend Zhang Guihong - whose own son was abducted in 2002 - had searched relentlessly across China for her child and said that giving up hope was not an option. Tragic: Song remembered how he was offered a lollipop and woke up on the train, before being trafficked away Safety: He was sold to become the youngest of four siblings in his new family and now has two sons of his own Never give up: Zhang kept a loyal diary charting her mission to find her son from start to end over 25 years She had even taken to walking the streets of Chinese cities with a placard hanging around her neck and scraps of information from police about trafficking, asking if anyone had seen her precious son. Child abduction is a long-standing problem and serious in China - with official sources estimating that around 20,000 children are kidnapped in the country each year. Five Chinese transport officials have been killed by a severe rockslide during a routine road inspection in remote villages. The administrators were inspecting a new highway connecting rural Ebian and Mabian counties in south-west China on Tuesday evening when the incident occurred at Shaqiang village, People's Daily Online reports. The officials killed in the disaster included Wang Chuan, 53, the director of Leshan City Highway Administration, and Li Zhiqiang, 34, deputy director of Transport Bureau of Mabian Yi Autonomous County, as well as three other officials and two drivers. Fatal: The seven officials were crushed by boulders falling on their off-road vehicles in south-west China Tragic scene: Rescue teams raced to the scene and confirmed quickly that all seven members were dead Dangerous: The heavy falling rocks on a precarious cliff road killed the officials on their way to the inspection Rescue teams raced to the scene and confirmed quickly that all seven members were dead. It has been reported that the seven officials were travelling in two off-road vehicles and that both of them were flattened and shattered by the boulders falling from the mountain top. Photographs released to the press showed the vehicles smashed to pieces by the heavy rocks on the precarious road which lined the edge of the mountain cliff. Devastating: Photographs released to the press showed the vehicles smashed to pieces by the heavy rocks Risky: The highway project the officials were involved in was established to help residents boost local tourism The project the team were responsible for inspecting was an endeavour aimed at reducing the level of poverty in both of the counties. The two rural counties, more than 75 miles apart, were blocked from the outside world and from each other by vast forest and the project was established to help residents boost local tourism. Owners of new flats have seen their property management charges rise to almost 2,800 on average, new research has revealed. The typical fee of 2,777 is for new build homes while those for older properties is 1,863, according to the findings by Direct Line for Business. The research found that 33 per cent of management companies have increased their fees in the past two years. Property management fees are a standard part of owning a flat. They usually cover repairs to communal areas of a development such as windows, drainage and the roof. Residents living in blocks managed by FirstPort have complained of 'poor property management'. They can also be used to establish a sinking fund for major renovations - and in some cases they are also used to pay for shared services such as gardeners, landscapers, concierge services or cleaners. Fees can be particularly costly for blocks of flats with extra amenities, such as grounds, communal areas or gyms. Those considering buying a flat should consider this cost when calculating the affordability of the purchase. Similarly, anyone renting should check whether they or their landlord are responsible for covering the cost. Charlotte Moss lives in a property managed by FirstPort. Service charges differ between developments due to the various calculations used. In some cases it is a flat rate for all properties, while for others it is determined by the number of bedrooms or the square footage of a property. Nick Breton, head of Direct Line for Business, said: 'Service charges are often a hidden cost, which should be factored in when considering the affordability of a property.' He added: 'In some cases service charges are uncapped and can escalate rapidly.' As a rough guide, service charges in London tend to vary from between 1.55 per sq ft to 7 per sq ft, he said. However those who are not happy with the service they receive from their management company have some recourse, according to a barrister. John de Waal QC of Hardwicke chambers explained there are procedures in place that support leaseholders going to tribunal without having to pay for a solicitor. 'It can result in your monthly property management charges being significantly reduced and you can even end up with money being paid back,' he said. 'I DON'T FEEL I'M GETTING VALUE FOR MONEY FROM PROPERTY MANAGER' Charlotte Moss, 29, lives in a flat at North Point, in Crouch End London, which is managed by FirstPort. She feels that she is not getting value for money from the property manager, saying: 'It is the general lack of ability to deal with anything in an efficient or professional manner. Every time we have an issue we have to chase an unbelievable number of times for it to be looked into. Residents have to do all the calling and emailing with a real lack or response from FirstPort, let alone any follow-up or feedback to let you know if an issue is being addressed and then resolved.' She says examples include water damage in one of the flat's bedrooms which took nearly three months to deal with and was only resolved due to constant chasing and a refusal to pay the service charge. There was also the broken gate to the car park which was not reported by the concierge and when they did eventually fix it weeks later, they failed to let some residents know they needed a new fob so they were still unable to access the car park. She says the bin area is often filthy with rubbish and household waste 'strewn everywhere'. Again, this is never picked up or reported by the concierge, she says. 'Unless residents make a complaint it is left for months.' A FirstPort spokesperson, said: 'We understand our customers homes are important to them and take our responsibility of looking after around 180,000 homes across the country very seriously. 'We have a good track-record of managing developments and responding to customer queries, but we do understand that speed of response is key. We have worked hard to make ourselves more consistent in our response times and, in the last three months, have trebled the number of customers who get their issue resolved by the first person they speak to, without the need for it to be passed on for further action. 'We recognise that during the changes some responses have been slow and we continue to improve this.' Advertisement Mr Breton went on to blame the increased costs of service charges on a trend among new builds to include luxury amenities such as libraries, 24 hour concierges, gyms and cinema rooms. He urged those buying a flat to factor management charges into their running costs budget, which also needs to include ground rent - which is 371 a year on average for a new build and 327 for an older property, according to the research. It found that the typical annual service charge of 1,863 on older properties is the equivalent of twice the average monthly rent of 906, the research added. The US Air Force has unveiled its latest recruit - and it's a piece of software. The Cyberspace Vulnerability Assessment/Hunter Weapon System has been declared capable of full operations, allowing it to scour military networks to look for security holes. It can be used to locate, assess, and target threats within the computer systems, helping to maintain the safety of both air and network operations. The US Air Force has added another cyberspace weapon to its ranks. The Cyberspace Vulnerability Assessment/Hunter Weapon System was recently declared capable of full operations, allowing it to serve as a leading component of the defence platform in the Air Force Information Network THE CYBERSPACE WEAPONS The Cyberspace Vulnerability Assessment/Hunter Weapon System was recently declared capable of full operations. When a threat to the network is detected, the system provides a way to track, target, engage, and assess it, and operate accordingly. The network extends to computers, infrastructure, applications, data, and cyberspace operations, all of which the CVA/H will be working to protect. The declaration came barely a month after the same achievement was granted to the first cyberspace weapon system, the Air Force Intranet Control (AFINC) Weapon System. Advertisement 'CVA/H defends the Air Force's ability to fly, fight and win in air, space, and cyberspace,' said Brig. Gen.I Stephen Whiting, AFSPC Director of Integrated Air, Space, Cyberspace and ISR Operations. The system achieved Full Operational Capability status on February 12. While it is referred to as a 'weapons system,' the Air Force explains this doesn't necessarily mean the tool is a weapon. Instead, it is a defence mechanism used by the Cyber Protection Teams to perform vulnerability assessments, adversary threat detection, and compliance evaluations. The CVA/H weapon system can be used to gather information and perform 'Hunt' missions, including discovery and counter-infiltration missions, on the networks and systems of the Air Force and Department of Defence. When a threat to the network is detected, the system provides a way to track, target, engage, and assess it, and operate accordingly. There are four main components to the CVA/H weapons system: Mobile Interceptor Platform, the Deployable Interceptor Platform, the Garrison Interceptor Platform, and the Information Operations Platform-Fly Away Kit. 'This achievement underscores our commitment to the U.S. Cyber Command Cyber Protection Team mission and to the defense of prioritized cyberspace terrain in the Air Force portion of the Department of Defense Information Network,' said Brig. Gen.I Stephen Whiting, who signed the FOC declaration. The network extends to computers, infrastructure, applications, data, and cyberspace operations, all of which the CVA/H will be working to protect. While it is referred to as a 'weapons system,' the Air Force explains this doesn't necessarily mean the tool is a weapon. Instead, it is a defence mechanism to locate and assess threat The network extends to computers, infrastructure, applications, data, and cyberspace operations, all of which the CVA/H will be working to protect. CVA/H is the second cyberspace weapon to attain Full Operational Capability. The declaration came barely a month after the same achievement was granted to the first cyberspace weapon system, the Air Force Intranet Control (AFINC) Weapon System, on January 7. CVA/H has been in the works for three years. It was first designated a weapon system in March 2013 by the Air Force Chief of Staff. Later that year, it achieved Initial Operational Capability in June. The human brain could be enhanced by tiny robotic implants that connect to cloud-based computer networks to give us 'God-like' abilities, according to a leading computer scientist. Ray Kurzweil, an author and inventor who describes himself as a futurist who works on Google's machine learning project, said such technology could be the next step in human evolution. He predicts that by the 2030s, humans will be using nanobots capable of tapping into our neocortex and connecting us directly to the world around us. However, he admitted that computers won't take over us until they learn to love and laugh. Scroll down for video Ray Kurzweil, an author and inventor who describes himself as a futurist who works on Google's machine learning project, said nanobot implant technology could be the next step in human evolution. The futurist (pictured) made the comments during a discussion in New York with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson The futurist repeated comments he has made previously during a discussion in New York with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, reported by CNN Money. 'When I talk about computers reaching human levels of intelligence, I'm not talking about logical intelligence,' Kurzweil said. 'It is being funny, and expressing a loving sentiment...That is the cutting edge of human intelligence.' The implants would allow people to send emails and photos directly to each other's brains while also backing up our thoughts and memories. CREATING LIVING ROBOTS DNA already has the potential to transform the computing world by recreating living cells into data storage devices. Now scientists have gone one step further and used DNA 'nanobots' inside living cockroaches that open up to deliver drugs. The nanorobots, which can function like living computers, were created using DNA strands that fold and unfold like origami. Bioengineers hope DNA nanobots could carry out complex programs that could one day be used to diagnose or treat diseases. Daniel Levner, a bioengineer at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University and his colleagues at Bar Ilan University in Ramat-Gan, Israel, made the nanobots by exploiting the binding properties of DNA. When DNA comes across a certain kind of protein, it unravels into two different strands, according to a report by Sarah Spickernell at New Scientist. Advertisement Mr Kurzweil said they could also expand our capacity for emotions and creativity, and this ability to expand our brains with the information held in the cloud will combine with the power of artificial intelligence to make humans more 'God-like'. 'There is beauty, love and creativity and intelligence in the world, and it all comes from the neocortex,' he explained. 'We are going to be able to expand the neocortex and so we are going to become more God-like. 'We are going to add additional levels of abstraction and create more profound means of expression so we are going to be more musical, we are going to be funnier, we are going to be sexier and be better at expression more loving sentiments.' He added that it may be possible in the future to use the extra brain power provided by the cloud to multiply human intelligence. By the 2030s if he met Google co-founder Larry Page, for example, in the street, the technology could provide some assistance. He said: 'So I'm walking along, and I see Larry Page coming, and I think, "I better think of something clever to say." 'But my 300 million modules in my neocortex isn't going to cut it. I need a billion in two seconds. 'I'll be able to access that in the cloud - just like I can multiply intelligence with my smartphone thousands fold today.' Tiny robots (illustrated above) that have the capacity to connect our brains directly to the internet could help to give humans God-like abilities, expanding our capacity for emotions and creativity Scientists developing nano-machines have created capsules of DNA that can change their shape in response to certain conditions in the body and a molecular 'car' that uses balls of carbon as wheels (illustrated) The concept of nanomachines being inserted into the human body has been around in science fiction for decades. In the TV series Star Trek tiny molecular robots called nanites were used to help repair damaged cells in the body. Mr Kurzweil said similar robots could be built out of DNA and injected into the brain. Last year researchers injected packages of DNA that would unfurl under certain conditions into the bodies of cockroaches. They DNA origami were described as being the first step towards building basic robots that perform logical operations when it encounters a specific protein much like a 1 or a 0 from a silicon microchip. The more DNA robots injected into an animal, the greater the complexity can be achieved, and the researchers from the Bar Ilan University are now working to scale up the 'computing power' so that it rivals old 8-bit computers from the 1980s like a Commodore 64 or an Atari 800. Scientists at Rice University recently demonstrated a single-molecule 'car', which had buckyballs of carbon for wheels and could be controlled by changes in temperature. Computer scientist and author Ray Kurzweil claims nanobots could lead humans along an entirely new path of evolution that will give our species new powers of intelligence and emotional capabilities However, some scientists have warned the effectiveness of such devices will be limited. Most nano-machines are likely to find more use as ways of delivering drugs to specific cells in the body. Professor James Friend, a mechanical engineer at the University of California San diego told TheWorldPost that getting approval to inject these into humans may be difficult. He said would be a great deal of concern about injecting 'swimming mysterious things in your head and leaving them there'. Other leading scientists and technology experts have expressed fears at the growing use of Artificial Intelligence and called for tighter controls to be placed on its development. But Mr Kurzweil said nanobots could also help people create realistic avatars with the aid of artificial intelligence. He said: In the 2030s, we will be able to send nanobots into living people's brains and extract memories of people who have passed away. Then you can really make them very realistic.' It is often blamed for weakening friendships and ruining our communication skills, but social media may also be making us immoral, according to a new study. Researchers have found people who text or use social media most often were also less likely to set themselves morally shallow life goals. The findings suggest that while social media sites like Twitter and Facebook are often used for outbursts of moral outrage, the act of using them in the first place may be shifting our guiding principles. People who use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (stock picture) in short, frequent bursts may suffer from 'moral shallowing'. Researchers found they tended to set themselves life goals that were morally shallow and spent less time engaged in reflective thoughts about their actions and the world For example, users studied were much less likely to engage in reflective thoughts about their actions and the world around them. And the study found the link was particularly strong among those who used 'ultra-brief' forms of social media in bursts of less than 10 minutes, as well as those who said the main sites were Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. HUMANS ARE HARDWIRED TO BE HOOKED ON FACEBOOK We are addicted to Facebook because our brains have evolved over thousands of years to make us that way, according to an expert. Since the beginning of the human race, for millions of years and over countless generations, our brains have gradually increasing in size. But 20,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age, that pattern suddenly stopped - and our brains began shrinking steadily. No-one knows why, but Professor Bruce Hood believes the change happened, and continues to happen, because we are becoming more and more domesticated. The award-winning American psychologist suggests that bigger brains were necessary to deal with the complex social situations early humans found themselves dealing with. But while our hunter-gatherer predecessors were geared up for a constant battle to survive, we no longer need to be. Instead, we have evolved into 'natural gossips' who constantly need to engage with other people - and social media allows us to indulge this urge on a larger scale. Advertisement It comes amid growing concern about whether excessive social media use encourages negative personality traits such as narcissism, insecurity and compulsive behaviour. Logan Annisette, a psychologist at the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada, who led the latest research, said the moral impacts he and his team had seen could also have widespread implications. Writing in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, he and his colleagues said: 'Frequent use of ultra-brief social media is associated with negative effects on the user's use of reflective thought and some indicators of compromised moral judgment. 'This can potentially lead to a decline in academic performance and increased difficulty in the formation of social relationships - two extremely important tasks for teenagers and young adults, the age groups that text and use social media to the greatest degree.' Researchers examined the personality traits, texting behaviour and social media use of 149 undergraduate students by asking them to complete an online questionnaire. Around 95 per cent of the participants had Facebook accounts, while 68 per cent used Twitter and 64 per cent used Instagram. More than half said they used these social media sites for less than ten minutes each time with a third using them many times each day. Those who tended to use social media more were more likely to rate goals like hedonism, fame and their image above those of helping their community and family. Social media sites like Twitter (stock picture) tend to encourage people to dip in and out of the network through out a day, meaning they have short bursts of usage. This type of engagement, however, could be harmful, the researchers warned The researchers described this as 'moral shallowing'. They warned that if further investigations show ultra-brief use of social media really does have this impact, it poses a 'significant threat' to intellectual, social and moral development. Mr Annisette, who conducted the work as part of his PhD, and his colleagues added: 'If a threat does exist, future research should focus on educating people about the risks posed by ultra-brief social media usage and the need for moderation. 'If a threat does not exist, future research should continue to examine the effects of ultra-brief social media usage as newer and more 'convenient' social networking sites are introduced to the market each and every day.' The method is reminiscent of 'pre-crime' in the movie Minority Report, and could potentially avoid thousands of cases of abuse It accurately identified those least likely to be re-arrested within two years Offenders were grouped based on likelihood to carry out domestic violence used machine learning to look at more than 28,000 court cases Accurately predicting if someone is likely to commit a crime or not is still largely in the realm of science fiction. But researchers in the US may have taken us a step closer, using machine learning to identify those who are likely to re-offend. They report that in the case of abuse in the home, using computers to pass judgement on an offender's likelihood to re-offend could potentially avoid thousands of cases of domestic violence. Reminiscent of the movie Minority Report, in which agents are able to convict people just before they commit the crime, machine learning is emerging as a viable tool to analyse the outcomes of thousands of court cases. In particular, they can be used to identify those who are most, or least likely to commit further crimes. COULD MACHINES HELP TO SPOT LIKELY RE-OFFENDERS? Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania used machine learning to look at more than 28,000 cases of domestic violence in which the offender was charged and released. They identified offenders were likely to follow one of three paths within two years of court: re-arrested for domestic violence and causing physical harm, rearrested for domestic violence without causing physical harm, or not rearrested for domestic violence. Within the area studied, it was reported one in five offenders released by magistrates were arrested for violence within two years. But by using machine learning they were able to successfully identify those least likely to re-offend in 90 per cent of cases, which would mean a reduction of 10 per cent. Advertisement Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania used the technique to look at 28,000 cases of domestic violence in which the offender was charged and released. They found that after the court case, offenders were likely to follow one of three paths within two years. In the most serious category, offenders would be arrested for domestic violence where they had caused or threatened to cause physical injury. Others would either be arrested for domestic violence without causing physical injury, or would not be arrested for domestic violence. The most pressing goal was to find a subset of offenders who could be released with no conditions and who were good bets not to be rearrested for domestic violence, the authors explained. They report that in the area they studied, one in five offenders released are re-arrested for domestic violence within two years. But by using machine learning they were able to successfully identify those least likely to re-offend in 90 per cent of cases, which would mean a reduction of 10 per cent. Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania used the technique to look at 28,000 cases of domestic violence in which the offender was charged and release. By using machine learning, researchers were able to successfully identify offenders least likely to be arrested within two years in 90 per cent of cases. Stock image THE CHINESE PRE-CRIME SYSTEM The Chinese government is also looking to implement a similar pre-crime approach. Reports suggest that Chinese authorities are developing sophisticated monitoring tools which would allow it to crush dissent before it arises. As part of a policy of 'predictive policing', Beijing is investing in technologies which combines machine learning with facial recognition in order to identify people from surveillance videos. Building on controversial technology used in California to assign a threat score to individuals, the Chinese approach will combine its huge resources of state surveillance to carry out behavioural prediction of individuals. The approach could monitor everything from phone records to bank transactions, and email to CCTV footage to watch for any change in behaviour which could suggest intent to commit a crime or act of terrorism. Advertisement Figures from charity Living Without Abuse show that in the UK, domestic abuse will affect a quarter of women and one in six men in their lifetime. Perhaps most shocking are the statistics domestic abuse leads to two women being murdered each week and 30 men a year. Any means to identify those most likely to re-offend could save further damage, and could even save lives. Writing in the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, the authors added that thousands of cases of domestic violence could be avoided each year if judges followed the predictions. If magistrates used the methods we have developed and released only offenders forecasted not to be arrested for domestic violence within two yearsas few as 10 percent might be arrested. 'The failure rate could be cut nearly in half. They said that in the urban area they studied over a two-year period, more than 2,000 post-conviction arrests for domestic violence could have been avoided. If you're checking into a plush hotel, you expect a warm welcome, but it could be soon be common to receive it from a cold robot. Hotel chain Hilton Worldwide and IBM have joined forces to trial a robot concierge named 'Connie' at a hotel in Virginia. The humanoid uses IBM's AI platform called Watson to tell guests about local tourist attractions and hotel features, as well as giving them dining recommendations. Scroll down for video Hotel chain Hilton Worldwide and IBM have joined forces to trial a robot concierge named 'Connie' at a hotel in Virginia. The cyborg (pictured above) uses IBM's AI platform called Watson to tell guests about local tourist attractions and hotel features, as well as giving them dining recommendations It is the first time IBM has made a Watson-enabled robot for the hospitality market using the NAO humanoid robot, which has previously been used to play football and help teach lessons in schools. The Wi-Fi connected robot itself has '25 degrees of freedom' and a human shape that means it can balance and stand up. Sensors let it understand its surroundings, while microphones and speakers enable it to listen and speak. The Nao bot can 'see' thanks to two cameras that film the world and recognise shapes and objects. WILL ROBOTS STEAL YOUR JOB? Claims made by an expert in artificial intelligence predict that in less than five years, office jobs will disappear completely to the point where machines will replace humans. The idea that robots will one day be able to do all low-skilled jobs is not new, but Andrew Anderson from UK artificial intelligence company, Celaton, said the pace of advance is much faster than originally thought. AI, for example, can carry out labour intensive clerical tasks quickly and automatically, while the latest models are also capable of making decisions traditionally made by humans. 'The fact that a machine can not only carry out these tasks, but constantly learn how to do it better and faster, means clerical workers are no longer needed in the vast quantities they once were,' Mr Anderson said. For example, a machine can recognise duplicate insurance claims by knowing it has seen a phone number or an address before. Advertisement But on top of this, Connie uses cognitive computing and machine learning to answer questions posed in natural language about the hotel, for example, and learns from each interaction. Specifically, the robot relies on a combination of Watson APIs, including 'Dialog, Speech to Text, Text to Speech and Natural Language Classifier,' to enable it to greet guests upon arrival and to answer questions about hotel amenities and services. It also taps into WayBlazer claimed to be the first cognitive travel platform, also powered by IBM to suggest local attractions visitors to the hotel might enjoy. Rob High, IBM fellow and vice president and CTO of IBM Watson, said: 'Watson helps Connie understand and respond naturally to the needs and interests of Hilton's guests, which is an experience that's particularly powerful in a hospitality setting, where it can lead to deeper guest engagement.' The friendly-looking cyborg is stationed at the Hilton McLean in Virginia. While the project is a pilot, it is said to be a step towards using AI robots in customer service roles. However, Connie will not be replacing humans yet, instead working side-by-side with workers at the hotel to assist with guest requests. Connie (pictured in the reception area) uses cognitive computing and machine learning to answer questions posed in natural language about the hotel, for example, and learns from each interaction. The more guests interact with Connie, the more it learns, adapts and improves its recommendations The more guests interact with Connie, the more it learns, adapts and improves its recommendations. Jonathan Wilson, vice president, product innovation and brand services, Hilton Worldwide said: 'We're focused on re-imagining the entire travel experience to make it smarter, easier and more enjoyable for guests.' 'By tapping into innovative partners like IBM Watson, we're wowing our guests in the most unpredictable ways.' Hilton has a history of embracing new technologies and was the first hotel company to put TVs in guest's rooms. A court in Germany has ruled that Facebook's 'Like' button can be used in a way that violates European privacy laws. The case was brought by a consumer group against an online shopping site which relied on the user recommendation feature, a Dusseldorf regional court said on Wednesday. In a comment, Facebook said the case is 'specific to a particular website and the way they have sought consent from their users in the past.' The site is now believed to have been updated. The case was brought by a consumer group against an online shopping site which relied on the user recommendation feature, a Dusseldorf regional court said on Wednesday. Facebook said the case is 'specific to a particular website and the way they have sought consent from their users in the past' The Facebook spokesman added: 'It is common practice for websites to use a variety of third party services, Facebook's Like button is only one of them. 'The Like button, like many other features that are used to enhance websites, is an accepted, legal and important part of the Internet, and this ruling does not change that.' The complaint was raised by the Nordrhein-Westfalen Consumer Association. It objected to a shopping site, owned by department chain Peek & Cloppenburg KG Duesseldorf, using the Facebook feature without appropriate user consent. It claimed: 'When a social plugin is installed on a website, Facebook automatically receives data on the surf conduct of the users when the websites are accessed. FACEBOOK ROLLS OUT REACTIONS Facebook's 1.6 billion users now have more ways to quickly express their feelings on the world's largest social network. After five months of testing, Facebook has begun rolling out the six new emotions on the social network. There are seven reactions in total, officially referred to as 'Like', 'Love', 'Haha', 'Yay', 'Wow', 'Sad' and 'Angry', and the list appears when a person holds down the Like button on a mobile, or hovers their mouse over it on the desktop version of the site. Advertisement 'The criticism pursuant to data protection law is that the transfer of data takes place irrespective of whether the user is registered with Facebook or not and irrespective of whether they even use the 'Like' button. 'The Consumer Protection Association deems this a violation of German and European data protection standards, since the customer is neither informed about the transfer of the data nor can he oppose it. 'The Association therefore demands that the data is converted in conformity with data-protection law when using the button.' MailOnline has contacted the court to determine what impact this will have on other sites. Third-party websites can embed a Facebook widget onto pages to connect users with the website. Websites that use the Like Button are given statistics of users, but nothing that can personally identify anyone. Facebook social plugins are designed not to set cookies for people who do not already have them. Websites that use the button are told they must do so in a way that complies with the law and Facebook's own policies. The complaint was raised by the Nordrhein-Westfalen Consumer Association. It objected to a shopping site, owned by department chain Peek & Cloppenburg KG Duesseldorf (pictured in Frankfurt), using the Facebook feature without appropriate user consent After five months of testing, Facebook recently began rolling out six Reactions on the social network to its 1.6 billion users worldwide. There are six emotions in addition to 'Like'. These include 'Love', 'Haha', 'Yay', 'Wow', 'Sad' and 'Angry' (pictured from left to right) These include companies obtaining 'adequate consent from people before using any Facebook technology that allows us to collect and process data about them' and disclosing to people in their privacy policy that Facebook has been enabled to collect data about them. It follows a similar ruling, back in 2011 when the state of Schleswig-Holstein's data protection commissioner, Thilo Weichert, ordered state institutions to shut down the fan pages on the social networking site. They were also told to remove the 'Like' button from their websites, saying it leads to profiling that violates German and European law. Nasa is shooting for a 2018 launch of the Mars Insight spacecraft which will examine the interior of the red planet. The robotic lander was supposed to lift off this month, but was grounded in December by a leak in a French instrument. It will now be completely redesigned in time for May 2018, the next available launch window. Scroll down for video A French-made seismographic instrument destined for Nasa's InSight Mars mission lander (artist's impression pictured) was found to have leaks in its vacuum container. The mission, aimed at studying Mars' interior structure by monitoring its 'marsquakes', has now been scrapped WHAT IT WILL DO The lander, which is about the size of a car, was supposed to be the first mission devoted to understanding the interior structure of the red planet. Examining the planet's deep interior could reveal clues about how all rocky planets, including Earth, formed and evolved. Advertisement Managers say the instrument should be redesigned in time. 'The science goals of InSight are compelling, and the NASA and CNES plans to overcome the technical challenges are sound,' said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. 'The quest to understand the interior of Mars has been a longstanding goal of planetary scientists for decades. 'We're excited to be back on the path for a launch, now in 2018.' NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, will redesign, build and conduct qualifications of the new vacuum enclosure for the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS), the component that failed in December. CNES will lead instrument level integration and test activities, allowing the InSight Project to take advantage of each organization's proven strengths. The cost of the two-year delay is being assessed. An estimate is expected in August, once arrangements with the launch vehicle provider have been made. May 2018 represents the next available launch window. Mars windows arise just every two years. InSight aims to study the interior of Mars. The sensors for the French seismometer need to operate in a vacuum chamber in order to measure subtle ground movements. The vacuum chamber was leaking. It's unknown how much the two-year delay will cost. NASA's only other option was to kill the project. Europe is launching its own Mars-landing mission Monday from Kazakhstan. Technicians from the French space agency CNES, which built the tool, discovered the leak in a vacuum-sealed sphere containing the three seismometers Nasa called off its next Mars mission because of a leak in a science instrument. The Insight spacecraft was supposed to take off in March and land on the red planet six months later. But the space agency said today that they had suspended the launch because of an air leak in a seismometer, one of two prime science instruments. Nasa was supposed to ship to the Southern California launch site next month, but said attempts to fix the leak have failed. Launch opportunities for Mars only occur every two years. It wasn't immediately clear whether Nasa had canceled the mission entirely or would delay it until 2018. Launch opportunities for Mars only occur every two years. It wasn't immediately clear whether Nasa had canceled the mission entirely or would delay it until 2018 Technicians from the French space agency CNES, which built the tool, discovered the leak in a vacuum-sealed sphere containing the three seismometers earlier this . The lander, which is about the size of a car, was supposed to be the first mission devoted to understanding the interior structure of the red planet. Examining the planet's deep interior could reveal clues about how all rocky planets, including Earth, formed and evolved. 'Learning about the interior structure of Mars has been a high priority objective for planetary scientists since the Viking era,' said John Grunsfeld, associate administrator for Nasa's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. KEY MISSIONS TO MARS The first spacecraft to successfully fly by Mars was Nasa's Mariner 4 in 1967, after several failed attempts by the Soviet Union. But the Soviet Union's Mars 3 probe was the first to successfully land on the surface, on 2 December 1971. Next, in the latter half of 1976, Nasa's Viking landers touched down on the surface and performed the first search for life on Mars - with results being inconclusive. The first rover on Mars was Sojourner, carried by Mars Pathfinder, which landed on 27 September 1997. This was followed by the hugely successful Spirit and Opportunity rovers in 2004, the latter of which is still operational today. Nasa's Curiosity rover is also still currently hard at work on the surface. Later this year two new orbiting spacecraft will arrive at Mars, India's Mangalyaan (their first mission to Mars) and Nasa's Maven. After Insight in 2016, Esa will land a rover called ExoMars on the surface in 2018. This will be followed by an as yet unnamed Nasa rover similar to Curiosity but with different instruments in 2020. Advertisement 'We push the boundaries of space technology with our missions to enable science, but space exploration is unforgiving, and the bottom line is that we're not ready to launch in the 2016 window. 'A decision on a path forward will be made in the coming months, but one thing is clear: Nasa remains fully committed to the scientific discovery and exploration of Mars.' The mission team was hopeful a recent fix to the leak would be successful. However, during testing on Monday in extreme cold temperature (-49 degrees Fahrenheit/-45 degrees Celsius) the instrument again failed to hold a vacuum. Nasa officials determined there is insufficient time to resolve another leak, and complete the work and thorough testing required to ensure a successful mission. 'It's the first time ever that such a sensitive instrument has been built,' said Marc Pircher, Director of CNES's Toulouse Space Centre. 'We were very close to succeeding, but an anomaly has occurred, which requires further investigation. 'Our teams will find a solution to fix it, but it won't be solved in time for a launch in 2016,' said Marc Pircher, Director of CNES's Toulouse Space Centre. The spacecraft, built by Lockheed Martin, was delivered to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, on December 16. With the 2016 launch canceled, the spacecraft will be returned from Vandenberg to Lockheed's facility in Denver. The relative positions of the planets are most favorable for launching missions from Earth to Mars for only a few weeks every 26 months. For InSight, that 2016 launch window existed from March 4 to March 30. Engineers and technicians at Lockheed Martin Space Systems are shown running a test of deploying the solar arrays on the Insight lander, which is around the size of a family car A third had an interest in or took part in It is often thought of as behaviour indulged by a fringe of society, but it appears sexual deviants may be more common than previously thought. A study has revealed sexual perversions, also known as paraphilia, are surprisingly widespread occurring in nearly half of a population. Psychologists found in a survey of more than 1,000 people from Quebec in Canada, nearly 50 per cent expressed interest in activities such as fetishism, frotteurism, masochism or voyeurism. While sexual perversions are often considered to be uncommon, the success of books like Fifty Shades of Grey, which depicts sado-masochism (scene pictured), suggests otherwise. Now, a study has shown 46 per cent of people are interested in sexual behaviours considered to be deviant while a third had engaged in them Around a third of those questioned also said they had had paraphilic sexual experiences. People who engaged in masochism were also more likely to have other fetishes. The researchers said they were surprised to find that of the eight types of paraphilic behaviour recognised by psychologists, four of them appeared to be remarkably common. Voyeurism was reported by 35 per cent of men and women while fetishism was reported by a fifth of those questioned. THE EIGHT PARAPHILIAS The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnositc and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders lists eight paraphilic behaviours and disorders and defines them. Voyeuristic spying on others in private activities Exhibitionistic exposing the genitals Frotteuristic touching or rubbing against a non-consenting individual Sexual masochism undergoing humiliation, bondage or suffering Sexual sadism inflicting humiliation, bondage or suffering Paedophilic sexual focus on children Fetishistic using non-living objects or having a highly specific focus on non-genital body parts Transvestic engaging in sexually arousing cross-dressing Advertisement Masochism was enjoyed by 19 per cent and frotteurism where sexual pleasure is derived from rubbing the groin against another person without permission was ranked among the desires or experiences of 26 per cent. Professor Christian Joyal, a psychologist at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres who led the study, said: 'Some paraphilic interests are more common than people might think, not only in terms of fantasies but also in terms of desire and behaviour. 'The main goal of the study was to determine normal sexual desires and experiences in a representative sample of the general population. 'These facts suggest that we need to know what normal sexual practices are before we label a legal sexual interest as anomalous.' Professor Joyal and his team conducted telephone interviews with 1,040 people from Quebec about their sex lives. Of those questions, 46 per cent said they were interested in at least one type of sexual behaviour that is considered anomalous They found there was a strong relationship between an interest in sexual submission and an interest in other sexual activities. This suggests the desire to engage in masochism is significantly associated diverse sexual interests. 'In general, it is true that men are more interested in paraphilic behaviors than women,' explained Professor Joyal. A fifth of those questioned in the study said they enjoyed fetishism, where people derive sexual pleasure from non-living objects or by focusing non-genital body parts like feet (pictured) ranked among their desires or experiences. Nineteen per cent listed an interest in masochism or said they had experienced it 'However, this doesn't mean that women don't have these interests at all. 'In fact, women who report an interest in sexual submission have more varied sexual interests and report greater satisfaction with their sex lives. 'Sexual submission is therefore not an abnormal interest.' Although the study, which is published in The Journal of Sex Research, was only conducted in Quebec, Professor Joyal said the findings could also apply to wider populations in North America and Europe. The researchers argue their findings also indicate clearer distinctions need to be made between normal and abnormal sexual behaviour. Surprisingly 26 per cent of those questioned said they had an interest in or had taken part in frotteurism where sexual pleasure is derived from rubbing the groin against another person without permission. In many parts of the world, frotteurism has become a major problem on packed commuter trains (stock picture) They argued that many paraphilic behaviours seem to be quite common and so should be considered normal, but in some people they can become extreme, turning into disorders. However, Professor Joyal added: 'A paraphilic disorder refers to sexual acts that involve non-consenting partners or that cause suffering or confusion in the person who engages in the behaviour. 'The paraphilia may be absolutely necessary in order for the person to achieve sexual satisfaction. 'A paraphilia is not a mental disorder but rather a sexual preference for non-normophilic behavior, whereas paraphilic behaviour is non-preferential and only engaged in from time to time. The chimaera was dead in the net because of the sudden pressure in air Greek mythology has stories about Chimaera, a monstrous fire-breathing lion, goat and snake hybrid and one has been recently caught off the coast of Newfoundland. But this creature is a deep sea fish with a slimy body, green glowing eyes and ribbed fins that look like feathered wings. This eerie catch is said to be a long-nose chimaera that branched off from sharks almost 400 million years ago. Scroll down for video But this creature is a deep sea fish with a slimy body, green glowing eyes and ribbed fins that look like feathered wings. This eerie catch is said to be a long-nose chimaera that branched off from sharks almost 400 million years ago THE PREHISTORIC CHIMAERA The chimaera goes by various names including ratfish, rabbitfish, and ghostsharks. The group branched off from sharks, its closest relative, around 400 million years ago and have remained a distinct, and distinctly odd, lineage ever since and have been basically unchanged since they shared the Earth with dinosaurs. Like sharks and rays, chimaeras have a skeleton made of cartilage. Its beady eyes are designed to find food along the dark sea floor, which only glow if they are exposed to light. It feeds on shrimp and crabs and is completely harmless to humans. Advertisement The fish was caught during a commercial fishing excursion off the Grand Banks and St. Pierre and Miquelon, reports CBC News. Scott Tanner, the Lunenburg man who pulled the lifeless creature from the ocean, was about one month into the 40-day trip that was fishing for cod and red fish. 'There's lots of other weird stuff that comes out [of the ocean] but that one definitely stood out ... I don't imagine many people have seen one,' he said in an interview with CBC News. 'All the production stopped and everything so everybody could check it out.' 'Even the older guys that are 50, 60 years old, they've seen maybe one in their lifetime so they thought it was pretty neat and I snapped a couple pictures.' The chimaera weighed between two and five kilograms, but was already dead when it was pulled from the net. Tanner told News Nation that the sudden change in pressure was most likely the cause of death. Andrew Hebda, curator of zoology at the Museum of Natural History in Halifax, told News Nation that the chimera's eyes were likely bulging out because of how fast it was pulled from the water. The fish was caught during a commercial fishing excursion off the Grand Banks and St. Pierre and Miquelon, reports CBC News . The chimaera weighed between two and five kilograms, but was already dead when it was pulled from the net Long-nose chimaeras are one of three chimaera species in North Atlantic waters, but seeing one is quite uncommon because they live more than several hundred meters below the surface. The spooky fish has a long nose, menacing mouth and a venomous spine atop its gelatinous body. Although this creature looks like something from of a nightmare, it feeds on shrimp and crabs and is completely harmless to humans. Like all chimaeras, the long-nosed species is a distant relative of sharks and rays and is one of the oldest species of fish in the world. They also have cartilaginous skeletons, but until their relatives they have one external gill opening that is covered by a flap. Its beady eyes are designed to find food along the dark sea floor, which only glow if they are exposed to light. Sometimes called the ghost shark, it has a whip-like tail and can grow to around three feet long. Their pectoral fins are wide and flat, similar to wings, which makes them seem as if they are flying through the water. Another report of the alien looking fish came from northern Canada back in 2013. THE HISTORY OF THE CHIMERA Greek mythology has stories about Chimaera, a monstrous fire-breathing lion, goat and snake hybrid (pictured) Greek mythology has stories about Chimaera, a monstrous fire-breathing lion, goat and snake hybrid. Usually depicted as a lion, with the head of a goat arising from its back, and a tail that might end with a snake's head, it was one of the offspring of Typhon and Echidna and a sibling of such monsters as Cerberus and the Lernaean Hydra. Homer's brief description in the Iliad is the earliest surviving literary reference: "a thing of immortal make, not human, lion-fronted and snake behind, a goat in the middle, and snorting out the breath of the terrible flame of bright fire." The term chimera has come to describe any mythical or fictional animal with parts taken from various animals, or to describe anything composed of very disparate parts, or perceived as wildly imaginative, implausible, or dazzling. Advertisement Caught near the northernmost province of Nunavut in Davis Straight, it was first believed the odd fish was the similarly freakish goblin shark until researchers confirmed it was the long-nosed chimaera. Potentially, if we fish deeper, maybe between 1,000 and 2,000 metres (3,000 to 6,000 feet), we could find that's there's actually quite a lot of them there, University of Windsor researcher Nigel Hussey told CBC. We just dont know. Hussey, who is credited with finally identifying the fish, says the mystery comes from the strange creatures rarity. Only one of these fish has previously been documented from the Hudson Strait, Hussey said. Power is said to corrupt, and now experts have found individual people living in corrupt countries are also more likely to be dishonest. A study has revealed individual honesty tends to be greater in societies with low degrees of corruption, tax evasion and political fraud, and vice versa. While Austria, the Netherlands and the UK ranked highly for honesty in the research, Tanzania and Morocco, whose quality of institutions was marked as 'low', scored poorly. A study has shown individual honesty tends to be greater in societies with low degrees of corruption, tax evasion and political fraud, and vice versa. The four graphs above show 'corrupt' countries such as Morocco and Tanzania scored poorly, compared with more 'honest' countries such as the UK, Austria and Sweden Simon Gachter and his colleagues at the University of Nottingham came up with a 'prevalence of rule violations' (PRV) index to measure 159 countries. They used available data from 2003 on political fraud, tax evasion and corruption. They then conducted a die rolling experiment among 2,586 young people aged 22 on average from 23 representative countries, including Vietnam, Morocco, China, the UK, Spain, Sweden, Italy and the Czech Republic. The participants were too young to have influenced the index that drew on 2003 data. The 22-year-olds were each asked to roll a die in private and report the outcome. In the experiment, higher numbers translated to higher earnings and it was simple for participants to report inflated numbers for a small amount of extra money. The team discovered a 'robust link' between the prevalence of rule violations and intrinsic honesty. This means individuals from countries with a low incidence of rule breaking were found to be less likely to lie in order to get extra cash, compared from those from 'corrupt' countries. The study therefore suggests high exposure to rule breaking makes people more likely to stretch the truth. However, few individuals were either fully honest or dishonest in their manipulation of the numbers. The participants were each asked to roll a die in private (set up pictured) and report the outcome. In the experiment, higher numbers translated to higher earnings and it was simple for participants to report inflated numbers. The team discovered a 'robust link' between the prevalence of rule violations and intrinsic honesty The study suggests high exposure to rule breaking in countries where bribery is common, for example, makes people more likely to stretch the truth to gain more money. This chart shows the rankings. The higher the number in the 'Prevalence of Rule Violations' column, the more dishonest a country was, on average Dr Gachter told MailOnline: 'Even in the high corruption countries people are surprisingly honest in the sense that only a minority lie blatantly, although the incentive in the experiment are to lie maximally by claiming the highest amount possible irrespective of the die rolled. 'This behaviour is consistent with psychological theories of honesty that people care about honesty but sometimes stretch the truth a bit in a way to maintain an honest self-image and to benefit materially.' The study, published in the journal Nature concluded: 'The results are consistent with theories of the cultural co-evolution of institutions and values, and show that weak institutions and cultural legacies that generate rule violations not only have direct adverse economic consequences, but might also impair individual intrinsic honesty that is crucial for the smooth functioning of society.' 'big beautiful cloud with a blue and white pulsating light' quietly hovering over his and a fellow soldiers head UFOs were seen flying in and out of 'a major underwater alien base' near Guantanamo Bay almost 50 years ago, according to bizarre claims of a former US Marine. The ex-Marine has come forward to reveal what he and his comrades experienced in 1968 to 1969 while station at the Guantanamo Bay Naval base. Although the dates he put down 'are a shot in the dark', he recalls 'heavy UFO traffic over and around the base' that were '50 feet to 100 feet across'. Scroll down for video An ex-Marine has come forward to reveal what he and his comrades experienced in 1968 to 1969 while station at the Guantanamo Bay Naval base (pictured). Although the dates he put down 'are a shot in the dark', he recalls 'heavy UFO traffic over and around the base' that were '50 feet to 100 feet across' The interview was published by the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), which is said to be the 'largest UFO sightings documenting and investigation organization in the world', reports the Inquisitr. The interview describes many nights of sightings that he and his fellow soldiers witnessed and although they talked about the activity on base they were forbidden to discuss it in public. 'All of us Marines were amazed at the amount of UFO activity over and around this base,' the witness said. 'Virtually every night UFOs were flying overhead with altitudes of less than 300 feet.' The Marine, whose name remains anonymous, was given orders to monitor the fence line when he spotted the Martian vehicles. The testimony was filed as Case 74794 in the archives of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON. The Marine remembers seeing a UFO that looked like a 'big beautiful cloud with a blue and white pulsating light' quietly hovering over their heads. Most of the sightings were near the fence line of the base He described the UFOs being about 50 feet to 100 feet cross, but were not the flashy saucers shown in the movies. 'Most of these UFOs were approximately 50 to 100 feet across, but to the naked eye came off as a dull, hazy hull with a small red light trailing behind it,' he said. UFOs were seen flying in and out of 'a major underwater alien base' near Guantanamo Bay, according to bizarre claims of a former US Marine. 'When I stood guard duty on the south side of the base, I witnessed on many, many nights UFOs landing and taking off out of the ocean.' 'There were large blue lights moving around after their landing in the ocean and then slowly dimming down as they obviously descended deeper.' While monitoring his post, he witnessed several UFOs flying around the area night after night 'landing and taking off out of the ocean', he explained to investigators. WHAT HAPPENED DURING ONE OF THE MANY UFO SIGHTINGS? The witness recalled one event that he said was 'most exciting', which he observed while standing guard at the main gate of the base. He remembers seeing the UFO that looked like a 'big beautiful cloud with a blue and white pulsating light' quietly hovering over their heads 'It was approximately 7p.m. (dark) when I stepped out of the guard shack and looked across the fence at the deserted Cuban guard house when something caught my eye,' the former Marine said. 'Behind the Cuban guard shack near the ground was a huge white cloud with a blue/white, baby blue pulsating light in the middle of it.' Bewildered by the sighting, he asked of his comrades what they were seeing as it passed over the shack in their direction. He remembers seeing the UFO that looked like a 'big beautiful cloud with a blue and white pulsating light' quietly hovering over their heads. A few minutes later the silence was broken by someone yelling 'get the hell out of there'. A sergeant was yelling from the observation tower, ordering them to vacate the area. The Marine and other soldier walked towards the barracks just 200 feet away, which allowed them to observe the action from a safe distance. They saw Intelligence officers pull up to the scene with what looked like a film crew that recorded the alien vehicle while it hovered for about three hours before shooting off into the west. 'The UFO traveled about quarter of a mile, stopped for a moment, then like a bullet, shot straight up in the air until it disappeared,' he said. Advertisement After watching the ships take off and land, he assumed there had to be a major underwater UFO base in the Guantanamo Bay. The witness recalled one event that he said was 'most exciting', which he observed while standing guard at the main gate of the base, reports Open Minds. Around 7 pm, the former Marine stepped out of the guardhouse, looked over the fence at an empty guardhouse on the other side of the base and saw an enormous white cloud with blue flashing lights near the ground. U.S. Marines on guard at Guantanamo base in Cuba (pictured), the area where the former Marine witnessed countless UFOs landing on the bay and taking off. He described the UFOs being about 50 feet to 100 feet cross, dull and hazy with a single red light that trailed behind them and blue lights flashed as they landed on the ocean 'It was approximately 7p.m. (dark) when I stepped out of the guard shack and looked across the fence at the deserted Cuban guard house when something caught my eye,' the former Marine said. 'Behind the Cuban guard shack near the ground was a huge white cloud with a blue/white, baby blue pulsating light in the middle of it.' Bewildered by the sighting, he asked of his comrades what they were seeing as it passed over the shack in their direction. 'ALIENS STOPPED NUCLEAR WAR ON EARTH' SAYS FORMER ASTRONAUT Aliens came to Earth to stop a nuclear war between America and Russia, according the bizarre claim of a former astronaut. Edgar Mitchell, the sixth man to walk on the moon, says high-ranking military officials witnessed alien ships during weapons tests throughout the 1940s. The UFOs, he says, were spotted hovering over the world's first nuclear weapons test which took place on July 16, 1945 in the desolate White Sands deserts of New Mexico. The Nasa veteran has regularly spoken about his belief in aliens ever since he landed on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 14 mission in 1971. 'White Sands was a testing ground for atomic weapons - and that's what the extra-terrestrials were interested in,' the 84-year-old Texan told Mirror Online. 'They wanted to know about our military capabilities. 'My own experience talking to people has made it clear the ETs had been attempting to keep us from going to war and help create peace on Earth.' Dr Mitchell says stories from people who manned missile bases during the 20th Century back up his claims. 'Other officers from bases on the Pacific coast told me their [test] missiles were frequently shot down by alien spacecraft,' he said. He previously said supposedly real-life ET's were similar to the traditional image of a small frame, large eyes and head. He claimed our technology is 'not nearly as sophisticated' as theirs and 'had they been hostile', he warned 'we would be been gone by now'. Advertisement He remembers seeing the UFO that looked like a 'big beautiful cloud with a blue and white pulsating light' quietly hovering over their heads. A few minutes later the silence was broken by someone yelling 'get the hell out of there'. A sergeant was yelling from the observation tower, ordering them to vacate the area. The Marine and other soldier walked towards the barracks just 200 feet away, which allowed them to observe the action from a safe distance. An air view of the Guantanamo US Naval base (pictured) during the 1960s, which is the same time when the ex-Marine swears that 'virtually every night UFOs were flying overhead with altitudes of less than 300 feet'. The Marine, whose remains anonymous, was given orders to monitor the fence line when he spotted the UFOs They saw Intelligence officers pull up to the scene with what looked like a film crew that recorded the alien vehicle while it hovered for about three hours before shooting off into the west. 'The UFO traveled about quarter of a mile, stopped for a moment, then like a bullet, shot straight up in the air until it disappeared,' he said. 'I would love to go back there just to see if the UFOs are still showing up.' THINK YOU'VE BEEN ABDUCTED BY ALIENS? IT MAY BE SLEEP PARALYSIS Agents Mulder and Scully may have said 'the truth is out there' in the X Files, but it may instead be buried inside the brains of people who claim they have been abducted by aliens. Those who believe they have had a close encounter of the so-called 'fourth kind' may suffer from false memories or sleep paralysis, a psychologist has claimed. A rare form of the condition, which can involve hallucinations or the feeling of being dragged out of bed, may explain 'alien abductions' that people sincerely believe happened but can't remember. Writing for The Psychologist, Christopher C French, of Goldsmiths, the University of London, who specialises in the psychology of paranormal belief and experiences, said there are plausible explanations for why people 'see' flying saucers and think they have been abducted. He noted that most of the people making these claims are clinically sane, but their belief in life in outer space may influence what they see or feel in strange situations. Advertisement 'The dates that I have put down is a shot in the dark because that was 50 years ago.' Last year, a former Nasa employee came forward about the agency covering up a series of UFO sightings that they code named 'Santa Claus'. Amazon has signed a deal to lease 20 Boeing767 widebody freighter aircraft to handle more of its own deliveries in the United States. The deal comes at a time when the world's biggest online retailer is offering ever-faster, and increasingly free, deliveries for millions of online orders. Amazon, which relies on carriers like UPS and FedEx to deliver most of its packages, spent $11.5 billion on shipping last year. The deal comes at a time when the world's biggest online retailer is offering ever-faster free deliveries for millions of online orders. Amazon spent $11.5 billion on shipping last year. In a bid to assume more control over its supply chain and reduce costs, Amazon has rolled out thousands of trailers and launched a program that uses contract drivers to deliver fast orders. But analysts said the long-rumored plan to build its own air fleet posed little threat to the leading delivery companies. 'This is an incremental negative for FDX and UPS as it will likely remove some higher yielding express freight and parcel volume from each of the respective networks,' RBC Capital Markets analyst John Barnes wrote in a client note. UPS, the world's No. 1 package delivery company, operates about 240 large planes while FedEx has a fleet of about 370, Barnes noted. FedEx and UPS shares were down about 1.5 percent. FedEx said on Wednesday the announcement was not a surprise and called Amazon a valuable customer. 'We work closely with Amazon and have been aware for some time about their need for supplemental air capacity related to inventory management,' said Patrick Fitzgerald, senior vice president of integrated marketing and communications at FedEx. The leased planes will start to go into operation on April 1, Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Cheeseman said in an email. The duration of the leases will be five to seven years, lessor Air Transport Services Group said. As part of the agreement, Amazon has the right to buy up to 19.9 percent of ATSG's stock over five years at $9.73 per share. ATSG's stock soared almost 27 percent to a record high of $14.90, before paring gains to about 16 percent. Amazon also wants a section of airspace above our cities to be dedicated to hundreds of thousands of high-speed delivery drones. Amazon is proposing that a section of airspace above our cities should be dedicated to hundreds of thousands of high-speed delivery drones Its vision, which is in line with that of Google's, is for tracked drones to communicate their positions to a centralised computer system available to all operators, similar to aviation airspace. The move toward a 'drone superhighway' is the next step in Amazon's ambition plans to deliver packages via drone within 30 minutes. Google is also hoping drones could eventually be used for disaster relief by delivering aid to isolated areas - and for package delivery. A Nasa team is currently leading the effort to create a drone air-traffic system, named Unmanned Aerial System Traffic Management. So far, 14 companies have signed agreements to work with the agency, Google, Amazon, Verizon Communications Inc. and Harris Corp. In recent years there have been a growing number of close calls, including with other aircraft near airports, and close to helicopters. The latest recommendations, put forward by Amazon, are a bid to speed approval of unmanned aerial vehicles in large portions our skies. There would be a slow lane for local traffic below 200 feet (60 metres) and a fast lane for long-distance transport between 200 (60 metres) and 400 feet (120 metres). Altitudes between 400 (120 metres) and 500 feet (152 metres) would become a no-fly zone The proposals were unveiled today at a Nasa UTM Convention at Nasa Ames in California. Gur Kimchi, a vice president who heads the Amazon's drone-delivery division, told Bloomberg News that drones should remain within 400 feet (120 metres) of the ground. There would be a slow lane for local traffic below 200 feet (60 metres) and a fast lane for long-distance transport between 200 (60 metres) and 400 feet (120 metres). Altitudes between 400 (120 metres) and 500 feet (152 metres) would become a no-fly zone, and anything above that is already against FAA regulations. In cases when aircraft would enter drone flyways, drones would automatically give way, he said. The vehicles much also be capable of communicating with each other. A centralised computer system of known flight hazards, such as towers and high ground, would be developed and shared with drone users, allowing them to automatically avoid these areas. Long-range drones must also give notice when and where they intend to fly, and they have to be connected to the internet, he added. Drones capable of flying long distances must also have sensors that can detect birds and other hazards not in the centralised database, Amazon claims. This would prepare the airspace for a future in which thousands of drones fly over cities delivering parcels. One group that may take issue with the proposals are hobbyists and modellers. Under current rules in the US, they are allowed to fly their aircraft within line of sight up to 400ft (120 metres) as long as they stay away from airports. Google has already tested its own drone delivery system. Google Project Wing's aircraft have a wingspan of approximately 1.5m (4.9ft) and have four electrically-driven propellers Under Amazon's proposals, they would have to stick to the 200ft (60 metre) to 400ft (120 metre) section of the sky, and meet technical recommendations. Amazon's proposals are echoed by suggestions put forward by Google. Dave Vos, who heads Google's Project Wing division, said in an interview earlier this month that different companies could develop drone air-traffic systems. 'We think the airspace side of this picture is really not a place where any one entity or any one organisation can think of taking charge,' he told Bloomberg News. Away prices at Premier League matches will be capped at 30 for the next three years, after a ground-breaking agreement between clubs confirmed this morning. A phone-in meeting convened by Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore decided on the concession which is a result of the new television deal, worth 5.14billion, set to begin next season. There were dissenting voices during the discussions but the weight of opinion was behind the 30 cap, and ultimately all clubs got behind the deal. Away prices at Premier League matches will be capped at 30 for fans for the next three years There has been growing unrest at the cost of attending Premier League matches in recent seasons It is still a compromise arrangement, with fans groups backing the Twenty's Plenty campaign to cap prices at 20. There was little appetite among the clubs for that, but Scudamore has driven 30 as a figure acceptable to all, and after several months of talks has got the widespread support needed. If the decision had gone to a vote, it is likely a 30 cap would have received the backing of the 14 clubs required to make it Premier League policy. Those against would then have had to agree, or risk defying the League's management, which is unprecedented. PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS RESPOND ARSENAL: 'The club is also providing a further 4 discount for its away supporters attending Premier League matches. This will ensure no Arsenal fans will pay more to support Arsenal at Premier League away games than the lowest priced 26 ticket.' BOURNEMOUTH: Chairman Jeff Mostyn: 'As one of the Premier League's recently promoted clubs, we have found the impact of away fans one of the league's most remarkable features.' CHELSEA: Chairman Bruce Buck: 'From next season onwards on top of the 30 away ticket cap, the club will continue to provide financial assistance for travelling Blues.' EVERTON: Chief Executive Robert Elstone: 'Our away fans are among the most dedicated and committed throughout the Premier League and that loyalty is deserving of this commitment by the clubs.' NEWCASTLE: 'Newcastle welcomed the new agreement and added that it had been involved in reciprocal pricing deals with clubs for away tickets since 2013. In this time, 12 separate deals had been put in place, saving adult fans on average 21.25.' Advertisement Ultimately, it did not come to that, and the meeting was described as amicable. Certainly, the timing is significant with five clubs Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool reeling from the adverse publicity of last week's meeting with American event organiser Charlie Stillitano at the Dorchester Hotel. With discussions said to centre around a restructuring of European qualification processes to benefit the elite clubs, and the public reaction hugely negative, announcing a 30 cap for away fans will be seen by some clubs as a way of restoring their battered image. Despite the three-year term, a salary cap for away fans is likely to be enshrined in Premier League policy from here, after travelling supporters were afforded special status in the explanation for the decision. The Premier League statement says away fans have a 'unique status' and are 'essential for match atmosphere'. It credits away fans, rather than the away team, with stirring emotions in the home supporters that creates the unique atmosphere at Premier League matches. The difficulties facing away fans are also acknowledged, the Premier League recognising the drain of travel costs and other expenses around ticket prices. The fact that tickets are purchased on a match by match basis means away fans cannot take advantage of the discounts and offers available to home fans. Despite the three-year term, a cap for away fans is likely to be enshrined in Premier League policy from here Richard Scudamore, the Premier League chief executive, organised the meeting between the 20 clubs It is still a compromise arrangement, with many fan groups backing the Twenty's Plenty campaign Of course, a set 30 across all away games total cost 570 for 19 matches raises the prospect of clubs selling an away season ticket to guarantee admission, meaning travelling fans could benefit from advance purchase discounts, too. Finally, the clubs accepted that all 20 Premier League members share responsibility for away supporters, and any arrangement had to be completely reciprocal. It would have been calamitous to have a breakaway group who did not comply, with other clubs then employing tit-for-tat price rises. Gatwick and Luton have been named Britains worst airports for flight delays during the peak summer travel season, a new report has revealed. Nearly half (43 per cent) of all flights from Gatwick suffered a delay of 15 minutes or more, while 32 per cent of departures at Luton were held up during the busiest summer ever in 2015, according to a Civil Aviation Authority study of traffic at 24 UK airports. London home to three of the five busiest airports fared the worst in the report, which also revealed that delays are becoming longer and more frequent. Scroll down for video Last summer nearly half of all departures (43 per cent) at London Gatwick Airport suffered a delay WHICH UK AIRPORTS ARE WORST FOR FLIGHT DELAYS? (1-10) Airport 1. Gatwick 2. Luton 3. Jersey 4. Heathrow 5. Manchester 6. Glasgow 7. Cardiff 8. Edinburgh 9. Doncaster Sheffield 10. Stansted Total flights (000s) 70.9 23.8 6.8 122.9 41.8 20.7 2.9 28.4 0.9 37.8 Percentage of delays 43% 32% 30% 29% 27% 26% 25% 24% 24% 23% Source: Civil Aviation Authority, based on data from July-September 2015 Advertisement Rounding out the bottom five, Jersey was third worst with 30 per cent of its flights suffering a delay, followed by Britains busiest airport, Heathrow (29 per cent), and Manchester (27 per cent). Leeds Bradford, one of the country's least busiest major airports, fared the best with just 16 per cent of its flights affected by delays. Across the country, 27 per cent of flights didn't leave on time a five-year high and the average delay increased by one minute, largely due to worsening figures in the capital region. Nearly a third (31 per cent) of all flights from London airports City, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Stansted (Southend was not included) between July and September suffered a delay. They were stuck on the ground for an average of 17 minutes. Leeds Bradford, one of the country's least busiest major airports, had the best on-time performance in the UK WHICH AIRPORTS ARE WORST FOR FLIGHT DELAYS? (11-24) Airport 11. Bristol 12. Liverpool 13. Belfast International 14. Birmingham 15. Southampton 16. Exeter 17. Newcastle 18. East Midlands 19. London City 20. Aberdeen 21. Belfast City 22. Durham Tees Valley 23. Bournemouth 24. Leeds Bradford Total flights (000s) 14.6 9.1 8.3 22.1 9.5 2.6 10.3 9.4 19.7 13.1 10.8 1.0 2.2 9.6 Percentage of delays 22% 22% 22% 21% 21% 20% 19% 19% 18% 18% 18% 18% 17% 16% Source: Civil Aviation Authority, based on data from July-September 2015 Advertisement Gatwick had the longest average delay in the country (23 minutes), followed by Luton and Jersey (17 minutes), and Heathrow, Manchester and Glasgow (15 minutes). A spokesperson for Gatwick blamed congestion over European airspace, air traffic control strikes on the continent and poor weather for the high percentage of delays. The spokesperson added: Gatwick operates the worlds busiest single runway airport and strives to get all flights away on time but incidents beyond Gatwicks control had a big influence on the airports overall performance and punctuality. Gatwick has more flights to Europe than any UK airport and can therefore be impacted disproportionately by events affecting European airspace. Luton blamed similar problems, with a spokesman adding: 'The majority of London airports experienced a reduction in on-time performance between July and September. 'At London Luton the overriding cause was airspace restrictions in Europe that impacted airlines schedules.' London City had the shortest average delay, at nine minutes. Outside London, 23 per cent of flights were delayed with an average wait time of 13 minutes per flight. THE AVERAGE DELAYS AT 24 MAJOR UK AIRPORTS Airport Gatwick Luton Jersey Heathrow Manchester Southampton Cardiff Doncaster Sheffield Edinburgh Birmingham Bristol Liverpool Belfast International Stansted Exter Belfast City Newcastle Aberdeen Leeds Bradford East Midlands Bournemouth Durham Tees Valley London City Average delay (minutes) 23 17 17 15 15 14 14 14 13 13 13 13 13 12 12 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 9 Advertisement The summer of 2015 was a record season for air travel, with more than 78 million people passing through the 24 airports included in the study, up 5.5 per cent on 2014. The CAA attributed the increase to larger passenger planes and an increase in holiday bookings. Last summer there were 2.5 per cent more commercial flights than the same period in 2014, but still nine per cent less than the peak in 2007. Tim Johnson, CAA policy director, said: Airlines are accommodating the continuing strong passenger demand by carrying the extra passengers on larger aircraft, rather than increasing the number of flights significantly. However, punctuality was the worst of any summer period since 2010 something we know many passengers will have found frustrating and an issue airlines, airports and air traffic control services should work to address. A plane had to turn back from the runway at Birmingham Airport after cabin crew became worried a man who was so drunk he couldn't fasten his seatbelt would start trouble. Keith Elliott, 48, had boarded the Flybe flight to Belfast to attend his mother's funeral, but had 'topped up' on alcohol after drinking the night before. Cabin crew asked the pilot to turn around and head back to the stand because they were so concerned with Mr Elliott's behaviour. The Flybe flight out of Birmingham Airport had to turn back from the runway after staff became concerned drunk Keith Elliott would cause trouble Police were then called to the aircraft, and the unruly passenger was forcibly removed from the plane. Birmingham magistrates were told the passenger was drunk and was sitting in the wrong seat and could not do up his seatbelt. Elliott, from Birmingham, pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft and was fined 500, ordered to pay 225 costs and 50 victim surcharge. Simon Brownsey, prosecuting, told the court how the incident happened on the Flybe service from Birmingham to Belfast last November. It was due to depart at midday and, as the passengers were boarding, one cabin crew member noticed Elliott's behaviour and told a colleague inside the plane to keep an eye on him. The stewardess told Elliott that they would not be serving him alcohol on the flight after he admitted that he'd 'had a couple of drinks'. Mr Elliott was flying out of Birmingham Airport to Belfast to attend the funeral of his mother He then boarded the plane but sat in the wrong seat. Mr Brownsey said the crew made an initial assessment that he was not so drunk as to be considered a risk and the plane left the stand and taxied towards the runway. 'It then became apparent that the defendant was having trouble fastening his seatbelt and he looked more drunk and had trouble understanding what the cabin crew were saying to him,' Mr Brownsey said. 'The plane had by now left the stand but the decision was made to return to the stand and the defendant be asked to get off the plane.' By now it was 12.20pm and by turning back, the flight had missed its slot. Mr Brownsey said the police were called and boarded the plane, but Elliott refused to get off so officers had to forcibly remove him. Edward Ball, defending, said his client 'had a couple of drinks' the night before and then 'topped up' in the airport bar to steady his nerves. He was travelling to Belfast for his mother's funeral and was also an anxious flyer. He said at no point was his client aggressive or abusive towards cabin crew. Elliott was in the wrong seat because he wasn't wearing his glasses and his behaviour changed because he was getting 'more and more anxious' as the plane got closer to the runway, his solicitor said. Sentencing Elliott, magistrate David Chester told him the amount of money he would have to pay was 'a considerable sum for a stupid incident'. 'We view this matter very seriously,' he said. 'It's very disturbing, not just for the flight attendants but also for the passengers, many of whom, like you, would have been anxious about flying. FARGO -- McKinley Theobald has volunteered in Fargo-Moorhead and canvassed in Iowa for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders. But the North Dakota State University junior still doesn't know where or how she will vote for Sanders in November, should he become the nominee. "I wanted to register in North Dakota because this is where I live now. I spent the entire school year; it's where I've invested my life," Theobald, 23, said Tuesday. "But my parents are now moving to Illinois, and I have no connection to Illinois, but it's easier for me to vote in Illinois, and that's just kind of absurd to me." To help students navigate North Dakota's voting requirements, the Cass County Commission has approved a $20,000 voter education advertising campaign, which is expected to begin in late April, prior to the June 14 primary. Likewise, the secretary of state is planning to advertise to the general population, and NDSU's student government will have a "Rock the Vote" campaign. Even when students know the law, many find it discouraging, especially since 2015, when the Legislature eliminated the option for college students to use a student identification certificate to vote on campus. Students now need to either change their address to their Fargo residence or vote in their home precinct. That's difficult for students like Theobald, who's in the dorms now but has no idea where she'll be living in the fall. She thinks it may be easier to register in Illinois, where she has never lived. "It's something that drives me absolutely mad because, if I'm living in a place and I'm invested in the community, then why should I not be able to vote here?" she said. "It does do a little bit to discourage students from voting," student government representative Jacob Dailey said of the recent change. "That being said, students do have the ability to vote." Too much of a hassle All of the NDSU students interviewed said they think it's important to vote in the Nov. 8 presidential election. "I just want to make sure that we have somebody qualified and that'll be good for our country," said junior Ally Joersz. The Democrat from Mandan is worried about that with these candidates. Joersz has changed her address on her driver's license, but her friend, sophomore Shania Wilson, didn't realize that was a requirement. Once she found out, Wilson said she probably wouldn't go to the hassle of making the change. Secretary of State Al Jaeger said voters can change their address online, without paying for a new driver's license. When they go to the polls, that address will be reflected in an electronic pollbook. Voters must do this 30 days before the election. But some students, such as 29-year-old junior Alec Bruns, are hesitant to change their address to one that's impermanent. "It's just easier to use my parents' address for bills and whatever else," Bruns said. "I don't know how long I'll have this address." Bruns, a Democrat from just outside Minneapolis, plans to vote absentee. In 2014, he could have voted in North Dakota with a student ID certificate. "The certificates were easier for students who aren't from Fargo and aren't from North Dakota," said Dailey, who meets with policymakers on behalf of NDSU's student government. "One thing we do know about student voters is that if the process is complicated, they won't vote." A study conducted by NDSU in 2014 states that 3.6 percent of students were turned away from the polls due to residency requirements that year. "The cynic in me makes me think they did it to keep out-of-towners from swaying elections," Bruns said. "Younger generations tend to be more left-leaning." But "it makes sense," said junior Haylee Beehler, a Republican from Mandan. "As far as keeping track of who is who and not double voting." Junior Bailey Hawbaker, a Republican from Portal, was concerned that with certificates, Minnesota students would vote here and "slightly sway North Dakota's votes," she said. Creating awareness The Cass County campaign will focus on creating awareness of changes to voter law in Cass County. In addition to the 2015 changes, a law passed by the Legislature in 2013 requires voters to show identification before they can vote. The accepted forms of identification are a driver's license, a nondriver's ID card, an official tribal ID or a long-term care certificate prescribed by the secretary of state. A military ID or passport is acceptable for uniformed or overseas citizens. "We want to make it as easy as possible for people to go to vote and cast their ballot," said Cass County Election Coordinator DeAnn Buckhouse. "I don't want a lot of people coming to the polls on Election Day and have the wrong address on their ID." The campaign will focus on student voters and is scheduled to run in NDSU's newspaper, The Spectrum, as well as across Forum Communications properties. Dailey said the NDSU student government also plans to have a "Rock the Vote" campaign that will provide voter education resources to students on campus. Jaeger didn't know the details of his office's advertising campaign, but he said it will be directed to the general voting population and focused on the need to update driver's licenses. He disputed the notion that the Legislature has made voting difficult for students. "All college students or anybody that's of voting age needs to decide where it is that they live, and they need to think ahead on this. This is not a decision that's made the day of the election," Jaeger said. Former child star Sarah Monahan, who was abused by her Hey Dad! co-star Robert Hughes, has told how her mother disowned her once she went public. The 38-year-old, whose attacker was jailed last May for a minimum of six years, revealed to mamamia how her mother Linda 'resented' her for bringing shame on the family name. '[My mum] disowned me when I went public... apparently she resented me because as a kid she would have liked to go back to work and, because I was working, she had to drive me around and then apparently when I went public I made her look bad.' Scroll down for video Speaking up: A young Sarah Monahan (centre, front) pictured with Robert Hughes (second left) and the Hey Dad! cast said her mother disowned her once she told how Hughes sexually abused her Today: The 38-year-old, whose attacker was jailed last May for a minimum of six years, revealed to mamamia how her mother 'resented' her for bringing shame on the family name She went on: 'I let it go. I push it back on her because she didnt talk to her own mother for fifteen years, so she had an issue, not me, so I just let her have her own issues.' The Australian actress, one of the many victims who suffered sexual abuse at the hands of the Hughes on the set of Hey Dad!, which first aired in 1987, told the online publication her ordeal has put her off having children of her own. 'The world is overpopulated... I have weird genetic things I feel I don't want to pass on and, because I'm not close to my mother, I don't feel I need to repeat that again,' she said. Not close: Her mother Linda, pictured, didn't talk to her own mother for 15 years, says Sarah Today: Hughes' wife Robyn Gardiner (left) and daughter Jessica Hughes (right), seen leaving a Sydney court during the actor's sentencing Hughes, who played Sarah's on-screen father from 1987 to 1993, was sentenced in 2014 to a maximum of ten years and nine months with a non-parole period of six years. The actor was convicted on ten of 11 child sex charges, with the jury being discharged after not being able to reach a majority verdict on the 11th charge. In an interview ahead of the launch of her autobiography, Allegedly, which details the extent of her abuse, Sarah had a pointed question for actress Cate Blanchett, who thanked her agent Robyn Gardiner - Hughes' celebrity agent wife - in her acceptance speech for Blue Jasmine. She described Cate's 2014 Best Actress Oscars speech as a slap in the face to his victims telling the Daily Telegraph: Now that shes got a daughter, would she let [Robert] at her house?' Not impressed: Cate Blanchett thanked Hughes' wife Robyn Gardiner in her acceptance speech for Blue Jasmine in a move that upset Sarah I get that she was trying to show her support for Robyn but it was a slap in the face to all the victims. I wonder if she would let ... Robert babysit her kids. Cate said during the speech: 'To my agent in Australia, Robyn Gardiner, I love you so very much.' Hughes' trial took almost six weeks to come to a verdict, with the actor pleading not guilty to all charges against him regarding indecent and sexual assault committed between 1983 and 1991. There is no suggestion Robyn was aware of her husbands offending. Sarah gave evidence at the trial saying she found the court proceedings at times more traumatic than the abuse she suffered and admitted there were times she struggled to cope. There were times I thought about killing myself, seriously, she told the Daily Telegraph. Looking forward: Former child star Sarah was abused by her Hey Dad! co-star and has since been struggling to move on Sarah was six years old when she joined the show in 1987 and first went public with her story of abuse in a Woman's Day article in March 2010. She went on to repeat allegations on A Current Affair insisting she was abused while on the set of Hey Dad! by Hughes. She has previously said she 'got away light' compared to her on-screen father's other victims - but was relieved and said she felt vindicated by his guilty verdict. Some of the show's former actors say members of the Australian acting industry ostracised them after they spoke out about Hughes' child sex abuse. Indio Falconer Downey, the son of Robert Downey Jr., has had his felony drug possession conviction dismissed. According to TMZ, the 22-year-old's case was overseen by judge Lauren Weis Birnstein on Tuesday. The LA native was pictured at the Airport Courthouse in Los Angeles just before his hearing. His father, who has famously battled drug addiction in the past but has been sober for years. Scroll down for video All's well: Indio Falconer Downey was pictured arriving to the Airport Courthouse in Los Angeles just before his cocaine case was dismissed Suited up: Indio wore a dark blue suit and red tie as he arrived to the courthouse The conviction against Robert's son was dropped after Indio gave proof that he had successfully finished a drug diversion program, according to the website. Indio was charged in August 2014 for felony drug possession. In June 2014, Indio was arrested after police officers allegedly spotted him smoking a pipe while riding as a passenger in a car in West Hollywood. He plead guilty to felony possession of a controlled substance - namely, cocaine - in September 2014. With dad: The conviction against Robert's son was dropped after Indio gave proof that he had successfully finished a drug diversion program, according to the website; here they are seen in 2007 The young actor appeared in front of Judge Keith Schwartz, where he was ordered to continue to receive treatment for his drug addiction but ruled he would not face jail time and, if he stays clean and on the right side of the law for 18 months, his conviction will be expunged. That turned out to be the case on Tuesday for Indio, who shared his hopes that he could serve as a future inspiration. 'I would like to say I am truly grateful for the experience I had over the last 20 months in recovery,' Indio told the judge, according to the celebrity website. 'I'm so blessed to have my life back. I hope to be an inspiration to work with others in the future,' he said. 'I'm so blessed to have my life back': Downey shared his hopes to serve as an inspiration for others in the future Over a year ago Robert explained to Vanity Fair how he had inherited his issues from his father and his son Indio, who was arrested in June on Felony Drug Possession, had also taken the same path. The Iron Man actor, who was recently pardoned for a 1996 drug conviction by California governor Jerry Brown, said: 'Hes his mother [musician Deborah Falconer]'s son and my son, and hes come up the chasm much quicker than we did. Candid: Sitting down for the magazine's October edition a very wordy Robert said, 'pick a dysfunction and it's a family problem' 'But thats typical in the Information Age; things get accelerated. Youre confronted with histories and predispositions and influences and feelings and unspoken traumas or needs that werent met, and all of a sudden youre three miles into the woods. Can you help someone get out of those woods? Yes, you can. By not getting lost looking for them.' Being slightly more straight up he continued: 'Pick a dysfunction and its a family problem. Family matters: Over a year ago Robert Downey Jr. explained to Vanity Fair how he had inherited his issues from his father and his son Indio, who was arrested in June on Felony Drug Possession, had also taken the same path Most reality stars splurge their cash as soon as they get a taste of fame, but not Sean Lowe. The Bachelorette then Bachelor star revealed to Fortune that he saved his earnings from those two hit ABC dating shows, as well as Dancing With The Stars, and invested wisely in a $10 million real estate project in his native Texas. 'When the Bachelor ended, I realized the financial potential of that whole wacky experience. Fame pays, but, I knew itd be short-lived. If I could save every penny, I could parlay it into long-lasting success back home in Dallas,' the 32-year-old said. Scroll down for video Smarter than most: Sean Lowe told Fortune that he has saved his money from The Bachelor and invested it in a $10 million real estate deal in Texas; here he is seen with wife Catherine Giudici in November They are expecting their first child: The 32-year-old kissed his wife's baby bump in a picture shared Monday Lowe - who was turned down by Emily Maynard on The Bachelorette - built a foundation. 'Fast-forward to the present, and that money I saved is being spent developing real estate projects in Dallas with my good friend and realtor, Rogers Healy,' he said. 'Together, weve developed close to $10 million worth of residential and multifamily real estate.' He added: 'Weve built and sold speculative projects so far, but we anticipate building multifamily rentals and mixed-use commercial buildings in the near future that will hopefully generate residual income and safeguard us from a downturn in the housing market.' His first love interest: Before The Bachelor, Sean was on The Bachelorette where he was turned down by Emily Maynard; here she is seen in NYC on March 1 Before getting into real estate investments, Sean was involved in the insurance business. He added though that he didn't want to be tied to an office. 'Sitting behind a desk all day didnt appeal to me. I wanted to work toward something really big. I wanted to build something of my own,' he said. And he knows how lucky he is to now be able to call himself an entrepreneur. 'I guess I owe most of my entrepreneurial success to The Bachelor,' he admitted. 'I never imagined signing up for a reality show about love would have led me to the realization of my dreams.' The star traced his steps to success. 'After graduating college, I knew I wanted to tackle my entrepreneurial endeavors, but I didnt exactly have a game plan. 'I pursued all kinds of jobs. In my 20s, I was a personal trainer (a fun way to make money while devising a real plan), flipped a house (loved every minute of it but the market crashed shortly after I sold it), sold oil and gas investments (learned real quick how much boiler rooms suck), helped two friends start their own oil and gas company (the oil market crashed shortly thereafter), created and sold a discount coupon book for golf courses (not a bad little venture), bought and sold toxic mortgage debt for a startup (helped me better understand mortgages), started my own financial services company which serviced debt (that went down in flames due to FTC regulations), and begrudgingly worked as an insurance agent (hated every second of it).' He also gushed over wife Catherine Giudici, 29, who he wed in January 2014. 'As soon as the first episode aired, I was thrust into fame. Each week, millions of people tuned in to see if Id find the love of my life. I did in fact find love with a beautiful girl named Catherine. Weve been married two years now and are expecting our first child this summer,' he said. On Monday, he shared an Instagram snap where he's kissing her pregnant belly. 'This relationship seems one sided so far,' he captioned the snap. Lowe's success seems to be unusual for Bachelor vets. She developed a passion for fitness in her late teens and has incorporated exercise into her daily routine ever since. And Ellie Goulding was showing off the results of her ongoing fitness regime as she hit Cardiff during her UK tour on Tuesday night, sporting a tiny top and cropped trousers behind the scenes before changing into a pair of hotpants once on stage. The 29-year-old pop princess was cool, calm and collected as she hung out backstage at sold out Motorpoint Arena gig in Cardiff - and the concert was all the more meaningful since her estranged father Arthur was reportedly in the audience to watch her perform. Scroll down for video Work it: Ellie Goulding hit the stage at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff on Tuesday night in a racy look Ellie showed off her gym-honed body in her racy stage costume, slipping into a pair of tight PVC hotpants and a poloneck top. The small shorts showcased her muscular legs in all their glory, with a pair of biker boots adding a stylish edge. Her short blonde hair was left loose as she danced around the stage. Flashing some skin: Ellie showed off her gym-honed body in a pair of tight PVC hotpants and a poloneck top Edgy: She added chunky boots so she could dance around stage with ease Before the show kicked off, Ellie flaunted her washboard stomach in a bodycon crop top, which featured a seriously plunging neckline. She teamed the sportswear meets business chic with a sophisticated blazer and a pair of white trainers. The Anything Could Happen hit-maker swept her blonde bob away from her face and set off her look with flattering, rosy make-up. The Cardiff gig was allegedly a momentous occasion for Ellie since it reportedly marked the first time the singer's estranged dad Arthur - who left her family when she was just five - was supporting her. All change: The star also showed some skin in a cut-out black playsuit Top of the crops! Before hitting the stage Ellie displayed her athletic physique in a slinky bralet and cropped trousers Chilling out: The 29-year-old singer was cool, calm and collected as she posed backstage before her gig, with her estranged father Arthur reportedly watching her from the audience Taking to the stage: Ellie changed into her tiny shorts to perform in the Welsh capital Lively performance: Ellie belted out some of her biggest hits, including Love Me Like You Do Loving life: Ellie is in the midst of a world tour which sees her play dates all over Europe in March According to the Daily Mirror, Ellie has keen to make amends with her father since they reunited for the first time in a decade in December. The dulcet toned singer has previously spoken about the emotional impact being abandoned by him has had on her, as well as penning a track called I Know You Care. MailOnline has reached out to Ellie's representative for comment. Beaming: Ellie's joy was perhaps down to the fact her dad Arthur was reportedly watching from the audience Military chic: The star covered up in a stylish navy jacket with leather accents I whip my hair back and forth: The blonde really got into the swing of things onstage Biker chic: Ellie set off her toned legs with a pair of chunky ankle boots All eyes on her: The chart-topping star put her all into the performance In the spotlight: Ellie looked full of confidence as she entertained the huge crowd Meanwhile the chart-topping singer is alleged to have called off her relationship with Dougie Poynter for the second time. Ellie and Dougie, 28, had been dating on and off for two years. They kept their relationship under wraps for some time before the bassist confirmed the rumours to Fearne Cotton during a fly-on-the-wall documentary with McBusted in May 2014. According to The Daily Mirror, it's believed the musicians' conflicting career commitments have forced them apart once again. Ellie is in the midst of a world tour which sees her play dates all over Europe in March, including 11 in the UK, before heading to North America in April for three months. Another change: The style chameleon also slipped into a glam white dress for one part of her show Bit of sparkle: Ellie added a pop of colour to her black costumes with a rainbow cape Single lady: Ellie is alleged to have split from McBusted rocker Dougie Poynter for the second time Conflicting careers: The couple are reported to have struggled to find time for each other in the midst of their busy schedules Back to the day job: While she is thought to be single again, Ellie has been busy focusing on her work Wowing them: The body-confident star has chosen some daring stage looks for her tour Khloe Kardashian slams rumours she is not Robert Kardashian's biological daughter on an episode of her upcoming show. The 31-year-old discusses how angered she was when an ex wife of her father made public claims regarding her family in a teaser for Kocktails With Khloe. An ex wife of Kardashian patriarch Robert named Ellen Pierson (his fourth) sold excerpts from his private diaries to a publication in 2013 and claimed in an interview that Khloe was in fact not the famous attorney's biological daughter. Scroll down for video Hitting back: Khloe Kardashian slams rumours she is not Robert Kardashian's biological daughter on an episode of her upcoming show (pictured in NYC last week) Pierson, who married Robert six weeks before his death from cancer in 2003, claimed that her deceased husband had admitted to her that Khloe was another man's child. 'I think the thing that most became overwhelming was when, like, the stuff happened with one of my dad's wives,' Khloe admitted in the clip from her talk show obtained by Us Weekly. 'She wanted to come out, like, 10 years later after my dad passed away and said that I'm not his daughter and that he confided in her and blah-say-blah.' See Khloe Kardashian updates as she slams rumors she isn't Robert Kardashian's daughter Proud daughter: Khloe paid tribute last month to her father on what would have been his 72nd birthday 'I was like, "Listen, you can talk about me and my sisters all you f***ing want," she said, '"Do not talk about my dad He's not here!"' Meanwhile, Khloe paid tribute last month to her father on what would have been his 72nd birthday. The reality star shared a snap of her as a child with her father to Instagram with the caption: 'To the best man I've ever known, happy birthday daddy.' 'I miss you! I miss you! I miss you! Man... I wish we had more pictures together.' The divorce papers have not even been drawn up and the fighting is continuing between Geoffrey Edelsten and estranged wife Gabi Grecko. The former medic, 72, has called his 26-year-old ex 'juvenile' after she mocked him by posing with a made-up 'corpse' dubbed 'Dr Deadlesten' on the cover of US magazine,Girls and Corpses. Hitting back at the Miami-born model, the Melbourne-based businessman told Daily Mail Australia: 'It's all very juvenile... It's sour grapes because she can't have me'. Scroll down for video Furious: Geoffrey Edelsten, 72, has hit back at estranged wife Gabi Grecko, 26, calling her 'juvenile' after she posed with a made-up 'corpse' dubbed 'Dr Deadlesten' on the cover of US magazine, Girls and Corpses Her ghoulish revenge: The 26-year-old stripped down to racy lace lingerie to pose with 'Dr. Deadlesten' for the cover of cult magazine in the US following her split with the former medic Watch the entire Girls and Corpses interview with Gabi Grecko here Whilst Gabi, who is based in New York, shrugged off her latest magazine shoot, telling Daily Mail Australia 'he'll find it funny,' Geoffrey begged to differ. 'She is no longer in my life and I don't care what she does from now,' he said on Wednesday. 'It's very strange behaviour indeed, I'm just relieved we're no longer together.' He added: 'I have other women in their twenties interested in me, Gabi is old news.' The pair split in September with Gabi jumping on a plane to New York accusing him of being in love with his long-term secretary, Kaye Whittaker. Being frank: Speaking about her latest venture in a video, the buxom model confessed, 'The main focus was Dr Edelsten, basically my ex-husband who was extremely older than I am, 72-years-old' Speaking about her latest venture in a behind-the-scenes video, the outspoken star confessed: 'I love the Girls And Corpses magazine but the main focus was Dr Edelsten, basically my ex-husband who was extremely older than I am, 72-years-old. 'I think the guy who played him really pulled it off.' The busty socialite, who married the Australian medical entrepreneur last winter, admitted the reason she initially married him was because he 'had lots of credentials.' 'I think the guy who played him really pulled it off': She said the 'corpse' looked just like her ex 'We had sex before our wedding night, he was really polite and really stable,' she explained. 'He seemed like he had a lot of credentials, like a lot of degrees. 'He seemed to have an interesting life and he really expressed himself. But it turns out that he was a really bad person, hes done a lot of different things, hes not attractive and hes bankrupt.' 'Four months of marriage was enough,' she quipped. When asked how she satisfies her urges, Gabi replied: 'I guess I didnt, Im pretty proud of myself for not cheating. High-five to me.' Gabi did, however, talk about her penchant for dating much older men, claiming Geoffrey was one of the 'younger ones'. Lashing out: Earlier this month, Gabi launched a bitter rant at her estranged husband on Instagram, claiming they never consummated their marriage and that he has 'no money Fuming: The 26-year-old model shared this ranting post on Instagram to sully her ex's name 'Yeah I like them long enough so I can know them but older enough so they die by the time I break up with them and I dont have to deal with them,' she said. 'You know sometimes your exes pop up, but here you dont have to worry about seeing them at Starbucks or something, because hes dead.' The garish cover comes after Gabi recently made explosive claims towards her estranged partner. Last month she took to Instagram to list a flurry of accusations towards him, alleging that he has 'no money' and that they never consummated their marriage. Introducing the post, she said she was tired of being labelled a 'gold digger' and that she 'thought she loved' Geoffrey when they married in 2015. Fuming over their ongoing feud, she said: 'If you don't have sex with your wife, she ain't your wife.' Acrimony: Gabi and Geoff were married for just a few months before they announced they were to separate last year In another blow she continued: 'He has NO money and didn't the whole time we were together. Why do you think I got married to you in a dress my ex purchased two years before I met you. 'You even do your own laundry. Calling you rich is an insult to rich people.' Geoffrey previously denied Gabi's claims that the pair never had sex, with a spokesman for the businessman telling Daily Mail Australia: 'This is rubbish. Of course they consummated their relationship.' Last year the pair admitted to meeting on a Sugar Daddy website designed to match wealthy older men with young, aspiring women. While Gabi claimed her husband at first lied about his age, the former doctor previously insisted he was nothing but up front from the moment they met. Moving on: Gabi recently revealed she had found love with 30-year-old Jason Skrobe (pictured above right) 'We did have some conversations online first but then we then met in reality in NY and she came to my hotel but I never lied about my age, how ludicrous is that,' he said. Earlier this week, as news of Gabi's romance with Jason Skrobe emerged, Geoffrey spoke out to wish her the best but insisted her new relationship wouldn't go the distance. 'Good luck to her...it won't last. I'm happy for her, thank God she's out of my hair,' he said. In January Geoffrey revealed he was involved in a 'light' relationship with 25-year-old actress Rachel Currence. Elsewhere, Gabi is known as a performance artist, a reality TV personality, clothing designer and model. She was born and raised in Florida and NYC where she was schooled in hard knocks. Pre-order Gabi Greckos issue of Girls and Corpses here. He's struggled with demons in the past, but Ryan Corr looked happier and healthier than ever on Tuesday night as he stepped out with girlfriend Kyla Bartholomeusz for the launch of fashion film, Love Yourself. Wearing a navy three-piece suit, a blue and white striped shirt and a black hat, the 27-year-old looked at ease next to his dancer girlfriend, who opted for a daring blush cut-out dress that exposed her tiny waist. Ryan is an ambassador for the Macquarie Centre, who teamed up with award-winning filmmaker Lucas Jatoba to produce the short film, which he stars in alongside Sophie Lowe. Scroll down for video Loved up: Ryan Corr and girlfriend Kyla Bartholomeusz stepped out for the launch of short fashion film Love Yourself on Tuesday night The glamorous couple have been together since 2015, and often appear loved up on on the red carpet. Ryan has credited Kyla for bringing much-needed positivity to his life after a turbulent period of time during which he was arrested for possessing a freezer bag containing 0.26 grams of heroin in Bondi in May 2014. At the time, he told the court he'd never tried heroin before and was in a 'vulnerable state' after his grandfather was left in a coma following a heart attack. Positive thinking: Ryan has credited his girlfriend for bringing much needed positivity into his life following his arrest for drug possession He escaped conviction after pleading guilty and was subsequently given a 12-month good behaviour bond. The Water Diviner actor also opened up to The Daily Telegraph earlier this year following the incident, revealing how he finally struck the perfect work-life balance. 'I just turned 27 and I am finally finding that line. It is very much about you having a relationship with yourself first before you have it with other people,' he told the publication. In love: Kyla was on hand to support her actor beau who stars in the short film Love Yourself Busy man: The actor is an ambassador for the Macquarie Centre who teamed up with award-winning filmmaker, Lucas Jatoba He also wasn't shy to gush about Kyla either, whom he said he is 'in awe' of, and despite their busy schedules forcing them to spend time apart, they are managing to make their relationship work. 'We are a really good balance for each other. While we are in similar industries, and that can mean being apart and in different states, we understand that is what it takes,' he said. Ryan's career shows no signs of slowing down with the handsome actor starring in Australian film Holding The Man. He is also currently performing in the Sydney Theatre Company production of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia. Glamour couple: The dancer and her actor boyfriend have been together since 2015 and often share loved up posts on social media Co-stars: Sophie Lowe and Ryan star together in the short fashion film Looking chic: Actress Sophie Lowe, who also stars in short film Love Yourself adds a slash of colour in the way of a bright yellow handbag to her monochrome outfit Double trouble: Jordan and Zac Stenmark also attended the launch All smiles: E!'s Ksenija Lukic attended the launch of Love Yourself Tuesday night at the MCA It was reported on Monday that she is expecting a baby boy but it still hasn't been revealed who the father is. And Mindy Mann, whose alleged affair with Gavin Rossdale was blamed for wrecking his marriage to Gwen Stefani, was spotted planting a kiss on her boyfriend during an outing in Los Angeles the very next day. The Aussie 20-something appears to be dating snowboarding instructor Spencer Gutcheon who she was seen with on the outing. On the prowl: Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale's former nanny Mindy Mann was spotted out in Los Angeles on Tuesday after it was reported that she is pregnant Loved up: It has not been revealed who the father of the child is but she was spotted with boyfriend Spencer Gutcheon She was dressed for comfort as she covered up her belly with a grey crewneck sweater along with patterned grey and white tights and hot pink Nike trainers. Her now brunette locks were pulled back in two braids much like Kim Kardashian as she sported a pair of designer shades over her face which had minimal make-up on it. Mindy sent tongues wagging as she showed off her baby bump in a new social media picture posted on her sister's Facebook page but has refused to comment about the pregnancy or identity of the baby daddy. Just the two of us: The Aussie 20-something and the Californian snowboard instructor appeared to be going their separate ways for the day Sweet smooch: They shared a kiss amid reports she is expecting Follow the leader: Spencer was spotted holding onto a plastic bin and trash bag while walking down the stairs Better safe than sorry: No doubt he offered to carry the bulk of goods as she could not risk a trip or fall Things seem to be going well for her and Spencer as they were photographed shopping together last week and on his Facebook page, the Californian declared he is in a relationship with Mind. Mindy has not cut off all connection with her former employers. Gavin's Range Rover was seen in front of the Los Angeles nursery where Mindy works back in December. And just last week the two were spotted having a 90-minute lunch at a gastropub in North Hollywood. Gavin was spotted drinking beer but Mindy abstained. Mindy's Australia-based sister Nicole is now staying with her in Los Angeles and appears in several of her social media pictures. Hiding something? She covered up her belly in a grey crewneck sweater Relaxed: Mindy also sported black and white patterned tights with hot pink Nike trainers Inspired: She also had her now brunette tresses put in two braids like Kim Kardashian Au naturel: She appeared to be wearing little to no make-up during the outing The proud sister posted a picture of herself air kissing Mindy's baby bump alongside Mindy's housemate, Cayla Black. Nicole announced she was going to be an aunt 'to another beautiful baby!' on her Facebook on February 26. In another social media snap, Nicole posted a picture of Mindy covering her head with a large blue giraffe-shaped balloon with 'It's a boy' written on the side. Interesting timing: Mindy's sister Nicole, who now lives with her in Los Angeles, took to social media recently to celebrate the happy news, posting a sweet snap on her Facebook page Mindy's mother, Jennifer Mann, posted a message to her daughter on social media saying: 'Poor grandma lives too far away. Maybe I can fit him/her in my luggage and bring him/her home to Aussie.' Another of Mindy's friends, Alexandra Tonelli, wrote: 'Sop much love this baby is going to be brought into, so happy for you all, yay #pintsizedbabyontheway'. Mindy started working for Gavin and Gwen, who have sons Kingston, nine, Zuma, seven and Apollo, 20 months, back in 2008. Gutcheon, who posted on Facebook his relationship status with Mindy, is a snowboarding instructor Gutcheon posted that he was in a relationship in October 2015 The former Bush singer reportedly had an affair with Mindy that was discovered when another member of the couple's staff found sexy messages and nude photos on the family iPad. A source told Access Hollywood that Gavin, 50, abandoned Gwen, 46, in the hospital after she gave birth to Apollo last February to hook-up with Mindy. The insider also claimed that Gavin would bring his children to see him while he was on the road, and that he and Mindy would have sex on the tour bus after the children fell asleep. Mindy started working for Gavin and Gwen, who have sons Kingston, nine, Zuma, seven and Apollo, 20 months, back in 2008 The former Bush singer reportedly had an affair with Mindy that was discovered when another member of the couple's staff found sexy messages and nude photos on the family iPad This supposedly happened while the No Doubt front woman filmed NBC show The Voice. Gavin is said to have initially brushed the messages off as 'flirtation', before allegedly confessing to adultery months later, a source told Us Weekly. It 'completely devastated her,' they added. 'She was mortified, livid, and embarrassed.' A source told Access Hollywood that Gavin, 50, abandoned Gwen, 46, in the hospital after she gave birth to Apollo last February to hook-up with Mindy Mindy and Gavin were spotted having a 90-minute lunch at a gastropub in North Hollywood just last week In 2012, pictures emerged of Mindy and Gavin on a hike together that showed him touching her backside as they walked. Gwen's suspicions were aroused, but a source said she was determined to keep her marriage together both for the sake of their children and because of her strong Catholic faith. It wasn't until the blonde singer discovered the text messages and photos, that she had proof she couldn't ignore. Gwen began dating Blake Shelton, a co-judge on The Voice, in November and the couple have been inseparable ever since. Mindy's mother, Jennifer Mann, announced her daughter's pregnancy on Facebook In another social media snap, Nicole posted a picture of Mindy covering her head with a large blue giraffe-shaped balloon with 'It's a boy' written on the side The former No Doubt frontwoman revealed she was the 'happiest she'd ever been' while on the January 10 episode of Mary J. Blige's Beats 1 radio show Real Talk. 'I had a year that was so full of horror - the worst, worst. But at the same time, the greatest stuff as well,' the three-time Grammy winner admitted to the 45-year-old R&B belter. Gwen has since revealed she wrote almost half the songs on her new album This Is What The Truth Feels Like just two months ago thanks to a burst of inspiration from their relationship. Moving on: Gavin was spotted out in Studio City on Monday for the first time since the revelation They played lovers in the 1998 hit movie Armageddon. And Liv Tyler can't seem to forget her co-star Ben Affleck, who she shared a snap with on Monday. The actors were not smiling for the cameras, however. Instead they appeared quite intimate as the former model caressed the A lister's waist and he awkwardly was trying to bite her head. The 43-year-old Oscar winner is in the process of divorcing his wife of 10 years, Jennifer Garner, with whom he has three children, so Liv's timing is a tad strange. Old pals: They played lovers in the 1998 hit movie Armageddon. And Liv Tyler can't seem to forget her co-star Ben Affleck, who she shared a snap with on Monday Maybe she should have left off Instagram? The actors were not smiling for the cameras, however. Instead they appeared quite intimate as the former model caressed the A lister's waist and he awkwardly was trying to bite her forehead Garner recently told Vanity Fair about the pain she has been through while splitting from the Argo star. The Alias vet detailed how she is heartbroken and can't sleep at night. She also complained that she feels 'cold' now that he is not focusing his attention on her. In 1998, Ben had not yet met Jennifer. It would not be until 2002 that they would start filming their action movie Daredevil. At the time he was making Armageddon, the Good Will Hunting star was dating Gwyneth Paltrow. Still close: The 43-year-old Oscar winner is in the process of divorcing his wife of 10 years Jennifer Garner, with whom he has three children, so Liv's timing is a tad strange On Tuesday Tyler looked as happy as can be as she took her son Sailor out. The 38-year-old mother-of-two - who is pregnant again - looked in good health as she enjoyed the fresh air in a black anorak, maternity top, comfy leggings and flat shoes. Her boy, who just turned one last month, looked as cute as a button in a pullover, casual trousers and a matching orange hat and socks. Arwen't we having fun: Lord Of The rings star Tyler was in good cheer as she headed to lunch with a friend in New York on Tuesday Doctors now recommend keeping as active as possible throughout pregnancy, and it is certainly a piece of advice Liv, whose father is Aerosmith rocker Steven Tyler, seems to have taken to heart. Joking about how she has been in a state of near constant pregnancy in recent times, the Leftovers star said: 'I have been pregnant for two years straight. It feels like forever.' Bjorn again mother: She did not hesitate to wear her boy in a sling despite being heavily pregnant Walk This Way: Steven Tyler's daughter looked in rude health as she enjoyed the fresh Big Apple air The divorcee also has an 11-year-old Milo by her Spacehog rocker ex-husband Royston Langdon. They began dating in 1998, and got wed in 2003, but sadly ended up divorcing in 2008. Liv recently returned to her home in New York from London, where her fiance, best known for being David Beckham's loyal sidekick, lives with his eight-year-old son Gray. She said: 'We are back and forth. I am still mostly in New York but spending a lot of time here. He's Australia's rising star on the international fashion scene - and is also known to enjoy the high life in-between magazine shoots and runway shows. And model Jordan Barrett lived up to his party boy reputation at an exclusive bash during Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday. The 19-year-old, from Byron Bay, displayed his fine bone structure and effortlessly dapper style at the Red Obsession party, hosted by L'Oreal Paris. Scroll down for video Party time: Australian male model Jordan Barrett, 19, put on a stylish display at the L'Oreal Paris Red Obsession party at Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday - joined by a striking mystery blonde guest The square-jawed model - who has been previously linked to socialite Paris Hilton, 35 - was dressed up to the nines for the invite-only event. The New York-based fashionista, who stands a lofty 6ft 2in, wore a dark grey suit and trousers while opting for a messy-look, side swept hair style. Many of the guests accessorised with accents of red - to celebrate L'Oreal Paris' partnership with the annual event - and Jordan followed the trend with a currant-red shirt left partially unbuttoned. Dapper: The fast-rising model, from Byron Bay, wore a dark grey suit and trousers while opting for a messy-look, side swept hair style - while his companion dazzled in a green, one-shoulder dress For several photographs, the hunk was joined at the hip by a striking mystery blonde guest - who put on a remarkably leggy display in a green, one-shoulder dress. The Kate Moss lookalike looked stunning in the stylish, moss-coloured gown, and wore her shoulder-length blonde locks loosely. Elsewhere, Jordan was snapped posing for the cameras with a brunette model as they arrived at the party in the French capital. In good company: Earlier, Jordan was snapped posing for the cameras with a brunette model as they arrived at the party in the French capital It's been a busy few days for the fashion world's new alpha male, as he opted for a more casual style at the Lara Stone and Frame Denim dinner on Sunday. Jordan was spotted in a loose-fitting, slate coloured shirt - while also clutching a light brown, suede jacket with a grey detail on the collar and sleeves. Furthermore, he channelled Sydney beach chic by baring his ankles in a pair of rolled-up blue jeans. Meanwhile, he was spotted leaving Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris earlier this week with U.S. models Devon Windsor and Olivia Culpo. Relaxed chic: Jordan opted for a more casual style at the Lara Stone and Frame Denim dinner on Sunday Professional poser! He was spotted smouldering for the cameras in a loose-fitting, slate coloured shirt - while also clutching a light brown, suede jacket with a grey detail on the collar and sleeves North Dakotas first rail inspector hired as part of a pilot program to supplement federal inspectors in the state has been certified and is in the field with the authority to operate independently. Karl Carson, who was hired last summer by the North Dakota Public Service Commission, was certified Monday by the Federal Railroad Administration. PSC Chairwoman Julie Fedorchak praised the certification Wednesday at the beginning of the three-member commissions regularly scheduled meeting in the state Capitol. This is kind of exciting. Hes out there now working independently, Fedorchak said. Prior to his hire by the PSC, Carson worked with BNSF Railway, joining the railway in the early 1990s and serving in management positions since 2004. Lawmakers approved $523,345 from the rail safety fund for the pilot program. Of this, $253,345 was for the salary of one inspector and $200,000 for a temporary employee. The remaining $70,000 is for operating costs. The pilot program is to last through the 2017-19 biennium. The program is to supplement the work of three FRA inspectors assigned to North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana. Karl will focus on North Dakota only, Fedorchak said. Fedorchak said, since Carsons hire, hes worked with FRA on inspections in dozens of communities across the state, finding 411 defective conditions and 13 violations. Defective conditions are typically minor issues that could cause wear and tear on the tracks and develop into more serious problems. Violations are more serious issues that could prompt fines. Carson has also walked the entire length of railroad tracks going through the communities of Max, Steele, Underwood and Beulah, Fedorchak said. That program is off to a good start. Were finding some good results, Fedorchak said. We are finding a lot of ways to improve. Fedorchak said the other employee for the program was hired in December. She said she didnt have a concrete timetable as to when that individual will also be certified by the FRA. She stars as Summer Quinn in the remake of the popular 19902 TV show. And Alexandra Daddario was seen getting stuck into the role as filming continued in Miami for the upcoming Baywatch movie on Tuesday afternoon. The brunette beauty showcased her slim physique in a racer back bikini top and black shorts as she watched Zac Efron and Dwayne The Rock Johnson character take part in a pull up contest. Paying close attention: Alexandra Daddario was seen getting stuck into the role as filming continued in Miami for the upcoming Baywatch movie on Tuesday afternoon The 29-year-old actress flat stomach was highlighted by the black and blue swimwear by Australian brand Seafolly, while her pert derriere was covered up by her tiny shorts. Her brunette locks were swept back of her face in a messy up-do and the screen star had the number 32 written upon her arm and upper chest. The blue-eyed beauty looked on intently as she watched her on-screen love interest Matt Brody (played by Zac) engage in the pull up contest. In great shape: The brunette beauty showcased her slim physique in a racer back bikini top and black shorts Cool blue: The 29-year-old actress flat stomach was highlighted by the black and blue swimwear by Australian brand Seafolly, while her pert derriere was covered up by her tiny shorts The role of Summer was originally played by actress Nicole Eggert, 44, and Alexandra appears to be enjoying her chance to bring the character to life in the new remake. Daddario is just one of several beauties who have been cast in Baywatch - Kelly Rohrback, Ilfenesh Hadera and Priyanka Chopra are also on board. Sharing fun behind-the-scenes snaps with her fans on Instagram, the actress posted a picture of her model co-star Kelly Rohrbach taking a nap between takes. New faces: Daddario is just one of several beauties who have been cast in Baywatch - Kelly Rohrback (R) and Ilfenesh Hadera (L) are also on board Worn out: Sharing fun behind-the-scenes snaps with her fans on Instagram, the actress posted a picture of her model co-star Kelly Rohrbach taking a nap between takes Alexandra simply captioned the shot saying: #baewatch @kellyrohrbach. Kelly was also on set as Pamela Andersons famous character C.J. Parker and could be seen enthusiastically cheering on the male stars as they acted out the contest. The stars have been hard at work on a strict filming schedule which began on February 22. The Rock recently announced that original Baywatch star David Hasselhof will make a cameo in the new film, but it's not yet clear if Pamela Anderson is likely to join him. The film is due to be released on May 19, 2017, 28 years after the TV series first hit the air. He frequently gushes about how supportive she is of him. And after dazzling on his arm all award season, Hannah Redmayne once again reprised her glamorous role as she escorted husband Eddie to the Tokyo premiere of The Danish Girl on Wednesday night. The expectant publicist - whose ensembles during award season didn't seize to impress - once again nailed the evening's red carpet style in a floor-sweeping cobalt gown and her style looked to be a hit with Eddie, who struggled to avert his gaze from the beauty. Scroll down for video Doting wife: Hannah Redmayne once again reprised her glamorous role as she escorted husband Eddie to the Tokyo premiere of The Danish Girl on Wednesday night The design was comprised of a tight silk fabric around the torso, which then billowed down from the navel in a softly pleated style, perfect for diminishing the visibility of her growing bump. Extending the glamour to her lustrous mane, Hannah's golden locks cascaded in loose waves around her face, which modelled a barely-there make-up look. The doting wife - who tied the knot to Eddie in 2014 - locked arms with the The Theory of Everything stand-out as they smiled for photos and displayed their undeniable chemistry on the red carpet. Beautiful in blue: The expectant publicist - whose ensembles during award season didn't seize to impress - once again nailed the evening's red carpet style in a floor-sweeping cobalt gown Eddie, 34, mimicked Hannah's charming style in a dapper, yet bold, ensemble of his own. The Jupiter Ascending actor chose to celebrate the evening in a tartan print three-piece suit, which he offset with a crisp white shirt and navy tie. But Hannah wasn't the only woman vying for Eddie's attention as the British acting heavyweight was at the centre of deafening screams from fans eager for snaps of the star. Suave: Eddie, 34, mimicked Hannah's charming style in a dapper, yet bold, ensemble of his own Stylish as ever: The Jupiter Ascending actor chose to celebrate the evening in a tartan print three-piece suit, which he offset with a crisp white shirt and navy tie Also staying devoted to his fans, Eddie - who lost out on the Best Actor award to Leonardo DiCaprio at this year's Academy Awards - wasted no time giving his adorers exactly what they wanted as he stopped to pose for snaps and sign autographs. Meanwhile, the TV heartthrob recently opened up the couple's new addition when speaking to Extra at the Oscars earlier this month. 'It's gonna be a surprise,' he remarked, revealing that they will not be finding out the baby's gender before the birth. Feeling good! The actor appeared in sprightly spirits as he walked the blue carpet with his hands firmly in his pockets Someone's popular! Hannah wasn't the only woman vying for Eddie's attention as the British acting heavyweight was at the centre of deafening screams from fans eager for snaps of the star 'I'm going to be honest. I was like, 'Maybe we should find out' (and) my wife's like, 'We're not finding out'. She wears the trousers.' '[It's] one of the great surprises that still exists in the world. He added: 'We just got our first book or two, and they are just staring at us guiltily that we should be learning how to be parents but we havent opened them yet.' Advertisement Catwalk queens Kendall Jenner and sisters Gigi and Bella led the charge at the Miu Miu autumn/winter 2016 show on Wednesday as they closed Paris Fashion Week in style. The supermodel trio, who have been the toast of the French capital over the past week as they've appeared at some of the biggest shows, looked as perfect as ever in their designer gear at the last one of the current season. There was a veritable mix of styles on offer from Miuccia Prada, with Bella looking sensational in all-black while BFFs Kendall and Gigi wore more colourful creations. Owning the runway for one last time: Supermodel stunners Gigi Hadid (left), Kendall Jenner (centre) and Bella Hadid (right) owned the catwalk as they walked for Miu Miu on Wednesday, the final day of Paris Fashion Week Kendall, 20, flaunted her enviable model pins as she strutted her stuff down the runway in the relatively casual garments, which included a thigh-skimming lemon yellow dress layered under a khaki parka jacket. Adding a touch of girly glamour to the festival-chic ensemble were oversized fluffy fur cuffs, a dainty tan handbag and glittering embellished pointed shoes in a pastel yellow shade. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians beauty - who has walked for Dior, Chanel, Balmain and Elie Saab among others this week - strode with conviction and without even a hint at any feeling of fatigue, despite her recent jam-packed schedule over the past week, which has seen her go from fitting, to show, to party and back again constantly. See more of the latest Kendall Jenner updates as she and Gigi Hadid own the Miu Miu runway at Paris Fashion Week Stealing the show: Kendall, 20, flaunted her enviable model pins as she strutted her stuff down the runway in the relatively casual garments, which included a thigh-skimming lemon yellow dress layered under a khaki parka jacket Festival chic: Adding a touch of girly glamour to the festival-inspired ensemble were oversized fluffy fur cuffs, a dainty tan handbag and glittering embellished pointed shoes in a pastel yellow shade Doing her thing: She stood out while doing a walk down the parade along with other models, clad in similar designs Effortless: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star continued to cement her place as one of the world's top models as she needed little make-up to make herself stand out Her raven tresses were slicked back into a thoroughly modern, effortless style away from her pretty face. Natural make-up with a bit of contouring completed the runway look. Following in her wake were Gigi, 20, and Bella, 19, who have both appeared at several shows alongside the reality TV star in recent days: it's also no surprise they, along with many others, were marching for Miu Miu as the show was cast by LOVE editor and uber-stylist Katie Grand. Gigi was seen showing off a heavily decorated coat - cut to precision with sharp shoulders and a decorated lapel - and she was also able to display her statuesque bare legs and trim waistline thanks to the undone cover-up being pulled together with a chunky belt. Underneath the vintage-effect floral coat, which was designed in pastel shades of mustard yellow, pink and orange, her slender frame was covered in a denim mini-dress. Striking ensemble: Gigi donned a heavily decorated coat - cut to precision with sharp shoulders and a decorated lapel - and she was also able to display her statuesque bare legs and trim waistline thanks to the undone cover-up being pulled together with a chunky belt Light against the dark: The 20-year-old supermodel lit up the room as she paraded herself down the final Paris Fashion Week runway The little details: Gigi's chosen attire suited her stunning physique as she walked with conviction, and she revealed a slight glimpse of a tiny floral skirt underneath the denim Military precision: Bella, 19, was clad in head-to-toe black, looking fierce in a cropped military-style jacket with a ring-style belt nipping her in at the middle to give her definition Flawless: Bella oozed stoic confidence as she marched for Miu Miu A pair of dainty bow-topped heels tied Gigi's runway outfit together perfectly, and the striking blonde - her hair in the same style as Kendall's - did a fantastic job in showcasing the items. Bella, meanwhile, was clad in head-to-toe black, looking fierce in a cropped military-style jacket with a ring-style belt nipping her in at the middle to give her definition. Unlike Kendall and her sister, the brunette model covered her perfect pins in a pair of sheer black stockings, her catwalk costume completed with towering heels and an elegant little hand-held bag. Famous faces: The likes of Emily Ratajkowski (left), Lara Stone (centre) and Irina Shayk (right) were among the other well-known supermodels getting their strut on for Miu Miu Just doing the day job: Model stars Joan Smalls (left) and Sara Sampaio (right) joined the stunning contingent at the latest showcase Different look: Dutch beauty Lara, 32, strutted for Miu Miu in a slightly different item from her model cohorts, covering her slender curves with a ruched lilac dress with a low-plunging neckline, a nod to times gone by with its slight oriental print Busy bee: Like the other models, Lara's blonde locks were swept away from her face, her cheekbones standing out in the well-lit show space They weren't the only famous faces to stalk the parade at the Miu Miu show on the closing day of Paris Fashion Week, as the likes of Lara Stone, Irina Shayk Joan Smalls and Sara Sampaio were also out in force. And there was a surprise appearance from Emily Ratajkowski: while known for being a model and actress, she doesn't tend to walk in high fashion shows. The 24-year-old made her debut during Wednesday's show, and she proved her worth as she kept a plain face while exhibiting the strapless black dress with panache. Dutch beauty Lara, 32, strutted for Miu Miu in a slightly different item from her model cohorts, covering her slender curves with a ruched lilac dress with a low-plunging neckline, a nod to times gone by with its slight oriental print. Shining star: Emily, 24, made her runway debut on Wednesday at Miu Miu's show, and she pulled it off with ease All black everything: Adriana Lima (left) joined Emily (right) in a similar frock, hers complete with a chic off-shoulder design Delicate prints: On closer inspection, the 30-year-old Brazilian beauty's midnight black dress included a slight floral print Russian stunner Irina, 30, covered her statuesque figure in an oversized coat that appeared to be constructed from a dark charcoal denim. Like Kendall's attire, it also included ostentatious furry cuffs. Meanwhile, Gone Girl star Emily, 24, proved her worth as a model as she walked in front of the star-studded spectators in a strapless prom-style dress in black with a funky large ruffled bow falling down the side of her lithe frame. Also there on the day was Brazilian Victoria's Secret model Adriana Lima, who showed off her covetable curves in an off-shoulder black frock with a full skirt, similar to Emily's. On the prowl: Russian stunner Irina, 30, covered her statuesque figure in an oversized coat that appeared to be constructed from a dark charcoal denim. Like Kendall's attire, it also included ostentatious furry cuffs Model contingent: Joan (left), was joined by fashion stars Binx Walton (centre) and Edie Campbell (right) in eye-catching pieces The overall theme of the show seemed to be a combination of pretty muted florals, slim-fitting knits and tweeds and oversized casual coats given a luxurious twist with furry cuffs, glitzy embellishments and ladylike accessories. Creative director of the French fashion house Miuccia also used plenty of classic blue denim for a plethora of clothing options, sending her stream of leggy models down the jam-packed catwalk in thigh-skimming dresses with jean jackets. Chunky furs in a variety of neutral tones were layered over crisp shirts, and military touches were added with boxy breast pockets and badges sewn onto the fabric of coats. The Momager marches in: Kris Jenner looked as glamorous as ever as she arrived to support her second-youngest daughter Kendall as she completed her week of hard work, the 60-year-old reality TV star wrapped up in a luxe grey and rather large stole Taking a break: Karlie Kloss looked super-cute in a tan coat with Pac-Man ghosts added to the sides, as she swapped walking the runway for sitting on the front row Casual cutie: The 23-year-old held on to her sister's arm as they left their hotel, as she showed off her flared jeans, high-neck back top and Adidas trainer combo FROW ladies: Actress Julia Garner (second from right) was joined by a group of pals on the front row Stylish guests: (L-R) Chloe Sevigny, Leigh Lezark and Julia Restoin Roitfeld were also in attendance at the star-studded showcase Daytime date: Actors Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan put on a sweet display of affection as they arrived at the final show of PFW Keeping it casual: Rapper ASAP Rocky sat on the front row ready to take his own pictures of the models Each and every model had their hair coiffed to exacting precision, their mostly long locks slicked back away from their faces, immaculately made-up in neutral tones so as not to draw attention away from the autumn/winter ready-to-wear designs. As with most of the biggest designer shows during the four fashion weeks - which take place over a month in London, New York, Milan and Paris - there were plenty of famous faces in attendance to enjoy the sartorial spoils. Kris Jenner looked as glamorous as ever as she arrived to support her second-youngest daughter Kendall as she completed her week of hard work, the 60-year-old reality TV star wrapped up in a luxe grey and rather large stole. Glamour meets casual: Chunky furs in a variety of neutral tones were layered over crisp shirts, and military touches were added with boxy breast pockets and badges sewn onto the fabric of coats A varied show: The overall theme of the show seemed to be a combination of pretty muted florals, slim-fitting knits and tweeds and oversized casual coats given a luxurious twist with furry cuffs, glitzy embellishments and ladylike accessories Going retro: Creative director of the French fashion house Miuccia also used plenty of classic blue denim for a plethora of clothing options, sending her stream of leggy models down the jam-packed catwalk in thigh-skimming dresses with jean jackets Dark and interesting: As well as the colourful combinations, there were plenty of ensembles in blacks, navy blues and charcoals The beaming 'Momager' teamed the cosy cover-up with slim-fitting black trousers and a floor-length coat and flat boots as she made sure she had her moment to shine in front of photographers. Also at the show and taking a rare break from modelling herself was Karlie Kloss. The leggy US supermodel looked in fantastic spirits as she posed for snaps en route to the event. The 23-year-old held on to her sister's arm as they left their hotel, as she showed off her flared jeans, high-neck back top and Adidas trainer combo. But it was her camel-coloured coat adorned with adorable Pac-Man ghosts that really caught the eye as she made her way to the event across town. Other famous faces at the show included actress and fashionista Chloe Sevigny, DJ/model Leigh Lezark, French art director and model Julia Restoin Roitfeld, actress and writer Zoe Kazan - who attended with her War and Peace actor beau Paul Dano - rapper ASAP Rocky and actress Julia Garner, among others. Au revoir! After the show, Kendall was seen leaving, having changed into yet another stylish outfit Slim jim: The model teamed a plunging crop top with her belted high-waisted trousers but opted to protect herself from the chilly temperatures with a large black coat He's finally making a go of things with on/off girlfriend Charlotte Crosby. But Gaz Beadle is still holding onto some mementos from his bachelor days - namely a spreadsheet of his sexual conquests. The Geordie Shore star has told The Sun that he used to record his bedroom partners on an Excel spreadsheet, and despite insisting he is in an exclusive relationship with Charlotte, he can't quite let go of his single days keepsake. Scroll down for video Memories: Despite being in a relationship with Charlotte Crosby, Gaz Beadle is still holding onto some mementos from his bachelor days - namely a spreadsheet of his sexual conquests The 27-year-old reality star has famously claimed to have bedded 1,000 women, and has now told The Sun: 'I had a spreadsheet on my computer up until about 700 girls. 'It was an Excel spreadsheet so I could just login whenever and put dots down when I'd done another girl.' Gaz added that while he's been gushing about his romance with Charlotte, girls have still been sending him nude photos over social media, and now and again he's tempted to look. 'I get girls sending me pictures on Instagram bent over going: "If you want to f*** me, here's my number!" 'If I was lying at home bored and I wanted to shag a girl I could find someone within seconds from those pics. It's ridiculous,' the ex lothario claimed. Reminising: The 27-year-old reality star has famously claimed to have bedded 1,000 women, and has now told The Sun: 'I had a spreadsheet on my computer up until about 700 girls' Despite his boasts, Gaz has been committed to Charlotte for a number of weeks now, with the Geordie Shore duo, who met when starring in the very first season in 2011, confirming their romance earlier this year. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia upon her arrival in Sydney last month to promote the new series of their hit show, 25-year-old Charlotte revealed that things were finally back on track for the pair, admitting: 'We're getting on very well.' 'It was always just kinda of a sex thing, although I obviously wanted it to be more and then weve grown up so much now that I cant even explain it but something is different now, something is really different I think weve both matured,' she said. In demand: Gaz added that while he's been gushing about his romance with Charlotte, girls have still been sending him nude photos over social media, and now and again he's tempted to look Although the pair have always fancied each other, ladies' man Gary has resisted any attempts at a proper relationship, but viewers have witnessed their obvious chemistry sabotage romances with other people over the years. The pair appeared to be making another go of things late last year, before Charlotte confessed she had called things off again two months ago. And it appears that while they were filming the 13th series of Geordie Shore - a special anniversary series to celebrate five years of the show - the pair were finally honest with one another. Me and you: Gaz has been committed to Charlotte for a number of weeks now, with the Geordie Shore duo, who met when starring in the very first season in 2011, confirming their romance earlier this year Charlotte explained: 'We had a really nice discussion recently and he told me why he thought he couldn't get close to me and I told him how I felt like he didn't like me and it was really weird. 'For the first time in a long time we were both really honest with each other and we let our guard down and its crazy what happened afterwards. 'For five years weve been on and off but weve never really been in a relationship. Ive never even slept over at his house. People think that weve split up but weve never split up because weve never been together.' Lara Stone was forced to grin and bear it on Wednesday's Miu Miu catwalk when she picked the short straw in terms of show ensembles. The 32-year-old kept a stony face as she modelled a Little Bo Beep-inspired lilac gown for her latest Paris Fashion Week runway appearance. While her model counterparts Bella Hadid, Gigi Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski looked chic in military-inspired designs from the forthcoming AW16 collection, Lara's dress seemed to offset the theme. Scroll down for video Standing out: Lara Stone was stuck in ensemble that didn't seem as fashionable as the rest at Wednesday's Miu Miu show in Paris The dress was more 80s prom re-imagined as it went wide on the shoulders with buttons dressing the sweetheart neckline and an oversized bow detail at the middle. She still managed to cut a stunning figure, with her locks drawn away from her face to reveal her high cheekbones and exquisite features. Lara's complexion was completely make-up free and she went without accessories, save for a vintage-style clutch bag in one hand. Stony-faced: She wore a lilac, prom-style gown surprising the front row with her outfit Re-imagined: The womenswear show seemed to create re-imagined retro designs The handheld accessory seemed to tie in with the rest of the collection, which featured tapestry coats and heavily-patterned skirts. Runway companion Joan Smalls was also on the runway, wearing a mustard tone from top-to-toe in an outfit that was completed with pearls. Meanwhile, putting a contemporary edge on retro fashion, model Kendall Jenner was dressed in a long mumsy cardigan as a dress with a heavy khaki trench coat layered on top. Star of the show: Kendall Jenner seemed to meld retro with contemporary in her outfit Tapestry prints: Gigi Hadid (left) lead the model army in a tapestry coat but managed to pull of the look with ease Her model BFF Gigi looked like a 1940s wartime pin-up in a long, oversized coat; her hair resembling victory rolls. Lara's catwalk ensemble seemed to stand alone and she even gave the look some added glory when she posted it to her Instagram page writing, 'princessing.' It had been quite a contrast to her last post about the leather jumpsuit that she'd worn to Tuesday night's Red Obsession party by L'Oreal Paris, since it was simply a racy snapshot of her cleavage. Bring it all back: Joan Smalls, meanwhile, wore mustard from top to toe Spotlight: Lara went largely make-up free with her hair scraped away and features on show She's been immersing herself in the glamour of Paris Fashion Week. But Selena Gomez found herself in a most unglamorous situation in the city on Tuesday, as she revealed she had suffered the ill fate of being stuck in a cramped lift with her sizable entourage. Sharing a short clip of the moment she was trapped on Twitter, the footage shows the 23-year-old singer attempting to keep her cool as a male friend attempts to break them out. Scroll down for video Oh, dear! Despite immersing herself in the glamour of Paris Fashion Week, Selena Gomez found herself in a most unglamorous situation in the city on Tuesday as she found herself trapped in an elevator 'If we keep talking the oxygen...' the Hands To Myself crooner begins before a friend interjects her calming words by bludgeoning the lift door. In an apparent panic, the male then manages to slide open the door and find a latch that frees them of their entrapment, much to Selena's delight. Still maintaining her sensible demeanour, the former Disney star orders: 'One at a time,' as the group rush to descend from the elevator. See more Selena Gomez updates as she shares the moment she was stuck in a Paris lift Don't panic! Sharing a short clip of the moment she was trapped on Twitter, the footage shows the 23-year-old singer attempting to keep her cool as a male friend attempts to break them out Eager to escape: 'If we keep talking the oxygen...' the Hands To Myself crooner begins before a friend interjects her calming words by bludgeoning the lift door Seemingly seeing the funny side in the incident, Selena captioned the video: 'That time we got stuck in an elevator in Paris...' The Spring Breakers star looked to brush the predicament off relatively quickly however as gallivanted across the French capital in stylish fashion after making her exit. The American beauty appeared to forgo underwear altogether in the sophisticated gown that flattered her incredible figure, seemingly showing off a little more than she bargained for. Protective: Still maintaining her sensible demeanour, the former Disney star orders: 'One at a time,' as the group rush to descend from the elevator Not one to dwell! The Spring Breakers star looked to brush the predicament off relatively quickly however as gallivanted across the French capital in stylish fashion after making her exit Selena showed off an ample amount of cleavage in her low-cut look with its plunging neckline cut down to her midriff. The former Disney starlet's dress was fastened at the waist with a large black button, exposing a liberal amount of skin thanks to the high-cut split. Clearly feeling her sleek look, Selena later shared a snap of her sultry style on Instagram, captioning the shot: 'It's fun to look cool sometimes.' On Wednesday the runway star joined the likes of Jaden Smith, Jennifer Connelly and Lea Seydoux to sit in the front row of Louis Vuitton's showcase on Tuesday. On Wednesday Selena dazzled at the Louis Vuitton showcase, where she was joined by the likes of (from left) Jennifer Connelly, Lea Seydoux, Alicia Vikander, Nicolas Ghesquiere, Adele Exarchopoulos and Jaden Smith IS commander 'likely killed' in Syria air strike: US official The Islamic State group's battle-tested equivalent of a defense minister is believed to have been killed in a US air strike in northeastern Syria, a US official said. The target of the March 4 attack was Omar al-Shishani, a red-bearded Georgian fighting with the jihadist group in Syria, the Pentagon said, cautioning that results of the operation were still being assessed. A US official speaking on condition of anonymity said on Tuesday Shishani "likely died" in the assault by waves of US warplanes and drones, along with 12 other IS fighters. An image made available by Jihadist media outlet al-Itisam Media on June 29, 2014, allegedly shows members of the Islamic state group including military leader Abu Omar al-Shishani (Tarkhan Batirashvili), speaking at an unknown location Al-Shishani is the nom de guerre of Tarkhan Batirashvili, who ranked among the most wanted under a US program with a $5 million bounty on his head. The United States stopped short of declaring him dead. The lack of a US presence on the ground makes it difficult to assess the success of operations targeting militants in Syria, and Shishani's death has been falsely reported several times. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook described Shishani as "a battle-tested leader with experience who had led ISIL fighters in numerous engagements in Iraq and Syria." His death, if confirmed, would hinder IS's foreign recruitment efforts, especially from Chechnya and the Caucasus regions, and its attempts to defend its strongholds in Syria and Iraq, according to the Pentagon. The US Treasury designated him a foreign terrorist fighter in 2014, and said he maintained "unique authority" within IS. The Georgian was "the ISIL equivalent of the secretary of defense," the US official said, using an alternative acronym for the group. In the recent assault, waves of US aircraft struck near Al-Shadadi, a town in northeastern Syria that was retaken from IS last month by local anti-IS fighters allied with the US-led coalition. - Chechen rebel - The US official said it was "unusual and noteworthy" that Shishani had traveled from IS's self-proclaimed capital of Raqa to Al-Shadadi. "This was likely to bolster the sagging morale of ISIL fighters there, who have suffered a series of defeats by Syrian Democratic Forces," the official said, alluding to one of the local, US-allied fighting groups. Shishani comes from a town in Georgia that is populated mainly by ethnic Chechens, the official said. He fought as a Chechen rebel against Russian forces before joining the Georgian military in 2006, and fought Russian forces again in Georgia in 2008. After being discharged from the Georgian military on health grounds, he entered Syria in 2012 and joined IS the next year. Among his feats on his way to the top ranks of Islamic State military operations, Shishani turned one rebel group into an effective fighting force to take on the Syrian army by "mixing Syrians who knew the terrain with the Chechens' fighting ability," the US official said. Shishani is believed to have led a prison in Tabqa near Raqa where foreign hostages may have been held. He later headed IS military operations in northern Syria, according to the US official. Many foreign IS fighters hail from the former Soviet republics -- in almost equal numbers as those from Western Europe -- according to the US-based intelligence consultancy the Soufan Group. Patti Smith, Bowie releases set for Record Store Day Rare or new releases by musical giants including Patti Smith, David Bowie and The Doors will come out next month for Record Store Day, the growing celebration of vinyl's resurgence. Created in 2007 by independent US stores as a quirky tribute to their existence, Record Store Day has developed into an annual rite for shops around the world seizing on the growing market for vinyl. The latest Record Store Day will take place on April 16 and feature more than 300 special releases in the US market. Michael Kurtz (R), co-founder of Record Store Day, and Lee Foster (L), manager of Electric Lady Studios, sit next to a poster advertising a special release by The Doors during a news conference on March 8, 2016 in New York City Shaun Tandon (AFP) Organizers revealed the latest offerings at Electric Lady, the studio in New York's Greenwich Village built by Jimi Hendrix, which announced it was launching a series of re-recordings of classic albums made there. The first, to go on sale for Record Store Day, will be punk godmother Patti Smith's legendary debut album "Horses," which she remade live last year at Electric Lady to mark the work's 40th anniversary. Lenny Kaye, the guitarist who worked with Smith both on the original and the new live version of "Horses," said that the two first met when he was a clerk at a Greenwich Village record store. "One of the beautiful things about a record store is that it's a gathering place," Kaye told the news conference. "I always thought that it was a place where, in a weird way, social misfits came to find their community," he said. Record Store Day will feature three releases from rock icon David Bowie, who died in January, including a disc of six songs he recorded in 1966 for his early label Pye in Britain. Bob Dylan will put out a limited batch of records with four songs from his forthcoming album, "Fallen Angels," a month before its release, although the disc will also go on sale in Japan where the rock icon is touring. - Tributes to Paris attack victims - Record Store Day has dedicated its 2016 edition to victims of the November 13 attacks in Paris, where 90 people were killed by Islamic extremists at the Bataclan nightclub. Metallica -- longtime supporters of Record Store Day -- already announced the release of a 2003 concert at the Bataclan, with proceeds going to victims of the attacks. Newly revealed Record Store Day offerings dedicated to Paris victims include a live version of "Roadhouse Blues" by The Doors, the 1960s California rockers who enjoy a major fan base in France. Pop duo Twenty One Pilots and metal band Anthrax are also releasing works whose proceeds will go to Paris attack victims. The global market for vinyl has soared in the past decade, increasing by nearly 55 percent in 2014 alone, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. The growth has been led by audiophiles in Western countries and Japan, although vinyl still represents just two percent of the global industry which has been rapidly transformed by the rise of streaming. - Mainstream interest - But in a sign of the rising interest in vinyl, Record Store Day 2016 will include works by chart-topping artists including a limited-edition picture disc of Justin Bieber's latest album "Purpose." Record Store Day co-founder Michael Kurtz hailed the inclusion of mainstream acts, saying he hoped to bring in young music fans and did not judge their tastes. "I love art, I worship it, but if you get too serious about it, it kind of loses its validity to someone who's 15 or 17 years old who's just discovering everything, and their moment in time is Justin Bieber," he said. "Let them celebrate, let them be part of it -- and discover Patti Smith." Tunisia forces kill five 'terrorists' after deadly IS raid Tunisian forces killed five "terrorists" in an operation near the Libyan border late Tuesday, the interior ministry said, a day after a deadly raid the government has described as an unprecedented assault by the Islamic State group. The swoop by the army and security forces came after 17 suspects were arrested earlier in a manhunt following Monday's dawn attacks in the border town of Ben Guerdane, which left dozens of jihadists dead. "As part of the continuing operation at Ben Guerdane, security forces and the army were able to eliminate five terrorists tonight in the Benniri area," the ministry said in a statement, adding that weapons had been seized. Tunisian special forces patrol in the southern town of Ben Guerdane, near the Libyan border, during clashes with jihadists on March 8, 2016 a day after the attack on the border town Fathi Nasri (AFP) Local media had reported that security forces had surrounded a house where several men were holed up, information that was not confirmed in the brief ministry statement. Analysts said Monday's coordinated attacks showed jihadists are keen to spread their influence from Libya to Tunisia and to set up a new stronghold in the country. Prime Minister Habib Essid said about 50 extremists were believed to have taken part in the dawn attacks on an army barracks and police and National Guard posts in Ben Guerdane. He said 36 attackers were killed and seven captured in a fierce firefight that also saw the deaths of seven civilians and 12 security personnel. Defence ministry spokesman Belhassen Oueslati said 17 other suspects were arrested on Tuesday near a military barracks and handed over to the National Guard for questioning. Essid said the militants "murdered one internal security force member in his own home" and that three civilians and 14 security personnel were also wounded. - 'Rapid response' - "The (security forces') reaction was rapid and strong. We won a battle and are prepared for any others," he said. "Now they know Tunisia is no easy pushover and that it is not so simple to set up an emirate in Ben Guerdane." On Monday, Essid said the operation's aim had been to create a "Daesh (IS) emirate" in the town. Michael Ayari of the International Crisis Group think tank agreed, saying the attacks were an "extension of the armed conflict so far confined to Libya". Some IS jihadists "consider that Ben Guerdane could become a strategic 'liberated' zone that would include southeastern Tunisia and the Tripoli region", he said. Tunisian authorities had said search operations were continuing in the region on Tuesday and that a night-time curfew imposed in the town after the attack had been well respected. However, witnesses spoke of sporadic gunfire during the day as police and soldiers flooded Ben Guerdane. The walls of one building in which attackers had been holed up were riddled with bullet holes. Essid called for vigilance and promised a full investigation. "There are lessons to be learned from this terrorist attack. There will be a thorough assessment of what happened, and we will draw all the conclusions," he said. "It may be that there was a failure at a certain level, that of intelligence, other elements." - 'Exterminate these rats' - President Beji Caid Essebsi has described the attack on Ben Guerdane as "unprecedented" and said it was "maybe aimed at controlling" the border region, vowing to "exterminate these rats". Residents said the assailants appeared to be natives of the region. They stopped people, checked their ID cards apparently to seek out members of the security forces, and announced their brief takeover of Ben Guerdane as "liberators". It was the second clash in the border area in less than a week as Tunisia battles to prevent the large number of its citizens who have joined IS in Libya from returning to carry out attacks at home. Two deadly IS attacks on foreign tourists last year that have dealt a devastating blow to Tunisia's tourism industry are believed to have been planned from Libya. Jihadists have taken advantage of a power vacuum in Libya since the NATO-backed overthrow of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011 to set up bases in several areas, including near Sabratha. Sanders wins Michigan Democratic primary: US networks Bernie Sanders has won the Democratic primary in Michigan, US networks said, in an upset for frontrunner Hillary Clinton who was predicted to win the northern state. "This has been a fantastic night in Michigan," Sanders said shortly before the race was called in his favor in the industrial state, one of four holding White House nominating contests on Tuesday. With 97 percent of precincts reporting, the Vermont senator who has energized young voters with calls for greater economic equality took 50.1 percent of the Michigan vote, against 48 for Clinton. "This has been a fantastic night in Michigan," Bernie Sanders said shortly before the race was called in his favor Geoff Robins (AFP/File) The former secretary of state earlier claimed a big victory over Sanders in Mississippi, continuing a winning streak in the southern United States where she has so far cornered the large African American vote. In the Republican camp, frontrunner Donald Trump scored major victories in both Michigan and Mississippi, extending his lead in the US presidential nominations race ahead of crucial contests next week. Ora Mae Huravitch, 79, formerly of Williston, more recently of Bismarck, passed away March 4, 2016. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 11, at Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston. Visitation will be from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday at Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home. Ora Mae was born Dec. 22, 1936, to Woodrow Ritter and Bergny Gronfur Ritter, at Good Samaritan Hospital, Williston. Ora Mae lived in Buford in her early years with her parents and on her grandparents, Iver and Hanna Gronfur, farm, south of Wheelock. She was confirmed in the Lutheran Church, Wheelock. Ora Mae graduated from Wheelock High School. She married Bill Huravitch on April 19, 1956, and they moved to the Clarence Jackman farm south of Wheelock to live and farm. They had four children, Connie, Duane, Dallas and Percy. Later in life she was blessed with her daughter Shaulie. Ora Mae moved to Williston in the spring of 1966 and was employed at the Williston Country Club. She loved to take care of children and did day care out of her home for many years. She was employed at the Mercy Hospital in the kitchen. The doctors and nurses always stopped in on baking day for fresh baked cookies. After retiring, she moved in with her daughter, Shaulie, to help with her grandsons, Keagan, Knoel and Kayne. Ora Mae loved to read and knit. She gave many of her knitted dish cloths to family and friends. For years she kept the gift shop at the Bethel Home, Williston, supplied with her dish cloths. Ora Mae could usually be found in her chair reading or knitting, with her beloved dog, Frenchie, in her lap and children playing at her feet. In 2012, Ora Mae moved to Turtle Lake to live. Ora Mae loved living in a small town again and making new friends. She spent many days visiting her sister Rita at her cabin on Brush Lake, near Mercer. As her health declined, Ora Mae moved to the Primrose retirement community, Bismarck, and then to Edgewood Memory Care, Bismarck. Ora Mae was in St. Vincent Care Center until her death. She was preceded in death by her parents; her grandparents; her sister, Kathryn Gay; her aunt, Agnes Hetzler; her nephews, Bruce Jr. and Warren Ritter; and her longtime companion, Don Hutton. Ora Mae is survived by her daughter, Connie (Russell) McMullen, Lewistown, Mont.; her sons, Duane (Chris) Huravitch, Bozeman, Mont., Dallas Huravitch, Lewistown, Mont., and Percy Huravitch, Montana; and daughter, Shaulie Huravitch, Williston; her grandchildren: Cory (Shawn) Alderink and son, Rowdy; Christina (Nate) Behl and son, Bryson, and daughters, Brenna and Brooklynn; Michael (Heather) and children, Kylie, Mariah and Justin; Shawn (Melissa) and Brinley Huravitch, Keagan, Knoel, and Kayne Huravitch; her brother, Bruce Ritter, Washougal, Wash., and son, Dean (Jean); her sisters, Rita (Duane) Steen Mercer, and sons, Andrew (Leslie) and Laef; Wanda Southard, Washougal, Wash.; her brother, Michael Ritter, Longview, Wash., and daughters, Cindy and Emily; her nephews, Steven and Darren Syverson, and Kim Gay; as well as numerous cousin, aunts and uncles. Friends may sign the on-line register and give their condolences at www.fulkersons.com. Buena Vista Social Club says Adios! but diva Portuondo sings on Omara Portuondo's tiny frame belies the sheer power of a sonorous voice that made her a star in Cuba well before she found global fame with the Buena Vista Social Club around the age most people start claiming their pensions. Even as the group winds down with their final farewell "Adios Tour", the 85-year-old, who has been performing since she was just 15, insists she is not ready to hang up the mic. "None of us could ever have imagined the great success of Buena Vista Social Club -- we've achieved more than we could ever have dreamed but it was time for the band to say goodbye," she tells AFP before the Hong Kong leg of the the tour. Three founders of the Buena Vista Social Club (from L) Guajiro Mirabal, Omara Portuondo and Barbarito Torres, chat in Hong Kong during an interview Philippe Lopez (AFP) But she is adamant: "Music is my life and I won't stop singing." It has been 20 years since a twist of fate led American guitarist Ry Cooder and World Circuit's Nick Gold to Cuban star Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, who encouraged a coterie of the island's musical talent -- some out of retirement -- to join together and create a record. Crafted in just six days, the album Buena Vista Social Club -- named after the long-closed members' only venue in Havana -- sold millions, secured a Grammy, and along with Wim Wenders' Oscar-nominated film documenting its production, thrust Cuban music onto the international stage. It also exported a vibrant idea of Cuba to a world from which it had been largely closed off since the 1959 revolution and the Cold War. For a generation coming of age in the 1990s in the West, the music of Buena Vista Social Club added a burst of colour to the perceived grey palette of Castro's Communism -- encouraging people to see the place for themselves. "We are called ambassadors for Cuba and I am honoured. I think when you do what you love, only good things can come from that. It shines from you and to other people," she explains. - 'Berlin Wall' moment - De Marcos Gonzalez has previously credited the band for helping begin the thaw in relations between US and Cuban administrations, by re-igniting America's curiosity about the island. Last October the group performed for President Barack Obama at the White House, where he reportedly revealed he too had bought the iconic album. It was a situation Portuondo says "none of us could ever have imagined" when they started out, describing the leader as "very warm and welcoming". Later this month Obama will become the first US president to visit Cuba since 1928, with the White House describing the trip as a "Berlin Wall" moment. Diplomatic ties between the two nations, which broke off in 1960, were restored in July last year. Portuondo, who has attended parties thrown by the Castros, is circumspect about the fact Obama and leader Raul Castro have been in secret discussions on a rapprochement, or what it means for ordinary Cubans: "Politics is for the politicians. Im a musician and I love music," she says but adds: "It is good in every situation of life -- family, friends, neigbours -- to talk." - Cuban revival - She dismisses criticism the Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon has created a caricature of Cuban music or that there is a disconnect between what islanders listen to and what is performed for tourists. "Well nowadays everybody listens to a lot of different music, genres and styles," she says. "The good thing is that traditional Cuban music is very respected...it has a lot of influences, we sing in Spanish, but we have afro sounds, influences from chanson. I think this has made it popular around the world." The 1997 Buena Vista Social Club album gave some veteran Cuban musicians a new lease of life: Ibrahim Ferrer, a great star in the 1940s, had fallen on hard times and was shining shoes in Havana to earn extra cash, while pianist Ruben Gonzalez, who helped pioneer the cha-cha and the mambo dances, had retired after struggling with arthritis, his piano riddled with termites, when they were called up to join the group. But with so many of the stars in their twilight years when the band began -- death and illness has taken its toll on membership over the past 20 years. Portuondo is one of a few from the original line-up to remain, and just this month Jesus 'Aguaje' Ramos pulled out of the Hong Kong performance for health reasons. The injection of young talent means the ensemble now performs under the name Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club. The Adios! Tour pays homage to the band's history combining new talent with the veterans, as well as images and footage of elder statesmen of Cuban music now passed. "They have always been part of us and of the music," says Portuondo. For the diva, who began performing 70 years ago at Havana's famed Tropicana club, the Buena Vista chapter is just one high note in a remarkable career that has seen her work with stars such as Nat King Cole, Herbie Hancock, Edith Piaf, and Chico Buarque. And the octogenarian expects plenty more. She says: "Is this goodbye from me? Never! Next I'll be touring in Europe and USA with my '85 tour' to celebrate my life and career." ** Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club will perform at the Cultural Centre March 10-12, as part of the Hong Kong Arts Festival https://www.hk.artsfestival.org/en/ Omara Portuondo, one of the founders of the Buena Vista Social Club, speaks during an interview in Hong Kong Philippe Lopez (AFP) Omara Portuondo performs with Buena Vista Social Club during an event to mark the 25th Anniversary of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, in Washington, DC, in October 2015 Brendan Smialowski (AFP/File) Upsurge in Israeli-Palestinian violence mars Biden visit Two Palestinians opened fire on a bus and near Jerusalem's Old City on Wednesday, seriously wounding one person, as an upsurge in attacks marred a visit by US Vice President Joe Biden. Six separate attacks have taken place shortly before or after Biden's arrival on Tuesday, including a stabbing spree on the Tel Aviv waterfront by a Palestinian that killed an American tourist and wounded 12 people. The Tel Aviv stabbings in the Jaffa port area took place as Biden met former Israeli president Shimon Peres about a kilometre away on Tuesday. Israeli emergency personnel and security forces gather around the body of an attacker at the scene of a shooting attack outside Jerusalem's Old City's New Gate, on March 9, 2016 Ahmad Gharabli (AFP) The vice president "condemned in the strongest possible terms the brutal attack which occurred in Jaffa during his meeting with president Peres," his office said, adding "there is no justification for such acts of terror". The US State Department identified the dead American as Taylor Allen Force, a 29-year-old Texas native and army veteran. Biden was to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Wednesday and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah later. A police spokesman said there was "heightened security across Jerusalem". - String of attacks - The White House has said Biden will not be pursuing any major new peace initiatives during his visit despite a wave of violence that erupted in October. The number of attacks had somewhat diminished recently and Israeli security forces were probing whether the flare-up was connected to Biden's visit. Violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories since last October has killed 188 Palestinians and 28 Israelis. Most of the Palestinians were killed while carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, Israeli authorities say. Others were shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes or demonstrations. On Wednesday the two Palestinians, both around 20-years-old, first shot at a bus from their car in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood of northern Jerusalem, police said. A driver returned fire at the assailants before they fled. Later they opened fire again just outside Jerusalem's Old City, seriously wounding a 50-year-old man. Medics said the victim may have been a Palestinian from east Jerusalem. The two assailants were then shot and killed by police. In a separate incident later in the morning, a Palestinian tried to stab Israeli forces at a checkpoint in the occupied West Bank and was shot dead, the army said. Three other assaults occurred on Tuesday in addition to the stabbings that killed the American, including two in Jerusalem and one in Petah Tikva near Tel Aviv. One saw a Palestinian shoot and seriously wound two Israeli police officers in Jerusalem before being shot dead. In another, a Palestinian woman attempted to stab Israeli police forces in Jerusalem's Old City before being shot dead. In Petah Tikva, a Palestinian stabbed an ultra-Orthodox Jew in a liquor store. The victim and owner of the shop pounced on the attacker, seized his weapon and killed him, police said. - Talks overshadowed - Biden's visit had already been overshadowed by a new blow to the rocky relationship between US President Barack Obama and Netanyahu. Netanyahu's decision not to accept an invitation for talks with Obama in Washington later this month "surprised" the White House, which first learned of it through news reports. The visit comes with Obama having acknowledged there will be no comprehensive agreement between Israelis and Palestinians before he leaves office in January 2017. Biden's talks are expected to include discussions on a new 10-year defence aid package for Israel, currently worth some $3.1 billion annually in addition to spending on projects such as missile defence. Biden and Netanyahu also plan to discuss the fight against the Islamic State jihadist group. Senior Palestinian official Ahmed Majdalani said he was expecting "nothing" from Biden's visit. "Mr. Biden is only coming to the region in the context of his plans regarding the fight against terrorism in Syria, not for us," he told AFP. After his visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, Biden will travel to Jordan. He visited the United Arab Emirates before arriving in Tel Aviv on Tuesday. Israelis check a vehicle with its windshield riddled with bullet holes at the scene of an attack outside Jerusalem's Old City's New Gate, on March 9, 2016 Ahmad Gharabli (AFP) US Vice President Joe Biden gestures upon his arrival at Ben Gurion International airport in Tel Aviv, on March 8, 2016 Jack Guez (AFP) Japan orders shutdown of two nuclear reactors over safety fears A Japanese court Wednesday ordered the shutdown of two nuclear reactors previously declared safe under post-Fukushima safety rules, a decision that comes just days before the fifth anniversary of the atomic disaster. The order will bring the number of operating reactors in Japan down to two. Dozens were shuttered in the wake of Fukushima, the world's worst nuclear accident in a generation The ruling by the Otsu District Court -- the first to force the shutdown of reactors switched on under stricter safety rules adopted after the 2011 disaster -- is a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's bid to bring back nuclear power. Kansai Electric's No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at its Takahama nuclear plant The ruling ordered the shuttering of Kansai Electric's No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at the Takahama nuclear plant, some 350 kilometres (215 miles) west of Tokyo. The No.4 reactor was taken offline last month due to an unexpected technical glitch days after it restarted, while the No. 3 reactor is currently operating. Kansai Electric said it would respect the "extremely regrettable" decision and shut down operations. But the utility firm said it would appeal. "This court order is not something the company can accept," it said in a statement. Television footage showed plaintiffs and local residents cheering and holding banners after the ruling. "I'm so happy and praise the court's courage," said one person celebrating outside the courthouse. The bid to restart Japan's nuclear reactors has become entangled in a web of lawsuits amid fears about another Fukushima-style accident. In December, another court sided with Kansai Electric by lifting a temporary injunction blocking the restart of the two reactors covered by Wednesday's ruling. - 'Landmark victory' - The latest case was filed by residents in neighbouring Shiga prefecture who argued that the reactors posed a risk to Lake Biwa, a key water source for the region. An accident similar to Fukushima would contaminate the lake, they argued. "This is a landmark victory for people living in the shadow of shut-down reactors across Japan and a devastating blow against the nuclear industry and the policies of the Abe government," said Hisayo Takada, deputy programme director at Greenpeace Japan. "Its a clear message that nuclear power has no place in Japans energy future." The decision comes about a week after three former executives of Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima plant, were indicted on criminal negligence charges over the 2011 accident. It will be the first criminal trial over responsibility for the tsunami-sparked reactor meltdowns that forced thousands from their homes in the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986. Two reactors in the southern prefecture of Kagoshima, operated by Kyushu Electric Power, restarted last year, ending the two-year hiatus in nuclear power generation. A pair of reactors were briefly switched on again after the accident but were then shuttered. Anti-nuclear sentiment still runs high in Japan and there was widespread opposition to restarts. Abe and utility companies have been pushing to get reactors back in operation, as the disaster forced Japan to turn to pricey fossil fuels to plug an energy gap left by the shutdowns. Abe has argued that resuming nuclear power is key to Japan's energy policy, but memories of Fukushima are still fresh for many. Japan's entire stable of reactors was shuttered in the aftermath of the disaster, when a huge undersea quake sent towering waves smashing into the coast, swamping the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and sparking reactor meltdowns. Japan has since set up an independent atomic watchdog, the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), replacing the previous arrangement where the industry ministry both oversaw the regulator and promoted nuclear power. Map showing Japan's nuclear plants Morocco slams UN's Ban Ki-moon for West Sahara comments Morocco on Tuesday accused United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon of speaking out of turn during a visit to restart talks between Rabat and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front on disputed Western Sahara. The Moroccan government noted "with great surprise the verbal outpourings... and unjustified gestures of deference" by Ban during his visit, according to a statement released by the official MAP news agency. It was unclear exactly to what comments Rabat was referring. United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon (L) arrives for a meeting with the Polisario Front's representative at the UN, on March 5, 2016, near a UN base in Bir-Lahlou, in the disputed territory of Western Sahara Farouk Batiche (AFP/File) During a weekend stop in the Algerian capital Ban criticised Morocco and the Polisario Front for failing to make "real progress" towards an "acceptable" solution to end the 40-year conflict in the disputed desert territory. Ban added that the UN mission to the region was "prepared to hold a referendum if there is agreement between the parties", an initiative supported by Algeria, the Polisario Front's main backer. "Far from achieving the stated goal of his visit to relaunch political dialogue, the secretary general's comments could jeopardise the process," the statement by the Moroccan government added. The UN has been trying to oversee an independence referendum for Western Sahara since 1992 after a ceasefire was reached to end a war that broke out when Morocco sent its forces to the former Spanish territory in 1975. Morocco has ruled out the idea of independence and argues for a broad autonomy for the territory under its sovereignty. US troops in helicopter-borne raid in Somalia: Pentagon US troops accompanied Somali forces in a helicopter raid against Shebab insurgents in Somalia, a Pentagon spokesman said Wednesday. US aircraft were used in the operation against the Al-Qaeda-affiliated group, which the spokesman described as an "advise, assist and accompany mission" with the Somali army. "We did go on the mission but we did not go all the way to the objective," Navy Captain Jeff Davis said. Somalia's Shebab was formed in 2006 and is battling the internationally-recognised government in Mogadishu Mohamed Abdiwahab (AFP/File) The raid overnight Tuesday to Wednesday came just days after US warplanes and drones killed an estimated 130 Shebab fighters training for a major operation, according to the Pentagon. Special forces operatives in two helicopters targeted the Shebab-controlled town of Awdhegele, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of Somalia's capital Mogadishu, Somali government officials and a Shebab spokesman said. "We have reports Shebab militants suffered casualties," local district commissioner Mohamed Aweys told reporters. It was not immediately clear what the objective was, but helicopter raids in the past have been hostage rescue missions, such as a US commando operation in 2012 to free two aid workers who had been held for three months by the group. Davis said there are a small number of US troops in Somalia supporting an African Union mission and the Somali national army "specifically in their fight against al-Shebab." The number of militants killed by US strikes in Somalia has increased in recent years from 4 in 2011 to 41 in 2015, according to data compiled by the think-tank the New America Foundation. The latest raids came after Shebab stepped up its attacks since the start of the year. In January, the group attacked a camp of Kenyan peacekeepers in the south of the country that was part of the African Union mission. The attack killed more than 100 soldiers, security sources in Nairobi said. In late February, Shabab killed more than 40 people in a series of attacks in Mogadishu and Baidoa in southwestern Somalia. The insurgents have also bombed the presidential palace in the capital and managed to place a bomb in a plane leaving Mogadishu for Djibouti last month. The device exploded shortly after takeoff, ripping a hole in plane's side but killing only the suspected bomber before the aircraft landed safely. The attack showed the group was able to evade the heavy security at Mogadishu's airport. Observers say the group aims to disrupt Somalia's first presidential election in 40 years, planned for later this year. Suu Kyi party mulling Myanmar China dam rethink: advisor Aung San Suu Kyi's incoming government is considering a rethink of a controversial Chinese-backed dam in Myanmar and looking for ways to end a military conglomerate's "privileges", according to her party's economic advisor. Her new government, which is expected to take office in early April, faces a raft of economic challenges, not least the continued financial clout of Myanmar's military, while needing to manage delicate relations with China, its biggest trading partner. Critics of the former junta long argued that Myanmar's military elite grew wealthy off a cosy relationship with Beijing that granted the giant northern neighbour lucrative concessions with little trickle down benefit. Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) have offered few policy details, beyond a broad manifesto, in the lengthy transition period since winning last November's elections with a thumping mandate STR (AFP/File) Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) have offered few policy details, beyond a broad manifesto, in the lengthy transition period since winning last November's elections with a thumping mandate. But Hantha Myint, the head of the NLD's economics committee, said voters were expecting tangible change. "The people have very, very high hopes and then if we misbehave in some way... the people's expectations will be crushed," he told AFP during an interview at the party's headquarters in Yangon. While underlining that Suu Kyi would make the ultimate decision on policy, he said a potential redesign of the multi-billion dollar Myitsone hydropower project in northern Kachin State was on the cards -- comments likely to reverberate in Beijing. The trained engineer raised fears over its proximity to an active earthquake fault line, but said a compromise could be made to reduce risk. "If we refuse to build a dam at Myitsone we can build other dams upstream," he added. Myitsone was halted in 2011 by President Thein Sein amid widespread protest and the collapse of a 17-year ceasefire with local ethnic minority rebels. On Tuesday Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi insisted that the dam had gone through "full approval procedures" and put recent controversy down to "growing pains". - 'Only they can solve' - Hantha Myint also said it was time for Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) -- a military conglomerate that runs business interests as diverse as construction, transport and brewing -- to "compete at a level playing field". "The privileges given to MEHL by the previous government, we will not be able to give them those privileges," he said. Myanmar Economic Corporation, the military's other main conglomerate, remained outside of civilian control, he added. Suu Kyi is banned from becoming president but she has vowed to rule through a presidential proxy, with the NLD expected to announce their candidate for the job on Thursday. She has shown a pragmatic streak in dealing with both Myanmar's powerful military and controversial Chinese-backed projects. She led an inquiry into the Letpadaung copper mine in central Monywa -- a joint venture between MEHL and China's Wanbao -- following a violent police crackdown on protesters including monks in 2012. The probe attracted the ire of activists after it recommended construction be allowed to continue. But it also made a host of other recommendations for reducing the impact of local communities that Hantha Myint said the new government would revisit. Wanbao plans to start production in May, in a move likely to pose an early challenge for the NLD government. A spokesman for the firm told AFP last month that the next government would be expected to handle continued protests by angry local farmers, adding "only they can solve it". Biden criticises 'failure to condemn' Palestinian attacks US Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday implicitly criticised Palestinian leaders for not condemning attacks against Israelis, as an upsurge in violence marred his visit. Six separate attacks took place shortly before or after Biden's arrival Tuesday, including a stabbing spree on Tel Aviv's waterfront by a Palestinian who killed an American tourist and wounded 12 other people. The stabbings in the Jaffa port area took place as Biden met former Israeli president Shimon Peres about a kilometre (less than a mile) away. US Vice President Joe Biden (L) arrives with his family to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on March 9, 2016 in Jerusalem's Old City Debbie Hill (Pool/AFP) Biden said his wife and grandchildren had been having dinner on the beach not far from the site of the stabbings. "The United States of America condemns these acts and condemns the failure to condemn these acts," Biden said while meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "The kind of violence we saw yesterday, the failure to condemn it, the rhetoric that incites that violence, the retribution that it generates, has to stop." Biden offered his condolences to the family of the American victim, 29-year-old Taylor Force, whom he noted had served in the US military in Afghanistan and Iraq. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has repeatedly called for peaceful resistance against the Israeli occupation, but has not specifically condemned a wave of knife, gun and car-ramming attacks that erupted in October. Islamist movement Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, often praises such attacks. Biden held talks with Abbas later Wednesday in the West Bank town of Ramallah but they made no comments to reporters after the meeting. A large number of the attackers have been young people, including teenagers, who appear to have been acting on their own. Many analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the unrest. The White House has said Biden would not be pursuing any major new peace initiatives during his visit despite the wave of violence. Israel blames incitement by Palestinian leaders and media as a main cause of the violence, which has killed 188 Palestinians and 28 Israelis since October. Most of the Palestinians were killed while carrying out attacks, Israeli authorities say. Others were shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes or demonstrations. - Flare-up and Biden visit - The number of attacks had somewhat diminished recently and Israeli security forces were probing whether the flare-up was connected to Biden's visit. On Wednesday, two young Palestinians, aged 19 and 21, shot at a bus from their car in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood of northern Jerusalem, police said. A driver returned fire at the assailants before they fled. Later they opened fire again just outside the Old City in annexed east Jerusalem, before police shot and killed the two assailants. A 50-year-old man, thought to be a Palestinian from east Jerusalem, was seriously wounded. Israeli authorities were investigating whether his injuries were the result of police or assailant gunfire. In a separate attack, a 16-year-old Palestinian tried to stab Israeli forces at a checkpoint in the occupied West Bank and was shot dead, the army said. As part of moves to curb the violence, Israel's government decided Wednesday "to complete immediately construction of the barrier around Jerusalem and build a new stretch" in a sector near the West Bank hotspot of Hebron, according to a government statement. The United Nations humanitarian office OCHA, in a report published in September, said 64 percent of the barrier has already been built and it has isolated nine percent of Palestinian territory in the West Bank. - Talks overshadowed - Biden's visit had already been overshadowed by a new blow to the rocky relationship between US President Barack Obama and Netanyahu. Netanyahu's decision not to accept an invitation for talks with Obama in Washington later this month "surprised" the White House, which first learned of it through news reports. Both countries have been seeking to set aside their deep disagreement on the Iran nuclear deal, which Netanyahu strongly opposed, and show that ties between the two traditional allies remain strong. They have been working on a new 10-year defence aid package for Israel, currently worth some $3.1 billion annually in addition to spending on projects such as missile defence. Ahead of the Ramallah talks, senior Palestinian official Ahmed Majdalani said he was expecting "nothing" from Biden's visit. "Mr. Biden is only coming to the region in the context of his plans regarding the fight against terrorism in Syria, not for us," he told AFP, referring to talks between Biden and Netanyahu on the Islamic State jihadist group. Under heavy security, Biden made an unannounced stop Wednesday along with three of his grandchildren and his daughter-in-law at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City. The church is built at the site revered as the location of Jesus's crucifixion and tomb. Israeli emergency personnel and security forces gather around the body of an attacker at the scene of a shooting attack outside Jerusalem's Old City's New Gate, on March 9, 2016 Ahmad Gharabli (AFP) Israelis check a vehicle with its windshield riddled with bullet holes at the scene of an attack outside Jerusalem's Old City's New Gate, on March 9, 2016 Ahmad Gharabli (AFP) Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Zaka volunteers remove the body of a Palestinian shot dead after attacking Israeli police outside Jerusalem's Damascus Gate on February 19, 2016 Ahmad Gharabli (AFP) US Vice Presicent Joe Biden (R) and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas shake hands following a meeting at the presidential compound in the city of Ramallah, in the West Bank, on March 9, 2016 Debbie Hill (Pool/AFP) Palestinian protesters run away from tear gas smoke during clashes with Israeli security forces on February 19, 2016 in the West Bank village of Bilin Abbas Momani (AFP) Cambridge removes African cockerel statue after student protest A Cambridge University college has removed a bronze statue of an African cockerel from display following a campaign by students, as part of a surge in activism against symbols of Britain's colonial past. Jesus College said it was taking down the statue known as "Okukor" from the former kingdom of Benin -- now part of southern Nigeria -- and was looking at the possibility of its repatriation. "Jesus College acknowledges the contribution made by students in raising the important but complex question of the rightful location of its Benin bronze, in response to which it has permanently removed the Okukor," a college spokeswoman said. Cambridge University's Jesus College said it was taking down the statue known as "Okukor" from the former kingdom of Benin -- now part of southern Nigeria -- and was looking at the possibility of its repatriation Shaun Curry (AFP/File) "The college commits ... to discuss and determine the best future for the Okukor, including the question of repatriation," she said. Last month, the college's student union passed a motion that said the statue was looted by British troops in 1897 during a "punitive expedition" as revenge for the killing of some officers. The motion said that the statue had been bequeathed to the college from the estate of a former British officer, George Neville, who died in 1929. The students' "Benin Bronze Appreciation Committee" said it was in contact with a Nigerian government minister who supported its repatriation, according to minutes of the meeting on the union website. - 'War on the past' - Some academics reacted critically to the ruling. Joanna Williams, a lecturer in higher education at University of Kent was quoted by the Daily Telegraph as saying that the decision was "cowardly". "I think students have declared war on the past and this is another example of how students are using history as a morality play," she said. Students at Oxford University launched a campaign last year for the removal of a statue of British imperialist and donor Cecil Rhodes at Oriel College. Oriel has said it will remove a plaque honouring Rhodes, a white supremacist like many builders of the British empire, but would keep the statue in place. The campaign has since widened to target other figures associated with British colonial history, including queen Victoria and Charles Codrington, a plantation owner in Barbados who used enslaved labour and was a major donor to All Souls College in Oxford. A group of students held a rally and staged a die-in at Oxford on Wednesday holding up signs like "Decolonise Education" and "Morals Not Money", the Rhodes Must Fall campaign wrote on Twitter. - 'Healing the bruise' - Hundreds of works of art were looted by British soldiers from Nigeria in the 1897 punitive expedition. Two statues from the looted "Benin Bronzes" collection were returned to Benin City two years ago by Mark Walker, a retired medical consultant whose grandfather was involved in the raid. They were presented to the Oba (King) of Benin, Uku Akpolokpolo Erediauwa I at a ceremony attended by royal officials and local dignitaries. The tale of the artefacts began when nine British officers were killed while on a trade mission to the then independent kingdom of Benin -- not to be confused with modern-day Benin, which neighbours Nigeria. The British reaction was fierce, leaving several thousand local people dead and the city set ablaze, while the oba was forced into exile. The royal palace was looted, resulting in the removal of hundreds of artworks, including the Benin Bronzes, which showed highly decorative images of the oba and his courtiers from centuries earlier. Most of the ornate bronzes -- in fact melted down and refashioned brass from bracelets and other objects offered by Portuguese traders in the 15th century -- have been at the British Museum in London ever since. They include a 19th century depiction of the head of the oba, who has divine status for the Edo people, and 16th century plaques taken from the walls of the royal palace, showing court life. The Oba's brother, Prince Edun Akenzua, in 2014 described Walker's actions as a gesture that would "contribute positively to healing the bruise etched on the psyche of Benin people since 1897". 'Radicalised' Frenchman flew to Morocco with machete, knives A Frenchman described as "radicalised" was arrested in Morocco after arriving on a flight with a machete, knives and a gas bottle in his luggage, French authorities said Wednesday. The 31-year-old man, who had previously been under house arrest in France, was held upon arrival in Fez on Sunday, where authorities discovered the items, as well as a black balaclava, in his luggage. He was not challenged as he checked in with low-cost airline Ryanair from Nantes in western France, despite heightened security following an Islamic State group attack on Paris in November that left 130 people dead. The Ryanair flight was traveling from Nantes in western France to Fez in Morocco Philippe Huguen (AFP/File) Local government officials identified him as convert Manuel Broustail, a former soldier who was expelled from the army in 2014 following a report that he had been radicalised during a mission in Djibouti. He then became the leader of a group of radicalised Muslims in the city of Angers, also in western France, even organising "paramilitary-style training exercises", including one that took place just days before the November attacks, according to French intelligence. He was arrested in November after the attacks and placed under house arrest. The municipality of the Loire-Atlantique region said Broustail was no longer under house arrest when he checked in for the flight, and there was no reason to stop him leaving France. According to photos published in Moroccan media, Broustail's luggage appeared to contain at least four kitchen knives, a machete, two pocket knives, a truncheon, a balaclava and gas bottle. Another photo showed Broustail with a bald head and long, bushy beard. The municipality said France had signalled the man's presence to the Moroccan authorities and that his arrest in Fez "was not a matter of chance". The Dublin-based carrier Ryanair told AFP the case was "the responsibility of Nantes airport security officials who are investigating". Hundreds rally a year after Zimbabwe regime critic's abduction Hundreds rallied in Zimbabwe's capital Wednesday over the shadowy disappearance of an opposition activist a year ago, as the United States led calls for a probe into "politically motivated violence". Zimbabwe's 92-year-old ruler Robert Mugabe, who has led the country since independence from Britain in 1980, has been accused by critics at home and abroad of cracking down on opponents and smothering democracy. Protesters including opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai demanded that Mugabe release information on how Itai Dzamara, a former journalist and harsh regime critic, was seized by unidentified men. Demonstrators sing, dance and shout political slogans during a march to mark the one year anniversary of the disappearance of Itai Dzamara in Harare on March 9, 2016 Jekesai Njikizana (AFP) Dzamara was the leader of an anti-government campaign group that sought to force Mugabe to resign over the collapse of the economy, largely sparked by the seizure of white-owned farms which led to a dramatic fall in agricultural production. On March 9 last year, Dzamara was bundled into an unmarked car while coming out of a barbers shop and he has not been seen since. "Why should the regime resort to violence whenever the people want to express themselves?" Tsvangirai told the rally in Harare's African Unity square, where Dzamara had staged sit-in protests and was once beaten by pro-Mugabe supporters. "We will hound this government forever and ever until they bring Itai to us alive or dead." The demonstrators danced, sang and shouted political slogans. "Stop abductions now", read a placard at the protest while another demanded that authorities "End forced disappearances now". Several foreign countries have repeatedly pushed the government over the fate of Dzamara, whose family has been holding public prayer meetings and has gone to court in a bid to get some answers. - Government denials - "The United States remains deeply concerned about Mr. Dzamara's whereabouts and wellbeing," the US embassy said in a statement. "The Zimbabwean constitution guarantees fundamental human rights and freedoms for all citizens, including Mr. Dzamara. "We also encourage the government of Zimbabwe to fully investigate cases of politically motivated violence and abductions to ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted and victims receive justice." The European Union expressed disappointment at that Dzamara's disappearance remained unsolved. "Those responsible for his abduction have yet to face justice," it said. "The EU attaches great importance to strengthening the rule of law, human rights, and the consolidation of democracy in Zimbabwe, as set out in the government's own constitutional reform agenda." The government denied all accusations that it was involved and said it had no information on Dzamara's whereabouts. "(We) will leave no stone unturned in the investigation about the disappearance of this citizen of ours," Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa told parliament Wednesday. "We would not want to have any citizen in this country to suffer or to disappear without any trace." Amnesty International called on the authorities to "genuinely look" for Dzamara. A Minot legislator wants to ban university foundations from paying some expenses of university presidents and vice presidents. The proposal has merit and deserves a good discussion during the 2017 legislative session. Rep. Roscoe Streyle, R-Minot, feels some expenses the NDSU Foundation has paid for North Dakota State University President Dean Bresciani are inappropriate. The one item that got most of the attention was when the foundation paid Brescianis business class airfare to India. The president was being criticized for paying the higher fare, about $8,300, when it was announced that the foundation was paying for the ticket. From 2015 to the end of January of this year, the NDSU Foundation spent about $70,300 on the president including business dinners, parties at the presidents house and dues to the Fargo Country Club, according to the Forum News Service. Streyle doesnt think Bresciani, with a six-figure salary and a free house, should be relying on the foundation to pay these costs. He also thinks theres a potential for a conflict of interest. Foundation donors names are exempt from state open records law. So its possible for a donor to be helping pay the costs of a university president while lobbying the president for a project. Thats one reason Streyle wants to ban paying for expenses. The other reason he wants the focus on students. He feels university foundations should be working to benefit students and that money they raised should be for the betterment of the student body. Streyle realizes that foundations and universities need to hold fundraisers and court potential financial supporters, but he wants some limits. Hes in favor of endowments, scholarships and capital improvements that the foundations can help provide. Streyle has some good points that the Legislature should debate. Its not the first time questions have been raised about the foundations during a session and a healthy discussion could help set some boundaries. The foundations have benefited the states schools greatly over the years, but there needs to be some transparency. The public needs to be comfortable that its philanthropy and nothing more. Streyles proposal has the potential to make the universities and foundations better. New clashes hit Tunisia town as thousands mourn Fresh clashes in Tunisia's Ben Guerdane area near the Libyan border left 10 jihadists and a soldier dead as thousands attended funerals Wednesday for victims of a major assault. The assault, launched Monday on army and police posts and blamed by authorities on the Islamic State group, and ensuing unrest has left 46 jihadists, 13 members of security forces and seven civilians dead. IS has taken advantage of Libya's chaos to gain an important foothold in the country and there are fears of its influence spreading into neighbouring Tunisia. Locals and journalists gather outside a hospital in the Tunisian town of Ben Guerdane near the Libyan border on March 9, 2016 Fathi Nasri (AFP) After fighting off Monday's fierce assault, Tunisian security forces have been hunting and clashing sporadically with jihadists in the area, where a nighttime curfew has been in effect since Monday. Two "terrorists" and a soldier were killed on Wednesday when fighting erupted after jihadists tried to raid a building site in search of provisions, officials said. Another jihadist was shot dead while hiding in a house in the city. Late on Tuesday security forces killed another seven jihadists hiding out in a house in the town of 60,000. The defence ministry warned that those entering a designated buffer zone along the border without permission would be dealt with "firmly". Authorities would respond "with force against anyone" who does not cooperate, the ministry warned. "This is to prevent terrorist threats that could target our country through attempts at infiltration," it said. There was a heavy security presence in Ben Guerdane and the border with Libya has remained closed since Monday. Thousands still turned up for funerals of the victims of Monday's attacks, as the bodies of 11 people were buried in the town cemetery in an area newly designated "The Martyrs of March 7". Mourning took place nationwide, and schools across the country held a minute's silence in memory of the civilians and members of the security forces killed in the assault. At the Lenin school in central Tunis, pupils sang the national anthem and saluted the national flag before the solemn ceremony. "It is vital to show students the importance of defending the nation, that the blood of martyrs did not flow for nothing," teacher Sonia El Kefi told AFP. "We will not allow terrorists to influence the minds of children." One of the pupils, Aziz, said: "This is for the martyrs" and so the police "are aware that if they die, there will still be people standing behind them". - Call for 'measured' response - The authorities said Monday's attack was an "unprecedented" assault by IS aimed at setting up a new stronghold in the country across the border from Libya. Prime Minister Habib Essid has said about 50 extremists were believed to have taken part in the attacks. The apparent aim of the operation was to establish a "Daesh emirate" in Ben Guerdane, he said, using an Arabic name for IS. Analysts said the coordinated attacks showed jihadists are keen to spread their influence from Libya to Tunisia and to set up a new stronghold in the country. Residents of the town said the assailants appeared to be natives of the region. They stopped people, checked ID cards apparently to seek out members of the security forces, and announced their brief takeover of Ben Guerdane as "liberators". Jihadists have taken advantage of a power vacuum in Libya since the NATO-backed overthrow of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011 to set up bases in several areas, including near Sabratha close to the Tunisian border. Tunisia has built a 200-kilometre (125-mile) barrier that stretches about half the length of its border in an attempt to stop militant incursions. Michael Ayari of the International Crisis Group think tank said there was a danger that too strong of a crackdown by security forces could backfire. "Security forces should react in a measured manner when questioning Ben Guerdane residents who may have lent logistic or other support to the IS raiding party," he said. "The scale of the attack means they could number in the hundreds. A wave of mass and indiscriminate arrests accompanied by police brutality could polarise families, feed into residents' frustrations and increase support for IS in the future." Deadly clashes with jihadists in Tunisian town near Libyan border Paz Pizarro, Jonathan Jacobsen (AFP) A Tunisian man looks through the window of a house in Benniri, just south of Ben Guerdane near the Libyan border, on March 9, 2016, where suspected jihadists were holed up and killed in a confrontation with Tunisian security forces overnight Fathi Nasri (AFP) UN outlines March 14-24 timetable for Syria talks A new round of talks aimed at ending the war in Syria will begin in Geneva on March 14 and will last no longer than 10 days, the UN mediator said Wednesday. Staffan de Mistura said participants would begin arriving in the coming days and that he would be having some informal talks over the weekend. "But the substantive deeper part of it... will be on Monday," he said, saying the negotiations would "last not beyond March 24", when there would be a break. Debris of a building in Deir Ezzor reportedly hit by a missile on September 26, 2013 Ahmad Aboud (AFP) "There will a recess of a few days, a week perhaps, 10 days" before the talks resume, he said. "Having a timetable and a time limit is healthy for everyone." The UN is hoping to restart peace talks that collapsed last month, building on a ceasefire that has led to the first significant decline in violence in Syria's nearly five-year civil war. The truce between President Bashar al-Assad's regime and non-jihadist rebels is part of the biggest diplomatic effort yet to resolve Syria's conflict, which has killed more than 270,000 people and displaced millions. The partial truce, which was negotiated by Washington and Moscow and which does not apply to the Islamic State group or the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front, has largely held since it began on February 27. "The cessation of hostilities... is still holding, and it is making a direct impact on the lives of millions of Syrians inside the country," UN humanitarian coordinator for Syria Yacoub El Hillo told reporters. As in the previous round, the negotiations will take the form of "proximity talks" with de Mistura shuttling between the different sides. The Syrian regime on Monday confirmed it would attend the Geneva talks, while the opposition has said it was still considering the matter despite a major lull in fighting. A small delegation from the Riyadh-based High Negotiations Committee was meanwhile expected to attend a meeting in Geneva Wednesday afternoon of the international task force overseeing the ceasefire. - Six key areas unreached - Wednesday morning, there was a meeting of another task force monitoring efforts to increase humanitarian aid deliveries to nearly half million people in besieged areas and another four million in hard-to-reach areas. In the past four weeks, 536 trucks had reached 238,845 people -- 150,000 of them in besieged areas, de Mistura said. His special adviser Jan Egeland meanwhile hailed the fact that 10 out of 18 besieged areas had been reached, some with multiple convoys. "The bad news is that we still have not reached six important besieged areas," Egeland said, referring to areas such as Daraya, Douma, besieged by government forces, and Deir Ezzor where some 200,000 people are under siege by IS jihadists. The aim is to reach a total of 870,000 people in hard-to-reach areas by the end of April, el Hillo said. Trump's torture support hurts US global 'standing': UN expert Comments by Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in support of waterboarding and the torture of terror suspects have damaged the United States' global standing, a UN expert said Wednesday. Juan Mendez, the United Nations special rapporteur on torture, made the comments a day after briefing the UN rights council in Geneva. "I think the... standing of the United States as a law-abiding nation and as an example to other states to fight crime and terrorism within the strictures of the rule of law is very seriously damaged by this kind of rhetoric," Mendez said. Human rights activists stage a mock waterboarding of a prisoner during a 2008 protest rally in New York's Times Square Timothy A. Clary (AFP/File) Although he did not use Trump's name, Mendez was responding to a question about the real-estate mogul, who has said during the Republican campaign that he supports waterboarding and other extreme interrogation techniques that are a "hell of a lot worse" and said he had "no problem" with the targeting of terror suspects' families. Trump pledged over the weekend to abide by US laws but suggested they should be changed to permit the torture of terror suspects and targeting their family members, allowing the US to play "on the same field" as the Islamic State group. Speaking to reporters, Mendez said his remarks the US election campaign were made "as a citizen", not in his official UN capacity. "If any of these candidates gets elected and reinstates waterboarding or any of the other harsh techniques -- euphemistically called enhanced interrogation tactics -- that is going to be illegal," he said. "They are illegal as a matter of international law, they are illegal as a matter of constitutional law in the United States, they are illegal as a matter of military law. The uniform code of military justice (in the United States) expressly prohibits torture," he said. Mendez, a lawyer and Argentinian national, was arrested and tortured by the military dictatorship that ruled the country in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Trump won primaries in Michigan and Mississippi as well as caucuses in Hawaii on Tuesday, maintaining his lead in the Republican race. Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has previously said he supports the use of waterboarding and other extreme interrogation techniques Rhona Wise (AFP/File) Cuba says Obama 'welcome' but shouldn't expect much Cuba's state newspaper said Wednesday US President Barack Obama will be warmly welcomed when he makes a historic visit this month, but warned him not to expect political concessions. "The US leader will be welcomed by the government of Cuba and its people with the hospitality that distinguishes them and will be treated with all consideration and respect," official daily Granma said in an editorial. But it hastened to add: "No one can harbor the slightest doubt about Cuba's unconditional adherence to its revolutionary and anti-imperialist ideals." Barack Obama will visit Cuba on March 21 and 22 -- the first visit by a US president since Calvin Coolidge in 1928 Doug Mills (Pool/AFP/File) Obama will visit the island March 21 and 22 -- the first visit by a US president since Calvin Coolidge in 1928, and a symbolically charged capstone to the rapprochement that he and Cuban leader Raul Castro announced in December 2014. Obama has vowed to press the regime on human rights issues and democracy during his visit. But Granma warned him not to be a pushy guest, quoting Castro himself as saying: "We will not allow ourselves to be pressured on our internal affairs. We have won this sovereign right with great sacrifices." The editorial reiterated the Castro government's demands for the United States to return the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, end its more than 50-year-old embargo on Cuba, and fully normalize ties in areas such as immigration. Obama's Republican opponents accuse him of betraying the cause of human rights in Cuba by engaging with the Castro regime. In a bid to fend off such criticism, the White House has announced Obama will meet with anti-regime dissidents in Havana, although it has not given any details beyond insisting that the Cuban government will not be allowed to hand-pick them. Cuban dissidents appeared to differ over how hard Obama should push a human rights agenda during his visit. "I believe that if Obama sends a message of detente, that the United States is with the Cuban people and is not the enemy of the Cuban people ... it will greatly advance human rights," said Manuel Cuesta, a moderate. Other dissidents like Berta Soler, the leader of a woman's group founded by wives and mothers of political prisoners, have called on Obama to make firm demands for change. Cuesta said a softer touch would ease doubts and encourage those who believe the country should move in the direction of greater rights but are wary of Washington's intentions. In Miami, former political prisoner Martha Beatriz Roque said Obama should be an advocate in Havana for democracy and give recognition to opponents of the Castro regime in his conversations and contacts on the island. She told a news conference she did not expect a lot from Obama's visit, but added "the important thing is to take advantage of the small space that could be created." Since taking over nearly a decade ago from his older brother Fidel, the father of Cuba's 1959 revolution, Raul Castro has slowly opened up the Cuban economy. But the political system is still completely dominated by the regime, and dissidents regularly face crack-downs and arrest. France aims to relaunch Israel-Palestinian peace process 'by summer' French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Wednesday launched efforts to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process by this summer, while ruling out "automatic" recognition of Palestinian statehood. Paris will not "automatically" recognise a Palestinian state if a French initiative to host an international conference to revive the peace talks fails, Ayrault said on a visit to Cairo. His predecessor, Laurent Fabius, had stirred Israeli anger in January by proposing such a conference and saying France would "recognise a Palestinian state" if peace talks failed. A Palestinian protestor runs with his national flag during clashes with Israeli forces near the Nahal Oz border crossing with Israel, east of Gaza City, on November 1, 2013 Mohammed Abed (AFP/File) "There is never anything automatic. France will present its initiative to its partners. It will be the first step, there is no pre-requisite," Ayrault said when asked by a journalist in Cairo about Fabius's remarks. Ayrault is on a two-day visit to Egypt to discuss the French initiative for hosting an international conference "by this summer" to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks brokered by Washington that collapsed in April 2014. "What we want, and that is our commitment, is to resume the negotiation process," he told reporters at a joint news conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry. The French initiative comes at a time of mounting attacks since the start of October that have left 188 Palestinians and 28 Israelis dead. France is worried about jihadist infiltration into the Palestinian territories on the back of "frustration" over the status quo, according to the foreign ministry. Shoukry, for his part, said Cairo "appreciates" the French initiative, which "guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people". Israel had reacted angrily to Fabius's remarks on January 29. "This will be an incentive for the Palestinians to come and not compromise," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Fabius said that France was looking to revive plans for an international conference to "bring about the two-state solution" to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "And what will happen if this last-ditch attempt at reaching a negotiated solution hits a stumbling block?" Fabius asked. "In that case, we will have to live up to our responsibilities and recognise a Palestinian state." - 'Mobilise international community' - Ayrault said on Wednesday that France's goal was "simple -- to mobilise the international community around the only possible solution, that of two states". "We shouldn't exclude anything, but I don't want to put this (recognition) as a pre-requisite," he told reporters travelling with him to Cairo. "Otherwise we are going to block everyone," he said, reacting to reservations expressed by several European countries including Germany. Ayrault later told the press conference ahead of a meeting with the Arab League's committee on the peace process: "France wants to relaunch the peace initiative in the Middle East with the aim of hosting an international conference by this summer... if conditions are met." "Behind the apparent status quo lies a rapid degradation of the situation on the ground," he said, adding that the French initiative was only at its initial stage. "We are multiplying contacts. The road is difficult, we are aware of that, but we have to take it because nothing would be worse than not doing anything." Senior French diplomat Pierre Vimont is to tour Israel, the Palestinian territories and other countries in the region to discuss the proposal for an international conference. French Foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault (C) listens during a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart in the capital Cairo, on March 9, 2016 Khaled Desouki (AFP) Sri Lanka arrests Buddhist monk for keeping elephant Sri Lanka's police Wednesday arrested a high-profile monk for keeping an illegally captured baby elephant, in violation of strict laws protecting the animal in the mainly Buddhist nation. The Buddhist monk, Uduwe Dhammaloka, was taken into custody by the Criminal Investigations Department on a charge of possessing an elephant without a licence. Elephants are regarded as sacred in Sri Lanka and their capture in the wild is illegal, although many people own domesticated elephants under special permits, as a symbol of wealth. Sri Lankan prison guards escort Buddhist monk Uduwe Dhammaloka(centre)to the main jail in Colombo on March 9, 2016 Ishara S. Kodikara (AFP) The monk, a popular preacher and former member of parliament, was presented at the Magistrate's Court in Colombo, which ordered that he be remanded in custody till March 17, a court official told reporters. The authorities seized Dhammaloka's baby elephant from his temple in January last year and it is being cared for at the country's main elephant orphanage in central Sri Lanka. He was arrested following an investigation. The saffron-robed monk last week told reporters that he had found the two-year-old elephant abandoned at his temple in Colombo in 2014. "I did not capture the elephant, it was left at my temple," he said. Wildlife officials say it is extremely rare to find a stray baby elephant in the wild. Poachers usually kill the mother to snatch the young, which can fetch over 10 million rupees ($70,000). Wild elephants are considered state property and capturing them is a criminal offence that carries a prison sentence of up to five years. 'Omar the Chechen': notorious, red-bearded IS warlord A fierce, battle-hardened warlord with roots in Georgia and a thick red beard, Omar al-Shishani is one of the most notorious faces of the Islamic State jihadist group. On Wednesday, a US official said Shishani -- whose real name is Tarkhan Batirashvili -- "likely died" in an assault earlier this month by US warplanes and drones in northeastern Syria. Shishani, whose nom de guerre means Omar the Chechen, was one of the IS leaders most wanted by Washington which put a $5 million bounty on his head. Omar al-Shishani (real name Tarkhan Batirashvili) (C-L) pictured at an unknown location between Iraq's Nineveh province and the Syrian town of Al-Hasakah in an image made available by Jihadist media outlet al-Itisam Media on June 29, 2014 The US official branded Shishani "the ISIL equivalent of the secretary of defence," using another acronym for the group. Shishani comes from the Pankisi Gorge region that is populated mainly by ethnic Chechens. He fought as a Chechen rebel against Russian forces before joining the Georgian military in 2006, and fought Russian forces again in Georgia in 2008. He resurfaced in northern Syria in 2012 as the leader of a battalion of foreign fighters, said Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi, research fellow at the Middle East Forum, a US think-tank. As early as May 2013, when IS was just emerging in Syria, he was appointed the group's military commander for the north of the country, Tamimi said. While Shishani's exact rank is unclear, Richard Barrett of the US-based Soufan Group described him as IS's "most senior military commander", adding that he has been in charge of key battles. "He is clearly a very capable commander and has the loyalty of Chechen fighters who are considered by ISIS as elite troops," Barrett told AFP. Shishani is not however a member of IS's political leadership, a structure that is even murkier than its military command. - Born to Christian father - A profile of Shishani written by an IS supporter and posted online described him as "one of the best strategic and tactical leaders". He was born in 1986 to a Christian father and a Muslim mother, according to the text, which claims he "never lost any of his battles". In an indication of Shishani's popularity among jihadist sympathisers, the text describes him as "the new Khalid Ibn al-Walid" -- a reference to a leader from the early days of Islam who played a crucial role in spreading the nascent religion in Syria and Iraq. Observers, however, downplayed Shishani's importance. "He was a fierce fighter," according to Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the Syrian conflict. "He would be sent to frontlines across IS-held territory," he said. "If his death is confirmed, the impact will be symbolic, on the morale of IS. But it won't have an actual impact on the battlefield. There are many other leaders," he told AFP, noting that Shishani has been reported dead before. "IS chooses which faces to make known in the media -- while it conceals the real leaders." Shishani's reported killing remains unconfirmed, with the United States stopping short of formally declaring him dead. "At dawn, the US government informed us that there was such an assumption (that Shishani was dead). I stress that it's only an assumption, nothing more," Georgia's Defence Minister Tina Khidasheli told journalists. Shishani's father, Taimouraz Batirashvili, told the Russian news agency Interfax that he had no confirmation of his fate. Florida, with track record of picking winners, girds for primary Florida -- rich in delegates, and a snapshot of America at election time -- beckons as another gleaming prize for Republican frontrunner Donald Trump next Tuesday and a likely last stand for home state rival Marco Rubio. The Florida senator, who has led a mainstream Republican charge against Trump, was bloodied in Tuesday's Republican primaries in Michigan, Mississippi, Idaho and Hawaii, picking up zero delegates. His billionaire nemesis gleefully romped to victory in three of the nominating contests despite an onslaught of negative ads while Texas Senator Ted Cruz took the fourth vote in Idaho. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at the Trump National Golf Club Jupiter on March 8, 2016 in Jupiter, Florida Joe Raedle (Getty/AFP) All of which has raised questions about Rubio's viability in next Tuesday's winner-take-all primary in Florida, a big state with 99 delegates up for grabs. This is Rubio's home turf, the state that launched the 44-year-old Cuban-American's meteoric political rise. But a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday showed Trump with a two to one lead over Rubio in Florida, 45 to 22 percent, among likely Republican primary voters. Trump, looking to clear his path to the Republican nomination, has called on Rubio to bow out of the White House race. "He has a big a decision to make," the real estate mogul said of Rubio in an interview Wednesday with MSNBC, dropping hints of a possible vice presidential spot on a Trump ticket if he steps down before next Tuesday's vote. "If he runs and loses I think he will never be able to do anything very big politically in Florida. "I don't think he would be considered by anybody as a vice president and I don't think he could ever run for governor or whatever he might want to run for in the future. So I think running and losing would be risky," Trump said. Rubio's departure from the race would leave Trump facing only Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich, who faces his own do-or-die moment in his winner-take-all home state next Tuesday. - Rallies and debates - Florida is a so-called swing state -- it can go either Republican or Democrat in presidential voting -- and the third most populated in the country. To understand how important it is, consider this: at the close of last week's Super Tuesday primaries in several states, Trump, Cruz and Rubio were already in Florida when they first spoke publicly about the day's voting. Now, the candidates are spending time and money here. Rallies are being held all over the state, from the more conservative north down to the south, which tends to lean more Democratic. They will all meet up in Miami, which hosts a Democratic debate on Wednesday and a Republican one on Thursday. Florida is also an important battle ground for Democrats, with frontrunner Hillary Clinton still struggling with a persistent challenge from Bernie Sanders. Sanders, a self-declared Democratic socialist, dealt Clinton a surprise defeat in the northern industrial state of Michigan Tuesday, showing his candidacy still has legs. But in Florida, Clinton has an enormous 30 point lead over Sanders, 62 to 32 percent, with even bigger margins among women voters and Democrats over age 45, according to the Quinnipiac University poll. The Democrats use a proportional system to allocate the state's 214 pledged delegates to the party nominating convention in Philadelphia in July. - Picking a winner - Florida's demographic makeup -- a quarter of the population is Hispanic, and more than 16 percent is African-American -- could help Clinton. The Sunshine State boasts a diverse population, with lots of people who have moved here from other parts of the country and large Latino and black communities. The state's voting pattern tends to reflect that of the country as a whole. Since 1964, except for one time, Florida has voted for the primary candidate that ended up winning the presidential election. Six weeks into the nomination race, the firm favorite both nationally and in Florida is Trump, the outspoken New York billionaire. Rubio has chalked up only two wins, in Minnesota and Puerto Rico. Second place is held by Cruz, the ultraconservative who depicts himself as the only man who can beat Trump, spurned by the Republican Party mainstream because of his wild campaign antics, inflammatory comments and polarizing positions on immigration and Islam, among other issues. "It is going to be tough, because a lot of older voters think Rubio is young, maybe too young. He has a future still ahead of him, and then of course you have the Hispanic community and the natural friction between Cubans and others," said Susan MacManus of the University of South Florida in Tampa. One question still pending is whether Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor who dropped out of the Republican race in February, will endorse anyone, said MacManus. His support could be a big help to Rubio, once Bush's political underling, although the two have drifted apart after several nasty exchanges on the campaign trail. Republican Candidates Debate In New Hampshire Days Before State's Primary Joe Raedle (Getty/AFP/File) Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders await the start of the Democratic Debate in Flint, Michigan, March 6, 2016 Geoff Robins (AFP/File) Saudi Arabia and other Gulf monarchies could turn a page and build strong relations with Iran if it respects them and stops "meddling" in their affairs, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Wednesday. "If Iran changes its way and its policies, nothing would prevent turning a page and building the best relationship based on good neighbourliness, with no meddling in the affairs of others," he told reporters in Riyadh. "There is no need for mediation" in such a case, said Jubeir, whose country severed all links with the Islamic republic in January after crowds attacked the kingdom's diplomatic missions in Iran. Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said post-revolution policies in Iran had been "agressive" Fayez Nureldine (AFP/File) Jubeir said relations with Tehran had deteriorated "due to the sectarian policies" followed by Shiite-dominated Iran and "its support for terrorism and implanting of terrorist cells in the countries of the region". "Iran is a neighbouring Muslim country that has a great civilisation and a friendly people, but the policies that followed the revolution of (Ayatollah Ruhollah) Khomeini have been aggressive," he said. Jubeir was speaking after a meeting of Gulf foreign ministers and their counterparts from Jordan and Morocco. In a joint statement, ministers meeting in Riyadh urged Iran to respect UN resolution 2231 which endorsed the nuclear deal and included curbs on ballistic missiles, as Tehran defiantly fired two more missiles on Wednesday. The ministers "stressed the importance of implementing the (UN) Security Council Resolution 2231 concerning the nuclear deal, including what concerns ballistic missiles and other weapons," it said. US Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the United States would take action against Iran if the missile tests were confirmed. - Lebanon criticised - Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia and fellow Gulf nations also accuse Iran of supporting Shiite rebels in Yemen, as well as attempting to destabilise their own regimes. They also support rebels in Syria's five-year-old war while Tehran openly backs the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Gulf nations had recently classified Lebanon's Iran-backed Shiite Hezbollah movement as a terrorist group. Saudi Arabia recently blocked $3 billion in military aid to Lebanon and urged its citizens to leave the country. Jubeir said Lebanon is now run by Hezbollah. "What is disturbing in the Lebanon question is that a militia that is classified as terrorist controls decision-making in Lebanon," he said. Jubeir criticised a recent decision by a Lebanese court to release a Syria-linked former minister who is facing charges of having planned "terrorist" acts. Michel Samaha's release "does not positively indicate that the army is independent of Hezbollah's influence," he said. Asked about further Gulf sanctions against Hezbollah, Jubeir said the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council had decided to look into measures that "would prevent Hezbollah from benefitting from GCC states". Riyadh and its Gulf Arab allies have stepped up sanctions against Hezbollah and its alleged leaders since 2013 in retaliation for its intervention in the Syrian war to support Assad. Last month Saudi Arabia froze the assets and prohibited dealings with three Lebanese nationals and four companies, in its latest action against Hezbollah. A long-range Qadr ballistic missile is launched in the Alborz mountain range in northern Iran on March 9, 2016 Mahmood Hosseini (Tasnim News/AFP) Azealia Banks, explosive force on Twitter, quits Hip-hop star Azealia Banks, an explosive presence on Twitter where she relished taking other artists to task, has abruptly deactivated her account as she deplored US media culture. "I'm finally making the decision to eject from social media," she tweeted late Tuesday to her followers, calling US media culture "disgusting and junky." Her Twitter account had vanished Wednesday and she made her Instagram postings private. Her Facebook page showed nothing since August. Azealia Banks, known for her abrasive tweets about other artists, announced that she is made the decision to "eject from social media" Robyn Beck (AFP/File) The African American artist has been famous for her acerbic tweets directed at other artists, most notably Australian artist Iggy Azalea whom she mocked as "Igloo Australia" and accused of exploiting black culture. Attacking other prominent rappers, Banks has accused Eminem of sexism, charged that Nicki Minaj was unfairly playing racial politics and appeared to wish violence on Action Bronson for past insults. Even some admirers of Banks have voiced unease about tweets in which she urged followers to burn down the homes of descendants of slave traders and employed homophobic slurs, even though she herself identifies as bisexual. More recently Banks gave a tongue-in-cheek endorsement to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump -- also known for his prolific use of Twitter -- saying that the billionaire "is evil like America is evil" and hence the country's fitting leader. Slaughter has been driven by demand for the horn in China and Vietnam It is the highest its been since 2008 when trade in horns was banned It revealed at least 1,338 rhinos were murdered across Africa in 2015 come from the International Union for Conservation of Nature The number of African rhinos killed by poachers in 2015 increased for the sixth year in a row. A report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) revealed that at least 1,338 rhinos were murdered across the continent in the past year. This is the highest its been since 2008 when South Africa banned trade in rhino horns, leading conservation body IUCN said on Wednesday. A report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) revealed that at least 1,338 rhinos (stock image) were murdered across Africa in the past year. This is the highest its been since 2008 when South Africa banned trade in rhino horns, leading conservation body IUCN said The slaughter has been driven by demand for their horn in countries such as China and Vietnam, where they are prized for their purported medicinal properties. The horn is composed mainly of keratin, the same component as in human nails, but it is sold in powdered form as a supposed cure for cancer and other diseases. Trade in rhino horns was banned in 1977 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites). BANNING SALE OF RHINO HORNS Trade in rhino horns was banned in 1977 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites). The international treaty was set up in 1973 to protect wildlife against over-exploitation, and ensure that trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. However, the practice was only banned in 2008 in South Africa, which is said to be home to 20,000 rhinos or 80 per cent of the world's rhino population. Advertisement The international treaty was set up in 1973 to protect wildlife against over-exploitation, and ensure that trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. However, the practice was only banned in 2008 in South Africa, which is said to be home to 20,000 rhinos or 80 per cent of the world's rhino population. IUCN Director General Inger Andersen said despite stepped up surveillance by field rangers there had been 'alarming increases in poaching over the past year in other vitally important range states, such as Namibia and Zimbabwe' both of which adjoin South Africa. Demand for rhino horn from South East Asia is being illegally supplied by sophisticated transnational organised crime networks, the IUCN said. Demand for rhino horn from South East Asia is being illegally supplied by sophisticated transnational organised crime networks. They are sold for about $60,000 a kilo on the black market, making it more expensive than cocaine. Stock image pictured They are sold for about $60,000 a kilo on the black market, making it more expensive than cocaine. 'The extensive poaching for the illegal trade in horn continues to undermine the rhino conservation successes made in Africa over the last two decades,' said IUCN expert Mike Knight. On the plus side, poaching in Kenya decreased over the past two years and went down for the first time in South Africa in 2015. VW US chief steps down amid emission scandal Volkswagen's straight-talking US chief Michael Horn has quit the automaker as it struggles with the fallout of a massive pollution cheating scandal, a decision that caught the industry by surprise. The departure of Horn, the 54-year-old car executive who made headlines worldwide in September 2015 with his frank admission that VW had "totally screwed up", is effective immediately, Volkswagen said in a statement Wednesday. He left by mutual consent "to pursue other opportunities", the company said without further explanation. Volkswagen group of America president and CEO Michael Horn, pictured on January 11, 2016 will Volkswagen leave "effective immediately" by mutual agreement with the company Jewel Samad (AFP/File) "During his time in the US, Michael Horn built up a strong relationship with our national dealer body and showed exemplary leadership during difficult times for the brand," said Herbert Diess, chief executive of the Volkswagen passenger cars brand. Horn, the highest ranking US executive to quit the firm since the emissions scandal broke, became the public face of the German carmaker during the crisis. He is to be replaced on an interim basis by Hinrich Woebcken, the North American regional chief and chairman of Volkswagen Group of America, Volkswagen said. "People know this scandal was rooted in Germany, which is why this is so surprising, Rebecca Lindland, senior analyst for auto researcher Kelley Blue Book, told Bloomberg News. - 'Better scapegoats' - "In terms of scapegoats, there are other goats out there who would have been better." VW, which until recently had ambitions to become the world's biggest carmaker, is battling to resolve its deepest-ever crisis sparked by revelations that it installed emissions-cheating software into 11 million diesel engines worldwide. The software, known as a "defeat device", limits the output of toxic nitrogen oxides to US legal limits during emissions test by regulators. But when the vehicles are in actual use, the software allows them to spew poisonous gases at up to 40 times the permitted levels, giving the vehicle better acceleration and fuel economy. Nitrogen oxide is a pollutant associated with respiratory problems and defeat devices are prohibited in the United States, where the VW scam was originally exposed, as well as in other countries. On top of still unquantifiable regulatory fines in a range of countries, VW is facing a slew of legal suits, notably in the United States and Germany, from angry car owners, as well as from shareholders seeking damages for the massive loss in the value of their shares since September. This week, German prosecutors said they had broadened their investigation into the cheating from six to 17 suspects at Volkswagen. No board member are among the suspects, however. French prosecutors said they, too, have opened an investigation into "serious fraud" at the automobile manufacturer. Volkswagen's former chief executive Martin Winterkorn resigned shortly after the scandal broke last year, protesting his innocence. He was replaced by Matthias Mueller, head of the group's luxury sports car brand, Porsche. US envoy to UN says Savchenko 'should be free' The US ambassador to the United Nations said Wednesday that former Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko had been subjected to a "farcical trial" and called on Russia to immediately release her. "She belongs back in Ukraine, working alongside her colleagues in the Rada (parliament) to build a better future for her country," said Samantha Power in a statement. "We call on Russia to release her at once." Detained Ukrainian helicopter pilot Nadiya Savchenko stands inside the defendant's cage during her hearing in the Basmanny district court in Moscow on November 11, 2014 Vasily Maximov (AFP/File) Savchenko delivered a final statement in her defence during her trial in a Russian court where she stands accused of killing two Russian journalists during shelling in eastern Ukraine. Power recalled that she had twice met Savchenko's mother, Maria, who has expressed alarm over her daughter's worsening health. The 34-year-old military helicopter pilot has been on a dry hunger strike for nearly a week. "Savchenko as well as all Ukrainians who are being held illegally by separatists and by Russia should be free," said Power. The US ambassador has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine at the UN Security Council, repeatedly accusing Russia of backing separatists in their campaign against the Kiev government. Savchenko is seen in Ukraine as a symbol of resistance against the Kremlin, accused of fuelling the conflict that has claimed more than 9,000 lives since April 2014. Palestinian Syrian relives parents' fate in becoming refugee IDOMENI, Greece (AP) Nearly 70 years after Abeer al Hosary's parents fled Palestine, she is reliving their fate, forced to leave home with nearly nothing and start again from scratch in a foreign land. She grew up in the apartment upstairs from the bakery they built in Syria, part of the new life they created for themselves after they met in the Yarmouk refugee camp for Palestinians fleeing the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. She heard about Palestine from her parents but has never seen it, and she considers Syria her homeland. More than anything, she yearns to return and to see her family whole again. "Syria is the country that has fed us with its blessings," said al Hosary, 48, tears of homesickness and despair welling in her eyes. "I'm a Palestinian by name only, and by my roots. But the air, the sun, the breath it's Syrian. ... To me, Syria was paradise on earth. We never expected this to happen." In this picture taken on March 6, 2016, Israa Abud al Hosary holds family cat Taboush in the baby pouch used to smuggle it across borders during their trip from Syria to Greece inside the tent in Idomeni, Greece, near the border with Macedonia. Nearly 70 years after Israa Abud al Hosarys grandparents fled Palestine, she is reliving their fate, forced to leave home with nearly nothing and start again from scratch in a foreign land. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Now she's one of an estimated 5 million Syrians in a terrible exodus from a country torn apart by war. She and her husband and daughter are stuck with about 14,000 others at the Greece-Macedonia border, where sharp stones poke up through the thin bottom of a small tent donated by the Red Cross that is their temporary home. They are among the nearly 5 million Syrian refugees who fled home for Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Europe. Most of those who chose to try for new lives in Europe took rickety boats from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands in short but perilous journeys, heading north from there to richer countries like Germany and Sweden. Al Hosary's family is scattered across the continents. Her youngest son Emad is in Sweden he made it there three years ago when he was just 17, after boarding a boat in Egypt bound for Italy and then making his way north. Smugglers paved the way, but the price 6,500 dollars in all was too high for the family to afford sending more than one person. Now all she, her husband and daughter want is to be reunited with him. She sent him away right after her eldest son, who would now be 28, was arrested by the police in Syria while checking on the home they had fled in an area that came under rebel control. They haven't heard from him since. Emad was well-built and of military age, and al Hosary was terrified he would be next, or that soldiers would forcibly recruit him into the army. She herself didn't want to leave Syria, a country she loves passionately. But after a while, staying just wasn't an option. "My fear was for my husband and my daughter," al Hosary said. "For me, I can sit at home and wait for my death. But they have to go to work." And going to work meant risking their lives. "The shelling, the shelling, the shelling. War, war, war. We just couldn't take it," al Hosary said. On Feb. 20, she, her husband Ali Mohammed Aboud and their 22-year-old daughter Israa Aboud packed up a few belongings and their large white and ginger tomcat and fled. They tucked Taboush which means fatty in Arabic into a baby carrier and hid him under blankets for the terrifying escape from Syria. "We smuggled him out," she says of the cat, who romps around inside the tent, leaping at the shadows passers-by cast on the tent walls. "It's amazing, when we went through the roadblocks, he was so quiet and wouldn't even poke his head out. It's as if the cat knew." They made their way through Turkey and then onto a boat bound for the Greek island of Chios. From there they took a ferry to the mainland, and then headed north until they reached the Greek-Macedonian border a week ago. And here, in an increasingly fetid field of tents near the railway tracks near the village of Idomeni, they were forced to stop along with up to 14,000 others. The Macedonians were restricting the flow of refugees through their border to barely a trickle, and on Monday, nobody crossed. After a European Union-Turkey summit in Brussels Monday, it appeared increasingly likely their route forward would be blocked for good. "At this rate, I don't think we'll get through. We leave it up to God to decide," al Hosary said. Although the journey to get here was fraught with danger, sitting in a field day after day, with scant opportunity to wash and hope draining away by the hour, is no easier. "These conditions are also very difficult," she said. "We're not used to this. ... Today I'm so pessimistic. I've reached my limit." The family has no home to go back to. The only future they can see is to move forward, and above all to be reunited with Emad in Sweden. But European leaders have balked at the immensity of the problem they face: dealing with the seemingly endless flood of men, women and children desperate for safer, better lives in their countries. One by one, the border restrictions have grown along the western Balkan route. "Going back is impossible. Sitting here is impossible. Crossing is impossible. Where is this Germany that told us to come?" al Hosary asked. "The Arabs shut the doors in our faces, and the Europeans opened them. Where are they now?" "We lost our rights in our homeland, in Palestine, and we lost them in the Arab countries. Let us not lose them again in the European nations," she said. Israa, who studied architecture and computers and worked in Syria as a teacher, also dreams of returning home. "For me, my attachment is to the ground, the streets and the earth more than to the people there," she said. Her father worries about his family's future and prays for the borders to open. "Here, it's depressing. Cold and depressing. My money's almost run out. We hope for an opening," Aboud says. "There's no way back home now." In this picture taken on March 6, 2016, Israa Abud smiles as family cat Taboush peers from the tent in Idomeni, Greece, near the border with Macedonia. Nearly 70 years after Israa Abud al Hosarys grandparents fled Palestine, she is reliving their fate, forced to leave home with nearly nothing and start again from scratch in a foreign land. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) In this picture taken on March 5, 2016, Abeer al Hosary kisses the paw of family cat Taboush who was smuggled across borders during their trip from Syria to Greece inside the tent in Idomeni, Greece, near the border with Macedonia. Nearly 70 years after Abeer al Hosarys parents fled Palestine, she is reliving their fate, forced to leave home with nearly nothing and start again from scratch in a foreign land. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) In this picture taken on March 6, 2016, Abeer al Hosary speaks during an interview with the Associated Press as family cat Taboush who was smuggled across borders during their trip from Syria to Greece jumps inside the tent in Idomeni, Greece, near the border with Macedonia. Nearly 70 years after Abeer al Hosarys parents fled Palestine, she is reliving their fate, forced to leave home with nearly nothing and start again from scratch in a foreign land. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Police: Man in custody for shooting at New York deputy's car BYRON, N.Y. (AP) A man is accused of shooting at a western New York deputy's patrol car while he was making a traffic stop. The Genesee County Sheriff's Office says 55-year-old David O'Connor was arrested Monday and charged with attempted aggravated murder of a police officer, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief. Authorities say the deputy had just pulled over a driver in Byron and was sitting in his cruiser when both of his rear side windows shattered. Officers found O'Connor alone in a room in a nearby hotel with a .22-caliber rifle. Investigators say O'Connor admitted to the shooting. O'Connor is being held in the county jail in lieu of $25,000 bail. EU-Turkey migrant deal; how much is Europe ready to pay? BRUSSELS (AP) European Union leaders are lauding it as a breakthrough; Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says it's bold; but it is still too early to say whether an in-principle agreement thrashed out between EU and Turkish leaders announced early Tuesday is the answer to all of Europe's refugee woes. The deal could see thousands of migrants coming to Europe returned to Turkey. In exchange, the EU would accept thousands of Syrian refugees, bringing them in by safe routes and keeping them out of dangerous boats and out of the hands of traffickers. ___ European Council President Donald Tusk, front second left, shakes hands with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, front left, during a group photo at an EU summit in Brussels on Monday, March 7, 2016. European Union leaders are holding a summit in Brussels on Monday with Turkey to discuss the current migration crisis. Other leaders left to right, Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila, Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar. (AP Photo/Francois Walshaerts) THE BOTTOM LINE Turkey would take back migrants who are picked up in the Aegean Sea that separates Turkey from Europe or who have arrived in Greece but have not applied for asylum there. Based on a "one-for-one" principle, European nations would accept migrants from Turkey who are likely to obtain asylum. That probably means only Syrians. This draft deal is unlikely to have any perceptible impact on migrant movements across the Mediterranean to Italy. ___ WHAT IT MEANS The Europeans hope it will bring order to the chaotic migrant movements of recent months and end the unilateral tightening of borders instigated by some countries. It could stop people making the dangerous sea crossing to Greece. Almost 450 have already died or gone missing this year alone. It could deprive traffickers and smugglers of revenue by providing safe passage for migrants. Pressure would ease on Greece, where tens of thousands are currently stranded and thousands more arrive every day hoping to move north to preferred destinations in Germany or Scandinavia. ___ THE COSTS FOR EUROPE A deal will not come cheap. The EU had already promised Turkey 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion), fast-track EU membership talks and the swift easing of visa rules for Turkish citizens. Turkey upped the ante on Monday, demanding twice the money, promising that funds will go only to Syrian refugees, not Turks. By the time the preliminary deal was announced, figures had melted away and Davutoglu spoke only of "additional funding." Turkey now wants visa rules eased by the end of June, six months ahead of schedule. New steps must also be taken to speed up its membership process. Europe would also pick up the tab for transporting refugees between the EU and Turkey. On top of that, Turkey has revived a demand for the Europeans to back a "safe area" in northern Syria so that people there would not flee in the first place. The EU has previously said that any initiative to create such a zone would have to come from the United Nations. ___ THE COSTS TO TURKEY Turkey is home to an estimated 2.7 million refugees, most having fled the conflict in Syria. Rights group say few are sheltered by the government and that the overwhelming majority are staying with Turkish citizens or living rough. The plan would see more migrants flood into a country that hosts more refugees than any other place in the world. They would have to be registered, housed and probably in many cases sent back to their home countries, a process that could take several months or even years. While that implies significant costs, the EU will help foot the bill. Additionally, Turkey would station immigration and liaison officers in the Greek islands to speed up the process of taking people back. ___ NEXT STEPS The summit chairman, EU Council President Donald Tusk, has been tasked with chaperoning a deal through in coming days. He's already spent the last week in Turkey and the Balkans talking to leaders as Europe's refugee emergency deepened. The aim is to seal the deal at the next EU summit in Brussels starting March 17. It's the third time in a month that European leaders have met to tackle an issue that has divided them and so far proved to be an intractable problem. Getting that 3 billion-euro refugee fund was tough enough. Europe desperately needs Turkey's help. Tusk's challenge in the week ahead will be to establish how much EU nations are willing to pay. Afghan refugees who were arrested after illegally crossing into Macedonia are escorted by Macedonian troops, on the Macedonian side, at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Up to 14,000 people are stranded on the outskirts of the village of Idomeni, with more than 36,000 in total across Greece, as EU leaders who held a summit with Turkey on Monday said they hoped they had reached the outlines of a possible deal with Ankara to return thousands of migrants to Turkey.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) German Chancellor Angela Merkel looks out of her car window as she arrives for an EU summit at the EU Council building in Brussels on Monday, March 7, 2016. European Union leaders are holding a summit in Brussels on Monday with Turkey to discuss the current migration crisis. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) A migrant woman leans on the border gate at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Up to 14,000 people are stranded on the outskirts of the village of Idomeni, with more than 36,000 in total across Greece, as EU leaders who held a summit with Turkey on Monday said they hoped they had reached the outlines of a possible deal with Ankara to return thousands of migrants to Turkey.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Officials: US airstrike targeted IS military commander WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. warplanes targeted a top Islamic State commander in an airstrike in northeastern Syria last week, the Pentagon announced Tuesday. An initial U.S. assessment said it is likely that the targeted militant leader, known within the Islamic State as Omar al-Shishani, was killed along with 12 additional IS fighters, according to a senior U.S. defense official who discussed details of the attack on condition that he not be identified. The official said the attack was carried out March 4 by multiple waves of planes and drone aircraft. In announcing the strike, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said it occurred near al-Shaddadeh, a former Islamic State stronghold that was captured in February by the U.S.-backed, predominantly Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces. He said the IS leader, whose real name is Tarkhan Batirashvili, held numerous senior military positions within the group, including "minister of war," and was based in Raqqa, Syria. Cook said that at the time of the strike al-Shishani was in al-Shaddadeh to bolster IS fighters who had suffered a series of defeats at the hands of local forces supported by the U.S. Cook said the Pentagon was still assessing the results of its strike. Al-Shishani is one of hundreds of Chechens who have been among the toughest jihadi fighters in Syria. He is an ethnic Chechen from the Caucasus nation of Georgia, specifically from the Pankisi Valley, a center of Georgia's Chechen community and once a stronghold for militants. He is sometimes called Omar the Chechen. Cook described him as a "battle-tested leader" with experience in numerous clashes in Iraq and Syria. He said that his potential loss to IS would hurt the group's ability to recruit foreign fighters, especially those from Chechnya and the Caucus region. The senior defense official who provided details about the March 4 airstrike said the Chechen had joined the Georgian military in 2006 and fought against Russian troops in 2008 in the South Ossetia region of Georgia. He was discharged from the Georgian army in 2010 for medical reasons, the defense official said, and in 2012 left Georgia for Istanbul, Turkey. From there he went to Syria and commanded rebel forces against Syrian government forces. FDA settles with drugmaker in fish-oil drug marketing case WASHINGTON (AP) The maker of a prescription fish-oil drug says it has reached a legal settlement that will allow it to promote unapproved uses of its drug for lowering fat levels. The closely watched case between Amarin and the Food and Drug Administration could strengthen the drug industry's hand in the ongoing debate over promoting drugs for uses that have not been declared safe and effective by regulators. But the FDA said Tuesday the settlement is "specific to this particular case and situation," and did not mark a new legal precedent. FILE - This Oct. 14, 2015, file photo, shows the Food & Drug Administration campus in Silver Spring, Md. Amarin, the maker of a prescription fish-oil drug, said Tuesday, March 8, 2016, it has reached a legal settlement with the FDA that will allow it to promote unapproved uses of its drug for lowering fat levels. An FDA spokeswoman could not immediately comment. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) "The FDA is responsible for protecting the American public by helping to ensure medical products meet the rigorous legal standards for safety and effectiveness for their intended uses," the agency said in a statement. Still, pharmaceutical experts said companies would likely pursue more aggressive legal action against FDA, in light of the settlement. "We would expect companies throughout the country to ask courts to provide the same legal reasoning," said attorney John Fleder, who was not involved in the case. In August, Amarin won a surprise victory over the FDA when a U.S. District Court judge ruled that the company had a First Amendment right to distribute journal articles about unapproved indications for Vascepa. Amarin said in a statement Tuesday that the FDA agreed to be bound by the earlier court decision. Drugmakers are not allowed to advertise drugs for "off-label" uses, or those that have not been cleared by the FDA as safe and effective. But companies' ability to distribute independent materials about their drugs such as medical journal articles has been subject to years of legal debate centering around the limits of "commercial speech." The FDA approved Vascepa in 2012 for patients with abnormally high levels of triglycerides, a type of fat found in the bloodstream. But the agency rejected a second use that would have allowed the company to market the pill to patients with lower triglycerides who also take statins drugs used to lower cholesterol. The agency said the company needed to submit more data on whether lowering triglycerides actually translates into fewer heart problems in those patients. And FDA regulators suggested that distributing information about the alternate use would be illegal. Amarin responded in May with a pre-emptive lawsuit, arguing that FDA efforts to stop the company from sharing "off-label" information would violate the company's free speech protections. In August, Judge Paul Engelmayer agreed, stating the company could "engage in truthful and non-misleading speech" while promoting its drug. Doctors are free to prescribe drugs for unapproved uses, regardless of FDA's prescribing recommendations. Some attorneys cautioned Tuesday that the settlement had "important limitations." "It only applies to Amarin," said Lisa Dwyer. "I don't think we're at a point where it makes sense to extrapolate to other companies." Vascepa is Amarin's only approved product, a prescription strength form of an omega-3 fatty acid found in wild fish. Fish oil is thought to lower heart disease risk, though no definitive studies have yet established that benefit. The Latest: Man questioned about attack vs. military base PHOENIX (AP) The Latest on the trial of an Arizona man charged with planning an attack on a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas (all times local): 5:25 p.m. A prosecutor questioned an Arizona man over whether he was told that two friends were planning an attack on a military base. FILE - In this May 4, 2015 file photo, FBI crime scene investigators document the area around two deceased gunmen and their vehicle outside the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas. A man charged with planning the attack on a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest took the witness stand Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in his defense, describing how he met the two men who later died in a police shootout outside the controversial event. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade, File) At first, Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem testified at his trial that a mutual friend mentioned something vague about such a plan by Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi. But Kareem later said he wasn't paying attention when the mutual friend made the comment. Kareem is on trial on charges of planning an attack on a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas. Simpson and Soofi were killed in a police shootout outside the event. Prosecutor Joseph Koehler asked whether a plot against a military base would have been worth mentioning to FBI agents who interviewed Kareem about the cartoon contest. Kareem says he didn't think much of the mutual friend's comment and didn't think it was worth mentioning. ___ 5 p.m. An Arizona man charged with planning an attack on a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas denies knowing beforehand that two friends were going to open fire at the controversial event. Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem testified Tuesday at his trial that he didn't know about the May 3 contest until after the thwarted attack in suburban Dallas. A security guard was injured, but no one attending the contest was hurt. Kareem described the hours after the shooting in which he thought his friends might have been killed. He went to Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi's apartment but left after seeing law enforcement outside. Kareem says news reports the next day confirmed his suspicion that his friends died. He has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and other charges. ___ 3:10 p.m. An Arizona man charged with planning an attack on a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas has testified about his rift with one of the men who later died in a police shootout outside the controversial event. Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem told jurors Tuesday at his trial that he evicted Elton Simpson from his home because he believed Simpson put a recording device in his car. He also says he disapproved of Simpson using Kareem's laptop to view al-Qaida promotional materials. Still, Kareem says he and Simpson eventually reconciled. Kareem also denied an allegation that he asked another one-time roommate if he knew how to make a pipe bomb. Prosecutors allege Kareem wanted to blow up the Arizona stadium where the 2015 Super Bowl was held. ___ 1:50 p.m. An Arizona man charged with planning an attack on a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas took the witness stand in his own defense. Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem testified at his trial Tuesday about how he became acquainted with two Phoenix men who died in a police shootout outside the May 3 contest in suburban Dallas. Kareem told jurors that he met Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi at Soofi's pizza restaurant in Phoenix in 2011. The trio attended the same mosque. He has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and other charges. Prosecutors haven't yet gotten a chance to question Kareem, and he hasn't yet been asked to respond to the allegations against him. Nancy Reagan to be laid to rest close as possible to husband LOS ANGELES (AP) Just as she was always by his side in life, former first lady Nancy Reagan will be laid to rest just inches from President Ronald Reagan when she is buried Friday in a hillside tomb facing west toward one of the couple's favorite views the Pacific Ocean. Mrs. Reagan's funeral service, preceded by public viewings on Wednesday and Thursday, was planned down to the smallest details by the former first lady herself, including the flower arrangements, the music to be played by a U.S. Marine Corps band and the people who received invitations to the private memorial at Simi Valley's Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Among those who had RSVP'd by Tuesday were former President George W. Bush and his wife, former first lady Laura Bush; former first lady Rosalynn Carter; first lady Michelle Obama; and former first lady Hillary Clinton. FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2003 file photo, former first ladies get together for a group photo at a gala 20th anniversary fundraising event saluting Betty Ford and the Betty Ford Center in Indian Wells, Calif. From left are Rosalynn Carter, Barbara Bush, Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Former first lady Nancy Reagan, whose funeral service scheduled for Friday, March 11, 2016, was planned down to the smallest details by the former first lady herself. Scheduled to attend are former president George W. Bush and his wife Laura Bush, former first ladies Rosalynn Carter and Sen. Hillary Clinton, and first lady Michelle Obama. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File) "No doubt about it, the most important of her special requests was that she be laid to rest right next to the president, as close as possible," said John Heubusch, executive director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library. "The way the tomb is constructed," he continued, "her casket will literally be set forth in the ground inches from President Reagan's." The hour-long service, to which approximately 1,000 people have been invited, is to take place on the library's lawn. On a clear day the gravesite affords visitors ocean views. Others who have said they will attend include President Richard Nixon's daughter Tricia Nixon Cox and President Lyndon Johnson's daughters Lynda Bird Johnson Robb and Luci Baines Johnson. "One of our saddest situations is we have so many people who have called or written, saying they would like to attend, but unfortunately it needs to be by invitation only because we only have so much room on the lawn, Heubusch said. "As a result, Mrs. Reagan was very adamant about having some time where the public could come by and pay last respects." Public viewings are scheduled at the library from 1 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday. First ladies' funerals, once a quiet affair, changed significantly following the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's widow, Eleanor Roosevelt, in 1962. Mrs. Roosevelt, a United Nations delegate, author and prominent political figure in her own right, tried to keep the event fairly quiet, limiting the guest list to 250 people, although those guests included President John F. Kennedy, former Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower, and future President Lyndon Johnson. More than 1,000 mourners jammed the streets outside the church in Hyde Park, New York. The most recent first lady's funeral was for President Gerald Ford's widow, Betty, in 2011. Some 800 people, including Mrs. Reagan, attended a private memorial service for her in Palm Springs, California, followed by a second, smaller service in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Flight to Hawaii promises prime view of total solar eclipse ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) Skygazers from around the country caught a flight from Alaska to Hawaii on Tuesday for prime viewing of a total solar eclipse that will unfold over parts of Indonesia and the Indian and Pacific oceans. A dozen eclipse enthusiasts were among the 181 passengers on the plane that departed Anchorage for Honolulu. The rare event comes when the moon is close enough to Earth to completely block out the sun. Joe Rao, an associate astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium in New York, called Alaska Airlines last fall, explaining that the flight would be in the right place for the eclipse. The route was expected to encounter the darkest shadow of the moon as it passed over Earth. Evan Zucker of San Diego, left, and Craig Small, a semi-retired astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium in New York City, hang an eclipse flag in the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska, on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. They and other so-called eclipse chasers boarded a special flight from Anchorage to Honolulu to view the eclipse on Tuesday from the air. The eclipse will only be visible in parts of southeast Asia and the North Pacific Ocean, including the flight path of the Alaska Airlines flight. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) Problem was, the plane would be passing by nearly a half-hour too soon. The airline said it rescheduled the flight to depart 25 minutes later, and it is expected to rendezvous with the eclipse's sweet spot nearly 700 miles north of Honolulu. After the schedule tweak, Rao and a dozen other astronomy aficionados booked seats for the big show at 36,000 feet. Rao, like other self-dubbed "eclipse geeks," was thrilled about setting out to witness his 11th such spectacle. "It is an experience," he said of watching the sun turn into a giant black disk in the sky. "Every fiber of you gets involved in those few moments when the sun is totally eclipsed." The eclipse is expected to last just under two minutes. The last total solar eclipse was in March 2015, and the one before that was in 2012. Craig Small, a semiretired Hayden Planetarium astronomer, was taking off to view his 31st total eclipse. If all goes according to plan, this event will put him over the 100-minute mark in experiencing eclipses. To mark each viewing, Small carries a special eclipse flag made in 1972. Also on board was Dan McGlaun, who brought 200 pairs of special filter glasses to distribute to other passengers. McGlaun, a project manager who runs eclipse2017.org, will be viewing his 12th total eclipse. "It's going to be amazing. It always is," he said before boarding. "It's a universal reaction when you see an eclipse. You cheer, you scream, you cry." ___ Follow Rachel D'Oro at https://twitter.com/rdoro . Dan McGlaun of Indianapolis poses Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Anchorage, Alaska, with special glasses designed to view the total solar eclipse. He and other so-called eclipse chasers boarded a special flight from Anchorage to Honolulu to view the eclipse on Tuesday from the air. The eclipse will only be visible in parts of southeast Asia and the North Pacific Ocean, including the flight path of the Alaska Airlines flight. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) AG Lynch says she's not interested in Supreme Court vacancy WASHINGTON (AP) Attorney General Loretta Lynch has asked to not be considered for the Supreme Court vacancy, the Justice Department said Tuesday. Justice Department spokeswoman Melanie Newman said in a statement that Lynch was honored to serve as attorney general and was committed to serving in the position for the remainder of the term. "Given the urgent issues before the Department of Justice, she asked not to be considered for the position," Newman said. FILE - In this Feb. 24, 2016, file photo, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, testifies during a House Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee budget hearing on FY2017 Department of Justice budget on Capitol Hill in Washington. Lynch has asked to not be considered for the Supreme Court vacancy, the Justice Department said March 8. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File) She said Lynch also had decided that the nomination "would curtail her effectiveness in her current role" as attorney general. The Obama administration is currently searching for a replacement for Justice Antonin Scalia, who died last month at age 79. A Lynch nomination was encouraged by some groups pushing the president to name the first African-American woman to the court. But she was never a likely choice. Lynch's ties to Obama and his policies would have given Republicans added fuel in their opposition. Lynch, the former United States attorney in Brooklyn, was confirmed as attorney general last year following a drawn-out confirmation process. Feds won't charge NYC officer who killed unarmed teen NEW YORK (AP) A New York City police officer who shot an unarmed teenager to death will not face federal civil rights charges, officials announced Tuesday, closing an investigation into a case activists have invoked in decrying police killings of black men. There wasn't enough evidence to support charges in the 2012 death of Ramarley Graham, who was shot in the bathroom of his Bronx home by an officer who had followed him inside during a drug investigation, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's office said in a statement. The decision ends the possibility of criminal charges against Officer Richard Haste, who was indicted earlier on a state manslaughter charge that a judge dismissed, saying prosecutors had improperly instructed grand jurors. Another grand jury then declined to re-indict Haste, who said he fired at the 18-year-old Graham because he thought he was going to be shot. Graham was black; Haste is white. FILE - In this June 13, 2012 file photo, Constance Malcolm and Frank Graham, parents of 18-year-old Ramarley Graham, weep during the arraignment of Officer Richard Haste, in Bronx Supreme Court, in the Bronx borough of New York. The U.S. attorney's office said Tuesday, March 8, 2016, that federal prosecutors in Manhattan will not bring criminal charges against Haste because they found insufficient evidence to pursue federal charges in the case of the unarmed Graham who was shot to death in his home during a narcotics investigation. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, Pool, File) Haste's lawyer, Stuart London, said the officer was gratified by federal prosecutors' decision. "There never were any winners in this case," he said. Graham's mother, Constance Malcolm, said she wasn't surprised to see the federal probe end without charges. "I didn't have no faith in the system" after seeing what happened in the state case, she said by phone. "With the (federal prosecutors), I already had my guard up." Graham's parents and civil rights activists held an overnight protest last month at Bharara's office, sleeping on the concrete steps of the Manhattan office building to protest what they believed was a lag in the investigation. Graham's relatives, who settled a lawsuit against the city for $3.9 million, are now focusing on pressing the New York Police Department to fire Haste and other officers involved in the moments surrounding Graham's death. Haste is expected now to face disciplinary charges that could result in a punishment as light as losing vacation days or as serious as firing. According to Bharara's office, narcotics officers watching a Bronx corner store on Feb. 2, 2012, spotted Graham outside it, adjusting his pants in a way officers thought might indicate a gun, and they radioed his description to other officers. Haste heard the description and confronted Graham, who went into his house. Officers forced their way inside and Haste ordered Graham to put up his hands and followed him to the bathroom. Haste told authorities he though Graham was reaching for a gun and fired. But police found no weapons in the apartment. Graham's grandmother and 6-year-old brother were also home when the shot hit the teen's chest. The Graham family's lawyer, Royce Russell, said the relatives had hoped the case would at least be brought to a federal grand jury. But prosecutors noted that in order to bring charges, they would have to establish that Haste didn't have probable cause to believe he or other officers were in danger of death or serious injury. And prosecutors said they found no evidence to refute Haste's claim that he believed Graham was going for a gun. Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Patrick J. Lynch, who heads the NYPD officers' union, said Haste acted while making a "good-faith effort" to combat serious public problems" guns and drugs. But the Rev. Al Sharpton, who delivered the eulogy at Graham's funeral, said the federal prosecutors' decision was "very painful" for both Graham's family and the public. Graham's death has been cited during numerous demonstrations after grand juries in Missouri and New York declined to indict police officers in the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner on Staten Island. The deaths fueled a national conversation about policing and race. A federal grand jury is currently hearing evidence in Garner's case. A Vietnamese woman has given birth to twins with different fathers. Doctors treating her say the remarkable case - defined medically as a set of bi-paternal twins - is extremely rare. The twins, who are now two years old, were born the same day and are the same sex. However their 34-year-old father underwent DNA testing after being pressured by his family because the children did not look alike. One has thick wavy hair while the other has thin and straight hair, the online newspaper Dan Tri reports. Scientists say if a woman has more than one sexual partner while she is ovulating, there is a miniscule chance different sperm cells can fertilise two separate eggs To rule out a hospital mix-up, DNA testing of the mother revealed she was the mother of both children, the report said. Professor Le Dinh Luong, president of the Genetic Association of Vietnam, said DNA testing at his Hanoi lab confirmed the twins have different fathers. He explained bi-paternal twins could occur if two eggs from the same mother were fertilized by sperm from two different men within a seven-day ovulation period. Basically, if a woman has more than one sexual partner while she is ovulating, there is a miniscule chance that different sperm cells can fertilise two separate eggs. Professor Luong added this was the first such case he was aware of in Vietnam, and only seven cases had been reported in medical literature until recently. However he declined to give details of his client, who is from the northern Hoa Binh province, due to confidentiality. Another case of bi-paternal twins was reported in the US last year, when a court ruled a man was only required to pay child support for one girl in a set of twins after DNA tests proved he was not the father of both. And in 2009, a mothers fling resulted in her bearing twins by different fathers. Justin and Jordan Washington arrived in the world within just seven minutes of each other. In 2009, Mia Washington's fling resulted in her bearing twins by different fathers. Justin (left) and Jordan (right) arrived in the world within just seven minutes of each other. The new mother began to investigate after noticing her sons had different facial features Ms Washington's partner James Harrison with his biological son Jordan. Despite his partner's infidelity, he agreed to raise both twins as his own But each has a different father because their mother Mia Washington conceived two babies by different men at the same time. Fortunately, her partner James agreed to forgive her infidelity - and to raise both twins as his own. Ms Washington, from Dallas, Texas, said at the time: 'Out of all the people in America and all the people in the world, this had to happen to me.' The truth emerged when she noticed the twins had different facial features. A paternity test confirmed her fears - and showed there was only a 0.001 chance that Justin and Jordan have the same father. California derailed commuter train to resume service SUNOL, California (AP) A mudslide likely caused a commuter train to derail in storm-soaked Northern California, plunging its lead car into a rain-swollen creek and sending passengers scrambling in the dark to get out of the partially submerged car. Nine people were injured, four seriously, the Alameda County Fire Department said. A mudslide most likely swept the tree onto the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) train tracks Monday evening, Union Pacific spokesman Francisco J. Castillo said. In this image provided the Alameda County Fire Department, first responders work the scene after a car of a commuter train plunged into Alameda Creek after the train derailed Monday, March 7, 2016, in Alameda County, Calif., about 45 miles east of San Francisco. Crews had to fight the creek's fast-moving currents to pull riders from the partially submerged rail car, Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly said. (Aisha Knowles/Alameda County Fire Department via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT The train was traveling 35 mph (56 kph) in the 40 mph (64 kph) zone, said Steve Walker, an Altamont Corridor spokesman. The first car was carrying six passengers and one crew member when it fell into Alameda Creek, Walker said. ACE spokesman Brian Schmidt told the San Jose Mercury News that service will resume early Wednesday. Crews using two large cranes were working Tuesday to pull the submerged car out of Alameda Creek. The other four cars had been moved down the tracks by Tuesday evening. Rescuers battled the creek's fast-moving currents Monday night to pull riders to safety, Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly said. "It was dark, wet. It was raining. It was very chaotic," Kelly said. "This is an absolute miracle that no one was killed, no passengers or first responders." The San Francisco Bay Area has been inundated with thunderstorms in recent days that have swamped roadways and creeks. On Monday, some San Francisco Bay Area roads were under more than a foot (30 centimeters) of water. Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties saw about 11 inches (28 centimeters) of rain during the weekend. The ACE No. 10 commuter train was traveling from San Jose to Stockton when the first two cars went off the tracks in Sunol, a rural area of Alameda County about 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of San Francisco. One toppled over, while the other remained upright. Passengers described a harrowing scene. Rad Akhter said he was in the front car that fell into Alameda Creek and saw a woman lying in mud just under a train car hanging off the tracks. "We were all just panicking," Akhter, who waited wrapped in a blanket for a ride home, told San Jose television station KNTV. Passenger Russell Blackman told KGO-TV he was in the second car, which stopped near the creek. "Our car went off the track and stopped right at the edge, which was a blessing," Blackman said. "I was thrown out of my seat. I hurt my shoulder, but I'm not going to complain." Images posted on Twitter by Alameda County Fire Department showed the car on its side about half-submerged in the creek. Passengers were evacuated and checked by paramedics. The uninjured riders were taken to the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, the department said. Altamont Corridor Express said it sent buses to take passengers to their destinations. The ACE No. 10 train, which travels from Silicon Valley to central California, stopping in eight cities along the way, was carrying 214 passengers, officials said. ACE has had only one other derailment in the past decade. All ACE trains traveling from Silicon Valley to the Central Valley were canceled on Tuesday. In this image provided the Alameda County Fire Department, first responders work the scene after a car of a commuter train plunged into Alameda Creek after the train derailed Monday, March 7, 2016, in Alameda County, Calif., about 45 miles east of San Francisco. Crews had to fight the creek's fast-moving currents to pull riders from the partially submerged rail car, Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly said. (Aisha Knowles/Alameda County Fire Department via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT In this image provided the Alameda County Fire Department, first responders work the scene after a car of a commuter train plunged into Alameda Creek after the train derailed Monday, March 7, 2016, in Alameda County, Calif., about 45 miles east of San Francisco. Crews had to fight the creek's fast-moving currents to pull riders from the partially submerged rail car, Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly said. (Aisha Knowles/Alameda County Fire Department via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Workers connect a derailed Altamont Corridor Express train to cables prior to hoisting it from Alameda Creek Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Sunol, Calif. The commuter train struck a tree and derailed in storm-soaked Northern California, plunging its lead car into a rain-swollen creek and sending passengers scrambling in the dark to get out of the partially submerged car. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) Workers connect a derailed Altamont Corridor Express train to a crane to remove it from Alameda Creek Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Sunol, Calif. The commuter train struck a tree and derailed in storm-soaked Northern California, plunging its lead car into a rain-swollen creek and sending passengers scrambling in the dark to get out of the partially submerged car. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) Workers hoist a derailed Altamont Corridor Express train up a hillside near Alameda Creek Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Sunol, Calif. The commuter train struck a tree and derailed in storm-soaked Northern California, plunging its lead car into a rain-swollen creek and sending passengers scrambling in the dark to get out of the partially submerged car. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) Workers connect a derailed Altamont Corridor Express train to cables to remove it from a hillside near Alameda Creek Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Sunol, Calif. The commuter train struck a tree and derailed in storm-soaked Northern California, plunging its lead car into a rain-swollen creek and sending passengers scrambling in the dark to get out of the partially submerged car. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) A work crew uses a crane Tuesday, March 8, 2016, to lift one end of an Altamont Corridor Express commuter train back onto the track after the train derailed Monday evening near Alameda Creek along Niles Canyon Road, in Sunol, Calif. Authorities said that 14 of the more than 200 passengers on the Stockton-bound train were injured, four seriously. (Anda Chu/San Jose Mercury News via AP) The wreckage of the derailed Altamont Corridor Express commuter train lays partially submerged in Alameda Creek along Niles Canyon Rd. near Sunol, Calif., on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. The train ran off of the tracks Monday evening. (Gary Reyes/San Jose Mercury News via AP) MAGS OUT; NO SALES; MANDATORY CREDIT Workers investigate the scene of a derailed Altamont Corridor Express train Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Sunol, Calif. The commuter train struck a tree Monday evening and derailed in storm-soaked Northern California, plunging its lead car into a rain-swollen creek and sending passengers scrambling in the dark to get out of the partially submerged car. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) Passengers who were not injured aboard an Altamont Corridor Express commuter train that derailed alongside Alameda Creek in Sunol, Calif., meet friends and family at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Calif., Monday, March 7, 2016. (D. Ross Cameron/Bay Area News Group via AP) New Zealand suspect surrenders after 4 officers wounded WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) A gunman suspected of shooting and wounding four police officers surrendered Thursday morning after spending the night holed up in a rural New Zealand house, police said. Police said they negotiated with the man throughout the night and he gave himself up without further incident. Two of the officers have been released from area hospitals, while the other two remained in stable condition and in "good spirits," said Police Commissioner Mike Bush, who visited them Thursday. The gunman is suspected of shooting at an aircraft that police were using while engaged in what they called a "cannabis recovery operation" and later shooting the four officers after police surrounded his home. Police block a road near Kawerau, New Zealand, after police officers were shot Wednesday, March 9, 2016. A gunman suspected of shooting and injuring four police officers is holed up at a rural house, police say. (Alan Gibson/New Zealand Herald via AP) NEW ZEALAND OUT, AUSTRALIA OUT Such violence against police is relatively rare in New Zealand, where patrol officers don't typically carry firearms. The events began Wednesday when police were flying an aircraft about 70 kilometers (43 miles) east of the North Island town of Rotorua, said Deputy Police Commissioner Mike Clement. Clement said police heard three shots fired at about 10:30 a.m. About an hour later, a fourth shot was fired, apparently in the direction of the police aircraft. As officers on the ground moved in to arrest the man, he shot three of them, Clement said. Police said the man also shot a fourth officer in the hand in a separate encounter. The officers shot were all members of a special unit whose members carry firearms. As the standoff continued Wednesday evening, police enlisted the help of the military, which provided three light-armored vehicles and a helicopter. Bush, the police commissioner, said in a statement that he had launched a major investigation to build a full picture of what happened. Aung San Suu Kyi will not become Myanmar's next president NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (AP) The party of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi officially confirmed Thursday that she will not become Myanmar's next president. Unofficially, she has vowed to be the de-facto leader by calling the shots from behind the scenes, and party members said Thursday that's how things will work in Myanmar's first democratically elected government in more than a half century. The party nominated two Suu Kyi loyalists for the post including the front runner Htin Kyaw (pronounced Tin CH-yaw), a 70-year-old graduate of the University of London. The nomination will be followed by a vote among legislators later this month before the new president is installed April 1. FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2016 file photo, National League for Democracy party (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi delivers a speech during a ceremony to mark Myanmar's 68th anniversary of Independence in Yangon, Myanmar. Nobel laureate Suu Kyis decades-long battle to bring democracy to Myanmar is likely to come to fruition on Thursday, March 10 with a whimper, not a bang. Despite leading her National League for Democracy party to a smashing election victory, Suu Kyi seems certain not to become her country's leader. Suu Kyi, 70, cannot be president because the constitution bars anyone with a foreign spouse or children from holding the executive office. Suu Kyi's two sons are British, as was her late husband. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe, File) "I'm very happy and very pleased and I believe he (Htin Kyaw) will work together with Aung San Suu Kyi for the benefit of the people," said Khin Su Su Kyi, an NLD lawmaker. For the past several weeks Suu Kyi is believed to have held closed-door talks with the powerful military generals to suspend a constitutional clause that bars her from presidency. The outcome of the negotiations was not known until Thursday when the names of the loyalists were announced, signaling the end, at least for now, of Suu Kyi's longtime ambition to be Myanmar's leader. Suu Kyi did not attend Thursday's high-profile nomination session but posted a letter on Facebook to her legions of supporters. She called it a "first step toward realizing the expectations and desires of the people who overwhelmingly supported the National League for Democracy in the elections." "It is our will to fulfill the people's desire," Suu Kyi said in the letter. "We will try as hard as we can to do that." The longtime former political prisoner led her National League for Democracy to a landslide victory in Nov. 8 general elections, paving the way for the country's first democratically elected government since the military took power in 1962. Despite her massive popular support, the 70-year-old Suu Kyi is blocked from the presidency because the constitution bars anyone with a foreign spouse or children from holding the executive office. Suu Kyi's two sons are British, as was her late husband. The clause is widely seen as having been written by the military with her in mind. During Thursday's parliament session, the NLD nominated, from the lower house, Htin Kyaw, a longtime confidante and associate of Suu Kyi. He is widely respected and seen as a front runner. "I think he is the best one for the country. He has experience, he's fair and he's a real gentleman so our country's future will be very good," said Kyaw Win Maung, an NLD lawmaker. Htin Kyaw's father was a national poet and a National League for Democracy lawmaker from an aborted 1990 election, while his wife is a prominent legislator for the party in the current house. His father-in-law, a former army colonel, was a co-founder of the NLD. From the upper house, the NLD nominated Henry Van Hti Yu of the an ethnic Chin minority. The outgoing ruling party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party, also nominated two candidates Sai Mauk Kham, currently a vice president, and former upper house speaker Khin Aung Myint. The military bloc, which holds a constitutionally mandated 25 percent of seats, is also allowed to nominate one candidate. His name has not yet been announced. But he will likely become the country's other vice president. A vote will be held later this month to elect the president and two vice presidents. The NLD candidates are assured of a victory given the party's control of both chambers. One of them will become the president and the other will become a vice president. Suu Kyi fought for decades to end dictatorship in Myanmar, and remains her party's unquestioned leader. She was awarded the 1991 Nobel prize while under house arrest, where she spent 15 years locked away by a junta that feared her political popularity. Suu Kyi has made clear that even if she is not president she will be in charge. Kyaw Thiha, an upper house NLD lawmaker, said Thursday that the new president will take orders from Suu Kyi. "She cannot become the president, but it doesn't really matter because she will be controlling everything. She will be the one to control us," Kyaw Thiha said. "It doesn't really matter that she is not becoming the president." Political analyst Toe Kyaw Hlaing predicted that the people won't have a problem with that arrangement. "The public voted for change, so now the public wants a pure civilian president," he told The Associated Press. "So when the civilian president comes to power, I think the public will support him, and the public may not care whether he is a proxy president or not." ___ Associated Press writer Jocelyn Gecker contributed reporting from Bangkok. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Htin Kyaw studied at the University of London, not Oxford. FILE - In this Feb. 1, 2016 file photo, Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, center, walks along with other lawmakers of her National League for Democracy party as they leave after a regular session of the lower house of parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Nobel laureate Suu Kyis decades-long battle to bring democracy to Myanmar is likely to come to fruition on Thursday, March 10 with a whimper, not a bang. Despite leading her NLDP to a smashing election victory, Suu Kyi seems certain not to become her country's leader. Suu Kyi, 70, cannot be president because the constitution bars anyone with a foreign spouse or children from holding the executive office. Suu Kyi's two sons are British, as was her late husband. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo, File) In this Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016 photo, supporters of Myanmar nationalist groups raise their hands in support of preserving a constitutional clause barring Aung San Suu Kyi, the popular leader of the country's new ruling party, from becoming head of state, in Yangon, Myanmar. Nobel laureate Suu Kyis decades-long battle to bring democracy to Myanmar is likely to come to fruition on Thursday, March 10 with a whimper, not a bang. Despite leading her National League for Democracy party to a smashing election victory, Suu Kyi seems certain not to become her country's leader. Suu Kyi, 70, cannot be president because the constitution bars anyone with a foreign spouse or children from holding the executive office. Suu Kyi's two sons are British, as was her late husband. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) In this Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016 photo, supporters of Myanmar nationalist groups raise their hands in support of preserving a constitutional clause barring Aung San Suu Kyi, the popular leader of the country's new ruling party, from becoming head of state, in Yangon, Myanmar. Nobel laureate Suu Kyis decades-long battle to bring democracy to Myanmar is likely to come to fruition on Thursday, March 10 with a whimper, not a bang. Despite leading her National League for Democracy party to a smashing election victory, Suu Kyi seems certain not to become her country's leader. Suu Kyi, 70, cannot be president because the constitution bars anyone with a foreign spouse or children from holding the executive office. Suu Kyi's two sons are British, as was her late husband. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) Hundreds have mourned the death of a 16-year-old Indian girl who was raped and set on fire on the roof of her home. The teenager died in hospital in Greater Noida, near New Delhi, where she was being treated for severe burns over 95 per cent of her body. A 19-year-old man has been arrested and charged with several offences, including rape, murder, assault of a minor and causing grievous injury. The attack is the latest in a string of horrific sexual crimes in the country. Scroll down for video Hundreds of people carry the body of the Indian girl who was raped and set on fire on the roof of her home The attack in Tigri village, near the New Delhi suburb of Noida in the state of Uttar Pradesh is just one of several recently reported cases of rapes of women or children in India The sister of the 16-year-old girl who was raped and set on fire weeps during the funeral today in Greater Noida The man, 19, asked the girl to meet him on the terrace of her house, before carrying out the savage attack. Constable Yadram Singh, of the Bisrakh police station, said the man 'had burns on his hands'. Mr Singh's police report on the case describes how the girl's parents found her after hearing her screaming from the rooftop terrace a few hours before dawn on Monday. The girl later told police she was raped, beaten and then set on fire by a man who she said had been stalking her for months, said Mr Singh. Her father had filed a police complaint about the man stalking his daughter and police issued a warning to him last year. The accused's family denied the accusation of rape and said the two were having a consensual relationship. They did not comment on the girl's burns. Relatives stand on the terrace of a house where the 16-year-old girl was set on fire after being raped Investigating officer Ashwani Kumar added: 'Unfortunately she could not be saved despite the best efforts of the medical staff. 'We have arrested the accused, who is 19 years old, and sent him to judicial custody. An investigation is on to find out more about the motive and details of the crime. 'The accused has been charged with a number of offences including rape and murder. The body has been sent for postmortem. We are waiting for the report.' This latest attack is just one of several recently reported cases of rapes of women or children in India. It comes despite a public outcry four years ago that led to stronger laws against sexual assault, following the fatal gang rape of a young woman on a New Delhi bus. Elsewhere, Mumbai police reportedly said they were looking into a case where the body of a four-year-old girl was found. There were allegations she had been raped before she was killed. Last week, three boys reportedly kidnapped and raped a teenage girl around New Delhi, but she managed to escape. Slaying suspect managed to elude US immigration authorities KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Immigration authorities last year sought to detain a Mexican national charged with killing five men in Kansas and Missouri this week, but they sent the detention order to an agency that didn't have him in custody. It was not the first time Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino, who was in the U.S. illegally, eluded U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to the agency. In 2015, officials from a Kansas county where Serrano-Vitorino faced domestic battery charges queried federal immigration officials about him because he was born outside the country, but ICE didn't respond before the county let him go. Serrano-Vitorino is now charged with killing a neighbor and three other men on Monday night in Kansas, then gunning down another man Tuesday morning at the man's rural home in central Missouri. He was captured early Wednesday morning. This undated photo provided by the Kansas City, Kan. Police Department on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 shows Pablo Serrano. Serrano is suspected of fatally shooting four people at his neighbor's home in Kansas before killing another man about 170 miles away in a rural Missouri house not far from where his truck was found abandoned. (Kansas City, Kan. Police Department via AP) Serrano-Vitorino, 40, was deported in April 2004 because he was in the country illegally, but he re-entered at some unknown time, ICE said by email. Serrano-Vitorino, who has been living in Kansas City, Kansas, was fingerprinted Sept. 14 at the Overland Park Municipal Court after being cited for traffic violations. That triggered an ICE order to have him detained. But ICE said it sent the order to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office instead of to the Overland Park Municipal Court. Court administrator Robin Barnard said Serrano-Vitorino showed up at the court the next month to pay a $146 fine. He was never in custody of any local authorities for the traffic violations. ICE said that had its order been sent to an agency that had Serrano-Vitorino in custody, it would have sought to deport him. Earlier last year, in June, Serrano-Vitorino was booked on a misdemeanor domestic battery charge in Kansas City, Kansas. The Wyandotte County Sheriff's Department sent ICE an overnight query about him, sheriff's Lt. Kelli Bailiff said Wednesday, but when ICE did not respond within the required six-hour period, Serrano-Vitorino was released. ICE said the query, which did not involve his fingerprints, required the agency to interview Serrano-Vitorino, something it wasn't able to do between when the sheriff's office sent it at 1:30 a.m. and released Serrano-Vitorino at 7:30 a.m. Authorities have not released a motive for the rampage that began Monday. Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome Gorman, whose office has charged Serrano-Vitorino with four counts of first-degree murder, declined to discuss a possible motive, saying only that the Kansas killings did not appear drug-related. Messages left with his Missouri public defender Wednesday were not returned. Serrano-Vitorino is jailed in Montgomery County, Missouri, on $2 million bond stemming from the Kansas charges. When he was captured, Serrano-Vitorino had an assault-style rifle with him, said John Ham, a regional spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. He said agents were trying to determine how he acquired the weapon. "If he was in the country illegally, and that certainly appears to be the case, it would have been illegal for him to have a firearm under federal law," Ham said. The Kansas victims were identified as Serrano-Vitorino's neighbor, 41-year-old Michael Capps, and three other men who were at Capps' home: local brothers Austin Harter, 29, and Clint Harter, 27; and 36-year-old Jeremy Waters, of Miami County, Kansas. Before dying, one of the four managed to call police, prompting a manhunt. The slain Missouri man was 49-year-old Randy Nordman, whose property was about 5 miles from where a truck was found abandoned along Interstate 70 that Serrano-Vitorino was believed to have been driving. Serrano-Vitorino has had at least one previous conviction an unspecified terrorist threat for which he was sentenced to two years in a California prison that led to his 2004 deportation, according to ICE. ICE also said Serrano-Vitorino was convicted in 2014 of driving under the influence in southeast Kansas. But ICE records don't show the agency was notified that Serrano was fingerprinted at that time. Gorman, the Kansas prosecutor, declined to criticize ICE on Wednesday, saying he was reserving judgment "because I don't have all the facts." "Obviously we wish it hadn't happened, (and) we'd love to discuss with ICE why it happened," he said. ___ Associated Press writers Heather Hollingsworth, Margaret Stafford and Maria Sudekum contributed to this story. ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that ICE doesn't say it mistakenly sent order to Johnson County Sheriff's Office, just that that is where the order was sent. Police search for a murder suspect near New Florence, Mo., on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in the area around the intersection of Stave Mill Road and Highway 19, just south of Interstate 70. Dozens of officers searched farmland in central Missouri on Tuesday for a man suspected of killing a man at a nearby house just hours after fatally shooting several people at his neighbor's home about 170 miles away in Kansas. (Cristina Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Police walk near a house where a man was found murdered on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, near New Florence, Mo. (Cristina Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Police gather near the house where a man was found murdered on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, near New Florence, Mo., just south of Interstate 70 near the intersection of Highway 19. Dozens of officers searched farmland in central Missouri on Tuesday for a man suspected of killing a man at a nearby house just hours after fatally shooting several people at his neighbor's home about 170 miles away in Kansas. (Cristina Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Janna Myers sits with her family in their car as they watch police search the area around the house where a body was found Tuesday, March 8, 2016, near New Florence, Mo. Dozens of officers searched farmland in central Missouri on Tuesday for a man suspected of killing a man at a nearby house just hours after fatally shooting multiple people at his neighbor's home about 170 miles away in Kansas. (Cristina Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT A Missouri Highway Patrol helicopter flies near the house where a body was found Tuesday, March 8, 2016, near New Florence, Mo. Dozens of officers searched farmland in central Missouri on Tuesday for a man suspected of killing a man at a nearby house just hours after fatally shooting multiple people at his neighbor's home about 170 miles away in Kansas. (Cristina Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT David Morawiec of New Florence, Mo., peers through his binoculars from the Bio Fuels USA station to get a better look of the house where a man was found murdered on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, near New Florence, Mo. (Cristina Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT A man convicted of killing his ex-wife and four others in a 1997 shooting rampage near Houston was put to death Wednesday. Before being executed, the 58-year-old Coy Wesbrook apologized profusely to some of his victims' relatives who witnessed the punishment. 'I want to say that I'm sorry for the pain that I have caused you people,' he said. 'I'm sorry I can't bring everybody back. I wish things could have been a lot different.' Wesbrook killed his ex-wife, Gloria Jean Coons, 32; her roommate, Diana Ruth Money, 43; and three men: Antonio Cruz, 35, Anthony Ray Rogers, 41, and Kelly Hazlip, 28. Before being executed, the 58-year-old Coy Wesbrook apologized profusely to some of his victims' relatives who witnessed the punishment Wesbrook, a former security guard and delivery driver, married Coons in 1995. They divorced the following year but continued seeing each other. They had lunch Nov. 12, 1997, and talked about reconciling. That was on his mind when he showed up that night at her apartment in Channelview, just east of Houston. Instead, he found people partying. He testified at his 1998 trial that Coons humiliated him by having sex with two of the men at the party while he was there. He said when he tried to leave, Cruz grabbed the keys to his truck and joined others in taunting him. He said he 'lost it,' walked out, grabbed a rifle he kept in the truck and returned, shooting each person once. Coons was the final victim. Court records show the five shots were fired within 40 seconds. Each victim was shot at close range. Neighbors who heard the gunfire and called police saw Wesbrook emerge from the apartment, place the rifle inside his truck and stand calmly by the tailgate of the pickup to wait for sheriff's deputies to arrive. Coy Wesbrook, 58, was executed Wednesday for a 1997 mass killing (file photo) 'If I could change things and turn back time and bring all these people back and I could be in my right mind and not under the influence of any alcohol, none of this would have taken place,' Wesbrook said recently from death row. In his final moments, Wesbrook said he loved his daughter and all his supporters. 'I pray that the Lord take care of me and all of you,' he said. He concluded by telling relatives of his victims that he 'can understand your outrage and why you are mad at me. God be with all of us.' As the lethal dose of the sedative pentobarbital took effect, he took two deep breaths, then began snoring. A few seconds later, all movement stopped. He was pronounced dead at 8:04pm CST. The execution was delayed about 90 minutes. Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jason Clark said prison officials had anticipated an additional appeal would be filed by a death penalty opponent whose appeal hours earlier was rejected by the Court of Criminal Appeals, the state's highest criminal court. That appeal sought another review of claims that Wesbrook was mentally impaired and ineligible for the death penalty under U.S. Supreme Court rulings. 'Out of an abundance of caution, we waited, and when nothing was filed, we went forward [with the execution],' Clark said. Wesbrook's lethal injection was the eighth this year nationally and fourth in Texas, which carries out capital punishment more than any state. Two Georgia inmates have been executed so far in 2016, plus one each in Alabama and Florida. George Martin, guided the Beatles to global fame, dies at 90 LONDON (AP) George Martin, the Beatles' urbane producer who quietly guided the band's swift, historic transformation from rowdy club act to musical and cultural revolutionaries, has died, his management said Wednesday. He was 90. Too modest to claim the title of the fifth Beatle, the tall, elegant Londoner produced some of the most popular and influential albums of modern times "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," ''Revolver," ''Rubber Soul," ''Abbey Road" elevating rock LPs to art forms: "concepts." Martin won six Grammys and was inducted in 1999 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Three years earlier, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. FILE - In this March 29, 2001, file photo, Sir George Martin, the Beatles producer, makes an appearance during "An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson" concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall. George Martin, the Beatles' urbane producer who guided, assisted and stood aside through the band's swift, historic transformation from rowdy club act to musical and cultural revolutionaries, has died, his management said Wednesday, March 9, 2016. He was 90. (AP Photo/Stephan Chernin, File) Former Beatle Paul McCartney said Martin had been "a true gentleman and like a second father to me." "If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George," McCartney said. "From the day that he gave the Beatles our first recording contract, to the last time I saw him, he was the most generous, intelligent and musical person I've ever had the pleasure to know." Beatles drummer Ringo Starr tweeted earlier: "God bless George Martin peace and love to Judy and his family love Ringo and Barbara. George will be missed." Martin both witnessed and enabled the extraordinary metamorphosis of the Beatles and of the 1960s. From a raw first album in 1962 that took just a day to make, to the months-long production of "Sgt. Pepper," the Beatles advanced rapidly as songwriters and sonic explorers. They composed dozens of classics, from "She Loves You" to "Hey Jude," and turned the studio into a wonderland of tape loops, multi-tracking, unpredictable tempos, unfathomable segues and kaleidoscopic montages. Never again would rock music be defined by two-minute love songs or guitar-bass-drums arrangements. Lyrically and musically, anything became possible. "Once we got beyond the bubblegum stage, the early recordings, and they wanted to do something more adventurous, they were saying, 'What can you give us?'" Martin told The Associated Press in 2002. "And I said, 'I can give you anything you like.'" Besides the Beatles, Martin worked with Jeff Beck, Elton John, Celine Dion and on several solo albums by McCartney. In the 1960s, Martin produced hits by Cilla Black, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas. And for 37 straight weeks in 1963 a Martin recording topped the British charts. Martin started producing records for EMI's Parlophone label in 1950, working on comedy recordings with Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and others, Sharp said. He had his first No. 1 hit in 1961 with The Temperance Seven. But his legacy was defined by the Beatles, for the contributions he made, and for those he didn't. When he took on the Liverpool group, Martin was very much in charge, choosing "Love Me Do" as their first single and initially confining the newly hired Ringo Starr to tambourine a slight the drummer never quite got over. But during a time when the young were displacing the old, Martin too would be upstaged. Before the Beatles, producers such as Phil Spector and Berry Gordy controlled the recording process, choosing the arrangements and musicians; picking, and sometimes writing, the songs or claiming credit for them. The Beatles, led by the songwriting team of McCartney and John Lennon, became their own bosses, relying on Martin not for his vision, but for what he could do for theirs. They were among the first rock groups to compose their own material and, inspired by native genius, a world's tour of musical influences and all the latest stimulants, they demanded new sounds. Martin was endlessly called on to perform the impossible, and often succeeded, splicing recordings at different speeds for "Strawberry Fields Forever" or, for "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite," simulating a calliope with keyboards, harmonica and a harmonium that the producer himself played with such intensity he passed out on the floor. Martin would have several good turns on the keyboards, performing a lively music hall solo on McCartney's "Lovely Rita" and a speeded-up Baroque reverie on Lennon's "In My Life." His bearing was infinitely more patrician than that of the Fab Four, but he grew up working class. Born in north London in 1926, Martin was a carpenter's son raised in a three-room flat without a kitchen, bathroom or electricity. He was a gifted musician who mastered Chopin by ear, a born experimenter enchanted whenever he discovered a new chord. After World War II service in the Fleet Air Arm, he attended London's Guildhall School of Music, studying composition and orchestration, and performance on the oboe and piano. "Music was pretty well my whole life," Martin wrote in his memoir, "All You Need is Ears," published in 1980. When he started at Parlophone, Martin worked with primitive technology, recording on wax cylinders with machines driven by weights, not electricity. In 1955, aged 29, Martin became head of Parlophone. He worked with Judy Garland and with jazz stars Stan Getz, Cleo Laine and John Dankworth. By the early 1960s, Parlophone was fading and Martin was anxious to break into the pop market when a Liverpool shopkeeper and music manager, Brian Epstein, insisted that he listen to a local quartet. The Beatles already had been turned down by Decca Records and told that "guitar groups are on the way out." Martin also was unimpressed by their music, but, to his eternal fortune, was pushed into signing them by EMI executive L.G. Wood. Martin later said he didn't think much of the band's rough-and-ready music, but "fell in love" with the four Liverpool lads. He was more than a decade older than any of them and, like an indulgent parent, tolerated and often enjoyed their sassy humor. On the first day in the studio, Martin lectured the Beatles on their weaknesses, then asked if there was anything they didn't like. "I don't like your tie," George Harrison reportedly quipped. The backtalk was also professional. After the Beatles had a modest hit with "Love Me Do," Martin recommended they follow with a light pop track, "How Do You Do It." To Martin's surprise, the band insisted on Lennon-McCartney's "Please, Please Me," originally written as a slow, Roy Orbison-styled lament. Martin backed down, with one condition that they speed it up. The result was a rush of energy and power, their first smash and the beginning of a phenomenon soon dubbed Beatlemania. After "Please, Please Me" had been recorded, Martin told the band: "Gentlemen, you have just made your first number one record." The Beatles seemed to reinvent themselves from album to album, and sometimes from song to song. The single "I Feel Fine" was among the first records to include guitar feedback, while Harrison's sitar on Lennon's "Norwegian Wood" introduced millions of listeners to Eastern sounds. Their lyrics, especially Lennon's, became more personal and sophisticated, and sometimes surreal. None of the Beatles could read music, so they depended on Martin's classical background. They might hum a melody to the producer, who would translate it into a written score, as he did for a trumpet solo on McCartney's "Penny Lane." For "Yesterday," Martin persuaded McCartney that a string quartet would serve the song's tender remorse. "When we recorded the string quartet at Abbey Road, it was so thrilling to know his idea was so correct that I went round telling people about it for weeks," McCartney said Wednesday. Martin initially didn't share in the band's vast wealth, drawing a staff salary from EMI. But in 1965, he left to help form an independent company, Associated Independent Recordings. The Beatles agreed to keep working with him, on a freelance basis, leading Martin to boast that "I suppose I am now earning more than the managing director of EMI records." He was otherwise unaffected by the madness, keeping his lifestyle clean and his attire businesslike. His naivety led to some comical moments in the studio, like the night that Lennon, high on LSD, complained of feeling ill. An unsuspecting Martin ordered Lennon brought up to the roof, a dangerous place for an acid-head. The Beatles began to break apart after "Sgt. Pepper," released in 1967, and Martin's contributions would also peak. Responding to the Band and other American groups, the Beatles turned against their own studio tricks and preached a more basic sound. Their double "White" album was far more spare, and individual Beatles essentially served as producers for their own songs. The album's length was also a rebuke to Martin; he had urged them to put out a single record, saying there wasn't enough good material for two. For "Let It Be," a self-conscious effort to reclaim their early magic, they rejected Martin altogether, turning over the tapes to Spector. After "Let It Be," an unhappy process for all involved, Martin assumed he was done with the Beatles, but they asked him back for "Abbey Road." Released in the fall of 1969, it was their final, slickest record, capped by an extended suite of song fragments. The band officially split the following year. Artistically, Martin would never approach such heights again. But he did manage commercial success with such pop acts as America and the Little River Band and produced two James Bond themes Shirley Bassey's "Goldfinger" and McCartney's "Live and Let Die." Martin had intended the production and scoring of "Candle In The Wind '97," Elton John's tribute to Princess Diana at her funeral, to be his last single. But in 2000 he produced "1," a multimillion-selling compilation of Beatles' No. 1 songs, then followed with a six-CD retrospective of his recording career. In his later years, Martin with his fine white hair and beautifully tailored clothes was a treasured figure on Britain's music scene. He played a prominent role at Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee concerts in 2002, leading a cheer of "hip, hip hooray" in her honor, and was sometimes seen at Royal Festival Hall when Brian Wilson performed. Adam Sharp, a founder of CA Management, said in an email that Martin "passed away peacefully at home yesterday (Tuesday) evening." McCartney said that with Martin's death, "the world has lost a truly great man who left an indelible mark on my soul and the history of British music." Martin is survived by his wife Judy and four children from two marriages. ___ Hillel Italie reported from New York. FILE - In this May 24, 2006, file photo, Beatles producer Sir George Martin answers a question from the media after the sneak preview of a new Beatles-themed Cirque du Soleil show, "Love," in Las Vegas on Wednesday, May 24, 2006. George Martin, the producer who guided the Beatles to astounding heights, has died, his manager said on March 9, 2016. He was 90. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2008, file photo, musician Ringo Starr, center, and Beatles producer Sir George Martin accept the best compilation soundtrack album award for "Love" during the 50th annual Grammy awards held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. George Martin, the producer who guided the Beatles to astounding heights, has died, his manager said on March 9, 2016. He was 90. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File) FILE - In this Oct. 30, 2002, file photo, Beatles producer George Martin touches a statue of John Lennon in a park in the Vedado neighborhood of Havana, during his visit to Cuba. George Martin, the producer who guided the Beatles to astounding heights, has died, his manager said on March 9, 2016. He was 90. (AP Photo/Cristobal Herrera, File) Members of the media and tourists stand outside Abbey Road studios where the Beatles recorded albums and where the zebra crossing cover picture of the Abbey Road album was originally taken in London, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. George Martin, the Beatles' urbane producer who quietly guided the band's swift, historic transformation from rowdy club act to musical and cultural revolutionaries, has died, his management said Wednesday March 9, 2016. He was 90. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) People walk over the zebra crossing where the cover picture of the Beatles' Abbey Road album was taken outside Abbey Road studios in London, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. George Martin, the Beatles' urbane producer who quietly guided the band's swift, historic transformation from rowdy club act to musical and cultural revolutionaries, has died, his management said Wednesday. He was 90. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) FILE - In this Sept. 15 1997 file photo, producer George Martin, second right poses for photographers with musicians Mark Knopfler, Paul McCartney and Sting, prior to the start of the Music for Montserrat benefit concert, in London. George Martin, the Beatles' urbane producer who guided, assisted and stood aside through the band's swift, historic transformation from rowdy club act to musical and cultural revolutionaries, has died, his management said Wednesday, March 9, 2016. He was 90. (Rebecca Naden/PA via AP, File) UNITED KINGDOM OUT Cars were submerged by water, residents forced to flee their homes with housecats and birds in tow, and the Louisiana National Guard and others rescued people by boat and in big military trucks as torrential rains Wednesday drenched parts of Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas with nearly a foot of rain. Two people drowned in Oklahoma and Texas, and the rain is expected to stay in the forecast for much of the week. Up to seven inches of rain was expected through Wednesday and up to a foot by the end of the weekend. Flash-flood watches were issued for areas from Port O'Connor, Texas, to near Springfield, Illinois. Bossier Parish Sherrif's deputies search for people stranded in their homes in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Dozens of homes were flooded and scores of residents were evacuated Bossier City Firemen and volunteers help Elaine Christy and her dog 'Boo' as they evacuate from rising water at the Pecan Valley Estates trailer park in Bossier City, Louisiana, Wednesday, March 9, 2016 Sam Breen paddles as he helps his friend Roger Dove, foreground, retrieve pets and belongings from his home in rising water at the trailer park in Bossier City, Louisiana, Wednesday, March 9, 2016 In northwestern Louisiana up to 80 homes and a nursing home were evacuated. No injuries were reported. Sharon Anderson, her three children and four grandchildren were rescued from her south Bossier Parish mobile home after rising water threatened to trap them. Several other families had already been trapped, and the water was still rising, she said. 'This morning it was touching the bottom of the houses,' she said. 'Now the steps on my back porch are underwater and if you walk down the driveway, it's over the knee.' Anderson said they were pretty much surrounded by the water. The road into the area is flooded and another outlet that has a bridge is closed because of water. 'We're literally trapped,' Anderson said. 'You have to get a boat to get to our doors in this neighborhood.' Several Louisiana parishes have declared a state of emergency, and the National Guard was sent in to help. A man paddles a child while a dog playfully follows during rising floodwaters in the Golden Meadows subdivision in Bossier City, Louisiana, Wednesday, March 9, 2016 Roger Dove rides in a friend's skiff to retrieve his pets and some belongings from his home in rising water at the Pecan Valley Estates trailer park in Bossier City, Louisiana, Wednesday, March 9, 2016 Camie Kelly walks through floodwaters as she carries her family cat from the the Pecan Valley Estates trailer park as residents evacuate due to rising water in Bossier City, Louisiana, Wednesday, March 9, 2016 Gov. John Bel Edwards issued the National Guard order after nearly a foot of rain fell Tuesday night and Wednesday. The governor's office says eight guardsmen and four high water vehicles will be used in Bossier Parish to assist where needed. The Louisiana National Guard transported Anderson's family and others from the neighborhood in a huge military truck later Wednesday. She said they planned to stay with family and in a hotel until the water receded. Bossier Parish Sheriff Julian Whittington said a mandatory evacuation is in place for several neighborhoods and subdivisions. Displaced residents can find shelter at the Bossier Civic Center. Meanwhile, Louisiana wildlife and fisheries enforcement agents have rescued more than three dozen people so far from flooded areas in Webster Parish. Louisiana State Police closed a section of Interstate 20 near Gibsland after both the eastbound and westbound lanes were covered with a foot of water, making the road impassible. Meteorologist Matthew Duplantis of the National Weather Service in Shreveport said Wednesday rain brought an additional two-to-four inches to the area. The system will also contain severe weather in the form of high winds and the possibility of isolated tornados. Northwestern State University's campuses in Natchitoches and Shreveport will be closed Thursday due to weather conditions, as are Bossier Parish public schools. Bossier City firemen and volunteers help residents escape rising water at the Pecan Valley Estates trailer park in Bossier City, Louisiana, Wednesday, March 9, 2016 Residents wait for a boat from the Bossier City Fire Department to retrieve belongings as people are evacuated at the Pecan Valley Estates trailer park in Bossier City, Louisiana, Wednesday, March 9, 2016 Sam Breen paddles his skiff through rising water at the Pecan Valley Estates trailer park in Bossier City, Louisiana, Wednesday, March 9, 2016 Over southeast Louisiana, including the New Orleans metro area, forecasters say the slow-moving low pressure system is expected to bring a few rounds of heavy rainfall beginning Thursday morning and continuing through early Saturday. Rainfall totals could reach 10 inches in some areas and could result in some flooding. In rural southeastern Oklahoma, a 30-year-old man drowned Tuesday night after trying to drive his SUV across a low-crossing bridge that was covered by floodwaters. And in Texas, a 22-year-old man drowned Monday night after his canoe capsized in Dickinson Bayou, southeast of Houston near Galveston Bay. The flooding comes after recent severe thunderstorms raged across parts of Central and North Texas. A tornado struck a mobile home park in the North Texas town of Tolar on Monday morning, smashing some homes and injuring two people after two other tornadoes late Sunday injured two people in the North Texas towns of Stephenville and Cool. ___ Missouri religious exemption measure advances JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) Missouri's Republican-led Senate on Wednesday advanced a proposal to add greater religious protections to the state Constitution for some business owners and individuals opposed to gay marriage after Democrats stalled a vote for about 37 hours. The move marked an end to a stalemate emblematic of a national debate over balancing civil rights and religious liberties following last year's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage. The proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution would prohibit government penalties against those who cite "a sincere religious belief" while declining to provide goods or services of "expressional or artistic creation" for same-sex marriage ceremonies or celebrations. Missouri Senate Majority Leader Mike Kehoe talks with reporters as Republican Sen. Bob Onder looks on Wednesday, March 9, 2016, at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City. Republican senators used a rare procedural move to shut off a Democratic filibuster and force a vote Wednesday on a proposed state constitutional amendment sponsored by Onder. The measure would prohibit government penalties against some businesses and individuals who cite religious beliefs while declining to provide wedding-related services to same-sex couples. (AP Photo/David Lieb) The measure was revised Wednesday to specifically state that florists and photographers would be protected and to clarify that it applies to services provided for a reception taking place around the same time as a wedding ceremony. The measure comes after bakers and florists have faced legal challenges in other states for declining to provide services for same-sex weddings due to their religious beliefs. "No one should be compelled to make a work with their own hands that's offensive to their beliefs," Republican sponsor Sen. Bob Onder said during debate on the measure. Democrats fought the measure for days, saying it would allow discrimination against same-sex couples and could hurt the state economy. Republicans used a rare procedural move early Wednesday to force an end to the Democratic filibuster that started Monday afternoon and had veered into unrelated topics such as "Star Wars" trivia, senators' families and how long it had been since they had showered. Senators then gave the measure first-round approval by a 23-9 vote. "The debate was starting to meander," Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard told reporters. "We couldn't come to a negotiated settlement. ... We had to move on." A second Senate vote is expected Thursday to send the measure to the House, where Republican leaders also have expressed support. If passed by both chambers, the proposal would appear before voters either on the August primary or November general election ballot. It would bypass Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon, who opposed the measure. "Rewriting our state's constitution to condone discrimination would be contrary to our values and harmful to our economy," Nixon said Wednesday in an emailed statement. Senate Minority Leader Joe Keaveny, of St. Louis, said it's unclear how Democrats will respond to the Republicans' move. They will have another chance to filibuster when the measure is brought up for a final Senate vote. "Why are we allowing any kind of discrimination?" Keaveny said. "In this case, we're almost encouraging it." Missouri's largest statewide business organizations have taken no position on the measure, though the St. Louis Regional Chamber has raised concerns. Some businesses, including St. Louis agricultural giant Monsanto, have opposed it. Republican lawmakers in various states also have pushed religious protection measures following the Supreme Court decision on gay marriage. Onder said the Missouri measure is more narrowly crafted than some that have faced a backlash for example, a proposal in Indiana that was criticized by businesses. "This bill does not in any way create any kind of broad religious exemption or any broad right to deny services," said Onder, of Lake St. Louis. "It's really only this very limited situation of wedding vendors." If approved by voters, critics said the proposal could be subject to court challenges. "This amendment raises serious constitutional concerns because it singles out same-sex couples for discrimination," Jeffrey Mittman, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, said in a statement. The filibuster marked the longest continuous debate in recent Missouri history. Four Senate Democrats including current U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay Jr. led a 38-hour filibuster spread over five legislative days against an abortion bill in 1999. That bill ultimately passed the Senate. The last time Republican Senate leaders employed used a procedural move to shut off debate was during the final week of session last year, and Democrats in response stalled action in the chamber for days. There still are about two months left in this year's legislative session, which ends in mid-May. ___ Missouri religious protection measure is SJR 39. Online: Senate: http://www.senate.mo.gov Ukrainian pilot denounces her trial in Russia as a farce DONETSK, Russia (AP) A Ukrainian pilot charged in the deaths of two Russian journalists on Wednesday denounced her trial as a farce. "In Russia, there are no courts and no investigations," Nadezhda Savchenko told the court in the Russian border town of Donetsk. "Here there is the farce of Kremlin puppets." Addressing the court, she said: "If you want to show your strength, go ahead. But remember, we are playing with my life. The stakes are high and I have nothing to lose." FILE - In this Thursday, March 3, 2016, file photo, Ukrainian jailed military officer Nadezhda Savchenko stands in a glass cage during a trial in the town of Donetsk, Rostov-on-Don region, Russia. A Russian judge set a date of March 21-22 for issuing the verdict in the case against jailed Ukrainian pilot Savchenko, who is accused of involvement in the deaths of two Russian journalists during the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The judge said Wednesday, March 9, 2016, the reading of the verdict would begin March 21 and take two days. (AP Photo/File) The trial judge said that he would announce his verdict on March 21-22 on her role in the deaths of the journalists in eastern Ukraine. Prosecutors last week asked the court to convict Savchenko and sentence her to 23 years in prison. Savchenko, 34, declared a hunger strike on Thursday last week and has a high fever, according to tweets from one of her lawyers, Nikolai Polozov. Her mother and sister were both present at the trial, but a group of Ukrainian doctors were not allowed into Russia to see Savchenko, Polozov wrote. Savchenko was fighting with a Ukrainian volunteer battalion against Russia-backed rebels when she was captured in June 2014. Russia claims she was a spotter who called in coordinates for a mortar attack that killed the two journalists and several other civilians. The Ukrainian government says Savchenko was abducted by the Russians and should be treated as a prisoner of war. About 2,000 Ukrainians rallied in central Kiev on Sunday to demand that Russia release Savchenko, whose case has been taken up by supporters in other countries as well. On Tuesday, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden issued a statement saying she has been unjustly imprisoned and calling on Russia to release her immediately. Camp Nou seating to rise to 105,000 by 2021-22 season BARCELONA, Spain (AP) Europe's biggest stadium will be even bigger within five years, when the Camp Nou will hold more than 100,000 people under a new roof that will cover all seating sections. A joint bid by Japanese company Nikken Sekkei and a Catalan studio headed by architects Joan Pascual and Ramon Ausio won the tender to remodel the home of Barcelona, and the project will be presented publicly in a few weeks. Seating will increase from 99,354 to 105,000. Work is scheduled to start in the 2017-18 season, and will not keep the club from hosting games. FILE- In this file photo taken on Saturday May 3, 2014, FC Barcelona play against Getafe during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona says the seating capacity in Camp Nou will be increased to 105,000 people and the roof will ring the entire stadium by the 2021-22 season. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File) The majority of fans are exposed to rain, sun, and wind, but in the updated stadium, "all seats will be covered and protected from adverse weather," Barcelona said, adding that all seats will be replaced and spacing between them will be improved. The top tier capacity will be increased, and it will have an even height throughout the stadium. One side is currently higher than the others. The winning proposal stood out "for being open, elegant, serene, timeless Mediterranean and democratic," and represented a "silent and powerful tribute to the stadium built by Francesc Mitjans in 1957," Barcelona said on Wednesday. The area underneath the grandstands will be open and visible from the outside. The current facade walls will be removed. "It is a unique solution, reproducing the characteristic vision of the grandstand and canopy, from the inside out," Barcelona said. New giant video screens will also be installed. The club said Nikken Sekkei was responsible for the design of the Saitama Super Arena, the Big Swan Stadium in Niigata, and the Tokyo Dome, all in Japan. The Catalan studio has a "long and proven history of experience" in residential buildings, office blocks, and hotels in Barcelona. Nancy Reagan begins final journey to husband's side SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) Nancy Reagan began her final journey to her husband's side Wednesday as a police motorcade carried her casket down an empty freeway lined with saluting firefighters and mourners holding hands over their hearts in tribute to the former first lady. The roadside reverence reflected her late husband's touch with the common man and followed some of the route his own funeral procession took in 2004, eventually winding its way up to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, where volunteers in blue jackets stood behind a guardrail festooned with small American flags. The day began with a private ceremony for family and close friends at a funeral home in Santa Monica, followed by a public viewing at the library. Library volunteers pause as they pay their respects beside the casket of Nancy Reagan at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Wednesday, March 9, 2016 in Simi Valley, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool) People came from near and far to pay tribute to the widow of the 40th president, who was respected for her grace, strength and unfailing loyalty to her husband during this two terms in office and his final struggles with Alzheimer's disease. Retired teacher Mary Ellen Gruendyke, who arose early so she could drive nearly 100 miles from her Riverside home, said she admired Mrs. Reagan for her "Just Say No" campaign against drugs and the president for infusing a sense of patriotism in the country. "Ronald Reagan was one of the best presidents we've ever had, and I admired them both as a couple for their love story and the support they showed to each other," said Gruendyke, who wore a colorful Ronald Reagan souvenir scarf around her neck. Shuttles bused groups of mourners to take turns walking quietly in a circle around the casket covered in white roses and peonies Mrs. Reagan's favorite flower. The mood was somber, and many people wiped away tears. More than 1,000 people paid their respects in the first two hours, according to the library. The public viewing came hours after the small motorcade traveled 45 miles from the coast to the hills above Simi Valley northwest of Los Angeles. The public viewing was to continue for two days leading up to the funeral scheduled for Friday. Mrs. Reagan, who died Sunday at 94, planned the smallest details of her funeral. She selected the funeral's flower arrangements, the music to be played by a Marine Corps band and the list of guests invited to the private memorial. And just as she was always by her husband's side in life, she will be laid to rest just inches from the president on a hillside tomb facing west toward the Pacific Ocean. As a heavy flow of traffic moved in the other direction, the normally contested highway lanes were kept wide-open for the hearse as it drove beneath a massive flag hung by firefighters from an overpass. After turning onto the Ronald Reagan Freeway, the vehicle passed under the firefighters, who wore dress blues and saluted atop their trucks. Construction workers in hard hats, riders on horseback, parents holding children and other observers lined the roadside to watch and to snap photos with their cellphones. When the hearse arrived at the library, a military honor guard carried the casket between two identical towering portraits of the diminutive Mrs. Reagan wearing a long, red dress and then past a gurgling courtyard fountain. The casket was placed in a lobby behind a bronze statue of a smiling Ronald Reagan holding a cowboy hat. The Reagan's daughter Patti Davis, dressed in black, was among about 20 family members and close friends who attended a short prayer service beside the closed casket. "May angels surround her and saints release her to Jesus," the Rev. Stuart Kenworthy, vicar at the Washington National Cathedral, said during a short eulogy. The Rev. Donn Moomaw, the Reagan family's pastor, read from the 23rd Psalm, which begins, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Attendees included the children of Ronald Reagan's son Michael and Dennis Revell, the widower of the president's late daughter Maureen. Michael Reagan and the president's other son, Ron Prescott Reagan, are expected at Friday's funeral. After the prayers, Davis led mourners in taking turns to pay their respects, standing quietly by her mother's casket. The final one was Mrs. Reagan's spokeswoman, Joanne Drake, who fought back tears. When the private service ended, House Speaker Paul Ryan bowed his head at the casket, made the sign of the cross and clasped his hands in prayer for about a minute. Those who came to pay their respects tended to be older, many with memories of Reagan as both president and governor of California. Roy Dillard, 80, drove more than 100 miles from Bakersfield with several generations of his family. Dillard called Reagan the greatest president in his lifetime. His daughter, Tina Choate, said: "And he was a wonderful governor, too." "And a great movie star in westerns," added daughter Bobbie Eldridge. Eldridge said she most admired how Mrs. Reagan "stood by her man" and the "beautiful love that they had." Firefighters salute as the hearse carrying the body of Nancy Reagan makes its way to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Wednesday, March 9, 2016, near Porter Ranch, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool) Firefighters salute as the hearse carrying the body of Nancy Reagan makes its way to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Wednesday, March 9, 2016, near Porter Ranch, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool) FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2003 file photo, former first ladies get together for a group photo at a gala 20th anniversary fundraising event saluting Betty Ford and the Betty Ford Center in Indian Wells, Calif. From left are Rosalynn Carter, Barbara Bush, Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Former first lady Nancy Reagan, whose funeral service scheduled for Friday, March 11, 2016, was planned down to the smallest details by the former first lady herself. Scheduled to attend are former president George W. Bush and his wife Laura Bush, former first ladies Rosalynn Carter and Sen. Hillary Clinton, and first lady Michelle Obama. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File) A police officer stands guard outside a mortuary where a small ceremony for former first lady Nancy Reagan will take place, Wednesday, March 9, 2016 in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) A police officer stands guard outside a mortuary where a small ceremony for former first lady Nancy Reagan will take place, Wednesday, March 9, 2016, in Santa Monica, Calif. Three days of formal mourning and solemn ceremonies for former first lady Nancy Reagan are set to begin Wednesday. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Ventura County firefighters salute as the hearse carrying the body of Nancy Reagan makes its way to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Wednesday, March 9, 2016, in Simi Valley, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool) Flowers sit outside a mortuary where a small ceremony for former first lady Nancy Reagan will take place, Wednesday, March 9, 2016, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) A police officer stands guard outside a mortuary where a small ceremony for former first lady Nancy Reagan will take place, Wednesday, March 9, 2016, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) A police officer stands guard outside a mortuary where a small ceremony for former first lady Nancy Reagan will take place, Wednesday, March 9, 2016, in Santa Monica, Calif. Three days of formal mourning and solemn ceremonies for former first lady Nancy Reagan are set to begin Wednesday. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. stands near the casket of Nancy Reagan at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Wednesday, March 9, 2016 in Simi Valley, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool) Man accused of plotting attack asked about beheading videos PHOENIX (AP) Prosecutors on Wednesday grilled an Arizona man charged with plotting an attack on a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas about why he never told investigators that his friend who carried out the thwarted shooting had been watching Internet videos of people being beheaded. Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem took the witness stand for a second day at his trial on charges that he planned the attack last spring in a Dallas suburb. Prosecutors asked him about two friends who were killed in a police shootout outside the May 3 event. Kareem acknowledged he volunteered to investigators that he kicked Elton Simpson out of his home because he believed Simpson had planted a tracking device in his car. FILE - This undated law enforcement file booking photo provided by the Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff's Department shows Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem. Kareem, charged with planning an attack on a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in suburban Dallas, took the witness stand in his own defense Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Kareem described how he became acquainted with two Phoenix men who were killed in a police shootout outside the May 3, 2015 contest. (Maricopa County Sheriff's Department via AP, File) Prosecutor Joseph Koehler asked why Kareem didn't think it was important to tell investigators, who interviewed him twice after the attack, about the videos Simpson had been watching. "The question was never asked," Kareem said. Kareem is charged with conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State group and is one of the first Americans to stand trial on charges related to the terrorist group. He also is charged with lying to the FBI in his interviews. The 44-year-old moving company owner underwent questioning Tuesday about whether he was told that friends Simpson and Nadir Soofi also were planning to attack a military base in Arizona. At first, Kareem said a mutual friend mentioned something vague about such a plan, but Kareem later said he wasn't paying attention when the comment was made. Koehler asked whether such a plan would have been worth mentioning to FBI agents during an interview about the Texas attack. "I didn't think it was anything," Kareem responded. Kareem told jurors that he met Simpson and Soofi at Soofi's pizza restaurant in northwest Phoenix in 2011. The three attended the same mosque. He also described his rift with Simpson. He said he strongly disapproved of Simpson using Kareem's laptop to watch al-Qaida promotional materials. "I did not want it in my house," Kareem said, adding that they eventually reconciled. At one point, he wiped his eyes with a tissue as he recounted an apology Simpson made after standing him up for dinner two days before the attack in Garland, Texas. Defense lawyers claim the government is using guilt through association to target Kareem. On the witness stand, he denied the government's allegation that he asked a one-time roommate if he knew how to make a pipe bomb. Prosecutors say Kareem inquired about the types of explosives needed to blow up a mall and the stadium in metro Phoenix where the 2015 Super Bowl was held. ___ Follow Jacques Billeaud at twitter.com/jacquesbilleaud. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/jacques-billeaud . Man tied to Idaho pastor's shooting arrested at White House SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) A fugitive wanted by Idaho authorities for wounding a church pastor apparently wrote a manifesto contending that Martians controlled the Earth, police said. Kyle Odom, 30, was arrested Tuesday afternoon by U.S. Secret Service agents after allegedly throwing items over the fence at the White House in Washington, D.C. "I think everyone can breathe a good sigh of relief that at least this part of the case has come to a conclusion," said Lee White, police chief for Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where the shooting occurred. Six-year-old Rafe Adams, front, prays with his mother Chelsey and sister Keira, 8, during a prayer vigil held for Coeur d'Alene pastor Tim Remington at Candlelight Christian Fellowship in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Monday, March 7, 2016. Remington, who led the prayer at a weekend campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz, was gunned down outside his church the following day but was expected to survive. (Kathy Plonka/The Spokesman-Review via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT White said he was told Odom threw computer flash drives and other items over the White House fence on Tuesday. Odom appeared in District of Columbia Superior Court on Wednesday, wearing handcuffs and a chain connecting his ankles. He said only his name when asked. Public defender Ieshaah Murphy said Odom declined to waive an extradition hearing and be sent back to Idaho in the next few days. He will be held in jail pending a hearing scheduled for April 6 in Washington, where the only issue is whether the Idaho warrant for attempted first-degree murder in his case is valid. Meanwhile, Pastor Tim Remington, shot six times Sunday outside his church in Coeur d'Alene, about 30 miles east of Spokane, had regained consciousness and is talking with his family. Coeur d'Alene Police Detective Jared Reneau said Odom had attended Remington's church a few times and apparently was the author of a manifesto that contended the pastor was a member of a Martian species that had taken over the Earth. Details were contained in electronic documents that Odom apparently mailed to his family and news media outlets this week. Given Odom's apparent state of mind, "we feel pretty fortunate something worse didn't happen," Reneau said. Odom's family issued a statement Tuesday evening, saying they were thankful for the safe apprehension of their son. "As Kyle was not living with us, we are learning of his plans as they are being released by police," Odom's family said. "We are truly thankful to God he is safe and no one else has been injured." After the Sunday afternoon shooting, Odom drove west toward Spokane, Washington. He boarded a flight at the Boise Airport sometime Monday, White said. The Transportation Security Administration says a bulletin notifying the agency of law enforcement's interest in Odom was not received until Monday evening. The TSA says it screens passengers against the government's Terrorist Watchlist, but it does not search for requests for criminals and warrants when routinely screening passengers. It's unclear how Odom was able to board a plane with a warrant out for his arrest, White said. A former Marine from Coeur d'Alene, Odom is suspected of shooting Remington a day after the pastor led the prayer at a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz. Authorities say there's no indication Remington's appearance with Cruz had anything to do with the shooting. Odom graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in biochemistry. The manifesto contended that his life started to deteriorate during his final semester and was now ruined. "Ruined by an intelligent species of amphibian-humanoid from Mars," the manifesto said. Odom contended that the Martians were here before humans, lived underground and operated a breeding program for humans, the manifesto said. "Don't believe me? Ask President Obama to take a lie detector test of this one," the manifesto said. Odom contended the Martians were unable to control his mind but had been following him. He said he had attempted suicide twice, but they stopped him. "As you can see, I'm pretty smart," the manifesto said. "I'm also 100% sane, 0% crazy." The manifesto included the names of members of Congress, members of the Israeli government, Remington and John Padula, outreach pastor for The Altar Church, where Remington is the senior pastor. "My last resort was to take actions that would bring this to the public's attention," the manifesto said. Earlier Tuesday, Padula said Remington, 55, regained consciousness Monday night in a Coeur d'Alene hospital. "He's whispering and talking to his family a little bit," Padula said. Remington, who is married and has four children, has no feeling in his right arm, Padula said. Remington has been with The Altar Church for nearly two decades, specializing in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction, Padula said. The Coeur d'Alene Police Department issued a warrant for Odom, who has no criminal record but does have a history of mental illness. Police said Odom drove to the Spokane area on Interstate 90 after the Sunday afternoon shooting, according traffic camera footage. He then turned south before they lost his trail. Odom's car was found in Boise, White said. ___ Associated Press writer Jessica Gresko contributed to this report. This undated photo provided by the Coeur d'Alene Police Department via the The Spokesman-Review shows Kyle Andrew Odom. An Idaho pastor who led the prayer at a weekend campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz was gunned down outside his church the following day but was expected to survive. The Coeur d'Alene Police Department said it is looking for local resident Odom, 30, a decorated former Marine who should be considered armed and dangerous. (Coeur d'Alene Police Department via The Spokesman-Review via AP) In a Saturday, March 5, 2016 photo, Coeur d'Alene pastor Tim Remington leads the prayer, during the rally for Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He was shot six times March 6 as he was leaving the Altar Church after Sunday services. (Kathy Plonka / The Spokesman-Review, via AP) Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Lee White speaks during a news conference Monday, March 7, 2016, with a photo of Kyle Andrew Odom in the background in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. An Idaho pastor who led the prayer at a weekend campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz was gunned down outside his church the following day but was expected to survive. The Coeur d'Alene Police Department said it is looking for local resident Odom, 30, a decorated former Marine who should be considered armed and dangerous. (Kathy Plonka/The Spokesman-Review, via AP) The Latest: Beatles' producer George Martin dies at 90 LONDON (AP) The Latest on the death of George Martin (all times local): 10:45 a.m. Paul McCartney says Beatles producer George Martin was the true fifth Beatle and "like a second father to me." FILE - In this May 24, 2006, file photo, Beatles producer Sir George Martin answers a question from the media after the sneak preview of a new Beatles-themed Cirque du Soleil show, "Love," in Las Vegas on Wednesday, May 24, 2006. George Martin, the producer who guided the Beatles to astounding heights, has died, his manager said on March 9, 2016. He was 90. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) McCartney has paid tribute to Martin, who guided the Beatles to stratospheric success and has died aged 90. He said that "if anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George," and credited Martin with strokes of musical genius including the string arrangement on "Yesterday," one of the band's most enduring songs. McCartney said in a statement that "the world has lost a truly great man who left an indelible mark on my soul and the history of British music." ___ 7:30 a.m. George Martin, the Beatles' urbane producer who guided, assisted and stood aside through the band's swift, historic transformation from rowdy club act to musical and cultural revolutionaries, has died, his management said Wednesday. He was 90. "We can confirm that Sir George Martin passed away peacefully at home yesterday evening," Adam Sharp, a founder of CA Management, said Wednesday in an email. Too modest to call himself the "Fifth Beatle," a title many felt he deserved, the tall, elegant Londoner produced some of the most popular and influential albums of modern times "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," ''Revolver," ''Rubber Soul," ''Abbey Road" elevating rock LPs from ways to cash in on hit singles to art forms, "concepts." He won six Grammys and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 1999. Three years earlier, he was knighted. FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2008, file photo, musician Ringo Starr, center, and Beatles producer Sir George Martin accept the best compilation soundtrack album award for "Love" during the 50th annual Grammy awards held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. George Martin, the producer who guided the Beatles to astounding heights, has died, his manager said on March 9, 2016. He was 90. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File) The Latest: Biden: 'We will act' if Iran breaks nuclear deal TEHRAN, Iran (AP) The Latest on Iran's ballistic missile tests (all times local): 2 p.m. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden says that if Iran breaks the terms of the nuclear deal "we will act." In this photo obtained from the Iranian Fars News Agency, a Qadr H long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile is fired by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, during a maneuver, in an undisclosed location in Iran, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Irans powerful Revolutionary Guard test-fired two ballistic missiles Wednesday with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written on them, a show of deterrence power by the Islamic Republic as U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. (AP Photo/Fars News Agency, Omid Vahabzadeh) Biden spoke alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday in Jerusalem. His warning came shortly after Iran announced that it had test-fired two ballistic missiles with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written in Hebrew on them. The U.S. State Department says it plans to bring a report on another missile launch before the United Nations Security Council. Israel strongly opposed last year's nuclear deal with Iran. Biden looked to assuage its fears by saying "a nuclear-armed Iran is an absolutely unacceptable threat to Israel, to the region and the United States." He then reiterated: "If in fact they break the deal, we will act." ___ 7:45 a.m. A semiofficial news agency is reporting that Iran has test-fired two ballistic missiles at a target some 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) away, with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written on them. The Fars news agency offered pictures Wednesday it said were of the Qadr H missiles being fired. The announcement of the rocket fire comes as U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visits Israel as part of a Mideast tour. It also comes after a U.S. State Department spokesman on Tuesday criticized another missile launch, saying America planned to bring it before the United Nations Security Council. Italian FM: military force won't stabilize Libya MILAN (AP) Italy will not be drawn into broad military action in Libya based on the terror threat, Italy's foreign minister indicated Wednesday, saying such actions could lead to further chaos. The Italian government is under pressure both at home and from its allies as it outlines its response to ongoing instability in Libya, across the Mediterranean Sea, with divided factions and an increasing presence of Islamic State fighters. Paolo Gentiloni told the Senate that Italy would defend itself from "the real threat" posed by the Islamic State group, "with proportionate actions." Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, right, is flanked by Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti as he addresses the Italian Senate, in Rome, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni says no ransom was paid to win the release of Italian hostages held for nearly eight months in Libya. Two of the hostages freed themselves from captivity last week after being left unattended in a hideout in the western Libyan city of Sabratha, while the other two died in a shootout while being transferred to another location. (Giuseppe Lami/ANSA via AP) Parliament has already given approval for military support in cases involving a terror threat to Italy's security. But Gentiloni warned against "drum calls" for military intervention. "Military action is not a solution," he said. "At times, it can aggravate the problem." Gentiloni noted that that Libya is six times larger than Italy with more than 200,000 armed soldiers and militias of various stripes. "In any case, it is not through fighting terrorism that we can expect to achieve the stabilization of Libya," he said. "To confuse legitimate defense with the stability of Libya doesn't help. To the contrary, it can provoke dangerous spirals." Italy has also committed to join a coalition to provide support to a new unity government upon its request, which will require further approval by lawmakers. Gentiloni told lawmakers that the kidnapping of four Italian construction workers for eight months underlined the "critical and dangerous nature of the Libya situation." Two of the hostages died in a shootout while being transferred to another location, while the others escaped March 4 after being left unattended in a hideout in the western Libyan city of Sabratha. Gentiloni said no ransom was paid, and that the kidnappings appeared to be the work of local criminal groups with Islamic ties, not the Islamic State group, which has been fighting for territory near Sabratha. Italian estimates put the number of Islamic State fighters in Libya at 5,000, Gentiloni said, adding they are geographically capable of striking at Libya's oil-producing areas. Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni sits in the Italian Senate, in Rome, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni says no ransom was paid to win the release of Italian hostages held for nearly eight months in Libya. Two of the hostages freed themselves from captivity last week after being left unattended in a hideout in the western Libyan city of Sabratha, while the other two died in a shootout while being transferred to another location. (Giuseppe Lami/ANSA via AP) Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, right, is flanked by Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti as he addresses the Italian Senate, in Rome, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni says no ransom was paid to win the release of Italian hostages held for nearly eight months in Libya. Two of the hostages freed themselves from captivity last week after being left unattended in a hideout in the western Libyan city of Sabratha, while the other two died in a shootout while being transferred to another location. (Giuseppe Lami/ANSA via AP) Iran fires 2 missiles marked with 'Israel must be wiped out' DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Iran test-launched two ballistic missiles Wednesday emblazoned with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" in Hebrew, Iranian media reported, in a show of power by the Shiite nation as U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's visited Jerusalem. The new missile firings were the latest in a series of tests in recent days, aimed at demonstrating that Iran will push ahead with its ballistic program after scaling backing its nuclear program under the deal reached last year with the U.S. and other world powers. Israel, long an opponent of Iran, offered no comment on the test, though Biden issued a strong warning over any possible violation of the nuclear deal. In this photo obtained from the Iranian Fars News Agency, a Qadr H long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile is fired by Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard, during a maneuver, in an undisclosed location in Iran, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Irans powerful Revolutionary Guard test-fired two ballistic missiles Wednesday with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written on them, a show of deterrence power by the Islamic Republic as U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. (AP Photo/Fars News Agency, Omid Vahabzadeh) "A nuclear-armed Iran is an absolutely unacceptable threat to Israel, to the region and the United States. And I want to reiterate which I know people still doubt here. If in fact they break the deal, we will act," he said. Biden's comments came after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who strongly opposed the nuclear deal. The tests, however, don't violate the accord. The landmark deal, which led to Iran dramatically scaling back its nuclear program, does not include provisions against missile launches. Also, when the nuclear accord came into effect on Jan. 16, the Security Council lifted most U.N. sanctions against Tehran including a ban it had imposed in 2010 on Iran testing missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads a ban that likely would have covered some of the missile fired this week. To deal with the restrictions in the nuclear agreement, the councill adopted a resolution last July which among other measures "calls on" Iran not to carry out such tests. At the United Nations, there is likely to be a debate about whether Iran is still required to abide by the ballistic missile test ban under council resolutions. Iran says none of its missiles are designed to carry nuclear weapons and so the resolutions do not apply. One Security Council diplomat said the tests don't violate the nuclear deal, but "there are obligations on Iran" that stem from the resolution and "they need to abide by those obligations." he said. Another diplomat acknowledged, "We're not mounting an argument that it's a binding obligation." The two diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the tests, said the council still has to consider the reported launches and if verified determine whether it is a violation and if so what action to take. Iran state TV trumpeted Wednesday's test as officials boasted that it demonstrated the country's might against longtime nemesis Israel. Video aired on state TV showed the golden-hued Qadr H missiles being fired from a crevice between brown peaks identified as being in Iran's eastern Alborz mountain range. The rockets hit targets some 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) away off Iran's coast into the Sea of Oman, state media and Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency reported. The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which patrols that region, declined to comment on the test. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division, was quoted as saying the test was aimed at showing Israel that Iran could hit it. Israel is within 1,100 kilometers (660 miles) of Iranian territory. "The 2,000-kilometer (1,240-mile) range of our missiles is to confront the Zionist regime," Hajizadeh said. "Israel is surrounded by Islamic countries and it will not last long in a war. It will collapse even before being hit by these missiles." He stressed that Iran would not fire the missiles in anger or start a war with Israel. "We will not be the ones who start a war, but we will not be taken by surprise, so we put our facilities somewhere that our enemies cannot destroy them so that we could continue in a long war," he said. The Fars news agency reported the Hebrew inscription on the missiles. Writing messages on bombs dates as far back as World War II. During Israel's 2006 war with Lebanon's Hezbollah militants, Israeli children were photographed writing messages on artillery shells in a community near the border. More recently, pictures emerged online of U.S. missiles bound for Islamic State group targets that had "From Paris with love" written on them, referring to last year's IS attacks in the French capital. Iran's message for Israel seemed timed to coincide with Biden's stop in the country on his Mideast tour. Iran has threatened to destroy Israel in the past. Israel, which is believed to have the only nuclear arsenal in the Mideast, repeatedly has threatened to take military action against Iran's nuclear facilities. Over the past days, Iran has launched a number of missile tests as part of military exercises. On Tuesday, the Revolutionary Guard said the tests included several missiles with ranges between 300 and 2,000 kilometers (185-1,250 miles), including the Shahab-1 and -2, the Qiam, with a range of 800 kilometers, and the Qadr. A U.S. State Department spokesman on Tuesday said the U.S. was aware of reports of missile launches and, if the reports were true, would take "appropriate responses" at the U.N. or elsewhere. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and "the secretary did raise his concerns today with Foreign Minister Zarif about these reports," State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters. He did not have additional details about the call. The Qiam and Qadr, each capable of carrying payloads greater than 500 kilograms, fit the U.N. definition for missiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, said Jeremy Bennie, Middle East and Africa editor for IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. The now-lifted 2010 ban covered missiles with a range of at least 300 kilometers (186 miles) and a payload capacity of at least 500 kilograms (1,102 pounds), under a definition by a U.N. panel of experts. The nuclear accord was a victory for Iran's moderate president, Hassan Rouhani, over hard-liners who sharply opposed reining in the nuclear program. But since the deal was reached, hard-liners in the military have made several shows of strength. In October, Iran successfully test-fired a new guided long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile. U.N. experts said the launch used ballistic missile technology banned by the Security Council. In January, the U.S. imposed new sanctions on individuals and entities linked to the missile program. Iran also has fired rockets near U.S. warships and flown an unarmed drone over an American aircraft carrier in recent months. In January, Iran seized 10 U.S. sailors in the Persian Gulf and held them for about 15 hours when their two riverine command boats headed from Kuwait to Bahrain ended up in Iranian territorial waters after the crews "misnavigated," the U.S. military said. ___ Associated Press writers Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Aron Heller and Daniel Estrin in Jerusalem, Joseph Krauss in Cairo and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. Scott out of Six Nations for Scots, England missing George LONDON (AP) Scotland center Matt Scott has been ruled out of the rest of the Six Nations after hurting his elbow on club duty. Scotland said Wednesday that Scott sustained ligament damage while playing for Edinburgh in the domestic Pro 12 on Friday. Further examination on Friday will show whether he needs surgery on the joint. Scotland finishes its Six Nations campaign with games against France and Ireland. The Latest: 1 dead, 1 rescued after car swept into creek DALLAS (AP) The Latest on the severe weather and flooding in the South (all times local): 7:50 p.m. A man has died and a woman is being treated after their car was swept off a flooded Louisiana road. A curb at the end of a sidewalk turns into a waterfall as rain drains into the street during a thunderstorm Tuesday, March 8, 2016 in Tyler, Texas. Powerful storms dumped heavy rain on parts of Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma on Tuesday, causing flooding that led to a school bus rescue, property damage from suspected tornadoes and the death of a boater whose canoe capsized in strong winds. (Andrew D. Brosig/Tyler Morning Telegraph via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Bienville Parish sheriff's Chief Deputy Randy Price tells KSLA-TV (http://bit.ly/1XdTr8B ) it happened about 5 p.m. Wednesday about a mile east of state Highway 9. Price says the road was covered with water, and it appears the couple was trying to get home when they drove through it and powerful floodwaters swept the vehicle off the road and into a creek. The man is believed to have drowned. The woman was pulled to safety and rushed to the hospital. Her current condition is unknown. Police are still working to notify family members, so identities haven't been released. ___ 6:15 a.m. Authorities in Oklahoma say a 30-year-old man drowned after his SUV was swept away by floodwaters. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says Michael Liles of Broken Bow died after he tried to drive across a rural Oklahoma bridge that was inundated with floodwaters on Tuesday night. The highway patrol says that Liles' SUV was swept into Lukfata Creek near Broken Bow, which is about 200 miles southeast of Tulsa and near Oklahoma's borders with Texas and Arkansas. A passenger in Liles' SUV was able to swim to the shore, but Liles went underwater and never resurfaced. The highway patrol says his body was recovered 100 feet downstream in about 8 feet of water. ___ 6 a.m. Heavy rain has fallen over much of northwest Louisiana, flooding up to 80 homes, causing a nursing home near Minden to be evacuated, some high water rescues and water in the Webster Parish Courthouse. No injuries have been reported. Meteorologist Michael Berry in Shreveport says the heaviest rain fell between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tuesday and the rain has continued most of the night and into early Wednesday. Berry says between 7 to 11 inches fell in northern DeSoto Parish, southeast Caddo Parish, southern Bossier Parish and most of Webster Parish. He says another 7 to 10 inches of rain will fall in the next 24 to 36 hours. Lt. Bill Davis of the Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office says officers went door-to-door in the Fox Chase Subdivision to evacuate about 30 homes. ___ This item has been corrected to show that 7 to 10 inches of rain is expected to fall in the next 24 to 36 hours, not the next 24 to 26 hours. ___ 2:35 a.m. Forecasters say heavy rain is expected from the Texas Gulf Coast to southern Illinois, with the heaviest likely to fall in Southeast Texas and the Ozark and Ouachita (WAH'-chih-taw) mountains of Arkansas. The National Weather Service says up to 7 inches of rain was expected through Wednesday and up to 12 inches by the end of the weekend along the Texas-Louisiana border and central Arkansas. Flash flood watches have been issued for areas from Port O'Connor, Texas, to near Springfield, Illinois. The Shreveport Times reports 40 to 50 homes in northwestern Louisiana between Shreveport and Minden were flooded and 30 homes in a Haughton, Louisiana, subdivision were evacuated Tuesday night. The flooding comes after severe thunderstorms raged across parts of Central and North Texas, spawning tornadoes that injured four people. Traffic moves slowly along South Broadway Avenue as a heavy thunderstorm moves through the area, Tuesday, March 8, 2016 in Tyler, Texas. Powerful storms dumped heavy rain on parts of Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma on Tuesday, causing flooding that led to a school bus rescue, property damage from suspected tornadoes and the death of a boater whose canoe capsized in strong winds. (Andrew D. Brosig/Tyler Morning Telegraph via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT A modified low-riding truck drives in heavy rain east on Gentry Parkway in Tyler, Texas Tuesday March 8, 2015. Powerful storms dumped heavy rain on parts of Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma on Tuesday, causing flooding that led to a school bus rescue, property damage from suspected tornadoes and the death of a boater whose canoe capsized in strong winds. (Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph) MANDATORY CREDIT Tolar Fire Chief Matt Hutsell searches inside a damaged home Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Tolar, Texas. Forecasters predict a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the Dallas-Fort Worth area through Thursday. (Paul Moseley/Star-Telegram via AP) MAGS OUT; (FORT WORTH WEEKLY, 360 WEST); INTERNET OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Dusty Young and Diane Barnes look storm damage in Sansom Park, Texas as severe weather passed the area, Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Forecasters predict a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the Dallas-Fort Worth area through Thursday. (Rodger Mallison/Star-Telegram via AP) MAGS OUT; (FORT WORTH WEEKLY, 360 WEST); INTERNET OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Jack Fisk, left, owner of Jack's Trailer Park, walks past the remains of trailer homes at his park after a severe storm caused damage, Tuesday, March 8, 2016 in Tolar, Texas. A severe thunderstorm damaged several homes in North Texas. (Paul Moseley/Star-Telegram via AP) MAGS OUT; (FORT WORTH WEEKLY, 360 WEST); INTERNET OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Sansom Park firefighters clear a downed tree that damaged two cars , but not the home, as severe weather passed the area, Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Forecasters predict a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the Dallas-Fort Worth area through Thursday. (Rodger Mallison/Star-Telegram via AP) MAGS OUT; (FORT WORTH WEEKLY, 360 WEST); INTERNET OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Traffic moves slowly along South Broadway Avenue as a heavy thunderstorm moves through the area, Tuesday, March 8, 2016 in Tyler, Texas. Powerful storms dumped heavy rain on parts of Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma on Tuesday, causing flooding that led to a school bus rescue, property damage from suspected tornadoes and the death of a boater whose canoe capsized in strong winds. (Andrew D. Brosig/Tyler Morning Telegraph via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Aviel Guitzkow, 9, and his mom, Kristina Guitzkow stay dry as they survey the damage to their house in the 5000 block of King Dr. in The Colony, Texas, Tuesday March 8, 2016. There was no one home when the storm hit. Powerful storms dumped heavy rain on parts of Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma on Tuesday, causing flooding that led to a school bus rescue, property damage from suspected tornadoes and the death of a boater whose canoe capsized in strong winds.(Ron Baselice/The Dallas Morning News) MANDATORY CREDIT; MAGS OUT; TV OUT; INTERNET USE BY AP MEMBERS ONLY; NO SALES Pope's abuse accountability tribunal going nowhere fast VATICAN CITY (AP) Pope Francis' proposed Vatican tribunal to judge bishops who covered up for pedophile priests is going nowhere fast. Despite fresh focus from the Oscar-winning film "Spotlight" on how Catholic bishops protected priests who raped children, Francis' most significant sex abuse-related initiative to date has stalled. It's a victim of a premature roll-out, unresolved legal and administrative questions and resistance both inside and outside of the Holy See, church officials and canon lawyers say. The surprise proposal made headlines when it was announced on June 10 as the first major initiative of Francis' sex abuse advisory commission. A Vatican communique said Francis and his nine cardinal advisers had unanimously agreed to create a new judicial section within the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to handle "abuse of office" cases against bishops accused of failing to protect their flocks from pedophiles. FILE - In this Monday, Feb. 16, 2015 file photo, head of the sex abuse advisory commission Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, of Boston, attends a press conference at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Pope Francis' proposed Vatican tribunal to judge bishops who covered up for pedophile priests is going nowhere fast. Despite fresh focus from the Oscar-winning film "Spotlight" on how Catholic bishops protected priests who raped children, Francis' most significant sex abuse-related initiative to date has stalled. It's a victim of a premature roll-out, unresolved legal and administrative questions and resistance both inside and outside of the Holy See, church officials and canon lawyers say. (AP Photo/Isabella Bonotto, Files) But the proposal immediately raised red flags to canon lawyers and Vatican officials alike. For starters, the congregation, which since 2001 has been the clearing house for all church abuse cases around the world, wasn't consulted or even informed. As is, the congregation is understaffed and overwhelmed processing hundreds of backlogged cases of priests who molested children, advising dioceses on how to proceed. "In reality, the congregation knows nothing about this. The question has just been left there. It hasn't been dealt with," said the Rev. Davide Cito, canon lawyer at Rome's Pontifical Holy Cross University who has helped investigate abuse cases for the congregation. The Vatican communique said a new secretary for the congregation and staff would be appointed, and adequate resources allocated. But nine months later, no appointments have been made. Francis recently repeated that he would appoint the secretary, but even once in place, he will be starting from scratch on an uphill battle. "We're confident that the Holy Father's announcement of his intention to name a secretary for the Discipline Section is a clear sign that the implementation of his earlier decisions will be expedited," the head of the sex abuse advisory commission, Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley, said in a statement to The Associated Press. But to even a casual observer, the original announcement raised significant bureaucratic questions. It tasked three other Vatican congregations with conducting preliminary investigations into accused bishops, a hurdle in and of itself given their limited resources and expertise. In addition, the Vatican's various congregations operate as individual fiefdoms: By what mechanism would these three fiefdoms then turn their cases over to a new tribunal? "When it was announced I knew it would be a problem," said Kurt Martens, professor of canon law at The Catholic University of America in Washington. He said a key question that must be resolved is the negligence standard by which bishops would be judged. Would bishops be held to the same standard of reporting abusers to police when civil reporting laws differ from country to country? What about prescription and retroactivity: Could bishops who botched abuse cases five, 10 or 20 years ago be brought before the new tribunal? "It's a huge issue," Martens said. "Where do you draw the line?" Two church officials familiar with the proposal said there had been no follow-up since the tribunal section was announced. Two other church officials involved also said they too knew of no progress to date. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to comment publicly on a sensitive, papal-mandated proposal. One of the officials, a canon lawyer, said some fundamental questions remain unresolved: Who denounces whom? Who decides that a trial is necessary? Canon law already says only the pope can judge a bishop. Why single out abuse of office for botching sex abuse cases when another abuse, financial malfeasance, is also a church crime? More than any of his predecessors, Francis has said bishops must be held accountable if they moved abusive priests from parish to parish rather than reporting them to church and state authorities. "You must not cover up, and even those who covered up these things are guilty," Francis told reporters Sept. 28 en route home from Philadelphia, where he met with abuse victims. And so his decision to authorize a tribunal was met with jubilation and heightened expectations among abuse survivors and those who have been following the scandal. Recently, a top Vatican official, Cardinal George Pell, even suggested a prime candidate for the tribunal was his former bishop in Ballarat, Australia. Anne Barrett Doyle, of BishopAccoutability.org, which tracks the abuse scandal, said survivors as well as ordinary Catholics began sending dossiers to the Vatican requesting investigations into compromised bishops as soon as the tribunal was announced. "We know because some of the earnest people compiling these dossiers contacted us," she said. She said it was disappointing but not altogether surprising to learn that no progress had been made. That said, under Francis' watch, two U.S. bishops who bungled abuse cases have resigned on their own: Bishop Robert Finn in Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, and Archbishop John Nienstedt in St. Paul and Minneapolis. They weren't hauled before a Vatican tribunal, but were presumably pressured by the Vatican to step down after civil authorities got involved, to date the main way the Vatican gets rid of a compromised bishop. But such arm-twisting resignations do little to "repair scandal and restore justice," which the church's penal law system is supposed to accomplish, Martens said. "It's almost as if you're guilty and you can pick your punishment and you're being given a way out." U.S. canon lawyer Nicholas Cafardi similarly noted that it's not always easy to get a bishop to resign voluntarily, and that while canonical trials were always a possibility, now there is at least a specific proposed tribunal to do the job when Vatican pressure isn't successful. "The request to resign now has more substance behind it than it had previously, which is an important effect of the new procedures not to be lightly dismissed," he said in an email. But the whole proposal itself is somewhat problematic given the cardinal designated by the pope to push it through, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has a questionable past himself. When Cardinal Gerhard Mueller was bishop of Regensburg, Germany, he appointed a convicted pedophile as a parish priest in violation of the German bishops' own norms forbidding sex offenders from working with juveniles. The priest, the Rev. Peter Kramer, went on to abuse more children in his new posting and in 2008 was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison plus psychiatric treatment. At the time, Mueller defended his decision saying the church bore no responsibility for the actions of its priests, and that if Jesus can forgive sinners, certainly the church can give them second chances as well. In a recent interview with German daily Kolner Stadt Anzeiger, Mueller decried the "bitter injustice" that Catholic clergy on the whole have suffered collectively because of the "immature and disturbed personality" of a few priests. He said he also has a real problem with what he called the "glib accusation of cover-up." Mueller didn't respond to a request for comment on the status of the accountability tribunal. Martens, the Belgian-born Catholic University canon lawyer, said the resistance to the tribunal isn't even greatest within the Vatican. "If I were a bishop I would not be happy with this," he said. "Because it comes out of the blue and is completely unknown territory and no one knows what the standards and procedures might be. That might cause some difficulties and problems." ___ Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield Air India's all-female crew flies longest nonstop flight NEW DELHI (AP) India's national carrier Air India marked International Women's Day with an all-female crew operating the world's longest regularly scheduled direct flight, from New Delhi to San Francisco. Air India Chief Ashwini Lohani described the 17-hour flight as a "symbol of women's empowerment." The entire flight operation from pilots Kshamta Bajpayee and Shubhangi Singh and their co-pilots to the cabin crew, check-in staff and ground handling staff was handled by women, the airline said in a statement. FILE- In this Sept. 8, 2012 file photo, Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft prepares to land at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India. India's national carrier Air India has marked International Women's Day with an all-female crew operating the world's longest regularly scheduled direct flight, from New Delhi to San Francisco. (AP Photo, file) Every year Air India celebrates International Women's Day by deploying female crews on some domestic and international routes. It has about 13,000 employees, including more than 3,700 women. Indian budget airline Spice Jet flew 10 flights with all-women crews on Tuesday to mark International Women's Day. Palace complains over UK tabloid claim that queen is anti-EU LONDON (AP) Buckingham Palace complained Wednesday to Britain's press watchdog about a tabloid story claiming Queen Elizabeth II wants the U.K. to leave the European Union. Under the headline "Queen Backs Brexit" a British EU exit The Sun quoted anonymous sources as saying the monarch had told then-Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in 2011 that the EU was heading in the wrong direction. The story said the queen "left no room for doubt about her passionate feelings over Europe." The palace said it had written to the Independent Press Standards Organization to complain that the story had breached a prohibition in the Editors' Code of Practice against "inaccurate, misleading or distorted information or images, including headlines not supported by the text." Britain's Queen Elizabeth smiles during a visit to the Prince's Trust Centre in London, Tuesday March 8, 2016. The Queen visited the centre with Prince Charles to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Prince's Trust. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) The queen is prohibited from taking sides in political debates and rarely makes her personal views public. Even the blandest statements can cause a flutter, as when the queen told well-wishers before Scotland's 2014 independence referendum that people should think "very carefully about the future" before voting. Some interpreted that as a call for Scots to stay in Britain. British politicians are immersed in a heated debate about Britain's place in Europe ahead of a June 23 referendum on whether to remain in the 28-nation European Union. The palace earlier declined to comment on "spurious, anonymously sourced claims" and insisted "the queen remains politically neutral, as she has for 63 years." "The referendum is a matter for the British people to decide," it said in a statement. Clegg called the report "nonsense." "I've no recollection of this happening (and) it's not the sort of thing I would forget," he tweeted. The Sun said it stood by the story, "which is based on two impeccable sources and presented in a robust, accessible fashion." German authorities: 2 arrested in Cologne sex assaults BERLIN (AP) Two men have been taken into custody on suspicion of involvement in sex crimes on New Year's Eve in the western German city, after they were identified among photos prosecutors released to the public of suspects, Cologne authorities said Wednesday. A 26-year-old Algerian was recognized in one of the photos released Tuesday and arrested in Kerpen, near Cologne, prosecutors' spokesman Ulrich Bremer said. A 31-year-old Iraqi turned himself in in Hamm, about 125 kilometers (80 miles) northeast of Cologne, after recognizing himself in another photo, Bremer said. The younger man is accused of being part of a group involved in the sexual assault and attempted robbery of a woman, and the older is suspected of verbal sexual harassment of a woman who was with her family, he said. Authorities are still trying to determine both suspects' status in Germany and Bremer said he could not give out any other details about them due to German privacy laws. The spate of thefts and assaults on women near Cologne's main station, blamed largely on foreigners, stoked a fierce debate in Germany about how to integrate the almost 1.1 million asylum-seekers who arrived last year. Some 1,120 criminal complaints have been filed, among them 470 alleging sexual crimes, including three rapes. Overall, 110 people are currently under investigation, and 13 of them are in custody, including one other on sexual-related offenses, Bremer said. In the first cases to go to trial, the Cologne district court in February handed a 23-year-old Moroccan asylum-seeker a six-month suspended sentence and a 100-euro ($110) fine for stealing a cellphone from a woman as she photographed the city's cathedral, and for possessing drugs. Also, a 22-year-old Tunisian was given a three-month suspended sentence for theft. The court found he distracted a man on a bridge near Cologne's main station while his 18-year-old Moroccan co-defendant, who was convicted under juvenile law and put on probation, stole a bag containing a camera. Cologne prosecutors on Tuesday released five pictures of varying quality of suspects who allegedly sexually harassed or insulted their victims and attempted to rob them. They were taken by witnesses and victims. They released four more photos on Wednesday of two suspects wanted on suspicion of illegally discharging a firearm into the air near the Cologne train station. All those debates: Reality TV for the political masses WASHINGTON (AP) Thirty-six-plus hours of televised debates in the 2016 presidential campaign have brought us Marco Rubio's robotic moment, Donald Trump's jaw-dropping sexual innuendo, Bernie Sanders' dismissal of Hillary Clinton's "damn emails" and Clinton's denunciation of Sanders for an "artful smear." Oh, and we've heard about issues, too. Is it all too much? FILE - In this Dec. 15, 2015, file photo, a production staffer walks across the debate stage before the CNN Republican presidential debate at the Venetian Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Thirty-six-plus hours of televised debates in the 2016 presidential campaign have brought us Marco Rubios robotic moment, Donald Trumps jaw-dropping sexual innuendo, Bernie Sanders dismissal of Hillary Clintons damn emails and Clintons denunciation of Sanders for an artful smear. Oh, and weve heard about issues, too. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) Trump, a reality TV star before he was a debate provocateur, says he's bored. Sanders successfully lobbied for more debates. John Kasich calls the debates the "dumbest things going." "How many times can they ask you the same question over and over again?" Trump complained during a rally in Madison, Mississippi, this week. "Uh, it is so boring!" In fact, this year's debate schedule at least 13 for Republicans and 10 for Democrats is considerably shorter than in years past. Republicans debated 20 times during the 2012 GOP primary season; Democrats faced off 26 times during the 2008 primary campaign. While viewership has cooled since a whopping 24 million people watched the first GOP debate of the 2016 campaign last August, considerable audiences still are tuning in. Nearly 17 million people watched the Republican debate last week in Detroit and 5.5 million saw the Democrats' faceoff on Sunday night in Flint, Michigan. Voters have used the debates to help winnow the GOP field from 17 to four and to pare the Democratic roster of candidates from five to two. Stay tuned: Each side debates again this week the Democrats on Wednesday, the Republicans on Thursday. After that, there are two more Democratic debates and at least one more Republican debate to come. While the debates can be repetitive, they've given viewers a chance to see candidates refine their positions over time, think on their feet and demonstrate their ability to keep cool or not under fire. They have allowed some candidates to rise from relative obscurity think Republicans Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson and others to falter in a very big and public way. "Certain candidates who looked good on paper Scott Walker, for instance could not translate that appeal through the lens of a camera," Northeastern University professor Alan Schroeder, the author of a book on presidential debates, wrote in an email, citing the Wisconsin governor who dropped out. "In the case of Donald Trump, we have learned that debates can be reduced to the level of reality TV, leaving the more traditional contenders ill-equipped to react." Rubio used strong performances in early debates to help build his candidacy, then wilted when New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie pounced on his rote repetition of canned talking points. Christie, while tough on the attack, didn't seem to resonate with viewers and was out of the race four days after his skewering of Rubio halted the Florida senator's momentum. Ted Cruz has shown great technical ability in mounting an argument, but the Texas senator's calculated delivery style is a turnoff, says Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. "His voice almost sounds as if he's engaging in a complicitous whisper," says Jamieson. The body language of the candidates during the debates has told viewers as much as their words. Written policy papers may sound great, says body language expert Lillian Glass, but watching the candidates on stage prompts voters to think "Do they really believe it? Is that true? How did they handle it under pressure? Can they answer underlying questions that go with it? Have they thought this through? Did somebody write this for them?" Overall, the combination of a crowded debate stage and Trump's outsized personality has kept the Republican debates from being as policy-oriented as the Democrats'. Trump's command of the spotlight began in the first debate, when he was the only candidate to refuse to raise a hand and pledge to rule out a third-party run for the presidency, and continued to the most recent, when he alluded to the size of his genitalia. Trump, at his Mississippi rally, indulged in a poor-me moment about the debates, saying, "These guys shout at me oh, they shout. ... I've been in the center for every single debate. And the line's getting smaller and smaller and smaller." The Democratic debates have gotten progressively more heated since the first one, when Clinton shook Sanders' hand after the Vermont senator said he was sick of all the questions about the former secretary of state's "damn emails." There are sure to be more zingers, policy clashes and revealing moments when the candidates debate in Miami this week, but it's not clear how the GOP debates could get more shocking. Says Aaron Kall, director of debate at the University of Michigan: They've become "the equivalent of political train wrecks you don't really feel good about watching them, but at the same time you can't turn your head away." ___ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in Madison, Mississippi and Kathleen Ronayne in Monroe, Michigan, contributed to this report. ___ Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/nbenac FILE - In this March 3, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential candidates, businessman Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, argue a point during a Republican presidential primary debate at Fox Theatre in Detroit. Thirty-six-plus hours of televised debates in the 2016 presidential campaign have brought us Marco Rubios robotic moment, Trumps jaw-dropping sexual innuendo, Bernie Sanders dismissal of Hillary Clintons damn emails and Clintons denunciation of Sanders for an artful smear. Oh, and weve heard about issues, too. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File) FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2016, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, speaks at the NBC, YouTube Democratic presidential debate at the Gaillard Center, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, in Charleston, S.C. To the left is Democratic presidential candidate, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and to the center is Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton. Thirty-six-plus hours of televised debates in the 2016 presidential campaign have brought us Marco Rubios robotic moment, Donald Trumps jaw-dropping sexual innuendo, Bernie Sanders dismissal of Hillary Clintons damn emails and Clintons denunciation of Sanders for an artful smear. Oh, and weve heard about issues, too. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton, File) FILE - In this Dec. 19, 2015, file photo, people wait outside for the start of a Democratic presidential primary debate at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. Thirty-six-plus hours of televised debates in the 2016 presidential campaign have brought us Marco Rubios robotic moment, Donald Trumps jaw-dropping sexual innuendo, Bernie Sanders dismissal of Hillary Clintons damn emails and Clintons denunciation of Sanders for an artful smear. Oh, and weve heard about issues, too. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File) FILE - In this Feb. 25, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump, speaks as Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., left, and Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, right, listen during a Republican presidential primary debate at The University of Houston in Houston. Thirty-six-plus hours of televised debates in the 2016 presidential campaign have brought us Marco Rubios robotic moment, Donald Trumps jaw-dropping sexual innuendo, Bernie Sanders dismissal of Hillary Clintons damn emails and Clintons denunciation of Sanders for an artful smear. Oh, and weve heard about issues, too. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File) The phenomenon that is Donald Trump and his presidential campaign can only truly be understood when you recognize his basic appeal: hes bringing a brand of folk Marxism to an entirely new audience. Before we unpack what this means, we must first understand what it does not mean. Folk Marxism is not Classical Marxism, much less communism. Marxism has so many varieties that even Karl Marx once said, what is certain is that I myself am not a Marxist. Folk Marxism is no different, and in America it manifest in different forms among divergent political groups. Folk Marxism differs from academic forms of Marxism in the same way most folk beliefs differ from scholarly beliefs. As economist Arnold Kling explains, Ordinary people and scholars may treat the same ideas differently. In terms of influence, it is the folk beliefs of ordinary people that matter, not the beliefs of scholars. A decade ago, when it was still a belief system found mostly on the political left, Kling outlined the basics of folk Marxism: Folk Marxism looks at political economy as a struggle pitting the oppressors against the oppressed. Of course, for Marx, the oppressors were the owners of capital and the oppressed were the workers. But folk Marxism is not limited by this economic classification scheme. All sorts of other issues are viewed through the lens of oppressors and oppressed. Folk Marxists see Israelis as oppressors and Palestinians as oppressed. They see white males as oppressors and minorities and females as oppressed. They see corporations as oppressors and individuals as oppressed. They see America as on oppressor and other countries as oppressed. I believe that folk Marxism helps to explain the pride and joy that many people felt when Maryland passed its anti-Walmart law. They think of Walmart as an oppressor, and they think of other businesses and Walmart workers as the oppressed. The mainstream media share this folk Marxism, as they reported the Maryland law as a victory for labor. This brand of folk Marxism has been popular on the left for more than a century and continues to grow in influence (see: Bernie Sanders). But Donald Trump has tapped into a strain of folk Marxism that has cross-ideological appeal and extends across the political spectrum. Here are some of the defining characteristics of Trump-style folk Marxism: Class consciousness matters more than political identity Class consciousness refers to the beliefs that a person holds regarding their social class or economic rank in society, the structure of their class, and their class interests. Almost all Trump supporters associate themselves with a particular (though largely undefined) oppressed class. They also consider Trump as the best candidate to champion their class interests. For them, these class interest are more important than almost any other affiliation. This is why criticism that they are RINOs (Republicans in name only) or that they are not true conservatives falls on deaf ears. They identify more as a class of the oppressed than they do with any political party or historical ideological movement. Defeating the oppressor class is the primary goal of the revolution Talk to any Trump supporter for more than five minutes and youll inevitably hear them use the catch-all term they use for their perceived enemy: the Establishment. Trump supporters dont use the term merely to mean the Republican Party establishment. If they did theyd prefer Ted Cruz, who is more despised by that establishment than almost any other candidate including Trump. Indeed, Trump is more closely aligned with the political establishment than any other candidate (with the exception of Hillary Clinton). The Establishment, for Trump supporters, is not a specific entity but rather a term loosely used for any person or group who opposes, disagrees with, or is otherwise on the wrong side of their particular oppressor-oppressed line. However, even this criterion is malleable. For example, Trump is a wealthy crony capitalist who has previously exploited the lower economic social classes for his own advancement. But because he uses rhetoric (i.e., he isnt politically correct, he tells it like it is) that appears to trash the Establishment and their interest, hes given a pass and considered one of their own. They assume that despite his lifelong connection to the Establishment that Trump is, at least in his heart, a traitor to his own class. There are few if any true economic laws, only policies controlled by an oppressor class As the Wikipedia entry on class consciousness explains: Through dialectical materialism, the proletariat understands that what the individual bourgeois conceived as laws akin to the laws of nature, which may be only manipulated, as in Descartess dream, but not changed, is in fact the result of a social and historical process, which can be controlled. Furthermore, only dialectical materialism links together all specialized domains, which modern rationalism can only think as separate instead of as forming a totality. Only the proletariat can understand that the so-called eternal laws of economics are in fact nothing more than the historical form taken by the social and economical process in a capitalist society. Since these laws are the result of the collective actions of individuals, and are thus created by society, Marx and Lukacs reasoned that this necessarily meant that they could be changed. This is a wonky way of saying that the proletariat (working class) believe there are no true laws of economics. When the people in power claim they are simply following the laws what they are really doing is just protecting their interest and exploiting the oppressed class. Trump supporters tend to believe this about issues like free trade. An almost universal belief shared by economists is that free trade tends to benefit all countries involved by making them more efficient and wealthy. But Trump and his supporters think in categories of winners and losers and assume that for every macroeconomic policy there must be an oppressor and that they are likely to be the oppressed. What is needed to overcome this law of economics, they believe, is to put a strongman in power that will fight for them against the oppressor classes (e.g., China). The desire for social revolution is more important than the outcome of the revolution Like almost all other types of Marxists, the Trumpian folk-Marxists crave revolution less for what it will bring and more for what it will tear down. The desire to burn down their oppressor class (the Establishment) is much stronger than any eagerness to replace it with something better. The oppressed that are attracted to Trump falsely believe that they are already as despised, ignored, and oppressed as it is possible to be (at least by American standards). The reality, of course, is that if they got their way they might succeed in bringing down the Establishment a peg while immiserating and impoverishing themselves considerably. Still, the emotion appeal of the Trumpian revolution trumps their reasoned self-interest. Trumpian folk-Marxists despise other types of folk Marxists Let me state without equivocation: I do not believe that the average Trump supporter is racist. But it is indisputable that Trump is the favorite candidate of avowed racists. Why is that? Because most white supremacists are folk Marxists engaged in a long-term struggle against other folk Marxists. One of the favorite terms of white supremacist groups is the term cultural Marxism. They believe that there is a concerted effort to overthrow white culture through the promotion of such Marxists ideologies as feminism, multiculturalism, etc. They dont merely oppose these groups as harmful to the flourishing of mankind, though. They view cultural Marxism as the work of an oppressor class (the Establishment?) that is intentionally trying to oppress them personally by diluting and destroying their cultural white identity. When he talks about Mexican rapists and preventing Muslims from immigrating to the U.S., Trump is speaking their language. They recognize he is a folk Marxist who is on their side and who opposes the wrong kinds of cultural Marxist. **** Like all brands of Marxism including that of Bernie Sanders Trumpism is a perfidious and dangerous political virus that can infect and destroy a body politic. But we can learn to better fight against it when we recognize it for what it is, and stop confusing it for right-wing populism, malformed conservatism, or a particularly vehement strain of anti-establishmentarianism. Trumpism is real, unique, and not a belief system that is going to fade away on its own. We must therefore act quickly to quell what could be one of the most dangerous form of Marxism every to pose an internal and existential threat to America. AP Interview: Syrian cosmonaut: Europe must help oust Assad BURSA, Turkey (AP) Mohammed Faris made history and achieved national hero status in 1987 when he became Syria's first man in space as part of a Soviet-led mission. Now, as refugee in Turkey, the 64-year-old cosmonaut and retired general is critical of Russia's intervention in Syria, and wants European nations to help remove Syrian President Bashar Assad from office to bring about an end to the refugee crisis. Faris fled the civil war Syria in 2012 for Turkey to join the Syrian opposition, becoming one of his country's highest-ranking defectors. As well as advising the Syrian opposition, he now gives talks at universities and schools on his experiences in space. Syrian Muhammad Faris, Syrias first cosmonaut and a former general of the Syrian Air Force, backdropped by a paining of him depicting him with a space suit, smiles as he poses for the photographer in Istanbul, Monday, March 7, 2016. Gen. Mohammed Faris made history and turned into a national hero in 1987, when he became Syrias first man in space as part of a Soviet-led mission. Now, as refugee in Turkey, the 64-year-old cosmonaut is critical of Russias intervention in Syria and wants European nations to help remove Syrian President Bashar Assad from office to bring about an end to the refugee crisis. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) "I tell Europe if you don't want refugees, then you should help us get rid of this regime," he told The Associated Press in an interview during a visit to a science and technology center in the northwestern Turkish city of Bursa. He also met with the AP in his office in Istanbul's Aksaray district, which is also known as "Little Syria" because of the high number of refugees living there. Faris said he feels admiration for the Russian people, but is critical of Moscow's campaign in Syria. "I am very sorry about the Russian interference, which has stood on the side of dictator Bashar Assad, and has begun to kill the Syrian people with their planes," he said. He insisted peace in Syria can't be achieved unless Assad leaves. "We in Syria, sacrificed more than a million people and 1.9 million injured," Faris said. "Can we let this be for nothing?" During the height of the Cold War, Faris was selected for a space program and moved to the former Soviet Union in 1985 for training with other cosmonauts. Two years later, he would travel to the Mir space station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. "I saw the earth from outer space. The earth is like one ball, it has no borders," Faris said. "And that's wonderful, because in outer space, there are no gates between countries. From there, the earth is one home, one family." ___ Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser contributed to this report from Ankara. Syrian Muhammad Faris, Syrias first cosmonaut and a former general of the Syrian Air Force, holds his Soviet-era and international medals,Istanbul, Monday, March 7, 2016. Gen. Mohammed Faris made history and turned into a national hero in 1987, when he became Syrias first man in space as part of a Soviet-led mission. Now, as refugee in Turkey, the 64-year-old cosmonaut is critical of Russias intervention in Syria and wants European nations to help remove Syrian President Bashar Assad from office to bring about an end to the refugee crisis. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Syrian Muhammad Faris, Syrias first cosmonaut and a former general of the Syrian Air Force, backdropped by a paining of him depicting him with a space suit, smiles as he talks while holding his Soviet-era and international medals, in Istanbul, Monday, March 7, 2016. Gen. Mohammed Faris made history and turned into a national hero in 1987, when he became Syrias first man in space as part of a Soviet-led mission. Now, as refugee in Turkey, the 64-year-old cosmonaut is critical of Russias intervention in Syria and wants European nations to help remove Syrian President Bashar Assad from office to bring about an end to the refugee crisis. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Judge could become Supreme Court's 1st Cuban-American MIAMI (AP) Adalberto Jordan, a federal appeals court judge twice confirmed by the U.S. Senate, could become the Supreme Court's first Cuban-American justice if nominated by President Barack Obama and approved once again. Jordan, 54, is a potential nominee to replace conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, who died last month. Obama has vowed to nominate a successor, but Senate Republicans say they will withhold approval in hopes that a new Republican president can pick the next justice. A Democratic senator on Wednesday, however, said Jordan does not want to be considered. Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida spoke with Jordan, who said he is not interested. Ryan Brown, a spokesman for Nelson, confirmed the conversation that was first reported by CNN. Born in Havana shortly after the communist revolution led by Fidel Castro, Jordan emigrated to the U.S. with his family as a boy, along with thousands of other Cuban exiles. He attended a Catholic high school in Miami and got his bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Miami. Jordan has served as a federal prosecutor and a U.S. district judge appointed by President Bill Clinton and has sat on the generally conservative 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals since 2012. He also clerked for former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and was in private practice for five years. The Senate confirmed him to the Atlanta-based appeals court by a 94-5 vote. During his confirmation hearings, Jordan was asked by Sen. Orrin Hatch about his views on the impartiality of judges and whether there was any place for personal or political viewpoints in their rulings. "We are all human beings, of course, but I think as a judge you need to try and strive very, very hard to make sure you are deciding the case on something other than your own preferences and views, whatever those might be," Jordan replied. As a district judge, Jordan presided over a number of high-profile cases. He awarded a group of Liberians $22 million in damages after they sued under a U.S. anti-torture law as victims of atrocities under former Liberian President Charles Taylor. Jordan has dissented in notable cases, including one in which the 11th Circuit majority voted to allow execution of a female Georgia death row inmate despite questions about whether a certain drug was causing botched executions. Dennis Kainen, a Miami defense attorney and former federal public defender, said Jordan is among the most even-handed of judges he has worked with. One example, Kainen said, is that Jordan would usually address criminal defendants by their names rather than referring to them as simply, "the defendant." "He has a perfect demeanor. There's no arrogance. There's no ego," Kainen said. If Jordan were to join the court, he would add to a Catholic majority on a bench made up only of Catholics and Jews. _____ Student slain in Israel was exploring life after the Army NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A Vanderbilt University graduate student stabbed to death in Israel during a school trip was exploring what to do with his life as a civilian after graduating from West Point and serving tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Taylor Force's father said Wednesday the 28-year-old business student was an avid skier and guitar player who loved horses and ranch life after a childhood in Texas. Force died Tuesday during a school-sponsored trip to learn about startup companies overseas. Owen Graduate School of Management Dean Eric Johnson said several of the 28 other students on the trip were with Force when he was stabbed but no other students were hurt. They were all back in the United States by Wednesday afternoon. A 2009 photo provided by the United States Military Academy shows Taylor Force. Force, a 28-year-old MBA student at Vanderbilt University and a West Point graduate who served tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, was killed in Israel Tuesday, March 8, 2016 in a stabbing spree near the seaside city of Jaffa. (United States Military Academy via AP) Stuart Force, Taylor Force's father, said in a telephone interview his son graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2009, following in the footsteps of his grandfather. Force served in the Army from 2009 to 2014 and then took about a year off after active duty. He lived in Lexington, Kentucky, before moving to Nashville to attend Vanderbilt. Force was finishing his first year of business school and wasn't yet sure what he was going to do when he graduated. "He just wanted to further his education and explore more of the civilian side of life," Stuart Force said. Taylor Force had been making friends and having a great time at school, and he was very excited about the trip to Israel, his father said. Stuart Force said it would be an understatement to say he was immensely proud of his son. "He really fit it all in," Stuart Force said. "He lived really large." Asked about a favorite memory, Stuart Force asked for a moment to compose himself before describing a recent family trip: "We were all on vacation after New Year's, and I got to spend it with my son and daughter. I went skiing on my 65th birthday with my son." Vanderbilt's Johnson said Force was "very much a quiet leader" who spoke with "insight and impact" and represented the very best of the Vanderbilt MBA program. Force had recently been elected a senator in the student government. Force had a "really, really bright future, and to see it cut short is tragic," Johnson said. In the Army, Force had been based at Fort Hood, Texas, as a platoon leader and fire support officer, among other duties. Force graduated high school at the New Mexico Military Institute in 2005 and was an Eagle Scout. At West Point, Force was a member of the ski team and received a bachelor's degree in engineering and industrial management. The military said Force achieved the rank of captain and served in Iraq from September 2010 to August 2011, and in Afghanistan from October 2012 to July 2013. Lt. Col. Elizabeth Boese taught British literature to Force during his senior year at the New Mexico Military Institute. She said students applying to the military academies could be very competitive with each other, but Force was always "very kind." "He got along with everybody, and obviously was a really good student," she said. "He was a great kid working toward a great future." Boese said people expect someone who serves overseas and makes it home to be OK after that. "He always did the responsible thing," she said of Force. "Sometimes people get passed over for that, because they don't make a lot of noise. But he truly had something to give, and he had the personality to want to give." Along with Force, a dozen Israelis, civilians and police officers, were wounded in knife and gun attacks that authorities in Tel Aviv said were carried out by Palestinians. In addition to the attacker who killed Force, three other Palestinian assailants were shot and killed in the day's rash of violence, the latest in a wave of near-daily Palestinian assaults on Israeli civilians and security forces that erupted in mid-September. In a letter notifying students, faculty and staff of Force's death, Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos said, "This horrific act of violence has robbed our Vanderbilt family of a young hopeful life and all of the bright promise that he held for bettering our greater world." George Martin supplied exactly what Beatles needed LONDON (AP) He was a quiet man, urbane and sophisticated, impeccably dressed, loyal to the queen and fond of his Rolls-Royce motor car and he played a pivotal role in the transformation of four scruffy young lads from Liverpool into the most influential rock band in history. Under George Martin's magisterial guidance, the Beatles transcended pop culture and created music that has stood the test of time. The work they produced has been covered and copied for decades, played as reggae music or chamber music or given a salsa beat. It has been more than half a century since Martin heard what better-known executives had missed and took a gamble on the Beatles, transforming their raw, atomic energy into an early run of infectious hits that captured the optimism of the early 1960s. Tourists from Finland place flowers in memory of George Martin, the Beatles' producer, outside Abbey Road studios where the Beatles recorded albums and where the zebra crossing cover picture of the Abbey Road album was originally taken, in London, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. George Martin, the Beatles' urbane producer who quietly guided the band's swift, historic transformation from rowdy club act to musical and cultural revolutionaries, has died, his management said Wednesday March 9, 2016. He was 90. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) It turned out he had sharp instincts, proclaiming "Boys, that's your first number one" just moments after they laid down "Please Please Me" in the Abbey Road Studios. As the Beatles grew, he provided the classical background and willingness to innovate that paved the way for melancholy, mature songs like "Eleanor Rigby", "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "A Day In the Life." It is impossible to try and separate his contribution from that of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. It was simply a magical mix: the horn flourishes on "Penny Lane," the harpsichord on "In My Life" and the elegant introduction to "Ticket To Ride" are collaborations in the truest sense. The Lennon-McCartney songwriting team has taken its rightful place in the pantheon, joining the giants who produced the great American songbook. And it was Martin's subtle work that helped make so many of the recordings unforgettable. Hearing of Martin's death, McCartney Wednesday cited the producers work's on "Yesterday" as a prime example of the master's easy touch. It was Martin who suggested the string quartet that helped turn what might have been just another ballad into one of the world's most beloved, and most covered, songs. Their styles at first seemed to clash: Martin was a product of the British establishment the Beatles loved to lampoon, and even his necktie drew early scorn from Harrison. He was not a rocker who worshipped at the church of Chuck Berry and Little Richard, preferring symphonic music and comedy records, and he was not steeped in the American blues tradition so revered by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the other British invaders. The Beatles developed a famous fondness for marijuana and LSD, indulgences that held no interest for Martin. But his open-minded approach helped them integrate Indian music and dreamy, fanciful imagery into their songs without losing their shape, structure or propulsive beat. Martin was at first skeptical of Starr's drumming ability, using a stand-in on an early disk, but later gave Starr free rein to develop the unique, subtle style heard on "Rain", "She Said She Said" and other time-bending songs. Consider the Beatles' collective good fortune: while Elvis Presley's musical legacy was squandered to a degree by Col. Tom Parker's crude management style, and his preference for Hollywood over Memphis, the Beatles always had Martin's support and exquisite taste. When Brian Wilson tried to move the Beach Boys beyond their tried-and-true hit single formula, he met resistance from some band members who didn't want to risk of alienating their core audience. When the four Beatles tried to push that same envelope, Martin's response was: "Let's go." And when the Rolling Stones tried to make a psychedelic album, the result was the much maligned "Their Satanic Majesties Request," remembered primarily for a novelty 3-D album cover. The Beatles and Martin had already done so much better with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." There was never a George Martin scandal. He stayed on the sidelines when the Beatles suffered their acrimonious breakup. When Lennon later lashed out at him even criticizing his producing work Martin held his tongue. He enjoyed a long, productive recording career post-Beatles, and in later years became a regal, spectral presence who graced the occasional public event. Martin was seen at the Royal Festival Hall when Brian Wilson first performed his long-delayed masterwork "Smile" and helped organize a Buckingham Palace concert honoring Queen Elizabeth II on her Golden Jubilee in 2002. He led the very British "hip hip hooray" in her majesty's honor after the encore. It was fitting that in one of his final public appearances Martin was leading tributes for someone else. He never boasted of his musical accomplishments, but they have grown in stature over time and will be enjoyed as long as recorded music is played. An image of George Martin, the Beatles' producer, is displayed in memory of him in the Abbey Road shop by the studios where the Beatles recorded albums and where the zebra crossing cover picture of the Abbey Road album was originally taken, in London, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. George Martin, the Beatles' urbane producer who quietly guided the band's swift, historic transformation from rowdy club act to musical and cultural revolutionaries, has died, his management said Wednesday March 9, 2016. He was 90. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) New York play focuses on photo that haunts the photographer NEW YORK (AP) If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many words is Dan O'Brien's play about a Pulitzer Prize-winning photo worth? Plenty it turns out. The picture is Paul Watson's 1993 photograph of an angry mob dragging the nearly naked, bullet-ridden body of American serviceman Staff Sgt. William David Cleveland through the streets of Mogadishu after Somali militiamen shot down his Black Hawk helicopter. O'Brien's off-Broadway play, "The Body of an American" now playing at the Cherry Lane Theatre, focuses on Watson, his revelation that the picture has "haunted" him ever since and the relationship the playwright forged with Watson. This image released by Keith Sherman & Associates shows Michael Cumpsty, left, and Michael Crane during a performance of the play, "The Body of an American." (James Leynse/Keith Sherman & Associates via AP) Watson's photograph was the turning point in President Bill Clinton's decision to pull U.S. troops out of Somalia and it was often used as an example of why the United States should steer clear of military interventions. It also took a devastating emotional toll on Watson. At the moment he was about to snap the shutter, Watson swears he heard Cleveland, though clearly dead, say, "If you do this, I will own you forever." Watson, who spent the bulk of his 35 year-career covering foreign wars for the Toronto Star and the Los Angeles Times, fears the photograph gave nascent militant leaders like Ayman Al-Zawahiri reason to celebrate a propaganda victory against the world's greatest military power, a fact not lost on Osama bin Laden. The play's 90-minute, rapid-fire dialogue details the playwright and the journalist's burgeoning friendship, initially via email and ultimately in a face-to-face meeting in an Arctic Circle hotel. Actors Michael Crane, as playwright O'Brien, and Michael Cumpsty as journalist Watson, portray the pair and associated characters with great humanity and humor in spite of the seriousness of their deeper connection. Watson admits he hasn't seen the play and doesn't intend to because of the trauma it caused. "It's a dark place," he said. "Once you get close to that door, and it starts to reopen, you tend to back off." But speaking fondly of his friend, Watson said: "Dan found a way to speak to people's hearts." O'Brien, a playwright, poet, librettist and a 2015-2016 Guggenheim Fellow in Drama and Performance Art, said he became intrigued by the idea of writing it while listening to a 2007 NPR interview with Watson. "My idea was: Could that photograph and that event have an influence on recent history? I was interested in the idea that the photo had a huge impact on government and foreign policy." O'Brien has won multiple awards for "The Body of an American," including the Horton Foote prize for Outstanding New American Play, the Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama Inspired by American History, and the PEN Center US Award for Drama. He said he identifies with Watson, whose guilt continues. "It's interesting for me, and all of us, because the trauma is so extreme," said O'Brien. "Paul doesn't know why there is a voice connected to that picture and no others since then." ___ Online: http://primarystages.org/shows/current-season/the-body-of-an-american ___ Zimbabwean demonstrators protest activist's disappearance HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) Dozens of protesters have marched in the Zimbabwean capital to mark one year since the abduction of an anti-government activist. Police kept their distance on Wednesday from the Harare demonstration, which sought to focus attention on the disappearance of Itai Dzamara, a former newspaper reporter who was grabbed by assailants when he was in a barbershop and was bundled into a waiting car. The government has denied responsibility; police say they are still searching for leads. The march only proceeded after a judge overturned a police ban on the event. Supporters of Itai Dzamara who was allegedly abducted by suspected state security agents take part in a demonstration to commemorate a year since his disappearance in Harare,Wednesday, March, 9, 2016. One of Zimbabwe's main opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai who joined the march and the Dzamara family members said that they hold Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe responsible for the abduction of the activist. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) Joining the march, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai accused the government of using forced disappearances to silence President Robert Mugabe's critics. Two days before his abduction, Dzamara said at a rally organized by Tsvangirai that Zimbabweans should rebel against Mugabe. A family member of Itai Dzamara who was allegedly abducted by suspected State security agents holds a placard calling for his return while taking part in a demonstration to commemorate a year since his disappearance, in Harare,Wednesday, March, 9, 2016. One of Zimbabwe's main opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai who joined the march and the Dzamara family members said that they hold Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe responsible for the abduction of the activist. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) A Chipotle store in Massachusetts remained closed on Wednesday amid concerns that a number of employees had contracted the norovirus. None of the sick employees came in to work at the branch in Billerica, but the store was closed as a precautionary measure, said Richard Berube, director for Billerica's health board. He said his agency confirmed one case of norovirus and found two other suspected cases. Scroll down for video The Chipotle in Billerica, Massachusetts, (pictured) remained closed on Wednesday amid concerns that a number of employees had contracted the norovirus Richard Verube, the Director of Public Health in the town of Billerica, speaks to reporters outside the temporarily closed Chipotle restaurant in Billerica, Massachusetts But he later said in a news release there were three suspected cases. He did not return email and phone messages Wednesday night seeking a clarification. Chipotle first closed the store Tuesday at the board's suggestion, and it is scheduled to reopen Thursday, he said. The restaurant's managers said they would disinfect the restaurant and dispose of all food. In a statement, Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold said: 'After learning that four of our employees were not feeling well, our restaurant in Billerica, Massachusetts, was closed for a full sanitization.' He added that there were no customer illnesses linked to the Billerica location. Four employees reported feeling ill at the store in Billerica, Chipotle said. None of them worked while they were sick and no customer illnesses have been connected with the restaurant, according to the chain. It said the store received a 'perfect score' when it was inspected by the health department on March 3, but that it nevertheless closed the store for a 'full sanitation.' The company is already fighting to win back customers following a rash of incidents in which customers were sickened around the country. Pictured, a file photo shows an employee making a burrito bowl The illnesses were reported by the health facility to the state health department, Berube said, which then notified the town board of health. While closing restaurants due to illnesses is rare, Berube believes there are 'other cases here and there that fly below the radar.' The company is already fighting to win back customers following a rash of incidents in which customers were sickened around the country. In December, more than 140 people got sick with norovirus. The illness was later attributed to a sick employee. In August, tomatoes served at 22 locations in Minnesota were found to cause salmonella and more than 200 people in Simi Valley, California, were affected by norovirus. The successful fast food chain was also linked to two major E.Coli outbreaks last winter. The first affected 55 people in 11 states, and a second infected five in Kansas, North Dakota, and Oklahoma. And Chipotle shares fell $18.06, or 3.4 percent, to $506.63 Wednesday. Its shares are down 23 percent over the past year. THE KILLER VOMITING BUG: HOW DEADLY IS NOROVIRUS? Norovirus is very contagious and can be caught from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes your stomach or intestines or both to get inflamed (acute gastroenteritis). This leads you to have stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea and to throw up. Norovirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in the United States. It can be serious, especially for young children and older adults. Each year, it causes 19-21 million illnesses and contributes to 56,000-71,000 hospitalizations and 570-800 deaths. The sickness can be avoided by washing your hands thoroughly and washing fruit and vegetables, laundry and surfaces thoroughly. Source: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention Advertisement Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has said it's instituting a number of food safety procedures to ensure customer safety. That includes reminding workers they have three paid sick days a year, and that they should stay home if they're not feeling well. The company closed all of its stores for a national meeting for workers in February. During the meeting, Chipotle reminded employees that two of the company's four recent food scares were the result of norovirus. 'If you're feeling sick, especially if you've vomited, whether at work or at home, you need to let your manager or your field leader know right away,' co-CEO Monty Moran said during the webcast. Employees were told to watch for symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, explosive diarrhea, yellowing of the skin and eyes and dark urine. Wednesday, March 16 Today is Wednesday, March 16, the 76th day of 2016. There are 290 days left in the year. Highlights in history on this date: 1521 - Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan reaches the Philippines, where he is killed by natives the following month. 1527 - Mogul Emperor Barbar defeats Hindu Confederacy at Kanwanha, India. 1534 - England severs all relations with Roman Catholic Papacy. 1690 - France's King Louis XIV sends troops to Ireland to fight for King James II. 1792 - Sweden's King Gustavus II is shot and killed during a masquerade party at the Royal Opera of Stockholm. 1802 - Congress authorizes the establishment of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. 1812 - Austria, in alliance with France, agrees to provide army for Napoleon Bonaparte. 1844 - Greece adopts Constitution with two chambers. 1850 - Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel "The Scarlet Letter" is published in the United States. 1851 - Spanish Concordat with Papacy goes into effect, whereby Catholicism becomes sole faith in Spain and Church gains control of education and the press. 1906 - Japan nationalizes its railways. 1910 - Magician Harry Houdini becomes the first man to fly an airplane in Australia. He also drove a car for the first time on that trip. After that, he never did either again. 1917 - Russia's Czar Nicholas II abdicates and Prince George Lvov, Paul Milivkov and Alexander Kerensky form ministry. 1922 - Britain recognizes Kingdom of Egypt under Fuad I, with joint Anglo-Egyptian sovereignty over Sudan. 1926 - The first liquid-fuel rocket is successfully launched by Prof. Robert Goddard at Auburn, Massachusetts. The rocket travels 56 meters (184 feet) in 2.5 seconds. 1934 - Rome protocols signed between Italy, Austria and Hungary to form Danubian bloc against Little Entente of Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia. 1935 - Germany repudiates disarmament clauses of Versailles Treaty that ended World War I. 1945 - Japanese resistance to U.S. assault on Iwo Jima in Pacific comes to end in World War II. 1968 - During the Vietnam War, the My Lai massacre is carried out by U.S. troops under the command of Lt. William L. Calley Jr. 1978 - Italian politician Aldo Moro is kidnapped by left-wing urban guerrillas, who later murder him. 1985 - American journalist Terry Anderson of The Associated Press is captured by Muslim extremists in Beirut. He is released almost seven years later. 1993 - Bomb in Calcutta, India, kills 69. 1994 - Russia agrees to phase out production of weapons-grade plutonium. 1995 - In a first for Russian-American cooperation in space, a Soyuz space capsule carrying an American astronaut docks with the orbiting Russian space station Mir. 1998 - Rwanda, with 125,000 suspects for 500,000 murders, begins mass trials for the country's 1994 genocide. 1999 - The entire European Commission, the top executive body of the European Union, resigns after allegations of corruption and inefficiency. 2003 - Anti-war protesters demonstrate across the United States to show their support for peace, including an estimated 10,000 protesters in Chicago. 2005 - Syrian military intelligence agents leave Beirut, ending an 18-year presence in Lebanon. 2009 - Iran's most prominent reformer former President Mohammed Khatami pulls out of the race against the country's hardline president, saying he does not want to split the pro-reform vote. 2012 - Apple's latest iPad draws the customary lines of die-hard fans looking to be first and entrepreneurs looking to make a quick profit. The new, third model comes with a faster processor, a much sharper screen and an improved camera. 2013 One of the highest ranking military officers yet to abandon Syrian President Bashar Assad defects to neighboring Jordan and says that morale among those still inside the regime has collapsed. 2014 Just two weeks after Russian troops seized their peninsula, Crimeans vote to leave Ukraine and join Russia. 2015 A Roman Catholic archbishop in Australia is charged with covering up a pedophile priest during the 1970s. Today's Birthdays: James Madison, U.S. president (1751-1836); Georg Simon Ohm, German physicist (1787-1854); Modest Mussorgsky, Russian composer (1839-1881); Reza Shah Pahlavi, shah of Iran (1878-1946); Jerry Lewis, U.S. comedian (1926--); Bernardo Bertolucci, Italian film director (1941--); Kate Nelligan, Canadian born actress (1951--). Thought For Today: The Latest: Man accused of killing 5 had battery conviction KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) The Latest on the man suspected of killing four men in Kansas City, Kansas, and a fifth man in central Missouri. (all times local): 6:35 p.m. A man accused of killing five people faced a battery charge last year in Kansas City, Kansas. Janna Myers sits with her family in their car as they watch police search the area around the house where a body was found Tuesday, March 8, 2016, near New Florence, Mo. Dozens of officers searched farmland in central Missouri on Tuesday for a man suspected of killing a man at a nearby house just hours after fatally shooting multiple people at his neighbor's home about 170 miles away in Kansas. (Cristina Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino is accused of gunning down four men at a Kansas City, Kansas, home Monday night, and fleeing to Missouri, where he's also accused of killing another man before he was arrested early Wednesday. The Kansas City, Kansas, municipal court clerk's office says Serrano-Vitorino was convicted in 2015 of battery. The Wyandotte County Sheriff's Department says when he was booked on that charge the sheriff's department sent ICE an overnight query about him, but didn't receive a response from ICE in the period required, so he was released. ICE says the query required the agency to interview the suspect, and it wasn't able to because the query was submitted overnight. ___ 4:45 p.m. A Kansas prosecutor says he's not reached an agreement with his Missouri counterpart about who will prosecute a man accused of killing five people. Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome Gorman said at a news conference Wednesday that he would prefer to try 40-year-old Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino first in Kansas, where he is accused of gunning down four men at a Kansas City, Kansas, home Monday night. Gorman declined to reveal a motive for the shootings, though he said there was no indication that drugs were involved. He said his office has experience with death penalty cases, but he needs more facts before deciding to pursue that option. Serrano-Vitorino also is accused of killing a man Tuesday morning in Montgomery County, Missouri, after his pickup truck was found abandoned on Interstate 70. ___ 3:55 p.m. The federal agency that handles immigration says it sent a September order to detain a man accused of killing five people to an agency that didn't have him in custody. Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino has been charged with first-degree murder in the Monday shooting deaths of his Kansas City, Kansas, neighbor and three other men and the killing of a man in central Missouri early Tuesday. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in an email that Serrano-Vitorino was deported from the U.S. in 2004, but was fingerprinted in Overland Park, Kansas, in September 2015 after traffic violations. ICE says that fingerprinting generated an ICE order to detain Serrano-Vitorino, but that the agency issued the detainer order to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office. But it was the Overland Park Municipal Court that had handled his traffic violations. ICE says he wasn't in the custody of the sheriff's department. This item has been corrected to reflect that ICE doesn't say it made a mistake in sending the order to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office. ___ 2:25 p.m. A 40-year-old Mexican national charged with killing four people in Kansas City, Kansas, has been formally charged in the killing of a man in Missouri. Online court records show that Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino was charged Wednesday in Montgomery County, Missouri, in the death of 49-year-old Randy Nordman. Nordman was shot Tuesday at his rural home near New Florence, about 70 miles west of St. Louis. The records don't list a lawyer for Serrano-Vitorino, who also faces charges burglary and other charges in Montgomery County. Serrano-Vitorino is also charged with four counts of first-degree murder in Kansas. Authorities there say he gunned down a neighbor and three other men late Monday before fleeing. Investigators haven't discussed a possible motive for the attacks. ___ 1:15 p.m. A Mexican national accused of killing five people appeared in a suburban Kansas City court last year for traffic violations, but local authorities say there was no indication he should have been detained. Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino has been charged in the shooting deaths of four men at a Kansas City, Kansas, home late Monday before fleeing. Authorities also suspect him of later killing another man in Missouri. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says Serrano-Vitorino was deported from the U.S. in 2004 before illegally re-entering the country. Serrano-Vitorino was in Overland Park, Kansas, court for traffic violations in September 2015. But police, the sheriff's office and the court all say they don't have any records of any ICE detainers on Serrano-Vitorino. ___ 1 p.m. Federal investigators are trying to determine how a Mexican national suspected of five shooting deaths in Kansas and Missouri acquired an assault-style rifle found on him when he was caught. John Ham, a spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives office in Kansas City, said Wednesday that federal law barred Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino from legally owning a gun because he is in the country illegally. Serrano-Vitorino is charged with four counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of four men late Monday at his neighbor's house in Kansas City, Kansas. He's also suspected in the Tuesday morning shooting death of a man in Montgomery County, Missouri, where he was arrested early Wednesday and remains jailed. Authorities have not discussed a possible motive for the attacks. ___ 9:30 a.m. Authorities in Kansas have released the names of four men who they say were gunned down by a neighbor accused of later killing another man in Missouri. Wyandotte County prosecutors have charged Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino with four counts of first-degree murder in the killing of the men at his neighbor's home late Monday. Police identified them Wednesday as his neighbor, Michael Capps, as well as Jeremy Waters, Clint Harter and Austin Harter. They were ages 27 to 41. Serrano-Vitorino also is suspected in the shooting death of 49-year-old Randy Nordman in Montgomery County, Missouri, on Tuesday. He was arrested in that county Wednesday during a manhunt. Serrano-Vitorino had not been charged in Nordman's death as of Wednesday morning. Authorities haven't discussed a possible motive. ___ 1:55 a.m. The Missouri Highway Patrol says a man wanted in connection with the fatal shootings of five people is in custody after a manhunt. The Highway Patrol told the Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/1LQzrbu ) early Wednesday morning that Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino had been arrested in Montgomery County, Missouri. The newspaper reports the suspect was found lying on a hill just north of Interstate 70 and no shots were fired. Sgt. James Hedrick says Serrano-Vitorino "looked exhausted." Serrano-Vitorino, a Mexican national who lived in Kansas City, Kansas, is accused of fatally shooting four men late Monday night at his neighbor's home. He was also wanted in connection with the shooting death of 49-year-old Randy Nordman in Montgomery County, Missouri. This undated photo provided by the Kansas City, Kan. Police Department on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 shows Pablo Serrano. Serrano is suspected of fatally shooting four people at his neighbor's home in Kansas before killing another man about 170 miles away in a rural Missouri house not far from where his truck was found abandoned. (Kansas City, Kan. Police Department via AP) Police search for a murder suspect near New Florence, Mo., on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in the area around the intersection of Stave Mill Road and Highway 19, just south of Interstate 70. Dozens of officers searched farmland in central Missouri on Tuesday for a man suspected of killing a man at a nearby house just hours after fatally shooting several people at his neighbor's home about 170 miles away in Kansas. (Cristina Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Police walk near a house where a man was found murdered on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, near New Florence, Mo. (Cristina Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Database of problem police officers may get test in Ferguson DALLAS (AP) In the wake of Michael Brown's death, the federal government wants to require the Ferguson Police Department to check all new hires against a database of officers who have been stripped of their law enforcement licenses for misconduct. The mandate to consult the National Decertification Index received little notice in the government's proposed agreement to reform the police and court systems in the St. Louis suburb. But the measure's inclusion suggests to some observers that federal authorities could finally be seeking to put the index into wider use after years of resisting the idea. The database contains the names of about 20,000 former officers who were pushed out of law enforcement. The index has been used inconsistently, and many officers who are stripped of their badges in one jurisdiction are free to move to another. FILE - In this Nov. 25, 2014 file photo, police officers watch protesters as smoke fills the streets in Ferguson, Mo. In the wake of Michael Brown's death, the federal government wants to require the Ferguson Police Department to check all new hires against a database of police officers stripped of their law enforcement licenses for misconduct. The database contains the names of about 20,000 former officers who have been pushed out of law enforcement. Since it's been used inconsistently, many officers who are stripped of their badges in one jurisdiction are free to move to another. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File) Criminal justice advocates have long called for the creation of a clearinghouse of information on bad cops similar to the National Practitioner Data Bank, which tracks malpractice lawsuits and complaints against doctors. Those calls have been rejected by Congress and opposed by some law-enforcement groups, particularly police unions worried about creating a blacklist. When Congress was debating a national police registry in 1996, one union official compared the idea to the "witch hunts of Salem." The bill failed. "Law enforcement was late getting into the registry business," said Raymond Franklin, a retired director of Maryland's police standards agency and one of the creators of the index. "Every profession has it now. And quite frankly, nobody ever talks about the National Practitioner Data Bank for doctors being a blacklist. You would expect that there would be a source of information about how doctors could have problems." If adopted, the requirement for Ferguson would be unusual. When police departments in Cleveland or Albuquerque, New Mexico, negotiated major agreements following shootings by officers, the Justice Department did not require them to begin using the index. The Ferguson deal was put on hold last month after city officials rejected the cost of implementing the 127-page plan, and the Justice Department sued to enforce it. On Tuesday, the city council seemed to change course again, setting a March 15 vote to reconsider the deal. The proposed settlement followed the government's highly critical assessment of Ferguson's law enforcement and legal systems after a white officer shot and killed Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old black resident, in August 2014. The Justice Department later cleared Darren Wilson, concluding that evidence backed his claim that he shot Brown in self-defense. His death helped spawn the national "Black Lives Matter" movement. A yearlong Associated Press investigation last year found that the index was missing thousands of names because the voluntary, privately run effort does not include every state, and vast variations exist in how local and state officials track and handle police misconduct. Forty-four states and the District of Columbia have a process for removing the licenses of police officers for misconduct, a process commonly known as decertification. The index aims to collect those records, but participation is limited to 39 states, including Missouri. Even states that are relatively aggressive in identifying bad officers, such as Georgia, do not participate because their record-keeping differs too much from the national index, and the effort to convert the information would be time-consuming and costly, Georgia officials said. What states do report to the index is also limited. Participating agencies enter only the names of decertified officers, their employers, dates of decertification and basic reasons for the punitive action. There is no detailed information on why an officer was pushed out, nor is the index open to the public. Federal money helped launch the index in 2000 after state police standards officials came together through their national group to create a bare-bones system for sharing decertification records. But the Justice Department does not fund it anymore. The Justice Department did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the AP. The former head of its Office of Justice Programs said federal funding was meant to launch the index, not fund it long term. "We thought it made sense at least from experimenting with it to see if it would catch on," said the official, Jim Burch, who now works for the Police Foundation. Mike Becar, the executive director of the national police standards group, said his organization funds server space for the index at a minimal cost, but the index cannot expand without outside funding. In a report last year, the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing called on the Justice Department to partner with the national police standards group to expand the index to all states and territories. Including the index in the Ferguson agreement could be a sign that federal officials are acting on that plan. "This is another venue or opportunity for pushing that," said Matthew Hickman, a Seattle University researcher who has long studied police decertification. It will send a message to Missouri and other states that the Justice Department "is paying attention to this issue and thinks that participation in the NDI is a good thing." But getting Congress to pass a law making the index mandatory, Hickman added, would be a "serious uphill battle." ___ Follow Nomaan Merchant on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nomaanmerchant . Michael Warren, President and CEO of Children's of Alabama ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham. David Sher is co-CEO of AmSher Compassionate Collections and past Chairman of Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, ONB, and CAP. Let's turn Birmingham around. Click here to sign up for our newsletter. There's power in numbers. (Opt out at any time) Today's guest blogger is Mike Warren. If you'd like to be a guest blogger, please click here. After having been at Children's of Alabama for more than eight years, I want to share some thoughts. More than 100 years ago a small group of dedicated volunteers recognized a great community need and began what would become Children's of Alabama. I think our organization today would make them extremely proud as we have grown to be a tremendous asset for the health of children throughout Alabama and the surrounding area. Although Children's is located in the heart of the UAB medical center, it is a separate, independent not for profit like 45 other pediatric centers around the country. It's clear that UAB has been critical to our region, but the UAB-Children's duo has been absolutely electrifying! This may be difficult to comprehend, but even though Birmingham is the 48th largest metropolitan area in the U.S., Children's is the 10th busiest pediatric center in America, with more than 650,000 outpatient visits and more than 14,000 inpatient admissions each year. If you or your child needs medical attention, Birmingham is where you want to be. With the construction of the Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children, our 2012 expansion and replacement facility, Children's added cardiovascular surgery and solid organ transplantation to the services offered and became a truly comprehensive pediatric medical center. Our medical staff is open to all qualified providers but through a long-standing affiliation agreement with the UAB School of Medicine, many of the physicians working at Children's are UAB faculty in pediatrics, surgery, psychiatry or related fields. Each year, Children's treats numerous patients from every county in Alabama. We take our mission very seriously and treat all children without regard to their ability to pay. With more than two-thirds of our patients eligible for Medicaid, the future of Children's is closely tied to the State of Alabama's ability and willingness to adequately fund Medicaid. Ironically, if it were not for our Medicaid patients, we would not have sufficient patient volume to support many of the pediatric subspecialists and pediatric surgeons. It is the large group of patients coming to one central location that makes it possible for us to have five pediatric neurosurgeons, for example. That means when your child or grandchild has the need for a world-class pediatric specialist, we will have that person right here in Birmingham. I often say it is unusual to be in a business where you really do not want customers -- but at the same time, if a child needs specialty pediatric services, thank God that Children's of Alabama is right here in Birmingham. Mike Warren is President and Chief Executive Officer of Children's of Alabama. He married his high school sweetheart, Anne, and they have three married children and 10 grandchildren 12 Beatles hits produced by George Martin over the years The Beatles captured the hearts and ears of a generation with music that continues to resonate today. Here are 12 hits by the Beatles, produced by George Martin, whose contributions ranged far beyond the traditional producer role, from arranging to composing to playing instruments: "Please Please Me" (1962): After "Love Me Do," this was the song that rocketed the Beatles to fame on both sides of the Atlantic. Martin is said to have sped up what was initially a slower song. Lead vocals: John Lennon and Paul McCartney. "A Hard Day's Night" (1964): Song featured in the Beatles' first film, with that title taken from drummer Ringo's response to a comment that he looked tired: "Yea, I've had a hard day's night, you know." Lead vocals: John Lennon with Paul McCartney. FILE - In this Jan. 30 1996 file photo, British musician Paul McCartney cuts a giant cake modelled on the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, watched by producer George Martin, in Liverpool, England. George Martin, the Beatles' urbane producer who guided, assisted and stood aside through the band's swift, historic transformation from rowdy club act to musical and cultural revolutionaries, has died, his management said Wednesday, March 9, 2016. He was 90. (David Kendall/PA via AP, File) UNITED KINGDOM OUT "Yesterday" (1965): Wistful love song, featuring Paul McCartney with string quartet, an innovative idea for a rock and roll band that McCartney said was Martin's idea. It initially made him hesitate but ended as a "thrilling" experience. McCartney says the song became "one of the most recorded songs ever" with Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra and many others offering their versions of it. Lead vocals: Paul McCartney. "Michelle" (1965): Some English speakers got their first taste of the French language with this tender love tune. Lead vocals: Paul McCartney. "In My Life" (1965): A confessional coming-of-age song brightened by the warm harmonies of Lennon and McCartney. Martin composed and performed the harpsichord interlude himself. Lead vocals: John Lennon and Paul McCartney. "Strawberry Fields Forever" (1967): An iconic if more complex Beatles with strings and horns. Two versions were recorded, and Martin was tasked with blending the two at John Lennon's request no easy feat with analog tapes. Lead vocals: John Lennon. "With a Little Help From My Friends" (1967): Casually sung by drummer Ringo Starr on the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (1967): Said to have been inspired by a drawing by John Lennon's then-young son Julian of a classmate. Lennon told Rolling Stone in 1970 the images were inspired by Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland." Lead vocals: John Lennon. "All You Need Is Love" (1967): Perhaps the defining song of the Summer of Love. Martin introduced it with La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, and added a fragment of Glenn Miller's classic "In the Mood." He also played piano. Lead vocals: John Lennon. "Hey Jude" (1968): "Take a sad song and make it better," a universal message that struck a chord. With little notice, Martin found 40 musicians for the final recording, short of the 100 Paul McCartney requested. At over seven minutes long and recorded on experimental eight-track studio equipment, it was an unlikely hit for the Beatles' new Apple label. Lead vocals: Paul McCartney. "Here Comes The Sun" (1969): George Harrison's song of hope. Light vocal creation that he is quoted as saying was written during a long British winter at the home of Eric Clapton. Lead vocals: George Harrison. "Let It Be" (1970): The Beatles' final single before breaking up, produced by Martin. The song became the title track on the Beatles' last album, produced by Phil Spector. The lyrics' references to "times of trouble" and "comfort" had quick universal appeal in turbulent times, including among the Beatles, becoming something of a hymn. Lead vocals: Paul McCartney. ___ Sources: Billboard, TheBeatles.com, Rolling Stone, AllMusic.com, BeatlesBible.com. Religion news in brief Mexican archdiocese claims Pope was misinformed MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexico's main archdiocese has taken the unusual step of publicly saying Pope Francis was badly advised when he directed harsh words to local bishops during his visit in mid-February. The pope told a gathering of local bishops not to be career-minded clerics, saying, "We do not need princes, but rather a community of the Lord's witnesses." Pope Francis waves to faithful as he celebrates the Angelus noon prayer from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, March 6, 2016. The pontiff said the four nuns killed Friday in an attack on a home for the elderly in Yemen are modern-day martyrs and victims of indifference. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) An editorial published Sunday on a website of the archdiocese of Mexico City says "the hand of discord had tried to accent the negative." It denies that local bishops were out of touch with the people, and says the pope's comments "might be due to someone near him who gave him bad advice." The editorial ends with the question: "Who gave the Pope bad advice?" ___ Former music director sues Catholic church for firing CHICAGO (AP) The former music director of a suburban Chicago Catholic parish who was fired after becoming engaged to his same-sex partner is suing the parish and the Archdiocese of Chicago. Colin Collette filed the lawsuit Monday, saying the church's conduct was discriminatory and violated county, state and federal human rights laws. Collette worked at Holy Family Catholic Church in Inverness for 17 years. The parish asked him to resign as music director in 2014 soon after he announced his engagement. He wouldn't resign and was dismissed. A spokeswoman for the archdiocese said it does not comment on ongoing litigation. ___ Kasich discusses faith and good works MONROE, Mich. (AP) Republican presidential candidate John Kasich says faith is proven in the care we show for others, especially when no one is looking. At a town hall meeting on Monday in Michigan, the Ohio governor said he's learned that satisfaction in life comes from helping others who are less fortunate. But he said a Bible commentary he had just read noted that even Jesus sometimes healed people privately "so as to glorify God and not glorify himself." Kasich said he doesn't push his faith on others, but for him it's essential in times of crisis. He said, "I don't know where I'd go if I didn't have it." A self-identified Democrat at the event criticized Kasich's remark at a recent debate that gay people who are denied services should find another business that will serve them rather than suing someone with religious objections. Referencing the Supreme Court's decision to legalize gay marriage, Kasich said, "Let's just let everybody take a deep breath and see if we can get along and use common sense." ___ Former priest pleads guilty to giving explosives to juvenile HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) A suspended Roman Catholic priest has pleaded guilty to giving explosives to a juvenile. Authorities say 58-year-old Paul Gotta of East Windsor, Connecticut, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to knowingly and willfully distributing an explosive material to an individual under 21. Prosecutors say Gotta helped a 17-year-old purchase thousands of rounds of handgun ammunition in November 2012. Gotta also purchased two pounds of explosives powder and gave it to the same juvenile. Gotta was administrator of St. Philip and St. Catherine churches in East Windsor at the time. The Archdiocese of Hartford suspended him in 2013 after he was accused of sexually assaulting a minor. Prosecutors later dropped the charges. Gotta pleaded guilty under a plea deal to breach of peace. Sentencing is scheduled for May 19. ___ Wounded pastor regains consciousness; suspect arrested COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) An Idaho pastor who was shot six times last weekend has regained consciousness and is talking with his family. That's the word from an associate. According to police in Coeur d'Alene (kohr duh-LAYN'), say the man suspected of shooting Pastor Tim Remington of The Altar Church, was arrested and is in custody in Washington D.C. Thirty-year-old Kyle Odom, a former Marine from Coeur d'Alene, is suspected of shooting Remington a day after Remington led the prayer at a weekend campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz. Authorities say there's no indication Remington's appearance with Cruz had anything to do with the shooting. They do say it appears the shooting was planned. ___ LOS ANGELES (AP) Actress Jennifer Garner says she appreciates life and her children a little bit more after making her latest movie "Miracles From Heaven." Garner is separated from her husband of ten years, Ben Affleck. The couple has three children. In the faith-based movie, Garner stars as a mom dealing with the deteriorating health of her 10 year-old daughter who is diagnosed with an incurable disease. Their lives are changed when a medical miracle unfolds, leaving specialists astonished. Garner says the role has given her "a huge sense of gratitude" and appreciation for her children. Garner says she was raised in a religious environment and "wasn't scared of doing a movie that had faith at its center as long as it wasn't preachy." "Miracles From Heaven" opens in theaters next week. ___ Republican presidential candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks at the Lansing Brewing Company,Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Iraqi officials: US captured top IS chemical arms engineer BAGHDAD (AP) U.S. special forces captured the head of the Islamic State group's unit trying to develop chemical weapons in a raid last month in northern Iraq, Iraqi and U.S. officials told The Associated Press, the first known major success of Washington's more aggressive policy of pursuing IS militants on the ground. The Obama administration launched the new strategy in December, deploying a commando force to Iraq that it said would be dedicated to capturing and killing IS leaders in clandestine operations, as well as generating intelligence leading to more raids. U.S. officials said last week that the expeditionary team had captured an Islamic State leader but had refused to identify him, saying only that he had been held for two or three weeks and was being questioned. Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi, center, arrives at a military a base outside Tikrit, 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Al-Obeidi played down fears of the Islamic State groups chemical weapons capabilities, saying the group lacks chemical capabilities. The attacks the group has carried were only intended to hurt the morale of our fighters, as they have so far not caused any casualties he said. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) Two Iraqi intelligence officials identified the man as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, who worked for Saddam Hussein's now-dissolved Military Industrialization Authority where he specialized in chemical and biological weapons. They said al-Afari, who is about 50 years old, heads the Islamic State group's recently established branch for the research and development of chemical weapons. He was captured in a raid near the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, the officials said. They would not give further details. In Washington, U.S. officials confirmed al-Afari's identity. The officials, who both have first-hand knowledge of the individual and of the IS chemical program, spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to talk to the media. No confirmation was available from U.S. officials. A U.S. official said Wednesday that one or more follow-up airstrikes were conducted against suspected IS chemical facilities in northern Iraq in recent days. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence-related operations, was unfamiliar with details of the airstrikes but indicated that they did not fully eliminate IS's suspected chemical threat. The U.S.-led coalition began targeting IS' chemical weapons infrastructure with airstrikes and special operations raids over the past two months, the Iraqi intelligence officials and a Western security official in Baghdad told the AP. Airstrikes are targeting laboratories and equipment, and further special forces raids targeting chemical weapons experts are planned, the intelligence officials said. They and the Western official also spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. IS has been making a determined effort to develop chemical weapons, Iraqi and American officials have said. The militant group, which emerged out of al-Qaida in Iraq, is believed to have set up a special unit for chemical weapons research, made up of Iraqi scientists from the Saddam-era weapons program as well as foreign experts. Still, IS group's progress in developing chemical weapons has been limited. It is believed to have created limited amounts of mustard gas. Tests confirmed mustard gas was used in a town in Syria when IS was launching attacks there in August 2015. Other unverified reports in both Iraq and Syria accuse IS of using chemical agents on the battlefield. Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said IS has repeatedly used "sulfur mustard" as a weapon in Iraq and Syria. He said the sulfur mustard has been used in a powder form in projectiles such as artillery shells that when detonated create a dust cloud that "can primarily aggravate but in large doses can absolutely kill." But so far, experts say, the extremist group appears incapable of launching a large-scale chemical weapons' attack, which requires not only expertise, but also the proper equipment, materials and a supply-chain to produce enough of the chemical agent to pose a significant threat. "More than a symbolic attack seems to me to be beyond the grasp of ISIS," said Dan Kaszeta, a former U.S. Army chemical officer and Department of Homeland Security expert who is now a private consultant, using an alternative acronym for the IS group. "Furthermore, the chemicals we are talking about are principally chlorine and sulfur mustard, both of which are actually quite poor weapons by modern standards." Speaking to reporters from a base outside the city of Tikrit, Iraq's defense minister played down fears of the Islamic State group's chemical weapons capabilities, saying the group lacks "chemical capabilities." The attacks the group has carried out, Khaled al-Obaidi continued, were only intended to "hurt the morale of our fighters," as they have so far not caused any casualties. The United States has been leading a coalition waging airstrikes against IS in Iraq and Syria for more than a year. The campaign has been key to backing Iraqi and Kurdish forces that have slowly retaken significant parts of the territory the militants had seized. But after coming under pressure at home for greater action against the militants, the Obama administration moved to the tactic of stepped-up commando operations on the ground. Last year, U.S. special forces killed a key IS leader and captured his wife in a raid in Syria, but the new force in Iraq was intended as a more dedicated deployment. American officials have been deeply secretive about the operation. Its size is unknown, thought it may be fewer than 100 troops. "This is a no-kidding force that will be doing important things," was about all Defense Secretary Ash Carter would say about the force in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee in December. ___ AP National Security Writer Robert Burns and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report. Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi, centre speaks to reporters at a military a base outside Tikrit, 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Al-Obeidi played down fears of the Islamic State groups chemical weapons capabilities, saying the group lacks chemical capabilities. The attacks the group has carried were only intended to hurt the morale of our fighters, as they have so far not caused any casualties he said. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi, center, speaks to reporters at a military a base outside Tikrit, 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Al-Obeidi played down fears of the Islamic State groups chemical weapons capabilities, saying the group lacks chemical capabilities. The attacks the group has carried were only intended to hurt the morale of our fighters, as they have so far not caused any casualties he said. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) Prosecutors: Drop charges in Somali sex trafficking case NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to dismiss all the remaining charges in a child sex trafficking case involving Somali gang members. The request is likely to bring an end to a highly controversial case that has left several defendants jailed for years without a single conviction of a sex-related crime. The case also raises the possibility that a police officer repeatedly lied to obtain a prosecution. Defendants, most of them from the Somali refugee community, have been fighting for years after the government announced in 2010 that law enforcement had taken down a multi-state child sex trafficking ring that operated in Minnesota, Ohio and Tennessee. "I think what happened to these individuals in this case was absolutely a travesty of justice," said Luke Evans, a lawyer for one of the defendants who was earlier acquitted by a jury. "And because of the actions taken by law enforcement in this case, they have done tremendous damage to the true victims of sex trafficking across this country." The government's request to drop cases against the remaining 16 people about 30 people had been charged came after the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week blasted prosecutors for its handling of the case. The federal appeals court said a police officer with the St. Paul Minnesota Police Department was repeatedly caught lying and said the claims by the so-called victims were likely fictitious. The opinion, written by Judge Alice Batchelder, noted that the two primary witnesses in a 2012 trial had serious credibility issues. Both had testified that they were prostituted by gang members. But the opinion noted that one of them was mentally ill and was off her medication during trial and the other was a frequent runaway who had been in juvenile detention. Defense attorneys have maintained that the girl identified as Jane Doe No. 2 was a party girl who came from a conservative Muslim family and didn't want the shame of admitting that she was promiscuous. During trial, it was revealed that the girl's birth certificate was a fake. Defense attorneys alleged her birth certificate was a fake and repeatedly said she was too old to be a victim of child sex-trafficking and instead portrayed her as an older person who willingly had sex with multiple men. Only nine of the defendants were tried in 2012. A jury acquitted six of them and U.S. District Judge William Haynes threw out the convictions of the remaining three. The 6th Circuit's opinion last week said Haynes was right to overturn those remaining jury convictions. The appeals court opinion noted that the case involved two gangs the Somali Mafia and the Somali Outlaws but said the government produced no information about their organization, culture and activities beyond testimony that some claimed to be in a gang or flashed gang signs. The appellate court opinion only addressed those involved in the 2012 trial. "We have conducted a thorough review of the Sixth Circuit's recent opinions and have considered all possible options for moving forward with this case, in light of those opinions," a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee said. "After much consideration, we have determined that the best course of action is to dismiss the charges against all remaining defendants." The spokesman said he did not know how much the case has cost the government. St. Paul, Minnesota, Police Sgt. Heather Weyker met repeatedly with Jane Doe No. 2. The appeals court opinion said a lower court "caught Weyker lying to the grand jury and later lying during a detention hearing, and scolded her for it on the record." Public records do not list her phone number. Rights organizations urge Gambia to free journalist DAKAR, Senegal (AP) International rights organizations urged Gambia's government on Wednesday to free an ailing journalist and drop all charges against him. Taranga FM Managing Director Alagie Abdoulie Ceesay has been arbitrarily detained since July without access to a lawyer or his family, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists said in a statement. Ceesay was charged in August with six counts of sedition and publication of false news. Gambia Information Minister Sheriff Bojang told The Associated Press that by law he could not comment on the statement or case, as it is before the court. Authorities with the National Intelligence Agency arrested Ceesay on July 2 after he had used his phone to privately share a picture showing a gun pointed toward a photograph of President Yahya Jammeh, the groups said. Ceesay was not the author of the photo, which had been circulating on the internet, they said, adding that his station has been closed down several times. Ceesay was released on July 13 and rearrested July 17, the groups said. Corinne Dufka, West Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said Ceesay should not have been locked up, and "The deterioration in his health only underscores the urgent need to release him." Ceesay was hospitalized and diagnosed with an enlarged liver in January. In February, he was readmitted briefly for an asthma attack, the groups said. The U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention last week called for his release and enforceable right to compensation. It also urged investigations into whether torture has been used. The rights groups Wednesday called on Gambia to amend laws that give authorities sweeping powers to arrest and detain critics. President Jammeh's rule since 1994 has been marked by accusations of rights violations. ___ AP writer Abdoulie John in Dakar, Senegal contributed to the report. ___ Investigators believe the murder was The younger brother of an Ohio pastor who was shot in a church office near the end of Sunday services has been indicted on murder charges. Daniel Schooler earlier pleaded not guilty to preliminary murder charges after his February 28 arrest at St. Peter's Missionary Baptist Church in Dayton. He is being held on $1 million bond and will be arraigned Thursday on the indictment counts. A message seeking comment was left with his attorney. Scroll down for video Pastor William Schooler, 70, (left) was shot and killed during a church service at St. Peters Missionary Baptist in Dayton, Ohio. This week his 69-year-old brother Daniel (right) was indicted on murder charges Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. says Schooler is charged with one count of aggravated murder and two counts each of murder, felonious assault and having weapons under disability in the slaying of the Rev. William Schooler. Daniel Schooler is 68. William Schooler was 70. Records indicate Daniel Schooler has a history of mental illness. As the choir was signing, witnesses say they heard two shots as Schooler headed behind the pulpit at the church. He died at the scene Court records have also revealed that the suspect had sued his brother and other church leaders back in 2011 after he claimed he was owed money from the real estate value of the church, according to. A court had ruled against this claim. The Dayton Daily News also reported that Daniel Schooler shot his nephew in the arm in 2001, but the nephew didn't want to press charges. The suspect was sitting in a pew when he suddenly started following the pastor towards the back of the church. As the choir was singing, witnesses say they heard two shots as Schooler headed behind the pulpit. According to WTN, the church was thrown into chaos and everyone was seen running out of the doors. Schooler died from his injuries at the scene. There were said to be 20 people inside at the time. Schooler was appointed pastor of the small church in 2011. He was a 1963 graduate of Dunbar High School, and a decorated Vietnam Veteran who received the Bronze Star. Schoolder graduated from Central State University in 1972, the Ohio State University in 1976 and Grace College in Columbia, S.C., in 2003. He was a member of the Montgomery County Family and Children First Committee. Friend and fellow community leader Ronnie Moreland said Schooler was the current president of the Baptist Ministers Union in Dayton. 'He had deep roots in the community,' he told the Dayton Daily News. 'He was a beloved leader. It's hard to put into words what has happened.' Dem group attacking Senate GOP on Supreme Court, Trump WASHINGTON (AP) A Democratic super PAC began airing television ads Wednesday attacking New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte over her opposition to President Barack Obama picking the next Supreme Court justice and tying her to Donald Trump in an early illustration of Democrats' strategy for winning back Senate control. The Senate Majority PAC ad targets Ayotte, a Republican, for holding firm in opposition to considering or even meeting with an Obama nominee despite political pressures at home. The ad also uses footage of Trump and argues that Ayotte is eagerly helping Trump in his calls to "delay, delay, delay." The super PAC said it's spending $220,000 starting Wednesday on the ad, which claims Ayotte is "ignoring the Constitution" and "not doing her job." Ayotte faces a tough re-election battle against Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan in November and has picked up a Republican primary challenger along the way. The Democratic Party and outside groups that support Democrats have signaled for weeks that they see GOP refusal to give Obama's nominee fair consideration a potent cudgel against Republicans, particularly in competitive states where moderate voters are key to winning. Vulnerable Republicans in Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and elsewhere have come under political attack on the Supreme Court issue. Yellowstone bison sent to slaughter as park trims herd GARDINER, Mont. (AP) Yellowstone National Park started shipping many of its famous wild bison to slaughter Wednesday to drive down the size of the park's herds and respond to concerns by the livestock industry over a disease carried by the animals. Thirty animals have been shipped to slaughterhouses, and officials plan to send an additional 63 in the next few days. The bison were weighed and tested for disease for research purposes, and the remaining animals were crowded into holding pens to await shipment. The park's actions are driven by an agreement in 2000 with Montana officials that requires it to control its bison herds. The meat will be distributed to American Indian tribes that traditionally subsisted on bison. A group of Yellowstone National Park bison await shipment to slaughter inside a holding pen along the park's northern border near Gardiner, Mont. on March 9, 2016. Yellowstone National Park has started shipping its famous wild bison to slaughter in response to concerns by the livestock industry over a disease carried by the animals. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown) "Nobody here wants to be doing this," park spokeswoman Jody Lyle said after the bison were prodded into trailers for shipment. "It's time for a change." About 150 of the animals have been captured this winter trying to migrate out of the park in search of food at lower elevations in Montana. Ranchers worry about bison infected with brucellosis, a disease that can cause cattle to abort their young. There have been no recorded bison-to-cattle transmissions of brucellosis, and critics say the slaughters are unnecessary. Captured bison that test negative for it are not spared. "This is not OK. It's really that simple," said Stephany Seay with the Buffalo Field Campaign, a bison advocacy group. Rick Lamplugh said he moved last May from Oregon to the small town of Gardiner, at the northern entrance to the park, in large part for the wildlife viewing opportunities. The park and state agencies need rethink their policies on bison so they can be "treated like any other wildlife," he said. Tens of millions of bison, also known as buffalo, once roamed North America. Commercial hunting drove the species to near-extinction in the late 1800s before conservationists including former President Theodore Roosevelt intervened when only dozens were left. Yellowstone is home to one of the few remaining wild populations. Millions of tourists visit the park each year to see the animals, a top attraction at the nation's first national park. The animals also are the symbol of the National Park Service. Since the 1980s, worry over brucellosis has prompted the killing of about 8,200 park bison, most of them sent to slaughter. In recent years, state, federal and tribal agencies have tried to emphasize public hunts that occur just outside the park's boundaries. Hunters so far this winter have killed more than 400 of the animals, said Andrea Jones with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. That's the most since 1989. The vast majority were shot by members of American Indian tribes that have treaty hunting rights in the Yellowstone region. Detracting from the hunt's success has been an unprecedented number of animals that were merely wounded and retreated to the park after being shot. Up to 50 wounded bison were killed by state and federal wildlife agents, Jones said. The park had 4,900 bison at last count, well above the 3,000 dictated under the agreement. Park officials set a goal this year of removing 600 to 900 of the animals. More shipments to slaughter are possible in coming weeks if large groups of bison move into Montana, although a mild winter has reduced this year's migration compared with previous years. During the past decade, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and his predecessor moved to allow bison into areas adjacent to the park. Yellowstone administrators have supported those efforts, but they say they are bound under the 2000 agreement to keep the bison herds in check. Alternatives such as transferring some Yellowstone bison to lands outside the park are under consideration but unlikely to take effect soon. Park workers are holding back from slaughter 57 bison calves and yearlings for potential future placement elsewhere if the opportunity arises, park spokeswoman Amy Bartlett said. If that doesn't happen, the animals will be slaughtered, she said. ___ Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter at https://twitter.com/matthewbrownap . A Yellowstone National Park bison calf bleeds from its horn after being injured during processing prior to being shipped to slaughter under a program meant to prevent the spread of a disease carried by many park bison in Yellowstone National Park, Mont. on Wednesday, March 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown) Doug Blanton with the National Park Service draws blood from a bison in a holding pen at Yellowstone National Park, Mont. prior to the animal being shipped to slaughter on Wednesday March 9, 2016. Yellowstone National Park has started shipping its famous wild bison to slaughter in response to concerns by the livestock industry over a disease carried by the animals. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown) A female bison stands at a holding pen, that will be shipped to be slaughtered on March 9, 2016 in Yellowstone National Park, Mont. Yellowstone National Park has started shipping its famous wild bison to slaughter in response to concerns by the livestock industry over a disease carried by the animals. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown) National Park Service workers prod bison to load them onto a trailer at Yellowstone National Park for shipment to slaughter on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 in Yellowstone National Park, Mont. Under an agreement with Montana officials, the park plans to ship roughly 150 bison to slaughter in coming days to control the animals population and prevent them from migrating into areas where they could come into contact with cattle. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown) African wild dogs considered for a name change to up image LIMPOPO-LIPADI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE, Botswana (AP) It looked like an African wildlife version of "West Side Story." A pack of African wild dogs milled around at dusk, seemingly ready to rumble, as in the musical about New York City gangs. Checking each other out, they made high-pitched whining or chirping sounds. They looked like they were up to something, or about to be it was, after all, the hunting hour. This endangered species with big, round ears and a patchy white, yellow and black pelt is in such jeopardy that there is talk among conservationists of renaming the species "painted dog" or "painted wolf" to dignify its image and ensure people don't confuse the name with a scrawny stray. That way, the thinking goes, the species will become more than a footnote to other imperiled animals such as the lion and rhino that are viewed as having more gravitas. In this picture taken on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016, African wild dogs are seen at private game lodge in Limpopo-Lipadi, Botswana. The African wild dog, an endangered species with big ears and a patchy white, yellow and black pelt, is a footnote to other imperiled animals such as the lion and rhino, which are viewed as having gravitas that the wild dog supposedly lacks. Limpopo-Lipadi has 17 wild dogs; the population was reduced to half a dozen around the end of 2014 because of rabies, but recovered with the birth of pups. (AP Photo/Christopher Torchia) "It's a discussion we have every year," said Kevin MacFarlane, reserve manager at Limpopo-Lipadi, a private game reserve in southeast Botswana whose insignia is a running wild dog. He was referring to a network of regional conservationists that manages wild dog populations and includes one faction that believes a name change would shed any negative connotations of the term "wild dog." For his part, MacFarlane said he likes to focus on telling tourists that African wild dogs are "amazing" so he can "sell them on that." A South African wine label, Painted Wolf Wines, agrees. On its website, it says it contributes some proceeds to the conservation of "this intriguing and beautiful animal." The geographical range of African wild dogs, which are related to dogs and wolves, was vastly reduced over many decades as livestock owners and others killed them. The dogs hunt relentlessly as a pack, sometimes exhausting their prey in the chase (unlike lions, which rely more on stealth and stalking) and even learning to use fences to corral animals. "It's such a successful animal in the wild that it was highly persecuted for a long time all through Africa," MacFarlane said in an interview in his office at the 80-square-mile (207-square-kilometer) reserve, which used to be farmland. "Everybody's got lions and it sort of sets us apart a little bit" to have wild dogs, MacFarlane said. The fenced reserve north of the Limpopo River offers chalets for visiting shareholders and their guests. Warthogs, antelopes, monkeys and large lizards occasionally traverse the lodge grounds. A sign warns of the danger of lurking hippos and crocodiles. Limpopo-Lipadi has 17 wild dogs; the population was reduced to half a dozen around the end of 2014 because of rabies, but recovered with the birth of pups. Reserve staff members are monitoring five lions that recently wandered onto the territory. Lions have been known to attack wild dogs or snatch freshly killed prey from the smaller predators, but the five newcomers have co-existed so far with the wild dogs at Limpopo-Lipadi. Africa has between 6,000 and 7,000 African wild dogs, a far smaller population than in the past. About half live in Botswana, a southern African country whose relatively small population of more than 2 million people and large expanses of unfenced areas, many with at least some degree of protection for wildlife, are ideal for an animal that can travel long distances. In South Africa, which has fewer than 550 wild dogs, conservationists move individual wild dogs to different reserves to prevent inbreeding and encourage the formation of new packs. Packs usually have one dominant breeding pair and there are limited mating opportunities, said Dr. Harriet Davies-Mostert, head of conservation at the Endangered Wildlife Trust, a South African group. She said the African wild dog program in South Africa could be a "blueprint" for managing other endangered species. Davies-Mostert said the debate over whether to change the name of the species had gone on for many years. "I think if there is anything we can do to improve their image, then we should probably do it," she said. Noting, however, that farmers who kill the wild dogs to protect livestock probably don't care what the predator is called, Davies-Mostert said: "But I'd like to see some evidence that it would actually make some difference." ___ Follow Christopher Torchia on Twitter at www.twitter.com/torchiachris In this picture taken on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016, an African wild dog is seen at private game lodge in Limpopo-Lipadi, Botswana. The African wild dog, an endangered species with big ears and a patchy white, yellow and black pelt, is a footnote to other imperiled animals such as the lion and rhino, which are viewed as having gravitas that the wild dog supposedly lacks. Limpopo-Lipadi has 17 wild dogs; the population was reduced to half a dozen around the end of 2014 because of rabies, but recovered with the birth of pups. (AP Photo/Christopher Torchia) The Latest: Man able to board plane despite arrest warrant COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) The Latest on the arrest of a suspect in the shooting of a pastor in Idaho (all times local): 4 p.m. A man wanted by Idaho authorities in an attack that left a church pastor seriously wounded was able to board a commercial airliner in Boise, Idaho, and travel to Washington, D.C., this week despite an attempted murder warrant for his arrest. Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Lee White speaks during a news conference Monday, March 7, 2016, with a photo of Kyle Andrew Odom in the background in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. An Idaho pastor who led the prayer at a weekend campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz was gunned down outside his church the following day but was expected to survive. The Coeur d'Alene Police Department said it is looking for local resident Odom, 30, a decorated former Marine who should be considered armed and dangerous. (Kathy Plonka/The Spokesman-Review, via AP) Kyle Odom drove Sunday from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, more than six hours to the airport in Boise, and he departed Monday morning. The Transportation Security Administration says a bulletin notifying the agency of law enforcement's interest in Odom was not received until Monday evening. The TSA says it screens passengers against the government's Terrorist Watchlist, but does not search for criminal wants and warrants when routinely screening passengers. Odom was arrested while allegedly throwing items onto the lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday evening. ___ 1:54 p.m. A man wanted by Idaho authorities in an attack that left a church pastor seriously wounded appeared in court briefly in Washington, D.C., where he had been arrested and was ordered held until a hearing April 6. Kyle Odom appeared in District of Columbia Superior Court on Wednesday afternoon after being arrested after allegedly throwing items over the White House fence. Odom stood wearing handcuffs and a chain connecting his ankles for the six-minute hearing. He said only his name when asked. His assigned public defender, Ieshaah Murphy, said her client declined to waive an extradition hearing and be sent back to Idaho within the next few days. Instead, a hearing was scheduled for April 6 in Washington. The only issue is whether the warrant in his case is valid. Odom wore a green shirt and bright blue athletic shorts in court as well as tennis shoes with the laces removed. His attorney declined to comment after the hearing. ___ 10:30 a.m. Police say a fugitive wanted by Idaho authorities for wounding a church pastor apparently wrote a bizarre manifesto contending that Martians controlled the Earth. Kyle Odom was arrested at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday by U.S. Secret Service agents after allegedly throwing items over the fence at the White House. Coeur d'Alene Police Detective Jared Reneau says Odom had attended Pastor Tim Remington's church a few times. Reneau said Odom was apparently the author of a manifesto that contended the pastor was a Martian. Details were contained in electronic documents that Odom mailed to his family and news media outlets this week. Odom's family issued a statement Tuesday, saying they were thankful for the safe apprehension of their son. Odom is expected to appear in a Washington, D.C. court sometime Wednesday. ___ 9:52 a.m. A man wanted by Idaho authorities in an attack that left a church pastor seriously wounded is expected to appear in court in Washington after being arrested in the city for allegedly throwing items over the White House fence. Kyle Odom is expected to appear in D.C. Superior Court on Wednesday afternoon. Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Lee White said Kyle Odom was arrested at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. It was not clear at what time Odom would appear in court, but it typically takes a judge several hours to address the cases of all the individuals arrested the previous day. Meanwhile, Pastor Tim Remington, shot six times Sunday outside his church in Coeur d'Alene, has regained consciousness. White says police determined Odom boarded a flight in Boise on Monday. ___ Police say U.S. Secret Service agents arrested a man suspected of shooting and seriously wounding an Idaho pastor after he allegedly threw items over the fence at the White House. Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Lee White said Kyle Odom was arrested at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in Washington D.C., safely and without incident. Meanwhile, Pastor Tim Remington, shot six times Sunday outside his church in Coeur d'Alene, has regained consciousness and is talking with his family. Odom had been the subject of a search. White wasn't certain how the 30-year-old suspect got to Washington but said police were able to determine that he had boarded a flight at the Boise Airport sometime on Monday. In this Sunday, March 6, 2016, photo, Amanda Padula, left, and Deborah Young sit outside Altar Church in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where pastor Tim Remington was shot multiple times as he was leaving services earlier in the day. The two women said they benefited from Remington's Good Samaritan Rehabilitation program. (Kathy Plonka/The Spokesman-Review via AP) The Miss Teen of America Scholarship and Recognition Pageant is proud to announce the Southeastern Regional Pageant will be at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel in Birmingham on May 13-15.. State titles and prize packages will be awarded to nine separate states: Miss Teen of Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. New state titleholders receive a $1,000 cash scholarship, a $250 award to hold an inclusion event in their school or community, an all expense paid trip to Minneapolis, Minnesota in November 2016 to compete for the National Title of Miss Teen of America and additional prizes. The new Miss Teen of America will win a $5,000 cash scholarship and an additional prize package worth up to $20,000. In addition, Miss Teen of America gets to travel nationally to events for the pageant, as well as for our charitable alliance partner the Special Olympics. Miss Teen of America is not a beauty pageant. The Miss Teen of America organization searches for well-rounded teenagers, ages 13 to 18, through six distinct categories of judging: scholastic achievement, service to school and community, personal development, personality projection and poise, a general awareness test and judge's interview. Find out more information on our website www.missteenofamerica.com, our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/missteenofamerica) or by emailing our national office at info@missteenofamerica.com. Sunny Hill, President sunny@missteenofamerica.com Miss Teen of America Minnesota couple denies teen sisters were hidden for 2 years HASTINGS, Minn. (AP) A couple accused of hiding two teen sisters for more than two years in Grant County says there was no effort to keep the girls' location secret. Doug and Gina Dahlen are facing felony charges in the case. The girls' mother, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, and her friend are accused of driving the teens to the Dahlen's ranch near Herman to hide them from their father in a bitter divorce case. The Star Tribune (http://strib.mn/1RzywJi ) reports a motion to dismiss the charges says the Dahlens took the girls, Gianna and Samantha Rucki, to restaurants, garage sales, church and shopping trips and didn't try to hide them. The Dahlens say the teens had access to computers and cellphones and could have gone home. The sisters, ages 16 and 17, have moved back in with their father. __ This story has been corrected to show the Dahlen ranch is in Grant County, not Dakota County. ___ Man charged with killing girlfriend, telling her ex via text BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) A Montana man gunned down his girlfriend and then sent a text message about the killing to her ex-husband and others, authorities said Wednesday. Anthony Tobias Fagiano, 35, was charged with deliberate homicide hours after he turned himself in, telling officers he broke into Darcy Buhmann's house and shot her, police in Bozeman said. Buhmann's ex-husband, Christopher Wood, called 911 to report he received a text from Fagiano that said he had shot Buhmann. The text added: "It's best for you, she'll never be faithful." Anthony Fagiano, 35, appears via video in Gallatin County Justice Court on Wednesday, March 9, 2016, after being charged with deliberate homicide in Bozeman, Mont. Fagiano reportedly shot his girlfriend and then informed the womans ex-husband and others about the shooting via text message. (Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez/Bozeman Daily Chronicle via AP) Police found Buhmann's body in her bedroom closet. She was shot in the head and stomach. Public defender Mary Kramer did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Fagiano told investigators that he took Buhmann's car after the shooting and went to the woods, where he sent texts to several family members about the shooting. A relative urged him to report what he had done to law enforcement, so he drove to the court and police facility in Bozeman, charging documents said. When an officer asked if his girlfriend needed medical attention, he replied, "No man, she's dead. I popped her in the head," court records said. Fagiano told officers he had been in a relationship with Buhmann for about a year and had been thinking about killing her for several months. He said he recently stole a rifle, intending to use it to kill her. Fagiano was served with a restraining order filed by Buhmann on Feb. 21, prosecutors said. She listed him as her ex-boyfriend. "It took less than one month, and we have a homicide case," Gallatin County Attorney Marty Lambert said in recommending bail be set at $1 million. "He's an extreme risk to the members of this community." Prison for man convicted in death of cop hit by someone else MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) A suburban New York man who was convicted in the death of a police officer on the Long Island Expressway was sentenced Wednesday to at least five years in prison even though the officer was struck and killed by another motorist. James Ryan was convicted in February in the death of Nassau County Officer James Olivieri in October 2012. Prosecutors said Ryan's reckless driving caused the chain-reaction crash that killed Olivieri. The case was watched closely by legal experts, who said it was rare for someone other than a driver directly involved in a crash to be charged. The charges were based on the legal principle of "causation/foreseeability," in which suspects are charged in events that are foreseeable results of their actions. A jury found the 28-year-old Ryan guilty of 10 of 13 charges but acquitted him of the most serious one aggravated vehicular homicide. He was convicted on charges including aggravated criminally negligent homicide, vehicular manslaughter, drunken driving and reckless endangerment. Ryan will serve five years on the aggravated criminally negligent homicide conviction, to include at least four years on the manslaughter charge, although it is possible that sentence could run as long as 12 years, according to Shams Tarek, a spokesman for the district attorney. Ryan tearfully apologized before being sentenced. "Words can't express how deeply sorry I am for your loss," Ryan said to the courtroom audience, which included Olivieri relatives. "Officer Olivieri was a great man." Ryan's Toyota hit a BMW on the Long Island Expressway after Ryan spent a night drinking in New York City. He then was hit by another car after stopping 1,500 yards down the highway. A few minutes later, an SUV driver smashed into Ryan's car before hitting Olivieri, who was out of his patrol vehicle talking to Ryan. During the trial, defense attorney Marc Gann conceded his client had been drinking and had a blood-alcohol level of 0.13, which is higher than the state's threshold of 0.08. But the attorney said the SUV driver failed to avoid crashing into the wreckage from Ryan's earlier accident. That driver was never charged. In one such causation case from 1994, a New York City man was convicted of murder in the death of an officer who had been chasing after him in a robbery investigation and fell to his death through a skylight. "Drunk drivers kill, and they will be held accountable," said District Attorney Madeline Singas. "We are thankful that justice was served today." Ryan's attorney has said he intends to appeal the conviction. ___ Reid pounds GOP united against Obama Supreme Court choice WASHINGTON (AP) Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid is going out punching. Never one to back down from a political fight, the five-term Nevada Democrat has been relentlessly pounding Republicans over their insistence that President Barack Obama's successor fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. Each day of the Senate session, the 76-year-old Reid, who is retiring at the end of his term, stands on the floor and rails against the GOP, casting them as obstructionists and lackeys of presidential front-runner Donald Trump. "Republicans have not always been this irrational and vicious," Reid said Wednesday, calling the GOP the "party of Trump, the caucus of Trump, the conference of Trump." Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his leadership office at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Never one to back down from a political fight, the five-term Nevada Democrat has been relentlessly pounding Republicans over their insistence that President Barack Obamas successor fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. The GOP remains unified. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Republicans, led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., remain united. They counter that the American people should decide in November who will choose the next justice, especially with primary votes already cast in nearly half the states. An Obama pick would tilt the ideological balance of what has been a mostly conservative court for decades, and the GOP base wants none of it. So no confirmation hearing, no vote, no meeting with Obama's pick to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia. "I think it's very important that we continue to harp on the fact that all we're asking people to do is their job," Reid told The Associated Press in an interview in his Senate office on Tuesday. The Democrat said he has talked to White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough about a possible nominee, but declined to disclose his recommendation. Reid, a former middleweight boxer and U.S. Capitol police officer, is famous or infamous if you talk to Republicans for bare-knuckles politics. The election-year fight over the Supreme Court nominee underscores that the stakes extend beyond the court to the presidency and majority control of the Senate. At play is Reid's own Nevada seat where Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto, the state's former attorney general and Reid's choice, likely will face Republican Rep. Joe Heck in a costly and competitive race. The partisan lines in the Senate have never been sharper. "It's absolutely clear to me that Senate Republicans stand firmly behind the idea that the people should have a say in this critical issue," said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said it's not as if Republicans "don't have time. It's not as if there aren't enough calendar days or session days to do the job. It's that from the beginning, they just decided that this was the hill that they wanted to die on." Republicans and Democrats agree that the rhetorical offensive is Reid just being Reid. After all, this was the Democrat who called President George W. Bush a "loser" and poked the hornet's nest of the 2012 presidential campaign by suggesting without documentation that Mitt Romney hadn't paid taxes in 10 years. "It seems a continuation of what we saw when he was majority leader," said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. "I think he's trying to double down on what has been very ineffective for him as a method of trying to lead his party. It's backfiring." Particularly galling to Republicans is the fact that Reid changed the Senate rules, eliminating filibusters for most of the president's nominations, an extraordinary step known in the Senate as the nuclear option. Said Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate: "He's been this way for a long time." A singular focus of Reid's criticism is Chuck Grassley, who took over as chairman of the Judiciary Committee when Republicans won control of the Senate in 2014. The 82-year-old Iowa Republican has said no to confirmation hearings and criticized the "tantrums from the other side," a reference to the Democrats. "I happen to be at the point of the spear, but they know it so everything they're doing is all about Democratic politics," Grassley said in a conference call with Iowa reporters on Wednesday. Democrats recruited Patty Judge, a former Iowa lieutenant governor, to challenge Grassley. If she can win the Democratic nomination, she faces an uphill fight against the plain-spoken, popular Grassley although the incumbent has been battered by scathing editorials back home in a state that voted for Obama twice. "I've known Chuck Grassley for a long, long time. I've worked with him, but the position that he took on this nomination to the Supreme Court immediately took by the way ... compelled me to decide that I was going to make this run," Judge said Tuesday, prior to meeting with Senate Democrats at their weekly luncheon. Reid said he expects Obama to make a nomination shortly and "then it's going to change everything." As for the Republicans, "I think there may come a time when they decide that it's better to do their jobs," he said. ___ Associated Press writers Andrew Taylor and Alan Fram in Washington and David Pitt in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his leadership office at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Never one to back down from a political fight, the five-term Nevada Democrat has been relentlessly pounding Republicans over their insistence that President Barack Obamas successor fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. The GOP remains unified. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his leadership office at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Never one to back down from a political fight, the five-term Nevada Democrat has been relentlessly pounding Republicans over their insistence that President Barack Obamas successor fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. The GOP remains unified. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Walker and Supreme Court justice have long known each other MADISON, Wis. (AP) The personal and political lives of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and an embattled state Supreme Court justice have been intertwined for decades, starting with overlapping semesters at Marquette University, where the future justice penned anti-gay writings and threatened to resign from student government over a multicultural course requirement. Justice Rebecca Bradley's writings bashing gays, feminism, abortion and political correctness at Marquette University from the early 1990s resurfaced this week, as she is running for a full 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. She faces state Appeals Court Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg in the April 5 election. Walker's spokeswoman Laurel Patrick said Wednesday that the governor didn't know about Bradley's writings before he appointed her to three judicial openings. Bradley said she has never spoken with Walker about them. Supreme court justice candidates JoAnne Kloppenburg, left, and Rebecca Bradley shake hands after appearing at Milwaukee Bar Association forum on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 in Milwaukee. The two candidates made statements, and took questions from the audience and moderator. (Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Walker and Bradley only overlapped at the private Jesuit school in Milwaukee for a year, a time when they coincidentally both had letters to the editor published in the student newspaper, an Associated Press review of records showed. Bradley's most controversial writings, including her column calling gay people "queers" and "degenerates," were published two years after Walker left college. Bradley, in a forum Wednesday at the Milwaukee Bar Association, apologized for the third time in as many days for her college opinions, saying her views are different today thanks to a "mosaic of life experiences." There are other ties from Marquette connecting Bradley and Walker. The future state Supreme Court justice served as a senator on Marquette's student government alongside Jim Villa, one of Walker's longest and most trusted advisers. Villa and Bradley were at a heated student senate meeting in 1991 where Bradley slammed down her nameplate and threatened to resign during a discussion of whether the university should add a multicultural course requirement, according to a student newspaper article. Villa went on to serve as Walker's chief of staff for five years when Walker was Milwaukee County executive and as an informal adviser to Walker's presidential run last year. Scot Ross, director of One Wisconsin Now, the liberal group that brought to light Bradley's college writings, said he thinks Villa must have told Walker about Bradley's political past. But Villa told AP on Wednesday that he did not. He said he remembered Bradley from college, but they were not close friends. "I didn't advise the governor on Rebecca Bradley's appointments, whatsoever," Villa said. He also said he didn't talk with Walker about her college writings. "Not only did I not speak to him about it, I didn't remember those writings," Villa said. Patrick, Walker's spokeswoman, said she didn't know when Walker first met Bradley. But Patrick said they did not meet in college. Bradley told reporters Wednesday that she can't remember when she first met Walker. They've been near-neighbors for the past decade. Their homes in Wauwatosa are around the corner from one another, less than half a mile away. Another column written by Bradley for Marquette's student magazine in 1992 emerged Wednesday. Bradley argued that writer and critic Camille Paglia "legitimately" suggested that women play a role in date rape. In a collection of essays published that year, Paglia wrote that a girl who gets "dead drunk" at a fraternity party is a fool, and that if she goes upstairs with a fraternity brother she is an idiot. At the candidate forum Wednesday in Milwaukee, Bradley said, "Any suggestion that I ever said that a woman was to blame for a rape is offensive to me as a woman." Bradley didn't disclose the college writings in the application she submitted to Walker for judicial openings. The application forms asked for academic activities, including extracurricular involvement, and she listed her time as a Marquette University student senator and as editor of the student newspaper at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School. Walker first appointed Bradley to the Milwaukee County circuit court in 2012, then to the state Court of Appeals in May 2015. He named her to the state Supreme Court last October. Bradley donated $250 to Walker's recall election campaign in 2012. Bradley has said she applies the law independently and fairly and does not let politics sway her decisions. The race is officially nonpartisan, but conservatives are backing Bradley and liberals are supporting Kloppenburg. Walker on Tuesday dodged a question about whether he would have appointed Bradley had she disclosed her previous writings. "It's really irrelevant," Walker said, adding, "it's right now up to the voters." ___ Associated Press writer Bryna Godar in Madison and Greg Moore in Milwaukee contributed to this report. ___ Skygazers catch flight for prime view of total solar eclipse ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) Skygazers from around the U.S. caught a flight from Alaska to Hawaii for prime viewing of a total solar eclipse that unfolded over parts of Indonesia and the Indian and Pacific oceans. A dozen eclipse enthusiasts were among the 181 passengers on the plane Tuesday that departed Anchorage for Honolulu. The rare event occurs when the moon is close enough to Earth to completely block out the sun. Joe Rao, an associate astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium in New York, called Alaska Airlines last fall, explaining that the flight would be in the right place for the eclipse. The route was expected to encounter the darkest shadow of the moon as it passed over Earth. This photo provided by Dan McGlaun shows the full shadow of the moon during the total solar eclipse on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, as seen from an airplane over the North Pacific Ocean. So-called eclipse chasers boarded a special flight from Anchorage to Honolulu to view the eclipse on Tuesday from the air. (Dan McGlaun/eclipse2017.org via AP) Problem was, the plane would be passing by nearly a half-hour too soon. The airline rescheduled the flight to depart 25 minutes later, and it rendezvoused with the eclipse's sweet spot nearly 700 miles north of Honolulu. After the schedule tweak, Rao and a dozen other astronomy aficionados booked seats for the big show at 36,000 feet. Rao, like other self-dubbed "eclipse geeks," was thrilled about setting out to witness his 11th such spectacle. "It is an experience," he said of watching the sun turn into a giant black disk in the sky. "Every fiber of you gets involved in those few moments when the sun is totally eclipsed." The eclipse was expected to last just under two minutes in that location. The last total solar eclipse was in March 2015, and the one before that was in 2012. Craig Small, a semiretired Hayden Planetarium astronomer, was viewing his 31st total eclipse. To mark each viewing, he carried a special eclipse flag made in 1972. Also on board was Dan McGlaun, who brought 200 pairs of special filter glasses to distribute to other passengers. McGlaun, a project manager who runs eclipse2017.org, was excited about viewing his 12th total eclipse. "It's going to be amazing. It always is," he said before boarding. "It's a universal reaction when you see an eclipse. You cheer, you scream, you cry." ___ Follow Rachel D'Oro at https://twitter.com/rdoro . Evan Zucker of San Diego, left, and Craig Small, a semi-retired astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium in New York City, hang an eclipse flag in the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska, on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. They and other so-called eclipse chasers boarded a special flight from Anchorage to Honolulu to view the eclipse on Tuesday from the air. The eclipse will only be visible in parts of southeast Asia and the North Pacific Ocean, including the flight path of the Alaska Airlines flight. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) Dan McGlaun of Indianapolis poses Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Anchorage, Alaska, with special glasses designed to view the total solar eclipse. He and other so-called eclipse chasers boarded a special flight from Anchorage to Honolulu to view the eclipse on Tuesday from the air. The eclipse will only be visible in parts of southeast Asia and the North Pacific Ocean, including the flight path of the Alaska Airlines flight. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) Craig Small, a semi-retired astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium in New York City, speaks to reporters in Anchorage, Alaska, on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. He and other so-called eclipse chasers boarded a special flight from Anchorage to Honolulu to view the eclipse on Tuesday from the air. The eclipse will only be visible in parts of southeast Asia and the North Pacific Ocean, including the flight path of the Alaska Airlines flight. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) A binder about the plan to intercept a total solar eclipse sits on a chair in the waiting area of the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska, on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Many so-called eclipse chasers boarded a special flight from Anchorage to Honolulu to view the eclipse on Tuesday from the air. The eclipse will only be visible in parts of southeast Asia and the North Pacific Ocean, including the flight path of the Alaska Airlines flight. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) Cast of Broadway hit 'Hamilton' to perform at White House NEW YORK (AP) The cast of the mega-hit Broadway show "Hamilton" will make a quick trip to the White House on Monday to perform songs from the show for the first family and answer questions from school children. Lin-Manuel Miranda, the show's writer and star, announced the invitation during his weekly video series Wednesday. The musical tells the true story of Alexander Hamilton, the nation's first treasury secretary. It is told by a young African-American and Latino cast and has a varied score that ranges from pop ballads to sexy R&B to rap battles. FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2015 file photo, Lin-Manuel Miranda appears at the curtain call following the opening night performance of "Hamilton" in New York. The cast of the hit Broadway show will make an appearance at the White House on Monday, March 14, 2016, to perform songs for the first family and answer questions from school children. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File) The Obamas have been big boosters of the show. President Barack Obama took daughters Sasha and Malia to see it last year after first lady Michelle Obama caught it last spring. ___ Anti-gay writings take center stage in Wisconsin court race MADISON, Wis. (AP) A tight Wisconsin Supreme Court race erupted this week when a liberal advocacy group brought to light 1992 opinion pieces that Justice Rebecca Bradley wrote as a Marquette University student in which she expressed strong views on topics including homosexuality, AIDS, abortion and date rape. Bradley was appointed to the state's highest court by Republican Gov. Scott Walker in October and is running against state Appeals Court Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg for a full 10-year term on the high court. Bradley has repeatedly apologized for some of the things she wrote in those college newspaper columns, saying her views have changed over the nearly quarter-century since. It remains to be seen what effect, if any, her old writings will have on the outcome of the officially non-partisan race with less than a month to go before the April 5 election. Supreme court justice candidates JoAnne Kloppenburg, left, and Rebecca Bradley shake hands after appearing at Milwaukee Bar Association forum on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 in Milwaukee. The two candidates made statements, and took questions from the audience and moderator. (Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Here are the details of some of what Bradley wrote: ON AIDS AND HOMOSEXUALITY In a column and letters to the editor, Bradley referred to homosexuals as "queers" and "degenerates" and wrote that homosexual and drug addicted AIDS victims "basically commit suicide through their behavior" and deservedly don't receive her sympathy. Bradley has apologized repeatedly and says her views are different today thanks to a "mosaic of life experiences." She said the comments have "nothing to do with who I am as a person or a jurist, and they have nothing to do with the issues facing the voters of this state." She also said she would officiate a gay wedding, if she was asked by a family member or friend. ON DATE RAPE In another column attacking feminism, Bradley wrote that writer and critic Camille Paglia "legitimately suggested that women play a role in date rape." In a collection of essays published in 1992, Paglia wrote that a girl who gets "dead drunk" at a fraternity party is a fool, and that if she goes upstairs with a fraternity brother she's an idiot. "Feminists call this 'blaming the victim.' I call it common sense," Paglia wrote. Bradley said Wednesday any suggestion that she said a woman was to blame for a rape is offensive to her as a woman. ON ABORTION Bradley's campaign declined to comment directly on an anti-abortion column, because a spokeswoman said the issue could come before the state Supreme Court. In that column, Bradley argues life begins at conception and that it's "incomprehensible" that people could argue that they have "a right to murder their own flesh and blood." "Our society is turning a blind eye to this holocaust of our children, largely for the sake of the convenience, or perhaps the financial concerns of the women who choose abortion," Bradley wrote. TIES TO GOV. WALKER Walker has defended his appointment of Bradley, but he hasn't said whether he knew about her writings before this week. The two have ties going back to a year overlapping at Marquette, and Walker has appointed her three times to judicial positions. Walker said it's appropriate she's stated her opinions have changed but stopped short of condemning the college columns. "I think a good chunk of society has got very different views than they did in college," Walker said Tuesday. STATE OF THE RACE The race is officially nonpartisan, but Bradley largely has the support of conservatives, and Kloppenburg of liberals. A February poll from Marquette University's law school showed the two essentially tied, with many likely voters still undecided. ___ Cambridge's Jesus College removes statue of cockerel after student campaign A Cambridge college has removed an African bronze cockerel from display after a campaign by students. Jesus College said the Benin bronze Okukor had been taken down from its hall and it would hold discussions about its future "including the question of repatriation". The college's Student Union passed a motion in February calling for the artwork, which it said was stolen by British forces in a "punitive raid" in 1897, be returned to Nigeria. Jesus College said it welcomed input from all students in the discussion It comes after the Rhodes Must Fall campaign at Oxford, in which some students demanded that Oriel College take down a statue of British colonialist Cecil Rhodes. A Jesus College spokeswoman said: "Jesus College acknowledges the contribution made by students in raising the important but complex question of the rightful location of its Benin bronze, in response to which it has permanently removed the Okukor from its hall. "The college commits to work actively with the wider university and to commit resources to new initiatives with Nigerian heritage and museum authorities to discuss and determine the best future for the Okukor, including the question of repatriation. "The College strongly endorses the inclusion of students from all relevant communities in such discussion." According to the British Museum, almost 1,000 bronzes were taken after Benin City in present-day Nigeria was occupied by imperial troops in 1897. Some 900 are now in museums and collections around the world, including at the British Museum. The minutes of the student union meeting in February says Jesus College was bequeathed the Okukor in 1930 by Captain George William Neville, a former British Army officer whose son had been a student there. The motion says that the students' union "believes the time is right to repatriate the cockerel to the Royal Palace of Benin in line with existing protocol". Jesus College was set up at the start of the 16th century and has 500 undergraduate and 300 postgraduate students according to its website. In January Oriel College Oxford said it would be keeping its statue of Cecil Rhodes, the founder of the Rhodes Scholarship, following "careful consideration" and after receiving an "overwhelming" amount of support to do so. Campaign group Rhodes Must Fall, which collected more than 2,000 signatures on a petition demanding the statue's removal, said it represented racism and oppression. 'Crisis' claims as record 801,000 workers on zero-hours contracts Insecure work in the UK is said to have reached "crisis" levels after figures showed that the number of workers on zero-hours contracts has increased by 104,000 to a record 801,000. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said 2.5% of the employed UK workforce were on zero-hours contracts in the quarter to last December, up from 2.3% in the same period of 2014. The data showed there were around 1.7 million contracts that did not guarantee a minimum number of hours in November, confirming that many workers are on more than one zero-hours contract. 2.5% of the employed UK workforce were on zero-hours contracts in the quarter to last December, figures show Unions and Labour attacked the contracts as "unjust", while zero-hours workers called them a "nightmare". Comments posted on the jobs site Glassdoor revealed the difficulties of working on a zero-hours contract, under which workers do not know from one week to the next how many hours they will be offered. One former worker at retail giant Sports Direct, which employs a large number on the controversial contracts, said: "Never worked longer than a 4 hour shift because they didn't want to have to give me a break." A sales assistant in London wrote: "The 0 hour contract is bad because you can end up not getting work for days, or even weeks." A part-time shop worker described the contracts as a "nightmare", saying staff wanted four-hour contracts to be doubled. Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said homecare workers were among those forced to accept the insecure employment. "These unjust contracts increase uncertainty and undermine confidence. Many homecare staff end up working when ill because they're denied sick pay. This poses a risk to people receiving home care, but workers have no choice given their shockingly low wages." People on zero-hours contracts were more likely to be young, part-time, women, or in full-time education when compared with other people in employment, said the ONS. On average, someone on a zero-hours contract usually worked 26 hours a week. Around one in three people on a zero-hours contract wanted more hours, with most wanting them in their current job, as opposed to a different job which offered more hours. In comparison, 10% of other people in employment wanted more hours, said the ONS. TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Zero-hours contracts may be a dream for cost-cutting employers, but they can be a nightmare for workers." Jon Ingham, of Glassdoor, said: "The most common reason that unemployed people turn down zero-hours contracts is the need for a guaranteed level of income to make this a viable alternative to receiving unemployment benefit. These contracts favour the employers over the employees. "With 38% of these contracts held by 16 to 24-year-olds, it means there is now a significant proportion of the young workforce without guaranteed incomes." Owen Smith, shadow work and pensions secretary, said: "The scale of the crisis of insecure work under the Tories is getting worse with every passing week. "Spiralling numbers of British workers cannot be certain where their next day's work is coming from, making it virtually impossible to plan finances and family life." LA Times Headline Double Standards | Main | Updated: Two News Agencies Amend Original Role Reversing Headlines Concealing Palestinian Terrorism March 09, 2016 How Well Did Your News Source Cover the American Murdered by a Palestinian on March 8, 2016? The Knoxville News provided a brief biography of the American graduate student, Taylor Force, who was murdered in Jaffa, Israel by a Palestinian terrorist. The article's lead sentence stated, "A West Point graduate who served tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan was the Vanderbilt University student stabbed to death during a series of attacks in Israel, officials said." It also provided a photograph of Force (above). A Reuters article identified Force as the victim of the attack, but offered no information except that he was a "tourist." The Huffington Post, relying upon the Reuters report supplied no further information. An Associated Press (AP) report appearing on Yahoo News identified Force as a graduate student at Vanderbilt, but did not mention his military service or that he was a graduate of West Point. National Public Radio had not covered the tragic murder at all at the time this blog item was posted. PBS's Gwen Ifill reported "In the days other news: An American tourist was killed and a dozen Israelis wounded in a fresh wave of Palestinian attacks. The tourist, identified as a Vanderbilt University student, died in Jaffa, where an assailant stabbed seven people, before being killed by police." Evidencing a disturbing detachment from the shocking incident, the Newshour proceded with an interview by Judy Woodruff of New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman about Vice President Biden's trip to Israel. After briefly noting the stabbing attack, the interview moved on and never mentioned it again. Friedman demonstrated exquisite poor timing with an analogy about the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, stating, Its actually been dead for a while. I just called it by its real name. Its clear to me, Judy, that both sides have conspired. This was like Murder on the Orient Express.? There were so many stab wounds in this body, hard to tell exactly which one was the fatal blow. Friedman closed the interview with his oft-repeated and tired analogy, "friends dont let friends drive drunk, and we have been letting a lot of people drive drunk." In contrast, CBS News ran a segment providing information about Force, his military service and a photograph. The BBC report identified Force as a Vanderbilt graduate student but did not mention his military service or that he was a graduate of West Point. A USA Today report provided the information that Force was a graduate student at Vanderbuilt and that he was a graduate of West Point who had served as an Artillery officer in Iraq. The International Business Times published a report at approximately the same time as the other sources listed above identifying Force as a veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan and also noting that a pregnant woman was among the other seriously injured victims of the stabbing attack. The article included a photograph of Force. London's Daily Mail carried the most extensive report on the incident. Its coverage included photographs of Force and his sister. Force's wife was also seriously injured in the attack. It included numerous photographs and video footage of the attack. None of the early reports appear to have included statements by Fatah, the ruling party in the West Bank, praising the attacker as a hero and martyr. A New York Times article published around 9:00 AM on March 9, quotes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as stating, But unfortunately President Abbas has not only refused to condemn these terrorist attacks, his Fatah party actually praised the murderer of this American citizen as a Palestinian martyr and a hero.? The Washington Post also reported on Abbas's praise for the attack. It will be interesting to observe which, if any, of the above-mentioned sources will provide updated articles with this information. Posted by SS at March 9, 2016 10:24 AM I find your piece on the Arab murder spree in Jerusalem well done. In today's Wall St. Journal, right after noting that V.P. Biden complained that the P.A. leader failed to condemn the latest murderer, PM Netanyahu complained that the P.A. leaders praise the murderer. V.P. Biden's failure to condemn that praise indicates an inaccuracy that undermines his stance as an honest broker in trying to reinstate peace talks. Can't make peace without knowing who causes the war. IMRA reports that Biden used his visit to condemn statements by Donald Trump and to associate those statements with the Republican Party, which actually does not endorse them. It is not proper for a U.S. official to play partisan politics abroad. Posted by: Richard H. Shulman at March 10, 2016 02:02 PM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment Scottish deficit nears 15bn as oil and gas revenues sink Scotland's deficit reached almost 15 billion in the last financial year after revenues from North Sea oil and gas fell by more than 50%, figures have revealed. The Scottish Government published its latest data on revenue and expenditure, which showed a deficit of 14.9 billion for 2014-15 when a geographic share of North Sea revenues is allocated to Scotland. That amounts to 9.7% of Scottish GDP, compared with the overall UK deficit of 4.9% of GDP. Oil and gas revenues fell by 55% in a year, Scottish Government figures have revealed North Sea revenue fell from more than 10.9 billion in 2011-12 to less than 4.8 billion in 2013-14, before dropping to 2.25 billion last year, according to the data. Opposition parties said the statistics highlighted the "devastating impact" a vote for Scottish independence would have had, with the country's finances impacted by a "volatile and unpredictable source of income". But First Minister Nicola Sturgeon insisted "the foundations of Scotland's economy are strong", and stressed Scotland's onshore economy is "doing well", with revenue growth of 3.2%. The Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) figures also showed that income from tax was 10,000 per person - that included a geographic share of oil revenue. It represented 8.2% of revenue, slightly below the UK figure. In every previous year, Scottish tax receipts per person have been higher than in the rest of the UK. Expenditure was 12,800 per person, or 9.3%. That was 1,400 per person more than the UK average. Scotland Office minister Andrew Dunlop said: " These figures show that Scotland is facing challenging economic times, in particular because of the drop in oil price, and demonstrate the value of the broad shoulders of the United Kingdom." Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said: "These figures from the SNP Government show once and for all the devastating impact leaving the UK would have had on Scotland's finances." Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said Ms Sturgeon had made a "fatal error of judgment" in "recommending that Scotland should be independent even though its finances would be based on such a volatile and unpredictable source of income". Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said: "These figures today illustrate the impact of the falling oil price on Scotland's balance sheet." But Ms Sturgeon said : " Taken in the context of the wider economic environment, which has been impacted by muted global demand, falling oil prices and more difficult conditions for manufacturers, the economy has remained resilient with record levels of employment, positive economic growth and growing exports. "This shows the foundations of Scotland's economy are strong and that we have a strong base to build our future progress upon." She added: "D espite the fact the onshore economy accounts for more than 90% of Scotland's output, Scotland is clearly not immune to the problems being felt by the oil industry internationally. "It is important to bear in mind that these are figures from just one year and while we are doing what we can to mitigate these problems, this needs immediate action from the UK Government." Ms Sturgeon emphasised the strength of the onshore economy, adding: "It has been true over the past five years, and it will be true to an even greater extend over the next five years, that the decline in oil revenues, assuming the oil price stays where it is, that that growth in onshore revenues will significantly exceed the fall in oil revenues." She said more powers for Scotland would provide "more ability to grow and diversify our tax base". "This (GERS) is a statement of the Scottish economy under the status quo, this is not a statement of the Scottish economy under full fiscal autonomy or independence," she said. China-made truck used by North Korea in new artillery system By James Pearson SEOUL, March 9 (Reuters) - North Korea is using Chinese-made trucks in a new mobile artillery system showcased five days ago, according to photographic evidence, underlining the difficulty in enforcing U.N. sanctions against the isolated state. North Korea's Multiple Rocket Launcher System (MRLS) may be able to operate outside the range of similar U.S. and South Korean weapons, according to an expert. In photographs published by North Korean state media, the vehicle used in the MRLS artillery battery has the bodywork and markings of a Chinese-made Sinotruk HOWO truck, which is widely available commercially and is used by North Korea in its mining and construction industries. Last week, the United Nations Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on North Korea for pursuing a nuclear programme following a resolution drafted by the United States and Pyongyang's ally, China. An MRLS is a kind of rocket-propelled artillery system capable of firing a barrage of rockets at a target. It is usually mounted on the back of a tank-like chassis, or a truck, and the vehicles do not need much modification. "You just need a launch tube that you mount on the truck," said Markus Schiller, a rocketry expert based in Germany. "It's almost as easy as mounting a machine gun". North Korean media showed leader Kim Jong Un observing the test-firing of the MRLS at an event where he ordered his country to be ready to use its nuclear weapons at any time. It is not clear if North Korea has successfully miniaturised a nuclear weapon small enough to mount in place of a conventional warhead. The rockets fired by the new weapon are at the "upper-end" of range estimates of its kind, according to Jeffrey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies, writing for the 38 North website that analyses events in North Korea. The increased range reduces their vulnerability to counter-battery fire by South Korean or U.S. artillery, according to Lewis. China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but has repeatedly said the government is committed to enforcing the U.N. sanctions on North Korea. Calls to Sinotruk's headquarters in the northern Chinese city of Jinan went unanswered. Recent photos obtained by Reuters showed a civilian version of the Sinotruk - a bright red dumpster - with North Korean registration plates at a Chinese-North Korean border crossing. North Korean state media has in the past released images of the same Sinotruck HOWO truck chassis and cabin in propaganda related to construction or mining. The Chinese government uses a military model of a Sinotruk HOWO off-road truck for its own MRLS, according to the 38 North website. MISSILES ON CHINESE TRUCKS Since 2006, it has been against U.N. sanctions to ship military hardware into North Korea but control of equipment and vehicles into the North that have commercial use has been far less stringent. It is not clear if North Korea's military uses the commercial or military version of the Sinotruk HOWO vehicle, but the isolated country has a history of importing Chinese heavy-duty civilian vehicles and using them for military purposes. In 2010, North Korea's forestry ministry wrote in a statement to China that six large off-road trucks later spotted in a military parade carrying the KN-08 ballistic missile were bought to transport timber, according to a document in a 2013 United Nations Panel of Experts report. "I am sure that China will say, like the with the KN-08 transporters, that North Korea provided a false civilian end-use," Lewis told Reuters. A salesman for a company advertising civilian and military models of the Sinotruk HOWO cabin and chassis on Chinese online retailer Alibaba said the truck's strong body would make it ideal for military use, but it was not able to sell the military version of the same truck. "The military trucks only can be sold by the government," the salesperson said. "What we are offering is used for normal transportation". Under attack, Indonesian LGBT groups set up safehouses, live in fear By Alisa Tang BANGKOK, March 9 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - LGBT activists, facing a barrage of homophobia and hate speech by Indonesian authorities, are setting up hotlines and safehouses, while "unfriending" people on social media and deleting website directories that could expose them to violence. Indonesia's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights groups have been active for decades and have come under attack before, but usually only for one or two days at a time. This time, the anti-LGBT rhetoric began about two months ago, say activists who describe a community living in fear. "This is the first time it's actually lasted this long," said Dede Oetomo, a prominent activist who founded one of the country's oldest LGBT rights groups, GAYa NUSANTARA, in 1987. Oetomo said the attacks began in January when Higher Education Minister Muhammad Nasir said LGBT people should be barred from university campuses, and have continued on an almost daily basis. The national broadcasting commission reiterated a policy banning TV and radio programmes that make LGBT behaviour appear "normal", saying this was to protect children and teenagers who are "susceptible to duplicating deviant LGBT behaviours". The Indonesia Psychiatric Association classified homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism as mental disorders, while Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu called the LGBT movement a "proxy war" to brainwash Indonesians. Critics say LGBT groups receive "foreign funding", which is true if one looks at funds from United Nations organisations like UNAIDS or Western governments and foundations, Oetomo said. "We are supposed to be a danger to survival of the nation," Oetomo said by telephone from Surabaya, where GAYa NUSANTARA is based. "It's getting ridiculous in a way. It sounds like a little war." Government officials did not respond to repeated requests for comment. There have been a few incidents of LGBT people being harassed, and Oetomo said LGBT groups are now working to set up safehouses and draw up evacuation plans in case of need. In Yogyakarta, southeast of Jakarta, on Feb. 23 LGBT activists were roughed up by police, who told local media they stopped them from holding a rally to avoid a clash with a hardline Muslim group holding an anti-LGBT protest nearby. Also in Yogyakarta, an Islamic boarding school for transgender women was shut down two weeks ago. LEVEL OF ATTACKS "UNPRECEDENTED" Homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia, though some politicians have called for criminalisation of gay sex. Sexual and gender minorities in Indonesia have historically lived amid a tense calm, with tolerance and pluralism protecting them from violence and a sense that discretion brought safety, said Kyle Knight, LGBT rights researcher for New York-based Human Rights Watch. "What we're seeing now may be unprecedented in terms of its fever pitch," Knight wrote in an email from Indonesia, where he is documenting human rights abuses related to the rise in anti-LGBT rhetoric. "This time around, government officials have even stoked the cacophony of hatred." Some officials - including Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan - have defended the LGBT community. "Whoever they are, wherever they work, he or she continues to be an Indonesian citizen. They have the right to be protected as well," Pandjaitan was quoted as saying in The Jakarta Post. This is little comfort for LGBT rights defenders. Kevin Halim, an Indonesian transgender woman activist with the Bangkok-based Asia Pacific Transgender Network, is troubled by "experts" promoting conversion therapy without considering the psychological damage that can be done by their words. And many LGBT Indonesians are combing through their social media to "unfriend" anyone who might disapprove of them. "Normally I just share everything gay about me," said Safir Soeparna, who works for Apcom, a Bangkok-based group focusing on HIV in gay men. "Now I'm a bit like ... will somebody use this to blackmail me? So I rechecked my 'friend' list and deleted people I can't trust 100 percent." Several activists have also adopted new security strategies. "My guys don't even go to the office any more. It's too dangerous. We've never really experienced this," Oetomo said. The staff of Arus Pelangi, which provides legal assistance for LGBT people, set up a buddy system in January because police could not guarantee their security, and started a hotline for people needing help, Chairwoman Yuli Rustinawati said. "They have pushed us into a corner," Rustinawati said by phone from Jakarta. "LGBT people have been pushed and are living now in fear because of the statements from the government, ministers, mayors, calling on society to beware of us." France braces for nationwide protests against labour reform PARIS, March 9 (Reuters) - France was bracing for a day of nationwide strikes and protests against far-reaching labour reforms on Wednesday, with the Socialist government hoping to prevent simmering discontent among students from boiling over. Student groups have joined with hard-line labour unions in calling for a national day of protest against Labour Minister Myriam El Khomri's labour-law reforms, the government's latest attempt to bring down an unemployment rate above 10 percent. The reforms, which would put almost all aspects of the country's strictly codified labour relations up for negotiation between employers and unions, have infuriated the unions, who say they unduly threaten job security. Some 144 marches and protests will be held nationwide, according to CGT, France's biggest union. National railway company SNCF said it expected major disruption to its services, especially around Paris. Eurostar services between Paris, London and Brussels will also be affected, the operator said. President Francois Hollande will keep a close eye on the number of students on the streets, keen to avoid a repeat of the massive student protests 10 years ago that forced former president Jacques Chirac to withdraw his labour reforms. Prime Minister Manuel Valls has already postponed the labour reform's presentation to cabinet by two weeks, a sign that the government might water down its plans, which have divided lawmakers in the ruling Socialist party. Yemen war generates widespread suffering, but few refugees By Alistair Lyon March 9 (Reuters) - Amid Yemen's misery, two young women living in the war-damaged cities of Aden and Sanaa know they are among the relatively fortunate. They are not starving, their homes have not been destroyed and they have survived bombs and bullets unscathed. But both long to escape the conflict plunging their country ever deeper into catastrophe. Neither can see a way out. "I don't want to lose my life over a dream," says Nisma al-Ozebi, a 21-year-old civil engineering student in the southern port city of Aden. She hankers for a scholarship that would be her passport to a sanctuary in Europe, but adds: "I don't want to leave Yemen and live like a refugee." Yemen's civil war intensified sharply almost a year ago when a Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened with air strikes, a naval blockade and ground troops to counter Houthi rebels intent on seizing the whole country. The Houthis, Zaidi Shi'ite tribesmen now allied with an old enemy, former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, are seen by Riyadh as tools of regional arch-foe Iran, a charge they and Tehran deny. "You feel like death is waiting in every place," says Kholood al-Absi, 27, who lost her job with an oil services company in Sanaa late last year. "From the air it's Saudi planes. From the ground it's Houthis, car bombs, explosions, clashes. You feel the lives of Yemenis are very cheap." Reached by telephone at her home in the capital, she says: "I have a valid passport ... I'm just ready to go." But she admits it's a fantasy for now. Her family would never let her travel as a single woman, even if she had enough money to study abroad and seek a new life. Besides, she can't imagine crowding into a refugee boat for Djibouti. "It's very dangerous, so I think it's better for me to die in my home than to die far away," she laughs. MALNOURISHED CHILDREN About 170,000 people have fled Yemen so far, mostly to Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan. Most of them are not Yemenis, but returning refugees and other foreigners. The United Nations expects another 167,000 departures this year. Given the immense hardships in Yemen, a greater refugee exodus might have been expected. People fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and beyond have flooded into the EU since early 2015 causing a crisis. However, penned in by ocean and desert, with only Saudi Arabia and Oman as direct neighbours, Yemenis have no easy outlets - although Riyadh now allows those already in the kingdom to stay. Flights out are irregular at best. Former havens such as Jordan now demand visas and set tough conditions. Mogib Abdullah, a Yemeni spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, says his countrymen have in the past tended not to migrate for work much further than Saudi Arabia, are culturally reluctant to become refugees, and view getting to Europe as a very difficult option. "People do not really have the courage or means and resources to do it," he says. "I think they will just have to live with the realities they have. They are trapped and they will continue to be trapped, until the warring parties acknowledge that Yemenis deserve a better life at peace in their own country." The war has inflicted a devastating toll on 26 million Yemenis struggling to survive in an already impoverished country beset by acute water scarcity, poor governance and corruption. The United Nations estimates conservatively 6,000 people have been killed, about half of them civilians. It says four-fifths of Yemenis need outside aid. More than half have poor food supply and at least 320,000 children under five are severely malnourished. Upwards of 2.4 million have been forcibly displaced. STOLEN DREAMS Low living standards and education levels in Yemen mean Nisma and Kholood, with their hopes of visas to study in Europe, are the exception, not the rule. But if the war lasts longer, desperation might yet turn a trickle of refugees into a flood. "I was ambitious, I liked to dream, I had many plans in my head," says Kholood of her pre-war life. "But the war has stolen everything from me. I'm just thinking maybe I will die today or tomorrow. I feel like I'm dying but still breathing." The country she once knew has unravelled. "Now there is a big gap between Yemenis. Before, all of us, Sunni and Shi'ite, went to the same mosques, gathered in the same places. This war makes us ask which religion, which party, someone belongs to," she said. Evidence of worsening poverty is stark. "A lot of people are just begging for money and food. Some are well-educated people who lost their jobs and couldn't feed their children. This war has stolen their dignity," Kholood says. "I feel it's unbearable for me, but my situation is better than a lot of people." Kholood said she feels lonely because friends had left Yemen, sad because of relatives who had been killed and lacking purpose without the job she loved. Now, apart from domestic chores, she spends time on Facebook and watching the news, especially a channel that quickly reports the location of air strikes. "When we hear bombs, we go to this channel to see where they are falling," she says. Kholood has no love for the Houthis, but her initial support for the Saudi intervention has soured with the passage of time. "We feel it destroyed Yemen. Saudi Arabia and the other countries supporting it ... are just killing people without feeling any guilt. A lot of innocent people have been killed, civilians, children." MILITARY STALEMATE No end to the fighting is in sight. The Saudi-led coalition, mostly comprising Sunni Muslim Arab states, has failed to win a clear victory despite its air power and resources. The Houthis were pushed out of Aden in July by local Sunni militias backed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The main fighting has moved to fiercely contested Taiz and closer to the Houthi-held capital Sanaa in the north. Yet the battle-hardened Houthis are defiant. Holed up in Aden, Saudi-backed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi enjoys international recognition, but little popular support, even among his fellow-southerners. The war has fuelled Sunni-Shi'ite animosities, long muted in Yemen, and deepened rifts between the north and the once-independent south, where separatist sentiment runs high. Among the main beneficiaries of the mayhem are militants of al Qaeda and the newly implanted Islamic State. This unintended, if predictable, consequence of the war worries Saudi Arabia's main arms suppliers, the United States, Britain and France. Yet whatever their misgivings, Western powers provide munitions, intelligence, mid-air refuelling and other support for the Saudi-led coalition, despite what a U.N. panel describes as its "widespread and systematic attacks on civilian targets". Critics in Yemen and elsewhere accuse the United States and its allies of willingness to sacrifice Yemeni civilian lives to safeguard arms deals with Gulf states worth billions of dollars and to placate Saudi anger over a fragile Western detente with Iran, a suggestion Western officials dismiss. Caught up in the turmoil are millions of Yemenis, among them Kholood and Nisma, who live in daily fear. With her father and step-mother away in Jordan for medical reasons, Nisma was left in sole charge of her three younger siblings, including her five-year-old brother Mustafa, when fighting erupted near their home in March 2015. The Houthis and their allies were assaulting the airport in Aden, which Hadi had declared his temporary capital after being driven from Sanaa. Street battles raged for the next four months. Few supplies reached the blockaded city. "AFGHANISTAN MODEL" Nisma and her siblings moved twice in search of safety. First, crammed into a neighbour's car with a family of five, to an aunt's house after a missile exploded next door. And then a few days later, when rockets and shells pounded their aunt's district, to their grandmother's home. The family, by now reunited, returned home to Aden's Khormaksar district when fighting abated in July and to their surprise found it undamaged, unlike many others. Nisma says a degree of normality has returned, with power and water restored. But she has lost any sense of personal security. "I go out of my house every day expecting I will be killed anywhere, at any time, by any guy," she says. Frequent assassinations and attacks by Islamist fighters, other factions and criminal gangs in the last six months illustrate new risks in a once-cosmopolitan Arabian Sea port. "They say they follow Islamic State, but who knows," Nisma reflects. "If they are bold enough to stop us and tell us to dress as they want, maybe one day they will lock us in our houses. The Afghanistan model is coming here soon." This fear drives her determination to escape a country where any hope for a better future has evaporated. "Everyone is thinking of leaving, but how and where?" Poland - Factors to Watch March 9 Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Wednesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 1 hour): CENTRAL BANK Poland's parliamentary public finance committee will hold a hearing of prospective rate-setter Jerzy Zyzynski on Wednesday. The hearing is scheduled to start at 1100 GMT. KGHM Chile's environmental regulator pressed charges against Sierra Gorda, jointly owned by Poland's KGHM Polska Miedz and Japan's Sumitomo Metal Mining, saying the copper mine could be fined up to $29 million and have its license revoked. PKP CARGO Poland's PKP Cargo does not rule out strategic alliances with logistics companies from Poland and abroad, Chief Executive Tomasz Furman told daily Parkiet. LTE AUCTION Poland's budget will receive 7 billion zlotys ($1.8 billion)from an LTE tender, with an additional 2 billion likely to come from frequencies now allocated to T-Mobile's unit, Digitalisation Minister Anna Strezynska told weekly Gazeta Polska. ****Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.**** PRESS DIGEST - RUSSIA - March 9 MOSCOW, March 9 (Reuters) - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. VEDOMOSTI www.vedomosti.ru - The Russian Energy Ministry forecasts oil production in Russia will fall by 2035 in all four of its scenarios in a document seen by the newspaper. - A state-supported project on launching a new scientific and research centre on the basis of Moscow State University will enjoy tax breaks and independence similar to those Russia's Skolkovo innovation centre has been granted, according to a draft bill developed by the Economy Ministry. - The Cherkizovo meat processing company is considering ways to expand exports to overcome an overproduction problem it faces on the domestic market, the head of the company Sergei Mikhailov says. KOMMERSANT www.kommersant.ru - Russia is facing a new doping crisis as big as the one that broke out last year, the daily says, adding that several more sportsmen, including speed skater Pavel Kulizhnikov, could fail meldonium tests. - Russia is expecting to receive guarantees from Serbia that it will not join NATO, the daily says, in connection with the visit of Serbia's President Tomislav Nikolac. - Foreign airlines are returning to Russia after they suspended their flights last year because of falling demand, the daily says, referring to U.S.-based Delta Airlines and Thai Airways. ROSSIISKAYA GAZETA www.rg.ru - Russia's central bank is worried that some commercial banks could use cyber attacks to cover up illegal operations, the paper writes. - The Labour Ministry wants to raise the tax burden on individual businessmen earning more than 25,000 roubles ($345) a month. IZVESTIA www.izvestia.ru - The Ministry of Trade and Industry is suggesting importing telecommunications equipment should be banned if there exists an equivalent item produced in Russia. Clinton calls for sanctions on Iran after more missile tests By Sam Wilkin and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin DUBAI, March 9 (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton on Wednesday called for sanctions against Iran after the Islamic Republic brushed off U.S. concerns and test-fired two ballistic missiles that it said were designed to be able to hit Israel. Iranian state television showed footage of two Qadr missiles being launched from northern Iran, which the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said hit targets 1,400 km (870 miles) away. Iranian agencies said the missiles were stamped with the Hebrew words, "Israel should be wiped from the pages of history," though the inscription could not be seen on any photographs. Clinton, a former secretary of state under President Barack Obama, said she was "deeply concerned" by the tests, the second round of Iranian missile launches in two days. "Iran should face sanctions for these activities and the international community must demonstrate that Iran's threats toward Israel will not be tolerated," said Clinton, who is ahead in the race to be Democratic nominee at the Nov. 8 presidential elections. Her call for sanctions reflected a tougher line against Iran's recent missile activity than that taken so far by the White House, which said it is aware of and reviewing reports of the Iranian tests, and would determine an appropriate response. "We know that Iran is in a season of carrying out a number of military activities, and so it certainly would not be a surprise if there are additional launches over the next several days," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. The Iranian move on Wednesday came despite warning from the U.S. State Department after Tuesday's missile tests that Washington continues to "aggressively apply our unilateral tools to counter threats from Iran's missile program," a possible reference to additional U.S. sanctions. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke on Wednesday with Iran's foreign minister about the test-firing of two ballistic missiles, a State Department spokesman said. The missile tests underline a rift in Iran between hard-line factions opposed to normalizing relations with the West, and President Hassan Rouhani's relatively moderate government, which is trying to attract foreign investors to Iran. ISRAEL IN MIND Iran's IRGC said the missiles tested on Wednesday were designed with Israel in mind. "The reason we designed our missiles with a range of 2,000 km is to be able to hit our enemy the Zionist regime from a safe distance," Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh was quoted as saying by the ISNA agency. The nearest point in Iran is around 1,000 km (600 miles) from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon told Israel Radio the tests showed Iran's hostility had not changed since implementing a nuclear deal with world powers in January, despite Rouhani's overtures to the West. "To my regret there are some in the West who are misled by the honeyed words of part of the Iranian leadership while the other part continues to procure equipment and weaponry, to arm terrorist groups," Yaalon said. Representative Ed Royce, the Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee, said: "Iran is making a mockery of President Obama's vow to confront Iran's dangerous and illicit acts." He urged Obama to "aggressively enforce all sanctions against Iran's missile programs, support for terrorism and human rights abuses. No more looking the other way." Washington imposed sanctions against businesses and individuals in January over another missile test in October 2015. But the IRGC said it would not bow to pressure. "The more sanctions and pressure our enemies apply ... the more we will develop our missile program," Hajizadeh said on state television. The IRGC maintains dozens of short and medium-range ballistic missiles, the largest stock in the Middle East. It says they are solely for defensive use with conventional, non-nuclear warheads. Buckingham Palace dismisses report that Queen Elizabeth backs EU exit LONDON, March 9 (Reuters) - Buckingham Palace on Wednesday dismissed as "spurious" a newspaper report that Queen Elizabeth backs a British exit from the European Union, saying the monarch remains politically neutral. Under the front-page headline "Queen backs Brexit", The Sun newspaper quoted unidentified sources as saying that Elizabeth had made her opposition to British membership of the EU clear on at least two occasions over the past decade. "The Queen remains politically neutral, as she has for 63 years," a spokesman for the queen said in an emailed response. "We will not comment on spurious, anonymously-sourced claims. The referendum is a matter for the British people to decide," the spokesman said. Opinion polls show voters are divided over membership ahead of a June 23 referendum so even the perception that Elizabeth may favour an exit from the 28-member bloc could be damaging for the campaign to keep Britain in. The Sun, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, cited unidentified sources as saying that Elizabeth had abruptly told then Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg at a Windsor Castle lunch in 2011 that the EU was heading in the wrong direction. Clegg dismissed the report as nonsense. "I've no recollection of this happening & its not the sort of thing I would forget," Clegg said on Twitter. The newspaper, British's best selling daily which has repeatedly criticised Britain's EU membership, also said the monarch told lawmakers at a separate meeting that she did not understand Europe. When asked for comment on the Palace's denial, a spokesman said: "The Sun stands by its story, provided by a very credible source." CNN Obscures Palestinian Attacker's Identity, Again | Main | How Well Did Your News Source Cover the American Murdered by a Palestinian on March 8, 2016? March 09, 2016 LA Times Headline Double Standards Like CNN, The Los Angeles Times opts for the passive voice in a headline about the murder of American tourist Taylor Force, obscuring Palestinian culpability for violence. In print, today's headline is: Similarly, the online version reads: Both of the headlines are in passive voice and neither identifies the Palestinian assailant who murdered Taylor Force on a peaceful street. Now, let's compare with a recent case involving a Palestinian fatality. After two Israeli soldiers last week took a wrong turn into a Palestinian refugee camp, and residents pelted their vehicle with firebombs and rocks, forcing them to flee for their lives, the Israeli army sent in troops to rescue them. Residents battled the troops trying to save the soldiers, and in the course of the violent clash, there was one Palestinian casualty, Iyad Sajadiyya. When it comes to a Palestinian killed as he participated in a gun battle, does The Los Angeles Times resort to the passive voice, as it did in the case of Force's murder? Hardly. The Times' headline in print was: Here, Times headline writers find the active voice. If they can write "Israelis kill Palestinian" (even though the killed Palestinian was involved in clashes with Israeli troops trying to rescue soldiers at the time he was killed), why can't they say a "Palestinian killed U.S. tourist"? In another instance of obscuring Palestinian responsibility for violence, Kate Shuttleworth writes in the article today about Taylor Force: The violence Tuesday made it one of the bloodies days in a five-month wave that has left 33 Israelis and nearly 200 Palestinians dead. She fails to note that the vast majority of the Palestinian fatalities were attacking or attempting to attack Israelis when they were killed. The rest were involved in violent clashes with Israeli troops. As the Associated Press reports: The wave of near-daily Palestinian assaults on Israeli civilians and security forces erupted in mid-September and is showing no sign of abating. The bloodshed - mainly stabbings but also shootings and car-ramming attacks - has killed 28 Israelis. During the same time, at least 179 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire. Most of the Palestinians have been identified by Israel as attackers, while the rest were killed in clashes with security forces. Posted by TS at March 9, 2016 07:50 AM In another instance of obscuring Palestinian responsibility for violence, Kate Shuttleworth writes in the article today about Taylor Force Her name should be Shuttlewords Posted by: Michael Orlinski at March 13, 2016 04:16 PM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment Macedonia closes border to illegal migrants - police official SKOPJE, March 9 (Reuters) - Macedonia has closed its border completely to illegal migrants after Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia announced tight new restrictions on migrant entry, a police official said on Wednesday. Thousands of migrants have built up on the Greek side of the Macedonian border. Macedonia had been allowing small numbers of Syrians and Iraqis through but stopped this after its neighbours tightened up their policies. "We have completely closed the border," the police official, who declined to be named, told Reuters. According to the Macedonian Interior Ministry, no migrants entered from Greece on Tuesday. "Macedonia will act according to the decisions taken by other countries on the Balkan route," an Interior Ministry spokesman said, referring to the main routes taken by more than a million migrants to reach the European Union over the last year. Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia said on Tuesday they would place new restrictions on the entry of migrants. The decisions were announced hours after EU leaders outlined an agreement intended to end a mass movement to reach wealthy countries in Europe from war zones. Croatia's Interior Minister Vlaho Orepic told a news conference on Wednesday in Zagreb that the new decision meant reestablishing of a "regular border regime". "The essence of this is to firmly stick to a regular border regime and to be ready to react to any exceptional circumstances," Orepic said. He added that talks were proceeding on return of 408 migrants, currently stranded in a camp in Croatia, to Greece. President says Portugal must respect EU, avoid return to crisis By Axel Bugge LISBON, March 9 (Reuters) - Portugal's new centre-right president took office on Wednesday, telling the Socialist government to stick to the budget rigour demanded by Brussels to avoid a return to economic crisis. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa takes over at a time of growing pressure on the government to cut spending further to meet budget goals, which could exacerbate growing friction between the ruling Socialists and their far-left allies in parliament. His inauguration marks a new phase for Portuguese politics as next month he will regain the constitutional powers to dissolve parliament, fire the government and call a new election. Under the constitution, that power is on hold for six months after a national election, which was held in October. While he would need a reason to resort to such measures, it does increase pressure on the government. "We have to be loyal to the commitments we have adopted, especially the ones that are part of our foreign policy, such as the European Union," Rebelo de Sousa told parliament where he was sworn in. "Without rigour and financial transparency the risk of returning to crises is painfully larger." "This will certainly not be an easy presidency," said former prime minister Pedro Passos Coelho, who was ousted by the Socialists after the inconclusive election in October. Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa teamed up with the far-left Communists and Left Bloc in November, uniting around the promise to roll back austerity imposed by the previous conservative government under Passos Coelho. But Costa has also promised to stick to EU budget rules and last month was forced by Brussels to hike indirect taxes by nearly 1 billion euros to tighten the budget further. The EU is pushing for more cuts, but Costa has said they are not necessary. Catarina Martins, who heads the Left Bloc, said Rebelo de Sousa's message was a "conservative vision of the country" even though he attempted to reach out to everybody. "Portugal cannot have its capacity at making decisions, its economy and its jobs increasingly destroyed by decisions that are taken abroad," said Martins after the inauguration ceremony. Filipe Garcia, head of the Informacao de Mercados Financeiros consultancy, said Rebelo de Sousa would initially attempt to strike a conciliatory tone. "The government is likely to last at least until October, but Brussels will put pressure on for more measures, which may cause friction between the parties supporting the government," he said. Concerns surrounding Portugal's public finances contributed to sending bond yields sharply higher in February. They have since reversed somewhat, but at a bond auction on Wednesday the country's borrowing costs rose sharply. President Rebelo de Sousa won a Jan. 24 election, promising to repair political divisions and the hardship of Portugal's 2011-14 bailout. He is a former head of the centre-right Social Democrats and has been a television commentator for many years. Polish judges reject government's reform of top court By Wiktor Szary WARSAW, March 9 (Reuters) - Poland's top court ruled on Wednesday that the government's planned overhaul of the tribunal was illegal, deepening a constitutional crisis that has stirred concerns about democracy and the rule of law in the EU's largest eastern member. The ruling right-wing Law and Justice party (PiS) has approved a law increasing the number of judges needed to make rulings and changing the order in which cases are heard. It also rejected court appointments made by the previous government. The government's critics say the changes undermine the court's effectiveness, while the European Union and the United States have also expressed concerns. PiS says the changes are needed to reflect the new balance of power in Poland after its landslide election win last year. "Dramatically limiting the court's ability to function independently and thoroughly contravenes Poland's (political) system and cannot be tolerated," Judge Stanislaw Biernat said, announcing the ruling at the end of a two-day court sitting. The government said it regards the ruling as non-binding. The timing of the court's verdict is politically sensitive. The Council of Europe, a human rights body, is due to issue an opinion this week on Poland's legal changes. The European Commission, the EU executive, has said it wants to see that opinion before making its own assessment of Poland's adherence to EU standards on the rule of law. Critics say the changes, which prompted Brussels to launch the rule of law procedure for the first time in its history, have paralysed the court's work, making it difficult for judges to review, let alone challenge the government's legislation. The government said before Wednesday's ruling that it would not publish the court's verdict in the official journal - a legal requirement - arguing that the tribunal's proceedings were unlawful as they did not follow rules outlined in the new law. A leaked draft of the Council of Europe's opinion on the changes said the reform of Poland's top court threatened the rule of law. Tunisian troops kill 10 militants near Libyan border after Monday raid By Tarek Amara TUNIS, March 9 (Reuters) - Tunisian troops have killed 10 Islamist militants around Ben Guerdan on the Libyan border after an Islamic State attack on Monday that killed at least 55 people. In military raids late on Tuesday and into Wednesday morning around the town, one soldier was also killed. Two of the militants were killed after being tracked to a construction site, the defence and interior ministries said. About 50 Islamic State militants launched a dawn attack on army and police posts in Ben Guerdan on Monday, Tunisia's government said, in one of the insurgent group's largest assaults on Tunisia. The army killed 36 of the attackers. Twelve soldiers and seven civilians were also killed. "Most of the attackers were Tunisians, and the majority of them were already in Ben Guerdan except for a few who infiltrated from Libya or maybe crossed over at the Ras Jdir border point," government spokesman Khaled Chaouket said. Prime Minister Habib Essid blamed the attack on Islamic State, which has grown in strength just over the border in Libya, taking advantage of the chaos there to expand its presence and draw in foreign recruits. Since its 2011 uprising against autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia has moved towards democracy. But it has also been battling a growing Islamist militancy at home and more than 3,000 Tunisians have left to fight for Islamic State and other jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq. Tunisian security officials say Tunisians are taking more and more command positions in Islamic State in Libya and Tunisian fighters are returning from Iraq and Syria to join the group there. A U.S. air strike last month on the Libyan town of Sabratha near Tunisia's border targetted a Tunisian Islamic State commander. At least 40 militants were killed in that strike on an Islamic State training base. Libya military intervention may worsen situation-Italy minister By Steve Scherer ROME, March 9 (Reuters) - Italy warned on Wednesday that Western military intervention in Libya could worsen an already volatile situation in which some 5,000 Islamic State (IS) militants in the country are seeking allies from local forces. Italy would be prepared to provide military forces only at the request of a long-delayed Libyan national unity government and after parliamentary approval, Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni told parliament. Referring to IS by its Arabic acronym Daesh, Gentiloni said the government would not be tempted by the "drum roll of war". "To whomever uses the threat of Daesh, which is a real threat that we must defend ourselves against, to invoke military interventions, we respond that military interventions are not the solution," Gentiloni said. "They could even make the problem worse." The New York Times reported on Tuesday that the Pentagon last month gave the White House a plan for up to 40 air strikes against IS in Libya but that plans are on hold pending diplomacy. Western intervention without a request from a national unity government could push local Islamist militias into the arms of IS, Gentiloni said. The United States and the European Union have said they agree with Italy that deeper military involvement will require a request by the Libyan government. Italy said last week it had sent some 40 secret service agents to Libya, with an additional 50 special forces operatives set to join them. Efforts to establish a U.N.-backed unity government in Libya have been stalled by resistance from hardliners, prompting Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to warn on Tuesday that rival Libyan factions do not have an "infinite" amount of time to make a deal. Parliament would have to sign off on the use of military force and without a U.N.-backed government in Libya Renzi would likely encounter resistance even within his own Democratic Party. Italy has been more cautious than its U.S. and French allies. The United States launched an air strike on an IS training camp last month and France has conducted surveillance flights and sent military advisers. U.S., French and British special forces are also present in the country, officials and media have said. Gentiloni said targeted and "proportionate" strikes against IS should not be ruled out in the name of national security, but added that the eventual use of force should not seen as the only way to help Libya. Lawyers challenging Ugandan leader's re-election say offices robbed By Elias Biryabarema KAMPALA, March 9 (Reuters) - Lawyers who are mounting a challenge against Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's re-election victory last month said on Wednesday thieves had broken into their offices and stolen crucial evidence they had intended to present in court. The government angrily denied any involvement in the robberies, though an opponent of Museveni, former prime minister Amama Mbabazi, said people wearing police uniforms had taken part in one of the break-ins. Uganda's Electoral Commission declared Museveni the winner of the Feb. 18 vote with 60 percent - extending his three decades in office - but all of the major opposition candidates have dismissed the results as fraudulent. European Union observers criticised the poll, saying it had been conducted in an intimidating atmosphere and that the Electoral Commission lacked transparency and independence, while U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry criticised Uganda for blocking social media platforms on the day of the vote. Last week lawyers for Mbabazi, who stood in the election but came a distant third with less than two percent of the vote, formally contested the results, citing delays in delivering ballot materials to some precincts, improper supervision of voting and bribery. The Supreme Court conducted a pre-trial hearing on Monday and is due to commence formal proceedings on March 10. But on Wednesday one of Mbabazi's lawyers, Fred Muwema, told Reuters that thieves had broken into his law firm's office on Tuesday night and stolen two laptops and two desktop computers with information on the case. He said the thieves also stole 100 signed affidavits they had intended to use as evidence in court. "Only material concerning the petition was taken," Muwema said. "This evidence was collected very painstakingly ... It's a big setback for us," he said. A second firm representing Mbabazi was also broken into on Tuesday night and some evidence taken away, Muwema said. Shaban Bantariza, deputy government spokesperson, denied that the state had any hand in the robberies. "How can we really do that?... It's crap," he said. Speaking on NTV Uganda, a local broadcaster, Mbabazi said the theft at one of the two law firms had involved 30 people and "the majority were in police uniform". International rights groups and critics say Museveni has grown increasingly authoritarian. Police and other security personnel rarely permit opposition gatherings, dispersing most of them with teargas, live rounds and beatings, critics say. Kizza Besigye, Museveni's main rival, who came second in the election with 35 percent, has been under virtual house arrest since polling day. African Union considers Mali counter-terrorism force By Emma Farge DAKAR, March 9 (Reuters) - The African Union will send a mission to northern Mali in the next few weeks to look into setting up a counter-terrorism force to support vulnerable U.N. peacekeepers, sources familiar with the matter said. The Bamako government, as well as some officials of the U.N. force in Mali, MINUSMA, have called for more help in fighting al Qaeda-linked insurgents, who have become increasingly active despite the efforts of French, Malian and U.N. troops. French forces drove the jihadists out of northern Malian cities in 2013 but they have regrouped, and in November al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb attacked a luxury hotel in Bamako, killing 20 people in a demonstration of their ability to strike beyond their desert bases. Critics say the 10,000-strong U.N. force's ability to bring peace to Mali is hamstrung by its lack of an aggressive counter-terrorism mandate, meaning it cannot hunt down militants and is vulnerable to attack. At least 20 Malian and U.N. troops from Africa have been killed this year, according to Reuters estimates. While an expansion of the U.N. mandate was discussed during a Security Council visit to Mali last week, some permanent members such as France say it is already sufficiently robust, although they back additional resources for the force. The AU initiative is being floated as an alternative route to improved security, the sources say. "There is an (AU) mission to assess the security threats in northern Mali in the next few weeks," said one security source familiar with the visit who is not authorised to speak publicly. "This will allow the development of a plan for an international force in the fight against terrorism," he added, saying the AU planned to seek U.N. and Malian backing. A Western diplomat said the force's remit would be similar to an existing AU regional task force set up last year to fight jihadist group Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin. Planning is at an early stage and details of troop numbers and financing have not yet been determined, the sources said. AU officials at the continental body's headquarters in Addis Ababa could not be reached for comment. A spokesman for the Malian defence ministry declined to comment. Army spokesman Colonel Souleymane Maiga said: "I know that there have been recent meetings on a possible rapid intervention force but the form this force will take has not yet been decided as far as I know." FRANCE OVERSTRETCHED? Besides funding, one of the difficulties might be harmonising security initiatives in a region where neighbours have a history of vying for influence, the sources added. The Group of Five Sahel (G5 Sahel) - Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali and Mauritania - have also agreed to create EU-backed regional rapid reaction forces to counter Islamist militants. G5 Sahel permanent secretary Najim Elhadj Mohamed said he had not been informed of the AU initiative and it was not clear if the two bodies would cooperate. Mali's northern neighbour Algeria set up a joint military operations centre for Sahel countries in 2010 but there have been few signs of progress on the ground. Some security experts say more support is needed to fight jihadists in Mali since France's 3,500-strong Barkhane force is overstretched. The Chad-based force was set up to combat Islamists across West Africa's vast Sahel region. "A bigger contribution from African forces could take the pressure off the French, who could focus more on securing borders and on ISIS (Islamic State) in Libya," said Rida Lyammouri, an independent consultant focused on the Sahel and north Africa. LatAm oil producers to seek unified stance to boost oil prices QUITO, March 9 (Reuters) - A meeting between Latin American oil producers on Friday will seek to unify the region in backing an output freeze or other measures to bolster prices ahead of a possible OPEC, non-OPEC meeting in Russia from March 20, Ecuador's oil minister said. German court rules against use of Facebook "like" button FRANKFURT, March 9 (Reuters) - A German court has ruled against an online shopping site's use of Facebook's "like" button on Wednesday, dealing a further legal blow to the world's biggest social network in Germany. The Duesseldorf district court said that retailer Peek & Cloppenburg failed to obtain proper consent before transmitting its users' computer identities to Facebook, violating Germany's data protection law and giving the retailer a commercial advantage. The court found in favour of the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Association, which had complained that Peek & Cloppenburg's Fashion ID website had grabbed user data and sent it to Facebook before shoppers had decided whether to click on the "like" button or not. "A mere link to a data protection statement at the foot of the website does not constitute an indication that data are being or are about to be processed," the court said. Peek & Cloppenburg faces a penalty of up to 250,000 euros ($275,400) or six months' detention for a manager. The case comes on the heels of a January ruling by Germany's highest court against Facebook's "friend finder" feature and an announcement last week by Germany's competition regulator that it was investigating Facebook for suspected abuse of market power with regard to data protection laws. Facebook's ability to target advertising, helped by features such as its "like" button, drove a 52 percent revenue jump in the final quarter of 2015. Germany, Europe's biggest economy, is one of the world's strictest enforcers of data protection laws and its citizens have a high sensibility to privacy issues. "The ruling has fundamental significance for the assessment of the legality of the 'like' function with respect to data protection," said lawyer Sebastian Meyer, who represented the consumer group in the case. "Companies should put pressure on the social network to adapt the 'like' function to the prevailing law." The association has also warned hotel portal HRS, Nivea maker Beiersdorf, shopping loyalty programme Payback, ticketing company Eventim and fashion retailer KiK about similar use of the "like" button. It said that four of those had since changed their practices. A first hearing in a case it has brought against Payback is due in a Munich court in May. Peek & Cloppenburg said that it had changed its deployment of the "like" button last year and now required users to activate social media before sharing data with Facebook. It said it would wait for the court's written reasons for its judgment before deciding whether to appeal. A Facebook spokesman said: "This case is specific to a particular website and the way they have sought consent from their users in the past. "The Like button, like many other features that are used to enhance websites, is an accepted, legal and important part of the Internet, and this ruling does not change that." ($1 = 0.9078 euros) Morocco accuses U.N.'s Ban of dropping neutrality over West Sahara By Aziz El Yaakoubi and Louis Charbonneau RABAT/UNITED NATIONS, March 9 (Reuters) - Morocco's government has accused U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of dropping his neutrality in the Western Sahara conflict by using the word "occupation" to describe Morocco's presence in the region. The United Nations responded by dismissing the suggestion that Ban was anything but neutral in the long-running dispute over the desert region in the northwest corner of Africa that has festered since Morocco took control over most of it in 1975 following former colonial power Spain's withdrawal. "The kingdom of Morocco has noticed ... the Secretary General has dropped his neutrality and impartiality and has showed a guilty indulgence with a puppet state without attributes, territory, population, nor a recognized flag," said a Moroccan government statement carried by state news agency MAP late on Tuesday. The Polisario Front, which has said the territory belongs to ethnic Sahrawis, waged a guerrilla war until a U.N.-brokered ceasefire in 1991. But the two sides have been deadlocked since, particularly over a referendum on the region's future. Ban said last week he would restart U.N. efforts to reach a solution after visiting camps in southern Algeria for the Polisario Front leadership and refugees who fled the conflict. The Moroccan government said Ban had used the word "occupation" to describe Moroccan annexation of Western Sahara in 1975. "The use of such terminology has no legal nor political basis and it is an insult to the Moroccan government and people," the government statement said. U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq, responding to a question about Morocco's criticism, told reporters in New York that the U.N. stance had not changed. "The secretary-general believes that he and the United Nations are neutral parties," Haq said, adding that Ban wants to make sure in his final year as U.N. chief that the Western Sahara issue was "firmly on the international agenda." Haq said Ban was still planning to visit Morocco later this year and his office remained in contact with the Moroccan government. The U.N. press office issued a further statement that said Ban had "referred to 'occupation' as related to the inability of Sahrawi refugees to return home under conditions that include satisfactory governance arrangements under which all Sahrawis can freely express their desires." Polisario, backed by Morocco's regional rival and neighbor Algeria and a number of other African states, wants to hold the vote promised in the ceasefire deal on the region's fate. Morocco says it will not offer more than autonomy for the region, rich in phosphates and possibly offshore oil and gas. Palestinian Leader Expresses Great Sorrow and Deep Anguish Over Death of Terrorist | Main | CNN Obscures Palestinian Attacker's Identity, Again March 09, 2016 Mayor of Beit Jala Lays It on Thick at Christ at the Checkpoint Nicola Khamis, the mayor of Bethlehem (pictured above), took full advantage of his shot at stardom two nights ago. Khamis gave one of the obligatory welcoming speeches on the opening night of the Christ at the Checkpoint Conference that is currently taking place in the Bethlehem suburb where he serves as mayor. This guy makes Mayor Quimby from The Simpsons look like an honest politician. During his speech in the ball room of the newly opened Orient Palace (which by the way, is a pretty nice hotel!), Khamis laid on thick and nasty, telling his listeners that the Israeli occupation is reducing Beit Jala, a town where BMWs and Mercedes line the streets, to starvation.? Really. The Israeli occupation for the benefit of thousands of illegal settlements, have (sic) condemned our town to die of starvation,? he said. Khamis also compared Israel to ISIS and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi: Ladies and Gentlemen, it makes no sense to fight the Islamic State of Abu Bakr Baghdadi while supporting the Jewish state of Netanyahu.? Thats just crazy. Its not the only bizarre statement offered to the audience during this years Christ at the Checkpoint Conference. Muslim Scholar Mustafa Abu Sway said that Palestinians never? taught their children to hate. For more information about this falsehood, please go to CAMERAs main website and read this article. This is the type of stuff that attendees are exposed to at the Christ at the Checkpoint conference, a so-called Christian peacemaking conference. This is not peacemaking. This is propaganda and misinformation. Posted by dvz at March 9, 2016 01:59 AM Bernard-Henri Levy: Palestinian Stabbings a Cousin? of ISIS Beheadings http://www.thetower.org/2715-bernard-henri-levy-palestinian-stabbings-a-cousin-of-isis-beheadings/ Posted by: Ken Kelso at March 9, 2016 08:05 AM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment U.S., Canada put pipeline fight in the past with state dinner By Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - The White House is eager to turn the page on the years-long fight over a crude oil pipeline with Canada and celebrate its close economic and security ties with its northern neighbor, U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice said on Wednesday. Trade between the United States and Canada and joint efforts to curb climate change will loom large on the agenda for the meeting between President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Washington on Thursday. It will be followed by a star-studded state dinner meant to recognize the importance of the bilateral relationship, the first state dinner to honor Canada in 19 years. Trudeau's Liberals came to power in November by ousting right-wing Conservative leader Stephen Harper, whose ties with Washington deteriorated as he hectored Obama over the Keystone XL pipeline. President Barack Obama blocked the project last year, a victory for environmentalists who had campaigned against the pipeline. The spat is in the past, Rice said. "In any bilateral relationship, there are going to be issues of difference and occasional friction," she told Reuters in an interview. "The complexity and the breadth and the depth of the U.S-Canada relationship is such that no single issue can overshadow the totality of the relationship," she said. Obama and Trudeau will discuss the next steps for the "Beyond the Border" initiative, a plan to speed travel and trade, Rice said. "With the longest peaceful border and $2 billion a day in trade in both directions, we have an enormous shared stake in a border that is open for business and open for travel - and safe," Rice said. Trudeau campaigned to strengthen ties with the United States, but also promised he would pull out six fighter jets from the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Rice said the White House is satisfied with steps that Trudeau took to beef up training, surveillance and other support to the coalition. "Taken as a whole, we view the Canadian stepped-up contribution to the counter-ISIL campaign as being very, very valuable and welcome," Rice said, using an acronym for Islamic State. The White House has also watched closely as Trudeau welcomed 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada in four months. Obama committed to Pacific trade deal, even as opposition spreads-Rice By Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama is fully committed to pushing for Congress to ratify the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal despite anti-trade sentiment gaining steam on the presidential election campaign trail, National Security Adviser Susan Rice said on Wednesday. Voter anxiety and anger over international trade and the 12-nation Pacific trade pact have helped propel the campaign of Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner, as well as Senator Bernie Sanders, who is running against Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. "The president remains fully committed to working to achieve ratification on the U.S. side and encouraging all of our TPP partners to move through their domestic processes to do the same," Rice told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday. For Obama, the TPP is a legacy issue, and standing firm on the pact reassures other nations with high expectations for the deal. At the same time, it highlights a division with Clinton, a close political ally, who has been grappling with Democratic anxiety about trade on the campaign trail. Obama's commitment to the trade deal means that it will likely remain a hot campaign issue and exposes Clinton to trade-bashing rhetoric ahead of the Nov. 8 vote to elect Obama's successor. Sanders has accused Clinton of backing "disastrous" trade policies that moved manufacturing jobs overseas, and questioned the sincerity of her opposition to the TPP since she became a presidential candidate. Clinton had supported the trade pact when she was secretary of state during Obama's first term, but later said she was worried the deal would not do enough to crack down on currency manipulation or protect consumers from excessively high drug prices. Sanders' unexpected victory in the Democratic primary in Michigan on Tuesday suggests that his criticism is resonating with some voters, and could spell trouble ahead for Clinton in states such as Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Trump's anti-free trade rhetoric and promise to slap taxes on cars and parts shipped in from Mexico have also found support among Republican voters, helping him score a big victory in the party' primary in Michigan on Tuesday. "There have been times - and this is one of them - where anti-trade sentiment has attained some salience in our domestic politics as well as in other countries," Rice said. "There's been an evolution over the decades in the nature of trade agreements and in the caliber of trade agreements. And I'm not sure that that has fully been absorbed in the public mindset or the political discourse," she said. Obama has repeatedly said that the TPP will expand markets for U.S. exporters and has high standards on labor and the environment that were not part of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. Rice said policy makers face the challenge of being able to articulate the benefits of TPP and "to not allow the sort of traditional 'old saws' of the critical narrative about trade to go unchallenged, when to a considerable extent they're based on agreements of the past." How Well Did Your News Source Cover the American Murdered by a Palestinian on March 8, 2016? | Main | A Striking Difference Between the AP and Reuters Reports on the Palestinian Response to the Murder of Taylor Force March 09, 2016 Updated: Two News Agencies Amend Original Role Reversing Headlines Concealing Palestinian Terrorism It seems whenever there is a rise in Palestinian terrorism, there is a concomitant rise in bad headlines attempting to reverse the roles of victim and perpetrator. Yesterday, we told you that New Zealand TV originally headlined an AP story about three of the day's terror attacks against Israelis perpetrated by Palestinians as follows: But as soon as we contacted them about the problematic headline, they immediately amended it to the more accurate: The International Business Times similarly weighed in with a role reversing headline and an article that erroneously minimized Palestinian aggression. The original IBT headline: The article by Priyanka Mogul downplayed Palestinian violence by erroneously stating that The attempted stabbings by Palestinians and shootings by Israeli forces occurred hours before US president Joe Biden arrived in Israel. Contrary to her statement Palestinians did not just "attempt" to stab Israelis, nor was it only Israeli forces who "shot" with guns. Palestinians critically injured Israelis with guns and seriously wounded Israelis and murdered an American tourist by stabbing them. We contacted the editors at the International Business Times, pointing out that their headline and article distort the news even as they claim to be "a trusted source of real-time news, intelligence and analysis." The story and headline were subsequently updated to accurately reflect the facts. The headline now reads: And the article now accurately relays the facts and identifies the perpetrator in the lede paragraph as follows: An American tourist was killed and several others wounded in a series of attacks by Palestinians targeting civilians as well as Israeli security forces. The incidents took place on 8 March in Jerusalem's Old City, in Jaffa, south of Tel Aviv and in the central city of Petah Tikvah, Israeli police said. Three Palestinians attackers were shot dead by Israeli security forces. Posted by RH at March 9, 2016 03:33 PM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment On March 3, in a major police reshuffle in Jammu and Kashmir, additional director general Shiv Murari Sahai aka SM Sahai was made the head of state CID. Though the development didnt make big news, it was a paradigm shift in the state governments policy towards its sole intelligence agency. Till now, inspector general of police used to head the CID. But the state administrative council headed by governor NN Vohra changed the convention posting Sahai as the new chief of this strategically-important wing. Sahais elevation as the spymaster comes at a time when militancy has been on deadly revival, while "intelligence grid" plays major role in tracking down militants. But security agencies hold divided opinions over the intelligence inputs. While general officer commanding (GoC) of Armys Victor Force, major general Arvind Dutta last month said there were "no intelligence inputs" of the Fidayeen at EDI Complex, Pampore where five security personnel, including two para-commando captains, recently lost their lives, police says its blessed with informers. In his recent interview to Srinagar-based Greater Kashmir, IGP Kashmir SJM Geelani credited its "strong informer base" and "robust intelligence grid" for "successful killing of militants in joint operations". Amid these contradictions on intelligence, Sahai takes centrestage. Often appreciated for "smart policing" skills, he is known for making human intelligence take precedence over guns and grenades. As a popular anecdote goes, in 2008, when a Hizbul Mujahideen spokesman was "caught", Sahai, the then IGP Kashmir, downplayed the news; he remained conspicuous for not calling a press conference to announce the big catch. His mindgame of silence worked. Rumours flew thick and fast that a most-wanted militant had surrendered. Amid this confusion, Hizbul witnessed reported suspicion within its cadres, and downfall. But Sahai was transferred, this time to New Delhi. A 1987 batch IPS in J&K Cadre, Sahai has never been seen as a "yes minister". But interestingly, from the Muftis to Abdullahs, successive regimes desperately banked on him for their survival. After his successful stint during the then PDP-Congress coalition when Hizbul was marginally neutralised, his need was again felt in 2010, when Kashmir witnessed a massive uprising on the streets. As civilian protests spread uncontrollably across the Valley, the then chief minister Omar Abdullah found no options but to bring back Sahai as IGP Kashmir. Omars gamble worked. The street protests, which claimed over 120 lives and found parliamentarians from New Delhi knocking the door of hardliner separatist Syed Ali Geelani, finally subsided. For the Omar government, Sahai almost remained the saviour cop with a magic wand. His clout was such, that in 2011, during a function on traffic week celebrations in Srinagar, Ali Muhammad Sagar, a minister then, didnt feel awkward to personally serve him dry fruits on the dais the duo shared before the audience. In 2012, Sahai was among the first to discover the radicalisation of youth, a trend which subsequently transpired into revival of militancy at the hands of educated youth, including meritorious schoolboys. In an interview to Business Standard, Sahai had candidly attributed radicalisation to the civilian killings during street protests, and economic blockades, which Kashmir witnessed in 2008 and 2010. A few weeks later, however, Sahai was transferred again. Though subsequently promoted as ADG, he never got a prize posting. It was a general perception among officials that "some forces within the successive regimes were instrumental in keeping him away." But Sahai is back on a major assignment. And, he has an edge over his colleagues for his direct interaction with the Kashmiri youth, particularly through social media, where young militant commanders like Burhan Muzaffar Wani of Tral happen to be Hizbuls poster boys online. Though being away from the spotlight for four years, Sahai has gained over 11,000 interactive followers on his Facebook page. An unusual policeman, popular with his sub-ordinates, Sahai is equally known to be observing a fast in the holy month of Ramazan, something, which makes him more attractive in Muslim-dominated Kashmir. Keeping an eye on the assigned landscape wont be that difficult for the man, who started his career heading a thana in Srinagar when militancy was budding. That time he was a gun-wielding cop desperately looking for militants, particularly the iconic HAJY group, whose pictures, police then longed for. The pictures of our brave soldiers being made to labour to organise a private extravaganza being held by a godman close to the ruling party has caused a lot of unrest across the board. The news has spread like wildfire and created an intense debate about the possible misuse of Indian Army. A government which wears nationalism on its sleeve, finds itself in the dock over the apparent casual and shoddy manner in which the Army has been forced to do a job which, for all logical reasons, should have been done by private contractors. The more one dwells on the morality and implications of the decision, the more disturbed one feels. It is important that we all understand what is so wrong about this misadventure of the Modi government as the decision can have far-reaching implications if no urgent rectification is made. Here's why the use of the armed forces for a private function by a godman is wrong at multiple levels. Disrespecting our soldiers Our soldiers are not private labour to be hired to get jobs done for whosoever wishes them to be completed speedily. When they undertake such roles in times of emergency, it is only out of a sense of service to the nation that they do the job in the strictest sense of the word. To prey upon this sense of service of our soldiers and coerce them to work for a private function under normal circumstances is the worst possible insult to our brave soldiers. It is sickening to imagine that the soldier, who gets into the Army, ready to even part with his life for the sake of nation, is made to labour for private parties. The soldier is not a servant to be employed with money - he serves the nation and nobody else. But when the soldier is misused in such a manner, the pride and confidence can suffer significantly. If Modi government can't accord the soldiers their due rights like OROP, the least it can do is to not humiliate them by making turning them labourers for private affairs. Blow to our national security We constantly lament that our Army is not war-ready, that there is shortage of soldiers, and that they don't have the requisite training, our soldiers are overworked, et al. In such a scenario, to divert our soldiers from their core duty of protecting the nation and training them to be better equipped to secure our borders, only to deploy them to organise private extravaganza is the most crude joke on our national security. The incident amounts to institutionalising the misuse of our precious security resources. When it's done in such a highly publicised event under the full glare of the nation, with the concurrence of the top political brass, it sends out a message even to the grassroots that our soldiers can be misused for private functions. And when the top brass is doing it with face can they expect their subordinates to be any different? Thus such high-profile misuse of soldiers will worsen our national security by promoting an institutional culture of diverting soldiers from their responsibilities. Any nation cannot sit back and silently watch as its national security imperiled in such a casual manner for private benefit. Politicising the Army The problem with use of the Army for organising a private event of the scale only worsens when the nature of the event and the background of the organiser are taken into account. The organiser, Sri Sri Ravisankar, is known for his proximity to the NDA and had made no secret of his support for Modi' PM candidature. The government would not have pressed the Army into Sri Sri's service if he had no political connection with them or worse if he was a spiritual leader supporting the governments' opponents. So clearly, this favour of deploying the Army is a political quid pro quo. This is what makes it specially disturbing as it gets into the dangerous territory of converting our Army into a political tool. One of the biggest achievements of modern India has been that our Army has remained insulated from politics. Governments across the spectrum have refrained from using the Army as a political tool. But when Army is used to organise events of personalities with explicit political bias, the famed political neutrality of our Army is threatened. Against secularism At the end of the day, Sri Sri is a Hindu spiritual leader. Deploying a state resource in the service of a leader of a sect is flagrant violation of secularism. Why should the Army, which runs on taxpayers' money, including crores from non-Hindus and athiests, be forced to work for organising events of a leader of a sect? Doesn't it create a sense of discrimination among other religious sects? Does it not demean our Army's core value of being an institution serving all Indians and use it to serve only particular sects? Concerns about environment The whole extravaganza is being organised on the flood bank of river Yamuna. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had specifically prohibited the organisation of any event in this ecologically vulnerable and vital area. But the heft that allowed Sri Sri to force the Army to work for him also allowed him to get permission from the Modi government-controlled DDA. This has raised the concerns of environmentalists across the nation, with even President Mukherjee reportedly going back on his committed presence in the event. In such a scenario, to deploy the Army for organising an event whose environmental impact is causing widespread concerns also shows our forces in bad light with regard to their otherwise notable commitment to the environment. A nation serious about its duties to the environment shouldn't be involving iconic institutions like the Army in exercises whose environmental impact is worrying. The use of the Army for the private event of a political spiritual figure with environmental concerns is inexplicable and deplorable at more than one level. We, as a nation, must ensure that this misstep of the government does not escape its due scrutiny. The US decision to sell eight additional F-16s to Pakistan exposes the disconnect between the stronger strategic and defence thrust that it wants to give to its ties with India and decisions that damage India's security and aggravate the strategic challenges we face in our neighbourhood. Balance This may look contradictory to us, but this is how the US exercises its global hegemony. The US will pursue its larger interests and assert its freedom of action even if its decisions do not meet the approval of its partners. Across tension-filled regions, it juggles between opposing sides, constantly engages them and even arms them. The effort is to maintain a degree of balance between adversaries and avoid the eruption of an actual conflict by using the leverage it acquires through building political and security links with them. We see this in West Asia in the Arab-Israeli conflict and in the western Pacific in the case of tensions between China and several of its neighbours. The US has forged exceptionally strong economic and financial ties with China that create a logic of their own in terms of how far it can go to confront it militarily and has, at the same time, defence treaties with east Asian and southeast Asian countries that would embroil it in a military stand-off if China became unacceptably assertive. Having already pivoted towards China since 1974 and created a strategic imbalance in the region in time, the US is now pivoting against China and seeks rebalancing. The US is supplying additional F-16s to Pakistan knowing that India will react negatively. It has overlooked India's concerns in the past about arming Pakistan and will do so in the future. It believes that it has important equities in Pakistan and its representatives are quite clear that the US will not downgrade its relations with Pakistan to levels that would satisfy India. The US will calculate quite coldly that India has no option but to live with the American decision, as in the past. This would be so even more today when our overall relationship with the US has greatly improved, with numerous government level dialogues, our bid for greater involvement of US companies in our growth ambitions and, most importantly, expanding defence ties. That the US is emerging as India's major defence partner despite its arms relationship with Pakistan conveys that we can live with this source of vexation. The cost to us of a downturn in our ties with the US becomes higher as our relationship grows, which gives it, as the stronger partner, more space to pursue policies in our region that go against our interests. Pakistan already possesses a large number of F-16s, and so the justification that it needs more for counterterrorism operations is disingenuous. The US has to find a plausible justification for a controversial step and enhancing capacity to combat terrorism serves as one. Terrorism It is ironic that a country most implicated in terrorism regionally, including against the US/ISF forces in Afghanistan, is supposedly receiving means to fight against terrorists that it itself incubated in the first place and who now target Pakistan principally, not the West. A further irony in giving Pakistan additional means to fight terrorism is that the Taliban have stepped up vicious terrorist attacks in Afghanistan under Pakistan's watch, including against India by targeting its consulate in Jalalabad a few days ago. Pakistan's duplicity is patent in the admission in Washington last week by its de facto foreign minister - despite vigorous denials in the past - that the Taliban leaders are located on Pakistani soil. Now that Pakistan's links with the Taliban have become a diplomatic plus point instead of a liability, it can now admit to facts that it studiously hid earlier by claiming that Mullah Omar was never in Pakistan. It also tried to make believe, contrary to facts that Mullah Mansour's anointment as his successor occurred on Afghanistan soil and not inside Pakistan. With the US, along with China, seeking Pakistan's assistance in the reconciliation process and thereby endorsing a role for it in the evolution of the political situation within Afghanistan - which Pakistan channelled in the worst possible directions in the past - it can now openly confess to its sins without embarrassment. Disconnect From India's point of view, the timing of the F-16 sale is wrong on many counts. Coming soon after the attack on our Pathankot airbase, it signals to Pakistan that its terrorist acts against India would not attract any serious rap on its knuckles by the US despite India and the US describing their mounting counterterrorism cooperation as a defining one. Just when Narendra Modi reopened the doors to a dialogue with Nawaz Sharif, which the Pakistani military wants to constrict, rewarding the latter with advanced weaponry contradicts the US' own push for an India-Pakistan dialogue. The delivery of F-16s builds General Raheel Sharif's stature, not that of Nawaz Sharif, which means that the distortions in the Pakistani polity caused by the dominant role of the armed forces that are responsible for Pakistan's disruptive regional and nuclear polices, with the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy, will continue. The F-16 sale also highlights the disconnect between greater India-US strategic understanding in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions and serious gaps in their respective strategic perspectives pertaining to the region to India's west. First, there was ownership on the basis of an imposed monopoly over the idea of nationalism, exemplified through the bravery of our brave soldiers at India's frontiers. It was the whip used (unsuccessfully) to drown the voices of dissent, JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar's being the most recent and prominent. "While soldiers are dying at the border..." became the favourite refrain of internet trolls to counter legitimate attacks on the government for its failures and complicity in perpetuating a culture of hatred. It was as if the debate on nationalism - or who owns the meta narrative of a "nation" - could only be framed in the erroneously limiting and dangerous binary of whether or not you love the soldiers at the border. The men in khaki (Army, police) become the surrogate for the men in khaki (RSS). Colour-blind nationalism gets fixated on a colour. It is this sense of ownership by India's right wing over its security apparatus that results in a number of former servicemen and even policemen joining the BJP. A video of General GD Bakshi, the famous tele-nationalist on "your own channel", mocking Mahatma Gandhi for leading a non-violent national movement was symptomatic of the same machismo that defines both the Army and the right wing. It is perhaps this sense of ownership that sees nothing wrong in soldiers hired as private mercenaries for Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's controversial World Culture (in singular) Festival to be held on Yamuna floodplains, endangering the fragile ecosystem of an already non-existent river. Images of jawans carrying construction material on their shoulders and building two pontoon bridges over Yamuna have been all over the internet this week. The omnipresent "bhakts", as trolls over Twitter and Facebook are called, have maintained a stoic silence on the shameful deployment. As "anti-nationals" Kanhaiya et al were hounded with insulting the sacrifice of soldiers like Hanamanthappa, who died after a nine-day battle with death at Siachen, the question to be asked is: Can you really imagine another Hanamanthappa working on the banks of Yamuna for an event with no clear credentials of a national nature? The excuses being given by the government for privatising the Indian Army are equally baffling. While the defence minister said it was to prevent any stampede since 35 lakh people are expected to attend, another minister informs Parliament that Sri Sri has been a crusader for environment (as if that defence gives him the right to destroy it too). Even the president and the prime minister were supposed to attend the event as their faces flanked Sri Sri in huge billboards planted all over the national capital. While the former has declined, presumably over soldiers being deployed, there is no clarity yet on whether or not Narendra Modi will attend. If the Army belongs to the state, what was it doing on the banks of the Yamuna building pontoon bridges for Sri Sri? How did Art of Living become a national project, and Sri Sri a national treasure? More importantly, why shouldn't the World Culture Festival be seen as yet another "soft diplomacy" by the right wing as it seeks to undermine other cultures opposed to its worldview? India, unlike Pakistan, has always prided on its army being away from the seductive machinations of power. While Army-men have joined mainstream politics in India, the institution has maintained its distance as have other institutions from each other in what has been a marvel of an otherwise chaotic democracy. PASCAGOULA, Mississippi --Newly-appointed Singing River Health System trustee Barbara Dumas-Marshall has opted to step down roughly one month after she was appointed, citing concerns she owes an outstanding debt to the health system. Jackson County supervisor Melton Harris appointed Dumas-Marshall to the health system's board of trustees last month -- part of sweeping changes made to the health system board as part of an agreement to settle the employee pension plan debacle. Dumas-Marshall's resignation from the board is not official yet, but will be taken up by supervisors at their next meeting on March 21. "She submitted a letter of resignation to me last Thursday while I was in Jackson, "Harris explained. "I did not receive it in time enough to put it on the agenda, so we will take it up on our next meeting on the 21st as far as accepting her resignation." Under the state's new hospital system transparency law, appointees to the board of trustees "must owe no outstanding debt to the community hospital and not be a plaintiff in any pending lawsuit against the community hospital." Dumas-Marshall has used the hospital and in the process, accrued debt that has yet to be paid in full. According to Harris, Dumas-Marshall did not want to subject herself to unwarranted scrutiny or controversy in the midst of the ongoing struggles to correct the issues surrounding the pension plan. Sen. Brice Wiggins, R-Pascagoula, told the Mississippi Press in 2015 that he introduced the new transparency law in hopes that it would combat many of the various reasons for Singing River Health System's current financial stress. Harris has roughly 90 days to appoint a new trustee. Each supervisor is required to appoint one trustee from his district. RICHMOND More stringent water treatment and fish testing will be required along the James River under a settlement reached by Dominion Virginia Power and the James River Association on the release of coal ash wastewater. The announcement Wednesday ends the association's legal challenge of a state permit allowing the so-called dewatering of coal ash impoundments at Bremo Power Station in Fluvanna County. Water is drained from the ponds before the power company caps the potentially toxic remnants of coal-fired power generation. But a separate challenge will move forward of the dewatering plan for Dominion's Possum Point power plant in Northern Virginia. The Potomac Riverkeeper Network said the state permit for discharges into Quantico Creek and the Potomac River is inadequate to protect the waterways. Late Tuesday, Prince William County announced it had reached settlement with Dominion and would not challenge the Possum Point permit. The settlement governing the Bremo discharges followed weeks of debate, protests and arrests over the discharge of millions of gallons of coal ash wastewater into state waterways. Much of the anger has been directed at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, which issued the permits. The DEQ said in a statement it was pleased Dominion will voluntarily "go beyond federal and state regulatory requirements to further enhance water quality protections at its Bremo and Possum Point power stations." It defended the permits, saying they protect water quality and human and aquatic health. Bill Street, chief executive officer of the James River Association, said the enhanced water treatments for Bremo are aimed at maintaining the James' water quality. The fish testing will involve tissue sampling conducted over the next two years to see if any toxins are collecting in the fish as a result of the discharges. "Our goal was to ensure that discharges into the James River received the best treatment possible, and I think that this settlement achieves that," Street said in an interview. In a statement, Dominion said the treatment plan "reflects the commitment of both our organizations to maintain the quality of the James River." Dominion is moving away from coal to primarily natural gas to meet new federal standards designed to limit the discharges of carbon dioxide, the leading cause of global warming. Decades of coal burning has left Dominion with 11 impoundments of coal ash, some covered with nearly 10 feet of water. The Environmental Protection Agency issued rules one year ago calling for the closure of dormant coal ash ponds. Dewatering is a first step in Dominion's $500 million plan before it covers the coal ash with a high-density plastic cap. While the EPA has deemed coal ash to be nonhazardous, it contains toxic heavy metals such as arsenic and selenium, among others. The Bremo settlement will not end debate over Dominion's decision to cap-in-place coal ash rather than empty the impoundments and move the waste from water sources. "We are open to considering any solution that stops groundwater pollution and coal ash constituents from reaching waterways," said Gregory Buppert, a staff attorney for the Charlottesville-based Southern Environmental Law Center. The SELC represents the James River and Potomac river associations. During a briefing this week with reporters, Dominion said it would cost an additional $3 billion to dredge out the coal ash and ship it elsewhere. It would require 1.6 million truckloads to empty the impoundments, the company said. "When you look at the overall environmental impact, it's questionable if there's a gain there of putting that many trucks out on the roadway with those materials," said Jason Williams, Dominion manager for water, waste and remediation. VANCLEAVE, Mississippi-- Vancleave High School students received what may have been a rude awakening on Tuesday morning as assistant principal John Mundy and Jackson County deputy Linda Jones coordinated a drunk-driving reenactment to show students what could happen if they decided to drink and drive. The Jackson County Sheriff's Department, Fire Department, Acadian Ambulance Service, Jackson County Coroner's Office, and the Mississippi Highway Patrol all participated in Tuesday's reenactment to show the necessary steps taken when a life-threatening decision is made while driving under the influence. "This is serious," Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell said. "We're trying to put on a little education here and provide some preventive medicine so these young folks can kind of understand that when you have a 4,000-pound automobile going in one direction and another coming in the opposite direction -- this is what you are potentially looking at by the results of this with these two cars." According to Tawni Basden, Youth Programs Director for Dream Incorporated and the Mississippi Youth Highway Safety Programs, Mississippi is eighth in the nation in DUI-related deaths among teenagers between the ages of 15-20. In 2014 alone, 73 youths were killed and in 2015, 71 youths were killed. The reenactment included two damaged vehicles which crashed head-on, with students from Barbara Bennett's drama classes portraying roles of victims and bystanders. Students were in both, with some "sustaining" more life-threatening injuries than the others. Brice Webster, a 17-year-old senior was ejected from the driver's seat onto the hood of the car with blood pouring from his extremities. Sober students Maci Patton, Emma Wages, Celeste Strandberg, and Lianna Sorvino arrived on the scene and assessed the damage that had been done. Next, a helicopter flew in to airlift Webster from the vehicle while a Mississippi Highway Patrol officer administered a breathalyzer test to 18-year-old Wade Taliancich. The reenactment ended with Taliancich's arrest while Southern Mississippi Funeral Services placed 18-year-old Taylor Slaby in a bodybag and lifted her into their hearse. With all of the assets on hand, most would assume the reenactment would be enough to get the student's attention, but a physical example was presented when mother Michelle Iller gave a personal account about losing her son, Michael, in a drunk-driving accident in 2014. "Michael was the type to drive hours to pick up his friends if they were drunk somewhere," Iller said. "I want these students to understand how important it is to not drink and drive." Ezell and Basden also wanted to students to know how important it was to not text and drive and wear your seat belt. "There are so many things to get your attention away from the road and all it takes is a split second," Ezell said. "How many times have we seen this in our hometown where our young people are killed in an automobile accident? So we really want to try to get the word out about discontinuing distracted driving. "You can answer that phone when you pull over, don't answer while you're driving, it can wait. We implore our young people to please, please wear your seat belts and do not drive distracted," Ezell added. "The law of inertia says an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force," Basden said. "Your seat belt is that unbalanced force. It may not prevent death, but it decreases it significantly. Wear your seat belt." Virginias Community Colleges are marking the 50th anniversary of the statewide system of comprehensive community colleges in 2016 with a year-long observance that celebrates the progress of the past 50 years as well as the promise of the future. And one part of that year-long observance is to ask community members to share their stories regarding what community colleges have meant for them. A web landing page has been created to collect those stories at 50.vccs.edu and the stories will be shared later in the year at events commemorating the system. Community members are welcome to share stories from a student, family, business, or government perspective, past or future, about how community colleges have strengthened the community and student lives. The General Assembly created the Virginias Community Colleges in 1966 to provide comprehensive institutions that addressed unmet needs in higher education and workforce training. Germanna Community College opened its doors in 1970. By 1972 there were 23 community colleges located across the state in a master plan that put access to quality higher education within a short drive of every Virginian. Since then, Virginias 23 colleges have served well over 2.6 million people, awarded more than 575,000 credentials and associate degrees, and launched countless numbers of transfer students into bachelor programs, advanced degrees and successful careers. In 2016, Virginias Community Colleges are celebrating tremendous gains while enthusiastically looking forward to the profound difference community colleges will make in Virginias new economy over the next half-century. LONDON - England - The royal family may be above politics, but are they above saving the monarchy from the terrible winds of EU collectivisation and ever closer union? In his recent speech former Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg said it was disgraceful that the Queen should be dragged into the EU referendum conversation and to compound his feelings, he disavowed any conversation that was witnessed by many to have occurred. In February 1945, Princess Elizabeth joined the Womens Auxiliary Territorial Service as an honorary second subaltern with the service number of 230873. She trained as a driver and mechanic and was promoted to honorary junior commander five months later. Princess Elizabeth and the royal family during WW2 were thus behind Britain and supported it fully, showing that they may have been above politics but they were staunchly with the British people in the fight against formidable forces. Today in 2016, we as a nation are once again immersed within a conflict, one that does not involve open warfare, but one that could result in the death of Britains sovereignty, its democracy as well as its monarchy. The threat to Britains security is insurmountable because there are treacherous forces now within government and the populace who wish to give up Britain to the EU lock, stock and barrel. This form of treasonous maleficence is being sold to the public as an EU Referendum which if won by the Remain side, will be a disaster for the nation and cause its eventual collapse to nefarious forces not in Britains interests. To this end, one must consider the royal family, as the upholders of the Crown and sovereign state, are in danger, and peril. The future in the EU sees one of collectivism, of Soviet Marxist ideals and of the reduction of the Crowns powers and property, ever closer union means collectivisation as utilised by Josef Stalin. To defend the realm, the royal lineage, and to defend Britains sovereign status within the world and Commonwealth it is imperative that Britain leaves the ever closer union of the EU, a creeping behemoth sovietized mechanism that swallows whole nations up and fractures them completely into nothing. PASCAGOULA, Mississippi-- Last Monday, the City of Pascagoula held a special meeting to discuss overages that may be deemed as excessive based on residents receiving utility bills which seemed higher than normal. The City is now considering readjusting the demand fees for water and sewer in light of recently received information. The Pascagoula City Council adopted a recommendation from city staff to increase water and sewer demand fees at a special meeting held February 29th in an effort to offset the $1.8 million cost increase from the Jackson County Utility Authority realized over the last three years. The new fees went into effect in the first billing cycle in February. "The Jackson County Utility Authority increased our costs dramatically by over $1.1 million," City Manager Joe Huffman said last week. "The total was levied in addition to prior year's totals on the city this year. Most of this came as a surprise as we only suspected a quarter of a million dollar increase and being that we have a significant increase than expected, the City has had to endure this and increase rates to cover it." However, once the first few billing cycles ran, staff realized that the new fee structure would result in an overage in revenue needed to sustain the system. Staff immediately communicated the new information to the city council. Upon receiving the information, council stressed the importance of transparency moving forward. In the coming days, city staff will review all data collected over the first full run of the bills reflecting the new rates, and will make a recommendation to the city council as more information becomes available. A recommendation could reduce the amount of the increases passed along to customers with larger line services while still generating adequate revenue to cover the cost increases from the JCUA. The City is encouraging residents and businesses to refrain from resizing meters until the matter has been resolved. If it is determined that a customer has overpaid, the City will provide a credit toward future bills. Any customer with questions may direct them to the Utility Billing Office at 228-938-6633. Elephants are one of the many animals our victories this week will help -- and we couldn't do any of it without your continued support and action on behalf of animals. Photo by iStockphoto 353 shares With New Jersey, New York, and most recently California, having cracked down on sales of ivory, Hawaii now moves into the spotlight. This state, known for its distinct natural beauty, is also a hotbed for illegal ivory sales. The good news is, The HSUS and a coalition of national and local partner groups are working on legislation that would protect elephants and other wildlife, including rhinos, sea turtles, lions, tigers, great apes, monk seals, whales, and pangolins. An opinion survey commissioned by The HSUS in January found that 85 percent of Hawaii residents support such legislation. But lawmakers in Hawaii are hearing caterwauling from antique dealers, jewelry collectors, and some other ivory traders who want them to reject the bill. These businesses seem to ignore the misery and death that poachers sow, and focus only on their narrow interests. Every 15 minutes, poachers kill an elephant for black-market ivory, sometimes even sawing off the animals tusks while he or she is alive. They kill to supply markets like Hawaiis. An HSUS investigator visited two dozen stores and locations across Hawaii, including a swap meet. As can be seen in the undercover footage, the investigator found ivory jewelry, figurines and tusks for sale. Dealers were not only openly selling ivory of dubious origin, but they were also seen giving tips to customers on how to skirt laws to smuggle it out of the country or across state lines without required permits. Sellers had no documentation, required under federal law, to demonstrate that the items offered for sale were legal, and some of the ivory looked like it had been newly obtained. A 2008 study by Care for the Wild International and Save the Elephants identified Hawaii as the third largest market for ivory in the United States. The same study estimated that an astonishing 89 percent of ivory sold in Hawaii was illegal or of unknown origin. A report released last week by The HSUS, HSI and a coalition of conservation groups found a thriving online ivory market in Hawaii. An overwhelming majority of the products being sold lacked proof that they were imported legally. Increasingly, the United States and other countries with a history of ivory trafficking, like China, are fighting ivory trafficking. Last year, President Obama announced a federal rule, expected to be made final soon, to crack down on the ivory trade in the United States. In a first-ever ballot measure on the topic, Washington state residents last year voted overwhelmingly to pass a ballot initiative to end the trade in wildlife parts. Several more states are now pursuing ballot initiatives and legislation that would do the same. For Hawaii lawmakers, the choice couldnt be any sharper: pass the bill and help end the cruel ivory trade that is quietly flourishing in the state, or stand aside and let a free-for-all in the marketplace continue to drive this mayhem and misery of global wildlife trafficking. Elephants and other animals should not pay the ultimate price so that a small number of people can sell these kinds of trinkets. P.S. Right now, we are gathering signatures in Oregon for a ballot measure to stop trafficking in ivory and other wildlife parts. The Oregon measure, closely matching the measure that Washington voters approved last November, covers a dozen types of animals. If you want to get involved in this campaign, drop us a note. *Just after this blog was posted, the Hawaii House voted to pass the wildlife trafficking bill with 51 votes for and one vote against. Without help from The HSUS, a lifesaving raid on a puppy mill in Madison County, Arkansas, last week, that resulted in the rescue of 295 severely neglected dogs, might never have happened. Photo by Brandon Wade/AP Images for The HSUS 1.0K shares Our lifesaving raid on a puppy mill in Madison County, Arkansas, last week where our team, working with law enforcement, rescued 295 dogs who were covered in filth and feces and denied access to clean water or any kind of medical care got me to thinking about the special and indispensable role that The HSUS plays in animal protection. We learned about this crisis through our puppy mill tip line, and we worked with the local sheriff, whose office in this rural county lacked the resources to handle 295 dogs. Few have such capacity and local humane organizations are often too overburdened to handle a human-caused animal emergency of this scale. Thats where we come in. Leading a diverse coalition of staff, highly trained local humane experts, and RedRover volunteers, we set up an emergency shelter at the Humane Society of Saline County, provided much needed emergency medical care, and worked with our shelter partners to place the dogs in homes. It was a seamless operation, and animals who were knocking on deaths door just a few days ago are now beginning a much more hopeful chapter of their lives. Ironically, just a week before that raid, representatives in the neighboring state of Oklahoma passed a bill, introduced by Representative Brian Renegar, to prevent any animal rights charitable organization from fundraising in Oklahoma for out-of-state operations, if the organization isnt constituted primarily for companion animals or if the group conducts any lobbying activities to help animals Setting aside the matter that this bill is obviously unconstitutional, lets consider a few facts and ironies. Without the ability to raise funds in Oklahoma (and other states should they try to replicate this legislative maneuver), we would not have the resources to come in and provide this kind of help for companion animals in crisis in Oklahoma or just over the border in Arkansas or in Kansas or Texas. Animal cruelty has no boundaries, and when animals are in trouble, its vital that theres someone to answer the call. Had there been no tip line, there would have been no obvious pathway to learn about the dire conditions that the animals were living in. Had there been no local group that we had supplied with rescue equipment and expertise and animal care staff, there would have been no rescue. More animals would have died, and the puppy mill operator would have simply continued to bring more animals into this hell, churning through them as if they were unfeeling commodities. Why would Oklahoma lawmakers try to prevent an intervention stopping this kind of cruelty? Why would they try to prevent a collaboration between animal rescue groups and local law enforcement, and the arrest of a person causing so much harm to animals just over the Oklahoma line, in neighboring Arkansas? Are beleaguered and dying animals just across the border in Arkansas any less deserving of rescue and help than animals in Oklahoma are (where these same lawmakers are blocking reforms to crack down on puppy mills in their state and passing legislation to block us from lobbying for such measures)? These are rhetorical questions because we know the answers. We know that the lawmakers behind this effort get their talking points from the Farm Bureau and other agribusiness interests, and that their demonstrably unconstitutional bill (with a version now introduced in neighboring Missouri) is a frustrated, hyperventilating response to the feeling of helplessness among certain animal-use groups faced with our reform efforts. These players dont like our lifesaving and game-changing work against puppy mills or cockfighting. And they certainly dont like our work for farm animals determined efforts that have resulted in 75 of the biggest food retail brands in the United States pledging to phase out their purchase of pork and eggs from operations that confine animals so severely that they cannot even turn around. Feeling like this change is unwarranted, these interests lash out and try to disable all of our work whether it is to help horses, wildlife, farm animals, or companion animals. We have free-speech rights to speak our mind and to solicit the support of Oklahomans or the people of any other state. Oklahomans and other citizens have their own free-speech rights to give to the charities of their choice. But the question remains for these lawmakers. Would these people have been happy to see these dogs just over the border in Arkansas languish and die? I assure you, no one else was lining up to help them. There are countless cases of cruelty and neglect. We get to some good number of them with our tireless efforts, but if The HSUS didnt have enough resources to get to this one, its very likely no one else would have. I ask you, Representative Brian Renegar, would that outcome have pleased you? Matt Forte.jpg Chicago Bears RB Matt Forte will sign with the New York Jets, not the New England Patriots, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. (AP Photo) The New York Jets lost Chris Ivory to the Jaguars Thursday night, and they wasted no time in finding a replacement. Matt Forte, who had spent his entire career with the Chicago Bears, will sign with the Jets, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Forte was considered to be a perfect fit for the Patriots, who need a running back to complement Dion Lewis. With Ivory, Forte and Doug Martin off the board, here are the remaining options for the Patriots: **C.J. Anderson, Denver: A restricted free agent, Anderson was given the lowest possible tender by the Broncos. Another team -- like the Patriots -- could swoop in. **Khiry Robinson, New Orleans: Played a complementary role with the Saints, but could be ready for more responsibility. Coming off a fractured leg. **Alfred Morris, Washington: Will likely be an affordable option. A between-the-tackles runner who won't contribute much in the passing game. **Bilal Powell, New York Jets: According to ESPN's Rich Cimini, the Broncos and Jets are in the mix for Powell. The Patriots are not. **LeGarrette Blount, New England: Pats could bring Blount back on a cheap one-year deal and use a mid-round pick on a young back. **Arian Foster, Houston: Coming off a torn Achilles. Would be a risky add. Lamar Miller is still out there, but he'll likely command a big contract. Growing up in the village of Sheffield Mills in the Annapolis Valley, surrounded by neighbours with apple orchards and chicken farms, Social Work student Maya Fry always felt like she belonged. Its a lovely community. It was a special place to grow up, she says. Sheffield Mills is known for its farms, but perhaps even better known for having one of the largest bald eagle populations in North America. Maya has good memories of helping out in the Sheffield Mills community centre, cooking pancakes for the 2,000 visitors who attend the villages annual mid-winter Eagle Watch Weekend. Now at Dal in her final year of her Bachelor of Social Work degree, Maya is involved in a new community outreach project, this time through the schools social work clinic in Halifaxs North End. The unique clinic connects social work students and clients who need help with day-to-day living. The Community Clinic is set up on a similar model to Dalhousies Legal Aid clinic, but rather than advocate on legal issues, the social work students are helping clients access employment and health services. Learn more: Dalhousie Community Clinic A passion for people Working at the clinic has been the most valuable learning experience Ive had in school, says Maya. Before this, I didnt know how the social assistance system worked in Nova Scotia. I didnt know about Disability or Income Assistance (programs), so its really opened my eyes. Maya has an arts degree from Dalhousie, in English and Environment and Sustainability. She chose to switch to Social Work after an experience as a new parent support volunteer with the IWK Health Centre. It was wonderful, I felt like I was needed, and it was good to meet people in the community. I realized Im interested in social justice and my passion lies with working with people. Since September Maya has been spending 24 hours a week at the North End clinic and will soon finish her 700-hour community placement. Maya has five clients on her caseload, which she manages under supervision. Its wonderful to take what we are learning in the classroom and put it into practice. Sometimes it can be emotionally challenging but for the most part its rewarding. We have a lot of clients who are really thankful for what we are doing. One client recently told me I was the first person they had ever talked to about a significant event in their lives. That was very powerful for me. We build relationships and trust and great things can happen out of that. Maya is looking forward to graduating in May. On the horizon is graduate school for social work and, Maya knows, a career in the field. I want to be a social worker, probably at the community level. Before working at the clinic, I wasnt sure how my varied interests would fit professionally. But Ive learned I have strengths here, and that this is the right profession for me. Your privacy Dalhousie University is committed to providing our faculty, staff, students, and visitors with websites that respect their privacy. This page summarizes the privacy policy and practices for all official Dalhousie University websites. Our websites do not automatically gather any personal information from you, such as your name, phone number, or email address. This information is only obtained if you provide it voluntarily, through contacting us via email or through an online form. Any information that you choose to provide will be protected in accordance with applicable privacy legislation and Dalhousie University policies and procedures. Dalhousie University will only use your personal information for the stated purposes for which it was collected, unless you provide consent otherwise. 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He was underestimated and denigrated by virtually all the traditional tech publishers and trade show producers at the time, yet his event grew faster than any show I have ever seen. I attended many of these conferences in New York and Los Angeles and saw with my own eyes how professionally run and vibrant these fast-growing shows were. Each one seemed to be better than the previous iteration. Any successful launch depends on good timing but also vision. Alan Made the decision to launch a show and suite of publications when an Internet market didnt exist. In fact, his first publication in the space couldnt use the word internet, because it was unknown at the time! He persevered even when the leading tech publishers told him he was a failure. All the hard work and risk paid off when he had one of the most successful exits in the tech media business. He also launched one of the first media dotcoms, Internet.com. When Alan proposed the idea of launching a conference, Inside Dark Web, I thought he had yet another winner on his hands and my company, TMC is happy to work with him to coproduce this conference. In talking with Alan, the dark web has many of the same attributes the Internet did in its early days It was mysterious and something many people needed to learn about. The majority of the population hadnt even heard of it yet. Like the Internet, the dark web or anonymous internet, holds tremendous opportunity for new businesses to start and take hold. Already, security firms are charging large amounts of money to scour it for stolen corporate and government information. It is true that today, the anonymous Internet functions as a hub for illegal activity. If your company has a security breach, a hacker-for-hire may have been found and paid through the dark web. If your data leaks and eventually gets sold to the highest bidder, it is likely the dark web will help transport this information between parties. If attacks are launched on your company, they can originate from the dark web. If you are involved in IT, cybersecurity, law enforcement, homeland security or are looking to find new business ideas, Inside the Dark Web is the first and only conference you need to attend. Inside Dark Web is like blind spot assist for the security industry. If you believe you are an expert or know experts who would make a great presenter at this show, please share this post with them and have them apply to speak. In summary, the entire TMC team (where I am CEO) is thrilled to be partnering with Alan. This new event holds tremendous excitement for us and we hope It continues the excitement weve seen in Internet World and other successful tech events of the past. Our goal is the same as most every successful conference organization. We want to help educate and foster community through networking while bringing buyers and sellers together. We hope to see you May 12th in New York City. The judge allegedly asked a rape victim whether she had tried closing her legs when she was raped. (Representational Image) (Photo: www.ann7.com) Madrid: The magistrate in Basque country in Spain is accused of offensive questioning for a rape victim when she was describing how she was sexually and physically abused. The judge allegedly asked a rape victim whether she had tried closing her legs when she was raped. According to the Independent In response to the judges remarks on the rape victim, a group of victims of gender crime, the Clara Camoamor Association has claimed that his remarks showed a clear prejudice towards disbelieving the victim. She showed obvious disbelief of the testimony of the victim, questioned her without allowing her to answer, asking leading and offensive questions, Blance Estrella Ruiz of the Clara Campoamor Association said, according to The Local. The unnamed woman arrived at her local police station in Vitoria to make a complaint that a man repeatedly abused her sexually and physically. When she made a statement, the judge reportedly asked her: Did you close your legs and all your female organs? Ms Ruiz, whose group is now seeking for the judge to be suspended, said the incident was not the first time that the judge had appeared to make light of a victims allegations. Such questions are not only unnecessary to the investigation but are completely offensive and violate the dignity of the victim, she said, according to The Local. Unfortunately this is not an isolated act but such behaviour [by this judge] is habitual and continuous. Spain has one of the lowest rates of victim assault in Europe, yet the problem remains serious with one in five women believed to be victims of assault. YouTube influencers are a sought-after breed. One word from these connoisseurs of cool, these heralders of hipness, and traffic to a website or store soars, products fly off shelves and brands become blockbusters overnight. But these people can be picky, quirky and hard to connect with especially for a new brand roaming about the Internet in search of some love and respect. That was the problem Aihui Ong, the founder of a small healthy snack subscription business, Love With Food, was having. She could see that some new business was coming to her site from YouTube, where current customers had made videos showing how much they liked her snack boxes. But how to scale that up? How to find those influencers with really big followings and get them on her side? And that is where the startup FameBit came in. It is a self-service, online marketplace where brands and YouTube influencers especially the smaller ones can connect. Ong began using the platform about a year ago and now most of her marketing budget is devoted to YouTube videos. Its been successful for her. Love With Foods revenue last year was about $5 million, year-over-year sales are up 15% and the cost of acquiring a customer is down 30%. FameBit was founded by high school friends David Kierzkowski, chief executive, and Agnes Kozera, chief operations officer(The company was also the beneficiary of a Silicon Valley seed fund, 500 StartUps). It capitalises on the rapid growth of influencer marketing, where video creators with a sizable following on YouTube often considered authorities in a particular niche feature a brands products or services in their videos. An influencer recommendation is akin to that of a friend or family member and are trusted by more than 80% of consumers worldwide, according to a 2015 survey by Nielsen. When you enlist an influencer to market your product, you get an audience that is very well disposed to that influencers opinions because they are fans, said Paul Verna, a media analyst for the research firm eMarketer in New York City. FameBit allows a small business like Love With Food to advertise opportunities for small to midsize influencers to feature its product or service in videos. These influencers are not great YouTube stars but have sizable, loyal followings. They are also entrepreneurs, whose revenue comes from ads and corporate sponsors whose products or services they feature. On FameBit, influencers respond to ads from brands with a proposal that includes a bid for the work and the reasons they think they are a good fit for it. Each influencer using FameBit has a profile on the platform that include examples of their work, a demographic breakdown of their audience, and that audiences level of engagement, such the average length of time they watch a video and number of times it is shared. Influencers with at least 5,000 subscribers on either YouTube, Instagram, Vine, Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook can use FameBit. FameBit recently partnered with the e-commerce platform Shopify to enable FameBits influencers to open online stores. Likewise, brands using Shopify can search for influencers on FameBit to promote their brands products. High-priced influencers with millions of subscribers are generally out of reach for small businesses and are often part of multichannel networks, which function like talent agencies. The networks aggregate YouTube videos around niche topics like beauty, fashion or food and sell ads against it, while providing the YouTube stars they represent with production, promotion and marketing services. In exchange, the networks take a fairly substantial cut of the ad revenue, Verna said. Although influencer marketing got its start on YouTube, it has expanded in the last year to encompass other video platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and Periscope. That is because video creators are increasingly seen as the best way to reach young consumers. Most entities that offer to connect YouTube talent with brands function as a kind of middleman, facilitating the connection. FameBits marketplace is different, allowing influencers and brands to connect directly with one another, in real time. Brands can sign up free and when they hire an influencer, their payment is held until the content is created, approved and published. FameBit takes a 10% fee from both sides of the transaction. Its revenue now is about $1 million a month. The company, which is profitable, raised $1.5 million a year ago. The popularity of influencer marketing has been spurred by the rising use of ad blockers, especially for mobile devices. Ad blocking grew by nearly 50% from June 2014 to June 2015, says a report from Adobe and PageFair. Influencer marketing is becoming a way around that. Opportunities aplenty Most brands on FameBit pay influencers between $500 and $2,000 to feature a product or service. More than 23,000 influencers largely video creators use the platform now, Kozera said, as do more than 3,500 brands, from smaller startups like Dollar Shave Club to much bigger names like Adidas and LOreal. Loey Lane, an influencer creating videos ab-out beauty and fashion, has been using FameBit for about a year. Lane is a plus-size woman and her audience is primarily other plus-size women. When she began using FameBit, Lane had 20,000 subscribers; now she has 6,00,000. Although she was a part of the multichannel network StyleHaul before using FameBit, Lanes first opportunities to work with brands came through FameBit. She gets offers for brand partnerships through StyleHaul, but says those opportunities are presented to her at StyleHauls discretion. I definitely wasnt getting those offers when I was smaller and first starting out, she said. FameBit was where I got my start with brand partnerships. When her video channel first started, Lane earned about 5% of her revenue from integrating brands into videos and the rest came from Google ads. As my influence went up I was able to ask for more money, because my platform had a bigger reach, she said. Now, even though every video I do isnt sponsored, a solid 50% of my income is from sponsored content. She is very careful about the products and brands with which she works. I only work with those I really like, otherwise it could negatively affect both my credibility and the brands. Lane always discloses if a video is sponsored by a particular brand. She now earns between four and five figures a month, depending on the time of year and industries she is covering. International New York Times March 26, 2015 at 8:04pm Cruz Citizenship Timeline (documented) State of Delaware Vital Records says, no record of Eleanor Elizabeth Darragh Wilson birth exist. Ted Cruz's mother does not have a US birth certificate. FACTUAL CRUZ CITIZENSHIP TIMELINE (Everything presented in this timeline is a matter of public record. All of it is based upon publicly reported events, public statements made by Rafael Cruz, Ted Cruz, officials with the Elect Ted movement or US and Canadian officials." 1957 - After working as a teen to help Fidel Castro gain power in Cuba, and being imprisoned for his actions by the Batista regime, Cuban Rafael Cruz applies for admittance to the University of Te'as as a foreign student and enters the US on a four year student visa to attend four years of college. He is a Cuban citizen attending a US college on a foreign student visa obtained through the US Consulate in Havana. 1961-1962 - After graduating college at the University of Texas, and upon the expiration of his foreign student visa, Cruz Sr. applied for and received "political asylum" and was issued a "green card." A green card is a permit to reside and work in the United States, without becoming a "citizen" of the United States, in this case, under political asylum from Castro's Cuba. His citizenship status was that of a Cuban national living and working in the United States, under a green card work permit. According to US laws, the "green card" holder must maintain permanent resident status, and can be removed from the United States if certain conditions of this status are not met. 1964-1966 - Cruz Sr. takes a few odd jobs, marries and moves to Canada to work in the oil fields. The Cruz family resides in Canada for the next eight years. I worked in Canada for eight years, Rafael Cruz says. And while I was in Canada, I became a Canadian citizen. (From and interview with NPR) "Peter Spiro, a legal expert on US citizenship at Temple University. Spiro says Rafael Cruz's multi-country odyssey did not follow traditional models for immigration. SPIRO - Ted Cruz himself seems to be an advocate of those traditional immigration models. Maybe he should be a little more tolerant of the nontraditional Versions, given his own father's history. 1970 - Ted Cruz is born in Canada, to two parents who had lived in Canada for at least four years at that time, and had applied for and received Canadian citizenship under Canadian Immigration and Naturalization Laws, as stated by Rafael Cruz. As a result, US statutes would have voided the prior "green card" status which requires among other things, permanent residency within the United States and obviously, not becoming a citizen of another country during the time frame of the US green card. 1974 - The Cruz family moves to the United States when Ted is approximately four years old. Rafael Cruz has publicly stated that he remained a citizen of Canada until he renounced his Canadian citizenship when he applied for and became a US Naturalized citizen in 2005. As a result, his wife and son were also Canadian citizens, his son being born a citizen of Canada in 1970. 2005 - Rafael Cruz applies for legal US citizenship and renounces his Canadian citizenship. No record of Ted renouncing his Canadian citizenship or applying for US citizenship exists as of 2005. 2013 - Freshman Senator Ted Cruz is a rising star in the Tea Party movement, and calls for him to run for the White House begin. In July, Ted Cruz is Questioned by the press about his interest in running for President, and the issue of his Canadian born citizenship is brought up Sen. Ted Cruz rejected questions Sunday over his eligibility to be president, saying that although he was born in Canada the facts are clear that he is a US citizen. My mother was born in Wilmington, Delaware. She is a US. citizen, so I'm a US citizen by birth, Cruz told A&C. I'm not going to engage in a legal debate. NOTE: Senator Cruz omits the part of his father's story, in particular, the part about his parents applying for and receiving Canadian citizenship prior to Ted's birth in Calgary. He also attempts to gloss past the actual definition of natural)born Citizen by implying it is a mere legal debate for others to figure out. August 2013 - As Ted's political stock rises in the Tea Party, so do press questions about his eligibility for office. Ted decides to quiet the questions by releasing his birth certificate, which now becomes absolute proof of Ted's Canadian citizenship at birth, 1970, Calgary, Canada. The release of the Canadian birth records only serve to further fuel the controversy. Ted seeks Legal Counsel, as the media is now pressing members of Canadian Immigration and Naturalization to clear the matter up, when instead, Canadian officials confirm the Ted Cruz was in fact born a legal citizen of Canada, the son of two parents who had also applied for and received Canadian citizenship prior to Ted's birth. He's a Canadian, said Toronto lawyer Stephen Green, past chairman of the Canadian Bar Association's Citizenship and Immigration Section. Generally speaking, under the Citizenship Act of 1947, those born in Canada were automatically citizens at birth unless their parent was a foreign diplomat, said ministry spokeswoman Julie Lafortune. Legal counsel advises Ted to "renounce his Canadian citizenship" in order to make himself eligible to run for the presidency. Of course, renouncing one's original citizenship only further proves one's original citizenship. May 2014 - Ted Cruz legal counsel files to renounce Ted's Canadian citizenship in an effort to make him eligible to run for high office under the natural born Citizen clause Article II in the US Constitution. AUSTIN, Texas - Canada-born US Sen. Ted Cruz has given up his citizenship from his birth country, making good on a promise from last summer. spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said the Tea Party favorite formally gave up his citizenship May 14th. He received official confirmation of the action at his Houston home Tuesday. News that he had renounced his citizenship was first reported by the Dallas Morning News. The newspaper also bro$e that Cruz had dual Canadian) US citizenship when he released his birth certificate in August. Frazier said Cruz he is pleased to have the process finalized and that it makes sense he should be only an American citizen.- of course, the Constitution does not require that one be only an American citizen, but rather a natural born Citizen. As of February 4, 2015 - No evidence of any US Citizenship has been released to confirm anything at all about the true citizenship status of Ted Cruz. Because Ted Cruz has been confirmed a legal citizen of Canada up until renouncing his Canadian citizenship in May of 2014, and because he has been confirmed a citizen of Canada at birth, and because his father is on public record stating that he and his wife became citizens of Canada during their eight years living in Canada and because Rafael Cruz remained a citizen of Canada until he renounced and applied for legal US citizenship in 2005. There is simply NO WAY that Ted Cruz was, is or ever can be a Natural Born Citizen of the United States eligible for the offices of President or Vice President. So, does this mean that members of the Tea Party are engaged in an overt effort to defraud Tea Party members who are Ted fans, by all of this legal fancy foot work. The facts are all well documented. You decide... One who inherits their Citizenship at birth via nature alone, from their natural birth father, is a natural born Citizen of the United States. According to all available information on Ted Cruz and his family, Ted Cruz was a native born citizen of Canada and not a natural born Citizen of the United States. Now, Ted is either not too bright, or not too honest... But he is at least one of the two... and what about the Tea Party leaders behind this legal shell game? State of Delaware vital records says, no record of Eleanor Elizabeth Darragh Wilson Cruz exist. Ted Cruz's mother does not have a US birth certificate. Ted Cruz Citizenship Timeline State of Delaware Vital Records says, no record of Eleanor Elizabeth Darragh Wilson Cruz birth exist. Ted Cruz's mother does not have a US birth certificate. Donald Trump today grabbed two key US states, overcoming fierce efforts within his Republican party to blunt his momentum in the White House nomination race, while Bernie Sanders breathed new life into his campaign by chipping away Hillary Clinton's dominance in the contest. Trump, the 69-year-old real estate tycoon, won two key states of Mississippi and Michigan in the second Super Tuesday showdown. Celebrating his two victories, Trump criticised the establishment Republicans who have led recent attacks on him, including heavy negative advertising. In Mississippi, he received the support of nearly 50 per cent of the Republican voters. He was followed a distant second by Senator Ted Cruz with 35.2 per cent of the votes counted. In Michigan, Trump received 37.2 per cent of the Republican votes. To the surprise of many Cruz was pushed to the third spot by the Ohio Governor John Kasich in the state who received 25.5 per cent of the votes. Cruz gained the support of 23.7 per cent of the votes. Cruz won a Republican-only race in Idaho and Hawaii results are expected later in the day. Clinton had an impressive win in the US State of Mississippi, as a result of which she was able to have more delegates in her kitty as against Sanders. She won Mississippi by 88 per cent to 10 per cent, bolstered by her overwhelming support among African American voters. However, her defeat in Michigan, which includes the auto Capital of Detroit, and its neighbourhood, at the hands of 74-year-old Sanders albeit by a narrow margin is an indication of the challenges she might face in the rest of her presidential campaign. Clinton was expected to have an easy win in Michigan, where according to some polls she was leading by more than 20 points. But when results came in, Sanders won the support of 50 per cent of the Democratic voters, while 48 per cent supported Clinton. The victory in Michigan has given Sander's campaign a bounce ahead of the vital March 15 primaries in Florida, Ohio and three other big states. People of Michigan have defied the pundits and pollsters, Sanders said in a statement. Despite the upset in Michigan, Clinton still has a lead in the number of delegates, which is crucial for winning the party's presidential nomination. Some 21 states have so far had their say in the Democrat primaries and caucuses, with Clinton winning 12 and Sanders claiming nine. Of the 4,763 delegates, Clinton needs 2,382 delegates to become the party's first ever women presidential nominee. So far she has support of 1,215 delegates which includes 739 won through the primaries and 461 the support pledge by super delegates. Sanders has 566 delegates including 535 delegates through primary election. Clinton has so far has won 12 states, while Sanders has won nine states. In the overall race for delegates, Trump has 446 and Cruz has 347. Rubio has 151 delegates and Kasich has 54. He needs least 1,237 votes from a total of 2,472 delegates. Trump has won in 14 states, out of a total of 20 primaries. Cruz has won seven, including his home state of Texas, the largest state to vote to date. Rubio has so far won just one state. After registering impressive primary wins, Trump exuded confidence of easily defeating his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the November presidential elections. "I am going to beat Hillary (Clinton). Hillary is going to be very very easy to beat. She is a very easy target, if she is allowed to run. If the government does its job properly, she would not allow to run," Trump told reporters at a late night news conference in Florida. "I am going to clean the slate," Trump said. Asserting that he is a Republican unifier, he urged the party establishment to embrace his movement and the massive support that he is getting. This he said would help the Republican party to win the presidential elections. Trump claimed that he would win some of the States like New York where the Republican party normally does not win. In his victory-speech-cum-press conference, the New Yorker said his rivals Cruz, Rubio and Kasich have not done well. Responding to questions, he attributed his impressive wins to his distractors who are running advertisements against him and Mitt Romney, the former presidential candidate, for criticising him. Trump said so far he has spent just USD 25 million as against USD 160 million by some of his opponents. A BJP woman member today caused a flutter in Lok Sabha when she alleged that Wikipedia had shown her as dead, causing concern among members and prompting government to promise serious action. Raising the issue in Zero Hour, Anju Bala said she came to know of her 'death' entry in the social media when her secretary received a phone call from Mumbai after she participated in a women's conference last week. The caller sought to know whether the programme in which she had recited a poem was held long back as she was shown "dead" on March three in Delhi on Wikipedia. Besides, she alleged that there had been some claims on Wikipedia tarnishing her character and reputation. The member wanted an FIR to be registered and bringing the guilty to book. Amid concern voiced by members, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the incident was brought to her notice only yesterday. Responding to the concern, Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said this is certainly a serious matter and "we will take serious action". Lok Sabha today passed a bill to amend a 48-year-old law to guard against claims of succession or transfer of properties left by people who migrated to Pakistan and China after the wars. The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016, which amends the Enemy Property Act, 1968, was passed by voice vote amid the government's assertion that the measure should not be seen from the prism of religion or caste. A demand by the Opposition for sending it to the Standing Committee of Parliament was also turned down. Replying to a debate on the bill, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, "It does not pertain to Pakistan alone, but also to those Chinese who left India after the 1962 Sino-India War. Even their property comes under the ambit of this Bill." In the wake of the Indo-Pak war of 1965 and 1971, there was migration of people from India to Pakistan and under the Defence of India Rules framed under the Defence of India Act, the Government of India took over the properties and companies of such persons who had taken Pakistani nationality. These enemy properties were vested by the Central Government in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India. The amendments include that once an enemy property is vested in the Custodian, it shall continue to be vested in him as enemy property irrespective of whether the enemy, enemy subject or enemy firm has ceased to be an enemy due to reasons such as death etc. The new bill also ensures that the law of succession does not apply to enemy property; that there cannot be transfer of any property vested in the Custodian by an enemy or enemy subject or enemy firm and that the Custodian shall preserve the enemy property till it is disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the Act. The amendments are aimed at plugging the loopholes in the Act to ensure that the enemy properties that have been vested in the Custodian remain so and they do not revert back to the enemy subject or enemy firm. The Enemy Property Act was enacted in the year 1968 by the Government of India, which provided for the continuous vesting of enemy property in the Custodian. The Central Government through the Custodian of Enemy Property for India is in possession of enemy properties spread across many states in the country. In addition, there are also movable properties categorized as enemy properties. An Indian medical student, who was in a coma at a trauma centre after being attacked by local goons in Russian city of Kazan, has died, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today. "I am pained to inform that Yasir - an Indian medical student from Srinagar has succumbed to his injuries in Russia," Swaraj tweeted. Yasir was admitted to a trauma centre in Kazan the capital city of Russian province of Tatarstan. Yesterday, Swaraj had directed Indian Ambassador in Russia Pankaj Saran to extend all possible help to Yasir after receiving an SOS through a tweet that the student was in a hospital in coma after being attacked by local goons, who also took away his money and documents. She had yesterday said the Indian mission will take up the case with with Russian authorities. "I have got complete report on Yasir. An Indian Doctor is treating him in Kazan Trauma Centre in Russia. Our Embassy officials will go and see Yasir in hospital tomorrow. We will bear all expenses on his treatment," she had said in a tweet yesterday. The Supreme Court on Wednesday extended the protection granted to activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband from arrest till April 29 in connection with two criminal cases. A three-judge bench presided over by Justice Anil R Dave, however, refused a plea by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the couple, to make the bail order till further orders. Teesta and her husband Javed Anand, have been accused of embezzlement of funds, meant for the 2002 Gujarat riots victims and violating the provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act receiving money for their two NGOs. The bench told Sibal that the court has already extended the bail by a period of more than a month and that the prayer for regular bail can be made before the bench which will take up the matter for a regular hearing. The bench has also sent the petitions to the Chief Justice of India for putting it up before a regular bench, saying it was difficult for the special bench to assemble to take up this matter. The Gujarat Police are investigating the embezzlement of funds for a museum to be built at Ahmedabads Gulbarg Society that was devastated in the 2002 riots. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, the apex body of the Catholic church, today said widespread intolerance and attacks on religious personnel and institutions were present-day challenges in the country. In the "final statement" at the eight-day 32nd CBCI plenary here which concluded today, the Conference also identified large-scale poverty and growing gap between rich and poor, corruption, illiteracy, child labour, increasing unemployment, growing addiction to alcohol and drugs and denial of SC status to Christian Dalits as other challenges. The Bishops noted that the multiple, composite culture of the country has noble values of religiosity, peace, simplicity and tolerance as lived by Mahatma Gandhi and various Indian sages. The CBCI holds the Plenary Assembly once in two years to discuss various aspects of life of the Church in India, especially the challenges faced by it. About 180 Bishops from all the Dioceses of the country deliberated on the principal theme of the plenary 'The Response of the Church in India to the Present Day Challenges'. The Conference also identified some of the challenges within the church such as declining family values, tensions and break ups in families, an increasing number of divorces, abortions and a lack of understanding of marriage as a sacrament, growing materialism, consumerism and addiction to social media, growing indifference and lack of commitment to the Christian vocation, the CBCI said in a statement. The Bishops chose for review and for an appropriate response areas such as regular visits of Parish Priests to the families, accepting the dignity, role and importance of the lay faithful in the Church. Other areas included fostering advocacy to address the issues of land alienation and human trafficking, promoting youth apostolate, providing educational opportunities, especially to the socially backward and girl children, drawing up an Environmental (Green) Policy, shunning excessive institutionalization, clericalism and extravaganza. The concluding Holy Mass was presided over by the CBCI President, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, who exhorted the Bishops to diligently put into practice the recommendations and suggestions that came up in the plenary in their respective dioceses. Upping their ante against JNU Registrar Bhupinder Zutshi the varsity's teachers association has decided to "de-recognize" any orders from him saying that he has completed 62-years of age and hence no official communication should be addressed to him. The teachers association and students union has been demanding Zutshis resignation for his alleged role in allowing police on the campus. "JNUTA has decided to de-recognize the "officiating Registrar" from today as he has completed 62 years today which is the actual age of retirement for any regular Registrar in the university as per the statutes," the teacher's association said. JNUTA also condemned the leak of Registrars statement to the high-power inquiry committee. "His deposition to the committee is a confidential matter. How did media come to know about it. It looked like a leak," JNUTA said in a statement adding, that any report by the committee will not be accepted to the JNU community as it has not been constituted properly. "The Committee appointed by the JNU Authority is eyewash as it has not been constituted properly by involving any member from SC community despite JNUTA repeated demand to this effect. It has not gained any credentials near the student community and hence they have decided not to depose before the panel," it said in a statement. Meanwhile, the JNU Students Union has decided to take out a protest march to Parliament on March 15 demanding release of two students - Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya - who are still in judicial custody in a sedition case over an event against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. National Insurance Company (NIC), Indias oldest and largest non-life insurance firm has set its eyes on increasing profitability, and its digital presence with its newly-inducted chairman-managing director K Sanath Kumar at the helm of things. The company head said in Kolkata on Tuesday that he is moving forward with a four-pronged approach to achieve his goals of making NIC a bigger brand. Increasing retail business and distribution channels, besides augmenting profit and NICs digital capacity are the goals Kumar has set for the company since he took up in mid-February. The former Director and General Manager of GIC Re, with more than 36 years in the field, said that he is tasked with making the Kolkata-based insurance major one of Indias leading brands. He pointed out that NIC will push forth with a deliberate and planned move to improve operational profits, taking up a healthy mix of corporate and retail business. Even though margins in the industry are thin, effort would be to optimise profitability from operations, he said. He added that his focus is also on increasing distribution channels with plans to ride on emerging channels besides augmenting overall digital presence for customers. Easy-to-use interface Kumar is looking at an easy-to-use interface and efforts are being taken to increase internal efficiency, he said. Orienting the company to be a premium sought after brand would be the prime focus. Delivery channels will be molded towards this goal to increase reach and improve quality, he explained. Existing channels like employees, agents, dealers, and brokers would be invigorated, he added. Due emphasis is also being given to tone up the grievance redressal system and moves are being made to ensure zero defect operations, he said. Deputy Commissioner Dr R Vishal called upon people, belonging to Scheduled Castes and tribal communities, to avail maximum benefits of various schemes initiated for their development. Speaking at an SC/ST grievance meeting convened at his office on Wednesday, he said there is a shortage of beneficiaries for the schemes like Special Unit Scheme for the development of SC/ST communities and Girjjana Upayojane. Hence, the beneficiaries should come forward to avail the benefits being extended under the scheme, he stated. He said Revenue Department has a provision to disburse Rs 20,000 to people after the death of the head of families. However, there is a shortage of beneficiaries for this scheme in Kundapur taluk, he added. The deputy commissioner said officers should take signatures and photographs of people, belonging to SC/ST communities, after the implementation of the development works. He said one stall has been earmarked for SC/ST communities in the flower auction centre in Udupi. Dr Vishal also directed the officers to issue pamphlets carrying the messages of various development schemes initiated by the government for SC/ST communities and distribute them among the community men. Ambedkar statue He said a new statue of Dr B R Ambedkar will be installed on his office premises in the first week of April. The renovation work of Ambedkar Bhavan is underway in Udupi, he stated. The deputy commissioner instructed the CMC commissioner keep an on the quality of the work. The repair work of Ambedkar Bhavan is on, he said and directed the Social Welfare Department officer to invite applications for Ambedkar Award to be given in the publication category. He called upon SC/ST community members to make use of the taxi facilities provided through the Tourism Department and also utilise the benefits of programmes like Bala Sanjeevini, Vajpayee Health Scheme and other insurance schemes whose premium amount is minimal. He also told them to pay loan instalments regularly. He directed the officials to complete the work of the crematorium at Ucchila immediately. The deputy commissioner also said a one-day programme will be held for officials to make create awareness about DC Manna land and Dalit Atrocity Act among them. He directed the Kundapur taluk panchayat executive officer to auction shops in the commercial complex built at taluk panchayat immediately by announcing the reservation. Dr Vishal directed the officials to look into the allegation that Dalit are not offered facilities to construct houses at Belapu. He asked the DDPI to check whether children from Dalit communities are attending classes at Kotebagilu area in Tallur. Unhealthy development Superintendent of Police Annamalai said misuse of Dalit Atrocity Act is not justifiable.The police are acting according to law and the intentional and silly acts of registering cases against police officials under the Act is an unhealthy development, he added. Zilla Panchayat CEO Priyanka Mary Francis said SC/ST community people should make use of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), wherein the personal works like construction of wells, percolations ponds can be taken up. They should take the job cards at gram panchayats and avail the benefit. The S/ST community members shared their grievances on the occasion. Karnataka Congress unit chief G Parameshwara on Wednesday met party president Sonia Gandhi and explained the reasons for its average performance in the recently held zilla and taluk panchayat elections in Karnataka, according to sources. During the meeting, Sonia expressed her unhappiness over the manner in which the State party leaders handled the controversy over Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs expensive wristwatch, the sources said. Sonia was upset that Rahman Sharief, Congress candidate and grandson of former Union minister C K Jaffer Sharief, had lost the Assembly bypoll from the Hebbal constituency in Bengaluru. She was also said to be very annoyed at senior leaders failing to contain the damage caused to the partys image due the wristwatch row. Party sources said the Congress president was not satisfied with G Parameshwaras explanation of the strategy adopted by him and other leaders. Parameshwara reportedly admitted that the watch controversy was also a reason for the partys average performance in the local body polls. The process to reclaim prime land allotted to the Vyalikaval House Building Co-operative Society (VHBCS) in the posh locality of RMV II Stage in northern Bengaluru has begun as the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has issued notice to the society. The BDA has asked the society to furnish explanation in connection with illegal construction of apartment complex and row-houses in violation of its own rules after entering into a joint development agreement with a real estate firm, Vaishnavi Infrastructure Pvt Ltd. The BDA notice is based on a complaint by a senior member of the society, S Ramachandra. The complaint stated that the society has violated rules and built apartment complex on two acres and two gunta of land in survey number 54/2 and row-houses on 17 guntas of land in survey number 3. The society had entered into a joint development agreement with Vaishnavi Infrastructure Pvt Ltd for construction of an apartment complex in violation of its own rules and illegally sold premium flats, including penthouses, to politicians and their associates. The complainant said the land was allotted to the VHBC Society to develop and sell sites to its members only. He said he had been paying site advance deposit since 1982, but was yet to get a site. The land in survey number 54/2 (2.2 acres) was allotted to the society under the BDAs Development Scheme in accordance with the BDA Act 1976, with a specific condition in the sale deed that the land was to be used for the sale of sites to the poor and needy members of the society. But, the society entered into joint development agreement in violation of Section 38 (b) of the BDA Act and rule 7 (2) of the BDA Bulk Allotment Rules, which categorically specify that sites be allotted only to members. The society violated the model byelaws of the House Building Co-operative Societies and its own byelaws. The whole apartment complex at RMV II Stage is now known as Vaishnavi Splendour with no mention of the societys name. The complaint filed by Ramachandra has made several allegations against the society. The reply should reach the office within 15 days, else further action will be taken as per rules, the BDA notice has stated. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has promised to upload on its website information related to No Objection Certificates (NoCs) issued to industries and residential buildings, the list of members in its lake watchdog committee as well as real-time air and water quality analysis. It was an immediate assurance given by KSPCB Chairman Lakshman to lake conservationists and non- governmental organisations (NGO), which sought transparency in the boards functioning at a meeting here on Wednesday. Prof Arbind Gupta from Save Bangalore Lakes Trust wanted to know the status of all private and public sewage treatment plants through which at least of half of the treated water gets into the lakes. If this information is published on the website, citizens can check its accuracy, he said. Kavita Reddy, lake activist and member of Agara Lake Protection and Management Committee, urged the board to put in place a consistent mechanism for analysing the quality of water. Put it on the website and let it be known to the public, she said. Ram Prasad from Friends of Lake doubted the KSPCBs efficiency to tackle pollution. How many criminal cases have you filed to tackle pollution, he asked and suggested that the details were not made public to hide wrongdoing. Sridhar Pabbisetty from Namma Bengaluru Foundation claimed that only people with political connections were members of the lake watchdog committee and that the board had omitted those working relentlessly to conserve lakes. Elangovan from Whitefield Rising concurred and demanded to know the names of the committee members. Among other suggestions, K S Bhat, a retired professor, urged the board to act on complaints and not wait for the court order. There is no co-ordinated action by government agencies to rejuvenate lakes. The release of sewage into the lakes and encroachment are major issues, which is not being addressed properly. Nobody is interested, he said, describing them as unwilling brides. He also suggested that the board introduce a lake adoption scheme and invest in lakes. One rupee spent on a lake is equal to two rupees on other water sources, Bhat said and supported a single window instead of multiple civic agencies. Prof V Jagannatha, a scientist from Isro, urged the KSPCB to prepare an urban watershed management plan to rejuvenate lakes. A teacher from Varthur urged the members to set up a water quality testing centre in her school so that the local people can know the quality of water they drink. An accidental fire destroyed more than 10 acres of vegetation atop the Chamundi Hills here on Wednesday. The fire was spotted around 1.30 pm near the Tavarakatte village side. The villagers immediately informed the Forest department, which in turn alerted the Fire and Emergency Services. About 40 forest and 20 fire department personnel managed to douse the flames after a two-hour-long struggle, spraying water from atop the hill. Heavy winds caused the fire to spread over dried bushes up to the watch tower near the Nandi statue. Eucalyptus trees, champa and bushes were destroyed, sources said. Deputy Conservator of Forests V Karikalan told Deccan Herald the fire must have spread from a beedi or cigarette butt or could be the handiwork of miscreants. More destruction Just two days ago, a wildfire had erupted destroying more than 500 acres of forest under Hediyala range. Miscreants reportedly set fire in the forest at Yettinagudda area, destroying more than 150 acres of forest under Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Division, in Chamarajanagar district, on Monday. Kannada film actor Darshan was again in the news on Wednesday for the wrong reasons as his wife Vijayalakshmi approached the police asking them to warn him for his bad conduct. Vijayalakshmi approached the CK Achchukattu police and submitted a petition in this regard. She submitted the petition around 7 pm asking the police to warn Darshan for his objectional behaviour. We are considering the petition and will take a suitable decision, DCP (South) B S Lokesh Kumar told Deccan Herald. Darshan and Vijayalakshmi, who pursued Chemical Engineering, parted ways about one-and-half-years ago and have been staying separately. Vijayalakshmi is living at Hoskerehalli. Darshan went to Vijayalakshmis house on Wednesday evening, but she was not there. He used foul language against her and left the place. The security guard informed Vijayalakshmi about Darshans visit and his conduct. She met the police and submitted the petition. It was not known if the actor was drunk when he visited Vijayalakshmis residence, the police said. The rift between Darshan and Vijayalakshmi became public after he assaulted and threatened her in September 2011. The actor was arrested and spent 14 days in judicial custody at Parappana Agrahara. The two came together after sometime and decided to settle their differences. Darshan and Vijayalakshmi were in a relationship for about four years and later got married in 2000. The couple have a son. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday metaphorically compared Congress to death in his sardonic attempt to take a dig at the lead opposition party, which he felt was blessed and never gets blamed for anything like demise. Only the reason leading to bereavement is blamed; similarly criticism of Congress is reported as attack on the Opposition, Modi commented in his reply to the motion of thanks to Presidents address in Parliament, inviting laughter in Rajya Sabha. Modi said his government has to sweat to put things in order, having inherited the legacy of Congress misgovernance. He quoted Urdu poet Nida Fazlis line, Safar me dhoop to hogi.. (the journey will be sultry), to challenge the opposition party to walk the talk as he himself does. "Death has a blessing. It never gets blamed for anything. If somebody dies, the blame goes to reasons like cancer, age.. Death itself is never blamed or defamed. Sometimes I feel that the Congress has this blessing. If we criticise the Congress, the media terms it as 'attack on opposition' but not an attack on Congress. However, if we attack (JD-U leader) Sharadji (Yadav) or BSP, then it is called an attack on JD-U or BSP. Congress never gets the blame...It needs to be pondered upon as this is in itself a big science," he said. The PM was not as stinging in his criticism of Congress while replying earlier to the motion of thanks to the Presidents address in Lok Sabha. As in the Lower House, he appealed to members of the Upper House where the government is in a minority, to allow passage of legislation crucial to boost fiscal health. Performance report He rebutted criticism by Congress leaders of his government's policies by detailing schemes and initiatives, which read like NDA governments performance report ahead of elections in five states. Picking on Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad for referring to loopholes in Jan Dhan Yojana, Modi appreciated his effort but not before mocking at the fault finding exercise in Bhopal. "Had you worked so hard while in government, there would have been no need for Modi to do Jan Dhan. You are looking at my work through a microscope. Had you used a binocular and critiqued your own initiatives while you were in power, then it would have been better," he remarked in a lighter vein. A discussion in the Lok Sabha on a bill to amend a 1968 law on Wednesday saw members debating if India should continue to see Pakistan and China as its enemies. The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill 2016 was eventually passed by the Lok Sabha, even as the opposition MPs warned the government that the new law might be struck down by the Supreme Court. The MPs of the Congress, Biju Janata Dal, Telangana Rashtra Samiti and the Revolutionary Socialist Party argued against the Bill, pointing out that it would explicitly discriminate among citizens. They also questioned if India should continue to see Pakistan and China its enemies, even as New Delhi was trying to mend its ties with the neighbours. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that no international norm could allow one nation terming another as enemy during peace. He wondered why the BJP government should make India follow the example of Pakistan. Pakistan too has a similar act to treat properties of people migrated to India as enemy property. K V Reddy of the TRS wondered what would be the rationale of referring to China as an enemy at a time when Telangana and many other states of India were inviting investments from China. Home Minister Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha that the government was not in favour of treating any of Indias neighbours, be it Pakistan or China or any other country, as an enemy. Replying to the debate on the bill in the House; Singh said that the term enemy was coined in 1960s, when India had to resist aggression by China in 1962 and by Pakistan in 1965. The government introduced the Bill in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. If passed by both Houses of Parliament, the proposed law would replace the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance, which was promulgated on January 7. The ordinance sought to retrospectively prevent inheritors of the owners of such properties to move courts and seek return of properties taken over by the government. Asaduddin Owaisi of the AIMIM said that the amendment was discriminatory against the minority Muslims. Pinaki Mishra of the BJD said that it would be struck down by the Supreme Court. Yogi Adityanath and Chintamani Malviya of the BJP accused the previous Congress-led government of buckling under pressure from a particular community and not pursuing the amendment during its tenure. The home minister, however, urged the MPs not to see the Bill through a religious prism. The original Enemy Property Act was enacted on August 20, 1968 to empower the government to take over properties of people, who had migrated to other nations. It was mainly applied to properties of people who had migrated to Pakistan after the 1947 partition of India. The Act also empowered the government to take over properties of some Chinese-origin people in Kolkata after they had left in the wake of the 1962 war between the two nations. The erstwhile Congress-led government first promulgated an ordinance in 2010 in order to plug some loopholes, which were noticed when the Supreme Court in 2005 ordered restoration of properties of late Raja Mohammad Amir Ahmed Khan a Muslim League leader who had migrated to Pakistan in 1947 in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to his son Raja Mohammed Amir Mohammad Khan, who, however, remained a citizen of India. The 2010 ordinance lapsed, as two Bills introduced by the government to replace it could not be passed by Parliament before change of regime in May 2014. A Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) commander, wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), was among the two ultras killed in an encounter with security forces in South Kashmirs Pulwama district on Wednesday evening. Abu Okasa, who was one of the masterminds of last years Udhampur terror attack and another unidentified foreign militant were killed near Plant Nursery, Kakpora in Pulwama, 28 kms from here, reports said. Rayees Mohammad Bhat Superintendent Police (SP) of Pulwamaconfirmed the killing of Okasa and another unidentified foreign militant. The firing has stopped as of now, but the cordon continues, he told Deccan Herald. The SP said they have reports of presence of some more militants in the area. Sources said there are atleast a dozen militants present in the area and security forces are trying to neutralise them all. Around a dozen militants of LeT and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen were holding a meeting in nearby Wandakhpora village fields when security forces launched a search operation. However, the militants opened fire on the search party and managed to escape towards Plant Nursery where security forces managed to neutralise two of them, they said. Reports said the Armys counter-insurgency force the Rashtriya Rifles, Jammu and Kashmir Polices Special Operations Group and the CRPF have laid a cordon around Wandakhpora, Goripora and Kunjipora villages. As the militants escaped from one place to the other, the security forces have laid a cordon around a larger area now to ensure they are prevented from escaping, said a senior police official. Abu Okasa, a 19-year-old militant from Khyber Pakhtunkhwan in Pakistan was named as one of the main accused by the NIA in last years fidayeen attack on a BSF convoy in Udhampur. The NIA, probing the attack had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for those providing information about Okasa. His (Okasas) killing is a big jolt to the LeT as he was the second most wanted militant after Abu Qasim, who was killed last year in November, the official said. The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to Delhi and Tamil Nadu governments on a plea by a NGO for contempt proceedings for violating its judgment on prohibiting publication of picture of chief ministers in government advertisements. A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and P C Ghose gave six weeks to both the states for filing their response on submission by advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing NGO Common Cause that they disobeyed the guidelines issued on May 13, 2015. Meanwhile, the Union government supported six non-BJP ruled states before the court, urging it allow publication of chief minister and other ministers picture in public advertisements. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi submitted the verdict of May 13 last restricting use of photograph to President, PM, and CJI violated the federal structure and citizens right to freedom of speech and expression and right to information. He also said it is not for the court to issue the guidelines for publication of advertisement and, if at all, it was necessary, it should be determined by the Constitution bench. The judgment is akin to pre-censorship imposed by the court. It is right of the citizens to receive information. The government is trustee. It can pass information through newspapers and electronic media...something is capable of misuse is no ground for striking it down, he said. Rohatgi submitted every government advertisement is scrutinised by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The court had earlier barred publication of photos of political leaders in government advertisements except those of the President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India with their prior permission. This may lead to development of personalty cult, a pernicious trend, which could be neutralised by publishing pictures of others as well, Rohatgi said. After day-long arguments by counsel for Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Chattisgarh, the apex court reserved its order on their plea for review of the judgment. As the Centre claimed that head of the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines Vijay Mallya left the country on March 2, the Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the banks for disbursing loans over Rs 9,000 crore without securing his assets. While hearing a plea by a consortium of 17 banks led by State Bank of India (SBI) for impounding his passport, a bench of Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman issued notice to Mallya seeking his response within two weeks. Appearing for the banks, Attorney General (A-G) Mukul Rohatgi submitted that Mallya owed over Rs 9,000 crore to 17 banks. On March 2, the day we moved the Debt Recovery Tribunal in Goa and Bengaluru for the loan amount, I am told by the CBI that he has already left the country, said Rohatgi. We want a garnishee order and there is also a need for disclosure on behalf of Mallya. We want his appearance here as it is public money, Rohatgi added. Refusing to issue any summons to Mallya for the moment, the bench asked the A-G: How did you give loan to him when he was a defaulter and facing proceedings in a court of law? Was it secured? To this, the A-G said loans were given taking into account factors like brand value and logo of the company. He said Mallya has assets, movable and immovable, abroad which are far in excess to loans secured by him. Rohatgi said it was likely that Mallya, a Rajya Sabha MP, is in England in view of the tremendous assets he has over there. Taking the A-Gs submission into account, the bench allowed Rohatgi to serve Mallya a notice through the Indian High Commission at London, on his Rajya Sabha email ID and his counsel. The court put the matter for further hearing on March 30. The consortium of banks challenged the Karnataka High Court order of March 4 where their request for issuing an interim restraint order was turned down. The banks contended that the high court order has completely failed to protect the interest of the petitioner banks which are yet to recover an amount in excess of Rs 9,000 crore from Mallya, Kingfisher and United Breweries. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday cleared the decks for the three-day Art of Livings World Culture Festival beginning here on Friday, but imposed an initial fine of Rs 5 crore as environmental compensation. The tribunal said the final compensation amount will be determined by a committee within four weeks. The NGT also slapped a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Rs 1 lakh on the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), holding that the two government bodies failed to perform their statutory functions and obligations. While the DDA granted permission to the Art of Living Foundations (AoL) incomplete and vague application for organising the event in excess of the power vested in and in contravention with the NGTs previous order, the DPCC failed to exercise due diligence and its authority in the matter, the tribunal said. Ramps, roads and pontoon bridges and other semi-permanent or temporary structures have been constructed without taking permission, including from the Ministry of Water Resources. It is the consistent view of the experts and is sufficiently evident from the documents placed on record that the flood plains have been drastically tampered with, while destroying the natural flow of the river, reeds, grasses and natural vegetation on the river bed, the tribunal noted. The NGT bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar, however, dismissed the pleas, including the one by environment activist Manoj Mishra to stop the three-day mega event beginning on Yamuna flood plains in Mayur Vihar area from Friday. For the reason of delay... on part of the applicant in approaching the tribunal and for the reason of fait accompli capable of restoration and restitution, we are unable to grant the prayer of prohibitory order and a mandatory direction for removal of construction and restoration of the area in question to the applicant at this stage, the bench stated. Mobile technology works for truckers. The high-stakes world of the Amazon marketplace. And Target gets buys investing in its supply chain The `Appy Trucker Mobile technology is making it easier than ever for truckers to find profitable loads and keep more of their income by dis-intermediating middlemen, the Economist writes Source: The Economist Target Corp. to invest $2 billion annually in supply chain Target Corp. will launch a campaign in 2017 to spend $2 billion to $2.5 billion per year in a race to upgrade its supply chain and technology infrastructure. CEO Brian Cornell revealed the plan in a briefing with analysts last week, blaming the firms "incredibly complex supply chain" for lower sales in 2015. Source: Reuters Customer Ratings, Pricing Competitions and Secondary Market Distributors: Inside the High Stress, High Reward World of Amazon Marketplace Pharmapacks, an e-commerce health and beauty retailer, expects to do $140 million in revenue in 2016. Nearly half of that will come from Amazon Marketplace, where, in order to maintain a visible presence on product pages, the company has to resolve customer complaints, outprice the competition, and back it all up with an agile, efficient warehousing and distribution operation that sometimes relies on alternate source suppliers for inventory. Source: Inc. Magazine STB looking to prioritize freight rails over Amtrak: The Hill The U.S. Surface Transportation Board is moving to invalidate a federal mandate that requires freight railroads to give preference to Amtrak on tracks that are shared between passenger and freight trains. The STB has said the mandate to prioritize passenger trains was not spelled out in federal law, although it has been enforced since Amtrak was established in the 1970s. Source: The Hill Amazon to open second brick-and-mortar bookstore Amazon plans to open its second brick-and-mortar store in the coming months, adding a location at San Diegos Westfield UTC mall to the retailers first storefront location in Seattle. Amazon has already hung signs on the building and posted job openings for managers, booksellers and device enthusiasts. Source: San Diego Union Tribune China to heavily promote logistics sector over next five years China will promote the development of its logistics sector in the next five years to bolster economic growth and deepen supply-side reform. More innovative policies will be unveiled during 2016-2020 to lower taxes and reduce cost in the logistics sector, said the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Source: Hinxua News Agency U.K. e-commerce growth hampered by dearth of warehouse space E-commerce growth in the U.K. could be affected by a lack of warehouse space to handle fulfillment and deliveries Source: Logistic Manager Acting U.S. Secretary John B. King Jr. is one step closer to being a full-fledged cabinet officialthe Senate education committee Wednesday approved his nomination by a 16-6 vote. The nomination will now advance to the floor of the chamber. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., voted in favor of King, even though he said they dont agree on everything. He said he had urged President Barack Obama to officially nominate an education secretary who is accountable to the Senate, during the first critical year of implementation for the Every Student Succeeds Act, the newest version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The education committee held a collegial confirmation hearing for King late last month. But a number of Republicans voted no, including Sens. Mike Enzi of Wyoming, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Pat Roberts of Kansas, and Tim Scott of South Carolina. All of the Democrats on the committee voted to confirm King, with Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the panel expressing strong support for him. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., however, expressed serious doubts about the Education Departments general counsels willingness to go after colleges that are feasting on taxpayer dollars while not offering students a quality education. Warren also is worried that the trillion dollar student loan bank inside the department doesnt put students interests first. She said she cant support Kings nomination on the floor until he addresses those issues. King took the helm of the Education Department on an acting basis by replacing U.S. Secretary Arne Duncan, who had a toxic relationship with many in Congress by the time he left office. Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . White female students are more likely to pursue STEM fields in college if they attended a high school with a high proportion of female math and science teachers, according to a recent study. The results were not as conclusive for black female students. Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Duke University looked at a sample of 16,300 students who attended secondary school in North Carolina and went on to a college through the University of North Carolina system. The study, Demographic Characteristics of High School Math and Science Teachers and Girls Success in STEM , published in the journal Social Problems, focused on how the race and gender of teachers affect students decisions to pursue further science, technology, engineering, and math education. The authors found a positive and significant association between the proportion of female math and science teachers in high school and young womens probability of declaring a STEM major. There was no link between teachers gender and the probability of picking a STEM major for young men. The race of the teachers did not affect either young mens or womens pursuits, the study found. But when viewed in light of students races, there were differences. White girls were more likely to declare or graduate with a STEM major if they attended a high school with a higher proportion of female math and science teachers. We argue that female math and science teachers, as potential passive and active representatives of white girls interests in math and science within the school bureaucracy, can open STEM fields of study to white girls in ways that male math and science teachers may not, the authors write. For African-American girls, there was no significant association between the proportion of female teachers and STEM outcomes. (The sample sizes precluded looking at this for students of other races.) Because the sample of black girls was much smaller than that of white girls in the study, its possible the findings are not entirely conclusive. Its also possible that the presence of female math and science teacherseven co-ethnic female math and science teachersmay not be sufficient to offset the chilly climate that young women of color might face in science and math classrooms, the authors write. Russian operator MTS has awarded a US$25 million contract to Intracom Telecom for its ultra high capacity Ethernet radio, UltraLink-FX80. The duration of the agreement is 2 years and includes network management software and support services, which will be delivered via Intracoms Moscow-based subsidiary Intracom Svyaz. MTS Russia, in line with its strategy to deliver superior quality services and high speed 4G connectivity to its customers, has proceeded to further enhancing its mobile network by employing Intracom Telecoms UltraLink-FX80 ultra high capacity mmWave radio. With this investment MTS addresses in the most efficient way its future wireless backhauling needs for LTE and LTE-A deployment. The introduction of the state of the art technology of UltraLink-FX80 into MTS backhaul and transport network will enable the delivery of next generation mobile services that will offer 4G+ service speeds reaching and even exceeding 1 Gbps, providing fast Internet surfing and file downloads and uploads, streaming of high definition video and rich multimedia e-services on the ever increasing variety of user mobile devices. Intracom Telecoms UltraLink-FX80 employs the latest mmWave integrated transceiver technologies in a compact fully outdoor unit. Offering the highest spectral efficiency, it provides up to 3 Gbit/s full-duplex Ethernet throughputs in a 500 MHz channel for delivering mobile network backhaul services at the lowest cost per Gigabit. UltraLink-FX80 can be easily and flexibly deployed on rooftops, telecommunication towers and even lamp posts. Accommodating Ethernet and CPRI interfaces on the same fully outdoor unit, Ultralink-FX80 can be used in both backhaul and fronthaul applications. Furthermore, its innovative zero-touch configuration, using the uniMS SON Manager minimises rollout time and cost, and safeguards against deployment errors. Andrei Ushatskiy, Vice President, Chief Technology and Information Officer, MTS, commented: The vendor supplies us with variety of innovative equipment and we have selected Intracom Telecoms Ethernet radio UltraLink-FX80 because it fully meets our key backhauling needs in dense urban areas - the compact all-outdoor multi-Gigabit Ethernet PtP radio platform operates in non-licensing spectrum and demonstrates high capacity for heavy loaded 3G/4G sites. Moreover it is easy to install, flexible in use that also minimises operational costs. Athanasios Antoulinakis, General Director of Intracom Svyaz, commented: The advanced technical and operational features of our new E-Band ultra high capacity system UltraLink-FX80 cover all the current and future requirements of MTS transport network, offering the highest capacities per link that are available in the market today. We are in the unique position to offer to our customers the complete range of MW solutions PtP and PtMP starting from 6 GHz up to 80 GHz while being monitored by the same network Management Suite, uniMS. In this way, Intracom Telecom can vertically respond to any type of wireless backhauling requirement related to 3G, LTE, LTE-A, Macro/ Micro Base stations and Small Cells." National Public Radio and an organization founded by a former public radio journalist are teaming up to bring more NPR segments into the classroom. The main goal of the partnership between NPR and Listen Current , a Brookline, Mass.-based curriculum provider, is to help teach students how to become better listeners. Its a retro skill, but the one skill you really need in life is listening, Monica Brady-Myerov, the founder and CEO of Listen Current, said in an interview. The NPR stories and segments are used to build critical listening skills, she said. Listen Current already offers audio from NPR and other public radio sources for use by teachers, who have used them not just to build their students listening skills but to help English-language learners and others who need a boost with language literacy, and as topical resources in subject areas such as social studies and science. The agreement announced Tuesday at the South by Southwest (SXSWedu) Education Conference in Austin, Texas, will significantly scale up the partnership between the two organizations, Brady-Myerov said. This agreement allows us to work more closely with NPR to bring their journalism into the classroom, she said. Emma Carrasco, NPRs chief marketing officer and senior vice president for audience development, said in a statement that the radio network is excited about the partnership. Listen Current has figured out how to make public radio classroom-ready and improve college and career readiness of students through authentic learning, Carrasco said in the statement. Brady-Myerov is a veteran radio journalist who was a reporter and editor at public station WBUR in Boston, where she did award-winning reports on closing the achievement gap and the high school dropout crisis. She started Listen Current, originally known as Listen Edition, to help bring radio reports into the classroom for educational use. Teachers can use the library of audio content for free, but Listen Current also offers a premium membership that provides interactive transcripts, standards-aligned lesson plans, and other bonuses. Some of the lesson packages are American Children, Immigrant Parents , about the U.S. immigration debate; An Imminent Thaw , about the ecosystem of the Bering Sea; and Coal Rules the World , about the role of that resource. Brady-Myerov says that even in an age of boundless video content on the Web and elsewhere, audio has gained ground with teachers and students alike because the popularity of podcasts. Students can listen on their phones or other mobile devices, she said. Teachers tell us its refreshing. You can leave a response , or trackback from your own site. by Kathleen Gilbert BEIJING, September 7, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) Escaped Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng is leading international opponents of forced abortion in calling upon the worlds largest company to end compliance with the Chinas one-child policy. Family planning police have targeted employees (569) Sign up below to have the hottest Catholic news delivered to your email daily! Close Sign up below to have the hottest Catholic news delivered to your email daily! Church Militant, we need to band together to protect our religious liberties and win the culture war! Novo Nordisk has announced successful results from a trial investigating the cardiovascular safety of Victoza (liraglutide) in people with type 2 diabetes. Victoza is a human glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) analogue for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It is injected once daily and works by lowering blood glucose levels and aiding weight loss. In a study called the LEADER trial, Victoza was evaluated over a five-year period in more than 9,000 adults with type 2 diabetes. All participants had a high risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. Patients randomly received 1.2 or 1.8mg of Victoza or placebo, in addition to standard care. The researchers wanted to evaluate if patients were more at risk of experiencing cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or non-fatal stroke while taking placebo or liraglutide. Victoza demonstrated a superior reduction of major adverse cardiovascular events compared to placebo, and its safety profile was consistent with previous clinical studies on liraglutide. People with type 2 diabetes generally have a higher risk of experiencing major adverse cardiovascular events, explained Mads Krogsgaard Thomse, executive vice president and chief science officer of Novo Nordisk. Thats why we are very excited about the results from LEADER, which showed that Victoza, in addition to helping people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels, also reduces their risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. Novo Nordisk plans to reveal more detailed results of the study at the 76th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association in June 2016. Another recent study found that Victoza improves insulin secretion among adults with long-standing, uncontrolled type 2 diabetes after six months of treatment. The view that he captured, though, is spectacular. In a move that has certainly drawn the eyeballs of enthusiasts and law enforcers alike, YouTube user Tollymaster flew his DJI Phantom 2 drone up to as high as 11,000 feet. Drone-flying is as yet not legally permitted in India, while in other countries the hobby is restrained under laws and governances. Drones are not allowed to fly higher than 500 feet in European Union nations, while the United States of America allows drone hobbyists to go as high as 400 feet. Having broken all possible legal restrictions in terms of flying drones, Tollymaster uploaded a breathtaking video of views captured by the Phantom 2s onboard camera, only to later realise his mistake of sharing his work publicly and took it down. Drones, generally, are programmed to not fly beyond a certain height. The DJI Phantom 2 is usually programmed to restrict itself within an altitude of 1,500 feet, which itself is higher than what is permitted in general areas. The uber-enthusiast hobbyist may have personally altered the firmware locks that restrict drones and quadcopters within limits, and if he is eventually found to have done so, he may face severe consequences in front of law, both monetarily and otherwise, despite the amazing video that he shot. This video in question was procured by the drone enthusiast blog DroneWatch, and re-uploaded on the Internet. It is not clear as yet about what penalties will Mr. Tollymaster face for such a deed, and although we hope he is treated with lenience upon legal approach, we cannot help but thank him for capturing such a breathtaking view from the soaring height. Take a look: The German parent of one of the UK's big six energy firms more than doubled its annual losses to 7bn (5.4bn) on Wednesday, with its UK profits flat. E.ON blamed the poor performance on a writedown in the value of its loss-making power generation assets of 8.8bn. It also issued a warning for the year ahead, with the disposal of its North Sea assets hurting its outlook for the 2016 financial year. "The course ahead will be tougher and longer than anticipated," the company's board said in a statement. In the UK specifically, E.ON said overall profits were flat on the previous year, with more renewable energy projects coming online, including the Humber Gateway wind farm. The firm blamed a 3.5% cut to standard gas tariffs last January for a fall in profits in its supply division, where earnings fell 9% to 267m. Both E.ON and its stablemate at the top of Germany's energy industry - npower owner RWE - had written off billions in the value of their conventional energy assets recently. The companies have blamed a shift in German government policy towards renewable energy, as well as the forced closure of all nuclear plants in the country after the Fukushima disaster in Japan. Final results from Prudential showed pre-tax profit falling short of expectations but a bumper dividend and reassuring words from chief executive Mike Wells on the outlook in the UK, US and Asia helped lift the shares on Wednesday morning. Although total revenue fell 31% to 41.3bn due to much lower investment returns offsetting higher gross premiums earnings, operating profits rose 22% to 4.0bn, partly helped by a one-off 339m benefit from slimming down the UK life business to reflect the new Solvency II regulations. Profit before tax increased 20% to 3.2bn, though this was lower than the consensus estimate of 3.6bn, with earnings per share up 16% to 101p. Directors brought investors firmly back on side by adding a special dividend on top of a full-year dividend that was only hiked 5% to 38.78p per share - slightly below the consensus. The special dividend of 10p per share was thanks to the one-off management action in the UK business. Of its three main geographic areas, the UK life business generated the strongest growth in operating profit, up 60% to 1.2bn, though the M&G investment arm endured a 1% decline to 442m. The Asia life and asset management segment delivered a 17% increase to 1.3bn, with growth from both sides of the business. In the US, Jackson life contributed 10% growth to 1.7bn. "The fundamentals of the group remain compelling, our opportunities are intact and we are in an enviable position to benefit from the attractive structural and demographic opportunities in Asia, the US and the UK," said Wells. "The disciplined execution of our strategy, underpinned by the cash generating nature of our business, positions us well to be able to continue to deliver high-quality products and services to our 24m customers and long-term profitable growth to our shareholders." On the outlook, Wells said that while the current macroeconomic uncertainty and market instability clouded the near-term outlook, creating a headwind for Prudential's fee-based businesses, the group's progress "continues to remain underpinned by the structural demand for regular premium savings and protection products in Asia". The continued strong growth of the middle classes in the region mean savings and insurance demand underpins prospects for the long-term he assured. "The high quality, recurring nature of our income and the scale and diversity of our pan-regional platform position us well to smooth out the inevitable country level fluctuations to deliver value across the cycle." For the UK, while M&G's asset management has been facing headwinds, mainly from negative outflows due to the rotation out of bonds, it remains a well regarded brand and the life business has adapted deftly to the changing pensions market. Regulations are also due to hit the US business but Wells alluded to contingency plans now in advanced stages "which are designed to underpin our future prospects for both earnings and cash". Analyst opinion Societe Generale said the headline numbers looked "strong", with operating profit coming in 10% ahead of consensus, though only beating forecasts by 1% if the one-off management action in the UK is stripped away. The French broker, reaffirmed its 'buy' rating on the stock but highlighted potential risks in future if the Hong Kong and Singapore dollars remove their US peg, leading to currency depreciations. Other risks are further capital controls by the Chinese government, deterioration in the UK and US credit environment, particularly its exposure to US energy, and finally significant US hedge losses exceeding risk pricing. Shore Capital said it was a "quite remarkable set of results" in the face of regulatory and economic headwinds across the globe. "The UK performance was particularly impressive, to us, leaving aside the one-off, and demonstrates the value latent within this business," analysts wrote. "The 15% growth from Asia should assuage the fears amongst some commentators over the recent turmoil in that region and its possible impact on Prus delivery." SocGen observed that Pru's Solvency II position remained highly robust, that free surplus generation and cash remittance figures were equally impressive, and that the group remained on target to deliver against its new 2017 targets for cash and profits in Asia and group cash. Students who attend schools in networks that focus on deeper learning graduate in four years at rates that are about 8 percentage points higher than those of their peers, according to a study released Wednesday by the American Institutes for Research . The report is the latest in a series of studies that examine outcomes in schools that use a deeper learning approach. It confirms the findings of another study in the series, released in 2014 , which found that students who attend schools that shape instruction this way graduate in four years at rates that are about 9 percentage points higher than those of peers in schools that are not in deeper learning networks. The 2014 study also found that deeper learning network school students score higher on state and international tests than their peers, were more likely to enroll in four-year and selective colleges, and were more likely to report that they felt academically engaged and motivated to learn. The studies, based on samples of more than 20,000 students in 27 schools in New York and California, are funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, which has been exploring the deeper learning idea in recent years. (The Hewlett Foundation also supports Education Weeks coverage of the topic.) Researchers focused on students who entered the 9th grade between 2007-08 and 2010-11 in schools that are networked around key principles of deeper learning , such as mastery of core content and problem-solving skills, and in similar schools that are not in such networks. The 2014 report that found a graduation-rate advantage for students in deeper learning network schools followed them through the fall of 2013. The report released March 9 followed an additional cohort of students through the spring of 2014. The new study found that the graduation-rate effect wasnt quite as pronounced for students from low-income families, but found that those students still graduated at higher rates than similar students in non-network schools. Schools focused on deeper learning aim to enable students to transfer knowledge and skills across contexts through the development of academic and problem solving skills, their ability to communicate and work with others, and their self-knowledge and ability to manage their own time and effort. The first study in the series explored the practices and strategies of educators in deeper learning network schools. The second study examined the kinds of distinct opportunities students in those schools experienced. The third documented the differing outcomes for students in those schools, compared with those of non-network schools. All three of the earlier studies are available on a special page of AIRs website . Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Olentangy Berlin shuts out Thomas Worthington in Game of the Week Olentangy Berlin visits Thomas Worthington for the central Ohio high school football Game of the Week for Week 10. Acting Education Secretary John B. King Jr. is urging Congress to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act , even though prospects for its revision and approval appear dim. Last renewed in 2006, the Perkins Act funnels more than $1 billion a year into career and technical education in middle school, high school, and college. Lawmakers started the process of reviewing and reworking it several years ago , and wanted to focus in particular on building more consistency into the quality of CTE programs. But those efforts have largely stalled. Echoing remarks he made Monday to a gathering of mayors , King plans to use an appearance in Baltimore Wednesday to draw attention to the need for Perkins Act reauthorization. His voice joins those of career-tech-ed advocates pushing Congress this week for more funding for the law. Its time for Congress to reauthorize the Perkins Act so that every student, in every community has access to rigorous, relevant, and results-driven CTE programs, King planned to say, according to remarks prepared for delivery. The best CTE programs build students creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and help them prepare for additional education and good jobs after high school, the prepared speech said. Todays CTE is about the future you cant prepare for with just a textbook, the prepared remarks said. Its about learning how to build your own business, from an idea to a prototype and beyond. Its about creating new tools to solve everyday problems. Its about applying practical skills to tackle major challenges, like global warming or public health crises. One thing is clearits not your grandfathers shop class. President Barack Obamas administration has been cheerleading for innovation among young people, and the creation of makerspaces to support it. The White House hosted a CTE innovation fair last fall, and will soon name a group of CTE Presidential Scholars who exemplify ambitious goals in career and technical education. It launched a national Week of Making last June, and King planned to announce Wednesday that it has chosen the week of June 17 for another. Supporting Better Career Tech Ed The administration has also been pushing to build incentives into the Perkins Act for innovative, high-quality CTE programs, and wants the law to better define the courses that should make up a good CTE program, make sure that career pathways reflect the needs of the labor market, and describe how mastery of CTE content should be measured. Congress isnt in love with all the Obama administrations ideas for a reauthorized Perkins Act, though, such as distributing some of the funding through competitions, instead of doling it out through a standard formula. CTE advocates are also concerned that his approach to funding CTE would make too little formula funding available , squeezing program supply as demand rises. Between those reservations and the presidential election, which complicates progress on many things in Washington, few are optimistic that the Perkins Act will be reauthorized soon. In Baltimore, King also plans to announce a new competition, sponsored by the Education Department, to create space for high-quality CTE programs. Called the Career Technical Education Makeover Challenge, it will distribute a total of $200,000 to as many as 10 applicants who submit proposals to convert space in their high school building into places equipped to allow students to design and build things. King also planned to use his appearance in Charm City to team up with Baltimore City schools CEO Gregory Thornton to help the city in its bid to open a P-TECH school. The Pathways in Technology Early College High School is a model started in New York City with a partnership that includes the citys high schools, colleges, and the tech giant IBM . It blends rigorous high school and college study with preparation for high-tech careers and real-world work, allowing students to graduate with high school diplomas and associate degrees. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has been working with state lawmakers to gain approval for a P-TECH school in Baltimore, and King wants to showcase the model as the kind of CTE program that could benefit more students through a reauthorized Perkins Act. 2016 AFR/ANG Teen Summits Now Open Air Force Services Activity Child and Youth Programs (AFSVA CYP) is pleased to announce the 2016 Air Force Reserve (AFR) and Air National Guard (ANG) Teen Leadership Summits! Each summit will allow teens the opportunity to explore and develop their leadership skills, build self-confidence and form lasting friendships. The Classic Teen Leadership Summit is scheduled for Jul 17 - 22 in Dahlonega, Georgia. The Adventure Teen Leadership Summit is scheduled for Aug 9 - 14 in Estes Park, Colorado. Eligible applicants include teen dependents, 14-18 years old, of AFR and ANG members. Interested teens must complete the electronic application form at http://georgia4h.org/AFRANGTeenSummit/ Completed forms are due no later than May 1. A panel of judges representing members of the AFR, ANG and AFSVA CYP staff will review the applications and make selections for these camps. Final selections will be announced no later than Jun 1. AFSVA CYP is also accepting applications for adult chaperones with military affiliation to perform leadership duties and assist with camp oversight. AFSVA/SVPY will fund the adult chaperones' TDY costs. Interested adult chaperons must complete the Adult Leader Application Package located at http://georgia4h.org/AFRANGTeenSummit/ Adult chaperone packages are due no later than May 2. If you have any questions, please contact my POCs, Ms. Payal Mehta @ DSN 969-7517, payal.mehta@us.af.mil or Ms. Penny Dale @ DSN 969 7251, penny.dale.1.ctr@us.af.mil. Sleep. We all know kids need it, and without it, they dont perform as well in school. As weve reported in the past, the National Academy of Pediatrics recommends that middle and high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. to better align with the natural body rhythms of adolescents. But its not unusual for the first-period bells to ring at many middle and high schools much earlier than that. So how are these kids affected? In honor of Sleep Awareness Week, we spoke to an expert in adolescent sleep. Lisa J. Meltzer is an associate professor of pediatrics at the National Jewish Health in Denver . She was the lead researcher on a groundbreaking study on the differing sleep patterns between home-schooled students and students who attend public or private school. The study, which was first published in October 2014 in the journal Behavioral Sleep Medicine, found that home-schooled students wake nearly 90 minutes later than their peers in traditional school settings. It was the first study to compare the groups in order to research their sleep patterns. We recently spoke to her via phone about her work and her passion for sleep. Below is a lightly edited version of our conversation. What are the key ways your study found sleep differed for home-schooled students versus those in public or private schools? The biggest difference you find is what time they wake up. Homeschool students are waking upthe average time was almost 8 oclockwhich is about the same time that public and private school students are starting school. So the additional sleep that homeschool students get is obtained by sleeping later in the morning. Why are they able to sleep later? Public and private middle and high school students on average start sometime between 7 and 8 a.m., which means that the buses arrive sometime between 6 and 7 a.m. So public and private school students often have to wake very early to catch the bus to get to school. Homeschool students dont have that restriction in terms of either a school start time or having to wake in order to get to school on time and so it allows them to sleep later in the morning. Despite your research and that of others, there are still people who see these reports and say teens just need to go to bed earlier. Can you explain why its not that simple? When teens go through puberty, all of their hormones change, and one of those hormones is melatonin, which is a clock regulator. It helps to keep your internal clock on schedule, and as you go through puberty the timing of melatonin thats released moves later on average by about one to two hours. And what that means in simple terms is that even if teens went to bed earlier they cant fall asleep earlier. Their body is not ready to fall asleep. So its challenging to say just go to bed at 8:30 or 9 oclock to get more sleep because their body is not physiologically able to fall asleep that early. On the flip side, theyre being asked to wake up and go to sleep and learn, and, in many cases, get behind the wheel of a car and drive at a time when their brain is basically physiologically at its peak of sleepiness. So its not of any help to our students to have them have early school start times. Your work also found that cellphones, computers, and tablets play a role in students sleep patterns no matter where they attend school. Can you explain that? When you have technology in the bedroom, students obtain less sleep. The presence of technology in the bedroom on average equates to 30 minutes less sleep per night, and over the course of the school week thats 2.5 hours of lost sleep. So thats why we keep recommending over and over having technology-free bedrooms with central charging stations for the entire family. If parents dont model the behavior, students wont follow the behavior. So having everyone at a certain time of night plug the phones, tablets, computers, video games, all the electronic devices in the kitchen in a central charging station, so the bedrooms become technology-free. But that might be more difficult now that so many families have gotten away from having land-line phones. You can switch phones to night mode. So if somebody really needs to receive phone calls, turn everything else off. Turn the texting off. Turn the Wi-Fi off so that it remains just a phone. Get a flip phone. Thats what I have, a dumb phone, so it just serves the purpose of being a phone as opposed to all these other things. The problem with technology is one, its very engaging. Its hard to turn it off. So for students, its a lot of social media and texting, all of those types of engaging activities that keeps them up at night. The second reason is that technology emits light, and light exposure suppresses melatonin. So if you have a lot of bright light, your brain doesnt make the melatonin that you need to sleep. Really dimming the screens and getting them off within a certain time before bed can help facilitate an easier sleep onset and increased sleep duration. What can parents do to help teens who have to be at school very early in the morning? Prioritize activities. Students these days are overburdened with activities. They have to volunteer. They have to work. They have to do athletics. They have to do the school play. And then on top of it, they have three hours of homework. Our students cant do it all. By trying to do it all, they are sacrificing sleep, and ultimately what happens [is that] theyre not performing as well at school. Theyre not performing as well in athletics. Their mood is depressed. Theyre not at their best. Having a set bedtime. Studies have shown that students who have parent-set bedtimes, sleep more and function better. Dont shift weekend bedtimes by more than one to two hours, and [the] same thing with wake times. If they sleep until 12 or 1 oclock on a Sunday afternoon, they are not going to be tired at 10 or 11 oclock at night. They havent been awake enough hours. Maintaining that consistent sleep schedule over the weekend, in particular the wake time, can really help a student maximize their sleep. Anything you want to add? We need to change school start times, and in the meantime, it starts in the home. You have to make sleep a priority. Sleep is a pillar of health. Its as important as eating and breathing. Sacrificing it is only to our societys detriment. Photo: A study by National Jewish Health concluded that more than half (55 percent) of teens who were homeschooled got the optimal amount of sleep per week, compared to just 24.5 percent of those who attend public and private schools. (National Jewish Health) See also: Floridas controversial teacher bonus-pay program will live another year. The program, known as Best & Brightest, pays teachers bonuses based on two criteria : A ranking of at least effective on the state teacher-evaluation system, and their own SAT or ACT scores. Lawmakers approved the program last July as part of a budget deal, allotting it $44 million. In a budget compromise announced Monday evening , lawmakers agreed to renew the program after days of closed-door negotiations , according to the Miami Herald. The funding has been a priority for soon-to-be House speaker Richard Corcoran, a Republican. The program also received an additional $5 million in the budget, for a total of $49 million. This year, Best & Brightest paid out just over $8,000 in bonus money to each of the 5,200 teachers who qualified. But in December, the Florida Education Association filed a complaint with the federal government asserting that the program discriminated against older teachers, who might have difficulty getting their test records, as well as teachers of color, who historically do worse on standardized tests. Even many young teachers may run into problems applying, as well, if they pursued teaching through community colleges, which often dont require the SAT or ACT. Supporters of the program suggest that it will help improve teacher recruitment and retention . A spokesperson for the state department of education said via email, however, that it would be difficult to evaluate that claim without several years of data. Many Democrats and Republicans in the Florida legislature have publicly opposed the program. Some lawmakers had attempted to separate the program from the state budget in order to try to vet it, but such attempts stalled, the Herald reports. Its too bad we didnt get to that point. I would rather vote it down and kill it permanently, because its the worst and dumbest, Sen. Nancy Detert, a Republican, told the Herald. Image: Florida Gov. Rick Scott. Credit: Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP More on this program and teacher retention: Follow Ross Brenneman on Twitter for more news and analysis of the teaching profession. I would like to take issue with Luke Douglas March 2 letter, Give Common Core a chance. Mr. Douglas said, It will take a minimum of 8 to 12 years in order to make a fully qualified assessment on Common Core (CC). Assuming that is true (and CC proponent Bill Gates admitted something quite similar), isnt that the reason we should not have implemented and should not continue with the CC initiative? Instead of forcing American students to be standardized guinea pigs, shouldnt the CC proponents have first conducted a carefully crafted and executed pilot program across the nation involving demographically representative groups of students? And shouldnt it have included all aspects of the CC initiative, not simply math and English standards, but also curricula, textbooks, teacher training, teacher evaluations, data collection, and, of course, the Common Core-aligned assessments? I find the following quote especially troubling: If it fails to meet expectations, then the National Governors Association along with the educators can come up with new standards. After all, the NGA has a vested interest in that the governors want their workforce to be prepared to encourage economic development. Wait a minute! Parents have been given by God the responsibility (not just a vested interest in) their childrens upbringing and education. They all want whats best for their children and usually consider that to include a strong foundation in the traditional liberal arts so they will be better prepared for lifes challenges as well as better equipped to pursue their aspirations in life whether thats through a career tech or a college prep route. Interestingly, an analysis of results of Tuesdays Republican primary in Alabama reveals that the three state school board candidates who earned the greatest number of votes in their races had campaigned AGAINST Common Core and had not accepted contributions from Common Core proponents such as the Business Council of Alabama or ALFA. Parents and grandparents have witnessed the harm, both academically and emotionally, done to their children and grandchildren since the CC State Standards Initiative was implemented, and on Tuesday their votes spoke volumes. In 1943 C. S. Lewis, in The Abolition of Man, provided the answer to todays dilemma regarding Common Core: We all want progressbut if youre on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man. We are on the wrong road. Betty Peters Kinsey dpa ElectionsData With dpa ElectionsData you get access to a unique collection of data. Via a programming interface (Rest-API), your developers can access detailed information, candidate profiles and live results for all national elections in the European Union and important international elections, like the US Midterm elections etc. The data pool also includes all heads of state and government as well as about 20,000 elected members of parliament throughout the EU. In addition to their data (name, party, constituency or list position), we collect social media profiles and official websites of individuals and parties. US Supreme Court Credits Georgia Same-Sex Adoption, Overturns Alabama Rulings The US Supreme Court this week issued an order granting full faith and credit to a lesbian adoption that took place in Georgia and that the Alabama Supreme Court refused to recognize. The unanimous order reversing the Alabama Supreme Court's ruling is considered a big win for same-sex adoption, according to Slate. The case is called VL v. EL, and it is about VL seeking visitation with children that EL bore and that VL adopted in Georgia. The couple did not marry but raised the children together for 17 years. When they broke up, EL refused to allow VL visitation, and for a long time the Alabama courts agreed. Full Faith and Credit VL sued her former partner, EL, in Alabama state court, accusing EL of denying her visitation and custody of the now 13-year-old and 11-year-old twins. Alabama continually denied the plaintiff visitation rights, refusing to recognize the Georgia adoptions. But, according to the Full Faith and Credit principle enshrined in the US Constitution, state courts must recognize and honor the decisions of other state courts. Specifically, when it comes to family matters, federal law states in 28 USC Section 1738 that courts must honor the custody and visitation judgments made in other states. The law applies to a "person acting as a parent" who has been awarded custody by a court or claims a right to custody. In other words, EL could not use Alabama courts to thwart the decisions made in Georgia. The Alabama judges in this case found that Georgia broke its own laws by allowing the adoption and so had no problem invalidating EL's claim to custody. But the US Supreme Court completely, totally, and unanimously disagreed. So what does this mean for other same-sex couples seeking to adopt? Conflict of Laws The decision in VL v. EL has important implications. It sends a clear message to courts that the full faith and credit cannot be conveniently forgotten when a court disapproves of another state's order. Tobias Barrington Wolff, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, was the lead author of a brief submitted in this case on behalf of conflict-of-law scholars. He told Slate, "This ruling marks a major turning point. The court has reaffirmed that full faith and credit -- one of the cornerstones of our system of government -- applies to same-sex couples and their families." Related Resources: 3 Trending Questions From FindLaw Answers You've got legal questions, we've got answers. If you have not yet asked or answered a legal question on FindLaw's popular Answers community, what are you waiting for? This amazing free resource supports a dynamic community of attorneys and consumers helping each other out. Simple as that. Here's a look at some of the more popular legal questions posted on our boards lately: I got injured at work. How do I get workers' compensation? Is it different from disability pay? Workers' compensation can be a confusing issue to try to navigate- especially while you are trying to recover from your injuries and get healthy again! Workers' compensation is a state-mandated program that allows employees and their families to submit claims for injuries, illness and death. Only certain injuries meet the workers' comp requirements so one of the best places for individuals to start is by carefully documenting the nature and extent of their injuries. Workers' comp is different than disability pay and in addition to familiarizing yourself with these important distinctions, many people are also surprised to find out that you cannot accept workers' comp and then sue your current or former employer for negligence. Because of the complicated and time-sensitive nature of any workers' comp claim, it is always best to consult with a workers' compensation attorney. My public defender is doing a terrible job! Can I change my court-appointed attorney? When you can't afford an attorney, the court will provide you with one but that doesn't always mean that he or she is the right fit for you and your case. To answer the question above- yes, you can change your public defender if he or she is violating your right to adequate representation. Depending on the rules in your particular state, to change your court-appointed attorney will require a letter to the judge in your case or your public defenders office citing the reasons for your desire for a new attorney. Some possible examples include: ignoring important evidence, missing important deadlines or forcing you to enter a plea. I am thinking about renting my beach house for the summer to earn some extra income. I have never done this before, do you have examples of a short term lease? Under the legal forms tab on the FindLaw.com homepage, you can find a lot of great DIY legal forms, including a sample lease agreement. Whether you want to have one renter for the summer or multiple, putting a good lease agreement in place is a great way to protect your property and make some extra money. Related Resources: The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class will be one of the most advanced cars on sale when it arrives locally in July. But it won't be as advanced as it could be, missing out on significant technology that isn't compatible with Australian regulations. Australian models will be fitted as standard with strong specifications that include a clever driver assistance package with a state-of-the art cruise control system capable of handling curves, following traffic and avoiding accidents at highway speed. Mercedes-Benz development chief Thomas Weber says the system is "capable of regulating a car's speed to speed limits recognised by the cameras on board". "That means with this new feature, speeding tickets are history," Weber says. That technology will not be available in Australia. Jerry Stamoulis, a local spokesman for the brand, says Mercedes engineers examined Australian roads and found that an inconsistent approach to speed signs would make the system unreliable. Signs on trucks and school buses that remind drivers of 100km/h heavy vehicle limits or 40km/h school zone restrictions could cause cars to accelerate or brake at inappropriate times. The cars could also see fixed school zone signs and slow to 40km/h when using cruise control, a positive feature during school hours, but an annoyance on weekends or at night. Camera-based speed zone recognition is important to the success of self-driving and semi-autonomous cars, which must be able to recognise temporary speed limits for road work and other incidents that may not be programmed into mapping data. The solution may lie in digital communication between vehicles and the road network, a feature already used to make drivers aware of traffic snarls and accidents. The new E-Class represents a breakthrough in this regard as drivers can report incidents to other motorists with a tap of its touchpads. Local Mercedes customers will also miss out on remote self-parking features that allow drivers to control cars externally while using a smartphone app. The technology is intended to allow drivers to park increasingly large cars in narrow parking spaces and other challenging environments. Mercedes' system requires drivers to be within a few metres of the car while telling it to keep moving by tracing their figure around a circle on their phone's screen. It won't be available in Australia, at least initially, as local regulations require drivers to remain in control of their vehicle at all times. BMW found a similar issue when attempting to introduce technology in its new 7-Series, although Tesla recently included remote parking technology in a wireless update for local vehicles. Australian E-Class models will be fitted with twin 12.3-inch digital interior displays as standard, as well as a decent suite of driver aids, new steering wheel-mounted touch pads and the Avantgarde styling package that substitutes a bonnet-mounted emblem for a large three-pointed star in the grille. Initial customers have a choice of three powerplants. Petrol customers are covered by the four-cylinder, 135kW C200 at first, though other models are on the way. Diesel customers are accounted for by a new, all-aluminium four-cylinder engine in the E220d that uses just 3.9L/100km of fuel to produce 143kW and 400Nm, as well as the V6-powered E350d that uses 5.1L/100km to make 190kW and 620Nm. Those cars will be joined by a pair of more potent turbocharged petrol models that local representatives expect will be the most popular choices in the lineup. The 2.0-litre, four-cylinder E 300 will offer 180kW and 370Nm outputs, while the 3.0-litre V6-powered E 400's 245kW/ 480Nm will crown the range when they arrive toward the end of the year. Performance enthusiasts are likely to hold off for the upcoming Mercedes-AMG E 43 AMG and E 63 AMG duo. A plug-in hybrid 350E combining the 2.0-litre petrol engine with a battery pack and electric motor will offer a 2.1L/100km official figure in tandem with 210kW and 550Nm outputs in early 2017. Mercedes-Benz E 200 specifications On sale: July Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol Power: 135kW at 5500rpm Torque: 300Nm at 1200-4000rpm Transmission: Nine-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive Fuel use: 5.9L/100km Mercedes-Benz E220d specifications On sale: July Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel Power: 143kW at 3800rpm Torque: 400Nm at 1600-2800rpm Transmission: Nine-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive Fuel use: 3.9L/100km Mercedes-Benz E350d specifications On sale: July Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel Power: 190kW at 3400rpm Torque: 620Nm at 1600-2400rpm Transmission: Nine-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive Fuel use: 5.1L/100km BMW has unveiled an advanced new self-driving concept car at a gala ceremony held to mark its 100th anniversary at the company's first ever factory, now home to its Classic department, in Munich, Germany. The first in what BMW chairman, Harald Kruger, says is a series of four similarly-themed concept cars also under construction at BMW owned brands Mini, Rolls-Royce and its motorcycle operations and planned to be unveiled during its centennial year, the Vision Next 100 showcases new construction and design techniques as well as digital based interaction methods and autonomous driving technology already under development for inclusion on future BMW models. Conceived to anticipate future mobility needs a century after the German car maker was originally established as the Bayerische Motoren Werk out of the aero engine operations at the earlier Rapp Motoren Werk in 1916, the Vision Next 100 also explores how the company's brand values and familiar 'Sheer Driving Pleasure' catch phrase could translate into the future. Although BMW is yet to go public on the proposed drivetrain for the Vision Next 100, its latest concept car provides an insight into the German car maker's vision of autonomous driving and how it proposes to dovetail it with the traditional manual driving mantra featured prominently in its global marketing. "Autonomous driving is no longer a question of "if" but "when"," it says, adding, "But the driver will remain firmly in focus, with constant connectivity, digital intelligence and state-of-the-art technology available for support". The body of the Vision Next 100 uses a combination of carbon fibre and plastic in anticipation of a shift away from conventional steel structures and associated assembly process in use today. Various elements, including the side panels, have been made from residues collected in production of other carbon fibre structures. "At some point presses that punch out hundreds of steel parts may well become obsolete," says BMW with an eye on the future. "Technologies such as rapid manufacturing and four dimensional printing will produce not only components or objects but intelligent and networked materials." Eschewing the one-box pod like shape of other recent future orientated concept cars presented by its luxury car rivals, the new BMW receives a more conventional three-box silhouette combining the inherent sleekness a traditional coupe along with the four-door practicality of a modern day sedan in a continuation of the German car maker's recent pre-occupation with such a layout, as seen on models such as the 4-Series GranCoupe and 6-Series GranCoupe. Hinting the appearance of future BMW models is set to be influenced by design elements already seen on the company's two-strong i brand line-up, the Vision Next 100 also possesses visual ties to the i8. The influence of design boss, Adrian von Hooydonk, is also evident in the surfacing treatment, which is similar to that of the range topping i model. Although undeniably ultra-modern in appearance, BMW's design team has taken inspiration from the past in certain elements of their new concept, most notably the classic kidney grille, signature Hofmeister kick within the C-pillar and L-shaped tail lamps. In a move that has netted the new BMW concept a super slippery drag co-efficient of 0.18, flexible bodywork cover the wheels, allowing them to turn without interruption in an example of what the German car maker describes as Alive Geometry a process also used within the interior, At 4900mm in length and 1370mm in height, the Vision Next 100 is 10mm shorter and 100mm lower than the existing 5-series, itself set to be replaced by a more contemporary seventh-generation model later this year. BMW design boss, Adrian von Hooydonk, says the starting point for the new BMW was the interior. "Our objective was to develop a scenario that people would engage with. Technology is going to make significant advances, opening up fantastic new possibilities that will allow us to offer the driver even more assistance for an an even more intensive driving experience. Access to the interior is via wing style doors that open automatically as the driver approaches with a smart key. To ease entry, the steering wheel retracts and sits hard up against the dashboard when the Vision Next 100 is parked. Once seated, a tap of the BMW emblem within the steering wheel sees the doors draw shut, the steering wheel motor into position and the driver's seat adjust to suit the particular driver via digital information contained within the smart key. As with the exterior, BMW has eschewed traditional materials within the interior, which goes completely without wood or leather for more sustainable materials, including recyclable mono-materials. BMW predicts two primary driving modes for its future models: Boost mode, in which the driver manually operates the controls, and Ease mode, in which the driver relies on the autonomous properties of the car. In Boost mode, the seat and steering wheel change positioning and the centre console alters to become more oriented toward the driver. The driver is also supported by a process of sensory and digital intelligence. This so-called Companion, as BMW describes it, gathers information about the person at the wheel and is programmed to provide support when required, such as proposing the best possible turn in points for a particular corner, advising on traffic jams or warning when you breech the speed limit. In Ease mode, the Vision Next 100 becomes a place of retreat; the seat, steering wheel and centre console is once again adjusted provide added accommodation and ambient lighting is used to provide a more relaxing ambiance while the autonomous driving technology guides you to your destination. The driving mode is made apparent to other road users through altering colours within with the grille, headlamp assemblies and rear lights. BMW's vision for the future of the car suggests high definition digital displays as we know them today will eventually become superfluous Instead, the Vision Next 100 predicts a future in which all relevant information is projected across the windscreen via an oversized head up display unit. "The digital world is strongly linked to displays; the next step will be organic LEDs - displays that can freely change shape. At some point, however, there will be no more displays at all. Instead, the entire windscreen will act as a giant display," says von Hooydonk. As with the flexible body, BMW has also drawn on its three dimensional Alive Geometry process within the interior. Consisting of some 800 moving triangles set into the instrument panel and side panels, it has been conceived to enhance the interaction between the car and the driver by communicating information with intuitive signals that BMW says deliver "a form of pre-conscious communication that predicts an imminent real time event". Although sounding like science fiction, BMW is convinced Alive Geometry will become an influencing factor in automobile interior design. "At present it remains difficult to imagine how hundreds of tiny triangles could be coordinated to make Alive Geometry work. In the years ahead, it will be possible, as today's manufacturing methods are replaced. In the future it will become feasible to produce far more complex and flexible forms." Warm tributes have been paid to former county councillor Tommy Reilly, Milltown Grange Dromiskin, who died last week, but the elegant and beautiful tribute by his son Liam at the Requiem Mass at St Peters Church Dromiskin on Sunday last, was unquestionably the finest of all and drew warm and prolonged applause from the huge gathering. People and politicians of all persuasions came to pay their respects to Tommy and members of the Reilly family. It was one of the largest ever funerals seen in Dromiskin and bore testimony to the esteem in which Tommy Reilly was held. The chief celebrant at the Requiem Mass was Fr Pat McEnroe, PP, Dromiskin. Fr Michael Cusack, Rector, St Josephs Redemptorist Church Dundalk was also a celebrant at the Mass. In his tribute to his father, Liam spoke about Tommys career in politics, his work for St Vincent de Paul, Dromiskin Tidy Towns, and the senior citizens, and he thanked the carers, staff of The Birches Alzheimer Day Care Centre and St Olivers Nursing Home, for all their kindness and help. Tommy Reilly had been a public representative for 17 years, and during that time, he gained the respect of all, not just from the people of mid-Louth whom he represented, but throughout the county and beyond. Tommy was first elected as a Fianna Fail councillor to Louth County Council in 1991. I recall him saying to me that back then the local authorities were in debt to the tune of millions. He said John Quinlivan then became the county manager and starrted to turn things round, helped by the advent of the Celtic Tiger. Tommy said that he witnessed the county move from being in debt to becoming one of the most advanced counties anywhere on the island. Tommy was twice chairman of the county council, a member of the County and City Council's executive, which was formerly known as the General Council of County Councils. He was also a member of the East Border Region committee, and Interreg, the cross-border funding body. But he was never carried away by the economic boom and never forgot the hard times, when everyone was in the same boat and people looked out for one another. If you had a bag of spuds to spare, you left it in with your neighbour, he told me. And you would see it especially when there was a threshing, which was a great community activity. Everybody would come to work for the day and it was a great social occasion too. People were closer then. If you were on a bike or walking, you went along with your neighbours and you talked with them. Now we have less time for one another. For years, he was a member of Darver Parish Council and the local St Vincent de Paul. He was also on the Joes committee and was chairman of Darver-Dromiskin IFA for 20 years. He remembered the battles between the farmers and the Government, the marches to Dublin and the sit-ins outside Leinster House. The late John Joe McGuinness made a special pre-fab and brought it up to Leinster House for the farmers to use as a shelter. This was before the EU and we were dependent on the Government for a cut of the budget. He gave up farming and became a full-time councillor and was respected by people of all political persuasions. There is great satisfaction when you manage to do something for people, he said. You feel that you are a community worker as well as a politician and its great to try and get something done for someone. Tommy is survived by his wife Madge, daughters Siobhan and Roisin, sons Damian, Liam and Tomas and his brother Willie. He was predeceased by his parents Mary and Thomas, brother Kevin and nephew Kevin. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam. Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. In this day and age, is there any business serious about its growth that doesnt have an online presence of some sort? A website should be the starting point of every companys marketing and business development plan, although an increasing number of small businesses, particularly side ventures of stay at home mums or those who already have a full time job, are opting for a Facebook page these days instead of going to the trouble of creating a once-requisite website. From a business and professional perspective, a good website is simply a must have if youre serious about your product or service. There are a number of reasons why a good website matters for a business, but the two key points are: Your website reflects on your business and on you as a professional. Your website is potentially a valuable source of business for you, both locally and perhaps even internationally. For the following companies, the decision to pour time, money and effort into their websites turned out to be the right one. In addition to improving the image of the company and their respective brands, it also, most importantly, led to increased business sales. Whether youre a new entrepreneur or someone whos been around for a while, these companies are great examples for you to emulate. Bring your products and services to the attention of a national audience Pink Frosting launched in Australia as a business in 2006, selling wedding goods, party supplies and decorations. The reason they became one of the fastest growing businesses in their industry is simple: they got it right from the very beginning when it came to their website. Their online party shop, which offers an enormous range of goods and products to suit parties for people of all ages, is a user friendly and interactive site that keeps on attracting customers. At the click (or two) of a mouse, Pink Frostings website was able to introduce a nation of shoppers via their web browsers to a collection of products that hadnt been seen before in Australia. Their regularly updated blogs with up to date news, current party trends and links to Pink Frosting party events and themes opened up for their customers a whole new way of organising parties. It meant that every customer could easily organise their own event, complete with supplies and decorations that were tailor made for their theme. Even more importantly, whatever customers ordered could be processed efficiently and delivered quickly, thus saving the customer/organiser a lot of hard work. As one of the pioneering businesses in the Australian online retail space, particularly for their industry, Pink Frosting certainly had its share of challenges when they first started out. But, over time, the companys investment into developing their website has paid off: the sites success and massive online traffic figures earned Pink Frosting a coveted spot on the Business Review Weekly Fast 100 list in 2012, as well as a place on the 2013 Crowe-Horwath Smart Company Smart50 Awards, which honours Australias most innovative and fastest growing small to medium businesses. The importance of having a mobile friendly website Nowadays online shopping has become a quintessential part of many consumers everyday lives. Shopping from your computer or laptop is as normal as having your morning coffee, and, with technology and smartphones continuing to develop and evolve, its no surprise that people are moving on to shopping from their mobile devices. If your website is not mobile friendly, then you are almost certain to be left behind. Not only are you missing out on potential new customers, you might even start to lose your existing ones. One of the fastest growing companies in the food and beverage industry is the global online company Just Eat. Launched in Denmark in 2001 by businessman Jesper Buch, Just Eat is an online service that acts as a web based intermediary between independent food takeaway outlets and their customers, allowing customers to search for local takeaway restaurants, place their orders with the outlets online, and even choose their pick-up or delivery option. With their headquarters in the UK, Just Eat currently operates in 15 countries worldwide. And even though the company was experiencing a lot of growth, it was the launch of their mobile friendly website that gave them that extra boost, as customers discovered how easy it was to order food via the website on their mobile devices. Make sure your website is easy to navigate This might seem like a no-brainer, but in the rush to put out a fancy, impressive looking and stylish website, sometimes ease of navigation does get overlooked, believe it or not. Needless to say, a website thats easy to navigate, particularly if youre an e-commerce website, is absolutely crucial to attracting and retaining customers. You need to have the right balance between simplicity (read: not overloading your sites visitors with unnecessary information or elements) and detail (i.e. customers are able to easily find all the information they need about your product or service). Online clothing retail giant ASOS is a good example of an easy to navigate website, as is Graze, which delivers handpicked healthy snacks to your door, whether you are at home or at work, and which has been rated one of the fastest growing businesses in the UK. Both ASOS and Graze are based in the UK but are available locally and overseas, and their websites allow customers to easily switch between different currencies and countries, depending on where they are. Clothing sizes, weights and measures, currency conversions, etc. are all instantly done with the simple click of a mouse, while all other relevant information is neatly organised and easy to find. At a time when a lot of businesses are trying to cut costs, building or improving your website might not be top on your list of priorities, but the fact is a good website is a worthy and important investment if youre looking to take your business to the next level. Even if youre not in the e-commerce industry, your website is the first thing potential customers see when they check you out, and how it looks, if it is mobile friendly and how easy it is to navigate will determine whether or not they pick up that telephone and give you a ring. About the author Dave Thomas is an Art & Digital Manager at Dirty Chook, a full service media, advertising and digital communications agency based in Brisbane, Australia. He is passionate about digital strategy, both from an advertising and business operations perspective, and loves the challenge of finding the right balance between embracing the latest technologies and meeting the traditional requests of clients. THE source for news of bluegrass and old-time music events in Ireland - and more Send in news or queries to the Bluegrass Ireland Blog (BIB) by e-mail , please; we can't send a direct reply to a comment on a post. The BIB does not do reviews or accept posts with 'marketing messages'. Thinking of touring in Ireland? Look at the BIB's THINKING OF TOURING IN IRELAND? page. A Brazilian judge on Wednesday ordered the release of Facebook Regional Vice President Diego Dzodan, one day afterBrazilian police placed him under arrest forWhatsApps failure to produce messages the government believed relevant to a drug ring investigation. Judge Ruy Pinheiro concluded the execs detainment amounted to coercion, according to press reports. Judge Marcel Maia ordered the arrest on Tuesday, after WhatsApp failed to comply with requests by police and the court to produce messages created in the app. We are disappointed that law enforcement took this extreme step, WhatsApp said in a statement provided to TechNewsWorld by spokesperson Matt Steinfeld. WhatsApp cannot provide information we do not have, the company maintained. We cooperated to the full extent of our ability in this case, and while we respect the important job of law enforcement, we strongly disagree with its decision. Facebook Chagrined Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, expressed chagrin over the arrest. Were disappointed with the extreme and disproportionate measure of having a Facebook executive escorted to a police station in connection with a case involving WhatsApp, which operates separately from Facebook, the company said in a separate statement Steinfeld provided to TechNewsWorld. Facebook has always been and will be available to address any questions Brazilian authorities may have, it added. This isnt the first time WhatsApp has been in hot water in Brazil where, according to The Guardian, its been the most popular app download for the past two years, and is used by about half of the countrys 200 million people. In December, the app was shut down for 48 hours for twice failing to comply with court orders for information. It was brought back online after public outcry and intervention by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg considers Brazil a crucial market for Facebook, according to a New York Times report. He was part of a small group of Silicon Valley executives who met in July at Stanford University with the countrys president, Dilma Rousseff. No Chilling Effect Although wrangling with domestic or foreign governments can be unsettling for companies, its unlikely to deter anyone from using their wares. These cases arent always very high profile, and they tend to blow over very quickly and people have short memories when it comes to this stuff, said Jan Dawson, chief analyst atJackdaw Research. These things tend to have a fairly minimal effect on how much people change their behavior, he told TechNewsWorld. Governments strong-arm tactics have not had much impact on the way high-tech companies do business overseas, Dawson said. It hasnt happened enough for it to be an issue. On rare occasions like China some companies have pulled out, he noted. Google is not very active in China partly for that reason. Other companies like Facebook havent been very active there either for the same reasons, Dawson continued. These companies dont participate in those markets where conditions are particularly egregious, he added, but for the most part, they carry on business as usual. Apple Trap In one sense, WhatsApp and Facebook find themselves in a situation similar to Apple and its tussle with law enforcement over accessing data on iPhones, noted Jadzia Butler, a privacy, surveillance and security fellow at theCenter for Democracy & Technology. Much like the Apple case, theyre in a situation where because theyve created such a secure device, they cannot give law enforcement what theyre asking for, she told TechNewsWorld. Its not even an issue of conflict of laws, Butler said. Its an impossibility. Conflicts between law enforcement and high-tech companies are going to increase in the future because of encryption, she added. Even if law enforcement has possession of the information it wants, theyre not going to be able to look at it, Butler said, so law enforcement is going to have to adapt all over the world to changing technology. Microsoft founder Bill Gates on Tuesday attempted to clarify his position regarding Apples conflict with the FBI, telling Bloomberg he was disappointed that his earlier comments had been construed as taking sides with the government. Apple has sparked a public debate through itsresistance to a court order to unscramble the data on the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino terrorists. The FBI has sought to access the data in the course of its investigation, but Apple has argued that unlocking it could jeopardize the privacy of millions of people. Gates on Monday appeared to discount Apples position in an interview with the Financial Times, noting that the governments request was specific to one case, and that it was not seeking a means for general access. He compared it to obtaining phone or bank records to aid specific investigations. However, Gates had more to say on the subject a day later, when he acknowledged that the government had a history of overstepping its bounds. Still, with the right safeguards in place, he told Bloomberg, government should be able to access information to perform valuable services for citizens, such as fighting terrorism. The government shouldnt have to be completely blind, Gates said. Dubious Privacy Issue Gates is absolutely right, maintained Al Berman, president ofDRI International. Its a very specific case. It doesnt extend beyond this phone in the possession of the FBI, he told the E-Commerce Times. Its a one-off, and its such a specific one-off that I think were trying to make it bigger than it is, Berman added. Apple should cooperate with the FBI, said Darren Oved, a partner inOved & Oved. The facts of this case are very favorable to the government, he told the E-Commerce Times. What we have is a dead murderers alleged right to privacy versus a very real right to protect the citizens of San Bernardino, the state of California and the United States from any potential real harm, Oved contended. When you weigh those two against each other, he reasoned, I think Apple should do what the FBI wants it to do. Further, the data on the iPhone doesnt need Apples protection to ensure the privacy of the phones operator, Oved maintained. The device in question here belongs to San Bernardino County. The law is undisputed that any information on a device that belongs to an employer is the employers, he explained. Since San Bernardino County is a public organization, the government can make a very compelling argument that the information contained on the phone is part of the public record, and we should be allowed to see it, Oved added. Need to Hunt Terror Cells Apple should help the FBI find more terrorists, noted Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, founder of the Israel Law Center. The FBI needs Apples help because there are other terrorist cells that the FBI needs to hunt down before [those cells] harm others, she told the E-Commerce Times. Theres no reason to believe that the FBI will reuse this one-time case to create a broad precedent for more and more subpoenas, Darshan-Leitner said. Bill Gates realized that, and thats why he said what he said, she added. Slippery Slope Gates is out of touch with the industry he helped create, opined Michael Harris, chief marketing officer withGuidance Software. Gates doesnt understand the real issue. He sounds like a guy who hasnt moved forward in 20 years in terms of what technology can do and how it works, he told the E-Commerce Times. The analogy between what the FBI was asking of Apple and searching bank records is misguided, Harris contended. They want Apple to write custom code, he said. Once you do that, thats not at all the same as supplying records from a database. If Apple does what the FBI wants done, it will set a dangerous precedent, maintained Nathan Leamer, policy analyst at theR Street Institute. Youre compelling a company to create out of thin air an FBI OS to enable access to a phone. Im not sure how you limit that, he told the E-Commerce Times. Upsetting Delicate Balance The San Bernardino case however its resolved could have a significant ripple effect. There are 15 other cases where the FBI wants Apples help to break into other iPhones, observed Amit Sethi, principal consultant for mobile security atCigital. If Apple helps in this one case, it will have to help in those 15 cases as well. Then what about other law enforcement agencies and foreign governments? he asked. Its a bad precedent, Sethi told the E-Commerce Times, because while it may seem like a one-off case, its really not. Forcing Apple to cooperate with the FBI could upset a delicate balance in society, noted Suzanne Nossel, executive director of thePEN American Center. Were concerned that the careful balance between security and liberty plays out differently when a counterterrorism investigation is involved, she told the E-Commerce Times.Our concern is that by complying with this request, Apple is going to compromise the privacy not just of these individuals who are associated with this terrible crime but the privacy of millions of others. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid RaAd Al-Hussein on Friday weighed in on the Apple-FBI dispute, asking U.S. authorities to proceed with great caution. The legal fight centers on a courts order that Apple help the FBI access encrypted iPhone data to aid its investigation of the San Bernardino terrorist attack. Such a move could lead to crackdowns in various authoritarian countries, Al-Hussein said. In order to address a security-related issue related to encryption in one case, the authorities risk unlocking a Pandoras Box that could have extremely damaging implications for the human rights of many millions of people, including their physical and financial security, he contended. Legal Wrangling Ahead The case is far from settled. Apple has appealed the order, and a hearing is scheduled later this month in a federal court in northern California. In the meantime, everyone involved should consider the wider implications of such a decision, Al-Hussein urged. The San Bernardino attack was an abominable crime, he acknowledged. A husband and wife who were ISIS sympathizers killed 14 people and injured 22 in a mass shooting. Everyone should support the FBI in its investigation, Al-Hussein said. However, the issue at hand has ramifications that extend beyond this one case and this one particular company, he pointed out. A successful case against Apple in the U.S. will set a major precedent that may make it impossible for Apple or any other major international IT company to safeguard their clients privacy anywhere in the world, Al-Hussein cautioned. Those big picture concerns beg the question of how the FBI should carry out its investigation of the San Bernardino case. Would some type of compromise be possible if the iPhone at the center of the controversy contained valuable evidence? Thats a big if,' said Rupert Colville, a spokesperson for the commissioner. There may be nothing of interest on the phone, he told TechNewsWorld. People have been investigating and solving crimes long before the invention of the smartphone. Rogue States Foreign governments have pressured Google and BlackBerry to expose their customers through mass surveillance, Al-Hussein pointed out. BlackBerry last year threatened to exit Pakistan rather than comply with the governments demand for access to its servers, he recalled. China has pressured Google to censor its search engine, Al-Hussein added. The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority requires prior approval for the use of VPNs and encryption, he pointed out, citing a 2015 report on the role of encryption in human rights. Buba (Germanys central bank) requires regulatory authority for those using encryption, the report notes. China reportedly requires that encryption products adhere to government-approved algorithms that have not been peer reviewed for security. Officials in the U.S. and UK have advocated creating backdoor access to encrypted devices. Other countries like Bolivia and Brazil prohibit anonymous speech, according to the report. In Iran, all IP addresses inside the country must be registered, and cybercafe users must provide their real names when using a computer. Advocates back UN Privacy and human rights advocates echo many of Al-Husseins concerns. The high commissioner is right to raise concerns about the serious global human rights ramifications of this case, maintained Jamil Dakwar, director of the ACLU Human Rights Program. A particular worry is the risk of helping authoritarian regimes, he told TechNewsWorld, as well as the threat to privacy and cybersecurity for millions around the world. There are several important issues related to the debate between Apple the FBI, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Among them are First Amendment implications, privacy rights, human rights and democracy. We believe that compelling Apple to build a backdoor for its own product actually undermines the security and personal safety of millions of Americans and others around the world, especially those living under authoritarian regimes, spokesperson Karen Gullo told TechNewsWorld, by creating the legal precedent, by weakening the trust users have in software updates supposedly authorized by companies, and by building the technology itself. High-profile Silicon Valley executives last week attended a secret summit with GOP leaders at the American Enterprise Institutes World Forum in a bid to put the brakes on the political campaign of Donald Trump, according to a report published Monday in The Huffington Post. Trump has dominated the Republican presidential race with highly charged rhetoric and out-of-the-box campaign promises. Participants in the AEI meeting reportedly included Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google cofounder Larry Page, Tesla Motors and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, and Napster cofounder Sean Parker. Major Republican congressional leaders also were in attendance, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, Wis., Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Ky., and Sens. Tim Scott, S.C., Rob Portman, Ohio, and Ben Sasse, Neb. The meeting reportedly included a presentation by political consultant Karl Rove on focus group findings that indicated Trump was not seen as presidential. Off the Record Since the AEI tends to back conventional, mainstream conservatives like Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush, parsing the dwindling opportunities to stop Trump was probably the subject of numerous discussions, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. AEI declined to offer any specifics on the confab, noting that it does not take positions on issues and therefore is open to various ideologies and points of view. To maintain intellectual freedom and free discourse, the event is private and off the record; therefore, we dont comment further on the content or attendees, spokesperson Judy Mayka told the E-Commerce Times. The agenda of the forum will be available in the coming weeks via House and Senate ethics filings, she added. Political Agenda Tech leaders have a variety of political concerns, including immigration, trade and security issues. Apple has been facing off with the FBI, which wants to access data locked in an iPhone used by one of the shooters in the San Bernardino, California, terrorist attack. Trump has called out Apple for refusing to cooperate with the agency, and told Fox & Friends that assisting with the investigation was a matter of common sense. He followed that up with a call for a boycott of Apple products during a campaign rally in South Carolina. Trump also has called out Apple for the outsourcing of its computer products, many of which are assembled in pieces overseas and returned to the U.S. for final assembly. Immigration and Trade Besides his threats of cracking down on Chinese trade imbalances, Trumps anti-immigration rhetoric has raised a lot of fear in Silicon Valley, as many of those companies are dependent on importing engineers and other high-tech specialists using H-1B visas, noted Kevin Krewell, principal analyst at Tirias Research. Trump has positioned job and trade issues as USA vs. the world, while most tech companies look at trade as a global win-win, he told the E-Commerce Times. There is fear in Silicon Valley that offshore cash may be repatriated forcibly, Pund-ITs King told the E-Commerce Times. Apple may have US$190 billion in assets overseas, and Google may have more than $30 billion. Repatriating it would require the companies to pay around 30 percent in taxes, so they have long argued for a special tax holiday that would allow them to bring the cash back home at a far reduced rate, he said. The Obama administration has opposed that, because the last time a tax holiday was granted at the request of the tech industry, companies used the repatriated money to pay dividends and buy back stock rather than to create jobs, King pointed out. Musk, one of the leading developers of alternative-fuel cars, has expressed concerns about tax credits for alternative vehicles and clean energy products, according to King. In December, Musk called on world leaders to pass a revenue-neutral carbon tax. 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With 99 percent of precincts reporting as of midnight, Sanders had captured 50 percent of the vote compared with 48.1 percent for Clinton. Sanders upended public opinion polls and conventional wisdom in Michigan, where he packed college arenas and other venues in the past week while touting his message of change and promise of "political revolution." Five Thirty Eight had tracked a 20-point polling lead for Hillary Clinton, assigning her a 99% chance of winning the state according to their electoral prediction model. The media, including them, is shocked by the result, writes Harry Enten. The question I am asking myself now is whether this means the polls are off in other Midwest states that are holding open primaries. I'm talking specifically about Illinois and Ohio, both of which vote next Tuesday. The FiveThirtyEight polling average in Illinois gives Clinton a 37 percentage point lead, while the average in Ohio gives her a 20 percentage point lead. If Michigan was just a fluke (which is possible), then tonight will be forgotten soon enough. If, however, pollsters are missing something more fundamental about the electorate, then the Ohio and Illinois primaries could be a lot closer than expected. Either way, this result will send a shock wave through the press. Clinton so heavily trounced Sanders in the evening's other major race, Mississipi, that she heads into Wednesday with more new delegates than Sanders. But with no more big Southern states left, the disaster up north is a big problem for Clinton's media-fed aura of inevitability. CNN exit polls showed that Sanders outperformed Clinton among voters who are "very worried" about the U.S. economy, 56% to 40%. Among voters who believe international trade takes away American jobs, Sanders also led Clinton, 56% to 43% a sign that Sanders' populist economic message resonated in Michigan. In another troubling sign for the Clinton campaign, among voters who said their most important priority in a presidential candidate is that they are honest and trustworthy, Sanders overwhelmingly outperformed Clinton, 80% to 19%. He apparently did unexpectedly well among black voters, too. Clinton's 1990s-era racially-tinged "superpredators" quote is still pinballing aroundmaybe the ground is shifting underfoot. Amendment 90 to France's penal reform bill provides for five year prison sentences and 350,000 fines for companies that refuse to accede to law enforcement demands to decrypt devices. The amendment was introduced by the right wing opposition and adopted by the Parliament, though the bill itself is only on its first reading and is far from passing into law. The amendment was among the least draconian proposals before the parliament; others provided for fines of 2,000,000 and for charges of being "accomplices to terrorism" for any executive who refused to cooperate. BEIJING Delegates attending this year's Planet Textiles event in Copenhagen on May 11 will gain a unique insight into how China's latest 5-year plan will impact on environmental issues in China's textile manufacturing sector to 2020. Speaking at the event will be Zheng Jian, project manager at the Office for Social Responsibility with Chinese National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC) who has been working on sustainability issues in the Chinese Textile and Apparel Industry since 2005. The five-year plan for China's textile industry was recently issued by the government, and CNTAC is the key organisation charged with the task of ensuring the plan is properly implemented and interpreted throughout the industry. The Office for Social Responsibility at CNTAC recently led the work of the Textile Sustainable Manufacturing Coalition, an initiative that was set up by CNTAC, the China Dyestuff Industry Association and the Artificial and Synthetic Leather Committee of China Plastics Processing Industry Association. The work of the project includes environmental information disclosure, chemicals information exchange and sustainable technological innovation in textile supply chains in China. Delegates at the event will hear the latest on these plans in addition to other environmental initiatives underway in the world's largest textile and clothing manufacturing sector. Other key speakers at Planet Textiles include environmentalist, mountaineer and filmmaker, Rick Ridgeway (Patagonia's vice president of environmental affairs), senior governmental representation from the German Ministry's Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, and the European Clothing Action Plan, which will talk about how to embed a circular economy approach to the European clothing sector. Also presented will be environmental initiatives from other leading clothing and retail brands such as VF Corporation which produces 562 million units of clothing per year from over 30 of its brands, including The North Face, Wrangler, Lee, Timberland and Volcom. Attendance at Planet Textiles is free to named individual paying subscribers of Ecotextile News, as well as members of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. Reserve your place now. Readers may also be interested to know that Ecotextile News is currently producing a report on sourcing textiles sustainably from China. The event is being generously sponsored by Leadership partner, Oeko-Tex, and supported by Covestro, Historic Futures, TIPA Corp., Novozymes, Australian Cotton, Workplace Options. (REUTERS/Jim Young)Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton on February 22, 2016 It seems Hillary Clinton is taking every state that some experts predicted she wouldn't win as the latest news on the presidential race states that she has won the heart of Mississippi. Before the state held its primaries on Tuesday, some election experts predicted that Bernie Sanders will take home the gold and add up to the missing delegates that would make him fit for the country's highest seat. While Sanders has won some over the past weeks, his total figures are still far behind Clinton and he would need a lot more convincing power to thwart the former First Lady's good run. Clinton is winning the Democratic party by batches and she is undoubtedly placing Sanders at the end of the race even with some states voting in favor of the Vermont senator. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is also having a good night as he has also grabbed the victory in Mississippi. According to Reuters, the businessman has gained his momentum after he took control of Michigan. During the weekend, it seemed as if Trump was starting to lose his delegates as Ted Cruz rose above the ruins and took home some of the weekend's victories. Some outlets also reported that Republican leaders have discussed about possibly putting Cruz face-to-face with Trump to stop the rash candidate's victorious campaign. Obviously, Cruz enjoyed the weekend's wins, and though he didn't manage to win over Michigan and Mississippi, his earlier victories have proven that he may become a dark horse in the long run, posing a big threat in Trump's strong and unbreakable walls. To celebrate his win, Trump said after the votes were added up, "I hope Republicans will embrace it. We have something going that is so good, we should grab each other and unify the party." As expected, the businessman also pointed out that his biggest rival at the moment will definitely have a hard time in the next few days to come. "Ted is going to have a hard time. He rarely beats me," he said. (Photo: Peter Kenny / Ecumenical News)Two key symbols of Judaism, the Western Wall, and for Islam, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, stand side by side in Jerusalem as seen on Feb. 11, 2016. A major new survey by Pew Research Center has found deep divisions in Israeli society between Israeli Jews and the country's Arab minority, but also among the religious subgroups that make up Israeli Jewry. Nearly 70 years after the establishment of the modern State of Israel, its Jewish population remains behind the idea that Israel is a homeland for the Jewish people and a necessary refuge from rising anti-Semitism around the globe. Nearly half of Jewish Israelis support the explusion of Arabs from their country, the poll finds as it underscores Israel's glaring divisions along religious, ethnic and political lines in the survey titleld, "Israel's religiously divided society.". Almost eight-in-ten Israeli Arabs (79 percent) say there is a lot of discrimination in Israeli society against Muslims, who are by far the biggest of the religious minorities. On this issue, Jews take the opposite view; the vast majority (74 percent) say they do not see much discrimination against Muslims in Israel. ISRAEL'S ARAB MINORITY At the same time, Jewish public opinion is divided on whether Israel can serve as a homeland for Jews while also accommodating the country's Arab minority. Nearly half of Israeli Jews say Arabs should be expelled or transferred from Israel, including roughly one-in-five Jewish adults who strongly agree with this position. Pew Research Center says the survey is its first comprehensive study of religion in Israel. However data collected through the Israeli census, the Israeli Social Survey, the Guttman Center for Surveys and Pew Research Center's previous polls in Israel suggest that the Israeli religious landscape has been changing over time in at least three important ways. The share of Jews in the total population has been declining, while the share of Muslims in the population gradually has been rising. Among Jews, the share who are Orthodox has been slowly rising, largely as a result of high fertility rates among Haredim. Surveys conducted over time indicate a modest decline in recent years in the share of Israeli Jews who report moderate levels of religious observance. The reported decline of what might be called the "religious middle" suggests that Israeli society may be becoming more religiously polarized. In 1949, shortly after the establishment of the state, the first Israeli census found that 86 percent of the total population was Jewish, 9 percent was Muslim, 3 percent was Christian, and 1 percent was Druze. As of 2014, the Muslim proportion of the population has doubled to 18 percent, while the Jewish proportion has declined 11 percentage points, to 75 percent. The Christian share of Israel's population also has declined, falling from 3 percent to 2 percent, while Druze have risen from 1 percent to 2 percent. Nearly all Israeli Jews identify with one of four categories: Haredi (commonly translated as "ultra-Orthodox"), Dati ("religious"), Masorti ("traditional") or Hiloni ("secular"), says the survey. "Although they live in the same small country and share many traditions, highly religious and secular Jews inhabit largely separate social worlds, with relatively few close friends and little intermarriage outside their own groups. "In fact, the survey finds that secular Jews in Israel are more uncomfortable with the notion that a child of theirs might someday marry an ultra-Orthodox Jew than they are with the prospect of their child marrying a Christian." The survey of religion in Israel was carried out between October 2014 and May 2015 before a recent surge in violence in Israeli and Palestinian areas and between Arabs and Jews. It was conducted through face-to-face interviews in Hebrew, Arabic and Russian among 5,601 Israeli adults (ages 18 and older). The survey uses the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics' definition of the Israeli population, which includes Jews living in the West Bank as well as Arab residents of East Jerusalem. (Christian Community Coalition)Pastor Tim Remington in an undated photo On Sunday afternoon, the pastor who delivered the invocation during Ted Cruz's rally was reported to have been shot in the parking lot of an Idaho church by Kyle Odom. Cruz is probably the only candidate in the Republican party who has the chance to possibly thwart Donald Trump's good run, no wonder so many people are supporting his cause. However, one of his supporters, Tim Remington, was shot less than 24 hours after delivering the invocation for the Republican's campaign rally. According to People, police said the gunman escaped from the scene in a 2004 Honda Accord and had been nowhere in sight until the authorities confirmed that he was captured on Tuesday. While Pastor Remington has regained consciousness and is in stable condition, the latest updates on the perpetrator have been revealed. According to The Guardian, Odom was arrested in Washington DC. A secret service statement says the 30-year-old was seized after he "threw unknown material over the south fence line at the White House complex." Coeur d'Alene police have confirmed his arrest and the authorities are looking into his motives for shooting the 55-year-old reverend. Coeur d'Alene chief of police Lee White said on Monday that it appears Odom's stint was a "pre-planned attack," adding that "some details surrounding Mr. Odom's planning are disturbing." John Padula, outreach pastor for the church where Remington is senior pastor, said that Odom was not connected to the church before he attended the services on Sunday, meaning he was a first-time visitor in the church, giving further confusion regarding his true motives. Remington has been working with treating people who profess of drug and alcohol addiction, and along with the help of his wife, he established various programs to help rehabilitate people like Padula who fell victims to drugs and alcoholism. Odom, on the other hand, is a former Marine who has received various awards and even served in Iraq. The suspect, who has a biochemistry degree from the University of Idaho, will remain under police custody until further details are revealed regarding the first-degree attempted murder charge filed against him. Considered to be the Ten Best UFO Photos Ever Taken I am sure that we could add more pictures to this list but these are considered ten o... Note: This short story was written in 2009, but I didn't publish it because it was inspired by a real person. That person is now dead. Enjoy! HERSONNISOS, 2009 That old media first reported my antics was the final insult, but only for my scapegoat. "I still don't know how you pulled it off," Miranda asked. We were at a beach restaurant. I'd flown her out to gloat, but also, perhaps, to relive old times. "Was it even illegal?" The New York Times didn't call it a scam, though there was certainly criminal misdirection involved. Bloggers were not so temperate. The consequences will be severe, but not for me. "Someone will think so. Yes. Of course it was," I said. And smiled. "It'll be in the papers, right?" Rewind two years. 2007. I'm a blog repossessor. The duties involved had existed in the shadows for some time, but only as the economic meltdown built up and boiled over did it become a real profession. Here's how it works. All the countless blogs you see on the Internet, which have the appearance of a dedicated author or two and little in the way of operating expenses? They're nothing of the sort. In truth, most were planned businesses, absurdly overcapitalized by investors. A bubble. The investors, tired and panicky, would finally realize it was all over and set out to wring residual value from the ruins. In one month alone, I repossessed more than a dozen. "How many, Leo?" Miranda picked at her meal and her assumptions. "A nice haul? You sure disappeared in a hurry." I frowned. She's still thinking about the repossessions, but that's not what I did. Not this time. Not really. "You like ouzo?" She just looked at the bottle. I poured her one anyway. A blog repo is performed much like any other. The creditor quietly makes the legal arrangements. Paperwork is presented to the service providers, datacenters, hosts, and whomever else. They give us the nod, and we take it from there. Getting in is usually very easy, but it can get fun. Once access is gained, the current operators are locked out, and a crack team of retired teachers and journalists and other hacks takes over the writing and blogging duties. Paid $12 a post, their English is typically superior to the original writers', whose names and mannerisms they seamlessly adopt. Worth every cent. Dispossessed bloggers go through the stages of grief in fast-forward, just like Hyundai owners behind on their payments. Payoffs are at the sharp end of our damage-prevention stick, but blackmail isn't unheard of. Gadget bloggers are particularly easy to silence. So many unreturned loaner laptops. "Does Lefty know? Stop trying to be cryptic," Miranda smiled. I wanted to let her figure out what I did, step by step. She'd just realized that whatever it was, it involved screwing over our mentor, Lefty K. Lefty once repossessed an entire blog network. 50 million page views a month. A Fortune 500 company had bought it, removed the founder, then let it decline into mediocrity. But it hadn't crossed its tees, and eventually Lefty took the blogs back. The capture involved a team of twelve lawyers, the secret cooperation of a board member, and a false criminal accusation to facilitate a raid on the datacenter. The Feds, our oblivious remote-control troublemakers, walked out with a well-targeted rackful of servers. Genius. Miranda's face, gold in the western sun. "You should have learned your lesson after Segway Man," she said. "You promised me, no more of this." "This wasn't a repo." I said. Giving her just one hint. "Besides, who cares? There's no-one to come after me this time." Segway Man was my own biggest hit, and he nearly killed me: afterward, I ostentatiously quit. In truth, that was just when I realized that the repo game was winding down, that I needed space to work on a plan. A deep-thinking latecomer to the Web 2.0 era, Segway Man took a heap of VC money, squandered it on "blog development," then turned down $30m for his shooting-star website. A year later, the bust came, the offers and ad cash evaporated. We couldn't have any fun with this one: no hacks, no shenanigans. I had to go there in person to execute the order. I nudged open the door to peer inside. Holed up with some Valley pals in his vast and now-desolate offices, he stood atop a carbon-black special edition Segway. Eyes bleak beneath the lip of a bicycle helmet. His friends leaned on nearby desks in the liquid crystal gloom, their mutterings too distant to make out. I coughed to announce myself. His eyes fixed upon mine. He knew exactly who I was. The Segway spun to face me, then lurched into motion. I began to read the order of repossession, but it was no use. The accelerating vehicle's electronic whine harmonized for a terrible moment with the nerdy tenor of his warcry. His cronies twittered furiously on their iPhones. Every mistake shone in his tears and I remember nothing more. That was Segway Man. Miranda just wasn't getting it. Oh well. She always was a little slow. "Verizon," I said. "It spent fat sums of money prizing hundreds of domain names away from squatters. Misspellings of 'Verizon,' verizonsucks, that sort of thing. And you know what? Last year, it got 19 million page views from the redirected traffic. Just from people who can't type." Lefty knew, because I took my tools with me when I quit. But he never said anything. Maybe he'd had the same idea as me, but it just wasn't in him. "Dead blogs," Miranda said. Longtailed gulls wheeled behind her in the dusk. "Bingo." I said. "No investors, nothing but a tiny quantum of traffic. Glide driver discussion forums. Transmeta fansites. Tech blogs that screen-scrape other tech blogs, copyright five years ago." The web hosts just let you right in if the site's dead or delinquent. They'd dealt with me so many times before. Domains lapsing is a much bigger problem for residual value. My favorite repo? Seebohm Rex. The job of being this famous blogger is now the side gig of a lacquerer working via ISDN from a monkey-infested temple near Katmandu. No-one can tell the difference. The real Rex is now a consultant at Halliburton, telling crazy energy executives how to gamify hydrocarbon extraction. Miranda folded her hands over the remains of the moussaka, then smiled. "Nearly worthless isn't worthless," she said, quoting an old friend of ours. "DNS and dragons," I continued. The phrase, so carefully rehearsed, now seemed dorky. "Scripts to ready the sites and hook them up to advertising accounts, then move the lot to hosts in China. Flipped the switch. The dark traffic of two hundred and thirty thousand abandoned websites became a single point of light"I could not help but gesticulate wildly"not a Google bomb. A Google singularity." "Google figured something was up, but all I needed to do was bribe the right Chinese to make a call, make it look like something AdSense was up to. Googlers were scared witless of those guys back then. Google's motto, in 2008: 'Don't be evil to middle-managing Communist party officials.'" "Good times," Miranda's eyes were cold. "And Lefty?" Why would she keep asking about Lefty? There was something so irritating about how she obviously didn't understand what I'd done and that I'd have to explain literally everything to her. "Who cares what happens to him?" I said. "He's off to jail, and we're here in par" Then it struck me with the silent force of a million malformed SYN packets. I put down the ouzo. Miranda was wired. A flutter of activity in my peripheral vision. Inconspicuous suits walking calmly toward me. I was finished. "What's that smarmy thing you always say, Leo?" she said. Her voice a long rasping smiling whisper: "It'll be in the papers, asshoooooooooole." Robert Leitner/ Robert Leitner The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending EUR 36.7 million to Osterreichische Bundesforste AG (OBf AG) to finance the construction of a wind farm in Styria (southern Austria) that will result in a reduction of CO 2 emissions. This will be the first direct EIB loan to support electricity generation from wind in Austria. It will help to meet the Austrian governments target of building 2 000 MW of additional wind capacity between 2010 and 2020. The EIB loan will fund the construction of a 42 MW wind farm, consisting of 14 wind turbines with an output of 3 MW each, and a 7 km line connecting them to an existing electricity substation. The wind farm will be located at the top of a mountain ridge near Pretulalpe at an altitude of about 1 600 m above sea level. Installation of the turbines is due to be completed in October 2016. Hand-over of the wind farm is expected to take place in February 2017, following the completion of all the commissioning tests. The total yearly production is estimated at 84 GWh. In view of the nature of the project, which will contribute to increased utilisation of renewable energy resources, the EIB loan will finance up to 75% of the total cost of the project, which will amount to EUR 49.0m. The borrower is Windpark Pretul GmbH, a special purpose vehicle set up and fully owned by Osterreichische Bundesforste AG (OBf). OBf, which manages Austrias natural resources and owns roughly one-tenth of the countrys entire territory, is the project promoter. Santiago, Mar 9 (EFE).- Agencia EFE President Jose Antonio Vera on Wednesday praised the pioneering spirit of Iberia Airlines, which launched the celebration in Chile of the 70th anniversary of the first commercial flight between Europe and Latin America. "Iberia is a company that has always been a pioneer in nearly every area," Vera said during the opening of the "La Reinvencion de Iberia" (The Reinvention of Iberia) forum in the Chilean capital. Iberia operated the first commercial flight between Europe and Latin America, linking Madrid and Buenos Aires in September 1946, the EFE president said. The carrier was also the first airline to establish an air bridge and the first to launch a loyalty program, a strategy adopted by nearly all the companies in the industry, Vera said. "It was among the first flag carriers to be privatized, to go public on the stock market and to forge an alliance of airline companies," Vera said. With the merger with British Airways and entry into the IAG consortium in 2011, Iberia took a definitive step toward internationalization with a "tremendously Hispanic and Latin American outlook," the EFE president said. Among those attending the forum, held at the Espacio Fundacion Telefonica in Santiago, were Iberia CEO Luis Gallego; Transportation and Telecommunications Minister Andres Gomez-Lobo; and National Tourism Office director Omar Hernandez. A photographic exhibition, titled "Iberia, 70 anos en America latina" (Iberia, 70 Years in Latin America), was inaugurated at the forum. The exhibition highlights the social, cultural and economic aspects of air transport. Marvel at this computer graphics demo reel created c.1980 by the company Mathematical Applications Group (MAGI). More specifically, you're seeing the work of the firm's MAGI/SynthaVision group, one of the main outfits that created the CGI for Tron, including the light cycles (clip below)! From Wikipedia: In 1981, MAGI was hired by Disney to create half of the majority of the 20 minutes of CGI needed for the film Tron. Twenty minutes of CGI animation, in the early 1980s, was extremely gutsy, and so MAGI was a portion of the CGI animation, while other companies were hired to do the other animation shots. Since Synthavision was easy to animate and could create fluid motion and movement, MAGI was assigned with most of Tron's action sequences. These classic scenes include the light cycle sequence and Clu's tank and recognizer pursuit scene. Despite the high quality images that Synthavision was able to create, the CSG solids modeling could not create anything with complex shapes and multiple curves, so simpler objects like the light cycles and tanks were assigned to MAGI. MAGI was given $1.2 million to finance the animation needed for Tron. MAGI needed more R&D and many other engineers who were working in government contacts at MAGI were assigned back into MAGI's "Synthavision" division. MAGI sped up the process of supplying its work to Disney Studios in Burbank by a transcontinental computer hook-up. Before each scene was finalized in MAGI's lab in Elmsford, New York, it was previewed on a computer monitor at Disney. Corrections could then be made in the scene immediately. Previously, the only way of previewing the scene was to film it, ship it to Burbank, get corrections made, ship it back to Elmsford, and continue this "ping-ponging" until the scene was correct. Ely, Cambridgeshire is best known for its majestic cathedral dubbed the 'Ship of the Fens' because it dominates the flat landscape. The city, which is the second smallest in England, is about 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about 80 miles by road from London. 08:11, 22 OCT 2022 Woman admits trying to import heroin to the Island A Port Erin woman has admitted trying to smuggle over 8,500 of heroin into the Isle of Man. 33-year-old Louise Creer pleaded guilty to production of the Class A substance, and possession of it with intent to supply, at Douglas Courthouse yesterday. She was arrested at the Sea Terminal on February 10th after police suspected she was concealing the drug internally. Committal proceedings took place during the court hearing - Creer will be sentenced at the Court of General Gaol Delivery. There was no application for bail and she was further remanded at the Isle of Man Prison until her next court appearance on March 21st. Re: EU gives Greece deadline on borders Quote: NobodyImportant I find this whole situation absolutely frighting. The politicians don't seem to give a shit about local Europeans and their needs or their genuine fears. Are they planning to fit whole of ME (now Turkey) into Europe? What are the politicians thinking? Are they so disconnected from ground realities? I am pro multiculturalism but not at the expense of the local culture. What is laughable is that some people expect the Europeans to bend backwards and dilute their cultural values but don't expect the same from the cultures swamping Europe. Why the double standard? This is not going to end well. I see seeds of civil war being sown, either intentionally by greater powers or simply out of stupidity. Either is not acceptable. Is this some big social experiment? those same politicians will call you a "right extremist" and "racist". On a side note, I really love this story, whether it is true or not: Muslim community wants to build a mosque in Moscow. Fine says Putin, we will build an orthodox church in Mecca. "Well, that is not possible". "OK, no mosque in Moscow then, goodbye" Europe is bending forward with their pants down, ready to be raped by the ME In the end people will take matters in their own hand, but unfortunately we are far away from that... those same politicians will call you a "right extremist" and "racist".On a side note, I really love this story, whether it is true or not:Muslim community wants to build a mosque in Moscow. Fine says Putin, we will build an orthodox church in Mecca. "Well, that is not possible". "OK, no mosque in Moscow then, goodbye"Europe is bending forward with their pants down, ready to be raped by the MEIn the end people will take matters in their own hand, but unfortunately we are far away from that... Last edited by acf69; 09.03.2016 at 11:45 . Reason: adding Re: Why don't Swiss make a popular initiative to make English an official language? Everybody does learn English at school here, even if they start with a national language as second language. Even apprentices who do not go on to a Gymnase/Lycee study english to the end of their apprenticeship. For the 'elites' who need English as a working language, they will make sure they learn it, most will go and spend a period of time in an English speaking country and ensure they get good communicative skills in English. Sadly, even for apprentices in vocational schools, it is the teaching which is the problem and inadequate- insisting on fancy grammar that even natives do not use, instead of teaching them how to communicate effectively- with more emphasis on language skills from the point of view of their trade, and fancy written skills which put them off, and are of little use to them. Most of those who go abroad will do a useless exam like the Cambridge first- absolutely obsessed with the use of tons of useless phrasal verbs, tenses which are hardly ever used- and with 'communication' not based on real-life situations which are so ridiculously 'staged' like describing a picture with a partner- how often do you do that in real life BTW, in Neuchatel at least- when they decided to start English at a younger age- they...(same happened in the UK!!!) it suddenly dawned on them that they didn't have qualified teachers to do so. Oh surprise! So they gave incentives to young teachers and teacher trainees, to study for the Cambridge First- and then given the job of teaching English in primary schools. No training in how to teach a language at all. The premise that having passed the First give people the skills required to effectively and communicately teach a language- is ridiculous in the extreme. The First is absolutely USELESS as a teaching qualification. Result: kids are taught fairly communicately- but all the tests are done in writing, and no oral or aural tests- this is the case in the schools near me- and this is even worse on the FRench side btw (having said that, most of my French and German UK colleagues' were fluent in either language either...but at least at been given suitable and proper training on how to teach communicatively and also test oral and aural communication- not just writing. For those who do not know about the English system, language exams give equal weighting to speaking, listening comp, reading comp and writing- and in early stages writing is tested for communication, not grammatical accuracy). Most Swiss do not live, work or study in the expat bubbles of ZH, Zug or GE... btw. For most of Switzerland, apart for ski resorts/top tourist areas, English is totally irrelevant to people's lives on day to day basis.Everybody does learn English at school here, even if they start with a national language as second language. Even apprentices who do not go on to a Gymnase/Lycee study english to the end of their apprenticeship. For the 'elites' who need English as a working language, they will make sure they learn it, most will go and spend a period of time in an English speaking country and ensure they get good communicative skills in English.Sadly, even for apprentices in vocational schools, it is the teaching which is the problem and inadequate- insisting on fancy grammar that even natives do not use, instead of teaching them how to communicate effectively- with more emphasis on language skills from the point of view of their trade, and fancy written skills which put them off, and are of little use to them. Most of those who go abroad will do a useless exam like the Cambridge first- absolutely obsessed with the use of tons of useless phrasal verbs, tenses which are hardly ever used- and with 'communication' not based on real-life situations which are so ridiculously 'staged' like describing a picture with a partner- how often do you do that in real lifeBTW, in Neuchatel at least- when they decided to start English at a younger age- they...(same happened in the UK!!!) it suddenly dawned on them that they didn't have qualified teachers to do so. Oh surprise! So they gave incentives to young teachers and teacher trainees, to study for the Cambridge First- and then given the job of teaching English in primary schools. No training in how to teach a language at all. The premise that having passed the First give people the skills required to effectively and communicately teach a language- is ridiculous in the extreme. The First is absolutely USELESS as a teaching qualification. Result: kids are taught fairly communicately- but all the tests are done in writing, and no oral or aural tests- this is the case in the schools near me- and this is even worse on the FRench side btw (having said that, most of my French and German UK colleagues' were fluent in either language either...but at least at been given suitable and proper training on how to teach communicatively and also test oral and aural communication- not just writing. For those who do not know about the English system, language exams give equal weighting to speaking, listening comp, reading comp and writing- and in early stages writing is tested for communication, not grammatical accuracy). An honest essay has numerous characteristics: original thinking, a good structure, balanced arguments, and plenty more. But one aspect often overlooked is that an honest essay should be interesting. It should spark the readers curiosity, keep them absorbed, make them want to stay reading and learn more. An uneventful article risks losing the readers attention; whether or not the points you create are excellent, a flat style, or poor handling of a dry subject material can undermine the positive aspects of the essay. The matter is that a lot of students think that essays should be like this: they believe that a flat, dry style is suited to the needs of educational writing and dont even consider that the teacher reading their essay wants to search out the essay interesting. You might want to have online essay editor service to boost your confidence in writing with an error-free output. Academic writing doesnt need to be and shouldnt be bland. The excellent news is that there is much stuff you can do to create your essay more attractive, while youll be able only to do such a lot while remaining within the formal confines of educational writing. Lets study what theyre. Have an interest in what youre writing about Dont go overboard, but youll be able to let your passion for your subject show. If theres one thing bound to inject interest into your writing, its being fascinated by what youre writing about. Passion for a subject matter comes across naturally in your essay, typically making it more lively and fascinating and infusing an infectious enthusiasm into your words within the same way that its easy to talk knowledgeably to someone about something you discover fascinating. Include fascinating details Another factor that may make an essay boring maybe a dry material. Some topic areas are naturally dry, and it falls to you to form the article more interesting through your written style and by trying to seek out fascinating snippets of knowledge to incorporate, which will liven it up a small amount and make the data easier to relate to. A way of doing this with a dry subject is to create what youre talking about that seems relevant to the critical world, as this is often easier for the reader to relate to. Emulate the fashion of writers you discover interesting When you read lots, you subconsciously start emulating the fashion of the writers you have read. Reading benefits you a lot, as this exposes you to a spread of designs, and youll start to require the characteristics of these you discover interesting to read. Borrow some creative writing techniques Theres a limit to the quantity of actual story-telling youll do when youre writing an essay; in the end, essays should be objective, factual and balanced, which doesnt, initially glance, feel considerably like story-telling. However, youll apply a number of the principles of story-telling to create your writing more interesting. consider your own opinion Take the time to figure out what its that you think instead of regurgitating the opinions of others. Cut the waffle Rambling on and on is dull and almost bound to lose the interest of your reader. Youre in danger of waffling if youre not completely clear about what you wish to mention or havent thought carefully about how youre visiting structure your argument. Doing all your research correctly and writing an essay plan before you begin will help prevent this problem. Editing is a vital part of the essay-writing process, so edit the waffle once youve done a primary draft. Read through your essay objectively and eliminate the bits that arent relevant to the argument or labor the purpose. employing a thesaurus isnt always a decent thing Avoid using unfamiliar words in an essay; theres too great a likelihood that youre misusing them. You may think that employing a thesaurus to seek out more complicated words will make your writing more exciting or sound more academic, but using overly high-brow language can have the incorrect effect. Avoid repetitive phrasing Please avoid using the identical phrase structure again and again: its a recipe for dullness! Instead, use a variety of syntax that demonstrates your writing capabilities and makes your writing more interesting. Mix simple, compound, and complicated sentences to avoid your paper becoming predictable. Use some figurative language Using analogies with nature can often make concepts more accessible for readers to know. As weve already seen, its easy to finish up rambling when youre explaining complex concepts mainly after you dont know it yourself. One way of forcing yourself to think about a couple of pictures, present it more simply and engagingly is to form figurative language. This implies explaining something by comparing it with something else, as in an analogy. Employ rhetorical questions Anticipate the questions your reader might ask. One of the ways ancient orators held the eye of their audiences and increased the dramatic effect of their speeches was by using the statement. A decent place to use a statement is at the top of a paragraph, to steer into the following one, or at the start of a replacement section to introduce a brand new area for exploration. Proofread Finally, you may write the top interesting essay an instructor has ever read. Still, youll undermine your good work if its plagued by errors, which distract the reader from the particular content and can probably annoy them. Erica Mena might have taken her beef with her ex fiancee Bow Wow up a notch just in time for his birthday. Bow Wow Goes Off After Erica Mena Speaks On Her Claims That He Abused Her Apparently one of Bow Wows former flames decided to give him an interesting gift, the CSI: Cyber actor just revealed a couple of hours ago on Twitter. He wrote, So one of my exes decides to drive by on some thin line between love and hate **** throw a cake on the rolls. 'Thirsty' Bow Wow Gives Up On Adrienne Bailon Crush? But he also added that they not only know who it is, but that whoever wanted to assault him wasnt successful. Only thing is thats not my carBut we looking at the camera footage and see exactly who it was. Its flatteringJust know thisWe on your bumper. So one of my exes decides to drive by on some thin line between love and hate **** throw a cake on the rolls. Only thing is thats not my car Shad Moss(Bow Wow) (@smoss) March 9, 2016 But we looking at the camera footage and see exactly who it was. Its flattering.... Just know this... We on your bumper. Shad Moss(Bow Wow) (@smoss) March 9, 2016 While he didnt name Mena as the potential culprit, the two have been going back-and-forth on social media for some time now. And she his most recent ex (that we know of) who still has issues with him. He has dated other celebrities like Ciara and Angela Simmons, but it might be safe to say neither of those ladies were involved at all. Meanwhile, Mena has been sharing a few cryptic messages of her own on Twitter. She wrote early Wednesday, Its amazing how quickly things can turn around when you remove toxic people from your lifeBe patient. Everything is coming together. Its amazing how quickly things can turn around when you remove toxic people from your life. Erica Mena (@iamErica_Mena) March 9, 2016 Be patient. Everything is coming together. Erica Mena (@iamErica_Mena) March 9, 2016 The two were engaged but made it clear they went their separate ways when they had an all-out social media brawl last fall. Be sure to keep up with Enstars for more. The Victoria's Secret Swim Special airs tonight on CBS; find out how you can watch it live online. The hottest supermodels from Victoria's Secret will show themselves off tonight in the one-hour special. Models present in the special include Behati Prinsloo, Candice Swanepoel, Elsa Hosk, Jasmine Tookes, Josephine Skriver, Lais Ribiero, Lily Aldridge, Martha Hunt, Romee Strijd, Sara Sampaio, Stella Maxwell, Taylor Hill and Vita Sidorkina. Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas are slated to perform in the special as well. "Come out of the cold and get a glimpse into Victoria's Secret's hottest swim show of the year, THE VICTORIA'S SECRET SWIM SPECIAL, Wednesday, March 9 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT), on the CBS Television Network," the press release reads. "Shot on the beautiful island of St. Barth's in the French West Indies, THE VICTORIA'S SECRET SWIM SPECIAL takes viewers on an exotic trip with the Victoria's Secret Angels. The special combines the hottest musical acts, the sexiest swim styles and the world's most beautiful women." Watch The Victoria's Secret Swim Special Live Online Or Via Mobile Devices If you can't watch The Victoria's Secret Swim Special on television as it's happening, CBS has a solution. Simply go to CBS All Access where you can live stream the special, starting at 9 p.m. ET/PT. If you haven't used the service before, you can take advantage of the one-week free trial for CBS All Access. Keep Up With The Victoria's Secret Swim Special On Social Media Share your thoughts on The Victoria's Secret Swim Special on Twitter using hashtag #VSSwimSpecial. Ashburton Investments is pleased to announce the first close of the RMB Westport Real Estate Development Fund II (Westport II), raising just under USD250m of the USD450m target. Ashburton Investments provided significant support with fundraising for the first close with eight of the firms offshore and South African institutional clients investing in the fund to date. Westport II is RMB Westports second African real estate focused fund, the proceeds of which will be used to invest in real estate developments in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on Nigeria, Ghana, Angola and the Ivory Coast. The developments will be built to meet the growing demand for high-grade commercial, retail and industrial property in these and surrounding countries. RMB Westports first fund which held a final close in 2012 is now fully invested in eleven projects, five of which have been completed. Simon Fifield, CEO of RMB Westport commented on the close: Despite a number of macro-economic headwinds in certain of the territories in which we operate, strong long- term growth prospects, coupled with favourable demographics, and the pleasing trends of increasing urbanisation and consumer spending have all led to high demand for retail, industrial and commercial property space. It is a credit to the mature, long-term view adopted by our investor base that we have been able to secure such a substantial amount of capital on the first close. Commenting on the news, Boshoff Grobler, CEO of Ashburton Investments said: Ashburton Investments is proud to be associated with RMB Westport as it announces a successful first close of Westport II. Ashburton Investments has been instrumental in raising the capital as part of the first close and we look forward to continue working with the RMB Westport management team to reach the target close within the next 12 months. The successful first close follows RMB Westports recent exit of the Ikeja City Mall (a fund 1 investment), which was sold to South African institutional investors. Tim Diack, Head of International Distribution at Ashburton Investments said: We are delighted that Westport II has attracted such high calibre private and public sector investors. This is testament to the expertise of the RMB Westport team whose significant local experience and expertise give them the ability to execute on their strategy. The 10th ministerial of the World Trade Organization at Nairobi in December 2015 marked a turning point in bringing the organisation back into the hegemonic grip of the trans-Atlantic powers. Despite New Delhi's demands being summarily rejected by the United States and the European Union, India became a party to the final Nairobi Ministerial Declaration. The NMD succeeded in whittling away the previous developmental gains of the Doha Round of negotiations. Why did India and its minister for commerce act in this manner at Nairobi? Our ministers were relegated to coffee cup bearers instead of negotiating their trading rights, is a telling comment on what happened at the World Trade Organizations 10th ministerial conference in Nairobi, Kenya, in December 2015, over two months ago. We were never consulted, the Ugandan trade envoy complained, after finalising the Nairobi Package. The Nairobi ministerial has few parallels. Perhaps, it is the first of its kind where an ongoing developmental round of multilateral negotiations has been effectively declared dead. Catalytic converters are crucial elements in automotive industry in the process of turning harmful compounds in car exhausts into harmless compounds. Due to the harsh conditions during catalytic reactions, they deteriorate with use and time and eventually become less efficient. Researchers from Germany, the ESRF and Sweden have managed to follow in real time the degradation of catalyst nanoparticles and have worked out which of them are more resistant. Their results are published today in Nature Communications. Catalysts in a car contain noble metal nanoparticles consisting of rhodium, platinum and palladium and alloys thereof. These make the harmful molecules produced by the motor react on the surface of the converter while reaching high temperatures and reducing and oxidising atmospheres. When catalysts operate, the particle size of the noble metals increases. It is a process called sintering, which results in a decrease of the overall catalyst surface area. In the long run, this reduces the number of active sites from the surface and makes the catalyst less efficient. Synchrotron radiation makes it possible to carry out operando experiments where scientists can monitor nanomaterials while the catalytic reaction takes place under realistic thermal and process conditions. The team, from DESY, the University of Hamburg, the University of Siegen, the ESRF and MAX IV used high-energy grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and online mass spectrometry. They combined this with the following sample design: the sample contained stripes of platinum-rhodium nanoparticles with varying composition from pure platinum to pure rhodium and a constant height. The focused high-energy beam allowed to study one stripe at a time. The ESRF has allowed us to carry out operando experiments using a catalysis chamber at the unique high-energy beamline ID15, explains Uta Hejral, first author of the article and from DESY and University of Hamburg. Diego Pontoni, scientist at the ESRF involved in the experiment, explains that this kind of experiment is rather challenging because you need to control a quite complex environment characterized by different gases and high temperatures, and it is very rewarding when you see that the efforts pay off with these results. Averaged form of the platinum nanoparticles at the start of the experiments (left, surrounded by carbon monoxide) and after the fusion process (right, during reaction of oxygen and carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide). By recording 2D diffraction patterns (in the background) the change in the form of the particles can be observed in a live view. The experiments focused on the behaviour of the alloy nanoparticles during catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide at a temperature of 550 K and near-atmospheric pressures. The results showed that platinum particles increase in height and lead to a reduction of the total particle surface coverage. Whereas at the beginning of the experiment, the platinum particles consisted of about 15 000 atoms each, by the end they contained about 23 000. As a result of their agglomeration, the area of the carrier that was coated with platinum nanoparticles dropped from initially 50 percent to about 35 percent, explains Hejral. This did not happen so much with the rhodium and rhodium-rich particles, which indicates that rhodium might be an important ingredient for catalyst stabilization. While rhodium particles (lower) keep their form from the beginning (green) during the catalysis process (red), platinum particles (upper) fused together and grew substantially. Catalysts for cars are already largely optimised based on experience, but there are still many open questions concerning the atomic scale processes that take place during reaction conditions. They need to be understood to improve the catalyst lifetimes and efficiency. These findings have implications for the preparation of more sinter resistant particles for catalysts, explains Andreas Stierle, professor at the University of Hamburg and DESY. We now know that platinum-rhodium compounds work better than pure platinum, and this conclusion can be useful for car manufacturers, and could open up entirely new possibilities in the chemical industry. The next step for the team is now to investigate catalysts at work under reaction conditions with higher spatial resolution. Reference Hejral, U. et al, Nature Communications, DOI: 10.1038/NCOMMS10964. Tiny Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are capable of flying more than 2,000 kilometers without a break, according to a new paper in The Auk: Ornithological Advances. This research provides some of the first details of their annual fall journey from the eastern United States to Central America, showing that their fall migration peaks in September and that older birds travel ahead of younger ones. Collecting data on birds passing through southern Alabama, Theodore Zenzal of the University of Southern Mississippi and his colleagues found that hummingbirds moved through the area between late August and late October, with older birds arriving earlier and in better condition. Using a computer program to estimate flight range based on birds' mass and wingspan, they estimated that the average hummingbird has a flight range of around 2,200 kilometers. Older birds and males were predicted to be able to travel farther at a time than younger birds and females. These results suggest that older birds are more experienced and socially dominant, leaving their breeding territories earlier and traveling faster. Whether Ruby-throated Hummingbirds migrate across the Gulf of Mexico or around it is still unknown, but the flight ranges researchers calculated mean that most of them would be able to make it across if weather conditions were favorable. "The most interesting thing, in my opinion, is how some of these birds effectively double their body mass during migration and are still able to perform migratory flights, especially given some of the heftier birds seem to barely make it to a nearby branch after being released," says Zenzal, whose work was funded in part by the National Geographic Society. Zenzal and his colleagues captured hummingbirds with mist nets at Alabama's Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge during the fall migrations of 2010-14, banding and recording data on an amazing 2,729 individual hummingbirds. Even a visiting documentary crew was charmed by the tiny birds. "All but one person on the crew was from Europe and most had never seen a hummingbird in real life, so you can imagine how fascinating these birds must have seemed," says Zenzal. "During the course of filming, members of the crew would regularly ask me to place a hummingbird in their hand so they could release it." "Patterns we previously had hints of from small, anecdotal observations are documented here with a very large sample size. It's interesting that the young of the year migrate after adults and are quite different in their stopover phenology. This suggests there are substantial differences between flying south for the first time, as opposed to flying somewhere again as an adult," says UC Riverside's Chris Clark, an expert on hummingbird behavior. "I think that further research on how young hummingbirds migrate, and the decisions they make, would be really interesting." ### "Stopover biology of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) during autumn migration" will be available March 9, 2016, at http://www.aoucospubs.org/toc/tauk/133/2. About the journal: The Auk: Ornithological Advances is a peer-reviewed, international journal of ornithology that began in 1884 as the official publication of the American Ornithologists' Union. In 2009, The Auk was honored as one of the 100 most influential journals of biology and medicine over the past 100 years. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Sandia National Laboratories engineer Tian Ma, whose research helps deter nuclear proliferation, is the 2016 Most Promising Asian American Engineer of the Year (AAEOY). He will be honored in a ceremony on March 12, 2016 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The prestigious AAEOY awards are a National Engineers Week program sponsored by the Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA to salute Asian American professionals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, technical achievements and public service in science, technology, engineering and math. Past winners have included astronauts, corporate executives and Nobel Laureates. Nominees come from a range of industrial, academic, government and scientific institutions. "I am delighted, deeply humbled and honored," said Ma. "It is motivating to gain recognition considering that there are so many talented Asian American engineers across the country." Over the past twelve years, Ma has developed a variety of detection and tracking algorithms for remote sensing systems that detect and track the movement of objects for the nuclear non-proliferation program at Sandia. Ma has served as the technical lead on several multi-year projects, as well as principal investigator on two Laboratory Directed Research and Development projects. His advances in multiple hypothesis tracking and jitter suppression algorithms have led to entirely new U.S. government remote sensing missions. "Tian's work is highly regarded in the remote sensing community," said his senior manager, John Vonderheide. "He has combined his tremendous insight and creativity with a strong personal commitment in such a way that he has continually solved very complex problems within very rigid constraints." Ma's expertise has led to one issued patent, three pending patents and multiple publications. Ma enjoys the challenges that come with innovation. "For me it is gratifying to solve a problem that no one has solved before. The moment that it hits you when you realize you may have a solution is very exciting," he said. Bridging research and the real-world What makes Ma stand out is his uncommon ability to innovate all along the spectrum from research through to real-world application, said his manager, John Feddema. "Tian is one of those individuals who makes the entire team better by being a role model for creating new technical innovations and ensuring that these technologies transition into applications," he said. Ma recently completed a Master of Business Administration in Management of Technology from the University of New Mexico, building upon his bachelor's in computer engineering and master's in electrical and computer engineering, both from the University of Illinois at Chicago. "At Sandia I developed a lot of technologies, and I wanted to learn how to commercialize them. My motivation to get my MBA was to learn the business side of how to extend our technology into the commercial world," Ma said. Sandia hired Ma in 2003 through its highly selective Master's Fellowship Program, which paid his salary and his full graduate tuition. "I am very grateful for what Sandia has done for my education," Ma said. Inspiring minds through STEM Serving the community is important for Ma and another reason for his AAEOY award. As co-chair of the mentor committee for the Future City Competition in New Mexico, he pairs Sandia technical mentors with local sixth and seventh grade students to help them imagine, design and build models of the cities of the future. "I like to give back because I personally benefitted from my community. When I first came to the U.S., I really struggled with language. Fortunately there was a church located right across the street from my elementary school, and they had an after-school education program that offered free tutoring." Ma also is the former co-chair of Sandia's Asian Leadership Outreach Committee. Ma credits his success to his parents and points to the sacrifices they made for his education. Emigrating from Guangzhou, China, to a poor area of Chicago, they abandoned their careers so Ma would have better educational opportunities in the United States. Ma says his biggest inspiration is his dad. "My dad is the smartest person that I've encountered in my life. He has a much higher IQ than me. I've witnessed him solving many complex problems in our daily lives. However, he grew up during China's Cultural Revolution where he wasn't presented with opportunities for higher education. I want to make sure I put into good use the opportunities that my parents helped create," Ma said. ### Sandia National Laboratories is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corp., for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. With main facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Livermore, Calif., Sandia has major R&D responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies, and economic competitiveness. Sandia news media contact: Rebecca Brock rabrock@sandia.gov 505-844-7772 Amsterdam, March 9, 2016 - A portable biosensor that could show how disease is progressing in patients with Alzheimer's could greatly improve people's quality of life in the future, according to a new review published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics. The authors of the review, from the Florida International University, are taking a new approach to diagnosing the disease: measuring the amount of a peptide called beta-amyloid in the blood with a cheap, quick, accurate point-of-care test. They hope their new approach will help patients, including those in developing countries, benefit from personalized treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is caused by high levels of beta-amyloid in the brain, which leads to the degeneration of brain cells. Doctors can use various types of scans and immunoassays, such as MRI and ELISA to estimate the amount of beta-amyloid in the brain, giving them an indication of how the disease is progressing. But the protein can also be found in lower levels in blood, making it a useful biomarker to diagnose and monitor disease progression. Currently there is no sensitive or inexpensive way to measure beta-amyloid levels in the blood. The team behind the new review plans to change that. "We want to develop a point of care system, where a small drop of blood plasma can reveal their beta-amyloid level immediately so that a doctor can tailor a patient's therapy immediately," explained Dr. Ajeet Kaushik, lead author of the review from the University of Florida. "The drugs used to treat Alzheimer's disease can have side effects, so it's better for patients not to overdose. With the right data, doctors can respond quickly to changes in a patient's brain by reducing or increasing their dose." In the review, Dr. Kaushik and his colleagues looked at each of the methods available to measure beta-amyloid concentration in brain tissue and in blood. None of the existing tests can be done at the bedside and all need special expertise and large samples. They also take a long time to generate a useful result - the main existing test, called ELISA, takes six to eight hours. In comparison, the cheap, simple biosensor Dr. Kaushik and colleagues describe can measure beta-amyloid in the blood at tiny concentrations in just half an hour. "Even though existing technologies are well established, we need to move towards small sample, high accuracy tests that can be used in all environments, from developed countries to rural settings. Our goal is to develop a test that's sensitive, small and affordable," said Dr. Kaushik. To develop the new biosensor the team will need lots of bio-fluid samples taken at different stages of the disease. Finding all the samples they need will be challenging, but the review demonstrates a biosensor is achievable in the future. Dr. Kaushik concluded: "A quick biosensor test will enable a clinician to collect information on the progression of disease and see what's happening to a patient over time. It will also show if and when the disease reaches an untreatable level. In the future we hope a rapid biosensor test for Alzheimer's disease will help scientists study disease progression and help clinicians deliver personalized therapy to patients." Read more on Elsevier Connect. ### Article details "Nano-biosensors to detect beta-amyloid for Alzheimer's disease management" by Ajeet Kaushik, Rahul Dev Jayant, Sneham Tiwari, Arti Vashist, Madhavan Nair (doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2016.01.065). The article appears in Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Volume 80 (June 2016), published by Elsevier. A copy of the paper is available to credentialed journalists upon request, contact Elsevier's Newsroom at newsroom@elsevier.com or +31 20 4853564. About Biosensors and Bioelectronics Biosensors and Bioelectronics is the principal international journal devoted to research, design, development and application of biosensors and bioelectronics. It is an interdisciplinary journal serving professionals with an interest in the exploitation of biological materials and designs in novel diagnostic and electronic devices including sensors, DNA chips, electronic noses, lab-on-a-chip and -TAS. For more information go to: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/biosensors-and-bioelectronics About Elsevier Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions -- among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey -- and publishes over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 33,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. http://www.elsevier.com Researchers from Boston College, US, have revealed the global spread of an ancient group of retroviruses that affected about 28 of 50 modern mammals' ancestors some 15 to 30 million years ago. Retroviruses are abundant in nature and include human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV-1 and -2) and human T-cell leukemia viruses. The scientists' findings on a specific group of these viruses called ERV-Fc, to be published in the journal eLife, show that they affected a wide range of hosts, including species as diverse as carnivores, rodents, and primates. The distribution of ERV-Fc among these ancient mammals suggests the viruses spread to every continent except Antarctica and Australia, and that they jumped from one species to another more than 20 times. The study also places the origins of ERV-Fc at least as far back as the beginning of the Oligocene epoch, a period of dramatic global change marked partly by climatic cooling that led to the Ice Ages. Vast expanses of grasslands emerged around this time, along with large mammals as the world's predominate fauna. "Viruses have been with us for billions of years, and exist everywhere that life is found. They therefore have a significant impact on the ecology and evolution of all organisms, from bacteria to humans," says co-author Welkin Johnson, Professor of Biology at Boston College where his team carried out the research. "Unfortunately, viruses do not leave fossils behind, meaning we know very little about how they originate and evolve. Over the course of millions of years, however, viral genetic sequences accumulate in the DNA genomes of living organisms, including humans, and can serve as molecular 'fossils' for exploring the natural history of viruses and their hosts." Using such "fossil" remnants, the team sought to uncover the natural history of ERV-Fc. They were especially curious to know where and when these pathogens were found in the ancient world, which species they infected, and how they adapted to their mammalian hosts. To do this, they first performed an exhaustive search of mammalian genome sequence databases for ERV-Fc loci and then compared the recovered sequences. For each genome with sufficient ERV-Fc sequence, they reconstructed the sequences of proteins representing the virus that colonized the ancestors of that particular species. These sequences were then used to infer the natural history and evolutionary relationships of ERV-Fc-related viruses. The studies also allowed the team to pinpoint patterns of evolutionary change in the genes of these viruses, reflecting their adaptation to different kinds of mammalian hosts. Perhaps most interestingly, the researchers found that these viruses often exchanged genes with each other and with other viruses, suggesting that genetic recombination played a significant role in their evolutionary success. "Mammalian genomes contain hundreds of thousands of ancient viral fossils similar to ERV-Fc," says lead author William E. Diehl from the University of Massachusetts, who conducted the study while a post-doctoral researcher at Boston College. "The challenge will now be to use ancient viral sequences for looking back in time, which may prove insightful for predicting the long-term consequences of newly emerging viral infections. For example, we could potentially assess the impact of HIV on human health 30 million years from now. The method will allow us to better understand when and why new viruses emerge and how long-term contact with them impacts the evolution of host organisms." ### Reference The paper 'Tracking interspecies transmission and long-term evolution of an ancient retrovirus using the genomes of modern mammals' can be freely accessed online at http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.12704. Contents, including text, figures, and data, are free to reuse under a CC BY 4.0 license. About eLife eLife is a unique collaboration between the funders and practitioners of research to improve the way important research is selected, presented, and shared. eLife publishes outstanding works across the life sciences and biomedicine -- from basic biological research to applied, translational, and clinical studies. All papers are selected by active scientists in the research community. Decisions and responses are agreed by the reviewers and consolidated by the Reviewing Editor into a single, clear set of instructions for authors, removing the need for laborious cycles of revision and allowing authors to publish their findings quickly. eLife is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Max Planck Society, and the Wellcome Trust. Learn more at elifesciences.org. As they approach the ends of their lives many stars develop stable discs of gas and dust around them. This material was ejected by stellar winds, whilst the star was passing through the red giant stage of its evolution. These discs resemble those that form planets around young stars. But up to now astronomers have not been able to compare the two types, formed at the beginning and the end of the stellar life cycle. Although there are many discs associated with young stars that are sufficiently near to us to be studied in depth, there are no corresponding old stars with discs that are close enough for us to obtain detailed images. But this has now changed. A team of astronomers led by Michel Hillen and Hans Van Winckel from the Instituut voor Sterrenkunde in Leuven, Belgium, has used the full power of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) at ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile, armed with the PIONIER instrument, and the newly upgraded RAPID detector. Their target was the old double star IRAS 08544-4431 [1], lying about 4000 light-years from Earth in the southern constellation of Vela (constellation) (The Sails). This double star consists of a red giant star, which expelled the material in the surrounding dusty disc, and a less-evolved more normal star orbiting close to it. Jacques Kluska, team member from Exeter University, United Kingdom, explains: "By combining light from several telescopes of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer, we obtained an image of stunning sharpness -- equivalent to what a telescope with a diameter of 150 metres would see. The resolution is so high that, for comparison, we could determine the size and shape of a one euro coin seen from a distance of two thousand kilometres." Thanks to the unprecedented sharpness of the images [2] from the Very Large Telescope Interferometer, and a new imaging technique that can remove the central stars from the image to reveal what lies around them, the team could dissect all the building blocks of the IRAS 08544-4431 system for the first time. The most prominent feature of the image is the clearly resolved ring. The inner edge of the dust ring, seen for the first time in these observations, corresponds very well with the expected start of the dusty disc: closer to the stars, the dust would evaporate in the fierce radiation from the stars. "We were also surprised to find a fainter glow that is probably coming from a small accretion disc around the companion star. We knew the star was double, but weren't expecting to see the companion directly. Itis really thanks to the jump in performance now provided by the new detector in PIONIER, that we are able to view the very inner regions of this distant system," adds lead author Michel Hillen. The team finds that discs around old stars are indeed very similar to the planet-forming ones around young stars. Whether a second crop of planets can really form around these old stars is yet to be determined, but it is an intriguing possibility. "Our observations and modelling open a new window to study the physics of these discs, as well as stellar evolution in double stars. For the first time the complex interactions between close binary systems and their dusty environments can now be resolved in space and time," concludes Hans Van Winckel. ### Notes [1] The name of the object indicates that it is a source of infrared radiation that was detected and catalogued by the IRAS satellite observatory in the 1980s. [2] The resolution of the VLTI, used with the four Auxiliary Telescopes, was about one milliarcsecond (1/1000th of 1/3600th of a degree). More information This research was presented in a paper entitled "Imaging the dust sublimation front of a circumbinary disk", by M. Hillen et al., to appear as a letter in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. The team is composed of M. Hillen (Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, Leuven, Belgium), J. Kluska (University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom), J.-B. Le Bouquin (UJF-Grenoble 1/CNRS-INSU, Institut de Planetologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble, France), H. Van Winckel (Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, Leuven, Belgium), J.-P. Berger (ESO, Garching, Germany), D. Kamath (Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, Leuven, Belgium) and V. Bujarrabal (Observatorio Astronomico Nacional, Alcala de Henares,Spain). ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It is supported by 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the world's most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory and two survey telescopes. VISTA works in the infrared and is the world's largest survey telescope and the VLT Survey Telescope is the largest telescope designed to exclusively survey the skies in visible light. ESO is a major partner in ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, close to Paranal, ESO is building the 39-metre European Extremely Large Telescope, the E-ELT, which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky". Links Contacts Hans Van Winckel Instituut voor Sterrenkunde KU Leuven, Belgium Tel: +32 16 32 70 32 Email: Hans.VanWinckel@ster.kuleuven.be Richard Hook ESO Public Information Officer Garching bei Munchen, Germany Tel: +49 89 3200 6655 Cell: +49 151 1537 3591 Email: rhook@eso.org A ground-breaking tracking system called HYPERION based on eye-safe lasers could enable aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and even orbiting satellites to transmit vital data to ground stations more securely, quickly and efficiently. The development of HYPERION has been pioneered by a joint team through Innovate UK's HITEA programme: the University of Oxford with funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and Airbus Group Innovations with Innovate UK support. A proof-of-concept system has now been successfully tested in-flight. The range of the system is currently 1km but work to extend this range is underway. Offering major benefits compared with the traditional radio frequency (RF) data transmission systems currently relied on in the UAV sector, HYPERION could for example allow UAVs engaged in disaster monitoring, surveying, search and rescue and other humanitarian missions to send detailed images more rapidly back to the ground for analysis. It could also enable airliners of the future to offload huge amounts of technical and performance data gathered by sophisticated on-board sensors to ground crews during final approach to an airport, speeding up maintenance procedures and cutting turn-round times. Professor Philip Nelson, Chief Executive of EPSRC said: "This EPSRC funded research is leading to exciting developments in aerospace and communications. It will potentially make aircraft and unmanned vehicles better connected and more resilient to outside interference." This optical system aims a laser with a wavelength of 1550 nanometres up from the ground towards the target aircraft, which is equipped with a specially designed reflector that captures the beam, modifies it with the data to be transmitted and then sends it back to the ground where it can be decoded and 'read'. With its optimised aircraft tracking capability and secure high-speed data link, HYPERION offers key advantages over RF communications which are potentially vulnerable to interception and jamming and rely on an increasingly crowded part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Unless alternatives are developed that can supplement radio communications, it simply will not be possible to cope with the huge volumes of data that need to be transmitted from the skies in years in come. Professor Dominic O'Brien, who has led the Oxford team, says: "HYPERION has the potential to enable extremely lightweight, low-power data terminals for UAVs, allowing flight-time to be extended, or smaller aircraft with enhanced capabilities." Yoann Thueux, Research Team Leader at Airbus Group Innovations, says: "HYPERION has clear potential to develop into a technology solution addressing the requirements of UAV operators, who need real-time access to increasing amounts of mission data for surveillance, agriculture and disaster relief. HYPERION could also address the needs of the space sector, by allowing data download from microsatellites in low Earth orbit." John Laughlin, Aerospace Programme Lead at Innovate UK says "High bandwidth rapid transfer of aircraft data allows more efficient operation, new services and safer travel. Collobration such as these between industry and academia to develop new disruptive solutions to existing challenges are essential to the success of the UK aerospace sector." It is hoped that, with further development, HYPERION could potentially begin to be introduced into commercial use within around 3-5 years. ### For media enquiries and images contact: The EPSRC Press Office, Tel: 01793 444 404, e-mail: pressoffice@epsrc.ac.uk Interviews with: Professor Dominic O'Brien, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Tel: 01856 273916, e-mail: dominic.obrien@eng.ox.ac.uk; Yoann Thuex, Research Team Leader at Airbus Group Innovations, e-mail: yoann.thueux@airbus.com Notes for Editors: The 2.5 year research programme project 'HYPERION' began in March 2013 and ended in June 2015, receiving total EPSRC funding of around 325,000. The Innovate UK grant to Airbus totalled 155,000. See http://projecthyperion.co.uk/ for a video of the proof-of-concept system undergoing a test flight, and for other information about HYPERION. One nanometre is one billionth of a metre. The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) As the main funding agency for engineering and physical sciences research, our vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world to Research, Discover and Innovate. By investing 800 million a year in research and postgraduate training, we are building the knowledge and skills base needed to address the scientific and technological challenges facing the nation. Our portfolio covers a vast range of fields from healthcare technologies to structural engineering, manufacturing to mathematics, advanced materials to chemistry. The research we fund has impact across all sectors. It provides a platform for future economic development in the UK and improvements for everyone's health, lifestyle and culture. We work collectively with our partners and other Research Councils on issues of common concern via Research Councils UK. http://www.epsrc.ac.uk About Innovate UK Innovate UK is the UK's innovation agency. It works with people, companies and partner organisations to find and drive the science and technology innovations that will grow the UK economy - delivering productivity, new jobs and exports and keeping the UK globally competitive in the race for future prosperity. For further information visit http://www.innovateuk.gov.uk About Airbus Airbus Group Radiotherapy to the whole breast is standard treatment after breast-conserving surgery for women with early breast cancer, even those who have a low risk of the disease returning in the breast (local relapse). However, whole breast radiotherapy can cause changes in the appearance of the breast, which may also be firmer and tender to the touch, resulting in psychological distress. "So we considered it important to set up a trial to answer the question: is full dose radiotherapy to whole breast needed in patients with low risk early breast cancer?" Dr Charlotte Coles, MD, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Cambridge, UK, told the 10th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-10) today (Wednesday). "One group of women received standard full dose radiotherapy to the whole breast. A second group received standard full dose to breast tissue closest to where the lump appears and a slightly lower dose further away. A third group received standard full dose radiotherapy to breast tissue closest to where the lump appears but no radiotherapy dose apart from this. "We found after five years that rates of local relapse (the reappearance of a cancer after treatment in the breast where it was originally detected) were very low in all treatment groups, including those receiving less radiotherapy. Moderate and marked changes in normal breast tissue were also low across all groups. Follow-up is ongoing and ten-year local recurrence rates will be reported at a later stage," she said. Dr Coles and colleagues from 30 radiotherapy centres across the UK, led by researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, recruited 2018 patients aged over 50 who had had breast conservation surgery for invasive early breast cancer tumours measuring less than 3cm at their largest point. They were randomised into three groups: 675 had whole breast radiotherapy at the standard dose of 40 Gy* to the whole breast (the control group), 674 had 40 Gy to the tumour bed and 36 Gy to the rest of the breast, and 669 had 40 Gy to the tumour bed only; the latter two "test" groups being two ways of focusing radiotherapy to the tumour bed and giving lower or no dose to the rest of the breast. All patients were treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), a technique that can deliver an even dose of radiation, thus minimising the chances of hotspots of unwanted high doses and reducing the cosmetic problems that can occur after breast radiotherapy. The characteristics of the three groups were very similar and the average age was 63 years. "Five years after treatment, we found very low rates of local recurrence and minimal side effects across all the groups. We also found evidence of benefit to patients in the 'test' groups in terms of satisfaction with overall breast appearance as reported by patients themselves, particularly for those receiving no radiotherapy outside the tumour bed. However, we intend to continue to follow up the trial patients for at least ten years because we know that cancer recurrence can still occur more than five years after completion of treatment. It may be that no dose outside the tumour bed (partial breast radiotherapy) is sufficient for many patients, but some dose at a lower level than that given to the tumour bed is more appropriate for others," said Dr Coles. The researchers believe that, in addition to minimising hotspots, the use of radiotherapy focused around the tumour bed with IMRT benefits patients because it spares part of the breast from either a full or any dose to the rest of the breast. This form of IMRT is a simple, quick and cheap technique, which can be carried out with all standard radiotherapy equipment. It is now standard practice in the majority of radiotherapy centres Europe. "The radiotherapy beams have a glancing orientation that covers the breast but limits the dose to the lung and also the heart in left-sided breast cancers. There is, therefore, no concern about a higher volume of low dose radiation to normal tissue, which is sometimes a worry in more complex types of IMRT," said Dr Coles. In addition to the ten-year follow-up, the researchers also intend to investigate in more depth the patient-reported outcome measures (PROMS). In addition to specific questions about the patient's breast and related symptoms, where outcomes have already been shown to be at least as good if not better than with whole breast radiotherapy, they also include more general questions about quality of life. "This is another area where we would expect to see better results from the 'test' groups," said Dr Coles. "We hope that the evidence of benefit we have shown in this trial will bring about a change in practice worldwide, and enable very many more women with early breast cancer to undergo this treatment. At a time when breast cancer mortality rates are falling and more women are surviving their cancer, we believe it is particularly important to keep any treatment toxicity to the absolute minimum," she concluded. Chair of the conference, Professor Fatima Cardoso, Director of the Breast Unit of the Champalimaud Clinical Centre in Lisbon, Portugal, said: "Over-treatment is a problem in cancers with a low risk of recurrence. This important study shows that, at least at five years follow-up, radiotherapy focused around the tumour bed with the IMRT technique provides as good local control as whole breast radiation and is associated with fewer side effects. This may, indeed, lead to a change in practice with benefits for patients and society, since it will also reduce costs. Longer follow-up is needed, however, since low-risk breast cancer has a long natural history." ### *A Gray (or Gy) is a measure of ionising radiation dose. One Gray is the absorption of one joule of energy, in the form of ionising radiation, per kilogram of matter. Abstract no: 4 LBA. "Partial breast radiotherapy for women with early breast cancer: First results of local recurrence data for IMPORT LOW (CRUK/06/003) Wednesday, 14.45hrs, Keynote Lecture and Late Breaking Abstracts, Elicium. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Adding either tomosynthesis (a form of 3D mammography) or ultrasound scans to standard mammograms can detect breast cancers that would have been missed in women with dense breasts, according to an interim analysis of a trial comparing these two additional screening technologies. In over 3,000 women with dense breasts where standard mammograms had not detected any cancer, the addition of tomosynthesis or ultrasound scans picked up an extra 24 cancers, the 10th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-10) heard today (Wednesday). Nehmat Houssami, Professor of Public Health at the University of Sydney, Australia, representing the Italian-based trial, said that, until now, there had been no prospective trial comparing the addition of ultrasound or tomosynthesis to standard mammograms in these women. "These findings will have immediate implications for both screening practice and for guiding new research in dense breasts," she told the conference. The findings will be published simultaneously in the Journal of Clinical Oncology [1]. Dense breast tissue (where there is a high amount of fibrous and glandular tissue in the breast) is common and not abnormal; however, it makes it harder for standard mammography to detect any signs or other abnormalities that could be cancer, and it is also associated with a higher risk of developing breast cancer (for reasons that are not yet fully understood). The researchers in Italy and Australia wanted to see whether the addition of ultrasound or tomosynthesis to the standard mammogram during the same visit could improve detection rates. The Adjunct Screening with Tomosynthesis or Ultrasound in Mammography-negative Dense breasts (ASTOUND) trial has been recruiting asymptomatic women who attend for breast screening at five imaging centres in Italy and who have dense breasts (breasts defined by the Breast Imaging and Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) as being in the two highest density categories, 3 and 4: heterogeneously or extremely dense). For the findings presented today, the researchers carried out an interim analysis of data from 3,231 women, who had negative mammograms (i.e. mammograms that did not detect any abnormality). Results of their ultrasound and tomosynthesis scans were interpreted by different radiologists who knew only that the standard mammogram was negative, but who did not know the result of the other, additional test. The additional scans picked up an extra 24 breast cancers; 12 were detected by both tomosynthesis and ultrasound, one was detected only by tomosynthesis and 11 only by ultrasound. "These results mean that tomosynthesis detected an additional four breast cancers per 1,000 women screened and ultrasound detected an additional seven breast cancers per 1,000," said Prof Houssami. The researchers, led by Dr Alberto Tagliafico, a radiologist and Assistant Professor of Human Anatomy at the University of Genoa, Italy, also found that, although there were an additional 107 false positive recalls - where women were recalled for further investigation as a result of abnormalities showing up in the scans that, on subsequent investigation, proved to be false alarms - there were no difference in the additional false recall rate between tomosynthesis and ultrasound. Prof Houssami said: "In this study we are comparing two additional tests to see if they can do better than standard mammograms in finding cancer in women with dense breasts; we have found that ultrasound does better than tomosynthesis, but ultrasound is a separate test, it is time-consuming and, in less experienced hands, it can lead to a lot of false alarms. However, tomosynthesis, which is a form of refined mammography, can be carried out as part of the standard 2D mammogram screen, or even instead of it. Given that tomosynthesis detected more than 50% of the additional breast cancers in these women, the implications are that it has the potential to be the primary mammography screening method without the need for an extra screening procedure." She said that further research in other settings, as well as cost analysis studies, were needed before definitive recommendations could be made. In addition, the results would have different implications in different countries. "For example, in many countries, such as the UK and Australia, using additional screening tests for dense breasts is not recommended routinely by screening programmes, but in other countries, such as the USA, where legislation mandates that women should be informed about their breast density and the availability of extra tests, then these findings will be very relevant. "However, we need to bear in mind that we do not know whether adjunct screening improves screening efficacy and benefit beyond standard mammography, taking into account the additional false positives as well, and I anticipate that organised screening programmes will want that evidence before considering making any changes. So our study does not provide all the answers on this issue but provides the first critical piece of information on how these two tests compare. If a woman is concerned that her breasts are very dense on the mammogram (or has been told her breasts are very dense and would like more testing), I can use the data from ASTOUND to discuss with her the option of having the ultrasound or the tomosynthesis screen; I would discuss with her the pros and cons of adding another test to improve sensitivity for detecting cancer, but would also point out this could have additional harms such as more false alarms." Chair of EBCC10, Professor Fatima Cardoso, who is Director of the Breast Unit at the Champalimaud Clinical Centre, Lisbon, Portugal, said: "Although further research is required, ASTOUND is the first prospective trial comparing additional screening technologies beyond mammogram in women with dense breasts. It provides important evidence of the potential benefit of ultrasound or tomosynthesis for screening women with dense breasts. Issues of cost effectiveness must, however, be addressed before we can change current screening practices." ### Abstract no: 3 LBA. "Interim results of the Adjunct Screening with Tomosynthesis or Ultrasound in Mammography-negative Dense Breasts (ASTOUND) trial", Wednesday, Plenary session: keynote lecture and late breaking abstracts, 14.45-16.15 hrs, Elicium. A new Georgia Tech study finds that Instagram's decision to ban certain words commonly used by pro-eating disorder (pro-ED) communities has produced an unintended effect. The use of those terms decreased when they were censored in 2012. But users adapted by simply making up new, almost identical words, driving up participation and support within pro-ED groups by as much as 30 percent. The Georgia Tech researchers found that these communities are still very active and thriving despite Instagram's efforts to moderate discussion of the dangerous lifestyle. People in pro-ED communities share content, and provide advice and support for those who choose eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia, as acceptable and reasonable ways of living. They use specific hashtags to form very connected groups, often using anonymous names to keep their lifestyle choice a secret from the families and friends. Instagram banned some of the most common pro-ED tags four years ago. People can still post these censored terms, but the words no longer show up in search results. Banned examples include "thighgap," "thinspiration" and "secretsociety." Other pro-ED words received advisories. They can be searched, but notifications about graphic content were added, along with public service links for people looking for help. The Georgia Tech researchers looked at 2.5 million pro-ED posts from 2011 to 2014 to study how the community reacted to Instagram's content moderation. "People pretty much stopped using the banned terms, but they gamed the system to stay in touch," said Stevie Chancellor, a doctoral student who led the study. "'Thinspiration' was replaced by 'thynspiration' and 'thynspo.' 'Thighgap' became 'thightgap' and 'thygap.'" The 17 moderated terms morphed into hundreds of similar, new words. Each had an average of 40 variables. Some had more: the researchers found 107 variables of "thighgap." Instagram's censorship polarized the pro-ED community. "Likes and comments on these new tags were 15 to 30 percent higher compared to the originals," said Munmun De Choudury, assistant professor in Georgia Tech's School of Interactive Computing. "Before the ban, a person searching for hashtags would only find their intended word. Now a search produces dozens of similar, non-censored pro-ED terms. That means more content to view and engage with." The team also found that the content on these so-called lexical variants discussed self-harm, isolation and thoughts of suicide more often than the larger community of sufferers of eating disorders. Instagram has also blacklisted words related to sex, racism and self-harm. What is more effective than banning tags? The Georgia Tech team suggests a few alternatives. "Allow them to be searchable. But once they're selected, the landing page could include links for help organizations," said Chancellor. "Maybe the search algorithms could be tweaked. Instead of similar terms being displayed, Instagram could introduce recovery-related terms in the search box." The study, "#thyghgapp: Instagram Content Moderation and Lexical Variation in Pro-Eating Disorder Communities," was presented at the ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing on March 1 in San Francisco. ### Marine turtles experienced an evolutionary windfall thanks to a mass extinction of crocodyliforms around 145 million years ago, say researchers Marine turtles experienced an evolutionary windfall thanks to a mass extinction of crocodyliforms around 145 million years ago, say researchers. Crocodyliforms comprise modern crocodiles and alligators and their ancient ancestors, which were major predators that thrived on Earth millions of years ago. They evolved into a variety of species including smaller ones that lived on land through to mega-sized sea-swimming species that were up to 12 metres long. However, around 145 million years ago crocodyliforms, along with many other species, experienced a severe decline - an extinction event during a period between two epochs known as the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary. Now a PhD student and his colleagues from Imperial College London and University College London have carried out an extensive analysis of 200 species of crocodyliforms from a fossil database. One of the findings of the study is that the timing of the extinction coincided with the origin of modern marine turtles. The team suggest that the ecological pressure may have been lifted from early marine turtle ancestors due to the extinction of many marine crocodyliforms, which were one of their primary predators. Jon Tennant, lead author of the study from the Department of Earth Science and Engineering at Imperial, said: "This major extinction of crocodyliforms was literally a case of out with the old and in with the new for many species. Marine turtles, the gentle, graceful creatures of the sea, may have been one of the major winners from this changing of the old guard. They began to thrive in oceans around the world when their ferocious arch-predators went into terminal decline." In the study, published today in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the researchers point to evidence in the records of a dramatic extinction of crocodyliforms during the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary. Up to 80 per cent of species on land and in marine environments were wiped out. This decline was primarily due to a drop in sea levels, which led to a closing off of shallow marine environments such as lagoons and coastal swamps. These were the homes and primary hunting grounds for many crocodyliforms. The decimation of many marine crocodyliforms may also have laid the way for their ecological replacement by other large predatory groups such as modern shark species and new types of plesiosaurs. Plesiosaurs were long-necked, fat-bodied and small-headed ocean-going creatures with fins, which later went extinct around 66 million years ago. Other factors that contributed to the decline of marine crocodyliforms included a change in the chemistry of ocean water with increased sulphur toxicity and a depletion of oxygen. While primitive crocodyliform species on land also suffered major declines, the remaining species diversified into new groups such as the now extinct notosuchians, which were much smaller in size at around 1.5 metres in length. Eusuchians also came to prominence after the extinction, which led to today's crocodiles. To carry out the study on crocodyliforms the team used the Paleobiology Database, which is a professionally curated digital archive of all known fossil records. The team analysed almost 1,200 crocodyliform fossil records. Scientists have known since the early 1970s about the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary extinction from fossil records. However, researchers have focussed on other extinction events and as a consequence less has been done to understand in detail the effects of Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary extinction on species like crocodyliforms. The next steps will see the analysis extended to other groups including dinosaurs, amphibians and mammals to learn more about the effects of the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary on their biodiversity. ### For further information please contact: Colin Smith Senior Research Media Officer Communications and Public Affairs Imperial College London South Kensington Campus London SW7 2AZ Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 6712 Email: cd.smith@imperial.ac.uk Duty press officer mobile: +44 (0)7803 886248 Notes to editors: "Environmental drivers of crocodyliforms extinction across the Jurassic/Cretaceous transition" published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B [1] Jonathan P. Tennant, [1] Philip D. Mannion and [2] Paul Upchurch [1] Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London [2] Department of Earth Sciences, University College London About Imperial College London: Imperial College London is one of the world's leading universities. The College's 14,000 students and 7,500 staff are expanding the frontiers of knowledge in science, medicine, engineering and business, and translating their discoveries into benefits for society. Founded in 1907, Imperial builds on a distinguished past - having pioneered penicillin, holography and fibre optics - to shape the future. Imperial researchers work across disciplines to improve global health, tackle climate change, develop sustainable energy technology and address security challenges. This blend of academic excellence and its real-world application feeds into Imperial's exceptional learning environment, where students participate in research to push the limits of their degrees. Imperial nurtures a dynamic enterprise culture, where collaborations with industrial, healthcare and international partners are the norm. In 2007, Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust formed the UK's first Academic Health Science Centre. This unique partnership aims to improve the quality of life of patients and populations by taking new discoveries and translating them into new therapies as quickly as possible. Imperial has nine London campuses, including its White City Campus: a 25 acre research and innovation centre in west London. At White City, researchers, businesses and higher education partners are co-locating to create value from ideas on a global scale. http://www.imperial.ac.uk TV and radio interviews Imperial College London academic experts are available for interview via broadcast quality Globelynx TV facilities and an ISDN line for radio at our South Kensington Campus. To request an interview, please contact a member of the communications team. http://www.imperial.ac.uk/communications/contacts/research-communications/ The Graphene Pavilion, coordinated by ICFO and the Graphene Flagship, with the support of GSMA, was a highlight at the 2016 GSMA Mobile World Congress (MWC). In total 12 research centers and 12 companies from Europe, all working with graphene-based prototypes and applications, exhibited their work for the first time to a targeted audience hungry for innovation. The Graphene Pavilion at Mobile World Congress 2016 in Barcelona (22-25 February) has proven that graphene will have a say in the future of mobile. As John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA Ltd., stated "The graphene pavilion was a first for Mobile World Congress and attendees embraced the innovation it showcased. We look forward to a continued collaboration with the graphene community, the graphene flagship and ICFO, and thank them for their efforts in coordinating the pavilion and opening a new vision for the future of the mobile ecosystem." Just 12 years after graphene was first isolated in the labs at Manchester University, graphene is venturing out of the laboratory and into conceivable applications. For frontier research, these advances are coming at break-neck speed. The enthusiastic reception that graphene received at MWC is a strong indicator of just how far this material has come in this short time, as well as how far we can expect it to go in the near future. Nearly 101,000 mobile industry professionals converged in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress to witness the launch of new products and applications, and also to scout out new commercial trends and evaluate market niches for innovative products, services and applications that could inspire new technologies. During these four days of non-stop activity, the Graphene Pavilion featured 12 companies and 12 research centers showcasing graphene-based prototypes, demos and applications to a continuous stream of visitors, press and companies interested in seeing graphene at work in operational prototypes. Coordinated by ICFO and the European Graphene Flagship, with the support of the GSMA, the Graphene Pavilion embraced five technological and innovative fields within the mobile world: display technologies, wearables; Internet of Things; energy transmission and storage; and data communications. These research centers and companies included: Aixtron, AMO-GmbH, Avanzare, BeDimensional, BGTmaterials, Catalan Institute of NanoScience and Nanotechnology - ICN2, Centre Nacional de Microelectronica-CNM, Chalmers University of Technology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, FlexEnable, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Gnext, Graphenea, Haydale, ICFO - The Institute of Photonic Sciences, Institut d'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer- IDIBAPS, Institute of Electronic Materials Technology - ITME, Italian Institute of Technology -IIT, Novalia, Nvision, Pi and Bi, The University of Manchester, University of Cambridge, Zap&Go. ICFO's leadership in this event is a reflection of the emphasis the center places on Knowledge and Technology Transfer (KTT). Dr Silvia Carrasco, Director of the KTT unit at ICFO explains that "it is exciting to witness and facilitate such high potential connections between research and the mobile industry. This week we have seen firsthand opportunity for innovation for everyone involved." When asked if graphene research has reached a tipping point, where it will make its long-anticipated move into products available to the average consumer, ICREA Prof. at ICFO Frank Koppens responded "We now have working prototypes which is a huge step. Whether this will 'tip' or not depends on industry joining us for the integration into real products and further pursuing economical ways of mass producing these products. From what we have seen at MWC, industry may now be ready to take this important step". In addition, Nobel Laureate Prof Kostya Novoselov, who delivered a presentation at MWC as part of the conference's "Mobile is Innovation" keynote session, stated that "We are now part of this industry...It is very exciting for a scientist to go from doing experiments and writing papers to doing real-world applications and showcasing them in such a big gathering". ### Links Graphene @ ICFO: http://graphene.icfo.eu/ Welcome to the Graphene Pavilion @ MWC 2016: https://youtu.be/0r1gnE-qPnA Wearables for Fitness and Health by ICFO: https://youtu.be/cvxT_cHBYxQ Graphene Flagship: http://graphene-flagship.eu Knowledge and Technology Transfer at ICFO: https://www.icfo.es/people#GENERALINFORMATION2-1 The Graphene Pavilion in Pictures: https://flic.kr/s/aHskvZ7Lhv About ICFO ICFO - The Institute of Photonic Sciences, member of The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, is a research centre located in a specially designed, 14.000 m2-building situated in the Mediterranean Technology Park in the metropolitan area of Barcelona. It currently hosts 350 people, including research group leaders, post-doctoral researchers, PhD students, research engineers, and staff. ICFOnians are organized in 23 research groups working in 60 state-of-the-art research laboratories, equipped with the latest experimental facilities and supported by a range of cutting-edge facilities for nanofabrication, characterization, imaging and engineering. The Severo Ochoa distinction awarded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, as well as 13 ICREA Professorships, 18 European Research Council grants and 6 Fundacio Cellex Barcelona Nest Fellowships, demonstrate the centre's dedication to research excellence, as does the institute's consistent appearance in top worldwide positions in international rankings. The Knowledge and Technology Transfer (KTT) team at ICFO plays a key role at the interface with the industrial and corporate worlds maximizing the flow of information, knowledge, technology and talent. Through the unit's efforts, ICFO participates actively in the European Technological Platform Photonics21 and is also very proactive in fostering entrepreneurial activities and spin-off creation. The institute leads and promotes incubator activities and seeks to attract venture capital investment. It hosts an active Corporate Liaison Program that aims at creating collaborations and links between industry and ICFO researchers. To date, 5 successful start-up companies have been created at ICFO. About Graphene Flagship The Graphene Flagship is the EU's biggest ever research initiative. With a budget of 1 billion, it represents a new form of joint, coordinated research initiative on an unprecedented scale. Through a combined academic-industrial consortium, the research effort covers the entire value chain, from materials production to components and system integration, and targets a number of specific goals that exploit the unique properties of graphene. Tasked with bringing together academic and industrial researchers to take graphene from the realm of academic laboratories into European society in the space of 10 years, the Graphene Flagship hopes to facilitate economic growth, new jobs and new opportunities for Europeans as both investors and employees. If your company is interested in looking into new ways to innovate using graphene and 2D materials, contact the ICFO KKT team to discuss future collaborations. graphene@icfo.eu | ktt@icfo.eu WHO Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) V 3.10 features new model for Kuwait; now also available in Bengali and Farsi FRAX is a major milestone in helping health professionals improve the identification of patients at high risk of fracture. The free calculator is country-specific and can be used with or without the input of Bone Mineral Density (BMD) values to determine an individual's 10-year risk of major osteoporotic fracture or hip fracture based on specific risk factors. Newly launched on March 7, 2016, FRAX version 3.10 now offers a model for Kuwait, bringing the total number of FRAX country calculators to 58 (with 63 models). Available in the world's major languages: Although FRAX is freely accessible online, language can be a barrier to the understanding and use of the tool in clinical practice around the world. With the recent addition of Bengali and Farsi bringing the total number of languages to 32, FRAX is now more easily accessible to global healthcare professionals and their patients than ever before. Prof. Eugene McCloskey, Professor in Adult Bone Disease and Honorary Consultant at the Metabolic Bone Centre, University of Sheffield UK, stated, "Whereas doctors formerly relied primarily on BMD values in making treatment decisions, FRAX now helps them more informed decisions based on multiple scientifically validated risk factors. We are pleased that the number of countries and languages is continually increasing so that more doctors and their patients are able to benefit from this important resource." The calculation tool generates the following results: The 10-year probability of a major osteoporotic event The 10-year probability of a hip fracture Body Mass Index For UK, Finnish and Lebanese users, guidance is accessible, providing a guide for assessors, interpreting the results and indicating potential courses of action. In addition to the free online version, and to expand accessibility of the tool to clinical settings without internet access, FRAX has worked in partnership with the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) to make the tool available as an application for mobile devices and in a Desktop version. ### Related links: FRAX website: http://www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX/ FRAX Desktop (individual or multi-entry): http://www.who-frax.org/ FRAX iPhone App for mobile devices: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/frax/id847593214?ls=1&mt=8 FRAX Android App for mobile devices: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inkrypt.clients.iof.frax FRAX Pad and informational slide kit: http://www.iofbonehealth.org/frax-information-and-resources About FRAX FRAX is a simple calculation tool that integrates clinical information in a quantitative manner to predict a 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fracture for both women and men in different countries. The tool, launched by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases in 2008, was developed at the Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases, University of Sheffield, UK. It assists primary health-care providers to better target people in need of intervention, improving the allocation of health-care resources towards patients most likely to benefit from treatment. http://www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX/ About IOF The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is the world's largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases. IOF members, including committees of scientific researchers, leading companies, as well as more than 230 patient, medical and research societies, work together to make bone, joint and muscle health a worldwide heath care priority. http://www.iofbonehealth.org / http://www.facebook.com/iofbonehealth / https://twitter.com/iofbonehealth New Rochelle, NY, March 7, 2016--The natural biodiversity in Latin America has made it a hotspot for research and applications of biosurfactants, with Brazil leading the way in intellectual property and patents for novel processes and sustainable production methods to manufacture biosurfactants at low cost from agro-industrial waste. A review of bioprospecting studies to identify biosurfactant-producing microorganisms, the renewable substrates used in fermentation processes, and the range of biosurfactant applications being developed across Latin America is presented in an article in Industrial Biotechnology, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available for free download on the Industrial Biotechnology website until April 7th, 2016. Larissa Pereira Brumano, Matheus Francisco Soler, and Silvio Silverio da Silva, University of Sao Paulo, Lorena, Brazil, describe the growing interest in and applications for replacing synthetic surfactants with biosurfactants synthesized by microorganisms. In the article "Recent Advances in Sustainable Production and Application of Biosurfactants in Brazil and Latin America," the authors describe the advantages of biosurfactants compared to their chemical counterparts, including their higher biodegradability and lower toxicity. They note, however, that new strategies and technologies are needed to reduce the cost of large-scale biosurfactant production to make it economically competitive, and they review some of the key advances being achieved by scientists in Latin America, including in green chemistry and genetic engineering of microorganisms. The article is part of an IB IN DEPTH special issue on "Industrial Biotechnology in Brazil: Innovation, Opportunities, and Challenges," led by Guest Editor Pabulo Henrique Rampelotto, PhD, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil, and member of the Industrial Biotechnology Editorial Board. Other articles in the issue include: "Second-Generation Ethanol: The Need Is Becoming a Reality"; "The Virtual Sugarcane Biorefinery--A Simulation Tool to Support Public Policies Formulation in Bioenergy"; "Brazilian Biofuels Policies, Production Trends, and Challenges"; "The Brazilian Life Sciences Industry: Advances and Challenges"; and "Patent Policies and Intellectual Property Challenges in Brazil." "Bioprospecting for new industrial microorganisms with unique metabolic pathways that can be driven to produce novel biochemicals is an important element of Industrial Biotechnology," says Co-Editor-in-Chief Larry Walker, PhD. "We thank our Brazilian colleagues for providing us with this insightful study." ### About the Journal Industrial Biotechnology, led by Co-Editors-in-Chief Larry Walker, PhD, and Glenn Nedwin, PhD, MoT, CEO and President, TripleDNA Consulting, LLC, Davis, CA, is an authoritative journal focused on biobased industrial and environmental products and processes, published bimonthly in print and online. The Journal reports on the science, technology, business, and policy developments of the emerging global bioeconomy, including biobased production of energy and fuels, chemicals, materials, and consumer goods. The articles published include critically reviewed original research in all related sciences (biology, biochemistry, chemical and process engineering, agriculture), in addition to expert commentary on current policy, funding, markets, business, legal issues, and science trends. Industrial Biotechnology offers the premier forum bridging basic research and R&D with later-stage commercialization for sustainable biobased industrial and environmental applications. About the Publisher Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Environmental Engineering Science and Sustainability: The Journal of Record. Its biotechnology trade magazine, GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website. New Rochelle, NY, March 7, 2016-Overprescribing of opioids and opioid addiction are serious and growing public health problems in the U.S., and are the focus of a new report by an expert panel, entitled The American Opioid Epidemic: Population Health Implications and Potential Solutions," from the National Stakeholder Panel, Jefferson College of Population Health, which is published in a special supplement to Population Health Management, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The supplement is available open access on the Population Health Managementwebsite. The report includes sections on key topics related to opioid use and abuse and pain management: "The Evolution of Opioid Use in the United States;" "Unintended Consequences of Postsurgical Pain Management;" "The Case for Multimodal Pain Management for Surgical Patients;" and "Expert Panel Insights." Coauthors of the report Janice Clarke, RN and Alexis Skoufalos, EdD, Jefferson College of Population Health, Thomas Jefferson University (Philadelphia, PA), and Richard Scranton, MD, MPH Pacira Pharmaceuticals (Parsippany, NJ), present the panel's opinions on the role of postsurgical prescribing practices, strategies for optimizing health outcomes, and approaches to improve economic outcomes by managing pain differently. David Nash, MD, MBA, Editor-in-Chief of Population Health Management and Dean and Dr. Raymond C. and Doris N. Grandon Professor, Jefferson College of Population Health, leads off the supplement with the Editorial "The Unintended Consequences of an Opioid-Centric Approach to Pain Management." He describes the staggering societal costs of the opioid epidemic in terms of healthcare experiences and lives lost-- 46 each day due to overdose -- and proposes a proactive approach to solving the problem. "Opioid addiction has become frequent headline fodder in recent months. It is critically important for healthcare providers, patient advocates, and legislators to work together to tackle this significant public and population health issue," says Dr. Nash. The stakeholder meeting and this Supplement were supported by an educational grant from Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to the Jefferson College of Population Health. ### About the Journal Population Health Management is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published bimonthly in print and online that reflects the expanding scope of health care management and quality. The Journal delivers a comprehensive, integrated approach to the field of population health and provides information designed to improve the systems and policies that affect health care quality, access, and outcomes. Comprised of peer-reviewed original research papers, clinical research, and case studies, the content encompasses a broad range of chronic diseases (such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic pain, diabetes, depression, and obesity) in addition to focusing on various aspects of prevention and wellness. Tables of Contents and a sample issue may be viewed on the Population Health Managementwebsite. Population Health Management is the official journal of the Population Health Alliance. About the Publisher Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishersis a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Journal of Women's Health, LGBT Health, Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, and Telemedicine and e-Health. Its biotechnology trade magazine, GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website. BAR HARBOR, MAINE - The MDI Biological Laboratory has announced new discoveries about the mechanisms underlying the regeneration of heart tissue by Assistant Professor Voot P. Yin, Ph.D., which raise hope that drugs can be identified to help the body grow muscle cells and remove scar tissue, important steps in the regeneration of heart tissue. Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the western world. Yin is using zebrafish to study the regeneration of heart tissue because of the amazing capacity of these common aquarium fish to regenerate the form and function of almost any body part, including heart, bone, skin and blood vessels, regardless of their age. In contrast, the adult mammalian cardiovascular system has limited regenerative capacity. "Although zebrafish look quite different from humans, they share an astonishing 70 percent of their genetic material with humans, including genes important for the formation of new heart muscle," Yin said. "These genes are conserved in humans and other mammals, but their activity is regulated differently after an injury like a heart attack." The MDI Biological Laboratory, located in Bar Harbor, Maine, is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution focused on increasing healthy lifespan and harnessing our natural ability to repair and regenerate tissues damaged by injury or disease. The institution develops solutions to complex human health problems through research, education and ventures that transform discoveries into cures. Yin and other scientists conducting research in the institution's Kathryn W. Davis Center for Regenerative Medicine study tissue repair, regeneration and aging in a diverse range of organisms that have robust mechanisms to repair and regenerate tissue. Yin's recent work is a continuation of earlier work identifying an experimental drug, ZF143, that accelerates the rate of tissue repair in damaged heart and limb tissue. He is the co-founder and chief scientific officer of Novo Biosciences, a for-profit spinoff of the MDI Biological Laboratory whose goal is to realize the therapeutic potential of ZF143 and other drugs that speed tissue healing and stimulate the regeneration of lost and damaged body parts. "Our goal is to move scientific discovery from the laboratory into the clinic through our for-profit spinoff, Novo Biosciences, as well as other commercial ventures," said Kevin Strange, Ph.D., president of the laboratory and co-founder with Yin of Novo Biosciences. "It is our hope that Dr. Yin's research will lead to additional potential therapeutic agents like ZF143 to reactivate mechanisms for the repair and regeneration of damaged heart muscle tissue in humans." Yin's research has identified the role of a microRNA, miR-101a, a central genetic regulator, in stimulating both the growth of heart muscle cells and in removing scar tissue. He describes these functions as the "yin and yang" of heart tissue regeneration since scar tissue - which serves as an immediate "Band-aid," but prevents the heart from beating properly over the long term - has to be removed for regeneration of new heart muscle tissue and restoration of function to occur. The research was published in the journal "Development," a prestigious journal of developmental biology. Co-authors are Megan Beauchemin, Ph.D., and Ashley Smith. "The concept of organ regeneration fascinates the public, which tends to view it as science fiction," Yin said. "But the zebrafish heart robustly regenerates missing or damaged tissue in as little as 30 to 60 days. Humans share the same genetic material: the same genetic program resides in each of our cells. Our goal is to understand how zebrafish do this so we can unleash our own repair mechanisms through the reawakening of our dormant genetic codes." Heart disease accounts for approximately 17 million deaths per year. Of these, an estimated 7.4 million are due to coronary heart disease, the most common type of heart disease. In the United States, about 720,000 residents experience a heart attack annually, which means that hundreds of thousands of heart patients are living with the disabling complications of heart disease who could benefit from therapies to repair and regenerate damaged heart tissue. With a clearer understanding of the genetic circuits leading to regeneration, Yin and his team will be able to develop additional drugs that allow the activity of these circuits to be controlled so that heart regeneration can be stimulated in patients who have suffered a heart attack. Yin's research also has implications for the treatment of other diseases involving muscle damage, including muscular dystrophy. ### The Mount Desert Island (MDI) Biological Laboratory, located in Bar Harbor, Maine, is an independent, non-profit biomedical research institution focused on increasing healthy lifespan and increasing our natural ability to repair and regenerate tissues damaged by injury or disease. The institution develops solutions to complex human health problems through research, education and ventures that transform discoveries into cures. For more information, please visit http://www.mdibl.org. Combing optical coherence tomography (OCT) with another advanced imaging technology may more accurately identify coronary artery plaques that are most likely to rupture and cause a heart attack. In a report being published online in JACC Cardiovascular Imaging, investigators from the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) describe the first use in patients of a catheter-based device utilizing both OCT and near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF) imaging. "OCT provides images of tissue microstructure but not of its chemical and molecular composition," says Gary Tearney, MD, PhD, of the Wellman Center and the MGH Pathology Department, co-senior author of the paper. "Since both of those characteristics are needed to fully understand coronary artery disease, the combination of OCT with NIRAF could provide a more powerful tool for investigating coronary pathology." The detailed images provided by OCT are created by bouncing near-infrared light off the internal surfaces of blood vessels and can identify plaques that have the appearance of rupture-prone "vulnerable" plaques with the potential to cause a heart attack or sudden cardiac death. Fluorescence imaging techniques like NIRAF illuminate an artery with a specific wavelength of light to excite certain molecules, which respond by emitting different wavelengths. Since only certain molecules respond, the resulting signal provides information on the molecular composition of analyzed tissue. Tearney's team has been investigating whether the additional data provided by NIRAF could identify rupture-prone sites within arterial plaques - particularly fibroatheromas, advanced lesions consisting of a core of dead cells covered by an often-thin fibrous cap, which are particularly prone to rupture. In a previous study using coronary artery segments from cadavers, the investigators showed that the NIRAF signal was elevated in fibroatheromas and highest in those with thin fibrous caps. The current study is the first to investigate the use of NIRAF in living patients. The study enrolled 12 patients receiving cardiac catheterization at the MGH between July 2014 and January 2015. In addition to the clinical procedures conducted to diagnose and/or treat the patients' cardiac disease, Farouc Jaffer, MD, PhD, director of MGH Coronary Intervention and co-senior author of the paper, used the novel device developed by the Wellman/MGH team that acquires both OCT and NIRAF data to construct images of coronary arterial segments. The investigational procedure was identical to that used for conventional OCT imaging. "Performing OCT-NIRAF imaging is just like conducting standalone coronary OCT imaging, and we are now able to obtain near-infrared fluorescence biological plaque information seamlessly integrated with OCT anatomical images, with no additional time required," Jaffer says. "The clinical success of OCT-NIRAF should further pave the way forward for targeted near-infrared fluorescence molecular imaging using injectable molecular- or cellular-specific agents." The primary results of the study were confirmation that the procedure was as safe and as feasible to perform as conventional OCT. The OCT-NIRAF images revealed that the NIRAF signal was elevated in areas in which OCT results suggested the presence of a fibroatheroma, and even higher in lesions with thin caps or at sites of plaque rupture and clot formation. Several aspects of the NIRAF signal were different from the patterns produced by other coronary vascular imaging modalities, and more investigation is needed to determine the molecular underpinnings and clinical significance of NIRAF signal results. NIRAF was also elevated in sites showing evidence of inflammation, another potential biomarker of plaques likely to rupture. "Overall we believe that the combined OCT-NIRAF examination provides information on molecules within arterial plaques and other features associated with a higher risk of an acute coronary event," says Tearney, a professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School and the Mike and Sue Hazard Family MGH Research Scholar. "But right now this is a hypothesis, and our findings need to be borne out in larger studies, which we plan to have underway later this year." ### Co-senior author Jaffer is a member of both the MGH Cardiovascular Research Center and the Wellman Center and an associate professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Giovanni J. Ughi, PhD, of the Wellman Center is lead author of the JACC Cardiovascular Imaging paper. Additional coauthors are Hao Wang, PhD, Edouard Gerbaud, MD, Joseph Gardecki, PhD, Ali Fard, PhD, Ehsan Hamidi, PhD, Paulino Vacas-Jacques, PhD, and Mireille Rosenberg, PhD, all of the Wellman Center. Support for the study includes National Institutes of Health grants R01HL093717 and R01HL122388, American Heart Association grant 13GRNT1760040 and support from Canon USA. Patent applications covering the combined OCT-NIRAF have been filed. Massachusetts General Hospital, founded in 1811, is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The MGH conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the United States, with an annual research budget of more than $800 million and major research centers in AIDS, cardiovascular research, cancer, computational and integrative biology, cutaneous biology, human genetics, medical imaging, neurodegenerative disorders, regenerative medicine, reproductive biology, systems biology, transplantation biology and photomedicine. In July 2015, MGH returned into the number one spot on the 2015-16 U.S. News & World Report list of "America's Best Hospitals." NASA's first wide-field soft X-ray camera, which incorporated a never-before-flown focusing technology when it debuted in late 2012, is a gift that keeps giving. NASA recently selected a miniaturized version of the original X-ray camera to fly as a CubeSat mission to study Earth's magnetic cusps - regions in the magnetic cocoon around our planet near the poles where the magnetic field lines dip down toward the ground. The CubeSat will observe the cusps via soft X-rays emitted when the million-mile-an-hour flow of solar particles constantly streaming from the sun, called the solar wind, collides with and exchanges charges with atoms in the uppermost region of Earth's atmosphere and neutral gases in interplanetary space. The bread loaf-size instrument is the latest incarnation of the Sheath Transport Observer for the Redistribution of Mass, or STORM. Funded by NASA's Heliophysics Technology and Instrument Development for Science, or H-TIDeS program, this new version of the instrument is being developed as WASP/CuPID, short for Wide Angle Soft x-ray Planetary camera and the Cusp Plasma Imaging Detector. The mission is expected to launch in 2019. STORM Evolves into CuPID/WASP Three years ago, a team of three NASA scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, demonstrated STORM aboard a Black Brant IX sounding rocket to prove that their concept for studying charge exchange would work. The charge-exchange process happens when the heavy ions in the solar wind steal an electron from the neutrals -- an exchange that puts the heavy ions in a short-lived excited state. As they relax, they emit soft X-rays. The neutrals from which the heavy ions stole the electron are now charged themselves. This allows them to be picked up by the solar wind and carried away. This is one way planets like Mars could lose their atmosphere. So valuable was the resulting data that the three scientists decided to miniaturize STORM and compete for a CubeSat flight opportunity. Now about half the size of STORM, CuPID/WASP was demonstrated aboard a Black Brant IX sounding rocket in December 2015 and will be further refined under the H-TIDeS funding. Ultimately, it will carry its own avionics system. "Actually, it was quite a coup," said Michael Collier, a planetary scientist who worked with heliophysicist David Sibeck and astrophysicist Scott Porter to develop all instrument versions. "This imager has applications across many different fields and platforms. We figured we could miniaturize it and put it on a CubeSat and still get good science." Boston University professor Brian Walsh, a former Goddard post-doctorate student, is serving as the mission's principal investigator. Three Scientific Disciplines Benefit Like its predecessor, CuPID/WASP employs what's known as a lobster-eye optic, a thick curved slab of material dotted with tiny tubes across the surface. X-ray light enters these tubes from multiple angles and is focused through reflection, giving the technology a wide field of view necessary for globally imaging the emission of soft X-rays. Because the instrument is considerably smaller than STORM, its collecting area isn't quite as good. However, the data is just as valuable to scientists, Porter said. Since its discovery in the mid-1990s, scientists have observed the emission of charge-exchange X-rays from planets, the moon, comets, interplanetary space, possible supernova remnants, and galactic halos. Planetary scientists have observed these emissions from the outer atmospheres of Venus and Mars, leading some to question whether the charge-exchange phenomenon contributes to the atmospheric loss on Mars. Heliophysicists studying how near-Earth space is affected by radiation and magnetic energy from the sun also have observed soft X-rays from the outer boundaries of Earth's magnetosphere, the magnetic bubble that shields Earth from hazardous solar storms. And astrophysicists have observed them, too -- as unwanted noise in data collected by all X-ray observatories sensitive to soft X-rays. As a result, planetary scientists and heliophysicists want to measure these emissions for scientific reasons, while astrophysicists want to remove them as noise. Since the instrument's debut in 2012 and subsequent miniaturization as a CubeSat payload, a European-led team has begun considering developing a STORM-like instrument for its proposed Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE). "Everyone is interested in getting this data, although for different reasons," Collier added. "These missions span three different disciplines, which is a rare occurrence in space science." ### For more Goddard technology news, go to https://gsfctechnology.gsfc.nasa.gov/newsletter/Current.pdf More than two out of ten women who have been victims of sexual abuse as children are likely to stop breastfeeding before their babies reach four months, according to a new study. In Norway, almost all mothers start with breastfeeding, and full breastfeeding for the first six months of a child's life is recommended. Breast milk contains many antibodies and vitamins not found in infant formula. The emotional intimacy of breastfeeding is important for both mother and child. Breastfeeding is also good for the mother's health. But some mothers stop breastfeeding early. Of the women who have been victims of violence in the past 12 months, 40 per cent are more likely to stop breastfeeding before the baby is four months old. Women who have been exposed to several types of violence, such as sexual and physical abuse, have an almost 50 per cent greater chance of stopping breastfeeding than those who have not been exposed to violence. Violence has long-lasting effect Studies on the relationship between breastfeeding and violence are sparse, but now one of the largest studies internationally has been published about the relationship between violence and lactation. PhD candidate Marie Flem Srb of NTNU's Department of Public Health and General Practice carried out the study. "It's important to be aware of the factors that promote breastfeeding, and what causes some women to choose to stop breastfeeding early," she says. Breach of trust leaves deep scars Flem Srb has also looked at the relationship between violence women have been subjected to as children and how that can affect breastfeeding as an adult. "I was surprised that the violence a woman endured as a child would impact breastfeeding so strongly," she said. Among her findings: Women who were subjected to sexual violence as children are 22 per cent more likely to stop breastfeeding before the baby reaches four months. Women who have been subjected to one or more types of violence as children are 41 per cent more likely to stop breastfeeding earlier than four months. Among women who have been victims of violence during the past 12 months, 40 per cent are more likely to stop breastfeeding earlier than four months. Among women who have been subjected to violence by a person known to them, 28 per cent are more likely to stop breastfeeding earlier than four months. Almost two out of ten women are victims of violence Flem Srb used the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study, which involved 95 200 women and was conducted from 1999 to 2008. She used the responses of 53 934 women. Of these, 19 per cent of the women reported that they had been subjected to violence as an adult, and 18 per cent reported that they had been subjected to violence as children. "It's important for people in general to understand what can influence mothers to stop breastfeeding. But it's especially important for primary physicians, midwives, nurses and gynaecologists who work with pregnant women and mothers. Then they can be more aware and provide better support, so that more women abuse survivors continue to breastfeed," says Flem Srb. All pregnant women will be asked about violence In 2015, the Norwegian Directorate of Health implemented new guidelines for maternity care. Now all midwives, doctors and nurses ask pregnant women whether they have been exposed to violence. This information is important for detecting postpartum depression and to help more women to breastfeed. ### Marie Flem Srb is also a physician in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Alesund Hospital in Mre og Romsdal county. Reference: Marie Flem Srb, Mirjam Lukasse, Anne-Lise Brantster, Hilde Grimstad. Past and recent abuse is associated with early cessation of breast feeding: results from a large prospective cohort in Norway. BMJ Open 2015;5. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009240 Unidentified since its discovery in 2007, a large fish species from Amazonia has failed to give out enough information about itself, leaving only insufficient hints about its genus. Nevertheless, three scientists have now recovered the missing pieces to puzzle out its mysterious identity. In their study, published in the open-access journal ZooKeys, they describe the fish as a new species and name it after the fictional secretive Latin American character Zorro. The new fish, called Myloplus zorroi, is commonly known among the Brazilians as 'pacu' and is a relative to the piranha. The research team, led by Marcelo C. Andrade, Universidade Federal do Para, Brazil, recognised in a fish, collected by sport fishermen from Rio Madeira basin, Brazil, a previously found, yet undescribed species. Following their analysis, it turned out that its discoverers had assumed an incorrect genus for it. Among the distinctive features of the new fish, which helped its rightful placement, are its characteristic teeth, specialised to crush seeds. The new pacu species is quite large, growing up to 47,5 cm. It dwells in moderately to rapidly flowing clear rivers, running over rocky or sandy bottoms, and ranging from about 2 to 8 metres in depth. Its basis colour is reddish silver with darker markings running along the upper side of the body. The head is dark and the belly -- pale yellow. Curiously enough, although the name of the new fish is chosen as a tribute to Mauricio Camargo-Zorro, a researcher at the http://www.ifsp.edu.br Instituto Federal de Educacao, Ciencia e Tecnologia, in recognition of his invaluable contribution to the fish fauna inventory from the Marmelos Conservation Area, zorroi is also a playful reference to the Latin American fictional character Don Diego de la Vega and his secret identity hidden behind the nickname of Zorro. ### Original source: Andrade MC, Jegu M, Giarrizzo T (2016) A new large species of Myloplus (Characiformes, Serrasalmidae) from the Rio Madeira basin, Brazil. ZooKeys 571: 153-167. doi: http://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.571.5983. JUPITER, FL - March 9, 2016 - Bipolar disorder, which affects nearly eight million Americans, takes a toll not only on patients, but also on their families and communities. A new study by scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has identified specific genetic variations closely associated with increased susceptibility to bipolar disorder and other conditions. The discovery may provide a target for new therapies. In the new study, the researchers focused on a gene known as PDE10A, one of the many genes that has been linked to bipolar disorder, and the proteins this gene produces. These proteins help regulate intracellular levels of a messenger molecule called cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate), which is involved in a variety of biological processes including learning and memory. "We began with the idea that behavioral changes in bipolar subjects might be due to these genetic variations in the cAMP messenger pathway," said Ron Davis, chair of TSRI's Department of Neuroscience. "We did find that this was the case and, indeed, that these variations were in one specific gene for the cAMP messenger pathway called PDE10A. The variations that we found in the gene may alter the function of one form of PDE10A and lead to susceptibility to bipolar disorder." The research, published recently by the journal Translational Psychiatry, examined human brain tissue from patients with bipolar disorder, as well as brain tissue from individuals without the psychiatric disorder. "The PDE10A19 protein is interesting because we previously didn't know it even existed in the human brain and because it's found only in other primates -- not mice or rats," said Research Assistant Courtney MacMullen, the first author of the study. "Once we understand how this protein helps neurons remain healthy, we might be able to develop medications to treat neurons when they function abnormally, such as in patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia." The results suggested abnormal variations in PDE10A19 might alter cAMP signaling by interacting with another protein known as PDE10A2, restricting its activity and disrupting the entire process. Davis said that the complexity of gene expression in the human brain is greatly underestimated, and that future neurogenetic studies ought to begin with a deep study of each gene's ability to code for proteins to avoid false conclusions, particularly when it comes to the development of potential therapies. "We need to know much more about this large family of enzymes and the roles they play in disorders like bipolar disorder," he said. ### In addition to Davis and MacMullen, other authors of the study, "Novel, Primate-specific PDE10A Isoform Highlights Gene Expression Complexity in Human Striatum with Implications on the Molecular Pathology of Bipolar Disorder" are Kyle Vick, Rodrigo Pacifico and Mohammad Fallahi-Sichani of TSRI. This work was supported by the funding from the State of Florida. Scientists develop a new method to measure the impact of pollution on global warming and reduce the gaps in knowledge on climate change An international team of scientists led by Prof. Daniel Rosenfeld from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem found a way to measure missing critical information needed to quantify manmade responsibility for climate change. In a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the authors describe a new way to determine both cloud-base updraft speeds and quantify the aerosol particles' ability to create cloud droplets. The new method used measurements from an existing meteorological satellite, operated since 2012, rather than conventional aircraft and ground stations. "This new satellite methodology enables us to quantify climate effects on a global scope, provides a more accurate assessment of the processes affecting global warming, and reduces the uncertainty there is about climate change," said Prof. Rosenfeld, an expert on climate change from the Hebrew University's Institute of Earth Sciences. Emissions of greenhouse gases have long been recognized as a cause for global warming, as they slow the release of heat that radiates from Earth to space. "This relatively well-known warming effect is partially countered to a poorly-known extent by manmade particulate emissions, such as smoke, dust and other kinds of air pollution particles", explains Prof. Rosenfeld. Much of the climate effect of these particles, called Cloud Condensation Nuclei, comes from their impact on the behavior of clouds. Polluted clouds contain a relatively higher number of smaller droplets that make the cloud brighter. The smaller cloud droplets are slower to coalesce to raindrops, thus making the cloud live longer and reflect even more solar radiation heat back to space. Important as these small particles are to clouds and climate, they are very difficult to measure by conventional remote sensing techniques. Therefore, scientists had to rely mostly on measurements from aircraft and ground stations, which made it difficult to get a global view on the particles' abundance and properties. Furthermore, the speed at which the air rises into the clouds is equally important in determining cloud droplet concentrations. Currently, measuring cloud base updraft is done by ground-based cloud radar or by aircraft. "Such measurements are very sparse, whereas quantifying climate effects requires conducting such measurements at a global coverage, which is possible only with satellites," explains Prof. Rosenfeld. With this technique, the researchers have opened up the possibility to provide global measurements of the two pieces of missing information that kept the uncertainty about climate change so high up to now. Estimates of global warming expected by the end of the 21st century due to manmade emissions range between 1.5 to 4.5 degrees. This uncertainty is a major cause for the intense public debate on the responsibility of mankind for climate change and the actions needed to mitigate its impacts. ### The international research team also includes Meinrat O. Andreae from the Max Planck Institute of Chemistry in Mainz, Germany, Zhanqing Li from the University of Maryland in the USA, Paulo Artaxo from the University of Sao Paulo, and Xing Yu from the Meteorological Institute of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an, China. The researchers developed the satellite methodology and validated it against surface measurements at sites of the U.S. Department of Energy in Oklahoma; over the ocean onboard a ship that cruised between Honolulu and Los Angeles; and over the Amazon in cooperation with the Brazilian National Institute for Amazon Research. Researchers from Germany contributed measurements of Cloud Condensation Nuclei collected at the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory in the middle of the Amazon Basin. "These ground-truth data are essential for the validation of the satellite measurements. We're hoping in the future to be able to send dedicated satellites that will collect even more accurately the data that is crucial to the understanding of effects on climate change. This will lead to more informed decisions with respect to the actions needed to counter global warming," says Prof. Rosenfeld. As the deadly bat disease called white-nose syndrome continues to spread across North America, scientists are studying bats in China to understand how they are able to survive infections with the same fungus that has wiped out millions of North American bats. By comparing disease dynamics in North American and Asian bat populations, researchers have found evidence that Asian bat species have much lower levels of infection than North American species and therefore are resistant to the fungus. The study, published March 9, 2016 in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, also suggests that some declining North American bat species may be able to evolve enough resistance to the disease to persist, while other species appear less likely to do so. Led by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, an international team sampled hibernating bats at five sites in China and five sites in the United States, using a standardized swabbing technique to detect and quantify the amount of fungus on each bat. "Uniformly, across all the species we sampled in China, we found much lower levels of infection--both the fraction of bats infected and the amount of fungus on infected bats were lower than in North America," said first author Joseph Hoyt, a graduate student at UC Santa Cruz. Co-first author Kate Langwig, a former UCSC graduate student now a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University, said the team collected samples from bats at hibernation sites in Northeastern China and the Midwestern United States where the latitude and winter climate are very similar. The fungus that causes white-nose syndrome is endemic in Asia and Europe, so bats there have coexisted with it for a long time, whereas the disease only recently invaded North America, where it was first discovered in 2006. "This is the first study to compare disease dynamics in an endemic region and a region where the pathogen is invading, and the results can help us understand the course it might take in North America," Hoyt said. The researchers considered four possible hypotheses for the ability of Asian bats to persist with the fungus: host resistance, host tolerance, lower transmission due to smaller populations, or lower fungal growth rates due to environmental factors. Their results pointed toward host resistance and did not support the other hypotheses, Hoyt said. The variation in infection intensity observed within some North American species, such as the little brown bat, may be a hopeful sign, he said. Overall, little brown bats had much higher levels of infection than Asian bats, but some individual little brown bats had relatively low fungal loads. If the variation is a result of genetic differences, it could lead to the evolution of resistance in that species. Langwig noted that one North American species, big brown bats, have not suffered as dramatically from the disease as other North American species. In contrast, northern long-eared bats, which showed very low variability in fungal loads, have experienced drastic population declines. "The northern long-eared bat suffers really high fungal loads, and nearly all individuals are infected--there's no overlap with the Asian species," Langwig said. "From previous work, we've seen their populations crashing toward extinction, so it could be a poor omen for that species." The mechanisms underlying the resistance of Asian bat species remain unknown. "It doesn't have to be the same strategy for every species--it could be differences in the skin microbiome in one and hibernation behavior in another--but we just don't have those details yet," Langwig said. ### In addition to Hoyt and Langwig, the coauthors of the paper include Winifred Frick and Marm Kilpatrick, both faculty members in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz; Keping Sun, Guanjun Lu, Tinglei Jiang, and Jiang Feng at Northeast Normal University, China; and Katy Parise and Jeffrey Foster at University of New Hampshire. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation, National Speleological Society Rapid Response Fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, China National Science and Technology Foundation, an Experiment.com crowdfunding project, and the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation. Quantum technology has the potential to revolutionize computation, cryptography, and simulation of quantum systems. However, quantum physics places a new demand on information processing hardware: quantum states are fragile, and so must be controlled without being measured. Researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute have now demonstrated a key property of Majorana zero modes that protects them from decoherence. The result lends positive support to the existence of Majorana modes, and goes further by showing that they are protected, as predicted theoretically. The results have been published in the prestigious scientific magazine, Nature. Normal computers are limited in their ability to solve certain classes of problems. The limitation lies in the fact that the operation of a conventional computers is based on classical states, or bits, the fundamental unit of information that is either 0 or 1. In a quantum computer, data is stored in quantum bits, or qubits. According to the laws of quantum mechanics, a qubit can be in a superposition of states --- a 0 and 1 at the same time. By taking advantage of this and other properties of quantum physics, a quantum computer made of interconnected qubits should be able to tackle certain problems much more efficiently than would be possible on a classical computer. There are many different physical systems that could in principle be used as quantum bits. The problem is that most quantum systems lose coherence very quickly--the qubit becomes a regular bit once measured. This is why researchers are still searching for the best implementation of quantum hardware. Enter the Majorana zero mode, a delocalized state in a superconductor that resists decoherence by sharing quantum information between separated locations. In a Majorana mode, the information is stored in such a way that a disturbance of either location leaves the quantum information intact. "We are investigating a new kind of particle, called a Majorana zero mode, which can provide a basis for quantum information that is protected against measurement by a special and who knows, perhaps unique property of these particles. Majorana particles don't exist as particles on their own, but they can be created using a combination of materials involving superconductors and semiconductors. What we find is that, first of all, the Majorana modes are present, verifying previous experiments, but more importantly that they are protected, just as theory predicts," says Villum Kann Rasmussen Professor Charles Marcus, Director of the Center for Quantum Devices (QDev) and Station Q Copenhagen, at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen. Nanowires for quantum technology The Center for Quantum Devices is a leading research center in quantum information technology - with activities in theory, experiment, and materials research. Semiconductor nanowires around 10 micrometers long and around 0.1 micrometers in diameter, coated with superconducting aluminum were used to form isolated islands of various lengths. By applying a strong magnetic field along the axis of the wire, and cooling the wires to below a tenth of a kelvin, a new kind of superconducting state, called a topological superconductor, was formed. Quantum states are protected In 2012, physicists at Delft University in the Netherlands found the first signatures of Majorana zero modes in a similar system, with further evidence revealed in subsequent experiments around the world. Now, researchers at the Center for Quantum Devices have demonstrated critical predictions regarding their behavior, namely that their quantum states are protected in a fundamentally different manner from conventional quantum states. The experiments were carried out by PhD Candidate Sven Albrecht and postdoc Andrew Higginbotham, now at the University of Colorado/NIST, USA, using new superconductor-semiconductor hybrid nanowires developed by Assistant Professor Peter Krogstrup in collaboration with Marcus and Professor Jesper Nygard. "The protection is related to the exotic property of the Majorana mode that it simultaneously exists on both ends of the nanowire, but not in the middle. To destroy its quantum state, you have to act on both ends at the same time, which is unlikely", says Sven Albrecht. Albrecht explains that it was a challenging effort to demonstrate the protection experimentally. The researchers had to repeat their experiment many times with nanowires of different lengths in order to show that the protection improved with wire length. "Exponential protection is an important check as we continue our basic exploration, and ultimately application, of topological states of matter. Two things have pushed the field forward--from the first Majorana sightings at Delft to the present results--the first is strong interaction between theory and experiment. The second is remarkable materials development in Copenhagen, an effort that predates our Center. Without these new materials, the field was rather stuck. That's behind us now." says Charles Marcus. ### The research at the Center for Quantum Devices and Station Q Copenhagen was supported by Microsoft Research and the Danish National Research Foundation and the Villum Foundation. Contact: Charles Marcus, Professor, Director of Center for Quantum Devices, QDev, Niels Bohr Institute, Univeresity of Copenhagen, +45 2034-1181, marcus@nbi.dk Sven Albrecht, PhD Candidate, Center for Quantum Devices, QDev, Niels Bohr Institutet, Kbenhavns Universitet, +45 2155-2975, albrecht@nbi.ku.dk Scientists at the University of Exeter have found the most robust evidence yet that simply being a shorter man or a more overweight woman leads to lower chances in life, including a lower income. It has long been known that there is a link between height and weight and how well off a person is, in terms of socioeconomic factors including earnings, postcode, level of education and job type. People from poorer backgrounds are less likely to grow tall and more likely to put on weight, in part because of a poorer education and nutrition in childhood and early adulthood. Now, in research led by the University of Exeter and published in The BMJ, scientists have used genetics to show that shorter height in men or higher body mass index (a measure of weight for a given height) in women leads to reduced chances in life, including income. Using data from 120,000 participants in the UK Biobank (aged between 40 and 70) for whom genetic information was available, the team studied 400 genetic variants that are associated with height, and 70 associated with body mass index. They used these genetic variants, together with actual height and weight, to ask whether or not shorter stature or higher BMI could lead to lower chances in life - as measured by information the participants provided about their lives. Their findings were stark - if a man was 3" (7.5cm) shorter for no other reason than his genetics, this would lead to him having an income 1,500 per year less than his taller counterpart. If a woman was a stone heavier (6.3kg) for no other reason than her genetics, this would lead to her having an income 1,500 less per year than a comparable woman of the same height who was a stone lighter. Professor Tim Frayling, of the University of Exeter Medical School, who oversaw the study, said: "This is the best available evidence to indicate that your height or weight can directly influence your earnings and other socioeconomic factors throughout your life. Although we knew there was a strong association, most people assumed that shorter height and higher BMI were a consequence of poorer nutrition and chances in life. Now we have shown that there is an effect in the other direction as well - shorter height and higher BMI can actually lead to lower income and other lifestyle measures. This won't apply in every case, many shorter men and overweight women are very successful, but science must now ask why we are seeing this pattern. Is this down to factors such as low self-esteem or depression, or is it more to do with discrimination? In a world where we are obsessed with body image, are employers biased? That would be bad both for the individuals involved and for society." The cohort analysed for this study was made up of people who had volunteered to take part in medical research, and the authors acknowledge that, as with all similar studies, the people taking part do not perfectly reflect those from the wider population. For example UK Biobank volunteers have a generally higher level of education. The findings may also reflect effects from previous generations - because we share our genes and our social circumstances with our parents. However, the authors believe such factors would not have resulted in the sex specific effects that they found. Dr Jessica Tyrrell, lead author on the study, said: "The genetic analysis we used is the best possible method to test this link outside of randomly altering people's height and weight for a study, which is obviously impossible. Because we used genetics and 120,000 people, this is the strongest evidence to date that there's something about being shorter as a man and having a higher BMI as a woman that leads to being less well-off financially." ### The study was supported by the European Research Council through the project "GLUCOSEGENES - The causes of hyperglycaemia in the face of rising obesity". The paper "Shorter stature and higher BMI lower socioeconomic status: a Mendelian randomisation study in the UK Biobank" is published online in the BMJ on Tuesday March 1, by: Jess Tyrrell, Samuel Jones, Robin Beaumont, Rebecca Lovell, Hanieh Yaghootkar, Marcus Tuke, Katherine Ruth, Rachel Freathy, Andrew Wood, Anna Murray, Michael Weedon and Tim Frayling, all of the University of Exeter Medical School; Christina Astley, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; and Joel Hirschhorn, Boston Children's Hospital. New research has identified a first step in the design of a new generation of anti-cancer drugs that include an agent to inhibit resistance to their effectiveness. The research, by a team co-led by Professor Martin Michaelis of the University of Kent, in conjunction with Professor Jindrich Cinatl of the Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, could pave the way for tailored combinations of drugs that would provide more effective treatment for patients suffering from therapy-resistant cancers. Drug resistance is the major reason for the failure of anti-cancer therapies and patient deaths. Despite major improvements in cancer treatment in recent decades, cures are still mostly achieved by early cancer detection and local therapy using surgery and radiotherapy. Once cancer cells have spread throughout the body and formed metastases (secondary tumours), the prognosis remains grim with 5-year survival rates being below 20%. Effective systemic drug therapies are needed therefore to improve the outcomes of patients diagnosed with metastatic disease. However, many cancers are characterised by intrinsic resistance, where there is no therapy response from the time of diagnosis, or acquired resistance, where there is an initial therapy response but cancer cells eventually become resistant. Arguably, the most important resistance mechanism in cancer cells is the action of so-called ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, drug pumps that act as a mechanism to move anti-cancer drugs from cancer cells. Of these, ABCB1 (also called multi-drug resistance gene 1 (MDR1) or P-glycoprotein) is the most relevant one. Previous attempts to target ABCB1 as part of anti-cancer therapies have failed. A major reason for this is that ABCB1 is expressed at many sites in the body, particularly at tissue barriers such as the gastro-intestinal barrier and the blood brain barrier. This has meant in the past that agents that inhibited ABCB1 were not specific to the interaction of the desired anti-cancer drug with the ABCB1 on cancer cells but affected the body distribution of many different drugs and food constituents, resulting in toxic side-effects. The new research demonstrates that certain inhibitors of ABCB1 specifically interfere with the ABCB1-mediated transport of certain anti-cancer drugs. This provides a first step towards the design of tailored combinations of anti-cancer drugs and ABCB1 inhibitors that specifically cause the accumulation of anti-cancer drugs in ABCB1-expressing cancer cells but do not affect the body distribution of other drugs or food constituents. ### In addition to Professor Michaelis, of Kent's School of Biosciences, and Professor Cinatl and their laboratory members, the team included Dr Mark Wass (University of Kent), Professor Manfred Schubert-Zsilavecz (Goethe University), Dr Taravat Ghafourian (University of Sussex), and Professor Michael Wiese (University of Bonn) and members of their research groups. The research, entitled Substrate-specific effects of pirinixic acid derivatives on ABCB1-mediated drug transport, was published in Oncotarget. See here: http://www.impactjournals.com/oncotarget/index.php?journal=oncotarget&page=article&op=view&path[]=7345&author-preview=5o1 -ends- For further information or interview requests contact Martin Herrema at the University of Kent Press Office. Tel: 01227 823581/01634 888879 Email: M.J.Herrema@kent.ac.uk News releases can also be found at http://www.kent.ac.uk/news University of Kent on Twitter: http://twitter.com/UniKent Note to editors 1. Established in 1965, the University of Kent - the UK's European university - now has almost 20,000 students across campuses or study centres at Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge, Brussels, Paris, Athens and Rome. It has been ranked: third for overall student satisfaction in the 2014 National Student Survey; 16th in the Guardian University Guide 2016; 23rd in the Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2016; and 22nd in the Complete University Guide 2015. In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2015-16, Kent is in the top 10% of the world's leading universities for international outlook. Kent is ranked 17th in the UK for research intensity (REF 2014). It has world-leading research in all subjects and 97% of its research is deemed by the REF to be of international quality. Along with the universities of East Anglia and Essex, Kent is a member of the Eastern Arc Research Consortium. The University is worth 0.7 billion to the economy of the south east and supports more than 7,800 jobs in the region. Student off-campus spend contributes 293.3m and 2,532 full-time-equivalent jobs to those totals. In 2014, Kent received its second Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education. 2. Goethe University is a research-oriented university in the European financial centre of Frankfurt, founded in 1914 with purely private funds by liberally-oriented Frankfurt citizens. It is dedicated to research and education under the motto "Science for Society" and to this day continues to function as a "citizens' university". Many of the early benefactors were Jewish. Over the past 100 years, Goethe University has done pioneering work in the social and sociological sciences, chemistry, quantum physics, brain research and labour law. It gained a unique level of autonomy on 1 January 2008 by returning to its historic roots as a privately-funded university. Today, it is among the top ten in external funding and among the top three largest universities in Germany, with three clusters of excellence in medicine, life sciences and the humanities. Damaging cyberattacks on a global scale continue to surface every day. Some nations are better prepared than others to deal with online threats from criminals, terrorists and rogue nations. Data-mining experts from the University of Maryland and Virginia Tech recently co-authored a book that ranked the vulnerability of 44 nations to cyberattacks. Lead author V.S. Subrahmanian discussed this research on Wednesday, March 9 at a panel discussion hosted by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, D.C. The United States ranked 11th safest, while several Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Norway and Finland) ranked the safest. China, India, Russia, Saudi Arabia and South Korea ranked among the most vulnerable. "Our goal was to characterize how vulnerable different countries were, identify their current cybersecurity policies and determine how those policies might need to change in response to this new information," said Subrahmanian, a UMD professor of computer science with an appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS). The book's authors conducted a two-year study that analyzed more than 20 billion automatically generated reports, collected from 4 million machines per year worldwide. The researchers based their rankings, in part, on the number of machines attacked in a given country and the number of times each machine was attacked. Machines using Symantec anti-virus software automatically generated these reports, but only when a machine's user opted in to provide the data. Trojans, followed by viruses and worms, posed the principal threats to machines in the United States. However, misleading software (i.e., fake anti-virus programs and disk cleanup utilities) is far more prevalent in the U.S. compared with other nations that have a similar gross domestic product. These results suggest that U.S. efforts to reduce cyberthreats should focus on education to recognize and avoid misleading software. In a foreword to the book, Isaac Ben-Israel, chair of the Israeli Space Agency and former head of that nation's National Cyber Bureau, wrote: "People--even experts--often have gross misconceptions about the relative vulnerability [to cyber attack] of certain countries. The authors of this book succeed in empirically refuting many of those wrong beliefs." The book's findings include economic and educational data gathered by UMD's Center for Digital International Government, for which Subrahmanian serves as director. The researchers integrated all of the data to help shape specific policy recommendations for each of the countries studied, including strategic investments in education, research and public-private partnerships. Subrahmanian's co-authors on the book are Michael Ovelgonne, a former UMIACS postdoctoral researcher; Tudor Dumitras, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering in the Maryland Cybersecurity Center; and B. Aditya Prakash, an assistant professor of computer science at Virginia Tech. A related research paper on forecasting the spread of malware in 40 countries--containing much of the same data used for the book--was presented at the 9th ACM International Conference of Web Search and Data Mining in February 2016. Another paper, accepted for publication in the journal ACM Transactions on Intelligent Systems and Technology, looked at the human aspect of cyberattacks--for example, why some people's online behavior makes them more vulnerable to malware that masquerades as legitimate software. ### For additional information, please see the report summary and presentation. The book, "The Global Cyber Vulnerability Report," V.S. Subrahmanian, Michael Ovelgonne, Tudor Dumitras and B. Aditya Prakash, was published by Springer in December 2015. The research paper, "Ensemble Models for Data-Driven Prediction of Malware Infections," C. Kang, N. Park, B.A. Prakash, E. Serra, and V.S. Subrahmanian, appears in Proceedings of the 9th ACM International Conf. on Web Science and Data Mining (WSDM 2016), San Francisco, February 2016. The research paper, "Understanding the Relationship between Human Behavior and Susceptibility to Cyber-Attacks: A Data-Driven Approach," M. Ovelgonne, T. Dumitras, A. Prakash, V.S. Subrahmanian, and B. Wang, was accepted for publication in ACM Transactions on Intelligent Systems & Technology in February 2016. This work was supported in part by the Army Research Office (Award No. W911NF1410358) and the Office of Naval Research (Award No. N00014-15-1-2007). The content of this article does not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations. Media Relations Contact: Matthew Wright, 301-405-9267, mewright@umd.edu University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences 2300 Symons Hall College Park, MD 20742 http://www.cmns.umd.edu @UMDscience About the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences The College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland educates more than 7,000 future scientific leaders in its undergraduate and graduate programs each year. The college's 10 departments and more than a dozen interdisciplinary research centers foster scientific discovery with annual sponsored research funding exceeding $150 million. By suppressing stroke-related enzyme, molecule found to reduce brain damage by as much as 66 percent Research teams separated by 14 hours and 9,000 miles have collaborated to advance prospective treatment for the world's second-leading cause of death. University of Nebraska-Lincoln chemists partnered with medical researchers from the National University of Singapore to develop a molecule that can inhibit an enzyme linked with the onset of stroke. Most strokes occur when a disruption of blood flow prevents oxygen and glucose from reaching brain tissue, ultimately killing neurons and other cells. The team found that its molecule, known as 6S, reduced the death of brain tissue by as much as 66 percent when administered to the cerebrum of a rat that had recently suffered a stroke. It also appeared to reduce the inflammation that typically accompanies stroke, which the World Health Organization has estimated kills more than 6 million people annually. "The fact that this inhibitor remained effective when given as post-stroke treatment ... is encouraging, as this is the norm in the treatment of acute stroke," the researchers reported in a March 9 study published by the journal ACS Central Science. The inhibitor works by binding to cystathionine beta-synthase, or CBS - an enzyme that normally helps regulate cellular function but can also trigger production of toxic levels of hydrogen sulfide in the brain. Though hydrogen sulfide is an important signaling molecule at normal concentrations, stroke patients exhibit elevated concentrations believed to initiate the brain damage they often suffer. Chemist David Berkowitz and his UNL colleagues modeled their inhibitor on a naturally occurring molecule produced by the CBS enzyme, tailoring the molecule's structure to improve its performance. By swapping out functional groups of atoms known as amines with hydrazines, the team ultimately increased the inhibitor's binding time from less than a second to hours. "We wanted a compound that would bind well, specifically to this enzyme," said Berkowitz, a Willa Cather Professor of chemistry. "But we also wanted one that could be synthesized easily. Those are two very different considerations." Berkowitz and his colleagues achieved the latter goal, in part, by plucking out the molecule's carbon-sulfur bond and replacing it with a double bond. Slicing that double bond gave the researchers two identical halves of the molecule. With the assistance of a Nobel Prize-winning technique called cross-metathesis, the team was then able to "synthesize two halves of the molecule for the price of one," Berkowitz said. To test the effectiveness of the 6S molecule in treating stroke, Berkowitz and fellow UNL chemist Christopher McCune reached out to Peter Wong, professor of pharmacology at the National University of Singapore. "We started researching this and came upon Peter's work pretty quickly," Berkowitz said. "We saw that he was one of the protagonists, one of the guys who is on the leading edge of understanding how (hydrogen sulfide) signaling works." Though the research teams have never actually met in person, Berkowitz said videoconferencing and a steady stream of emails have helped overcome the barriers of time and distance. In the process, he said, each team has developed a profound appreciation for the other's work. "Peter ended up latching onto the chemistry more than we did, and we ended up latching onto the biology," Berkowitz said. "It's actually been really fun. These are two kinds of science that are pretty far apart, and that's probably the most exciting thing about this: the interdisciplinary nature." Because the 6S inhibitor has demonstrated its effects in cell cultures and the brain tissue of rats, Berkowitz cautioned that it represents just an initial step toward developing a stroke-treating drug for humans. However, he said the proof-of-principle experiments effectively illustrate the concept's promise. Berkowitz also expressed optimism that the synthesis method detailed in the study could streamline the more general production of enzyme-targeting inhibitors. "We started out with a very fundamental-science perspective on understanding the chemistry of this whole class of vitamin B6-dependent enzymes," he said. "We're in a good place now, because that science has allowed us to make these inhibitors and many others. We're now working on several enzymes that may represent important targets for translation of the basic inhibitor chemistry into truly therapeutic goals." ### Berkowitz, McCune and Wong co-authored the ACS Central Science study with Matthew Beio, UNL graduate student in chemistry; Weijun Shen, who earned a doctorate at UNL; Woo Jin Chung, a former UNL postdoctoral researcher; Laura Szczesniak, graduate student at SUNY Upstate Medical University; the National University of Singapore's Su Jing Chang and Shu Qing Koh; and the National Neuroscience Institute's Chou Chai. PHILADELPHIA--Community mental health clinics, where most specialty mental health treatment is delivered, have been relying more on independent contractors to treat patients, largely for budgetary reasons. Many of these clinics have simultaneously been moving towards the greater use of evidence-based psychosocial practices (EBPs), broadly defined as talk therapies that are informed by rigorous research as well as clinician expertise and patient preferences. A new, first-of-its-kind study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania suggests that these two trends may be in conflict. The findings appear this month in Psychiatric Services. "The independent contractor therapists we surveyed turned out to have less positive attitudes towards evidence-based talk therapies for youth such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and less knowledge about them, compared with salaried employee therapists," said lead author Rinad S. Beidas, PhD, an assistant professor of Psychology in the department of Psychiatry at Penn Medicine. CBT emphasizes problem-solving and teaching youth specific skills to correct distorted thinking and change behavior. Beidas, who is also director of Implementation Research at Penn's Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research, has shown in previous work how attitudes, knowledge, and organizational culture influence the implementation of EBPs in public mental health clinics. In recent decades, all healthcare disciplines have been moving towards better, more standardized care by identifying EBPs and pushing for their greater use. Specifically, the City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health, led by Commissioner Arthur C. Evans, PhD, Jr, created an innovative program in 2007 to foster and support EBPs in its public mental health clinics. Three years ago, Beidas and her colleagues began studying EBP implementation in Philadelphia. "One of the things that my team initially noticed, which we did not expect, was that there were a lot of independent contractor therapists at these agencies," Beidas said. Indeed, some of the agencies had begun to use independent contractors exclusively. That appeared to reflect a national trend in mental health clinic staffing, moving away from salaried therapists and towards contractors--who are cheaper to maintain because they are paid only when they see patients, and don't require the overhead costs of employees such as insurance benefits. The apparent proliferation of contractors led Beidas and colleagues to wonder if these therapists would be as involved in EBP implementation compared to salaried therapists. "When we looked in the literature, we found nothing on this," Beidas said. Her team addressed this question by surveying 130 therapists working at 23 Philadelphia public mental health clinics. Nearly 60 percent of these therapists were independent contractors, and the rest were salaried employees. Compared with their salaried counterparts, contractors reported they would be less willing to adopt EBPs even if they found them appealing, specifically, they scored .28 points lower on a four-point scale measuring this attitude. Contractors also showed significantly less knowledge of EBPs for children with psychiatric disorders, scoring approximately five points less on a 160-point scale measure of knowledge. Beidas hypothesized that it is likely that these staff did not have access to the professional development opportunities available to salaried staff. Interviews with the executive administrators at nine of the agencies represented in the survey corroborated this hypothesis: the agencies reported not sending contractors to the EBP training programs attended by their salaried staff. "The agencies seemed less willing to invest in the professional development of their independent contractor therapists, because they perceived them as more likely to leave once they found a more permanent position," Beidas said. The interviews also confirmed that agencies tend to hire such contractors in order to stay within their increasingly tight budgets. "Because of its modest sample size, this study is preliminary, but we hope it opens up a new research agenda nationally to understand the implications of this shift in the workforce model in public mental health clinics -- particularly in regard to EBPs - where we think there may be a collision between this new contractor-based workforce model and efforts to improve services," Beidas said. She and her colleagues plan to gather further data on this issue, as part of an ongoing National Institutes of Health-funded study, and may in the future suggest interventions, such as increasing professional development opportunities for independent contractors at such clinics or creating a culture where independent contractors are more integrated into the fabric of organizations. ### Co-authors of the study were Rebecca E. Stewart, Courtney Benjamin Wolk, Danielle R. Adams, Steven C. Marcus, Trevor R. Hadley, Frances K. Barg, and David S. Mandell, of Penn; Arthur C. Evans, Jr. and Matthew O. Hurford, of the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services, Philadelphia; and Kamilah Jackson, Geoffrey Neimark, Joan Erney and Ronnie Rubin, of Community Behavioral Health, Philadelphia. Funding was provided by the National Institute of Mental Health (K23 MH099179, F32 MH103960, F32 MH103955). Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $5.3 billion enterprise. The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 17 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $373 million awarded in the 2015 fiscal year. The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Chestnut Hill Hospital and Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine. Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2015, Penn Medicine provided $253.3 million to benefit our community. HOUSTON - (March 9, 2016) - Hot weather is significantly associated with clinical visits among migratory farmworkers compared to other patients, according to a study by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) published recently in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Lead author Kai Zhang, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences at UTHealth School of Public Health, used data from the Community and Migrant Health Center in Colorado to compare clinical visits among migratory farmworkers, seasonal farmworkers and non-farmworkers. Migratory farmworkers are those who travel for agricultural work while seasonal workers do not change homes or travel away from their established homes for work. Zhang measured heat effects by using weather data obtained from the National Climate Data Center and ozone levels from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Throughout the summer of 2013, the year in which the data was collected, the average of daily mean temperatures was 71 degrees Fahrenheit and average daily ozone concentrations ranged from 0.036 to 0.074 parts per million. The current national standard for ozone is 0.070 parts per million, according to the EPA. When Zhang compared hot days to average days, he found that migratory workers were 88 percent more likely to visit a clinic when not factoring in ozone levels and 96 percent more likely when factoring in high ozone levels. There was no significant increase for clinic visits among seasonal farmworkers when temperature and ozone levels were high. "Migratory workers are more susceptible to heat-related health issues for several possible reasons. They tend to have poorer living environments, including a lack of air conditioning; suffer from poverty, which has been linked to a higher risk of vulnerability to heat; and may lack family support for prolonged periods of time. Also, their immigration status may make them more vulnerable to labor abuses," said Zhang. Zhang found that the impact of heat on migratory farmworkers was more significant among males than females. Men were 118 percent more likely to visit a clinic on hot days compared to normal days while women were 57 percent more likely to visit a clinic on hot days. "Heat has a significant impact on migratory farmworkers, even in a moderate summer. This research suggests possible significant impact of heat on migratory farmworkers and provides justification for undertaking further studies, making regulations and developing heat preventive programs," said Zhang. While the research was done in Colorado, Zhang notes that Texas has a much hotter summer than Colorado and is the second largest agricultural state in the United States. With many migratory farmworkers supporting the agricultural industry in Texas, Zhang says his study suggests that migratory farmworkers in Texas might suffer even more heat stress than those in Colorado. He hopes to access the same data in Texas in future research. ### Co-authors of the study include Sharon Cooper, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences at the School of Public Health San Antonio Regional Campus, and School of Public Health students Rony Arauz and Tsun-Hsuan Chen. This study, titled "Heat effects among migrant and seasonal farmworkers: a case study in Colorado", was supported by the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (5T42OH008421) from the National Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Center for Farmworker Health and the Community-Based Research Network (CBRN). Mother-to-child transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, is still a major problem in resource-limited, rural areas of the world where health care providers are scarce. Major improvements can be made, however, even under the most impoverished and discouraging circumstances, when a family-focused and integrated package of services is implemented. That's what researchers with the Vanderbilt Institute of Global Health (VIGH) found in a study conducted in rural north-central Nigeria. Their findings, published recently in the British medical journal The Lancet HIV, are helping to raise hopes that mother-to-child transmission of HIV will eventually be eliminated. "We show that packaging individually effective interventions can have positive and measurable impacts on progress toward eliminating pediatric HIV infections in Africa," said first author Muktar Aliyu, M.D., MPH, DrPH, associate professor of Health Policy and Medicine and the VIGH associate director for Research. Aliyu also discussed the results of the study at the 2016 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston sponsored by the International Antiviral Society-USA. HIV infection and death rates have remained stubbornly high in Nigeria. According to a 2014 report by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Nigeria ranked first among all countries in the number of AIDS deaths in 2013, accounting for 10 percent of all AIDS deaths worldwide. Nigeria is also home to the second largest number of new HIV infections among children after South Africa, Aliyu said. Much of the problem is lack of access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), which can prevent transmission of HIV infection from mothers to their babies and, in people who are already infected, can keep the virus from spreading in their bodies. Only two out of every 10 Nigerians who are living with HIV have access to treatment. In their study, the Vanderbilt researchers focused on 12 rural sites in Nigeria. They randomly assigned HIV-infected women who were either pregnant or had recently given birth to receive a special package of services. Another group of women, who served as controls, got the standard level of care. In the intervention group, men were encouraged to take part in their wives' care, and non-physician health care providers, including midwives and community health workers, were trained to provide a breadth of services as economically and efficiently as possible. In addition, point-of-care CD4 cell count testing -- a laboratory indicator of immune system function -- was made available, and integrated mother-infant services were provided after delivery. In both intervention and control groups ART was provided to pregnant women with HIV disease, breast-feeding mothers and infants who had been exposed to HIV by their mothers during delivery. At the 12-week visit, the incidence of HIV infection among infants in the test group was 2.4 percent, compared to 7.3 percent in the control group -- a 74 percent reduction in the infection rate. Culturally sensitive policies that include non-physician health care providers, engage men in the community and integrate health care services in resource-strapped settings thus can prevent maternal-to-infant HIV transmission, save lives, and improve outcomes for both mothers and their babies, the researchers concluded. ### A new class of drugs has shown promise for treating the bacteria that cause legionnaires' disease, a potentially fatal lung infection. The discovery that 'BH3-mimetic' drugs obliterate cells infected with Legionella bacteria could lead to new treatments for a variety of bacterial infections, even those that are resistant to antibiotics. A research team including Dr James Vince of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, and Dr Thomas Naderer and PhD student Ms Mary Spier from the Monash University Biomedicine Discovery Institute, showed for the first time that a protein called BCL-XL is an Achilles' heel of Legionella-infected cells. Turning off BCL-XL with BH3-mimetic drugs killed the infected cells, allowing the infection to be cleared from the body. The research is published in the March edition of Nature Microbiology. People become infected with Legionella bacteria by inhaling contaminated water droplets, often from cooling towers or spas, or contaminated soil such as potting mix. The bacteria hide within human cells called macrophages, escaping the body's own immune defenses and being shielded from many types of antibiotics. People with a weakened immune system, including the elderly, are at particular risk of the serious lung Legionella infection called legionairres' disease. Dr Vince said that soon after infecting a macrophage, Legionella bacteria alter the composition of proteins within their host cell to prevent the host from detecting the infection. "We were particularly interested that this drained the macrophage of a protein called MCL-1, that helps to keep cells alive," he said. "The bacteria inadvertently leave BCL-XL as the only survival protein keeping the cell alive - a single point of failure at the molecular level. "We exploited this vulnerability by treating Legionella-infected cells with BH3-mimetic drugs that switch off BCL-XL. These agents could specifically kill the infected macrophages, leaving uninfected macrophages untouched - exactly what you would want to happen if you were treating an infected person," Dr Vince said. BH3-mimetics drugs were initially developed to treat cancer, by switching off 'survival' proteins such as BCL-XL and MCL-1 that make cancer cells immortal. "We were really excited to discover that BH3-mimetics can be used to treat serious Legionella lung infections, killing the infected cells and allowing the bacteria to be cleared from the body," Dr Vince said. "Walter and Eliza Hall Institute scientists have spent three decades deciphering how 'survival proteins' including BCL-XL keep cells alive, and how this can be exploited to treat cancer. This is the first time BH3-mimetics have been used to successfully treat bacterial infections." With the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria now posing a serious global health risk, new treatments for bacterial infections are urgently needed. "In the future we are hopeful that BH3-mimetics may be a valuable new line of treatment for Legionella and other bacteria that similarly hide out within cells," Dr Vince said. ### The research was supported by the Victorian Government Operational Infrastructure Support Program, the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (US). Warthogs living in Uganda have learned to rid themselves of annoying ticks by seeking out the grooming services of some accommodating neighbors: a group of mongooses looking for snacks. Specifically, the warthogs of Queen Elizabeth National Park have learned to lie down in the presence of banded mongooses. In response, the mongoose cleaning crew have learned to inspect the wild pigs for ticks, going so far as to climb on top of their customers to gain access to more parasites. A short article in the most recent edition of the journal Suiform Soundings describes the behavior, which has been observed by tourists to the park and was featured in a BBC video, and encourages further research on it. "Such partnerships between different mammal species are rare, and this particular interaction illustrates a great deal of trust between participants," said Dr. Andy Plumptre, Director for WCS Albertine Rift Program and author of the published description of the behavior. "It makes you wonder what else may be happening between species that we don't see because, in order to see it, both species need to be unafraid of people." The common warthog is widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa and inhabits grasslands, savannas, and woodlands. The species can grow up to five feet in length and is characterized by a pair of tusks, which the warthog uses for both digging and defense. The banded mongoose is a small cat-like carnivore that, as its common name suggests, possesses a series of bands across its back. The species grows up to 1 feet in length and travels in family groups numbering up to 40 individuals. The warthog-mongoose encounter is a rare example of mammals exhibiting a symbiotic relationship called mutualism, where two animal species form a partnership with benefits for both groups. The warthogs get a cleaning and the mongooses get a meal. Other examples of mutualism include rhinos, zebras, and other animals that receive visits from parasite-eating birds called oxpeckers, and bees that feed on the nectar of flowers and deliver pollen to other plants. "Wild pigs never fail to amaze me," commented Dr. Erik Meijaard, Chair of the IUCN/SSC Wild Pigs Specialist Group. "Not many scientists are interested in studying the 18 species of wild pig, but behaviors like the one described here, reiterate how uniquely adaptive, intelligent, and even cute wild pigs are. Pigs play important roles in ecosystem and their protection helps many other species." ### WCS is working to conserve the Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of the most biodiverse savanna parks in Africa, by supporting the Uganda Wildlife Authority improve its law enforcement and monitoring of the park. Unique animal behavior, such as this mutualism between mongooses and warthogs, is just one of the special features of this site. Suiform Soundings is the newsletter of the IUCN Pigs, Peccaries, and Hippos Specialist Group. WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) MISSION: WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. To achieve our mission, WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation Program Want a bit of context for the story about the PLOS ONE paper that got pulled for extraneous references to design and a Creator in explicating hand biomechanics? Heres an article published a couple of months ago by the journal Progress in Human Geography. The title: Glaciers, gender, and science: A feminist glaciology framework for global environmental change research. Satire? Hoax? The Daily Caller says no: Academics at the University of Oregon have determined that glaciers and the science that studies them are deeply sexist. Merging feminist postcolonial science studies and feminist political ecology, the feminist glaciology framework generates robust analysis of gender, power, and epistemologies in dynamic social-ecological systems, thereby leading to more just and equitable science and human-ice interactions, reads the papers abstract. The study, by historian Dr. Mark Carey and some student researchers, was financially supported by taxpayer dollars. The National Science Foundation (NSF) gave Carey a five-year grant which he used to write his feminist glaciology paper. Carey has received $709,125 in grants from the NSF, according to his curriculum vitae. Most existing glaciological research and hence discourse and discussions about cryospheric change stems from information produced by men, about men, with manly characteristics, and within masculinist discourses, Carey wrote. These characteristics apply to scientific disciplines beyond glaciology; there is an explicit need to uncover the role of women in the history of science and technology, while also exposing processes for excluding women from science and technology. Feministglaciology. Masculinist glaciers. Theres nothing extraneous here about what the makes the paper objectionable. It survived peer review, funded by the National Science Foundation. No indication that Dr. Carey is Chinese and thus that faulty translation could be to blame. There have been mild complaints around the Internet: The study shocked many academics and real scientists, and several initially believed the study was a work of satire. Who knew there was such a thing as feminist glaciology?' Robert Bryce, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, told The Daily Caller News Foundation. I cant satirize it. The scientists do that in their own abstract. Cornell University chemist Dr. Phil Mason, took to Twitter Sunday to say the paper left him dumbfounded. But thats nothing like the storm of protests that greeted the PLOS ONE paper; and the feminist glaciology paper remains unretracted. Has the editor been asked to step down? Not that Im aware. Imagine what you could have done with that seven hundred thousand dollars. It gives an idea of how much free time some scholars have on their hands, and the money yours! thats squandered on them. Image: Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina, by Martin St-Amant (S23678) (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Those on the Darwinist, materialist, atheist side of the debate that we follow here arent normally very good at listening and responding to scientific perspectives at variance from their own. They are much more interested in condemning and ridiculing which has got to be a poor strategy for them if they want to persuade anyone. With that as the background, as we noted already, its refreshing that arch-atheist cosmologist Lawrence Krauss has agreed to participate in a public conversation with Discovery Institutes Stephen Meyer, joined by theistic evolutionist Denis Lamoureux. That will be March 19 at the University of Torontos Convocation Hall. Were looking forward to it and heres the even better news. You wont have to be in Toronto to enjoy the discussion. The event will stream live here at Evolution News. The subject is Whats Behind It All? God, Science, and the Universe. Simply check back here at 7 pm Eastern/4 pm Pacific for a front row seat, wherever you are. Its just ten days away! Dont miss a moment of it. The President of the European Central Bank initiated a surge in the euro-dollar conversion after he announced no further cuts may be necessary. In a dramatic reversal of todays earlier performance, the euro to dollar exchange rate has been sent into a bullish stampede after ECB President Mario Draghi suggested that there would be no further cuts to the deposit rate. As a result, stocks have plummeted and the Euro is currently making significant gains against the majors as investors hope the ECB wont take further action to weaken the common currency. After the ECB revealed its surprise plans to increase QE at today's meeting, the EUR has plunged across the board. The euro to dollar rate plunged over 1 per cent. For your reference, here are the latest live FX rates: On Saturday the Pound to British Pound exchange rate (GBP/GBP) converts at 1 The live inter-bank GBP-GBP spot rate is quoted as 1 today. Today finds the pound to euro spot exchange rate priced at 1.147. The pound conversion rate (against australian dollar) is quoted at 1.773 AUD/GBP. FX markets see the pound vs new zealand dollar exchange rate converting at 1.967. NB: the forex rates mentioned above, revised as of 22nd Oct 2022, are inter-bank prices that will require a margin from your bank. Foreign exchange brokers can save up to 5% on international payments in comparison to the banks. Carson Block Claims US Stock Market Remains Bearish The US dollar (USD) had softened earlier today after founder of research firm Muddy Waters LLC, Carson Block, has claimed that his outlook on the US stock market is still bearish, with recent gains likely to be short-lived. Speaking to Reuters, Block commented I would say that this does feel like it is a dead cat bounce because how much more ammunition really do policymakers have? I just don't know if there are that many more bullets that central banks could fire. A 0.3% rise in US Wholesale Inventories has suggested that consumer demand in the US is softening, weakening the US Dollar thanks to low inflationary prospects. Stockpiles of wholesale goods were expected to fall by -0.2%, suggesting that demand was increasing, but a rise in inventories could point to weak demand; with strong inflation considered the next key requisite for the Fed to raise interest rates again, todays data pushes down the likelihood of a near-term hike. Fears that the US will enter a recession has weighed heavily on demand for US Dollar (USD) exchange rates of late. However, analysts at Commerzbank state that data suggests that the US will not endure recession. US Dollar exchange rates have been subject to volatility, but the prospect of major easing from the European Central Bank (ECB) is expected to support massive USD gains. Will the US enter recession? Commerzbank predict not. What impact is this likely to have on USD to GBP, EUR exchange rate trading? Over the past few weeks the combination of delayed Federal Reserve rate hike bets and fears that the US will soon be in recession has weighed on demand for the US Dollar. However, with the high likelihood of major easing from the European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday, negative correlation should give US Dollar exchange rates a significant boost. Whats more, many analysts disagree with the fears of US recession. Commerzbank argue that Q1 growth will be a fairly robust 2.0%, stating: Many investors fear another recession in the US. However, available data gives reason to expect a rather robust growth rate of 2.0% for Q1 2016, which is mainly due to large gains in private consumption and housing construction. Hard economic data does not justify the widespread pessimism for the US economy. Following the weak final quarter of 2015, when the US economy posted only 1.0% growth (annualised rate on the quarter), a moderate growth rate of around 2% seems to be on the cards for Q1 2016. Euro (EUR) Exchange Rates Struggle as ECB Decision Approaches The vast majority of economists predict that the European Central Bank will ease policy significantly on Thursday. The question is by what method they intend to ease policy. Several analysts predict that policymakers will wish to avoid cutting the overnight cash rate into negative territory after the tool was widely criticised by many G-20 officials. With that in mind, the limited tools available to the ECB should see a massive expansion of quantitative easing. However, some experts fear policy easing is reaching its legal limits. Commerzbank stated: The ECB presumably wants to ease its monetary policy but is reaching legal limits, especially if it decides big moves. In our view, the changes in the QE design that are necessary for a marked expansion of the bond purchases appear questionable from a legal perspective. And the introduction of helicopter money is a bigger legal problem in the monetary union than in other countries. Pound Sterling (GBP) Exchange Rates Climb Today after Mostly Positive Domestic Data Results Having softened versus its major peers yesterday in response to comments from Bank of England (BoE) Governor Mark Carney, the UK asset ticked higher today. Carney stated that the EU referendum poses the greatest domestic risk to the British economy. Todays GBP uptrend can be linked to mostly positive data results. On the year, Januarys Industrial Production advanced by 0.2%; bettering the median market forecast stagnation. Whats more, Januarys Manufacturing Production bettered estimates on both a monthly and annual basis. After experiencing the largest monthly fall in three years in December, UK industrial production started 2016 on a slightly better footing, observed Scott Bowman at Capital Economics. Hi all, I'm a dual Canadian/Australian citizen (Canadian born), looking into the possibility of moving my Australian family (husband, 2 children) back to Canada. I was hoping I might be able to get some guidance on the visa process for bringing them over? We'd potentially like to do this mid-end of the year so my daughter can start school in September. Plus we already have a holiday booked for September so would save flying back and forth. My husband is University educated with a Bachelor of Construction Management and he works as a Quantity Surveyor. We'd preferably like to move to Ontario since that's where all my family are. Any help would be greatly appreciated! SALEM, Ohio Farmers, if you think marestail is a nuisance, then you dont even want to deal with an eruption of Palmer amaranth in your fields. Weed experts call Palmer amaranth a super weed that could be a nightmare if found on your farm. Invasive Palmer amaranth, a weed from the Pigweed species, is a growing problem in the South because is glyphosate-resistant. If it shows up on your farm, you can expect a loss in the crop yield and a permanent increase in the cost of herbicide programs. It can spread quickly once it emerges, because a female plant can produce between 100,000 and 500,000 seeds. In addition, the plant can stand up to 7 feet tall, and can grow as much as 3 inches per day. The weed can emerge any time between April and August. Stop Palmer amaranth from spreading Plant a cereal rye cover crop. The rye cover crop can provide a mulch that will suppress Palmer amaranth emergence. Hire hand weeding crews to remove Palmer amaranth. It is important that Palmer amaranth should be pulled and taken out of the field and composted or burned. Plants that are laid on the soil in the field will reroot and continue to grow and produce viable seed. Producers are also urged to rotate crop and use deep tillage including the moldboard plow. By using deep tillage, the Palmer amaranth seed will fall below its preferred emergence depth. Researchers at Purdue Extension found that it will not provide complete control, but will reduce the number of seeds that can emerge from the top one inch of soil. Producers are also reminded to check ditches and field borders. The fear is the weed can spread into a field through pollen and seed. Reduced yields According to Extension specialists in Georgia and Arkansas, Palmer amaranth has invaded over 750,000 acres of cotton and other row crops in Arkansas and over 1 million acres in Georgia. It has reduced yields by up to 75 percent in some fields where it has been found. Populations in the South have developed resistance to 14 herbicides (fomesafen, Cobra, etc), and appear to be developing resistance to glufosinate (Liberty, Cheetah, Interline). Pennsylvania and Ohio Now it has been found in Ohio and Pennsylvania, too. Prior to 2015, there were only a couple of outbreaks of Palmer amaranth in Ohio, according to Dr. Mark Loux, Ohio State University horticulture and crop scientist. Palmer amaranth was first found in Pennsylvania in 2013 and has quickly spread. The super weed has been found in alfalfa, corn and soybean fields in both states. Palmer amaranth has been found in 11 Ohio counties, according to OSU Extension Williams, Putnam, Sandusky, Wayne, Lorain, Highland, Ross, Scioto, Madison, Fayette and Mahoning. In Pennsylvania, Palmer amaranth has been identified in Lawrence, Centre, Blair, Bedford, Somerset, Cumberland, Franklin, Dauphin, Lebanon, Berks, Lehigh, Montgomery and Chester counties. According to Penn State Extension, between 12 and 15 sites were found in Lancaster County alone by the end of 2015. According to Loux, most counties only have a few populations of Palmer amaranth. No pattern Loux said there isnt any real pattern to the distribution of counties where Palmer has been found. He said Palmer seed entered the state via contaminated CREP or wildlife seed that comes from out West, and via the cotton feed products that are shipped from the South and used in animal operations. Palmer is more widespread in an area near two dairies along the Madison-Fayette county line north of Jeffersonville, Ohio. New infestations There were new infestations in 2015 in northeast Ohio counties, including Lorain, Mahoning, and Wayne, presumably as a result of Palmer seed in cotton-based feed products. In Mahoning County, the grower had zero Palmer amaranth in 2014. Then last winter, the grower purchased one load of cottonseed feed product from a local dealer last winter. The grower fed the cottonseed in his ration, then spread his herds manure on fields in late winter and early in 2015. The result was dense Palmer amaranth infestations in 2015 in these fields, and the farmer is still trying to control the outbreak with glyphosate. Researchers are also concerned that the seed could have been spread even further by the combine used to take off the crop by a custom harvester. Identification So whats it look like? When identifying Palmer amaranth, look for a smooth stem and some singular plants have a single hair at the leaf tip. Immature Palmer amaranth tends to have a poinsettia-like appearance. There is also a white thumbprint found in the middle of the leaves. If you do suspect Palmer amaranth in your field, call OSU Extension and contact a weed specialist to confirm it has been located. Eradication Once it is found, however, the hard work begins, because it is glyphosate resistant. Purdue Extension experts offer some ways on stopping the seed from spreading, and one way is to plant a cereal rye cover crop, which can provide a mulch that will suppress Palmer amaranth emergence. In some Indiana soybean fields, producers have resorted to hiring hand weeding crews to remove Palmer amaranth. It is important to note that weeds should be pulled and taken out of the field and composted or burned. Plants that are laid on the soil in the field will reroot and continue to grow and produce viable seed. Producers are also urged to rotate crop and use deep tillage, including the moldboard plow. By using deep tillage, the Palmer amaranth seed will fall below its preferred emergency depth. Researchers at Purdue Extension found that it will not provide complete control, but will reduce the number of seeds that can emerge from the top inch of soil. Producers are also reminded to check ditches and borders. The fear is the weed can spread into a field through pollen and seed. Know what Palmer amaranth looks like and if there is any in the neighborhood. When purchasing used equipment, know where it has been. Avoid buying combines that come from Palmer-infested areas. When purchasing used equipment, know where it has been. Avoid buying combines that come from Palmer-infested areas. Scout recently seeded CREP, wildlife, and similar areas for the presence of Palmer. For any intended seedings of this type, ODA will test seed lots for the presence of Palmer seed at no charge. They must pick it up from your operation (do not mail or drop off). Contact ODA for more information, 614-728-6410. Avoid use of cotton feed products that might contain Palmer amaranth seed; check with feed supplier for more information. When using manure from an animal operation, know whether they are using cotton feed products. Include residual herbicides in corn and soybean programs to control the early-emerging Palmer amaranth plants. If Palmer plants are evident at the time of postemergence treatment, modify the herbicide program appropriately. Scout fields starting in mid-July for the presence of Palmer that escaped herbicide programs. Get help with identification if in doubt. Plants without mature seed (black) should be pulled out (uprooted) or cut off just below soil and removed from field, and then burned or buried at least a foot deep or composted. Plants with mature seed should be bagged and removed from field. Do not run the combine through Palmer patches that are discovered during harvesting. Resources for additional information on management of established populations: http://u.osu.edu/osuweeds/; http://takeactiononweeds.com. High school football scores, live updates Week 10 in Fayetteville Cumberland County high school football scores and North Carolina live updates from Week 10 of the NCHSAA 2022 season in the Fayetteville area. The Indian Supreme Court has expanded the definition of public servant in a decision that has implications for not only the banking system but potentially the countrys broader struggle against corruption. The case, stemming from a financial scandal more than 15 years ago, potentially implicates other executives in heavily regulated industries in otherwise private enterprises. The case also suggests that the countrys highest court wont wait for stranded legislation to expand the scope of the Indias anti-corruption laws. The case involves legacy charges of embezzlement by former executives of the private sector Global Trust Bank. The original scandal involved stock market fraud and manipulation of private sector banks that were the product of Indias early attempts to liberalize a banking sector dominated by public banks.. Although the original crimes produced few significant prosecutions despite heavy investigations, authorities eventually attempted to apply the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 to two private-sector bank executives. The Prevention of Corruption Act contains a narrow definition of public servant and focuses primarily on demand-side corruption. While a provision in the legislation enabling private banks deemed their executives public servants under the Indian Penal Code, the legislation did not include application of the Prevention of Corruption Act. However, the court determined that the anti-corruption law should apply, essentially unifying the definition of public servant. The reasoning is more than a little aggressive and potentially reflects judicial impatience with legislative progress. Like many developing economies, Indias banking system is shot through with bad loans that often involve influential political figures or shady deals. Even obtaining an ordinary commercial loan in India can often involve a kick-back to the loan officer. The countrys attempts to propose a modern bankruptcy system to deal with part of these loans has hamstrung clearing many of these loans from the books, and lack of political will has largely discouraged exploring potential corruption in such loans. The court also may be anticipating implementation of stalled revisions to the Prevention of Corruption Act which would expand the scope of the law to include private bribery and bring greater focus on bribe givers. Whether this decision will have an additional impact on other sectors of economic life in India where many sectors remain heavily regulated isnt clear. However, anyone involved with the Indian banking sector whether private or public has a new level of compliance risk to contemplate. And it has teeth. _____ Russell Stamets is a Contributing Editor of the FCPA Blog. He was the first non-Indian general counsel of a publicly traded Indian company and was general counsel for a satellite broadcasting joint venture of a large Indian business house. Russ can be contacted here. In January, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to consider an appeal by three companies Nestle SA, Cargill Inc., and Archer Daniels Midland Co. that sought to dismiss a lawsuit alleging they aided and abetted child slave labor on coca plantations in Africa. The case will continue in the lower federal court in California, and the laborers who filed the class-action lawsuit back in 2005 will amend their complaint to reflect changes to judicial law in human-rights cases. The laborers alleged that they had been forced to work in cocoa fields for long hours with no pay in the Ivory Coast. They argued the companies were aware that their suppliers Ivorian farmers were dependent on child slave labor on these plantations. In 2010, a federal trial judge dismissed the case, ruling (among other things) that the laborers had not identified any company conduct with a direct effect on the wrongful actions by the farmers. A divided panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the allegations raised the inference that the company knew child slavery existed in its supply chain but had put revenues ahead of human welfare. The class-action litigants still have the burden of proving their case, and showing that there is sufficient connection to the United States. The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that 21 million people are enslaved today, or forced into labor, and 1.5 million of the victims are in Europe or North America. In December 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a report on labor conditions around the world that listed six countries (among a total of 74) where the cocoa industry employed underage children and indentured laborers. Instances of child labor were reported in four of the listed countries: Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The others, Ivory Coast and Nigeria, resorted to both child labor and forced labor. The U.S. federal government has strengthened its protections against trafficking within the contractors its own agencies employ, noting that the government is the largest single purchaser of goods and services in the world. In California, the states Transparency in Supply Chain Act of 2012 requires retail sellers and manufacturers doing business in the state to disclose their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking (defined by the United Nations as the illegal movement of people, typically for the purposes of forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation) from their direct supply chains. Last year, the UK enacted the Modern Slavery Act, obligating businesses with annual returns of more than 36 million (about $50 million) to make a yearly statement setting out what steps it has taken to ensure that human trafficking and slavery are not taking place in any part of its business or supply chain. * * * There are several steps companies can use as a starting point to more effectively accomplish human rights compliance goals and prevent violations and reputational harm in this area of increasing regulation. First, companies can leverage what they already have in terms of anti-corruption and antibribery processes and build out from there, using the ingredients of training, due diligence monitoring, risk assessments and reporting for an effective slavery and human trafficking review. Training should occur early and for a wide array of employees. Employees need to understand what slavery and human trafficking mean, the red flags indicating either or both might be present in the companys supply chain, and the reporting mechanisms they should use after detecting any abuse or potential for it. The firm must institute internal controls and oversight procedures, so once any suspicions about abuses are raised, certain investigative protocols kick in. A variety of departments must share information to make this possible, including procurement departments, human resources, compliance and audit teams. And as the company evolves and grows, the due diligence monitoring and risk assessments performed on its business lines must continuously evolve. To get such insight when the business supplier is half a world away requires the creation of some strategic body a team that includes at least one senior manager (such as the chief compliance officer, among others) from the contracting firm and the supplier. Ideally, this team should hold regular meetings about whether any signs of abuse have arisen and any further steps the company can take to prevent them. This teams existence will demonstrate that supply chain management has the endorsement and commitment of senior leadership. Finally, although requests-for-proposal often ask would-be service providers to provide information about their labor policies and initiatives and final contracts may address those items the supplier must appreciate that the purchasing business can (directly and without warning) investigate further. ____ Julie DiMauro, a contributing editor of the FCPA Blog, is a regulatory intelligence specialist in Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence group in New York. Follow her on Twitter @Julie_DiMauro and contact her at [email protected]. Ringo Starr has paid tribute to the late Beatles producer George Martin, who has died at the age of 90. Ringo Starr The producer gave the band their big break and was often referred to as "the fifth Beatle" and Ringo took to his Twitter page to share his sadness at the death of his friend and colleague. He wrote: "God bless George Martin peace and love to Judy and his family love Ringo and Barbara George will be missed xxx." After signing The Beatles in 1962, George went on to produce and arrange the majority of their music and over his career he had 23 number-one hits in the US and 30 number-one singles in the UK. John Lennon's son Sean also took to social media to praise the legendary producer. He wrote on Facebook: "R.I.P. George Martin. I'm so gutted I don't have many words. Thinking of Judy and Giles and family. Love Always, Sean." Speaking previously about George, Sir Paul McCartney has said: "He's a very good producer. He's one of the best in the world." George is survived by his second wife Judy Lockhart-Smith and his four children. Prince Harry's itinerary for his upcoming visit to Nepal has been revealed. Prince Harry The 31-year-old royal will travel to the country for the first time from March 19 to 23 to visit those devastated by last year's earthquakes which killed more than 8,000 people and he will begin his visit at a reception hosted by Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa. On March 20, he will meet President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Nepal's first female President, at the Presidential Palace in Kathmandu. The following day he is expected to visit areas devastated by the earthquake, including the Golden Temple, from where the local response to natural disaster was coordinated. He will also visit a temporary camp for families who lost their homes in the earthquakes and speak to survivors. A trip to Bardia National Park, rafting and hiking in the foothills of the Himalayas are also on the agenda. During his time in the British Army, Harry served with Gurkha troops from Nepal famed for their fighting prowess and he will visit the British Gurkha Camp in Pokhara and stay overnight at a Gurkha homestay. A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: "Prince Harry is really looking forward to his first trip to Nepal. It is a country he has long wanted to visit. "He has been moved by the stories of resilience of the Nepali people following the earthquakes last year and is now eager to learn more about their country and culture. With Britain and Nepal currently celebrating 200 years of cooperation, Prince Harry will experience the strength of the relationship and traditional warmth of the Nepali welcome." Prince Philip's Aston Martin is up for sale. Prince Philip The royal's custom made 1950s Lagonda MK1 convertible - worth approximately 450,000 - was Philip's personal motor for seven years and is just one of 20 MK1s made. Philip's car is being auctioned by H&H Classicas and sales manager Damian Jones called the car "part of our history". He added: "The accompanying paperwork beggars belief. There is an amusing story about Prince Phillip driving Her Majesty through London in this car and being held up by a policeman on point duty directing traffic. When the policeman saw who was in the Lagonda he did a double take and swiftly waved them on." Philip had the car modified with an extra vanity mirror, believed to be for Queen Elizabeth to adjust her hat. It also contained a radio telephone, which was allocated its own radio frequency by the Admiralty, and which Philip used to call his son Prince Charles. The car will go to auction in April at the Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridgeshire. Johnson Controls, the leading manufacturer of automotive seating systems and components, has developed its third generation of reduced-emissions polyurethane foam.Depending on the specification, the foam registers up to 90 per cent fewer VOCs (volatile organic compounds) than ten years ago. Johnson Controls also has significantly reduced the quantity of material impurities and their associated odours in the foam. Johnson Controls, the leading manufacturer of automotive seating systems and components, has developed its third generation of reduced-emissions# Besides the 90 per cent reduction in VOCs, Johnson Controls has successfully reduced the odour-generating impurities and aldehydes to an absolute minimum.Taking the lead in research into low-emission foam development is Johnson Controls' technical centre in Strasbourg, France. Cooperating with Johnson Controls' research and development centres in Plymouth, Michigan, US, and Shanghai, China, the Strasbourg team creates solutions for the global market that significantly exceed the strict emission requirements of global OEMs. Production of the latest low-emission foam takes place at the company's facilities in Europe and China. A third location in the US is planned, according to a press release.Ingo Fleischer, group vice president and general manager product group foam at Johnson Controls automotive seating said, Our aim is material substitution with low-emission materials suitable for series production, without altering the unique properties of polyurethane foams such as durability and stiffness. Ultimately, innovations like our latest low emission foam lead to cleaner and healthier air in the vehicle interior. (GK) Fibre2fashion News Desk - India Aditya Birla Group's abof.com, the one-stop online fashion portal has been recognized and conferred with the award of 'Dream Companies to Work For' at World HRD Congress, the company said in a press release.Coming within a few months of its launch, the honour is testimony to abof's success in creating a new-age work culture in a relatively short period of time, it said. Aditya Birla Group's abof.com, the one-stop online fashion portal has been recognized and conferred with the award of 'Dream Companies to Work For' at# The award reaffirms the company's commitment to live up to the ideals and strong heritage of the Group, while being able to attract the best and brightest young talent in what is otherwise an industry known for its high attrition, low level of loyalty, and job insecurity. The company has been awarded under 3 categories Fun at work, Knowledge Management and Talent Management, which are considered key pillars of employee engagement in today's corporate space, abof.com said.According to the release, abof.com has a robust employee engagement, encouragement and sustenance program which reflects in many facets of the organization. This includes a very open culture, unconventional work environment, informal dress code, flexible work hours, and employee friendly policies and practices. abof's practices include encouraging young leadership, a flat organization with only 5 levels, non-hierarchical culture, philosophy of empowering the individual and teams, a strong employee recognition program, and regular fun activities.Commenting on the achievement, Prashant Gupta, CEO of abof.com, said, This recognition reflects our long term commitment to making employees the center of whatever we do at abof. And our belief that a happy and motivated workforce can deliver outstanding performance in a highly competitive sector.The World HRD Congress Awards recognise the efforts of organisations that have demonstrated excellence through their innovative programs showing clear and measurable business results to drive organizational excellence. The nominations go through rigorous process of screening, academic council's review and further evaluated by a professional council. (SH) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India UK fashion retailer Primark has extended its partnership of the Primark Sustainable Cotton Programme, with the India based Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) by an additional six years.The partnership is designed to support women from traditionally male-dominated farming communities in Gujarat, India, to introduce sustainable farming methods, improve cotton yields and increase their incomes. UK fashion retailer Primark has extended its partnership of the Primark Sustainable Cotton Programme, with the India based Self Employed Women's# Set up with agricultural experts, Cottonconnect, and SEWA, the three year pilot trained 1,251 women smallholders resulting in an average profit increase of 211 per cent.Over the next six years, an additional 10,000 female farmers will be taken through the programme, with the first seeds being sown by new trainees in April 2016, a Primark press release revealed.The Primark programme marks the first time SEWA has been approached to collaborate with a western brand and a specialist agricultural organisation to bring about lasting, sustainable change.Global academic studies have revealed that agricultural programmes which effectively involve women can significantly increase cotton production and trigger transformative societal benefits, Primark observed.Quoting a United Nations study, the press release informed that closing the gender gap in agriculture globally would generate significant gains for the agriculture sector and for society.If women had the same access to productive resources as men, they could increase yields on their farms by 20 to 30 per cent, the UN study noted.A further study by the Global Development Institute in 2013 found that with higher incomes, women are more likely than men to support household welfare and children's education.Established three years ago, and supported by Primark's Ethical Trading and Environmental Sustainability teams in India, SEWA experts saw significant results.By the second year, female farmers engaged in the Primark Sustainable Cotton Programme recorded an average profit increase of 211 per cent; an average yield increase of 12.6 per cent and a reduction of input costs by 5 per cent.Other benefits included a 13.5 per cent reduction of fertiliser usage and a 53.5 per cent reduction of pesticide usage, indicating that environmentally sustainable farming methods are being adopted.Results also included a water usage decline of 12.9 per cent, indicating that water efficiency practices are being adopted. The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of HCM City (ITPC) last week to facilitate the exchange of investment and trade information between the two sides.The MoU also aims to boost import and export activities between the two countries, according to a leading Vietnamese daily. The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of HCM City# Pham Thiet Hoa, ITPC's director, said under the agreement, both sides would cooperate to disseminate information about the free trade agreement between Vietnam and South Korea, and solve obstructions in investment and trade in each other's markets.KOTRA also signed an MOU with the Saigon High-Tech Park to promote investment of South Korea firms in the hi-tech sector in Vietnam and boost co-operation between Vietnamese and South Korean businesses.The two sides also opened the Korean-Vietnam FTA Support Center in HCM city.Roh Inho, Vice President of KOTRA in charge of ASEAN and Oceania, said the Vietnam and South Korea FTA, which took effect last December, opened opportunities for Vietnam's key export items, including farm produce, aquatic products, garment and textile and footwear to enter the South Korean market.Roh Inho said free trade agreements help attract the investment of enterprises from South Korea to Vietnam's garment market.South Korea has a high demand for tropical fruits like mango and pineapple, making it a promising market for Vietnam, according to the KOTRA official.With lower tariff duties under the FTA, South Korean firms will have opportunities to boost exports of raw materials and accessories for the garment and textile sector, household equipment, cosmetics and others.In order to increase exports to South Korea, Vietnamese firms need to focus more on improving product quality, design and competitive prices.Speaking at the Korea-Vietnam FTA in HCM City, Park Noh Wan, the South Korean Consul General in HCM City, said more than 2,500 South Korean firms were operating in HCM City and neighbouring localities.Besides investment in labour-intensive industries like garment and textile and footwear, many invested in hi-tech sectors like electricity and electronics, contributing to the development of Vietnam's industrial sector, he said.Nguyen Thi Thu, deputy chairwoman of the HCM City People's Committee, said the city welcomed foreign companies, including those from South Korea, to research investment opportunities in the city. (SH) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The first of the Autoconer 6, Schlafhorst's new automatic package winder has been delivered to customers at the beginning of the year.The German textile machinery manufacturer had presented the Autoconer 6, geared to E at ITMA 2015, a press release said. The first of the Autoconer 6, Schlafhorst's new automatic package winder has been delivered to customers at the beginning of the year.The German# According to Schlafhorst, E is synonymous with triple added value in the energy, economics and ergonomics categories.A string of unique innovations has enabled Schlafhorst to reduce the energy consumption of the Autoconer 6 by up to 20 per cent compared with its predecessor.A key contributory element here is the new Eco-Drum-Drive System in the self adjusting winding unit.Due to the latest drive and bearing technology, the Eco-Drum-Drive System saves a considerable amount of energy.In addition, the suction system motor and frequency inverter always work at the most effective operating point due to improved performance efficiency, Schlafhorst observed.The new Autoconer 6 also achieves a double-digit increase in productivity and even the basic Autoconer 6 model is 6 per cent more productive than its predecessor.It has the LaunchControl, the latest process intelligence for a slip-free, self-optimised start-up, while higher acceleration and faster deceleration of the winding system are possible.In combination with the new suction tube, another innovation; SmartCycle cuts unproductive cycle times, while upper yarn faults are reduced as far as possible, while optimised cycle sequences minimise downtimes.TensionControl, the standard yarn tension control system on the Autoconer 6, prevents unnecessary tension breaks during bobbin unwinding.With the technologically optimised, high-performance Speedster FX module and the new SmartJet function with which the doffer supports the upper yarn search, an additional 6 per cent productivity can also be gained.Intelligent sensor technology and smart process control push the textile-technology limits outwards of its own accord and winds at the most productive settings virtually without any operator input, it informed.The functional design and optimised process sequences minimise downtimes and malfunctions, so that manual intervention by the staff is practically unnecessary.Autocalibration of the splicer feeders and suction tubes relieves the burden on the operators substantially, because manual settings are rendered superfluous.The X-Change doffer assumes additional functions too as with Tube Check it detects tubes that are not round via laser and removes them automatically.This not only enhances the package quality, it increases staff safety and effectively aids the upper yarn search with Smart-Jet, meaning that operator intervention is rarely required.Even the time and labour-intensive consumption measurements for optimising the energy utilisation of processes are no longer required on the new Autoconer 6. (AR) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Boosting relations topped talks held today in Suva between Fijis Foreign Minister Hon. Rt Inoke Kubuabola and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Hon. Manasseh Sogavare. Minister Kubuabola thanked the Solomon Islands Government for all their support and assistance towards rehabilitation following Tropical Cyclone Winston. Prime Minister Sogavare said they would wait for Fijian authorities to direct them on further assistance they could provide. He said they could provide carpenters and builders if needed, however fundraising efforts by Solomon Islanders would continue. Todays meeting saw the Foreign Minister update Prime Minister Sogavare on the work carried out to advance Fijis regional and international interests. He informed the Prime Minister on the Fijian Parliaments decision to endorse the ratification of the Paris Agreement. He also informed Prime Minister Sogavare of the acceptance by the United Nations of the charter of the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) that paved the way for greater multilateral engagement. He also updated the PM on Fijis role in hosting the 2017 UN Conference on Oceans and Seas which the Prime Ministers expressed his Governments support. As Chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, Prime Minister Sogavare has been visiting MSG members including Fiji. Discussions regarding the development and growth of the MSG was discussed as well today. As Chairman of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, Prime Minister Sogavare is visiting member countries to update them on the developments taking place within the MSG. The Prime Minister Hon. Voreqe Bainimarama this morning received a cheque of $1.2m from his Solomon Islands counterpart Hon. Manasseh Sogavare to assist the Fijian governments relief efforts following TC Winston.During their meeting, Prime Minister Bainimarama thanked Prime Minister Sogavare for the donation received from the people and government of Solomon Islands.He highlighted that the donation would go into a fund established by Government to directly benefit those Fijians who have been left homeless, without adequate food, water and essential services especially those in rural and maritime communities, by TC Winston.Prime Minister Bainimarama also provided a brief update on the collective relief work-taking place in affected parts of the country. He added that despite the devastation caused by TC Winston, all Fijians were united in rebuilding the lives of all those affected. Shahrukh Khan and Alia Bhatt, were in Goa for the shoot of their upcoming movie and during the summers, Goa tends to have a lot of humidity and the unbearable heat made Alia Bhatt angry, chaotic and irritated. It is reported that Alia Bhatt, was constantly cribbing about the heat and was the loudest person on the sets of Gauri Shinde's next. However, Shahrukh Khan, who saw Alia Bhatt being irritated by the heat, ended up gifting the bubbly young actress a portable fan, so that she could cool herself down. Alia Bhatt, was quoted as saying, "I felt intimidated by him but he made me comfortable in five minutes. He is my favourite co-star because he is so lovely to work with. He is a good listener and never protests. When I was making a lot of noise about the heat, he quietly gifted me a nice portable fan. That was really sweet of him. He has the most amazing and infectious energy. I can't wait to go back to shoot with him." Bikini Shopping! Neha Dhupia Hunts For The Best Bikini In Fiji Shahrukh Khan, really knows how to handle people and his gesture proves it. The actor, makes sure that everybody around him are comfortable and relaxed. Shahrukh Khan and Alia Bhatt, have wrapped up their shoot for Gauri Shinde's next in Goa, and it is reported that the next shoot would be in Mumbai. The movie, is being produced by Karan Johar under the Dharma Productions and is being directed by Gauri Shinde. Alia Bhatt Talks About Shahrukh Khan's Personality! However, the title of the Shahrukh Khan and Alia Bhatt's upcoming movie has not been revealed by the film-makers yet. 20 Surprisingly Rare Pictures Of Aamir Khan! The hot and seductive Neha Dhupia, who is currently shooting for her upcoming flick titled, Santa Banta Pvt Ltd, in the exotic land of Fiji, had a scene that required a bikini shot. However, since the stylist of the movie did not have the bikini readily available, Neha Dhupia took the responsibility and went hunting for the 'perfect bikini' across Fiji, along with the stylist. Yes, as hilarious as it may sound, Neha Dhupia, wanted the best of the best bikinis, and did not settle for any fancy stuff that pleased the eyes. In fact she went further and explored several shops and after seeing all the collections, finally zeroed in on a white and green printed bikini. It is also reported that Neha Dhupia has liked the bikini so much, that she added it to her own personal collections. Alia Bhatt Talks About Shahrukh Khan's Personality! What Is Santa Banta Pvt Ltd all about? Neha Dhupia's upcoming flick Santa Banta Pvt Ltd, is a rib-tickling comedy film that revolves around the storyline of two friends who experience sweet and endearing misadventures in Fiji. The movie, would also see the police investigating a kidnaping case in the sideline, and the story would be connected in a suspense angle. 20 Surprisingly Rare Pictures Of Aamir Khan! Santa Banta Pvt Ltd, stars Neha Dhupia, Lisa Haydon, Vir Das, Boman Irani and Johnny Lever. The movie, would be shot in the exotic land of Fiji and in Punjab. Vir Das, who would play the role of a Sardar in Santa Banta Pvt Ltd, was quoted saying, "The film is being shot in Ludhiana. It's based on a very sensitive issue so the responsibility was huge, but I enjoyed doing it." SMILING BEAUTY: 25 Pictures Of Kriti Sanon That Will Melt Your Heart! Rumours are doing the rounds, that Hrithik Roshan would play the role of the legendary John Rambo, in the desi version of the movie. Rambo, is a cult Hollywood movie and starred Sylvester Stallone. The movie, is one of a kind and remains classic till date. We're not kidding guys! As per a report in a daily, director Siddharth Anand has already bought the rights for Rambo long back, and would soon start shooting the movie. Siddharth Anand was quoted as saying, "Hrithik is always on top of my mind, but I haven't finalised anyone as yet. It can be a new actor as well." Now, apart from Siddharth Anand, a source close to the director has revealed that Hrithik Roshan has already signed the film and would invest time for the preparations for Rambo. The source was quoted as saying, 15 Amazingly Hot Pictures Of Nargis Fakhri! "Hrithik is currently busy with his other commitments and he will need to invest a lot of time into the prep for 'Rambo' considering that it is a landmark character in American cinema. The film is now in the pre-production stage." Bikini Shopping! Neha Dhupia Hunts For The Best Bikini In Fiji Damn! Now we really have to wait and watch for an official confirmation from the film-makers whether a desi version of the legendary Rambo would be made or not. However, comparing the physique of Bollywood stars, we're sure only Hrithik Roshan is capable of portraying John Rambo in a desi avatar, as he has the similar built. Since Rambo is a classic movie that can never be replaced, we're a little skeptical if the movie should be remade in Bollywood or not. What do you guys think? Leave your comments below! Alia Bhatt Talks About Shahrukh Khan's Personality! The hairstylist of many famous Bollywood celebrities, Sapna Bhavnani, who has worked in films including Ugly Aur Pagli, is again in the headlines and all credit goes to her latest project, in which she marries all those things which are precious to her. Yes you read it right!And those precious things which include her cat, the city Bombay, her roots, her ink and her dearest fan. We really need to say that one needs a lot of guts to do that. Check Out Her Marriage Pictures Here: In an exclusive interview with Indiatimes, when Sapna was asked how this idea stuck her, she said, "As you grow up in India, parents start looking for a mate for you and suddenly you realize that your life starts revolving around the whole concept of 'marriage'. After my 3rd marriage, which was nearly 10 years ago, I was single, kicking it solo and I took a road trip to Europe. I was shopping around in Berlin where I found this gorgeous wedding gown which I wanted to try out. Since I had my head shaven and all, the shop guy told me, "You want to try it? You're Fat!" and this denial changed me." NEW PIX Of Newly Married Preity Zinta & Urmila Matondkar On Women's Day! "Why are we so obsessed with the idea of 'being perfect' for someone? We want to become 'perfect' for this one day which we think will complete and change our life? And I was pretty sure that I am not going back without a wedding gown. I bought a cheaper one, which had its zip broken but I did buy!" "And that's when I realized that I am not going to compromise or settle for ONE person. I am a different person every single day, my likes change, my dislikes change, my friends change, what's the point of settling with one person? So then I decided to get married to things that include a city too. I realized I actually feel pure emotions for these things and not a person!" A new chapter is starting for Taiwan, not just politically but also economically. The domestic political dust has now mostly settled, following the opposition Democratic Progressive Partys landslide victory in January and the election of the countrys first female president, Tsai Ing-wen. The new governments challenge is now to help remould the islands industrial landscape. Taiwan is an important link in the global information and communications technology supply chain, but it is struggling. The island is too dependent upon selling electronic equipment like integrated circuits and computer peripherals. These make up 40% of its outbound sales, which declined for a 12th consecutive month in January. Trade is slowing partly because the global market is shrinking for the sort of hardware that Taiwans industrialists are so good at producing. But they are also being undermined by mainland Chinas so-called red supply chain, a fast-growing cluster of Beijing-backed firms set on exerting greater influence on the global technology industry. Taipeis need is clear: generate competitive advantages in things other than microchips and electronic hardware. Over the coming years diversification will be the key to our industrial development plans, Lien Yu-ping, director-general of the department of investment services under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA), told FinanceAsia in an exclusive interview. Our exports are too limited and our competitive edge will become blunted if we cannot seize the opportunity to upgrade our product offerings. Some of the groundwork has already been laid. The biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector has flourished in recent years, aided by a government decision in 2006 to classify biotech as one of six major emerging industries, alongside green energy, high-end agriculture, tourism and travel, medical care, and culture. These industries were meant to drive the islands long-term economic future. But the plan didnt get off to an inspiring start, because Taiwan lacks the know-how, research and development capabilities in these specialised areas that can match global standards. These qualities had to be imported. Taiwan identified foreign investment as an indispensible element for [the] development [of] the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, and foreign investors have been playing a vital role since then, Lien said. Total value of approved foreign investment projects amounted to $5.8 billion in 2014, up from $3.8 billion in 2010, according to MoEA data. To attract foreign capital into the sector, Taiwan established biotechnology parks and developed industrial clusters to offer R&D support to overseas biotech and pharmaceutical companies. It also streamlined the industry-facing public sector to cut down on bureaucracy, bringing the National Health Insurance Administration and Food and Drug Administration under the aegis of a newly expanded Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2013. Switzerlands Novartis International, the worlds largest drugmaker by revenue, was one of the earliest foreign pharmaceutical companies to invest in Taiwan. It has set up two clinical trial centres in Taiwan and a venture fund that invests in promising new biotech companies. We are particularly interested in biomedical companies which are able to leverage on the highly developed information technology industry in Taiwan, Reinhard Ambros, global head of Novartis Venture Funds, said. Other foreign pharmaceutical companies have followed in the wake of Novartis, including US drugmaker Alvogen, which acquired a majority stake in Taiwanese oral and vaccine medication manufacturer Lotus Pharmaceutical for $230 million in 2014. It is the largest single investment by a foreign company to date in the Taiwanese pharmaceutical sector. Novartis and Alvogen have pledged to continue their investment in Taiwan and expand their production capacity going forward in response to government initiatives to develop the biotech industry. Alvogen plans to inject an additional NT$1 billion ($33 million) to expand its R&D facilities following the merger with Lotus, while Novartis signed a letter of intent with the MoEA last year, pledging to collaborate with the government in terms of drug development, clinical trials as well as training and development of local biotech talents. Winds of change Another potential bright spot is the promotion of renewable energy, particularly offshore wind power generation. That aligns with government plans to reduce energy imports, which currently account for over 95% of Taiwanese energy consumption, according to data from the Bureau of Energy. Due to limited land space, Taiwans onshore wind farm sector is close to saturation. However, it is far from making good use of its offshore wind energy resources. Offshore wind turbines According to British consultancy firm 4C Offshore, Taiwan has the best offshore wind resources in the world due to its unique coastal terrain. The islands central mountain range and the Wuyi mountains in Chinas Fujian province act like a funnel, channelling strong winds into the Taiwan Strait. That wind power allows turbines on Taiwans west coast to average about 2,500 full-load hours, the number of hours per year in which wind turbines can work at full capacity. By comparison European wind farms are considered reasonably good if they can reach 2,200 full-load hours, according to 4C Offshore. The Taiwan governments long-term target as set out in 2012 is to develop offshore wind farms with total capacity of 4,000 megawatts by 2030. That compares with 15 megawatts at the end of last year. The ultimate goal is for installed wind power capacity both onshore and offshore to account more than one-third of Taiwans total renewable power capacity. Foreign investors including German engineering giant Siemens AG and Norwegian wind power technical consultancy DNVGL have already started in into Taiwans offshore wind power sector, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairss Lien. Last September, Siemens signed an agreement to supply two wind turbines to a planned wind farm located six kilometres off the west coast of Miaoli district in the Taiwan Strait. Meanwhile, DNVGL has supported Taiwan wind power projects through providing technical assistance and training to local engineers. SOLID BASE The good news for Taiwan is that much of the infrastructure is already in place. Companies that set up in Taiwan can take advantage of the countrys existing manufacturing base and prototyping capabilities to speed up the development process, Lien told FinanceAsia. For example, biotech research companies will need to procure relevant medical equipment before developing new drugs. In Taiwan they can leverage on our manufacturing expertise so that they can commercialise their products much faster, Lien said. The same is also true for firms in other cutting-edge sectors including renewable energy and high-end agriculture, she added. Companies in these sectors have not been able to develop their business probably in the past because the government was very much inclined to develop tech manufacturing as the backbone of the economy. Taiwan is reliant on tech Foreign investors will also be encouraged by Taiwans improved political picture. The DPP easily outscored the incumbent Kuomintang in January, winning 68 out of 113 seats in the countrys parliament, while its leader, president-elect Tsai, won in 18 of 22 cities and counties, securing 56% of the total votes. After a period of political infighting, the clear election result should make it easier to implement policy and pass legislation. Such [an] outcome is favourable to Taiwans industrial development as a whole because it will minimise the political struggle in the legislature as well as between the central and local governments, said Wang Jiann-Chyuan, vice president of Chunghua Institute for Economic Research. It will allow [a] smoother execution of industrial reform plans. This will be a welcome change for business, given the partisan divide that has stymied action in the Legislative Yuan since 2012, when the Kuomintang party eked out a majority and lost control of several local governments. The DPP now enjoy enough support to pass the laws it wants, but this will only go so far unless the government also becomes more efficient. Under the new government we will try to streamline the process by promoting collaboration between government departments when it comes to reviewing foreign investment plans, Lien pledged. Drawbacks However, investing in Taiwan is not without its snags. The biggest drawback comes from the fact that it is excluded from many free trade agreements between Asian nations and is increasingly reliant on exports to China, which is experiencing a substantial slowdown in economic growth. One pressing concern is the conclusion of a China-Korea FTA as both Korea and Taiwan are export-dependent nations that rely heavily on sales of electronic products overseas. Korea as of January had FTAs with China, Singapore, India, and the Asean nations. Taiwan, as yet, has none within the region, exposing its companies to higher tariffs and reducing their competitiveness in the global marketplace. Cross-strait relations with China are another variable. While the new DPP-led government is expected to take a less pro-China approach, it remains to be seen to what extent Taiwan can shrug off the economic reliance on China. It is estimated that for every 1% decline in Chinas GDP, Taiwans economy will shrink by about 0.5% to 1%, Wang said. Taiwan has established too strong a tie with China under Ma Ying-Jeous leadership and it is not easy to overturn that. He is also concerned that the environmental impact assessment act implemented in 2011 will continue to be a drawback for industrial development. According to local reports, it will take at least 18 months to assess an investment proposal due to rising local opposition in recent years, as industrial development started expanding outside of urban areas and threaten the livelihood of people living in rural areas. Until the new Taiwanese government resolved all these issues we are unlikely to see a breakthrough in foreign investment into Taiwan, Wang told FinanceAsia. Ant Financial Services Group is stepping up efforts to create a credit scoring system that can quickly access the credit history of China's 650 million internet users, according to two people familiar with the company. With the help of a $3 billion war chest that it soon hopes to amass through a second round of private funding, the Alibaba financial affiliate hopes such a system will facilitate even more online shopping and support earnings by making consumer credit more accessible. Ant Financial, which is controlled by Alibabas chairman Jack Ma, owns Alipay, the Chinese equivalent of PayPal, which has supported Alibaba's marketplaces for more than a decade and now provides users with consumer finance as well payment services. Shoppers on Tmall and Taobao can take a 30-day repayment loan through Huabei, the online personal line of credit that Alipay users can sign up for after just a few clicks, subject to credit clearance. The credit scoring system has a huge growth potential in Chinese, where only three out of ten Chinese people have a credit history with the Chinese central bank, said one of the people familiar with the company, who requested anonymity because the Series-B funding has yet to close. More than 60 million payments for purchases on Alibaba's Nov 11 Shopping Day were made through Huabei, representing 8.5% of Alipay's total transactions on that day. Ant Financial, whose eventual initial public offering is hotly anticipated, is set to close the Series-B funding round by mid-April. That could raise it more than $3 billion in fresh capital, valuing the fast-growing internet company at nearly $60 billion valuation, up from $45 billion just one year ago. The higher valuation would suggest that some larger investors are still willing to pay a fat premium for the very best internet startups, notwithstanding general concerns about overly expensive share valuations in the technology sector and a pickier stock-buying climate. A strong private fundraising market has helped technology startups steer clear of [the] burdensome IPO process in China, the second source familiar with the matter said. Investors shrug off concerns about valuations and growth prospects as Alibaba has built a solid track record of monetisation in Chinas internet market. Its consistent execution and high-quality management team has been highly regarded by investors, the person added. Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, and CICC advised Ant Financial on its latest funding round. The success of Ant Financial's latest funding efforts could buttress investor sentiment as other major Chinese technology plays also prepare to bring out the begging bowl. WeBank, in which Tencent has a 30% stake, is also looking to raise about $1 billion, valuing the company at $5 billion, according to people familiar with the company. That is after Chinese P2P loans market operator Lufax completed $1.22 billion of funding in January, valuing the Ping An-backed company at $18.5 billion compared with $10 billion in March last year, when it sold Rmb3 billion-worth of stocks in a private placement. Separately, JD.com said its financial affiliate -- JD Finance -- raised $1 billion from its series-A round, valuing the company at more than $7 billion. International expansion, IPO Ant Financial, spun off from Alibaba in 2011, runs Alipay, which has more than 400 million active users. It also runs China's largest online money market fund, Yuebao, and food-ordering app Koubei. Beyond China, Alibaba and Ant Financial became the largest shareholder of One97 Communications, the parent of India e-commerce company Paytm, by investing $680 million in September, underscoring its ambition to grow beyond China. More recently, Ant Financial hired veteran lawyer Leiming Chen as global general counsel and senior vice-president in charge of legal and compliance as well as risk management, as it prepares to look beyond China to sustain its heady growth rates. According to a Morgan Stanley report, India's internet market is expected to grow from $11 billion in 2013 to $137 billion by 2020, driven by a mixed bag of mobile user and income growth. Ant Financial, formerly known as Zhejiang Ant Small & Micro Financial, completed its initial round of fundraising in June 2015, valuing the fintech company at about $45 billion. According to bankers familiar with the company, Ant Financial may mull a late 2016 or 2017 listing if the conditions are right. They said the company may decide to list their shares in more than one market, as the company continues to expand beyond China's consumer market. "An IPO may happen in both China and Hong Kong stock markets depending on market conditions," said one senior banker at a US bank in a previous meeting. Are advisors slipping away from Cetera Financial Group? Just last week, the companys Twitter feed description said the broker-dealer served 9,700 advisors. Yet a bankruptcy filing Feb. 1 by the company's parent RCS Capital showed the number was "approximately" 9,100. This week, after inquiries by Financial Planning, Cetera changed the Twitter description to read "nearly 9,100." Representatives for Cetera attributed the decline to the routine elimination of insufficiently productive advisors, and noted that the shutdown over the summer of one of its B-Ds, J.P. Turner, caused it to shed 200 advisors. However, there are worries that the company may start seeing more advisors leave as RCS goes through bankruptcy restructuring, leaving some to feel uncertain about their futures with the B-D. "I would be surprised if there were not an exodus," says Paul Remack, formerly with the Cetera subsidiary B-D VSR Financial Services in Walnut Creek, Calif. Remack left in 2014 to become a certified professional fiduciary for clients. This was after RCS Capital acquired the B-D, but before RCS imploded after a series of a scandals in another company started by its founder Nicholas Schorsch. Remack says his own move was prompted by his desire to serve as a full fiduciary, with no conflicts of interest involving commission income. Read more: Cetera Sues Two Execs for Joining Competitor The country's second-largest independent B-D by headcount can ill afford an advisor exodus. The success of its prepackaged bankruptcy plan, filed in January, depends on their retention. "Significant attrition in the [Cetera] financial advisor network, and the attendant loss of customers, would result in a material erosion of [its] enterprise value," David Orlofsky, Cetera's chief restructuring officer in the bankruptcy, wrote in a filing last month. 'AN EXODUS' So will they stay or will they go? Interviews with a dozen current and recently departed Cetera advisors suggest that Cetera veterans are more likely to stay put, while advisors who found themselves part of Cetera during its parent company's acquisition spree that begin in early 2014 feel much less loyalty. Wherever they came from, all those advisors watched RCS rise to prominence and its stock climb to almost $40 in March 2014, from a little more than $14 in August 2013, as Schorsch began buying up B-Ds around the country. Then they watched RCS collapse after revelations that another firm owned by Schorsch, American Realty Capital, intentionally hid accounting errors. That scandal, and other American Realty regulatory woes, came to taint RCS as well. Its stock was delisted in January. 'SHAME ON ME ' Many of those advisors, including Remack, owned thousands of dollars in RCS stock. "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me," Remack says Cetera advisors must be thinking when considering their prospects with the B-D. More than a year ago, most Cetera advisors did indeed harbor doubts, says Minneapolis-based Cetera regional director Dan May, president of AdvisorNet Financial and a longtime Cetera veteran. I believe all advisors and regional directors started on a daily or weekly basis asking, Is this the place for us? May recalls. To help answer this question, the regional directors hired their own investment bankers, lawyers and other advisors. They have been in communication with RCS' leadership and Ceteras CEO, Larry Roth, who have worked with the company's main lien holders and creditors to put together the bankruptcy plan. SEVERING TIES TO SCHORSCH If approved by the court, a reorganization would sever Cetera's ties to Schorsch, greatly reduce its debts and set the company on a course toward full recovery, with the support of a majority of its creditors, May believes. It would provide a $150 million injection of capital from bond holders to help Cetera transition to independence. Nobody to whom RCS owes money wants to see its most valuable asset, its advisory business, go under, he adds. "We have cleared the deck," he says, "to where we are excited about Cetera's future." Not everyone, however, shares his confidence. Last month, a group of 40 advisors from Williams & Co. in Grandville, Mich., left Cetera for a much smaller B-D and cited the bankruptcy as a factor in the move. They wanted to control their own destiny, a spokesman said of their decision to leave. A CHALLENGING TRANSITION In October, another seven financial advisors with Landmark Bank, a community bank in Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri, also left Cetera, some after more than a decade with the B-D, for Raymond James. The problems with [Cetera's] current owner were not the primary reason, but there was some concern, says Landmark advisor Dave Reed, who championed the move. The Landmark advisors asked themselves, he says, Do we want to sit around and see if Cetera comes up with the kind of change that we want? That said, if members of the Landmark group had to do it over again, they might not have left, Reed says, given the surprising hardship of the "repapering" process of moving client accounts to the new B-D. Reed and another advisor said they have lost clients due to errors on Raymond James' part during the rocky transition that is still underway five months later. It turned out to be a debacle," he says. John Houston, managing director of Raymond James Financial Institutions Division, says the B-D takes advisor satisfaction seriously and that he has heard consistent feedback from leaders at Landmark that they expect the move will benefit clients. Transitioning from one business partner to another is never without its challenges," Houston says, "particularly during times of high market volatility such as what weve experienced recently. Another Landmark advisor, Miles James, agrees the move has been tough, but thinks it will benefit his practice in the end, thanks in part to Raymond James' superior technology. SCHORSCH IS 'PERSONA NON GRATA' John Jackson, a regional director with Cetera Advisor Networks in Pasadena, Calif., who has been with Cetera or one of its predecessor firms for 27 years, says he is staying put. In the bankruptcy plan, we got rid of all the garbage and deadwood, says Jackson. Schorsch is persona non grata around here. Jackson says he has the highest confidence in his own firm's president, Douglas King, and in Ceteras Roth. I think we will come out of this period kind of reinforced and being the stronger for it, said, Colin Mackenzie, a longtime colleague of Jackson's who is also regional director at Cetera Advisor Networks. 'OUT OF YOUR COTTON-PICKING MIND? One factor that is likely to incline Cetera veterans to remain with the firm is the large deferred compensation plans they have been paying into for years. Those plans are serving as golden handcuffs at a critical time: Any advisor who leaves Cetera must take the accumulated amounts as a lump sum, but lose about a half of their value to taxes in the process. "Are you out of your cotton-picking mind?" Mackenzie says he would say to any Cetera advisor with such a plan who is considering leaving. "Why would you take an asset that is growing tax-deferred and trigger a distribution?" Still, if Cetera advisor Cameron Thornton is representative of other longtime veterans, the B-D has more work to do to persuade its advisors to stay. Thornton, based in Burbank, Calif., joined one of Cetera's predecessor firms 33 years ago, back when it had just a few hundred advisors. That means that, in his entire career, he's never had to switch B-Ds and go through the hassle of repapering clients. He has also been paying into a deferred compensation plan for some time. Recently he had some time to reflect about his B-D during a hospital stay that extended through Christmas. 'I'M JUST A NUMBER TO THEM' There has been such an enormous outpouring of love from my clients, he says, in the wake of his unspecified illness and ongoing recovery. "It's been remarkable. But there was no such outpouring from anybody at Cetera other than my regional director Harold [Nahigian], who is my friend. I think Im just a number to them. His younger partner, Trevor Cole, who ran the firm in his absence, has been pushing Thornton to drop the B-D affiliation given that most of their business is fee-based. Thornton thinks hell keep one for now, but maybe not with Cetera. We may change to another firm that would allow us to maintain all of our fee business on our own platform which would allow us to retain [more] income, he says. STRATEGIC CALCULATION Headhunters leave messages on Thornton voice mail about three times a week, he says. I think what happens in an instance like this, Thornton says, is if people are really questioning the relationship, this provides an opportunity for people to make a move, as difficult as it might be." Read more: Since the obvious question is why do women investors need a women-first, women-run robo advisor, let's get that right out of the way. Women investors are not a niche market, of course. Women in the U.S. control around $5.1 trillion in assets according to research firm Hearts and Wallets. Women now control approximately two-thirds of the country's annual spending, according to a Pershing study done last year. Women investors want modern tools to help them succeed financially. But the fields of finance and technology are still male-dominated. As a result, a number of female investors feel even the latest digital offerings can skew toward that bias. Read more: What's Missing in Fintech? Oh Yeah, Women Enter women-first robo advisors, led by its highest-profile proponent, Sallie Krawcheck, former chief executive of wealth management at Bank of America. She's now CEO of Ellevest, a venture that attracted $10 million in startup capital. "I sort of doubt [Renttherunway.com] was ever going to be started by a guy. Nor was Birchbox. Nor was Dry Bar. And nor was Ellevest," Krawcheck wrote in a blog posted on LinkedIn last year. "And I know this, because I presented the opportunity to any number of male CEOs in financial services, who simply werent able to see women investors as anything but a niche market." (Krawcheck declined to comment for this piece. Ellevest has yet to launch, but Krawcheck noted in a recent blog that the platform will cost $2 million to build.) Krawcheck's not the only entrepreneur looking to shake up the robo industry with a female-centric robo platform. And though they may bring differing approaches, a unifying theme among all is that digital advice can provide for women investors what traditional advice chose to ignore. 'VOICING IT DIFFERENTLY' Amanda Steinberg's robo service WorthFM is set to launch this year, but the founder of financial media company DailyWorth says one of her most daunting tasks was selling that initial concept to advertisers. Steinberg says potential clients didn't understand the product, or they thought aloud that women weren't their audience. Having put that experience in her rearview mirror, Steinberg says the inspiration to develop a robo wasn't based on timing or luck. According the self-professed "engineer by training," creating this service is a great joy because if every other option on the market isn't speaking to her, as an entrepreneur, she has to do something about that. "It's about voicing it differently," Steinberg says. WorthFM has developed a quiz that assigns clients five personality types based on their answers and advises them on their finances accordingly. WorthFM also looks to "frame investments and acting responsibly as a way to have what you want in your present and future," Steinberg adds. "It's different based on your personality." Also up high on the list is providing investors with a more inclusive, clear-cut mode of delivery. "Being cryptic and packaging yourself a certain way works if you want to be exclusive and only serve a portion of us," she says. 'IN PLAIN ENGLISH' Tina Powell's foray into the world of finance began three years ago not with a robo platform, but with a blog: SheCapital. Powell had switched careers after her father passed away and her life was "thrown in a blender" for five years. A lack of planning ahead of time threw a wrench into her plans. When she came out on the other side, she had a mission. "I wanted to teach every single person I knew online and offline, to impregnate these financial concepts," she said. "They need somebody to bridge financial advice to inspire them, to say, 'Hey look, you have to learn to delay gratification.'" Following SheCapital's entrance into the robo space, Powell feels it's the right move for the times. Clients want 24/7 access to their accounts and their investments, from anywhere. Gone are the days when one dialed up their advisor and hoped it's a good market day or the right time. "Automated technology allows clients to get investment communication and information on their watch," says Powell, whose client base counts not only women, but men too. "When it comes down to addressing the needs of a client, accessibility is so important, and having things explained in plain, simple English. We want to empower women to make good decisions in their lives that's what advice is all about." 'LIKE TOOTHBRUSHES' For Laura Veras, the fact that women control more of the purse strings now than ever before drives her desire to educate and inform. The principal of Hearts and Wallets, whose professional background includes consumer products, compares financial advising options to the toothbrush aisle in your local store in that everyone's needs are different. Just as a uniform advising style won't satisfy everyone, Veras says, neither will one type of toothbrush. "Over the last 10 years, a lot of [investing] product manufacturers decided they were going to focus on the needs of stores, and not focus on investors," she says. "Like toothbrushes, the product manufacturer needs to know how consumers are brushing their teeth. They've lost sight of the end investor." Veras shies away from the term robo advisor because it implies an attack on the human aspect of the investment industry, while what is being offered in truth is "more like Apple or Tesla products with their own storefronts. Different products should focus on different investors all the time, like toothbrushes." Over time, Veras has learned what speaks to her target audience is motivation and that sense of being noticed as an individual with individual needs. This is at the forefront of what clients see when they login. "Women feel like we have a lot of catching up to do, we feel more inexperienced than men," she says. "We ask for directions, but it doesn't make us worse drivers than men." Read more: TORONTO, CANADA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/08/16 -- Currency Exchange International, Corp. (the "Company") (TSX: CXI)(OTCBB: CURN), is pleased to announce its financial results and present management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A") for the three months ended January 31, 2016 (all figures are in U.S. dollars except where otherwise indicated). The complete financial statements and MD&A can be found on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Financial Highlights for the Three Months Ended January 31, 2016 Compared to the Three Month Period Ended January 31, 2015: -- Net income decreased 16% to $0.3 million for the three month period ended January 31, 2016 from $0.4 million for the three month period ended January 31, 2015. The decrease in net income was primarily due to higher expenses resulting from the addition of senior management resources in the areas of sales and compliance along with a one-time revaluation of the final payment related to an acquisition completed in March 2014. -- Revenues increased 7 % to $5.6 million for the three month period ended January 31, 2016 from $5.2 million compared to the same period in the prior year. The increase in revenue is attributable to an increase in the number of customer transactions resulting from the addition of five (5) new branches, 54 new wholesale relationships and 1,580 new transacting locations, representing a 17% increase in transacting locations since January 31, 2015. The strong U.S. dollar has continued to negatively impact the rate of revenue growth. On a year over year basis, the U.S. dollar has appreciated approximately 9% against the Company's most commonly traded currencies. -- During the first quarter the Company opened one new branch in Glendale, California bringing the Company's total branch network to 37 locations. Also during the first quarter, the Company added 16 new wholesale relationships and 632 new transacting locations. The 16 new relationships include 14 banks and credit unions comprising 630 transacting locations. Selected Financial Data ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net Earnings Three-months operating Total Total per share ending Revenue income(i) Net income assets equity (diluted) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ $ $ $ $ $ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31-Jan-16 5,572,055 894,364 298,377 50,546,441 46,940,287 0.05 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31-Oct-15 6,882,336 2,330,425 505,780 52,241,996 47,436,566 0.08 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31-Jul-15 6,688,467 2,231,642 2,087,038 50,835,334 46,922,010 0.33 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 30-Apr-15 5,311,102 1,333,013 661,818 49,633,902 44,582,384 0.11 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31-Jan-15 5,193,869 1,242,367 353,574 38,859,547 32,456,426 0.06 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31-Oct-14 6,552,184 2,279,682 1,045,192 39,709,302 33,025,175 0.19 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31-Jul-14 6,839,330 2,830,097 1,456,004 42,044,018 32,185,439 0.26 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 30-Apr-14 4,487,432 1,109,212 466,774 37,244,354 30,586,996 0.09 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (i) Excludes depreciation and amortization expense Seasonality is reflected in the timing of when foreign currencies are in greater or lower demand. In a normal operating year there is seasonality to the Company's operations with higher revenues generated from March until September and lower revenues from October to February. This coincides with peak tourism seasons in North America when there are generally more travelers entering and leaving the United States and Canada. Expiration of Regulation S Restrictions On March 12, 2015, the Company completed its bought-deal offering and the shares issued pursuant to the financing and listed on the TSX were required, for the purposes of US securities laws, to be traded with a ".s" designation ("Regulation S") for a period of one year. The common shares of the Company which are subject to restrictions under Regulation S will be delisted on Monday, March 14, 2016 and in substitution thereof an equal number of common shares will be listed on the TSX under the symbol "CXI" and posted for trading at the opening of business on such date. The "CXI.S" trading symbol will be discontinued and holders of Regulation S common shares need not take any action in order to receive the common shares to which they are entitled. Conference Call The Company plans to host a conference call on March 9, 2016 at 3:00 PM (EST). To participate in or listen to the call, please dial the appropriate number: -- Toll Free: +1 (855) 336-7594 -- Conference ID number: 63970959 About Currency Exchange International, Corp. The Company is in the business of providing a range of foreign currency exchange and related products and services in North America, including the Hawaiian Islands. Primary products and services include the exchange of foreign currencies, wire transfer payments, purchase and sale of foreign bank drafts and international traveler cheques, and foreign cheque clearing. Related services include the licensing of proprietary FX software applications delivered on its web-based interface, www.ceifx.com ("CEIFX"), and licensing retail foreign currency operations to select companies in agreed locations. The Company's services are provided in Canada by its wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary, Currency Exchange International of Canada Corp., based in Toronto, Canada through the use of its proprietary software www.ceifx.ca. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This press release includes forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. This forward-looking information includes, or may be based upon, estimates, forecasts and statements as to management's expectations with respect to, among other things, demand and market outlook for wholesale and retail foreign currency exchange products and services, proposed entry into the Canadian financial services industry, future growth, the timing and scale of future business plans, results of operations, performance, and business prospects and opportunities. Forward-looking statements are identified by the use of terms and phrases such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "plan", "predict", "preliminary", "project", "will", "would", and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date such information is provided, and on information available to management at such time. Forward-looking information involves significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in such forward-looking information. Actual results may differ materially from results indicated in forward-looking information due to a number of factors including, without limitation, the competitive nature of the foreign exchange industry, currency exchange risks, the need for the Company to manage its planned growth, the effects of product development and the need for continued technological change, protection of the Company's proprietary rights, the effect of government regulation and compliance on the Company and the industry in which it operates, network security risks, the ability of the Company to maintain properly working systems, theft and risk of physical harm to personnel, reliance on key management personnel, global economic deterioration negatively impacting tourism, volatile securities markets impacting security pricing in a manner unrelated to operating performance and impeding access to capital or increasing the cost of capital, and the regulatory approval process for a new Canadian Schedule I bank, as well as the factors identified throughout this press release and in the section entitled "Risks and Uncertainties" of the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for Year Ended October 31, 2015. The forward- looking information contained in this press release represents management's expectations as of the date hereof (or as of the date such information is otherwise stated to be presented), and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws. The Toronto Stock Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained in this press release. Contacts: Currency Exchange International, Corp. Bill Mitoulas Investor Relations (416) 479-9547 bill.mitoulas@ceifx.com www.ceifx.com HATFIELD, England, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- FOR ISRAELI AND UK MEDIA ONLY From today, people in Israel with radioactive iodine refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RAI refractory DTC) will have access to Lenvima (lenvatinib), after the treatment received regulatory marketing authorisation and reimbursement from the country's health authorities. Advanced thyroid cancer is a difficult to treat condition with a poor prognosis and lenvatinib represents an important step forward for patients in Israel. Lenvatinib is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with progressive locally advanced or metastatic, differentiated (papillary, follicular, Hurthle cell) thyroid carcinoma (DTC) refractory to radioactive iodine (RAI).[1],[2] Eisai will partner with the Neopharm group to ensure lenvatinib's availability to eligible patients in Israel. Thyroid cancer incidence rates have increased in Israel over the past few decades.[3] Although this type of cancer is relatively rare, numbers are rising and experts estimate that there are nearly 750 people in Israel living with thyroid cancer.[4] "The availability of lenvatinib in Israel means that people who live with advanced thyroid cancer, a typically hard-to-treat condition with limited effective treatment options, now have a new therapeutic option. Lenvatinib has a proven progression-free survival benefit versus placebo, which means patients may now have more time with their loved ones before their cancer progresses, something we know is very important for people with an advanced cancer," comments Dr Aron Popovtzer, Head of the Head and Neck Tumor Unit, Davidoff Center, Rabin's Beilinson Hospital, Israel. "We welcome the chance to continue to work in partnership with Eisai to bring an important new treatment option to people living with advanced thyroid cancer across Israel," states Mr.Efi Shnaidman, General Manager, Neopharm Israel. In the SELECT study, Lenvatinib demonstrated a statistically significant prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) in RAI refractory DTC versus placebo. Lenvatinib demonstrated a median 18.3 months progression free survival PFS versus 3.6 months for placebo (hazard ratio [HR] 0.21; 99% confidence interval 0.14-0.31, p<0.0001). In addition, the study underlines the rapid response of lenvatinib, with a median time to first objective response of two months. The New England Journal of Medicine published SELECT study, a randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial for people with progressive radioactive iodine refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (n=392).[5] Lenvatinib significantly improves objective response rate versus placebo (64.8% versus 1.5%; p<0.0001). For lenvatinib, the most common treatment related adverse events were hypertension, diarrhoea, fatigue, decreased appetite, decreased weight, and nausea. Lenvatinib, discovered and developed by Eisai, is an oral molecular tri-specific targeted therapy that possesses a potent selectivity and a binding mode different to other tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). Lenvatinib simultaneously inhibits the activities of several different molecules including vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR), fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR), RET, KIT and platelet-derived growth factor receptors (PDGFR). This potentially makes lenvatinib the first TKI that simultaneously inhibits the kinase activities of FGFR 1-4 as well as VEGFR 1-3.[6],[7] In addition, lenvatinib was found to have a new Type V binding mode of kinase inhibition that is distinct from existing compounds.[8] Lenvatinib has been approved for the treatment of refractory thyroid cancer in the United States, Switzerland, Europe, Israel, South Korea, Australia and Japan, and has been submitted for regulatory approval in Canada, Singapore, Russia, and Brazil. Lenvima was granted Orphan Drug Designation in Japan for thyroid cancer, in the United States for treatment of follicular, medullary, anaplastic, and metastatic or locally advanced papillary thyroid cancer and in Europe for follicular and papillary thyroid cancer. Notes to Editors About Lenvatinib's Novel Binding Mode (Type V)[8],[9] Kinase inhibitors are categorized into several types (Type I to Type V) depending on the binding site and the conformation of the targeted kinase in complex with them. Most of the currently approved tyrosine kinase inhibitors are either Type I or Type II, however according to X-ray crystal structural analysis, lenvatinib was found to possess a new Type V binding mode of kinase inhibition that is distinct from existing compounds. In addition, lenvatinib was confirmed via kinetic analysis to exhibit rapid and potent inhibition of kinase activity, and it is suggested that this may be attributed to its novel binding mode. About SELECT[5] The SELECT ( S tudy of ( E 7080) LE nvatinib in Differentiated C ancer of the T hyroid) study was a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III study to compare the PFS of patients with RR- radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer and radiographic evidence of disease progression within the prior 13 months, treated with once-daily, oral lenvatinib (24mg) versus placebo. The study enrolled 392 patients in over 100 sites in Europe, North and South America and Asia and was conducted by Eisai in collaboration with the SFJ Pharmaceuticals Group. Participants were stratified by age (65, >65 years), region and 1 prior VEGFR-targeted therapies and randomised 2:1 to either lenvatinib or placebo therapy (24mg/d, 28-d cycle). The primary endpoint was PFS assessed by independent radiologic review. The secondary endpoints of the study included overall response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS) and safety. Data presented at ASCO 2014 and subsequently published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that rates of complete response were 1.5% (4 patients) for the lenvatinib group and zero in the placebo group. The results for partial response were 63.2% (165 patients) in the lenvatinib group and 1.5% (2 patients) in the placebo arm. The median exposure duration was 13.8 months for lenvatinib and 3.9 months for placebo and the median time to response for lenvatinib was 2.0 months. The difference in OS between the groups was not significant. The confidence interval upper limit of median OS has not yet been reached. The six most common lenvatinib treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of any grade were hypertension (67.8%), diarrhea (59.4%), fatigue (59.0%), decreased appetite (50.2%), weight loss (46.4%) and nausea (41.0%). TRAEs of Grade 3 or higher (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events) included hypertension (41.8%), proteinuria (10.0%), weight loss (9.6%), diarrhoea (8.0%), and decreased appetite (5.4%). Subgroup analyses presented at the European Cancer Congress (ECC) 2015 show that lenvatinib with rank preserving structural failure time (RPSFT) model adjustment for crossover showed significantly improved overall survival versus placebo in patients with progressive radioactive iodine refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RAI Refractory-DTC) (HR=0.53; 95% CI: 0.34, 0.82, nominal p=0.0051). The data showed that regardless of the time it took RAI Refractory-DTC patients to achieve an objective response (either at the time of the first tumour assessment (initial responders) or thereafter (subsequent responders)), their progression free survival (PFS) remained the same (HR=1.73; 95% CI: 0.95-3.15, p=0.07).[10] Subgroup analyses presented at the 15th International Thyroid Congress (ITC) 2015 showed that lenvatib improved progression free survival (PFS) for people with progressive radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RR-DTC) regardless of metastatic site, with the exception of the brain.[11] The sub-analysis observed response rates of more than 50% and a progression-free survival benefit among people treated with lenvatinib with common sites of metastasis (bone, liver, lung, lymph node).[10] A second analysis of the Phase III SELECT study at ITC 2015 demonstrated that lenvatinib maintains progression free survival irrespective of body mass index, as seen in a sub-analysis of three patient groups: under-and-normal weight (<25kg/m2), overweight (25-29.99 kg/m2), and obese (30 kg/m2).[12] Obese patients who received lenvatinib exhibited the greatest progression free survival versus placebo (median PFS 16.7 months; HR 0.13; 95% CI 0.07-0.24; p<0.0001), but significant improvement in progression free survival was observed across all subgroups. Similarly lenvatinib showed comparable toxicities across all groups.[11] Two additional subanalyses from the SELECT study have been presented at the Endocrine Society Congress 2015 (ENDO). The first reports the results of the open-label extension phase of SELECT and aims to assess the crossover of patients in the placebo arm to the optional open-label lenvatinib treatment period. The results highlight that patients who crossed over from the placebo arm achieved a median PFS of 12.4 months with open-label lenvatinib 24mg starting dose treatment. Although toxicities were substantial to lenvatinib 24mg starting dose, these were generally managed with medications, dose interruption, and dose reductions.[13] The second abstract examines the relationship between thyroid abnormalities and their effect on the safety and efficacy outcomes in SELECT. The analysis shows that although an increase in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels was a frequent complication, its direct relationship to lenvatinib therapy has not been established and there is no evidence TSH levels affect tumour responses to lenvatinib treatment.[14] About Thyroid Cancer Thyroid cancer refers to cancer that forms in the tissues of the thyroid gland, located at the base of the throat near the trachea.[15] Most people with thyroid cancer are in their 40s or 50s at time of diagnosis.[16] Thyroid cancer affects more than 52,000 people in Europe each year. The incidence of thyroid cancer has increased significantly in the last decade by 69% and 65% in men and women, respectively.[17] The most common types of thyroid cancer, papillary and follicular (including Hurthle cell), are classified as differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and account for approximately 85-90% of all cases.[18] The remaining cases are classified as either medullary (3-4% of cases)[19] or anaplastic (1-2% of cases).[20] About Eisai Co., Ltd. Eisai Co., Ltd. is a leading global research and development-based pharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan. We define our corporate mission as "giving first thought to patients and their families and to increasing the benefits health care provides," which we call our human health care (hhc) philosophy. With over 10,000 employees working across our global network of R&D facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, we strive to realise our hhc philosophy by delivering innovative products in multiple therapeutic areas with high unmet medical needs, including Oncology and Neurology. As a global pharmaceutical company, our mission extends to patients around the world through our investment and participation in partnership-based initiatives to improve access to medicines in developing and emerging countries. For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit http://www.eisai.com. About Neopharm Group Neopharm Group, established in 1941, through its family of companies, is engaged in the research and development, manufacturing and sales of a broad range of products in the health care field in 60 countries around the world. We embrace the promotion of innovative ideas, products and services to advance health and well-being. Our family of companies operates in three major segments: Pharmaceutical, Consumer Healthcare, and Medical. The Pharmaceutical segment provides a complete spectrum of integrated services for international companies seeking to enter or expand their presence in the Israeli pharma, biotech and healthcare markets. For over 70 years we have grown the value of our products, consistently increased our turnover and enhanced our market leadership in Israel. We are considered the Israeli partner-of-choice and a one-stop-shop for multinational bio-pharma companies. Our success is based upon a track record of close collaboration with the world's leading multinational bio-pharma companies. Neopharm is the exclusive representative and partner of leading multinational bio-pharma and consumer healthcare brands including: Abbott, Actelion, Alexion, Celgene, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer Consumer Health among others. Neopharm enjoys a sales turnover in excess of 400M $US in 2015 and employs 700 employees worldwide. For further information please visit our web site: http://www.neopharmgroup.com References 1. SPC Lenvima. Available at: http://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/30412 Accessed: November 2015 2. Eisai. Data on file. Lenvima SPC (Israel) 3. Lubina A, et al. Time trends of incidence rates of thyroid cancer in Israel: what might explain the sharp increase. Thyroid. 2006 Oct;16(10):1033-40. 4. International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) 2012. Globocan Worldwide Cancer statistics (WHO) 2012 1: 1 Available at http://globocan.iarc.fr/Pages/fact_sheets_population.aspx Accessed February 2016 5. Schlumberger M et al. Lenvatinib versus placebo in radioiodine refractory differentiated thyroid cancer. NEJM 2015; 372: 621-630. Available at http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1406470 Accessed: November 2015 6. Matsui J, et al. Clin Cancer Res 2008;14:5459-65 7. Matsui J, et al. Int J Cancer 2008;122:664-671 8. Okamoto K, et al. Distinct Binding Mode of Multikinase Inhibitor Lenvatinib Revealed by Biochemical Characterization. ACS Med. Chem. Lett 2015;6:89-94 9. Wu P. Small-molecule kinase inhibitors: an analysis of FDA-approved drugs. Drug Discovery Today, July 2015; 1-6 10. Newbold K et al. The Influence of Time to Objective Response on Lenvatinib Clinical Outcomes in the Phase 3 SELECT Trial. Presented at ECC 2015 11. Habra, MA et al. Outcomes by Site of Metastasis for Patients With Radioiodine-refractory Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Treated With Lenvatinib Versus Placebo: Results from a Phase 3, Randomized Trial. 15th International Thyroid Congress 2015; Presented at the 15th International Thyroid Congress, October 2015 12. Tahara, M et al. Efficacy and Safety of Lenvatinib by Body Mass Index in Patients With 131I-Refractory Differentiated Thyroid Cancer From the Phase 3 SELECT Study. 15th International Thyroid Congress 2015; Presented at the 15th International Thyroid Congress, October 2015 13. Wirth L et al. 2015; Open-Label Extension Phase Outcomes of the Phase 3 Select Trial of Lenvatinib in Patients with 131I-Refractory Differentiated Thyroid Cancer. Endocrine Reviews; 36;2: Abstract 0R44-6. Available at: http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/endo-meetings.2015.THPTA.6.OR44-6 Accessed: November 2015 14. Schlumberger M et al. Relationship Between Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Levels and Outcomes from the Randomized, Double-Blind, Phase 3 Study of (E7080) Lenvatinib in Differentiated Cancer of the Thyroid (SELECT). Available at:https://endo.confex.com/endo/2015endo/webprogram/Paper20459.html Accessed: November 2015 15. National Cancer Institute at the National Institute of Health. Available at: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/thyroid/Patient/page1/AllPages#1 Accessed: November 2015 16. Brito J et al. BMJ 2013; 347 17. Cancer Research UK. Thyroid cancer incidence statistics. Available at: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/types/thyroid/incidence/uk-thyroid-cancer-incidence-statistics Accessed: November 2015 18. Gild M et al. Multikinase inhibitors: a new option for the treatment of thyroid cancer. Nature Reviews Endocrinology. 2011; 7: 617-624 19. National Cancer Institute. Medullary Thyroid Cancer. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/thyroid/HealthProfessional/page7 Accessed: November 2015 20. Thyroid Cancer Basics. 2011. Available at: http://www.thyca.org Accessed: November 2015 Date of preparation: March 2016 Job code: Lenvima-UK0066 NORTHRIDGE, CA and PERTH, AUSTRALIA and CAMBRIDGE, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwired) -- 03/08/16 -- Avita Medical Ltd, (ASX: AVH) (OTCQX: AVMXY) Statistically significant improvements shown in wound size, pain and health-related quality of life Positive trends both in healing time and incidence of closure, particularly in large ulcers (over 10cm2) which comprise the majority of VLUs Strong results support progression to a pivotal trial More than 12 million sufferers could benefit from this regenerative medicine approach Avita Medical Ltd, (ASX: AVH), (OTCQX: AVMXY), a regenerative medicine company specialising in new treatments for wounds and skin defects today reported positive results from the Company's multicentre clinical trial of ReGenerCell in the treatment of chronic Venous Leg Ulcers (VLUs). In the seven-centre, 52-patient randomized study, ReGenerCell demonstrated statistically significant improvements in key measures of wound healing, pain and quality of life. The study data show significant decreases in wound size from the time of treatment to the end of the 14-week study, with wounds in the ReGenerCell group closing an average of 9.1 cm2, versus 1.2 cm2 for the Control group (p=0.014). Treatment using ReGenerCell definitively places the wounds on a healing trajectory. The study compared the addition of Regenerative Epithelial Suspension (RES), produced using the Company's ReGenerCell medical device, to conventional medical therapy alone in 52 adult patients with VLUs evaluated at six centres in the UK and one in France. The Company said the positive results indicate that the cellular suspension delivered by ReGenerCell shows great promise as an effective treatment for healing chronic wounds that have resisted other approaches in this sizable area of unmet medical need, and that a statistically-powered pivotal trial is now justified. In addition to significant decreases in wound size, patients in the ReGenerCell group reported significant drops of nearly 2 points on a 10-point pain rating scale two weeks after treatment (p=0.017), as compared to the control group, which showed no decrease in pain after two weeks. As a quality of life measure, the Charing Cross Venous Leg Ulcer Questionnaire showed consistent improvements in the evaluated areas of social interaction, domestic activity, emotional status and cosmesis, and again, despite the small sample size, statistical significance was shown on the emotional status portion of the questionnaire (p=0.044). There was no difference in the adverse event rate observed in the ReGenerCell and Control groups, and all adverse events experienced were consistent with those seen in similar patient populations. This aligns well with the already-established low risk profile associated with the Company's autologous skin cell harvesting approach. The positive results bolster the Company's strategy of extending its regenerative medicine device beyond its traditional market of burns, into much larger medical indications. In the UK, 1.65% of the population aged over 65 have VLUs, costing the NHS more than 1bn pa (A$1.92bn), chiefly in ongoing home visits for dressing changes of treatment-resistant ulcers. The condition is on the increase in the OECD nations as the population ages, and Avita sees a potential market size of more than 12m people in the current main markets in which it is operating, including some 3.2m sufferers in the US. While not achieving statistical significance, other study measures showed positive trends. The incidence of complete wound closure was 26.9% in the ReGenerCell group, versus 15.4% in the Control group. Larger ulcers ( > 10 to <=80 cm2) showed a closure incidence of more than triple in the ReGenerCell group, which achieved complete closure in 23.1% of patients, versus 7.1% in the Control group. Larger ulcers appeared to heal in nearly half the time, with first closure of large ulcers happening in a mean time of 43 days with ReGenerCell, versus 84 days in the Control group. "VLUs tend to be a hidden epidemic, because patients are largely immobile and unseen in their homes," said Andrew Quick, Avita's Vice President of Research and Technology. "We believe this positive data demonstrates that our treatment approach could become a frontline therapy, if we find in a wider population that we can reduce patient pain, improve their life quality, and of course, heal them." Mr. Paul Hayes, lead principal investigator and Consultant Vascular Surgeon at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, UK stated, "Chronic VLUs have a huge impact on patient's quality of life, as well as the economic burden to health services. I'm delighted that ReGenercell has shown a significant benefit for our patients in terms of quality of life and ulcer healing." Mr. Hayes will present further analysis of the data at the upcoming Charing Cross International Symposium in London (26-29 April), where presentations will focus on vascular and endovascular challenges. Study results have also been accepted for presentation by Mr Hayes at the European Wound Management Association conference in Bremen, Germany, to be held in May. The Company said the pilot trial had succeeded in delivering data on appropriate treatment directions, and it now plans to incorporate these results into discussions with regulatory authorities in the United States and Australia to determine next steps for ReGenerCell in pursuing an indication for treatment of venous leg ulcers. The benefits for health economics would be a key part of this dialogue, the Company said. "Our favorable results in larger ulcers, notably halving the healing time, means our approach could really help those with the hardest wounds to heal, and reduce costs at a time of health budget challenges," said Avita CEO, Adam Kelliher. "The positive effects seen across the treated group are very encouraging, given the complexity and challenge presented by chronic venous leg ulcers." ABOUT AVITA MEDICAL LIMITED Avita Medical develops and distributes regenerative products for the treatment of a broad range of wounds, scars and skin defects. Avita's patented and proprietary collection and application technology provides innovative treatment solutions derived from a patient's own skin. The Company's regenerative product portfolio includes ReCell for burns & plastic reconstructive procedures, ReGenerCell for chronic wounds and ReNovaCell of restoration of pigmentation and cosmesis. ReCell, ReGenerCell and ReNovaCell are patented, CE-marked for Europe. ReCell is TGA-registered in Australia, and CFDA-cleared in China. In the United States, ReCell is an investigational device limited by federal law to investigational use, and a pivotal U.S. trial is well underway aimed at securing FDA approval. To learn more, visit www.avitamedical.com. AVITA'S REGENERATIVE TECHNOLOGY AND RES Avita Medical's unique proprietary technology enables a clinician to rapidly create, at the point of care in approximately 30 minutes, Regenerative Epithelial Suspension (RES) using a small sample of the patient's skin. RES is an autologous suspension comprising the cells and wound healing factors necessary to regenerate natural, healthy skin. RES has a broad range of applications and can be used to restart healing in unresponsive wounds, to repair burns using less donor skin yet with improved functional and aesthetic outcomes, and to restore pigmentation and improve cosmesis of damaged skin. Avita Medical Ltd Adam Kelliher Chief Executive Officer Phone: +44 (0) 1763 269770 akelliher@avitamedical.com Avita Medical Ltd Tim Rooney Chief Financial Officer Phone: + 1 (818) 356-9400 trooney@avitamedical.com Avita Medical Ltd Gabriel Chiappini Company Secretary Phone +61(0) 8 9474 7738 gabriel@laurus.net.au UK/EU Instinctif Partners Gemma Howe/Sue Charles Phone +44 (0)20 7866 7860 avitamedical@instinctif.com USA The Ruth Group Lee Roth, Investor Relations Kirsten Thomas, Public Relations Phone: +1 (646) 536-7012 / +1 (508) 280-6592 lroth@theruthgroup.com / kthomas@theruthgroup.com Australia Monsoon Communications Rudi Michelson Investor Relations / PR Phone: +61 3 9620 3333 rudim@monsoon.com.au WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - General Motors Co. (GM) disclosed in a regulatory filing that on March 4, 2016, its board approved amendments to the Company's Bylaws. The amendments, effective immediately, include adoption of a proxy access provision, adoption of an exclusive forum provision and a number of conforming revisions and other administrative clarifications and refinements. The company noted that the Amended and Restated Bylaws generally permits a shareholder, or a group of up to 20 shareholders, owning at least three percent of the Company's outstanding voting shares continuously for at least three years, to nominate and include in the Company's proxy materials director-nominees constituting up to two individuals or 20 percent of the Board, whichever is greater, provided that the shareholder(s) and the nominee(s) satisfy the requirements specified in the Amended and Restated Bylaws. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. dollar strengthened against most major currencies in the Asian session on Wednesday. The U.S. dollar rose to 2-day highs of 1.0974 against the euro and 0.9979 against the Swiss franc, from yesterday's closing quotes of 1.1009 and 0.9956, respectively. The greenback edged up to 1.4183 against the pound and 0.7412 against the Australian dollar, from yesterday's closing quotes of 1.4212 and 0.7438, respectively. Against the New Zealand and the Canadian dollars, the greenback advanced to 5-day highs of 0.6732 and 1.3442 from yesterday's closing quotes of 0.6741 and 1.3408, respectively. If the greenback extends its uptrend, it is likely to find resistance around 1.07 against the euro, 1.01 against the franc, 1.39 against the pound, 0.72 against the aussie, 0.66 against the kiwi and 1.38 against the loonie. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The euro weakened against the other major currencies in the Asian session on Wednesday. The euro fell to a 6-day low of 123.44 against the yen and a 2-day low of 1.0972 against the U.S. dollar, from yesterday's closing quotes of 124.02 and 1.1009, respectively. Against the pound and the Swiss franc, the euro dropped to 0.7732 and 1.0943 from yesterday's closing quotes of 0.7744 and 1.0961, respectively. Against the Australian, the New Zealand and the Canadian dollars, the euro edged down to 1.4779, 1.6267 and 1.4744 from yesterday's closing quotes of 1.4798, 1.6307 and 1.4762, respectively. If the euro extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 121.00 against the yen, 1.07 against the greenback, 0.76 against the pound, 1.08 against the franc, 1.45 against the aussie, 1.60 against the kiwi and 1.40 against the loonie. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. PUNE, India, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- LED is set to be the dominating technology in grow lights market with vertical farming application expected to grow rapidly in the near future, while Europe projected to be the largest geographic market for grow lights. Complete report on global grow lights market spread across 144 pages, profiling 11 companies and supported with 69 tables and 54 figures is now available at http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/grow-lights-market-by-technology-hid-fl-led-others-induction-plasma-type-of-installation-new-retrofit-application-indoor-farming-commercial-greenhouse-vertical-farming-turf-landscaping-others-a-st-to-2022-market-report.html The grow lights market is expected to be valued at USD 4.19 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 9.63% between 2016 and 2022. A key influencing factor for the growth of the market is the emergence of vertical farming to meet the growing demands for fresh horticultural produce in urban areas across the world. Besides, the legalization of growing marijuana for medical and recreational purposes in North America is another factor that is encouraging the demand for grow lights in this market. LED grow lights are expected to be the most preferred grow lights technology between 2016 and 2022.The growth is attributed to the improved energy efficiency offered by LED technology, long operational life, and the ability to vary the light spectrum depending on the type of plant being grown and its current growth stage. The grow lights market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the vertical farming application during the forecast period. The growth of vertical farms because of increased demand for horticultural produce would drive the grow lights market The European region is estimated to be the largest market for grow lights during the forecast period. The need to provide supplemental lighting to plants in commercial greenhouses set to drive the grow lights market in this region. The key players in the market include Royal Philips Electronics N.V. (Netherlands), General Electric Company (U.S.), Osram Licht AG (Germany), Gavita Holland B.V. (Netherlands), LumiGrow, Inc. (U.S.), Heliospectra AB (Sweden), Iwasaki Electric Co. Ltd. (Japan), Illumitex, Inc. (U.S.), Hortilux Schreder B.V. (Netherlands), iGrow Induction Lighting LLC (U.S.) and Sunlight Supply Inc. (U.S.) among others. Order a copy of Grow Lights Market by Technology (HID, FL, LED, Others (Induction, Plasma)), Type of Installation (New, Retrofit), Application (Indoor Farming, Commercial Greenhouse, Vertical Farming, Turf & Landscaping, Others), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2022 research reports at http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/contacts/purchase?rname=504195 The study validates the market size of segments and sub-segments through secondary research and in-depth primary interviews. Various industry leaders in Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 companies were contacted for primary interviews. The in-depth interviews were conducted with CEOs, marketing directors, other innovation and technology directors, and executives from various key organizations operating in the digital signature market. In Tier 1 (7%), Tier 2 (23%) and Tier 3 (70%) companies were contacted for primary interviews. The interviews were conducted with various key people such as C-level (46%), Director Level (24%) and other (30%) from various key organizations operating in the global grow lights market. The primary interviews were conducted worldwide covering regions such as North America (51%), Europe (32%), APAC (12%) and Row (5%). On a related note, another research on LED Grow Light Market Forecast to 2020 says, the LED grow light market is expected to rise to more than $1.9 Billion by 2020, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 26.93% between 2015 and 2020. Vertical farming is the fastest growing application in the LED grow light market with a CAGR of 30.29% from 2015 to 2020. In this report, the LED grow light market is segmented on the basis of spectrum into partial spectrum and full spectrum. Companies like Alta LED Corporation, Bridgelux, Inc., Cree, Inc., Ever light Electronics Co. Ltd., General Electric Company, Heliospectra AB, Illumitex, Inc., Lumigrow, Inc., Osram Licht AG and Royal Philips Electronics N.V. have been profiled in this 119 pages research report available at http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/led-grow-light-market-by-wattage-type-of-installation-new-retrofit-spectrum-partial-full-application-indoor-farming-commercial-greenhouse-vertical-farming-turf-landscaping-research-and-others-and-geography-forecast-to-2020-market-report.html . Explore more reports on Information Technology & Telecommunication market at http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/reports/information-technology-telecommunication About Us: RnRMarketResearch.com is your single source for all market research needs. Our database includes 500,000+ market research reports from over 100+ leading global publishers & in-depth market research studies of over 5000 micro markets. With comprehensive information about the publishers and the industries for which they publish market research reports, we help you in your purchase decision by mapping your information needs with our huge collection of reports. Connect with Us: G+ / Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/104156468549256253075/posts Twitter: https://twitter.com/RnRMR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/RnR-Market-Research/413488545356345 Contact: Priyank Tiwari UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune - 411013 Maharashtra, India. Tel: +1-888-391-5441 sales@rnrmarketresearch.com BRUSSELS, BELGIUM -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- WABCO Holdings Inc. (NYSE: WBC) (www.wabco-auto.com), a leading global supplier of technologies that improve the safety, efficiency and connectivity of commercial vehicles, has started delivery of its industry-leading MAXX air disc brakes (ADB) to Daimler AG, the world's largest manufacturer of trucks over six tons. Daimler AG now equips its current heavy-duty truck platforms, including its market-leading Actros, Antos, and Arocs models, for the European market with WABCO's high-performance single-piston air disc brakes. WABCO is supplying Daimler AG with the lightest air disc brake package for heavy-duty vehicles in the market. It consists of the company's breakthrough MAXX 22 ADB on the front axle and WABCO's new MAXX 22L ADB on the rear axle. WABCO's MAXX 22L, a variant of the company's MAXX 22 ADB, features an optimized rear-axle design that requires less brake torque than air disc brakes for front axles. Superbly engineered and compactly designed, WABCO's MAXX 22L is more than 7% lighter than the company's MAXX 22 ADB, which has already been recognized as the industry's lightest and highest performing single-piston ADB for commercial vehicles. "We are delighted that Daimler has adopted WABCO's industry-leading MAXX 22 single-piston air disc brakes to help bring advanced braking capabilities and excellent field reliability to Daimler's current heavy-duty truck platforms," said Jacques Esculier, WABCO Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "This major supply agreement also further expands the range of WABCO technologies adopted by this industry leader." WABCO's proven single-piston design contains approximately 25 percent fewer parts compared to other air disc brakes available in the market. WABCO MAXX ADB also feature easily exchangeable "plug and play" wear sensor technology, helping to improve reliability while lowering maintenance costs. In addition, WABCO's bi-directional adjuster optimizes brake lining wear. WABCO has supplied MAXXUS air disc brakes to Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) for series production since 2012. MAXXUS ADB is also based on WABCO's MAXX single-piston technology. About WABCO WABCO (NYSE: WBC) is a leading global supplier of technologies and services that improve the safety, efficiency and connectivity of commercial vehicles. Founded nearly 150 years ago, WABCO continues to pioneer breakthrough innovations for advanced driver assistance, braking, stability control, suspension, transmission automation and aerodynamics. Partnering with the transportation industry as it maps a route towards autonomous driving, WABCO also uniquely connects trucks, trailers, drivers, cargo, and fleet operators through telematics, as well as advanced fleet management and mobile solutions. WABCO reported sales of $2.6 billion in 2015. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, WABCO has 12,000 employees in 39 countries. For more information, visit www.wabco-auto.com. Contacts: WABCO media contact Tobias Mueller +49 89 470 277 112 wabco@klenkhoursch.de WABCO investors and analysts contact Christian Fife +1 732 369 7465 christian.fife@wabco-auto.com DUBLIN, IRELAND -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: FO)(AIM: FOG)(ESM: FAC) is pleased to provide the following operational update for its operations in Australia, South Africa and Hungary. Operational highlights -- Preparations for 2016 Beetaloo Basin, Australia, drilling programme at an advanced stage. -- Drilling locations being finalised for the two new vertical wells following technical evaluation undertaken by Origin, Sasol and Falcon. -- Well locations to penetrate condensate rich gas mature through to dry gas mature sections of the Middle Velkerri shale. -- Drilling expected to start Q2, 2016. -- Rig 185 remains "warm stacked" in the Beetaloo basin. -- Tendering and contracting for hydraulic stimulation and key well services ongoing. Financial highlights -- US$3.7 million cash settlement agreed with NIS - received in December 2015. -- US$12.7 million (unaudited) in cash and cash on deposit at 31 December 2015. Australia - 2016 drilling & testing preparations underway in the Beetaloo Basin Preparations are underway for the Group's 2016 Beetaloo drilling and testing programme, comprising: -- civil construction, the remobilisation of Rig 185 and the drilling of Beetaloo W-1, a vertical well in exploration permit ("EP") 117 approximately 85km south of the wells drilled in 2015; -- the drilling of a second vertical well, the location of which is being finalised and the hydraulic stimulation of either this well or the Beetaloo W-1 well; and -- the re-entry and hydraulic stimulation of Amungee NW-1H in EP98 - This well was drilled in November 2015 to a total measured depth of 3,808 metres, including 1,100 metres horizontal section in the "B Shale" interval of the Middle Velkerri Formation, 100 metres more than originally planned. The principal objectives of the 2016 drilling programme are to: -- test gas productivity of the Middle Velkerri shale by means of multi stage hydraulic stimulation; -- further determine the areal extent of the Middle Velkerri shale; -- determine the levels of gas saturation in the southern section of the basin; and -- explore the shallower, oil prone sections of the Middle Velkerri shale. South Africa - processing of the exploration licence by the Petroleum Agency of South Africa ("PASA") continues to progress The PASA recently confirmed that it expects to finalise a recommendation to the Minister of Mineral Resources on Falcon's application for a shale gas exploration licence in South Africa's Karoo Basin, by May 2016. The Company expects that the Minister of Mineral Resources will issue Falcon with a licence to explore for shale gas in 2016. Background Falcon was granted a Technical Cooperation Permit in 2009 covering 7.5 million (30,327 km2) acres in the southern part of the Karoo Basin. The Company has a cooperation agreement (as announced on 12 December 2012) with Chevron Business Development South Africa Limited ("Chevron"), which enables the Group to work with Chevron for a period of five years in jointly obtaining exploration licences. Hungary - review of operations Falcon continues to review its operation and future plans in Hungary, evaluating all options available to the Group to deliver shareholder value. The Group maintains its 100% interest in the Mako Trough. Broker update Following the closure of the London office of GMP Securities Europe LLP, engagement with GMP Securities Europe LLP, Falcon's joint broker has now ended. Philip O'Quigley, CEO of Falcon commented "We are delighted to report that preparations for the 2016 Beetaloo drilling and testing programme are underway. Our shareholders can look forward to another exciting year of exploration activity which has the potential to transform the value of the company. Falcon remains fully carried throughout by our partners Origin and Sasol." "Also, we welcome the recent confirmation by the PASA and are optimistic on securing a shale gas exploration licence in South Africa's Karoo Basin in 2016." Background - Australia On 2 May 2014, Falcon announced it had entered into a Farm-Out Agreement and Joint Operating Agreement with Origin and Sasol (collectively referred to herein as the "Farminees") with each farming into 35% of the Falcon's exploration permits in the Beetaloo Basin, Australia through its 98% subsidiary, Falcon Oil & Gas Australia Ltd. ("Falcon Australia"). The Farminees will carry Falcon in a nine well exploration and appraisal programme from 2015 to 2018. -- Farminees will pay for the full cost of completing the first five wells estimated at A$64 million, and will fund any cost overruns, with work expected to be completed between 2015 and 2016. -- Farminees to pay the full cost of the following two horizontally fracture stimulated wells, 90 day production tests and micro seismic data collection with a capped expenditure of A$53 million, any cost overrun funded by each party in proportion to their working interest. This work programme is expected to be undertaken in 2017. -- Farminees to pay the full cost of the final two horizontally fracture stimulated wells and 90 day production tests capped at A$48 million, any cost overrun funded by each party in proportion to their working interest. This work programme is expected to be undertaken in 2018. -- Farminees may reduce or surrender their interests back to Falcon Australia only after: -- The drilling of the first five wells; or -- The drilling and testing of the next two horizontally fracture stimulated wells. Stacking a Rig Stacking a Rig means leaving a rig idle but operational. A ready or warm stacked rig typically retains most of its crew and can deploy quickly if an operator requires its services. In a ready stacked state, normal maintenance operations similar to those performed when the rig is active are continued by the crew so that the rig remains work ready. Thus, a rig is kept in a ready stacked state when its owner anticipates that the rig will be able to return to work shortly - either due to having a commitment in hand or the owner's perception that work will be secured relatively quickly. Background - Oilfield Services Contract - Hungary In January 2013, Falcon and NIS agreed to complete a three-well drilling programme (the "Agreement") targeting the relatively shallow Algyo Play, by July 2014. Under the terms of the Agreement, NIS made a cash payment of US$1.5 million and agreed to carry Falcon for 100% of all costs associated with the drilling and testing programme. The July 2014 deadline for completion of drilling and testing of the three-well programme was subsequently extended by Falcon to 31 December 2014 to enable NIS to fulfil its three well obligation. As of 31 December 2014, NIS had only drilled and tested two wells. This announcement has been reviewed by Dr. Gabor Bada, Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd's Head of Technical Operations. Dr. Bada obtained his geology degree at the Eotvos L. University in Budapest, Hungary and his PhD at the Vrije Aniversiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He is a member of AAPG and EAGE. About Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd is an international oil & gas company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of conventional and unconventional oil and gas assets, with the current portfolio focused in Australia, South Africa and Hungary. Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd is incorporated in British Columbia, Canada and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with a technical team based in Budapest, Hungary. For further information on Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. please visit www.falconoilandgas.com About Origin Energy Origin Energy (ASX: ORG) is the leading Australian integrated energy company with market leading positions in energy retailing (approximately 4.3 million customers), power generation (approximately 6,000 MW of capacity owned and contracted) and natural gas production (1,093 PJ of 2P reserves and annual production of 82 PJe). To match its leadership in the supply of green energy, Origin also aspires to be the number one renewables company in Australia. Through Australia Pacific LNG, its incorporated joint venture with ConocoPhillips and Sinopec, Origin is developing Australia's biggest CSG to LNG project based on the country's largest 2P CSG reserves base. www.originenergy.com.au About Sasol Sasol is an international integrated chemicals and energy company that leverages the talent and expertise of about 31,000 people working in 37 countries. Sasol develops and commercialise technologies, and build and operate world-scale facilities to produce a range of high-value product streams, including liquid fuels, chemicals and low-carbon electricity. Sasol, through its subsidiary, Sasol Exploration and Production International ("E&PI") develops and manages the group's upstream interests in oil and gas exploration and production in Mozambique, South Africa, Australia, Canada and Gabon. It produces natural gas and condensate from Mozambique's Pande and Temane fields, shale gas from their share in the Farrell Creek and Cypress A assets in Canada, and oil in Gabon through their share in the offshore Etame Marin Permit (EMP). E&PI sells Mozambican gas under long-term contracts to Sasol Gas and external customers, condensate on short term contracts, while selling Canadian gas into the market at spot prices. Oil is sold to customers under annual contracts. For more information go to www.sasol.com. Glossary of terms A$ Australian dollars CSG Coal seam gas JV Joint Venture LNG Liquefied natural gas LPG Liquefied petroleum gas MW Megawatt TD Total Depth Km Kilometers Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain information in this press release may constitute forward-looking information. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Such information may include, but is not limited to comments made with respect to the type, number and objectives of the wells to be drilled in the Beetaloo basin Australia, expected contributions of the partners, the prospectivity of the Middle Velkerri shale play, the prospect of the exploration programme being brought to commerciality and the awarding of an exploration licence in South Africa. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Falcon assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward looking-statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to Falcon. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in Falcon's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com. Contacts: Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. +353 1 417 1900 Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. Philip O'Quigley CEO +353 87 814 7042 Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. Michael Gallagher CFO +353 1 417 0814 Davy (NOMAD & Broker) John Frain / Anthony Farrell +353 1 679 6363 CAMARCO Billy Clegg +44 20 3757 4983 CAMARCO Georgia Mann +44 20 3757 4980 Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Date on Thursday, 7 April 2016 at 3.30 p.m.Location Kattilahalli, Suvilahti, Sornaisten rantatie 22, 00540 Helsinki, FinlandThe shareholders of Taaleri Plc are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting to be held of Thursday, 7 April 2016 at 3.30 p.m. at Kattilahalli, Suvilahti, at the address Sornaisten rantatie 22, 00540 Helsinki, Finland. The reception of shareholders who have registered to attend the meeting and the distribution of voting tickets will start at 2.30 p.m.A. MATTERS ON THE AGENDA OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING1. Opening remarks1. Call to order1. Selection of persons to scrutinise the minutes and supervise the counting of votes1. Recording the legality of the meeting1. Recording the attendance at the meeting and adoption of list of votes1. Presentation of the financial statements, the report of the Board of Directors and the auditor's report for 2015-- Review by the CEO1. Adoption of the financial statements1. Resolution on the use of profit shown on the balance sheet as well as payment of a dividend and return of capitalThe Board of Directors proposes that a dividend of EUR 0.14 per share be paid based on the balance sheet adopted for the financial year ended 31 December 2015 and that EUR 0.06 per share be returned to shareholders from the invested unrestricted equity fund.The dividend and the return of capital will be paid to shareholders who on the dividend record date of 11 April 2016 are entered as shareholders in the company's shareholder register held by Euroclear Finland Ltd. The Board of Directors proposes that the dividend and the return of capital be paid on 18 April 2016.1. Resolution on the discharge from liability of members of the Board of Directors and the CEO 2. Resolution on the remuneration of members of the Board of DirectorsShareholders representing a total of approximately 33 % of the company's shares have proposed that the members of the Board of Directors be paid annual remuneration as follows:-- Chairman of the Board EUR 38,000 per year -- Vice Chairman of the Board EUR 28,000 per year -- Member of the Board EUR 23,000 per yearThe annual remuneration will cover the entire term of office and Committee work.The Board of Directors has decided on a preliminary basis to establish Audit and Remuneration Committees, whose members will be appointed by the Board of Directors elected at the Annual General Meeting.Shareholders representing a total of approximately 33 % of the company's shares have additionally proposed that travel and accommodation expenses be paid against an invoice for meetings of the Board of Directors and Committees held in a locality other than the home locality of a member of the Board.1. Resolution on the number of members of the Board of DirectorsShareholders representing a total of approximately 33 % of the company's shares have proposed that the number of the members of the Board of Directors be confirmed as six (6).1. Election of the members of the Board of DirectorsShareholders representing a total of approximately 33 % of the company's shares have proposed that all of the current members of Board of Directors, namely Peter Fagernas, Juha Laaksonen, Pertti Laine, Vesa Puttonen and Esa Kiiskinen, be re-elected to the Board of Directors and that Hanna Maria Sievinen be elected as a new member of the Board of Directors. The term of office of members of the Board of Directors expires at the end of the Annual General Meeting that follows their election.The above-mentioned nominees have agreed to their membership of the Board of Directors. Information regarding the nominees is provided on the company's website at the address http://www.taaleri.com/home/investor-relations/general-meetings.The Board of Directors has assessed the independence of the nominees based on the independence criteria given in the Finnish Corporate Governance Code.1. Resolution on the remuneration of the auditorThe Board of Directors proposes that the remuneration of the auditor be paid against invoices approved by the Audit Committee.1. Election of the auditorThe Board of Directors proposes that Ernst & Young Oy, a firm of authorised public accounts, be re-elected as the company's auditor for a term ending at the close of the Annual General Meeting 2017.Ernst & Young Oy has announced that Ulla Nykky, Authorised Public Accountant, who has served in the position since 20 March 2015, would continue as the auditor with principal responsibility.1. Authorisation of the Board of Directors to decide on the issuance of sharesThe Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting authorise the Board of Directors to decide on the issuance of new shares and on the conveyance of own shares held by the company (treasury shares) on the following conditions:The Board of Directors may issue new shares and convey treasury shares up to a maximum 3,000,000 shares.New shares may be issued and treasury shares conveyed to the company's shareholders in proportion to their current shareholdings or in derogation of the pre-emptive subscription right of the shareholders by means of a directed share issue if there is a weighty financial reason for the company to do so, such as the shares are to be used as consideration in possible company acquisitions or in other arrangements that are part of the company's business or to finance investments or as part of the company's incentive scheme.The Board of Directors may also decide on the issuance of shares without payment to the company itself.The new shares may be issued and treasury shares may be conveyed either against payment or without payment. A directed share issue may be executed without payment only if there is an especially weighty financial reason for the company to do so, taking the interests of all shareholders into account.The Board of Directors will decide on all other factors relating to the issuance and conveyance of shares.It is proposed that the authorisation be valid for one (1) year from the decision of the Annual General Meeting, however until 30 June 2017 at the latest.1. Closing remarks1. MATERIALS FOR AGM 2016The above-mentioned proposals for decisions on the matters in the agenda of the Annual General Meeting as well as this notice are available to shareholders on the Taaleri Plc website at the address http://www.taaleri.com/home/investor-relations/general-meetings. Taaleri Plc's company's financial statements, report of the Board of Directors and the auditor's report, is available from 9 March 2016 on the aforementioned website and at the company's head office at the address Kluuvikatu 3, 00100 Helsinki, Finland. Proposals for decisions made to the Annual General Meeting and financial statement documents will also be available at the Annual General Meeting.The minutes of the Annual General Meeting will be available to shareholders on the aforementioned website from 21 April 2016 at the latest.1. Instructions for those attending the Annual General Meeting1. Entitlement to attend and registrationShareholders recorded in the list of shareholders maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd. on 24 March 2016 will be entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting. Shareholders with shares registered in a personal Finnish book-entry account are included in the company's list of shareholders.Shareholders included in the company's list of shareholders who wish to attend the Annual General Meeting are required to register their intention to attend the meeting by 10.00 a.m. on 4 April 2016.How to register for the Annual General Meeting:-- via the website at the address http://www.taaleri.com/home/investor-relations/general-meetings -- by phone: 020 770 6900, Monday to Friday 9.00 a.m.-4.00 p.m.; or -- by letter to the address Taaleri Plc, Annual General Meeting, Kluuvikatu 3, 00100 Helsinki, FinlandWhen registering to attend the Annual General Meeting, individuals are required to provide the following information: the shareholder's name, personal identity/business identity number, address and phone number, and the name and personal identity number of any representative or proxy. Any personal information will only be used in connection with the Annual General Meeting and the related processing of registrations.Upon request at the meeting venue, a shareholder, or his or her representative or proxy, must be able to present proof of identity, if necessary.2. Shareholders with nominee-registered holdingsShareholders with nominee-registered holdings are entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting on the basis of their shares held on the record date, 24 March 2016, that would entitle them to be included in the list of shareholders maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd. Attendance also requires that these shareholders are included temporarily in the list of shareholders maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd by 10 a.m. on 4 April 2016. This is deemed to be the registration of a shareholder with nominee-registered holdings to attend the Annual General Meeting.Shareholders with nominee-registered holdings are encouraged to request from their custodian bank the necessary instructions concerning temporary registration in the list of shareholders, the issuing of a letter of proxy and how to register to attend the Annual General Meeting. The account management organisation of the custodian bank should register any shareholders with nominee-registered holdings who wish to attend the Annual General Meeting in the list of shareholders no later than the deadline given above.3. Proxy representative and letters of proxyA shareholder is entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting and exercise his or her rights at the meeting by way of proxy representation. A proxy representative is required to present a dated letter of proxy, or otherwise show in a reliable manner that he or she is entitled to represent a shareholder.In the event that a shareholder is represented by more than one proxy representing shares held in different book-entry accounts, each proxy must state which shares he or she represents when registering to attend the Annual General Meeting.Originals of shareholders' letters of proxy are asked to be submitted before the end of the registration period at the address Taaleri Plc, Annual General Meeting, Kluuvikatu 3, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.4. Other instructions and informationShareholders attending the Annual General Meeting are entitled under Chapter 5, Section 25 of the Companies Act to present questions to the meeting regarding the items on the agenda.On the date of issue of the notice to the Annual General Meeting, 9 March 2016, Taaleri Plc had a total of 28,350,620 shares, each of which grants entitlement to one (1) vote at the Annual General Meeting.Helsinki, 9 March 2016TAALERI PLCBOARD OF DIRECTORSMerasco Oy, tel. +358 9 612 9270, serves as Taaleritehdas' Certified Advisor Ms. Zehavit Cohen, the Head of Apax Partners in Israel, is Appointed as a DirectorTEL-AVIV, Israel, 2016-03-09 09:26 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gazit-Globe (NYSE:GZT) (TSX:GZT) (TASE:GZT), one of the world's leading multi-national real estate companies focused on the management, acquisition, development and redevelopment of supermarket-anchored shopping centers in major urban markets, announced today that its Board of Directors approved a proposed change in the Company's Articles of Association such that instead of the gradual appointment of board members as exists today (the Staggered Board), all directors who are not external will be up for election every year. The proposed amendment will now be submitted for shareholder approval at a special meeting of shareholders to take place every year.In addition, the board announced that Shaiy Pilpel has stepped down from his position as a board member and that Ms. Zehavit Cohen, managing partner in the private equity investment group Apax and the head of its Israel office, will be appointed as a director in Gazit-Globe.Ms. Cohen has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, a field in which she can contribute considerably to Gazit-Globe. She previously served as chairman of the boards of directors of Tnuva and Psagot, and prior to joining Apax, served as Deputy CEO and CFO in the IDB Group, and Vice President at Chase Manhattan Bank among others. Ms. Cohen holds BA in Accounting from Duquesne University; an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh, and an MA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Ms. Cohen lecture in finance and accounting at the Wharton School.Chaim Katzman, Chairman of the Board, commented: "Changing the mechanism of the election of the board members is intended to improve the quality of our corporate governance and conform it to that of leading international companies. We attach great importance to holding the election of our directors annually as it will give the company's flexibility and allow all shareholders increase influence at the general meetings."About Gazit-GlobeGazit-Globe is one of the largest owners, developers and operators of predominantly supermarket-anchored shopping centers in major urban markets around the world. Gazit-Globe is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:GZT), the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:GZT) and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE:GZT) and is included in the TA-25 and Real-Estate 15 indices in Israel. As of September 30, 2015 Gazit-Globe owns and operates 458 properties in more than 20 countries, with a gross leasable area of approximately 6.6 million square meters and a total value of approximately US$ 21 billion.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONInvestors Contact: IR@gazitgroup.com, Media Contact: press@gazitgroup.com Gazit-Globe Headquarters, Tel-Aviv, Israel, Tel: +972 3 6948000FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. In the United States, these statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside our control, that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks detailed in our public filings with the SEC and the Canadian Securities Administrators. Except as required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking or other statements herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. UK's second-largest pure-play online retailer is upgrading fraud protection across its leading brands websites LONDON, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- FICO, the predictive analytics and decision management software company, today announced that Shop Direct, the UK's second-largest pure-play online retailer, has had great success fighting multiple types of credit fraud using FICO technology and FICO analytics. The FICO fraud solution provides Shop Direct with further protection against first-party and third-party credit fraud, including application fraud. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111010/CG83314LOGO Shop Direct's enterprise fraud management solution, built using the FICO Decision Management Suite, monitors every online purchase on the group's retail sites, Very.co.uk, Littlewoods.com and VeryExclusive.co.uk. Customers have several options for making online purchases, including interest-free credit and instalment payments. The FICO solution scores each transaction in real time, comparing multiple facets of the transaction against the customer's profile to detect unusual patterns. The solution also scores new applications for credit. Shop Direct's fraud team can then define review rates, policy rules and flash fraud rules using FICO Blaze Advisor decision rules management system. "As the UK's second-largest pure-play online retailer, we're protecting not only our revenues and our customers but also our brands," said Neil Chandler, Shop Direct's CEO for Financial Services. "We have a very successful partnership with FICO for fraud protection, customer management and decision optimization. FICO analytics and tools are exactly what we need to protect our customers. "We have been running the new FICO solution for more than 18 months and the performance over this time period has been consistently impressive. By adding FICO tools to our existing armory of internal and external fraud tools, we are detecting in excess of 95 percent of fraud cases at a review rate of only 3 percent." "We've developed a custom solution for Shop Direct that is state-of-the-art for retail fraud protection," noted Steve Hadaway, FICO managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. "Shop Direct is known as an innovator throughout Europe, and we're proud to help them offer their growing customer base a safe, value-added online shopping experience." FICO was cited as a leader in enterprise fraud management by independent research firm Forrester in its report TheForrester Wave:Enterprise Fraud Management,Q1 2016. The FICO Falcon Platform protects 2.6+ billion payment cards worldwide. About FICO FICO (NYSE: FICO) is a leading analytics software company, helping businesses in 100+ countries make better decisions that drive higher levels of growth, profitability and customer satisfaction. The company's groundbreaking use of Big Data and mathematical algorithms to predict consumer behavior has transformed entire industries. FICO provides analytics software and tools used across multiple industries to manage risk, fight fraud, build more profitable customer relationships, optimize operations and meet strict government regulations.Many of our products reach industry-wide adoption. These include the FICOScore, thestandard measure of consumer credit risk in the United States. FICO solutions leverage open-source standards and cloud computing to maximize flexibility, speed deployment and reduce costs. The company also helps millions of people manage their personal credit health. For FICO news and media resources, visit www.fico.com/news. FICO, Blaze Advisor and Falcon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fair Isaac Corporation in the United States and in other countries. About Shop Direct Shop Direct is the UK's second-largest pure-play online retailer, with annual sales of 1.8 billion. Our digital department store brands are Very.co.uk, Littlewoods.com and VeryExclusive.co.uk, and receive an average of 1 million website visits a day, with more than 60% of online sales completed on mobile devices. We exist to make good things easily accessible to more people. With our department store range of famous brands, market-leading ecommerce and technology capabilities and unique financial services products offering flexible ways to pay, we're well placed to deliver on that promise. We sell more than 1,100 famous brands, including big name labels and our own exclusive brands. We have 4 million customers and deliver 48 million products every year. Our free click and collect service delivers to 5,800 stores across the country, increasing ease and convenience for customers. For more information on Shop Direct, visit www.shopdirect.comor follow us on Twitter at @ShopDirect To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leading-uk-online-retailer-shop-direct-uses-fico-technology-to-help-prevent-fraud-300232850.html 9 March 2016 Announcement no. 18/2016Notice convening the Annual General Meeting of Topdanmark A/S on Thursday 7 April 2016, 15:00 (CET), at Tivoli Congress Center, Arni Magnussons Gade 2-4, 1577 Copenhagen V.The AGM will be broadcast live on Topdanmark's website www.topdanmark.com ? Investor. Following the AGM the broadcast will also be available on the Company's website.The Board of Directors will submit:I. Report on the Company's activities in the past year. II. Presentation of the audited Annual Report signed by the Board of Directors and the Executive Board. III. Adoption of the Annual Report and decision on the appropriation of profits according to the Annual Report as adopted. IV. Any proposals submitted by the Board of Directors or the shareholders.A. Proposal for removal of the age limit of 70 years set out in Article 16(2) of the Articles of AssociationGiven the general developments in society and in order to ensure the best possible basis of recruitment to the Company's Board of Directors, the Board of Directors proposes that the existing age limit of 70 years set out in Article 16(2) of the Articles of Association be removed. It is proposed to consequentially amend the remainder of Article 16 to Article 16(3) becoming Article 16(2) and so on.B. Proposal for reduction in share capitalThe Board of Directors proposes that the share capital be reduced by 10,000,000 of own shares of DKK 1 each with a total nominal value of DKK 10,000,000. Subsequently the shares will be cancelled. Pursuant to Section 188(1) of the Danish Companies Act, the reduction in capital is effected by cancellation of previously acquired own shares, i.e. a capital reduction for payment to the capital owners. The reduction in share capital will be at a price of DKK 187.98 per share corresponding to the average buy-back price of the shares. Thus a total of DKK 1,879,817,622 will be transferred.After the expiry of the deadline for creditors to file their claims and the implementation of the reduction in capital, Article 3(1) of the Articles of Association will be amended to read as follows:"The share capital of the Company amounts to DKK 95,000,000 and is fully paid up."C. Proposal for remuneration of the Board of DirectorsThe Board of Directors proposes that the ordinary basic remuneration to be paid to the Board of Directors remain at DKK 350,000 for the 2016 financial year.V. Election of members to the Board of DirectorsAll Board members elected at the AGM are up for election.The Board of Directors proposes election of:1. Torbjorn Magnusson 2. Birgitte Nielsen 3. Lone Mller Olsen 4. Annette Sadolin 5. Sren Thorup Srensen 6. Jens AalseA detailed description of each Board member is available on Topdanmark's website www.topdanmark.com - Investor - News and calendar - General meetings. These descriptions have also been sent to those shareholders who have requested a written invitation to the AGM.VI. Election of one state-authorised public accountant to serve as auditor.The re-election of Deloitte, Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab is proposed.VII. Any other businessConditions of adoptionThe adoption of the proposals referred to in items III, IV(C), V and VI requires a simple majority of votes.The adoption of the proposal referred to in items IV(A) and IVB) is conditional upon the affirmative votes of not less than two thirds of the votes cast as well as of the voting capital represented at the AGM.The votes will be based on the principle of one vote per share.Size of share capital, shareholders' voting rights and date of registrationThe share capital of Topdanmark totals DKK 105,000,000 divided into 105,000,000 shares of DKK 1 each. Topdanmark's holding of own shares, which do not entitle the holder to vote at the AGM, is 11,238,000 shares. Therefore, the number of voting rights at the AGM is 93,762,000. Danske Bank is the share issuing bank, through which shareholders may exercise their financial rights.The date of registration will be 31 March 2016.Shareholders who own shares in the Company on the date of registration are entitled to attend the AGM and vote on their shares. A shareholder's shareholding is calculated on the date of registration based on the registration of the shareholder's shares in the Register of Owners and the information of ownership received by the Company for registration in the Register of Owners. The attendance of a shareholder is also dependent on the shareholder having obtained in a timely manner an admission card as described below.Admission cardShareholders who want to attend the AGM should obtain admission cards no later than 1 April 2016 on www.topdanmark.com com - Investor - Investor service ? InvestorPortal or by applying to Topdanmark A/S, Share Administration Department, Borupvang 4, 2750 Ballerup, Denmark, telephone + 45 4468 4411, email aktieadm@topdanmark.dk.Proxy and vote by letterShareholders may grant the Board of Directors a proxy. Proxies can by revoked at any time. Shareholders may vote in writing by letter. Votes by letter cannot be revoked. Shareholders may grant their electronic proxies and votes by letter on Topdanmark's investor portal available on www.topdanmark.com - Investor ? Investor service - InvestorPortal. Paper proxy forms and votes by letter forms can be downloaded from the Company's website www.topdanmark.com - Investor ? News and calendar - General meetings. Shareholders who want to grant the Board of Directors a proxy or vote by letter need to do so by post or email to aktieadm@topdanmark.dk to reach the Company by 1 April 2016.Further informationThe Notice Convening the AGM, information on the total number of shares and voting rights on the date of the Notice, those documents to be presented at the AGM, the agenda and the complete proposals as well as those forms to be used for voting by proxy or letter will be available on the Company's website www.topdanmark.com - Investor - News and calendar - General meetings during the three weeks prior to the AGM. The material is also available from Topdanmark's Share Administration.Questions from shareholdersPursuant to Section 102 of the Danish Companies Act, shareholders may ask questions about the agenda or about documents etc. to be used at the AGM or on matters important to the assessment of the Annual Report and the Company's position or to questions to be decided at the AGM. Prior to the AGM, such questions can be asked by contacting, in person or in writing, Topdanmark A/S, Share Administration Department, Borupvang 4, 2750 Ballerup, Denmark, telephone + 45 4468 4411, email aktieadm@topdanmark.dk.BOARD OF DIRECTORSPlease direct any queries to: Steffen Heegaard, Group Communications and IR Director Direct tel: +45 4474 4017, Mobile: +45 4025 3524Topdanmark A/S Reg. no. 78040017 Borupvang 4 2750 Ballerup Company announcement no 02-16Sborg, 9 March 2016This is to convene the Annual General Meeting of North Media A/S, Central Business Registration number 66 59 01 19.The Annual General Meeting will be held at:Ingenirforeningens Mdecenter A/SKalvebod Brygge 31-33DK-1780 Copenhagen VFriday, 8 April 2016 at 3.00 p.m.Pursuant to Article 8.2 of the Articles of Association, the agenda is a follows:1. Presentation of management's commentary for the past year. 2. Presentation of the audited Annual Report and resolution to adopt the Annual Report. 3. Resolution to grant discharge to the members of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board. 4. Resolution on appropriation of profit or covering of loss according to the adopted Annual Report. 5. Proposals from the Board of Directors and any proposals from the shareholders. Proposals have not been received for consideration at the Annual General Meeting.1. Election of members to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors proposes re-election of the present Board: Richard Bunck, Peter Rasztar, Steen Gede and Ulrik Holsted-Sandgreen. Information on the background and skills of the candidates running for re-election, can be found on page 108 and 109 of the Annual Report for 2015.1. Appointment of auditors. The Board of Directors proposes that Deloitte Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab be re-appointed.1. Any other business.Majority requirement Adoption of proposals under the agenda item 2-4 and item 6-7 requires that proposals be adopted by a simple majority vote, see Companies Act 105.Information about registration for and attending the Annual General Meeting From Wednesday, 9 March 2016, the following information relating to the Annual General Meeting will be available at www.northmedia.dk:1) This notice convening the meeting with the agenda for the Annual General Meeting and the complete proposals and the total number of shares and voting rights as at the date of the notice.2) The documents to be presented at the Annual General Meeting including the Annual Report 2015.3) Registration form, proxy form and postal vote form.All documents may be downloaded from www.northmedia.dk.If so requested in writing to North Media A/S, Gladsaxe Mllevej 28, 2860 Sborg, Attn: Investor relations or e-mail: investor@northmedia.dk, the above documents will also be sent by ordinary mail.A shareholder's entitlement to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting is determined on the basis of the shares held by the shareholder at the registration date one week prior to the Annual General Meeting.By Friday 1 April 2016, accordingly, the shareholder must be listed in the register of shareholders as a shareholder, or at this date have given due notice in this respect with a view to being added to the register of shareholders.Shareholders are entitled to ask questions to the Board of Directors as well as Management during the Annual General Meeting. Please submit any questions to the agenda by email to investor@northmedia.dk.You may request admission cards/give proxy to the Annual General Meeting electronically via the Investor Portal at www.northmedia.dkby using your account number and password/Nem-ID. You will receive an instant confirmation of your registration. You may also choose to download the forms from www.northmedia.dk, complete them and send them by mail.Irrespective of the medium used, your request/proxy must reach Computershare A/S by Monday 4 April 2016, at 11.59 p.m.Prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting, the admission cards requested will be sent to the address registered in North Media A/S' register of shareholders.Shareholders are entitled to vote by proxy and to attend the Annual General Meeting together with an advisor.If you want to vote by mail you may do so electronically via the Investor Portal or by downloading the postal vote form from www.northmedia.dk. The form must be completed, dated and signed.Irrespective of the medium used, your postal vote must reach Computershare A/S by Thursday 7 April 2016, at 10.00 a.m.Please note that you cannot revoke a postal vote.North Media A/S' total share capital is DKK 100,275,000 nominal and is divided into shares of a nominal value of DKK 5 each, each share entitling the holder to one vote.Yours faithfullyNorth Media A/SRichard Bunck Chairman of the Board of DirectorsAttachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=550815 LONDON, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Thorn Medical PLC ("Thorn" or the "Company"), the international healthcare group, today announces that it has received full approval from the Bahamas Ministry of Health to carry out stem cell research and treatment on humans. The approval allows Thorn to use human stem cells to cure or treat the full range of conditions and illnesses that humans are prone to. Jack Kaye, Thorn Medical's Chief Executive, said: "Human stem cells will allow us to regenerate human tissues and have the potential to cure, rather than merely treat, an incredible number of diseases and conditions, from cancers through to quadriplegia. "We have already done amazing things with animals, such as growing new tendons in race horses, and have achieved similar success in treating a British quadriplegic who can now stand and move both arms, which would have been considered a miracle in the past. The potential to extend stem cell treatments even further is unlimited and we look forward to rising to the challenge of curing many of mankind's ills." The Ministry of Health, National Ethics Stem Cell Committee for the Bahamas, added "The approval of Thorn Medical's application for human stem cell research and therapy will put the Bahamas firmly at the leading edge of medicine in the developed world. The creation of this new medical industry will not only bring jobs and prosperity to our nation, but will allow us to cure many of the world's most dreaded diseases, which will benefit everyone, wherever they live." THE DIRECTORS OF THE ISSUER ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONTENTS OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT Note to Editors Thorn Medical PLC Thorn Medical is a trusted expert investor and acceleration partner dedicated to breaking down the barriers to providing more efficient and effective healthcare worldwide. With a clear focus on improving human wellbeing, it acts as an aggregator of innovative, scientifically-validated medical technology, pharmaceutical products and healthcare services businesses. It aims to transform organisational performance through delivering best practice flexible management services that streamline operations, reduce costs, encourage cross-fertilisation, expand market reach and enhance return on capital. Thorn Medical is dedicated to this market, with a global perspective and an understanding at first hand of the evolving challenges that healthcare businesses face in growing successfully. Thorn Medical understands how to create value for investors, service providers and patients through building a balanced portfolio of pre-and post-revenue companies that specialise in commercialising innovative and medical technologies and services. Thorn Medical will continue to grow both organically and through acquisitions, continually developing the enterprise and fully addressing the human health cycle and its genetic, environmental, physical and nutritional influencing factors. Thorn Medical focuses on four areas Disease prevention Immunity optimisation Disease treatment Research & development For further information, please visit Thorn Medical's website http://www.thornmedical.com Henry Gewanter,Thorn Medical PLC, Tel:+44-(0)7774-228845 BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - At 4:30 am ET Wednesday, the Office for National Statistics is set to release U.K. industrial production figures for January. Economists forecast output to grow 0.4 percent on a monthly basis in January, reversing a 1.1 percent drop in December. The pound advanced against its major counterparts before the data. The pound was worth 1.4226 against the greenback, 160.08 against the yen, 1.4193 against the franc and 0.7715 against the euro as of 4:25 am ET. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Lithuania's producer prices continued to decline in February, and at a faster pace than in the previous month, figures from the Department of Statistics showed Wednesday. The producer price index plunged 9.0 percent year-over-year in February, which was worse than the 5.6 percent decrease in January. Excluding refined petroleum products, producer prices fell 2.5 percent in February from a year ago. Prices of refined petroleum products alone tumbled by 32.8 percent and prices in the manufacturing sector dipped by 9.8 percent. On a monthly basis, producer prices slid 1.5 percent in February, following a 1.1 percent drop in the preceding month. It was the third consecutive monthly decrease. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- SureWerx (formerly named JET Group), a leading supplier of professional tool, equipment and safety products for workers across North America, has been named one of Canada's Best Managed Companies in 2015 for its consistent drive towards excellence in business performance, high velocity company culture, and innovative strategic planning process. The Best Managed program, sponsored by Deloitte, CIBC, National Post, Smith School of Business and MacKay CEO Forums, recognizes Canadian-owned and managed companies with revenues over $10 million that demonstrate the strategy, capability and commitment required to achieve sustainable growth. "We are honoured to have been recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies," said Chris Baby, Chief Executive Officer, SureWerx. "At SureWerx, we place a high value in strategic planning and having a dynamic and talented team to execute our programs. Drawing from our experienced leadership team and valued partnerships, we strive to refine our processes to remain agile in our economic environment and evolve to drive the growth needs of our staff, customers, and shareholders." Recognizing the current fast-paced economic environment in North America, SureWerx has implemented a highly successful and fluid strategic plan to expand the company and further develop their innovative product lines. This includes substantial technological innovations and a keen dedication to maintaining the high velocity company culture that helps the company thrive even during periods of continuous change. With an average employee tenure of 11.6 years, SureWerx's extremely low turnover rate of less than 15% is a clear testament that the best practices employed throughout the organization are working to retain highly motivated employees committed to consistently provide excellent customer support. "I would like to recognize the entire efforts of SureWerx. It takes a dedicated effort from an entire team to focus on a core vision, create stakeholder value and excel in the global economy to achieve this level of success," said Peter Brown, Partner, Deloitte and Co-Leader, Canada's Best Managed Companies program. "CIBC congratulates SureWerx on being named one of Canada's Best Managed Companies - a reflection of its strong leadership, sound business planning and focus on growth," said Jon Hountalas, Executive Vice-President, Business and Corporate Banking, CIBC. "We're proud to celebrate this outstanding achievement and applaud the entire team for their contributions to the Canadian marketplace." Established in 1993, Canada's Best Managed Companies is one of the country's leading business awards programs recognizing Canadian-owned and managed companies that have implemented world-class business practices and created value in innovative ways. Applicants are evaluated by an independent judging panel on overall business performance, including leadership, strategy, core competencies, cross-functional collaboration throughout the organization, and talent. The 2015 winners of the Canada's Best Managed Companies award, along with Requalified, Gold Standard, Gold Requalified winners and Platinum Club members will be honoured at the annual Canada's Best Managed Companies gala in Toronto on April 12, 2016. On the same date, the Best Managed symposium will address leading-edge business issues that are key to the success of today's business leaders. About SureWerx Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, SureWerx is a leading supplier of professional tool, equipment and safety products for workers. SureWerx markets its products in Canada under the JET, Strongarm, ITC, STARTECH, Pioneer, Ranpro, PeakWorks, and Sellstrom brands, and in the United States under the American Forge & Foundry, Pioneer, Ranpro, PeakWorks, and Sellstrom brands. SureWerx offers an unparalleled access to its brands through its partner distributor network servicing the industrial, construction, safety, and automotive aftermarket markets in North America. SureWerx is owned by Penfund, one of Canada's oldest independent private equity firms. For more information, please visit us at www.surewerx.com or www.surewerx.ca. About Canada's Best Managed Companies Canada's Best Managed Companies continues to be the mark of excellence for Canadian-owned and managed companies with revenues over $10 million. Every year since the launch of the program in 1993, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies have competed for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates their management skills and practices. The awards are granted on five levels: 1) Best Managed winner (one of the new winners selected each year); 2) Requalified winner (award recipients that have re-applied and successfully retained their Best Managed designation for two additional years, subject to annual operational and financial review); 3) Gold Standard winner (After three consecutive years of maintaining their Best Managed status, these winners have demonstrated their commitment to the program and successfully retained their award for their 4th consecutive year); 4) Gold Standard requalified winner (Award recipients that have applied and successfully retained their Gold Standard designation for two additional years, subject to annual operational and financial review); 5) Platinum Club member (Winners have maintained their Best Managed status for seven years or more). Program sponsors are Deloitte, CIBC, National Post, Smith School of Business and MacKay CEO Forums. For further information, visit www.bestmanagedcompanies.ca. Contacts: Press Contact: SureWerx Bill Jeffery SVP Corporate Development 604.523.7634 bjeffery@surewerx.com www.surewerx.com or www.surewerx.ca VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - European shares rebounded from one-week low hit on Tuesday as bets of additional stimulus from the European Central Bank meeting, due on Thursday helped lift banking stocks. The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index was moving up 0.8 percent in early trade after two days of losses. Elsewhere, the German DAX and France's CAC 40 were up about half a percent each, while the U.K's FTSE 100 traded marginally higher in choppy trade. Credit Agricole shares rallied more than 2 percent in Paris. The country's third largest bank by market value aims to boost its annual profit to more than 4.2 billion euros in 2019 by cutting costs and simplifying the corporate structure. Societe Generale Group, Commerzbank and HSBC Holdings rose between half a percent and 1.5 percent. Miners gave up early gains, with Anglo American rising 1 percent and Glencore rallying more than 3 percent, while Rio Tinto and Antofagasta dropped 1-2 percent. Security firm G4S slumped 11 percent in London after warning of further possible losses from government contracts. Insurer Prudential advanced 2 percent on reporting a 22 percent rise in full-year operating profit and declaring a special dividend. Volkswagen shares slid 1 percent in Frankfurt as the probe into the emissions-cheating scandal at the company widened. Spanish retailer Inditex rose 2.5 percent after reporting its fastest annual profit growth in three years. Telecom Italia shares climbed 3 percent after completing the sale of remaining 51 percent stake in Telecom Argentina. In economic news, official data showed that U.K. industrial production increased for the first time in 3 months in January, although the growth was slightly lower than expected by analysts. The Bank of France today cut its growth forecast for the first quarter to 0.3 percent from 0.4 percent projected earlier, citing sluggish activity in the factory, services and construction sectors. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 --Gold Resource Corporation (NYSE MKT: GORO) (the "Company") today announced it remained profitable during the precious metal bear market of 2015 reporting $3.1 million in net income and its fifth consecutive year of profitability. The Company also confirmed its previously announced 2015 annual mill production of 29,644 gold ounces and 2,506,337 silver ounces for 63,963 precious metal gold equivalent ounces (at a realized 73.1:1 silver-to-gold ratio). The Company announced its 2016 precious metal Outlook targeting a plus or minus 5 percent production range consisting of 26,000 ounces gold and 1.9 million ounces silver. Gold Resource Corporation is a gold and silver producer with operations in Oaxaca, Mexico and exploration in Nevada, USA. The Company has returned $108 million to shareholders in monthly dividends since commercial production began July 1, 2010, and offers shareholders the option to convert their cash dividends into physical gold and silver and take delivery. 2015 Annual Highlights $3.1 million net income, or $0.06 per share $92.7 million net sales 29,644 gold ounces produced 2,506,337 silver ounces produced 63,963 precious metal gold equivalent ounces produced (73.1:1 realized silver-to-gold ratio) 61,095 precious metal gold equivalent ounces sold 1,310 tonnes copper, 4,174 tonnes lead and 13,900 tonnes zinc production $517 total cash cost per precious metal gold equivalent ounce $1,013 all in annual sustaining cash cost per ounce ("AISC"); Q4 AISC reduced to $891 per ounce $12.8 million cash and cash equivalents $3.0 million physical gold and silver bullion treasury $6.5 million annual dividends paid, or $0.12 per share $108 million total dividends paid over 65 consecutive monthly distributions Continued high-grade Arista and Switchback vein system intercepts in Mexico Acquired Gold Mesa option doubling Nevada, U.S.A. exploration land position 2015 Aguila Project Overview "Although 2015 proved to be another difficult and challenging year for both precious metals and precious metal producers, I am very proud that Gold Resource Corporation not only overcame many challenges, but delivered its fifth consecutive year of profitability, four of which were in bear markets," stated Gold Resource Corporation CEO and President, Mr. Jason Reid. "While we watched several industry peers declare bankruptcy during 2015's tough and volatile metal market, our Company posted annual net income of $3.1 million or $0.06 per share, returned $6.5 million back to our shareholders through dividends, and continued to invest in the Company's future growth in Mexico and Nevada. We accomplished this without raising money and without going into debt. Though our Company performed well during the year given the circumstances, overall 2015 was difficult with precious metal prices under continued downward pressure which required occasional drastic action and modifications to our budget and business plan to adjust to the falling metals market. It is these difficult years that challenge companies to become leaner and more efficient, which positions them to survive and prosper during the next precious metal bull market to come." For the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company sold 61,095 precious metal gold equivalent ounces at a total cash cost of $517 per gold equivalent ounce. Realized 2015 average sales prices were $1,156 per ounce gold and $15.82 per ounce silver. The Company recorded revenues of $92.7 million, mine gross profit of $30.3 million, and net income of $3.1 million, or $0.06 per share. Base metal production generated $34.2 million in revenue for 2015. The calculation of our cash cost per ounce contained in this press release is a non-GAAP financial measure. Please see "Management's Discussion and Analysis and Results of Operation" contained in the Company's most recent Form 10-K for a complete discussion and reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures. Below are certain key operating statistics for our La Arista underground mine for 2015 and 2014: Production and Sales Statistics - Arista Underground Mine Three months ended Year ended December 31, December 31, --------------------- --------------------- 2015 2014 2015 2014 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Milled Tonnes Milled 113,436 91,830 413,626 375,623 Tonnes Milled per Day (1) 1,350 1,068 1,220 1,111 Grade Average Gold Grade (g/t) 2.36 3.30 2.47 3.21 Average Silver Grade (g/t) 169 290 203 296 Average Copper Grade (%) 0.42 0.50 0.40 0.43 Average Lead Grade (%) 1.37 1.75 1.37 1.57 Average Zinc Grade (%) 4.73 4.95 4.04 4.21 Recoveries Average Gold Recovery (%) 89 91 90 92 Average Silver Recovery (%) 93 92 93 92 Average Copper Recovery (%) 80 79 80 78 Average Lead Recovery (%) 71 80 74 77 Average Zinc Recovery (%) 86 85 83 83 Mill production (before payable metal deductions) (2) Gold (ozs.) 7,684 8,865 29,644 35,552 Silver (ozs.) 573,726 790,738 2,506,337 3,297,204 Copper (tonnes) 382 363 1,310 1,254 Lead (tonnes) 1,103 1,282 4,174 4,555 Zinc (tonnes) 4,600 3,856 13,900 13,195 Payable metal sold Gold (ozs.) 7,430 6,026 29,424 25,872 Silver (ozs.) 542,892 827,386 2,312,985 2,998,685 Copper (tonnes) 361 388 1,238 1,139 Lead (tonnes) 982 1,270 3,857 4,208 Zinc (tonnes) 3,810 3,450 11,478 10,833 Average metal prices realized (3) Gold ($ per oz.) 1,091 1,169 1,156 1,260 Silver ($ per oz.) 14.95 15.07 15.82 18.48 Copper ($ per tonne) 4,716 6,480 5,226 6,770 Lead ($ per tonne) 1,636 1,927 1,718 2,088 Zinc ($ per tonne) 1,545 2,181 1,836 2,200 Precious metal gold equivalent ounces produced (mill production) (2)(4) Gold Ounces 7,684 8,865 29,644 35,552 Gold Equivalent Ounces from Silver 7,864 10,192 34,319 48,351 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Total Precious Metal Gold Equivalent Ounces 15,548 19,057 63,963 83,903 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Precious metal gold equivalent ounces sold (4) Gold Ounces 7,430 6,026 29,424 25,872 Gold Equivalent Ounces from Silver 7,441 10,664 31,671 43,973 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Total Precious Metal Gold Equivalent Ounces 14,871 16,690 61,095 69,845 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Total cash cost (before by- product credits) per precious metal gold equivalent ounce sold (including royalties) (5) $ 1,170 $ 1,298 $ 1,076 $ 1,025 ========== ========== ========== ========== Total cash costs, after by- product credits, per precious metal gold equivalent ounce sold (including royalties) (5) $ 551 $ 550 $ 517 $ 449 ========== ========== ========== ========== (1) Based on actual days the mill operated during the year. (2) Mill production represents metal contained in concentrates produced at the mill, which is before payable metal deductions are levied by the buyer of our concentrates. Payable metal deduction quantities are defined in our contracts with the buyer of our concentrates and represent an estimate of metal contained in the concentrates produced at our mill which the buyer cannot recover through the smelting process. There are inherent limitations and differences in the sampling method and assaying of estimated metal contained in concentrates that are shipped, and those contained metal estimates are derived from sampling methods and assaying throughout the mill production process. The Company monitors these differences to ensure that precious metal mill production quantities are materially correct. (3) Average metal prices realized vary from the market metal prices due to final settlement adjustments from our provisional invoices when they are settled. Our average metal prices realized will therefore differ from the market average metal prices in most cases. (4) For the twelve months ended December 31, 2015, precious metal gold equivalent mill production differs from gold equivalent ounces sold due principally to buyer (smelter) concentrate processing and other deductions of approximately 2,868 gold equivalent ounces and a decrease in gold equivalent ounces contained in ending inventory of approximately 677 ounces. (5) For a reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure to total mine cost of sales, which is the most comparable U.S. GAAP measure, please see Non- GAAP Measures. 2016 Production Outlook In 2016, the Company is targeting production (with ranges based on plus or minus 5%) of approximately 26,000 ounces gold, 1.9 million ounces silver, 1,100 tonnes copper, 3,200 tonnes lead and 12,900 tonnes zinc. The target range was estimated based on the Company's 2016 mine plan, the area of the deposit scheduled to be mined during the upcoming year and the estimated grade fluctuations. In response to the continued bear market and challenging gold and silver prices, in 2016 the Company remains focused on mining tonnes based on net smelter return "NSR" values per tonne of all metals to maximize cash flow. The Company will continue to focus on overall margin from all metals and less specifically on precious metal ounces. Base metal production generally results in lower production costs per tonne and per ounce when used as a credit against precious production costs. The Company targets sufficient precious and base metal production in 2016 to support its plans for capital expenditures, exploration, dividends, taxes and future growth with a focus on increasing future gold and silver production when higher precious metal prices return. Mr. Reid continued, "I am optimistic the recent upward turn in precious metals during the first months of 2016 may be indicative of a better year ahead for precious metals and the industry. Having said that, we are preparing the Company for another challenging year to come in the precious metal space as reflected in our December 2015 decrease in monthly dividend distributions and our lean 2016 operating budgets. As we prepare for the worst and hope for the best in 2016, it is our charge to not only survive what could be another difficult year ahead, but to do so once again at a profit which is exceptional for this industry right now. When a sustained bull market ultimately returns, we look forward to the potential options of bigger budgets, better outlooks and increased dividends." 2016 Proven & Probable Reserve Update The Company recently updated its Proven and Probable Reserve Report as of December 31, 2015 in which it replaced the tonnes mined during 2015 along with a small increase in reserve tonnage, maintaining a mine life in excess of three years at the Arista deposit, depending on future production levels. For additional details on the updated reserve report, please view the press release dated March 8, 2016. The updated reserve report will be available on the Company's website. Project Update A primary goal in 2015 was the continued development of the Arista underground mine to provide increased tonnage to the Aguila mill. During 2015 the Company mined 12 separate veins between levels 4 and 20, with the bulk of production coming from the 15 to 19 levels. In 2015, the Company averaged 1,220 tonnes per day milled or 413,626 tonnes for the year, a 10% increase over 2014 tonnages of 1,111 tonnes per day or 375,623 tonnes per year. The nominal design capacity at the Aguila mill is 1,500 tonnes per day. Arista's primary decline ramp development has now passed level 21 and stopes are being developed on multiple levels. Infill and step-out drilling continues to expand the mineralized horizon at Arista with continued plans to drill vein extensions along strike, at depth and parallel to the main deposit. Arista mine development plans in 2016 include the completion of a second drift from the Arista vein system to the Switchback vein system, located approximately seven levels (140 meters) below the first drift driven to Switchback in 2015 from the fourteen level. Construction of this second drift to Switchback began in mid-January with a goal to complete it during the third quarter of 2016, development advancement timing dependent on drift progression, rock competency, and potential water courses that may be encountered during development. Once the second drift reaches Switchback, multiple levels are planned for development between these two drifts followed by preparation of ore blocks for future bulk tonnage mining. Exploration Program The highlight of 2015's exploration program was the continued drilling and discovery of additional Arista Mine veins like the Viridiana vein at the Arista vein system and the Soledad and Sofia veins at the Switchback vein system, which now totals 27 veins and structures. A total of two exploration drills are currently in operation at the Company's Oaxaca Mining Unit, both underground at the Arista deposit. The main exploration focus for 2016 continues to be the extensions of the Arista vein system and the Switchback vein system, both polymetallic epithermal vein systems which remain open along strike and at depth. The Company has budgeted approximately $2.1 million for exploration at its Oaxaca Mining Unit for 2016. In 2015, the Company acquired the Gold Mesa property option which more than doubled its Nevada Mining Unit exploration land position. Gold Mesa is located approximately seventeen miles southwest of the Company's Radar and Goose properties in the Walker Lane Mineral Belt, which is well known for its significant high-grade gold and silver production. Gold Mesa, Radar and Goose are currently held for exploration purposes and the Company believes there is excellent potential for discovery of both bulk tonnage replacement-type and bonanza-grade vein-type gold deposits, similar to other gold deposits historically mined in the Paradise Peak and Goldfield districts of Nevada. The Company plans to begin its first drill campaign at the Gold Mesa property during the first half of 2016 subject to permit timing and drill contractor availability. The Company anticipates spending approximately $0.8 million on exploration in Nevada during 2016, primarily for surface drilling on the Gold Mesa property. Dividends On December 28, 2015 the Company announced the Board of Directors modified its monthly dividend, decreasing it from 1 cent per share per month (or 12 cents per year) to 1/6 of a cent per share per month (or 2 cents per year). Multiple factors for the decrease included continued weakness in precious and base metal commodity prices, future flexibility to advance corporate strategies and reallocation of capital to include the new Gold Mesa property. Having returned $108 million to shareholders as of the end of 2015 demonstrates the Company's commitment to shareholder dividends. About GRC: Gold Resource Corporation is a mining company focused on production and pursuing development of gold and silver projects that feature low operating costs and produce high returns on capital. The Company has 100% interest in six potential high-grade gold and silver properties at its producing Oaxaca, Mexico Mining Unit and exploration properties at its Nevada, USA, Mining Unit. The Company has 54,266,706 shares outstanding, no warrants, no long term debt and has returned $108 million back to shareholders since commercial production commenced July 1, 2010. Gold Resource Corporation offers shareholders the option to convert their cash dividends into physical gold and silver and take delivery. For more information, please visit GRC's website, located at www.Goldresourcecorp.com and read the Company's 10-K for an understanding of the risk factors involved. Cautionary Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. When used in this press release, the words "plan", "target", "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the statements regarding Gold Resource Corporation's strategy, future plans for production, future expenses and costs, future liquidity and capital resources, and estimates of mineralized material. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to Gold Resource Corporation on the date of this press release, and the company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release. In particular, there can be no assurance that production will continue at any specific rate. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the Company's 10-K filed with the SEC. See Accompanying Tables The following information summarizes Gold Resource Corporations financial condition at December 31, 2015 and 2014, its results of operations including the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, and its cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013. The summary data for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 is derived from our audited financial statements contained in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, but do not include the footnotes and other information that is included in the complete financial statements. Readers are urged to review the Company's Form 10-K in its entirety, which can be found on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. GOLD RESOURCE CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (U.S. dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts) December 31, December 31, 2015 2014 ------------ ------------ ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 12,822 $ 27,541 Gold and silver bullion 2,988 3,447 Accounts receivable 321 1,416 Inventories 8,753 7,295 IVA taxes receivable 1,332 575 Income tax receivable 3,794 - Prepaid expenses and other current assets 2,608 2,935 ------------ ------------ Total current assets 32,618 43,209 Property, plant and mine development, net 51,637 32,348 Deferred tax assets 21,064 26,197 Investments in equity securities 231 2,620 Other non-current assets 985 1,609 ------------ ------------ Total assets $ 106,535 $ 105,983 ============ ============ LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 11,600 $ 3,892 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 2,140 3,923 Capital lease obligations 842 1,498 Income taxes payable - 2,079 Mining royalty taxes payable 230 2,088 Dividends payable 90 542 ------------ ------------ Total current liabilities 14,902 14,022 Capital lease obligations - 834 Reclamation and remediation liabilities 2,815 2,993 ------------ ------------ Total liabilities 17,717 17,849 Shareholders' equity: Preferred stock - $0.001 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized: no shares issued and outstanding - - Common stock - $0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized: 54,603,104 and 54,266,706 shares issued and outstanding, respectively, at December 31, 2015 and 54,515,767 and 54,179,369 shares issued and outstanding, respectively, at December 31, 2014 55 55 Additional paid-in capital 96,766 93,094 Accumulated (deficit) / retained earnings (948) 2,040 Treasury stock at cost, 336,398 shares (5,884) (5,884) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (1,171) (1,171) ------------ ------------ Total shareholders' equity 88,818 88,134 ------------ ------------ Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 106,535 $ 105,983 ============ ============ GOLD RESOURCE CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF NET INCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 (U.S. dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts) Year ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 ----------- ----------- ----------- Sales, net $ 92,701 $ 115,405 $ 125,784 Mine cost of sales: Production costs 54,362 60,241 65,022 Depreciation and amortization 7,974 4,293 2,392 Reclamation and remediation 42 - 112 ----------- ----------- ----------- Total mine cost of sales 62,378 64,534 67,526 ----------- ----------- ----------- Mine gross profit 30,323 50,871 58,258 Costs and expenses: General and administrative expenses 10,254 12,336 16,260 Exploration expenses 7,150 6,947 9,470 Facilities and mine construction - - 22,198 ----------- ----------- ----------- Total costs and expenses 17,404 19,283 47,928 ----------- ----------- ----------- Operating income 12,919 31,588 10,330 Other expense, net (2,466) (322) (1,355) ----------- ----------- ----------- Income before income taxes 10,453 31,266 8,975 Provision for income taxes 7,391 16,230 3,641 ----------- ----------- ----------- Net income $ 3,062 $ 15,036 $ 5,334 =========== =========== =========== Other comprehensive income: Currency translation gain - - 7 ----------- ----------- ----------- Comprehensive income $ 3,062 $ 15,036 $ 5,341 =========== =========== =========== Net income per common share: Basic $ 0.06 $ 0.28 $ 0.10 Diluted $ 0.06 $ 0.28 $ 0.10 Weighted average shares outstanding: Basic 54,186,547 54,119,095 53,255,259 =========== =========== =========== Diluted 54,259,312 54,620,332 55,299,475 =========== =========== =========== GOLD RESOURCE CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 (U.S. dollars in thousands) Year ended December 31, 2015 2014 2013 ---------- ---------- ---------- Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $ 3,062 $ 15,036 $ 5,334 ---------- ---------- ---------- Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities: Deferred income taxes 5,133 3,771 (3,196) Depreciation, depletion and amortization 9,097 4,551 2,626 Stock-based compensation 3,472 4,951 7,617 Other operating adjustments 2,999 330 1,588 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable 1,095 891 4,368 Inventories (555) (231) (32) Prepaid expenses and other current assets 233 930 (5,127) Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities 3,357 (2,832) (548) Mining and income taxes payable/receivable (7,721) 10,256 (5,756) Other noncurrent assets (2) - - ---------- ---------- ---------- Net cash provided by operating activities 20,170 37,653 6,874 ---------- ---------- ---------- Cash flows from investing activities: Capital expenditures (26,685) (17,898) (6,703) Investments - (1,805) (231) Purchases of gold and silver bullion - - (1,050) Proceeds from the conversion of gold and silver bullion 37 - 1,316 Proceeds from sale of building - 1,763 - Proceeds from sale of subsidiary, net of distributions - 1,291 - Other investing activities (92) 32 - ---------- ---------- ---------- Net cash used in investing activities (26,740) (16,617) (6,668) ---------- ---------- ---------- Cash flows from financing activities: Dividends paid (6,502) (6,494) (25,514) Proceeds from exercise of stock options - 100 645 Proceeds from equipment financing - - 4,501 Repayment of capital leases (1,501) (1,469) (645) ---------- ---------- ---------- Net cash used in financing activities (8,003) (7,863) (21,013) ---------- ---------- ---------- Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (146) (605) - ---------- ---------- ---------- Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents (14,719) 12,568 (20,807) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 27,541 14,973 35,780 ---------- ---------- ---------- Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 12,822 $ 27,541 $ 14,973 ========== ========== ========== Supplemental Cash Flow Information Interest expense paid $ 78 $ 149 $ 102 ========== ========== ========== Income and mining taxes paid $ 9,514 $ 939 $ 14,328 ========== ========== ========== Contacts: Corporate Development Greg Patterson 303-320-7708 www.Goldresourcecorp.com MALTA (dpa-AFX) - Malta's industrial production declined for the first time in thirteen months in January, figures from the National Statistics Office showed Wednesday. Industrial production plunged a working-day-adjusted 8.1 percent year-over-year in January, reversing a 5.4 percent climb in the previous month. It was the first decrease since January 2015. Among the main industrial groupings, production of consumer goods tumbled 16.5 percent and that for non-durable consumer goods slumped by 18.0 percent. On a monthly basis, industrial output slid 4.6 percent at the beginning of the year, after remaining flat in December. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- (All financial figures are approximate and in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted) Crescent Point Energy Corp. ("Crescent Point" or the "Company") (TSX: CPG) (NYSE: CPG) is pleased to announce the results of its year-end 2015 reserves evaluation. Crescent Point's reserves were independently evaluated by GLJ Petroleum Consultants Ltd. ("GLJ") and Sproule Associates Limited ("Sproule") as at December 31, 2015. 2015 RESERVES HIGHLIGHTS In 2015, Crescent Point generated its 14th consecutive year since inception of strong organic reserves additions. During the year, the Company invested approximately $1.56 billion into the development and expansion of its asset base, including funds invested in facilities, land and seismic. The Company added more than 65 million boe ("MMboe") of Proved plus Probable ("2P") reserves, excluding reserves added through acquisitions, and generated Finding and Development ("F&D") costs of $9.83 per 2P boe, including changes in future development capital ("FDC"). This represents a recycle ratio of 2.6 times based on the Company's 2015 average operating netback prior to realized derivatives of $25.43 per boe. Crescent Point's reserves additions in 2015 included significant additions at the Flat Lake, Viking, North Dakota Bakken, and Uinta resource plays, as well as reserves additions attributed to the waterfloods in each of the Viewfield Bakken and Shaunavon tight rock resource plays. Including acquisitions in 2015, Crescent Point replaced 315 percent of production and increased 2P reserves by 128 MMboe to 935.7 MMboe. This represents year over year growth of approximately 16 percent. The Company generated Finding, Development and Acquisition ("FD&A") costs of $18.77 per 2P boe, including changes in FDC, for a recycle ratio of 1.4 times. "2015 was another strong year that demonstrated the strength of our asset base and our technical teams," said Scott Saxberg, president and CEO of Crescent Point. "We grew reserves on a per share basis and replaced our 2015 annual production by over 300 percent. Since inception, we have added approximately 578 MMboe of 2P reserves, which equates to 62 percent of our year-end 2015 2P reserves. We are well positioned in the current environment and have an excellent long-term set of growth opportunities due to our high-quality asset base, large drilling inventory and low recovery to date." 2P HIGHLIGHTS -- Replaced 315 percent of production and increased 2P reserves by 16 percent to 935.7 MMboe (91 percent oil and liquids); -- Generated a before tax 2P Net Asset Value ("NAV") of $26.49 per fully diluted share, discounted at 10 percent; -- Added 65.0 MMboe of reserves, excluding reserves added through acquisitions, generating 2P F&D of $9.83 per boe, including changes in FDC. This represents a recycle ratio of 2.6 times; -- Replaced 109 percent of production on a 2P basis, excluding reserves added through acquisitions, highlighting the success of the Company's long-term development focus and the advancement of its resource plays; -- Increased reserve life index to 15.5 years, up from 14.5 years at year- end 2014, based on annual average production guidance as at March 9, 2016 and January 6, 2015 respectively; -- Reduced FDC, excluding acquisitions, by $922.1 million on a 2P basis, reflecting the Company's cost reduction initiatives in 2015. The Company expects that costs will continue to fall in the current low oil price environment, which could lead to future reductions in the Company's FDC; -- Generated a five-year weighted average F&D cost, including land, facility and seismic expenditures and excluding changes in FDC, of $20.39 per 2P boe. This represents a five-year weighted average recycle ratio of 2.2 times, based on the Company's five-year weighted average operating netback prior to realized derivatives of $44.47 per boe. This highlights the high netbacks of the Company's asset base, as well as the Company's technical ability to efficiently add value to its large oil- in-place assets; -- Added approximately 4.5 MMboe of 2P reserves attributed to waterflood at the Shaunavon and Viewfield tight rock plays. This represents the third consecutive year of waterflood reserves recognized by independent evaluators at Viewfield. Crescent Point's waterflood activities continue to expand providing the opportunity for future reserve growth at attractive F&D costs. -- Internally identified approximately 14 years of drilling inventory based on approximately 7,700 net drilling locations. A total of 2,378 net locations are booked as 1P and 3,683 net locations are booked as 2P in the independent evaluator's report. The remaining net locations of approximately 4,000 are internally identified locations that are unbooked. Crescent Point's unbooked drilling locations provide the opportunity for future reserves and NAV growth; 1P HIGHLIGHTS -- Replaced 207 percent of production and increased Proved ("1P") reserves by 12 percent to 592.1 MMboe (91 percent oil and liquids); -- Generated a before tax 1P NAV of $15.89 per fully diluted share, discounted at 10 percent; -- 1P reserves accounted for 63 percent of total 2P reserves; -- Added 50.2 MMboe of positive reserves, generating 1P F&D of $13.97 per boe, including changes in FDC. This represents a recycle ratio of 1.8 times. PDP HIGHLIGHTS -- Replaced 195 percent of production and increased Proved Developed Producing ("PDP") reserves by approximately 18 percent to 363.0 MMboe (91 percent oil and liquids). This represents reserves per fully diluted share growth of 4.8 percent; -- Generated a before tax PDP NAV of $10.88 per fully diluted share, discounted at 10 percent; -- Added 67.0 MMboe of positive reserves, generating PDP F&D of $22.67 per boe, including changes in FDC. This represents a recycle ratio of 1.1 times. 2015 YEAR-END RESERVES Crescent Point's reserves were independently evaluated by GLJ and Sproule as at December 31, 2015, and were aggregated by GLJ. The reserves evaluation and reporting was conducted in accordance with the definitions, standards and procedures contained in the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook ("COGEH") and - National Instrument 51-101 Standards for Disclosure of Oil and Gas Activities ("NI 51-101"). Summary of Reserves As at December 31, 2015 (1) (2) (3) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tight Oil (4) Light and Medium Oil (Mbbls) (Mbbls) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Company Company Company Company Reserves Category Gross Net Gross Net ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved Developed Producing 160,093 144,622 113,630 98,885 Proved Developed Non-Producing 5,465 4,979 4,856 4,291 Proved Undeveloped 129,664 115,947 45,641 41,462 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Proved (6) 295,222 265,548 164,127 144,638 Total Probable 178,066 157,477 99,230 86,158 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Proved plus Probable (6) 473,288 423,025 263,356 230,796 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Heavy Oil Natural Gas Liquids (Mbbls) (Mbbls) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Company Company Company Company Reserves Category Gross Net Gross Net ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved Developed Producing 22,106 19,645 34,211 30,377 Proved Developed Non-Producing 282 256 1,158 1,032 Proved Undeveloped 2,104 1,738 18,740 16,424 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Proved (6) 24,492 21,639 54,109 47,834 Total Probable 8,356 7,145 28,646 25,070 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Proved plus Probable (6) 32,847 28,784 82,755 72,904 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conventional Shale Gas (5) Natural Gas Total (MMcf) (MMcf) (Mboe) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Company Company Company Company Company Company Reserves Category Gross Net Gross Net Gross Net ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved Developed Producing 97,097 87,881 100,904 92,036 363,040 323,517 Proved Developed Non- Producing 2,663 2,460 5,312 4,640 13,091 11,741 Proved Undeveloped 91,605 79,489 27,061 25,044 215,926 192,993 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Proved (6) 191,365 169,831 133,278 121,719 592,056 528,251 Total Probable 107,277 94,251 68,532 62,224 343,599 301,929 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Proved plus Probable (6) 298,642 264,082 201,810 183,944 935,656 830,180 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Based on Sproule's December 31, 2015, escalated price forecast. (2) "Gross Reserves" are the total Company's interest share before the deduction of any royalties and without including any royalty interest of the Company. (3) "Net Reserves" are the total Company's interest share after deducting royalties and including any royalty interest. (4) Volumes reported as "Tight Oil" under revised guidelines previously would have been reported as "Light & Medium Oil" based on product quality. These volumes are now considered "Tight Oil" due to reservoir characteristics as well as drilling and completion techniques. (5) Volumes reported as "Shale Gas" under revised guidelines relate to gas volumes that have been produced in association with "Tight Oil" or as non-associated shale gas volumes. These volumes would have previously been reported as "Associated and Non-Associated Gas". (6) Numbers may not add due to rounding. Summary of Before and After Tax Net Present Values As at December 31, 2015 (1) --------------------------------------------- Before Tax Net Present Value ($ millions) --------------------------------------------- Discount Rate ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reserves Category 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved Developed Producing 12,615 9,295 7,367 6,113 5,236 Proved Developed Non-Producing 414 317 252 207 175 Proved Undeveloped 5,626 3,545 2,300 1,515 997 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Proved (2) 18,654 13,157 9,919 7,836 6,409 Total Probable 13,972 8,144 5,392 3,859 2,908 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Proved plus Probable (2) 32,626 21,301 15,311 11,695 9,317 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- After Tax Net Present Value ($ millions) --------------------------------------------- Discount Rate ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reserves Category 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved Developed Producing 11,864 8,851 7,086 5,926 5,106 Proved Developed Non-Producing 285 222 179 149 126 Proved Undeveloped 4,228 2,605 1,629 1,016 612 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Proved (2) 16,376 11,677 8,894 7,090 5,844 Total Probable 9,954 5,774 3,804 2,710 2,032 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Proved plus Probable (2) 26,330 17,452 12,698 9,799 7,876 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Based on Sproule's December 31, 2015, escalated price forecast. (2) Numbers may not add due to rounding. Before Tax Net Asset Value per Share, Fully Diluted, Utilizing Independent Engineering, Escalated Pricing ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2015 (1) (2) 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 (3) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PV 0% $60.55 $75.33 $75.69 $68.39 $71.39 $71.38 $72.01 $80.66 $61.03 $34.08 PV 5% $38.28 $48.62 $51.04 $46.49 $49.81 $47.65 $46.91 $49.30 $40.21 $21.61 PV 10% $26.49 $34.74 $38.13 $35.11 $38.42 $36.02 $35.08 $34.97 $30.05 $15.70 PV 15% $19.37 $26.41 $30.25 $28.15 $31.35 $29.10 $28.27 $26.85 $24.04 $12.27 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Based on Sproule's December 31, 2015, escalated price forecast. (2) Based on 508.9 million shares fully-diluted. (3) Net debt of $4.3 billion as at December 31, 2015. Reserves Reconciliation Gross Reserves (1) (2) --------------------------------------------- Tight Oil (3) (Mbbls) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved plus Factors Proved Probable Probable ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 1, 2015 287,378 158,576 445,954 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extensions and Improved Recovery 27,622 25,542 53,164 Technical Revisions 4,183 (19,465) (15,282) Acquisitions 14,525 12,291 26,817 Dispositions (58) (998) (1,056) Economic Factors (6,085) 2,119 (3,966) Production (32,343) - (32,343) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 31, 2015 (5) 295,222 178,066 473,288 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- Light and Medium Oil (Mbbls) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved plus Factors Proved Probable Probable ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 1, 2015 138,739 72,935 211,673 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extensions and Improved Recovery 7,513 4,179 11,692 Technical Revisions 3,516 (2,986) 530 Acquisitions 33,289 25,355 58,644 Dispositions (45) (14) (60) Economic Factors (3,338) (239) (3,576) Production (15,546) - (15,546) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 31, 2015 (5) 164,127 99,230 263,356 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- Heavy Oil (Mbbls) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved plus Factors Proved Probable Probable ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 1, 2015 27,616 8,097 35,713 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extensions and Improved Recovery - - - Technical Revisions (870) 340 (530) Acquisitions 23 8 31 Dispositions - - - Economic Factors (160) (89) (249) Production (2,117) - (2,117) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 31, 2015 (5) 24,492 8,356 32,847 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- Natural Gas Liquids (Mbbls) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved plus Factors Proved Probable Probable ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 1, 2015 36,594 18,713 55,307 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extensions and Improved Recovery 2,840 2,341 5,182 Technical Revisions 8,310 1,988 10,298 Acquisitions 10,924 5,508 16,432 Dispositions - - - Economic Factors (628) 97 (531) Production (3,932) - (3,932) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 31, 2015 (5) 54,109 28,646 82,755 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- Shale Gas (4) (MMcf) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved plus Factors Proved Probable Probable ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 1, 2015 155,663 80,038 235,701 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extensions and Improved Recovery 14,761 14,541 29,302 Technical Revisions 15,490 (9,509) 5,982 Acquisitions 32,191 21,765 53,955 Dispositions - - - Economic Factors (3,835) 443 (3,392) Production (22,905) - (22,905) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 31, 2015 (5) 191,365 107,277 298,642 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- Conventional Natural Gas (MMcf) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved plus Factors Proved Probable Probable ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 1, 2015 71,124 45,613 116,737 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extensions and Improved Recovery 1,881 1,624 3,505 Technical Revisions 20,921 1,156 22,076 Acquisitions 56,500 22,399 78,898 Dispositions - - - Economic Factors (5,331) (2,259) (7,590) Production (11,816) - (11,816) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 31, 2015 (5) 133,278 68,532 201,810 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- Total Oil Equivalent (Mboe) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proved plus Factors Proved Probable Probable ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 1, 2015 528,124 279,262 807,386 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extensions and Improved Recovery 40,749 34,756 75,505 Technical Revisions 21,208 (21,515) (307) Acquisitions 73,543 50,523 124,066 Dispositions (103) (1,012) (1,116) Economic Factors (11,738) 1,586 (10,152) Production (59,725) - (59,725) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 31, 2015 (5) 592,056 343,599 935,656 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Based on Sproule's December 31, 2015, escalated price forecast. (2) "Gross reserves" are the Company's working-interest share before deduction of any royalties and without including any royalty interests of the Company. (3) Volumes reported as "Tight Oil" under revised guidelines would have been previously reported as "Light & Medium Oil" based on product quality. These volumes are now are considered "Tight Oil" due to reservoir characteristics as well as drilling and completion techniques. (4) Volumes reported as "Shale Gas" under revised guidelines relate to gas volumes that have been produced in association with "Tight Oil" or as non-associated shale gas volumes. These volumes would have previously been reported as "Associated and Non-Associated Gas". (5) Numbers may not add due to rounding. Finding, Development and Acquisition Costs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- F&D Total FD&A Total Change in (incl. Change in (incl. F&D FDC on change in FD&A (1) FDC on change in F&D FDC) FD&A FDC) (1) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Capital ($ millions) (2) Total Proved plus Probable 1,561.8 (922.1) 639.7 3,435.2 93.0 3,528.2 Total Proved 1,561.8 (860.1) 701.7 3,435.2 (396.9) 3,038.3 Reserves (Mboe) (3) Total Proved plus Probable 65,046 - 65,046 187,996 - 187,996 Total Proved 50,219 - 50,219 123,659 - 123,659 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) FD&A is calculated by dividing the identified capital expenditures including acquisition costs by the applicable reserves additions. FD&A can include or exclude changes to future development capital costs. (2) The capital expenditures include the announced purchase price of corporate acquisitions rather than the amounts allocated to property, plant and equipment for accounting purposes. The capital expenditures also exclude capitalized administration costs and transaction costs. (3) Gross Company interest reserves are used in this calculation (working interest reserves, before deduction of any royalties and without including any royalty interests of the Company). -------------------------------------------------- Excluding changes in FDC Including changes in FDC ($/boe, except recycle ($/boe, except recycle ratios) ratios) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Years 3 Years Ended Ended Dec. 31, Dec. 31, 2015 2014 2015 2015 2014 2015 (Weighted (Weighted Avg.) Avg.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- F&D Cost (1) Total Proved plus Probable $24.01 $21.59 $21.04 $9.83 $22.11 $18.25 Total Proved $31.10 $24.95 $26.05 $13.97 $24.75 $20.99 F&D Recycle Ratio (1) (2) Total Proved plus Probable 1.1 2.4 2.0 2.6 2.4 2.3 Total Proved 0.8 2.1 1.6 1.8 2.1 2.0 FD&A Cost Total Proved plus Probable $18.27 $22.07 $19.88 $18.77 $27.30 $22.57 Total Proved $27.78 $29.32 $27.64 $24.57 $33.56 $27.86 FD&A Recycle Ratio (2) Total Proved plus Probable 1.4 2.4 2.1 1.4 1.9 1.9 Total Proved 0.9 1.8 1.5 1.0 1.6 1.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) F&D is calculated by dividing the identified capital expenditures by the applicable reserves additions. F&D can include or exclude changes to future development capital costs. (2) Recycle Ratio is calculated as operating netback divided by F&D or FD&A costs. Based on a 2015 netback (prior to realized derivatives), of $25.43 per boe, a 2014 netback (prior to realized derivatives) of $52.43 per boe and a three-year weighted average netback (prior to realized derivatives) of $41.90 per boe. Future Development Capital At year-end 2015, FDC for 2P reserves totaled $7.0 billion compared to $6.9 billion at year-end 2014. Net of acquisitions, FDC at year-end 2015 declined $922.1 million reflecting the impact of the Company's cost reduction initiatives and improved drilling efficiencies. Company Annual Capital Expenditures ($ millions) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canada US Total ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Year Total Total Total Total Total Total Proved Proved Proved Proved Proved Proved Plus Plus Plus Probable Probable Probable ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 601 849 93 162 694 1,011 2017 757 1,168 187 328 944 1,497 2018 843 1,259 320 453 1,163 1,712 2019 587 1,101 218 354 805 1,455 2020 450 814 155 246 605 1,059 2021 8 11 91 126 99 137 2022 10 8 - 15 10 23 2023 7 6 - - 7 6 2024 6 8 - - 6 8 2025 9 6 - 2 9 7 2026 5 4 - - 5 4 2027 4 6 - - 4 6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subtotal (1) 3,287 5,240 1,064 1,686 4,351 6,925 Remainder 54 62 - - 54 62 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total (1) 3,341 5,302 1,064 1,686 4,405 6,987 10% Discounted 2,638 4,165 815 1,293 3,453 5,458 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Numbers may not add due to rounding. Corporate Base Decline Rate Crescent Point has consistently increased production growth while lowering its corporate decline rate through waterflood development and disciplined capital programs. Since 2011, the Company has successfully lowered its corporate decline rate from 35 percent to an estimated 28 percent in 2016, a relative reduction of 20 percent. The Company expects an improvement in its 2017 corporate base decline rate through waterflood advancement and a prudent 2016 capital development program. Definitions Decline rate is the reduction in the rate of production from one period to the next. This rate is usually expressed on an annual basis. Finding and development costs (F&D) is calculated by dividing the identified capital expenditures by the applicable reserves additions. F&D can include or exclude changes to future development capital costs. Finding, development and acquisitions costs (FD&A) is calculated by dividing the identified capital expenditures including acquisition costs by the applicable reserves additions. FD&A can include or exclude changes to future development capital costs. Future development capital (FDC) reflects the independent evaluator's best estimate of the cost required to bring proved undeveloped and probable reserves on production. Changes in FDC can result from acquisition and disposition activities, development plans or changes in capital efficiencies due to improvements in service costs or drilling and completion methods. Net asset value (NAV) is a snapshot in time as at year-end, and is based on the Company's reserves evaluated using the independent evaluators forecast for future prices, costs and foreign exchange rates. The Company's NAV is calculated on a before tax basis and is the sum of the present value of proved and probable reserves, the fair value for land and seismic, the fair value for the Company's oil and gas hedges based on Sproule's December 31, 2015 escalated price forecast, less outstanding net debt. The NAV per share is calculated on a fully diluted basis. N1 51-101 means "National Instrument 51-101 - Standards for Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities". Recycle Ratio is calculated as operating netback divided by F&D or FD&A costs. Based on a 2015 netback (prior to realized derivatives), of $25.43 per boe, a 2014 netback (prior to realized derivatives) of $52.43 per boe and a three-year weighted average netback (prior to realized derivatives) of $41.90 per boe. Reserves are estimated remaining quantities of oil and natural gas and related substances anticipated to be recoverable from known accumulations, as of a given date, based on the analysis of drilling, geological, geophysical and engineering data; the use of established technology; and specified economic conditions, which are generally accepted as being reasonable. Proved reserves are reserves estimated to have a high degree of certainty of recoverability. Probable reserves are less certain to be recoverable than probable reserves and possible reserves are less certain than probable reserves. Reserve life index (RLI) is based upon dividing the appropriate year-end reserves category by the Company's corresponding current year production guidance. Reserves Data The reserves information contained in this press release has been prepared in accordance with NI 51-101. Complete NI 51-101 reserves disclosure will be included in our Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2015, which will be filed on or before March 9, 2016. Listed below are cautionary statements that are specifically required by NI 51-101. Where applicable, a barrels of oil equivalent ("boe") conversion rate of six thousand cubic feet of natural gas to one barrel of oil equivalent (6Mcf:1bbl) has been used based on an energy equivalent conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip. Given that the value ratio based on the current price of crude oil as compared to natural gas is significantly different than the energy equivalency of the 6:1 conversion ratio, utilizing the 6:1 conversion ratio may be misleading as an indication of value. This press release contains metrics commonly used in the oil and natural gas industry such as "netbacks," and "reserve life index". These terms do not have a standardized meaning and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies and, therefore, should not be used to make such comparisons. F&D costs, including changes in FDC have been presented in this news release because they provide a useful measure of capital efficiency. F&D costs, including land, facility and seismic expenditures and excluding changes in FDC have also been presented in this news release because they provide a useful measure of capital efficiency. Management uses recycle ratio for its own performance measurements and to provide shareholders with measures to compare the Company's performance over time. Netback is calculated on a per boe basis as oil and gas sales, less royalties, operating and transportation expenses and realized derivative gains and losses. Netback is used by management to measure operating results on a per boe basis to better analyze performance against prior periods on a comparable basis. Drilling inventory is calculated in years as the Company's 2015 year-end inventory divided by the number of wells in its 2016 drilling program. Drilling inventory is used by management to assess the amount of available drilling opportunities. Drilling inventory does not have a standardized meaning and as such may not be reliable, and should not be used to make comparisons. There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of crude oil, natural gas and NGL reserves and the future cash flows attributed to such reserves. The reserve and associated cash flow information set forth above are estimates only. In general, estimates of economically recoverable crude oil, natural gas and NGL reserves and the future net cash flows therefrom are based upon a number of variable factors and assumptions, such as historical production from the properties, production rates, ultimate reserve recovery, timing and amount of capital expenditures, marketability of oil and natural gas, royalty rates, the assumed effects of regulation by governmental agencies and future operating costs, all of which may vary materially. For these reasons, estimates of the economically recoverable crude oil, NGL and natural gas reserves attributable to any particular group of properties, classification of such reserves based on risk of recovery and estimates of future net revenues associated with reserves prepared by different engineers, or by the same engineers at different times, may vary. The Company's actual production, revenues, taxes and development and operating expenditures with respect to its reserves will vary from estimates thereof and such variations could be material. Individual properties may not reflect the same confidence level as estimates of reserves for all properties due to the effects of aggregation. This press release contains estimates of the net present value of the Company's future net revenue from our reserves. Such amounts do not represent the fair market value of our reserves. The recovery and reserve estimates of the Company's reserves provided herein are estimates only and there is no guarantee that the estimated reserves will be recovered. The reserve data provided in this news release presents only a portion of the disclosure required under National Instrument 51-101. All of the required information will be contained in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2015, which will be filed on SEDAR (accessible at www.sedar.com) and EDGAR (accessible at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml) on March 9, 2016. Notice to US Readers The oil and natural gas reserves contained in this press release have generally been prepared in accordance with Canadian disclosure standards, which are not comparable in all respects of United States or other foreign disclosure standards. For example, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") generally permits oil and gas issuers, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only proved reserves (as defined in SEC rules), but permits the optional disclosure of "probable reserves" and "possible reserves" (each as defined in SEC rules). Canadian securities laws require oil and gas issuers, in their filings with Canadian securities regulators, to disclose not only proved reserves (which are defined differently from the SEC rules) but also probable reserves and permits optional disclosure of "possible reserves", each as defined in NI 51-101. Accordingly, "proved reserves", "probable reserves" and ""possible reserves" disclosed in this news release may not be comparable to US standards, and in this news release, Crescent Point has disclosed reserves designated as "proved plus probable reserves." Probable reserves are higher-risk and are generally believed to be less likely to be accurately estimated or recovered than proved reserves. "Possible reserves" are higher risk than "probable reserves" and are generally believed to be less likely to be accurately estimated or recovered than "probable reserves". In addition, under Canadian disclosure requirements and industry practice, reserves and production are reported using gross volumes, which are volumes prior to deduction of royalties and similar payments. The SEC rules require reserves and production to be presented using net volumes, after deduction of applicable royalties and similar payments. Moreover, Crescent Point has determined and disclosed estimated future net revenue from its reserves using forecast prices and costs, whereas the SEC rules require that reserves be estimated using a 12-month average price, calculated as the arithmetic average of the first-day-of-the-month price for each month within the 12-month period prior to the end of the reporting period. Consequently, Crescent Point's reserve estimates and production volumes in this news release may not be comparable to those made by companies using United States reporting and disclosure standards. All amounts in the news release are stated in Canadian dollars unless otherwise specified. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and "forward looking information" for the purposes of Canadian securities regulation. The Company has tried to identify such forward-looking statements by use of such words as "could", "should", "can", "anticipate", "expect", "believe", "will", "may", "intend", "projected", "sustain", "continues", "strategy", "potential", "projects", "grow", "take advantage", "estimate", "well-positioned" and other similar expressions, but these words are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to the following: the recognition of strong reserve additions in 2015 under the heading "2015 Reserve Highlights"; the volumes, estimated values and life of the Company's oil and gas reserves; the volume and product mix of Crescent Point's oil and gas production; future prices for oil and natural gas; future results from operations metrics; future development, exploration, acquisition and development activities and related expectations; cost reduction expectations and the impact of such reductions on FDC; the potential for reserve and NAV growth from unbooked drilling locations; the potential for reserve growth from waterflood activity; and expected improvements to decline rates. Statements relating to "reserves" are also deemed to be forward looking statements, as they involve the implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions, that the reserves described exist in the quantities predicted or estimated and that the reserves can be profitably produced in the future. Actual reserve values may be greater than or less than the estimates provided herein. All forward-looking statements are based on Crescent Point's beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the assumption was made including, without limitation: that Crescent Point will continue to conduct its operations in a manner consistent with past operations; results from drilling and development activities (including development of infrastructure) will be consistent with past results; the general continuance of current industry conditions; the continuance of existing (and in certain circumstances, the implementation of proposed) tax, royalty and regulatory regimes; the accuracy of the estimates of the Company's reserve and resource volumes; certain commodity price and other cost assumptions; and the continued availability of adequate debt and equity financing and cash flow to fund the Company's planned expenditures. There are a number of assumptions associated with the development of the Company's assets, including the quality of the reservoirs where the Company operates, continued performance from existing wells, recovery factors, future drilling programs, performance from new wells and the growth of infrastructure. Crescent Point believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this report should not be unduly relied upon. By their nature, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which could cause actual results or other expectations to differ materially from those anticipated, expressed or implied by such statements, including those material risks discussed in the Company's Annual Information Form under "Risk Factors". In addition, risk factors include: financial risk of marketing reserves at an acceptable price given market conditions; volatility in market prices for oil and natural gas; delays in business operations, pipeline restrictions, blowouts; industry conditions including changes in laws and regulations and the adoption of new environmental laws and regulations and changes in how they are interpreted and enforced; uncertainties associated with estimating oil and natural gas reserves; economic risk of finding and producing reserves at a reasonable cost; uncertainties associated with partner plans and approvals; operational matters related to non-operated properties; unexpected geological, technical, drilling, construction and processing problems; general economic, market and business conditions; changes in income tax laws, crown royalty rates and incentive programs relating to the oil and gas industry. The impact of any one risk, uncertainty or factor on a particular forward-looking statement is not determinable with certainty as these are interdependent and Crescent Point's future course of action depends on management's assessment of all information available at the relevant time. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect Crescent Point's operations or financial results are included in Crescent Point's reports on file with Canadian and U.S. securities regulatory authorities. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date it is expressed herein or otherwise and Crescent Point undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required to do so pursuant to applicable law. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to Crescent Point or persons acting on the Company's behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Crescent Point shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange, both under the symbol CPG. Contacts: Crescent Point Energy Corp. Ken Lamont, Chief Financial Officer Telephone: (403) 693-0020 (403) 693-0070 (FAX) Toll-free (US & Canada): 888-693-0020 Website: www.crescentpointenergy.com Crescent Point Energy Corp. Trent Stangl, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Communications Telephone: (403) 693-0020 (403) 693-0070 (FAX) Toll-free (US & Canada): 888-693-0020 Website: www.crescentpointenergy.com DENVER, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Convercent, the leading provider of compliance management and analytics software, today announced the introduction of its Conflicts of Interest (COI) Manager version 2.0 that drastically improves the way disclosures are made, managed and monitored. The enhanced COI manager pairs standardization with configurability -- providing compliance teams with a scalable way to address, solicit, capture, assess and monitor disclosures for the unique types of conflicts of interest facing their employees at all levels of the organization. "If you are still sending out paper or online questionnaires to employees asking them to disclose any conflicts on an annual basis, then you are missing an incredible opportunity to uncover and mitigate real risk in your organization," says Philip Winterburn, Chief Product Officer at Convercent. "The remarkable thing about COI 2.0 is how quickly -- and easily -- it can elevate a company's approach to managing this critical risk area. COI 2.0 gives organizations even more control and defensibility around their disclosure process by allowing them to customize conflict types, questionnaires, clearance templates and requirements for disclosure updates and clearance attestations." The challenge: The pervasiveness of COIs and the misconduct they can breed routinely place among the top risk areas for companies of all shapes and sizes. However, the rudimentary way most companies address that risk is inadequate given its severity. COIs are the third most commonly observed type of misconduct, according to the 2013 National Business Ethics Survey (NBES), with only 49 percent of workers who observe COI misconduct reporting what they see. A combined 74 percent of companies use internal/desktop tools, or none at all, to manage COIs, according to the 2015 Compliance Trends Survey from Deloitte and Compliance Week, which reveals the lack of sophistication around managing this risk area. Highlights of Convercent Conflicts of Interest 2.0 Link to Policies - prompt employees to make disclosures at the same time they attest to a COI policy or Code of Conduct, capturing disclosures while employees have a clear understanding of COIs. Targeted Disclosures - configure and collect different COIs for different employees to reduce irrelevant disclosures. Customization - customize disclosure questionnaires based on conflict types. Clearance Conditions - provide admins with approved templates for issuing clearances and get employees to attest to clearance conditions. Declinations - keep track of when employees don't have conflicts to disclose and more easily distinguish between employees without conflicts and those who have yet to make their disclosures. Approvals - require additional approval layers for high-risk COIs. ABOUT CONVERCENT Convercent's risk-based global compliance solution enables the design, implementation and measurement of an effective compliance program. Delivering an intuitive user experience with actionable executive reporting, Convercent integrates the management of corporate compliance risks, cases, disclosures, training and policies. With hundreds of customers in more than 130 countries -- including Philip Morris International, CH2M Hill and Under Armour -- Convercent's award-winning GRC solution safeguards the financial and reputational health of your company. Backed by Azure Capital, Sapphire Ventures (formerly SAP Ventures), Mantucket Capital and Rho Capital Partners, and based in Denver, Colorado, Convercent will revolutionize your company's compliance program. MEDIA CONTACT Melissa French Convercent melissa.french@convercent.com (720) 523-0484 x 5805 Nanoco to Address the Growing Market Demands in LED Lighting Fueling Technology Innovation Nanoco Group plc (LSE:NANO), a world leader in the development and manufacture of cadmium-free quantum dots and other nanomaterials, today announced that Steve Reinhard, the company's Vice President of Business Development, will present at two high-profile industry events this Spring. These events include Quantum Dots Forum in Newport Beach, CA on March 9-11 and Lightfair International in San Diego, CA on April 25-28. Nanoco's insights at these key events reflect the industry's growing interest in technology advancements such as cadmium-free quantum dot technology for high-end lighting applications in retail, architecture, and agriculture applications, where maintaining true-to-life color maximizes user experience and value. With the LED Lighting market projected to grow to $63 billion in the next 3 years, manufacturers and end users will demand higher light quality and color rendering performance, in addition to LED's traditional strengths in cost and energy efficiency. Quantum dot-enhanced LEDs create a best-of-both-worlds scenario by enabling cost effective, efficient lighting products with a high degree of color specificity tailored to each application area. In his presentations, Reinhard will detail how innovative and advanced cadmium-free quantum dot technology can impact the lighting industry. Mr. Reinhard will present during the following sessions: Quantum Dots Forum 2016: "QDs Beyond Display," March 10 at 8:45 9:15 am in Newport Beach, CA "QDs Beyond Display," March 10 at 8:45 9:15 am in Newport Beach, CA Lightfair International: "Illuminating LEDs: Enhancing Color Quality and Performance with Quantum Dots," April 28 at 11:30 am 12:30 pm in San Diego, CA "Illuminating LEDs: Enhancing Color Quality and Performance with Quantum Dots," April 28 at 11:30 am 12:30 pm in San Diego, CA Mr. Reinhard also presented at the Strategies in LightInvestor Forum, Santa Clara, CA this past week. To schedule a time to meet with Nanoco during these events and learn more about its CFQD quantum dot technology and products, e-mail: info@nanocolighting.com. Please include your name, company and contact details. ABOUT NANOCO Nanoco (LSE:NANO) is a world leader in the development and production of cadmium-free quantum dots and other nano-materials for use in multiple applications including LCD displays, lighting, solar cells and bio-imaging. In the display market, it has an exclusive manufacturing and marketing licensing agreement with The Dow Chemical Company. Nanoco was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Manchester, UK. It has production facilities in Runcorn, UK, and a US subsidiary, Nanoco Inc, based in Concord, MA. Nanoco also has business development executives in Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Its technology is protected worldwide by a large and growing patent estate. Nanoco is listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange and trades under the ticker symbol NANO. For further information please visit: www.nanocogroup.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160309005651/en/ Contacts: Media Tier One Partners Colleen Irish, 617-842-1511 cirish@tieronepr.com LONGUEUIL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Avala Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: AVZ) ("Avala") announces that it has filed its management information circular (the "Circular") and related proxy materials under its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com in connection with the special meeting of its shareholders ("Shareholders") scheduled to be held on April 5, 2016 (the "Meeting"). At the Meeting, Shareholders will be asked to approve Avala's previously announced transaction with Dundee Precious Metals Inc. ("DPM") (TSX: DPM), the controlling shareholder of Avala, whereby DPM proposes to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Avala that it does not already own by way of a plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the "Arrangement"). The Arrangement is being proposed under, and is subject to the terms and conditions of, an arrangement agreement dated February 11, 2016 between Avala and DPM. Assuming the Arrangement becomes effective, holders of common shares of Avala ("Avala Shares") will receive 0.044 of a common share of Dundee for each Avala Share held. On March 4, 2016, Avala was granted an interim order from the Supreme Court of British Columbia authorizing various matters, including the holding of the Meeting and the mailing of the Circular. Shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 25, 2016 will receive notice of and be entitled to vote at the Meeting. The Circular, which provides information about each of Avala and DPM, and the Arrangement, is now being mailed to Shareholders. A copy of the Circular is also available on Avala's website at www.avalaresources.com. Your vote is important regardless of the number of Avala Shares you own. The Board of Directors of Avala recommends that the shareholders vote IN FAVOUR of the Arrangement. About Avala Resources Ltd. Avala Resources is a mineral exploration company focused on the exploration and development of gold and copper projects in Serbia. The Company's key projects are the Timok Gold Project, the Tulare Project, and the Lenovac Project. The Common Shares trade on the TSXV under the symbol 'AVZ'. Avala's issued and outstanding share capital totals 43,594,138 common shares, of which approximately 50.1% are held by Dundee Precious Metals Inc. (TSX: DPM). Additional information about Avala is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and at www.avalaresources.com. This communication does not constitute an offer to purchase or exchange or the solicitation of an offer to sell or exchange any securities of Avala or DPM, nor shall there be any sale or exchange of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale or exchange would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the laws of such jurisdiction. The distribution of this communication may, in some countries, be restricted by law or regulation. Accordingly, persons who come into possession of this document should inform themselves of and observe these restrictions. Cautionary Statement Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the Circular, any information related or received with respect to the Arrangement may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Avala should be considered highly speculative. The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transactions and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Avala Resources Ltd. David Fennell, Executive Chairman, Interim President and CEO +1.450.640.0810 info@avalaresources.com www.avalaresources.com Joy Global Inc. (NYSE: JOY) announced today that management will participate in the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Industrials EU Autos Conference being held at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Financial Centre in London, England. Ted Doheny, President and Chief Executive Officer and Jim Sullivan, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer are scheduled to present at the conference on Wednesday, March 16, at 7:25 a.m. EDT. A live audio webcast of the presentation will be available on the Company's website at http://investors.joyglobal.com/events.cfm. Listeners should go to the "Events and Presentations" heading in the Investor Center section of the Joy Global website at least 15 minutes before the presentation to download and install any necessary audio software. Joy Global Inc. is a worldwide leader in mining equipment and services for surface and underground mining. JOY-G View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160309005802/en/ Contacts: Joy Global Inc. Sandy McKenzie, +1 414-319-8506 Investor Relations CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Japanese yen erased its early gains against its major rivals and declined in European deals on Wednesday. The yen eased to 76.31 against the kiwi, 84.41 against the aussie, 160.29 against the pound and 112.67 against the franc, from its early 6-day high of 75.65, 5-day high of 83.35, weekly high of 159.48 and a 1-1/2-year high of 111.91, respectively. The yen reversed from its early 8-day highs of 83.65 against the loonie, 112.23 against the greenback and 123.06 against the euro, falling to 84.10, 112.70 and 123.68, respectively. The yen may possibly find support around 162.00 against the pound, 124.5 against the euro, 78.00 against the kiwi, 86.00 against both the aussie and the loonie and 114.00 against both the greenback and the franc. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- NeutriSci International Inc. (the "Company" or "NeutriSci") (TSX VENTURE: NU) the innovator and pioneer behind NeuEnergy, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a long term distribution agreement with Wallace & Carey Inc. ("Wallace & Carey"). Wallace & Carey operates as a Canadian distribution and logistics company representing brands such as Coke, Hershey's, Dove, Advil, Duracell and Colgate. Wallace & Carey is one of the nation's largest distribution and logistics companies, serving more than 3,500 locations across the country. Wallace & Carey distributes to many of Canada's largest retail chains, theatre chains, and many of the country's most successful independent businesses such as Petro Canada, Chevron, Cineplex and Landmark Cinemas. It offers its services for various product specialties, such as groceries, confectioneries, sundries, health and beauty products, frozen foods, tobacco products, cinema confectioneries, and automotive products. NeutriSci President, Mr. Glen Rehman stated, "We have been working diligently to expand distribution and ultimately grow sales across Canada. This agreement gives NeutriSci an instant national distribution partner to further complement our existing retail locations providing consumers added choice when purchasing NeuEnergy. Our goal is to have NeuEnergy available in over 4,000 retail locations across Canada by December of 2016." NeuEnergy is a revolutionary energy tab designed to deliver enhanced focus and mental clarity with no sugar, no calories and no crash associated with typical energy products. To find out more about NeuEnergy. visit www.getneuenergy.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of NEUTRISCI INTERNATIONAL INC. Glen Rehman, President Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward- looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws. About NeutriSci International Inc.: NeutriSci specializes in the innovation, production and formulation of nutraceutical products. Established in 2009, NeutriSci has focused on the development of several breakthrough nutraceutical products with an initial focus on areas such as heart and cholesterol health, sleep deprivation therapies, immune defense as well as men's prostate and sexual health. NeutriSci continues to build strong relationships and distribution channels for its BluScience and NeuEnergy products with retailers throughout the United States. NeutriSci is focusing efforts in strengthening sustainable sales models with Convenience, Chain Drug, and Mass Market and Supermarket retailers. For more information, visit: www.neutrisci.com. Statements in this press release have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products or ingredients are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Contacts: NeutriSci International Inc. Glen Rehman President (403) 264-6320 grehman@neutrisci.com Elektrenai, Lithuania, 2016-03-09 15:00 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lietuvos Energijos Gamyba, AB, company code 302648707, registered office at Elektrines st. 21, Elektrenai (hereinafter referred to as the Company). On 9th March 2016 the Supervisory Board of the Company passed a resolution to approve the consolidated Annual Report of the Company for the year 2015, the consolidated and Company's Annual Financial Statements for the year 2015, audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, UAB, the Company's auditor, and the allocation of profit (loss) of the Company for the year 2015. The Supervisory Board also decided to present a review on the approval to the General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company, which will be held on 29th March 2016. Shareholders can familiarize themselves with documents related to the agenda of the General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company, draft decisions on the agenda, documents to be submitted to General Meeting of Shareholders and other information related to the implementation of the rights of shareholders on the website of the Company at https://gamyba.le.lt as well as on the premises of the Company (Zveju str. 14, Vilnius) during working hours (7.30-11.30 a.m. and 12.15-4.30 p.m.; 7.30-11.30 a.m. and 12.15-3.15 p.m. on Fridays). Valentas Neviera, Head of Corporate Communication Division, tel. +370 670 25997, e-mail. valentas.neviera@le.lt Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de UTRECHT, The Netherlands, 2016-03-09 15:00 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merus B.V., a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing innovative bispecific antibody therapeutics, announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued three patents related to the generation of bispecific antibodies and to high-throughput functional screening methods of large collections of bispecific antibodies. The patents include claims covering the efficient formation of bispecific antibodies in individual cells, which supports the Company's industry-scale manufacturing using the standard processes that are also used for the production of conventional monoclonal antibodies. Furthermore, the issued patents cover methods used by Merus to identify lead candidates with multiple mechanisms of action that have the potential to effectively kill tumor cells with high potency. This is an important step in the identification of lead bispecific antibody candidates with functionalities that compare favorably against other forms of immunotherapeutics, such as conventional monoclonal antibodies as well as their combinations. The issued patents include U.S. Patent No. 9,145,588, U.S. Patent No. 9,248,181 and U.S. Patent No. 9,248,182 and are expected to expire no earlier than between 2032 and 2033. "These patents expand and strengthen our intellectual property portfolio and further reinforce our unique position in the bispecific antibody space," said Ton Logtenberg, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Merus. "Our Biclonics technology platform, which retains the Immunoglobulin G format of conventional monoclonal antibodies, is the discovery engine for our pipeline of bispecific antibody candidates. The patents cover both our methods for the discovery of lead bispecific antibody candidates in cell-based functional assays as well as our clinical and commercial scale production. We continue to methodically and strategically expand our intellectual property estate around this technology platform as well as around our growing portfolio of immuno-oncology therapeutic candidates." About Merus B.V. Merus is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing innovative bispecific antibody therapeutics, referred to as Biclonics. Biclonics are based on the full-length IgG format, are manufactured using industry standard processes and have been observed in preclinical studies to have several of the same features of conventional monoclonal antibodies, such as long half-life and low immunogenicity. Merus' lead bispecific antibody candidate, MCLA-128, is being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in Europe as a potential treatment for HER2-expressing solid tumors. Merus' second bispecific antibody candidate, MCLA-117, is being developed as a potential treatment for acute myeloid leukemia. The Company also has a pipeline of proprietary bispecific antibody candidates in preclinical development, including Biclonics designed to bind to various combinations of immunomodulatory molecules, including PD-1 and PD-L1. Contacts: Merus B.V. Shelley Margetson - s.margetson@merus.nl +31 (0)30 253 8800 Argot Partners Eliza Schleifstein - eliza@argotpartners.com 1-917-763-8106 Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius AB, identification code 304151376, registered office placed at Aguonu str. 24, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania. The total number of registered ordinary shares issued by company is 894 630 333; ISIN code LT0000130023. On 9 March, 2016 the Supervisory Board of Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius AB adopted the following decisions: -- Approve the consolidated Annual Report of the group of LESTO AB for the year 2015 and Annual Report of Public limited liability company Lietuvos Dujos for the year 2015; -- Approve the consolidated Annual Financial Statements of LESTO AB for the year 2015 audited by the audit company PricewaterhouseCoopers UAB, Approve the Annual Financial Statements of Public limited liability company Lietuvos Dujos for the year 2015 (see attached) audited by the audit company PricewaterhouseCoopers UAB; -- Approve the profit (loss) allocation of Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius AB of the year 2015; -- S ubmit this review to the Board of Directors of Energijos skirstymo operatorius AB and Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius AB to be held on 29 March 2016. Shareholders can familiarise themselves with documents related to the agenda of the General Meeting of Shareholders of Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius AB, draft decisions on the agenda, documents to be submitted to General Meeting of Shareholders and other information related to the implementation of the rights of shareholders specified in this notice on the website of Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius AB at http://www.eso.lt from the date of this notice as well as on the premises of Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius AB (Aguonu str. 24, Vilnius) during working hours (7.30-11.30 a.m. and 12.15-4.30 p.m.; 7.30-11.30 a.m. and 12.15-3.15 p.m. on Fridays). Representative for Public Relations Martynas Burba, tel. (8~5) 2514516. Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de NB Global Floating Rate Income Fund Limited (the 'Company') Conversion of Securities - Replacement The following amendment has been made to the 'Conversion of Securities' announcement released on 3 March 2016 at 8:00 GMT. 'The conversion of a number of Sterling Shares to US Dollar Shares' has been changed to 'The conversion of a number of US Dollar Shares to Sterling Shares'. All other details remain unchanged. The full amended text is shown below. 3 March 2016 NB Global Floating Rate Income Fund Limited (the 'Company') Conversion between Share Classes The Company today announces the conversion of a number of US Dollar Shares into Sterling Shares (the 'Conversion'). On the basis of the net asset values of the Company's shares as at 29 February 2016 (and also spot currency exchange rates as appropriate, in each case as at 29 February 2016), the conversion ratio, calculated in accordance with the Company's articles of incorporation, is as follows: USD to GBP 0.72128339 On the basis of the aggregate level of conversion notices received by the Company, applications will be made for the admission of 1,388,794 Sterling Shares to the Official List of the UK Listing Authority (the 'Official List') and the main market for listed securities of the London Stock Exchange plc (the 'Main Market'). Application will also be made for the cancellation of the listing on the Official List and the Main Market of 1,925,450 US Dollar Shares. It is expected that such applications will become effective and that dealing in the Sterling Shares and US Dollar Shares will commence on 10 March 2016. Accordingly, the Company's issued share capital with effect from 10 March 2016 will be as follows: 1,249,737,443 Sterling Shares (117,812,482 are held in Treasury as at 2 March 2016) 49,171,068 US Dollar Shares (2,705,254 are held in Treasury as at 2 March 2016) Sterling Shares have 1.6 votes per share and US Dollar Shares have 1 vote per share. Following Conversion (which is expected to take place on 10 March 2016) the total number of voting rights in the Company will be 1,857,545,751. This figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interests in the Company under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules. Unless otherwise defined, capitalised terms shall have the meaning given to them in the prospectus of the Company dated 30 September 2013. Note: The issued share capital and total voting rights with effect from 10 March 2016 may be subject to change due to the current on-going transactions in own shares of the Company. ENDS Carey Group Claire McSwiggan +44 (0)1481 737281 This announcement is distributed by GlobeNewswire on behalf of GlobeNewswire clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: NB GLOBAL FLOATING RATE INCOME FUND LIMITED (USD) via GlobeNewswire [HUG#1993048] B3P7S35R35 Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de DUBLIN, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent report published on Research and Markets expects the global autonomous car technology market to witness a CAGR of over 10% through 2035. According to the report, fully-autonomous cars will be commercially available by 2025, which is expected to translate into dramatic growth in the market. It was announced this week that Chris Urmson, director of the Google self-driving car project, will testify before Congress on March 15 on their efforts to develop autonomous vehicles. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130307/600769 ) Urmson will be joined by executives from General Motors, Delphi Automotive and Lyft Inc. to discuss the advancements in autonomous vehicle technology, according to reports. Manufacturers, such as Google, have complained that state regulations are impeding testing of such vehicles. But Transport Secretary Anthony Foxx, speaking at the Detroit Auto Show in January, promised new guidelines would be written within six months. Another report available on Research and Markets predicts commercial autonomous car shipments will rise to $868 million by 2021. It says that the growth is a result of various moves toward autonomous vehicles that park themselves, provide automated steering and that provide driver alerts but fall short of complete robotically operated car vehicles. This growth will also create opportunities in other areas. Research estimates that connected car services will account for nearly $40 billion in annual revenue by 2020. The proportion of connected car service revenue for driver assistance systems and autonomous driving applications is expected to dramatically increase from merely 5 percent in 2014 to over 11 percent by 2020. In January, the NHTSA published a letter stating that the artificial intelligence system piloting a Google self-driving car could be considered a driver under federal law. This was seen as a major step toward winning approval for autonomous vehicles, and this meeting of Congress signifies further progress. For further information on this topic, and a full list of all related documentation, please visit the Cars section at http://www.researchandmarkets.com/rm/MNNJ. About Research and Markets Research and Markets is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-alphabet-google-autos-congress-idUSKCN0WA299 Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood,Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: +1-646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 ATLANTA, GA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- True Nature Holding, Inc. (OTCQB: TNTY) (the "Company") today released an update on their plans to acquire a network of compounding pharmacy businesses. The plans, described on their web site at: www.truenaturepharma.com, include both regional and national presence, across multiple product lines. Steve Keaveney, Chairman and CEO, described the company activities by saying, "It has been a busy quarter for us, negotiating with a series of potential acquisitions. Our plan is to evolve regionally, with operations in Florida, then moving north to Georgia, consolidating a strong presence in the Southeast. We are creating a combination of veterinary and human businesses, as well as a balance of cash oriented operations, and more typical insurance based operations. In all cases, we are carefully reviewing product mix and pricing to ensure a conventional, low risk approach, adding seasoned industry experts to the team and also understanding at the history of each business, with an eye to high integrity." Keaveney continued, "We are in the final stages of due diligence on our first two acquisitions, and definitive agreements are being reviewed by our legal advisors. We are working to have those closed in Q2, after filing of our annual report. We are pleased to have received indications of interest for conventional debt, and the businesses are such that they can support debt and the investment required to develop the business to the next level." The Company intends to offer employment to all of the employees involved with the initial acquisitions. Plans are in place to consolidate some facilities together, creating increased margins and efficiencies. The principals of the acquisitions will become the subject matter experts that will support the technical growth plans for the products being acquired. Keaveney concluded by saying "While we believe these acquisitions make sense and are timely, neither is closed at this time and there can be no assurance that we will actually be able to close on them, or that these will occur in the timeframe we expect." Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act As contemplated by the provisions of the Safe Harbor section of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, this news release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to future, anticipated, or projected plans, performances and developments, as well as other statements relating to future operations. All such forward-looking statements are necessarily only estimates or predictions of future results or events and there can be no assurance that actual results or events will not materially differ from expectations. Further information on potential factors that could affect Trunity Holding Inc. is included in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We expressly disclaim any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements. About True Nature Holdings, Inc.: True Nature Holdings business plan contemplates a roll-up of businesses in the compounding pharmacy industry. The plan contemplates multiple acquisitions of businesses who have traditionally operated locally, but who have specialty formulations that may have a larger market. It intends to seek compounding pharmacies that serve the veterinary markets, as well as for humans. To achieve its goals, it intends to acquire a number of pharmacies across the US with the planned objective of establishing a national online pharmacy, True Nature Pharmacy, which will be a wholly owned subsidiary, will sell its product mix nationally through online marketing distribution channels. For more information, visit www.truenaturepharma.com. Contact: Stephen Keaveney CEO True Nature Holding, Inc. 1355 Peachtree Street Suite 1150 Atlanta, Georgia 30309 Phone: 404-254-6980 EMAIL: Email Contact BELLINGHAM, WA--(Marketwired - March 09, 2016) - eXp Realty International Corporation (OTCQB: EXPI) today announced that it will hold its second annual gathering of present and future shareholders at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal in Bellingham, WA beginning at 9:00 am PT on April 7th. The event will provide information about Company developments during the past year, and will also feature educational sessions and networking opportunities for the company's agent-owners, shareholders and others interested in eXp Realty including affiliates. "We're very excited about our continued growth over the past year and look forward to reporting on it and sharing our vision for the future with our various stakeholders," said eXp Realty CEO Glenn Sanford. The Company recently reported that it had added its 1,000th agent to its real estate brokerage operations positioning it among the top 50 real estate brokerages in the United States based on agent count in the context of data furnished by RISMEDIA in its 2015 PowerBroker 500 Report which contained 2014 agent count statistics for the top 500 brokerages in the country. About eXp Realty International Corporation eXp Realty International Corporation is the holding company for a number of companies most notably eXp Realty LLC, the Agent-Owned Cloud Brokerage' as a full-service real estate brokerage providing 24/7 access to collaborative tools, training, and socialization for real estate brokers and agents through its 3-D, fully-immersive, cloud office environment. This effectively reduces agents' overhead, increases their profits, and provides greater service value to consumers. As a publicly-traded company, eXp Realty International Corporation uniquely offers agents and brokers the opportunity to earn equity awards for production and contributions to overall company growth. eXp Realty, LLC and eXp Realty of Canada, Inc. also feature an aggressive revenue sharing program that pays agents a percentage of gross commission income earned by fellow real estate professionals whom they attract into the Company. From its inception, eXp Realty has been engaged in the marketing and sale of residential real estate with the goal of being the first truly cloud-based, full-service, global real estate brokerage company, delivering around-the-clock access to collaborative tools and professional development for managing real estate brokers and agents. The business model was created to increase brokers' and agents' listings and sales, while reducing their overhead and capital requirements. eXp Realty can now be found in approximately 35 states and parts of Canada. For more information, visit: www.exprealty.com or investors.exprealty.com. You can also follow eXp Realty International on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube channel. The statements contained herein may include statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements.Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update them. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the Company's expansion, revenue growth, operating results, financial performance and net income changes. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in forward-looking statements include changes in business or other market conditions; the difficulty of keeping expense growth at modest levels while increasing revenues; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K. Investor Relations Contact Information: Glenn Sanford Chairman & CEO eXp Realty International Corporation glenn@exprealty.com 360-389-2426 Trade and Media Contact Information: Jason Gesing President eXp Realty International Corporation jason@exprealty.com 617-970-8518 NEW YORK, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ResellerClub, part of Endurance International Group's family of brands and a leading provider of cloud technology, web hosting and web presence solutions, today announced that HostGator shared hosting is now available through its platform. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130522/614177 ) This collaboration between two Endurance companies brings the best of HostGator shared hosting to ResellerClub customers, providing them with an affordable hosting option and adding to the company's suite of web presence solutions. Similar to other products available through ResellerClub, HostGator shared hosting can be purchased directly through the ResellerClub platform. "We recognize the power of the platform we have, and the best way to deliver value, especially to our web designer and developer customers, is by offering them more choices," said Shridhar Luthria, General Manager, ResellerClub . "This partnership with HostGator is a huge step in that direction, and this is just the beginning. We are actively looking to integrate more hosting variants from HostGator and add more brands as well. Our goal is to become a complete, one-stop-shop where clients can get the brand, the flavor and the plan they want; all from the comfort of their ResellerClub control panel." Through additions to its suite of services, ResellerClub also aims to bridge gaps between customers around the world, specifically those in non-English speaking markets. HostGator shared hosting provides developing markets with localized features, including language interfaces, support and payment options. "We're thrilled to collaborate with ResellerClub, because it provides access to an extensive network of customers who can benefit from HostGator's shared hosting," said Adam Farrar, General Manager, HostGator. "The ResellerClub channel allows us to power even more small businesses on our state-of-the-art hosting, and we hope to bring more products to the ResellerClub platform in the future." For more information, visit: http://www.resellerclub.com/, and for more information on HostGator's U.S. offerings, visit: http://www.hostgator.com. About ResellerClub The ResellerClub platform powers some of the world's most popular web hosts, domain resellers, web designers and technology consultants. ResellerClub provides scalable and secure shared hosting, reseller hosting, VPS solutions and dedicated servers, in addition to a comprehensive suite of gTLDs, ccTLDs, new gTLDs and other essential web presence products. About HostGator HostGator is an international provider of cloud-based web presence solutions, committed to delivering reliable services backed by first-class support and guidance. Founded in 2002, HostGator is the perfect web partner for business owners and individuals seeking hands-on support. Based in Texas, HostGator has offices in Houston and Austin, and offshore enterprises in Brazil and India. For more information, visit http://www.HostGator.com. About Endurance International Group Endurance International Group is a publicly traded technology company that helps power small and medium-sized businesses online. Through its proprietary cloud platform, Endurance provides web presence solutions including web hosting, eCommerce, eMarketing and mobile business tools to over 4.7 million subscribers around the globe. The company's world-class family of brands includes Bluehost, HostGator, iPage, Domain.com, A Small Orange, Constant Contact, MOJO Marketplace, BigRock and ResellerClub among others. Headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, Endurance employs more than 3,700 people across the United States in Utah, Texas, Washington and Arizona and in the United Kingdom, India, Israel and Brazil. For more information on how Endurance can help grow your business, visit endurance.com, follow us on Twitter @EnduranceIntl and like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/EnduranceInternational. Endurance International Group and the compass logo are trademarks of The Endurance International Group, Inc. Other brand names of Endurance International Group are trademarks of The Endurance International Group, Inc. or its subsidiaries. India Contact Karthik Balachander ResellerClub +91(22)3079-7676 extn: 7791 pr@resellerclub.com U.S. Contact Dani LaSalvia Endurance International Group (781) 852-3212 press@endurance.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Imagin Medical (CSE: IME) (the "Company") is pleased to report it has begun development of its ultrasensitive i/Blue Imaging System. To be successful in the medical technology (MedTech) sector three characteristics are needed: sufficient capital, disruptive technology that solves a large clinical problem and an experienced management team capable of executing the company's plan. Capital - Imagin Medical, after completing its initial $1M financing on February 24, 2016, is well positioned to begin implementing its development strategy. Disruptive technology - As previously reported, Imagin's goal is to develop advanced imaging systems that will be used with most endoscopes to detect many different types of cancer. Imagin is initially targeting bladder cancer because it has a greater than 50% recurrence rate and, although it is the 6th most prevalent cancer in the U.S., it is the most expensive cancer to treat. The inventor of the advanced technology, Dr. Stavros Demos, is leading Imagin's development team and is now actively working with the Company's engineering and quality managers to continue development of the second generation system. The optical designs and components, advanced light sensors and an array of additional components are being requalified. To our advantage, the company believes the assemblage of these components will be smaller (miniaturized), less expensive and more powerful than the components used in the Company's original alpha prototype. Going forward, as the development of the project evolves, the potential to build enhanced systems may exist. Detailed project time lines and costs are being finalized. The company is targeting beta unit assembly by 1Q 2017. Boston - based, Healthcare Management Team - Mike Vergano, Imagin's head of operations and engineering, has more than twenty years experience in project management, product development, manufacturing engineering, and system/process design for start-ups as well as major medical corporations. His medical device experience includes designing instruments for laparoscopic surgery, GI endoscopy, urinary incontinence and orthobiologic regenerative technologies. Mr. Vergano is the holder of 11 medical device patents and has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University. Also working out of the Boston office, Steve Ruggles will manage Quality Assurance/Regulatory Affairs for Imagin. He has over 30 years experience in manufacturing quality assurance as well as domestic and international regulatory affairs for early stage companies and large multinationals. Mr. Ruggles has successfully managed the process to achieve and maintain ISO 13485 registration, CE Mark, and other FDA compliances. Mr. Ruggles holds a B.B.A. from the University of Massachusetts and an M.S. in Regulatory Affairs from The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Jim Hutchens, Imagin President and CEO, has over thirty years experience in the healthcare technology industry. Mr. Hutchens is the founder of a minimally invasive surgical instrument company and was the VP of Marketing and Sales for an early stage GI endoscopy company. This experience will provide a foundation for achieving Imagin's goal to develop the ultrasensitive i/Blue Imaging System. Additionally, Mr. Hutchens has held executive positions with Boston Scientific and Smith & Nephew. Supporting Imagin's management are a team of advisors led by Dr. Stavros Demos, the technology's inventor, and Dr. Ralph deVere White, Director of UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center where he is also a Professor of Urology. Dr. deVere White is one of the leading authorities on bladder cancer and the author of more than 300 peer-reviewed scientific articles. About Imagin Medical Imagin Medical is developing Imaging Solutions for early detection of cancer. The company is focused on advanced medical imaging to radically improve the way physicians detect cancer through the use of endoscopes. The company's initial target market is bladder cancer, a major cancer worldwide, the sixth most prevalent in the U.S., and the most costly cancer to treat due to a greater than 50% recurrence rate. Developed by Dr. Stavros Demos from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, this advanced, ultrasensitive imaging technology is based upon improved optical designs and advanced light sensors. Learn more at www.imaginmedical.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD: Jim Hutchens, President & CEO CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENT: The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to product development, licensing, commercialization and regulatory compliance issues and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include the failure to satisfy the conditions of the Canadian Securities Exchange and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law. Contacts: Imagin Medical Bill Galine Investor Relations (775) 737-3292 billgaline@gmail.com www.imaginmedical.com QUEBEC, CANADA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- SOCIETE D'EXPLORATION MINIERE VIOR INC. ("Vior"), (TSX VENTURE: VIO)(FRANKFURT: VL5) - is pleased to announce that it has entered into an option and joint venture agreement with Iluka Exploration (Canada) Ltd. ("Iluka"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Iluka Resources Limited (ASX: ILU), the largest producer of the high-grade titanium dioxide products of rutile and synthetic rutile. Iluka has been granted an option to earn an undivided interest in the 481 mining claims comprising the Foothills Rutile Property ("Foothills"), 100%-owned by Vior, which covers 27,891 hectares situated near the village of St-Urbain, a historic iron-titanium mining camp about 100 kilometers east of Quebec City, province of Quebec. Under the agreement, Iluka may earn an initial 51% interest (First Option) in the Foothills property by incurring exploration expenditures totalling $400,000 during the first year. Vior will be the operator during that period. After earning an initial 51% interest, Iluka may elect to increase its interest to 90% (Second Option) over another two-year period by incurring an additional $2,100,000 in exploration expenditures. Iluka will be the project operator during the second option period and has the right to appoint Vior to carry out joint venture exploration work. Upon completion of the second option, Vior and Iluka will bear all costs according to their participating interest in the Foothills project. Any joint venture party's interest reduced to 5% or less will be either sold to the other party at a price agreed or converted to a 2% net smelter return on precious and base metals and a 2% gross revenue royalty on mineral substances other than precious and base metals. "We are extremely pleased to have this agreement in place for the Foothills Rutile Property which will be explored in partnership with a major rutile producer such as Iluka. Our association with a company of the stature of Iluka paves the way for a promising partnership for Vior and its shareholders. Iluka has a significant experience in rutile and titaniferous mineral sands exploration; considerable technical and metallurgical expertise; and a global marketing network with extensive points of presence. These factors are the essential components to the successful development of any discovery", stated Claude St-Jacques, President and CEO. Foothills Project The Foothills project is covered by the St-Urbain Anorthositic Complex where two kilometric trains of rutile-rich ilmenite blocks and fragments were delimited by Vior (in surficial glacial sediments during field programs of 2014 and 2015. Ilmenite blocks which contain visually significant amounts of rutile minerals have returned from assays titanium dioxide (TiO2) contents ranging from 42.1% to 57.6%, with an average of 52.5%. Glacial patterns in the area suggest a proximal source of these blocks being located a few kilometers away within the St-Urbain Anorthositic Complex and at its contact zone with the surrounding gneissic rocks. Two extensive titanium showings were discovered by field prospecting in areas bordering magnetic anomalies generated from the helicopter-borne high-resolution magnetic survey completed during winter 2015. The Boudreau showing, located in the south-central part of the Foothills property, consists of 100% coarse-grained massive ilmenite exposed in two outcropping areas spaced 25 metres apart, over a width of 7 to 8 metres on one of the outcrops. Several ilmenite boulders enriched in rutile were discovered near the Boudreau showing, which remains open in all directions. The Blueberry Lake showing is located in the east-central part of the property and encompasses three outcropping areas where coarse-grained massive ilmenite is exposed over a distance of more than 140 metres. Ground gravity test lines carried out over the Blueberry Lake showing showed a distinct signature between the massive ilmenite mineralization and the anorthositic host rock. The Foothills property offers an excellent potential for discovering titanium-rich rutile mineralization since field programs performed by the Company confirmed and constrained the proximity of one or more rutile-rich titaniferous sources in the vicinity of the Boudreau showing on Foothills. The Company and its new partner Iluka will join their effort to expand upon the promising exploration work on Foothills property. It is planned to conduct helicopter-borne and ground geophysical work this winter on the Property in preparation for a follow-up field program in summer 2016. In the industry, most of rutile and ilmenite is processed into non-toxic white titanium dioxide pigment for use in the manufacture of paints, plastics, paper, textiles, cosmetics and ceramics. Rutile is also used to produce titanium metal for use in aircraft, spacecraft, surgical implants, motor vehicles and desalination plants (source: Geoscience Australia website). This press release was prepared by Mr. Marc L'Heureux, P.Geo. who is the Company's Qualified Person. About Iluka Iluka Resources (ASX: ILU) is involved in mineral sands exploration, project development, operations, marketing and rehabilitation. The company has operations in Australia (Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia) and in Virginia, USA (recently idled). Iluka is the major producer of zircon globally and largest producer of the high-grade titanium dioxide products of rutile and synthetic rutile. Iluka conducts international exploration activities for mineral sands, and has a targeted non mineral sands exploration effort in Australia. The company has an iron ore royalty associated with BHP Billiton's Pilbara iron ore operations (Mining Area C Royalty). About Vior Vior's strategy is to generate, explore and develop quality projects in the best proven and accessible mining areas. Vior owns approximately 29.8% of the share capital of Aurvista Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: AVA), the owner of the Douay gold project, which contains a NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource of 114,652,000 tonnes at 0.75 g/t gold (2.8 million ounces of gold) and 2,689,000 tonnes at 2.76 g/t gold (238,433 ounces of gold) in the Measured and Indicated categories, at a cut-off of 0.3 g/t gold (Aurvista press release of October 16, 2014). SEDAR: Societe d'exploration miniere Vior inc. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provided (as that term is defined in the Policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Claude St-Jacques President 418-692-2678 cstjacques@vior.ca Marc L'Heureux Vice President Exploration 450-746-1771 mlheureux@vior.ca www.vior.ca TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Express Employment Professionals today released new survey results revealing the most important hard and soft skills a job applicant should have. The findings come from a survey of 134 Express franchisees across North America. Respondents were asked, "What are the 5 most important soft skills an applicant should have?" At the top of the list, for the third year in a row, was "dependability/reliability" at 72%, followed by motivation (48%), verbal communication (44%), team work (39%), and commitment (39%). Respondents were also asked, "What are the 3 most important hard skills an applicant should have?" Experience topped the list with 95%, followed by technical ability (67%) and training (60%). Education came in fourth at 34%. Full results are below. "While we've seen some fluctuation year to year in the skills ranking, it's clear that the best job applicant is one who can show experience and demonstrate dependability," said Bob Funk, CEO of Express. "After all, if an employer can't depend on you, then nothing else matters. "On the hard skills side, it's always noteworthy to see that education doesn't make the top three. That's not to say education doesn't matter, but it is an important reminder that when looking for a job, an applicant should connect his or her education with the real-world skills and talents the specific employer needs." To view the survey results, please visit the following links: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/express_1.jpg http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/express_2.jpg The survey of 134 Express Employment Professionals franchisees was conducted in July 2015. If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bob Funk to discuss this topic, please contact Kellie Major at (613) 222-7488. About Robert A. Funk Robert A. "Bob" Funk is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the international staffing company has franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa. Under his leadership, Express has put more than 5 million people to work worldwide. Funk served as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and was also the Chairman of the Conference of Chairmen of the Federal Reserve. About Express Employment Professionals and Express in Canada Express Employment Professionals puts people to work. It generated $3.02 billion in sales and employed a record 500,002 people in 2015. Its long-term goal is to put a million people to work annually. Express launched in Canada in July 1996, with a franchise in London, Ontario, and since then, has expanded and grown across Canada significantly. There are currently 37 Express franchises in Canada - six in British Columbia, five in Alberta, two in Saskatchewan, 23 in Ontario and one in Nova Scotia. Contacts: Media Contacts: Kellie Major 613.222.7488 kellie@mapleleafstrategies.com Sherry Kast 405.717.5966 sherry.kast@expresspros.com @ExpressPros CanadaEmployed www.ExpressPros.com/CanadaEmployed DUESSELDORF (dpa-AFX) - The Supervisory Board Chairman of E.ON (EONGY.PK), Werner Wenning, will end his service at the end of the E.ON's Annual General Meeting on June 8th. The Supervisory Board Nomination Committee proposed Karl-Ludwig Kley as his successor on the Supervisory Board and as Supervisory Board Chairman. Kley is currently the Chairman of the Executive Board & CEO of Merck of Merck KGaA. He will leave the company at the end of April. Karl-Ludwig Kley has been successfully leading Merck KGaA for 10 years. Prior to that he served as Chief Financial Officer of Lufthansa and held various management positions at Bayer. Wenning has served as Member of the Supervisory Board since April 2008 and as its Chairman since May 2010. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - For the first time, a female four-star general was appointed to serve on the US Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, according to a DoD news release issued Tuesday. Retired Air Force Gen. Janet C. Wolfenbarger was among three new Secretary of Defense military appointees who joined DACOWITS during a swearing-in ceremony held at a DACOWITS quarterly business meeting. Also sworn in were retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Sharon K. G. Dunbar and retired Marine Corps Col. John T. Boggs. DACOWITS was established in 1951 and is composed of civilian women and men who are appointed by the defense secretary, the release said. The committee provides advice and recommendations on matters and policies relating to the recruitment, retention, treatment, employment, integration, and well-being of highly qualified professional women in the armed forces. DACOWITS recommendations have been instrumental in effecting change to laws and policies pertaining to military women. Wolfenbarger served 35 years in the Air Force. She received her commission in 1980 and was among the first class of women graduates from the U.S. Air Force Academy. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. A new office allows ISN to better serve their New Zealand customers DALLAS, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --ISN is pleased to announce the expansion of its outreach with the opening of a new office in Auckland, New Zealand.With ISN's seven existing implementations in the country, the Auckland location will enhance the company's ability to serve its New Zealand-based hiring clients as well as better serve the growing contractor base in New Zealand and the region. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160308/341911 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130904/DA73646LOGO-b In addition to the New Zealand-based public sector and power generation clients ISN began working with in 2015, companies in other New Zealand industries, including downstream petroleum production, terminals and offshore drilling, have recently partnered with ISN to protect the health and safety of their employees, their on-site contractors and the communities they touch. New Zealand recently passed the Health and Safety at Work Act, which comes into force on April 4, 2016. This legislation includes the ambitious goal of reducing New Zealand's workplace injury and death toll by 25% by 2020. A key facet of the new law is its emphasis on everyone in the workplace being responsible for health and safety. "The opening of our Auckland office marks another milestone for ISN," said Brian Callahan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of ISN. "We pride ourselves on providing best-in-class services and products to all of our customers. This office allows us to do that as we continue to expand our footprint in New Zealand and the region." Lindsey Chase, Manager of ISN's Australia and New Zealand offices, said, "ISN is pleased to partner with the many companies that are embracing enhancements in their safety culture. We look forward to supporting our customers from our Auckland-based office." In addition to offering the benefits of the ISNetworld contractor management platform, ISN also creates a global forum for sharing industry best practices and initiatives. The company hosts users' conferences, roundtables and one-on-one meetings around the world. This year ISN plans to hold several events in New Zealand, including contractor users' group meetings and help desks, one-on-one customer meetings and a Hiring Client Roundtable. To learn more about ISN, visit About ISN. Contact Brian Callahan Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer +1 (214) 303-4900 PublicRelations@isn.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - While former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won the Mississippi Democratic primary by a substantial margin, Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., narrowly scored a surprise victory in the Democratic contest in Michigan. The website for the Michigan Secretary of State indicates Sanders won 49.75 percent of the votes in the Great Lakes State compared to 48.23 percent for Clinton. Sanders' narrow victory is seen as an upset for the Senator, as polls had shown Clinton with a significant lead in Michigan. The RealClearPolitics average of recent polls had shown Clinton with a 58.7 percent to 37.3 percent advantage over Sanders. In a statement, Sanders said he is grateful to the people of Michigan for defying the pundits and pollsters and giving him their support. 'This is a critically important night,' Sanders said. 'We came from 30 points down in Michigan and we're seeing the same kind of come-from-behind momentum all across America.' He added, 'Not only is Michigan the gateway to the rest of the industrial Midwest, the results there show that we are a national campaign.' Sanders appears to have benefited from stronger support among African American voters than in other states with a large black electorate. According to NBC News, exit polls show Sanders won at least 30 percent of the black vote in Michigan after getting less than 20 in several Southern states. Nonetheless, because Democratic delegates are awarded proportionally, Clinton still expanded her lead due to her strong performance in Mississippi. Clinton won Mississippi by more than 65 percentage points, reportedly giving her a total of 81 delegates for the night compared to 64 for Sanders. The results give Clinton an even bigger lead among pledged delegates, although the outcome of the Michigan primary suggests Sanders could perform well in upcoming contests in Florida, Illinois and Ohio. On the Republican side, real estate tycoon Donald Trump continued his march towards the nomination, picking up victories in Michigan, Mississippi, and Hawaii. (Photo Credit: Nick Solari) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de PUNE, India, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report"Smart Solar Market- By Solutions (Network Monitoring, Meter Data Management, Analytics, SCADA, Remote Metering, Asset Management) Services (Consulting, Demand Response) Application (Commercial & Industrial, Residential) - Global Forecast to 2020", published by MarketsandMarkets, is expected to grow from USD 6.47 Billion in 2015 to USD 13.26 Billion by 2020, at an estimated Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15.4% during the forecast period. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 67 Tables and48 Figures spread through 144 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Smart Solar Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/smart-solar-market-1102.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. The major drivers of this market include increasing adoption of green energy, regulatory compliances, and high electricity tariffs. Also, more than 200 smart city projects across the globe, provides huge opportunities for smart solar vendors, service providers, platform providers, and consulting companies. Evolving solar industry and increasing environmental awareness coupled with technological evolution open major opportunities The market size for smart solar segment has considerably grown over the past few years on the account of evolving solar industry and the emergence of technologies such as MDM, SCADA, and remote metering have further augmented the opportunity areas for this market. The advancement in solar applications, platforms, and services coupled with the increasing integration of IoT with smart solar solutions has led to significant investment in smart solar projects globally. The increasing environmental awareness about the solar industry amongst the public will also act as an opportunity for the smart solar market. High initial investment, inadequate financial incentives for utilities and reduction of solar subsidies in many countries are the major restraints of the overall growth of this market. Meter data management and network monitoring solutions segments are expected to be the most promising segments during the forecast period The smart solar market has been segmented into solutions, services, applications, and industry sectors. Meter data management and network monitoring solution segment is projected to grow with a high growth rate; hence, will present good market opportunity during the forecast period. System integration and deployment services hold a major share in the smart solar services segment. The increasing integration of smart solar technologies with different industries is considered as the primary driver influencing the growth of the smart solar services market. Ask for Sample Pages@ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsample.asp?id=1102 Presently, North America contributes the maximum market share North America is expected to have the largest market share and would dominate the smart solar market from 2015 to 2020, with growing number of smart solar projects, increasing smart solar meter roll outs, and increasing grants and solar subsidies from the U.S. government. Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Middle East & Africa (MEA) offers potential growth opportunities due to the developing large-scale infrastructure, growing number of smart city projects, and growing energy requirements. The major vendors covered in the smart solar market for this study include ABB Group, GE Power, Itron Inc., Schneider Electric, Siemens AG, Echelon Corporation, Landis+GYR AG, Sensus USA Inc., Silver Spring Networks, and Urban GreenEnergy International. MarketsandMarkets segments the Smart Solar Market on the basis of Solutions- asset management, network monitoring, meter data management, analytics, SCADA, remote metering, and outage management Services- system integration and deployment, support and maintenance, consulting, and demand response services Applications-commercial & industrial, residential, Industry Sectors- government, utilities, healthcare, construction, education, agriculture, others and Geography. A detailed analysis of the regions has been done to provide insights into the potential future business opportunities in different regions. Browse Related Reports Smart Water Management Market by Solutions (Network Monitoring, Pressure Management, Analytics, Meter Data Management), by Services (Valve and Information Management, Pipeline Assessment), by Smart Meter Types, by Region - Global Forecast to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/smart-water-management-market-1265.html Smart Gas Market by Devices (Smart Gas Meters, AMR gas meters, communication modules), Solutions (SCADA, GIS, EAM, Mobile Workforce Management, MDM, Analytics, Leak detection), Services - Worldwide Market Forecasts and Analysis (2014-2019) http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/smart-gas-management-market-237135778.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is world's No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Contact: Mr.Rohan Markets and Markets UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune, Maharashtra 411013, India Tel: 1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/telecom-it Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Mizuho Securities USA (MSUSA), the U.S. investment banking subsidiary of the global Mizuho Financial Group (NYSE: MFG), today announced the appointment of Jerry Rizzieri as President & CEO, effective March 10, 2016. Rizzieri joined MSUSA in 2010 and has served as Executive Managing Director and Fixed Income Division Head since 2011. He is the successor as President & CEO to John Koudounis who has decided to leave the firm to pursue an opportunity which has not yet been publicly announced with an asset management company. During the tenure of John Koudounis, MSUSA has grown in terms of profitability, number of clients, and product diversification. As Head of Fixed Income, Rizzieri has played a key role in the significant development of MSUSA's sales, trading and origination capabilities in rates, credit, emerging markets and securitized products, adding senior personnel to strengthen existing businesses and building out the firm's product platform. "In my new role as President & CEO, I intend to build on our strong foundation and record of success," Rizzieri said. "Our continued expansion of product offerings is a strategic priority. Together with our affiliate, Mizuho Bank, we are committed to providing clients with the most comprehensive array of funding, investment and hedging opportunities." About Mizuho Mizuho Securities USA Inc. is a U.S. registered broker-dealer headquartered in New York City, with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hoboken, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and London (UK). MSUSA provides a wide range of fixed income and equity securities products and investment banking services to institutional clients MSUSA is one of only 22 firms designated as a Primary Dealer in U.S. Government and Agency securities. MSUSA also is a U.S. registered futures commission merchant ("FCM") and a member of most domestic and international futures exchanges. MSUSA's parent company, Mizuho Securities Co., Ltd., is a top-tier, full-service, Japanese securities firm and a core member of the Mizuho Financial Group. http://www.mizuhosecurities.com Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: MFG), based in Japan, is one of the largest financial institutions in the world, offering a broad range of financial services including banking, securities, trust and asset management, credit card, private banking services, and venture capital through its group companies. The group has approximately 55,000 staff working in more than 880 offices in over 39 countries and territories and total assets of over $1.6 trillion as of December 31, 2016. Its core global corporate banking entity, Mizuho Bank, Ltd., has offices throughout Japan, the U.S., the Americas, and the world, providing financial and strategic solutions to major corporations, financial institutions and public sector entities. For more information, please visit http://www.mizuho-fg.co.jp/english/ Contact: Cheryl Gilberg (212) 282-3238 AUSTIN, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- SmarteSoft, the leader in script-less application testing, today announced an expanded partnership with Inflectra, a provider of powerful application lifecycle management (ALM) solutions. Working together, the companies deliver the market's most user-friendly and extensible quality assurance (QA) and application lifecycle management solution platform. "This expanded collaboration capitalizes on our technical synergy, with SmarteSoft adding exceptional service capabilities to supplement our clients' ALM efforts, assuring extraordinary value," said Adam Sandman, director of Client Success at Inflectra. "Together, we provide even more market-leading QA and ALM technologies at incredibly attractive price points." Through integration of Inflectra's comprehensive ALM technology with SmarteSoft's overall QA offering, the companies are delivering the highest levels of application performance and end-user experience. The partnership also provides for new, specialized quality management capabilities to support the more rigorous needs of more regulated clients in industries including healthcare and pharmaceuticals, dramatically reducing resource burdens during application development validations. "Inflectra brings an unrivaled understanding of the needs of application development, affording unique advantages in providing our clients the most comprehensive and easy-to-use QA solutions," said Scott Almeda, CEO of SmarteSoft. "Providing the ability to easily govern the quality of mission-critical applications through the entire development lifecycle, regardless of complexity, is a win-win for operational efficiency and the end-user alike, and ensures clients can realize peak value from their QA investments." About Inflectra Inflectra Corporation is a privately held software company dedicated to helping its customers -- large corporations, small businesses, professional services firms, government agencies and individual developers -- with the means to effectively and affordably manage their software development lifecycles, so as to decrease the time to market and increase return on investment. Inflectra is currently headquartered in the growing technology community of Silver Spring, Maryland located just outside Washington, D.C. To learn more about Inflectra, visit us at www.inflectra.com or call 866-572-5878. About SmarteSoft SmarteSoft, Inc., founded in 1999, develops innovative, unparalleled quality assurance solutions for heterogeneous IT environments, driven by a patented script-less testing technology. The company's commitment to providing exceedingly effective and easy-to-use testing solutions allow developers to realize the highest levels of QA for business-critical applications, mitigate the risk of system changes, and achieve significant ROI. SmarteSoft solutions also optimize testing methodologies and results, maximize IT investments, and reduce the operational risks associated with application errors. To learn more about SmarteSoft, visit www.smartesoft.com or contact us at marketing@smartesoft.com. Contact: SmarteSoft Email Contact OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Canada Border Services Agency The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced today the arrest of Dannie Motieram who was recently featured on the "Wanted by the CBSA" list. On February 22, 2016, CBSA officers from the Greater Toronto Enforcement Office arrested Motieram in the Greater Toronto Area. Motieram is inadmissible to Canada for serious criminality for being convicted of robbery, extortion, and forcible confinement. He was apprehended by CBSA officers from the Greater Toronto Enforcement Office. Motieram was wanted on a CBSA warrant for removal since September 2013. Quick Facts -- To date, as a result of the "Wanted by the CBSA" program, Canadians have assisted in locating 66 individuals in Canada, of whom 61 have been removed. Additionally, 18 other individuals were located abroad. -- Members of the public are reminded that they should not take action to apprehend the individuals listed on the CBSA Web site. Any information on the whereabouts of these wanted individuals should be reported to the CBSA Border Watch Toll-free Line at 1-888-502-9060. Related Link Wanted by the CBSA Follow us on Twitter (@CanBorder), join us on Facebook or visit our YouTube channel. Contacts: Canada Border Services Agency Media Line 613-957-6500 FLINT, MI--(Marketwired - March 09, 2016) - According to the Michigan Association of Recreation Vehicles and Campgrounds (MARVAC), recreation vehicle sales in Michigan continue to be strong, proving that RVing is becoming the travel choice for tens of thousands of Michigan families. Find out about the economical and family-orientated vacation opportunities of RVing at the 39th Annual Flint Camper and RV Show, March 17-20, 2016. The show will be at Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center, 3501 Lapeer Road, Flint, Mich., located south of 1-69 at the Center Road exit. The show is open weekdays from 2-9 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. There will be more than 50 new 2016 units including folding campers, fifth wheel travel trailers, toy haulers and travel trailers from area dealers including Leisure Days Travel Trailer Sales and Trade Winds RV Center in Clio; New Horizons RV Center, Flint; General RV Center, Birch Run; Hamilton's RV Outlet, Saginaw; Tri City RV, Bay City; Circle K RVs in Lapeer and McDowell RV Sales & Service, in North Branch. Special show prices range from $6,995 to $75,000. "Families are recognizing the affordability and ease of vacationing in an RV," said Bill Sheffer, show director. "Especially when considering the cost and restrictions of airline travel, versus the cost of a few tanks of gas and convenience of being on your own schedule, having personal space and the ability to take what you need and want on a vacation." According to a recent vacation cost comparison study for the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association, gasoline would have to be between $12.00 and $14.00 per gallon before an RV vacation becomes more expensive than a vacation with air travel and hotel accommodations. At the 39th Annual Flint Camper & RV Show, March 17-20, multiple MARVAC member campgrounds from around the state will be represented, along with booths featuring parts and accessories, RV financing and RV rentals. Adult admission is $5; senior admission (55 and over) $4 and children 12 and under are free! Parking is free. Coupons for $1 off admission are at area Big Boy restaurants, local participating RV dealers, the View Newspapers and online at www.marvac.org. For more information call 517.349.8881. Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/3/9/11G086840/Images/RV_logo-a07f2b4ea5029559822aefa5e3fff8bb.jpg Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/3/9/11G086840/Images/Flint_Camper_and_RV_Show-5395076eeaad9b7d929921cac320d5e3.jpg Contact: Gretchen A. Monette Agency: All Seasons Communications Email: gmonette@allseasonscommunications.com Phone: 586.752.6381 Washington D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - March 9, 2016) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that a Cyprus-based company has agreed to pay $11 million to settle charges that it illegally sold binary options to U.S. investors. A judge signed a court order late yesterday authorizing the distribution of this money to harmed investors through a Fair Fund. The SEC filed a complaint in 2013 against Banc de Binary Ltd., its founder Oren Shabat Laurent, and three affiliates alleging that they failed to register the offering before soliciting U.S. customers through YouTube videos, spam e-mails, and other Internet advertising. They failed to register as a broker-dealer before communicating directly with U.S. clients by phone, e-mail, and instant messenger chats. Binary options differ from more conventional options contracts because the payout typically depends entirely on whether the price of a particular asset underlying the option will rise above or fall below a specified amount. Banc de Binary, Laurent, and the affiliates agreed to jointly pay $7.1 million in disgorgement and $1.95 million in penalties to the SEC as well as $2 million in penalties to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which filed a parallel action. The court has established a Fair Fund that will be administered by the National Futures Association to compensate harmed investors. Banc de Binary, Laurent, and the affiliates also agreed to be suspended from the securities industry for a year and permanently barred from issuing any penny stock offerings. The settlement has been approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. "Banc de Binary and its affiliates completely disregarded U.S. laws and registration requirements, and as a result they must surrender millions of dollars and be suspended from the industry," said Michele Layne, Director of the SEC's Los Angeles Regional Office. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Leslie Hakala, and the litigation was handled by John Berry, Amy Longo, and Ms. Hakala. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the CFTC. * * * Investor Alert The SEC has become aware of some impersonators claiming to be affiliated with the SEC or other government agencies who have contacted harmed investors in this Banc de Binary case and asked them to pay a fee to facilitate their settlement payout. It's important for all investors to know that the SEC never makes people pay to get their money back. The SEC's Office of Investor Education and Advocacy today issued an investor alert warning investors about phony communications that may appear on official-looking documents purportedly from the SEC offering paid legal services to investors who are fraud victims. Read the investor alert for more information about how to avoid these scams. Investors in Banc de Binary binary options who have questions about the settlement distribution should contact the National Futures Association at 800-621-3570 or BDBRestitution@nfa.futures.org. SEC enforcement staff on the case can be reached at LA4238@sec.gov. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Standard Graphite Corp. (TSX VENTURE: SGH) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the signing of an option agreement for the acquisition of 8 lithium properties in Quebec, Canada collectively the "Property". Standard plans on exploring for lithium in Quebec's vast territory where the only hard rock lithium production was ever carried out in North America. Standard's properties are located within the 2 major lithium districts of Quebec; the Abitibi and James Bay regions. The Property covers a total area of approximately 1150 hectares over highly prospective geology. Historical data(i) make mention of grades of up to 0.8% LiO2 which compares favorably with the cut-off grades used for the feasibility at the 2 most advanced projects in Quebec(ii). According to the terms of the agreement, subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, Standard will make a $2500 cash payment and issue 6,000,000 shares to seller for the acquisition of a 100% interest in the claims. The seller will retain a 2% NSR on the claims of which 1% can be bought back for $1M at any time following the acquisition. (i) A qualified person has not done sufficient work to date to confirm these historical results and there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource and that it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. (ii)This news release may also contain information about adjacent properties on which Standard has no right to explore or develop. Investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of any mineral deposits on the Company's properties. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Chris Bogart President & CEO Cautionary Statement: Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The foregoing information may contain forward-looking statements relating to the future performance of Standard Graphite Corp. Forward-looking statements, specifically those concerned with future performance are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. These risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in Standard Graphite Corp.'s filings with the appropriate securities commissions. Contacts: Standard Graphite Corp. Chris Bogart President & CEO (604) 683-2509 (604) 683-2506 (FAX) info@standardgraphite.com www.standardgraphite.com MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Transcontinental Inc. (TSX: TCL.A)(TSX: TCL.B) announces its results for the first quarter of Fiscal 2016, which ended January 31, 2016. "The growth in our revenues and profitability in the first quarter confirms the success of our strategy," said Francois Olivier, President and Chief Executive Officer of TC Transcontinental. "In our printing division, we continued to sign new agreements and adapt our printing platform to industry realities. In our packaging division, we successfully completed the integration of our most recent acquisition and we are satisfied with the results. As for the Media Sector, the acceleration of the transformation of the advertising market led to lower results for the newspapers in our Local Solutions Group. To better adapt to new market realities, we have taken important measures to give ourselves the agility needed to adjust our costs and our service offering." "We will continue to optimize our operations in the printing division and grow our packaging division through acquisitions and sales development. We have a sound financial position and continue to generate significant cash flows that will enable us to pursue our transformation," concluded Francois Olivier. Financial Highlights ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (in millions of dollars, except per share amounts) Q1-2016 Q1-2015 % ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Revenues 498.9 489.7 1.9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization (Adjusted EBITDA) 83.9 80.8 3.8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted operating earnings (Adjusted EBIT) 57.1 55.7 2.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation 41.4 38.2 8.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Per share 0.53 0.49 8.2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation 37.3 37.9 (1.6) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Per share 0.48 0.49 (2.0) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please refer to the table "Reconciliation of Non-IFRS financial measures" in this press release. 2016 First Quarter Results Revenues for the first quarter of 2016 went from $489.7 million to $498.9 million. The increase is mainly attributable to the contribution from the acquisition of Ultra Flex Packaging and the appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar. In our Printing division, revenues remained relatively stable when excluding the effect of the loss of a U.S. customer and a Canadian retailer early in 2015. In addition, the timing of purchases from an important client had an impact on the Packaging division. In the Media Sector, the decline in advertising revenues continues to have a significant impact on the results of our publishing activities, mainly within newspapers in the Local Solutions Group. Adjusted operating earnings went from $55.7 million to $57.1 million, an increase of 2.5%, in the first quarter of 2016. This performance is attributable to the net effect of an acquisition, disposals and closures and, to the favourable effect of the exchange rate as well as to the favourable effect of a decrease in the stock-based compensation expense. The increase is also attributable to the optimization of the cost structure. It was however mitigated by the aforementioned decrease in revenues in the Media Sector. The recent investments in the structure of the packaging division to promote and support the acquisition and sales development strategy also explain the slight decrease in organic growth. Adjusted net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation increased 8.4%, from $38.2 million, or $0.49 per share, to $41.4 million, or $0.53 per share. This performance is due to an increase in adjusted operating earnings as well as a decrease in adjusted income taxes and net financial expenses. Net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation decreased from $37.9 million, or $0.49 per share, to $37.3 million, or $0.48 per share. This slight decrease is explained by the sale of a building in the first quarter of 2015 which offset the increase in adjusted net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation. Other Highlights -- On November 25, 2015, TC Media launched the TC Media Nouvelles app in the Quebec market, signalling a major milestone in the development of its local digital media offering for businesses and communities. -- On January 26, 2016, the Corporation announced the transfer of its marketing product printing activities from Transcontinental Quebec to other plants in its network. This decision will result in the closure of the Transcontinental Quebec plant by April 30, 2016. For more detailed financial information, please see Management's Discussion and Analysis for the first quarter ended January 31st, 2016 as well as the financial statements in the "Investors" section of our website at www.tc.tc Outlook 2016 Flyer printing volume is expected to remain stable throughout the remainder of fiscal 2016. In addition, the success of our in-store marketing product offering for retailers and the impact of the previously announced new contracts, including those to print the Toronto Star and the Census of Canada, should act as positive catalysts during the year. However, these items should be offset by the negative impact of the advertising market on our magazine, newspaper and marketing product printing activities. Lastly, we will continue to improve our operational efficiency in order to ensure that we maintain the long-term profitability of the printing division. We successfully completed our 100-day integration plan with respect to the acquisition of Ultra Flex Packaging and the evolution of our national sales force enables us to continue developing new business opportunities. Furthermore, the recent investments in order to promote and support our acquisition and sales development strategy will have an unfavourable impact on results for the remainder of fiscal 2016. Within the Media Sector, the significant impact of the transformation of the advertising market should continue to affect our newspaper publishing activities. In order to reduce costs and better adapt to these market dynamics, we have put in place a new operational structure that allows for the necessary agility with a particular focus on the profitability of our products which will ensure their viability and perenity. Lastly, we expect to continue generating significant cash flows during the next quarters, and our excellent financial position should permit us to continue our transformation in the flexible packaging industry. We will maintain our disciplined acquisition approach in this promising market in order to invest in quality assets that meet our strategic criteria. Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Financial Measures Financial information has been prepared in conformity with IFRS. However, certain measures used in this press release do not have any standardized meaning under IFRS and could be calculated differently by other companies. We believe that many readers analyze our results based on certain non-IFRS financial measures because such measures are normalized for evaluating the Corporation's operating performance. Management uses such non-IFRS financial information to evaluate the performance of its operations and managers. These measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The following table reconciles IFRS financial measures to non-IFRS financial measures. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- First quarter ended January 31 (in millions of dollars, except per share amounts) 2016 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation $ 37.3 $ 37.9 Non-controlling interests - (0.2) Net earnings from discontinued operations - 2.2 Income taxes 11.2 12.4 Share of net earnings in interests in joint ventures, net of related taxes - (0.1) Net financial expenses 3.1 3.9 Restructuring and other costs (revenues) 5.5 (0.4) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted operating earnings $ 57.1 $ 55.7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Depreciation and amortization 26.8 25.1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization $ 83.9 $ 80.8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation $ 37.3 $ 37.9 Net earnings from discontinued operations - 2.2 Restructuring and other costs (revenues), net of related taxes 4.1 (1.9) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation $ 41.4 $ 38.2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted average number of shares outstanding 78.0 78.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation per share $ 0.53 $ 0.49 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- As at January As at 31, October 31, 2016 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Long-term debt $ 347.5 $ 347.7 Current portion of long-term debt 30.2 36.4 Cash (25.6) (38.6) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net indebtedness $ 352.1 $ 345.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization (last 12 months) $ 381.8 $ 378.7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net indebtedness ratio 0.9x 0.9x ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dividend The Corporation's Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.185 per share on Class A Subordinate Voting Shares and Class B Shares. This dividend is payable on April 21, 2016 to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 4, 2016. The Corporation thus increased the dividend per participating share by 9%, or $0.06, raising the annual dividend from $0.68 to $0.74 per share. This increase reflects TC Transcontinental's solid cash flow position. Additional Information Annual General Meeting of Shareholders Transcontinental Inc. will hold its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders today at 2:00 p.m. at the Centre Mont-Royal, 2200 Mansfield Street, in Montreal. For those who are unable to attend in person, the Corporation will webcast (audio only) the meeting and post it on its website at www.tc.tc as of March 10. Conference Call Upon releasing its first quarter 2016 results, the Corporation will hold a conference call for the financial community today at 4:15 p.m. The dial-in numbers are 1 647 788-4922 or 1 877 223-4471. Media may hear the call in listen-in only mode or tune in to the simultaneous audio broadcast on the Corporation's website, which will then be archived for 30 days. For media requests or interviews, please contact Nathalie St-Jean, Senior Advisor, Communications of TC Transcontinental, at 514-954-3581. Profile Canada's largest printer, with operations in print, flexible packaging, publishing and digital media, TC Transcontinental's mission is to create products and services that allow businesses to attract, reach and retain their target customers. Respect, teamwork, performance and innovation are strong values held by the Corporation and its employees. The Corporation's commitment to all stakeholders is to pursue its business and philanthropic activities in a responsible manner. Transcontinental Inc. (TSX: TCL.A)(TSX: TCL.B), known as TC Transcontinental, has over 8,000 employees in Canada and the United States, and revenues of C$2.0 billion in 2015. Website www.tc.tc Forward-looking Statements Our public communications often contain oral or written forward-looking statements which are based on the expectations of management and inherently subject to a certain number of risks and uncertainties, known and unknown. By their very nature, forward- looking statements are derived from both general and specific assumptions. The Corporation cautions against undue reliance on such statements since actual results or events may differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in them. Forward-looking statements may include observations concerning the Corporation's objectives, strategy, anticipated financial results and business outlook. The Corporation's future performance may also be affected by a number of factors, many of which are beyond the Corporation's will or control. These factors include, but are not limited to, the economic situation in the world and particularly in Canada and the United States, structural changes in the industries in which the Corporation operates, the exchange rate, availability of capital, energy costs, competition, the Corporation's capacity to engage in strategic transactions and integrate acquisitions into its activities, the regulatory environment, the safety of its packaging products used in the food industry, innovation of its offering and concentration of its sales in certain segments. The main risks, uncertainties and factors that could influence actual results are described in Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) for the fiscal year ended on October 31st, 2015, in the latest Annual Information Form and have been updated in the MD&A for the first quarter ended January 31st, 2016. Unless otherwise indicated by the Corporation, forward-looking statements do not take into account the potential impact of nonrecurring or other unusual items, nor of divestitures, business combinations, mergers or acquisitions which may be announced after the date of March 9, 2016. The forward-looking statements in this press release are made pursuant to the "safe harbour" provisions of applicable Canadian securities legislation. The forward-looking statements in this release are based on current expectations and information available as at March 9, 2016. Such forward-looking information may also be found in other documents filed with Canadian securities regulators or in other communications. The Corporation's management disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise these statements unless otherwise required by the securities authorities. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS Unaudited ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended January 31 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (in millions of Canadian dollars, except per share data) 2016 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Revenues $ 498.9 $ 489.7 Operating expenses 415.0 408.9 Restructuring and other costs (revenues) 5.5 (0.4) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operating earnings before depreciation and amortization 78.4 81.2 Depreciation and amortization 26.8 25.1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operating earnings 51.6 56.1 Net financial expenses 3.1 3.9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Earnings before share of net earnings in interests in joint ventures and income taxes 48.5 52.2 Share of net earnings in interests in joint ventures, net of related taxes - 0.1 Income taxes 11.2 12.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net earnings from continuing operations 37.3 39.9 Net earnings from discontinued operations - (2.2) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net earnings 37.3 37.7 Non-controlling interests - (0.2) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation $ 37.3 $ 37.9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net earnings per share - basic Continuing operations $ 0.48 $ 0.51 Discontinued operations - (0.02) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ 0.48 $ 0.49 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net earnings per share - diluted Continuing operations $ 0.48 $ 0.51 Discontinued operations - (0.03) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ 0.48 $ 0.48 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic (in millions) 78.0 78.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted average number of shares - diluted (in millions) 78.2 78.2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME Unaudited ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended January 31 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (in millions of Canadian dollars) 2016 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net earnings $ 37.3 $ 37.7 Other comprehensive income Items that will be reclassified to net earnings Net change related to cash flow hedges Net change in the fair value of derivatives designated as cash flow hedges (6.5) (9.1) Reclassification of the net change in the fair value of derivatives designated as cash flow hedges in prior periods, recognized in net earnings during the 2.0 0.5 period Related income taxes (1.3) (2.3) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (3.2) (6.3) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cumulative translation differences Net unrealized exchange gains on the translation of the financial statements of 19.6 19.0 foreign operations Net change in the fair value of derivatives designated as hedges of net investments in (0.7) - foreign operations Related income taxes (0.2) - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19.1 19.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items that will not be reclassified to net earnings Changes in actuarial gains and losses in respect of defined benefit plans Actuarial gains (losses) in respect of defined benefit plans (17.9) 7.5 Related income taxes (4.8) 2.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (13.1) 5.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other comprehensive income (1) 2.8 18.2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comprehensive income $ 40.1 $ 55.9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attributable to: Shareholders of the Corporation $ 40.1 $ 56.1 Non-controlling interests - (0.2) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ 40.1 $ 55.9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Other comprehensive income is attributable to continuing operations. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY Unaudited ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (in millions of Canadian dollars) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attributable to shareholders of the Corporation --------------------------------------------------------- Accumulated other Share Contributed Retained comprehensive capital surplus earnings income ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance as at October 31, 2015 $ 368.2 $ 3.2 $ 625.5 $ 19.4 Net earnings - - 37.3 - Other comprehensive income - - - 2.8 Shareholders' contributions and distributions to shareholders Share redemptions (3.0) - (6.4) - Exercise of stock options 0.2 - - - Dividends - - (13.2) - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance as at January 31, 2016 $ 365.4 $ 3.2 $ 643.2 $ 22.2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance as at October 31, 2014 $ 366.0 $ 3.4 $ 415.6 $ 7.1 Net earnings - - 37.9 - Other comprehensive income - - - 18.2 Shareholders' contributions and distributions to shareholders Exercise of stock options 0.8 (0.1) - - Dividends - - (12.5) - Stock-option based compensation - 0.1 - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance as at January 31, 2015 $ 366.8 $ 3.4 $ 441.0 $ 25.3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ Non- controlling Total interests Total equity ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance as at October 31, 2015 $ 1,016.3 $ - $ 1,016.3 Net earnings 37.3 - 37.3 Other comprehensive income 2.8 - 2.8 Shareholders' contributions and distributions to shareholders Share redemptions (9.4) - (9.4) Exercise of stock options 0.2 - 0.2 Dividends (13.2) - (13.2) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance as at January 31, 2016 $ 1,034.0 $ - $ 1,034.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance as at October 31, 2014 $ 792.1 $ 1.0 $ 793.1 Net earnings 37.9 (0.2) 37.7 Other comprehensive income 18.2 - 18.2 Shareholders' contributions and distributions to shareholders Exercise of stock options 0.7 - 0.7 Dividends (12.5) - (12.5) Stock-option based compensation 0.1 - 0.1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Balance as at January 31, 2015 $ 836.5 $ 0.8 $ 837.3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION Unaudited ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (in millions of Canadian dollars) As at As at January 31, October 31, 2016 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current assets Cash $ 25.6 $ 38.6 Accounts receivable 338.8 393.0 Income taxes receivable 9.4 15.2 Inventories 107.8 116.3 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 19.1 16.2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 500.7 579.3 Property, plant and equipment 571.3 567.5 Intangible assets 260.6 257.5 Goodwill 468.8 459.5 Investments in joint ventures 2.5 2.5 Deferred taxes 212.2 197.1 Other assets 40.8 50.1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ 2,056.9 $ 2,113.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 259.0 $ 339.7 Provisions 9.0 10.2 Income taxes payable 13.1 20.7 Deferred revenues and deposits 61.4 51.4 Current portion of long-term debt 30.2 36.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 372.7 458.4 Long-term debt 347.5 347.7 Deferred taxes 69.0 79.9 Provisions 4.2 5.7 Other liabilities 229.5 205.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1,022.9 1,097.2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Equity Share capital 365.4 368.2 Contributed surplus 3.2 3.2 Retained earnings 643.2 625.5 Accumulated other comprehensive income 22.2 19.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1,034.0 1,016.3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- $ 2,056.9 $ 2,113.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS Unaudited ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended January 31 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (in millions of Canadian dollars) 2016 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operating activities Net earnings $ 37.3 $ 37.7 Less: Net earnings from discontinued operations - (2.2) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net earnings from continuing operations 37.3 39.9 Adjustments to reconcile net earnings from continuing operations and cash flows from operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 33.6 31.5 Financial expenses on long-term debt 4.6 5.6 Net losses (gains) on disposal of assets 0.4 (6.9) Income taxes 11.2 12.4 Net foreign exchange differences and other (13.6) (3.7) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash flows generated by operating activities before changes in non-cash operating items 73.5 78.8 and income taxes paid Changes in non-cash operating items (1) (11.9) (13.1) Income taxes paid (27.3) (40.8) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash flows from continuing operating activities 34.3 24.9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Investing activities Business disposals 0.5 0.3 Acquisitions of property, plant and equipment (14.1) (13.0) Disposals of property, plant and equipment - 0.2 Increase in intangible assets (4.6) (5.5) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash flows from investments in continuing operations (18.2) (18.0) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Financing activities Reimbursement of long-term debt (0.1) (65.0) Net increase (decrease) in credit facility (8.0) 59.2 Financial expenses on long-term debt (5.4) (7.8) Interest received related to previous tax reassessments 5.4 - Exercise of stock options - 0.7 Dividends (13.2) (12.5) Share redemptions (9.4) - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash flows from the financing of continuing operations (30.7) (25.4) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Effect of exchange rate changes on cash denominated in foreign currencies 1.6 3.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net change in cash from continuing operations (13.0) (15.1) Net change in cash from discontinued operations - 4.3 Cash at beginning of period 38.6 35.2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash at end of period $ 25.6 $ 24.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Non-cash investing activities Net change in capital asset acquisitions financed by accounts payable $ (0.8) $ (0.6) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Includes an amount of $31.0 millions that was received and recognized as deferred revenues during the three-month period ended January 31, 2016. Contacts: Media: Nathalie St-Jean Senior Advisor, Communications TC Transcontinental 514-954-3581 nathalie.st-jean@tc.tc www.tc.tc Financial Community: Jennifer F. McCaughey Vice President, Communications TC Transcontinental 514-954-2821 jennifer.mccaughey@tc.tc www.tc.tc Schiphol, the Netherlands, 2016-03-09 18:04 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --Wereldhave proposes the appointment of two new members of the Supervisory Board. The profile of the Company has changed significantly over the past three years. The Supervisory Board therefore decided to review the profile for members of the Board, with the addition of knowledge and experience in the field of international multichannel retailing to the profile.Mrs F.C. Weijtens has decided to step down from the board for personal reasons and Mr J.A.P. van Oosten will retire in 2017. To prepare for a smooth transition, the Supervisory Board proposes the nomination of Mr G. van de Weerdhof (Dutch nationality, 50) and of Mrs L. Geirnaerdt (Belgian nationality, 41), which will temporarily bring the number of Supervisory Board members to six.Mr Gert van de Weerdhofs background in international multichannel retailing perfectly fits within the new profile for members of the Board. He is the CEO of RFS Holland Holding/Wehkamp B.V. since 2013 and previously worked for Esprit, Pearle, PepsiCo and Procter&Gamble in the Netherlands and abroad.The nomination of Mrs Leen Geirnaerdt as a financial specialist broadens the financial expertise within the Supervisory Board. She is CFO of USG People N.V. since 2011 and held several other finance positions at USG group companies since 2006. Before joining USG, she worked for Solvus Resource Group and PwC in Belgium. This nomination adds to the international diversification of the Supervisory Board.AGM The Annual General Meeting of Shareholders will be held on Friday April 22, 2016, 11.00hrs CEST at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel, Apollolaan 138, 1077 BG Amsterdam. The convocation for the meeting, the agenda and annexes can be found at the Company's website as from March 10, 2016 and are also published at www.securitiesinfo.com.The Annual Report 2015, Wereldhave's first integrated annual report, can be downloaded at www.wereldhave.com as from March 10, 2016.Information for the press: Richard W. Beentjes E richard.beentjes@wereldhave.com T + 31 20 702 78 32Information for analysts: Jaap-Jan Fit E jaapjan.fit@wereldhave.com T + 31 20 702 78 43Attachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=550922 Publicis Media Unfolds Its Organisation Powered by Four Global Brands- Starcom, Zenith, Mediavest | Spark, and Optimedia | Blue 449 Appointments Announced for Regional and Agency Leadership Paris, France, March 9, 2016 - Publicis Media today unveiled structure and leadership appointments for its organisation, as announced by Steve King, CEO, Publicis Media. "We are driven to get to the future first," says King. "Publicis Media is a fresh opportunity to simplify our organisation, invent more modern approaches to gain efficiency, introduce structures for greater collaboration and effectiveness, and drive new levels of scale and client value." "The new Publicis Media imagined by Steve King is fully equipped to fit the future and best serve our clients," Maurice Levy, Chairman & CEO, Publicis Groupe, endorses, "A leaner and simpler structure will bring more value to our clients and will further accelerate our growth." Publicis Media's structure will cover Top 20 markets, organised by three regions and led by Tim Jones, Regional CEO for the Americas, Iain Jacob, Regional CEO for EMEA, and Gerry Boyle, Regional CEO for APAC. At a global management level, Adrian Sayliss will become CFO for Publicis Media, Severine Charbon will become the Chief Talent Officer for Publicis Media, and John Sheehy will oversee Global Clients for Publicis Media. Publicis Media will consolidate its six global agency brands: Starcom, Mediavest, Spark, Zenith, Optimedia and Blue 449 into four global agency brands. Those four global agency brands are as follows: Starcom and Zenith will each continue to operate as global agency brands Mediavest | Spark will be a third large global agency brand Optimedia | Blue 449 will be brought together to form a powerful global challenger brand Each agency will be led by a Global Brand President with Lisa Donohue as Global Brand President for Starcom, Vittorio Bonori as Global Brand President for Zenith, Brian Terkelsen as Global Brand President for Mediavest | Spark, and Andras Vigh as Global Brand President for Optimedia | Blue 449. These Global Brand Presidents will be responsible for leading clients, driving growth and enabling best work. Additionally, there will be four US CEOs with Chris Boothe becoming CEO of Mediavest | Spark, Dave Ehlers of Optimedia | Blue 449, Lou Rossi continuing at Zenith and Lisa Donohue continuing as US CEO for Starcom until a successor is named. All US brand leadership will report into Tim Jones, CEO of Americas. Dave Penski will become Chief Investment Officer for Publicis Media in the U.S. overseeing all media investment and media vendor partnerships. He reports to Jones. Publicis Media's U.S. consolidated investment power, estimated at $39 Billion and 33% market share, makes Publicis Media the largest media buying entity in the U.S., according to RECMA's most recent Overall Activity Ranking Report. Powering Publicis Media will be seven centralised 'Global Practices' that standardise approaches, scale quickly and deliver connectivity, consistency, that span geography, agency brands and clients. These Global Practices will be: Data, Technology & Innovation led by Stephan Beringer Content led by Belinda Rowe Trading & Buying led by Simon Pardon Performance led by Michael Kahn Business Development & Communications led by Lauren Hanrahan Business Transformation led by Richard Hartell Analytics, Research & Insight led by Steve Simpson In this new model, the agency network names of Starcom Mediavest Group and ZenithOptimedia Group are retired to better enable a flatter organisational structure. Publicis Media will deliver client value through combined scale and capabilities of our media agency brands. VivaKi capabilities will be fully integrated into Publicis Media's Global Practice model. Performics will remain Publicis Media's global performance marketing brand and scale across all agency brands. The reorganisation of Publicis Groupe's media capabilities into a Publicis Media hub is part of Publicis Groupe's transformation efforts previously announced. Publicis Groupe is organised into four Solutions hubs-Publicis Communications led by Arthur Sadoun, Publicis Media led by Steve King, Publicis.Sapient led by Alan Herrick and Publicis Health led by Nick Colucci-which are connected through a Chief Revenue Officer organization, led by Laura Desmond, which will deliver client satisfaction across Publicis Groupe's entire range of services. About Publicis Groupe - The Power of One Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in marketing, communication, and business transformation. Active across the entire value chain, from consulting to creation and execution, Publicis Groupe offers its clients a unified, fluid model allowing them access to all the Groupe's tools and expertise around the world. Publicis Groupe is organized across four Solutions hubs: "Publicis Communications" (Publicis Worldwide with MSL, Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett, BBH, and Prodigious), "Publicis Media" (Starcom Mediavest, ZenithOptimedia and Vivaki,); "Publicis.Sapient" a one of a kind global digital platform (Sapient Consulting, SapientNitro, DigitasLBi, Razorfish) and Publicis Healthcare. Present in 108 countries, the Groupe employs more than 77,000 professionals. www.publicisgroupe.com (http://www.publicisgroupe.com) | Twitter: @PublicisGroupe (http://Twitter:%20@publicisgroupe/) | Facebook: www.facebook.com/publicisgroupe (http://www.facebook.com/publicisgroupe) LinkedIn: Publicis Groupe | http://www.youtube.com/user/PublicisGroupe (http://www.youtube.com/user/PublicisGroupe) | Viva la Difference Contacts Publicis Groupe Peggy Nahmany Corporate Communications + 33 (0)1 44 43 72 83 peggy.nahmany@publicisgroupe.com (mailto:peggy.nahmany@publicisgroupe.com) Publicis Media Anita McGorty Corporate Communications +1 212 468-3788 anita.mcgorty@smvgroup.com (mailto:anita.mcgorty@smvgroup.com) Tim Collison Corporate Communications +44 (0)207 961 1126 tim.collison@zenithoptimedia.com (mailto:tim.collison@zenithoptimedia.com) This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Publicis Groupe via Globenewswire HUG#1993145 LONDON, March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- - Delivering Security Intelligence as a Technology and as a Service Kaspersky Lab today announced a major expansion of its enterprise security product portfolio. New offerings include the Kaspersky Anti Targeted Attack Platform - a highly sophisticated solution designed to detect targeted attacks and a range of Security Intelligence Services including penetration testing, cybersecurity training and threat intelligence sharing. The Kaspersky Anti Targeted Attack Platform is a fully integrated solution that includes network, web and e-mail sensors as well as a Targeted Attack Analyser and Sandbox engines. A premium solution, it is based on Kaspersky Lab's expertise in the detection and analysis of the world's most sophisticated cyber-threats. The Kaspersky Anti Targeted Attack Platform The Kaspersky Anti Targeted Attack Platform is a highly sophisticated solution which enables businesses to detect targeted attacks and other malicious actions through the careful monitoring of network activity, including web and e-mail. Based on our security intelligence and renowned expertise in discovering the world's most advanced cyber-threats, the Kaspersky Anti Targeted Attack Platform utilises network and endpoint sensors and our own sandbox technology to detect abnormal and potentially malicious activity within a highly integrated system. Availability of all necessary modules within the solution itself grants full compatibility with customers' existing corporate security infrastructure. Addressing the "one percent" of cyber-threats Conventional protection technologies are very good at preventing generic threats and attacks from breaching the corporate perimeter. Although the number of such threats is still growing, businesses are becoming more concerned about targeted attacks and advanced cyber-weapons used for the purposes of cyber-espionage or the disruption of business activity. While these threats represent a tiny fraction (less than one per cent) of the entire landscape, they present the highest risk to companies worldwide. What's even more important is that the number of such attacks is growing steadily and the price-per-attack is diminishing: a targeted attack does not have to be sophisticated to be successful. Existing technologies that use generic methods and proactive technologies are capable of preventing 99 per cent of attacks. Solving the "one percent" problem is harder: it requires advanced technology and, more importantly, proper security intelligence that has either been accumulated within the company or requested from a security vendor. The Kaspersky Anti Targeted Attack Platform is a complex solution designed to achieve one simple goal: to identify and highlight unusual actions that constitute strong evidence of malicious intent based on the analysis of corporate network activity and using different data sources. The Discovery of Targeted Attacks: All Features are Important The Kaspersky Anti Targeted Attack Platform analyses data collected from different points of the corporate IT infrastructure. The solution's sensors cover data acquisition duties over network traffic, web and e-mail as well as endpoints . This allows the solution to detect complex attacks at any stage, even when no malicious activity is taking place, like data exfiltration. Suspicious events are then processed via different engines, including an Advanced Sandbox and a Targeted Attack Analyser for a final verdict. The Advanced Sandbox is based on more than ten years of experience in proactive security technology. It provides a safe, isolated and virtualised environment to analyse suspicious objects and detect their intent. The Targeted Attack Analys er utilises data processing and machine learning technologies to assess and combine verdicts from different analysis engines. This is where the final decision to alert staff is made. Additional technologies that help to reduce false positive alerts include Kaspersky Lab's own anti-malware engine to rule out generic attacks that can be blocked by traditional solutions; URL analysis; threat data feeds delivered from Kaspersky Lab's cloud security network; an Intrusion Detection System; and, last but not least, support for custom rules to detect specific activity in a corporate network. The fully integrated approach and the inclusion of Kaspersky Lab's deep expertise in the discovery of targeted attacks differentiate the Kaspersky Anti Targeted Attack Platform from other vendors' offerings . The ability to apply the latest intelligence of the ever-evolving threat landscape to activity across the entire corporate network allows businesses to add much-needed detection capabilities to their cybersecurity arsenal. To ensure the solution is fully adapted to the specific needs of our customers, Kaspersky Lab also offers special intelligence services that help manage the Kaspersky Anti-Targeted Attack Platform in the most efficient manner. "As we developed our Anti Targeted Attack Platform, we understood that a working solution cannot stand apart from well-known and highly efficient security approaches. At the same time, new corporate threats demand new technology and intelligence, an order of magnitude more complex than our existing solutions. The result of two years' extensive investment of resources, expertise and talent is this premium product that helps enterprises to achieve new levels of security for their IT infrastructure," - commented Nikita Shvetsov, Kaspersky Lab's Chief Technology Officer. "We saw with the discovery of the cyberespionage group Carbanak, which targeted banks across the world, that cybercriminals now have the capabilities to take hold of the inner workings of an organisation and mimic activity to transfer both money and information out. Such attacks highlight the fact that criminals exploit organisations by examining risks and evaluating how they can be manipulated. Its clear UK businesses today need knowledge of possible attack vector details of the indicators of compromise, as well as the ability to distinguish normal operations from malicious activity. This is an immense undertaking which requires strong security expertise combined with technology that is capable of spotting a criminal act in the avalanche of daily activity in a large corporation." - commented Kirill Slavin, General Manager of UK and Ireland at Kaspersky Lab. "This is the challenge that is being addressed with the Kaspersky Anti Targeted Attack Platform, together with the security services aimed at sharing security intelligence with our customers faster than ever before. Today we announce our entry into a new category of security products, one that we believe will define the future of the IT security industry." Learn more about the Kaspersky Anti Targeted Attack Platform at our website. Kaspersky Security Intelligence Services Addressing complex security problems requires a deep knowledge of the threat landscape. Every day more businesses understand the need to develop their own cybersecurity know-how and this has driven demand for security vendors to offer intelligence sharing. We have realigned our business processes to ensure wide availability of such intelligence to clients around the world - in the form of a new range of security-as-a-service products. Kaspersky Lab's Security Intelligence Services comprise three major areas and are designed to meet the most frequent demands of large organisations, governmental agencies, ISPs, Telecoms and Managed Security Service Providers. Security Assessment: The specifics of the next cyber-attack before it happens Security Assessment Services is a brand new security offering from Kaspersky Lab that includes Penetration Testing and Application Security Assessment . In enabling corporate clients to predict the specifics of a cyber-attack before it happens, Kaspersky Lab speeds up the transformation of intelligence into real protection. Kaspersky Lab's dedicated team of security experts supports this service offering and can test a company's protection against a wide variety of attack methods. Cybersecurity Training: awareness and expert courses in information security Every business has a choice of how it views its employees: either they are seen as potential accomplices of threat actors or as allies of the security team in building the company's immunity from cyber-attacks. From years of experience researching cybercrime and raising security awareness in selected clients, we are confident that cooperation always yields better results. Thus, the important part of the Security Intelligence Services offering is the Cybersecurity Awareness program for the businesses workforce. Kaspersky Lab also shares its vast security expertise with fellow IT security professionals. A major part of the Cybersecurity Training offering is Cybersecurity Fundamentals and Digital Forensics and Malware Analysis/Reverse Engineering training. Aimed at speeding up the response to cyber-attacks, this training suits enterprises and MSSPs as well as governmental and law enforcement agencies. One of the notable examples of successful intelligence sharing is Kaspersky Lab's cooperation with the City of London Police and Interpol. The training provides IT security professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge to identify and mitigate cyber-attacks. Threat Intelligence: data-driven, uncompromised intelligence sharing This branch of the Security Intelligence Services package allows companies to access threat intelligence data from Kaspersky Lab through Threat Data Feeds and Botnet Tracking . Threat Data Feeds include prompt information on malicious programs and URLs, phishing attacks and mobile threats, and are compatible with popular third-party SIEM solutions. The fruit of Kaspersky Lab's security experts' work is also available in a form of tailored Intelligence Reporting , made-to-order reports on specific aspects of the threat landscape as well as prompt, actionable reports on the latest and most sophisticated threats. More details about the Services are available at Kaspersky Lab's website. About Kaspersky Lab Kaspersky Lab is one of the world's fastest-growing cybersecurity companies and the largest that is privately owned. The company is ranked among the world's top four vendors of security solutions for endpoint users (IDC, 2014). Since 1997 Kaspersky Lab has been an innovator in cybersecurity and provides effective digital security solutions and threat intelligence for large enterprises, SMBs and consumers. Kaspersky Lab is an international company, operating in almost 200 countries and territories across the globe, providing protection for over 400 million users worldwide. Learn more athttp://www.kaspersky.co.uk. Editorial contact: BerkeleyPR LaurenWhite kasperskylab@berkeleypr.co.uk Telephone:+44-(0)118-909-0909 1650ArlingtonBusinessPark RG74SA,Reading Kaspersky Lab UK Stephanie Fergusson Stephanie.Fergusson@kasperskylab.co.uk Telephone: +44-(0)7714107292 2 Kingdom Street W2 6BD, London Technavio analysts expect the global automation market in chemicals and petrochemicals industryfor 2016-2020to grow at a CAGR of over 7% and exceed USD 7 billion, according to their latest report. The global automation market in the chemicals and petrochemicals industry is expected to register positive growth during the forecast period due to capital and R&D investments in developing and implementing automation solutions. According to Bharath Kanniappan, a lead research analyst at Technavio for automation, "Organizations are deploying automation solutions to enhance productivity. Automation solutions, such as distributed control systems, programmable logic controllers, manufacturing execution systems, and supervisory control and data acquisition systems, enable fast and highly responsive actions and prevent plant operational failures." Technavio's market research analysts for the industrial automation industry have identified the following three factors that will drive the global automation market in chemicals and petrochemicals industry through 2020: Rise in investments and business expansions Reduction in machine downtime Need to comply with government policies and regulations Rise in investments and business expansions The chemicals and petrochemicals industry globally is embracing automation as part of its growing investment allocations in R&D and new projects. Rising market competition, globalization, and the need to conform to quality benchmarks have expanded the use of automation solutions in the chemicals and petrochemicals industries. Industry-based automation solutions offer scalability and modularity and help integrate the existing infrastructure with new frameworks. Automation solutions also help compile details that are specific to industrial processes from start to finish, thus helping enterprises make better, faster, and more competitive decisions. Many chemical and petrochemical vendors such as Sasol and Royal Dutch Shell are the front-runners in the implementation of automation solutions in their manufacturing plants. The rise in business expansions and investments in regions such as the Middle East, the Americas, and APAC will likely boost the demand for automation solutions in the chemicals and petrochemicals industry. For instance, in Saudi Arabia, an investment of USD 20 billion is powering a fully integrated petrochemical plant in Jubail. A major portion of the investment was used to implement automation solutions designed by ABB. Technavio predicts high adoption of automation solutions in APAC, which was the largest global chemicals producer in 2015. The region will generate high demand for chemicals following rising demand from other industries such as aerospace and defense, automotive, and electrical and electronics. The high growth of these industries in Japan, China, India, and South Korea will contribute to the growth of the market. Reduction in machine downtime The breakdown of machinery has a negative impact on production processes, which may lead to the loss of substantial revenue for manufacturing companies. The lack of automation in traditional chemical and petrochemical industries increases downtime in production activities and disrupts the manufacturing process. Disruptions such as frequent power outages on an average, cost USD 700,000 per hour due to production downtime which is reduced to USD 20,000 with the use of automation systems. "This has enhanced the adoption rate of automation systems in production lines, which has enabled operators to take corrective actions or send signals to floor personnel to identify and mitigate issues and reduce machine downtime," says Bharath. Need to comply with government policies and regulations The US government has enacted stringent regulations and policies for manufacturing industries such as automotive, foods and beverages, consumer packaged goods, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. It has imposed regulations and policies for good manufacturing practices with a view to improve public safety and to meet international quality standards. Stringent regulations designed to curb CO2 emissions, lower power consumption, and reduce wastage by industries have also been imposed. Automation systems can directly detect the emission of toxic gases and help to cut those emissions. Technavio notes that the chemicals and petrochemicals industries globally are using automation systems to meet government regulations and boost safety systems. Automation solutions offer companies real-time information about production processes and aid in streamlining various aspects of their processes. Certain automated systems help detect impurities and other constituents in chemical and petrochemical products. These systems also detect hydrocarbon liquids before they are transformed into natural gas. Browse Related Reports: Global MRO Market for Automation Solutions 2016-2020 Global Marketing Automation Software Market 2015-2019 Global Terminal Automation Market 2016-2020 Purchase these three reports for the price of one by becoming a Technavio subscriber. Subscribing to Technavio's reports allows you to download any three reports per month for the price of one. Contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and a link to our subscription platform. About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160309005030/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com media@technavio.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Presidential frontrunners Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton lead in the crucial states of Florida and Ohio, according to the results of new CNN/ORC polls. Trump's leads in the home states of Republican rivals Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Ohio Gov. John Kasich suggest it may be difficult to stop the real estate tycoon's march to the GOP nomination. The survey of likely Florida Republican primary voters found that 40 percent support Trump, while 24 percent prefer Rubio. Another 19 percent favor Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex. Trump has a narrower advantage in Ohio, where he has a 41 percent to 35 percent lead over Kasich. Fifteen percent of likely Ohio Republican primary voters support Cruz. Florida and Ohio are both winner-take-all states and could give Trump a commanding lead in delegates if he wins next week's contests. CNN noted large majorities in both states say their home-state candidate should drop out of the race if he doesn't win. On the Democratic side, the polls showed Clinton with significant leads over Sanders in both Florida and Ohio. Clinton has a 61 percent to 34 percent lead over Sanders among likely Florida Democratic primary voters and a 63 percent to 33 percent advantage among likely Ohio Democratic primary voters. CNN said about 7 in 10 voters in each state have definitely decided whom to support, suggesting that Sanders may have difficulty closing the gap. However, Sanders' narrow victory over Clinton in yesterday's Michigan primary provides further evidence that polls are not always right. Both CNN/ORC surveys were conducted March 2nd through 6th. The Florida survey included 313 likely Republican voters and 264 likely Democratic voters, while the Ohio survey included 359 likely Republican voters and 294 likely Democratic voters. The margin of error in Florida was plus or minus 5.5 percentage points among Republicans and plus or minus 6 points among Democrats. In Ohio, the margin of error was plus or minus 5 points among Republicans and plus or minus 5.5 points among Democrats. (Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwired - March 09, 2016) - MIPIM, the world's leading global real estate market, business conference and networking event, will welcome the Greater San Diego Association of REALTROS (SDAR) this year in Cannes, France. SDAR will be part of the growing USA pavilion, hosted by the National Association of Realtors. "SDAR is honored and excited to showcase San Diego on this world stage," said Cory Shepard, SDAR's 2016 Board President. "Real estate is a very vital sector of healthy economic activity. People build and develop properties where economic opportunity is on the upswing and where quality lifestyles flourish. That's San Diego." This is the second year of NAR's expanded presence, providing local and regional U.S. markets the ability to showcase opportunities for foreign investment. "The U.S. is consistently among the top-ranked markets for real estate investors," said NAR President Tom Salomone, broker-owner of Real Estate II Inc. in Coral Springs, Florida. Events in other global markets, including the slowdown in China and the recession in Brazil, further strengthen the U.S. position as the safest place to put money and see strong returns for both domestic and international investors." Industry research reveals foreign buyers plan to invest more cash in U.S. real estate in 2016 than in 2015, which saw massive inflows of foreign capital to the U.S. market. Sixty-four percent of foreign investors surveyed by the industry association AFIRE plan to increase U.S. property investments in 2016. "We're selling San Diego. We have a great story to tell. When people hear San Diego's story they're going to want to be a part of it," said "Erik Caldwell, City of San Diego's Economic Development Director, who is attending MIPM "with SDAR along with members of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation. In addition to San Diego, U.S. markets featured in the USA pavilion include the states of Florida, Illinois, Missouri and Nevada, and the metro areas of Miami, Las Vegas and Scottsdale, Ariz. The CCIM Institute and the Institute of Real Estate Management will also be featured in the USA pavilion, both affiliated commercial industry groups of NAR. Some 21,000 leading real estate executives from 89 countries, including more than 4,800 investors, are set to travel to Cannes, for the four-day annual gathering of the global real estate industry. The event brings together investors, developers, occupiers, architects, hotel groups, public authorities, city mayors and property associations from around the world. About SDAR With more than 12,500 members, the Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS is the largest trade association in the county. We help our members, who adhere to a code of ethics and professional standards, sell more homes. We also help people realize the dream of home ownership, and we are dedicated to protecting private property rights. About National Association of REALTORS The National Association of REALTORS, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association. NAR's 1.1 million members, including NAR's institutes, societies and councils, are involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. About MIPIM MIPIM, the world's leading property market, brings together all the key actors of the real estate business. Investors, developers, end-users, architects, hotel groups, public authorities and property associations gather in Cannes for four intensive days of networking, matchmaking and development of international business relations. MIPM has established itself as an essential meeting place for city administrations who attend in order to both promote inward investment opportunities and discuss major key policy issues that urban conglomerations are facing around the world. Learn more at www.mipim.com. Contact: Joanie Ewing 858-715-8010 jewing@sdar.com TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - March 09, 2016) - Optimism and opportunity abounded at the PDAC 2016 Convention of The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada in spite of recent industry challenges, indicating a positive shift in sentiment amongst the industry's key players. A clear sense of industry confidence was evident as more than 22,000 attendees from more than 100 countries gathered at the annual PDAC convention where investors, analysts, mining executives, geologists, government officials and students gathered for the largest exploration and mining event in the world. "The mineral exploration and mining industry has been facing an array of economic challenges the past several years but the sector continues to demonstrate its resiliency," says PDAC President Rod Thomas, pointing to new money coming into the industry, favourable market trends and a move to drive new and sustainable solutions to mining activities. "The mood throughout the convention was optimistic and upbeat -- a positive sign for the sector going forward." The PDAC 2016 Convention hosted its inaugural International Mines Ministers Summit (IMMS) that brought together 16 national Mines Ministers from around the world. Led by Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jim Carr -- who spoke at a series of PDAC functions -- the IMMS provided an important setting for the international mining community to discuss and work on resolving issues affecting the industry. In addition, 25 Federal Parliamentarians, six Provincial/Territorial Ministers and two Premiers attended PDAC 2016. "It is important that the PDAC builds strong working relationships not only with provincial and federal governments in Canada, but also with international governments to ensure the mineral industry continues to succeed and grow both in Canada and internationally," says PDAC Executive Director Andrew Cheatle. "The PDAC Convention was an excellent opportunity to showcase the importance and scale of our industry to the new Government of Canada and we look forward to further building upon the constructive activities that occurred at the 2016 PDAC Convention." Now in its 84th year, the PDAC Convention is more diverse than ever before. A number of events, including the CSR Event Series, with a focus on diversity in the extractive industry, Capital Markets Program, Aboriginal Program, garnered overwhelming support by attendees. PDAC would like to thank outgoing President Rod Thomas for his outstanding dedication to the association and welcome Robert (Bob) Schafer to the position of PDAC President. We look forward to seeing you at the PDAC 2017 Convention, March 5-8, 2017: where the world's mineral industry meets. About the PDAC The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) is the national voice of Canada's mineral exploration and development industry. With a membership of over 8,000, the PDAC's mission is to promote a responsible, vibrant and sustainable Canadian mineral exploration and development sector. The PDAC encourages leading practices in technical, environmental, safety and social performance in Canada and internationally. PDAC is known worldwide for its annual PDAC Convention, regarded as the premier event for mineral industry professionals. Contact Information Kristy Kenny Coordinator of Communications 416-807-8214 kkenny@pdac.ca According to Technavio's latest report, theglobal defense drones marketis expected to exceed USD 8 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of over 5% during the forecast period. The global defense drones market has gained momentum over the last decade as countries such as the UK, the US, Russia, China, Germany, Australia, and India continue to choose drones as lethal weapons in their air defense forces. The rising competition between countries to possess modern and advanced weapons and defense technologies is fueling market growth. About 87 countries have drones in their air defense arsenal and use them for surveillance. This number is likely to grow by at least two times over the next two decades. According to Bharath Kanniappan, lead research analyst at Technavio for robotics,"Although the US and Israel are the primary exporters of drone technologies, countries such as India and China have started in-house development of drones as per their requirements. India is developing drones that will fire missiles and fly at an altitude of 30,000 feet." In this report, Technavio covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the Global Defense Drones Market 2016-2020.The report also presents the vendor landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the top four vendors operating in the market. The market is segmented into the following three regions: Americas EMEA APAC Americas: largest market for defense drones The defense drones market in the Americas is likely to exceed 5 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of over 5%. The Americas holds the largest market share in the global defense drones market with the US being the main market owing to its heavy investment in unmanned aerial vehicles for military and air force. In addition, other defense forces of the US such as the US Marines and US Navy are shifting toward manned and unmanned aircraft. We expect this move to strengthen the defense drones market in the Americas. Most of the defense drone manufacturers hail from the US, which will play a huge role in fueling market growth in the region. The growing demand from Latin America is also expanding the overall defense drones market in the Americas. In 2013, Brazil imported defense drones worth USD 198 million from Israeli defense firms such as IAI and Elbit Systems. Request for a sample: http://goo.gl/uPQCho EMEA: political momentum favoring acquisition of MALE drones The defense drones market in EMEA is expected to exceed USD 2 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of over 5%. Major areas of smart defense have been identified by NATO Allies to develop future forces, leading to effective cross-alliance security co-operation for which drone platforms are suitable. The current budgetary crisis has limited Europe's ability to participate in NATO's security operations and to meet their requirements of modern weapon platforms, such as drones. However, Europe has the potential and the skillsets to develop advanced technology in defense drones industries. Technavio notes that the new political momentum is favoring acquisition of medium altitude and long endurance (MALE) drones. This is allowing Europe to share its resources with major defense contractors from the US and Israel to design and implement a joint drone development program. Key European countries that are trying to acquire MALE drones are France, the UK, Poland, Germany, and Italy. APAC: high demand from India, Indonesia, Japan, and China The defense drones market in APAC is forecast to reach USD 1.55 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of over 5%. The growth in the drone market can be attributed to high demand from India, Indonesia, Japan, and China. China is the key contributor to the market as it is developing armed defense drones for the market and self-use. India is also focusing on the in-house development of defense drones with its Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) wing. India was the largest importer of defense drones from countries such as Israel and China between 1985 and 2014. Growing terrorist infiltrations in India from the unfenced borders of Kashmir and West Bengal are pushing the Indian armed forces to use defense drones for border patrolling and enemy surveillance. "The growing conflicts of ISIS and Syria have alerted other countries in this region to update their defense with advanced weapon technology. Australia is also making heavy investments in unmanned aerial vehicles," says Bharath. Key Vendors: Israel Aerospace Industries General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Boeing Lockheed Martin Some of the other prominent vendors listed in the report are: Textron, Northrop Grumman, AeroVirnonment, and Prox Dynamics. Browse Related Reports: Police and Law Enforcement Equipment Market Global Report 2015-2019 Global Unmanned Sea System Market 2016-2020 Global Civilian Drones Market 2015-2019 Purchase these three reports for the price of one by becoming a Technavio subscriber. Subscribing to Technavio's reports allows you to download any three reports per month for the price of one. Contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and a link to our subscription platform. About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160309005024/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com media@technavio.com HOPKINTON, MA and TORONTO, ON and NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Trilio Data, the creators of the first Backup-as-a-Service specification for the OpenStack community, Raksha, and OnX Enterprise Solutions, a leading enterprise IT solutions provider, announced today a partnership to deliver state-of-the-art OpenStack solutions for IT-as-a-Service and hybrid cloud implementations. This partnership will enable OnX Enterprise Solutions clients to take full advantage of OpenStack environments by including complete and holistic business assurance through backup and recovery. "More and more of our enterprise clients are implementing OpenStack to manage their environment under a single platform, develop centralized event-driven operations, and modernize applications to meet changing business demands," said Steve Lankard, CTO and vice president, Business Alliances, OnX Enterprise Solutions. "One of the biggest challenges with OpenStack to date has been the lack of comprehensive backup and recovery solutions. TrilioVault is the first product on the market to deliver these business assurance requirements for OpenStack implementations." "OnX brings a wealth of experience and expertise in hybrid cloud implementations and is investing in OpenStack," said David Safaii, CEO, Trilio Data. "By partnering together, we're able to provide previously unavailable technology to Fortune 500 businesses who are embracing the cost savings and flexibility of OpenStack. With Trilio, organizations can now confidently bring their clouds into production environments." TrilioVault is a subscription-based, tenant-driven, agent-less, non-disruptive and incremental backup service for OpenStack. With the solution, users can either selectively or with one-click restore production or clone point-in-time data for both development and testing. The solution has built-in high availability and scalability, with the option to replicate workloads for disaster recovery. Trilio Data's partner ecosystem includes notable vendors and service providers in the OpenStack community, including Blue Box (acquired by IBM), Datastax, mongoDB, SwiftStack and VMware. For more information on partnering with Trilio Data, contact us at partner@triliodata.com About OnX Enterprise Solutions OnX Enterprise Solutions is a leading global provider of technology services and solutions. They assess, design, build and manage complete technology infrastructure environments with specific expertise in Next-Gen Data Center, IT-as-a-Service & Hybrid Cloud, Information Management & Analytics, and End User Experience & Mobility. For more than 30 years, OnX has helped clients achieve exceptional business results that accelerate their growth and value. OnX's team of more than 600 IT professionals work at OnX offices throughout North America and in the U.K., with global headquarters in Toronto, Canada and U.S. headquarters in New York, NY. OnX is a privately held company and majority owned by Marlin Equity Partners. For more information about OnX and career opportunities, visit www.OnX.com. About Trilio Data Trilio Data, headquartered in Hopkinton, Mass., is an innovator in OpenStack backup and recovery solutions. The company was founded by technologists who, combined, have more than 45 years of experience at some of the world's largest storage vendors. Trilio Data was founded to meet the needs of an ever-changing, growing, complex, and scalable database environment, where flexible and intelligent backup and recovery solutions are no longer a "nice to have" -- instead, they are critical components of a comprehensive IT strategy. For more information, visit www.triliodata.com or call +1-508-233-3912. Follow us on Twitter: @triliodata and LinkedIn. BUENA PARK, CA--(Marketwired - March 09, 2016) - Spring Break lasts through May 1 at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament in Buena Park, California. And, students get the best deal of the year. All student tickets are just $29.95*. That's the same low price normally reserved for guests 12 and under. Adult (non-student) tickets are just $39.95*. "Anyone can go to Cancun or Palm Springs for Spring Break, but who can say they went to the Middle Ages?" said Pedro Goite, general manager at Medieval Times, Buena Park. "Spring Break is the perfect time for students ... or the entire family to enjoy North America's top dinner attraction." Call 1-888-WE-JOUST (935-6878) or visit www.MedievalTimes.com for information and reservations. Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament's California Castle is located at 7662 Beach Blvd. in Buena Park, CA. Medieval Times is Orange County's Celebration Destination. *Use discount code SBWEB16. May not be combined with any other discount, special offer or group rate. Not valid for special shows, holidays or prior purchases. Restrictions may apply. Upgrade packages, tax, gratuity and applicable fees are additional. Valid only at the Buena Park, California, Castle through May 1, 2016. Contacts Jaci Hernandez Medieval Times Marketing Associate (714) 523-1100, ext. 2220 Jaci.Hernandez@medievaltimes.com or Dennis John Gaschen, APR, Fellow PRSA 714-633-6434 dgaschen@fullerton.edu TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Smart Real Estate Investment Trust ("SmartREIT") (TSX: SRU.UN) is pleased to announce that along with all of Target Canada's ("Target") former landlords whose leases were disclaimed as part of Target's wind-down under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act ("CCAA"), it has entered into a conditional settlement agreement with Target and with its US parent, Target Corporation, ("Target Corp.") relating to its two (2) Target leases (the "Subject Leases"). Under the conditional agreement, in consideration of a settlement payment to SmartREIT (from a pool of funds to be established by Target and Target Corp. for the benefit of the landlords with guarantees), SmartREIT has agreed to release Target Corp. and Target from their financial obligation relating to the Subject Leases. Target Corp. entered into limited guaranty agreements (the "Guarantees") with SmartREIT wherein Target Corp. guaranteed SmartREIT for, among other matters, obligations of Target pursuant to the Subject Leases. SmartREIT's settlement agreement is conditional upon Target's creditors voting in favour of an Amended and Restated Plan of Settlement (the "Amended Plan") and the Amended Plan being sanctioned by the court, which sanction motion is currently scheduled to take place during the first week of June, 2016. SmartREIT is scheduled to receive payment in full of the settlement amount within seven (7) days from the date on which the sanction and vesting order becomes a final order. Accordingly, the financial impact of the proposed settlement will not be recognized in SmartREIT's financial statements until such final settlement is received. At the time of Target's announcement that it would close all of its Canadian stores, SmartREIT's exposure was limited to two (2) locations totaling approximately 226,000 sf that were under lease to Target being South Oakville Centre, Oakville ON, and Laurentian Power Centre, Kitchener, ON. SmartREIT continues to work diligently to backfill these premises with the appropriate tenants with the objective to effectively improve these two shopping centres where the former Target stores were located and increase revenues. The Subject Leases, which were assumed from Zellers Inc., offered no to very minimal rental growth through the remaining lease term and extension periods and SmartREIT expects that over time the premises will be backfilled to generate a faster growing cashflow stream and increased traffic to the centres. About SmartREIT SmartREIT is one of Canada's largest real estate investment trusts with total assets of approximately $8.5 billion. It owns and manages in excess of 30 million square feet in value-oriented, principally Walmart-anchored retail centres, having the strongest national and regional retailers as well as strong neighbourhood merchants. In addition, SmartREIT is a joint-venture partner in the Toronto and Montreal Premium Outlets with Simon Property Group. SmartREIT's core vision is to provide a value-oriented shopping experience in all forms to Canadian consumers and over time create high quality mixed use developments in urban settings. With SmartREIT's 2015 acquisition of SmartCentres, SmartREIT has transformed into a fully integrated real estate provider. SmartREIT and SmartCentres have had a long and successful alliance, helping to provide Canadians with value-focused retail shopping centres across the country. Now, our alliance has grown even stronger, the result is a fully integrated real estate provider with expertise in planning, development, leasing, operations, and construction - all under one roof. Our name is a reflection of our combined capabilities: SmartREIT. For more information on SmartREIT, visit www.smartreit.com. Contacts: Smart Real Estate Investment Trust Huw Thomas President and Chief Executive Officer (905) 326-6400 ext. 7649 hthomas@smartreit.com Smart Real Estate Investment Trust Peter Sweeney Chief Financial Officer (905) 326-6400 ext. 7865 psweeney@smartreit.com Cromax one of the three premium global refinish brands of Axalta Coating Systems, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings has recently revealed its renovated and modernized training headquarters for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, in Mechelen, Belgium. Extensive work was carried out at The Cromax Training Centre (CTC) in two phases over two years and has seen the facility being completely overhauled both cosmetically and technologically to become the key training destination for refinishers from EMEA. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160309006180/en/ Cromax one of the three premium global refinish brands of Axalta Coating Systems, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings has recently revealed its renovated and modernized training headquarters for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, in Mechelen, Belgium. (Photo: Axalta) Koen Silverans, Training Leader for Cromax in Europe, Middle East and Africa, says, "Our European training headquarters for Cromax is now the jewel-in-the-crown of our training centers in the region, and we hope serves as an inspiration for them. The CTC is not only a welcoming, comfortable place to meet and to learn, but also it is our resource for training our international customers, our importers and our Cromax trainers from other EMEA countries, ensuring a consistently high quality across all our training centers. The CTC also supports our color lab and is the link between central sales, marketing and the product group." The extensive scope of the renovation, both internally and externally, included major modernization as well as some general cosmetic refits. Phase one started modestly with the new Cromax totem and signage for the on-site bodyshop being installed in March 2014. These reflect the Cromax visual identity, but also serve a very functional purpose of identifying the CTC for all visitors. Phase two, which included a full structural upgrade to the entrance and other internal refurbishments and redecoration, took place during 2015. The modernization of the facility means that internally the 2,000 square meters CTC is very different from before. From an open, light and flexible reception area with a mini Cromax museum, to spacious classrooms and meeting rooms with the latest audio/visual equipment, the functional space has been completely optimized, able to accommodate up to 120 people. And the cafeteria now known as the Cromax Cafe has a calming color scheme in the brand's colors to provide the perfect area for relaxing during training breaks. The on-site bodyshop, which has 760 square meters of work areas, includes three spray booths, one of which has very large glass doors panels, enabling unrestricted viewing of application techniques. Another has special climate control settings so training can replicate increased humidity for refinishers from northern regions such as Scandinavia, or from hot and humid southern regions such as the Middle East. The bodyshop also has dedicated, branded signage at every step of the repair process to ensure a smooth workflow and maximum productivity during training. And a new, large flat screen monitor in the mixing room allows trainees to follow the step-by-step mixing process easily, no matter where they are standing. Silverans concludes, "In 2014 we had nearly 2,700 trainees through the door. With our renovated facility, we hope that we can encourage even more to join us this year." For more information on training, or to book a Cromax 2016 training course please contact the local representative. About Cromax Cromax, one of the global refinish coating brands from Axalta Coating Systems, is designed to increase productivity from the front of the bodyshop to the back with coatings systems engineered for fast and accurate application. Our localized business solutions, advanced color measurement technology, marketing support and pragmatic innovations form the basis of a highly-productive refinish process. Cromax helps bodyshops drive their business forward. About Axalta Coating Systems Celebrating 150 Years in the Coatings Industry Axalta is a leading global company focused solely on coatings and providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable solutions. From light OEM vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, buildings and pipelines, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enable the materials we coat to last longer. With 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the 12,800 people of Axalta continue to find ways to better serve our more than 100,000 customers in 130 countries every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information visit axaltacoatingsystems.com and follow us on Twitter @axalta and on LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160309006180/en/ Contacts: DA Public Relations Ltd Chantal Bachelier-Moore D +44 207 692 4964 chantal@dapr.com axaltacoatingsystems.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Former CEO of Hewlett Packard Carly Fiorina announced her endorsement of Senator Ted Cruz', R-Tex., campaign for the Republican presidential nomination on Wednesday. Fiorina, who suspended her own campaign for president last month, described Cruz as a fearless fighter for Americans' constitutional rights. 'He has spent his life protecting Americans' God-given liberties, and he has always stood by his word,' Fiorina said in a statement. 'Unlike the status-quo political class in D.C., Ted Cruz didn't cower when he got to Washington - he stood unequivocally for the American people,' she added. 'I know Ted, and he'll do the same as president.' Appearing at a rally with Cruz, Fiorina also argued that the Texas Senator is the only Republican candidate that can defeat frontrunner Donald Trump. For his part, Cruz described Fiorina as a strong, principled leader and woman of faith and said her story embodies the promise that anyone in America can start as a secretary and become a Fortune 50 CEO. 'Carly speaks the truth with courage, doesn't back down to the Washington powerbrokers, and terrifies Hillary and the Democrats,' Cruz said. He added, 'We are blessed to have her support, and together I am confident we will continue to unite conservatives so that every American has the opportunity to achieve the unimaginable.' Benefiting from some strong debate performances, Fiorina climbed as high as second in the race for the Republican nomination behind Trump. However, she was unable to sustain the momentum and subsequently saw such a sharp pullback in her poll numbers that she failed to qualify for the primetime GOP debate early last month. (Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de ALBANY, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- AlliedBarton Security Services, the industry's premier provider of highly trained security personnel, will host a seminar on Active Shooter: How to Prepare, Prevent and Respond, on Thursday, April 14, from 7:30 to noon, at Schenectady County Community College. The seminar will be held in Lally Mohawk Room in the college's Elston Hall, 78 Washington Ave., Schenectady, NY. Speakers for the seminar include: Sergeant Paul Antonovich, Schenectady Police Department; presenting Active Shooter - What to Expect When Law Enforcement Arrives Rich Cordivari, VP National Operations Support, AlliedBarton; presenting Practical Preparedness Tom Rohr, Director, Business Development, Active Shooter Detection Systems; presenting Technology Solutions Kim Richmond, Director, National Center for Campus Public Safety; presenting How to Prepare for an Event Security professionals interested in attending the event must register in advance. Media interested in attending this event are encouraged to RSVP to the press contact in this release. About AlliedBarton Security Services For more than 50 years AlliedBarton Security Services has provided superior security officer services to protect people, homes and businesses. AlliedBarton tailors security programs to meet clients' needs with committed professionals who enhance clients' brands. The most honored security services provider, AlliedBarton consistently delivers exceptional service which creates a differentiated experience for clients and the people they serve. More than 60,000 employees and 120 offices serve thousands of clients with levels of protection that anticipate needs and build enduring relationships. For more information call 1.866.825.5433 or visit http://www.alliedbarton.com. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlliedBartonSecurityServices?ref=search&sid=1595856124.1976210655 Twitter: http://twitter.com/alliedbarton LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/alliedbarton-security-services?trk=hb_tab_compy_id_162381 YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/AlliedBartonSecurity Blog: http://www.alliedbarton.com/AboutUs/Blog.aspx Contact: Nancy Tamosaitis Vorticom Public Relations Phone: 212-532-2208 Email: Email Contact NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - March 09, 2016) - On February 29, 2016, Forefront Capital Advisors and its CEO, Brad Reifler, announced a new partnership with Easter Seals Dixon Center, which will include a donation of funds in the sum of $3 million. According to the company's CEO and founder, Brad Reifler, "Forefront Capital Advisors chose the partnership because we feel that Easter Seals Dixon Center has made a tremendously positive impact on the lives of veterans and military families by changing the conversation about these individuals who have served the United States so selflessly to highlight their potential and create life-changing opportunities for them." Easter Seals Dixon Center works nationally and locally to break down barriers and connect individuals and organizations with easily accessible solutions veterans and military families need to access meaningful employment, education, and healthcare. "Forefront Capital Advisors' mission is to make a significant difference in the lives of veterans and the military community, while simultaneously supporting our clients' financial future," said Brad Reifler. "Partnering with Easter Seals Dixon Center makes good business sense. We believe veterans and their families must have financial stability in order to succeed in their communities after a life of service. Easter Seals Dixon Center offers a unique opportunity for our company, staff and clients to get behind this important cause." The company's $3 million donation will be used to fund Easter Seals Dixon Center's programs for veterans like job training, caregiver training services, health & wellness, and education & advocacy. "We are proud to be Forefront Capital Advisors' charity of choice," said COL David W. Sutherland, US Army (Ret.), and Chairman Easter Seals Dixon Center, in a press release issued by the organization. "Both organizations firmly believe that this partnership will give veterans and military families the unique ability to involve themselves within their community and be financially stable when doing so." Brad Reifler and his team at Forefront Capital Advisors look forward to helping Easter Seals Dixon Center continue their important work for veterans and military families. ABOUT FOREFRONT CAPITAL ADVISORS Led by CEO and Founder, Brad Reifler, Forefront Capital Advisors is a global financial services firm and, together with its subsidiaries, provides alternative investment management, merchant banking and investment banking services. The foundation of Forefront is its ability to attract highly respected and influential business leaders. Our unique community and relationships provide opportunities typically not available to boutique firms. We view our clients as long-term partners and aim to add value beyond investment capital and advisory services. We often invest proprietary capital to ensure our alignment of interests. Forefront has created a variety of public and private investment vehicles to access niche market opportunities. Our uniquely sourced asset management products are structured in an effort to be high yielding, risk mitigated and uncorrelated to the market. Those who wish to learn more should visit ForefrontGroup.com. See what Brad Reifler has personally done to offer middle class investors tips on Reuters. Brad himself can be found through the social media sites CrunchBase, and Twitter. Cole Reifler Forefront Capital Advisors creifler@forefrontincometrust.com 212.488.4972 Washington D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - March 9, 2016) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that a Florida man trading on inside information ahead of a pharmaceutical company merger and a friend who tipped him have agreed to settle enforcement actions against them. Jay Y. Fung has agreed to pay back more than $700,000 in illegal profits plus more than $60,000 in interest earned after allegedly purchasing stock and call options in Pharmasset Inc. based on his friend's tip that it was about to be acquired. The SEC alleges that Fung cashed in when Pharmasset's stock rose 84 percent after its acquisition by Gilead Sciences was publicly announced, and he paid kickbacks to his friend who provided the nonpublic information. The SEC filed a complaint against Fung today in federal district court in Newark, N.J., and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey today announced parallel criminal charges. The SEC previously charged Fung's friend and tipper Kevin Dowd, who learned the nonpublic information during his employment at an investment advisory firm where a Pharmasset board member maintained an account and confidentially sought financial advice in advance of the acquisition. Dowd has since cooperated with the SEC's investigation and agreed to pay back the cash kickbacks he received from Fung and be barred from the securities industry and penny stock offerings. Dowd also pleaded guilty in a parallel criminal case. "SEC enforcement staff continue to develop and refine analytical tools to uncover illicit trading activity and hold accountable those abusing the markets for their own financial gain," said Joseph G. Sansone, Co-Chief of the SEC's Market Abuse Unit, which has an Analysis and Detection Center dedicated to crunching trading data to identify suspicious trading patterns. The SEC's settlements with Fung and Dowd are subject to court approval. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Paul T. Chryssikos and Scott A. Thompson of the Market Abuse Unit and the Philadelphia Regional Office with assistance from John Rymas in the Analysis and Detection Center and Christopher R. Kelly of the Philadelphia office. The investigation was supervised by Mr. Sansone. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced today that on March 7, 2016, Attilio Ciurcovich of St. Catharines, Ontario was sentenced in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in St. Catharines to six months of house arrest and a court fine of $111,280. Mr. Ciurcovich pleaded guilty to one count of fraud over $5,000 under the Criminal Code. In addition to the court-imposed fine, he must pay the outstanding amount of tax owing, plus interest and any civil penalties that may be assessed by the CRA. A CRA investigation revealed that Mr. Ciurcovich, while operating a tax preparation business, received income from 2006 to 2009 totalling $524,404 that he failed to report on his own personal income tax returns, thereby defrauding the Canadian government of $111,280 in federal tax. The preceding information was obtained from the court records. If you have ever made a tax mistake or omission, the CRA is offering you a second chance to make things right through its Voluntary Disclosures Program (VDP). If you make a valid disclosure before you become aware that the CRA is taking action against you, you may only have to pay the taxes owing plus interest. More information on the VDP can be found on the CRA's website at www.cra.gc.ca/voluntarydisclosures. Further information on convictions can be found in the Media Room on the CRA website at www.cra.gc.ca/convictions. Contacts: Paul Murphy Manager, Communications (416) 952-8105 Technavio has announced the top five leading vendors in their recent Global Higher Education Market 2016-2020 report. This research report also lists 10 prominent vendors that are expected to impact the market during the forecast period. Competitive vendor landscape The global higher education market is characterized by the presence of many international, regional, and local vendors providing digital hardware, software, and content solutions. This is to support online and blended forms of learning in the higher education sector. The largest number of providers are in the Americas and Europe with many new vendors sprouting up in the emerging markets of Asia. Large vendors, such as Apple, Adobe Systems, Blackboard, SMART Technologies, and Desire2Learn, dominate the market with a wide range of products. IBM, Cisco Systems, Skillsoft, and Pearson, are some of the other prominent vendors in the market. According to Jhansi Mary, lead research analyst at Technavio for K12 and higher educationresearch, "The market is highly competitive with local vendors finding it difficult to compete with the market leaders. As a result of this, international players are expected to grow during the forecast period by acquiring regional or local players." Request sample report: http://goo.gl/hpY6Ki Adobe Systems Adobe Systems was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in San Jose, California, US. They are a diversified software company that focuses on digital marketing and digital media solutions. It offers a range of products and services used by creative professionals, knowledge workers, application developers, marketers, enterprises, and consumers. Adobe's Creative Cloud provides innovative tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator, and Adobe Premiere Pro which are seamlessly connected so that users can start the task on one device and finish it on another. They also help the user in sharing creative assets with other Creative Cloud members. The cloud computing in K-12 is used by DPS Bangalore, Burbank Elementary, Chinese Foundation Secondary School, Tomlinson Middle School, European Schoolnet, Chicago Public Schools, Andrew Drozd, Globaloria, Lee County Public Schools, Massachusetts Vocational Technical Education Schools, Clark County School District. Apple Apple was established in 1977 and is headquartered at Cupertino, California, US. The company designs, manufactures, and markets mobile communication devices, personal computers, and related personal computing devices. It also offers a range of related software, services, peripherals, and networking solutions The company's products include the iPhone, Mac, iPod, iPad, Apple TV. It also offers a range of consumer and professional software applications, the iOS and OS X operating systems, iCloud, a variety of accessories, and support services. The company also sells and delivers digital content and applications through the iTunes Store, App Store, iBooks Store, and Mac App Store. In March 2015, Apple introduced ResearchKit, an open source software framework designed for medical and health research, which helps doctors and scientists gather data more frequently and more accurately from participants using iPhone apps. Blackboard Blackboard was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Washington, DC, US. The company provides enterprise technology and solutions to the educational industry globally. Its offices are located in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia. The company offers a wide variety of solutions through the latest technologies for the government, business, and higher education sectors. Some of its product offerings include Blackboard Mobile Learn, Blackboard ParentLink, and Blackboard Schoolwires. D2L D2L was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. The company offers an online integrated learning platform for learners in the healthcare, government, higher education, K-12, and enterprise sectors. D2L offers solutions through online and blended learning, content management (allows storing, organizing, and sharing learning objects across institution) and advanced analytics (includes predictive analytics that improve retention and outcomes). SMART Technologies SMART Technologies was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The company provides technology solutions, such as interactive large-format displays, and collaboration software and services. The company's education segment offers three software products, including SMART education software, SMART amp (cloud-based SaaS designed for collaborative learning in device-enabled classrooms) and Smart Notebook (A software for interactive classroom teaching and learning). It also offers hardware products such as, All SMART Displays, SMART Interactive Flat Panels, SMART Board 6000 series, etc. Browse related reports: Global Education Apps Market Market Study 2015-2019 Global Digital Education Content Market 2015-2019 Global E-learning Market 2015-2019 Purchase these three reports for the price of one by becoming a Technavio subscriber. Subscribing to Technavio's reports allows you to download any three reports per month for the price of one. Contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and a link to our subscription platform. About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160309005617/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - March 09, 2016) - Trustwave today announced the appointment of Michael Petitti as Trustwave Senior Vice President of Global Alliances. In this role, Petitti is responsible for global alliance partnerships and payment services programs, payment card industry relationships and compliance and payment services strategy. Trustwave Chief Executive Officer and President, Robert J. McCullen, said, "With Mike's focus on the success of our alliance partners, Trustwave is in an even greater position to help credit card processors, acquiring banks, independent sales organizations (ISOs) and card brand owners worldwide elevate their security posture and streamline the compliance process. His years of Trustwave and industry experience are a perfect combination to help Trustwave further solidify its leadership in compliance and payment services through our industry alliances." Over the past 13 years, Petitti has led various teams at Trustwave. Since 2011, he has been the Executive Director of the Asia-Pacific Region responsible for the company's operations, sales, and delivery of services in the region. Previously, he was Trustwave Chief Marketing Officer. Petitti was also on the Board of Advisors and the Board of Directors of the Merchant Risk Council. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Knox College. Trustwave Senior Vice President of Global Alliances, Michael Petitti, said, "Some of the biggest and best companies in the business team with Trustwave not only for PCI compliance but also for tools that go beyond the traditional check-box approach to security. I look forward to working with our alliance partners and the industry as they shift to a security-centric model for constant, cost-effective protection beyond basic compliance requirements." About Trustwave Trustwave helps businesses fight cybercrime, protect data and reduce security risk. With cloud and managed security services, integrated technologies and a team of security experts, ethical hackers and researchers, Trustwave enables businesses to transform the way they manage their information security and compliance programs. More than three million businesses are enrolled in the Trustwave TrustKeeper cloud platform, through which Trustwave delivers automated, efficient and cost-effective threat, vulnerability and compliance management. Trustwave is headquartered in Chicago, with customers in 96 countries. For more information about Trustwave, visit https://www.trustwave.com. All trademarks used herein remain the property of their respective owners. Their use does not indicate or imply a relationship between Trustwave and the owners of such trademarks. Dillon Townsel Media Relations dtownsel@trustwave.com +1 (312) 995-5732 Susan K. Carter, senior vice president and chief financial officer, of Ingersoll Rand plc (NYSE:IR), a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, will discuss the company's long-term strategy, starting at 7:25 am EDT, Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Industrials EU Autos Conference in London. The live webcast will be accessible on the Ingersoll Rand website at http://www.ingersollrand.com and on the conference website at: http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/ykq22hfd An archive of the webcast will be available for 30 days following the event on the Ingersoll Rand website. About Ingersoll Rand Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) advances the quality of life by creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments. Our people and our family of brands-including Club Car, Ingersoll Rand, Thermo King and Trane-work together to enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and buildings; transport and protect food and perishables; and increase industrial productivity and efficiency. We are a $13 billion global business committed to a world of sustainable progress and enduring results. For more information, visit www.ingersollrand.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160309006333/en/ Contacts: Ingersoll Rand Media: Misty Zelent, 704-655-5324 mzelent@irco.com or Analysts: Joe Fimbianti, 704-655-4721 joseph_fimbianti@irco.com or Janet Pfeffer, 704-655-5319 janet_pfeffer@irco.com OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Treasury Board Secretariat The Government of Canada today introduced legislation to create a new labour relations regime for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) members and reservists. The legislation would address the Supreme Court of Canada decision on the Mounted Police Association of Ontario (MPAO) v. Attorney General of Canada case, which found key parts of the current RCMP labour relations regime to be unconstitutional. This bill was drafted following extensive consultations with regular members of the RCMP and jurisdictions with RCMP Police Services Agreements. The Government of Canada will continue to work with Parliament in an open and engaging manner throughout the legislative process. Quotes "Today, the Government of Canada is addressing an important decision of the Supreme Court of Canada by introducing a bill that, if passed, will provide RCMP members and reservists with a right to make choices about representation in labour relations matters. It will do so in a manner that reflects the operational environment of police officers." - Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness "The Government of Canada takes the responsibility to protect the safety and security of Canadians very seriously, and is committed to supporting the dedicated and proud members of Canada's national police service. This bill will promote the constitutional right of RCMP members and reservists to engage in meaningful collective bargaining." - Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board Quick Facts -- The legislation includes the following elements: -- the freedom for RCMP members and reservists to choose whether to be represented by a bargaining agent; -- independent, binding arbitration as the dispute resolution process for bargaining impasses, with no right to strike; -- a single, national-in-scope bargaining unit for RCMP members appointed to a rank and reservists; -- the requirement that the RCMP bargaining agent have as its primary mandate the representation of RCMP members; -- the exclusion of officers from representation; and -- the Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board as the administrative tribunal for matters related to collective bargaining for the RCMP bargaining unit, as well as for grievances related to a collective agreement. -- In January, the Supreme Court of Canada granted the Government of Canada an extension until May 17, 2016, to address the Mounted Police Association of Ontario (MPAO) v. Attorney General of Canada decision. -- RCMP members are the only police officers in Canada not having the right to engage in collective bargaining. Associated Links - Mounted Police Association of Ontario v. Canada (Attorney General) - A New Labour Relations Regime for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police - Government of Canada to introduce RCMP Labour Relations Bill Follow us on Twitter: @TBS_Canada Follow us on Twitter: @Safety_Canada Contacts: Jean-Luc Ferland Press Secretary Office of the President of the Treasury Board 613-369-3163 Media Relations Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat 613-369-9400 media@tbs-sct.gc.ca TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired) 613-369 9371 Scott Bardsley Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness 613-998-5681 Media Relations Public Safety Canada 613-991-0657 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - In an effort to draw attention to Republican obstruction, Senate Democrats sought votes on two long-pending judicial nominees on Thursday but were denied. Senator John Cornyn, R-Tex., objected to a request for unanimous consent the Senate vote on confirmation of the nominees, arguing that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ken., sets the schedule. The two nominees, Waverly Crenshaw and Paula Xinis, were both unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Democrats took the opportunity to accuse Republicans of blocking lower court judges in addition to any nominee to fill the current vacancy on the Supreme Court. 'While Republicans refuse to even consider the next Supreme Court nominee, I would think they would at least allow consensus lower court nominees to be confirmed,' said Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. He added, 'I hope that Republicans are not listening to the moneyed Washington interest groups over their own constituents.' Arguing that the next president should fill the vacancy, Republicans have pledged to not even hold hearings on a Supreme Court nominee. Crenshaw was nominated to fill an emergency vacancy on the district court for the Middle District of Tennessee and has the support of both the state's Republican Senators. His nomination has been pending for eight months. Xinis was nominated nearly a year ago to fill a vacancy on the Federal district court in Maryland, and her nomination has been pending for nearly six months. A statement from Leahy noted Senate Republicans have confirmed just sixteen of President Barack Obama's judicial nominees since taking over the majority in 2015. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Canacol Energy Ltd. ("Canacol" or the "Corporation") (TSX: CNE)(OTCQX: CNNEF)(BVC: CNEC) is pleased to announce that Oboe 1, an appraisal well drilled in its Clarinete gas field on the VIM 5 Exploration and Production ("E&P") Contract, has tested at a final rate of 13 million standard cubic feet per day ("MMscfpd") (2,281 barrels of oil equivalent "boepd") of dry gas with no water from the third and shallowest test interval within the Cienaga de Oro ("CDO") reservoir. This flow test is the third of three separate tests executed on three separate gas bearing reservoir intervals within the CDO reservoir encountered in the Oboe 1 well. The first test interval deeper within the CDO tested at a final rate of 26 MMscfpd (4,561 boepd) as reported on February 25, 2016, while the second test interval flowed at a final rate of 27 MMscfpd (4,737 boepd) as reported on March 2, 2016. Canacol, through its wholly owned subsidiary CNE Oil & Gas S.A.S., holds a 100% operated interest in the VIM 5 E&P contract. Oboe 1 Test Results The Oboe 1 well was spud on January 19, 2016 and reached a total depth of 9,750 feet measured depth ("ft md") on February 7, 2016. Oboe 1 encountered 158 feet of net gas pay with average porosity of 23% within multiple stacked sandstone reservoirs in the primary Tertiary-aged Cienaga de Oro target, representing the thickest gas pay encountered in the Cienaga de Oro in the Clarinete discovery thus far. The CDO sandstone reservoir was perforated between 7,108 and 7,122 ft md within the third interval to be tested. Flow testing of this interval achieved a final rate of 13 MMscfpd (2,281 boepd) of dry gas using a 2-inch choke with a tubing head pressure of 360 pounds per square inch with no water at the end of a 32 hour flow test period. The third test interval is currently shut in for a pressure build up that is expected to conclude in 3 days. Three separate reservoir intervals have now been successfully tested in the well: the first interval between 8,116 and 8,683 ft md (which flowed 26 MMscfpd / 4,561 boepd), the second interval between 7,309 and 8,106 ft md (which flowed 27 MMscfpd / 4,737 boepd), and the third interval between 6,556 and 7,270 ft md, (the subject of this flow test). Upon the conclusion of the pressure buildup of the third flow test interval, all of the remaining gas bearing sands in the entire CDO will be perforated and the well will be tied into the Jobo gas production facility and placed on permanent production. Canacol is an exploration and production company with operations focused in Colombia and Ecuador. The Corporation's common stock trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the OTCQX in the United States of America, and the Colombia Stock Exchange under ticker symbol CNE, CNNEF, and CNE.C, respectively. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, including without limitation statements relating to estimated production rates from the Corporation's properties and intended work programs and associated timelines. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Corporation cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward looking statements. They are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change and the Corporation assumes no obligation to revise or update them to reflect new circumstances, except as required by law. Prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. These factors include the inherent risks involved in the exploration for and development of crude oil and natural gas properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological and geophysical data, fluctuating energy prices, the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated costs or delays and other uncertainties associated with the oil and gas industry. Other risk factors could include risks associated with negotiating with foreign governments as well as country risk associated with conducting international activities, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Corporation. Data obtained from the initial testing results at the well identified in this press release, including millions of standard cubic feet per day of gas or barrels of oil equivalent produced and levels of water-cut, should be considered to be preliminary until a further and detailed analysis or interpretation has been done on such data. The well test results obtained and disclosed in this press release are not necessarily indicative of long-term performance or of ultimate recovery. The reader is cautioned not to unduly rely on such results as such results may not be indicative of future performance of the well or of expected production results for the Corporation in the future. Boe conversion - The term "boe" is used in this news release. Boe may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversion ratio of cubic feet of natural gas to barrels oil equivalent is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. In this news release, we have expressed boe using the Colombian conversion standard of 5.7 Mcf: 1 bbl required by the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Colombia. Contacts: Canacol Energy Ltd. Investor Relations 214-235-4798 IR@canacolenergy.com www.canacolenergy.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison" or the "Company") (TSX: DML)(NYSE MKT: DNN) today filed its Consolidated Financial Statements and Management's Discussion & Analysis ("MD&A") for the financial year ended December 31, 2015. Both documents can be found on the Company's website at www.denisonmines.com or on SEDAR (at www.sedar.com) and EDGAR (at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml). The highlights provided below are derived from these documents and should be read in conjunction with them. All amounts in this release are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated. David Cates, President and CEO of Denison commented "In 2015, Denison achieved a key milestone with the completion of a maiden resource estimate for our Gryphon deposit on the Wheeler River property - which was already host to the exceptionally high-grade Phoenix deposit. The addition of the Gryphon deposit represents a significant increase in the estimated mineral resources at Denison's 60% owned Wheeler River property, and establishes the project as one of the largest and highest grade undeveloped uranium projects in the Athabasca Basin region." 2015 HIGHLIGHTS -- Reported a significant increase in estimated mineral resources at the Wheeler River property The Company completed an initial mineral resource estimate for the basement hosted Gryphon uranium deposit, which is located three kilometres to the northwest of the high-grade unconformity hosted Phoenix deposit. The Gryphon deposit is estimated to contain an inferred mineral resource of 43.0 million pounds U3O8 at an average grade of 2.3% U3O8. Together with the high-grade Phoenix deposit, Wheeler River is now estimated to contain indicated mineral resources of 70.2 million pounds U3O8 at an average grade of 19.1% U3O8 and inferred mineral resources totaling 44.1 million pounds U3O8 at a combined grade of 2.34% U3O8 (see Denison news release dated November 3, 2015). -- Moving ahead at the Wheeler River Property A Preliminary Economic Analysis ("PEA") was initiated in 2015 to evaluate the economic merit of the co-development of the Gryphon and Phoenix deposits and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2016. Subject to a positive outcome from the PEA, the Company plans to initiate work on a Prefeasibility Study and environmental assessment work as part of a 2016 evaluation budget of CAD$2,600,000 (CAD$1,600,000 Denison's share). -- Experienced continued exploration success at the Wheeler River property Exploration drilling results for the area in the vicinity of the Gryphon deposit continued to highlight the mineralization potential of this area. During 2015, a total of 16 drill holes were completed up plunge and along the sub-Athabasca unconformity to the southwest of the Gryphon deposit along the K-North trend. The drilling successfully identified approximately 2.3 kilometres of mineralized strike. The mineralization occurs both at the unconformity and immediately below within the basement, indicating further potential along the unconformity to the southwest and within the basement below. The best result to date occurs at the unconformity, 800 metres to the south of Gryphon, with drill hole WR-597 intersecting 4.5% U3O8 over 4.5 metres (see Denison news release dated June 4, 2015). In February 2016 Denison reported a new intersection of high-grade uranium within the basement roughly 100 metres to the north of the Gryphon deposit, (see Denison news release dated February 9, 2016). -- Generated positive 2015 exploration results at other exploration pipeline properties in the infrastructure rich eastern Athabasca Basin At the 68.85% owned Murphy Lake property, Denison intersected a new zone of uranium mineralization, highlighted by drill hole MP-15-03, which returned a mineralized interval of 0.25% U3O8 over 6.0 metres at the sub-Athabasca unconformity (see Denison news release dated July 29, 2015). At the 61.55% owned Waterbury Lake property, the Company intersected weak uranium mineralization and strong alteration and/or structure at the Oban target area. At the 100% owned Crawford Lake property, the Company extended a large zone of significant sandstone alteration along the CR-2 and CR-5 conductors, which is now confirmed over a strike length of 2.9 kilometres. -- Exceeded initial 2015 guidance for toll milling revenue at McClean Lake The McClean Lake mill, in which Denison owns a 22.5% interest, packaged approximately 11.3 million pounds U3O8 during the year (initially targeted at six to eight million packaged pounds) for the Cigar Lake Joint Venture ("CLJV"), generating toll milling revenues for Denison of $3.2 million. -- Completed the sale of the Company's Mongolian interests for consideration of up to $13.25 million Denison received $1.25 million in initial payments on the closing of the sale of its Mongolian interests. Denison has the rights to receive additional proceeds of up to $12 million, conditional on achieving certain milestones associated with the Mongolian projects. ABOUT DENISON Denison is a uranium exploration and development company with interests focused in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. In addition to its 60% owned Wheeler River project, which hosts the high grade Phoenix and Gryphon uranium deposits, Denison's exploration portfolio consists of numerous projects covering over 390,000 hectares in the eastern Athabasca Basin. Denison's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership interest in the McClean Lake joint venture ("MLJV"), which includes several uranium deposits and the McClean Lake uranium mill, plus a 25.17% interest in the Midwest deposit and a 61.55% interest in the J Zone deposit on the Waterbury Lake property. Both the Midwest and J Zone deposits are located within 20 kilometres of the McClean Lake mill. Internationally, Denison owns 100% of the Mutanga uranium project in Zambia, 100% of the uranium-silver-copper Falea project in Mali and a 90% interest in the Dome uranium project in Namibia. Denison is engaged in mine decommissioning and environmental services through its Denison Environmental Services ("DES"). Denison is also the manager of Uranium Participation Corporation ("UPC"), a publicly traded company listed on the TSX under the symbol "U", which invests in uranium oxide in concentrates ("U3O8") and uranium hexafluoride. EASTERN ATHABASCA LAND POSITION The Company's land position in the infrastructure rich eastern Athabasca Basin, as of December 31, 2015, is illustrated below. Denison's active exploration properties are outlined in bold. To view the map associated with this release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/dml0309map.jpg. SELECTED ANNUAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Year Ended Year Ended December 31, December 31, (in thousands, except for per share amounts) 2015 2014 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Results of Continuing Operations: Total revenues $ 12,670 $ 9,619 Mineral property exploration $ (14,257) $ (14,401) Impairment of mineral properties $ (27,767) $ (1,745) Net loss $ (61,737) $ (28,266) Basic and diluted loss per share $ (0.12) $ (0.06) Results from Mongolian Discontinued Operations: Net income (loss) $ 10,177 $ (3,437) Basic and diluted income per share $ 0.02 $ (0.01) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- As at As at December 31, December 31, (in thousands) 2015 2014 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Financial Position: Cash and cash equivalents $ 5,367 $ 18,640 Short term investments 7,282 4,381 Long term investments 496 954 ---------------------------- Cash, cash equivalents and investments $ 13,145 $ 23,975 Working capital $ 12,772 $ 22,542 Property, plant and equipment $ 188,250 $ 270,388 Total assets $ 212,758 $ 311,330 Total long-term liabilities $ 38,125 $ 42,291 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RESULTS OF OPERATIONS Revenues The McClean Lake mill continued to process ore received from the Cigar Lake mine. The mill packaged approximately 11.3 million pounds U3O8 for the CLJV. The Company's share of toll milling revenue during 2015 totaled $3,155,000. Revenue from Denison Environmental Services ("DES") during 2015 was $7,607,000, improving on 2014 due to increased activity at certain care and maintenance sites. Revenue from the Company's management contract with UPC was $1,822,000 during 2015. Operating expenses Canadian mining segment operating expenses include depreciation, development and standby costs, as well as certain adjustments to the estimates of future reclamation liabilities at McClean Lake, Midwest and Elliot Lake. Operating expenses in 2015 were $4,554,000, including depreciation of the McClean Lake mill of $1,627,000. DES operating expenses during 2015 totaled $6,875,000, related primarily to the construction and consulting services provided to clients and includes labour and other costs. General and administrative expenses Total general and administrative expenses were $6,463,000 during 2015. These costs are mainly comprised of head office salaries and benefits, office costs in multiple regions, audit and regulatory costs, legal fees, investor relations expenses, project costs and all other costs related to operating a public company with listings in Canada and the United States. Also included was $1,461,000 related to the failed transaction with Fission Uranium Corp. Impairment - Mineral Properties During 2015, the Company recognized a non-cash impairment of $25,164,000 against the value of its African mining segment, which included significant carrying values for the Falea, Mutanga and Dome projects, and also recognized non-cash impairment charges of $2,603,000, to fully impair the carrying value of three of its non-core Canadian exploration properties. Foreign exchange income and expense During 2015, a foreign exchange loss of $16.0 million was recognized due to unfavourable fluctuations in foreign exchange rates impacting the revaluation of intercompany debt for the Company's African related operations. Mongolian Discontinued Operations Income from discontinued operations was $10,177,000, which mainly comprised of the gain on disposal of $8,374,000 and transactional foreign exchange income of $2,873,000, partly offset by exploration, operating and administrative expenses of $1,091,000. The gain on the disposal consisted of $1,250,000 in cash consideration, less transaction costs of $337,000, a favourable cumulative translation adjustment of $13,680,000, offset by the carrying value of the net assets of $6,219,000. Denison is entitled to up to $12,000,000 in additional proceeds that are contingent on the approval of certain mining licenses and other milestones. LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES Cash, cash equivalents, GICs and other investments were $13,145,000 at December 31, 2015. The Company holds a large majority of its cash, cash equivalents, and investments in Canadian dollars. As at December 31, 2015, the Company's cash, cash equivalents and current investments amount to CAD$17.5 million. The Company's CAD$24 million credit facility available for non-financial letters of credit was extended in January 2016 to January 2017. The facility contains a covenant that requires the Company to maintain a minimum cash balance of CAD$5 million on deposit with the Bank of Nova Scotia. OUTLOOK FOR 2016 In 2016, the Company will focus on increasing its mineral resource base in the Athabasca Basin and advancing the Wheeler River project. The 2016 winter exploration program commenced in January with a focus on the Company's Wheeler River project and other high priority properties located in the infrastructure rich eastern Athabasca Basin. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (in thousands) 2016 BUDGET (1) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canada Toll Milling Revenue & Mineral Sales $ 5,450 Development & Operations (2,450) Mineral Property Exploration & Evaluation (13,000) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (10,000) Africa Zambia, Mali and Namibia (1,290) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1,290) Other UPC Management Services 1,520 DES Environmental Services 920 Corporate Administration & Other (4,200) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1,760) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total $ (13,050) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Budget figures have been converted using a US$ to CAD$ exchange rate of 1.30. CANADA Toll Milling Revenue & Mineral Sales Provided regulatory approvals are secured to increase the annual license limit, the McClean Lake mill is expected to produce 16 million pounds U3O8 during 2016. Denison's share of revenue from toll milling of the Cigar Lake ore and the sale of approximately 25,000 pounds U3O8, currently held by Denison in inventory, is budgeted to be $5.4 million (CAD$7.1 million). Development & Operations In 2016, Denison's share of operating and capital expenditures at McClean Lake and Midwest are budgeted to be $1.6 million (CAD$2.1 million). Operating expenditures include $797,000 (CAD$1.04 million) in respect of Denison's share of the planned 2016 budget for the Surface Access Borehole Resource Extraction ("SABRE") program. Reclamation expenditures at Elliot Lake are budgeted to be $665,000 (CAD$864,000). Mineral Property Exploration & Evaluation Denison expects to operate and/or participate in a total of 15 exploration programs (including 13 drilling programs totaling approximately 75,000 metres), of which Wheeler River will continue to be the primary focus. The total budget for all of these programs, inclusive of the evaluation work planned for Wheeler River, is budgeted to be CAD$24.6 million (Denison's share, CAD$16.9 million). Wheeler River - Exploration A total of 47,000 metres of exploration drilling is planned at Wheeler River between the winter and summer drill programs, along with geophysical surveys at a total cost of CAD$10.0 million (Denison's share, CAD$6.0 million). Exploration drilling planned for 2016 will continue to test the unconformity to the southwest of Gryphon as well as numerous basement targets near Gryphon. Wheeler River - Evaluation The PEA is expected to be completed during the first half of 2016. Subject to a positive outcome from the PEA, the Company plans to initiate work on a Prefeasibility Study and environmental assessment work with an approximate budget for 2016 of CAD$2.6 million (Denison's share, CAD$1.6 million). Other High Priority Exploration Properties Drilling at the Company's high priority exploration properties is planned to continue at Murphy Lake, Crawford Lake and Waterbury Lake during 2016. Drill programs are also planned for Denison's non-operated joint venture projects, including Mann Lake, Wolly and McClean Lake. Environmental services Revenue from operations at DES during 2016 is budgeted to be $7.2 million (CAD$9.4 million) and operating and overhead expenses are budgeted to be $6.1 million (CAD$7.9 million). Capital expenditures at DES are budgeted to be $230,000 (CAD$300,000). Corporate administration and other Budgeted at $3.85 million (CAD$5.0 million) in 2016, corporate administration costs include all head office salaries and benefits, office costs, audit and regulatory costs, legal fees, investor relations expenses and all other costs related to operating a public company with listings in Canada and the United States. Net management fees earned during 2016 from UPC are budgeted at $1.5 million (CAD$1.95 million). Letter of credit and standby fees relating to the 2016 Credit Facility are budgeted to be $400,000 (CAD$520,000). TECHNICAL INFORMATION Further details regarding the Gryphon deposit and the current mineral resources estimated at Wheeler River are provided in the report titled "Technical Report on a Mineral Resource Estimate For The Wheeler River Property, Eastern Athabasca Basin, Northern Saskatchewan, Canada.", dated Nov. 25, 2015, authored by William E. Roscoe Ph.D, P.Eng. and Mark B. Mathisen C.P.G of RPA Inc. A copy of this report is available under Denison's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). The disclosure of a scientific or technical nature contained in this news release was prepared by Dale Verran, MSc, Pr.Sci.Nat., Denison's Vice President, Exploration, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI 3-101. For a description of the quality assurance program and quality control measures applied by Denison, please see Denison's Annual Information Form dated March 5, 2015 filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain information contained in this press release constitutes "forward-looking information", within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian legislation concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Denison. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or the negatives and/or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur", "be achieved" or "has the potential to". In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the following: the likelihood of completing and benefits to be derived from corporate transactions, including the potential for receipt of any contingent payments; the estimates of Denison's mineral reserves and mineral resources; completion of the PEA; expectations regarding the toll milling of Cigar Lake ores; expectations regarding revenues and expenditure from operations at DES; capital expenditure programs, estimated exploration and development expenditures and reclamation costs and Denison's share of same; exploration, development and expansion plans and objectives; and statements regarding anticipated budgets, fees and expenditures. Statements relating to "mineral reserves" or "mineral resources" are deemed to be forward-looking information, as they involve the implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions that the mineral reserves and mineral resources described can be profitably produced in the future. Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Denison to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Denison believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be accurate and may differ materially from those anticipated in this forward looking information. For a discussion in respect of risks and other factors that could influence forward-looking events, please refer to the factors discussed in the MD&A under the heading "Risk Factors". These factors are not, and should not be construed as being exhaustive. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking information and the assumptions made with respect thereto speaks only as of the date of this press release. Denison does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this press release to conform such information to actual results or to changes in Denison's expectations except as otherwise required by applicable legislation. Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources: This press release may use the terms "measured", "indicated" and "inferred" mineral resources. United States investors are advised that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. "Inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated mineral resources will ever be converted into mineral reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable. Contacts: Denison Mines Corp. David Cates President and Chief Executive Officer (416) 979-1991 ext 362 Denison Mines Corp. Sophia Shane Investor Relations (604) 689-7842 www.denisonmines.com LAS VEGAS, NV -- (Marketwired) -- 03/09/16 -- Cell MedX Corp. (OTCQB: CMXC) ("Cell MedX" or the "Company"), announces that on March 3, 2016 it has entered into a loan agreement (the "Loan Agreement") for a loan in the principal amount of $50,000 (the "Loan"). The Loan matures on March 3, 2017, with principal accumulating interest at a rate of 6% per annum. As additional consideration for the Loan, the Company issued to the lender share purchase warrants (the "Warrants") for the purchase of up to 2,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock, exercisable for a period of five years at a price of $0.15 per share if exercised during the first year, $0.25 per share if exercised during the second year, $0.40 per share if exercised during the third year, $0.60 per share if exercised during the fourth year and $0.75 per share during the fifth year. For further information on the Loan Agreement please refer to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company on March 9, 2016. About Cell MedX Corp. (OTCQB: CMXC) Cell MedX Corp. is a development stage company focused on the commercialization of therapeutic products for patients with diseases such as diabetes by developing technologies to help manage the illness and related complications. For more information go to: www.cellmedx.com and visit us on Facebook. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Cell MedX Corp. Frank McEnulty Chief Executive Officer and President. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are identified by words such as "expects," "aims," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "anticipates," "believes," "could," "possibility" and other similar words. All statements addressing product performance, observations, studies, results, revenues, demand, events, or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Because the statements are forward-looking, they should be evaluated in light of important risk factors and uncertainties, some of which are described in the Company's Quarterly, Annual and Current Reports filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the Company's underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those currently anticipated. In addition, undue reliance should not be placed on the Company's forward-looking statements. In particular, the Company's e-balance Technology is still in development. The Company does not currently have any commercially marketable products based on the e-balance technology, and there is no assurance that the Company will be successful in its development efforts. Except as required by law, Cell MedX Corp. disclaims any obligation to update or publicly announce any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory body has reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Investors are advised to carefully review the reports and documents that Cell MedX Corp. files from time to time with the SEC, including its Annual, Quarterly and Current Reports. Cell MedX Corp. For further information visit: www.cellmedx.com. Or phone: 1-844-238-2692 New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - March 9, 2016) - Yappn Corp. (OCTQB: YPPN) ("Yappn" or "Company"), a leader in real-time language technology and translation, announces today that it has negotiated a revised three (3) year Master Service Agreement ("MSA") with Intelligent Content Enterprises Inc. ("ICE") with respect to its Digital Widget Factory Inc. (Ontario) platform. Yappn will continue to service ICE directly through the MSA under the revised fee for services program. On March 4, 2016 Intelligent Content Enterprises Inc. announced the acquisition of all of the assets and ongoing operations of Digital Widget Factory (Belize)("DWF Belize"). DWF Belize's payables to Yappn Corp., up to the closing date, are secured by way of DWF Belize's equity in ICE and DWF Belize has already begun to make cash payments to Yappn against the receivables. Shortly after the contract with DWF (Belize) and Yappn was initiated, Yappn announced on January 22, 2015, the launch of Yadmark Inc. ("Yadmark") and Yaffiliate Marketing Services Inc. ("Yaffiliate"), as part of the DWF Belize program. These divisions, together with Langulas Inc. were registered by Yappn on behalf of DWF Belize to support its revenue programs and transferred to ICE's new subsidiary DWF (Ontario) in accordance with that understanding as part of the transaction with DWF (Belize) and ICE. Ed Karthaus, President & CEO of Yappn Corp. stated: "We are very pleased to have a secured commitment to continue Yappn services and have already received partial payment of the outstanding receivable since the completion of the acquisition of DWF Belize by ICE. With further funds forthcoming to ultimately satisfy the secured receivable, we will continue to move forward with further development of the platform under ICE's ownership program." ### About Yappn Yappn Corp. (OTCQB: YPPN) empowers brands to globalize their offerings and build larger market share by efficiently removing the language barrier in real-time. Focusing on the Ecommerce market, Yappn is the most innovative supplier of Advanced Machine Translation Services to provide a complete customizable set of tools to engage consumers in up to 67 languages to support the entire sales cycle, in real-time, from online marketing to Ecommerce sales and customer care. Yappn provides high fidelity language services, utilizing its 3 US patents and proprietary technology to understand the true meaning of the message. System integration is quick and cost-effective, increasing efficiency, effectiveness and customer satisfaction. For more information, please visit http://www.yappn.com or contact: Jeanny So, VP, Strategy & Corporate Communications E: jeanny@yappn.com T: 1.800.395.9943 x 228 To be added to the news release distribution list, please email: jeanny@yappn.com with the word "News" on the subject line Forward Looking Information Legal Notice and Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, and those preceded by or that include the words "believes," "expects," "given," "targets," "intends," "anticipates," "plans," "projects," "forecasts" or similar expressions, are "forward-looking statements." Although Yappn Corp.'s management believes that such forward-looking statements are reasonable; it cannot guarantee that such expectations are, or will be, correct. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company's future results to differ materially from those anticipated. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements is available in the Company's filings with the SEC including the Current Reports on Form 8-K and the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Reports on Form 10-K. The Company assumes no obligation to update any of the information contained or referenced in this press release. Silicon Valley-based early stage venture capital firm 500 Startups has launched its latest regional micro-fund dedicated to Vietnam. 500 Startups Vietnam, a US$10m fund, will make 100-150 investments into B-to-B and Enterprise SaaS, Fintech, and E-Commerce startups addressing Vietnam market needs and Vietnamese teams targeting overseas markets. Led by Venture Partners Binh Tran, a San Francisco-based technologist and four-time founder with 20+ years of experience, and Eddie Thai, a Vietnam-based business professionals with 6+ years of experience in strategy and finance for companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 corporations across tech, media, telecommunications, etc., the vehicle will make investments of $100k but may be as high as $250k. In addition to the funding, portfolio companies will get access to 500 Startups international network of 3,000 mentors and founders, $1.5m of credits with partners like Amazon and Facebook, and other support to scale their business. FinSMEs 09/03/2016 Chronicled, Inc., a San Francisco, CA-based hardware and software platform for authentication, tracking, and social engagement around collectible and vintage sneakers, raised $3.425m in seed funding. The round was led by Mandra Capital, a Hong Kong-based venture capital firm, with participation from Colbeck and San Francisco based Pantera Capital, an investor in blockchain technology. The company intends to use the funds to build up its customer base, to implement an encrypted BLE tagging solution, and to expand its data and analytics capabilities. Founded in September 2014, Chronicled is developing a platform for authentic products to be tagged, registered, verified, and transferred from a mobile app. The platform incorporates smart tags, an open registry, and a mobile app (available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store) to document and guarantee product authenticity, ownership, and provenance. To date, Chronicled has authenticated thousands of pairs of collectible sneakers and will be launching its authentication service in the NYC area in April 2016. The company is also actively exploring partnerships with sneaker brands to include authenticity chips at point of manufacture. FinSMEs 09/03/2016 Spark Capital, a Boston, MA-based venture capital firm that invests in tech startups, is seeking to raise a new fund. According to a regulatory filing with SEC, Spark Capital V, L.P., has a target of $370m. The document lists Paul Conway, Todd Dagres, Alex Finkelstein, Andrew Parker, Santo Politi, Bijan Sabet, Nabeel Hyatt, Kevin Thau as people related to the offering. Founded ten years ago, Spark Capital invests in tech startups developing B2B and consumer products and services. Its past and current portfolio has included AdMeld, Oculus, Postmates, Slack, Tumblr, Twitter, Warby Parker, Wayfair, and Wealthfront and many others (have a look here). The firm, which has offices in the Back Bay in Boston, Astor Place in New York City, and SoMA in San Francisco, currently manages five funds with $2B under management. FinSMEs 08/03/2016 Spotinst, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based cloud optimization startup, raised $2m in Series A funding. The round was led by Pico Venture Partners. The company will use the funds to expand operations. Led by Amiram Shachar, CEO, Spotinst uses advanced machine learning to provide a cloud utilization optimization platform for both enterprises and startups. The platform features a price prediction algorithm for advance alerting, monitoring of cloud metrics and atypical trend detection, optimal infrastructure utilization, automatic recovery and cost-aware action. It provides an API and UI for high-level reporting as well as a granular view of cloud deployments. The service currently optimizes cloud-computing deployments on Amazon Web Services and will introduce support for Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure later this year. FinSMEs 09/03/2016 Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor and her estranged businessman husband Sunjay Kapur told the Supreme Court on March 8 that they have arrived at an amicable solution regarding the financial aspects of the case. In the proceedings, which were held in the chamber of the judge, the financial aspect of the separation terms have been decided between the parties and the issues like visitation right of Sunjay Kapur to see their kids, who are with the actress, is to be reconciled. The bench headed by Justice A K Sikri has now fixed the matter for further hearing in chamber on April 8 as the differences between the couple have not been resolved completely. After the in-chamber proceedings, Karismas lawyer Sandeep Kapoor said both of them have worked out consent terms for settling the issues. Karisma Kapoor files case against estranged husband Sunjay; alleges Sunjay is living in with another woman. The process is in the way of finalisation before the next date of hearing. There are all possibilities of workable solution, he said. Earlier, the apex court had asked Karisma Kapoor and her estranged husband to resolve their matrimonial dispute amicably and also advised their counsels to work out the terms of settlement before the next date. The apex court is hearing a plea from Sunjay, seeking the transfer of the divorce petition from Mumbai to Delhi because the businessman was allegedly warned by underworld don Ravi Pujari against entering the city. Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani and Sandeep Kapoor, counsel of the actor, had alleged that Sunjay had violated certain clauses of their agreement before filing a mutual consent divorce petition in Mumbai. A matrimonial dispute filed by the couple is still pending before a court in Bandra, Mumbai. Karisma and her husband had initially moved a mutual consent divorce petition before the court in 2014 and the consent was later withdrawn after differences cropped up between the two over the financial settlement as well as the childrens custody. The bench was while dealing with an application filed by Sunjay Kapur seeking transfer of the couples matrimonial dispute from Mumbai to Delhi on the ground that he was facing a life threat from underworld gangster Ravi Pujari. PTI George Martin, noted for his work as The Beatles music producer, passed away aged 90, in the UK. The news was confirmed by Ringo Starr on Twitter. God bless George Martin, Ringo tweeted, adding, Peace and love to Judy and his family, love Ringo and Barbara. George will be missed. Later, John Lennon and Yoko Onos son Sean Lennon also expressed his condolences to Martins family, reported Mirror.co.uk Martin was often called the fifth Beatle as an acknowledgement of his contribution to the bands sound. It was Martin who advised that the tempo of Please, Please Me be changed, from a slower ballad to a fast-paced rock number, propelling it to the top of the charts. He is believed to have quipped to the band in the control room of the studio, Gentlemen, you have your first number 1 record. Martin would go on to arrange the music for every Beatles album that was released since then, right up to Abbey Road (except for Let It Be). The strings on Yesterday and the Indian sitar that George Harrison played in Norwegian Wood were thought to be influenced by Martin. He also played on several of their songs. Of course, Martins role in the Beatles journey began even before he started working on their music. After they were turned down by major players like Decca, it was Martin who signed them on to Parlophone in 1962. It was also at Martins suggestion that the Beatles replaced their original drummer Pete Best, bringing in Ringo Starr. Martin would go on to work with many other musicians, and famously re-recorded Elton Johns Candle In The Wind in 1997, as well as a couple of James Bond themes (including one by Paul McCartney). He was knighted in 1996. Thank you for all your love and kindness George peace and love xx pic.twitter.com/um2hRFB7qF #RingoStarr (@ringostarrmusic) March 9, 2016 God bless George Martin peace and love to Judy and his family love Ringo and Barbara George will be missed xxx #RingoStarr (@ringostarrmusic) March 9, 2016 Finance minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday withdrew the controversial tax on employees provident fund after the middle class outrage threatened to synge the government badly. However, the positive outcome of the whole controversy is that the National Pension Scheme has become more attractive for investment. The proposal that was announced in the Budget 2016 was to tax 60 percent of corpus of a private sector employee's EPF corpus, if he or she does not invest the amount in annuity schemes. If 60 percent is invested in annuity, the entire EPF corpus will become tax-free. The move was aimed at forcing private sector employees to invest in retirement schemes. Whatever the government's intention was, the move rubbed the salaried class - the Narendra Modi government's hard core constituency - the wrong way. As the outrage heightened, trade unions, including the RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, called for a nationwide strike on 10 March. It is in response to this Jaitley made the announcement to withdraw the tax proposal on Tuesday. "In view of representations received, the government would like to do a comprehensive review of this proposal and therefore I withdraw the proposal," Jaitley said in a suo motu statement in Lok Sabha. "Employees should have the choice of where to invest. Theoretically such freedom is desirable, but it is important the government to achieve policy objective by instrumentality of taxation. In the present form, the policy objective is not to get more revenue but to encourage people to join the pension scheme," Jaitley said explaining the rationale for the taxation proposal. While the middle class protested saying it is unfair to tax one's retirement funds, there were also views that the proposal may not be all that bad since the intention was for the tax-payer's good. However, as said earlier the whole controversy has made the NPS has become a little more attractive for the common man. This is because Jaitley also announced on Tuesday that 40 percent exemption given to the NPS subscriber at the time of withdrawal has not been withdrawn. The proposal to make 40 percent of withdrawal from the NPS at the maturity to be made tax-free. "EPF will hence continue to be an attractive investment option with an EEE scheme. The icing on the cake is that the exemption provided for 40% withdrawal from the NPS corpus still remains. The NPS scheme would hence now move from a EET scheme to a partially exempt scheme at the time of withdrawal making this more attractive, said Tapati Ghose, partner, Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP. Decoding the latest announcement Alok Agrawal, senior director, Deloitte Haskins & Sells, said that the employers contribution to PF in excess of Rs 150,000 per annum should continue to be non-taxable so long as it is within 12 percent of salary. Withdrawal from these funds will continue to remain fully tax exempt subject to the existing conditions (e.g. 5 years continuous service for PF exemption). However, he also points out there is a lack of clarity even in the latest announcement. "With this announcement, it is not clear whether the non-taxable limit for employers contribution to superannuation funds would be increased from the existing limit of Rs 100,000," he said. He also concurs with Tapati that NPS will become more attractive. "The proposed tax exemption up to 40% of amount withdrawn will help in making the scheme more popular," he said. "The fact that this exemption/ deduction is over and above the EPF tax benefit is particularly relevant to those individuals who may have withdrawn their EPF balance at the time of changing jobs in the past or leaving India for an international assignment. If such individuals are employed in India again, they would certainly consider investing in NPS (in addition to their ongoing EPF) to help them in beefing up their retirement fund," he said. However, he said a clear picture will emerge only once the finance minister tables the amended Finance Bill before the Parliament. Vaibhav Aggarwal, a financial analyst with a Gurgaon-based private firm, is an ordinary individual. But for millions of salaried middle class citizens in the country, he is a hero. The 31-year-old is the one who mobilised around 240,000 online petitions against the NDA-government's proposal to impose tax on EPF withdrawals announced in 2016 budget. On Tuesday, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley withdrew the decision following widespread protests from millions of private sector employees. A good part of the credit for voicing their concerns goes to Vaibhav whose online campaign (through change.org) instantly caught nationwide attention, including that of the policymakers. But Agarwal doesn't want to be portrayed as a hero. Although he wanted to react against the budget proposal to tax the life-savings of the salaried class, he never imagined this would turn out to be such a massive campaign at the national level, Vaibhav told Firstpost in an interview on Tuesday. It just happened. "I get outraged but I never thought of taking any action. But something spurred inside me that day," he said. Born and brought up in a middle class family, savings and the importance of it is not new for Vaibhav. "This move of the government would have just wiped out the salaried class of the country. They do not have the guts to go after the rich and the industrialists, and are burdening the already-burdened." On 29 February, Vaibhav drafted a petition on Change.org which would eventually change the lives of 16 lakh salaried people of the nation for the better. "My friends were also angry but it was the usual response of the working class where you go on with your life. But when I showed them the numbers they went berserk," Vaibhav said. The finance analyst prepared an Excel sheet and uploaded it along with the petition which calculates the amount of tax that one will pay at the time of EPF withdrawal. The reaction to the petition was nothing Vaibhav had expected. Once he filed the petition, he checked its progress constantly. "It had some 30 to 40 shares because I told my friends and colleagues about it and I did not expect more than that." Vaibhav chose to file the petition as he had seen how it had made a difference on a separate but equally important issue net neutrality. The petition, launched on change.org by Kollam (Kerala)-based Sandeep Pillai in December last year, was supported by 375,000 people online, and was one of the campaigns that forced the government and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to re-examine the issue. By 2 March, Vaibhav's petition had garnered more than a lakh signatures. "People told me that's a massive number." "The petition picked up like wildfire because it resonates with every salaried person who is already burdened with multiple taxation like income tax and indirect taxes. The government's decision to tax EPF was a draconian move and a killer blow." On 2 March, country lead of change.org, Preethi Herman had said, "Vaibhav's petition has drawn one lakh signatures in just two days. This is one of the most viral petitions on change.org in recent times. We hope that the finance ministry responds positively to the concerns of all those who have signed this petition." And it did. The government decided to withdraw their plan to tax the corpus accumulated by investing in the EPF. As Jaitley said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday: "In view of representations received, the government would like to do a comprehensive review of this proposal and therefore I withdraw the proposal." Jaitley with his Budget 2016 had scored some brownie points with its increased focus on issues concerning rural segments and farm-sector but, his move on EPF tax changes, which will directly impact millions of salaried class, was enough to spoil all those positives and almost boomeranged. Vaibhav told Firstpost that the government's decision would only make the rich richer while the working class slogged under already-high tax burden. He added that returns on annuity products have been poor as compared to other fixed income instruments based on historical data. "This is a draconian act and will be a killer blow to already tax burdened salaried class which pays 30% income tax plus 30% taxes in indirect form i.e customs, excise, service tax etc." The Central government's idea while proposing taxing EPF was that it would push people to save more. "When 18-year-olds can vote and decide the regime that rules the nation, won't a 58-year-old know how to save their own money? If you want people to save more then please remove taxes from fixed income instruments like FD also. It is a little surprising that long term ELSS/MF investments are not having any income tax but there is a tax on bank FD. A lot of money will flow into the NPA ridden PSU banks if the tax is removed on bank FD." "Government is trying to ape the western nations and especially the US, but that won't work in a nation like ours. Ninety percent of my peers, who are financial experts, were very angry. Budget is anyway not easily understood in this country and add to that such clauses. Where will the common man go after paying all these taxes?" So does Vaibhav feel like a celebrity after his petition forced the government to rollback its decision? Not really, says the 31-year-old. "I am the same guy. I just don't want to give away my life's savings to corporates," Vaibhav concluded. Flexible timings, a policy for extended maternity leave, creches at the work place are some of the women-friendly policies that some companies in India Inc have put in place to make women employees comfortable to continue working. On Monday, ICICI Bank came out with a policy that allows women to work from home for as long as a year. Though some in India Inc are sensitive to gender issues, the large majority are far removed from women-friendly policies. Would a rule by law help? What can organisations do to make the workplace a friendly place for women with changing needs after marriage and childbirth? Here are a few suggestions: Fifty percent representation of women in workforce: No matter how many women-friendly policies are introduced in the workplace, would much be achieved if the number of women in the workplace is less than that of men? What India Inc needs to do is bring about a policy that makes it mandatory to have 50 percent of workforce comprising of women employees, says Sriram Vaidhyanathan, HR Head, BankBazaar.com. In our organisation, we have 38 percent women in the workforce which we would like to raise to 50 percent. If this policy is introduced, all the others such as work from home, cover on maternity, etc will fall in place, says Sriram. Flexibility at the workplace: Personal exigencies for women are different from those of male employees. Though some organisations in India Inc provide flexibility to women so as to be able to balance work and home, not many organisations follow this policy. Richard Lobo, SVP and Head - HR, Infosys says, Facilities such as satellite offices for expecting or new mothers, telecommuting for employees on a need basis, work from home options on temporary basis, etc. are some of the interventions provided by us. At Infosys, the work from home facility is available to all employees. Our experience has been that, when used appropriately, such interventions aid productivity and help employees contribute their best. Mentor men to accept women bosses: ICICI has taken the lead in gender diversity at the workplace. Women at the helm in ICICI have become a norm. But are male employees as accepting of women bosses? At West Coast, we have had women directors even before it became mandatory to have women directors on board, says Shweta Vakil, director, WestCoast Group. Vakil says that mentoring for women is often talked about when women want to take maternity leaves and rejoin organisations, for instance. But what about mentoring men? Male employees are not open to working with women bosses. Mentoring should be provided to men to be more accepting of women bosses at the workplace. If that is done, half the battle is won, says Vakil. Ingrain women with a sense of self: The home is the first place a girl child gets a sense of self. Is the girl child given equal treatment at home? Saurabh Saxena, CEO, Holachef, says parents should raise children with a strong sense of gender equality. It will ensure that at home and at workplace women wont need to fight for their empowerment, he says. Equality in salary: It is a boys' club at the workplace and that is a mindset that needs to change. Men decide on salaries, work culture, etc. "When women do the same job as men, they don't get the same salary," says Smita Gaikwad, senior vice president, Global Corporate Communications, Hinduja Global Solutions. "When a woman does the same job as a man, it is found that many organisations do not pay her at par with her male counterpart. Culturally, the mindset is to see women in secondary positions at home and this seeps into the workplace," she says. Parity in pay would go a long way in women feeling valued, adds Gaikwad. Implement a work from home policy: Though a lot has been spoken about the work from home policy, not many companies follow it. Some have introduced it and have revoked it as many employees have misused it. Ameen Khwaja, founder and CEO, LatestOne.com, believes that if more companies adopt the work from home policy, women can utilise their capabilities to seek economic independence and prove their mettle. Creches at work place: Though MNCs and a few Indian companies have creches at the workplace, a large number of companies in India Inc dont have any such facilities. Ankita Tandon, chief operating officer, CouponDunia, says if more organisations in India Inc have facilities such as creches at the workplace, it would give the new mother motivation to join the work force. Engage with women employees: A Dale Carnegie Training Gender Engagement Study found that only 39 per cent of Indian women are completely engaged in the workplace. Women (especially disengaged employees) were far more likely to leave the organization than their male colleagues at every level. The survey found that women tend to feel undervalued compared to their male counterparts with 49 per cent of women feeling that the sort of work they do was not contributing to the overall success of the organization against 63 per cent of men who felt that their jobs had a significant impact. "It is therefore vital for organisations to focus on engaging and coaching with their female employees and showing them a clear growth path that will convince them that there is no glass ceiling, said Pallavi Jha, Chairperson & Managing Director, Dale Carnegie Training India. Why the politicians are largely silent on the Kingfisher issue? Are they under some oath not to speak? The desperate, late-fought battle of a clutch of 17 banks against liquor-baron Vijay Mallya to get back their about Rs 9,000 crore loans (including the interest amount) lent to his now defunct airline, Kingfisher, raises many more questions. The whole episode is filled with high drama. A new act is unveiled every passing day the latest being lenders, under the State Bank of India (SBI), moving the Supreme Court to prevent the King of Good Times from fleeing the country with his $75 million (Rs 500 crore around) parting gift from Diageo. But, the man has already left the country. On Wednesday, Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi, representing the consortium of banks, informed the SC that Mallya has left the country on 2 March citing the Central Bureau of Investigation, adding that Mallya is likely in London. Here is the case in a nutshell: A Bangalore-Debt Recovery Tribunal on Monday offered a partial relief to SBI and other lenders by temporarily banning Mallya from withdrawing his severance pay from Digaeo and postponed the case for hearing for March 28. The Kingfisher loan to lenders, about Rs 7,000 crore originally, turned non-performing asset (NPA) in late 2011 or early 2012. Mallya has cleverly avoided repaying his loan all these years by dragging the banks to court rooms across the country. Until recently, banks too have failed to put up a tough battle against Mallya for unknown reasons. Mallya always had an edge in the battle. Arguably, there has not been another case in the history of Indian banking in which the entire system has turned helpless in battle against one defaulter. Perhaps, this is the biggest example of the so-called crony promoters taking the banking system (in turn risking the public money) for a ride. Mallya has openly made a mockery of the banking system, the judiciary and the investigating agencies by flashing his money-power in birthday parties, F1 rallies and in purchasing luxurious villas all over the world, even when the Kingfisher employees still have salary dues and the shareholders of the airline have lost a fortune. What is missing is the strong political will to take action on Mallya. As Firstpost has argued several times in the past, taking down Mallya and confiscating his wealth to recover the dues are important not only in this specific case but also to set a strong example for the rest of the large defaulters who have looted the banking system. Had it been a salaried individual, who defaulted on his home loan or personal loan, an army of bank officials would be at his doorstep on the 91st day to harass him and name and shame the individual. But, Mallya has always been a God, mighty, beyond their reach. At this stage, there are a few important questions that need to be asked: One, why the Congress party, the principal opposition, is totally silent on Mallya even as 17 large banks are fighting for Rs 9,000 crore public money? Even Congress Vice President, Rahul Gandhi, known for his emotional outbursts on public issues and jibes on the suit-boot-ki-Sarkar, has been largely silent on this issue. Is it that he does not consider this serious enough to be followed up with the Modi government by the opposition in the House or is it that he simply doesnt understand the problem? Or, is the reluctance of Gandhi under some pressure not to target Mallya? Two, why the Narendra Modi government has been hesitant to take stern action on Mallya even when the government-run banks have clearly made a point that around Rs 9,000 crore of money is at grave danger. It is surprising that the government has delayed taking steps to facilitate banks loan recovery even at a stage when a host of lenders have moved to the apex court seeking to bar Mallya from leaving abroad and two banks have classified Mallya as a willful defaulter. If the finance ministry is indeed concerned with the fate of Rs 9,000 crore public money, why not confiscate his assets and recover the money? After all, Mallya still has over Rs 7,000 crore of wealth in his shareholdings in various companies and more in fixed assets in India and abroad. Third, now that Mallya has left the country, things have got more complicated for the banks. The judiciary will have to share a good part of the blame in the event of Mallya refusing to return to the country. As Firstpost noted in an earlier article, despite having all the evidence on the Kingfisher case, why the Bangalore DRT postponed the hearing of the case by another 21 days to March 28 is a surprising factor, giving room for Mallya to think of his next step. The DRT is meant to be a special court for swiftly dealing with resolution of cases of large defaults as the name suggests. But in this case, the tribunal hasnt lived up to its name. What everyone conveniently forgets is the fact that Kingfisher is a four-year-old NPA case for banks, not something developed in last month or so. There have been investigations on Mallya by various agencies including the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate. At least two banks have classified Mallya as wilful defaulter. In this context, further delay in this case is against the interest of minority shareholders of the company, who have already suffered a lot. Four, why the bank officials who sanctioned loans to Kingfisher fully knowing the risks associated with the company are not brought under the law yet? There have been, arguably, serious lapses while following the due diligence process in the Kingfisher lending process. An Indian Express report quotes the CBI raising concerns over the high valuation of the Kingfisher Airlines brand by its lenders and why banks used it as collateral while extending loans to Kingfisher. Lending on the brand value of Kingfisher Airlines is a major concern. We have questioned the banks. It is basically an intangible asset. We are digging into the issue, the report quoted CBI sources. In its 2012-13 annual report, Kingfisher Airlines had said that at its peak it was the largest airline in India, with a five-star rating from Skytrax. A brand valuation by consultancy firm Grant Thornton put its value at $550 million (Rs 3,000 crore) on resumption of operations. The airlines brand had been registered separately from the Kingfisher beer trademark. Why there is no action yet on the bank officials who violated the rules? The general argument when a politician is silent on crony promoters is the give-and-take relationship between the political parties and cronies. Questions will be raised on those lines if the political will is absent in such a crucial issue, where thousands of crores of public money is at stake, especially in a country, where the source of a significant part of political funding for most of the political outfits, remain a mystery. Remember, NPAs also increase the capital requirement of banks, in turn putting more pressure on the public exchequer. As it appears now, banks battle against Mallya will be a much more difficult exercise if he has indeed left the country with an intention to avoid the law of the land. If banks fail this battle, there are many who will be held answerable. Well most Mumbaikars don't know the art of living. We know the art of surviving, the traffic, the pollution and the noise that comes with this city. One could say living here is an art in itself. So I'm not going to comment on the merits of a World Culture Festival someone wants to have in a reserved forest. This is not something that concerns me. What does concern me and should ideally concern all of us is that the Indian Army's Corps of Engineers being asked to build temporary bridges across the Yamuna for this event. These bridges will be dismantled after the event is over, so there is no real net infrastructure gain for the public as well. The last time we had to call the Army in to do last minute civilian infrastructure work was during the Commonwealth Games when the Corps of Engineers had to replace foot-over bridges that collapsed prior to the event. But the thing is those went on to become permanent infrastructure elements. The foot-over bridges exist today. Yes, the Indian Army provides infrastructure support for the Amarnath Yatra and the Kumbh Mela. The former because of its location and the later because of the fact that the Kumbh Mela is something civilian authorities cannot handle on their own. Owing to the fact that it is attended by by over 120 million people, that's more people than the State of Tamil Nadu, actually more people than Maharashtra. It's about 10 percent of the country's population, so it makes sense to deploy the Army there. The Amarnath climb is in one of the most in-hospitable climbs on earth and the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir requires the army to be involved as the yatra occurs in the middle of what can be best described as a war zone. Calling the Indian Army in to aid and assist a civil power is not something that must be done lightly. Apart form the obvious reasons that it demeans the role of the armed forces in our society to be asked to erect bridges for a World Culture Festival, we need to ask ourselves: Why can't the public works department of the government erect bridges or why it cannot plan in advance to have contractors employed to erect them. If you look at the website of this 'World Culture Festival' you will see that it enjoys support from the Government of Delhi of Delhi; the Department of Arts Culture and Languages, Government of Delhi; the Public Works Department of the Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Government of India. Which official in these departments is accountable for the failure of their department to plan in advance and have contractors build the bridges? Surely, they would have known well in advance that bridges would be required. The army only comes in to aid a civil war in exceptional circumstances. This is because the President of India is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and it is not the other way around. To put it simply, the army works for the civilian government and not the other way around. This is what makes us different from Pakistan, India is not a military State. This means that the civil power only use the aid of the Army in absolute emergency situations, like a flood in Kashmir or where the civil power cannot operate without the aid of the Army like in Ambarnath or the Kumbh Mela. Calling them to build a bridge across the Yamuna for an event sponsored by two state governments and the central government, an event that was planned well in advance is an absolute national disgrace. Irrespective of the event. The army should not be deployed to work where civilian powers can do the job. M Parrikar MP, the Defence Minister says the Army was called to build the bridges in to ensure security for attendees. But this does not make sense, we don't see the Indian army doing infrastructure at the Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala where 30 to 40 million people visit on average in a year. The Ministry of Defence needs to answer to Parliament why the Indian Army was deployed, the Ministry of Tourism needs to explain why they needed a platoon bridge in the first place, the Public Works Departments of UP and Delhi need to explain why they could not plan for this event in advance and have contractors put up the bridges. This government is supposed to be about transparent and accountable governance and it's quite clear there is nothing transparent or accountable in this situation. The Indian army has been deployed in a non-emergency situation. The Defence Minister needs to explain why the Indian army is being used as a public works department. Also, we need to know who is paying for the deployment of the army? Are we sending the Art of Living foundation a bill for using our armed forces? Minimal accountability means the AOL foundation take responsibility for the costs incurred in deploying the armed forces. The bill for this service should not under any circumstance be borne by the Indian taxpayer. Trapped in a time warp, for the scholars of JNU, age-old scriptures still remain symbols of all that is wrong within Indian society. But the fact remains most of their comrades had not even heard of most of these scriptures before entering campus. On Tuesday evening, three JNU students that included the vice-president of the JNU unit of the ABVP burnt selected excerpts of the Manusmriti to protest against the oppressive and highly discriminatory content of the text. The oversimplification of some serious social issues only reminds one of the satirical depiction of JNU students in 2013 Hindi flick Raanjhanaa, where a group of JNU students after discussing why the hero becomes a thief concludes that it is poverty that makes one a thief. For burning Manusmriti, the reason as stated by Jatin Goraiya, the vice-president of the ABVP unit in JNU and one of three students who took part in the initiative was simple. We essentially got printouts of around 40 verses from the text that we feel had extremely derogatory references against women and burnt them. Today (Tuesday) is International Women's Day we thought this was the day when we should burn this text that contains highly derogatory remarks against women, said Goraiya. When asked why he thinks that on a university campus, the burning of Manusmriti even holds symbolic value, Goraiya asserted, When I came to JNU, I was also not aware of the Manusmriti but then I got to know about it. I realised that even today many social evils like child marriage mentioned in Manusmriti are prevalent in our society." He added with an afterthought, By burning Manusmriti, we are burning discrimination Pradeep Narwal, who resigned from ABVP following the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar and the protests that followed, said that they have been demanding the burning of the Manusmriti, but the ABVP did not listen to them. We have problems with the 40 points of the text, copies of which we burnt as we felt that they were extremely derogatory towards women and Dalits, says Narwal. Many students Firstpost spoke to admitted to not have even heard of the text before coming to JNU, and still knowing little about it. I came from Delhi University. Manuwadi and Manusmriti are words used here was as commonly as KNags (a reference to Kamla Nagar market in north campus of Delhi University) or dramsoc (dramatic societies in DU colleges). Initially, I thought it was a cultural society like the ones we used to have in DU, said a student. While delivering his lecture, part of teach-in series of lectures on nationalism taking place in JNU Makarand Paranjape, a professor of English at JNU's Centre for English Studies on 7 March was right in every respect when he said, What I am going to do today is to emphasise the other performative where we talk about ideas, we are objective, we are critical, we do not get carried away, we are open-minded, we interrogate and critique ourselves and not just mount attacks on people we disagree with. The objectivity and self-critique is what many think is missing with Left leaders at JNU. As many of the students pointed out. Look, they have this tendency of justifying everything they feel is right. And they are very good at building rhetoric around it to defend their stance, said a student of school of computational and integrative sciences. No one knows about Manusmriti before they come here. But then they are taught about it and then told to hate and oppose it. A perfect case of manufacturing dissent, said another student of the School of Social Sciences. A student with a left-leaning but a rationalist perspective pointed at a recent post by JNUSU vice-president Shehla Rashid which speaks considerably about the problem with the Left in JNU. The post read: Imagine Antarctica occupied by Argentina and Australia. Both calling it important strategic point. Without a single enemy bullet fired, soldiers would die due to harsh weather and repeated avalanche. What would you call it? I call it madness... Let's come closer home. Every month 2 Indian soldiers are dying in the barren land, called Siachen, where nothing grows, nobody lives. Not due to enemy bullets, but due to -50C temperature. Stop sacrificing our soldiers. Time to #DemilitarizeSiachen. It would be truest tribute to Hanumanthappa and his comrades. Replying to her post Saikat Dutta, former editor (national security) at Hindustan Times wrote, Shehla, unfortunately, Siachen is not Antartica or Artic. Here, it serves a major strategic value for India, Pakistan and China. Giving up a major strategic asset would ensure that the Pakistanis and the Chinese get a major upper hand, which can threaten India's entire northern sector, right up to Himachal Pradesh. The problem with the JNU Left is that they feel a monopoly over what is right, they confuse ideas with fact. How can you compare Antarctica with Siachen. They stress so much on rhetoric and facts that suit them and they care just about their worldview which is time-trapped, said Pankaj Kumar, a research scholar. New Delhi: The issue of reported vandalisation of a Chhattisgarh church and manhandling of the congregants figured in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, with a Congress member demanding action against the culprits. Shantaram Naik of Congress said a group of over 15 men allegedly vandalised the prayer hall that served as a church and manhandled the congregants at the Kachana colony in the capital city of Raipur. "The incident happened at a time when a prayer meeting was in progress. It is learnt that the men came on motorcycles and shouted slogans like 'Jai Shri Ram'," he said during the Zero Hour and sought action against those responsible. Chattisgarh government has said police were investigating the case. "When Chattisgarh is ridden with scams of thousands of crore in public distribution system, the people have lost faith in the state government's investigation," he said. Talking about reported hate crimes against gurudwaras in the US, Vivek Gupta (TMC) referred to an incident last week when a 44 year old man broke into a gurudwara in Spokane. "The person who committed this crime also desecrated sacred items in the gurudwara and tried to damage it ... he posed as a naked man and vandalised it," he said and asked the Ministry of External Affairs to get the matter properly investigated. Nadimul Haque (also TMC) raised the matter of delay in appointment of Chairperson and other members of the Law Commission. He said the Ministry of Law and Justice had notified the constitution of the 21st Law Commission of India for a period of three years from September 2015. "However, almost six months have passed, but the Government has not appointed the Chairman and other Members of the Law Commission till date," he said. The delay in appointment will have adverse impact on the working of the Commission as they will have six months less to complete their assigned tasks, he said, urging the Government to appoint all the members expeditiously. PTI New Delhi: The Defence Ministry is working on a new policy for using Army for civilian causes, a move that comes amid a raging controversy over the force building a pontoon bridge over the Yamuna for the Art of Living Foundation's upcoming World Culture Festival in New Delhi. The Defence Secretary has been asked by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to look into the matter so that a controversy is avoided the next time. As per the initial plan, the help of the Army can be requisitioned by either the Chief Secretary or the Director General of Police of a state. It is not the first time that the Army has been involved in a private event. It had built two pontoon bridges for a Yanni concert behind Taj Mahal on the banks of Yamuna in 1997, sources said. In the current case, Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra had written to Parrikar seeking pontoon bridges of the Army. In a letter dated February 16, Mishra, Minister of Tourism, Art, Culture, Language and Water, said that a large gathering of people is expected to congregate at the Festival. "A very large number of people, who will be approaching the venue from Noida Link Road side, will be required to cross Yamuna to reach the venue of the Festival...Provision of adequate number of pontoon bridges on Yamuna river (around four) is being seen as imperative for this purpose. "We have learnt that the Army is making 1 pontoon bridge. This is not adequate for the safe movement of the large gathering and hence (we) request the Army for building at least one more pontoon bridge over river Yamuna," he said. The AAP Minister, however, said that Delhi government would not bear any expenditure whatsoever. Defence sources have said that the decision to rope in the Army was taken keeping people's safety in mind. "Lakhs of people are expected to turn up. There is a question of law and order and also fears of stampede. Permission has been granted by authorities concerned to host the event. If a permission has been given, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure everything is run smoothly," sources had said. They said the organisers had approached the Defence Ministry seeking six such bridges but the Army was asked to erect only one. A second bridge has been erected by the PWD. "The Delhi Police has given a report saying that there are fears of stampede and hence the Army might build another bridge," the sources said. PTI An RTI query by divyabhaskar.com has revealed that the Anandiben Patel government is funding separate cremation grounds for those belonging to Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe in several villages in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state, Gujarat, a fact corroborated by a survey conducted by Navsarjan, an NGO that works in 11 districts of the state. According to the survey, 10 villages have separate crematoriums for Dalits while the state government has allocated funds for 40 more in other villages. Manjula Pradeep of Navsarjan Trust, a Dalit rights organisation, said: The equality that we fight for, the dignity that we seek in our lives should not be denied to us in death. If the government builds separate cremation areas for Dalits, it is aiding caste-based discrimination. Dalits are forced to cremate their dead in open places because in some villages they are not allowed to do so in a general crematoriums, she alleged. Tracking the revenue record through an RTI query in Kheda district's Moholel village, where the Dalit community is around five per cent of the population, revealed that it had three crematoriums one for the "general" and two for the "lower castes". Documents produced by the village panchayat under an RTI query proved that the cremation areas for the SC/STs were funded by the state. "By building different crematoriums for Dalits instead of ensuring that the last rites for their dead are performed in the crematoriums common to all, the government is trying to create a rift ", said Manish Parmar, a resident of Moholel village. Reply for the RTI query establishes that the construction of Dalit crematoriums was done as per the guidelines of general administration department (planning) vide Gandhinagars circular no: JAM/1179/Y (Dated: 4/10/1980 and Dated: 16/6/81). Pravin Patel, deputy secretary, planning, said, "The work was done as per government guidelines. Separate crematoriums are approved if there is a demand from the communities or recommendation from the MLAs. In many villages, there are different cremation grounds for Dalits, upper castes and Thakors. Each district has own Ayojan Samiti that works in accord with the states guidelines, he said, adding in the same breath that there is no guideline to make separate crematoriums for Dalits. Ramesh Chavda, a Dalit MLA from Kadi, made it clearer. Separate crematoriums in villages are not an uncommon phenomenon. Since Dalits are not allowed to use the ones frequented by the upper castes, in some cases the MLAs have allocated funds for exclusive Dalit crematoriums. Take it from me, untouchability will not be abolished in the next 100 years. Some of the members of the upper caste, however, denied that Dalits were disallowed from using general crematoriums. Mafat Patel from the influential Patel community said: There is already one samshan (crematorium) for Hindus in the village. Nobody denies the Dalits from entering it. Instead of constructing a proper road that leads to the crematorium, the government wasted money to build a separate one." Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) and the group representing ex-employees of the former thermometer factory in Kodaikanal on Wednesday announced that a settlement has been reached wherein the workers would be paid ex-gratia and other compensations, according to a report in The New Indian Express. This comes after a massive protests and outrage online when a central government appointed committee found around 45 people had died and over 600 poisoned as a result of toxic dumping in the region. Meanwhile, according to The Economic Times, SA Mahindra Babu, the president of the Pond's HLL ex-Mercury Employees Welfare Association, welcomed the decision of settlement and said they were satisfied with the terms of the settlement. The report added that the agreement, which was signed last Friday, has promised ex-gratia payments to 591 former factory workers at the factory, which will be used for "livelihood enhancement" and skill development programmes. The former workers had filed a petition in the Madras High Court in February 2006 seeking economic rehabilitation, as per the Business Standard. Mercury poisoning in Kodaikanal, a popular hill station about 530 km from Chennai, due to dumping of toxic waste by Unilever's now-shut thermometer factory is one of the the most infamous cases of shirking of corporate social responsibility in India. Pond's moved the factory to India from the United States in the early 1980s and by 1987 Ponds India and the Thermometer factory went to Hindustan Unilever. Around early 2000s, factory workers complained of health problems and many public interest groups, such as Greenpeace, alleged that the company wasn't handling mercury, a highly potent metal, properly. According to various reports, the company was directed to shut down in 2001 after Palani Hills Conservation Council and Greenpeace exposed the companys attempt to sell glass contaminated with mercury to a scrap dealer and in 2003, 300 tonnes of contaminated waste was extracted. In 2015, Sofia Ashraf, a Chennai-based rapper's video telling Unilever to clean up their mess and detox Kodaikanal had gone viral. New Delhi: In a breakthrough move that can help in the fight against dengue, a herbal medicine against it is claimed to have been developed by scientists in India, which accounts for 50 per cent of the global population estimated to be at risk from the disease. Experts are now gearing up for the next step, which is to hold clinical trials and toxicity studies before seeking permission from the Ministry of Ayush and the Drug Controller of India (DCI) for commercial production. The project was undertaken jointly by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), under the Ministry of Science and Technology, the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and Ranbaxy Research Laboratory (now owned by Sun Pharma), and employed Ayurveda in devising the drug. "Using the knowledge of traditional Indian medicine Ayurveda we developed a systematic bioassay-guided screening approach to explore the indigenous herbal bio-resource to identify plants with pan-DENV (dengue virus) inhibitory activity. "Results showed that the alcoholic extract of Cissampelos pariera Linn (Cipa extract) was a potent inhibitor of all four DENVs in cell-based assays, assessed in terms of viral NS1 antigen secretion using ELISA, as well as viral replication, based on plaque assays. Virus yield reduction assays showed that Cipa extract could decrease viral titers by an order of magnitude. The extract conferred statistically significant protection against DENV infection," said Navin Khanna, senior scientist at ICGEB and the group leader of the project. He added that preliminary evaluation of the clinical relevance of Cipa extract showed it had no adverse impact on platelet count and RBC viability. It also showed no evidence of toxicity in Wistar rats, when administered doses as high as 2g/Kg body weight for up to a week. "We have tested it on rats and have got positive results, but now it needs to be tested on bigger animals," Khanna said. Mohammad Aslam, senior advisor to DBT, which funded the project, said since the drug has been made from plant extracts and not chemicals, it has sought permission from both the Ministry of Ayush and also the Drug Controller of India. "The drug has proved to be resistant to four types of dengue virus. "Sun Pharma has been tasked with launching the drug commercially after conducting the trials," Aslam said, adding that the company has patents in 17 countries where cases of dengue are high. Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, poses a significant global public health risk. In tropical countries such as India, where periodic dengue outbreaks can be correlated to the high prevalence of the mosquito vector circulation of all four dengue viruses (DENVs) and the high population density, a drug for dengue is being increasingly recognised as an unmet public health need. India represents 50 per cent of the global population estimated to be at risk of dengue. Severe dengue, which is potentially fatal, correlates with very high virus load, reduction in platelet counts and haemorrhage. PTI New Delhi: The 39 Indians, who have been held as captives by the dreaded Islamic State in Iraq since June 2014, are believed to be still alive, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told Lok Sabha Wednesday, as she asserted the government is making all efforts to bring them back. Out of the 40 Indians from Punjab who were kidnapped by IS militants from a construction site in Mosul in June 2014, one of them escaped and made a claim that the remaining captives might have been killed. The Indian government had however denied the claim. During the Question Hour, Swaraj referred to a recent meeting in which foreign ministers from Arab countries and 15 ministers participated and said the leaders of two major nations had told her that the abducted Indians were alive. Swaraj said that if the Indians were stranded, the government would have brought them long back but they are in the captivity of terrorists. "I completely don't believe that those people are dead... If we believed that boy's version then I would have told this House that all are dead. But we don't believe the boy's claim and that is why we are searching for the people," she said. Swaraj also said there has been no "big exodus" of Indians from foreign countries in the wake of steep fall in crude oil prices which has adversely affected job prospects. She was responding to a query on what action the government plans to take as many companies overseas were sending back Indians amid decline in oil prices, a matter of concern to Kerala that has a large number of NRIs. This is a future problem and the government is aware about it, Swaraj said. Emphasising that welfare of Indians living abroad was a priority for the government, Swaraj said it is working from all sides to address problems faced by them. Whenever such problems are brought to her notice, "I look at it personally and in case of emergency situations, we try to address the issue within 24 hours", she said. In such situations, "I don't look at a person's language, state or religion. For me, they all are Indians," Swaraj said while expressing confidence that such problems would be resolved completely. The Minister came in for praise from some members in the House for the handling of problems faced by Indians abroad, including rescuing them and ensuring their return home. BJD and AAP members appreciated Swaraj for her efforts. BJD's Baijayant Panda said the response from the Ministry has been "outstanding" and there has been a dramatic improvement in this regard. Besides thumping of desks by members from Treasury benches, BJD's Baijayant Panda and AAP members Dharamvir Gandhi and Bhagwant Mann appreciated the Minister for helping Indians facing difficulties in foreign countries. The AAP members thanked her for taking speedy action in ensuring the rescue and return of around 19 people, hailing from Punjab, from Saudi Arabia. Opposition members, including those from the Left, were also seen thumping benches. In response, Swaraj said she thanked the members for their sentiments. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan too was heard saying that it was the Minister's day on Wednesday. PTI New Delhi: The Dwarka water treatment plant, operation of which was halted during the Jat quota stir, will resume functioning on Friday, said Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra on Wednesday. Water supply in large parts of the city was severely hit after Jat agitators had forcibly shut down the Munak Canal in Haryana and its Delhi sub-branch. The city has a demand of 1,200 MGD (million gallons per day). "I visited Munak Canal and water has been released on Tuesday night and the quantity is being gradually increased. The Dwarka plant will start functioning on 11 March (Friday)," said Mishra. The plant, which has the capacity to treat 50 MGD, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal last year to cater to the residents of the Dwarka sub-city. Mishra, also the Chairman of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), said the rest of the treatment plants will also reach their respective peak capacities with the normalisation of the Munak Canal, the largest source of water supply to Delhi. Jat protesters, demanding reservation, had stopped water supply to the canal and breached its banks. Two columns of the army comprising around 150 personnel, besides Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Haryana Police contingents had taken control of the canal on 22 February after evicting the protesters who were squatting at the site. PTI By Janaki Murali Its that time of the year again. Summer, power outages, water shortages, and if you have somewhere to go, its the right time to do so. Expect industrial, staggered holidays and blackouts. And unless you have a strong captive power plant in your factory and a stronger UPS at home, its going to be the harshest summer Karnataka has ever seen in the last 25 years. The state government has already declared drought in 136 talukas, this in itself considered the worst in 40 years. Meanwhile, the rising gap between demand and supply for power is some 2,600 MW. Just some months ago, the power shortage was estimated at 1,820 MW, up from 1,500 MW in October last year. The total demand for power in Karnataka industrial and household is estimated to be more than 12,000 MW and 25 per cent of this power is consumed by Bengaluru alone. Bengaluru, home to several technology giants, is reeling under four or more hours of load shedding daily, while rural areas see seven to eight hours, sometimes even 12 hours of power cuts every day. A report in Business Standard states that 50 per cent of Flipkarts sale of emergency lamps in India came from Karnataka alone. The New Indian Express reports that a farmer, Sai Giridhar Rai, from Karnatakas coastal Dakshina Kannada district picked up the phone a couple of days ago, called state energy minister DK Shivakumar and let off some steam on the power situation. Of course, the farmer was arrested, but the energy minster might have to get used to more such outbursts, as the temperature rises outside. But, why do I feel a sense of deja vu? Its as though nothing has changed in the last 20-odd years I have been writing about power. Every summer, I would wait along with the other journalists in the corridors of the energy department waiting for whoever was the energy minister then to give us a ray of hope. The government of the day would resort to knee-jerk reactions about load shedding, scrambling to buy power from neighbouring states and, if good rains followed in the next monsoon, everything would go back to status quo until the next failed monsoon. Karnatakas power crisis is kind of a leveler. Whatever the political affiliation of the government, they have faced a power crisis at some time or other in their tenure. The BJP government faced its worst power crisis in 2010 and now in 2016 the Congress is facing is own. It's not as though the power crisis has suddenly dawned on Karnataka. A poor monsoon last year meant that the farmers were dependent on ground water and water pumps to irrigate their crops. Given long hours of load shedding, even drawing on ground water became difficult for the farmers. In Bengaluru, it seems that load shedding has been going on forever nobody remembers when it started, its as though it never ended last year! While almost all multinationals and IT companies have their own captive power plants, the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) dont have that advantage. Last summer, most of the industrial units in Bengaluru got power for about an hour or so, setting them behind schedules and missing deadlines. One of the owners of an SME told Livemint in August last year, I am yet to start the production for October. If it is going to be like this, people like me will have to shut down their businesses. Industry bodies feel that steps to improve power generation should have been taken months ago, in anticipation of the power problems after a bad monsoon. As early as October last year, Anuj Sharma, president of the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce told The Hindu Business Line, The problems could have been avoided by judicious policymaking, appropriate planning and administrative steps to improve generation capacity, efficiency of generation, portfolio balancing and maintenance of existing units. So, why didnt the Karnataka government anticipate the power crisis this season, the worst in 25 years? Why werent alternative solutions planned and implemented as soon as a poor monsoon was on the cards? And why is it that Karnataka is always reactive and not proactive? And this time around, what created the present power crisis? Reason #1: Karnataka continues to rely on hydel power for 70 per cent of its needs. As a cascading effect of a poor monsoon, the three major hydel reservoirs at Linganmakki, Mani and Supa were generating only 46. 26 per cent of its capacity. The Times of India reported a recent fire at Sharavathi hydroelectric power plant, which only aggravated the already dire power situation. Reason #2: The state's problems have been further compounded by the constant repair and maintenance activity at the thermal plants, at Udupi, Raichur and Bellary. A shortage of coal only compounds the issue. Five out of eight units at the Raichur Thermal Plant Station fell short of their production targets due to shortage of water in the Krishna River. Reason #3: No major effort has been made to look for alternative sources of energy. Despite Karnataka being among the first states to adopt renewable energy sources like solar and wind, most of these projects are small scale. Other states have been growing rapidly in setting up their wind and solar power plants. Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh added 2,000 MW of power in renewable energy in the last few years, while Karnataka added a dismal 200 to 300 MW in the same period. A wind energy plant with 1,000 MW capacity was able to produce only 17 MW due to low winds. Lets tune in to energy minister DK Shiva Kumar, who told The Times of India, as early as October last year, "We will sign a long-term agreement to buy 2,000 MW of power over 10 years. Under the short-term agreement, we are planning to purchase 1,000 MW. This will help us ensure things don't go out of hand during the summer." The government also restricted independent power producers from selling power to other states. But ironically, so have the other states, since monsoon has failed in many western and eastern states. The lethargy of the Karnataka government is no more visible than in its website Namma Sarkara, where reasons are given for the power crisis and the short term and long term steps taken. The information and statistics have not been updated for god only knows how many months. The status report of thermal and solar projects which were expected to be completed last year are not updated. Are they delayed or have they started quietly functioning? For instance, the state is setting up a solar power park with a 2,000 MW capacity, which is coming up in 10,000 acres in the Pavagada taluk of Tumakuru district. What stage is this project at? Karnataka needs around 22,200 MW of additional power to meet the growing demand in future. Thermal, renewable energy, solar and wind power have all to be explored to find a permanent solution to the power crisis in the state. A silver lining in the dark clouds is the expected investment in the energy sector from the recently concluded Global Investors Meet in February. The Times of India reported that the meet garnered an investment of over Rs 3.07 lakh crore, of which Rs 1.73 lakh crore has already been approved by the Karnataka government. Among various agreements inked in the infrastructure sector, energy is also one of them. By Shreerupa Mitra-Jha The State has a responsibility for protecting the LGBTI community from violence, a UN expert said on Wednesday, adding that he hopes that the Supreme Court of India makes an enlightened and "progressive" decision on the matter. Whether the state decides to retain consensual acts between individuals in private, they still have a responsibility to protect those people from violence even when committed by non-State actors, Juan Mendez, UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment told Firstpost. My mandate does not extend to general issues of non-discrimination. But as a matter of international law, I think that sodomy laws, as they are sometimes called, that is laws that criminalise private behavior between consenting adults do violate the principle of non-discrimination. So, I would hope that the Supreme Court of India, like in many other instances of human rights [violations] has shown very enlightened and very progressive decisions would also recognise this, in the case of sodomy laws, he added. In 2009, Delhi High Court had ruled that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code a colonial-era law that criminalises consensual sex between LGBTI partners is unconstitutional. However, in 2013, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India quashed the Delhi High Court judgment saying that the ruling was a matter of judicial overreach and it was up to the Parliament to make laws. Congress MP and former UN undersecretary-general Shashi Tharoor had tried introducing a bill in December 2015 which sought amendment to the IPC by seeking to substitute a new section for section 377 of the IPC but was shot down in the Lok Sabha. Tharoor has asserted that he will introduce the bill again. A curative petition now lies with the Supreme Court to review its earlier decision though the track record for a favourable response in curative petitions is low. The UN expert presented his latest report to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) on 8 March which assessed the applicability of the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in international law to the unique experiences of women, girls, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. A clear link exists between the criminalisation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons and homophobic and transphobic hate crimes, police abuse, community and family violence and stigmatization, Mendez states in his report. At least 76 States have laws that criminalise consensual relationships between same-sex adults, in breach of the rights to non-discrimination and privacy; in some cases, even the death penalty is handed out. Such laws foster a climate in which violence against lesbian, gay, bisexualandtransgender persons by both State and non-State actors is condoned and met with impunity. Transgender persons are criminalised in many States through laws that penalise cross-dressing, 'imitating the opposite sex' and sex work, Mendez stated. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons are frequently detained on the basis of laws containing vague and undefined concepts such as crimes against the order of naturemorality, debauchery, indecent acts or grave scandal, he added. The LGBTI and women and girls are at particular risk of ill treatment and torture within the criminal justice system when deprived of their liberty. Measures to protect and promote the rights and address the specific needs of female and lesbian, gay, bisexual and, transgender prisoners are required and cannot not be regarded as discriminatory, the report states. The writer is a journalist at the United Nations New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday extended the interim bail of social activists Teesta Setalvad and her husband till 29 April in two criminal cases of alleged embezzlement of funds lodged by Gujarat Police and CBI. A bench comprising Justice A R Dave, Justice F M I Kalifulla and Justice V Gopala Gowda also referred the matters to Chief Justice of India T S Thakur for constituting another bench to hear them. It said the Chief Justice will set up a regular bench for hearing them as the present combination of judges are not sitting together on a day-to-day basis. The bench declined the plea of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who was appearing for Teesta and her husband Javed Anand, that instead of any particular duration the interim bail be extended till further order. "No we cannot do that," the bench said making it clear that it was extending interim bail for about a month and half. The interim bail of the couple is expiring on 18 March. The apex court on 28 January had asked them to cooperate in the probe by Gujarat Police and CBI after they alleged the duo were not cooperating with the investigation and not supplying relevant documents relating to how the funds were spent. While Gujarat Police is probing the alleged embezzlement of funds for a museum at Ahmedabad's Gulbarg Society that was devastated in the 2002 riots, CBI is investigating the purported violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) in connection with the utilisation of funds received from Ford Foundation by Sabrang Communications and Publishing Pvt Ltd, run by the couple. During the last hearing, Sibal had refuted the allegation of Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar and senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani on behalf of CBI and the state police respectively. He had said the allegation of non-cooperation was being made against Teesta and her husband as the probe was not suiting the investigators. The court had directed Teesta and Javed that if they have not supplied the relevant documents relating to the embezzlement case to Gujarat Police in accordance with the list provided to them by investigators, they would "furnish those documents as soon as possible and preferably within two weeks". In the FCRA case, the bench had asked the couple to file an affidavit within two weeks explaining their stand on the issue of utilisation of funds procured by Sabrang. PTI Let us go ga-ga over Sri Sri for teaching us the Art of Partying. Now that he has shown us it is entirely possible, next time you wish to celebrate an anniversary, go and grab some space in a reserved forest, level out the ground, destroy the local fauna and flora, drive away the farmers, occupy their fields, construct a huge stage and invite the whole town to litter the eco-sensitive zone; dance, defecate, urinate, eat, take deep breaths and leave. Just make sure the buffaloes are happy. At some point, if you need help with the preparations, say for building temporary loos, requisition the Army. They will hopefully take some men off duty in Siachen and send them to ensure your guests have a good time. Maybe the defence ministry will also send some subsidised booze from the canteen with its best compliments along with free labour. Old Monk, perhaps, in deference to the original inspiration. Jai jai, Sri Sri, for showing us that the defence minister can be used as an event manager and the men in fatigues as volunteers. Just for putting the Army at our service, the Padma Vibhushan is richly deserved. Oh, wait. But aren't we a country that breaks into tears every time somebody insults the army? Like, when Kanhaiya Kumar did when he did not shout those slogans we heard on those doctored tapes? Like, when the JNU did not refuse to fly the flag that was already flying at campus? Where is that lachrymose, sentimental, patriot Major General (retd) Gagandeep Bakshi? Does his heart not bleed on prime time TV at the sight of soldiers lugging construction material for a private party? General Sahab, have you run out of both indignation and glycerine? In case you didn't notice, while the brave soldiers were dying in Kashmir, some Babas were using them to run their private errands and employing our security staff to guard their food parks. Hypocrisy, it seems, is not the virtue of pseudo-nationalists alone. It is apparent that all that meditation and sudarshan kriya have helped Guruji transcend the material world of environment, rivers, birds, trees and farmers. He has reached a stage where he cares only about the concurrence of buffaloes. (More about them later.) It doesn't bother his conscience even when the President of India backs out of the event, refuses to deliver the valedictory speech at the party or the Prime Minister reportedly sits on the fence, perhaps to see which way the National Green Tribunal tilts, before taking a decision on his appearance at the event. Guruji would happily preach children to not burst crackers on Diwali to save the environment. But when environmentalists argue that using the floodplains of Yamuna a no-go area and no construction zone for the event to celebrate 35 years of Art of Living will cause irreversible damage, he will call it the "biggest joke of the year." Sri Sri will pontificate on the importance of moral and social values in life but when the Delhi government tells the National Green Tribunal that the event has no police or fire safety clearances, he will blast the critics, for being "biased". Guruji, just in case you don't know, the NGT is Constitutional body formed under an act passed by India's Parliament and unlike the defence ministry, it is, in this case, serving a public cause. Sri Sri will brazenly argue that the floodplains are safe even when media reports expose the lie by reporting construction of bridges, mobile towers, dirt tracks and parking areas in the non-construction zone. According to NDTV, over 1,000 acres on the river banks have been converted into a makeshift village for the three-day World Cultural Festival that will feature yoga and meditation sessions, peace prayers and cultural performances. A seven-acre stage has been set up for over 35,000 artistes and visitors from 150 countries. A photo-essay in the DailyO shows steel, cement, iron and other construction material being used for the event. But, Guruji thinks he is doing the environment and the Yamuna a huge favour. "Thanks to the efforts of over 100,000 Delhi households who for 3 months prepared enzymes to clean nallahs, methane emission has reduced. Villagers have said that buffaloes who never ventured near the water are now entering the water. Even the buffaloes recognize! Sri Sri tweeted. Villagers have said that buffaloes who never ventured near the water are now entering the water. Even the buffaloes recognize! (5) Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (@SriSri) March 3, 2016 Thanks to the efforts of over 100,000 Delhi households who for 3 months prepared enzymes to clean nallahs, methane emission has reduced.(4) Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (@SriSri) March 3, 2016 You are right, Guruji, only buffaloes have the requisite intellect to "recognize" your contribution. And such has been your prevarication and subterfuge that you could immediately use a crash course of whatever your organisation teaches to cleanse the soul. Thank you for teaching the art of partying. Now, please learn the art of living responsibly. I am all for the 'art of living' (as opposed to dying, I guess), but using the armed forces personnel for building bridges for what is essentially a private civilian function is going well beyond the boundaries of propriety. This is not what the army is for and by ordering them to take this contract, it is tantamount to using slave labour since there is no payment to the labourer. The advantage accrues to the organisers, which in this case is Sri Sri Ravi Shankars Art of Living Foundation. If you could build five bridges with civilian contractors why give the army the onus to build the sixth pontoon. It was in 1959 that Operation Amar was conducted in the Ambala cantonment, when the might of the famous 4 Infantry Division was pressed into service to build housing for its personnel. There, at least, was the saving grace of the men constructing roofs for themselves and their comrades. Since then, the armed forces have stepped into the breach on several occasions in crises both natural and man-made, been there for their civilian brothers and sisters in times of trouble, and performed impressive acts of heroism. Landslides, earthquakes, floods or any other such situation and nobody would question it. Even if the city of Delhi currently playing host to 10 unidentified terrorists was saturated by an army flag march to flush them out, it would be within their purview. Come to think of it, that is what they should be doing. But to take a private cultural function at a time when 'culture' is a word with ominous connotations, and revive a sort of 21st Century Woodstock and force the army to do dyadi (daily labour) is unacceptable. One is hard pressed to understand how the defence minister, the defence secretary and the army chief thought this was fine. They should at least announce that the army contingent is being paid for this work. And it is not free. Fine, you dont give the money to the men, but give it to the headquarters of the regiment or battalion involved. For example, if you wish to hire the Signals Mess in Delhi for a wedding you get it for a price. If you want the military band to play for 60 minutes at your private function you pay around Rs 25,000 or thereabouts, and this money is used for the soldiers' welfare. To not pay is equivalent to exploitation. It would be a step in the right direction to clarify that the AOL Foundation is coughing up adequate remuneration for the time and effort. Instead of pooh-poohing the criticism, it would have been salutary to show the invoice. Not that it makes it right, just that at least there is compensation. The argument that the armed forces are playing a role in a three-day fest that enhances the image of the country is also not a justification. It does not matter how beautiful the event is or what revenue it brings, misusing the armed forces is just that misusing the armed forces. That this is a bridge over troubled waters what with environmentalist going nuts over the damage to the ecological balance on the banks of the Yamuna only makes things worse. If something goes wrong, will they make the army the scapegoat? We cannot romanticise this travesty. These are soldiers, not prisoners of war and this is not the River Kwai. How was this request made and why was it sanctioned? There is no way to explain the use of military men and materials in a civilian enterprise and bring them down to the level of daily workers. There should be a ban on this sort of commandeering of forces just because of clout and connections. Bad move. The Delhi Police had on Tuesday expressed its concern about a stampede and chaos at the World Culture Festival being organised by the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar-led Art of Living Foundation on the flood plains of the Yamuma River in New Delhi. According to IBN-Live, a report prepared by a DCP rank officer that was submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development, Art of Living and the Lieutenant Governor reveals that instead of the proposed seven pontoon bridges, only one has been built and the second one is under construction. Each bridge is fit to hold 15,000 people in an hour, not two to three lakh people that are actually expected to turn up each hour. This massive event is supposed to be attended by 30 lakh people and sources close to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had told IANS that the Army was putting up pontoon bridges at the venue after such concerns by the Delhi Police. There is also concern over the structural instability of the bridges and absence of mesh wiring that could cause a stampede the report said, according to the IBN-Live report. The army, according to the source, was approached by the Art of Living Foundation for construction of six bridges across the Yamuna to the flood plain where the mega event is being organised. The army had initially refused, but it was only after Delhi Police expressed fear of a stampede that the defence ministry agreed to engage the army in the process. "Public safety is a government concern, and Delhi police said there could be a stampede with the huge crowd gathering there," sources close to the defence minister told IANS. "It was in that view that the ministry asked the army to assist with the construction of the bridges," the source said. Other reports suggest that the Central Public Works Department, Delhi government and Delhi Development Authority had refused to give a mandatory certificate of structural stability to the stage being constructed for the festival. "The Prime Ministers security wing of Delhi Police had taken up the matter with the CPWD to give structural stability certificate, but they have refused to give them the certificate, saying they should take up the matter with the Delhi PWD or DDA for such certification. But it has been learnt that even the Delhi PWD and DDA are not willing to give any kind of certification to them," The Indian Express quoted the police as saying. Apart from the instability of bridges and the stage in itself, there are also concerns that the police have raised on parking of cars that will carry guests to the festival. The Indian Express quoted the Delhi Police as saying, "As per the organisers, nearly 10,000 cars would be carrying the invitees and will be parked at different places on the Yamuna floodplains. But as of now, land has not been made suitable for parking of vehicles the land is having shrubs, bushes and wild vegetation. Besides, approach roads to the proposed venue are not fit for cars and there is need for some road engineering for smooth parking." While involving the army for the festival had drawn sharp criticism, the concerns of the Delhi Police have raised questions about how the Art of Living Foundation plans to go ahead in the event when it could cost the lives of thousands of people. The National Green Tribunal too criticised and questioned the Centre over permission for this festival. "You (MoEF) file an affidavit by tomorrow and tell us why no environmental clearance is needed for raising temporary structures in flood plains," a bench headed by NGT chairperson Swantanter Kumar told the Centre on Tuesday. The Green Panel also questioned the building up of pontoon bridge by the army on river Yamuna, and asked the DDA counsel as who gave the permission for setting it up. DDA and the Delhi government, the Ministry of Environment and Forest said had no relation with the grant of permission for setting up the pontoon bridge as all the three said that they are concerned only with different issues. While DDA said it was only required to give no objection certificate for the bridge, the Delhi government submitted that its role for the pontoon bridge comes only at the time of flood and MoEF passed the buck on Ministry of Water Resources. Art of Living (AOL) in its submission said that it had taken the requisite permissions from all the authorities except from the police which is subject to permission from fire department and they have fulfilled all the conditions. With agency inputs New Delhi: BJP on Wednesday night announced the names of 88 candidates for the Assam assembly polls including those of its chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal, former Congress leader Himanta Biswa Sarma and Lok Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasha, who has been fielded against Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. The party's Central Election Committee (CEC) cleared the names for all but two of the 90 seats it will contest in the polls for the 126-member state assembly. The party also cleared 52 candidates for the election to 294-member West Bengal assembly. Party chief Amit Shah chaired the meeting which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi besides other CEC members. "Our list of candidates has the representation of greater Assamese society. It is a reflection of greater Assam," Union Minister and party's Parliamentary Board secretary J P Nadda told a press conference. Several Congress MLAs, who joined the saffron party along with Sarma, have been given tickets as well. Seeking to corner Gogoi in his constituency, BJP has pitted its MP Tasha from the Congress leader's constituency of Titabor. Sonowal will contest from Majuli, a reserved seat for ST, while Sarma has been fielded from Jalukbari. The party's decision to contest 90 seats means that some of its candidates will have a friendly fight with allies like AGP or Bodoland People's Front. "We had announced Mission 84 for Assam. So we had to fight a few seats more than this. Some of the fight will be strategic," a leader said, adding that some smaller allies will field their candidates on the BJP's symbol. Terming infiltration from Bangladesh as a major poll issue, BJP has forged a rainbow coalition with several regional outfits in its bid to wrest power from the Congress which has been ruling the state for the last 15 years. Assam goes to the polls in two phases on 4 April and 11 April. BJP also announced the names of 52 candidates for the West Bengal assembly polls. Chandra Kumar Bose, grandnephew of Subhash Chandra Bose, has been fielded against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhawanipur constituency. State party chief Dilip Ghosh will contest Kharagpur Sadar seat. Bengali film and TV actress Locket Chatterjee will contest Mayureswar while Samik Bhattacharya, who became the first BJP MLA in the assembly after winning a bypoll, will fight from Basirhat Dakshin, which he currently represents. Actor Joy Banerjee will try is luck from Suri. PTI New Delhi: Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) rebels who left the RSS' student outfit citing differences over its handling of the JNU row, on Tuesday burnt a copy of the ancient legal text Manusmriti despite the varsity administration denying permission for the same. Weeks after the controversial event against Afzal Guru's hanging was held on campus, five ABVP rebels joined by left-backed All India Students Association (AISA) and Congress-affiliated National Students Union of India (NSUI) burnt the text at Sabarmati Dhaba, which was also the venue of the earlier event. While three of the organisers were former ABVP office-bearers, two of them are still with the party but differ with their stand on Manusmriti. The university authorities, maintained that they had denied permission for the event and the security was briefed about the same. "We had denied the permission for the event but in response the students submitted in writing that they will still go ahead with the event. We have got the programme videographed," a varsity official said. Asked about whether the varsity will consider it as an "offence" on part of student's, the official said, "we will see tomorrow". Giving clear indications of rift within ABVP, Jatin Goraih Vice President of outfit's ABVP unit said, "we had suggested during our party meeting to have a Manusmriti burning event to answer all the left parties' allegations about ABVP being insensitive to the interest of dalits. But there were disagreements and the party ignored us". "But my conscience said I should. This is not a political cause, but a social one on the occasion of women's day as the book has highly derogatory content about women. Since I decided to go ahead with it, the party is free to take its call whether they will expel me or not. I will not resign," he added. Pradeep Narwal, who was ABVP's joint secretary at the university, resigned along with Rahul Yadav and Ankit Hans, president and secretary, respectively, of the ABVP unit in the School of Social Sciences at JNU, citing differences on the two-millennia-old book and the "oppression unleashed by the government" on JNU protesters, sharpening the divide since Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide. Narwal today narrated the "derogatory" text from the book before burning and said he was warned by teachers not to do so but he is not scared of being slapped with sedition. "We were not allowed to conduct the event. My question to the Vice Chancellor is whether he subscribes to the thoughts propagated in Manusmriti. A teacher today told me that I should not do so as I will be charged with sedition. I am not scared of it," he said while addressing the students. "Asking for 'azaadi' from the government is not anti-national or seditious," he said, as he shouted slogans of 'brahamanwad murdabad'. While students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar and General Secretary Rama Naga, who have been charged with sedition in connection with the February 9 event, gave today's programme a miss, former JNUSU VP Anant Prakash was present. Responding to the rift in the Sangh student body, JNUSU Joint Secretary Saurabh Kumar Sharma, who is the lone ABVP member in the union said, "it is there wish, if they want to burn they can burn. We are against anti-India activities and they are trying to divert the attention from February 9 event." "Manusmriti has been rejected by Hindus long ago and it's a mere book now. If they want to burn a book let them. Its the left who don't want us to not believe in Manusmriti," he said. ABVP later issued a statement saying it believes in democratic and equal rights for all the sections of society. "ABVP strongly supports individual rights and freedom of expression where it gives full freedom to any of its members to condemn and criticise anything to any extent unless it does not hamper the unity and integrity of India," it said. "The excerpts burnt by one of our activists were anti-women and anti-SC-ST and OBC. These excerpts are totally irrelevant and had received stark criticism even from Kautilya. The person who burnt these excerpts is a member of ABVP and we will continue working for the cause of nation building together in future," it added. PTI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday equated the Congress party with "mrityu" (death) but hastened to add that like death is never subjected to criticism, the Congress party also has gone unscathed. "Death is a blessing...it's above criticism...no one criticises death. People say someone died of cancer, (people say) he died of old age...The cancer and old age is blamed but not the death," Modi said, replying to the debate on the motion of thanks on the President's address to Parliament. "Sometimes I feel Congress is also blessed (like death)...whenever we criticise Congress, media says opposition is under attack," Modi said, adding, however, when the ruling establishment criticises parties like Janata Dal-United or Bahujan Samajwadi Party, the media says "JD-U is under attack or BSP is under attack". Earlier, the Prime Minister appreciated the cooperation of members in the present session and said unlike previous sessions, the proceedings were going on smoothly during the ongoing budget session. This was due to the positive influence of the President's address as he had urged all members to allow smooth conduct of Parliament, Modi added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday invoked Congress stalwart Indira Gandhi's name yet again and made a veiled attack on the Congress for "trying to take credit for all projects and initiatives of my government". "There are two kinds of people -- those who work and others who take credit for it," Modi said in Rajya Sabha while replying to the debate on President Pranab Mukherjee's address to a joint sitting of Parliament. The Prime Minister evoked former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and while taunting Congress said that she said that 'there is less competition in the first category of those who work.' During his reply to the motion of thanks on the president's address in the Lok Sabha on March 3, Modi had quoted from speeches of Indira Gandhi as well as Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi. Referring to skill development and clean Ganga initiatives launched by his government, the prime minister said skill development was an important facet of governance and social development was continuing in India as an old tradition. Every government has contributed its part in that endeavour, he added. Similarly, he said, the Congress would raise its voice on the Ganga cleanliness drive taken up with renewed vigour by his government. "I know such a voice will be raised from your end," he told the opposition members. "But the issue is not the initiative only... I know Rajiv Gandhi had started the clean Ganga project... if you have started it, why then is Ganga not clean these days," he said. Even on skill development, he directed his attack against the Congress and said that while there was no lack of knowledge about the importance of skill development, nothing substantial had been achieved. Several skill development projects were launched, named and renamed, he said. In reciting Urdu poet Nida Fazli's famous ghazal "safar main dhoop to hogi..." in the packed Rajya Sabha, Modi made known his difficult situation due to key bills stalled in parliament and asked the opposition to "change" its behaviour. It was an unusually soft-toned poetic Modi mixing his political predicament vis-a-vis paucity of numbers in the Rajya Sabha with literature, making a passionate appeal to the opposition to allow the government secure passage of crucial economic bills, including the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The government doesn't have the required numbers in the Rajya Sabha where the opposition is in majority. Consequently, various key reform legislations, including the GST bill, stand stalled. "Safar main dhoop to hogi, jo chal sako to chalo," he said, invoking the famous Urdu poet and asking the opposition to walk along with him in his difficult journey under the scorching sun. There was thunderous applause from his colleagues in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and allies with opposition leaders, including his predecessor Manmohan Singh, smiling, when Modi asked the oppositon to change its disruptive tactics. "Kissi ke waaste raahein kahan badalti hain; tum apne aap ko khud hi badal sako to chalo" (Paths don't change their course for anybody; if you can change yourself, please do"), he implored quoting the poet. And then Modi asked the opposition to walk along on his path towards development: "Sabhi hain bheed main; tum bhi nikal sako to chalo." He said the culture of Indian political conduct was such that no one makes way for anyone and added that he doesn't mind being criticised if that helps the opposition to tread a corrective path. "Yahan kisi ko koi raasta nahin deta; mujhe girakay agar tum sambhal sako to chalo." And his voice diminished in the loud beating of the desks, when he dealt a final literary blow. "Yahi hai zindagi, kuchh khwab, kuchh chand ummeedain; Inhi khilonon se tum bhi bahal sako to chalo." "This is all that life is about -- a few dreams, a few wishes, and if you want to amuse yourself with these toys, please do." Safar mein dhuup to hogii jo chal sako to chalo, sabhii hain bheed mein tum bhii nikal sako to chalo- PM recites Nida Fazli in RS ANI (@ANI_news) March 9, 2016 Kisii ke vaasate raahein kahaan badalati hain, tum apne aap ko khud hi badal sako to chalo-PM Modi in Rajya Sabha ANI (@ANI_news) March 9, 2016 Yahaan kisi ko koi raasta nahin deta, mujhe giraake agar tum sambhal sako to chalo-PM Modi recites Nida Fazli's poem in RS ANI (@ANI_news) March 9, 2016 With inputs from IANS Wellington, New Zealand: A gunman suspected of shooting and wounding four police officers was holed up in a rural New Zealand house on Wednesday evening, police said. Police surrounded the house after the man shot and hit officers during two separate incidents, said Deputy Police Commissioner Mike Clement. Police also enlisted the help of the military, which was providing three light-armored vehicles and a helicopter. The events began unfolding during the morning, when police were using aircraft as part of a marijuana operation in the area, about 70 kilometers (43 miles) east of the North Island town of Rotorua, Clement said. He said police heard three shots fired at about 10.30 am About an hour later, a fourth shot was fired, apparently in the direction of the police aircraft. Clement said no officers in the aircraft were injured. As officers on the ground moved in to arrest the man, he shot three of them, Clement said. One suffered serious wounds, while the other two suffered injuries that weren't life-threatening, he said. All three were in stable condition at area hospitals. In the other incident, the man shot a fourth officer in the hand, but his injuries weren't believed to be serious, Clement said. He was also taken to a local hospital. "We are obviously providing close support to the officers who have been injured and their families, and our thoughts are with them at this time," Clement said. Such violence against police is rare in New Zealand, where patrol officers typically don't carry firearms. The officers shot, however, were all members of a special unit whose members carry weapons and wear protective outfits. AP Military veterans are slamming the use of Indian Army soldiers for building bridges over the river Yamuna to please a godman as "illegal", "shameful" and a "rot in governance." CNN IBN reports of a terror threat at the venue and The Indian Express says Delhi Police has warned of "pandemonium." The Indian Army on its toes for a godman? Really?! Around 4:30 am Wednesday IST, Delhi resident Vimlendu Jha, who has opposed the event, posted a video on his Facebook page where a Hindu Mahasabha leader with a flowing beard and dressed in an orange kurta is threatening to kill Jha, calls him a CIA agent and also anti-national, dragging the #JNURow pet phrases across the Yamuna. As the saying goes, @SriSri chose the wrong river. Yamuna is too powerful to let him destroy her! @yamunajiye vimlendu jha (@vimlendu) March 8, 2016 Links: World Culture Festival website Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that Army soldiers' deployment for construction of pontoon bridges over Yamuna river for the controversial three-day World Culture Festival being organised by Goodman Sri Sri Ravi Shankars Art of Living Foundation is to ensure safety but Delhi's cops have drilled a hole into that argument. The Indian Express reports that Delhi Police has written to the Urban Development Ministry warning of "utter chaos and pandemonium." Parrikar said the decision to employ soldiers for the construction of the bridges was taken to ensure there is no law and order situation and security threat to lakhs of people expected to attend the three-day event starting from Friday. Former military officials reject the explanations given by the minister arguing that that defence forces are meant for protecting country from external security threats. Sending 120 soldiers of the Army to Yamuna floodplains to build bridges for a private cultural extravaganza is absolutely wrong and illegal. The provision of the Army in aid of civil authority is governed by Section 130 of the CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code). This legal clause states that decision to requisition armed forces should be taken by the executive magistrate of the highest rank, which is the district magistrate, not even the chief minister. And he or she can do it under emergency circumstances such as riots and natural calamities when his or her police force cannot do a particular job, former IAS officer MG Devasahayam, who has served a stint in the Army, told Firstpost. It is alarming, he said, that the government is going out of its way to help a controversial programme, which organisers claim will be attended by 3.5 million people, which may cause permanent environmental damage. The event has come under scanner of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which looks after environmental issues. Even the President, the supreme commander of the defence forces, who was to preside over the valedictory function, has refused to attend it. In such a situation, facilitation of such programme is a sign of rotten governance that is going on in the country, he added. The president had earlier agreed to attend the opening ceremony on 11 March but later opted out. Prime Minister Narendra Modi may also not take part in the event on the pretext of security threat. Asked when the Army has been used during Kumbh Mela and even the Commonwealth Games, then why such a hue and cry this time, Major General (retired) Satbir Singh said the defence forces have got a clear cut task to defend the country from external and internal security threats. They are also called to aid the civil authorities in case of natural disasters. Our soldiers are not meant for such shit. It is a compromise with the dignity of the countrys defence forces. It is a shame that the government is giving undeserved public resources to an individual in return of his political support, he added. Colonel (retired) Pushpendra Singh also strongly condemned the decision and said that the Army should not be deployed for any such function. It is meant to secure borders. Meanwhile, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) defended its permission to the event before an NGT bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar. Heavens will not fall if the function is organised at the venue. We can see what needs to be done to restore the area, but today we are at the threshold of the ceremony, the DDA is reported to have told the NGT. As he faced criticism for destroying Yamuna, Art of Living chief Sri Sri Ravi Shankar sought to placate fears. I want Yamuna to be clean. We have not cut any tree, some trees have been trimmed only, he said, adding that his foundation will leave the spot as a beautiful bio-diversity park. On Monday, as pictures of soldiers working on the Yamuna bridge for the event began to circulate, President and Supreme Commander of the Army, Pranab Mukherjee, said he will not attend the World Culture Festival. An online campaign entitled Don't destroy the #Yamuna Floodplains - Shift the Art of Living Festival on Change.org has so far got 19,545 signatures. The signed petition, which says, Sri Sri, please stop killing my already dead Yamuna, I beg! Destroying the floodplains is not cultural, not spiritual, will be sent to the president, the prime minister, the chief justice of India, the chairman of the NGT, the chief minister of Delhi and the Art of Living Foundation. In its journey of 1376 km from Yamunotri to Allahabad, 22 km of river Yamuna flows through Delhi. Ironically, this journey of 22 km through the most powerful city of the nation is primarily responsible for choking the river. What enters the city as a revered river unfortunately exits as a drain, a dead water body. Amidst this chaotic ecosystem, floodplains come forth as the only hope for survival of the river. As the integral part of the aquatic system of any river, floodplains are the natural space for the river to dissipate its energy. A river with vulnerable and damaged floodplains is one step closer to death, to say the least, it adds, reads the petition. Unfortunately, the floodplains of Yamuna in Delhi have already been injured with mega constructions. Akshardham temple, Delhi Transport Corporations Depot, Common Wealth Games Village, main office of the Delhi Metro, to name a few, are technically on the floodplains of the Yamuna. These constructions, however, stand proud and tall despite the NGT orders that restrain any construction, be it temporary or permanent, on the floodplain of the river Yamuna in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. It is Zone O, which means its ecologically sensitive zone and therefore no construction should be allowed in this area. While the river struggles to flow, preparations are in full swing to organise the mega event on the floodplains. The event venue is spread over 1,000 acres of floodplain. The area is within 10 km of the Okhla Birds Sanctuary. It is the joke of the year when people say that the Art of Living is polluting the Yamuna! (1) Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (@SriSri) March 3, 2016 The Art of Living should be lauded & rewarded for even choosing such a polluted place for a prestigious international event. (2) Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (@SriSri) March 3, 2016 It takes enormous courage & commitment to ready a place where once, one could not even breathe due to the stink. (3) Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (@SriSri) March 3, 2016 Thanks to the efforts of over 100,000 Delhi households who for 3 months prepared enzymes to clean nallahs, methane emission has reduced.(4) Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (@SriSri) March 3, 2016 (With FP Staff) Patna: Pandemonium prevailed in the two Houses of Bihar legislature on Wednesday over state minister Abdul Gafoor's visit to Siwan jail to meet jailed RJD strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin, with opposition BJP demanding his resignation. Gafoor, the Minority Affairs Minister and an RJD MLA, however, rejected the BJP demand, saying it was not a crime to have a courtesy meet with a former party MP and that he would visit Shahabuddin again if he got a chance. As the Assembly met for the day, members of BJP and their NDA allies RLSP, LJP and Hindustani Awam Morcha, demanded that the House first take up the Gafoor issue first before any other deliberations. Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar made the demand to Speaker Vijay Chaudhary who continued with the Question hour. NDA legislators then trooped into the well of the House shouting slogans against the government. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was not present then. Prem Kumar said Gafoor going to jail to meet a convict has sullied image of Bihar and hence he should quit and if he does not do so, the Chief Minister should dismiss him. The Speaker carried on with the Question hour for 15 minutes amidst pandemonium and then ordered adjournment till post-lunch session. As the Assembly resumed business after lunch break, Prem Kumar sought the reply of the state government on the issue alleging that earlier the ruling party legislators were violating laws and now a minister is doing so. When Speaker Vijay Chaudhary turned down his plea for a reply from the state government saying it was not the right time for raising the issue, Prem Kumar and other NDA MLAs staged a walkout. BJP's MLAs did not move cut motion on budgetary demand of the education department because of walkout. The issue had its echo in the Legislative Council too. State BJP president and MLC Mangal Pandey demanded the house to take up the issue raised by BJP through adjournment notice first before attending to other agenda. Chairperson Awdesh Narayan Singh told him to raise the issue after Question hour. As Question Hour ended, Pandey raised the issue again in the presence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. After the Chair rejected the adjournment notice, BJP members trooped to the well and shouted slogans. Amidst the din, Pandey demanded Gafoor's resignation and asked the CM to break his silence on the episode but Kumar sat quietly on his seat. The House was then adjourned till lunch. Gafoor and RJD MLA Harishankar Yadav paid a visit to Shahabuddin in Siwan jail on Sunday. A photograph of the three in the jail has gone viral on social media. Lodged in Siwan jail since 2005 over several cases of murder and kidnapping, Shahabuddin has been convicted by Siwan court in eight cases and was sentenced to life in two. The Chief Minister has ordered an enquiry to check if any norm was violated by that meeting. Talking to reporters outside the House, Prem Kumar demanded a probe by a retired High Court judge to bring to light how rules were violated to facilitate the meeting. "(RJD chief) Lalu Prasad, whose party is the largest constituent of the Grand Secular Alliance government wishes to take Bihar back to days of 'jungle raj'," he said. Prasad had on Tuesday said it was not a big issue and when he (Prasad) was in jail, people used to meet him and they were given some snacks. Gafoor also struck a defiant posture. "It was a courtesy meeting with Shahabuddin who has been MP from the party for long. I did not commit any crime in meeting him. So why should I resign?" he told reporters. Stating that he did not violate any jail manual and did not carry mobile phone inside the jail, Gafoor said, "I will meet him (Shahabuddin) again if I get a chance." Gafoor, the MLA of Mahishi in Saharsa district, said, "I have not become a minister because of BJP." Senior RJD leader and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi also defended Gafoor. "The BJP leaders who are making a hue and cry over the issue should speak about their meeting LJP leader Surajbhan Singh and Rama Singh in jail on many occasions," Rabri Devi, an MLC, told reporters outside the Legislative Council gate. Senior BJP leader and leader of opposition in the Legislative Council Sushil Kumar Modi questioned the propriety of a minister to visit jail to meet a convict. "Why Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is silent on the issue? He should answer if such meeting is morally approved or not?" Sushil Modi asked while talking to reporters. "If a minister goes to meet a convict in a jail, it boosts criminals and demoralises the police," he added. Sushil Modi alleged the state government was trying to weaken the criminal's cases registered against former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin and honour him after release from prison. Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav defended Gafoor, saying "Anybody could meet anybody. Even Congress president Sonia Gandhi's daughter Priyanka Vadra had gone to meet the killer of her father Rajiv Gandhi in Tamil Nadu jail." PTI Mogadishu, Somalia: Three police officers and one civilian were killed in a car bombing outside a police academy in the Somali capital, a police commander said, and a spokesman for an Islamic extremist group said it repelled an attack by international forces. A suicide car bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle outside a cafe near the academy in Mogadishu on Wednesday, said General Ali Hersi Barre. There was no claim of responsibility for the blast, but it bore the hallmarks of al-Shabab. The Islamic extremist group said Wednesday that its fighters had foiled an attempt by foreign forces to raid an al-Shabab-held town in southern Somalia during the night. Sheikh Abdiaziz Abu Musab, a spokesman for al-Shabab, told a militant-run online radio that unidentified foreign forces with two helicopters tried to launch a ground attack on a military station in Awdhegle town in Lower Shabelle region before they were repulsed. Al-Shabab fighters forced the foreign forces dropped off by helicopter to retreat with casualties after more than 30 minutes of clashes. No country has so far said it carried out the attack alleged by al-Shabab. The Pentagon has said US forces carried out air strikes on a training camp run by al-Shabab, killing more than 150 of the group's fighters on Saturday. Despite being ousted from Mogadishu and surrounding regions, al-Shabab continues to launch guerrilla attacks across the Horn of Africa country. The group has also carried out many attacks in neighboring Kenya, whose military involvement in Somalia is opposed by the Islamic extremists. AP Islamabad: Pakistan along with its "all-weather" ally China has successfully blocked India's bid to become a member of the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group, Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has said. India has been seeking membership to the 48-member nuclear club, whose members can trade in and export nuclear technology. NSG is a powerful multinational body concerned with reducing nuclear proliferation. Pakistan with the cooperation of China had successfully blocked India's bid to seek membership of the NSG, Aziz told the Senate on Tuesday. While countries like the US have backed India's membership in the NSG, China has only offered conditional support to New Delhi. China's Foreign Ministry had called for "prudence and caution" over expanding the NSG. Asked whether China wants to back any other country's entry into NSG, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying had said, "as for the expansion of the group, the members should make the decision on consensus after thorough discussions. India's inclusion into this group is an internal matter of the group. It needs prudence and caution and thorough discussions among all members." "We support such discussion and we also support India's inclusion into this group if it meets all the requirements," she had said in January last year. In November, media reports said China had assured Islamabad that if India is granted membership of the NSG, China would ensure that Pakistan also joined the group. Pakistan has been saying that if it is deprived of NSG membership while India is accommodated, it would be taken as discrimination and lead to an imbalance in the region. Chinese and Pakistani leaders have views their relationship as "all-weather". PTI SEOUL North Korea is using Chinese-made trucks in a new mobile artillery system showcased five days ago, according to photographic evidence, underlining the difficulty in enforcing U.N. sanctions against the isolated state. North Korea's Multiple Rocket Launcher System (MRLS) may be able to operate outside the range of similar U.S. and South Korean weapons, according to an expert. In photographs published by North Korean state media, the vehicle used in the MRLS artillery battery has the bodywork and markings of a Chinese-made Sinotruk (3808.HK) HOWO truck, which is widely available commercially and is used by North Korea in its mining and construction industries. Last week, the United Nations Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on North Korea for pursuing a nuclear programme following a resolution drafted by the United States and Pyongyang's ally, China. An MRLS is a kind of rocket-propelled artillery system capable of firing a barrage of rockets at a target. It is usually mounted on the back of a tank-like chassis, or a truck, and the vehicles do not need much modification. "You just need a launch tube that you mount on the truck," said Markus Schiller, a rocketry expert based in Germany. "It's almost as easy as mounting a machine gun". North Korean media showed leader Kim Jong Un observing the test-firing of the MRLS at an event where he ordered his country to be ready to use its nuclear weapons at any time.[nL3N16B5ET] It is not clear if North Korea has successfully miniaturised a nuclear weapon small enough to mount in place of a conventional warhead. The rockets fired by the new weapon are at the "upper-end" of range estimates of its kind, according to Jeffrey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies, writing for the 38 North website that analyses events in North Korea. The increased range reduces their vulnerability to counter-battery fire by South Korean or U.S. artillery, according to Lewis. China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but has repeatedly said the government is committed to enforcing the U.N. sanctions on North Korea. Calls to Sinotruk's headquarters in the northern Chinese city of Jinan went unanswered. Recent photos obtained by Reuters showed a civilian version of the Sinotruk - a bright red dumpster - with North Korean registration plates at a Chinese-North Korean border crossing. North Korean state media has in the past released images of the same Sinotruck HOWO truck chassis and cabin in propaganda related to construction or mining. The Chinese government uses a military model of a Sinotruk HOWO off-road truck for its own MRLS, according to the 38 North website. MISSILES ON CHINESE TRUCKS Since 2006, it has been against U.N. sanctions to ship military hardware into North Korea but control of equipment and vehicles into the North that have commercial use has been far less stringent. It is not clear if North Korea's military uses the commercial or military version of the Sinotruk HOWO vehicle, but the isolated country has a history of importing Chinese heavy-duty civilian vehicles and using them for military purposes. In 2010, North Korea's forestry ministry wrote in a statement to China that six large off-road trucks later spotted in a military parade carrying the KN-08 ballistic missile were bought to transport timber, according to a document in a 2013 United Nations Panel of Experts report. "I am sure that China will say, like the with the KN-08 transporters, that North Korea provided a false civilian end-use," Lewis told Reuters. A salesman for a company advertising civilian and military models of the Sinotruk HOWO cabin and chassis on Chinese online retailer Alibaba said the truck's strong body would make it ideal for military use, but it was not able to sell the military version of the same truck. "The military trucks only can be sold by the government," the salesperson said. "What we are offering is used for normal transportation". It was listed for sale between $50,000-$60,000. (Additional reporting by Megha Rajagopalan and Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Donny Kwok in Hong Kong; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Boston: The wife of Bill Cosby said she never read a deposition in which her husband acknowledged he gave sedatives to women he was planning to have sex with, according to an excerpt of her testimony in a defamation lawsuit against her husband. Camille Cosby testified last month in the civil case filed in federal court in Massachusetts by seven women who claim he sexually assaulted them decades ago. The women allege the actor-comedian defamed them when his representatives branded them as liars after they went public with their allegations. An excerpt of Camille Cosby's deposition was attached to a court filing on Monday by Bill Cosby's lawyers seeking to suspend the defamation case while a criminal case is pending against him in Pennsylvania. In that case, Cosby is charged with sexually assaulting former Temple University employee Andrea Constand. In the Constand case, Cosby acknowledged in a 2005 deposition, made public last year, that he gave Quaalude to at least one woman and unidentified others he wanted to have sex with. Camille Cosby says in her testimony in February that she and her husband discussed his deposition in the Constand case, but she wouldn't say specifically what they discussed about it. A US District Court judge in Massachusetts had ruled that she could refuse to answer questions that call for testimony prohibited by the Massachusetts marital disqualification rule, which generally prohibits spouses from testifying about private marital conversations. In the February deposition excerpt, Camille Cosby says she learned of Constand's allegations through her husband. The back-and-forth between Camille Cosby's lawyers and a lawyer for the seven women, Joseph Cammarata, became combative when Camille Cosby referred to private conversations she had with her husband. When Cammarata asked her whether she had a discussion with her husband about the substance of his deposition testimony in the Constand case, Camille Cosby replies, "That is just communication between my husband and me." After her lawyer advises her that she can answer "yes" or "no" whether she's discussed it without divulging any of what was said, Camille Cosby answers, "Yes," saying she did discuss his deposition testimony with him. The seven women who brought the defamation lawsuit are among about 50 women who have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct. He has denied their allegations. Cosby, 78, has pleaded not guilty in the Pennsylvania case, the only criminal case against him. Through a spokesman, lawyers for Bill and Camille Cosby declined to comment on Camille Cosby's deposition. Cammarata also declined to comment. AP Tehran: Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday successfully test-fired two ballistic missiles in line with the country's defence doctrine. The missiles dubbed Qadr-H were test-fired during the ongoing large-scale drills, code named Eqtedar-e-Velayat, Iran's Press TV reported. Earlier, Iran on Tuesday test-fired two ballistic missiles during the drills. White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Tuesday said that Iran's recent ballistic missile tests did not violate an international nuclear agreement. Also on Tuesday, US State Department spokesman John Kirby echoed Earnest that the tests, if confirmed, will not be a breach of the Iran nuclear deal. However, he warned that the US will not "turn a blind eye to this." Separately, under UN Security Council Resolution 1929, Iran was prohibited from working on ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads. IANS The US Secret Service is in no mood to entertain jokes on Donald Trump or any other presidential candidate. According to Mashable, the Secret Services appeared at 20-year-old Eli Martinez's doorstep days after he threatened to kill Trump on Twitter, what he claimed to be a joke. The report added that Martinez said the agents "questioned the hell" out him to determine if he was a real threat to Trump. In fact, a Secret Service spokesperson was quoted in the report saying, "If you see anything that applies on Twitter, we're going to investigate it." Martinez's is not an isolated case. The Secret Service is taking any kind of threat made to any US presidential candidate, whether jokingly or otherwise, very seriously. Brooooo the fuccin police really came to my house ab that tweet SC: SoSaucey (@So_SauceyEnt) March 7, 2016 As per the Mashable report, agents pulled up a man in Detroit for his tweet on suggesting the assassination of Trump, Jeb Bush, George W Bush and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. The Blaze reported that under the current laws in the US, anyone who knowingly and willfully threatens to kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm upon a candidate should expect a visit from the Secret Service and could face fines and up to five years in jail. According to The New York Times, last month an Egyptian student Emadeldin Elsayed, 23, wrote on Facebook, I literally dont mind taking a lifetime sentence in jail for killing this guy, I would actually be doing the whole world a favor (sic). After investigations by the Secret Service, the student was expelled from flight school and has been asked to leave the country. On 5 March, The Washington Times reported conservative radio host Glenn Beck is under federal investigation over a comment he made about Trump on his show. Though he later clarified his comment about stabbing was not directed at the presidential candidate, the Secret Service has said it is conducting a follow-up investigation, the report said. In February, Complex had reported that a Bernie Sanders supporter for attempting to place an obituary for Hillary Clinton in the Las Vegas Review Journal. The official North Korean news agency said on Wednesday the country's leader Kim Jong Un met his nuclear scientists for a briefing and declared that he was greatly pleased that warheads had been miniaturised for use on ballistic missiles. In a report dated 9 March, 2016, the KCNA news agency said Kim told the nuclear researchers that the stronger the country's nuclear strike capability, the more effective it will be as a deterrent to aggression. Pyongyang has previously claimed it has nuclear warheads small enough to put on long-range missiles, but experts have questioned such claims. North Korea warned on Monday of pre-emptive nuclear strikes after the United States and South Korea began holding their biggest ever war games. Tensions remain high after North Korea's recent nuclear test and rocket launch, which prompted the United Nations to adopt tough new sanctions. AP NEW YORK Tairod Pugh, a U.S. Air Force veteran, was found guilty on Wednesday of attempting to join Islamic State, according to his lawyer. The conviction marks the first case in more than 75 Islamic State-related prosecutions brought since 2014 by the U.S. Department of Justice to reach a jury verdict. After a week-long trial in Brooklyn federal court, a jury found Pugh, 48, guilty of attempting to provide material support to a designated terrorist organization, and obstruction for destroying four portable electronic storage devices after his detention in Turkey. "Of course, we are disappointed with the verdict as we put in great effort to defend the case, but the jury appeared to be fair and genuinely concerned about reaching the correct verdict as they saw it," Pugh's lawyer Eric Creizman said. Pugh will be sentenced in September, Creizman said. Prosecutors said Pugh immersed himself in violent Islamic State propaganda for months before buying a one-way flight from his home in Egypt to Turkey, where he hoped to cross the Syrian border into territory controlled by the extremist group. He was detained by Turkish authorities at an Istanbul airport and eventually flown to the United States to face terrorism charges. Pugh's defence lawyers argued that his only offence was to express "repugnant" views about Islamic State in Facebook posts and to watch dozens of the group's slickly produced recruitment videos. They said he travelled to Turkey to find work, not to become a jihadist. But prosecutors pointed to a letter he drafted to his Egyptian wife, found on his laptop, in which he vowed to fight for Islam and declared he had two options: "Victory or Martyr." The letter was written days before he flew to Turkey, though it was unclear whether he ever sent it. He also took with him to Istanbul a black facemask, a map depicting Islamic State's strongholds in Syria and a chart of the border crossings between Turkey and Syria. Only one other Islamic State-related U.S. prosecution has reached trial. In Phoenix, Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem is on trial for plotting with others to attack a Prophet Mohammed cartoon contest in Texas. Two of his alleged associates were killed in a shootout with police at the event. Pugh served as an avionics specialist in the Air Force from 1986 to 1990 and later worked as an Army contractor in Iraq from 2009 to 2010, prosecutors said. (Additional reporting by Barbara Goldberg; Editing by Ed Tobin and Andrew Hay) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Looking at the world through the eyes of the Web WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on Wednesday he does not expect an upcoming vote on a $700 million sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan to keep the deal from going ahead. However, he said there was still discussion of whether U.S. taxpayer funds could be used to finance the purchase. President Barack Obama's administration announced on Feb. 12 that it had approved the sale of the Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) aircraft as well as radars and other equipment to Pakistan. It drew immediate criticism from India and concern from some members of Congress. Republican Senator Rand Paul in late February invoked legislation known as the Arms Export Control Act in the hope of stopping the sale by passing a Resolution of Disapproval, calling Pakistan "an uncertain ally." Cardin told reporters he opposed Paul's resolution and expected it would fail, with the chamber's Republican and Democratic leaders opposing it. The measure could be taken up by the Senate as soon as Thursday. Cardin said lawmakers had concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program, commitment to fighting terrorist organizations and cooperation in the Afghanistan peace process but generally supported the sale. "It was not controversial that Pakistan needs to modernize its air force and its counter insurgency and counter-terrorism activities, particularly in the mountainous territory of the border with Afghanistan," he said. Congress is currently considering a request to "reprogram" some funds, in other words, use them for a different purpose than allocated in a budget bill, to help finance the deal. Cardin said he was not yet prepared to make a judgment on whether U.S. taxpayer funds should be used to help Pakistan with the purchase. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Andrew Hay) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Tel Aviv, Israel: A Palestinian went on a stabbing spree along the Tel Aviv waterfront on Tuesday leaving an American tourist dead and 12 people wounded, police said, as US Vice President Joe Biden arrived in the city. The attacker, around 21 years old, was from the town of Qalqilya in the occupied West Bank and was shot dead by police, said Israeli authorities. Video showed a man running down a road and lunging at someone through a car window while being chased. The attack caused panic, and one witness told Israeli television he hit the assailant with his guitar, with a hole visible in the wood of his instrument. Police said the attacker wounded a number of people in the Jaffa port area, a tourist zone of Israel's commercial capital, before going on toward a restaurant and stabbing others. Around a 15-minute walk from where the stabbings occurred, Biden met former Israeli president Shimon Peres. "I heard two guys screaming that there was an attack," said a woman who gave her name as Emily. "I ran in the opposite direction and ran into a man who was on the ground in his blood." She said she "covered him with my jacket. He was badly injured and we waited together for the ambulances to come." The US State Department, which identified the dead American as Taylor Allen Force, a 29-year-old native of Texas and a US army veteran, denounced the attack. "The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms today's outrageous terrorist attacks," it said. Wave of violence Violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories since October has killed 184 Palestinians and 28 Israelis. Most of the Palestinians were killed while carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. Others were shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes or demonstrations. Biden is due to meet separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Wednesday. When meeting Peres on Tuesday, he spoke of an "unvarnished, complete commitment to the security of Israel. And I hope we will make some progress." The White House has said Biden will not be pursuing any major new peace initiatives during his visit despite the wave of violence. The number of attacks had diminished recently, but there were four separate assaults Tuesday. Two occurred in Jerusalem, including one that saw a Palestinian shoot and seriously wound two Israeli police officers before being shot dead. Earlier, a Palestinian woman attempted to stab Israeli police forces in Jerusalem's Old City before being shot dead. Also on Tuesday, a Palestinian stabbed an ultra-Orthodox Jew in a liquor store in Petah Tikva near Tel Aviv. The victim and owner of the shop pounced on the attacker, seized his weapon and killed him, police said. Police said they suspected it was a "terrorist" attack but had not excluded other possible motives. Before Tuesday's violence, Biden's visit had been overshadowed by a new blow to the rocky relationship between US President Barack Obama and Netanyahu. Netanyahu's decision not to accept an invitation for talks with Obama in Washington later this month "surprised" the White House, which first learned of it through news reports. Biden's visit comes with Obama having acknowledged there will be no comprehensive agreement between Israelis and Palestinians before he leaves office in January 2017. Talks are expected to include discussions on a defence aid package, currently worth some $3.1 billion annually in addition to spending on projects such as missile defence. Biden and Netanyahu also plan to talk about the fight against the Islamic State group. But while Obama has resigned himself to not achieving any major breakthrough in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there have been suggestions he may seek to somehow kick-start peace efforts at a complete standstill for two years. That has included speculation the United States could break with traditional practice and support a UN resolution related to resolving the conflict, which Israel strongly opposes. The United States has traditionally vetoed resolutions at the UN Security Council opposed by Israel. GENEVA The World Health Organization (WHO) advised pregnant women on Tuesday not to travel to areas with ongoing outbreaks of Zika virus due to the potential risk of birth defects. It said sexual transmission was "relatively common" and that health services in Zika-affected areas should be ready for potential increases in cases of neurological syndromes such as microcephaly and congenital malformations. "Pregnant women whose sexual partners live in or travel to areas with Zika virus outbreaks should ensure safe sexual practices or abstain from sex for the duration of their pregnancy," the WHO said in a statement, based on advice from its Emergency Committee of independent experts. Previously the U.N. health agency had advised women to consider deferring non-essential travel to areas with ongoing transmission of the mosquito-borne virus, which is spreading through Latin America, including Olympics host Brazil. The link between Zika and babies born with small heads and developmental problems, as well as Guillain-Barre syndrome which can cause paralysis, has not been proven scientifically but studies point in that direction, it said. "Clearly Zika infection during pregnancy will produce very bad outcomes," WHO director-general Margaret Chan told a news conference. "It is important we recommend strong public health measures and not wait until we have definitive proof." David Heymann, who chairs the WHO Emergency Committee set up on February 1, said of the recommendation: "The onus is on countries to identify and report where they have outbreaks and where they don't." The WHO did not recommend any general trade or travel restrictions. But it said that existing mechanisms under the WHO's International Health Regulations should be explored, including recommendations that airports be sprayed to eliminate mosquitoes and their breeding grounds. "We can expect more cases and further geographical spread," Chan said. "Sexual transmission is more common than previously assumed." Bruce Aylward, WHO Executive Director for Outbreaks and Emergencies, told reporters that sexual transmission had only been documented as spreading from men to women. "There's no evidence of women-to-men (transmission), so this dead-ends," he said. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay and Tom Miles; writing by Stephanie Nebehay; editing by Gareth Jones) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Bowalley Road Rules The blogosphere tends to be a very noisy, and all-too-often a very abusive, place. I intend Bowalley Road to be a much quieter, and certainly a more respectful, place. So, if you wish your comments to survive the moderation process, you will have to follow the Bowalley Road Rules. These are based on two very simple principles: Courtesy and Respect. Comments which are defamatory, vituperative, snide or hurtful will be removed, and the commentators responsible permanently banned. Anonymous comments will not be published. Real names are preferred. If this is not possible, however, commentators are asked to use a consistent pseudonym. Comments which are thoughtful, witty, creative and stimulating will be most welcome, becoming a permanent part of the Bowalley Road discourse. However, I do add this warning. If the blog seems in danger of being over-run by the usual far-Right suspects, I reserve the right to simply disable the Comments function, and will keep it that way until the perpetrators find somewhere more appropriate to vent their collective spleen. The Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Dalbir Singh presenting the award of excellence to the contingent head of India Lt. Col. Sophia Qureshi, during the closing ceremony of Exercise Force-18, in Pune on March 08, 2016. A PIB photo PUNE (PTI): Army chief General Dalbir Singh on Tuesday said there is a need to collectively address the issues of "mine menace" and role of "peacekeepers" in maintaining harmony and stability in the affected nations. He was addressing over 300 foreign participants and observers from ASEAN Plus countries at the closing ceremony of "Exercise Force 18", the largest ground forces operation ever conducted on Indian soil at Aundh Military Station, Pune from March 2 to 8. He termed the seven-day long exercise, based on themes "Humanitarian Mine Action' and 'Peacekeeping Operations', as a "watershed event in the history of ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) Plus forum." "It has showcased perfect harmony among the ASEAN Plus Nations in the field of humanitarian mine action and peacekeeping operations. "The menace of landmines haunts many of our South East countries. This in turn has adversely affected the security and economic development of the region," said Singh. He appreciated ASEAN member states such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam for making substantial progress towards the disposal of explosives remnants of war (ERW) and said these initiatives have been strongly supported by the international community. The Army chief informed that 6th Expert Working Group on Humanitarian Mine Action has contributed towards bringing "synergy" among the ASEAN Plus Nations. "The other important expert working group is on peacekeeping operations. The group has been able to successfully establish a robust platform for United Nations Peacekeepers to provide necessary contribution towards peace and security in the region." The closing ceremony began with marching in of ASEAN Plus contingents followed by national anthem. Singh later handed over plaques to all contingent commanders of foreign armies and also gave away 'Award of Excellence' to best performers in the exercise. The 40-member Indian Army contingent at the ceremony was led by a woman officer, Lt Col Sophia Qureshi. Indian Army personnel later displayed combat deployment of Special Forces using 'Dhruv' helicopters. Besides ASEAN members - Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand - hosts India and major military powers like China, Australia, Russia and US participated in the exercise. Britain is struggling to cope with food regulations more than two years after Brexit, with delays, confusion, regulatory divergence and staff issues dominating the... Read More According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, babies from three months have a lower risk of developing allergies later in life when introduced to peanuts, eggs, and other well-known allergy-causing food. The paper, titled EAT (Enquiring About Tolerance), was intended for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and it managed to find a way to drastically cut allergy risk within children. Apparently, researchers found out that when babies aged three months old had a lower chance of developing food allergies when introduced to potential allergens than those who were exposed when they were six months old. Furthermore, scientists discovered the consumption of one and a half teaspoons of peanut butter and a small boiled egg on a weekly basis would lead to the prevention of allergies to the said food substances. The study involved 1,303 children from England and Wales who were then randomly divided into two groups. It compared babies who were breastfed and given the above-mentioned food from three months to those who were breastfed up until they were six months old. Apart from eggs and peanut butter, the infants were also introduced to fish, wheat, and sesame, foods that popularly cause allergies. After which, the two sets of babies were tracked in the next three years to see if the subjects developed allergies. Statistically, children who were introduced to allergens earlier had a 67 percent lower risk of developing allergies than those who were introduced to them at a later date. In addition, it was also found out only 1.4 percent of those who were introduced earlier suffered from egg allergies, compared to 5.5 percent to those who were solely breastfed until six months. As for peanuts, the numbers were pleasantly alarming: none of the 310 infants belonging to the early introduction group developed an allergy, while 13 of the 525 who were introduced later developed ones did. "Our study was looking at the introduction of multiple allergenic foods to infants recruited from the general population," said one of the study's authors, Dr. Michael Perkin, in an interview with The Guardian. "This is about what's the best way of introducing allergenic foods to all infants, not just a very selected subgroup. And that is absolutely unique. No one has done anything remotely like this." The study was run by researchers at St. George's University of London, King's College London, and St. Thomas' NHS. A group of industrial people belonging from the Vermont to Michigan informed about the food products in the market labeled as containing Maple but without the real maple content in the product, in the form of a letter. They mentioned about few specific products like the Quaker Oats Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal and Hood Maple walnut ice cream. They have violated the FDA regulations since maple is not listed in the label, according to CNBC. When asked, Quaker Oats refused to leave any comments. "Maple syrup-derived from heating sap from maple trees - is a premium product and sweetener and for that reason a number of companies imply that a product contains maple without the ingredient being present," said Roger Brown, chairman of the Maple Industry Committee of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association. As per Roger the committee has persuaded the FDA to look into the matter for the sake of the consumers and Maple Syrup makers. Brown, owner of slope side owner said, ""My main beef is put syrup in it if you're going to call it syrup. My secondary beef is if you're going to call it a maple thing, put enough maple in it that it's a maple product and that it's not a corn syrup product that has some minuscule amount of syrup in it." A group of maple syrup producers from Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Wisconsin including the International Maple Syrup Institute and the North American Maple Syrup Council gave the letter to the FDA, reported The Daily Meal. The letter given by the association said, "This unchecked misbranding has an adverse impact on manufacturers of products containing real maple syrup, as it allows cheaper products not containing premium ingredients to compete with those actually containing maple syrup. Further, it deceives consumers into believing they are purchasing a premium product when, in fact, they have a product of substantially lower quality." A UK company has found a brilliant and delicious way to address food waste. Now, surplus bread in the UK will no longer be wasted as Feedback, a food waste charity, have partnered with local bakeries to transform surplus bread into something even more delicious - beer. The beer, named Toast Ale, was launched early this year and is available online with a selling price of 3 per bottle according to an article by Francesca Gosling in Independent. Feedback founder Tristram Stuart said that he roamed the world trying to find a solution to the global issue of food waste. Stuart was inspired of creating the Toast Ale idea when he learned of this unique brewing process when he visited the Brussels Beer Project, a brewing technique that magically solves the food waste problem into a delicious and thirst-quenching solution. Stuart added that they hope a day will come when they put themselves out of business. When that day comes, it means that the project would have succeeded its aim in zero food wastage, which would also mean no more surplus bread and therefore no more ingredient for their delicious brew. The beer is being produced by Hackney Brewery east of London. The brewing process involves mashing the surplus bread and brewing it with yeast, hops and barley. All profits from the beer business will go to Feedback to help the charity in its aim to cut food waste to 50 percent by 2030. According to the charity, 15 million tons of food are wasted in UK every year. Among these wasted food items, bread is considered to be the most wasted food item with around 24 million slices of it being thrown away annually. Belgium's Brussels Beer Project has pioneered this brewing technique to solve the Brussels' own food waste problem where it was reported that an astounding 20 percent of bread are wasted according to an article by Hilary Pollack in Munchies. To be an investor, you have to be an optimist. And to be an optimist, you have to know where progress comes from and what causes it. So, let's look at the basics. The idea of growth is pretty new. For thousands of years, humans went nowhere. World GDP per capita was barely higher in the year 1400 than it was in the year 1 AD. Europe's standard of living actually declined for half a millennia after the fall of Rome as previous innovations were lost and forgotten. Progress just wasn't part of the equation. Then, around the middle of the 19th century, things changed. Growth exploded, exponentially and nearly everywhere. After stagnating for a thousand years GDP per person has increased tenfold in the last 150 years. Why? A combination of the steam engine, the telegraph, and electricity is the common (and right) answer. But it leaves the question: Why then? People were capable of innovating for thousands of years, as the Romans proved. What happened in the 19th century that unleashed a wave of powerful inventions? Investor William Bernstein writes in his book The Birth of Plenty that people are predisposed for progress as long as their environment provides four things: 1. Secure property rights. This didn't exist for most of history. There was no incentive for inventors to create wealth because it would have been seized by "feudal aristocracy, the state, the Church, or common criminals," Bernstein writes. That changed in the 1700s as individual laws took hold and continued into the 20th century as democracy spread. 2. A scientific view of the world. Before acceptance of scientific principles was a world of superstition and guessing, neither of which fosters progress and often revolted against it when it arose. Bernstein wrote: "No European dared to think creatively or scientifically, since original thoughts often condemned their creator to oblivion both in this world and the next." 3. Widely available and open sources of funding. There were hardly any markets for capital until investors began trading bonds in 16th century Holland. Before that, the money needed to start and grow a business didn't exist for the huge majority of the world that wasn't born rich. 4. Rapid communication and cheap transport of goods. Even when the first three came together, for most of history businesses "could not have advertised and inexpensively transported their wares to consumers in distant cities." That took advances in shipping, railroads, the telegraph, and trade pacts between countries. Bernstein writes that it wasn't until the 1820s that all four factors coalesced in the English-speaking world, and not until the mid-20th century for much of Asia and Latin America. Africa is still stitching the four together, slowly. There's more to growth than those four factors. Demographics, natural resources, and more play into the equation. But nothing moves without those four factors in place. And the good news is that more of the world has those four factors in place now than at any time in history. The economy always oscillates, boom to bust. Bad policy and dumb decisions slows us down and keeps us from achieving our potential. But almost all examples of permanent decline are caused by one of these four factors missing. It's hard to slow people down once all four are in place. They get creative, invent new things, and figure out better ways to do old things, which pushes the whole ship forward. The existence of these four factors is the backbone of economic optimism. The rest of the equation is waiting for businesses to create value. How do they do that? Again, here are some basics prerequisites for individual business success. Companies succeed and fail for all kinds of reasons. But you'll find a few common denominators among the clear winners. In the book The Everything Store, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was asked why Amazon succeeded where others failed. He gave three reasons, which I'd consider the backbone of lasting individual business success: 1. "We are genuinely customer-centric." 2. "We are genuinely long-term oriented." 3. "We genuinely like to invent." Bezos explained: Most companies are not those things. They are focused on the competitor, rather than the customer. They want to work on things that will pay dividends in two or three years, and if they don't work in two or three years, they will move on to something else. And they prefer to be close-followers rather than inventors, because it's safer. Businesses can prosper for some time without these factors. Yet wherever you find lasting success, you'll likely find these three traits. Most competitors are just as smart as you are, so to stay ahead you have to be doing things they aren't willing to do. Those three traits are the bedrock principles of what most businesses aren't willing to do, but create lasting value for those that are. This is way oversimplified. But it's the foundation of success, and therefore the foundation of what we should pay attention to. And the more you see it, the more optimistic you get about the future. For more: Things I'm pretty sure about Why we're terrified of typical Is today's market more volatile than the past? The evolution of good investing ideas The stock market's recent upward bounce has restored investor confidence to a large extent, but Tuesday showed that the market doesn't move straight up forever. Investors responded negatively to news from China that trade activity was below expectations, and the drop in the price of oil also weighed on the positive sentiment that crude's big bounce from its lows earlier in the year had produced. Among the hardest hit stocks on the day were Lumber Liquidators (LL 0.84%), Vivint Solar (VSLR), and Navistar International (NAV). Lumber Liquidators fell 15% in response to news that hedge fund manager Whitney Tilson had chosen to sell the stock short once again. Tilson had maintained a bearish position on the flooring specialist for more than two years before closing out the position last December. However, the hedge fund manager said that new reports of possibly increased cancer risk from the company's products prompted him to make the decision to reopen his short position. Tilson believes that there are coin-flip odds that Lumber Liquidators might need to file for bankruptcy protection in the long run, and outstanding regulatory issues are likely to hamper any chance for the stock and its business to recover quickly. Add that to the negative publicity that the company has received, and it will be a huge challenge for Lumber Liquidators to bounce back from the onslaught of bad news. Vivint Solar dropped 20% after putting an end to its planned merger with solar peer SunEdison. The company said in a press release this morning that it had delivered a letter to SunEdison claiming that SunEdison had failed to meet obligations under its merger agreement, and Vivint claimed that it reserved all rights for remedies under the contract. Unfortunately, the announcement seemed to do SunEdison far more good than Vivint, because SunEdison's stock actually rose on the day. The problem for Vivint is that concerns about the residential solar industry in the U.S. persist, and so the company could have trouble finding customers interested in its solar leasing and power-purchase agreement model going forward. Until Vivint figures out its new strategic direction, the stock is likely to remain volatile. Finally, Navistar International declined 12%. The maker of trucks, engines, and related components released fiscal first-quarter results this morning that included a net loss of $33 million and a 27% plunge in revenue compared to its year-earlier quarter. Navistar said that its markets were weak nearly throughout its geographical footprint, pointing to soft industry conditions in the U.S. and Canada, dollar-led volume declines in Mexico, and weak economic conditions in Brazil. Some of the sales declines came from internal decisions to discontinue its Blue Diamond Truck joint venture, and the company emphasized its increase in adjusted pre-tax operating earnings. However, investors remain impatient with the pace of the turnaround efforts at Navistar, and as long as worries about emerging-market economic growth continue, the truck manufacturer could have trouble convincing investors that its turnaround is on track. For a rough introduction to my philosophy of blogging, including the Code of Amiability Ito follow on this weblog, please read my fifth anniversary post . I consider blogging to be a very informal type of publishing - like putting up thoughts on your door with a note asking for comments. Nothing in this weblog is done rigorously: it's a forum to let my mind be unruly, a place for jottings and first impressions. Because I consider posts here to be 'literary seedings' rather than finished products, nothing here should be taken as if it were anything more than an attempt to rough out some basic thoughts on various issues. Learning to look at any topic philosophically requires, I think, jumping right in, even knowing that you might be making a fool of yourelf; so that's what I do. My primary interest in most topics is the flow and structure of reasoning they involve rather than their actual conclusions, so most of my posts are about that. If, however, you find me making a clear factual error, let me know; blogging is a great way to get rid of misconceptions. Today I attended the International Franchise Association's fourth annual California Franchising Day. During the course of the day, I had the opportunity to meet with Assembly Members (or their representatives) Hadley, Bigelow, Brough, Miller, Baker, and Gipson, and Senator Nguyen. My group talked with them about the many issues facing franchisees and franchisors in California, including concerns about rising minimum wages, high workers' compensation premiums, and other regulatory issues facing industry members in California. We also talked to the Assembly members and Senator about Assembly Bills 1782 and 2637, and specifically about how those bills (if passed) will improve franchising and franchise regulations in California. I found all of the Assembly Members and Senators to be very receptive to the two pending bills and the reasons behind them, and willing to listen regarding the other issues that face members of the franchise industry in California. I remain hopeful that ABs 1782 and 2637 will find support in the legislature, and that they will not be opposed by any major interest groups as they move forward. As promised, I will keep you posted on the progress of those bills here. AeroVironment isn't just about drones, as this EV-charging equipment shows. Image: AeroVironment. Recent advances in unmanned aerial vehicles have inspired many investors to see profit opportunities in the industry, and AeroVironment gets a substantial amount of its business from the drone market. Even though defense peers like Northrop Grumman are also involved in the drone business, AeroVironment's exposure to the industry makes it a purer play for investors. Coming into Tuesday's fiscal third-quarter financial report, AeroVironment shareholders were prepared for falling earnings but modest sales gains. What AeroVironment reported was somewhat the opposite, falling short on revenue but outperforming on the bottom line thanks largely to a big one-time tax item. Let's look more closely at what AeroVironment told investors and what to expect for the remainder of the year and beyond. AeroVironment gets a liftAeroVironment's fiscal third-quarter numbers were mixed from most investors' perspective. Revenue fell a bit more than 1% to $67.6 million, defying the consensus forecast for a modest increase to $70.4 million. However, net income nearly tripled from the year-ago period to $6.2 million. That produced earnings of $0.27 per share, easily topping the nickel per share that most investors were expecting to see. Looking more closely at AeroVironment's numbers, a substantial part of the swing in the bottom line came from income tax related items. For the most recent quarter, AeroVironment brought in a tax benefit of $1.1 million, compared to last year's $2.8 million expenses. Pre-tax income actually slid by about 1%. Revenue from AeroVironment's two main segments once again followed its usual pattern. The drone segment saw a 5% increase in sales, although an even larger rise in expenses left the division with a slight decrease in gross margin. The relatively small Efficient Energy Systems division once again saw sales plunge, posting a decline of 38%, and only a decline in costs by nearly half managed to limit the decline in gross-margin figures. Backlogs were also mixed. Current figures of $79.7 million were up by nearly a quarter since April 2015, but the sequential decline since October amounted to $17.5 million. Contract services revenue kept rising but at a slower pace of just 18% than in recent quarters. CEO Tim Conver pointed to AeroVironment's innovative product line. "The unique advantages of Switchblade and its four emerging variants within our family of Tactical Misile Systems continued to build traction with customers during the quarter," Conver said, and the CEO also noted that strategic investments in the drone arena kept enhancing long-term growth prospects. Can AeroVironment keep climbing?Conver also remains optimistic about the future for AeroVironment. "The addition of a lien item for Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile Systems in the fiscal 2017 federal budget request," Conver said, "demonstrates the increasing value of our solutions to our troops and our country." In terms of financial guidance, AeroVironment expressed guarded optimism. For the full fiscal 2016 year, the company is sticking with its projection of between $260 million and $280 million in sales. However, the company boosted its gross profit margin guidance by about two percentage points to 38% to 39.5%. AeroVironment also keeps holding out hope for its non-drone business. Expanding its electric-vehicle charging capability in North America has potential for future growth, and Conver also celebrated AeroVironment's industrial EV charging systems as another source of future profit. Investors were pleased with AeroVironment's results, helping send shares up 7% in after-hours trading following the announcement. If AeroVironment can stay ahead of Northrop Grumman and maintain its focus on the growing drone market, then its stock could continue to give investors the positive performance they want to see. The article AeroVironment Climbs Despite Sagging Sales, Pre-Tax Profit originally appeared on Fool.com. Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends AeroVironment. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Tesla. Last week, I was lucky enough to attend one of Tesla's Meet Model X events here in Denver. Since production is currently supply constrained right now, Tesla is doing a nationwide tour to allow reservation holders and members of the press take a look at the new electric SUV. Tesla hasn't opened up Model X test drives to the public quite yet, mostly because it doesn't want to encourage additional demand until it can fulfill some orders. And these events also help with that process, too, since reservation holders are able to convert their reservations to confirmed orders on the spot (if they haven't already). Fellow Fool Daniel Sparks and I attended and were able to meet with some customers, and we were each also able to take Model X out for a spin. Here are some of my initial impressions. A car this big shouldn't go this fastNaturally, the units that were available were top-of-the-line P90D models with ludicrous mode. It's a little jarring to sit in a full-sized SUV carrying seven passengers that's capable of getting to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. At the launch event last year, Elon Musk said, "This car goes so fast it's wrong." I think I agree with that statement. Image source: Author. It's wholly unnecessary, and the 90D and 70D trims that most average consumers will likely opt for are still plenty fast enough. And those doorsThe falcon-wing doors are easily the most striking feature of the car, and they do functionally make the car a lot easier to get in and out of, including the second- and third-row seats. Image source: Author. Speaking of the second- and third-row seats, they are much more comfortable than the typical seats found in an SUV. Headroom in the third row might be a tight fit for tall people, but other than that it's fairly spacious in the third row (especially compared to my previous Acura MDX). I do wonder if the doors may prove troublesome later on, though, and the out-of-warranty repair costs will probably be quite high considering their complexity. Only time will tell. Only two possible compromisesWhile Tesla bills the Model X as "the SUV uncompromised," there are two areas that could turn out to be potential compromises. These aren't necessarily new observations. Rather, they're mostly things that have already been noticed in the design of the car, but seeing both aspects in person highlighted them. It's unclear at this point how demand may or may not be affected. The falcon-wing doors preclude any type of roof rack, which would likely be able to store more than the accessory hitch that's offered. And the second-row seats do not fold down, a ubiquitous feature in SUVs. Again, these potential compromises have been well documented following the launch event last year. It's possible that Model X buyers won't mind these sacrifices, either, since there are functional gains from the design decisions. Overall, the Model X is an amazingly capable car that offers a wider range of functionalities than the Model S and should appeal to a new category of buyers. But more meaningfully, if Tesla's expected forthcoming "Model Y" affordable crossover takes any cues from the X, then Tesla will have a strong follow-up to the Model 3. And we all know how much Americans love SUVs. The article I Met Tesla's Model X Last Week originally appeared on Fool.com. Evan Niu, CFA owns shares of Tesla Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Tesla Motors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Frontier Communications pays a dividend -- yielding more than 7% at today's closing price -- seemingly because that's what most major players in the cable and Internet space do. Comcast has steadily paid a dividend for many years, as has Verizon . The difference, of course, is that those two companies make money and are returning profits to investors. Frontier not only lost money in 2015, it's also in the middle of making huge investments in growing its network, something it's borrowing money to do. Given those circumstances, even though the dividend most likely helps prop up the company's share price, it seems like an ill-advised use of capital. Source: YCharts.com. What is Frontier doing?The once-tiny cable and Internet player is well on its way to becoming a mid-size player in the field. A big step in that direction will be completed as soon as April, when it closes on acquiring Verizon's wireline operations that provide services to residential, commercial, and wholesale customers in California, Florida, and Texas for $10.54 billion in cash. That purchase will give the company 3.7 million new voice connections, 2.2 million new broadband connections, and 1.2 million FiOS video connections. To make the Verizon deal happen, Frontier borrowed $8.1 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal. Borrowing money for a major purchase is not unusual, but doing so while paying a dividend after a year in which the company lost nearly $200 million raises some red flags. Frontier spent $456 million on its dividend for its common stock in 2015, and another $120 million for the dividend for its preferred shares. That's $576 million it spent to pay back shareholders at a time when it's both losing and borrowing money (for which it paid $119 million in financing costs and $728 million in interest costs in 2015). Does this make any sense?While there are reasons to believe Frontier's borrow-big-to-buy-big strategy will ultimately pay off, in the short term, it's an expensive gamble. Even once the Verizon properties are acquired, the company will still have significant one-time costs as it absorbs those customers. Yes, there will be efficiency gains that save the company money in the long run, but cash flow will be tight for the immediate future. In 2016, Frontier is not likely to make enough profit to fund its dividend. That means it's paying off shareholders using borrowed money instead of using that cash to fund further acquisitions. That strategy seems a bit short-sighted, and it's a way of acting successful before actually being so. Effectively, Frontier is the guy at the bar buying everyone drinks even though he's putting them on a credit card he may not be able to pay off. Suspending the dividend in the short term would hurt Frontier's stock price, but continuing to pay it is about keeping up appearances rather than smart business logic. In the long term, the company should only pay money to shareholders when it's at least making enough money to cover the expense. Continuing to do so during a time of losses and heavy borrowing simply digs a deeper hole. Frontier is paying a dividend because it always has, and because most of its rivals do. Unfortunately, it can't afford it right now and should stop spending money it doesn't have to prop up its share price. The article Should Frontier Drop Its Dividend? originally appeared on Fool.com. Daniel Kline has no position in any stocks mentioned. He is wearing flip-flops even though it's only mildly warm. The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Lockheed Martin finalized its $9 billion purchase of Sikorsky helicopters from United Technologies in Novemberof last year. No sooner had it done so, though, than a new red flag popped up on Lockheed's annual report: If you own Lockheed Martin stock, the Sikorsky deal could cost you money. Sikorsky's Black Hawk helicopter is the most popular combat helo on the planet. Image source: Lockheed Martin. Caveat emptorI paraphrase, of course. But here, see for yourself what Lockheed saidin spelling out its risk factors: Lockheed went on to warn that integrating Sikorsky into Lockheed's business will be a "complex, costly and time-consuming" affair. What's more, even after integrated: Topping it all off, Lockheed also raised the worry that in the process of becoming a bigger defense contractor, it may have made itself a bigger target for Congressional budget cutters -- or for Pentagon acquisition specialists who have "expressed concerns regarding greater consolidation in the defense industry" and may decide to "preserve diversity at the prime contract level." Translation: Even if Lockheed Martin has better products, and better prices, the Pentagon may give contracts to rivals such as Boeing (which builds the Apache helicopter) or Textron (which owns Bell), just to preserve balance in the defense industry. That would not be good news for Lockheed Martin -- at all. Minuses, and pluses, tooIf the risks to acquiring Sikorsky were so big, though, an investor might wonder why Lockheed Martin bothered to buy it at all? The answer is simple: The opportunities are even bigger than the risks. Remember: Lockheed Martin paid $9 billion for Sikorsky. But according to Lockheed's 10-K filingwith the SEC, Sikorsky brought with it $15.6 billion in backlogged business. That's a huge amount of business already "in the bag" for Lockheed Martin. And it doesn't even count the opportunities on the horizon, such as Turkey's plan to buy as much as $20 billion worth of Sikorsky helicopters as it upgrades its air forces. And call me a crazy optimist, but I suspect Turkey doesn't give a fig whether it's buying those helos from United Technologies subsidiary Sikorsky or Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky. As long as the helicopters fly right and cost right, Turkey will be happy. The upshot for investorsWill all of Lockheed Martin's hopes and dreams for Sikorsky come true, and the deal turn out to be as profitable as it promised when "selling" the deal to its shareholders? Of course not. Facts change. For example, already,the downturn in the oil market is costing Sikorsky salesamong oil production companies -- and synergies from such deals almost never materialize as promised. But other opportunities will emerge. And with Lockheed Martin now the biggest name in fighter jets, in transport aircraft, and finally in helicopters, too, I think this deal is going to work out for investors just fine. That said, if a little bit of pessimistic talk about Lockheed Martin's chances helps to scare down Lockheed Martin stock from its current high perch of 19 times earnings -- and make the stock a bit cheaper to buy -- I for one wouldn't mind at all. The article Sikorsky Deal Forces Lockheed to Update Its 10-K. Should You Worry? originally appeared on Fool.com. Rich Smithdoes not own shares of, nor is he short, any company named above. You can find him onMotley Fool CAPS, publicly pontificating under the handleTMFDitty, where he's currently ranked No. 270 out of more than 75,000 rated members.The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Jobs at Volkswagen's plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, could be at risk if the U.S. government demands an excessive fine, a VW executive hinted on Tuesday. Image source: Volkswagen. The financial hit from fines related to Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal may be so severe that the company would be forced to cut jobs in the U.S. and Europe in order to compensate. That was the word from VW's top labor official, Bernd Osterloh, at a meeting of 20,000 workers at Volkswagen's headquarters in Germany on Tuesday, according to a Reuters report. We still don't know how badly VW's balance sheet will be bruised by the fallout from the diesel emissions scandal. But Osterloh's remarks on Tuesday were one more sign that the company is bracing for a very heavy impact -- and one more sign that the U.S. government isn't likely to let VW off easy. Grim remarks to a big gathering of VW workersCEO Matthias Mueller and other top VW executives also addressed the workers' gathering in Wolfsburg on Tuesday. Mueller warned that the financial hit from the scandal will be "substantial and painful" for VW, and that it will take years to fully value the financial damage. The U.S. Justice Department has filed a massive civil suit against Volkswagen for breaching the Clean Air Act and other laws. Under those laws, damages could reach as high as $46 billion. The real price is likely to be far lower, of course. The suit was probably filed in an effort to pressure VW to settle -- and VW probably do so. But even that settlement could well be the largest such penalty ever paid by an automaker. Why the Feds are likely to hit VW extra hardThat VW could end up paying the biggest fine ever levied against a car maker might sound surprising, given that other automakers have arguably caused more harm than VW's efforts to cheat on emissions tests of its diesel-powered vehicles. A defective ignition switch installed in millions of General Motors vehicles last decade has been linked to over 100 accident fatalities, for instance, and GM was able to settle with the U.S. government for $900 million. VW is likely to have to pay a whole lot more. That's because there are a couple of big differences between GM's experience and VW's. First, GM's failure to recall its defective switch appears to be the result of a series of institutional blunders, not a conspiracy to evade U.S. laws. And second, once then-new CEO Mary Barra and other senior GM executives became aware of the situation, they brought it to the attention of federal regulators and were said to be very forthcoming. VW's cheating software hasn't killed anyone directly, although some environmental experts have estimated that it may have led indirectly to some air pollution-related fatalities. But VW deliberately broke U.S. law, for years -- and then dragged its feet for a long time before coming clean. The feds hate that. Osterloh's remarks on Tuesday were probably meant in part for the U.S. government's ears: "Fine VW too heavily," he might have been saying, "and we'll have to cut U.S. jobs." But I have a feeling that the U.S. government is determined to make VW pay big anyway. If so, VW's shares might get cheap enough to consider buying. Stay tuned. The article Volkswagen: A Big Fine Might Force Us to Cut U.S. Jobs originally appeared on Fool.com. John Rosevear owns shares of General Motors. The Motley Fool recommends General Motors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. BMW's headquarters in Munich. Image source: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG. Bayerische Motoren Werke , better known to Americans as German luxury-car giant BMW, released a summary of its full-year 2015 earnings on March 9. Here's what investors need to know. The key numbersAll financial results are in millions of euros. 2015 2014 Change Revenue 92,175 80,401 +14.6% Units Sold: Autos 2,247,485 2,117,965 +6.1% Units Sold: Motorcycles 136,963 123,495 +10.9% EBIT 9,593 9,118 +5.2% EBIT Margin 10.4% 11.3% -0.9 points Net Income 6,396 5,817 +10% What happened with BMW in 2015BMW said that 2015 was its "sixth record-breaking year in succession." The company set all-time highs for sales volumes, revenue, and pre-tax profit -- despite volatile conditions in China and slowing growth of the new-car market in the United States. Revenue jumped over 14% thanks in part to favorable currency factors, as the U.S. dollar appreciated against the euro. EBIT margin slipped a bit from 2014's outstanding result, but the bottom line was still very strong: BMW's net profit of 6.4 billion euros ($7.02 billion) was its first-ever result to exceed 6 billion euros. BMW's Automotive unit achieved an EBIT margin of 9.2% in 2015. That was down slightly from the 9.6% margin it posted in 2014, but it was still within the company's targeted range. It was stronger than the 8.3% margin posted by rivalAudi, which was hit by costs related to parentVolkswagen's diesel-emissions scandal, but it trailed the impressive 10% EBIT margin at BMW's old archrivalDaimler's Mercedes-Benz unit. Within Automotive, the BMW brand posted a 5.2% sales gain in 2015, on very strong sales of the 2 Series sedans and 4 Series coupes. Sales were up 12% at Mini, but down slightly from a record 2014 at Rolls-Royce (but still good enough for the second-best result in the 112-year-old British luxury brand's history, BMW noted in a statement). BMW's 4 Series coupes had a strong 2015. Image source: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG. The EBIT margin at BMW Motorrad, the company's motorcycle business, was 10.9% in 2015, up substantially from its 2014 result of 6.7% on a better mix of sales as well as those favorable exchange-rate shifts. What BMW's CEO said about the company's 2015 result"We have met all of our ambitious targets for the financial year," said CEO Harald Krueger in a statement. "With another set of impressive figures in its centenary year, the BMW Group remains the world's leading provider of premium vehicles and mobility services." Krueger said that BMW would boost its dividend and bonus payouts to employees in the wake of the strong 2015 result. "The exemplary commitment of our workforce and the unfailing trust placed in us by our shareholders are the key topics that run through the BMW Group's success story," he said. "To mark the company's centenary, we are once again raising the associate bonus for our permanent staff in Germany, the highest amount paid in the German premium auto industry. Dividend payments to our shareholders will also exceed the two billion euro mark for the first time, reflecting the BMW Group's fine performance in 2015." What's ahead for BMW: Full results and guidance due on March 16BMW's report on March 9 was just a summary of its full-year result. The company will release its complete fourth-quarter and full-year financial result on March 16. It said that it will also hold a press conference and release its full guidance for 2016 at that time. But Krueger did give one hint of his expectations for BMW in 2016. While he expects that the global political and economic environment will continue to be "volatile" as the year unfolds, he expects BMW's sales to hit another record for the year thanks in part to the all-new 7 Series sedan. "We are again targeting a new sales volume record in 2016, with sales expected to be slightly up on the previous year," Krueger said. The article BMW Profit Jumps 10% on Strong Sales and Currency Swings originally appeared on Fool.com. John Rosevear has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends BMW. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image credit: Qualcomm. Last year, wireless chip giant Qualcomm disclosed to investors that it wouldn't supply chips into either the Samsung Galaxy S6 or the Galaxy Note 5. This, coupled with some other bad news at the time, led to a real loss of confidence in the long-term prospects of Qualcomm's chip business among some investors. Heck, there were some people who thought that Qualcomm ought to have spun off its chip business entirely in a bid to create more value for stockholders. This year, however, it would seem that Qualcomm was able to win back some spots in the Samsung Galaxy S7. AnandTech claims that a Qualcomm chip is used in the variants of the S7 sold in the U.S., Japan, and China with the "rest of the world" getting a variant of the S7 packing a Samsung-designed Exynos processor. Not a clean, across-the-board win for Snapdragon, but when it has come to Samsung's flagship Galaxy phones, the applications processor/modem spot has historically been dual-sourced. I have little doubt that Qualcomm's win inside of the S7 series of phones is fairly closely tied to the fact that Qualcomm has chosen Samsung to manufacture its Snapdragon 820 chip exclusively. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Qualcomm's longtime foundry partner, seems out of the loop at the 14/16-nanometer node and is widely believed to also be out of the loop at the 10-nanometer node. In this arrangement, Samsung is the clear winner. Here's why. Qualcomm gets some Galaxy S7 orders; Samsung gets to fill its manufacturing plantsIn this arrangement, Qualcomm benefits as it gets to sell significantly more high-end Snapdragon 820 chips with the S7 (and likely Note 6) wins than without -- I'd estimate around 16 million units' worth (assuming a 60/40 split in favor of Exynos and 40 million S7/S7 Edge units sold over the next year). If we then assume an average selling price of around $35 for the Snapdragon 820 and the other platform components that Qualcomm provides, then we're looking at more than half a billion dollars in fairly high-margin revenue over the next year from this win. However, the real winner here is Samsung. Samsung has been aggressively trying to build out a contract chip manufacturing business and by winning the Snapdragon 820 contract, it not only makes sure that all of its Galaxy flagship phones are powered by Samsung-built chips, but that almost every major Android flagship has Samsung-built silicon, too. This is a win/win for both parties, but Samsung appears to be a much bigger winner here than Qualcomm. What this means for Taiwan SemiconductorAlthough Qualcomm seems to be planning to build its premium-tier chips exclusively at Samsung for at least a couple of generations, Samsung foundry rival Taiwan Semi-- which should see a negative impact from the loss of Qualcomm as a major customer -- seems to be betting on other mobile chipmakers to maintain high leading-edge foundry market segment share. For example, Apple -- whose iPhones generally sell in enormous quantity -- is said to be moving to Taiwan Semiconductor exclusively for the manufacture of the A10 processor that will power the iPhone 7. Other smartphone chip makers, such as HiSilicon, MediaTek, and even Spreadtrum also appear to be building current and next-generation chips solely at Taiwan Semiconductor, per DIGITIMES. Apple is by far the highest profile (and highest volume) of the bunch as far as bleeding-edge applications processors go, so I'm expecting that Taiwan Semiconductor will virtually bend over backwards to try to deliver processes and wafer prices that keep Apple happy. It will be interesting to see how the Apple/Taiwan Semiconductor relationship plays out over time; indeed, I suspect that TSMC's aggressive schedule at both 10-nanometer and 7-nanometer is in place primarily to ensure that it wins as much of Apple's business as possible. The article How Samsung Has the Upper Hand Against Qualcomm, Inc. originally appeared on Fool.com. Ashraf Eassa owns shares of Qualcomm. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Apple and Qualcomm. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Bernie Sanders coalition -- a mix of young voters, liberals and independents -- is still a potent force in the Democratic primary race. With his unexpected win in Michigan's primary on Tuesday, Mr. Sanders proved his voting base still has power, just as the nominating calendar is about to turn to similar Midwestern states, including Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin. Mr. Sanders's voting base had little visibility in Mississippi on Tuesday, where Hillary Clinton won an overwhelming victory on the strength of African-American voters, who made up more than 60% of the voter pool. But in Michigan, where black voters accounted only for about one-quarter of the electorate and gave Mrs. Clinton less of a boost, the Sanders coalition held far more sway. Mr. Sanders carried a commanding 8 in 10 voters under age 30, according to preliminary results of surveys of voters after they cast ballots. He won more than two-thirds of voters under age 45. And while Mrs. Clinton won a lopsided share of African-American voters, Mr. Sanders won nearly 6 in 10 white voters, according to exit polls reported by CNN and other media. A similar coalition could make for close races in other Midwest states with manufacturing roots, where the voter pools look more like those of Michigan than of other states that have voted so far. Its white, non-Hispanic population, at 76% of all residents, looks similar to the 80% share of white residents in Ohio, 78% in Pennsylvania and 82% in Wisconsin. The percentage of people 25 or older with a bachelor's degree, at 26%, is in line with those three states. Mr. Sanders has already won one upper Midwest state, Minnesota, where Democrats held caucuses rather than a primary. The Tuesday night results have a message for both Democratic candidates. For Mrs. Clinton it is that her campaign needs a rationale and message as compelling as Mr. Sanders's call for a "political revolution" against the wealthy and Wall Street, which has caught the imagination of the party's liberals and young voters. For Mr. Sanders, it is that winning the nomination in a racially diverse party is difficult without winning support from nonwhite voters. Mr. Sanders's weak support among African-Americans has severely hampered him in the South, but he may find diverse states outside the South to be friendlier ground. He won 30% of African-American voters in Michigan, his best showing in any state for which there are exit polls and a far larger share than the single-digit support he had drawn in several Southern primaries. As in other Southern states, Mrs. Clinton's victory in Mississippi rested on support from nearly 9 in 10 African-American voters, exit polls showed. Donald Trump carried Mississippi's Republican primary. Like Mrs. Clinton, he has won the contests in Southern states, including those in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. As in prior contests, Mr. Trump's support was strongest among voters without a college degree and those on the lower end of the income scale. But he swept almost every other group as well, even expanding the coalition that had delivered other Southern states to him. Mr. Trump won among Republican Party members and independents who cast ballots. He carried evangelical Christians and non-evangelicals, foiling Sen. Ted Cruz, who had hoped to build a lead among evangelicals. Mr. Cruz, a favorite of social conservatives, carried voters who rated themselves "very conservative," as he had in prior contests. (END) Dow Jones Newswires Oil prices surged to a three-month high Wednesday after government data showed demand for gasoline and diesel fuel was far higher than even bullish expectations. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said gasoline stockpiles fell last week three times as much as expected and diesel stockpiles fell double what was expected. Those are positive signs for demand and have surprised traders, sparking a slate of buying despite crude stockpiles that added another 3.9 million barrels, brokers said. "It looks like we had a pickup in demand, up to about 20 million barrels a day," said Bart Melek, head of commodity strategy at TD Securities in Toronto, "All in all, I think this is a positive for oil." Light, sweet crude settled up $1.79, or 4.9%, at $38.29 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest settlement since Dec. 4. Brent, the global benchmark, rose $1.42, or 3.6%, to $41.07 a barrel on ICE Futures Europe, also the highest level since Dec. 4. The gains are the latest in a rally that's been strong for nearly a month. There are signs that rampant drilling is slowing around the world, and hope for a deal to freeze or cut output among the world's biggest producers. The EIA's report also gives some hope that demand is rising even before the start of the high-demand summer driving season, helping balance a market that has been oversupplied and crashing for nearly two years. Crude-oil inventories grew nearly 900,000 barrels more than expected. But sharp declines for gasoline and diesel exceeded expectations by even more. Gasoline stockpiles fell by 4.5 million barrels and distillates by 1.1 million. Analysts surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expected gasoline to fall just 1.5 million barrels and distillates by 500,000. The American Petroleum Institute had reported only a decrease of 2.1 million barrels in gasoline stocks and a drop of 128,000 barrels in distillate inventories. Gasoline futures settled up 8.27 cents, or 6%, to $1.4705 a gallon, the highest settlement since Aug. 31. It has gained 64% in a month. Diesel futures rose 3.27 cents, or 2.7%, to $1.2327 a gallon, the highest level since Dec. 9. It is up 42% in a little more than a month. "There's reason to be optimistic, albeit there's a lot of crude still in storage," said Tim Pickering, president of Auspice Capital Advisors Ltd., which manages $300 million and is holding a neutral position on oil. "You can see the right factors that can bring the supply-and-demand equation back into line." Those falling product stockpiles come at a time when crude output is declining from key producers Nigeria and Iraq because of pipeline attacks, analysts said. Iran is also falling short of putting as much new oil onto the market as some expected, and all of that emboldens bullish traders, said John Saucer, vice president of research and analysis at Mobius Risk Group in Houston. "The narrative has shifted," he added. "People are starting to be a little more receptive to the idea that things aren't quite as dismal as everyone felt in January." Analysts say that as the prolonged low prices have hit high-cost U.S. shale producers, the downward trend in production is likely to persist because it is getting more unprofitable for these producers to keep pumping. However, with U.S. crude inventories remaining near levels not seen since 1930, the slowing production is still unable to really chip away at the global glut, analysts say. The rally has also been bolstered by hopes for an agreement between major international producers to curtail their output. Some heavyweight suppliers, including Russia and Saudi Arabia, announced last month that they would freeze their output at January levels if other producers join. On Tuesday, Kuwait's energy minister said the country wouldn't adhere to a pact to freeze production unless all oil producers, including Iran, are on board. The move could scuttle the agreement as Iran has repeatedly said it would keep pumping until production is back to around 4 million barrels a day, its level before international trade sanctions were placed on it. A meeting of the producers is expected to take place this month or next to discuss the agreement. "The outcome of that meeting will be important for the reading of the global balances for the second half and we think that it will be difficult for prices to [fall to] recent lows before that gathering," said Olivier Jakob of oil consultancy Petromatrix. Georgi Kantchev and Jenny W. Hsu contributed to this article. By Timothy Puko Source: Netflix. When Netflix announced that it was producing a sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, it said it wanted to release the film in theaters at the same time it launches the movie on Netflix. Theater owners such as AMC Theaters didn't like that idea, but IMAX was on board with its large presence in China. AMC wasn't opposed to showing movies from other streaming services, such as Amazon.com . But Amazon provides an exclusive window to theaters for its film productions, whereas Netflix wants to release films on its service the same day they hit theaters. AMC management believes that destroys a lot of value for the theaters. But AMC recently announced that it will show Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny on a few screens "as a favor to IMAX." Easing up on NetflixOf the 153 IMAX screens in AMC theaters, AMC is only showing Crouching Tigeron four to six of them. CEO Adam Aron said the language of choice for those screenings is Mandarin, indicating the audience is predominantly Chinese. AMC has 86 locations in China. Considering China is about the only country without access to Netflix, it's not a big surprise that Chinese viewers are most interested in seeing the film in theaters -- they can't watch it at home. But Aron added another comment after his admission that it's showing the film on a few screens. "AMC will cross future bridges of competition if ... and when they arise," he said, referring to Netflix's push for same-day movie releases. Aron's predecessor, Gerry Lopez, was more adamant that the theater wouldn't show movies without an exclusive theatrical release window. As Netflix and Amazon start producing their own films, theater owners such as AMC may be more willing to reduce the window for theatrical releases. Amazon Studios' films come with a 90-day exclusive window for theaters before Amazon makes them available to Prime subscribers. In return, Amazon gets free marketing from theaters that play its trailers and promote the films in its lobbies. Netflix didn't get any such support for Crouching Tiger. Does Netflix need the theaters?The question for Netflix investors is whether the company even needs support from theater chains. Being able to monetize its releases in China is a major benefit of partnering with theaters, but Netflix may be better served by directing its efforts toward making its service available to Chinese consumers. But Netflix's movies seem to be doing just fine without theaters. In the company's fourth-quarter letter to shareholders, CEO Reed Hastings noted, "Adam Sandler's first Netflix original film, The Ridiculous Six, which debuted globally on Dec. 11, was the most viewed movie on Netflix in every territory the week of its debut and the mostviewed movie ever on Netflix in the first 30 days on service." Additionally, Netflix has received four Oscar nominations for its original documentaries over the past three years. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has said he has his eye on winning an Oscar as well but believes the best chance to win one -- and draw attention to Amazon's original programming -- is to show films in theaters. Netflix doesn't necessarily disagree, but it's showing that it's possible to win without being in theaters. While partnering with theater chains for distribution could bring in more revenue for Netflix, its biggest moneymaker and focus is still its subscribers. Creating entertaining and critically acclaimed content will help bring on new subscribers and keep old ones sticking around. It even opens up the opportunity for Netflix to continue raising its prices, generating much more revenue than a few weeks in theaters ever could. The article Why AMC Reversed Its Ban on Netflix Movies originally appeared on Fool.com. Adam Levy owns shares of Amazon.com. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon.com, Imax, and Netflix. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Unisys What:Shares of Unisys Corporation plunged more than 25% Wednesday after the company disclosed its intention to offer $150 million in unsecured convertible senior notes. So what: That the notes will be unsecured indicates they may not come with the best terms for Unisys. Unisys also expects to grant the initial purchaser an option to buy up to an additional $22.5 million of the notes. Either way, that's a hefty amount of potentially dilutive debt considering Unisys' entire market capitalization sat at roughly $550 million as of Tuesday's close. Now what:As it stands,shares of Unisys now sit more than 65% lower than they were at this time last year, notably after a string of disappointing earnings reports and a lack of consistentGAAPprofitability. And even as shares rose after Unisys' most recent quarterly report six weeks ago, that report was punctuated by a 13% year-over-year decline in fourth-quarter revenue, to $790 million, and modest net income of $1.1 million, or $0.02 per share, down from $61.8 million, or $1.24 per share in the same year-ago period. For the full year 2015, Unisys turned in a net loss of $109.9 million, or $2.20 per share. In the end, Unisys states it will use most of the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including cost reduction and savings initiatives, pension obligations, investments in next-gen technology, and repaying existing debt. But even if that helps Unisys in its quest to continue making progress toward sustained profitability, the size and likely unfavorable terms of the offering make it unsurprising to see the market so aggressively bidding shares down Wednesday. The article Why Unisys Corporation Stock Plunged Today originally appeared on Fool.com. Steve Symington has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. From its tiny Brookline, Massachusetts, location, which exuberantly crams inventory into just 8,000 square feet, to its Austin, Texas, grocery store that's 10 times larger, Whole Foods Market hasfor years experimented with the sizes of its locations. Recently, the grocer appears to have decided on a simplified footprint strategy: For the most part, larger stores will be built under the current flagship "Whole Foods" brand, while more compact formats will be found exclusively in the upcoming "365 By Whole Foods Market" concept stores. On the company's recent first quarter 2016 earnings call, Co-CEO Walter Robb discussed this approach, and his comments are worth reading in their entirety: Underlying Robb's message is the strategic assumption that Whole Foods shouldn't shy away from the higher costs associated with bigger stores, and that the experience of shopping in a flagship store, despite competitive pricing pressures, is one the company should strive to enhance. Management will continue to entice customers into its large format stores with more visible discounting, especially viaits mobile app and affinity program. But after customers walk inside, the company will try to drive higher average spends, with more profit attached, when the cash registers spit out receipts. A new automated labor-scheduling system, introduced last year, is just one of several concrete, margin-enhancing improvements the grocer has recently implemented Whole Foods' other strategic assumption is that smaller can also be better. If all works according to plan, the upcoming "365 By Whole Foods Market" units will end up equaling or even exceeding the profitability of legacy stores. By virtue of their more diminutive size, these locations will require less capital to build. The stores will feature more of its private label foods (which have better margins than third-party products) for the budget-conscious millennial shoppers it's targeting. And the promised curated selection,with stores carrying fewer items, should translate into better inventory management. Finally, the 365 locations won't feature as many "specialists" such as in-store wine experts and cheese buyers, cutting down on labor costs. Concept rendering of the "365 by Whole Foods Market" in Silver Lake, California, which is scheduled to open its doors in May. Image source:Whole Foods Market. A strategy born from a competitive deficiencyThe 365 store concept was developed partially to mitigate a relatively new phenomenon for the chain. As Whole Foods has expanded within the metropolitan statistical areas where it already operates, it found that new stores often ended up cannibalizing, at least over the short term, the sales of existing stores. Offering two different shopping experiences in proximity to each other is a way to avoid cannibalization while still pulling new revenue in for the parent company. The first 365 stores will open this spring, but Whole Foods can already point to a fellow upscale food purveyor, Starbucks for evidence that its idea may succeed. Starbucks experienced something of an epiphany last year after it took a chance on a shrunken store format. Its test location, onWall Street in New York, was placed, counterintuitively, across the street from a busy traditional Starbucks. The company dubbed this configuration the "Express Store." CFO Scott Maw noted last year that the footprint was one-third the size of an average Starbucks, but it pulls in similar revenue to an average store. Amazingly, the new format drew customers while the traditional store continued to prosper, reporting zero cannibalization. Starbucks is expanding the experiment, having opened the third store in what it calls "an espresso shot" of a format in Toronto's Union Station last month. This Starbucks is designed to absorb some of the frenzied volumes of coffee-deprived travelers and commuters flowing through the station. Customers are greeted upon entry by a Starbucks employee, and order from a abbreviated menu based on local taste preferences. Note how differently the line flows from a normal Starbucks in the picture below, as the first counter intercepts the customer on entry, speeding order input. This structure is built for speed, and with no seating to be found, represents a departure from the signature Starbucks experience, in which customers are encouraged to linger. Image source: Starbucks Corporation Starbucks' initial success with this format augurs well for Whole Foods' decision to tinker with its own streamlined concept. In May, Whole Foods will test its anti-cannibalization solution with the opening of its first 365 store in Silver Lake, California. Both Starbucks and Whole Foods are wagering that customers will accept novel brand expressions as long as they perceive a benefit from the changes. Now Whole Foods just has to prove to itself -- and investors -- that it can flourish by being biggerand smaller, simultaneously. The article Why Whole Foods Small Stores Should Have a Big Future originally appeared on Fool.com. John Mackey, co-CEO of Whole Foods Market, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Asit Sharma has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Starbucks and Whole Foods Market. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Former Republican rival and Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina officially endorsed Texas Senator Ted Cruz on Wednesday at a rally in Miami, Florida. Fiorina, who suspended her own presidential campaign last month, told Cruz supporters she checked his name at the ballot box in the Virginia primary last week. It is my great honor to be here today to tell you why I voted for Ted and why I will work hard to make sure he is our Republican nominee and our next President of the United States, said Fiorina. Fiorina, who promoted herself as an outsider candidate with business experience, told the audience Cruz is the candidate that stands for conservative principles and will never settle for the status quo. It is time to unite behind Ted Cruz my fellow conservatives, my fellow Republicans, my fellow citizens. It is time to take our party back. It is time to take our government back. It is time to take our country back, said Fiorina. Ford OConnell, a Republican strategist and advisor to the 2008 McCain-Palin campaign, says with Fiorinas support people are beginning to see the GOP field as a two-person race between Cruz and billionaire businessman Donald Trump. All the bigger name Republicans are starting to pick sides. Clearly with Carly Fiorina, Im sure there would be place in the cabinet if Cruz wins the nomination, but overall Carly Fiorina is looking to stop Trump and legitimize Cruzs case, said OConnell. Fiorina, who was the only female GOP candidate in the 2016 race, tried to position herself to be the conservative alternative to Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. Throughout her campaign she took shots from GOP frontrunner Donald Trump about her business record and her looks. Those comments backfired on Trump, turning off some Republican female voters, which OConnell says Cruz is poised to gain. This will help soften Ted Cruzs image who is among some of the remaining candidates for the War on Women meme in the election and it will also help broaden his appeal, said OConnell. As this gets down to a two-man race, he needs a surrogate out there to broaden his appeal and connect with women. OConnell says Cruz hasnt really attracted female voters with his extreme conservative message but says with Fiorinas backing he could capture some of the fence sitting voters who still have hesitations with choosing between Cruz and Trump. According to Public Policy Polling in February, Cruz had 23% of the female vote compared to Florida Senator Marco Rubios 39% support and Trumps 28%. Fiorinas endorsement comes on the heels of Cruzs latest primary win on Tuesday; The state of Idaho rounded out his seventh victory. The next primary contests on March 15 include Florida and Ohio, two winner-take-all states. The Cleveland Clinic says the nation's first uterus transplant has failed. A 26-year-old woman received the transplant there on Feb. 24 and had appeared to be recovering well, even appearing briefly at a news conference on Monday. But according to a hospital statement Wednesday, the patient, identified as Lindsey, experienced a sudden complication. We are saddened to share that our patient, Lindsey, recently experienced a sudden complication that led to the removal of her transplanted uterus, the Cleveland Clinic said in a statement Wednesday. At this time, the circumstance of the complication is under review and more information will be shared as it becomes available. The hospital is exploring what went wrong, but said its clinical trial that aims to do 10 uterus transplants is continuing. I just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude towards all of my doctors, Lindsey said in a statement, according to the Cleveland Clinic. They acted very quickly to ensure my health and safety. Unfortunately I did lose the uterus to complications. However, I am doing okay and appreciate all of your prayers and good thoughts. Doctors surgically removed the uterus Tuesday. Other countries have attempted uterus transplants, with some reported failures, although Sweden has succeeded in five healthy births. The experimental treatment might eventually offer an option for women born without a uterus or who lost it to disease. Reuters contributed to this report. FBI Director James Comey testified before Congress in 2014 that the thousands of Western foreign fighters bound for the Middle East would one day come home as battle-hardened extremists. There will be a terrorist diaspora out of those areasespecially Syriathat we all wake up every day thinking and worrying about, he warned. Two years later, the exodus has begun in earnest, and we are woefully unprepared to deal with it. More than 6,000 Westerners, including Americans, have gone to fight with groups like ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and reportedly around 2,000 of them have returnedsome to plot terrorist attacks and others to set up new extremist networks. The reality could not be more clear: jihadists are coming home, and they are piggy-backing on the refugee flows to avoid detection. We saw this in November with the Paris attacks, in January with a suicide bombing in Turkey against Western tourists, and in February when German authorities arrested two terror suspects for allegedly plotting an attack in Berlin. In each of these cases, terrorists reportedly posed as Syrian refugees fleeing the war-torn country. One international terrorism think tank has catalogued at least 40 suspected jihadists who have been caught entering Europe posing as migrants or refugees. Indeed, the attempts are becoming so common that a top American NATO commander testified before Congress last week that terrorists and returning foreign fighters are becoming a daily part of the refugee flow into Europe. If that doesnt set off alarm bells, then I dont know what does. This year it will only get easier for extremists to blend into the mix. The number of refugees and migrants arriving in Europe in just the past two monthsmore than 100,000has already exceeded the entire first half of last year, according to UN figures. But we cannot pretend the problem is an ocean away. For us, the danger is a plane-flight away, as extremists are trying to infiltrate U.S. humanitarian programs, too. Intelligence officials have notified me that possible terror suspects in Syria have already tried to enter our country as refugees. The concerted effort by ISIS to deploy operativesusing whatever routes possibleshould come as no surprise. The group is dead set on ramping up external operations and has already been linked to 75 terrorist plots against the West, one-third targeting the United States. ISIS members in their own words have threatened to take advantage of the Syrian refugee crisis to launch attacks, and they are clearly following through on it. My committee will release a report next month on the issue of terrorist exploitation of refugee flows, marking the conclusion of a year-long review into the threat. The findings are concerning. For instance, gaping security loopholes are making it easier for violent extremists to slip through the cracksand possibly get closer to our homeland. Nowhere is this clearer than in Europe, where the continents open borders have become a cause celebre for jihadists. There are no real controls, one diplomat in the region explained to us, adding that authorities take fingerprints, accept whatever identification they provideif they have oneand send them on their way. My Committee found many countries were not checking this information against counterterrorism databases. This is inexcusable. If foreign governments are not rigorously screening refugees against terrorist watchlists, they will likely be overlooked, putting our allies at risk and allowing extremists to get one step closer to the United States. We cannot adopt a wait-and-see approach while jihadists ride the wave of refugees into the West. We must act. That is why this month the House Homeland Security Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee will work to move bills through Congress to accelerate security cooperation with our overseas partnersespecially on disrupting terrorist travel. The legislation would help our allies put better counterterrorism checks in place and focus U.S. assistance on the highest-risk countries. We also need to strengthen our defenses here at home. In November, the House voted on a bill I co-authored with Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., the American SAFE Act, to enhance screening of Syrian and Iraqi refugees to weed out terror suspects. The legislation, which passed with a bipartisan veto-proof majority, does not shut the door on refugees; instead, it adds additional layers of security to the process for the highest-risk refugee categories. Yet the president has pressured Democrats to stall this bill in the Senate. At a time when our enemies are targeting refugee routes to sneak into our country, I am worried that delay could be deadly. Already this year two ISIS-linked Iraqi refugees were arrested in the United States on terror charges, one of which had reportedly returned from fighting in Syria. Ultimately, the real security gap we must close is the leadership vacuum on the international stage. Hesitancy and half-measures have allowed Syria to become a jihadist powder keg, and lack of American leadership has encouraged Russia and Iran to fan the flames. This is a humanitarian catastrophe, to be sure. But if we dont get more assertive in resolving the crisis, it will be remembered for becoming a terrorist Trojan Horse. On February 26th, elections were held for Irans parliament and Assembly of Experts. In the aftermath, we are witnessing some of the same rationalizations and tortured logic that allowed certain Western policymakers to convince themselves three years ago that the Iranian regime was entering a period of moderation and reform. Then as now, the election of Hassan Rouhani as president was seen as a serious moment of moderation in the history of the theocratic, terrorist-supporting state. It is true that Iran has now entered into an agreement with a handful of Western powers, exchanging modest concessions on the Iranian nuclear program for a lifting of punishing economic sanctions. But this is not sufficient to demonstrate a serious change in the behavior of the Iranian regime. Quite the contrary, it is indicative of the ends to which that regime will go to preserve the existing power structure. Although the allies of the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, still hold the largest share of the parliament and although the Guardian Council purged rival factions commonly referred to as reformists in the West, much of the international media has declared the elections a victory for moderates. Iranian regime officials went to great lengths to inflate the voter turnout as a sign of the publics endorsing the current system while defying Western infiltration. But the Iranian people never had a choice that would have truly reflected their educated, pro-democratic, secular, and non-belligerent perspective on domestic and world affairs. In reality, the election was a sham, which served to preserve the same theocratic system and the same key players that have ruled Iran for nearly four decades. This is well illustrated by even a cursory look at some of the key reformist victors in the February elections. Leading Western officials have overlooked the fact that three years into Rouhanis presidency, the Iranian people experience more suppression, more executions and more arrests. The danger of execution for non-violent offenses, and for participating in anti-government demonstrations, which is considered a political crime labeled as enmity against God, is more prevalent now than in over 20 years. Over 2,300 people have been executed since Rouhani took office, and hundreds of others have been arrested or harassed by Iranian authorities for engaging in supposedly undesirable cultural expressions, or speaking out on behalf of political prisoners, or simply having connections with the genuine democratic opposition. Rouhani has not been the only loyal servant of the theocracy throughout his career. The same can be said of all the well-known candidates from the supposedly moderate and reformist faction in the recent elections. They include men like former Chief Prosecutor of the Revolutionary Court Ali Razini and former Prosecutor General and Intelligence Minister Ghorbanali Dorri Najafabadi, both of whom oversaw the executions of political prisoners, the extrajudicial assassinations of dissidents and undesirables, and issued orders for shockingly inhumane punishments like stoning. Meanwhile, standing side-by-side with current president Hassan Rouhani is former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who has somehow come to be regarded as a leading reformist. This is a man for whom Interpol issued an arrest warrant due to his involvement in the 1994 bombing of the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 people and wounded 300. Despite the efforts of some in the West to find them, there are no real signs of reform or changes in behavior over the past three decades. The Iranian people and their organized opposition, who have long rejected the ruling theocracy and called for a secular, democratic and non-nuclear republic in Iran, hold the key to real reform and change, not the regime that suppresses them. Attorney General Loretta Lynch has asked to not be considered for the Supreme Court vacancy given the urgent issues before the Department of Justice, a Justice Department official said Tuesday. Lynch was among many names at the center of speculation over whom President Obama will nominate to fill the seat left by Justice Antonin Scalia, who died last month at age 79. Justice Department spokeswoman Melanie Newman confirmed Tuesday that she does not want to be considered. As the conversation around the Supreme Court vacancy progressed, the Attorney General determined that the limitations inherent in the nomination process would curtail her effectiveness in her current role, she said in a statement. Given the urgent issues before the Department of Justice, she asked not to be considered for the position. While she is deeply grateful for the support and good wishes of all those who suggested her as a potential nominee, she is honored to serve as Attorney General, and she is fully committed to carrying out the work of the Department of Justice for the remainder of her term. Lynch signaled as much last month, when she told Fox News she hadnt had any conversations with the president about the vacancy, adding she was extremely happy with her job. Meanwhile, the White House continues to weigh its options, as Republicans vow to oppose any nominee and call for Obama to defer to the next president to nominate a successor. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday that Republicans were "acting like big, tough people threatening to destroy the reputation of a Supreme Court nominee they haven't even met yet." Reid and other Democrats denounced a comment by Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, who told reporters late Monday that anyone nominated by Obama to the high court "will bear some resemblance to a pinata. "They don't know who the nominee is. They don't know anything about the person, but they already have in their mind they are going to beat this person like a pinata," Reid said. Cornyn said Tuesday that his comparison was "only to say the confirmation process around here has gotten pretty tough." Fox News Matthew Dean and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Bernie Sanders pulled off a shocking upset in Michigan's Democratic primary Tuesday night, beating Hillary Clinton in a race that most polls had him trailing by double digits and eclipsing the front runner's earlier win in Mississippi. Republican front-runner Donald Trump, meanwhile, regained any momentum lost last weekend against challenger Ted Cruz, sweeping to convincing victories in Michigan and Mississippi while sending a message to the Republican establishment to jump on board or get out of the way. Cruz was projected to pick up a win in the Idaho GOP primary, while Trump was projected to easily win the Hawaii Republican caucus. But Trump's earlier victories were more valuable in terms of delegates. And Tuesday's results may also seal the fate of Marco Rubio, who appeared once again to finish the night failing to gain any delegates. Cruz appeared to have beaten John Kasich for second place in Michigan by approximately 8,000 votes. Kasich is counting on a win in his home state of Ohio next week to salvage his campaign. On the Democratic side, Clinton easily won Mississippis primary earlier Tuesday, thanks in part to her overwhelming support from black voters, and likely will pick up more delegates in Tuesdays contests than Sanders. But the Vermont senators surprising Michigan win could give him a bounce as he and the rest of the candidates charge into the vital March 15 primaries in Florida, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri and North Carolina. Michigan is the ninth and largest state that Sanders has won so far in the Democratic presidential campaign. All 15 pre-election polls in Michigan this year showed Clinton leading Sanders by double digits. For his part, Trump is looking to March 15 to sideline the rest of the GOP field for good something he tried to start doing Tuesday night. At a press conference at his golf club in Juniper, Fla., he said of his remaining rivals, Theyre pretty much all gone. Michigan was the biggest prize of the four states that voted Tuesday. On the Republican side in Mississippi, Trump defeated Cruz by 47 percent to 36 percent of the vote, with Kasich a distant third at 9 percent and Rubio garnering just 5 percent of the vote. Trump celebrated his wins at a lengthy press conference Tuesday night, teasing the special interests and others that ran ads against him. It shows you how brilliant the public is, because they knew they were lies, Trump said. He started his victory talk with a subdued and conciliatory tone, appearing to take the first steps to patch up any differences with the party brass. He noted House Speaker Paul Ryan recently called him. He could not have been nicer, Trump said. But he soon slipped into his standard fare, making cracks about his remaining rivals. He took a shot at Cruz, noting the Texas senator positions himself as the only candidate who can beat him, but he never beats me. Both Trump and Clinton had a mixed performance this past weekend where they effectively split the delegate field with their top rivals. The stakes on Tuesday arguably were higher for Trump, whose delegate lead over Cruz shrunk on Saturday as they each won two contests. Cruz has been pushing to consolidate conservative support on the heels of those races, arguing Trump is not the candidate he claims to be. He is pretending to be an outsider, Cruz told Fox News. But Trump used his wins Tuesday to downplay the chances for his remaining rivals, as he and the rest of the field look ahead to next weeks vital winner-take-all contests in Ohio and Florida. I think were going to do really well in Florida, he said. Its my second home. Kasich, who campaigned in Michigan Tuesday, told Fox News he was focusing on the Midwestern states and repeated his vow to win Ohio. Rubio, too, is looking for a comeback win in his home state next week, all the while battling calls from his rivals to drop out. But Trump leads in the Florida polls, and Rubio endured another disappointing night in Tuesday's contests. Looking ahead, Rubio rallied a home-state crowd Tuesday evening, saying: I believe with all my heart that the winner of the Florida primary next Tuesday will be the nominee of the Republican Party. ... And I need your help. I need your vote. Clinton, meanwhile, is still trying to regain her footing as Sanders has demonstrated his grassroots support in several recent contests. Over the weekend, he claimed three victories to Clintons one. Thanks in part, though, to so-called superdelegates party leaders and officials free to support whomever they want Clinton maintains a huge delegate lead over Sanders. She had 1,221 to Sanders 571, as of early Wednesday morning. Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri stressed Tuesday that their campaigns strategy focuses on winning delegates, and told Fox News theyll pick up more delegates than Sanders from Tuesdays contests regardless of the Michigan results. On the GOP side, Trump leads Cruz in the delegate count 446 to 347, with Rubio trailing at 151 and Kasich at 54, as of early Wednesday morning. The National Republican Senatorial Committee deleted a tweet Tuesday in which it claimed Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a double amputee, has a sad record of not standing up for veterans. Duckworth, who is favorite to face incumbent GOP Sen. Mark Kirk in November, lost both her legs while serving in Iraq. And they deleted it (but here it is in case you were wondering): pic.twitter.com/tZmXPlQXvp T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) March 8, 2016 The tweet drew immediate fire from Duckworths campaign, which called the tweet tasteless and dishonest. "Tasteless and dishonest, just like everything else to do with Mark Kirks flailing campaign, campaign spokesman Matt McGrath said in a statement. Tammy has made fighting for Veterans her lifes work, and will continue to do so in the Senate. The NRSC acknowledged the mistake and said the tweet was deleted within minutes. However, a spokeswoman for the group saw media bias at play. It would be great if reporters would pay as much attention to a deleted tweet as they should to Tammy Duckworth being sued by VA whistleblowers for ignoring claims of mistreatment and corruption, the spokeswoman said. This statement was in turn criticized by the groups Democratic counterpart. The NRSC's deeply offensive tweet about Tammy Duckworth was wrong, and their subsequent response was somehow even more appalling, DSCC Executive Director Tom Lopach said in a statement. Instead of taking responsibility and apologizing to Tammy, who lost both of her legs in service to this country, Republicans blamed the media. Thats unacceptable and Tammy is owed an apology, Lopach said. FoxNews.com's Adam Shaw and Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report. Juan Williams told viewers Tuesday on "Special Report with Bret Baier" that the latest Republican presidential primary races could signal the beginning of the end of Florida Sen. Marco Rubios bid. "I think the big story is what's going on with Marco Rubio," the Fox News contributor said. "I just don't see any indication, in all these polls, that people are reacting well to him." Rubio has managed to snag two wins so far this primary season, in Minnesota and in Puerto Rico, but despite a sharp push against frontrunner Donald Trump, he's failed to gain the traction with voters that his campaign had hoped for. "We know he did well in Virginia last time, coming in very close, but this time, the argument that, you know what, Trump is a con artist, and Trump University is evidence of that kind of con, and that he's not to be trusted as a conservative does not seem to be working at all in Michigan." Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, after ending his campaign last month, is returning to the 2016 fray to meet with the remaining not-Trump candidates in his home state on Thursday potentially the first step in an effort to power-broker a consensus alternative to take on the Republican front-runner. Its unclear whether Bush plans to endorse anyone before Florida holds its all-important primary on Tuesday. But the former candidates sense a quickly closing window to pick their horse as Donald Trump racks up ever-more wins and delegates. Another former candidate, ex-HP CEO Carly Fiorina, announced her endorsement earlier Wednesday for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz during a surprise appearance in Miami. Fiorina, who dropped out of the 2016 race in February, called Cruz a leader and a reformer and urged voters to rally around Cruz as the candidate who can challenge Trump. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are two sides of the same coin. Theyre not going to reform the system. They are the system, she said. Sources confirmed to Fox News that Bush plans to meet Thursday with Cruz, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich while the candidates are in Florida for a GOP debate Thursday night. He has no plans to meet with Trump. Asked about the meeting, which was first reported by The New York Times, Kasich told reporters he doesnt know Bushs plans and whether he intends to endorse. I like Jeb. Ive known him a long time. And I dont try to pre-guess whats going to happen in a meeting, Kasich said, adding: Of course Id like his endorsement. Id like everybodys endorsement. The movement by former GOP candidates comes after Cruz walked away from Tuesdays primary contests with just one win, in Idaho, compared with Trumps three. The billionaire businessman won in Mississippi, Michigan and Hawaii, building his already substantial delegate lead over the field. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, another former presidential candidate, already has announced his support for Trump, taking to the campaign trail to stump with him. But Fiorina railed against Trump during her pep talk for Cruz on Wednesday. And its hard to imagine Bush would even contemplate backing Trumps outsider bid. While Bush was in the race, Trump was relentless in his criticism of Bushs family, his low energy and the big-money super PACs supporting him which could explain why Bush does not have plans to meet with Trump in Florida on Thursday. In her remarks in support of Cruz, Fiorina argued Wednesday hes the only GOP candidate who can beat primary front-runner Trump or Clinton. Fiorina said the argument that Cruz has made too many enemies on Capitol Hill only proves he is taking on the Washington cartel. You have a very important job on Tuesday, said Fiorina, referring to Floridas primary, where Cruz is running behind Trump. Its time to take the party back. Its time to take our government back. Its time to take the country back. So its time to unite behind the only one who can, Ted Cruz. Florida Sen. Rubio, who has only won two contests to date, has vowed to come from behind to win his home state next week, though he, too, trails in the polls. Fox News Hillary Vaughn and Dan Gallo contributed to this report. The woman behind a policy change that allows people in New York City to commit crimes such as public urination and drinking in public without being arrested is a Hillary Clinton supporter who has appeared with her at official campaign events. New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito served as author and lead cheerleader for legislation that eases enforcement of so-called quality-of-life offenses. The policy change was officially implemented this week. Mark-Viverito announced her endorsement of Clinton in September and stated her hope that she could play an important role to help her campaign reach Latinos in 2016. Mark-Viverito, who was born and raised in Puerto Rico, published her endorsement in Spanish. Just last week, Mark-Viverito was invited to deliver a speech at Clintons rally at New York Citys Jacob Javits Center. Mark-Viverito came on stage at the end of the rally and Mrs. Clinton grabbed Ms. Mark-Viverito close, according to an account by the New York Times. Heres video of the embrace captured by a local reporter: Mark-Viverito expressed hopes to the New York Daily News this week that a Clinton victory in 2016 could lead to a job for her in the White House. Click for more from The Washington Free Beacon Vice President Joe Biden met with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday in Jerusalem and criticized Palestinians for a "failure to condemn" a stabbing spree that killed an American student and war veteran. In a joint news conference, both leaders spoke highly of the American victim, Taylor Force, a 28-year-old MBA student at Vanderbilt University and a West Point graduate. "The United States of America condemns these acts and condemns the failure to condemn these acts," Biden said. "The kind of violence we saw yesterday, the failure to condemn it, the rhetoric that incites that violence, the retribution that it generates, has to stop." Biden spoke warmly of his decades-long relationship with Netanyahu, and reemphasized America's commitment to Israel's security. The vice president is in Israel for a two-day visit as part of a longer Mideast, during which he plans to meet both Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Biden denied reports he might try to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which critics argue the White House put on the back burner. Biden said, "I didn't come with a plan. I just came to speak with a friend," referring to Netanyahu. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party posted a cartoon on its Twitter account of a hand holding a knife over a map of Israel and the Palestinian territories, and calling the Palestinian stabber from Tuesday's attack a "hero" and "martyr." Netanyahu responded, "Nothing justifies these attacks. But unfortunately President Abbas has not only refused to condemn these terrorist attacks, his Fatah Party actually praised the murderer of this American citizen as a Palestinian martyr and a hero. Now this is wrong, and this failure to condemn terrorism should be condemned itself by everybody in the international community." The stabbing spree took place Tuesday near the seaside city of Jaffa, where Biden was meeting nearby with Israel's former president. Biden said his wife and grandchildren were having dinner on the beach not far from the scene of the attack, which wounded a dozen Israelis, civilians and police officers. "This is the result so long as Israel does not believe in the two-state solution and ending its occupation," a Fatah statement on Twitter read, referring to a future Palestinian state alongside Israel. For more than five months, there has been a rash of Palestinian attacks on Israeli civilians and security forces. Palestinians say the violence stems from frustration at nearly five decades of Israeli rule over the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Israel says it is fueled by a campaign of Palestinian incitement compounded on social media sites that glorify and encourage attacks. "Mr. Vice President should start from where the real crime is, which is the Israeli occupation and Israeli colonial settlement, because the beginning is here for those who want peace in the Middle East," an Abbas aide, Nabil Shaath, told The Associated Press. Shortly before the two leaders met in Jerusalem, two Palestinian gunmen carried out shootings in the city before police shot and killed them, Israeli police said. A Palestinian man was seriously wounded in the shootout. The incident began when passengers on an Israeli bus spotted the two gunmen on the street and heard shots fired, said police spokeswoman Luba Samri. No injuries were reported. A motorist responded by shooting toward the suspects, who fled by car. Police began searching for the gunmen's vehicle. When a policeman approached a car that matched the description, the gunmen raised their weapons at the officer and he fired at them. Other police units on the scene shot at the suspects, killing them, Samri said. The shootout took place on a main road alongside Jerusalem's light rail and close to the New Gate of the Old City. A Palestinian civilian at the scene was shot in the head and is in serious but stable condition, an Israeli hospital said. Police are investigating whether he was shot by the gunmen or by police. Police identified the two gunmen as Palestinians, both about 20 years old, from the Jerusalem area. In the West Bank on Wednesday, a Palestinian with a knife attempted to stab Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint, and soldiers shot and killed him, the Israeli military said. Also, an Israeli stabbed and lightly wounded a Palestinian in the West Bank, apparently during a business-related argument, police said. The Israeli fled the scene and police are searching for him. The wave of near-daily Palestinian assaults on Israeli civilians and security forces erupted in mid-September and is showing no sign of abating. The bloodshed -- mainly stabbings but also shootings and car-ramming attacks -- has killed 28 Israelis. During the same time, at least 179 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire. Most of the Palestinians have been identified by Israel as attackers, while the rest were killed in clashes with security forces. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contest after contest has shown Hillary Clinton has the overwhelming support of black voters in the 2016 Democratic primary but up against Donald Trump, the general election might be a different story. To be sure, nobody expects Trump or any GOP presidential candidate to win the majority of the black vote, which has been with Democrats since the mid-1930s. Clinton has every reason to believe most black voters sticking with her in the primary against Bernie Sanders would do so in a general election as well. However, analysts suggest that to consider the black vote a monolith for Clinton in November, should she win the nomination, would be a mistake. The Trump jobs message that has attracted so many disaffected white, blue-collar workers could resonate with black voters equally frustrated by chronic unemployment and unfulfilled promises of change and Trumps accelerating march toward the GOP nomination has proven his knack for bringing in voters who might not normally pick a Republican. If anything, he knows the economy, Luz Nelson, a beautician and black South Carolina voter, said days before the front-running Clinton won the state Democratic primary with more than 80 percent of the black vote. Im a New Yorker, too, Nelson continued. I know where hes coming from. Nobody controls Donald Trump. If he wants to put any significant portion of the black vote in play, Trump would have to do better than past GOP nominees -- if he indeed is his partys standard-bearer come November. Then-Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney got just 6 percent in 2012. John McCain got even less, 4 percent, in 2008 against Barack Obama, who became the countrys first black president. Republican President Gerald Ford won the highest percentage of the black vote in modern history -- 16 percent -- but still lost to Democratic challenger Jimmy Carter. Influential black political commentator Tavis Smiley recently cautioned Democrats that Trumps appeal could cross not only party but racial lines. If Donald Trump is indeed the Republican nominee, it might be a miscalculation for Democrats to take for granted that black voters are a lock for their nominee, even with [Bill Clinton] and Barack Obama campaigning for her, Smiley wrote in a USA Today op-ed. There is no reason to believe that if he is his partys nominee, Donald Trump wouldnt make a serious play for black voters. Who knows how many he might skim? In a close election, it might not take much. Clinton has since South Carolina in early February continued winning the black vote in large numbers across the South. She did so again in the Mississippi primary Tuesday night, though Sanders upset victory in Michigan all but eclipsed that success. Meanwhile, she has secured a long list of influential African-American endorsements, from actor Morgan Freeman to civil rights icon Georgia Democratic Rep. John Lewis, while the front-running Trump appears to be struggling to make grassroots connections. Online videos appear to show Black Lives Matters activists protesting and disrupting recent rallies, as Trump can be heard in the background of one event telling security to throw them out. And critics say he failed during a recent national TV appearance to unequivocally disavow support from former Klu Klux Klan leader David Duke though Trump has since disavowed it, and downplayed the controversy. Democratic and Republican strategists seem to agree, though, that the billionaire businessman Trump charisma, bravado and all has at least captured the interest and curiosity of black voters. Up until the KKK thing, he had been doing pretty well, Douglas Smith, a Democratic strategist and partner at Kent Strategies, said Tuesday. He oozes this appearance that everybody can fly in a gold jet and have a mansion. I think its his signature charisma. Smith nevertheless suspects Trump will ultimately come up short because he doesnt have the deep well of support with the black community like Clinton has -- built over the course of roughly 40 years of public service. And he says Trump lacks the ground game and the kind of party support that would coalesce around Clinton or Sanders. You just cant add water, Smith said. Republican strategist Rob Burgess thinks some of Trumps appeal is indeed in policy, specifically his health care proposals. I will not let people die on the streets for lack of health care, he roared in a debate last month. However, Burgess thinks other black voters believe Trump will indeed boost the economy for American workers and added, He can sway some black voters due to his charisma. The Trump campaign declined to comment on efforts to connect with black voters. However, the campaign has occasionally used two black women the Stump for Trump Girls -- as a warmup act on the trail and whose performances have become an Internet sensation. If we continue to vote left, we are going to get left, the duo said at Trumps military veterans fundraiser last month in Iowa. And when we look at Donald J. Trump, he has us in mind. He wants a secure boarder. He wants to bring jobs back. He wants to make sure our veterans are taken care of. And thats why baby we are going to stump for Donald J. Trump. The Rev. Issac Holt, senior pastor at the Royal Missionary Baptist Church, in North Charleston, S.C. who was visited by both the Clinton and Sanders campaigns thinks the wild card for Trump or any other GOP nominee is the energy they are bringing to the race. But they need to get into the communities. Whats missing is the enthusiasm, he said. In South Carolina, they didnt even seek the black vote, in my opinion. **Want FOX News First in your inbox every day? Sign up here.** DEAR REPUBLICANS, IT'S TED CRUZ What is the rationale for Marco Rubios candidacy? The latest poll out from the classiest and most reliable Florida pollster, Quinnipiac University, says there is none. After a week of disappointing elections for Rubio, the Florida Q Poll is the dagger to the heart of his presidential aspirations. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush can be happy that while his own bid failed, at least he killed the one his campaign staff called "Judas." Enjoy Fisher Island. The poll shows frontrunner Donald Trump doubling up Florida freshman Rubio with less than a week to go before the winner-take-all contest for 99 delegates. Coming after a disastrous election night it should be enough to send Rubio packing. The only argument for Rubios continued candidacy was the Romney Plan in which voters should support any candidate in any race that can beat Donald Trump or deny him delegates. It worked pretty well in Michigan where Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas and Ohio Gov. John Kasich soaked up the majority of delegates with their tie for second place behind Trump. But there is no hope that Rubio can be the guy to stop Trump in Florida anymore. While Republicans have resisted Cruz, despite his repeated successes, it may be time for the party to admit that Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is quite right: Cruz is the only candidate who has any shot of denying Trump the nomination. While there was a wintertime flirtation with Trump as the more establishment-friendly and malleable candidate for the GOP, springtime has brought a new realization that Trump could mean not just a general election wipeout, but also generational damage to the partys brand. Cruz has never been the GOPs dream date, but if he can beat Trump it may be enough. As the latest WSJ/NBC News poll shows, Cruz runs best in a head-to-head matchup with Trump. It may be unthinkable for many country club Republicans that Cruz would be their best choice, but Rubios demise means that it is so. Just two weeks ago, there were calls for Cruz to fall in behind Rubio for a unity ticket. Now, it seems very clear that unity will work in the other directions and that if the Republicans have a chance to stop Trump from taking over their party it will be Cruz at the top and Rubio as the junior partner. The sincerity of Rubios attacks on Trump as a con man who is unfit for the presidency will be revealed by whether he not only drops out, but if he enthusiastically campaigns for Cruz in Florida for the next five days. [GOP delegate count: Trump 458; Cruz 359; Rubio 151; Kasich 54 (1,237 needed to win)] On the campaign trail - Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio join Megyn Kelly on the campaign trail for a special town hall on tonights The Kelly File at 9 p.m. ET WITH YOUR SECOND CUP OF COFFEE The last living silent film star, nicknamed Million Dollar Baby once captivated the attend of the nation, but at 97-years-old, the woman named Peggy-Jean Montgomery lives a pretty normal life thanks to her families mishandling of her fortune. The Hollywood Reporter brings us the story: At the peak of her fame, the tiny film actress was an obsession for millions of Americans who bought Baby Peggy dolls, jewelry, sheet music, even brands of milk After Universal gave her that seven-figure payday her reward for shooting more than 150 shorts over three years, starting when she was 20 months old she became even more famous, dubbed Hollywoods Million Dollar Baby By 1925, at the ripe old age of 6, the roles started drying up, Principal Pictures, run by legendary silent producer Sol Lesser, let her go following a dispute with her father, and her parents would spend nearly every dime she had made. Got a TIP from the RIGHT or the LEFT? Email FoxNewsFirst@FOXNEWS.COM POLL CHECK Real Clear Politics Averages National GOP nomination: Trump 36 percent; Cruz 21.8 percent; Rubio 18 percent; Kasich 12 percent National Dem nomination: Clinton 51 percent; Sanders 39.6 percent General Election: Clinton vs. Trump: Clinton +5 points Generic Congressional Vote: Democrats +1 NEW POLL SHOWS HILLARY LEAD IN THE SUNSHINE STATE The Hill: Hillary Clinton has healthy leads over Bernie Sanders in Florida and Ohio, where voters will cast ballots in Democratic primaries on March 15, according to a new poll. A Quinnipiac University survey released Wednesday found Clinton crushing Sanders 62 to 32 in the Sunshine State. Here, Clinton is boosted by a huge lead among women voters, who support her 69 percent to 24 percent over Sanders. Clinton also has an 8-point lead among men, and even has the advantage over the democratic socialist among those who describe themselves as very liberal. Young voters have been Sanderss bread and butter, but he and Clinton are tied among those under the age of 44 in Florida, each taking 49 percent. What went wrong for Hillary in Michigan? - WaPos Philip Bump explains why the Democratic frontrunner lost what was supposed to be a safe state for her Tuesday night: Hillary Clinton lost the Michigan primary on Tuesday night, and the state pried open two critical seams holding her candidacy togetherOne thing that happened is that Clinton underperformed with black voters in the state. In Mississippi, which Clinton won easily, nearly two-thirds of the vote was black and it went for Clinton 9-to-1. Preliminary exit polling in Michigan suggests that only about a quarter of the electorate in the state was black -- and that Clinton's margin was closer to 2-to-1. Bernie joins the fight in Ohio -Columbus Dispatch: A national voting rights organization - along with nine 17-year-old plaintiffs - is suing Secretary of State Jon Husted for his refusal to allow 17-year-olds to vote in next weeks presidential primary. Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Democratic candidate for president, filed a separate suit on the matter in federal court. Sanders has strong support among younger votersIn Ohio, 17-year-olds can vote only to nominate candidates, not directly elect them. In the 2015 Election Manual, Husted claimed that since voters in presidential primaries are technically electing delegates, they cannot vote in those elections. [Dem delegate count: Clinton 1221; Sanders 571 (2,383 needed to win)] CRISIS AVERTED Doncaster (U.K.) Free Press: Doncasters Robin Hood Airport has taken delivery of plane loads of [cookies] to ease a national shortage. The cargo team at the airport have welcomed two Boeing 777 aircraft full of [cookies] into the region in the last two weeks. Dayle Hauxwell, cargo manager for Doncaster Sheffield Airport said: There has been a lot of press coverage about Britains biscuit shortage following the floods in December and we are pleased to hear that the factories hope to be up and running again this month. In the mean time weve been delighted to welcome two flights from Emirates full of the nations favourite biscuits. Chris Stirewalt is digital politics editor for Fox News. Want FOX News First in your inbox every day? Sign up here. The Fox News Channel will offer a powerful primetime lineup on Wednesday, with a full hour dedicated to each of the four Republican presidential contenders. The programming begins at 7 p.m. ET, as Ohio Gov. John Kasich makes his case to voters at a town hall on On the Record with Greta Van Susteren. Kasich will take questions from not just Van Susteren, but from voters in a live audience from Chicago. Sen. Ted Cruz then joins The Kelly File from the campaign trail at 9 p.m. ET. The Texas senator will answer voters in North Carolina, and share some behind-the-scenes footage of his campaign. Front-runner Donald Trump, who won three of the four contests on Tuesday, will also be in North Carolina. He joins Sean Hannity at 10 p.m. ET. Finally, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who did not place above third in any of the Tuesday primaries, will join Kelly from his home state at 11 p.m. ET. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. From: darth_firefly 2016-03-09 08:50 pm (UTC) YOU KNOW HOW K-RON FEELS ABOUT GUM, MAL!!! Doesn't Mal have braces? Isn't chewing gum when you have braces kind of a no-no? You know, if Claudia had a spine, she'd have thrown K-Ron out of her house a long time ago. Excellent snarking! From: lisaerin 2016-03-09 09:28 pm (UTC) Yeah, you aren't supposed to chew gum when you have braces. I didn't chew gum while I had braces, but I wasn't a huge gum chewer anyway. I also drank soda and ate popcorn while I had braces and nothing happened. From: bleeding_thorn2 2016-03-10 09:21 pm (UTC) Yea, you're not supposed to chew gum with braces. I totally forgot about that! Thanks! From: shatisarockgod 2016-03-10 02:29 am (UTC) And the Junk Food Queen had the bright idea to take two small children to the Mancusi zoo; BECAUSE ITS LOT LIKE THE KIDS WILL SCARE THE ANIMALS/BE SCARED OF THE ANIMALS OR MAYBE BE TOO ROUGH WITH THEM AT ALL OR ANYTHING!--I wouldn't be too happy about this. If you don't have permission from the people that actually own the house and the pets, maybe it's not such a great idea to go over there? I just cringe thinking of an inside pet accidentally being let out of the house because you've got a bunch of people coming and going. AND SHE DECIDES TO JUST BRING THEM OVER, WITHOUT THE MANCUSIS PERMISSION OR EVEN LETTING JESSI KNOW! --And I wouldn't be so happy if I'm in Jessi's shoes. Her ass would be on the line because they'd probably automatically think she gave the okay for all these people being in the house. GOOD GOD, CLAUDIAS A DUMBASS!--With zero common sense in regards to this snippet. Plus, Claudia. THIS IS WHY YOUR ASS SHOULD HAVE JUST STAYED THE FUCK HOME AND DID YOUR JOB! FUCKING HELL!--True. I always feel for the sitting charges that are dragged around because the girls want to go somewhere. Really, is it any different than Cokie dragging the kids shopping? It might be fun if you know/like the kids but I imagine it'd be awkward if you're going to the house of somebody that you don't know that well or even at all. Claudia tells us that the reason she was only sitting for Jamie was that the asshole Newton parents were going visiting and decided to only take Lucy with them.--Wow, way to make the kid feel left out! I sincerely hope Jamie didn't really give a damn about seeing the people they were going off to visit! THIS IS WHY THE KID IS SO DAMN JEALOUS OF HIS SISTER! HOW THE FUCK ARE YOU JUST TAKING THE BABY TO VISIT?--Let's be fair, I'm surprised they didn't invite a BSC member along for the trip so one of the girls would be taking care of the child while the parents visited. SHE DECIDES TO TAKE THEM OVER TO THE MANCUSIS WITHOUT CALLING JESSI TO MAKE SURE THE ANIMALS ARE BEHAVING!--Why didn't she turn the devil box on instead? I'm sure "I Love Lucy" is on somewhere. Then they say that Jessi HAD TO WALK THEM AWAY FROM THE CATS WHEN THE ANIMALS PATIENCE WORE OUT!--And let's face it, it's not like a cat can talk like a human and say "STOP BOTHERING ME!" You might be lucky to get a hiss or a growl but don't be too surprised if the cat bites or scratches if the cat is still being pestered. I've had a lot of cats over the years and they all have their own personalities. And this pretty much ties in with what I've said with Boo Boo, they'd have an entirely different situation if they let Boo Boo call the shots. If he wants to be petted, pet him. If he wants to be left alone, leave him alone. If he's not the type to play dress up, LEAVE HIM ALONE! BUT HED GET SCARED EASILY AND SOMETIMES HE WAS AFRAID OF NEW PEOPLE!--Same situation over here. I hate seeing my cats afraid but routine changes and new people freak them out. Even one new person can set them off. They wouldn't come out from hiding for a year if you had a bunch of people swinging by all at once! From: shatisarockgod 2016-03-10 02:31 am (UTC) Anyhoo Jamie gets scared of the guinea pigs, WHICH JESSI ALMOST TAKES OUT! DA FUCK?--And this is why we need to get somebody trustworthy and somebody older than an 11 year old or 13 year old to pet sit when it concerns this many pets. Moving on they all decide to take the dogs for a walk; with Jessi finally showing some brains in not letting the kids walk a dog.--FINALLY! CLAUDIAS BOOK TIME WAS INTERRUPTED AND NOW SHE CANT FINISH THE LAST GODDAMN PARAGRAPH IN HER BOOK! FUCKING SERIOUSLY?--the hell with that, finish the paragraph! Doesnt matter anyway, K-Ron still has a stick up her big ass about something and is just really fucking nasty to all the girls; even FUCKING BARKING AT THEM WHEN THEY GROAN ABOUT PAYING DUES AND I SO WOULDVE BACKHANDED A BITCH THAT DID THAT TO ME AND JUST WALKED THE FUCK OUT;--And this is supposed to be normal and completely okay for a friend to treat her other friends like this?! Totally unhealthy imo. And I feel like a broken record when it concerns this topic but these girls are going to look back on this shit when they're older and wonder why they put up with this shit, why they didn't tell her to go fuck herself and walk out, etc. WELL, SINCE THE GUYS STILL DRIVING YOUR UNGRATEFUL ASS BACK AND FORTH TO FUCKING MEETINGS ME THINKS HIS BALLS ONLY DROPPED SO FAR! AND FUCK YOU AGAIN; BECAUSE THIS IS NO EXCUSE TO TREAT PEOPLE THAT FUCKING BADLY!--Agreed. I don't have any siblings but I imagine the normal reaction would be "I'm too busy with my own life to haul your ass around for $1.00. Maybe I'll drop you somewhere if I'm going somewhere nearby but I'm not going to be obligated to do it for the rest of the timewarp." YEA, SHE GETS NO FUCKING SYMPATHY FROM ME; ESPECIALLY SINCE THE NEXT LINE HAS HER SAYING THAT SHES THE PRESIDENT--Anybody think Kristy's head would blow out of her head if somebody said "I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR STUPID CLUB." Claudia asks just what the fuck she does other than get ideas LIKE ANY OF THEM COULD GET AT ANY MOMENT!!--And like others have said on their snarks, isn't it usually a case of other members filling in all the holes of these "ideas"? SOMEONE FINALLY FUCKING SAID IT!! HAPPY DANCE!!--I love the Peanuts specials and you posted a gif from one of my favorite scenes! I'm absolutely fascinated watching the little boy with the yellow shirt and dark pants with the way he dances. My eyes always focus on that kid and his dancing whenever I watch that special. Then Dawn actually gets the brass ones to ask just what the fuck else does K-Ron do and everyone scoffs when the little dictator says that she runs the meetings. --For once I'll applaud Dawn! OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I MAY HAVE TAKEN A FEW LIBERTIES WITH IT!!--LOL! I love it! FUCKING K-RON ACTUALLY HAS THE FUCKING BALLS TO INTERRUPT MARY ANNE, JUST TO TELL HER THAT THERES NO PROBLEM?--I hope one day reality really knocks Kristy down for the count. All the girls bitching and Kristy still has the nerve to say "There's no problems." AND SHE HAS THE BRIGHT IDEA TO MAKE A FUCKING CHECKLIST FOR THE GIRLS TO INITIAL THAT THEYVE ACTUALLY READ THE DAMN NOTEBOOK? WHATS NEXT, FUCKING POP QUIZZES?!--I'm really surprised that didn't happen. Overall the notebook is a gigantic waste of time. Only thing I can understand keeping track of is allergies and important info like that. This leads into all the older officers saying that they hate theyre fucking jobs now and thats how the meeting ends; in silence.--How convenient they all vote themselves back into their old jobs and the problems with Kristy's controlling nature only get worse. Love the snark! :) (no subject) - pi_beta_alpha Expand (no subject) - bleeding_thorn2 Expand (no subject) - bleeding_thorn2 Expand (no subject) - lisaerin Expand (no subject) - bleeding_thorn2 Expand (no subject) - andromeda331 Expand (no subject) - bleeding_thorn2 Expand (no subject) - bleeding_thorn2 Expand From: pi_beta_alpha 2016-03-10 04:16 am (UTC) "Then they say that Jessi HAD TO WALK THEM AWAY FROM THE CATS WHEN THE ANIMALS PATIENCE WORE OUT!--And let's face it, it's not like a cat can talk like a human and say "STOP BOTHERING ME!" You might be lucky to get a hiss or a growl but don't be too surprised if the cat bites or scratches if the cat is still being pestered. I've had a lot of cats over the years and they all have their own personalities. And this pretty much ties in with what I've said with Boo Boo, they'd have an entirely different situation if they let Boo Boo call the shots. If he wants to be petted, pet him. If he wants to be left alone, leave him alone. If he's not the type to play dress up, LEAVE HIM ALONE!" When I was a kid, the rule was if you're told to leave (the cat) alone and you get scratched, (parent) doesn't want to hear it. When my daughter was very little, the rule was if you're told to leave (the cat) alone and you get scratched, I don't want to hear it. I don't know how many times I've been petting one of my cats and felt a slight static shock as I stroked them. I wonder how often that happens without us even feeling it, but they do, and therefore they just get pissy "out of the blue" and then get blamed for it. Our current group of cats are...to put it nicely, OBSCENE about being pet/held. They all crave it, they all love it. A year or so ago I was watching a concert DVD while one of our cats was in my lap, purring. The music on the DVD halted for a moment and a mass of fireworks took to the stage, and the cat FREAKED and left a nice pattern of welts on my legs (they're not declawed). So even a "nice" cat that loves being handled can spook at the stupidest thing and take off like a shot, and if grabbed for can claw or bite. So yeah, I get the fact that the book wants to send the cuddly touchy-feely message of pets are fun, fuzzy and cute and cuddly. But in the back of my mind, I picture Jamie at aged 24 and his buddy says "how'd you get those scars, man?" and Jamie has to tell them that, 20 years ago, he got attacked by a kitten named Powder and then had his ass handed to him by a Toy Poodle named Pooh-Bear. (no subject) - bleeding_thorn2 Expand From: bleeding_thorn2 2016-03-10 09:20 pm (UTC) If he's not the type to play dress up, LEAVE HIM ALONE!-I hate when people bother animals that just want to be left the fuck alone! From: pi_beta_alpha 2016-03-10 04:01 am (UTC) "And something tells me that she must be hungry as fuck; because bitch actually spells Sunday as Sundae and get this guys; SHE SPELLS IT CORRECTLY!" I re-read a BSC book today (I've been down for the count with bronchitis which means I can't yell, which is no fun) and in it, Claudia spells "Kristys Krushers" as "KRISTY'S CRUSHERS". So basically, Claudia SPELLS a PURPOSELY MIS-SPELLED WORD CORRECTLY. I'm pretty sure a part of my brain exploded. "YEA, BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN IM PAYING FOR ONE PERSON TO FEED/CARE FOR/WALK MY PETS; I WANT THE WHOLE GODDAMN NEIGHBORHOOD COMING BY!!" OK, this irritates me like I took a bottle of laxatives with a box of Alka-Seltzer with a raging case of irritable bowel because I would have a SHIT fit if someone did that. What about liability? What if one of the kids gets bitten/scratched? It's MY ass, and depending on how sue-happy the parents are, could be a literal life or death situation for the pet in question. "I USED TO HAVE A GOLDEN RETRIEVER; WHO WAS THE SWEETEST DOG ALIVE, BUT HED GET SCARED EASILY AND SOMETIMES HE WAS AFRAID OF NEW PEOPLE!" That, and my home and animals aren't a petting zoo for your kids. "HOLY SHIT; AN ACTUAL GUINEA PIGS IN OUTER SPACE MOVIE EXISTS" I went back and checked, the book I re-read today was Dawn on the Coast, and one of the kids said there was a movie called "Babies in Space". WTF is up with this fetish for sending anything except astronauts into space?! " Jessi finally showing some brains in not letting the kids walk a dog." Jessi is probably silently begging Claudia to take them home so she can get her work done, damn. I know when *I'm* pressed for time, I'm just dying for some random teen to show up with some random children and tag along with everything I do! "They do end up running into Chewy, but NOTHING FUCKING HAPPENS! THE DOG JUST WALKS WITH THEM WITH NOTHING BAD HAPPENING! " Why in the hell is a huge Labrador Retriever just wandering the neighborhood? "Im assuming that theres a hamster K-Ron in there with him, demanding he drink laced hamster niblets and the poor things refusing to kowtow to a bitch hamster." LMAO! "BITCH HAMSTERS IN SPACE, COMING SOON TO A THEATER NEAR YOU!" "K-RON SAYS THAT CHARLIES BEEN ACTING LIKE A COMPLETE ASSHOLE AT HOME AND SHE CANT TAKE IT!" Wow, I hate it when people act like assholes for no reason! I think I'll act like an asshole for no reason to make it all better! "Then Dawn actually gets the brass ones to ask just what the fuck else does K-Ron do and everyone scoffs when the little dictator says that she runs the meetings." You know, it happens so rarely but when Dawn actually stands up and ACTS like an individual, it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. (.....oh, nevermind, it's that laxative/alka seltzer combo I was talking about earlier.) From: pi_beta_alpha 2016-03-10 04:02 am (UTC) "OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I MAY HAVE TAKEN A FEW LIBERTIES WITH IT!!" Haha, I like your rendition better!! That said, I gotta go with MA and say she's probably got the most time intensive and demanding job of them all. I mean, Kristy barks out orders, Claudia rummages around and pulls out 3 year old Twinkies from her underwear drawer, Dawn/Stacey has to cram $1 bills into an envelop a whopping once a week, and Jessi and Mal sit on the floor and try to look invisible whenever an argument takes place. "AND SHE HAS THE BRIGHT IDEA TO MAKE A FUCKING CHECKLIST FOR THE GIRLS TO INITIAL THAT THEYVE ACTUALLY READ THE DAMN NOTEBOOK?" She really thinks it would be downright IMPOSSIBLE for them to just go through once or twice a week and make checkmarks and initials, rather than actually READING the entries first? FFS Kristy. "This leads into all the older officers saying that they hate theyre fucking jobs now and thats how the meeting ends; in silence." Kristy's paranoid. Period. I mean, no sitter in the room has ever said "Jamie Newton? Is that the guy that sits in the back row in Science class and accidentally lit his eyebrows on fire?" or "Gabbie Perkins is SUCH a brat, but Jenny Prezzioso is SO intelligent for being 2 1/2!!!" or "Dammit would someone please check Amazon for a muzzle that would fit Karen but still allow her to breathe, pant, and drink water?" So it's obvious they're reading the notebook, and it's obvious that they're writing up their jobs BECAUSE THE RECORD BOOK THAT LISTS ALL THE JOBS IS RIGHT FUCKING THERE and they always ALWAYS attend meetings, so what's the big damn deal? Way to burn out the club members, asshole. "Barneys cage and he gets loose and it takes Myriah to figure out where he is. MA does have the idea how to put him back though. " Ahh, yes, the amazing 5 year old who remembers that snakes = cold blooded and cold blooded = heat seaker so check the damn SUNNY parts of the house. Meanwhile, the sitters would still, 20 some odd years later, be running in circles asking if anyone has checked the library, the den, or the Secret Passage because maybe Barney is just tired of being picked on by his brothers and needs a place to call his own. *skips back into the house, screaming for husband to buy me a Python so I can name him Jared Mullray* (no subject) - bleeding_thorn2 Expand (no subject) - bleeding_thorn2 Expand From: lisaerin 2016-03-10 05:36 am (UTC) I think it's rude to go over to someone's house with people they don't know to see the animals. Since the Mancusis don't have children, I doubt the BSC interact with them that much. I'm sure that means they don't know how the animals will react to the children. My friend had a cat that hated children. He also had a dog that would try to attack you if you walked in the front door because he thought he was defending his territory or something like that. I've been to houses where I can hear the dog barking and got scared because the barking sounded loud and angry. My dog is friendly and wants to go up to everyone he meets. So I guess as long as a kid knew not to be rough with him or steal his toy, I wouldn't mind a kid being around my dog. However, I'd be pretty irked if someone just brought over a kid I didn't know to see my dog if I wasn't there or if someone from my family wasn't there. My dog is pretty easy-going, but he hates having people touch his toys. A little kid might try to take the toy and get bitten. And sometimes when my dog and I playing around,I get scratched because his claws are sharp. And I don't know how upset the parent or the kid will be at being scratched. I just think it's stupid to have people over to see the animals when you don't know if the kids will be scared of the animal or how the animal will react to the kid. I'm going to headcanon that Charlie being an asshole is him finally growing some balls and standing up to Kristy and saying "I'm done being your bitch." I just love how the BSC finally call Kristy out on her crap, but I hate that they hit the reset button and Kristy continues to be a little dictator. It's like all the girls realized all the bullshit going down and said enough. Of course, by the next book they've been drugged into complacency. I love your summary of the rest of the members' duties. From: bleeding_thorn2 2016-03-10 08:48 pm (UTC) I think it's rude to go over to someone's house with people they don't know to see the animals.-I wouldn't want someone I hire to take care of animals/kids/house stuff to just let their friends in to roam as they please. I'm very private when it comes to my stuff and I would hate for someone I didn't know at all to just traipse through my stuff! . I just think it's stupid to have people over to see the animals when you don't know if the kids will be scared of the animal or how the animal will react to the kid. =Very true. When I owned my Golden, sometimes he'd scare people because he was a big dog and when he was excited he'd jump on you, lick you and he had sharp claws so it might have hurt people! He was a big mush, but so big! 'm going to headcanon that Charlie being an asshole is him finally growing some balls and standing up to Kristy and saying "I'm done being your bitch=Maybe he was finally getting laid and that gave him the balls! Thank you, glad you liked it! From: pi_beta_alpha 2016-03-12 01:40 am (UTC) " I just think it's stupid to have people over to see the animals when you don't know if the kids will be scared of the animal or how the animal will react to the kid. " Agreed!! We used to take one of my husbands dogs to a nearby place that's a nursing home, assisted living facility, a physical therapy place for people/kids of all ages, and a nursery/daycare for anyone who had kids and was in said PT. The dog that would give me the finger if I yelled at him to get off the couch would be boisterous and fun with 10-12 year old boys, let 4 year old girls dress him up and put funny hats on him, and then be sweet, gentle and soulful to a wheelchair bound old woman. The dog we selected to try BEFORE he came along failed his preliminary test miserably; he was petrified of the walkers/canes/wheelchairs used in the testing and freaked out because there was a small child nearby wailing about God knows what. If we would have ignored the tester and taken him anyway, I'm sure he would have bitten someone. (no subject) - bleeding_thorn2 Expand From: andromeda331 2016-03-10 01:24 pm (UTC) AND SHE DECIDES TO JUST BRING THEM OVER, WITHOUT THE MANCUSIS PERMISSION OR EVEN LETTING JESSI KNOW! DA FUCK? YEA, BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN IM PAYING FOR ONE PERSON TO FEED/CARE FOR/WALK MY PETS; I WANT THE WHOLE GODDAMN NEIGHBORHOOD COMING BY!! GOOD GOD, CLAUDIAS A DUMBASS! I hate that she doesn't even ask the Mancusis or Jessi. That's a crappy thing to do. AND I REALLY HATE THE FACT THAT THESE BITCHES ARE ALWAYS REFERRED TO AS SUPER SITTERS; WHEN THEY KEEP PULLING STUPID SHIT LIKE THIS THAT SHOULD BACKFIRE AND NEVER FUCKING DOES! JUST ONCE IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE THEM ACTUALLY BE YELLED AT OR SUFFER ANY FUCKING I would have loved if they got yelled at for it. Even if it was just once. If I was the Newtons I'd be ticked the person I'm paying to watch my son take him without permission to another house. Same with the Mancusis they hired Jessi not Claudia, I'd be ticked if other kids were in my house messing with my pets. AN ACTUAL GUINEA PIGS IN OUTER SPACE MOVIE EXISTS!!! NOT PROMISING ANYTHING GUYS; BUT IF I CAN FIND ITILL TOTALLY SNARK IT!!! I might have to watch that. HAD TO WALK THEM AWAY FROM THE CATS WHEN THE ANIMALS PATIENCE WORE OUT! THIS IS WHY YOU CANT JUST TAKE SOMEONE THE ANIMALS DONT KNOW OVER ANYTIME! They really should have hired someone who actually knew pets. Jessi's making all kinds of mistakes. ITLL TAKE TWO SECONDS! ID JUST KEEP READING IF I WERE HER; BECAUSE FUCK K-RON! Me too. Or remind Kristy who's room it was. YEA, SHE GETS NO FUCKING SYMPATHY FROM ME; Me neither even if that was true which seems unlike about Charlie, that's no excuse to take it out on her friends. K-Ron gets all pissy and flat-out DEMANDS to know what ideas the others have had and they start the list; leaving out all the times they actually had GOOD ideas and not just the letter block on the ads and the bad luck mystery. FUCKING HELL! Then Dawn actually gets the brass ones to ask just what the fuck else does K-Ron do and everyone scoffs when the little dictator says that she runs the meetings. This leads to her asking the others what the fuck they think they do and it goes a little something like this: Okay, this whole part is awesome. I love Claudia calling out the other girls have good ideas and I momentarily love Dawn for asking what the fuck Kristy does. Cause really all Kristy does is boss her friends around and sit on her butt. She doesn't actually do anything. Mary Anne says that the Cults got a problem, but she has an idea on how to deal with it Its Kristy! The problem is Kristy. Take out Kristy. From: bleeding_thorn2 2016-03-10 08:44 pm (UTC) If I was the Newtons I'd be ticked the person I'm paying to watch my son take him without permission to another house.=Especially since it's with animals and you have no idea how they'll react. I might have to watch that. -me 2! It looks adorable! They really should have hired someone who actually knew pets. Jessi's making all kinds of mistakes. -I didn't see it so much as a kid; but as an adult its pissing me off. Certain animals can't be played with at all and she's letting little kids pet/hold them! Its Kristy! The problem is Kristy. Take out Kristy.-If they give Charlie a few more dollars, he'd probably do it! From: pi_beta_alpha 2016-03-12 01:44 am (UTC) "If I was the Newtons I'd be ticked the person I'm paying to watch my son take him without permission to another house." "Especially since it's with animals and you have no idea how they'll react. " THANK you. If I got word that my 4 year old kid had spent his day hanging around 3 strange dogs (especially since two of those dogs easily out-weigh him) and various reptiles/snakes/amphibians WITHOUT MY PERMISSION I would shit a brick. Now, had the BSC used some sense and came to me (the parent) and said "so and so is pet-sitting for Mr. What's His Name and Mrs. What's Her Face, they have (x pets). Mr and Mrs., as well as so so the sitter, have invited me to take (child) to visit the animals, would that be OK?" I would probably at least consider it, and even if I said no thank my lucky stars I had a sitter who had at least one functioning brain cell left. (no subject) - andromeda331 Expand (no subject) - pi_beta_alpha Expand (no subject) - bleeding_thorn2 Expand (no subject) - bleeding_thorn2 Expand (no subject) - bleeding_thorn2 Expand Hair braiding in Nebraska will no longer require a cosmetology license, if Gov. Pete Ricketts signs a bill passed by the state legislature last week. The state requires 490 days of schooling to become a licensed cosmetologist. Students have to learn how to apply makeup, style and color hair and must pass a licensing exam to become a licensed cosmetologist. Hair-braiding is barely taught in most cosmetology schools, but anyone wanting to make a few dollars by braiding hair a practice most common in African-American communities, where traditional hair-braiding has been taught for centuries has to go through the cosmetology licensing process. Those 2,100 hours of training can cost as much as $20,000 in tuition and fees. Getting licensed also requires a high school diploma or GED, as if passing algebra was essential to understanding how to braid hair. To put it simply, this is ridiculous, said Jessica Herrmann, director of legislative outreach for the Platte Institute of Economic Research. Hair braiders must not only obtain permission from the government, but also spend thousands of dollars on course instruction on coloring, men and womens cutting, waxing, home creative skills, skin and spa services and chemistry. This burdensome regulation creates a huge financial barrier to entry for this new class of entrepreneurs. But skipping that lengthy and expensive process means facing the potential penalties for being an unlicensed cosmetologist. Those include fines of up to $25,000 and the potential of four years in prison. Click for more from Watchdog.org President Obama once again is facing criticism for planning to skip the funeral of a prominent conservative figure, with the president expected to attend a festival over the services Friday for former first lady Nancy Reagan. Michelle Obama plans to attend the funeral in Simi Valley, California, but the president will instead be in Austin, Texas, for the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, a popular interactive mash-up of music, tech and film. Obama is set to deliver a keynote speech. Obamas decision immediately drew fire from some conservatives, with former 2012 Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann calling the move self-centered and classless. Self-centered, classless Obama misses another funeral of a high profile conservative. https://t.co/oKKXE5iOtz Michele Bachmann (@MicheleBachmann) March 9, 2016 The controversy comes after Obama chose not to attend the funeral of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in February a move that was heavily criticized by many on the right. KT McFarland, former Defense official in the Reagan administration and a Fox News national security analyst, knocked Obama on Twitter for skipping the funerals of Nancy Reagan, Scalia and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. That's petty, petulant & lowclass, she wrote. Democratic presidential candidate and former first lady Hillary Clinton, as well as former President George W. Bush, plan to attend. Obama, though, hardly is setting a precedent by missing the funeral of a former first lady. The Clintons did not attend the funeral of Pat Nixon in 1993. In 2007, President George W. Bush did not attend the funeral of Lady Bird Johnson, though he had no scheduled events that day. And in 2011, Obama did not attend the funeral of former first lady Betty Ford. President Carter also did not attend the funeral of Mamie Eisenhower in 1979, while President Reagan did not attend the funeral of Bess Truman in 1982. But presidents have attended such services in other cases. President John F. Kennedy attended the funeral of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's widow, Eleanor Roosevelt, in 1962. When Jacquelyn Kennedy died in 1994, President Bill Clinton and then-first lady Hillary Clinton attended. The Obamas still paid tribute to Mrs. Reagan on Monday, saying she had "redefined the role" of first lady and praising her advocacy for those suffering from Alzheimers. With less than a week to go before Florida Democrats head to the polls, front-runner Hillary Clinton is beating Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders 62 percent to 32 percent among likely Democratic primary voters, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday. Secretary Hillary Clinton has doubled-up on Sen. Bernie Sanders in Florida, Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University poll said, adding that it is difficult to see a path to victory for Sanders in the Sunshine State. He has just too much ground to make up and not enough time in which to do it. The poll has Clinton pulling ahead in Ohio, 52 percent to 43 percent but Brown believes there is still a long shot chance of Sanders gaining ground in Ohios winner-take-all primary. Secretary Clintons advantage is impressive, but nowhere as large as the 30 percent point lead she has in Florida, Brown said. In both Florida and Ohio, the number of undecided voters is smaller than Clintons lead, meaning that in order to secure a win, Sanders would have to take all of the undecided voters and then chip away at Clintons core backers. The fact that there is no meaningful difference between the two candidates supporters when it comes to professed loyalty to their candidate contributes to Sen. Sanders problems, Brown said. On Tuesday, Sanders scored a surprise upset over Clinton in hard-fought Michigan. The win gives Sanders a chance to renew his momentum heading into next weeks high-stakes matchups. However, mathematically, trying to catch up to Clinton will be difficult. He will have to win three-fifths of the remaining delegates to break even with Clinton. The first and only total solar eclipse of 2016 will roll across the sky this week. Total solar eclipses when the moon's shadow blocks the sun entirely are spectacular events, highly anticipated by astronomers, astrophotographers and casual spectators alike. But it wasn't always that way. The gradual darkening of the sun was once cause for alarm, linked to evil auguries or the activity of the gods. Throughout history, cultures around the world sought to provide context and explanation for eclipses, and like the eclipses themselves, the legends attached to the events were dramatic. [Sun Shots: Amazing Eclipse Images] Left in the dark This week's total solar eclipse will be visible from Indonesia and from the North Pacific Ocean early on Wednesday (March 9) local time, (late Tuesday, March 8, EST). During the celestial event, the sun is expected to be completely obscured for 4 minutes and 9.5 seconds. Total solar eclipses occur when the moon's umbral shadow, the innermost and darkest part, is cast over the sun at a specific point during the moon's orbit: when it is close enough to Earth that the shadow completely obscures the sun's light. Witnessed firsthand, the effect is unsettling: The sky is gradually overcome by a creeping darkness that is jarringly out of sync with the familiar rhythms of day and night. And for many ancient peoples, that meant one thing trouble, said Edwin C. Krupp, astronomer and director of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. The word "eclipse" is derived from the Greek term "ekleipsis," meaning "an abandonment," Krupp wrote in his book, "Beyond the Blue Horizon: Myths and Legends of the Sun, Moon, Stars and Planets." And during an eclipse, when the sun "abandoned" people to the darkness, many responded with terror and anticipation of disaster. Krupp detailed a 16th-century account of Aztecs in central Mexico written by a Spanish missionary named Fray Bernardino de Sahagun, who described people reacting to an eclipse with "a tumult and disorder." "There was shouting everywhere. People of light complexion were slain [as sacrifices]," de Sahagun wrote, according to Krupp, adding, "It was thus said: 'If the eclipse of the sun is complete, it will be dark forever! The demons of darkness will come down. They will eat men.'" [The Surprising Origins of 9 Common Superstitions] Krupp also relayed an account from ancient Mesopotamia, in which it was said that an eclipse heralded that "an all-powerful king would die," and that "a flood will come and Ramman [the storm and weather god] will diminish the crops of the land." And in Australia, eclipses were viewed negatively by many but not all Aboriginal groups, "frequently associating them with bad omens, evil magic, disease, blood and death," said a study published in July 2011 in the Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage. Medicine men and community elders would try to counteract an eclipse's evil portents by chanting, singing, and throwing sacred or magical objects toward the sun, the authors explained. Swallowing the sun Many cultures attributed the sun's partial or total disappearance to hungry demons or gods with runaway appetites. Krupp detailed Mayan glyphs that hinted at a giant serpent swallowing the sun during an eclipse. Chinese and Armenian tales referred to dragons, while Hungarians claimed a giant bird was the culprit. The Buryats, an indigenous group in southern Siberia, blamed a giant bear, and the Shan people in what is now Vietnam described the sun-swallower as an evil spirit that took the form of a toad. [The 7 Most Famous Solar Eclipses in History] For the Vikings, eclipses were caused by a sky wolf, whose name, Skoll, meant "repulsion." People would attempt to retrieve the temporarily stolen sun by making as much noise as possible, so as to scare the wolf into abandoning his meal, according to the 13th-century Icelandic author Snorri Sturluson, who wrote the book "Tales from Norse Mythology." And some of these sun-eaters took even more monstrous forms, Krupp recounted. Yugoslavians linked solar eclipses to a type of werewolf called the vukodlak, while western Siberia's Tatars told of a vampire that tried to swallow the sun and failed after burning his tongue. In Korea, the king of the "Land of Darkness" tasked his Fire Dogs with stealing the sun to brighten his gloomy domain. In the ancient Indian poem "Mahabharata," the head of the demon Rahu decapitated by the god Vishnu for drinking an immortality potion pursued the sun that betrayed him, seeking to swallow it. But even when Rahu succeeded, it was only a matter of time before the sun re-appeared, passing through the demon's severed throat, Krupp explained. Cosmic coupling Other stories about eclipses assign a role to the moon in the sun's disappearance, according to Jarita Holbrook, a physics professor at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa and editor of the book "African Cultural Astronomy." "Mesoamerica and parts of Africa describe the sun and moon fighting during eclipses. Then there is the marriage of sun and moon among some of the North Americans. The marriage of sun and moon is often an act of creation in myths," Holbrook told Live Science in an email. Holbrook explained that during the unfamiliar darkness of a solar eclipse, certain planets and stars could become visible, fueling myths that a cosmic coupling of sun and moon resulted in "births" of other objects in the sky. "During the totality of a total solar eclipse, these bright points of light appear, only to disappear as totality ends," Holbrook said. "I can see how our ancient ancestors conceived of total solar eclipses as both a marriage and [a union] with the creation of stellar children." Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Visitors to the grave of William Shakespeare can't help but notice this to-the-point inscription: "Blessed be the man that spares these stones, and cursed be he that moves my bones," it reads (with the spelling cleaned up). Curse or not, a group of documentary filmmakers has begun poking around in unprecedented fashion. The crew from UK's Channel 4 became the first to gain permission to examine Shakespeare's grave at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon earlier this year, reports the Telegraph, though they're using radar rather than shovels. The results of their study, part of commemorations marking the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, will be revealed in a documentary this spring. "We can confirm a scan of the grave has been completed," says a church rep. If nothing else, the work "is likely to give a clearer picture of a possible family vault," reports the Telegraph, adding that the playwright is buried next to his wife, daughter, son-in law, and grandson-in-law. It's also possible the study could put to rest a long-standing rumor, as noted by the Stratford Observer: "There has been historical speculation as to whether Shakespeares skull was removed by grave robbers and re-buried outside of his home town." But a Jezebel blogger isn't banking on bombshells: "Educated guess: Spiders, bones, and possibly an ill-advised earring." (Could this be the famous skull?.) This article originally appeared on Newser: Filmmakers Ignore Curse, Scan Grave of Shakespeare More From Newser The U.S. Army is testing a high-tech airdrop system that uses a sophisticated video navigation system to locate its target. The system could prove invaluable for airdrops in difficult terrain and urban environments, researchers say. The military has been working for years to boost the accuracy of its airdrops when resupplying troops. As part of this effort, the Joint Precision Airdrop System (JPADS), which uses GPS, an onboard computer and a steerable parachute, was developed in 2006. The technology was deployed in the field three years it accounted for about 1 percent of the total airdrops conducted by the U.S. Air Force in Afghanistan. Related: DARPA teases X-Plane concept that can take off vertically Now, the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) is working on an even more accurate airdrop alternative to GPS as part of an ambitious multi-service project. "In some terrains, such as steep canyons, or urban settings with tall buildings, you can lose GPS - these are gliding systems, so they can't fly up in altitude." Richard Benney, Director of the Aerial Delivery Directorate at NSRDEC, told FoxNews.com. We're researching and testing what we call a video navigation system currently it's simply a camera that's looking down and out towards the ground in the direction of flight." Related: High-tech 'bazooka' fires a net to take down drones Benney explained that the video navigation system picks up targets, such as reference points or features in the local landscape. We will probably feed the JPADS an image just before it's deployed out of the aircraft from the USAF JPADS mission planner, he said. The image can come from a satellite, UAS [Unmanned Aerial System] or other sources - it will tell the JPADS 'your job is to land on that pixel'. The as-yet unnamed video navigation system is currently being tested in desert environments and there are plans to upgrade the JPADS fleet with the new technology over the next three to five years. Related: New tech gives US helicopter pilots 'Superman-style' vision The video navigation technology will eventually guide a wide range of payloads to their intended targets. There are two variants of JPADS a 2K version that handles weights from 700 pounds up to 2,200 pounds and a 10K version for weights from 5,000 pounds to 10,000 pounds. Benney explained that 2Ks can be dropped from as low as 3,500 feet and up to 25,000 feet, whereas 10Ks are dropped between 18,000 and 25,000 feet. Related: Air Force unveils initial B-21 long range bomber design Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Draper Lab, under contract with the U.S. Army, developed the JPADS flight software and is one of the lead partners on the flight vision software. Initial indications suggest that video navigation airdrops offer an extremely high level of accuracy. The 2K requirement is to be within 150 meters [492 feet] of the target, but it's considerably better than that, Benney told FoxNews.com. [The] 10K target is [to be within] 250 meters [820 feet] for the target, but it's significantly better than that." Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers While the public interest in backdoors has been centered on the FBI's court battle with Apple, a larger fight has been brewing amidst security and policy professionals for years. Law enforcement has repeatedly asked for cryptographic backdoors to prevent communications between criminals from "going dark." But the rousing response in favor of strong encryption and against backdoors has brought together seemingly intractable enemies, from the Secretary of Defense to hackers and many in between. Traditional Enemies Last week's RSA conference was the backdrop for several discussions about backdoors into encryption. Current and former administration officials, along with security researchers, were asked whether encryption systems should be accessible to law enforcement. Mike McConnell, former director of the NSA, took pains to paint himself as a traditional opponent to privacy issues. At one time, he was "all for espionage," and reminded the audience that he was a proponent of the Clipper Chip, an encryption system with a built-in backdoor. His opinion changed, however, when he began working in the private sector, and discovered advanced malware being used to steal intellectual property, allegedly at the behest of the Chinese government. "Ubiquitous encryption is something this nation needs to have," said McConnell. McConnell was also pointedly critical of law enforcement's belief that encrypted communications will enable crime and terrorism. "Law enforcement is enabled by plain text," he said. "But we actually had criminal prosecution before we had telephones." Former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, meanwhile, couched his opinion on strong encryption on moral grounds. "Security without privacy is protecting an empty treasure chest," he said. "The values that we're protecting would simply be evaporating." Chertoff also said that strong encryption is especially important when critical industries, like power generation, could potentially need to repel attacks. "We've been telling [industry] the responsibility is on you," said Chertoff. "So if we're going to ask the private sector to be partners, whether it's information or operating controls systems, we need to give them the tools to complete the mission." That sentiment of encryption as a valuable tool at all levels was also the basis of Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter's assertion that he is "not a believer in backdoors or a single technical approach to a complex problem." Carter said that the Department of Defense uses the same encryption systems as everyone else, and that without strong encryption there is no way to secure communications between tanks, ships, and so on. Much of the argument against backdoors in encryption systems hinges on the possibility of unauthorized access to those doors. In this context, the backdoor meant to enable law enforcement or intelligence gathering becomes a major vulnerability when in the hands of an attacker. This is usually a hypothetical situation, but security researcher and one of the minds behind the Signal app, Moxie Marlinspike, argued that it might have already happened. He pointed to Dual_EC_DRBG, a psuedo-random number generator endorsed by the NSA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which contained a backdoor. The flawed generator was in use on Juniper Systems servers, which was secretly hacked and had control of the backdoor presumably placed in the hands of the attackers. Marlinspike pointed out that these servers were possibly in use at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management at the time of the massive OPM breach. "It's entirely possible that a U.S. backdoor was used to gain access to a U.S. system," said Marlinspike. One of the traditional defenders of privacy fully agreeing with these traditional opponents was Nuala O'Connor, the President and CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology. O'Connor said America needs to start working on privacy protections that will be meaningful when everything is connected. "My personal device, my connected home, my connected car, and government systems, and our critical infrastructure; all off those are interconnected and to break encryption in any part of that chain affects national security," she said. What About Apple? But while nearly everyone was in lockstep about encryption, not everyone agreed about Apple. It's important to note that the FBI has argued that it is not asking Apple to break its encryption system. Rather, the agency has requested that Apple disable a feature that would allow the FBI to brute-force the PIN code locking the phone. A few at RSA commented that Apple and the FBI picked a bad case to test the waters for these issues. "Apple goofed several ways," said Adi Shamir, one of the co-inventors of the RSA algorithm. He pointed out that the FBI had a strong case in that the owners of the phone were already dead and their guilt in a horrific action firmly established. "The FBI had been waiting for a long time to find the perfect issue from their perspective," he said. Though he made clear that he did support backdoors, he felt Apple should comply in this case and find a more favorable court case to press these issues. And while support from the technology community for Apple was strong, the support from the government was unsurprisingly nonexistent. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch was unequivocal in her remarks, tearing Apple's constitutional arguments apart. Secretary Carter voiced his support for encryption, but was careful to point out that he could not comment on the Apple case, which he described as a law enforcement, not defense, problem. But among the technology professionals, support seemed strong for Apple. "The real reason we're having this discussion today is because Apple tried to make products that protect their users, which is unusual while most companies try to sell out [user] data at any turn," said Marlinspike. Marlinspike went on to argue that in this case, the FBI is effectively trying to engineer away people's ability to break the law. Whitfield Diffie, one of the two inventors of public key encryption, agreed, saying, "The difference between a free society and totalitarianism of course being responsible for your action. But in tyranny, you build mechanism to prevent them from having their action." The Path Forward Nearly all of the prominent individuals who spoke on the subject maintained that the case of Apple and the FBI should not be the single discussion about backdoors or weak encryption. Instead, many held that the discussion should happen at the congressional level and not in the courts. McConnell suggested that the technology sector be tapped to help lead the discussion in government. He called for the creation of a legislative commission to advise in the creation of new laws on encryption. "The public at large is not informed on this issue, just like when we went through the 9/11 commission to have a more engaged dialog for how we go forward," said McConnell. Chertoff, like many this week, insisted that the technology sector had to work with government to find the best solution. "People from the security community, the privacy community, and the public want the same thing: a secure Internet, control of their data, and the benefits of technology without worrying about harm." O'Connor agreed, saying that the discussions "should be in the legislative branch and they should be transparent." She and others emphasized the point that there is, in fact, much to agree about in terms of encryption and security. "I'm always profoundly optimistic and surprised that we're all able to find more common ground," concluded O'Connor. This article originally appeared on PCMag.com. The Latest on the shooting of an Idaho pastor. (all times local): 11:30 a.m. An Idaho pastor who was shot six times last weekend has regained consciousness and is talking with his family. The search continued Tuesday for the Idaho man suspected of shooting Pastor Tim Remington, a day after Remington led the prayer at a weekend campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz. Police say 30-year-old Kyle Odom drove to the Spokane area on Interstate 90 after the Sunday afternoon shooting, according to information from traffic cameras. He then turned south before they lost his trail. Police say the former Marine from Coeur d'Alene could be in one of several western states by now. Police say they know of no motive for the shooting. California authorities arrested six UC Santa Cruz fraternity and sorority members Tuesday in connection with an international drug ring investigation. The Santa Cruz Police Department said Cecilia Le, Hoai Nguyen, Nathan Tieu, Cesar Casil, Benny Liu and Mariah Dremel, all 21, were detained on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance for sale after it was learned they were allegedly running an Ecstasy ring, according to the Los Angeles Times. The proliferation of drugs like MDMA is a serious concern for the Santa Cruz area. The drug alters perception and awareness, as well as increasing emotions of trust and lowering inhibitions oftentimes resulting in sexual exploitation," Santa Cruz Police spokeswoman Joyce Blaschke said in a statement. This dangerous combination undermines the efforts of affirmative consent work undertaken by many college campuses. The drug can have other adverse health effects such as elevated heart rate, blood pressure, and inability to regulate body temperature, she added. A few weeks ago, police discovered several packages of MDMA tablets that were being shipped through the U.S. Postal Service from overseas. The shipments were addressed to three Santa Cruz addresses and a further investigation revealed that the drugs were going to members of the Lambda Phi Epsilon Fraternity and the Alpha Kappa Delta Phi Sorority, police said. Members of the Santa Cruz County Ant-Crime Team, the DEA, USPS Inspectors and Homeland Security agents conducted search warrants last Friday in the 400 block of Locust Street, 200 block of Castillion Terrace and 100 block of Peach Terrace immediately after the packages were delivered. Law enforcement officials seized 4.1 pounds or about 5,000 tablets of MDMA, police said. The street value of the drugs was totaled at $100,000. According to the Los Angeles Times, several students held leadership roles at their fraternity and sorority. All of the students were placed on interim suspension pending the outcomes of campus judicial hearings. Both the fraternity and the sorority suspended activities and operations on campus. "We hold our students to a high standard and care about the well-being of every member of our campus community," UC Santa Cruz Alison Galloway said. Click for more from The Los Angeles Times. A natural gas explosion rocked a Seattle neighborhood early Wednesday, destroying several businesses and sending nine firefighters to a hospital. Crews were responding to reports of a natural gas leak when the explosion occurred along a main thoroughfare north of downtown, Seattle Fire Department spokeswoman Corey Orvold said. The cause was under investigation. There were no reports of any other injuries or anyone missing. Dogs were being used to go through the rubble just in case. Video surveillance from the Olive and Grape Mediterranean Restaurant showed a bright flash at 1:43 a.m. and then the room shakes as debris falls from the ceiling. A large garage door covering the restaurant's front windows protected it from extensive damage. More pictures from the early morning explosion... pic.twitter.com/EZVXOLzht7 Seattle Fire Dept (@SeattleFire) March 9, 2016 "The Olive and Grape was lucky," owner Paola Kossack told The Associated Press in an email. Bike shop owner Davey Oil said he arrived soon after the fire trucks. "There were tons of flames leaping over what was already the rubble of Neptune coffee, which as you can see now totaled, gone," he said. Crews were still dousing an active flame with foam as the Greenwood neighborhood awakened. Residents were checking out the damage along with the rubble and glass that littered the streets. Workers from one cafe damaged in the blast poured coffee for firefighters. Among the businesses damaged or destroyed were Neptune Coffee, Mr. Gyro and the bike shop G&O Family Cyclery. An apartment building and another nearby residential structure were evacuated. "Our block is a pretty close-knit block and this is pretty terrible," Oil said. Chocolati Cafe manager Darla Weidman said she was relieved the blast occurred overnight instead of 11 a.m. when the shop sometimes is packed with people. "I know neighbors will do everything they can to support these businesses as they begin the long and challenging task to recover and repair from this incident," Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said in a statement. "The city will also be there to do what we can." Puget Sound Energy spokeswoman Akiko Oda said gas service for the impacted buildings was shut off about an hour after the blast and the shutdown was later expanded. The utility said it completed leak surveys for the block around the area and no leaks were found. Oda says it will take time to determine what caused the explosion and the utility will be working with the Seattle Fire Department in the investigation. Pipeline safety investigators from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission were also on site. Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg said eight firefighters and a battalion chief were treated at the facility. None of the eight men and one woman was admitted to the hospital. "We didn't have anybody with burns, nothing life-threatening, nothing major" said Gregg, adding that some firefighters were checked out because the blast was so powerful that it pushed them back. A man suspected of killing five people across Kansas and Missouri was arrested early Wednesday morning after an extensive manhunt, the Missouri Highway Patrol said. Highway Patrol officials told the Kansas City Star that Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino was arrested in Montgomery County, Missouri. He was found lying on a hill just north of Interstate-70 and no shots were fired, according to The Star. "He looked exhausted," Sgt. James Hedrick said. The suspect had a rifle with him, but federal law barred him from legally owning a gun because he is in the country illegally, according to John Ham, a spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives office in Kansas City. Online court records show he was charged Wednesday in Montgomery County, Missouri, in the death of 49-year-old Randy Nordman. Nordman was shot Tuesday at his rural home near New Florence, about 70 miles west of St. Louis. Serrano-Vitorino is also charged with four counts of first-degree murder in Kansas. Authorities there say he gunned down a neighbor and three other men late Monday before fleeing. Investigators haven't discussed a possible motive for the attacks. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said in a statement late Tuesday that Serrano-Vitorino was a Mexican national who was held at the Overland Park, Kan. Municipal Court on Sept. 14. The fingerprinting generated an ICE detainer, but the agency was erroneously issuedto the Johnson County Sheriffs Office, instead of the Overland Park Municipal Court. The Department of Homeland Security said that Serrano-Vitorino was released from custody without ICE being notified, though they did not elaborate on why. ICE also confirmed that Serrano-Vitorino had been deported back to Mexico in 2004, but had since returned illegally. It was not clear when he returned to the U.S. The widespread manhunt for him, which started Monday, included helicopters, police dogs and at least one SWAT team. One of the four men shot that day managed to call police before he died, but it's unclear how the men knew each other or what may have prompted the shooting, Kansas City police officer Thomas Tomasic said. A truck Serrano-Vitorino was believed to be driving was found about 7 a.m. Tuesday morning alongside Interstate-70 in central Missouri. About 25 minutes later, sheriff's deputies responded to a shooting about 5 miles away at a Montgomery County home and found the body of 49-year-old Nordman, according to the patrol. Highway Patrol Lt. Paul Reinsch said a witness who called 911 reported seeing a man running from Nordman's property, launching a manhunt of that area. Reinsch said investigators weren't aware of any connection between Serrano-Vitorino and Nordman, whose home is near his family's campground and a racetrack for remote-controlled cars. Police have not released the names of the four victims, but relatives identified three of them to the Kansas City Star as Mike Capps and brothers Clint and Austin Harter. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A man who was charged with fatally shooting a co-worker in Maryland has been found dead in jail. Gerard Shields, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, said officials found 47-year-old Cipisirono Cole dead at the Maryland Reception, Diagnostic and Classification Center in Baltimore on Tuesday. He was unable to provide additional details Wednesday, but said the investigation is ongoing. Cole had been arrested on a murder charge in connection with the shooting death of his co-worker, 34-year-old Darrin Ulysses Johnson Jr., March 3 in the locker room of a Department of Public Works building in Baltimore. Cole turned himself in Saturday after a two-day manhunt. Cole also faced charges of assault and using a firearm in a violent crime. Officers who responded to a report of a shooting at the building found Johnson in a locker room area, shot several times, police said. Johnson was taken to Shock Trauma, where he was pronounced dead. About 100 employees report to the field depot that houses maintenance crews working on water and sewer mains, and their equipment. People must have key cards to access the building. Public Works Director Rudy Chow said last week that he was unaware of any previous issues at the building. The only way for Christians to get into Heaven is through God's grace, Pastor Rick Warren explains in a message posted on his Daily Hope website Monday. While some Christians might think good works or dedication to their faith guarantees automatic entry into the afterlife, Warren argues that no person has "a chance of getting into Heaven by [their] own effort." "You'll never be good enough to get into a perfect place. You stopped being perfect a long time ago," Warren, who is the senior pastor of Saddleback Church in Orange County, California, adds. The megachurch pastor goes on to say that the requirement of grace is what sets Christianity apart from all other religions. Warren writes that while "you can summarize every other religion with the word 'do,'" Christians are different in that they do not have to "earn their way" to God. "The Bible gives an opposite plan. The Bible says you get into Heaven by accepting what has already been done for you that Jesus died on the cross 2,000 years ago for you," Warren explains, adding, "everything that needs to be done has already been done. Jesus did everything. It's a free gift." Click Here to Read the Full Story at ChristianPost.com The man suspected of shooting an Idaho pastor six times over the weekend was arrested outside the White House Tuesday evening, authorities said. Kyle Odom, 30, was arrested by the Secret Service after he was seen throwing items over the White House fence. The Coeur d'Alene police department said the items included computer flash drives. Odom, a former Marine, is accused of shooting Pastor Tim Remington outside his church on Sunday, the day after Remington gave the invocation at a weekend campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz. Authorities say there's no indication Remington's appearance with Cruz had anything to do with the shooting. The Coeur d'Alene Police Department issued a warrant of attempted first-degree murder for Odom, who has no criminal record but does have a history of mental illness. Earlier Tuesday, investigators said they had obtained a letter sent by Odom to his parents that also contained a flash drive. Documents on the drive indicated that Odom had targeted Remington and another parishioner at the Altar Church in Coeur d'Alene. KXLY reported that Odom had claimed in a Facebook post hours before he was arrested that Remington was a Martian who had ruined his life. Remington, 55, regained consciousness Monday night in a Coeur d'Alene hospital, said John Padula, the Alter Church's outreach pastor. "He's whispering and talking to his family a little bit," Padula said Tuesday. "He's doing absolutely amazing. He gave me a thumb's up last night when I went in." Remington, who is married and has four children, has no feeling in his right arm, Padula said. Remington and his wife have been with The Altar Church for nearly two decades, and they have specialized in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction, Padula said. The church has extensive programs, including in-patient rehabilitation, for addicts, Padula said. Odom had no connection with the church before showing up before services early Sunday morning, Padula said. Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Lee White said Odom was armed while he attended services, and said that the violence could have been much worse. Authorities said Odom waited for Remington outside the church after services, then shot him in the back as the pastor walked to his car. Police said Odom drove to the Spokane, Washington, area on Interstate 90 after the shooting, according to information from traffic cameras. He then turned south before they lost his trail. Odom served in the Marines from 2006-2010, winning an Iraq Campaign Medal and other awards. He rose to the rank of corporal. Odom later graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in biochemistry. Fox News Channel's Matt Dean and the Associated Press contributed to this report. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 Nicaraguan police have beaten and detained opposition demonstrators and harassed journalists outside the country's top electoral council. The demonstrators were attending a weekly demonstration in Managua on Wednesday to demand fair election rules and a change of electoral magistrates ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Police initially tried to block protesters from reaching the electoral council offices, but they pushed past a police barricade. Police roughed up several photographers and broke the lens of an Associated Press photographer. Police also detained but later released nine lawmakers from the opposition Independent Liberal Party. Government opponents contend the ruling Sandinista party has skewed electoral rules and oversight in its own favor. A senior Islamic State commander with a $5 million bounty on his head was targeted and likely killed in an airstrike in northeastern Syria last week, a U.S. defense official told Fox News Tuesday. Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, also known as Abu Umar al-Shishani, is believed to have been killed in the aerial attack last Friday, according to U.S. officials. The airstrike took place March 4 near the Syrian town of Al Shadaddi, a former ISIS stronghold that was captured in February by the U.S.-backed, predominantly Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces. His potential removal from the battlefield would negatively impact ISIL's ability to recruit foreign fighters - especially those from Chechnya and the Caucus regions -- and degrade ISIL's ability to coordinate attacks and defense of its strongholds like Raqqah, Syria, and Mosul, Iraq, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in a statement on Tuesday. The strike last Friday was conducted by multiple waves of manned and unmanned U.S. aircraft, and initial assessments indicate Batirashvili was likely killed along with 12 additional ISIS fighters, according to a U.S. defense official. The official added that it was unusual and noteworthy that Batirashvili -- who was the ISIL equivalent of the Secretary of Defense -- had traveled to the Al Shaddadi area from Raqqa. The trip was likely to bolster the sagging morale of ISIS fighters there, who have suffered a series of defeats by Syrian Democratic Forces as they moved from Al Hawl to Al Shaddadi, the official said. Batirashvili, is one of hundreds of Chechens who have been among the toughest jihadi fighters in Syria. He is an ethnic Chechen from the Caucasus nation of Georgia, specifically from the Pankisi Valley, a center of Georgia's Chechen community and once a stronghold for militants. He is sometimes called Omar the Chechen and known for his red beard. He joined ISIS in 2013, where he oversaw a prison facility near Raqqah, Syria where the terror group may have held foreign hostages. In mid-2014, he coordinated closely with ISIS's financial section to establish a base of operation near Minbij, Syria. He was later appointed northern commander to ISIS by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi with authority over the terror groups military operations forces in northern Syria, according to a U.S. defense official. The U.S. Treasury Department designated Batirashvili as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13224 for action for or on behalf of ISIS, and offered a $5 million reward for information to bring him to justice. Fox News Lucas Tomlinson and the Associated Press contributed to this report. North Korea caused a new stir Wednesday by publicizing a purported mock-up of a key part of a nuclear warhead, with leader Kim Jong Un saying his country has developed miniaturized atomic bombs that can be placed on missiles. The North's Rodong Sinmun newspaper carried photos on its front page showing Kim and nuclear scientists standing beside what outside analysts say appears to be a model warhead part -- a small, silverish globe with a ballistic missile or a model ballistic missile in the background. The newspaper said Kim met his nuclear scientists for a briefing on the status of their work and declared he was greatly pleased that warheads had been standardized and miniaturized for use on ballistic missiles. Information from secretive, authoritarian North Korea is often impossible to confirm and the country's state media have a history of photo manipulations. But it was the first time the North has publicly displayed its purported nuclear designs, though it remains unclear whether the country has functioning warheads of that size or is simply trying to develop one. This also would be the first time Kim has been quoted directly about the miniaturized warheads. "The nuclear warheads have been standardized to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturizing them," state media agency KCNA quoted Kim as saying as he inspected a nuclear facility. "This can be called true nuclear deterrent," he added. The latest developments from the reclusive country come amid heightened tensions following claims it tested a hydrogen bomb in January. On Monday at State of Air Force briefing at Pentagon, the Air Force's top officer Gen. Mark Welsh told Fox News, that while the actions of North Korea are "very worrisome," the country does not have the capability to put a nuclear warhead on top of a missile and shoot it at the United States. North Korea warned Monday of pre-emptive nuclear strikes after the United States and South Korea began holding their biggest ever war games. Tensions remain high after North Korea's recent nuclear test and rocket launch, which prompted the United Nations to adopt tough new sanctions. Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A series of attacks in Jerusalem and the West Bank wounded at least two people, one day after a stabbing killed an American tourist and war veteran. In the West Bank on Wednesday, a Palestinian with a knife attempted to stab Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint, and soldiers shot and killed him, the Israeli military said. Also, an Israeli stabbed and lightly wounded a Palestinian in the West Bank, apparently during a business-related argument, police said. The Israeli fled the scene and police are searching for him. Two Palestinian gunmen carried out shootings in Jerusalem Wednesday before police shot and killed them, Israeli police said. A Palestinian man was seriously wounded in the shootout. The incident began when passengers on an Israeli bus spotted the two gunmen on the street and heard shots fired, said police spokeswoman Luba Samri. No injuries were reported. A driver responded by shooting toward the suspects, who fled by car. Police began searching for the gunmen's vehicle. When a policeman approached a car that matched the description, the gunmen raised their weapons at the officer and he fired at them. Other police units on the scene shot at the suspects, killing them, Samri said. The shootout took place on a main road alongside Jerusalem's light rail and close to the New Gate of the Old City. A Palestinian civilian at the scene was shot in the head and is in serious but stable condition, an Israeli hospital said. Police are investigating whether he was shot by the gunmen or by police. Police identified the two gunmen as Palestinians, both about 20 years old, from the Jerusalem area. Among the stabbings on Tuesday, an attack near the seaside city of Jaffa killed Taylor Force, a 28-year-old MBA student at Vanderbilt University and a West Point graduate who served tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. The wave of near-daily Palestinian assaults on Israeli civilians and security forces erupted in mid-September and is showing no sign of abating. The bloodshed -- mainly stabbings but also shootings and car-ramming attacks -- has killed 28 Israelis. During the same time, at least 179 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire. Most of the Palestinians have been identified by Israel as attackers, while the rest were killed in clashes with security forces. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A 16-year-old Danish girl who reportedly recently converted to Islam was charged Tuesday for allegedly planning a bombing attack against a Jewish school in Copenhagen and another school in Denmark. Prosecutors presented the preliminary charges against her and a 24-year-old man suspected of being her accomplice in a court hearing Tuesday in Holbaek, northwest of the Danish capital. Reuters, citing local media, reported that her alleged accomplice was a former fighter in Syria. Prosecutor Kristian Kirk said after the hearing that the suspects obtained chemicals and tried to produce explosives with the intent to commit terror attacks against the two schools. He said police thwarted their plans by arresting them. He declined to give other details. The suspects, who were not identified, deny the charges. The court extended their pre-trial detention until March 30. Iran reportedly test-fired two ballistic missiles Wednesday with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written in Hebrew on them, but authorities said that the tests do not violate the nuclear deal reached in January. The tests came as Vice President Joe Biden visited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was strongly opposed to the nuke deal. I want to reiterate because I know people still doubt: If in fact they break the deal, we will act, Biden said in Jerusalem. The semiofficial Fars news agency offered pictures Wednesday it said were of the Qadr H missiles being fired. It said they were fired in Iran's eastern Alborz mountain range to hit a target some 870 miles away off Iran's coast into the Sea of Oman. Hard-liners in Iran's military have fired rockets and missiles despite U.S. objections since the deal, as well as shown underground missile bases on state television. The missiles fired today are the results of sanctions, Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami, a deputy commander of the Guards told Fars news agency, according to the BBC. The sanctions helped Iran develop its missile program. There was no immediate reaction from Jerusalem, where Biden was scheduled to speak to Netanyahu. The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which patrols that region, declined to comment on the test. Fars quoted Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division, saying the test was aimed at showing Israel that Iran could hit it. Iranian state television showed one of the missiles being fired from an underground silo sometime overnight, Reuters reported. "The 1,240-mile range of our missiles is to confront the Zionist regime," Hajizadeh said. "Israel is surrounded by Islamic countries and it will not last long in a war. It will collapse even before being hit by these missiles." Israel's Foreign Ministry declined to immediately comment. Iran has threatened to destroy Israel in the past. Israel, which is believed to have the only nuclear weapons arsenal in the Mideast, repeatedly has threatened to take military action against Iran's nuclear facilities. Hajizadeh stressed Iran would not fire the missiles in anger or start a war with Israel. "We will not be the ones who start a war, but we will not be taken by surprise, so we put our facilities somewhere that our enemies cannot destroy them so that we could continue long war," he said. The firing of the Qadr H missiles comes after a U.S. State Department spokesman on Tuesday criticized another missile launch that day, saying America planned to bring it before the United Nations Security Council. A nuclear deal between Iran and world powers including the U.S. is now under way, negotiated by the administration of moderate President Hassan Rouhani. In the time since the deal, however, hard-liners in Iran's military have made several shows of strength. In October, Iran successfully test-fired a new guided long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile. It was the first such test since Iran and world powers reached a landmark nuclear deal last summer. U.N. experts said the launch used ballistic missile technology banned under a Security Council resolution. In January, the U.S. imposed new sanctions on individuals and entities linked to the ballistic missile program. Iran also has fired rockets near U.S. warships and flown an unarmed drone over an American aircraft carrier in recent months. In January, Iran seized 10 U.S. sailors in the Gulf when their two riverine command boats headed from Kuwait to Bahrain ended up in Iranian territorial waters after the crews "misnavigated," the U.S. military said. The sailors were taken to a small port facility on Farsi Island, held for about 15 hours and released after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke several times with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. The Associated Press contributed to this report Pope Francis' proposed Vatican tribunal to judge bishops who covered up for pedophile priests is going nowhere fast. Despite fresh focus from the Oscar-winning film "Spotlight" on how Catholic bishops protected priests who raped children, Francis' most significant sex abuse-related initiative to date has stalled. It's a victim of a premature roll-out, unresolved legal and administrative questions and resistance both inside and outside of the Holy See, church officials and canon lawyers say. The surprise proposal made headlines when it was announced on June 10 as the first major initiative of Francis' sex abuse advisory commission. A Vatican communique said Francis and his nine cardinal advisers had unanimously agreed to create a new judicial section within the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to handle "abuse of office" cases against bishops accused of failing to protect their flocks from pedophiles. But the proposal immediately raised red flags to canon lawyers and Vatican officials alike. For starters, the congregation, which since 2001 has been the clearing house for all church abuse cases around the world, wasn't consulted or even informed. As is, the congregation is understaffed and overwhelmed processing hundreds of backlogged cases of priests who molested children, advising dioceses on how to proceed. "In reality, the congregation knows nothing about this. The question has just been left there. It hasn't been dealt with," said the Rev. Davide Cito, canon lawyer at Rome's Pontifical Holy Cross University who has helped investigate abuse cases for the congregation. The Vatican communique said a new secretary for the congregation and staff would be appointed, and adequate resources allocated. But nine months later, no appointments have been made. Francis recently repeated that he would appoint the secretary, but even once in place, he will be starting from scratch on an uphill battle. "We're confident that the Holy Father's announcement of his intention to name a secretary for the Discipline Section is a clear sign that the implementation of his earlier decisions will be expedited," the head of the sex abuse advisory commission, Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley, said in a statement to The Associated Press. But to even a casual observer, the original announcement raised significant bureaucratic questions. It tasked three other Vatican congregations with conducting preliminary investigations into accused bishops, a hurdle in and of itself given their limited resources and expertise. In addition, the Vatican's various congregations operate as individual fiefdoms: By what mechanism would these three fiefdoms then turn their cases over to a new tribunal? "When it was announced I knew it would be a problem," said Kurt Martens, professor of canon law at The Catholic University of America in Washington. He said a key question that must be resolved is the negligence standard by which bishops would be judged. Would bishops be held to the same standard of reporting abusers to police when civil reporting laws differ from country to country? What about prescription and retroactivity: Could bishops who botched abuse cases five, 10 or 20 years ago be brought before the new tribunal? "It's a huge issue," Martens said. "Where do you draw the line?" Two church officials familiar with the proposal said there had been no follow-up since the tribunal section was announced. Two other church officials involved also said they too knew of no progress to date. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to comment publicly on a sensitive, papal-mandated proposal. One of the officials, a canon lawyer, said some fundamental questions remain unresolved: Who denounces whom? Who decides that a trial is necessary? Canon law already says only the pope can judge a bishop. Why single out abuse of office for botching sex abuse cases when another abuse, financial malfeasance, is also a church crime? More than any of his predecessors, Francis has said bishops must be held accountable if they moved abusive priests from parish to parish rather than reporting them to church and state authorities. "You must not cover up, and even those who covered up these things are guilty," Francis told reporters Sept. 28 en route home from Philadelphia, where he met with abuse victims. And so his decision to authorize a tribunal was met with jubilation and heightened expectations among abuse survivors and those who have been following the scandal. Recently, a top Vatican official, Cardinal George Pell, even suggested a prime candidate for the tribunal was his former bishop in Ballarat, Australia. Anne Barrett Doyle, of BishopAccoutability.org, which tracks the abuse scandal, said survivors as well as ordinary Catholics began sending dossiers to the Vatican requesting investigations into compromised bishops as soon as the tribunal was announced. "We know because some of the earnest people compiling these dossiers contacted us," she said. She said it was disappointing but not altogether surprising to learn that no progress had been made. That said, under Francis' watch, two U.S. bishops who bungled abuse cases have resigned on their own: Bishop Robert Finn in Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, and Archbishop John Nienstedt in St. Paul and Minneapolis. They weren't hauled before a Vatican tribunal, but were presumably pressured by the Vatican to step down after civil authorities got involved, to date the main way the Vatican gets rid of a compromised bishop. But such arm-twisting resignations do little to "repair scandal and restore justice," which the church's penal law system is supposed to accomplish, Martens said. "It's almost as if you're guilty and you can pick your punishment and you're being given a way out." U.S. canon lawyer Nicholas Cafardi similarly noted that it's not always easy to get a bishop to resign voluntarily, and that while canonical trials were always a possibility, now there is at least a specific proposed tribunal to do the job when Vatican pressure isn't successful. "The request to resign now has more substance behind it than it had previously, which is an important effect of the new procedures not to be lightly dismissed," he said in an email. But the whole proposal itself is somewhat problematic given the cardinal designated by the pope to push it through, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has a questionable past himself. When Cardinal Gerhard Mueller was bishop of Regensburg, Germany, he appointed a convicted pedophile as a parish priest in violation of the German bishops' own norms forbidding sex offenders from working with juveniles. The priest, the Rev. Peter Kramer, went on to abuse more children in his new posting and in 2008 was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison plus psychiatric treatment. At the time, Mueller defended his decision saying the church bore no responsibility for the actions of its priests, and that if Jesus can forgive sinners, certainly the church can give them second chances as well. In a recent interview with German daily Kolner Stadt Anzeiger, Mueller decried the "bitter injustice" that Catholic clergy on the whole have suffered collectively because of the "immature and disturbed personality" of a few priests. He said he also has a real problem with what he called the "glib accusation of cover-up." Mueller didn't respond to a request for comment on the status of the accountability tribunal. Martens, the Belgian-born Catholic University canon lawyer, said the resistance to the tribunal isn't even greatest within the Vatican. "If I were a bishop I would not be happy with this," he said. "Because it comes out of the blue and is completely unknown territory and no one knows what the standards and procedures might be. That might cause some difficulties and problems." ___ Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield Nearly 2,400 Yazidi men, women and children have been ransomed, rescued or lucky enough to escape the clutches of ISIS, according to new figures from a Kurdish government bureau that works closely with the minority Iraqi religious community. The Yazidi community, with the protection of the Kurdish Regional Government and funding from around the world, has formed an extensive international network to save their women from sexual slavery and men from serving in the black-clad jihadist army. The younger and more beautiful she is and the less number of children she has if any will make her more expensive. Abu Shujaa There are several ways, Abu Shujaa, who established a volunteer group with safe houses and has managed an underground rescue railroad to liberate hundreds of Yazidis since the ISIS onslaught in his hometown of Sinjar, told FoxNews.com. Sometimes the girls access phones and contact family members or friends and they get directed to us. Other times, volunteers investigate and locate where the girls were taken, and when they find out they then reach out to them and arrange the escape, he added. There are other ways too, but we cant reveal yet as there are a whole lot of girls left we have to rescue. The Kurdistan Regional Governments Office of the Prime Minister has a special bureau dedicated to observing the rescue of Yazidi victims. Although it plays no role in negotiating with captors, in cases in which family members pay ransom, the office reimburses them. Of an estimated 4,029 Yazidi women and girls abducted over the last three years, some 1,456 have been rescued, according to statistics from the Kurdish government, which works with the Yazidi community. While women are held by ISIS for sex, men are captured and forced into the terrorist army. Some 3,403 men and boys have been captured, with just more than 900 making it back to their families. In total, some 1,293 Yazidis have been killed by ISIS, many of them among the men and boys taken and given the choice of joining ISIS or being killed. Another 460 remain unaccounted for. The tight-knit community, which is concentrated along the nations northern Ninevah Plain, has endured horrific suffering since the rise of ISIS. Of a population estimated at 550,000 before the terrorist army began its ethnic and religious cleansing campaign, some 400,000 have been displaced according to the directorate. While entering ISIS-held territory could mean death for Yazidis, they have a network of civilian women trapped inside Mosul and other places within the so-called caliphate who want to do something good for humanity and help, according to Shujaa. With help from their Kurdish allies, as well as Muslim sympathizers, Yazidis have pulled together to deliver their women and girls from the misery inflicted by ISIS. The Yazidi religion includes elements of ancient nature-worship, as well as influences from Christianity, Gnosticism, Zoroastrianism, Islam and Judaism, and ISIS justifies its slavery and slaughter under the guise that Yazidis are devil worshippers. By enslaving women, ISIS is effectively cleansing the lands of Yazidi and other minority groups of their ethnic identity, said Daniel Sullivan, director of policy and government relations at the Washington-based nonprofit United to End Genocide. Rescue typically involves several intermediaries carrying out a series of steps such as smuggling cellphones and counterfeit IDs into the places where the girls are being held, establishing a network of safe houses and long journeys on foot under cover of darkness. The process has been managed and supervised by the family of the victims themselves, said Yakhi Balak, who heads a Yazidi task force that works with the Kurdistan Regional Government to facilitate and track rescue operations. The family coordinates with their religious leaders with the moral support of local Yazidi communities. Each successful rescue has its own dramatic and harrowing tale. The family of one girl told FoxNews.com their daughter was granted permission to use her captors phone and was able to alert outsiders with a rough description of her location. That allowed Yazidi activists to put a plan into place, working with contacts inside Mosul. Another girl told of escaping through a broken window when her captor was not at home. She hid in a sympathetic familys home until smugglers could reach her. Such escapes are the exception, not the rule. Most Yazidis who have made it out of ISIS captivity owe their freedom to ransom paid by loved ones and with funds raised by international charities. Fees for buying back a Yazidi captive vary wildly as do the prices wealthy Arabs and ISIS fighters pay for them at stomach-turning auctions held in public squares. The younger and more beautiful she is and the less number of children she has if any will make her more expensive, Shujaa said. Every girl comes back with a unique story that is very powerful and emotional. Some of them as young as 8 are being raped and enslaved. A few days ago, a beautiful 11-year-old girl was sold at the market in Raqqa for the equivalent of $20,000. Ransom fees generally must cover whatever the slave buyer paid, plus a profit and, in most cases, a cut for Sunni tribesmen who often facilitate negotiations. Just over a year ago, a Yazidi family could buy back a daughter for as little as $300. Now, the price can top $13,000, according to Yazidi officials. In many cases the local wealthy Arab residents were among the buyers of sex slaves, Balak said. Different prices were paid at the time of purchase and in some cases slaves were sold for a profit. Buy back prices were usually higher than slave market price. Many Yazidi families have scraped together the money needed for a loved ones safe return only to find out theyve been tricked, an Iraqi with close ties to the government in Baghdad said. The scammers are everywhere, he said. They are in Iraq and they are outside of Iraq. Its terrible. Rescue groups have raised funds in North America, including through GoFundMe.com. The efforts have raised alarms in some quarters, both that donors could be getting scammed and also that, even if the funds go to ransom, the process makes captives more valuable and the money ends up in the hands of ISIS. The lack of monitoring on the ground means Western governments must clamp down on funds headed for the caliphate, even if intentions are good, said Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, director of Israel Law Center, which focuses on blocking funding to terror groups. A representative for crowd-funding platform GoFundMe told FoxNews.com that red flags have indeed been raised as to whether campaigns of this nature have directed funds to ISIS in order to secure the release of hostages, and that they have referred matters to the Office of Foreign Assets Control with concerns over violations of U.S. sanctions. A spokesperson for the U.S Department of the Treasury responded that online donations are not a significant contributor to ISILs wealth. Rather, it remains the case that ISIL has generated the vast majority of its funds through oil and gas, extortion, and looting banks in the regions that it controls, the spokesperson said. Liberating a young girl from the clutches of ISIS is worth whatever a heartsick parent or a determined community can afford, said Balak. However, other than some sort of cash exchange there are seemingly few other options to bring back the innocent victims. Looking at the greater human tragic picture, rescuing a human being in the hands of savages should not be counted toward terrorism funding, Balak added. The U.N.'s Syria envoy says delegates will begin arriving in Geneva Wednesday for "substantive, deeper" talks between the Syrian government and opposition representatives set to begin on March 14. Staffan de Mistura says the talks will once again be "proximity" talks meaning indirect talks with the parties in separate rooms and the envoy shuttling between them. He says the talks are expected to last for about 10 days before breaking up for a recess. Speaking at a press conference in Geneva, de Mistura said a cease-fire in Syria now approaching two weeks is still holding "by and large," and was open-ended as far as the U.N. was concerned. The U.S. is reportedly in talks with Australia about housing long-range bombers that would be within striking distance of the South China Sea, a move that would increase the tensions between Washington and Beijing. Lt. Col. Damien Pickart, a spokesman for the U.S. Air Force, told Reuters Wednesday the deployments could include B-1 bombers and an expansion of B-52 bomber missions. However, Pickart noted that talks between the two countries were preliminary. "These bomber rotations provide opportunities for our airmen to advance and strengthen our regional alliances and provide (Pacific Air Forces) and U.S. Pacific Command leaders with a credible global strike and deterrence capability to help maintain peace and security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region," Pickart told Reuters. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull declined to comment on the matter when approached by reporters. "I can just assure you that everything we do in this area is very carefully determined to ensure that our respective military forces work together as closely as possible in our mutual national interests," he said. Should the U.S. and Australia reach an agreement, it is sure to add more pressure on China. "Cooperation among relevant counties should protect regional peace and stability, and not target the interests of third parties," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in a briefing. Washington sent an aircraft carrier and five escort ships to the South China Sea last week. The dispatch sent a signal to China that the U.S. Navy will continue to conduct freedom of navigation patrols even as China continues to militarize the artificial reefs, defense officials told Fox News. The possibility of the U.S. stationing B-1 bombers in Australia was broached last year, but Australias Defense Minister said they had misspoken. The U.S. conducts B-52 missions from Australia periodically, but doesnt fly any B-1s from there. Click for more from Reuters. U.S. special forces captured the head of the Islamic State terror group's unit trying to develop chemical weapons in a raid last month in northern Iraq, a defense official tells Fox News. "We are using information we have learned for operations, one official said. The captured operative was identified as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari. He told U.S. interrogators ISIS had converted banned mustard gas into powdered form to launch in artillery shells, The New York Times adds. Just yesterday, defense officials said U.S. warplanes in Syria targeted and likely killed an ISIS leader who served essentially as the terror group's secretary of defense. The Iraq raid marks one of the first known major success of Washington's more aggressive policy of pursuing jihadis on the ground. The Obama administration launched the new strategy in December, deploying a commando force to Iraq that it said would be dedicated to capturing and killing ISIS leaders in clandestine operations, as well as generating intelligence leading to more raids. U.S. officials said last week the Delta Force team had captured an Islamic State leader but had refused to identify him, saying only that he had been held for two or three weeks and was being questioned. Iraqi officials said al-Afari worked for Saddam Hussein's now-dissolved Military Industrialization Authority where he specialized in chemical and biological weapons. They said al-Afari, who is about 50 years old, heads the Islamic State group's recently established branch for the research and development of chemical weapons. He was captured in a raid near the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, the officials told The Associated Press. They would not give further details. The weaponized mustard gas that ISIS has developed would not be concentrated enough to kill, but could badly wound its victims, a defense official told The Times. An initial assessment of the U.S. airstrike conducted in Syria last week showed that it likely killed commander Omar al-Shishani, also known as Omar the Chechen, along with 12 additional ISIS fighters, officials added. Beyond intelligence value, the capture in Iraq could strike a blow to what Iraqi and American officials have described as a determined effort by the Islamic State group to develop chemical weapons. A Mideast watchdog released photos in 2014 suggesting the terror network seized chemical weapons from Saddam Hussein's old stockpiles and deployed them on ethnic Kurds in neighboring Syria. The Kurds apparently were killed by "mustard gas or some kind of blistering agent, the Middle East Review of International Affairs told Fox News at the time. ISIS was believed to have set up a special unit dedicated to chemical weapons research, made up of Iraqi scientists from the Saddam-era weapons program as well as foreign experts who joined the group. Iraqi officials expressed particular worry over the campaign because ISIS gained so much room to operate and hide chemical laboratories after overrunning around a third of the country in the summer of 2014, joined with territory they controlled in Syria. Iraqi officials say the group has ambitions to develop more dangerous agents like nerve gas, though the U.S. has said it appears still far from that goal. Tests confirmed mustard gas was used in a town in Syria when ISIS was launching attacks there in August 2015. The United States has been leading a coalition waging airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria for more than a year. The campaign has been key to backing Iraqi and Kurdish forces that have slowly retaken significant parts of the territory the militants had seized. But after coming under pressure at home for greater action against the militants, the Obama administration moved to the tactic of stepped up commando operations on the ground. Last year, U.S. special forces killed a key ISIS leader and captured his wife in a raid in Syria, but the new force in Iraq was intended as a more dedicated deployment. American officials have been deeply secretive about the operation. Its size is unknown, thought it may be fewer than 100 troops. "This is a no-kidding force that will be doing important things," was about all Defense Secretary Ash Carter would say about the force in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee in December. Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Yaron Goldman grew up in New Orleans cooking all the time and says he dreamed of having his own restaurant one day. "I have always enjoyed cooking, ever since I was a child," says Goldman, the second largest McAlister's Deli franchisee in the system. "My sister and I use to cook all the time and there is nothing better than serving someone a great meal." These days, Goldman is dishing up even loftier goals. The chief executive officer of Southern Deli Holdings LLC is at the helm of a strategic growth plan that includes 2016 revenue projection in excess of $100 million and the addition of three more brands in the next 10 years. The franchisee currently operates 59 McAlister Deli restaurants in North and South Carolina, Missouri, Colorado, and Wyoming and three MOD Pizza spots, the made-to-order Seattle-based fast casual pizza chain. Goldman has been with McAlister's since 1996, when he took a job as a sandwich maker to earn extra cash, while studying at the University of Alabama. Three months later, Goldman was tapped fulltime to manage the Tuscaloosa restaurant. "I just loved the job from day one," says Goldman, who earned his MBA at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. "I had always worked, but never looked forward to coming to work until I got that job." Goldman ultimately partnered with the folks that hired him to open his first McAlister's Deli in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1999 as part of an area development agreement. Goldman's aim is now focused on growing the company's portfolio in size and brands and empowering his team system-wide. "In my experience if employees are allowed to make decisions, they usually will make the right ones," Goldman says. "In the instances where I have tried to micro manage the business, it always seems to backfire. Generally people will do the right thing when given the opportunity." While Goldman will only say the company has "a few brands targeted," SDH is seeking franchises with a matching corporate culture, quality product "that my own family would eat," a brand that also owns and operates a significant number of units. Goldman looks for a 25 to 30 percent capitalized return for each unit the franchisee opens. In the end, it is about unit economics. "The store level P&L is where everything happens," says Goldman. "I don't believe you can add new units just to spread overhead costs. The store level EBTIDA has to be worth the investment." Name: Yaron Goldman Title: CEO Company: SD Holdings, with offices in Matthews, North Carolina and Fort Collins. Colorado. No. of units by brand: 59 McAlister's Deli, 3 MOD Pizza Age: 41 Family: Married Years in franchising: 16 Years in current position: 16 Active Real Estate Joins Coldwell Banker Real Estate Franchise Network TIFTON, Ga. - Feb. 24, 2016 // PRNewswire // - Active Real Estate is now serving the Tift and Ben Hill counties' residential real estate market as the newest member of the Coldwell Banker global franchise network. The firm will now do business as Coldwell Banker Active Real Estate. The company was founded by Melissa Burgess in 2007 and has 15 independent sales associates with more than 65 years of combined experience in real estate sales. Burgess was one of five sales professionals from the company recently honored by the Tiftarea Board of Realtors with the Circle of Excellence award, joining Al Johnson, Mona Bennett, Blake Marshall and Lamar Boyer. "We are proud to have Melissa and her sales associates as part of the Coldwell Banker network and look forward to expanding the Coldwell Banker presence into the south central area of Georgia," said Budge Huskey, president and chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. "Our area offers a sense of community coupled with an affordable cost of living that is below the state average," said Burgess. "The continued growth we are seeing with new businesses opening storefronts and restaurants in the area, especially in the historic downtown district and west of Interstate 75, Tift Countycontinues to show signs of a positive local economy. Our housing market is being impacted by low inventory levels at the entry level, making it a great opportunity for homeowners thinking about putting their home on the market." "We are thrilled to be joining the Coldwell Banker network and believe it is a win-win situation in which our sales associates receive a competitive edge through such a respected global brand," Burgess continued. "We are very impressed with the unmatched resources and marketing power Coldwell Banker provides and look forward to increasing the value we currently provide to our clients." About Coldwell Banker Active Real Estate Coldwell Banker Active Real Estate has two locations at 319 South Main Street, Tifton, GA and 125 South Main Street, Fitzgerald, GA. They can be reached at (229) 386-8161 or http://activerealestateinc.com. SOURCE Coldwell Banker Active Real Estate Contact: Melissa Burgess (229) 386-8161 Burgess31750@yahoo.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Pizza Patron Looks to Add 60 New Stores in Houston DALLAS, TX - (Marketwired - Feb 24, 2016) - Pizza Patron, widely known for its PIZZA POR PESOS program, announced today that it plans to add 60 new franchised stores in the Houston metropolitan area over the next five years. Company officials say the Houston market represents an unparalleled opportunity for growth for the brand inside the U.S. Harris County trails only Los Angeles County among the 60 counties in the U.S. with the largest Hispanic populations, according to a recently released Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. Among the 2.11 million Hispanics in the Houston metropolitan area, 41 percent are foreign-born, the fourth-highest percentage among the 10 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., the Pew report shows. "We have a loyal core customer and with stats like this we are very optimistic that we will continue to expand our footprint and serve them all," said Victor Vazquez, vice president of Business Development for Pizza Patron. "The ceiling of opportunity has never been higher for any market like it is for Houston." Recently, the chain reignited its franchising program and bolstered its corporate support team in preparation for the expansion by adding Isaiah Melendez as its new franchise sales manager. The company is seeking franchise partners and investors looking to capitalize on the brand's history and experience. Potential franchisee candidates include seasoned restaurateurs with multi-unit experience and qualified owner operators that are solely devoted to their Pizza Patron business and live in the community they serve. Including a franchise fee of $20,000, the initial investment to own and operate a Pizza Patron restaurant starts as low as $211,100. "We have recently announced a new standalone store model that greatly expands real estate opportunities," said Vazquez. "Because it stands alone, it stands out from strip center businesses, heightening our brand awareness and maximizing the ROI for our franchisees." Company executives tout the new concept as the future of quick service pizza, bringing the convenience of fast food to the carryout pizza experience. This is a very exciting time for Pizza Patron and our partners, says Vazquez. About Pizza Patron Since 1986, Pizza Patron has been committed to making its promise of "Mas Pizza. Menos Dinero." a reality for every customer. From the beginning, the brand has been recognized for its 'fresh-dough' pizza, its low prices and its trademark "friendly, bicultural service." In 2007, the company drew international media attention with its PIZZA POR PESOS program when it began accepting Mexican Pesos at all of its restaurants. In 2012, the company's PIZZA POR FAVOR promotion that gave free pizzas to anyone who ordered in Spanish sparked international news coverage and lively debate throughout the U.S. Today, Pizza Patron is the leading Mexican pizza brand in the U.S. and remains dedicated to bringing its unique experience to life with every pizza made, and in every community it serves. Website - www.pizzapatron.com Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pizzapatron Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/pizzapatron SOURCE Pizza Patron Contact: Sandy Bell 972-800-1745 ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus 7-Eleven, Inc. Increases Canadian Presence with Acquisition of Imperial Oil Locations IRVING, Texas - March 8, 2016 // PRNewswire // - 7-Eleven, Inc. announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, 7-Eleven Canada, Inc., has agreed to acquire approximately 148 convenience and fuel retail sites from Imperial Oil of Canada. The sites are located in the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, and include the metropolitan areas of Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. Anticipated to close later this year, the transaction is subject to standard closing conditions and regulatory approvals. "The acquisition of these prime locations will increase our presence in westernCanada and build on 7-Eleven's already strong brand recognition in the country," said Stan Reynolds, 7-Eleven executive vice president, chief administrative officer and chief financial officer. "This acquisition is an important step in continuing the company's growth as the world's largest convenience retailer." Upon the closing of the transaction, 7-Eleven will continue to market Esso-branded fuel supplied by Imperial. During a transition period, most of the convenience stores will be converted to 7-Eleven stores remodeled and stocked with a full assortment of fresh products. Currently, 7-Eleven, Inc. operates more than 500 stores in Canada. About 7-Eleven, Inc. 7-Eleven, Inc. is the premier name and largest chain in the convenience retailing industry. Based in Irving, Texas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises and licenses more than 10,700 7-Eleven stores in North America. Globally, there are some 58,400 7-Eleven stores in 17 countries. 7-Eleven has been honored by a number of companies and organizations. Accolades include placing #7 on Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 list for 2016, #1 on Entrepreneur magazine's 2014 Top Global Franchise list; #10 spot on Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 list for 2015; #1 on "Best Retail Franchises" list for April 2015 by FranchiseRankings.com; #3 on Forbes magazine's Top 20 Franchises to Start; and is among GI Jobs magazine's Top 100 Military Friendly Employers for 2016. 7-Eleven is franchising its stores in the U.S. and expanding through organic growth, acquisitions and its Business Conversion Program. Find out more online at www.7-Eleven.com. SOURCE 7-Eleven, Inc. ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus FirstLight HomeCare Announces Plans to Expand in Dallas Fort Worth Area Nationally known in-home care franchise hosts seminar to showcase new ownership opportunities throughout DFW metroplex. March 09, 2016 // Franchising.com // CINCINNATI, Ohio. FirstLight HomeCare, a provider of quality, non-medical in-home care, is hosting a free Franchise Seminar March 24th from 6 8 p.m. at the Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum in Dallas, Texas. The company invites entrepreneurs to attend to learn about upcoming ownership opportunities in the Dallas Fort Worth area and hear more about FirstLights recent growth and development. The need for quality, non-medical home care services has never been greater, and we want to provide the path for entrepreneurs in the DFW area to meet this growing need, said Jeff Bevis, FirstLight HomeCare Chief Executive Officer. Seminar attendees will understand the benefits of owning a non-medical home care franchise and have the chance to interact with FirstLight executives who will explain how the franchise will support them every step of the way. This free, no obligation informational seminar is open to all entrepreneurs in the Dallas Fort Worth area. Bill McPherson, Executive Director of Franchise Development, will share ownership opportunities and discuss the huge potential of the growing non-medical home care industry. Attendees will also learn about the many ways FirstLight HomeCare sets its franchisees up for success, including through its award-winning training and operational support programs. Owning a FirstLight HomeCare franchise gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to make a difference in peoples lives, while building their own business in the fast-growing, $70 billion non-medical home care industry, added McPherson. To register for the Free Home Care Franchise Seminar, visit http://www.firstlightfranchise.com/explore-business-ownership-opportunities-firstlight-homecare or call (866) 985-5348. For more information about FirstLight HomeCare, visit www.firstlighthomecare.com. About FirstLight HomeCare FirstLight HomeCare creates a new standard in non-medical home care by combining best practices with innovative approaches to make the franchise an emerging market leader in a fast-growing industry. Services can be provided at private residences, assisted-living facilities, retirement communities, nursing homes, adult-family homes or group homes. Clients might also include new mothers, individuals recovering from surgeries and others. To learn more, visit www.firstlightfranchise.com. SOURCE FirstLight HomeCare Media Contact: Ashley Reilly Ripley PR 865-977-1973 areilly@ripleypr.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Fresh Healthy Vending Continues Expansion of Corporate Team Adding Nik Wright as Director of Operations Wright Brings 17 Years of Restaurant and Franchise Experience to the Growing San Diego-Based Franchise Company SAN DIEGO, CA - (Marketwired - Mar 9, 2016) - Fresh Healthy Vending International, Inc. (OTCQB: VEND), the nation's leading healthy vending franchisor, today announced Nik Wright as the company's new Director of Operations, continuing the recent expansion of their corporate team. Wright, a veteran of the restaurant and franchise industry, will oversee logistics and implementation of Fresh Healthy Vending's newest concept, the Reis & Irvy's robot-manned frozen yogurt kiosk. "Nik's experience with Sopra franchise brands combined with his direct day-to-day responsibility of operating an earlier model of the Robofusion Frozen Yogurt Kiosk makes him the ideal candidate to head up operations for our newest franchise concept, Reis and Irvy's. With extensive technical product knowledge, a background in franchisee relations and a passion for logistics, we couldn't be more pleased having Nik join the team," says Nick Yates, Chairman of FHV Wright, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in culinary arts and restaurant management, brings extensive industry experience and a solid understanding of premiere brand operations. He previously held positions as the Regional General Manager for Desert Island Restaurants and most recently, as President of Food and Beverage for Sopra Franchise Brands, where Nik helped launch an international frozen yogurt chain and was directly responsible for the development of operational best practices for a franchise network that spanned from Oklahoma to Dubai. "There is nothing quite like the experience of watching a new concept develop into a living and breathing business," says Wright. "The look on a franchisees face when they are handed the keys to their new business is truly a magical experience for me. It's why I love what I do." Fresh Healthy Vending International anticipates an upcoming name change and will officially launch its second franchise concept in April 2016. Wright's hiring also continues a major expansion to Fresh Healthy Vending's corporate team. The San Diego company recently announced both the acquisition of Paul Schmidt as Chief Marketing Officer and Craig Stein as Director of Business Development. About Fresh Healthy Vending Fresh Healthy Vending, based in San Diego, California, is North America's leading healthy vending franchisor. Fresh Healthy Vending pioneered the concept of vending machines stocked with tried-and-tested fresh, healthy snack options to serve the growing market of health-conscious consumers. The Company has over 240 active franchisees throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas, and continually looks to partner with like-minded entrepreneurs who share its vision. The Company has booked over 2,900 machines for placement in schools, universities, hospitals, community centers, military bases, airports, fitness facilities, YMCAs, libraries and many other locations. Fresh Healthy Vending's stock is traded on the OTC Markets, Symbol: VEND. Cautionary note on forward-looking statements Except for historical information contained in this release, statements in this release may constitute forward-looking statements regarding assumptions, projections, expectations, targets, intentions or beliefs about future events that are based on management's belief, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. While the Company believes that expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurances that goals, results and strategy will be realized. Numerous factors, including risks and uncertainties, terms and availability of financing, may affect actual results and may cause results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements made by the Company or on its behalf. In addition to statements, which explicitly describe risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements labeled with such terms as "believes," "belief," "expects," "intends," "feels," "anticipates," "proposes," "proposed," or "plans" to be uncertain and forward-looking. More detailed information on these and additional factors that could affect Fresh Healthy Vending's actual results are described in Fresh Healthy Vending's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Form 10-Q's for the quarterly periods ended December 31, 2015 and September 30, 2015, and its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015. All forward-looking statements in this news release speak only as of the date of this news release and are based on Fresh Healthy Vending's current beliefs and expectations. Fresh Healthy Vending undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. SOURCE Fresh Healthy Vending Contact: Paul Schmidt info@freshvending.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus It's St. Patrick's Day! Wear Green At IHOP Restaurants And Get One Short Stack Of Buttermilk Pancakes For Just $1 GLENDALE, Calif. - March 9, 2016 // PRNewswire // - You don't need the luck of the Irish on St. Patrick's Day to celebrate with a real treat at your local IHOP restaurant. On March 17th, from 7 AM to 7PM, the wearing of the color green will get guests one short stack of IHOP restaurant's world famous buttermilk pancakes for just one dollar at participating restaurants nationwide. This marks the first year that IHOP restaurants are celebrating St. Patrick's Day with a nationwide promotion. Guests who come to dine in the restaurant wearing even a touch of green will be able to purchase one short stack of buttermilk pancakes for one dollar. "St. Patrick's Day is all about luck, and we feel we're so lucky to have guests who love the IHOP brand as much as they do," states Kirk Thompson, Senior Vice President, Marketing, International House of Pancakes, LLC. "And, since we believe that the only thing better than a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow is a short stack of buttermilk pancakes, what better way to celebrate this fun day when everyone can be Irish!" About International House of Pancakes, LLC For over 57 years, International House of Pancakes, LLC has been a leader, innovator and expert in all things breakfast, any time of day. The chain offers 65 different signature, fresh made-to-order breakfast options, a wide selection of popular lunch and dinner items as well as meals under 600 calories. IHOP restaurants offer guests an affordable, everyday dining experience with warm and friendly service. As of December 31, 2015, there were 1683 IHOP restaurants in 50 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam as well as Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatarand the Philippines. IHOP restaurants are franchised and operated by Glendale, Calif.-based International House of Pancakes, LLC and its affiliates. International House of Pancakes, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DineEquity, Inc. (NYSE: DIN). SOURCE IHOP Restaurants Contact: Kelsey Harrington Wills Communications, Inc. 310-376-6600 kharrington@willscom.com Craig Hoffman IHOP Restaurants 818-637-3603 Craig.Hoffman@dineequity.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Jersey Mike's Subs Opens New Columbia Location Owner Celebrates With Free Sub Fundraiser March 09, 2016 // Franchising.com // Columbia, TN - Jersey Mikes Subs, known for its fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs, opened in Columbia on March 2. Franchise owner Jon Newton held a grand opening and free sub fundraiser from Wednesday, March 2 to Sunday, March 6 to support The Family Center. The new restaurant, located at 1202 South James Campbell Blvd., circulated 7,500 coupons throughout the community offering a free regular sub for a minimum $2 donation to The Family Center. We are looking forward to bringing back the Jersey Mikes brand to the Columbia community, said Newton. We are partnering with The Family Center during our grand opening celebration to shed light on the hard work the organization does. With each customer we are able to serve our authentic sub sandwiches that are freshly sliced right in front of them and we cannot wait to share that experience with them. Newton is an exemplary Jersey Mikes franchise owner who shares the companys commitment to quality products and exceptional customer service, and who is dedicated to giving back to the local community. Since 2010, Jersey Mikes locations throughout the country have raised nearly $14 million for worthy local charities and have distributed more than 1.5 million free sub sandwiches to help numerous causes. All March long, franchisees throughout the nation are celebrating the 6th Annual Jersey Mikes Month of Giving. Last year, $3 million was raised for 150 different charities nationwide. About Jersey Mikes Started in 1956, Jersey Mikes now has 1,500 restaurants open and under development nationwide. In 2015, for the second year in a row, the company was named the #1 fastest growing chain in the Nations Restaurant News Top 100, and continues to win best sub awards in virtually every market it enters. The growth is fueled by passionate Jersey Mikes fans who crave their subs made Mikes Way with the freshest vegetables onions, lettuce and tomatoes topped off with an exquisite zing of the juice red wine vinegar and olive oil blended to perfection. Jersey Mikes premium meats and cheeses are sliced on the spot, piled high on in-store baked bread and served up with a helping of neighborly banter from a dedicated and high-energy team. The restaurants hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. You can contact this location directly at (931) 548-2828. SOURCE Jersey Mikes ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Primrose Schools Looks Toward Future Real Estate Growth Early education franchising company currently has 22 schools under development in 14 states. ATLANTA - March 9, 2016 // PRNewswire // - Primrose Schools, the nation's premier early education and care provider, has started the year with a full development pipeline that will continue to expand its presence across the country. The franchise company also has identified several key growth markets and is actively expanding its national footprint. Primrose currently has 22 new schools under construction in 14 states, and nine more schools will break ground during the first half of the year. Primrose is scheduled to open five new schools in the first quarter of 2016, 13 schools in the second quarter and four schools in the third quarter. One of those openings will include the first school in the state of Wisconsin, which will expand the franchise's reach into 26 states. "Last year we expanded our reach coast to coast while opening 19 new schools, and 2016 will continue this trend of growth," said Bill Pierquet, senior vice president of school development for Primrose Schools. The company also has identified several key growth markets that contain strong demand for high-quality early education, entrepreneurial interest and available land.Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul, northern New Jersey and northern Virginia are the company's top markets for development activity this year, and urban neighborhoods in these markets are a key part of that strategy. Many of the Primrose locations under development are located in urban areas. "We take great care in identifying the right markets to open new schools," Pierquet added. "The demand for high-quality child care is on the rise in urban areas, in particular, and we look forward to providing a premier early education option that can meet that demand." Primrose currently has more than 300 locations across the country and has enjoyed a five-year pattern of growth, with an average increase of 13.3 percent in system revenue over that time period. The franchise has outperformed its peers while demonstrating its leadership in the early education franchise industry. The strategic growth plan for Primrose Schools projects the franchise company will have 480 school locations by 2020. For more information on site criteria for Primrose Schools, please visithttp://www.PrimroseSchoolsRealEstate.com About Primrose Schools Founded in 1982, Primrose Schools is the nation's leader in providing a premier early education and care experience in more than 300 schools in 25 states. Each Primrose school is independently owned and operated by Franchise Owners, who partner with parents to help children build the right foundation for future learning and life, and offer an environment that helps children have fun while nurturing Active Minds, Healthy Bodies and Happy Hearts. Primrose offers Franchise Owners an industry-leading proprietary early education blueprint and delivery model, as well as financial security, autonomy and a sense of purpose. For more information, visitwww.PrimroseFranchise.com, follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter andYouTube, and explore our news site. SOURCE Primrose Schools ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus The Goddard Schools Dynamic Learning Through Play Curriculum Comes To Snoqualmie Premier Preschool Now Open For Enrollment To The City Community March 09, 2016 // Franchising.com // SNOQUALMIE, Wa. - Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI), the franchisor of The Goddard School preschool system, announces its newest school in Snoqualmie, WA is open. Located at Snoqualmie Parkway, 34510 SE 96th Street Snoqualmie, WA 98065, the new school is owned and operated by franchisee Julio Ibarra. Julio Ibarra and his wife, Maria Elena, acting as the on-site owner, bring a balance of educational volunteer work and a business background to The Goddard School. Julio spent 27 years in business, working in supply chain at Procter & Gamble followed by work with Starbucks as well as the popular yogurt franchise, Menchies Frozen Yogurt. Maria Elena previously used her love of education to volunteer at their childrens elementary and middle schools. Julio and Maria Elena were attracted to The Goddard Schools brand reputation and its focus on the individual performance of every school. The couple originally discovered The Goddard School when researching pre-schools for their own children and were impressed with the franchises balance of a strong business model, franchisor support and financial performance. The Goddard School preschool system prides itself on its unique dual-management system, a distinguisher in the early childhood education industry. Franchise owners are onsite at each location and work alongside an educational director, whose focus is to communicate and work with teachers, as well as to implement The Goddard School curriculum. This dual-management system ensures a hands-on, community-focused approach when it comes to early childhood education. With each school opening, The Goddard School also has a local economic impact, creating an average of 20 to 25 jobs within the community. The Goddard Schools play-based approach, called Fun, Learning Experience (or F.L.EX.), is grounded in research on how children learn best: children experience the deepest, most genuine learning when they are having fun. At The Goddard School, the focus is on building each childs emotional, academic, social, creative and physical skills to provide a well-rounded experience and ensure each one becomes confident, joyful and fully prepared in school and in life. The Goddard Schools proprietary F.L.EX. curriculum has earned AdvancED and Middle States Corporate Accreditation by demonstrating excellence in early childhood education. With nearly 30 years of experience in early childhood education, The Goddard Schools unique dual-management system creates lasting community bonds as owners are on-site at the Schools to provide support to the communities they serve, said Joe Schumacher, Chief Executive Officer of Goddard Systems, Inc. One area that truly sets us apart from other childcare systems is our philosophy based on learning through play, designed to teach and reinforce 21st century skills, including social behaviors such as communication, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration. This philosophy fosters a lifelong love of learning and creates meaningful connections at an early age. Jobs relating to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) are currently the fastest growing segment of the U.S. economy, and a focus on developing 21st century skills such as creativity and innovation as well as the abilities to collaborate, communicate and think critically, is expected to increase over time. By introducing 21st century skill concepts early on, children develop a strong foundation and a passion for STEAM at the very beginning of their education. Maria Elena and I love The Goddard Schools model of having both an on-site owner and a full-time director working together as a team but with clear distinction in responsibilities, said franchisee, Julio Ibarra. With our backgrounds in educational volunteer work and business, we found The Goddard School franchise to be the perfect opportunity where we could truly make a difference. Long recognized as the industry leader, The Goddard School preschool system has been consistently listed in Entrepreneur magazines Franchise 500 ranking as the number one childcare franchise for 15 consecutive years (January 2016). The Goddard School located in Snoqualmie, WA is located at Snoqualmie Parkway, 34510 SE 96th Street Snoqualmie, WA 98065. To reach this location, please call (425) 381-4185 or email SnoqualmieWA@goddardschools.com. For general information and franchising opportunities, please visit www.goddardschoolfranchise.com. About The Goddard School Franchise The Goddard School Franchise, franchisor of The Goddard School preschools, was named the No. 1 Childcare Franchise in the United States by Entrepreneur magazine for the fifteenth consecutive year (January 2016) and one of the Top 200 Franchise Systems (in worldwide sales) by Franchise Times for the ninth consecutive year (October 2015). Headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, The Goddard School Franchise currently licenses more than 430 franchised Schools with more than 50,000 students in 35 states. The Goddard School's AdvancED- and Middle States-accredited F.L.EX. Learning Program (Fun Learning Experience), a comprehensive play-based curriculum developed with early childhood education experts, provides the best childhood preparation for social and academic success. With a proven system in place and a strong network of dedicated franchisees, The Goddard School Franchise is the acknowledged leader in franchised childcare and a premier educational childcare provider. For more information, visit www.goddardschoolfranchise.com. SOURCE The Goddard School Franchise Media Contacts: Amanda Bialek abialek@konnect-pr.com 213-988-8344 Deanna Ashikyan dashikyan@konnect-pr.com 213-988-8344 ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus For many years, rumors have been going around town that the ever-famous Taiwanese Xiao Long Bao brand,will open a branch in the Philippines. I could still remember hearing this news back when we were still based in Manila. Well, those rumors continued to remain as..rumors for 5 years or so. No one really knew who would finally be able to bring Din Tai Fung to our food-loving shores. That was until that fateful day in December when themade every xiao long bao-lovers dream come true.finally opened its flagship branch in. Given that this place houses a lot of international brands such as Tim Ho Wan, St. Marc's Cafe, The Halal Guys and Ippodo to name a few, it then makes perfect sense for Din Tai Fung to join the fun mix. I was in Manila a week after it opened but hearing friends warning us about the long queues, we decided to give it some more time before we go and check it out as we really do not have the luxury of time to queue for more hours on end. So, during the Chinese New Year break, we decided to head tostraight from the airport.My family loves Din Tai Fung and this is one restaurant that we all make sure not to miss wherever we may be in the world. We each have our own favourites and no meal in Din Tai Fung is complete without these. Now, let me share with you the dishes that we had during our first-ever visit to(Php. 155)Mommy loves this refreshing starter and we always get this whenever she's dining with us at Din Tai Fung. It's a delicious Chinese salad consisting of pickled seaweed, tofu strips and noodles. It's really simple but I got to admit that it's really yummy.(Php. 335 - sharing)Another family favourite. We all have varying levels of spicy tolerance but there are only two things in this world that we all agree having lots of as a family -- wasabi and hot & sour soup. Forget the fact that Papa and Pan can take the extreme heat while I would quickly scramble for water at the slightest kick of spice. However, we all love the unique combination of spicy and sour in this thick and rich soup. Even my Ninang M loves this very much that I still remembered how giddy she got upon having her a spoonful of the soup when we dined here in Singapore.(Php. 315/10 pcs and Php. 160/5 pcs)Now, here's the star of the show --. The menu item that has been causing all these long lines not only in the Philippines but in all Din Tai Fung stores all over the world. Well, they do have one of the best xiao long baos that I've ever tasted in my life. The wrapper remains at a very consistent thickness and the soup to meat ratio was just perfect. No dry filling nor was it too soupy that you'll end up making a huge mess. I just can't explain how I really feel about Din Tai Fung's Xiao Long Bao so let's just say, it has won my heart many years ago and it continues to do so till today. This is also Papa's favorite dish!(Php. 220)This is Pan's favourite dish and we would also always get this in every visit. The crisp outer coating, the chunky shrimp filling and the over-all yummy flavor that will make you want more more more! It was actually so good that we quickly dove in to get a piece that I totally forgot to take a photo. Oh dear!(Php. 225)A very simple dish but it would be good to have some veggies to balance all the flavour out. I just find this a tad too expensive though.(Php. 190)It's amazing how Din Tai Fung's menu items are actually very simple but they're really yummy. This is just when restaurants avoided all the fancy-smanshy and continued to improve on what they're really good that. This pork chop is also a must-try and whatever happens, do not skip having this with rice.(Php. 210)Speaking of rice, this is my personal favourite. Theis a delicious meal on its own. I really love how generous they are with the pieces of shrimp added in here and it's not a teeny-tiny size too. I highly recommend the Shrimp Fried Rice at Din Tai Fung.(Php. 145)As much as I love rice, Paul, on the other hand, is a huge fan of noodles. Most especially this dry kind of noodle with minced meat which we both call "Chinese Spaghetti". Seriously, it's like the Chinese version of Bolognese and we love how thehand-pulled noodles complements the very savory minced meat with what we suspect is black bean sauce.(Php. 245)I was afraid that we might not have enough food that night as I wasn't sure how the size of the dishes would be. So I played safe and ordered one last dish the. This is pretty much like a calamari only with a not-so-crunchy coating and the flavor was a bit milder than normal. It was just a-okay for me. I actually was just curious to try it as I don't recall Din Tai Fung Singapore offering this kind of dishes or any main dish for that matter.Isn't it so cool that we all got to enjoy ourfavorites in one meal? Actually, I failed to take note of what my brother-in-law E loved most among all the dishes that we ordered. I have to remember to ask him and we should make it a point to get that on our next visit.I'm also happy to share that's food quality was indeed very authentic. It's closely similar to the ones that I've had here in Singapore, in Hong Kong and yes, even in Taiwan. I hope that they'll add more of the classic dishes in the menu later on such as thes as well as thethat we love so much.Price-wise, Din Tai Fung is indeed comparable to other markets. However, I think it's a bit too expensive for the local Philippine market as one meal can set you back at around Php. 500-Php. 800 per head and a lot more restaurants have price points much lower than that. Well, I may be wrong. Perhaps, Filipino are more than willing to pay a premium price for food nowadays. At least the long queue outside Din Tai Fung seems to tell me so.Will I go back to? CERTAINLY! HARTFORD, Conn.Chicago native Juan Hernandez fell in love with Hartford while attending Trinity College and decided to stay after graduation. But like many members of the millennial generation, hes learned that affording a place to live can be an expensive proposition. Hernandez and his girlfriend pay $1,600 a month to rent a one-bedroom apartment. The grace period for his student loan payments expires this month. An aide to a city council member, the 25-year-old Hernandez plans to attend law school eventually. While he thinks it might make more financial sense to buy a home in Hartford. Hernandez is questioning whether he can qualify for a loan. If youre not working on Wall Street, how are you going to come up with that down payment? said Hernandez, who considers himself lucky to have earned bachelors and masters degrees with only about $15,000 in outstanding student loans. I know people who graduated with $20,000, $40,000, $50,000 in loans. To be completely honest, most of them went back home. Realizing that millennials like Hernandez are burdened with debt, a difficult job market, weak wage growth and a less affordable housing market than their parents, some states are looking to keep educated young professionals within their borders for years to come by helping out with their housing costs. Initiatives like mortgage down-payment assistance, rent subsidies, urban homesteading incentives, partial student loan reimbursement and even millennial villages are being considered across the country to help professionals put down roots in communities. Some programs already in place are being embraced by members of whats become a coveted population because of their sheer numbers, their education levels and their ability to spur urban revitalization and economic growth. The first phase of Marylands Youve Earned It program ran out of money in less than two months because of demand. Now in its second phase, the program provides a discounted mortgage rate and down payment assistance to college graduates with more than $25,000 in student debt and who buy a home in certain regions of the state. Kids are struggling because they spend all this money on their education and then when they come back out to the real world, the jobs they get only pay $30,000, $40,000, said Hartford state Rep. Angel Arce, who would like to create a similar program in Connecticut. These kids get their education in the state of Connecticut. Theyre from the state of Connecticut. Lets find a way to keep their knowledge, keep them here in the state of Connecticut. A bill Connecticut lawmakers are considering would provide a financial incentive to recent college graduates to rent or buy their first home in certain urban areas. To be eligible, the millennial must have at least $20,000 in student debt. Those who meet the qualifications could deduct up to 10 percent of their annual rental or mortgage payments from their personal income liability, as long as the deduction doesnt exceed $1,200 annually. The median price of a home in Hartford is about $111,200; the statewide median is $246,000. Mark Sargent, 22, a public relations specialist in Mansfield, Connecticut, who is shouldering about $65,000 in student debt and would like to buy a home, said he has seen many of his fellow University of Connecticut graduates leave the state for places where they believe theres more opportunity. A housing incentive program, he said, might persuade them to stay. Connecticut is missing out on a huge opportunity with all these millennials out here, right in our backyard, he said. Some cities are using targeted marketing. Columbus, Ohio, bought ads in Washington, D.C., subway stations last year to attract young professionals, highlighting the lower cost of living. A few years ago in Niagara Falls, New York, city officials began offering up to $7,000 in student loan reimbursement to encourage young professionals to move downtown. Rhode Islands new Ocean State Grad Grant program makes awards for mortgage down payments to recent college graduates. Recipients can get 3.5 percent of their first homes purchase price, up to $7,000. Maria Sue Pekary McDonnell, 64, of Spotsylvania County went to be with her Lord after a long battle with cancer on Friday, March 4, 2016, in the comfort of her own home surrounded by her family. Born in Munich, Germany on August 27, 1951, to Istvan and Maria Pekary, Sues Hungarian refugee parents moved to Ohio when she was only a baby. She also lived in New York where she graduated with honors from Cornell University. After successfully running a farm equipment dealership, Sue moved to Virginia where she would live for the remainder of her life. Her heart and soul were invested in the lives of her children and grandchildren, sacrificing much to provide for them. Sues faith in God helped her through tough times as a single parent. Sue was a well-known realtor in the Fredericksburg area for close to 30 years. She restored an antebellum house which sat on 50 acres where she enjoyed raising all kinds of farm animals. She thrived off of the thought of being self-sufficient. Survivors include her mother, Maria Csemez; her children, Tomas McDonnell, Eva M. McDonnell and Scarlet Thompson; her grandchildren, William McDonnell and Eva G. McDonnell; her brothers, Steve Pekary, Peter Csemez and Charles Csemez; and her sister, Kathy Csemez. A Celebration of Life will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 12, at Grace Church of Fredericksburg. A reception will follow at the church. Online guest book is available at covenantfuneralservice.com. New Study Suggests One Twin Siblings with Cancer May put the Other Twin at Risk. A new study showed, that if one twin sibling develops cancer, the odds of the other twin getting cancer increases drastically. -- A large new study on twins has found that having a twin sibling diagnosed with cancer may show a risk for the other twin to develop cancer as well. Among the 23 different types of cancer studied, an excess familial risk was discovered for almost all of the cancers, including common cancers such as breast and prostate cancer, but also more rare cancers such as testicular cancer, head and neck cancer, melanoma, ovarian and stomach cancer. The study, led by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the University of Southern Denmark, and the University of Helsinki, is the first to inform people of family risks for these and other rarer cancers. The study showed, that if twin pairs where both to developed cancer, each twin, would most often developed a different type of cancer--which suggests that, in some families, there is a shared increased risk of any type of cancer. "Prior studies had provided familial risk and heritability estimates for the common cancers--breast, prostate, and colon--but, for rarer cancers, the studies were too small, or the follow-up time too short, to be able to pinpoint either heritability or family risk," said Lorelei Mucci, associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard Chan School and co-lead author of the study. The study also looked at heritability of cancer. "Findings from this prospective study may be helpful in patient education and cancer risk counseling," said Jaakko Kaprio, from the University of Helsinki and co-senior author of the study. The researchers looked at more than 200,000 twins, both identical and fraternal. The Twins Studied were followed over an average of 32 years. Overall, one in three people in the study developed cancer over the course of a lifetime. Cancer was diagnosed in both twins for 3,316 of the pairs, in whom the same cancer was diagnosed among 38% of the identical twins and 26% of the fraternal twins. The researchers estimated that, when one fraternal twin was diagnosed with cancer, the sibling twin's risk of getting cancer was increased to 37%. In identical twins, the risk jumped to 46%. One of the strongest familial risks had been seen in testicular cancer. The researchers found that a man's risk of developing this disease was 12 times higher if his fraternal twin got it, and 28 times higher if his identical twin developed it. Given the fact that fraternal twins are similar, the finding of excess cancer risk among fraternal twin pairs can provide information about an increased cancer risk for families in which one sibling gets cancer. The researchers also found that the heritability of cancer overall was 33%. Significant heritability was found for skin melanoma (58%), prostate cancer (57%), non-melanoma skin cancer (43%), ovarian cancer (39%), kidney cancer (38%), breast cancer (31%), and uterine cancer (27%). "Because of this study's size and long follow-up, we can now see key genetic effects for many cancers," said Jacob Hjelmborg, from the University of Southern Denmark and co-lead author of the study. "This study was possible given the unique databases in the four Nordic countries, and will be a future resource to solve other complex questions in cancer," said Hans-Olov Adami, adjunct professor of epidemiology at Harvard Chan School and co-senior author of the study. Studies have shown that building a strong immune system is one of the best ways to lessen people's chances of contracting cancer. Learn more For more information about us, please visit http://www.fucoidanforce.com/ Contact Info: Name: Heather Mills Organization: Fucoidan Force Address: Sarasota, fla Phone: 8007014556 Release ID: 106222 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) The LIHTC Group Welcomes Jonathan Richards The LIHTC Group has recently brought on Jonathan Richards; a seasoned multi-family broker, into the firm to utilize his vast experience in the apartment complex brokering space along with Low Income Housing Tax Credit properties. -- The LIHTC Group recently announced that Jonathan Richards has joined the firm as senior vice president in their Florida office. He will be responsible for leading affordable and market-rate apartment investment sales in Florida and throughout the Southeast. A seasoned apartment investor and brokerage veteran, Richards will leverage his extensive experience in acquisitions, dispositions, development, apartment ownership, and financing to meet the diverse needs of institutional and private clients on a national basis. He has over 20 years of commercial real estate experience, participating in the sales of properties with a value in excess of $1.2 billion. He represents a wide range of clients, including private capital and institutional investors, tax credit and tax-exempt bond investors and syndicators, public and private REITs, and developers. Richards joins The LIHTC Group from CRE Consultants, where he was in charge of multifamily brokerage and capital markets transactions for the Florida market. Previously, Richards was a director with CBRE's multi-housing team covering the Southwest Florida market. Before joining CBRE, Jonathan was the managing director for a private real estate equity investment firm which specialized in the development and management of multi-family income properties in Arizona, Texas and Florida. Richards has a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA from the University of San Francisco. Based in Chicago and Florida, The LIHTC Group specializes in providing national brokerage and consulting services for investors of Section 42 low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) and market-rate apartment properties. The firm's unique structure allow it to utilize a national platform to successfully facilitate acquisitions and dispositions on behalf of its clients. Licensed in 28 states and Puerto Rico, The LIHTC Group advisors collectively have over xxx years of experience in the multi-family investment industry and have completed over $2 billion in apartment sales transactions. For more information about us, please visit http://www.lihtcgroup.com/ Contact Info: Name: Chris Scanlan Email: cscanlan@lihtcgroup.com Organization: The LIHTC Group Address: 4851 Tamiami Trail North Suite 200 Naples, FL 34103 Phone: +1 239 280 1955 Release ID: 106217 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Zofran Lawsuit Numbers Are Expected To Continue Growing The number of lawsuits filed against GlaxoSmithKline is expected to continue growing even after the discovery and trial phases begin. -- Hundreds of Zofran birth defect lawsuits have been filed against GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and that number is expected to continue growing. Zofran, an anti-emetic medication, has been prescribed in both IV and pill form to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of pregnant women since it first came on the market in 1991. In fact, the drug is still one of the most popular drugs prescribed to expectant mothers to treat their morning sickness, a condition that causes nausea and vomiting. Until recently, however, doctors and their patients were unaware that the drug had not been approved for this use. The FDA only approved Zofran for patients who experience nausea and vomiting after they were treated with chemotherapy and radiation or after being under anesthesia. Controlled safety testing was not performed on pregnant women. Despite this, GlaxoSmithKline pursued an advertising campaign which informed doctors and the public that the drug was a "safe" and "effective" treatment for morning sickness. The company knew that the anti-nausea medications available to OB/GYN's are limited and that doctors are legally able to prescribe drugs "off-label". The company has allegedly received numerous reports of birth defects since they first began this campaign, however, this did not deter them from continuing to promote the drug in this manner. In each of the lawsuits filed, parents allege that Zofran exposure in the womb caused a child to be born with a birth defect. Defects have included cleft lip, cleft palate, transposition of the greater vessels, atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, kidney defects, respiratory defects, and clubfoot. The majority of the lawsuits have been consolidated into MDL 2657. The cases will be tried in the District of Massachusetts by Judge F. Dennis Saylor. The hope is that by consolidating these complaints, all parties involved will be saved time and money. There has been no word as to when the trials will begin. Contact Info: Name: Michael Monheit Email: Michael@Monheit.com Phone: 877-620-8411 Organization: ZofranLegal.com Source: http://www.prreach.com/pr/22447 Release ID: 106252 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Mayor of Ithaca Wants a Heroin Injection Management Facility, Drug and Alcohol Rehab Boston Responds ( March 08, 2016 ) Boston, MA -- According to the Boston Globe, Ithaca mayor Svante Myrick wants his city to be the first in the country to offer medical supervision of heroin users looking to get high. His proposal states that such a facility would also provide resources for rehabilitation and recovery, but primary purpose would be to intervene in case of overdosage. Such injection rooms already exist in some European countries, Canada, and Australia, however U.S. law and political challenges make such creating such a site difficult and controversial. Mayor Myrick supports a methodology of treatment over punishment for people struggling with substance abuse disorders; as such intends to push for support in providing a safe atmosphere for those who would otherwise be vulnerable to overdose and disease. Drug and Alcohol Rehab Boston commends Mayor Myrick's bold initiative in addressing the epidemic of substance abuse in New York and across the country. As a facility providing heroin rehab in Boston to citizen from across the country, Drug and Alcohol Rehab Boston understands the potential benefits of opening a medical center such as the one Mayor Myrick is suggesting. Due to its powerful nature and highly addictive chemical make-up, heroin often clouds one's judgement, which can lead to dangerous situations; a medically monitored injection site can lower those risks. A representative of Drug and Alcohol Rehab Boston comments, "Opposition to Mayor Myrick's proposal stems from a misunderstanding of both addiction and the people who live with it each day. This facility is not about enabling substance abuse, but rather offering a safe alternative. Because we administer heroin rehab in Boston, we understand the unfortunate reality is we cannot force rehabilitation on anyone; providing a secure place, staffed by nurses, and with resources for recovery services is a thousand times better than simply allowing people under the influence of heroin abuse to continue putting themselves in danger on the streets by sharing needles or miscalculating dosages. It may not be an ideal solution, but it is an improvement on what is already a dire situation. We believe that the success of these injection rooms in other countries is more than enough reason to at least try it here in the United States." About Drug and Alcohol Rehab - Boston: Drawn to helping those in need, the dutiful staff of Drug and Alcohol Rehab Boston works unremittingly to bring relief and recovery to their clients. By combining traditional and holistic approaches into personalized treatment programs and considering each client's every need, Drug and Alcohol Rehab Boston goes beyond what is expected of a rehabilitation center. Clients of the facility experience whole body recuperation through nutritious meals, physical activity, and luxuries such as salon and spa services. Additionally, upon completing treatment, Drug and Alcohol Rehab Boston offers additional assistance through referrals to sober living communities, support groups, and relapse support services. For more information about Drug and Alcohol Rehab Boston visit http://drugandalcoholrehabboston.com/ or call (857)267-5049 directly. For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Matteson Partners Taking On New In-House Legal Recruitment Clients (Mon 29th May 17) Huong Nghiep A Au Vocational Guidance School Launches New Major (Thu 25th May 17) FSP unveils new Industrial and Gaming power solutions at COMPUTEX 2017 (Wed 24th May 17) The Best Free Keylogger of 2017 Has Been Announced by the Official Remote Keylogger (Tue 23rd May 17) The Remote Keylogger Development Team Announces An Update to the Official iPhone Keylogger (Thu 11th May 17) CaptureStream Announces its New Streaming Video Recorder and Downloader (Mon 8th May 17) Omaha NE Drug Charges Lawyer Negotiates No Filing in RICO Case A California man suspected of possessing $250,000 in drug money has been cleared of all wrongdoing with the help of Omaha NE drug charges lawyer Daniel Stockmann. Visit his site now; www.NebraskaInterstateDrugDefense.com. -- Just a few months ago, WOWT 6 News reported on law enforcement's potential targeting of out-of-state vehicles on Nebraska's Interstate 80. Though agencies claim this is not the case, the news outlet's research and Omaha NE drug charges lawyer suggests otherwise. The anonymous California man is now free thanks to the help of Omaha drug charges lawyer Daniel Stockmann. The accused was heading westbound on the interstate when he was stopped by law enforcement. Officers discovered he had approximately $250,000 in his vehicle, and surmised it was money from an illegal grow operation in California. "My client had zero criminal history. He didn't deserve to be prosecuted for this offense," explained Mr. Stockmann. The Omaha drug charges lawyer has been in practice for more than 15 years, and has handled numerous drug-related cases in the area. Over the years, he has worked with the same law enforcement agents again and again, and a mutual respect has developed. Mr. Stockmann explained his client's history and the facts of the case to officials, and they agreed not to file any charges at all. As WOWT 6 News reported had charges been filed. The Californian could have faced a state charge for possession of money used in a drug violation, which could come with a five-year sentence and up to $10,000 in fines, or a Federal RICO charge for interstate transportation of money that is the product of an illegal operation, i.e. narcotics distribution, which may have come with up to five years imprisonment and as much as $250,000 in fines. Results like this are not typical, as the California man was able to retain the help of a skilled Omaha drug charges lawyer before the case was underway. The timing, paired with Mr. Stockmann's expertise, ensured that the man was never even charged for a crime. Anyone who runs into a legal issue on Nebraska's highways is urged to hire a competent attorney immediately, in order to receive the best outcome possible. About Daniel Stockmann Omaha drug charges lawyer Daniel Stockmann is one of the most respected criminal defense lawyers in the state of Nebraska. He is well-known for his successes with difficult drug-related cases on a state and federal level, ranging from possession, trafficking, and transporting, to RICO, controlled substance crimes and prescription drug cases. Daniel Stockmann has a reputation for excellence with his clients, other attorneys and judges. His legal team at Stockmann Law handles each case differently, and studies the unique facts in order to create the best strategy. His firm represents people from all over the United States who have been charged with a drug-related crime anywhere in Nebraska. For more information on Omaha drug charges lawyer Daniel Stockmann or Stockmann Law, call (855) 782-1662, or visit www.NebraskaInterstateDrugDefense.com. For more information about us, please visit http://www.nebraskainterstatedrugdefense.com/ Contact Info: Name: Daniel Stockmann Organization: Stockmann Law Address: 9290 W. Dodge Road, Suite 100 Omaha NE 68114 Phone: 855-782-1662 Release ID: 106274 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Commercial Truck Equipment Co. Announces New Job Openings Across Canada Still growing rapidly, country's leading truck equipment supplier seeks talented mechanics, sales representatives, and more, Commercial Truck Equipment Co. reports -- Commercial Truck Equipment Co., the country's largest supplier of truck equipment, parts, and service, announced that the company is hiring at several of its nine locations. New career opportunities at Commercial Truck Equipment Co. locations in Calgary; Surrey, British Columbia; and Woodstock, Ontario, include openings for experienced utility, heavy-duty, and field-service mechanics, sales representatives, and lot assistants. With a balanced, positive work environment, unbeatable benefits and compensation, and plenty of room for professional growth, Commercial Truck Equipment Co. is one of the industry's most highly regarded employers. "Business is booming at our locations all across the country, and that means we are once again looking for new talent to join the team," Commercial Truck Equipment Co. representative Colleen Parent said, "This is a wonderful company to work for, and one that is on track to grow even more in the future. We encourage anyone interested in a career with Canada's top commercial truck company to stop by our website to learn more." Focusing originally on the construction of special-order truck bodies, Commercial Truck Equipment Co. has since the parent company's 1947 founding grown to become Canada's single most prominent and active supplier of trucks, parts, and service. By 1989, the predecessor company had taken on General Motors and the Canadian military as customers, with significant expansions beyond its traditional British Columbia roots occurring around the same time. In 2013, members of the close-knit family of companies were consolidated into today's Commercial Truck Equipment Co., bringing sales, production, and service operations under one organizational roof. In the short time since then, the unified company has opened new branches in Acheson and Grand Prairie, Alberta, and Quebec City, along with an expanded branch in Regina, Saskatchewan. Even while growing rapidly for such a long time, Commercial Truck Equipment Co. and its several predecessor companies have consistently maintained the levels of product and service quality that have made the corporate family such a success for nearly seventy years. Today, Commercial Truck Equipment Co. offers best-in-class truck equipment solutions from the industry's most esteemed manufacturers, representing all of the top names. Maintaining large inventories of work-ready crane, concrete mixer, digger derrick, and tow trucks for sale, the company works with clients all across the country to deliver the solutions they need. With a number of positions now open at Commercial Truck Equipment Co. branches across Canada, qualified applicants will discover attractive opportunities to work with one of the country's leading companies of its kind. The new job openings are detailed at http://commercialtruckequipment.ca, where information about the company's current inventories can also be found. About Commercial Truck Equipment Co.: Serving customers across Canada from nine locations staffed with highly trained, dedicated experts, Commercial Truck Equipment Co. provides the best in truck equipment, parts, and service. For more information about us, please visit http://www.commercialtruckequipment.ca/ Contact Info: Name: Colleen Parent Organization: Commercial Truck Equipment Co. Address: Delta, BC, V3M 6G7 Phone: (604) 526-6126 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/commercial-truck-equipment-co-announces-new-job-openings-across-canada/106435 Release ID: 106435 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Halo Capital Group Announces 3rd Anniversary Celebration ( March 09, 2016 ) New York, NY -- Halo Capital Group, an established leader in bad credit small business loans, today announced the plans for its upcoming 3rd anniversary celebration. Barbara Johnson, Director of Operations of Halo Capital Group, said the company will celebrate the anniversary on January 30th. "It is amazing to think that we have now been in business for 3 years," said Johnson. "All of our employees will be eager to celebrate our anniversary ." Halo Capital Group originally opened on November 2013. Johnson said businesses can call 888-892-7939 for more details on the anniversary celebration. About The Halo Capital Group,: Founded in 2013, Halo Capital Group has helped many businesses with bad credit small business loans. The company's mission statement is "to help small businesses grow and prosper by enabling them to receive commercial loans with the best possible rates and terms (Halo Capital Group)". To learn more about Halo Capital Group, you should call 888-892-7939 or visit them online at https://halocapitalgroup.com. For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Matteson Partners Taking On New In-House Legal Recruitment Clients (Mon 29th May 17) Huong Nghiep A Au Vocational Guidance School Launches New Major (Thu 25th May 17) FSP unveils new Industrial and Gaming power solutions at COMPUTEX 2017 (Wed 24th May 17) The Best Free Keylogger of 2017 Has Been Announced by the Official Remote Keylogger (Tue 23rd May 17) The Remote Keylogger Development Team Announces An Update to the Official iPhone Keylogger (Thu 11th May 17) CaptureStream Announces its New Streaming Video Recorder and Downloader (Mon 8th May 17) Global Automotive LED Lighting Market 2016 Trends, Opportunities & 2019 Forecasts Discussed in New Research Report MarketReportsOnline.com adds "Global Automotive LED Lighting Market: Trends & Opportunities (2016 Edition)" report to its research store. -- The report titled "Global Automotive LED Lighting Market: Trends & Opportunities (2016 Edition) provide an in-depth analysis of the global automotive LED Lighting market with detailed analysis of market size and growth, market share and economic impact of the industry. The report also provides market size of the global automotive lighting market. The report provides detailed regional analysis of Europe, Asia-Pacific (Japan) and Rest of the world for the automotive LED lighting market. Complete report on Automotive LED Lighting market spread across 58 pages providing 4 company profiles and 3 tables and 43 figures is available at http://www.marketreportsonline.com/448415.html. Furthermore, the automotive LED Lighting market report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the global automotive lighting market and global automotive LED lighting market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends. The market for global automotive LED lighting is fragmented and major competitors are Koito, Stanley, Hella and Magneti Marelli. Further, key players of the global automotive LED lighting market are also profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies. Generally the automotive lighting uses three technologies for the lamps which could be LED technology, HID/Xenon or Halogen. The LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are the most recent technology to be used by the automotive industry. The LEDs are used more because of the changing technology and demand for more energy efficiency. Purchase a copy of this Automotive LED Lighting Market research report at USD 800 (Single User License) http://www.marketreportsonline.com/contacts/purchase.php?name=448415. Country Coverage: Asia Pacific (Japan), Europe & ROW Company Coverage of Automotive LED Lighting Market: Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Stanley Electric, Hella & Magneti Marreli There are two main segments of automotive lighting system market which are classified as Exterior Automotive Lighting and Interior Automotive Lighting. There are various sub segments of the exterior and the interior segments of the automotive lighting market, which are Auxiliary Lights, Headlights, Tail lights, Side Lights, Interior Lights, Parking Lights, Brake Light, Fog Lights and Daytime Running Light. Global Automotive LED Lighting market has increased at a significant annual growth rate in 2015 as compared to the preceding year and projections are made that the market would rise in the next five years i.e. 2016-2020 tremendously. The upsurge in the market was due to various factors such as rapid growth in the global automotive industry, increasing focus on fuel and energy efficiency, etc. The major growth drivers for the automotive LED lighting market are increasing sales of lightweight vehicles worldwide, growing automobile industry, increasing LED penetration and focus on energy efficiency. Despite the market is governed by various growth drivers, there are certain challenges faced by the market such as slow growth of vehicle sales in BRIC nations, high costs of LED, high research and development costs, etc. Major Points From Table of Contents (http://www.marketreportsonline.com/448415-toc.html) are listed below: 1. Executive Summary 2. Introduction 2.1 Automotive Lighting by Segments 2.2 Automotive Lighting by Technology 2.3 Advantages of LED Lighting 3. Global Market Analysis 3.1 Global Automotive Lighting Market: An Anlaysis 3.1.1 Global Automotive Lighting Market by Value 3.1.2 Global Automotive Lighting Market by Segments 3.2 Global Automotive LED Lighting Market: An Analysis 3.2.1 Global Automotive LEd Lighting Market by Value 3.2.2 Global Automotive LED Lighting Market by Segments 3.3 Global Automotive LED Lighting Market Sub Segments: An Analysis 3.3.1 Global LED Headlight Market 3.3.2 Global LED Tail Light Market by Value 3.3.3 Global LED Brake Light Market by Value 3.3.4 Global LED DRL Market by Value 3.3.5 Global Automotive LED Market Sub Segments by Penetration Rate 4. Global Market Share Analysis 4.1 Global Automotive Lighting Market Share by Segments 4.2 Global Automotive LED Market Share by Segments 4.3 Global Automotive LED Market Share by Sub Segments 4.4 Global Headlight Market Share 4.4.1 Global Headlight Market Share by Light Source 4.4.2 Global LED Headlight Market Share by Players 5. Regional / Country Analysis 5.1 Asia Pacific Automotive LED Market: An Analysis 5.1.1 Asia Pacific Automotive Lighting market 5.1.2 Japan's Automotive LED Market 5.2 Europe Automotive Lighting Market by Value 5.3 ROW Automotive LED Lighting Market by Adoption Rate 6. Market Dynamics Other Related Reports on LED Lighting Market: Indian LED Lighting Market Forecast to 2019 (http://www.marketreportsonline.com/377931.html) The Light Emitting Diode (LED) market in India has been growing over 50% for the last five years (2009-10 to 2013-14) and expected to sustain this growth rate in the next five year (2014-15 to 2018-19). Although late, the government of India has announced a lot of incentives and measures in order to prioritize LED manufacturing in the country. However, there are lot of LED Lamp assembling companies in India, who design and make LED lamps but they import basic LED chip elements. LED Lighting Industry Forecasts - China Focus (http://www.marketreportsonline.com/424240.html) This study focuses on China's LED Lighting industry forecasts. In the two past decades, the industry has been growing at a fast pace. The dramatic expansions of the manufacturing capabilities and rising consumer consumptions in China have transformed China's society and economy. China is one of the world's major producers for industrial and consumer products. Far outpacing other economies in the world, China is the world's fastest growing market for the consumptions of goods and services. Explore more related reports on automotive market at http://www.marketreportsonline.com/cat/automotive-market-research.html. For more information about us, please visit http://www.marketreportsonline.com/contacts/purchase.php?name=448415 Contact Info: Name: Ritesh Tiwari Organization: Market Reports Online Phone: + 1 888 391 5441 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/global-automotive-led-lighting-market-2016-trends-opportunities-2019-forecasts-discussed-in-new-research-report/106367 Release ID: 106367 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation: New Name, Same Vital Mission Caring for Carcinoid is now the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation (NETRF) and relaunched its website with new vision for the future. -- The Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation is a highly effective nonprofit, dedicated to eradicating neuroendocrine cancers. The organization realized that a name change would allow for a more adaptive and inclusive approach, as well as more access to the necessary funding that is required to achieve and sustain goals towards its broader mission. Therefore, the nonprofit has been renamed in order to recognize the already inclusive body of research. The mission of the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation is to fund research to discover cures and more effective treatments for carcinoid, pancreatic, and related neuroendocrine cancers. In order to fulfill the mission and achieve the rapid discovery of etiology, treatments, and cures, NETRF builds funding mechanisms, engages the public for support, and redirects much-needed funding towards researchers that work towards medical breakthroughs in the field of neuroendocrine cancers. "We are pleased to announce the renaming of the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation as the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation. The Foundation will have more capacity building mechanisms, larger reach, and a more inclusive name that will help to promote the cause of neuroendocrine cancer research and work towards a cure." The NET Research Foundation has been influential in awarding over $12 million dollars to multi-year research opportunities led by scientists at prestigious research institutions and 7 of the top 10 cancer centers in the USA. With the recent gift of $15 million dollars from the Margie and Robert E. Petersen Foundation, the NET Research Foundation will expand and intensify the level of research in order to advance its vital mission. The shift to a more inclusive name will not only allow for the institution to achieve a broader spectrum of funding goals and awards, but also increase educational opportunities for patients, families, and those who are affected by these cancers. The website has been likewise redesigned to be easier for the user to navigate and find information that they need on the topic. The NET Research Foundation would like to invite the public to use the website to gain knowledge and to contribute to this worthy cause: the eradication of cancer in this generation. For more information visit www.netrf.org at Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation, 20 Park Plaza, Suite 478, Boston, MA 02116, (617) 948-2514, info@netrf.org. For more information about us, please visit https://NETRF.org/patient-resources/about-nets/ Contact Info: Name: Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation Organization: Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation Address: 20 Park Plaza, Suite 478, Boston, MA 02116 Phone: (617) 948-2514 Release ID: 106402 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Multi Site Classified Ad Poster Software To Increase Leads & Sales Released AdPlotter, a multi site advert posting service, has launched a new website that makes it easier and faster to generate leads and sales. Users can post their classified adverts to hundreds of locations at the click of a button, and analyze campaign data continuously. -- AdPlotter, a new multi site advert posting service, has launched a website specializing in helping clients get their advertisements in front of as many people as possible at the click of a button. Instead of wasting time hunting down individual pages to post about their product, customers can instead let AdPlotter do the hard work for them - generating leads and increasing sales with ease. More information is available at: http://www.ConnectTrend.com/adplotter/. AdPlotter is a tool that is both easy to use and incredibly powerful. Classified ads can be placed on a huge range of websites instantly - cutting down on time, and, crucially, cost to the customer. Anyone can make use of AdPlotter to take their product to a national or international audience, but it is particularly well suited to those who want to promote something on a continuous basis. Users can make use of the AdPlotter "Smart800 Ad System" to reach a huge variety of sites, which are listed within the database. All they have to do is describe the title of the product they're listing, match it to the right category, create the copy for the advert, and upload an image. This only needs to be done once, and with a single click, the advert is sent out to hundreds of locations. Users can tailor their target market to specific cities or locations, and track the information gathered throughout the process to analyze each campaign. Information is recorded continuously, and always available to break down. One of the benefits of this AdPlotter system is that through backlinking to a customer's website on high-profile pages like Google, Yahoo and Bing, customers can increase their search engine rankings while they advertise their product. As an ever-growing service, its database of websites increases every month - allowing customers' adverts to reach more and more people. Upgrade packages are available, which come with a further suite of benefits to help get users' products noticed. These include multi-city posting, pre-made adverts so users can save even more time by getting their posts out faster, and an SEO Plus feature that helps ensure adverts are SEO friendly. A free trial of AdPlotter is also available at http://www.ConnectTrend.com/adplotterfree/. For more information about us, please visit http://www.ConnectTrend.com/adplotter/ Contact Info: Name: Rob Hoerntlein Organization: Connect Trend Address: PO Box 5501, Sonora, CA 95370 Phone: 209 206-2549 Release ID: 106485 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Putney Beauty Salon Introduces Laser Pigmentation Treatment Cosmedics' Putney Beauty Salon has launched an advanced laser treatment for tackling skin pigmentation. -- Cosmedics Skin Clinics' Putney Beauty Salon has announced a brand new treatment for the difficult yet very common issue of skin pigmentation. Excessive pigmentation is quite a common skin complaint yet one which is notoriously difficult to treat. Now the innovative salon is offering laser pigmentation treatment with the advanced Soprano ICE laser system. This state of the art technology works to target areas of excess pigment within the skin, breaking down the excess melanin to promote clearer skin. Dr Ross Perry, founder and Medical Director of Cosmedics Skin Clinics, explains: "Skin pigmentation is a very common complaint, causing patchy skin with darker tones. This spoils the complexion and the effect can be generally ageing. While there is no medical or health risk, it is an issue which many patients would like to improve for aesthetic reasons." "Treatment choices for pigmentation have previously been quite limited and in some cases, potentially dangerous, where strong bleaching creams or aggressive IPL treatment have been used." "Laser treatment is safe yet effective, using no harsh chemicals at all. The laser wavelengths are specially selected to target only the excessive areas of pigment within the skin. Some people may have just one large 'sun spot' to treat while others have patches of freckles or large dark patches. The beauty of laser treatment is that it can be adjusted for each individual." One of the key contributory factors to skin pigmentation problems is accumulated sun exposure. Those who've sunbathed on holiday, used sunbeds or else simply had an active outdoor lifestyle can find that their skin becomes patchy, especially after the age of 40. However, there are other causes, such as hormones (with pregnancy and menopause both known to trigger pigmentation problems). Acne can also cause pigmentation problems. Dr Perry continues: "Before any treatment, our Beauty Therapists always assess the skin very carefully to understand what is causing the pigmentation problem, as that can have a bearing on how the problem is treated and the likely outcome." "Our Beauty Salon is based within Cosmedics Skin Clinics, where we have a team of practising Aesthetic Doctors. This makes us very clinically aware and our Beauty Therapists can refer patients to a doctor at any time for an expert opinion, which patients find particularly reassuring." "We also provide extensive aftercare advice. Treating the pigmentation is quite possible with our advanced laser system; but to retain results in the long term, patients need to adopt strict sun sense measures, especially in the following couple of months. We ensure that our patients are fully aware of the requirements so that they get the best possible results in the long term." Since launching in 2011, the Putney Beauty Salon has invested continuously in the latest beauty technology and treatments; including laser hair removal, laser skin tightening, electrolysis, EDS Dermastamp, CACI non-surgical and Guinot Hydradermie. Laser pigmentation treatment is a natural addition to the services available. The beauty and hair removal business is part of Cosmedics Skin Clinics, which was established in 2003 and remains a doctor owned and managed company offering a full range of cosmetic treatments, including popular wrinkle relaxing injections, dermal fillers and lip enhancement; plus medical treatments including mole removal, thread vein treatment and excessive sweating injections. The company has a network of clinics in London and Bristol. For more information about us, please visit http://www.putneybeautysalon.co.uk Contact Info: Name: Marketing Organization: Cosmedics Beauty Address: 4 Disraeli Road, Putney, London, SW15 2DS Phone: 0208 246 4861 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/putney-beauty-salon-introduces-laser-pigmentation-treatment/106463 Release ID: 106463 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) The oil price began to drop during the summer of 2014 as US production boomed and economic growth slowed in Europe and China. Fast forward to the present day, and the oil price has now fallen to its lowest level in a decade, which provides some welcome relief at the petrol pumps, but not in the oil company boardrooms. Returns on capital investment have been declining for some time with many exploration projects that were undertaken when oil was north of $100 (70) per barrel no longer viable at todays prices. Indeed, according to international drilling contractor, Noble, daily hire rates for shallow-water drilling rigs in the Gulf and elsewhere have fallen to half the peak levels reached in September 2008. The falling oil price has had a predictable effect on energy stocks. The initial reaction is to sell investments linked to energy production. However, it is worth recalling that the oil price fell by more than 70 per cent in 2008, bottoming at $35, only to trade at $100 per barrel some 25 months later. This is not lost on deep value recovery fund managers, many of whom have identified the sector as unloved, oversold and cheap. In the short term, the falling oil price can be likened to a tax cut for oil-importing nations, and it provides a boost to consumer spending, particularly in the US. It also provides a shot in the arm to high consumption sectors such as airlines, cruise operators and shipping companies. But while this may benefit the US, Europe and Japan, the economies of Russia, Venezuela, and much of the Middle East have all seen their revenues fall. Careful country, sector, and security selection is key to being successful in this environment. One region that seems well set to benefit is Asia. Asian economies are, by and large, net oil importers and exporters of manufactured goods to economies whose consumers are feeling wealthier. Careful country, sector, and security selection is key to being successful in this environment There are a number of fundamental and geopolitical considerations that factor into the oil price, and that will impact on the geographic, sectoral and stock specific opportunities. Uncertainties continue about future demand with growth waning in China and the potential for Western economies to remain stuck in lost decades of long-term slump. Vehicles themselves are also becoming more energy-efficient, although it seems that we are particularly short-sighted in our buying decisions. Evidence from the University of Minnesotas Energy Transition Laboratory suggests that there is a paradox in cheap oil: despite a typical 15-year or so vehicle life, sales of gas guzzlers increase rapidly when petrol prices are cheap. Other factors that affect the oil price remain in play the break-even price of US shale oil is unclear as is the viability of access to reserves in Iran, Mexico and Venezuela. As one analyst put it do not count your wells before they pump. More First State funds are unlikely to follow the Greater China Growth funds lead and re-open to investment for fear of being hit by a flood of assets, buyers have suggested. Investment Adviser revealed last week that First State had re-opened Martin Laus 372m Greater China Growth fund, more than four years after it was closed to new investors. The removal of restrictions imposed in January 2012 also marked the first re-opening of a First State fund since the company split up its First State Stewart business last year. Suggestions had been made that the greater flexibility of the two new businesses, Stewart Investors and First State Stewart Asia (FSS Asia), may have played a role leading to speculation over changes to the Stewart Investors soft-closed funds. These include Jonathan Asantes 2.2bn Global Emerging Market Leaders vehicle and others such as the 710m Stewart Investors Asia Pacific product. However, due to a potential influx of assets such moves could attract, selectors have downplayed this eventuality despite the benefits of the fund houses new structure. Ben Willis, head of research for Whitechurch Securities, said the business split may have made the investment structures more flexible and liquid. He noted that stock position limits capping how much of a stock could be held were previously calculated across the whole of First State rather than on individual portfolios, meaning the changes created greater leeway for fund managers. However, First State denied its decision was due to increased flexibility and said it was the direct result of significant outflows in the China fund. But it said fund capacity would be watched, stating: Capacity continues to be closely monitored across First State and Stewart Investor strategies. Ryan Hughes, fund manager for Apollo Multi Asset Management, said Stewart Investors portfolios would be hit by a huge flood of assets were they to reopen. On the Stewart side I dont see them reopening, he said. The split was because they [Stewart] wanted to take control of their own destiny. They have got significant assets to manage, and they wont potentially compromise that for existing investors by reopening funds. He noted that while the Greater China Growth fund had been a viable candidate for reopening after shrinking in size from more than 600m in assets under management at the time of its soft closure to under 400m other portfolios could be hindered by significant inflows. The Asia All-Cap fund remains the only other FSS Asia fund currently soft-closed. [Greater China Growth] used to be a huge strategy but now its significantly smaller, said Mr Hughes. On the Stewart side, if they did reopen funds I would be fairly certain they would get a huge flood of assets, which is something they would struggle to cope with. Thats not in their interests. Mr Willis agreed the Stewart Investors business was unlikely to be the home for any further fund changes. He added vehicles such as the Indian Subcontinent and Global Emerging Markets funds which are part of the Stewart Investors business may also still be beholden to the total company stock limit rules. M&G Investments saw another 3.5bn of net retail outflows in the final quarter of 2015 as negative sentiment on bonds took further toll on the business. According to parent company Prudentials results, M&Gs total net outflows from retail clients hit 10.9bn last year. The firms institutional business, however, continued to see positive flows throughout the year. Overall retail assets under management at the end of last year dropped to 60.8bn 14.9bn down on the start of 2015 with UK clients accounting for 35.7bn. UK clients accounted for 58.8 per cent of M&Gs retail business at the end of 2015, a rise in share of 4.1 percentage points from 2014. The 3.5bn of net outflows in the final quarter was only a slight respite, falling by 438m from Q3 and by 475m from Q2. Despite the outflows, M&Gs operating profit for the year totalled 442m, down just 1 per cent from a year previous. Mike Wells, Prudential Group chief executive, said: After a period of exceptional growth, M&G had a more challenging year with retail net outflows more than offsetting positive flows from institutional new business. As a result total funds under management declined by 7 per cent to 246.1 billion. Despite this, IFRS operating profit of 442m was broadly in line with last year reflecting actions on costs. The Government has been consulting on changing the current pensions tax relief regime to cut the amount it gives away each year. HM Treasury published its consultation paper entitled Strengthening the incentive to save: a consultation on pensions tax relief on the same day as last summers Budget. If you read between the lines of the 23-page document there is no doubt that the Treasury is worried about the rising cost of its annual pensions tax relief giveaway that is increasing exponentially with auto-enrolment bringing so many more employees into pensions savings. Since 2009/10 the Government has seen a jump in the tax relief it has paid out from about 30bn to nearer 35bn last year. However, if you include relief on both Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs), the Government relinquished nearly 50bn in the 2013/14 tax year. You could also argue that the current pensions tax regime is inequitable as higher rate taxpayers get much more benefit from tax exemptions than lower income basic rate taxpayers as contributions go into their pensions. And yet, when they come to withdraw these savings, they are generally taxed at the basic rate of 20 per cent once their incomes have fallen steeply in retirement. This inequity, as detailed in The Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) savings tax reform study, and also reinforced by thinking from the Centre of Policy Studies (CPS), is clear. To fix this, Michael Johnson at the CPS has long-campaigned for the pension tax regime to be switched from the current exempt-exempt-taxed system (or EET) to the taxed-exempt-exempt (TEE) system of tax payment mirroring the system used for ISAs. But after a great deal of deliberation, the IFS concluded that the current EET system should be retained but that this should be accompanied by the removal of the excessively generous and distorting treatment of employer contributions (that is, allowance of NIC relief in addition to income tax relief on pensions contributions). The IFS report added: The tax-free lump sum is an odd method of providing an additional incentive for saving in a pension. The IFS favours replacing the tax-free cash (TFC) with a reduction in tax rate paid on pension withdrawals. The ABI favours moving to a simpler but perhaps less generous flat tax relief regime or savers bonus based on 25 to 33 per cent of contributions. Tisa has even gone as far as to cost a savers bonus at 33 per cent and has found it to be eminently affordable. So now that all the options are on the table, what will the Chancellor decide to do? We all expected an announcement from him on this in his Autumn Statement last month, but it did not come. Still, there is no doubt George Osborne has been looking at pensions tax relief changes over the next month as he will need to determine how much new money is likely to be coming into the Treasury before he finalises his spending plans in time for the spring Budget on 16 March. More than 40 Gaffney High students will compete for titles in the 2023 Miss Cherokeean Pageant being held this Saturday, Oct. 22. The pageant will begin at 6 p.m. in ... How should you pay for short-term financial goals? As you go through life, you will likely have longand short-term financial goals. But how will your strategies for meeting your long-term goals differ from those needed for your short-term... Story Highlights Approval has ranged from 11% to 16% since August Approval similar across party groups WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In the U.S., 13% approve of the job Congress is doing, in line with approval ratings ranging from 11% to 16% since August. The current rating is just four percentage points above the record low of 9% recorded in November 2013. Approval of Congress has not generally been high, averaging 32% since Gallup began measuring it in 1974. Americans' views of the country's legislative body reached a high of 84% after the 9/11 rally that saw record highs on many Gallup measures of confidence in government, but generally waned over the course of President George W. Bush's administration. Though congressional approval received a temporary boost at the beginning of President Barack Obama's administration, it plummeted and hit a record low of 9% in November 2013 in the aftermath of the federal government shutdown. Congressional approval has reached 20% or higher only three times since 2012: in February of last year, shortly after Republicans took control of the Senate; at the time of the 2014 midterm elections; and just before the 2012 presidential election. As has been the case in recent months, Americans of all political stripes give Congress similarly low approval ratings. Currently, 16% of Democrats, 13% of Republicans and 10% of independents approve. This state of affairs, in which Republicans' approval of Congress is no higher than that of Democrats, is contrary to the historical norm. Typically, supporters of the party holding the majority in Congress give the institution significantly more positive ratings than do supporters of the minority party. Republicans in the latter half of 2015 gave Congress some of its lowest approval scores in Gallup's records as then-House Speaker John Boehner struggled to accommodate rival factions of his Republican majority. GOP approval ratings might have been lower during this time because Republicans had taken the Senate in the prior election, but had not accomplished the goals of their rank-and-file on issues such as immigration and Planned Parenthood funding. Bottom Line Americans have generally rated Congress poorly over the past four decades. Ratings since Obama took office have been and continue to be well below the overall average and near historical lows. Any gains in approval in recent years have been minor and short-lived, even after changes in party control of one or both houses of Congress in 2007, 2011 and 2015. Congress is in a unique spotlight this election season, as a select few of its own members or former members vie for the White House, while the remaining members are left to choose between the establishment and anti-establishment candidates within their respective parties -- or to decide whether to publicly support a candidate at all. An election's outcome has ramifications for Congress, including possible changes in party control of each chamber and which presidential candidate party leaders will have to work with for the next four years. In presidential election years, Congress typically does not undertake much substantive action as members look ahead to a potential change in the political makeup of the federal government after the election. That dynamic was made clear after the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, with Senate Republicans giving a strong indication they will not consider a potential replacement until a new president takes office. With Congress unlikely to pass major legislation this year, the chances of its approval rating improving are slim, and there is little room for it to get worse. Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics. Survey Methods Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted March 2-6, 2016, with a random sample of 1,019 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting. Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 60% cellphone respondents and 40% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods. View complete question responses and trends. Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works. Argentine pianist Alejandro Cremaschi will visit Oregon State University and the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library March 11 through 13 for four special events that are part of the Corvallis-OSU Piano International. Cremaschi will perform a concert of Latin American music (with commentary in Spanish) at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 11 at LaSells Stewart Center, 875 S.W. 26th St., Corvallis, as part of the Noche de Alma Latinoamericana. Its an evening filled with traditional dancing, food and his concert. Families are invited to this event by Corvallis-OSU Piano International, OSU Juntos program, Corvallis High School, and the Benton County Department of Health. This community outreach event is free. Cremaschi, a professor of piano at the University of Colorado-Boulder, will present two educational events on Saturday. He will perform a free childrens concert, Canciones y Cuentos, at 11 a.m. at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 N.W. Monroe Ave. At 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Cremaschi will lead a master class on Spanish and Latin American music in Benton Hall Room 303 on the OSU campus. The class is free and open to the public and is sponsored by Corvallis-OSU Piano International and the Linn-Benton Chapter of the Oregon Music Teachers Association. Corvallis-OSU Piano International will present Cremaschi in Romances, Tangos and Dances: Concert with Commentary, at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 13, at LaSells Stewart Center. The program is dedicated to classical music of Latin America and Spain, and features works by Piazzolla, Ginastra, Lecuona, Nazareth and Granados. Admission for the Sunday concert is $20 advance, $25 at the door. Advance tickets are available online at corvallispiano.org or at Gracewinds Music, Grass Roots Books and Music or Rices Pharmacy. Students ages 8 to 18 and college students with valid ID get free admission. SNAP card users can purchase up to two tickets at $5 each by showing their cards at the ticket table. The Corvallis City Council waded into the challenge of homelessness at a Tuesday work session, with two new initiatives receiving lengthy consideration and enough support to keep them on the table. The city is looking at sharing the $80,000 cost with Benton County of an update of the community-wide 10-year plan to address homelessness. Also, the city is looking at putting the lead role in the fight against homeless under the umbrella of the United Way, with that organization supplying a $56,000 lead facilitator paid for by the city and others. Also in the mix of proposals is a plan by Community Outreach Inc., which operates a shelter on Northwest Reiman Avenue, to also operate the emergency shelter currently managed by Corvallis Housing First, but councilors did not discuss that concept Tuesday. Homelessness has been a polarizing issue in the past two years, with residents and downtown businesses expressing concerns about crime and harassment while plans by Corvallis Housing First to expand its shelter on Southwest Fourth Street drew heated opposition. The Corvallis Police Department has conducted two tactical action plans in the downtown and riverfront area which targeted illegal camping, alcohol use, littering and other offenses. Tatiana Dierwechter of the Benton County Health Department and Jennifer Moore, executive director of the United Way of Benton and Lincoln Counties, pitched the new proposals to the council. There is new energy and interest because of the visibility of the homeless in our community, Dierwechter said. We can take some pretty significant steps. Dierwechter said the timing is right for the effort because of the citys ongoing work on vision and action plan and housing development goals and recently passed state legislation that might ease housing issues in Oregon. We have opportunities that we didnt know we had until a week ago, she said of the legislative actions. Even if it has to be on a smaller scale we have to go forward in some way. It doesnt make sense to wait. Acting quickly would mean appropriations from the current fiscal year budget. It wasnt clear where such funds would come from. Ward 9 Councilor Hal Brauner suggested exploring partnerships with Samaritan Health Services, Oregon State University and the Corvallis School District. Brauner also suggested that some reallocation of social services funding might be required. Ward 8 Councilor Frank Hann noted the city might see financial benefits from solving homelessness such as reduced police costs for actions such as cleaning up illegal camps. Because it was a work session councilors could not make a decision. Gregg Olsen, executive director of Corvallis Housing First, was the lone visitor who testified during community comments. Olsen backed the idea of looking for a partnership with Samaritan. Olsen noted that the $68,000 that the city was talking about spending is two nights in ICU. If we coordinate services to keep somebody out of the hospital, it really reduces the costs. Councilors also discussed a report of policy concepts developed by the task force working on the citys goal on housing development. The task force, which has been meeting since June of 2015, submitted a report that includes 15 possible actions, including property tax incentives, systems development charge waivers, easing restrictions on accessory dwelling units, rezoning and density changes, urban renewal and city-sponsored annexations. However, after the task force completed its status report, the Oregon Legislature passed a number of bills that will affect the housing industry, including inclusionary zoning designed to make it easier to develop affordable housing, an end to a state ban on construction excise taxes and limits on voter-approved annexations. The task force will review its plans in light of the new legislation and update councilors at a future work session. Police Log Editors note: This log includes incidents in which there might have been a public disturbance or risk to the public. Information comes from the Philomath Police Department and the Benton County Sheriffs Office. It does not include all calls for service. The status of incidents might change after further investigation. Locations are approximate. People arrested or suspected in crimes are considered innocent until proven otherwise. FRIDAY, FEB. 26 DUII: Philomath Police and the Benton County Sheriffs Office arrested Tera Martin, 23, of Corvallis, on charges of driving under the influence of intoxicants and possession of cocaine following a traffic stop at 6:30 a.m. at Greenberry Road and Highway 99. Martins blood alcohol content allegedly measured between 0.15 and 0.19 percent. She was additionally cited for driving a motor vehicle without required lighting. WARRANT ARREST: Philomath Police arrested Richard Orr, 54, of Philomath, from a residence at 130 S. Eighth St. on two warrants issued by Marion County. The nature of the warrants was not included in the media report. SUSPICIOUS PERSON: Benton County Sheriffs Office deputies enlisted the help of Philomath Police at 8:26 p.m. to locate a suspicious male who ran from deputies when they attempted to speak to him near the 500 block of South 13th Street. The man was not located. FALSE ALARM: Philomath Police responded at 10:30 p.m. to 1244 Applegate St. for an activated commercial burglar alarm. There were no signs of forced entry. SATURDAY, FEB. 27 METH: Following a traffic stop at 12:30 a.m. at 10th and Main streets, Philomath Police arrested Walter Warren Ruck, 35, and Keara Witherspoon, 33, both of Lebanon, on charges of possessing and dealing methamphetamine. DISTURBANCE: Philomath Police and the Benton County Sheriffs Office responded at 2:50 p.m. to a disturbance at a residence on the 2100 block of Main Street. A deputy advised an uninvited guest that he would be charged with criminal trespassing if he returned to the house. ASSAULT: Philomath Police responded at 11:54 p.m. to a report of a fight at 1150 Main St. The caller told the dispatcher that someone had punched someone else and that the aggressor was being detained. Philomath Police arrested Edward B. Haines, 52, of Philomath, on two counts of fourth-degree assault, disorderly conduct and harassment. SUNDAY, FEB. 28 WARRANT: Philomath Police cited James Heaberlin, 21, of Sweet Home, on two warrants following a traffic stop at 1:37 a.m. on the 1500 block of Main Street. The warrants, issued by another jurisdiction, were for failing to appear in court on charges of harassment, second-degree theft and unlawful use of a motor vehicle. MONDAY, FEB. 29 FALSE ALARM: Philomath Police responded at 1:49 a.m. to a burglar alarm at Clemens Primary School. Everything appeared secure and police were unable to determine what sounded the alarm. BURGLARY: A power saw was reported stolen from a locked building on the 300 block of North 15th Street. TUESDAY, MARCH 1 THEFT: Sometime between Feb. 26 and March 1, someone siphoned about 18 gallons of gasoline from a vehicle on the 1100 block of Applegate Street. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2 WARRANT: Elijah Williams, 32, of Philomath, was cited on a warrant when Philomath Police came in contact with him near the intersection of 18th and College streets. The media report didnt indicate any other details about the warrant. THEFT: The Benton County Sheriffs Office took a report of someone stealing from The Woodsman restaurant $1,000 in cash, keys to nine video poker machines, and keys to the ATM. The cash and keys had been in a bank bag that was inadvertently left in public view, a BCSO source reported. The investigation is continuing. Fire Calls Editors note: This log is based on information submitted to the newspaper by Philomath Fire and Rescue. Locations are approximate. FRIDAY, FEB. 26 MEDICAL: 10:56 a.m., 1000 block of Main Street. MONDAY, FEB. 29 MEDICAL: 5:07 a.m., 100 block of North Eighth Street. MEDICAL: 2:10 p.m., 2300 block of Green Street. MEDICAL: 11:41 p.m., 1000 block of Main Street. TUESDAY, MARCH 1 MEDICAL: 4:20 a.m., 300 block of North 11th Street. VEHICLE ACCIDENT: 7:32 a.m., Airport Road at Bellfountain Road. FIRE (CANCELED EN ROUTE): 9:19 p.m., 23800 block of Old River Road. MEDICAL: 10:26 p.m., 300 block of North Seventh Street. THURSDAY, MARCH 3 MALFUNCTIONING SMOKE ALARM: 5:04 p.m., 33800 block of Marys River Estates. The connection most people feel to their high school alma mater usually lasts a lifetime. In a small community such as Philomath, those feelings can take on even more importance with generations of families carrying on Warrior pride. A political battle that has now gone on for years has threatened what many see as an important part of the high schools tradition. The latest chapter to emerge from the state level occurred Jan. 21 when the Oregon Board of Education ruled that schools using Native American mascots and logos could continue to use them if they get permission from one of the states nine tribes. For the region that includes Philomath, that involves the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. Even though Warriors had not been included on a list of banned names, the high school was going to need to change its logo, which depicts the profile of a Native American in full headdress. But now, the school might be able to maintain that representation if the tribe gives its stamp of approval. What we want to do is communicate with the Siletz tribe and find out what they find to be the most respectful course of action and thats the course that were going to take, Philomath schools superintendent Melissa Goff said last week. They are sending letters to all the superintendents within their tribal area letting us know what their thoughts are on the legislative change and what their recommendations are, Goff added. Beyond the PHS logo, the middle schools Braves nickname was among those banned mascots that had to go. As a result, the school began the process to choose a new mascot through parent, community and student surveys dating back to last fall. According to a report prepared for the school board by middle-school principal Steve Bell, a process that included two surveys and review by the schools site council came up with Warriors as the top choice for a new mascot. As such, Bell recommended that the school board adopt the change. We believe changing the Philomath Middle School mascot to Warriors will bring more unity to the high school and middle school, Bell wrote in the Feb. 10 report. We also believe this unity will provide increased support and continuity within our community. The school board took no action on the mascot issue at its Feb. 18 meeting. Im not sure what well do yet we have that on hold right now until we hear from the confederated tribes, Goff said about whether or not the middle school might just keep the Braves mascot. Philomath High School hadnt started any official process to change its logo prior to the legislative action. By the first week of April, you need to let the Department of Education know so we should know very soon what are next steps are going to be, Goff said this past Wednesday. Gary White and Jeff Williams are among those who believe the school mascots should remain in place. White, a 1972 PHS graduate and local insurance agent, has taken a great interest in the issue, leading a campaign to keep Warriors and Braves around for future generations. We went through this process 10 years ago and then whoever was proceeding at that time backed away and let us keep the Warrior symbol and name, White said. At that time, I had a strong feeling about it and thought if it ever comes up again I want to get involved. And I dont see this being the last hurrah either, he added. It will probably come up again in the future. Williams has a viewpoint that may carry a lot of weight. A 1966 PHS graduate, he is a member of the Siletz tribe with several relatives who also went through the local school system, including his mother, a 1937 Philomath graduate. I went over and talked to the general manager of the Siletz tribe and asked of their opinion and if there was a strong feeling and she said no and the general feeling was that it was OK, Williams said about keeping the mascots and logos. Williams believes the school district should put together a presentation and make the request from the tribal council in person. He said the Warriors references never bothered him during his school days and in fact, he appreciated it. This conversation has come up, because I didnt want to be speaking for my family if they didnt feel the same, and they felt the same about it, too, Williams said. We were in support of it and felt good about it and didnt feel there was any detrimental effect because of it. White stays in contact with many of his former classmates. I went to school with Siletz tribe members and felt the pride that they felt, White said. I just didnt see the negativity in it at all. As of last week, White had contacted about 250 former PHS students and out of all of them, he reports only two non-committals those who said they didnt care one way or the other. All others preferred to keep the mascot tradition intact. I think its bringing up certain issues, White said. People are close to their hearts and they really didnt think they had a voice in it. And now that they think they do, theyre stepping up to the plate. White would like to see the middle school hang on to the Braves mascot. I think theyre both important because one leads to the other, he said. Being a Brave and one day, they will be a Warrior. Its not certain exactly when the Warriors mascot became associated with Philomath High. Reference to Warriors can be found in newspaper articles in the early 1940s. White said hes talked to old-timers who believe Warriors was in use in the early 1930s. Does Williams believe the issue will finally be settled? It probably isnt, but its headed in a better direction right now than it was three years ago, he said. For now, the school district will determine its direction on the issue after communicating with the tribe. Well see if they find our current mascots respectful and find that there is value in having our mascots stay the same, Goff said. We want to honor that. United Nations : Bonn celebrates 20 years as a UN city Bonn Ban Ki Moon and German Foreign Minister celebrate Bonns 20 years as a UN city. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken Almost 20 years ago, on 20 June 1996, the United Nations flag was first raised over Carstanjen House on the banks of the Rhine and the foundations were laid for Bonn becoming Germanys United Nations city. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki Moon, and the German Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, yesterday remembered those beginnings at a ceremony in front of around 300 guests at the World Conference Centre Bonn. It takes a lot of vision, courage and persistence and also a bit of luck from time to time to become a global centre for sustainable development in just 20 years, Mr Ban said. Both Ban Ki Moon and Mr Steinmeier praised Bonn as a global and dynamic city. The climate protection agreement signed in Paris last year was, they said, not only a historic success for Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) but also for the UN city of Bonn. With this agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals agreed in New York, the UN was showing the world the way forward. Mr Ban went on to praise the most recent member of Bonns UN family, the Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development (UNSSC). Mr Ban finished by thanking Chancellor Angela Merkel for her efforts in helping millions of people. Germany, he said, was not only a champion of climate protection and an important stabilising factor in world politics, but also a strong advocate of human rights. Mr Steinmeier also praised Bonn as the world capital for climate protection. Despite hopes to the contrary, there was no announcement yesterday of any new UN organisations in Bonn. However, according to several sources, a decision on the establishment of a central coordination office for the UN Agenda 2030 (which will set up strategies and working groups for the 17 Sustainable Development Goals) is currently at Secretary of State level within the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). As previously reported, the UN urgently wishes to set this up in Bonn. According to Ms Figueres, Bonn is a fantastic city which has become a magnet for think tanks and organisations transforming the goals for sustainable development across the world. Caves are more than the sites of mines and ancient hieroglyphs, the burial places of giants, and homes for bats. They can also be haunted. And, why not? In desperate times, caves were utilized for sanctuary and sometimes standoffs and, given the geology, they seem like ideal vessels in a feng shui sort of way, to retain and hold a kind of amplified haunting that is held captive in a cul-du-sac formation. I am utterly fascinated with the haunted cave phenomena. I cannot think of a better spirit vessel. Let's have a look at some more infamous haunted caves.... Bell Witch Cave The Bell Witch Cave in Adams, Tennessee is a very popularly known cave apparently haunted by the Bell Witch. The cave is supposedly beneath a burial mound and there is even the remains of a previously robbed Native grave, though this is rather unusual for a Native burial, but not at all unusual for a giant burial in a stone sarcophagus. There are vague reports of sounds, giggling, talking, laughter and more within the cave, as well as belief that the Bell Witch monitors the occupants or a woman is seen sometimes within the caverns. There has been a lot of hype around this site. There could be some genuine haunting going on, but the source of the haunting may not be a supposed Bell Witch, but something perhaps more ancient, as the robbed grave might provide. Mammoth Cave Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is called the largest haunted cave. Interestingly, both Tennessee and Kentucky have amazing geology and an ancient history of giant races, as well as having great histories of Native Tribes and Civil War hardships. These are perfect places for caves to be haunted. In fact, it's generally assumed there are lots more giant finds to be made in these caves, as well as perhaps even having active races of "little people" or "giants" and even "reptoids" existing within deep caverns today. This seriously mammoth cave has seen a lot of history for thousands of years and that leaves a certain mystique, but it also has reason to be supposedly haunted. As far back as 4000 years ago, "Natives" were mining deep inside it. Is the cave haunted by spirits or simply a very lengthy history for thousands of years? That is hard to tell, but some have had unusual experiences , seen things, heard things, felt things within. In 1797, a man chased a bear into the entrance of the cave. He was said to be the first white man to enter it. In 1798, a man who owned the land the cave was on, sold it to some brothers who wanted to mine saltpeter. By 1810, the brothers sold it to a bigger business who could mine for saltpeter on a bigger scale. The War of 1812 made saltpeter much sought after. The new owner had slaves working the cave to mine the saltpeter for eventual gunpowder production. After the war, however, saltpeter needs fell and the business went under. The cave then became known for the "mummies" found in it. This brought in the first tourists to see the cave. In 1842, the cave was used as an experiment to house people with TB. And patients died there. This cave in Derbyshire offered an odd sound - Swallow Cave Swallow Cave near Nahant, Massachusetts is not a particularly big cave, but it has a reputation of being haunted by a witch. The story goes back to the 1700s when Natives were fighting with settlers in Lynn, Massachusetts and they hid up in the cave. A local witch helped out the settlers to find the Natives, but then begged them to not fire upon the Natives. She somehow managed to convince the Natives to go back to the Cape Cod area and there was peace. Later, when she died, the people supposedly buried her above the cave in memory for what she had done and her spirit was said to still haunt the cave. Dungeon Rock Cave Dungeon Rock in Lynn, Massachusetts, has a reputation of a potential pirate treasure within. A spiritualist of the times, Hiram Marble, thought he could find the pirate treasure and use spiritualist movement tools to do so. It was his ultimate goal to prove that spiritualists' tools were credible. Unfortunately, he went decades searching and died without making his goal. Wabasha Street Caves This interesting place has a sorted history. The Wabasha Street Caves in Saint Paul, Minnesota, is a building that leads back into caverns where they once mined silica. At different times, it was used for everything from gangster hideout to mushroom farming. An apparition of a man wearing a panama hat has been seen inside and a female apparition at the bar. Three gangsters in the 1930s were said to be shot down within the caves and they all have been seen at various times haunting the place. Amusement Now, this may be a "haunted cave" you are more likely to visit - the infamous "Haunted Cave" in Lewisburg, Ohio ; a popular attraction! Here's a cave movie to put you in the mood - DNA Test Reveals Twins To Be Bi-paternal (Having 2 Different Fathers) kacylee at 9-03-2016 06:45 AM (6 years ago) (f) A pair of twins has been discovered to have different fathers, after the dissimilarity between the children prompted their parents to take DNA tests. The children, from Vietnam's northern Hoa Binh province, are two-year-olds and distinctive by one having thick, wavy hair, while the other has thin, straight hair. Both the mother and father took DNA tests after they feared they may have been given the wrong baby at the hospital, reports Viet Nam News. However, the tests, carried out by the Hanoi Centre for Genetic Analysis and Technology, proved that the twins both belonged to the mother. The 34-year-old husband was found to be the father of only one of the twins, making the children bipaternal. A pair of twins has been discovered to have different fathers, after the dissimilarity between the children prompted their parents to take DNA tests. The children, from Vietnam's northern Hoa Binh province, are two-year-olds and distinctive by one having thick, wavy hair, while the other has thin, straight hair. Both the mother and father took DNA tests after they feared they may have been given the wrong baby at the hospital, reports Viet Nam News. However, the tests, carried out by the Hanoi Centre for Genetic Analysis and Technology, proved that the twins both belonged to the mother. The 34-year-old husband was found to be the father of only one of the twins, making the children bipaternal. Bipaternal twins are extremely rare and this is reportedly the first case to be recorded in Vietnam. Dr Keith Eddleman, director of obstetrics at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York told CNN that it is possible for a woman to conceive bipaternal twins through two acts of segxwal intercourse. A womans egg has a life-span of between 12 and 48 hours, he said, while a sperm can last for between seven and 10 days. It is during this overlap that it is possible for two eggs to be fertilised. Bipaternal twins are extremely rare and this is reportedly the first case to be recorded in Vietnam.Dr Keith Eddleman, director of obstetrics at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York told CNN that it is possible for a woman to conceive bipaternal twins through two acts of segxwal intercourse.A womans egg has a life-span of between 12 and 48 hours, he said, while a sperm can last for between seven and 10 days. It is during this overlap that it is possible for two eggs to be fertilised. Post Reply I have been reporting for several years now and I am very interested in visual news reportage with strong inclusion of photos and video multimedia. Posted: at 9-03-2016 06:45 AM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero Abuguru at 9-03-2016 06:53 AM (6 years ago) (m) wow, player of d year Posted: at 9-03-2016 06:53 AM (6 years ago) | Newbie wow, player of d year Reply charisVEC at 9-03-2016 06:59 AM (6 years ago) (m) I see...Wow..is possible..things lyk this often happen...Noting is impossible .....issokay Posted: at 9-03-2016 06:59 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac I see...Wow..is possible..things lyk this often happen...Noting is impossible .....issokay Reply sssmasterg at 9-03-2016 07:01 AM (6 years ago) (m) Na wahala be that oo Posted: at 9-03-2016 07:01 AM (6 years ago) | Upcoming Na wahala be that oo Reply raynebee at 9-03-2016 07:38 AM (6 years ago) (f) shit happens Posted: at 9-03-2016 07:38 AM (6 years ago) | Hero shit happens Reply Eazyatumeyi at 9-03-2016 07:39 AM (6 years ago) (m) hmm this is the news of the month o Posted: at 9-03-2016 07:39 AM (6 years ago) | Hero hmm this is the news of the month o Reply samdove28 at 9-03-2016 07:43 AM (6 years ago) (m) I CANT BELIVE WETIN I THEY READ. HMMMM.... NA WHERE THIS WORLD THEY END TO NW. NA DIFFERENT KIND OF MADNESS WE GO THEY HEAR. Posted: at 9-03-2016 07:43 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac I CANT BELIVE WETIN I THEY READ. HMMMM.... NA WHERE THIS WORLD THEY END TO NW. NA DIFFERENT KIND OF MADNESS WE GO THEY HEAR. Reply kp45 at 9-03-2016 07:55 AM (6 years ago) (m) Am still trying to digest. Posted: at 9-03-2016 07:55 AM (6 years ago) | Hero Am still trying to digest. Reply BournIdentity at 9-03-2016 08:05 AM (6 years ago) (m) NobsmallTin as tori no dey finish. I beg do locate dem make we no Posted: at 9-03-2016 08:05 AM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero NobsmallTin as tori no dey finish. I beg do locate dem make we no Reply ngfineface at 9-03-2016 08:18 AM (6 years ago) (f) Not surprised at all. A typical Oyibo dog can sleep with five different men same day. They are always horny cause they drink alot.Ngwanu, make the man take hin own make the woman deal with finding the father of the other one Posted: at 9-03-2016 08:18 AM (6 years ago) | Hero Not surprised at all. A typical Oyibo dog can sleep with five different men same day. They are always horny cause they drink alot.Ngwanu, make the man take hin own make the woman deal with finding the father of the other one Reply slimmygal at 9-03-2016 08:35 AM (6 years ago) (f) ghen ghen! kasala don burst ooooo, woman u better open ur mouth and talk which another man u slep with aside ur husband. abi, dis one na miracle twins ni? Posted: at 9-03-2016 08:35 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac ghen ghen! kasala don burst ooooo, woman u better open ur mouth and talk which another man u slep with aside ur husband. abi, dis one na miracle twins ni? Reply zezprincess at 9-03-2016 08:45 AM (6 years ago) (f) Omo see me,see wahala dey,Which means that the mother sleep with two different men during the time of her ovulation&conceive.Me no deyoooo. Posted: at 9-03-2016 08:45 AM (6 years ago) | Hero Omo see me,see wahala dey,Which means that the mother sleep with two different men during the time of her ovulation&conceive.Me no deyoooo. Reply emma4love3 at 9-03-2016 08:47 AM (6 years ago) (m) you dnt mean it thats a good one and a welcom developmt Posted: at 9-03-2016 08:47 AM (6 years ago) | Hero you dnt mean it thats a good one and a welcom developmt Reply kison at 9-03-2016 09:14 AM (6 years ago) (m) YEA,,IT'S POSSIBLE....I KNOW ABOUT THIS...PPL JUST HAVE TO Be careful, be very very careful,CAREFULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL... Posted: at 9-03-2016 09:14 AM (6 years ago) | Hero YEA,,IT'S POSSIBLE....I KNOW ABOUT THIS...PPL JUST HAVE TO Be careful, be very very careful,CAREFULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL... Reply botlex at 9-03-2016 10:44 AM (6 years ago) (m) The woman has been exposed. Banging two men at the same time. SMH Posted: at 9-03-2016 10:44 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac The woman has been exposed. Banging two men at the same time. SMH Reply Oworen25 at 9-03-2016 11:36 AM (6 years ago) (m) Wonderful which or how did it happened or the mama been play outside? Posted: at 9-03-2016 11:36 AM (6 years ago) | Hero Wonderful which or how did it happened or the mama been play outside? Reply gogoman at 9-03-2016 12:07 PM (6 years ago) (m) lol ok na Posted: at 9-03-2016 12:07 PM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero lol ok na Reply raynebee at 9-03-2016 02:07 PM (6 years ago) (f) oh really? Posted: at 9-03-2016 02:07 PM (6 years ago) | Hero oh really? Reply Wealthmide at 9-03-2016 05:24 PM (6 years ago) (m) if this should happen in naija, the wife don die be that, may God just have mercy ooo.... Posted: at 9-03-2016 05:24 PM (6 years ago) | Upcoming if this should happen in naija, the wife don die be that, may God just have mercy ooo.... Reply clarajancita at 9-03-2016 10:24 AM (6 years ago) (f) Nigerian oil workers have shut down the operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) nationwide following Tuesday's unbundling of the corporation by the President Buhari-led federal government. Following Tuesdays unbundling of the corporation, Oil workers have shut down the operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) nationwide as staff and management of the corporation arrived their various offices on Wednesday morning to discover that they could not gain entrance following the total strike. Without a doubt, the immediate impact of the strike will be nationwide fuel scarcity as products will not be lifted by NUPENG. It is not expected to affect the crude oil export yet except the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) joins in solidarity. Nigeria's minister of state for petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu, who doubles as the NNPC group managing director, had reportedly announced the creation of seven independent units on Tuesday, namely - downstream, gas and power, refineries, ventures, corporate planning and services, and finance and accounts. It was gathered that the group executive committee (GEC) of the the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) convened an emergency meeting at 10pm on Tuesday to discuss the development. At the end of the meeting, GEC sent this message to all members: Nigerian oil workers have shut down the operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) nationwide following Tuesday's unbundling of the corporation by the President Buhari-led federal government.Following Tuesdays unbundling of the corporation, Oil workers have shut down the operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) nationwide as staff and management of the corporation arrived their various offices on Wednesday morning to discover that they could not gain entrance following the total strike.Without a doubt, the immediate impact of the strike will be nationwide fuel scarcity as products will not be lifted by NUPENG. It is not expected to affect the crude oil export yet except the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) joins in solidarity.Nigeria's minister of state for petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu, who doubles as the NNPC group managing director, had reportedly announced the creation of seven independent units on Tuesday, namely - downstream, gas and power, refineries, ventures, corporate planning and services, and finance and accounts.It was gathered that the group executive committee (GEC) of the the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) convened an emergency meeting at 10pm on Tuesday to discuss the development.At the end of the meeting, GEC sent this message to all members: Quote "The GEC of NUPENG & PENGASSAN at its meeting of 8th March 2016, which started at 10:00pm has extensively discussed the pronouncement of the GMD on NNPC UNBUNDLING. "We observed that the GMD/HMSP totally disregarded due process and failed to engage STAKEHOLDERS. Hence, from midnight today, ALL NNPC LOCATIONS will be SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY until further notice. Further directives will be communicated accordingly." Tweets which announced the unbundling of NNPC which started the shutdown by workers this morning When a correspondent visited the NNPC headquarters on Wednesday, hundreds of the corporations staff littered the road causing gridlock on Herbert Macaulay way. Unionists in red were at the scene barricading the entrance to the NNPC building as security agents were on hand to forestall break down of order. A staff member of the NNPC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told a reporter that he was at the corporations building as of 7:30am on Wednesday but met "it barricaded by members of PENGASSAN." One of the leaders of the union, said: "We are not here for journalists. This is not for the press." Tweets which announced the unbundling of NNPC which started the shutdown by workers this morningWhen a correspondent visited the NNPC headquarters on Wednesday, hundreds of the corporations staff littered the road causing gridlock on Herbert Macaulay way. Unionists in red were at the scene barricading the entrance to the NNPC building as security agents were on hand to forestall break down of order.A staff member of the NNPC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told a reporter that he was at the corporations building as of 7:30am on Wednesday but metOne of the leaders of the union, said: Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 9-03-2016 10:24 AM (6 years ago) | Hero See the Conditions Switzerland Gave Nigeria to Return Abachas Loot bayonel3 at 9-03-2016 01:15 PM (6 years ago) (m) Part of the conditions is that the fund will be used for projects that will benefit Nigerians and they (the projects) must be monitored by the World Bank. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffery Onyeama said that the government was working on the modalities for the repatriation. Part of the conditions is that the fund will be used for projects that will benefit Nigerians and they (the projects) must be monitored by the World Bank. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffery Onyeama said that the government was working on the modalities for the repatriation. Speaking shortly after holding a meeting with the Swiss Foreign Minister, Didier Burkhalter, on Tuesday in Abuja, Onyeama explained that Nigeria had signed an agreement with the Swiss government in the area of human right and migration. He said, It is $321m that we are looking at repatriating to Nigeria and the modalities are basically legal framework for that, mutual legal assistance framework that we are trying to put in place and there are pre-conditions that are also in place already and this requires monitoring mechanism. So, we have to agree beforehand as a pre-condition on what the money would be used for and the World Bank would be part of the monitoring process to ensure that the money is used for the benefit of Nigerian people. The Minister stated that Burkhalters visit was significant as it marked the commencement of the fund repatriation process, noting that other looted funds may be discovered in hidden accounts in Swiss banks. Burkhalter said his country and Nigeria have a very constructive relation, adding that Switzerland planned to open a consulate in Lagos that would boost economic relations between the two countries. He said his country would repatriate $321mn to Nigeria and pledged Switzerlands continued assistance to IDPs in the country. We would continue to help in the humanitarian assistance in the North, for those who are suffering and we would try to write another chapter of the history of illicit asset recovery and restitutions from Switzerland to Nigeria, Burkhalter said. Speaking shortly after holding a meeting with the Swiss Foreign Minister, Didier Burkhalter, on Tuesday in Abuja, Onyeama explained that Nigeria had signed an agreement with the Swiss government in the area of human right and migration.He said,The Minister stated that Burkhalters visit was significant as it marked the commencement of the fund repatriation process, noting that other looted funds may be discovered in hidden accounts in Swiss banks. Burkhalter said his country and Nigeria have a very constructive relation, adding that Switzerland planned to open a consulate in Lagos that would boost economic relations between the two countries.He said his country would repatriate $321mn to Nigeria and pledged Switzerlands continued assistance to IDPs in the country.We would continue to help in the humanitarian assistance in the North, for those who are suffering and we would try to write another chapter of the history of illicit asset recovery and restitutions from Switzerland to Nigeria, Burkhalter said. Post Reply I scour the world wide web to bring you interesting stories from around the globe. +2348055557203 Posted: at 9-03-2016 01:15 PM (6 years ago) | Hero gogoman at 9-03-2016 01:22 PM (6 years ago) (m) better!! cos naija politician are thief!! them go share am now now Posted: at 9-03-2016 01:22 PM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero better!! cos naija politician are thief!! them go share am now now Reply hrtmender at 9-03-2016 01:23 PM (6 years ago) (m) Good enough reason but must you monitor us??? Just be careful, be very very careful, CAREFULLLLLLLL........ Posted: at 9-03-2016 01:23 PM (6 years ago) | Newbie Good enough reason but must you monitor us??? Just be careful, be very very careful, CAREFULLLLLLLL........ Reply dollar22 at 9-03-2016 01:31 PM (6 years ago) (m) LIVE UPDATE The Press was ordered to leave in other to bring in the witnesses and make some demonstrations. The presiding Judge Justice John Tsoho arrived the Court at exactly 10:05am and Court proceedings took off, with the introduction of both counsels and their learned friends. My Lord "The demonstration and hearing was suppose to take place today been the 9th of March 2016, but an appeal and complainant respondence was promptly served on the 8th of March 2016. Sequel to a motion for stale proceedings was file this morning,been the 9th of March here in the Court. I await the response of prosecuting counsel as regards to the application filed this morning. The prosecuting counsel L.U Idiakwor "My Lord the Five witnesses are outside the Court, waiting to come into the Court to testify. But because of the motion of notice filed by the counsel of the defendants, we shall be asking for an adjournment so that we will be able to respond to the application" Ibeh Gift Amarachi of Family Writers reporting from Federal High Court Abuja Posted: at 9-03-2016 01:31 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac Reply Eazyatumeyi at 9-03-2016 01:58 PM (6 years ago) (m) nice move by the Switzerland government. Posted: at 9-03-2016 01:58 PM (6 years ago) | Hero nice move by the Switzerland government. Reply Eazyatumeyi at 9-03-2016 02:00 PM (6 years ago) (m) Quote from: Bruno Opara on 9-03-2016 01:23 PM Good enough reason but must you monitor us??? Just be careful, be very very careful, CAREFULLLLLLLL........ you dont know what you are saying. Posted: at 9-03-2016 02:00 PM (6 years ago) | Hero you dont know what you are saying. Reply treehouse at 9-03-2016 02:01 PM (6 years ago) (m) Can you imagine a country monitoring anoda country dis is very bad and embarrassing, all bcos of the stupidity and the greed of our leaders, u leaders make una cover una eyes with una hand. Honestly all Nigerians leader dem suppose stone u guys to death ni always bring shame to the country useless people. Posted: at 9-03-2016 02:01 PM (6 years ago) | Newbie Can you imagine a country monitoring anoda country dis is very bad and embarrassing, all bcos of the stupidity and the greed of our leaders, u leaders make una cover una eyes with una hand. Honestly all Nigerians leader dem suppose stone u guys to death ni always bring shame to the country useless people. Reply raynebee at 9-03-2016 02:07 PM (6 years ago) (f) mtchw....wah do I care Posted: at 9-03-2016 02:07 PM (6 years ago) | Hero mtchw....wah do I care Reply mensch at 9-03-2016 02:17 PM (6 years ago) (m) Very very good, Long live swiss, God has already blessed your land.for fighting for the poor Nigerians Posted: at 9-03-2016 02:17 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac Very very good, Long live swiss, God has already blessed your land.for fighting for the poor Nigerians Reply Deltaboy1 at 9-03-2016 02:30 PM (6 years ago) (m) i love the conditions the foreigner countries are giving Nigeria Government now, Uk made same statement as switzerland did, cos nigeria govt are thief, even the foreign countries dont trust nigeria GOVT Posted: at 9-03-2016 02:30 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac i love the conditions the foreigner countries are giving Nigeria Government now, Uk made same statement as switzerland did, cos nigeria govt are thief, even the foreign countries dont trust nigeria GOVT Reply Mykie010 at 9-03-2016 02:41 PM (6 years ago) (m) Pls u people shud not bring d loot to nigeria,these thieves have perfected ways of looting.. They will manoeuvre it..swiss make us still keep d money Posted: at 9-03-2016 02:41 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac Pls u people shud not bring d loot to nigeria,these thieves have perfected ways of looting.. They will manoeuvre it..swiss make us still keep d money Reply zezprincess at 9-03-2016 02:52 PM (6 years ago) (f) Good&correct. Posted: at 9-03-2016 02:52 PM (6 years ago) | Hero Good&correct. Reply royalsam450 at 9-03-2016 03:04 PM (6 years ago) (m) @hrtmender u are the bigest fool i have ever meet in this nigerplus if person won look for better mad man way sabi write book make him come nigerplus them fool here wala even gogoman way i tink say na him mad pass i no know say madness him self dey here the way i observe u i be like say na goat your mama carry u give make him breasfeed u for small pikin that is why u get this kind animal mentality For your mind be say nigeria get president Make i talk with better poeple jare i beg swez goverment if posible make una monitor the projet by una self i for happy wella so that stupid jonathan and buhari the nama and others go know say na criminal ice the world carry dey look them last time the hegoat say nigerians are criminal but now him na number one criminal Posted: at 9-03-2016 03:04 PM (6 years ago) | Upcoming @hrtmender u are the bigest fool i have ever meet in this nigerplus if person won look for better mad man way sabi write book make him come nigerplus them fool here wala even gogoman way i tink say na him mad pass i no know say madness him self dey here the way i observe u i be like say na goat your mama carry u give make him breasfeed u for small pikin that is why u get this kind animal mentalityFor your mind be say nigeria get presidentMake i talk with better poeple jare i beg swez goverment if posible make una monitor the projet by una self i for happy wella so that stupid jonathan and buhari the nama and others go know say na criminal ice the world carry dey look them last time the hegoat say nigerians are criminal but now him na number one criminal Reply kp45 at 9-03-2016 03:45 PM (6 years ago) (m) Sound pretty cool eh! Posted: at 9-03-2016 03:45 PM (6 years ago) | Hero Sound pretty cool eh! Reply jojo8 at 9-03-2016 04:54 PM (6 years ago) (m) Why only Abacha?other list of people still alive with stolen money kept in same Switzerland & other European countries & America. Because the latter is dead.The latest list of names published by U K daily mail of those having stolen money in foreign accounts are known to the present government. What are will talking about? Posted: at 9-03-2016 04:54 PM (6 years ago) | Upcoming Why only Abacha?other list of people still alive with stolen money kept in same Switzerland & other European countries & America. Because the latter is dead.The latest list of names published by U K daily mail of those having stolen money in foreign accounts are known to the present government. What are will talking about? Reply samdove28 at 9-03-2016 05:57 PM (6 years ago) (m) CAN YOU IMAGINE, WETIN CONCERN THEM WITH THE WAY WE DO OUR THINGS. NA WE CAUSE THIS RUBBISH WEY THEY HAPPEN NW. Posted: at 9-03-2016 05:57 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac CAN YOU IMAGINE, WETIN CONCERN THEM WITH THE WAY WE DO OUR THINGS. NA WE CAUSE THIS RUBBISH WEY THEY HAPPEN NW. Reply slimmygal at 9-03-2016 06:34 PM (6 years ago) (f) i no blame them, na we give dem chance. Posted: at 9-03-2016 06:34 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac i no blame them, na we give dem chance. Reply BournIdentity at 9-03-2016 06:41 PM (6 years ago) (m) Dis 1 no b after d reggae play d blues,, dis 1 na after d reggae pay d moni,, Posted: at 9-03-2016 06:41 PM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero Dis 1 no b after d reggae play d blues,, dis 1 na after d reggae pay d moni,, Reply emma4love3 at 9-03-2016 07:14 PM (6 years ago) (m) Quote from: mr gogo on 9-03-2016 01:22 PM better!! cos naija politician are thief!! them go share am now now yes for real they wil share it immediately Posted: at 9-03-2016 07:14 PM (6 years ago) | Hero yes for real they wil share it immediately Reply The Curious Case of the 251 rupee smartphone: How it all Panned Out Features oi -Ankit Freedom 251 is a name that is sure to ring a bell, quite literally. The smartphone that was supposed to be sold by Noida-based firm, Ringing Bells, never took off seriously, as we had predicted in our coverage last month. Launched with much pomp and show, the Freedom 251 was a smartphone that hasn't and probably never will see the light of the day, if some reports are to be believed. Recent updates to the whole scheme suggest that Adcom, another Delhi-based mobile importer, is all set to take the phone maker to court for copyright infringement. SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite Enhanced Version Coming to take on Apple iPads: 6 Expected Features! Let's uncover how all these events panned out over the weeks and got the company trapped into multiple court hearings that the promoters would be attending in the days to come. The Birth of a phenomenon It all started on February 16th when all major media houses received an invite to what seemed to be a government event, most probably a collaboration of the Make In India and the Digital India projects. Everyone believed that the government was launching a new smartphone at just Rs. 251. If true, this would break all barriers in the mobile world, is what the media thought and rushed to publish the news. The first seed had been planted. The stage of Infancy The launch conference was held at the Nehru Park, in Delhi, with multiple cultural and dance events planned for the buildup. The event, although hosted solely by Ringing Bells, was graced by the presence of a couple of Cabinet ministers. This was to give the journalists an illusion that this was a mega project; something that was hoped to be made possible through subsidies from the government. The adolescence arrives As the party ended, it was time to do some serious dish cleaning. Many folks from the media, including us, got a hold of the device and saw that the Freedom 251 seemed to appear like a smartphone that had already been on sale, precisely Adcom's Ikon 4. More surprisingly, everyone had learnt by now that the government was not offering any kind of support and ministers were only there to make the consumers aware of such a scheme. Ringing Bells was pitching to sell a Rs. 3,600 smartphone at just Rs. 251? Essence of the youth Despite all these hurdles and controversies popping up, Ringing Bells wasn't deterred and they planned their first online sale for the 18th of February, on their official site. The website had been registered just a week prior to the sale. Starting at 6 in the morning, smartphone enthusiasts sat down in front of their computer/mobile screens to witness a transformation in the Indian digital space. Alas, this transformation came as a reminder of the past - website crashes. No matter what technique the users applied, the website just refused to take the page further than the Shopping cart URL. People complained and the curiosity grew. This whole thing seemed like a facade to many. Accusations started and the CEO of Ringing Bells, who goes by CuteMohit on Facebook, struck back by apologizing for the crash and initiating a fresh open sale the very next day. Middle Age strikes even the best After opening up the site to all users, Ringing Bells now claimed that over 70 million people had successfully 'bought' the Freedom 251, even if by bought they meant 'registered for and waiting for a payment link'. The trick seemed to work; users were now ecstatic to have booked a Rs. 251 smartphone when even a simple 3G data recharge costs more than that in India. After the promises, Ringing Bells once again got caught in the wind. No purchase links were sent to the registered buyers and impatience grew. Pulling another trick out of the bag, the CEO now proclaimed that all orders would be converted to Cash On Delivery for ease of payments. Eventual Death? When the rabbits themselves jump out of the hat, you only have a limited number of tricks to show to the audience. The debacle was then followed by a detailed inquiry that the government wanted to pursue after huge public pressure. Adcom also now wants to sue Ringing Bells for tarnishing their public image and using their products without prior notice. CuteMohit is an MBA by degree but his business administration seems to have failed with his pilot project. Disappointing almost a billion Indians in a single go, the Freedom 251 sadly died a violent death. Best Mobiles in India Facebook launches free WordPress plugin for Instant Articles News oi -GizBot Bureau The social networking giant, set to open its Instant Articles feature to all publishers next month, has launched a free WordPress plugin that will help publishers create Instant Articles with ease. Instant Articles will be open to all publishers - of any size, anywhere in the world - at Facebook's F8 conference in San Francisco on April 12. SEE ALSO: Conserving Battery Life ! 10 Things you must know "We have partnered with Automattic, parent company of WordPress.com VIP, to build a free plugin for Instant Articles, which simplifies the process of generating and publishing Instant Articles from WordPress," said Chris Ackermann, partner engineering at Facebook in a blog post on Tuesday. The open-source WordPress publishing platform now powers more than 25 percent of sites on the web so "we are excited to help millions of publishers all over the world bring the Instant Articles experience to their readers", he added. The plugin creates a special RSS feed that automatically optimises Facebook posts to appear as Instant Articles. The plugin is open-source and customisable. "We've worked with a small group of publishers on WordPress to beta test the plugin as a seamless way to adapt web content for the Instant Articles format, with a built-in suite of interactive tools that help stories come to life on mobile," Ackermann posted. SEE ALSO: A Women's Day Salute: 11 Most Powerful Women in Tech When Instant Articles opens up in April, publishers that use standard WordPress templates can activate the plugin out-of-the-box to create Instant Articles. Publishers that want a more customised production experience can extend the plugin to support additional elements. "We encourage all interested publishers on WordPress to review the plugin's documentation and FAQs," the post said. Source IANS Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications 'Feels Like Home Season 2' offers something real and tangible to think about; takes home a pertinent point - if your intentions are good, there is nothing in life that isn't achievable. Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release SOUTHWEST ASIA, March 8, 2016 U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria Attack, fighter, ground attack and remotely piloted aircraft conducted seven strikes in Syria: -- Near Ayn Isa, a strike destroyed an ISIL booby-trapped house. -- Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL gas and oil separation plant modular refinery and destroyed an ISIL vehicle. -- Near Mar'a, four strikes struck three ISIL tactical units and an ISIL facility and destroyed an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL heavy machine gun position and an ISIL building. Strikes in Iraq Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft and rocket artillery conducted 17 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government: -- Near Baghdadi, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL weapons cache, an ISIL staging area and an ISIL rocket position. -- Near Beiji, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun position. -- Near Fallujah, a strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle bomb. -- Near Habbaniya, a strike destroyed an ISIL tunnel. -- Near Haditha, a strike destroyed an ISIL supply cache. -- Near Kisik, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL assembly area. -- Near Mosul, three strikes struck two ISIL headquarters and destroyed an ISIL assembly area. -- Near Qayyarah, a strike struck an ISIL-used bridge. -- Near Ramadi, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL mortar position and two ISIL supply caches. -- Near Sinjar, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position. -- Near Sultan Abdallah, three strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL artillery piece. -- Near Waleed, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL supply cache. Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Part of Operation Inherent Resolve The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address James: Air Force 'Extremely Busy, Extremely Effective' By Mike Martin Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs WASHINGTON, March 8, 2016 Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III discussed the State of the Air Force during a press conference at the Pentagon yesterday. James acknowledged a lot has happened since the last State of the Air Force address in August 2015. "In October, Russia launched its first airstrikes in Syria," she said. In November, [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] terrorists attacked Paris again, as well as Lebanon, Mali and here at home in San Bernardino. In January, China landed an aircraft on a newly built runway in the South China Sea and then a few weeks ago, North Korea tested a nuclear weapon." James added that in Afghanistan, the Taliban, al-Qaida, ISIL and other anti-government groups continue to conduct attacks, undermine security and create challenges to the people and government of Afghanistan. Air Force Operations "[The] Air Force has been extremely busy and extremely effective," James said. "In the past year, coalition forces upped the ante against [ISIL], flying more than 55,000 sorties in support of Operation Inherent Resolve." However, the service's persistent effort takes a toll on aircraft, readiness and airmen, she said. James said airmen are high-demand, low-density, and used the example of one career field to highlight the strain on the force. "In the maintenance arena, because we have aging platforms ... the maintenance needs are going up," she said. "We have thousands of maintainers in the force, but we actually need more maintainers going forward." Welsh agreed, noting that maintenance professionals are working hard and retention could be a challenge. "With six fleets of airplanes now over 50 years old, 21 or so fleets over 25 years old, it just gets tougher to keep them flying and we see that all over the Air Force," he said. James said after 20 years of downsizing, the Air Force has focused on infusing resources into both the recruiting force and the technical training bases. "When you're recruiting more and you're retaining more that is how you grow. That's the approach that we're taking," she said. "We hope to reach the 317,000 number on the active duty side by the end of this fiscal year." Welsh also spoke about remotely piloted aircraft training and crews, saying he expects the Air Force will train about 334 pilots for unmanned aircraft in fiscal year 2016, up from about 180 in past years. Modernization Modernizing aircraft, James said, will provide warfighters with enhanced capabilities. One example of the service's effort to modernize is the as-yet unnamed B-21. The secretary said that, in the case of the 21st century bomber, the Air Force is leaning forward and trying to be more transparent. "We've given the bomber a designation, shown you an artist's rendering, given a detailed explanation of the acquisition approach, and told you how we'll hold down costs," she said. James also announced that airmen and families can now go online and submit their idea for naming the B-21. The website for submissions can be found here: http://go.usa.gov/cfagT. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Austin: Partners Taking More Responsibility in Centcom Region By Cheryl Pellerin DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, March 8, 2016 Despite an especially challenging year for the governments and people in U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility, progress is being made in several areas, Centcom's commander told a Senate panel here today. Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III said one positive development is that regional partners are taking more responsibility in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. "Our decades of investment are paying off, and we're seeing our regional partners assume a greater share of security responsibilities in the region," Austin said. The partners effectively deal with extremist threats in their own countries, he added, while conducting military operations as a part of the counter-ISIL coalition in Iraq and Syria. Taking Responsibility "We are encouraged by what we are seeing," Austin said, "and we remain committed to working with our partners in support of our shared goals and objectives." Centcom is involved in or supporting multiple military operations, Austin said, including the campaign to counter ISIL in Iraq and Syria and U.S. contributions to NATO's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan. "We're providing limited support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, and we continue to prosecute the fight against terrorism and extremism throughout our area of responsibility," the general said, noting that Centcom also is dealing with "mischief that we see throughout the region caused by Iran." On the fight against ISIL, Austin said the international coalition is defeating the enemy in Iraq and Syria and is pressuring ISIL on more fronts than at any time in the past 18 months. "We're degrading the enemy's capability by taking back territory, diminishing his economic resources and removing his senior leadership from the battlefield. We're also slowing the flow of foreign fighters joining his ranks," he told the senators. ISIL Expansion ISIL's increased efforts to expand into North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and South Asia are happening in part, Austin said, because the enemy "knows that he's losing in Iraq and Syria and he needs to find other ways to maintain his legitimacy." Halting ISIL's expansion will take a concerted effort by the international community, he added. In Iraq, Austin said, the Iraqi security forces are performing better with time, thanks to coalition capacity-building efforts. And Kurdish peshmerga forces are critical to efforts on the ground in northern Iraq, he added. The peshmerga fighters "are irreplaceable, and we must do all we can to support them," the general told the committee. Local Partners In Syria, the general said, the coalition continues to work with indigenous forces, including Syrian Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen and others. Together they are achieving tremendous results, Austin said, including securing more than 18,000 square kilometers of territory previously held by ISIL. Austin said he has asked for permission to restart the train-and-equip mission in Syria, using a different approach from the first effort begun in 2014. The adjusted approach would focus on smaller numbers of people trained for a shorter time, and in specific skills that they could take back and pass on to their larger groups of fighters, he told the panel. "The fight against ISIL in Iraq and Syria remains incredibly complex and, while the defeat of ISIL will take time and it will not be easy, you can rest assured that we will get it done," the general said. Maintaining Momentum In Afghanistan, Austin said, the security forces have come a long way over more than 14 years, and the NATO mission wants to ensure that they maintain that momentum. Over the past year, the Afghans have experienced multiple transitions that together have shifted the operational environment, he said. "I still assess that the Afghan security forces are capable of holding their gains against the Taliban," Austin told the panel, adding that changing conditions on the ground may call for new planning assumptions. "We have invested a great deal in that county," he said. "It is an important country for a number of reasons, and we want to do what's necessary to help the Afghans be successful long-term." Eyes on Iran In his remarks to the senators, Austin cited Iran as a significant destabilizing force in the region. "While we're hopeful that the implementation of the [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] and the results of the recent elections will lead to more responsible behavior by the Iranians," he said, "we've not yet seen any indication that they intend to pursue a different path." Recent Iranian behavior, such as the launch of ballistic missiles by members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Austin said, "is certainly not the behavior that you would expect to see from a nation that wants to be taken seriously as a respected member of the international community. So we will continue to keep a close eye on Iran going forward." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Secretary General commends Romania for its contributions to NATO NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 08 Mar. 2016 Meeting with Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos on Tuesday (8 March 2016), NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thanked Romania for its contributions to Allied security. Calling Romania "a highly valued member of our Alliance," Mr. Stoltenberg stressed that NATO "counts on Romania, and Romania can count on NATO." The Secretary General commended Romania for its participation in NATO-led missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo, its contributions to Black Sea security, and its strong political support for NATO's partners Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia. He also thanked Romania for hosting important NATO assets, including the Multinational Division South East, a NATO Force Integration Unit in Bucharest, and an important part of NATO's missile defence system in Deveselu. Mr. Stoltenberg also welcomed Romania's commitment to raise defence spending to 2% of GDP, in line with NATO guidelines. In their talks, Prime Minister Ciolos and the Secretary General addressed key issues on NATO's agenda ahead of the Warsaw Summit, as well as NATO's response to the biggest security challenges in a generation. "A strong NATO is the best guarantee for security in Europe," the Secretary General said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Secretary General discusses key defence reforms with Ukrainian Minister of Defence NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 08 Mar. 2016 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian Minister of Defence Stepan Poltorak met on Tuesday (8 March 2016) for talks on Ukraine's progress in moving forward with key defence reforms and how NATO can best support this effort. In a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, the Secretary General, Minister Poltorak and Allied ambassadors also exchanged views on the security situation in Ukraine's east and the state of the implementation of the Minsk agreements. The Secretary General reiterated NATO's strong support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and stressed that NATO will continue to increase both its political and practical assistance to Ukraine. Mr. Stoltenberg also praised Ukraine for embarking on an ambitious road to comprehensive reforms, including of its defence and security sector. NATO continues to support Ukraine's reforms with advisors in Kyiv, through capacity building Trust Funds and through the Annual National Programme and Partnership Review Process. The Secretary General emphasised that there is a clear need for quick decisions on reforms and for their efficient and full implementation. He also thanked Minister Poltorak for engaging and incorporating Allied advice in the reform of Ukraine's Armed Forces. Mr. Stoltenberg encouraged Ukraine to fully embrace the principles of civilian democratic control over the armed forces and underscored that NATO and Allied advisors will continue to assist Ukraine in implementing its ambitious goal to adopt NATO standards and practices. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trilateral Talks Enhance Cooperation between U.S., Philippines and Japan Navy News Service Story Number: NNS160308-16 Release Date: 3/8/2016 11:18:00 AM By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Kofonow, U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs MANILA, Philippines (NNS) -- Leaders from U.S. 7th Fleet, the Philippine Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force met Mar. 5 aboard the 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) during a scheduled port visit. The trilateral talks aim to grow and strengthen relationships between the three nations. Leaders from each country expressed their concerns about tensions in the South China Sea, the impact of natural and man-made disasters on operations, and discussed ways to collectively promote peace and stability throughout the Indo Asia Pacific. Discussions also focused on lessons learned from past cooperative training efforts with an eye toward maximizing future opportunities, which included expanding on the scope and complexity of multilateral engagements, exercises, and humanitarian and disaster response efforts that will allow countries to rapidly respond in the event of a crisis. The 7th Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin praised all the participants at a reception aboard Blue Ridge immediately following the staff talks. This 'really is a tangible example of the unified commitment of our countries to the stability and security of this region.' Aucoin also said, 'the peace and stability in this region really depends on the unified efforts of our countries.' The U.S. 7th Fleet conducts forward deployed naval operations in support of U.S. national interests in the Indo-Asia Pacific area of operations. As the U.S. Navy's largest numbered fleet, 7th Fleet interacts with 35 other maritime nations to build maritime partnerships that foster maritime security, promote stability and prevent conflict. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USS Barry Enhances Defense, Strength by Joining 7th Fleet Navy News Service Story Number: NNS160308-04 Release Date: 3/8/2016 10:51:00 AM By Ensign Cheyenne Harinandan, USS Barry (DDG 52) Public Affairs WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52) entered 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific, Mar. 3. Barry's presence in the 7th Fleet will increase the U.S. Navy's long range plan to send the most advanced and capable units to the Indo-Asia-Pacific, while adding to the number of Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capable ships in the area. BMD capable forces paired with missile defense systems, operated by both the Japan Self-Defense Forces and U.S. Navy, will continue to provide the Indo-Asia-Pacific with an enhanced missile defense capability. 'After a strenuous training cycle following a yearlong shipyard period, the excitement from the crew of Barry can be felt throughout the deck plates,' said Cmdr. Jennifer Eaton, commanding officer of Barry. 'We are eager to join the forward deployed forces in Japan, and thrilled to put our training to the test. As one of the most capable and updated ships in the Navy, it's an honor to bring the Barry to Japan.' Barry will take the place of USS Lassen as one of the most capable BMD ships in the area and is significant addition to the U.S. 7th Fleet in support of security and stability to the Indo-Asia-Pacific. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USS Rushmore Prepares for Planned Maintenance Availability Navy News Service Story Number: NNS160308-03 Release Date: 3/8/2016 9:46:00 AM By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class David Hooper SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47) is slated to begin the chief of naval operations' planned maintenance availability period (PMA) at BAE Systems shipyard in San Diego, March 7. Rushmore is expected to spend the next 11 months overhauling its engineering, weapons and shipboard systems. The crew will also be working to refurbish many of the ship's common spaces. 'During the availability period, we make sure our spaces are good to go,' said Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Leandris Frisone. 'We have to take ownership of the ship and make sure the work is being done in order to meet the deadline that the commanding officer has set forth. Our focus in deck department is still ship preservation, but the job of the entire crew is making sure everything is done on time and in an efficient manner.' An important component of the availability period will be focused on the overhaul of weaponry and equipment. 'This is the only chance we have to get weaponry and equipment repaired to this extent,' said Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Jared Cummings. 'We are sending weapons off to be refurbished and receiving new equipment as well. This is a war ship and we have to be ready to fight at all times.' Though there is a lot of work to be done to keep the ship livable for the crew, the primary goal is getting through the PMA, according to Lt. Jason Pirrallo, Rushmore's supply officer. 'The biggest thing we need to maintain is ownership of the ship,' said Pirrallo. 'We put a lot of time and effort into making this ship great, and we need to hold on to that.' Rushmore recently returned from a seven-month Western Pacific deployment where the ship provided aid and assistance to 65 people on sinking bamboo rafts in the waters between the Indonesian islands of Kalimantan and Sulawesi. 'It is an older ship, but we are in pretty decent shape right now,' said Pirrallo. 'We are anticipating being even better when we come out of the yards.' Rushmore is named after the Mount Rushmore National Monument in the Black Hills of South Dakota. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China not to be accused of militarizing South China Sea People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 11:40, March 08, 2016 BEIJING, March 8 -- There are other countries than China to be accused of militarizing the South China Sea, said Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday. Building defense facilities on its own islands and reefs, China is actually exercising the rights of self-preservation and self-defense, said Wang at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress. China was not the first country that deployed weapons on the Nansha Islands nor the country that has deployed the most weapons, not even the country that has conducted the most frequent military activities, he said. 'People talk a lot about militarization. I think China can not be accused of militarization. The label is more suited to some other countries,' he said. Wang reiterated that the Nansha Islands have been China's inherent territory and every Chinese has the obligation to defend them. 'China has not and will not have new territorial claims,' he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemenis inflict losses on Saudi mercenaries Iran Press TV Tue Mar 8, 2016 6:28PM Yemeni army forces backed by fighters from allied Popular Committees have targeted a center of gathering belonging to Saudi mercenaries, leaving a number of them dead or wounded in the fresh retaliatory attacks. The Yemeni forces fired rockets in the southwestern province of Ta'izz on Tuesday, with the projectiles precisely hitting the targets, Yemen's Arabic-language al-Masirah TV reported. Several Saudi mercenaries were killed or injured while some of their armored vehicles were annihilated in Tuesday's strikes. On Monday, the Yemeni forces managed to take control of two districts in Ta'izz. Saudi fighter jets carried out air raids on residential areas in the southwestern province of Lahij over the past 24 hours, leaving two Yemeni civilians seriously wounded. Saudi jets also conducted similar airstrikes on Majzar and Sirwah districts of the Ma'rib province, the town of Baraqish and other places in Jawf Province as well as areas in Sana'a and Ta'izz provinces. Furthermore, two civilians lost their lives in the Saudi aerial assaults on Ta'izz. Saudi Arabia has been bombing Yemen for about a year now in a bid to restore power to fugitive former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who is a staunch ally of Riyadh. At least 8,400 people have been killed and over 16,000 others sustained injuries since the onset of the Saudi war. The military campaign has also taken a heavy toll on the country's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lebanon forces fully ready to counter all threats: Army Iran Press TV Tue Mar 8, 2016 11:47AM The Lebanese army says it is fully prepared to repel all types of threats amid Saudi Arabia's growing pressure and reports of an Israeli plan for a new war on the Arab country. "The army is today stronger than at any time before. Security on the border [with Syria] and inside the country is under control," army chief Jean Kahwagi said on Monday. The Lebanese army has been fighting militants near the border with Syria, amid fears of a spillover of the conflict being waged by Takfiri groups to topple President Bashar al-Assad. Last month, Saudi Arabia suspended billions of dollars in financial pledge to Beirut, prompting warnings that the decision might undermine the Lebanon's battle against terrorists and threats by Israel. Kahwagi dismissed those fears. He said the army would strike with an "iron fist" at any attempt aimed at reviving plans to spread chaos, divisions and partition, or destroy Lebanon's national unity, The Daily Star reported. "The Army will remain at the highest level of readiness on all fronts of responsibility and duty: From fighting terrorism on the border, to defending against Israel and its schemes, to spreading security and stability in the interior," he said. In August 2014, al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and Daesh terrorists overran the eastern town of Arsal, killing a number of Lebanese forces. They took 30 soldiers hostage, most of whom have been released. A Daesh bombing also killed at least 47 people in the southern part of the capital Beirut in November last year. Kahwagi said, "The Army will remain at the highest level of readiness on all fronts of responsibility and duty." "Our decision is firm in preventing the regional ball of fire from rolling into Lebanon," he added. Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam has called for national unity and on political groups to "take into consideration the Arab consensus during the difficult and delicate crisis the country is passing through." His call late last month came in the face of Saudi pressures which have further divided the country. Israel seizing on vacuum? Last week, Beirut-based al-Akhbar newspaper said Israel was seeking to launch a new war on Lebanon in the wake of the Saudi decision. It said American officials, whose names were not mentioned in the report, had warned Beirut of the prospect of an Israeli war. Israel launched two wars on Lebanon in 2000 and 2006. About 1,200 Lebanese, most of them civilians, lost their lives during the 33-day war in the summer of 2006. Hezbollah is credited with driving Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon and defeating them in subsequent wars. It is also helping the Syrian army fight Takfiri militants in a war which the resistance movement sees crucial to preventing the conflict from spilling over to Lebanon. Hezbollah has said Riyadh was targeting Lebanon out of anger over its failures in Syria and Yemen. "In Syria, there's a very great Saudi anger because what they had calculated in Syria in two or three months, 'Syria would fall into our hands,'" Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Sunday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Houthis, Saudi Arabia involved in negotiations: Report Iran Press TV Tue Mar 8, 2016 8:3AM A London-based newspaper says Saudi Arabia has held direct secret talks with Yemen's Houthis and agreed to more negotiations in the Jordanian capital. The Rai al-Youm newspaper, edited by prominent Palestinian journalist Abdul Bari Atwan, said on Tuesday that the two sides may hold their next negotiations in a week. According to the paper, UN special envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed has informed the United Nations' under-secretary general for political affairs Jeffrey Feltman of the talks in a secret letter. The daily says it has received a copy of the letter. Two senior Houthi officials confirmed to Reuters that a Houthi delegation was in Saudi Arabia for talks on ending Yemen's war. The visit reportedly began on Monday at the invitation of Saudi authorities, following a week of secret preparatory talks, the two officials said. The two unnamed officials said the Houthi delegation in Saudi Arabia is headed by Mohammed Abdel-Salam, who is a senior adviser to Houthi leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi,. Last year, Abdel-Salam led Houthi delegates in talks in Oman that laid the foundation for UN-sponsored talks in Switzerland. Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud reportedly supervises the talks which have excluded Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi. Hadi has resigned as president but Saudi Arabia has been carrying out attacks on Yemen from the air, ground and sea for a year now to restore him to power. The alleged negotiations suggest Riyadh's submission to Houthi demands. The group had long maintained that any talks must be held with the Saudis as their main adversary in the war, and not with Hadi. The kingdom is under growing pressure as its protracted war has ground into a no-win situation. Last month, Saudi military spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri acknowledged that the kingdom was stuck in a "static war" against its southern neighbor. Riyadh is also coming under an unprecedented chorus of criticism from around the world over rising civilian casualties and destruction in Yemen. Last week, the UN Security Council expressed worries about the worsening crisis in Yemen, saying it was considering a resolution to press for more aid deliveries and protect hospitals from attacks. Rupert Colville, the spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the UN was investigating Saudi Arabia's use of banned munitions in Yemen, including cluster bombs. Last month, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on EU member states to stop selling weapons to Saudi Arabia over high civilian casualties in Yemen. Human rights groups have called for President Barack Obama to follow the EU parliament's lead and impose an arms embargo on the kingdom. At least 8,400 people, among them 2,236 children, have been killed so far and 16,015 others injured. The strikes have also taken a heavy toll on the impoverished country's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN refugee agency 'concerned' about proposed EU deal to send migrants back to Turkey 8 March 2016 The United Nations refugee agency today expressed a concern about any European response to the migrant crisis that involves the blanket return of all individuals from one country to another without sufficiently spelling out refugee protection safeguards under international law. According to media reports, the European Union and Turkey yesterday agreed on a provisional deal that would involve people being sent back to Turkey. "UNHCR [The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees] has taken note of the statement of the EU Heads of State and Government of Turkey last night, and we are concerned with some aspects of the proposal," the refugee agency said in a statement. Although UNHCR is not a party to it nor privy to all the details and modalities of implementation, it believes that an asylum-seeker should only be returned to a third state if responsibility for assessing the particular asylum application in substance is assumed by the third country; the asylum-seeker will be protected from refoulement; the individual will be able to seek and, if recognized, enjoy asylum in accordance with accepted international standards, with full and effective access to education, work, health care and, as necessary, social assistance. Legal safeguards would need to govern any mechanism under which responsibility would be transferred for assessing an asylum claim, the agency argues. Pre-departure screening would also need to be in place to identify heightened risk categories that may not be appropriate for return even if the above conditions are met. Details of all these safeguards should be clarified before the EU Council's next meeting on 17 March, the statement said. On the resettlement point, UNHCR welcomed any initiative that promotes regular pathways of admission for refugees in significant numbers from all neighbouring countries in the region, not just Turkey and not just Syrian refugees, to third countries. "We hope that individuals returned to Turkey who have specific resettlement needs, such as family reunification, would be considered for the resettlement/admission programme to the EU," the statement said. The high-level meeting on global responsibility-sharing through legal pathways for admission of Syrian refugees, to take place in Geneva on 30 March, will be a good opportunity to put the spotlight on this important aspect of responsibility sharing, the statement said. Turkey hosts close to 3 million refugees and has made enormous contributions for years and just recently adopted a work regulation for Syrian refugees, but, in light of the enormity of the task, still struggles to provide for all the basic needs of the swelling Syrian population. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghan Taliban Urged to Join Peace Talks Without Conditions by Ayaz Gul March 08, 2016 Pakistan has urged Afghanistan's Taliban not to require conditions for direct peace talks with the Afghan government. "The basic message [to the Taliban] would be that many of the preconditions that they are putting forward can come as a result of the negotiation and not in advance, like prisoners exchange and freedom of movement [of Taliban leaders] et cetera," said Sartaj Aziz, the Pakistani prime minister's adviser on foreign affairs, at a news conference in Islamabad Tuesday. The long-awaited internationally-backed Afghan reconciliation process was expected to start in Islamabad the first week of March, but, in a last-minute announcement Saturday, the Taliban refused to attend. Taliban's refusal The Taliban insisted that "such futile and misleading negotiations will not bear any results" until all foreign forces leave Afghanistan, "innocent prisoners" are freed and international travel restrictions on insurgent leaders are removed. The announcement dealt a blow to efforts that Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States have recently initiated as part of a four-way coordination group to arrange the talks. Aziz said Islamabad, Beijing and Washington are acting as facilitators in the four-way process, and all three now have a shared responsibility to contact and persuade the Taliban to come to the negotiating table. "The Afghan government has already repeated their invitation for them to come forward, so I hope in the coming days some process can start at some level in which case once it starts I am sure it will gather momentum," Aziz said at the press conference, which visiting British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond also attended. The United States on Monday backed a call by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani for the Taliban to join peace talks with the Kabul government. 'They have a choice. Rather than continuing to fight their fellow Afghans and destabilizing their country, they should engage in a peace process and ultimately become a legitimate part of the political system of a sovereign united Afghanistan," State Department spokesman John Kirby told a media briefing. The delay in starting talks could intensify fighting later this year and there are fears the violence will further strain Afghanistan's relations with Pakistan, where Taliban leaders are believed to have taken shelter. Islamabad also alleges that fugitive Pakistani insurgents are using Afghan territory to plan terrorist attacks in Pakistan. Need for further cooperation Hammond Tuesday said years of "lack of trust" hamper bilateral cooperation, but he emphasized the need for Pakistan and Afghanistan to work together to root out cross-border terrorism. "This is a mutual problem. There are people carrying out terrorist attacks in Pakistan who are fleeing into the relative safety of improperly governed areas of eastern Afghanistan. There are people carrying out attacks in Afghanistan who have been using ungoverned space in Pakistan as a haven. And what needs to happen is for both governments to work together to ensure that there is no space in their respective countries for people who are seeking to attack the other country." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Analysts See Long Fight Ahead Against Al-Shabab by Mohammed Yusuf March 08, 2016 The Pentagon says a U.S. airstrike against al-Shabab in Somalia last Saturday killed more than 150 militants. Analysts say the strike was a major coup but that African Union troops in Somalia still have a long fight ahead of them. In an interview with VOA, Somali presidential spokesman Daud Aweys applauded the airstrike. He said Somalia was aware of the operation and contributed intelligence. "We think that this was a significant victory not only for Somalia but also for the entire region as we face the same challenges on the war against terror. This was a coordinated attack in which Somali forces shared (intelligence) with their U.S. counterpart. These areas have been under a close surveillance," Aweys said. The training camp targeted is located 190 kilometers north of Mogadishu. Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said the U.S. had learned the fighters were set to depart the camp, and 'posed an imminent threat' to African Union forces and U.S. military advisers in Somalia. An al-Shabab spokesman, Abu Musab, confirmed the aerial attack but said the death toll was exaggerated. He said al-Shabab doesn't gather more than 100 fighters in one place for security reasons. Lucky Strike Analyst Yan St. Pierre, who runs the Berlin-based security firm MOSECON, said the opportunity for such a large strike may not come again. "Usually, al-Shabab, historically speaking, they have always spread [their] troops very well, so if this was indeed the case [that] they had so many people in one location, it's a strategic mistake that definitely they are bound not to repeat," St. Pierre said. Al-Shabab has kept up a steady string of bombings against civilians in Mogadishu while also going after African Union troops with renewed vigor since the middle of last year. On January 15, al-Shabab fighters stormed a Kenyan army camp in El-Adde. In February, the Somali president said 200 soldiers lost their lives in that attack, a claim denied by the Kenyan government. Security observers say heavy losses in these and other recent raids are damaging the effectiveness and reputation of the African Union force, AMISOM. Analyst St. Pierre said airstrikes won't necessarily ease that pressure on ground troops. "Any American or Western support will be from the air, so they (al-Shabab) adjust their strategies accordingly while maintaining focus on the local troops. The real message really needs to come from AMISOM. It needs to come from the Kenya Defense Forces and Somali troops much more than the Americans," St. Pierre said. AMISOM has been fighting al-Shabab in Somalia since 2007. The force currently has 22,000 men on the ground to provide assistance to the internationally recognized Somali government. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNHCR: Proposal to Halt Migrants May Violate International Law by Lisa Schlein, Lisa Bryant March 08, 2016 The U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday it is concerned some parts of an EU-Turkey proposal to stem the flow of refugees and migrants into Greece, including a possible blanket return of individuals, may violate international law. The U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) said aspects of the proposed agreement need to be clarified. However, it said it is concerned about any arrangement that involves the blanket return of all individuals from one country to another. EU leaders and Ankara said Tuesday they had reached a possible deal that would return the thousands of migrants arriving in Greece from Turkey. The leaders are confident a full agreement can be reached at a summit next week. Possible agreement After months of disagreements and increased bickering among the 28 EU nations, the leaders said they agreed to give Turkey more than $3 billion in additional funds to help with the nearly 3 million Syrian refugees it is hosting. The EU leaders also agreed to swiftly ease visa requirements for Turks and speed up Ankara's EU accession talks in exchange for its help in stemming migration flows to Europe. In addition, the deal calls for the EU to resettle one Syrian refugee from Turkey in return for every Syrian refugee Turkey takes back from Greece. French President Francois Hollande said, 'The summit has created hope that the refugee question can be dealt with through solidarity in Europe, and efficiency in cooperation with Turkey.' However, UNHCR refugee coordinator for Europe Vincent Cochetel, who said he is did not know the details of the proposed deal, told VOA he worries it may lack safeguards to protect asylum-seekers. "Collective expulsion of foreigners is prohibited under the European Convention of Human Rights,' Cochetel said. 'An agreement that would be tantamount to a blanket return of any foreigners to a third country is not consistent with European law, is not consistent with international law." March 17 summit All eyes are now on March 17 and the start of a two-day summit to finalize the commitment and agree on a deal that the leaders hope will allow for a return to normalcy along their borders by the end of the year. But the difficulties in reaching a deal were underscored by the talks themselves, which lasted hours longer than initially scheduled Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu cast the new Turkish proposal as a way to both rescue lives, staunch migrant trafficking and herald 'a new era in EU-Turkish relations.' But deep divisions remain over finding a solution to Europe's biggest refugee crisis since World War Two. Last year, more than 1 million refugees and migrants made the perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea from Turkey to Europe, and roughly 142,000 have arrived so far this year, most of them arriving in Greece. The Turkish coast guard is reportedly intercepting would-be migrants on an irregular basis in an effort to discourage human smugglers. Rights protections Cochetel tells VOA he has no objection to interceptions in Turkish territorial waters, as long as those aboard are able to access protection. "We know that 91 percent of the people arriving in Greece are Afghans, Iraqis and Syrians fleeing for their lives, fleeing because of the conflict or fleeing because of the human rights violations in their country," he said. "They are not people that are looking for a better economic future. They are people that are fleeing those conflicts that are still unsolved today," Cochetel added. The UNHCR urges European leaders to ensure the plan includes proper legal safeguards for refugees before they meet next week to finalize the deal with Turkey. Beyond differences with Turkey, EU countries are split among themselves over how to handle the crisis, as some countries install border controls while others notably Germany and Sweden call for a more humanitarian approach. Those differences were on display during an EU summit last month, when leaders failed to make any headway on the migrant issue. New spats have flared up, including between France and Belgium over the fate of asylum-seekers in Calais which has also been a longstanding bone of contention between France and Britain, the ultimate destination of many. Little progress Even some areas of agreement such as the voluntary resettlement of roughly 160,000 asylum-seekers have shown little progress on the ground. 'There is a lack of political willingness to implement the decisions that have been taken,' said Sergio Carrera, senior research fellow for the Center for European Policy Studies in Brussels. He said he was baffled by the EU's inaction toward asylum-seekers, many of whom come from conflict-torn countries such as Iraq, Syria or Afghanistan. Arriving at the talks Monday, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras whose country is on the front lines of the migrant influx called on fellow EU members to honor their resettlement agreement. 'This is a European problem, so we have to find collective solutions to this problem,' Tsipras said. Some governments, however, seem opposed to following even already-existing rules, Carrera said. 'These include basic human rights of the people arriving," he said. "Then they want to rewrite their rules according to their own wishes.' But, Carrera added, 'a union cannot function like this.' Thousands stalled Meanwhile, thousands of migrants are now stuck in Greece since non-EU member Macedonia blocked their passage northward as part of a domino series of border controls established by Balkan countries. And more keep arriving or lose their lives trying to do so. At least 18 asylum-seekers drowned off the Turkish coast Sunday, according to news reports. Ahead of the Brussels meeting, Human Rights Watch warned that a potential deal with Ankara would mean a 'flawed and potentially dangerous policy to refugee flows' across the Aegean. 'EU leaders are in a panic to stop refugee flows before spring,' senior Human Rights Watch official Judith Sunderland said, 'and they seem willing to throw human rights overboard in the process.' NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Trying to Determine if Key IS Leader Killed in Airstrike by Carla Babb, Jeff Seldin March 08, 2016 The United States is trying to determine if an airstrike last week in Syria killed a top Islamic State leader. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said a coalition strike Friday near the town of al-Shaddadi targeted Tarkhan Batirashvili, also known as Abu Omar al-Shishani, or 'Omar the Chechen.' 'At the time of this strike, Batirashvili had been sent to al Shaddadi to bolster ISIL [IS] fighters following a series of strategic defeats by local forces we are supporting, cutting off ISIL operations near the Syria-Iraq border,' Cook said. Earlier in the day, an official told VOA on the condition of anonymity that the Islamic State commander was believed to be in the area to assess the strength of his forces and 'try to boost morale' after major territory gain by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. As many as a dozen Islamic State fighters were killed in the strike, according to the official. CNN was the first to report the airstrike. The U.S. had a $5 million reward on the IS leader's head and said he 'coordinated closely' with Islamic State's financial section. This follows reports last week of an airstrike near Aleppo that killed IS official Amr al Absi, also known as Abu al Athir. U.S. officials tell VOA they have not been able to confirm al-Absi's death and say that if he was killed in an airstrike, it wasn't one carried out by the United States. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Inherent Resolve Counter-ISIL Strikes Continue in Syria, Iraq From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release SOUTHWEST ASIA, March 9, 2016 U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria Attack and fighter aircraft conducted six strikes in Syria: -- Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed two ISIL cranes. -- Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes struck an ISIL modular refinery and an ISIL natural gas processing plant. -- Near Mara, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions. Strikes in Iraq Attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 11 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of the Iraqi government: -- Near Kisik, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit. -- Near Mosul, four strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, two ISIL vehicles and an ISIL assembly area. -- Near Ramadi, three strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed six ISIL fighting positions, five ISIL vehicles, and an ISIL vehicle-borne bomb. -- Near Sinjar, a strike destroyed five ISIL fighting positions and two ISIL mortar positions. -- Near Sultan Abdallah, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL mortar position and an ISIL assembly area and suppressing an ISIL fighting position. Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Part of Operation Inherent Resolve The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Counter-ISIL Operations Aim to Isolate Raqqa By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity KEY WEST, Fla., March 9, 2016 Coalition operations continue to isolate the Syrian city of Raqqa, the so-called capital of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here yesterday. Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. said Syrian Democratic Front forces and Iraqi security forces are working to prevent ISIL from using Raqqa as a planning hub or an area from which the terror group can launch attacks. Latest Operations The latest operations are aimed at breaking the connection between Raqqa and Mosul, Iraq, -- the largest city that ISIL controls. "Those operations are ongoing," Dunford said. "If you look at what the [Kurdish] peshmerga did in Sinjar and look at the operation in Shaddadi, the effect of those operations is to cut the lines of communication between Raqqa and Mosul." This continues the plan announced last year to increase pressure on the terror group across Iraq and Syria, the chairman said Raqqa and Mosul are the two centers of gravity for ISIL, Dunford said. "We are increasing the number of folks that we are supporting on the ground -- in this case the Syrian-Arab Coalition," he said. "Right now we don't have a timeline for the operation for when we will take Raqqa. It's going to be conditions-based -- based on the size of the force we have, based on enemy dispositions, and of course, there is some other work being done both east and west of Shaddadi to consolidate the operation so far." "This is all part of tightening the noose on ISIL in Syria," the chairman said. Dunford was in Key West to visit Joint Interagency Task Force - South officials at Key West Naval Air Station. Previously, he attended March 8 meetings in Miami with U.S. Southern Command leaders. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Boxer ARG, 13th MEU Join ROK Forces in Ssang Yong 2016 Navy News Service Story Number: NNS160309-03 Release Date: 3/9/2016 8:56:00 AM By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Matthew Jackson, USS Boxer (LHD 4) Public Affairs EAST SEA (NNS) -- Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are participating in exercise Ssang Yong 16 (SY16), March 8-18, in and around Pohang, Republic of Korea (ROK). Ssang Yong, which means 'twin dragons,' is a biennial exercise hosted by the ROK to strengthen interoperability and working relationships with partner nations. This year's exercise will include Navy and Marine Corps participants from the ROK, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand. 'Boxer is one of the main batteries for this exercise,' said Capt. Keith Moore, commander of Amphibious Squadron 1. 'It will provide the full capacity of our Air Combat Element, our battalion landing team, and the logistics element. The ships will provide landing craft and amphibious assault vehicles to hit the beach and execute the missions we've trained for during work-ups.' SY16 will focus on the aggregation of forces for an exercise of Marine Expeditionary Brigade level forcible entry operations. Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 7 and the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (3D MEB) will aggregate elements of the Boxer ARG, Bonhomme Richard ARG, 13th MEU, 31st MEU and the Maritime Prepositioning Forces (MPF) with ROK Navy and ROK Marine Corps Marine Task Force to practice full-spectrum amphibious operations. 'Those forces will go ashore in the Republic of Korea and train across all the various areas we've been training [to] in conjunction with the ROK Marines and Navy,' said Moore. 'It's really going to be a tremendous opportunity for us to flex the full capabilities of the ARG/MEU teams.' Together, 3D MEB, ESG 7, ROK Marines and ROK Navy will conduct a simulated amphibious assault along beaches in the vicinity of Pohang. They will penetrate notional enemy beach defenses, establish a beach head, and rapidly transition forces and sustainment ashore. This will be a simulated, full-spectrum, combined arms forcible entry operation. SY16 will showcase the capabilities, effectiveness, speed, and flexibility of expeditionary amphibious operations and the U.S. and ROK partnership. 'The role of the 13th MEU [during SY16] is to conduct amphibious operations that help build a greater partnership with other naval forces in the Korean theatre of operations,' said Marine Col. Anthony Henderson, commanding officer, 13th MEU. 'There will be other navies participating as well, and it gives us an opportunity to demonstrate how we conduct full spectrum operations.' Ultimately, the relationships forged and sustained at exercises such as Ssang Yong contribute to the security and stability on the Korean Peninsula, as well as the entire Asia-Pacfic region. 'Being able to use seas to maneuver, being able to provide presence, being able to ensure some form of stability through our operations is what we train to do and what we're prepared to do and demonstrate in Ssang Yong 2016,' said Henderson. This exercise proves the Navy and Marine Corps' ability to conduct amphibious landing operations in cooperation with our international partners. SY16 will enhance the interoperability and combined capability of ROK and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps forces. 'I have absolute confidence,' said Moore. 'I know that we are ready. We have executed all of the missions that are going to be put against us. We've executed them with precision, skill, gusto and with a warfighting fervor that I know we will take forward when we get tasked.' Approximately 9,200 Marines, 3,100 U.S. Navy Sailors, 4,500 Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC), and 3,000 Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) members will participate in SY16. Approximately 100 Australian Army soldiers and 60 Royal New Zealand Army members will also participate. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Antietam Arrives in Manila Navy News Service Story Number: NNS160309-12 Release Date: 3/9/2016 12:53:00 PM By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class David Flewellyn, Commander Task Force 70 Public Affairs MANILA, Philippines (NNS) -- Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54) arrived in Manila for a scheduled port visit March 8. During her stay, Antietam's crew will participate in community relations (COMREL) events and tours, and have time to enjoy the city. 'It's my first time in the Philippines, so I'm excited to see what Manila has to offer,' said Cryptologic Technician 3rd Class Jacob Burwell. For some members of the crew, however, coming to Manila is not an exotic port visit, but a chance to come home. 'I'm excited to go to see my family,' said Personnel Specialist 1st Class Virgilio Minimo. 'I'm going to visit the Navy base close to where I grew up.' Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Jamie Jacob, from Manila, was another Antietam Sailor who was looking forward to being home. 'My friend is having a baby shower, so I'm so happy I get to be here for that,' said Jacob. 'I'm also happy that I'll get to see my friends and family.' Antietam, forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, is on patrol in the 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen denies stopping military operations along Saudi border Iran Press TV Wed Mar 9, 2016 5:28PM Yemen's army says its operations backed by popular committees are underway along the border with Saudi Arabia, dismissing rumors of a reduction in the retaliatory operations. Yemen's army spokesman, Brigadier General Sharaf Luqman, told Russia's Sputnik news agency on Wednesday that the army has received no official order to scale down its operations along the border. Yemenis have been carrying out attacks on targets inside Saudi Arabia in retaliation for the Arab kingdom's aggression against their nation. Asked if Yemeni army's operations have been temporarily stopped, Luqman said it is 'not true' and the military operations are still ongoing. He also referred to the visit by a delegation of Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement to Saudi Arabia for talks, saying negotiations are under way with a view to swapping prisoners. The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said in a Wednesday statement that Ansarullah movement has freed a Saudi soldier in exchange for seven detained Yemenis as part of a tribally-mediated agreement. On Tuesday, two senior Houthi officials told Reuters that representatives of the group had arrived in Saudi Arabia to discuss a truce along the frontier. Yemen has been under military attacks by Saudi Arabia since late March last year. The Saudi military strikes were launched to bring the fugitive former president, Abd Rabbu Mansur Hadi, back to power. At least 8,400 people have been killed and 16,015 others injured since March 2015. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tunisian forces kill ten militants suspected of having links to Daesh Iran Press TV Wed Mar 9, 2016 4:23PM Tunisian security forces have killed at least ten militants suspected of having links to the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group near the Libyan border. The interior and defense ministries of Tunisia said the military conducted a series of raids late Tuesday into the early hours of Wednesday near the border town of Ben Guerdane. A Tunisian soldier was also killed during a fresh anti-militant offensive in the border region. Tunisian authorities say government forces backed by helicopters launched a massive operation to track down armed attackers who have fled and are thought to be holed up in uninhabited houses in the region. On March 7, seven civilians, 12 members of security forces and three dozen attackers were killed in an attack in the same border area. The violence prompted the two Tunisian ministers to take action on overseeing the operation. Prime Minister Hassid Essid has said the attack was an attempt by Daesh to carve out a stronghold on the border region. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the assault but two Daesh-affiliated websites said the terrorist group's militants were engaged in the fighting. Tunisian authorities have closed two border crossings with Libya. They have also sealed off the nearby beach resort town of Djerba, a popular destination for tourists, and imposed a night curfew in the town. The relative calm in Tunisia has been punctured by growing instability in Libya, which has been in chaos since former dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, was toppled and later killed in 2011. Tunisian forces have repeatedly clashed with Takfiri militants on the borders of Libya and Algeria over the past few years, but the March 7 fighting was unusually bloody. In November 2015, a bomb attack by Daesh on a bus carrying presidential guards left 12 people dead in the capital city of Tunis. In June the same year, an assailant armed with a rifle killed 38 people, mostly foreign tourists, on a beach in the Tunisian resort town of Sousse. The attack came more than a month after two militants stormed the Bardo Museum in the capital and shot dead 21 people, mainly foreign tourists. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Eight killed as Taliban attack govt. offices in southern Afghanistan Iran Press TV Wed Mar 9, 2016 11:13AM At least eight people have been killed in Afghanistan in a string of coordinated attacks by the Taliban militant group against government offices in the country's southern province of Helmand. Abdul Jabar Qahraman, a senior provincial security official, said 10 men armed with assault rifles and wearing in explosive-laden jackets arrived on board vehicles in the town of Gereshk, 600 kilometers (375 miles) southwest of the capital, Kabul, at around 6:00 a.m. local time (0130 GMT) on Wednesday. He added that the militants seized a building and fired on the district governor's office, a police station and the nearby educational department, before security forces pushed them back. Those killed in the exchange of gunfire between Taliban terrorists and Afghan security personnel included seven attackers and one policeman, Qahraman said. He did nto say whether any explosions took place as well. The top security official went on to say that three security force members were also wounded during the clashes. On March 1, at least four police officers lost their lives in an attack by a man clad in an Afghan police uniform at a remote highway checkpoint in the country's beleaguered central province of Uruzgan. Mohammad Akbar Shinwari, the acting head of Uruzgan's police department, said the incident took place on the main highway connecting Uruzgan to the neighboring province of Kandahar. Taliban claimed responsibility for the act of violence. Afghanistan is gripped by insecurity more than 14 years after the United States and its allies attacked the country as part of Washington's so-called war on terror. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen's Houthis, Saudi Arabia exchange prisoners: Report Iran Press TV Wed Mar 9, 2016 10:39AM Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement has freed a Saudi soldier in exchange for seven detained Yemenis as part of a tribally-mediated agreement, a report says. The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said in a Wednesday statement that the prisoner swap was launched by Yemeni tribal figures to diminish the violence in the border area and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Yemenis. Riyadh "welcomed the continuation of a state of calm along the border... which contributes to arriving at a political solution," the statement said. On Tuesday, two senior Houthi officials told Reuters that representatives of the group had arrived in Saudi Arabia to discuss a truce along the frontier. The visit reportedly began on Monday at the invitation of Saudi authorities, following a week of secret preparatory talks, the officials said. According to the unnamed officials, the Houthi delegation in Saudi Arabia is headed by Mohammed Abdel-Salam, a senior adviser to the group's leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi. Saudi Arabia has been bombing its southern neighbor for about a year now in a bid to weaken the Houthis and restore power to fugitive former Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a staunch ally of Riyadh. Yemenis have been carrying out retaliatory attacks on the Saudi forces deployed in the country as well as targets inside Saudi Arabia. At least 8,400 Yemenis have been killed and over 16,000 others have sustained injuries since the onset of the war in March 2015. The military campaign has also taken a heavy toll on the impoverished country's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Air Strikes Likely Killed Top IS Commander, 'The Chechen' March 09, 2016 by RFE/RL Pentagon officials said U.S. air strikes last week likely killed a top Islamic State (IS) commander known as Umar 'the Chechen' al-Shishani, along with 12 other IS fighters. The officials told news media on March 8 that the attacks were carried out March 4 by multiple waves of planes and drone aircraft. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said the attacks occurred near al-Shaddadeh in Syria, a former IS stronghold that was captured in February by the U.S.-backed, predominantly Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces. He said the IS leader, whose real name is Tarkhan Batirashvili, held numerous senior military positions within the group, including 'minister of war,' and was based in Raqqa, Syria. Cook said that at the time of the strikes Shishani was in al-Shaddadeh to bolster IS fighters who had suffered a series of defeats at the hands of local forces supported by the United States. Cook said the Pentagon is still officially assessing the results of the strikes. Shishani is one of hundreds of Chechens who have been among the toughest fighters in Syria. He is an ethnic Chechen from the Caucasus nation of Georgia, specifically from the Pankisi Valley, a center of Georgia's Chechen community and once a stronghold for militants. Cook described him as a 'battle-tested leader,' one of IS's most capable, with experience in numerous clashes in Iraq and Syria. He said that his loss to IS would hurt the group's ability to recruit foreign fighters, especially those from Chechnya and the Caucus region. The U.S. State Department had put a $5 million reward on his head. A senior defense official who provided details about the March 4 airstrike said the Chechen had joined the Georgian military in 2006 and fought against Russian troops in 2008 in the South Ossetia region of Georgia as part of an elite military unit. Shishani was discharged from the Georgian army in 2010 for medical reasons, the defense official said, and in 2012 left Georgia for Istanbul, Turkey. From there he went to Syria and commanded rebel forces against Syrian government forces. He joined IS in 2013, the official said, and at one point oversaw an IS prison in al-Tabqa near Raqqa where the group may have held foreign hostages. In May 2013 he was appointed northern commander for IS with authority over the group's military operations and forces in northern Syria. With reporting by AP, AFP, and CNN Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/us-air- strikes-likely-killed-top-islamic-state- commander-chechen-omar-al-shishani/27599468.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Official: 15 Shabab Militants Killed in US-Somali Raid by Dan Joseph March 09, 2016 U.S. military officials are denying that U.S. forces saw any ground action in a raid targeting al-Shabab militants in Somalia early Wednesday. U.S. officials initially characterized the raid in the town of Awdhegle as a joint operation with the Somali National Army. But Pentagon officials now say that while U.S. helicopters were used in the raid, U.S. personnel "did not go all the way to the objective." The chief of police in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region says forces in the raid killed 15 militants and took six others into custody. Abdi Ibrahim Shamow told VOA's Somali Service that senior al-Shabab officials had been meeting in the town to organize militias for attacks against Somali government forces and African Union troops. A local official said helicopters dropped between 60 and 70 soldiers outside Awdhegle just after midnight Wednesday. The official, Mohamed Aweys Abukar, told VOA the troops then attacked three or four targets in the town, inflicting a number of casualties on the militants. Al-Shabab said one of its fighters was killed in the raid. The al-Qaida-linked group said its forces put up stiff resistance and eventually forced the troops to retreat. This was the second time in five days U.S. forces were involved in an attack against Al-Shabab. On Saturday, U.S. aircraft fired missiles at an Al-Shabab training camp in the Hiran region, north of Mogadishu. The Pentagon said the attack killed around 150 militants who were training for a large-scale attack against AU troops and U.S. military personnel in Somalia. Al-Shabab confirmed the aerial attack but said the death toll was exaggerated. VOA National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin and VOA Somali service's Mohamed Olad contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghan Taliban Stages Assault in Helmand by Ayaz Gul March 09, 2016 Authorities in Afghanistan's restive southern province of Helmand say a group of at least 10 heavily-armed Taliban fighters have staged a coordinated assault, triggering a gun battle with security forces. The attack early Wednesday in the Gereshk district targeted the police headquarters and offices of the Afghan spy agency. Casualties on both sides A senior provincial security official, Abdul Jabbar Qahraman, told VOA that security forces have killed nine assailants during a gunfight to eliminate the remaining militants. He went to on to assert that all the assailants were foreign nationals and there were suicide bombers among them. The militant siege has left at least three security personnel dead while several others wounded, said Qahraman. A Taliban spokesman, Qari Yosaf Ahmadi, claimed responsibility for the assault, saying it has inflicted heavy casualties on Afghan security personnel. The fighting prompted provincial authorities to close the main Kandahar-Herat highway, which links the southern region to western Afghanistan. Reports say thousands of passengers have been stranded because of the road closure. Helmand, which borders Pakistan, is Afghanistan's largest province and a major poppy growing area and is a Taliban heartland. The insurgency has overrun many of the 14 districts of the province after months of fighting. Protecting narcotics, crime Narcotics produced in Helmand and surrounding southern provincesis a main source of income for the insurgency, according to the United Nations. Former Afghan army chief, Sher Mohammad Karimi told VOA that Taliban advances in Helmand are mainly encouraged by a traditional network of gangs involved in illegal narcotics business and other criminal activities. "The don't want law and order because if there is law and order they cannot do business. So, it is not just [the] Taliban. [The] Taliban is a part of it because they may get some benefits from their illegal assets,' Karimi explained. 'So, that is why it makes it difficult for the government to control because in that area most of the people are involved in narcotics and their smuggling." Meanwhile, reports say deadly clashes between rival Taliban groups in the western Herat province have left up to 70 militants dead, including senior commanders. The fighting in the Shindand district erupted earlier this week and involved militants loyal to Taliban chief Mullah Akthar Mansoor and a splinter faction headed by Mullah Mohammad Rasool, provincial authorities told local reporters on Wednesday. Fighters from Helmand and western provinces of Farah and Nimroz have also arrived to reinforce their respective ranks. Taliban spokespeople were not available immediately for comments on the alleged clashes in Herat, which borders Iran and where clashes between the rival Taliban groups three months ago had killed dozens of militants. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Netanyahu praises GCC blacklisting of Hezbollah Iran Press TV Tue Mar 8, 2016 10:4AM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised a decision by Persian Gulf Arab states to blacklist Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement. Netanyahu said on Monday the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)'s designation was an "important" and "even amazing" development. Last week, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates branded Hezbollah as a "terrorist organization." Netanyahu said measures as such by the group "have great potential to change the diplomatic reality in the region." However, he lashed out at Hadash and Balad, two Arab parties in the Israeli Knesset (parliament), for criticizing the blacklisting of Hezbollah. A Balad source had earlier slammed the GCC move against Hezbollah, saying the movement "represents a large part of the Lebanese people' and the listing was "dangerous" as it would fuel crises in the region. Hadash also said the GCC move served the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands, and was a proof that the Persian Gulf states were 'siding with colonialism and Zionism against the interests of Arab nations.' "What is equally amazing is that two parties in the Knesset criticized" Hezbollah's terror tag, said Netanyahu, adding, "Have you gone crazy?" The GCC decision has been harshly criticized by senior Lebanese officials and regional nations. Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam on Monday praised Hezbollah as "an essential political component in the country" which "resisted in the face of the Israeli enemy." The resistance movement is credited with driving Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon and defeating them in subsequent wars. Tunisia and Algeria have also renounced the GCC blacklisting of Hezbollah while Iran, Syria, Yemen's Ansarullah movement as well as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement have repudiated it. The listing came in the wake of recent Saudi pressures on Yemen. Last month, Saudi Arabia said it had suspended $4 billion in aid to Lebanese armed forces. It also banned its citizens from traveling to Lebanon and imposed sanctions on the country. The decision followed recent victories by the Syrian army, which is backed by Hezbollah in its battle against Takfiri militants fighting to topple the Syrian government. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sino-Russian heavy-lift helicopter project underway People's Daily Online By Liang Jun (People's Daily Online) 15:06, March 08, 2016 China and Russia have conducted the seventh round of negotiations on their joint development of heavy-lift helicopters. Both sides have reached a consensus on the core technology, said Yu Feng, President of AVIC Helicopter Co. Ltd. on Monday. The talks, held from Feb. 29 to March 4, are of great significance for further promoting strategic cooperation between China and Russia, Yu Feng, also an NPC deputy, told reporters at the ongoing Two Sessions meetings on March 7. The development of heavy-lift helicopters makes China the third country after Russia and the U.S. to boast the capability. Thus, China has become one of the world's few countries with a complete spectrum of helicopters. The heavy-lift helicopter, which is currently in the research and development phase, has an maximum take-off weight of 38.2 tons, a maximum cruise speed of 300 kilometers per hour, a service ceiling of 5,700 meters, and a range of 630 kilometers. It is designed to undertake tasks such as large-scale rescue, vehicle transport, fire transport, personnel transport and other heavy lifting. China and Russia signed the cooperative framework on the advanced heavy-lift helicopter on May 8, 2015. Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin attended the signing ceremony. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China plans to build bases in more countries after Djibouti Iran Press TV Tue Mar 8, 2016 9:38AM China says it is planning to construct global "support facilities" in more countries, after starting to construct a logistics center in the African country of Djibouti. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the announcement during a news conference on the sidelines of an annual parliament meeting on Tuesday. "We are willing to, in accordance with objective needs, respond to the wishes of host nations and in regions where China's interests are concentrated, try out the construction of some infrastructure facilities and support abilities," he said. Last month, the Chinese Defense Ministry said Beijing had started construction on the base in Djibouti, which is seeking to become a shipping hub. Djibouti, which is located at the southern entrance of the Red Sea on the route to the Suez Canal, also hosts American and French bases. South China Sea shipping lane Elsewhere in his Tuesday remarks, Wang described the South China Sea as one of the world's safest and freest shipping lanes, saying Beijing was the first to "explore, name, develop, and administer" islands in the region. The South China Sea has become a source of tension between China, the US, and some regional countries seeking control of trade routes and mineral deposits there. China-Japan tensions The Chinese foreign minister also accused Japan of constantly seeking to instigate tension in the region. Relations between China and Japan have soured in the past years over a territorial row on an uninhabited yet strategically-important island group in the East China Sea. Tensions grew after Tokyo nationalized part of the resource-rich islands in 2012. "Thanks to the efforts of wise people on both sides, there are signs of improvement in the China-Japan relations, but there is little ground for optimism," Wang said. He said the Japanese government and leaders say nice things about wanting to improve relations on the one hand, but on the other they 'create troubles for China at every turn.' 'This is what I would call a typical case of being two faced.' China has been expanding its presence and capacity to respond to what it calls growing threats against its interests. The country is also reforming its military by investing in submarines and aircraft carriers as the country's navy is becoming more assertive in its territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China's Growing Overseas Presence Aims to Protect Beijing's Interests Sputnik News 12:54 08.03.2016(updated 13:33 08.03.2016) China's ascendance on the international arena comes out from the defence the country's interests abroad, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday. BEIJING (Sputnik) China's growing overseas presence is aimed at protecting the country's interests abroad, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday. 'Like many large countries, China expands its presence abroad,' Wang stated at a briefing. Tens of thousands of Chinese companies are working abroad, while China's 2016 overseas investment exceeded $100 billion, that is why the protection of the country's interests 'is a pressing issue for Chinese diplomacy' and the actions of Beijing 'are focused on the protection of its interests,' he stressed. China will not follow the expansion path as the world's powerful countries traditionally did, the minister noted. The Asian nation provided the largest number of peacekeepers for worldwide programs, and the contribution to the UN budget for peacekeeping missions is also the highest, he stressed. Wang also voiced China's intent to strengthen cooperation with other countries, including the collaboration in the legal and security areas. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Undercurrents at China's '2 Sessions' Provide Clues, Questions by William Ide, Joyce Huang March 08, 2016 China's annual meetings in Beijing are a key opportunity in the political calendar for officials to take stock of the past year's successes and failures and fine tune their messaging about key topics such as the economy, environment and social issues. It is also a time when undercurrents and key concerns surface despite the tightly scripted meetings and daily flood of press conferences at the "2 Sessions"- meetings for China's top legislative body the National People's Congress (NPC) and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). This year is no exception, and the direction China's increasingly powerful leader Xi Jinping is taking the world's second largest economy is a key point of discussion and, for some, a growing concern. "There's a groundswell of discontent among NPC members, intellectuals, experts in Beijing, even more liberal party officials, that Xi is turning back the clock imposing a kind of a dictatorial model on the party," said Willy Lam, an expert on elite Chinese politics. "However, at this stage, I think except for relatively few liberal academics, most government officials and NPC members will not dare not openly criticize Xi Jinping." Free speech debate grows Last year, it was a documentary about China's notorious smog that had social media buzzing. The documentary "Under the Dome," which was produced by a former state media reporter went viral, attracting hundreds of millions of views before it was eventually blocked online shortly after the meetings started. This year, just days before the meetings opened last week, a politically connected and the social media account of prominent former property businessman Ren Zhiqiang was shut down after he criticized President Xi. Ren's account, which had more than 37 million followers, was taken offline after he took issue with comments Xi made during a visit to party media headquarters stressing that they should tow the party line in their reporting. Although that silenced Ren and has put his fate in question, others continue to voice concerns. An interview with Caixin magazine, Jiang Hong, a veteran finance professor and delegate to the CPPCC who is known for speaking up at the annual meetings, said "certain events" were casting a shadow over this year's meetings. In his interview with Caixin, Jiang did not say what he meant by certain events, but added that because of those events everyone attending the meetings felt a bit "dazed" and "did not want to talk so much." Caixin's interview with Jiang was later taken down but discussions about Ren and Jiang's remarks continue on social media, including accusations that his comments violated party regulations. On social media, authorities worked quickly to limit re-posting of articles on the topic and comments were blocked shortly after they were put up. On Tuesday, Caixin filed a report on its English website, featuring the mouth of a Chinese citizen and a red stop sign painted over it. The article was entitled "Story about Advisors Free Speech Comments Removed from Caixin Website." That too was taken down shortly afterwards. No light at the end of the tunnel David Bandurski, editor of the University of Hong Kong's China Media Project, said all of the uncertainty about the social, political and economic environment was creating a perception of instability, which may also correspond to real instability. "And this is the kind of situation even regardless of who Xi Jinping is in terms of his thinking and his policies, the media is going to be controlled very very tightly," said Bandurski. But he added that what is happening now unprecedented for the reform era and that it was hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel. The debate, however, is not only about media control, but a broader tightening that is going on as well simultaneously including controls over film to online publishing. There is even question whether party members are internally being able to discuss policies. "If you can't look at the fact, if you can't make small decisions about the future, and you can't even talk about the future in an intelligent way, this is bad news for China," said Bandurski. For now, the backlash appears to not have stopped not stopped Jiang Hong, who has said that he is considering putting forward a proposal on free speech during the meetings, even as he continues to voice concern about a topic he usually comments on - economic reform. Xi as the 'Core' Since coming to power three years ago, Xi Jinping's leadership has been marked by a distaste for dissent, from the more recent disappearances of booksellers overseas and in Hong Kong to televised confessions and ever-tightening controls on the Internet and media. Analysts say the tightening control is aimed at stabilizing Xi's position as head of the government, party and military, and silencing any criticism at a time when China's economy is slowing dramatically. At the same time, there has also been a push in state media to enshrine Xi as the "core" leader of the party a status similar to that once held by Deng Xiaoping. In the government's work report, which was delivered on Saturday by Premier Li Keqiang, he called on members of the NPC to "rally close around the CPC Central Committee headed by General Secretary Xi Jinping" to fulfill this year's economic and social development targets and tasks. While the push seeks to elevate Xi, it also puts the brunt of responsibility for fixing the economy squarely on his shoulders. David Zweig, a political scientist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said one of the difficult questions for outside observers was judging whether Xi was in it for power or whether he was tightening down to push through reforms. "If we do see the continuation of the drive for reforms and it does have some success, then we can't reject the idea that he's doing this in part to consolidate enough power to run sort of run over the opponents," said Zweig. "I think once the reforms are dead in the water then we'll in a much stronger position to say he's doing power for the sake of power." 21st Century Mao In addition to how economic reforms are progressing, another key signal will be who Xi selects to head the country's top level politburo standing committee in the fall of 2017 and who becomes vice president, a key grooming position for the future leaders. Analysts note that if someone such as Hu Chunhua, the communist party boss in China's southern Guangdong province is selected as a senior candidate to take over as vice president, then it will be clearer that a hand over is on the horizon. "But if there's nobody in those authorities in that vice presidency, then, there's the possibility that he's just not grooming anybody," said Zweig. For now, in absence of any clear rising stars to replace him and persistent talk that that Xi may not need to step down after 10 years in office as expected in 2023, analysts say Xi may be aiming to stay in office longer than his predecessors. "Most of the pieces of information that we get from Beijing points to the fact that Xi Jinping wants to be Mao Zedong of the 21st century. And that he's seeking three terms of office. That is, he may stay in power until 2027" and that at this stage "he's in no hurry to identify his successors,"said Willy Lam. "This is, of course, very bad for political reform. This is a return to the Maoist system of a semi-imperial leader imposing his wishes on the country," he added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese naval escort fleet returns from mission in Somali waters People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 13:17, March 09, 2016 SANYA, March 9 -- A Chinese naval fleet returned from an escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters on Tuesday to a military port in Sanya City in the southern island province of Hainan, the PLA Daily reported Wednesday. The fleet, the 21st since December 2008, when China sent its first escort squad to the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters, was composed of the guided-missile frigates Liuzhou, Sanya and the comprehensive supply ship Qinghaihu. They left for the mission on August 4, 2015. During the mission, it escorted a total of 65 Chinese and foreign ships and observed 56 suspicious vessels. The fleet also visited Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Cambodia, and carried out joint anti-piracy drills with the naval forces of nations including the Republic of Korea and Denmark. The newspaper said the fleet had conducted practical exchanges with foreign militaries, deepening mutual trust and friendship. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Obama Invites Lawmakers to Join Him in Cuba by Michael Bowman March 08, 2016 President Barack Obama has invited U.S. lawmakers of both parties to join him on a history-making trip to Cuba late next week. Although the full list has not been revealed, VOA spoke with several senators who confirmed receiving the invitation. Republican Senator Jeff Flake tweeted he is "looking forward" to traveling to Cuba and hopes "it is not long until Congress restores the freedom of all Americans to do the same." Fellow Republican Jerry Moran declined the invitation due to a scheduling conflict. "I am not able to go,' said Moran. But the senator from the state of Kansas has long supported selling U.S. agricultural products to Cuba. "Economic ties create greater pressure on the Cuban government to change the nature of its relationship, between the government and its people,' said Moran. 'I think economic opportunities create greater demands for personal freedoms and liberties, and so I think the two are related." Asked if he supports Obama's diplomatic opening with Cuba, Moran would only say, "After 50-60 years, we might try something different." But Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, a Cuban-American, says Cuba's human rights record does not merit a diplomatic thaw between Washington and Havana. Similar criticism has come from two Republican Cuban-American senators, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, both of whom are running for president this year. The Senate's second-ranking Democrat, Richard Durbin, sees the issue differently. "This president, I believe, has moved us to a new, more realistic level of foreign policy, engaging the Cubans, doing our best to open Cuba, so that new ideas, new thinking new opportunities can come to the island,' said Durbin. 'The president visits many countries where we disagree with their leadership and disagree with their policies. But he still tries to engage them and encourage them to move toward democratic standards. That is exactly what is happening here." Durbin says he wants to accompany Obama to Cuba, and is attempting to rearrange his schedule to be able to do so. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Key Resolve and Foal Eagle 16 Flailed by Newspapers Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS) Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- Newspapers in the DPRK Tuesday strongly denounce the U.S. and the south Korean puppet forces for kicking off the largest-ever Key Resolve and Foal Eagle 16 joint military exercises. Rodong Sinmun in an article terms the drills an adventurous saber-rattling gravely wrecking peace on the Korean peninsula and stability in Northeast Asia and increasing the danger of a nuclear war. The rehearsals are time bombs increasing the danger of the second Korean war, a nuclear war, the article notes, and goes on: The warmongers are undisguisedly threatening the DPRK by opening to media war equipment involved in the exercises, while vociferating about massive introduction of special warfare forces, 'all-out mobilization of horrible weapons' and 'occupation' of the whole areas of the north. The above-said saber-rattling will inevitably lead the north-south relations to the brink of war. We will never remain a passive onlooker to the criminal war moves of the U.S. imperialists and the south Korean puppet warmongers disturbing peace on the peninsula and blocking the cause of peaceful reunification. The powerful strategic and tactical strike means of the powerful revolutionary Paektusan army are waiting for the signal flares of the final battle, sharply watching the saber-rattling of the provocateurs. Minju Joson in a commentary says the Korean army and people will clearly show what a real war is like to the aggressors and warmongers running wild like wolves bereft of reason to realize their purposes for aggression. -0- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address N Korea claims successful miniaturization of nuclear warheads Iran Press TV Tue Mar 8, 2016 9:57PM North Korea says it has successfully miniaturized nuclear warheads so they can be fit on ballistic missiles. 'The nuclear warheads have been standardized to be fit for ballistic missiles by miniaturizing them,' the KCNA official news agency quoted North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as saying on Wednesday. "This can be called a true nuclear deterrent,' he added. Kim made the claim while supposedly inspecting a series of warheads designed for thermo-nuclear reaction - the process used in a hydrogen bomb which the North claims to have recently successfully tested. The remarks were Kim's first direct reference to claims made repeatedly on Korean state media concerning miniaturizing nuclear warheads, a process that has been met with skepticism from the US and South Korea. South Korea falls prey to North hackers Meanwhile, South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) announced that North Korean hackers have successfully gained access to sensitive information of scores of top South Korean officials over the past few weeks. The North 'has been implanting malicious codes by sending enticing text messages' to the smart phones of officials since late February, said NIS. NIS added that officials from the Ministry of National Defense, the country's transport system, and online banking networks were among those targeted. The cyber attackers reportedly gained access to the officials' phone conversations, text messages, and other sensitive information by sending text messages containing links that activated a virus. According to the Yonhap news agency, the phones of South Korean National Security Adviser Kim Kwan-jin, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Defense Minister Han Min-koo were targeted in the attacks. The United States and the South have implicated the North in various cyber attacks over the last few years, all of which have been denied by Pyongyang. NIS warned that it has recently recorded an increase in North Korean cyber attacks which it suspects are in retaliation for the tough new sanctions imposed on Pyongyang over its recent nuclear test and rocket launch. On January 6, North Korea said it had successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb, its fourth nuclear test, vowing to build up its nuclear program as deterrence against potential aggression from the US. A month later, Pyongyang launched a long-range rocket it said placed an earth observation satellite into orbit. However, Washington and Seoul denounced it as a cover for an intercontinental ballistic missile test. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address N.Korea Hacks Dozens of S.Korean Officials' Smartphones Sputnik News 18:36 08.03.2016 North Korean hackers sent text messages to the phones of Seoul officials in an attempt to lure them into following links to download malicious software, according to local media. MOSCOW (Sputnik) North Korea stole information from dozens of Seoul top government officials' smartphones in the past couple of weeks, local media reported Tuesday, citing South Korea's spy agency, the National Intelligence Service. North Korean hackers sent text messages to the phones of Seoul officials in an attempt to lure them into following links to download malicious software, the Yonhap news agency reported. A fifth of the phones targeted were successfully hacked, according to the media. According to the news agency, Pyongyang gained access to the content of text messages and phone conversations between late February and early March. The cyberattacks came amid heightened tensions between the two Koreas following Pyongyang's nuclear test and long-range rocket launch violating UN Security Council resolutions and triggering condemnation from the international community earlier this year. On March 2, the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution to extend existing sanctions on North Korea. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China Wants Cordial Relationship With N Korea, but Opposes Nuclear Program Sputnik News 08:56 08.03.2016(updated 09:50 08.03.2016) China continues to maintain partnership with North Korea, however, strongly opposes Pyongyang's nuclear program, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday. BEIJING (Sputnik) China appreciates friendly relations with North Korea, however, stands against Pyongyang's nuclear program, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday. 'Chinese-North Korean relations are strong friendly relations We appreciate the well-established friendly relations with DPRK, North Korea wants to grow and be safe, we are ready to give them our support and assistance,' Wang said. The head of Chinese Foreign Ministry, however, underscored that China supports the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and 'cannot put up with the plans to create nuclear weapons.' On January 6, Pyongyang said it had successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test which triggered a wave of condemnation from the international community. On February 7, North Korea launched a Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite atop a long-range rocket, defying a UN Security Council resolution which bans Pyongyang from launching rockets that could be used as ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China Ready to Discuss North Korea's Nuclear Issue in Any Format Sputnik News 09:59 08.03.2016(updated 10:50 08.03.2016) China is open to dialogue over North Korea nuclear programme issue in any format, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday. BEIJING (Sputnik) Beijing is ready to discuss the Pyongyang nuclear issue in any format, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday. 'We are open to any initiative that will help to return the negotiating process regarding peace on the Korean Peninsula,' Wang said, adding that earlier the different parties had proposed various formats for the talks, including bilateral, trilateral, quadrilateral and other formats. 'China insists that the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and talks on signing a peace agreement should go simultaneously,' Wang added. On March 2, the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution to extend existing sanctions against North Korea in response to the country's fourth nuclear bomb test in January and long-range rocket launches in breach of the existing Security Council resolutions. In 2003, North Korea joined the United States, Russia, China, Japan and South Korea in six-party talks on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. The six-party talks came to a halt in 2009, when Pyongyang tested its second nuclear weapon, and have been stalled ever since. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China to start inspecting North Korean ships Iran Press TV Wed Mar 9, 2016 6:21AM China will start inspecting the North Korean ships that dock at its ports for banned cargo as part of new international sanctions against Pyongyang. The move, which Beijing would start taking against the vessels as of Thursday, corresponds to its commitments under a raft of sanctions adopted against Pyongyang at the United Nations Security Council earlier in the month, Japanese paper Sankei Shimbun reported on Wednesday. The sanctions, which were cleared by the Council on March 2, impose trade restrictions on North Korea, require UN member states to inspect all cargoes to and from North Korea, and bar vessels suspected of carrying illegal goods to the country from leaving ports. Accordingly, North Korean general cargo ship Grand Karo was also barred recently from berthing at the Rizhao port in northeastern China, according to Reuters. The ship is among the 31 vessels blacklisted by China's Ministry of Transport in line with the sanctions regime. Authorities in China are also more watchful of the remittances the country makes to North Korea as all existing branches of North Korean banks in UN member states are to be closed within 90 days of the imposition of the sanctions. The sanctions came after seven weeks of intense negotiations between the United States and China, the latter being considered North Korea's main ally. North Korea had already been the target of hard-hitting UN sanctions over its nuclear tests and missile launches. Pyongyang declared itself a nuclear power in 2005 and carried out four nuclear weapons tests later in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2016. It also launched a long-range rocket last month reportedly aimed at placing an earth observation satellite into orbit. The launch was condemned by some countries as a disguised missile test. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IRGC commander: Enemies afraid of Iranian missiles' roar IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, March 8, IRNA -- Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said on Tuesday that the enemies are now Shivering from the roar of Iranian missiles. Iran's defense might and the country's national security is regarded as IRGC red line, he said adding that the enemies are afraid of Iranian missiles. According to IRGC public relations department, the commander made the remarks on the final phase of military war game dubbed 'Velayat Strength'. Launch of ballistic missiles from different locations is a crushing response to the allegations of the enemies which indicated parts of capabilities of IRGC missiles have been stationed nationwide, said the commander. 'The war game will teach the enemies that Iran's defensive might and the country's security is regarded as our red line and under no circumstances will be negotiable,' Jafari said. 'Security is on the agenda of the Islamic Republic of Iran, he said adding that we are thankful to God for the combat capabilities of the Iranian forces,' he said. 'Thanks God, the economic sanctions did not leave any impacts on the Iranian missiles as we are totally independent,' he said. The enemies try to limit us through exertion of economic sanctions in the missile related industries, he said. Since Zionist regime is within reach of Iranian missiles, it is quite natural that they should be more concern, Jafari said. 1430**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran exports 32 tons of heavy water to US Iran Press TV Tue Mar 8, 2016 5:44PM Iran on Tuesday announced that it had exported 32 tons of heavy water to the United States in what could be a landmark progress in the commercialization of the country's nuclear energy program. "We have entered the international market of nuclear materials. We have purchased 140 tons of yellow cake from Russia as well as 60 more tons from Kazakhstan," Abbas Araqchi, Iran's deputy foreign minister, told a forum at the country's Foreign Ministry. "We have also sold about 10 tons of 3.5 percent enriched uranium to Russia. In fact, we have entered the international market of nuclear materials as an exporter." Araqchi did not specify when and how the export had been made, but he said it occurred after the implementation of a historic nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany in mid-January. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) earlier in January announced that Iran plans to sell as much as 40 tons of its excess heavy water supplies to the US, adding that the landmark move will be made through a third party. 'Six tons of the exported heavy water will be used in nuclear facilities and the rest in American research centers,' Ali Asghar Zarean, a deputy head of the IAEO, had been quoted by the media as saying. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said last August that Iran will begin to commercialize its nuclear technology after the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "We will import yellow cake from abroad and we will export enriched UF6," President Rouhani told reporters. Iran and the P5+1 group of countries the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany agreed over the JCPOA last July. Based on it, Iran will restrict certain aspects of its nuclear energy activities in return for the removal of certain economic sanctions imposed against the country. The JCPOA also allows Iran to sell its enriched uranium material called UF6 - and to buy natural uranium or "yellow cake" in return. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel within range of most Iran missiles: IRGC chief Iran Press TV Tue Mar 8, 2016 4:40PM The chief of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the Israeli occupied Palestinian territories are within the range of most of the Islamic Republic's missiles. "Any one bearing greater enmity towards Islamic Iran will naturally be more fearful of such capabilities and preparednesses," Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said on Tuesday during the final stage of large-scale missile drills, code-named Eqtedar-e-Velayat. The IRGC Aerospace Division on Tuesday held the final stage of the exercises by firing ballistic missiles from silo-based launchers in different locations across the country. The maneuvers are aimed at displaying Iran's "deterrence power" and the country's "full readiness to confront all kinds of threats against the [Islamic] Revolution, establishment and [Iran's] territorial integrity," the IRGC division said. Shahab ballistic missiles and Qadr long-range precision-guided missiles were successfully test-fired in the maneuvers and hit pre-determined targets in a desert area west of Tehran. White House spokesman Josh Earnest noted that Iran's ballistic missile tests did not violate Tehran's nuclear agreement with six world powers, which took effect in January. Jafari further said that defense power and national security are Iran's red lines which are by no means negotiable. He added that the firing of ballistic missiles was a crushing response to the enemies of the Islamic Republic who have imposed sanctions on Iran's missile program. The commander added that sanctions have helped the country boost its missile power, achieve self-reliance and manufacture all its missiles. He emphasized that sanctions and enemies' security pressure have failed to impact Iran's missile power, saying the Armed Forces and IRGC have grown into a unique power in the region. Jafari said the missile drills were staged to convey a message of security to the Iranian nation and the neighboring countries. "Iran's security is the security of regional countries and our efforts are in line with establishing security in the region," he added. Last October, Iran successfully test-fired its precision-guided long-range Emad missile. In January, the US Department of the Treasury imposed new sanctions against Iranian citizens and companies over the country's ballistic missile program. Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan has asserted that the Emad missile is a conventional weapon. Last December, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif defended Iran's right to carry out missile tests, saying none of Iranian missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheads. The Islamic Republic has repeatedly said that its military might poses no threat to other countries, reiterating that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IRGC holds final stage of missile drill Iran Press TV Tue Mar 8, 2016 11:15AM The Aerospace Division of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) is holding the final stage of large-scale missile drills. The final phase of the exercises, codenamed Eqtedar-e-Velayat, saw ballistic missiles fired from silo-based launchers in different locations across the country on Tuesday. The maneuvers are aimed at displaying Iran's "deterrence power" and the country's "full readiness to confront all kinds of threats against the Revolution, establishment and territorial integrity," the IRGC said. IRGC commander Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari and commander of the IRGC Aerospace Division Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh oversaw parts of the drills. Last October, Iran successfully test-fired its precision-guided long-range Emad missile, sparking an uproar among US politicians. In January, the US Department of the Treasury imposed new sanctions against Iranian citizens and companies over the country's ballistic missile program. Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan has asserted that the Emad missile is a conventional weapon. Last December, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif defended Iran's right to carry out missile tests, saying none of Iranian missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheads. The Islamic Republic has repeatedly said that its military might poses no threat to other countries, reiterating that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Claims Israeli-Occupied Palestine in Range of Tehran's Missiles Sputnik News 22:18 08.03.2016 After concluding large-scale military drills on Tuesday, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) stressed that Tehran's missiles are capable of reaching Palestinian territories occupied by Israel. 'Any one bearing greater enmity towards Islamic Iran will naturally be more fearful of such capabilities and preparedness,' Major General Mohammad Ali Jafarri, chief of the IRGC, said Tuesday. His comments came during the final stage of the missile exercises code-named Eqtedar-e-Velayat, carried out by IRGC Aerospace Division. The drills involved coordinating ballistic missiles launches from across the country. According to an IRGC statement, this was aimed at proving Tehran's 'deterrence power' and the nation's 'full readiness to confront all kinds of threats against the [Islamic] Revolution, establishment and [Iran's] territorial integrity.' This followed the test-firing of a precision-guided long-range missile last October, which sparked outrage among officials in the United States. The US Department of the Treasury applied new sanctions against Iranian companies and individuals in response to the test. On Tuesday, Jafari stressed that these latest drills were meant as a response to new Western sanctions, and that international penalties have helped Tehran achieve self-reliance and, ultimately, improve its missile capabilities. New sanctions came mere months after Iran and the P5+1 nations including the US, UK, Russia, China, Germany, France agreed to the nuclear deal. In exchange for Tehran limiting its uranium enrichment capacity and allowing United Nations inspectors into the country, UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic would gradually be lifted. Washington maintains that the new ballistic missile sanctions are unrelated to those repealed by the nuclear accord. The commander added that Eqtedar-e-Velayat demonstrates Iran's ability to defend the region. 'Iran's security is the security of regional countries and our efforts are in line with establishing security in the region,' he said, according to Press TV. Tehran has repeatedly stressed that its missile program is purely defensive in nature, and that it poses no threat to other countries in the region. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Missile Tests If Confirmed 'Would Not Violate' Agreement - State Dept. Sputnik News 20:59 08.03.2016(updated 21:22 08.03.2016) US Department of State spokesperson said that Iran's alleged ballistic missiles tests, even if confirmed, would not violate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreed on last July. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Iran's alleged ballistic missiles tests, even if confirmed, would not violate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreed on last July, US Department of State spokesperson Mark Toner said on Tuesday. "We're aware of and following closely the reports that Iran has just conducted several ballistic missile tests," Toner stated. "To be very clear, such tests are not a violation of the JCPOA." However, if the US government does confirm the reports alleging Iran recently conducted several ballistic missile tests, it will raise the issue with the UN Security Council, Toner added. Earlier on Tuesday, Iran's state media reported that ballistic missile tests had been carried out. "If confirmed, we intend to raise the matter in the UN Security Council," Toner noted. Toner also said the US government would carry out a "serious review" of the reported incident and would both "press for an appropriate response." The Obama administration, he pointed out, would continue to "aggressively apply its unilateral tools" to counter any threats from Iran's missile program. In November, media reported that Iran had tested a surface-to-surface Emad (Pillar) missile in violation of a UN Security Council resolution. Two months later, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on nearly a dozen Iranian entities and individuals over their alleged activities for the country's missile program. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Tests Ballistic Missiles by VOA News March 08, 2016 Iran said Tuesday it conducted ballistic missile tests at several sites across the country in order to show its 'deterrent power' and readiness to confront threats. The tests come two months after the United States imposed new sanctions against five Iranian nationals and a network of companies with links to banned missile activity. Iran defended two previous missile tests last October as being a matter of national security after the U.S. and other Western powers said the launches violated a U.N. Security Council resolution. US reaction The U.S. State Department said it plans to ask the United Nations Security Council to review Iran's latest tests and 'press for an appropriate response.' 'We also continue to aggressively apply our unilateral tools to counter threats from Iran's missile program,' the State Department said. But State also acknowledged that the missile tests are not prohibited by Tehran's agreement with six world powers, including the United States, to curb its nuclear program in exchange for lifting international sanctions that hobbled its economy. That deal was meant to address concerns that Iran was working on nuclear weapons, which it has always denied. With the implementation of the nuclear pact in January, a new U.N. resolution calls on Iran to not 'undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology.' NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Launches Second Day of Ballistic Missile Tests by Ken Bredemeier March 09, 2016 Iran says it launched two ballistic test missiles Wednesday, purportedly inscribing them with a message in Hebrew that 'Israel should be wiped from the pages of history.' The semi-official Fars news agency showed pictures it said were of Qadr H missiles being fired from Iran's eastern Alborz mountain range, their target 1,400 kilometers away off the country's coast into the Sea of Oman. 'The reason we designed our missiles with a range of 2,000 kilometers is to be able to hit our enemy, the Zionist regime, from a safe distance,' said Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Hajizadeh stressed Iran would not start a war with Israel, with Tehran describing the tests as a show of its 'deterrent power.' The tests came as U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was in Jerusalem for a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden did not acknowledge the missile tests, Iran's second this week, but he warned Iran against any violations of the internationally negotiated nuclear deal that curbed Tehran's development of nuclear weaponry in exchange for lifting sanctions that had hobbled its economy. 'A nuclear-armed Iran is an absolutely unacceptable threat to Israel, to the region and the United States,' Biden said as he stood next to Netanyahu, who had unsuccessfully opposed the nuclear pact. 'And I want to reiterate which I know people still doubt here. If in fact they break the deal, we will act.' The nuclear pact, negotiated by the United States and five other world powers, does not prohibit the missile tests. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon told Israel Radio the tests showed Iran's hostility toward the Jewish state had not changed since the January implementation of the nuclear pact, even with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's overtures to the West. Yaalon said, 'To my regret there are some in the West who are misled by the honeyed words of part of the Iranian leadership while the other part continues to procure equipment and weaponry, to arm terrorist groups.' The U.S. State Department said Tuesday it planned to ask the U.N. Security Council to review the Iranian tests and 'press for an appropriate response.' 'We also continue to aggressively apply our unilateral tools to counter threats from Iran's missile program,' spokesman John Kirby said. The nuclear agreement brought a new U.N. Security Council resolution that calls on Iran to not 'undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology.' The nearest point in Iran is about 1,000 kilometers from the key Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi forces retake region in Anbar from Daesh Iran Press TV Tue Mar 8, 2016 12:31PM Iraqi security forces, backed by army units, have liberated a region in the embattled western Iraqi province of Anbar from the Takfiri Daesh terrorists. Government forces retook the Zankourah district on Tuesday without facing any resistance, an official told the al-Sumaria television. Hussein Kassar, head of the Security Committee in the al-Wafa area of Anbar, said militants fled to the nearby city of Hit about 140 km (85 miles) west of the capital Baghdad. Elsewhere in the city of Fallujah, Daesh terrorists reportedly killed at least 50 members of the Muhamedah tribe, triggering fierce clashes that are still going on. At least five people lost their lives and more than a dozen others sustained injuries in a spate of bomb and militant attacks in and around Baghdad. A soldier was killed and five others were injured when a roadside bomb targeted a patrol in the town of Tarmiyah about 50 km (30 miles) north of Baghdad. Two civilians also died and seven others were injured when an improvised explosive device went off near an outdoor market in the al-Bakriyah neighborhood of western Baghdad. Additionally, two civilians lost their lives and four others suffered injuries when three rockets fired by Takfiri militants slammed into a school in Baghdad's northern neighborhood of Rashidiya. The northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by violence ever since Daesh terrorists began an offensive through the Iraqi territory in June 2014. Iraqi army soldiers and fighters from Popular Mobilization units are seeking to win back militant-held regions in joint operations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Daesh chemical arms expert captured in Iraq: Officials Iran Press TV Wed Mar 9, 2016 6:6PM Iraqi intelligence officials say head of the Daesh terror group's unit, which is responsible for developing chemical weapons has been arrested in a February raid in the northern part of the country. The Wednesday announcement came after US officials said last week that American Special Forces had captured a Daesh leader without releasing his name. Two Iraqi officials, whose names were not mentioned, identified the Takfiri militant as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, who worked for slain Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's now-defunct Military Industrialization Authority. He is said to be specializing in chemical and biological weapons. Afari, who is about 50 years old, was arrested in an attack near the town of Tal Afar, the officials said, adding that he is the head of Daesh's recently established branch for the research and development of chemical arms. Daesh, which is in control of parts of Iraq, has reportedly been trying to produce chemical weapons and is believed to have formed a special unit for chemical weapons research. Iraqi scientists from the Saddam-era weapons program as well as foreign experts are thought to be working for the terror group. Iraqi officials are concerned about the effort as Daesh Takfiris could operate and hide chemical laboratories in the areas under their control. The militants have reportedly used chemical agents on the battlefield in both Iraq and neighboring Syria. However, experts say the terror group cannot launch a huge chemical weapons attack as such an offensive needs proper equipment, materials and a supply-chain to develop enough of the chemical agent. 'More than a symbolic attack seems to me to be beyond the grasp of ISIS (Daesh),' said Dan Kaszeta, a former US Army chemical officer and Department of Homeland Security expert. Iraq's Defense Minister Khaled al-Obaidi has, meanwhile, stressed that the group lacks 'chemical capabilities," noting that their attacks were only meant to 'hurt the morale of our fighters." Daesh terrorists launched an offensive in Iraq in June 2014 and took control of swathes of the Iraqi territory. The militants have been committing heinous crimes against all ethnic and religious communities in the Arab country, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, and Christians. Iraqi army soldiers and fighters from allied Popular Mobilization Units are seeking to win back militant-held regions in joint operations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Analysts: Inaction Strengthens IS in Libya by Heather Murdock March 08, 2016 Immediate international action against Islamic State extremists in Libya is needed to prevent the terrorist group from expanding further, regardless of the status of peace talks on a unity government there, analysts say. "Putting pressure on those political entities so far has not yielded any positive outcome," said Kamel Wazne, the director of the Center for American Strategic Studies in Beirut. "And I think at least you have to start to weaken these terrorist organizations." He said the global community's failure to fight IS in Libya is helping the group expand beyond its strongholds there as well as in Syria and Iraq. Tunisia's closure of its frontier with Libya after a border town battle that killed 55 people has added to the pressure on Libya's two competing governments, analysts like Wazne say. Libya has been in chaos since Moammar Gaddafi was toppled five years ago. Along with the two rival governments, several militant and extremist groups like IS are operating in the country. Diplomats say the Libyan factions need to unite to overcome IS militants, but multiple rounds of peace talks have collapsed. The militant group appears to be growing stronger, attacking border town Ben Guerdane in Tunisia. About 50 gunmen battled Tunisian forces before the town was secured Monday, leaving civilians, security forces and attackers dead and wounded. No group claimed responsibility, but the attack resembled previous attempts by Islamic State militants to widen their control over civilian areas. Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi said the "unprecedented" attack was coordinated and organized with the aim of taking control of the region. "[Security forces] were expecting such an operation," he said in Algeria on Monday. "Not on this scale, but still they were expecting it." Western reaction Western insistence on successful United Nations-sanctioned peace talks a the single path to form a united front against IS could be simultaneously wearing away at other potential solutions while giving IS the time and space to grow, according to Jason Pack, a researcher of Libyan history at Cambridge University. "Continued Western attempts to force a square peg into a round hole threaten to destroy many of the new aspects of Libyan unity that seem to be emerging," he writes in Middle East Eye, an online news organization. "Paradoxically, these attempts are clearly undermining the initial geopolitical purpose of the unity government - to facilitate the conducting of joint actions against the Islamic State [IS] militant group." Western leaders say if they attempt to intervene in Libya without a unified government with which to ally, any military action is bound to fail. "Italy is a leading country on this issue but the priority is to form a government in Libya," said Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi last week. "Before a mission all attempts must be made to form a government.' On Friday, two Italian construction workers escaped captivity in Libya, leaving behind two hostages they said IS killed. The U.S. ambassador to Italy responded by saying Rome is willing to commit 5,000 troops to its former colony if the two Libyan governments unify, but the Italian prime minister says that idea "is not on the table." And with only bad choices available in countering the extremist threat, it continues to grow as Western countries chose inaction over what could be a failed action. "Every day we delay an attack on these terrorists," says Wazne, "We give them more time to build their infrastructure and to be more formidable." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistani forces rescue kidnapped son of famous slain governor Iran Press TV Tue Mar 8, 2016 5:51PM Pakistani counter-terrorism forces have rescued the kidnapped son of a famous slain governor, who was abducted from the eastern city of Lahore five years ago. Aitzaz Goraya, the head of the regional Counter-Terrorism Department, said Tuesday that Shahbaz Taseer was rescued after security forces launched a targeted operation upon an intelligence tip-off near Quetta, the volatile capital of the southwestern province of Balochistan. 'Acting on a tip-off, intelligence forces and police went to a compound in the Kuchlak district some 25 kilometers north of Quetta', Goraya said, adding, 'We surrounded the compound and we raided it. We didn't find anyone. A single person was there and he told us my name is Shahbaz and my father's name is Salmaan Taseer.' Meanwhile, Anwarul Haq Kakar, a spokesman for the Balochistan administration, also confirmed the release of the son of assassinated Salmaan Taseer, the former governor of Punjab Province. 'I can confirm that Taseer has been safely recovered. He is in safe hands.' Shahbaz was believed to have been originally kidnapped by members of a notorious outlawed anti-Shia terrorist group known as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) from Lahore City in August 2011, eight months after his father was assassinated by his guard in the capital, Islamabad. He was later handed to al-Qaeda and then to the Pakistani Taliban. Sources say Taseer was being kept somewhere in militant-riddled northwestern tribal areas near the Afghan border. He was moved after the Pakistani military launched a high-scale operation in North Waziristan in 2014. The release comes days after Pakistan hanged Mumtaz Qadri, a former police bodyguard who shot Taseer - the high-profile member of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Punjab Governor - 28 times while guarding him in an Islamabad market in early 2011. Qadri was executed at Adiala jail in Rawalpindi on February 29, after all his petitions and mercy appeals were rejected. The guard had told police that he killed Taseer because the provincial governor sought reforms to Pakistan's blasphemy law. The execution has triggered protests in some cities by supporters of extremist and militant groups. Qadri's funeral brought supporters of pro-Saudi Wahhabi groups on to the streets, who hailed him as a hero. Taliban and other militant groups had earlier threatened to unleash attacks if Qadri was executed. Critics say Pakistan's blasphemy law is largely misused, with hundreds of people languishing in jails under false charges. In most cases, even unproven allegations frequently stir mob violence and bloodshed. The law has raised concerns among rights activists and some liberal politicians who say it is often exploited by extremists or those who want to settle personal scores. In late January, Chris Murphy, a top American senator, accused Saudi Arabia of funding some 24,000 Wahhabi religious schools in Pakistan through an unleashed "tsunami of money" in order to "export intolerance" across the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan Army Kills 21 Militants After Deadly Court Blast by Ayaz Gul March 08, 2016 Pakistan's military said Tuesday its fresh airstrikes have killed at least 21 militants in the restive North Waziristan tribal region near the Afghan border. The action came as the death toll in Monday's suicide bombing at a court compound in the northwestern town of Shabqadar rose to 17. Army spokesman Lt-General Asim Bajwa says fighter aircraft conducted the overnight raids in the Shawal valley where ground troops "continue to hunt for fleeing terrorists through chase, cordon and search operations" after securing key heights and passes. Officials say the counter-insurgency army operation has cleared around 90 percent of the Waziristan territory of insurgents, including foreigners, but has yet to fully secure Shawal and nearby areas. A militant group, Jamatul Ahrar, affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the court bombing. It said the attack was meant to avenge last week's hanging of Mumtaz Qadri, a police bodyguard executed for killing a provincial governor over his call to reform the blasphemy law. Qadri was part of the detail protecting governor Salman Taseer when he shot and killed him in 2011 in a busy market in the capital, Islamabad. The Pakistani Taliban has been waging a violent insurgency against the state in a bid to dislodge what it condemns as an un-Islamic governance and security system in Pakistan. The extremists have killed thousands of people in terrorist attacks. However, officials say the continuing army operations have destroyed militant strongholds, leading to an 80 percent decline in the violence. Speaking in Islamabad Tuesday, visiting British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond praised the improvement in the security situation in Pakistan. "I salute Pakistan's efforts in the fight against terrorism and domestic extremism Too many people are still dying in acts of terrorism but the reduction in violence is much welcome and we never forget that Pakistan more than any other country in the world has been the victim of terrorist violence over many years," said Hammond. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address S Korea Intensifies Sanctions Against North Prime Minister Office Sputnik News 11:10 08.03.2016(updated 11:38 08.03.2016) Seoul has lengthened the list of the sanctions against North Korea, it contains 38 individuals and 30 enterprises all in all, the South Korean Prime Minister's office announced Tuesday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Seoul has expanded the sanctions against North Korea, with its updated list now including 38 individuals and 30 entities, the South Korean Prime Minister's office announced Tuesday. The new measure came a day after North Korea's warnings of potential preemptive nuclear strikes in response to the start of Seoul-Washington military exercises were made. South Korea included in the list the organizations and individuals that, it claimed, were involved in the development of weapons of mass destruction, a statement on the prime minister's website said. Seoul also bans the financial transactions with the blacklisted individuals and entities and freezes their assets in South Korean banks. Other punitive 'gesture' is the prohibition for the ships that have traveled to North Korea in the past 180 days to enter South Korean waters. Seoul will intensify checks of the imported goods, which could be produced in North Korea as well. Citizens of South Korea are also not recommended to visit restaurants and other facilities run by DPRK citizens in third countries. Tensions over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs escalated after Pyongyang said on January 6 that it had successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test and put a satellite into orbit on February 7, violating UN Security Council resolutions and triggering condemnation from the international community in both cases. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address South Korea Sanctions Halt Russian Rail Project with North Korea by Brian Padden March 08, 2016 South Korea imposed new unilateral sanctions against North Korea on Tuesday as Seoul's spy agency blames Pyongyang hackers for recent cyber attacks. These latest developments could further fuel heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula triggered by North Korea's recent nuclear test and long-range rocket launch. Closing Russian loophole The new South Korean measures will add to the recently adopted United Nations Security Council resolution that imposed tough new international sanctions on North Korea. In a move that may frustrate Russia, South Korea will halt the trilateral "Rajin-Hassan Project" to develop a train system to transport Russian Siberian coal to North Korea's port in Hassan and then to South Korea by ship. Before agreeing to support the U.N. sanctions, Russia leveraged its veto power as a member of the Security Council to ensure the resolution would not block exports of Siberian coal to North Korea. South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Russian leader Vladimir Putin signed an agreement in 2013 to cooperate on the project. Russia reportedly expressed regret at Seoul's decision. South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck said the decision to end Seoul's participation in the project was made in close consultation with Moscow. "Between South Korea and Russia, the heads of the two countries have established trust, and have maintained diplomatic communications," he said. Expanding UN sanctions The recent U.N. sanctions require member states to conduct mandatory inspections of all North Korean cargo to search for prohibited materials, and to ban entry and financial transactions with 16 North Korean individuals and 12 private companies or government organizations linked to country's arms trade or nuclear program. The Philippines last week impounded a cargo ship linked to a company blacklisted in the U.N. resolution, the Pyongyang-based Ocean Maritime Management Co. The new South Korean sanctions blacklist additional North Koreans or representatives from other countries and institutions linked to the North for their involvement in past illicit trade. "We will ban foreign currency and financial exchange between these subjects and our citizens and freeze their assets in our country,' said Lee Suk-joon, the South Korean Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination. The measures will institute new import controls to increase the interdiction of North Korean goods coming from third party countries like China. The Seoul government will go further than the U.N. sanctions in banning ships from any nation that visited North Korea or are suspected of being owned by the sanctioned state. South Korea already imposed sanctions in 2010 that ban North Korean vessels from ports in the South and severed most economic ties in retaliation for the sinking of a South Korean navy ship. Most of the new South Korean sanctions will likely have limited direct economic impact, especially after Seoul closed the last remaining joint economic program, the Kaesong Industrial Complex that employed over 54,000 North Koreans. But these new measures could strain ties with countries like Russia and force other countries to either cut most economic trade with the penalized North or lose access to the richer and more advanced economy of the South. "It is sad that there will be a crack in relation between South Korea and Russia, but it is an unavoidable measure," said analyst Ahn Chan-il, with the World Institute for North Korean studies. Cyber attacks South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) accused North Korea of orchestrating a series of cyber attacks that targeted government officials and that sought to disrupt railway traffic control systems. The NIS released a statement Tuesday that said the North stole phone numbers and texts from the smartphones of dozens of key South Korean officials between late February and early March. The spy agency say the North Korean hackers were attempting to infect the smartphones with malware to capture the phone numbers of other government officials. It also accused the North of trying to hack into the server of a major software firm specializing in providing security software for Internet banking. And the NIS said North Korean hackers attempted to steal the email account details and passwords of two provincial railway operators by sending them malware infected email messages in January and February of this year. While these cyber attacks were either blocked or discovered in the early stages, the NIS said they had the potential to do serious harm to the economy and national security. The accusations of North Korean cyber attacks come at the same time President Park is pressing the National Assembly to pass a new anti-cyber terror law. The main opposition Minjoo Party said the government has exaggerated the cyber threat to secure surveillance powers for the NIS that could be used against political opponents. Seoul blamed North Korean hackers for past cyber-attacks targeting military institutions, banks, government agencies, TV broadcasters and a nuclear power plant. The United States also said the North was behind a damaging cyber-attack on Sony's Hollywood film unit over its controversial North Korea-themed satirical film The Interview in 2014. North Korea has denied any involvement in past cyber attacks. Youmi Kim in Seoul contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia's Anti-Ballistic Insurance: Missile Systems Installed Near Moscow Sputnik News 16:35 08.03.2016(updated 19:14 08.03.2016) Two more state-of-the-art Pantsir-S air defense systems are now operational outside Moscow; they will defend against missile attacks on the Russian capital, according to the country's Defense Ministry. The Russian Defense Ministry said on its website that two more sophisticated Pantsir-S surface-to-air systems have come online near Moscow to protect the skies over the Russian capital. In February 2015, the Pantsir-S systems were deployed to a permanent base in the Moscow Region after successful fire drills were conducted at the Ashuluk range in southern Russia's Astrakhan region, the Ministry said. Right now, there are a total of five flak missile regiments equipped with Pantsir-S systems providing Moscow's air defenses, according to the ministry. One additional system is expected to be up for combat duty outside Moscow before the end of this year, in a move to modernize the Russian Aerospace Forces, the ministry added. The Pantsir-S is a Russian short-to-medium range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system, which first entered service in 2012 and will gradually replace Tunguska's self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon. The Pantsir-S is primarily designed to defend higher ranking air defense systems, such as the S-300 and S-400 regiments. Two S-400 regiments currently deployed around Moscow include a Pantsir-S battalion each, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. The Pantsir-S is a gun-missile system which combines a wheeled vehicle mounting a fire-control radar and electro-optical sensor, two 30-mm cannon and up to 12 57E6 radio-command guided short-range missiles, designed to engage a variety of low altitude targets. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey fires artillery rounds into Syria after alleged attack Iran Press TV Tue Mar 8, 2016 1:58PM Turkey's military opened rounds of artillery fire Tuesday into Syrian territories after an alleged rocket attack from across the border killed one person and injured another. Turkish broadcaster NTV said the military returned fire into the Syrian territory after rockets coming from the Arab country hit the border town of Kilis. Turkish media quoted the mayor of Kilis as saying that at least three rockets fired from Syria slammed into the town. One person was killed as a rocket landed near a school and caused casualties. Hasan Kara said another person was injured, adding that two other rockets hit empty areas. There was no immediate information whether the Turkish fire had also caused casualties, neither was it clear which force was in control of the area in Syria from which they had been fired. This is the second alleged retaliatory measure by the Turkish forces to a rocket fire from Syria in less than 48 hours. Reports on Sunday showed that militants of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front fired mortars at Turkish territory from the area near the Syrian settlement of Metishli. Russian military officials monitoring the ongoing truce in Syria said the attacks were a clear attempt to provoke a response from Ankara. "The actions of militants are aimed at provoking the Turkish military units to return fire and bring their troops into Syria, which will inevitably lead to the disruption of the peace process," said Lieutenant General Sergey Kuralenko, the head of the Center for Reconciliation. Damascus has repeatedly blamed the Turkish government for the militancy in Syria. Turkey denies any involvement, but supports the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Damascus ready to attend talks; opposition remains undecided Iran Press TV Tue Mar 8, 2016 6:41AM Syria has announced its readiness to attend the peace talks slated to resume next week, while the Saudi-backed opposition is still undecided whether to partake in the sessions. A source close to the Damascus negotiating team said the Syrian delegates are set to participate in the negotiations that will resume in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 14, AFP reported. However, Riyad Farid Hijab, the head of the so-called High Negotiations Committee (HNC), continued to send mixed signals on the Riyadh-based opposition's participation and said it "will assess the situation in the coming days and we will take the appropriate decision." His statements appeared to be a step back from earlier comments by HNC spokesman Riad Naasan Agha, who had said the opposition delegation would arrive in Geneva on Friday to take part in the talks. Make-or-break talks The latest round of such negotiations collapsed in Geneva in early February after the HNC refrained from attending the sessions amid the Russian-backed Syrian army gains on the battle ground against Takfiri militants. A ceasefire agreement, brokered by Russia and the United States, entered into force in Syria late last month. The truce has been largely holding, resulting in a dramatic drop in civilian casualties from the foreign-backed conflict which has reportedly claimed some 470,000 lives since 2011. Observers have, accordingly, rated the upcoming talks as an unequalled chance for cessation of hostilities in the country. The HNC has, however, insisted that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should not be offered any role in the country's political future, complicating the matters at hand. Hijab likewise said the issue of a "transitional governing body with no role for Assad" would top the HNC's agenda if it decides to participate. He also said the opposition cannot accept Assad's participation in future elections. He further accused Syrian and Russian aircraft of being behind a deadly airstrike in the western Syria Idlib province in breach of the truce. The Syrian government has vowed commitment to the ceasefire and is yet to comment on the allegations. Takfiri inroads Meanwhile, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front and allied terrorists had captured the village of al-Ais, the al-Ais hilltop and at least another mountainous area south of the city of Aleppo. The truce does not apply to the group and fellow Takfiri terrorist outfit Daesh. Aleppo is the second Syrian city in a province bordering Turkey, which has served as a major gateway for transit of new militant recruits and weapons. In the weeks preceding the implementation of the truce, a combination of Syrian military prowess and Russian airpower brought major militant groups on the verge of total collapse in the strategic province. The gains coincided with a decline in arms supplies to militant groups by their Western and regional backers. Observers said at the time that the move had generated a feeling of betrayal among the militants, noting it might encourage some to join the ranks of Takfiri groups such as the al-Nusra Front and Daesh. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian Kurds Deny Shelling Turkish Territory Sputnik News 20:49 08.03.2016 There were no shelling from the Syrian territory toward Turkey, according to a spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). CAIRO (Sputnik) A spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which include mostly Kurdish, as well as Arabian, Armenian and Turkmenian militias, said Tuesday that their group located in country's north had not shelled the territory of Turkey. Earlier in the day, Turkish media reported about the shelling of the southeastern Turkish city of Kilis from the Syrian territory. The media reported that one was killed and several more were injured in the bombardment. 'There were no shelling from the Syrian territory toward Turkey. We also know anything about retaliatory fire that allegedly took place from the Turkish side,' Talal Salou told RIA Novosti. Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with the Syrian military and other government forces loyal to Damascus fighting numerous opposition Islamic factions and terrorist groups. The Kurds have also been fighting against Islamist militants for months. Earlier this year, Turkey has intensified shelling of the Kurds' positions in Syria, claiming that they have links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group considered a terrorist organization by Ankara. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kurds Account for 80% of US-Trained Syrian Democratic Forces Sputnik News 20:22 08.03.2016 About 80 percent of US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces were Kurds, according to Commander of US Special Operations Command (SOCOM). WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Kurdish fighters make up roughly 80 percent of US-supported forces in Syria, Commander of US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) said in congressional testimony on Tuesday. 'Probably about 80 percent,' Votel stated when asked what percentage of Syrian Democratic Forces were Kurds. The Syrian Democratic Forces is an alliance of mainly Kurdish, but also Arab, Assyrian, Armenian and Turkmen militias. US-supported forces in Syria, Votel noted, are capable of seizing Raqqa, although that is currently not a plan to either take or hold the Islamic State's capital. The Islamic State, also known as Daesh, has been designated as a terrorist group and is outlawed in the United States, Russia and many other countries. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia, Syria Attacked No Opposition Groups Party to Ceasefire Sputnik News 18:41 08.03.2016(updated 18:59 08.03.2016) According to Russian Defense Ministry, Russian and Syrian air forces have conducted no airstrikes on opposition groups which had joined the Syrian ceasefire. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russian and Syrian air forces have conducted no airstrikes on opposition groups which had joined the Syrian ceasefire and informed Russian and US reconciliation centers about their location, Russian center for Syrian reconciliation said in a bulletin published on the Russian Defense Ministry's website Tuesday. "The Russian Aerospace Forces and the Syrian Air Force have not conducted any airstrikes on armed opposition groups, who have declared the cessation of hostilities and reported their whereabouts to a Russian or US reconciliation center," the statement said. Over 400 delegates from dozens of communities across Syria's Hama province have gathered to take part in Syria's national reconciliation talks, agreeing to uphold the ongoing ceasefire in the country, the Russian Defense Ministry said. 'Participants of national reconciliation met in the Hama province at the governor's initiative and with widespread support among the population. Over 400 delegates representing 82 communities have affirmed the need to preserve Syria's unity by abandoning arms and establishing an intra-Syrian political dialogue,' the ministry said, quoting the Russian center on Syrian reconciliation operating at the Hmeimim air base in Latakia. A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force on February 27 across Syria. It was supported by Damascus, as well as by dozens of opposition groups on the ground. The Islamic State and the Nusra Front, both outlawed in Russia, are not part of the deal. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address No Peace for Al-Nusra: Syrian Army Advances on Western Idlib Sputnik News 17:36 08.03.2016(updated 19:57 08.03.2016) With a ceasefire currently in place in Syria, the country's army and National Defense Force reportedly managed to take full control of two more villages in the western province of Latakia, in an attack that left dozens of Al-Nusra Front terrorists killed or wounded. Scores of Al-Nusra Front terrorists were killed and many more injured after the Syrian Army and the country's National Defense Force (NDF) won back two more villages in the western province of Latakia, according to the Iranian news agency FARS. Sources said that the Syrian troops liberated the villages of Rashou and al-Armeed from the terrorists after advancing north from the strategic town of Kinsibba. FARS reported that the army and the NDF are currently less than 15 kilometers away from the strategic city of Jisr Al-Shughour in northwestern Syria's Idlib province; this is the closest the Syrian troops have been to this terrorist stronghold in 8 months, according to FARS. Earlier, government forces managed to retake a number of key sites along the Aleppo-Latakia Highway (M-4 Highway), in an advance that paved the way for the Syrian Army to reach the hilltops overlooking Jisr al-Shughur, located in the western part of Idlib province. Syria has been mired in a civil war since 2011, with forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting against a number of opposition factions and extremist groups, including Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) and the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front, which are prohibited in many countries, including Russia. In February 2015, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2268, endorsing the Russia-US agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Syria, shortly before the ceasefire came into force on February 27. The cessation of hostilities does not apply to designated terrorist organizations operating in Syria, including Daesh and the al-Nusra Front. Adding to the Syrian Army's anti-terror effort is Russia's ongoing air campaign, which was launched on September 30 when more than fifty Russian warplanes, including Su-24M, Su-25 and Su-34 jets, commenced precision airstrikes on Daesh and al-Nusra Front targets in Syria at the behest of President Assad. The Russian Defense Ministry said in turn that 'Russian aircraft are not performing strikes in those regions where a willingness to cease fire and to start negotiations were expressed.' Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian Army Begins Assault on Main Daesh Stronghold in Homs Sputnik News 17:15 08.03.2016(updated 17:39 08.03.2016) Syrian army launches offensive against Daesh stronghold in southwestern part of Homs province, according to a source. Syrian army launches a massive offensive against Daesh stronghold in southwestern part of Homs province, according to a source. The terrorists' positions near the city of Palmyra have also been destroyed. Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting against numerous opposition factions and extremist groups, including Daesh and Nusra Front, outlawed in a number of countries worldwide including Russia. A US-Russia-brokered ceasefire came into force last Saturday across Syria. It was supported by the Syrian government and dozens of opposition groups on the ground. Daesh and Nusra Front are not part of the deal. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ceasefire in Syria an open-ended process: UN envoy Iran Press TV Wed Mar 9, 2016 3:22PM The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura says the nearly two-week-old ceasefire in Syria does not need to be renewed because of its "open-ended" nature. Talking to reporters on Wednesday in the Swiss city of Geneva, he said the truce, which was brokered by Russia and the United States and entered into force on February 27, is still holding 'by and large." 'From the UN point of view and the Geneva meetings we have been having on the task force and certainly (the) Munich understanding, there was an open-ended concept regarding the cessation of hostilities,' the UN envoy added. During a meeting in Munich last February, De Mistura called on world powers to make more serious efforts to convince the warring sides in Syria to come to the negotiating table. Elsewhere in his comments, the UN mediator said a new round of talks to end the deadly crisis in Syria is due to start in Geneva on March 14 and will last for 10 days "not beyond March 24." Although De Mistura would be having some informal talks over the weekend as participants in the meeting would arrive in the coming days, he said, "the substantive deeper part of it (talks)... will be on Monday." 'There will [be] a recess of a few days, a week perhaps, 10 days' before the talks resume, he said. According to the UN envoy, the negotiations will be held in the form of 'proximity talks,' which means they would be indirect with the parties in separate rooms and the envoy shuttling between them. The Syrian government on Monday said it would attend the talks, while the foreign-backed so-called opposition is still considering the matter. The last round of peace talks collapsed in early February after the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) refrained from attending the sessions amid the Russian-backed Syrian army gains on the battle ground against Takfiri militants. Observers have rated the upcoming talks as an unequaled chance for the cessation of hostilities in Syria. Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. According to a February report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470,000 people, injured 1.9 million others, and displaced nearly half of the country's pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. wants to maintain dialogue with Taiwan: official ROC Central News Agency 2016/03/08 12:44:31 Washington, March 7 (CNA) The United States wants to maintain dialogue with Taiwan, which is a strong partner of the country, a U.S. State Department official said Monday. Mark Toner, deputy spokesman of the department, was asked during a regular press briefing if the U.S. government had any issues to bring up with President Ma Ying-jeou () during his transit stops in Houston and Los Angeles on his way to and from Central America later this month. Toner responded that he did not have anything to announce in terms of whom Ma might speak with in the U.S. government. 'But we want to obviously remain in dialogue with Taiwan. It's a strong partner. And while I don't have anything to announce, I also can't say that we won't be speaking to the president when he transits,' he said. On a rumor that Ma was not able to transit in the eastern United States because Washington was not happy with his visit to Taiping Island in the South China Sea in January, Toner referred the media to remarks made by the State Department at that time, in which it expressed it concern about those actions. He reiterated that the U.S. government abides by the 'one China' policy, based on its three joint communiques with China and the Taiwan Relations Act. He said the United States has a deep and abiding interest in cross-Taiwan Strait stability and encourages both sides to exercise flexibility and restraint and to continue their constructive dialogue. Ma is scheduled to visit two of Taiwan's diplomatic allies in Central America -- Guatemala and Belize -- from March 13 and March 19. (By Tony Liao and Y.F. Low) ENDITEM/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Not much chance of meeting between Tsai and Xi: official ROC Central News Agency 2016/03/08 16:13:32 Taipei, March 8 (CNA) The likelihood of a meeting between Taiwan's President-elect Tsai Ying-wen () and Chinese leader Xi Jinping () is not great, the head of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said Tuesday. Hsia Li-yen () noted that China has repeatedly said there must be a firm basis for any meeting between the leaders on the two sides of Taiwan Strait. Given the current situation, however, there is not much chance that the two sides would reach any consensus on the issue of a meeting between their leaders, Hsia said in response to questions in a legislative hearing. China has less trust in the Democratic Progressive Party than in the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (), Hsia told People First Party Legislator Chen Yi-chieh (), who was asking about a recent comment by Tsai that she would not rule out the possibility of a meeting with Xi. Chinese leaders have repeatedly warned that cross-strait ties would suffer if Tsai's government does not adhere to the '1992 consensus' after it takes office on May 20. Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party do not recognize the '1992 consensus,' which the KMT government says is a tacit cross-strait agreement reached in 1992 that there is only one China, with each side free to interpret what that means. Responding to another question in the Legislature, Hsia said a proposal by China to construct a high-speed rail line that would link Beijing and Taipei is out of the question. The plan is implausible, not only in terms of technology, but also politically, he said. 'This is a matter that involves Taiwan, and they (China) do not have a unilateral say,' Hsia added. The project was mentioned in a draft of China's 2016-2020 development plan that was released Saturday in Beijing. (By Wen Kuei-hsiang and Lilian Wu) Enditem/pc NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN rights expert calls on Turkey to reverse seizure of independent media group 8 March 2016 An independent United Nations human rights expert today called on the Government of Turkey to relinquish State control over Feza Media Group, which includes the Zaman newspaper. The Government seized the Media Group on Friday following court action linked to national security, a move the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, David Kaye, called an "extraordinary threat to free media and pluralism." In a statement today, Mr. Kaye reminded the Turkish Government and courts that they are bound by international law and standards. "Court decisions should be in strict conformity with the rights to freedom of expression and should not impose restrictions that unduly restrict the freedom of press and media," he said. Mr. Kaye added that he finds it difficult to see how this seizure "meets the international standard that a restriction must be provided by law and necessary to protect a legitimate government interest." He called on the Turkish Government and judiciary to ensure "an immediate, fair and impartial appeal procedure" and to reverse the decision. The UN expert said his upcoming visit to Turkey, scheduled for November 2016, will be an opportunity to address such issues as the independence of the media, the safety of journalists, activists and academics, as well as the measures taken to ensure public debate in the country. Independent experts or special rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work. Last month, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein expressed concern about actions of security forces in Turkey and an "alarming number" of journalists and other media operatives convicted or awaiting trials. He reiterated that anti-terrorism legislation should not be used as a means to curtail freedom of opinion or expression. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian 'Former Fascist' Who Fought With Separatists Says Moscow Unleashed, Orchestrated Ukraine War March 08, 2016 by Carl Schreck and Dmitry Volchek In early March 2014, veteran Russian ultranationalist Anton Rayevsky stood near a demonstration in St. Petersburg against Moscow's forceful annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula that was under way at the time. He held a placard that read: 'Russians support sending Russian troops to Ukraine.' 'I will fight. I'm not scared,' the self-described former 'fascist,' who has a partially erased Adolf Hitler tattoo on his left arm, told a journalist who asked him about his one-man protest. In the months that followed, Rayevsky made good on this vow. He and a group of fellow nationalists joined Russia-backed separatists to fight Kyiv's forces in a war that has since killed more than 9,100 people in eastern Ukraine. And while says he never saw the regular Russian troops he had called for during his picket in St. Petersburg, it was crystal-clear to Rayevsky that the Russian military was orchestrating the separatist forces -- and arming them. 'I can say with absolute certainty that all of the mid- and high-level commanders -- from the battalion to the brigades -- were Russian advisers. All of the military equipment we had, all of the weapons: It was all from Russia,' Rayevsky, 30, told RFE/RL's Russian Service in a recent interview. Rayevsky's specific claims about his time fighting with separatists in eastern Ukraine could not be independently verified. But they are consistent with a broad array of evidence of the Russian military's direct involvement in the conflict. Kyiv, the United States, the European Union, and NATO have accused the Kremlin of providing weapons, personnel, training, and cash to the separatists since the war erupted in eastern Ukraine in April 2014. Moscow has repeatedly rejected the allegations, often claiming that only Russian 'volunteers' -- among them Russian soldiers purportedly on leave have fought against the Ukrainian military. In December, President Vladimir Putin suggested that there were Russian military personnel carrying out orders in Ukraine -- but still insisted there were no 'regular Russian troops' there. The Kremlin later walked back his remarks, saying Putin was referring to volunteers. Evidence against Putin's claim includes accounts by soldiers to media, funerals for Russian servicemen in their hometowns, and indications of involvement by regular Russian troops at key points in the conflict such as the summer of 2014 and the fighting for Debaltseve early in 2015. Rayevsky, who says he now regrets that he took up arms in the war, disputes the Kremlin's version of the status of Russian combatants in the conflict. 'Active Russian [military] advisers, trainers, Russian military equipment -- all of that is there,' he says. 'With regards to actual soldiers, I didn't see them. I think they are limited groups that are deployed in [the southern Russian city of] Rostov-on-Don and ready to move to any hot spot when called upon.' 'Orders From Moscow' Rayevsky says he was recruited to fight in Ukraine by a group that claims the mantle of the Russian All-Military Union, an anti-Bolshevik White Army emigre organization founded in 1924. On June 23, 2014, he says, he and his unit of about 10 fighters arrived in the city of Slovyansk, then held by the separatists but recaptured the following month by Kyiv's forces. It was there, Rayevsky says, that he met separatist commander Igor Girkin, also known as Strelkov, a Russian who said last year that he was a colonel in Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB). 'Streklov-Girkin shook each of our hands, thanked us for being Russian volunteers who came to fight....They gave us weapons, loaded us into a car, and shipped us to the front,' he says. Rayevsky says he ultimately went on to command a motorized-rifle platoon, holding the rank of lieutenant with the forces of the separatists who hold part of eastern Ukraine's Luhansk region. Throughout his six-month stint with the separatists, he says, he repeatedly encountered Russian military officers. He says that in the town of Debaltseve, which was also recaptured by Ukraine in July 2014 but changed hands again in February 2015, when the separatists continued a major offensive despite a new cease-fire deal, he met with a battalion commander nicknamed 'Machete.' 'It wasn't just the battalion commander Machete in the office. There was also some gray cardinal, the official battalion commander -- an active Russian serviceman,' Rayevsky says. The battalion commanders in the separatist forces in both the Luhansk and Donetsk regions were 'active Russian military officers,' he adds. 'Russian advisers are the direct commanders on the ground and create the military rhythm of the whole machine,' Rayevsky says. He adds that he had already returned to Russia by the time separatists launched the major offensive to retake Debaltseve in early 2015, a push that Washington said was carried out by 'separatist forces acting in concert with Russian forces.' 'Maybe in local conflicts [separatists] participate directly and give orders, but in general the battalions are tracked, controlled, and given orders by Russian military advisers, who in turn get their orders, of course, from Moscow,' Rayevsky says. 'On The Kremlin's Payroll' While fighting has eased substantially since September, each side accuses the other of frequent cease-fire violations. This has dimmed prospects for the full implementation of the Minsk II peace accord signed in February 2015, which calls for the withdrawal of foreign fighters and the restoration of Ukrainian control over the border that Kyiv says Russian forces have streamed across during the conflict. Rayevsky places the lion's share of the blame on Russia for 'unleashing this war' but says 'some politicians and security services in Ukraine are complicit as well in heating this war up.' 'The war should definitely be ended, and no more blood of the people of Donbas should be spilled,' he says, referring to the region of eastern Ukraine where the bulk of the fighting has taken place. He says he hopes that by speaking out he can 'warn others so that they don't buy into this bacchanalia, this propaganda.' 'I'm warning others now not to participate,' he says. 'That's the first thing. Second, I am divulging the role of these rah-rah patriotic organizations that are on the Kremlin's payroll so that people don't buy into their propaganda.' Rayevsky says he was aghast at the rampant alcohol abuse and perilous lack of discipline in the separatist ranks. 'This was an epidemic of drunkenness not only on the base, but on the battlefield and the front lines, when the regular Ukrainian Army on the front line was a kilometer away from us,' he says. He says that after fighting for six months, he decided to leave as quickly as possible after 'some officers in our battalion accused me of supposedly shooting at our own positions.' Neo-Nazi To 'Russian Orthodox Monarchist' Before he fought alongside the separatists, Rayevsky was kicked out of Ukraine for participating in an antigovernment rally in Odesa -- where anti-Kyiv activists widely believed to have been supported by Moscow held demonstrations but never seized territory like those in Donbas. Rayevsky says his decision to speak publicly about his stint fighting with the separatists is also driven in part because investigators in his hometown of Oryol, 360 kilometers southwest of Moscow, recently designated him as a witness in a case linked to incitement of hatred. He fears he could become a suspect in the case and believes that speaking out about his experience in eastern Ukraine, where he was wounded in battle, could help him avoid prosecution or prison. Rayevsky says he has disavowed his earlier neo-Nazi ideology, and now considers himself a 'Russian Orthodox monarchist.' Asked, however, if he still believes minorities -- including Jews -- are the main enemies of Russia, he replies, 'If [I am] to be honest, then yes.' The Hitler tattoo has been remade into that of a Roman warrior, he says, but he doesn't get offended 'if they call me a fascist.' Rayevsky says his Nazi-themed skin art prompted suspicion and confusion among locals, including separatists, during his time in eastern Ukraine. Russia, after all, has persistently portrayed the ouster of former President Viktor Yanukovych as a coup carried out by a fascist junta. 'You start to explain that you're a Russian nationalist who came here to fight for Novorossia, for Russian people,' Rayevsky says, using a tsarist-era term that was embraced by Putin in 2014 and refers to most of eastern and southern Ukraine. 'They say: 'What Russians? We're Ukrainians. What Novorossia? We want to live autonomously from both Russia and Ukraine.'' Written by Carl Schreck based on reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service correspondent Dmitry Volchek Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine- russia-neo-nazi-fought-with-separatists-s ays-kremlin-behind-war/27598825.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Warhead Miniaturization The discourse over whether North Korea has miniaturized nucler weapons that can be mounted on long range ballistic missiles is a bit difficult to understand. In the United States, such improvements in yield-to-weight ratios were underway soon after the first test in 1945, and had made major progress by the late 1950s. North Korea's first declared nuclear was on October 9, 2006, and there is reason to believe North Korea participated in Pakistan's second underground nuclear test on 30 May 1998. Surely the DPRK has had enough time to develop missile-eardy warheads. North Korea, Pakistan and Iran have had a close working realtionship on nuclear and missile programs since at least the mid-1990s. No one doubts that Pakistan's missiles carry nuclear warheads, and the potential nuclear capability of missiles of similar if not the same design in Iran is not in question. There would thus seem to be no reason to doubt that the DPRK's Nodong-1 has a nuclear warhead, just as the same missile in Pakistan - the Ghauri - is assumed to have a nuclear warhead, and this same missile in Iran - the Shahab-3 - is assumed to be nuclear capable. The persistent claim that North Korea is the only nuclear weapons state that cannot mount a warhead on a missile may simply reflect a lack of understanding of the realtive ease of this task "easily within the reach of even the smallest nuclear power." Or it may reflect a deliberae policy to "deny the benefits" of possesing nuclear weapons by deprecating the DPRK's nuclear weapons. "Deterrence is the art of producing in the mind of the enemy... the FEAR to attack." The benefit of North Korean nuclear weapons is diminished if those against whom they are directed - South Korea, USA, etc - claim not to fear them because they do not believe that they can be delivered. South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin said at a hearing by the National Assembly's Defense Committee on 14 June 2011 that Pyongyang may have produced a lighter nuclear device, in what amounted to a rare admission by a high-ranking defense official. "It has been a long time [since the North's nuclear test], so we believe the North had enough time to make a smaller or lighter nuclear weapon," he said. "Considering cases involving other countries, there is a strong chance that the North has succeeded." The US military commander in South Korea, General Curtis Scaparrotti, told reporters at the Pentagon on 24 October 2014 that Pyongyang has the ability to miniaturize nuclear warheads for the purpose of putting them on a ballistic missile. I believe they have the capability to have miniaturized the device at this point, and they have the technology to potentially, actually deliver what they say they have, said Scaparrotti. North Koreas capability to miniaturize a nuclear weapon appears to have reached a significant level, according to South Koreas defense chief. During a parliament audit 27 October 2014, South Korean Defense Minister Han Min Koo told lawmakers it is prudent for the South Korean military to prepare for this scenario. Department of Defense spokesperson Peter Cook told reporters on 08 March 2016 that the Defense Department did not believe North Korea was able yet to sufficiently miniaturize any nuclear device to use it as a warhead on any missile. "The United States has not seen North Korea demonstrate an ability to miniaturize a warhead. Nothing has changed Our assessment has not changed," Cook stated. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said March 09, 2016 his country had developed miniature nuclear warheads that can fit on a ballistic missile. While such bellicose claims were not new from the reclusive nation, this is the first time the North Korean leader has made such an assertion. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim met with nuclear scientists and technicians who briefed him on "research conducted to tip various types of tactical and strategic ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads." The agency also published photographs that appeared to show the North Korean leader visiting a facility where the warheads were made. Some US military leaders have said in the past that North Korea had the right connections and technology to develop a miniaturized nuclear device, but it had yet to demonstrate such capability. North Korean boasts about its nuclear capability support Pyongyang's intensified efforts to counter world condemnation following the country's fourth nuclear test and recent long-range rocket launch. "We think the North's technology of miniaturizing nuke arms has reached a significant level But South Korea and the U.S. have not had any intelligence that the North has succeeded in fitting nuclear warheads on ballistic missiles. There is no sign for that," Yonhap news agency quoted an unnamed official from the Defense Ministry as saying. South Korea's Defense Ministry has analyzed photos of the supposed miniature warhead published in the North Korean Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Tuesday and found that Pyongyang does not yet possess the technology to create a functional miniature warhead, the agency reported. Admiral William Gortney, commander of the US Northern Command, told a Senate committee 10 March 2016 it was prudent to assume Pyongyang had the ability to miniaturize a nuclear warhead and mount it on an ICBM that could reach the US. DPRK Nuclear Warhead Designs As Presently Understood By C. P. Vick, 2015/2016 Senior Technical & Space Policy Analyst Globalsecurity.org April 14/ September 29, 2016 North Korean Nuclear Tests Record* Date Yield - remark Success/Failure A. Suggested 1990 1 St. Nuclear Device Developed Partial confirmation B. Suggested 1993 ? North Korean test Not confirmed [Attempt to purchase 4,400kg of Beryllium from Russian mafia group thwarted 1993] 1. May 30, 1998 12Kt. - Joint Pakistani/North Korean Fuel supplied by North Korea confirmed by two separate sources Success confirmed 2. October 9, 2006 4 Kt. North Korea Less than 1 Kt performance Partial success confirmed 3. May 25, 2009 4-5 Kt. North Korea suggested 4 Kt , performance success confirmed ? 4. Feb . 12, 2013 5-6 Kt. Success? 5. Jan. 6, 2016 6-7 Kt. Success Confirmed Thermonuclear test? 6. Sept 9, 2016 10-12 Kt. Success Confirmed *Warhead design mass reduced from 1,158 kilograms No-dong-A, A1 payload capacity to No-dong-B/HS-10 to a known 650-600 kilograms design mass. Derivative Nuclear Weapon Warhead Design of the DPRK: DPRK nuclear warhead designs based on DPRK supplied imagery details from the known warhead design and sizes. We have to be aware and take into account the DPRK deception and physiological warfare operations image projection at the Taesong (Tae-sung) Machine Factory. The 650 kilogram warhead mass is documented from Soviet design specifications requirement for the SS-N-6 published in Russian Federation books. It is not a small nuclear weapon being in the 600-650 kilogram range. If it is a two stage nuclear weapon design then it could potentially produce 15 kilotons according to the DPRK nuclear scientists. The No-dong-A1 utilizes the similar No-dong-B/KN-07, and KN-11 SLBM and now the Block-II KN-08 / KN-14 warhead design all reflect the 650 kilogram warhead design specification utilized in the SS-N-6. They have tested the No-dong-B and KN-11 but not to full potential range. The warhead design displayed in illustration as well as the hardware displayed suggest that the nuclear device is the design now utilized by the three common warhead designs from the SS-N-6 Soviet heritage but improved by the DPRK Soviet era trained nuclear scientists. They even described the general difference in the Soviet design verses their improved design admitting this reality in an indirect manner. The RV that is in favor is the design flown to date on the SS-N-6/KN-11 and No-dong-B. The nuclear devices depicted from the DPRK schematic illustration displayed indicate a spherical Fission weapon: implosion design technique. Some evidence of potential multi-stages thermonuclear systems may be present in the hardware design but this has yet to be determined from the existing illustrations. There is no certainty of a multi-stages IE: second or third-stage devices. The image in the poster display deservers special attention, and the North Koreans have given it particular focus by virtue of the way that Kim Jong-un and his entourage are carefully posed to give emphasis to the poster. No great imagination is required to notice the cylinder above the sphere that are the hallmark of a two stage implosion device, commonly known as a hydrogen bomb. Whether in fact the DPRK has such bombs on hand is a different matter, as it is obviously far easier to draw a cartoon of an H-bomb than to actually build one. But this photograph is clearly intended to encourage the belief that in fact the DPRK does have two stage devices. This image of the modern Russian nuclear warhead design above displays the as openly characterized non-spherical atomic bomb above the spherical Hydrogen bomb standard design used as publically understood. Only the indication of arming, fusing systems, gas bleed off ports, the detonation starter apparatus, separation spring loaded explosive bolts, and the implosion device are indicated though this may be in the process of being changed with additions. The thermonuclear systems and other instrumentation is not fully displayed in spite of its Soviet era known heritage. The design maybe does not show the other required components for a thermonuclear device design though there is enough room for their installation in both warhead design that have their design heritage based in Soviet era nuclear warhead designs. At best this is an incomplete view of the DPRK nuclear weapons technology. The short cylinder domed package above the spherical fission device is probably associated with the triggering start of the nuclear explosion but whether it is thermonuclear related is uncertain. It appears the inside of the RV is painted a yellow like aerospace color but that material may be associated with the thermonuclear package systems. Some insulation on the inside skin may be present. There may be some reflectors mirror like surfaces on the inside of the RV. There is a lot of wasted space inside the RV. The nuclear devices appear to be aluminum silver color. Other instrumentation appears to not be present in the design details displayed The background right side image over Kim Jung Uns left shoulder displays the DPRK nuclear warhead design for a fission implosion weapon which could be the trigger for a thermonuclear device design. It design details is entirely consistent to the known design for nuclear weapons as displayed in the book US Nuclear Weapons by Chuck Hansen. The design may not show the other required components for a thermonuclear device. The HS-10 nuclear warhead This is the standardized all systems up DPRK nuclear warhead design that has been reduced from 1,158 Kilograms down to 650-600 kilograms. Their present DPRK efforts are aimed at increasing the energy output of the weapons system not decreasing its launch mass. I am not as sure that the cylinder dome above the sphere is for a thermonuclear related device. It is not a sphere but is a short cylinder with a base dome. Equally the yellow colored liner area that encompasses the entire nuclear devices is perhaps some of what is required for the second and or third stage of the nuclear weapons system. The question is whether they are in fact the Lithium Deuteride or U-238 mantle optional materials but the U-235 or Pu-239 spark plug is not apparent. It is also realized the starter may be the boxes below the sphere on one side. Certainly the nuclear devices systems could be reversed in the arrangement from the expected design and still work but more mass forward is required to stabilize the spinning RV during re-entry. There are a lot of unknowns here that must remain that way. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Va. agricultural exports dropped about 4.7 percent in 2015 Virginia could not sustain a four-year surge of growth in the value of its agricultural exports in 2015, as declining commodity prices hit the value of such goods as soybeans. The value of agricultural exports from Virginia to overseas markets declined about 4.7 percent in 2015, state officials announced Monday. The state exported about $3.19 billion worth of agricultural products in 2015 down from an all-time high of about $3.35 billion in 2014. Prior to 2015, the state had experienced four consecutive years of growth in agricultural exports. The whole country was down for 2015, said Todd Haymore, Virginias secretary of agriculture and forestry, in an interview Monday at the Governors Conference on Agricultural Trade. Global commodity prices largely are down for such products as soybeans and other grains, he said. Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced the trade figures during the event at the Hilton Richmond Downtown. He said the decline was the result of weaker value, not volume, and Virginia solidified its position as the second-largest exporter of farm products on the East Coast behind Georgia. Record yields in key production countries contributed to lower crop prices in 2015, officials said. Per-bushel prices for soybeans, Virginias largest export commodity, declined nearly 13 percent from 2014 to 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Overall, the value of U.S. field crops fell 9.4 percent to $135.7 billion in 2015 from $149.8 billion in 2014. Haymore said some new trade barriers in foreign markets, such as Russia, also contributed to the decline, along with higher shipping costs to some markets. On the whole, Virginia fared better than most exporting states, he said. We had one of the lowest percentage declines. For example, the value of exports from Georgia declined 15 percent in 2015. The value of North Carolinas exports dropped by more than 13 percent. The top three agricultural export markets for Virginia in 2015 were China, Canada and Switzerland. China imported more than $694 million in agricultural products, Canada about $291 million and Switzerland about $204 million. The top agricultural and forestry product exports from Virginia in 2015 included soybeans, pork, lumber and logs, soybean meal, leaf tobacco and processed foods. The state also exported wine, craft beer and distilled spirits; wood pellets and chips; seafood and other marine products; and poultry, soybean oil, wheat, animal feed, corn, raw peanuts and cotton. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBA--(Marketwired - Mar 8, 2016) - Ultra Lithium Inc. ("Ultra Lithium" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:ULI) wishes to announce that it has granted 2,920,000 stock options to certain directors, officers and consultants pursuant to the Company's Stock Option Plan. The options have an exercise price of $0.13 per share and an expiry date of March 8, 2026. On behalf of the Board of Directors: Kiki Smith, CFO About Ultra Lithium Inc. Ultra Lithium is an exploration and development company with a focus on the acquisition and development of lithium assets. The Company is currently focused on North American acquisitions and exploring its Big Smokey Valley Project located in Nevada, USA. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. TSX: G NYSE: GG VANCOUVER, March 9, 2016 /CNW/ - Goldcorp Inc. (TSX: G, NYSE: GG) (the "Company") announced today changes in senior leadership as the Company exits a phase of intensive project development and now focuses on optimizing the performance of its portfolio of low-cost mines and advancing a robust organic project pipeline. The business renewal strategy is designed to ensure disciplined capital allocation through a decentralized management approach. Under the new management structure, mine general managers will be empowered to act as business owners and will be held accountable for maximizing the return on the capital invested in, while growing the net asset value of, their businesses. These operations will be supported by a leaner senior executive team at the company's head office. "We will seek more efficiency in our operations and will reinvest into a robust pipeline of existing organic growth opportunities. We believe this strategic renewal offers the best potential returns with the lowest risk profile," said David Garofalo, President and Chief Executive Officer. "The changes in our team and streamlined reporting structure will support our strategy and accelerate our achievement of improved results." As part of the company's senior management reorganization, Russell Ball, Executive Vice President of Corporate Development and Capital Management, will assume the Chief Financial Officer role, effective immediately. He replaces Lindsay Hall, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, who has left the company to pursue other interests. Mr. Ball joined Goldcorp in 2013 from Newmont Mining Corp., where he served as Chief Financial Officer from 2007 to 2013. In his new role, he will continue to oversee the Company's corporate development activities. In addition, the following changes to the finance leadership team were also announced: Richard Orazietti will assume the role of Senior Vice President and Controller. Richard has been Vice President, Internal Audit at Goldcorp since 2012; David Stephens will assume the role of Vice President and Treasurer. David joined Goldcorp in 2014 after starting his career in investment baking and most recently worked as Director, Corporate Development at Goldcorp; and Rohan Athaide will assume the role of Vice President, Internal Audit. Rohan joined Goldcorp in 2012 and most recently worked as Director, Internal Audit. "I would like to congratulate Richard, David and Rohan on their promotions and I am confident they bring the right financial acumen and skills to support our focus on disciplined capital allocation," said Mr. Garofalo. George Burns, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer will continue driving operational performance. Business unit leaders Chris Woodall (Canada/USA) and Joe Dick (Latin America) will provide regional oversight of operations and will each be supported by regional Chief Financial Officers, two newly created positions for which a search process is also underway. The responsibility for project development will now move from Mr. Ball to Mr. Burns in order to further integrate our operating and project teams. Mr. Charlie Ronkos, Senior Vice President Exploration is also leaving the company to pursue other interests and the exploration office in Reno, Nevada will be closed. Primary responsibility for exploration activities will now reside with our business unit leaders, in alignment with the Company's newly decentralized management approach. "I would like to thank Lindsay and Charlie for their significant contributions to Goldcorp over the years," said Mr. Garofalo. "We wish them the best in their future endeavors." Executive Vice President Charlene Ripley maintains responsibilities for legal affairs, risk management and human resources. Responsibility for corporate affairs and sustainability continues under the leadership of Executive Vice President Brent Bergeron. About Goldcorp Goldcorp is a leading gold producer focused on responsible mining practices with safe, low-cost production throughout the Americas. A portfolio of long-lived, high-quality assets positions Goldcorp to deliver long-term value. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements", within the meaning of Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the United States Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" under the provisions of applicable Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Goldcorp. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the future price of gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc, the estimation of Mineral Reserves (as defined above) and Mineral Resources (as defined above), the realization of Mineral Reserve estimates, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, targeted cost reductions, capital expenditures, free cash flow, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities, permitting time lines, hedging practices, currency exchange rate fluctuations, requirements for additional capital, government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, timing and possible outcome of pending litigation, title disputes or claims and limitations on insurance coverage. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performances or achievements of Goldcorp to be materially different from future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which Goldcorp will operate in the future, including the price of gold and other by-product metals, anticipated costs and ability to achieve goals. Certain important factors that could cause actual results, performances or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, among others, gold and other by-product metals price volatility, discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and mineral resources and metallurgical recoveries, mining operational and development risks, litigation risks, regulatory restrictions (including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability), changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and/or change in the administration of laws, policies and practices, expropriation or nationalization of property and political or economic developments in Canada, the United States and other jurisdictions in which the Company does or may carry on business in the future, delays, suspension and technical challenges associated with capital projects, higher prices for fuel, steel, power, labour and other consumables, currency fluctuations, the speculative nature of gold exploration, the global economic climate, dilution, share price volatility, competition, loss of key employees, additional funding requirements and defective title to mineral claims or property. Although Goldcorp believes its expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions and has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Goldcorp to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: risks related to international operations including economic and political instability in foreign jurisdictions in which Goldcorp operates; risks related to current global financial conditions; risks related to joint venture operations; actual results of current exploration activities; actual results of current reclamation activities; environmental risks; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of gold and other by-product metals; possible variations in ore reserves, grade or recovery rates; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; risks related to the integration of acquisitions; accidents, labour disputes; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities and other risks of the mining industry, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Description of the Business Risk Factors" in Goldcorp's most recent annual information form available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Although Goldcorp has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Except as otherwise indicated by Goldcorp, these statements do not reflect the potential impact of any non-recurring or other special items or of any dispositions, monetizations, mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations or other transactions that may be announced or that may occur after the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of the Company's operating environment. Goldcorp does not intend or undertake to publicly update any forward-looking statements that are included in this document, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. SOURCE Goldcorp Inc. SHARE Council OKs tighter watering restrictions By Monique Ching Water issues took up a large portion of Tuesday's San Angelo City Council meeting, but council members also discussed fire access roads and removal of a live oak tree. HICKORY AQUIFER BLENDING TO BEGIN The city will begin blending 10 parts surface water to 1 part Hickory Aquifer water for about two weeks, beginning May 1. "We'll bring on a million (gallons) a day," said Ricky Dickson, director of Water Utilities. "Make sure all the controls are working." The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved a 5:1 blending ratio of surface water with the Hickory water, but Dickson said this temporary blending is just to make sure the city doesn't encounter any treatment problems. Dickson wants to limit withdrawal from the Hickory because the city has only about 39,750 acre-feet of "banked" water from the aquifer. When possible, Dickson said, he would rather use the surface supplies first and turn to the Hickory water when necessary. "I want that water there as long as we have it," Dickson said. "I want to make sure we get our part" from O.H. Ivie Reservoir. Dickson said the city is trying to wait to draw from the Hickory because the less it uses now, the more it will have available in the future if lake levels don't go back up. San Angelo can draw 2,750 acre-feet of water per year from the Hickory Aquifer, based on a 1997 court decision. The city's allocation will go up to 5,000 acre-feet per year in 2021 and 10,000 acre-feet in 2026. An acre-foot of water is about 326,000 gallons, meaning San Angelo can use about 896.5 million gallons of Hickory water per year for now. By comparison, the city typically uses about 15,000 acre-feet ? or 4.9 billion gallons ? per year, according to a city news release. The Hickory Aquifer groundwater treatment facility, which will remove naturally occurring radium and iron from the Hickory water, is scheduled for completion in November, Dickson said. The city also approved the drilling of six additional wells at the McCulloch County well field, where nine already have been drilled. The new wells are scheduled to be complete by March, at which time the Hickory pipeline will be capable of bringing 9 million gallons per day to San Angelo. "If we get on that 9 mgd every day, we've got five years of banked water," Dickson said. Dickson hopes the city doesn't have to draw from the banked water supply for as long as possible, so there will be more available in the future. Assuming no runoff into area lakes, the city has about 13.5 months of available surface water supply in O.H. Ivie Reservoir, Twin Buttes Reservoir and Lake Nasworthy. Officials project that if it doesn't receive adequate rainfall, Ivie will be depleted by November. Blending of the Hickory water with surface supplies will last about two weeks, during which time the city will monitor the process. WATERING RESTRICTIONS TIGHTENED San Angelo has reverted to allowing outdoor watering once every two weeks instead of once per week. During Tuesday's meeting, the council unanimously voted on a temporary resolution to go back to the wintertime watering allowance ? once every 14 days ? effective immediately. This resolution overrides the ordinance that allows once per week watering during warmer months, which automatically kicked in April 1. Watering outdoors still is prohibited from noon to 6 p.m., when evaporation rates are highest. No more than 1 inch of water is allowed for each application. With 13.5 months of water remaining, the city is in drought level 2, which is triggered when the city's supply is less than 18 months. Once supplies drop below 12 months, the city will enter drought level 3, which prohibits all outdoor watering. RED ARROYO PROJECT VETTED Officials and experts hope to drill down numbers for the proposed Red Arroyo water capture project by the end of the week. "We'll look at feasibility," City Manager Daniel Valenzuela said. "We should have the numbers ready by Friday." Last week, Valenzuela said, city officials, representatives from the Upper Colorado River Authority and engineering groups met to discuss differences in pricing estimates, supply estimates and permitting processes. Although San Angelo has the authority to divert 5,000 acre-feet per year from the arroyo, Valenzuela said, the engineers have to figure out how much the city will be able to capture. Experts from Jacobs Engineering, who consulted the UCRA, estimated that a normal year's rainfall could yield about 11,550 acre-feet. By contrast, Robert Brandes, senior consultant with Atkins North America, projected an annual yield of about 2,600 acre-feet. Experts also differed on their opinions of how deep the city would have to excavate to develop a pond to hold the water. The experts are working together to come up with more conclusive numbers. WATER VIOLATIONS DISCUSSED In a discussion of water violations, the council said it wants to explore the possibility of fining violators through the water department instead of the Municipal Court. "Some other municipalities are simply snapping a shot ... then they set up a fee schedule paid through" the water department, said James Flores, manager of code compliance. In other cities, Flores said, fining water violators through the water department has helped offset some revenue shortfalls from selling less water. "I would totally be in favor of that," Councilman Rodney Fleming said. The code compliance department found about 3,100 violators in San Angelo last year, Flores said ? from people who were overwatering their yards to people who allowed water to run 15 feet down a public street. One problem, Flores said, is that because the code compliance department has the directive to prioritize water violations, some other violations have taken a back seat. "I hate to say we may be a little understaffed," Flores said, noting that the department is finding more violators year-to-date than it did during the same period last year. But he added that it could be attributed to his officers being more active and not necessarily people violating more. CLOUD SEEDING DISCUSSED The council also heard an update from Jonathan Jennings, meteorologist with the West Texas Weather Modification Association, regarding the city's participation in cloud seeding operations. "One of the biggest impacts is aquifer recharge," Jennings said. Jennings listed some of the technical aspects of weather modification, in which pilots fly at the base of a convective thunderstorm or a strong rain shower and seed it with flares. An analysis of the WTWMA target area, which covers seven counties, showed that there was a 15 percent increase of precipitation over the past 10 years. Essentially, Jennings said, the target area received an additional year of rainfall over the past decade. "We cannot create clouds," Jennings said. "I wish we could. ... But we need nature to provide clouds for us already." Jennings said the operations are a long-term, gradual water management strategy. FIRE CODE TO BE AMENDED The council came to somewhat of a compromise regarding fire access roads ? a much-debated topic between fire officials and local developers. "We have got to do something; we've got developers out there that are being stopped," Mayor Dwain Morrison said. On Tuesday the council voted 6-1 for several changes to a code specifying fire access roads for one- and two-family residential developments. Councilman Marty Self voted against the changes. Some local developers felt the fire code requirements, and enforcement of them in the last few years, were too stringent and they should be allowed to put in more units before providing an access road. Fire officials, however, said that the code's minimum standards were for the best interest of public safety. "If we have a fire and we only have one way in and out, it blocks the street," said Fire Chief Brian Dunn. "I understand that this is a monetary issue. ... But for me to tell you that large number is OK, I can't in good conscience do that." Even in a normal fire, he said, ladder trucks and pumps will block of most of a street, making it difficult for residents to evacuate. Currently, a developer who exceeds 30 dwelling units is required to provide two access roads approved for use by fire apparatus, with some exceptions. In the changes that the council settled on Tuesday, the trigger point for two access roads was raised to 75 units. Developers who have between 75 and 165 units are exempt from the requirement if the first access road connects to a platted property ? meaning it will be developed in the future. Between 165 and 275 units, developers will be required to add a second, unimproved access road ? meaning it can be a gravel road. Any development with more than 275 units will be required to have a second, improved access road. Developments initiated before the amendments will be "grandfathered" in. Developers also can request variances if the ordinance places a hardship on them. LIVE OAK TREE TO BE REMOVED The live oak tree that butts up against a basin at the International Water Lily Collection will be removed. Many spoke in favor of removing the tree ? saying that its leaves and tassels are affecting the water chemistry and that the roots are breaking through the sidewalk and basin. Residents stressed the importance of the collection, saying it draws spectators from around the globe and has given San Angelo international fame. The council voted 6-1 to remove the tree and authorize an agreement for improvements at Civic League Park. Councilwoman Charlotte Farmer voted nay. Michelle Gaitan/Standard-Times The new Academic Building at Howard College was dedicated Monday. The building was one of two opened at the end of October. SHARE Andrew Mitchell/Standard-Times A worker at Womack Tank and Manufacturing prepares to paint the steel vessel. Howard College in San Angelo has strived to offer labor force training to meet the new demands of the oill and gas industry. By Jamie Rainey 2016 marks the 43rd year that Howard College has been providing educational opportunities in San Angelo. HC held its first class in San Angelo at Goodfellow Air Force Base in 1973. From a humble beginning of fewer than 50 students and a small rental location in 1980, Howard College has grown to a dedicated San Angelo campus today serving over 3,000 students a year. The Howard College San Angelo Foundation was formed by local community leaders in 1990 to help HC grow. After a series of leased spaces in San Angelo for HC were provided by this group, the vision of the West Texas Training Center evolved as foundation members and other community leaders worked together. Then again, because of the efforts of the foundation, land was secured adjacent to the WTTC to allow for future growth. Howard College San Angelo (HCSA) built its first buildings in 2014-15. The construction included a new Student Services Building and Academic Classroom Building. Combined with the WTTC the campus is now comprised of four buildings. HCSA has a master plan that will allow for additional construction to meet the needs of our students and community for the next 30 years. HCSA has long had a presence in the community, and now the college has a home. From Associate of Arts two-year degrees to specialized workforce training, the course and program offerings are ever-evolving to meet the needs of our communities. The first Medical Assistant class will complete in 2016. The program was created in 2015 to meet the needs of local employers for Certified Medical Assistants and for job seekers in this field. New and renovated biology and chemistry labs constructed in 2015 are enhancing the learning experience for students. The success and growth of HCSA can be attributed to many factors including grants and community partnerships. The San Angelo Health Foundation has been instrumental in the growth of HCSA through the awarding of multiple grants for equipment, space renovation and new construction. Grants from the Concho Valley Workforce Development Board and the city of San Angelo Development Corporation, along with financial support from Shannon Hospital and San Angelo Community Medical Center, are enabling Howard College to pursue additional nursing programs. The San Angelo Home Builders Association is currently working with HCSA to develop a plan to establish a Construction Trades Program for fall of 2016. We have to recognize our two closest educational partners, San Angelo Independent School District and Angelo State University. Together with SAISD we offer students the opportunity for dual credit classes which provide both high school and college credit. We have teamed up with ASU in a number of ways such as mutual support for federal grant submissions, workforce training and continuing education classes, and articulation agreements. The benefits of both partnerships provide our students greater educational opportunities. Along with our community partners, HCSA dedicated faculty and staff will continue to identify and meet the diverse educational needs of the Concho Valley. HCSA is in it for the long run. Jamie Rainey is executive dean of the San Angelo campus of Howard College. Michelle Gaitan/Standard-Times Vietnam Veteran Lawrence Greer teaches his granddaughter Mary Norris (right) and her friends a game during Invite a Vet to Lunch day at Glenn Middle School on Veterans Day 2015. The third annual lunch gave students the opportunity to invite veterans to eat lunch with them in honor of Veterans Day. SHARE By Michelle Gaitan, michelle.gaitan@gosanangelo.com 325-659-8238 / @shellegaitan Last year brought about change, new programs and opened the door to future prospects for San Angelo's educational institutions. Serving several thousand students combined, San Angelo ISD, Howard College and Angelo State University are making moves to enrich student and university performances through the new year. After six years as assistant superintendent, Carl Dethloff took over as San Angelo ISD superintendent after Carol Ann Bonds retired. "It's been going really well," he said about the first several months of his leadership for the district. "I am excited to complete a full cycle of events and situations." Bonds, he said, was an effective mentor and prepared him well to lead the district. One big concern, he said, has been the "potential impact of the downturn in our economy for student enrollment especially in the energy sector," but enrollment has remained steady. Dethloff said he staying positive and is looking forward to what lies ahead for the district and its students. Public education is better than it's ever been, and statewide graduation rates indicate that. Locally, the district has increased its dual credit program from 965 students in 2014 to 1,499 students this fall, he said. "This gives students a taste of college and lets them know they can be successful in a postsecondary environment," he said. As one of only two postsecondary environments in San Angelo, Howard College announced last year a medical assistant program, part of the health professions program for the fall semester, which continues through the 2016 spring and summer semesters. The new program is a 12-month certificate offering college credit. Once they've completed the course, students will be able to apply to take the certification exam with American Medical Technologist to become a Certified Medical Assistant. "The Medical Assistant program started with 13 students; 11 continue to progress," Michelle Trubenstein, dean of health professions, wrote in an email. "The class consists of women from varied backgrounds, experiences and ages which helps to bring in a plethora of outside learning experiences." "The students have completed a phlebotomy rotation along with courses in medical terminology, medical law and ethics, anatomy and physiology, medical insurance and medical assistant laboratory procedures in the first semester, and are now working through the courses in the second semester," she wrote. "Second semester courses include Human Disease and Pathophysiology, administrative procedures, pharmacology and medication administration, and clinical setting procedures." As part of the program, students are able to interact with local medical professionals to conduct their clinical externship. "For the phlebotomy rotation, we worked with Shannon Clinic. The externship schedule is still being developed but we hope to have the students in as many facilities in town as are willing," she wrote. "I have invited several people from the medical community to serve on the advisory committee for this program. However, if someone is interested and has not been contacted, I would love to hear from them." Trubenstein said the program will culminate this summer when students complete a credentialing exam review and 144 hours of a clinical externship in those local medical facilities. "We also have had many interested in attending a Health Professions Orientation, with several working through some of the courses that can be taken outside of being accepted into the program," Trubenstein said. "We expect a full class of 16 to begin again in August." Reaching out across the international community, ASU signed a memorandum of understanding with Kathmandu Don Bosco College from Nepal in October. The MOU, signed by ASU President Brian May and Prof. Sriram Bhagut Mathe, executive chairman of KDBC, has the potential to smooth a path for academic collaboration and a student exchange program. "Basically the signed memorandum means we want to work together to establish as permanent agreement and what is being discussed are various issues dealing with what programs will be best for both Nepal and ASU," said Meghan Pace, director of the Center for International Studies at ASU. The potential for the two universities to work together could introduce another option for students by offering programs such as a 2+2 BBA program and increase the number of Nepalese students applying to ASU. Pace said currently ASU has three Nepalese exchange students, and the natural progression of the memorandum would to be to offer all kinds of programs, and not only a 2+2. There is no set time amount of time as when things will finalize, but the goal is to have an official agreement between ASU and KDBC for five years, she said. SHARE By Patti Breitreiter In Dr. Ralph Chase's Book, "They Helped Everyone His Neighbor," he writes of the early spirit of caring in the Concho Valley a "spirit that refused to ignore one's own responsibility for his brother's' well being ... which came with the first settlers who came to live on this lonely land. There in a wretched environment, the spirit had pushed its way through the rocks like a live oak tree; facing extinction from lack of water under an unfriendly sun, it had survived because of its own grittiness." Early manifestations of this spirit of caring were expressed by the pioneer families and the churches. Although many social service obligations were relegated to the county government, concerned private citizens worked to serve the needs of the less fortunate. The United Way of the Concho Valley began its evolution in 1911 when several independent groups joined together to create one entity known as the Board of Governors. Throughout the years, the name changed to the Community Chest, the United War Chest, Tom Green County Community Council and in 1991 the organization became known as the United Way of the Concho Valley. Although the official name has transitioned over the years, the mission has remained the same: to provide assistance to people who need it. In 2004, the United Way of the Concho Valley completed another major transformation as it moved from an organization that conducts a single fundraising campaign for agencies to one that strives to find innovative ways to improve lives. Its objective is to identify and resolve pressing community issues, as well as to make measurable changes through partnerships with schools, government agencies, businesses, financial institutions, voluntary and neighborhood associations, the faith community, and others. The United Way of the Concho Valley's main focus areas include education, income and health because we know that entering school ready to learn and graduating on time leads to success in work and life; financial stability is more than just having an income, and a quality life isn't possible without help if you have health issues. Last year the United Way helped thousands of people throughout the Concho Valley. They may have been the person in the cubicle next to you, the boy who sacked your groceries or the elderly woman who walks by your house every day. They are people like you and me, who live here and need a little help sometimes. We will continue our tradition of service. We believe we have the plan in place that clearly states our vision, mission and strategic imperatives to achieve bold goals. Working together, we can have lasting, positive, sustainable impact that improves lives and strengthens the future of the Concho Valley. Whether you donate, advocate or volunteer, the United Way of the Concho Valley thanks you for your support. Patti Breitreiter is executive director of United Way of the Concho Valley. Slow Cooker Chipotle Burritos were served during the 2016 Town and Country Women's Fair during the Texas Farm Ranch Wildlife Expo on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016, at the Taylor County Expo Center. SHARE photos by Laura Gutschke/Special to the Reporter-News Lorrie Coop, county extension agent for food and consumer sciences in Knox County, prepares a freezer meal during her Freezer Pleasures program at the 2016 Town and Country Womens Fair, part of the Texas Farm Ranch Wildlife Expo on Feb. 23 at the Taylor County Expo Center. Lorrie Coop, county extension agent/food and consumer sciences in Knox County Make-ahead frozen meals are timesavers By Laura Gutschke, Special to the Abilene Reporter-News ABILENE Frozen meals have come a long way since the TV dinners in a portioned aluminum tray. They were a hit with women who wanted out of the 1950s kitchen, "but the men called the company and complained because they wanted meals like their mamas cooked. They didn't want heat and serve," said Lorrie Coop, county extension agent/food and consumer sciences in Knox County. She made the observation during her "Freezer Pleasers" program recently at the 2016 Town and Country Women's Fair, hosted in conjunction with the Texas Farm Ranch Wildlife Expo at the Taylor County Expo Center. Coop's presentation showed that homemade freezer meals can be just as convenient as pre-packed ones plus healthier, tastier and cheaper. "They pretty much put things together that you can do at home just as easily and at less cost," Coop said before the presentation. Preparing home-cooked meals also means controlling the sugar, salt and other ingredients. That is a plus when watching calories and sodium intake. "I know what's in here (freezer bag). I know the ingredients. I know what's going into my body. And, I know my family is going to like it," said Coop during her presentation. FREEZER MEAL TIPS What to know when making freezer meals Freezable foods You can freeze almost anything, but that doesnt mean you should, Coop said. Cream sauces should not be frozen because they separate. Other foods that do not freeze well are potato salad, macaroni salad and fried foods, according to the Oregon State University Extension Service. And, while raw eggs in the shell should not be frozen, they can out of the shell. The raw eggs can be beaten slightly or separated into whites and yolks and stored up to a year in tightly sealed freezer containers, according to the American Egg Board. Because egg yolks thicken when frozen, the board recommends adding / 8 teaspoon salt or 1 teaspoons sugar per cup egg yolks (about four large eggs). Yolks with salt can be used in savory dishes, while the sugared yolks work well in desserts. Freezing time For the sake of quality, Coop recommends using a freezer meal within three or four months. Raw versus cooked meat Both raw and cooked meat can be frozen. However, because meat loses moisture during cooking, its quality will diminish quickly when frozen compared to raw meat, Coop said. Equipment You dont have to have a lot of expensive equipment to freeze foods, Coop said. She recommends quality freezer bags, a permanent marker and stickers for labeling the bag and listing reheating instructions, quality plastic wrap and foil for casseroles, an ice cube tray to freeze small items and glass or foil pans. If Im cooking meatloaf, I go with foil pans so that I dont have to worry about messy cleanup, Coop said. Expressing air from freezer bags is effective enough usually to keep a freezer meal safe from the ice crystals that form when air is trapped inside the bag. A freezer bag stand also is handy for keeping a bag upright while filling it with food. Avid freezer meal cooks may want to invest in a good food chopper to make quick work of onions and other diced vegetables and a vacuum sealer if buying large quantities of meat to repackage into smaller portions, Coop said. How to Freeze Lay the filled, sealed freezer bags flat on a baking sheet in the freezer with air around them to speed up freezing time. When the bags are frozen solid, stack them upright like books. A 2-inch bag of food should freeze solid in two hours, Coop said. Stacked bags will take longer to freeze, allowing ice crystals to form. Casseroles can be frozen in a glass dish and then popped out and rewrapped in quality plastic wrap and foil for storage in the freezer. It then can be returned to the original glass dish for thawing and cooking. Thawing Frozen meals can be thawed in the microwave, the refrigerator starting the night before or cold water that is changed every 20 minutes, Coop said. Frozen meat and other meals should not be thawed on the countertop, she said. Freezing does not kill bacteria. It stops it. The bacteria will continue to grow when thawed, Coop said. SLOW COOKER CHIPOTLE BURRITOS Ingredients 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 2 pounds boneless beef round steak, cut into 5 or 6 pieces) 1 16-ounce jar salsa 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped* 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 can whole kernel corn - flour or corn tortillas - optional toppings: pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, sour cream, shredded cheese, black olives, avocado, etc. Freezer Directions 1 Place chicken in a gallon freezer bag. 2 Combine the salsa, chili powder, oregano and chipotle pepper. Blend for a few seconds until well mixed and pour over meat. 3 Add beans and corn. 4 Press out air, seal and place flat in freezer. 5 When ready to use, place bag in refrigerator to thaw. After ingredients have thawed, place in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Shred meat with two forks. Serve on tortillas with toppings of your choice. *Cooks note: You can find chipotle peppers in a can in the Mexican section of the grocery store. Since this recipe uses only 1 chipotle pepper, freeze the remaining peppers from the can in ice cube trays (1 pepper per cube). Once frozen, store them in a zip-close bag in the freezer and use as needed in recipes. Recipe courtesy Lorrie Coop, county extension agent/food and consumer sciences in Knox County. ROSEMARY DIJON CHICKEN AND POTATOES Ingredients 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 small russet potatoes, peeled and cubed 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Directions 1 In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, mustard, rosemary, salt and pepper to combine. Add potatoes and chicken and toss until evenly coated. 2 Pour chicken mixture into a gallon Ziploc Freezer bag and seal, pressing out air. Store in the freezer. 3 To cook, thaw and place contents of the bag into a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Recipe courtesy Ziploc.com SHARE Fotolia The inability of the arteries to dilate fully and to subsequently harden, through the buildup of plaques in the arteries of the body, can lead to stroke, heart attack and even sudden death. The process is called atherosclerosis, and the plaque buildup reduces the blood flow to the penis, rendering a male impotent. Impotence, heart disease link intimate By Howard Cohen, Miami Herald (TNS) Guys, pardon the frankness, but a couple of failures in the bedroom on your end could actually be a lifesaver if you put aside the enormous male ego and take action. Erectile dysfunction the inability to get and keep an erection suitable for sex can be an early warning sign of heart disease. "Something like erectile dysfunction is a great avenue to get men into the clinic to see their primary care doctor so they can get screened for cardiovascular disease," said Dr. Bernard Ashby, a Mount Sinai Medical Center cardiologist. "A lot of time men don't come in," he said. "They don't appreciate the implications of a poor lifestyle and are not seeing a doctor. Men don't come into the doctor until something happens." Men, you know who you are. Ashby gives an example of the common patient who overlooks certain things, like early heart failure and breathing problems, but when it's related to sexual performance, well, attention perks up. At least, there is good news in that respect. "They won't come into the hospital until they notice swelling in the testicles. They don't think it's a problem until something is wrong down there some of the things we place a priority on. Any way we can get them to see us is a great way for us to get guys screened," Ashby said. The same process that creates heart disease may also lead to erectile dysfunction only earlier, hence the importance to screen for a possible relation. The inability of the arteries to dilate fully and to subsequently harden, through the buildup of plaques in the arteries of the body, can lead to stroke, heart attack and even sudden death. The process is called atherosclerosis, and the plaque buildup reduces the blood flow to the penis, rendering a male impotent. But, as South Florida urologist Dr. George Suarez explains, the smallest arteries, not the heart but the arteries of the penis, which are very small, become blocked first. This shows up in the inability to become erect or to stay erect to engage in a satisfying sexual activity. Erectile dysfunction preceding heart disease is a function of endothelium, or the dysfunction of the inner linings of the blood vessels and smooth muscle. Endothelial dysfunction leads to both poor blood flow to the heart and the penis and develops into atherosclerosis. A report published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in 2008 detailed an Italian study of men with severe heart disease. Nearly all of the men, 93 percent, had erectile dysfunction two years before their heart attack or the onset of heart disease symptoms. Impotence, however, doesn't always indicate future heart problems. "Every man is going to have a bad day, an off day, a tired day, a stressful day, a whatever day," Suarez said. He counsels concern if impotence is happening about 25 percent of the time. "One out of four, then you can say, 'I have a problem.' Obtaining means you've got enough blood flow to the penis to have an erection, maintaining means to keep the blood flow in there. More than 25 percent, it's time to start looking for some solution." There are four things doctors and patients should then look at, he suggests. Is there an organic cause, which could be a history of high cholesterol, high blood pressure? Doctors can check the patient's medications, if applicable, adjust them or prescribe treatment for the cholesterol and blood pressure issues and screen for heart disease. Is there a hormone deficiency, such as low testosterone? Simple test and fix, Suarez says. Are there neurological issues, any back issues, any nerve damage? Have you been injured? A physical exam could be telling. Is it all in your head? "Then we look for psychological issues and put that as the last thing we should look at," Suarez says. There are other risk factors for heart and erectile problems, too, such as diabetes, smoking, overconsumption of alcohol, obesity and age. However, age, when looking for the correlation between impotence and heart disease, is especially a concern for men under 50 who are at much higher risk for a link. In seniors 70 and over, erectile dysfunction is less likely to be a sign of heart disease. Not that the senior set is idle. "I see more elderly people that are sexually active in my practice than I did 20 years ago," Suarez said. "I have a friend who owns a nursing home and he was telling me the other day that sexual activity in the nursing home is humongous." Apparently, gone are the days of sitting on the porch, hand in hand, reflecting on memories. Penile implants, generally a 30-minute outpatient procedure most often covered by insurance, and Viagra, at $40 a pop and not often covered by insurance, are some of the remedies for impotence once endothelium and atherosclerosis are ruled out. "If there is a plumbing problem because of atherosclerosis, there can be medical management or Viagra that can help increase blood flow," Ashby said. "The more important issue is once there is evidence of atherosclerosis, heart disease, the chance of dying of heart attack increases exponentially. If we catch it at that point and know you are at higher risk, (we) need to be more aggressive in preventing a cardiovascular event." The message is to listen to your body and speak up when something isn't right, even if it causes momentary embarrassment. "A sense of intimacy has become a vital part of human nature in our society today and it is normal for a couple to seek that intimacy without fear and without shame and without performance anxiety. If there's any chance or risk that is going to interfere with intimacy and that they can't have sex, they should seek help," Suarez said. He added: "We work all of our lives to get to the golden years and they are supposed to be golden." Thinkstock photos SHARE Electronic records spark concerns of medical mistakes By Shefali Luthra, Kaiser Health News (TNS) The mouse slips, and the emergency room doctor clicks on the wrong number, ordering a medication dosage that's far too large. Elsewhere, in another ER's electronic health record, a patient's name isn't clearly displayed, so the nurse misses it and enters symptoms in the wrong person's file. These are easy mistakes to make. As ER doctors and nurses grapple with the transition to digitalized record systems, they seem to happen more frequently. "There are new categories of patient safety errors" in emergency rooms that didn't exist before the push to use electronic record systems, said Raj Ratwani, who researches health care safety and is the scientific director for MedStar Health's National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare in Washington, D.C. Spurred by the 2009 stimulus package and the 2010 health reform law, the federal government has offered hospitals financial incentives to adopt electronic health records that, among other things, will add efficiency and reduce errors by linking physicians' patient records, and coordinating and tracking how care is delivered across the health system. Hospitals that don't meet those standards are hit with penalties. But in ERs, where things often happen fast, this push is sometimes setting up a technology mismatch that creates challenges that aren't necessarily as evident in other parts of the hospital. Sneaker-clad doctors and nurses rush between patients, often juggling multiple cases. Verbal communication is key. Patients, even after being wheeled in by paramedics, can wait in a triage room for extended periods until a free nurse or physician comes to find out what's wrong. It's a different style of medicine, and one that's often resulted in a distinct workflow. As a result, the electronic record programs in many ERs evolved independently of hospital-wide systems. Since those homegrown, emergency department record systems often aren't compatible with the newer, comprehensive ones hospitals are buying, they're being phased out. The new EHR models are in many ways more efficient, but they may require adjustments. "The way the systems are set up, it can actually predispose to higher error rates," said Jesse Pines, who directs the Office for Clinical Practice Innovation at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. In 2013, Pines, with other members of the American College of Emergency Physicians, wrote a report finding mistakes in the ER like ordering the wrong medications or, because of confusing computer displays, more easily missing key patient information were common after the switch to these digital systems. "A growing body of evidence suggests that many errors may be the result of poor design rather than user errors," the report states. That "can have a profound influence" on patients. "It's certainly a patient safety concern," said Jason Shapiro, an associate professor of emergency medicine at Mount Sinai, who is chairman of ACEP's informatics committee and co-authored the report. There's no research measuring how often these errors like entering care instructions in the wrong patient file or missing instructions altogether cause actual harm. "We've got to figure out how we're working with our electronic records, to make it part of the workflow," said Nathan Spell, chief quality officer at Emory Hospital in Atlanta. Even when doctors have learned to use the record systems, missteps still occur. The ER's culture and pace, for instance, can amplify the risks of human error that stem from an already less user-friendly system. Think of the emergency physician who, reaching the end of a hectic 12-hour shift, looks for the record of a patient he just examined. He types in the man's last name, clicks and writes medical instructions not realizing that he'd accidentally pulled up the file of another patient with the same last name and similar age, who was admitted five minutes before. While misidentifying patients in this way was hardly an issue before EHRs, it's "becoming quite prevalent," in this more digital era, Ratwani said. Many systems, meanwhile, allow doctors to edit the record for only one patient at a time, said Zach Hettinger, who practices emergency medicine at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore. That makes it harder to keep track of things, he said. "You're stuck with, 'Do I cancel what I'm in the middle of and not complete that task? Or do I deal with the new task? Do I make a note somewhere take scrap paper or just remember it?'" said Hettinger, who's also the medical director for the National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare and has researched how electronic records work in the ER. How does that scenario play out? A triage nurse who is attending to multiple patients at once might scribble each individual's details on the back of a piece of paper ducking away later to enter the information into the computer system. That can make it easier to confuse things, and leave the emergency room short a nurse. In fairness, electronic records have resolved many safety concerns, Pines said. They've rendered obsolete issues like misreading doctors' handwriting. Accessing records is easier and faster, noted Dan Hampton, an emergency physician who works at Epic Systems, a major electronic health record vendor. But because doctors don't decide what a hospital buys, designs often emphasize what administrators or technology officials want, Pines said. To understand ERs, designers must spend time in them, Perry said. "It's one thing to have a computer, and informaticists on your staff, or have a doctor come in and look at this (particular design feature)," said Robert Wachter, a patient safety expert and interim chairman of the department of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. "It doesn't get into this issue of what does it look like to be using this system at 4 in the morning, when you have nine other patients and a trauma patient running into the ER, and your beeper's going." SHARE By Oliver Morrison, The Wichita Eagle (TNS) WICHITA, Kan. Hesston Police Chief Doug Schroeder offered condolences and thanked God and the community he serves in his first public statement since the shooting that left four dead and 14 wounded. Gov. Sam Brownback called Schroeder a hero for single-handedly entering the facility and shooting Cedric Ford, the gunman, before more employees were hurt. Schroeder deflected attention from his actions by pointing to the help he received from God. "I am not a hero. I can't think of one officer who wouldn't have done the same thing I did. I am so proud of my brothers and sisters in Harvey County Communications, law enforcement, and EMS," Schroeder wrote. Schroeder said many other law enforcement officials deserved credit, as did Excel employees, who helped direct him to the shooter. "I am also proud of and thankful for the Excel employees," he said. He thanked the many first responders and crisis management personnel, singling out several officials in Hesston, Newton and Harvey County, including Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton. "The citizens of Hesston, Newton and Harvey County are resilient," Schroeder wrote. " I look forward to returning to a leadership role in the community as we all begin to heal." SHARE With Cruz or Trump, GOP may struggle By Stuart Rothenberg, CQ-Roll Call (TNS) WASHINGTON With Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz seemingly positioned to fight it out for the Republican presidential nomination, Democrats are poised to take over the Senate in November. The two Republicans still in the race who could help their party's Senate prospects, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, continue to flounder. While a deadlocked GOP convention in Cleveland could, at least in theory, nominate a candidate with broad appeal and low enough negatives to revive the party's Senate prospects, that development is both a long way in the future and a long shot. No, there is little hard evidence yet that a huge Democratic electoral wave has started to develop and at this point, Democratic control of the Senate is not yet inevitable. But that should not obscure the fact that a fundamental shift has occurred in the electoral cycle over the past six weeks. Up to this point, the burden of proof has been on Democrats to demonstrate that they can oust four or five Republican senators and win control of the chamber. But now, with Republicans in disarray and the party flirting with selecting a weak general election nominee, the benefit of the doubt has shifted away from the GOP and to the Democrats. The burden is on Republican strategists and nominees to prove that they can hold the Senate majority even in light of the party's civil war. Some suggest that Republican down-ballot candidates might be able to retain their seats even if the top of the ticket performs poorly, primarily by localizing their races. That conclusion seems more than a bit naive given what happened in 1964, 1972 and 1980. It was one thing for Democrat Heidi Heitkamp to eke out a narrow North Dakota Senate victory even when Republican Mitt Romney was carrying the state in 2012. But the situation would be dramatically worse for a Republican running for re-election in a swing state when his or her party is in the middle of a political civil war and with a controversial, radioactive nominee at the top of the ticket. As the nominee, the uncompromising Cruz would end up defining his party's positions on key issues, while the controversial Trump would inject himself into every race across the country. Either candidacy would make it very difficult for GOP Senate nominees to establish their own brand. Part of the argument for both Trump and Cruz is that each man would turn out new voters on Election Day populists for Trump and conservatives for Cruz who would help down-ballot Republicans. That might be true. But it is also very likely that both would lose more usually reliable Republican voters, who would vote Democratic or stay away from the polls because they find Cruz too conservative or unlikeable and Trump too crude and authoritarian. SHARE By Staff Report Shanna Peeples, 2015 National Teacher of the Year, will be the featured speaker for Angelo State University's College of Education Symposium on March 28. Peeples, an English teacher at Palo Duro High School in Amarillo and an advocate for literacy, will speak at 7 p.m. inside the Houston Harte University Center's C.J. Davidson Conference Center, 1910 Rosemont Drive. The symposium, sponsored by the college, the Phi Delta Kappa professional educators association and the Kappa Delta Pi education honor society, is free and open to the public. For more information, call the College of Education at 325-942-2212. SHARE Gibson Downs By Federico Martinez,The Success Of Our Base Is Our Relationship With This Community, Downs Said., Federico.Martinez@gosanangelo.com / @Federico_SAST It was a chance for Goodfellow Air Force Base to showcase its operations. But nobody shined brighter than Sgt. Curtrell Gibson, who was honored with the Order of Merit Award for community service by the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce. The award presentation was made during the chamber's monthly luncheon Tuesday at Bentwood Country Club. "It is said that 'the heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others,' " said Carol Ann Bonds, who oversees the chamber's military affairs committee, during her introduction of Gibson. In addition to being on active duty, Gibson helped plan and implement more than 20 volunteer activities during the past year, Bonds said. Some of Gibson's accomplishments include spearheading a project for Samaritan's Purse to fill 304 boxes for children in developing countries. She partnered with Feds Feed Families and collected 333 pounds of food help stock local pantries. She also served as a mentor for three dozen officers and helped coordinate an event to honor 52 local Vietnam War veterans and their families. "I didn't realize how many things I was involved in until I heard them read off," said Gibson, who laughed about how busy she has been without realizing it. Gibson received a long standing ovation from the 200 people who attended the luncheon. Tuesday's keynote speaker was Col. Michael Downs, who spent most his time at the podium recognizing the efforts of military personnel who have dedicated their efforts to strengthen the relationship between Goodfellow and the San Angelo community. Downs began his presentation with a brief tribute to Phil Neighbors, the chamber's former president who died unexpectedly last month. Downs presented a folded flag in honor of Neighbors. He credited Neighbors' tireless efforts with developing a relationship between the base and city. SHARE JoAnn Martinez Jo Ann R. Martinez Age: 49 Occupation: Administrative Assistant Family: Husband, Jesse H. Martinez Sr., five children, eight grandchildren and one on the way. Education: Graduated from Eldorado High School, attended American Commercial College, attended Angelo State University Political Experience: Current president of the Tom Green County Democratic Club, campaign manager for three countywide elections, delegate to the Texas State Democratic Convention. Civic Involvement: Past PTA president, past Community Re-Investing in Educational Opportunities secretary, past NAACP secretary. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No. What are your three priorities if elected? I will have an open-door policy and be available to all the constituents of Tom Green County. I believe that by implementing this type of policy, I can remove a disconnect that exists in Precint 1. I will give the youth the opportunity to use my courtroom as a learning tool, to teach them about the law by allowing them to sit in the courtroom and witness cases. For those individuals assigned to community service, I will create an opportunity for intern type conditions with local professionals where a possible trade or skill could be learned for future employment possibilities. I will bring forth creative ideas and a new leadership and supervision style that will restore the professionalism, respect and integrity that is deserving of the Justice Court in Precinct 1. My office staff will follow my lead in providing quality service to the public. Describe your strategy for coping with the increased population and demands for public legal services in San Angelo. My strategy for coping with the increased population and demands for legal services would be the following: I would educate the public through forums and media regarding the different types of courts and their respective jurisdictions. Confusion exists as where to go for certain cases. For example, a justice court only has jurisdiction up to $10,000 in civil cases, or perhaps a landlord needs clarification on filing an eviction. Constant education is crucial. I would develop a handbook explaining and directing the public toward services available in the county, for example, legal aide, Public Housing Authority, family shelter, etc. Many cases can be resolved if individuals know where to receive services or answers to their specific questions. I would coordinate my justice court jurisdiction with law enforcement officials and other county departments to streamline administrative procedures in applying and collecting fees and fines. I would remain cognizant of the budget to assure that tax dollars are used wisely to maximize services. SHARE By Staff Report Glenmore Elementary and McGill Elementary schools have been chosen as 2015 Star Honor Roll schools by Educational Results Partnership and the Institute for Productivity in Education. The San Angelo ISD schools were two of 713 public schools in Texas chosen to receive Honor Roll awards. The Honor Roll is part of a national effort to identify higher-performing schools and highlight successful practices that improve outcomes for students. Schools chosen for the awards have demonstrated consistent high levels of student academic achievement, improvement in achievement levels over time, and reduction in achievement gaps among student populations, according to an SAISD news release. The annual Honor Roll award is made possible by support from numerous businesses and organizations including State Farm, AAA, Macy's, Wells Fargo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and several private foundations. Chevron Corp. provided specific support in the creation of the STEM Honor Roll. SHARE This question always comes up: Should I treat my joint pain with ice or heat? The answer is: Ice! It will fight against inflammation, whether you're suffering from an injury (like a sprain or tendinitis) or a flare-up of arthritis. Apply an ice pack for 10 minutes. Repeat up to five times a day. JUST 5 POUNDS For those who need to lose weight, here's a little motivation: for each pound you drop, there's about a 5-pound reduction in the stress on your knees. So while shedding 5 pounds may not feel like much, it's 25 pounds off your knees. THE HAPPINESS FACTOR Do you perform five acts of kindness in any given day? That's the number of good deeds that boosts your sense of well-being and happiness. Your kind acts can be minor and unplanned giving up your seat on the bus; buying an extra latte to give to a co-worker. You'll find that the payback greatly exceeds the effort. DID YOU KNOW? You can shave 1.3 inches off your waistline in six weeks by exercising with a weighted Hula-Hoop. Source: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. WEIGHT LOSS TIP Drinking 16 ounces of water before breakfast, lunch, and dinner helped people lose 5.3 pounds over 12 weeks in a recent study published in the journal Obesity. Participants in the study reported felt fuller by drinking the extra water before meals and consequently ate less. HEALTH FACT You're 400 percent more likely to get a cold if you sleep six hours or less per night compared to people who log seven or more, according to a new study published in Sleep. FITNESS FACT The average person would need to jog 1.5 miles or walk approximately 3,000 steps to burn off a 1-ounce bag of potato chips. FOOD FOR THOUGHT People who eat fish with omega-3 fatty acids (such as salmon) at least once a week have a 60 percent lower risk of Alzheimer's disease. UP YOUR CALORIE BURN When it comes to walking, you will get a 60 percent boost in calorie burn from walking uphill or climbing stairs/bleachers versus walking on a level surface. ARE YOU AT RISK? A 2014 Harvard study discovered that women who are overweight have a 35 percent greater chance of developing RA (rheumatoid arthritis). One theory blames the pro-inflammatory chemicals that fat cells secrete into the bloodstream, leading to increased inflammation throughout the body. HEALTHY RECIPE Bistro Chicken Pasta Salad Makes 4 servings Ingredients 2 cups cooked penne pasta 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes 1 package or 4 ounces crumbled Feta cheese 1/2 cup Italian Salad Dressing & Recipe Mix for fat-free dressing 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into strips 1/4 cup chopped red onion 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed) 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, grilled or broiled, cut into -inch slices Directions 1 Toss all ingredients except chicken. 2 Top pasta mixture with chicken. Serve warm or chilled. Each serving has 290 calories, 9 g fat, 4 g fiber and 31 g carbohydrates. WOW Wellness is an employee publication of Community Health Club. In June 2014, an officer with the Durham, N.H., Police Department opened what she thought was a digital fax attached to an email about an investigation she was working on. Instead, it was a type of malicious software that infected files throughout the entire police departments network of computers. By the next morning, the entire system was in serious trouble.The officer had accidentally downloaded an extortion malware program popularly known as ransomware. It encrypts a computers files (meaning they can only be accessed by the cybercriminals) and then sends victims a digital ransom note, demanding money to decrypt them.The Durham police department was able to minimize the damage and recover the locked files from a backup copy that hadnt been infected without paying the ransom. But that hasnt been the case for a number of other law enforcement agencies.Last year, five small police departments in Maine had their files encrypted. Police departments in Illinois, Massachusetts and Tennessee have also been held hostage by ransomware attacks. In each case, the police had to pay a ransom.Of course, its not just the police who have been victims.In 2014, an attacker demanded $800,000 from the city of Detroit after infecting some of its computer files. (The city didn't pay, though, because the encrypted database was no longer used by city staff). In February of this year, the town of Medfield, Mass., paid a $300 ransom after its computer system was locked down by extortionists.Public-sector problems with ransomware have been at a low simmer for a while, with 35 state and local governments reporting problems in 2014, according to the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, an organization that tracks cybersecurity issues for states and localities. But in 2015, the FBI warned that the problem is on the rise -- growing 114 percent in 2014 -- and said that unlocking the files is so difficult that the agency often suggests just paying the ransom.The tactics of each type of ransomware vary, but all follow the same theme: make the victim believe theres no option but to pay. The most common way it happens is through an email attachment that looks like an invoice, bill or delivery. Sometimes its just a matter of clicking on what appears to be a legitimate advertisement on a website. Once the software launches, it quickly encrypts computer files, making them inaccessible. Victims then receive a message on their computer screen, telling them their files have been encrypted and that they must buy an electronic PIN number to enter into a box on the screen. The amount varies but is usually between $300 and $700. Rather than try to extort large sums of money from only a few victims, hackers have found more success expanding the number of people and organizations they target and asking them to pay modest ransoms.Theres also a psychological aspect to ransomware that increases its success rate.When people see the ransomware notice on their work PC, they panic, said Rahul Kashyap, chief security architect at Bromium Labs, a security firm. They think its their fault for triggering the attack, so they pay.Adding another layer of terror is that the threats set a time limit for victims before they lose the agencys files.Theres a timer on the screen that ratchets up the sense of fear, he said.But why are police departments -- where leaked or lost computer files could damage trials and cases and endanger people -- not better guarded against such cyberattacks?Part of the problem is that law enforcement agencies tend to be small and lack sophisticated computer protection systems and/or IT personnel. About half of all local police departments employ fewer than 10 officers, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. When it comes to technology, information security remains a low priority. Only half of departments have policies in place to minimize the risk of cyberattacks, according to a 2013 survey from the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.At the same time, the public sector has become a growing target for hackers. Symantec reported that 29 percent of all types of cyberattacks in 2014 (compared to 12 percent in 2012) were directed at government agencies.The simplest way to avoid a ransomware problem is to back up computer files and make sure the virus protection software is up to date. Another way, some say, is to not give in to the extortion.Dont pay the ransom, dont negotiate, said Richard Stiennon, who has written extensively about cybersecurity. If everybody stopped paying, this form of malware wouldnt continue.Dave Kurz, the chief of police for Durham, N.H., reminded police agencies that whatever their size and in spite of their best efforts, they will be exposed to modern cyberthreats like this. His best suggestions for limiting their impact are to minimize downloads, and if an email attachment looks suspicious, dont hesitate to hit delete. Nine 17-year-olds, including one from Toledo, sued Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted Tuesday over his office's refusal to allow them to vote in the presidential race in next week's primary election.The lawsuit contends the state's chief elections officer, a Republican, has misinterpreted state law allowing 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if they will be 18 by the time of the November general election.Mr. Husted determined that because voters are electing convention delegates rather than nominating candidates in the primary, 17-year-olds cannot vote in the presidential race. They can vote in U.S. Senate, state legislative, judicial, and other races on the same ballot in which candidates are nominated, but not elected at this stage.The suit, filed on the teens' behalf by the nonpartisan Fair Elections Legal Network in Washington, claims Mr. Husted has confused county boards of elections. Some have allowed 17-year-olds to vote. Others have set those ballots aside with the understanding the presidential votes will not be counted.Although not a party to the suit, the Ohio Democratic Party applauded it. The League of Women Voters of Ohio has urged Mr. Husted to reconsider his position. The dispute appears to come down to the definition of "nominating" or "electing" presidential delegates.The suit in Franklin County Common Pleas Court names as plaintiffs seven 17-year-olds from Columbus and one each from Toledo and Kent, Ohio. It seeks a temporary injunction preventing Mr. Husted from enforcing his interpretation of the law in next Tuesday's election.According to the suit, Alice Weaver Koeninger, a senior at Notre Dame Academy in Toledo, will turn 18 on March 16, a day after Ohio's primary. She registered to vote in anticipation of voting in the presidential primary. A call to Ms. Koeninger's family for comment was not immediately returned.The campaign for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont on Tuesday also sued Mr. Husted for preventing 17-year-olds from voting on presidential candidates. The Sanders lawsuit includes six 17-year-olds as plaintiffs -- five from Cuyahoga County and one from Franklin County.Mr. Husted said he is following the same rules used by prior administrations."If you are going to be 18 by the November election, you can vote, just not on every issue," he said. "That means 17-year-olds can vote in the primary, but only on the nomination of candidates to the general election ballot. They are not permitted to elect candidates, which is what voters are doing in a primary when they elect delegates to represent them at their political party's national convention, or vote on issues like school, police, and fire levies."Fair Elections' counsel Jon Sherman said: "Jennifer Brunner issued a directive in 2008 during that presidential election, and she did not exclude 17-year-olds from presidential primaries. Other secretaries of state have not taken the same interpretation Secretary Husted has.'' Jersey City, N.J., Mayor Steven Fulop wants to increase the local minimum wage to $15 an hour, but he cant. New Jersey law preempts cities from enacting their own minimum wage laws, so Fulop decided to change what is under his direct control: wage rates for the city's own workforce.Im a big believer that its hard to advocate for something if youre not doing it yourself," said Fulop.So he signed an executive order last week that will result in about 500 Jersey City employees seeing an increase in pay. That's less than one-fifth of the total workforce, but crossing guards, 911 dispatchers and other people in lower-skill positions will be getting a raise.Fulop isn't alone in giving public employees a raise.Last year, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered the minimum wage for state workers to increase to $15 over the next few years -- making it the first state to do so. The idea of raising the minimum wage to $15 for all employees in New York has met resistance in the legislature.On Monday, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed an executive order guaranteeing that state workers will be paid at least $10.15 an hour. Wolf's order will also cover employees of state contractors who spend at least 20 percent of their time performing work on commonwealth contracts.Wolf called on legislators to raise the statewide minimum wage, which now stands at $7.25 an hour."An increase in the minimum wage will lead to increases in employee morale, productivity and quality of work, and decreases in turnover and the cost of training and supervision," he said in a statement.There's precedent for using government employee pay hikes as groundwork for raising the minimum wage more broadly. In 2014, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray signed an executive order creating a $15 minimum wage for municipal employees. Last year, Seattle adopted a $15 minimum wage for all employees, which is being phased in over several years.The wage hike in Jersey City will cost about $1 million annually. The increase went into effect as soon as Fulop signed the order on Feb. 29, and it impacts both full- and part-time workers. Summer interns who are under 18, however, will be exempt.Hiking the minimum wage for public employees isn't without its critics. Diana Furchtgott-Roth, an economist and senior fellow at Manhattan Institute, a right-leaning think tank in New York, said that Fulop's decision to boost wages for civic workers will drain money that could better be spent on crime or school programs."The mayor is doing this for the public relations and to say hes doing something to raise the minimum wage," she said. But since it only applies to government workers, she conceded, "in terms of affecting the businesses or driving businesses out, it probably will not have much effect."Democratic legislators in New Jersey are considering proposals to raise the statewide minimum wage to $15, something both Fulop and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka have endorsed. A study last year by the United Way of Northern New Jersey found that a single adult needs at least $13.78 in hourly wages to cover basic living expenses in New Jersey. The current minimum wage in New Jersey -- $8.38 an hour -- was approved by voters in 2013 , following a pair of Christie vetoes of similar legislation. If Republican Gov. Chris Christie vetoes this legislation, proponents could put the measure on the November ballot.By contrast, backers of a ballot measure to raise Oregon's minimum wage to $15 pulled the plug on the effort on Monday after Gov. Kate Brown signed legislation last week that will raise the minimum wage to $14.75 in the Portland area, $13.50 in smaller cities and $12.50 elsewhere. No state has a minimum wage as high as $15 for all employees. California and Massachusetts require employers to pay at least $10 an hour and the District of Columbia's minimum wage is $10.50. Although President Obama has sought a higher federal minimum wage, his proposals have met resistance in Congress, leaving the national minimum wage at $7.25. Description GIS - 09 March, 2016: The Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Santaram Baboo, called upon the population to demonstrate a spirit of patriotism on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of Independence and 24th anniversary of the Republic of Mauritius. The Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Santaram Baboo, called upon the population to demonstrate a spirit of patriotism on the occasion of the 48anniversary of Independence and 24anniversary of the Republic of Mauritius. He was speaking yesterday at a press conference in Port Louis where he elaborated on the various activities to be organised by his Ministry around the theme: nou destin dan nou lame to mark the day on the 12th of March. The Culture Minister appealed to the population to participate fully in the celebrations which will also be commemorated in Rodrigues and Agalega. The official programme which will be held at Champ de Mars as from 18 00 hours in the presence of the Chief Guest, the President of the Republic of Madagascar, Mr Hery Rajaonarimampianina, will comprise of a Flag Raising Ceremony; a march past by the Police Band, Disciplined Forces and Uniformed Organisations; display by helicopters and Dornier aircraft; Queen Elizabeth College Majorettes; performance by Veeramundar Band and a cultural show to be performed by local artists followed by fireworks. Minister Baboo further underlined that arrangements have also been made for those travelling by bus to Champ de Mars two hours before and two hours after the official celebrations as follows: all fare-paying passengers to pay half the normal rate and children aged less than 13 years to travel free of charge. In addition to the official part of the programme, cultural shows would be held on 13 March 2016 as from 17 00 hours at Flacq and Bambous. The winner of the logo competition for National Day Celebrations 2016 on the theme Nou Destin dan Nou Lame, namely Mr Thierry Buffion was also awarded a cheque prize of Rs 50 000 yesterday. A GROWING ON-DEMAND WORKFORCE FAIR FARES? A GIG THAT WORKS CREATING A NEW CLASS OF WORKER A MOVE TO UNIONIZE TAKING LEGAL ACTION (TNS) -- The independent-contractor workforce is ballooning thanks to the rise of on-demand apps. But after a honeymoon period, lawyers and politicians are now being forced to consider the real humans behind these virtual businesses.These workers participate in whats sometimes called the gig economy. Theyre technically working for themselves, picking up gigs from an expanding digital marketplace where technology companies link them to customers to perform individual tasks.They drive for Uber or Lyft and take you from point A to point B, contract with DoorDash or Postmates to bring you takeout, moonlight for Handy and come and clean your home, and even work flex jobs for Amazon to deliver packages to your doorstep in a matter of hours.Most of the companies in the gig economy let workers set their own schedules, as well as allow them to accept as many or as few jobs as they want or even take gigs from competing providers.Conversely, these companies set wages that can be changed at a whim or they control whether the worker can receive tips. Sometimes they decree, as is the case with Uber, that workers must maintain high customer approval ratings to avoid repercussions such as temporary deactivation.Exactly who is responsible for protecting these workers rights and determining what those labor rights should be is an increasingly heated conundrum.The current situation is fraught with ambiguity and uncertainty, said Seth Harris, a distinguished scholar at Cornell Universitys School of Industrial and Labor Relations, and the former deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor. Were seeing the emergence of a new structure of work relationships that is quite different from traditional employment and from traditional independent contract work.Gig economy workers are the backbone of an expanding on-demand world where nearly anything you might want a ride, a smoothie, a latte, a massage, a bottle of wine, a doctors visit is just a push of a button away on your smartphone.Without them, your must-have-it-right-now cravings would go unsatisfied.Estimates vary, but gig economy workers currently account for 1 percent of the U.S. working-age population, according to a 2015 McKinsey Global Institute report.The flexible employment model created by new digital marketplaces for contingent work can appeal to people who do not want traditional full-time positions and if even a small fraction of inactive youth and adults use these platforms to work a few hours per week, the economic impact would be huge, the McKinsey report states.These gig workers look like regular employees. But they also look like independent contractors. The law, which allows for two classifications of workers employees or independent contractors seemingly overlooks them.Thus, the group is at risk of being treated unfairly by companies that take a cut of a workers earnings, whether intentionally or otherwise.A lot of people are being deprived of benefits and protections because employers get a significant cost advantage some people think as much as 30 percent or 40 percent in classifying workers as independent contractors, Harris said.With independent contractors, employers are not on the hook to reimburse expenses, pay minimum wage or cover overtime. Gig workers also have to manage their own tax withholding, dont have access to employer-subsidized health care, arent legally authorized to form unions and dont have access to federal statutory anti-discrimination protections.Nearly 90 percent of drivers say the main reason they use Uber is because they love being their own boss, an Uber spokesperson said. Drivers are independent contractors who use Uber on their own terms; they control their use of the app. As employees, drivers would lose the personal flexibility they value most they would have set shifts, earn a fixed hourly wage, and be unable to use other ridesharing apps.You could, however, put Laurence Brown, 40, of San Diego, in the category of gig workers who might deserve additional protections. Hes seemingly locked into a full-time arrangement with Uber, but his non-professional driving career didnt begin that way.The commercial and theater actor was drawn to both Uber and Lyft last year because the work offered him a flexible way to make money and also attend auditions.Happy with the part-time work, Brown decided to consider another offer from Uber. The offer was for a new car, which he could lease through Ubers new non-prime lending company, Xchange Leasing, a wholly owned subsidiary of Uber. He could return the car at any time with two weeks notice and forfeiture of a $250 deposit. Brown liked the idea of not having to worry about how many miles he racked up while driving, a typical term included in vehicle leases.On Halloween, Brown decided to go through with an Xchange lease for a 2015 Toyota Prius. Browns payments would be $181 a week, which adds up to about $784 a month and $9,412 a year. Even still, he was content with the deal because he knew he could easily make the payment, automatically deducted from his Uber earnings, with just a days worth of work.Then Uber changed its fare structure in January, reducing fares for its most affordable options by 30 percent, in hopes of boosting demand for its drivers during a seasonally slow period.It went from one day of work to three days of work to make my payment, Brown said.Before the fare change, Brown says he was driving 50 to 60 hours a week and pocketing $1,000 after Ubers 20 percent take. Now, he says hes lucky if he nets $700 a week. And he is, of course, still on the hook for the $181 weekly lease payment.Im blessed. Im fortunate, said Brown, who rents out rooms in his house to pay his mortgage. If it was someone else with a family, they would be in trouble.Browns request is simple. He wants Uber to return fares to previous rates.The company, which initially said the cheaper prices were temporary, has not indicated if or when it will increase fares.Bill Tesaro, 34, also of the San Diego area, is Browns near perfect foil. A full-time corporate tax professional, Tesaro typically drives three nights a week for Uber and Lyft to create breathing room in his household budget and allow his wife to stay home and care for their two young children.He isnt thrilled about making less per ride Lyft also cut its prices shortly after Uber did but he doesnt mind the work. He enjoys the social aspect of it even if the occasional intoxicated rider engages in questionable behavior.These people are how I make money, so if they do silly stuff. I mean, as long Im not getting assaulted, I dont care, Tesaro said.In 2015, Tesaro grossed $28,000 from his temporary driving gigs. After accounting for taxes and expenses such as gas and maintenance, he said he pocketed $17,000 last year, netting more than 60 percent of his gross earnings.Despite the early January fare changes, Tesaro believes hes still making about the same per month, even if he is driving a little more, though he makes a sizable amount from driver referral bonuses.This isnt for everybody, Tesaro said. I dont want this to become an employee thing. I just want to do what Im doing. It works.But even Tesaro admits that what works for him wont work for others, especially not for workers who make a majority of their income from gig work.Thats why, in December, Cornells Harris co-wrote a proposal with Princeton economist Alan Krueger that advocates for creating a new legal class of worker called the independent worker.The classification would apply to all gig workers, not just those working for tech companies, and give them a limited selection of benefits, including collective bargaining rights.Also, as suggested by Harris and Krueger, companies would be required to provide tax withholding services to independent workers, and contribute 5 percent of workers earnings to support health insurance subsidies. In addition, companies could pool independent workers to offer better deals on health insurance and retirement accounts.Harris admits that his independent worker proposal is, at least for now, far-fetched.Were not yet in a political situation to adopt the solution we put forward, he said. Both sides have to lose some. Right now, both sides think theyre going to win. They dont feel a need to compromise.As it stands, however, gig economy workers are at risk of being deprived of their fair share of the American workforce social compact, Harris said. The social compact, a product of the Industrial Age when the workforce transitioned from artisan workers to wage workers, is recognized in labor law such that if you give over your labor and time, you get certain benefits that provide a level of economic security, he said.(The social compact) offers a modicum of protection from bad things happening in the workplace, he said. The (benefits) are quite limited. They are not a comprehensive package of guaranteed middle-class lifestyle benefits. But you only get them if you meet the definition of an employee.Collective bargaining rights, in particular, could prove essential to gig workers when it comes to negotiating better wages.A contingent of local drivers interpreted Ubers fare change in January as an unfair and unnecessary pay cut but they couldnt do anything, save for protest. Staged a few days after the cuts, the protest was attended by drivers whove grown increasingly cynical about Ubers concern for their well-being. Their frustration that Uber is amassing a fortune while exploiting the people who do the work is amplified by their pinched paychecks or longer hours.What Uber has been doing in city after city, unilaterally imposing terms on workers, (taking) an if-they-dont-like-it, they-can-leave (approach); that attitude is a race to the bottom, said Mike OBrien, a Seattle City Council member who co-sponsored a first-of-its-kind bill in his city.The bill, adopted by Seattle in December, allows independently contracted drivers to unionize, whereas current federal labor law only grants the right to employees. But the bill could face legal challenges from Uber, Lyft and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.As long as there are people who are desperate enough, thats enough, OBrien said.Now, Brown, the local driver with the Uber car lease, is banding with the same disenfranchised San Diego group that staged the driver protest.Organized by Uber driver Kevin McGraham, 39, the local group wants to create a driver association with enough influence to sway city and state officials, who they hope will advocate for them in the same way Seattles OBrien rallied on behalf of that citys independent drivers.Already, McGraham has made inroads with local officials, including Ralph Dimarucut, senior council representative for Marti Emerald, who chairs San Diegos public safety and livable neighborhoods committee.Dimarucut said the committee is actively looking at what it can do to support drivers. He plans to talk with the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, the San Diego Police Department and the Public Utilities Commission, which regulates companies such as Uber and Lyft, to get a better grasp on the situation.City-based policies, however, will do little to address national issues.There has to be some sort of adjustment in the law to account for this new breed of worker, said Dan Eaton, a business ethics lecturer at San Diego State University and an employment lawyer. The gig economy is still only a small percentage of the American workforce but its better to put a legislative response in place as (the gig economy is) emerging, then to wait until you reach critical mass.The legislative response will vary based on the outcome of lawsuits that allege technology companies are illegally classifying workers as independent contractors.The most prominent case, OConnor v. Uber Technologies, is a class-action case that appears to be headed for a jury trial in June. Plaintiffs attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan believes Ubers drivers are entitled to employee wage protections, and should be reimbursed for expenses, such as gas and vehicle maintenance. The lawsuit also challenges Ubers practice of not allowing drivers to accept tips.Uber, however, doesnt accept that its drivers are employees. For every Laurence Brown, there are at least nine Bill Tesaros who are thriving because of, and not in spite of, the terms of gig economy work, the company would seemingly argue. The Regional Approach Regional collaboration could be the next phase of open data publishing. The city of Pittsburgh has partnered with Allegheny County and the University of Pittsburgh on a regional data portal that doesnt belong to any one entity but is collectively managed and co-mingles data from multiple governments. What they are doing is exciting, said Accelas Mark Headd. If you are a resident of Pittsburgh, you are getting services not just from the city but the county as well, and there is much more potential to provide transparency if you co-mingle that data and make it easier to use. We are going to break out of the approach of the last few years of a city having its own data portal, and there is a bright line around the boundary of its portal. Ultimately, which solution works depends on what government wants to do. At its most basic level, an open data portal can just be a directory like a phone book. If a citizen wants a certain piece of data, then they can follow this link and it is hosted here. If that is what the government wants, the technology hurdle is significantly lower, said Headd. If a government wants a robust, managed API because they feel that developers or researchers or journalists want to leverage that, then they have to ask if they have the appropriate people in house to support that or is it something they should outsource. And if the aim of government is to nurture and grow the community of civic data activists and startups, then they have to look at their open data portal as a mechanism for engagement, not just a place where you go get data. Socrata Junar NuCivic Accela Esri CKAN The Louisville Metro Government in Kentucky started its open data efforts in 2011 with a homegrown Web portal, and is now automating the publishing processes and using the data for performance improvement. As it does so, Louisville is working with a handful of vendors specializing in open data catalog publishing. We are at a crossroads, said Jason Ballard, director of the Department of Information Technology. The department has partnered with a company called NuCivic, which is developing an open source platform called DKAN, and is working with Socrata, the open data publishing vendor, on performance management.We may end up with a hybrid, Ballard said, pointing to the expense of more mainstream platforms. With some other products, such as DKAN, we may be able to achieve similar results for a better cost and sustainability. The goal is to provide access to day-to-day work done by government employees in as close to real time as possible. Thats where we are going, he said.This is a good time to be a chief data officer or CIO charged with creating an open data program thanks to a widening range of data publishing solution options, including open source, that did not exist just a few years ago. Thats good news for cost-conscious state and local governments.The budget for open data publishing platforms is often a big constraint and decisions depend on internal capacity, according to Timothy Herzog, an open data specialist at the World Bank. It is very common for cities and counties to have a bright young person familiar enough with open source and facile enough with the tools to stand up something fairly quickly on their own for a few thousand dollars plus staff time, he said. For jurisdictions that have bigger budgets, a number of commercial choices are available.Whichever route they take to publish open data, public agencies should strive to make the data as easily accessible as possible, not only to people but also to automated systems, said Herzog. Open data platforms that are really doing it right allow users to download the data, but also include an application programming interface (API) to make data available in a consistent machine-readable format. With an API, it is possible for a visualization platform or other consumer technology to ingest that data or create middleware to make that translation automatic. That is one of the value-adds that a good open data platform will give you, said Herzog.A manager of a midsize city might have to spend $150,000 to bring in a vendor to design a turnkey solution and put a platform online, Herzog said. But some out-of-the-box software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions are available for about $150 to $200 per month. On the other hand, if you are CIO of the U.S. Census Bureau, that model is not going to make sense, he added. It doesnt fit how you do procurement, for one thing.Louisville spent about $150,000 in 2014 to launch its new website, and as of December, Ballard noted that they spent about $85,000 in 2015 with DKAN and NuCivic. Well see where that takes us and continue to invest where we need to in order to evolve to the end state where we get to complete transparency.Another city that has invested in open data publishing is Seattle, which started working with Socrata in 2010. The city wanted developer-friendly tools and easy-to-use interfaces, including APIs that allow nontechnical people to access information about city government, according to Michael Mattmiller, Seattles chief technology officer. We also are thinking about how we can help employees use these tools to glean information.Although he didnt provide figures on the citys open data budget, Mattmiller said Seattle hasnt looked closely at open source options. When there is a product that meets our needs, where we have seen other municipalities be successful with it, and our target users are familiar with it, it is hard to make the case we should build something else and devote technology resources to it.surveyed some of the leading vendors offering solutions in the open data platform market to find out how the market is evolving and whether customers needs are changing.There seems to be consensus that Socrata is out in front of the open data publishing market. Socrata CEO Kevin Merritt said he started the company in 2007 to build Web-based databases for small and midsize business. One of those businesses that started using our cloud-based database was the White House, he said. We started looking at this opportunity and became passionate about governments putting their data online for a number of external stakeholders.It became evident that governments should be making data that taxpayers fund available to stakeholders downstream, Merritt recalled. In early 2009, Socrata pivoted and decided to go all-in and help governments make data available. We now lead that market with more than 300 customers using our platform to make their data available, said Merritt.Socrata has worked with several jurisdictions on the cutting edge of open data, including Seattle, Chicago, New York and Illinois.Governments go through a maturity curve during the open data adoption process, according to Merritt. Their needs evolve and what they want to accomplish as a byproduct of making data available is different as they go along. The foundation is to put up a catalog and make files searchable, discoverable and downloadable.Every government has to start there, but that is no longer sufficient. You have to get to the point where your data becomes an important element in your own data-driven decision making and becomes part of the economic development you are promoting in your jurisdiction, and that is where I think we set ourselves apart, Merritt said. We have customers at every step of the way in terms of maturity.Junar (which means to view and to know) was founded by Diego May and Javier Pajaro about five years ago. With offices in Silicon Valley and Latin America, Junar provides a cloud-based open data platform. May, the companys CEO, noted that while governments can build these tools from scratch themselves, we put a lot of brain power into thinking about what citizens are looking for when they go to open data portals and how cities need to open up data. We offer something that solves the problem right away.Customers include Palo Alto and Sacramento County, Calif. He said customers like that Junar offers a solution thats modular. We offer a standard open data platform package that is priced based on the population of the city. How does he distinguish Junars offerings? Socrata is a great company, May said, but I would say we are simpler to deploy and easier to use. That allows us to be more cost-effective. The total cost of ownership is lower.As CIO of the New York State Senate from 2009 to 2011, Andrew Hoppin led the deployment of a major website for the state, NYSenate.gov, using the Drupal content management system. Based on that experience, Hoppin today is the co-founder and president of NuCivic, which leads the development of an open source platform called DKAN, which was rolled out at the end of 2013.New York-based NuCivic was purchased by GovDelivery in 2014. We worked with a small number of customers first to figure out how to build a great open source product, and then we were ready for prime time, he said. The plan is to take advantage of GovDeliverys reach. It has about 1,000 government customers in the United States and Europe. Most governments want to do something with open data to get information out or even internally to drive efficiency, said Hoppin, adding that open source software thats also available as a service or OpenSaaS offers increased agility and affordability.A company that offers government software that streamlines land, permitting, asset, licensing, right-of-way, legislative management, and resource and recreation management, Accela is in somewhat of a unique position in terms of open data, said the companys developer evangelist Mark Headd, the former chief data officer of Philadelphia. If you look at other open data platforms, particularly the commercial platforms, you need to take data from another system and put it in their platform, he noted. Accela is the system of record for a lot of this data that gets put in open data portals.Governments use Accelas system to conduct business, such as issuing licenses or permits. All the data accumulates in our system, so we can help them bring that data out, Headd explained. Accela has an open data platform built on the open source platform CKAN that is free for its customers to use. My job as developer evangelist is to help our customers understand how they can leverage that data inside their Accela system, he said. We have over 100 customers currently on our civic data platform.In terms of how governments think about open data publishing, Headd said budget resources are one consideration, along with the amount of data they currently have available to publish. It doesnt make much sense for a government to invest a lot of resources in an open data portal if they are not at a point where they are ready to publish a lot of data, he explained. Conversely, if you have a lot of data and have a lot of usage, then there are commercial options available. You have to decide how invested you want to become in any one particular vendor, especially since this is sort of a new area, he added.Cities, counties and state agencies have been using Esris ArcGIS for years to manage spatial data and share it on the public Web. But in 2014 Esri launched a new application, ArcGIS Open Data, to give customers a free and quick way to set up public-facing websites where people can find and download data in a variety of open formats. We added capabilities to ArcGIS that are expected or required of open data catalogs such as exporting in several common formats and speaking the new DCAT [Data Catalogue vocabulary] specification, said Andrew Turner, chief technology officer of the Esri Research and Development Center in Washington, D.C.One advantage is that the new application is part of the same data management and dissemination platform ArcGIS has had for a long time. What we have seen agencies saying is, Here is the subset of all my government data that I really want the public to discover first. This is the curated front page to their data catalogs and applications, Turner said. Many ArcGIS customers are using this platform as their only open data catalog. Once they find out about it, they dont see why they would go pay for a separate open data solution. This is what the police chief and mayor already look at. They think, Why dont I use this same platform for open data and leverage my existing investment for new potential innovations?Another viable option is to go the open source route, and CKAN (Comprehensive Knowledge Archive Network) is the leading open-source data portal platform. The Open Knowledge Foundation maintains CKAN, which is written in the Python programming language and can provide full support and hosting. (The federal Data.gov portal has used both CKAN and Socrata.)NuCivics Hoppin describes why open source looked attractive to him when he was building a solution as CIO of the New York State Senate. I want to be in the drivers seat with my own technology, he said. I dont want to be locked in with a vendor, even one that is a fantastic vendor. In the Senate, requirements changed all the time, he added, sometimes for political or budget reasons, not necessarily technology reasons. Open source gives you the ability to control your own destiny. I want the ability to fire my vendor and more important, I want the ability to innovate, Hoppin said. If I want to do something that is a novel idea, it would be nice to take care of that myself directly with the recent college graduate I just hired who has the tech skills to do it. (TNS) -- A high-stakes court battle between Apple Inc. and the FBI over access to data on a locked phone has drawn Congress into the broader public debate the case has raised.The showdown was sparked by an order from a federal magistrate judge in California who ordered Apple last month to help the FBI unlock an iPhone 5C used by one of the two shooters who killed 14 people in San Bernardino, Calif., in December 2015. Apple asked the judge to toss out the order, arguing it finds no support in law and would violate the Constitution.The case has raised a public debate about issues of privacy and security, and as a result tech companies, at least one federal judge and some lawmakers are looking to Congress to weigh in on what the standards should be when law enforcement requests access to data.The issues raised by the pending court case, said House Judiciary Chairman Robert W. Goodlatte, R-Va., are too complex to be left to the courts and must be answered by Congress.This particular case, he added at a hearing earlier this month, has some very unique factors involved and as such may not be an ideal case upon which to set precedent.During the same House Judiciary hearing, FBI Director James B. Comey admitted that the case could set a precedent.The tech sector agrees. Make no mistake: If the government prevails in this case, it will seek many such decisions, a group of tech companies including Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft wrote in an amicus court brief filed in support of Apple.A wide swath of the tech sector has lined up in support of Apple. The response signals a shift from the industrys private conversations with the Obama administration to a very public and increasingly polarized debate that is certain to lead to wider ramifications.Tech giants including Apples fierce competitor Google are asking lawmakers to weigh in about what law enforcement can compel them to do. Theyre concerned that the governments request to require Apple to create software to help unlock the iPhone would set a dangerous precedent that could weaken security for customers and harm brands and business models.But lawmakers considerations in the high-profile case are also likely to be influenced by public opinion and the appeals of some victims families that support the FBI.Five people who had relatives killed in the attack and one whose wife witnessed the shooting but survived filed a court brief in support of the FBIs request, saying that requiring Apple to help unlock the iPhone for the FBI to read its contents may explain the motive for this senseless tragedy.The victims and families want and need to know if they were purposefully targeted, if others in their community aided and abetted the crime, and if additional attacks targeting them or their loved ones are forthcoming, they added.Those impacted by the attack are not all in support of the FBI, though.Salihin Kondoker, whose wife survived the shooting, wrote that as he learned more about the case, he realized Apples opposition is about something much bigger than one phone.They are worried that this software the government wants them to use will be used against millions of other innocent people. I share their fear, Kondoker wrote.Congress will have to weigh these interests in a debate that is now the focus of intense public interest, although its in many ways a continuation of talks that have been ongoing between the tech industry and Obama administration, especially in the months since the attack.The FBIs Comey has repeatedly gone on Capitol Hill to tell lawmakers that encrypted devices pose a growing problem for law enforcement efforts, though last fall he said that the administration would not press for legislation.A few months later, however, U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym in the Central District of California ordered Apple to enable the FBI to guess the devices access code while bypassing or disabling the auto-erase function that would delete phone data after a certain number of failed attempts.Soon after the order, Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote a letter to customers on the companys website.In the wrong hands, this software which does not exist today would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someones physical possession, Cook wrote, explaining why Apple would oppose the governments request.Cooks letter pushed the debate into the public sphere, and now it will be one that is hard for Congress to evade.Many of the separate briefs from tech groups supporting Apple showed theyre now eager for lawmakers to set a policy on this issue.A brief submitted in response to the court order and signed onto by the Consumer Technology Association which alone represents more than 2,200 tech companies asked Congress to weigh in. It issued a challenge to lawmakers to consider the economic fallout of whatever decision they make.If Congress wants to subject American businesses to burdens, it can do so explicitly, the groups wrote.Congress also could be persuaded to weigh in because of another court case between Apple and the federal government.Magistrate Judge James Orenstein for the Eastern District of New York issued a 50-page order at the end of February finding that the government failed to make a persuasive argument that Apple had to unlock a phone involved in a drug-related case.Orenstein also wrote that he believes the questions raised in the case would best be left to the legislative branch. He asserted that his decision to deny the governments request for Apples assistance was not to be taken as him weighing in on the competing values at play.But that debate must happen today, he wrote, and it must take place among legislators who are equipped to consider the technological and cultural realities of a world their predecessors could not begin to conceive.Several lawmakers have made it clear they are ready to take up the debate.The House Homeland Security chairman and a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee have reached across the aisle to push what they see as the best approach: a commission that would deliberate on digital security issues and eventually produce recommendations.Legislation introduced at the end of February by Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., would create such a commission.Meanwhile, Congress is giving both sides a chance to make their case.Comey and Apple General Counsel Bruce Sewell testified before the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month. They reiterated their sides of the argument.Bipartisan leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee have also invited Comey and Apples CEO to testify. It is unclear when that hearing will be scheduled and whether the two will appear.The battle appears poised to drag on as each side looks to Congress or the courts to see where they can get the win theyre looking for and one that could set new precedents in a difficult and divisive issue. ITServe Alliance successfully launches DMV chapter USA, March 09th 2016: ITServe Alliance DMV (DC/MD/VA) Chapter Kickoff hosting 300+ IT Consulting & Solutions Business owners in Fairfax, VA on March 4th 2016 at Waterford, Fair Oaks. ITServe Alliance is a largest association of IT Services organizations. The alliance is the voice of all prestigious IT companies functioning with similar interests across United States. Through the years ITServe has evolved as a resourceful and respected platform to collaborate (STARTUPS / PROJECTS / JOB BOARD / HOTLIST) and initiate measures in the direction of protecting common interests and ensuring collective success. Addressing the prospective members and company owners Shashi Devireddy President of ITServe Alliance said, This is a landmark event hosted near Capital and excited to see CEOs in big numbers. Thanks to Maryland Delegate Aruna Miller who expressed willingness to present hurdles faced by Maryland businesses to state. Jay Challa, from ace info spoke about doing business with Federal Government. Shalabh Shalli Kumar, Founder of RHC spoke about policy advocacy at Capitol Hill and how RHC can help ITServe businesses. Speaking on the occasion DMV Chapter Leader Ramesh Kalwala said We had 300+ attendees from DMV region. We were very excited to have Sheela Murthy, prominent immigrant attorney at the event, she spoke about immigration issues employers are facing. Im thankful to entire DMV core team for all the efforts in planning this event, also thankful to all sponsors (BBI Law Group, Ceipal, Chawla and Chawla, GMS Registrar, Janet Law Firm, Krishna Training, Murthy Law Firm, Nimble Accounting, Sunrise Accounting Services LLC, Vitel Global) and volunteers who made this event great success. It is our constant endeavor to provide a common platform where business practices can be safeguarded and strengthened by the wealth of shared knowledge among various IT software development and consulting companies. We want to guarantee the highest return on your investment and maximize the advantages provided by our organization with a positive attitude and holistic methodology. We look forward for continued support from business owners. About ITServe Alliance (www.ITServe.org): ITServe Alliance is an association of IT Services organizations. The alliance is dedicated to providing its member organizations with a platform to collaborate and initiate measures that would contribute to protecting their interests and ensuring collective success. ITServe DMV kickoff Picture Album: http://www.itserve.org/showphotos/PICABC027 Press note released by: IndianClicks, LLC Oops! There was a problem! Sorry, but we can't find what you were looking for right now. The content may have been removed, or is temporarily unavailable. GreatAndhra.com powered by India Brains Infotech, LLC, its owners, associates and employees are not responsible for any errors, omissions or representations on any of our pages or on any links on any of our pages. We do not endorse in anyway any advertisers on our web pages, links to personal pages, official pages, or commercial pages. We have no control of the content of external information. 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Suryaprakash Reddy of Anantpur, who headed the Bharatiya Janata Party on its formation in 1980 as its in-charge president for less than a year, Rayalaseema got an opportunity only in 1999 when Chilakam Ramachandra Reddy of Chittoor district was chosen for the top post. This indicates that the region got offers just twice in more than three decades and not even once in the last decade-and-a-half. Now the current chief of BJP, Hari Babu is no longer keen on the top post as he wants to concentrate on his constituency, Vizag. Party State vice-president Kapileswaraiah of Kurnool opted out of the race as he was made the election officer. This leaves former Womens Commission Member Shanta Reddy from Tirupati, and Madanapalle strongman Challapalli Narasimha Reddy from Rayalaseema in the fray. To his credit, Narasimha Reddy has been in the BJP since the early eighties. Now Purandeswari is also competing on Rayalaseema quota because she had contested the last Lok Sabha elections unsuccessfully from Rajampet in Rayalaseema. Whether the BJP would consider this technicality and consider her or whether they will dump her and choose a loyal worker like Narasimha Reddy, remains to be seen. Revanth Left Alone In Telangana TDLP! Now, it is more or less certain that the Telangana Telugu Desam Party is going to become empty in a day or two. Out of 15 MLAs elected on the TDP ticket in Telangana in 2014 polls, 10 MLAs had already joined the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi. Of the remaining, four MLAs abstained from the Telangana TD Legislature Party meeting convened by party president N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday. While L B Nagar MLA R Krishnaiah has been staying away from party activities for quite some time in the name of BC welfare association meetings and student conventions, the remaining three Sattupalli MLA Sandra Venkata Veeraiah, Jubilee Hills MLA Maganti Gopinath and Serilingampalli MLA Arekapudi Gandhi abstained from the meeting without any information. These three are expected to join the TRS in a day or two. This does mean only Kodangal MLA A Revanth Reddy will have to represent the TDP in the Assembly. Since he has been attacking the TRS hammer and tongs, he has no place in the ruling party. What else can he do alone in the TDP? Indications are that he might prefer the Bharatiya Janata Party to safeguard his political survival, if Naidu decides to wind up the TDP in Telangana in the next couple of years. There is also a talk that he might even join the Congress to consolidate the Reddy vote bank in Telangana. TRS Juggernaut Rolls On In Civic Polls The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) continued its victorious march in Telangana by posting a resounding victory in the municipal elections in Khammam and Warangal municipal corporations and Achampet municipality in Mahbubnagar district on Wednesday. According to the latest reports, the TRS won 44 out of 58 divisions in Warangal and in all probability, it will end up with 45 seats. As many as eight independents (mostly TRS rebels) have also won, while the Congress has won three seats and Bharatiya Janata Party ended up with two seats. In Khammam, the TRS captured 36 out of 50 seats, while the Congress could win eight, CPM four and YSR Congress party two seats. The Telugu Desam Party has drawn blank in both the Corporations. In Achampet municipality, it was completely a one-sided affair. The TRS won all the 20 wards. The major Opposition parties the Congress, the TDP and the BJP forgot their political differences and formed into a grand alliance to contest the civic polls, but they could not win even a single seat. In a way, the TDP has virtually been wiped out in Telangana and the other Opposition parties have been reduced to nominal presence. The TRS juggernaut continues to roll on! Congresswoman Virginia Foxx visited two Davidson County schools Monday. During their newly created Armor Hour, members of North Davidson High School's student council spoke with Foxx and Davidson County Schools Superintendent Dr. Lory Morrow over lunch. Students received the opportunity to ask questions and receive advice from the congresswoman, who handed out pocket-size copies of the U.S. Constitution and spoke on the importance of maintaining power and freedom in individual communities. Our government is a government of the people. It isnt a government of the government. Its a government established by the people, Foxx said. I think its really important that you understand that, because as student council people, and as class presidents and vice presidents, thats who you are, too. Youre elected by the people you represent. Foxx also heard from students on the schools implementation of Armor Hour, a new block of time during the middle of the school day where students face many options for when and where to eat lunch and can also receive individual or small-group instruction. Foxx commended the schools positive attitude and credited it to the school districts ability to make individual decisions in its structure. Some people like Common Core, some people hate Common Core. Its again one of those decisions that should never have been made by the president and by the secretary of education, Foxx said. Thats a decision that should be made right here. How you run your curriculum in Davidson County should be decided by your school board with the help of the administrators and the principals here. After lunch, Foxx took of tour of North Davidson Middle Schools career and technical education classrooms and learned from students about the many projects and capabilities of the program. Seventh-graders in a technology, innovation and design class shared woodworking projects and experiments with electricity while computer skills classes shared electronic programs and virtual travel projects. I think it is very important, and I think its great for her, and its great for them, said Amy Hyatt, North Davidson Middle School principal. They of course havent had the opportunity to meet a congresswoman before, and so just knowing (she's) a real person and someone they can talk to and relate to is important. Hyatt called the schools CTE program an opportunity for students to explore a number of careers without committing too much time or effort with specific a skill set. They could have several of these classes throughout their experience, and that way it gives them an outlook or a choice on what they could do. They can see the different options, she said. After showing Foxx around two of the countys schools, Morrow said she was happy the district had an opportunity to highlight two of its newest advancements with Armor Hour and the CTE classes. We are very honored that she took the time to come visit our schools and speak with the students and interact with the students, Morrow said. I reached out to her office because I know she is a proponent of education, and she is very supportive of education and has helped enact and move legislation that supports education. I wanted her to come to Davidson County Schools to see all of the great things that were doing and really be able to showcase whats happening in our classrooms. Mondays visit could be one of Foxxs last to Davidson County if the states newly drawn congressional district map receives approval from a federal judicial panel. As the maps are drawn, Davidson County is set to be represented in the 13th District. Foxxs 5th District would end in Forsyth County. I love the counties I have now, I will love the counties I have when I get them, Foxx said. I think the worst part is the uncertainty. The people deserve to know what the districts are. And I frankly think its wrong that a judge is going to decide this. Yelpers, beware. Photo: Onefold/Facebook If your answer to Yelps ongoing problems involves increasing the number of verbal slapfights, then Denver has a hero-in-waiting for you. Mark Nery has been running a breakfast spot in town called Onefold for about a year, and thats given him plenty of time to master the business-reply feature when Yelpers foolishly leave negative reviews. His most recent fusillade landed on Eater Denvers radar after a customer over the weekend blasted the almond croissant for having a sopping-wet layer and the congee for its oily orange halo. Nery didnt like the review or think it was accurate, so he fired off a nasty rebuttal that hurled a variety of interesting accusations, convincing the Yelper to post an update calling the meal perhaps my most hilariously bad dining experience of all time. The Yelper in question, a user named Michael U., overwrote things a tad (it was exclusively with congee in mind that the counter was approached), one of the many details that didnt escape Nery, but the real head-turner is how serious the attacks are in the reply: Hey mike , sorry tldr; most of it. You can review our restaurant but I cant review your writing? You do write with a prose that reminds me of a high school valedictorian that trys way too hard to sound intelligent. However thats my opinion just like your opinion of our congee. To be fair I would like to review your visit as well, I wont make it as long and boring as yours. Creepy guy walks in, creeps out workers and customers. Asked for wifi password ducked behind computer, other customer walked up complained that you may be watching PORN confronted you and verified told you to turn off, you tell me how important of a food critic you are and write a bad review after you demolished all of the food I gave you. Verified with other restaurant friends of mine how creepy you were on your visits to their establishments and how you requested special treatment because you are a food critic. Btw you were not watching normal porn, however I am sure the fbi will catch you soon. You creepy pervert. Michael doesnt address (maybe is choosing not to dignify?) the porn accusation, but he does dispute almost everything else. Just perusing Onefolds Yelp page turns up loads of Nery takedowns, and the really brutal ones seem like theyd require the work of an oppo research team (in one case, security-camera footage was used to prove a whole pastry had been eaten). But for people without the time or inclination to wade through them, the highlights include calling one womans promise to never recommend Onefold purely hypothetical because first shed need friends and have to be likable enough for them to visit you in Denver. Another hapless customer who hated the coffee was told to head to Starbucks and stop trashing local roasters in all your worthless Yelp reviews. Nery went as far as posting the infamous South Park episode where Yelpers are secretly fed boogers and semen in that response, but the attack that probably takes the cake came in reply to a lady who was just hoping for some decaf. She wrote, I am a 74-year-old woman with health issues, which is why I had concerns about the coffee, to which Nery responded, I have grandparents that are much older than you and they would never resort to using their age as an excuse act like an asshole, asshole. [Eater Denver] Councilmember Barron says the warning is no different from calorie counts. Looks like the city is spoiling for a new fight with restaurateurs: A bill being introduced today by Brooklyn city council member Inez Barron would force them to warn customers that foods with too much sugar and carbs are dangerous to people with diabetes. If its passed, restaurants would be required to hang a poster created by the Department of Health that spells out the risks of excessive sugar and other carbohydrate intake for diabetic and pre-diabetic individuals. Barron says the city has an obligation to provide consumers with this information just like it has with calorie counts. Restaurateurs are arguing the citys recent sodium warning is arbitrary because it only applies to chains, but Politico notes this carb-poster idea would almost certainly stand on firmer legal ground. The DOH has clearer regulatory authority in this area, plus all restaurants would be required to post the sign, not just what the city defines as chains (any place with 15 or more locations). It would become like the ubiquitous choking poster, in other words, and any restaurants failing to post the sign could be fined $500. It would be the DOHs job to figure out what the poster should look like and at what level sugar and carbs become excessive. The National Restaurant Association wasted no time releasing some choice words about the bill: New York City has changed nanny state from a noun to a verb, said Christin Fernandez, a spokeswoman for the restaurant association. This is nanny stating at its very worst. The City has taken it upon itself to endlessly target the restaurant and foodservice industry with mandates that offer no solution to underlying health problems. This is just another attempt to showcase misleading information that attempts to scare people about products that are perfectly safe in moderation and can be enjoyed as part of a balanced lifestyle. A poster on a wall is no way to improve public health. The DOH is currently reviewing the bill, says a spokesperson for the agency. [Politico] the real estate The Only Reason We Got It Was That I Lied The Only Reason We Got It Was That I Lied Yesterday, Google added functionality to Google Docs to export long text documents as ePub files, largely compatible with almost every electronic reader and book reading app imaginable (except on Amazon Kindles as they have their own book format .mobi). Reading long PDFs or word files on tablets or smartphones brings me back to my college days, it was the most annoying thing to do on a screen which the text was not formatted for, constantly having to pan, zoom, pan, zoom, pan, zoom, just to read small text that spans three times the size of the screen. This feature should make the consumption of some of these types of files much more enjoyable to readers of such content. Perhaps it will facilitate the actual conversion of ePub files from copied text. The update is rolling out now and should be complete in a couple of days. To export as an ePub file, you can go to File > Download As > EPUB Publication (.epub). Source | Via After launching an upgrade program in the UK a few days ago, Samsung has it to its home turf as well. The deal sound quite attractive to those who always want to have the latest and greatest from the Galaxy lineup. As per the official announcement, you can purchase a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge in South Korea and sign up for the 24 month plan, at 7,700 won ($6.35) on top of the cost of the unit. This will apparently allow you to get the latest Galaxy device 12 month later, once it becomes available. That amounts to just roughly $76 for an upgrade. Factor in the hassle-free upgrade experience and you have a no-brainer. However, we are not entirely sure what happens with the payments during the remaining 12 months of the upgrade plan. Our best guess is that you end up paying them as well, which could mean that you can upgrade only once every two years, or have double payments after the first 12 months. However, even if this is the case, it still sounds like a pretty good deal. Plus, there was also mention of a Galaxy Note in the source, which could possibly mean that Samsung's productivity phablet series is also eligible for the plan, or perhaps even better, it might suggest a cross-matching scenario, in which you can pick between a few eligible models each year. Source | Via Samsung Pay is gaining support in various markets, and the USA has always been one of the biggest opportunities for that kind of mobile payments. All major carriers officially support Samsung Pay, though Verizon was the last one to offer it. Samsung Galaxy S6 series was the first one to introduce Samsung Pay, and the service is working well for the Verizon's users. Unfortunately, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge smartphones for Verizon lack this support. There is no official reason either from Verizon or from Samsung, why the app is missing on the new flagship duo. If you try to install it from the Play Store it still won't work as apparently the S7 lineup for Verizon isn't supported. Hopefully this gets resolved soon with an update, or at least, Verizon gives a reason for the removal. Source Via Haiti - Politic : Message of President a.i. Privert for Haitian women As part of International Women's Day, celebrated Tuesday, March 8, President a.i. Jocelerme Privert sent a message to the Haitian women, we invite you to read it. Message from the President a.i. Jocelerme Privert : "Madam First Lady, Ladies of the Republic, I am particularly pleased to celebrate on this occasion, the International Women's Day. This allows me to express myself on the situation of women worldwide and particularly that of Haiti, which never cease to amaze by their valor, their intelligence and endurance, facing the daily challenges that mark their existence. Do I need to remind the efforts and sacrifices made in the education of children, the constantly renewed commitment in favor of the family, often in ignorance of some and the indifference of some and silence of others. These sacrifices made, often in pain, were intended only to ensure the sustainability of the family and the protection of present and future. On the occasion of International Women's Day, I want to reiterate my determination to see all sectors of national life to engage in the promotion of gender equality in all State affairs. Indeed, the 1987 amended Constitution formally established a normal quota to promote greater representation of women in public affairs. I encourage all sectors to work towards the implementation of this constitutional requirement, marking the irreversible entry of our people in the democratic progress and emancipation Ladies, I want to stress the need for both the Executive and for all actors of national life to strengthen the protection of girls and women system in chronic conditions of vulnerability that maintain the continuing cycle of violence. I encourage all initiatives that promote the mandatory presence of women in all areas of decision-making in the State. It is with joy, love and gratitude for your commitment I Please accept, Madam First Lady, Ladies, the assurances of my high consideration. Jocelerme Privert President of the Republic a.i." HL/ HaitiLibre Harlow is a former New Town in Essex with a population of 86,000. Located in the upper Stort Valley, it was built in the decades after the Second World War to ease overcrowding and London and provide homes for people bombed out during the Blitz. It includes Britain's first pedestrian precinct and first modern residential tower block, The Lawn. Old Harlow, the historic part of the town, was mentioned in the Domesday Book. David and Victoria Beckham's former home, Rowneybury House, nicknamed 'Beckingham Palace', is nearby. 20:37, 21 OCT 2022 The Civitas poll to be released Thursday will have the latest, best information on who North Carolina voters prefer in the March 15 primary elections including the leaders in the races for the White House, U.S. Senate, and Council of State offices. The poll comprises two separate polls of likely Republican and Democratic primary voters to determine who they plan to vote for in their respective primaries, plus their views of key topics on the public scene. Though there is much talk about the polarization in politics, a number of voters say they are open to considering voting in the November General Election for a candidate from the other party. A third of Republican voters said they were willing to consider Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. More than half of Democratic voters said they were willing to consider one of the top four GOP contenders. The complete poll information, plus commentary, will be provided on Thursday at three special Civitas Poll Presentations in Winston-Salem, Raleigh and Wilmington. For more information, visit the Civitas events calendar. Text of actual questions: (Asked of ALL Republican primary voters) Of the following candidates in the Democrat Presidential Primary field which candidate could you see yourself possibly voting for in November: (ROTATE) 22% Bernie Sanders 11% Hillary Clinton 62% None/Dont Know 5% Refused (Asked of ALL Democratic primary voters) Of the following candidates in the Republican Presidential Primary field which candidate could you see yourself possibly voting for in November: (ROTATE) 24% John Kasich 13% Marco Rubio 8% Donald Trump 8% Ted Cruz 47% None/ Dont Know Refused Civitas conducts the only regular live-caller voting in North Carolina, and we are the only organization offering independent, nonpartisan data on current opinion. In the decade weve been conducting them, our polls have provided vital insights on what North Carolina voters truly think of the leaders and issues facing the state and nation. For more information, email Demi Dowdy at [email protected] or call 919.747.8059. Founded in 2005, the Civitas Institute is a Raleigh, NC-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit policy organization committed to creating a North Carolina whose citizens enjoy liberty and prosperity derived from limited government, personal responsibility and civic engagement. To that end, Civitas develops and advocates for conservative policy solutions to improve the lives of all North Carolinians. Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket The following information is provided by local law enforcement agencies. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Compiled by Jessica Isaacs The following were provided by the Watauga County Sheriffs Office. Feb. 3 ARREST: A male suspect, 36, of 2655 Roby Greene Road in Boone, was charged with felony possession of firearm by a felon and misdemeanor assault by pointing a firearm. He was held under a $5,000 secured bond and was scheduled to appear in court on March 1. Feb. 23 ARREST: A male suspect, 51, of 1417 N.C. Highway 105 Bypass Unit 3 in Boone, was charged with violation of a court order and resist/obstruct/delay and is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. Feb. 26 ARREST: A male suspect, 24, of 2498 Old U.S. Highway 421 N in Vilas, was charged with DWI and is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. March 1 ARREST: A male suspect, 30, of 185 Hawks Peak Lane Apt. 214 in Banner Elk, was charged with two counts of failure to appear. He was held under a $100,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 14. ARREST: A female suspect, 23, of 149 Hensels Lane in Boone, was charged with failure to appear. She was held under a $500 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on April 5. ARREST: A male suspect, 43, of 147 Green Acres Drive in Boone, was charged with DWLR and fictitious info to officer and is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. March 2 INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at Valle Crucis Community Park. INCIDENT: Possession of methamphetamines and possession of a controlled substance on jail premises were reported at U.S. Highway 321 N AND Shulls Hollar Road in Sugar Grove. ARREST: A female suspect, 24, of 8507 Three Top Road in Todd, was charged with felony possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance in jail premises and misdemeanor all traffic except DWI. She was held under a $10,750 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on May 16. March 3 INCIDENT: Disorderly conduct was reported at the Board of Education, 175 Pioneer Trail. March 4 INCIDENT: Harassment was reported at 106 Wade Moretz Road in Deep Gap. March 5 INCIDENT: Fraud was reported at 746 Forest Ridge Drive in Boone. INCIDENT: Domestic violence was reported at 102 Meadow Lark Road in Vilas. INCIDENT: Fraud was reported at 2006 U.S. Highway 421 N Apt. 6 in Boone. ARREST: A male suspect, 22, of 2819 Russ Cornett Road Apt. 4 in Boone, was charged with all traffic except DWI and DWI and is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. ARREST: A male suspect, 45, of 140 Ford Hollars Road in Vilas, was charged with DWI, DWLR, display revoked license plate and open container violation and is scheduled to appear in court on May 16. March 6 INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at Hubbert Norris Road low water bridge in Sugar Grove. INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 136 Hickory Lane in Boone. ARREST: A female suspect, 49, of 1392 Laurel Fork Road in Vilas, was charged with injury to personal property and communicating threats and is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. March 7 INCIDENT: Identity theft was reported at 175 Eastridge Acres Court in Boone. INCIDENT: Larceny from motor vehicle and breaking and entering a motor vehicle were reported at Blue Ridge Mountain Club in Blowing Rock. INCIDENT: Fraud was reported at 1458 Rominger Road in Banner Elk. INCIDENT: Larceny and breaking and entering were reported at 841 Niley Cook Road in Blowing Rock. INCIDENT: Obtaining money/property by false pretense was reported at 251 Deer Run Road in Deep Gap. ARREST: A male suspect, 56, of 500 Liberty Hill Road in Banner Elk, was charged with simple assault and is scheduled to appear in court on April 15. ARREST: A male suspect, 42, of 11904 U.S. Highway 421 N in Zionville, was charged with DWI and is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. The instructions effectively stipulate that reception centres should no longer provide a guarantee of payment for the rent and security deposit costs of asylum seekers moving to the capital region unless they have secured a job or study place in the region. The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) has instructed reception centres not to financially support the move of successful asylum seekers to the capital region, reports YLE . The guarantees have been previously provided to asylum seekers with no savings of source of income. The instructions currently apply to successful asylum seekers moving to Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa, according to Helsingin Sanomat. Tiina Jarvinen, a senior inspector at Migri, estimates in an interview with the newspaper that the instructions will likely be extended to also cover other major cities in the country, such as Oulu, Tampere and Turku. Kotka, for example, has tightened its conditions for providing financial support to successful asylum seekers moving to the capital region. The capital region has a housing shortage and struggles to organise services, Pirjo Puolakka, the director of immigration affairs at Kotka, explains to YLE. A number of successful asylum seekers are drawn to the capital region in search of better employment and education opportunities and a larger immigrant community. Many of them, however, have too rosy an image of life in the region, says Puolakka. Their expectations are unrealistic, and some have moved back. It turned out that finding employment wasn't easy, the apartments didn't meet their expectations, and the waiting times for services were long, she tells YLE. Finland seeks to encourage successful asylum seekers to settle in the region they were placed in to wait for a decision on their application. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa Lehtikuva Nearly two-thirds, or 62 per cent, of the people surveyed by the Finnish National Rescue Association agreed with the statement that social inequality is a key factor contributing to their sense of insecurity. No more than one-tenth of the respondents disagreed with the statement, while approximately one-third neither agreed nor disagreed with it. The majority of Finns consider social inequality a key factor of insecurity, according a survey commissioned by the Finnish Government . The purpose of the survey was to identify forces promoting and eroding a sense of security among Finns. The Finnish Government states in a press release that Finns are generally concerned by growing social and residential inequality. The majority of the respondents estimated that residential inequality is a growing problem in Finland. No more than 25 per cent of the respondents agreed with the statement all Finnish citizens are equal. One-half of the respondents (51%) disagreed either partially or fully with [the statement] that all Finnish citizens are equal. One-quarter (25%) of the respondents estimated that all citizens are equal, while another quarter (24%) neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, the authors of the report, Tuula Kekki and Teija Mankkinen, state. The survey also found that the more highly-educated the respondent, the more likely they were of the opinion that all citizens are equal. A lower level of education, in turn, was associated with a greater sense of insecurity and discontent. Finland was nevertheless considered a safe country by a vast majority of 89 per cent of the respondents. The respondents were also asked to estimate the likelihood of a wide variety of threats over the next three years in Finland. More than one-half, or 54 per cent, of the respondents regarded the continuation of the economic slowdown as the threat the country is most likely to face in the near future. The data for the survey were collected in the first half of 2015 before the sharp increase in the number of asylum seekers and the subsequent debate about its impact on the security situation. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Petteri Paalasmaa Uusi Suomi Source: Uusi Suomi One of the most common stereotypes that I confront in Finland as a foreigner, and man of color, is that men like me moved to Finland to take Finnish women. First of all, this stereotype forces every foreign man and Finnish woman into a narrow stereotype that ignores the more positive story. Many of us just want to be productive members of Finnish society who want to work, fall in love, and maybe raise a family. Second, the notion of taking a Finnish woman, or any woman for that matter, renders that woman voiceless and incapable of making independent romantic choices. I wanted to get some answers on this stereotype because I was hearing it more and more often from Finnish people I was coming in contact with. I decided to interview about a dozen foreign men and Finnish women to see what their opinion was on this stereotype. After months of interviews I settled on four interviews that stood out from the rest. Each interview started with a general question on their romantic experiences with foreign men or Finnish women and ended with their thoughts on the stereotype. Finnish women: Henriikka Saari, 30 (name changed) is an IT manager at a leading software company in Finland and only dates foreign men. She is not in a committed relationship. What has been your romantic experiences with foreign men? I never dated or kissed a Finnish man or even a white man due to their looks. I don't like white skin. It doesn't appeal to me. I prefer Black men with full lips. They smile a lot. They flirt. They're good dancers. They're not scared or shy. They're a bit cocky but confident. It's all about the attitude and, if the attitude is good, he's gonna get sex. Foreigners are also better lovers. Finnish men don't know how to show love. They are passionate only when they're drunk. Finnish men fail to be smooth. All it takes is confidence and a good smile. And you can get it. Have you heard the stereotype of foreign men taking Finnish women? If so, what do you think about it? I heard it and I think it's good that foreigners are taking Finnish women. I don't see it as a bad thing at all. There's nothing more beautiful than two people sharing two cultures, languages and potentially having a family that is interracial and multilingual and international. Adding a little spice into it makes things more exciting. Because of these interracial relationships, Finland is becoming a happier and a more international place. Tell me more about your relationships with foreign men Foreigners are often ready for anything. I mean... all the activities and the partying. The positivity is also a great bonus since you hardly find a depressed black or foreign man. Foreigners often find joy in simple things and focus on being happy. One big plus is that they are so family-oriented. You can get to know their entire family so easily, and feel comfortable around them. Also, the culture, language, music, and food are all good things. In most [of my] relationships, though they may have ended badly, I have been treated like a queen. Showing affection in public areas and sweet talking is so normal to foreigners. It's easy to get compliments, and foreigners tend to focus more on their woman's appearance Milla Vaahtera, 34 is a designer and teacher who teaches creative thinking and is in a committed relationship with a Finnish man but who has dated foreign men What has been your romantic experience with foreigners? I've had romantic relationships with several foreigners and dating foreign people. My first boyfriend was Norwegian Saami and from the Saami culture. I've dated both Finnish and foreign guys. Have you heard the stereotype of foreign men taking Finnish women? If so, what do you think about it? Yes, I've heard of it and I think it isn't a true statement but it is a true fear. The fear is true even though it might not be right. It's not about Finnish prejudice about foreign people. It's more about small communities. I was visiting a small community [in Finland] when I was 15 and was traveling by bus and when I got out of the bus in this small village in Lapland there were rumors going around that I'm taking boyfriends. So I think this stereotype is something rooted in small communities who fear losing a spouse or somebody they have a crush on to this new shiny foreigner or outsider of the community When I travel to Lapland and there are these small villages it takes a while for the women to accept me because they fear I will take their spouses or seduce everybody. I'm not there to seduce people. I'm there to fish and enjoy nature. But this is something that I don't think is only in Finland and it's the natural response to the fear that I will lose somebody or something . Foreign men: Lincoln Kayiwa, 36 (Uganda, Africa) is one of Finland's most successful entrepreneurs in the design world. Lincoln met and fell in love with his future life companion 8 years ago and is in a committed relationship. What has been your romantic experiences with Finnish women? Well, I can only look at my one current relationship. We've been together for 8 years and I don't look at her as a Finnish woman or as a white person. We share the same interests. We have healthy debates and can intelligently address subject matters without race being a factor...It's a healthy relationship because we view each other as equals. Have you heard the stereotype of foreign men taking Finnish women? If so, what do you think about it? Of course. I thinks it's generalizing or stereotyping. I, for one, believe it's a personal choice. When I go to Uganda with my family, I don't meet a British person and start accusing them of stealing our gold or our copper. I'm more curious about them as a person. Unfortunately, some in Finland often help feed the stereotypes. I don't want to generalize but more than a few Finns readily buy that we're here for the women or the jobs and this is a pity. Because there's been such a surge in right wing political parties, this accusation gets thrown around quite a lot. When the economy is not doing very well, many look for a scapegoat or someone to pin the blame on I know that it has been said that African men don't value a woman's rights, and that men are on the top and women are on the bottom, but I don't personally believe that. She's a woman. I'm a man. We're not any different. This reflects in our relationship. Of course I didn't carry the kids for 9-months but everything else we share 50/50. From the household finances to the kid's upkeep. If she drops the kids off to school in the morning, I pick them up in the afternoon and vice versa. If I put them to bed tonight, she will do it tomorrow. It's balanced. Some things happen organically. Some things we talk about. The purpose is to have this mutual respect, acknowledgment, and support. I believe these are the qualities we were looking for. I don't think that qualifies as taking. It was a courtship that led us to where we are today in our relationship. Nando Miranda, 46 (Tampa, Florida) is freelance business consultant and taxi driver in Finland. He is currently in a committed relationship What has been your romantic experiences with Finnish women? In my work for an ad-agency in Detroit Michigan, I met a Finnish couple and, when they traveled back to Finland, they introduced me to a Finnish lady. After a 9 month courtship I moved to Finland in 1998. Have you heard the stereotype of foreign men taking Finnish women? If so, what do you think about it? I've heard it but I don't think I've ever considered it as being a serious stereotype. I've heard it more as an off-comment or a joke. Link a wink wink and elbow nudge kind of thing. I've heard it a couple times. I just laugh it off because I came here chasing a Finnish lady. We had 2 kids but ended up in a divorce but now I'm in a relationship with another Finnish woman for the last 7 years. When I hear that stereotype I don't think it's a factual statement. I just laugh at it because it's kind of absurd to think about someone taking women. They're not just laying on the street with their legs open, saying'Take me! Take me!. It's absurd! I think it's more of an insecurity that some people have whether they're a Finnish man or a Finnish woman who say foreigners are in Finland to take its women. Maybe it's because, for one thing, they don't want more foreigners here and that's a discussion happening nowadays with lots of different migrants from the Middle East and Eastern Europe coming here looking for a better life because they might be running away from war. Maybe the morals and values that some Finns were raised with drives their stereotyping because they've been raised by parents from the countryside who are unaccustomed to a city life that's alive with diversity and now they're learning how to live in this diversified culture and just throw out this stereotype when they see a beautiful Finnish lady with a foreign man. Whether he's Black, White, Asian or whatever. It doesn't matter. It's just rude and obnoxious. But I think it's more like a lack of confidence in oneself or in one's own national identity. If a Finnish guy says that, maybe he's had poor relationships with Finnish females in the past and perhaps would want to instigate or try to get somebody to react to a comment like that by either saying it to an [intercultural] couple or a man at the bar or saying it to a woman who's dating somebody else [a foreigner] just to try and provoke them. Conclusion It is easier to stereotype people and their intentions when one sees them as part of a group rather than as individuals. The point of this piece was to remove these people from the shadows and cast a light on them as individuals so their unique stories can be heard. Most of the foreign men and Finnish women I interviewed for this piece did not necessarily plan on being in intercultural relationships. They just happened to fall in love, start relationships, or become romantically involved with someone from a different culture. Though one interviewee believed foreign men were taking foreign women, I believe her viewpoint was well-intentioned and not bigoted and honestly expressed a point of view few are brave enough to say aloud. What I learned from most of these interviews, however, is that the idea of taking a Finnish woman, or any woman, is absurd because no human being belongs to another. Moreover, the roots of the stereotype may stem from a fear of the other. In times of economic, political, and social insecurity people look for an easy scapegoat to blame for their problems. Those who hold on to this bigoted stereotype wrongfully fear they are losing romantic possibilities, employment prospects or their place in society to foreign interlopers. Are foreign men taking Finnish women? No. We are not. By Troy L. Woodson Brevard High band teacher sentenced for sex with student A former band teacher at Brevard High School was sentenced to 10 years of supervised probation after he pleaded guilty in Transylvania County Superior Court to five felony counts of Indecent liberties with a student. Related Stories During the fall of 2014, an investigation into Franklin began when Brevard High School administrators and the Transylvania County Sheriffs Office received an anonymous tip alleging misconduct between Franklin and his students. The investigation revealed that Franklin was having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a female student. Superior Court Judge Mark Powell sentenced Kenneth Franklin, of Brevard, to five consecutive sentences of 24 months Supervised Probation. Franklin cannot have any contact with the victim, cannot possess a firearm and must register as a sex offender for a period of 30 years. We recognize our teachers hold positions of trust," District Attorney Greg Newman said. "This man violated that trust. We appreciate the Transylvania County school system dismissing Mr. Franklin from his position. This conviction will revoke his certification to be a teacher in North Carolina. In another Transylvania County case, Larry Miller, of 2151 East Fork Road, Brevard, pled guilty to Felony Possession of Schedule II Controlled Substance, Maintain Vehicle/Dwelling/Place for Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Miller was sentenced to 19 months in prison. Newman also announced case dispositions from Superior Court terms in Henderson, Polk, and Transylvania counties Feb. 29 to March 3. In Henderson County: Aaron McCraw, of 1122 Robinson Terrace, Hendersonville, pled guilty to two counts of Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Schedule I Controlled Substance, two counts of Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, and Larceny from Person. McCraw was sentenced to 113 months in prison. James Frady, of 103 Carver Street, Brevard, pled guilty to Habitual Felon and Flee to Elude Arrest. Frady was sentenced to 93 months in prison. Corey Leach, of 108 Malvern Drive, Hendersonville, pled guilty to Larceny from Person, Possession of Stolen Motor Vehicle, two counts of Larceny of a Motor Vehicle, and three counts of Receiving Stolen Goods. Leach was sentenced to four consecutive sentences of 21 months in prison. Billy Edwards, of Green Meadows Apartments in Hendersonville, previously pled guilty to Possession with Intent to Manufacture/Sell/Deliver Cocaine, Attempted Trafficking Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Marijuana, Possession of Schedule I Controlled Substance, Habitual Felon, Simple Possession of Schedule IV Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Edwards was sentenced to 82 months in prison. Robert Anderson of 64 Pennsylvania Road, Mills River, pled guilty to Habitual Driving While Impaired, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, and Driving While License Revoked. Anderson was sentenced to 39 months in prison. Gaven Stubberfield, of 5332 Hicone Road, McLeansville, NC, pled guilty to Uttering Forged Instrument. Stubberfield was sentenced to 20 months in prison to be served concurrently with his current prison sentence. Holly Clark, of 18 Twin Oaks Park Drive, Fletcher, NC, pled guilty to Obstruction of Justice and was sentenced to 17 months in prison. Jacob Hoots, of 67 Madrid Lane, Hendersonville, NC, pled guilty to Misdemeanor Assault Inflicting Serious Injury and was sentenced to 150 days confinement. Jeffrey Fisher, of Horse Shoe, NC, pled guilty to Driving While License Revoked and received 10 days confinement. In Polk County Sean Michael Harrington, of Philadelphia, pled guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter in Polk County Superior Court on March 2. Harrington was originally charged with Second Degree Murder in the 2014 death of Elisif Bruun. Bruun died of heroin and cocaine toxicity after receiving the drugs from Harrington inside a greeting card while a patient at the Cooper Riis Psychiatric Treatment Facility in Polk County. Evidence discovered by the Polk County Sheriffs Office and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation included a video of Harrington collecting payment for the drugs and his fingerprints and DNA matching that on the packaging of the greeting card. Harrington was sentenced to 29 months in prison. Mourners attending a mass for a baby boy who is suspected to have been smothered to death heard he brought a lifetime of happiness and joy. Supported by her own mother and close friends, a sobbing Anna Rozycka carried a photograph of her smiling son, Karol, to the altar at St Mary's Cathedral in Killarney. The picture, toys, flowers and candles were among the symbols offered at the mass for baby Karol, who is believed to have been smothered to death at his home in Killarney on Sunday. Thanking It was Ms Rozycka who had requested the Mass as a way of remembering her son, thanking a community that has supported her, and appealing for their prayers for her and her family. A collection was also held at the cathedral doors as mourners left to help with the cost of repatriating Karol's body to the country of his birth. Polish Chaplin Piotr Delimat, the chief celebrant of the bilingual mass, said little Karol or 'maly Karolek', as he was referred to throughout, had united both communities. "Karol has brought the Polish and Irish communities together. He unites us, a baby boy and all our children no matter where we're from, we all love our children. "I'm sure all parents will give a huge hug to their children, especially before they put them to bed," he said. A crowd of some 500 people attended the mass, including members of the Polish community, locals and Anna's colleagues from the Aghadoe Heights Hotel, where she worked. Originally from the Polish city of Bielsko Biala near Krakow, she has spent the last three years travelling between Ireland and Poland. She gave birth to her baby in Poland and intends to bury him there. Supt Flor Murphy and seven other gardai involved in the investigation surrounding his death were in attendance. Burden Parish priest Fr Kieran O'Brien called on those gathered to pray for Anna and her family. "Today is a sad occasion for Anna, her family and the Polish community here in Killarney as we try to journey with them to lighten their burden in whatever way is possible," he said. Meanwhile, a Polish man who was found injured in the apartment on Sunday, is in a stable but critical condition in Tralee General Hospital. He is understood to have suffered substantial blood loss due to serious arm and abdominal injuries, which are believed to have been self-inflicted. Taoiseach Enda Kenny is being urged by senior ministers to "drop the charade" of trying to form a government with independents and start dealing directly with Fianna Fail. There is growing concern within Fine Gael that Mr Kenny has wasted the past 10 days trying to impress smaller groups with proposals for political reform without making any progress towards a new coalition. Mr Kenny met with the Independent Alliance, Social Democrats and a number of other TDs yesterday in the latest round of negotiations aimed at securing their support for a Fine Gael-led government. But senior party sources admit that a coalition involving just independents is highly unlikely, and an approach will have to be made to Fianna Fail ahead of the Taoiseach's trip to Washington for St Patrick's Day. "It would be a high-risk strategy to leave for the States next week and leave a vacuum. Kenny has to leave with a game plan," said one source. Speaking in Brussels yesterday, Finance Minister Michael Noonan said after tomorrow's expected Dail deadlock the situation will "evolve... into discussions with Fianna Fail, and then we'll see where that goes". The biggest blockage to a deal between the two parties appears to be whether it would be a coalition government or a minority arrangement. Negotiation Fine Gael ministers don't trust Fianna Fail to support them from the Opposition benches for any substantial period of time, while Micheal Martin is said to be weary of a coalition - as Sinn Fein would become the main opposition party. It's anticipated that Mr Kenny will put in place a negotiation team in the coming days - which will include Leo Varadkar, Frances Fitzgerald, Simon Coveney and Simon Harris. After their meeting with Mr Kenny yesterday, the Social Democrats said they made it clear that the "significant crises" affecting people cannot be forgotten while conversations about the make-up of the next Dail are taking place. "We suggested an All-Party Forum on Political Reform, which would be agreed before the election of a Taoiseach, and he reacted positively to this suggestion," co-leader Stephen Donnelly said. Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has called for the Dail to continue debating issues "rather than shutting up shop" while coalition negotiations take place. "We, as TDs, might not be able to agree on who should be the next Taoiseach, but we can all agree that there are crises going on that need urgent action," he said. Louise OReilly, right, pictured with party colleagues, was elected in Fingal, but lives in Crumlin (Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie) She has been billed by many as the 'one to watch' within the ranks of Sinn Fein. When Louise O'Reilly beat outgoing Health Minister and Fine Gael deputy leader James Reilly to a seat in the constituency of Fingal in North Dublin last month, many applauded. Sinn Fein hierarchy appeared to recognise the potential in the young woman - even though she was not a sitting TD, she represented the party in a number of high-profile radio and TV programmes prior to the election. However, some people may be surprised to learn Deputy O'Reilly does not live in the Fingal area - she lives 19km away in Crumlin in the constituency of Dublin South Central. For Louise to get to Fingal, she has to travel through two other electoral areas. However, the newly appointed deputy told the Herald last night that she does intend on relocating to Fingal. "I am planning on moving to Fingal. The timeline of the move will take into consideration a number of factors, including my family," she said in a statement issued through the party's press office. Alternative In the meantime, her average commute between Crumlin and Fingal will be at least 40 minutes if she travels through the city centre. The alternative is to take the M50 - which would add 10km to her journey but take 10 minutes off it. Fingal is one the largest constituencies in Dublin, with the five-seater stretching as far as Balbriggan - nearly 40km from her home. Also elected to the same constituency was Fine Gael's Alan Farrell. He said that, while it was not vital that a candidate live in their constituency, it would be "an advantage". "The decision is made now, and the people have decided who they want to represent them. They knew the candidates on offer and they made their choices," he said. Meanwhile, it has emerged that O'Reilly's car was stolen from outside her Crumlin home as she was celebrating her victory in Fingal. The 14D registered Audi A4 was robbed in the middle of the night. It is not known if Louise or her family were at home when the incident occurred. "It's an awful thing to happen to her after the good news of her winning the election," said a source. O'Reilly confirmed to The Herald through a spokeswoman that the car had indeed been stolen. She was one of the 23 successful Sinn Fein candidates in the recent General Election. Workers' rights and campaigning against inequality have been two issues she has highlighted in the past. Presenter and producer Anna Nolan has spoken of her anger after she was subjected to vile, homophobic abuse on a city street. The Dubliner was walking home alone in the Kilmainham area on Monday night when she was shouted at and heckled by a group of male teenagers. The former Big Brother star decided to confront the youths and was then subjected to homophobic abuse. The Great Irish Bake Off host said the boys were picking on her because she was alone and vulnerable. Intimidate I was walking home alone and four lads, aged about 14 or 15, started shouting at me, Anna told the Herald. I decided I wasnt going to stand for it. I wasnt in the mood and I didnt feel threatened so I knew that I was safe enough to confront them. I asked them why they would try to intimidate a woman like that and how would they feel if lads did that to their sister or mother? But when I went to walk away, they started shouting more abuse at me. I just kept going back, I went back and kept asking them why they would do this, said the Rialto native. I said to them you are making me feel nervous and uncomfortable and a little frightened. I wanted them to know this is not acceptable behaviour. I was focusing on the ringleader because he kept shouting every time I turned around. I said to the other boys, Why are you hanging around with this idiot? After four or five times, I think I got my message across and I felt enlightened, Anna told the Herald. So many women just put their heads down and dont say anything when lads are shouting at them and its so unfair. Anna said the reaction on social media has been massive. I got so many appreciative and good on you messages from people. Some people told me I shouldnt have confronted them but I am savvy enough and I know when it is smart to walk away. I just really wanted to get the message across and let these young lads know that this is not acceptable. Annas experience comes after a woman was punched in the face four times while on the way home from a night out last weekend. Victoria Curtis was subjected to a homophobic attack after she spoke back to a man who told her and her friends to take off their clothes. Victoria shared her story because she said she was tired of people saying this kind of stuff doesnt happen. Harassment The vicious attack happened on Dublins Camden Street at around 2am on Sunday. Victoria explained how the man used abusive language and called her and her friends feminist feckers and fa***ts after they called him out on his comments. I voted Yes for marriage equality but I didnt vote for that, Victoria told Ryan Tubridy on his RTE radio show. The man punched her four times in the face after she refused to shake his hand. This is constantly happening women, she said. Northeast State Community College students enjoyed a weekend of winning and recognition for their achievements at the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Societys Tennessee Regional Convention held Feb. 26-28 at Roane State Community College. The Colleges Alpha Iota Chi chapter won several team and individual honors including the 1st Place Award as Distinguished Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa in the state of Tennessee. Alpha Iota Chi was also recognized as a Five Star chapter and a Chapter of Light. I am honored to work with these students, who have such dedication and promise, said Jane Honeycutt, faculty advisor for the chapter and Northeast State associate professor of English and Womens Studies. Alpha Iota Chi members also received several individual honors for their work. Anthony Walls took home the first place a ward as Distinguished Chapter Member. Victoria Hewlett won second placeas Most Distinguished Chapter Officer in the state while her colleague Myka Baker took third placein the same category. Alpha Iota Chi chapter officers are Carly Sluder, President; Cassandra Ross, Vice President of Scholarship; Victoria Hewlett, Vice President of Leadership and Tennessee Region Vice President-East; Kyla Faust, Vice President of Service; Myka Baker, Vice President of Communication; and Tessa Ross, Secretary/Treasurer. The chapter team also received the 1st Place Award for Distinguished Honors in Action Project and the Third Place Award for Most Distinguished College Project. Chapter members will compete at the PTK annual convention scheduled April 7-9 in National Harbor, Maryland. Phi Theta Kappa improves student success by providing opportunities for recognition, scholarships, and intellectual development through scholarly programs based on the Societys four Hallmarks of Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Fellowship. Alpha Iota Chi members engage in research projects each year as part of their independent study. An Alpha Iota Chi member must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 and demonstrate leadership and community service consistent with Phi Theta Kappa principles. Phi Theta Kappa has recognized academic excellence in the two-year college with more than two million students inducted since the societys founding in 1918. The society is comprised of more than 1,200 chapters at community, technical and junior colleges in all 50 states and several foreign countries. BRISTOL, Tenn.The Junior League of Bristol is within $2,100 of reaching its $100,000 goal for the biggest fundraiser the organization has undertaken and the co-chairwomen of the splash pad project said they cant wait for it to get underway. We have several projects weve done over the years, but this is by far the most amount of money weve ever raised for one project, co-chairman Nicole Hughes said Tuesday. We just started raising the funds in Augustwere amazed and thankful at all the community support this project has garnered. The fact that weve been able to raise the amount of money we have so quickly speaks to the generosity and hard work of the Junior League and the community. The money raised will go toward a splash pad -- a recreation area for water play that has little or no standing water -- at Steele Creek Park. Because of the low water level, it can be operated without lifeguards or attendants. The surface is usually concrete with a non-slip finish or rubber matting. Splash pads also incorporate water features that combine the sensations of flowing, misting or jetting water. Last August, City Council approved a resolution to enter into a public/private partnership with the Junior League to fund construction of the splash pad, which is expected to cost around $225,000. The Junior League committed to $100,000, which will be matched by the city. Terry Napier, the citys parks and recreation director, said hes excited to get started on the project. We cant start work on the actual pad until the Junior League has secured all of their funding, he said. But we can start work on the infrastructure. The contract has been awarded for the company to install the splash pad; Im just waiting on the citys engineering department to do a formal site planas soon as I have that I can send it to the contractor, at that point everything is ready to go. Napier added that the Rotary Club has donated money to build a shelter next to the pad. I have that check in-hand, he said. This is an awesome community and so many people have stepped up to make this happen. For a town our size to have this park, the tennis courts and to be able to double the size of the Nature Center later this year is amazing. Sarah Phillips, the other co-chairwoman of the project, agreed and added that she thinks the splash pad is more than just a place for kids to have fun. Tennessee and Virginia are working to get kidsand adultsmore active to reduce things like Type II diabetes, she said. The splash pad is a great way to get kids moving in the outdoors in a way thats fun. Its also an investment in the community. Nicole and I are both transplants to Bristolits our home nowbut it hasnt always been so. Something like a splash pad is a great draw for people who are looking to move into the areaits a No. 1 seller for people with families who are looking to relocate. The 3,000-square-foot pad with 23 water features will be at the front entrance to the park. We want to utilize the space in the most cost-effective way, Napier said. The in-ground tank has to go between the pump house and splash padthere will be a shelter in the cornerand the parking lot will be around where the soccer goal is located. People will still be able to come and kick a soccer ball aroundwere keeping the goalsso there will be something for people of all ages. And Phillips said there is still opportunity for people to donate to the project. Weve sent out letters, we did huge follies this year and weve have a place on our website where people can donate, Phillips said. This last little push for funds will help to secure our commitment to the city of Bristol and to the splash pad. In order for the community to take ownership for the project, there are different sponsorship levelsanywhere from $50 for a droplet donation that will help provide water nozzles for the equipment to a tidal wave donation of $1,000 that will help provide the funds for a water spraying arc. The projected opening date is early summer, according to Napier. Those who would like to donate can do so at www.jlbristol.org or by contacting Hughes at nicolehughes8@gmail.com or Phillips at scphillips10@gmail.com. All donations are tax-deductible. This year marks the 80th Anniversary of the Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia. Founded in 1936, the society is one of the finest historical and genealogical research facilities in Virginia. Approximately 1,000 persons visit yearly from all over the U.S., researching family and local history. Since 2002, the town of Abingdon has generously provided the society with a rent-free location in the old N&W Passenger Depot in downtown Abingdon. Now the town would like us to vacate the Depot. In order to achieve a home of our own, we need we need help from the public. There are several ways you can provide support. First, become a member at a cost of $35 a year. You can shop for local history books and gifts at the society or on our website, hswcv.org. Join our volunteer staff for a few hours a month to help with any of the various activities at the society. You can join our Facebook group to stay connected with our many happenings throughout the year. Finally, you can participate in our upcoming fundraising campaign to help the society, a nonprofit organization, purchase a permanent home. The society has achieved its reputation through the depth of our holdings and the ability to make information easily accessible. We have a reference library of more than 6,000 volumes. There is a searchable database that contains 112,000 digital images of photographs and historical documents and 1 million indexed records. The society owns many rare artifacts pertaining to the history of the county. These unique resources are at risk if an affordable, permanent home cannot be obtained. The society has faithfully preserved local history for eight decades and now we need your help to preserve the societys future. Martha Keys | Abingdon, Va. The Humane Society has pets who need a home. Will you open yours? Oregon State Police fired the three rounds that killed the Arizona rancher during a confrontation with authorities on a remote road, Oregon law enforcement officials said at a news conference in Bend. But the results of an independent investigation by Oregon authorities found the troopers were justified in shooting Finicum because he failed to heed their commands and repeatedly reached for his weapon, Malheur County District Attorney Dan Norris said. The investigators discovered members of an FBI hostage rescue team who were at the scene failed to disclose they fired two rounds. As they looked into how many shots were fired during the confrontation and by whom, the investigators found a round in the roof of Finicum's truck. "We could not explain the fourth shot into the roof of the truck, or its trajectory given the placement of the Oregon State Police troopers at the time," Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson said. Investigators determined the FBI team fired two shots, he said. The U.S. Justice Department's Office of Inspector General said it is investigating the FBI team's actions, working with Oregon officials. During the news conference, Oregon officials played videos showing Finicum and others in his truck Jan. 26 during the initial stop by law enforcement. Finicum was driving one of two vehicles pulled over carrying key occupation figures. Video taken from the phone of one of his passengers shows the occupants panicking after authorities stop the truck. With his window rolled down, Finicum shouts at the officers: "Shoot me, just shoot me! Put the bullet through me. Do as you damn well please." After a conversation with others in the truck, Finicum drives off, leading authorities on a short chase. The song "Hold Each Other" by a Great Big World was on the vehicle's stereo. Finicum was driving over 70 mph when the truck came to a roadblock, Nelson said. An trooper fired three shots at the truck as it approached because it was a threat to law enforcement officers, he said. The truck plowed into a snowbank. As Finicum got out, someone from the FBI team fired two more shots, Nelson said. As Finicum stood in the snow, authorities told him multiple times to lie on the ground. Instead, he reached into the inside of his jacket. The troopers fired three rounds, all of which hit him. A loaded pistol was found in Finicum's jacket pocket. Oregon investigators said Finicum posed a threat to law enforcement officers by nearly running over one of them at the roadblock, and by reaching for a gun. Occupation members in the other vehicle, including group pleader Ammon Bundy, surrendered. Finicum was a high-profile part of the weekslong standoff at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, launched Jan. 2 by a small armed group demanding the government relinquish control of public lands and objecting to the prison sentences of two local ranchers convicted of setting fires. His death became a symbol for those decrying federal oversight, on public lands in the West and elsewhere, and led to protests of what they called an unnecessary use of force. Revelations that the FBI agents at the scene failed to disclose their own shots may continue to fuel debate about Finicum's death. "Now we know why a video with sound wasn't released immediately," said Lissa Casey, Bundy's attorney. "If it was, the public would have heard the shots that the government didn't want them to hear." After Finicum's death and the arrests during the traffic stop, most occupiers cleared out of the wildlife preserve. A few holdouts extended the occupation to nearly six weeks before they surrendered Feb. 11. Bundy and more than two dozen others with ties to the standoff have been charged with conspiracy to interfere with federal workers. Finicum and his wife, Jeanette, raised dozens of foster children, though social workers removed them from the couple's home a few days after the occupation began. Finicum had said the foster kids were the family's main source of income. NEWTON -- A Granite Falls resident will spend at least three years in prison for manufacturing methamphetamine, according to a press release from the District Attorneys Office. Eugene Liston Broach III, 31, pleaded guilty to the manufacture of methamphetamine during Caldwell County Superior Court on Tuesday. He was given an active prison sentence of 3 to 5 years in custody of the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections by the Honorable Robert C. Ervin, Superior Court Judge from Burke County. The Caldwell County Sheriffs Office ICE Unit received a tip that Broach was cooking methamphetamine at a Granite Falls apartment. An informant provided information about materials Broach brought into the apartment, and he smelled a strong chemical odor coming from the unit in July 2015, prompting him to contact law enforcement. A check of the National Precursor Log Exchange for pseudoephedrine purchases by Broach revealed that he made purchases July 9 and 14, 2015. A search warrant was issued for the residence, and precursor chemicals and other items consistent with the manufacture of methamphetamine were located in Broachs bedroom, including receipts from the purchase of pseudoephedrine, according to the release. Caldwell County Sheriffs Office Narcotics Agent J.A. Blazer investigated the case with assistance from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant District Attorney Andrew Jennings handled prosecution for the state. The Obama administration launched the new strategy in December, deploying a commando force to Iraq that it said would be dedicated to capturing and killing IS leaders in clandestine operations, as well as generating intelligence leading to more raids. U.S. officials said last week that the expeditionary team had captured an Islamic State leader but had refused to identify him, saying only that he had been held for two or three weeks and was being questioned. Two Iraqi intelligence officials identified the man as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, who worked for Saddam Hussein's now-dissolved Military Industrialization Authority where he specialized in chemical and biological weapons. They said al-Afari, who is about 50 years old, heads the Islamic State group's recently established branch for the research and development of chemical weapons. He was captured in a raid near the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, the officials said. They would not give further details. In Washington, U.S. officials confirmed al-Afari's identity. The officials, who both have first-hand knowledge of the individual and of the IS chemical program, spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to talk to the media. No confirmation was available from U.S. officials. A U.S. official said Wednesday that one or more follow-up airstrikes were conducted against suspected IS chemical facilities in northern Iraq in recent days. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence-related operations, was unfamiliar with details of the airstrikes but indicated that they did not fully eliminate IS's suspected chemical threat. The U.S.-led coalition began targeting IS' chemical weapons infrastructure with airstrikes and special operations raids over the past two months, the Iraqi intelligence officials and a Western security official in Baghdad told the AP. Airstrikes are targeting laboratories and equipment, and further special forces raids targeting chemical weapons experts are planned, the intelligence officials said. They and the Western official also spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. IS has been making a determined effort to develop chemical weapons, Iraqi and American officials have said. The militant group, which emerged out of al-Qaida in Iraq, is believed to have set up a special unit for chemical weapons research, made up of Iraqi scientists from the Saddam-era weapons program as well as foreign experts. Still, IS group's progress in developing chemical weapons has been limited. It is believed to have created limited amounts of mustard gas. Tests confirmed mustard gas was used in a town in Syria when IS was launching attacks there in August 2015. Other unverified reports in both Iraq and Syria accuse IS of using chemical agents on the battlefield. Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said IS has repeatedly used "sulfur mustard" as a weapon in Iraq and Syria. He said the sulfur mustard has been used in a powder form in projectiles such as artillery shells that when detonated create a dust cloud that "can primarily aggravate but in large doses can absolutely kill." But so far, experts say, the extremist group appears incapable of launching a large-scale chemical weapons' attack, which requires not only expertise, but also the proper equipment, materials and a supply-chain to produce enough of the chemical agent to pose a significant threat. "More than a symbolic attack seems to me to be beyond the grasp of ISIS," said Dan Kaszeta, a former U.S. Army chemical officer and Department of Homeland Security expert who is now a private consultant, using an alternative acronym for the IS group. "Furthermore, the chemicals we are talking about are principally chlorine and sulfur mustard, both of which are actually quite poor weapons by modern standards." Speaking to reporters from a base outside the city of Tikrit, Iraq's defense minister played down fears of the Islamic State group's chemical weapons capabilities, saying the group lacks "chemical capabilities." The attacks the group has carried out, Khaled al-Obaidi continued, were only intended to "hurt the morale of our fighters," as they have so far not caused any casualties. The United States has been leading a coalition waging airstrikes against IS in Iraq and Syria for more than a year. The campaign has been key to backing Iraqi and Kurdish forces that have slowly retaken significant parts of the territory the militants had seized. But after coming under pressure at home for greater action against the militants, the Obama administration moved to the tactic of stepped-up commando operations on the ground. Last year, U.S. special forces killed a key IS leader and captured his wife in a raid in Syria, but the new force in Iraq was intended as a more dedicated deployment. American officials have been deeply secretive about the operation. Its size is unknown, thought it may be fewer than 100 troops. "This is a no-kidding force that will be doing important things," was about all Defense Secretary Ash Carter would say about the force in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee in December. This domain has expired. If you owned this domain, contact your domain registration service provider for further assistance. If you need help identifying your provider, visit https://www.tucowsdomains.com/ The Sino-Pakistan relationship, especially after Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Beijings description of Pakistan as Chinas only one real ally, has begun to change the texture of bilateral relations and dynamics of regional geopolitics. It has the potential to alter the geostrategic landscape in South Asia. Unmistakably deliberate in timing, Xi Jinpings April 2015 visit to Islamabad initiated a bold new policy. It signalled that, in pursuit of national interest, China would not hesitate to alter the status quo in the region, ignore diplomatic niceties, and trump considerations like sensitivities and sovereignty of other nations. By deciding to construct 51 major civil, energy and military infrastructure projects in the CPEC, which runs through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the areas of Gilgit and Baltistan, China has accorded de facto legitimacy to Pakistans illegal occupation of these areas. This includes the Shaksgam Valley in PoK that was illegally ceded by Pakistan to China in 1963. Beijing has thus chosen after decades of ambiguity to side with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. With power generation, transport, commerce, R&D and the defence of Pakistan all increasingly tied to Chinese interests, Beijing remains committed to Pakistan for the long-term. Read | China third largest weapons exporter, Pakistan main recipient Following the Chinese Presidents visit, Pakistan plans to upgrade the constitutional status of the disputed Gilgit-Baltistan region. On January 7, 2016, the Dawn newspaper quoted an official from Gilgit-Baltistan as saying this is intended to give legal cover to CPEC projects since China cannot afford to invest billions of dollars on a road that passes through a disputed territory claimed both by India and Pakistan. The move has direct major implications for India. It will integrate this portion of Kashmir with Pakistan by giving it considerably enhanced legislative powers, control of its revenue and representation in Pakistans federal parliament for the first time by two observers. Pakistani strategic analyst Ayesha Siddiqa interprets this as possibly demonstrating Islamabads desire to end the Kashmir conflict by formally absorbing the territory it controls and, by extension, recognising New Delhis claims to parts of the region it controls, such as the Kashmir Valley. She said: If we begin to absorb it so can India. It legitimises their absorption of the valley. This could well be the thin end of the wedge. Since the early 1980s, China has referred to Gilgit-Baltistan as Pakistani territory. On separate occasions China has also laid claim to Kashmir with maps in official publications showing India without the state of J&K, depicting Kashmir as part of China, or portions of Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as part of China. Since August 2010, China bracketed Jammu and Kashmir with Arunachal Pradesh and began issuing stapled visas to its residents. On May 14, 2013, Zhongguo Qingnian Bao (China Youth News), the official mouthpiece of the Communist Youth League, published a lengthy article implicitly laying claim to Ladakh, which it said has long been dubbed Little Tibet. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at his press conference in New Delhi in August 2014, reiterated that the status of Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir remain disputed. Differences have, however, surfaced between Pakistans provincial politicians and the military, over the CPEC with the former questioning the claim of benefits from the corridor. Resentment is prompted by reports that Beijing will bring Chinese workers and make construction sites off-limits to Pakistanis. Though China is coordinating closely with Pakistani authorities to protect its projects and workers in these areas, it is not taking any chances. Recent information suggests that Beijing has informed Islamabad it is raising a Division-strength private army for deployment in the PoK, Gilgit and Baltistan areas. China already has in place the legal framework permitting deployment of troops and security personnel for safeguarding Chinese national interests abroad. Read | Japan and India need to deal with the South China Sea dispute This close Sino-Pak relationship ensures Beijings full backing to Pakistans efforts to secure predominant influence over any post-US regime in Afghanistan, acquire so-called strategic depth, and exclude or marginalise India in Afghanistan. On this issue the US, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are acting in concert. It is pertinent that Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) is preparing for a long-term engagement in the region. About three months prior to Xi Jinpings visit to Islamabad, its Lanzhou Military Region, now merged into the West Zone, was instructed to teach Pushto and Urdu to its backbone personnel. Additionally, a battle-hardened Arabic-knowing General has been posted as Commander of the powerful West Zone. Beijing will be interested in India acquiescing to Pakistans occupation of PoK, Gilgit and Baltistan. Chinese officials have been unequivocally telling Indian interlocutors since last April that India must ease tensions with Pakistan, that it must resolve the Kashmir dispute, and only thereafter will Indias relations with China improve. Jayadeva Ranade is president, Centre for China Analysis and Strategy. The views expressed are personal The Bharatiya Janata Party said on Wednesday it will field Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses grandnephew Chandra Bose against West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming assembly elections. Chandra Bose joined the BJP on January 25, two days after he attended a ceremony in Delhi where the government released 100 declassified files on Netaji. It is my privilege and honour to announce that in the forthcoming assembly election of West Bengal, Chandra Kumar Bose will be our candidate against Mamata Banerjee, HRD minister Smriti Irani said. The state is bracing for an action-packed election season, with Banerjee facing a tough task of confronting an incumbency factor in view of her stormy and eventful tenure. This is not my fight. This is the fight for development in West Bengal, Chandra Bose said after the announcement. The time has come to bring about change in West Bengal which will be brought by BJP, he added. The BJP is working hard to make inroads. Prime Minister Narendra Modis delivering on his promise of declassification of files related to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose has been seen by many as an attempt by the BJP to reach out to electorates in the state. Opinion polls have predicted that the Trinamool Congress is facing a tough task to retain power for another term. Banerjee is contesting from Bhabanipur assembly constituency in Kolkata. She kicked-off the Trinamool Congress election campaign with a mammoth rally of women leaders and supporters on Tuesday. The first round of the six-phase voting in the state will take place on April 4 and 11, while the second and third phases will be conducted on April 17 and 21. The last three phases of elections will take place on April 25 and 30 April and May 5. The results will be declared on May 19. A nine-year-old Dalit boy in Madhya Pradeshs Damoh district drowned in a well on Tuesday where he had gone to drink water after being denied access to the hand pump in his school. The victim Veeran Ahirwars brother, Sewak, who studies in Class 5 at the same school the government primary school of Khamariya Kalan village, Tendukhera block alleged caste discrimination, saying some teachers had refused to let Veeran near the hand pump. The headmaster of the primary school and the headmistress of the middle school have been suspended and action has been initiated against the teachers to terminate their contracts. The student of class 3 had just finished his midday meal and gone to the hand pump, said Sewak, where he was stopped by the teachers. Then Veeran and Sewak, along with some other students, decided to go to a nearby well. While trying to draw water Veeran lost his balance, slipped and fell in. During a preliminary inquiry, a team of officials led by Damoh district panchayat CEO JC Jatiya, were told by members of the Dalit community that their children often faced discrimination at the hands of teachers. The Damoh collector, Sriniwas Sharma, however, ruled out that caste-based discrimination led to the accident. He said overcrowding at the school hand pump had forced the children to move to the well near the school. But Sharma admitted to negligence on the part of the school staff because of which, he said, action had been initiated. Were sending a detailed report on the matter to the state government, but no caste discrimination has taken place, he said. UNTOUCHABILITY Untouchability is a social menace in the region. Sachin Jain, who works with NGO Vikas Samvad, said: Untouchability is prevalent in Bundelkhand region. Its a criminal offence and the guilty must be booked for criminal offences. Unfortunately, it was often seen that such cases were not taken seriously even by police as police personnel were also a part of the caste system. The region is also suffering from a drought situation. In January, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to furnish information on the welfare schemes in the drought-hit states including Madhya Pradesh. Bollywood actor Karisma Kapoor and her estranged businessman husband Sunjay Kapur have arrived at an amicable solution regarding the financial aspect of the matrimonial dispute, the Supreme Court was told on Tuesday. However, with many issues including visitation rights of Sunjay Kapur to see their kids -- who live with their mother -- remaining unresolved. The SC fixed April 8 for further hearing. Both Sunjay Kapur and Karisma Kapoor turned up for the proceeding. A bench headed by Justice AK Sikri decided to conduct the proceeding in the chamber of the judge, after the courtroom got overwhelmed with onlookers aiming to get a glimpse of the actress. Read: Karisma Kapoor files dowry harassment case, alleges physical abuse Karisma Kapoor was escorted by female security officers throughout her appearance in the courtroom and court premises. Karismas lawyer Sandeep Kapur told HT that both parties have worked out consent terms and are in the process of finalising it before April 8, the next date of hearing. A file picture of Karisma, daughter Sameira and Sunjay. We are quickly moving towards settling the dispute. We will work out the modalities before the next date of hearing, Sandeep Kapur said. Earlier, SC had asked Karisma Kapoor and Sanjay Kapur to sort out their matrimonial dispute amicably and said it would help the couple to resolve the differences. It had asked both to appear before it on March 8 to give them a personal hearing. Read: We are Kapoors, we dont need anyones money, says Randhir Kapoor The top court was hearing Sanjays plea asking it to transfer the couples divorce petition from Mumbai to Delhi on the ground the businessman had received a threat from underworld don Ravi Pujari, forbidding him to visit Mumbai. The couples matrimonial dispute is pending before a Bandra court in Mumbai. The couple had initially moved a mutual consent divorce petition before the court in 2014. Later the consent was withdrawn after differences cropped up between the two on over financial settlement and custody battle for their kids a boy and girl. Sanjay filed a fresh petition asking for a judicial separation in December last. Karisma had also filed a case of harassment against Sunjay and his mother. Sanjay and Karisma tied the knot in 2003. Things, however, turned sour soon. The two tried to work out for a few years after the Delhi high court advised the couple to explore the possibility of a settlement. Karisma moved out of Sunjays house in 2010 and permanently shifted base to Mumbai. In 2014, the two decided to end their 12 year long marriage and filed for a divorce through mutual consent. Sanjay has claimed that Karisma used the kids as pawns and didnt let the Kapurs meet them frequently in order to claim more money. Sanjay also stated that she deprived his ailing father access to his grandkids. Heres what a fans dreams are made up of -- superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who is gearing up for the release of his movie Fan, has offered a job to one of his real life fans for creating his own version of the films trailer. The fan-made trailer was shared on Twitter by one Shivam Jemini, who posted it on Sunday. @iamsrk FAN TRAILER BY A FAN @shivamjemini plz see his video made it with a lot of love @SRKFC1 @drshahrukh https://t.co/rBiTKrDRp9 SRK EGYPT-ARAB FC (@SRK_Arab_Fans) March 7, 2016 In the description of the video, Jemini mentioned that he learned visual effects because of Shah Rukhs company Red Chillies VFX. I have worked on it for more than 60 hours (Because the reason behind learning VFX is also you, Red Chillies VFX) so that youll see this and wish me Happy Birthday. Hope youll see it and like it, he wrote. Luck had its way for Jemini, as the 50-year-old actor lauded the recreation of the Fan trailer, publicly on Twitter. Come and work with us at the VFX studio, man. Well done, SRK tweeted. Come and work with us at the v fx studio man. Well done. https://t.co/M6fub9aNc5 Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) March 7, 2016 Fan revolves around a young boy from Delhi named Gaurav who embarks on a journey to the city of dreams, Mumbai, in order to wish his favourite actor Aryan Khanna on his birthday. As Gaurav and as Aryan Khanna, Shah Rukh is ready to treat his real life fans with a dual avatar, and he has admitted that it took some doing to work on the make-up for his role as Gaurav. The films trailer was launched by his fans at the Yash Raj Studios here on Monday. Watch: Shah Rukh Khan in Fan trailer Directed by Maneesh Sharma and produced by Aditya Chopra, Fan also features Shriya Pilgaonkar among others. The film is slated for an April 15 release. Nearly 15 years after shutting down its thermometer plant in Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu, FMCG major Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) has come to a financial settlement for an undisclosed sum with a group of 591 workers who had sued the company for health damage due to mercury pollution. Both HUL and the petitioners represented by lawyers and local activists refused to share details of the settlement on the grounds that it would amount to contempt of court. However, the activists involved said it was a landmark settlement and the amount was a new record for India. One activist said the amount far exceeds what the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy received. The 1984 Union Carbide gas leak victims got an out-of-court settlement of $470 million (Rs 3,150 crore at Wednesdays exchange rate, but closer to Rs 500 crore at that time) in February 1989. Kodaikanal Wont!, a rap song about the crisis by a 27-year-old Indian activist Sofia Ashraf to the tune of Nicki Minajs Anaconda, went viral with more than three million views on Youtube and support from Minaj. Soon after the settlement, she tweeted that half the battle has been won As part of the agreement, HUL has agreed to provide ex-gratia payments to the 591 former workers/association members and their families. HUL has provided a contingent liability of Rs 78.20 crore in its 2014-15 financial statement, up from Rs 69.29 crore provision the year before, towards Other matters including claims related to employees/ex-employees, property related demands, etc. The thermometer factory was shut down in 2001 and the litigation for settlement started in 2006. SA Mahindra Babu, the president of the Ponds HLL ex-Mercury Employees Welfare Association, said, We welcome the actions taken by HUL to bring these negotiations to a satisfactory closure. We are pleased with all the terms of the agreement, which will help to ensure the long-term health and well-being of the factorys former workers. We now consider this issue to be fully resolved and have no more grievance against the company in this regard. We have worked hard over many years to address this and find the right solution for our former workers, said Dev Bajpai, executive director, legal and corporate affairs, HUL. We are glad to see an outcome to this long-standing case. The well-being of our employees and communities in which we operate has and will always remain paramount. This agreement demonstrates our commitment to this. Read | All you must know about HUL deal with Kodaikanal mercury unit workers Indian markets opened low on Wednesday mirroring global cues which saw Asian markets coming off two-month highs due to weak government data from China and also a reversal in oil prices, indicating a slowing in global trade. At 10:30 AM, the 30-share Sensex was trading 150 points down at 24,509 points or a fall of 0.58% from the previous close, while the much wider Nifty on the NSE was trading 37 points down or by 0.5% at 7,448 points. US stocks were lower after the close on Tuesday, as losses in the oil and gas, basic materials and financials sectors led shares lower, said a report by Nirmal Bang Securities. A late selloff with the energy sector tumbling alongside the price of oil and after soft Chinese trade data rekindled fears that the global economy is weaker than anticipated. Asian stocks dropped for a second day as oil retreated after worsening economic data from China renewed concern over the outlook for global growth, the report added. In early trade, on the BSE, the losers on the sensex were led by metals major Tata Steel, which was down 2.5% reflecting extreme volatility in iron ore prices. Banking major SBI too was down 2.2%, while private mortgage major HDFC saw a steep fall of 2.1%. The fall in iron ore prices and the weak commodities prices are a reflection of the slowdown in China, the worlds largest consumer of commodities. Recently, Moodys had downgraded mining major Vedanta. According to Moodys vice president Kaustubh Chaubal, the downgrade of Vedantas ratings is driven by the low commodity price environment that will keep earnings improvement distant and a slower correction in leverage metrics than initially anticipated. Slowing economic growth rates in China materially impact the demand for base metals and prices globally. The reversal in oil prices contributed to the decline in stocks as it reaffirmed investors fears that China and the world economy is still not out of the woods. Oil which had touched above $40 last week, saw a fall of 3% on Tuesday on higher stockpiles and the Brent index reflected a fall to about $39.65 a barrel. Tax-filing season is turning into a nightmare for thousands of employees whose companies have been duped by email fraudsters. A major phishing scheme has tricked several major companies among them, the messaging service Snapchat and disk-drive maker Seagate Technology into relinquishing tax documents that exposed their workers incomes, addresses and social security numbers. The scam, which involved fake emails purportedly sent by top company officials, convinced the companies involved to send out W-2 tax forms that are ideal for identity theft. For instance, W-2 data can easily be used to file bogus tax returns and claim fraudulent refunds. This mistake was caused by human error and lack of vigilance, and could have been prevented, Seagates chief financial officer, Dave Morton, wrote in a March 4 email to the companys employees. The swindlers behind the tax scam are exploiting human gullibility rather than Internet security. They have targeted company payroll and personnel departments, in many instances with emails claiming to be requests from the company CEO asking for copies of worker W-2s. The schemes are so widespread that the IRS sent a March 1 notice alerting employers payroll departments of the spoofing emails. There has been a 400% increase in phishing and computer malware incidents this tax-filing season, the IRS said. The federal alert didnt come soon enough for Snapchat, which on February 28 revealed that its payroll department had been duped by an email impersonating its CEO, Evan Spiegel. The Los Angeles company didnt specify how many employee W-2s it released. When something like this happens, all you can do is own up to your mistake, take care of the people affected, and learn from what went wrong, Snapchat wrote in a blog post . Seagate acknowledged surrendering the W-2s for all of its staff (about 52,000) employed last year. The Cupertino, California, company said several thousand people were affected. Both Snapchat and Seagate notified federal authorities about the phishing attacks and are offering affected workers two years of free credit monitoring. Hundreds of companies appear to have been targeted, according to Stu Sjouwerman, CEO of KnowBe4, a Florida firm that trains employers to detect and avoid such scams. The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a notice to Vijay Mallya on a plea filed by public sector banks seeking a direction that liquor baron Vijay Mallya be restrained from leaving India. The apex court also questioned why loans were given to Mallya when he was defaulter and was facing proceedings in court of law. AG: Mallya has defaulted more than Rs 9000 crore of loan, though he has properties across the globe whose value is far more than their due ANI (@ANI_news) March 9, 2016 Citing CBI inputs, the Attorney General, however, told the court that Mallya left India on 2 March. He also said that Mallyas assets abroad are far in excess to loans taken by him. The apex court has sought a response from Mallya within two weeks. The next hearing has been scheduled for 30 March, 2016. Earlier in the day, speculation was rife that embattled industrialist and member of Parliament Vijay Mallya may have already left India, and may be in Geneva, Switzerland. The lenders had moved the apex court on Tuesday pleading that Mallya be restrained from travelling abroad, and the court had admitted the plea. The consortium, led by the State Bank of India (SBI) has also sought Mallyas arrest and confiscation of his passport. These banks had advanced loans of over Rs 9,000 crore to his firm. The consortium of banks, in their appeal, had assailed the March 4 order of the Karnataka High Court refusing an ex-parte ad interim order against Mallya, England-based Diageo Plc and United Spirits Limited. The banks said that the High Court should have passed an interim order, securing their financial interests. Last year, the SBI declared the tycoon a wilful defaulter for not repaying loans made to Kingfisher Airlines, which was grounded in 2012 Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told Supreme Court on Wednesday that industrialist Vijay Mallya left India on March 2 and is most likely to be in England where he has lots of assets. The AG also said the assets Mallya possessed outside India was far in excess of the outstanding loan amount owed to banks. During Wednesdays hearing, a bench of Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rohinton F Nariman questioned the banks as to how they gave loans to Mallya without securing adequate assets as guarantee. The apex court also issued a notice to Mallya on a petition filed by a consortium of 17 banks seeking his personal appearance in the apex court and impounding of his passport. The bench posted the matter for further hearing on March 30. Worried about the fate of their loans worth thousands of crores given to the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, a consortium of banks led by State Bank of India had approached the SC on Tuesday seeking to restrain Mallya from leaving India. On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate had registered a money-laundering case against Mallya and a debt recovery tribunal (DRT) barred him from touching the Rs 515 crore he got from selling a liquor company till the matter was decided. The DRT will hear the matter again on March 28. The ED case is based on a CBI probe into alleged wilful default by the high-flying promoter of Kingfisher Airlines on a Rs 900-crore loan in conspiracy with IDBI Bank representatives. SBI, the largest lender to Kingfisher, had approached the DRT in Bangalore to restrain Mallya from withdrawing the Rs 515 crore he got as a severance package from the London-based Diageo. Mallya had quit the chairmanship of Indian company United Spirits Ltd last month. Banks owed money by Kingfisher Airlines have demanded first right to the Diageo cash, arguing that they were left with unpaid debt worth Rs 7,000 crore when the company collapsed more than three years ago. SBI declared Mallya once known as The King of Good Times for his flashy lifestyle and lavish parties a wilful defaulter last month. A wilful defaulter is one who uses borrowed funds for purposes other than those they were meant for. SBI and other banks have also appealed to the Karnataka high court that the businessman be arrested and his passport impounded. Earlier, former Kingfisher Airlines employees had written an open letter blaming Mallya for the grounding of the carrier and damaging the countrys reputation in the aviation industry. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON When we discuss the remarkable success of Narendra Modis election campaign and the manner in which he went from being a controversial chief minister of Gujarat to becoming the first prime minister with an overall majority in Parliament in 30 years, we forget that Modi fought and won two separate campaigns. A year or so before he took on and defeated the tottering UPA, he fought another campaign. Though this seems hard to believe now, back in 2011, Modi was neither the unquestioned leader of the BJP nor the partys candidate for prime minister. In those days LK Advani was the leader of the BJP and still entertained hopes of becoming prime minister. Nobody in the BJP disputed Modis charisma but the consensus was that he was too divisive a figure to run for prime minister. Instead, even those who believed Advani could not possibly make it to prime minister talked of a scenario where Modi assumed a national position perhaps as party president but that the prime ministership went to a more consensual figure like Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley or Sushma Swaraj. Because he recognised that the BJP leadership would not make him the partys prime ministerial candidate, Modi fought his own campaign to get the job. He appealed directly to party workers who tended to be more extreme in their views than the average BJP voter and presented himself as a champion of Hindu values and an enemy of the secular establishment and media. His campaign used social media to connect with hardcore BJP-supporters who had tired of AB Vajpayee and Advanis pussyfooting around Hindutva issues and presented Modi as a strong leader who was proud of his Hindu agenda. This approach was so successful that the BJP had to brush aside Advanis objections, put a lid on Rajnaths ambitions and accept Modi as its prime ministerial candidate. It was only after that campaign was won that Modi launched the election onslaught we remember. This time around, he played down the Hindutva agenda and focussed instead on development and the corruption of UPA-2. What India needed, he declared, was a strong leader, not a silent figure like Manmohan Singh. If India elected a BJP government, the economy would soar, the rupee would strengthen, black money would be brought back from abroad and lakhs of rupees would land in everyones bank account. And so on. Read | Ayodhya to JNU, history repeats itself; will Modi meet Advanis fate? That campaign worked brilliantly and Modi already had the Hindutva vote in his pocket. But now he appealed to a different constituency. These were people with no love for Hindutva or for any polarising agenda, but were tired of the UPAs scams and were fed up of Manmohan Singhs silent and indecisive leadership. The stuff about Modi being a divisive figure, they decided, was just propaganda. He had no anti-Muslim, anti-Dalit agenda. He genuinely wanted India to move forward and knew how to do it. Nearly two years into his prime ministership, Modi has begun to disappoint that second constituency. Some of it is not his fault. A global economic slowdown has not allowed him to deliver: The rupee has weakened further, the Sensex has not soared, manufacturing and exports are both down. But some of it is clearly his fault. He overpromised on such issues as black money and misled voters with his attacks on MGNREGA and other welfare schemes into believing that he was a reformer. In fact there have been no structural reforms to speak of, no real privatisation and the UPA schemes he once derided (MGNREGA, Aadhaar, etc) have been shamelessly hijacked to become part of his agenda. Modi must know that there are rumblings of discontent within his development constituency. He must also know that too many of his campaign promises remain unfulfilled. And shrewd politician that he is, he must recognise that the only reason his popularity still survives is the absence of an alternative. So he has shifted course. He has abandoned his reform-hungry, development constituency and returned to the hard Hindutva-wallahs who were his original support base. There is no more talk of peace with Pakistan, of reaching out to the Opposition (without whom he cant pass his economic legislation). Instead, the government talks of anti-nationals, of Ishrat Jahan and other Pakistan-inspired terror conspiracies and questions the patriotism of those who oppose it. In the short run, this strategy draws cheers from the faithful. But it is hard to see how it can work for the next three years. The pro-farmer measures in this years budget will take time (well, more than three years) to translate into any kind of voting support. The development constituency that Modi has now forsaken may not be overly secular but it does believe in social justice and in not jailing poor students on trumped-up charges. Nor does it want the tensions associated with Hindu-Muslim polarisation. Read | Attack me but dont crush the poor, weak: Rahul Gandhi to Modi govt At the last general election, the BJP got around 31% of the national vote. As this was a Modi-wave, it is reasonable to assume that at least 10% of that vote came from the development-wallahs. (In 2009, the BJP got 19%). If Modi loses even 7-8% of those votes, then the BJP will crash to defeat. And yet the strategy that the government is following seems headed in that direction. If the polarisation accompanied by Manmohan Singh-like silences on the part of the PM over key issues of the last two months keeps up, that itself (let alone the economic failures) will drive away the development-wallahs. Modi will then be left with his core constituency the people who helped him defeat Advani. These are loyal followers. But they also want more Hindu-Muslim polarisation, not less. And while they may cheer the everyone-else-is-anti-national agenda loudly enough to offer a beleaguered PM some comfort, they are too small a minority to help Modi win a national election. So what is the prime minister playing at? Is there some game plan? Or are these just the confused, knee-jerk reactions of a government plagued by unfamiliar adversity? I imagine we shall soon find out. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Delhi governments flood and irrigation department told the National Green Tribunal on Tuesday that it had given permission to Art of Living to construct a pontoon bridge but only in case of a flood. The governments counsel said it did not have the authority to grant permission to build a bridge in any other situation. That power, he said, lies with the Union ministry of water resources. The ministry could not come up with any response on whether such permission was given. An answer is expected on Wednesday. The Delhi government has been silent on the issue of the festival so far. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to attend the function. Hindustan Times had reported last week how Delhi water minister Kapil Mishra had extended his full support to the event. On Tuesday, however, the Delhi government said it gave conditional permission for building the pontoon bridge. Officials distanced themselves from the event. We have nothing to do with the event. The DDA gave the permission for the event. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee gives permission only for industrial activity, not socio-cultural festivals, said a senior government official. The two pontoon bridges, built for the festival by the army, are under scrutiny. The Art of Living foundation on Wednesday said it will challenge the National Green Tribunal order, imposing a fine of Rs 5 crore on it as environmental compensation while clearing the decks for its three-day cultural extravaganza on the Yamuna floodplain. Foundation chief Sri Sri Ravishankar tweeted that AOL was not satisfied with the verdict of the NGT and would appeal against it. He urged political parties not to politicise the event. We appreciate all those who came in support of World Culture Festival. The festival will go as per planned and, since we have not violated any rules, we will appeal against the NGT order, an AOL spokesperson said. I appeal to all parties to not politicize the #WCF2016...We are not satisfied with the verdict. We will appeal against it. Satyameva Jayate! the spiritual guru said in a series of tweets. The foundation told the green court on Wednesday that the festival will not damage the floodplain. We have no intention to damage floodplain. We have taken every care, said Saraswati Akshama Nath, counsel for the Art of Living foundation. The tribunal had asked the organisers if the stage they had created was structurally safe, keeping in mind that the Prime Minister and other dignitaries were expected to attend. Nath said a separate cabin was being built for Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his security team had expressed doubts about his attending the event. She said a similar enclosure had been built in Berlin when Art of Living held a cultural festival there. The tribunal had reservations about the number of toilets at the venue. Are 650 toilets enough for 5 lakh people? the bench asked during the hearing on Wednesday. Nath said that since the foundation had held big events in the past, they were sure all logistics were planned accordingly and no waste would be released in the Yamuna. According to the organisers, Rs 15.63 crore are being spent on temporary construction and an additional Rs 10 crore will be spent on decoration. With the Rs 5 crore fine, the cost of the event has now become Rs 30.63 crore. The foundation, however, might have to shell out more. A tribunal appointed committee will assess the damage, if any, to the floodplain and the compensation to be charged for it. (With inputs from PTI) Around 80 farmers, who claim their land on the Yamuna flood plains was flattened Art of Living festival organisers, went on a hunger strike opposite the Mayur Vihar Extension metro station in the Capital. The farmers were given Rs 4000 per bigha as compensation against their crops razed to clear the lands for hosting of the World Cultural Festival from March 11 to 13. The farmers are demanding more compensation to cover losses they have suffered because of the event. Hindustan Times had reported last week how vegetables were destroyed and farmlands were flattened using road rollers to created access roads for the main event. These farmers do not have any legal claim over the land, which is owned by DDA and the UP Irrigation department. They have, however, been growing vegetables in the area for many decades. There is a Supreme Court order banning the sale of vegetables grown on the floodplain because of the high level of contamination. A green court in Delhi on Tuesday deferred its decision on Sri Sri Ravi Shankars cultural mega-extravaganza on the ecologically fragile Yamuna flood plains, amid fresh controversy over Indian Army men being used to construct pontoon bridges for the event. As the furore grew louder with just two days to go for the March 11-13 World Culture Festival, the National Green Tribunal said it will resume its hearing on Wednesday on the pleas seeking cancellation of the event which is expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The mega-event marking 35 years of the foundation ran into fresh trouble after army men were seen helping the non-governmental organisation in the construction process ahead of the programme. Read more: Why wasnt Art of Living asked for green clearance: NGT to Centre However, the defence ministry defended its decision that was apparently taken after Delhi Police expressed fears about the likelihood of a stampede at the venue. Public safety is a government concern, and Delhi Police said there could be a stampede with the huge crowd gathering there, a source close to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told IANS. The Art of Living Foundation, which is organising the event, may not be charged for the construction of at least six floating bridges by the army as there is yet no policy in place for it, the source added. Read more: Will build biodiversity park on floodplain: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar In an interview with private TV channel Aaj Tak, Parrikar said the army has been participating in activities like the Kumbh Mela which attract a large number of people. It was done with the sole purpose of avoiding accidents, the minister said. Earlier, the Delhi government, the central government and the event organisers sought more time to reply to the green courts queries on the environmental impact of the fiesta taking place over some 1,000 acres of land upstream of the DND elevated bridge and on the right bank of the river. Green activists have raised an alarm that the event violates environmental laws and the mega construction work -- including tents, hutments, barricades, and pontoon bridges -- will pollute the river and alter the flood plain. The construction also included a massive 40-feet-high, multi-floor stage mounted on steel rods over seven acres of land. The green court asked the union environment ministry if it had given clearance for altering the rivers flood plain. It also asked Delhi Development Authority (DDA) how it had given the nod to the event without conducting any environmental impact study. The organisers dismissed the concerns in defending the event for which permission had already been given by the Delhi government. We have got permissions from more than 30 departments and ministries, defence lawyer Akashama Nath told the green tribunal. How could we carry out a study when the environment ministry didnt ask for it, the lawyer replied when the tribunal sought the report. The organisers informed the court that they were expecting not more than three lakh people -- as against 35 lakh reported earlier -- for the event. Ravi Shankar, the godman behind the event, said not a single tree had been cut and ecological stability had been maintained during the preparations for the event. We are asserting that we will turn the place into a beautiful bio-diversity park once we are finished with it. Since 2010, our volunteers have been working hard to clean the river and around 512 tonnes of dirt and garbage has been fished out, Ravi Shankar told reporters here. We want to save the Yamuna. We have not cut a single tree and have maintained ecological stability. We want to see the Yamuna transformed into a beauty again, he said. A 32-year-old HDFC manager killed his girlfriend by repeatedly smashing her head against a footpath after she threatened to reveal the affair to his wife. Naveen Kumar was arrested on Monday, four days after the incident in outer Delhis Mongolpuri area . Punya Sagar, 28, an executive with HDFC Life Insurance, did not know that Kumar, her boss, was married and a father, the police said. When she found out, she threatened to show up at his house and tell his wife about the affair. Kumar took Sagar out for a drive on March 3 on the pretext of settling the matter and killed her, they said. After smashing her head against the footpath, Kumar took Sagar to hospital and told the doctors she had met with an accident. Sagar was admitted in the ICU, where she slipped into a coma and later succumbed to her injuries. The crime was witnessed by two passers-by, Siddharth Sharma and Surender Rana, who called the police. We received a PCR call about a quarrel near Y block, Mangolpuri but when we reached the spot, the couple had left. We contacted the caller, who told us that he and his friend were coming home from Patel Nagar when they saw an i10 parked along the footpath. They saw a man hold a woman by her neck and repeatedly smash her head against the pavement, DCP, outer, Vikramjeet Singh said. He said the man put the woman in the car and sped away. The caller and his friend followed the car to Jaipur Golden Hospital, where they saw the man take the woman inside. Following this , a case was registered and an investigation launched. Navin Kumar was arrested and questioned. The eyewitnesses will be rewarded, the police added. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union has passed a resolution to reiterate its condemnation of the destructive and divisive slogans raised in the February 9. It also resolved to explore all possible means to get the sedition law scrapped from the IPC. In a council meeting, the union said the divisive slogans raised at the Afzal Guru event do not represent the democratic ethos of JNU and demanded immediate release of Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya the other two JNU students still in jail. This council mandates JNUSU to fight against this onslaught and ensure that suspensions of all JNU students are withdrawn and all criminal charges, including sedition, levied on them are withdrawn. The JNUSU must also explore all possible means to get the sedition law scrapped from the IPC, the council resolved. The council, which met on Monday night, also mandated the union to file a defamation suit against those who have allegedly maligned JNU as an institution or students and faculty members. The council condemned the conduct of JNUSU joint secretary Saurabh Kumar Sharma in the episode involving the incidents related to February 9 and also the role of Delhi Police in handling the case. This council holds the council meeting called by the JNUSU joint secretary on February 19, 2016, as null and void and thus the resolutions passed therein have no effect on the incumbent council, it said. JNUSU sought the resignation of registrar Bhupinder Zutshi for his alleged role in targeting JNU along with the ABVP and BJP. The council reiterated its demand to scrap AFSPA and stop human rights violations against minorities, adivasis and dalits. The council also condemns the sedition charges that have been slapped against political leaders who stood with JNU including Sitaram Yechury, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal and D Raja, one of the 17 resolutions said. The Delhi airport is facing a unique security threat these days. In the past four months, 62 incidents of sighting of unidentified flying objects have been reported but not a single one could be traced. The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) also received 21 hoax calls in the past 14 months. Hindustan Times on October 31 had reported about regular sighting of suspicious flying objects in and around the sensitive Delhi airport. They could be balloons or kites but from naked eye, they look like drones. But in most of the cases, the objects were harmless. At the airport, there are various stakeholders and we cannot shoot down flying objects. But guidelines are being framed to tackle this menace, said Surender Singh, director general of CISF. Singh said that the Delhi airport had six quick reaction teams to tackle with any emergency. Apart from QRTs we have 375 personnel on standby, who can reach the airport within minutes. A total of 60 hoax calls were received last year at all the airports and we follow the same standard operating procedure every time. We assume it to be genuine, Singh added. The CISF detected and seized contraband items worth `3.31 crore from various airports in 2015 during the same period. The agency also recovered gold weighing 31 kg worth `8.68 crore in 19 different instances and that was handed over to the customs for necessary action. In order to have smooth and effective inter-agency coordination, workshops were conducted by the CISF at all the airports involving stakeholders working at the airport. About 1,000 personnel are imparted training in soft skills every week, said a CISF spokesperson. Having suffered a head injury and one of them spending two weeks in jail, two businessmen fighting over a piece of land in Amar Vihar in West Delhi found out theyd battled over something that did not belong to either of them. The land belonged to the Delhi Development Authority. When the two groups comprising Karkardooma resident Dharmender and his employees and Joginder Chauhan and his employees fought over a property on December 22 last year, each man claimed he had the land rights. The brawl got ugly quickly. Both sides each with three more followers participating suffered injuries for which they had to go to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital for treatment. Police were called and Chauhan and his party were arrested as they are allegedly the aggressors. But when their case reached court, additional sessions judge Sunil K Aggarwal discovered that both sides had encroached on DDA land. The judges observation came while hearing the anticipatory application filed by Chauhan, his brother Pairu and other associates. After asking police to look into the matter, the court discovered that both men were encroaching on DDA land in order to spread their garbage. It seemed the land authority had not secured the area or cleared the plot. Such use of the open land is not only health hazard but also given rise to criminal offences. The SHO should ask the DDA to clear their land and secure it from encroachers so that such cases do not multiply, the judge warned. But in this case, he granted bail to Chauhan and others after directing them to join the investigation against them for grievously injuring Dharmendra and four of his employees, including one woman. While arguing against anticipatory bail for the accused, public prosecutor PK Samadhiya argued that they had hit Dharmender and others on their head with weapons thereby showing an intention to inflict deep wounds. The complaint was registered by Dharmendras employees who were thrashed Lal Kumar and Shree Chand. Apart from these three, a female employee and an employee Pinto were also beaten, the FIR said. The fight began because Chauhan and his party had been occupying a passage of land and were not allowing people to proceed for loading of kabada (scrap), it added. The court noted that unoccupied and vague status of land could lead to increase in criminal offenses around properties. The accused were granted anticipatory bail after they agreed to furnish Rs 40,000 as a personal bond along with a surety of like amount. The seat-sharing understanding between the Left and the Congress in West Bengal to take on the Trinamool, though they are direct adversaries in Kerala, should be looked at in the light of the history of the two formations since the late 1980s. The Left then had an indirect understanding with the BJP to defeat the Congress at the Centre. At a public meeting in Kolkata, CPI(M) stalwart Jyoti Basu and BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee had shared the podium to bring out all that was wrong with the Rajiv Gandhi government. Within two years, the political equations were overturned and the Left, scared in no small measure by the rise of communal forces, abstained from voting in the Lok Sabha to bail out the Narasimha Rao government in 1991. Since then, the two have had a policy of openness towards each other at the Centre. However, it should be stressed that in West Bengal it is the Left which has taken the initiative in this. READ: In hand with the Hand, the Left would be left further behind Even if the point is conceded that the Left and the Congress could meet halfway at the Centre to keep the communalists away from power, it is still ideologically inexplicable as to why they are doing so in West Bengal, when the central leaders of the CPI(M) had opposed this at first. By no stretch of the imagination can the Trinamool or its chief, Mamata Banerjee, be called communal. And looking at the success of the Trinamool in the panchayat and municipal elections, it is looking comfortable even in the face of a united opposition. This also shows how marginalised elements other than the CPI(M) are in the Left bailiwick because it is only the CPI(M) leaders who are doing all the talking. Most importantly, it is a question as to how the two sides can fit this into their campaign armoury in Kerala. This will only confuse their grassroots supporters, who might then be tempted to seek safe pasture elsewhere. READ: BJPs growth in Kerala will be decided in upcoming assembly polls For the Left it is its ideological bedrock that has governed its political alliances. Indian Marxists have tried to tailor Marxism to Indian conditions and that has put them in a position where they find they are little different from the Social Democrats. They no longer stress their earlier characterisation of the Congress as a party of big landlords and industrialists. So wouldnt it be expedient to have an understanding with the Congress in the country as a whole? Keeping up with the trend this year, the history paper of class 12 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) was a balanced one and students called it an easy. Most of the questions were from the syllabus and the difficulty level was not very high or low. It was easier than last years paper, said Maulikka Bhardwaj Sharma, a student of Ahlcon International School. It, however, required students to manage time well to be able to complete the paper. But teachers who teach the subject said there was a 21-mark question which was a test of the students understanding of the concept. These questions were not straightforward. For example, one of the passages talked about marriage between Bhim and Hidimba. With these as the source, students were questioned on the concept of caste and marriage and asked to draw relevance of the concept in contemporary times. Some students must have found it difficult. But it was overall a balanced paper, said Renu Sharma, history teacher at Ahlcon International. Read more | Class 12 physics exam: Mixed reaction from Lucknow students The Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) teachers, who prepared the Hindi question paper for Class 12 that allegedly asked a controversial question on the demerits of caste-based reservation in India, may face action. An additional chief secretary-level inquiry has been set up in the matter after chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured action against the people responsible on Tuesday. The issue had rocked the state assembly. According to the state education department officials, no question that had the potential of hurting sentiments of any caste, community or religion could be a part of the question paper. The (question paper) setter and moderator are responsible for (the) lapses, as in the checklist it is clearly mentioned that any question, which can hurt sentiments of a caste or religion, shouldnt be included in the paper, additional chief secretary SR Mohanty told HT. It is only (the question paper) setter and moderator who see the paper. Before finalising it, they have to see the checklist, which includes rules and regulations. They also give an affidavit that they have prepared the question paper according to rules and would maintain secrecy, Mohanty said, adding that the people responsible may face departmental action and, if required, criminal action for incorporating a controversial question in the question paper. Paper set in two stages The board examination papers are set in two stages In the first stage, the setters prepare five to 10 sets of questions for an exam Then it is looked into by the moderator, who is supposed to be a senior teacher After that all the sets are sealed in an envelope Finally, one of the sealed sets is randomly picked by the board authorities and sent for printing From printing press, it directly reaches the examination hall. The controversy over the question on caste-based quota in Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education disrupted the state assembly on the second consecutive day on Wednesday with the Congress demanding action against the state education minister. The bedlam led the Chair to adjourn the House for 10 minutes during Zero Hour. In the Class 12 Hindi examination, held on March 5, students were asked to write an essay on the dangers of caste-based reservation in India. It was one of the five topics on which students had to write 200 words. The question carried 7 marks. The issue led to disruption of the state assembly twice on Tuesday with Congress stressing on an adjournment motion. On Wednesday, Congress member Ramniwas Rawat sought a debate on the controversial question again. He said 21 hours had passed after their plea for bringing an adjournment motion for debate on the controversial question of Class 12. Exam paper setter and moderator suspended In his statement, parliamentary affairs minister Narottam Mishra said exam paper setter Vandana Vyas and moderator Santosh Swarnkar have been suspended and appropriate action has been taken on the issue. He also informed that the question had been cancelled. As such, this issue should not be dragged further. Higher education minister Umashankar Gupta said the examination papers were a confidential matter and the Opposition was deliberately making it an issue despite governments immediate action on it. Congresss Ramniwas Rawat, however, objected and said cancelling the question would affect the marks of the students. He told reporters outside the assembly that the paper gave candidates five choices on the essay topics. What about those students who had written on other issues. Will the government give them grace marks? This is a very serious issue. Action should be taken against the minister concerned and the senior officials in the education department, he said. You (the BJP government) cant end reservation howsoever you try, Rawat added. Responding to Rawats barb, the parliamentary affairs minister accused the Congress of supporting anti-nationals and terrorists. Rahul ke deshdroh se aap sehmat hai(do you agree with Rahul Gandhi, who has been charged of sedition?). As the treasury and Opposition traded charges and created bedlam over the issue, the Speaker adjourned the House for 10 minutes. After the House reassembled, Congress again raised the issue and wanted a debate on it, to which Narottam Mishra said: It is unfortunate that none of you want to discuss the plight of farmers in the House, whose crops have been affected by hailstorm. You are just trying to politicise this paper issue. Meanwhile, rural development minister Gopal Bhargava said as the state government had already made a statement in the House there should be no further discussion on the paper issue. The Madhya Pradesh assembly was disrupted on Tuesday over a Class 12 board test paper asking students to write a Hindi essay on the dangers caste-based reservation poses to the country, weeks after pro-quota movements turned violent in Haryana and Gujarat. The House was adjourned twice amid heated arguments between legislators, with the Congress seeking a debate while the ruling BJP said the opposition party was trying to run away from other important issues. Congress MLA Ramniwas Rawat asked for an adjournment motion to discuss the question in the Class 12 Hindi exam of the state board. The paper gave candidates the choice to write a 200-word essay on one of five topics. Among them was the theme, caste-based reservation is dangerous for the country. The controversy comes on the heels of Jat protests, where members of the community were demanding job and education quotas similar to those provided to disadvantaged castes, burning houses and vehicles, vandalising businesses and allegedly even sexually assaulting women in Haryana. The turmoil echoed violence that engulfed Gujarat last year over reservation demands by the Patel community that left several people dead. Congress members in the Madhya Pradesh assembly alleged that the BJP wants to end caste-based reservation in the states secondary education board, which, they said, is unconstitutional. The BJP called the rival party anti-farmer, saying it was shying away from discussing the agrarian communitys plight following hailstorms in parts of the country. Quotas are the rule in government jobs and schools in India with politics often holding sway over who gets benefits, while critics urge for a transition to need-based programmes that provide advantages based on economic or geographic conditions. Read | In suicide notes, 2 MP school students speak of failing, fearing exams Following in his fathers footsteps, Robert Downey Jr.s son has come out clean from his previous drug record. Indio Downey showed up at an LA courthouse on March 8 morning, where a judge dismissed his cocaine case, after he submitted proof that he had successfully completed a drug diversion programme, reports TMZ.com. The dismissal comes two months after California governor Jerry Brown gave the 50-year-old Downey Jr a full pardon for his drug convictions. Speaking to judge Lauren Weis Birnstein in open court, Indio said that he feels grateful for the experience he had over the last 20 months in recovery. Read: Robert Downey Jrs son arrested in drug case, judge says take advice from dad Adding to this, he even said that he feels so blessed to have my life back. Indio was arrested in June 2014 in West Hollywood when cops drove alongside the vehicle in which he was riding and noticed he was smoking something out of a pipe. Over a year ago, Robert explained to Vanity Fair how he had inherited his issues from his father and his son Indio, had also taken the same path. Hes his mother [musician Deborah Falconer]s son and my son, and hes come up the chasm much quicker than we did. But thats typical in the Information Age; things get accelerated. Youre confronted with histories and predispositions and influences and feelings and unspoken traumas or needs that werent met, and all of a sudden youre three miles into the woods. Can you help someone get out of those woods? Yes, you can. By not getting lost looking for them. Being slightly more straight up he continued: Pick a dysfunction and its a family problem. Timely action by pilots of a Bhopal-Mumbai Air India flight following a bird hit saved the lives of 90 passengers on board at the Raja Bhoj airport in Bhopal on Wednesday morning. The AI634 Bhopal-Mumbai plane had just taken off with 90 passengers at 7.55am, when the pilots discovered that a bird hit had damaged the right engine of the plane. #Visuals Air India flight 634 makes emergency landing at Bhopal's Raja Bhoj Airport due to an engine failure pic.twitter.com/CKC5fuc9Jt ANI (@ANI_news) March 9, 2016 According to airline sources the bird was suspected to have got sucked into one of the planes engine which could have shut it down. An AI spokesperson confirmed the incident. A bird strike is suspected to have caused the emergency landing. All passengers are safe, said the spokesperson. Passengers bound to Mumbai who was schedule come back on the same aircraft were held up for 30 minutes owing to the incident. The return flight scheduled to take off at 8:15 am, took off from the Raja Bhoj airport at 8:30 am, said airport officials. According to Air India Bhopal local head V Acharya, the matter was immediately reported by the pilot to the air traffic control, after which they were permitted to make an emergency landing back at the same airport five minutes later. All 90 passengers are safe and have been shifted to a city hotel. A flight from Delhi will arrive at Bhopal at 2.20pn, which will then fly the passengers at 3pm to Mumbai, Acharya added. The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) filed a police complaint against Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Wednesday over his alleged defiance of bail conditions by making anti-national statements. The BJPs youth wing filed the complaint in Vasant Vihar police station against Kumar as well JNU teacher Nivedita Menon. We have received the complaint and the matter is being looked into. No FIR has been registered yet, a senior police officer said. JNU students union president Kumar had made the statements while addressing students at a Womens Day march late on Tuesday night. No matter how much you try to stop us, we will speak up against human rights violations. We will raise our voice against Afspa. While we have a lot of respect for our soldiers, we will still talk about the fact that in Kashmir women are raped by security personnel, he had said. BJYMs national media convener Shivam Chhabra alleged Kumar addressed the gathering despite the Delhi high courts directions. He cited TV channel links as evidence. Despite the submission of an undertaking before court, Kanhaiya has yet again addressed a gathering of students and uttered poisonous words against the Indian Army, labelling them as rapists of Kashmiri Women, a BJYM statement said. JNU professor Nivedita Menon has been spewing hatred against the Indian Armed Forces in public meetings as well. She made statements like it is recognised worldwide that India is illegally occupying Kashmir, it added. Read | Kanhaiya, the nationalist, swears by Constitution and slams Modi govt Menon, who teaches at the Centre for Comparative Politics and Political Theory at the School of International Studies in JNU, said she did not say anything that was anti-national. She, however, clarified to HT earlier about her lecture on nationalism in JNU. India is seen by many as illegally occupying Kashmir (and Pakistan too is seen in the same way). This is why there are constantly maps coming from American and European publications depicting Kashmir in different ways that India keeps objecting to, she had said. Menon said this was her view and not that of the university. Kanhaiyas party All India Students Federation (AISF) maintained, He made the remarks in context of atrocities on women worldwide and not just in Kashmir. He in no way meant to demean Army or any other force and he clarified that in his speech too. The ABVP, which had objected to the February 9 event as well, also issued a statement saying, The judge in her order also advised Kanhaiya to not forget the contribution of those sacrificing lives on borders. His statement is an attack on Indian Army. Kanhaiya was arrested on February 12 over an event on the campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly shouted. He was granted an interim bail for six months by Delhi high court last week. Read | Kanhaiya Kumar: Flash Gordon or a flash in the pan? BJP welcomed the roll back of the proposal to tax EPF withdrawal and took a jibe at Congress after some of its leaders sought to take credit for the governments rethink, saying it can claim credit for the passage of GST and other bills if it agrees to help the treasury benches. BJP welcomes the (governments) decision to withdraw the proposal. The budget was hailed across the country for its focus on the common man, poor and farmers but a section was upset with the move to tax EPF. Its withdrawal is a good step, party National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said. He also attacked Congress as many party leaders credited vice president Rahul Gandhis protests against the move for the governments decision. Congress and Rahul Gandhi can take credit for all decisions. He can take credit for the passage of GST and other bills if he lets Parliament function and helps the government in the passage of bills. These are not the bills of BJP but of the country, he said. Sharma also asked Rahul to practise constructive and not destructive politics. On Tuesday, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said that it was because of his pressure that the ruling dispensation provided relief to the salaried class. Backing Rahuls claims, Congress even started trending the hashtag #RGforcesEPFtaxWapsi Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday announced relief on the issue of tax on EPF withdrawals, which was proposed in the Union Budget on February 29, 2016. Asserting that the World Culture Festival being organised by the Art of Living foundation on the Yamuna floodplains was an event to unite everyone, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar appealed to all parties to not politicise the mega function. I appeal to all parties to not politicize the #WCF2016. It is to unite all cultures, nations, religions & ideologies. Let's come together! Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (@SriSri) March 9, 2016 Earlier, the Opposition raised the issue of the Indian Armys involvement in the construction of pontoon bridges for the World Culture Festival, creating an uproar in the Rajya Sabha. Read more: LIVE: NGT asks Delhi Pollution Control Committee if it can allow putting enzymes in river Yamuna without examination CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury hit out at the Centre asking why was the Army being roped in for a private event following which the Opposition MPs raised slogans of Army ka galat istemaal mat karo, raksha karo. In response, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is committed towards protecting environment and added that it would be wrong to doubt his commitment towards nature. Read more: Why the NGT should stay the World Culture Festival Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said that he was concerned about the event as the Delhi Police had also raised security concerns. Stating that NGT had in January 2015 declared that any construction on Yamuna banks would be deemed a criminal act, Azad said big structures were being built to hold the event on 1000 acres of land. Diesel generators, car parking and sound sets are being set up, with the Delhi Police warning of stampede, pandemonium and chaos. Read more: Will build biodiversity park on floodplain: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar No permission for structural safety has been given, while there was also a security angle involved with Pakistan warning of terror strikes, he said. This function could have been held anywhere but not at the cost of Yamuna. M S Gill (Cong) asked if the Army would also be sent out to build bridges across Sutlej and other rivers by events by other spiritual gurus. He referred to the Commonwealth Games village also built on the Yamuna banks which saw flooding in October 2010. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, however, lashed out at the Opposition saying that if a matter is pending with Tribunal, ordinarily the chair doesnt allow the issue to be raised in the House. Speaking to the media after the House was adjourned, Yechury reiterated that the Army was being misused and added the entire matter is a violation on the Green Tribunal. Read | Farmers protest, seek more compensation for crops lost in Sri Sri event Meanwhile, the National Green Tribunal continued the hearing on the plea seeking to stop construction of temporary structure for event where the Water Resource Ministry informed NGT that they did not given any permission for the event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to speak in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, around 2pm, wrapping up the discussions on the motion of thanks to the President. In the Lok Sabha, Modi had spoken about various issues and tackled the Oppositions criticisms levelled at his government. Here are the five things that Modi may pick up in the Rajya Sabha: Pitch for bills The Upper House has been a major hurdle in passing major bills for the NDA government. The reason is simple: the ruling dispensation does not have a majority in the House. The PM may like to use the opportunity to appeal to the Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha to rise above the partisan politics and pass these bills. In his Lok Sabha speech last week, the PM had urged the Opposition parties to criticise the government and expose its weaknesses. In the Upper House, the PM will ask for their cooperation to pass bills like the real estate bill, the bankruptcy bill and other important bills. He may specifically also talk about the GST bill. Taking on the Opposition The discussion is likely to be Modis last opportunity to deliver a full-fledged speech in the House in the first half of the Budget session. And the PM is unlikely to miss this opportunity to hit back at rivals. With elections in four states and one union territory beginning in less than a month, the PM will not allow the Opposition to get away in the Upper House, where the government has come under intense attack from a united Opposition. Target Rahul Gandhi In his Lok Sabha speech, the PM had particularly targeted the Congress and Rahul Gandhi. He had even invoked what Gandhi did in 2012 and 2013. But in Rajya Sabha, the PM is unlikely to train his guns on the Congress vice-president. Rahul is not a member of Rajya Sabha and the PM has already attacked him enough in the Lower House. The PM may target leaders like Sitaram Yechury and Anand Sharma this time. JNU and Rohith Vemula Political rivals had expected Modi to say something on the controversial sedition charges against some students in JNU and the suicide of Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad University. But the PM has cautiously evaded saying anything substantial on either of the incidents. This time, all eyes would again be on Modi expecting him to speak on the two raging issues that saw widespread protests from the students community. In the Upper House, several notices to move privilege motions against HRD minister Smriti Irani had also been served. The House had also seen a raging debate over nationalism. Development plank One can always expect the PM to talk about the achievements of his government in Parliament. He did it in Lok Sabha, and may like to repeat himself in the Upper House. In the Lok Sabha, the PM compared the performance of the 10 years of the UPA government vis-a-vis his regime. The Congress may again come under his sharp attack for its failure to address key development issues during its rule. Eight years after the two countries initialled a historic civilian nuclear agreement, India and the US are engaged in hectic price negotiations to close a signature deal between Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and Toshiba-Westinghouse (T-W) for six nuclear reactors. The dealthe first of its kind involving a US companycould well be inked during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Washington for the Fourth Nuclear Security Summit between March 31 and April 1. The Modi government remains tight-lipped about the negotiations, but official sources confirm that Toshiba-Westinghouse made a formal techno-commercial offer to NPCIL and uranium fuel offer to the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) last week for the Mithi-Virdi 6,000 MW power plant near Bhavnagar in Gujarat. NPCIL and T-W had already initialled a preliminary early works agreement in September 2013. Both offers are under examination. The total capital cost as well as per unit power cost is under consideration. A US Exim Bank team is expected in India shortly for the financing package. The deal will be signed once these issues are sorted out, said a senior official. The Toshiba-Westinghouse deal is also helped along by the fact that India and Japan signed a similar civilian nuclear agreement during Prime Minister Shinzo Abes visit to India in December 2015. Commercial negotiations are on but it is not clear whether they can be closed by the time Prime Minister Modi reaches Washington. All efforts are being made to record forward movement, said a senior official. Nuclear industry sources based in India and the US have independently confirmed the price parleys with ballpark price figures of $4.1 billion (Rs 27,000 crore) for two Westinghouse AP 1000 reactors. The first nuclear agreement after the 2008 India-US agreement was for building three and four units of 1,000 MW each for Kudankulam Power plant in Tamil Nadu with Russia in 2014 at a cost of nearly Rs 33,000 crore. Top government sources said commercial negotiations with Westinghouse are required as Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has mandated the nuclear power price at Rs 6.50 per unit. To ensure that the commercial price remains within the mandated ceiling, India may negotiate for a bulk order of six AP 1000 light water enriched uranium nuclear reactors instead of two required for the first phase of plant commissioning. If the two sides reach commercial close the two companies will sign a general framework agreement with techno-commercial agreement as part of the annexure. Both India and US are seeking closure as this is the last year of Barack Obama administration with the government going lame-duck in a few months, said a senior official. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON An Indian medical student who was comatose after being assaulted in Russia has died, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Wednesday. Swaraj had promised help to Yasir Hussain Shirazi (27), a Srinagar resident who was on a visit to Russia, after an SOS to the minister on Twitter said he was attacked by some goons. @SushmaSwaraj ma'm a kashmiri medical student has been attacked by local goons in Russia, he is in coma. Lost his money n documents too. SOS Murtaza Jaffar (@murtazajaffar) March 8, 2016 I am pained to inform that Yasir, an Indian medical student from Srinagar, has succumbed to his injuries in Russia, Swaraj tweeted. However, a relative of Shirazi said he was a businessman dealing in Kashmiri art and craft and had gone to the Kazan province of Russia a week ago to meet his brother, who is also associated with the business. It seems that he was assaulted in a robbery attempt after returning from a business meet in Kazan, Russia, he said. We have no information about the money that was stolen from him. His travel documents are not there. We only request the government that the arrangements are made to get his body back as soon as possible, he said. In a series of tweets late Tuesday, Swaraj said an Indian doctor was treating Yasir at a trauma centre. I have got complete report on Yasir. An Indian Doctor is treating him in Kazan Trauma Centre in Russia./1 @imsabbah @murtazajaffar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 8, 2016 According to the tweet, Yasir was in a state of coma after the attack and had lost all his money and documents. Swaraj said that she had also spoken to Indian Ambassador to Russia, Pankaj Saran. Stating that she was pained to hear about this, she said she would take up this issue with Russian authorities. In a unique endeavour, prison reform activist Vartika Nanda has launched Tinka Tinka Bandini awards to honour women prisoners in India for their exemplary work. The awards were released by Maneka Gandhi, minister, women and child development on the occasion of International Womens Day. The 25 awardees include women aged between 25 to 83 who have been rewarded for their commendable work done inside prison . Among them is Dr Nupur Talwar, mother of murdered Noida teenager Aarushi Talwar. An inmate of Dasna Jail, Ghaziabad, Nupur has been chosen for her service as a dentist inside the prison. She has tirelessly treated a large number of inmates. The oldest inmate in the list of awardees is 83-year-old Sakina Begum Mehmood. Serving life imprisonment in Nari Bandi Niketan, Lucknow, Sakina learnt the art of crochet and has been teaching the craft to other inmates. Her creations draw a large number of buyers at the annual Lucknow Mahotsav. The youngest awardee is 25-year-old Neelam Ramchandra Gupta. Neelam was kidnapped by a dreaded dacoit of Chambal when she was a little girl. The young woman who has spent 11 years in the Nari Bandi Niketan has mastered computer skills and is also a regular organiser of cultural programmes inside the jail. Another awardee from the same jail is Sundara, 56, who is serving life imprisonment . She has worked hard to transform a barren piece of land into a lively green space. During the 18 months of her stay, she has planted more than two dozen varieties of farm fresh, chemical free vegetables which will now be supplied to neighbouring jails as well. Harshita Mishra, superintendent, Nari Bandi Niketan, Lucknow, says that the women are elated after receiving the award, and many broke down into tears. This is for the very first time that women inmates have been rewarded for their work. It has given them a big boost and has motivated them to do even better. In this male-dominated world, the achievements of women are often overlooked, and prisons are no exception. This act of appreciation will go a long way in making them confident, says Mishra. Read more: New IGNOU study centre in Dasna jail enables inmates to finish studies Yet another inmate, 36-year-old Ramilaben Dinesh Panchal from Gujarat, has been chosen for her relentless services as a nurse. There are more than 18,000 women inside prisons in India. No one gets to know about their unbelievable achievements inside the prison. These awards will help instil self-respect in these women, and help them rejoin the society as enriched human beings once they are released, says Vartika Nanda. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Clad in a starched white kurta-pyjama and sporting a stubble, Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav looks relaxed after attending a pre-lunch sitting of the ongoing budget session at his office. The 26-year-old son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and the heir apparent listens patiently to aides, throwing a glance at a TV screen airing the news now and then. I am still learning legislative business. But, I want to deliver, he tells HT in an interview. Excerpts: Q. You are the youngest deputy CM of Bihar. How do you see your new role and priorities? A. Its a huge responsibility. Its been only three months in government and we have started working on many areas to deliver on promises made during the campaign. I am learning legislative business and hold regular talks with MLAs, many of whom are first-timers. My priority is to deliver in my assigned role. Q. The government in its three months has faced attacks on deteriorating law and order and crime incidents. What is your view? A. The Opposition has no issue left after the drubbing it got in the polls. If we see the crime rate, Bihar ranks 22nd among states. The BJP-led NDA does not talk about crime in states where it is in power. Q. But the last three months have seen several murders, including of engineers. Your party MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav has been accused of rape of a minor. The Opposition has called it the return of jungle raj? A. If there is jungle raj, how is it that the government acted tough against the MLA , registered an FIR and initiated steps to attach his property? As for the killing of engineers, most of the accused have been arrested. The world saw what happened in Patiala House courts when JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar was being presented. Was that not jungle raj? Q. There is a growing perception that the RJD as the bigger ally in the coalition government is trying to call the shots, leading to a rift with allies... A. This is wrong. RJD chief Lalu Prasad has clearly stated his stand that he would not interfere in governance. He has given a free hand to chief minister Nitish Kumar. Q. As the minister for roads, building construction and backward classes welfare, how are you focusing on these key portfolios? A. My priority as road minister is to make connectivity in Bihar smoother and time-saving. We have set a target for reaching Patna from the farthest point (Kishanganj) in five hours against the 10 that it takes now. Work on our road master plan 2025 has started whereby we want to upgrade single lanes into double and four-lane roads into six-lane. Q. Do you have the resources to implement such schemes? Bihar has been seeking higher funds from the Centre? A. That is a challenge. The condition of state highways is far better than national highways. Bihar has not been getting adequate funds to repair or maintain the 2,400 km of national highways falling in the state. We get only Rs 500 crore when the requirement is much higher. I met Union minister Nitin Gadkari recenlty, seeking Rs 2,800 crore for maintenance and also another bridge over the Ganga to connect north Bihar. But nothing was given in the Union budget. Q. You recently announced plans to stage a nationwide agitation over the suicide of Rohith Vemula and JNU students arrest on sedition charges. Is it a move to position yourself as a youth icon nationally? A. The JNU agitation was a fallout of the suicide committed by Vemula. The videos of so-called anti-national slogans in JNU have been found doctored. The nation is against the BJP and it will be reflected in the coming polls in various states. It is not about positioning myself but about a cause, which every youth like me feels strongly about. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Ravi Shankars mass festival on the banks of the river Yamuna to be held this weekend has been allowed with conditions by the National Green Tribunal. The tribunal slapped a fine of Rs 5 crore as compensation to be paid by Art of Living foundation before the event. 5.15pm: NGT grants Ravi Shankar permission to hold World Cultural Festival on banks of Yamuna 4:00 pm Art of Living counsel told NGT that total cost for creating venue of this event is 15.63 crore, in addition to 10 crore for decoration. The verdict in the case is expected in the next 5 minutes. 1: 15 pm - Delhi government informs the NGT that the Central Public Works Department has asked Art of Living to build a separate stage for the PM due to issues over structural safety. 1:07 pm - NGT asks Delhi Pollution Control Committee if it can allow enzymes in river Yamuna without examination. NGT asks Centre, Delhi govt, DDA if any environment impact assessment was carried out regarding preparation & consequential effects of AOL event. 12: 40 pm - Minutes after the uproar in Parliament over the use or armed forces for Sri Sri Ravi Shankars World Culture Festival being organised by the Art of Living foundation on the Yamuna floodplains, the former tweeted asking nations to not politicise the event. I appeal to all parties to not politicize the #WCF2016. It is to unite all cultures, nations, religions & ideologies. Let's come together! Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (@SriSri) March 9, 2016 12: 20 pm NGT asks Delhi govt about source of water at Art of Living event As the Delhi Policeraised serious security concerns over the World Culture Festival being organised by the Art of Living foundation on the Yamuna floodplains, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday asked the Union water resources ministry and the Delhi government about the source of water at the event. It also pulled up Environment ministry over clearance to a event of such grand scale in Delhi. The tribunal even asked Delhi Pollution Control Committee if they have ever seen such a construction for a cultural festival before and asked where would the waste from the festival be dumped? #NGT on #ArtofLiving #WorldCultureFestival : All these constructions on forest area, these farmhouses, also claim to be temporary @htTweets Ritam Halder (@ritam_de_scribe) March 9, 2016 On Tuesday, NGT pulled up the Delhi Development Authority for debris dumped in the Yamuna and asked it as to what their quick reaction team was doing when the debris was allegedly brought and dumped by the Art of Living Foundation. Meanwhile, a DCP rank officer, who inspected the venue on March 1 along with his team, in a report submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development, Art of Living, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma raised serious question about the preparation and safety arrangements. 12:00 pm Naqvi defends Sri Sris mega event The opposition on Wednesday criticised the government in the Rajya Sabha for using army personnel for a three-day World Cultural Festival being organised by Art of Living on the Yamuna floodplains here. The issue was raised by Sharad Yadav (JD-U) and other members during Zero Hour. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said army deployment was from security point of view. NGT is hearing the matter as we discuss the issue here.Event (Sri Ravi Shankar's) is being held adhering to all rules & laws: MA Naqvi in RS ANI (@ANI_news) March 9, 2016 Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said he was concerned about the event as Delhi Police had also raised security concerns. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is Leader of the House, said it was not proper to raise the issue in the Rajya Sabha when a tribunal is hearing it. Rule 69 makes it absolutely clear that when a tribunal is hearing ...it cannot be raised, Jaitley said. Opposition members, however, remained dissatisfied. 11: 20 am Ruckus in Parliament over Sri Sri event on Yamuna floodbanks There was an uproar in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday over Sri Sri Ravishankas World Culture Event scheduled to be held on the banks of the Yamuna from 11 to 13 February. The parliament began debating the misregularities by the central govt for Sri Sris event in Delhi. The oppossition demanded answers on why the army was roped in for a private function. CPI ( M) leader Sitamram Yechury asked How can Indian Army assist in this? Green panel questions bridge built by army Green Panel also questioned the building up of pontoon bridge by the Army on river Yamuna for the festival. World Culture Festival organised by Art of Living is scheduled to be held from March 11 to 13 on the banks of the Yamuna. Sri Sri defends event Earlier, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar defended the event, saying not a single tree has been cut and the ecological stability has been maintained during the preparations. We are asserting that we will turn the place into a beautiful bio diversity park once we are finished with it. Since 2010, our volunteers have been working hard to clean the river and around 512 tonnes of dirt and garbage has been fished out. We want to save the Yamuna. We have not cut a single tree and have maintained ecological stability. We want to see Yamuna transformed into a beauty again, said Ravi Shankar. SPG declares Sri Sris Yamuna event unsafe for PM visit: report Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate event on Friday but NDTV quoted a report prepared by Special Protection Group (SPG) as saying that the venue of the festival is not secure enough for him to visit. MHA asks police to ensure security in World Cultural Festival The Centre has asked Delhi Police to ensure full security to World Culture Festival, in view of terror threat in the country. The Home Ministry, in a communication, has advised the national capitals police to take all possible steps to ensure peace during the three-day event to be held at Yamuna flood plains. The Delhi Police has also been asked to ensure that no stampede-like situation should arise during the function, official sources said. The Home Ministry advisory came in the wake of heightened terror threat following inputs that 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorists have entered India from Pakistan through Gujarat. Defence ministry told army to build bridges for Sri Sri event The Indian Army was directed by the defence ministry to build floating bridges for Art of Livings upcoming event on the Yamuna floodplain after the Delhi Police expressed fears of a stampede at the venue, ministry and army officials said Tuesday. The armys effort to build two pontoon bridges have come under criticism amid growing opposition to the March 11 event that critics say will damage the eco-sensitive Yamuna floodplain. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday equated the Congress party with mrityu (death) but hastened to add that like death is never subjected to criticism, the Congress party also goes unscathed. Death is a blessing. Its above criticism. No one criticises death. People say someone died of cancer, (people say) he died of old age. The cancer and old age is blamed but not the death, Modi said, replying to the debate on the motion of thanks on the Presidents address to Parliament. Here are the highlights of what PM Modi said in Rajya Sabha: 3:05pm - PM ends his speech. - PM recites Safar Mein Dhoop To Hogi by Nida Fazli in Rajya Sabha. 3pm - Cleanliness is becoming a mass movement. For first time Parliament debated on it. Govt may be criticised but issue is being discussed. - Cleanliness helps the poor the most. Due to lack of cleanliness the poor are forced to spend more money on medicines. 2.55pm - We need to emphasise on value addition in all spheres. - Emphasising on doubling agriculture income & value addition, more productivity in agriculture. 2.50pm - We should aim to double the income of farmers by 2022. - I am not an economist like Manmohan Singh, thats why I am not that knowledgeable. But I know some things. 2.45pm - The biggest beneficiaries of MUDRA bank are SC/ST, OBC communities and women. 2:40 pm - Government is ensuring that benefit of subsidy goes only to those deserving, it is not issue of saving money. - Taking a dig at Congress vice-preisdent, he said there are two kinds of people in this world- one that do work and the other that take credit for it. - Let you (Congress) give tickets to illiterate people and see what the experience will be like. - We try to give political colour to everything. We can have different points of view but dont politicise everything. 2.35pm - Third aspect of good governance is decentralisation. - We are focusing on accountability. I am reviewing infra projects and also looking into projects that were stalled for decades. - Effective or last mile delivery is what we are working on. 2.30pm - Decentralisation is key to good governance. - We are focussing on accountability. I am reviewing infra projects & am seeing projects are stalled for decades. 2.25pm - Coordination between Houses is essential. Nation is waiting for us to pass many bills. - Let us pass those bills passed in the Lok Sabha as soon as possible and give impetus to Indias progress. - We need to shift from incremental improvements to a quantum jump and that is what we are trying. - We have focussed on policy-driven governance and given an importance to transparency. 2.20pm - This is the Upper House. There are stalwarts in this House & what happens here influences other assemblies as well. - This is a Chamber of Ideas and it must guide the nation. Coordination between both Houses is essential. - In peak summer, we in Gujarat would to go to the villages & campaign for girl child education. - We need to worry about lack of education facilities and overcome the challenges in this sphere. 2.10pm - When we criticise the Congress, it is reported as criticism on the Opposition, not criticism on the Congress. - Sometimes I feel Congress has a boon like that. It always said attack on opposition, never said attack on Congress. - There is a funny thing about death, no one blames death. they blame the reason why people die. 2.05pm - You must have noticed that Lok Sabha worked till late night yesterday, even after that everyone was happy with the work that happened. - I want to thank Opposition members for the smooth running of Parliament. 2pm - PM Modi begins his speech in the Upper House. The Lok Sabha on Wednesday approved an amendment to the Enemy Property Act 1968 that gives the government blanket powers to take over properties ever owned by a person who left for Pakistan after Partition or China. The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill 2016 also proposes to nullify all transactions during the last five decades if it relates to an enemy property. Under this law it is already in force by virtue of an ordinance issued in January owners of such properties are treated as enemy subjects. It does not matter that they are Indian citizens. The Enemy Property Act 1968 was enacted to take over the properties owned by people who left for Pakistan or China when India was at war with the two countries. Such properties were vested in the Mumbai-headquartered Custodian of Enemy Properties. The Congress which had promulgated a similar ordinance in 2010 but later backed out did not oppose the legislation in the Lok Sabha. Like some other members, the party, however, asked the government to refer the legislation to a committee of MPs to ensure that it is legally sound. In all, there are nearly 16,000 properties across the country that have either been or are being taken over by the CEP under the 1968 Act. Of these, the process to take over 9,400 properties estimated to be worth Rs 1 lakh crore, or Rs 1,000 billion has been completed. Among those on the receiving end of the enemy property law is actor Sharmila Tagore. Authorities in Uttar Pradeshs Barabanki district have found fresh samples of instant noodles Maggi sub-standard, a claim rejected by its manufacturer Nestle India. The samples of Maggi collected from Safedabad in Barabanki district on February 5 were found sub-standard, district chief food safety officer Manoj Kumar said. According to tests conducted by a state-owned laboratory in Lucknow, ash content in Maggi Masala was found to be 1.85%, which is higer than the permissible limit of 1%. Notices would be sent to the retailer and the company and, if they are dissastisfied with the report, they can send it to a referral lab at their own expense, Kumar said. However, refuting the findings, Nestle India said: The quality and safety of our products are non-negotiable priorities for us as we adhere to strict food quality and safety procedures at all times. It is apparent from the media reports that standards for macaroni products are being applied for instant noodles with seasoning which is erroneous and misleading, a Nestle India spokesperson said. We categorically reiterate that testing of instant noodles against norms set for macaroni products will reflect in incorrect results and wrong interpretations. Industry members, including Nestle India, have made a representation to the FSSAI to remove this confusion, which is unwarranted, the company said. Kumar, meanwhile, said if no application was receieved either from the retailer or the company within a month, a case would be lodged in the court of additional district magistrate. A penalty of upto Rs five lakh could be imposed in this case, he added. A middle-aged man on Wednesday threatened to immolate himself near Parliament House, sending security officials into a tizzy. The man, identified as Hari Singh, a resident of Sirsa district of Haryana, told police that he decided to take the extreme step in order to seek justice for his sister and niece who, he claimed, were murdered by criminals in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan, a senior official said. He was whisked away immediately and later detained for questioning at Parliament Street police station, the official said, adding that no inflammable material or object was recovered from his possession. Watch | Man threatens self-immolation at Vijay Chowk Singh stood at the parking site for media at Vijay Chowk and while being whisked away after the incident reported around 12.30 PM, he told some reporters that his brother-in-law would also jump off from a water tank in Sirsa around the same time. However, this claim is yet to be verified by Delhi Police which is in touch with its counterparts in Haryana, the official said. The police are likely to take Singh for a medical examination and question his relatives, the official added. The National Green Tribunal cleared on Wednesday a mega cultural event on the Yamuna floodplain in Delhi despite fears of irreparable damage to the areas delicate ecosystem. The green court said spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankars Art of Living foundation will pay a fine of Rs 5 crore before the three-day World Culture Festival opened on Friday. The rest of the fine amount will be decided after a NGT-appointed committee assesses the damage to the floodplain. The order came on a day the controversial event rocked Parliament, with opposition parties demanding the government scrap the festival as it violated an NGT order prohibiting construction on the Yamuna floodplain. In the history of Hindustan such a destructive game has never been played upon Delhi. Who are these people?.... This drama should stop...this will destroy Yamuna, Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav said amid slogan shouting by opposition members. The NGT imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the DDA for granting vague permissions and one lakh on the Delhi Pollution Board. DDA ought to have applied its mind before granting permission, the NGT said, barring the DDA from green-lighting such events in the future. In Parliament, Yadav questioned the governments move to divert the army to erect pontoon bridges at the event site. He (Ravi Shankar) is one person and you have deployed the countrys army there to erect bridges. It cant go on like this. HT has reported extensively on the damage and violation of construction norms by the organisers who have cleared more than 1,000 acres for the festival to be attended by over a million people. The Art of Living Foundation has said the event will not cause any ecological damage with Ravi Shankar calling the petition to block the event politically motivated. But the organisers have admitted they are yet to get permissions from the city fire service, police as well as the transport department for parking vehicles at the Millennium Bus Depot. Read | Dont politicise cultural festival: Sri Sri appeals to political parties President Pranab Mukherjee has already pulled out of the event that is to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will feature yoga and meditation sessions, peace prayers and cultural performances. But the JD(U), Communist Party of India and Congress werent impressed, with CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury calling the move to deploy the army highly irregular. Now that NGT has given its verdict, all politics n controversies around AOL event shud be put to rest(1/2) Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 9, 2016 Its a huge cultural event wherein people from 155 countries are coming. Delhi welcomes all guests(2/2) Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 9, 2016 You please tell me whether the Indian army can be roped in to assist a private function. ...I think it is highly irregular that the Army is summoned to create facilities for a private function. Read | Oppn targets BJP over Sri Sris Yamuna event, questions use of army Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad also attacked the government. The minister of environment of this very government went to Paris with a big pomp and show....But what is happening in the National Capital of this country? NGT has in January 2015 issued an order that all construction activities on the Yamuna bank would be deemed criminal. But the BJP defended the mega cultural extravaganza, saying Ravi Shankar had followed all norms. He is committed to the cause of environment. Lets not doubt his intentions. Whatever event is happening is as per law, junior parliamentary affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said. Read | Sri Sri event a slap in face for green laws, PM shouldnt attend: Cong AAP says it gave nod to Sri Sri for bridge in event of flood only Home minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday there was no lapse on the part of the Centre or Haryana government in the handling of Jat quota protests in after the Opposition slammed the government on the issue in the Rajya Sabha. In the Lok Sabha, INLD member from Haryana, Dushyant Chautala, asked the government to take action against certain newspapers and television channels for circulating false reports of rapes at Murthal during the Jat agitation. Replying to supplementary questions in the Rajya Sabha, the home minister said: I dont see lapses on part of the Centre or the state. Singh said the Haryana government expected a solution to the Jat quota issue during talks with community leaders but the protests turned violent after an incident where BSF had to open fire on protestors. The firing killed three people. The government of Haryana was posted with intelligence inputs and an advisory was also issued to the state on February 19, Singh said. The home minister said an inquiry commission headed by former Uttar Pradesh police chief Prakash Singh has been set up to look into various aspects and asked the members to wait for a report. Singh informed the House that 2,012 FIRs have been registered in connection with the Jat stir, 370 people arrested and 20 cases have been registered by the Government Railway Police. This (violence) in Haryana was due to utter failure of the state and central governments, Congress member Kumari Selja said. Senior JD-U leader Sharad Yadav said just to say a committee has been appointed is like running away from the responsibility. With just over 48 hours to go for the three-day World Cultural Festival on the fragile Yamuna floodplains, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has not yet issued a structural safety certificate to the organisers. Structural safety certificate is mandatory for holding an event of this magnitude. The organisers said they were expecting over 2-3 lakh people at any given point of time. The earlier projection was 3.5 million. CPWD , which comes under the Union urban development ministry, has refused structural safety clearance on the ground that organisers had not fulfilled the requisite safety parameters while erecting the temporary structures, said a government official privy to the development. On Tuesday evening home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi met CPWD director general Divakar Garg and other senior officials to take stock of the situation. CPWD officials told the home secretary that they had asked the organisers to meet structural safety standards, another official said. Read | Sri Sri event a slap in face for green laws, PM Modi should not attend: Congress It will be really risky to conduct the event without structural safety certificate, the official said. The home ministry on Tuesday asked Delhi Police to ensure full security to the festival in view of terror threat in the country. In an official communication, the ministry has advised Delhi Police to take all steps to ensure peace during the event. We have also asked the Delhi Police to ensure that no stampede-like situation should arise during the function, a home ministry official said. Read | Why wasnt Art of Living asked for green clearance: NGT to Centre SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Pakistan has launched a formal probe into reports and allegations that Indias external intelligence agency gave money to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to destabilise the country, officials said on Wednesday. Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told the Senate he had assigned the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to probe the allegations of the MQM being funded by the Research and Analysis Wing. The Karachi-based party has for long been accused of links with RAW, and the issue returned to the limelight when former mayor Mustafa Kamal challenged the leadership of MQM chief Altaf Hussain last week and accused him of receiving funds from the intelligence agency and working to destabilise Pakistan. Khan reminded the Senate that Hussain had attended a summit of the Hindustan Times when Pervez Musharaf was president and talked about the Partition as a mistake. Earlier, Khan told the Senate that there was not enough evidence against Hussain. But when senators pressed him to follow up on the allegations, he announced the FIA had been assigned to look into the matter. An interior ministry spokesman said the initiative was taken after Sarfaraz Merchant, a prominent businessman and London-based confidante of the MQM, said in a TV interview that he had seen proof of Indian funding to MQM. He alleged India had provided money to buy weapons. Merchant said several lists of weapons were found in Hussains house in London during a raid by Scotland Yard in 2014. India has rejected the charge that it has funded the MQM, which draws support from Urdu-speaking people who moved to Pakistan at the time of Partition. MQM too has dismissed such allegations as false and baseless. MQM leader Farooq Sattar said this was not the first time such allegations had been levelled against his party. In the past we were accused of working with RAW but proof was never presented. It is very convenient for our detractors to accuse us of such things but never has any proof been presented, he said. Its the easiest thing to do to accuse someone in Pakistan of working for RAW. The Congress is like mrityu (death) as it remains untouched by criticism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday but appealed to the Opposition to pass key bills in the Rajya Sabha where the governments lack of numbers has held up crucial legislation. Speaking in the upper House, Modi appeared to draw a distinction between the Congress and other parties, saying the principal opposition party was blessed like death, which he said is above criticism. Watch | Top quotes of PM Modi against Congress in Rajya Sabha Death is a blessing.... People say someone died of cancer, (people say) he died of old age...The cancer and old age is blamed but not the death, Modi said. When we criticise the Congress, it is reported as - criticism on Opposition, not criticism on Congress. Congress never gets a bad name, @PMOIndia tweeted. But when the government criticised parties such as the Janata Dal (United) or Bahujan Samaj Party, the media reported it as JD(U) is under attack or BSP is under attack, he added. Modi hailed the Rajya Sabha as a chamber of ideas and insisted on coordination between both Houses. Read | PM Modis speech in Rajya Sabha: As it happened Nation is waiting for us to pass many bills. Let us pass those bills passed in the Lok Sabha as soon as possible and give impetus to Indias progress, he said. The NDA has a commanding majority in the Lok Sabha but is in a minority in the 250-member upper House, where its lack of numbers has stalled key pieces of legislation such as the goods and services tax. The PMs comments were seen as an attempt to reach out to non-Congress opposition parties as the government is unlikely to cobble together a majority in the Rajya Sabha on its own for at least the next two years. Modi appreciated the cooperation of members in the present session and said unlike previous sessions, the proceedings were going on smoothly. But he attacked Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, saying there are two kinds of people - one who work and the other who take credit for it. Modi also criticised the Congress for opposing the enforcement of minimum educational qualification in panchayat elections, a move that many activists say will bar poor and lower caste people from contesting local body polls. Let you (Congress) give tickets to illiterate people and see what the experience will be like. We try to give political colour to everything. We can have different points of view but dont politicise everything, the PM said. Modi listed transparency, accountability and decentralization as three key aspects of his governance and emphasized on his aim to double farmer income by 2022. Government is ensuring that benefit of subsidy goes only to those deserving, it is not issue of saving money. The biggest beneficiaries of MUDRA bank are SC/ST, OBC communities and women, he said. Modi also talked about cleanliness, a key thrust of his administration as exemplified by the Swachh Bharat scheme, and said it had become a mass movement. Cleanliness helps the poor the most. Due to lack of cleanliness the poor are forced to spend more money on medicines. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Sadhvi Prachi on Wednesday dared actor Anupam Kher to send her and firebrand BJP MP Yogi Adityanath to jail. Kher had said at an event in Kolkata that people like Sadhvi Prachi and Adityanath should be thrown out of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and put behind bars for talking nonsense. Vowing to continue her fight for the Hindu cause, Prachi also said: There are millions of people like Kher and I care the least for them. The VHP leader was Lakhimpur Kheri to attend a religious programme in a village. Read | Adityanath, Sadhvi should be thrown out of BJP, jailed: Kher Commenting on the JNU row, Sadhvi Prachi termed JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar as a tool in the hands of Opposition. The Opposition failed to play any role in national politics and it sought relief in Kanhaiya Kumar, she said, adding, the JNU has become the hub of anti-national activities. Sadhvi also attacked the ruling Samajwadi Party in UP over the Muzaffarnagar riots. She said, The judicial inquiry commission report has saved the main culprits. The government should bring the real culprits to book, she demanded. Worried about the fate of loans worth thousands of crores of rupees given to the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, a consortium of 17 banks on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking to restrain industrialist Vijay Mallya from leaving India. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi on Tuesday sought an urgent hearing of the petition filed by 17 banks, including the State Bank of India, which also sought the impounding of Mallyas passport. The banks move comes a day after the Enforcement Directorate registered a money laundering case against Mallya and the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) barred him from touching the Rs 515 crore settlement he reached with Diageo. The DRT will hear the matter again on March 28. The ED case is based on a CBI probe into alleged wilful default by the high-flying owner of Kingfisher Airlines on a Rs 900-crore loan in conspiracy with IDBI Bank representatives. The creditors, led by the State Bank of India, have stepped up efforts to recover the debt - $1 billion as of end-January 2014 - after Mallya last month resigned as chairman of spirits maker United Spirits, a unit of Diageo. The SBI, the largest lender of Kingfisher, had approached the DRT in Bangalore to restrain Mallya from withdrawing Rs 515 crore he got as a severance package from London--based Diageo. Kingfisher, once Indias second-biggest airline, stopped flying more than three years ago. Banks owed money by Kingfisher Airlines have demanded first right to the Diageo cash, arguing that they were left with unpaid debts worth Rs 7,000 crore when the company collapsed more than three years ago. SBI declared Mallya once known as The King of Good Times for his flashy lifestyle and lavish parties a wilful defaulter last month. A wilful defaulter is one who uses borrowed funds for purposes other than it was meant for. SBI and others have also appealed to the Karnataka high court that the businessman be arrested and his passport impounded. Earlier, former Kingfisher Airlines employees had written an open letter blaming Mallya for the grounding of the carrier and damaging the countrys reputation in the aviation industry. The Bombay high court on Wednesday denied interim relief to former media baron Peter Mukerjea, an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, and rejected his petition for permission to watch the preview of Dark Chocolate, a Bengali film reportedly based on the case. In a plea filed on his behalf, Mukerjeas sister, Shangom Dasgupta, had sought a stay on the films release stating that it defamed the accused and his family. The media baron also told the high court through his counsel that the movie would have an impact on the trial proceedings if released for public viewing. Indrani Mukerjea and her husband, Peter, in happier days (File photo) The bench headed by justice SC Dharmadhikari, however, questioned Mukerjeas arguments on the possibility of the trial getting prejudiced. The court said he will have to convince the court about this through legally valid arguments. Read: HC refuses to stay Dark Chocolate Dont make any requests for a preview. The court cant grant you that without any valid ground. There are countless campaigns related to the case that are being published and broadcasted by the media. All details of the case and the trial are being discussed in the public domain. But if those dont affect your right to free trial, how can this regional movie suddenly affect the same? justice Dharmadhikari asked. Read: Sheena only spoke to me when she needed money, Indrani told Rahul The filmmakers had submitted in a previous hearing that though the plot and characters of the film were inspired by the Sheena Bora case, the film wasnt defamatory to any party. They argued that they had only used the information mentioned in the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is already in the public domain. Arguments pertaining to the demand for a stay on the films release have been scheduled by the court for April 7. The Congress on Tuesday said the Art of Livings world culture festival was a slap on the face of environmental laws. Congress spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit said the NGO responsible for organising the event did not consider the loss to environment the festival might cause. Yamuna banks will be destroyed. Yamuna will get more polluted. But nobody is listening, said Dikshit. Unfortunately, the DDA, Delhi Police, Delhi government supported it because its a programme with religion involved. The environment is always sacrificed at the altar of religion and populism, he said. Another Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala used #srisrifight to criticise the deployment of Indian Army for construction of the pontoon bridge across Yamuna as an access pathway to the event venue. Surjewala tweeted: #srisrifight Unfair to use Indian Army to build pontoon bridge for event. Allegation of environmental degradation galore. Good Governance? The newly constructed pontoon bridge by the Indian Army across the Yamuna. (Ravi Choudhary/ HT Photo) He also asked PM Modi to not attend the event amid controversies, and suggested the PM should follow President of India. President Mukherjee has already pulled out of the event, while the Special Protection Group has deemed the event unsafe and has recommended that the PM not attend. Surjewala further tweeted: We respect Sri Sri Ravishankarji. Pl put art of living environment above event by art of living foundation. He asked for the event be put on hold till a decision comes from the National Green Tribunal. (With inputs from ANI) A farmer in Tamil Nadus Thanjavur district was beaten up and his vehicle snatched away by loan recovery agents of a private finance company for failing to pay up two instalments. B Balan told Hindustan Times he had taken a loan worth 3.80 lakh in 2011 and has repaid a sum of 4.11 lakh, but he was yet to pay two more instalments. The total amount that he owes now is 1.30 lakh. They did not even give a warning or make a phone call. They just came and started bashing me up to snatch the tractor, he said. They took away the tractor, which is now with the finance company. On Friday, at least 20 persons, including 10 policemen, came to the village and began beating Balan asking him to leave the tractor. When he said they had not given any notice, he was only beaten more. Balan was beaten up in front of the entire village in the presence of policemen who were accompanying the loan recovery agents. A video of the attack on the farmer was aired on a private television channel. District superintendent of police S Kannan denied the policemen beat up the farmer saying he had defaulted on a loan and an action was taken against him following a court order. Balan, however, said he was not served with any notice of the non-payment of the instalments and that his vehicle would be repossessed. The farmer said he could not pay the previous instalment in 2015 due to severe crop loss. But I would have made some arrangement and paid, but they were not willing to listen, he said. Farmers association of Thanjavur questioned why the farmer was beaten up and harassed when many others who owed banks thousands of crores of rupees were treated with deference. The association said it would hold a protest on Thursday to highlight the injustice. The attack on the farmer comes at a time when liquor baron Vijay Mallya is under probe for an alleged loan default of 900 crore taken from IDBI bank. It is alleged the loan was sanctioned in violation of norms regarding credit limits. The CBI has registered a case against Mallya, director of now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, A Raghunathan chief financial officer of the airlines and unknown officials of the IDBI Bank. Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, under pressure from banks to repay around Rs 7,000 crore of debt owed by his collapsed Kingfisher Airlines, left India last week despite a look out circular against him at the countrys exit and entry points, a CBI source said on Wednesday. The circular was issued at the request of the Central Bureau of Investigation after the agency registered an FIR against Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines and others last October, the source said. More than a dozen state-run banks - led by the State Bank of India had appealed to the Supreme Court asking that Mallya be banned from travelling overseas. On Wednesday, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, representing the banks, told the apex court he had been told that Mallya left India on March 2, and asked the court to demand his return. Mallyas exact whereabouts are not known. Read: Vijay Mallya has left India: Govt tells Supreme Court The CBI source said LOCs are issued to alert immigration authorities to prevent any absconding criminal or person required by enforcement authorities from leaving the country. The circulars stay active for one year after which it can be extended on merits. Due to the circular, he should have been stopped from leaving the countrys borders and authorities should have been alerted about his move in real time, the source said. It is suspected that Mallya left for the United Kingdon in a private flight last Wednesday. We do not know at this juncture whose lapse it was, but it is being examined as to how Mallya left despite the look-out circular. Mallya, who is a Rajya Sabha MP, has not taken a leave of absence from the House. An official said he attended the House on March 1 and needed to formally inform it if he was to be absent for 10 days or more. Mallya left India on March 2 despite huge outstanding loans and was most likely headed for England where he possessed several assets, Rohatgi told the Supreme Court. Rohatgi said the value of Mallyas assets outside India far exceeded the unpaid loan amount owed to banks. The statement came on a day British liquor giant Diageo Plc said it had already paid Mallya Rs 269 crore of a Rs 515-crore settlement plan. Read: Rs 269 crore already paid to Mallya in February: Diageo On March 2 banks had moved the DRT (Debt Recovery Tribunal) for freezing his passport and stopping him from leaving country I am now told by CBI that on March 2, he has left the country, Rohatgi said. Ask him to appear before the Supreme Court and bring his passportWe just want our money backnot after anybodys blood, the attorney general told the top court. The CBI questioned him three times in Mumbai and Delhi after the October loan default FIR. We still got an LOC issued against him as a safety measure, another CBI source said. Its a fact that for business and personal reasons Mallya frequently goes abroad and CBI is examining the nature and implications of this trip abroad, he added. Sources told HT that Mallya was in London a short while ago, but said they were unable to confirm if he was still in town. Edinburgh-based sources also said they were unaware of his presence in Scotland, where he had business interests until recently. We havent received anything formally from Delhi, a spokesperson of the Indian high commission in London said. The Bombay high court said on Wednesday it would hear on March 11 a service tax department plea to recover government dues running into crores of rupees from Mallya and other Kingfisher Airlines directors. In Mumbai, a Diageo spokesperson said the first tranche of Rs 269 crore was paid to Mallya at the time of signing the agreement in February and that the next round of payment was due in 2017. On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered a money-laundering case against Mallya while the Debt Recovery Tribunal said he could not touch the Rs 515 crore till the matter was decided. The DRT will hear the matter again on March 28. The ED case is based on a CBI probe initiated in October last year into alleged wilful default by the high-flying promoter of Kingfisher Airlines on a Rs 900 crore loan in conspiracy with IDBI Bank representatives. SBI, the largest lender to Kingfisher, had approached the DRT in Bengaluru to restrain Mallya from withdrawing the Rs 515 crore he got as a severance package from Diageo, the worlds largest spirits maker. The United Spirits board last year asked Mallya to resign after an internal investigation spearheaded by Diageo found he diverted funds to other companies under his control, a charge he denied. Banks owed money by Kingfisher Airlines have demanded first right to the Diageo cash, arguing that they were left with unpaid debts worth Rs 7,000 crore when the company collapsed more than three years ago. SBI declared Mallya once known as The King of Good Times for his flashy lifestyle and lavish parties a wilful defaulter last month. A wilful defaulter is one who can pay but does not, that is, someone who has the ability to pay but is unwilling to do so. (With inputs from Prasun Sonwalkar in London) The Madhya Pradesh government has earmarked Rs 500 crore for building a country-specific industrial township on 1,200-acre land in Pithampur, a chunk of which has been reserved for Japanese investors, a senior official said. A high-level delegation from Japan has arrived in the city to attend an investors seminar and visit the site of the proposed industrial township on Wednesday. The delegation comprises Ambassador Kenji Hiramatsu, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) DG Naoyoshi Noguchi, and representatives of 34 Japanese companies among others, Audyogik Kendra Vikas Nigam (AKVN) Indore managing director Kumar Purushottam told HT. AKVN is the nodal agency for development of infrastructure in the industrial hubs. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, chief secretary Anthony DeSa and senior industry department officials are scheduled to attend the event in which officials will make a presentation on the proposed township and investment opportunities in the state. The industrial township, about 35 km from Indore, will have world-class social infrastructure, including residential units, commercial units, educational institutes, medical units, banks, fuel stations, fire stations. It will be environment friendly with lots of open spaces. After the Jat agitation in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh has become an even more attractive investment destination because of its history of peaceful industrial climate. The Japanese investors have told us that they prefer to live as a group and in an ambience resembling home. They like to eat their own cuisine and would like their children to study in Japanese medium school, an industry department official said requesting anonymity. The government is offering special incentive packages to the Japanese investors including entry tax exemption for seven years, stamp duty exemption on leased land, and 100% VAT and central sales tax (CST) reimbursement for 10 years excluding the tax paid on raw material. Experts say that infrastructure development will be the deciding factor. Apart from industrial infrastructure, the key will be development of social infrastructure such as shopping complexes, schools and health centres, CII MP council chairman Girish Mangla said. Red carpet for Japanese bizmen The state government has allocated Rs 500 crore for building a country-specific industrial township in Pithampur, a chunk of which has been reserved for Japanese investors The proposed township will have world-class social infrastructure, including residential units, commercial units, educational institutes, medical units, banks, fire stations The government is offering special incentive packages to the Japanese businessmen including entry tax exemption for seven years, stamp duty exemption on leased land, and 100% VAT and central sales tax (CST) reimbursement for 10 years. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Punjab School Education Board on Tuesday caught 34 students cheating in the English exam of Class 10 and eight in the economics, fundamentals of e-business exam of Class 12. In Amritsar, a Class-10 student taking the board exam tore off his answer sheet following the arrival of a flying squad for checking. In a Patiala school, one Lakshman Singh was caught impersonating Kuldeep Singh in the Class-10 exam. T he Class- 10 exam was held in the morning shift during which one student was caught in Amritsar, four in Gurdaspur, three in Bathinda, 10 in Jalandhar, three in Ludhiana, one in Patiala, one in Tarn Taran and 11 in Fazilka. The Class-12 exam was held in the evening shift during which one student was caught in Amritsar, two in SAS Nagar, one in Jalandhar, two in Fazilka and two in Bathinda, said officials. Lung cancer is more common among men in SAS Nagar (Mohali) while oesophageal (food-pipe) cancer is found among men in Mansa and Sangrur districts of Punjab, according to a study on cancer incidence and mortality for 2013 in these areas. Among women, breast cancer has the highest proportion in SAS Nagar and Sangrur, while cervix uteri is the leading cancer in Mansa. The study, Population-based Cancer Registeries at Chandigarh, SAS Nagar, Sangrur and Mansa districts of Punjab, is a joint collaboration of Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, and Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, with cooperation from the Punjab government and the health department, Chandigarh administration. Change in trend from urban to rural areas In urban Punjab (SAS Nagar), lung cancer is leading among men; on the other hand, in rural Punjab (Mansa and Sangrur), oesophageal cancer is most common among men. Urban cancer is more related to lifestyle. You have more alcohol and tobacco prevalence. Central obesity is another reason. In rural areas, it could be more infection-related or environmental, said Dr Rajesh Dixit, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai. Dr D Behra, head, pulmonary medicine, PGIMER, explained, In rural areas, environmental factors like excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers may be the main reasons for high rise in oesophageal cancer. It should be looked into. Male and female oesophageal cancer The interesting part is that in other parts of the country, if we look at the oesophageal cancer, the male to female ratio is quite different. There are more male cancer cases than the female cases. But in Sangrur and Mansa, the male and female cancer are almost same, Dr Dixit pointed out. He said, I think it is more related to environmental etiology, so we have to look for the environmental etiology rather than alcohol and smoking; that would be there but in addition, there could be more reasons. Cancer, mortality in SAS Nagar A total of 769 cancer cases were registered (334 male, 435 female). The age-adjusted incidence rate is 74.3 per lakh population for males and 104.2 per lakh population for females. A total of 322 cancer deaths were recorded. Among men, lung cancer topped the list with 9.7% cases, followed by prostate cancer 8.8% and oesophagus cancer 7.6 %. Among women, breast cancer (31.8%), followed by cervix uteri (13.5%) and ovarian cancer (7.4%) were the main cancer sites. Cancer incidence, mortality in Sangrur In 2013, a total of 798 cancer cases were registered in Sangrur, out of which 378 cases were of males and 420 were of females. The ageadjusted incidence rate among men was 43.7 per 100,000 and among women, it was 52.6 per 100,000. A total of 448 cancer deaths were reported (male 243, female 205) In males, oesophagus cancer topped the list with 11.6%, followed by prostrate cancer 6.3% and brain cancer 4.5%. In female, breast cancer was the highest with 22.9% cases, followed by cervix uteri (18.3%) and oesophagus cancer(7.4%) Incidence and mortality in Mansa A total of 403 cancer cases were registered (male 187 and female 216). The age-adjusted incidence rate for men was 45.3 per lakh and for women, it was 55.8 per lakh. A total of 233 deaths were registered, out of which 112 were men and 121 women. Among men, 15% cases were of oesophagus cancer, followed by 5.3% of mouth cancer and 4.3% of lymphoid leukemia. Among women, maximum cases (22.2%) were of cervix uteri, followed by 18.5 cases of breast cancer and 11.1% of oesophagus cancer. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A probe report that could expose the nexus between the sand mining mafia and officials of different departments is gathering dust at the Punjab vigilance bureau headquarters here for more than three years now. In November 2012, the VBs Ludhiana team had registered a first information report (FIR) in a case pertaining to plundering of hundreds of acres in 40 villages along the Sutlej in Ludhiana district. It named about 20 individuals, besides the departments of police, mining, rural development and panchayats, forests and public works mentioning a large- scale connivance of officials with alleged accused. The VB, so far, has not filed challan in the case. A VB officials in Ludhiana told HT that a detailed investigation report for filing the challan was sent to the VB headquarters around six months back. When asked why the probe took so long, he attributed the delay to massive and challenging task of looking into the connivance angle. IG (vigilance) AS Rai acknowledged that the probe report is awaiting headquarters clearance. He, however, stated that they had to further work upon the preliminary probe report annexed with the FIR. The investigation is on, he said. Then DC and his role The HT is also in possession of documents revealing how in May 2010 the then Ludhiana deputy commissioner Rahul Tiwari had falsely stated to the industries department that the quarries were demarcated in the entire Ludhiana district in compliance with the Punjab and Haryana high court orders. The DCs of each district and the revenue officers shall provide every possible assistance to the mining officer-general manager, industries, to complete the exercise of demarcating quarries/mines within a month, the high court had stated in its orders dated April 4, 2010. Tiwaris letter to then principal secretary industries SS Channy said: The demarcation of all quarries in 26 villages in the district had been conducted and the khasranumbers (revenue land record) concerned sent to the general manager (industries), Ludhiana. In reality, no demarcation was done. The DCs letter helped the mining contractors to plunder hundreds of acres illegally in 40 villages. The VB report mentions the name of Ludhiana-based mining contractor Prashant Joshi for being allegedly involved in large-scale plundering in Jodhwal village. Tiwari, who is presently special principal secretary with deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal, told HT that he did not remember the matter as he had left the charge (of Ludhiana DC) three years ago. The current DC (of Ludhiana) can tell after seeing the record, he added. As per the documents procured under the RTI Act on February 1, 2016, the Ludhiana DC had said: No demarcation of the said quarries in 26 villages had been done and there is no such record available in the office. The offices of the revenue department and the mining wing of the industries department in Ludhiana also did not have any record related to the demarcation of quarries, as per the RTI documents. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON With the strike of the nursing staff of Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot, entering the fifth day on Tuesday demanding action against a doctor for alleged misbehaviour, patients and their attendants were a harried lot. The strike by 285 staff nurses has hit the hospital services and the hospital authorities have assigned the nursing duty to nursing students of the university college. The nursing staff protested outside the city police station demanding action against the doctor from the neurology department for allegedly misbehaving with a staff nurse working in the intensive care unit (ICU). It has been five days but I have not got any justice from the police and the hospital authorities. The doctor misbehaved with me on Friday on the issue of a missing monitor (LED). We want the doctor realise his mistake. Even as we have lodged a police complaint, no action has been taken, the complainant alleged. The medical college authorities tried to intervene to strike a compromise between the nursing staff and doctors, but to no avail. While the protesting nurses are adamant that the doctor must acknowledge his mistake, the doctor claims he has not done anything wrong. We also met the Faridkot sub- divisional magistrate (SDM) requesting him to hold an inquiry into the incident, but nothing has taken place so far, said Swaran Singh Sekhon, convener of the medical college employees front. We have received a complaint from the woman. Since it is an internal matter of the medical college and the hospital authorities have formed a special committee to look into the matter, we are waiting for their inquiry report. Action will be taken accordingly, said Faridkot station house officer (SHO) Surjeet Singh. The hospital is functioning normally and services are not affected. Minor issues crop up in big organisations and there is no problem, said Dr Raj Bahadur, vice-chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences. Medical college superintendent Dr JP Singh, when contacted, did not comment on the issue citing some urgent meeting. It was learnt that the hospital authorities called the striking staff and the doctor in the evening to resolve the issue again. Former state Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa and Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans, who recently dumped the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to join the Congress, have been finalised as partys Rajya Sabha candidates from Punjab. Though it was almost certain that Bajwa would be adjusted for accepting party high commands directive to make way for Captain Amarinder Singhs appointment as the Punjab Congress chief, the name of Hans Raj Hans has come as a surprise for many. Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans and former Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa. (HT Photo ) Hans, who projects himself a Balmiki (Dalit) leader, had joined the Congress in presence of Amarinder nearly three weeks ago (February 20). Considered an outsider in Congress, Hans, who doesnt have a mass base among the Dalit community, has been picked by the party high command, virtually ignoring its prominent Dalit faces, including Shamsher Singh Dullo, Mohinder Singh Kaypee, Raj Kumar Verka and Santosh Chaudhary, in the state. All India Congress Committee (AICC) sources said both names were final and a formal announcement is likely to be made any time soon. The Rajya Sabha polls are slated for March 21. It was my dream to sit in Parliament. I dont have any words to express my happiness. Im really grateful to Amarinder Singh, said Hans, while talking to HT. He said the SAD had betrayed him and the Congress move to send him to Parliament was not only a great honour for him but for the entire Balmiki Samaj of Punjab. Political pundits opine that Captains move is aimed at aimed at wooing the Balmiki community that has a considerable presence across Doaba. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Himachal Pradesh high court on Wednesday quashed the FIR against internet search engine Yahoo.com for allegedly posting pictures of SFI activists protesting at Himachal Pradesh University with a report on students raising pro-Afzal slogans at a university in West Bengal. The court ruled, Since the parties have amicably resolved the matter and moreover, the petitioner has also prominently published a public apology on its website on February 25, 2016 and Feb 26, no useful will be served by keeping the FIR proceedings pending. Justice Rajiv Sharma, hearing the petition filed by Yahoo India Private limited, directed the petitioner (Yahoo) to deposit Rs 2 lakh in the court within one week. Yahoos counsel Randeep Singh Rai argued that registration of FIR was bad in law since it was in contravention of the provisions of Section 196 of the CrPC and his client had no mens rea (criminal intent) to commit an offence and the essential ingredients of section 505 (2) of the IPC were not attracted. On Tuesday, when yahoo filed the petition for quashing the FIR, Rai had apprised the court that his client was ready and willing to pay compensation of `2 lakh to the respondents. An FIR was registered on February 21 on the complaint of Vikram Kayath of the Student Federation of India. The student body had alleged that a report was published on Yahoo.com titled Now, Jadavpur varsity students raise pro-Afzal slogans but the picture was that of a protest held by SFI activists in Himachal Pradesh University. The complainant said in the FIR that this was an attempt to defame him and the organisation (SFI). Mata Bhag Kaur, popularly known as Mai Bhago was the first woman in Punjab to fight on a battlefield in 1705. Her name was featured among three of the most badass women in history by BBC on the occasion of International Womens Day. The other two are early 19th Century Chinese pirate Ching Shih and 20th century Jeannette Rankin who was the first woman to hold a high office in the US Congress. The BBC quoted Mai Bhago as the little known legend who embarrassed the 40 Sikhs for leaving Guru Gobind Singh in the middle of an impending war with the Mughals, into following her into battle. The story further read, Under her lead, the men managed to force the Mughals back and while none of them actually survived the fracas, they were at least forgiven by Guru Gobind Singh . As for Mai Bhago, she was so good on the battlefield that the Guru decided to make her his bodyguard. Mai Bhago was the daughter of Malo Shah, son of Bhai Pare Shah. Her grandfather and Pare Shahs brother, Bhai Langaha, had served under Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Hargobind. Bhai Langaha had helped Guru Arjan Dev in the construction of the Golden Temple and was one of the five Sikhs who accompanied Guru Arjan Dev when he went to Lahore for martyrdom. The battle she fought along with the 40 Sikhs was the Battle of Khidrana (battle of Muktsar) on December 29, 1705, against a Mughal force who were chasing Guru Gobind Singh. The guru later called the Sikhs chaali mukte (the 40 liberated) and Khidrana as Muktsar (the pool of liberation) THe Guru granted Mai Bhagos wish to be with him as his bodyguard and thereafter, she accompanied him to Damdama Sahib, Agra, and Nanded where he died in 1708. After that, she settled down in Jinvara (near Bidar) in Karnataka and preached Sikhism there till the end of her life. That place is now converted into a gurdwara named as Gurdwara Tap Asthan Mai Bhago. At Nanded, a hall within the compound of Takht Hazur Sahib, marking the site of her residence, is known as Bunga Mai Bhago. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON While the Haryana Congress on Monday passed a resolution demanding imposition of Presidents rule in the state in wake of constitutional breakdown during the Jat quota violence, a constitution bench of the Supreme Court in 1994 had illustrated the situations which may not amount to failure of constitutional machinery. A nine-member apex court bench had in SR Bommai v/s Union of India had ruled in 1994 that a situation of maladministration in a state where a duly constituted ministry enjoying majority support in the assembly is in office would not amount to failure of constitutional machinery. Imposition of Presidents rule in such a situation will be extraneous to the purpose for which the power under Article 356 has been conferred. It was made indubitably clear by the constitution framers this power is not meant to be exercised for the purpose of securing good government, the SC said quoting the report of Sarkaria Commission. Article 356 speaks of provisions in case of failure of constitutional machinery in states. The apex court said it would also be improper to impose Presidents rule in a situation of internal disturbance, not amounting to or verging on abdication of its governmental powers by the state government, where all possible measures to contain the situation by the Union in the discharge of its duty under Article 355 (duty of the Union to protect states against external aggression and internal disturbance), have not been exhausted. Enough justification for prez rule Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar when asked about the party resolution in light of the SC ruling said there was enough justification for imposition of Presidents rule in Haryana. Poor law and order situation, breakdown of constitutional machinery, sense of insecurity among residents, damage to property, loss of lives. The state government has failed utterly in controlling the situation. In fact, there is no government of the day, Tanwar told HT. BJP MLAS should resign: Hooda When the attention of former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was drawn towards the apex court ruling, he said: All I am saying is that the BJP MLAs should resign taking moral responsibility of large scale violence and loss of lives. This would lead to imposition of Presidents rule. The Constitution bench in its ruling said the failure of constitutional machinery may occur in a number of ways which contribute to such a situation are diverse and imponderable. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Sangrur police on Tuesday arrested six people, including a woman, in two different cases of smuggling drugs in the district. According to the information, on a tip-off, the district police along with the CIA staff put a barricade on the highway near Chhajli. Thereafter, the police asked the drivers of a suspected truck (PB 04 S 6547) and a Figo car (PB 10 DS 2212) to stop. However, on seeing the police, both tried to escape but failed to do so. The police recovered 120-kg of poppy husk and arrested five people from the truck and the car. The arrested persons were identified as Harbhajan Singh, Barjesh Jaatav and Sonu, all residents of Gwalior, Madhya Pardesh; Harnand Singh, a resident of Ludhiana; and Paramjit Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran. In another case, the police arrested a woman and recovered 10-kg poppy husk from her possession. The arrested woman was identified as Kamlesh Kaur, a resident of Dhuri. The police said during a routine inspection near Benra village, the woman was found with poly bag in hand. However on seeing the police, she turned back, following which when the police stopped her and checked her poly bag, poppy husk was recovered from it. In the both cases, the police have registered FIRs under Sections 15, 61, 85 of the NDPS Act and further investigations are on in the matter, said the police. Keeping in mind the huge rush of visitors and the fact that they have to jostle for space for watching the popular Retreat Ceremony at the Attari border in the evening, work on the project to construct a new spectator gallery is in full swing and may take a year to complete. The Rs 24 crore project of the ministry of home affairs (MHA) aims to create a seating capacity for nearly 20,000 spectators and March 2017 has been set as the deadline for completing it, if Border Security Force (BSF) officials are to be believed. The existing gallery on the right side has been demolished with a large structure replacing it. The 70-foot-high stand will give a clear view to the spectators. Therefore, it is not only that the capacity will be increased but the spectators will have a better view of the ceremony wherein the BSF jawans and the Pakistani Rangers display foot stomping during flag lowering every evening. At present, the work is going on the right side only, with the other side still untouched. The Swaran Jyanti Dwar, which was located right at the entry point of the spectator gallery, has also been demolished. Work is on to construct a new one and it will have approximate 80-foot height. In October 2013, the MHA had sanctioned Rs 24 crore for the project and it was to be completed in 21 months. But work on the project started in April 2015. It is not only the visitors who are seen struggling to find space, but the BSF jawans organising the ceremony also have to face a tough time ensuring everything goes on smoothly. While 10,000 spectators reach the venue to watch the ceremony every evening, the existing gallery, which was inaugurated in 1999, can accommodate only half the number. The government is planning to add facilities such as a conference hall, a closed-circuit television (CCTV) room, toilets, a dining hall, a guard room, a detention room, a dormitory and a kitchen. To heighten vigil, more high-tech cameras will also be installed in the area as the zone is highly sensitive. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Centre for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will host Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama and a panel of experts at a live-streamed event aimed at promoting global well-being on Wednesday. The event, The World We Make, will be held in the Capitol Theatre at the Overture Centre for the Arts in Madison, Wisconsin, at 1.30 pm central time. The panel, moderated by ABC News anchor Dan Harris, will focus on how the world will look if the concept of well-being is put into practice. The event will be broadcast internationally through live streaming, thanks to a partnership with the National Geographic Society and the Mind and Life Institute. Read: China opposed to Dalai Lamas visit to Taiwan The science we are doing at UWMadison is providing crucial evidence to support the idea that simple, secular mental practices can help people cultivate well-being, says Davidson. However, scientific research is not sufficient in itself. We need partnerships with global thought leaders like His Holiness the Dalai Lama to catalyse these conversations about well-being and inspire people to view it as a skill that can be learned. Concepts such as secular ethics which states that all humans, regardless of religion or background, should treat each other with compassion has been espoused by the Dalai Lama, who is a regular at the university. The other panelists at the event include: Richard Davidson: The founder of the Center for Healthy Minds, he is best known for his groundbreaking research on emotion and the human brain. Sona Dimidjian: An associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder, his research addresses issues regarding the treatment and prevention of depression with emphasis on the mental health of women during pregnancy and post-partum. Soma Stout: She is the executive external lead for health improvement of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the executive lead of 100 Million Healthier Lives, which brings together hundreds of partners across global communities to ensure healthier lives for over 100 million people by 2020. Dan Harris: A correspondent of ABC News, he is the co-anchor for the weekend edition of Good Morning America, and a regular contributor to shows such as Nightline, 20/20 and World News Tonight. The sponsors of the event include PwC, a multinational professional services network; Steelcase, a professional firm; and ambassador sponsors Chade-Meng Tan, Jeffrey C Walker and Ready Set Productions. Iran reportedly test-fired two ballistic missiles on Wednesday with the phrase Israel must be wiped out written on them, a show of force by the Islamic Republic as US Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel. Such phrases have been emblazoned on missiles fired before by Iran, but this test comes as the country recently signed a nuclear deal with world powers, including America. Hard-liners in Irans military have fired rockets and missiles despite US objections since the deal, as well as shown underground missile bases on state television. There was no immediate reaction from Jerusalem, where Biden was scheduled to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who strongly opposed the nuclear deal. The semi-official Fars news agency offered pictures Wednesday it said were of the Qadr H missiles being fired. It said they were fired in Irans eastern Alborz mountain range to hit a target some 1,400 km away off Irans coast into the Sea of Oman. The US Navys 5th Fleet, which patrols that region, declined to comment on the test. Fars quoted Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of Irans Revolutionary Guards aerospace division, saying the test was aimed at showing Israel that Iran could hit it. The 2,000-km range of our missiles is to confront the Zionist regime, Hajizadeh said. Israel is surrounded by Islamic countries and it will not last long in a war. It will collapse even before being hit by these missiles. Israels foreign ministry declined to immediately comment. Iran has threatened to destroy Israel in the past. Israel, which is believed to have the only nuclear weapons arsenal in the Mideast, repeatedly has threatened to take military action against Irans nuclear facilities. The firing of the Qadr H missiles comes after a US state department spokesman on Tuesday criticised another missile launch, saying America planned to bring it before the United Nations Security Council. A nuclear deal between Iran and world powers including the US is now underway, negotiated by the administration of moderate President Hassan Rouhani. In the time since the deal, however, hard-liners in Irans military have made several shows of strength. Iran has fired rockets near US warships and flown an unarmed drone over an American aircraft carrier in recent months. In January, Iran seized 10 US sailors in the Gulf when their two riverine command boats headed from Kuwait to Bahrain ended up in Iranian territorial waters after the crews misnavigated, the US military said. The sailors were taken to a small port facility on Farsi Island, held for about 15 hours and released after US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke several times with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. A prominent Beijing-based financial magazine has highlighted the issue of censorship in China in a rare show of defiance against the Communist government after a government advisers interview was removed from its website. Caixin magazine helmed by Hu Shuli, one of Chinas most well-known journalists and known for its investigative reporting issued a bold rejoinder on its English language website this week after multi-layered censors removed the interview of the adviser who had called for freedom of speech. The show of sharp defiance came during the meeting of Chinas legislature and the governments top advisory body, and weeks after President Xi Jinping asked media houses to swear allegiance to the Communist Party of China (CPC). On March 3, Jiang Hong, a senior member of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) or the top advisory body, wrote in the magazine that advisors should be free to give the Communist Party and government agencies suggestions on economic, political, cultural and societal issues. However, influenced by certain events, everyone is a bit dazed and doesnt want to talk too much, he added in the article. Thats what the atmosphere is like now. Two days later, the interview based-articled was deleted by the Cyberspace Administration of China, a government censorship organ, because it contained illegal content. The magazine did not keep quiet about the removal. On Tuesday, it published an article on the English language website about the deletion, with new quotes from Jiang. The picture of a gagged mouth accompanied the second article. Detailing what the censors told its editors, the magazine said the administration had contended the article violated laws and regulations. Talking about the deletion with Caixin media, Jiang said he found it bewildering. This is terrible and bewildering, he told the magazine. I examined (the article) in all respects, but I couldnt see anything illegal. The government has increasingly tightened censorship controls since the new dispensation under Xi took over in November 2012. Several journalists, activists and lawyers have been punished and jailed for allegedly violating the laws of the land in the past few months. The Committee to Protect Journalists said in a report that one-fourth of the 199 journalists in jail at the end of the 2015 were in China. A quarter of those jailed globally are in China, the worlds worst offender for the second year in a row; the 49 journalists in prison there are a record for that country. As President Xi Jinping continues his crackdown on corruption and as the countrys economic growth slows and its markets become more volatile, reporting on financial issues has taken on new sensitivity, the December report said. Growing censorship The Chinese government has shut down the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Posts (SCMP) microblogging accounts on the mainland, making it the latest victim of tightening censorship. The broadsheets official Sina Weibo Chinaa version of Twitter - now leads to an error message that reads, Sorry, there is something wrong with the account you are currently trying to access, and it is temporarily inaccessible. A similar error message can be seen on what used to be SCMPs Tencent Weibo page, the Shanghaiist.com website reported. The website added: Over at SCMPs official WeChat account, an empty shell is all that remains as all previous posts published on the page have been deleted. In December 2015, Jack Mas Alibaba group acquired assets of the newspaper worth $ 266 million, triggering fears about its independence as Ma is considered close to the Communist Party of China. Police escorted off two Muslim women after a cabin crew member accused them of staring at her. The pair had flown from Boston to Los Angeles in the US without incident but were singled out after the JetBlue passenger plane landed, witnesses said. Passengers said they had heard a member of cabin crew tell a co-worker that she did not appreciate being stared at by the women, The Sun reported. A video of the incident was posted on YouTube. It was a terrible moment - honestly - these women sat quietly, watched movies - it felt like overkill from this flight attendant, Kessler wrote on her Facebook page. The flight attendant had casually relayed to a co-worker that she did not appreciate being stared at - she did not seem rattled or scared - just smug, said Sharon Kessler, who was on board the flight. Then - after we landed - she announced that the authorities would be boarding the plane and to remain in our seats with seat belts, said Kessler. In a statement, JetBlue said the flight attendant had been under the impression one of the women had been filming in-flight procedures. If a crew member believes a customer may be filming safety procedures, the crew member may report it for further review. In this instance, our crewmembers acted in accordance with security procedures. We appreciate our customers patience and cooperation, and apologise for the inconvenience, the airline said. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif left for Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on a three-day official visit to hold important security talks with the oil-rich gulf country, which heads a 34-nation Islamic coalition against terrorism. The Foreign Office said the prime minister was invited by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud to witness the military exercise North Thunder, where a large number of other heads of state have been invited to participate in the closing ceremony. The prime minister, who is accompanied by army chief Gen Raheel Sharif, will meet top Saudi leaders during the March 9-11 visit and offer to expand cooperation with Saudi Arabia in its fight against terrorism, the Foreign Office statement said. Pakistan is part of the 34-nation coalition of Islamic countries cobbled together by Saudi Arabia to fight terrorism. Troops from about two dozen countries, including Pakistan, are participating in the North Thunder exercise, in the northern region of Saudi Arabia. The main goal of the exercise is to improve training to respond to threats posed by terrorist groups. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy multi-faceted cooperation, including in the fields of defence and counter-terrorism. Pakistan has said several times that it will always stand shoulder to shoulder with Saudi Arabia to counter any threat to its territorial integrity and sovereignty, an official statement said. A bid by Priti Patel, minister of state for employment, to link Brexit with the historic suffragette movement for womens rights has backfired after the descendant of an iconic early 20th century campaigner called it unacceptable. One of six ministers in the David Cameron government to go against the official line and support Britains exit from the European Union, Patel used a speech on International Womens Day to seek womens support for Brexit, and likened her camps efforts to those of the suffragette movement. The movement for women in Britain to be given the right to vote was led in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Emmeline Pankhurst, who was brought to life by Meryl Streep in the 2015 film Suffragette. Women activists were called suffragettes. Patel said while launching a Women for Britain group: As a suffragette, Pankhurst fought for the rights of women to have a vote, a voice and a say in how their society is governed and who governs it. In many ways, Women for Britain are fighting for the same cause. The suffragettes fought for our democratic freedom. Now we are the ones who must fight to protect it, she announced, provoking angry comments and worse online and offline. Helen Pankhurst, great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst, told The Guardian: My great-grandmother fought tirelessly for womens rights and dedicated her life to making sure women could live their lives free from discrimination. She added: It is unacceptable to use her achievements to argue for something that is so out of line with the spirit of international solidarity that defined the suffragette movement. To the contrary, I believe that my great-grandmother would have been the first to champion what the EU has meant for women, including equal pay and anti-discrimination laws. The Patel-suffragette row came amid increasing tempers between the Remain in EU and Vote Leave camps before the June 23 referendum on Britains membership of the bloc. Patel, 43, born in London to Indian parents who migrated from Uganda, believes Britain leaving the EU will provide a massive boost to relations between India and Britain, a claim dismissed by supporters of Britain remaining in the EU. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON US special forces captured the head of the Islamic States unit trying to develop chemical weapons during a raid in February in northern Iraq, two Iraqi intelligence officials told the Associated Press. The Obama administration launched the new strategy in December, deploying a commando force to Iraq that it said would be dedicated to capturing and killing IS leaders in clandestine operations, as well as generating intelligence leading to more raids. US officials said last week that the expeditionary team had captured an Islamic State leader but had refused to identify him, saying only that he had been held for two or three weeks and was being questioned. The two Iraqi officials identified the man as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, who worked for Saddam Husseins now-dissolved Military Industrialization Authority where he specialized in chemical and biological weapons. They said al-Afari, who is about 50 years old, heads the Islamic States recently established branch for the research and development of chemical weapons. Afari was captured in in Tal Afar, the officials said. They would not give further details. The officials, who both have first-hand knowledge of the individual and of the IS chemical programme, spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to brief the media. No confirmation was available from US officials. Beyond intelligence value, the capture could strike a blow to what Iraqi and American officials have described as a determined effort by the Islamic State to develop chemical weapons. The jihadi group was believed to have set up a special unit dedicated to chemical weapons research, made up of Iraqi scientists from the Saddam-era weapons programme as well as foreign experts who joined the group. Iraqi officials expressed particular worry over the campaign because IS gained so much room to operate and hide chemical laboratories after overrunning around a third of the country in the summer of 2014, joined with territory they controlled in neighboring Syria. The group is believed to have created limited stocks of mustard gas. Iraqi officials say it has ambitions to develop more dangerous agents like nerve gas, though the US has said it appears still far from that goal. Tests confirmed mustard gas was used in a town in Syria when IS was launching attacks there in August 2015. Other unverified reports in both Iraq and Syria accuse IS of using chemical agents on the battlefield. The United States has been leading a coalition waging airstrikes against IS in Iraq and Syria for more than a year. The campaign has been key to backing Iraqi and Kurdish forces that have slowly retaken significant parts of the territory the militants had seized. But after coming under pressure at home for greater action against the militants, the Obama administration moved to the tactic of stepped up commando operations on the ground. Last year, US special forces killed a key IS leader and captured his wife in a raid in Syria, but the new force in Iraq was intended as a more dedicated deployment. American officials have been deeply secretive about the operation. Its size is unknown, thought it may be fewer than 100 troops. This is a no-kidding force that will be doing important things, was about all defense secretary Ash Carter would say about the force in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee in December. Half Moon Bay, CA (94019) Today Partly cloudy. Gusty winds in the afternoon. High 63F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Gusty winds early. Low around 50F. Winds NNW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. DNA analyses confirmed that two seal pups born on a beach in the United Kingdom are the world's first twin gray seals born in the wild. The pups were born Nov. 28 on Horsey Gap beach, near the English coastal town of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. In early December, however, their mother stopped feeding and abandoned them. Since their birth, the newborn seals - one female and one male - have been closely monitored by the conservation group Friends of Horsey Seals. The organization arranged for the animals to be rescued from the beach and transferred to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Wildlife Hospital, where the pair currently resides. After testing the seals and blood-soaked sand surrounding the beach birth site for DNA, scientists from Norway's Institute of Marine Research revealed the seals do in fact have the same mother. "It is so rare. It is very exciting," Anne Kirstine Frie, a researcher from the Institute of Marine Research, said. The institute later confirmed the pups, subsequently dubbed R2-D2 and C-3PO, represent the first record of wild gray seal twins in the world. "Our pups will go into the history books as being the very first twin gray seals ever recorded," David Vyse, a volunteer from Friends of Horsey Seals, added. Until now, gray seal twins have only ever been born in captivity. "It must happen in the wild from time to time, but we have never had knowledge of wild gray seal twins," Frie said. "In the wild they very rarely survive, the both of them, but these are both in good health." The pups arrived at the RSPCA Wildlife Hospital weighing about 50 pounds each, suggesting their mother had done a very good job of feeding them before leaving. Horsey Gap beach is a very popular breeding ground for seals. Experts estimate 800 seal pups were born at the beach last year. However, Horsey Gap beach also attracts tens of thousands of human visitors each year. This creates a problem, as mother seals frighten easily, which is likely the case for the twin pups' abandonment. "Gray seal cows [females] are very susceptible to disturbance when they are with their pups on the beach," Alison Charles, the manager of RSPCA East Winch, explained. "If this happens, they are likely to move away from the pup into the sea and may not return to feed their pup." Another theory as to why the pups' mother left suggests that she may have run out of milk while caring for two pups instead of one. The RSPCA plans to release the twin gray seals back into the wild, once they have gained some more weight. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Nitrogen pollution - which finds its way into our air and water from various sources, including fertilizers, agriculture, smokestacks and car tailpipes - is a real threat to endangered species in the United States. However, there are solutions as well. That's according to a new study led by researchers from University of California Santa Cruz, which looked at this chemical element's effect on biodiversity across the country. "Nitrogen pollution is a prevalent atmospheric and biogeochemical global change driver, with growing effects on terrestrial, aquatic, and coastal ecosystems," the researchers wrote in their report. "It starts in the air and water," study co-author Erika Zavaleta, of UC Santa Cruz, said. "On land, nitrogen pollution ultimately ends up in the soil. It's essentially fertilizers coming out of air and water," from smokestacks and auto tailpipes. In their work, the research team looked at 1,400 species with Endangered Species Act listings. They found that 78 of those are battling known threats caused by excess nitrogen. The element can have a wide range of impacts on a spectrum that includes direct toxicity, lowered oxygen from over-fertilization, and encouragement of invasive species that take over the usual range of local populations or consume their food sources. In order to look at a local area in California, the researchers examined grasslands on serpentine rock outcroppings in certain fault areas of southern Santa Clara County and the East Bay. These are areas that have "rare and endemic plant and animal species you can't find any other place in the world," Zavaleta said. There, the team was able to examine how nitrogen has left a residual impact over 150 years in an area with rare plants used by a threatened butterfly, the Edith's Bay checkerspot. At the same time, they said that the element's pollution is diffuse and a bit hard to track, because it has so many different sources. "It's a policy challenge and a conservation challenge," Zavaleta said. Nitrogen pollution's sources have steadily grown over those 150 years, with regulations not keeping pace. The sources include fertilizers, an emphasis on crops that store nitrogen (beans, peas, acacia, carob, others) and the burning of fossil fuels. The key is to change regulations to combat these problems, say the study authors. In that case, efforts to mitigate nitrogen's effects on endangered species may be fruitful - because nitrogen pollution "can be more readily addressed within the boundaries of a single nation, region, or watershed," the researchers said. The study was published online in the journal BioScience. Follow Catherine Arnold on Twitter at @TreesWhales. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Holidays and the tax-filing season are considered by scammers to be very lucrative times of the year. After all, it is during these times of the year that employers usually find their hands full with documentation relating to their employees. Thus, there is a good chance that someone, somewhere within a firm's corporate structure might just get a little bit careless. This year, a widespread phishing scam struck gold, managing to dupe numerous firms, including social media frontrunner Snapchat and disk drive maker Seagate Technologies, into releasing their employees tax documents. Of course, by doing so, the firms inadvertently placed their employees at risk. The form that was successfully acquired by the fraudsters through the scam, the employees' W-2 tax forms, included sensitive data such as employees' incomes, personal addresses and even their social security numbers. In fact, W-2 tax forms are among the most widely used documents to claim false tax returns and refunds. In a lot of ways, the reason behind the success of the phishing scam lies in the simplicity of the operation. The fraudsters simply sent out emails that were made to appear as if it was sent by each firm's top officials. For employees who are already knee-deep in employees' documentation during this time of the year, responding to the alleged "official" email with the requested information would come as second nature. For a lot of the companies that were duped, the realization that they were scammed came a little bit too late. Dave Morton, Seagate's chief financial officer, stated that the firm's mistake was strictly caused by human error. Seagate's fiasco allegedly happened on March 2 when an employee unknowingly forwarded the company's W-2 forms to the scammers. While the company immediately contacted federal authorities about the attack, the damage had been done. "This mistake was caused by human error and lack of vigilance, and could have been prevented," he said. For its part, Snapchat immediately apologized to its employees after the company was duped. Both the social media company and Seagate, as well as other firms that were scammed, have offered their employees two years of free credit monitoring. "When something like this happens, all you can do is own up to your mistake, take care of the people affected, and learn from what went wrong," Snapchat wrote in a statement. Despite the firms' offer of free credit monitoring and their heartfelt apologies, employees who would possibly get affected by the scam would still need to contend with all the headaches associated with fraud, or worse, even identity theft. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The rare astronomical event of a total solar eclipse swept across parts of Indonesia and the Indian and Pacific Oceans on Wednesday, while substantial partial eclipses were also visible through other parts of Asia and Australia. Astronomy enthusiasts watched the phenomenon from beaches, rooftops and observatories, and tens of thousands of both foreign and Indonesian tourists ventured out to the best viewing spots. Special events were organized to celebrate of the phenomenon, including cruises, festivals and dragon boat races. The solar eclipse was viewed by around 40 million people. The eclipse was also marked by Indonesia's indigenous populations, who held special rituals to honor its rare occurrence. In Borneo Island's Palangkaraya, for example, Dayak tribesmen performed a ritual to ensure that the sun, which they perceive as the source of all life, did not completely disappear. The moon began to move between the Earth and sun at 6:19 am (23:19 GMT Tuesday), and around an hour later a total eclipse became visible in western areas of the world's biggest archipelago nation. The sun then went completely dark in a wide arc across 12 out of Indonesia's 34 provinces, which straddle three time zones and stretch around 3,000 miles from east to west, passing over the major islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi and Malukus before heading away across the Pacific Ocean. The process of the eclipse lasted for around three hours in Indonesia, but the total eclipse was observable for between one and a half and three minutes, depending on location. The weather was clear at many popular viewing spots, although clouds obscured views in some areas. Although the moon passes between Earth and the sun every month, total eclipses only occur when the three celestial bodies become precisely aligned. From Earth, the moon is just wide enough to cover the face of the sun, producing a silver halo in an indigo sky. This eclipse was particularly unique because it happened while the moon was at its closest point to Earth, which makes the moon appear larger in the sky in what is referred to as a supermoon. The last total solar eclipse occurred on March 20, 2015, visible only from the Faroe Islands and Norway's Arctic Svalbard archipelago. Total eclipses of the sun appear about every 18 months on average. The continental United States will have the opportunity to see a total eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Theranos, the blood testing startup, is in a row with federal regulators for not meeting quality control standards mandatory in its Newark, Calif., lab. A Wall Street Journal report says that Theranos conducted hematology blood test on 81 patients over a period of six months in 2015. These tests were performed despite getting inaccurate results. According to the federal inspection report seen by the reporters, there are several other lapses in following correct procedure that could have jeopardized patients' safety. Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) sent a summary letter which detailed "serious deficiencies" in five aspects, and one of them was hematology. As these hazards were highlighted, Theranos brought more personnel onboard in its Newark lab, apart from Kingshuk Das, board-certified pathologist. In a statement on the company's website, Das, the company's newly appointed lab director in California, said that following the report, the company has improved its labs. "We have conducted assessments to identify any patients affected or having the potential to be affected by the issues identified by CMS, and we have no reason to believe that these issues have affected patients' health," he said. Company spokesperson Brooke Buchanan added that the tests in the report were "run on conventional equipment using venipuncture samples," and the tests did not affect more than 40 patients. Theranos became popular when it boasted about its unique technology, a machine it called Edison. According to the company, this machine was capable of performing a multitude of tests, including tests for measles and HIV, by just taking a few drops of blood. The company's founder, Elizabeth Holmes, a Stanford dropout, has been under scrutiny since October 2015, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration called its specimen-collection kit as an "uncleared medical device." Even though Theranos has achieved approval for a herpes test, it is still awaiting FDA approval on many other tests. Until that happens, the company is using conventional blood-testing machines. Ninety percent of the tests performed by Theranos are conducted in its Arizona lab. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. How likely is it for your hometown to be hit be an asteroid? While NASA's Fireball and Bolide Reports system can detect asteroids making their way for Earth, the agency has yet to come up with a system that can calculate the likelihood of specific areas being hit with interstellar debris. Astronomers can use an asteroid's size, angular velocity and composition to approximate what would happen when it hits the Earth, but not where it will hit, although the most likely location is an ocean. "Just over 70 percent of Earth's surface is ocean, which means about 70 percent of the impactors will land in water," said William Cooke of the Meteoroid Environment Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. In the recent years, near-Earth objects (NEOs) have come dangerously close to harming humans, which prompted NASA to create the Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO), a division dedicated to detecting and tracking these objects in order to devise appropriate safety measures. Now, the agency hopes to determine if asteroids hit Earth in a random manner and further our understanding of NEOs and the potential danger that they pose to the planet. While it may seem unlikely for an asteroid to collide with our planet, in the off chance that one did, it could lead to an extinction-level event. NASA released a plot back in 2014 that revealed the seemingly random nature of impact events; they are not more likely to land at the equator than another location farther away, such as a pole. "No pattern discernible, as you can see from this plot released by NASA in November of 2014," Cooke said. "Looks pretty random." Many meteoric events go unreported, especially when in isolated areas, leading NASA to believe that new technologies need to focus on non-human ways of keeping watch on these events. "We are just now beginning to establish networks that don't rely on human feedback to extract information about fireballs," Cooke said. NASA's fireball program currently relies on cameras, but "coverage is nowhere near what we need," according to Cooke. When the program is at the level that NASA desires, their tracking efforts will focus on the bigger, potentially dangerous objects, as opposed to the smaller ones that are more likely to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere before they do any damage. "They are too hard to detect ahead of impacting Earth's atmosphere, and almost never do any damage - Chelyabinsk being a notable exception," said Lindley Johnson, lead program executive at the PDCO. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. It looks like you've reached a page that doesnt exist (anymore). Please use the navigation or search above to find content on Hospitality Net. Go back to home Late last week, director Spike Lee was in Chicago at Northwestern University where he hosted a screening & Q&A for his new independent film Chiraq. Well during his time with the students, Spike decided to brush people the wrong way when he called out local music hero, Chance The Rapper, for being a fraud because of his fathers close ties with the Mayor. Spike then also went on to mock King Louie for getting shot in the head back in December, which Louie has since responded to on twitter (see here). Of course, Spike calling out Chance in his hometown didnt go unnoticed by the Save Money rapper though. On Tuesday afternoon, Chance decided to respond to Spikes comments on twitter, calling him a liar and lame, before admitting he has audio of Spike begging him to be in the film. If what Chance is saying is indeed true, looks like hell definitely get the last laugh with this little beef. Check out Chances tweets below. Chance The Rapper Sony Music reportedly plans to drop Lukasz Dr. Luke Gottwald in light of allegations that he emotionally, sexually, and physically abused Kesha. Kesha sued Dr. Luke for sexual assault and battery in 2014, alleging that he had raped her and subjected her to continual to abuse since signing her as an 18-year-old in 2005. Last month, a judges decision not to release Kesha from her contract with Sony sparked the #FreeKesha movement. TheWrap reports that the Sony is working to sever ties with Dr. Luke, 2-time ASCAP Pop Songwriter of the Year, a year before his contract expires. Some have wondered why the label didnt distance itself from Luke earlier. There is no contest. Kesha has no case in regards to her contract but they cant afford the Adeles of the world out in the streets calling the label unsupportive, a source told TheWrap. The fact that this hasnt already been taken care of with Luke is confusing, especially for people in the building. For the time being, Dr. Luke remains signed to Sony, as a a unilateral dissolution of Sonys contract with Luke would reportedly constitute a direct breach. Stay tuned as the story develops. Dr. Luke Indian eathouses, doggy diners & Spanish wine are all on this fortnight's menu Its often dismissed as urban myth, but during the 1980s asking for the wine-list in an even quite posh Waterford restaurant would routinely elicit a Blue or Black? response - these being the noxious Blue Nun and only slightly less gag-inducing Black Tower. A new arrival from the UK, I was also horrified to discover that the only Parmesan you could buy was the powdered stuff which smelt of dirty socks and came in a cut-off toilet roll; a similar lack of fresh basil, coriander and parsley, and a choice of ethnic restaurants that was limited to Chinese and Italian. In other words, the Ramen-slurping, Baba Ganoushmunching, Patatas Bravas-chomping, Naan Bread-scoffing, Bubble Tea-necking kids of today are completely feckin spoiled! There was certainly nobody in Ireland like Sunil Ghai, the Executive Chef at Ananda in Dundrum who any day now will be opening Pickles, his casual eats & drinkhouse on D2s Camden Street. A pakoras throw from Whelans, the emphasis will be on regional North Indian cuisine with spicy libations to match. picklerestaurant.com. Advertisement A look out of the Hot Press Central window confirms the major facelift our Dame Street neighbour, Pichet, is being given. While the builders are in, chef Stephen Gibson is presiding over a Pichet Pop-up in the Eastside Tavern on Stephens Green. pichetrestaurant.ie Following the HSEs mean-spirited crackdown on dogs in pubs, were delighted to report that Dublins first caninefriendly cafe, Pupp, has opened at 37 Clanbrassil Street. Ditching their Google tech jobs to go into business together, Ella Wallace and Paul Froggatt are causing a major buzz locally with their handmade pastries, locally roasted coffee and full range of hipster-ish doggy accessories. The Dublin Cookie Co. aims to do for biccies what Aungier Danger has done for donuts with the March 5 launch of its first shop in Thomas Street, D8. Already a festival and market favourite, their Chocolate Chip & Peanut numbers are pure baked goods porn. You can also go the DIY route by investing in a jar of their Cookie Dough. No offence to Fido, but we wouldn't be wasting them on dogs. thedublincookieco.com We'd have preferred a whole month but, hey, let's not be greedy! April 11-17 has been declared Ireland's inaugural Spanish Wine Week with a nationwide programme of events that includes a teatime glass of chilled Albarino and seafood tapa pairing in The Cliff Townhouse, Dublin (11) for just 3; paella 'n' wine tasting in L'Atitude, Cork (13); a Hidden Treasures & Curiosities night hosted by Tomas Clancy in 64 Wine, Glasthule (14); a Spanish Cheese, Meet & Wine night in Sheridan's, Galway (14), and a Spanish Evening in La Touche Wines, Greystones (16). And that really is just for starters. A su salud! winesfromspaininireland. wordpress.com If you happen to find yourself south of the Thames, artist Damien Hirst is having another go at this food lark with Pharmacy 2, a half-diner, half-drugstore residing in his Newport Street Gallery. Thankfully, dishes like the Rabbit & Crayfish Stargazy Pie, Duck Curry with Crispy Apple Pakora and Hunan Spiced Pork Broth are as striking as the decor. Mains come in at around 13, which is decent value for that part of London. Advertisement Finally, the Galway Bay empire has expanded into Dun Laoghaire with the opening on York Road of Beer Traders, which has 19 brews on draught and a bottle and can range that includes a fabulous 6.9% Edge Padrino porter from Spain. The 'Fifth Beatle' passed away last night The tributes have been pouring in to Sir George Martin, the man known as 'the fifth Beatle' who died at home on Tuesday night. The news was broken on Twitter by Ringo Starr who said, "Thank you for all your love and kindness, George." In a statement, Paul McCartney reflected that, ""I have so many wonderful memories of this great man that will be with me forever. He was a true gentleman and like a second father to me. He guided the career of The Beatles with such skill and good humour that he became a true friend to me and my family. If anyone earned the title of the Fifth Beatle it was George." Sean Ono Lennon added that, "I'm so gutted I don't have many words. Thinking of Judy and Giles and family. Love always." "RIP to my musical brother George Martin," reflects Quincy Jones. "We were friends since 1964, and I am so thankful for that gift." Born into a working-class North London family, the school-going Martin showed an early predilection for classical music and in 1947, as an accomplished oboe player, was admitted to the Guildhall School of Music. After a post-graduation spell at the BBC, he bagged a job with EMI in their Abbey Road studios and scored massive hits with such novelty hits as Bernard Cribbins' 'Right Said Fred', Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren's 'Goodness Gracious Me' and Charlie Drake's 'My Boomerang Won't Come Back'. Things got serious in 1962, though, when after they'd been turned down by Decca, Martin took a shine to The Beatles and signed them to Parlophone, despite concerns that their songwriting still needed finessing. It was his insisting that 'Love Me Do', originally a ballad, be sped up that gave the band their first major UK hit. Later on, it was Martin who came up with the idea of adding strings to 'Yesterday', the trumpet solo on 'Penny Lane' and the frantic baroque piano, which helps 'In My Life' achieve lift-off. He composed the instrumental scores for the band's A Hard Day's Night and Yellow Submarine movies, which further aided their rise to global superstardom. Away from the Fab Four, he produced Shirley Bassey and Paul McCartney's Goldfinger and Live & Let Die theme songs; made America the huge Stateside success they were; manned the desk when McCartney collaborated with Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, and helped Elton John break every record there is with the Princess Diana tribute rebooting of 'Candle In The Wind'. There were countless Grammy, Brit, Ivor Novello, BPI and Academy awards, and a long overdue 1999 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. In September 2008, the UCD Literary and Historical Society gave Martin their James Joyce Award, which he travelled over to Dublin to collect. David Arnold, a more recent musical contributor to the Bond films, says that he was "the kindest and gentlest genius I've ever met. We - and by that I mean everyone - in music are forever in your debt." While it's the likes of Rubber Soul, Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's you should probably turn to first, Hot Press was very taken with Love, the 2006 re-working of The Beatles' finest moments which Sir George and his son, Giles, assembled for the Cirque du Soleil Vegas show of the same name. It showed that Martin was still up for sonic experimentation, and not afraid to upset Beatles' purists. Hot Press has fond memories of the three National Concert Hall shows he performed in 1999, with a 65-piece orchestra and guest turns from the like of Leslie Dowdall, Brian Kennedy, Sean Keane, Eimear Quinn, Jimmy MacCarthy and Liam O Maonlai. Also paying their online respects are Richie Sambora who says, "We lost a true giant and innovator today. Sir George Martin. How he has changed our world is beyond words"; Josh Groban who reveals that: "Every time I record at Abbey Road I geek out and play with the mics sir George Martin used. What an ear, what a life, what a legacy", and Gary Barlow who observes: "A complete legend to us all. We're all still copying him, let's face it." We'll have more reaction to Sir George's death over the course of the day. Formerly known as Andy Wachowski, director and producer Lilly Wachowski joins her sister in identifying as a woman. In 2012 Lana Wachowski, once known as Larry Wachowski, made her first public appearance as a woman during the promotional run for their film Cloud Atlas. Four years on, her sister Lilly Washowski has made the defiant and brave decision to do the same. Unfortunately the circumstances of Lilly's decision to reveal her true identity arose from the pressure of being outed by the Daily Mail. In a statement released in Chicago's LGBT paper Windy Times, Lilly explained the reasoning behind her decision to identify herself publicly; "In response to this threatened public outing against my will, I had prepared a statement that was one part piss, one part vinegar and 12 parts gasoline," Lilly writes, "I knew at some point I would have to come out publicly. You know, when you're living as an out transgender person it's kind of difficult to hide. I just wantedneeded some time to get my head right, to feel comfortable. But apparently I don't get to decide this." She goes on to say; "Being transgender is not easy. We live in a majority-enforced gender binary world. This means when you're transgender you have to face the hard reality of living the rest of your life in a world that is openly hostile to you." The sister-duo, who are usually notoriously private, have taken the decision to use their platform in the public eye to fight against gender prejudice, support those who are transitioning and open a discussion on gender fluidity. To read Lilly Wachowski's statement in full, click here Alternatively, you can watch her sister's, Lana Waschowski, acceptance speech for a HRC Visibility award in 2012; Tree Top Industries Inc (OTCMKTS:TTII, TTII message board) has had a most impressive streak of jumps recently, and investors seem really excited about its stock but should they be? After all, we're talking about a company that hasn't filed a financial report in over a year, and last time it did, said report (which covered the third quarter of 2014) was not exactly impressive either: cash - $5 thousand current assets - $89 thousand current liabilities - $1.4 million quarterly revenues - $17 thousand (a 59% drop on a year-over-year basis) quarterly net loss - $84 thousand It appears that the only driving force behind this aggressive jump is the announcement that TTII is in negotiations with a Hong Kong-based company called Go Fun Group Holdings Ltd. for the acquisition of assets within the next few months. Let us reiterate that. A mediocre-looking pinksheets company that is not really in the habit of filing has exchanged non-binding letters of intent with a Chinese Ltd. company investors have no means of researching. Looking at the company like this should pretty much explain why investing in TTII is a huge gamble. Note that this does not necessarily mean that enterprising investors can't make money exploiting the windows of opportunity TTII's volatility creates. On the contrary opportunities for profitable trading may well present themselves yet. However, make no mistake since we know next to nothing about the company's recent activities and the potential pitfalls waiting for investors, committing to TTII stock is nothing but a blind gamble, and should be regarded as such. MEXICO CITY - Drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is willing to plead guilty to any charges in the United States if U.S. authorities promise him a short sentence in a medium-security prison, his lawyer said Wednesday. Guzman wants to accelerate the extradition process so he can escape harsh conditions in a Mexican maximum security prison, where guards will not let his client sleep, lawyer Jose Refugio Rodriguez said. Rodriguez said that he and Guzman's family are reviewing options for a U.S. defense attorney. "We have talked about a proposal to plead guilty to the charges in the United States without questioning their veracity," said Rodriguez, who heads Guzman's legal team. "That in exchange for a reduction in the applicable sentence like others have done in these situations, but also look for a medium-security prison so that he's not in the conditions that he has here," he said. He said the choice was "an act of desperation" because Guzman had "reached his limit." The man considered the leader of the Sinaloa cartel faces charges in seven U.S. attorneys' offices in cities. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City said it does not comment on extraditions. In Washington, Justice Department spokesman Peter Carr also declined to comment. Some Mexican drug suspects have reached plea deals with U.S. authorities, but it is not clear any have been able to negotiate terms on where they will be held. Guzman's lawyers had vowed to fight extradition as long as possible, and Mexican officials had acknowledged it would take at least a year and perhaps more for the extradition process to work its way through Mexican courts. Rodriguez suggested it could be done in two months, presumably if Guzman dropped an estimated nine appeals his lawyers have filed. However, Rodriguez said, "We won't drop the (legal) defense in Mexico until we have an agreement with the United States." Officials have acknowledged that guards at the Altiplano prison wake Guzman every four hours for a head count. He escaped the same prison in July and was recaptured in January. The harsher regime - Guzman also has fewer visits - seems to have broken him. "I saw a defeated, humiliated man," Rodriguez said. In February, Rodriguez gave The Associated Press a copy of Guzman's testimony in one of the cases against him. In it, the jailed drug lord accused prison authorities of torturing him by constantly waking him up, and said, "I feel like a sleepwalker." "My head and my ears always hurt and I feel bad all over," Guzman said in the document. The testimony also sheds light on the relatively permissive visitors' schedule Guzman enjoyed before his escape in July. It has been reduced since he was recaptured. Guzman said that previously he had been give an hour-and-a-half every day to talk to his lawyer and an hour in the sun in a prison patio. Every nine days, he was allowed a four-hour conjugal visit and a four-hour family visit. Guzman faces charges in a number of federal courts, and authorities have not said which U.S. prosecutors will have the first crack at the drug lord. Therefore, at this point there is no one to negotiate such a deal - not that anyone would likely be willing to do so before Guzman had even set foot in a U.S. courtroom. My wife Wendy returned last week from a trip to New Zealand. She was there for more than a week visiting friends who live near the countrys biggest city of Auckland (which, according to its residents, is properly pronounced awkland). Theres a 19-hour time difference between New Zealand and the U.S. Central time zone, where the Ozarks lies. Let me tell you that can mess with your mind. But before I throw out some time-related brain busters, heres a little bit more about where Wendy went. New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere and is extremely remote its about 900 miles east of Australia and 600 miles south of Fiji. Its primarily made up of two large islands the North Island and the South Island. With an area of 56,308 square miles, the South Island is the worlds 12th largest island, while the North Island is the 14th biggest island, at 43,082 square miles. Auckland is about the size of San Diego, with a population of a bit less than 1.5 million. That accounts for a whopping 32-percent of the countrys entire population. New Zealand a place where fjords meet high mountains, dense forests meet open plains, and its well known as the location for the filming of the three Lord of the Rings and three Hobbit movies. Because of its location near the International Dateline, New Zealand is pretty much the first country in the world to experience a given day. In turn, Kiwis (as the countrys citizens are called) are often shown on U.S. television as the planets first folks to celebrate a New Year, which of course means they were the first to find out Y2K was nothing to worry about. But while I understand the Earths rotation and the dateline concept and the fact it was summer in New Zealand while Wendy was there, this 19-hour thing was hard for me to grasp, and no matter how much I ponder it, its still mind-boggling. Here are two amazing examples. Wendy first flew to Los Angeles, and actually stayed overnight with another friend who lives there. The next day, she left LAX (L.A. International Airport) at about 9:45 p.m. After a 13-hour flight, she arrived in Auckland at about 7:30 a.m. SATURDAY. When I first looked at her flight itinerary and saw that equation, I went right into mind overload and stayed there for about two weeks. Somehow, she missed Friday. I guess she flew right over it. Friday passed underneath the Boeing 787 she and a bunch of other people were aboard. Wasnt there a made-for-TV Stephen King mini-series about something like that? If not, there should have been. I was like, where did Friday go? While she was in New Zealand, we corresponded mostly by email because trying to figure out when to Skype was pretty hard since in Auckland it was always sometime tomorrow or the middle of the night or the next day (or whatever). So after traveling forward in time on the way there and then finishing her stay south of the equator, Wendy boarded a Boeing 777 time machine that took her back to North America, and basically experienced her own version of the classic Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day. She boarded the jumbo jet at 7:45 p.m. on a Tuesday and arrived in L.A. at here it comes 10 a.m. THE SAME DAY. So she basically got all the way to nighttime, spent more than a dozen hours in the air, and then more or less started the same day over again. I think Punxsutawney Phil was there to greet her when she got off the plane. Meanwhile, I guess someone, somewhere was skipping that particular Tuesday. Thats downright confusing. Wendy stayed in L.A. a few nights with her friend and then made it back to Lambert Airport in St. Louis last Friday evening. Not surprisingly, she slept quite a bit last weekend. Her body had to figure out what day it was. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. During Consumer Protection Week ACCC Offers Tips to Avoid Financial Scams National non-profit American Consumer Credit Counseling provides consumers with guidelines on how to effectively avoid costly scams Posted by Press Releases on Wednesday, 03-09-2016 7:47 am Currently 5.0/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5 5.0 from 1 votes Boston, MA (PRWEB) March 07, 2016It is not unusual for everyday scam artists to come up with clever attempts to defraud millions of consumers out of their hard earned money. In order to prevent consumers from falling for these tricks, national non-profit American Consumer Credit Counseling has created a set of tips to help consumers avoid scams.Scammers often use the internet, phone, email and pop-ups in an illegal attempt to defraud millions of consumers, said Steve Trumble, President and CEO of American Consumer Credit Counseling, which is located in Newton, MA. Understanding all the different outlets and mechanism used by scammers, and how to best guard against fraud can help consumers avoid falling for common traps. In an effort to assist consumers, we have created a set of tips to help effectively avoid scams.According to the FTC Consumer Fraud Study, there were more than 2.58 million consumer complaints in 2014, a 16 percent increase from 2013. The mos... Close Forgot Your Password? Enter in your email address and we will send it to you. Send Email An HR.com member profile provides you with access to a multitude of information and education along with the opportunity to network with the largest HR community on the web. If you need any help, call .877.472.6648 and ask for our Member Experience Co-ordinator. Hi Please check your email for an activation link. If you do not receive your activation email within a few minutes, check your spam folder or call our Help Desk at 1.877.472.6648 For faster assistance, dial extension 4. Thank you! Continue Hi Verification error - Please enter the correct code above. Verified Wow! You have successfully verified the account Continue Hi your HR.com account is ready Your Profile completion: 30% Complete your profile Impetus recognised as a Dream Company to Work for in India 2016' at the World HRD Congress for the second time in a row! Also sees its VP Operations & Human Empowerment Group, Sanjeev Agrawal, awarded Posted by Press Releases on Wednesday, 03-09-2016 12:23 am Currently 0.0/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5 0.0 from 0 votes New Delhi, February 19, 2016: Underlining its position as a great place to work, Impetus Infotech (India) Pvt. Ltd., a big data thought leader and a software services & solutions company, was recently ranked 14th in the list of Dream Companies to Work for in India 2016 at the World HRD Congress. Impetus emerged as one of the leaders in this category which saw over 460 participating companies across multiple industries. This year Impetus was also recognized under two individual categories - Managing Health at Work and Institution Building. The companys position as a leader in HRD was also bolstered by its VP Operations & Human Empowerment Group, Sanjeev Agrawal, being named The Most Influential HR Leader at the event which took place on February 16 in Mumbai. The World HRD Congress Awards recognise the efforts of organisations that have demonstrated excellence through their innovative programs, showing clear and measurable business res... Close Forgot Your Password? Enter in your email address and we will send it to you. Send Email An HR.com member profile provides you with access to a multitude of information and education along with the opportunity to network with the largest HR community on the web. If you need any help, call .877.472.6648 and ask for our Member Experience Co-ordinator. Hi Please check your email for an activation link. If you do not receive your activation email within a few minutes, check your spam folder or call our Help Desk at 1.877.472.6648 For faster assistance, dial extension 4. Thank you! Continue Hi Verification error - Please enter the correct code above. Verified Wow! You have successfully verified the account Continue Hi your HR.com account is ready Your Profile completion: 30% Complete your profile Linda Parent, Director of Relocation for Paragon Real Estate Group Takes Home Two International Real Estate Awards with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World Linda Parent, Director of Relocation, Anita Head, General Manager and Shelley Greeves, Vice Posted by Press Releases on Wednesday, 03-09-2016 7:54 am Currently 0.0/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5 0.0 from 0 votes San Francisco, California (PRWEB) March 07, 2016Linda Parent and Paragon Real Estate Group were recognized for first place for the Pinnacle Award, and for 2015 Award of Excellence Equivalent Closing Sales Production throughout the network. "We are so proud of Linda and her amazing results and awards for Paragon. We are truly honored to work with her on our team and be a part of the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World Network." - Anita Head, Founder and General ManagerThe conference was open exclusively to brokers, managers and relocation professionals affiliated with LeadingRE, a global community of real estate companies awarded membership based on rigorous standards for service and performance. Linda Parent took home two awards - The 2015 Pinnacle Award and 2015 Award of Excellence for Equivalent Closing Sales Production.Paragon Real Estate Group is the San Francisco Bay Area representative of LeadingRE, the largest network of premier locally-branded firms in more tha... Close Forgot Your Password? Enter in your email address and we will send it to you. Send Email An HR.com member profile provides you with access to a multitude of information and education along with the opportunity to network with the largest HR community on the web. If you need any help, call .877.472.6648 and ask for our Member Experience Co-ordinator. Hi Please check your email for an activation link. If you do not receive your activation email within a few minutes, check your spam folder or call our Help Desk at 1.877.472.6648 For faster assistance, dial extension 4. Thank you! Continue Hi Verification error - Please enter the correct code above. Verified Wow! You have successfully verified the account Continue Hi your HR.com account is ready Your Profile completion: 30% Complete your profile Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-03-09 Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW No. 46/16 09.03.2016 [A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS [01] Davutoglu: We are very close to a solution both in the Aegean and in Cyprus [02] Piri: The EU should do whatever is possible to support the solution in Cyprus [03] Bulgarian MEP says that the EU has not undertaken an active role in the occupied area of Cyprus until today [04] Talat: The "economic cooperation protocol" for the period 2016-2018 has been sent to Turkey [05] The breakaway regime is participating in the Tourism "ITB Berlin Fair" [06] "National History Museum" to be opened in the breakaway regime with the assistance of Cicek [07] Davutoglu: Turkey's game changing proposal, has the potential to tackle the refugee crisis [08] Turkish columnists on Turkey's refugee plan [A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS [01] Davutoglu: We are very close to a solution both in the Aegean and in Cyprus Turkish Cypriot daily Diyalog newspaper (09.03.16) reports that Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has given positive messages on the issues of the Aegean and Cyprus after meeting with his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras, who visited Izmir yesterday becoming the first Greek Prime Minister who visited the above-mentioned city after 95 years. In statements after the meeting Davutoglu said that they discussed very sincerely and in a friendly way the problems in the Aegean and Cyprus as well as the minority rights and added: "[?] I thank Mr Tsipras for the understanding and cooperation which he exhibited in all consultations. We are very close to the solution both in the problems in the Aegean and in Cyprus. By showing strong will, we can overcome the problems accumulated for decades and turn the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean into a center of attraction. [?]" According to the paper, the Greek Prime Minister said that they agreed that the Cyprus problem should be solved in a just and lasting manner on the basis of the UN resolutions and within the framework of the EU. (I/Ts.) [02] Piri: The EU should do whatever is possible to support the solution in Cyprus Under the title "Europe will support the solution", Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (09.03.16) reports that the European Parliament's Reporter on Turkey, Kati Piri has said that the EP and the European Commission should do whatever is possible for supporting the solution to be found in Cyprus. In joint statements to Havadis and the Cyprus News Agency, Piri noted that she is certain that the EP will ask from the European Commission to ensure the adequate financing for supporting a solution in Cyprus, adding that an agreement in Cyprus would be a very important development not only for the island but for Europe as well. Replying to a question, Piri said that the fact that Turkey's accession talks are not advancing quickly and effectively during the past decade has no relation with the developments in Turkey itself, but with the political developments in European countries such as France and Germany. (I/Ts.) [03] Bulgarian MEP says that the EU has not undertaken an active role in the occupied area of Cyprus until today Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (09.03.16) reports that Ilhan Kucuk, Bulgarian member of the European Parliament and member of the EP's Foreign Affairs Committee, has argued that the EU has not undertaken an active role in the occupied northern part of Cyprus until today. In statements to Kibris Postasi in Strasbourg, Kucuk expressed the hope that a positive result will come up in a possible referendum for the solution of the Cyprus problem and after that more aid will be given and a more active diplomacy and work will be conducted. Pointing out to the two leaders in Cyprus, Kucuk argued that this is the last chance for a solution in Cyprus in these conditions and alleged that Turkey playing a bigger role in the EU would be positive for Cyprus. He claimed that if a referendum for the solution in Cyprus is not held in 2016 it will not be possible to take a result, alleging that "Turkey's target is evident, what Turkey wants is the unification of the island". "We want to see both Turkey and the other Balkan countries in the EU", said Kucuk adding that they support the Republic of Cyprus' application for the Turkish language to become an official language of the Union. Referring to the concerns that this will be a costly and troublesome procedure, Kucuk argued that "in any case democracy is not an easy and cheap thing". (I/Ts.) [04] Talat: The "economic cooperation protocol" for the period 2016-2018 has been sent to Turkey Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (09.03.16) reports that Mehmet Ali Talat, chairman of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), has said that the preparation of the "economic cooperation protocol" with Turkey for the period 2016-2018 is completed and the "protocol" has been sent to Turkey. In statements to Kanal Sim television yesterday, Talat noted that some reforms are included in the package and support is to be provided for these reforms. Talat said that he does not know how Turkey will reply on this issue. Referring to the self-styled electricity authority of the regime (KIB-TEK), Talat recalled that Turkey wants "KIB-TEK" to be separated and the distribution and the revenue collection to be privatized. Pointing out that there will be a disagreement with Turkey on this issue, Talat noted that the "government" argues that the "KIB-TEK" should be automated. Talat said that he does not understand Turkey's logic on this issue and added: "What is the logic of the distribution and revenue collection being privatized now? There is no problem in the revenue collection now. I do not know whether they will insist again on this issue, because when the protocol in 2012 had been signed, the KIB-TEK could not collect the revenue properly". Referring to the occupied ports and the self-styled telecommunication authority, Talat said that different models could be considered on them. (I/Ts.) [05] The breakaway regime is participating in the Tourism "ITB Berlin Fair" Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (09.03.16) reports that the breakaway regime is participating in the international "ITB Berlin Fair" which according to the paper is the biggest tourism fair in the world. The "ministry of tourism" along with travel agencies, the "Turkish Cypriot hotel owners union" and the "Turkish Cypriot tourist guides union" are taking part in the delegation of the breakaway regime which is headed by the "minister of tourism" Faiz Sucuoglu who is expected to hold various contacts in Germany and to participate in various meetings. He will mainly meet with German tourist operators and exert efforts to increase German visitors in the occupied area of Cyprus, writes the paper. In statements to Kibris, Sucuoglu said that they have been prepared for a month now for the tourism fair and noted how important their participation to the fair is. (CS) [06] "National History Museum" to be opened in the breakaway regime with the assistance of Cicek Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (09.03.16) reports that the "Keryneia University" and the "Near East University" will co-operate for a common project aiming to construct "the biggest and more comprehensive historic museum of Cyprus". The "National History Museum" will be constructed with the assistance and encouragement of the Turkish politician and businessman Cemil Cicek who served as Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA). According to the paper, the museum will cover the 445 years of Turkish Cypriot history in Cyprus and will be opened on July 20. (CS) [07] Davutoglu: Turkey's game changing proposal has the potential to tackle the refugee crisis Turkish daily Sabah newspaper (09.03.16) reports that the Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu spoke to Turkish journalists on his way back to Turkey from Brussels and stated that the negotiation process with EU leaders in Brussels was productive and Turkey's game changing proposal, has the potential to tackle the refugee crisis. He also indicated that there was an urgent need for reaching an agreement to stem the refugee flow. "It was a fruitful negotiation process," he said in reference to the summit, which ran into early hours of Tuesday. Davutoglu said there will be a dramatic decrease in the number of refugees crossing to Greece within a month. "Once they realize they will be sent back, they will not even attempt to make the crossing," he said, adding: "This does not mean Europe will stop taking in refugees just because the flow has ended. Europe will continue to admit a designated number of refugees." Concerning the agreement on increasing the amount of EU funding for Syrians in Turkey from 3 billion euros to 6 billion euros, Davutoglu said he told the European leaders that the cost of hosting the refugees was constantly increasing and that all the cost of the remittance process and sending migrants back to their countries should be borne by the EU. "This means an extra 3 billion euros. [European officials] didn't mention it in their post-summit remarks because they need a summit decision for approval. They need to prepare for March 18. Europe will make 6 billion euros available, 3 billion euros for 2016 and 3 billion euros for 2017 and 2018. Additionally, we asked for the opening of membership negotiation chapters 15, 23, 24, 26 and 31. Cyprus is resisting. We will see how these will be finalized on March 18." Davutoglu said Parliament needs to approve nine separate laws to ensure Turkish citizens could benefit from the lifting of the EU visa requirement. He also said European leaders had to pressure Cyprus to consent to the visa plan. [08] Turkish columnists on Turkey's refugee plan The issue of the Turkey's refugee plan was the subject of some columnists in the Turkish press today. Under the title "Turkey's move likely to shift balances within EU, columnist Murat Yetkin writes the following in Hurriyet Daily News (09.03.16): "[?] Turkey has raised its offers and demands regarding the plan to secure control over the migration from Syria (and elsewhere) into the EU, thus reactivating Ankara's relations with the EU. The original plan was initiated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her Oct. 18 visit to Istanbul to meet Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. The plan suggested the following: 1) A 3-billion euro fund to hold Europe-bound migrants in Turkey. 2) Visa-free travel for Turkish citizens within the Schengen states simultaneous with the implementation of a re-admission agreement between Turkey and the EU. 3) Reactivation of Turkey's EU membership negotiations by opening up six new chapters, including those blocked by the Greek Cypriots. 4) Inviting the Turkish government back to EU summits as a candidate country. [?] There wasn't even unanimous agreement within the EU on Merkel's original plan. Despite her realistic efforts, some EU countries declined any agreement with Turkey that could reactivate Ankara's practically frozen membership process. [?] What Turkey was suggesting regarding the sharing of immigrants, particularly those illegally using or having used the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece, appears to have pleased not only Merkel but also European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council head Donald Tusk. [?] Bit if the EU leadership cannot convince all EU leaders, it could mean fiasco for the union, with unpredictable consequences not only regarding the flow of immigrants. [?] Again, the consequences of this would not be limited to the refugee problem." In addition, under the title "Turkey's refugee plan offers breakthrough", Serkan Demirtas also writes the following in Hurriyet Daily News (09.03.16): "[?] the Turkish government surprised EU leaders with a new and ambitious package of proposals. Ankara's proposals consist of its willingness to readmit all irregular migrants crossing to the Greek islands from Turkey, to station immigration and liaison officers to help facilitate the processing of readmission cases. [?] In return, the EU will pay an additional 3 billion euros to Turkey by the end of 2018, will realize the lifting of visa requirements for Turkish citizens in the Schengen zone (by the end of June at the latest, instead of October), will work to open new chapters, and will cooperate with Turkey to create safe areas inside Syria for the future settlement of new refugees. One of the most important differences between the action plan crafted on Nov. 29, 2015 and the plan on March 7 is that while the former aimed to stem the flow of refugees from Turkey to EU countries, the latter focuses on stopping the flow of irregular migrants. This should be regarded as a very drastic and bold change in Turkey's position, which was appreciated by a number of EU leaders during the summit. [?] However, there are serious questions before the full and efficient implementation of the latest plan. The first is the legality of the agreement to send people back to Turkey without guarantees for their protection, as cited by international and European law. The U.N. and international organizations immediately voiced their concerns about the fact that the agreement does not underline the protection of asylum-seekers in their return to Turkey. Another problem is the fact that it will not be easy to convince Greek Cyprus to lift its veto on the five negotiation chapters that Turkey demands to be opened from the EU. A third problem is the serious disagreement between EU countries on refugee quotas, with a number of countries - especially Central and Eastern European countries - voicing opposition to the resettlement of Syrians. [?] If agreed to and implemented in an efficient way, this plan would put an end to the growing tragedy of refugees by imposing a legal order on those who want to be settled in EU countries, therefore saving the lives of thousands of asylum-seekers and solving a tragic humanitarian problem. Equally important, the successful realization of this plan would further increase the level of cooperation between Turkey and EU states. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio (CS/AM) Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-03-09 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at CONTENTS [01] PM Tsipras chairs meeting with ministers on refugees and summit [02] Economic stability will pave the way for debt restructuring, Economy Minister says [03] Boat with 110 refugees and migrants located off Samothrace [01] PM Tsipras chairs meeting with ministers on refugees and summit Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is currently chairing a meeting with ministers and his close associates at his office in parliament. The meeting focuses on the restart of the negotiations with the institutions, the evaluation of the EU-Turkey Summit and of the Greece-Turkey High Cooperation Council meeting held in Izmir on Tuesday as well as the course of the parliamentary work. [02] Economic stability will pave the way for debt restructuring, Economy Minister says "Today we start talks to complete the first review," Economy, Development and Tourism Minister George Stathakis said on Wednesday. Addressing a "Digital Economy Forum 2016 - The restart is digital", organized by the Federation of Information Technology and Communications Enterprises (SEPE), Stathakis said that the stabilisation of the economy, following the summer 2015 agreement, the two successful rounds of negotiations in autumn and the recapitalisation of Greek banks and completion of the first review of the Greek programme, will pave the way for a restructuring of the Greek debt and the return of the economy to growth in the second half of the year. He added that the Economy ministry will soon announce new actions in the framework of the 2014-2020 EU funds programme. He said that the ministry will soon table to Parliament a new regulatory framework for public procurement, unifying tender and public procurement regulations for all kind of projects, services and goods. He said that a new development plan for the country will be announced soon in agreement with the institutions. [03] Boat with 110 refugees and migrants located off Samothrace Approximately 110 migrants and refugees among them 40 children and infants were located in a wooden boat near the islet Zourafa east of Samothrace. The wooden boat was spotted by a coast guard patrol vessel sailing in the rain and immediately transferred the people to Alexandroupolis port. Currently the refugees and migrant are being identified and afterwards they will be sent to the first reception center at Orestiada. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article HR function, like all others, can be prone to overcomplicating things making mountains out of molehills and falling into the all-too-human trap of needless complexity.Naomi Mourra, head of HR, Australia & New Zealand for BBC Worldwide, sat down with HRD and talked about how HR could better communicate with staff be remembering to KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid).I think were guilty of staring into things for too long, she said. We feel like its an important job that we do and we want to be able to express that in some way. We want people to recognise that what we do is important and we feel slightly defensive about peoples attitude towards us.This can stem from HR often perceived as being detached when it comes to communication.Some HR teams suffer from being overly quiet, almost to the point that people arent engaged. They believe anything coming from HR is not for them, she said.Instead, HR should try and bring forward the fact that the function is important to every single employee in an organisation.Were talking about them, so what we do really matters to most people, she explained. However, we can bore them, we can be too dry, we can be a joke but we have an opportunity to be very different.Mourra has taken this approach to heart in her current role injecting humour and a lighter touch into her actions, especially in corporate communications.For instance, she has tried to shift perceptions around performance appraisals at BBC Worldwide.Usually, appraisal time was communicated the same way each year an email from the CEO, followed by something from the HRD with more specific instructions.But the emails I send now are very irreverent and cheeky. For example, one might say, Its that time of year. I get it, you dont love it. Its acknowledging how people are feeling but also trying to heighten what the good things are and not losing sight of that.One area in which HR has to be careful is not to dumb things down too much, Mourra noted. Self-awareness and keeping things light is essential, she added.The way we counterbalance the dumbing down is amping up the humour. So even if were dumbing it down, acknowledge that Ok, were dumbing it down but thats ok. Its meant to be funny.She gave an example of a recent communication pack about bonuses which used gelato and beer in basic graphs. For instance, OTE packages were described in terms of pints of beer earned.People were sitting there with smiles on their faces. Its very effective to be able to visualise something simply. We do try and modify our comms to be just a little more creative and it doesnt have to be expensive. No journalist likes seeing their name below the byline, but Alex Savidge probably cares more that he's alive. The reporter, who works for San Francisco's KTVU, was nearly hit by a car Tuesday while reporting live on a train derailment, according to the outlet. Advertisement Savidge was standing in a 7-Eleven parking lot when the car sailed towards him. Photographer Chip Vaughan yelled at him to get out of the way just in time but only by chance did Savidge jump in the right direction. Both the station and Savidge tweeted later that he and Vaughan were okay. My heart's racing like crazy! Almost got hit by a car live on air, but I'm OK-Thanks everyone for your concern @KTVUpic.twitter.com/dQi7K2kKzD Alex Savidge (@AlexSavidgeKTVU) March 8, 2016 Close call for @AlexSavidgeKTVU@VaughanChip this am. Everyone is ok. Thanks for all your kind thoughts pic.twitter.com/6AU3poGiD7 KTVU (@KTVU) March 8, 2016 This isn't the first heart-stopping moment caught on live TV. A journalist in Minnesota was reporting live on a bank robbery in December when the suspect ran through his shot. Advertisement CNN anchor Poppy Harlow, who is pregnant, also had a scary moment last year when she passed out while reporting a story. Also on HuffPost ParlVu Something unusual happened in the House of Commons Tuesday. Every Conservative who stood up during question period was a woman a spectacle one MP noted as a remarkable improvement. Interim party leader Rona Ambrose celebrated the all woman line-up of strong members of the House as a way to mark International Womens Day. Advertisement Proud of our strong all women line-up in Question Period today. Holding the Liberals accountable! #ConservativeWomen#IWD2016 Rona Ambrose (@RonaAmbrose) March 8, 2016 She opened question period by imploring that the prime minister help Yazidi girls who are being targeted by Islamic State militants come to Canada under the aid of the countrys join-sponsorship program. Those who can actually flee with their lives are now languishing in IDP (internally displaced person) camps, but Mr. Speaker, we can help them. We can bring them to Canada, Ambrose said. Iraqi girls need our help In Question Period today I asked Justin Trudeau if the Liberals would prioritize helping Yazidi girls in Iraq who are being targeted by ISIS for rape, torture, and murder. On International Womens Day, of all days, I hoped he would have simply answered yes. Posted by Hon. Rona Ambrose on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 Advertisement Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded by saying his government is open to all suggestions. He added that Canada is a place that will accept people not just because theyre fleeing tremendous hardship, (but) because they will contribute to economic growth and success of this country in the years to come. Ambrose: I call myself a feminist Ambrose, MP for the Alberta riding of Sturgeon River Parkland, set politics aside for a moment to explain to Canadians what being a feminist means to her. I am proud to be one of the few women in Canadian history that has led a national political party, Ambrose wrote in an Instagram post. The declaration comes a day after Trudeau reiterated that hes a feminist. I myself am a feminist and I believe that we need to make sure that we have pay equity and gender equality right across the board, he said during a global town hall hosted by The Huffington Post Canada in Toronto. Advertisement A record 88 women were elected to Parliament in October, but its a number that still pales when one considers there are 338 seats in the House. Also on HuffPost: Tilikum the killer whale's difficult life may be reaching its end. The orca that became a poster whale of sorts for a campaign to end cetacean captivity is being treated for a respiratory condition that could well kill him down the road, SeaWorld said Tuesday. "I wish I could say I was tremendously optimistic about Tilikum, and his future, but he has a disease which is chronic and progressive and at some point might cause his death," veterinarian Dr. Scott Gearhart said in a health update posted to YouTube. Advertisement "We have not found a cure for this disease at this point." The disease is found in a variety of species and Tilikum is receiving antibiotics he injects through eating fish. "If Tilikum had shown up with this disease in the wild, there's no doubt he would have been gone a long time ago," Gearhart said. Tilikum became the focal point of an anti-captivity movement after he was the subject of the 2013 documentary "Blackfish." Advertisement The film recounted his life, beginning with his capture and captivity at Sealand of the Pacific in Oak Bay, B.C. There, Tilikum was confined to a small pen, and he had difficulty bonding with fellow whales who would "rak[e] him" with their teeth, The Times-Colonist reported. Tilikum, along with whales Nootka and Haida, was later implicated in the death of Sealand trainer Keltie Byrne, who drowned after she fell into the pool and the animals repeatedly pulled her under, said The Telegraph. Sealand shut down following the incident. Tilikum was later sold to SeaWorld Orlando, where he would be named in the 1999 death of a man who slipped into his pool after the park closed. Bite marks were found on the man's body, but it was never determined whether the whale drowned him. Advertisement Then in 2010, trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed after Tilikum pulled her from the side of a tank and submerged her beneath the water, the LA Times reported. "Blackfish" proved to be a very popular documentary, its impact manifested in efforts to end cetacean captivity across North America. In 2015, Ontario's government passed a bill that banned breeding and acquiring killer whales. Kiska, an orca that lives at Marineland in Niagara Falls, was exempted from the bill. Also on HuffPost: Tessa Hill and Lia Valente, two teens who convinced Ontario premier Kathleen Wynn to put consent into the updated sex-ed curriculum last year, have been named the youngest-ever winners of YWCA Toronto's Women of Distinction award. Now 15 and 14 respectively, Hill and Valente set out to make a documentary about rape culture for a grade 8 school project when they were just 13. Part of the assignment included a call to action, so they started a campaign called "We Give Consent" and put up a petition on Change.org. Advertisement It went viral, garnering 40,000 signatures. This got Premier Wynn to invite them to a meeting and their request for the inclusion of consent was successful. "Tessa and Lia, the youngest Young Women of Distinction ever recognized by YWCA Toronto, and their successful campaign on sexual consent shows the power of voice and the change it can bring when women work for women," YWCA Toronto CEO Heather McGregor told HuffPost Canada. When The Huffington Post Canada premiered their documentary, "Allegedly," last June, the young women wrote "because of this project, the two of us were dropped right into this amazing community of feminists and activists in our city. We both learned so much by doing presentations and panels about the issue of rape culture, and by just having discussions about feminism." Other Women of Distinction award winners included Roberta L. Jamieson, who has been fighting for indigenous women's rights for five decades, TD Bank's Colleen Johnston, for her efforts promoting women's corporate leadership, Reeta Roy, whose MasterCard Foundation has been working to improve conditions for female farmers in African. Advertisement Though the recipients were announced today to mark International Women's Day, the 2016 YWCA Women of Distinction Awards Event will be held May 26th. Also on HuffPost An Air France passenger will not be prosecuted after she reportedly hid a four-year-old girl in a carry-on bag on a flight from Istanbul to Paris. A woman was arrested at Charles de Gaulle Airport on Monday after she had allegedly hidden a Haitian girl she was in the process of adopting in a bag at her feet during the flight, AFP reports. Advertisement A source told the news agency that the woman had been denied access to a flight after passing security with the child, and later boarded another plane with the girl in her bag. The bag was placed on the floor and she draped a blanket over it before the girl indicated that she had to go to the bathroom. Eventually, a fellow passenger noticed something moving inside the bag, Planet.fr reported in French. Advertisement Halfway through the flight, an attendant found the child who looked to be one or two years old, another passenger said. The woman and the child were then moved to the front of the plane. No one on the flight was informed about what happened over the PA system, Planet.fr reported. A source told AFP that the woman will not face prosecution. They were still at the airport as recently as Wednesday, as authorities completed their investigations. The child is doing fine, added Planet.fr. In a statement to Mashable, Air France said it is "fully cooperat[ing] with the investigation underway being conducted by the competent authorities." Advertisement Also on HuffPost The United Nations and at least one NGO have called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to address water issues in Canada's First Nations, citing human rights and cultural reasons. Human Rights Watch called on Canada to address the water advisories affecting more than 100 First Nations communities in a "dispatch" report on its website. Advertisement Senior researcher Amanda Klasing wrote that Trudeau promised during his federal election campaign to end these advisories within five years. "This isnt just a campaign promise but a human rights obligation," she wrote. Defending against the UN Canada defended its record in February at the United Nations, which wrapped up its 10-year review of the country's commitment to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Thirty civil society organizations took part in the review, including Grassy Narrows First Nations. Deputy chief Randy Fobister, told The Huffington Post Canada he attended the hearings to pressure Ottawa to help clearn mercury contamination in the water that has poisoned fish and caused chronic health problems in his community over the last 40 years. Advertisement Grassy Narrows First Nation Chief Roger Fobister is pictured in front of portraits of former lieutenant-governors of Upper Canada which hang in the Ontario Legislature on Aug. 24 2015. (Photo: Chris Young/The Canadian Press) "It's very frustrating when you know every day the [water treatment] plant is unsafe," he said, adding that it's a "basic right" to have safe and clean drinking water. The UN report said First Nations do not have proper water regulations. It called on the government to respect economic rights to water and its cultural significance for First Nations peoples. We are water, and we need water to stay alive. In 2010, the Ontario Native Women's Association collected reflections from 11 grandmothers about the sacred relationship indigenous peoples have to water. Inuit woman Rhoda Innuksuk said if water cannot be used to bathe, people cannot stay healthy. We are water, and we need water to stay alive," she said. Women in particular are "carriers of water," because women's bodies have the capacity to host and sustain the life force water represents. Advertisement You cant have birth without water," Metis woman Maria Campbell said. "That time between the spirit world and being born, you cant have that without water. State of emergency In February, a First Nation community in northwester Ontario called a state of emergency due to radioactive particles and higher than normal lead levels in its drinking water, according to APTN News. Its a very scary issue. Northwest Angle #33 First Nation received a do not consume advisory, which is a notch above a boil-water advisory. The community also has high cancer rates believed to be linked to the water. Its a very scary issue," land manager Norma Girard told the news outlet. How many more of our people do we have to see suffer and die from cancer? Northwest Angle #33 has been handing out bottled water to residents since 2011, funded by "wherever we can find it," Girard said. Residents have been relying on portable water-treatment facilities for the last 15 years, which were put in place at the time as a "temporary solution," she added. Vitamin-water donations Shoal Lake 40, an isolated reserve on the Manitoba-Ontario border, has been under a boil-water advisory for 18 years. Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett recently announced the community would be getting an all-weather road connecting the community to the mainland. Advertisement A company called Unique Foods Canada also announced last week it would be donating 30,000 bottles of its vitamin-enriched water to Shoal Lake 40, and to Six Nations First Nation in Ontario, according to Vice News. Kavin Redsky, Shoal Lake 40 First Nation water plant operator, prepares to treat water from the lake with chlorine in one of the community's ten water treatment plants. (Photo: John Woods/The Canadian Press) Six Nations Chief Ava Hill said that community was grateful for the donation, but Daryl Redsky of Shoal Lake 40 says it isn't a long-term solution. "Oh heck! So we don't need a water treatment plant, we'll just get water bottles sent," Redsky said. "It's a long-term benefit to the company, but it's not a long-term solution to our community." Advertisement First Nations peoples have also faced the threat of water privatization, or public-private partnerships between companies and the government, according to the Council of Canadians. In 2006, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs announced it would be pursuing partnerships with the private sector to upgrade infrastructure on reserves, after natural gas company Terasen Utilities created a new subsidiary called First Nations Utility Services. The UN report called on Canada to live up to its commitment to ensure First Nations peoples have safe access to drinking water and to sanitation, while ensuring their participation in the managing process. With files from the Canadian Press, and The Huffington Post Canada's Althia Raj Also on HuffPost 11 Facts About Canada's First Nations See Gallery As luxury retailer Saks rolls out in Canada, a new report says its bringing with it an unprecedented level of store surveillance both for security and for the purposes of tracking customers. None of the other retail work weve done has anywhere near this kind of security, an unnamed source close to Saks Canadian development plans told The Guardian. Besides battering ram-proof doors and metal bollards to prevent cars from crashing through, Saks is reportedly bringing its nascent facial-recognition technology to Canadian locations. Camera feeds will be viewable from the company's New York headquarters, The Guardian reports. (Saks is owned by Hudson's Bay Company but maintains head offices in New York.) Advertisement Its an idea that seemed until recently to be straight out of science fiction, specifically Steven Spielbergs Minority Report, in which Tom Cruises character is frequently solicited by talking ads that recognize his face. (The road youre on, John Anderton, is the one less traveled.) But privacy experts say there is more to be considered than the prospect of personalized ads (or one-to-one marketing, as its known in the business). "There's an information exchange there, and it raises questions about what sharing is happening and with whom," Geoff White, a lawyer for the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, told Canada AM. Advertisement While shoppers may be used to the idea that online retailers collect detailed information about them, I question how aware the average Canadian is about the level of surveillance that may be happening at physical stores, White said. Its not just Saks, or even luxury retailers. According to Bloomberg, Walmart, Macys, Giorgio Armani and Benetton are among the retailers considering or testing facial recognition technology (though a few have officially denied this). But even that is nothing compared to Britain. In the U.K. which has long been an early adopter of surveillance technologies one-quarter of retailers are reportedly already using facial recognition tech, including six out of 10 fashion retailers. One industry insider there admitted facial-recog tech is creepy, but argued the technology is necessary if brick-and-mortar retailers are going to compete with online retailers, who can collect much more data on their customers. Advertisement But Joseph Atick, a physicist who was instrumental in developing facial recognition tech in the 1990s, says the impact of the technology hasnt yet been full grasped. Consumers dont yet understand the power of a machine that can recognize a human and what that power could do to humanity if it falls into the wrong hands, he told Bloomberg. For some idea of what can happen when facial recog tech goes wrong, see the above-mentioned Minority Report. Should stores use facial recognition technology, for security or marketing purposes? Let us know in the comments below. Advertisement There was something fishy about the water when a volunteer fire department went to battle a grass fire in Aylesford, N.S. on Tuesday. Shawn Carey, chief of Nova Scotia's Aylesworth and District Volunteer Fire Department, told The Huffington Post Canada that water wasn't pumping out of a nearby fire hydrant. So, the firefighters on scene took the hydrant apart. This is what they found in its top half: Advertisement Water wasn't flowing because about a dozen fish, some still alive, somehow swam past a strainer and lodged themselves inside. Carey was at a loss to explain how the fish, which looked to him like American bullhead, ended up there. "Somehow they got by the [strainer] on the bottom, which is the exact same size as the one on the top," he told HuffPost Canada. Carey said the fish that were still alive were wriggling and thrashing inside the hydrant when the crew opened it up. Advertisement Firefighters removed the dead ones and then flushed out their hose to ensure there weren't any other fish stuck inside. This isn't the first time that creatures have clogged up a fire hydrant, NovaNewsNow.com reported. Lt. Blake Orman of the Kentville Fire Department said salamanders once blocked water to a hydrant at Silver Lake. "Usually, there are strainers on the end [that's] in the the water to prevent this from happening, but the salamanders were small enought to fit through," he said. And in 1912, a hydrant under the purview of the Canning Fire Department was blocked when some eels swam inside. Advertisement Also on HuffPost: Although Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was able to bring Canada into 2015 with its first gender-balanced cabinet, for other countries around the world, the problem he noted that needs solving first is getting women into politics, period. Trudeau fielded questions on foreign policy, and some on gender parity, at a global town hall hosted by The Huffington Post Canada Monday. HuffPost Korea editor Sujean Park noted that his gender-balanced cabinet made world headlines, and asked Trudeau what he would say to countries like South Korea where gender discrimination is still present. Advertisement The prime minister recalled a conversation with South Korean President Park Geun-hye, saying the issue she had was that women, of any calibre, simply are not currently in politics, a challenge Trudeau's team addressed ahead of Canada's federal election. "Before it could be 2015, it had to be 2014 and 2013 and 2012," Trudeau told the town hall audience and viewers, referencing his now famous "Because it's 2015" response to why he kept gender parity in mind when selecting his cabinet. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at a global town hall hosted by The Huffington Post Canada in Toronto on Monday, March 7, 2016. (Tim Fraser/The Huffington Post Canada) Advertisement Trudeau said those years prior were when the Liberals started recruiting "extraordinary women" to run for politics, and called out ministers Chrystia Freeland and Catherine McKenna among others as examples. It was a process, he said, of seeking out women and encouraging them to get politically involved despite the common reasons used to explain why women shy away from the political arena. "We said, 'Look we need you to step forward into politics. I know politics is nasty and attack-y and divisive, and it's seen as a man's game and an old white guys game more than anything. We need to start changing that,'" Trudeau said. "It took an awful lot of work to get to a place where I could name a gender-balanced cabinet." Despite achieving gender parity in cabinet, women still hold only 25 per cent of overall seats in parliament, 88 of 338 seats, only marginally more than the previous Harper government in which 76 women were elected. Canada ranks well behind Rwanda, which as of 2015 had the most female representation in government, with women making up 64 per cent of parliament. Bolivia also has a majority women followed by Cuba, Seychelles and Sweden, according to The World Bank. Advertisement Trudeau said there is a tremendous amount of work to be done to get closer to 50-50 representation for men and women in Canada. In spite of that, he's optimistic. "I have a strong sense that were on the right track and we have sort of challenged our friends and allies around the world of progressive democracies to start thinking about how they can get closer to what we were able to do in the past fall," he said. Also on HuffPost Could Nenshi recently named by the City Mayors Foundation as the best mayor in the world go all the way to Sussex Drive, giving Canada its first Muslim prime minister? Sure, thats plausible. Would an Islamophobic U.S. president someone in the mould of Donald Trump want to annex Canada, as he tries to in my novel, in response? Thats plausible, too. Science fiction has always been a means for political comment. Something is rotten in the state of American politics and the stench has Rick Mercer throwing his head back in disgust. The Rick Mercer Report host unpacked his grievances on Tuesday over the thought of real estate tycoon Donald Trump making the Republican Party his play thing. Advertisement How is it possible that the more outrageous Donald Trump becomes the higher his numbers go? I don't get it. It is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen in my entire life, he said in a new rant. But witnessing the macabre descent of a party once led by Dwight D. Eisenhower and Abraham Lincoln is a spectacle the CBC comedian says is happening to the Canadian right albeit on a much smaller scale. Focusing on Kevin OLeary, the Canadian businessman and reality TV star loudly musing a foray into federal politics, Mercer tries to eviscerate the possible Conservative Party leadership contender by linking his shtick to Trumps bit. The comedian zeroed in on the speech O'Leary, a man who thinks "money is a religion," gave late last month to the Manning Centre Conference. Advertisement And the more outrageous he became the more they loved him. It's embarrassing, Mercer said. He's up here in Canada doing Donald Trump's act, not as well and it's working. He's like a Rod Stewart impersonator. Big crowds in small towns only. OLeary is no Trump. The former Dragons Den star would be the first to tell you so. If Trump becomes president and Kevin O'Leary becomes prime minister I want to leave the planet. But if his celebrity and draw at the Manning Conference and the unsolicited think pieces hes opined about how premiers should run their house are any indication the next refugee crisis may be intergalactic, said Mercer. Thanks to Kevin O'Leary, I now relate to those Americans who say that if Trump becomes president they want to move to Canada. Because if Trump becomes president and Kevin O'Leary becomes prime minister I want to leave the planet. As for Trump, the American businessman with zero experience in elected office, celebrated victories in three state primaries, securing his hold as Republican front-runner on Tuesday. The concept of him winning the the Republican Party nomination for this years presidential race is looking increasingly likely. Which is significant considering he was initially brushed off as loud-mouth sideshow seeking to extend his 15 minutes of fame. Advertisement Also on HuffPost: Jason Franson/CP The Alberta legislature began a new session Tuesday with an adorable guest in attendance. Calgary-Varsity MLA and Minister of Status of Women Stephanie McLean was present on International Women's Day for the Alberta speech from the throne, along with her newborn son. Advertisement McLean's son Patrick is just under one-month old, but he's already stirring things up. McLean was Alberta's first pregnant MLA, and her maternity leave is going to require some reworking of the legislature's rules. Under current legislation, sitting MLAs cannot take paid maternity or parental leave because they do not pay into Employment Insurance. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley has called the current policy "archaic" and promised to change it in the upcoming spring session to something more family-friendly that will also be fair to constituents. The amendment should come just in time for associate health minister Brandy Payne, who is due in July. Advertisement With files from The Canadian Press Also on HuffPost: OTTAWA It's not every day Canada throws a party and there is a wait list to get in. It may not be the official state dinner but a gala reception in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's honour is turning out to be quite the hot ticket. Tomorrow night we'll host the PM's reception here, at @americanart's beautiful #Renwick gallery (we'll be standing) pic.twitter.com/vvAmUlmiyh Canada 2020 (@Canada2020) March 8, 2016 Advertisement The event is part of festivities leading up to Trudeau's state dinner with U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday, the first for a Canadian prime minister in 19 years. "We have an amazing opportunity to start building relationships with our friends in the U.S.," said Tom Pitfield, the president of Canada 2020, the think tank organizing the bash in conjunction with the Center for American Progress. "The prime minister has really opened doors and re-invigorated the Canada-U.S. relationship." Two Mounties in full red serge will greet partygoers outside the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Renwick Gallery Wednesday evening. Inside, a guest list of now close to 500 people will fete Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, as well as Canadian cabinet ministers, U.S. politicians, business leaders and media figures. Canadian musician and recent Grammy winner The Weeknd who says he is a big fan of the PM is also attending. Advertisement The Weeknd is on the guest list at Wednesdays party. (Photo: Isaiah Trickey/FilmMagic via Getty) Cocktails, canapes, and food stations will feature Canadian products and themes, such as Labatt Blue-braised sliders and Atlantic salmon tartare. "We've got real Montreal smoked meat bussed in from the Mile End deli in NYC. Owned by a Montreal expat," wrote Pitfield in an email. He served as Trudeaus chief digital strategist during the federal election campaign and is married to Liberal party president Anna Gainey. Party co-host, the Center for American Progress, is a U.S. think tank founded by John Podesta, a counsellor to Obama, former chief of staff to president Bill Clinton, and currently Hillary Clintons campaign chairman. "It's rare that mainstream Americans take notice beyond their borders and so [we're] taking the opportunity of our prime minister and people like The Weeknd to draw attention to the Canadian arts community and our progressive values," Pitfield told The Huffington Post Canada. Advertisement I think there is also a little bit of wanting to celebrate our prime minister. We are proud of how he has been welcomed by the world. Not everybody gets invited to a state dinner, Pitfield added, so there were a lot of influential Canadians and Americans who would miss an opportunity to get to know each other, if not for the Wednesday party "I think there is also a little bit of wanting to celebrate our prime minister. We are proud of how he has been welcomed by the world." Guests will sip signature cocktails named The Canuck and L'Habitant nods to Trudeaus two home provinces of British Columbia and Quebec, while they dance to a DJ spinning Canadian hip-hop and indie music such as Metric, Drake, and Arcade Fire. The Canuck features Manitoba-made Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye which recently won the distinction of best whisky in the world with lemon juice & maple syrup. Advertisement L'Habitant is made up of Quebec-based Ungava gin, Campari, Vermouth Antica, with a splash of soda, garnished with a rosemary sprig. ALSO ON HUFFPOST: What do you serve friends who havent come to dinner for 19 years? Alaskan halibut, pine nut crisps, and three different wines, according to the White House. U.S. President Barack Obama will host Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for a state dinner on Thursday in the White Houses East Room, marking a significant step in the two countries bilateral relations. Advertisement The menu designed to showcase the anticipation of spring will feature an array of dishes including a main course of herb-crusted lamb drizzled with Canadian whisky. Heres a sneak peek at whats on the menu: Keeping with the dinner theme, the dessert course reflects the memory of winter and celebrates the coming of spring, states a press preview of the state dinner menu. It goes on to describe dessert as a decadent cake with delicate nuances of toasted Texas pecans and caramelized New England maple syrup with creamy, butterscotch swirl ice cream, vanilla scented California strawberries, and a crispy cocoa nib wafer. Advertisement The White House East Room, where Obama will host Trudeau for a state dinner Thursday. (Photo: White House) The state dinner marks the first official visit by a Canadian prime minister to the U.S. in nearly two decades. White House executive chef Cris Comerford and executive pastry chef Susie Morrison are the creative forces behind the menu. Aside from the symbolism of Obama and Trudeau formally breaking bread together, one will only have to look at the dinner China on Thursday for another sign of the special relationship developing between the U.S. and Canada. According to the White House, the occasion will mark the first time individual tureens will be used from the Obama State China service. Fancy. Advertisement Also on HuffPost: A man stabbed in the neck in Israel Tuesday managed to summon the strength to fight back. Yonatan Azarihab, an ultra-Orthodox Jew, was stabbed repeatedly in the city of Petah Tikva by a Palestinian man who followed him into a wine store, according to the Times of Israel. Azarihab managed to run out of the shop while its owner tried to subdue the attacker. The victim then went back into the store, pulled the knife from his neck and stabbed the man with it. Advertisement An Israeli police photo of the weapon showed a large, bloody kitchen knife. Israel National News reported that the victim was taken to hospital in "moderate condition." Police later shot and killed the assailant, according to the Associated Press. Palestinian attackers unleashed a series of shooting and stabbing assaults on Israelis on Tuesday. In the ancient Mediterranean port city of Jaffa, an American student was killed near to where Vice-President Joe Biden was meeting with Israel's former president, police said. With files from The Associated Press Also on HuffPost powerofforever via Getty Images Marijuana and handcuffs conceptual image for criminal aspects of the drug. There have been more than 22,400 arrests for cannabis possession in Canada since Trudeau became prime minister. I derive that number from the last reported rate of cannabis possession arrests in Canada -- 160 per day, or one every nine minutes. Advertisement There is no indication that the rate of arrests has slowed since Trudeau took over, with many police forces explicitly saying they are continuing to enforce the possession laws as strictly as ever. Former Toronto police chief and Liberal MP Bill Blair agrees, saying he wants pot busts to continue. Yet according to Blair, a disproportionate number of these arrests are among "minority communities, aboriginal communities and those in our most vulnerable neighbourhoods." The stats show that this is true. The further north you go in Canada, the higher the rates of cannabis possession and trafficking arrests climb. The annual rate of arrests for selling cannabis is 38 people per 100,000 in the south of Canada, but over eight times higher (at 320 per 100,000) in the north. Advertisement In Nunavut and the North West Territories, about one per cent of the population gets arrested for a cannabis offence every year. That is an astoundingly high rate of arrests, especially when compared with cities like Vancouver, where such arrests are very rare. So, why continue to criminalize possession in some parts of the country and not others? It is not right for the law to be so unfairly enforced across the country. How can Trudeau and Blair acknowledge that prohibition is enforced in a very racially biased manner, confirm that they are going to legalize cannabis soon, and yet refuse to do anything now to stop those pointless and harmful arrests from continuing to take place? Trudeau is right when he says decriminalization isn't the right solution for cannabis. But it is the right first step. Stopping arrests for possession and personal cultivation is the best first step towards ending the war on cannabis. Plus, allowing Canadians to grow a few plants for personal use will help to break the hold of the black market. All Canadians should be calling upon Trudeau and Blair to end arrests for personal possession and personal cultivation now. Advertisement All that has to happen is to remove possession of under 30 grams of cannabis from Schedule II of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. This is actually quite an easy thing to do, and wouldn't even require an act of Parliament. The same thing could be done with cultivation of five plants or fewer for personal use. Of course there are many more steps that need to be taken, and time is needed to figure out the details. But we can be more patient with that process if the Liberals make a real show of good faith now, and take these two simple but important steps without delay. Click here to join with the 10,000 Canadians who have already signed an online petition calling for an end to cannabis arrests. Let's show Trudeau and Blair that Canadians want an immediate end to cannabis arrests. Click here to find out more about the online petition, and how it outlines an eight point path to legalization. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook MORE ON HUFFPOST: Adrian Wyld/CP To the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau: "How is this night different from all other nights?" Such is the question we Jews ritually ask the youngest child at the Passover table. Commemorating the Israelites' exodus from Egypt, the question carries with it resonances of a chosen people - -at once persecuted and graced with sanctity. Remarkably, this biblical narrative of specialness -- not only of what Jews do on Passover, but of who they are -- continues to grip the political conscience of many. So widely felt is this cachet of exceptionalism that the question of "distinction," typically reserved for the Seder dinner, is now on Canada's -- on your Canada's -- political table. To you, we ask, in the idiom of Passover: "How is this Zionist state of Israel different from all other states?" Advertisement If Jewish exceptionalism has been bound up with the Bible, it has also been intensified by the Holocaust's legacy: a grim souvenir of human hell and an imperative never to revisit that abyss. Much to its detriment, this moral edict has been conflated with the interests of a powerful political industry serving the Zionist state since its inception. In 2016, this same industry continues to invoke the spectre of the Second World War, less as an elegiac tribute to those who perished in the camps than as a manufactured moral consensus supported by a concert of world leaders, i.e., that, given past history, the state of Israel deserves preferential treatment, and that any contestation of her privilege, of her immunity from Geneva conventions and international law, is to be condemned. Your endorsement of the recent Conservative motion condemning the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) abets that favouritism. Criticism is not Kristallnacht; challenges to the occupation are not the gas chambers. The distinction is crucial. Such preferential treatment, however, is not honourable. It rankles, sir, with all those who uphold values of fairness and equality, ones you profess to share. And still you defend the Zionist state despite its transgression of international law and violation of Palestinian human rights. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which demands that "Israel end its occupation of Palestine and dismantle the Wall, that it recognize the fundamental right of Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality, and that it respect, promote and protect the rights of Palestinian refugees to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194," is the counterpoint to your preferential treatment of Israel: a legitimate call to the world to redress this iniquity which you and others sustain. To be clear, BDS does not intend to single out Israel. Rather, it demands that she be held accountable, just like other states. Those who grieve that BDS singles out Israel need to ponder Israel's self-assigned exceptionalism. By acting above the law, she "distinguishes" herself and singles herself out. A vociferous body of Israel's apologists intensifies this singularity by striking fear and guilt into public consciousness, by imposing her immunity from condemnation with heavy psychological artillery. Ritually they cry out "anti-Semitic!" against anyone who dares question her draconian occupation of Palestine. Thus, countless advocates of justice are cowed into submission and silence. Advertisement Are you, sir, among those who have buckled under the pressure? Do you, sir, worry that Israel's apologists will berate you, as Netanyahu recently excoriated United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon? It is not an unreasonable concern, I grant you. Your woes, he argued, will pale beside theirs as you contemplate their fate. In the face of vilification from combative Zionists, he urged courage, not submission. We Jews of conscience ask you to rescind your endorsement of Zionist privilege so that the unthinkable will never visit us again. We non-Zionist Jews believe that the BDS approach is the most effective and peaceful strategy (pace Monsieur Dion) for bringing down the myriad walls of a brutal occupation, and we ask you to let your conscience prevail over your fears. Advertisement We ask you to resist the false alarm that your Zionist friends sound when they cry "anti-Semitism!" as the proverbial boy might cry "wolf!" For those who do so are robbing a horrendous historic episode of its gravity, confusing legitimate dissent with genocide. Criticism is not Kristallnacht; challenges to the occupation are not the gas chambers. The distinction is crucial. BDS is a non-violent pressure tactic, not a form of anti-Semitism. It seeks to eradicate precisely what it has been accused of, i.e., racism. Contrary to the tales spun by its strident critics, contrary to the roar of media propaganda, the BDS movement is urging the Zionist state to relinquish its inherently unjust ethnocentricity, to allow Palestinians and Jews to coexist as equal citizens and, in this, to save both from disaster. Some may resist this shift from ethnocracy to democracy, yet it is a necessity that must be embraced for everyone's salvation. In 1944, Lessing J. Rosenwald, president of the American Council for Judaism, wrote: "To project at this time the creation of a Jewish state or commonwealth is to launch a singular innovation in world affairs which might well have incalculable consequences." Today, as those words ring true, BDS activists are peacefully and legitimately waging a struggle against such incalculable eventualities. But by stymying with parliamentary sanctions the righteous efforts of these advocates, you leave the door open for the unthinkable. We Jews of conscience ask you to rescind your endorsement of Zionist privilege so that the unthinkable will never visit us again. Advertisement Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook MORE ON HUFFPOST: Respect MP George Galloway speaks in a public meeting of the cross-party union, Grassroots Out, at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster, central London, on the day when David Cameron is in Brussels for crucial summit on his EU reform demands. Isabel Infantes/EMPICS Entertainment Labour voters will end up backing Brexit and they should not see that as betraying Jeremy Corbyn, George Galloway has said. The Respect Party leader, who has become one of the leading voices on the left arguing for Britain to leave the EU, said the reason the Labour leader was not being more energetic in arguing in favour of membership was that "his heart isn't in it". Advertisement Corbyn voted 'No' to Europe in the 1975 referendum but since being elected leader in September has said he is in favour of the UK's EU membership. On Monday evening at the meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party Labour MPs vented their concerns over Corbyns perceived lack of engagement in the referendum. Galloway told a pro-Brexit rally in central-London on Tuesday evening that Corbyn was being held in a pro-EU "prison" by his shadow cabinet "jailers" who had "bounced" him into backing membership in the early days of his leadership. Advertisement "The majority of Labour voters in Britain will be on our side on the 23rd of June," he predicted. "It's already in the polls, 40% of Labour voters say they intend to vote 'Leave'. I believe by the time we reach the 23rd of June that will become a majority." He added: "If anyone here believes that Jeremy Corbyn wants to stay in the EU, well I don't want planet they have been on for the last 40 years. "Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell and Dennis Skinner and these other pillars of left wing politics in Britain, were in every [voting] lobby with me. In fact they were in the lobby in the referendum in 1975, against Maastricht, against Lisbon, they were denouncing the EU and all of its works until a year ago or less." He said: "Anybody who knows the jailers in Jeremy Corbyn's prison will be bound to have sympathy with him." In an appeal to Corbyn supporters inside the Labour Party to vote for Brexit, Galloway said: "Nobody should think that by joining our campaign they are in any way betraying Jeremy Corbyn, still less those greats that have passed away but whose influence is still very much with us." Advertisement As The Huffington Post UK reported, at the PLP on Monday, veteran Labour MP Barry Sheerman seized on Corbyns perceived lack of enthusiasm for the EU In campaign. "Without the Labour machinery to get the vote out, we will lose! he shouted. Jeremy I beg you, get out there and show some passion to win the referendum. British Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt arrives at Downing Street in London on February 20 , 2016 for a meeting of the cabinet following Prime Minister David Cameron's return from EU negotiations in Brussels. Prime Minister David Cameron takes a deal giving Britain 'special status' in the EU back to London on February 20 hoping it will be enough to keep his country in the bloc as campaigning begins for a crucial in-out referendum. The British premier is expected to announce a date for the vote, likely June 23, after sealing unanimous support for the agreement during two days and nights of intense negotiations in Brussels. Cameron was set to hold a cabinet meeting at 1000 GMT. / AFP / JUSTIN TALLIS (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images) JUSTIN TALLIS via Getty Images Jeremy Hunt will today announce measures to crackdown on what he sees as a cover up culture with in the NHS that undermines patient safety. The move is likely to further raise tensions between the health secretary and the medical profession as junior doctors stage another strike in protest at the new contract being imposed on them by the government. Advertisement In a speech at the Global Patient Safety Summit, Hunt will say the it is a "scandal" that there are potentially 150 avoidable deaths in hospitals every week. Hunt will set out new guidelines which he says will see NHS staff given credit for owning up to mistakes and apologising - rather than being punished. The health secretary will use his speech to announce a range of new measures including an independent Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch and legal protection for anyone giving information following a hospital mistake. And from April 2018, expert medical examiners will independently review and confirm the cause of all deaths in hospitals. Advertisement There will also be a new so-called 'Learning from Mistakes League' that will rank the level of openness and transparency in NHS provider organisations. Hunt will say: "A huge amount of progress has been made in improving our safety culture following the tragic events at Mid Staffs but to deliver a safer NHS for patients, seven days a week we need to unshackle ourselves from a quick-fix blame culture and acknowledge that sometimes bad mistakes can be made by good people. "It is a scandal that every week there are potentially 150 avoidable deaths in our hospitals and it is up to us all to make the need for whistleblowing and secrecy a thing of the past as we reform the NHS and its values and move from blaming to learning. The health secretary will add: "Today we take a step forward to building a new era of openness and the safest healthcare system in the world." James Titcombe, Morecambe Bay parent and National Adviser on Patient Safety, Culture and Quality, said: "Time and time again, we hear the promise that 'lessons will be learned' following reports about systemic failures and individual stories of avoidable harm and loss in the NHS. Yet, far too often, the same mistakes are repeated and meaningful learning and lasting change simply doesnt happen. Advertisement Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, gestures as he speaks during the 2016 British Chamber of Commerce annual conference in London, U.K., on Thursday, March 3, 2016. Alternative trading arrangements with the European Union in the event of a British departure from the bloc would pose 'serious risks' to the prosperity of Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron's government said. Photographer: Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg via Getty Images The Labour Party raised money for its May election campaign on Tuesday evening with an auction of items including a swim with sharks and two hours editing with leftwing film director Ken Loach. The fundraiser, held at London Aquarium on the South Bank of the Thames last night, was attended by senior Labour figures including Jeremy Corbyn, London mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan, former leadership candidate Yvette Cooper and shadow energy secretary Lisa Nandy. Advertisement The list of nine items up for auction, as seen by The Huffington Post UK, are detailed below. Lot number two in the auction was a "once in a life time opportunity not just to swim the sharks at the London Aquarium, but to do so with Chris Bryant MP". The lucky winner will get to swim for 15 minutes with Sand Tiger Sharks, Black Tip Reef Sharks, Brown Sharks and the shadow leader of the House of Commons. In his speech, Bryant is said to have hooked the audience with some fish puns. Lot number four was a "unique opportunity" to spend two hours with Ken Loach and his editor Jonathan Morris as they work on the post production stage of their new feature film at Pinewood Studios. In 2013 Loach set up the leftwing Left Unity party which stood candidates against Labour at the general election. He was also banned from voting in the Labour leadership election in 2015 as he was deemed not to share the "aims and values" of the party. Advertisement 9 Items Up For Auction At Labour's Fundraiser An investigation has been launched after a young girl was found hidden in a bag belonging to a passenger on an Air France plane on Monday. The four-year-old, who did not have a valid transport ticket, was travelling with an adult from Turkey to France. The girl was found when the plane landed at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport shortly after 9pm local time. Advertisement The flight had departed Istanbul three hours earlier. A young girl was found hidden in a bag on an Air France plane on Monday Air France said in a statement: "According to the initial information in its possession, Air France indicates that an adult is reported to have travelled accompanied by a child hidden in a bag without a valid transport ticket. "The company requested the presence of the French authorities on the flight's arrival. "Air France will fully cooperate with the investigation underway being conducted by the competent authorities. "Flight Air France 1891 departed from Istanbul Ataturk (IST) on Monday March 7, 2016 at 18:31 and arrived at Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) at 21:01 (local time)." File photo dated 21/10/2015 of George Osborne who will warn of a "dangerous cocktail" of threats to the UK economy as he insists there can be no "let up" in the squeeze on spending. Anthony Devlin/PA Wire A last-ditch move to spare George Osborne a Tory rebellion over Sunday trading laws has been stymied by the Commons Speaker, HuffPostUK has learned. John Bercow has decided not to select an 11th-hour Parliamentary device that the Government had hoped would avoid a defeat on the controversial plans to relax retail opening hours. Advertisement Ministers had tabled a very late 'manuscript amendment' to allow a pilot scheme - in 12 areas, with the promise of a review after a year - before full implementation of the plan to devolve powers over Sunday trading. The rare move would have effectively 'knocked out' a rebel amendment to oppose the planned changes. But to the delight of a coalition of Labour, Tory rebels and SNP MPs, the Speaker has decided not to select the amendment. As a result, a crunch amendment by Conservative MP David Burrowes will now be the flashpoint for the legislation - with whips on all sides describing the result as being 'too close to call'. Advertisement The last-minute amendment If there is a Government defeat it will be a huge blow to George Osborne, who has led the drive to relax the opening hours since the general election. The Chancellor, backed by Business Secretary Sajid Javid, believed it was time to give shoppers more choice at the weekends and insist that the plans only go ahead if local areas want them. However, he has faced a backlash from trade unions and Christian groups who want to 'keep Sunday special' and protect family life for retail workers. MPs are furious that ministers today tried their last-minute move despite having worked on the plans for many months. Coming just a week before the Budget, a Government defeat would be a bitter personal blow to Mr Osborne. Advertisement Tory MP David Burrowes Mr Burrowes tabled his amendment as soon as the Enterprise Bill came out of committee. "Cameron and Osborne have had weeks to sort this out and try to find a solution. And they table a manuscript amendment in a last-ditch effort to avoid defeat," said one Commons insider. Critics were furious that the Government inserted the Sunday trading changes to the bill after it had already passed through the House of Lords, where many Bishops and crossbenchers would have opposed it. Plans to let shops open longer on Sunday were plunged into doubt last night after the Scottish National Party renewed its pledge to vote against the flagship Government policy. SNP MPs decided unanimously to oppose proposed new trading laws, which will be voted on tomorrow, despite suggestions they could U-turn and back the move. Ministers had hoped the Nationalists would abstain since the move does not affect shops north of the border. However, the SNP argues it will put Scottish workers at the risk of pay cuts as firms roster more staff on a Sunday. Advertisement "All in all, it was inescapable," she said of the coverage. "The main reason I hate IWD is because I am not stupid enough to think that such a shallow outpouring of faux solidarity will, for one single second, improve the lives of women genuinely suffering around the world." Advertisement An activist attends a demonstration to mark International Women's Day, in Sao Paulo, Brazil Some women tweeted in support, with one saying she thought "I was the only one". Women are half the human race, not some minority requiring patting on the head for coming second in the egg and sperm race.@allisonpearson Jules Chard (@Juliekate0504) March 9, 2016 @allisonpearson your column today on #InternationalWomensDay spot on. Thought it was just me! Maggie Hillier (@hillier_maggie) March 9, 2016 While the day attracts a fair amount of derision from men who decry it as unfair given the fact there is no International Men's Day, (despite the fact there is one), a Daily Telegraph columnist offered a more restrained feminist critique of the day. Advertisement Allison Pearson said she "wishes International Women's Day didn't exist" in a thought-provoking column on how women are celebrated and perceived. She wrote: "All in all, it was inescapable that the day amounted to an "attempt to say we are all the same the more we risk being patronised and treated as some kind of sad, special-interest group." "Women are half the human race, not some minority that requires patting on the head like a pigtailed infant coming second in the egg and sperm race," she wrote. "More than half of the worlds women are effectively still living in Jane Austens time. Men jealously guard their virginity and a girl reading books is regarded as bad for her eyes and even worse for her marriage prospects." Advertisement She says IWD is "not the answer" to these issues, saying giving women "special status" was "insisting on victimhood" and perpetuating "the very attitudes its battling against". People watch a TV news program showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with superimposed letters that read: ASSOCIATED PRESS Kim Jong Un has been pictured posing next to a a mock-up of a miniaturised nuclear warhead. The dictator appeared in images which, according to North Korean state media, showed him standing beside what outside analysts say appears to be a model warhead part - a small, silver globe with a ballistic missile or a model ballistic missile in the background. Advertisement The newspaper said Kim met his nuclear scientists for a briefing on the status of their work and declared he was greatly pleased that warheads had been standardised and miniaturised for use on ballistic missiles. Information from secretive, authoritarian North Korea is often impossible to confirm and the country's state media have a history of photo manipulations. But it was the first time the North has publicly displayed its purported nuclear designs, though it remains unclear whether the country has functioning warheads of that size or is simply trying to develop one, the Associated Press reported. South Korea's Defence Ministry quickly disputed the North's claim that it possesses miniaturised warheads. It called the photos and miniaturisation claim an "intolerable direct challenge" to the international community. Advertisement The photos come amid heightened tensions after the United Nations imposed harsh sanctions on North Korea for its nuclear test and long-range rocket launch earlier this year. North Korea warned on Monday of pre-emptive nuclear strikes after the United States and South Korea began their biggest-ever war games, which are to continue until the end of April. North Korea has previously said it has nuclear warheads small enough to put on long-range missiles capable of striking the U.S. mainland, but experts have questioned those claims. The round object shown in the photos appears to be a model of a warhead trigger device which would contain uranium or plutonium, according to nuclear expert Whang Joo-ho of Kyung Hee University in South Korea. He said it was obviously a model because Kim and others would not stand near an actual device because of concerns about radioactivity. Advertisement Novara Media Students at Sussex University have occupied a building to protest the home office's decision to deport a student "to his death". Luqman Onikosi is a 36-year-old student at Sussex, who came to the UK in 2007 and was later diagnosed with hepatitis B. Although the disease is manageable in the UK, it cannot be treated in his home country. His two brothers have already died of organ failure from the same condition, and student protesters say Onikosi is being "sent to his death". Advertisement After he returned to study at Sussex for his master's degree, the Home Office informed the university Onikosi's leave to remain application had been rejected. In late January 2016, he received a letter from the Home Office regarding his situation, which was dated 2015. The university terminated his degree, even though the student was writing his dissertation at the time. Students at the university have occupied conference centre Bramber House to protest the university working with the government to plan Onikosi's deportation. SUSSEX HAS BEEN OCCUPIED!Occupiers have taken the conference centre, angry at the way that the univeristy and the Home Office are working together to send a student to his death. #DontDeportLuqman Posted by National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts on Wednesday, 9 March 2016 Advertisement BREAKING: Bramber House being occupied by #DontDeportLuqman protestors pic.twitter.com/lMLDvXOfaB Daniel Green (@DanGreen4114) March 9, 2016 In a previous interview, Onikosi said his deportation sentence was "shocking". "If unforeseen circumstances occurs while an international student is getting their education, there should be a leniency in the way [the government] deals with the situation. "For me, going back home is more about 'how do you want to die?' Do you want go home and die slowly? And there's nothing that can be done for you? Or do you want to stay here and fight." Onikosi says he has attempted suicide "many times" when facing living with his disease, and added he felt like a "cash cow", saying there should be "empathy" shown by the government. Advertisement A University of Sussex spokesperson said: We understand the group of students are supporters of Mr Onikosi, a former student of the University. The students are currently based in a conference room in one of our buildings. We are, and have always been, very sorry to know of Mr Onikosis illness. The status of Mr Onikosis visa is a directive from the Home Office and the University is not able to influence that decision in any way. A Home Office spokesperson said: "All cases are considered on their individual merits and in line with the immigration rules. A large police search was reportedly started after a private investigator claimed missing British girl Madeleine McCann had been spotted in Paraguay. Maddie, who would now be aged 12, is said to have been spotted "in the custody of a woman" in the city of Aregua, around 20 miles from the capital of Asuncion Advertisement British researcher Miraz Ullah Ali spoke exclusively to a newspaper in the country, revealing that he had information of Maddie's wherabouts gleaned through an investigation. Houses in the city of Aregua Ali told newspaper ABC Color: "My team and I received the information that Madeleine arrived in Paraguay a month or two ago and is living in Aregua in the custody of a woman." Media outlets reported a multi-agency search had begun in the city. A spokesman for Britain's Metropolitan Police told The Huffington Post UK the force was aware of the article and making enquiries. Advertisement A representative of the McCann family said: Kate and Gerry have been made aware of this sighting." But now the claims have been debunked by authorities in the South American country. Miraz Ullah Ali travelled from Britain to Paraguay last week International crime agency Interpol expressed anger that Ali had not informed them of his findings, saying it should have been communicated to us. Sebastian Jara, from the agency's Paraguay office, said: We do not have anything I can add, except that we have begun to move with all our might, but for now we have nothing. Aregua is a very large and very populated city and this research caught us by surprise. The main commissioner in Aregua, Miguel Orue, said they learned of the case through the media. Aregua is 30 kilometers from the capital Asuncion Meanwhile Paraguayans were quick to pour cold water on the development, suggesting local police were motivated only by the huge reward for Maddie's rescue. Advertisement Rodolfo Arzamendia wrote: "All Aregua National Police is looking for the 2,000,000 ... sorry, little girl." genomebiology.com/2013/14/4/402" data-caption="Entrance to King's College Strand campus featuring Maurice Wilkins quote. Basement laboratories at the Thameside end of the campus were the location of X-ray experiments that led to the elucidation of DNA's double helical structure. Read the full story of Wilkins' role in the discovery in Genome Biology's interview with Raymond Gosling genomebiology.com/2013/14/4/402" data-credit="genomebiology/Flickr"> More than 500 people have signed an open letter urging King's College London to protect Muslim students after one reportedly had her niqab veil torn off while she was hosting an Islamic society stall. Advertisement The alleged attack happened on the university's Strand Campus, and saw the women subjected to racist taunts, according to student newspaper Roar! Two men have since been arrested in connection with the incident. Students accused KCL's security guards of "idly" stand by for 20 minutes and telling other students not to intervene while the incident unfolded. Geography MA student Mahamed Abdullahi told the paper: I had to put myself in harms way to protect the Muslim women who were being verbally and physically assaulted after Kings security just stood there and were being non-responsive." On the KCL Islamic Society's Facebook page, President Issa Ruhani described the response as "woefully inadequate". Advertisement "Throughout [the incident], the Strand security staff refused to do anything to prevent the attack on our members, with the only individual to intervene being a male member of the ISOC. The police arrived after more than 45 minutes, whilst the perpetrators continued their abuse. "Had this been any other student group, would the response of the College Security be the same? We feel that there has been a failure in the duty of the College to protect students, especially in this climate of widespread Islamophobia and anti-Muslim violence." The open letter, posted on the Facebook page, asks KCL to "engage in clear and honest communication with the KCL Islamic Society", and "release a statement explaining how they intend to protect and support Muslim students after this incident and ensure it does not occur again". The female students were manning the stall as part of Discover Islam Week, an event organised by the university's student Islamic Society to dispel misconceptions about the religion. According to student Hareem Ghani, who is a member of the Islamic Society, the men kept asking: "Why are you wearing that on your face?" Advertisement Ghani told the Evening Standard: "It escalated from there and one of them reached out to the sisters and pulled off her niqab. "Security were called but they only responded 15 minutes afterwards." In a statement published online, KCL said: "We are mindful of concerns raised around this incident and would like to reassure our staff and students that the safety and security of our campuses is of the utmost importance. "The incident is now being investigated by the police, following the arrests made yesterday, and our CCTV footage will be provided as evidence as part of this process. We will continue to support the police in their investigation, which will take precedence over our own proceedings. However, we will also be reviewing the incident, including the CCTV evidence, to establish precisely what happened and further improve student safety on campus." A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: "Police were called at approximately 13:10hrs on Friday, 4 March to reports of two males making racially aggravated and homophobic comments in Strand, WC2. Advertisement .@assedbaig talks to Muslim women angry at the PMs comments on their supposed lack of integration within the UKhttps://t.co/lCTxaCbCVB Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) March 8, 2016 A Muslim woman has issued a withering response to David Cameron's policy of integration, saying many seemed to have forgotten people from third world countries helped make Britain great. Her comments were prompted by the Prime Minister's heralding of a new 20 million fund to provide education for women struggling with the English language. Advertisement Speaking in Urdu, Parveen Sadiq told Channel 4 News: The English invaded more than half the world. Of the countries they ruled, how many languages do the English speak?. Parveen Sadiq evoked Britains colonial past Countering claims better English standards might tackle radicalisation, she continued: Extremists are a result of the discord and troubles these people left behind in those countries. People from third world countries contributed to turning Britain into Great Britain, which up to this day they are in denial about. Advertisement David Cameron has previously said that some Muslim women are not able to speak English. David Cameron has said some Muslim women are not able to speak English The Prime Minister has also said he expects Muslim women to guard against extremism, after reportedly saying their traditional submissiveness leads young men to become radicalised. This angered some Muslim women, who publicly countered Camerons claims in a viral Twitter storm. Kaneez Akhtar said: We are not oppressed. The men go to work, they do everything. We are Pakistanis, but you are all paranoid that we are oppressed. While Rozina Aktar said: Actually its wrong high professional women are actually doctors, solicitors, in the parliament and our women are stronger and ambitious now. The fund put aside for language classes coincides with new rules for those arriving in Britain, who will now be made to prove their English skills. Channel 4 News spoke to some women who said they admit levels of English among their community could be better. Advertisement Ghazala Hussain said English skills could be improved Ghazala Hussain told the programme: I would request all sisters, regardless of what community they are from, to learn English. If someone comes to our front door if we dont know English, then what will we say? Like the meter man, we dont know what he is saying. Are we going to slam the door shut? Buckingham Palace has complained to the press watchdog over an article in The Sun claiming the Queen "backs" Britain leaving the EU. The palace complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation about Wednesday's report that claimed the Queen had voiced strong Eurosceptic views during a lunch with former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg. Advertisement Clegg attended a lunch at Windsor Castle in 2011, where, according to the tabloid, the monarch gave him a dressing down on the direction of the EU and European integration. The Queen is meant to remain strictly neutral on political matters and the palace has complained, saying the story is inaccurate. A palace spokesperson said: "We can confirm that we have this morning written to the chairman of the Independent Press Standards Organisation to register a complaint about the front page story in today's Sun newspaper. "The complaint relates to clause one of the Editors' Code of Practice." Clause one of the code relates to accuracy and says the press must not publish "inaccurate, misleading or distorted information". Advertisement In response, the paper said it "stands by its story", saying it was "based upon two impeccable sources and presented in a robust, accessible fashion. A spokesman added: "The Sun will defend this complaint vigorously". The paper cited a "highly reliable source" who relayed details of the conversation but Clegg later said: "I've no recollection of this happening & its not the sort of thing I would forget." The Sun on Wednesday Tom Newton Dunn, The Sun's political editor, called this a "non denial denial," a term used by journalists to describe an attack on a story that does not actually refute its assertions. Speaking on LBC Radio, he said: "He's not confirming it. He's not denying it in any way, shape or form. As slightly ruder people than me have already said today, it's one of those 'non-denial denials' we hear from politicians. Advertisement "A form of words quite carefully constructed to make you believe they're denying the story when they're actually not... We do believe this incident has happened. We do believe Her Majesty has strong views on Europe." He said the palace and Clegg conferred before responding to his request for comment, prompting host Nick Ferrari, an ex-Sun journalist, to say: "It's got to be true... They don't ring each other unless they're nervous about something." Nick Robinson, former BBC Political Editor, noted the article was based on a four-year-old comment about the direction of the EU, rather than a recent endorsement of a Brexit. Intriguing. Claim is NOT that Queen expressed view on Brexit but did say EU heading in wrong direction (4 yrs ago) https://t.co/M0BaVlLl1e Nick Robinson (@bbcnickrobinson) March 9, 2016 Patrick O'Flynn, who went to work for Ukip after quitting his job a Daily Express journalist, said the story was a "great for Brexiteers". Advertisement Nick Clegg quite right to refuse to confirm private conversation with the Queen, but The Sun splash nonetheless a great boost for Brexiteers Patrick O'Flynn (@oflynnmep) March 9, 2016 The Sun's source told the paper: "People who heard their conversation were left in no doubt at all about the Queens views on European integration. "It was really something, and it went on for quite a while. The EU is clearly something Her Majesty feels passionately about." In a separate piece, Newton Dunn wrote the paper would not have published the story if the comments "had not come from two different and impeccably placed sources". Advertisement Tom Newton Dunn on LBC He also predicted the story would trigger "an almighty row". He told LBC: "The Queen is supposed to be above politics. Constitutionally, it's her government, whatever the government chooses to do, she has to sign and implement." Clegg's spokesperson later added: "This is categorically untrue. Nick has no recollection of this conversation and it is not the sort of conversation you forget." Labour has called for an inquiry into the source of the leak and written to Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood to ask how private conversations became public. Justice Secretary Michael Gove, one of the most prominent figures backing Brexit in June's referendum, is being touted as the most likely figure to have leaked details. A Labour spokesman said: (MP) Wes Streeting is writing a letter. It will be interesting to see the response. Lets see what comes back. Advertisement After Prime Minister's Questions, the PMs spokesman was asked repeatedly whether Cameron discussed the row with Gove this morning. OJ Simpson's former manager has claimed he knows who murdered Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in 1994 - but he "can't disclose it right now". Days after it emerged that the LAPD was testing a knife recovered from Simpson's former home that had been stored for almost two decades, Norman Pardo gave an interview to KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO. Simpson was acquitted of both murders in 1995 but is still widely suspected of the crime. Pardo told the Los Angeles radio station: "I know who did it and I knw why they did it. Advertisement OJ Simpson's former manager has claimed that he knows who is responsible for killing Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in 1994 "I just can't disclose it right now." Pardo said that he and Simpson had not disclosed the information to authorities at the time because when they tried to speak with police, "they took all my stuff regarding the incidents". He claimed officers were already looking into the information when they raided his office. In an interview with People Magazine, Pardo said Simpson, who is in prison for an unrelated robbery conviction, "isn't losing any sleep" over the fact police were now examining the knife which was found by a construction worker, then passed to a now, former police officer, who stored it until earlier this year. According to the People article, Simpson burst into loud, uncontrollable laughter after news broke about the discovery at his former Brentwood mansion. "It's complete bullshit. But this is all they got. It's pathetic, really pathetic," Simpson is said to have told a prison source. "Let me tell ya'll something, I'm not that stupid, I got on a plane that night going to Chicago, that's all I'm gonna say." It is not known when the LAPD will announce the results of its examination of the knife. The Labour Party has called for an investigation over the Queens private conversations being leaked after reports claimed she backed the UKs exit from the European Union. Justice Secretary Michael Gove, one of the most prominent figures backing Brexit in June's referendum, is being touted as the most likely figure to have leaked details to The Sun that the Queen is claimed to have told ex-Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg she believed the union was heading in the wrong direction. Advertisement The Sun on Wednesday Both Buckingham Palace and Clegg have dismissed the claims. Now Labour has said it will write to Jeremy Heywood, the Cabinet Secretary, to register concern over leaks of the Queens private conversations. It also emerged Gove helped David Cameron, who is campaigning to stay In, to prepare for todays Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons. Advertisement The Queen speaks to then Lord Chancellor Michael Gove A Labour Party spokesman said: (Labour MP) Wes Streeting is writing a letter. It will be interesting to see the response. Lets see what comes back. After PMQs, the Prime Ministers spokesman was asked repeatedly whether Cameron discussed the row with Gove this morning. He said: I wouldnt guide you towards that conclusion. According to official Court Circular records, there were four other people at the Windsor Castle lunch where the exchange between Her Majesty and the then Deputy Prime Minister took place on April 7, 2011. They were Gove, Cheryl Gillan, the then Welsh Secretary, Lord McNally, who was a justice minister and Judith Simpson, a clerk. This is the only reference I can find in Court Circular to 2011 Windsor lunches at which Clegg present @hendopolispic.twitter.com/F9n2mBvliV Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) March 9, 2016 Advertisement Buckingham Palace has complained to the press watchdog, the Independent Press Standards Organisation, over the article. In response, the paper said it "stands by its story", saying it was "based upon two impeccable sources and presented in a robust, accessible fashion. A spokesman added: "The Sun will defend this complaint vigorously". At the lunch, the monarch gave Clegg a dressing down on the direction of the EU and European integration, according to the tabloid. The Queen is meant to remain strictly neutral on political matters and the palace has complained, saying the story is inaccurate. A palace spokesperson said: "We can confirm that we have this morning written to the chairman of the Independent Press Standards Organisation to register a complaint about the front page story in today's Sun newspaper. Advertisement "The complaint relates to clause one of the Editors' Code of Practice." Clause one of the code relates to accuracy and says the press must not publish "inaccurate, misleading or distorted information". The paper cited a "highly reliable source" who relayed details of the conversation but Clegg later said: "I've no recollection of this happening & its not the sort of thing I would forget." Tom Newton Dunn, The Sun's political editor, called this a "non denial denial," a term used by journalists to describe an attack on a story that does not actually refute its assertions. Speaking on LBC Radio, he said: "He's not confirming it. He's not denying it in any way, shape or form. As slightly ruder people than me have already said today, it's one of those 'non-denial denials' we hear from politicians. "A form of words quite carefully constructed to make you believe they're denying the story when they're actually not... We do believe this incident has happened. We do believe Her Majesty has strong views on Europe." Advertisement Re Sun story. As I told the journalist this is nonsense. I've no recollection of this happening & its not the sort of thing I would forget Nick Clegg (@nick_clegg) March 8, 2016 He said the palace and Clegg conferred before responding to his request for comment, prompting host Nick Ferrari, an ex-Sun journalist, to say: "It's got to be true... They don't ring each other unless they're nervous about something." The paper's source told the paper: "People who heard their conversation were left in no doubt at all about the Queens views on European integration. "It was really something, and it went on for quite a while. The EU is clearly something Her Majesty feels passionately about." In a separate piece, Newton Dunn wrote the paper would not have published the story if the comments "had not come from two different and impeccably placed sources". Advertisement Clegg's spokesperson later added: "This is categorically untrue. Nick has no recollection of this conversation and it is not the sort of conversation you forget." A cancer patient has shared incredible scan photos that appear to show his tumour disappearing, despite doctors giving him just 12 months to live. Kye Eastwood, 24, from Hull, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2014 and after chemotherapy failed to destroy his aggressive tumours, he was given a year to live. Devastated, Kye and his fiance, Chanelle Urquhart, 21, were forced to do their own research in a bid to save his life. Advertisement After setting up a GoFundMe page, Kye's family raised 30k for a life-saving trip to the US to try a clinical trial. Thankfully the treatment has been a success and through using stem cells from his sister, Rebecca Featherstone, 28, his cancer is dramatically shrinking. Kye, who has been in the US since July, is now almost in remission. Scans showing Kye's cancer shrinking Kye, the former mechanics student said: "After seeing my scans I couldn't believe how big my tumour in my chest was, it was showing up black on the scan so it was clear to see. Advertisement "When my doctors in the UK told me there was nothing else they could do, I just couldn't accept it, I was in shock that I had cancer in the first place. "I don't blame them, I know they exhausted all options that were available to me on the NHS, but it felt like they just weren't as determined to help me as I was. "When I found out about the treatment in the US I was so nervous, I was terrified that if it didn't work it would have wasted a lot of precious time away from home. "Thankfully the treatment which involved transferring Rebecca's stem cells into my body has been a huge success I'm over the moon with my results and the scans are incredible! "I am so grateful for everyone who helped raise the money to get me over here, I can now start to live my life again." Advertisement Kye pictured with sister Rebecca and fiancee Chanelle In December 2014, doctors at Castle Hill hospital in Hull told Kye that there was nothing more they could do to treat his aggressive cancer and gave him a year to live. But In June last year, a family member in the US told Kye about the MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Texas and said they were providing clinical trials that might be able to help. Kye said: "I was told not to bother looking for anything in America because UK doctors thought there was nothing that could save me. "But when I was told about the US treatment I was given a life-line, a chance of surviving. "I knew I had to give it a go so my family helped me raise 30,000 for the consultation. "The centre referred me for free treatment at a research hospital in Maryland where I trialled a new combination of drugs. Advertisement "My tumour shrank by 70 per cent and I was allowed home to spend Christmas with my family. "But when we returned to the US in January, tests showed that new cancer 'hot spots' had appeared in my body and doctors feared that the medication was allowing my cancer to spread." After coming off the drugs, doctors relied solely on the allogenic stem cell transplant which Kye had received in November 2015. Rebecca's stem cells were transferred into Kye's body, in the hope of replacing his immune system and enabling it to grow back stronger. To receive an allogenic stem cell transplant in the UK requires the patient to be in remission however, this requirement does not apply in the US. Miraculously, Rebecca's stem cells began to shrink Kye's cancer, reducing the size and the aggressiveness of the tumour. Advertisement And thanks to the life-saving treatment, Kye's tumour has now shrunk so drastically that doctors struggled to measure it. Kye has finally been allowed to go home and is over the moon to be returning to his family and friends after spending eight months in and out of hospital. He will have to fly back to the US over the next five years for regular check-ups, but things are finally looking hopeful for Kye. He added: "Having to move away from home and leave my family has been the hardest part of it all. "I've had to change my lifestyle quite drastically, instead of going to work I was going for treatment - it's been a lot to deal with. "It's been extremely difficult at times but I always told my dad that I wouldn't let cancer kill me. Advertisement "I can finally take my life off hold and move forward with things like getting myself a career. "In the future I hope to live a normal life, free from cancer, which I think will be hard after all of this but I'm going to try my hardest." A spokesman for Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust said: "Whilst we cannot comment specifically on Mr Eastwood's case for reasons of patient confidentiality, we do believe our staff explored all possible treatment options available on the NHS, to assist with his condition. "We appreciate this may still be a stressful time for Kye and his family, but we're pleased to see the alternative treatment he is receiving appears to be proving effective." Click on image to launch slideshow: Edward Snowden is not a man who beats around the bush, which is why it was all the more striking when at a conference yesterday he called the FBI's claims that it needed Apple to unlock an iPhone, "bullsh*t". Advertisement According to The Next Web, Snowden waded headlong into an argument which is raging in the US at the moment after the FBI tried to issue a court order forcing Apple to unlock an iPhone 5c which had belonged to one of the San Bernardino shooters. Speaking at the Common Cause conference, Snowden remarked that: The FBI says Apple has the exclusive technical means to unlock the phone, respectfully, thats bullshit. The FBI want a 'backdoor' through the encryption which currently protects every iPhone. Since the FBI's request both Apple and a number of other major technology companies including Google, Facebook and Twitter have all spoken out against the court order warning about the huge precedent it would set for personal privacy in the US and here in the UK. Advertisement Apple's main argument against the request is that for the FBI to access the iPhone, Apple would need to build a specially designed version of iOS which would then remove a lot of the security features which currently protect every iPhone, iPad and iPod. Tim Cook has published an open letter on Apple's website defying the government request. Apple's CEO Tim Cook said in an letter to customers that the US Government have "asked us for something we simply do not have, and something we consider too dangerous to create." "In the wrong hands, this software which does not exist today would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someones physical possession." said Cook. There have been arguments on both sides of course with some security experts claiming that the FBI doesn't need Apple. Advertisement Security expert John McAfee even went live on air to explain how he could hack the iPhone in 'half an hour'. A group of students at a Scottish school has launched a "peaceful petition" against new rules which mean toilets are locked during class time, saying the policy "breaches human rights". The "Free the Bladder" campaign was started by students at Perth Grammar School, after the new headteacher, who they call "Mrs X" to protect her identity, brought in the rules. "As of last week, Mrs X decided that students would no longer be able to use the toilet facilities during class time and proceeded to lock all bathrooms to prevent us from using said facilities," the Change.org petition reads. "The toilets were then promised to be unlocked at interval and lunch but so far this has failed to happen. Advertisement "Mrs X does not approve of the number of people being excused from class and fears people may ''hide'' in the bathrooms to prevent going to subjects they dislike and fair enough, this does happen." The petition on Change.org Although the students say the motive "seems sensible", they add: "However, preventing us from one of our basic human rights is NOT the way to solve the problem. Let's explore the issues that restricting the toilets cause: We won't be able to concentrate. With restricted access to toilet facilities students will avoid keeping hydrated and therefore lose concentration and consequently fall behind in class." The pupils also point out the "large number of girls in our school", who need to visit the toilet regularly when they are on their periods. Advertisement According to the petition, which has been signed by more than 2,600 people, one student wet themselves after being too scared to ask for the toilet doors to be opened. "Our bodies do not belong to anyone else," the students conclude. "It is our duty alone to look after said bodies and that includes relieving the body of waste product whenever the body is ready to do so. "No one should be able to take that right away; please stand with us and help us take back our human right. Thank you, everyone. It's time to free the bladder." The spokeswoman said: "There has been an ongoing issue with a large number of pupils asking to be excused during class time. "The head teacher has taken steps to reinforce the school's existing policy that pupils should not be out during class time unless under exceptional circumstances. Advertisement "We will work with the school's staff, pupils and parents to ensure that everyone understands the policy and how it is being implemented." According to the Daily Record, the school's head teacher Fiona Robertson sent a newsletter to parents condemning "inappropriate and completely unnecessary postings on social media". LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 14: Store opening times are displayed on July 14, 2015 in London, England. Chancellor George Osborne is planning to relax a 21 year old law meaning that shops in England and Wales could be allowed to stay open longer on Sundays. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) Dan Kitwood via Getty Images The Governments plans to extend Sunday trading hours have been convincingly defeated. Defeated suggestions the decision was on a knife-edge, MPs voted by 317 to 286 against the plan. The result spells humiliation for George Osborne after the Chancellor backed the reform to boost job. Advertisement But an unholy alliance of rebel Tory MPs, the Labour Party and the Scottish National Party conspired to defeat the Government and keep Sunday special. The defeat was even more embarrassing after the Government offered a last-minute concession to the Enterprise Bill that would have seen the changes initially limited to 12 pilot areas in England and Wales. Moreover, the Prime Minister personally called disgruntled Tories to get them onside. Labour MPs reacted with glee. Is great news https://t.co/r6v4tWSceq John Woodcock (@JWoodcockMP) March 9, 2016 Advertisement Great feeling to beat the Tory Govt & #KeepSundaySpecial. Let's redouble efforts to get a Labour majority Govt and win votes all the time! Conor McGinn MP (@ConorMcGinn) March 9, 2016 Just defeated the govt on the vital issue of Sunday trading #KeepSundaySpecial (also great feeling to win a vote - doesn't happen often!) Stephen Kinnock MP (@SKinnock) March 9, 2016 And the SNP claimed it was their influence that made the difference. The laws would not have affected Scotland but the party claimed it was acting to "protect" workers' pay north of the border. It was the SNP wot won it..... Pete Wishart (@PeteWishart) March 9, 2016 The Tory rebels included names not usually associated with the "awkward squad". 26 Tory rebels, 24 voted against, and two tellers: via the Opposition whips: Some surprises: pic.twitter.com/5ojKeNWVxR Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) March 9, 2016 Advertisement MPs were denied the opportunity to debate the 11th-hour compromise, after Speaker John Bercow declined to provide Commons time. Twelve locations would have been selected to take part in a study to determine the impact of liberalisation. And David Cameron had joined last-ditch efforts to stave off defeat by speaking personally to Tory MPs with concerns about the impact of longer Sunday opening hours on family life and the viability of smaller shops. But defeat was a particularly bitter blow for Chancellor George Osborne, who first announced his plan in his summer Budget following last year's general election victory. He said that allowing councils in England and Wales to decide whether larger stores should be able to stay open for longer than the current maximum of six hours could help "struggling" high streets to compete with online retailers. Advertisement Queen Elizabeth II looks at some cheeses during her visit to the Royal Welsh Show at Builth Wells. Wales' First Minister Rhodri Morgan came under fire today for arriving too late to greet the Queen at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show. Mr Morgan was apparently stuck in traffic on one of the gridlocked roads leading to the event showground in Builth Wells, mid-Wales. Barry Batchelor/PA Archive The Sun's Wednesday front page carries an "explosive bombshell" of a story claiming the Queen backs a UK withdrawal from the European Union. Advertisement The article uses alleged remarks made by Her Royal Highness to pro-EU Nick Clegg during a lunch at Windsor Castle when he was Deputy Prime Minister back in 2011, in which she said the EU was heading in the wrong direction. A "highly reliable senior source" told The Sun: "People who heard their conversation were left in no doubt at all about the Queens views on European integration. "It was really something, and it went on for quite a while. The EU is clearly something Her Majesty feels passionately about," the source was quoted as saying. Intriguing. Claim is NOT that Queen expressed view on Brexit but did say EU heading in wrong direction (4 yrs ago) https://t.co/M0BaVlLl1e Nick Robinson (@bbcnickrobinson) March 9, 2016 Advertisement Another incident in which she reportedly she "doesn't understand Europe" is also described. Buckingham Palace have been quick to respond to the claims reiterating the "Queen remains politically neutral as she has for 63 years" and calling the story "spurious". Clegg was more forthright in his criticism, calling the story "nonsense": Re Sun story. As I told the journalist this is nonsense. I've no recollection of this happening & its not the sort of thing I would forget Nick Clegg (@nick_clegg) March 8, 2016 A spokesman later added: "This is categorically untrue. Nick has no recollection of this conversation and it is not the sort of conversation you forget." Despite the alleged incident occurring well before David Cameron announced the Brexit referendum, Eurosceptics jumped on the story as evidence "a boost" for the campaign to leave the EU. Nick Clegg quite right to refuse to confirm private conversation with the Queen, but The Sun splash nonetheless a great boost for Brexiteers Patrick O'Flynn (@oflynnmep) March 9, 2016 Advertisement Others however suspect the "threadbare" story is simply the Murdoch-owned tabloid pursuing its own anti-EU agenda. Sun accuses Queen of anti-European 'venom': Palace denies. Murdoch plumbs new depths in 'brexit' desperation. Jon Snow (@jonsnowC4) March 9, 2016 Republican Rupert (cont): Sun claims Queen pro Brexit. https://t.co/suODlXHe9b Threadbare stuff. Tomorrow it will say she is in pro EU plot MichaelWhite (@MichaelWhite) March 9, 2016 The Queen story reminds me of Boris - just because he was pro-EU a month ago doesn't mean you can assume he's still pro-EU today! Iain Roberts (@CllrIainRoberts) March 9, 2016 Queen story is a bit like deducing that Sajid Javid must back Brexit because someone heard him venting against EU five years ago. Jim Pickard (@PickardJE) March 9, 2016 Advertisement Even The Sun's own picture captions seemed doubtful. While the BBC's Andrew Marr seemed in two minds: Whatever was actually said at Windsor Castle that day, attention has now turned to who the "highly reliable senior source" could be, with many quick to point out that cabinet member and prominent Brexiter Michael Gove was among those attending the event: @JohnRentoul@TheSun ah hadn't read online. I saw this in Court Circular for 2011 pic.twitter.com/cjdOFERFZQ Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) March 9, 2016 Advertisement Cheryl Gillan is also an Outer, but my inner Poirot suggests a likelier source https://t.co/4GJgmoV5Kppic.twitter.com/UxWraiozoQ John Rentoul (@JohnRentoul) March 9, 2016 Nick Clegg? Tick. The Queen? Tick. Someone who could potentially have told the Sun about EU discussion? *Ahem* https://t.co/KnmxVwvD9K Sophy Ridge (@SophyRidgeSky) March 9, 2016 Despite her official position of being politically neutral, the Queen has been drawn into political debates with her comments before, most noticeably in the run-up to the Scottish Independence referendum. The five things you need to know on Wednesday March 9, 2016 1) STOP! IN THE NAME OF CORB Its finally happening. Yes, the long expected showdown between Labour MPs and the Labour Left has taken some key steps closer. Ever since Corbyn was elected by nearly 60% of the party, after winning just 15% of MPs nominations (and in effect less than that), some MPs have thought it inevitable the tensions would one day lead to a day of reckoning. Advertisement That day of reckoning may well be the July NEC meeting when rule changes are submitted by local parties to ensure Corbyn automatically gets on the ballot after any leadership challenge. If Corbyns narrow majority on the NEC gets its way, party conference would then vote to circle the wagons around him and other future sitting leaders. No wonder Labour MPs tell me they have 'one last shot' at getting rid of Corbyn before September: the plan is to mop up as many nominations as possible to prevent him getting on the ballot under current rules. The Campaign for Labour Party Democracy has been planning its rule changes for some time but Im told it was sparked into action after my piece on Monday making clear moderate MPs were now serious about a leadership challenge after the EU referendum in June. Momentum tells the Guardian that it will send troops into council seats in May to help avoid key defeats. The other key proposal is for future leader races to cut the 15% nominations requirement to just 5% - a move to guarantee a leftwing replacement for Corbyn. Neil Kinnock - a veteran on CLPD clashes - tells the Indy: Its not exactly an expression of confidence in leadership, is it? Anyone who cant get a large share of support from the Parliamentary Labour Party just cant do the job. Thats a basic fact of life. As I cautioned the other day though, watch for the 'three year rule' barring changes to thresholds - that may stop the 5% idea until 2019. At PMQs, David Cameron could have fun with all this, as well as the charra Cabinet. The partys anti-semitism row bubbles away (see my latest report HERE), and Seumas Milnes Maoist manifesto is sure to get a run out from the PM. Watch for Labour MPs faces. Advertisement 2) THE BLAME GAME The junior doctors are back on strike, this time for the first of three 48-hour stoppages. Will either Corbyn or Cam raise it at PMQs? The system will cope but its an A&E work to rule where things would get very difficult for doctor support among the public - and Government sources point out the BMA backed off their last A&E strike plan and have no plans for another one. A new MORI poll this morning found roughly the same support - 65% - for the doctors, but there was a significant rise in the number of people who blame both sides for the dispute. Again, more fuel for Jeremy Hunt and No10 to dig in and push on with contract imposition. Hunt is in no mood to blink. I understand that he and Cameron agree on their stance: they see themselves as reasonable men but both have a bottom line when pushed. Hunt also believes the BMA gave him no choice after rejecting his compromise. And the Health Sec has a wider agenda today in his mission to be the patient champion of the NHS, with radical new reforms to end the cover up culture among doctors over their clinical mistakes. New legislation to make it easier to admit errors without fear of being sued, plus safety league tables, are to be unveiled. It may inflame some doctors further, but Hunt insists this is about preventing, not exploiting, any blame game within hospitals. The wider 1% pay freeze confirmed yesterday didnt help public relations, though other NHS staff may point to the docs getting a better deal under this contract. Yesterday, the NHS pay review body highlighted the real risks posed by axeing student nurse bursaries. (And the Telegraph reports how soldiers have attacked the 1% pay cap as unreasonable and unfair.) The Indy claims Hunt has failed to make any weekend hospital visits in 12 months. Advertisement 3) WINDSOR SCEPTIC Ah, the non-denial denial. Its a staple of anyone who deals with the Lobby and todays Sun splash -Queen Backs Brexit - features a classic of the genre. The papers scoop focuses on two incidents where Her Maj expressed a certain, shall we say scepticism, about Brussels. The first is where lots of MPs were present and she blurted out I dont understand Europe. The second was when she had lunch with Nick Clegg in Windsor Castle and during a heated declaration said the EU was heading in the wrong direction. The DPMs spinners say this was all a long time ago and he cant really remember but if he would remember if she had said something so startlingly political. Clegg himself still says on Twitter the story is nonsense. But nonsense in the politico-journo-industrial complex of the Westminster Bubble is NOT the same as untrue. Just read the memoir of Damian McBride, a connoisseur of the denial genre. Scots Nationalists will be thinking how rich it is that the Queen is being deployed once more in a referendum battle. As for the wider In-Out battle, MarkCarneybot proved yesterday his upsides and downsides. The downside for No.10 was his robotic econ-o-babble speaking style, the upside his message that a number of big City institutions would quit London after Brexit. He stressed he was not leaned on by anyone in Downing St but Eurosceps say you dont need to lean on someone who shares your Groupthink. Meanwhile, Boris soared in the latest ConHome poll. All three top leadership contenders are Brexiteers (Gove and Fox feature too). My colleague Owen Bennett has some new details on Nigel Farage's fury over Neil Hamilton topping his Welsh candidates list. BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR Watch Michael Fabricant shout Bollocks! in the Commons. Forget Boris, Fabbers is the real blond bombshell of the Eurosceps. Advertisement 4) SCOTS SUNDAY When the SNP held their crunch meeting last night in Parliament, it was clear the mood of many of their MPs was to oppose - not abstain - on the English Sunday trading reforms later today. The arithmetic means that their 56-strong bloc could now make the vote a real nail-biter for the Sajid Javids Enterprise Bill. The Tory whips are this morning working hard to try to squeeze down the rebellion on their own benches, and think the 23 figure can be whittled down, not least as there is a new anti-SNP backlash for interfering in English matters. With the margins so tight though, the Lib Dems 8 MPs will matter hugely - and as I pointed out yesterday everyone has overlooked they are in favour of more devolution. Ministers were always planning to keep a concession up their sleeve to further protect workers rights. It had better be a good one, otherwise the trading clause could be pulled and put into another bill later. After all, that has happened once this Parliament already. Still, the Daily Record has possibly the best angle on the SNPs inner turmoil, claiming that MPs rebelled against their leadership over a deal done with Osborne. It reports the quid pro quo for Sunday trading abstention wasnt just on the financial settlement, but on a Privy Council seat for Stewart Hosie and an extra, controlling seat on the Scottish Affairs Committee. Stewart Hosie laughed and said this was nonsense last night. But thats another denial that could get more scrutiny. Nicola Sturgeon faces a bad day at the office today as the GERS figures, Gov Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland, deliver a hammer blow to the case for independence. The slump will reflect the 54 per cent fall in UK oil revenues that will show the growing gulf between Scotland's public finances and the rest of the U.K. 5) CHINESE BURN George Osbornes backing for a Chinese-style two-child policy on welfare is one thing that hes not U-turning on, it seems. Last week, the IFS had a projection showing that Osborne and IDSs caps on benefits for families with more than two kids would cause child poverty to rise by 2020 (after years of reductions). Advertisement Today, the FT reports exclusively on Sheffield Hallam University research on the impact of welfare reform and it confirms that large families will be particularly hard it - with Asian communities in the firing line as a result. The study found that 80 per cent of the reduction from the post-2015 reforms or 10.7bn a year by the end of 2020 would fall on families with dependent children. As well as Asian-white differences, theres also a rent-own difference in the cuts. On average, social renters can expect to lose almost 1,700 a year, compared to 290 a year for those of working age who own their own home. None of this is good for the long-term Tory plan to win over council estates - or ethnic voters. If youre reading this on the web, sign-up HERE to get the WaughZone delivered to your inbox. A mum has discovered her twin babies have different fathers. DNA testing revealed the fraternal twins, who are now two years old and look "strikingly different", had been conceived from the sperm of two different men. Advertisement Twins can have different fathers if two eggs from the same mother are fertilised by sperm from two different men (picture posed by models) The Vietnamese mother and her husband had taken the twins for DNA testing after suspicions over the children's parentage were raised by the man's family because one has thick, wavy hair, the other twin has thin, straight hair. They were shocked to learn only one of the twins was biologically related to the husband, but both were related to the woman - ruling out any possibility that one of the twins could have been swapped at the hospital shortly after birth- according to reports from the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper. Le Dinh Luong, president of the Genetic Association of Vietnam, told AFP news agency it was an extremely rare case. Advertisement "Our Centre for Genetic Analysis and Technology lab has tested and found a pair of bi-paternal twins," he said. "This is rare not only for Vietnam, but for the world." The occurrence, known as heteropaternal superfecundation happens when a woman ovulates two eggs during one cycle, which are then fertilised by two men within a period of about five days. In May 2015 an American judge ruled a woman's former lover only had to pay half of his child support - because one of his twins had a different father. The case began in October 2014, when social services filed a child support request on the mother's behalf, naming the man as father of both girls. Advertisement A DNA test was later ordered, which showed only one of the babies was related to the man, prompting the mother to admit to the court she had been intimate with another man in the same week the babies were conceived. Judge Mohammad's ruling set a precedent as no known case like this had ever been seen before. World attention on the conflict in the Middle East is primarily focused on Syria and Iraq, and much less so on the catastrophe in Yemen, which has cost the lives of thousands of people and forced millions to flee their homes. The Saudi monarchy, with Britain's open support, has been waging war on Yemen for a year, and yet few Britons know anything about it. Since Saudi Arabia and a coalition of regional Sunni allies launched their military campaign in Yemen against the Houthi rebels who deposed the US-backed Yemeni president Mansur Hadi, around 8100 Yemenis have been killed. A recent comprehensive report, State of Crisis: Explosive Weapons in Yemen, suggests that 93 per cent of the deaths and injuries are civilian, a stark reminder of the willful brutality of this war and the indiscriminate fashion in which it is being conducted. All sides in the conflict bear responsibility for the destruction to a certain degree -- such is the nature of any civil war with sectarian dimensions -- but according to the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, a "disproportionate amount appeared to be the result of air strikes carried out by [Saudi-led] coalition forces." No wonder that upon his return from the war-ravaged nation, the head of the International Red Cross, Peter Maurer, stated that "[t]he images I have from Sanaa and Aden remind [me] of what I have seen in Syria. So Yemen after five months looks like Syria after five years." Advertisement Yemen is a humanitarian catastrophe. Relentless bombing raids have shredded the country's most basic infrastructure. With the country under a naval blockade that has choked its fragile economy, the UN warns of "staggering" food crises. More than half of the population is facing food insecurity, and the country is at risk of slipping into famine. Airstrikes have targeted everything from aid agencies to weddings to hospitals, including those run by Medecins Sans Frontieres, demonstrating a "total disregard for the rules of war," as MSF says itself. More than 110 sorties were categorized as "widespread and systematic attacks on civilians" by a United Nations panel investigating the Saudi-led bombing. The sheer volume of these targeted attacks confirms the fact that they are intentional and part of the broader military strategy of total war, setting a dangerous precedent for future conflicts. Putting relief workers under threat by normalizing these institutions as acceptable targets while further diminishing civilian casualties with meaningless terms like "collateral damage" only serves to desensitize such atrocities in people's minds. Rather than condemning this fundamentalist dictatorship which, chillingly, kicked off the year with mass beheadings, Britain stands firmly behind its ally. Since Prime Minister David Cameron has taken office, the UK government has supplied Saudi Arabia with upwards of 6 billion worth of arms and military equipment. Remarkably, more than 100 new arms licences have been approved since the Saudis began their bombing campaign. The connection between the UK and the conflict in Yemen through Saudi Arabia is direct. When shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn (who was a staunch supporter of the airstrikes in Syria) says he is concerned about the war in Yemen and the extent of British involvement, you know it is serious. Yemen needs a peaceful, diplomatic solution, not more bombs. Britain is a proud signatory and effective co-author of the UN Arms Trade Treaty, which imposes very specific duties on the government to ensure that exported weapons are not used in a way that would be outside the terms of the treaty. David Cameron himself hailed the Arms Trade Treaty as a landmark agreement that would "save lives and ease the immense human suffering caused by armed conflict around the world." Incidentally, Saudi Arabia is not just purchasing military support, it is also securing a diplomatic and political umbrella. We have seen the UK government's instrumental lobbying role to get the kingdom (laughably) onto the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), an unequivocal example of how easily rational security interests are sacrificed for profit. Advertisement Britain's alliance with Saudi Arabia rarely gets the scrutiny it deserves. It is a country with a long history of human rights abuses in basic areas such as freedom of expression and assembly. It denies women the most basic life functions under the discriminatory male guardianship system, which essentially gives men complete control over women's lives. Internal repression and human rights abuses inside the kingdom are one thing. Perhaps even more troubling, is the monarchy's support for radical extremism, which poses a direct threat to UK national security. The British-backed Saudi onslaught is not only devastating Yemen and inflicting mass suffering, it is also building strong resentment towards Britain. When innocent people die in "collateral" damage caused by UK-made arms, those who survive will naturally start thinking of revenge, providing a fertile environment that is susceptible to extremist ideology. In a 2014 speech at Harvard, Vice President Joseph Biden criticized Saudi Arabia, saying "those allies' policies wound up helping to arm and build allies of al Qaeda and eventually the terrorist Islamic State." The idea that one of the main pillars of Britain-Middle East long-term strategy hinges on Saudi tyranny exemplifies how broken and outsourced UK foreign policy has become in this region. In the latest example of the impunity Google acts with in its dealings with governments, it has declared that the UK's recently created "Google tax" is not for Google. The comment was made by Tom Hutchinson, Google's Vice-President for Finance, at a hearing with a UK Parliamentary Committee over the company's recent tax deal with the UK government. The tax referred to officially goes by the name of the "diverted profits tax" and was set up specifically to target companies, such as google with aggressive tax avoidance systems. It enabled the UK government to impose a 25% tax (5% above the normal 20% rate of corporate tax) on profits that are inappropriately diverted from the UK . Google's indication that their recent tax deal with the UK government, hailed by many as "derisory", will mean this tax does not apply to them, is disturbing evidence that the influence over government and regulatory capture already so evident in the US has been transferred to Europe. The deal between the UK and Google has seen Google agree to pay 130 million in back taxes and interest to cover the period between 2005 and 2015. This is for a country that is Google's second biggest market and in which it reportedly brought in 4.6 billion euros in revenue in 2014 alone. It is little wonder the agreement has not been seen as a bargain for the UK. Advertisement Paradoxically, the only state that has taken a firm stand against Google has been China, not a perfect country but for sure hardly known for its anti-monopolistic principles. In the US, meanwhile, the evidence of Google's undue influence over the government keeps rolling in, with the FCC recently passing a decision to open up the US set-top box market, a proposal closely associated with Google. This proposal will allow other competitors, including Google, to provide their own set-top boxes, allowing them to repackage and monetise the content negotiated and delivered by Pay TV providers. This has passed despite the worrying implications for privacy, investment, and diversity of programming that many critics have raised. This is certainly not the first time that google has made use of this tactic, reusing and repackaging content developed by its competitors. Indeed, one of the initial lines of investigation of the EU's ongoing competition case regarding Google's search engine focussed on its use of content from competing specialised web search services , for example making use of user reviews on its competitor's websites. This is of course just one of the EU's two ongoing antitrust investigations focussed on Google. The other, still at an earlier stage, is focussed on the company's behaviour regarding its Android operating systems. However, it is hard not to see the two cases as linked given the way Google have been able to translate their dominance in the search market into dominance in the mobile operating system market. In turn, the fact that 50% of google searches are now done by a mobile device means that Google's success with its operating system is now feeding into and reinforcing its dominance on search. This is a dominance that, it is important to remember, is even more unchallenged in the EU, where Google accounts for 90% of online searches, than it is in the US, where it accounts for a still hefty 64% . Advertisement The Statement of Objections eventually released by the European Commission in relation to the online search case was quite narrow, focussing only on the way google has allegedly used its platform to favour its own comparison shopping service, Google Shopping, over the services of its competitors. However, there have been hints recently from Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission's Commissioner for Competition, that the company will face a broader range of antitrust challenges over the coming years . The resolution of these issues is crucial if Europe truly wants to establish itself as a technology leader and finally implement the much talked about Digital Single Market. It cannot do this if there are companies such as Google hovering over the market, impeding fair competition. There have recently been grumblings from the US that American companies are being unfairly targeted in Europe. These accusations do not ring true.The recent debate has not been about bringing down American companies but simply about ensuring that companies are treated equally. Whenever a well-known business announces redundancies of hundreds of jobs it makes the headlines. We all understand the horrifying impact these kinds of decisions have on people and communities. So imagine where the UK's recovery would be without the 100,000 jobs that exist thanks to responsible finance lenders over the past 10 years. These jobs have been created or even saved thanks to the affordable, ethical and locally focused lenders that make up the Responsible Finance industry, according to our new report, 10 Years of Responsible Finance, published today. And these lenders could make 6 billion available to 1.4 million businesses and people in the next 10 years, unlocking over 2 billion in finance for new and growing businesses and generating at least 16 billion in GDP. Advertisement But this promising future is uncertain. Although the rehabilitation of the banking sector continues, there's still an imbalance between the supply of appropriate finance from mainstream providers and demand from society at large. Britain's 5.4 million small businesses continue to face challenges in accessing the finance they need to grow and create jobs. In particular, businesses of less than 50 employees are still struggling to borrow according to the recent Small Business Finance Markets Report published by the British Business Bank. Meanwhile despite many strides forward social enterprises are frequently misunderstood by financial service providers. They cite access to finance as their biggest barrier to starting up and becoming sustainable. And 6 million adults (10% of the UK's population) either don't have access to a bank account or are on the edge of mainstream banking, putting them at risk of problem debt from the high cost short term credit sector. Advertisement Filling this gap is what responsible finance providers specialise in. Responsible finance providers are a dynamic network of organisations that tailor their services locally to the needs of those often excluded, giving access to fair, affordable finance to people and businesses. Their finance creates jobs, boosts enterprise and fuels growth. Over the past 10 years, responsible finance has grown from lending just 77m to 250m per year and has lent a total of 1.6bn to 280,000 people, businesses and social enterprises. It's financed 50,000 businesses and over 4000 charities and social enterprises that couldn't access finance from banks. And providers have created 68,000 jobs and saved a further 41,000 that were at risk. But as we celebrate 10 years of responsible finance with the publication this week of our new report, 10 years of Responsible Finance, detailing the many achievements of affordable, ethical finance providers, we must acknowledge that we could do much, much more to support the UK's economy. The responsible finance industry is well positioned to continue growing. Building from the impressive foundations and growth rate of the last 10 years, responsible finance providers could lend 6 billion to 1.4 million businesses and people in the next 10. This would unlock over 2 billion in finance for new and growing businesses, generating at least 16 billion in GDP. Advertisement This would also mean that more than 1 million more people would have access to affordable credit and the advice and services that will help relieve debt levels and gain financial management and literacy skills. But this promising future is uncertain as challenges remain with matching demand for finance with supply. Responsible finance providers need access to stable sources of capital to scale, and currently the future of those funds is uncertain. To make the progress needed for the responsible finance sector to continue playing a critical role in fuelling the economy and productivity, we are making three clear recommendations this week - to government, to local authorities and local enterprise partnerships, and to our own responsible finance providers: 1. Access to capital. Responsible finance providers need access to stable sources of capital to continue growing their lending. Innovative policy guarantee schemes can be instrumental in leveraging in new private investment. Existing schemes such as the enterprise finance Guarantee and similar european guarantees and the industry tax relief (community investment tax relief) should be revised so that they are fit for purpose for the responsible finance industry. improving these policy tools would be catalytic in stimulating new investment into the sector to on-lend. 2. Local integration. The "devolution revolution" is an exciting opportunity for local governments across the country to take control of their localities. Every local authority and lep should be working closely with their responsible finance provider as the delivery mechanism for reaching underserved populations of people, businesses, and social enterprises, thus creating inclusive local economies. Advertisement 3. Harness new technology. New "fintech" is changing how people and businesses access, use, and manage their finances. To broaden its reach and improve efficiency, the responsible finance sector must use new tech such as common operating systems, investor platforms, and standardised social impact reporting. exciting tech initiatives are already underway which are transforming how ethical finance is delivered. The UK's business community say responsible finance is vital. Emma Jones MBE, the founder and chief executive of Enterprise Nation, says "Responsible finance providers have clearly been an essential source of finance for businesses over the last 10 years. Businesses need access to affordable finance from providers who understand them." And Mike Cherry of the Federation of Small Businesses adds, "Access to finance can be a real challenge for small firms. Responsible finance providers are able to take the time to understand the needs of a small business and provide fair and affordable finance to those with ambitions to grow." On 9 March the junior doctors will go back on strike for another 48 hours of "emergency care only" provision. This comes as the response to Jeremy Hunt "going nuclear" and imposing a contract that would be devastating to the NHS, is a thinly veiled nod to privatisation, and has been widely discredited as being utter fucking nonsense. My concern is this - Jeremy Hunt has already uttered those terrifying words that "history will judge" his actions. Whether his intentions for the NHS are actually honourable or steeped in greed, self-interest and idiocy is actually irrelevant at this stage. He has played his hand and the battle lines are drawn; he has dug his fox hole and is well supplied for a war of attrition. So what do we do? Work to rule? Prolonged emergency care strikes? Full walk out? Lobby for "back to the negotiating table"? I'm not sure we can win a war of attrition.... So what if we were to roll the dice? What if we embrace the whispers of revolution that are riding the winds of disillusionment in the corridors of our once great NHS? What if we realise just how powerful we are? What if we decide we want real change? What if we man the fuck up and deliver that change? Advertisement Junior Doctor contract imposition would hit the NHS on Wednesday 3rd August 2016 - our time is running out and our lovely, caring, people centred government knows this. Saying we want real change, and in a matter of months, are big words behind a keyboard, I am the first to admit this, so how do we deliver these big words? Humour me and tell me it didn't make you wonder.... Remember this - everything around you was created by man. The laws of the land, the infrastructure, the hospitals and schools, the learned helplessness of NHS workers and the British public, the mindset that we can't influence real change - all of it man made and wonderfully malleable once people realise it. And believe me the Tories realise that - they are real dicks but all of them rest atop a significant set of balls! They trade on the fact we don't share their self-assured view that the world is ours for the shaping. So what if junior doctors were to shake off the shackles of this crippling learned helplessness? What if Junior Doctors were simply to say no to imposition and table a mass resignation? Advertisement No more strikes, no more arguments over mis-used data and government lies - we simply say no, enough, and table our notice en masse. We let the wonderful British Public decide whether they want an NHS or not. As midnight strikes on the 2nd August 2016 you will cease to have a health service unless there is real change - we will give you open and honest insight into the change we want to see and we will do it based on the notion of free world-class healthcare for ALL from cradle to grave. Frustrated that the 11th March National Health Service Bill is struggling to gain the traction needed to safeguard and guarantee a free and nationalised health service for the generations to come? I will happily refuse to work until this is written into law......if 50,000 of my colleagues join in then there is simply no healthcare in this country without that bill.....are you really telling me that law couldn't be passed overnight if the public rose up behind us and demanded it? We need to get back to WHY the NHS exists - we need significant reform that bolsters the foundations of an incredibly beautiful ideal. Our message to the public is simple: support us in that change or decide that you would rather take your chances with a private healthcare service. We are not on strike for better pay - it makes no sense to claim otherwise as private healthcare makes doctors and their employers filthy rich. If the NHS is privatised my hours, my pay and my lifestyle will become mine to negotiate.......it will be a life of luxury for me and my family but the majority of this country will be...well.....you'll be fucked. I am an NHS doctor because I am idealistic to a fault for the values it encompasses - if I was driven by money I simply wouldn't be an NHS doctor - it's not worth the headache! Advertisement We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to revolutionise how we value people in this country. NOW is the time to take it - if you don't then don't moan to me later - I won't be able to hear your pleas over the roar of my Bentley. This contract is not an isolated issue. This is the frontline of the war for privatisation of the NHS. A war of attrition we will lose so NOW is the time to think big - anything other than big and bold and we lose.....it's a hail mary pass, a "shot to nothing".....the ones that always end up on the highlight reels and the "top 10" lists - damn they must feel good when they come off! Let us table a mass resignation and demand massive change. Let this be the powder keg for much needed, dare I say it, "revolution" in this once astoundingly beautiful nation of ours. Let us do justice to the WWII generation who faught so hard for this NHS. You have 6 months to make your decision........ In the meantime is there anyone else out there disillusioned who wants change? I sense there may be a few. Nurses? Porters? Radiographers? Pharmacists? Paramedics? How about an NHS wide mass-resignation tabled for 3rd August..... Advertisement Whilst we have thrown off the shackles of "what's possible" who else fancies making a stand? Tired of being forever beaten down and mocked by government corruption and lies? How about we up the ante and make the 3rd August the day Great Britain decided we would get back to basics and make it about the many not just the few? Can you feel it? It's just a whisper but just imagine what could be..... Re-negotiation of PFI deals? MPs salaries and working days inextricably linked to all public sector workers? We are "in it together" remember. A GMC number given to the secretary for health so he works under the same code of conduct as doctors? No more secret deals or conflicts of interest in the dark corners of Westminster? No more LIES tolerated? Election manifestos and promises that cannot be broken without rigorous debate? What do YOU want? Have a think.....that's a democracy.......and remember ANYTHING is up for grabs! It's that time again. The starting pistol is set to sound on another Assembly Election and politicians are about to start their customary mass exodus from Cardiff Bay to join the campaign trail. Across the length and breadth of Wales they will go, devoting more resources than ever to court the votes of the public from now until 7 May, when the people will finally choose their representatives. However, after working with young and vulnerable people across the country since 1852 - and working in tandem with 42 Prime Ministers, five Ministers of Welsh Affairs, 20 Secretaries of State and three First Minsters of Wales on the way - YMCA has too frequently seen the voices and needs of the communities we exist to serve go unheard. Advertisement More than 10,000 people came through our doors in Wales last year. However, because they are young, because they don't have anywhere to call home, or because they find themselves marginalised or isolated from mainstream society, perspective politicians can miss them out in their drive to gain votes. To address this, we've been working across the country to create our YMCAs in Wales Manifesto, which we'll be launching tonight (9 March 2016) at the Pierhead, in Cardiff Bay. Six months in the making and involving nearly 500 young people, service users, staff and volunteers from across 11 different focus groups, 48 recommendations have been made across five key policy areas. It total, 36 pages have been written to create our communities' very own Manifesto for Wales. This is not YMCA's view; it is theirs. Every recommendation we put forward has come from the needs of the young and vulnerable people we spoke to; whether it be around equipping young people with the life skills and resilience they need to flourish or creating more low-cost homes, building on the success of YMCA's Y:Cube housing project in south west London. Advertisement Today, the communities YMCA represents are having their say and tonight they will speak directly to Assembly Members who, if successful in the Election, will have the unenviable task of marrying the needs of people in Wales to the difficult decisions we all know have to be made around public services, due to the continuing economic pressures. And the reason we have done this is simple: we are YMCA. We could not stand by and allow our communities to go unheard. As one young man said in our focus groups leading up to today, "young people have to live longest with decisions that get made" and indeed they do. It is our role to speak out and stand up for the young and marginalised individuals we serve on the issues that affect their lives, and help them to find confidence in their own voice. YMCA is now calling on the next Welsh Government to take forward these recommendations to transform lives and communities all over Wales. By cutting public health budgets in-year by 200 million, the government has put enormous pressure on local authorities to make significant savings. Worryingly these savings are surfacing as cuts to services for people living with and at risk of HIV, leaving the more than 103,000 people in the UK living with a long team health condition with reduced local support facilities. Oxfordshire County Council has already slashed their budget for HIV prevention and support in a bid to make savings. 50,000 of funding will no longer be available and Terrence Higgins Trust, the local provider of HIV services, will be forced to close its local centre, a life line for many. After April no provision will be available in the whole county and the 500 people living with HIV in Oxfordshire will have no support service. With the real impact of these cuts imminent, HIV charities from across the country have teamed up with professional health bodies and united in a national campaign - 'Support people with HIV: Stop the cuts'. The campaign calls on decision makers to understand the importance of HIV support and prevention services, as well as the need to commission them effectively and fund them sufficiently. Services needed by people living with HIV are complex and far-ranging, including clinical care, peer support and long term condition management. Combined with this is the fact that HIV remains a highly stigmatised health condition - People Living with HIV Stigma Index UK found that stigma had prevented 15 per cent of people surveyed from accessing their GP in the last year. Advertisement Ultimately cuts to HIV services will put people at risk and unsure of where to turn for support. It will also add extra pressures on health and social care, as well as increased costs to the NHS. 6,000 people were diagnosed with HIV in 2014 alone, and this will only increase with reduced services and an increase in transmission. Recognising the reality that local authorities must make savings as they carry the weight of central government cuts, the campaign, has written to Secretary of State for Health, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt. Backed by 30 organisations, the letter calling for a meeting to discuss the wide ranging impact of these cuts, as well as demanding effective commissioning, adequate funding, and access to support services for all people living with HIV. Local Authorities must fully engage, listen and understand the needs of people living with HIV, and ensure they are met. We want to see local decision makers working with HIV charities, and people living with HIV to ensure sexual health and HIV remains a priority and budget cuts don't impact people living with HIV disproportionally. There needs to be a dialogue between councils and the HIV sector, that I hope charities like Terrence Higgins Trust can help facilitate, so that fully informed decisions can be made and we achieve a balance in what is undoubtedly a tough fiscal climate. Advertisement I am currently running for election as Bristol's SU Volunteer Chair. In addition to other promotional material, I have produced a pitch open to all students, to see how the election campaign at our university runs and what a candidate may hope to pitch. Here it is: "Hello everyone - most of you won't know me, but I am Johnny, a second-year Law student, and I am running to be SU Volunteer Chair. This is because I want Volunteering to be better promoted, better resourced and better rewarded at the SU next year. Advertisement I hope to better promote Volunteering through media platforms such as Epigram, the Tab, UBTV and Burst Radio. I hope to ensure that Volunteering is better resourced by working with the SU (which I have experience of, as I will demonstrate). I hope to better reward Volunteers by organizing fun events at the SU for you to build a real sense of community. My suspicion is that the biggest obstacle to winning the election and making a real difference will be apathy. I have certainly felt, probably like you, that in the past, SU elections are only tangentially impactful on my university experience. I have certainly felt, probably like you, that in the past, SU elections have affected little change at the university. I have certainly also felt, probably like you, that in the past, SU elections have been for 'other people' to worry about. Not a specific person, not a specific group, but just 'not me'. These are the familiar tropes of #ProjectFear, that SU elections are full of brutal, bureaucratic bores crushing the latent optimism and energy of youth that should so electrify student elections. Advertisement Call me a dreamer, but I really do believe that I can make a difference at the SU if YOU vote for me as Volunteer Chair. This year I have worked closely with the Volunteer Chair, Kristin Hoo ("Vote for Johnny, he's an awesome candidate"), on the SU Volunteering Executive Committee. I have been the Committee's Newsletter Editor, responsible for promoting volunteering opportunities. In this role, I have established links with UBTV, set up a blog on the SU website, and written an SU newsletter emailed periodically to students. With this experience, I have seen what the role entails - and I know I can deliver. Our Committee, which I was active in, linked volunteers with projects, and among our successes have been a food drive and a Christmas party for local schools. I want to expand on this work, running more events, using the contacts I have built up this year to do it. I also work with Oxfam GB as a Constituency Campaigner, lobbying parliament on issues of inequality and taxation. In this role, I lead volunteers at events, and I hope to establish links with Oxfam GB if elected. Not only this, but as Student Rep for the Bristol PLUS Award, I have experience dealing with SU employees and making positive changes to YOUR university experience, streamlining the award and raising feedback issues. If only anything else about the EU Referendum were that simple. The debate on our continuing membership of the EU is complex- thankfully so. It should be; monetary policy, sovereignty, collective security arrangements and immigration ARE weighty issues that deserve a robust and frank debate. So how come we've ended up with this: a crass, shrill argument that frequently boils down to tribal party politics, he-said-she-said and, most pathetically, accusations of bullying on both sides? This is the debate we deserve. And young people should be hacked off about it. The outcome of the referendum will shape policy in the UK for at least a generation - years that you'll be working, paying taxes, using public services and and experiencing the daily impact of the decision whatever it may be. Advertisement Don't think the EU has affected you already? It has. From small things: you have a Samsung phone, your mate has a Sony. You're out of juice, but you can borrow their charger because the EU negotiated with phone companies to stop being douchey, to design and use a universal charger. To big things: you have the right to live, work and study in any EU country. You are protected by the environmental regulations to keep our drinking and bathing water free from contamination and you are a member of the world's most powerful trading bloc. We believe in facing outwards, co-operation, friendship and connecting to the wider world, not retreating into the cave in an age when the world is becoming ever more intertwined. We at www.inftw.co.uk are campaigning fiercely to stay in the EU and we won't tolerate BS in the debate. It's too important for politicians, the press or businesses to ignore the youth voice; so we want your contributions. You can send us your photos, videos and stories. You can write blog pieces for us, you can host events and learn how to campaign effectively. Advertisement We believe this is vital, and not just for the EU Referendum We are a diverse and complex population, so why does our politics fail to reflect that? At the General Election of 2015, 650 MPs were elected to represent each of us. Out of that number, only 29% are women; an extraordinarily low 6% are minority ethnic; and the average age of the new Parliament is 51, a year older than at the previous election. Couple that with the fact that the national voter turnout was 66% (and significantly lower figures seen across South Yorkshire), and you have a Parliament that looks very little like its public. Why should this trouble us? Because such a grossly distorted representation of the people leaves whole groups badly in need of a voice at the heart of Government. We all bear responsibility for addressing this imbalance. Children need engaging in politics whilst still at school (we know that if they have failed to become politically active by the age of 20, it becomes decreasingly likely that they will ever engage); political parties must do more to reach women and ethnic minority communities, not simply to gain votes, but to ensure that more of our population is invested in those who govern it and the decisions they make. Ultimately, though, we must all do better at communicating our needs and concerns to our peers, and our representatives. Spending over four years as a senior aide to an MP, I answered thousands of emails and letters. The overwhelming majority were from those who had written before. The same voices, the same concerns. Advertisement I'm exhausted. As someone who has become increasingly politically active in recent years, I don't mind admitting that I am somewhat battle-fatigued. I use the word 'battle' with full cognizance of its dramatic effect. This government is engaged in full-blown warfare against the people of this country. Arranged in a wedge formation along with their allies from the City of London and the boards of multinational corporations, they have spent the past six years forcing us 'plebs' into a defensive testudo position. I, for one, have had enough. The latest in an excruciatingly long line of attacks on the citizens of the UK has been sprung in the form of cuts to the Employment Support Allowance (ESA). Having been rejected by the House of Lords twice - you know we're truly in dire straits when 'the other place' seeks to rein in the Tories' worst excesses - and despite the warnings of scores of charities that the payment is already too low, the government is doggedly moving to slash ESA by 30 per week for new claimants. A survey of 500 affected people carried out by the Disability Benefits Consortium found that 28 per cent of people had been unable to afford to eat while in receipt of the payment, while 38 per cent of respondents reported being unable to heat their homes. 'We're all in this together', right? Advertisement In typical style, IDS and co have flatly refused to carry out an impact assessment on the proposed changes. Their claim that the cut will 'incentivise' work only adds to the stigma already rampant thanks to a government that has persistently defamed disabled people as work-shy since 2010. Depression, suicide and homelessness have risen sharply, alongside physical and online abuse against disabled people. What price 'deficit reduction'? A government that views victims of its pernicious policies as collateral damage is unfit to hold office. There are alternatives. We could, for example, scrap Trident and divert the funds to where t's needed most. We could stop allowing super-rich individuals and huge corporations to portray themselves as 'benevolent' for paying a fraction of the tax they owe. No chance. The Tories are no better than the average school bully, identifying the most vulnerable potential victims and looking after number one by constantly cozying up to the 'big boys'. We face a crisis in our health and education systems, directly caused by intransigent government ministers blinded by ideology. In addition to a recruitment and retention crisis in the teaching profession, brought on by excessive workload, rapidly deteroriating working conditions and near-daily denigration by the DfE, the Health Secretary is embroiled in a trade dispute with junior doctors of a kind not seen in 40 years. Nothing symbolises this government's animosity towards the people it purports to represent like the Lobbying Act and the Trade Union Bill, both designed to silence dissent and disenfranchise workers, both policies born of spite and hatred. The same can be said for the Bedroom Tax, the cruelty of which has literally made global headlines. Advertisement I genuinely believe that history will look back on this period in our history and assess it in damning terms. Cameron and associates will be remembered as the politicians that persecuted the people to preserve their own privileged positions and that of their cronies. Despite, or perhaps because of, everything thrown at us, we are increasingly at risk of casually allowing that to be the case through our collective gradual desensitisation. When Johnson and Gove urge people to take to the streets to 'clean for the Queen' - the epitome of salt in very open wounds - we should instead be demanding redress for those forced out of their neighbourhoods through the vindictive actions of the DWP. When Osborne tells us there is 'no money' to support the most vulnerable, we should demand that he justify that assertion in light of his preoccupation with defending the interests of his rich pals. So, what can the people do when ideological warfare is waged against them by their own government? First, those who voted Tory at the last general election should dispassionately analyse the realities of Conservative policies and ask themselves if you want to be directly responsible for their outcomes; the broken lives, the chaos, the despair. Most importantly, even though we may be feeling ground down by the machinations of an Establishment hell-bent on destroying our public services so that they may be sold off to the highest bidder, we must regather and refocus. Be outraged; lobby your MP; join a picket line; become an active trade unionist; talk to family and friends about the wholesale persecution of disabled people; demand a Robin Hood Tax; shout for public services; demand welfare, not warfare. This blog is an edited transcript of the address delivered by Unite general secretary Len McCluskey to the German Embassy on Wednesday 9 March When I vote for Britain to remain in the EU in June, and when I argue for the members of my union and others to do likewise in the months ahead, I will not be voting for the status quo - let me be clear about that. I will not be voting for the EU which has sought to impose eye-watering austerity, at the expense of the ordinary citizen not the rich, on Ireland, Greece, Spain, Portugal and elsewhere. Advertisement I will not be voting for the EU which is seeking to stitch-up a pro-big business trade deal - TTIP - behind the backs of the people of Europe. And if people don't wake up to this deeply undemocratic stitch-up, we will be condemned by history. So, I won't be voting for the EU which takes a cavalier view of democracy and the rights of nations to make their own political choices. And I will, above all, not be voting for David Cameron's renegotiation package - a deal designed to protect the financial interests in the City of London which control the Conservative Party and to pander to anti-migrant and anti-welfare sentiment. And let me just note in passing that it's disappointing to see how eager European governments were to accommodate him, in stark contrast to the reception given Tsipras of Greece last year. Advertisement So what will I be voting for? I will be voting for hope, for solidarity, and for a more democratic Europe. Three tightly connected ideas. The Trades Union Congress - of which Unite is the biggest affiliate - has rightly not allied itself to the official Remain campaign, dominated as it is by the government. The role of the trade union movement will be vital in this referendum campaign. I read that some Tories are belatedly waking up to the fact that to defeat their own rebels in the "out" camp they will need the support of tens of thousands of Labour voters. It's tempting to say - how dare they? Since their election they have introduced one proposal after another - too many to trouble you with here tonight - to further weaken and undermine the trade unions, and to starve the Labour Party of its traditional source of funding. So now they need assistance from the movement they wish to destroy. Well, I'm a professional negotiator, and I would be tempted to make the most of a situation like this. Advertisement But it falls to us to behave in a more statesmanlike way, and to look at the bigger issues. Nevertheless, make no mistake, persuading Unite members to vote for a campaign led by such an overtly hostile and anti-democratic government will be a challenge. Let me, first of all, take hope. The "Remain" campaign is expecting to prevail through Project Fear - terrifying people of the consequences for their jobs, and for migration, if Britain leaves. Some of that may be justified - I know that many jobs, particularly in manufacturing, WILL be at risk outside the vast market of the EU. But is it not enough. To win, we need hope too. For eight years now Europe has been in a tunnel marked austerity. Everything has been subordinated to righting the finance-first system that capsized in 2008. It's time to show people a way out. For Europe to speak as one voice for growth, for investment, for protection for the weakest. Advertisement For a Europe that says it's more important for young people to get their future back than it is for bankers to get their money back. Where are the politicians of such vision in Europe today, who can make Europe seem like a cause, rather than a cash register? But because I believe such a Europe is possible, and that it is the sort of Europe millions of people want, I will argue that Britain needs to be in the EU to help bring it about. David Cameron says he wants to stay in the EU, but it's his own calls in recent years for UK exclusion from the full range of EU employment and social laws that have created the belief among ordinary people that the European Union is a big business club for the corporate elite. Cameron's Europe will never make the British heart beat faster. No. A Europe freed from the rule of the accountant, that can speak to the hope of a better life for all - now, that's a Europe worth voting for. In the end, the outcome of this referendum will come down to the gut feeling of the British people, when they ask themselves the question: are they better off inside the EU or outside of it? Advertisement Let's talk about solidarity. Can we rediscover a European Union of mutual assistance? After the second world war, billions in US 'Marshall' aid, European economic reconstruction and debt forgiveness all benefited Britain and Germany; and were all key to the re-integration of West Germany with the international community; and were all key to kick-starting a European economic and trade renaissance. Indeed, the Federal Republic had its debt substantially written off in the early 1950s, a gesture of generosity which should not be forgotten. Nor can we forget how EU transfers have helped some of what were deeply impoverished regions of Europe a generation or two ago to develop and build more prosperous societies. Given the chance, I believe the peoples of today's European Union would again choose that same ethos of investment, of modern economic reconstruction that holds to account the global corporations and banks that have wreaked so much havoc in recent years. But the Greek crisis last year showed a very different and less attractive face of Europe. The threat of 'Grexit', the imposition of punishing austerity and the effective subjugation of the national democratic will, showed the EU and Germany's leadership of it in a very unattractive light indeed. What principle is being upheld when Greece's health service is pushed into ruin, when a generation is reduced to beggary in order to ensure that banks - yes, British as well as German - are repaid on time? It certainly isn't solidarity. Advertisement Greece may have, indeed, been in financial crisis due to its own political leadership - but as journalist Paul Mason has said "It may [have been] at the bottom of the economic pecking order, but Europe was supposed to be more than [just] an economy". Likewise, can any European - any human indeed - be happy at Europe's handling of the refugee crisis. Here I do think it's appropriate to congratulate Angela Merkel for having showed far more humanitarian consideration than most EU governments, including our own. But leaving wretched people to drown, or be gassed by police as we have seen at Calais last week, betrays every ideal for which Europe is supposed to stand. It should have higher ideals, and solidarity is perhaps the most important. And I understand full well that leaving the European Union will develop solidarity not one bit - rather it will speed up the rush to beggar-my-neighbour economics and anti-refugee brutality. So I look forward to the EU referendum campaign as an opportunity to make the case for a broader and deeper solidarity across our continent. Without solidarity, Europe can only fragment. When Michael speaks, he reminds me how different the situation is between our two countries. Advertisement He has co-determination in industry and partnership in governance. We in Britain have domination by the City at the expense of industry, and an adversarial industrial and political culture. Our Prime Minister regards trade unions as the enemy within. Angela Merkel sees trade unions as a positive partner in German prosperity. In Britain, working people depend on the EU for a degree of social protection which German workers could probably assume whether or not the Union existed. Every day UK workers rely on the Social Charter for a range of employment and social rights. For fair treatment in the workplace, paid holiday, maternity leave, the protections afforded through the workers' time directive. The EU does at least offer British workers these bare minimum of protections. I want to keep the Social Charter and I want to see it re-established and renewed fit for the 21st century. Advertisement But I know that if the "out" campaign were to prevail, many of those rights would be torn up by the triumphant Tory right faster than you could say "Milton Friedman". However, it's not good enough to look at Europe as simply providing the lowest common denominator of employment rights on elected governments whether they like it or not, while also accommodating every wish of the army of corporate lobbyists stalking the corridors of Brussels. Your suggestion of a summit, Michael, seems a great idea and we would certainly support it. There needs to be far stronger democratic mechanisms for allowing the people of Europe to themselves control what is done in their name by the institutions of the EU. Putting the people in charge is the only lasting way to solve the big problems, like the 'social dumping' - the practice of importing low-wage workers to dilute pay and conditions - which has been allowed to undermine the European labour market to the advantage of the unscrupulous employer. Given real protection against such abuses would go a long way towards mitigating the concerns about the free movement of labour which we will hear a lot about in the weeks to come. Advertisement That's just one issue where a people's Europe would come to a very different conclusion than a bankers, bureaucrats and lobbyists' Europe, of that I'm sure. So I have a vision of a different Europe to the one on the ballot paper in June. Some of my friends will call me utopian. But I know that the better Europe I hope for will move from being a vision to an impossibility if we follow the Tory right into the "no" camp. We cannot fight for a better European Union if we are out of it. So I will be voting for the future on 23 June. So far the EU referendum campaign continues to be a war of stats and soundbites, with the political classes scrambling to take ownership of this debate and turning it into a lackluster affair. For LGBTI rights activists we must use this an opportunity to spark some life into this debate and stand up for equality at home and abroad by coming out for Europe. For LGBTI Brits, the journey to equality has been and remains paved with bitter memories. Policies such as the notorious Section 28 that prevented our teachers speaking about same-sex relationships, or or the heartache at the stats showing 44% of young LGBT people surveyed have considered taking their own lives. Futher, LGBTI people still face institutional ignorance with research commissioned by Stonewall showing one in ten health and social care professionals expressed a belief that someone can be 'cured' of being gay, lesbian or bisexual. The experiences faced by LGBTI people across the country could lead us to question why the UK currently stands number two for human rights provisions in the Rainbow Index of Europe, with Scotland being crowned number one in 2015. At present the UK is only overshadowed by Malta in the rights it affords to LGBTI citizens. In terms of the larger European countries we are strides ahead even of nations often perceived to be more tolerant such as Denmark or the Netherlands, who sit at 7th and 10th, respectively. Advertisement While our LGBTI rights may not be directly on the ballot paper at June's EU referendum, our ability to influence EU-wide rainbow equality may be significantly diluted. The state of LGBTI rights across the European Union is patchy at best, with the Rainbow Index of Equality revealing that only 55% of rights, on issues such as trans recognition and adoption rights, have been introduced in the EU overall. If you want to get a civil partnership with solid rights, your choice comes down to 12 nations, and if you want to get hitched the traditional way, you have only eight capital cities to get married in. Broken down, by each individual EU member, the state of equality makes for difficult reading. Latvia for example offers its LGBTI citizens no protection from hate speech or the right to access goods and services without discrimination. Even in the nation that has provided cuisine for many a date I have had, Italy, civil partnerships have still to be introduced. Even with these gross inequalities, progress is slowly being made at the EU level. Only this week 27 out of 28 EU member states agreed to a bold and ambitious series of actions to be implemented by the European Commission on gender recognition and LGBTI equality. Even in the face of continued LGBTI inequality, Vera Jourova Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, stated "No one will lose out if LGBTI people get the rights that everyone else can already enjoy." The UK has the opportunity to make lasting change by providing a progressive voice that champions LGBTI equality across the entire EU. By being at the top table, we can do more than simply shout from the sidelines, we can influence decisions and create change. Advertisement Our collective voice of around 500 million in the EU gives our condemnation of gross breaches of LGBTI rights around the world more power, and allows us to shout even louder than doing so in isolation. We only need to look across at the Middle East where gay people continue to be persecuted by being thrown off buildings at the hands of ISIS or in Nigeria where gay people face death by stoning. Irrespective of where you live across the European Union, I passionately believe that we are united in our struggle for equality; to be accepted by our families, not to lose our jobs due to discrimination and and to live without fear or intimidation. While the European Union has properly called on Albania to carry out judicial reform in order for talks to progress towards its full membership of the bloc, the tiny Balkan state must surely be commended for its practical activity on the international stage insofar as it contributes towards the prevention of a humanitarian disaster in the making. Though less than three million in population and a nation that escaped totalitarian rule only a quarter century ago, Albania has been working hard to rebuild itself as a worthy member of the international community. In 2009 it joined NATO, and two years ago it was granted EU candidate status. But one of the positive actions of the south-east European state that must be acknowledged is its role in preventing the massacre of several thousand Iranian refugees left stranded in Iraq. Members of the main opposition group to Iran's ruling theocracy have been based in Iraq for more than 30 years, where they built a modern vibrant community "Camp Ashraf" in the middle of the desert in central Iraq. However, subsequent to the Iraq war against Saddam, they have increasingly become a pawn of the Iranian regime's attempts to have these Iranian dissidents forcibly repatriated to certain torture and death in Iran and, in the interim, these defenceless refugees have been the targets of deadly armed attacks by the Iranian regime on the so-called 'Camp Liberty' to which they were expelled. Advertisement The fate of these Iranian dissidents, members of the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI or MEK), has increasingly become a crisis point for the U.S. and the United Nations which despite several written assurances to the dissidents have failed repeatedly to protect them from gun and rocket attacks by agents of the Iranian regime. To date, more than 140 of the residents have been killed in such attacks and a further 1000 injured - that despite UNHCR recognition that all the PMOI members, who are situated in Camp Liberty, near Baghdad, are refugees and 'people of concern' under international law. The last rocket attack on the camp occurred in October past when 24 PMOI members were killed. The reason for Tehran's hostility towards the PMOI is simple. They are the main organized opposition group that threaten to unseat the mullahs. The PMOI espouses a democratic, tolerant interpretation of Islam that is in direct contradiction with that which the mullahs have been pursuing in the past three decades. The PMOI's leader, the charismatic Mrs Maryam Rajavi, articulated this as long ago as April 2006 when she addresses the Council of Europe and her "10-Point Plan for a Future Iran" has been consistently espoused since that time. The current Iranian regime, despite President Rouhani's posturing and election management, lacks popular support and is ruling over its people with an iron fist. The supreme leader Ali Khamenei's position remains unchanged as he contemplates a repeat nationwide revolt against his clerical establishment similar to that in 2009. Though at the time, in part due to U.S. President Barack Obama's misguided policy of reaching out to the regime, Khamenei managed to force the genie back in the bottle, there's no guarantee that it could succeed to do the same in the event of another 'Persian Spring'. As such, organized opposition groups like the PMOI, which lead popular protests, cannot be tolerated, and Tehran is making every effort to eliminate them by brutal means. But brute force is not the only means Tehran employs to neutralize its opponents. One action that is being undertaken by the Iranian regime's Ministry of Intelligence and Security is to spread misinformation against the PMOI in the West in an attempt to demonize the group. That signals, as before, the prelude to a further massacre in Camp Liberty. Why, one must ask, do the U.N. and U.N.A.M.I. virtually dismiss what has happened before despite timely warnings? Advertisement Specifically in the case of Albania's brave decision to host PMOI members for resettlement, Tehran's notorious Intelligence Ministry is using its covert agents in the West to claim that the resettlement of these Iranian dissidents could result in the formation of a 'terrorist' hub within Europe's borders. Yet, the European Court of Justice, UK courts and American courts have each refuted the claim that the PMOI is involved in terrorism in any shape or form. Rather the PMOI has played a pivotal role in exposing the Iranian regime's nefarious conduct, including its exportation of terrorism. The PMOI and its wider coalition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), led by a courageous Muslim woman Mrs Maryam Rajavi, represents a democratic alternative to the terrorist-sponsoring regime in Tehran. Ship's pets and animal mascots have been a common sight throughout the ages until that is just over 40 years ago in 1975 when the Royal Navy banned them for 'health and safety reasons.' HMS Trincomalee in Hartlepool is one such illustrious vessel that had a long history of animals padding around its decks and into its briny bowels in search of scraps or else a friendly face. Pets - most commonly cats or dogs - were needed for companionship and for more practical purposes such as ridding a vessel of vermin. The crew would go for many months at sea, perhaps only stopping to re-stock and sometimes to pick up a more exotic crew member such as a monkey or parrot. Advertisement When British naval officers rescued a polar bear cub from drifting ice off Greenland during World War II, they took her on board their ship and made her their mascot. But before long, Barbara, as she was named, outgrew her new home and the crew deposited her at the Royal Navy's training facility on Whale Island, where a 'sailor's zoo' had been established in 1893 to accommodate those animals given to the Navy or brought back from the exotics. By 1935 there were lions, kangaroos and birds that had, however reluctantly, made 'sailor's zoo' their home. The majestic HMS Trincomalee, now the oldest warship still afloat today, was built in Bombay, India, in 1817 for the Royal Navy shortly after the Napoleonic Wars at a cost of 23,000. Named after the 1782 Battle of Trincomalee, she was fitted with temporary masts and rigging, and before stopping to pick up guns and ammunition on the way to Britain, she arrived in Portsmouth in 1819. During her first commission, the 1,447-ton ship provided hurricane relief in Bermuda in 1847, as well as preventing an invasion of Cuba. After returning to Britain and being refitted, she headed for Vancouver in 1852 under the command of Captain Wallace Houstoun. From there she patrolled the west coast of North America and the Pacific Ocean. Animal noises were a very audible feature of life on board a ship like HMS Trincomalee with livestock being kept as a ready food supply just yards from where the formidable ship's cook served up ropy but sometimes nourishing fare to crew members. When the ship was at sea and in battle mode, these poor creatures were often the first to be chucked over board if a lightening of the load was required. Advertisement Companion animals fared better as the men became attached to their feline and canine friends. When travelling to exotic places, it was also not unusual to pick up an animal such as a monkey or parrot or perhaps even a kangaroo or a far from cuddly bear. However we feel about the ethics of all this in modern day Britain, back then the company of a parrot that could be taught to talk and a monkey that was inherently clever (and often cheeky) provided endless hours of respite from the serious business of serving aboard a ship in the disease and death ridden 1800s. Cats were perhaps the most common animal to be found on board ship. Mariners in ancient Egypt were known to keep cats aboard their vessels for the vital service they provided on the frontline of vermin control. If mice and rats weren't kept under control, they would quickly consume the men's provisions and threaten the voyage. The mongoose too was a relatively common ship's pet, adept at catching cockroaches and rats. Sailors throughout history also believed cats brought good luck, as well as companionship during long voyages. They also adopted cats from the distant ports they visited. Perhaps the most well-known ship's cat was Simon, the black and white moggie that fought a valiant battle against vermin on HMS Amethyst. His story is fascinating. When an orphaned kitten is discovered in the Hong Kong docks in 1948 by a British soldier, he has no idea of the journey he's about to go on. Smuggled onto the HMS Amethyst, and named Simon by his new friends, the little cat quickly acclimatises to his new water-borne home, establishing himself as the chief rat-catcher in residence while also winning the hearts of the entire crew. Then the Amethyst is ordered to sail up the Yangtze to guard the British Embassy, and tragedy strikes as the ship comes under fire from Communist guns. Many of the crew are killed and Simon is among those who are seriously wounded. The ship is held hostage for months, with the crew and Simon working together to keep morale up and devise a means of escape. Soon, news of Simon's heroism spreads and he becomes famous world-wide - but it is still a long journey back to England for both the crew and the plucky little cat known as Able Seacat Simon...Able Seacat Simon is the only cat to be among 65 animals to be awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal, the animal charity's equivalent of the Victoria Cross. Advertisement Although pets are now banned on board Royal Naval ships, the role of ship's mascots is commemorated by the 'Animals in War' memorial, which was unveiled by HRH the Princess Royal in 2004, the 90th anniversary of the start of World War I. Among the heroic horses and dogs is a solitary cat, walking alongside its comrades. The inscription reads: "This monument is dedicated to all the animals that served and died alongside British and allied forces in wars and campaigns throughout time." A second inscription simply reads: The one hard-and-fast rule about a 'Plan B' is to make sure there is one. The farming industry - at the whim in recent years of foot and mouth, bovine TB, crop disease, droughts, flooding, and commodity price crashes to name but a few - understands of the importance of a fall-back plan. Yet Ministers have stated clearly in recent weeks there is no 'Plan B' being prepared by Government in the case of a vote for Brexit. Ever since we joined the EU, the rural economy and the way we manage our countryside has been shaped by agricultural and environmental policies drawn up in Brussels. Just as we expect Ministers to have robust strategies for the rural economy for a UK within the EU, so they must be ready if the UK votes to leave. Failing to make swift commitments on the key issues that are vital to the continued health of the rural economy will put jobs and investment at serious risk. Advertisement The rural sector is made up of 650,000 businesses employing 3.4 million people in England and Wales. In England alone it contributes 229 billion in gross value added to the national economy, as well as providing an incredible range of public value services, including creating habitats for wildlife, stewardship for woodlands, and helping prevent flooding. Endangering this is risky - the Government may not wish to reveal its plans before polling day, but it is critical that the sector knows the right plans are in formation. As a membership organisation the CLA is not calling for Leave or Remain. We are seeking answers from both camps and calling for Government to prepare for what may happen next. The sector must play its part too, which is why we have set out the four rural priorities that Ministers' plans need to address. In 2013, 62 percent of UK agri-food exports were exported within the EU and 70 percent of the UK's agri-food imports came from Europe. The UK trade relationship with the EU is far from perfect, but whatever happens on 23 June, access to EU markets for UK agricultural products must continue. The prospect of significant reduction in red tape is hard to foresee if the UK leaves the EU. Farming and other rural businesses will need Ministers to commit, in both Leave and Remain scenarios, to working for simpler systems that support rather than restrain commerce and also enable care for the environment. Advertisement The UK relies heavily on Eastern European labour in farming. If freedom of movement is restricted, a mechanism must be implemented for farmers and other rural businesses to continue to employ the workforce they need. Debate over the merits and weaknesses of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) has simmered for many years. Currently almost 4 billion a year is invested via the EU into supporting sustainable agriculture, environmental management and the wider rural economy. New independent research shows that the economic multiplier benefit for the UK economy of this investment is 10 billion, and that it sustains over 370,000 UK jobs - equivalent to around 10 percent of the total rural workforce. That investment must continue whether we are in or out of the EU, but there is potential for damaging uncertainty here. Farmers have budgeted for their businesses to receive land management payments through to the end of the current CAP framework in 2020. If the UK votes to leave, Ministers will need to confirm they will develop a 'UK Agricultural Policy' that ensures the necessary investment in farming and land management continues beyond Brexit. Every day that passes after a vote to leave will compound the wider crisis we are facing across our farming sector. If the UK votes to leave, the uncertainties for farming and other rural businesses are immediate. If we vote to remain, there are still critical commitments that Ministers will need to make. We cannot leave plans that are this important to chance - Government must step up to its responsibilities and visibly prepare for both eventualities. STEVEN SAPHORE via Getty Images People inspect the damage at Namuimada village settlement on February 26, 2016, caused by Cyclone Winston which devastated Fiji. Humanitarian aid was finally reaching isolated communities in Fiji devastated by super-cyclone Winston, with the government estimating the damage bill will top hundreds of millions of dollars. At least 44 people died when the most powerful storm in Fiji's history hit on February 20 and the UN says about 50,000 -- more than five percent of the entire population -- have been left homeless. AFP PHOTO / STEVEN SAPHORE / AFP / STEVEN SAPHORE (Photo credit should read STEVEN SAPHORE/AFP/Getty Images) Satellite images taken of Fiji have revealed the devastating destruction Cyclone Winston, which killed more than 40 people, has left across the remote islands. The UN and Fijian government have appealed for US$38.6 million in emergency relief aid after 40 per cent of the population -- that's 350,000 Fijians -- were impacted by the cyclone which hit the country in late February. Advertisement UN humanitarian agency OCHA confirmed more than 18,000 homes have been affected by the deadliest tropical cyclone on record in the Southern Hemisphere. And the damage across the country exceeds US$470 million, according to the government. On Wednesday, Australias Defence Force Chief Mark Binskin ended a two-day tour of Fiji and told media the 900 troops on the ground have delivered 480 tonnes of humanitarian equipment and supplies. The UN delivered nearly 100 metric tonnes of humanitarian aid on the same day. But it's only the beginning of a long road to rebuilding the country. About 250,000 people are in need of water, hygiene assistance and sanitation, the UN said. On Monday, there were still more than 50,000 people in almost 1,000 evacuation centres across the country. While more than 180 islands were hit by the cyclone, Koro Island was among the hardest hit. These photos show the extent of the damage: Advertisement Namacu village on Koro Island. Vatulele village on Koro Island. Advertisement Nathamaki village on Koro Island. Nasua village on Koro Island. A closer look at Nasua village on Koro Island. Advertisement Liz Rogers The Twelve Apostles are one of Australias most iconic natural landmarks, the eight remaining limestone pillars stand up to 50m tall off the southern coast of Victoria and draw tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world each year. However, it has been discovered that the eight pillars have another five companions that have refused to crumble, standing 4-6m tall at a depth of 50 metres below the waters surface and just 6km offshore from the Great Ocean Road. Advertisement These Drowned Apostles are understood to be the first limestone stacks to have been found preserved in the ocean, according to PHD student Rhiannon Bezore who made the discovery alongside Associate Professor David Kennedy from the University of Melbournes School of Geography and Deakin Universitys Dr Daniel Ierodiaconou. It was pretty exciting -- we werent really expecting to find these drowned apostles at all, Bezore told The Huffington Post Australia. So seeing them we all had to kind of look at each other and re-confirm we were seeing what we thought we were seeing. Advertisement Bezore said that there was "a lot more life going on down there" than she had expected. Just like the Twelve Apostles, the newest additions were once part of a larger limestone sea cliff. Bezore, who made the initial discovery in the sonar data, said that these new additions had stood the test of time and would erode at a much slower rate compared to their above-water cousins. Sea stacks in general are very temporary coastal features, she said. Their lifespan is usually in the order of centuries and so to find some that were created as far back as these ones were, which we believe were 60,000 years ago is very unusual. The 'Drowned Apostles' are much smaller than their above-water cousins but will erode at a much slower rate. Kennedy was astonished that the stacks had been so well preserved, considering the crumbing fate of one of the apostles that was consumed by the ocean. Advertisement Sea stacks are always eroding, as we saw with the one that collapsed in 2005, so it is hugely surprising that any could be preserved at that depth of water, he said. They should have collapsed and eroded as the sea level rose. According to Bezore, the stacks have been able to remain standing because the sea level rose at such a rapid rate, preventing them from being eroded by waves and strong winds. There is an abundance of marine life found on top of the limestone stacks The erosion will be slower now that they are submerged," she said. "The reason why they have been preserved is that as the sea level rose and fell -- and then rose again -- over time since their formation, each time it rose it must have been rising at a very quick rate so that they were preserved and not eroded by waves and wind to a point where they collapsed and no longer existed, which is what we normally expect. [Limestone] is a fairly soft rock-type which is why they are able to erode out of the cliffs and create the sea stacks, but they have enough strength to withstand the weight of the column. Advertisement Ierodiaconous sonar data was collected using the latest advances in multi-beam sonar technology and the team are continuing to fill important knowledge gaps aboard Deakin Universitys $650,000 research vessel, Yolla. Bezore made the initial discovery in the sonar data The data is part of a project to map the reef estate in Victoria which supports commercial fisheries for southern rock lobster and abalone. "President [Barack] Obama, resigned to his failure to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, is looking past his time in office and weighing a plan that would preserve at least the principle of a two-state solution for his successor to pursue." [NYT] Advertisement Kyle Andrew Odom was taken into custody after he started throwing items over the White House fence. [CNN] Bulgaria's Irina Bokova is in the running to replace U.N. Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon at the end of the year. [Nick Robins-Early, HuffPost] "Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) test-fired two ballistic missiles on Wednesday morning that it said were designed to be able to hit Israel, defying a threat of new sanctions from the United States." [Reuters] WHATS BREWING "A GOP effort to jab Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who is currently running for Senate, backfired spectacularly on Tuesday when the National Republican Senatorial Committee sent out a tweet accusing the combat veteran and double amputee of 'not standing up for our veterans.'" [HuffPost] Advertisement Getting you that chicken sandwich, a couple minutes faster each time. [Buzzfeed] Which is when you're angry about your lack of sleep. [HuffPost] About the fate of You-Know-Who in the first full-length trailer for season six. [HuffPost] You can buy Amy Schumer's book. Not that we were counting. [HuffPost] "No kill' animal shelters have unleashed an epidemic of suffering. Is a life of misery any better than a quick death?" [Aeon] For more from The Huffington Post, download our app for iOS or Android. WHAT'S WORKING "Its a gadget worn around the shoulders that will help people navigate their surroundings, filling 'the gaps left by canes, dogs and basic GPS devices.' [HuffPost] For more, sign up for the What's Working newsletter. BEFORE YOU GO ~ These guys say they could find missing flight MH370 with five million dollars. ~ These GIFs of the Fukushima disaster show the true toll of the devastation. ~ Trump's campaign manager has been accused of "forcibly grabbing" a female journalist and "nearly bringing her down to the ground." ~ The most unrealistic part of "House of Cards" -- Claire Underwood's ever-present stilettos. ~ When the women tell all on "The Bachelor," it isn't pretty, according to the crew of "How To Make Friends." ~ In the latest example of humanity's decay, this woman dragged a swan by its wing to take a selfie with it. Advertisement ~ No it's not just you -- it's harder to sleep on your period. ~ Blu-ray's potential redemption. ~ President Obama has lost weight and grown a half inch since last year. What have we been doing wrong? ~ Michelle Obama suggested a new emoji that symbolizes girl power. Last month, Huffington Post reporter Matt Ferner published an article proclaiming that "Americans are sick of the 'tough on crime' era." However, the economic prospect of prisoners has been a part of the American justice system for decades, and it is still alive and well. Ferner cites a poll indicating more than half (61 percent) of survey respondents think drug offenders make up too large a percentage of the nation's inmate population. Nearly 80 percent believe that judges should have more discretion in sentencing based on the details of the case instead of being constricted by mandatory minimum sentences. As a practicing criminal defense attorney, I'll vouch for that. These beliefs are not surprising, and our federal government seems to be taking steps to ease a "tough on crime" approach that incarcerates far too many people for far too long. Advertisement But these reforms are taking place on a federal level. States, including Oklahoma, have been slow to catch up. The United States has a higher prison population--more than 2.2 million inmates--than any other country in the world. Oklahoma consistently ranks as one of the top three states in the U.S. in regards to incarceration rates. Consequently, Oklahoma's jails and prisons are overcrowded; however, that has always been good for business. The more inmates we have, the more money the counties make for themselves. Oklahoma is representative of what goes wrong when "justice" is unnecessarily punitive and focused on economics rather than rehabilitation. If Oklahoma serves as an example of what is going on in states across the nation, the Oklahoma County Jail serves as a microcosm for the problems beleaguering Oklahoma's "correctional" system. The Oklahoma County Jail was built in 1991 to accommodate 1,200 inmates. Today, it houses 2,500. The federal Justice Department began investigating the jail, revealing at least 60 civil rights violations. The Justice Department gave the county until 2015 to rectify the violations and fix the issues... or else. Advertisement As the deadline loomed, Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel said most issues had been resolved, but others could only be fixed with extensive remodeling or a new jail, and he approached community leaders with a proposal. Thankfully, business leaders scoffed at the idea of fixing the problem by catering to it. Certainly, the jail was over capacity. But would it be better to build a bigger facility or reduce the jail population? The majority of inmates are pre-trial inmates, meaning they have not been convicted of any crime. Rather, many are too poor to post bond, or they suffer from mental health issues and lack the support network to get them out of jail. Former Oklahoma Speaker of the House Kris Steele said that the jail has become a "debtor's prison," which he calls "immoral and unconstitutional." Even if a person with low income would be able to post bond, he or she would not be eligible for a public defender under existing policies and procedures. Often, inmates are forced to decide between posting bond and hiring private counsel. The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce created a task force to explore options for true reform, noting that if Oklahoma City builds a bigger jail, we will just fill it. The real solution is to stop the overflow of inmates into the jail. The group is working with the Vera Institute of Justice for reform measures that could significantly impact the way Oklahoma County, and the state as a whole, handles corrections. Advertisement In the midst of this search for reform comes a startling discovery about the actual "costs" of incarceration. Inmates at the Oklahoma County Jail, if ultimately convicted, are expected to pay the costs of staying at the jail. The daily incarceration rate is determined by a formula presented yearly to a judge for approval. Upon release, inmates are sent a bill for the cost of their stay. Even if you agree that inmates should be required to pay for their stay and ease the taxpayer burden, what an Oklahoma County Judge recently discovered about the proposed daily incarceration rate seems dramatically unjust. The jail is overcharging its inmates. Oklahoma County is running on gas the inmates are putting in the tank. The more inmates we have, the fuller that tank gets. The proposal presented by Sheriff John Whetsel to Oklahoma County District Judge Ray C. Elliot includes not only the direct jail costs, but also indirect costs, such as sentencing programs and the salaries of court clerk employees, juvenile justice workers, and even the Oklahoma County public defender's office. Advertisement Judge Elliot said he was "appalled" by the attempt to charge inmates for indirect costs, and asked, "How in the world can you justify that?" Apparently the calculations for the daily incarceration rate were determined from a federal form created by the U.S. Marshall's Service that allows indirect costs to be factored into the rate of incarceration. This form has been used for 18 years. No one had complained before. Judge Elliott admitted that he had approved these figures in the past, but only became aware of the issue as he took a closer look at the numbers as the state looks at justice reform in general, and particularly at the Oklahoma County Jail. Oklahoma County Public Defender Bob Ravitz seemed equally outraged that a portion of his office's payroll was counted towards the jail's operating costs. Ravitz has called for an audit of the sheriff's revenues and expenses. We'll see if that actually happens. So there you have it. Why are we so tough on crime? Why do we incarcerate twice as many prisoners as are facilities are designed to hold? Advertisement Money. Its all about the money. If the daily incarceration rates were actually calculated from a federal form, then the overcharging may be an issue across the entire state (and possibly the entire nation). Groups like Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform are looking into statewide issues, while the Oklahoma Legislature approves new bills. However, as long as putting folks in jail puts money in the coffer, the system is unlikely to change. But if the jails aren't making as much money off the inmates, they can't afford to keep as many incarcerated; moreover, they won't have an economic incentive to keep them behind bars for as long. If incarceration rates continue to rise, and budget rates are held in check, the jails likely can't afford to keep as many inmates. The system will have to change to accommodate the lack of resources, or the system will fall down on itself. Or, we could just keep raising the cost of incarceration to coincide with the rise in incarcerated individuals...or vice versa. Is it the chicken, or the egg? When the international community observes World Immunization Week in April, we will probably hear a lot about "closing the immunization gap." Immunization is one of global health's greatest success stories, saving up to 3 million young lives every year. But deep disparities in coverage mean that as many as 1.5 million children die because they are not protected. The immunization gap is created by a host of factors: a lack of access to health care, prohibitively expensive vaccines, an inadequate supply, wars, a shortage of immunization data, lackluster political support, meager financial resources, illogical fears, and a dearth of knowledge about where to get vaccines. How to overcome these formidable obstacles -- and how to close the immunization gap -- is the subject, year-in and year-out, of much debate and hand-wringing. As the world once again ponders this perennially vexing question, it's worth taking a step back and asking: what would Jim Grant do? Advertisement As the legendary head of UNICEF from 1980 to 1995, James Grant spurred a historic surge in childhood immunization rates and paved the way for much of the progress in recent years. Central to the "child survival revolution" he launched in the early '80s was a global immunization crusade -- a massive effort that involved millions of people and that led to unprecedented, head-spinning advances in vaccine coverage from China to Colombia to Bangladesh. Between 1980 and 1990, worldwide childhood immunization rates for six killer diseases rose from between 16 and 21 percent to nearly 80 percent. Grant relentlessly shamed and coaxed dozens of leaders -- from enlightened statesmen to brutal tyrants -- into vaccinating their countries' children. In many cases, he and UNICEF representatives fueled a sense of competition, playing one country against another. There were obstacles, of course, but Grant either knocked them over or went around them. In 1985, he decided to push an immunization campaign in El Salvador. And what about the inconvenient fact of the country's vicious civil war? Grant's reply was simple: We stop the war. He then tasked his Central America representative, a jovial Armenian-Lebanese man named Agop Kayayan, with arranging a truce that would allow El Salvador's children to be immunized. Working with the Catholic Church (a pivotal UNICEF partner), Kayayan, Grant and several others managed to broker a series of ceasefires. These so-called "Days of Tranquility" would be reprised year after year until the end of the war in 1992. Thousands of children likely lived as a result. Advertisement One key to Grant's success was building buy-in. He assembled a "grand alliance": UNICEF staff members, volunteers, government immunizers, parents, teachers, students, community leaders, religious figures, doctors, midwives, nurses -- even armies and the militias they battled. Organizations joined in -- NGOs, partner agencies (like the World Health Organization), service groups (like Rotary International), labor unions, bilateral agencies (like USAID), and other donors. The "real heroes" -- as UNICEF Ambassador Audrey Hepburn would note -- were the government health workers and volunteers who administered the vaccines. Many had braved bombs and land mines, negotiated treacherous mountain passes, and risked gunfire and abduction. (In recent years, immunizers have been murdered with alarming frequency; a January attack at an immunization center in Pakistan left 15 people dead.) In Grant's mind, the significance of the global immunization crusade went beyond vaccines, according to his friend and collaborator, Dr. Jon Rohde (an American pediatrician who was pivotal to the launching of the "child survival revolution). "Jim really wasn't about immunization," Rohde says. He "was about reaching everybody and then doing more." Indeed, notes Rohde, the immunization campaign marked the first time a basic lifesaving service had been made available to so many on such a wide scale. "Never before in history had something been done for everybody," Rohde says. Grant would use the immunization gains to justify a much broader assault on ill health and poverty. In 1990, at the World Summit for Children, he secured commitments from 159 governments to pursue 27 specific, time-bound goals on child survival, health, nutrition, education and protection. These targets would later inspire the UN's Millennium Development Goals. Advertisement Jim Grant died of cancer on January 28, 1995. Afterward, the historic, high-octane momentum he created began to falter. Immunization rates stagnated. Starting in 2000, after the Gates Foundation funded the creation of the Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), the sluggish immunization rates started to go up again. In recent years, there has been some notable progress, particularly in Africa. But the immunization gap stubbornly persists. And the job is never finished: each and every year, 140 million babies enter this world -- they all need to be immunized. Today, Grant's story has essentially been lost to history. Some people believe that had he lived another 10 years, the immunization gap would be a lot narrower than it is. A few suggest that polio might even have been eradicated by now. A lot has changed since Grant died. There are new vaccines, new technologies, new conflicts, and many new players in the field of global health. So what can we still learn from the greatest immunization advocate in history? Advertisement First, and perhaps most importantly, we need another zealous vaccine champion. Someone who can stoke a renewed sense of urgency. Someone who can summon and sustain the political will to make sure global health's most effective tool reaches every child that needs it. Second, build buy-in across a broad spectrum. Mobilize a "grand alliance" around one common goal: immunization. Third, frame the fight for higher vaccine coverage as a fight to save children's lives. In the fierce competition for resources in global health, the needs of children can be eclipsed by a blizzard of other priorities. To close the immunization gap, saving children must be the end goal. Lastly, be bold and audacious. Push the parameters of the possible. We are the quietest of countries; we are the loudest of countries. On the one hand, our New England ancestors wore modest names like Prudence, Chastity and Constance. Long silent prayer meetings have dotted the Pennsylvania landscape for centuries. "Good old fashioned values" counsel hard work, quiet fortitude and humility. Even our most robust of Presidents often quoted the African proverb, "Speak softly, but carry a big stick." On the other hand, we are the country of the now mythic rebel yell; the locomotive scream, the carnival barker, P.T. Barnum, foam-mouthed hate radio and now, Donald Trump. Advertisement It's long been said that everybody is attracted to "quiet confidence." But in the age of YouTube and continual self-broadcast across a thousand social media channels, how can a "quietly confident" woman even be seen or heard? It's not as dire as you might think -- even though the shouters and prancers seem to be getting all the attention. Despite surges in attention, it's becoming clear that the internet is an "Eventual Karma" machine -- and that the truth about us all comes out, if not sooner, then, later. And the appeal of quiet confidence has not faded. Here are 10 quick tips to convey that you are a woman of your word, of character and of solidity in an age of clicks, beeps and rants... Advertisement Quiet Confidence Trait #1: Quietly Praise Others While most people are praising themselves, taking flattering selfies and unhumbly posting "humble brags," call attention to the accomplishments and character of others. This subtle action conveys quiet confidence - and gives a sometimes well-needed boost in confidence to those around you. Quiet Confidence Trait #2: Quietly Fess Up When You Mess Up -- and Stake a New Direction We all get duped or make mistakes. Ain't nobody perfect. But the woman who admits cleanly that she's led people in the wrong direction or trusted the wrong person or made a poor decision -- cleanly and without histrionics -- then simply says, "here's my new commitment" -- and then follows it... this is a trustable woman. In addition, when you admit a mistake, you gain valuable insight into the character of the people in your life and how they truly feel about you. Are they forgiving? Or do they hold your mistake over you like a scimitar? Quiet Confidence Trait #3: Quietly Sidestep Insulting Others It's tempting. Especially in election seasons. Our emotions want us to lay on the insults, the outrage, the self-righteous rants. Advertisement But a quietly confident woman can hold on to her convictions and make her case with balance and respect. The goal is not to draw attention to the self or seem "right" but merely to add something intelligent and useful to the conversation. As always, quiet confidence isn't about shining a spotlight on yourself, it's about illuminating the way forward as best one is able. Quiet Confidence Trait #4: Quietly Get Mentorship Confident women aren't afraid of being vulnerable and filling in knowledge gaps from people who may know better. Blustery people act as if they know everything. They devalue the opinions and help of others. Ancient wisdom, on the other hand, teaches us "the wise learn something from every person they meet." Quiet Confidence Trait #5: Quietly State Your Case Most great writers are friends of the noun and less so of the adjective; a well chosen noun doesn't need the scaffolding of adjectival dressing. Advertisement So too the speech of a quietly confident woman. There is power in sparseness. Best Selling Author, Emmy-Nominated Producer, Screenwriter and Entrepreneur, Adam Gilad leads a community of over 80,000 men and women on their quest to create love and a bold, inspired life. Having served as a Stanford Humanities Center Graduate Research Fellow and host of National Lampoon Radio, Adam blends a bracing mix of research, humor and global wisdom traditions to help men and women break through the habits blocking their ability to open into love and freedom. Illegal immigration remains a hotly contested issue within the United States, as evidenced by the subject's repeated appearance in American political discourse over the years. As Ambassador to Mexico from 1998 to 2002, Jeffrey Davidow experienced firsthand the hardships of managing this complex issue. During his tenure, Davidow struggled to resolve immigration problems with the frequently hostile government in Mexico City and to convince his hosts that his embassy was operating with good intentions. He was interviewed by Charles Stuart Kennedy in 2012. You can read other Moments on consular issues. "To Mexicans, we are both a threat and an opportunity" DAVIDOW: I was there from 1998 to 2002, which was a very interesting period, because it was the last two years of the Clinton administration, and also the last two years of the PRI [Institutional Revolutionary Party] domination of the presidency in Mexico. And then we had two new presidents come in, [Vicente] Fox and [George W.] Bush. Advertisement So my stay there was pretty much divided in half as I dealt with four presidents and a very changed political situation.... The relationship with Mexico was and still remains an extraordinarily complicated one. It is subject to periods of real friction and then things get better for a while, then the friction returns. The Mexicans have an attitude towards the United States which is often described as love/hate. I don't agree with that. It is not love/hate. There's very little love and there's very little hate. It's just that to Mexicans, we are both a threat and an opportunity. We're a threat because our culture threatens to overwhelm them. Our economy and our political weight in the world is disproportionate to theirs. But we're a great opportunity as well, for trade, for immigration, for culture. So there's always an ambivalence in Mexico. In the United States, generally we don't pay much attention. And of course that's the greatest insult of all to somebody, when you don't pay attention to them.... Advertisement "The domestic political advisors were telling the President that he could not do anything on immigration. And so the process went nowhere." In July 2000 Fox won the [Mexican presidential] election, and the PRI moved out of national power over the next few months. We went into a period of intense activity because we had a new president in Mexico, Fox, and a new president of the United States, George Bush, by the beginning of 2001. Now, for Bush, who was not at all experienced in international relations, Mexico was a country with which he already felt some affinity. Many Texan politicians, because they've grown up near the border and have probably had a Mexican cook making them tortillas, have a sense that there is a special relationship with Mexico. And so, Bush very early on in the first month of office decided that he wanted to get together with Vicente Fox. It was billed as the "Meeting of the Two Cowboys." In point of fact, Fox has a vegetable ranch. He's really not a cowboy and neither is Bush. But the idea was that these were two guys with similar backgrounds from the border who could reach agreements and build a new relationship. And President Bush was really excited about this. So within six or seven weeks of becoming president, they met at Fox's farm.... Advertisement Now, there were many issues, and no sense getting into them all, but the really big question that dominated the meeting, and then much of the rest of Fox's presidency, was, of course, immigration. Now, the White House understood this to be a politically sensitive topic in the U.S. And indeed, before they even made the trip, Condoleezza Rice, the National Security Advisor, told the press that, "We're not talking about amnesty," meaning we're not going to consider how to make those 12 million or so undocumented aliens in the United States legal residents. The political fallout of that for the Republicans was judged to be too great. At the meeting, Bush and Fox agreed that they would form a high-level committee headed on our side by Secretary [of State Colin] Powell and Attorney General [John] Ashcroft and on the Mexican side by Foreign Minister [Jorge] Castaneda and another high official. They would come up with a plan to deal with immigration before June 2001. In other words, they had a three- or four-month deadline. There were a lot of subsequent meetings, mostly at the level of officials. But it became apparent to me that, at the time, there was no way around the political opposition that was, we heard, coming from [Senior Advisor to the President] Karl Rove and the domestic political advisors who were telling the President that he really could not do anything on immigration and should wait until at least after the midterm elections of 2002. And so the process went nowhere. Meanwhile, the Mexicans were arguing strongly for a comprehensive immigration agreement that would not only legalize people who were in the U.S., but make it easier for others to come in. Advertisement What the Mexicans never truly understood was that this really wasn't a negotiation because the decisions on immigration were totally in the hands of the United States, and there was little or nothing Mexico could offer in return. (The Mexican Government was certainly not politically able to try to stem the flow of emigration.) So there was a lot of activity, a lot of press, a lot of recrimination. And here we are a dozen years later, and the situation has not changed in any appreciable way. In fact it has gotten worse because it was not attended to. And, of course, after 9/11, there wasn't any chance at all. It was a moment of lost opportunity. In some ways I think both Bush and Fox were naive at the very beginning. They felt they could find more common ground and bring their respective populations along with them. But they really could not. And you're right that Mexican politicians should be more understanding. There had already been some important changes in the ways that Mexicans looked at emigration. Although the PRI would periodically complain about the way Mexican migrants were being treated in the States, the general attitude of previous Mexican governments had not been one of great concern. From their point of view, Mexicans living in the States had made the decision to leave and were really no longer their problem. In point of fact, most Mexican politicians looked on immigration to the U.S. as a safety valve, eliminating from Mexico a lot of people who were obviously unhappy with their situation there. Fox changed that. He started referring to Mexican migrants as heroes, people who really represented the best of Mexico. And he felt that he had to push hard for a full comprehensive settlement. But the U.S. side was not ready ... to deal with the amnesty/legalization issue...."I tried to explain the reality, but without much success and absolutely no sympathy for our position from the Mexicans" The situation, which was bad, was made worse by press and politicians who would continually distort reality. I think many Mexicans felt that there was a conscious policy on the part of the United States to mistreat the Mexicans in the U.S. So every time there was an incident or a killing along the border, this would become a cause celebre in Mexico. Advertisement At one point there were groups of vigilantes on the U.S. side who would go out and "hunt" migrants, that is, they would patrol the border, stop people who were obviously crossing illegally and turn them over to the border patrol. (Pictured: Nogales border crossing) What I didn't understand for some time was that most Mexicans, when they read the headlines about hunting migrants, actually thought that there were people on the U.S. side taking their guns and going out and shooting people. I tried to explain the reality, but without much success and absolutely no sympathy for our position from the Mexicans. But it was hard to defend against the Mexican argument, which is essentially that these people would not go to the United States if our system did not welcome them with jobs. And in point of fact, ... they are correct. The argument is a variation on the one used to deny responsibility for the drug trade -- if you people stopped using drugs, we wouldn't be sending them north. As the jobs have disappeared in the U.S. in recent years, migration from Mexico has gone to a point where today there is actually a net zero flow. As many people are going back to Mexico as are coming in from Mexico. I think this is a function of our lousy economy, but many experts argue that the economic development within Mexico is making emigration from there unnecessary. We'll see what happens when our economy recovers. I think you may be right in saying that the Mexicans don't understand our position. But we really don't understand theirs either.... Advertisement In Washington, once it became apparent that there wasn't going to be a global resolution, I continued to push for small steps that could have made life better for large numbers of Mexicans already in the United States. And at times, even the Mexican government rejected those small steps because they wanted to keep the pressure up. I'll give you a specific example. At one point, Congress was faced with the possibility of approving a piece of legislation that would allow Mexicans already in the U.S., and who had already received approval or notice that they were going to get a green card, to not have to go back to Mexico for their interview at a consulate. Many did not want to take the risk of leaving the country, so they chose to live in illegality. The new law would let them change status in the U.S. And this would have helped half a million Mexicans. As the Democratic primary debate rolls into Miami, this evening, moderators ought to ask the question of Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders: do you support the sugar subsidy in the Farm Bill? It is like the question recently asked of the Democratic candidates about fracking: yes or no? Floridians are sick and tired of paying the heavy costs of the industry's pollution, now coating both Florida coasts. Historic January rainfall overfilled Lake Okeechobee, the state's largest waterbody. Through its command of water management infrastructure, thanks to massive campaign contributions, Big Sugar compelled stormwater releases to be routed away from its 450,000 acres south of lake and straight into rivers and bays serving millions of property owners, tourism-dependent businesses, not to mention the dying Everglades. Advertisement There are no secrets about Big Sugar's influence-peddling in both political parties. In 2014, the Tampa Bay Times reported on secret trips offered to only GOP elected officials including Gov. Rick Scott and Agriculture Secretary Adam Putnam by US Sugar Corporation to the King Ranch in Texas. The King Ranch, that state's largest land owners, are strategic land owners in the Everglades Agricultural Area. US Sugar Corporation thought nothing of ferrying legislators by private jet to secret meetings with Republicans. Why? Because their co-cartel "competitors" -- the Fanjuls (owners of Flo-Sun, Florida Crystals, and related enterprises) have been doing the same for many, many years at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic. The relationship between the Clintons and the Fanjuls is not exactly news. The ultimate solution to halting the endemic pollution of both Florida coasts, affecting millions of property owners and businesses, is to take lands out of sugar production in the Everglades Agricultural Area and convert those money pits into massive pollution cleansing marshes. A more pointed question to ask of the Democratic candidates in tonight's televised debate: "Big Sugar is the symbol of corporate welfare in the U.S. The industry controls Tallahassee and Washington, DC through massive campaign contributions. Have you ever accepted free travel or trips to the Dominican Republic from sugar billionaires? Yes or no." Advertisement In 2015, Al Jazeera published an excellent series on the super-sized influence of the Fanjul empire in both the U.S. and the Dominican Republic. "A Sweet Deal: The Royal Family of Cane" quotes writer Junot Diaz who describes Casa de Campo: "the resort that Shame forgot". Al Jazeera documents for the first time the Fanjul's manipulation of US Farm policy and how the sugar subsidy accrues to the advantage of its plantation in the Dominican Republic where working conditions are half-step above slave labor. The report closely tracks the human suffering disclosed in the important documentary film, "Sugar Babies", pulled under mysterious circumstances in 2008 from the Miami International Film Festival, without explanation or any protest by the festival's supporter; the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The foundation grew out of the Knight brothers ownership of the Miami Herald. It purportedly supports journalistic freedom and independence, but not in the 2008 case where the Fanjuls were put in the spotlight. Big Sugar's pollution of national politics runs deep and strong through both political parties. One Fanjul brother, Pepe, takes the Republicans. The other, Alfie, takes the Democrats. It's all about making billions and the maximum profit possible by spreading campaign cash like fertilizer across America's political landscape. Owning a hide-away resort in the Dominican Republic doesn't hurt, either. I write to you today out of desperation. Until recently I have been able to make peace with differences in opinion over LGBTQ rights that I find in my community and in the Kentucky legislature. I realize that these beliefs are as sincerely held as my own and are often rooted in an individual's interpretation of their own religious texts. While these opposing opinions often come at my expense as an openly gay man, I remind myself of the Martin Luther King, Jr. quote, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice." However, with the litany of bills proposed in the Kentucky House and Senate these past few weeks, I am beginning to realize that this same moral arc will likely extend beyond my lifetime. As a 24-year-old, I have come to accept in my adulthood that cultural attitudes will always lag behind in my home state, but I had hoped that at least legislative attitudes would ensure the recognition of my rights and protections as an equal citizen. This legislative session dispelled this hope. Senate Bill 180 would allow for discrimination of LGBTQ individuals across the state and in the eight communities that have voted to protect these citizens with fairness ordinances. It is also redundant in its protections of religious people, as those measures exist in abundance already. Senate Bill 5 creates a "separate but equal" situation for same-sex marriages with its two different marriage license forms (unless amended). This sentiment is only extended by Representative Fischer's egregious proposals in House Bills 571 and 572 which seek to create distinctions between marriage and "matrimony" across all Kentucky law. Finally, House Bill 364 misdirects good intentions at tackling bullying in schools and instead takes aim at transgender children who already feel unsafe and unprotected. I am honestly appalled at the breadth of efforts to create distinctions in the law that label me and other LGBTQ Kentuckians as separate and unequally protected citizens. I am a proud Kentuckian and my family's roots in Washington County extend as far back as family memory can go. I was fortunate enough to attend Transylvania University on a full tuition scholarship and graduate with a BA in Psychology, and this fall I am excited to return to Boston University to complete my master's degree in Gastronomy/Food Studies. I had to return last year halfway through my degree to take care of my father's estate after his passing. I don't list my accomplishments to brag on myself, but to highlight the fact that I feel I'm gaining knowledge and skills that could really positively impact my community and my state. I hope to work in a nonprofit or local government organization aimed at promoting healthier cultural relationships with food and to promote local food cultures and landscapes. After having lived in another state for some time and returning to Kentucky, I now understand more deeply the value of living near your family but simultaneously I learned the value of living in a state that values me in its legislation. Currently I'm left with the feeling that I'm not welcome in my own home state and with the feeling I'm being legislated out of it. I have yet to have a representative in state or national government that I'm 100 percent confident would vote to protect my rights as a minority citizen. It is truly an overwhelming, disheartening position to be in. All of my family resides in central Kentucky and I don't inherently want to move far away from them, but I feel I have no other choice. In this one life I have to live I don't want to live with the fear of being fired from my job and with the knowledge that my state legislature and government sees me, my life, and hopefully my future marriage as lesser than. I am not alone in this position. Nearly every member of the LGBTQ community I know has some desire to leave Kentucky for states with more inclusive laws. Even good portions of my heterosexual friends lament the antiquated attitudes in Frankfort barring diversity and inclusion of all peoples. I have faith in Kentucky and see its potential, but I am not seeing anything coming from Frankfort to promote and protect young, talented, and progressive pools of people and to entice them to stay and work in and enrich Kentucky. Why wouldn't Kentucky want to disprove its national stereotype and be at the forefront of inclusive social policy? Only good can come from it. I don't seek special treatment, I really don't. I simply seek equity and justice for myself and for the LGBTQ community. This isn't a war on religion or culture or any rebuttal I hear from the conservative backlash. I'm not asking you compromise anything in your beliefs. I simply want to live and work with the assurances that I am an equal citizen. Will you help ensure that as you vote during this General Assembly? I thank you for reading my letter, for your time, and for your service to our county and our state. If you have any questions for me or would like to meet either in Frankfort or elsewhere, I am more than open. Thank you again. Only a few months after Turkey's President Erdogan raided the offices of the Koza Ipek Media Group, the Turkish police assaulted early this month the offices of Feza Publications, which owns two newspapers (including Zaman) and two TV stations, without any warning. There is little else more injurious to any democracy than closing down news outlets and choking off freedom of speech. To take such an extreme measure based on concocted accusations that such media outlets are aiding terrorism and conspiring against the state is nothing short of scandalous, and shows his fear of public criticism despite his bravado. President Erdogan, however, seems completely dismissive of any potential repercussions, as he was emboldened by his past rampage against the press and jailing of scores of journalists on phony charges with impunity. Although Erdogan knows well that Turkey is far from being a democratic state, he continues to promote the absurd notion that Turkey is indeed a genuine democracy, stating with his usual twisted flare that "nowhere in the world is the press freer than it is in Turkey." Advertisement In fact, Reporters Without Borders' 2015 World Press Freedom Index ranked Turkey 149 out of 180 countries, between Mexico, where journalists are regularly murdered, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is a failed state. Perhaps Erdogan should be reminded of what truly constitutes a democracy. Freedom of expression represents one of four critical pillars of any democratic form of government, which also includes the election of a representative government, equality before the law, and strict observance of human rights. Sadly, Erdogan did not stop at repressing freedom of expression in all forms--he regularly chipped away at the other pillars, which is bound to unravel what is left of Turkey's democracy. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees "the right to freedom of opinion and expression;" but as Benjamin Franklin warned, "Whoever would overthrow the Liberty of a Nation must begin by subduing the Freeness of Speech". Advertisement Erdogan was highly admired for his impressive socio-political reforms and significant economic development, which made Turkey the 17th largest economy in the world during his first and much of his second term in office. He could have realized much of his ambitions to make Turkey a recognized regional superpower with rallying support of the public with pride. He would have been able to do so without destroying the principles of Turkey's foundation as a secular democracy, as was envisioned by its founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and offer a real model of a flourishing Islamic democracy to be emulated by much of the Arab and Muslim world. Sadly, however, Erdogan ignores the fact that his systematic dismantling of Turkey's democratic institutions will have the precise opposite effect by directly torpedoing Turkey's potential as a great power and squandering what the country has to offer. Time and again, Erdogan demonstrated his lack of tolerance to opposing views and found the press to be a nuisance, as it was generally critical of his Islamic agenda. He understood, as George Orwell aptly put it, "Freedom of the press, if it means anything at all, means the freedom to criticize and oppose", a freedom which Erdogan is bent on suppressing. As such, Erdogan has used his strong Islamic credentials to project himself as a pious leader, when in fact he consistently engaged in favoritism, granting huge government contracts to those who supported him and to his family members, irrespective of conflicts of interest and the corruption that ensued as a result. Advertisement With a rubber stamp parliament, he has been able to pass any legislation he wished, with the exception of a constitutional amendment that would have granted the President unlimited powers. He subordinated the justice system to his whims and basically became a one man ruler with dictatorial powers, finally doing away with the checks and balances of the government apparatus. To be sure, Erdogan's appetite for increasing power, harsh treatment of dissidents, religious zeal, and narcissistic predisposition made him feared by much of Turkish society yet admired by others; he is almost unanimously reviled by the international community, but dealt with out of necessity. The agreement that was achieved on March 7 between Turkey and the EU in connection with Syrian refugees and asylum seekers is one case in point--he made his move to shut down Zaman around the same time, knowing he would not be severely condemned by either the US or the EU for his actions. The question is that having been in power for nearly 14 years and amassing so much clout, with or without constitutional amendments, will Erdogan take time as President to contemplate Turkey's future--a country that has all the elements and resources to become a great and influential power, especially now that the Middle East is awash in unprecedented turmoil? Being that Turkey now faces a historic crossroad, the choices Erdogan will make in the months and years to come will have a lasting effect on Turkey's future. Advertisement Erdogan will make a grave mistake if he continues to take the Turkish people for granted. The Turks are inventive, industrious, educated, with a long history of achievements, western oriented, and stand for, believe in, and will insist on a democratic way of life. There are limits as to how much longer the Turkish people will tolerate not only the stifling of free speech, but Erdogan's draconian style of governing before they rise against him. Erdogan should know that for Turkey to capture its rightful place among the great powers, he must restore all that was lost in the past few years, especially its democratic foundation. Without such democratic principles, Turkey will be further alienated from the Western countries, the bloc to which Turkey should belong, and will be unable to harness its true potential as a Middle Eastern and European power. Ironically, Erdogan seems to relish the illusion that he will preside over the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic in 2023, and be remembered as the new "Turkish Father," overshadowing Ataturk. He desperately wants to restore some of the 'glory' of the Ottoman Empire, forgetting however that the then-Empire crumbled partly under its own weight, and became easy prey for the allied forces in the early 20th century because of corrupt and unscrupulous leaders. Advertisement Its 1991, I am 18, young and impressionable. My sweet sister-in-law Rubina takes me to a women's charity event being held at the elegant Mount Soche hotel in Blantyre, Malawi. The positive energy being radiated from the amazing role models in the room wraps me around like a warm blanket. I am mesmerized by these talented leaders, speaking and inspiring others. The force of good being infinitely amplified. I am in awe of the power of sisterhood to make a positive impact. I am 20, soaking up the experiences life has to offer. I reach out to the women in my birth city to convene in Lilongwe, Malawi so that we can discuss ways to give back philanthropically to alleviate the poverty engulfing this developing country. I vividly recall that very first meeting where our family friend Roxana opened up her home, and about 15 women eagerly named our group "The Ladies Committee" (still marvel at this title). The team gets to work! The whole community is excited about our first event; over 500 people show up. The proceeds make an impact at the local children's hospital. I am once again blown away by the contagious power of sisterhood to make a positive impact. I am 33, energized by motherhood. I propose the need for a philanthropic and personal development woman's group in Chicago and together with a dedicated team, we launch a nonprofit organization, Muslim Women's Alliance. I stand on the stage at our sold-out inaugural event looking out at a sea of nurturing faces, with warm smiles, brilliant ideas, motivating energy and powerful minds. Over time, this beautiful force replicates the energy by continually elevating new leaders to sustain incredible impact. And so the circle of good keeps growing eternally. I am once again moved by the power of sisterhood to make a positive impact not only on each other, but the world around us. Advertisement I am in my 40s now, its International Women's Day #IWD2016, I am still learning everyday and still in awe of the power of sisterhood ignited by my tribe of womankind. Still amazed by the power of yes that propels women to listen, lean in and lead in meaningful ways. Whether I am standing in a circle with women of diverse cultural backgrounds in Utah promoting world peace, or organizing 250 women to stand in solidarity linking arms with women from war torn countries, or in a room of women entrepreneurs networking to support each other in Chicago, or getting physically fit to run for a cause with a team of women, or just sitting at the kitchen table with my always-there-for-me ma & mom (my mother & mother-in-law respectively), my wise sister, loving aunts, fun cousins, thoughtful friends...when women gather, the strong force of inspiration is always humming a sweet melody. A tune that keeps pushing me to be the best woman that I can be. Whether we say it out loud or in our minds, as women we have a strong chant that unites us. We can shout these words out from mountaintops or whisper this in quiet desperate times when we know we are just one woman away from feeling supported. We intrinsically sense our compelling mantra that, "As women we form a strong link of sisterhood. We are here to listen & lean in to each other always elevating one another to be the best that we can be. We are here to stand in solidarity with all women so that together we can make a positive impact on our beautiful mother earth." Just returned from Liberia; while in Monrovia I got a chance to look at the Oscars and read about the $200K goodie bags that were given out at the event. The following day my team and I were desperately trying to find ways to raise the $50K needed to buy kits for 8,000 additional HPV tests, each of which could actually save a woman's life, and working on fund raisers that could prepare a room at JFK hospital as an out-patient cancer screening, prevention and treatment center. Women in Liberia diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer, the two most common cancers, are destined to die because, as Ebola highlighted, the country's health infrastructure is really fragile. Advertisement So what could two Oscar bags do for us? We would love to auction off the contents of the bags and use whatever money we raise towards our efforts to eliminate breast and cervical cancer in Liberia and give hope, treatment and empowerment to Liberian women and health workers. So, which of you celebs can bear to part with your high-value bags, in the name of saving a woman's life?! Follow our trip on Instagram @MountSinaiGlobalHealth The Global Women's Health Team Division of Global Women's Health Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Medicine Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai Medical Center Ann Marie Beddoe MD MPH I didn't know that the director of Rihanna's "Work" video was Trini, not even when I saw the interview that featured him all over Facebook. And I must say, I am ashamed of myself that I didn't know who this talented individual was. After looking him up on social media, I was impressed. He seems to be a thinker, someone that cares about the planet and someone that is pretty private. He doesn't appear to be a showboat, but rather someone quietly working on his craft and passion and making major moves in these avenues. In the interview with Director X for Fader magazine, he discusses the dance scene with Rihanna and Drake in the "Work" video, and addresses the remarks that they should get together. So, let me just say, Rihanna and Drake dancing as they are is common at Caribbean parties and definitely doesn't mean they are sleeping together. Come on, it's a video; people act for music videos, so let's not get carried away with ourselves. Director X talks in depth about "doing the reggae thing" with the video's theme, and about Caribbean culture stating, "In West Indian culture, a dance is a dance." Moreover, that people dance like that, sometimes even with their boyfriend next to them and it's not a big deal because it's just a dance after all. He then references Trinidad and soca culture and it being even worse, where "it really goes crazy." This is where I start to feel some type of way. And essentially he is right, a lot of times a dance is just a dance, and it doesn't mean anything more. But sometimes, just sometimes, it's more than that, and sometimes a wine can mean different things. I have to address the little nuances, but I want to do so delicately without taking away from the awesomeness of the Caribbean working together and bringing an aspect of Caribbean culture to the pop cultural forefront. Advertisement But I do want to address the one-dimensionality of carnival culture that is being broadcasted far and wide by party brands and carnival websites on YouTube etc., as the norm, without any true representation of how this all plays out. I cannot speak for dancehall culture; I don't really partake in it too much, and yes, although I may dance to a few songs in a soca party, I don't really know the origins and how the participants feel about a dance. But as a Caribbean woman and a lover of carnival, soca and Trinidad, I have to somewhat disagree with some of X's sentiments. I feel it needs to be said as apparently no one else feels the nudge to do so, and I just wanted to offer another side, or maybe a better, more multidimensional understanding. Let me start by addressing wining (dancing in a provocative manner, gyrating one's waist): everyone is different in the wining thing. I know those of you that are born in foreign but are proud of your Trini heritage may have a slightly skewered outlook on wining up in a band and jammin' somebody man, as the song goes. So, I am trying to clarify some things for all, because there is clearly a disconnect in the culture between those of us born there and grown there on the island and those of us born in foreign; however, the thing uniting us all is love for this beautiful island in the sun. The skewered look is no fault of your own, in fact, the passion and love you have for your music and culture is to be applauded. The fact that you want to connect with your heritage and culture leaves my heart full of pride for my people. Advertisement Firstly, there are some of us who like to jam (dance intimately) with every and anybody, usually we are either pretty drunk or have a little low self esteem and jammin' everyone makes us feel wanted and special, but that is not all of us -- just some. I know that is all you see when you search videos of carnival or soca, but it is not the case 100% of the time. In actuality, when you pay attention, most winers who wine up on anybody, are dismissed as hungry for attention, or you'll see comments like "what happen to she, how she getting on slack so" being made. But nobody is telling you folks that though because all you see in the videos are women smiling sweetly and being welcoming to every dance partner. Example of the one dimensionality that's promoted. Drunk or nah? CLICK. There are some of us who don't care to wine on everything that moves, be it man or woman. Some of us like to dance with folks we know, or find attractive, or we just like to wild out with our girls and don't necessarily enjoy being jammed by sweaty random dudes. I belong to this category, if you haven't guessed. That is not to say that I wouldn't give a random guy a small wine, but most times it's because I don't want them to feel bad. Now, if he's taking too long to leave my bumpa, there are ways I give him a hint, such as, stop dancing and stand up still, start talking to friends and move off, or go to the bar or the bathroom. Don't know if you folks know this or not, but just in case, I want to clarify: you are not obligated to wine with or on anyone you are not feeling. Click link below to see an example when we don't want to dance with someone. CLICK. There is no rule that says you have to and a lot of us don't. I have had several party experiences where someone tries to holla and ask where I am from and once I say Trinidad, they immediately imply that I must be some kind of wining queen that they can jam however they want. When I decline to dance, they question my Trininess, but this only happens with gentlemen that are not from and did not grow up in Trinidad. They are buying into the media image of the island. Advertisement X's statement that your man could be standing there while you dance with someone else is probably possible but improbable. I have only personally witnessed and encountered break-ups and fights in such situations. To pretend wining is not sexual is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. It is a very sexual dance and the looser your waist is, the more you are rated sexually and that's a fact. If it wasn't sexual, men wouldn't get hard off a wine, and they sure as hell don't get hard dancing the waltz. If a significant other is wining with another and their partner is present, it may be to get them jealous, because there is no way you could be in a relationship with someone and stand there, and watch them dance as Rihanna was dancing with Drake and think, oh well, it was just a dance. The kind of wine she gave him in that video, in real life, is a wine you give someone you checking for, someone you are interested in, and most likely numbers would be exchanged and links made. Wining can also be a form of empowerment, especially for women, if you know you looking good and you have a really flexible waist and legs, you know all eyes will be on you. Other women will want to wine like you and men will want to wine with you. You will be the center of attention and that feeling can be quite empowering. What I am really trying to say is that wining is an art form and a form of communication, and like all art forms and forms of communication, it's subject to interpretation and translation. It means different things to different people and different cultures, so for it to be generalized as only one thing is irresponsible and frankly obtuse. There are all types of wines: there is the stush wine (trying to look proper while wining, the pity wine (you feel bad for the other person), the wickedest wine (you save this for special dance partners i.e. sexy men/women), the chippin' and wining (this you do while the music truck moving), the tired wine (your foot hurting), and the list goes on. Example of when we feel empowered. CLICK. Advertisement Example of the Tired wine. I wanted to clarify these little things because I wasn't sure if folks knew, and if you did, great, you get it. If you didn't, I hope this only expands your love for your culture. I see a slightly misconstrued, one-sided depiction of the culture being promoted and I had to at least know that I tried to address this or my conscience wouldn't rest well. I had to say something because I see that the culture is changing to just a wine-and-jam culture, and we are losing the little touches that make us special and add complexities to who we are. More and more people are emphasizing this one dimensional twist that is being pushed for the sake of increasing revenue, and let me just say that these businesses that are in party promoting may not have seen this consequence, but now that we see it, I think little tweaks can be made to give a more accurate picture of we ting, something that we can be proud of passing down to the younger generations. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel shake hands before a meeting in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Turkey and Germany agreed on Monday on a set of measures to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis, including a joint diplomatic initiative aiming to halt attacks against Syriaas largest city. Merkel said after talks with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that she is anot just appalled but horrifieda by the suffering caused by Russian bombing in Syria.( Yasmin Bulbul/Presidential Press Service, Pool via AP) ISTANBUL -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is taking advantage of the refugee crisis in Europe to obtain the European Union's support for his own authoritarian regime. The 2.5 million refugees in Turkey are the ultimate trump card for Erdogan. He's the one calling the shots. A meeting in October between Erdogan and the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission resulted in a shady deal by which the release of an EU progress report for Turkey -- which contained serious criticisms of Erdogan's party -- would be delayed for Erdogan's sake. The European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, even seemed willing to overlook Turkey's diminishing freedom of the press and human rights. Even so, Erdogan acted insulted by the EU's offer of 3 billion euros in financial aid, noting that Greece, during its own crisis, had received 400 billion euros in aid. He then threatened to "open the doors to Greece and Bulgaria" and "put the refugees on buses" into Europe. Advertisement All of this may explain why Angela Merkel, the leader of the most powerful country in the EU, has met five times with Turkey's leaders in recent months. On Monday, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, negotiating once more with EU leaders in Brussels about the refugees, succeeded in doubling the EU's offer from 3 billion to 6 billion euros. In addition, the EU may lift visa requirements for Turkish citizens traveling to Europe's Schengen zone. In return, Turkey will allow NATO access to its territorial waters to stem the flow of refugees and will also readmit some of the refugees who have traveled to Europe. Europe is unwise to trust Erdogan, given his long history of political opportunism. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees has expressly stated that the deal struck between Turkey and the EU -- which would send refugees in Europe back to Turkey -- runs counter to international law and the European Convention on Human Rights. Nonetheless, the German minister of the interior, Thomas de Maiziere, has defended his government's current policy vis-a-vis Turkey, declaring, "We cannot be the world's arbiter regarding human rights." For the moment, it seems, both Brussels and Ankara are satisfied with the deal. But both sides are aware that Erdogan can always wrest new concessions from the EU by threatening to flood Europe with refugees. With this deal, the EU also turns a blind eye to Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian rule. Under the current Justice and Development Party, or AKP, government, anyone deemed an enemy of the state -- including journalists, politicians, businessmen and academics -- is fair game for prosecution. Recently, Cumhuriyet, one of the country's most venerable newspapers, reported on the AKP's shipments of arms to jihadis in Syria. Erdogan then denounced the paper's editor-in-chief, Can Dundar, and its Ankara bureau chief, Erdem Gul, declaring that those responsible for the story would "pay a heavy price" for it. On Erdogan's orders, Dundar and Gul were arrested and charged with espionage, then held in custody for 92 days until the constitutional court ruled their detention unlawful. Upon their release, the Turkish president expressed his contempt for the rule of law, stating that he was "unwilling to abide by or respect the court's decision." Advertisement The AKP government has likewise targeted academics critical of its policies. Since July, clashes in the Southeast between Turkey's security forces and the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, have become more and more deadly. Well over 100 civilians have lost their lives, while thousands are eking out a precarious existence amidst weeks-long curfews. Both sides are aware that Erdogan can always wrest new concessions from the EU by threatening to flood Europe with refugees. In January, a total of 1,128 Turkish and foreign academics signed a petition calling attention to this humanitarian crisis. Erdogan castigated the academics as "traitors," giving the go-ahead for a judicial inquiry. Those under investigation face potential penalties ranging from six months to two years in prison. At the same time, a motion has been submitted to Parliament to lift immunity for five deputies from the Kurdish People's Democratic Party, the HDP, on the grounds of "being members of a terrorist organization." The AKP's crackdown on journalists reached a new milestone last week, when the government took over one of Turkey's best-selling newspapers, Zaman, which is known to have ties to the Gulen movement, a Turkish religious and cultural organization. The government also arrested the owners of the Boydak Group, one of Turkey's largest furniture manufacturers, which is likewise affiliated with the Gulenists. The charges were the same in both cases: setting up a terrorist organization in order to overthrow the Turkish state. As in Stalin's Russia, almost everyone in Turkey whom Erdogan labels a "traitor" is soon tried and put behind bars. However, in eliminating threats to his own rule, Erdogan has been opportunistic rather than capricious. When Erdogan and the AKP came to power in 2002, the biggest obstacles they faced were Turkey's pro-secular judiciary and its military, which had carried out four coups since 1960. Abroad, with his promises of "advanced democracy," Erdogan enjoyed the support of the EU and the U.S. Advertisement As in Stalin's Russia, almost everyone in Turkey whom Erdogan labels a 'traitor' is soon tried and put behind bars. At home, Erdogan had the backing of the Gulen movement, which had long ensconced itself in Turkey's police force and judiciary. He had little trouble clipping the military's wings through show-trials of hundreds of officers, including dozens of generals. Gulenist assistance also made it easier for Erdogan to replace secular-minded judges in all high-level judicial bodies. Years later, when some Gulenists alleged corruption in Erdogan's government, he instantly reversed course and branded his closest ally a "terrorist organization." Erdogan has taken a similar approach to the PKK, with which Turkey has been at war for more than 30 years. During a ceasefire that lasted from 2013 to 2015, Erdogan held peace talks with imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan; he also turned a blind eye to the PKK's stockpiling of weapons in Turkish cities and refused to let a trigger-happy army carry out anti-PKK operations. When the talks fell through in July 2015, however, Erdogan was transformed overnight from peacemaker to warmonger. From that point forward, anyone who campaigned for peace was considered a "terrorist" in Erdogan's eyes. Erdogan's political maneuvering has followed a consistent pattern over his 14 years in power: form temporary alliances of convenience, negotiate with opponents when it suits him to do so, then turn on old partners once their purpose has been served. Evidence of Erdogan's mercurial nature can be seen as far back as the 1990s, when he famously declared democracy to be "a means, not an end;" a decade later, he was preaching about "advanced democracy" in order to quash opposition in the military and judiciary. Europe is unwise to trust Erdogan, given his long history of political opportunism. With this refugee crisis, we are witnessing the decline of another European 'empire,' brought about by its own moral bankruptcy. At the same time, the EU's own foreign policy record over the past five years has been shameful. Following the Arab Uprisings, it helped overthrow the Muammar Gaddafi regime by bombing Libya, only to leave the country in ruins. In Syria, it allowed Turkey and the Gulf countries to arm the opposition, escalating civil demonstrations into a civil war. Now the EU is making under-the-table deals with Turkey in an attempt to solve the very refugee crisis it helped create. In caving to blackmail from unscrupulous partners and in refusing to take consistent, moral stances, the EU is betraying its founding principles of democracy and individual liberty. A millennium and a half ago, the Western Roman Empire collapsed due to waves of nomadic incursions. Today, with this refugee crisis, we are witnessing the decline of another European "empire," brought about by its own moral bankruptcy. Earlier on WorldPost: Hillary Clinton was expected to win the Michigan primary by 20-percent. But what pollsters failed to take into account was Clinton's honesty problem. Bernie Sanders absolutely dominated the honest and trustworthy contest. At the latest Democratic debate, Clinton inaccurately attacked Sanders on his auto bailout vote and it apparently backfired in her face. Clinton's history of stretching the truth, combined with this latest debate incident, did not bode well for her in the honesty category. Advertisement Equally troubling, Clinton has negative favorability ratings. In other words, 53.8-percent of American voters have an unfavorable opinion of her. Bernie Sanders, on the other hand, is the only candidate, in either party, with a net-positive favorability rating. Michigan, the largest delegate prize since Texas, went to Bernie Sanders tonight, despite consistent polling that showed Clinton with an insurmountable lead. Sanders has now won 9 states while Clinton has won 12. However, the vast majority of Clinton's wins were in southern states, and few of those remain. As the Democratic race shifts away from the deep south, Clinton's firewall is starting to wither, and Sander's viability is looking more and more legitimate. Advertisement "In the United States today, we have more than our share of the nattering nabobs of negativism. They have formed their own 4-H Club -- the 'hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history.'" -- Vice President Spiro Agnew, September 11, 1970 Regardless of one's personal politics, there is a serious reason for concern when the party of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan forgoes any sense of optimism or positivity to ceaselessly lament the sorry state of the United States of America. The negativity began in earnest in August, when the Republican candidates first gathered in Cleveland, Ohio to inaugurate the start of the debate season. Advertisement "This country is in big trouble. We don't win anymore. We lose to China. We lose to Mexico both in trade and at the border. We lose to everybody." - Donald Trump, Aug. 6, 2015 "Leading from behind is a disaster. We have abandoned and alienated our friends and allies, and our enemies are stronger. Radical Islam is on the rise, Iran's on the verge of acquiring a nuclear weapon, China is waging cyber warfare against America." - Sen. Ted Cruz, Aug. 6, 2015 In every debate since August, the GOP field--once in the double digits, now in the "Trump plus viable guests" range of candidates--has lamented the decline of America, doubling down on their appeals to a fear of immigrants, a fear of globalization and a fear of change. The tune was no different in January. "The millionaires and billionaires are doing great under Obama. But we have the lowest percentage of Americans working today of any year since 1977. Median wages have stagnated. And the Obama-Clinton economy has left behind the working men and women of this country." - Sen. Cruz, Jan 15, 2016 Advertisement "Our healthcare is a horror show. Obamacare, we're going to repeal it and replace it. We have no borders. Our vets are being treated horribly. Illegal immigration is beyond belief. Our country is being run by incompetent people. And yes, I am angry." - Trump, Jan 15, 2016 "We elected a president that doesn't believe in the Constitution. He undermines it. We elected a president that is weakening America on the global stage. We elected a president that doesn't believe in the free enterprise system [..]. Let me tell you, if we don't get this election right, there may be no turning back for America." - Sen. Marco Rubio, Jan. 15, 2016 By the most recent March 3 debate, the candidates had shifted slightly away from lamenting American decline, only to expend an absurd amount of time attacking each other with such regularity that the debate transcripts were rife with the phrase "crosstalk" to signify instances when multiple candidates were talking over one another simultaneously. "I'm not playing to anybody's fantasies, I'm playing to the fact that our country is in trouble, that we have a tremendous problem with crime. The border is a disaster, it's like a piece of Swiss cheese. We're going to stop it, we're going to stop people from coming into our country illegally. We're going to stop it." - Trump, March 3, 2016 "For seven years, millions of Americans, we've been struggling, wages have been stagnating, people are hurting, our constitutional rights are under assault." - Sen. Cruz, March 3, 2016 Advertisement Only one remaining candidate steadily avoided fear-mongering throughout the debates. "You see, because throughout this campaign I've talked about issues, I have never tried to go and get into these scrums that we're seeing here on the stage. And, people say everywhere I go, "you seem to be the adult on the stage."" - Gov. John Kasich, March 3, 2016 Clearly, he's never going to be the GOP nominee. This strategy of consistent, calculated negativity is the rhetorical equivalent of burning down villages and razing fields. One cannot effectively lead and govern a country that has been told it is weak, it is failed and it is in decline. With unemployment rates in a steady decline, Iranian nuclear ambitions curtailed, millions of Americans gaining health insurance and no existential threats on the horizon, there is plenty of reason to be hopeful about America's future. The Democrats understand that people want hope, even as they seek the pragmatism and experience to back it up in 2016. "This has been a campaign focused on issues. And I'm proud of the campaign Senator Sanders and I are running. [Our differences] pale in comparison to what has happened on the Republican side." -Secretary Hillary Clinton, March 8, 2016 Yet the GOP candidate field has chosen to wallow in pity and dissent like a potbellied pig, convincing a large number of Americans that the country is on a fast track to hell. That's inaccurate. More importantly, it's downright depressing. Advertisement Even when it is at its worst, America should dream about what it can be at its best. Every great president in the country's history has understood that even in the darkest times, Americans are capable of rising to meet great challenges. But in order to be able to rise, they must not first be beaten down with fear and hate. The nattering nabobs of negativism who make up the GOP field have forgotten that lesson, and are coarsening the political discourse with their consistent appeals to Americans' worst fears and basest instincts at a time when the country is not weak at home or abroad. The 2016 election is far from over. But what remains of the GOP field needs to make a major course correction for its attitude if it wants to stand a chance of selling the American people on its brand of politics in November. "It's important for schools to begin by setting a tone that values and leverages diversity as an asset, across all aspects of teaching and learning. This cannot be an 'add on' or a checklist, but rather an ongoing effort marked by continuous learning and reflection." -- Dana Mortenson Teaching in a Global Landscape - Mindful Multiculturalism in Today's Classroom was the timely theme of the recent Twitter Chat hosted by Edmodo (@edmodo) and The Global Search for Education (@CMRubinWorld). Featured guests Dr. William Gaudelli (Department Chair and Associate Professor, Teachers College, Columbia University), Jessica Kehayes (Executive Director, Education, Asia Society), and Dana Mortenson (Co-Founder and Executive Director, World Savvy) joined teachers and tweeters from all over the world to synthesize research, insights and examples of best practices in fostering global consciousness to support the increasingly diverse student populations present in their classrooms. For those who missed #EdmodoGS4Echat Live, it's our pleasure to welcome back to The Global Search for Education our featured guests, Bill, Jessica and Dana, to share the highlights of what we learned. Advertisement What does Multiculturalism in education mean to you? #EdmodoGS4Echat Dana: Multiculturalism is a critical and core element of building more future-facing globally competent environments. As demography shifts and migration patterns make classrooms more ethnically and culturally diverse, the global knowledge economy demands graduates with nuanced, global skills. Here's our global competence definition: http://bit.ly/1QQ9H15 Bill: Being open to others - seeing and listening to them - with a willingness to change your thinking and doing as a result. Jessica: As one of our students said more eloquently than I could, global competence teaches us about the beauty and the ugliness of the world and prepares us to be not only informed but also empathetic: http://bit.ly/1R01Esn "Teachers grasp of how they are socially positioned in the world - by race/ethnicity, class, gender, gender-orientation, sexual orientation, religion, physical ability to name a few - invite them to help students think similarly." -- Bill Gaudelli How can schools be better prepared to suit multicultural classrooms? #EdmodoGS4Echat Dana: It's important for schools to begin by setting a tone that values and leverages diversity as an asset, across all aspects of teaching and learning. This cannot be an 'add on' or a checklist, but rather an ongoing effort marked by continuous learning and reflection. Students coming into school with richly diverse and varied life experience can then be positioned for success as real contributors to engaging curriculum and discourse, where their own narratives, ideas and experiences are directly leveraged in the process of learning about, and with, the world. The principal at one of our outstanding school partners shares her perspective on how this works: http://bit.ly/1S8FBV1 Advertisement Bill: Encourage preservice and beginning and veteran teachers to leave their comfort zone, understand their social positions and dig-down into who they are: http://bit.ly/1Su44VB Teachers grasp of how they are socially positioned in the world - by race/ethnicity, class, gender, gender-orientation, sexual orientation, religion, physical ability to name a few - invite them to help students think similarly. Jessica: Schools are increasingly developing teacher-leader roles, equipping them to lead professional conversations between colleagues, and building in time for collaborative work between teachers. There are also many organizations that work directly with schools and districts to support global competence training, strengthening the capacities the schools have in place. What are the ways that teachers can foster independent thinking while still promoting diverse learning styles? #EdmodoGS4Echat Bill: Use the barometer method to encourage divergent views about a topic and develop personalized learning that has a strong social learning component. Advertisement Jessica: Teachers can: (1) create an environment where students feel safe bringing their culture, perspective, background and diversity into the classroom; (2) allow for student choice and voice in their own learning; and (3) show students the diversity of the community and the world around them to encourage thinking. Global projects, with opportunities for student choice, are a great option. Dana: Be sensitive to individualism and collectivism in a learning environment, and how you engage learners for growth: http://bit.ly/21DsluR "Technology allows international exchange without the barriers of cost, administration, and sometimes prohibitive travel visas. Start small and grow." -- Jessica Kehayes What role does technology play in creating a better multicultural classroom? #EdmodoGS4Echat Bill: Encourage kids to talk about limits/benefits of using media-connectivity, or is connected always 'connected'? Check out "Is FB making us lonely?" by Stephen Marche: http://theatln.tc/1hALSaV Jessica: Technology allows international exchange without the barriers of cost, administration, and sometimes prohibitive travel visas. Start small and grow. Simulations, video chats or using social media for discussion or to connect to expert resources outside of your immediate school community are all easy ways to get started. Connecting to world events is often a logical way to go and there are many other opportunities to plug in: museum cultural visits, documentary film making and game design all provide ways for engaged global learning. More tips: http://bit.ly/1nrGcVK Advertisement Dana: A student who engages with others from around the world, researches issues from multiple perspectives online, then develops ideas for addressing those issues, now has the capacity to share those ideas and collaborate with people anywhere. Tech is an incredibly powerful tool. Three organizations I admire doing this work are @global_nomads @Tonyblair_TBFF @iEARNUSA. How can educational systems better address prior learning and transferability of skills? #EdmodoGS4Echat Bill: Teaching students to inquire is the ultimate transferable skill - it's what makes us human. Learning how to learn is the core of being globally competent: http://bit.ly/21SZp5I Jessica: Education systems have an opportunity to allow students to gain credit for knowledge gained outside of formal education and many are making big strides in this area. For example, the state of Washington in the U.S has a seal of biliteracy to recognize the language learning of students, with great benefit for immigrant learners, and many other states are working to implement a similar model. Competency-based credit is a huge opportunity for out-of-school learning, community partnerships: http://bit.ly/1DyaxrU "Teaching students to inquire is the ultimate transferable skill - it's what makes us human. Learning how to learn is the core of being globally competent." -- Bill Gaudelli What are some tips for teaching mindfulness around social, emotional, and cultural diversity? #EdmodoGS4Echat Advertisement Jessica: Start locally and look for diversity in your community--parents, businesses, partners--and use them as an asset. Give students the choice to engage in projects that interest them, or link another community, to build empathy and relevance. Look at news and images in other countries and ask students to consciously take on new perspectives. Dana: Here are some specific suggestions for how schools can prepare their students: http://edut.to/1zWHrPR How can a multicultural classroom help students see cultural differences as positive and necessary for a healthy community? #EdmodoGS4Echat Jessica: The more we can promote understanding and perspective-taking, and encourage explanation of your own thinking while respectfully hearing others, the more opportunity there is for new thinking to emerge and communities to be strengthened. Building relationships with the community can and should start early, promoting all members of our society as important voices, including our youngest. A case study of an afterschool program in Seattle: http://bit.ly/1TmK60h Dana: Here's an example of how a group of teachers adjusted grading to measure what matters: http://bit.ly/1RzWtT3 Advertisement Many thanks to our Featured Guests for their insights and resources. Check out the entire chat on #EdmodoGS4Echat Founded in 2008 and used by more than 370,000 schools in over 190 countries with 60 million users, Edmodo was designed to protect the privacy and security of students and teachers by providing a closed, private platform in which they can connect, share content, and leverage educational apps to augment in-classroom learning. (All photos are courtesy of Shutterstock and CMRubinworld) C. M. Rubin - Dana Mortenson - Bill Gaudelli - Jessica Kehayes Join me and globally renowned thought leaders including Sir Michael Barber (UK), Dr. Michael Block (U.S.), Dr. Leon Botstein (U.S.), Professor Clay Christensen (U.S.), Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond (U.S.), Dr. MadhavChavan (India), Professor Michael Fullan (Canada), Professor Howard Gardner (U.S.), Professor Andy Hargreaves (U.S.), Professor Yvonne Hellman (The Netherlands), Professor Kristin Helstad (Norway), Jean Hendrickson (U.S.), Professor Rose Hipkins (New Zealand), Professor Cornelia Hoogland (Canada), Honourable Jeff Johnson (Canada), Mme. Chantal Kaufmann (Belgium), Dr. EijaKauppinen (Finland), State Secretary TapioKosunen (Finland), Professor Dominique Lafontaine (Belgium), Professor Hugh Lauder (UK), Lord Ken Macdonald (UK), Professor Geoff Masters (Australia), Professor Barry McGaw (Australia), Shiv Nadar (India), Professor R. Natarajan (India), Dr. Pak Tee Ng (Singapore), Dr. Denise Pope (US), Sridhar Rajagopalan (India), Dr. Diane Ravitch (U.S.), Richard Wilson Riley (U.S.), Sir Ken Robinson (UK), Professor Pasi Sahlberg (Finland), Professor Manabu Sato (Japan), Andreas Schleicher (PISA, OECD), Dr. Anthony Seldon (UK), Dr. David Shaffer (U.S.), Dr. Kirsten Sivesind (Norway), Chancellor Stephen Spahn (U.S.), Yves Theze (LyceeFrancais U.S.), Professor Charles Ungerleider (Canada), Professor Tony Wagner (U.S.), Sir David Watson (UK), Professor Dylan Wiliam (UK), Dr. Mark Wormald (UK), Professor Theo Wubbels (The Netherlands), Professor Michael Young (UK), and Professor Minxuan Zhang (China) as they explore the big picture education questions that all nations face today. The Global Search for Education Community Page We have been here before to the Mississippi bottom-land of discrimination in the name of religion and "moral conviction". Having just passed the "Religious Liberty Accommodations Act", the Mississippi House of Representatives would unleash individuals, religious organizations and private associations to use religion and "moral conviction" as subterfuge for discrimination against LGBT Mississippians in every sphere of life. The Act is extensive and provides an out to anti-LGBT, only, wedding vendors, but also those who seek to discriminate against LGBT Mississippians in housing and employment. The Act covers discrimination in adoption and foster care, and includes state employees who "recuse" themselves from their administrative duties. Transgender individuals are simply defined out of existence. In direct contravention of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v Hodges, the bill defines sexual relations as "properly reserved" to men and women in marriage. The Act might better be named the "LGBT Civil Rights Nullification Act" protecting any organization or individual who discriminates because of a "sincerely held" belief or moral conviction about same-sex marriage. Sound familiar in Mississippi? Jim Crow lawmakers legislated their "sincerely held" religious belief. They called it the "Curse of Ham". Advertisement Yes, we have been here before---and prevailed against this animus and discrimination. In the epic "Freedom Summer" of 1964, openly gay and straight Mississippians ultimately succeeded in the face of similar public denigration and legal assault. It happened, improbably, in the small town of Holly Springs on the campus of the historically all-black Rust College. Dr. Earnest A. Smith, Rust's President, was "the coolest dude in the room" in 1964 when he allowed Rust's student leaders, national civil rights groups such as the NAACP and the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and openly homosexual African American faculty members to converge on the Rust campus. They came to organize and register African American voters, according to Les McLemore, 75, who was the Rust Student Council President. Mississippi responded to Dr. Smith's bold move with a vicious sexual investigation conducted by the state's "Sovereignty Commission" (the Commission) which tarred and denigrated him as a suspected "queer" leading a faculty ridden with "homos". "Dr. Smith was there, in the moment, aware of the pressure brought to bear on him," says McLemore, a former City Councilman and Acting Mayor of Jackson. "If you picked-up your cues from Ernie, he stood his ground, protecting us from the politics of it all while taking the heat. He is a forgotten hero of that summer." Advertisement The attack came like a bomb through a window, in the form of an incendiary, sexually humiliating five-page investigative report discovered and researched by the Mattachine Society of Washington and our pro bono counsel, McDermott, Will & Emery. The Commission's report was presented to Governor Paul Johnson and to Rust's Methodist Board of Trustees at their July 1, 1964 annual meeting. The report announced that Rust "had become a place for instructors who are homosexuals and racial agitators." The Commission was a state-funded, racist investigative apparatus with a public relations arm to fight integration and voter registration, and to maintain "state sovereignty" by keeping Jim Crow laws in place. The report cited each of the "known or suspected homosexuals" by name and referred to them as morally unfit "screwballs", who supposedly entered windows by night, were fired for "homosexual activity" in their previous jobs, beaten up by crazed boy friends, attempted suicide and fought over homosexual rivals. The report besmirched English teachers and the Librarian as "oddballs and homos". Regarding Dr. Smith, the report states, "Informant No. 3 stated that Smith is a known liar and ladies' man and it has been rumored that Smith might have other queer sexual impulses." In fact, Smith was not gay. He remained happily married for 75 years to a former Rust College librarian. The Commission report concluded that the Rust trustees were going to insist that Dr. Smith be dismissed because of his personal conduct and inability to run the college. The trustees met and made this decision regarding Dr. Smith on July 1, 1964, the day before President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for the purpose of abolishing legalized racism. "We heard about it in Chapel", says former student and faculty member Frank Moorer. "We were all very sad and disconcerted about his departure." Les McLemore says Dr. Smith was "kicked upstairs" without publicity. "He clearly had to leave town, but did not reveal how or why", McLemore recalls. Dr. Smith landed in Washington, D.C. to work for the United Methodist Church where he served as Director of Human Relations for thirteen years in a kind of exile from Mississippi, despite the passage of the Civil Rights Act. During an interview with me, McLemore read aloud the Commission report with a combination of derision and anger. "These were all my friends!", he exclaimed. "Of course they were gay, and we all knew that back then. It was not an issue for us or Ernie....we all came from small towns in Mississippi, and we all knew gay folks. The gay faculty members were competent scholars and our friends," McLemore said. "The rightwing rednecks would figure out any way to get at Rust, and this is how low they went." Advertisement SNCC organizer Larry Rubin remembers, "We all knew Bayard Rustin was gay, and he was one of our leaders. We knew SNCC organizers who were gay. Homosexuality was not an issue to us. The bigots and segregationists had these sexual fantasies about us. The worst thing you could say about somebody besides he was a Communist was he was a queer! It had zero to do with anything we were doing." "Smith never let them see him sweat", says McLemore. Long after the Commission racists had played out their hands and died, Smith was repeatedly honored by Rust College and invited to speak and to preach sermons many considered spellbinding orations. In his Will, Dr. Smith left Rust College his extensive library. The investigation of Dr. Smith and Rust College is cited in the Opinion of U.S. District Court Judge Carlton W. Reeves who struck down Mississippi's ban on same-sex marriage. Reeves wrote: "Any claims that Mississippians quietly accommodated gay and lesbian citizens could no longer be made in the Sixties...Segregationists called their opponents 'racial perverts' ". Reeves continued, ""Being homosexual invited scrutiny and professional consequences....the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission singled out Rust College...on reports that instructors there were 'homosexuals and racial agitators.' " Judge Reeves got the connection between the perpetuation of the Jim Crow laws and the discrimination meted out against gay Mississippians---homophobia used for racist purposes. He wrote, "Klan propaganda tied together 'Communists, homosexuals, fornicators, liberals and angry blacks, infidels all. Mississippians opposed to integration harassed several civil rights leaders for their homosexuality." That denigration would falsely include people like Dr. Smith. Rust College is celebrating its Sesquicentennial this year, 150 years after its founding to serve the newly freedmen and women of the South. In 1967, at its Centennial observance, soon after Dr. Smith's departure, Leontyne Price, one of the great sopranos of all time, performed a benefit concert for Rust at the desegregated Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson. Price's mother was a Rust graduate. According to one account, Ms. Price lifted "her glorious voice in all its phases" bringing the audience to its feet for a ten minute ovation following her concluding number, "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands". Advertisement This may sound crazy but I think Hillary Clinton needs to meditate. Watching her speak last night after winning Mississippi, it occurred to me for about the 200th time that she talks and talks and talks but never catches fire the way Bernie does. It's gotten to the point that when she is giving a speech or debating on TV, I cover my eyes. I can't stand to see how rigid and prune-faced she can look. I can't bear to see her as she was last night, with a kind of schoolmarm attitude, not smiling at all, practically scowling while she spoke. What Hillary needs is a crash course in authenticity. She needs to step onto that stage and demonstrate both how vulnerable she is, but also how incredibly strong and capable she is (and she is both.) She needs to speak from the heart and really sound like she is doing it! She needs to smile (the way she does off-stage.) She needs to demonstrate that kind of Bill and Barack passion that grabs you and won't let you go. (Yeah, so, we know, Bernie has a lot to teach her.) Back in 2000 when she was running for the U.S. Senate from New York, I met her at a press conference on prescription drug prices that she was holding with seniors in NYC. I was there to take pictures for the advocacy group holding the event. I'll never forget: she wore a bright sunflower power suit, and after the press conference she stood speaking to a small cluster of seniors. Two things amazed me: how warm a person she is when you are one-on-one with her. And two, how she was able within just a few minutes to memorize all of the seniors' first names! She spoke to them with great passion about an issue very close to the seniors' hearts. Advertisement Fast forward 16 years. She still cares about seniors. She still has the right positions on so many of the issues. But can she convince us that her presidency won't be business as usual? How can we be sure that she won't compromise her convictions in the face of whopping influences of corporations donating to her election campaigns? OK, so why should Hillary meditate? Meditation forces you to stop. And to listen closely. It is in meditation that practitioners report receiving profound insights and inspirations -- ideas that percolate up from deep in the subconsciousness. I bet if she took an entire day (better yet, a week) to meditate, she might find her soul speaking to her in a whole new way. She might be able to tap into a powerful new message and a source of authentic power that meditation often gives you. And maybe too, in meditation -- slowing down, breathing deep, over and over again -- she might keep from making any more costly mistakes. Mistakes like the gaffe attacking Bernie for not supporting the auto industry bailout in Detroit. That was just plain dumb, and she should have thought before she spoke. Maybe meditation will make her a bit more self-reflective. Maybe by meditating she will let go of just a smidge of her GIANT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE EGO. She will come to see that it is the ego that separates us one from another; it is our ego that makes us fearful and grasping and proud and mean and swaggering. Advertisement Maybe Hillary will see that what draws people to Bernie is in part his extraordinary humility. He never appears to be thrusting himself forward; his is a campaign that steams ahead collecting and reinforcing the energy of crowds revved by the notion of "revolution." Saint Patrick's Day is upon us once again For a few it is a day to celebrate the life of Saint Patrick on the day of his death. For some it is a day to celebrate being Irish and Irish pride. And for others, and probably the majority, it is a "holiday" celebrated for no other reason than an excuse to consume large quantities of green beer, turn rivers green -- talking to you Chicago -- and enjoy the nectar of the Irish god's... Irish Whiskey. Now we have no issue with green beer (we have consumed more than we will ever admit to) and it is quite the sight to see Chicago's river turn green (from something other than pollution) but little has changed with those traditions in the last few decades. Irish Whiskey on the other hand has seen quite the epic resurgence as of late--the Distilled Spirits Council recently announced that Irish Whiskey sales are up almost 600% for super premium brands since 2002. So in honor of St. Patrick's Day, the Irish, those who wish to celebrate as if they were Irish and those who just want to celebrate, we present you with 7 Irish Whiskeys to consider for your St. Patrick's Day celebration and to also (hopefully) introduce you to the significantly expanded (yet still relatively unknown) world of Irish Whiskey. Advertisement Why 7 you ask? 'Cause, like the Irish, 7 is lucky! Jameson Caskmates What do you get when Jameson's head distiller sits down with the head brewer of Cork's Franciscan Well over a few pints at the local watering hole? Jameson Caskmates. The master brewer decided to use some of Jameson's casks to age his prized Irish Stout, which rumor has it turned out to be exceptionally tasty. Once the brewer finished with the casks he sent them back to Jameson where the master distiller decided to use the casks to age some of his Irish Whiskey (for how long still remains a mystery) and years later (we assume anyway) Jameson Caskmates was born. Similar to Jameson in appearance, maybe slightly darker, this whiskey has a sharper almost fruity aroma. The front taste seems to only be slightly influenced by the stout barrel aging but the big surprise is the stout-esq smooth finish with just slight hints of milk chocolate and coffee. Of all the whiskeys presented today this is hand's down the budget winner. With prices hovering right around $30 it is the cheapest of the lot but the price belies a truly high quality and unique Irish Whiskey perfect neat or on the rocks. Redbreast 12 Year Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Double gold winner at the 2005 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Redbreast's 12 year aged whiskey dates back to the early 1900s and is one of the oldest on our list. Distilled using the traditional single pot still process, a form that appears to be making a comeback with today's distillers, it is one of only a handful that use 100% pure pot still whiskey (though most Irish Whiskeys are comprised of some portion of pot still whiskey). Redbreast tastes beyond it's price, that is to say it tastes into the triple digit price range, not at it's $59.99 MSRP. Spicy, smooth, full flavor and a long lingering finish describe this Irish whiskey. Perfect for a cold rainy evening spent in your favorite lounger (keep the bottle close though, you'll want seconds, or thirds as we learned.) Advertisement Glendalough Double Barrel Irish Whiskey Glendalough Distillery was founded by five close friends in the Glendalough Valley of Ireland with one mission in mind, to prove that independent Irish Whiskey could make a comeback. From that mission Glendalough Double Barrel Irish Whiskey was born. Breathing new life into an old tradition--think pre-prohibition era Irish Whiskey--Ireland's first craft distillery has staked its claim in the international Irish Whiskey community. Aged in virgin American oak bourbon barrels and then moved into first fill Spanish Oloroso barrels, the whiskey has an almost warming aroma and a flavor that is light and airy on the front end with a finish that is spicy with a hint of woodiness to it. This is a great sipping Irish Whiskey for those looking for something with a little spice to it or mixed up to make their signature Double Barrel Smash. Yellow Spot Yellow Spot is the second 100% pot still whiskey on our list. But where the other, Redbreast, is aged in two types of barrels, Yellow Spot is aged in three types, including Spanish Malaga. In addition to it being a 100% pot still whiskey it is also one of Ireland's few surviving "bonded" Irish Whiskeys, along with it's Green Spot brother. With the addition of the third fortified wine barrel in the aging process, Yellow Spot takes on a much sweeter tune than it's Redbreast brother. Sweet, fruity and vanilla aromas give way to sweet and velvety flavor which finishes long, sweet and woody. This is a perfect choice for those that prefer a sweeter velvety whiskey. Power's John's Lane Release Power's is a well known Irish Whiskey in line in popularity with the likes of Jameson and Bushmills. But that well known whiskey you're probably thinking about is Power's Gold Label, a rough around the edges blend--today we are going to check out Power's John's Lane Release. Advertisement Power's John's Lane Release is a throwback to the origin of Power's founding. Distilled using the classic single pot still method and aged mainly in American bourbon casks, it is a spicy and rich rendition. This Power's incarnation is perfect for those drinkers looking for that rich and full bodied Irish Whiskey. The nose is earthy with hints of cinnamon, and it kind of reminded us of leather. The taste is full, complex and surprisingly light on the spice and the finish lingers with a wood-like touch. In the end it kind of reminded us of a high end scotch or bourbon. The Quiet Man For our final two Irish Whiskeys we are bringing in the double punch of the recently released The Quiet Man--not to be confused with the classic John Wayne movie--in it's 8-year old Single Malt and blended variants and which has the honor of being the first whiskey distilled in Derry Ireland in almost 100 years. The name actually was created to honor the father Ciaran Mulgrew--creator of the Quiet Man--who spent over 50 years as a bartender. First up we gave the The Quiet Man Blend a try and were in no way disappointed. The nose is light and floral with just a touch of smokiness. The front is light and mellow with hints of honey and vanilla. The finish is smooth and actually lacked that typical burn you find with Irish Whiskeys which could make it a hit among newer whiskey drinkers or those who dislike a burning finish. Next up we gave the single malt a try and were once again pleasantly surprised. The aroma was similar in the sweetness to the blend but crisper with a touch of vanilla and honey. On the front we picked up spicy oak with a hint of honey and a touch of vanilla. The finish had the burn we normally look for in an Irish Whiskey and a very nice one at that. Additionally we picked up just a little citrus-like kick at the end, unusual but actually pretty good. The Quiet Man provides outstanding examples of both a blended and single malt whiskey priced at a very competitive $39.99 and $49.99 respectively. Similar to many of the others on our list, they taste above their price points. Advertisement Barcelona is a popular destination for study abroad students, but what makes this vibrant city such a great choice for study abroad? Brooke Stafford of Pennsylvania State University who is studying abroad in Barcelona this spring shares 10 reasons Barcelona was her best choice for a study abroad semester. 1. Why Choose Barcelona for a study abroad destination. I've lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania all of my life and I thought that it was about time to explore a big city. As I discovered, Barcelona was the perfect destination for me because though it's a sprawling city, it feels like a small town. Everybody is friendly, the city is easy to navigate and I always feel safe. I'm so happy in my decision to study here! Photo Credit: Nina Truong If you're not sure where to start with choosing a study abroad destination, begin with a reputable study abroad provider such as CEA Study Abroad. CEA has helped more than 35,000 students explore new cultures, make new friends, take new classes, taste new foods, and experience the adventure of a lifetime. Just like these in Barcelona. Advertisement If Spain doesn't sound like you thing, CEA has sites in 22 cities across 12 countries, and programs designed to match your academic, career, and personal interests. There's no better way to gain college credits while you see the world. CEA can help you choose the right program and destination; provide you with high-quality, accredited university courses abroad; offer career-building opportunities like internships, volunteering, and service learning programs. 2. Not to be missed view of Barcelona. Park Guell has the best view and the best time of day to view is when the sun is setting. The top of Park Guell has the most amazing views of the sunset and it is definitely worth the hike. My advice is to grab a bottle of wine, a blanket and a few friends and relax on top of the hill for a few hours. This UNESCO declared park is a world famous landmark located on Carmel Hill. Gaudi's, urban project and a must see spot for any study abroad student. 3. Must see favorite local spot. The bunkers. "The bunkers" is an old military bunker positioned high atop a hill. Today, locals will climb to the top of the bunkers to relax with friends, to have a picnic, or to play the guitar and sing. When my roommates and I visited the bunkers, we fell in love with the local atmosphere and the stunning views. 4. You must walk Las Ramblas It's some of the best shopping in Barcelona. Whether you are looking for a new pair of shoes, a souvenir or a gelato cone, Las Ramblas has it. My favorite part of Las Ramblas is La Boqueria. La Boqueria is a large, local market right off of Las Ramblas with the best fresh fruit juices, chocolates and jamon. La Boqueria is packed with independently owned food stalls, each with its own specialty. While many choose to eat an entire meal at one stall, its much more exciting to sample plates from many different stalls. Advertisement 5. Must eat: Tapas Tapas are amazing, small dishes that you share with friends or family. In Barcelona, you can find a tapas bar on every corner! Some of the best Spanish tapas are croquettes, potatas bravas, empanadas, pan y tomate and jamon iberico. No matter what you order, it'll be delicious. 6. Best fun for free. The Picasso museum FREE and is located in the Bank District of Barcelona. It has 4,251 works of Picasso's art and is a must-see when visiting Barcelona. I suggest going to the Piccasso museum on a Sunday after eating a big brunch with friends. For more Picasso influenced fun, head to Barri Gotica. Known in English as the Gothic Quarter, it's an area in Barcelona known for having Gothic-style buildings next to ultra-modern architecture. Getting lost in Barri Gotic's picturesque winding alleys is a must, however ask locals to direct you to Els Quatre Gats. This bar once hosted Picasso's very first exhibition and is now a hub for local artists. Kick back with a drink and people watch. More fun for free: An afternoon spent exploring Barcelona is exciting in itself, but there are many places that are free to visitors and students. The modernistic architecture that dominates the city is incredible, even for people who may not be art gurus! Stroll through the cobblestone streets of Barri Gotic, the historical Gothic zone of Barcelona. Wander the beaches and La Rambla at no cost. 7. Best way to find some local culture. Take a walk. Barcelona's history and culture is displayed in various forms throughout the city and the best way to see it is to stumble upon it. The very first day I came to Barcelona, I walked down the street to get myself acquainted with the area. I happened to stumble upon arc de triomphe and I was completely astonished by what I had just found. It felt great to find something so beautiful without even looking for it. Advertisement 8. Best day trip from Barcelona. Montserrat, hands down. Montserrat is one of the most incredible things that I have seen during my time in Barcelona. Montserrat is a mountain with an old monastery on top. It is a great place to go hiking, to buy delicious homemade cheeses and to learn a little history. It's about an hour away from Barcelona, but the train is inexpensive and comfortable so it's definitely worth the journey. The train drops you off right at the base of the mountain, and from there you can choose to ride the cable car to the top or take a second train. There's more to study abroad than your host city. One of the best parts of study abroad is seeing as much of the world as you can during your semester away. This is where StudentUniverse, the world's leading travel booking service for students and youth can help. StudentUniverse can offer exclusive pricing and terms on flights, hotels and tours allowing students to go further and spend less. With most flights in Europe being less than 3 hours in duration the options for weekends across Europe seem endless. Where are students traveling to in Europe on their weekends while on study abroad? Take a look at this infographic. The best part; while StudentUniverse caters mostly to students 18-25, you don't have to be a student to take advantage of some of their offers. More Day trips: College Tourist loves weekends on Study Abroad the perfect time to explore the nearby cities. Visit more of Catalonia, a region of Spain known for its distinct language, traditions and pride. If Roman ruins are your thing, a trip to Tarragona is a must during your stay in Barcelona. A quick hour and half train ride away, Tarragona is home to a large collection of Roman ruins, as it was one of the most important ports established by the ancient Roman Empire during the beginning of the first century AD. 9.Best place to live. Fortunately for me, my program placed me in an apartment in the center of Barcelona near Plaza del Universitat. My apartment is close to Las Ramblas, Universitat de Barcelona and some of the best restaurants that Barcelona has to offer. My advice to you is to consider living in an apartment while abroad. I have gained so much independence because I have learned how to live on my own in a new city. Advertisement 10. Something you don't know about Barcelona. Barcelona means "bar," "waves," and "sky." These three words are the epitome of what Barcelona is. The bars are inclusive and fun. The beach is relaxing and breezy. The sky is always bright and blue. Why wouldn't you want to study abroad in Barcelona? This post is brought to you by CEA Study Abroad, StudentUniverse and Her Campus Media. Have you studied abroad? Share your story with the College Tourist Follow us on Instagram @officialcollegetourist | Tag your photos #collegetourist. Ever stumble upon an Instagram account and find yourself having some serious travel envy? These 12 student travel instagram accounts do just that! Here are some of our favorite wanderlust themed feeds, perfect for dreaming about traveling the globe. For more travel inspiration and to get your own travel photos featured, follow @Official CollegeTourist and #CollegeTourist on your best pics. 1. @julia_melina Julia's advanced photography skills are undeniable! She's from Switzerland and currently lives in Vienna, but has traveled from Morocco to Italy and everywhere in between. 2. @kvdenn We can't get enough of Kelsey's photos from her study abroad experience in China and travels throughout Europe and Asia. Advertisement 3. @worldlywandering This Vancouver native is heading to Australia, Asia, and New Zealand soon. If her current feed is any indication of the photos to come, you'll definitely want to follow along! 4. @kevinrawalsh Kevin's professional quality travel photos are always giving us a serious case of wanderlust. 5. @kmhiller527 From Africa to Europe and everywhere in between, Kate's feed truly inspires! 6. @nikkimckk We love living vicariously through Nikki's European adventures. 7. @emilyfreebery Emily's travel account is no joke! From NYC to Europe, she really knows how to capture a moment and filter it perfectly. 8. @hiddencafesalleyways This eclectic account is perfect for students who love to seek out unique travel spots. Advertisement 9. @lindsrita Lindsay is currently studying abroad in Spain and making her way through Europe- and of course she's posting about it along the way! 10. @_hot_tamolly_ Molly's colorful feed is full of fun-loving travel shots and foodie posts. 11. @veronique365 Veronica's travel photos make us swoon over all of the European destinations she's visited. 12. @emroseroth Emily's student travel inspired feed gives us a serious case of the travel bug. Which account is your favorite? Be sure to follow us at @OfficialCollegeTourist and use the hashtag #CollegeTourist for a feature. Have you studied abroad? Share your story with the College Tourist Follow us on Instagram @officialcollegetourist | Tag your photos #collegetourist. Switch off on Study Abroad for the places we love. Shine a light on Climate Action this Earth Hour, March 19. #ChangeClimateChange "Earth Hour is a worldwide grassroots movement uniting people to protect the planet, and is organised by WWF. It's on March 19. The event is held worldwide annually encouraging individuals, communities, households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour. 26 Major Cities around the World now participate in the event." United States, Shining a light on Climate Action and You. Walk of the Gods, Amalfi Coast Hike the Walk of the Gods for an incredible sunrise. While visiting the Amalfi Coast in Italy, a hike along the Walk of the Gods is a must for anyone. Take the challenge and start the hike in the early morning before the sun has come up so you have the chance to capture the glow of the morning sunrise. Roslyn Kent, University of Calgary Advertisement Find your Zen Moment in Oahu, Hawaii Looking out over the vast ocean, taking in every bit of natural beauty that Oahu, Hawaii has to offer. Is there anything more peaceful than just sitting still on the rocks overlooking the crashing waves as the white of the surf is illuminated as night begins to take over? Wind sweeping through your hair and mist filling the warm air. Just sit and be still as the night begins to fall and the dark hour begins. Sara Burke, Georgia Southern University Enjoy the Stars (without the light pollution) Israeli Desert. Look at the stars or see the sunset in the Israeli desert. Far from any big cities, nothing seems a peaceful as laying on the ground staring up at a sky full of stars. It's breathtaking, and was definitely on of my favorite parts of my visit to Israel, just looking at what seems like an endless realm of stars up above. A magical sight. Miranda Siwak, Elon University Sunrise Hike to enjoy the Israeli Desert early. Take a sunrise hike up to the top of Masada for a breathtaking view of the sunrise. So, you'll have to wake up around 4 in the morning and hike the steep steps to reach the top, but the view overlooking the Israeli desert and to see the sunrise in its entirety is worth the trek. (both images are from the sunrise at Masada) Miranda Siwak, Elon University Watch mountains and ocean come together. Brazil. Enjoy the view from the Pedra do Arpoador in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where you'll see the mountains and ocean merge together in a beautiful palate of colors. Nikki McKenna, Florida Atlantic University Advertisement Italy without the crowds Wherever you are, take this opportunity to see one of your favorite landmarks in a new "light". There's a whole other experience and magic in these places when the sun sets and the tourists leave. If you're in Rome check out the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, or the Piazza San Pietro in Vatican City. Emily Roth, University of Connecticut. See the Northern Lights Go aurora hunting in search of the spectacular Northern Lights. Seeing the Northern Lights, also known as The Aurora Borealis is a must for any world traveler and is an amazing late night activity. Peak viewing season lasts from Late fall through the winter months until around March every year. The best places to see the Northern Lights are the Scandinavian countries, particularly Finland, Iceland and Norway, but sightings are also common in Russia, Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and on rare occasions parts of the UK, including Scotland and Northern Ireland! So take a trip to one of the mentioned countries and spend a night or two taking in one of the world's most amazing natural occurrences! Emily Freebery, Fordham University Have you studied abroad? Share your story with the College Tourist Follow us on Instagram @officialcollegetourist | Tag your photos #collegetourist. Hand holding a loupe, spotting a location on the map. Were Syrian rebels counting on international support when they began to fight the Syrian regime? If they were, it would have been a rational calculation based on historical precedent. Since the end of the Cold War, interventions into civil wars have become quite common. In fact, between 1990 and 2008 alone, foreign states intervened 18 times in internal conflicts. Perhaps due to the frequency of intervention, there is evidence that when opposition movements consider escalation, they factor in the possibility of outside help, and are more likely to take the risky action of launching an armed insurrection. This problem is referred to in Economics as moral hazard, which occurs when someone confronting a choice has less incentive to protect against potential risks because they reasonably anticipate that they will ultimately be protected from its true consequences. Advertisement Alan Kuperman, a professor at the University of Texas, has looked at how moral hazard applies to international intervention in civil wars. Using case studies in Bosnia, Kosovo, Rwanda and others, Kuperman has examined how rebels groups considering alternative paths include in their calculation the possibility of foreign assistance and sometimes only launch an insurrection when they believe that they can count on international intervention to protect them from the wrath of the state. They make that choice specifically because of prior interventions by the international community and their anticipation that this pattern will continue. Whether the international community ultimately intervenes or not, its past actions have created a moral hazard which results in increased incidence of civil wars, more instability and more devastation. One case Kuperman studies is the Bosnian Muslim government's decision in 1992 to declare independence rather than to accept an offer of regional autonomy. This decision was particularly surprising because the Bosnian Muslims had a much weaker military than the Serbs and little hope for military victory. As Kuperman details, the Bosnian Muslims made this decision partly because the European Community and US pledged to recognize their new state, but also because they were keenly aware of the US policy of intervention to protect weaker parties in civil conflicts. The Bosnian decision to declare independence came after three interventions in similar circumstances over the prior two years. In 1990 the US intervened in Kuwait to repel Saddam Hussein and followed this by protecting the Kurds from Saddam in 1991. Then the US intervened in Croatia in 1992 to secure their independence from Yugoslavia. Advertisement Bosnian Muslims hoped that the US and NATO would continue this pattern by intervening to protect them from the Serbian forces. One influential official of the ruling party even said, "the key was to put up a fight for long enough to bring in the international community." However, the Bosnian Muslims miscalculated, and the US did not come to their rescue as they had hoped. Instead, 100,000 Bosnian Muslims died before the conflict ended with the Dayton Accords, which reflected almost the same deal that they had rejected before the war. Moral hazard also came into play in Kosovo in 1998, where Kosovar Albanians had spent a decade using a strategy of passive resistance out of fear of violent retaliation by Serbia. In 1998, however, Kosovar Albanians began an offensive against the Serbian military, which led to a violent retaliation by the Serbs, and attracted international condemnation and threats of NATO intervention. Unlike the Bosnian Muslims, the Kosovar Albanians gambled successfully. NATO intervention drove the Serbs out of Kosovo and the result was an independent state dominated by Kosovar Albanians. Just as in Bosnia, the leaders of the Kosovo rebellion counted on an intervention when they took the risk of escalation. One Kosovar Albanian commander went so far as to say that attacks "would not have any military value. Our goal was not to destroy the Serb military force." This same dynamic was evident in the wake of the Arab Spring and in the run-up to the conflict in Syria, During the Libyan uprising in 2011, the US and Europe protected the rebels with a no-fly zone and ultimately helped them to victory. This was not lost on Syrian protesters and opposition groups, some of whom called for a no-fly zone early in the conflict. Would they have organized against Bashar Al-Assad with the same confidence if they had no hope of intervention? While we don't know for certain, we can guess that they, like past opposition groups, could only have been emboldened by the possibility of assistance. In the case of Syria, Syrians were well aware of the Assad regime's historical willingness to crush nascent dissent. Against that backdrop, had the opposition held no hope of intervention, the protests and the armed opposition may have been muted early on. If so, Syria would still remain a brutal dictatorship under Bashar Al-Assad. While this might be a hard counterfactual to acknowledge, the alternative is the world we now live in, where half the population is displaced, more than a quarter million are dead and there is no end in sight to the violence. Advertisement This week a hearing by the Antitrust Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee will assess the state of antitrust enforcement. One of the toughest questions the antitrust cops must address is what to do with the two mega-health insurance mergers -- Anthem's acquisition of Cigna and Aetna's acquisition of Humana. Although the Justice Department's general approach is to approve mergers with cut and paste remedies, research has demonstrated that the typical divestitures won't work here and do not meet the legal obligation to fully restore competition. We are in the midst of a merger addiction that is supported, through inadequate action, by our antitrust enforcement agencies. But the law on mergers is clear -- a merger should not force consumers to suffer some harm in higher prices, lower quality, or diminished service. Period. If remedies cannot solve the problem, as in these mergers, the right answer for the Department of Justice is to just say no. For many years, the antitrust agencies have applied a relatively light-handed approach to merger review. They have repeatedly allowed mergers to proceed subject simply to a modest divestiture of assets in the hopes that those assets, in the hands of a new party, can restore competition. Professor John Kwoka studied over 60 merger remedies in a variety of industries and found that they often fail, causing consumers to suffer from higher prices, less choice, and diminished service. Advertisement A perfect example of a failed remedy is the airline industry. Anyone who suffers from the higher air fares and increasingly third world service must severely question whether the Justice Department's remedies in approving the United-Continental and American-USAir mergers did any good. Clearly consumers are suffering. In the case of the mega-health insurance mergers, the parties have suggested that competitive concerns from these mergers can be resolved by divesting a number of covered lives. DOJ has used that remedy in the past but the report card on the remedies is a failing grade. The divestitures in the Aetna-Prudential merger did not stop price increases of roughly 7 percent in 139 separate geographic markets. And, the remedy in the United Sierra merger did not stop premium increases of over 12 percent in Nevada. Examining the Humana/Arcadian merger divestitures made to protect Medicare Advantage beneficiaries also reveals failures. A study issued this week by the Center for American Progress found these divestitures largely failed and resulted in higher premiums. A study by the Capitol Forum shows that the modest divestitures of 12,700 Medicare Advantage subscribers in 51 fifty counties in Louisiana, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas resulted in acquiring companies later leaving the market in many instances. There were three separate buyers, but two of the acquiring companies barely survived their infancy and ultimately left the market. The remaining buyer was already in the market, so it's hard to tell how much that divestiture actually benefitted competition. In some respects, it should not be surprising that spinning off subscribers is a weak remedy -- it is not a hard and durable asset. Nothing prevents the merging firms from knocking on the door of the consumers who have been spun off and asking "don't you want to come home?" That's why it's so hard for new entrants to effectively compete even with a robust divestiture. The acquiring firms in the Humana/Arcadian divestiture lost 25 percent of the acquired subscribers within just a few months of closing. Advertisement In the Humana/Arcadian merger, divestitures failed to restore competition and the resulting markets now possess substantially fewer Medicare Advantage plans, leading to less consumer choice and higher prices. The potential divestitures in the current health insurance mergers will be astronomical in comparison. The Aetna/Humana transaction alone has over 400 overlapping markets and will impact several hundred thousand beneficiaries. If past divestitures couldn't solve the competitive problems in these "Mayberry" sized communities, how could we envision that they would provide an adequate cure in markets involving hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries. For this and other reasons, the leading antitrust think-tank American Antitrust Institute opposed the two mergers, noting that using the divestiture remedy for these mergers would be "ineffective" and "impractical." When you think of "government," what is the first thing that comes to mind? Depending on your point of view, and your politics, your ideas about government may be different from mine, or your sister's, or your neighbor's, or your uncle's. But I'd bet that none of us first thinks, "Employer!" when considering the government. Except lately, I've been thinking a lot about the role of government as an employer, and the creative ideas that local and state governments have experimented with and implemented. It makes sense: local and state governments cover millions of employees and their family members. In fact, state employee health plans are the second-largest area of state health care spending, lagging only state contributions to Medicaid. They have the size and the clout to be in the vanguard when it comes to implementing innovative changes that can promote health, save money, and lead the way for other employers. The private sector could learn a lot from what these employers have been trying out. For example, the New York City Mayor's Office recently announced sweeping changes to health care benefits for City employees, designed to help employees make better decisions about their care and ultimately to achieve cost savings. These are important (and long overdue) changes that should be applauded. The City used a data-driven approach to identify opportunities to encourage the use of primary care and preventive services, to improve health outcomes, and lower healthcare costs for municipal employees. Advertisement The City has also invested in wellness initiatives designed to keep employees healthy, not just ensure they get care when they're sick. For example, New York City employees now have access to the National Diabetes Prevention Program, a well-studied initiative that helps participants lose 5-7% of their body weight and decrease their risk of developing diabetes by 50%. The program is also cost-effective, generating savings averaging $129 per participant after three years. Together, these changes are expected to save more than $3 billion in New York City's health care spending by the middle of 2018. New York State is also focusing on making needed changes to its employee health benefits. The New York State Health Insurance Plan covers 1.2 million enrollees and dependents; it is one of the largest group health insurance programs in the country. One priority will be to create incentives for health care providers to reward those that successfully improve the quality of care while reducing health care costs. This approach is aligned with the State's goal to have 80% of all health care payments made under value-based arrangements by 2020. Other states have also been active in this area. The California Public Employees' Retirement System (known as CalPERS, the largest public pension fund in the United States), for example, saw that osteoarthritis was a big cost driver. And the costs were unrelated to the quality of care and outcomes; more expensive treatment didn't translate to better care. So CalPERS adopted a value-based purchasing model for hip and knee replacement procedures: it limits its own contribution to roughly the median of what these procedures cost in the market. Patients who want to choose a more expensive option may do so, but have to pay the entire difference; this approach is known as "reference pricing." The introduction of reference pricing for hip and knee replacements led to members paying an average of 30% less per surgery, and achieved $5.5 million in savings in the first two years. Importantly, the change also yielded improvements in health care quality, with participating facilities reporting fewer patient complications and fewer infections. Advertisement In Connecticut, a $3.8 billion budget deficit sparked the introduction of a value-based insurance design, focused on both achieving savings and improving health (a running theme!). Its Health Enhancement Program focused on five chronic diseases that were prevalent among State employees and their dependents and identified as key cost drivers: asthma, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The State introduced lower co-pays for the medications required to manage these conditions and eliminated co-pays for related office visits; it also introduced disease education programs to help patients better understand and manage their conditions. The initiative successfully increased the use of preventive services and medication adherence and stemmed the growth in medical and pharmacy costs. My name is DiDi Delgado. It used to be something else, but that's another story. We'd have to sit down and have a cup of tea together before we got into disscussing all of that. I was born to Carmen Patricia, who was born to Maria Theresa who migrated to the United States from Mexico. Now that I've explained my maternal lineage let me make it clear: I'm black. Yup. I said it. Black. Regular Black. Maybe it'll read differently than how I say it in person. Perhaps me telling you all this will ensure you won't ask follow up questions like "What are you?" Me: Black. "Yeah, but what are you mixed with?" Me: Black. I figure even if my father was a Spanish speaking person, I'd still feel convicted to answer that I'm definitely part of the African Diaspora. Sure I was born here in America, but mi herencia (my heritage) began before the Civil Rights movement, before the Mexican Revolution, before Christopher Columbus told the Spaniards he had discovered America and certainly well before slave ships steered towards the African coast. It's difficult for me to admit that I didn't always feel, think or operate out of prideful blackness. As a child where I was rewarded for being the pretty, "good-haired" light-skinned, "she's so well spoken" girl (You know; all the internal subliminal images we as people of color push on to our kids and each other, because we've been taught that in order to be considered civilized, intelligent and remarkable, we've got to keep our heads down, stay out of the way and emulate our white counterparts, while somehow working twice as hard just to be accepted in today's society.) I never thought about rejecting this faux level of supremacy because simply put: at that age, how was I to know it was wrong? It felt good to receive compliments. It wasn't until I arrived at high school and learned that I was also "mixed" with Cape Verdean blood, that I began to see situations present themselves where this type of thinking might be harmful or hurtful. My school's population was predominantly Cape Verdean students. Cape Verde is an island country located alongside Western Africa that was colonized by the Portuguese. They speak Cape Verdean (CV) Creole or Kriolu which is an Afro-Portuguese language. A lot of the girls had separated themselves into cliques. Black vs. Spanish speaking girls vs. CV girls. The rivalry between the three groups, about which one of our cultures was the best, had started getting out of hand. Once, our Italian gym teacher cancelled class after a fist fight broke out between two girls over who was prettier and spoke better English. Ms. Peretti screamed out to us "You're all BLACK!" We sat cross-legged on the gym floor not even believing her. Advertisement When I was 19 I shared with my counselor, a black woman with dreads, some of my experiences with receiving preferential treatment in predominately white work spaces in comparison to my darker-skinned counterparts. Like the time I was at a job interview and another applicant was telling me about finishing up her bachelor's, and I was telling her I was just enrolling in community college. I got the job and she didn't. My counselor asked me if I felt that I received the job because of how I look. I said "yes" because that's what I'd been taught and it was pretty much the reality at the time. I felt as if she took my comment offensively, as she asked for me to be transferred to another counselor. In hindsight, it would have made for a great conversation for her to treat my comments as a teachable moment; that getting a seat at the proverbial table temporarily doesn't mean that my hosts think I deserved to be served the same dinner they're eating. I wouldn't fully understand what these experiences meant until four years later while working at a predominantly Portuguese speaking accounting firm, I announced that I had been learning Kriolu, and improving my Spanish. Everyone looked around and shifted uncomfortably. The owner's wife pulled me aside and "informed" me that I should take up Portuguese if I wanted to learn my "history" because speaking Kriolu would be considered speaking "slang". I read this as my history is being replaced with their history. That it would be more civilized, more intelligent, more... assimilated to become more like them and less like me. John Henrik Clarke said "To control a people you must first control what they think about themselves and how they regard their history and culture. And when your conqueror makes you ashamed of your culture and your history, he needs no prison walls and no chains to hold you." Advertisement It's been 15 years since that incident with Ms. Peretti in high school and 10 years since I acknowledged that color-ism plays a huge part in the internal racism both in me and within our communities of color. Everyday, I'm growing and I look at things a little differently now. I don't share anymore articles or memes depicting "#TeamLightSkinned", "#TeamDarkSkinned", "BlackGirlsDoItBetter" or "#LatinasAreTheBest. It's all separatist and designed to keep us fighting each other. I see this with not only with blacks in the United States, but with Dominicans, Colombians, Puerto Ricans, Cubans and yes even Mexicans. In this Feb. 16, 2016, photo, a barricade is placed on the Unification Bridge, which leads to the demilitarized zone, near the border village of Panmunjom, in Paju, South Korea. Furious about North Koreaas recent nuclear test and long-range rocket launch, South Korea vows to hit back hard and says the shutdown of a jointly run factory park in the North will only be the start.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) Four decades ago South Korea's President Park Chung-hee, father of the current president, launched a quest for nuclear weapons. Washington, the South's military protector, applied substantial pressure to kill the program. Today it looks like Park might have been right. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea continues its relentless quest for nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. Its Special Forces and unconventional tactics -- such as tunnels under the Demilitarized Zone -- threaten to disrupt allied operations. While most of its conventional weapons are decrepit, Pyongyang still could wreak havoc in Seoul with artillery and Scud missiles. Advertisement The South is attempting to find an effective response. It closed Kaesong industrial complex, which provided the North with nearly $100 million in hard currency annually. Seoul also is talking with the U.S about installing the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD system. Nevertheless, neither of these steps is likely to much affect Pyongyang's behavior. Although the DPRK is unlikely to attack since it would lose a full-scale war, the Republic of Korea remains uncomfortably dependent on America. And Washington's commitment to the much more populous and prosperous ROK likely will decline as America's finances worsen and challenges elsewhere multiply. Seoul could find itself ill-prepared to deter the North. In response, talk of reviving the South's nuclear option is growing. Won Yoo-cheol, parliamentary floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, told the National Assembly: "We cannot borrow an umbrella from a neighbor every time it rains. We need to have a raincoat and wear it ourselves." Won is not alone in this view. Chung Moon-jong -- member of the National Assembly, presidential candidate, and Asan Institute founder -- made a similar plea two years ago. He told an American audience "If North Korea still refuses to surrender its nuclear weapons then we have to make the ultimate choice." That is, "if North Korea keeps insisting on staying nuclear then it must know that we will have no choice but to go nuclear." He suggested that the South withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and "match North Korea's nuclear progress step-by step while committing to stop if North Korea stops." Advertisement The public seems inclined to follow such advice. Koreans' confidence in America's willingness to use nuclear weapons in defense of the ROK has declined, while support for a South Korean nuclear program is on the upswing, hitting 66 percent in 2013. Nearly a third of people "strongly support" such an option. While President Park Geun-hye's government remains formally committed to the NPT, Seoul has conducted nuclear experiments and resisted oversight by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Like Japan, the ROK could develop a weapon quickly if it chose to do so, perhaps in a matter of months. Of course, the idea triggers a horrified reaction in Washington and among those committed to nonproliferation. Unfortunately, in Northeast Asia today nonproliferation operates a little like gun control in the U.S.: only the bad guys end up armed. China, Russia, and North Korea all have nuclear weapons. America's allies, Japan and South Korea, do not, and expect Washington to defend them. To do so the U.S. would have to risk Los Angeles to protect Seoul and Tokyo -- and maybe Taipei and Canberra as well, depending on how far Washington extends the "nuclear umbrella." While America's overwhelming nuclear arsenal should deter anyone else from using nukes, conflicts do not always evolve rationally. If Washington's nuclear commitment is triggered, even inadvertently, the U.S. would find itself wandering down a completely unexpected and dangerous path. South Korea and Japan are important international partners, but their protection is not worth creating an unnecessary existential threat to the American homeland. Indeed, the potential price of initiating nuclear war actually reduces the credibility of Washington's commitment and thus its deterrent value. Advertisement Better to create a balance of power in which the U.S. is not a target if nukes start falling. And that would be achieved by independent South Korean and Japanese nuclear deterrents. Such a prospect would antagonize, perhaps even convulse, China. But then, such an arsenal would deter the People's Republic of China as well as DPRK. Which also would serve American interests. Moreover, the mere threat of spreading nuclear weapons might end up solving the problem. That is, when faced with the prospect of Japanese and South Korean nuclear weapons, China might come to see the wisdom of applying greater pressure on the North -- most importantly, cutting off energy and food shipments. The U.S.-ROK discussions over THAAD appeared to touch a nerve in Beijing, and Xi Jinping's government indicated its willingness support a UN resolution imposing more pain on the North for its latest nuclear launch. That declaration might end up being mostly for show, but maybe not. And the prospect of having two more nuclear neighbors would concentrate minds in Zhongnanhai. Abandoning nonproliferation is not a decision to take lightly. No one wants a nuclear arms race. More nuclear powers mean more possibilities of misuse or mistake. Moreover, China might retaliate by accelerating its own nuclear development But the PRC already is improving its nuclear forces to diminish Washington's edge. And allowing North Korea to enjoy a unilateral advantage creates a different, and even greater, set of dangers. The right trade-off isn't obvious. Which is why policymakers should consider the possibility of a nuclear South Korea. The NPT does not necessarily triumph over other security concerns. Keeping America entangled in the Korean imbroglio as Pyongyang develops nuclear weapons is a bad option which could turn catastrophic. Blessing allied development of nuclear weapons might prove to be a better alternative. Advertisement Under different circumstances, 8 March would have been celebrated with a lot of fun fare in Damascus and every where else in Syria. This is the day when officers loyal to the Ba'th Party committed yet another military coup d'etat and installed in power the party of ''Unity, Freedom, Socialism'', the Ba'th Party.[Ba'th=resurgence in Arabic]. The party of militant Pan-Arabism, theoretical adherence to democracy and economic equality, thus fulfilled through an act of coercion, what it could not achieve through a democratic process. Syria, as ironic as it may sound, did have three rounds of fairly free elections, in 1949, 1954 and 1961, and in all , the Party did not poll better than 15% of the vote. Yet, the name Ba'th which was used by the officers who came to power in 1963, was misleading. This was , in effect, the Neo-Ba'th Party, a group of officers representing minority populations , aided by some radical Leftist intellectuals, most of them Sunni Muslims. Here is where the historic irony started, and with it the tragedy of modern Syria. The Party which claimed to be the best, authentic, eternal representative of ALL Arabs, regardless of religious sect, was in 1963 no more than an alliance of disgruntled officers from minority sects, mostly Alawis, but also Druze , Shi'ites[Ismaillis] and some Christians. The nominal head of the new regime in 1963 was still a Sunni officer, Amin Al Hafiz, but in 23 February 1966, he was removed in an Alawite coup , and 4 years later, Hafiz Assad , an officer who came to prominence already in 1963, consolidated himself as the one and only dictator of the country. Despite the presence of some Sunni officers, the Sunni population of Syria was not fooled by this, and the reaction was swift. In 1964 and 1965, Sunnis in the Sunni hinterland , mainly in Hammah and Homs , revolted against the regime which from its onset was regarded as an Alawite-dominated , henceforth an illegitimate regime. It was not until the bloody events of February-March 1982, when tens of thousands of Sunnis, those belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood, and other Jihadist groups, were slaughtered by the regime, that Syria achieved a measure of relative stability, with the inevitable fly in the ointment; it was a non-legitimate regime. Advertisement Here is where 8 March is such a crucial day; Syria was not a stable political entity from independence to 1963. Plagued by frequent military interventions, lacking a cohesive political force which could master enough support in the populace to be effective and legitimate. These conditions led to the short-lived , abortive union with Egypt[1958-1961], so far so bad. Clearly conditions inviting the appearance of a strong man, a strong regime, and in that case, only the military could foot the bill. But the Syrian military in 1963 was already dominated by non-Sunnis , as a result of a political development which is out of the scope of this piece, and as of 1963, the military became almost completely dominated by minorities, whose leaders felt, that the only way in which they could protect their communities against the Sunni majority, was to dominate it, rather than being dominated by it. And so, under the guise of Arab nationalism, a narrow-based sectarian regime was established. This regime could never have become legitimate, as being so, required free , democratic elections, which would have doomed the minorities to remain in their historic position, that of the outsiders and looked down at, and this is exactly what the Alawite-led Junta wanted to prevent. People take part in a march during the International Women Day in Managua on March 8, 2016. The march was to demand an international commission to investigate the murder of Honduran Human Rights activist, Coordinator of the Civil Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) Berta Caceres Flores, who was killed on March 3 in La Esperanza, Honduras. AFP PHOTO/ Inti OCON / AFP / Inti Ocon (Photo credit should read INTI OCON/AFP/Getty Images) "They follow me. They threaten to kill me, to kidnap me, they threaten my family. That is what we face." - Berta Caceres Just a few days ago, we learned of the reported assassination of a courageous Honduran human rights defender, Berta Caceres. Berta was a leading indigenous and environmental activist, who fought for over two decades to protect indigenous lands in Honduras from the threat of hydroelectric dams. Despite repeated threats, arrests and attacks against her over many years, Berta tirelessly continued to fight for what she believed in, organizing her community to defend their land rights and even winning the prestigious 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her work in opposition to a hydroelectric project which threatens access to the only water source for the indigenous Lenca community. Just last week, Berta reportedly received a serious death threat, yet continued on with a press conference to loudly denounce that same hydroelectric project. She was a bold leader, activist, feminist and mother. Advertisement I am so inspired by Berta and other resilient women around the world who passionately stand up for human rights, who stand on the front lines and defend their communities, despite the target that work puts on their backs. Berta's murder is a stark reminder of the situation that human rights defenders -- especially women activists -- face around the world. It is far too often that we hear of disturbing threats and attacks from Global Fund for Women's network of activists, women's rights organizations, and grantee partners -- grassroots women's groups. This brutal violence against women human rights defenders like Berta and grassroots women's groups that work to advance human rights comes in many different forms -- violent attacks, threats, harassment or actions that prevent activists from continuing their work. In Pakistan, an outspoken human rights activist's address was included in a blog post imploring readers to kill her, and a month later, the activist and her husband were targeted and injured in a drive-by shooting. Advertisement Just a few weeks ago, one of the only clinics focused on the treatment and rehabilitation of survivors of violence in Egypt was issued an administrative order to shut its doors by the Ministry of Health with no details -- closing their business to effectively block them from doing their work to advance human rights. In February, one of our long-time grantee's offices in Nicaragua were broken into and their computers were stolen -- computers which held sensitive information about women human rights defenders, as well as women and girls they work with who had survived sexual violence, placing their security at risk. At our recent gathering of activists from Europe and Central Asia, women shared stories of the growing threats they had received, as well as the harassment and interrogation they would face when they traveled back to their home countries. One women's group from Kyrgyzstan shared what it was like when their office was attacked with handmade explosives with the intention to set it on fire last spring. Berta's fate is all too similar to other high-profile women activists like bold human rights lawyer Salwa Bugaighis who was shot several times by men in hoods and military uniforms who stormed her home in Libya, just hours after casting her ballot and loudly urging others to do the same in the 2014 election. These are just a handful of countless stories from around the world, and the data and trends also point to a bleak reality -- one that we must work to change for the future. We know that threats and physical attacks against human rights defenders are particularly common in Latin America, and according to a report by Global Witness, Honduras is "the most dangerous country per capita to be an environmental activist... with 101 deaths between 2010 and 2014." We've also seen a deterioration of the situation for human rights defenders in places where conflict and political turmoil and transition escalate violence, including Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, and the Caucasus. We're also seeing growing threats against LGBTQI activists, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe and Central Asia, where the criminalization of homosexuality in some key countries has led to increased targeting and persecution of those championing equality. Advertisement Indeed, defenders of land rights and environmental justice like Berta, as well as defenders of indigenous rights and the rights of other minority and marginalized groups, lawyers and journalists, and defenders of women's sexual and reproductive rights--they all face unique and heightened threats and challenges. What can we do to change this situation for women human rights defenders? Join me in echoing the calls for an independent, transparent, and thorough investigation into Berta's death in Honduras, and demand that governments around the world put pressure on the Honduran government to see this through. Let's ensure that those who are responsible are held accountable for their crimes. Together, our voices are louder and harder to ignore. Let's continue our work to help protect women human rights defenders like Berta all over the world to put an end to the threats, harassment, violence, and senseless murders. And let's share the stories of women human rights defenders, women like Berta who boldly raise their voices and stand on the front lines for the human rights of all of us, who dedicate and risk their lives to fight for a better, more just and equal world. In this presidential election year, the ironies should not be lost on anyone that the three top republican presidential nominees include two candidates of Hispanic descent: Senators Marco Rubio (R. Fl.), and Ted Cruz (R. Tex) (both are of Cuban descent). Yet all three top candidates for the presidency are struggling over who is the most anti-immigrant. Senator Rubio has an uphill climb here because he was one of the co-sponsor of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, which included a path to legalization, and eventually citizenship, for immigrants who are currently in the United States illegally provided they met certain conditions. While he has since tried distancing himself on the matter, he also has some real trouble with consistency, or perhaps honesty. Rubio now champions himself as the most conservative candidate and touts among other things, opposition to sanctuary cities, and two weeks ago declared that on his first day in office he would end President Obama's deferred action program (DACA), which gave undocumented children a status where they could stay in the United States for a certain period of time. This last position by Rubio stated in English is in stark contrast to his previous pro-immigrant/pro-DACA statements made to journalist Jorge Ramos wherein Rubio championed the goals of President Obama's deferred action program and stated he would end it by in effect making it permanent as part of his new comprehensive immigration law. Yet during the last presidential debate, Senator Ted Cruz questioned Rubio on Rubio's position concerning DACA, and Rubio declared Obama's program was unconstitutional and would end on his first day in office. What Rubio failed to mention was that he previously said he would end DACA's temporary solution because as President, Rubio would make amnesty for undocumented children permanent. So which one is it Senator Rubio? Or were you merely pandering to both sides on the matter? Advertisement Senator Ted Cruz for his part, perhaps forgetting his immigrant roots stemming from both Cuba and Canada, is far more consistent and sadly strident on immigration than Rubio. Indeed, not only does "Ted" avoid he real name: "Rafael Edward," Cruz goes to great lengths to attack his fellow Latinos. Among other things: he moved to make it illegal to have sanctuary cities in the U.S., opposed admitting Syrian Refugees, and voted against the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, supports E-verify, opposes amnesty, and supports a strengthening a wall on our southern border. Thus, a son of an immigrant, Ted, aka, Rafael, Cruz is perhaps proud of his consistent opposition to immigrants? The third finalist, and presumptive republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, for his part, has a significant lead in both the delegate count and with his anti-immigrant fervor. Trump has repeated his call for reinstatement of what was officially called Operation Wetback, whereby over 1 million Mexican immigrants, legal U.S. residents and citizens were "repatriated" to Mexico. Trump's assault on the Latino community is not limited to immigrants though. He is also notorious for leading a movement known as the "birthers," which calls for doing away with over 150 year practice of recognizing birthright citizenship. Despite his alienating accusations, Birthright citizenship dates back to the very creation of democracies. Our own Constitution's recognition, in the 14th Amendment, provides that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States." This conclusion was cemented in the 1898 Supreme Court ruling United States v. Wong Kim Ark. Why the attacks matter: Indeed, the appeal individuals like Rubio, Cruz, and Trump can garner with anti-immigrant statements also come with real, and often tragic, consequences. As history has demonstrated time and time again, the first step in the persecution of a minority, especially an otherwise either unknown or disliked one, is to solidify that target group's status as an outsider or "other" status within a society. The Third Reich, for instance, was tragically and horrifically successful of propagating hate, and thereby making it easy for the enactment of laws targeting German Jews, among others, and eventually as we know leading to genocide. More recently, Serbian leaders used similar xenophobic nationalistic fervor, sounding eerily similar to Trump's rants over immigrants, citizen children of immigrants, Muslims, and the Chinese, to promote hate leading consequently to a transition from hate to practices aimed at persecuting the subjects of that hate -- Muslims in that scenario -- which resulted in mass murders. Advertisement History is replete with examples of the legal impact of scapegoating, including the national origin quota system and the establishment of "whiteness" as a prerequisite for naturalization, which effectively excluded Asian immigrants from the United States. Later examples included the internment of Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans, regardless of their citizenship, during World War II; the refusal to accept many European Jewish refugees fleeing the Holocaust; and the 1950s "Operation Wetback" campaign resulting in mass deportations of people of Mexican ancestry. The Immigration Act of 1965 imposed highly restrictive limits on migration from the Western Hemisphere. The Consequences of Scapegoating Just Off Our Shores Scapegoating and hatemongering can incite individual acts of violence and can inspire policies threatening to immigrants and citizens alike. Trump is not only scapegoating immigrants, he is calling for an end to birthright citizenship. If his plans somehow succeed, they may jeopardize the human rights of millions, particularly members of minority communities. If this prognosis seems alarmist, we need look no further than to the current human rights crisis of our Caribbean neighbor -- The Dominican Republic. Hundreds of Thousands of citizens of the Dominican Republic were recently denationalized and threatened with mass expulsion, and the prospect of statelessness. As a result of a 2013 ruling by the Constitutional Tribunal, the country did away with birthright citizenship by limiting Dominican nationality to individuals with one Dominican parent. Despite the language of the relevant Dominican Constitution, this decision stripped the citizenship of generations of Dominican citizens, and shockingly the court applied its decision retroactively to 1929 onward. The vast majority of these newly undocumented former Dominican citizens are dark-skinned people of Haitian descent. In a country where the poor typically have a very difficult time obtaining birth certificates, the decision effectively singles out poor Dominican-born children whose ancestors have resided in the country for several generations. Advertisement The above decision sadly reflects a racial and immigrant tension gone too far as demonstrated by the incongruous -- but common -- expressions "la cedula es dominicana, pero tu eres haitiano" (the identity card is Dominican, but you're Haitian and "soy dominicano de pura cepa" (I am a Dominican of pure stock) reflect the conflicting and contradictory ways in which and outsider status versus the privilege of the citizen is habitually defined in the Dominican Republic. Dominicans of Haitian descent are still routinely denied their civil rights, despite the text of the country's governing constitution which up until the perverse 2013 constitutional court decision, made them citizens of the Dominican Republic. The Reasons Behind the Disfranchisement of Haitian Dominicans Relations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic present a mixed record of periods of peace and cordial relations, punctuated with wars and invasions in the nineteenth century, and followed by a Haitian migratory flow to the Dominican Republic in the twentieth century as the latter became the dominant economy in the island of Hispaniola. The Dominican Republic became independent from Haiti in 1844, and Haitians are often vilified in Dominican historical texts that portray them as foreign oppressors that forced Dominicans to seek their independence by military means, and later tried to reconquer them by invading Dominican soil repeatedly. In addition, the expansion of the sugar industry in the Dominican Republic in the twentieth century sparked an economically-driven flow of Haitian rural laborers to the sugar fields of the Dominican Republic, where Haitians became the cheap, reliable labor force that the industry needed. Decades of labor migration created stereotypes of Haitians as poor peons willing to work for abysmally-low wages while living in appalling conditions in bateyes on the edge of sugar plantations. Haitians are further racialized as the "other" in Dominican society by antihaitianismo ideology. Antihaitianismo portrays Haitians as radically different from Dominicans -- culturally, racially, and in terms of their character. As such, Haitians are the ultimate foreigners in Dominican society: racialized "others" incapable of being assimilated. This perception has historically been extended to their children too. Haitian Dominicans remain "Haitian" in the eyes of Dominican society regardless of how well they speak the language or navigate the culture. For some Dominicans, they remain Haitians because of their "Haitian blood." This popular belief flies in the face of both the text of the relevant Dominican Constitution, which specifically granted birthright citizenship, and decades of jus soli laws by which Dominican citizenship was granted to all individuals born on Dominican territory "regardless of the nationality of their parents." Advertisement In 2005, the case of two Haitian Dominican girls (Dilcia Yean and Violeta Bosico) who had been denied Dominican birth certificates. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights -- in a unanimous decision -- ruled that the Dominican government had violated the rights of the girls and hemispheric treaties regarding citizenship rights. The case made international headlines because the Dominican Republic refused to recognize the Court's decision -- even though it had previously issued birth certificates to the girls in 2001 in an attempt to settle the case. In 2013, the Dominican Constitutional Tribunal took the issue of defining Dominican citizenship a step further in a decision regarding a Haitian Dominican woman (Juliana Deguis Pierre) who tried to get her national ID card. Even though she was born in the Dominican Republic and had a Dominican birth certificate, she was denied an ID card and the electoral authorities confiscated her birth certificate alleging she was Haitian. She took her case to court and the Constitutional Tribunal decided against her, arguing that "even though she was born in the national territory, she is the daughter of foreign nationals in transit, which strips her of the right to Dominican nationality." Moreover, the Tribunal, ruled that all children of immigrants residing illegally on Dominican territory (i.e., in transit) since 1929 were not Dominican citizens -- even if they had been issued birth certificates by the Dominican authorities. The social context of this legal decision could not be clearer. Though the new laws and judicial decisions apply to all foreigners, it is obvious that the only "problematic" aliens in the Dominican Republic are Haitians. In the Dominican Republic, a "Haitian" remains a Haitian, regardless of how many generations have elapsed since her/his family's arrival -- they are treated as unwelcomed foreigners. The Consequences in the Dominican The Open Society Foundation observed the permanent creating of the "other" in the Dominican Republic has led to "Stateless persons... in a state of permanent vulnerability. Denied access to birth certificates, passports, or other identification documents, stateless persons become, in effect, "non-persons" with no claim on governments who deny their existence and refuse to protect their most basic rights. More recently, a New York Times story observed: "Dominican immigration officials showed off the new buses and "reception centers" that would be used to process those who would be expelled. In a country with a history of sporadic violence against its Haitian minority -- there are at least a few lynchings documented every year -- these reports took on an ominous cast." Advertisement Don't be too sympathetic towards the Republican presidential candidates when they complain bitterly of being slandered by accusations they favor dirty air and water. Of course they don't revel at the sight of pollution, but talk is cheap. Look at their priorities. Those are what incriminate them. Economics take precedence over (not instead of) human and environmental health. From a practical standpoint, dirty air and water get a leg up by default. Despite the insistence of the candidates--and the GOP in general-- that they value a healthy environment as much as the next fellow, all espouse a policy to cut federally environmental regulations to the bone. They don't distinguish between the red tape that plagues daily routines and most everyone despises, and environmental regulations. The latter are supported by an overwhelming majority of Americans because of the associated public health benefits. Advertisement While the Republican candidates adamantly defend their environmental credentials, you have Donald Trump touting wild conspiracy theories. He asserts that climate change is a fabrication of the Chinese government designed to dupe us into squandering our resources and undermining our economy. Texas Senator and presidential aspirant Ted Cruz charges that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by scientists looking for a funding spigot. Florida Senator Marco Rubio takes the spineless, ideologically expedient position that climate change exists, but the degree of human responsibility, if any, is unclear. Hence the case for any costly, economically disruptive (and meaningful) remedial action at this juncture is unjustified. Ohio Governor John Kasich advocates approximately the same position, cautioning that we shouldn't let our concern for the environment evolve into a worship of it. Indeed, Kasich, who is regarded as the most "moderate" of the remaining four Republican candidates, is also no environmental bargain. He has opposed sorely needed stricter regulation of the coal industry. Advertisement Despite a professed desire to tap all sources of energy, Kasich has delayed government implementation of a mandated renewable energy standard for his state. A toxic bloom in Lake Erie besieged the city of Toledo, Ohio, under his watch, and nothing of any consequence has been done to prevent a repeat performance. In short, when accused of environmental insensitivity, the Republicans "doth protest" too loudly. Their platitudes should not conceal their true stance. One of the true horrors of my 10th grade World History course was trying to understand what the word "Mercantilism" really meant. I knew it was a policy of the imperialistic European nations of the 16th, 17th and18th centuries, mainly Spain and England, and I knew it was about world trade. But the idea that a country would limit exports and only import raw material to support what it desperately needed, made no sense to me, even in high school. This was especially true since I loved my Japanese stereo system. Later, of course, I learned that Mercantilism as a theory of trade was discredited by the great English economist David Ricardo in 1817 with his theory of Comparative Advantages. Ricardo's theory essentially stated that a country should specialize in producing and exporting those goods -- and of course, now, services -- which it could produce and export most profitably and most competitively, and import the others. But if you had listened to Bernie Sanders in his debate with Hillary Clinton (and Donald Trump and Ted Cruz have said similar things) on March 7 in Flint Michigan, he could have been repeating the words of one of the Spanish Kings during the age of exploration, glorifying mercantilist theory. Advertisement According to the Washington Post, Sanders said during the debate that, "Imports are VERY bad." And, "I will oppose all trade deals until our sun implodes." Also, "I suppose in theory, exports are ok, but they benefit large corporations, and so I am conflicted." Bernie Sanders's problem with exports, "because they benefit large corporations," is more than somewhat astounding. Who does he thinks works in all the Boeing plants? Doesn't he realize that a large percent of Boeing shares are owned by various American retirement funds and individual American 401k plans? The reality is that the large export corporations are us -- all of us! But putting aside Sanders's foolish comment on exports, what is even more troubling is the lack of understanding by Sanders, Trump and Cruz of both Ricardo's theory and the of changes that have taken place during the last 50 years in the American economy. As an example, ironically during the decade of the 1990s when the American economy was truly changing from a continental marketplace to a globalized economy, and imports were eating away at America's high labor cost industries, average unemployment fell in America from 7.5% at the start of the decade to 4.2%. And of course the flat out use of imports as a scapegoat for the decline in employment in the American automobile industry is at best hyperbole and at worst playing on the fears of voters, because the truth is too difficult for a simple sound bite. The reality is that the American automobile industry in 2015 domestically manufactured 12,000,000 vehicles, double the quantity of the early 1950s when there were no imports. The true quandary in these figures is that the 2015 production numbers were done with the same number of direct workers as in 1953, approximately 900,000. A key difference appears to be automation. In 2014, 54% of all industrial robots ordered in North America went to the automobile industry. Advertisement Adding further complexity to a simplistic view of the US automobile industry -- and its implications for foreign trade -- is the fact that because of lower manufacturing costs, the U.S. has started to become an exporter of automobiles. This past August, Mercedes took over a former GM Hummer plant in Mishawaka, Indiana. Mercedes plans to use this plant to manufacture SUVs for export to China. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, exports of US manufactured vehicles doubled from approximately 1,000,000 vehicles in 2009 to 2.1 million vehicles in 2014. During the same time period, exports of US manufactured vehicles to China went from 25,000 to 305,000. A major economic function of imports in the globalized economy, which allows American manufacturers to produce more efficiently and simultaneously offers consumers more choices, was first postulated by Paul Krugman when he developed what is called the New Trade Theory in 1979. Krugman subsequently won the Nobel Prize for this in 2008. Whether again because it does not fit into a sound bite or because Sanders, Trump and Cruz's understanding of economics never progressed beyond mercantilism, Krugman's concepts are never acknowledged in their rhetoric. Krugman asked the question, if Ricardo's comparative advantage is the reason for trade, then why are countries or blocs with similar characteristics each other's major trading partners? Take the European Union and the United States: we are each other's major trading partners, yet the EU produces the airbus, Volkswagens, and burgundy wines, and the US produces Boeing, Ford, and wines in Napa, so where is the comparative advantage? Krugman's explanation for this is based on consumer preferences and economies of scale in production. By economies of scale he means the economic advantage a large company receives by producing a very large quantity of only a certain numbers of items and therefore in all probability having both a lower cost and a lower market price for these items. For example lets say Ford very efficiently only makes green, purple and blue cars and Volkswagen in very large production only makes red, black and white cars. It is not economically efficient for either company to make all the colors in their many production facilities. So, in this simple example: if an American consumer wants a black car at the best price he or she will buy a Volkswagen, while if a European consumer wants a blue car at the best price they will buy a Ford. In terms of countries and trading partners, each country specializes in producing efficiently a few brands of any given product type instead of inefficiently producing many choices. Driving through our City of Angels, I'm often tempted to stop and check out impressive-looking churches. Upon entrance, some of them turn out to be rather disappointing. Others surprise with their architecture and stained glass windows, and occasionally with their artwork. For years, I've been visiting First Congregational Church of Los Angeles near MacArthur Park. It's difficult not to be impressed with its Gothic Revival architecture, but what I particularly like is its 20,000 pipe organ, the largest organ of any church in the nation. There are regular concerts there that are attended by a number of people, including many non-believers like myself. But today, I want to talk about an art exhibition, Art & Spirit, recently installed inside of the Church's Shatto Chapel. The exhibition includes a surprising range of artworks, from etchings by Rembrandt and Durer, to contemporary works by Ed Ruscha, Sister Corita Kent, and John Nava. One moment you are looking at Gwynn Murrill's ceramic sculpture of a serpent with its reference to evil, and the next you are staring at Lin Evola's small metal sculpture of a winged Angel, a sculpture cast from melted down confiscated guns. If that doesn't stop you in your tracks, nothing will. And, side by side with works of these well-established artists are artworks by students of Art Division, an organization dedicated to training and supporting underserved youth who are committed to studying the visual arts. Advertisement This unique exhibition is open through April 24. The only disappointment, if I may say so, is that one can see this exhibition only on Sundays between 9 and noon. But here's the payoff: at 10 a.m. every Sunday during the month of March, Senior Minister, Dr. R. Scott Colglazier, will lead visitors on an Art Walk through the exhibit and host an informal discussion. And here's an extra perk, at 10:30 a.m. you can head into the main sanctuary to enjoy the half hour organ concert before Sunday Worship starts. Los Angeles County Museum of Art is definitely a go-to spot for any art aficionado. But there are some interesting exhibitions there that are slightly off the beaten path, like the one right now at the top floor of the Ahmanson building, which is traditionally reserved for LACMA's collection of historical Islamic art. Several galleries there showcase contemporary works by artists with roots in the Middle East. This is a second installment of a two-part exhibition, Islamic Art Now, and consists of approximately 30 works by artists from Iran, the Arab world, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and North Africa, among others. For the last ten years LACMA has been collecting works of contemporary Islamic artists --primarily photographers --and it's difficult not to be intrigued and impressed by the diversity and edginess of some of these images, many of them created by female artists. At a time when most of the news coming from the Middle East is rather negative, to put it mildly, seeing the artworks produced by contemporary artists there reminds us that we have much more in common with people in the Middle East than we might otherwise realize. To learn about Edward's Fine Art of Art Collecting Classes, please visit his website. You can also read The New York Times article about his classes here, or an Artillery Magazine article about Edward and his classes here. Advertisement ___________ On October 21, 1992, Kurt Loder announced the release of Madonna's most controversial and anticipated work yet: SEX -- a photo and essay book of erotic fantasies as shot by fashion photographer, Steven Meisel. I was twelve years old, just home from school, sitting on a beige carpet in front of our TV/VCR combo wearing a pair of red Guess Jeans and a navy Champion sweatshirt. One hand held a remote control, the other a Hot Pocket. Tuning into MTV and MTV NEWS "Day in Rock" was my seventh grade afternoon ritual. When it came to important information, Kurt Loder was my Anderson Cooper. On that particular day, dressed in a khaki sport coat (a drastic departure from his uniform black sport jacket), Kurt introduced Madonna's publishing phenomenon, which would be released simultaneously with the album Erotica. The double sonic boom created mass movement -- put on some clothes, get into your car and drive to the mall to get a glimpse of what happens inside Madonna's bedroom for $49.99. Within 10 days, 500,000 copies had been sold. The rush was on. And unless you lived in New York or Los Angeles (which we did not), you were going to have a hard time getting your hands on it. Walden Books: Sold Out. Tower Records: Sold Out. Sam Goody: Sold Out. Madonna had tapped society's curiosity to redefine what sex looked like and who you could have it with. In Kurt's words SEX was: "The aluminum bound, mylar sealed collection of pictures depicting Madonna in various states of undress having fantasy sexual encounters with similarly scantily clad persons of various sexes and races often in an S+M environment." You can imagine my surprise when three days later, I found the book in my mother's closet when looking for the iron. Advertisement First question: How was this is my mother's closet? More importantly: Why was it bookmarked to Naomi Campbell's face between Madonna's legs in a pool? Before those questions were answered, I did what any curious twelve year old would do and started reading. I hadn't yet had the proper sex tutorial -- and who better to teach you about the birds and the bees than Madonna and a dominatrix named Dita. Home alone, I locked the bedroom door just in case my mother returned because I knew if she went through the trouble of hiding this thing, I wasn't supposed to look at it. The book was heavy and the pages were dry. I sat on the edge of the bed and combed through like a wide-eyed sponge. "My name is Dita. I'll teach you how to fuck." Oh, shit. Wait -- is that Vanilla Ice? Ten minutes in, I heard my mother's keys in the front door. I had 30 seconds to slip Madonna back into mylar and return her to the closet behind the iron. In that moment, I decided to tell no one about my discovery. Not because I felt guilty to have read it, but because it was my mother who had the book and I wasn't sure what that meant. One week later while in my room taping songs off of 95.5 WBRU for a mixtape to take to my dad's house the following day, my mother came in. "Honey, come into the living room," she said. It sounded important and I was nervous. "Why?" I asked. "We need to talk," she said sternly. I'd been found out. The jig was up. She knew I read the book. I must have put it back into the cover backwards. Advertisement "About what?" I asked. "Just come into the living room," she insisted. Yikes. I was in trouble. The last time I was called into the living room was about six years prior, when she and my dad sat me down on the same beige couch and told me they were getting a divorce. The only difference was that the coffee table that sat in front of the couch then was now at my dad's house. It was the only thing he wanted in the divorce. The coffee table and me two weeks out of every month. This was negotiated with lawyers and a few night sessions at our family dining table, I was currently in perfect view of. My mother was nervous and took deep breaths which threw me. This wasn't about finding the book. "Are you all right?" I asked her. "Beth," she paused, "I'm gay," she exhaled. "What?" I was confused by what was happening. "I'm gay," She said. "What do you mean?" "I mean, I like women." "What women?" "Women, women. Like, girls. I like girls." "Since when?" "Since I think my whole life." "Kate? Were you gay with Kate?" I asked, referring to my mother's best friend, whom for years, we spent most nights and weekends with until one day without warning she was never heard from again. "Yes," she answered. "Okay..." I said trying to process the whole thing. "Honey, I've been gay for a long time. I need to live my truth." The word "truth" triggered a few sudden, yet illuminating flashbacks. One of Blockbuster calling the house to tell us that we were three weeks late returning Madonna's Truth or Dare documentary, which I never remembered renting or being allowed to watch. Another from two summers prior, while doing the laundry I found a brand new concert t-shirt from Madonna's Blonde Ambition tour mixed in with the socks. I promptly marched into my mother's home office and held the t-shirt in the air for questioning: "Did you go to a Madonna concert?" I asked, upset that I wasn't invited. "UGH, YES MY DREAM GIRL," she said. Dream girl? The riddle was clear. My mother is going to secret Madonna concerts. She's renting Truth or Dare. She's the one person in Rhode Island who has a copy of SEX. She's calling Madonna her "dream girl" and having sleep overs with her best girlfriend for all these years. How did I not figure this out sooner? As the holidays approached, the frenzy for SEX continued as I tried to process what was happening at home. We were about to embark on a journey that would be my mother's new found gayness in a '90s world. It was all a little much for my twelve year old self to handle and I was unsure. The only thing that felt certain was that everyone in America wanted to sleep with Madonna...including my mother. The company starting the debate over barging fracking wastes on US rivers is in bankruptcy. GreenHunter Water LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of GreenHunter Resources, Inc (NYSE: GRH) sought Chapter 11 protection on March 1, 2016. GRH bankruptcy was filed just after the United State Coast Guard (USCG) decided it would evaluate permits to ship fracking wastes -- technically called shale gas extraction wastewater (SGEWW)-- on a case-by-case basis. GRH claims it is "the largest water treatment and fluids management company in the Marcellus and Utica Shale region." The company currently trucks wastes for deep well injection from drill sites in West Virginia and Pennsylvania to Ohio. Shipping by barge on the Ohio river (rather than by trucks) would be less expensive and would increase GRH profits. It is now clear that, contrary to statements GRH made in SEC filings, the company carrying the most SGEWW in Appalachia is cash-strapped and bankrupt. Advertisement GRH has promised to re-apply to USCG for permission to barge SGEWW. GRH company spokesperson Amanda Finn allegedly said it was good for GRH that the USCG policy was pulled as "it makes it easier for individual companies to go to (the Coast Guard) and say, 'We want to work with you.' " It is unclear whether USCG was will either make SGEWW applications available to the public or notify the public if SGEWW applications are approved by USCG. And therein lies the reason for public concern. Over 70,000 folks wrote into USCG and the Army Corps of Engineers explaining worry that shipping SGEWW by barge will result in an accident or spill that will taint drinking water. The folks in Appalachia have experience with industry spills contaminating drinking water. Many are still reeling from the 2014 Elk River chemical spill leaving about 300,000 residents in nine West Virginia counties without potable water. In 1988, a spill released 800,000 of diesel fuel into the Monongahela River. And the Buffalo Creek flood of 1972 releasing about 132,000,000 gallons of black coal wastewater still looms heavily as the 9/11 of Appalachia. The Buffalo Creek spill killed 125, left 1,121 injured and over 4,000 homeless. Advertisement Adequate regulation of fracking waste is a public health imperative. And the democratic process demands that both SGEWW permits and the permitting process are transparent. The people of Appalachia are entitled to know what is being transported on their rivers; and the companies doing so need to ensure that the process is both safe and that needed preparations are made in advance for correcting inevitable spills and accidents. Image: Author's own I started practicing yoga when I was a sophomore in high school, mainly to lose weight and find inner peace. Little did I know the spiritual and emotional effects I would feel from being a devoted yogi for almost a decade. I was convinced teaching yoga was my calling, and actively sought yoga teacher trainings after I graduated from college. 200 hours is the bare minimum you need to begin teaching yoga, but most places require at least a 500 hour certification, if not more. Some studios will pay you by the student, such as $5 per student, whereas other places will pay a flat fee depending on your experience. Continuing education starts with 30 hours, and that too can cost hundreds to a couple grand. It's also mandatory if you want to register with the Yoga Alliance, the sole governing body of yoga teachers around the world. Then there are the registration fees and liability insurance, both of which are required as a yoga teacher. Advertisement I specialize in teaching trauma survivors and work at a shelter. Teaching survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault is deeply rewarding, and I am fortunate to have this opportunity. Teaching vinyasa classes, on the other hand, are a completely different story. The so-called camaraderie with other teachers I developed quickly made me realize how lonely being a yoga teacher can be. Perhaps it was because I was teaching in NYC, but I rarely felt the kinship I thought a kula of teachers would be. Many of my colleagues were judgmental of my age, lifestyle choices (ie. not being vegan), and teaching style. Everything was a competition, based on how many followers you had on Instagram and the success rate of your class sizes. No matter how glorious it may seem, it is a service industry and you will interact with the worst of people on a day you woke up on the wrong side of. I realized that even though I enjoyed practicing yoga, teaching publicly was a completely different story. I recently stepped down from teaching in studios to focus on my work with trauma survivors. Many people come to yoga hoping to be more lean and/or flexible. In India, it is viewed as a spiritual practice. My parents are Taiwanese and I grew up in a Buddhist household; it was important for me as a teacher to respect the ancient texts and reflect that in my classes, which many could not relate to when they were just looking for a way to sweat. In the yoga industry, shiny printed leggings and the best sweat-proof mat are coveted items a yoga teacher is expected to have. When I went to a yoga conference, I attended a seminar from a renowned teacher who has her own trademark. The yoga class quickly escalated from a ten minute slow flow into this animalistic rave with a live DJ and glow sticks that felt so far removed from what I knew yoga as. In India, yoga was practiced on a thin towel or nothing at all before it became popular in the West, which has completely desensitized the culture of yoga, from celebrity endorsements making Buddhism mainstream to ignorant men spouting that yoga is for women only. Advertisement Yoga in the West is also geared towards the upper class -- the average price of a yoga class in NYC is $20. Even free yoga in the park can only happen dependent upon the weather; it is not a lifestyle that is attainable for everyone. People making minimum wage who are more concerned with putting food on their plates might have no interest in practicing yoga, and they shouldn't be shamed for their choices, which I often found my colleagues doing. I don't believe that "yoga is for everyone" when, for some, they have more important priorities. Many students who are new to yoga expect miracles during their first class, but that rarely happens. We are not going into an advanced pose when you are a complete beginner. Obviously, as any kind of teacher, you're bound to have that student, but figure out if you're really cut out for this line of work. You also have to be careful of students who want to blur the line between student and teacher. I had students bringing me gifts, wanting me to give them more 'adjustments' in class and adding me on my private Facebook page, which I never advertised in my classes. I regret accepting a late night ride home once from a student in Brooklyn, because our relationship was never the same afterwards. Add to the fact that lots of male students stopped coming to my classes when I rejected them. It was aggravating, especially when studios were demanding to know why my classes have dropped. The global population of farm animals is growing twice as fast as the human population, creating "the other population crisis." How big is this problem? About 10 times as many animals as there are people in the world are now raised for food each year. Controversy swirls around the subject of eating meat, with huge implications for human health, our environment, and animal welfare. We each make decisions about what we eat, day after day, for our entire lifetime. The cumulative consequences of our decisions are significant. The production of meat impacts the environment and animal welfare far more than the production of any other type of food does. Meat-eating habits also impact human health. Meat includes "white meat" from poultry (and not seafood, in this discussion) and "red meat" from beef, veal, pork, lamb, and other four-legged animals. "Processed meat" is white or red meat that has been salted, cured, fermented, or smoked. Advertisement Globally, most meat is produced by factory farming. This involves confining large numbers of animals in cramped, often indoor, facilities. Farmers typically feed the animals grains and genetically modified corn and soy, which are grown with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Farmers routinely dose their animals with artificial hormones and antibiotics to promote growth. The antibiotics additionally protect the animals from diseases that tend to thrive in the overcrowded and filthy conditions. The treatments with antibiotics also allow farmers to give the animals foods that their bodies were never adapted to eat -- a practice that often makes them sick. There is a more-humane alternative to meat production, one that has been used since humans began raising livestock: Animals can be grass-fed, pasture-raised, and organically grown, without being exposed to genetically modified food, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, or antibiotics. Factory Farming Degrades the Environment Most people are oblivious to the devastating environmental impacts of meat production on the global environment. Raising farm animals uses vast amounts of resources, including energy, three-quarters of the world's agricultural land, and one-third of our fresh water consumption. Forests are clear-cut for grazing and for growing food for the farm animals. Habitat loss driven by demand for meat is likely the leading cause of modern species extinctions. Farm animal production generates about 14 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. Environmental impacts of red meat are worse than those of white meat (and environmental impacts of any meat are worse than those of plants foods). For example, it takes 3.5 times as much water to produce a serving of beef as a serving of chicken. And 4 times the greenhouse gases are emitted to produce a serving of beef as for a serving of chicken. Advertisement Industrial-style production of feed for farm animals uses more water and energy, generates more greenhouse gases, causes more water pollution, and kills more wildlife than organic production does. In addition, the cultivation of industrial feed erodes and degrades soil and results in dead zones at the mouths of rivers. To be fair, though, grass-fed and pasture-raised animals can degrade and erode soil. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, wildlife lose when their needs conflict with those of grazing cattle. Some populations of grizzly bears and wolves, for example, have been driven extinct by the livestock industry. Ecologists fear that an additional 175 threatened or endangered species, such as the prairie dog, could be next. The effects of manure are wiping out freshwater life throughout the world. This is less of a problem with grass-fed and pasture-raised animals, which roam over large areas of the land rather than being confined in small areas. Their manure is dispersed over the fields and becomes incorporated into the soil. Cruel Treatment at Factory Farms Turkeys at a factory farm in North Carolina Photo Credit: Mercy for Animals Industrial-style production torments farm animals, and some people consider it a crime. Instead, it is a crime in many states to take photographs of the tormented animals. Seven states have passed "ag-gag" laws. The other side is fighting back with state laws to end the most egregious factory-farming practices. Last year, it became illegal in California to sell eggs from hens kept in small "battery cages." A proposed Massachusetts ballot initiative has garnered the necessary citizen signatures to put a question on the November ballot that would ban the production and sale of eggs from hens and meat from pigs and calves kept in tight enclosures. Most of us close our eyes and ears to the maltreatment. Before Will Harris (1), a beef producer in Georgia, switched from industrial to grass-fed methods, his 800 cows had been confined, fed corn and soy, and given antibiotics and hormones. "Here I was fighting nature every step of the way," he said. When he learned of consumers who wanted grass-fed beef, he ditched the drugs, hormones, corn, soy, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers and switched to pasture feed. He says he has only one metric for humane livestock production: "Can you pour yourself a glass of wine, sit back, and enjoy watching your animals?" Advertisement Bad for Human Health? According to Andrew Weil, M.D., who "has arguably become America's best-known doctor," no one needs to eat meat to be healthy (2). But for those of us who do eat meat, whether or not it is a healthy habit depends on its quantity and type, the way the animal was raised, and how the meat is prepared. Some studies link red meat consumption to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer; poultry consumption has not been linked to these diseases. However, the science is murky because the studies involve confounding factors. The subjects in the studies were eating factory-farmed red meat. The reported adverse health effects might have been due to the genetically modified feed, pesticides, hormones, or antibiotics administered to the factory-farmed animals and carried over onto the dinner plates of the human subjects. Pesticides have been implicated in increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer; so the animals' feed might be linked to these reported adverse effects. In that case, the study results are only applicable to factory-farmed meat. Similarly, the diseases reported in the studies might have been caused by other foods or lifestyle factors. Mark Hyman, M.D., international leader in the field of functional medicine and nine-time New York Times bestselling author, along with Weil, says that consumption of small amounts of quality organic meat is unlikely to be harmful. Amy Myers, M.D., a functional medicine physician specializing in autoimmune disease, states that choosing organic is particularly important for people with autoimmune disease or inflammatory conditions. Some of the science linking meat to harmful health effects isn't murky at all. About 70 percent of antibiotics in the United States are fed to farm animals, and those drugs are clearly causing problems. Antibiotics use leads to the evolution of antibiotic-resistant superbugs, which each year kill at least 23,000 people in the United State alone. Some processed meats have well-documented health consequences, and they may be among the least healthy foods a person could possibly eat. Nitrites in some processed meats can convert to carcinogenic nitrosamines. Similarly, meats cooked at high temperatures can form polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines, which have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Advertisement On a macro level, consumption of meat harms the health of poor people, who go hungry because diverting grains to animals results in higher grain prices. And increased climate change caused by meat production comes with its own array of human health impacts. What to Do? Some people consider it unethical to eat meat altogether. For them, the answer is easy: Be a vegetarian. For the rest of us, the best approach for ourselves, our environment, and our fellow creatures may be to minimize meat consumption, especially red meat. Dr. Weil advises us to limit meat consumption to once or twice a week. Consider meat a condiment, not a main dish, suggests Dr. Hyman. He adds that meat should be cooked via slower, lower-temperature cooking methods such as baking, roasting, poaching, and stewing to avoid the formation of harmful chemicals. Meat eaters should choose organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed and grass-finished, or wild meats. Food labels can misleading, so it may be necessary to ask questions at the store. For example, some labels say "grass-fed" when in fact the animal was initially grass-fed but later "grain-finished." "We have a bizarre food system that's off the tracks in terms of both human health and sustainability," writes Walter Willett, chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. We must navigate carefully to make healthy and environmentally and ethically sound food choices. Ellen Moyer, Ph.D., P.E., is an independent consultant dedicated to remediating environmental problems and promoting sustainable practices to prevent new problems. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Facebook or find more information or sign up for updates on her website. Advertisement References After two years, I'm changing my last name back to Olson from LaFave. No, this isn't a story about divorce. I'm still happily married and building a company together with my husband. This is a story about equality. The End of The Line I remember when I was a little girl, girlfriends of mine would sign their name with the last name of whatever boy they had a crush on at the time. "Jeremy is sooooo cute. Jeremy Williams, I totally want to marry him." They'd go on signing their new signature as Mrs Jeremy Williams. Advertisement Think about this for a moment, young girls fantasizing about the day that she will replace her own identity with her husband's name. I was never this girl. I thought this was all quite weird. I grew up in a small town called Ijamsville, Maryland about an hour from Washington D.C. Rolling hills of farmland surrounded my home, where the only stop light was for the train that would roll through each evening. It's a more traditional place. A place where it's the norm for women to take their husband's last name, that's just sorta how things go. Though the more time I spent out of that little town, the more I realized it's not just the norm there, it's the norm everywhere. We as a nation and most of the world still have deep patriarchal roots -- where the descent is traced through the male lineage. According to the NY Times, only 20 percent of married women keep their maiden name. Even in progressive San Francisco, California, where it's more common for women to keep their name, those families still tend to give the child the father's last name. Our naming system may be one of most influential threads in the fabric of our culture perpetuating a patriarchal system. Advertisement My father, Bill Olson, was one of three children, one daughter, and two boys. My uncle was gay and didn't have children. He tragically passed away in the early nineties from the AIDS epidemic. I know my dad must have felt the pressure to carry on the family name. My father wanted a son to carry on the name. Instead, my father had four girls. And somehow we've created a system, where by having girls, it's the end of the line. I can remember hearing this so vividly growing up. It's the end of the line for the Olsons. I always felt disheartened that as a woman I couldn't carry on my family legacy. "Somehow we've created a system, where by having girls, it's the end of the line." How utterly dispiriting that we have created a world and naming lineage where a married woman cannot carry on her family's name and legacy. When a girl is born, we speak, feel and act as if it's the end of the line. That she is not equal to a man in this way. Perhaps the most ironic part is that it is the woman that physically carries and births a new generation. Taking the Traditional Path I met my husband, Rob LaFave, when I was 18, he was 19 and we met in a leadership program at Virginia Tech. When we started talking marriage early in our relationship, I hadn't considered what I'd do, sorta assumed I'd change my name. Fast forward 11 years -- Rob and I have built two companies together, moved across the country. And after 6 years engaged, we finally got married in 2013. When the time finally arrived to make the decision for my own name, there wasn't an easy answer. I felt personally conflicted for a while, (as I came to learn, many women do). Ten years after our first conversation about marriage, I had grown up a lot and shaped my own identity. Before our wedding, we took a 2-month long trip through Southeast Asia. We stayed for a week in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. I recall sitting at a local cafe. There I sat across from him, sticky behind the knees, the ceiling fans swirling a cool air across my face, scribbling into my journal. Advertisement "I think I'm going to write a piece on why the pre-wedding honeymoon is the way to go," as I suck down the last few drops of my Thai iced tea. "Really?" he says. "Why is it all that different?" "Well, we get to work through any remaining anxieties about the wedding, like the whole name thing." He looks up from his book, "You're still dealing with the name thing?" I had to make a decision. Scribbling into my journal, I compiled a list, the good and the bad. The pros and the cons. My identity, my family connection -- these things I felt I was losing. These things had been swirling around in my head, they weren't a surprise. They were simply now on paper. And then I wrote, "It doesn't feel equal." It doesn't feel equal. That equality thing surfaced again. We have always been a unit. Two whole people, more whole together, but always equal. Without him making the change too, it was out of balance. I race through the list of alternatives. Keeping our own names, hyphenations, new last names. Frustrated with no obvious solution, I step back a moment. Why am I getting married in the first place? We've been together 10 years. We're practically married. Why did we decide to get married anyway? Advertisement Family. Marriage for us is about a union that will allow us to enter into a new phase for us. Family. Creating a family unit. A family united by one name. We must pick one name and we did. Changing My Mind May I introduce, "Mr and Mrs Rob LaFave!" My heart sunk. Wasn't I supposed to be happy in this moment? I decided to take his name in the name of love and family. But looking back now, after making the change, that wasn't enough. You often don't know what something will feel like until you actually live it. This was the way for me and my name. But everyday with my new name felt incongruent. For the first year, I tossed it up as newness, like breaking in a new pair of shoes. "May I introduce, 'Mr and Mrs Rob LaFave!' My heart sunk. Wasn't I supposed to be happy in this moment?" For the two years after our wedding day, the examples piled up. The awkward transitioning of social handles and my public identity, not being able to recognize high school friends social profiles after they'd changed their names, and watching one of the most powerful women in our country Hillary Clinton, not using her maiden name as her last name. It's Clinton for President, not Rodham. Advertisement Women's own identities were disappearing. In fact, the concept of removing a maiden name from your public identity is so engrained in our culture, it's the top contender for a secure password reminder at banks and in online forms. When I came to better understand our own history, as recently as the 1970's, state laws in the U.S. still mandated that a married woman needed to use her husband's name to vote, open a bank account, or get a passport. Changing My Name After two years with my new last name, LaFave, I knew for sure it was time to turn back. I shared this with Rob, and he was understandably hurt. But I asked him to see it from my perspective, would you ever change your name to my name? "No", he said. "I wouldn't". So together we came up with an option we hadn't considered the first time around (inspired by our friends Ted and Fiona). A name that celebrated our individuality but also showed our shared commitment to this new family we had created by joining together in partnership. We'll each keep our last name and take the other's name as our middle name. Emily LaFave Olson and Rob Olson LaFave Choosing this more equal naming structure to me is symbolic of why we choose partnership at all. Man, woman, gay or straight. We choose someone to heal us, to help make us whole. We are looking to incorporate within us what the other person has, the masculine and the feminine. Although I believe our society has valued the masculine over the feminine, making it difficult for many men to accept this. Advertisement For this reason, Rob and I have chosen a shared naming convention, one that symbolizes the equal impact we have on each other by merging our lives. As for our children's last name, we're not sure yet what the path will be. We have some ideas, and if you have pursued this path yourself, we'd love to hear what's worked, from parents who have lived it. My hope is that for any woman that tried her married name on, like a jacket, and finds that it doesn't quite fit the way she thought it would, that this be encouragement to return to your maiden name. You have the freedom to change your mind if you want. It's a choice you have. But it is just that, a choice. Many women have shared with me, that they wanted to take their husband's name, it was a chance for a fresh start, a chance for reinvention. More power to you if that's what's best for you. My hope is that my future children will look back at this time that their parents were willing to go against the status quo to choose gender equality. And they'll look back with novelty, oh what a time, when men and women weren't equal. Because by the act of changing our names, symbols to represent equality, we were one part of changing the world to be just that. Equal. Last month, the people of Fiji experienced a storm with unprecedented destructive force, leaving at least 42 people dead and displacing more than 8,500 people in the region. Cyclone Winston was one of the strongest storms hitting the Southern Hemisphere to date, but it certainly won't be the last. If the world fails to uphold the climate commitments it made in Paris last year, such incidents are likely to increase in scale and frequency at a global scale. Over the century to come, half a degree will be the difference between life and death for millions, mainly in developing countries. As scientists have told us, the more ambitious objective to limit global warming not to 2C, but to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels enshrined in the Paris accord can significantly limit the risks of extreme weather events, give natural systems more of a chance to adapt to global warming, and substantially slow sea-level rise. For the world's most vulnerable people, success in Paris was the result of this single breakthrough Success has many parents. Many individuals, organizations, and countries can justly claim a share of the credit for the agreement reached at the climate talks in Paris in December. The survival of the 1.5C target through each revision of the Paris text was the result of the incredible leadership and energy marshaled by the world's vulnerable countries. Advertisement In the Climate Vulnerable Forum, over 40 low- and middle-income countries from Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific made it a red line. This unity and robust sense of purpose drew in civil society, who echoed the call for the 1.5C ceiling throughout the halls of the Paris talks. Key industrialised countries were quick to respond to this plea, particularly France and Germany. They helped forge the 'High Ambition Coalition' composed of developed and developing countries, including the US, Japan, Brazil, Canada and Australia. Joined by many developing countries, the coalition helped to bridge North-South divides in the last negotiation stages that were key to reaching an agreement in Paris. If however these landmark Paris decisions aren't followed up with appropriate policies, we will remain on our current pathway towards a 3 degree-world. Warming on that scale would greatly multiply risks that are already undermining health, development and the environment today. We need to slash projected warming in half by moving much faster and implementing deeper changes to the global economy than are envisaged by national climate plans submitted in the run-up to the Paris talks. It sounds daunting, yet this is good news. Enormous benefits are to be gained from reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Not only will cutting emissions and lowering warming reduce the devastation wrought by extreme weather. It will also lower the seven million person-a-year global air pollution death toll, which according to the WHO is more than alcohol or tobacco. Action from the EU is key. The EU joined the call for 1.5C in the final hours of the Paris conference. But we cannot leave implementation of the policies needed to reduce emissions to the last hour. Instead, we need Europe to lead by adjusting its climate commitments to respect the 1.5C limit, as laid out in the Paris Agreement. Advertisement This means more ambitious EU emission targets. Before Paris, Europe pledged to reduce emissions to "at least" 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. Given the outcome of the Paris talks, we are now expecting Europe, like everyone, to revisit targets in the light of the 1.5C aspiration. Support offered to developing countries also needs to be reviewed - in both financial and capacity-building terms - to help accelerate the global transition to a common low carbon future. Certainly, the agreement forged in Europe should be more than just paper. If Europe leads, others will follow. Members of the 43-nation Climate Vulnerable Forum, led by the Philippines and Ethiopia as the incoming chair, have already pledged to increase the ambition of their national actions in order to add to the momentum. In Paris, the Vulnerable Twenty, or V20, Group of Finance Ministers also announced the target to mobilise $20 billion in new funds for climate action by 2020, drawing from public, private, international, regional and domestic sources. The aim is to fund ambitious climate action in a group of countries traditionally constrained by a lack of investment. Despite the challenges, in the spirit of shared climate leadership, we are prepared to do all we can to contribute to global climate action. Continued international collaboration is critical. The support of major economies such as the EU, the US, China and Japan will be fundamental for vulnerable and developing countries. Capacity building, technical assistance and adequate finance can ensure that countries with few resources are equipped to realise their ambitions. Success at the UN talks in Paris has changed the debate around climate change. For the first time, the international community has set itself a clear objective that -- if achieved -- will spare us all from the worst ravages of global warming. We need Europe to stand side-by-side with us as it did in Paris. Winston has shown once more that the world is already more exposed to climate change than we like to think. We have a window to change course, but if we are to ensure the safety of current and future generations, the time for action is now. The Western Balkans are back in the EU agenda, perhaps a first intelligible step since the beginning of the migration crisis, as 'gatekeepers' and crossroads between East and West the Western Balkans cannot be ignored anymore, moreover they can play a crucial role. It is important, however, to treat the Balkans with due caution: "balkanize" was a term that came to underline "diversity, conflict and fractionalization"; much of what the world would think of the Balkans and much like what the Balkan people would define themselves. In the words of Albanian Foreign Affairs Minister, Ditmir Bushati, the countries in the Western Balkans have moved 'from being enemies into neighbours [however] a lot of energy is wasted on how we sit around the table and how [they] call each other'. These transformation among the relations countries and people have in the Western Balkans can be attributed to the 'clear perspective' of European integration and the political will of the leadership, in many of them to, at least, just get ahead in the process. The Thessaloniki agenda for the Western Balkans was approved by the European Council of Thessaloniki on June 2003. The novelty was the possibility for all countries of the Western Balkans, to accede to technical and financial instruments applied to EU member states. The Thessaloniki Agenda specified the areas that would benefit from european financial assistance and not only. Fight against organized crime and general cooperation in strengthening the judiciary and domestic affairs; promotion of economic development; regional cooperation for the return of refugees, the promotion of cultural and education exchanges and social development were among the pillars of this agenda, the success of which was highly dependent on the will of interested countries in implementing reforms. The state of art in the EU reports showcase the region in getting closer to the Union. It counts four candidate countries and two potential candidates: Kosovo* has signed the Stabilization Association Agreement expected to enter into force later this year; Bosnia and Herzegovina has lately applied to join the EU. However, of the candidate countries, only Montenegro and Serbia have opened EU membership negotiations. Croatia has been the last member to join the Union in 2013 and since this last accession treaty signed the bar for the remaining countries in the Western Balkans has been raised. Conditionality is not anymore a mere 'copy - paste exercise' of the EU acquis in internal legislation but a satisfactory track record in its implementation is required. Advertisement The exodus to Europe resulted in undermining the principle of free movement and is challenging Schengen. The Euro bubble in the past months has not have a shortage of high level meetings regarding the migration crisis. Most notably, La Valetta summit focused on the cooperation with third countries (Africa) and a Meeting on the Western Balkans Migration Route where the EU and Western Balkans' leaders agreed on 17-point plan of action. This crisis for the Western Balkans has been, so far, more than a danger, an opportunity. The refugees cross from on external border of the EU - notably Greece - to transit in the region to reach northern EU member states. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYRoM) has been among the countries directly affected by the crisis. The increased tensions rising at the border with Greece and with the upcoming parliamentary election in April 2016 warn that the migrant crisis has well gotten out of hand. The High Representative Vice President of European Commission Mogherini visited Tirana last week all the while minister of Home Affairs, Tahiri was mentioning the existence of a contingency plan should the need be to open the Albanian border to refugees. The well informed technocrats in Brussels have long considered all the options, including paying court to all possible players. Albania was hence, considered since early on last fall, as a route to re-direct the influx of refugees in the Adriatic. Advertisement Should this option unfold in the days to come, one may only hope, not as much on the international organizations and governments alike, but in the strength and generosity of people. It would not be a first, for Albanians who demonstrated great humanity hosting 500 000 refugees during the war in Kosovo. The focus on EU's approach is still on the need to strengthen its external borders. Commissioner Hahn stressed that in retaining control of the influx of refugees to Europe would allow for a change in the process of how these migrants are reaching Europe and how State authorities are answering to the demands. Italy and Greece continue suffering a huge pressure - as entry points - hence the European Council agreed to relocate an amount of 40.000 persons to be distributed amongst different Member States. The current European legal framework on asylum - Dublin Regulations - is under strain given the fact it is widely acknowledged it no longer respond in an efficient manner to the needs of EU Member States but also of asylum seekers. Not only several countries bear the burden of the system - Greece, Italy as entry points and German, Austria and Sweden as final destinations - but also the deadlines to get an application processed are slow and also it entailed many dramatic family separations. Nevertheless, it is not as much about the influx of refugees and the absorption capacity of the EU member states as much as an increased waive of populism that has cashed in the fears caused by unemployment and overwhelmed welfare system preexistent the refugee crisis. Furthermore, the European migration policies suffered the linkage of increased security threat and the arrival of refugees despite calls from European leaders - notably Juncker - to avoid simplifications. Taking note of this, particularly worrisome is that the EU leadership seems to fail to understand that a long term sustainable solution requires that borders are kept open and further find mechanisms that allow access to safety of persons seeking international protection. The cooperation and readiness shown by the region has made for a case of arguing the 'ally' card versus the 'stability' card and prompting technocrats in Brussels to strongly (re)consider the success of enlargement policy. The 'sudden' reminder that the EU project cannot be complete without the integration of the Western Balkans might be shocking for 'euro-skeptics' and those suffering from a 'chronic' enlargement fatigue. Advertisement Marcus Robinson -- One of the most unique and interesting speeches of the convention was made by Sojourner Truth. It is impossible to transfer it to paper, or convey any adequate idea of the effect it produced upon the audience. Those only can appreciate it who saw her powerful form, her whole-souled, earnest gesture, and listened to her strong and truthful tones. She came forward to the platform and addressing the President said with great simplicity: "May I say a few words?" Receiving an affirmative answer, she proceeded: I want to say a few words about this matter. I am a woman's rights. I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man. I have plowed and reaped and husked and chopped and mowed, and can any man do more than that? I have heard much about the sexes being equal. I can carry as much as any man, and can eat as much too, if I can get it. I am as strong as any man that is now. As for intellect, all I can say is, if a woman have a pint, and a man a quart -- why can't she have her little pint full? You need not be afraid to give us our rights for fear we will take too much, -- for we can't take more than our pint'll hold. The poor men seems to be all in confusion, and don't know what to do. Why children, if you have woman's rights, give it to her and you will feel better. You will have your own rights, and they won't be so much trouble. I can't read, but I can hear. I have heard the bible and have learned that Eve caused man to sin. Well, if woman upset the world, do give her a chance to set it right siI want to say a few words about this matter. I am for woman's rights. I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man. I have plowed and reaped and husked and chopped and mowed, and can any man do more than that? I have heard much about the sexes being equal. I can carry as much as any man, and can eat as much too, if I can get it. I am as strong as any man that is now. As for intellect, all I can say is, if a woman have a pint, and a man a quart -- why can't she have her little pint full? You need not be afraid to give us our rights for fear we will take too much, -- for we can't take more than our pint'll hold. The poor men seems to be all in confusion, and don't know what to do. Why children, if you have woman's rights, give it to her and you will feel better. de up again. The Lady has spoken about Jesus, how he never spurned woman from him, and she was right. When Lazarus died, Mary and Martha came to him with faith and love and besought him to raise their brother. And Jesus wept and Lazarus came forth. And how came Jesus into the world? Through God who created him and the woman who bore him. Man, where was your part? But the women are coming up blessed be God and a few of the men are coming up with them. But man is in a tight place, the poor slave is on him, woman is coming on him, he is surely between a hawk and a buzzard. More than 20 years after our then, first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, declared that women's rights are human rights in Beijing, International Women's Day is a call to action more than a moment to celebrate. Even with isolated gains in some countries, thanks to heroic efforts of a wide array of human rights groups and activists, the rights and dignity of women remain under assault around the globe, particularly in countries in Africa. And only when women are politically empowered through the democratic process can real progress take place. In the United States where women have progressed tremendously, still, we continue to fight for equal pay for equal work and the right for women to make our own decisions about our bodies. Yet, I believe 2016 is the year of breaking down barriers, not only here at home but around the world. In the past year, women took incremental steps toward playing a role at the local government level in Saudi Arabia, a kingdom notorious for its denial of rights for women, even the right to drive a car. In Iran, women doubled their representation in seats in parliament despite the often harsh traditions of the Islamic Republic. This year's Oscar for best documentary short was awarded to The Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, which turned the world's attention to honor killings in Pakistan and other countries. Advertisement And yet, statistics compiled by non-governmental organizations and the personal accounts of women and girls around the world is a portrait of despair, denial and violence that should shame all of us. At least one woman in every three has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime, according to Amnesty International. Often this takes appalling forms such as acid burning, honor killings, and female genital mutilation. It is practiced in 28 African countries on the pretext of cultural tradition or hygiene but it has had devastating physical and psychological effects for tens of millions of women. While the governments of the countries where this practice occurs have legislation making it illegal, enforcement is wholly inadequate. It is not just the trampling of human rights that disproportionately affects women but also the denial of basic political and economic opportunities. More often 17 million girls ages 6 to 11 do not attend school in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a UN report Left Behind. In the workplace, three quarters of working age men are in the labor force as compared to half of working age women. And those who are in the workforce are often employed in family businesses without any direct pay. Those who work outside these familial circumstances face tremendous gaps in pay and opportunity. In countries throughout Africa, traditional laws bar women from owning or controlling land. Too often customary legal traditions that subordinate women's right are actually enshrined in national constitutions, making it especially difficult to bring about more equality. In the political realm, it is clear that the participation of women in the civic life of their country has a positive effect. However, political progress has been halting and incremental in many countries, notably with regard to increasing numbers of women in parliaments. Developments in Iran notwithstanding, in 2015, just 22 per cent of national parliamentarians were women, a slow increase from 11.3 per cent in 1995. Out of almost 200 countries in the world, as of January 2015, women served as head of state in just 14 countries, while only 17 percent of government ministers were women. There is a strong possibility that the United States will be numbered among those countries where women serve as heads of state. Advertisement In order to turn the tide against the exploitation and injustice and to create opportunities for woman and girls, democracy must take root and flourish. In democratic countries with free and fair elections, leaders are accountable. In all seriousness, would a true democracy tolerate honor killings, sexual slavery and denial of education to women and girls? And there remains so much to do. The kidnapping of school girls in Nigeria by Boko Haram shocked the world last year. We can only hope that country's successful election and transition to a new presidency will represent a turning of the tide against Boko Haram. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, fighting in the eastern part of the country over several decades has been linked to some of the worst sexual violence in the world. Yet, DRC's future prosperity depends on whether President Joseph Kabila honors the country's constitution and steps down at the end of the year, which seems less and less likely. Supreme Court Building, Washington, DC, USA. The passing of Justice Antonin Scalia has left a void on the Supreme Court and given rise to a profoundly important debate concerning the Court's future direction. Over at Bloomberg View, Professor Cass Sunstein argues that it would be a mistake to replace Justice Scalia with a judge who is similarly "heroic"--that is, a judge who favors broad, theoretically ambitious decisions that have a wide impact on American life. Instead, Sunstein urges, "it's a good time for minimalists, who speak softly and carry a small stick." Sunstein has done more to define and defend minimalism--the idea that judges should favor narrow, theoretically shallow rulings--than any scholar in recent years. Minimalism has proven immensely attractive--it has been embraced by people with very different ideas about what the Constitution means, and it taps into the widely-held belief that judges should be "modest." But minimalism's appearance of modesty is deceiving, and minimalism does not equip judges to enforce the Constitution's limits on government power. Advertisement What precisely is minimalism? It is not a theory of constitutional interpretation but a theory of judging--a prescription for deciding constitutional cases in a way that minimizes the judicial footprint. In his article, Sunstein explains that "[m]inimalists reject the idea that judges should adopt deep theories about the real meaning of ideals like liberty or equality. They prefer modest rulings that can be accepted by judges (and Americans) who disagree about a great deal." He has explained elsewhere that minimalists "favor decisions that are narrow, in the sense that they do not want to resolve issues not before the Court" and "shallow, in the sense that they avoid the largest theoretical controversies and can attract support from those with diverse perspectives on the most contentious questions." Minimalism rests upon the premise that the judiciary occupies a precarious position in our constitutional order and holds that judges must tread carefully to avoid creating social discord. To be sure, minimalists do not advocate absolute judicial deference to democratic enactments--they do, however, argue that judges should not only be wary of the consequences of their decisions but actually tailor their decisions to "attract support, or at least respect, from people who disagree on fundamental matters," thus avoiding unnecessary "damage to democracy." Minimalism's most fundamental flaw lies in its conception of the judiciary's constitutional role. The Framers established an independent judiciary to "guard the Constitution and the rights of individuals" by determining "what the law is" in individual cases. Because the Constitution is a pervasively countermajoritarian governing document that is designed to safeguard individual rights against the mere will of the politically powerful, judicial enforcement of the Constitution often entails preventing democratic majorities from getting their way. This is not a bug in our constitutional program--it is one of its essential features. Advertisement Minimalism's focus on avoiding social conflict entices judges to abdicate their constitutional role in consequential cases. The Constitution is designed to implement a philosophically rigorous theory of limited government, and its terms embody deep theoretical commitments. It is often impossible to resolve intensely controversial constitutional questions concerning racial discrimination, the rights of criminal defendants, the right to bear arms, same-sex marriage, abortion, or campaign finance in a way that is faithful to the law of the land without articulating theoretically robust principles and enforcing them a way that upsets a great many people. Further, failing to grapple with the theoretical commitments embodied in the Constitution can lead to decisions that direct the public's ire against the judiciary. Consider the case of Kelo v. City of New London (2005), in which the Court upheld the condemnation of an entire working-class neighborhood for transfer to a new private owner in order to promote "economic development." The Court sounded minimalist themes, stressing its unwillingness to depart from precedent, voicing concerns that requiring evidence concerning the economic benefits of the development plan (which never materialized, as they often do not) would "impose a significant impediment to the successful consummation of many such plans," and emphasizing that "the necessity and wisdom of using eminent domain to promote economic development are certainly matters of legitimate public debate." Ordinary Americans were incensed by the decision. Polls showed that over 80 percent of the public disapproved of the ruling, and that opposition has persisted over time. Some 45 states have enacted eminent domain reform laws in the ten years since Kelo. Americans correctly sensed that the Kelo Court had neglected a fundamental principle--that the government may not take property from A and give it to B simply because B might be able to put that property to more productive use. With a more considered, conscientious effort to ascertain and apply the core meaning of the Fifth Amendment's "public use" requirement, this calamitous decision--and the public outrage that it produced--could have been avoided. To his credit, Sunstein acknowledges minimalism's limitations and emphasizes that minimalism is not an inexorable command. He has written that "[t]he choice between narrow and broad rulings must itself be made on a case-by-case basis; no rule is adequate to the task." That is to say, minimalism is generally the correct approach, but not always. "No sensible person could embrace minimalism in all times and places," Sunstein has said, and "sensible minimalists offer no theology or dogma." Minimalism is ultimately subordinate to an overriding directive to decide cases in a "sensible" manner. Unfortunately for Sunstein, his efforts to limit minimalism's scope reveal that minimalism is a collection of intuitions rather than a coherent framework for deciding cases. Minimalism is wary of interfering with the democratic process; wary of creating unnecessary controversy; wary even of itself, to the point where a faithful minimalist must be prepared to recognize contexts in which it is not "sensible" to apply minimalism. To the extent that judges would seek to faithfully adhere to its ambiguous formula--not too broad, not too deep--they are left with little guidance about how or even when to do so. As one critic has put it, minimalism is a recipe for "judicial improv." Advertisement Thus, despite its pretense of modesty, minimalism is a most immodest doctrine. By instructing judges to avoid grappling with the Constitution's deep theoretical commitments and to tailor their decisions to prognostications concerning social harmony--except when they determine that it is not "sensible" to do so--minimalism ultimately replaces the rule of law established by the Constitution with the rule of judicial prognosticator-kings and their idiosyncratic sensibilities. It counsels judges to abdicate their duty to expound the theory-laden law of the land; it holds the law hostage to judges' beliefs about what is uncontroversial and what is sensible. What, then, should judges do in constitutional cases? Judges must identify and apply the principles set forth in our law, drawing upon the Constitution's animating political theory in order to do so. They must seek to determine whether the government has demonstrated the constitutionality of its ends and means with reliable evidence and without unwarranted deference to the government. And they must provide forthright, clear explanations for their decisions, so that Americans are not forced to guess at how future cases will be decided. With the duty of judicial review comes the duty of judicial engagement with the Constitution and the facts of every case. Greece has been an enchanting mystery since I was a child. I was raised by a father who did not read me fairy tales or bed time stories but Greek myths and legends. I grew up dreaming of Pandora's vase. Her hope became my hope. I always wanted to visit Greece. And when I finally did, I couldn't help understanding such a strong bond. This land is inside me. I belong to it and never want to leave every time I'm there. It's a love so deep and strong that it makes me just see the good in it, and feel the need to share it. So "Why should I visit Greece?" you ask me. If you don't mind some extra passion, let me tell you why. 1 - Breathtaking Landscapes Greek geography is as varied as you might imagine and even more. All the colors of the rainbow have a leading role in the Greek palette. You can find everything you might ever want in . You might be used to seeing those brilliant white roofs cut against wonderful ravishing blue skies yet, the Greek landscape does not end there. Sweet sunsets on the beach are as attractive as the high mountains of Meteora. There are caves and hiking trails to be found. A pastoral life to be explored and tasted up to its roots. The north of the country is famous for its Alpine scenery, as outstanding as any sunset on the beach. 2- Relaxed Atmosphere The Greek way of living has a "relaxed mode on" style. Problems? And you can't solve them? Then why do you worry? This is the Greek philosophy. What's done cannot be undone, or so they say. So, again, let's enjoy life. They will show you what they have understood about struggles through simple gestures that will stick forever. They have learnt how to enjoy a glass of frappe coffee, the beauty of the sunset, the joy of the atmosphere. All the rest comes and go. Pleasures in life are in simple things: baking bread, talking with friends, walking by the ocean. Take your time, disconnect the Wi-Fi and connect with your inner self, in Greece every single thing invites you to do so. You will go back to routine feeling better. Advertisement 3 - Xenia Xenia is a Greek word which meaning you will only learn traveling to Greece. It is so deep inside the nature of the people, it cannot be taught nor learned. It can only be enjoyed there and you can feel the nostalgia of it when you are away. It means friendship towards the foreigner. It is the welcoming smile waiting for you at the airport upon arrival. It's a glass of ouzo with sweet grapes kindly offered after a meal. It is a generous country, their people take pride in receiving their visitors and the best compliment you can make them is saying so they will offer you the best of what they have: their best food, their best wine and their honest friendship. 4 - Affordable Prices A holiday in Greece is in no way expensive. Accommodation prices are affordable and you will always get value for money. Either you are going to the one in a lifetime luxury vacation or whether you are traveling on a budget, you will always be able to find it a cost-effective destination. Prices for food, amusement and car rental are also on the low side. Be sure you will always be able to make a good deal and find the choice that meet your needs... and your budget. 5 - Absolute Fun If what you are looking for fun, be sure you will also find it. Partying comes with Greek holidays hand in hand. You just have to choose the right spot. And there's plenty of it for all tastes. Whether its extreme adventure sports, like mountain bike, scuba diving or mountain hiking, or even if it's just dancing all night long in discos, pubs or clubs; you name it, you have it. What's more, Greeks easy ways towards sex can make some of their destinations a paradise for gay couples as well as for people open to new experiences. Nobody is going to judge you wrong in Greece, freedom, of any kind, run in their veins. 6 - Romantic Escapes Honeymoon in your plans? Just a couple get away? What could be more romantic than a sunset sipping cocktails on a terrace in Santorini? It will be a dream that comes true. You and him enjoying a breathtaking landscape which you have only seen in luxury magazines before. Those landscapes are nothing but the truth when you are there. And if you are an emotional chic, be careful... if he dares take out the ring, you might even end up that romantic tear out. Greece is a land of emotions, and you won't be able to hide them all. Advertisement 7 - Family Travel There are certain beaches where moms can just relax and let children play with no risk at all. Endless extensions of white sands and shallow calm waters, clear and warm, that seem to be just there for children. They will play for hours feeding bread to the fish, playing with the sand or just learning to swim. Natural bays protected from big waves or strong winds are little family paradises. And children will love Greek food, home-made French fries are everywhere, but also genuine fresh fruit and vegetables that taste so good they will actually enjoy. Start the day with some rich Greek yogurt and honey, what could be better? Children are the true starts in Greece... the Greek adore them and will always go one step further to make them feel great. 8 - Culture Greece is a land of a millennial culture, of a past seen, touched and felt with every step you take; not only in the Capital city, but everywhere. Almost every island has secrets and treasures from the past they are eager to share with the visitors. Windmills, ruins, old settlements. There are museums in every place you visit, and traditions have become a part of everyday life. Even if you visit an old mountain village, seeing the way people bake, cook, brew... all these are part of a culture that passed on from one generation to the other, a culture they are not afraid to share with you because they are proud of it and because the love to share. 9 - Outstanding Taste Mediterranean cuisine is at its best in this region. Every part of Greece can have its own specialty you will learn to appreciate. However, as a general rule, when tastes are genuine, when the sun and the soil are generous, the result can only be luscious. And if combined: it's a feast. The best olives will give you the best oils; the best grapes will produce the best wines. The sea, the land, the wise hands of the inhabitants, all together produce a unique combination of flavors you will never forget and you will long to take home with you. 10 - Homeland Feeling BADEN-BADEN, GERMANY - MARCH 07: Protesters, one of whom is holding a sign that reads: 'AfD, no thank you,' demonstrate outside the venue of an AfD (Alternative fuer Deutschland, or Alternative for Germany) political party, Baden-Wuerttemberg state election campaign gathering on March 7, 2016 in Baden-Baden, Germany. State elections scheduled for March 13 in three German states: Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony-Anhalt and Baden-Wuerttemberg, will be a crucial test-case for German Chancellor and Chairwoman of the German Christian Democrats (CDU) Angela Merkel, who has come under increasing pressure over her liberal immigration policy towards migrants and refugees. The AfD, with campaign rhetoric aimed at Germans who are uneasy with so many newcomers, has solid polling numbers and will almost certainly win seats in all three state parliaments. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) Sunday is Germany's Judgment Day; the people will vote in a referendum on Chancellor Merkel's refugee policies. It's the day they vote on the chancellor's ability to continue to make Germany feel safe and welcoming, after one million migrants entered the country last year, and with hundreds of thousands more expected. But first and foremost, it will be the definitive test for Merkel ahead of her nomination for a fourth term. On Sunday, three German states will vote on whether or not to renew their regional parliaments' terms. This year matters more than ever before, both at a national and a European level. For one, the decision will affect roughly 17 million Germans -- 20 percent of the population. In addition, the vote comes at a crucial moment, with right-wing xenophobia and nationalism on the rise on one hand, and cracks appearing in the ironclad CDU-CSU alliance on the other. Advertisement Additionally, if the German political center of gravity shifts to the right, that may have repercussions across Europe, especially if Germany's policies on opening its borders and hosting refugees, Syrian or otherwise, should change. So far, Merkel has never shown even the slightest sign of making concessions on the topic. These days, local elections and polls are causing waves in the usually calm, placid lake of German politics. One noteworthy election was the one held last week in Hesse, in the center of Germany. The populist right-wing party Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) won 13.2 percent of the vote, becoming that region's third most prominent party. The polls brought even worse news. The xenophobes and Islamophobes who make up the AfD are expected to come in third in all three states holding elections this weekend, with projected results ranging from 9 percent in Rhineland-Palatinate to as much as 19 percent in Saxony-Anhalt, and 13 percent in Baden-Wurttemberg. The extent of the shift in votes from the popular party to the AfD this Sunday will give us a better sense of just how far to the right the epicenter of German politics may move. These three regions are considered to be fairly representative of Germany's socio-economic fabric. Baden-Wurttemberg, where the capital is Stuttgart, has roughly 10 million inhabitants. It is among the wealthiest and most competitive regions in Europe, perhaps second only to Bavaria. To get a better idea, just consider that Baden-Wurttemberg hosts the headquarters of major companies including Porsche, Daimler and Bosch, among others. The situation in Rhineland-Palatinate is comparable. Meanwhile, the composition of Saxony-Anhalt is completely different: an ex-DDR region, Saxony-Anhalt is struggling with one of the highest unemployment rates in Germany. It is one of the German states that has witnessed the highest number of xenophobic attacks. It's the kind of place where a tired cliches such as "they come here and steal our work and women" still resonates. In other words, it's a sort of prototypical region for AfD propaganda. And the propaganda is downright scary. Through its leader Frauke Petry, this three year-old group fills the airwaves with every venomous statements imaginable, including a suggestion to gun down men, women and children in order to protect German borders. (Petry later backed away from this statement, but only as far as children were concerned.) Obviously, references to the current wave of immigrants was anything but accidental. Another popular party theme is the need to abolish abortion because "German politics is responsible for guaranteeing the survival of its people, its nation." And how could we overlook one of the cornerstones of AfD's electoral campaign in Saxony-Anhalt: officials must "revise education programs" in order to put less focus on the "twelve unfortunate years" that constitute the Nazi period. Naturally, these words are slaps in the face for the average German, but they clearly appeal in some way to the part of the right-wing constituency that is more inclined to populism and nationalism, and which had up until this point considered the CDU-CSU alliance a good answer on the ballot. Advertisement The extent of the shift in votes from the popular party to the AfD this Sunday will give us a better sense of just how far to the right the epicenter of German politics may move. Further, it will give us a better idea of just how dangerous the immediate consequences will be for Merkel. Some of these may include the reinforcement of the anti-migrant segment of the CDU, the deepening of nationalistic drives in its twin party, the CSU, and the inevitable friction in the government with SPD allies. These three factors risk damaging Angela's journey toward another term. But most of all, they may prompt a less flexible and more retrograde approach to the refugee crisis. Obviously, this would have incendiary effects at the European level, eliminating the last true defense against the powerful isolationist impulses represented by the east, particularly those of the Visegrad Group. It is no surprise that Merkel, well aware of the risks, wanted to arrive at Sunday's elections with an agreement with Turkey for managing the refugee crisis in her pocket. A deal with a clear objective: showing the German public that their chancellor is doing everything she can to curb the tide of migrants, removing any incentive they have to cross the Mediterranean. But that agreement didn't happen on time; everything has been pushed back to the next European summit, forcing Merkel to face the elections "unprotected" in the face of the right-wing. This means having to pay a political price in order to continue keeping borders open for migrants, something the chancellor has valiantly defended to date. Sunday night, in Germany and by extension in the rest of Europe, we will face a new political scenario. Will Merkel manage to face it like a strong leader, just as she has done so far, instead of being slowly but surely destroyed by it? Will she be able to lead her country and sidestep simplistic, self-serving acts, as she has courageously in the past? Certainly a great deal will depend on her own personal skills, but that won't be enough. A lot, perhaps everything, will depend an entirely different entity: the German people. (Photo: Courtesy of TGI Fridays) By Clint Rainey The appetizers at Fridays already last forever, but if the chain's new revamp is an indication, the next phase is to make the restaurants places customers never have to leave. A location down in Corpus Christi, Texas, is being reinvented as a bar/restaurant/cafe/off-site work space/spot where people "just hang out." The idea, seemingly, involves throwing everything against the wall and seeing what sticks: late hours with live music and "Drop the Mike" nights, special "bear-shaped graham crackers," a full-blown coffee program, plus "hang-out spaces" for when it's not mealtime. Adding an extra-awkward touch, Friday's president Ricky Richardson is describing it as "a social place to be." The sprawling 10,000-square-foot complex will be open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Besides the usual cheese sticks and Jack Daniels Grill dishes, Richardson says, "We brought in great Wi-Fi, and we now have a deli case with grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, parfaits, cookies and brownies." This is not all: The chain will also roll out fresh-squeezed juices, because why not? And just in case that wasn't enough, the shop will also have a "Hangover Brunch" that pulls out all the stops, featuring stupid-big Bloody Marys and dishes like bourbon steak, or chicken and waffles. For all Grub knows, this revamp will be a huge success, but we're still happy they aren't launching it in Times Square. Advertisement Factory farming's downsides seem to be on everybody's mind these days, so here's one more to consider: It's creating an ungodly amount of pollution. Just Tyson Foods alone, one of the world's biggest meat producers, is responsible for dumping more crap into U.S. waterways than almost every other big company, according to a new report by eco-advocacy group Environment America. Companies are required to report pollution from their processing plants to the EPA, and Tyson's numbers make it the country's second-worst polluter from 2010 to 2014, the most current year on file. It gets edged out by steel-and-coal behemoth AK Steel Holding -- 104 million pounds of discharges into waterways, versus 107 million -- but the Department of Defense is a distant third with 63 million pounds. In fact, by this rubric, Tyson pollutes more water than Cargill and ExxonMobil put together, or, for one more fun comparison, more than rivals Pilgrim's Pride and Perdue Farms plus Koch Industries. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks during a campaign event in Miami at the James L. Knight Center on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. (Pedro Portal/El Nuevo Herald/TNS via Getty Images) It's obvious that Michigan voters valued honesty on Tuesday, especially since Governor Rick Snyder might have known about Flint's water crisis back in 2014. Because most Americans trust him, Bernie Sanders is now only 7 points behind Clinton nationally, and his stunning upset victory in Michigan will lessen the gap in future polls. In terms of why Sanders has been able to cut into what was once a 50-point lead, the underlying polling data associated with honesty and trustworthiness is a fundamental reason. In an election year where establishment candidates are shunned by voters, trustworthiness is a key attribute needed to win. According to a recent YouGov poll, "Bernie Sanders is the most widely trusted presidential candidate of either party." Advertisement In this YouGov poll, 56% of voters find Hillary Clinton "not honest and trustworthy." Surprisingly, 52% of voters find Donald Trump "not honest and trustworthy." Yes, more Americans in this poll find the xenophobic and polarizing Republican to be more trustworthy than the former Secretary of State. Moving on to a recent Quinnipiac poll, 68% of voters found Bernie Sanders "honest and trustworthy." Conversely, 67% of voters found Hillary Clinton "not honest and trustworthy." I quoted this statistic during my latest CNN interview with Victor Blackwell. Again, in this poll, Trump ranks higher than Clinton, with 59% of voters finding Trump "not honest and trustworthy." Even on the economy, voters place more trust in Trump than Clinton; an ominous sign for Democrats if Clinton becomes the nominee. According to Rasmussen in December, "A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that Likely U.S. Voters by a 50% to 38% margin trust Trump more than Clinton to handle the economy and job creation." Advertisement Even Donald Trump is viewed as more trustworthy than Clinton, which is one reason Michigan chose Bernie Sanders, despite Clinton's 99% chance of winning according to Nate Silver. In terms of Bernie and Hillary, only one Democrat is seen as trustworthy by American voters. UC Berkeley Professor Jerome Karabel explains the enormous difference in perception between both candidates in a Huffington Post piece titled Is Hillary Clinton More Electable Than Bernie Sanders?: Beneath Secretary Clinton's problematic favorability ratings lies a deep reservoir of public mistrust. When prospective voters are asked whether or not she is "honest and trustworthy," their response is sobering; her rating on this dimension is a net negative 24 points, with 60 percent answering no and 36 percent answering yes. The contrast with Senator Sanders is striking in that it is precisely the opposite: anet positive of 24 percent, with 55 percent responding yes and 24 percent no... Just 32 percent of Independents polled by Quinnipiac last month have favorable views of her, compared to 59 percent who have unfavorable views (net negative of 27); interestingly, Independents view Sanders much more positively, with 39 percent favorable and 29 percent unfavorable (net positive of 10). Generally, swing states have a higher number of independent voters, and Bernie Sanders has a great advantage over Clinton in terms of trustworthiness; among independents and American voters in aggregate. So why do Americans distrust Hillary Clinton? One answer is that Clinton can't even say she's been honest in the past. A CBS News interview with Scott Pelley speaks volumes, in terms of how Clinton views her own ability to remain honest with voters: Advertisement PELLEY: You know, in '76, Jimmy Carter famously said, "I will not lie to you." CLINTON: Well, I have to tell you I have tried in every way I know how literally from my years as a young lawyer all the way through my time as secretary of state to level with the American people. PELLEY: You talk about leveling with the American people. Have you always told the truth? CLINTON: I've always tried to. Always. Always. PELLEY: Some people are gonna call that wiggle room that you just gave yourself. CLINTON: Well, no, I've always tried - PELLEY:I mean, Jimmy Carter said, "I will never lie to you." CLINTON:Well, but, you know, you're asking me to say, "Have I ever?" I don't believe I ever have. I don't believe I ever have. I don't believe I ever will. I'm gonna do the best I can to level with the American people. In a version of semantic jujitsu, Clinton answers a simple question about honesty with "I've always tried to" tell the truth. Another reason people distrust Clinton, among many, can be linked to a POLITICO article titled Go to Hell... Hillary Clinton had something to say to the media about her email. It wasn't too subtle: No, Clinton said, she did not violate the law or rules when, for reasons of "convenience," she used a private email account in her years as the nation's top diplomat. No, she said, this matter does not need to be turned over to some outsider who can examine the Clinton family's private email server and independently assess her assertion that she has already given to the State Department any correspondence that might conceivably be of public interest. Go to hell is not typically a sentiment expressed by politicians on the brink of a presidential campaign... It was against this context that Hillary Clinton on Tuesday sought both to project nondefensiveness-- Sure, I'm happy to answer some questions--and draw some unmistakable lines-- I don't give a damn if you don't like my answers. While Clinton has stated she only used a private server for convenience, I ask if anyone knows why she needed the server in the following YouTube segment. The FBI is currently investigating the motive behind using a private server, and most likely, Bryan Pagliano has a unique understanding of the entire situation. Since we know it wasn't convenience, I offer a challenge to Hillary supporters in this YouTube segment, especially the numerous writers out there who dislike my political viewpoints in 2016. Do you know why Clinton was the only Secretary of State never to use a State.gov email address and the only Secretary of State to use a private server exclusively? Again, I ask a simple question in this YouTube segment. Finally, with Flint's water supply leading to 87 cases of severe health issues, including 10 fatalities (as well as children suffering health effects) Hillary Clinton's ties to fracking is another reason Bernie won Michigan. A Greenpeace report titled Hillary Clinton's Connection to the Oil and Gas Industry highlights the disconnect between Clinton's words and actions: Fracking company and gas industry trade association lobbyists have also contributed to Clinton's campaign... Another donor is Elizabeth Gore, a lobbyist for WPX energy (fracking). A lobbyist for FTI Consulting, creator of an industry front group called Energy In Depth, also contributed to Clinton's campaign. Although Clinton has said she would require FERC to consider climate change before granting any new gas pipeline permits, she recently told activists she would not ban fracking as president, and has a pro-fracking track record which has been well-documented by numerous groups, including pro-Clinton Super PAC Correct the Record. While Secretary of State, Clinton pushed fracking in countries around the world, through the department's Global Shale Gas Initiative. Bernie Sanders has never taken money from oil and gas corporations. Clinton's various ties to fracking undermined her promises to help Flint's water crisis. Thus, we have one candidate who's a human contradiction. Bill and Hillary Clinton have earned $153 million in Wall Street speaking fees since 2001, yet President Hillary Clinton will be tough on Wall Street. Clinton accepted money from prison lobbyists, yet promises to end mass incarceration. Clinton is viewed as a progressive by some, yet one leading historian in The New York Times says she'll have a "neocon" foreign policy. If all this doesn't add up, that's because it's counterintuitive to trust a Democrat who takes money from Wall Street, espouses a hawkish foreign policy, and accepts prison lobbyist donations. Close up of North Korean flag The following keynote speech was delivered on March 2, at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland. Mr. President,Distinguished delegates, As I stand herein this August chamber of the Conference on Disarmament (CD), it feels like a homecoming after a 16-year-long journey. But it is a quite mixed feeling. Why? Advertisement On the one hand, like the serene landscape of Geneva, time seems to have stopped here while there has been a sea change in the world, for better or worse. On the other hand, this chamber has not lost its charm and potential to relive the good old days of brisk arms control diplomacy here in Geneva, day and night. Since Korea marks its 20th anniversary as a member of the Conference, and the CD stands at a critical juncture,I have come here with a serious and clear message: we support UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's and CD Secretary-General Moeller's efforts for revitalizing the CD,and as a member of the P6, we stand ready to contribute to this end. Mr. President, Over the past four decades, the CD has made manifold contributions in the field of disarmament and arms control. In particular, many of us cherish a fond memory of the mid 1990s when this body was in full gear and crafted groundbreaking, landmark agreements on WMDs, including the CWC and the CTBT. Advertisement For this reason, we all know the CD can play a catalytic role in furthering disarmament and arms control, thereby improving the international security landscape. Unfortunately however, since 1998, the CD has lost steam. Indeed, at the time I left my posting in Geneva in 2002, it was beyond imagination that almost 15 years later, the Conference would still have failed to even adopt its program of work. This abnormal state of affairs, or the new normal of the CD emanating from its inaction, is incurring considerable costs. In particular, the paralysis in the CD is sending out the wrong message on the global non-proliferation regime centered on the NPT. In 2011, at the CD, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that, and I quote, "the continued deadlock has ominous implications for international security. The longer it persists, the graver the nuclear threat - from existing arsenals, from the proliferation of such weapons, and from their possible acquisition by terrorists," unquote. And unfortunately,we are witnessing that his warnings on the nuclear threat are materializing not from the outside, but from within the CD -- because of the DPRK, a member of this Conference. Indeed, North Korea has an unmatched notorious track record. It is the first country which has conducted nuclear tests in this century; it has conducted four nuclear tests and launched six long-range missiles in the last ten years, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and international norms; It is the first country which has developed nuclear weapons programs within the NPT regime and announced its withdrawal from both the IAEA and the NPT; It is the first country which has officially declared itself as a "nuclear-armed state" in its constitution; and it is also the first CD member state which declared itself as "the youngest nuclear weapons state," at this very Conference last year and threatened the "final destruction" of another CD member state, the Republic of Korea, here in this august chamber right after its third nuclear test in February 2013. Advertisement As can be seen from the above, Pyongyang is like a serial offender. It is no wonder that the Security Council will very soon adopt a landmark resolution with the strongest ever non-military sanction measures in seven decades of UN history. This is a clear manifestation of the resolve of the international community to punish North Korea's provocations once and for all. It is also no wonder that some member states raised the issue of the DPRK's qualifications as a peace-loving UN member state, both at the Security Council and General Assembly meetings, in view of its persistent provocations and non-compliance. On top of all this, North Korea has defied and is even now defying UN sanctions and international condemnations by declaring it will continue long-range missile launches. Last week, Pyongyang even stated in public that it will strike the Republic of Korea, as well as the U.S.,to take revenge in stunning and unimaginable ways. Mr. President, The key message I wish to deliver is not just about North Korea, but about its implications on the CD, global non-proliferation and the international community as a whole. First, for the sake of the integrity and credibility of the NPT regime, we should make urgent efforts to stop and roll back North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities in accordance with existing and new UN Security Council resolutions. Even at this moment, Pyongyang is accelerating its nuclear weapons and missile capabilities, from nuclear bombs and hydrogen bombs to ICBMs and SLBMs. We have heard Pyongyang officially state its intention not only to further develop its nuclear weapons and missiles, but also to use them. Advertisement As one defense minister of a CD member state in the southern hemisphere recently remarked, no country in the world is now free from North Korea's nuclear and missile blackmail. Indeed, we are living under Pyongyang's nuclear sword of Damocles, dangling right above our heads. Second, we must strengthen the rule of law in the global non-proliferation and disarmament regime, particularly through ensuring universality and compliance. In this regard, North Korea's nuclear tests are a direct challenge to the CTBT, one of the most significant achievements of the CD. So, I hope that later in June, at the ministerial meeting to be held in the 20th anniversary of the Treaty's adoption, North Korea will be on the top of the agenda. Another important means to strengthen the rule of law in disarmament and non-proliferation is to start FMCT negotiations without further delay. In this regard, the latest proposal for a flexible mandate is worth favorable consideration. Even at this moment, Pyongyang is producing and stockpiling nuclear materials out of the reach of IAEA safeguards. In my view, the FMCT could address such pressing issues, as well as other related aspects of fissile materials. Also, it is crucial that the new Security Council resolution on North Korea, be implemented without delay, without exception and without condition so that we will be able to achieve the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea. Advertisement Third, individual countries should be encouraged to take various and practical steps to work towards our common vision of Global Zero, a world free of nuclear weapons. During the previous Nuclear Security Summit in March 2014, my President spelled out the vision of a nuclear-weapons free Korean peninsula. Since that time, my government has been active in regional and global forums to turn the dreams of a nuclear-weapons free world into a reality. Just before my speech, we heard from the representative of Kazakhstan. Twenty-five years ago, in 1991, the then newly independent Kazakhstan permanently closed the Semipalatinsk Test Site, previously a major site for nuclear weapons testing. Now, Kazakhstan is a good model of non-proliferation, and a rapidly rising economy in its part of the world. This success story is in stark contrast to what is happening in North Korea. Indeed, North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile programs are the greatest threats to peace and security in my part of the world. If we are unable to stop Pyongyang's continued pursuit of a nuclear arsenal, it will fuel vicious cycle of a regional arms race in an already heavily armed region. Mr. President, We are currently living in turbulent times, witnessing the eruption of multiple geopolitical tensions and global challenges. In other words, we face an over-supply of problems and a deficit of solutions. Advertisement Amid these challenges, the CD has an important role to play in promoting international security by fulfilling its mandate of disarmament and arms control. If the impasse in the Conference goes on, it will incur a high cost, going beyond the field of disarmament, especially when the three pillars of the UN - peace and security, development and human rights - should reinforce each other more than ever before. The following statement was delivered on March 2, 2016 at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland Mr. President, This year, we commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Human Rights Council as well as the golden jubilee of the adoption of the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made clear at the Council on Monday, the links between the three pillars of the UN - peace and security, development and human rights - have never been clearer or more relevant in our connected world. When our leaders adopted the SDGs last September in New York, this was a manifestation of the close connection between sustainable development and human rights. Advertisement And when it comes to the link between peace and human rights, we are reminded of the latest annual report by High Commissioner Zeid. It points out that a growing number of conflicts and situations of violence are often the results of deep-rooted discrimination and long-standing patterns of exclusion and lack of freedoms. Over the past decade, the Human Rights Council has been a beacon of hope and a bulwark for the oppressed around the world in defending and promoting human dignity, whoever and wherever they are. On North Korea, Syria and Libya, the Commissions of Inquiry set up by the Council were instrumental in revealing abuses and recommending remedies. On Boko Haram's atrocities and the situation in Burundi too, the Council's special sessions were timely and appropriate. On sexual violence against women during times of conflict, both in the past and in the present, the Council and its predecessor, as well as High Commissioners for Human Rights have played a key role in awakening the conscience of the international community, on one of the most inhumane atrocities. As a member of the Council and as a champion of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, we will continue to contribute to such efforts on the bilateral, regional and global fronts, in order to heal the wounds of the victims and to prevent such tragedies from recurring in the future. Advertisement However, we know there are still many dark corners in our world where violations to human rights and human dignity continue unabated.In Syria, the massive civilian casualties and refugees caused by the upsurge of civil conflicts and violent extremism are now regarded as one of the biggest humanitarian catastrophes since the end of the Second World War. Indeed, we are witnessing how the insecurity in such fragile or failed states become incubators for humanitarian crises and human rights abuses, from displacement and hunger to child soldiers and human trafficking. The deliberate starvation in Madaya, Syria, is one such truly shocking instance. So I welcome the International Syria Support Group's recent agreement on the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian assistance, and hope it will be fully implemented. Mr. President, Even as the international community is sparing no efforts to promote human rights and humanitarianism, we have in our midst a human rights blackhole, namely North Korea. Two years ago, the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report came to a clear conclusion, which I quote, "systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations have been and are being committed by the DPRK, its institutions and officials. In many instances, the violations of human rights found by the commission constitute crimes against humanity," unquote. Advertisement The COI report unambiguously states that North Korea,"a totalitarian state that does not have any parallel in the contemporary world," has manifestly failed to protect its people from crimes against humanity, and urged the international community to accept the responsibility to protect (R2P) North Korean citizens. I believe that we, the international community, should take heed of the COI's powerful message and take action. In the wake of the report, for two consecutive years, both the UN Human Rights Council and the General Assembly adopted robust resolutions on the human rights situation in North Korea. Both in 2014 and 2015, the Security Council put this issue on its agenda and held serious discussions. Already, the OHCHR Office Seoul was opened last June to implement the COI's recommendations. This is an important first step. As time goes by, it will be seen as a key vehicle for improving human rights in North Korea. And now, more than ever, the international community is being warned of how the worsening human rights situation in North Korea poses a threat to peace and security. So,in a follow-up to its discussions on North Korea's human rights situation last year, the new UN Security Council resolution, due to be adopted in a few hours' time in New York is going to express for the first time its deep concern on the grave hardship of North Korean citizens, whose basic needs are not being met. Advertisement Sadly enough, one of the poorest countries in the world is diverting scarce economic resources for WMD development and other military purposes. And it's only the North Korean people who have to suffer and bear the brunt of its consequences. And even as I speak, many North Korean escapees are risking their lives in search of freedom and human dignity. More than any number of words, this grim reality irrefutably reveals the cruel nature of the regime and the oppressive human rights situation in North Korea. If North Korea continues to fail its responsibility to protect its people, it should bear the full consequences of this. We live in "an age of accountability." We hear a growing number of voices calling for accountability for the human rights abuses. Last month, the Special Rapporteur on North Korea's human rights situation, Mr. Darusman, submitted his final report with various proposals, especially those on ensuring accountability. One of the valuable contributions made by Special Rapporteur Darusman is his focus on what he calls North Korea's state-sponsored forced labor abroad. He disclosed how the laborers are working in harsh conditions, with the lion's share of their wages taken away by the regime, and urged the international community to take action. This call was soon echoed by the European Parliament when it passed a timely resolution on North Korea's forced labor on the 21st of January of this year. This resolution urges North Korea to quote, "stop its forced labor program in other countries," and demands that "the international community take concrete action to end the impunity" of "those most responsible for the crimes against humanity committed in the DPRK," unquote. Advertisement On our part, we appreciate the dedication of Special Rapporteur Darusman over the past six years as well as the European Parliament's efforts. The National Assembly in Korea too will soon pass the North Korean Human Rights Act, which will enable us to take further measures to improve the human rights for North Koreans. I believe that now is the time for the international community and the UN's human rights mechanisms to redouble their efforts to improve the human rights situation in North Korea. Mr. President, There have been ups and downs in history, but in the long run it has been the progress of freedom and human rights. From peacekeeping, combating climate change and sustainable development to food, energy, public health and emergency relief, everything we in the international community do has a human face. The Human Rights Council, under the able leadership of the President,can play a key role in the mainstreaming of human rights in all aspects of the UN's work. A rare occurrence happened after a special preview of the feature film Remember, by Atom Egoyan, at JCC Manhattan. The film, about Ze'ev (Christopher Plummer), a survivor with memory loss attempting to hunt down the Nazi who ruined his life, was followed by a conversation with celebrated Director Egoyan, the producer of the film Robert Lantos, and the writer Benjamin August. After a roaring reception by the audience, the final question came from a woman in the front row who is one of our regulars at our weekly Cinematters screening series. As often the case, it was less of a question and more of a comment: She wanted to make sure that the film would open uptown at Lincoln Plaza Cinemas (one of the most popular art house theaters) and not just at the downtown theaters as many films do. For some reason, this brought the audience to erupt into more applause. A moment of uptown pride. Lantos, the producer, did not quite know what to say, but encouraged the audience to write to the uptown theater and make the request. Advertisement Now, I've heard of crowdsourcing. Some distribution sites allow you to screen a film if you build an audience for it. But this was a bit more organic. The distributor, A24, knew they had a film that was receiving huge audience praise. I don't think they ever dreamed that by screening at JCC Manhattan they would get an army behind them. And believe me, it is hard enough to say no to one Jewish mother, can you imagine what it's like to try to deny a Holocaust-themed film from a few hundred of them? That is power. Sure enough, a slot magically opened and the film is opening this weekend at Lincoln Plaza Cinemas on the Upper West Side. What works about Remember is not that it offers a realistic depiction of the Holocaust, as we could see in films like the recent Oscar winner Son of Saul, or any depiction, really. The film in many ways is not a Holocaust film -- it's about the inheritance of trauma and how the memory of the Holocaust has an impact today. This has been a crucial campaign for the memorial of the Holocaust. Never forget. For Robert Lantos, it was crucial to make this film now as "this is the last window to tell this story in the present tense." This film does not look back to Europe, it takes place in America, "in the frame work of today" as Lantos puts it. And it shows us how the impact of the Holocaust very much lives on. Advertisement He chose a director who knows well the topic of genocide and remembrance. Atom Egoyan, one of Canada's most celebrated directors, is of Armenian decent and understands the power of film to establish a reality out of memory. His masterpiece Ararat profoundly explores this topic. But instead of creating a film that establishes memory as fact, he brings us into a world where memory is flawed and unreliable. Ze'ev's journey is not of a clear mind, but rather of man who is having trouble grasping his memory, and in some ways his sanity. For Egoyan, this film is about "how we deal with unresolved history, justice, and testimony." Even though the film is set in modern-day America, Egoyan does not forget his roots. He recognizes how powerful and how insidious memory can be. "When you deny something for so long, it can move from repressed memory to suppressed." In other words, when you continue to deny, it can become as if it never was. He notes how little memory we have of Vietnam. "How easy it is for history to flip and be forgotten." Film has the power to keep memories alive. Egoyan breaks from his familiar non-linear style and makes a more classically told road trip that unfolds as the layers peel away. The result is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that combines Momento with The Boys from Brazil. Now appearing an eight-hour car ride south from the Strait of Gibraltar along Morocco's coast is North Africa's largest new mural. Given its proximity to the eight-mile Africa/Europe divide, the new painting by the London-based Italian Street Artist named RUN addresses the multiple immigration crises that are unfolding before our eyes. "You could identify one figure as European and one as African but I like to think of it in a more universal perspective because migration is an issue worldwide," says the artist Giacomo Bufarini (aka RUN) of his enormous metaphorical piece in Essaouira just a few hundred meters from The Atlantic. Advertisement Giacomo Bufarini for MB6Street Art/Marrakech Biennale 06. Essaouira, Morocco. February 2016. (photo Gastone Clementi) "First of all I could not avoid thinking about Europe and North Africa and all the stuff that is going on with immigration and all the refugees. So I created two continents divided by the sea, or a channel. But those two continents could easily be Mexico and America, they could be China and Mongolia - they can be across with any border. Realized in conjunction with the MB6 Street Art project that runs parallel with the 6th Marrakech Biennale this year, this 6,400 square meter public art piece features two figures communicating with music as the intermediary. Advertisement Video by Gastone Clementi RUN says the regional Gnaoua World Music Festival held in this city for almost two decades provided the inspiration for his theme - not least because this square is one of the multiple sites where hundreds of thousands of fans annually enjoy the often-hypnotic music produced by the pizzicato sounding 3 string bass called Guembri () or sintir (), a camel-skin covered wood instrument that is closely associated with the culture of the Gnawa people. "So the person in the south is playing and the person in the north is listening," says RUN. "He is communicating with the instrument. Also the instrument is placed from one continent to the other so it makes a kind of bridge across the sea. It's kind of subtle but there is a symbolism there." Giacomo Bufarini for MB6Street Art/Marrakech Biennale 06. Essaouira, Morocco. February 2016. (photo Gastone Clementi) In the new video that documents the project, RUN features two musicians who appeared on the square during the 7 day installation, which required 280 liters of paint and 4 assistants, including one speaking to him on a walkie-talkie from a balcony above the square, verbally directing RUN's brushwork. Accustomed to doing almost all of his painting himself and moving fast, RUN divulges that the scope of and the concomitant complications of this week-long "performance" tested his maturity as a person and, somewhat surprisingly, he says that he discovered that he can be very patient. Advertisement Giacomo Bufarini for MB6Street Art/Marrakech Biennale 06. Essaouira, Morocco. February 2016. (photo Gastone Clementi) "I discovered all of my patience with humanity. I am so fucking patient, and I love it," he says, laughing, and explains that he treaures the personal interaction with passersby. "Actually I get really stressed when I am in London and I paint and nobody stops to look, and here many people stop. I mean how many people do you see up on a ladder painting? When they don't stop it's frustrating to me. I mean, come on! Stop! I'm doing something special. I'm not wheat pasting an advertisement on the wall. I don't know, just stop. Why not? The performance is important." Speaking of logistics, he notes that he could not consult the camera work of an overhead aerial drone, a tool that many artists have recently adopted to assess the progress of their large scale public works. "I never was able to do it because the only day that I had a drone was just before I left the city so by then everything was already done." Since this was his largest mural ever and difficult to gauge, he was hoping that his work was in proportion. "I was crossing my fingers to hope that when the drone went up and we were looking at this little monitor to see what we were doing, I would be happy." Advertisement Giacomo Bufarini for MB6Street Art/Marrakech Biennale 06. Essaouira, Morocco. February 2016. (photo Gastone Clementi) He thinks the next time he tries a project like this he will do something geometric. Using reliable measuring devices literally on the ground, RUN says that mathematics will be 90 percent of the next piece, with only a little bit of improvisation, and no need for a drone or someone standing on a veranda above him describing what they see. "In this case mathematics was important but I had to improvise a lot. There was no other way. I was trying to imagine my eye over top of it and to see what I was doing," he says. "It was hard - it was really tricky. I think after the 6th or 7th day I was feeling like, 'Oh my god the painting is winning!' " Brooklyn Street Art: Well as a Street Artist you are always making adjustments; according to the scale of the wall, or the audience, or the weather or the materials... RUN: Exactly, this it the nature of art in the street. You have the control over what you are doing only to a certain degree. Then the weather, the social situation, the place...anything can alter it. Advertisement Giacomo Bufarini for MB6Street Art/Marrakech Biennale 06. Essaouira, Morocco. February 2016. (photo Gastone Clementi) With all the labor you have put into this mural - your preconception, your philosophy, and the actual execution - does it bother you that it is being destroyed as well? No, that was the deal from the beginning. I am precious about pieces that I do on the street, obviously. But I also know that I do not have control over it from the moment that I start. So that sense of perspective comes from your personal history and the work you have done in graffiti and street art over time. Of course, I think that each artist who works on the street wants to have a piece that stays on the street for 50 or 100 years. And maybe that will happen with some of my pieces on the street that are somehow protected by the laws of nature and the randomness of the city. I'm not talking about the scenario where people will try to put a piece of plexi-glass over it. I don't care about that. This piece was meant to be destroyed. This is the nature of this piece. It has to go. I think that the performance is more important. Advertisement Giacomo Bufarini for MB6Street Art/Marrakech Biennale 06. Essaouira, Morocco. February 2016. (photo Gastone Clementi) Our coverage of MB6 Street Art at the Marrakech Biennale is BSA in Partnership with Urban Nation (UN). #urbannationberlin #allnationsunderoneroof #unblog #Marrakesh @mb6streetart #mb6streetart #MarrakeshBiennale #painting #mural #streetart #bkstreetart @bkstreetart BSA<<>>BSA<<>>BSA<<>>BSA<<>>BSA<<>>BSA<<>> Please note: All content including images and text are BrooklynStreetArt.com, unless otherwise noted. We like sharing BSA content for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the photographer(s) and BSA, include a link to the original article URL and do not remove the photographer's name from the .jpg file. Otherwise, please refrain from re-posting. Thanks! BSA<<>>BSA<<>>BSA<<>>BSA<<>>BSA<<>>BSA<<>> This article is also posted on Brooklyn Street Art. Read all posts by Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo on The Huffington Post HERE. See new photos and read scintillating interviews every day on BrooklynStreetArt.com Follow us on Instagram @bkstreetart See our TUMBLR page The Denver Post is an outfit that likes to think of itself as standing up for everyday people, who rightfully worry about the ways the rich take advantage of tax loopholes to get richer, while most people are left treading water and wishing politicians would stand up for them. Yet, when Democrats in the state House pass a bill that moves the fairness needle toward working families, The Post decides to misrepresent their efforts so egregiously you wonder whose gold-plated spoon is feeding the newspaper's editorial board such nonesense. The Democrats' bill, which passed the House along party lines Monday, would simply stop Colorado companies from hiding profits in well-known overseas tax havens, like the Cayman Islands. And the millions of dollars of tax revenue recovered would go to schools--which are the starting point for economic opportunity in America. Advertisement The bill would actually help level the playing field for businesses that abide by the rules, which is the vast majority of them, by making sure their competitors pay the same tax they do. "This bill levels the playing field between those 500,000 companies that pay state income tax and those 200 or 300 that do not," Rep. Mike Foote, D-Lafayette, told the Colorado Springs Gazette. "House Bill 1275 simply says taxes should be paid where profits are made." Yet, somehow, The Post, along with Republicans like Rep. Kevin Priola, R-Brighton, found a way to turn legislation that's about basic fairness into an albatross on Colorado business, even saying the legislation would threaten Colorado jobs. Yes, the legislation requires companies to submit some paperwork when they do business in specific red-flag places like the Cayman Islands. How is that unreasonable, given what we know about the tiny Cayman Islands and the size of the U.S. accounts there? Advertisement The Post thumped it chest and declared that "not even longtime Democratic strongholds like California and New York have such laws. Indeed, California held hearings on the idea a few years ago and declined to go further." That's because the same special interests that want to kill the bill here in Colorado did so successfully in New York and California. But what The Post didn't tell you is that the bill actually factually passed in Montana and Oregon, with bipartisan support. That's bipartisan support from lawmakers, led in Colorado by sponsors Foote and Rep. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood, who decided to do something about one of the most blatant tax loopholes enjoyed by businesses who line their pockets with money that rightfully should be paid as state taxes and thus should be spent on roads, schools, and other important stuff we all need. Paywalls stop research ideas dead in their tracks. These obstructions, while counterproductive to the digital, crowd-accelerated innovation world we inhabit, have a distinct purpose: corporate profit margins. For-profit academic publishers in 2015 accumulated $25.2 billion in profit. While this opulence helps to uncork many bottles of champagne for publisher board members looking for solid return on investment, that profit margin does less for society looking to solve complex problems with access to cutting edge information. Students David Carroll and Joe McArthur, along with a handful of colleagues, recently pushed the open data movement forward with their release of an open access directed app called the Open Data Button. This new button helps users work around paywalls in order to gain access to research data that isn't readily available online. The Open Data Button, and the data generated through the service, allows reproducibility to take a front and center conversation in academic and scientific circles. If all goes as planned, with the click of the button, researchers will be able to reveal the lack of access to a particular data set not only to their peers, but to the entire open access community. McArthur says that he and his colleagues take the brunt of the work in order to uncover access to the locked data. McArthur says that his team knows of unique repositories that the average user may not be aware of and, if necessary, will even reach out to researchers and scholars to uncover the data on their own. Once the sought data set is located, all of the researchers that identified the blockage of access will be notified and delivered the desired data. Advertisement "This app really grew out of the frustration that my co-founder and I had as students not being able to access information," says McArthur. "We were trying to do cutting edge research and really make a difference, but we couldn't access the basic things we needed." McArthur's research dilemma is not an uncommon problem. Brian Nosek, a professor at the University of Virginia, saw first-hand similar problems associated with paywalls and non-access. Nosek says, "I was in Serbia giving a talk at the University of Belgrade to people in the psychology department, which is my area of research. I noticed most of the graduate students were doing research in the topic that I study: implicit cognition. I was like, 'Oh, wow. How is it that so many people are studying this particular area?' as I was talking to all the graduate students. And they said, It's because we can access the papers. This sub-area of research has the practice that all the researchers put their papers online so we can get them -- so we can be up with the literature and data. That is why we study this area." "States are doomed when they are unable to distinguish good men from bad." -- Antisthenes There is a growing sense in this country of the electorate that both the Democratic and Republican parties are just the same. A prevailing symptom of this cynical malady that voters have in the U.S. is lower voter turnout, especially in off-year elections. But it has become self-evident with the rise of candidates like Donald Trump that this cynicism has reached epic proportion. Trump's base, ignoring racist remarks, seemingly incalculable unrealistic ideas and the heretofore unforgivable rudeness that neither deter their support or examine their own shifting morality. To just focus on Donald Trump's attractiveness to Republican and independent voters would not do justice in determining if the two party's Republicans and Democrats are more or less the same. That would be far too superficial, for Trump is the result of a GOP that has turned a deaf ear to reasonableness even to some in their own party. The presidential election has taken very different tenors by each party. On the Democratic side, Secretary Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders will at times have attacked each other (and mainly on policy positions or establishment vs. revolution) but have been faithful to outlining the issues faced in 2016 America. In contrast, with the establishment of the Republican party fearing a Donald Trump candidacy, the front-running candidates Trump, Rubio and Cruz have turned rallies and debates into their worst fears. Carnival acts from the 19th century like General Tom Thumb or the conjoined Jones Twins would have difficulty creating more shock value than the verbiage and the actions of these three candidates. As the lowering of intelligent discussion continues the indictment of the Republican party grows stronger. This is a party that would rather debase their opponent then debate issues that affect the country. In 2016 the lines of distinction became even sharper with the candidacy of Donald Trump in exhibiting a message and demeanor in direct contrast to Hillary Clinton. While Trump talks of building walls, Clinton respond with breaking down barriers. As protesters are treated violently at Trump rallies, Clinton pleads for more love and kindness. And where Trump and all the current Republican candidates remain silent on the contaminated water crisis in Flint, Michigan, Sanders and Clinton have given voice to what is a disaster with the same racial component as Hurricane Katrina. Democratic candidates for president have imperfections. However, not being able to distinguish good (even an imperfect good) and bad has dire consequences for society. One issue that will inevitably be undeserved, but was on the radar in 2015, was heroin addiction. Here is but one issue that illuminates their divergence. Advertisement With an eye on the early primary in New Hampshire, Democrat and Republicans addressed the rise of heroin use in the U.S. In New Hampshire this epidemic is particularly high. Yet even though some of the Republican candidates (Carly Fiorina, Jeb Bush, etc.) have had their families experience the dangers of drug abuse, their unspeakable calculus for bringing help and understanding of those with addiction is without compassion. The remaining candidates for President in the GOP are only in favor of tightening border security and believe the criminality of drug use should remain. Imprisoning more and more people for drug offenses to an already overcrowded prison system that houses more people in prison per capita than any nation on earth. Conversely, Democrats' corrective approach begins with the person addicted to drugs. Clinton and Sanders have agreed that America's addiction problem should be treated as a health issue rather than a criminal issue. Clinton cited her a 10-billion dollar plan to address the opioid epidemic. An epidemic magnified in lower income communities where heroin can be accessed more readily and less expensively than other opioids such as Oxycontin or Percocet as painkillers. Clinton added "the policing needs to change. First responders, including police and firefighters, must carry the antidote to a heroin or opioid overdose." Advertisement One of the recurring surprises of life among the grocery aisles is discovering that an item has suddenly moved to a new location. It just happened at my store with the Quicos. They're big kernels of roasted corn imported from Spain, and for a long time they were near the olive bar in a display case stocked with gourmet almonds, fried fava beans, and other salty snacks. Now they're somewhere else. As often happens, I learned about this relocation from a puzzled customer. "They used to be over there," he said, motioning toward the olive bar, "but I couldn't find them." I call these situations "Landru moments." Fans of the original Star Trek should recognize that name immediately. In an episode entitled "Return of the Archons," Captain Kirk and a landing party beamed down to a planet where culture had been totally static for centuries. They finally learned that in the distant past, a ruler named Landru had created a massive computer to maintain order and stability after he died, so everything stayed exactly the same year after year. It caused serious social problems for the inhabitants, but I've always thought shopping on that planet must have been a breeze. Every neighborhood Landru-Mart must have had all items stocked in the same spots forever and no customer would ever exclaim, "Hey! What happened to the Quicos?" Advertisement Yes, I definitely have too much information crashing around in my head, but it means I get to use Landru as an anti-role model. Instead of opposing change, my goal is to keep pace with it so as to minimize whatever consternation or confusion our customers experience when merchandise gets moved around. Even when the move involves a fairly small distance, like ten feet, shopping patterns can be seriously disrupted. I used to put challah bread on a display rack situated on the left side of the main bakery counter. Then we got a new shelf that was slightly wider than the old one, so we had to position it on the right side of the counter. This all happened months ago but every day I still get approached by shoppers who look worried and ask, "Where did the challah go?" or "I don't see any challah--did you stop carrying it?" Unexpected changes have a tendency to puncture the human comfort zone and cause momentary disorientation. My standard response is to nod, smile, and point toward the new rack. I'll keep doing it as long as they keep asking. Could Crystal Sheree Hamilton have known her high school sweetheart, Ronald Hamilton, would be her demise? Would it matter if she did? On a recent stroll through my neighborhood in Northern Virginia, 18 miles from where Crystal Hamilton was killed, these and other questions recycled endlessly in my sometimes anxious mind. I couldn't help but wonder what Crystal might have been doing if she were alive. In the same way one watches a thriller and hopes the protagonist escapes a deadly pursuer, I kept wondering if today could have been the day Crystal escaped her abusive partner. Maybe she was trying to leave on the day she was killed. Advertisement As an outside observer, it's impossible to know the answers to these questions, but they stem from an attempt to make sense of a tragedy that is utterly incomprehensible. Hamilton was supposed to spend the evening of Saturday, February 28 with friends. Instead, she was fatally wounded by her husband, an active duty Army staff sergeant. Aside from the particulars about her murder, there are several aspects of this case that are striking. First, while we know her in death, many of us do not know Crystal in life. Who was she? What were her passions and dreams for the future? I've repeatedly scanned the news waiting for an in-depth story to illuminate Crystal's story. Aside from a couple of articles on InsideNova.com, I haven't seen it. I'm struck by the limited media coverage of the 29-year-old daughter, mother, wife, and care provider to wounded warriors. As of this writing, many of the headlines - with the exception of Jamilah Lemieux's thoughtful analysis on Ebony.com -- connected to Crystal's murder have focused on Prince William County Police Officer Ashley Guindon who was fatally killed as she and other responding officers, Jesse Hempen and David McKeown, arrived on scene to aid Crystal. These officers were ambushed, and it's appropriate to highlight their sacrifice. It's equally important to remember Crystal. Next, Crystal is linked in spirit and story to hundreds of thousands of other victims and survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence (DV/IPV). American women comprise 85 percent of the estimated 1.3 million domestic or intimate partner violence cases each year. Crystal's death highlights the unique challenges facing victims of DV/IPV, especially African American women. In a world where racism pervades nearly every aspect of our lives, Black women are particularly vulnerable. Black women are almost three times as likely to experience death as a result of DV/IPV than White women. While Black women make up just 8 percent of the population, 22 percent of homicides that result from DV/IPV happen to Black Women. As such, domestic and intimate partner violence is one of the leading causes of death for Black women ages 15 to 35. Yet our stories do not always receive the attention they deserve. This is particularly disturbing given, "most homicides against Black women are not committed by strangers, but by males known to the victims," according to the Violence Policy Center. Advertisement This data alone won't necessary keep domestic violence sufferers safe. It does, however, place into context the vulnerability of Black women who are in controlling and abusive relationships. Next, even as this case places murder -- the ultimate consequence of domestic and intimate partner violence at the forefront -- there are a host of other types of abuse including stalking, and verbal, emotional, financial and sexual abuse that warrant attention. As a society, we may be conditioned to see abuse as physical in nature, but one can be terribly abused with or without physical violence. Every news story about domestic violence should include the variegated forms of abuse. Finally, as we remember Crystal, we should never forget the women (and men) who stand in the shadows as victims of domestic and intimate partner violence. For anyone who has been a victim of DV/IPV, or for those who love individuals battered by significant others, the fear of death is always within reach. Even as we know Crystal Hamilton's name, who are the others? To support Crystal's family during their time of bereavement, consider making a donation. Jennifer R. Farmer is managing director for communications for the racial justice organization Advancement Project. Advertisement LOS ANGELES - At what can best be described as a one-percenter wine dinner, I was entrenched in deep conversation about the election with some close friends. A smattering of real estate developers, financiers, entrepreneurs and Hollywood types. The conversation inevitably turned to the presidential race and our collective fears about a Trump vs. Sanders showdown. Visual provided by Fra.ctl, Andrea Rodriguez Then it finally hit me. This is indeed not a nightmare. In fact, it is something to celebrate. Why? Because the one percenters and the intelligentsia are exactly that, a very, very small minority. Why should the one percent be able to so strongly influence presidential candidates based upon who will continue policies that have shrunk the middle class and may make the gulf between the wealthy and working class even wider? Make no mistake, I personally am not supporting Donald Trump, or Bernie Sanders. That said, I am happy, yes, happy, to accept a Trump vs. Sanders race. The general population, the millennials, the silent majority, the working class, poor and underprivileged, the other 99 percent is speaking, loudly and clearly: they are tired of the professional politicians, they don't trust them as far as they can throw them, they have had it. They want tellers of truth and candidates who truly call them as they see them. Trump and Sanders are perceived to fit this bill and this explains their unexpected strength in the primaries and the polls. I do believe Bernie Sanders is genuine (and five million individual donors have voted with their wallets already on that note), not sure Donald Trump will actually do what he claims (in fact I hope not) but that is not the issue. Americans are finding Trump's version of calling them as he sees them to be a breath of fresh air. They like the candor, they like the political incorrectness, and they like the fact that he is not aggressively soliciting their campaign contributions. Advertisement Visual provided by Fra.ctl, Andrea Rodriguez I am ready to celebrate and embrace this. After all, this is what America was intended to be when the framers of our Constitution designed the world's greatest democracy. The People speak at the polls, and they should be able to overpower special interests and other wealthy and powerful influencers who have their own agendas. The only corollary to this is that sometimes letting "the people's will" prevail has been met with disastrous consequences, as my friend Diane Zeiger, always an astute observer of things political, points out. "Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, Cuba's Fidel Castro, Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini and the Arab Spring countries of Egypt, Yemen and Libya...on some level all were based upon the concept of free stuff for the people. Free stuff is only free until it isn't anymore. Venezuela is a great example of this," Ms. Zeiger reminds us. Thus the will of the people must be balanced with the tenets of a true democracy. Consider the following list of what makes a democracy, from Law and Democracy. This is a terrific assessment and litmus test if you will of how to judge whether a government truly practices the basic principles of democratic law: Visual provided by Fra.ctl, Andrea Rodriguez You can insert the name of many of the world's most important countries and by the time they reach number one, Citizen Participation, or number three, Political Tolerance, the buzzer goes off and they are already eliminated. How about China, where President Xi Jinping recently ordered the entire country's media outlets to act as his personal PR machine...or else? Or Thailand, where according to BBC News, since May of 2014 the military has taken control of the democratically-elected government because of widespread corruption, and suspended the constitution in order to restore order and enact political reforms. Or Russia, where Vladimir Putin is trying to reconstruct the USSR and his political challengers have a convenient habit of disappearing or mysteriously dying. Or Turkey, where Recep Erdogan, who has been in power for over 13 years, seems to make new laws designed to keep him in power, even when elections and public opinion say otherwise. The list goes on...it seems like true democracy is becoming more of a scarce commodity than in recent decades. Advertisement Thus it really does make me proud to be an American when I see the groundswell of frustration with our clearly non-functional partisan political situation in Washington beget Trump and Sanders campaigns that continue to gain momentum. As the saying goes, it is the will of the People. It is a mandate, to borrow from the classic film Network, "We're mad as hell and we're not going to take this anymore." Visual provided by Fra.ctl, Andrea Rodriguez elephant carries a flag USA, isolated on white background The Soviet Union seemed permanent and invincible, until it didn't. When it fell, far more suddenly than anyone thought it would or could, the festering rot of decades was exposed to the world. We're seeing this happen, in real time, with the Republican Party. Watching Donald Trump's march through the GOP primaries can seem a little like watching the end of the world, or at least the end of American democracy. But non-conservatives surely feel some Schadenfreude in the efforts of horrified Republicans to disavow Trump and to figure out how he could possibly have happened to their party. Advertisement The split the Republicans are facing is fundamental, deep, and of their own making. Even smart conservatives like Robert Kaganwho points out that mainstream Republicans are to blame for the Trump phenomenon, because they fought Obama with obstructionism and shutdowns, and did not check the blatant racism and xenophobia at the grassrootsdon't fully get it. Kagan is not wrong, but he misses the big picture. When Paul Krugman, speaking for the liberals, points out that Trump is no more a flimflam man than "respectable" party leaders such as Paul Ryan, he has also gotten hold of a part of the truth. But the whole truth is bigger and deeper. What is going on here? The Republican Party has prospered by building an alliance of vastly different constituencies, and it's managed to trick them into thinking it can serve all of their interests. Lately part of that coalition has become un-tricked, and Donald Trump has been there for them. It's important to remember what the core of the Republican Party stands for, as we have known it since its Reagan-era resurgence. Not very much, really. The mainstream party is committed to the idea that profit is earned only by capital, not labor; and that therefore labor should properly have no share in or say over the disposition of any part of an enterprise's profit. This belief has several corollaries. One is the economic necessity of smashing unions, since any effort to empower labor is by definition "rent seeking." Another is the moral necessity of slashing the social safety net, since any backdoor redistribution of profits to working people undercuts the rightful reward to capital (and therefore the free market system itself, the system by which everyone gets what he or she deserves.) Another is the need to shift the responsibilities of regulation and governance itself away from, well, government, and towards unelected, unmandated private enterprisesince who can better know what business needs to prosper than business itself? Still another is the need to shift the costs of business onto the public, since the return to capital is sacrosanct and deserving of public subsidy. Advertisement But the mainstream Republican elites are concerned with class warfare, not race warfare (except in the sense that, by waging war on working people, they disproportionately hurt members of minority groups, and especially black people, who arefor obvious historical reasonsdisproportionately represented among the poor and powerless.) They don't care much about social issues like abortion or gay rights. They don't want to foist creationism on the public schools. They're not heavily invested in the Second Amendment, except insofar as guns are a business issue. The traditional Republican leaders like Bob Dole, Jack Kemp, Mitt Romney, John McCain, all of the Bushesthey all tried to steer clear of these issues when not talking to evangelical audiences, always seemed a little uncomfortable with them. The problem for the Republican elites is that they can't win without the Reagan coalition: the hangers-on for whom Guns, God, and "traditional marriage" matter, and matter a great deal. Because really, how many Americans would vote for a party that promised to deny them healthcare, libraries, schools, roads, and retirement, and to make them slaves to their employers"but you'll have freedom!"? Reagan won with the support of the surging evangelical movement; with the defection from the Democrats of southern and working-class whites disoriented by desegregation in the South and busing in the North; and with the sympathy of libertarians who somehow thought that unelected businessmen without mandate nor public responsibility could be entrusted with the power that elected, answerable officials could not be. And through 35 years of Republicans fighting for the rich and powerful, we've seen more and more wealth going to the rich, more and more power going to the powerful. In the wake of the well-deserved 2008 electoral repudiation of their party, the party doubled down on this strategy. The elites turned to seemingly outside auxiliaries to strengthen their slipping grip on power. And so was born the Tea Party, a supposedly populist and spontaneous know-nothing movement, paradoxically incited and encouraged by mainstream Republicans and heavily funded and directed by the industrialist Koch Brothers and a web of their captive institutions, such as Americans for Prosperity, The Cato Foundation, The Heritage Foundation, and former Congressional leader Dick Armey's FreedomWorks. Advertisement The Republican Party cynically stood by and encouraged the "birthers" (prominent among them Donald Trump), the deranged Ron Paul libertarians, the gun nutsthe whole crowd of obsessives who looked at Barack Obama's center-right presidency (not much to distinguish his domestic policies from those of, say, Richard Nixon) and saw an administration bent on destroying America, led by a Muslim Communist Kenyan usurper. Although the elites always tried to keep a little daylight between themselves and the more bizarre Tea Party elements, know-nothingism was so powerful with that Muslim Communist radical America-hating black nationalist in office, and core Republican economic values so threadbare in the wake of the economic collapse of 2008, and supply-side economics so discredited with the recovery that benefited the investor class but not the working class, that the tail began to wag the dog more and more. The Tea Party radicals weren't having the rising Republican elite leader Eric Cantor. They weren't having John Boehner as House Speaker, and they weren't having Kevin McCarthy as his replacement. Speaker Paul Ryan is watching his back. Marco Rubio has fallen out of Tea Party favor, because he proved, for one brief shining wavering moment, less xenophobic than they needed him to be. Senator Ted Cruz keeps one step ahead of Tea Party pitchforks only by tacticslike shutting down the government over funding the ACAthat enrage his colleagues and damage the Republican party with mainstream voters. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has to engage in bizarre and strategically insane obstructionism, such as refusing to give any Obama Supreme Court nominee even a hearingobstructionism he may come to regret in the very likely event of a Hillary Clinton presidency and a Democratic Senate. In short, the elites have outsmarted themselves. What we are seeing now in the Republican party is the revolt of those who were used, taken for granted, thought to be expendable. The very group that the mainstream party groomed, paid, and empowered (disproportionately the white working class and struggling lower middle class) have started to figure out that people like Mitt Romneywho dedicated his entire professional career to stripping wealth from them and giving it to the investor classdon't really have their interests at heart. It is a measure of the panicked incompetence of the Republicans that Romney, with his dressage horses and his car elevators and his offshore tax shelters, is an almost comically poorly-chosen messenger for the "Trump is a phony" message. Whether or not they fully understand that they were robbed by Republican clients and policies, by Goldman Sachs and the subprime lenders and the agenda of tax cuts, deregulation, special treatment for hedge fund managers, and opposition to a living wage, the white working-class Trumpians have started to understand that they were robbed; and in spite of an enormous amount of Republican misdirection about how the financial collapse was really due not to free-market deregulation but to those evil Democrats' insistence that unqualified black and Hispanic people have access to mortgage markets, they're not really buying even this desperate appeal to nonsense. Advertisement Because they have more emotionally satisfying nonsense now. Trump is not asking his followers to be better people. He's not asking them to sacrifice for their country or do the right thing. He's not asking them to accept the infallible invisible hand. Quite the opposite. He's telling them that they can have a government that is not their enemy, not the enemy of working class and middle class whites, a government that does not want to steal from them and give their labor to the richand they can have their bullying racism and xenophobia and resentment. They can have healthcareafter some fashionand their guns! Foodstamps and homophobia! When Trump talks about torture, when he talks about his willingness to commit war crimes, he doesn't have to solemnly dress this up in the garb of national security or keeping Americans safe; he can propose it just for the fun of it. Republicans who defended Bush Justice Department lawyer John Yoo's claim that, if he felt it necessary, the President could order that a child's testicles be crushed might well want to think about this, and how we got here. Trump doesn't care, his supporters note, about "political correctness"he can say any damn thing he likes. As with Sarah Palin, they are happy when he makes no historical or political sense: he's sticking it to the elites! Those damn intellectuals sipping their lattes and worried about facts and history and reality and such, looking down on ushell with them! Much to the alarm of the GOP and its leaders, "them" is them as much as it is Barack Obama or Nancy Pelosi. Trump is the Republican id unleashed, triumphantly regnant over the dry neoliberal Republican superego. He is a liberator of the passions. Who cares about his three wives or four bankruptcies? Republican elites can complain about this as much as they like. The National Review columnists who call Trump a Democrat (as they understand Democrats) are right to dismiss his conservative credentials, but they don't understand that that's not the point. The Tea Party radicals aren't choosing Trump because they think he's a conservative. They're choosing him because they've finally realized that the mainstream Republican Party is their enemy, and has been using them and laughing through its sleeve at them for years. As one Trump supporter put it, "We know who Donald Trump is, and we're going to use Donald Trump to either take over the G.O.P. or blow it up." The Party elites are now in the uncomfortable position of having to denounce Trump's racism, understanding that they may have to give up the populist utility that racism has had for them over the years. Speaker Paul Ryan solemnly intones "This party does not prey on people's prejudices." It doesn't? After Nixon's "Southern strategy," after Reagan kicked off his 1980 campaign with a speech about "state's rights" at the Neshoba County fairgrounds in Mississippi, after "welfare queens" and Willie Horton and sabotaging public education and privatizing the prison system, after redistricting designed to isolate and marginalize the political power of minority groups, after equating Black Lives Matter with cop killers and standing squarely against voting rights and immigrants' rights and gay civil rights and same-sex marriage... well, Ryan's claim rings more than a bit hollow. Advertisement While Ryan and the Republicans need the people whose prejudices they have been preying on for decades, they can't have them anymore. Donald J. Trump has them. And the old guard recognizes Trump for what he is: the biggest threat to their cultural and political hegemony that has come along in quite some time. Trump is harnessing the forces of fear and bigotry, but only in the service of himself. This may well blow up in his face, but the elites know that he's going to drag them down with himbecause, in being entirely un-subtle about what he's doing, he's making painfully clear how much they've relied on the subtle manipulation of the masses and how much they've used those masses. Trump, for all the danger he represents, is exposing certain highly unpleasant truths. It's weird to say it, but in a sense this is a clarifying and salutary development: we are seeing all the hidden wires in the magician's act. But it is also tremendously destructive. The danger is not so much that Trump will ride this con to powerhe won't, in all likelihood. The danger is that social trust, consensus, and a general sense of the decency of the process will be unrecoverable for some time. We may be entering a period of angry political chaos. Strike that; we're already in one. And the next Trump to come along, whoever he may be, will find the ground prepared for him. He may be more successful than this one. Advertisement It doesn't have to be like this. It is barely possible that the Republicans can save themselves, and undo some of the damage they've done. Maybe a better, stronger Republican Party will emerge from the ashes of the Trump debacle, a party that has truly disavowed its pragmatic appeals to prejudice, a party that has shed its white supremacist and religious fundamentalist auxiliaries and left them to form their own fringe parties. But in order to do this, in order to survive without the constituencies that have now rejected the Republicans, the party will, at its core, have to stand for something other than the rich and powerful against the poor and powerless. It can still respect market forces. It can still be on guard against government overreach. But it will have to accept that labor has rights, dignity, and claims, and it will have to work for true, broad-based, sustainable, and fairly-distributed economic prosperity. It will have to become something other than what it is now. Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, waves after speaking during a campaign event in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, scored an upset win over Clinton in the Michigan Democratic primary, overcoming the double-digit lead she held in polls ahead of the vote and proving he can win in a diverse industrial state. Photographer: Ty Wright/Bloomberg via Getty Images Republican Donald Trump was the big winner in the presidential contests Tuesday in Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii. But former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton narrowly lost to Senator Bernie Sanders in Michigan because she underperformed with working-class white male voters, a group Trump does well with. This portends a serious problem for Clinton should she face Trump in the November presidential election. Trump's victories came at a time when many political pundits predicted that he was peaking in the polls. Trump endured a massive advertising campaign financed by political action committees trying to knock him out. He withstood attacks from leaders of the Republican establishment. He even overcame perceived gaffes, including comparisons to Adolph Hitler. Nothing could dissuade loyal Trump supporters from voting for him. Advertisement Anger is the fuel of Trump-mania. Many Republican voters are totally fed up with the gridlock in Washington. Many dislike President Barack Obama, but many feel betrayed by Republicans in Congress who have not fulfilled their promises. And no group is more angry than working-class voters who feel left behind. From 1973 to 2013, the hourly wages of middle-wage workers were stagnant, rising just 6 percent, or less than .02 percent per year. Meanwhile, the annual wages for the top 1 percent have grown 138 percent since 1979. Jobs are also an important issue for voters this election. While Michigan employment has been increasing over the past four years, it has recovered only 40 percent of the industrial jobs lost during the recession. The North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, which was signed by President Bill Clinton, has resulted in nearly a quarter-million lost manufacturing jobs in Michigan. Senator Sanders and Trump both have been harshly critical of NAFTA and the recent Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, which Clinton only recently announced her opposition to. Trump has appealed to millions of disheartened Americans without having to provide much in the way of specifics on issues. He is a brash outsider who many voters think "tells it like it is." They are fed up with U.S. immigration policy. Despite a lack of details, they believe Trump will deport eleven million immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally, and they believe he will build a wall along the Mexican border and get Mexico to pay for it. Trump supporters have overlooked the growing scandal surrounding Trump University, his petulant name calling and personal insults, and even his flip flops on key issues. Trump will need to get 60 percent of the remaining delegates in the upcoming presidential contests in order to reach the 1237 delegates needed to secure the Republican presidential nomination. Given his surprising performance Tuesday, and the fact that he has won so many southern states, where Texas Senator Ted Cruz was favored, and he is doing well among evangelicals and conservatives, it will be hard to stop him from achieving his goal. In fact, Trump has already begun the task of mending fences with the GOP establishment. Advertisement On the other hand, given her huge lead in the delegate count, it is very likely that Hillary Clinton will get her party's nomination. Her closely contested race with Sanders is but a tepid warmup for her likely clash with Donald Trump. Trump will relentlessly attack Clinton on foreign policy, like Libya and Benghazi, on women's issues, on President Bill Clinton's affairs, on the Clinton foundation, on emails, on Goldman Sachs speaking fees, and more. Trump has had a major impact on the large Republican primary turn out so far, and on mobilizing working-class voters, as well as independents and Democrats. These are the voters Clinton will need to be elected president in November, especially in the key states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Illinois. While recent polls indicate that Clinton beats Trump in a head to head match up, it would be wise not to bet against Donald Trump. On the other hand, in his book, The Art of the Deal, Trump wrote, "You can't con people, at least not for long. You can create excitement, you can do wonderful promotion and get all kinds of press, and you can throw in a little hyperbole." He then concluded, "But if you don't deliver the goods, people will eventually catch on." On Wednesday, February 24, the Republican dominated House Judiciary Committee voted 17-10 along party lines to require the State Department to take action to designate the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) a foreign terrorist organization. The move would be welcomed by Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Sisi led a military backed coup that overthrew Egypt's first democratically elected president, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, in 2013, dissolved the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated and democratically elected parliament. The UAE, a staunch political and financial supporter of the coup had designated the MB as a terrorist group in 2014. The Congressional hearing was extraordinarily brief. As two members of the committee pointed out, it completely ignored the usual process of expert testimony from the State Department, intelligence agencies and Middle East and terrorism experts. For more than 30 years, Muslim Brotherhood affiliated movements and parties have been a force for democratization and stability in the Middle East. MB affiliated parties promoted and contested elections in Muslim majority countries as far flung as Morocco and Indonesia. Advertisement The United States' official policy has been to encourage democratization and reform. For reasons of realpolitik and national interests, the United States maintains friendly relations with several autocratic regimes. If the US designates the MB as an FTO, the signal sent to masses of Muslims is that the United States welcomes autocracy, but not democratization. There is no credible evidence that MB affiliates are engaged in violence. A controversial review of the MB by the UK government, somewhat similar to a requirement under the Republican proposal, could not arrive at evidence of complicity in violence. The Muslim Brotherhood has long been a strong opponent of oppressive dictatorships and radical Muslim extremists. It led the historic opposition to the regime of Bashar al-Asad's father in Syria and was the only organized opposition to Qaddafi in Libya. Today, groups associated with the Brotherhood provide support for the Saudi-US supported campaign against the Iranian-supported Houthi in the current conflict in Yemen, as well as opposing the branches of al-Qa'ida and IS/ISIS in that country. Legislation claiming to identify the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization would deny American policy makers access to an important resource in the war against IS/ISIS. Advertisement Putting the Muslim Brotherhood in the same general category as the so-called Islamic State (IS/ISIS) would be a victory for the extremists because it would take away from the United States an important resource in the battle against IS/ISIS. The defeat of the so-called Islamic State is a high priority for the United States. Success in this effort must be multi-dimensional. Direct military action is important in existing conflicts like those in Syria and Iraq, but the real defeat of IS/ISIS requires the ability to stop the organization's recruitment of people for their cause from around the world. This broader effort, like the military effort, requires strong and credible Muslim voices that represent the full spectrum of the global Muslim community. Actions that compete effectively with the IS/ISIS recruitment efforts go beyond the activities of old political establishments. The most effective refutations of IS/ISIS propaganda come from activist groups with religious credibility, like the Muslim Brotherhood, which has long opposed extremist militancy and is itself a target of extremist attacks. Indeed, both Al Qaeda and ISIS have criticized and condemned the Brotherhood's moderate approach and participation in mainstream and democratic electoral politics rather than advocating the violent revolutionary change in Egypt. In the twenty-two months after Egypt's July 2013 coup, there were more than 700 attacks across Egypt compared to 90 attacks in the previous twenty-two months. Human Rights Watch reported a figure of 41,000 political prisoners (mostly members of the Muslim Brotherhood), were tortured. According to Amnesty International, Egypt issued 509 death sentences in 2014, the second highest number in the world.(FOOT NOTE #1) Egypt's Sisi regime has set records for state violence, repression, mass arrest, imprisonment and death sentences exceeding anything known in modern Egyptian history.(FOOT NOTE #2) Consider the August 2013 massacre of 817 civilians at Rabaa Square. The military -- according to a major Human Rights Watch investigation -- "systematically and deliberately killed largely unarmed protesters on political grounds" in actions that "likely amounted to crimes against humanity". The report recommended that, "senior Egyptian security officials be held accountable" -- including Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, Egypt's then defense minister and new president who had overall responsibility for the army's role at Rabaa. (FOOT NOTE #3) Advertisement The number of young people radicalized by these events is difficult to measure. To the extent that anecdotal evidence, media reports and trends on social media are a reflection of this tendency, it is accurate to state that Egypt has become a breeding ground for radical Islamism. Marc Lynch has argued that, notwithstanding the Muslim Brotherhood's social conservatism and illiberalism, they performed an important role as a "firewall against extremism." (FOOT NOTE #4) A politically active Egyptian with a religious identity could find expression in the public sphere by joining the Muslim Brotherhood and participating in electoral politics. Since the coup and the attempt to eradicate the Muslim Brotherhood, this option no longer exists. The two choices that remain for Egyptian youth are: 1) to remain silent and accept the current neo-fascist order, or 2) to contemplate joining a utopian revolutionary political project such as ISIS. There is no third alternative.(FOOT NOTE #5) Tales from Egypt's notorious prison system confirm this argument. Mohammad Soltan, an Egyptian-American, was twenty-five years old when he was arrested in the summer of 2013. He spent twenty-one months in jail; during sixteen of these months, Soltan was on a hunger strike. He lost 160 pounds, risking organ failure. When he emerged from prison he could not walk. In a special New York Times profile, he discussed the torture and brutality he faced but also revealed details of the internal political debates among prisoners: several of his cellmates were ISIS supporters.(FOOT NOTE #6) "They walked around with a victorious air," he recalled. They would frequently point to supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and state: "look, you idiots, your model doesn't work." The ISIS supporters would then proceed to "make very simple arguments telling us that the world doesn't care about [democratic] values and only understands violence." He also noted that because "of the gravity of the situation [we] were all in, by the time the ISIS guys were finished speaking, everyone, the liberals, the Brotherhood people, would be left completely speechless. When you're in that type of situation and don't have many options left, for some people these kinds of ideas start to make sense." US National Interest Designating the MB as an FTO breaks ranks with all democratic allies and aligns the United States with Russia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Syria. The US would be perceived as supporting and propping up entrenched Arab regimes and an Egyptian government that came to power through a coup and has engaged in widespread repression, violence and the violation of human rights as documented by major human rights organizations. This would have a negative impact on the image of the US. It would reinforce the long held belief in the Arab and Muslim world and beyond that the US practices a double standard, "democratic exceptionalism," when it comes to the promotion of democracy, human rights, freedom of expression? Indeed, President George W. Bush, and his representatives Colin Powell and Richard Hass, made that very point in legitimating the US invasion and toppling of Saddam Hussein, acknowledging that US presidents, democrats and Republicans, had practiced democratic exceptionalism. Failure to encourage a process of democratization and human rights by supporting mainstream civil society organizations and non-violent Islamic movements and political parties in the Arab world would play into the hands of terrorists who would use it in their recruitment etc. Tunisia represents the one shining prospect for democratization and stability in the Middle East and provides an alternative model to that of Egypt. Tunisia's Ennahda, the MB-inspired movement is currently the largest political party in the Tunisian parliament Designating the MB as an FTO may have the problematic consequence of limiting US officials' interaction with arguably the most important prospect for democracy in the Middle East. Rached Ghannouchi, Ennahda's leader, has observed that the "only way to truly defeat ISIS is to offer a better product to the millions of young Muslims in the world." It is called "Muslim democracy." He noted that that most "young people don't like ISIS--see how many millions flee from it--but they won't accept life under tyrants either." This "better product" must be a political system that is democratic, that respects human rights and that gives Islamic values political space. It is not a coincidence that ISIS emerged and attracted followers after the crushing of the Arab Spring, highlighting the relationship between democratization and violence. John F. Kennedy in 1962 articulated the simplest formulation of this insight in modern politics: "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." June 23 Britons will decide whether to stay in the EU or to quit, a referendum that could have momentous consequences for a divided UK and for the rest of Europe, a move that is being watched by every nation in the world as evidence that globalization has stalled. The rapid spread of information of technology has made it almost impossible for governments to control cross border capital flows or regulate the production, marketing and distribution of multinational enterprise. Perhaps more importantly, most economists see globalization as the engine of world economic growth and prosperity. Indeed, many point to the formation of the European Union (EU) as one of the more striking examples of the need to think globally to survive in the new economy. The term "globalization" has been around for over 50,000 years according to Nayan Chandra, author of Bound Together, but it has only been in the last ten years that the term has penetrated public consciousness and, according to The Economist magazine, was the most over-used word in the last decade. Advertisement In truth, globalization is much more than simply the integration of different economic systems. It is, rather, the merging of social and political value systems, as well as economies, although admittedly proponents of globalization have tended to focus on the economic aspects alone. While Joseph Stiglitz, who is remembered for his book Globalization and its Discontents, agrees that the removal of barriers to free trade and the integration of national economies can be a force for good and the potential to enrich everyone in the world, "the way globalization has been managed including international trade agreements (has) played a large role in removing too many barriers, and too many policies that have been imposed with the net result of hurting the economic growth of developing countries. Now, Briton is complaining too, that globalization and in their case, the EU, is stifling economic growth. There is no question that the trend toward increased integration of capital markets seems still at a standstill because of the 2008 financial crisis, and one of the reasons that Neel Kashkarthi, the former U.S. Treasury official who led the 2008 bailout program for the nation's biggest banks, now President of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank, says Congress and regulators should consider breaking them up to protect the financial system from another crisis. The point is that the world's financial system cannot suffer another crisis. Clearly, many countries are worried. Not only of another financial crisis but the continued spread of globalization in the absence of a global policies on finance, the environment, terrorism, immigration and other matters affecting every nation. Advertisement Finance scholars and practitioners with backgrounds in comparative public policy, economics and financial regulation have urged that there be in place truly global rules of the road for all nations on such matters. Agreements on finance, economic stability and other issues could be the starting point for meaningful change to insure the continued growth and development of a global economy. The Cottage 256 Post Road East Westport, CT http://thecottagewestport.com At Brian Lewis's new restaurant so much thought has gone into the details, from food to care of the guests, and all without pretension, that it shows just what a modern dining experience can be like without costing a fortune. I've been singing Lewis's praises since I first sampled his cooking at the Bedford Post Inn in Bedford, N.Y., in 2009, then again at Elm in New Canaan. Lewis has a pedigree you can taste in his food, having worked with masters like Jean-Louis Palladin and Marco Pierre White, for his flavors are clean, intense without being biting, the spices melding well, the textures complementing each other in every dish. You can tell from the first bite that the dish has been thoroughly thought through and worked on till it is what Lewis intended it to be. The narrow space and capacity of The Cottage is something of a virtue in that Lewis needs to focus on just 44 people at a seating, and the menu has just the right number of appetizers, main courses and desserts to make it all spin like a top. Advertisement Though built from scratch, The Cottage looks cozy and lived in, with vintage factory windows, arched white wood mirrors that open out the space, white wooden walls with dark grey accents, white-stained oak wood floors, and an 18th century mahogany bar. The lighting is excellent throughout, allowing you to see everyone coming and going. Sad to say, however, the designers neglected to put in any sound-proofing--which these days doesn't have to look like sound-proofing--so from seven o'clock on the room can get very, very loud. Also, given all the money spent on designers, Carrara marble, vintage Litiz Industrial lights, and attempts to make The Cottage look rustic, it seems too cunning an affectation to have the amiable waitresses wear v-neck t-shirts. "The menu celebrates cultures of Italy, Spain, France, Japan and, most importantly, our direct Northeast region," says Lewis, and it is indeed modern and eclectic, from wagyu brisket in steamed buns to lobster spaghetti with sea urchin and Calabrian chili, all bearing the bright stamp of Lewis's special creativity. Sunchoke soup with bacon, onions and black truffles ($19) is a terrific idea, mildly sweet and woodsy. Gorgonzola "Toastie" ($16) is made with wonderfully creamy-sweet not-too-pungent cheese, with brown butter and honey walnut crumble, and that unexpected wagyu brisket comes with kimchi to give it some heat and delicious potato tempura cooked in duck fat ($6 per bun). There is house-made pasta here, too, including superb chestnut-filled agnolotti in a sage brown butter with Robiola cheese fonduta ($14/$24). An octopus salad with pineapple and Benton's ham ($16) had good flavor and texture, though the amount of octopus didn't amount to much. Advertisement Where else but here will you find a white miso-buttered lobster with carrot, ginger and kohlrabi ($36), or a short rib pie with parsnips, potato, carrots, and baby onions ($32)? More surprises: fried rice with sliced duck breast with maitake mushrooms, bok choy and quail eggs ($33). Desserts ($9) are just shy of the excitement of the savory early courses. But it's hard to quibble over a scrumptious apple and quince tart with spiced red wine and vanilla ice cream, or butterscotch pudding with bananas Foster and caramelized salted pecans. Lewis has before and has again proven he's one of the best chefs in the Northeast, with a cuisine that is all his own. The Cottage is open for dinner Tues.-Sun; Brunch Sun. Lunch to begin in the spring. BASSO CAFE 124 New Canaan Avenue Norwalk, CT 203-354-6566 http://www.bassobistrocafe.com If chef-owner Renato Donzelli of Basso Cafe can catch his breath and come out of the kitchen to greet guests, you will learn in an instant why this small restaurant is so popular and so beloved in the area. Passionate about his cooking, the handsome chef hails from Italy's Molise region, but he picked up notes on Spanish food from his grandfather when he lived in the Canary Islands. It is Donzelli's impressive technique and his rigorous attention to ingredients and detail that make his small cafe such a winning combination of tapas bar and restaurant, lovingly lighted, cozy and highly personalized. Advertisement The menu is remarkably long and Donzelli changes it often, because he's always coming up with new ideas for traditional dishes, so that his caldo gallego a hearty Galician country white bean soup with chorizo, becomes a sumptuous first course, served with toasted country bread. House-made, tender gnocchi is lavished with a creamy shiitake mushroom sauce drizzled with white truffle oil ($14), and chorizo is also abundant in a casserole with chickpeas and roasted peppers ($9). Flakey hot empanadas are packed with pulled chicken or beef and vegetable soffrito with a light spicy tomato sauce ($8). Anyone who has the ham and fontina croquettes served with nutty, roasted garlic and a smoked paprika aioli ($9) will very probably order them again and again. Some of his dishes include the incomparable Iberico ham, which can be ordered on its own in silky slices hand cut from a huge leg ($16/$24). Donzelli is expert at keeping the succulence of halibut and the rest of the day's catch (market price), dressing the fish with subtle sauces with just a hint of heat. Entrees come in huge portions, like the two-inch-thick pork chop stuffed with fontina and spinach with polenta squares and roasted grape sauce ($29); fat sea scallops set atop creamy polenta with crisp pancetta and a red grapefruit salad and tangy truffled citrus dressing ($32). For dessert order the decadently rich tres leches vanilla cake ($9) or anything with ripe berries, like the napoleon with lemon cream ($10). Photo Credits: UNFCCC It has been nearly three months since 195 nations reached a historic agreement at COP21 in Paris to combat climate change and set the world on a path to a low carbon and more resilient future. And in a little over a month, heads of state and governments will gather in New York to sign the Paris Agreement. Countries will then have one year to ratify the agreement, which will enter into force after it is ratified by at least 55 countries, representing at least 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. As we approach the signing of the agreement, it's time for countries and companies to seize the momentum from Paris and move from celebration of a landmark deal to action. Advertisement So what needs to happen? As the Paris Agreement recognized, climate change represents an imminent, mounting threat to people and the planet. In the face of that, the world needs to step up protection for people - boosting their resilience to the impacts of climate change now and in the future. Quite simply that means integrating climate considerations into all development. It means ensuring when a road or irrigation system is built, it's designed to withstand the vagaries of extreme weather. It means building up coastal protection, delivering on the promise of early warning systems and climate resistant crops for farmers. It's what we in the World Bank Group have already started doing through our fund for the poorest countries, IDA. The challenge now is to go further. Boosting the resilience of people and countries is more than just bricks and mortar. It also means strengthening the ability of people, especially the poor, to deal with climate shocks, which can impact people's lives, health, and jobs. It means delivering universal health coverage and strengthening social safety nets, so people have access to funds in the face of shocks. An example of this was after Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, when the government was able to use an existing conditional cash transfer system to quickly distribute emergency funding to affected people. Advertisement The Paris Agreement marked a change in ambition, confirming the target of keeping the rise in temperature below 2 degrees Celsius, but also agreeing for the first time that we should be aiming for 1.5 degrees, which would protect those small island states most at risk. To achieve that goal, countries will need to be able to deliver on their Paris commitments - the nationally determined contributions, or NDCs. Implementing these pledges, worth trillions of dollars in investments, will require concerted action now by governments, international organizations like ours, civil society and the private sector. The World Bank Group is already working with dozens of countries to help them achieve their NDCs. There is huge demand in areas like renewable energy, energy efficiency, green buildings, climate smart agriculture, and better management of water and natural resources. That said, we know the transition to a low carbon economy and increasing the world's resilience to climate shocks will not be cheap by any measure. It will require trillions, not billions, of dollars in new investments. Public funds simply can't do it. The private sector will be essential. That's why we've strongly advocated putting a price on carbon pollution and ending costly fossil fuel subsidies now being paid out by governments. Much better use can be made of the billions paid out by governments on subsidizing fossil fuels. And pricing carbon pollution will help not only to stimulate innovation and cut emissions but also give governments the funds they need to help drive investments for a low carbon future. Advertisement At the World Bank Group, we're putting the finishing touches on an action plan that will integrate climate into all our work, and allow us to better help countries achieve the pledges they made in Paris. We will also be putting resources towards areas where the potential benefits are huge - such as increasing the energy efficiency and resilience of cities, and expanding green transport. But we will not be acting alone - our efforts will be aligned with our partners, with the private sector, and with governments. The climate challenge we face is daunting, but it is not insurmountable if we work together. It is time for everyone to play their part so when world leaders sign the Paris deal in April, those signatures mean far more than just letters on paper. Part II This is the second in a series of two essays on why the author no longer attends church. John Fountain (second boy on the left) stands in a Tom Thumb wedding at the All Nations Church of God In Christ in Chicago, which he attended as a boy with his family. A son of the church, he writes: "I know church-speak and feel as comfortable shouting hallelujahs and amens and lifting my hands in the sanctuary as I do putting on my socks." Even in an age of preacher as celebrity, it is not the evolution of a Bling Bling Gospel that most disheartens me. It is the loss of the church's heart and soul: the mission to seek and to save lost souls through the power of the Gospel and a risen savior. As the homicide toll in black neighborhoods has swelled, I've wondered why churches or pastors have seldom taken a stand or ventured beyond the doors of their sanctuaries to bring healing and hope to the community--whether to stem the tide of violence and drugs, or to help cure poverty and homelessness or any number of issues that envelop ailing black communities. Advertisement Once, after a service at my grandfather's church in a small western suburb of Chicago, I mentioned to a visiting pastor that there was a drug and gang war going on in his community. "I don't know nothing 'bout that," he responded. I wondered why not. How could he not know about something that affected a community in which he was a "shepherd"? "I could be wrong. My criticism might be too harsh. But it is no harsher than my pain." When I returned to Chicago nearly five years ago, after living in Northern Virginia, where I worked as a reporter at The Post, I was eager to assist in the ministry at my grandfather's church. Within a few months, however, it became apparent to me that there was little serious interest among the leadership in connecting to the local community--aside from the idea that they might potentially fill the empty pews. And I decided to leave, though not without first having many conversations with my grandfather about the implosion of church ministry. And further contributing to my disappearing act is that, after being put down and put upon in a society that relegates black men largely to second-class status, the last place I want to feel that way is at church. And yet, in the church, where I have at times in my life felt the most uplifted, I have at other times felt greatly diminished, most often by insecure leaders. Advertisement If such leaders feel threatened by your ability to speak or preach or teach better than they, or by the fact that you think differently from them, or by the fact that you possess some other social badge they do not--like a college education--then they perceive you as stealing a little of their sheen in the public's eyes. And you become subject to the same kind of shunning and subtle disconnection that I have seen and known in the professional world. By the summer of 2002, there had been a myriad hurts and disappointments to accompany my disillusionment. When the then-pastor of my Chicago area mega-church responded to my inquiry about not being able to reach him for weeks, I was already bending in the wind. "Do you have a cell phone?" he asked during a follow-up telephone conversation to a letter I had sent him. "Yes," I answered. "Then let me ask you something, John," he continued. "If you had a problem with your cell phone and you called SBC, would you expect to reach the CEO?" His words blew me away. Given the state of black men in America, given the number in prison or jail or headed that way; given the thousands of us who find our way to early graves and the black men on the other side of the guns who send us there; given the number of us who seek solace in a bottle of liquor or in illegal drugs; given the number who silently cry ourselves to sleep at night, it seems that we would make for a plentiful harvest for a church really seeking souls. Advertisement I suspect, however, that as long as our wives, our children and our money flow through the church's doors; as long as there are still a few bodies to fill the seats; as long as the church can claim a semblance of relevance to the community; as long as some of us on the outside loom as potential critics of the direction, heart and stewardship of those black men charged with leading the church, very few are likely to ever come looking for us. I could be wrong. My criticism might be too harsh. But it is no harsher than my pain. And so I have taken some solace in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who, more than 40 years ago in his "Letter From a Birmingham Jail," wrote that the church was in danger of being "dismissed as an irrelevant social club." "In deep disappointment I have wept over the laxity of the church," he lamented. "But be assured that my tears have been tears of love. There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love. Yes, I love the church." So do I. And come Sunday mornings, especially on Sunday mornings, I miss the rev of the organ. I miss the spiritual song drifting through the sanctuary. I miss the sight of the gray-haired church mothers in their Sunday regalia and their warm embrace after service. I miss the sound of a spirit-filled choir whose song can be a salve to a hurting soul. I miss the beauty of worship, of lifting my hands in the awesome wonder of fellowship with my sisters and brothers in Christ gathered in the house of God with my family. "Imani, have you said bye to Daddy?" my wife called to our daughter. "I already did," she answered. Actually, we hadn't said goodbye. A few minutes earlier, I had called her upstairs and given her a dollar for Sunday offering and hugged her tight, unable to address her question about why Daddy doesn't go to church anymore. Advertisement Perhaps I will explain one day. Or perhaps I won't have to. Originally Published in Washington Post Outlook -- Sunday, July 17, 2005 John Fountain's grandfather, the Rev. George A. Hagler, stands at the pulpit (circa 1970's) during the anniversary of True Vine Church of God In Christ in Chicago, which he founded. Long before hashtags, before Black Lives Matter marches and social media campaigns, the names of Chicago murder victims have been etched into the hearts, psyches and souls of family members and friends. For after the names of slain loved ones soon fade from headlines and newscasts, there is often the accompanying pain and fear for survivors that those names publicly will be lost amid the continuing swell of those murdered each year. Indeed, in 2015, 488 people were murdered in Chicago. In 2016, homicides and shootings so far have double those for the same time period a year ago--100 and counting, with more than 400 shootings. Advertisement In 2013, there were 413 homicides. Among them was Frances Colon, 18. I promised her mother I would not forget. Frances Colon, 18, an unintended target, was shot and killed on Chicago's West Side Friday Feb. 15, 2013. By John W. Fountain CHICAGO--Not Jonylah. Not Hadiya. Frances. Her name is Frances. Frances Colon. She was 18. She was not just another nameless, faceless statistic in the incessant toll of Chicago murder victims whose blood pours over the city's streets like rainwater. She was Dorothy Payton and Jose Colon's daughter. Sister to Lizzie, Lorretta, Lalorrie, Selena, Dominique and Donice. A jewel to four brothers. Advertisement Student. Friend. A young woman with dreams. She was remembered by tearful friends and family on a lukewarm Saturday in March (2013), beneath a gray sky. Her mother wiped away tears, said her goodbye. Frances. Her name was Frances. Remember? I am too angry, too troubled, to forget. Her mother wants us all to remember. Except she believed, even as we sat in the funeral service for her daughter three months ago, that "we" would soon forget. That once departed, the media, the cameras and the headlines that clamor, click and capture public attention for the moment of sensation would leave, and her daughter's slaying and memory would disappear like the smoke of an extinguished candle. Angry that the media and society place more value on certain lives and less on others. I cannot deny that class and race and squeaky cleanness and scholarly achievement -- not to mention perceived pure innocence -- in the mix of murder can create media frenzy or give a story a longer shelf life. As a reporter, I have too often had to lobby editors to write stories about black and brown murder victims or even about black and brown life. Too often I have seen these stories -- even if I understand that there really are no black or white or brown stories, only human stories -- diminished and devalued. I have witnessed this in American newsrooms, largely because the lives of those making editorial decisions often are not directly impacted. I have come to see it not only as a matter of race but also class. Advertisement And yet, the "class" issue that ought be most prevalent in Frances Colon's case is that she was a member of the senior class at Roberto Clemente High School. She should have attended prom. She should be preparing for graduation, for the next phase of life, rather than halted by homicide. Like Jonylah Watkins and Hadiya Pendleton, Frances was slain by a gunman's bullet. She happened to be walking out of a West Side store when, according to police, a 34-year-old man was shooting at another man. HIs bullet found her that day--a day after Valentine's Day. She was shot in the back. She died. She was eulogized as she lay in a white casket trimmed in gold. Her name was Frances. Remember? Sadly, there are too many slayings. Perhaps too many cases to report, too many names to remember. Too many slain daughters and sons. Too many funerals. Too many tears. And yet, perhaps not enough anger over it all. "That was the last thing on my mind, that she would go visit and stop at the store because she was thirsty and wanted some chips and get shot," Dorothy Payton said, speaking emotionally to mourners at Frances' funeral March 2 (2013). "It wasn't God that took her life... It was the devil that took her. And I am angry." Advertisement "My daughter will never be forgotten by me. ...She might be forgotten by everybody else, the media and whatever, a year from now, a month from now, a week from now, but she will not be forgotten by her mother." And not by me, I promised the mother. Not by me. Her name was Frances. Originally Published -May 30, 2013 Dorothy Payton, mother of Frances Colon, 18, grieves as her slain daughter's casket awaits transport in a hearse to the cemetery. Mourners who attended Frances Colon's funeral services stand outside the church, awaiting the procession to her final resting place. An undertaker stands outside offering funeral stickers for mourners to place on their cars for the drive to the cemetery. It has become an all too common sighting in some Chicago neighborhoods. Laya Ongoiba speaks truth to power. An advocate against female genital mutilation and child marriage in town of Douentza, in central Mali, where 89 percent of women and girls have undergone FGM, Laya has worked for over a decade educating traditional "cutters" about the dire consequences of their work; lobbying imams and local government leaders to educate men about the dangers of marrying an adolescent; and urging her friends and neighbors to enroll their daughters in school. As an older, educated woman who has made a pilgrimage to Mecca and lived in Bamako and the Ivory Coast, Laya's words carry an added weight, not only with residents of Douentza, but also with government functionaries who view Douentza as a backwater with backwards people, impervious to social change. It is Laya who serves as the people's liaison, communicating both the social and economic reasons why FGM and child marriage persist in the community, and also how best to address them. Practically singlehandedly, she has persuaded 15 traditional cutters to, in their words, "put down their knives" and transition to a substitute source of livelihood, while working with a local theater troupe and radio station to urge families not to mutilate their daughters. But the abolition of FGM in Mali is hardly Laya's sole responsibility. She is a mother. She is single. She cares for her own elderly mother. She sells small amounts of goods in the market in Douentza, engaging in the kind of "petit commerce" that allows her to provide for her family. Like the other residents of central Mali, she must constantly be alert to her own safety and security as Douentza slowly recovers from an occupation and reign of terror by jihadists in 2012. Advertisement Laya is extraordinary. But she is not unique. Around the world, Layas work every day to advance the rights of women and girls while shouldering extraordinary personal responsibilities. Their achievements are largely unheralded. When I traveled to Douentza last March, Laya gave me a bolt of cloth designed in honor of International Women's Day. A bold pattern of pinwheels is set off by an illustration of a man, woman and child, and the words, "Economic Growth and Autonomy of Women, Inclusive Engagement for a Secure, Stable and Emerging Mali." A Chicago friend artfully transformed the cloth into a skirt, adding a layer of American style. I'll be back in Mali in a couple of weeks to coordinate a forum hosted by UNICEF for community-based advocates against FGM and child marriage. Laya will be a key participant, having traveled 12 hours by bus from Douentza, leaving her family and business behind, to strategize and advocate for a secure, stable and emerging Mali with full participation from all members of society. Society's most pressing needs - improved healthcare, education, and environmental safety - are some of the largest untapped markets in today's global economy. Social enterprises are trying to address these issues with sustainable solutions that can also drive profits. With 7 billion potential customers, where I see the greatest potential for impact is undoubtedly in global health. Technology has produced incredible solutions that can dramatically improve health, but the key is finding out how these solutions can actually reach populations and inspire behavior change. Innovative technology by itself is not enough. How do we get people to actually use these tools? How do we circumnavigate the obstacles that prevent people from making better health decisions? The leading causes of death in the world are preventable chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, that are caused by lifestyle choices. Improving health requires improving day-to-day decision-making behaviors, such as choosing to visit a doctor or taking prescribed medications. In the decades ahead, the most game-changing social enterprises will be the ones that incorporate behavioral design into their solutions. We have to start thinking about the cost of traveling to the doctor and the hassle of remembering to take daily medications. Advertisement The most successful social enterprises are designing creative ways to get their solutions to customers. The winner of the 2014 Hult Prize, the world's largest social entrepreneurship competition that awards $1 million in seed funding, was NanoHealth, a company that tackles chronic diseases in urban slums through a combination of technology and human behavioral insights. The premise behind the company is that millions of patients go undiagnosed because they are either unwilling or unable to go visit a doctor. NanoHealth developed a low-cost diagnostic tool for chronic disease management and equips a network of community health workers to deliver care straight to their patients' doorstep. Technologies like these can be iterated and distributed at nominally low increasing costs, but bringing the solution right to the patient was the key to widespread adoption. Even the most innovative, easy-to-use technologies won't be effective if they aren't reaching their consumer base. Getting people to adopt new technology and sustain behavior change requires an understanding of incentives. Habits are powerful, and human beings are inherently averse to change. We require daily reminders and motivators to adopt a new tool or habit. Incorporating these strategies can help social enterprises embrace behavioral insights to design better solutions. Behavioral design is enabling technology to have a huge impact on chronic disease improvement across the globe. In China, a public-private partnership created a cardiovascular monitoring system that allows patients to self-administer electrocardiograms and transmit data to specialists who can suggest treatments by phone. To increase treatment compliance, a program in Mozambique sends text messages to remind patients to take their medications on time and show up for doctor appointments. Advertisement As published in Albany Times Union on March 8, 2016 Right now, despite many bank CEOs making tens of millions of dollars each year, the average bank teller makes just $25,800. Here in New York, 39 percent of bank tellers are forced to rely on public assistance programs just to make ends meet. This is morally wrong, yes, but it's also just bad business. In a few short generations, the wage gap between the average CEO and the average worker has increased significantly, making it harder and harder for working people to join the middle class, and leaving their spending power greatly diminished from where it would have been just decades ago. Since 1973, productivity has gone up 75 percent, but pay has only gone up 9 percent. At the same time, New York has become one of the most expensive states in the country. The rising cost of living means that working families need a higher wage to simply make ends meet, let alone thrive. In the face of this growing income inequality, we have an opportunity to set a nationwide precedent and bring $15.3 billion in new spending power into New York's economy. New York's lawmakers should agree to increase the state's minimum wage to $15, as proposed by Governor Cuomo. Advertisement Raising the minimum wage will empower more than 3.2 million New York workers to spend at local businesses, bringing new money into local economies and reducing the burden currently placed on public assistance programs. This money will bolster business earnings, and give all low-wage workers the opportunity to invest in local goods and services. At Amalgamated Bank, we made a decision in August of last year to pay our employees a livable wage. Making the change to a $15 minimum wage not only formalized our recognition of our employees' worth, it increased our customers' faith in our commitment to empowering people. The banking industry is not alone in its underpayment of workers; 56 percent of homecare workers in the state are enrolled in some form of public assistance program, and 30 percent are currently on food stamps. These workers, whose industries are expected to grow the most by 2022, are currently having their wages subsidized by government programs instead of being paid fairly by their employers. All taxpayers are supporting corporate profits and CEO salaries, holding back our potential for economic growth. For-profit and not-for-profit companies should embrace the proposed wage increase as a tool to both bolster their consumers' confidence in the quality of their work, and as a chance to preserve the integrity of our state's economy as a whole. Advertisement A woman wearing a striped shirt blouse reads a newspaper over the breakfast table before tackling her boiled egg and coffee. "We need media literacy as much as we need to learn to read." -- Jennifer Pozner "The world will not be a better place when these fact-based news organizations die. We will be propelled into a culture where facts and opinions will be interchangeable, where lies will become true and where fantasy will be peddled as news. I will lament the loss of traditional news. It will unmoor us from reality." -- Chris Hedges I like facts. My Facebook feed is somewhat abnormal in that I have more links to articles and news sources than pictures of my friends' children or the plate of steamed mussels they ate that day. I consider myself to be media literate. I work hard to find accurate information, so it disturbs me greatly when I find myself fact-checking sources I once deemed credible. Advertisement Normally, I criticize mainstream American media news outlets for their lack of representation, their choice of news stories, and try to highlight, in my classes, how the information we receive shapes our values, beliefs and how we view the world. In an election cycle when the media can and does shape how we choose our next president, the fact we have fewer and fewer sources to look to for credible information regarding those who are running is frightening. And it's only getting worse. While it may be funny that a large number of Americans, when surveyed, thought it would be a great idea to bomb a fictional Disney country, or when the creator of Idiocracy muses that he never thought his film would become a documentary, the reality is that in this country, day by day, it's becoming more difficult to discern fact from fiction. So here are a few things happening in the media landscape that we should be paying attention to if we don't want our democracy to completely erode. 1. Univision bought The Onion. True story. So what are the implications? According to Meg James in a piece in the LA Times, "Univision is owned by four private equity firms and Los Angeles billionaire Haim Saban, who has long been a prominent backer of Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton." Advertisement According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Saban Capital Group gave $2,531,783 to Secretary Clinton's campaign in 2016. So, how has The Onion changed since Univision bought it? Only time will tell, but for a paper best known for its satirical attacks on all candidates and hotly debated issues, the idea that it may have to soften its attacks on Clinton due to its new owner should be troubling. 2. It's getting more difficult to parse truths. Take this example from the New York Times. It claims in its headlines that "Left-Leaning Economists Question Cost of Bernie Sanders's Plans" and goes on to explain the critiques of Senator Sanders's health care plans and other economic policies from top economists on the left. Dean Baker from the Center for Economic Policy and Research argued that: While there are undoubtedly many left of center economists who have serious objections to the proposals Sanders has put forward, there are also many who have publicly indicated support for them. Remarkably, none of those economists were referenced in this article. In fact, to make its case on left of center economists' views, the NYT even presented the comments of Ezra Klein, who is neither an economist nor a liberal, by his own identification. It also misrepresented the comments of Jared Bernstein (a personal friend), implying that they were criticisms of Sanders' program. In fact his comments were addressed to the analysis of Sanders' proposals by Gerald Friedman, an economist at the University of Massachusetts who is not affiliated with the Sanders campaign. It also presented the comments of Brookings economist Henry Aaron about the views expressed by 'other economists in a 'lefty chat group' he joins online.' This would seem to violate the NYT's usual policy on anonymous sources. Baker's piece was reposted on Bill Moyers and Company's website and because of pushback, the article now has added this disclaimer: 2/27/2016 Update: In response to this post and others calling for economists criticizing Senator Bernie Sanders's economic plan -- and economist Gerald Friedman's positive analysis of it -- to run the numbers, two of the four former heads of the Council of Economic Advisers have done just that. On Thursday, Christina Romer and David Romer released their own analysis of Friedman's numbers. In what The New York Times calls a 'careful forensic examination,' the University of California-Berkeley economists found Friedman's mathematical assumptions faulty or, at the very least, at odds with 'conventional economic thinking.' Get all the details at The New York Times. Dean Baker's response to the new numbers is here. So why is this problematic? Because we live in filter bubbles or what Eli Pariser describes as "your own personal, unique universe of information that you live in online. And what's in your filter bubble depends on who you are, and it depends on what you do. But the thing is that you don't decide what gets in. And more importantly, you don't actually see what gets edited out." For Clinton supporters, if all they saw was the original piece in the New York Times and never came across Dean Baker's piece and the additional analysis by two former heads of the Council of Economic Advisors, they would have an incomplete picture. One that fits with their ideology but still incomplete. Let's look at another example. Take the last Democratic debate. Or Super Saturday coverage. Or the Washington Post running 16 negative stories about Senator Sanders in a span of 16 hours? Which news outlets and which sources are still trustworthy? Whose voices should we be listening to? And should it really be *this* hard to find accurate information? Advertisement As Amanda Hess discusses in her analysis of the Bernie-Bro phenomenon: The endlessly filterable nature of social media only exacerbates these problems. On Twitter, Facebook, and other online spaces, political debate often takes the form of anonymous randos pinging contextless nonsequiturs to one another. Thanks to Twitter's search functionality, nearly any vile viewpoint can be conjured instantly by plugging in the right combination of terms. Try #FeelTheBern + vagina, and you'll get a few hits from stray Bernie Bros (and some pro-Sanders women) that otherwise never would have surfaced for anyone but their own handful of followers. For online denizens grappling with big issues, Twitter provides some instant gratification. The underrepresentation of women in government is an intractable problem with no clear culprit, but a Bernie supporter's tweet can be screenshotted and copied and passed around; it's so real, you can almost touch it. And Sanders supporters are right that in both politics and media, power and influence are wielded by socially insular groups, and stitching together tweets and Wikipedia articles and social media connections to make that case furnishes the Sanders in-crowd with a satisfying visual. Additionally, the numbers of Americans who obtain news from social media outlets continues to grow. Pew research shows that: The share of Americans for whom Twitter and Facebook serve as a source of news is continuing to rise. This rise comes primarily from more current users encountering news there rather than large increases in the user base overall, according to findings from a new survey. The report also finds that users turn to each of these prominent social networks to fulfill different types of information needs. In addition, as Christopher Joyce reports in analyzing how people respond to climate change data: Basically the reason that people react in a close-minded way to information is that the implications of it threaten their values,' says Dan Kahan, a law professor at Yale University and a member of The Cultural Cognition Project. Kahan says people test new information against their preexisting view of how the world should work. 'If the implication, the outcome, can affirm your values, you think about it in a much more open-minded way,' he says . . . .'The goal can't be to create a kind of psychological house of mirrors so that people end up seeing exactly what you want,' he argues. 'The goal has to be to create an environment that allows them to be open-minded.'And Kahan says you can't do that just by publishing more scientific data. Josh Holland also argues that: Widespread ignorance of objective reality poses a genuine threat to democracy. The people of the United States have ignorance in abundance. The way representative democracy is supposed to work is pretty simple: you protect the fundamental rights of the minority (so it doesn't become two wolfs and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner), and then the majority of citizens, acting in their own rational self-interest, elect representatives who will pursue the greatest good for the greatest number of citizens. That's the theory, but "rational" is a key word in that formulation. What happens when lots of citizens don't have a solid grasp of what's going on in the real world? When we remain in our filter bubbles too long, we are essentially choosing our own news and choosing to ignore dissenting opinions. And social media only makes living in these bubbles easier. So, what is the answer? To start, we now have fact checking news sites to fact check news sites. According to The Brookings Institution and author Thomas E. Mann: Most citizens are inadvertent consumers of news about politics and government, limited mostly to local television news dominated by crime, traffic and weather, with mere snippets of news related to public affairs, along with emails from family and friends forwarding materials that sound plausible but often are the opposite. Their lives are filled with responsibilities and interests that draw their attention away from election campaigns and policy battles. What little they know and learn about politics is often laden with misinformation and provides little basis for coming to public judgment beyond group identities, tribal loyalties and fleeting impressions of candidates and officeholders. There is no magic media elixir to inform and engage those, including perennial nonvoters, so removed from the public life of the nation. But some division of labor is essential and inevitable in a representative democracy--between the general public and elected officials, but also between the entire citizenry and the tens of millions of citizens who engage in more active and demanding forms of political participation, including reading about and discussing public affairs with their fellow citizens. That is the target audience for explanatory journalism . . . . Explanatory journalism aspires to provide essential context to the hourly flood of news--not simply a separate fact-checking operation but the mobilization of a rich array of relevant information made possible by new technology but presented to the public in accessible and digestible formats. It is fact-based and data-rich but doesn't shy away from making arguments that flow from the evidence--even at the risk of being charged with taking sides. It seeks to unravel the mysteries of policy and politics with historical and empirical context and speak openly and honestly about the stakes and drivers of our public life . . . . As David Leonhardt notes in the video part of this series, explanatory journalism will be successful when it is no longer a separate operation of news organizations but a central and unnamed part of their ongoing operations. While it is no panacea for what ails American democracy, explanatory journalism is the most promising development in the rapidly changing world of media and politics. But is this enough? Will consumers really pay attention to fact checking sources, especially if these sources go against their existing beliefs? The Columbia Journalism Review paints a particularly bleak outlook on how Facebook, in their words: ... is eating the world. ... Social media hasn't just swallowed journalism, it has swallowed everything. It has swallowed political campaigns, banking systems, personal histories, the leisure industry, retail, even government and security. The phone in our pocket is our portal to the world. I think in many ways this heralds enormously exciting opportunities for education, information, and connection, but it brings with it a host of contingent existential risks. Journalism is a small subsidiary activity of the main business of social platforms, but one of central interest to citizens . . . . There are huge benefits to having a new class of technically able, socially aware, financially successful, and highly energetic people like Mark Zuckerberg taking over functions and economic power from some of the staid, politically entrenched, and occasionally corrupt gatekeepers we have had in the past. But we ought to be aware, too, that this cultural, economic, and political shift is profound. We are handing the controls of important parts of our public and private lives to a very small number of people, who are unelected and unaccountable. We need regulation to make sure all citizens gain equal access to the networks of opportunity and services they need. We also need to know that all public speech and expression will be treated transparently, even if they cannot be treated equally. This is a basic requirement for a functioning democracy . . . . Even if you think of yourself as a technology company, you are making critical decisions about everything from access to platforms, the shape of journalism or speech, the inclusion or banning of certain content, the acceptance or rejection of various publishers. What happens to the current class of news publishers is a much less important question than what kind of a news and information society we want to create and how can we help shape this. In Sut Jhally's piece "Image Based Culture: Advertising and Popular Culture, he claims "As Noam Chomsky puts it (talking about the media general) in his book Necessary Illusions, 'Citizens of the democratic societies should undertake a course of intellectual self defense to protect themselves from manipulation and control, and to lay the basis for meaningful democracy.' Such a course of action will not be easy, for the institutional structure of the image system will work against it. However, the invigoration of democracy depends upon the struggle being engaged." How much is the average American willing to struggle to find legitimate sources of information? When public schools are slashing funding just to keep the lights on, how do we expect media literacy courses to enter the public realm? Advertisement It's the end of an era, with Nancy Reagan's passing. It was an era of decor and decency, of style and class. The dignity of the Reagans -- who were roundly criticized in the 80's for being too royal -- contrasts sharply with the disgusting trash talk and vile behavior of Donald Trump and those he contaminated on the presidential stage today. It was an era of focused opposition and kindly demeanor. Ronald Reagan never spoke ill of a fellow Republican -- what he dubbed his "Eleventh Commandment" -- and could hardly muster any ill about a Democratic opponent. His comments on President Jimmy Carter were confined to his policies, never his height or veracity or patriotism. It was an era of outstanding leadership. Nancy could fill in where Ronald Reagan needed help, as on personnel matters. She was a keen judge of people and could fire those who proved incompetent or unreliable -- a skill which somehow eluded him. Advertisement But not many leadership skills did elude him. At President Reagan's "finest hour" -- the 1986 summit with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in a supposedly-haunted house in Reykjavik, Iceland -- he displayed key traits of great leadership. In short -- as documented at length in my book Reagan at Reykjavik -- he set strategic goals on where he wanted to take superpower relations and nuclear weapons; figured out a pathway of how to get from here to there; trusted the leadership team around him; stayed the course during harsh opposition and grave setbacks; and managed to turn such setbacks into strategic breakthroughs. On the summit's tenth anniversary, the Iceland government invited its participants back to Reykjavik. Once there, I became overwhelmed with memories of Reagan's finest hour, displaying such raw leadership at such a critical time, that I sent a postcard from there to express such sentiment. A week later, I was at the Reagan Presidential Library for another Reykjavik summit commemoration when I spotted Mrs. Nancy Reagan ambling down the hallway. She was as slight as ever, but alert and lively. As I approached her, I felt a palpable sense of sadness surrounding her -- the President then being deep into Alzheimer's, what Nancy called "the long goodbye" seeming interminable. There was a sense that she had lost the only thing that made life worth living for her. As Mrs. Reagan approached the reception, I greeted her by saying that I had just returned from Reykjavik. Maureen had already told her about the conference, since she had attended to represent her father. Still, Mrs. Reagan asked for my impressions of the session. Advertisement Instead of answering, I began to tell her about the postcard. I described my early morning pilgrimage to supposedly-haunted Hofdi House -- where the superpower leaders met -- and how that had inspired me to write a note to her husband. Since I knew neither their home address nor that of the Library, I had simply addressed it to "President Ronald Reagan, Reagan Library, Simi Valley, California." Mrs. Reagan became flustered, with a look asking: Don't you know that my husband has Alzheimer's? That he can't read anything? Despite her frown, she managed to ask me what I had written. I couldn't remember exactly, I told her, but it was something like this: President Reagan-- I am in Reykjavik on the 10th anniversary, thinking back on the superb job you did that weekend. Of how well you served America, and how very proud I was to serve you, Mr. President. My very best to you, Ken Adelman Nancy Reagan started tearing up, as did I. With people all around waiting to greet her, we seemed alone with memories we cherished--both of us about a man we considered so special and, for me, about a weekend unlike any other in my life, or in all of history. Advertisement One of the sharpest comparisons for Americans trying to understand the resilient appeal of Donald Trump is the rise of Italy's Silvio Berlusconi in the 1990s. Rising from the ashes of a widespread corruption scandal that tarred Italy's entire political elite, Berlusconi, one of the country's wealthiest businessmen, rose from 1994's power vacuum to what would become nearly two decades dominating Italian politics. Though he lost power less than a year after his first election, he stormed back to power in 2001. Despite a short-lived turn in 2006 to the center-left's Romano Prodi, Berlusconi once again returned in 2008. Forced to resign in 2011 amid a debt crisis, Berlusconi still led the Italian right to what amounts to a draw in the 2013 election. Advertisement It's as if Italian voters just couldn't help themselves, such was the spectacle of a showman that the Italian media dubbed 'Il cavaliere,' the 'knight.' Time and again, Berlusconi's charms proved irresistible. It's not out of the question that he might mount yet another comeback by the time that the 2018 elections roll around. The similarities between Trump and Berlusconi -- their 'say it like it is' populism, their willingness to engage demagoguery, their wealth, their vulgarity, their ability to tap into the emotions (both positive and negative) of their supporters -- are manifest. But there are important differences. For all of Trump's bluster, he doesn't control nearly the share of the American economy that Berlusconi did. For one, Berlusconi's net worth is nearly $6.5 billion, according to Forbes, about $2 billion wealthier than Trump (again, according to Forbes). But that $6.5 billion punches far stronger in Italy's economy than Trump's $4.5 billion wealth punches in the United States, which has the world's largest economy and a far less insular network of business elites. Berlusconi, through his media company, Mediaset, controlled six of Italy's most popular private television channels when he was in power. Now, regardless of whether Trump's self-branded empire of real estate and other interests impress you, he certainly doesn't control the American media. Far from it, given his on-again, off-again feud with the right-leaning Fox News and his attacks on other media outlets. Advertisement While Trump, like Berlusconi, wants to use libel laws aggressively to chill press freedom, he cannot shape American television media coverage like Berlusconi did in Italy. For all his skills in attracting media attention, Trump still lacks one of the most important tools that explains Berlusconi's rise to power -- and one of the keys that kept him so long at the center of power. Though both figures are litigious, Trump's legal troubles over, say, the ill-fated Trump University pale in severity compared to Berlusconi's personal legal woes. Berlusconi spent much of the 2000s seeking immunity from the Italian parliament from outright prosecution. An early 2003 bill designed to shield the top five government officials from criminal trials, was thrown out by Italy's constitutional court a year later. A subsequent 2008 effort, targeted to just the top four government officials, was also thrown out by the Italian judiciary, as was an attempt by Italy's Chamber of Deputies to extend immunity to Berlusconi in 2010. It's not an exaggeration to say that Berlusconi's decade-long battle to shield himself from liability was among his chief parliamentary priorities. For good reason, perhaps, given the long list of offenses for which he's been convicted since leaving office in 2012. Most sensationally, Berlusconi was convicted in 2013 on charges relating to payment to an underage Moroccan prostitute, Karima El Mahroug (sensationally referred to in the Italian media as 'Ruby Rubacouri' -- Ruby the heartstealer). Though the conviction was overturned by an appeals court in 2014, the wild stories of Berlusconi's 'bunga bunga' parties may have damaged his reputation more than anything else in what's still a conservative Catholic country. Advertisement More recently, in July 2015, he was convicted of bribery while in office by a court in Naples, though that might yet be reversed on appeal. Berlusconi apparently paid 3 million to Sergio De Gregorio, a member of Italy's senate, to join the center-right between 2006 and 2008, helping bring down the Prodi government. Berlusconi was convicted in 2012, a year after leaving the premiership, for tax evasion, and an Italian court in 2013 upheld that verdict, clearing the way for the former prime minister to serve a one-year community service sentence and barring him, temporarily, from holding public office. Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a campaign rally, Monday, March 7, 2016, in Dearborn, Mich. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Bernie Sanders' victory in the Michigan primary is incredibly important for a number of reasons. Foremost, this is the first real upset of this election season. Every single, and I mean every single opinion poll prior to the Michigan Primary showed Hillary Clinton in ascendancy. Most polls showed her ahead by 20 to 27 points. There was little doubt in the minds of political pundits that Hillary had Michigan in the bag and that on March 8, 2016 she was going to pull decisively ahead of Bernie Sanders by winning both Michigan and Mississippi easily. Upsets in politics are a big deal. The candidate at the receiving end of the upset loses any aura of invincibility that existed. The candidate inflicting the upset gains much wind behind the sails. Undecided voters are swayed. Many leaning towards the favorite can start questioning their choice and giving the other candidate a second look. Advertisement Another outcome of this unexpected defeat for Clinton is that the psychological advantage of the existing leads in states that are yet to vote is significantly neutralized. I consider this shift in perceptions a very important aspect of this contest for the following reason: thus far the media has heavily favored Clinton when it comes to prime time coverage as well as the number of pundits opining that she is the favorite. It would not be unfair to say that there has been a clear bias against Bernie Sanders. It is these very opinion polls and self-appointed political "experts" that can shape public perception and heavily influence the outcome of elections. If the Michigan result undermines this "expert" opinion it could significantly affect the outcome of future primaries. Next, the trend of minority voters heavily favoring Hillary Clinton has been strongly challenged in Michigan. In Dearborn, Michigan -- the city with the largest Arab American population in the nation -- voters favored Sanders over Hillary 64-36. Exit poll analyses show that between 30-35 percent of African American voters voted for Bernie Sanders. This, while still a much lower percentage than those voting for Hillary, is much higher than has been the case for this particular demographic in prior caucuses where Hillary has received between 75-90 percent of the African American vote. Part of the reason for this may be the Chicago Tribune confirming recently that the much circulated picture from their archives of a man being arrested at a Civil rights protest in 1963 was indeed of a 21 year old Bernie Sanders. This photograph was a powerful reminder of the passion Bernie Sanders has always displayed for racial justice. Lastly, a profound symbolism here is that the issue of auto industry bailouts was a central one both in the candidates campaigns in Michigan as well as the Democratic debate in Flint last Monday. Michigan's economy has been inextricably linked with the automobile industry and it has suffered some of the largest layoffs in the history of the nation at the hands of the automobile giants. These have left deep emotional scars and a strong sense of betrayal. The people of Michigan appear to have given their verdict; they reject the brand of politics that panders to Wall Street and offers perpetual salvation to mega-corporations that put profits before people and still end up failing. They reject the oligarchy that American politics has become. Advertisement The brilliant Neil Postman wrote this in 1985: "In America, everyone is entitled to an opinion, and it is certainly useful to have a few when a pollster shows up. But these are opinions of a quite different roder from eighteenth- or nineteenth-century opinions. It is probably more accurate to call them emotions rather than opinions, which would account for the fact that they change from week to week, as the pollsters tell us. What is happening here is that television is altering the meaning of 'being informed' by creating a species of information that might properly be called disinformation." At long last, the people of America are calling mainstream media's bluff. March 15 is the real Super Tuesday, with the most delegates at stake for a single day of the Democratic primary process. Like Julius Caesar the corrupt oligarchic establishment that has hoodwinked the nation would do well to "beware the Ides of March." Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., accompanied by Rev. Al Sharpton, President of the National Action Network, listens as leaders of nine historic civil rights groups voice their concerns, during a meeting at the National Urban League Washington Bureau in Washington, Thursday Feb. 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) I once heard Al Sharpton say that if you were not getting arrested during the 1960s in America, he would have to question your leadership around racial justice issues. While I do not often agree with Sharpton, I full heartedly agree with that statement. So, this begs the question: just what were the two potential Democratic nominees doing during the Civil Rights era? Bernie Sanders was volunteering with the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and getting arrested in Chicago during a demonstration. Hillary Clinton was a Young Republican and volunteering with Barry Goldwater, who voted against the Civil Rights Act. Is this important and relevant now? It is to me. And, it should be to you too. Advertisement And, also in 1963, Sanders attended the March on Washington which featured leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr and John Lewis. His grades suffered from his focus on the movement and lack of attention to his studies. But, he was well-regarded at the university despite his grades. He was one of two students appointed by the university's president to a commission that studied the university's housing policies. Later he would go on to blast the administration, writing an open letter in the school's newspaper accusing the president of a double-cross. Sanders' record on racial justice goes back a long way and has impeccable credentials. Still, the question remains, why is this relevant now? It is relevant now because Bernie Sanders' history with the Civil Rights movement demonstrates that the Senator has a long record of standing up for what is right- even when it is unpopular. And, that is exactly what I want from a president- the courage to do what is in the best interests of the nation even when it is politically unpopular. Hillary Clinton has demonstrated herself to be the polar opposite -- complete with wavering opinions, positions and votes that she has had to later denounce and waiting until an idea is popular with the public to support it. This includes issues like trade deals, the '94 Crime Bill, the Iraq War and same sex marriage -- all extremely important issues where Clinton displayed almost no leadership at all. Advertisement On the other hand, Sanders is an outspoken leader often taking positions that are unpopular but prove to be prudent and wise in the long run. He speaks out against unfair trade deals. He spoke out on the floor of Congress about the unintended effects of the '94 Crime Bill. He voted against the Iraq War and was outspoken against it. And, in 1996 he opposed the Defense of Marriage Act and in 2000 he supported civil unions for same sex couples in Vermont. Bernie Sanders is not afraid to lead and we should not be hesitant to support him. Choosing between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders is an easy choice for me. One has a long record of Republican capitulation, massive mistakes and shifty opinions. The other has a long record of social justice leadership, unwavering courage and correct opinions. Bernie had me at CORE. And, Hillary lost me at Goldwater Girl. Smartphones contain dozens of minerals sourced from every corner of the globe, including gold, which is commonly used in printed circuit boards (PCBs) and other components due to its excellent conductivity. And of course, it's not only found in phones. The electronics industry is the third largest consumer of gold worldwide, after the jewelry industry and financial sector. However, the path that gold travels from the mine to your electronics is often problematic, to put it mildly. To start, gold is one of the four conflict minerals identified by the Dodd-Frank Act, meaning it has been known to finance rebel groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Even outside of conflict zones, gold mining poses a variety of social and environmental challenges, such as land disputes, sub-standard wages, unsafe working conditions, child labor and mercury pollution. Regardless, many communities worldwide must rely on gold mining as their primary source of income. For all of these reasons and more, Fairphone has been working to find a way to integrate more responsibly mined gold into our smartphone supply chain. And in January 2016, we reached a major milestone: Together with our partners, we achieved the first-ever Fairtrade gold supply chain in the consumer electronics industry. Keep reading to learn more about how we set up a pilot project to source Fairtrade gold. Advertisement A smartphone contains about 30mg of gold, 6-9mg of which is found on the printed circuit board (PCB) Finding more responsible minerals with the help of our partners As part of our mission to create fairer electronics, Fairphone has been mapping the materials used in our phone and making improvements step by step. With the first Fairphone, we identified (and continue to support) initiatives for sourcing conflict-free tin and tantalum from the DRC, and we're currently in the process of integrating conflict-free tungsten from Rwanda into our supply chain. But sourcing fairer gold posed an even greater challenge. There are no existing supply chain initiatives that we could join to source conflict-free gold from the DRC - and setting up one from scratch was simply beyond our scope. However, there was one responsible mining initiative that we could possibly connect to the Fairphone supply chain: Fairtrade certified gold. While it's not sourced from conflict areas, Fairtrade is especially attractive due to the emphasis on improving working conditions and providing direct developmental impact for artisanal miners. Our quest to source Fairtrade gold started by gaining an understanding of where gold comes from and where it ends up in our phones. (For additional information, have a look at our blog post and video about the research trip to China with our partner AT&S.) Advertisement Tracing the gold used in the Fairphone 2 Along the way, we discovered that a smartphone contains about 30mg of gold, 6-9mg of which is found on the printed circuit board (PCB). With a very advanced view on sustainability, AT&S, our PCB manufacturer, was keen to join forces to explore the possibility of connecting Fairtrade certified gold to their supply chain. The gold found on the PCBs is applied using an electroplating process, which means that AT&S dips parts of the PCBs into a liquid solution that contains gold. The gold in this solution comes from grains of gold salt - so the next step back in the chain was connecting with the gold salt supplier: Zhaojin Kanfort. After hitting a dead end with our earlier attempts to bring Fairtrade gold into China (because all of the country's gold is traded through the Shanghai Gold Exchange), Zhaojin Kanfort was able to provide us with a solution. In short, they are able to import Fairtrade certified gold through their head office in Hong Kong for use at their gold salt manufacturing facility in Yantai, China. AT&S and Fairphone visiting Zhaojin Kanfort Fairtrade gold: From a mine in Peru to a factory in China With the support of our partners and assistance from Max Havelaar in the Netherlands, we have now set up a pilot project to source gold from Minera SOTRAMI S.A. in Peru. Minera SOTRAMI has 164 shareholders and employs 260 mineworkers and five engineers. The gold mined here meets the Fairtrade Standard for Gold and Precious Metals, which includes rigorous social, economic and environmental regulations as well as child protection policies. The mine supports 500 families and miners are guaranteed a Fairtrade Minimum Price and Premium that assists in sustainable development for the community. Minera SOTRAMI. Inside a Fairtrade certified gold mine in Peru From Peru, the gold travels to Valcambi, a major refinery in Switzerland that is licensed to process Fairtrade certified gold. Once it's refined, we purchase a small amount of gold which is shipped to Zhaojin Kanfort's office in Hong Kong, and then exported to Zhaojin Kanfort's gold salt processing facility in Yantai, China. There the Fairtrade certified gold will be mixed with gold from other sources (referred to as mass-balance) to create the gold salt used by AT&S to electroplate the PCBs. Advertisement Pilot supply chain of Fairtrade gold A small achievement with industry-wide potential The Fairtrade certified gold arrived safely in Hong Kong on the 25th of January 2016. By establishing this pilot program, Fairphone is now the very first Fairtrade-licensed consumer electronics company. Although the gold is not traceable to the specific batch of gold salt for AT&S, it is the first time gold can be physically traced to our gold salt sub-supplier in China. If you buy a Fairphone 2, you can be certain that you're supporting Fairtrade gold miners and their communities in Peru. For us, this entire process has reiterated the importance of building close relationships with our suppliers to better understand our supply chain and influence materials sourcing. By sourcing Fairtrade certified gold, we hope to demonstrate to the rest of the industry that it's possible to map your supply chain and support responsible mining initiatives. While we're proud of our achievement, it's important to point out that this is a pilot project which only requires a tiny amount of gold. Realistically, scaling up the Fairtrade gold supply chain for consumer electronics will require new pricing structures, licensing and logistics as well as demand from manufacturers much larger than ourselves. We certainly can't do it all on our own, but by finding the right partners and making consumers more aware of the issues, we're moving in the right direction. CLEVELAND, OH - Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks to a gym full of supporters at Cuyahoga Community College during an election night rally in Cleveland, Ohio on Tuesday March, 8, 2016. (Photo by Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images) Billed as a major populist economic address, Hillary Clinton put forth her jobs program in Michigan. Wall Street is smiling. Team Hillary is crying. Her program fits perfectly within the neoliberal framework as she focuses on how to use public funds and policies to promote private sector gain. There are tax incentives to urge large and small corporations to create more jobs in the U.S. There are tax breaks to encourage corporations to provide more training and profit sharing plans. And there are tax breaks to promote long term investment instead of short-term gains. To balance this equation, she also calls for exit taxes if companies take tax breaks and then move out of the country. Her mantra is clear: if you do right to the American people, we'll do right by you. Along the way, she waxes euphoric about the buoyancy of the private sector: "New businesses are opening. Families are moving in. The streetlights are on again. The buses and running again. There is a palpable feeling of pride and community and we have to spread economic revitalization to all of Detroit's neighborhoods." (See here for full speech.) Advertisement Not a word is mentioned about public goods or public sector jobs. Clearly, the only real job is a private sector job. Hillary Sends a Signal to Wall Street: Voters Reject Message At the same time, she uses a dog whistle to let Wall Street know that she won't be coming down hard on them: "I'm not interested in condemning whole categories of businesses or the entire private sector." Furthermore, she dances around the perils of free-trade deals by putting the entire blame on China, and therefore not on the Clinton and Obama administrations who were/are gung-ho free traders. Her silence about NAFTA, however, is deafening. And that's very good news to corporate and financial elites because NAFTA is the trade deal that has facilitated the financial strip-mining of the American worker. It has placed U.S. workers into direct daily competition with much less expensive labor south of the border. Advertisement In fact, Hillary argues all such debates are now ancient history. It's unproductive, she claims, to be "re-fighting battles from 20 years ago..." But those battles are not over for Michigan workers who feel the incessant pressure from NAFTA on job security and the downward pressure on incomes and benefits. Hillary can't rebuild the middle-class, even on her own free-market terms, without undoing large parts of NAFTA, and Michigan voters know it. Fearing to take on Financial Strip-mining Throughout her glowing tribute to the private sector, she also duly notes that corporations and financiers care too much about short-term stock prices instead of the long-term health of the company. She is correct to say that they are spending 80 to 90 percent of all corporate revenues on stock buybacks and dividends: "That's money they're not using to train their workers or give them a raise." And then there are the usual tropes about the "casino culture on Wall Street" and the ever faithful applause line: "We need to make sure Wall Street never wrecks Main Street again." But Michigan voters saw that the whip she hopes to crack is more like a wet noodle. She wants to reward corporations and investors with tax incentives to encourage long-term investment, worker training and profit sharing with employees. Advertisement She rejects the two real power moves that could actually change elite Wall Street and corporate behavior. She does not talk about outlawing stock buybacks. And she does not mention the financial speculation tax. It is relatively easy for a president to stop stock buybacks. All it takes is a rule change at the SEC. Until 1982, it was considered stock manipulation for a company to boost its price by buying back its own shares en mass. Reagan's SEC appointee then legalized it. But making stock buybacks illegal again would be fiercely opposed by the very Wall Street executives and CEOs who are filling her campaign coffers. In fact, the system of runaway inequality is built upon those buybacks. Today, the goal of virtually every large corporation is to use all of its cash-flow to buy back its own shares to enrich its CEOs and largest Wall Street investors. Hillary Ignores Wall Street Attack on GM While noting that the "auto industry just had its best year ever," Hillary ignores the outrageous case of financial strip-mining at GM. She couldn't mention it because it would also show the revolving door between the Obama administration and Wall Street. Harry J. Wilson, the Obama administrator who helped to negotiate the GM bailout, then left for a hedge fund job. The 43 year-old Wilson and his investors proceeded buy up 34 million GM shares. Why not? By then he was a GM expert, trained at taxpayer expense. Advertisement He then demanded that GM use its cash reserves to buy back its own shares to make he and his investors tens of millions of dollars....for doing nothing at all. The American people bailed out GM to save hundreds of thousands of jobs throughout the Midwest. Many of us hoped that once GM returned to financial health, it would use its reserves to build the most environmentally sound cars in the world, thereby helping retain U.S. jobs and help our planet survive. Instead, Wilson pressures GM to use its precious cash reserves to buyback its own shares in order to put money into his deep pockets and the pockets of his investors. Increase GM wages? Increase training? Increase R&D. No way. His wish was GM's command. On January 13, GM announced a $5 billion stock buyback plan. (See here for more detail.) But Hillary couldn't talk about any of this. Because if she did, she would be forced to admit that her fairytale version of capitalism will never work as long as Wall Street dominates the economy. Advertisement Carefully Ignoring Public Sector Jobs and Michigan's Real Pain. Team Hillary's populist sounding plan is in harmony with the most pernicious neoliberal principle -- that the private sector, by definition, is more valuable than the public sector -- that all must be done to "encourage" private sector jobs while limiting public sector jobs. Hillary makes no mention at all at the decades-old attack on public sector jobs and benefits. Not a word about the privatization that is wrecking Michigan's public sector. Not a word about the need for increases in public sector jobs to bring safe water to the people of Flint. Instead she just blames the Republicans. When she discusses how to revitalize communities of color left behind, her only way of doing so is through private sector investment. But the public sector is the best path towards the middle class incomes for low-income Americans especially African Americans. She can't bring decent jobs and incomes to low-income communities without an expansion of the public sector. But why the knock on public sector jobs? Because Wall Street and the super-rich would have to pay for those jobs. To have a robust public sector that would get the lead out of inner-city pipes, fix up dilapidated schools, increase the number of teachers, and provide free higher education for all requires the expansion of the public sector. To maintain a decent society requires an increase in public goods and the hiring of more public workers. But doing so, leads us directly to a financial speculation tax on Wall Street as well as the end of off-shore tax havens for the super-rich, neither of which are mentioned in her economic plan. Advertisement Instead Team Hillary wants to sound tough on corporate bad actors, while providing tax breaks to most of the private sector. She wants to rein in Wall Street's risky behavior, without damaging its financial strip-mining operation. And she wants to let the market miraculously create better paying jobs for people of color, while remaining silent on the public sector and 20-year-old trade deals. And Michigan voters saw it for what it is -- Wall Street economics. (Please like the Runaway Inequality page on Facebook.) There will be the "wearing of the green" all over the world come St. Patrick's Day on March 17. Nowhere more so than in Boston, Chicago and New York. That's right, not even in Ireland; although they've gotten the hang of their own saint's festival in recent years. For centuries, until the Americans showed their cousins in Ireland how to party on St. Patrick's Day, it was a somber, religious feast day. St. Patrick was what was known as a "Romano-British" missionary, who went to Ireland in the 5th century, and probably in the latter half of the century. We know this from fragments of his own writing. He settled around Armagh, in the north of Ireland, and became the first bishop of Armagh, Primate of Ireland. He described the Irish as "heathen men." Advertisement Myth tells of St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland. But myth has many faces in Ireland, and is part of the charm of the Irish - a charm that has affected the whole world, and stirs people far removed from that small, and at times very troubled island, to wear something green, drink and pay homage. Not the least of the celebrations this year, as in recent years, will be in London, where so many of the agonies of Ireland had their genesis. The English -- and I was born into the British Empire -- have treated Ireland savagely down through the centuries. Oliver Cromwell, the English reformer, wrote of his incursion into Ireland, "God made them as stubble to our swords." At the battle of Drogheda in 1641, about which Cromwell was writing, the English killed some 3,500 Irish patriots. Hard work with broad swords. William of Orange, the Dutch Protestant ruler who became William III of England, Scotland and Ireland, invaded Ireland on July 1, 1690 to fight massed Catholic forces, led by James II, the deposed Catholic king of England. The two armies faced each other across the River Boyne, just to the north of Dublin. William won the battle, but his victory left a divide between Irish Protestants and Catholics, which exists in modified form to this day. The "wearing of the green" most likely dates from the uprising of 1798, when the Irish tried to throw off the English yoke with French help, and were soundly defeated by Gen. Charles Cornwallis, who was seething from his defeat in the American Revolution. The Irish, who were rounded up and hanged in groups of 20 a day by some of the English general's officers, showed their defiance by wearing something green -- often a shamrock in their hats. The English considered that an offense: sedition. Advertisement Cornwallis also oversaw the formal incorporation of Ireland into Britain. But to his credit, he fought with George III (remember him?) over Catholic emancipation, and for a while resigned his commission. More horror from England was on the way -- and persisted essentially until Irish independence in 1922. During the potato famine (1845-49), England refused to allow relief ships with grain to land in the belief that the famine was part of a natural order, as laid out by the philosopher Thomas Robert Malthus. One million people died as potatoes were their only sustenance. In this case Ireland's pain was America's gain. Hundreds of thousands of Irish fled starvation for a new life in America. This diaspora changed Ireland and America, forever. It is how 50 million Americans claim Irish ancestry. The Irish in America began to celebrate the national saint of their motherland in their new land -- and so was born the St. Patrick's Day joyous celebration. To my mind, the final Irish reprisal against England is not the world recognition but that Irish writers, writing in English, not the Irish language, have had such an incalculable impact on English literature. To take a few names at random: Beckett, Behan, Goldsmith, Joyce, Shaw, Synge, Swift, Wilde and Yeats. Advertisement In Ireland, there is an endless flow of wonderful language. The Irish will never say "yes" or "no" when they can give you a sentence with a flourish, which makes the mundane poetic. Once in Dingle, my wife asked a waiter, "Is the fish fresh?" He answered, "If it were any fresher, it would be swimming. And you wouldn't want that, would you?" Also in Dingle, I asked an elderly man whether the pub he was sitting outside of was open. He replied, "He would hardly be open now." Journalist Ali Raza Rind's name has been added to a list of 'terrorists' under a controversial law that restricts his mobility. The Pakistani government is intimidating some journalists and drastically curtailing their mobility under a repressive law known as the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Individual reporters are scared; journalists' unions and organizations committed to press freedoms are outraged. The government even does not deny the existence of this controversial law or its brazen enforcement that involves listing journalists as 'terrorists' and requiring them to regularly report to the local police station. Journalists, whose names the government puts on the Fourth Schedule, are required to inform the police before traveling to another city. In the southwestern province of Balochistan, which has been ranked by the Reporters without Borders as one of the world's top ten most dangerous places for reporters and described by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) as the "epicenter of attacks on Pakistani press", the government is applying this law to harass reporters whose work has put the officials in an awkward situation. Advertisement The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), the nation's largest organization working for the rights of journalists, has written letters to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the country's information and interior ministers to convey "profound concern" about the law and how it violates press freedom. The PFUJ says at least forty (40) reporters have been killed in Balochistan in the recent times because of the unrest that has overtaken the resource rich region for over a decade. "The government is further trying to muzzle the media," observed the PFUJ in its letter to Prime Minister Sharif, adding, "this law is so repressive that reporters are restricted from moving out of their home districts to go to another district for personal or professional reasons." On January 26th, 2016, Akbar Hussain Durrani, Balochistan's Secretary Home, sent a notification to heads of several security agencies and top local officials telling them he was "pleased" to list the name of Ali Raza Rind, whom Secretary Durrani listed as an 'activist' of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist insurgent group that has been banned by the Pakistani government. Advertisement Balochistan Secretary Home said he was 'pleased' to list the journalist on the terrorists' list. The PFUJ insists that Ali is a professional journalist with no ties to any political group as alleged by the Secretary Home. Another reporter from Quetta, Farooq Langov, is also facing similar charges. "The government should have contacted and consulted the PFUJ to verify the credentials of these journalists before leveling such serious allegations on them," said Afzal Butt, the PFUJ President, in his letter to Prime Minister Sharif, "we believe the government has no evidence to back its claims and it is, therefore, using baseless allegations to intimidate our colleagues in Balochistan. We invite the officials to substantiate these charges against the reporters in the court." When I reached out to Ali Raza to chat more about the enlisting of his name under the Fourth Schedule, he implicitly sounded perplexed and agitated yet determined to fight back. Ali says he has worked as a reporter for Dunya TV, a popular Urdu language news channel, as its correspondent in his native district of Dalbandin for eight years. His journalistic work regularly appears in several respected regional and national newspapers. Ali says the government has been trying to silence him for the past two years since the local Assistant Commissioner threatened to harm him because of his reporting in which he had highlighted failures in the government's security plans to protect Shia pilgrims from Sunni extremist groups. Ali's district, Dalbandin, is close to Iran. Many Shia pilgrims pass from there to cross the border and go to Iran. In recent times, Sunni extremist groups have intercepted convoys of buses carrying Shia pilgrims to Iran and massacred them. These brutal incidents have intensified public demands for official action against the extremist groups involved in these assaults. The government, on its part, silences reporters like Ali who expose inefficiencies and failures of the local administration. When Ali's name was added to the Fourth Schedule, he was informed about it by the local police station. Since then, Ali says, he is "compelled" to visit the police station every day although no formal charges have been made against him nor has he been convicted by a court for any wrongdoing. If Ali needs to visit another city, he will firstly have to go and report to the cops because of this restriction that clearly hurts journalists. Advertisement "I don't know what the government's problem is. I feel they just want to silence me," he says and also shares that he has security threats related to his life and property. Ali warns, "if something happened to me, the government would be responsible for it." He reiterates that he is a journalist and has never been affiliated with any political or insurgent group, as alleged by the government. A spokesman for the Balochistan government, Anwaar Kakar, says the Fourth Schedule is the rule of the law and the government would not compromise on 'our national security in the name of press freedom." Mr. Kakar, in a recently published statement in the local media, confirmed that Ali and Farooq have been included under the Fourth Schedule because "it is clear that no one is above the law." In total, the spokesman says, at least 90 people belonging to different walks of life have been marked as suspicious under this law. "When we suspect that a person has connections with a terrorist organization, we add them on the watch list of the local administration and security agencies. After the passage of a certain period, we remove their names from the list if no evidence is found against them while whose who are found guilty will have to face legal action under the anti-terrorism laws." The Balochistan government seems particularly outraged at one Islamabad-based journalist, Bilal Dar, a reporter for Jang, the nation's most widely read Urdu newspaper. Dar, who is an avid campaigner for press freedom while closely working with the PFUJ, has been busy in informing and educating a broader audience across Pakistan about the dark side of the Fourth Schedule being practiced in Balochistan. Bilal Dar, a reporter for the Jang newspaper, has come under threats for standing with the beleaguered Baloch reporters facing a repressive law. Advertisement When Bilal reported about Ali's case and the use of this law against journalists, he told me that he had begun to receive threatening phone calls from "unknown callers" who warned him to refrain from publishing stories on this topic. "They told me to mind my own business," recalled Bilal. The government's hostility toward Bilal's reporting is evident from the spokesman's statement who, without directly naming Bilal, raised fingers at "one Islamabad-based journalist who is trying to make the government's actions controversial in the wake of the National Action Plan," referring to Islamabad's anti-terrorism doctrine. "When the government officials cannot reach us in Islamabad, they send people to our local newspaper offices to threaten our staff. They warn to forcibly shut down our offices or inflict 'severe consequences' if we do not stop reporting on the government's controversial policies," Bilal told me via Whatsapp, my favorite tool for instant collection of quotes, photos and interviews with sources in Pakistan. Bilal says reporting on Balochistan involves a lot of pressure and risks. "I don't think there is a safe place in Pakistan from where you can report independently on Balochistan. Islamabad isn't safe for reporters who cover Balochistan. I get threats and warnings all the time given my work on Balochistan." If Bilal, who works for Pakistan's most influential and widely read newspaper in the powerful Islamabad bureau, faces threats, you can imagine how hard working circumstances are for Ali Raza who reports from a small Pakistan-Iran border town in the chaotic and violent Balochistan region. Advertisement The government is not only systematically silencing the media in Balochistan through coercive laws but it is also trying its best to keep the masses uninformed about these undemocratic practices. Ali says the government should revise the list and take his name out. "Otherwise, I will go to the court," he threatens. "NEXT TO NOTHING' is a show up at B Minus Studios of eleven paintings- one large one by Adam Harrison and ten small ones by myself. The paintings show a large hole in the ground and the surrounding area intended for a Student Welcome Center at Santa Monica College where we both teach. I've been painting this hole for years, doing lots of fairly quick studies on the site from the time when it was being dug out by heavy equipment and was happy to have good painterly company in Adam when I saw him working for a long time on a large painting of the same spot. We saw our different approaches as a sort of packing and unpacking of the same site and were delighted to have Peter Frank weigh in on our endeavor. -Marc Trujillo PETER FRANK: Imagine if John Constable and J.M.W. Turner had brought their simmering feud into broad daylight (as it were) and staged a paint-off. It might at least have started like this dual show of Adam Harrison and Marc Trujillo . Except that Harrison and Trujillo are fast friends and mutually respecting talents, each spurred on rather than put off by the other's aspirations and achievements. Their decision to paint precisely the same view from their own stylistic vantages (although the same physical one) determined not a point of contention, but a point of commonality, a collegiality much more traditional to plein-air companions - but no less revealing in the contrast it provides, even insists on, between the two painters' styles. Harrison burrows into the atmospheric and topologic qualities provided by chiaroscuro. His presentation of the site he and Trujillo have focused on is faithful not so much to what one sees as to what one feels as a result of seeing. Adam Harrison, 1900 Pico (12/14-7/15), 2015, oil on canvas mounted to panel, 48 x 58 inches The limpid quality of Harrison's air, the sharp but elusive patterns of light and shadow, the press of various buildings' geometries against one another and the press of the clouds on everything below, these factors give weight (if not quite mass) to the diverse things that comprise the picture and credibility to the distances between them. Marc Trujillo '1902 Pico Boulevard', oil on linen 6 x 12 inches Trujillo's method, certainly as represented here, is much more spontaneous, even shorthand: his works here are studies toward a finished work and retain plein air's manual immediacy. Marc Trujillo '1903 Pico Boulevard' oil on linen 6 x 12 inches But we know from his formalized paintings that Trujillo values different qualities in a scene or a place - actually, a scene of a place - than does Harrison. Whereas Harrison seems to culminate with the placement of things in an articulated atmosphere, Trujillo begins with that placement and allows planar arrangement and the luminosity of color - not just light - to describe space and place, a Turneresque approach. Marc Trujillo '1904 Pico Boulevard' oil on linen 2009 In fact, while Harrison conflates sense of space with identity of site, Trujillo separates them, making them work as readily divisible components of a picture, an evocation of sight rather than of skin. Marc Trujillo '1905 Pico Boulevard' oil on linen Trujillo's formal paintings convey such a schema almost conceptually, serving our apprehension of a site by identifying what comprise it as discrete but related components. Marc Trujillo '1906 and 1907 Pico Boulevard' oil on prepared paper 2010 The magic comes as he fills out the rendition, making things work with and against one another. Trujillo records and abstracts, mentally, determining a choreography of factors, while Harrison ponders and models, viscerally, determining a symphony of circumstances. Marc Trujillo '1908 Pico Boulevard' oil on Dibond panel 4 x 6 inches By presenting different levels of approach - one a single finished painting, the other a group of raw sketches - to the same subject matter, Harrison and Trujillo deliberately deflect comparison of their native styles, turning this show more into an object lesson in praxis: this is how you generate a quick study, this is how you complete a finished painting, and this is what happens in each kind of approach. Marc Trujillo '1909 Pico Boulevard oil on Dibond panel 4 x 6 inches Note that, ironically, Trujillo's plein-air studies are pictorially more fixed than Harrison's oil on canvas; the painting captures a very specific moment, while the works on paper rely more on generalized notation and observation. Trujillo has painted the climate of Santa Monica, while Harrison has painted the weather. At any rate, the show does not give us the opportunity to compare the two painters in a balanced manner, and that's deliberate. Marc Trujillo '1910 Pico Boulevard' oil on Dibond panel 5 x 7 inches This is not a Constable v. Turner match, no matter how much either LA-based contemporary artist might conjure the style and spirit of each great English landscapist. This is a paint-off among friends, colleagues who have shared a challenge rather than posed one to one another. The object lesson is not in competition, but in the variety of practice, traditional landscape practice, still available to the artists of today.' Los AngelesMarch 2016 "And so, from hour to hour, we ripe and ripe, And then, from hour to hour, we rot and rot; And thereby hangs a tale." -William Shakespeare, As You Like It Works, from left to right, by Alyssa Monks, David Simon (all three sculptures shown) Sean Cheetham and Marc Trujillo I'm happy to have curated a show bringing together all of the faculty of Rome Art Workshops, a great group of artists. I know it's not possible for everyone to see the show so I wanted to bring you a virtual version. Advertisement Works, from left to right by Hollis Dunlap, Michael Bergt (2), David Simon, Michael Bergt, Marc Trujillo and Hollis Dunlap The show is literally your invitation to come and join us this summer in Rome. The show is up now at the Q Art featuring the works of Michael Bergt, Brian Booth Craig, Sean Cheetham, Hollis Dunlap, Alyssa Monks, David Simon, Daniel Sprick and Marc Trujillo. The opening reception was Saturday, March 5th, if you're in the LA area, come by the closing reception on Saturday, April 2nd, the show will run through April 22nd. Works, from left to right by Daniel Sprick, Brian Booth Craig (all 3 portrait busts shown), David Simon (Figure sculpture) and Marc Trujillo (all other paintings shown) Mortality and the living voices of the past play a strong role in all of the artists' work in 'Hour by Hour'. All of these artists share a relationship with the great artists of the past, nourished and informed by it to make work in and of our time and they are all also teaching together at the Rome Art Workshops. Rome, the marrow of tradition in the visual arts, the finishing school of old masters like Velasquez and Rubens. This show both a gathering together of these artists and an invitation to Rome to study with them in the Eternal City. Advertisement Works by Michael Bergt Michael Bergt's work is an embodiment of his fascination with the figure beautifully rendered fused with pattern and decoration. Michael Bergt 'A Reach' Michael has worked primarily in egg tempera for over thirty years. He co-founded The Society of Tempera Painters and served as the organization's president for twelve years. Working primarily with the human figure, Michael's paintings refer to a range of interests, including classical myths, sensuality, the human condition, and topical events. He is represented by Nuart Gallery in Santa Fe, NM. Michael will be teaching the 'Egg Tempera Painting Techniques' class. Brian Booth Craig Two Portrait Busts in Bronze Brian Booth Craig's sculptures explore internal narratives, engaging the fabrication of personae through form and gesture. Brian was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He studied fine arts at the Pennsylvania State University then continued his studies at the New York Academy of Art, where he received his Master of Fine Arts degree. Brian Booth Craig 'Amanda II' Bronze, 34 in. by 9 in. by 9 in., 2015 from his upcoming solo show in NY Brian exhibits his work throughout the United States and is represented by the Louis K. Meisel Gallery in New York, where he has an upcoming solo show and by the John Pence Gallery in San Francisco, CA. He has over ten years of teaching experience, and is currently Chair of the Sculpture Department at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Brian and David Simon will co-teach Figure Sculpture and are co-owners and founders of the Rome Art Workshops. Advertisement Sean Cheetham 'Marc' 20x20 inches oil on linen over panel Sean Cheetham combines the rigor of superior draftsmanship, with lush surface treatments in both his painting and drawing. Alla Prima Portraits in oil and Acrylic by Sean Cheetham Sean has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with honors from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. He exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London in 2005 where he was included in the prestigious BP Portrait award show. His self-portrait "Champagne Wishes and Caviar Dreams..." is currently hanging in the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian in Washington DC. Sean lives and teaches painting in Los Angeles. Sean will be teaching both the "Alla Prima Portrait Painting" and "The Portrait: Drawing to Painting" workshops. Hollis Dunlap 'Girl With Stripes', Oil on Panel 16 x 20 inches Hollis Dunlap was born in northern Vermont and is part of the emerging group of artists who painstakingly study the old masters such as Caravaggio and Vermeer while being fully informed by modernists such as Diebenkorn. The mixture of precise draftsmanship with spontaneous brushwork and contrasting areas of thick and thin pigments echo Dunlap's immersion of the classic and contemporary. Dunlap studied at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts where he received his BFA in 1999He is a 2 time recipient of the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation grant and has had numerous solo shows in New York, Boston, San Francisco, and Miami. He currently paints and teaches at his studio in Southeastern CT. Hollis will be teaching the Figure Painting workshop. Two paintings by Alyssa Monks Alyssa Monks, as she puts it, "My intention is to transfer the intimacy and vulnerability of my human experience into a painted surface. I like mine to be as intimate as possible, each brush stroke like a fossil, recording every gesture and decision." Alyssa earned her B.A. from Boston College and she studied painting at Lorenzo de' Medici in Florence. She went on to complete her M.F.A at the New York Academy of Art, Graduate School of Figurative Art in 2001. She teaches and lectures at universities and institutions nationwide, and is an adjunct professor at the New York Academy of Art, as well as a member of the Board of Trustees there. She is currently represented by Forum Gallery in New York City where she has a solo show opening this month. Alyssa currently lives and paints in Brooklyn, New York. Alyssa will be teaching Painting; Transcending the Photo Reference" Workshop. David Simon 'The Rower' Bronze David Simon's thoughtfully crafted sculptures quietly point up the internal life of the figures he sculpts. The austere, modern dance-like gestures keep the emotional temperature at a low boil. David is originally from New York, currently living in Los Angeles. David Simon 'Marc', 'Sean' Bronze He attended the Rhode Island School of Design, Brown University and the New York Academy of Art's Graduate School of Figurative Art. He participated in the Rhode Island School of Design's European Honors Program and spent several years sculpting in Italy. He has taught sculpture for more than 15 years in New York and Los Angeles. He has exhibited his work extensively in the US, Canada and Europe. Selected exhibitions include David Simon:Dark Forest at the Long Beach Museum of Art, A Figural Presence at the Saint Anselm College Chapel Art Center and David Simon:New Sculpture and Re-Presenting the Figure I and II at Evoke Contemporary. David and Brian Booth Craig will co-teach the Figure Sculpture workshop and are co-owners and founders of the Rome Art Workshops. Daniel Sprick 'Hone Philip', Oil on Board, 20 x 16 inches, 2011 Daniel Sprick was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. He studied at the Froman School of Art, The National Academy of Design and The University of Northern Colorado, from which he received his B.F.A. in 1978. Daniel has had numerous solo exhibitions and participated in many group exhibitions. His work is exhibited in many private and public collections throughout the United States and abroad. Daniel also has extensive experience teaching painting workshops, covering a variety of subjects and media. Daniel lives and works in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Daniel will be teaching the Figure Drawing workshop. Marc Trujillo '20915 Roscoe Boulevard' 24 x 39 inches, oil on Dibond panel 2016 Marc Trujillo brings the old, slow, careful way of painting to bear on the world made to be passed through, primarily the purgatory of American urban and suburban landscapes such as gas stations, shopping malls, big chain stores, and restaurants. Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, he received his B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and his M.F.A. from the Yale University School of Art. Marc received the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award, the John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship and the Rosenthal Family Foundation Award in Art from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He has had many shows on both coasts in the U.S. and currently shows with Hirschl & Adler Modern in New York and Chis Winfield Gallery in Carmel. His work is in numerous public and private collections including the Long Beach Museum and the New Britain Museum of Art. Marc has taught painting for more than 15 years, has also taught and lectured at numerous institutions including The Getty Center in Los Angeles, Mount Royal School of Art in Maryland, and Boston University. Plein Air Alla Prima Lanscapes with a couple of figure studies on the far right by Marc Trujillo with a Bronze Bust by Brian Booth Craig. This is what we'll be up to in the "Painting Rome' Workshop Currently living in Los Angeles. Marc will be teaching the "Painting Rome" workshop -- a combination of working on site in Rome and from the figure in the studio. Tours in Rome in addition to the workshops are integral to the Rome Art Workshops experience. Tours are the connection between making work in the studio and looking at great work in the piazzas, churches, museums and galleries of the city. Berninis in the Galleria Borghese- in Rome all roads lead to Bernini It was early evening many years ago at our home on York Avenue in NYC, there was someone at the door, I went over, opened it and there was Marta Jimenez the representative of Cuba to the 4th Committee at the United Nations under my father's watch as Ambassador. I remember my mother laughing when I walked in her room to announce that "a young lady with pretty hair" was in the living room waiting for her. From that moment on, Marta would forever use that description every time she called our home, whether in NY or in Havana. "Margaritica, its Marta, "the young lady with the pretty hair", is your mother home?" Marta was not only a subordinate of my father's then in the 1970's she had also been the wife of one of his dearest brothers in arms, Fructuoso Rodriguez brutally murdered in April of 1957 by the Batista police when he was only 23 years old leaving a young 21 year old Marta behind. She demanded her husband's lifeless body from the police and carried his coffin while seven months pregnant on its way to the cemetery in an audacious affront to the Batista Police and made sure that the multitude accompanying the procession be allowed to reach the cemetery unscathed. Advertisement As an active member of the Student Directorate in Havana she continued the struggle to over throw the blood thirsty dictatorship of the Batista regime and then went on to play as many an active role as possible in the new Cuban Revolutionary process. When I was ten years old she watched over me after I had my tonsils out in Havana one summer and I remember how she would whisper in my ear "wake up! I am getting very bored here waiting for your mom to get back..." A very funny woman with a wit all her own, she managed to reconcile having been widowed at an early age and left to rear a young boy on her own with helping to construct the project that she ,her late husband and so many others had dreamed of in their youth. Marta worked as a diplomat and one of her greatest triumphs and one of which she was most proud had been to be one of the first people to stand side by side the Sahrawi people Marta died over the weekend. She was eighty two years old. Times have changed in Cuba and in the rest of the world. Revolution is no longer as romantic as it was back then when our parents were young. Yet as I walked along side my father and Marta's only son, Osvaldo Fructuoso Rodriguez Jimenez, in the cemetery this morning I couldn't help but think about how important it is to remember our history, less we repeat the mistakes of the past. Marta belonged to a strong comfortable middle class in an island riddled with injustices; she fought alongside a young revolutionary and became one herself. It didn't matter that she be a young woman who had been taught otherwise by society, she believed a better world was possible and fought till the end to make it happen. Photo: Michael Smith C.J. Box, the New York Times bestselling author of sixteen Joe Pickett novels, has millions of fans. In addition to the Joe Pickett series, he's written five standalones, and a short story collection, Shots Fired. He's won multiple awards for his fiction. His books have been translated into twenty-seven languages. Off the Grid finds Joe's good friend Nate living off the grid, relying solely on survival skills, as he attempts to find Muhammad Ibraheem, a rogue journalist, who has also gone "off the grid". An ultra-secret government agency has pressed Nate into service to apprehend this suspect whose activities could lead to great bloodshed. Meanwhile, Joe's daughter Sheridan has accepted an invitation to attend a gathering where a group of political activists have been invited. But who and what exactly are they, and what's their real agenda? The novel streaks to a startling conclusion in a sinister plot endangering Sheridan, Nate, Joe, and potentially, the entire nation. Advertisement Off the Grid centers around the politically charged topics involving jihadi terrorism and the U.S. government's attempts to deal with it. In light of the San Bernardino attack, will you talk about these issues? I've done extensive reading on the subject, and was struck by the fact that our government is investigating potential terrorist plots in all fifty states. That seemed remarkable to me, especially when I thought about my home state of Wyoming with its small population. What kind of activity could be going on here? Then I linked that question up with the fact that there's a huge NSA facility right over the Wyoming border in Bluffdale, Utah. That installation is designed for spying on domestic and international conversations. Off the Grid describes many dangers, among them EMP. What is it and what are the dangers associated with it? EMP means electromagnetic pulse. An EMP could conceivably knock out all electronics within its range. Typically, an EMP would be delivered by a nuclear device exploding above the surface, one that would wipe out the electrical grid. But in the novel, after having done some research, I learned work is being done on developing much smaller devices that can be targeted very specifically to take out a single facility or an electrical transfer station. It wouldn't take long with a few of these pulses to take down the entire electrical grid of the United States. The title Off the Grid can have a couple of meanings. Will you tell us about them? That was intentional. One meaning is that Joe's best friend Nate Romanowski has done his best to live off the grid--to be totally untraceable by any surveillance method. He fails in that effort, primarily because his girlfriend must call and check on her dying mother. It's a fact that every conversation or electronic message can be tracked and traced. Advertisement There are only a few places in the U.S. where one can actually be off the grid, and the Red Desert in Wyoming, where a good deal of the action in the novel takes place, is one of them. And finally, the notion that with an EMP, the entire electrical grid of the country can be disabled, ties everything together with the title. You write one novel a year, and every other year you write two novels. How do you keep up this pace? Honestly, I don't know how I do It. (Laughter) I don't have any co-writers; don't hire anyone to do research; I just keep at it every day. I don't take extended time off, except when the time is right, you can find me fly fishing. (Laughter) I write my thousand or fifteen hundred words a day, and generally produce a book and a half a year. In light of that, do you ever procrastinate? I really don't. I think that comes from my having been a journalist. Even though it's been a long time since I was one, if you're covering events for a daily or weekly newspaper, you can't procrastinate. You've got to produce the piece and you must do it on deadline. You can't wait for inspiration; you just have to do it. On those days when I don't really feel like writing, I just do it, and if necessary, I go back later to make it better. You're such a well-known author. Which question are you asked most frequently? It's either, 'Is Joe Pickett based on someone you know?' Many people can't quite conceive of creating characters out of fictional cloth. They feel the characters must be based on real people. The other question that comes up frequently is, 'Why don't you turn this series into a movie or TV series?' Advertisement Speaking of TV, I understand there are some television projects in the works based on Joe Pickett. In the last year, some producers expressed interest in developing a Joe Pickett TV series. My wife and I have decided to take that project off the table for a while because we want it to go in a different direction. We'd like to see it done with the same integrity we hope the books present. There's a possibility for something coming out of The Highway, a standalone. David E. Kelly has purchased the rights to it, and wants to do an eight to ten episode series. If a TV series or movie is made about Joe Pickett, which actor do you see playing him? That's the third most frequently asked question. (Laughter). I honestly don't have anyone in mind. To me, Joe Pickett is a Wyoming game warden. I've met a few actual game wardens who would be perfect for the part, but I never think in terms of actors. With so many novels down the line, what's the most important lesson you've learned about writing? I think it's to keep the writing fresh and not fall into being formulaic. There are sixteen books in the series, but because they're written in real time where Joe Picket, his wife and children are getting older, the characters and situations stay fresh for me. I think readers are very perceptive. They can tell when an author is starting to get tired of his own material. I know as a reader, I can tell when that happens. I don't want that to ever happen with my novels. I try to change things up by including topics in the news and controversial themes and subject matter in the novels. I think that keeps things fresh for both me and the reader. Life demands that we adapt, so our characters must do so, as well? I know there are some very successful series out there where the characters seem never to age, or grow, or even limp around after having been in a car wreck from the last book. Advertisement On the other hand, I try to make things as realistic as possible. Do you find it easier or more difficult to write a standalone as opposed to writing books in the Joe Pickett series? It's sometimes harder to do a standalone, but it's very rewarding. I can go outside of Joe's world into different states, plots and characters. Then when I return to the Joe Pickett series, it feels fresher. What's coming next from C.J. Box? I haven't even started the next Joe Picket novel but, I've got it all figured out. I've got the outline done and know where it's heading. Right now, I'm within one chapter of finishing another standalone. Congratulations on penning Off the Grid, a true pulse-pounder dealing with terrorism, government spying, geopolitical conflict, loyalty, family, and much more. ORLANDO (Satire) --- Move over Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump. There's a new Republican candidate for President and the political race is in turmoil again. At a hastily arranged press conference near the Disney Resort, Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican Presidential candidate, today addressed concerns that Donald Trump is running away with the Republican nomination, despite a barrage of negative attention in the last week. "True conservatives don't want an inexperienced blowhard like Donald Trump, an experienced blowhard like Ted Cruz or a robotic candidate like Marco Rubio," Romney explained. "They want a candidate that's ready for action, that won't take any guff, and that they can take to a bar and get drunk with. Like this." Advertisement With that, Romney spun around, pulled out a black matte AR-15 assault rifle and waved it above the crowd."This AR-15 is your next president." The crowd, instantly energized, erupted in chants of "U.S.A., U.S.A." The wise, elder spokesman of the Republican Party explained that under the recent supreme court decision of "Citizens United" man-made concepts like corporations have a constitutional right to donate to candidates for public office. "They're legal persons, they can influence elections," said Romney. "Well, so can my AR-15. Its running for president." The crowd stirred again. "U.S.A., U.S.A." "The AR-15 meets all the criteria for President: its made in America and its over 35 years old," explained constitutional scholar Bradley Forsyth. "Plus, its protected under the Second Amendment. Looks like a winner to me." In an instant poll of likely Florida voters, 42% of Republicans favor the AR-15 assault rifle for President, 23% favor Ted Cruz, 21% Donald Trump and 8% Marco Rubio. Advertisement "I don't want a President who thinks too much," explained Orange County Republican Chairman Herb Widdleton, "No, sir. I'll take a semiautomatic veto every day of the week." By Mary Bottari and Jessica Mason Six Honeywell workers were cleaning a 100,000-gallon sulfuric acid tank when it became over-pressurized and violently ruptured in January 2015. Other workers sheltered in place as fire crews rushed to Honeywell International, Inc.'s Hopewell, Virginia plant, one of the world's largest single-site producers of caprolactum, the primary feedstock in the production of nylon polymer used in carpet fibers, plastics, and films. Luckily, no one was hospitalized. But the incident was just one in a string of problems at the troubled Hopewell plant, which has been cited by OSHA for seven "serious" violations in three separate inspections from 2013-2015. The same plant was also the source of environmental violations that cost Honeywell $3.3 million in federal and state penalties in the same period. Pervasive violations of worker safety and health standards at giant Fortune 500 firms like Honeywell underscore the need to hold federal contractors accountable for the hazards to which their workers are exposed. Advertisement President Obama has taken executive action to implement tough new reporting rules for federal contractors. The Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order requires federal contractors to report violations of safety, health and labor laws occurring over the past three years to the government when they apply for new contracts. Unfortunately, many American firms -- fronted by their powerful trade associations -- are working behind the scenes to scuttle these reporting requirements that would make it easier for the government to hold them to account. CEO Makes a Fortune While Honeywell Racks Up OSHA Violations and Fines Honeywell International Inc., a Fortune 500 company and one of the 2015's top 100 federal contractors, sells a wide range of products from common thermostats for home or office to sophisticated unmanned aerial vehicles for the Department of Defense. With a helping hand from U.S. taxpayers, the company does very well, and its CEO David Cote is paid a handsome salary. According to its 2014 SEC 10-K filing, Honeywell reported revenues totaling $40.3 billion in 2014, and Cote's compensation package was worth some $29 million that year, including more than $300,000 in personal use of the company's aircraft. Advertisement When it comes to worker safety, however, Honeywell is falling down on the job. The company and its subsidiaries have incurred 20 "Serious," 1 "Willful," and 11 "Other-than-Serious" OSHA violations and $72,885 in penalties between 2013-2016, the time period actionable under the Executive Order. The company is contesting some of these citations. These serious problems haven't slowed down the flood of federal contracts and taxpayer dollars. In 2014, Honeywell generated $3.69 billion in revenue from the federal government, primarily from the Department of Defense and NASA. (See 2015 10-K filing here, p. 2) This does not include the National Nuclear Security Administration's award to Honeywell last July of the $900 million contract to run the National Security Campus in Kansas City, Missouri. But Honeywell doesn't want to be held accountable for its past safety violations. Along with other serial OSHA offenders, the firm is fighting back, utilizing two obscure trade associations and another business lobbying group seeking to block President Obama's new rules. Obscure Trade Associations Carry Water for Name-Brand Companies Under the rules now being developed, the Executive Order will help contracting agencies identify companies with labor law violations violations and work with them to come into compliance before those companies receive any future contracts. This doesn't sit well with Honeywell and other pervasive OSHA violators like DuPont. Represented by trade organizations with obscure names like the Human Resources Policy Association (HRPA) and Professional Services Council (PSC), federal contractors have been fighting the new rules in Congressional testimony, media statements, and lobbying efforts led by well-connected operatives like Stan Soloway, who was named one of the 100 most influential business leaders in Washington, before recently stepping down as CEO of PSC. Advertisement Honeywell executives sit on the board of both HRPA and PSC, alongside other multi-million dollar federal contractors. In addition, Honeywell CEO and Chair David Cote serves as Vice Chair of the powerful Business Roundtable, which has also pushed back against President Obama's Executive Order. "There is no evidence of a widespread problem of pervasive, repeated or willful violations of labor laws by federal contractors," Soloway testified to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The trade associations are spinning the rules as "a de facto blacklisting of well-intentioned, ethical businesses." But Soloway didn't do his homework. Many of PSC's member companies, whose executives sit on its board, have been repeatedly cited for "Serious" OSHA violations, including Honeywell and its subsidiaries. Repeat Problems at Numerous Honeywell Plants Two years before the January, 2015 tank rupture at Honeywell's Hopewell, Virginia plant, OSHA inspectors cited the same plant and levied fines for three "Serious" violations of rules related to "Process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals." Then in February, 2015, less than a week after the rupture, an OSHA investigation resulted in another "Serious" citation, this time for violating statutes related to reporting workplace incidents. Yet another inspection in March 2015 found three more "Serious" violations, two of which again related to process safety management. Advertisement Complaints about Honeywell's Chesterfield plant, just up the James River from Hopewell, prompted three OSHA inspections from 2013-2015, resulting in one "Serious" and seven "Other-than-Serious" violations and $6,712 in penalties. The "Serious" violation related to "lockout/tagout" requirements for disabling power to equipment while employees perform service or maintenance. The violations, some of which remain open, also included failure to perform proper exposure monitoring for employees where methylene chloride is present. OSHA considers the chemical to be a potential occupational carcinogen. Another Honeywell plant, this time in Golden Valley, Minnesota, has been the site of multiple OSHA violations. Honeywell International, Inc. received citations for four "Serious" violations after a September 2013 inspection. The very next day, inspectors cited its subsidiary, Honeywell Aerospace at the same location, for one "Serious" violation and one "Other-than-Serious" violation. Then in May 2014, another inspection of the same plant again cited Honeywell International, Inc. for one more "Serious" violation, bringing the total for the facility over a single nine-month period to six "Serious" violations and $8,330 in penalties. (Violations and penalties are being contested by Honeywell.) The Golden Valley plant continues to give rise to worker health and safety problems, notwithstanding that the Executive Order put federal contractors on notice to clean up their acts. Last October, in response to a complaint, OSHA conducted yet another inspection at Golden Valley, and issued 1 "Willful" violation and $25,000 in penalties for failing to ensure that workers' fingers were properly guarded from dangerous welding machinery [29 CFR 1910.255(b)(4)]. The case remains open. All in all, Honeywell and its subsidiaries have incurred 20 "Serious," 1 "Willful," and 11 "Other-than-Serious" violations from 2013-2016, for a total of $72,885 in penalties, which would be reportable under the Executive Order. Chemical and Gas Leaks at Honeywell Draw Scrutiny of Federal and State Regulators Some Honeywell facilities seem to have recurrent problems with chemical and gas leaks that threaten workers and the environment. Advertisement In October 2014, residents of Metropolis, Illinois watched a cloud of gas emanate from Honeywell Metropolis Works for five minutes before mitigation spray towers were turned on. An equipment failure had caused a leak of uranium hexafluoride, a toxic and radioactive compound used to enrich uranium. The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) later issued a notice of violation against Honeywell for failure to declare an Alert and to properly notify the NRC. Less than a year later, the NRC issued another notice of violation against Honeywell Metropolis following an additional uranium hexafluoride leak in August, 2015. While violations of nuclear regulations are not reportable under the E.O., these leaks came on the heels of an OSHA inspection of the same plant that resulted in 12 "Serious" and 1 "Other-than-Serious" violations after an unexpected release of hydrogen fluoride vapor in December, 2010. The OSHA case, which closed in 2013 and would be reportable under the E.O., resulted in penalties of $70,000 along with citations for violating safety rules related to processing highly hazardous chemicals, testing equipment, correcting deficient equipment, and reporting on incidents involving the release of hazardous chemicals. The Metropolis plant, a uranium conversion facility, has long raised concerns about possible radiation exposure and ongoing environmental problems. Honeywell International Inc. pleaded guilty in March 2011 to a felony offense of "knowingly storing hazardous waste without a permit," and was given a criminal fine of $11.8 million. In January, 2014 the Illinois Attorney General ordered Honeywell to pay a civil penalty of $90,000 following three dangerous releases of hydrogen fluoride. Metropolis Works was not alone in being cited for environmental violations. The Hopewell, Virginia plant repeatedly leaked nitric acid, methyl ethyl ketone, caprolactam, oil and gasoline from 2013 to 2015, according to officials with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, including one alleged spill that caused a major fish kill in a tributary of the James River. Honeywell agreed to pay $300,000 in penalties and to make $13 million in upgrades to the plant, though it did not admit any wrongdoing. Again, while these particularly egregious environmental violations at the Metropolis and Hopewell plants would not be reportable under the E.O., they are included to demonstrate that companies that run afoul of workplace health and safety regulations also often have problems with other regulations that protect the public. Advertisement Blacklisting or Common Sense? Federal agencies handing out billions of dollars in contracts each year should know what kinds of jobs those contracts are buying--and so should the American people, who are footing the bill. Firms like Honeywell should be required to clean up their acts before reaping billions in annual revenues from federal contracts. Firms and trade associations might like to spin the new rules as a blacklisting of "well-intentioned" and "ethical" businesses, but nobody should have to rely on good intentions or good luck to survive a day on the job. "They follow me around the grocery store," he says to me, "thinking I'll steal something." "Why?" I ask. Naivety always makes me look foolish. My friend holds out his arms, palms up, as if to say: why do you think? I look him up and down, still trying to decide if he's serious, and eventually it dawns on me that he is. I pause and take a bite of my food, baffled that in the year of 2016, an African American individual can still be followed in a grocery store out of fear he will steal something, because, you know, all African American individuals are criminals. I stumble on my words, struggling to say the right thing, but then again, what do you say to that? What do you say to a man who has just told you that they are followed around the store because of the color of their skin? This isn't 1945, is it? This is 2016. What is wrong with people? And more importantly, how did we go from electing our first African American President to feeling comfortable exhibiting these prejudicial behaviors? "This happens all the time," he says. "But that's mild compared to other things." I stay silent, dreading whatever is to come. "I've been kicked out of bars because I'm black. I've had people say the N-word to me and right in front me, thinking nothing of it. They think it is okay." Advertisement That's the problem, I tell myself. You see, there have always been -- and always will be -- racial tensions in America, but never have people been so incredibly comfortable in expressing their disdain for someone from another culture; the only other time we were this explicit in our racial biases was prior to the civil rights movement, during the Jim Crow era. "What else?" my throat had gone dry. He throws his hands up and shakes his head, pushing out a dire laugh. "How much time you got?" We sit there for awhile in silence, trying to make sense of it all. I finally say to him: "How did this happen? How did we get here?" We stew over it for a bit, taking a few bites and talking about other things -- life, school, soul music -- but eventually we come back to it; the damn thing is a black hole and we are caught in its orbit, unable to generate enough acceleration to break free. Our first guess is the obvious one: Trump. In a recent keynote address, Vice President Joe Biden claimed that Donald Trump's success was critical to this evolution, citing that he would make us "look in the mirror" and face the growing problem of racism in America, but both of us dismissed this idea as quickly as it had arrived. Nothing about Trump is making us "look in the mirror." Advertisement "Trump is a symptom," he says. "If anything, he's the vehicle allowing people to express their overt racism comfortably." "But he isn't where it started." "No." No, I say to myself, no he isn't. Trump is a symptom of a bigger, more systemic and systematic problem that has been in place for quite some time. To put it metaphorically: Donald Trump is nothing more than the gasoline being poured onto a rising fire, orange hair and all. So where did that fire start? That is the real question, the one that needs answering if we are ever going to do as Biden suggested and look in the mirror, because this began long before Donald Trump called Mexicans rapists, long before he wanted to create a database of Muslims, long before he expressed misogynistic views, and his willingness to commit war crimes. So where in God's name did it come from? How did overt racism become commonplace? We bounce around ideas for a bit, discussing everything from Sandra Bland to Obama to the Syrian Refugee Crisis, but in the end both of us arrive at the same place, the same event: Ferguson. This started with Ferguson. Who knew that a crime that occurred within a stretch of two blocks within Ferguson, Missouri would be the catalyst for one of the most divisive and racially-charged time periods in the history of America? The shooting of Michael Brown by Darren Wilson occurred within a climate of corruption and racial injustice that had been in place for decades, and that killing embodied and symbolized the systemic discrimination demonstrated by the Ferguson police department. It was years in the making. But no one could have predicted what would follow; we had poked the beast one too many times and now the world would hear it roar. The sentiment of the black community within Ferguson resonated with the rest of the country, and before we knew it, black lives matter was founded and trending, protests--peaceful and not so peaceful--were occurring in New York, Chicago, and California. People were marching. People were fighting. America was burning. But what should have been a wake-up call for America to look in the mirror and address this issue, turned into one of the most divisive and polarizing events, because not everyone responded in a way that was in tune with the voices of the black lives matter activists: overt racism had been buried alive, and all it took was something with enough power to unearth it. Advertisement "After Ferguson," he says, "you had people who backed further into their corners." "All lives matter, give me back my white culture." "Exactly," he nods and takes a swig of water. What we didn't talk about was the verdict of Darren Wilson, and the fact that the grand jury decided not to indict him; if that act in and of itself didn't cause racial tensions to explode, the following events did. "And then came Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Baltimore..." his voice faded, letting me process. We didn't come together after Ferguson, I say to myself, we fell apart. And it only got worse from there. With each event -- with each child killed by police, with each protest, rally, and with each Syrian Refugee washing ashore -- the fire grew, further dividing the country, further polarizing the American people. "Meanwhile," I say, "Obama's reign is coming to an end." "Uh huh. And a lot of people hate Obama." Yes they do, I think. "Could that be where it started?" We dabble with the idea, play with it, but ultimately decided that, if anything, Obama's re-election was the kindling to the fire, made the coals hot, but it wasn't where the fire started. That's when the light bulb turns on over my head. My eyes grow wide. "And here comes Donald Trump." He nods again and smiles, but his voice is grave. "And here comes Donald Trump." What Donald Trump did was capitalize on Ferguson, on Tamir Rice, on the resentment towards Obama, and on the fear of ISIS and Syria. He targeted those who were for Darren Wilson, who undoubtedly believe that the police are never wrong, and who harbor racial prejudices. He targeted the people living in fear of ISIS and Syria, channeled their rage, and became their voice. And apparently, there were a lot of them. The gasoline to the fire, remember? Donald finalized the change in how racism was expressed by Americans: for supporters of Donald Trump, there were no longer consequences for demonstrating overt racism towards others. You could assault an African American woman at a rally and nothing would happen. You could call Mexicans rapists and nothing would happen. You could call Muslims savages, say the N-word, and tell your employees to follow a black guy in a grocery store and nothing would happen. Advertisement Good ole' Donald. Where black lives matter activists were the voice of Ferguson and others, Donald became the voice of the disenfranchised, of those sick of diversity and "Hussein" Obama: he became the voice of the silent racists who had had enough of their white culture being stripped of them. "Donald is smarter than he talks or acts," my friend says. "He has allowed for overt racism to be okay in America once again." "That should be his slogan. Trump: Make Overt Racism Okay Again." We both laugh nervously and then grow silent. And all I can think to myself is that Biden is undoubtedly wrong: if the killing of the innocent child Tamir Rice cannot make Americans address their deep-seeded racism, if the racial divide in Ferguson, Missouri cannot make Americans address their deep-seeded racism, if a Syrian child washing ashore cannot make Americans address their deep-seeded racism, then nothing will -- especially not Donald Trump. "What are we going to do?" I ask. World-renowned photojournalist Gary Braasch died on March 7, 2016 while photographing coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Gary's great passion was to visualize climate change and educate the public about the serious impacts humans are having on natural systems. His photographs told vivid stories about global change, and they inspired action in an extraordinary array of citizens. Gary was a gifted pioneer in explaining science as stories, instead of as technical publications. He doggedly followed field scientists around the planet, using his photographs to share their adventures of data collection, discovery, and working in some of the most extreme conditions. From the decline of canopy biodiversity in tropical rain forests and Andean glacial melt to plastic debris in bird rookeries and coral bleaching in Australia, Gary told science stories through his camera lens. He was tireless in his ambition to educate not only policy makers, but also youth, as stakeholders in the future of our natural systems. Gary's images were featured as giant billboards in airports, in books for young and old, at a special outdoor exhibit at the climate change conference in Copenhagen, in science museums, (and he aspired to show them at the Super Bowl). His book, Earth Under Fire, was delivered to the desks of every Congressperson at the time of its publication. I had the privilege of knowing Gary for over three decades, teaming up in the tropical jungles of the Amazon, the redwood forests of California, and the rising seas of coastal North Carolina and Florida. He was the embodiment of Mother Nature himself - able to see the landscape as a scientist but also capable of capturing the natural world as an artist. He interwove the role of humans on natural systems in ways that left viewers laughing, crying, or simply shaking their heads in disbelief. While I worked as a canopy scientist perspiring through my research in the Amazon, Gary followed me to the tops of tall trees to capture stories about how scientists discover biodiversity in some of the most out of the way places. He also traipsed through the jungle darkness, tiptoeing around bushmaster snakes, to photograph luminescent fungi on the forest floor. Then, at dawn, he eagerly greeted the sunrise at the top of our canopy walkway, capturing the sun's first light on bromeliads clasping emergent trees. He possessed a sixth sense for nature and how to capture its inherent beauty. Advertisement Lynne Cherry, children's book author and CEO of Young Voices for Climate Change (co-founded with Gary), reflected on Gary, "His deep reverence and love of the natural world was unparalleled and it guided his life's mission to convey the sanctity of nature to others in an effort to stem the steamroller of exploitation and destruction of so many things good and beautiful. Gary wrote the first photographic book on climate change, Earth Under Fire: How Global Warming is Changing the World, and launched a website, World View of Global Warming. This book inspired us to co-author a middle school book and produce 11 Young Voices for the Planet films, which are incredibly effective at inspiring and empowering young people to take action against climate change." This blog first appeared last October. It's republished here in honor of George Martin, who died yesterday and about whom Gregg Geller, who signed Elvis Costello to Columbia Records in 1977, notes: "Sure, he produced The Beatles (not to mention Jeff Beck's great albums Blow By Blow and Wired) but for many Americans 'Robin Hood' was the first time we heard a George Martin production." In Elvis Costello's brand new memoir, Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink, the brilliant musician/songwriter recalls his childhood affection for the '50s TV hit The Adventures of Robin Hood, wherein a mythic green-clad archer in tights and his "merry men" roam Sherwood Forest redistributing income from Nottingham's one-percenters to those less fortunate. (The book was released just days before the start of International Robin Hood Week, Nottingham's celebration of all things Robin. Coincidence? I think so.) Elvis homes in on the show's theme song, words and music written by my dad, Carl Sigman, right around the time Elvis was born. (Coincidence? Definitely.) It became a pop hit single on both sides of the pond in 1955, as sung by Dick James (with Stephen James and His Chums), who would become the Beatles publisher -- and produced by George Martin, who would become the Beatles' producer. Advertisement The catchy chorus still inhabits the musical DNA of boomers throughout the English-speaking world: Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with his band of men Feared by the bad/loved by the good Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin Hood The politics of income inequality in America intruded on the pleasures of Unfaithful Music when a modern-day would-be Robin Hood named Bernie joined four other candidates for the first Democratic presidential debate of 2015. But the roguish adventures of Elvis/Robin resonated as the group took on the GOP mantra that the root of all evil isn't love of money; it's expecting billionaires to contribute a tiny fraction of their wealth to the common good (socialism!). Like me and my then pre-teen friends, Elvis enjoyed The Adventures of Robin Hood sans politics. But it shouldn't be altogether surprising that the show had its roots in, well, socialism: it was created and produced by Hannah Weinstein, an American journalist and left-wing activist who moved to London in 1952 to avoid the perils of blacklisting and McCarthyism. Advertisement Weinstein deployed more than a dozen stellar blacklisted writers, including Waldo Salt and Ring Lardner, Jr. Their political passions underpinned the tales of Robin's derring-do. Lardner, a member of the Hollywood Ten, went to jail rather than give up the names of other Tinseltown heavyweights suspected of Communist sympathies; he wrote the first episode as "Lawrence McClellan" and later said that Robin Hood provided him "with plenty of opportunities to comment on issues and institutions in Eisenhower-era America." Elvis Costello has, of course, written many great songs that touch on the obscene divide between bosses and workers, between rich and poor. "Oliver's Army" is a stirring anti-war anthem that the author says was based on the premise that "they always get a working class boy to do the killing." The stunning, elegiac "Shipbuilding" poses the stark question that politicians rarely confront before sending young and disproportionately poor people to war: "Is it worth it?" "Radio, Radio" -- with its biting, "I want to bite the hand that feeds me / I want to bite that hand so badly" -- joins Johnny Paycheck's "Take This Job and Shove It" in the annals of raw, anti-corporate expressiveness. And then there's "Welcome to the working week," the 91 second tour de force that introduces Elvis's debut Columbia album, My Aim Is True. I emailed Gregg Geller, the man who signed Elvis to Columbia in 1977, about that track and, more broadly, to ask whether he thought Elvis's politics might be connected to the Robin Hood ethos. Gregg wrote: I first heard 'Welcome To The Working Week' while standing on the sidewalk after exiting the morning session of a CBS Records convention at the London Hilton on July 26, 1977 (my 30th birthday), an encounter that led directly to signing him to Columbia Records. I quickly came to love his image (knock-kneed, pigeon-toed, with spectacles), his attitude (intense, angry), his music (stripped-down, energetic) and his lyrics (sharp, intelligent) -- all of which ran counter to the prevailing, predominant style of the day which had turned tired, bloated, and not-at-all my idea of what rock 'n' roll was and should be. So, while I don't doubt that you're correct, Elvis couldn't possibly have consciously considered the political implications of Robin Hood. But I've also no doubt that that which we experience early in life subconsciously impacts our mindset and worldview. As the song says, "You gotta do it till you're through it so you better get to it." ------------ After the Democratic debate, I returned to Unfaithful Music and devoured Elvis's tales of his first American tour (accompanied by his own band of merrie men, The Attractions), where bar fights, radio boycotts, and death threats filled the hours between thrilling performances. And I imagined a 20-something Elvis sitting down to breakfast at a cheap motel -- perhaps with a killer hangover -- and delighting in a couplet my dad, a proud Kennedy liberal, wrote for "Robin Hood" that wasn't included in the truncated TV version: "To cheating and corruption, he would never, never yield/And danger was his breakfast ev'ry day." Here's the full lyric of "Robin Hood" Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with his band of men Feared by the bad, loved by the good Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin Hood He called the greatest archers to a tavern on the green They vowed to help the people of the king They handled all the troubles on the English country scene And still found plenty of time to sing He came to Sherwood Forest with a feather in his cap A fighter never looking for a fight His bow was always ready, and he kept his arrows sharp. He used them to fight for what was right With Friar Tuck and Little John they had a roguish look, They did the deed the others wouldn't dare. He captured all the money that the evil sheriff took, And rescued many a lady fair To cheating and corruption, he would never, never yield And danger was his breakfast ev'ry day The cobbler in the hamlet and the farmer in the field Were always helping him get away He rode up to the palace and was cheered by ev'ryone His Lady Marian threw him a rose The King of England knighted him the Earl of Huntington And that's the way that the legend goes Advertisement The Republican Party's establishment wing has become desperate in their search for an alternate presidential candidate that can block Donald Trump from becoming its nominee. Last weekend political and corporation big shots met secretly at Sea Island, Georgia, trying to figure a way to stop him. Two days earlier twice-failed presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave a slashing anti-Trump speech in his late ditch effort to halt Trump's momentum. It's now clear that neither the Mitt pitch nor the Georgia resort's retorts eased the establishment's predicament. Instead, they emboldened the New York billionaire's supporters and gave an unanticipated boost to rival candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, who's anathema to many Republican as well as Democratic colleagues. After Saturday's split decisions in Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and Maine, Trump won big Tuesday night in Hawaii, Michigan and Mississippi. His competitors remain distant runner-ups. So the Grand Old Party is split asunder. After its most recent debates and primary/caucus results, it's still uncertain who will emerge as its 2016 standard bearer. Three weeks ago Sen. Marco Rubio was widely considered to have the best chance of halting the Trump steamroller, but his dismal performances in the last two debates accompanied by only one win and multiple third place or worse finishes on Super Tuesday, Saturday and this week represent a significant fall from grace. Rubio may lead Trump in only one category -- the race to the bottom in throwing personal raunchy one-liners. Advertisement The fractured party has been unable to settle on any of the original seventeen candidates that it considered conservative and electable (with the possible exception of the now-deflated Rubio.) Since Romney and Sea Island did not aid the establishment's goal of finding a conservative whom it believes would appeal to moderates and independents in the general election, their search for an alternate is frantic. Maybe they can ponder a pursuit of the ghost of Harold Stassen, that old perennial GOP candidate who offered himself nine times between 1948 and 1993! Should the Donald fail to secure a lock on the 1237 delegate majority before this summer's convention, his campaign will face a continuing desperate effort by the party's elite to deny him the prize; they're both furious and panicked that a nominated Trump would not only cost them the presidency, but would seriously jeopardize down-ballot candidates for Senate, House and other state-wide contests. If he reaches the convention with a plurality but less than a majority, it's possible that a candidate pushed by the party's elite could survive the four-day exercise, carry that banner and occupy the inside path to being selected as America's 45th president. But a Republican Party that rejects Donald Trump after he had led the entire field by substantial margins for almost a year could stimulate a seismic political revolt leading to a third party campaign. Trumpites would legitimately complain that the nomination had been stolen from him. Advertisement Be ready for the third party run of Donald Trump! Yet a potential third party candidacy is not exclusively a Trump contingency. Among the fractured party's establishment insiders, there's now scattered talk of running a third candidate if Trump does secure a convention majority. Either way, a three-way battle in November's general election is a distinct possibility; it would likely assure that a Republican nominee will be inaugurated on January 20. Here's why: A multiparty battle featuring strong candidates such as Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump (or Cruz who is now running second in the GOP race) and an establishment Republican could create a split that would deny an electoral majority to any of them. Enter the Constitution's Twelfth Amendment which stipulates that the House of Representatives chooses the president by a majority vote of its state delegations, meaning that each delegation would have one vote regardless of the number of representatives in the delegation. Since Republicans control 33 of the delegations and are destined to not lose control, they would choose the Republican candidate. It's not far-fetched. In 1968 Richard Nixon barely secured a majority of the Electoral College, 301-191-46, in a three-way race over Vice President Hubert Humphrey and former segregationist Governor George Wallace of Alabama. There were deep fissures within the Democratic Party. With the Vietnam War eating at the fabric of the country, the party was split between President Lyndon Johnson's backers and anti-war Democrats. The Democratic National Convention nominated Humphrey after he had been challenged earlier that year by Robert Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy; both were vehemently opposed to the war. Anti-war Democrats' resentment against the Johnson-Humphrey administration was carried into the general election campaign. The party's split was exemplified in California where two leading Democratic officials, Assembly Speaker Jesse Unruh and National Committeewoman Adele Leopold, declined to actively support the Humphrey-Muskie ticket. Lacking that committed support, Humphrey lost California's 40 electoral votes by about ten votes per precinct. If the highly influential Unruh and Leopold had campaigned for the Democratic standard bearer, the state might well have been delivered to Humphrey, and that delivery alone would have brought the Nixon-Humphrey-Wallace electoral count to 261-231-46, thus denying Nixon a majority. The Democratic House would have chosen Humphrey in early 1969, and the whole course of history would have been different: no Nixon presidency, no Watergate scandal, no forced presidential resignation. Advertisement Now for this year's wild card that eludes current political discussion: we may get a Republican president and a Democratic vice-president because the Twelfth Amendment also mandates that the vice-president be chosen by the Senate if no candidate received a majority of that contest's electoral votes. While Republicans maintain dominance among House delegations, it's generally acknowledged that Democrats have a good chance of retaking the Senate since many incumbent Republicans are vulnerable this year. That's a GOP nightmare. If the election goes to Congress, the new Senate of 2017 will have that vice-presidential vote, and it will be decided by a majority of the senators, not its state delegations. If a Democratic Senate chooses the vice-president, he or she will be a Democrat who will serve alongside a Republican president. It would be a historic first! In the series The New Yorker, performing artist Marina Abramovic says the reason there are so many more men artists than women artists throughout history is that a male artists can be working at 4:00 am in the morning and his girlfriend would bring him soup, but for women 'it's a complete disaster, no hot soup.' Abramovic put her finger on the single most important factor that holds women back from achieving the heights of success that men can achieve: 1.Our dogged belief that women are more suited for care than men This biased assumption, held equally by women and men, is a game changer for women when it comes to showing up in public life. The other side of this sexist coin is that: Advertisement 2.We unconsciously believe that men are more suited for work and leadership than women As women care not only for children but, as Abramovic pointed out, for men too they lose an advantage in the workplace and at the same time they leverage men's position, by allowing them work unencumbered. Because we still unconsciously hold these biased beliefs, we have not yet examined the workplace with enough scrutiny for sex equality. And for this reason: 3.The workplace is still designed for those who are 'care free' This rigidity in work organisation is pivotal to not only keeping women from success but also men from taking a more active role in caring. If this is the why of women's absence from leadership, the how would simply be to eliminate the structures that allow these biases to go undetected. Advertisement I have grouped these in five steps: 1.Uncover the hidden gender conversation Smithson and Stokoe conducted in depth interviews of accountancy and banking sector employees ('Gender, Work and Organization', 2005, no 12, pp147-168). They found that without exception work-life balance is seen as an issue relevant to women only. Similarly, Pini and McDonal surveyed employees working flexibly at a local authority in Australia ('Gender in Management', 2008, no 23, pp598-612). The interviews revealed the prevalence of gendered assumptions: "flexible work is for women with children" "men worry about perceptions if they took it" male flexi workers would have to deal with people who "think there's something wrong with them". "it's not the blokey thing to work part time." 2.Audit business practices for sexist behavior When Deloitte's Women Initiative (WIN) audited their practices in 1991, they found that the family care assumption underlie many misguided expectations of women's preferences and abilities. A firm-wide practice was to give men and women different work assignments, with serious repercussions for their promotion. More damaging was evaluating men based on their 'potential', and women based on their 'actual performance', which resulted in men being promoted considerably faster. 3.Introduce flexibility as a matter of urgency A workplace that supports women and men equally acknowledges that both sexes have responsibilities outside of work, and that attending to those responsibilities can increase their productivity, as their life-work balance stress is relieved. Advertisement Survey after survey shows flexible working to be the top benefit sought by professionals, both men and women. Research also shows that all generations, baby boomers, Gen X and Gen Y place as much importance on flexible work as they do on financial rewards. 4.Equalize parental leave The stigma of taking a family leave is not necessarily attached to women but to anyone who cares, and this is what business leaders need to be diligent about. When Sweden introduced shared parental leave in 1974, where each parent is entitled to half the leave, men had the option of signing their days over to women, so most of them did! This prompted Norway, Sweden and Iceland to introduce the 'father quota', which reserves part of the shared parental leave for fathers on use-it-or-lose-it basis: if the father does not take leave, the family loses the leave period. Even with this stipulation, only 25% of fathers in these countries take up paternal leave. It is critical that business leaders publicly declare the ethos of equal family leave for women and men, whether it's paid or unpaid, to remove any doubt from men's mind that it will be equated with lack of commitment. 5.Help your employees integrate home life with work life This is a big ask of businesses and goes against the grain, because of the belief that time used for family is time not used for work, which reduces productivity. However, there is more to productivity than time put in. When people feel they have control over their lives, they become far more inspired and creative at work and their productivity rises significantly. Advertisement There is a small but growing number of businesses who organize work practices in a way that integrates business objectives with workers' roles outside the office. Critical to the success of this approach is defining business success in terms of outputs and specific results, rather than process or time put in. Managers make these outcomes clear and encourage employees to clarify where work falls in the spectrum of their overall life priorities. A road map that integrates both sets of objectives is drawn and continually tested and adjusted. Quite apart from sex equality, these five steps of reorganizing work would help bring work organisations into the 21st century, as they become more nimble and more able to ride market upheavals. In New York City, there are dozens of neighborhoods to visit and while their names may seem simple, many of them are actually abbreviations, acronyms or portmanteaus. "Neighborhoodification" has been occurring over the past two decades when new boutiques, trendy restaurants and hip residents move in to a particular area and create one of these unique names. Confused yet? Here is the name breakdown and lowdown for five popular NYC neighborhoods: Soho (South of Houston Street): Blocks of boutiques, famous name-brand shops, and cafes make Soho a more-than-desirable spot for an afternoon of shopping and lunch. In this historic cast-iron district, you will experience beautiful architecture and various art galleries, featuring artists from across the globe. Weather permitting, discover blocks and blocks of new, inspiring artists in a sea of street vendors including talented jewelry designers, painters, and photographers. Nolita (North of Little Italy): Advertisement Nolita has also become known for its boutique shopping and quaint cafes. While Soho possesses a certain hustle and bustle, Nolita is full of quiet spots that give the neighborhood an off-the-beaten-path flair. Nolita is also the home to The Market NYC, a flea market where local independent artists, designers and entrepreneurs sell their creations, which is a must-see for any fashionista. Mepa (Meatpacking District): MePa is the spot for nightlife whether you're looking for a full-on club or a low-key lounge. Find high-fashion designer shops including Diane Von Furstenberg and Stella McCartney without the same overwhelming Soho crowd. MePa is also the starting point for the High Line, a public park built on an old freight line elevated above the street, which is perfect for a relaxing stroll with beautiful views. Fidi (Financial District): FiDi is the home of Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange, and with the work crowd comes some great lunch spots and happy hours. Battery Park is just steps away, where you can catch a glimpse of Lady Liberty, the World Financial Center and New York Harbor. Snap a picture with the Charging Bull, one of NYC's biggest tourist attractions. Tribeca (Triangle Below Canal Street): If you've never rented vacation property before, know that you probably have many more price-conscious options available to you at your destination than ever before. But keep in mind that you have to shop very carefully. Credit the so-called "sharing economy" for putting many more people in the lodging business. According to a 2015 study by consulting firm EY, in one year alone, the world's dominant online room-sharing company added more listings to its inventory than the largest global hotel companies added rooms during the same period. What does that mean for you? More choices, certainly, and potentially larger savings. The newer online property-sharing services can be cheaper for property owners to use to market the rooms and dwellings they want to rent out, which can result in savings for the traveler as well. Advertisement Before you make a vacation lodging choice between hotel rooms or the range of rental property available to your destination, you've got homework to do. Here are five tips to get started: 1.Closely evaluate options. The world's leading tourist destinations tend to have the broadest range of lodging options from luxury hotels to hostels. Vacation rentals are usually a cheaper option, and depending on which neighborhood you choose, are typically somewhere in the middle of that quality scale. There are plenty of quality online services that will help you book properties, but don't make a reservation without checking other resources as well. Search the name of your destination or property with the words "vacation rental scam" and see what turns up. Your search might generate everything from news stories detailing recent illegal vacation rental activity to local tourism bureau and city agencies offering guidance on safely renting property in the area. It's always important to verify addresses and locations of properties as well. 2.Check local short-term rental laws. While it's generally easier to do this domestically than abroad, make sure the kind of vacation rental you want to do is legal. Check news clips or contact a local tourism bureau or chamber of commerce to see whether the municipality where you're planning to stay has enacted any recent restrictions on your chosen rental. For example, in late 2015, San Francisco voters narrowly rejected a ballot measure that would have made certain kinds of short-term rentals illegal in their city. You wouldn't want your vacation spoiled by local authorities. Advertisement 3.Verify the renter personally and with local experts and agencies. If your renter is reputable, he or she should be more than willing to have a detailed conversation about the property, costs, financial arrangements and onsite rules--including deadbolt locks you can control if you are renting rooms within their residence. Make time to call the local tourism bureau, chamber of commerce, or the local chapter of the Better Business Bureau for any details about the renter or the property. Ask the renter for referrals from previous renters, if possible, and consider the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Scam Watch travel page for extensive updated advice on renting out-of-town property. 4.Ask for all completed agreements and liability insurance documentation before paying. Before you reserve, ask to see all contract information with pricing and scheduling information filled in as well as proof of insurance on the rental property. You should understand all payment and property rules affecting your stay and what might happen if there is accidental damage to the property while you're there. Share these documents with your home or rental insurer for input before you sign. If a renter hesitates to share this information, you might want to consider other options. Also, review your personal health, property and liability coverage to make sure you're protected during the trip. 5.Weigh all spending risks of the rental transaction. If you're planning to rent vacation property, take the extra step of calling your credit card and travel insurance companies to determine whether they offer any particular protections in case something goes wrong with the rental. It's a good way to review the full range of protection available to you on a trip. And if a vacation landlord asks for advance cash payment--particularly wired money--be very cautious. Many travel scams begin with wired cash. Bottom line: Finding the ideal location has changed with the increased popularity of property sharing. The role online services play in short-term room and property rental provides many more choices and opportunities for great vacations, but also for fraud. Thorough research will help protect you and your vacation budget. Nathaniel Sillin directs Visa's financial education programs. To follow Practical Money Skills on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PracticalMoney Advertisement Did you ever think only a Monty Python member could explain the wild economic upheavals of the last century? A new documentary, "Boom Bust Boom," thinks so, too. Python Terry Jones co-directed and appears with a bunch of economists, some puppets, and some monkeys to explain why we keep being surprised when the same thing keeps happening over and over and over again. "Boom Bust Boom" features high profile advocates for change such as John Cusack, journalists Paul Mason and John Cassidy, plus leading experts including the Chief Economist of the Bank of England, Andy Haldane, and Nobel Prize winners Daniel Kahneman, Robert Shiller and Paul Krugman. The filmmakers are on a mission to change the way we think about and teach economics, beginning with helping all of us understand why it matters -- and that it is not too complicated or boring to understand. In an interview, co-directors Bill Jones and Ben Timlett and economist Theo Kocken spoke about making "the dismal science" entertaining and informative and how monkeys teach us that humans are not as rational as we like to believe. Advertisement After each bust there is an effort to prevent that same set of circumstances from occurring and generally it is pretty successful -- changes like better disclosure, bank insurance, independent audits, liquidity requirements, and stress tests do address some of the problems that led to past collapses. Is it ever possible to have a regulatory regime that irons out cycles of boom and bust or is that cyclicality just inherent in the system? Bill/Ben Answer: We believe it's possible for the state and the regulators to set up the system to minimize the effect of the busts but I don't think they will remove them altogether in a capitalist system. A hell of a lot really needs to change to set up a system that protects us from busts and this needs to be passed down to generation after generation year on year. 2008 was the moment it could have been done, but they didn't. Theo Answer: In the past some tough actions were taken after a crisis and repealed a while later when things went well. This is deepening busts and heightening booms, so very counterproductive this way! We need regulators that become tough in what look like good times but are in fact risky times when we borrow too much and spend too much. So far this hasn't occurred in history. Now again we make tougher rules in the middle of a crisis but the system becomes more fragile because all the banks that survive are even bigger banks and they all start to look the same and will fail at the same moment in time when again we relied too much on models (and all banks are forced to use the same models, so model risk has become gigantic). The system is not becoming more resilient but more fragile. Who is the audience for this film? How do humor and animation help to reach people who would not otherwise be willing to sit through an economics lesson? Bill/Ben Answer: Everyone, from high school age to pensioners, women, men, monkeys, female monkeys, male monkeys, dogs, cats... everyone. Normal people need to understand this as the busts affect THEM. We wanted to make a film which was entertaining and informative. Getting across complex and on the face of it very boring information and ideas was a huge problem from the outset. Bill and I had worked a lot with different styles of animation in our previous docs but Terry immediately said let's also do puppets. Basically throw everything at it! I remember us pitching it to someone, I think it was a broadcaster, anyway one of us said it's like the "the history of financial crashes but with puppets, animation and song!" Seeing that person sit forward and start listening, I thought maybe this could work. Advertisement Theo Answer: Yes, and adding to Ben and Bill: Students are a second category. They use the film as a tool to make other students aware and help them to fight for more pluralism in economics. The third group is politicians but I guess that is to no avail as we first need a new generation - via the students - that has a more diverse and open way of thinking. Does any country get it right? Which countries have made the most effective efforts? Theo Answer: Japan is not getting rid of its debt overhang, despite the biggest uncontrolled monetary experiment in history. The US restructured the financial sector's balance sheets pretty well but have such a huge debt overhang they are waiting for big trouble. Europe made a huge mess by not restructuring Southern European debt and tried to compensate with unprecedented ECB (Central Bank) QE actions. And on top of that China did the same after 2008 that Japan, US and Europe did the decades before 2008: Get into debt problems and use that to finance not the real economy but the financial economy (stocks and houses). All these four blocks are more or less in the same trouble: Too much debt, too much QE that doesn't work anymore but creates much misallocation of capital, bubbles and inequality. Of course there are a few examples of better actions (like Sweden after the '90's disaster) but these are too small to help the rest of the world. In short, US, China, Japan and Europe still don't understand the detrimental role of too much debt and too much QE that doesn't help. We need to accept that we have to go through some pain instead of injecting heroin and making things worse without feeling the pain yet.... You include in the film a primatologist who shows us how monkeys try to think about economics when she introduces them to the idea of coins that can be exchanged for food. What do the monkeys tell us? Bill/Ben Answer: They tell us that we are not rational when it comes to finance. Monkeys are dumb. I don't mean to be disrespectful to monkeys, frankly I am sure there are some pretty smart ones out there but when it comes to assessing gains and losses in real markets they make the same mistakes as us. This means we haven't evolved the part of our brain to make informed decisions. Mainstream economics uses models which suppose that we are all completely rational when it comes to money; they use these models to run the economy. This supposes that although you might not make the right decision individually at first, I will, someone else will and when all our decisions are put together in a massive festering soup of millions of decision we will all form one overdoing rational decision together, this is called 'collective irrationality'. Its just nonsense that this happens all the time, monkeys tell us that. Theo Answer: We as humans make decision based on emotions, just like monkeys and with the same old part of the brain. Our 'modern' brains that distinguish us from monkeys can do calculations, but we use them to make complicated but erroneous models and we rely on these models. That makes us dumber than monkeys. Monkeys have robust small communities; we built fragile interdependent societies full of systemic risks. Evolution of our brains was good for making tools like fire and wheels but not when it comes to abstract things like working with money, debt and banks. Our brains are not able to cope with these things very well. How well do politicians understand economics? How well do economists understand politics? Advertisement Bill/Ben Answer: I don't think they do. They need to be educated and watch our film. Their incentives, certainly if you are a career politician, are not conducive to understand the dangers. For example politicians say "We need more growth so I can get elected next year, so find a way to push up growth up anyway possible!" Someone says, "Relax a few regulations and let the financial economy kick on unchecked in a few possible untapped areas"... then bust. Theo Answer: Politicians don't understand economists but take those parts from economics that serve them well. For example leaving debt out of the models is great for politicians and that made Mr. Greenspan so popular. Economists live in their own ivory tower and ignore everyone, including politicians. What is the difference between "the financial economy" and "the real economy?" Theo Answer: The real economy consists of entrepreneurs and employees who create new things like products and services: they build bicycles, bake bread, drive buses, serve you meals etc. The financial economy consists of financial assets that already exist like stocks and houses that go up (and down) in value and create money without anything being produced. It is non-productive and should support the real economy but as debt grows faster than the real economy (thanks to banks and central banks/regulators), it takes money away from the real economy and moves it into financial assets. It still looks productive until the bubble bursts and households get stuck with too much debt and small innovative firms are not able to get access to money to start their business. The financial economy should be supportive to the real economy but it actually is hindering the real economy due to the role of unsustainable debt-growth, uncontrollable banks, etc. Anything else the audience should know about "Boom Bust Boom" and the economy? Bill/Ben Answer: It was made for everyone, to inform them about something that really does matter and effects them, their friends and families... it was also made with passion, love and care, please watch it. You're reading an article in The Huffington Post, so you're probably a progressive. Nowadays most of us get our political news from partisan media outlets, so you may have missed recent pieces by reform-minded conservatives David Frum and Reihan Salam. These writers showed how Trump's rise has been an almost inevitable reaction to the GOP's long descent into extremism. The modern Republican party offers almost nothing to its rank-and-file members, and they've finally taken notice. But that's only one piece of the Trump puzzle. The most common progressive reaction to Trump has been revulsion at his gross nativism, xenophobia, and sexism. This is a valid response, of course, but it neglects the long-standing appeal of these sentiments to some Americans. Indeed, successful Republican candidates have consistently mobilized some white voters by invoking racial beliefs and stereotypes. Richard Nixon had his "southern strategy," whereby he acquired the crucial support of white southerners by promising in carefully coded language not to enforce much of the Civil Rights Act. George H. W. Bush raised fears of Black criminals with his infamous Willie Horton campaign ad. Ronald Reagan denounced a "young buck" for welfare fraud ("buck" is a derogatory Southern nickname for an African-American man; it frequently appears in the context "buck n-word.") Thankfully the GOP has largely put such racial appeals in the past, but Trump's success shows the constituency for a racist candidate has not disappeared. Whereas previous GOP presidents relied on dog whistles, Trump is open and direct. Advertisement Trump's appeal to anti-immigrant Americans reflects just one of many ways that the mainstream GOP had abandoned many of its traditional constituents. Former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum describes how this happened. After Mitt Romney's crushing 2012 defeat, Republican elites gathered to figure out what went wrong. Somehow they concluded that their fundamental program was sound, but were concerned about alienating Latinos after all the tough campaign talk about "self deportation." Influential conservatives like Washington Post pundit Charles Krauthammer and talk show powerhouse Sean Hannity publicly supported this assessment. However, the ensuing focus on immigration reform and the "Gang of Eight" turned out to be electoral poison for the GOP in the 2016 election cycle. Latinos didn't much care -- they were more interested in education and the economy than in immigration reform. Progressives want immigration reform for moral reasons; leaders on both sides of the aisle want it for economic reasons. But working class whites, some of whom had responded to racist dog whistles in the past, were alienated. Immigration reform seemed to threaten their jobs, so they felt betrayed by the GOP. But they had already been betrayed by a party that increasingly served the economic interests of a wealthy elite. The GOP program of entitlement cuts and tax breaks for the rich offered less and less to the middle and working classes, as conservative author Reihan Salam wrote recently. Cultural issues like marriage equality continue to keep some Republicans in the fold, but they are losing their significance for many Americans. Of course battles continue to be fought over abortion and "religious liberty," but they have paled in significance in the 2016 presidential election compared to economic and national security concerns. The Donald is perfectly positioned to exploit this changing landscape. All his talk of self-funding walls on the Mexican border appeals to working class Republicans worried about keeping their jobs (indeed, he's loud and clear in his xenophobic appeals to the same voters that had responded to dog whistles from previous GOP politicians.) He reassures voters that their social security and Medicare are safe. He promises independence from the crony capitalists that have benefited so greatly from Republican (and, less often, Democratic) governance. And when it comes to foreign policy, he accomplishes a neat trick: projecting American toughness while simultaneously tapping into the war-weariness that stemmed from George W. Bush's misadventure in Iraq. Advertisement The Republican party's attempts at stopping Trump have become laughable in their futile repetition. Here's a snapshot: someone, say establishment favorite Marco Rubio, or perhaps a bastion of elite conservative thought like National Review, issues an incisive critique. Trump insults them, writes them off as irrelevant. If the would-be assailant is one of his rivals for the GOP nomination, elite opinion inevitably bleats that Trump had a "disastrous" debate performance. Then he maintains his poll numbers and wins a bunch of primaries. What happened? Trump just denigrated a bunch of elites, the same folks the GOP rank and file no longer trusts. The conventional wisdom is that Trump wins his party's nomination, then loses to Hillary in the fall. I'm OK with that. Indeed, I'm in agreement with New York Times columnist Paul Krugman--who recently made arguments similar to mine--and liberal blogger Noah Smith that Trump's candidacy has been good for America (assuming, of course, that he doesn't actually become president). He has laid bare the xenophobia that Republican politicians have all too often relied on. His economic populism has shown that the GOP rank-and-file is no longer content to support a program of high-end tax cuts that has repeatedly failed to benefit anyone but the high end. A few months ago, I got an email that set in course an experience that would teach me a powerful lesson on overcoming my fears. It was an invitation to attend a press trip to experience and review Chicabrava, an all women's learn to surf camp in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. I read the email with both the usual excitement I feel when learning about a new opportunity to travel as well as slight apprehension about what I would actually be doing on the trip: Learning to surf. I consider myself a very adventurous person who has traveled to over 40 countries, many of these trips solo, and has pushed my body and soul to the limit by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, trekking the Himalayas, tandem hang-gliding in New Zealand and diving in the Great Barrier Reef. But surfing? Now that is something I had never tried and quite honestly, I wasn't sure I wanted to. What I would come to learn about this entire experience was that traveling alone to Nicaragua and actually getting up on my surfboard to catch a wave was no problem at all. The real challenge I had to overcome was my immense fear and anxiety over the ocean. It terrified me. Advertisement Before I went to Nicaragua I had constant nightmares about being surrounded by sharks, smashed by the waves and trapped under the water left to drown. I know I was being silly about these fears but my anxiety over the ocean was real and powerful. What was most shocking is that I grew up swimming. We had a pool at our home in Minnesota that I swam like a fish, day and night for three months every summer. I was even on a competitive swim team for five years, and I have snorkeled and scuba dived in calm reef water into my adulthood. Yet, the thought of ever going into the waves held me back. I didn't dare enter rough water for over 25 years since a frightening incident in Mexico. When I was 18 years old on vacation in Cancun, a group of us decided to take a ride on a banana boat. The ride was exhilarating as we rode the waves, bouncing up and down on our yellow inflated raft, screaming in joy at the top of our lungs. However, when it was time to get off an enormous wave came upon us and threw us into the ocean. All I remember is being smashed at full force by water and then tumbling over and over again, backwards in terror under the water. Although the terrifying episode probably only lasted a minute, it felt like an eternity. I thought I was going to drown. I emerged in tears, coughing out salt water and swore I would never get back in the ocean waves again. I kept my promise for decades until I received the email inviting me to attend Chicabrava, the first and best all surf retreat for women in Nicaragua. I had never even thought of learning to surf and putting my fear of the ocean aside, I decided it would be another new adventure and challenge for me to pursue. Little did I realize, this experience would be incredibly empowering and teach me an important lesson on overcoming my fear of the ocean. Advertisement Ashley Blaylock, a Houston native who had learned to surf at 19 and fell in love with Nicaragua as a young law student, founded Chicabrava in 2008. After completing her law degree, Ashley took a leaf of faith and moved to Nicaragua where she began working in real estate and spent her free time surfing. Despite her success, she yearned for something more fulfilling that would combine her passion for surfing with empowering women. As one of the only female surfers in Nicaragua, Ashley dreamed of opening up her own surf camp that would offer unforgettable, life-changing vacation experiences for women from all over the world. Yet, the thought of opening her own business and how she would do it held her back. The death of her beloved Grandmother taught her that life is too short not to go for it, so she set aside her fears and started Chicabrava, the first all women's surf camp in Nicaragua. Almost a decade later, Chicabrava is growing strong with a full-time staff, weekly surf camps and regular programs supporting the local community to help empower Nicaraguan girls through surfing. Ashley's dream materialized. What I learned is that women come to Chicabrava for many different reasons but the most common thread is that women are looking for a way to be empowered. Besides learning or improving their ability to surf, many women come to Chicabrava after experiencing a difficult life event such as loss of a loved one or job or getting back on their feet after a terrible divorce. Some come together with their girlfriends while others like myself simply come alone. If they are searching for challenge and empowerment, they have found the place. The mission of the camp is "empowering women one wave at a time" and this is accomplished by inspiring personal change and empowerment through surfing. I can attest that it is truly a life-changing experience. Catching my first wave I stood on the beach frozen with fear. I was petrified of entering the ocean. The water looked rough and scary from where I stood. I also knew that there were jellyfish and stingrays around which was another thing that scared me. My chest felt heavy with anxiety and dread. I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to go in. I wondered why on earth I was even there. What was I thinking? The amazingly patient Sarah, my surf instructor, encouraged me gently. She let me take my time and didn't push me to get in. I swallowed my fear, and entered with my board, Snow White, and slowly walked out into the water, swishing my feet like they had told me to do, to scare away stingrays. I was so afraid of being stung that I didn't notice the first wave coming my way. "Dive!" Sarah yelled. But it was too late. The wave struck me at powerful force, toppling me into the water and throwing Snow White into the air. "Cover your head'!" I heard Sarah holler. Thankfully the board didn't hit me but I got my first mouthful of salt water. Advertisement A little shaken, I hesitated again and despite Sarah's calls to move deeper into the water. I looked around me and saw that the other women were already on their boards and felt silly that I was the only one way behind, pummeled in fear. My competitive nature took ahold of me, and I jumped on my board and paddled out deeper. The first thing I had to learn was how to do a "turtle roll" under an approaching wave. It terrified me but after being struck again by another powerful wave, I gave it a try. As the wave approached, I grabbed the rails of my board and flipped over letting the wave crash above my board. I panicked under the water and popped up to another round of saltwater up my nose and down my mouth. This surfing thing wasn't going too well. I realized at that point I had two options. Do another dreaded turtle roll under the wave or surf on top of it. It was time for me to overcome my fear. I took a deep breathe, and paddled out further waiting for the right wave to come. I had practiced my "pop-ups" several times on the sandy beach but hadn't attempted it in the water. I needed the perfect green wave and finally it came. "Paddle, paddle, paddle" yelled Sarah and my arms stroked the water. Just as Sarah told me to place my hands beside my chest and pop up into a plank, I felt the powerful rush of the water coming behind me. "Up" she yelled. My heart raced with adrenalin as I attempted to get up on my first wave. My legs were too straight and I fell head first into the water. To my surprise, when I surfaced I realized that it wasn't too bad. I could do it. Encouraged, I paddled out and tried again and this time I caught a wave. As I popped up onto my board and looked at the shore, I couldn't believe that I had actually done it. I was riding a wave! It was a phenomenal feeling of joy and exhilaration. The thrill of actually getting up and doing it was amazing. I felt like I was on top of the world. I surfed for another hour that day, stunned by how far I'd come in such a short while. Just hours before I was terrified of even going into the ocean and now I was out there, overcoming my fears and anxiety and having a blast. I realized that stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something completely new is an empowering feeling and sometimes you need to do that in order to personally grow. Advertisement It was an important reminder to me as well that oftentimes in life the only thing holding me back is myself and that I can do anything as long as I set my mind to it. As the week drew to a close, I felt incredibly grateful for this amazing, powerful opportunity. As promised, each and every one of us left Chicabrava feeling thrilled and empowered. We had shared rooms together, stories of our lives, words of support and encouragement, and developed a wonderful camaraderie with each other and the fantastic staff. Although we started off as strangers, we left as friends each one of us taking home a little piece of Nicaragua in our suitcase and feeling a little bit stronger. If you go: The "#DumpTrump" camp, and the soul of the GOP, may be in the process of having their worst nightmares come to fruition. As I write this piece, today, on March 8, 2016, Trump has garnered 384 delegates to Cruz's 300 and Rubio's 151. In a national poll, published by the Washington Times, Trump maintains a 9-point national lead over Ted Cruz. Republicans are sharking their heads. They are asking, where did we go wrong? How did this happen? They aren't the only ones. Numerous analysts have asked whether or not we are watching the demise of the Republican Party itself. Samantha Bee, in her biting satire, last night, issued a eulogy for the GOP's last rites. She argued that the Republican candidates have reduced the party to, "rambunctious man-children hollering about their pee-pees." In addition to eulogies, other folks are jumping ship. As reported in the March 03 edition of the New York Times, "two top Republicans, Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, said this week that they would not vote for Mr. Trump in November." William Kristol, Editor of the Weekly Standard, stated that he would not vote for Trump and, instead, work towards an "independent Republican" nominee. Similarly, Max Boot, a foreign policy adviser to Senator Marco Rubio declared, "I would sooner vote for Josef Stalin than I would vote for Donald Trump . . . there is no way in hell I would ever vote for him. I would far more readily support Hillary Clinton, or Bloomberg if he ran." But it is not just Republican faithfulls who are threatening defection, and perhaps heretic behavior. According to the March 07 edition of Global News, "An Ontario immigration lawyer reports that he has been flooded with calls from, inquiring Americans, off all party allegiances, as to how one migrate if Trump were to be elected President. Advertisement The Jimmy Kimmel show, this week, aired a satire sketch of the Broadway musical, The Producers called "Trumped." In this sketch, Mathew Broderick (Le Bloom) and Nathan Lane's (Max Bialystock) characters, rather than theatre producers, play corrupt political strategists. Same premise: instead of devising a musical play which flops, Broderick and Lane set forth to rig an election for monetary gain. Their scheme? Put forth a popular, yet sure-fire losing candidate, hype their candidacy on the front end to elicit campaign donations, and when their candidate loses the nomination, pocket the money. Their plan can't fail! Like Broadway's musical, Broderick and Lane take their rhetoric to the absurd. In the musical's version, the sleazy producers put on a play--one that is absurd: a musical about Adolf Hitler. No, there is no irony lost here. The Washington Post, when reporting on this spoof, stated, "Jimmy Kimmel's Producers' sketch provides a hilarious explanation for the rise of Trump." While audience members, after watching this skit are splitting their sides with laughter, members of the Republican Party, along with anti-Trump opponents, are shaking their heads in disgust and bewilderment. Thus, while satirizing the "Producers" offers audience members a humorous understanding of Trump's (perhaps now) inevitable nomination for the Republican Party, the Washington Post describes Trump's ascent to power as "inexplicable." This claim is where my analysis begins. Trump's ascent is completely explicable. Advertisement Let's use the Kimmel skit, as an analogue, to explain Trump's rhetorical rise to the nomination. In the skit, Max states, " . . . your idea about building the wall across the Mexican border -brilliant! He won't last the week!" Le: "He's still in the lead, Max." Max: "But how could this happen? Where did we go right? Wait a minute; did he say we should forcibly kick out 11 million immigrants?" Le: "Yes." Max: "Did he propose banning all one billion Muslims from entering the U.S.?" Le: "Yes. Nothing is working Max, Nothing." Let's now examine Trump's rhetoric, in conjunction with Kimmel's satire, in order to lay the foundation to garner some insight as to why Trump's rhetoric is, indeed, working. Trump on Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending the best. They're sending people that have lots of problems. And they're bringing those problems. They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime. They're rapists . . ." Trump on Muslims: "Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown on Muslims Entering the United States." Trump on Isis: "We're fighting a very politically correct war. And the other thing is with the terrorists; you have to take out their families. When you get these terrorists, you have to take out their families . . ." Trump on Women: "You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever." Trump on the Pope: "Disgraceful." Trump on immigration: I will build a great wall. And nobody builds walls better than me, believe me--and I'll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Trump's uses of social media extend these discourses, of hate, into digestible sound bites. For instance, Trump tweeted a quote from Benito Mussolini, founder of the fascist movement: "It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep." Trump also re-tweeted a quote from a well-known Nazi sympathizing white nationalist. Rhetoric creates a reality. Taken together, the aforementioned examples demonstrate Trump's efficacious use of rhetorics of fear, hate and xenophobia, which have enabled his rise to the top. But, the explanation, is not that simple. We must go back a bit further in time. I suggest that the Republican Party's acceptance of the ideologies of right-wing religious extremists, coupled with the inclusion of tea party member ideological sensibilities, set the perfect stage, via a political climate, for Trump to rise as the frontrunner and the current face of the GOP. These discourses have been circulating and permeating the public sphere, by talk radio demigods, and the religious right, long before these 2016 presidential caucuses. For instance, Senator Fred Thompson, during the 2008 presidential race: "Twelve million illegal immigrants later, we are now living in a nation that is beset by people who are suicidal maniacs and want to kill countless innocent men, women, and children around the world." Reverend John Hagee, in 2006: "How did [the Holocaust] happen? Because God allowed it to happen . . . because God said, 'my top priority for the Jewish people is to get them to come back to the land of Israel.'" Rush Limbaugh: "Let the unskilled jobs that take absolutely no knowledge whatsoever to do -- let stupid and unskilled Mexicans do that work." Advertisement Similar to arguments put forth from feminist scholars about how rhetorics of the acceptability and encouragement of violence against women create a rape culture--a culture where violence against women is accepted and even celebrated, I contend that the rhetoric of the Republican Party, coupled with its talk radio spokespeople, and tea party members, have functioned to create a political climate where Trump's discourse, much to the dismay of the characters Le Bloom and Max Bialystock, is not viewed as absurd, immoral or wrong but, instead, as the rational new norm--a norm where these ideologies will "make America great again." These bodies of rhetoric, which has been circulating, and now centered with Trump, are not without impact. At the Nevada caucus, the Ku Klux Klan came out, sheets and all. In addition, the KKK, only a few weeks back, held a public rally in Orange County, CA. According to 2016 statistics published by the Southern Poverty Law Center, 892 hate groups are currently operating in the United States--a 14% increase since 2014. Mark Potok, Senior Fellow of the same organization, last month, reported: "the number of hate and anti-government 'patriot' groups grew last year, and terrorist attacks and radical plots proliferated . . . the armed violence was accompanied by rabid and often racist denunciations of Muslims, LGBT activists and others--incendiary rhetoric led by a number of mainstream political figures and amplified by a lowing herd of their enablers in the right-wing media. Reacting to demographic changes in the U.S., immigration, the legalization of same-sex marriage, the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, and Islamist atrocities, these people fostered a sense of polarization and anger in this country that may be unmatched since the political upheavals of 1968." Ignorance and fear bread hate and extremism. While, typically, the radical right, talk show hosts and fringe groups are at the margins of the GOP, this time, Trump's rhetoric mainstreams and capitalizes on it: "I love the uneducated." His rhetoric is a lightening rod. The centering of of these bodies of rhetorics can be marked by their maturation, perhaps best, by the straightforward question of Jack Tapper on CNN's "State of the Union" program. When asked by Tapper whether or not he would disavow David Duke and other white supremacist groups that support his campaign, he replied: "I don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists . . . so I don't know. I don't know. Did he endorse me, or what's going on? Because I know nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists." So while, as previously demonstrated, Republicans are currently the harshest and most outspoken critics of Trump it is, paradoxically, the Republican Party's own rhetoric, over time, which has created the conditions for Trump to emerge as the party's leader. As such, Trump's popularity should come as no surprise. One week prior to Super Tuesday, Rubio and Cruz saw the writing on the wall. But it was too late. Rubio, attempting to reel the party base back in, stated, "When I hear the Ku Klux Klan, I say racist." Cruz: "The KKK is always bad. Bad, bad, bad . . . he didn't seem to get the memo on that." In an interesting moment, which most pundits missed, during a recent Rubio press conference, Rubio hinted at the hood of hate that Trump has been symbolically wearing: "It's time to pull his mask off so that people can see what we're dealing with . . . we cannot allow the conservative movement to be taken over by a con artist, because the stakes are too high . . . friends do not let friends vote for con artists." Nancy Reagan was beautiful and smart. Reflecting on senses when in her presence: seeing her, Nancy was elegant-conservative; speaking with her, Nancy was keenly attentive; listening to her, Nancy was gently persuasive. Nancy's scent was like roses. Touching her, Nancy was warmly reserved. But Nancy had an amazing "sixth sense" the rare gift of perception and vision. She seemed to sense the good, the true intent of a person or conversely was keenly aware to be careful that someone was not who they portrayed. Nancy was a devoted and thoughtful friend with a plethora of talent, but she knew exactly what she wanted most to be. Nancy gracefully and confidently said, "My job is to be Mrs. Ronald Reagan." The First Lady in Red Nancy expressed, "I think a woman gets more if she acts feminine." As the eldest of ten, the first eight being younger sisters, I concur wholeheartedly with Nancy's wise perspective. Nancy Reagan walked into a room and everyone looked in awe. She carried herself with an aura of elegance, beauty and command of the world stage she was propelled into as the "Leading Lady" gliding into the arms of her one and only "Leading Man." My husband and I were invited to an evening with President and Mrs. Reagan in New York in 1990, about a year after they left office. Nancy and her Ronnie looked at each other smiling so romantically, all hearts present were touched. This memory inspires the poignant lyrics from "The Lady in Red", which became popular in 1986 during their reign in The White House. One can imagine the "Gentleman of her dreams," Nancy's adored Ronnie serenading her, like it was their very first date, Advertisement "I've never seen you looking so gorgeous as you did tonight I've never seen you shine so bright, you were amazing I've never seen so many people want to be there by your side And when you turned to me and smiled, it took my breath away And I have never had such a feeling Such a feeling of complete and utter love, as I do tonight." Nancy and I shared the love of the heart color red, in our wardrobes and GOP party symbol. But Nancy was literally America's First Lady in Red. She inspired the tasteful "Nancy Reagan Look" comparable to the fashionable Grace Kelly and Jackie Kennedy Onassis. Her shoes and handbags matched her suits which fit beautifully on her slim figure. Mrs. Ronald Reagan outwardly was an extremely reserved and dignified woman, but the times we were together opened a glimpse into who this very private person was inside. Nancy had a charming and calming spirit. She was considerate and cogent in an almost "Obi Wan Kenobi" way. Her radiating childlike smile with a sophisticated demeanor presented a uniquely balanced composure. Nancy was soft-spoken with an infectious laugh. She always looked stunning. Her hair was perfectly coiffed and her lovely hands greeted yours with unpretentious manicured nails. Nancy's subtle makeup highlighted her milky bright skin with exquisite cheekbones and deep set "doe" eyes. Actually, her smile and eyes were her most engaging features as they made you feel she saw into your heart and soul. And no one else had her attention except you. While Nancy was the apple of Ronnie's eye and he was her world, she was also a woman's good and caring friend. Good Neighbor and Good Friend Nancy had a humble warm way of making you feel that she genuinely respected you and had time for you. Few women I have known have her combined qualities of quiet charisma, kind of shy and elegantly demure, but with iron strong character. Nancy had a sense of humor, being born in the "Chinese Year of the Metal Rooster" maybe contributed to her traits. Nancy was a loyal friend to many (Los) Angelenos with a special affection for Betsy Bloomingdale, her dear longtime girlfriend, and Jerry Perenchio, her closest neighbor and a wonderful man who lovingly made sure Nancy was well. There are many special friends who were neighbors of Nancy, proud "Reaganites" including Ambassador and Mrs. Glen Holden, late Ambassador Bill Wilson, Bob and Kelly Day to name a few. It was at their home one intimate evening that Nancy shared a preview of "I Love You Ronnie: The Letters of Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan." Those graced to be present received a personalized version as a gift of their love. For years we have all been good neighbors in the diverse, closely knit Bel-Air enclave of Los Angeles. Friends and neighbors are of all political party persuasions and all faiths and ethnicities. Most of us grew up in caring American neighborhoods where you help each other, interestingly, that's Bel-Air. Advertisement Nancy had her favorite table at the original Bel-Air Hotel Dining Room. It was a corner booth looking out to the courtyard. She loved to meet for breakfast there and the staff all loved her. Motivating Mentor Nancy passionately spoke about three concerns in her heart, first Ronnie, then America and youth, many destroyed by drugs and alcohol. She was a mentor in my life, motivating me to get involved in politics and in our community of Los Angeles. Because of Nancy's encouragement, I began police ride-a-longs to better understand the plight of people living on the streets in South Los Angeles where I grew up. On one such late night ride with the Sheriff's department, I came to know a young woman Tammy who had been abused by her stepfather as a child prompting her to run away which led to her living on the streets. Tammy become addicted to crack-cocaine, mothering many children from different men who paid for her habit. Sweet homeless Tammy was the image of the suffering person living in the shadows that Nancy cared about helping. Nancy inspired people to "Just say yes" and help Tammy and others struggling with addiction to "Just say no" with loving support. In 1997, out of the blue, I was contacted by Merv Griffin and invited to join him for lunch with a "special guest" at his Beverly Hilton Hotel. We walked into the private room and surprisingly Mrs. Reagan was waiting for us there. After a cordial exchange, she made a compelling argument as to why I should run for Lieutenant Governor along with Dan Lungren for Governor. Nancy expressed concern for the future of the Republican Party, especially in California. When I now reflect on how people, ordinary folks or well-known people are messengers along life paths and consider why and what for, it is humbling how God works in mysterious ways. Sometimes we are oblivious to His plan, stuck on our own. Proverbs 3:5-6 says it all, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Advertisement Through The Noel Foundation, amazing people have come together for a better world. Drive with diplomacy and networking leads to worthwhile projects. Caring people of varied backgrounds and faith tradition partner for positive change through shared charitable endeavors. In the late nineties, we gathered to honor Nancy Reagan at The Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The foundation partnered with leaders from Japan also committed to spreading "warm-heartedness." Kenzo Kassai, Founder and CEO of Aprica baby stroller company, led the delegation from Japan. Special caring lady friends including Olivia Newton-John, Arianna Huffington, Kerry Kennedy, Marcia Hobbs, and former First Lady of Hawaii Jean Ariyoshi joined this motivating event to show Mrs. Reagan how loved she was by an array of talented women and men transcending politics and inspiring shared purpose. News that President Obama will not attend the funeral service to pay final respects to Mrs. Reagan is sad. It pains to see the divide that exists in America. When he was elected, Nancy paid him a great compliment, "I thought Obama ran the best campaign I have ever known - disciplined, well organized, very, very good. I was very impressed" she said. By missing this "Farewell to Nancy" gathering, President Obama misses an opportunity to be a unifier. "It can be done" when hardened hearts are opened allowing the light of Christ to penetrate them, so necessary for "The American Spirit." The Reagan Legacy- "It Can Be Done" On President Reagan's desk of the Oval Office was the small leather sign "It Can Be Done" which can be found at The Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. One is on my desk and given as gifts to people inspired by these four simple but poignant words. Mrs. Reagan was deeply committed to leave a lasting legacy of love and peace for all good people of the world of all political parties to experience when at The Reagan Library. She loved the people who helped make this vision a reality and those who worked to take care of it, preserving and promoting The Reagan Legacy. Nancy's face lit up when she spoke of her children and grandchildren. She also held a special place in her heart for Fred Ryan and his beautiful family and for her loyal and caring assistant Joanne Drake. It was a blessing over the years to be with Mrs. Reagan in this historical site that was chosen to be the resting place for her beloved Ronnie and now herself, side by side eternally. Advertisement Eternal Union Nancy Reagan in many ways was a mystery. Being with her you knew she was strong, but at the same time, you felt she was vulnerable needing some protection or loving support, especially with Ronnie not well and then gone. She will be sadly missed. But there is comfort for her family, friends and the American people whom she loved and served as an inspirational First Lady. Nancy is now with her "Knight in Shining Armor" and they are reunited for eternity and together experiencing the Beatific Vision of the true Shining City on the Hill. In The Gospel of John, Jesus promises: "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. (John 14:1-4)" . On Sunday March 6, 2016 Nancy's sweet Ronnie welcomed his beloved into his arms purring, "The lady in red, the lady in red The lady in red, my lady in red I love you!" May the souls of the faithful departed Ronald and Nancy, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. Village woman plucking marigold while receiving mobile call. I traveled extensively during the summer of 2015, namely to Vietnam, Japan, China, and India. The weather was hot in all of these lovely places and my hair took a beating but stayed strong. For some reason, within the context of so much heat, humidity, and variations in environment, some of my locks completely unraveled. So, the remedy was henna that I secured in India for healthy conditioning. Just wonderful! I also acquired pure coconut oil in Vietnam, at a spot along the Mekong Delta, to lavish my locks, so moisture was achieved. They make candy and other treats from the coconut there too, which was delicious! So, with locks in tow, I traveled and traveled, along with my husband (and my adult children for portions of this 7-week journey) loving every moment of the experience. There was very little concern about my locks in any of these places. There were no odd stares or feelings of being "other" in the largely homogeneous nations that I visited. I find, when I travel internationally, especially in Africa and Asia, whatever that feeling is that I have at home--that feeling of being other, as a Black woman, doesn't exist. Sometimes, people stare but do not glare like I often experience at home. There is curiousness but not consternation. I walk comfortably in my difference, knowing that I am adding diversity, vibrantly, to the place where I am visiting. Advertisement The Saree In India, the defining attire of Hindu women is the Saree. It can be made of all types of fabric including satin, chiffon, silk and beyond. It may be heavily embossed and intricately detailed but it's most important characteristic is that it is unique. You will not see two women wearing the same saree (unless it is intentional). The colors, the beauty and grace of sarees represent diversity in terms of attire, geographic location, socioeconomic status and Indian, Hindu culture. Yet, in the differences, sarees represent an undeniable commonality in that no matter the color, design or ornamentation, they are all sarees--representing, as is said in some Asian cultures, "Same Same--But Different." In this case, this indicates the fact that sarees are more the same than different in that they are all made of fabric and are about 6 meters long. Through my travels, I have learned that Human beings are similar. At our core, like the saree, we are "same, same, but different." At the molecular level, we are the same. We are all comprised of cells, with variations in genetic makeup that leads to varying genotypes and phenotypes, but no one arrangement that leads to our physical appearance is better than another. Having white skin with straight hair vs. brown skin with curly hair, as examples, is not better, just different. We are not all the same without diversity, however. For example, for Black women, with natural, curly kinky hair, we are different from women of other races who may have straight hair. One is not better than the other, just different. Hence, my belief is that for Black women, and all people, Natural IS Cool Enough in any scenario, from social to professional. Advertisement So, as I travel the world, I embrace this difference in others and expect the same towards me. I recently wrote a Post where I discussed how some folks think it only appropriate to tolerate difference, but that is not enough. My post is entitled "In Terms of Diversity Initiatives, Tolerance is Not Enough." Furthermore, there are still organizations in the U.S. that don't recognize the value and beauty of difference and how it enhances environments. For example, I recently learned while attending a conference where I was the Keynote Speaker, that the field of Veterinary Medicine is the whitest profession in the United States. Hence, I wrote another piece entitled "Why Veterinary Medicine, The Whitest Profession in American, Needs Black Students." This month, the Torah has led us on a comprehensive tour of the folk art museum of ancient Israelite desert wandering, a full accounting of the physical culture of our portable sacred space in the wilderness. The prophetic readings paired with the weekly Torah readings amplify the descriptions of the richly textured but makeshift place for the Divine among us, the mishkan or Tabernacle, with the true opulence of the first Jerusalem Temple. We, in turn, bridge a 3,000-year cultural gap from the mishkan to the present time, to discern the parallel essential elements in our spiritual lives. In the biblical text, Betzalel, the chief artisan of the mishkan, creates a bronze laver made from women's mirrors. As far as we know, this is a simple bowl-on-pedestal sink where the ancient priests, the kohanim, would wash to prepare for their offerings. This detail of material culture might pass by us with so many others if it weren't for the note about its materials. One midrash connects the material origins of this washbasin to the mirrors that the women used in Egypt, as they gazed playfully at their reflections, to sexually arouse their husbands in order to bring the next generation into being even in the midst of the despair of slavery. In the mishkan, then, as they prepared to connect with God, the kohanim would be looking beyond their lathered hands to the basin made of those mirrors, rooting their connection with the Divine in the erotic connection of Israelites with one another--perhaps preparing to seek that same kind of playful, face-to-face, beloved connection with the Divine, elevating otherwise everyday acts with a deep sense of holy purpose. Advertisement The description of the parallel basin in Solomon's Temple--described in I Kings 7 in the Sephardic haftarot, or prophetic readings, accompanying the Torah portions Vayakhel (last week) and Pekudei (this week)--invites us into epic dimensions of human and divine connection. This basin is called ha-yam, The Sea. The Sea is a round basin cast in bronze, ten cubits (fifteen feet) across and five cubits (eight feet) high. Three hundred gourds in two rows encircle the basin as a decorative feature, and it rests on twelve bronze oxen, three facing each of the cardinal directions, hindquarters inward. The metal is about five inches thick, yet the brim is as delicate as a drinking cup, like the petals of a lily. There is such holy chutzpah in naming this fancy sink that Hiram the bronze worker made "The Sea"--for what is the sea but our chance to encounter the Infinite? What is the sea but truly the face of the Divine, the reflection of the sky? What is the sea but the gathering place of all of us in the end, the mostly-water of our bodies flowing from all into us back into all? To call this oversized bowl The Sea, then, is to claim our capacity for encountering the vastness of the Divine in human community, to suggest that we can create a vessel that actually brings the infinite into our midst. That bowl of epic proportions, burnished bronze holding a vast quantity of water, was in essence a giant mirror. The way oceans carry the color and mood of the sky, the way looking into a completely still lake on a clear day feels like you might actually dive into the clouds, this Sea would have brought the vastness of the sky into a finite human vessel, the heavens into a tiny corner of the earth. What is always above could also be below. We laugh at the residents of Chelm who believe they have captured the moon in a barrel of water, but we forget that they held a slice of heaven. Advertisement Mystically-inclined commentary on The Sea looks to the elements of its measurements to find reference to earth, sky, and humanity, bringing all three into contact in this singular vessel. But what does it rest on? What is the basis for holding this bit of Sea-Sky in our midst? The twelve oxen that form the base of the Sea are compared to the signs of the zodiac, the completeness of a year's journey of our earth in relation to the vastness of the universe. This is the mirroring of the heavens in ourselves. In our time and place, we have so much more, and so much less, than The Sea. Our lives are full of unfathomable opulence compared to those who would have seen it--the water we collect from above flows into our very homes by the turn of a faucet. Our physical connection with that flow of bounty is unprecedented. And yet, our tendency to recognize that we are actually coming face to face with the infinite in our small personal sink-seas is very limited. Our task is to build in ourselves, in our communities and in our minds, the Seas of our time, where the water below reflects the water above, and our gaze laughingly meets that of the Divine. At a mikveh, a facility for ritual immersion, we dare to claim that the waters of tehom, the original Deep, are gathered in a given nondescript building, in the pool of the mikveh, which becomes a Sea. But we don't need water to find our Seas. Look no further than the ritual fringes, the tzitzit, on the corners of a tallit: Rabbi Meir taught: How is techelet [the blue of tzitzit] different from all the other colors? Techelet is like the sea, and the sea is like the sky, and the sky is like the throne of glory, as it is written, "Under God's feet is like a sapphire brick, pure as the essence of the heavens" (Exodus 24:10), and it is written, "The throne appears like sapphire stone" (Ezekiel 1:26). (Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 17a) Even the white string of the tzitzit carries the memory of the blue string. The referred power of that blue is enough to suggest that when we look at those knotted strings, we see the Divine. The fabric of a tallit folds up small--a garment is the ultimate portable object--and yet, unfurled it becomes a personal Sea, a reflection in human fabrication of what is above, allowing us to see the Infinite. Advertisement Finally, we find Seas in friendship, in family, and in community, when we, like the Israelites in Egypt, gaze on each other with playful love, seeing the mirroring of our own laughing eyes in another's. We don't need the reflective bronze intermediary to show us hope in difficult times. With nothing more than water, string, and laughter, in our own times and places, we too can encounter the Divine in our midst. The disgusting, vile comparisons of Donald Trump to Hitler are an affront to decency, the Jewish community, the victims of the Holocaust and to Trump himself. The Washington Post published a column by a Harvard professor comparing Trump to Hitler. The New York Daily News had the words "Trump is Hitler" on its front cover. The Huffington Post and The Daily Telegraph have also compared Trump to Hitler. The latest episode of Saturday Night Live compared Trump's rise to power to "Germany in the 1930s." High-profile personalities such as Bill Maher, Louis CK, former Mexican president Vicente Fox and even Glenn Beck have all made comparisons between Trump and Hitler. Have we all gone mad? Are we going to seriously trivialize the murder of six million Jews by saying that a Republican presidential candidate is running for office in order to perpetrate genocide? Is there any political pundit in America with half a brain that actually believes that? Love him or hate him, the fact is Donald Trump has never murdered anyone in his life. He has never incited violence against any group. He has never called for people to be rounded up in ghettos. Trump has a daughter who converted to, and is observant of, Orthodox Judaism. Being friendly with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, I was aware of the process of Ivanka Trump becoming Jewish. Advertisement At any point during the multi-year journey her father could easily have said to her, "Are you kidding me? Seriously? You're from a prominent family. You're rich. You're famous. Get this becoming Jewish idea out of your head." But not only did Trump not do so, he did precisely the opposite. He has, on many occasions, spoken very proudly of his daughter embracing the Jewish faith. Donald Trump has Orthodox Jewish grandchildren. Then there is his son-in-law himself, who stems from one of the most prominent and philanthropic New York/ New Jersey Jewish families. Jared and the Kushners are among the staunchest supporters and defenders of Israel. They are renowned for the innumerable Jewish causes they support. Jared comes from a family of survivors. I can only imagine how sick they must be in seeing these disgusting comparisons of the patriarch of their daughter-in-law's family to the most evil man that ever lived. Advertisement Furthermore, those who use the word "Hitler" to describe Trump don't realize the injustice they are doing to those who suffered at the hands of the Nazis. The fact is that there are certain powerful words that we possess in the English language that are reserved for the worst forms of evil imaginable. The word "genocide" is one such word. When Israel is attacked with 14,000 rockets by Hamas, and must defend its citizens by attacking Hamas rocket launchers, those Israel haters who fraudulently say that Israel is committing a "genocide" are doing a huge injustice to the victims of real genocides. That word must only be applied to true atrocities, and it loses all meaning when misapplied to wars that are moral and just. The word "Hitler" is another such word that must never be misused. Comparing Trump to Hitler trivializes world war, genocide, the one-and-a-half million children gassed by the monster, and is a vulgar attack on the good citizens of the United States who are being accused of getting behind a murderer. Try telling someone who lived through the concentration camps and lost their entire family to the Nazis that Trump is Hitler. When these words are misapplied, we all suffer for it. Trump is a controversial candidate but no-one denies that whatever else we may disagree with him on, he's a staunch supporter of Israel. Americans want to vomit already from the decades of poll-driven drivel offered up to us by so many fake politicians who lack any kind of conviction and simply want to hold office. So it's easy to see why Trump's straight talk has taken hold. I agree with him on the need for candor in American politics and, involved as I am with some political figures, I can see why America is hungering for someone to simply tell it like it is. But there are also obvious areas of disagreement. I reject Trump's call for collective punishment for the families of terrorists. If a US citizen goes and joins Islamic State (ISIS), does that mean that his family here in the US would need to be punished as well? The Bible is clear that "a son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and a father shall not bear the iniquity of the son" (Ezekiel 18:20). The real Trump haters ought to remember that Roosevelt, Churchill and Truman all engaged in collective punishment by bombing entire cities - including with nuclear weapons in the case of Truman. And even President Barack Obama has ordered drone strikes that no doubt have killed terrorists' dependents, even if it was not intentional. Perhaps if we did engage in collective punishment then we'd end the terrorist threat much more rapidly. But still it is morally unacceptable as it undermines our values and the all-important idea of personal accountability. Advertisement I also disagree with Trump on the temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States because there should never be any religious litmus tests in America. I have said so publicly numerous times. Perhaps if he would have called for temporary bans on citizens traveling from countries heavily infiltrated by ISIS and other radical Islamic ideologies he would not have elicited the same reaction. But to go from there to comparing Trump to Hitler is utterly abhorrent. As an aside, it should also be noted how absurd it is when people use this presidential election as proof that America is Islamophobic. I mean, really? Five thousand Americans died in Iraq liberating Muslims being slaughtered by Saddam Hussein. A further 5,000 died fighting the monsters of the Taliban to liberate another Muslim nation. And the US taxpayer footed the $2 trillion bill. Show me another nation that magnificent, charitable and dedicated to Muslim lives. What Islamophobia? Trump's outspokenness is in large part a reaction to the anger that much of the country feels over the perceived lack of leadership and strength exhibited by the United States, and he knows that throwing political correctness to the wind and refusing to mince words will very likely be a path to the White House in today's political climate. And while I can understand why political opponents do not want Trump as president - just as I understand why political partisans likewise don't want Hillary, Cruz, Rubio, or Sanders - that still does not give them the right to dishonor the memory of the millions who lost their lives in the Holocaust, or take a man with whom they may have sharp disagreements and make him into a monster. Advertisement Sarah Jessica Parker is a terrific actress. That's what artist Eric Fishl, in his role as Guild Hall's President of the Arts and gala host, said on Tuesday night at the Rainbow Room where the Sex & the City star was being feted for a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Performing Arts. On the red carpet, she gave her insider East Hampton shopping tips to one reporter and told another about her new HBO series Divorce: "I play a married woman, sort of." And then accepting her trophy, she deftly segued to delivering an awards presentation to Ruth Appelhof, Guild Hall's executive director, now retiring after sixteen years. We should have realized the bait and switch: husband Matthew Broderick was nowhere in sight, in fact attending the opening night of Disaster! Then again, where was she last year when he was awarded? Doesn't "lifetime achievement" mean anything? Also honored at the spectacular dinner, co-created by Florence Fabricant and featuring fois gras, salmon, and the Rainbow Room's signature Baked Alaska, were Mary Heilmann introduced by Adam Weinberg who noted the silver-haired artist's identification with the Sex Pistols' Sid Vicious. Roseann Cash presented to A. M. Homes, finding her "a surgeon of the psyche," and recalling Edward Albee's dubbing the author "a literary terrorist." Charlotte Moss and Barry S. Friedberg were also honored for their philanthropy. A crowning Guild Hall achievement under Appelhof's tutelage is the newly inaugurated artist-in-residence program. Poet Tom Yuill told me he accepted the residency immediately when Philip Schultz called him because East Hampton was close to New York City, and with free Hampton Jitney tickets and three-day a week permission to be off grounds, he could pursue his cultural pursuits in the city. He also loves "The Met: Live in HD" opera series, part of Guild Hall's exceptional programming. By the end of this lovely evening, no one was quite sure who got what award, not even Ruth Appelhof, but it looks like SJP is due for hers --again-- next year. An insurrectionist presidential candidate stuns his party's establishment by pocketing the party's nomination. His views do not line up with mainstream figures in his party. He is charismatic and taps into the undercurrent of populist indignation against the corporate and political elite from rank-and-file party members. Many elected members of the party bolt and form a third party or transfer their support to the nominee of the other major party in protest. The result: the candidate alters the facade of his political party. Although this scenario occurred in 1896 in the Democratic Party, it now seems plausible that this scenario could repeat itself in 2016 within the Republican Party. The Democratic Party was founded on the principles of state sovereignty, free markets, a decentralized federal government, and an originalist interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. In fact, during the Economic Panic of 1837, Democratic President Martin Van Buren refused to use the power of the Federal Government to stimulate economic activity. He actually sold the federal government's tool supply so that the government could not use the tools for public works projects. Advertisement A Democratic descendent of Van Buren, President Grover Cleveland was a true disciple of the laissez faire school of limited government action even with respect to sending government aid after natural disasters. Cleveland maintained that providing federal government assistance "encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character." During Cleveland's Second term in office (1893-1897) (he was the only President elected to two non consecutive terms), the nation was mired in an economic depression. The unemployment rate reached 18% just one year into his second term in office. Unemployed workers marched from the Midwest to Washington D.C. to highlight their plight and demand that Cleveland support public works programs. In addition, a populist revolt was percolating within the party against its continued support for the Gold Standard. Grassroots Democrats advocated a policy of bimetallism, where both gold and silver would be certified as legal tender. They believed that with more money in circulation, the Depression would end. Cleveland supported the Gold Standard and was a steadfast opponent of bimetallism. Cleveland would not budge, sticking to his support of restricted federal government. In a scathing electoral indictment unleashed both against the Cleveland Administration and against the Democratically-controlled Congress, the Democrats lost a startling 127 U.S. House seats in the 1894 mid-term elections. No party before or since has ever lost that many seats in any House election. At the 1896 Democratic National Convention (Presidential primaries were not yet instituted), insurrectionists, disaffected with the continued ideology of their party, flocked to 36-year-old firebrand William Jennings Bryan. Nicknamed "The Great Commoner," Bryan's views were recreant to Party orthodoxy. The Bryan nomination was a repudiation of Cleveland's policies of fiscal austerity and the continuation of the Gold Standard. Bryan favored dramatic action by the federal government to stimulate the nation's economy, favored the U.S. leaving the Gold Standard and instituting a graduated federal income tax. Advertisement Bryan's nomination sparked outrage among party sachems. Some defected to Republican nominee William McKinley because he supported the Gold Standard. Consequently, the old guard establishment of the party, including Cleveland himself (who did not seek a third term as President), refused to support their own party's nominee. Instead, they hastily formed the National Democratic Party, and nominated 79-year-old U.S. Senator John M. Palmer of Illinois for President. Perhaps no candidate with the support of a litany of elected officials, including the incumbent President, and the endorsement of The New York Times, fared so poorly in the General Election. Palmer mustered less than 1% of the popular vote. The National Democratic Party became a footnote in the pages of American political history. This series of events caused the Democratic Party to become a two-headed donkey. An internecine struggle between the old guard conservative bloodline and the newly formed populist wing permeated the party. Essentially, two countervailing ideologies were domiciled in one party. Advertisement Bryan won the nomination again in 1900, but the old guard wrested back control in 1904, nominating the staunch conservative New York Appeals Court Judge Alton B. Parker, who had the support of Cleveland. Bryan was incensed by this development, declaring: "No self-respecting Democrat would vote for him." This conservative/populist chasm in the party remained for much of the Twentieth Century. In addition, Bush was a steadfast exponent of free trade. He supported NAFTA and pledged as President to: "end tariffs and break down barriers everywhere, entirely, so the whole world trades in freedom." In sharp contrast, Trump calls for the elimination of NAFTA and favors a 45-percent tariff on Chinese imports to the U.S. Advertisement Should Trump garner the GOP nomination, a similar situation could develop as happened with Bryan in 1896. Some Republicans, like former New Jersey Governor Christy Todd Whitman, have stated they will support likely Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton over Trump. Citing irreconcilable differences with Trump, some Republican leaders could flee the party and form their own political party or support the nominee of the Libertarian or Constitution Party. We are already seeing murmurs of this. U.S. Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) tweeted: "If Trump becomes the Republican nominee, my expectation is that I'll look for some third candidate - a conservative option, a Constitutionalist." Bill Kristol, editor of the conservative Weekly Standard, asked followers to "name the new party we'll have to start if Trump wins the nomination." U.S. Representative Reid Ribble (R-WI) and Massachusetts Republican Governor Charlie Baker have both proclaimed they will not support Trump if he is the GOP nominee. Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. This popular quote emphasizes that it's inappropriate to judge an individual by focusing on a skill that he or she does not possess. A person may be phenomenal at understanding complex mathematical relationships, but their ability to socially interact with their peers may be rudimentary or even non-existent. This leads to an age-old question: How should a society recognize and encourage the strengths of an individual, while not overly penalizing their weaknesses? Software giant SAP is making strides to address this challenge. They want to tap into the unique abilities of a severely underrepresented, yet very talented, segment of the workforce - individuals on the autism spectrum. Their approach is actually quite logical. Advertisement Consider these three disturbing statistics: (1) Technology companies have a critical need to fill STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) jobs, and that need is expected to grow substantially over the next decade. Consider that more than 100,000 STEM jobs just in the NYC & San Francisco Bay area alone remain unfulfilled. (2) The skills needed to be successful at STEM jobs include visual learning skills and the ability to recognize patterns, strong attention to detail, concentration and perseverance over long periods of time, high diligence and low tolerance for mistakes. Many times these traits are similar to those exhibited by individuals on the autism spectrum. (3) Individuals on the autism spectrum are in desperate need of employment. About 50% of people with autism do not have a cognitive impairment and still 85% of people of working age with autism are unemployed. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that companies need to tap into this underutilized talent pool if they're going to maintain their competitive advantage, or even survive. Advertisement Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and possible repetitive behaviors. When the media reports on the "autism epidemic," the focus is generally on the growing number of new instances in children. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the current incidence of autism is 1 in 68 children (1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls). While this trend is disturbing, we must also remember that autism is a lifelong disorder. While much attention is paid to rising autism rates in children, the number of adults on the autism spectrum is increasing quickly and the nation is not prepared for the special challenges that come with this segment of the population. The cost of autism to the U.S. is approximately $250 billion per year, with that number expected to rise significantly over the next decade. One significant challenge is that many employers don't see the upside in hiring individuals who can be considered rigid and moody or have poor communication skills. New approaches are needed that allow businesses to tap into the potential of this unique demographic. Innovative employment programs that focus on individuals with special needs can turn out some of the most diligent, dependable and productive employees. Several forward thinking companies, such as Microsoft, HP, and CAI, have started to recognize this unique opportunity and are moving to include more individuals on the autism spectrum in their workforce. SAP, however, has gone a step further and set an ambitions goal of having 1% of their workforce be individuals on the autism spectrum by 2020. That's an incredibly aggressive number and requires more that just a change in hiring practices, it requires a change in their overall corporate culture. Advertisement To accomplish this, SAP partnered with Specialisterne, an international non-profit organization dedicated to harnessing the talents of people with autism to find technology-related jobs. Led by Jose Velasco, the result was SAP's "Autism at Work" program. Velasco outlined a few core aspects of the program. 1) SAP partners globally for the identification, selection and training of candidates affected by autism. Including the aforementioned Specialisterne, SAP also partners with agencies such as The Arc and Expandability to be a bridge between the company and the community. 2) There is a strong desire to not have the initiative viewed as charity or philanthropy. SAP leverages the unique skills and abilities that people with autism bring to the workplace in the core processes of the company. 3) Different perspectives allow SAP to create richer and more rewarding solutions for its customers. SAP hires individuals on the spectrum to complement the existing and diverse perspectives of other employees in the company. 4) SAP hires individuals with autism into many different job types (no predefined job types for people with autism). These individuals will work in a fully integrated mode at the company, side-by-side with all other colleagues. Advertisement SAP's Autism at Work program has not been an isolated pilot program. Individuals hired under the effort have been integrated directly into the lines of business. Adam Kovalevsky, Vice President of Engineering at SAP Success Factors, explained, "It's now almost a year after 5 people joined our engineering teams through the Autism at Work program. Today, these individuals perform very effectively. We are proud to help people overcome the barriers of the standard recruiting process, which disadvantages those who are less comfortable with the typical interview cycle. And we are excited to look back over the last year and see how engineers who joined us through the program have evolved into strong, reliable members of our teams." SAP Success Factors trainees pictured with SAP Autism at Work partner Expandability (Image credit: SAP) Jewell Parkinson, Head of Human Resources for SAP North America, described the program as already being incredibly successful. "The Autism at Work program is a game changer for SAP. It enables us to broaden our ability to attract, develop and retain the best people the marketplace has to offer. We see no limits and place no imposed boundaries on the rich talent, unique strengths and diverse skill sets which exist all around us and are aligned with our vision: to help the world run better and improve people's lives." Since 2013, the SAP Autism at Work program has provided opportunities to more than 100 individuals at locations around the world. These individuals work in a wide variety of positions such as software developer, data analyst, IT technical support, graphic designer, and many more. Velasco added, "Three years into our journey, the program continues to grow stronger. In 2016 we will expand to other locations around the world including Australia and South Korea. 2016 will also be a year where we consolidate lessons learned from our different locations with the purpose of improving and standardizing best practices." Advertisement The success of the program is in great part the result of the confluence of executive management support and grass-root employee-volunteer involvement. These employee-volunteers, known as the Autism at Work Mentors, focus on creating opportunities for camaraderie and networking for new employees on the autism spectrum. The Autism at Work Mentors with SAP Senior Executives (Photo Credit: SAP) Gabrielle Robertson-Cawley, lead of the Autism at Work mentors in SAP's Newtown Square, PA facility, added, "We have created a family within the SAP family. The mentor team provides an environment where employees can feel comfortable just being themselves, knowing that they have colleagues who are there to help guide them through social and business situations. Watching someone succeed, whether it's passing a certification exam or trying something new for the first time is incredibly rewarding." When most people think of "diversity in the workplace", they generally think of differences in gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation. Unfortunately, individuals with special needs are an often overlooked as part of the diversity model. However, forward-thinking companies like SAP have realized that a cornerstone element of innovation is the diversity of those who participate in the creative process and the different perspectives they bring to the table - including individuals with autism. When a country wins World's Leading Culinary Destination you take notice. When Peru won World's Leading Culinary Destination four years in a row from 2012 through 2015, you know it's definitely time to visit. While the focus is on the food and gastronomy, we put a spotlight here on the 10 unique drinks you must try in Peru. 1. Pisco Sour Pisco Sour is considered the national drink of Peru and it even has its own national holiday. National Pisco Sour Day is celebrated on the first Saturday in February. Pisco Sour is made with Peruvian Pisco as the base liquor and the addition of lime juice, syrup, ice, egg white, and Angostura bitters.The fine balance between the intense citrus lime juice and sweetness of the sugar syrup makes it very easy to drink. 2. Chilcano Like the Pisco Sour, the Chilcano also uses Pisco as the base liquor. The classic Chilcano is made of Pisco with lime juice, ginger ale, ice and Angostura bitters. Variations can be made with exotic fruit juices like maracuya (passion fruit) or lucuma. While the Chilcano may not be as popular as the Pisco Sour, it is a refreshing and lighter alternative. The Chilcano also has its own week long festival that takes place in mid-January. Advertisement 3. Chicha Morada Chicha Morada is a unique drink that is made with purple corn (Maiz morado in Spanish). Purple corn is native to Peru and has a long history that dates back prior to the Inca Empire. Purple corn has many health benefits including reduced risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure. This non alcoholic drink is made by boiling the purple corn with pineapple skin, cinnamon, cloves, and sugar. Deliciously sweet and with an intriguing deep purple color, you must indulge in the goodness contained in this unique drink. 4. Chicha de Jora Chicha de jora is a traditional drink from the Andes that comes from the Inca times. It is beer made of Jora corn, a type of yellow corn from the Andes. You will find this beer in small Andean villages in the Sacred Valley. One unique characteristic of this beer is its thick foam. It is tradition to spill the first portion of the beer on the ground saying "Pachamama, Santa Tierra" as an offering to Earth Mother (Pachamama in Quechua). A very intriguing beverage, Chicha de Jora starts with slightly sweet taste and finishes with a sour taste similar to a bitter apple cider. 5. Chicha de Frutilla Chicha de Frutilla, also known as Frutillada, is a sweeter version of Chicha de Jora. It is made with strawberries (frutilla) and sugar blended with the Chicha de Jora. It has a strange pink color and the strawberries cover up the sour taste of Chicha de Jora. You can find Frutillada in traditional or local restaurants in the Andes. Served in enormous glasses, you will need both hands to hold the glass. 6. Inca Kola Inca Kola is the most popular soft drink in Peru. It is a yellow fluorescent colored soda that is super sweet and tastes like bubble gum. The origins of Inca Kola go back to 1910 when a young English couple Jose and Martha Lindley opened a shop in Lima, where they sold homemade carbonated beverages. In 1935, Lima was celebrating 400 years since its founding and the Lindleys decided to produce a unique drink to commemorate the event. Inca Kola was born. Marketed as the "Pride of Peru" this drink is everywhere. It is the preferred drink to complement many Peruvian dishes. Advertisement 7. Peruvian Beers Although Pisco Sour is Peru's national drink, beer is the most popularly consumed alcoholic beverage. Peru has three major beer brands Pilsen Callao, Cristal and Cusquena. Pilsen Callao and Cristal are both lagers with mild flavor. Cusquena makes several variations: golden lager, red lager, wheat beer, and dark lager. Definitively a favorite, there is a beer for every taste. 8. Mate de Coca Famous in the Andes region, this unique drink is an herbal tea made from the leaves of a coca plant. Mate de Coca is used to treat altitude sickness. On your way to Machu Picchu, this tea will help you adapt to the high altitude. However, this tea is controversial. The leaves contain alkaloids, which when extracted chemically are the source for cocaine. Though the amount of coca alkaloids in the leaves is small, one cup of coca tea can cause a positive result on a cocaine drug test. Controversy aside, it is easy to drink and has a green tea taste. 9. Emoliente Emoliente is one of the most unique drinks you will find. Sold at street corners by vendors, it is popular in the cold season. Emoliente is believed to have healing and medicinal properties.The base is a mix of herbs that usually includes barley, dried horsetail, flax seed, plantain leaf and alfalfa sprouts. Bottles on the cart contain liquids made from natural plants from the Andes mountains. The taste is a little bizarre. Imagine drinking a hot, fruity, slimy and semi-sparkly beverage. However, if you are not feeling well and looking for a natural remedy, give this drink a try. 10. Peruvian Juices and "Jugo Especial" Peru is a fruit lover's paradise. One of the best ways to enjoy the fruits is in fresh juices. You will find juice stands everywhere and most restaurants and cafes offer fresh juices on their menus. The fruit choices are endless and include bananas, papayas, pineapples, guavas, maracuya (passion fruit) and more. The secret Peruvian juice speciality is the "Jugo Especial". It is a mix of several fruits, one egg and Cusquena beer (optional). This deliciously thick juice is like a meal and big enough to share. The global order is undergoing a tectonic shift. The Cold War and the subsequent unipolar moment of United States heralded the rise of liberalism-humanitarian agenda. Although fraught with challenges, the very promise of greater priority to human rights and socio-economic freedoms seemed enticing. Ironically, however, the promise has lately been eclipsed by hardcore realism. The European Union is fracturing due to internal rifts over border control and humanitarian policies. Danish legislators recently promulgated a controversial law to confiscate valuables from refugees - which, ironically, could be a $100 Chinese smartphone. United States, a self-styled champion of human rights, has conveniently ignored the deaths of 470,000 Syrians to shake hands with a regime directly responsible for the carnage. The global economy is teetering on the brink and human security is in limbo. Self-interest reigns supreme in an anarchic world and states are power maximizers, as the famous realist Hans Morgenthau postulated in his seminal work Politics Among Nations (1948). The detente between the U.S. and USSR resulted in the ascendance of the political/economic liberalism, which encapsulated everything from economic integration to visa-free regimes. The European Union is the ultimate manifestation of that era. The World Trade Organization is another one. Advertisement Intrinsically linked with liberalism was the growing importance of human rights and freedoms. The world has come a long way since with women and sexual minorities gaining significant liberties. Sanctity of human life, freedom of speech and association, environmental activism and global linkages also emerged as key tenets of the era. NATO victory over the USSR and strengthening of the EU cemented these notions. The hunky-dory prospects of a shared global future were but an illusion. There was no End of History as Francis Fukuyama predicted but a Clash of Civilization as envisaged by Samuel Huntington; 9/11 and the subsequent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are living exhibits. Despite the pitfalls -- and the massive economic recession of 2007-08 -- the agenda still had a chance. The Responsibility to Protect was a novel concept flouted by the United Nations in 2005 , urging the global community to protect human life if the state they live in turns into a monster. It was hailed as a victory for the liberal-humanitarian nexus. The failure of the Arab Spring -- and the Western inaction on Syrian carnage -- proved to be the iconic death knell. The increasing U.S. collusion with perpetrators of the worst carnage in modern history - and the support it gets from the so-called liberals - is a glaring example. No other event in modern history can explain the rot in the liberal agenda than the Syrian crisis. The glib talk on the days of the barbaric regime being numbered and threats of military strikes is a case in point. The inaction led to the strengthening of the regime - with support from Hezbollah, Shiite militias, Iran and Russia. ISIS later emerged as a barbaric counterforce. The liberals, cowering under the real or perceived threat of an ISIS invasion, have chosen to jettison their ideals. They find it more pragmatic to appease the barrel bombers, gravely ignoring their symbiotic relationship with ISIS terrorists. All they could cheer about is a fragile ceasefire, which has slim chances of holding. In the meanwhile, the so-called moderates in Iran are busy violating the nuclear accord by firing ballistic missiles. The detente with Iran came on the heels of the very stifling of this agenda. Here was a regime that had long been an accomplice and enabler of the genocidal dictator. Let's not forget Iraq either where Iran-backed Shiite militias unleashed a wave of terror, giving rise to ISIS. Then entered the Russians, who only exploited the vacuum left by the West and unleashed a new wave of brutalities on Syrians. Obama found it easier to cozy up to Vladimir Putin, even if meant jeopardizing U.S. national interests. Advertisement Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi answers questions during an interview, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015, in New York. Sisi discussed various issues including Egypt's role in the Middle East, his country's work on an expansion project to the Suez Canal, and relations with the United States. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) The euphoria of the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi in 2013 was partially about anticipating a cultural "liberation" for Egypt from Islamism, from "the Middle Ages' mentality" and traditions that are "centuries behind." So a segment of Egypt's intelligentsia welcomed the subsequent rise of former army chief Abdel Fatta Al-Sisi to the presidency as marking the "restoration of the Egypt we know," the Egypt of a "liberal golden era" that is thought to have prevailed before the rise of Islamism, an era we are now nostalgic about. In today's reality, more than two years after Morsi's ouster, Egypt has seen a poet handed down a prison sentence for "contempt of Islam", a researcher and TV presenter already serving a jail sentence for the same charge plus "defaming Islam", a novelist sentenced to prison over "sexually explicit" writing, and youth convicted and jailed over "atheism." There are also Coptic Orthodox Christian teens who were sentenced for appearing in a video mocking the Muslim prayers. Advertisement These examples and others serve as a reminder that Egypt's Sisi is no moderniser or reformer. Nor is the military establishment that he hails from. His core trait when it comes to ideology and thought is his being opposed to Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group, and that could be largely related to power struggle more than it is to ideology. He can't have overseen the imprisonment of scores of youth (including Islam Beheiry, the TV presenter, and Ahmed Nagi, the novelist) for the sake of modernity and an Islamism-free Egypt. In cases like those of Nagi, the "atheist" youth and the Coptic teens, the defendants were arrested, prosecuted and convicted while Sisi was president. Some may argue that this has taken place through the judiciary, not the president, and based on laws that have been in place for many years. But let's not forget that when he wanted to, the president exercised legislative powers in the absence of a parliament (parliamentary elections were eventually held in late 2015), issuing and amending controversial pieces of legislation such as the counterterrorism law, described by Amnesty International as "draconian", and others. Laws guaranteeing more freedoms, including freedom of creativity and art and freedom of expression, were not on his legislative to-do list. In fact it is under Sisi that the Ministry of Youth, in cooperation with the Ministry of Religious Endowments and Al-Azhar, announced a governmental plan to combat atheism among youth. Advertisement Sisi's Alliance With Salafis One straightforward proof that Sisi's and the military's moves in the past years have been guided by power politics rather than a desire to "modernise" Egypt or preserve its "civic identity", is the state's temporary alliance with the Salafi Al-Nour Party, which was founded by the "Da'wa Salafiya School". Daw'a Salafiya is a loose group bound together by thought rather than organization. In their memoirs, several Da'wa Salafiya scholars take pride in their school of Salafi thought being deeply rooted in Saudi Arabia's Wahabism. When then-Defense Minister Sisi gave a historic televised speech announcing Morsi's ouster on July 3, the 15 or so pubic figures who were flanking him included army officers, Azhar's Grand Imam, the Coptic Orthodox Church's Pope and - of all leaders of political parties - the secretary general of Al-Nour Party, which was founded by Da'wa Salafiya. Those who still see the military as the only saviour from Islamism and the only force able to protect Egypt's identity might think that the alliance between the post-Morsi state and Salafis has been only tactical, aimed at counterbalancing the Muslim Brotherhood's powerbase on the streets. This is based on the assumption that the army is a neutral entity that keeps an equal distance from all political and ideological forces. The problem with this assumption is that it does not take account of the Egyptian military's economic and political interests, which it is likely to be keen to preserve before preserving the civic identity of Egypt, whatever this may mean. Economically, the military has its own companies, factories and projects. It constructs roads, housing units, airports and even swimming pools. In effect, it is a competitor with the private sector's contractors, except that it is a privileged contractor that happen to enjoy coercive powers that private sector rivals do not have. Politically, the army is a key stakeholder in Egypt's foreign policy, with the $1.3 billion it receives in annual aid from the United States being the key pillar in US-Egyptian relations. Egypt's military can neither be characterised as secularist or Islamist. Military establishments are conservative by nature - and more so in the Egyptian army's case. If the so-called Islamic revival of the 70s is believed to have influenced Egyptian society, pushing it toward more conservatism, then the personnel of Egypt's Armed Forces are no exception. Societal and cultural dynamics are too complicated. Both the army and Islamist groups, mainly the Muslim Brotherhood, have affected each other and fed each other's cultures, whether consciously or unconsciously. Advertisement Those who sanction the unprecedented human rights violations committed against the Muslim Brotherhood in the name of protecting Egypt's "civic identity", those waiting for the army to enable enlightenment and modernity to take root in Egypt, had better realize that their wait will never bear fruit. FLINT, MI - MARCH 06: Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speak during the CNN Democratic Presidential Primary Debate at the Whiting Auditorium at the Cultural Center Campus on March 6, 2016 in Flint, Michigan. Voters in Michigan will go to the polls March 8 for the state's primary. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) To watch cable news, one would think that Bernie Sanders is still in the Democratic primary race simply to send a message to Washington, be a thorn in Hillary Clinton's side, play trainer to her Rocky, or some combination of all of these. Bogus super-delegate totals have been presented to the public as though these were votes either of the two candidates can count upon -- the mass exodus of super-delegates away from Hillary Clinton in the early summer of 2008 notwithstanding. The reality, of course, is far more complicated. It suggests a close and tightening race between Clinton and Sanders that has every bit as much drama about who will finally win it as does the Republican nominating process. With that in mind, here are five reasons the Clinton-Sanders race remains must-watch television: Advertisement 1. Hillary Clinton will not be permitted to win the Democratic nomination using super-delegates. To test this assertion, imagine for a moment that the Democratic National Convention arrives and Bernie Sanders has a narrow lead in pledged delegates -- the delegates sent to the convention in Cleveland by Democratic voters rather than by the whim of party elders. What would happen in this scenario? First, the national media would feature wall-to-wall coverage of Clinton "losing" the national vote for the nomination to Sanders; splash headlines on television and in print would announce Sanders as the clear winner of a majority of Democratic voters. Second, some portion of Clinton's delegates would abandon her on principle, that principle being that super-delegates should cast their convention ballot for whoever won the pledged delegate battle during primary season -- and yes, some super-delegates do believe this. Third, Democratic elders would be forced to acknowledge, as many already do, that if the loser of the pledged delegate battle is named the winner of the Democratic nomination, the Democrats will without question lose the general election in November. In this scenario the Democrats would lose in November because disaffected Sanders voters would either stay home on Election Day, vote for a third-party candidate, or cast a general-election ballot but leave the presidential-election portion of the ballot blank. This would be devastating to Clinton because Sanders voters are precisely the purple-state and independent voters any candidate for President will desperately need on Election Day. Advertisement Let's understand, too, what would have had to happen for Clinton to lose the pledged delegate battle to Sanders. It would mean that Sanders had earned about 60% of the vote in the final twenty-eight primaries, giving him such enormous momentum going into the convention that the idea of giving Clinton the victory via unelected, cigar-chomping politicos would seem positively deranged. Moreover, because Sanders would have beaten or tied Clinton in nearly every blue and purple state in America, super-delegates in close elections in these states would be particularly disinclined to anger the very electorate they'll rely on for re-election. This is where Clinton running strongest in light-red and deep-red states will really hurt her. As if the above weren't enough, let's also understand that the most powerful Democrats in the Democratic Party, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Nancy Pelosi, have all but said that super-delegates are not intended to be used to make a losing candidate into a winning candidate. This is precisely why the Democratic National Committee ordered the news media to stop tallying super-delegates prior to the Democratic National Convention, the first time these delegates are actually called upon to cast a ballot -- a demand that was inexplicably ignored. Finally, let's remember that as things stand today, Sanders runs far better against Trump than Clinton in nine of the ten light-red, blue, and purple states in which head-to-head general-election polling is available. Now imagine that Sanders has pulled 60% of the vote in the final twenty-eight primaries; will any super-delegate in America feel any confidence whatsoever that Clinton could beat Trump under such circumstances? In other words, while Clinton may or may not win the Democratic nomination for President, she undoubtedly will not do so using super-delegates. So you can safely ignore the super-delegate count and any pundit who references it portentously. 2. Hillary has already reached her high-water mark, and is only 14% above the delegate target she needs to hit to win the nomination. Advertisement Bluntly, Clinton has only won Southern states with demographics that are absent from nearly all future primaries and caucuses. Sounds far-fetched? Let's analyze it. If you look at the Democratic primary map as it stands today, Clinton has won only three states that did not secede from the Union during the Civil War. Those three "wins" are Iowa, Massachusetts, and Nevada. While Clinton and Sanders more or less split the delegates in all three states -- the exact total is 89 delegates for Clinton, 81 for Sanders, an 8-point differential which, in the context of both candidates needing 2,026 pledged delegates to win the pledged delegate battle, is statistically insignificant -- all three states were effectively "won" by Sanders. How so? Well, Sanders was down by 46 points in Nevada two full months after he declared his candidacy for President; by 23 points eight weeks before the Nevada caucuses; and he ultimately lost by just 5.5%, leading most commentators to say that if he'd had one more week to speak with Nevadan Democrats, he would have won a majority of their votes. Nothing about Clinton's victory in Nevada bespeaks her strength as a candidate; rather, it emphasizes only that name recognition and slightly superior financial, surrogate, and infrastructural assets is worth at least 5.5 points in a contested caucus. The margins between Clinton and Sanders in Massachusetts (1.4%) and Iowa (0.2%) were so small as to render both elections a statistical toss-up; by comparison, Sanders' victory in Michigan, which was termed "exceedingly narrow" by every political pundit with access to a microphone, was by about 2%. But more importantly, in these cases, as in Nevada, Sanders so outperformed the polling that preceded the vote that it was clear that additional exposure to the Senator would have given him each of these two states, just as additional exposure to Secretary Clinton would have cost her both of them. Which leaves the South. There are eleven Southern states; nine -- not coincidentally, the nine the Democrats have no chance of winning this November or in any general election in the next twenty years -- have already voted for Clinton, often by huge margins. Two Southern states still have to vote, and (again not coincidentally) these are Sanders' two strongest states in the region, which means that even if Clinton wins her delegate advantage will be nothing like it was in places like Mississippi and Alabama. The most recent polling in North Carolina has Sanders down by only 10, though this was before his wins in Kansas, Nebraska, Maine, and Michigan. The most recent polling in Florida is less kind, though according to CNN, Sanders' internal polling -- which has proven to be uncannily accurate -- suggests that the race there is in the "high single-digits." In other words, Sanders could win at least one of these two states, and will probably do all right in the delegate math no matter what happens. Advertisement In virtually every other state left to vote -- twenty-eight states, to be exact -- the demographics are substantially more favorable for Sanders than they were in even the "friendliest" state for him in the South (Virginia). Perhaps this is why he's leading in the most recent polls in Wisconsin, Utah, and Idaho, and after securing the endorsement of the most popular politician in Hawaii, Tulsi Gabbard, is favored to win there too. This may be why even the Clinton boosters on CNN are now saying that they're worried Clinton will lose Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri to Sanders next week. In other words, Hillary performed impressively only in the South, and in less than a week there will be no more South for her to mine for votes. 3. Hillary can no longer rely on the "electability" argument, as Sanders runs much better than she does against Trump pretty much everywhere. In the ten light-red, blue, or purple states where head-to-head general-election polling is available, Sanders outperforms Clinton against Trump in nine: Georgia, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Clinton outperforms Sanders in only Florida, where her 1% advantage on the Senator is dwarfed by that poll's 3.1% margin of error. Advertisement In short, it's entirely possible that Clinton is a better candidate against the all-but-certain Republican nominee precisely nowhere. Which means her "electability" argument, always the implicit centerpiece of her campaign, is gone. This will hurt her, as time goes on, with not just voters and pundits but super-delegates as well. 4. Hillary could still get burned by the email "scandal." The fact that the man who Hillary let into her house to set up her email server just got immunity from prosecution in order to compel him to testify against someone higher up the food chain may not mean that Clinton will shortly be indicted for a federal felony. But what it does do is prolong this story well into the general-election season, which can't help but hurt Hillary in the Democratic primaries and caucuses to come. We can argue all day about whether this is fair or not, but it remains a reality either way -- and indeed a situation Clinton herself is only exacerbating by doing dodgy things on the campaign trail, like lying about Sanders' auto bailout vote, refusing to release her speeches to Wall Street tycoons, and calling into question the authenticity of photographic and video evidence of Sanders fighting for civil rights in the 1960s. If someone close to Clinton does get indicted -- say, an aide -- it will be much more of a distraction than anyone in or outside the Clinton camp is presently assuming. To be blunt, there will be wall-to-wall news coverage of any indictment even tangentially related to Clinton, so if one comes down in April, May, or June it will hurt Hillary in any primaries or caucuses held during those months. While we can't know for certain the likelihood of an indictment being issued, I can say as an attorney that federal prosecutors do not give low-level targets immunity unless someone is being indicted. 5. It's much earlier in the nominating process than news media coverage of the Democratic primaries would lead you to believe. Advertisement Right now Hillary has only 28.4% of the pledged delegates she needs (677 of 2,378) to win the Democratic presidential nomination. Twenty-eight states still have to vote, and nearly all of these rank among the worst twenty-eight states for Clinton from a demographic standpoint. Sanders, with 478 pledged delegates, is only 14% off his delegate target -- that is, where he'd need to be at the present moment if he were "on track" to win the Democratic nomination -- and can breathe a sigh of relief that all ten of the worst states for him demographically are behind him. To put things in perspective, we're still three months -- yes, a quarter of a year -- from the most important primary in the Democratic nominating season (California). In fact, June 7th is as Super a Tuesday as any other we've experienced so far, with six states going to the polls. Those six states account for more than 800 delegates in total; so more than a third of all the delegates one needs to win the Democratic nomination will be awarded three months from now. A lot can happen in three months, a fact that seems impossible to dispute when you consider that, thus far, Americans have only been voting in primaries for five weeks. In five weeks, Sanders went from a curiosity sharing a stage with the likes of Lincoln Chafee and Jim Webb to a legitimate contender for the Democratic nomination who's already won nine states. So yes, this thing is close -- very close. Once upon a time, not so long ago, people feared that if a woman went into space while on her period, the blood would reverse its flow into her body -- also known as retrograde menstruation -- causing pain and possible death. This was one of many false notions that kept women from being included on space missions because back in those dark ages even the world's brightest operated under socio-cultural misperceptions surrounding the still-taboo subject of a woman's "time of the month." It's been more than three decades since the first American woman went where none had gone before, and times have certainly changed. For the first time in history, in 2013, NASA boasted its first ever gender-equal training class of astronauts. Today, the female astronauts now have their very own honorary researching gynecologist, Dr. Varsha Jain, whose current research examines menstruation, menstrual suppression, and risks of blood clots in space. And before you ask, no, she's not delivering babies in space nor will she be delivering the first Martian baby, as Dr. Jain often hears to the point that when she gave a talk during Tim Peake's current mission onboard the International Space Station she even titled it "Space Gynecology...That's babies in space, right?" and proceeded to debunk the notion that ob/gyn work is only about women giving birth to remind people that women are not only made to have babies. The other ridiculous question she regularly gets asked is whether she'll be studying sex in space -- "Um, no! It's a workplace. Would your employer talk to you about sex in your workplace?" is Dr. Jain's response to a question that was so absurd it didn't even occur to me to ask her about it. Although I did sheepishly confess that my concerns with space exploration have more to do with the existence of monsters (horror novelist in the house here) and pooping in zero gravity (I'm aerophobic with irritable bowel syndrome, hardly astronaut material), to which Dr. Jain assured me that there have been no monster sightings to date, and she's never heard of the astronauts having any problems with their daily constitution even in deep space. Whew. That was certainly a load off my mind. Advertisement The overwhelming story Dr. Jain hears over and over from returned astronauts is the incredible magnificence of the Earth from space: "The Earth is just a huge land mass, the auroras are stunning, and the sun and moon rise every 90 minutes. Photos don't do it justice. They are in the presence of the ultimate beauty that is our universe." While Dr. Jain is not on track to be an astronaut herself, "I love what I do so much that it just gives me chills to even think about going up there." Dr. Jain delves deeper: "This work is so important because women are human beings, and women can go into space as professionals behaving like normal, functional adults. People need to get more information, get informed, and get over these gender stereotypes. Get over these ancient barriers. This is 2016!" She also comments that male astronauts are never asked about sex in space by the media, they are generally asked about science, and she hopes this same courtesy will extend to the female astronauts through her work as she dispels the various preconceived notions about women's capabilities, physical and otherwise, on space missions. Advertisement And how did Dr. Jain end up as one of the planet's sole researching space gynecologists? From the time she was a teenager growing up outside Birmingham, UK watching Star Trek, Dr. Jain had already begun looking to the stars for her future and her career. She tells me: I've always had an interest in space, being a Star Trek fan as a teenager. Dr Beverly Crusher inspired me to do the work I do today and I certainly wouldn't want to pick a fight with Captain Janeway or Major Kira! I would like to believe that women in these strong female roles do have a part to play in inspiring young girls and women that they can do anything. At school I needed to make a decision on whether I studied astrophysics or medicine at university. I chose the latter as my desire to help people in my job outweighed all other benefits I could see from future employment. Whilst at university, I found out about space medicine and went along to a small conference to learn more. From there, I discovered I could study extreme environments medicine, which I did, and this helped me get onto a research placement at NASA Johnson Space Center in 2007. At the time, I worked on research related to balance control mechanisms in astronauts when they returned from space. I started practicing medicine in 2008 and found myself being drawn to a clinical career in obstetrics and gynecology. However, within a month of starting ob/gyn training, I found out about a Master's degree in space physiology and health at King's College London. Undertaking that MSc was one of the best decisions I have ever made. My thesis project saw me return to NASA Johnson Space Center to investigate the health systems on board the international space station. More importantly it provided me with the necessary network that I needed to meet my now supervisor, Dr. Virginia Wotring. It has been with her help and support that I have been able to return to Houston for placements where I research female health in relation to spaceflight. Dr. Jain positively glows with passion as she talks about space gynecology and space exploration. While she's on placement with Baylor College of Medicine's Center for Space Medicine and therefore works with colleagues at NASA, she tells me: "I usually get home at 8pm, make some dinner, and then rush to bed because I'm so eager to get up at 5am to get back to work the next day, that's how much I love what I do." That her work and research in the UK as an academic clinical fellow in obstetrics and gynecology, which involves seeing and treating patients, provides much of the funding for her three months a year doing research in Houston, speaks to what a passion project space gynecology is for her. Dr Jain gives me the skinny on how she ended up in this fascinating role: My official role as a "space gynecologist" only commenced recently. It's taken me years to get to the point where I am being taken seriously about the research I want to do, commonly with people often thinking I want to deliver babies in space. I feel it is my duty to educate anyone I meet, who wants to talk to me about my work, that pregnancy is not all the female body was designed for! I have given talks for clinical colleagues in the UK, presented for the USRA aerospace medicine grand rounds which were filmed and can be viewed by anyone at any time, I have been involved in disseminating this work amongst the female astronaut corps and also taken up the opportunity to speak at the launch event for UK astronaut Major Timothy Peake. I feel interviews like the ones I do with the media are important outlets to help shape in any way possible, the perception people have about female astronauts. They are selected in the same manner as their male colleagues, they go through exactly the same training protocols and in space, the scheduling of their daily tasks is exactly the same as their male colleagues. They are equals. The only way we can change others is by changing ourselves, and when I realised the important role I could have in changing the perspective of others, I first changed how I portrayed myself and my work. Believing in myself and my work helped me get to where I am today. Every single woman is an advocate for women, no matter what her job, role, title, and sphere -- I am simply playing my role. And when she speaks about playing her role, it's a role that she has created for herself through her own dedication and drive. Even though so many people told her that there was no need for her research and it couldn't be done, Dr. Jain persevered in her vision. She identified where there were holes in research and decided to fill them herself rather than going down the medical, scientific and research roads well-traveled. She ignored the naysayers and found the people who were willing to support her idea. She focuses on the positive, the positive she can contribute, her skills, her dreams, and finds that she's drawn to those now who share in her vision and that they can help each other on the journey. Dr. Jain's passion about space gynecology, as well as research and her own medical practice were palpable when I had the pleasure of chatting with her and by the end of our conversation she had me thinking about space, and women in medicine and science, in a totally different way: in total awe of these forward-thinking women like Varsha and the female astronauts who have cleared so many man-made hurdles to get where they are today. So many stereotypes about women and immigrants have been floating through the media in terrifying ways of late, and the best way to get over these stereotypes is to straight-up smash them. By learning about visionary women like Dr. Jain and getting their amazing stories out into the world is a marvelous way to combat the voices that say women are somehow less than men and not as capable of the same things. And to all those young women out there who are just starting building their dreams, Dr. Jain has this to say: Advertisement For anyone who has a desired career path or may not have a career path yet -- follow your dreams and don't give up. It will take a lot of hard work and it won't be easy. You will be told "no" several times along the way -- that's part of the challenge. Find another way to get where you need to be and do what you have to do. But remember, be kind to those you meet along the way, even those who don't believe in you and never stab anyone in the back. Someday, you will achieve all your dreams and you will get the opportunity to inspire the next generation - make sure you can lift your head up high and tell your story -- the right way. Many thanks to Dr. Varsha Jain for making time to chat about her awe-inspiring and important work. I'm sure we'll be hearing more about her, and soon. Last Friday night was my first experience at The Fillmore Philadelphia, and it was certainly an intense one. After getting out of work a little bit late, I had to drive straight from New York to reach the venue in time to catch Gramatik's set. A producer dabbling in the genres of funk, hip-hop, and dubstep, Gramatik's live performance is a plethora of extremes woven together to create a heart-pounding whirlpool of headbanging and unrelenting bass. Once I'd arrived I took my usual lap around the venue to scope out areas from which to shoot, but the place was packed like a sardine can, and I could barely make my way through the crowd. From the onset I could tell that The Fillmore was a special venue; a wonderfully spacious room that combined street aesthetics with a touch of class. On either side of the venue's main floor were neon painted graffiti pieces, while the ceiling was adorned with chandeliers. I scoped out the room, and then proceeded to the front to meet the security guards and get the low down on my access. I'd been given two different credentials when I collected my things from will call, one was a red wristband with "photo" scrawled across it while the other was your standard photo badge with the date and a confirmation inscribed. As I approached the security guard, Jai Wolf was on stage keeping things groovin' and trappy. It was here that I learned that second credential, the standard badge had a small little "AA" written on it. "That's all-access man, you can go wherever," the security guard informed me (much to my surprise). The red wristband gave me pit access for the first three songs only, standard procedure. I had poked at the idea of getting to shoot from the stage when I inquired about my pass, but never got a definitive answer. This was some excellent news. I made my way backstage to check out my view from the side-stage area. Advertisement After casing the joint a couple times, it was about time for Gramatik to take the stage. As I only had three songs from the pit, this was my time to go and get in position. What transpired over the course of the night was quite the blur of bone-rattling bass and just the right amount of jazzy hip-hop vibes. Adrian Lau Accompanied onstage by Andrew Block providing live guitar throughout the show, Gramatik brought an assortment of artists out to perform with him, adding a level of depth that I'd previously not witnessed at an electronic event. Starting off the night was Gramatik sharing the stage with Adrian Lau, a rapper who stole the show for the first couple of songs, performing Satoshi Nakamoto (an unreleased track off of Gramatik's upcoming album). By the time he was finished, our time within the pit had concluded and it was time for me to see what I could capture from onstage. Included in the group of instrumentalists brought out to play was Brasstracks' trumpeter Ivan Jackson, who slayed it on a wonderfully jazzy piece called "Expect Us" off of Gramatik's album The Edge of Reason. Jackson skillfully belted through his horn with some growling brass while Gramatik's hip-hop grooves kept the crowd moving their feet. Advertisement Ivan Jackson of Brasstracks I had gotten my shots, and I decided that it was time to join the frenzy in the crowd. I met up with a couple of friends who had attended the show, and that's when things started to reach extremes, in a good way. It's rare for a photographer to be happy with only having access to the photo pit for the first three songs (despite it being the standard), but in this case, being a part of the crowd was a welcomed change of pace. It was pure insanity. Not only was the entire venue packed with a sold-out crowd, but everyone's attention was on the happenings onstage. Gramatik created a whirlwind of genres that spanned hip-hop, funk, jazz, trap, dubstep, and everything inbetween. It was an amazing set sprinkled with something that everyone could enjoy. The overwhelming consensus from the crowd however, was that the heavy and exciting tracks off of Gramatik's upcoming album stole the show. Just three days before the show, Gramatik announced on his Facebook page that every song of his upcoming album Epigram would be played at all shows on his tour. From the way the crowd reacted in Philadelphia, and the enthusiasm that has been circulating around his shows, I don't think that anyone is going to be disappointed when Epigram drops. In her book, Epicureanism at the Origins of Modernity, the philosopher Catharine Wilson has asserted that "we are all, in a sense, Epicureans now." The biblical scholar N. T. Wright quotes Wilson, and calls her assessment "spot on." When I was a young man, I thought Epicureans were people who ate foods with names I couldn't pronounce at restaurants I couldn't afford. And indeed, Webster's "simple" definition of Epicurean is "Involving an appreciation of fine food and drink." But we are clearly not all Epicureans in that sense. So what does Wilson mean? She means that the worldview of the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus has won the day. Epicurus, who lived three centuries before Christ, taught that God (or the gods) are irrelevant to our lives. Everything we see and are is but a chance and temporary configuration of atoms that is destined to dissolve and be reconfigured. Advertisement Epicurus, as popularized by his first century B.C.E. disciple Lucretius, saw no need for a God or gods to create the cosmos. If there is a God, he does not care about humanity, does not answer prayers and offers no judgment on individuals. The best humans can do is avoid as much pain and enjoy as much pleasure as possible, for as long as possible. God, if he exists (and Epicurus does seem to believe in some kind of detached deity or deities) does not live in our zip code. He may live (to borrow an analogy from Wright) on an upper story of our building, but the stairs have collapsed and the elevator is out of order. God, in Lucretius's Epicureanism, does not care about us, and we do not need him. This is the view that, according to Catherine Wilson, dominates our day. It is taken for granted on college campuses, both in the sciences and in the humanities. It is the orthodox view of modern secularism, and provides the philosophical foundation for atheism, old and new. Many people believe that science has produced this modern and enlightened view of things, but one could argue that the truth lies in exactly the opposite direction. It was an ancient and unscientific (in the modern sense) philosophy that produced modern scientists, who conduct their inquiries having already concluded that God is not involved. That is a philosophical assumption, not a scientific deduction. Advertisement It is important to realize that Epicureanism has never been the only philosophical game in town, though its contemporary dominance, as Wilson asserted, is clear. In the ancient world, Epicureans shared the stage with Stoics, Sophists, Platonists and others. Indeed, in the first century, the Apostle Paul squared off against Stoic and Epicurean philosophers at Athens. His view, founded on Jewish monotheism, made claims that flatly contradicted those of Epicureanism: The God who created and sustains the world has entered the world to redeem it through Jesus Christ. His resurrection is proof that God has come among us. The Epicureans debated St. Paul, though it is not at all clear that they understood him. They eventually resorted to name-calling, as some contemporary Epicureans have also been known to do. And that is, is some ways, the point post-modern Americans need to keep in mind: today's cultural debates are nothing new. They are not the result of science versus obscurantism or reason verses religion, or modern enlightenment verses ancient naivete, as is so often portrayed. They are the result of competing philosophical approaches to life. nation, nationality, patriotism, support, pakistan, pakistani, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, urdu, Islamabad, karachi, islam, government, politics, country, moon, star, flag, hand, painted, natural, citizenship, peace, world, united, culture, identity, football, one person, creative, concept, vote, elections, charity, hand sign Awestruck by her incandescent courage, the world rallied in support as Malala Yousufzai, Pakistan's first, and the planet's youngest Nobel Laureate faced down the terrorists who threatened to silence her voice forever. The bullet that went through her head was not wasted, she said. Her act of existential resistance ignited a global campaign for education. More recently, with two Oscars to her credit, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy brought Pakistani women a gritty glory, both in her recognition and the stories she tells about killings in the name of honour, and the price her subject had to pay to live. The message is that this is today's Pakistan, not just the dystopia that gets headlined for terror. The fundamentals for women are still dismal, but it is still the ground zero where exceptional women, given the smallest opportunity, can rise to global heights, and continue to pay back by giving voice to others who struggle through layers of deep structural exclusions. Advertisement Pakistan's reality with empowering, mainstreaming, and even protecting women is certainly marked by dark troughs, but like its demographic surge, never insignificant. Women continue to experience power or its absence, through the level of access to education, income, economic change, and rarely but importantly through affirmative action in their engagement with political change. In fact, it can arguably be said that despite an atmosphere of predatory extremisms, embedded in strong regional currents of hyper-nationalisms all over South Asia, what women do glints through as the one source of light that refuses to be snuffed out in a dark time. One of the many ways women in Pakistan capture public space in both the media and political mainstream is by the amplification of their voices in the daily contest of competing interests. There is no going back, for instance on women intervening in many conversations, from national security to the uses of energy or culture in the national discourse. The daily blitzkrieg of media outputs refracts at least a small but regular percentage of women's voices from the frontlines of conflict to the upstream of democratic pathways, often raised in parliamentary debate over issues of national to local public importance. Transitions in the public mind are never speedy, nor is the path of progress linear. Women speaking about women in less open communities is not unheard of in places where successful women don't roll up the achievement ladder behind them. In Pakistan, it has become a norm. Here, the nature of parliamentary discourse has changed radically since 2002, when women came into the legislatures through party lists on the basis of their electoral strength. Since then, although the rights and entitlements conversation often catches on the barbed spikes of the religious right, equally often it finds safer haven in elected majorities at the federal legislature as it does in the provinces. The discussion often spirals down to a contest on who controls the right to women's bodies, their choices, and ultimately their voices, but if it sputters out in 2004, it resurfaces in 2009 and 2016, like the Prevention on Domestic Violence bills have done through various layers of parliament. Advertisement With little acknowledgement, even in the fraught conclaves of old rightist power hegemonies, women and their male supporters have gone some distance in the battle for reclaiming rights that were all taken away by non-elected autocrats. Few have forgotten how religion was appropriated by the state more than three decades ago to legitimize authoritarian rule, and while democracy did not bring with it a flush of grand reform, the power of incremental change has worked both ways for women in Pakistan's parliament. Caveats abound. The criticism that in soft states, laws bring little radical change in a woman's daily grind of dual-burdened work or with violent exclusion and hierarchies of disempowerment, is not invalid. Yet it is also important to regroup behind one certitude: that the absence of law gives both agency and impunity to the already empowered, with no recourse for clear legal protections for the vulnerable. Pakistan Penal and Criminal Code changes that emerge as amendments to the law may only be enhancing existing provisions, but they bring hope as well as the important force of a changing legislative, rights and justice agenda to bear on the side of the vulnerable. Minorities still find little relief as they are caught worse than any group in the crosshairs of violent extremist trends and pulpits, but it can arguably be said that women's voices have begun to resonate, if not alter the decisions made in the hallways of power. Many of the bills moved in the National Assembly of Pakistan have already graduated into landmark laws now, including the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bills in Sindh and Punjab, the Women's Protection Bill, the Amendment to Women in Distress and Detention Fund Act, the Establishment of Benazir Income Support Programme Act, the Criminal Law (Second Amendment) Act for Acid Crimes; the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Act and the National Commission on the Status of Women Act. A few others remain contested, but are increasingly seeing support at both federal and provincial assemblies. WICHITA, KS - MARCH 5: A group of Muslim students take selfies before Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made a speech at a campaign rally on March 5, 2016 in Wichita, Kansas. During the speech, after they voiced some protests, they were removed from the convention center. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) As an international student in the US, I often find myself startled due to Americans' reactions to my Muslim identity. I am a 24-year-old graduate student at CUNY's School of Professional Studies, pursuing urban affairs. As I write, I am wearing leggings, black boots, and a flannel shirt; a trendy messy bun and vibrant red lipstick. At the same time, I'm a nice Muslim girl from a mainstream Muslim household in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Like millions of young Muslim women worldwide, I don't see any contradiction between my contemporary self-presentation, my strong professional identity, and my faith. Sadly, though, it seems that many of you do. Paradoxically, America recently seems to be having a tougher time with ethnic diversity than has my mostly Muslim homeland. Malaysia, when I was growing up, was a multiethnic, multicultural nation, where Muslims, Hindus, Christians and others lived together harmoniously. Like most Malaysian Muslim girls, my lifestyle was comfortably integrated; in the mornings I went to Malay/English school to perfect my global credentials. In the afternoon, I attended Arabic school to study the Holy Quran. Yes, during the month of Ramadan, our family would fast- but always reassuring our many Chinese and Indian friends that it was okay for them to eat in front of us. In fact, my first name itself means "chapter of Holy Scripture." When I was growing up in a majority Muslim country, I was raised to respect all beliefs. Advertisement In contrast, America, which, in my teenage years I dreamt of as being even more tolerant, I was in shock. Indeed, my first experience on American soil was to have been 'randomly selected' at John F. Kennedy International Airport. I was only nineteen; a large, older, officious-looking security official called my name, asked me to depart of the security line, and escorted me into a secluded room with no windows; it was filled other 'randoms.' To my anxious gaze, it looked like a sea of white abayas and black burqas. It seemed that virtually everyone was brown-skinned; there was not a single Caucasian face. The officials looked at my passport and let me go. In retrospect, I was wearing a short skirt, western outfit, and my hair was loose; the ladies in black burqas and the men in white abayas remained behind. At the University of New Haven, I majored in Criminal Justice. Because my fellow students were aspiring to be police officers, forensic scientists, and criminal defense lawyers, I was usually the only foreign student in class. This too led to some disturbing moments. One day, we were discussing the 9/11 attacks and the security measures that might have help to prevent this tragedy. A student, a Connecticut native, said that security measures should be tightened even further, because "Muslims are dangerous people." She added that it is crucial that we "take care of our people." Advertisement While I'm still angry at what she said - as I sat right there -- and the at fact that the instructor, a former security official himself, said nothing to correct her, my classmate's ignorance is unsurprising; the American media usually portray Muslims as angry people wearing hijabs and thobes (the male gowns worn by fundamentalists), and as people who are more likely than not to shout "Allahu Akbar", with bombs strapped to their chests. Almost never did my classmate see in the U.S. media what I saw everyday: doctors, lawyers, journalists, housewives, feminists, bloggers, fashionistas - all of whom are Muslims. Now, with the rise of Donald Trump's anti-Muslim demagoguery, I am worried anew. This past weekend, as I was attempting to stream Broad City with my housemates, I saw on my Facebook news feed that Donald Trump, US Presidential candidate, has advocated "killing Muslims with bullets dipped in pig's blood." This is a hateful echo of the Indian Rebellion of 1857; Muslim and and Hindu soldiers were forced by the British to use cartridges contained pig or cow fat. Trump, resurrecting Colonial propaganda from that era, is also resurrecting ancient and hateful colonial racism. This Trump-created hatefest has caused panic back home; my friends' mothers are calling for them to return -- because the moms feel that America is no longer safe for their kids. Is this why I sought the American dream? Hardly. In a climate such as this, a new bill, H.Res.569, introduced by Representative Donald Beyer of Virginia, could be a tonic; it makes a stand against anti-Muslim hate. The resolution condemns violence, bigotry, and hate-filled rhetoric towards Muslims in the United States; and it expresses condolences for anti-Muslim hate crimes. Not a moment too soon: according to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports, anti-Muslim hate crimes are five times more frequent now than they were before 9/11. If Trump's star continues to rise, we can expect worse to come. Advertisement Representative Beyer's bill declares that the House of Representatives confirms its dedication to the rights and dignity of all citizens; it denounces the increase of hate speech and hate crimes targeted against mosques, Muslims, or those citizens perceived to be Muslim; and it recognizes the positive contributions made by the U.S. Muslim community to U.S. society: it "[d]eclares that the civil rights and liberties of all U.S. citizens, including Muslims in the United States, should be protected"; it "[u]rges law enforcement authorities to work to prevent hate crimes and to prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes" and it "[r]eaffirms the inalienable rights of every citizen to live without fear and intimidation and to practice freedom of faith." This bill seems important. But it's also -- just language. Language opposing anti-Muslim hate is a start but it does little to stem the violence that's on the rise. Would this resolution have stopped Craig Stephen Hicks, who killed three Muslim students, Deah Barakat, 23, Yusor Abu-Salha, 21, and Razan Abu-Salha, 19, in their home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in February of 2015? Would it have stayed the hand of Piro Kolvani, who assaulted the storeowner, Sarker Haque, in Queens, because of his faith? Will it provide a safer education for the sixth grader in the Bronx who was attacked by her schoolmates, who accused of conspiring with ISIS, and tore her hijab from her head? I love America, my new adoptive country, but I miss her better self. I want to believe that hateful anti-Muslim stereotyping will end in this country soon. But for now, I remain cynical. Just as in 1932, it was not a good sign when people had to defend Jews from being singled out from prosecution, today is not a good sign that a resolution aimed at protecting any specific ethnic, religious or racial group has any sort of perceived necessity in the Congress of the United States of America. I appreciate your intentions, Representative Beyer, but we need more than a resolution -- we need to stop separating Muslims from the general populace in what should be this free, tolerant and open multiethnic country. The Global Citizenship program at Lehigh University, the oldest of its kind in the United States, provides students with the opportunity to experience a country's culture through the lens of a global citizen: a thoughtful and engaged traveler aware of the cultural diversity in a rapidly changing world. The two-week intersession trip we led to Cambodia required careful planning of not only events and logistics, but also working to expand student ownership of certain aspects of the trip. Our ultimate goal was to further engage students in critical analysis and reflection while helping them explore and develop their own sense of personal, social and corporate responsibility to a global community. Students pose for a photo in front of the Angkor Wat temple. Photo: Sothy Eng The concept of the trip activities follows Paulo Freire's "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" where students are seen as capable beings who can engage, reflect, and respond. Unlike previous years, we decided to experiment with student-led experiences. This cohort of GC students were new to the program, unlike students in the past with a full four-year experience instead of three. The fall semester was not only about preparing for the intersession trip, but also getting to know one another. Instead of the traditional one-hour, once a week course, we had several longer weekend workshops. During the workshops, we gave presentations and introduced students to the past, present, and future elements of Cambodian contexts. By providing them with a holistic view of Cambodia from a multifaceted directive we gave them some background to work with as they decided, based on a chosen topic of interest for each group, how the experience they chose would help the whole group explore GC in both an introspective and reflective way. Based on the group's chosen topic (business, culture, government, health, education, human rights, and religion) students took to the internet to search for places to visit and people to speak with that would not only be of interest to them and align with their areas of expertise, but also align with the GC framework. Advertisement Students listen to Youk Chhang, Executive Director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, talking about Khmer Rouge history, the tribunal, and the new Sleuk Rith Institute initiative. Photo: Sothy Eng We troubleshooted from group to group, fielding questions when necessary and providing guidance if asked. Upon our approval, students presented their chosen place(s) to the rest of the cohort. Students had to justify their choice based on its relevance to the GC framework, the importance within Cambodia, and what they hoped they and their classmates would gain from the experience. Students then communicated with the chosen location, and with our approval, set up the experience. This allowed the students to take the ownership of their trip and engage in a variety of activities before and during the trip, fostering a sense of anticipation. While on the trip, each evening the group responsible for an event that day would lead a whole group reflection. The group responsible for the next day's activity would give reminders for things to be looking for, proper attire, wake-up times, etc. For twelve days, from as early as 6 in the morning to 10 in the evening, everyone was fully alert and relationships were fostered. They ate together, talked together, were responsible not only for themselves, but for each other. They were fully invested in their own experience as well as the whole group experience. Twelve days may seem like a short trip, but three cities, dozens of experiences, and a few unexpected events (like a view of the Sea Wall [in Marguerite Duras's], which some insist was the actual Sea Wall but probably wasn't) left us with a feeling of ultimate success and satisfaction. Unlike our past research trips with graduate students, this experience left us with a newfound appreciation for students exploring the world through the GC lens. They cried, laughed, fought, played, slept, and thought. They thought a lot. Advertisement Students participate in a meditation session at a Buddhist temple in Siem Reap. Photo: Sothy Eng Our strategy to take them from the capital of Phnom Penh, to the beaches of Sihanoukville, and ending up in Siem Reap at the temples of Angkor Wat was not by chance. We knew that Phnom Penh, a bustling and crowded city would challenge the students. It would immediately take them out of their comfort zones. And that's what an immersive GC experience is about. They saw the Killing Fields, they witnessed the United Nations tribunal, seeing Pol Pot's Brothers Number 2 and 3 through a massive bulletproof glass wall as they stood trial for their crimes against humanity. They also saw a beautiful beach, just a few short minutes away from a devastated island, turned into a garbage dump from the exploitation of the tourist industry. They saw the majesty of Angkor Wat, the efforts to rebuild temples like Ta Phromh destroyed by war and neglect. For all of the pain and suffering they say, they also saw what it takes to rebuild. They saw the efforts of nongovernmental organizations working with everything from mental health to education. From the perspective of a global citizen, they saw firsthand the importance of critical appreciation and global awareness. We are fortunate to have spent time with the students as they embarked on this adventure. While we know they learned a great deal, they taught us just as much. We visited many places with a group of people with a new and exciting look at things. They taught us to never take for granted how fortunate we are to work in Cambodia. And beyond that, how lucky we are to maintain relationships with them here at Lehigh. Running into students on campus and remaining a part of their Lehigh family is priceless. We always stop to get updates on their latest exams, adventures, and life in general. We are truly blessed to get to know such a remarkable group of students, who we are confident will become lifelong Global Citizens. It's a sweltering summer Sunday in Baghdad, 2004. Chaldean Christians walking out of Mar Elia Church are stunned by the deafening blast of a car bomb smashing the air, the church, and human beings. They don't know yet that Mar Elia is one of six Christian churches to be bombed at that moment in coordinated attacks in Baghdad and Mosul, as worshipers leave evening services. 12 dead. 71 wounded. Wounded physically, that is. Of course all the survivors are wounded. Welcome to Iraq. Advertisement ***** Whatever you think of the 2003 invasion, it certainly brought waves of sectarian strife. Persecutions and reprisals. Unspeakable horrors for all Iraqis, but especially for minority groups like the Christians, Yezidis, and Sunnis. You know the story. But last month in Northern Iraq, when I met Bashar Warda, the Chaldean Archbishop of Erbil, I learned a new reason for hope. Back in 2004, Warda was the parish priest of Mar Elia. It was his job to lead a community brutalized by murderers. A community that only yesterday had a church, now had a mess of rubble. How would they respond? I don't know what I would have done in his shoes. But his reaction was to rebuild the church, yes, and at the same time to build a school that would include Muslims in the neighborhood. He reasoned that if his Muslim neighbors had valued Mar Elia, they might have prevented the car bomb plot. The restored church opened six months later, and the new school soon after. The school was desperately needed, and of about 600 students, more than 90 percent are Muslim. There have been no attacks on Mar Elia since. Advertisement I was in Iraq to learn about the plight of religious minorities fleeing ISIS. I visited some camps, and the former headmaster in me raised questions about the children's education. The UN says that refugees and displaced persons in such camps stay there an average of 17 years. How can we avoid losing a generation? The answer, of course, is education. The surprise, to me, was how effectively somebody was doing something about it. Archbishop Warda told me the first thing that people would need to recover from ISIS after Mosul is retaken would be schools. They are brutalized by violence and extreme ideology. What they need for reconciliation is a humane education. He mentioned offhand in one of our late night meetings that he had taught seven hours that day. Half that many would have exhausted me. He wanted to show me some of his educational projects, so asked if he could pick me up at my hotel early before my morning meetings. If you don't know the "pope is his driver" joke, Google it. I had an archbishop for my driver. Advertisement After becoming Archbishop, Warda opened Mar Qadakh School, which has recently earned International Baccalaureate certification (extraordinary even for an American school). I've visited many schools, talked with multitudes of teachers and students, and was struck by the fact that here I was standing in such an obviously fine school less than 30 miles from ISIS lines. Minutes later, I visited his newly built Catholic University in Erbil, which opened for its first classes a few days after I left. Warda claims that the centuries of peace his people enjoyed with Arabs and Kurds had much to do with the fact that Christians were renowned for their schools and hospitals. They educated and healed their Muslim neighbors, and this fostered mutual understanding and appreciation that was the foundation of peace. This explains his extraordinary efforts to reach out to the Muslims he is surrounded by, both Shia and Sunni. He participates in their religious and social events, promotes dialogue among them, conducts student exchange programs, publishes books that explain Christianity to Muslims, and builds schools left and right (including a school where every student has lost a home to ISIS) -- and welcomes Muslims into his schools. This educational entrepreneur has the right idea. And he's a savvy operator who understands how to get things done. (For example, he recently opened a US based non-profit to accept 501(c)3 donations to support his university and schools.) "If you are going to be compassionate, be prepared for action." -- Bishop Desmond Tutu When a massive blizzard brought near-record snowfall to the Eastern Seaboard on a Saturday this past January, most of people in the path of the storm were not thinking about wound care. But our homecare workers were. Because we know that for people like Mr. B, who has poor circulation from diabetes and lives alone in the Bronx, a troublesome wound on his foot could turn into a trip to the hospital unless proper care was taken. That's why a team of nurses from the Visiting Nurse Service of New York--some of whom were not even scheduled to work that day--traipsed on foot across the Bronx in fast-falling snow to knock on doors and deliver compassionate care to those who needed it but could not leave their homes. Mr. B has neuropathy, numbness in the hands and feet that is a common symptom of diabetes. He relies on his visiting nurses to dress and clean his wound on a regular basis, to prevent it from becoming infected and possibly leading to amputation. Although the care coordinator had let him know by phone that his nurse would arrive for her regular appointment, though maybe a few minutes late, Mr. B gave a great smile of surprise when she showed up, shook the snow off her hat and gloves, and got to work, making friendly conversation and dressing his wounds "like it was just another day." Advertisement In Queens, where buses stopped running at noon and a foot of snow had already fallen, Mrs. T never imagined that the physical therapist would make it to her apartment. But her physical therapist knew that interrupting the routine they had established together could derail the excellent progress she was making towards getting back on her feet after a stroke. So he, along with more than a dozen VNSNY physical therapists across the city, made regular rounds despite the blanket of snow, 40 mile an hour wind gusts and crippled public transportation. "VNSNY is a lot like the Fire Department of New York--running towards where they are needed, not away from it," says Joseph Gallagher PT, DPT, Director of Operation Support Services. "When other people are heading home to wait out the storm, our clinicians are heading out into it to make sure patients get the care they need. Homecare takes a special person. To me, they are a group that, like the NYFD, can be called 'New York's Bravest.'" To that, I would add, "New York's Compassionate." Home health care is a field that demands compassion, commitment and a certain doggedness, as our corps of field staff and those who support them demonstrated in the Blizzard of 2016, providing a flurry of care to those most vulnerable in a snowbound city--those who are elderly, ill, injured, homebound. Homecare providers evidence this spirit day in and day out, whether traveling by bicycle to see a dozen patients in a day on Manhattan's Lower East Side in brutal summer heat, visiting teenage mothers and their newborns in the South Bronx into the night, or checking on a patient with congestive heart failure just before bed to make sure she had a good day. To harness this compassion, commitment and unwavering spirit into truly successful and scalable home health care, it takes organizations that care enough to put the patient first and create sustainable systems for training, staffing and care delivery, to make sure the compassionate care gets where it needs to go, efficiently and effectively. Advertisement Nothing tests these systems more than a citywide natural disaster. During and after the devastation of Superstorm Sandy, VNSNY's Emergency Response team coordinated the efforts of thousands of staff and clinicians. More than 5,000 nurses, aides, social workers and other staff overcame power outages, flooding and lack of public transportation to see patients, making sure they were safe and had supplies. In the city's hardest hit areas like the Rockaways, our clinicians --often on foot, walking miles, climbing dozens of flights of stairs--were often the first ones to reach and help those who were homebound. This included the ill and injured, as well as the "newly homebound" by crippled elevators and flooded streets. And we partnered with other organizations to reach the city's wide-ranging vulnerable populations. We helped NYU College of Nursing check on aging faculty members in cut-off high rises, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) make sure its 3,000 residents in Red Hook were safe, and the Department of Health canvas in the Rockaways and Coney Island. The Visiting Nurse Service of New York was indeed founded on this powerful combination: personal compassion and a larger, organization-wide commitment to deliver that compassionate and vital care where it was needed most. Lillian Wald, one of the nation's first public health nurses, began her work going door to door, tenement to tenement, on the Lower East Side to help women, children, the aging, the vulnerable, the overlooked. To amplify the impact of her individual care, she created an organization in 1893 that would be driven by the same mission: providing essential care to New Yorkers at home and in their communities. During Sandy, one of my colleagues who handled much of our agency's storm-related efforts, said, "I am confident that Lillian Wald was looking on from above, nodding and saying, 'Yup, you got it right.'" I can imagine Lillian Wald looking down and nodding, too, during the January blizzard, when a hospice nurse spent two hours on the subway traveling from Jackson Heights, Queens, to Brooklyn, to provide palliative care to a young mother in the storm. And when a home health aide, covering for another who was snowbound, put in extra hours after a full shift to care for a man with Alzheimer's and recovering from a stroke--to the great relief of his anxious and exhausted 95-year-old wife. "They sent me an angel," she said. Advertisement In Sri Lanka, a group of Tamil political prisoners are again conducting a hunger strike. The strike began in late February and it's unclear what will happen next. The 14 prisoners are demanding that all political prisoners be released without delay. In a show of solidarity, community members (including relatives of the political prisoners) conducted a hunger strike in Jaffna on March 7. Since Maithripala Sirisena assumed the presidency in January 2015, the government has released some political prisoners on bail, but has been extremely reluctant to grant anyone genuine freedom. One Sri Lankan media outlet has reported that two political prisoners "had been discharged from their cases", although the bottom line is that the government has made virtually no progress on this important issue. "Four of the hunger strikers have been admitted to the prison hospital [in Colombo] and their condition is dire," says Mario Arulthas, co-editor of Tamil Guardian -- a London-based news outlet. "The government has made promises regarding the issue of Tamil political detainees since it came to power, however it has failed to act." Arulthas also notes that the government has asked some of the political prisoners to participate in Sri Lanka's (controversial) rehabilitation program for ex-combatants, yet few detainees have accepted that offer. Advertisement The government's continued detention of these individuals is a matter of great concern for the Tamil community; over the past several months, there have been intermittent protests (throughout the historically Tamil Northern and Eastern Provinces) about this matter. When I visited Sri Lanka's north and east in late January, many people with whom I spoke were really frustrated about the government's unwillingness to change course. The lack of transparency surrounding political prisoners is also cause for significant concern. Official estimates suggest that 200 to 300 people continue to be held, though the actual number could be higher. On March 8, R. Sampanthan, the leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), implored the government to release political prisoners. These individuals are being held under the country's Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), a draconian piece of legislation that's widely incompatible with international standards. Since the PTA was first enacted (in 1979), the law has had a disproportionately negative effect on the nation's Tamil community. Sri Lanka's coalition government has promised to implement a panoply of bold reforms. Nonetheless, if Colombo remains unwilling to release political prisoners, it's hard to be optimistic about deeper changes, particularly as it relates to complicated matters such as transitional justice, devolution of power and sustained militarization throughout the Tamil-dominated north and east. Sirisena needs to stop dithering. If the president is truly serious about moving the island nation from post-war to post-conflict, then work must begin now. And, broadly speaking, that program should include tangible, credible actions -- as opposed to just promises, speeches or statements crafted for international consumption. Advertisement Young people can shape election results. Fred Prouser/ Reuters This past February, when many of their peers were still asleep, a group of Tufts University students got on a bus to New Hampshire to take advantage of a once-every-four-years opportunity: seeing presidential candidates making their final pitch to voters. Research shows that campaigns that directly contact young people boost youth turnout. Knocking on young people's doors to talk about an election increases their turnout by about 25 percent. Tufts University's Tisch College has been analyzing data on youth voting in every election cycle since 2002. Our research consistently shows that young people respond well when they are invited to participate. Advertisement While taking a bus to a primary state offers a great opportunity, it's not an option at most campuses most of the time. As the dean of a leading institution on civic engagement and political participation, I see clearly that raising the national youth turnout - and increasing political learning, generally - requires a broad range of strategies. Why care about young voters? Young people have the power to shape elections. They represent a major potential political force: 49 million young people, ages 18-29, are eligible to vote - more than the 45 million eligible seniors. Their collective power is such that in 2012, if Republican nominee Mitt Romney had obtained just 50 percent of the youth vote in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida, he would be president of the United States. Already this primary season, young voters have made a significant impact in states like Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. Advertisement On the other hand, young people's potential to shape elections goes largely unfulfilled. In 2014, only 19.9 percent of 18- to 29-year-old citizens said they voted - the lowest youth turnout rate ever recorded in a federal election. While youth participation is always higher in presidential years, we are seeing a decline there, as well. In 2012, youth turnout was 45 percent, down from 51 percent in 2008, according to an analysis by the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning (CIRCLE), which is part of Tisch College. Getting youth to participate What then are the solutions to this declining participation? First, there are many misconceptions about youth. Campaigns and candidates often treat the youth vote as a monolith. Indeed, young people are a highly diverse group. For example, only about 29 percent of young people are college students, and nearly 20 percent of young people are parents. Their experiences and life circumstances influence how these different groups are likely to engage politically. For example, issues like early childhood education may be just as important as the cost of higher education. Advertisement Youth turnout and choice of candidates also vary by race, gender and immigrant status. For instance, African Americans under the age of 30 voted at a rate of 53.7 percent in 2012, whereas the turnout of young Latinos was 37 percent that year. The gap in turnout between college and noncollege youth is particularly large. In 2012, young people with some college experience were almost twice as likely to vote as those who had not attended college. Even among college students, there are disparities in political engagement. The National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE), which was started at Tisch College in 2013, is collaborating with over 800 participating colleges and universities in 48 states to build a database to study voter registration, voting patterns and correlations with campus climate and practices. Data from the 2012 presidential election, for these enrolled colleges, show that education majors voted at a 55 percent rate; engineering and math majors at 35 percent. Universities across the country have been trying to better understand these patterns and improve college student turnout. What is important for youth So what do we know through this research about how to motivate young people to go to the polls? First, registering can be a challenge for young people. In the 2008 election, 84 percent of youth (ages 18-29) who were registered to vote actually cast a ballot. In 2012, of the young people who weren't registered, 17 percent said they had missed the deadline and another 7 percent said they did not know where or how to register. Advertisement Many college students, in particular, are first-time voters who move frequently and must decide whether to vote in their university communities or in their home states. Second, discussions and debates are important for young people. Evidence from national surveys shows that young people are more likely to vote if they have discussed current events in school, at home or with peers. The role of faculty in connecting political issues and policy debates into curriculum and pedagogy can be critical. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Third, providing basic information about voting makes a difference. Having information about how, when and where to register and to vote can help young people feel prepared to cast a ballot. Technology and social media can be helpful in disseminating information and promoting political discussions. How can universities help? Universities can create programs that encourage students to register and build excitement and interest in an election. For example, at the historically black college in North Carolina, Livingstone, an event that created a fun atmosphere with music, prizes and free food, as well as candidate presentations, resulted in the registration of nearly 400 of the school's roughly 1,000 students in the 2008 national election, according to a report by Democracy North Carolina. Advertisement Similarly, Tufts University has taken steps to encourage voter registration, partnering with TurboVote, a product of Democracy Works, a nonpartisan nonprofit, to encourage students to register online and sign up for text alerts with important voting reminders. Tufts also is collaborating with a broad range of campus groups on voter registration drives, rides to the polls, issue forums organized by students and other outreach activities. Tufts President Anthony P. Monaco recently emailed the entire student body, staff and faculty with a reminder to register and vote. On other campuses too, students have organized events to encourage students to vote. At the University of Houston-Downtown, the student government organized a "Walk 2 Vote" initiative in 2012 and 2014. Creating the "buzz" attracted students and local youth. They are now trying to replicate this on other campuses. Research shows same-day registration, automatic registration, preregistration for 16-year-olds, a lower voting age and stronger civic education in schools all could boost youth turnout. The fact is that voting is habit-forming and is often a gateway to other forms of civic engagement. At a time when young people face enormous challenges - crushing student debt, unemployment and mass incarceration - supporting them to vote will help raise a new generation of citizens who actively engage in our democracy. Advertisement Alan Solomont, Dean of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service , Tufts University This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Like a relationship, a home remodeling project is the most fun in its earliest stages. You get to pin inspiration photos to your heart's content, your brain is filled with all sorts of grandiose design ideas, and you study catalogs, jotting down minor details like the virtues of brass versus nickel versus copper faucets (along with a list of SKUs for the ones you like best). Then the word "budget" rears its ugly head. Soon, your dreams of high-end countertops and high-tech appliances come crashing down, as you mull over labor costs and not-so-exciting project elements like electricity and plumbing. Even if you can afford to turn your design vision into a reality, it's still a puzzle trying to work out how much to allocate for the dizzying array of costs that accompany kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects. But have no fear: We are here with a handy guide to anticipating project costs, avoiding last-second expenses (and emergencies!), and places where you can cut down on costs without necessarily sacrificing style. So don't scrap your remodeling plans altogether in favor of searching, thinking your dream bathroom has just got to be out there somewhere. You can do this! Here's how. Advertisement 1. Hire a home inspector Although it adds an initial cost to your project, hiring a home inspector to take a close look at the areas you plan to renovate can help prepare you for any unpleasant surprises uncovered during remodeling. Rotted wood subflooring, anyone? Knowing what pitfalls lie ahead can help you plan for them at the start -- which will help keep your actual budget closer to that original estimate. 2. Budget your remodeling costs According to the experts at the National Kitchen and Bath Association, you can anticipate spreading your budget across these categories, so you can get a dream kitchen like the one above in the home for sale at 3414 E. Shore Drive, Seattle, WA 98112. Kitchen remodeling: Design fees: 4% Installation: 17% Appliances and ventilation: 14% Cabinetry and hardware: 29% Countertops: 10% Lighting: 5% Flooring: 7% Doors and windows: 4% Walls and ceilings: 5% Faucets and plumbing: 4% Miscellaneous: 1% And if you dream of a master bath with a spectacular open shower like this one in the home for sale at 230 Tryon St., 1204/1304, Charlotte, NC 28202, make it happen with these percentages in mind. Advertisement Bathroom remodeling: Design fees: 4% Installation: 20% Fixtures: 15% Cabinetry and hardware: 16% Countertops: 7% Lighting and ventilation: 5% Flooring: 9% Doors and windows: 4% Walls and ceilings: 5% Faucets and plumbing: 14% Miscellaneous: 1% These guidelines for budgeting kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects will help prevent sticker shock when it comes time to read bids (basically, a fixed-priced estimate) from contractors. The contractor bid sheet will give an in-depth rundown of every part of the remodeling project, including the specific costs for the job, plus a potential payment schedule. Although the contactor's bid is in writing, it's not set in stone -- if you want to upgrade certain materials, or additional repairs need to be made after the project starts, the contractor will update the bid with a change order for you to approve. 3. Be upfront (and honest) about the total budget Having a clear budget for a remodel sounds like an obvious first step, but being frank about finances can be awkward for some of us. "Sometimes this conversation can be uncomfortable, but it's so easy to overspend on the kitchen and bathroom," says Anne Reagan, editor-in-chief of Porch.com, a startup that connects homeowners with remodeling professionals. "These two rooms can be very expensive: The national average kitchen remodel cost is anywhere between $20,122 (for a midrange, minor kitchen remodel) to $119,909 (for an upscale, major kitchen remodel)." Since the timeline also impacts costs, know that having to rush product orders will quickly drive up the bill. 4. "Do I need a home permit for my remodeling project?" Maybe. Things like adding a new gas line will definitely require a home permit. "Very often, the professional just gets permits on behalf of the homeowner, but a homeowner is responsible for making sure it's done properly," Reagan says. Make sure to ask about the cost of pulling home permits from the get-go and ensure they're included in your budget. 5. Avoid scope creep in construction projects You know how adding a piece of furniture to a room occasionally leads to even more decor purchases, because something so new ends up calling attention to the more well-loved items in the room? A single-room remodel can inspire the same makeover madness, something the pros call "scope creep." "Scope creep can be costs involved in discovering larger issues (like major plumbing repairs, mold, or hot-water-tank issues) as well as the idea of '... while we're at it, let's also remodel this,'" says Reagan. "I can't think of anyone who has remodeled a kitchen or bathroom and stopped right at the entrance to the door -- very often the master bath remodel involves the bedroom, and the kitchen may involve the dining room." Keep boundaries in place to avoid turning a single-room remodel into a total home overhaul. Advertisement 6. Think beyond sticker price When looking at your choices for things like countertops or appliances for your kitchen remodel, you first look at the price tag, right? But what you may not be considering is the other costs needed to get that dream countertop into your kitchen. These are the "associated costs." "For example, if you want marble countertops, you'll need to purchase the entire slab (even if you don't need the entire slab) and pay for cutting fees, finishing fees, edging, delivery, and more (costs vary by region and supplier). So not only is marble on the high end per square foot, [but also] there are other higher installation costs associated with this material," Reagan says. The same is true for anything custom to your space, including tile, flooring, wallpaper, etc. So before you tackle a challenging kitchen renovation like the one above, inside a church-turned-home-for-sale at 653 Dolores St., San Francisco, CA 94110, make sure you're truly up for the challenge. 7. "Can I be my own general contractor?" Only take on the task of acting as your own general contractor on big projects like kitchen and bathroom remodeling if you can handle being solely responsible for hiring subcontractors, sourcing materials and accessories, and making sure everything arrives on time. By taking on the task of sourcing these items, you can save big -- not only on the items themselves, but you can avoid any excess project-management-type costs as well. In addition to shopping sales, check out architectural resale shops for bargains. Habitat for Humanity ReStores often have everything from tiles to toilets to the occasional appliance at a huge discount (plus, you support a good cause!). While some states require that general contractors be licensed and insured, homeowners can frequently skirt these costs by acting as owner-builder -- as long as you hire licensed subcontractors to complete the work. There are always other tasks you can take on to avoid extra out-of-pocket expenses. Reagan has just a few words of caution: "I think a person needs to be very, very honest about their skill level and time to dedicate to this project ... even experienced DIYers find that they need to call in an expert plumber or electrician to do certain tasks (especially the tasks that require a license)." DETROIT, MI - MARCH 03: Republican presidential candidates (Lto R) Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Donald Trump participate in a debate sponsored by Fox News at the Fox Theatre on March 3, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan. Voters in Michigan will go to the polls March 8 for the State's primary. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) The Florida Republican primary on March 15 is Marco Rubio's last chance to salvage his sinking campaign. If Donald Trump beats Rubio is his home state, the freshman senator is finished. No doubt Rubio hopes that his Cuban-American heritage will help him rack up an overwhelming majority among the state's most reliably Republican constituency. But, ironically, Rubio's strident opposition to President Barack Obama's opening to Cuba may backfire, and prove to be his downfall. On December 17, 2014, when Obama announced his intention to normalize relations with Cuba, Rubio's reaction, like that of most Republican presidential hopefuls, was predictably scathing. "This president is the single worst negotiator we have had in the White House in my lifetime," Rubio declared. Obama gave the Cuban government "everything it asked for and received no assurances of any advances of democracy and freedom." He went on to call the opening to Cuba "absurd...outrageous and disgraceful." Advertisement Rubio's caustic commentary garnered considerable press attention and raised his profile among the crowded field of Republican contenders -- so he kept at it. When the White House announced that Obama would travel to Cuba later this month, Rubio hit the same themes. "A year and two months after the opening of Cuba, the Cuban government remains as oppressive as ever," he said. Obama's trip would have "disastrous consequences." For years, uncompromising hostility toward Cuba was the path to the political hearts of Florida's Cuban Americans, who make up 5 percent of the state's electorate and register Republican by a two to one margin. But the Cuba issue has become more complicated politically than Rubio's rhetoric suggests. The once monolithic hard-line community has gradually become more moderate. Polling by Florida International University's Cuba Research Institute has followed that evolution from 1991, when 87 percent supported the embargo, to 2014, when 52 percent favored lifting it. The FIU polls reveal that the shift in Cuban American opinion is a result of demographic change. Older exiles and those who came in the first waves of migration are the most conservative; those who have come more recently are more moderate. The reasons are not hard to discern. Exiles who arrived in the 1960s and 1970s came as political refugees and often lost everything by choosing exile. Recent arrivals, especially those who came in the post-cold war era, are mostly economic refugees. Unlike the exiles, they maintain ties to family on the island, send remittances, and travel back and forth. For them, normal state-to-state relations facilitate family ties. By 2014, exiles who arrived before 1980 constituted just 20% of the community in Florida, and with some 50,000 new immigrants arriving annually, the influence of the old guard is steadily waning. Advertisement Cuban American reaction to Obama's opening to Cuba reflects this new reality. A Bendixen-Amandi International poll last December found that 56% supported normalization and 53% supported lifting the embargo. Even among Cuban American Republicans, 42% favored lifting the embargo. Other Floridians, anticipating the economic benefits of reconciliation, are even more in favor of repairing relations with Cuba. A 2014 Atlantic Council poll found that 63% of Floridians favored better relations--a higher percentage than the national total of 56%. Of course, Cuba is not a salient issue for most voters, but it is for Cuban Americans. In the 2014 FIU poll, 64% of registered Cuban American voters said that a candidate's position on Cuba was important in determining their vote, and 53% said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate supporting normalization. Cuban American support for reconciliation with Cuba could work to Trump's advantage in the Florida primary. Among the major Republican presidential candidates, only Trump did not reflexively denounce Obama's policy. "The concept of opening with Cuba is fine," he said in December 2014, though he added--not surprisingly--"We should have made a better deal." While Rubio is soliciting support from the shrinking pool of old-timers in the Cuban American community by bashing Obama's policy, Trump could steal a march on him by arguing that dealing with Cuba will be good for Cuban Americans and good for Florida's economy. The impact on Rubio's political future could be huge. In case you missed it, the issue of sexual assault and gender-based violence took center stage at the Oscars last week. Spotlight won Best Picture for its portrayal of journalists uncovering hidden stories of sexual abuse in the Catholic church. Brie Larson won Best Actress for her performance as a rape survivor and mother in Room. The winning Documentary Short Subject, Girl in the River, has helped change Pakistani law around honor killings. And in an image that's since flooded the Internet, Lady Gaga sat at a white grand piano and performed her nominated song "'Til It Happens To You," surrounded by 50 survivors of sexual assault, several of whom were featured in the documentary The Hunting Ground. It was a powerful moment, which brought the audience of celebrities to their feet and prompted an outpouring of Hollywood tears and Tweets. But so what? The Oscars were so last week, and media attention has since moved on. And with so many celebrities championing pet political issues -- from Chris Rock's take on race to Leonardo DiCaprio's inevitable climate change outcry to Sam Smith's misinformed comment on LGBT winners, does it really matter that a few well-dressed Hollywood players decided to make sexual assault THEIR issue at a red-carpet event? Advertisement Speaking as a survivor of rape, I'll tell you, yes it matters. Because even if the rest of the world may have forgotten that image of Lady Gaga surrounded by 50 survivors, many of us haven't. When a celebrity decides to champion the issue of sexual assault, it shines a spotlight on a topic which is often associated with shame, secrecy and silence. Public figures like U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and the Duchess of Cornwall both advocate on behalf of sexual abuse survivors. Musicians like Lady Gaga and Tori Amos have incorporated their experiences as survivors into their art. Madonna and Joan Collins have spoken about their experiences of rape, although Helen Mirren has done so more problematically. Most recently, U.S. musician Kesha's accusation of sexual abuse by her producer -- and her legal situation which locks her into a contract with him -- has sparked the #FreeKesha campaign in social media. While some may claim that sending tweets is a lazy form of activism, it's important that these celebrities are visibly engaging with an issue which for so long was seen as taboo, something to sweep under the rug. This also acts as a counter-balance to that other narrative of celebrities and rape culture -- the one of entitled men using their fame and power to get what they want sexually. It's not just celebrities who potentially perpetrate sexual abuse (Bill Cosby, Roman Polanski, Adam Johnson etc.) -- it's also celebrities who suffer as victims and survivors of abuse. And who aren't ashamed to speak out about it. These actions bridge the gap between what the general populace sees and hears on screen in the media, and what we experience in our everyday lives. Advertisement For the many survivors in our population (an estimated one in five women will experience some form of sexual violence), having the issue centre stage at the Oscars, spoken about, sung about, explored through Best Picture-winning films, legitimizes it as an issue of utmost importance. Unlike the spectres of American slavery (re:12 Years a Slave or Django Unchained) or the Holocaust (re: Schindler's List and multiple other films), sexual abuse is not something of the past -- it's a widespread human rights issue that continues to negatively impact the lives of millions of people. And thus, it's an issue whereby change still needs to happen. When U.S. President Joe Biden stepped on stage at the Oscars to introduce Lady Gaga and America's #ItsOnUs campaign, that created a direct link from the stories of sexual abuse told through art and film to the audience's collective action and potential change. This need to foreground the voices of survivors is something we've also seen in the recent Oscar-winning films. The journalists in Spotlight depended on a network of victims to tell their stories, often reluctantly, before being able to piece together their expose on the Boston Catholic Church. Room brought the story of a rape survivor to heartbreaking life, depicting both her strength and her day-to-day struggle. Both films are to be commended for portraying the long-lasting impact of sexual abuse on individuals: the survivors in Spotlight are still traumatized by their abuse decades later, and when Brie Larson's character finally escapes her perpetrator in Room, we realize that is only the beginning of a long and difficult process of recovery for her. Along with Girl in the River and The Hunting Ground these films all testify to the importance of survivors to bear witness and tell their stories. We are measured by the most demanding scales and they ask from us the greatest patience. (Photo: Silvia Corbelle) For Khanim Latif, Akanksha Hazari and Hafsat Abiola-Costello, who will be honored, along with me, at the Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards this Wednesday in Washington, DC. 14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez,Generation Y, Washington, 3 March 2016 -- A few days after the murder of two young Argentine women tourists in Ecuador, a man in the city of Santa Clara in Cuba set fire to his house with his two children inside, as revenge against his ex-wife. Violence against women runs freely in Latin America and on most of this planet. A day like this March 8, a day of tributes, flowers and speeches full of praise, does not erase the horror, nor the belittling. The constant aggression we women suffer takes the form a blow from an abusive husband, but also is present in every minute of our lives, both in the professional order and in the social order. To walk alone at night, to sit alone in a park, or to take the sun on a beach "unescorted" by a partner, are moments that many Cuban women experience with more discomfort than enjoyment. Advertisement The limits within which we can move are made clear very early: Respectable or whore? Good wife or questionable spinster? Dedicated mother or bad mother? Submissive or quarrelsome? Made up or slovenly? Good cook or useless in the kitchen? Every attempt to free ourselves from these narrow frames implies double the effort for a man and a proportional quantity of external insults. The violence starts from the time we're small, when we prepare to be "beautiful and delicate," forcing our tastes, affinities and vocations. They impose on us to be condescending and sweet, demure and silent; subordinate to masculine initiative and patiently bearing all. The ways girls are raised, in their families and in the education system still prevailing in our country, lock us into narrow, 19 century gender roles. We are measured on more demanding scales and asked for the highest levels of patience. If a woman is the victim of lewd abuse in the street, most people's immediate reflection is that she is wearing "very provocative clothing" or wiggling her hips too much. The aggressor is considered someone who "is acting like a man" while the woman is the brunt of the worst adjectives. Women television presenters must be luxuriant and attractive, while her masculine colleagues can be gray-haired, double-chinned and pot-bellied, and no one bothers him about it. In government something else happens. The "male chauvinist" power we have lived under for nearly 60 years likes to be photographed with pretty faces and hold honeyed ceremonies on International Women's Day. They give us flowers and call us "companeras," while the rest of the year they put the brakes on women's demands and the independence of any initiative for gender equality. Advertisement What has happened to Cuban feminism is what happens to a professional woman who ends up locked in the house with a jealous and dim-witted husband. They take her best years, keep her from experiencing life and taking to the streets to demand her rights and now demand that she remain calm, gentle, supportive of those who mix testosterone and power, which is another form of violence masked by supposed praise and compliments. The appropriation of our bodies by force is a heinous crime, as is taking our freedom, imposing on us a model of what we should be, and prolonging these discriminatory patterns, this false market of values, where ovaries are worth less than testicles. **** This blog post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post and the Vital Voices Global Partnership, in conjunction with the Latter's Annual Global Leadership Awards on (March 9 the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.). The Annual Global Leadership Awards Honors Women Who are lighting a path through the darkness. For more information About Vital Voices Global Partnership, visit here. Visit our new site: www.vitalvoices.org Invest in women. Improve the world. For the first time, during the Democratic presidential debates from Flint, Michigan on Monday, candidates Hilary Clinton and Bernie Sanders actually broached the subject of education and "fixing" the nation's public schools, a phrase that regrettably has become synonymous with the rhetoric of corporate education reform. The lack of conversation by either candidate on education beyond cursory remarks around wanting "good teachers," sounding like more double speak for the failing schools narrative, may be due in part to the early endorsement of Senator Clinton by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) back in July of 2015. Amidst great controversy, AFT president Randi Weingarten announced the union's support of Clinton with little input from the union's membership. The rush to support raised serious concerns for some teachers. They questioned not only the benefit but also the process by which the union leadership decided to back Clinton. Rather than forcing candidates to work for teachers' votes, the endorsement may have stifled debate as Sanders and others assumed unanimous teacher support for Clinton. It is an issue that is not only pertinent to national politics but local unions as well. Advertisement Interestingly, Weingarten, who engineered the boost for Clinton was once president of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) in New York during Clinton's tenure as senator there. As one of the largest of the AFT's locals, UFT has also become a battleground on these larger issues during its own upcoming election for President. This is due in part to the candidacy of New York City parent and Special Education Teacher Jia Lee who has challenged current UFT President Michael Mulgrew for the office. Her decision to run is due in large part to her desire to make the union leadership more accountable and to, in her words, "put the power back in the hands of the classroom educators who bare the brunt of hastily made education policies." Although this is her first time running for Union president, Lee is certainly no stranger to activism. Despite considerable risk to her position, she has been at the forefront of several key battles including the fight to end high stakes testing, efforts to shift funding away from corporate charters like Success Academy and back to bona fide public schools, and the struggle to decouple teacher evaluations from testing. This is in addition to 8 years of service as a UFT Chapter Leader and one of the prime movers behind the Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE), a caucus within the UFT committed to the same core values of transparency and justice. An impassioned advocate for sane education policies that protect rather than imperil students, Lee's energy is infectious. Her ability to clearly articulate the concerns of parents and teachers, for instance, was on full display in January of 2015 when she testified before the United States Senate while it considered re-authorization of the controversial No Child Left Behind Act. Advertisement In her bid to become UFT president, Lee says she represents a large, but mostly silent body of teachers who remain frustrated with the union for not challenging damaging education polices. "Our schools are in crisis, in large part," she explained in an interview back in October, "because the current union leadership is complicit in bad policy and continues to tell us that this is the best they can do." She continued, "it's not the time for us to re-negotiate what has already proven to be disastrous, it's time for teachers to come together with the community and chart a new course for our union.... We are going to take back our union and lead a fight for the schools our children deserve," she concluded. Lee's supporters are used to such soaring rhetoric. Her candidacy, along with the national election, has brought renewed interest and excitement around the upcoming UFT election in which Lee will head a joint slate of teachers representing a united front of MORE and the New Action Caucus. Lee was adamant that her candidacy was more than just a critique of Mulgrew, but an opportunity to share an alternate vision of union engagement that would place the UFT on the front lines of pushing back against the corrosive effects of corporate education reform. It is also, she maintains, about restoring real representation back to the union. As Lee conceptualized the problem, less than a quarter of current educators participated in the last election leaving the contest in the hands of a significant block of retirees, many of who no longer reside in the city and are unaware of the current calamity facing public school educators. Rather than reaching out to the city's teachers, Lee notes Union leaders like Mulgrew spent more time currying favor with this group, whose concerns are very different from those of active teachers. As a result, the union has pursued policies and actions that have further hurt rather than helped teachers. Lee critically notes that increasing voter turnout will be vital in the upcoming election. MORE, for example, captured just 23% of the active teacher vote in the last election. If the Caucus hopes to win, they will to not only improve that number but also rally teachers around the idea that transformation is possible with a change in leadership. Working in conjunction with the New Action Caucus, Lee believes that MORE can not only increase voter participation but also revive the UFT as a body for contending not only for teacher's rights but social justice. By John Lincoln Your brand is the most valuable aspect of your business--and the most fragile. You are online, so the whole world is watching you and your business. From my experience as a CEO of a digital marketing agency, I've noticed major branding mistakes that can easily be avoided. Years of hard work on a brand can be wiped out in a single day, so be cautious of these top branding mistakes that can result in major setbacks or even brand death. Mistake No. 1: Not Getting a Trademark Countless brand owners never register their trademark, and many who do fail to defend their trademarked brand. As soon as you create a brand, file a record of the trademark itself under your name with the right government offices. Deal with every single infraction of your brand use guidelines and any possible violation of your trademark. If you don't, you may lose the chance to take any action at all. The point of your trademark is to protect your brand reputation, and keep the competition from copying your work or diluting your brand value. Make sure it does that by addressing infractions. Advertisement Mistake No. 2: Not Vigorously Searching Google Careful research helps you choose the kind of name, look, voice, logo and website that will appeal to your ideal customer. It also offers you the best protection against infringing on the intellectual property rights of others (such as choosing a logo that infringes on an existing trademark or copyright). Use Google for your research, and when it comes to choosing names, domains, and other branding elements, also search visitcopyright.gov before you make permanent branding decisions. Mistake No. 3: Not Coming Up With a Good Domain Name Coming up with a good domain name is really half the battle of running an online company. I've spent hundreds of hours picking domain names for my companies and clients. First, make sure you get a good domain name extension. The most popular right now are .com and .co for general business. But there are many new options out there. There is nothing wrong with picking an industry- or even country-specific domain. In general, avoid dashes or numbers in your domain name, and make sure it's easy to spell. You can also check for similar social media profile URLs. Mistake No. 4: Picking a Name That Competes With a Well-Established Brand This is a sign of major research and preparation failure. You need to know what came before your brand that could possibly hurt it. Don't risk naming your brand only to find out later that the name has some seriously negative online history (even if it's totally unrelated). And don't forget, a name that's too close for comfort may be infringing. Imagine building up your business for 10 years only to find out that you are no longer able to use that name. Mistake No. 5: Picking Color Schemes and Visuals That Aren't Relevant to What You Do Know the meaning of the colors before selecting them. The graphics and visuals that represent your brand evoke an emotional response in clients and potential customers. Choosing colors, images and other visuals that just don't work with what you're doing can dead-end your branding strategy. For example, pink may be your favorite color, but it may work against your new software brand. Advertisement Mistake No. 6: Not Checking Cultural References Around the Name Content can go viral in hours, so don't set yourself up for an embarrassing failure in the cultural awareness department. Make sure to review how your name is interpreted in all the major countries you will be doing business in. Mistake No. 7: Not Checking the Name's Translations in Other Languages There are lots of examples of this problem. Even the biggest companies fall victim to this mistake and, sometimes, pay dearly for it. When Coca-Cola first appeared in China, the brand name was simply read and translated randomly by shopkeepers. The four syllables each had multiple potential meanings, and it was often interpreted as "Kekoukela," which translates to "Bite the Wax Tadpole," or "Female Horse Fastened with Wax," and it's a sure bet that Coke was not after either of those images. To fix the problem once it was aware of it, Coke researched 40,000 Chinese characters looking for a phonetic equivalent with a pleasant connotation; they settled on "kokoukole," which means "Happiness in the Mouth." Imagine if they'd just taken this step in the first place? In 1927, when Coke was first sold in China, no one thought of this kind of problem, but today there's no excuse for this kind of blunder. Mistake No. 8: Check Potential Stigmas Associated With the Name IKEA ran into this problem when it airbrushed women out of catalog photos for the Saudi Arabian market. Their goal was to avoid offending customers in Saudi Arabia, but the practical result was that IKEA offended people all over the world--so much so that Sweden's equality minister made a public statement against the move. The bottom line here is to always research and consider alternative meanings and potential stigmas that could be associated with your brand. Branding definitely isn't easy, but it's absolutely essential to your business. Anyone can make a branding error, but why repeat mistakes when you can learn from them instead? Avoid these simple yet dangerous branding mistakes, and save yourself from serious setbacks. Advertisement The black silk was cold and soft. The protruding layers of thread that spelt out "Allah" in neat Arabic curls absorbed the tears and prayers sprayed at the cloth's delicate font, while still reflecting the flood of light that shone from looming construction cranes and endless spurts of cell phone flashes. I rubbed my hands gently against the Kabah. Infinite prayers, regrets, wishes, and questions raced inside me, bottling to a head when I had just fractions of a second to solidify a crucial dilemma: do I whip out my phone, conveniently stored in a pocket of my abaya, and snag a quick photo of my family and myself-or not? This past winter break featured our visit to Saudi Arabia, completed in order to perform Umrah-the minor Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, often described as an abridged version of Hajj able to be completed any time of the year. It consists primarily of seven Tawafs, or "laps" around the Kabah, and couple additional other traditions, like running between two mountains to simulate the same path that Hagar (wife of Abraham) ran in desperation to find water for her and her son when stranded in the Arabian desert some many centuries ago. Advertisement So, photo or not? I paused, for as long as it was physically possible to do so in a sea of a million people vying to stand, more or less, exactly where I was standing. A mosaic of ages, races, cultures, languages, genders, and classes chugged by me in a clunky but common circular rhythm around the very draped black box my two palm reached up against. Bound by similar chants of Qur'anic verse and Arabic prayers, we all made the journey here to Mecca for a reason way beyond this finite moment. And yet, we stood here with a longing to revel in this second, this experience, this feeling forever. And our lives in the 21st century afford those of us with the resources the very option to nourish that craving, perhaps addictively. Photos, symbolism, and faces have historically maintained a level of controversy in many Islamic societies. Yet for every one abaya-the most common garb for women in a country where full body coverage is an around-the-clock obligation; plus for every one red-checkered Kufi-the traditional male Saudi headpiece; and plus for every one wheelchair-which carried the dedication and faith of a pilgrim who additionally overcame disability or illness to be in Mecca; yes, for all these iconic, blessed, and admirable traditions of the pilgrimage combined, I counted at least one selfie stick. There's nothing inherently wrong with a selfie stick-maybe Disney would disagree with me on this one. Sure, I find them tacky, irritating, and dangerous in such crowds (and Mecca is certainly filled with magnitudes more worth of people than Anaheim or Orlando, Paris or Tokyo)-but my shock with the selfie stick phenomenon perhaps only lent a lens into greater trends regarding religion (specifically Islam), technology, and reconciling tradition. Advertisement For context's sake, I am no stranger to a non-US or Western countries, traditions, or cultures; but I am a Muslim-American born and raised in the States, surrounded my parents, friends, and family who identify similarly. I am neither a stranger to technology, social media, or mass crowds of people (though again, Mecca's density, as well as obligation to host this entire mass of humanity performing tasks and procedures in sync and specific times simultaneously, is likely comparable to no other place on Earth). Maybe I should've seen it coming. It's reasonable to expect the intersection of global technology with any local community around the world these days. The popular social media application "Snapchat" featured a photo-video-series during a day of Ramadan last summer that allowed people in Mecca to submit their photos and videos to circulate around the world. As an avid follower of this series last July, I should be among the first to note that much of the content were selfies, perhaps via the stick. Yet it's not even about the selfie, let alone this demonized stick. It is about a crumbled expectation I should have never maintained in the first place. My Muslim-American childhood featured weekly Islamic Sunday School, where we heard the glories of Hajj and Umrah, the beauty of Mecca, and the epiphanies of these experiences. And none of that was inherently false. But the selfie stick is, as aforementioned, a lens to greater patterns of traditions, or in cases, the question of their dissolution. My Sunday School exposure, glossed by my dad's accounts of his childhood in 1980s Saudi, crafted a very containedly spiritual image to me-gullibly morphing Saudi into a type of infallible dimension that guaranteed a spiritual renaissance in one's And let me be clear-Umrah was spiritual for me. It just wasn't in the way I expected. Globalization has hit, and it hit has hard. We prayed prayers in the white marble floors of the mall attached to the mosque of the Kabah when too many hundreds of thousands filled the actual inside facilities of the mosque itself. Haagen-Daaz, Dior, and H&M's English as well as Arabic transliteration signs dimmed for daily prayers and loomed over us, just like the skyscraper cranes that towered magnitudes of height outside above the Kabah. Advertisement In all of this, however, no one could ask for more beautiful maintenance, construction, and preservation of these astounding structures than what the Saudi government has offered. And yet it has come at many costs-one of which includes local Arabian markets and storefronts being pushed (at best) to the random alleys behind the now massive Hiltons and European-brand hotels. So, photo? What was so special about touching the black silk? What was it about contact or a selfie with the black silk that would make or break my pilgrimage? This whole box is just a metaphor, anyway, for "God's home." Wasn't the whole point that God is beyond a ritualistic procedure or exact location? Although yet, here I was, thousands of miles away from home, to perform the most sacred of rituals. It is a contradiction. It is a controversy. On one hand, these recent expansions have face-lifted Mecca and adorned the city with gorgeous towers, incredible hotel-malls, and halal-versions of dozens of Western fast food chains. Yet these experiences-praying next to Krispy Kreme and always having KFC as an option to gorge endlessly after Tawaf-are the ones that most affected me. As we passed H&M for congregations, it wasn't, "OMG WHAT'S THE SALE???" (Admittedly, my thought by previous habit.) I tried to sway more toward, "Well yeah, H&M is next to me, but can I still concentrate on prayer?" It's easy to want to go to Mecca and hope just performing all the rituals and being away and cut-off will enlighten you. It wasn't like that for me at least. And good or bad, that's owed to technology. Islam and technology, perhaps a focused subset of the typical "religion and science debate," is as equally negligible a discussion as it is manageable-in that it is neither. We are struggling to converse in a world whose social axis is fastened parallel to technological advancement. Advertisement Is this a reference to an extremist group that promotes barbaric savagery on 21st century websites using 21st century video editing software? Only if your consideration of dialogue is that narrow. It is as much that as it is a reference to any other of the boundless conversations that string together the world of Islam and tech-which also, by the way, covers employing social media to spread the word about fighting Islamophobia; cultivating ways to mass-distribute and educate more varying diversity in interpreters of Qur'anic translations; and utilizing a mainstream social media platform like Snapchat to showcase the beauty of some of the most sacred traditions and special experiences to Muslims and non-Muslims alike around the world. We owe the positives, as well as the side effects, of these globalization mechanisms to tech. Do we see a grave issue in non-Muslims abusing via ridiculing gifts like the Ramadan-themed snapchat sticker-frame/filter, which was available to the app's users around the globe during part of the Holy Month in 2015? Maybe it should match how concerned we grow by Khutbah leaders who abstractly claim people must "denounce the Western ways" and "technological developments" of life-as they regurgitate such words from a Safari page off their latest iPhone and work up a temper sustained by the most advanced pacemaker regulating their hearts. The more productive conversation is equally about movements facilitated by tech-even the Tumblr blog "Side Entrance" run by Hind Makki where women around the world submit and publish photo sets of their local mosques that juxtapose women's entrance/facilities vs. men's. It can be simply discovering your favorite Adhan app on your Phone or computer. It is crucially about honoring the great Islamic empires, who contributed strides to mathematics, astronomy, medicine, sciences in general, by kindling the intellectual inspiration to learn and achieve more. It's about how the seemingly trivial milestones of a "Snapchat" feature fostered, largely at least, an element of awareness for others and pride for me in my religion last summer-the latter of which I have grown up in post-9/11 America never knowing. It's about how that same culture of pictures and displays and social media then sting me in the moment throughout my stay in Mecca-sting me, as I, too, play a role for the most part. It's different for everyone, which is perhaps most critical. Ultimately these threads of thought-of technology, of Islam, of reconciliation-precipitated into a feeling that evoked in me a decision in how I should act in a given situation: perhaps a crude definition for one elementary, but foundational angle in viewing the concept of what is religion. Advertisement The India Today Group via Getty Images INDIA - NOVEMBER 04: Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat purchasing the Khadi in Ahmedabad Khadi Bhandar in Gujarat, India (Photo by Shailesh Raval/The India Today Group/Getty Images) NEW DELHI -- Casual Fridays might become khadi day for government employees, if a proposal from the Khadi & Village Industries Commission is accepted. This will help boost sales of the hand-spun cloth, and is projected to benefit small-time weavers across the country. "We are discussing this with the government and we will make an appeal. Employees can wear it to work on just one day," VK Saxena, chairman of the commission, told The Times of India. Advertisement While the exact details of the proposal aren't clear, but sources told TOI that it will be likely made voluntary for the government employees, instead of a strictly-administered 'code'. However, employees don't seem averse to the suggestion. Government employees told TOI that most of them already wear some form of handloom clothing already and were happy to own some khadi clothes. This is among the several attempts that the 60-years-old khadi commission is making to boost their sales. According to reports, they have separately entered into multi-crore deals with both private and public organisations. These include government schools, defence forces, Air India, JK Cement, FabIndia, Raymond, among others. Over 100 million square metres of khadiis produced in India currently, with over seven lakh artisans registered under the commission. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also See On HuffPost: DIBYANGSHU SARKAR via Getty Images Indian members of a social organisation Our City Our Right holds a candle during a silent protest following the recent gang rape and murder of a 20-year-old college student in Barasat, in Kolkata on June 15, 2013. Activists and social groups in various parts of the state held rallies and protests following the incident. AFP PHOTO/ Dibyangshu SARKAR (Photo credit should read DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images) NEW DELHI -- There are crimes and then there are crimes which sink to new depths of depravity, stirring emotions that are not quite captured by words such as shock, horror and flabbergasted. The Times Of India today reported that a bus driver and a conductor allegedly flung a 14-day-old boy to the ground, killing the infant, so that they could get on with gang raping his mother. Advertisement The crime occurred Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, the newspaper reported. The 28-year-old woman, who returning home after attending a family function on Monday night, decided to wait inside the bus station because of the late hour and continue her journey in the morning. She was allegedly dragged inside the bus by Ishwari Lal, the driver, and Pannu, the conductor. "Seeing her alone, the private bus driver and conductor pounced upon her and dragged her inside the bus. When she resisted, the two gagged her and raped her. In the ensuing scuffle, the woman said, the two snatched her 14-day-old infant from her lap and flung him to the ground. The baby sustained grievous injuries and died on the spot," a member of the police force told TOI. The Indian Express reported that the woman was visiting a tantrik because her child was unwell, and the infant died because he fell from her lap. Lal and Pannu have been arrested, and charged under the Indian Penal Code for gang rape and culpable homicide not amounting to murder, TOI reported. Advertisement On Thursday morning, NDTV reported that the teenager who was raped and set ablaze by a youth in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, died in hospital. Contact HuffPost India Also on HuffPost: YourStory Bengaluru security analyst Anand Prakash has earned $15000 from the Facebook's bug bounty program for finding a vulnerability. The bug could have threatened a lot of accounts as it was related to the password system of Facebook. The security threat allowed hackers to brute force password of any account through the beta websites of Facebook. Had it been found by a hacker with malicious intent a lot of user data would have been at the stake. Hackers could have seen all the information related to the accounts including personal details, photographs and even payment details tied up with the Facebook account. Advertisement Prakash said on his blog post that, "Facebook acknowledged the issue promptly, fixed it and rewarded $15,000 USD considering the severity and impact of the vulnerability". He also explained the bug saying, "Facebook sends a 6 digit passcode to the phone if you forget the password. After 10-12 tries you are blocked from attempting the login". ALSO READ: 6 Indian Websites That Have Recently Been Taken Down By Hackers "However I tried to recreate the same issues on the Facebook Beta channels beta.facebook.com and mbasic.beta.facebook.com and there was no limit for trying. I tried to takeover my account ( as per Facebook's policy you should not do any harm on any other users account) and was successful in setting a new password for my account. I could then use the same password to login in the account.", he added. This meant that any hacker could have written a program to automatically try all the 6 digit passcode combinations to hack into any account. Advertisement Prakash who works in Flipkart as a security analyst sent this bug on 22 February and Facebook sent him a message on 23 February to test the bug fix. This is not his first reward for hunting bugs. He has submitted 80 bugs to Facebook till now. And through bug bounty programs he has earned almost 1 crore. Facebook launched their bug bounty program in 2011 encouraging people to find vulnerabilities and report them to Facebook so they can create a more secure website. The program has rewarded $4.3 million to 800 researchers across the globe. And notably, in 2015, India was the country whose security researchers earned the highest payout. Even Indian startups like Ola cabs have started a bug bounty program after they were hacked in 2015. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Hindustan Lever Limited has finally put an end to the fifteen-year debacle in Kodaikanal by agreeing to a settlement with its mercury-poisoning afflicted ex-employees. Rapper Sofia Ashraf released this video on 9 March, expressing her joy at the decision that will provide some relief to 591 workers and their families affected by the contamination in 2001. Last year, Ashraf gained a lot of social media support for her viral video that outed the Anglo-Dutch company on its failure to clean up toxic mercury contamination Advertisement Settlement document Im finding it really really tough to be cynical, said a clearly ecstatic Ashraf adding that she could choose to speak about lackadaisical government approach and corrupt corporations, but preferred to wallow in the achievement of the moment. 591 workers have been compensated. And nothing, nothing that I have done in my shitty, privileged life has counted for anything except this moment. We actually did something. According to a report by The NewsMinute, the settlement that the workers and HUL have agreed upon, has not yet been disclosed. The desperate workers of Kodaikanal had approached the court in 2006, following which the company was asked to take action by the High Court. Advertisement Family of an ex-worker Last year, ex-workers staged a protest at the companys headquarters in Andheri Mumbai at an Annual General Meeting to convince shareholders of holding the company to its responsibilities. NewIndianExpress reported that the death toll (then) stood at 45 workers of the Unilever factory besides 12 of their children, not including the number of people suffering from mental and physical disabilitlies as a direct result of exposure to mercury poisoning. Man shows the after-effects of mercury-poisoning from the Kodaikanal thermometrefactory The campaign really gained ground when Ashraf in collaboration with NGO Jhatkaa released a video on YouTube set to the tune of Nicky Minajs Anaconda as a petition against Unilever on 30th June last year. The video gained over 3 million views, and global ground as people rallied against Unilever, using social media, and through several petitions. After two years of negotiations, the agreement, was finally signed on 4 March. The terms of the agreement will help to ensure the long-term health and well being of the factorys former workers, said SA Mahindra Babu, President of Ponds HLL ex-Mercury Employees Welfare Association in a statement from the company. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also See On HuffPost: HuffPost Staff Meet Shah Rukh Khan. Actor, 50-years-old, relentlessly cast opposite women half his age, often part of films that endorse and propagate unabashed sexism. Did you just gasp and roll your eyes at the last bit? Sample his dialogue from the film Happy New Year (2014): "You are breast-taking." (I still can't decide if one should feel pity for or be angry at Deepika Padukone to agreeing to be the subject of such a dialogue.) Now, meet Chetan Bhagat. Writer, 41-years-old, currently writing a novel from the 'perspective of a woman', guilty of several statements that screamed sexism, steadily maintains he has never uttered anything sexist. From 'rape' of the rupee to women's phulka duties, here's a helpful list to show you that he may be living in denial. Advertisement Like most people with access to social media platforms, Khan and Bhagat took to Twitter and Facebook respectively, to add their two bits to the 'women are awesome' revelry that unfolds on International Women's Day. Shah Rukh Khan, tweeted this: Often I wish I was a womanthen realise I dont have enough guts, talent,sense of sacrifice, selfless love or beauty to be one. Thk u girls. Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) March 8, 2016 So, he had wished he was a woman and he then realised he was lacking in the following departments: 'sacrifice' and 'selfless love'. Some may say that sounds as authentic as the spelling of 'thank you' in his tweet. Advertisement Chetan Bhagat on his part, rained his 'love' and a plug-in for his new novel, on a longish Facebook post. Just when you spotted a rare glimpse of self-awareness in his post - 'I dont like to be preachy, and I am no one to advise women' he wrote - he went right ahead and did what he said he does not like doing. In his long post, he listed out ideas that he thinks will make women happier people. His thoughtful self-help listicle for women who apparently know nothing about being happy can be clubbed into five broad points - don't crib about other women, don't 'obsess' about how you look, have goals, find balance and 'unite'. The last two points sound like they were meant for the Congress, but turns out, they weren't. Now apart from the problematic idea of Bhagat lecturing women, there are some broad and disturbing assumptions the author makes in the post. Firstly, how does one react appropriately to the assumption that bringing each other down is typical to women or is so toxic when it involves women that we need a Bhagat pep talk to cool off? The fact that Bhagat chose women's day to talk about squabbling, reveals the great love for stereotypes lurking behind all that 'love'. Advertisement Following that, not only does he make a sweeping generalisation about women losing sight of their priorities over magazine covers, he says that the 'pretty' women on them are not real. It's make-up and lighting that makes them look like that. That line translates into this - without make-up and lighting those girls are not 'pretty'. 'The pretty women you see in magazines are not real' to quote him exactly. There's a fine line of difference between saying 'you're beautiful the way you are' and 'don't obsess about beauty'. The latter actually acknowledges that there is a standardised definition of beauty. Ironically, that's precisely the root of all body issues. Let's look at Shah Rukh Khan's tweet now: he says he cannot be a woman because a person needs to be gutsy and selfless and sacrificial to be one. Well, one cannot be sure how 'sacrifice' and 'selflessness' are pre-requisites to be women, but he is right about the guts bit. You need guts to be woman in India and not resent being one, every day. If you are a woman and have taken crowded public transport even in Indian cities, you'll know what I am talking about. Khan's tweet, despite its problems, is an admission of the fact that some men will never know what it's like to be a woman, especially in India. And a man sermonising them about what's good for their ilk as a whole would be slightly weird. Especially if the sermon doesn't come from a place of empathy and Bhagat's doesn't sound like it has. That apart, Khan's admission that he cannot be a woman, also underlines the unrealistic expectations so many men have from women. Khan's admission doesn't purge him of the sexist nonsense he has been party to. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also see on HuffPost: Hindustan Times via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - JANUARY 12: BJP leader Subramanian Swamy arrives for the press conference at North Avenue on January 12, 2016 in New Delhi, India. BJP leader said that he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for moving the Supreme Court to seek day-to-day hearing of civil appeals in the Ram Janmabhoomi case. (Photo by Ravi Choudhary/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) NEW DELHI -- It's not environmental concerns or the love for the Yamuna or concerns about the misuse of the country's armed forces for a private event. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy has accurately figured out what is fueling the opposition to the World Culture Festival, a mammoth birthday celebration by Sri Sri Ravishankar's Art of Living. Advertisement Swamy is known for forwarding bizarre conspiracy theories on a range of subjects, but his latest punditry on the AOL row , which environmentalists believe could kill the Yamuna River and the ecology around it, takes the cake. Swamy believes that those opposing "Sri Sri," who are mostly environmentalists and concerned citizens, are followers of Opus Dei, a conservative catholic organization. Those against Sri Sri are TDK driven Christian forces such as Opus Dei. TDK made Vatican earlier to scuttle his Nobel Prize nomination Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) March 9, 2016 There is an aura of mystery about the rituals of the group, especially its practices of penance. Some of its members inflict pain on themselves by wearing a cilice, a chain which digs into the thigh, while others whip themselves with a strap. Advertisement It was portrayed in Dan Brown's hugely popular Da Vinci Code as a fanatical sect bent on wiping out the bloodline of Jesus Christ. Swamy also believes that those opposing "Sri Sri" are led by Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi, who he routinely refers to as "TDK" (Tadaka), a princess who becomes a demoness in the tale of Ramayana. Gandhi is an Indian citizen of Italian descent. The Opposition in the Rajya Sabha today attacked the BJP-led government for allowing such an event on the bank of the Yamuna. After a week of furore and outrage, the National Green Tribunal has allowed Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to hold his event over the weekend, and fined him Rs.5 crore. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India ASSOCIATED PRESS The Morning Wrap is HuffPost India's selection of interesting news and opinion from the day's newspapers. Subscribe here to receive it in your inbox each weekday morning. Essential HuffPost Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha on International Women's Day announced that the first batch of women fighter pilots, three cadets who are currently in training, will be inducted in the Indian Air Force on 18 June. This news is sure to pave the way for hundreds of Indian women in years to come to realise their ambition in male-dominated work spaces. Advertisement Taxi aggregator Uber is set to partner with Mumbai traffic police to install breathalysers outside pubs and bars in the city to curb drunken driving. Uber has already kicked off this drive by placing the first kiosk at a nightclub called Nook, in Kurla. On International Womens Day, an Indian wedding portal turned the spotlight on five women and everything that comes along with being a plus-size bride in India. Every woman in the video agreed on two things. The first: it takes confidence, not weight loss to make a beautiful dulhan. And two: nothing's worth the pain of separation from their first love -- food. 42-year-old MP Ranjeet Ranjan drew a lot of media attention when she rode to the Parliament on her swanky Harley Davidson motorcycle to make a statement on International Women's Day. In a new video for a lifestyle channel for women, actress Aditi Rao Hydari talked about her thoughts on womanhood. Check out the video here. Advertisement Main News In a letter to the Ministry of Urban Development, the Delhi Police has warned of that a stampede, pandemonium and utter chaos would take place in the arena for the World Culture Festival, being organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankars Art of Living Foundation on the Yamuna floodplains, unless the security and management shortcomings are attended to immediately. Pakistan's National Security Advisor Lieutenant-General Naseer Khan Janjua had shared intelligence with India on possible terror strikes in Gujarat ahead of Maha Shivratri festival. It was following that information that the NSG special forces were deployed to Gujarat to back up state police. Over 13 banks led by State Bank of India had approached the Supreme Court on Tuesday to prevent business tycoon Vijay Mallya from leaving the country. But according to media reports, the plea may have been come a tad late, as Mallya is believed to have left India for a foreign destination a few days ago. A total solar eclipse swept across Indonesian on Wednesday, witnessed by tens of thousands of sky gazers and marked by parties, Muslim prayers and tribal rituals. In India, the partial eclipse will begin at 4:49 AM (IST) and continues till 9:08 AM. Here are the do's and don'ts. The District and Sessions Court partially allowed the CBI to interrogate CPI(M) district secretary P Jayarajan. He has been accused in the murder of RSS functionary E Manoj, and has been in judicial custody since he surrendered on 12 February. Advertisement Off The Front Page On Tuesday, 70 devotees who chose to walk over a bed of embers at the annual festival of Adishakti at Hettenahalli village near Tumakuru fell into the fire. A medical officer said that a majority of them suffered minor injuries while others suffered up to 60 per cent burns. Reportedly, the temple follows the archaic rule that one is rendered virtuous if embers selectively sear away your sins without burning you. The new season of popular coming-of-age teen drama Hip Hip Hurray is creating excitement among the audiences. The cast, who has been sharing behind-the-scenes photographs and Dubsmash videos, are gaining a lot of popularity. Slated to be a digital-only show, it is set to air from April this year. In a bizarre incident, a 40-year-old man bit a devotees ear in his bid to enter the core area of a temple to offer prayer in Thane. The devotee, who jumped out of the queue and tried to enter the inner sanctum with his footwear on, was later arrested. Militant organisation Al-Qaeda hacking the Indian Railways' website to display its cyber prowess is only one of the examples in recent times where a website of a prominent Indian organisation or authority has been compromised. Take a look at these other Indian websites that have been targeted by hackers. The one-of-its-kind Lonar crater lake in Buldhana district, Maharashtra, which was created by a meteor impact around 50,000 years ago, could be in danger as the Centre has shrunk the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around it to 100 metres. Advertisement Opinion With little control over 'smart' devices used by Indian internet users as well as the information that is carried through them, Indias national security architecture faces a difficult task in cyberspace, writes Arun Mohan Sukumar in The Hindu. "This makes India vulnerable to four kinds of digital intrusions: espionage, cybercrime, attacks intended at disrupting services and war," writes Sukumar. That child abuse continues blatantly in a world where mankind is set to conquer different planets and explore new galaxies is heartbreaking, writes Sonal Kapoor in the Hindustan Times. "Will the young of our country take up the baton to bridge the gap caused by atrocities on little children? Or will our children continue to be treated like trash because they do not form the very important vote-bank," Kapoor asks in her column. Recent events in Jawaharlal Nehru University show that dissent has dangerously lost ground in Tagores India, writes Martha C Nussbaum in The Indian Express. "India, whose embrace of free speech is, historically, deeper and more foundational than that of the US, should rise up in protest against the very idea of punishing 'seditious' speech, seeing the truth in the ideas that Freund, Tagore and Gandhi all stood for, in their different ways," she writes. Advertisement ANI/Twitter On the occasion of International Women's Day, Usha Thakur, a BJP MLA from Indore, announced that people become terrorists, traitors or Naxals due to the negligence of their mothers. Commenting on the recent row surrounding Jawaharlal Nehru University and its students' union leader Kanhaiya Kumar, Thakur said, according to ABP Live, that Kanhaiya's mother failed to teach him about patriotism. Advertisement He raised anti-national slogans because his mother didn't impart moral values, knowledge, experience... "He raised anti-national slogans because his mother didn't impart moral values, knowledge, experience," reported the Navbharat Times. Kumar was arrested and charged last month with sedition for allegedly raising anti-India slogans in a student rally against the 2013 hanging of Mohammed Afzal Guru, who was convicted for the 2001 Indian Parliament attack. The arrest took social media by storm, with many rallying for Kumar and protesting against the police's extreme measures. Kumar was later released on interim bail on 2 March 2016 making him an overnight hero. This is not the first time Thakur has courted controversy. In September 2015, she said that Muslims should sacrifice their sons instead of goats on Eid-ul-Adha. Advertisement Muslims were supposed to sacrifice their sons but the son changed into a goat. So Muslims should sacrifice their sons instead of killing innocent animals, she had said, according to DNA. Contact HuffPost India Also On HuffPost: Royal Challengers Bangalore/Flickr Dr Vijay Mallya acknowledges big victory over Pune during after match party on April 30, 2011at Bangalore NEW DELHI -- Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is facing legal proceedings for allegedly defaulting loans of over Rs 9,000 crores from various banks, has left the country a week back, government today informed the Supreme Court. "I spoke to the CBI little while ago and it told me that on March 2 he (Mallya) left the country," Attorney General(AG) Mukul Rohatgi told the bench comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman. Advertisement The bench issued notice to Mallya and sought his response within two weeks on pleas filed by a consortium of banks seeking direction for freezing his passport and his presence before the apex court. Since the court was informed that Mallya has already left the country, probably to UK, the bench allowed the plea of AG that the notice to him can be served through his official Rajya Sabha Email ID, Indian High Commission at London and also through counsel representing him before various high courts, Debt Recovery Tribunal and also through his Company. During the brief hearing, the AG said that amount of more than Rs 9,000 crore was due to various banks and on one or the other pretext Mallya avoided to settle them. There have been various proceedings going on against him in debt recovery tribunals in Bangalore and Goa, he said. Advertisement When the bench wanted to know what was the petitioner seeking, the AG said there was a need for a garnishee order and there was also a need for disclosure on behalf of Mallya. Rohatgi said the banks were seeking an order that Mallya should appear in person before this court and also sought a direction for freezing his passport. The AG said that Mallya has assets, both movable and immovable, abroad which are far excessive to loans secured by him here. At this, the bench wanted to know how the banks have granted him loan under such circumstances. The AG said the loans were granted keeping in mind that Kingfisher Airlines had a fleet of aircraft as well as brand value and loans were given also on the basis of the logo and the aircraft were attached to the third party. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also On HuffPost: Hindustan Times via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - FEBRUARY 1: Baba Ramdev addressing the press conference on alleged conspiracy by global consumer goods companies to malign Patanjali at Constitution Club on February 1, 2016 in New Delhi, India. Yoga Guru Ramdevas company Patanjali Ayurved Ltd. has been asked to send several of its consumer products for quality tests. Ramdev has claimed that global consumer goods conspired against Patanjali by getting fake and adulterated products tested in laboratories for irregular results. Ramdevas Patanjali entered the consumer products business in 2006. According to Ramdev, Patanjali will close the current fiscal year with revenue of Rs. 5,000 crore, up from Rs. 2,000 crore last year. (Photo by Virendra Singh Gosain/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) During a lecture at IIM Ahmedabad, roughly eight years back, Ramdev had said, "Remedy of all illnesses lies in yoga." You may not have guessed that violent protests could be fixed by yoga, but Ramdev recently said it is possible. He recently offered to hold yoga sessions and deliver motivation speeches in Haryana's industrial units for free, to help his home state run more effectively. He was speaking at the 'Happening Haryana' investor meet. Advertisement "Industries pay huge fees for getting people to deliver motivation speech. I will do it for free for your employees. Obviously, it may not be possible for me to come to every unit. But I can address people in big units. Mein hartal aadi ki bimaari ko bhi theek kar doonga," he said. He even commented that Haryana maybe 'aggressive', it is also 'progressive' and the violent protests by Jats demanding reservation was not typical of the state and its people. Meanwhile, it is being reported that Ramdev is looking to hold a meet in the JNU campus. A spokesperson for Ramdev said that he intends to hold a camp inside JNU to help students get direction and imbibe positivity. Last year in December, Ramdev was supposed to address a gathering inside the campus but a section of students and teachers took strong exception to the development. Ramdev never ended up attending the event. Advertisement However, Shehla Rashid, JNUSU vice president said, "The last time he was called as a keynote speaker at a function and there were protests claiming that he was not qualified to speak. However, if he comes in his individual capacity as a yoga guru, we do not have a problem. We have never opposed to such things. Subramanian Swamy keeps coming to address ABVP programmes. There was no blanket opposition even the last time when Ramdev wanted to come." Contact HuffPost India Headlines from the front lines Sign up to join the fight for all animals with email updates and text alertsyou can be first to take action on the issues that matter most. Access exclusive content and media materials in our press room. Hutchinson's Orscheln Farm store has become a Bomgaars location The Hutchinson store was one of 73 the FTC said Tractor Supply could not own due to anti-trust concerns. Transition to new store could take 15 months. Bands And Brands: What Marketers Need To Know About Music Partnerships For artists, being heard and standing out from the crowd can be a challenge, but by partnering with brands, artists are able to reach a much broader potential fanbase, provided the marketers in question know what their doing and can avoid damaging the image of both the band and the brand itself. ___________________________________________ Guest Post by Lukas Nieuwenhuijsen of WeTransfer Its hard to stand out as a musical artist today. Even the biggest acts work hard to stay relevant and to constantly challenge themselves and their art. This is one reason why many artists look to brand partnerships to help fans discover their work, or to broaden their listener base. For their part, marketers value musician partnerships to help build buzz, stand out from the crowd, or reach fans who may otherwise be elusive or skeptical. Music sponsorship is a booming business, epecially in North America: brands spent an estimated $1.4 billion on music partnerships in 2015, representing a 5 percent increase from 2014, according to IEG, a consulting firm. But when it comes to partnering with musical artists, marketers often adopt strategies that are disappointingly boilerplate. Occasionally theyre downright cringeworthy. The wrong approach can do real damage to both an artist and a brand. It doesnt have to be that way. Here are five things marketers need to understand about music partnerships. Understand that music is about culture. A good music tie-up should be more than a way to be cool by association or to reach a certain segment of the buying public. The best partnerships are informed by a deep understanding of the music, the artist, and the culture of that artist or genre. This goes much deeper than a fan demographic. The music itself should be honored. When I worked on big-brand music partnerships, I found that many marketers miss this point. But those who understand different music subcultures can be more successful, primarily because that point of view truly informs an authentic relationship with the artist and an understanding of the fans.When done right, youre not only creating a relationship with the artist but also with the audience around him/her. Start small, listen to the scenes and their needs, build added value and offer the tools and knowledge that fans normally wouldn't have had. Take Red Bull. The Red Bull Music Academy started 15 years ago as a way to extend its content marketing, but what the brand did so well was to take the dance music subculture seriously. Today, RBMA is a returning experience for artists and music fans alike, and an important platform that has had a real influence on the music landscape. Red Bulls serious investment in its music program is money well spent: Nielsens Music 360 report found that 76 percent of festivalgoers say they feel more favorable toward a brand that sponsors a tour or a concert, and 51 percent of all consumers feel the same way. Give artists a platform. Big fees aside, this is usually the chief reason artists want to work with brands anyway. For up-and-coming artists, or those who are pushing at the boundaries of their genres, gaining reach or experience is a strong draw. The collaboration is strongest when brands can offer artists something they dont already have or wouldnt otherwise access. In some cases its a proper studio and a bigger audience. For example, Converses Rubber Tracks, based in Brooklyn, selects up-and-coming bands for free studio time in one of their professional grade studios, and books them for their Rubber Tracks events. In 2015, the platform took the program global, giving artists access to renowned studios like Abbey Road Studios in London and Sunset Studios in Los Angeles a rare opportunity for all but the biggest music stars. Since taking its program global in 2015, Converse has received more than 9,000 applications from artists around the world, and has given 900 of them recording privileges since starting the program in 2011. Thats a tangible contribution to rising artists. Keep it real. When creating a brand partnership, its best to think about credibility rather than popularity and reach. Fans can smell a fake a mile away. Its just not enough to throw a big fee at artists and plaster your brand all over the place at a concert. Fans can tell when theres no real relationship think of some of the ridiculous hashtags you see on some artist social feeds. Can the brand play a natural role within the artists subculture? Does make sense for the artist or fans, or ideally, for both? At WeTransfer, we became involved in musical partnerships very naturally because musicians use our service to collaborate with other artists during the work process. Nearly 60 percent of our users work in creative industries. That fundamental relationship led artists to use WeTransfer for distribution, as a channel to share content with fans or experiment with visual art forms, which we offer through our full-screen wallpapers. In one of our most popular partnerships, Prince offered a track to download directly and exclusively via WeTransfer, and it drove 500,000 downloads in just a few days. And when Big Grams released their latest EP in 2015, they shared their new music video exclusively on WeTransfer, pushing them to nearly 300,000 views. When it comes to being a natural fit, Sprint has also been a standout here. The brand premiered a Spanish-language commercial during the Latin Grammys, and also re-hired Latino pop star Prince Royce to help develop new music. Both moves had strong, real links for viewers: Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure, who starred in the commercial, is a Bolivian-born native Spanish speaker, and Prince Royce back when he was still known as Geoffrey Royce Rojas, growing up in the Bronx worked at Sprint in his very first job. He even credits the Sprint job with being able to pay for studio time, which led to his first record deal. Music partnerships can be a useful part of growing a brands reputation while building a career for artists. With so many opportunities for brands and artists to work together, its important to get it right. A poorly conceived or executed music partnership is the last thing either party wants but the great ones create new artistic experiences that will last forever. Lukas Nieuwenhuijsen is Director of Music Partnerships at WeTransfer. Share on: Dont Expect To Hear Your Music Played In China Although China's sizeable music-listening population would seem to make it a profitable country in which to distribute your music, an increase in government restrictions on foreign media means outside artists will have a tough time getting airplay in the People's Republic. ____________________________________ Guest Post by Bobby Owsinski on Music 3.0 China is one of the most populated countries in the world with over 1.3 billion people, 75% of which listen to music regularly. That said, the revenue generated by music is stunningly small (see the chart composed of data from the IFPI) and it looks like it's not going to increase anytime soon, at least for Western artists. Only 10% of the population currently listens to non-Chinese music and that's going to drop, thanks to the government's recent declaration that any kind of content from foreign media companies will be blocked starting March 10th. Companies like Apple and the New York Times who have invested millions in China just may be out of luck, and if your music or content was aimed that way, so will you. The big windfall that China promised may never take place after all, thanks to the protectionist policies of the Chinese government. Then again, if the video below is what they consider hip, then maybe we're not missing anything anyway. It's a communist corruption rap featuring president Xi JinPing. Share on: Reducing Current Copyright Terms Would Be Unwise (And Unconstitutional) While many in the creative community tend to rally against lengthy copyright extensions, it may be that works entering the public domain are not as beneficial to the public as previously thought, and that the early termination of these copyrights could be in violation of the constitution. _________________________________________ Guest Post by Stephen Carlisle of Nova Southeastern University Amongst the many bombs hurled against the current copyright system is the length of the current copyright terms: life plus 70 years after death for a human author, or 95 years for a corporate author. The idea behind these criticisms is that if copyrights were to be pushed into the public domain much earlier, that there would be this great, vast public benefit. As this author states: Shortening the copyright term would more directly restore the public domains role in promoting the progress. Economists modeling the copyright term have estimated that its optimal length is closer to the original term of 14 years in our first copyright lawmany decades shorter than the current term. After such limited times, economists tell us, continued protection offers increasingly negligible incentives to most authors, while unnecessarily keeping works from the public. In addition to recalibrating the copyright term, reintroducing formalities that require claimants to furnish basic copyright information would greatly reduce the transaction costs associated with licensing and use, particularly if accompanied by centralized copyright registries and better-maintained records. I have written about this topic before. Here. Here. And here. The major points I have made are as follows: The push for longer copyright terms comes from Europe, not the United States. If we were to reduce our copyright terms, this would have the effect of reducing the protection of them world-wide due to the Berne Treatys Rule of the Shorter Term, making them less competitive with European works. How long the copyright lasts depends on when you die. Kurt Cobains copyright protection is going to last barely 70 years, and in some cases less, for his songs. Works entering the public domain largely benefits the publishers, not the public. On that final bullet point, last week I went to an actual bricks and mortar bookstore, (Yes! They still exist!) looking for some travel books to plan my familys upcoming summer vacation. On my way to the travel section, I passed a table containing various classic books, such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Crime and Punishment, all of which are in the public domain. So what is the great savings passed onto the public by these works being in the public domain? I picked up a copy of Romeo and Juliet. The store wanted $7.98. And this is for a play which has been in the public domain for well over 400 years. Wheres the savings? Beats me. Plus, one of the advantages of the life plus system is that all works by an author go into the public domain at the same time, which eliminates a lot of guess work regarding copyright terms complained about by copyright critics. This also eliminates the resulting shenanigans by some publishers because of that confusion, such as those behind the Sherlock Holmes series of stories. As a signatory to the Berne Convention, the U.S. is committed to a copyright term of no less than life of the author plus 50 years. So, to reduce the length of copyright protection to 14 years, as suggested by the quote above, would immediately violate our treaty obligations with about 170 other nations. It is not a wise strategy to start reneging on your promises with your trade partners, because they will no longer trust you in the future. Even further, we cannot walk back our treaty commitments and re-instate formalities as a condition of copyright protection (again as suggested above), as this would violate the Berne treaty as well. Further, there is the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which has been negotiated between the U.S., Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. In Article Q.Q.G.6 of the TPP, copyright terms are harmonized at life of the author plus 70 if created by natural persons, and 70 years from first publication if created by a corporation or business. Now, as of the date of this blog post, the TPP has been agreed upon, but not yet ratified by the Senate. If it does get approved, this will lock the U.S. in to life plus 70 for the foreseeable future. Unless, again, we want to start breaking our promises with our trade partners, which is not a very wise strategy. So, lets come up with a hypothetical legislation to reduce all current copyright terms, but stay Berne Treaty compliant. This will require that the TPP not be approved by the Senate (and there is already opposition from various forces). Further, the proposed legislation will reduce all copyrights now in existence back to their 1976 act levels, namely, the life of the author plus 50 years but no further, so as to be compliant with Berne, and corporate works would be limited to 75 years. Would this legislation work? No. Because it would be unconstitutional. Now, I am not a constitutional lawyer by any stretch of the imagination. However, I do know a good one. David Bertoni of the Maine firm of Brann and Issacsson, has litigated many constitutional law issues, including numerous cases involving the takings clause. Many years ago, we studied law together at George Washington University Law School and partnered to win a national law competition in intellectual property. For his assistance with this post, he has my sincere and humble thanks. Any flaws in the legal theories that follow are mine and not his. Its going to get thick and a little deep into the Constitution and various ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States, so hold on. The constitutionality problem comes from what is known as the takings clause of the 5th Amendment to the Constitution. It States: No person shall bedeprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. So there are three elements we need to look at: Private property Taken for public use Without just compensation For a while, the thinking was that the phrase private property only applied to real property. But in the landmark case of James v. Campbell, the court decided that property included patents. That the government of the United States when it grants letters-patent for a new invention or discovery in the arts, confers upon the patentee an exclusive property in the patented invention which cannot be appropriated or used by the government itself, without just compensation, any more than it can appropriate or use without compensation land which has been patented to a private purchaser, we have no doubt. This was later extended to the right to mine minerals. In Pennsylvania Coal Co. v. Mahon the SCOTUS expanded the protection of the Takings Clause, holding that compensation was also required for a regulatory takinga restriction on the use of property that went too far. Nothing in the text or history of the Takings Clause, or our precedents, suggests that the rule is any different when it comes to appropriation of personal property. The Government has a categorical duty to pay just compensation when it takes your car, just as when it takes your home. Next, it has to be for a public use. This was expanded to include takings by the government in which there was not unfettered public access. Promoting economic development is a traditional and long-accepted function of government. There is, moreover, no principled way of distinguishing economic development from the other public purposes that we have recognized. So, back to our hypothetical reduction of copyright terms and how the 5thamendment prohibition against uncompensated takings would make copyright term reduction unconstitutional. Private property is a given. If a patent is a property right subject to the takings clause, then so is a copyright. That it would be for a public use also seems very clear. The hypothetical would greatly reduce the length of copyright terms, and in some cases immediately inject a work into the public domain. Cancelling a copyright and giving the work over to the public, for free, is the very definition of a public use. Even when the copyright term is just reduced and not cancelled the argument goes that [a]fter such limited times, economists tell us, continued protection offers increasingly negligible incentives to most authors, while unnecessarily keeping works from the public, meaning the earlier a work goes into the public domain, the better it is for the public. Again, clearly a public use. Lastly, there is the consideration of without compensation. Though the SCOTUS has taken up takings cases three times since 2002, they unfortunately leave us with the proposition that every taking must be evaluated on a case by case basis, in much the same way that the SCOTUS has ruled on fair use cases. The question then becomes, did the property owner have a reasonable expectation of the continuation of the right, or was it understood that it could be wiped out by government regulation? [T]he Court clarified that the test for how far was too far required an ad hoc factual inquiry. That inquiry required considering factors such as the economic impact of the regulation, its interference with reasonable investment-backed expectations, and the character of the government action. There certainly is an argument to be made that since Congress has the sole power to pass legislation regarding copyrights, that Congress has the ability to adjust copyright terms as they see fit, and the copyright owner should be owed no compensation. The question then becomes, does this trump the reasonable investment-backed expectations of a copyright owner? Copyrights are bought and sold all the time. The value of that copyright is measured by: What its historical income is on an annual basis Whether that level of income is foreseen to continue The remaining length of time the copyright will remain under copyright protection. A company who has purchased a copyright based upon the expectation of a life plus 70 or a 95 years copyright length, will have the value of their investments severely reduced if they wake up to discover that 20 years has been lopped off the amount of time they could reasonably expect to receive income on that copyright. And consider the Bowie Bonds. These were an asset-backed security which uses the current and future revenue from albums recorded by musician David Bowie as collateral. They ran into a slight problem: The value of the bonds began to decline as online music and file sharing grew in popularity, decreasing album sales. This resulted in a downgrade by Moodys in 2004. In fact, they were downgraded to the last level above junk. Imagine the problem if Congress were to materially reduce the length of copyright in existence when such a security was issued. It could have the effect of rendering the bonds worthless, if there was no way that the truncated revenue stream would be sufficient to pay off the debt. Seems like a taking to me. Further consider that Congress has never reduced copyright terms, they have always lengthened them. In light of such actions, would it ever be a reasonable investment-backed expectation that copyright terms might be reduced, and thus suffering a foreseeable financial loss? Factor into your analysis the result that such retroactive legislation would instantly inject many properties in to the public domain, most notably, Mickey Mouse. While I have suggested that Mickey may be further protected by trademark law, many iconic properties will not have the same argument. Heres a short list of films that would go instantly into the public domain should such legislation pass: All Quiet On the Western Front 42 nd Street A Farewell to Arms The Thin Man Captain Blood David Copperfield Mutiny On the Bounty Lost Horizon A Star is Born Citizen Kane The Maltese Falcon The Wizard of Oz Gone With the Wind And of course: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Pinocchio Now, there certainly is an argument that these films have had their day and should be content to ride off into the sunset. But that is not the test here. The test is, did the owner of the copyrights in these films have some reasonable investment-backed expectations for their copyrighted properties? And were these expectations violated by the unilateral reduction in their length of copyright? Because now, as the direct result of congressional action, their investment in these copyrighted properties is now worthless, or very close to that amount, since any, and I mean anyone in this age of the internet, will be able to make and distribute copies of these iconic films. It seems clear that hypothetical for the reduction of current copyright terms is, in fact, a government taking within the terms of the 5th Amendment and would be unconstitutional. Now, the government could pass the legislation and keep it constitutional, if it offered those affected fair compensation, for the economic harm caused. So how much do you think is reasonable compensation to have your government pay out to put The Wizard of Oz into the public domain? Before you answer, bear in mind that all of the Wizard of Oz stories are already in the public domain, and anyone can make a movie about them. How much are you willing to have your government pay to put Gone With the Wind into the public domain? How much for Mickey? And this, of course, is just the tip of the iceberg. Every copyright owner would have to be compensated, since even if they retained a valid copyright, the amount of time in which they could exploit their copyrights would have been greatly reduced. Like all the songs of Aerosmith. Or The Eagles. How much reasonable compensation should be paid to them? No, the only way in which copyright terms could be reduced, constitutionally, would be to do so prospectively. This would take the form of as of January 1, 20**, (pick your date in the future) all works created and fixed after that date shall have a copyright term equal to(fill in the blank). And as previously reported on this blog, since the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act was passed out of both the House and Senate on either a voice vote or, in the case of the Senate, unanimous consent, I would not be holding my breath for that to happen. So, any proposal to greatly reduce the length of existing copyrights is a non-starter, dead in the water, dud, lemon, loser, turkeypick your adjective. Share on: Terms of an international insurance treaty have caused families of the 227 passengers on board missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 to file lawsuits rather ahead of schedule a move that could leave insurers of the airline on the hook for greater liability payments.Under the Montreal Convention, families of victims are required to file any lawsuits within a two-year period of the triggering incident. The Boeing 777 jet carrying the passengers of MH370 disappeared during a flight between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing during the early hours of March 8, 2014.The families are bound by law to file their claims now. They would much rather wait till they know what happened, Justin Green, a New York aviation attorney and former military pilot, told the Wall Street Journal. Green is representing more than 20 victims families in several countries through his firm Kreindler & Kreindler LLP.They dont have the information others in such incidents normally get to know much faster.MH370 sent no distress signal and so far, just one confirmed piece of the plane has been found. No black boxes or bodies of victims have been discovered.This may make it difficult for families to prove fault on the part of Malaysia Airlines, which is key if families hope to claim more compensation than the $175,000 per passenger guaranteed under terms of the Montreal Convention. As such, Kuala Lumpur aviation attorney Jeremy Joseph feels insurers are safe from further claims.I dont think the discovery of the debris would have any real impact on the position of the insurance claims unless further discovery is madethat would give some indication of what exactly happened, Joseph told the Wall Street Journal.The airlines insurers Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty and Lloyds of London unit Atrium have already paid more than $300 million for claims related to the crash. Both companies have issued statements saying the discovery of part of the wreckage has not changed the situation, nor their willingness to pay valid claims.The aircraft had been flying under Malaysia Airlines since May 2002 without mechanical or computer troubles. The communications systems aboard the plane were also operating normally until radio and transponder signals stopped during Flight 370. February saw the highest number of tornadoes in the US since 2008 according to a new report from Aon Benfield. Storms including tornadoes hit the Plains, Midwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast and Virginia was hit by the states strongest twister ever.Combined economic losses in the U.S. which also includes damage resulting from heavy snow and ice are expected to top USD1.0 billion. The insurance industry was poised to see losses reach well into the hundreds of millions of dollars.Additionally, a magnitude-5.1 tremor in the U.S. state of Oklahoma caused minor damage. The USGS cited the event was likely the third-strongest earthquake ever recorded in Oklahoma.Elsewhere, Fiji was hit by Tropical Cyclone Winston with economic losses of around U$470 million and the impact to insurers estimated at $47 million. There was also a $175 million economic loss for the UK from two windstorms; and earthquakes in New Zealand and Taiwan.Drivers in Nova Scotia are skeptical about installing so-called black box technology, or telematics, in their vehicles. A report from OTC Insurance and the Insurance Bureau of Canada has found a low rate of customers willing to install the technology despite the chance to save up to 25 per cent on their auto insurance premiums."We've been advertising quite heavily on the radio and seems like people are very leery about having this device in their vehicle for the insurance companies to look at," OTC Insurance vice-president Christine Gaudreau told CBC News.While Nova Scotia may be a tough sell for telematics, the Insurance Bureau of Canada said that there is a better take-up of the tech in other parts of Canada, notably Ontario and Quebec.Global insurance brokerage Hub International has acquired the assets of BenefitsMart for an undisclosed sum. BenefitsMart specializes in employee benefits and provides a full range of services to its clients including insurance, compliance, wellness, and benefits administration. Its founder and president Jean Russell will join Hub New England. Hub says that it is committed to growth through acquisitions to expand its geographical and industry capabilities. India vs Pakistan Weather Forecast, T20 World Cup 2022: Rains Delay Training, Flood Alert in Melbourne on Match Day T20 World Cup: 'This Has Hurt Indian Cricket the Most'-Sunil Gavaskar Slams India for 'Optional' Practice Sessions T20 World Cup: 'Even if They Lose to Pakistan....'-India Great Says Things Looking 'A Lot Better' in India's Group India vs Pakistan: Here's How The Rivalry Has Shaped up Over The Years Across T20 World Cups Imperial Valley News Center D3 Innovation Summit Pitch Challenge Washington, DC - Last Wednesday, the D3 Innovation Summit was held at the U.S. Department of State. A joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the event brought together experts from across the U.S. Government and the private sector to discuss emerging technologies and collaborative, whole-of-government innovation essential to solving global challenges. The Summits main event, the D3 Pitch Challenge, featured six finalist teamsselected from nearly 500 employee submissions across State, DoD, and USAIDwho developed proposals on how the United States might leverage new technologies to advance U.S. diplomacy, defense, and development goals. Finalists presented their proposals before a senior government panel, featuring Catherine Novelli, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment; U.S. Air Force General Paul Selva, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Eric Postel, Associate Administrator of USAID. Team 1: 3-D Building Printing for the Advancement of GeoPolitical Objectives A proposal to construct infrastructure and facilities at austere bases or in post-disaster areas more efficiently and economically through new advances in 3-D printing technologies. The proposal was recognized by the panel with the Greatest Impact certificate. Team 2: Operation Crow: Saving Lives at the Last Mile A proposal to use unmanned aerial vehicles to improve the delivery of healthcare supplies and medical tracking in rural, isolated, and conflict-ridden areas. Team 3: Active Shooter Protection System A proposal to develop a system that strengthens emergency response capabilities in U.S. embassies, consulates, and other facilities in the United States or abroad by using a shooter-activated alarm system. The proposal was recognized by the panel with the Metrics certificate and the Feasibility certificate. Team 4: Unleashing the Informal Economy: Lighting the Match on Dark Data A proposal to use advances in geotagging and data analytics to strengthen U.S. Open Government partnerships globally by finding data that helps public institutions meet good governance commitments. Team 5: Sustainable Microgrids: Building Stability and Capacity in Regions of U.S. Strategic Interest A proposal from an interagency team to develop innovative infrastructure models to connect and secure energy transfer between solar, wind, and water sources for communities in developing countries and austere bases abroad. Team 6: Space Solar Clean, Constant, & Global A proposal to use space-based solar power technologies for renewable energy. The proposal was recognized by the panel with the Collaboration certificate, the Presentation certificate, and the Innovation certificate. In addition, the proposal was recognized with the D3 Peoples Choice Award, selected through a vote among participants at the event. Imperial Valley News Center First Lady Michelle Obama Celebrates One Year Of Let Girls Learn, And Announces New Commitments To The Initiative Washington, DC - In March 2015, the President and the First Lady launched Let Girls Learn, a U.S. government initiative aimed at helping adolescent girls attain a quality education that empowers them to reach their full potential. The recently released FY 2017 Presidents Budget has requested more than $100 million in new funds for the initiative, building on the $250 million in funds requested in the FY 2016 Presidents Budget to launch the initiative. Additionally, foreign governments, including Japan, South Korea and the UK, have collectively pledged nearly $600 million towards global girls education programming. Domestically, the First Lady is galvanizing students to become global citizens, from launching the #62MillionGirls social media campaign last September, to releasing the Let Girls Learn toolkit at last summers Girl Up Summit, to talking directly to girls at the Apollo Theater at last falls The Power of an Educated Girl town hall with Glamour Magazine. Another key approach to making Let Girls Learn a success is through public private partnerships. The independent commitments described below build upon commitments announced at last years Fortunes Most Powerful Women Summit. Private Sector Commitments to Let Girls Learn: JOHNSON & JOHNSON will support global fundraising efforts in support of the girls education through Global Moms Relay and Donate a Photo App, totaling more than $200,000 over two years. In addition, Johnson & Johnson will contribute $50,000 to the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund. For more information please contact Nadia Mostafa. PROCTER & GAMBLE is making a $100,000 donation to the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund to enable adolescent girls education programming with a focus on Africa and Asia. For International Womens Day, Always will promote Let Girls Learn by proposing girls education-emojis, including a Mrs. Obama Let Girls Learn emoji. In addition, P&G and Peace Corps will explore expanding Always Confidence Teaching Curriculum to help more girls build and maintain confidence through education. For more information please contact Tara Hogan Charles. STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS WORLDWIDE, INC. will produce original promotional video content to run on SPG TV, an in-hotel TV network reaching upwards of 12 million consumers a month, as well as distribution across its many social media channels. Starwood will also designate Let Girls Learn as an official SPG charity partner, designing a promotion which allows members to donate Starpoints to benefit Let Girls Learn. For more information please contact Jessica Doyle. JETBLUE will produce an original seatback video about Let Girls Learn for all flights during a key amplification month, raising awareness and inspiring all around international girls education. Additionally, JetBlue will provide a financial donation to the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund. For more information please contact Icema Gibbs. LYFT will drive donations to the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund through their tip-matching program, which will match funds when passengers tip their drivers. Lyft will identify key moments to activate this collaboration throughout the year. For more information please contact Alexandra LaManna. J.CREW will support Let Girls Learn through their Garments for Good initiative and will design specific items to be released later this year. Garments for Good is a J.Crew initiative to lend support by selling items in their stores and online, with all profits being donated to the selected charity. For more information please contact Katie Reppert. CSOFT INTERNATIONAL will translate Let Girls Learn materials, including the Peace Corps training literature, from English into multiple languages. For more information please contact Megan Robinson. THE GIRLS LOUNGE is helping raise awareness around Let Girls Learn by commissioning a Let Girls Learn mural at Union Market and bringing a Let Girls Learn bus to Washington, DC to celebrate International Womens Day. The Girls Lounge, in collaboration with partner Rubicon Project will also provide digital media campaigns to drive awareness and messaging for Let Girls Learn throughout 2016. For more information please contact Suzie Domnick. SALESFORCE.ORG will financially support Room to Reads expansion of girls education in Cambodia and Sri Lanka. This commitment will support the work the First Lady has done to shed light on the importance of girls education in Cambodia, where she visited Room to Reads work as part of the Let Girls Learn launch. For more information please contact Karly Bolton. Public Sector and NGO Commitments to Let Girls Learn: DINING FOR WOMEN is a global giving circle dedicated to transforming lives and eradicating poverty among women and girls in the developing world. They will support the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund with a $100,000 grant to fund community projects that address barriers to girls education and promote empowerment. For more information please contact Wendy Frattolin. RTI INTERNATIONAL, a nonprofit institute that provides research, development and technical services worldwide, will donate to the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund. For more information please contact RTI Press. CONNECTHER is raising awareness about access to education and schooling in the developing world through Girls Impact the World (GITW) Film Festival. Connecther is launching the GITW Global Chapters to screen short films from the Film Festival about the education of girls, economic independence for girls, redefining beauty and other critical issues. Each screening will include a session about girls education. For more information please contact Lila Igram. AMY POEHLERS SMART GIRLS, along with the Peace Corps, will share educational resources such as video and classroom correspondence activities to give Smart Girls" the opportunity to learn about the world and connect with other Smart Girls eager to engage and support girls education. For more information please contact Rebecca Rolnick. Curiosity leads Stanford bioengineers to discover the inner workings of a novel mode of insect flight Stanford, California - When Manu Prakash was a graduate student, he would often search for his thoughts during hikes through the woods in western Massachusetts. On one of these excursions, he stopped by a pond to watch water lilies blossom, and noticed a series of small ripples flash across the water. It was a perfectly still day; no wind, no rain. A few minutes of investigation revealed the culprit: a tiny insect, called the water lily beetle, which flits from lily pad to lily pad. Prakash scooped up a few of the beetles and took them home, and began studying them as they skittered across water-filled plates on his kitchen table. Years later, Prakash's curiosity has paid off, as he and his students have discovered the remarkable physics of this beetle's flight. "The surface tension forces are so large compared to this little thing, but it has the capacity to fly at half a meter per second on the surface of water without ever detaching from the water's surface," said Prakash, now an assistant professor of bioengineering at Stanford. "It's one of the fastest-known locomotion strategies on the surface of water." Maintaining contact with the water is central to the beetle's ability to travel from lily pad to lily pad. But the unique strategy the beetle employs to essentially fly in two dimensions didn't become apparent until Prakash arrived at Stanford and began formalizing his kitchen experiments. Prakash, along with a couple of summer interns, Thibaut Bardon and Dong Hyun Kim, painstakingly videoed the beetles as they darted here and there in small aquariums. The video clips caught the eager eye of Haripriya Mukundarajan, a mechanical engineering graduate student in Prakash's lab. "Every time they presented their work, I just thought it was the coolest project in existence," she said. "The beetles look so beautiful on film, and this project is so rich with opportunity to do really fascinating research in so many fields, including fluid mechanics, biomechanics and non-linear dynamics, and synthesize them into an explanation of this biological phenomenon." The videos revealed the beetle's unique technique. Once the bug settles on the water, it lifts each leg, one at a time, and carefully places them back so that only the tip comes into contact with the water's surface. Next, it raises its two middle legs high above its body, unfurls its wings, and flaps in a figure-eight motion. As the wing-beat action settles into a stable frequency 115 cycles per second the insect rocks slightly, picks up steam and shoots across the water without ever losing contact with the surface. But it required careful analysis of the video and the creation of mathematical models that incorporate all aspects of the insect's flight to unravel the complicated physics that make this possible. The researchers found that the preflight leg routine was crucial for minimizing friction with the water and for establishing stability. The research team's calculations also explained the invisible source of the ripples that first caught Prakash's interest. The claws on the beetle's feet grip the water just enough so that when it beats its wings downward, the beetle actually pulls the surface of the water upward. Conversely, on the upstroke, the water pulls the beetle back down. Amazingly, the beetle is able to beat its wings at a consistent frequency even through all this jostling, and the repetitive up-and-down action is maintained as the beetle travels, creating an unexpected effect. "This makes the insect feel as though it is on a pogo stick on the water. It makes for a fairly bumpy ride from the insect's perspective, but without this it will either fly off or sink," Mukundarajan said. "You don't usually associate bumpiness with water, but at that scale surface tension is so dominant in the system that it completely turns human intuition on its head. This has provided some fascinating insights into fluid mechanics." This discovery, Prakash said, serves as a reminder that simply altering one's frame of mind can lead to startling findings. For instance, imagine shrinking yourself down to the millimeter scale. You haven't just shrunk down, the entire world around you is suddenly changed, and forces that you never think about all of the sudden matter, often in ways you wouldn't expect. A drop of water to a human is nothing, but the surface forces of that same drop could feel like superglue to a small creature. "When you put yourself in the framework of animals that live in this planet, you suddenly realize the way they solve problems is fundamentally different from the way you and I would think about solving an engineering problem," he said. "That's just fascinating, because you suddenly stumble upon completely new and creative solutions." This research is published in the Journal of Experimental Biology and was funded in part by a Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Student Research Fellowship, an NSF Career Award and a Pew Foundation Fellowship. Vice President Joe Biden on the Unjust Detention of Nadiya Savchenko Washington, DC - Vice President Joe Biden on the Unjust Detention of Nadiya Savchenko: "Last December, I had the great honor of addressing the Ukrainian Rada. I spoke to them about how, as members of Ukraines parliament, they had the opportunity to write a new future for their country. But one Rada member was notably missing that dayNadiya Savchenko. Instead, her photo hung from the speakers podium as a reminder of her ongoing struggle. "Nadiya has been unjustly imprisoned in Russia since 2014detained and facing trial on trumped up charges. Nadiya was proudly serving her country as a member of the Ukrainian armed forces, fighting in the eastern part of the country when she was abducted by separatists and taken across the border against her will. "During the past 20 months, she has become a symbol of Ukrainian national pride and strength. She was even elected to the Rada from her prison cell. Her unlawful continuing detention is a clear violation of Russias commitment under the Minsk agreements, and she should be freed at once. Recently, Nadiya has begun a new hunger strike to protest her detention, and her health has begun to deteriorate after five days with no food or liquids. "Today, as we mark International Womens Day and honor all the brave women who struggle against injustice in this world, we also stand with Nadiya and with the Ukrainian people. And we call on Russia to make the right choiceto drop all charges and release her at once. Nadiya deserves to go home to her family and friends and join her fellow Rada members to begin shaping a new Ukraine." Secret sauce for successful startups in China Stanford, California - From humble beginnings known for its fruit orchards, Silicon Valley has transformed into the heartland of entrepreneurship and innovation in the United States. Each year hundreds of budding entrepreneurs from all over the world descend on Silicon Valley in search of the secret sauce. What makes this environment ripe for creativity and innovation? Can the environment be replicated in another country? Charles Eesley, an assistant professor in the Department of Management Science and Engineering and at the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, has been studying the implications of institutional change for entrepreneurship in the United States, China and Japan. This week, a study by Eesley and collaborators Delin Yang, a professor at Tsinghua University, and Jian Bai "Jamber" Li, a doctoral student at Stanford, was published in Organization Science that analyzes the successes and failures of one of China's primary efforts to encourage innovation. The work looks specifically at Project 985, an educational reform program funded and implemented by the government of the People's Republic of China and launched in 1998. It sought to foster a belief in the importance of innovation among students of 39 partner universities, with Tsinghua University and Peking University each receiving a current value of nearly $276 million. This funding provided new classes and programs on innovation and commercialization, recruitment of accomplished researchers from overseas institutions and corporations to teaching positions, construction of new facilities and acquisition of new equipment needed for advanced research. Following is a Q&A with Eesley about his research: What did your research reveal about innovation funding and outcomes in China? Government funding provided additional resources both in classrooms and in the lab, and students graduating from the Project 985 universities were significantly more likely to create innovative, high-tech firms. However, when they commercialize their technologies in a startup, they find that innovating in a manner advocated by Project 985 negatively impacts firm financial performance. How does Project 985 negatively impact firm performance? It turns out that political networking results in better firm performance in the Chinese context. This is a counterintuitive result. From a U.S. perspective, you would expect the additional funding for research and development would lead to more innovative products that would result in better firm performance. The other institutions in the U.S. that are implemented to support startups, such as intellectual property and antitrust laws, are lacking in their enforcement in China. Also, state-owned enterprises are often favored and it often becomes difficult for a startup to compete against a state-owned enterprise no matter how innovative the product. We found that those students influenced by Project 985 reform were less likely to engage in political networking and more likely to spend time and invest in research and development activities. They thought that the great technology that they developed was enough to succeed and they were actually spending time on activities not linked to better firm performance. How would you compare entrepreneurship in China to Japan and the United States? A big part of my research is that environment shapes the type of entrepreneurship for a specific region. China, the U.S. and Japan all have very different cultural and institutional environments. The forms of entrepreneurship that you see are a reflection of the policies at each place. Each of these markets is at a different stage of their development. In the Chinese market over the past decade, they have been going through a boom in manufacturing that the U.S. and Japan went through a couple of decades ago. The U.S. economy has moved more fully into services and the type of entrepreneurship that you see is focused on e-commerce, health care, financial services and less about agriculture and manufacturing. The Japanese economy is also advanced. With their aging economy, low-end manufacturing is becoming more commoditized and moving into robotics and high-end manufacturing. Some of the market struggles that we are seeing in the Chinese economy are a reflection of transitions taking place. The services industry is one of the fastest growing in China and manufacturing is slowing down. The million-dollar question: Is there a formula for boosting innovation and entrepreneurship that can be replicated? It is complicated and there are a lot of factors. There are institutional policies and culture, both of which take time. What we learn from this study is that sometimes changing just one policy in isolation is not effective and we need other complementary policies to be enforced as well. For instance, Taiwan mimics U.S. policies. However there is something about the education system in the U.S. that allows students to be creative and think outside the box and do something different. To purely compete on efficiency and low cost is very difficult over time and you don't gain the higher profit margin from offering a differentiated product or service. You have to consider both the policies, and their correct implementation, and the cultural environment. Educational institutions have an important role to play as well both in technical education as well as in entrepreneurship education and informing policymakers. In the end, it's a bit of copy and adapt depending on the local environment. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} When JJ Abrams released the trailer for 10 Cloverfield Lane it took everyone by surprise, even the cast of the film. In an attempt to keep all knowledge of the film out of public consciousness, the films crew were not made aware of its actual title, instead calling it The Cellar and Valencia on set. When lead actor Mary Elizabeth Winstead didnt hear about the movie for months after filming, she assumed the worst. "There were moments when I was worried, she told Rolling Stone. I mean, I'm unaccustomed to not hearing about a movie. Dan [Trachtenberg, director] called me literally an hour before the trailer came out and told me the title of the movie. My first reaction was OK. That's interesting. I'm not quite sure how to feel about it, but that's interesting." And then I started checking Twitter around the time that the trailer dropped and I was like: 'Oh!'" Winstead explained that she had absolutely no idea it was part of a major franchise. Neither did co-star John Gallagher, Jr: "There were always a couple of titles that were floating around on set. Some people were calling it The Cellar, others were calling it Valencia, but I never gave it too much thought. Because as an actor I'm always like 'Who knows what's going to happen after we shoot this thing?'" Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Clara Rockmore was a master of the Theremin, the instrument that inspired much of the best electronic music in the world and led to the first synthesiser. To encourage people to stay at home during the coronavirus, todays Google Doodle is a virtual Theremin you can play by hovering the mouse over different notes to play a melody. What is a Theremin? A Theremin is a musical instrument played without actually touching any part of the device and was one of the first electronic instruments. It was created by Leon Theremin, a Russian inventor in 1928. At aged just 23, the inventor stumbled across the idea. He was working on a gas meter to measure gas and realised as he brought his hand closer to the meter, he heard a higher squeal and as he moved it away, it be became slower. Clara Rockmore on today's Google Doodle, on what would have been her 105th birthday (Google) How does it work? Made up of a small wooden cabinet, with glass tube oscillators, the instrument works by producing two high frequency sounds. It only produces one sound at a time and the performer controls the sounds by moving their hand over the instrument. The best Google Doodles Show all 50 1 /50 The best Google Doodles The best Google Doodles Mister Rogers Google Doodle celebrating children's TV presenter Mister Rogers Google The best Google Doodles Lucy Wills Google Doodle celebrating haematologist Lucy Wills Google The best Google Doodles Falafel Google Doodle celebrating falafel Google The best Google Doodles St George's Day Google Doodle celebrating St George's Day Google The best Google Doodles James Wong Howe Google Doodle celebrating Hollywood golden age cinematographer James Wong Howe Google The best Google Doodles Seiichi Miyake Google Doodle celebrating Seiichi Miyake, developer of tactile paving Google The best Google Doodles Walter Cronkite Google celebrates US broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite's 100th birthday The best Google Doodles Lantern Festival 2016 Google celebrates the last day of the Chinese New Year celebrations with a doodle of the Lantern Festival Google The best Google Doodles Google Doodle celebrating 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Google celebrates Ladislao Jose Biro's 117th birthday The best Google Doodles Amalia Hernandez Google Doodle celebrating ballet choreographer Amalia Hernandez Google The best Google Doodles Dr Samuel Johnson Google Doodle celebrating lexicographer Dr Samuel Johnson Google The best Google Doodles British Sign Language Google Doodle celebrating British Sign Language Google The best Google Doodles Eduard Khil Google Doodle celebrating baritone singer Eduard Khil Google The best Google Doodles Fourth of July Google Doodle celebrating Fourth of July Google The best Google Doodles Victor Hugo Google Doodle celebrating author Victor Hugo Google The best Google Doodles Google Doodle celebrating Giro d'Italia's 100th Anniversary Google Doodle celebrating Giro d'Italia's 100th Anniversary Google The best Google Doodles Google Doodle celebrating St. Patrick's Day Google Doodle celebrating St. Patrick's Day Google The best Google Doodles Google Doodle celebrating St. David's Day Google Doodle celebrating St. David's Day Google The best Google Doodles Steve Biko Today's Google Doodle features anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko Google The best Google Doodles The history of tea in Britain Google celebrates the 385th anniversary of tea in the UK The best Google Doodles Nettie Stevens Google celebrates geneticist Nettie Stevens 155th birthday The best Google Doodles William Morris Google celebrates English polymath William Morris' 182 birthday with a doodle showcasing his most famous designs Google The best Google Doodles Professor Scoville Google marks Professor Scovilles 151st birthday The best Google Doodles Sophie Taeuber-Arp Google marks artist Sophie Taeuber-Arp's 127th birthday Performers are effectively moving their hands through two electromagnetic fields around two antennas to created different pitched sounds. One antenna is a vertical rod on the right-hand-side, which controls pitch, while the other is a horizontal loop, usually on the left, which controls volume. Leon Theremin playing the musical synthesizer he invented (Rex Features) Moving the hand closer to the vertical rod raises the pitch of the sound, and moving the hand closer to the volume side decreases the sound. The instrument takes skill to perfect due to its complicated nature of moving around the antennae at the right height. Best Google's Doodles And how was it made famous? After a meeting at the Kremlin with Lenin, who was highly impressed, Mr Theremin was sent off around Russia and the rest of the world to showcase his musical technology. He performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City, where the Radio Corporation of America offered him a contract to manufacture the instrument. It was in America that Mr Theremin met Ms Rockmore, where she apparently took to it immediately and from then on used it as her primary instrument in her musical performances. The rather strange device has since laid the way for modern electronic music. The Beach Boys used a variation of the original Theremin in their hit song "Good Vibrations" in 1966. The sound is the same, producing an almost eerie sci-fi electronic wave, but the Elector-Theremin, as creator Paul Tanner named it, is much easier to play. In subculture, the Theremin is used on hit US comedy, The Big Bang Theory. Sheldon Cooper plays the Theremin, although very badly, which he attributes to loving after hearing it in the original Star Trek theme tune. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} If you've ever wondered why some of your Facebook friends constantly share everything, the answer may lie in their brains. Through analysing the brains of 35 study participants, a team of researchers from Berlin's Freie Universitat and the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Science believe they have determined the network of brain regions involved with sharing personal information on Facebook. Rather than simply being an annoying habit, they think online oversharing may be linked to greater activity in the region of the brain linked to self-cognition and self-disclosure. All of the test subjects completed a questionnaire to determine how frequently each of them posted pictures of themselves, updated their profile information and updated their status. The scientists then collected fMRI data from subjects while their minds were allowed to wander. Through analysing the results, they found people who tended to share more about themselves had more numerous and stronger connections between the areas of their brains responsible for thinking about themselves and disclosing information. The three regions of the brain which were analysed for connectivity with self-disclosure on Facebook (Pic: Freie Universitat Berlin) (Freie Universitat Berlin) Dr Dar Meshi, the lead author of the study, which was recently published in the open-access journal Scientific Reports, said: "Human beings like to share information about themselves, and in today's world, one way we're able to share self-related information is by using social media platforms like Facebook." Even though some people think constant selfie-sharing is a symptom of our current obsession with social media, Dr Meshi said his team's study revealed a "network" of brain regions linked to the sharing of personal information on social media. "These findings extend our present knowledge of functional brain connectivity, specifically linking brain regions previously established to function in self-referential cognition to regions indicated in the cognitive process of self-disclosure," he said. Obviously, the brain is a hugely complex organ, and it's not accurate to definitively pin certain social behaviours to very specific phenomena in the brain. However, the authors said the implications of their research are broad, and could lay the foundations for further scientific investigation into self-disclosure and social media. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Popular infant milk formula found in British supermarkets does not reduce risk of eczema and allergies according to new research that also reveals conflicts of interest in many previous studies claiming otherwise - due to financial links with manufacturers. The study, led by Imperial College London, reviewed data from dozens of different trials into hydrolysed baby formula - a type of formula treated with heat to break down the milk proteins. Previous research has claimed that giving this formula to children at risk of conditions such as milk allergy and eczema, instead of standard formula, can reduce the chance of infants developing the conditions. There is no official guidance in the UK recommending the formulas but the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - whose advice is noted by British clinicians - says infants at high risk of developing an allergy can be recommended a hypoallergenic formula for the first four months of life. A review of the evidence published by the Cochrane Library also suggests that hydrolysed formula reduced the risk of allergy, including milk allergy. However the new research, published in the BMJ today/on Wednesday, showed there was no statistically significant reduction in risk of these conditions amongst babies using hydrolysed formula. The scientists said there was also a risk of bias in most past studies investigating the link to allergies, as manufacturers of the milk formula contributed funding. Of the 52 studies they reviewed looking at allergies, conflict of interest was high in 30 per cent, unclear in 51 per cent. Health news in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Health news in pictures Health news in pictures Coronavirus outbreak The coronavirus Covid-19 has hit the UK leading to the deaths of two people so far and prompting warnings from the Department of Health AFP via Getty Health news in pictures Thousands of emergency patients told to take taxi to hospital Thousands of 999 patients in England are being told to get a taxi to hospital, figures have showed. The number of patients outside London who were refused an ambulance rose by 83 per cent in the past year as demand for services grows Getty Health news in pictures Vape related deaths spike A vaping-related lung disease has claimed the lives of 11 people in the US in recent weeks. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has more than 100 officials investigating the cause of the mystery illness, and has warned citizens against smoking e-cigarette products until more is known, particularly if modified or bought off the street Getty Health news in pictures Baldness cure looks to be a step closer Researchers in the US claim to have overcome one of the major hurdles to cultivating human follicles from stem cells. The new system allows cells to grow in a structured tuft and emerge from the skin Sanford Burnham Preybs Health news in pictures Two hours a week spent in nature can improve health A study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing Shutterstock Health news in pictures Air pollution linked to fertility issues in women Exposure to air from traffic-clogged streets could leave women with fewer years to have children, a study has found. Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. While humans were weak to the diseases of the new lands, breeding with the resident neanderthals made for a better equipped immune system PA Health news in pictures Cancer breath test to be trialled in Britain The breath biopsy device is designed to detect cancer hallmarks in molecules exhaled by patients Getty Health news in pictures Average 10 year old has consumed the recommended amount of sugar for an adult By their 10th birthdy, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the recommended amount for an 18 year old. The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. Nephron Health news in pictures Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues Getty Health news in pictures NHS reviewing thousands of cervical cancer smear tests after women wrongly given all-clear Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are under review after failings at a laboratory meant some women were incorrectly given the all-clear. A number of women have already been told to contact their doctors following the identification of procedural issues in the service provided by Pathology First Laboratory. Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. REX Health news in pictures Cannabis extract could provide new class of treatment for psychosis CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety. Getty Health news in pictures Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS Mr Bransons company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an 82m contract to provide childrens health services across Surrey, citing concerns over serious flaws in the way the contract was awarded PA Health news in pictures More than 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively Getty Health news in pictures Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels. On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even metabolically healthy obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range Getty Health news in pictures Sleep deprivation When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself Shutterstock Health news in pictures Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the napercise class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years Getty Health news in pictures Cycling to work could halve risk of cancer and heart disease Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests but campaigners have warned there is still an urgent need to improve road conditions for cyclists. Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people. Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling. Getty Overall there was no consistent evidence that partially or extensively hydrolysed formulas reduce risk of allergic or autoimmune outcomes in infants at high pre-existing risk of these outcomes, they write. Dr Robert Boyle, senior author of the study from the Department of Medicine at ICL, said: Despite parents being advised these hydrolysed milk formulas may reduce the risk of conditions such as milk allergy and eczema, we found no evidence to support these claims. In the paper, funded by the Food Standards Agency, the team analysed studies that included over 19,000 participants. The trials compared hydrolysed formula to standard formula, and some trials made comparisons with breast milk or between two different hydrolysed formulas. Dr Boyle said: Not only did we find no evidence of reduced risk from hydrolysed formula, but we found very few studies which were methodologically sound and without a conflict of interest. For instance, in some of the studies all babies were started on the formula at birth, or a few days after. This raises questions about whether enough was done to promote breastfeeding to the mothers in those studies. The authors suggest that any future trials on hydrolysed formula should be independently funded, and include adequate oversight to ensure that they do not negatively impact on breastfeeding in study participants. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Stop using your phone when Im talking to you may sound like what an angry parent would say to a child, but it is in fact a rule that young people wish to impose on their families, a new study has found. US researchers surveyed 249 families with children between the ages of 10 to 17 about how technology use was restricted in their households. The children were also asked which rules they wished they could impose on their parents. Researchers found there were seven common themes. Parents shouldnt share information, including photos, online about their children with their explicit permission, the participants also said. Children also wanted their parents to be more present and stop using technology during conversatons, and use devices in moderation. The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Show all 20 1 /20 The 20 best places to raise children in the UK The 20 best places to raise children in the UK The Orkney Islands The coast of the Orkney Islands near Bisray village Chmee2/Creative Commons The 20 best places to raise children in the UK The Shetland Islands A general view of the Shetland Islands JOHN D MCHUGH/AFP/Getty Images The 20 best places to raise children in the UK The Western Isles A man rides his bike on Harris, one of the Western Isles, also known as the Outer Hebrides Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Winchester Choristers from Winchester Cathedral enjoy the artificial rink set up beside the cathedral The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Eden The Hartside Summit in the North Pennines in the district of Eden Christopher Furlong/Getty Images The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Craven A sheepdog works in Skipton, in the district of Craven Christopher Furlong/Getty Images The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Ryedale The Folk Museum in Ryedale Creative Commons/Dennis Smith The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Staffordshire Moorlands Three Shire Heads, which crosses over Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire Wikimedia Commons/Brian Jones The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Huntingdonshire St Ives in Cambridgeshire, which lies within the boundaries of Huntingdonshire snowmanradio/Creative Commons The 20 best places to raise children in the UK South Northamptonshire The village of Bradden and St.Michael's church, in south Northamptonshire Greg Fitchett/Creative Commons The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Harrogate Spring flowers adorn the front of the Crown Hotel in the Spa town of Harrogate in Yorkshire and The Humber Christopher Furlong/Getty Images The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Rutland Normanton Church in Rutland NotFromUtrecht/Creative Commons The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Warwick The West Midlands county town of Warwick David Alonso Perez/Creative Commons The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Surrey Heath St Michael's Church, Camberley, which is situated in Surrey Heath Len Willians/Creative Commons The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Chichester A view of the Cathedral in Chichester Evgeniy Podkopaev/Creative Commons The 20 best places to raise children in the UK South Lakeland Kendal, which lies in South Lakeland Mark Fosh/Creative Commons The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Richmondshire The swing bridge in Reeth in Richmondshire Kreuzschnabel/Creative Commons The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Tonbridge and Malling Ightham Mote in Tonbridge and Malling Brian Snelson/Creative Commons The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Stratford-on-Avon Straford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare Christopher Furlong/Getty Images The 20 best places to raise children in the UK Aberdeenshire Westhill in Aberdeenshire, Scotland SCOTT CAMPBELL/AFP/Getty Images An apparent fear for safety among children was also highlighted, as they asked parents to stop texting while they were driving or at a traffic light. They agreed that parents should establish and enforce rules to protect them, but said that children should make their own decisions and not be interfered with after that point. Children also wished that parents would follow rules which they impose themselves and stop using devices at mealtimes. However, parents prioritised privacy rules to reduce the risk of children sharing personal information online over concerns their offspring raised. Sarita Schoenebeck, assistant professor in the University of Michigans School of Information and co-author of the study said: Twice as many children as parents expressed concerns about family members oversharing personal information about them on Facebook and other social media without permission. Many children said they found that content embarrassing and felt frustrated when their parents continued to do it. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The virus that causes cold sores could be linked to Alzheimers disease, according to claims made by researchers that have re-ignited the controversial debate over whether the disease is infectious. Academics from international universities including Oxford, Cambridge, and Bologna have warned of the implications of the rejecting the idea that Alzheimers could be triggered by an infection. In an editorial in the Journal of Alzheimers Disease, the researchers wrote of their concern that one particular aspect of the disease has been neglected, even though treatment based on it might slow or arrest Alzheimers disease progression. They went on to cite the many human studies implicating specific microbes in the elderly brain, The Times reported. The brains of patients with Alzheimers disease have been found to have higher than normal levels of chlamydia and herpes, which causes cold sores, they said. Addressing the common belief that an accumulation of the beta amyloid protein in the brain triggers the condition, the researchers claimed that the build-up was in fact a defence mechanism. The claims are likely to cause concern for the 850,000 people who have Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia in the UK, and their relatives who fear they too could develop the condition. However, other researchers and dementia charities have cautioned against the suggestions. The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Show all 7 1 /7 The seven Alzheimer's risk factors The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Hypertension 8 percent of Alzheimer's cases are linked to mid-life hypertension Getty The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Smoking Smoking accounts for 11 percent of Alzheimer's cases Getty The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Obesity Midlife obesity accounts for 7 percent of Alzheimer's cases PA The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Low Educational attainment Low education or simply not using your brain enough accounts for 7 percent of Alzheimer's cases Getty The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Diabetes Problems with blood sugar control kick off the list of modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's.The study suggests that 3 percent of Alzheimer's cases are linked to diabetes The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Depression 15 percent of Alzheimer's cases may stem from depression Rex The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Too little exercise Not enough physical activity is the number one preventable factor that contributes to Alzheimer's cases Rex Features Prof John Hardy, Professor of Neuroscience, UCL, said: This is a minority view in Alzheimer research, adding that there has been no convincing proof that infections cause the disease. We need always to keep an open mind but this editorial does not reflect what most researchers think about Alzheimer disease. Dr James Pickett, Head of Research at Alzheimers Society said: A large number of different microbes including viruses, bacteria and fungi have been found in the brains of older people - but there do appear to be more of them in the brains of people who have died with Alzheimers disease. However, he said that while such observations warrant further research, there is currently not enough evidence to prove that microbes cause Alzheimers. He went on to reassure the public that there is no evidence that Alzheimers is contagious or can be passed from person to person like a virus. Dr Simon Ridley, Director of Research at Alzheimers Research UK, said there is some evidence to suggest that infections could ramp up the immune system and contribute to the progression of Alzheimers. But he added: There isnt conclusive evidence to suggest that a particular infectious agent or microbe could be directly responsible for causing the disease. There are many avenues being explored to understand the initial events that trigger the development of Alzheimers and this is an important part of the research process for ruling in and out particular hypotheses. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Young people and the less well-off find it more difficult to get an appointment with a GP than older, whiter, richer people, according to a damning parliamentary report. A growing shortage of doctors has been blamed on the Department of Health (DoH) and NHS England, which failed to ensure GP numbers kept pace with demand. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) called on the Government to set out plans to address the looming crisis in general practice and to introduce support for doctors who choose more challenging areas to work. Recommended Read more Worry over rent sends a million to GP surgeries Patients ability to get an appointment with their GP has consistently declined in recent years, according to the Access to General Practice in England report, which also states there is an unacceptable variation in peoples experiences of getting and making appointments. It concludes that access to GPs is too dependent on postcode and that patients who are older, white or in a more affluent urban area get better access than anyone else. Professor Maureen Baker, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, told the committee during its investigation that, although some colleagues choose to work in struggling areas when they could get easier and better paid jobs elsewhere, there was nothing to encourage others who are least interested in taking up those roles. Professor Baker blamed the failure to distribute the GP workforce fairly on the demise of the Medical Practitioners Committee 16 years ago, which she said had supported GPs and other primary care staff working in areas of greater deprivation. Demand for general practice grew faster than capacity throughout the last decade. The number of consultations grew by 3.5 per cent on average each year, compared with two per cent annual growth in general practice staffing. Health news in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Health news in pictures Health news in pictures Coronavirus outbreak The coronavirus Covid-19 has hit the UK leading to the deaths of two people so far and prompting warnings from the Department of Health AFP via Getty Health news in pictures Thousands of emergency patients told to take taxi to hospital Thousands of 999 patients in England are being told to get a taxi to hospital, figures have showed. The number of patients outside London who were refused an ambulance rose by 83 per cent in the past year as demand for services grows Getty Health news in pictures Vape related deaths spike A vaping-related lung disease has claimed the lives of 11 people in the US in recent weeks. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has more than 100 officials investigating the cause of the mystery illness, and has warned citizens against smoking e-cigarette products until more is known, particularly if modified or bought off the street Getty Health news in pictures Baldness cure looks to be a step closer Researchers in the US claim to have overcome one of the major hurdles to cultivating human follicles from stem cells. The new system allows cells to grow in a structured tuft and emerge from the skin Sanford Burnham Preybs Health news in pictures Two hours a week spent in nature can improve health A study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing Shutterstock Health news in pictures Air pollution linked to fertility issues in women Exposure to air from traffic-clogged streets could leave women with fewer years to have children, a study has found. Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. While humans were weak to the diseases of the new lands, breeding with the resident neanderthals made for a better equipped immune system PA Health news in pictures Cancer breath test to be trialled in Britain The breath biopsy device is designed to detect cancer hallmarks in molecules exhaled by patients Getty Health news in pictures Average 10 year old has consumed the recommended amount of sugar for an adult By their 10th birthdy, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the recommended amount for an 18 year old. The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. Nephron Health news in pictures Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues Getty Health news in pictures NHS reviewing thousands of cervical cancer smear tests after women wrongly given all-clear Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are under review after failings at a laboratory meant some women were incorrectly given the all-clear. A number of women have already been told to contact their doctors following the identification of procedural issues in the service provided by Pathology First Laboratory. Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. REX Health news in pictures Cannabis extract could provide new class of treatment for psychosis CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety. Getty Health news in pictures Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS Mr Bransons company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an 82m contract to provide childrens health services across Surrey, citing concerns over serious flaws in the way the contract was awarded PA Health news in pictures More than 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively Getty Health news in pictures Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels. On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even metabolically healthy obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range Getty Health news in pictures Sleep deprivation When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself Shutterstock Health news in pictures Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the napercise class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years Getty Health news in pictures Cycling to work could halve risk of cancer and heart disease Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests but campaigners have warned there is still an urgent need to improve road conditions for cyclists. Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people. Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling. Getty During that decade, the proportion of GPs aged 55 to 64 leaving the profession approximately doubled, and the proportion of younger GPs leaving also increased. There are now 370 million patient appointments a year up 60 million on five years ago. A GP in Hampshire told The Independent the situation was relentless and getting worse. He said: By midday, Ive seen or spoken to more than 30 patients, dealt with more than 50 prescription requests, looked at 40-odd letters from secondary care and will soon be going out on my home visits which the media seem to think we dont do any more. I will still be here after 7pm, seeing patients and doing paperwork. Unsurprisingly, the profession is demoralised and on its knees. The GP said he agreed with every word in the report, with the exception that young people find it difficult to get an appointment. In fact, one of our biggest challenges is the increasing demand from young patients who feel they need to see a GP at very short notice, he said. The committee said it expects the DoH, NHS England and Health Education England to act and report on a number of measures to address the problems by the end of this year. They include how they plan to reduce the number of GPs leaving the profession early, how to attract more GPs to return to practice, and how they will monitor progress. A DoH spokesperson said: We are taking wide-ranging action to improve GP access as part of our commitment to a safer, seven-day-a-week NHS. The number of GPs recruited rose last year and we will boost numbers with 10,000 new primary care staff by 2020. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} NHS whistleblowers are to be given safe spaces so that they can speak up with legal protection, the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, will announce. This follows the embarrassing resignation of Dame Eileen Sills, who was due to start next month as the national guardian to support NHS staff worried about patient safety. The post had been created by Mr Hunt in the wake of a report by Sir Robert Francis QC, into the scandal at Mid Staffordshire hospital, in which he said there was a serious problem about the protection of whistleblowers. Dame Eileen planned to combine the role with her jobs as chief nurse at Guys and St Thomas Hospital in London, but relatives affected by the scandal objected to it being part-time. Speaking at a conference of experts on patient safety this morning, Mr Hunt will set out new measures, including the creation of an independent Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch and legal protection for whistleblowers. He will also say that from April 2018, all hospital deaths will be independently reviewed. It is a scandal that every week there are potentially 150 avoidable deaths in our hospitals and it is up to us all to make the need for whistleblowing and secrecy a thing of the past as we reform the NHS and its values and move from blaming to learning, he will say. Today we take a step forward to building a new era of openness. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Being taller really does make a difference in terms of being one of lifes winners or losers, according to a major new study which will be welcomed by the 6 3 tall Donald Trump. For people who are short or fat are destined to do less well in life. They are less likely to have a good education, job, and standard of living, according to a major new study published in the British Medical Journal. The findings, based on data from 120,000 Britons, are the strongest evidence yet that size matters when it comes to future success. Such conclusions are likely to resonate with Marco Rubio, Trumps rival for the Republican Presidential nomination. He is behind in the polls in his home state of Florida and was mocked earlier this year after wearing Cuban heeled boots to boost his 5 10 height. If Trump succeeds in his quest to run for President and faces 5 7 Hilary Clinton, the odds will be in his favour - more than half of all US Presidential elections have been won by the taller candidate. Being short can bring out a determination in some people, with Napoleon complex named after the aggressive attempts of the 56 French general to compensate for his lack of stature. But the results of the new research by British and US experts make for sobering reading. Marco Rubio's shoes are elevated to help compensate for a height deficit next to the 6 3 Donald Trump (Getty) (Getty Images) High BMI and short stature, as estimated by genetics, are causally related to lower socioeconomic status, warns the study, which was overseen by Timothy Frayling, professor of human genetics at the University of Exeter Medical School. Height and BMI play an important partial role in determining several aspects of a persons socioeconomic status, especially womens BMI for income and deprivation and mens height for education, income, and job class, it states. Researchers looked at 396 genetic variants associated with height, and 69 with body mass index (BMI), for the study - which assessed people on education, jobs, income, and deprivation. It drew on genetic data from 120,000 people aged between 40 and 70 who have taken part in the UK Biobank a database of biological information. Trump really wants you to know he doesn't have small hands or a small penis The study found that shorter height led to lower levels of education, lower job status, and less income, particularly in men; while higher BMI resulted in lower income and greater deprivation in women. If you could take the same woman - same intellect, same CV, same background - and send her through life a stone heavier, she would be about 1,500 per year worse off, commented Professor Frayling. And if you took the same man - say a 5ft 10in man and make him 5ft 7in - and sent him through life, he would be about 1,500 worse off per year, he added. Health news in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Health news in pictures Health news in pictures Coronavirus outbreak The coronavirus Covid-19 has hit the UK leading to the deaths of two people so far and prompting warnings from the Department of Health AFP via Getty Health news in pictures Thousands of emergency patients told to take taxi to hospital Thousands of 999 patients in England are being told to get a taxi to hospital, figures have showed. The number of patients outside London who were refused an ambulance rose by 83 per cent in the past year as demand for services grows Getty Health news in pictures Vape related deaths spike A vaping-related lung disease has claimed the lives of 11 people in the US in recent weeks. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has more than 100 officials investigating the cause of the mystery illness, and has warned citizens against smoking e-cigarette products until more is known, particularly if modified or bought off the street Getty Health news in pictures Baldness cure looks to be a step closer Researchers in the US claim to have overcome one of the major hurdles to cultivating human follicles from stem cells. The new system allows cells to grow in a structured tuft and emerge from the skin Sanford Burnham Preybs Health news in pictures Two hours a week spent in nature can improve health A study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing Shutterstock Health news in pictures Air pollution linked to fertility issues in women Exposure to air from traffic-clogged streets could leave women with fewer years to have children, a study has found. Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. While humans were weak to the diseases of the new lands, breeding with the resident neanderthals made for a better equipped immune system PA Health news in pictures Cancer breath test to be trialled in Britain The breath biopsy device is designed to detect cancer hallmarks in molecules exhaled by patients Getty Health news in pictures Average 10 year old has consumed the recommended amount of sugar for an adult By their 10th birthdy, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the recommended amount for an 18 year old. The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. Nephron Health news in pictures Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues Getty Health news in pictures NHS reviewing thousands of cervical cancer smear tests after women wrongly given all-clear Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are under review after failings at a laboratory meant some women were incorrectly given the all-clear. A number of women have already been told to contact their doctors following the identification of procedural issues in the service provided by Pathology First Laboratory. Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. REX Health news in pictures Cannabis extract could provide new class of treatment for psychosis CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety. Getty Health news in pictures Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS Mr Bransons company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an 82m contract to provide childrens health services across Surrey, citing concerns over serious flaws in the way the contract was awarded PA Health news in pictures More than 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively Getty Health news in pictures Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels. On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even metabolically healthy obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range Getty Health news in pictures Sleep deprivation When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself Shutterstock Health news in pictures Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the napercise class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years Getty Health news in pictures Cycling to work could halve risk of cancer and heart disease Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests but campaigners have warned there is still an urgent need to improve road conditions for cyclists. Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people. Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling. Getty And Dr Jessica Tyrrell, research fellow at the University of Exeter Medical School, and lead author on the study, said: Because we used genetics and 120,000 people, this is the strongest evidence to date that there's something about being shorter as a man and having a higher BMI as a woman that leads to being less well-off financially. Experts from the Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard; Boston Childrens Hospital; and Harvard Medical School also took part in the research. A genetically determined single standard deviation in height of 6.3cm increases the odds of working in a skilled profession, and having a degree level education, by 12 and 25 times respectively, says the study. And it is associated with a 1,130 increase in annual household income. Although it does not answer the question of why being taller is an economic benefit, the research states: Some of the possibilities include complex interactions between self-esteem, stigma, positive discrimination, and increased intelligence. Discrimination against overweight people applying for jobs and those in work is cited as a possible reason why a higher BMI is linked to lower income in women. Very thin women are idealised and more socially valued, compared with their normal weight and overweight peers. In contrast, a very different set of social standards exists regarding mens weight, so discrimination based on body size could well be different in men and women, it says. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Tescos fortunes are starting to improve, if the latest wave of supermarket sales data is anything to go by. The UKs biggest supermarket slowed its rate of decline, cutting it in half, in the 12 weeks to 28 February, dropping just 0.8 per cent. By comparison, last year sales dropped 1.6 per cent, according to Kantar Worldpanel. Similar results were recorded by rival supermarket data company Nielsen, which said sales at Tesco fell 0.5 per cent. Analysts suggested that once store closures by the supermarket are factored in that means sales have probably been rising. David McCarthy, a retail analyst at HSBC, said: It appears that on an underlying basis, Tesco sales are slightly positive. Once we take account of deflation (and we believe that Tesco has higher deflation than most), volume growth is well into positive territory. He added that this is good news for suppliers, which would have seen volumes rise, especially since Tesco has cut down on the number of different lines of each product it stocks. Sainsburys remained the only supermarket among the Big Four, which also include Tesco, Asda and Morrisons, to see a sales rise up 0.5 per cent for the eighth consecutive period in a row, according to Kantar Worldpanel. This is the longest run of continuous growth by any Big Four supermarket since March 2013, however, the supermarket has been opening more stores than its rivals, which would help increase sales. Sainsburys continues to open around one convenience store, under its Local banner, a week, with no signs of slowing down. Kantar Worldpanel added that total sales across all supermarkets was up 0.5 per cent the fastest growth since October despite the price war continuing to bite, sending average prices 1.6 per cent lower. Asdas fall from grace continued unabated, as sales plunged 4 per cent, according to Kantar Worldpanel. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Rumours were rife in the City about the identity of the mystery investor potentially preparing a takeover bid for luxury goods giant Burberry. Gossips suggested JAB Holding, the investment vehicle of the billionaire Reimann family from Germany, was the interested party. The Reimanns are famously private, which might also explain why even Burberry has been unable to uncover the identity of the investor, which through HSBC had built its stake last month to 5 per cent although a regulatory filing from HSBC on Monday revealed that the client had dropped its stake below 3 per cent. Some sceptical traders also noted that JAB does not have a reputation for hostile raids. JAB is the largest shareholder in Reckitt Benckiser, the consumer goods giant, with a 9 per cent stake worth 4bn. Its luxury arm controls shoe maker Jimmy Choo, motorcycle jacket firm Belstaff, and Swiss luxury clothing brand Bally. JAB also has a stake in US perfume business Coty and splashed out $13.9bn (9.8bn) earlier this month for American coffee brewer Keurig Green Mountain. Burberry and JAB declined to comment. The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 Show all 20 1 /20 The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 1. British Airways British Airways has come top of a list of the best British brands for third year in the row. The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 2. Rolex Rolex retained second position, also for the third year running, but faced increasing competition from third placed LEGO The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 3. Lego LEGO jumped up eight places in 2016 The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 4. Dyson Dyson, the electronic goods specialist, climbed ten places to fourth, its highest ever position in the survey, following a high profile advertising campaign fronted by eponymous entrepreneur James Dyson The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 5. Gillette The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 6. Mercedes-Benz Mercedes Benz only sent 55 C55 AMG estates to the UK in right-hand drive The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 7. Apple Core values: Apple was ordered to pay $625.6m by a court in East Texas The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 8. Jaguar The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 9. Kellog's The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 10. Andrex Andrex puppy: Soft, strong and very long... no wait, thats the product, not the pup. Very sweet, though The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 11. Nike The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 12. Heinz Heinz, Jaguar and Marks & Spencer all re-entered the top 20, replacing Boots, BMW and Fairy. The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 13. Coca-Cola The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 14. John Lewis John Lewis' festive advert features a girl, Lily, who connects by telescope with an old man alone on the Moon The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 15. Haagen-Dazs 5. Haagen-Dazs chocolate fondant 3.29 for 200ml, tesco.com Overwhelmingly chocolatey with both chocolate ice cream, sauce and brownies in the mix. Just don't eat more than one. The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 16. Google Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California Justin Sullivan/Getty Images The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 17. Virgin Atlantic Winging it: behind-the-scenes documentary 'Virgin Atlantic: Up in the Air' ITV The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 18. Marks & Spencer Getty The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 19. Amazon.co.uk AFP The 20 best-loved British brands in 2016 20. Microsoft The biggest faller within the Top 20 was US tech giant Microsoft, which dropped 16 places. Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images The luxury brand surged 91p or 6.6 per cent to 1,462p as investors mulled a potential takeover offer worth much more than the blue chips current 6bn market value. It was the top performer on the FTSE 100, which fell 56.96 points to 6,125.44 as miners beat a hasty retreat with commodities prices slamming into reverse after Mondays huge surges. More dismal Chinese trade data was to blame for early falls, but Glencores slump down 31p at 139.75p was exacerbated by the news of a wall collapsing at its copper mine in Congo, killing two and leaving another five missing. CLS Holdings was 60p firmer at 1,621p as the FTSE 250 property investors solid annual results helped dispel concerns about a property bubble in London. On AIM, Victoria Carpets improved 50p to 1,330p as it confirmed early talks to buy Belgian rival Lano, while podcast site AudioBoom slipped 0.38p to 3.13p as annual pre-tax losses widened to 7.4m. Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Race Report email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Positive discrimination is not the right solution to increasing the number of black and ethnic minority faces on screen, Sir Trevor McDonald has claimed. Sir Trevor, Britains first black newsreader, said he believes a meritocracy is the best way to ensure the best talent comes to the fore. Speaking at a Bafta celebration of his life, Sir Trevor was asked if he favoured a positive discrimination approach. This is not too susceptible to these easy answers. I think are circumstances in which positive discrimination has to be done, he said. In South Africa where 80 per cent of the population, 85 per cent of the population were discriminated against, to change that you had to do it. I think there are real philosophical problems about positive discrimination. The Trinidad-born broadcaster, 78, added: I think it would be horrible to be the person who gets the job because of positive discrimination, and to have everybody in the room look around and say I know exactly why he or she has got that job, thats awful. Im a great believer in meritocracy. However Sir Lenny Henry, who is campaigning for greater diversity on UK television, has called the industrys poor record on BAME representation, a market failure. The comic actor called for ringfenced funding to increase BAME representation but is also sceptical of quotas because I think people should get jobs because they are qualified and they can prove they are good at the job. In his Bafta interview, the former News at Ten anchor, who has interviewed Saddam Hussein and Colonel Gaddafi, said even the most vicious dictators should be placed under journalistic scrutiny. I do wish for all sorts of reasons that arch-criminals like Adolf Hitler were subjected to rigorous Robin Day style interviewing. Sir Trevor would want to cross-examine a latter-day Hitler because I think that in secrecy and behind the scenes, and hidden away from the cameras and from journalistic inquiry, tyrants flourish. The broadcasting veteran said he had been reduced to tears by images of the Syria refugee crisis. Asked what made him cry, he replied: Pictures of refugees streaming across Macedonia to the sight of barbed wire. I think thats, it strikes me as being something which one would have seen in 1936, I am horrified by those images. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Sir George Martin was the man who made The Beatles. Not only did he give the band their record deal, but he brought their visions to life and pieced together their recordings from fragments of tape amassed during long hours in the Abbey Road studios. The Liverpool quartet had been turned down by every record company as they tried to make it in the music business. But when Martin - then head of the Parlophone label - heard their demo tape in 1962, then attended an audition session, he spotted something special. There began the partnership which would turn the Fab Four into the world's greatest band and change the face of popular music. With his genteel manners and refined accent, Martin, born in January 1926, was often regarded as a toff who guided the working-class Beatles to fame. But in reality he was a carpenter's son from Holloway, north London. George Martin: Life in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 George Martin: Life in pictures George Martin: Life in pictures 1963 The Beatles at a recording session for the Parlophone label with their producer George Martin Getty Images George Martin: Life in pictures April 1963 The Beatles hold their silver disc. (L-R) Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, George Martin of EMI and John Lennon Getty Images George Martin: Life in pictures 1965 Sir George Martin, British record producer and composer is sometimes referred to as 'the Fifth Beatle', owing to his production work on all but one of The Beatles' original albums Getty Images George Martin: Life in pictures May 1968 George Martin with Cilla Black, whose single 'Work Is A Four Letter Word' he produced Getty Images George Martin: Life in pictures June 1999 The Bangles with Beatles producer, Sir George Martin at the Hollywood Bowl where the band performed 'Roll Over Beethoven' conducted by Martin. From l-r: Michael Steele, Vicki Peterson, Sir George Martin, Suzanna Hoffs and Debbi Peterson Getty Images George Martin: Life in pictures March 1999 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Sir George Martin holds up his statue during the 15th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in New York George Martin: Life in pictures February 2001 Beatles' producer George Martin during a press conference at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty Images George Martin: Life in pictures September 2002 Sir George Martin speaks during the launch of Windows Media 9 Series in Hollywood Getty Images George Martin: Life in pictures October 2002 Sir George Martin shares a seat with a statue of John Lennon in a park of Havana, Cuba. Martin made a visit to Cuba to offer conferences on the Beatles and to participate in concerts with Cuban musicians Getty Images George Martin: Life in pictures May 2006 Music directors Giles Martin (L) and Sir George Martin (R) speak at the media viewing of The Beatles 'Love' by Cirque du Soleil at The Mirage in Las Vegas Getty Images George Martin: Life in pictures June 2006 Musical directors Giles Martin (L) and his father Sir George Martin joke around during a behind-the-scenes tour of 'The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil' at The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas Getty Images George Martin: Life in pictures June 2006 Sir George Martin arrives with his wife Judy Lockhart Smith at the gala premiere of 'The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil' at The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas Getty Images George Martin: Life in pictures November 2006 (L-R) CEO of EMI Tony Wadsworth, Producer Sir George Martin and his son Giles and Paul Gambaccini are seen at the Launch of the New Beatles Album, 'Love' at Abbey Road Studios in London Getty Images George Martin: Life in pictures February 2008 Musician Ringo Starr of the Beatles, Beatles producer Sir George Martin and producer Giles Martin accept the Best Compilation Sountrack Album award for 'Love' onstage during the 50th annual Grammy awards held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Getty Images George Martin: Life in pictures June 2011 Sugar Ray singer and television personality Mark McGrath (L) greets music producer Sir George Martin as they arrive at the fifth anniversary celebration of 'The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil' show at The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas Getty Images He showed an interest in music from an early age, teaching himself to play the piano by ear, and went on to win a place at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music. Before attending the Guildhall, he spent the years from 1943 to 1948 as an observer with the British Fleet Air Arm, rising to the rank of lieutenant - a period which saw him shed his Cockney accent. I've been cast in the role of schoolmaster, the toff, the better-educated, and they've been the urchins that I've shaped, he said of The Beatles. It's a load of poppycock, really, because our backgrounds were very similar. Paul and John went to quite good schools. We didn't pay to go to school, my parents were very poor. Again, I wasn't taught music and they weren't, we taught ourselves. As for the posh bit, you can't really go through the Royal Navy and get commissioned as an officer and fly in the Fleet Air Arm without getting a little bit posh. You can't be like a rock 'n' roll idiot throwing soup around in the wardroom. On his return from service, Martin enrolled at the Guildhall and made a living playing the oboe in bars and clubs around London. He married first wife Sheena at 22 and they had two children. His first job after graduation was in the BBC's music library. The Beatles receive a silver disc from Sir George Martin in 1963 (Rex Features) From there he moved on to an assistant position at record label Parlophone, a division of EMI, and rose to become its head by 1955, aged 29. It was there he met second wife Judy, his boss's secretary, with whom he also had two children. Martin produced jazz artists including Cleo Laine, John Dankworth, Humphrey Lyttelton and Stan Getz. He was also responsible for comic recordings from the likes of Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan, along with the Beyond The Fringe team of Jonathan Miller, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Alan Bennett. But it was a phone call from music publisher Syd Coleman in February 1962 which changed the course of his life. Coleman said he had met a man called Brian Epstein, who managed a new band called The Beatles, and would Martin be interested in hearing their demo? When Martin heard the tape - which featured versions of "Besame Mucho" and "Three Cool Cats", as well as originals such as "Hello Little Girl" and "Like Dreamers Do" - and went on to meet them, he realised their potential. I liked them as people apart from anything else, and I was convinced that we had the makings of a hit group, he said. But he was not convinced they had songwriting ability. As composers, they didn't rate. They hadn't shown me that they could write anything at all, he told Melody Maker. 'Love Me Do' I thought was pretty poor, but it was the best we could do. Sir George Martin obit Nevertheless, "Love Me Do" was the band's first single and reached number four in October 1962. Follow-up release "Please Please Me" made number two. Their third single "From Me To You" went to number one in April 1963 - the first of 17 chart-topping hits. During their time together Martin also composed scores for the Beatles films A Hard Day's Night - which earned him an Oscar nomination - and Yellow Submarine, which was nominated for a Grammy. After the band split, Martin started his own music publishing company and set about working with other artists. In the mid-1970s, he began building his famous Air Studios on the Caribbean island of Montserrat. He worked with the likes of Jeff Beck, Bob Dylan, Sting and Sir Elton John and recorded two of Paul McCartney's solo albums, Tug Of War and Pipes Of Peace. His awards include two Ivor Novellos and in 1999 he was inducted into the American Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Martin co-produced Sir Elton John's "Candle In The Wind", which was released to mark the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 and sold 37 million copies. Around the same time he revealed that decades in the music business had taken their toll - he began to go deaf. He was knighted by the Queen in 1996 and six years later arranged the musical celebrations for her Golden Jubilee. Martin continued to produce Beatles music to the end of his career. In 1995 he started work on the Beatles Anthology and in 2006 produced the Love album, a re-working of the band's songs born out of a Las Vegas stage show with circus troupe Cirque Du Soleil and made with his producer son, Giles. This is the very last time I shall work on any Beatles' record. I'm 80 years old, for Christ's sake, he said on its release. Asked for his favourite Beatles memory, Martin said: If I had to pick just one it would be in 1966, the first ever time I heard "Strawberry Fields Forever". John played it to me on his acoustic guitar. That moment I shall never forget. It was a wonderful thing to happen and it stays with me even now. Martin was always adamant that pop and rock could have as much worth as classical music. What is the function of rock'n'roll? It's the same as the function of classical music - to make sounds that are appealing to a mass of people and are of some worth, he once said. I'm a person who deals in music, and rock'n'roll happened to be part of it. Sir George Martin, record producer: born Holloway, London,3 January 1926; married Sheena Chisholm 1948 (divorced; one daughter, one son); married Judy Lockhart-Smith 1966 (one daughter, one son); died 8 March 2016. PA Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Indonesia has been plunged into darkness for just a few minutes this week, as people prayed and cheered during a total solar eclipse. The country was plunged into complete darkness for a few minutes, as the moon moved in front of the sun and blocked out all of its light. Elsewhere a partial eclipse was visible, in other parts of Asia and northern Australia. Many of those that saw the event were tourists, encouraged to visit as part of a promotion by the government. Tens of millions of people saw the sky go dark for a few moments. But for those that werent there, Nasa released a video of the stunning and slow movement of the sun, as its orbit moved it right in front of the sun enough to block it out. A solar eclipse is seen from the beach of Ternate island, Indonesia, March 9, 2016 It might have been a better view than some got from the ground, because of cloudy weather that blocked out the important parts of the sky. In Palembang, a Sumatran city of more than 1.4 million, thousands of residents from mothers carrying infants to old men gathered at its landmark Ampera bridge from well before dawn. But the total eclipse was only briefly visible if at all. "Too bad we cannot see when the total solar eclipse occurred, but the dark atmosphere when it happened made us feel happy," said Palembang resident Martha Sembiring. There was also disappointment for a group of six eclipse chasers who traveled from Canada and the U.S. to Kalimantan. "Unfortunately we got nothing because we had rain showers and solid cloud," said optometrist Ralph Chou who was hoping to see his 19th total solar eclipse. Chou, a Canadian who helped develop the international standards for eclipse filters, said there were still impressive effects of light and darkness, and birds appeared confused and disoriented by dark falling again after dawn. The previous total solar eclipse was in March last year and was best viewed on Norway's Svalbard islands near the North Pole. The next total eclipse will occur in August 2017 and be visible over a slice of North America. The entire eclipse, which began with the first patch of darkness appearing on the edge of the sun, lasted about three hours. Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse Show all 15 1 /15 Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144928424.jpg GETTY IMAGES Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144916840.jpg Getty Images Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144916842.jpg Getty Images Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144916846.jpg Getty Images Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144921964.jpg Getty Images Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144932455.jpg Getty Images Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144916831.jpg Getty Images Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144916832.jpg Getty Images Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144927479.jpg Getty Images Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144927521.jpg Getty Images Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144928337.jpg Getty Images Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144928417.jpg Getty Images Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144928420.jpg Getty Images Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144928442.jpg Getty Images Millions of Asians watch 'ring of fire' eclipse 144923500.jpg Getty Images For the viewer, the length of time the sun was totally eclipsed depended on their location along the path. On land the durations were mostly between 1 and 3 minutes. In the capital, Jakarta, thousands of residents packed a planetarium at a downtown park where officials distributed about 4,000 filtered viewing glasses that quickly ran out. The eclipse, which from the vantage point of Jakarta produced an impressive crescent, was also streamed on monitors around the planetarium. Scientists from NASA and Indonesia's aerospace agency observed the eclipse from Maba in the Maluku islands. Additional reporting by Associated Press For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Two men have been arrested after a student was reportedly the victim of an attack in which her niqab veil was torn off, it has been reported. The alleged incident happened last Friday when a group of students were hosting an Islamic society stall at Kings College Londons Strand Campus. According to student paper Roar!, two men approached the stall and confronted them in an aggressive manner. Over the course of an altercation which lasted half an hour, female students hosting the stall were reportedly subjected to racist taunts and one womans niqab veil was torn off by one of the men. Hareen Ghani from the universitys Islamic Society told The Evening Standard that the men asked the students: Why are you wearing that on your face?. Subsequently, It escalated from there and one of them reached out to the sisters and pulled off her niqab, Ms Ghani added. Geography student Mahamed Abdullahi witnessed the alleged incident and said: They were looming over the women and moving towards them and being very aggressive, which is why security were called. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty A spokesperson for Kings College said: We are mindful of concerns raised around this incident and would like to reassure our staff and students that the safety and security of our campuses is of the utmost importance. We will continue to support the police in their investigation, which will take precedence over our own proceedings. However, we will also be reviewing the incident, including the CCTV evidence, to establish precisely what happened and further improve student safety on campus. A spokesperson for The Met Police told The Independent: Police were called at approximately 13:10hrs on Friday, 4 March to reports of two males making racially aggravated and homophobic comments in Strand, WC2. Officers attended and two men, aged 39 and 41, were arrested under section 4 of the Public Order Act. Both were taken into custody at a central London police station and have been bailed pending further enquiries to a date in early May. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Police have launched an investigation after human remains were found next to a supermarket petrol station. The discovery was made in undergrowth at the Tesco Extra store in North Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, at about 11am on 9 March. A Hampshire Police spokeswoman said: "We were called to Clement Attlee Way at Cosham shortly after 11am following the discovery of what appears to be human remains. "Officers are currently at the scene and a cordon has been put in place to protect the area. "At this current time we are unable to confirm any further details as investigations are at a very early stage." PA Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} George Osborne faces possible defeat on Wednesday over his plans to allow round-the-clock Sunday shopping by supermarkets and major stores as up to 30 Tory MPs prepare to oppose the move. The Governments slender majority is in danger of disappearing in a Commons vote after SNP MPs decided on Tuesday to oppose the extension of Sunday trading in England and Wales. Although the measure does not apply to Scotland, where Sunday trading has been liberalised, the SNP announced it would vote against the measure. The party said it would oppose the plans because they failed to protect premium pay of workers in Scotland. Recommended Read more Sunday trading change triggers Tory unrest The Chancellor has described the moves as the biggest shake-up of Sunday trading laws for 20 years and predicted they would lead to a significant economic boost for shops facing competition from online businesses. Larger retailers in England and Wales are only allowed to trade for six consecutive hours between 10am and 6pm on Sundays, although shops with less than 3,000 sq ft of floor space can open all day. The law was relaxed for eight weekends during the summer of the 2012 London Olympics, leading to a large rise in sales. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2022 Visitors at the PoliNations garden in Victoria Square, Birmingham, which is made up of five 40ft high tree installations and over 6,000 plants. The PoliNations programme aims to explore how migration and cross-pollination have shaped the UKs gardens and culture PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2022 Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews take part in the traditional Pier Walk along the harbour walls of St Andrews before the start of the new academic year PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2022 The Massed Pipes and Drums parade during the Braemar Highland Gathering at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2022 Number 12 Company Irish Guards at Wellington Barracks, central London, before commencing their first Guard Mount at Buckingham Palace PA Under the governments proposals, councils would be given the power to allow shops to stay open longer if they think there is local demand. David Camerons spokeswoman said yesterday: We think this is a way to enhance the ability of communities to support their high streets to deal with some of the pressures that they face from the online market that we have these days and where we haven't updated Sunday trading rules to reflect that. But Tory rebels insist there is no need for the move, arguing it would undermine family life as workers come under pressure to work on Sunday. They have been predicting for several weeks that the Government would be defeated on the issue unless it makes significant concessions. The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has warned that the proposals could lead the way to a full seven-day society. He said: If we march through those lobbies together tomorrow with a group of Conservatives who share our views - we will win and we'll keep Sundays as a different day - it's worth fighting for. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Shortly before British forces reached the devastation of Bergen-Belsen, a German colonel bearing a white flag crossed the front line to warn the Allies they were approaching a facility holding civilian political prisoners in the grip of a typhus epidemic. When Major Leonard Berney, then a 25-year-old British Army officer, arrived at the gates of the camp three days later on 15 April 1945, he was confronted with the reality of both the abominable lie and the grim truth of the Nazi envoys message. The young Londoner was among the very first from the outside world to enter through the gates of Bergen-Belsen as British troops were greeted by its SS guards, led by the camp commandant Joseph Kramer, who would be later executed for his role in the Holocaust following testimony at the Nuremberg trials from witnesses including Berney himself. Yesterday, the death of the former British officer was announced by his son, who said his father had died from a heart attack on the Caribbean island of St Vincent, where he had been visiting as one of the few permanent residents on board The World, a private luxury cruise ship. It was testimony to the lifelong impact of what the 25-year-old soldier saw on that day in April 1945 - and for weeks afterwards - that he only produced his first full written account of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen last year, shortly before his death on Monday at the age of 95. Kramer and his SS comrades had continued to murder their prisoners until the last moments before the British arrived. As they surrendered, Berney accompanied a lorry equipped with a loudspeaker which inched its way through the half mile-long encampment announcing that it was now under the control of the British Army and its inhabitants - not political prisoners but some 60,000 Jews and other victims of the Nazi ideology - were safe. Leonard Berney described scenes of starving, emaciated prisoners at the Nazi concentration camp (Keystone/Getty) (Keystone/Getty Images) The major wrote: I remember being completely shattered. The dead bodies laying beside the road, the starving emaciated prisoners still mostly behind barbed wire, the open mass graves containing hundreds of corpses, the stench, the sheer horror of the place, were indescribable. None of us who entered the camp that had any warning of what we were about to see or had ever experienced anything remotely like it before. What is The World? Billed as the planets only private community-at-sea, The World is an ultra-exclusive cruise ship for passengers who, should they so wish, need never get off. The vessel, which was launched in 2002, contains 165 residences - ranging from a studio to full apartments - and can carry up to 200 passengers as it makes its way around the globe on an ever-changing itinerary. Briton Leonard Berney, who took up residence in 2009, was one of a handful who stay on board permanently. The vessel is effectively owned by its wealthy passengers, who decide its route and financing via a committee. In an interview about the 43,000-tonne ship, Berney said: I miss virtually nothing about living in a normal house. Everything I want is right here. I can't think of a thing where living in a house would be better than living here. The World is my home. Perhaps unsurprisingly, such carefree living (with access to a cigar room and six restaurants) does not come cheap - annual costs run at about 210,000 a year. As the true nature of the Holocaust unfolded before Berney and his colleagues, news of what had been found at Bergen-Belsen began to make its way back to Britain and across the world in harrowing reports such as those by the BBCs Richard Dimbleby. But as revulsion spread across the globe, it was left to Berney and the British forces to come to the aid of thousands of survivors in the grip of what the German colonel had been truthful about - a typhus outbreak killing 500 people a day at the camp near Hanover, central Germany. Built to house 10,000 people, Bergen-Belsen was not designed as a purpose-built extermination camp like Auschwitz. But by the end of the war, systematic executions and untreated disease had made it a place of industrialised death all the same. By April 1945, some 50,000 people, among them Anne Frank, had died and the corpses of 13,000 still lay on the ground as the British liberators arrived. Berney, who had been due to attend Cambridge when war broke out and was regarded by his superiors as a highly capable young officer, spent the day after his arrival getting water supplied to the camp as military doctors began the awful process of triaging prisoners - marking those who might survive with a cross on their forehead. A British soldier reads a billboard posted at the entrance of the Belsen concentration camp (Getty) (Getty Images) The following day Berney was sent to find a nearby German Panzer barracks where he found large stocks of food and began the process of turning the site into the worlds largest hospital as beds were set up to treat 15,000 starving and sick prisoners. A lack of understanding of the effects of malnutrition meant that in the urgency to help the detainees by feeding them with normal rations, a number died because their bodies could not cope. Berney, who remained at the camp for four months helping to supervise its emptying and then burning it to the ground after survivors were moved out, wrote: The task before us was the like of which nobody had any knowledge or experience What SHOULD you do when faced by 60,000 dead, sick and dying people? We were in the army to fight a war and to beat the enemy. What we were suddenly thrust into was beyond anyone's comprehension, let alone a situation which could have been organized and effectively planned for. For example, one terrible fact: many hundreds, perhaps thousands, of starving people died BECAUSE we fed them the only food we had, our army rations - who in the circumstances could be level-headed enough to think that out in advance? Queen visits Bergen-Belsen After the war Berney, who was later promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, went on to a successful business career as a clothing manufacturer, earning enough to buy his own apartment on The World, which continuously circumnavigates the globe at a cost to its 150 passengers of some 210,000 a year. His son, John Wood, said his father had spent the last six years on board and remained in good health until his death on Monday. Mr Wood said his father had spoken to him of his wartime experiences as a child in the 1970s but had felt prompted to speak out publicly in recent years because of the rise of Holocaust denial. He told The Independent: He became very active in the last few years - he could not bear Holocaust deniers. I hadnt told him but I had begun the process of trying to get him an OBE, gathering supporting letters. It is sad that he never knew but I have a feeling he might have rejected it. He never wanted people to think he was a hero. Such humility is challenged by the numbers of Holocaust survivors and their relatives who have come forward to place on record their gratitude to Berney and his comrades for saving their lives. For his part, the young officer turned entrepreneur retained a sense that it fell to him to communicate the message that the dark events he had witnessed could indeed be repeated. In a recent interview, he said: I think the memory will fade, two or three generations on. In the meantime, Im doing what I can, and others are doing what they can, to educate the young people about what can happen, what did happen and what can happen again. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The sister of a man who died 18 days after he was sanctioned by job centre staff has made an emotional plea to Iain Duncan Smith to open a public inquest into her brothers death. Gill Thompson, whose brother David Clapson died in July 2013, was joined outside the Department for Work and Pensions in central London with up to 50 protestors brandishing placards highlighting the callous nature of the governments benefit sanctions regime. Ms Thompson carried with her a banner, engraved with the names of 96 people she claims to have died while on a benefit sanction. One of them is her brother. Speaking to The Independent, she said: "The DWP actions did not help my brothers situation. I feel that his death could have been prevented. By doing this, I cant bring my brother back, Im just hoping that this will save other people. "All these people have died, it has to stop now. Thats all we ask for, thats all I ask for, no more deaths, no more suffering." Debbie Abrahams MP speaks about David Clapson case Campaigners also delivered a petition, signed by thousands of people, calling on the Mr Duncan Smith to implement the recommendations of last years work and pensions select committee into benefit sanctions. In 2015 the government rejected calls from MPs to make public the number of peer reviews undertaken by the DWP following the death of a claimant. The action outside the DWP came as 70 coordinated protests took place around the UK at job centres, as part of a national day of action against the governments grotesque cruelty towards claimants. It was organised by Unite, Britains biggest trade union organisation. Ms Thompson brother, David Clapson, who served as a Lance Corporal in Belfast during the height of the Troubles, passed away two weeks after being sanctioned by the DWP for missing two appointments. His death was attributed to diabetic ketoacidosis, which is caused by an acute lack of insulin. Gill Thompson and her brother David Clapson (Gill Thompson) Mr Clapsons body was found a few metres away from a pile of CVs and he had 3.44 in his bank account. Speaking to The Independent last week, Ms Thompson said: "In my opinion, it [the benefit sanction] was a death sentence". With no money for his electricity meter, his family claim he was unable to chill his insulin in the height of summer. He also was found to have no food in his stomach when he died. Leigh Day, the law firm representing Ms Thompson, has added that rendering a person unable to afford food or to chill their insulin is likely to have fatal consequences. After exhausting other avenues Ms Thompson has now launched a crowd funding campaign to raise money to enable her to fight for a public inquest into his death. The sanctioning took away his lifeline, she added. The 10,000 she hopes to raise will pay towards instructing lawyers, accessing records and seeking expert advice to build the strongest case for an inquiry. Leigh Day, the law firm representing Ms Thompson, has added that rendering a person unable to afford food or to chill their insulin is likely to have fatal consequences. Responding to the protests, Owen Smith, the shadow work and pensions secretary, said to The Independent: Its crystal clear that the Tories sanctions policy is unfit for purpose. It is as callous as it is ineffective: damaging the wellbeing of many who are subject to its inflexible rules, as well as failing to help people in to work. He added: Iain Duncan Smith refuses to acknowledge that there is anything wrong with the sanctions regime and has consistently refused to subject it to independent scrutiny. However, Labour will keep up the pressure on this issue and maintain our demand that the system is totally overhauled to treat people with dignity, fairness and compassion. Liane Groves, the head of Unite Community, said: Half a million people have been sanctioned and had their financial support withdrawn in the last 12 months alone. Money can be cut for arriving late at the Jobcentre, missing an appointment to go to a funeral or even failing to apply for a job while waiting to start a new job. She added: This harsh benefit sanctions regime treats claimants worse than criminals fined in courts, leaving people without money and unable to feed themselves and their family. It is a system out of control with decisions on guilt taken in secret and claimants not even allowed to be present to explain their case. The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned Show all 16 1 /16 The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "One case where the claimants wife went into premature labour and had to go to hospital. This caused the claimant to miss an appointment. No leeway given" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Its Christmas Day and you dont fill in your job search evidence form to show that youve looked for all the new jobs that are advertised on Christmas Day. You are sanctioned. Merry Christmas" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "You apply for three jobs one week and three jobs the following Sunday and Monday. Because the job centre week starts on a Tuesday it treats this as applying for six jobs in one week and none the following week. You are sanctioned for 13 weeks for failing to apply for three jobs each week" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A London man missed his Jobcentre appointments for two weeks because he was in hospital after being hit by a car. He was sanctioned" 2011 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Youve been unemployed for seven months and are forced onto a workfare scheme in a shop miles away, but cant afford to travel. You offer to work in a nearer branch but are refused and get sanctioned for not attending your placement" 2013 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "You are a mum of two, and are five minutes late for your job centre appointment. You show the advisor the clock on your phone, which is running late. You are sanctioned for a month" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man with heart problems who was on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) had a heart attack during a work capability assessment. He was then sanctioned for failing to complete the assessment" Rex The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man who had gotten a job that was scheduled to begin in two weeks time was sanctioned for not looking for work as he waited for the role to start" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Army veteran Stephen Taylor, 60, whose Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) was stopped after he sold poppies in memory of fallen soldiers" 2014 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man had to miss his regular appointment at the job centre to attend his fathers funeral. He was sanctioned even though he told DWP staff in advance" 2014 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Ceri Padley, 26, had her benefits sanctioned after she missed an appointment at the jobcentre - because she was at a job interview" Jason Doiy Photography The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "A man got sanctioned for missing his slot to sign on - as he was attending a work programme interview. He was then sanctioned as he could not afford to travel for his job search" 2012 Getty Images The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Mother-of-three Angie Godwin, 27, said her benefits were sanctioned after she applied for a role job centre staff said was beyond her" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Sofya Harrison was sanctioned for attending a job interview and moving her signing-on to another day" The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Michael, 54, had his benefits sanctioned for four months for failing to undertake a weeks work experience at a charity shop. The charity shop had told him they didnt want him there" Getty The most ridiculous reasons people had their benefits sanctioned "Terry Eaton, 58, was sanctioned because he didnt have the bus fare he needed to attend an appointment with the job centre" Getty Images Far from helping people back to work, the cruel sanctions regime harms physical and mental health and drives up food bank use and homelessness. It is totally counterproductive and there can be no justification for this grotesque cruelty by the government. It cant be allowed to go on. A spokesman for the DWP said: Decisions on sanctions arent taken lightly but are an important part of our benefits system they are only ever used as a last resort and the number of sanctions continues to fall. Even when someone is sanctioned they can still get financial support through hardship payments and we continue to spend around 80bn a year on working age benefits to ensure a safety net is in place Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Health Secretary has hit out at the defensive culture of NHS staff as junior doctors walk out on strike over the imposition of a new contract. Citing previously publicised lapses in hospital care, Jeremy Hunt said the NHS as a whole needed to better learn from past mistakes. I have met too many patients and families who have faced a closed and defensive culture when theyve tried to find out the truth about things that go wrong, Mr Hunt wrote in a comment article for the Independent. He argued that the NHS needed to develop culture where we really are better at learning from mistakes. The Health Secretary said Ofsted-style inspections for NHS organisations, which he introduced, and publicly available ratings of hospitals would go some way to remedying the situation. At a conference on patient safety in London today the Health Secretary announced that health trusts in England would be ranked by their ability to learn from their mistakes. Legal protections for people giving information following a hospital mistake, a new independent Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch and extra reviews of all deaths are among other changes to be brought forward. The timing of Mr Hunts intervention and emphasis of failings of medics may grate with junior doctors in particular who have criticised the Health Secretarys approach to their current ongoing staffing dispute. The minister launched an inquiry into the morale of junior doctors last month, on the same day he announced he would be imposing a new contract on the medics. In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 20,000 Junior Doctors marched through central London in protest at the new contract changes the government is trying to impose which they say will be unfair and unsafe In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors protest in London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 4 year old Cassius takes part in a demonstration in Westminster, in support of junior doctors over changes to NHS contracts, London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Protest over proposed changes to junior doctors' contracts, Leeds In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Over 5000 junior doctors rallied in Waterloo place, before marching through Whitehall and onto Parliament Square, in opposition to Jeremy Hunt's new working conditions for doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Demonstrators listen to speeches in Waterloo Place during the 'Let's Save the NHS' rally and protest march by junior doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors marched in London to highlight their plight In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK A protester at a demonstration in support of junior doctors in London Mr Hunt says the new contract will help reduce the death rate at weekends. An analysis by the Health Foundation published at the start of this month blamed government policy, especially around staffing and the use of agency workers, for rising hospital deficits. Junior doctors walked out at 8.00am on Wednesday and will stay on strike for 48 hours. Emergency care has still been left in place. A poll by Ipsos MORI found that support for the strike was still strong at 65 per cent, with 17 against the stoppage, down 22 per cent from the last time. 28 per cent of respondents blame both junior doctors and Mr Hunt for the dispute, while 57 per cent blame Mr Hunt. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Jeremy Hunt failed to make any weekend visits to hospitals last year, despite imposing a new contract expecting doctors to work seven days a week. A parliamentary question by peer Lord Hunt of Kings cited by The Mirror revealed the Health Secretary visited 20 hospitals between January and December 2015, however none of the visits took place on Saturdays or Sundays. His lack of weekend visits raised concerns Mr Hunt did not fully understand how doctors operate over weekends. Shadow Health Minister, Justin Madders MP, told the Mirror: Its no surprise Jeremy Hunt doesnt know what is happening in hospitals at the weekend when he cant even be bothered to visit one himself. Instead of working with staff to improve services, Jeremy Hunt has gone out of his way to pick a fight with them. The news comes as junior doctors prepare to strike for a third time from 8am on 9 March to 10 March in an attempt to stop the new contract, which has been imposed unilaterally by Mr Hunt without the consent or agreement of junior doctors. In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 20,000 Junior Doctors marched through central London in protest at the new contract changes the government is trying to impose which they say will be unfair and unsafe In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors protest in London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 4 year old Cassius takes part in a demonstration in Westminster, in support of junior doctors over changes to NHS contracts, London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Protest over proposed changes to junior doctors' contracts, Leeds In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Over 5000 junior doctors rallied in Waterloo place, before marching through Whitehall and onto Parliament Square, in opposition to Jeremy Hunt's new working conditions for doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Demonstrators listen to speeches in Waterloo Place during the 'Let's Save the NHS' rally and protest march by junior doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors marched in London to highlight their plight In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK A protester at a demonstration in support of junior doctors in London The British Medical Association also said it will mount a legal challenge to the Health Secretary's policy in court. The Government has claimed the new contract will improve health care on weekends, however junior doctors say it will give rise to unsafe staffing rosters and put patient care at risk. Dr Johann Malawana, chair of the BMA's junior doctor committee chair, has previously said: The fact is, junior doctors already work around the clock, seven days a week and they do so under their existing contract. "If the Government wants more seven-day services then, quite simply, it needs more doctors, nurses and support staff, and the extra investment necessary to deliver them. Rather than address these issues head on, the Government wants to introduce a contract that is unfair and in which junior doctors have no confidence. Further strikes are also planned on 8 April and 26 April. Over 98 per cent of junior doctors who voted in a strike ballot were in favour of the stoppages. Emergency care will still continue during the strikes. In repose to Mr Hunts lack of weekend hospital visits, a Health Secretary spokesman said: The Secretary of State has overall responsibility for the National Health Service, and is on call and briefed on relevant events seven days a week, including public holidays. "He routinely works on Departmental business at the weekends, which includes attending meetings, visiting frontline services and carrying out official engagements where relevant." Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The doctor who confronted Jeremy Hunt in person when he spotted him in Westminster has warned that the "real danger" to patients comes from the risk of losing junior doctors who can't - or won't - work under the Health Secretary's new contract proposals. Dr Dagan Lonsdale, a registrar at St George's Hospital in south London, apologised for the delays in treating patients during the 48-hour stoppage, which came into force from 8am Wednesday. But he said that the long-term effects will be felt most keenly when the NHS loses a percentage of its workforce because junior doctors simply "can't work" under the enforced new conditions. Im very sorry to any patients who have their care delayed, he told Sky News, shortly before the strike began on March 9. No doctor wants to be on strike. We dont want to take industrial action Id much rather junior doctors sit down with David Cameron to talk. But the NHS is falling apart and he seems to be ignoring it. Dr Lonsdale also said that while he acknowledged the inconvenience and concerns surrounding the walkout, the real danger the NHS faces is the loss of junior doctors who cant work under the new proposals. I dont think the danger for patients in the NHS is more strikes, he said. The real danger is doctors leaving because they cant work in the current system. Last month, Dr Lonsdale spotted the Health Secretary entering TV studios at Millbank, Westminster, and decided to confront him in person over "concerns over patient safety". Video footage revealed Mr Hunt refusing to engage with the NHS worker, who chased the minister down a corridor, saying that he was "just on his way to do an interview". But Dr Lonsdale said it showed that Hunt was "too scared to sit down and and talk to junior doctors". Dr Lonsdale also told the Conservative minister, who wants junior NHS doctors to work a seven-day week, he was taking a massive gamble with people in the NHS, and that he has absolutely no evidence whatsoever that these changes will have a positive effect. The latest walkout follows Mr Hunt's announcement that he would impose the new contract on junior doctors following the break down of talks with the British Medical Association (BMA). The BMA claims the contract offers worse pay and conditions for doctors who already provide frontline services during the week and at weekends. Thousands of junior doctors across England are expected to join the strike and more than 5,000 operations and procedures across England have been cancelled. Mr Hunt has announced he will impose the contract on junior doctors - everyone up to consultant level - after months of talks with the British Medical Association (BMA) failed to reach a resolution. Junior doctors will provide emergency care only on Wednesday and Thursday, with two further 48-hour strikes planned from 8am on April 8 and and April 26. Sarah Williams, a junior doctor working at a south London hospital, told The Independent: "I hope the continued strikes highlight to the public what the government is actually doing to their NHS. "The minutiae of the imposed doctors' contract is now almost irrelevant. This is a generalised attack on a public service that has provided for everyone since 1948. A service that is hailed as one of the best in the world. "Yes, we need change, but that change should come in the way of more funding and more resources. "The Government is sticking its head in the sand hoping we all just pipe down and go away. "There is too much to lose for us to do that - for us, our patients, nursing colleagues, allied health professionals and the NHS as a publicly-run service. We will fight on." New figures from NHS England from 228 organisations, of which 154 are acute hospital trusts, show that 2,077 inpatient procedures have been cancelled due to Wednesday and Thursday's industrial action alongside 3,187 day case operations and procedures. Hundreds more routine clinics and appointments are likely to be affected. Recommended Read more The final offer made to junior doctors was too generous Dr Anne Rainsberry, national incident director for NHS England, said: "This is clearly going to be a difficult couple of days. A 48-hour strike will put significantly more pressure on the NHS and the cumulative effect of these recurring strikes is likely to take a toll. "The safety and care of patients is always our number one priority and staff across the NHS are doing all they can to minimise the impact on patients of the action. "We will closely monitor events as they unfold to ensure plans to deal with the pressures are robust and people are ready to respond to any emerging difficulties." Urgent and emergency care services will be available as normal but hospitals are expected to be under extra pressure, NHS England said. Where possible, patients are being asked to contact their GP, seek advice from their local pharmacist, call 111 or check the NHS Choices website. In an emergency, people should still call 999 or go to A&E. The BMA is seeking a judicial review over imposition of the contract, which it says is not acceptable to junior doctors. The major sticking point has been over weekend pay and whether Saturdays should attract extra "unsocial" payments. Currently, 7pm to 7am Monday to Friday and the whole of Saturday and Sunday attracts a premium rate of pay for junior doctors. But the Government wanted the Saturday day shift to be paid at a normal rate in return for a hike in basic pay. The BMA rejected this and urged Mr Hunt to accept its proposal to reduce the 11% rise in basic pay offered by ministers and instead have better premium rates on Saturdays. In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 20,000 Junior Doctors marched through central London in protest at the new contract changes the government is trying to impose which they say will be unfair and unsafe In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors protest in London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 4 year old Cassius takes part in a demonstration in Westminster, in support of junior doctors over changes to NHS contracts, London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Protest over proposed changes to junior doctors' contracts, Leeds In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Over 5000 junior doctors rallied in Waterloo place, before marching through Whitehall and onto Parliament Square, in opposition to Jeremy Hunt's new working conditions for doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Demonstrators listen to speeches in Waterloo Place during the 'Let's Save the NHS' rally and protest march by junior doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors marched in London to highlight their plight In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK A protester at a demonstration in support of junior doctors in London The imposed contract, which is due to come in in August, has an increase in basic salary of 13.5%. Under the new arrangements, Mr Hunt said no doctor working contracted hours would see a pay cut while too many night shifts and long shifts will also be limited. Under the new contract, 7am to 5pm on Saturdays will be regarded as a normal working day. Doctors working one in four or more Saturdays will receive a pay premium of 30%. Additional reporting by PA Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Health Secretary has accused Labour of abandoning patients and their families by expressing support for striking junior doctors. Medics have walked out for 48 hours over Jeremy Hunts decision to impose a new contract on them that they say will lead to unsafe staff rostering and damage patient care. Jeremy Hunt however says the contract is necessary to improve care on the weekends. Addressing Heidi Alexander, the shadow health secretary, in the House of Commons, he said Labour had chosen the union in the dispute. She mentioned the junior doctors strike: patients and their families will have noticed that when it came for the big test for Labour whether to back people who need a 7-day NHS, vulnerable patients, or the BMA who opposed it, they have chosen the union, he argued. But Labour said Mr Hunts kamikaze approach to the dispute meant that he had lost the trust of staff whose cooperation would be required in order to make further improvements in care. The Health Secretarys kamikaze approach to the junior doctor contract means that no matter how this dispute ends he will have lost the good will of staff on which the NHS survives, she warned. How can he stand here and talk about patient safety when it is him and him alone who is to blame for the current industrial action, for the destruction of staff morale, and for the potential exodus of junior doctors to the southern hemisphere? How can he stand here and say he wants the NSH to deliver the highest quality of care anywhere in the world when the people who he depends upon to deliver that care have said enough is enough? Doctors say the new contract will harm patient care (Getty) How can he talk about patient safety when his 22bn of so-called efficiency savings will lead to job cuts and heap more pressure on a service that is about to break? Labour figures including leader Jeremy Corbyn have expressed support for junior doctors, though the party has previously said it is generally neutral in industrial disputes. Mr Hunt last month decided to impose the contract without the agreement of the British Medical Association, which represents junior doctors. Over 98 per cent of the medics who took part in the ballot on industrial action voted to strike. In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 20,000 Junior Doctors marched through central London in protest at the new contract changes the government is trying to impose which they say will be unfair and unsafe In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors protest in London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 4 year old Cassius takes part in a demonstration in Westminster, in support of junior doctors over changes to NHS contracts, London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Protest over proposed changes to junior doctors' contracts, Leeds In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Over 5000 junior doctors rallied in Waterloo place, before marching through Whitehall and onto Parliament Square, in opposition to Jeremy Hunt's new working conditions for doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Demonstrators listen to speeches in Waterloo Place during the 'Let's Save the NHS' rally and protest march by junior doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors marched in London to highlight their plight In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK A protester at a demonstration in support of junior doctors in London The Health Secretary has scheduled an international conference on patient safety on the same day as the strike, at which he has unveiled a number of new measures. Health trusts in England are to be be ranked by their ability to learn from their mistakes. There are also new legal protections for people giving information following a hospital mistake, a new independent Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch and extra reviews of all deaths are among other changes to be brought forward. He said that though NHS care already compared well with other countries, he wanted it to be even better. In a comment piece for the Independent this morning Mr Hunt warned that NHS staff could sometimes be defensive about learning from their mistakes. Members of staff take part in a picket outside St Thomas' Hospital on January 12, 2016 in London, United Kingdom. (Getty Images) The minister launched an inquiry into the morale of junior doctors last month, on the same day he announced he would be imposing a new contract on the medics. A poll by Ipsos MORI found that support for the strike was still strong at 65 per cent, with 17 against the stoppage, down 22 per cent from the last time. 28 per cent of respondents blame both junior doctors and Mr Hunt for the dispute, while 57 per cent blame Mr Hunt. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} David Cameron has been asked to investigate whether a senior Conservative broke the ministerial code by accepting a 4,000 donation from a think tank chairman shortly before implementing one of the groups key policy proposals. Labour has demanded an inquiry into whether Matthew Hancock, the Cabinet Office Minister, faced a possible conflict of interest over the gift from Neil Record, who chairs the right-wing Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA). The Independent disclosed last month that the donation was made four months before Mr Hancock announced a controversial ban on charities using grants from public funds to lobby ministers, MPs, civil servants and political parties. Anna Turley, the shadow Minister for Civil Society, has written to the Prime Minister pointing out that the Cabinet Office cited extensive research by the IEA to justify its clampdown on so-called sock puppets. She said: It is very concerning that this policy change, lifted directly from a think tank report, came just four months after the chair of the think tank made a substantial donation to the minister. She asked Mr Cameron to investigate what appears to be a conflict of interest and potential breach of the ministerial code and to publish all communications between the IEA and government officials, ministers and their advisers. There is no suggestion the donation broke any rules or was not properly declared. In the Commons, Mr Hancock told Ms Turley: I did not have any discussions with the IEA on this. It is about ensuring that taxpayers money is spent on good causes and the right things, not on lobbying government. It is right that taxpayers money should be spent on the things for which it was intended, not on ensuring that lobbyists can take politicians out for lunch. Sir Stephen Bubb, chief executive of the charity leaders network ACEVO, said Mr Hancocks Commons statement raised serious questions. He asked: Given that we know that the IEA had conversations with the regulator [the Charity Commission] prior to publication, and the regulators chair is appointed by the ministers office, why would the minister not think it prudent to enjoin both the regulator and the IEA in those discussions? Mr Record, a City currency manager who has donated 245,000 to the Conservative Party and a total of 22,000 to Mr Hancock since 2010, has said he has never had any commercial or any other lobbying-type relationship with the minister and did not discuss the curbs on charities with him personally. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Nigel Farage has accused Turkey of blackmailing the European Union over the Syrian refugee crisis and its proposed EU membership. The Ukip leader told the European Parliament it was outrageous that the country had been offered concessions on joining the bloc in exchange for doing a deal to accept more refugees and migrants. Turkey has long sought to join the EU but despite its official candidate status, negotiations have so far been slow. There was progress yesterday however, after the country agreed to accept the return of migrants and refugees who had been turned back from Greece. Turkey's President Erdogan As part of the deal done at a Brussels summit, Turkey was offered visa-free travel to the Schengen free movement area and a new chapter in its negotiations which have been ongoing since 1999 when it was recognised as an official candidate. David Cameron told MPs in a statement on Wednesday that the EU had agreed to prepare for a decision on the opening of new chapters in Turkey's EU accession negotiations as soon as possible at the summit. Mr Cameron has previously said he supports Turkish accession to the EU, as did the previous Labour government. Germany has historically been an opponent of accession but the deal over refugees, of which Germany is taking the lions share, could break the deadlock. Mr Farage said the upcoming EU referendum was now a referendum on whether Britain should be in a political union with Turkey. It's outrageous that the EU has allowed itself to be bullied and blackmailed by Turkey in this way, he told MEPs on Wednesday. That the British taxpayer will have to shell out another 500 million is unacceptable. Most worrying of all, it is now clear that Turkey will be fast-tracked into membership of the European Union - a position agreed by David Cameron and William Hague. Perhaps this referendum on June 23rd will become a referendum on whether we wish to be in a political union with Turkey. A vote for Remain is a vote for Turkey. A map showing the flow of Syrian refugees towards Turkey On Monday Turkeys deputy ambassador to the UK Cem Isik reiterated that joining the EU was a strategic objective for the country and said failure to admit it to the bloc had been short-sighted. He denied the charge of blackmail, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Turkey is not blackmailing Europe but its disheartening to see that Europe only remembered Turkey after the migrant crisis last summer. Millions of refugees and migrants are passing through Turkey, which has opened its southern border with Syria for humanitarian purposes. Turkey has allowed refugees to transit through its territory to move towards Europe with president Erdogan last month threatening to use buses to send more people to the EU. Sitting on the edge of the Syrian conflict zone, the country home to three million refuges but says aid promised by the EU to help care for them has not yet materialised. The summit agreement appears to represent a turnaround in the relationship between the two powers, with the EU pledging to step up aid. Refugee crisis - in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugee crisis - in pictures A child looks through the fence at the Moria detention camp for migrants and refugees at the island of Lesbos on May 24, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Ahmad Zarour, 32, from Syria, reacts after his rescue by MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) while attempting to reach the Greek island of Agathonisi, Dodecanese, southeastern Agean Sea Refugee crisis - in pictures Syrian migrants holding life vests gather onto a pebble beach in the Yesil liman district of Canakkale, northwestern Turkey, after being stopped by Turkish police in their attempt to reach the Greek island of Lesbos on 29 January 2016. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees flash the 'V for victory' sign during a demonstration as they block the Greek-Macedonian border Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants have been braving sub zero temperatures as they cross the border from Macedonia into Serbia. Refugee crisis - in pictures A sinking boat is seen behind a Turkish gendarme off the coast of Canakkale's Bademli district on January 30, 2016. At least 33 migrants drowned on January 30 when their boat sank in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A general view of a shelter for migrants inside a hangar of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees protest behind a fence against restrictions limiting passage at the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Since last week, Macedonia has restricted passage to northern Europe to only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans who are considered war refugees. All other nationalities are deemed economic migrants and told to turn back. Macedonia has finished building a fence on its frontier with Greece becoming the latest country in Europe to build a border barrier aimed at checking the flow of refugees Refugee crisis - in pictures A father and his child wait after being caught by Turkish gendarme on 27 January 2016 at Canakkale's Kucukkuyu district Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants make hand signals as they arrive into the southern Spanish port of Malaga on 27 January, 2016 after an inflatable boat carrying 55 Africans, seven of them women and six chidren, was rescued by the Spanish coast guard off the Spanish coast. Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee holds two children as dozens arrive on an overcrowded boat on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures A child, covered by emergency blankets, reacts as she arrives, with other refugees and migrants, on the Greek island of Lesbos, At least five migrants including three children, died after four boats sank between Turkey and Greece, as rescue workers searched the sea for dozens more, the Greek coastguard said Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants wait under outside the Moria registration camp on the Lesbos. Over 400,000 people have landed on Greek islands from neighbouring Turkey since the beginning of the year Refugee crisis - in pictures The bodies of Christian refugees are buried separately from Muslim refugees at the Agios Panteleimonas cemetery in Mytilene, Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures Macedonian police officers control a crowd of refugees as they prepare to enter a camp after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee tries to force the entry to a camp as Macedonian police officers control a crowd after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees are seen aboard a Turkish fishing boat as they arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast to Lesbos Reuters Refugee crisis - in pictures An elderly woman sings a lullaby to baby on a beach after arriving with other refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A man collapses as refugees make land from an overloaded rubber dinghy after crossing the Aegean see from Turkey, at the island of Lesbos EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures A girl reacts as refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees make a show of hands as they queue after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures People help a wheelchair user board a train with others, heading towards Serbia, at the transit camp for refugees near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija AP Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees board a train, after crossing the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Macedonia is a key transit country in the Balkans migration route into the EU, with thousands of asylum seekers - many of them from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia - entering the country every day Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures An aerial picture shows the "New Jungle" refugee camp where some 3,500 people live while they attempt to enter Britain, near the port of Calais, northern France Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A Syrian girl reacts as she helped by a volunteer upon her arrival from Turkey on the Greek island of Lesbos, after having crossed the Aegean Sea EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Beds ready for use for migrants and refugees are prepared at a processing center on January 27, 2016 in Passau, Germany. The flow of migrants arriving in Passau has dropped to between 500 and 1,000 per day, down significantly from last November, when in the same region up to 6,000 migrants were arriving daily. The latest call to join comes amid an outcry in Europe over a crackdown on press freedom by the countrys Government which is expected to delay accession even further. This weekend the European Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said Turkey was jepordising its future in the EU with the authoritarian policy. Long-standing roadblocks to Turkeys accession include refusing to recognise the Republic of Cyprus, which is an EU member state, poor relations with Greece, and the consistent opposition of Germany. The strong role the army plays in the countrys constitution and the fact most of the country is in Asia has also been subject a subject of concern. Turkey has a fast growing population of 75 million, making it almost as large as Germany and bigger than Britain or France. It would be the second largest EU member state and likely shift the balance of power in Europe. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Jeremy Corbyn has accused the Prime Minister of refusing to properly answer questions at PMQs on important topics every week. Ahead of this Wednesdays clash the Labour leader said David Cameron had given no answers on issues ranging from housing, to the NHS, to tax credit cuts and flood defences. He said the Prime Minister regularly refused to engage on important issues and instead appeared to enjoy Punch and Judy politics. David Cameron once said he was fed up with the Punch and Judy politics of Westminster but the experience of the last six months would suggest he has come to rather enjoy it, Mr Corbyn wrote in a comment article for the Independent. When given the chance to defend the record of his Government he has instead chosen to engage in petty attacks, avoid the substance of the issue, and ignore some of the real problems facing the country. The Labour leader made the claim on the day marking his 100th question at Prime Ministers Questions. Mr Corbyn has attempted to reform PMQs since he became leader at least initially adopting a more sober style, and relaying crowd-sourced questions from the public. Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Show all 12 1 /12 Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn's reshuffle Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn and the Syria bombing vote Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn asks questions from the public at PMQs, meanwhile backbenchers plot to oust him Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn is unavailable to attend the Privy Council Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Conference rejects Corbyns call to debate Trident Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn At Labour conference Corbyn and McDonnell press for a Robin Hood tax Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyns hopes for a new politics look optimistic in the face of a media barrage Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn enters Labour leadership race The Labour leader has adapted his approach in recent months but still retains some of his new ideas. The new approach has not always stuck. Last month Prime Minister Questions devolved into a battle between the two leaders attacking each other based on each others mothers. Mr Corbyns office were keen to highlight an exchange that same week when Mr Corbyn asked about the state of the NHS and Mr Cameron responded by telling the Labour leader to put on a proper suit, do up your tie and sing the national anthem. A video of that episode was shared on Mr Corbyns official Facebook page and garnered 3.3 million views and 40,000 likes. The response to Mr Corbyn's new approach has been mixed. A YouGov poll conducted in October found that the public in general believed PMQs was now less aggressive, and featured less party political point-scoring, than in a similar poll conducted in 2013. Some commentators have suggested that the Labour leader's approach has made it difficult for him to pin Mr Cameron down on specific topics, however. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} David Cameron has suffered a damaging Commons defeat after Conservative rebels teamed up with Labour and SNP MPs to throw out plans to allow supermarkets and large stores in England and Wales to open longer on Sundays. The proposals were rejected by 317 votes to 286 a majority of 31 despite a last-minute attempt by the Prime Minister to win over Tory MPs who argued the moves would damage family life and threaten the viability of smaller shops. Twenty-six Conservatives rebelled to inflict the defeat on Mr Cameron, underlining the fragility of his overall majority at the last election. The vote was also a heavy blow for George Osborne, who had championed the relaxation of Sunday trading laws on the grounds that the move would boost the economy and create jobs. He also argued that liberalisation would help high street shops to compete with online retailers. In a final attempt to avert defeat, the government floated the idea of giving powers to councils to authorise all-day trading on Sundays on a pilot basis. However, the compromise failed to win over opponents and MPs of all parties cheered as the plans were rejected by an unexpectedly large majority. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2022 Visitors at the PoliNations garden in Victoria Square, Birmingham, which is made up of five 40ft high tree installations and over 6,000 plants. The PoliNations programme aims to explore how migration and cross-pollination have shaped the UKs gardens and culture PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2022 Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews take part in the traditional Pier Walk along the harbour walls of St Andrews before the start of the new academic year PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2022 The Massed Pipes and Drums parade during the Braemar Highland Gathering at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2022 Number 12 Company Irish Guards at Wellington Barracks, central London, before commencing their first Guard Mount at Buckingham Palace PA The Government made no secret of its anger over the SNPs decision to vote against the scheme although shops are already allowed to open all hours in Scotland. The party justified the move by saying the Enterprise Bill, which contained the proposal, did not enshrine in legislation the premium rates of pay for Scots who work on Sunday. Sajid Javid, the Business Secretary, condemned the SNPs childish and hypocritical actions and accused it of only being motivated by winning headlines. The Communities minister, Brandon Lewis, tweeted: Majority in English and Welsh MPs for Sunday trading. SNP stop rest of country have freedom Scotland has. Following the vote, Angela Eagle, the shadow Business Secretary, challenged ministers to abandon their tawdry attempts to force the plans through parliament. The vote marked the second Commons defeat for Mr Cameron since the election. The first came over the purdah arrangements facing civil servants ahead of the EU referendum vote. Larger retailers in England and Wales are currently allowed to trade for six consecutive hours between 10am and 6pm on Sundays, although shops with less than 3,000 sq ft of floor space can open all day. Under the rejected proposals, councils would be given the power to allow shops to stay open longer if they think there is local demand. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Queen was dragged into the EU referendum debate last night amid claims she launched a lengthy criticism of European integration during a bust-up with Nick Clegg. She is said to have let rip at the then Deputy Prime Minister during a lunch at Windsor Castle, where she is reported to have informed him of her belief that the European project was heading the wrong direction. The bombshell claims, which appeared in the Sun, cited an anonymous highly reliable source, who said: People who heard their conversation were left in no doubt at all about the Queens views on European integration. It was really something, and it went on for quite a while... The EU is clearly something her Majesty feels passionately about." The newspaper's introduction reads: "The Queen was hailed as a backer of Brexit yestersday after details emerged of an alleed bust-up betwen her and Nick Clegg over Europe... A source said: 'People were left in no doubt about her views on Europe'". However, buckets of cold water have been poured on the alleged conversation from five years ago. Buckingham Palace denies it Following the publication of the story, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said: The Queen remains politically neutral, as she has for 63 years. We would never comment on spurious, anonymously sourced claims. The referendum will be a matter for the British people. Nick Clegg denies it Mr Clegg said last night: As I told the journalist this is nonsense. Ive no recollection of this happening and its not the sort of thing I would forget. A spokesman for Clegg added: This is categorically untrue. Nick has no recollection of this conversation and it is not the sort of conversation you forget. Page 2 virtually denies it After being told that her Majesty BACKS BREXIT, an inside editorial, on page 2, then demands: We must know her view. It adds: The Queen is arguably the most respected stateswoman in the world. If she has a view on Brexit, dont voters have a right to know what it is? The one source did not say the Queen was backing Brexit The claim, from the impeccably placed source, never mentions Brexit as the reported lunch was in 2011. It is clear that you can be critical of the EU, without actually advocating a swift exit from the Union. Many pro-EU politicians begin their defences of the European project with: The EU isnt perfect, but ...So, who was at the dinner? A search of the Court Circular finds five people were present at a dinner attended by Nick Clegg and the Queen on April 7 2011 at Windsor Castle: Nick Clegg, then leader of the Liberal Democrats Michael Gove, then Education Secretary and now the Justice Secretary Cheryl Gillian, then Secretary of State for Wales Judith Simpson, then clerk of the Privy Council and civil servant Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The two school police officers who were caught on video as one of them repeatedly slapped a student outside a high school have been charged with child abuse and assault. The incident in Baltimore was captured by a bystander and showed officers Anthony Spence and Saverna Bias attacking a youth, who was not a student at the citys Reach! Partnership School and reportedly did not have permission to be the property. The Baltimore Sun reported on Wednesday that Mr Spence, who was seen in the video hitting the student and then kicking him, was charged with second-degree child abuse, second-degree assault and misconduct in office. Ms Bias, 52, who can be seen standing behind her colleague, was charged with second-degree assault and misconduct in office. Chief School Supports Officer Karl Perry told reporters last week that the young man who was attacked did not have permission to be on the school premises. Im a parent, and Im totally appalled at what I saw in that video, he told WJZ-TV. No matter what the circumstances are, I am totally appalled. Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake condemned the officers actions in a statement. The behaviour that was demonstrated on the video, you never want to see anyone treated like that, she said. It certainly is not helpful as we work to build bridges of trust to see that level of mistreatment. Both officers and Marshall Goodwin, the chief of the school police, have been placed on administrative leave. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An outspoken gun rights activist has been shot and wounded by her four-year-son - hours after she posted a message on social media saying how jacked up he was to shoot a weapon. Police in Florida said Jamie Gilt was in a stable condition in hospital after being shot in the abdomen while driving. Police said it appeared her son, sitting in the back seat, had somehow managed to get his hands on a .45 calibre handgun and shoot her, the bullet passing through her body. She was shot through the seat and the round went through her back, Capt Joseph Wells of the Putnam County Sheriffs Office, told the Florida Times-Union. Jamie Gilt was in a stable condition in hospital after being shot in the abdomen (Facebook) Ms Gilt, from Jacksonville, frequently posts on social media about her love of guns and her views on Second Amendment rights, as well as her support for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz. Her Facebook page also contains material many would consider racist. The night before Tuesday's incident she wrote that her 4-year-old gets jacked up to target shoot the .22. She has also posted a number of comments about how it is better to confront a burglar with a gun than to call the police. The famous for and against US gun control Show all 31 1 /31 The famous for and against US gun control The famous for and against US gun control Against: Robert De Niro Despite the actor being a gun-wielding fast-talker, he told Daily Mail: "There should be more control. It has just gotten out of hand, how easily you can get guns." The famous for and against US gun control For: Brad Pitt "America is founded on guns. It;s in out DNA. Its very strange but I feel better having a gun." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control For: Angelina Jolie "Brad and I are not against having a gun in the house, and we do have one. If anybody comes into my home and tries to hurt my kids, Ive no problem shooting them." AFP/Getty The famous for and against US gun control For: Johnny Depp "When I was a kid it was a controlled atmosphere, we weren't shooting at humans - we were shooting at cans and bottles mostly. I will most certainly take my kids out for target practice." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control For: Bruce Willis "Everyone has a right to bear arms. If you take guns away from legal gun owners, then the only people who have guns are the bad guys." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control For: Clint Eastwood "I have a very strict gun control policy: if there's a gun around, I want to be in control of it." Reuters The famous for and against US gun control For: Whoopi Goldberg "Im an NRA member, as you know or probably dont know... I want to know that theres at least some way to prevent folks who are just getting out from mental institutions [from getting guns]." The famous for and against US gun control For: Vince Vaughn "Banning guns is like banning forks in an attempt to stop making people fat. Taking away guns, taking away drugs, the booze, it won't rid the world of criminality... I support people having a gun in public full stop, not just in your home." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control For: Donald Trump "Democrats want to confiscate all guns, which is a dumb idea because only the law-abiding citizens would turn in their guns and the bad guys would be the only ones left armed. The Republicans walk the NRA line and refuse even limited restrictions" Getty The famous for and against US gun control Against: Matt Damon I actually hate guns. They freak me out. Rex The famous for and against US gun control Against: Mark Wahlberg "Well, I would love it if they could take all the guns away. Unfortunately, you cant do that so you hope that good people in the world have them to protect the people who cant protect themselves." AP The famous for and against US gun control Against: Sean Connery "It is said that a total ban on handguns, including .22s, would take away innocent pleasure from thousands of people. Is that more or less pleasure than watching your child grow up?" Rex Features The famous for and against US gun control Against: Arnold Schwarzenegger "Im for gun control. Im a peace-loving guy." Lionsgate The famous for and against US gun control Against: Sylvester Stallone "Until America, door to door, takes every handgun, this is what youre gonna have. Its pathetic. It really is pathetic. Its sad. Were living in the Dark Ages over there." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Rashida Jones "Gun control is our only road to freedom. Freedom from the fear of senselessly losing children." Getty The famous for and against US gun control Against: Susan Sarandon "How much more suffering & loss will it take before we better regulate the sale of arms in our country?" Getty The famous for and against US gun control Against: Beyonce Queen B was part of the Demand a Plan campaign against guns after Newton shooting, by appearing in a video alongside a bunch of celebrities. AP The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jamie Foxx A Hollywood gang joined Beyonce in the campaign... GETTY IMAGES The famous for and against US gun control Against: Cameron Diaz Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jessica Alba Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jennifer Garner Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jennifer Aniston Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Jason Merritt | Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jon Hamm The Mad Men actor also appeared in the video... The famous for and against US gun control Against: Reese Witherspoon Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Ellen DeGeneres Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Reuters The famous for and against US gun control Against: Julianne Moore Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. The famous for and against US gun control Against: Selena Gomez Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. GETTY IMAGES The famous for and against US gun control Against: Peter Dinklage The Game of Thrones also appeared in the video... Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Zooey Deschanel alongside the New Girl star. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Steve Carell Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Gwyneth Paltrow Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign, too. I can promise though, if someone breaks into my house, or tries to harm me or my family pretty much anywhere, they will be shot and most likely killed, she said in one post. Why yes, I do think that being dead might possibly change their plans... Posted by Jamie Gilt on Sunday, 6 March 2016 Its my right to protect my life. Not sit around and wait for someone to come pack up my body or take me to the hospital after Ive been beaten and raped. The police did not immediately respond to inquiries on Wednesday. However, a statement issued by the sheriffs office they were convinced the shooting was not intentional. US Mass shooting time-lapse 2015 Before being transported to the emergency room, the victim told deputies that her son had accidentally shot her, it said. The investigation by major crimes unit detectives and the analysis of the crime scene confirmed that the victim was accidentally shot by the young boy who was sitting in the back seat of the vehicle. Jamie Gilt was in a stable condition in hospital after being shot in the abdomen (Facebook) Police said that Florida law required gun owners to ensure they were kept securely. Florida Statute makes it a misdemeanor for a person to store or leave, on a premise under his or her control, a loaded firearm in such a manner that it is likely a child can gain access to the firearm. The investigation is ongoing to determine exactly how the firearm was stored in the vehicle, police added. Due to her medical condition, detectives have not been able to interview the victim and any decision on the filing of criminal charges will not come until after we speak with the victim. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The head of an Isis unit attempting to develop chemical weapons has been captured by US Special Forces, it has been claimed. The chemical weapons head was captured during a raid near the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar last month, two senior intelligence officials told the Associated Press. US officials said last week an Isis leader had been captured, but did not identify him, saying only that he had been held for two or three weeks and was being questioned. Two Iraqi officials, however, have identified the man as Sleiman Daud al-Afari, who worked for Saddam Hussenins now-dissolved Military Industrialisation Authority where he specialised in chemical and biological weapons. The officials, who spoke on a condition of anonymity, said Afari is about 50 years old and heads Isis recently established branch for the research and development of chemical weapons. According to The New York Times, the Isis leader described by the military as a significant Isis operative - is currently being held in American custody at a temporary detention facility in Erbil, Iraq where he provided details about the groups chemical activity. He allegedly told US officials the militant group had weaponised mustard gas into powdered form and loaded it into artillery shells. One defence official reportedly said the mustard gas was not concentrated enough to kill anyone, but it could maim people. Defence department officials said the US does not intend to hold the detainee indefinitely and they will be handed over to the Iraqi and Kurdish authorities after being interviewed. The capture of the Isis chemical leader is first known major success of the USs intensified perusal of Isis militants on the ground. The Obama administration launched the new strategy in December, deploying a commando force to Iraq dedicated to capturing and killing Isis leaders in clandestine operations, as well as generating intelligence leading to more raids. The US-led coalition began targeting IS' chemical weapons infrastructure with airstrikes and special operations raids over the past two months, the Iraqi officials and a Western security official in Baghdad said. Airstrikes are targeting laboratories and equipment, and further Special Forces raids targeting chemical weapons experts are planned, the intelligence officials said. Inside Isis secret tunnels Show all 7 1 /7 Inside Isis secret tunnels Inside Isis secret tunnels Network of underground tunnels was discovered by Kurdish forces after they regained the town of Sinjar in Iraq Inside Isis secret tunnels A member of the Peshmerga forces inspects a tunnel used by Isis militants in the town of Sinjar, Iraq Reuters Inside Isis secret tunnels An entrance to the tunnel used by Islamic State militants is seen in the town of Sinjar, Iraq Inside Isis secret tunnels The secret tunnels allowed militants to freely move underground Inside Isis secret tunnels The tunnels appear to be wired with electricity Inside Isis secret tunnels Some of the tunnels are 30 feet deep Inside Isis secret tunnels Concerns remain that parts of the tunnels are rigged with explosives Isis is understood to be making a determined effort to develop chemical weapons, Iraqi and American officials have said. The group is believed to have set up a special unit for chemical weapons research, made up of Iraqi scientists from the Saddam-era weapons program as well as foreign experts. In February, US intelligence officials confirmed Isis had succeeded in making and deploying chemical agents in the Middle East. Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, said sulphur mustard had been used in an alleged Isis attack in Syria and there are numerous allegations of Isis use of chemical weapons in both Syria and Iraq. So far the extremist group is believed to have only created limited amounts of mustard gas and appears incapable of launching a large-scale chemical weapons attack, which would require expertise, proper equipment and materials and a supply chain to produce enough of the chemical agent to pose a significant threat. Additional reporting by Associated Press Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A reported sighting of Madeleine McCann in Paraguay has been dismissed by police in the country as false. A private investigator claimed the missing British girl - who would now be 12 years old, having disappeared when she was three - had recently arrived in the South American nation But officials sought to discount the claims after a search of the suspect area. Miraz Ullah Ali Isa, a British private detective, told ABC Color he had been told Madeleine had arrived in Paraguay. "My team and I received the information that Madeleine arrived in Paraguay one or two months ago and is living in Aregua in the custody of a woman," he said, referring to a city in the south west of the country. One of the theories circulating following the toddler's disappearance in 2007 was that she had been abducted and given to a childless couple. But Luis Ignacio Arias, an Interpol inspector in Paraguay, told news agency EFE that Mr Isa was not a reliable source of information, according to Mail Online. Kate and Jerry McCann with a picture of their daughter as she would look today (LEON NEAL/AFP/GettyImages) "There's nothing concrete about that person," said Mr Arias, adding that he had not reported his claims to any police authorities. Jalil Rachid, the country's vice minister of interior security, also said Madeleine had not been found in Aregua. He told Radio Monumental the private investigator "obviously left with empty hands." Madeleine's parents, Kate and Jerry McCann, were initially investigated by Portugese police but were subsequently dropped as official suspects and cleared of any involvement. The Madeleine McCann case Show all 25 1 /25 The Madeleine McCann case The Madeleine McCann case Madeleine McCann One of the last photos of Madeleine before her disappearance EPA The Madeleine McCann case Madeleine McCann Madeleine McCann was three when she was abducted during a family holiday in 2007 The Madeleine McCann case Top worn by a man that detectives investigate with connection to disappearance of Madeleine McCann A computer generated image of the distinctive burgundy long sleeve top worn by a man that detectives investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are looking for The Madeleine McCann case Apartment in Portugal from where Madeleine went missing An aerial view of the Ocean Club apartments and pool where Madeleine McCann went missing Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images The Madeleine McCann case Kate McCann Kate McCann speaks to the press outside the court house in Lisbon on 12 September 2013 following the first audience of the McCann couple's libel proceedings against former inspector Goncalo Amaral for a book written about the case of their missing daughter The Madeleine McCann case Kate and Gerry McCann Kate McCann and Gerry McCann before the start of the 'Miles for Missing People' charity run in Regent's Park in London, 2011 The Madeleine McCann case Kate and Gerry McCann Kate and Gerry McCann make an appeal at a press conference in the holiday resort of Praia da Luz, Portugal 7 May 2007 The Madeleine McCann case Kate and Gerry McCann The McCann's give an interview with a Spanish television channel at their home in Rothley The Madeleine McCann case Kate and Gerry McCann Madeleine McCann was abducted in Portugal in May 2007 AP The Madeleine McCann case Kate and Gerry McCann Preliminary forensic analysis on samples recovered from the McCanns' hire car raised the possibility of a match with Madeleine's DNA profile, according to the leaked report Getty Images The Madeleine McCann case Kate and Gerry McCann Pope Benedict XVI blesses a photo of four-year-old abducted British girl Madeleine McCann, while meeting her parents Gerry and Kate McCann, after his weekly general audience at the Vatican, 2007 Reuters The Madeleine McCann case Kate and Gerry McCann Gerald McCann and Kate McCann speak to the press on 4 May 2007 at the Ocean club appartement hotel in Praia de Luz in Lagos after Madeline vanished while her parents were out to dinner The Madeleine McCann case Portuguese police search for Madeleine Dozens of Portuguese police aided by dogs search for missing three-year old British girl Madelaine McCann in front of the Ocean club appartment hotel in Praia de Luz in Lagos The Madeleine McCann case Kate and Gerry McCann Gerald McCann and Kate McCann walk holding their two other children outside the Ocean club apartment hotel in Praia de Luz in May 2007 The Madeleine McCann case Madeleine McCann Madeleine McCann pictured at the age of three, left, and as she might have looked aged nine PA/Teri Blythe The Madeleine McCann case Kate and Gerry McCann The parents of missing Madeleine McCann have described as "pure speculation" reports in the Portuguese press suggesting that a chief suspect in the disappearance of their daughter was killed in a tractor accident four years ago. PA The Madeleine McCann case Tribute for missing Madeleine in Rothley, Leicesteshire Three year old Cally prepares to add a yellow ribbon to a floral tribute for missing Madeleine McCann in Rothley in Leicesteshire, 2007 The Madeleine McCann case Support for the missing Madeleine Everton captain Lee Carsley (L) leads his team onto the field, followed Mikel Arteta (C) and Manuel Fernandes (R) wearing Tshirts bearing a message of support for the missing British toddler Madeleine McCann, prior to the English Premiership match between Chelsea and Everton, at Stamford Bridge in London, 2007 The Madeleine McCann case Madeleine McCann A poster appealing for information about Madeleine McCann at a Spanish railway station PA The Madeleine McCann case BBC's Crimewatch reconstruction of Madeleine McCann's disappearance Former porn star Mark Sloan (L) was cast in the BBC's Crimewatch reconstruction of Madeleine McCann's disappearance BBC The Madeleine McCann case Clarence Mitchell holds two artist's impression of the new suspect McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell holds two artist's impression of the new suspect on 20 January 2008 in London. The description has come from British woman Gail Cooper, who was staying with her family close to the McCann's apartment in Portugal The Madeleine McCann case Image of a woman sought in the case Clarence Mitchell, the press spokesman for the McCann family, releases a photofit image of a woman sought in the search for missing Madeleine McCann Getty Images The Madeleine McCann case Suspect in disappearance of Madeleine McCann Police released two e-fits of suspect in disappearance of Madeleine McCann Getty Images The Madeleine McCann case Raymond Hewlett Convicted paedophile Raymond Hewlett, who is being sought in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann PA The Madeleine McCann case A picture of a suspect An artist's impression of a suspicious man seen by a witness apparently watching the McCann family's apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, the day before Madeleine McCann went missing Channel 4 The toddler is believed to have gone missing while she was meant to be asleep in an apartment room with her twin brother and sister in Praia de Luz in the Algarve region of Portugal, while her parents were eating in a nearby tapas bar. In May 2011, four years after Madeleine's disappearance, Home Secretary Theresa May announced Scotland Yard would take over from Leicestershire Police and review the evidence in the case. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A killer whale linked to three peoples deaths could be dying in captivity at SeaWorld Orlando. Tilikum, who has been at the tourist attraction in Florida for 23 years, has become increasingly lethargic as vets struggle to treat a bacterial infection in his lungs. It has been our duty and passion to make sure we give him the utmost care we possibly can, said Daniel Richardville, an animal training supervisor. He said vets were concerned that Tilikums health was beginning to deteriorate and that they were trying to make him comfortable. The orca was featured in the influential Blackfish documentary, which heavily criticised keeping whales in captivity and argued it made them hostile after exploring Tilikums relationship with humans. The film was released three years after Tilikum dragged Dawn Brancheau to her death in front of horrified onlookers following a performance. The 40-year-old, who was an experienced trainer, had been rubbing the whale when he dragged her underwater and drowned her. A post-mortem found Tilikum had scalped Ms Brancheau, fractured her spine, broken several bones and torn off part of her left arm. Killer whale 'Tilikum' appears during its performance in its show 'Believe' at Sea World on March 30, 2011 in Orlando, Florida. (Getty) The death on 24 February 2010 was the third the whale had been linked to, after a 27-year-old man was found dead in his pool after jumping into the enclosure. Daniel P Dukes death in July 1999 was attributed to drowning but medical examiners also almost 60 injuries, including many suffered after death, inferring that Tilikum may have toyed with the body. The 12,000lb orca was one of three whales involved in a previous death in 1991, when 21-year-old Keltie Byrne was drowned in front of visitors at his previous home at the Sealand of the Pacific park in British Columbia, Canada. The aquarium subsequently closed and sold its orcas to SeaWorld. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Tilikum, said to have been captured near Iceland in November 1983, is estimated to be 35 years old. Since Tilikum became a part of SeaWorlds family 23 years ago, he has received the best in marine mammal health care and life enrichment available for killer whales including a focus on his physical health, mental engagement and social activity with other whales, a spokesperson for SeaWorld said. Our teams are treating him with care and medication for what we believe is a bacterial infection in his lungs. However, the suspected bacteria is very resistant to treatment and a cure for his illness has not been found. Visitor numbers to the Orlando park have declined since the release of Blackfish and in November, the chain announced that it would phase out the controversial orca shows in San Diego in 2017. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Neil Bush, the younger brother of Jeb and George W Bush, is going to work for Jebs former presidential rival, Texas Senator Ted Cruz. Mr Bush, 61, a businessman, and his wife Maria are among 13 new members of the finance team for Mr Cruzs White House campaign. All are erstwhile supporters of other candidates, including Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio. Mr Cruz met his own wife, Heidi, when both worked on George W Bushs presidential campaign in 2000. Mr Cruz is unlikely to win the backing of the former President, who said of him at a private fundraising event last year: I just dont like the guy. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Anyone casually tuning into Donald Trumps victory rally on Tuesday night may have assumed they were watching a commercial for the businessman's products. Attacked by former Republican nominee Mitt Romney for what he called a series of failed business ventures, the tycoon sought to disprove him. In an appearance in Jupiter, Florida, Mr Trump talked not only of his celebrated hotels and resorts but also about a host of other businesses. Over the space of just a few minutes, he mentioned Trump Magazine, Trump Water, Trump Vodka, Trump Wine,Trump Steaks,Trump Airlines and Trump University. Donald Trump claimed victories in Michigan and Mississippi (AP) More than just mention them, Mr Trump had several of the products to hand, most noticeably his steaks. Mitt Romney got up and spoke the other day, said Mr Trump, to boos from his supporters. Oh, its all right. He ran, but he did not manage to get over the final gate. The tycoon said that he had brought the steak and other items to disprove Mr Romney claims about him having overseen failed business. Yet reporters at the event in Florida said it was not clear whether the steaks on display were actually produced by Mr Trump. Some speculated they were not usually available for sale. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The results of In-between Tuesday, above all in Michigan, underscored three verities of this amazing American election year of 2016. Donald Trump is now prohibitive favourite for the Republican nomination, and Hillary Clinton remains by far his most likely opponent. And third, if that comes to pass, the rust-belt states could be at the centre of a major redrawing of the US electoral map. Mr Trumps wins mean that barring some astonishing turn, he will take at the very least a plurality of delegates to the convention, guaranteeing a bloody and self-destructive brawl in Cleveland in July, if he is to be stopped. Last weeks onslaught against him by Republican grandees including Mitt Romney and John McCain seems to have backfired, only strengthening the property moguls populist appeal to the angry little guy, as a political outsider who tells it like it is. Last week, on Super Tuesday, his wins included states as different as Alabama and Massachusetts. This week it was Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii. Truly he is a national candidate. If he prevails in any two of the three delegate-rich, winner-take-all states of Florida, Ohio, and Missouri next week, and heads the pack in Illinois or North Carolina, in what is essentially Super Tuesday II, its probably game, set and match. Bernie Sanders surprises with Michigan primary win On the other hand, Bernie Sanderss upset defeat of Ms Clinton in Michigan may amount to less than meets the eye. True, it will swell even more the huge flow of small donations that has allowed the Vermont Senator to match Ms Clinton in fund raising. This, and the rigidly proportional award of delegates in Democratic primaries and caucuses, guarantees that Mr Sanders will fight to the end. But the outcome is hardly in doubt. His Michigan win was a squeaker, giving him a delegate or two more from the state than his rival. But the former Secretary of State and First Ladys landslide victory in Mississippi means that in delegate terms, she won far more overall than her rival. And Michigan, with its combination of epic industrial collapse and large student population, is as good as it gets for him in terms of rust-belt states. Bernie Sanderss message in some ways appeals to the same audience that backs Donald Trump (AP) In fact he and Mr Trump appeal to a similar swathe of voters above all blue-collar whites who feel left out and, as the current jargon word has it, unprotected by both major parties, betrayed by the latters decades old support for trade deals, starting with Nafta in 1993, that have sent US manufacturing jobs overseas. Mr Sanders lards his message with diatribes against a Wall Street that, in boom or recession, always seems to win. Mr Trump conjures a vision of a country swamped by illegal immigrants, to be kept out by a Great Wall of Trump along the southern US border. But the net result is the same. Sanders slams Trump, Clinton during Michigan rally Both tap into a pervasive and somewhat perverse mood that the country is going to hell in a handcart. This when the economy is doing well, when unemployment is at an eight-year low, and the housing market is picking up pace. But tell that to an American proletariat facing stagnating wages, shrinking benefits and the fear that his or her precious job could be gone tomorrow. Yet Michigan is sui generis. Other past or present rust-belt states are yet to vote: Ohio and Illinois next week; Wisconsin, New York and Pennsylvania next month; Indiana and New Jersey in early May and early June, respectively. But none are in as deep a mess. They have pockets of despair, but also cities of inspirational turnarounds (see Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the grimy old steel-town turned diversified financial, educational and tech metropolis). Right now Ms Clinton has handsome leads in most of them, Ohio and Illinois in particular although so she had in Michigan, according to the polls, some on the very eve of the vote. The same may happen again, but its inconceivable she will be completely routed in any of them, meaning that in terms of delegates, where she has a massive lead, little will change. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty But if she does secure the nomination, a Clinton/Trump battle in the rust belt states could redraw the US electoral map. Hitherto, except Ohio, they have all have been reliably Democrat for several electoral cycles. But in 2016, who knows? However loathsome Mr Trumps bragging and bloviating, one boast is undeniable, that he is vastly expanding the potential Republican electorate. Hundreds of thousands who never voted before have done so now, while turnout for the Democratic primaries has been lower than in 2008, the last time the party staged contested primaries. Her struggles in Michigan only highlighted Ms Clintons lack of appeal to the white working class and (at least when matched against Mr Sanders) to independents and younger voters. It is crystal clear that Mr Trump been attracting large numbers of crossover Democrats todays incarnation of the Reagan Democrats of the 1980s. Conceivably, states such as Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania could switch from blue to red. Of course, a surge in turnout by Hispanics and women constituencies outraged by Trumpian threats and vulgarities could nullify his advantage in the odd traditionally Republican states Arizona anyone? That is what makes Election 2016 so fascinating and compelling. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A 15-year-old girl is fighting for her life in a New Delhi hospital after being raped and set on fire on the rooftop terrace of her family's home in a village outside the city, Indian police have said. The attack is just one of several recently reported cases of rape against women or children in India - underlining the persistence of such violence despite a public outcry three years ago that led to stronger laws to prevent sexual assault. In the latest case, police arrested a 20-year-old man for allegedly raping and attempting to burn the girl to death in Tigri village, near the New Delhi suburb of Noida in the state of Uttar Pradesh, on Monday, according to constable Yadram Singh of Bisrakh police station. Mr Singh said the man "had severe burns on his hands" and has been charged with several offences, including rape, attempted murder, assault of a minor and causing grievous injury. The teenager is in a critical condition in a New Delhi hospital, Mr Singh said. Indian newspapers reported that she was suffering from burns to 95% of her body. India protests against sexual violence Show all 20 1 /20 India protests against sexual violence India protests against sexual violence April 2015 School girls wear black bands on their faces during a protest rally against the rape case of a 16-year-old girl at Dhupguri town in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal Reuters India protests against sexual violence March 2015 Students of Convent of Jesus and Mary School participate in a protest against the alleged gang rape of a nun in her 70s AP India protests against sexual violence March 2015 Official figures for the number of women raped in India are often disputed by Women's Rights experts who claim the numbers are far higher SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP/Getty Images India protests against sexual violence March 2015 Women protest after the horrific rape and murder of Jyoti Singh in India BBC India protests against sexual violence June 2014 Women in India protest against rape and other attacks on women and girls in the country AP India protests against sexual violence June 2014 Indian activists from the Social Unity Center of India (SUCI) shout slogans against the state government in protest against the gang rape and murder of two girls in the district of Badaun in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and recent rapes in the eastern state of West Bengal, in Kolkata AFP/Getty India protests against sexual violence June 2014 Supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were protesting against the rape and hanging of two girls Reuters India protests against sexual violence May 2014 Members of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union shout slogans during a protest against a gang rape of two teenage girls in Katra village, outside the Uttar Pradesh state house, in New Delhi. A top government official said the northern Uttar Pradesh state has sacked two police officers who failed to respond to a complaint by the father of the two teenage girls who went missing and were later found gang raped and killed. The placard at right reads, "Punish the culprits of gang-rape and murder of two Dalit girls" AP Photo/Manish Swarup India protests against sexual violence January 2014 Student protesters outside a Suri hospital where a rape victim is being treated Andrew Buncombe India protests against sexual violence January 2014 West Bengal Women's Forum activists walk a protest rally against a rape case in Calcutta, eastern India. A young girl was gang-raped on October 25 and afterwards repeatedly threatened by the accused, following which the disturbed girl set herself on fire December 23. She was admitted to the hospital with 40 percent burns and finally succumbed to her burn injuries on 31 December EPA India protests against sexual violence August 2013 Republican Party of India supporters protest in Mumbai against the rape of a female photographer Reuters India protests against sexual violence May 2013 Indian demonstrators shout slogans at the police during a protest calling for better safety for women AFP/Getty Images India protests against sexual violence April 2013 An Indian woman holds a poster as she protests with others against how Indian authorities handle sex crimes near the Parliament in New Delhi, after a second suspect was arrested in the rape of a 5-year-old girl. Child rights activists say the rape of the girl is just the latest case in which Indian police failed to take urgent action on a report of a missing child. Three days after the attack, the girl was found alone in locked room in the same New Delhi building where her family lives AP India protests against sexual violence March 2013 Indians protests against all-too-common gang-rapes in their country Getty Images India protests against sexual violence January 2013 Indian students of various organisations hold placards as they shout slogans during a demonstration in Hyderabad Getty Images India protests against sexual violence January 2013 A protester chants slogans as she braces herself against the spray fired from police water canons during a protest against the Indian government's reaction to recent rape incidents in India, in front of India Gate on December 23, 2012 in New Delhi Getty Images India protests against sexual violence January 2013 Indian children paint messages during a gathering to mourn the death of the 23-year old rape victim. Her statement was used in the trial AP India protests against sexual violence January 2013 Indians hold a candlelight vigil in Delhi in memory of a gang-rape victim. Five men have been charged with murder AP India protests against sexual violence December 2012 Indian protesters are escorted by police as they demonstrate against the brutal gang-rape of a woman AP India protests against sexual violence December 2012 Indian protesters destroy a police van during a violent demonstration near the India Gate against a gang rape and brutal beating of a 23-year-old student on a bus AP Mr Singh's police report on the case describes how the girl's parents found her with severe burns, after hearing her screaming from the rooftop terrace a few hours before dawn on Monday. The girl later told police that she was raped, beaten and then set on fire by a man who she said had been stalking her for months, Mr Singh said. India's women and children are considered particularly vulnerable to sexual violence and harassment thanks to widespread social taboos against speaking about sexual assault. The stigma is enough to keep many from even reporting crimes, while many others face police resistance in filing complaints. Experts say that has started to change since the fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old woman on a New Delhi bus in 2012 triggered national anger and demands that more be done on women's safety. The government rushed through legislation to double prison terms for rape, and to criminalise voyeurism, stalking and the trafficking of women. But activists say more action is needed, including better educating youths and adding basic safety infrastructure such as street lights and public bathrooms. The public debate has also increased Indian newspaper reports of rape and assault, including several in just the last few days. On Monday, police in the financial capital of Mumbai said they were investigating whether a four-year-old girl whose body was dumped in the bushes on the city's outskirts had been raped before being killed, according to the Press Trust of India news agency. The girl reportedly went missing after being separated from her mother at a railway station on Sunday night. In other cases in Uttar Pradesh, police arrested a 20-year-old man suspected of raping a six-year-old on Sunday night, while separately they were investigating nine people for allegedly gang-raping a woman when she went into the fields to urinate last month, PTI reported. And last week, three boys reportedly kidnapped a teenage girl from her home and raped her repeatedly in an agricultural field in the northern state of Haryana and later in New Delhi before she escaped, the news agency cited police as saying. Press Assocation For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Chinese man has been jailed for three years after selling his 18-day-old baby daughter online so he could buy an iPhone. The man, known only as A Duan, from Tongan, Fujian province, south eastern China, found a buyer for his infant daughter on the social media site QQ, who paid 2,500 (23,000 Yuan) for the baby, according to the Peoples Daily Online. The man allegedly intended to buy an iPhone and a motorbike with the funds. The mother, called Xiao Mei in reports, reportedly worked many part-time jobs while the father spent his most of time in internet cafes. Both parents were 19 when they went through with the unplanned pregnancy. The baby was purchased for the un-named buyers sister. As the parents are not in a financial position to raise the child it is understood the infant is still with the buyers sister, the Epoch Times reports. The buyer allegedly turned himself into police after acquiring the infant. Mei had fled from Tongan after the baby was sold, but was tracked down by police investigating the illegal sale. Mei reportedly told police: I myself was adopted, and may people in my hometown send their kids to other people to raise them. I really didnt know that it was illegal. According to the Epoch Times, Mei has received a two-and-a-half year suspended sentence and A Duan was given three years in jail. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Kim Jong-un says North Korea now possesses nuclear warheads small enough to fit on ballistic missiles. The hermit kingdom made the claim by publishing photos on the front page of its ruling party newspaper that show the country's leader standing beside what it said was miniaturised nuclear warhead during a meeting with his top scientists. The Rodong Sinmun newspaper for the Workers' Party said Kim met his nuclear scientists for a briefing on the status of their work and declared he was greatly pleased that warheads had been standardized and miniaturized for use on ballistic missiles. The party newspaper photos showed Kim and the scientists standing by what outside analysts say appears to be the model warhead - a small, silverish globe presented on a low table in a hangar with a ballistic missile or a model ballistic missile in the background. The North claims it tested its first H-bomb in the 6 January nuclear test, which was followed last month by the launch of a rocket that put a satellite into orbit but which is seen as a violation of U.N. resolutions because it contains dual-use technology that could also be applied to long-range ballistic missiles. Its development of smaller nuclear weapons and long-range missiles that could be used to deliver them to targets overseas has long been a matter of concern and could potentially shake up the security balance in Asia. If the North succeeds in developing a credible warhead and missile, it would most deeply impact the United States, South Korea and Japan, but Russia and China, which are friendlier to the North, have strongly denounced its nuclear program. South Korea's Defense Ministry has said it is analysing the objects shown in the North Korean photos. Pyongyang has previously said it has nuclear warheads small enough to put on long-range missiles, but experts have questioned such claims. This was the first time the North has publicly portrayed what its designs look like, though it remains unclear whether the North has a functioning warhead of that size or if it is simply trying to develop one. On Monday, North Korea warned of pre-emptive nuclear strikes after the United States and South Korea began holding their biggest-ever war games, which will go on until the end of April. Tensions have been high after North Korea's recent nuclear test and rocket launch, which prompted the United Nations to adopt tough new sanctions. AP For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} North Korea has fired two short-range ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, South Korea's military has said. The two missiles were fired at around 5:20 am on Wednesday from North Hwanghae Province and hit waters northeast of the port city of Wonsan off the country's east coast, according to The Joint Chief of Staff (JCS), Yonhap news agency reports. Sources told the South Korean agency the missiles flew around 500 kilometers. The JCS said: "The military is keeping close tabs on the situation and prepared to deal with any North Korean provocations." North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, talking with scientists and technicians involved in the research of nuclear weapons, at an undisclosed location (Getty Images) The announcement comes after Kim Jong-un said on Tuesday North Korea now possesses nuclear warheads small enough to fit on ballistic missiles. The kingdom made the claim by publishing photos on the front page of its ruling party newspaper that show the country's leader standing beside what it said was miniaturised nuclear warhead during a meeting with his top scientists. The Rodong Sinmun newspaper photos showed Kim and the scientists standing by what outside analysts say appears to be the model warhead - a small, silverish globe presented on a low table in a hangar with a ballistic missile or a model ballistic missile in the background. This is the second time North Korea have launched missiles into the Sea of Japan in just one week. On 3 March the country fired short-range missiles into the Sea of Japan, just hours after the UN Security Council voted in favour of sanctions against the regime. North Korea launch short range projectiles Show all 6 1 /6 North Korea launch short range projectiles North Korea launch short range projectiles A man watches a TV news program showing a file footage of the missile launch conducted by North Korea, at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, AP North Korea launch short range projectiles North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaking during a ceremony for the scientists, technicians, workers and officials who worked on the recent successful launch of a satellite EPA North Korea launch short range projectiles People watch a TV news program showing a file footage of the missile launch conducted by North Korea, at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, AP North Korea launch short range projectiles North Korean soldiers guard the truce village of Panmunjom at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) which separates the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, North Korea AP North Korea launch short range projectiles People watch a TV news program showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea AP North Korea launch short range projectiles An undated file picture released by the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the North Korean ruling Workers Party EPA The UN passed the toughest sanctions in two decades against North Korea after it carried out a nuclear bomb test and launched a long-range missile, causing security tensions to increase. As a result of the sanctions, all cargo going in and out of the country will be inspected, while 16 more people and 12 organisations have been blacklisted. North Korea has also threatened to turn Washington and Seaol into "flames and ashes" and warned of pre-emptive nuclear strikes after the United States and South Korea began holding their biggest-ever war games, which will go on until the end of April. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A British woman has stabbed a man who slit her throat while attempting to rape her, it has been reported. The woman, 23, is understood to have been backpacking in Sydney when she was attacked by a fellow resident at a boarding house. The man, a 27-year-old Mexican national, allegedly forced his way into the womans room and made sexual advances towards her. When she refused, he allegedly attempted to sexually assault her, before leaving the room and returning with a knife. He allegedly stabbed the woman a number of times, including in the throat, The BBC reports. In the ensuing struggle, the woman reportedly succeeded in getting hold of the knife and stabbing the attacker. Witnesses reported hearing screams coming from the boarding house on Cleveland Street, Fedfern, followed by the woman running out, covered in blood. The man allegedly attempted to flee the scene but was arrested two blocks away. Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Show all 19 1 /19 Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Afghanistan Recommendation: I urge the Government of Afghanistan to adopt legislative reforms to ensure that sexual violence offences are not conflated with adultery or morality crimes and to establish infrastructure for the delivery of protection, health and le gal services to survivors. I call on the Ministry of the Interior to accelerate efforts to integrate women into the Afghan National Police, thereby enhancing its outreach and its capacity to address sexual and gender-based violence Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Central African Republic Recommendation: I urge the authorities of the Central African Republic to ensure that efforts to restore security and the rule of law take into account the prevention of sexual violence and that monitoring of the ceasefire and peace agreement explicitly reflects this consideration, in line with the joint communique of the Government and the United Nations on the prevention of and response to conflict-related sexual violence signed in December 2012. I further encourage the authorities to make the rapid response unit to combat sexual violence operational and to establish a special criminal court Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Colombia Recommendation: I commend the Government of Colombia for the progress made to date and its collaboration with the United Nations, including through the visit of my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict in March 2015. I encourage the authorities to implement Law 1719 and continue to prosecute cases of sexual violence committed during the conflict to ensure that survivors receive justice and receive reparations. Conflict-related sexual violence should continue to be addressed in the Havana peace talks, as well as in the resulting accords and transitional justice mechanisms. Particular attention should be paid to groups that face additional barriers to justice such as ethnic minorities, women in rural areas, children, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex individuals and women abused within the ranks of armed groups. I encourage the Government to scale up its protection measures and share its good practices with other conflict-affected countries Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Congo Recommendation: I urge the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure full implementation of the armed forces action plan against sexual violence, to systematically bring perpetrators to justice and to deliver reparations to victims, including payment of outstanding compensation awards. I call on donors and the United Nations system to support the Government in its efforts and to pay increased attention to neglected areas, including unregulated mining regions Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Iraq Recommendation: I commend the Government of Iraq for its national action plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and urge its swift implementation, including by training its security forces to ensur e respect for womens rights. Programmes to support the social reintegration of women and girls released from captivity by ISIL are urgently needed, as is community-based medical and psychological care. The capacity of the United Nations system should be enhanced through the deployment of Womens Protection Advisers or equivalent specialists Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Libya Recommendation: I urge the national authorities in Libya to implement Decree No. 119 and Resolution 904 of 2014 to ensure redress for all victims, including those affected by the current conflict, through the establishment of multisectoral services and the adoption of legislation to categorically prohibit sexual violence Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Mali Recommendation: I urge the Government of Mali, with support from United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict, to develop a comprehensive national strategy to combat sexual and gender-based violence and to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers so that services can reach remote areas. I further call on all parties to ensure that conflict-related sexual violence is addressed in the inter-Malian dialogue and that perpetrators of sexual violence do not benefit from amnesty or early release Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Myanmar Recommendation: I urge the Government of Myanmar to continue with its reform agenda and, in the process, take practical and timely actions to protect and support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and to ensure that security personnel accused of such crimes are prosecuted. Sexual violence should be an element in all ceasefire and peace negotiations, excluded from the scope of amnesty provisions and addressed in transitional justice processes. It is critical that women be able to participate consistently in and influence these processes Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Somalia Recommendation: I reiterate my call to the Federal Government of Somalia to implement the commitments made under the joint communique of 7 May 2013 and its national action plan to combat sexual violence in conflict, including specific plans for the army and the police. I encourage the adoption of a sexual offences bill as a matter of priority Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life South Sudan Recommendation: I urge the parties to the conflict in South Sudan to adopt action plans to implement the commitments made under their respective communiques. I call upon the Government of South Sudan to address the negative impact of customary law on womens rights and to reflect international human rights standards in national law. I also encourage the African Union to make public and act upon the report of its Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Sudan (Darfur) Recommendation: I call upon the Government of the Sudan to grant the United Nations and its humanitarian partners unfettered access for monitoring and the provision of assistance to people in need in Darfur. Given that there has been grave concern over sexual violence in Darfur for more than a decade, I encourage the Government to engage with my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict to develop a framework of cooperation to address the issue comprehensively Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Syria Recommendation: I acknowledge the Governments invitation to my Special Representative to visit the Syrian Arab Republic and call upon the authorities, in the context of such a visit, to agree on specific measures to prevent sexual violence, including by members of the security forces. I condemn the use of sexual violence by ISIL and all other parties listed in the annex to the present report and call on them to cease such violations immediately and allow unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Yemen Recommendation: I urge the authorities in Yemen to undertake legislative reform as a basis for addressing impunity for sexual violence, ensuring the provision of services for survivors and aligning the minimum legal age of marriage with international standards. I further call on the authorities to engage with local community and faithbased leaders to address sexual and gender-based violence and discriminatory social norms Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Bosnia and Herzegovina Recommendation: I urge the relevant authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to harmonize legislation and policies so that the rights of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence to reparations are consistently recognized and to allocate a specific budget for this purpose. I further call upon the authorities to protect and support survivors participating in judicial proceedings through, inter alia, referrals to free legal aid, psychosocial and health services, as well as economic empowerment programmes Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Ivory Coast Recommendation: I urge the Government of Cote dIvoire to ensure the effective implementation of its national strategy to combat gender-based violence and the action plan for FRCI, and call on the international community to support these efforts. It is critical to accelerate disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and strengthen law enforcement to ensure that ex-combatants who have been reintegrated into the transport sector do not pose a risk to women and girls who are reliant on those services. The Government and the international community must provide monitoring and awareness-raising to mitigate the possibility of a recurrence of sexual violence in the context of the presidential elections to be held in October 2015 Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Liberia Recommendation: I call on the Government of Liberia to continue its critical efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence including through the United Nations-Government of Liberia Joint Programme, and in the context of recovery from the Ebola virus epidemic Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Nepal Recommendation: I encourage the Government to ensure that survivors of conflict-related sexual violence are recognized under the law as conflict victims, which will enable them to access services, judicial remedies and reparations. I further call on all parties involved in the transitional justice process to ensure that the rights and needs o f survivors of sexual violence are addressed in institutional reforms and that these crimes are excluded from amnesties and statutes of limitations Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Sri Lanka Recommendation: I call upon the newly elected Government of Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of sexual violence, including against national armed and security forces, and to provide multisectoral services for survivors, including reparations and economic empowerment programmes for women at risk, including war widows and female heads of household Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Nigeria Recommendation: I encourage the Government to implement its national action plan on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) to ensure that womens protection concerns are mainstreamed throughout its security operations. I also call upon the authorities to guarantee security in and around internally displaced persons camps and to extend medical and psychosocial services to high-risk areas Speaking to local media, Dept Insp Despa Fitzgerald said: Obviously her survival instincts kicked in and she was able to remove herself from the situation. Its just lucky [the knife] didnt hit a major artery in those alleged attacks, and for him as well. Our understanding is they werent well known, they were possibly acquaintances but were still trying to work that out. The woman is in hospital awaiting surgery and the man is also receiving medical treatment, under the watch of an armed guard around his hospital bed. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} French workers and students are due to march in protest against a controversial labour bill which could see them lose their protected 35-hour week, Student unions say a new bill by the left-wing French government, which reportedly makes it easier to lay off workers, is a "veritable return to the last century for the world of the workplace," according to The Times. Railway workers also began a 36-hour strike protesting the changes alongside other nationwide strikes on what is being called "Black Wednesday" in the country. The bill, which is being introduced by labour minister Myriam El Khomri and is supported by prime minister Manuel Valls, includes a way of circumventing the French statutory 35-hour week by enabling staff to volunteer for longer hours under some circumstances. Peter Jacquemain, a close adviser to Ms El Khomri before he resigned, said he understood the outcry. "This bill is a historic mistake," he told L'Humanite. "This is a regression in social rights, to the extent that many gains of the workers will be renegotiated at a business level, where the balance of power is systemtically not favourable for employees." The 19 best UK cities to live and work in Show all 19 1 /19 The 19 best UK cities to live and work in The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 19. Stoke-on-Trent The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 18. Brighton The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 17. Cardiff The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 16. Plymouth The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 15. Milton Keynes and Aylesbury The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 14. Swindon The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 13. Norwich The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 12. Preston The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 11. Portsmouth The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 10. Coventry The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 9. Leicester The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 8. Belfast The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 7. Bristol The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 6. Southampton The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 5. Aberdeen 2008 Getty Images The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 4. Cambridge The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 3. Edinburgh The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 2. Oxford The 19 best UK cities to live and work in 1. Reading and Bracknell One of the aims of the bill is to enable employers to hire more workers, according to Euro News. It also aims to prevent some groups - such as ethnic minorities and working class communities - from being locked out of the labour market by ending jobs for life among more privileged groups - yet critics have said this is an attack on French workers' right to job security. Their voices already seem to have made some impact, with French president Francois Hollande meeting with party members to discuss "improvements" to the bill, in a move others have interpreted as an attempt to soften the changes. His labour minister Ms El Khomri has also come under scrutiny over the proposed changes, with more than 780,000 people signing a petition to her to drop the bill. She is reported to be in negotiations with workers' and employers' unions, according to RFI. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A judge who allegedly asked a rape victim whether she had tried "closing her legs" is the subject of a campaign to have her suspended. Judge Maria del Carmen Molina Mansilla, in the Basque Country in Spain, has been accused of "offensive questioning" of a woman who was describing how she was sexually and physically abuse. In response, the Clara Camoamor Association, a campaign group for victims of gender crime, has claimed the judge's remarks showed a clear prejudice towards disbelieving the victim. "She showed obvious disbelief of the testimony of the victim, questioned her without allowing her to answer, asking leading and offensive questions," Blance Estrella Ruiz of the Clara Campoamor Association said, according to The Local. Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Show all 19 1 /19 Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Afghanistan Recommendation: I urge the Government of Afghanistan to adopt legislative reforms to ensure that sexual violence offences are not conflated with adultery or morality crimes and to establish infrastructure for the delivery of protection, health and le gal services to survivors. I call on the Ministry of the Interior to accelerate efforts to integrate women into the Afghan National Police, thereby enhancing its outreach and its capacity to address sexual and gender-based violence Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Central African Republic Recommendation: I urge the authorities of the Central African Republic to ensure that efforts to restore security and the rule of law take into account the prevention of sexual violence and that monitoring of the ceasefire and peace agreement explicitly reflects this consideration, in line with the joint communique of the Government and the United Nations on the prevention of and response to conflict-related sexual violence signed in December 2012. I further encourage the authorities to make the rapid response unit to combat sexual violence operational and to establish a special criminal court Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Colombia Recommendation: I commend the Government of Colombia for the progress made to date and its collaboration with the United Nations, including through the visit of my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict in March 2015. I encourage the authorities to implement Law 1719 and continue to prosecute cases of sexual violence committed during the conflict to ensure that survivors receive justice and receive reparations. Conflict-related sexual violence should continue to be addressed in the Havana peace talks, as well as in the resulting accords and transitional justice mechanisms. Particular attention should be paid to groups that face additional barriers to justice such as ethnic minorities, women in rural areas, children, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex individuals and women abused within the ranks of armed groups. I encourage the Government to scale up its protection measures and share its good practices with other conflict-affected countries Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Congo Recommendation: I urge the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure full implementation of the armed forces action plan against sexual violence, to systematically bring perpetrators to justice and to deliver reparations to victims, including payment of outstanding compensation awards. I call on donors and the United Nations system to support the Government in its efforts and to pay increased attention to neglected areas, including unregulated mining regions Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Iraq Recommendation: I commend the Government of Iraq for its national action plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and urge its swift implementation, including by training its security forces to ensur e respect for womens rights. Programmes to support the social reintegration of women and girls released from captivity by ISIL are urgently needed, as is community-based medical and psychological care. The capacity of the United Nations system should be enhanced through the deployment of Womens Protection Advisers or equivalent specialists Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Libya Recommendation: I urge the national authorities in Libya to implement Decree No. 119 and Resolution 904 of 2014 to ensure redress for all victims, including those affected by the current conflict, through the establishment of multisectoral services and the adoption of legislation to categorically prohibit sexual violence Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Mali Recommendation: I urge the Government of Mali, with support from United Nations Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict, to develop a comprehensive national strategy to combat sexual and gender-based violence and to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers so that services can reach remote areas. I further call on all parties to ensure that conflict-related sexual violence is addressed in the inter-Malian dialogue and that perpetrators of sexual violence do not benefit from amnesty or early release Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Myanmar Recommendation: I urge the Government of Myanmar to continue with its reform agenda and, in the process, take practical and timely actions to protect and support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and to ensure that security personnel accused of such crimes are prosecuted. Sexual violence should be an element in all ceasefire and peace negotiations, excluded from the scope of amnesty provisions and addressed in transitional justice processes. It is critical that women be able to participate consistently in and influence these processes Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Somalia Recommendation: I reiterate my call to the Federal Government of Somalia to implement the commitments made under the joint communique of 7 May 2013 and its national action plan to combat sexual violence in conflict, including specific plans for the army and the police. I encourage the adoption of a sexual offences bill as a matter of priority Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life South Sudan Recommendation: I urge the parties to the conflict in South Sudan to adopt action plans to implement the commitments made under their respective communiques. I call upon the Government of South Sudan to address the negative impact of customary law on womens rights and to reflect international human rights standards in national law. I also encourage the African Union to make public and act upon the report of its Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Sudan (Darfur) Recommendation: I call upon the Government of the Sudan to grant the United Nations and its humanitarian partners unfettered access for monitoring and the provision of assistance to people in need in Darfur. Given that there has been grave concern over sexual violence in Darfur for more than a decade, I encourage the Government to engage with my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict to develop a framework of cooperation to address the issue comprehensively Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Syria Recommendation: I acknowledge the Governments invitation to my Special Representative to visit the Syrian Arab Republic and call upon the authorities, in the context of such a visit, to agree on specific measures to prevent sexual violence, including by members of the security forces. I condemn the use of sexual violence by ISIL and all other parties listed in the annex to the present report and call on them to cease such violations immediately and allow unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Yemen Recommendation: I urge the authorities in Yemen to undertake legislative reform as a basis for addressing impunity for sexual violence, ensuring the provision of services for survivors and aligning the minimum legal age of marriage with international standards. I further call on the authorities to engage with local community and faithbased leaders to address sexual and gender-based violence and discriminatory social norms Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Bosnia and Herzegovina Recommendation: I urge the relevant authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to harmonize legislation and policies so that the rights of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence to reparations are consistently recognized and to allocate a specific budget for this purpose. I further call upon the authorities to protect and support survivors participating in judicial proceedings through, inter alia, referrals to free legal aid, psychosocial and health services, as well as economic empowerment programmes Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Ivory Coast Recommendation: I urge the Government of Cote dIvoire to ensure the effective implementation of its national strategy to combat gender-based violence and the action plan for FRCI, and call on the international community to support these efforts. It is critical to accelerate disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and strengthen law enforcement to ensure that ex-combatants who have been reintegrated into the transport sector do not pose a risk to women and girls who are reliant on those services. The Government and the international community must provide monitoring and awareness-raising to mitigate the possibility of a recurrence of sexual violence in the context of the presidential elections to be held in October 2015 Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Liberia Recommendation: I call on the Government of Liberia to continue its critical efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence including through the United Nations-Government of Liberia Joint Programme, and in the context of recovery from the Ebola virus epidemic Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Nepal Recommendation: I encourage the Government to ensure that survivors of conflict-related sexual violence are recognized under the law as conflict victims, which will enable them to access services, judicial remedies and reparations. I further call on all parties involved in the transitional justice process to ensure that the rights and needs o f survivors of sexual violence are addressed in institutional reforms and that these crimes are excluded from amnesties and statutes of limitations Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Sri Lanka Recommendation: I call upon the newly elected Government of Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of sexual violence, including against national armed and security forces, and to provide multisectoral services for survivors, including reparations and economic empowerment programmes for women at risk, including war widows and female heads of household Countries where sexual violence has become a way of life Nigeria Recommendation: I encourage the Government to implement its national action plan on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) to ensure that womens protection concerns are mainstreamed throughout its security operations. I also call upon the authorities to guarantee security in and around internally displaced persons camps and to extend medical and psychosocial services to high-risk areas The unnamed woman arrived at her local police station in Vitoria to make a complaint that a man repeatedly abused her sexually and physically. When she made a statement, Judge Mansilla reportedly asked her: "Did you close your legs and all your female organs?" Ms Ruiz, whose group is now seeking for the judge to be suspended, said the incident was not the first time that the judge had appeared to make light of a victim's allegations. "Such questions are not only unnecessary to the investigation but are completely offensive and violate the dignity of the victim," she said, according to The Local. "Unfortunately this is not an isolated act but such behaviour [by this judge] is habitual and continuous." The Clara Camoamor Association has asked the General Council of the Judiciary, which reviews the independence of judges in Spain, to suspend the judge - the matter is ongoing. Officials at the Juzgado de Violencia sobre la Mujer Vittoria (Court of Violence against Women ) told The Independent that the judge will not be commenting on the matter. Spain has one of the lowest rates of victim assault in Europe, yet the problem remains serious with one in five women believed to be victims of assault. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A quarter of a million children are at risk of starvation in open-air prisons in besieged Syria despite the truce, Save the Children has said, as peace talks scheduled to resume on Wednesday looked shaky. Some 486,700 people in 18 different areas across Syria are under siege by either government or opposition forces, according to the UN, with no movement of food, medicines or fuel in or out. Some aid agencies say the true number may be up to 1.9 million. There were hopes that the current cessation of hostilities, which came into force on 27 February, would be a turning point, enabling aid organisations to access besieged areas. A handful of aid convoys have since reached 150,000 people, but charities and residents say deliveries have been patchy. Aid has reached some areas, but deliveries are piecemeal and inconsistent, Save the Childrens CEO, Tanya Steele, said. To have children going hungry and sick just a short drive from warehouses of food is appalling and its time we ended this shameful situation. Access is granted to each convoy individually, and they are only able to take enough supplies to last a few weeks, with no guarantee of when the next delivery will be made. Aid being delivered to the rebel-held town of Ain Terma, on the outskirts of Damascus, at the weekend (Getty) (Getty Images) In a report released on Wednesday, a third of 126 residents interviewed by Save the Children say they often go without a single meal a day, and a quarter have seen children in their towns dying because of lack of food. The report paints a stark picture of the cruelties of living under siege in Moadamiyeh, just a few miles from the capital Damascus, three newborn babies died after medical staff ran out of IV bags. A relatives infant son died from malnutrition because of the lack of formula and food for children, Um Tarek, a mother in the village of Misraba, in the suburbs of Damascus, told Save the Children. His mother wasnt able to breastfeed him because she was in such poor health. Abdul Wahab Ahmed, a civil society activist in Madaya, which has been under government siege since July, told The Independent that more than 300 children in the town were currently suffering symptoms of severe malnutrition. Images on Twitter showed children and infants with distended stomachs. An eight-year-old boy died from lack of food on 27 February the day the truce officially took hold Mr Ahmed added. He said the two aid deliveries that had been made had been vital, but insufficient. Before the latest delivery, a kilogram of rice in the city was selling for $230 (160). Aid agencies say that unless there is a more permanent end to the violence in Syria soon to enter its sixth year there is little hope of seeing an end to the use of siege as a tactic by both sides. Truce brings a chance for Syrian kids to be...kids Official peace talks were scheduled to begin on Wednesday, but the High Negotiations Committee, the umbrella body of the mainstream Syrian opposition, has still not confirmed whether it would attend. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura was adamant that initial talks would take place, saying he would be holding substantive talks between government and the opposition by next Monday. The pause in fighting has given many Syrians a brief respite from the relentless violence, but the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that fighting had killed over 40 civilians in the past two days, more than in the previous eight days of the truce combined. Meanwhile three rockets fired from Syria landed on the Turkish border city of Kilis, killing a four-year-old boy and one other person. Turkey responded by firing at Isis targets in Syria. Initial peace talks planned by Mr de Mistura collapsed in early February, after the start of a Russian-backed government offensive on Aleppo. There are now fears the city may soon face siege tactics like those seen across the rest of Syria. We are extremely concerned about the situation in Aleppo, said Ashley Proud, of Mercy Corps. There are around 300,000 people there at risk of becoming trapped They have limited options for flight. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A toddler has been found hidden in the hand baggage of a female passenger aboard an Istanbul to Paris flight late on 7 March, it has emerged. Another passenger saw something wriggling in the bag and tipped off the cabin crew. They asked the woman to open the bag and found the child. Air France confirmed the incident but said they could not give further details. French authorities said that the woman had been arrested upon arrival at Charles de Gaulle airport. They said it was not yet clear whether the child and the woman were related. One possibility under investigation is that the child was being smuggled to Europe by an illegal adoption ring. Vincent, a 36 year-old passenger on the flight, told the French news website Planet.fr: There was a cloth bag belonging to a female passenger who was sitting at the rear of the plane. She began to open the bag and another passenger sitting nearby saw something moving inside. He alerted the flight attendants who discovered a baby, aged between one and two years old. The eyewitness said the infant appeared to be in good health. The woman and child were taken to the front of the aircraft and handed over to French police upon arrival in Paris. An Air France spokesman said that the child was travelling without a ticket. Although no fare is charged to children the age of two, they must pay airport taxes and they must have valid travel documents. French police declined to reveal the identity or nationality of the woman. An Air France spokesman said: An investigation is under way. I can only say that the security checks are the responsibility of airports, in this case, Istanbul Ataturk. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A cache of leaked "surveys" given to would-be jihadis joining Isis show the 23 questions that make up the terror groups rigorous entrance interviews. The documents ask new recruits to detail a host of information in 23 fields, including their birth date, nationality, blood type and previous jihadi experience. Tens of thousands of the forms, obtained by Sky News, reveal the names of 22,000 people from at least 51 countries, including the UK, who gave up personal information as they joined the militant group. The forms showing the 23-question survey in Arabic were previously published online by Zaman Al Wasl, a pro-opposition Syrian news website. Two of the Isis 'registration forms' leaks.zamanalwsl.net (leaks.zamanalwsl.net) Zaman Al Wasls report claimed the personal details of 1,736 fighters from 40 countries had been revealed, showing that a quarter were Saudis and the rest predominantly Tunisian, Moroccan and Egyptian. The documents, written in Arabic and stamped with logos used by the so-called Islamic State, allegedly contain details of 16 British fighters. In addition to their names, the forms show prospective Isis recruits were asked to give their fighter name as well as their mothers maiden name. They were asked to list their level of education, level of Sharia understanding and whether they had fought before. Inside Isis secret tunnels Show all 7 1 /7 Inside Isis secret tunnels Inside Isis secret tunnels Network of underground tunnels was discovered by Kurdish forces after they regained the town of Sinjar in Iraq Inside Isis secret tunnels A member of the Peshmerga forces inspects a tunnel used by Isis militants in the town of Sinjar, Iraq Reuters Inside Isis secret tunnels An entrance to the tunnel used by Islamic State militants is seen in the town of Sinjar, Iraq Inside Isis secret tunnels The secret tunnels allowed militants to freely move underground Inside Isis secret tunnels The tunnels appear to be wired with electricity Inside Isis secret tunnels Some of the tunnels are 30 feet deep Inside Isis secret tunnels Concerns remain that parts of the tunnels are rigged with explosives Potential members of the group also revealed whether they had special skills and what role they would take, with applicants asked to choose if they wanted to be used as suicide bombers, soldiers or in another role. Their level of obedience is also noted on the forms and, chillingly, a field is also designated for their date and place of death. A final field is left for "notes" about the candidates. According to Sky News they include prominent names of figures already known to be members, such as Britons Abdel Bary from London, Junaid Hussain and Reyaad Khan from Cardiff. They also reveal the identities of a number of previously unknown jihadis in the UK, across northern Europe, much of the Middle East and North Africa, as well as in the United States and Canada. The 23 questions in full: 1. Name 2. Fighter name 3. Mothers maiden name 4. Blood type 5. DOB and nationality 6. Marriage status 7. Address and place of residence 8. Level of education 9. Level of Sharia understanding 10. Previous job 11. Countries travelled through 12. Area entered from 13. Who recommended 14. Date of entry 15. Have they fought before 16. What role will they take 17. Any special skills 18. Current place of work 19. Security deposit 20: Level of obedience 21: Contact numbers 22: Date and place of death 23: Notes For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Details of more than a dozen British Isis members are among 22,000 recruits reportedly revealed in a cache of leaked documents from the terrorist groups stringent entrance interviews. Zaman Al Wasl, a pro-opposition Syrian news website, published a selection of the forms online showing a 23-question survey detailing extremists names, birth dates, nationalities, hometowns, nationalities and even blood types. But a total of 22,000 names, addresses, telephone number and family contacts feature in a similar cache of documents, seen by Sky News, described by a former counter terror boss as a "goldmine". Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary was a rap artist from Maida Vale, west London, before he went to fight in Syria They include prominent names of figures already known to be members, such as Britons Abdel Bary, Junaid Hussain, Reyaad Khan. Bary, a former rapper from London, was reported last July to have deserted Isis and be on the run in Turkey. Hussain, from Birmingham, was thought to have been Isis's head of media before he was killed in a US drone strike in August. Reyaad Khan, from Penarth, near Cardiff, in an Isis recruitment video Khan, from Cardiff, previously appeared in high-profile Isis propaganda video, but was killed in an RAF-led drone strike. The forms show prospective members were asked to choose if they wanted to be used as suicide bombers, soldiers or in another role, and to detail any previous jihadist experience. Zaman Al Wasls report claimed the personal details of 1,736 fighters from 40 countries had been revealed, showing that a quarter were Saudis and the rest predominantly Tunisian, Moroccan and Egyptian. The documents, written in Arabic and stamped with logos used by the so-called Islamic State, allegedly contain details of 16 British fighters. Most of the European extremists listed were from France, followed by Germany and the UK. Four were said to be from the US and six from Canada. Timothy Holman, who translated part of the cache into English, said the documents were collected at border crossings into Isis territory between November and December 2013. The authenticity of the forms could not immediately be verified but the Home Office said it was aware of the report, while the leak also matched descriptions of material being investigated by security services in Germany. Junaid Hussain The forms reveal members names, codenames, birthdays, nationalities, countries visited, employment record and previous jihadist activities. Any jihadist who crosses the Islamic State's borders for the first time is made to acknowledge to the Borders Administration everything about himself, even what he wants to be in Isis - a fighter or a suicide bomber, Zaman Al Wasl reported. The documents were published on Tuesday, a day after reports emerged in Germany that the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) security service had received more than a thousand Isis documents. The Suddeutsche Zeitungs description of the material matched that given by Zaman Al Wasl, detailing 23-question entrance interviews from Isis territories in Syria. Timeline: The emergence of Isis Show all 40 1 /40 Timeline: The emergence of Isis Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2000 Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (pictured here) forms an al-Qaeda splinter group in Iraq, al-Qaeda in Iraq. Its brutality from the beginning alienates Iraqis and many al-Qaeda leaders. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2006 Al-Zarqawi is killed in a U.S. strike. Al-Zarqawis successor, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, announces the creation of the Islamic State in Iraq (ISI). Reuters Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2009 Still al-Qaeda-linked ISI claims responsibility for suicide bombings that killed 155 in Baghdad, as well as attacks in August and October killing 240, as President Obama announces troop withdrawal from Iraq in March. Getty Images Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2010 Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi becomes head of ISI, at lowest ebb of Islamist militancy in Iraq, which sees last U.S. combat brigade depart. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2012 In Syria, protests (pictured here starting in Daree) have morphed into what president Assad labelled a real war with emergence of a coalition of forces opposed to Assads regime. Syria group Jabhat al-Nusra are among rebel groups who refuse to join, denouncing it as a conspiracy. Bombings targeting Shia areas, killing more than 500 people, spark fears of new sectarian conflict. Sunni Muslims stage protests across country against what they see as increasingly marginalisation by Shia-led government. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2013 Al-Baghdadi renames ISI as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or Isis, as the group absorbs Syrian al-Nusra, gaining a foothold in Syria. In response, al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri (Bin Ladens successor) concerned about Isis expansion orders that Isis be dissolved and ISI operations should be confined to Iraq. This order is rejected by al-Baghdadi. AFP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - January Isis fighters capture the Iraqi cities of Fallujah and Ramadi, giving them base to launch slew of attacks further south. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - June Isis declares itself the Caliphate, calling itself Islamic State (IS). The group captures Mosul, Iraqs second largest city; Tal Afar, just 93 miles from Syrian border; and the central Iraqi city of Tikrit. These advances sent shockwaves around the world. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - June Around the same time Isis releases a video calling for western Muslims to join the Caliphate and fight, prompting new evaluations of extremists groups social media understanding. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - June Isis take Baiji oil fields in Iraq - giving them access to huge amounts of possible revenue. EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - August James Foley is executed by the group as concerns grow for second American prisoner, fellow reporter Steven Sotloff. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - August Obama authorises U.S. airstrikes in Iraq, helping to stall Isis along with action by Kurdish forces following the deaths of hundreds of Yazidi people on Mount Sinjar. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Isis release video showing Steven Sotloffs murder prompting Western speculation his executioner is same man who killed Mr Foley. EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Obama tells us that America will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Isis release a video appearing to show David Haines, who was captured by militants in Syria in 2013, wearing an orange jumpsuit and kneeling in the desert while he reads a pre-prepared script. It later shows what appears to be the aid worker's body. Rex Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Peshmerga fighters scrabble to hold positions in the Diyala province (a gateway to Baghdad) as Isis fighters continue to advance on Iraqi capital. AFP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - October Aid worker Alan Henning is killed. Self-imposed media blackout refuses to show images of him in final moments, instead focuses upon humanitarian care. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - October Isis raise their flag in Kobani, which had been strongly defended by Kurdish troops. The victory goes against hopeful western analysis Isis had overextended itself, while alienating much of the Muslim population through the murder of Henning. Victory causes fresh waves of Kurdish refugees arriving in Turkey. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - November American hostage, who embarced values of Islam, Peter Kassig and 14 Syrian soldiers are shown meeting the same fate as other captives. But intelligence agencies will be poring over the apparently significant discrepancies between this and previous films. Seramedig.org.uk Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February Isis has released a video revealing the murder by burning to death of a Jordanian pilot held by the group since the end of December 2014. Reuters Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February Isis militants have released videos which appear to show the beheading of Japanese hostages Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February American aid worker, Kayla Mueller was the last American hostage known to be held by Isis. She died, according to her captors, in an airstrike by the Jordanian air force on the city of Raqqa in Syria, though US authorities disputed this. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February Isis militants have posted a gruesome video online in which they force 21 Egyptian Coptic Christian hostages to kneel on a beach in Libya before beheading them. Egypt vowed to avenge the beheading and launched air strikes on Isis positions. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February The British Isis militant suspected of appearing in videos showing the beheading of Western hostages has been named in reports as Mohammed Emwazi from London. Rex Features Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - March Isis triple suicide attack has killed more than 100 worshippers and hundreds of others were injured after the group members targeted two mosques in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - April Iraqi forces have claimed victory over Isis in battle for Tikrit and raised the flag in the city. EPA/STR Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - April Isis has claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan that killed at least 35 people queuing to collect their wages and injured 100 more. EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - April Isis media arm released a 29-minute video purporting to show militants executing Ethiopian Christians captives. The footage bore the extremist groups al-Furqan media logo and showed the destruction of churches and desecration of religious symbols. A masked fighter made a statement threatening Christians who did not convert to Islam or pay a special tax. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Isis has been "incapacitated" by a spinal injuries sustained in a US air strike in Iraq. He is being treated in a hideout by two doctors from Isis stronghold of Mosul who are said to be "strong ideological supporters of the group". Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isis has also claimed responsibility for killing 300 of Yazidi captives, including women, children and elderly people in Iraq AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isis attack on Prophet Mohamed cartoon contest in Texas was its first action on US soil. Two gunmen were shot and killed after launching the attack at the exhibition. Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi have been named as the attackers at the Curtis Culwell Centre arena in Garland. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isiss deputy leader, Abu Alaa Afri, a former physics teacher who was thought to have taken charge of the deadly terrorist group, has been killed in a US-led coalition airstrike. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May US special forces have killed a senior Isis leader named as Abu Sayyaf in an operation aiming to capture him and his wife in Syria. Getty Images Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Iran-backed militias are sent to Ramadi by the Iraqi government to fight Isis militants who completed their capture of the city. Government soldiers and civilians were reportedly massacred by extremists as they took control and the army fled. Charred bodies were left littering the city streets as troops clung on to trucks speeding away from the city. Ramadi is the latest government stronghold to fall to the so-called Islamic State, despite air strikes by a US-led international coalition aiming to stop its advance in Iraq and Syria. AFP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isis rounded up civilians trapped in Palmyra and forced them to watch 20 people being executed in the historic citys ancient amphitheatre. The Unesco World Heritage site was overrun by militants, threatening the future of 2,000 year-old monuments and ruins. Thousands of Palmyras residents fled but many are still living within the city walls, while the UN human rights office in Geneva said it had received reports of Syrian government forces preventing people from leaving until they retreated from the city. Getty Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May A group of Isis-affiliated fighters have captured a key airport in central Libya. The militants took control of the al-Qardabiya airbase in Sirte after a local militia tasked with defending the facility withdrew from their positions. Affiliates of Isis, already control large parts of Sirte, the birthplace of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and a former stronghold of his supporters. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June The US Air Force has destroyed an Isis stronghold after an extremist let slip their location on social media. According the Air Force Times, General Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, said that Airmen at Hulburt Field, Florida, used images shared by jihadists to track the location of their headquarters before destroying it in an airstrike. Reuters Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June Kurdish forces captured a key military base in a significant victory in Raqqa as well as town of Tell Abyad. YPG fighters, backed by US-led airstrikes and other rebels, consolidated their gains, when they seized the key town on the Syria-Turkey border. They are now just 30 miles to the north of Raqqa and have cut off a major supply route deep inside Isis-held territory. Ahmet Silk/Getty Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June Isis has released gruesome footage claiming to show the murder of more than a dozen men by drowning, decapitation and using a rocket-propelled grenade as it seeks to boost morale among its fanatical supporters. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June Isis has begun carrying out its threat to destroy structures in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, blowing up at least two monuments at the Unesco-protected site as Syrian government troops made advances on the Islamists positions. AFP We believe it is very likely that these are real documents, a spokesperson for the BKA told the newspaper. Prosecutors in the country are reportedly planning to use them as evidence to prosecute any Isis members attempting to return to Germany. Speaking about Sky News' documents, former global terrorism operations director at MI6 Richard Barrett told the channel: "It will be an absolute goldmine of information of enormous significance and interest to very many people, particularly the security and intelligence services." An English translation of the Isis 'registration form' (Sky News) A spokesperson for the Home Office told The Independent it was aware of the apparent leak but said he could not give any further information for security reasons. Individuals who take part in the conflict in Syria or travel to Isis territories are subject to investigation and should expect to be prosecuted on their return, he added. Any evidence will be considered. At least 700 people from the UK have travelled to support or fight for jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq, according to police, and about half have since returned. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The reported death of the Isis "minister of war" Omar the Chechen would represent a significant scalp for the US and could undermine the terror's group's ability to coordinate attacks and defend its strongholds. Abu Omar al-Shishani, also known as Omar the Chechen, ranked among America's most-wanted militants under a US programme that offered up to $5 million for information to help remove him from the battlefield. Born in 1986 in Georgia, which was then still part of the Soviet Union, the red-bearded Shishani had a reputation as a close military adviser to Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was said by followers to have relied heavily on Shishani. The strike itself involved multiple waves of manned and unmanned aircraft, targeting Shishani near the town of al-Shadadi in Syria, a US official said. The Pentagon believes Shishani was sent there to bolster troops after they suffered a series of setbacks at the hands of US-backed forces from the Syrian Arab Coalition, which captured al-Shadadi from the militants last month. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said the US military was still assessing the results of the strike, but acknowledged its potential significance. Shishani "was a Syrian-based Georgian national who held numerous top military positions within ISIL, including minister of war," Cook said, using an acronym for the group. Cook said Shishani's death would undermine the group's ability to coordinate attacks and defend its strongholds. It would also hurt Islamic State's ability to recruit foreign fighters, especially those from Chechnya and the Caucus regions, he said. Several US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed optimism that the strike was successful, although none were prepared to declare Shishani dead with certainty. The first official said initial assessments indicated Shishani was likely killed along with an additional 12 Islamic State fighters. An official in the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which has been fighting Islamic State in the al-Shadadi area, said it had received information that Shishani was killed but had no details and had been unable to confirm the death. The official declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter. Omar once fought for Georgia Born with the name Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, Shishani once fought in military operations as a rebel in Chechnya before joining Georgia's military in 2006 and even fighting against Russian troops before being discharged two years later for medical reasons, the first U.S. official said. He was arrested in 2010 for weapons possession and spent more than a year in jail, before leaving Georgia in 2012 for Istanbul and then later to Syria, the official said. He decided to join Isis the following year and pledged his allegiance to Baghdadi. The State Department said Shishani was identified as Isis's military commander in a video distributed by the group in 2014. The strike would be one of the most successful operations to take out Islamic State's leadership in Iraq and Syria since May, when U.S. special operations forces killed the man who directed the group's oil, gas and financial operations. In November, a US air strike killed Islamic State's senior leader in Libya, known as Abu Nabil. (Additional reporting by Jonathan Landay in Washington and Tom Perry in Beirut; Editing by Bill Trott and Leslie Adler) Reuters For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An Israeli man who was stabbed, removed the knife from his neck and used it to stab his attacker. The victim, a 40 year-old ultra-orthodox Jew named as Yonatan Azarihab, was later hospitalised after suffering multiple stab wounds to his upper body from his attacker, reports the Times of Israel. Mr Azarihab, who was reportedly collecting money for charity, was followed into a wine shop in Petah Tikva, near Tel Aviv, before what police described as the "frenzied attack" took place. He managed to escape, while the shop owner hit the Palestinian man in a bid to stop him. The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Show all 10 1 /10 The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Medics evacuate a wounded man from the scene of an attack in Jerusalem. A Palestinian rammed a vehicle into a bus stop then got out and started stabbing people before he was shot dead AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Israeli ZAKA emergency response members carry the body of an Israeli at the scene of a shooting attack in Jerusalem. A pair of Palestinian men boarded a bus in Jerusalem and began shooting and stabbing passengers, while another assailant rammed a car into a bus station before stabbing bystanders, in near-simultaneous attacks that escalated a month long wave of violence AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Getty Images The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians throw molotov cocktail during clashes with Israeli troops near Ramallah, West Bank. Recent days have seen a series of stabbing attacks in Israel and the West Bank that have wounded several Israelis AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Women cry during the funeral of Palestinian teenager Ahmad Sharaka, 13, who was shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes at a checkpoint near Ramallah, at the family house in the Palestinian West Bank refugee camp of Jalazoun, Ramallah AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies A wounded Palestinian boy and his father hold hands at a hospital after their house was brought down by an Israeli air strike in Gaza Reuters The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians look on after a protester is shot by Israelis soldiers during clashes at the Howara checkpoint near the West Bank city of Nablus EPA The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies A lawyer wearing his official robes kicks a tear gas canister back toward Israeli soldiers during a demonstration by scores of Palestinian lawyers called for by the Palestinian Bar Association in solidarity with protesters at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, near Ramallah, West Bank AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Undercover Israeli soldiers detain a Palestinian in Ramallah Reuters The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinian youth burn tyres during clashes with Israeli soldiers close to the Jewish settlement of Bet El, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, after Israel barred Palestinians from Jerusalem's Old City as tensions mounted following attacks that killed two Israelis and wounded a child The victim returned to the shop and pulled out the knife from his neck and used it to stab the man who attacked him. The attacker is reported to have died a few minutes later on the pavement near a beach popular with tourists after police reportedly shot him, according to Global News. The attack was one of a number of stabbings and shootings to occur on Tuesday, where 12 Israelis were killed and one US citizen. Mr Azarihab was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to Beilinson hospital to recover. The attacks are the latest in a five-month period of violence in the area. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Student protesters at the University of Sussex have reportedly taken over part of an on-campus conference centre over the Home Offices decision to deport a student, Luqman Onikosi, back to Nigeria. According to reports and images surfacing on Twitter, students have taken to the balcony of Bramber House and flown banners while chanting: Dont Deport Luqman. A video has also emerged of the moment students stormed the building as they chanted: Luqman is here to stay, lets deport Theresa May. Speaking with the Independent last month, Mr Onikosi, a former MA student of global political economy at the university, urged the Government to see him as an equal human being, insisting the Home Office would be sending him back to a death sentence in his home country. At the time, in a statement to the Independent, a Home Office spokesperson said all cases were considered on their individual merits and in line with the immigration rules. The spokesperson had added: The individuals application was fully considered and has been through the appeal process. An independent immigration judge found that he has no right to remain in the UK. Mr Luqman had described how, last year, in the final stages of his masters, his right to study was withdrawn due to demand from the Home Office, and said: If even my rights as a cash cow are denied, what a dire situation it is. Talking about how he entered the UK in 2007 to study at the university, Mr Onikosi told the Independent: I was subsequently diagnosed with a chronic liver condition brought on by Hepatitis B. In Nigeria, there is not the medical infrastructure required to keep me alive. My battle to stay in the UK on medical grounds, in other words, is a fight to stay alive. In 2011, and then 2012, my two brothers in Nigeria died of complications brought on by the same illness. The same fate now awaits me, unless the Home Office reverses its decision to refuse me leave to remain in the UK. I believe it is barbaric to send a third member of my family, me, to my death. A crowdfunding cause is currently ongoing as part of the #DontDeportLuqman campaign. So far, almost $4,000 (2,810) has been raised. The donation page says: He needs money to seek further legal advice. Anything you can spare will go towards, quite literally, keeping Luqman alive. Callum Cant, a member of the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts and organiser of the fundraiser, recently told the Independent the Home Office had demonstrated its determination to deport people in similar situations previously. Mr Cant said: Luqmans fight against deportation is part of a wider struggle against state violence and the border regime in communities and on campuses around the country. A University of Sussex spokesperson told the Independent: We understand the group of students are supporters of Mr Onikosi, a former student of the university. The students are currently based in a conference room in one of our buildings. We are, and have always been, very sorry to know of Mr Onikosis illness. The status of Mr Onikosis visa is a directive from the Home Office, and the university is not able to influence that decision in any way. The Home Office has also been contacted for comment. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} It was a bit of gimmicky spin from the Labour leader who is supposed to be doing the straight-talking, honest politics, but the device of asking his 100th question at Prime Minister's Questions was an effective one. "My previous 99 attempts have left me unclear or dissatisfied," said Jeremy Corbyn, as he prepared to ask his fourth of today's session. So for this special question, he reverted to his signature tactic of reading out an email from a voter. In this case Calum, "a bright young man" who wanted the Government to acknowledge the importance of sixth-form colleges and post-16 education. That was such a soft question for David Cameron that he avoided the obvious answer, "Absolutely, it is very important," and sitting down. Instead the Prime Minister made use of a parliamentary convention that he has deployed before, of answering the leader of the opposition's previous question, which was about child poverty. Thus he responded to Corbyn's 100th question by answering his 99th: a most subtle way of undermining the significance of Corbyn's round number. Or perhaps it was a tribute to the testing quality of Corbyn's 99th question. Cameron had waffled in answer to the accusation that there were another half-million children living in poverty, saying the Budget was next week and there were fewer workless households under this government. It wasn't until he had sat down, and while Corbyn was asking his rather long centenary question, that the Prime Minister was briefed on the child poverty figures. Recommended Read more Today is my 100th PMQs question as Labour leader As well as solemnly declaiming on the importance of colleges of further education and giving the single transferable answer about apprentices, therefore, Cameron went back to the previous question and answered it properly. There are 300,000 fewer children in relative poverty than in 2010, he said. This is true, and it is surprising that Corbyn appears not to know the figures. The first rule of asking a question in politics is to know the answer. As Cameron also pointed out, relative poverty is the definition preferred by the Labour government: the official poverty line was 60 per cent of median income until Iain Duncan Smith came along and abolished it. He shouldn't really have mentioned that bit, because it draws attention to his Government's attempt to abolish poverty by redefining it, while at the same time trying to take credit for reducing poverty on Labour's own preferred measure. Corbyn had in his 99th question, not his 100th almost hit on a line that might have embarrassed the Prime Minister. After misquoting child poverty statistics he ended with a rhetorical flourish asking Cameron to ensure that the "further reductions" in public spending of which the Chancellor has warned should not fall on pensioners, children and women. If only his great round-number question had been a forensic one about the effect of planned spending cuts for the rest of this parliament, which are unlike the last, Lib-Dem-influenced parliament planned to fall on the poor. Instead it was Calum and his sixth-form colleges, followed by a couple of questions about housebuilding, the construction industry and a "recovery constructed on sand" (no, really). That allowed Cameron to quote selective statistics about housebuilding starts being at their highest since 2007. Still, at least Corbyn's questions weren't as stupid as one asked by one of his few supporters on the Labour benches, Richard Burgon, the shadow City minister. He asked if the Prime Minister could give a straight answer to a straight question. "If the British people vote to the leave the EU, will he resign as Prime Minister, yes or no?" Cameron gave him a straight answer: "No." Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Sun's political editor, Tom Newton-Dunn, reports that the Queen told Nick Clegg, when he was Deputy Prime Minister, that the EU was heading in the wrong direction: People who heard their conversation were left in no doubt at all about the Queens views on European integration. It was really something, and it went on for quite a while." It suggests that this means she would support the UK leaving the European Union. The Sun quotes a Buckingham Palace spokesman: The Queen remains politically neutral, as she has for 63 years. We would never comment on spurious, anonymously sourced claims. The referendum will be a matter for the British people. And it quotes Clegg: I have absolutely no recollection of it. I dont have a photographic memory. But I think I would have remembered something as stark or significant as you have made it out to be. No doubt youll speak to someone else and theyll say, I was there I heard it. Fine. But I really cant remember it at all. Anyway, without sounding pompous, I find it rather distasteful to reveal conversations with the Queen. These look rather like non-denial denials, although the Palace is trapped in its usual dilemma of not wanting to set a precedent by confirming or denying private comments. By Palace terms, that is quite a firm denial. I suspect the truth is that the Queen is sceptical in the true sense of the word about European integration. It is her sovereignty that is being pooled, after all. I have no idea, but I would have thought she would be satisfied with David Cameron's pragmatic negotiation of formal semi-detached status, and that she is unlikely to be a headbanging Outer. So where could the story have come from? The Sun says the conversation took place at "a lunch at Windsor Castle", according to a "highly reliable ... senior source". In the newspaper it says the lunch was in 2011, although this date is not in the online version of the story. A look at the Court Circular, now a searchable online database, reveals that the Deputy Prime Minister attended a meeting of the Privy Council at Windsor Castle on 7 April 2011: There were present: the Rt. Hon. Nicholas Clegg MP (Lord President), the Rt. Hon. Michael Gove MP (Secretary of State, Department for Education), the Rt. Hon. Cheryl Gillan MP (Secretary of State for Wales) and the Lord McNally (Minister of State, Ministry of Justice). Might that have been followed by lunch? If you can spot any anti-EU highly reliable senior sources in there, you win today's "Elementary, my dear Watson" Sherlock Holmes prize. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} I was born with congenital muscular dystrophy, a condition which has caused my muscles to weaken and waste. I use a powered wheelchair, and need help with everyday things that people take for granted. Financial support has been a lifeline for me. Its allowed me to get a degree, to be a social and active person and to look for work. Watching cuts to the Employment Support Allowance stubbornly being pushed through this week against a wave of opposition spelled further doubt, anxiety, and, ultimately, financial loss for myself and many others. The cuts add to an already bleak picture of welfare reforms for disabled people like me, who can afford it the least. The ESA cuts had previously been delayed by the Lords, but were finally pushed through by the Commons. Through people like Baroness Grey-Thompson and Lord Low of Dalston the House displayed real opposition to the cuts. They constantly called for the Government to carry out a full assessment before the proposals are rolled out. But worryingly, the Government doesnt think an assessment is necessary. Recommended Read more Today is my 100th PMQs question as Labour leader Then again, neither do I - as I can tell them the outcome already. The struggle it will cause. How it will stunt my independence. How it will cause me stress and anxiety. How it will deny me of funds vital to maintaining links with the outside world through taxis and support towards independent living. I am one of three campaigners, all of us living with muscle-wasting conditions, who will meet with the Disability Minister Justin Tomlinson this afternoon. At the meeting we will discuss our alarm at the latest cuts and of the repercussions of a blunt approach to the welfare system. We will speak of our fears that many disabled people are being stripped of their dignity, treated with a lack of respect and asked to pay an increasingly high price just to stay engaged with society. The new round of ESA cuts will create further blocks to social inclusion, all while being sold to the country as somehow incentivising us to gain employment. 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Show all 7 1 /7 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Closing Remploy factories The Work and Pensions Secretary called time on Britains system of Remploy factories, which provided subsidised and sheltered employment to disabled people. People employed at the factories protested against their closure and said they provided gainful work. Is it a kindness to stick people in some factory where they are not doing any work at all? Just making cups of coffee? Mr Duncan Smith said at the time, defending the decision. I promise you this is better. The Remploy organisation was privatised and sold to American workfare provider Maximus, with the majority of the organisations factories closed. The future of the remaining sites is unclear 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Scrapping the Independent Living Fund The 320m Independent Living Fund was established in 1988 to give financial support to people with disabilities. It was scrapped on July 1 2015, with 18,000 often severely disabled people losing out by an average of 300 a week. The money was generally used to help pay for carers so people could live in communities rather than institutions. Councils will get a boost in funding to compensate but it will not cover the whole cost of the fund. This new cash also doesnt have to be spent on the disabled 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Cut payments for the disabled Access To Work scheme Iain Duncan Smith is bringing forward a policy that will reduce payments to some disabled people from a scheme designed to help them into work. The 108m scheme, which helps 35,540 people, will be capped on a per-used basis, potentially hitting those with the more serious disabilities who currently receive the most help. The single biggest users of the fund are people who have difficulty seeing and hearing. The cut will come in from October 2015. The charity Disability UK says the scheme actually makes the Government money because the people who gain access to work tend pay tax that more than covers its cost. The DWP does not describe the reduction as a cut and says it will be able to spread the money more thinly and cover more people 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Cut Employment and Support Allowance The latest Budget included a 30 a week cut in disability benefits for some new claimants of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). The Government says it is equalising the rate of disability benefits with Jobseekers Allowance because giving disabled people more help is a perverse incentive. The people affected by this cut are those assessed as having a limited capability for work but as being capable of some work-related activity. A group of prominent Catholics wrote to Mr Duncan Smith to say there was no justification for this cut. Mental health charity Mind, said the cut was insulting and misguided 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Risk homelessness with a sharp increase disability benefit sanctions Official figures in the first quarter of 2014 found a huge increase in sanctions against people reliant on ESA sickness benefit. The 15,955 sanctions were handed out in that period compared to 3,574 in the same period the year before, 2013 a 4.5 times increase. The homelessness charity Crisis warned at the time that the sharp rise in temporary benefit cuts was cruel and can leave people utterly destitute without money even for food and at severe risk of homelessness. It is difficult to see how they are meant to help people prepare for work, Matt Downie, director of policy at the charity added 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Sending sick people to work because of broken fitness to work tests In 2012 a government advisor appointed to review the Governments Work Capability Assessment said the tests causing suffering by sending sick people back to work inappropriately. There are certainly areas where it's still not working and I am sorry there are people going through a system which I think still needs improvement, Professor Malcolm Harrington concluded. The tests are said to have improved since then, but as recently as this summer they are still coming in for criticism. In June the British Psychological Society said there was now significant body of evidence that the WCA is failing to assess peoples fitness for work accurately and appropriately. It called for a full overhaul of the way the tests are carried out. The WCA appeals system has also been fraught with controversy with a very high rate of overturns and delays lasting months and blamed for hardship 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people The bedroom tax The Governments benefit cut for people who it says are under-occupying their homes disproportionately affects disabled people. Statistics released last year show that around two-thirds of those affected by the under-occupancy penalty, widely known as the bedroom tax, are disabled. There have been a number of high profile cases of disabled people being moved out of specially adapted homes by the policy. In one case publicised by the Sunday People last week, a 48 year old man with cerebral palsy was forced to bathe in a paddling pool after the tax moved him out of his home with a walk-in shower. The Government says it has provided councils with a discretionary fund to help reduce the policys impact on disabled people, but cases continue to arise For many disabled people who already struggle to afford food and heating, it could prove devastating. A Muscular Dystrophy UK study found that two out of five families affected by muscle-wasting conditions struggle to pay their bills due to the extra pressure this causes. A further four out of five families do not think that the benefits system adequately covers these costs. It doesnt seem like were the right group to target for making savings. The Government speaks of the value of work, while creating barriers to our employment by the toughening of schemes many rely on for independence. Changes to Access to Work guidelines mean that disabled people are now often required to make increased contributions to equipment vital to employment. People are struggling to secure funding for wheelchairs and vehicles, leaving many stranded, stressed and struggling to find or retain a job. The ESA cuts have been barged through at a time when many disabled people feel under increasing attack from welfare reforms that are, at best, clumsy and, at worst, hostile. With the creation of Personal Independent Payments came stricter rules about the mobility component of the benefit, which goes towards covering transport and offsetting the toll of an inaccessible public transport network. A more brutal assessment came with it, which requires people to be able to walk just 20 metres, as opposed to the original 50. 20 metres down a corridor, without any of the steps, curbs, slopes, or bumps that you encounter the moment you walk out your front door. Well be representing the voices of disabled people today against a system thats failing many and putting many more under needless strain. For disabled people like me, the Governments planned cuts to ESA represent another black gathering of clouds on an already darkening horizon. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} I am a junior doctor in obstetrics and gynaecology, so I have seen firsthand the problem with retention rates in medicine. Put simply, our doctors are leaving in their droves or failing to arrive at all. In OGBYN, we currently face 20 per cent attrition rates so 1 in 5 people are leaving during their training. Rota gaps are commonplace, with doctors often being asked to work extra shifts or work with long-term gaps. Junior doctors routinely receive emails and texts asking them to work extra shifts in order to cover the service. This week I have received numerous emails and texts asking me to cover shifts in my hospital, and last week on annual leave I worked two extra night shifts to plug rota gaps despite the fact I had already worked seven days straight the week before. Last year, I was on a registrar rota that should have had 14 registrars but we were seven down. At times, I was one of only two full-time registrars in the hospital. This meant that, in addition to already being stretched during the week, I worked extra shifts to cover the service. By the end of six months of the same, I was so exhausted and burnt-out that I considered either reducing my hours or giving up my profession. Luckily I had a holiday planned where I slept, got some perspective and remembered my vocation but this is my reality. And, according to Jeremy Hunt, its only going to get worse. In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 20,000 Junior Doctors marched through central London in protest at the new contract changes the government is trying to impose which they say will be unfair and unsafe In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors protest in London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 4 year old Cassius takes part in a demonstration in Westminster, in support of junior doctors over changes to NHS contracts, London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Protest over proposed changes to junior doctors' contracts, Leeds In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Over 5000 junior doctors rallied in Waterloo place, before marching through Whitehall and onto Parliament Square, in opposition to Jeremy Hunt's new working conditions for doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Demonstrators listen to speeches in Waterloo Place during the 'Let's Save the NHS' rally and protest march by junior doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors marched in London to highlight their plight In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK A protester at a demonstration in support of junior doctors in London Clare Gerada heads up a confidential health service for doctors in London and says that almost 50 per cent of her new patients are under 30 years old (they used to be in their 40s and 50s and usually male, suffering from alcohol problems). Now the problems include depression, anxiety and symptoms akin to post traumatic stress disorder. These doctors complain of working intolerable shifts seemingly designed by robots with no concept of human function and theyre right. Written evidence form the Cass Business School suggests ambiguities of the NHS Employers new contract will result in increased disruption of doctors circadian rhythm, increasing their social isolation impacting their health and impacting severely on their overall mental wellbeing. On social media, junior doctors have criticised the rotas published by NHS Employers illustrative of the new 7-day NHS for this exact reason. When we have requested face to face meetings with NHS Employers to discuss these working patterns and terms and conditions, we are dismissed and instead asked to speak to our own employers who will pass on our questions which NHS Employers will update their online resource to answer most frequently answered questions. On February 11, 2016 Jeremy Hunt announced unilateral imposition of the junior contract while simultaneously commissioning an independent review of junior doctors experience of their NHS training and employment to better understand and deal with the longstanding issue of low morale. The irony of this was not lost on 54,000 junior doctors who have increasingly felt demoralised, devalued and dejected by the shambolic handling of this dispute. Crucially, the review led by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges would have no remit to investigate how pay or terms and conditions of service affect morale, hereby excluding any discussion of the junior contract. After the first UK doctors strike for 40 years, this fact is staggering. It was with great relief that junior doctors responded to the Academys own Trainee Doctors Group (ATDG) announcement on Friday that it will not participate in the review unless the terms of reference are changed to that encompasses all causes of low morale and well-being among junior doctors, at a time when the profession is not engaged in industrial action. This year medical school applications have fallen by 13.5 per cent from two years ago with negative publicity about the NHS being blamed as part of the reason alongside the rising cost of university education. Lest we forget, that estimated debt is around 70,000 by the end of ones medical studies. The number of doctors applying for documentation to work abroad has doubled from just over 4,000 in 2014 to 8,627 in 2015 and since the day of imposition has surged by over 1000 per cent. Junior doctors at the start of their careers are often footloose and in the past five years, numbers progressing from foundation into specialist training has fallen from over 70 per cent to about 50 per cent. This means that 1 in 2 junior doctors who are early in their careers are leaving the NHS to either go abroad or give up medicine altogether. My colleagues and I occasionally talk about this when grabbing a quick drink between seeing patients in the clinic which has overrun or rushing along a corridor to the next clinic activity, lunch in our hands. I have never wanted to work anywhere other than the NHS I decided I wanted to be a doctor when I was four years old - but when your own Secretary of State for Health refuses to talk to junior doctors about the contract that he has imposed, it gives even the most dedicated junior doctor serious pause for thought. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The early stages of Michael Goves career as Justice Secretary have involved tearing down the work of his predecessor, Chris Grayling. Mr Grayling considered cutting the budget his primary calling. He slashed legal aid (which Mr Gove has softened). He introduced the courts charge (which Mr Gove has dropped). He banned books for prisoners (which Mr Gove has reversed). We do not yet know what the new Justice Secretarys approach to private prisons will be, though the fact that they were much favoured by Mr Grayling nudges the mind one way. Certainly, the case for outsourcing penal institutions is not as strong as Mr Grayling liked to claim. Not long after he said that G4S-run HMP Oakwood was his favourite prison, the prisons inspector issued a damning report, and Ministry of Justice statistics placed it among the three worst-performing prisons in the country. At best, private institutions have a mixed record. G4S has done good work at HMP Birmingham, transforming a Victorian-era prison that many thought would suffer under private control. But despite private prisons housing only 18 per cent of British prisoners, they accounted for more than one-third of all self-harm incidents, drug seizures and hunger strikes last year. They also took up nearly a quarter of the prisons budget, so may not be as cost-effective as Mr Grayling suggested. Mr Gove, who must oversee cuts to the justice department budget of 15 per cent in the next five years, would do well to visit Serco-run HMP Doncaster before he is tempted by the promise of privatisation as a way to reduce the bills. It offers a case study in how not to run a prison. Guards have been overwhelmed by high levels of violence, hostage-taking and gang assaults. In the past 18 months alone, three people have killed themselves within its walls. But the lessons Mr Gove should take from the collapse of HMP Doncaster go beyond wariness of the private sector. One of the few black marks on the Justice Secretarys record thus far is his belief repeated on more than one occasion that humane prison reform does not require reducing the overall prison population. This is absurd. Britain locks up the most people in Western Europe, jailing 20,000 more than France and 30,000 than Germany. The system is vastly overcrowded, which leads to neglect and abuse. In practice, wardens know that looking after fewer prisoners would improve conditions, and that the current situation is unsustainable: it is telling that, with the state of HMP Doncaster increasingly dire, 100 prisoners were moved to different institutions. If Mr Gove is unwilling to consider cutting the number of prisoners, he is bound by his own desire for a better, safer prison system to add to the number of prison staff. Much has been made of the Governments plans to close old Victorian prisons in city centres, and replace them with new institutions. But HMP Doncaster, constructed in 1994, suggests a prisons success has more to do with staffing levels than the year in which it was built. Mr Goves intention to create a more liberal prison system, where inmates are offered a true chance of rehabilitation, cannot be fulfilled without improving the ratio of staff to prisoners, either by boosting the former or reducing the latter. Faced with the choice between putting money into the system to pay for prison guards, or reducing costs by reducing the number of inmates they must look after, it would seem the path for Mr Gove is obvious. Let us hope he sees sense and takes it. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} On first viewing, it was just a spat. The Remain in Europe campaign charged Boris Johnson, the Major of London, with hypocrisy. He had apparently gagged his staff from contradicting his views on Britains membership of the European Union while at the same time he had excoriated agents of fear working for the Prime Minister for crushing a senior business leader who called for Britain to vote Leave. When one set of politicians charges another set with hypocrisy one can only smile. But then consider what turns on the outcome of the Brexit debate and the high level of invective becomes more understandable. It took us 15 years of hesitation from 1945 to the early 1960s to decide or whether or not to join the Common Market. Yet since the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992 which created a new structure, the European Union, and paved the way for the eurozone British public opinion has grown ever more negative. Only the decisions taken during the Second World War were of greater weight. In this context, the discrediting of Johnson would be a great prize for those advocating that Britain should remain in the EU, for he is the star of the Leave campaign. His status as the most popular Tory figure was confirmed this week by a Conservative Home poll of 2,400 party members. Some 33 per cent of them want him to be the next party leader. So the spat deserves some forensic examination. What happened was that Sir Edward Lister, the chief of staff to the Mayor of London, sent a memorandum to senior colleagues advising them what they could and what they could not do. Remember that they are not elected members of the Greater London Authority (GLA), over which the Mayor presides but officials, akin to civil servants; there have to be some impartiality rules. The memorandum was described as a formal advice note. Within the GLA, that status gives it more or less the force of law. Officers are told that Boris as they call the Mayor, even in semi-legal documents is entitled, as Mayor, to adopt a public position on this issue. That is obviously right, for the Brexit decision will strongly affect the prosperity and standing of London. But because the Mayor can adopt a public position, the memorandum goes on, he is entitled to receive support from GLA officers in relation to that policy issue. So how much room does that duty (which, again, must be right) leave for officials to express their own views on this important issue? The advice states that GLA officers, when not at work, can express personal opinions which may be contrary to the Mayors views. If only the advice had stopped there. For what comes next goes beyond a careful explanation of well-established rules: While this [expressing personal opinions] is the formal position I would expect, given your roles, you either to advocate the Mayors position or otherwise not openly to contradict it. This is a gag whichever way you look at it. Think what it means. You are a GLA official. You come home one evening, say, to spend a pleasant few hours with friends. The talk turns to the advantages and disadvantages of Brexit, as it is almost bound to do given that the subject dominates every newspaper and every broadcast. Even reports of the refugee crisis on the Continent serve to bring up the question. But then you remember the formal advice note. If you argue in favour of Leave, you will have the uneasy feeling that you are merely obeying orders. On the other hand, you are not expected openly to contradict the Mayors position. You stay silent. What else can you do? That is what a gag feels like, and its imposition is a political act. The memorandum would not have been phrased in the way it has been had it not been intended to bring advantage to the Leave campaign. Yes, but exactly whose gag is it? Is the chief of staff the author, acting independently of the Mayor? Normally I would say this was implausible. I am familiar with the ways of chiefs of staff; I have just sat on a panel charged with appointing a chief of staff for a leading national figure. Good chiefs of staff display intense loyalty to their bosses and would never, ever, do anything which might embarrass them. But Sir Edward is more of a deputy mayor than just the head of a private office. He would feel that he could act independently. As for Johnson, when charged with having imposed the gag, he said on Tuesday: Nobody has been gagged, I was only made aware of this edict very late last night and it ceased to be operative as soon as I was made aware of it its a cock-up and not something I agree with. I think what came into play was a process first identified by historians trying to explain how Hitler was able to impose his wishes on the executive branches of the German government without issuing an enormous number of specific orders. People in chains of command anticipate known or presumed wishes. I think the City Hall bureaucracy thought they were doing what the Mayor would want. Now he says they were wrong. They wont be surprised, however. Deniability is a standard tactic when politicians think they are in trouble. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} MPs have a chance to vote for The NHS Reinstatement Bill and to begin the process of saving our health service. The context for this vote is a deepening crisis. From the junior doctors striking again today to defend safe and fair practices to the nurses demanding decent financial support for their studies, a new wave of protest has erupted. Added to this rightful discontent among staff is the fact that patients are suffering as our hospitals are being hit by crisis after crisis. Just days ago my local hospital in Brighton was placed on black alert meaning it was unable to cope with demand, and patients were diverted elsewhere. This is a story were hearing repeated in every corner of the country. Our NHS is changing rapidly. Many services have been handed to private companies such as Virgin, Serco and the US giant United Health, all hiding behind the NHS logo. In the past five years there has been a 50 per cent increase in the amount spent by local health bodies on non-NHS providers. An army of staff is now employed to tender and manage these private contracts, while the core functions of the health service are chronically underfunded. An NHS deficit of 2.3bn is projected at the end of the 2015/16 financial year and the average deficit in NHS Trusts is 14m. Were now spending around 2.5 per cent less of our GDP on health than France or Germany. The result? Hospitals are struggling, patients are waiting longer and staff are at the end of their tether. Its abundantly clear we need a change of direction: which is why Ive re-introduced the NHS Reinstatement Bill to Parliament. This Bill would reverse the creeping marketisation of the health service and reinstate the NHS based on its founding principles, putting the public back at the heart of the health service. In practical terms, that means simplifying the service and removing the unnecessary complication introduced in 1991 (and reinforced in recent years) which fragmented the NHS by forcing services to go into competition with each other, to win contracts. The Bill would bring back health boards, which would look at what services are needed in each local area and then provide them. It would also reinstate the Health Secretarys duty to provide services throughout England, which was severed in the 2012 Health and Social Care Act. These changes are exactly whats needed to stop the dismantling of the NHS under the 2012 Act, to ensure we stop wasting money on a costly internal market and refocus on the best possible care for patients and decent treatment of NHS staff. Support for the Bill has been overwhelming. Tens of thousands of people have written to their MPs asking them to come to Parliament and vote tomorrow. The doctors union, the British Medical Association, has been joined by health professionals up and down the country in supporting the reinstatement of our NHS. Celebrities, including actors Keira Knightley and Michael Sheen plus model Cara Delevingne, have backed the Bill. Recommended Read more Today is my 100th PMQs question as Labour leader MPs must now translate the publics support for this Bill in Parliament, but some practical hurdles do stand in the way. The first is that the Bill is a private members bill and will be debated tomorrow a time when many MPs are usually found in their constituencies. Thats why so many people have contacted their representatives asking them to stay in London, on this occasion, to cast their vote. Some Labour MPs support the Bill; indeed, it was backed by Jeremy Corbyn before he became Leader of the Opposition. But to make real progress on saving the NHS, the Labour shadow cabinet must state its public support now. This is a real opportunity for shadow cabinet members to stand up and lead on a cross-party challenge to the Conservative attack on our NHS our most treasured public service. Party politics aside, I hope all MPs who feel even slightly uncomfortable about the impact of the market and the private sector on the NHS will stay in Parliament tomorrow for a real debate over the future of our health service. By voting for the NHS Reinstatement Bill MPs will be backing the workers in our health service, challenging the perpetual crises were facing and helping to rebuild an NHS we can be proud of, safe from the privateers. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Only one world leader wants Brexit: Vladimir Putin. From the tweets of the Russian Embassy to the programming of Russia Today, the Kremlin is pushing for Out. Why? We may not have noticed it in little England, but Russia is stress-testing the EU. The Kremlin, chafing under EU banking sanctions imposed to punish it for invading Ukraine, is pushing as hard as it can to snap European resolve. With oil prices on the floor, Moscow is heading towards a fiscal crunch and is determined to overthrow these Euro-sanctions. Moscows first weapon is the Syrian refugee. Natos Supreme Commander in Europe, Philip Breedlove, has warned that Russia, together with the Assad regime, is weaponizing migration in an attempt to overwhelm European structures and break European resolve. Right now, Russian warplanes are bombing civilian areas, turning northern Syria into a refugee factory. Pushing them to Germany, Russia hopes, will force Berlin to lift sanctions, so desperate will it be for refugees to stop. It's second weapon is the European fascist. The old sponsor of the far-left, the Kremlin is now Europes sponsor of the far-right. In France this is out in the open, with Marine Le Pens xenophobic National Front funded by Russian banks. In Central Europe, in a dark mirroring of EU democracy promotion efforts in the ex-USSR, Russian intelligence is seed funding the far-right underground. And all of them have committed anti-Europeans. And Moscows prize? Angela Merkels head. Nato experts are now joining the dots, warning Moscow is trying to topple Angela Merkel, the enforcer of EU consensus on sanctions. Propaganda, the Kremlin hopes, will ignite a Europe of the far-right and refugees. Russia has thrown into TV and YouTube forces into fermenting anti-refugee hysteria across the EU. The message is as crude as it seems effective. Anti-refugee parties have made striking gains in Slovakias recent elections. Skeptical? Look at Russia Today: migrant rape is a constant news item. Berlin says many such stories are fabricated and has ordered its counter-espionage service to investigate Russian propaganda and refugees. Angela Merkel is reported to have a personal interest in this probe. This seems a world away from the planet of Boris Johnson and Michael Gove. While Brexiteers talk breezily about free trade and the Switzerland-model, as if this is Europe 1996, the Europe of 2016 is becoming a darker place. Kremlin propaganda is now actively pushing Brexit. Sputnik, Russia Today and even the Russian Embassy have been running pro-Brexit coverage, offering platforms to even the most fringe Brexit spokespeople while ignoring the In campaign. Putin has two objectives. First, he wants to end European expansion, ensuring states such as Ukraine and Georgia fall forever into a Euro-Russian twilight zone where he can intervene militarily at will. Second, he wants the 500m European bloc - which dwarfs a 143m strong Russia, with its more-or-less common foreign policy - to disintegrate, leaving 28 divided and embattled small states that with which a much larger Russia can play divide and rule. The warnings of German officials have fallen on deaf ears. The chairman of the influential German foreign affairs committee, Norbert Rottgen, has warned that Russia might start funding Brexit groups. Everything that weakens the West and the Europeans is very much appreciated by Russia and Putin," he said. Brexiteers make a case about Britain, and only about Britain ignoring that a move which may or may not be good for British trade might also assist a hostile, reactionary dictator in achieving his own goals. This is not merry England setting sail to buccaneer with its former colonies once again. Sadly, the real Europe is coming under Putins pressure. A broken EU, with the single market falling to pieces, leaving the Russian Embassy much more influential than the British for most remaining member states is far worse for us than the status quo. This is, of course, a worst-case scenario - but enough of a risk for us to consider it before casting our votes in the referendum. There are other less fraught ways to deal with problems of EU overregulation, Eastern European immigration and the benefit system than this. Former UK chancellor Kenneth Clarke has said Brexit could pose enormous problems for Ireland. The pro-European Tory joined business leaders in Dublin, warning that British withdrawal from the EU would represent a huge risk to the Republic. The cost of buying Irish goods in Britain has already started to rise because of currency changes. Mr Clarke said: "The risk of a possible Brexit could pose enormous problems for the UK. I think it would pose enormous problems for the Republic of Ireland as well, and so far most electors in Britain have not been made aware of that." One of Ireland's main banks reiterated its concerns. Allied Irish Bank chairman Richard Pym, who hosted the debate, said: "Brexit represents a huge risk for Ireland." Dr Gerard Lyons, chief adviser to London Mayor Boris Johnson, said the EU had not embraced reform and did not address problems such as youth unemployment or migration. "At its core, the euro is a fundamentally flawed economic idea, held together for now because it is a political project. "The UK faces a choice between remaining in an unreformed, inward-looking and insular EU or seizing the opportunity to embrace Brexit, restore its sovereignty and take a global approach. "Brexit is unequivocally better for the UK economy than the alternative of remaining in an unreformed EU." Simon McKeever, chief executive of the Irish Exporters Association, said uncertainty ahead of the UK referendum has caused a sell-off in sterling, resulting in exports being 10.5% more expensive in the UK than they were only last November. "Should the UK vote to leave the EU and subsequently fail to secure equally favourable trade terms with it, the knock-on effect on Ireland could be quite damaging in the medium term. "Any re-imposition of tariffs between the EU and UK could affect our cost-competitiveness, as one third of our imports come from the UK. "With over 70% of our exports concentrated in three core markets, notably the EU, UK and US, the potential risks associated with a Brexit make it imperative that we as a nation take further steps to diversify our export markets and in particular to increase our focus on high growth and further away markets." Now that the market for wind energy sites has cooled off the focus has turned to solar energy and in particular sites that are located close to an ESB sub-station. What the energy companies are seeking is sites in excess of 25 acres and what they are offering in the first instance is a financial incentive to enter into an option agreement, typically for a two to three-year period, with sums of between 100 and up to 1,200 being offered to the landowner for the duration of the option agreement. The Option Agreement commits the landowner to entering into a possible 25 year plus lease agreement with the solar energy company in the event that the option is exercised. The big question for landowners is whether to commit now or hold off until later. Commit now or hold off Before the energy company is in a position to enter into a lease they will have a number of challenging hoops to jump through. Firstly they have to acquire a connection to the national grid, and secondly they have to acquire planning permission. Since the price to be paid per unit of electricity produced from these solar farms has not yet been announced, and the expectation that the number of applications will be far in excess of present requirements, applicants may have to succeed in a bidding process to supply energy at a defined price. The financial terms on offer for rent of the land to be occupied by the solar farm appear on the face of it to be very attractive with figures ranging from 800 to up to 1,500 per acre being quoted depending on where the land is located. The lease rent will not normally be paid until electric current is flowing commercially from the solar farm and will be paid three to six months in arrears. Ireland enjoys good levels of solar radiation with the southern half, particularly the south and east coasts enjoying higher solar radiation levels. These are the more desired areas for solar power companies and rents in such locations will tend to be higher than in inland locations. From the landowner's perspective, the question is whether they should commit to signing an option agreement now or wait until the government publishes its position paper on feed-in tariff support for solar energy generation which is expected later on in the year. I will summarise what I see as being the pros and cons of entering into an agreement now rather than waiting until later. Advice When one considers the very attractive rents on offer and the possibility that the demand for grid connections may well exceed supply, it is difficult to justify a case for not committing now. Holding off in order to achieve a higher rent may prove to be a case of 'much wants more' and time lost may be money lost. However landowners need to be very careful with regard to whom they commit to. Do not be influenced by short term inducements or promises of future community contributions. The larger the project the greater the prospect of success and of the project becoming a reality as economy of scale will be crucial in developing a viable project. Co-operation among neighbours in agreeing to deal with the same company could be vital to the success of a project. What one does not want is to have a number of different companies signing up neighbouring landowners adjacent to a particular sub-station and all of them seeking planning separately. Landowners should pay particular attention to establishing the credentials, financial standing and experience that the company has in developing solar farms. Before signing the option which also commits the landowner to a 25-year lease, it might be prudent that the landowner's solicitors would look for proof of funds that the solar company is adequately financed to bring the project to the construction stage. Income Tax Considerations Leases of land for the purposes of erecting a solar farm will not qualify under the current land lease tax exemption scheme. This means that all of the income will be taxable which could for the higher rate tax payer result in half of the rent going to the tax man. Capital Acquisition Tax Where a site is rented for a solar farm it is no longer an agricultural asset and becomes a commercial asset thereby not qualifying for Agricultural Relief. This could have a bearing for both the land owner and or his successors. In a case where the land owner is a relatively young person who may come in to a future inheritance of agricultural assets, the capital value of the solar farm site may render him ineligible for Agricultural Relief. This could prove very costly. Farmers contemplating entering into a lease should seek advice from a recognised farm tax expert. Capital Gains Tax A farmer who has not owned and farmed the land for a 10 year period prior to entering into the lease or who is under 55 years may have an exposure to Capital Gains Tax if they were to transfer the wind farm site to a son or daughter. The capital value of a site will be a multiple of the rent being generated and could amount to a very substantial value as compared to the value of the land when he or she acquired it. Again farmers should seek good tax advice where they are contemplating such a move. Basic Payment While the Department of Agriculture have not made any formal announcement on whether lands occupied by solar panels will be eligible for the Basic Payment, my understanding is that they may not qualify going on the experience of other EU member states. From 2016, where land parcels on which 70pc or more of the area is regarded as ineligible land, then the entire land parcel becomes ineligible for any payments. This would indicate that for example if 60pc of a land parcel was under solar panels, access roads, etc., then the remaining 40pc of the land parcel would be potentially eligible for Basic Payment and ANC schemes. However if 71pc of the land parcel was under access roads, solar panels, etc, then none of that land parcel would be eligible for payments. This would mean that a landowner may be left with excess entitlements with the option of leasing them or acquiring replacement land. Either option will have an associated cost that along with the tax cost will have to be taken into account when assessing the overall cost benefit of the lease. Should I commit to a contract now? YES Committing now gives the solar energy company a head start in terms of acquiring a grid connection and acquiring planning permission with the result that the farmer could conceivably be in receipt of rent within two years if all goes well. While solar farms are not likely to receive as much public opposition as wind farms, nevertheless getting in early may prove advantageous before any public opposition gains a head of steam. Delaying a decision may result in money being lost forever as 25 years is a long time and many landowners may not outlive the lease. Because of the uncertain political position that Ireland now finds itself in, government policy on solar energy may be slow in coming. NO It is not known what level of feed-in tariff the government will provide and it is possible that offers may improve when this information is available. Landowners who delayed committing to wind farm developments or telephone masts generally fared better. There is no guarantee that the energy company will be successful in developing a solar project. Time may weed out the weaker companies. After the turbulence of the first two months in 2016, financial markets are exhibiting a modicum of normality in the past couple of weeks. That, however, will be tested to the full as the UK's referendum on Brexit gets closer. Those who depend on the agri-food industry for their employment or indeed their investments need to closely monitor how all of that unfolds over the coming months. At a basic level the most direct impact will come in the short term from how sterling performs against the euro. After a number of years when Sterling was strong, and thereby boosted the competitiveness of Irish produced food, a weak UK currency has been evident since the end of 2015. This adversely affects Irish food manufacturers in two ways. First, food produced for export is now more expensive in Britain than it was two months ago. Second, food profits generated in sterling are worth less when converted back to euros. Both of these are unhelpful for an industry whose single largest market is across the Irish Sea, where 4.4bn worth of product was shipped last year. For those agri-food companies listed on the Stock Exchange the analysis is more complicated. They have significant operations in parts of the world outside Ireland and Britain. Most of them have very limited exposure to food manufactured in Ireland and exported to Britain. This mitigates the effects on their businesses from negative sentiment towards the Brexit debate. The section of the Irish agri-food industry that is most vulnerable to Brexit linked problems is that owned by private companies and co-operatives. These tend to have a heavy capital commitment to manufacturing assets in Ireland that are used to produce food for the UK. In addition, most of them work with relatively thin operating margins so any sudden and sustained weakness in sterling can be an issue for their actual profits. Companies producing meat, prepared meals, ambient foods and bakery products in Ireland and destined for the UK are the ones I would observe closely if assessing risks. Outside the Republic one of the areas where some remarkable attitudes towards Brexit have emerged is in Northern Ireland. The Secretary for State there has opted to support the Brexit campaign. I cannot find a economic single positive for the North that would follow a Brexit. Northern Ireland has a large and important farming and agri-food industry that directly employs 6pc of the working population. Its farmers, like those in the South, have been assisted over decades by strong European agri funds focussed on supporting farm families in a rapidly changing agricultural world. Its agri-food eco-system sees itself evolving as an important exporter in the years ahead. If the trade barriers between Britain and Europe start to rise how on earth can the Northern Ireland food industry flourish when its largest trading partner begins to cut funding and restrict market access? At a broader level, the European Union and its institutions, including the Parliament and Commission, have been hugely important supporters of bringing Northern Ireland from a highly volatile and difficult period towards an era of peaceful living. It was Europe that stood alongside the United States in marshalling key forces to help opposing traditions to form an understanding that took Northern Ireland to its current position. Can anyone seriously suggest, aside from the issue of excessive red tape and regulations that have now been addressed in tough negotiations, that Northern Ireland will be in a better place outside Europe in three months time? Most industry leaders we know in the agri-food industry see a single European market, including Britain, as a highly valued and structural advantage for both manufacturers and primary producers when competing in the global marketplace. Radically changing that dynamic now would be an unequivocal negative for the food sector on both sides of the Border. Joe Gill is director of Corporate Broking with Goodbody Stockbrokers. His views are personal. The modest exterior of this Co Wicklow property doesn't do justice to its considerable charms. A neat and compact stone cottage with stone outhouses, it's a place that would make a fine starter home, a perfect retirement property or an ideal bolthole from city life. The fully renovated, stone-built cottage with two stone-built stables and useful out houses on 10ac at Tuckmills, Baltinglass is for sale by private treaty with a guide price of 239,000. Located on a country road off the N81 Dublin to Baltinglass Road the holding is 4km from Baltinglass and 27km from Blessington. Set on its own natural grounds the cottage accommodation includes two bedrooms, a spacious kitchen/living room, a shower room and a hallway. The house has been beautifully refurbished and many of the old features are maintained like the stonework, vaulted ceilings, wooden floors and a half door. At the same time the most modern building techniques and finishes have been applied. The kitchen in particular, while having the feel of a traditional country kitchen has all the conveniences for modern living. Outside there are two stone-built stables in perfect condition and two larger lean-to style farm sheds that could be used for a variety of purposes from storage to workshops. The 10ac is all in old pasture and runs down to a brook. The place is dotted with lovely trees and would be ideal as a hobby farm or an addition to an existing operation, according to auctioneer Paul Doyle. This is a gorgeous little property in a lovely setting and renovated with great attention to detail. It would make a neat home or an excellent holiday or weekend getaway. Tillage ground Mr Doyle is also handling the sale of 38.5ac of tillage ground at Newtown, Two-Mile Water, Co Wicklow. The farm is on the market by private treaty and guided at 475,000 or over 12,300/ac Situated close to the village of Blainroe, it is about 6km south of Wicklow Town and 2.5 km off the M11. The farm faces in a southeasterly direction and has exceptional views of the surrounding countryside and the Irish Sea. Paul Doyle describes it as top quality land currently in tillage with good road frontage. Laid out in seven good-sized divisions it is suited to a range of farming enterprises and could be made into a compact equestrian unit. Development potential Another parcel of Wicklow ground extending to 16.5ac and located at Tinode, Manor Kilbride near Blessington is also on the private treat market with a guide of 150,000 or just over 9,000/ac. Fronting on to the busy N81 and 5km north of Blessington and close to the Lamb junction, the place is within easy reach of Dublin City Centre, the M50 and Dublin Airport. Paul Doyle describes the holding as "a substantial parcel of development land in this most pivotal and prominent location." The property has about 320m of road frontage on to the N81 and could be attractive to local farmers or a buyer in search of a small parcel of ground within shouting distance of the capital. What does your teenage CEO applicant want to be? An engineer? A nurse? A marketer? Whatever it is, they won't want to be embarrassed by their social media 'long tails'. At least that's the message some senior employers are sending out to the job seekers of tomorrow. "Thank God Facebook and Twitter and Instagram were not around when I was growing up," said Aisling Hassell, vice president of online accommodation company Airbnb yesterday. "That's the place that your future employers are going to look about what kind of person you are." She's not kidding. Most recruiters say that searches on social media are now standard when considering a candidate. And many admit red flags are regularly raised. More serious transgressions are punished in a more serious way. Two weeks ago, a UK Court jailed two young brothers for mocking a judge on Facebook. Daniel and Samuel Sledden had received suspended sentences for dealing in drugs, but sneered at the judge online after being released. The judge saw the remarks and removed the suspension. If there is any consolation to parents, it is that today's teenagers tend to know all of this better than their elders. For instance, there is a reason that the auto-deleting social messaging service Snapchat is overwhelmingly used by younger people, even while we oldies pour out our most valuable personal information on Facebook and Twitter. A generation born into social media, teens have an instinctive sense of how to use it. IRISH Life is set to set to become a major force in the health insurance market after buying Aviva Health and GloHealth Canadian-owned Irish Life confirmed that it has now taken control of both companies. The move will reduce the number of health insurers from four to three. The deal is the biggest in the sector since Aviva's larger rival Laya Healthcare was sold to AIG last year in a deal understood to have been worth in the region of 90m. Aviva Health is Ireland's third biggest health insurer after VHI and Laya. It sis 70pc owned by Aviva with AIB holding the other 30pc. Irish Life is buying the Aviva stake. Irish Life was already a 45pc shareholder in GloHealthcare, and the Aviva Health deal will catapult it close to second-ranked Laya in terms of market share. The new Irish Life health insurance business will have 400,000 private healthcare customers. Insurers across Europe are being forced to assess their deployment of capital as a result of incoming regulations known as Solvency 2 which will force institutions to hold more capital as a precaution against potential losses. It is understood that capital raised from a sale of the Aviva health business would be invested back into the other Irish arms, and that the decision to review the assets was driven by a review of the group's relative return on capital across different businesses. VHI will continue to dominate the market with around one million health insurance customers. Laya has around half a million private health insurance customers. ICL, a subsidiary of CRH plc, is involved in production and supply of bagged cement products. Photo: Bloomberg A subsidiary of cement giant CRH has brought a legal challenge to the seizure of certain emails of a senior CRH executive during a search as part of an investigation into alleged anti-competitive practices. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission was not entitled to "essentially run riot" in the premises of Irish Cement Ltd (ICL) at Platin, Co Meath, and just seize all material, regardless of relevance to the purpose of its search, Paul Sreenan SC told the High Court. ICL objected, as "a matter of principle", to the seizure and retention of emails of Seamus Lynch relating to his role within CRH but had no objection to the commission examining emails related to his previous role within ICL, counsel said. Mr Lynch left ICL in June 2011 to join CRH and, when the search was carried out in May 2014, was managing director of CRH Europe (Ireland and Spain), counsel said. The District Court warrant authorising the search only entitled the commission to seize documents related to ICL, he argued. Mr Sreenan was opening the challenge by ICL, Mr Lynch and CRH arising from the unannounced search at the ICL plant at Platin, near Drogheda, on May 14, 2014. ICL, a subsidiary of CRH plc, is involved in production and supply of bagged cement products and the search was conducted as part of an investigation into alleged anti-competitive practises in that sector in the State, Mr Justice Max Barrett heard. When seeking the search warrant on May 12, 2014, the commission told the District Court it had formed the opinion that ICL, from January 2011 to the date the warrant was sought, may have engaged in abuse of a dominant position in relation to the supply of bagged cement. In their challenge, the plaintiffs claim the officers were not entitled to seize and retain any electronic files within a crh.com email account of Mr Lynch which were unrelated to the business and activity of ICL. It is also claimed the Commission seized documents unrelated to any activity in connection with the business of supplying or distributing goods, or providing a service, and thus, it is argued, outside the scope of the search warrant. The commission denies the claims. It previously agreed not to use the material pending the outcome of the case, listed to run for four days. London has worked hard to cultivate its reputation as a top global location for so-called "fintech" firms Irish authorities will be on the lookout as some of London's brightest financial technology talents have begun weighing a future elsewhere. That is prompted by worries that Britain will lose its position as an industry hub if it opts out of the European Union in four months' time. Attracting early stage fintech businesses to Ireland was a key target for the outgoing coalition government. London has worked hard to cultivate its reputation as a top global location for so-called "fintech" firms. These are technology startups that aim to compete with traditional banking and financial services, such as money transfer company TransferWise, crowdfunding platform Crowdcube and peer-to-peer lender RateSetter. The British capital is in a fierce race with San Francisco, New York, Berlin and Hong Kong to remain a leader in the fast-growing sector, an ambition outlined by finance minister George Osborne in 2014. Ireland also wants in on the action. As the June 23 referendum on Britain's EU membership looms, the industry is worried London will lose momentum and its reputation for innovation outside the single market. Permanent TSB (PTSB) swung to a 26m operational profit last year representing a significant change from the 39m loss it made in 2014. Over the course of 2015 the bank issued 519m in new loans an increase of 6pc while it also reduced non-performing loans by 27pc. PTSB now has 6.1bn in non-performing loans on its books but increased its net interest margin by 22bps to 112bps. The bank's cost income ratio fell to 84pc in 2015 down from 126pc in the previous year. PTSB had its initial public offering in the Spring of last year and PTSB chief executive, Jeremy Masding, said the group was delighted with its first pre-exceptional profit since 2007. "We made strong progress on growing our net interest margin, reducing our cost income ratio, putting sustainable solutions in place for customers in arrears and further strengthening our balance sheet. "There's much still to be done and further challenges to be met but we have made a good start and are in a good position," Mr Masding said. The number of residential mortgages in Ireland over 90 days in arrears decreased by 21pc, down to 13,718. The bank also reduced the number of arrears cases of over 720 days by 9pc down to 8,612. PTSB said the arrears improvements reflected positive trends in the Irish economy. Petroceltic's examinership could pave the way for more battered explorers to use the insolvency process here survive the oil crash. The High Court appointed Michael McAteer of Grant Thornton as interim examiner to troubled exploration company Petroceltic and two related companies yesterday. Mr Justice Brian McGovern made the appointment on the application of the company itself and of a minority shareholder, Worldview. The parties have been in a long-running dispute, culminating in Worldview's unilateral move last week to seek court protection for Petroceltic from its creditors, without telling management. The examinership process will give Petroceltic 100 days to come up with a rescue plan for the business. The plan can be approved by the courts if it saves jobs and results in a viable business emerging. Uniquely in Europe, Ireland's examinership rules allow a company to walk away from debts, without handing control or assets to lenders, if the court is convinced that will save the business and as long as the outcome for lenders is no worse than it would be under an alternative liquidation. Petroceltic can use the examinership process because its centre of main interest (Comi) is in Ireland, despite the company being registered in Jersey and its debts issued under UK rules - known as London documentation. A successful rescue could see other battered oil firms seek court protection in Ireland, if they establish a base here. Worldview EHS International Master Fund, with registered offices in the Cayman Islands, sought protection for Petroceltic International plc and related companies, Petroceltic Investments Ltd and Petroceltic Ain Tsila Ltd. Petroceltic employs 13 staff at its HQ at Grand Canal Street Upper, Dublin, and 128 more around the world. Based on an independent expert report, the court heard the companies have a viable future as a going concern subject to certain conditions including approval of a survival scheme. The petition had been returned to April 4 but Rossa Fanning BL, for Petroceltic, told the judge yesterday his side was not opposing examinership as they considered that in the interest of the companies. Worldview said it will cover costs of examinership not met by Petroceltic's own income. A syndicate of four banks owned $230m by Petroceltic indicated they were not contesting the application but reserved their position regarding the examinership. A sale process already under way is set to run alongside the examinership. The head of Airbnb in Ireland has warned teenagers about the digital footprint they leave online whenever they use social media. Aisling Hassell, who heads the company's Dublin office, was speaking to more than 60 teenage girls yesterday for International Women's Day. "You probably don't even think of your personal brand - but you should because you're starting your personal brand now," she told them. "Thank God Facebook and Twitter and Instagram were not around when I was growing up. "So remember that that's your personal brand, because that's the place that your future employers are going to look as well, about what kind of person you are. So be thinking about that when you're posting away." Ms Hassell was a guest speaker at the Irish headquarters of the data storage firm Veritas, which employs 300 people here, 41pc of whom are female. Veritas was launching the European chapter of its WAVE (Women At Veritas Empowerment) programme, which is aimed at achieving gender parity in its workforce. Ms Hassell also told the teenagers of how she bought a boat and sailed it 6,500 miles across the Pacific Ocean, to encourage them to follow their dreams. "Before I left the dock, people were saying: 'Do you know what you're doing?' And I was like, 'No, not really but do you know what? I know as much as that guy and I saw he made it, so I'm going to give it a shot.' "So don't ever let anybody tell you because you're a woman you can't do things." Ms Hassell joined Airbnb two years ago in Ireland, when it had a staff of 50. It now employs 500 people here, 58pc of whom are female. As a vice president of Airbnb and head of its global customer experience team, she said she never thinks about her gender. "I actually don't think of my gender for one second in my work, it just doesn't even enter my brain. I don't think of myself as a woman at work. I just think of myself as somebody leading a team, of about 2,500 now, and trying to do the best," she said. Ms Hassell said she hopes we won't need International Women's Day in the future. Trend "It's great to celebrate women on International Women's Day but I also look forward to when we don't need one. I think it will be great when women are just people who do great stuff and we don't have to call them out just once a year," she said. Both Airbnb and Veritas are leading the way when it comes to the employment of women in the technology sector. The best practice standard is a 30pc female employment rate in the industry. In Ireland both firms buck this trend with 41pc of Veritas staff being female, and 58pc in Airbnb. Here are the main business stories from today's papers: Irish Independent * Petroceltic's examinership could pave the way for more battered explorers to use the insolvency process here survive the oil crash. The High Court appointed Michael McAteer of Grant Thornton as interim examiner to troubled exploration company Petroceltic and two related companies yesterday. Mr Justice Brian McGovern made the appointment on the application of the company itself and of a minority shareholder, Worldview. * Woodies DIY owner Grafton Group generated record revenues of 2.2bn (2.8bn) last year as its UK operations performed well and it benefited from a continuing improvement in the Irish economy. Its trading profit rose 15pc to 126.8m (163.6m). At its Irish merchanting businesses, which operates under the Chadwicks and Heiton Buckley brands, revenue was 10.9pc higher at 354.5m, while operating profits jumped 25.7pc to 25.6m. * The Office of Public Works (OPW) is set to take over Bank of Ireland's former headquarters in one of the biggest office lettings of the year. It has signed terms to take more than 150,000 sq ft of space at the Miesian Plaza as the office complex is now known. The block is owned businessman Larry Goodman. The Irish Times * The Department of Health may move into Bank of Ireland's former HQ on Lower Baggot Street after it was revealed that the Office of Public Works was in discussions with complex owners, Parma Developments. The department has been based in Hawkins House on Poolbeg Street for years now and is said to be looking to move to a space up to 150,000 sq ft. Bank of Ireland's former HQ is currently being remodelled and redeveloped. * The High Court has appointed an interim examiner to troubled oil and gas explorer, Petroceltic. Michael McAteer of Grant Thronton was appointed to the position by Mr Justice Brian McGovern yesterday, Tuesday. The news comes after Petroceltic shareholder Worldview put forward a petition to the High Court for an examiner to be appointed on Friday. * Paddy Power Betfair is set to launch in the US by opening up a betting exchange in New Jersey in what is the first major expansion from the firm since it merged in February. The company told shareholders about the expansion after the publication of its annual results for 2015. Over the course of the year Paddy Power took in net revenues of in excess of 1bn for the first time. Irish Examiner * The McKenna family, which own electric and electronic retailer Power City, shared a 3m dividend windfall last year. That is according to new accounts just filed by Power City Ltd which show that pre-tax profits at the firm last year increased by 20pc to 6.2m. Revenues rose by 9.5pc to 81.8m in the 12 months to the end of September 26 last. Numbers employed increased from 208 to 232. * Grafton Group, the company that owns Woodie's DIY, posted a record 2.21bn in revenue last year after the company published its annual results on Tuesday. The London-listed group reported a pre-tax profit of 118.9m for last year off the back of continuing growth in its UK merchanting business. Operating profit at the group's Irish business increased by 13.2pc to in excess of 18.5m. * Powerflute, the Irish-founded packaging firm chaired by Dermot Smurfit, is looking at further acquisition opportunities after a successful 2015. The company acquired cardboard maker Corenso in December 2014 and it proved to be a "transformational" deal for the firm. The company reported a 138pc increase in its annual revenues in 2015. Woodies DIY owner Grafton Group generated record revenues of 2.2bn (2.8bn) last year as its UK operations performed well and it benefited from a continuing improvement in the Irish economy. Its trading profit rose 15pc to 126.8m (163.6m). At its Irish merchanting businesses, which operates under the Chadwicks and Heiton Buckley brands, revenue was 10.9pc higher at 354.5m, while operating profits jumped 25.7pc to 25.6m. Following translation to sterling, which Grafton now reports its figures in, revenue was marginally lower, while operating profit was up 13.2pc. Grafton chief financial officer David Arnold told investors that the Irish market remains competitive for the merchanting business, which is partly a function of the improving economy. "The market did start very competitively [last year]. The teams worked really hard on gross margin in each branch," Mr Arnold said. "It was a really diligent focus on any number of 15 to 20 very modest improvement measures, which all contributed in a totality to an improvement overall in the gross margin in the Irish merchanting business." But he said there will be a drag on the gross margin in the business as housebuilding activity here eventually resumes a normalised pace. Grafton Group operates the Woodies DIY and Atlantic Homecare chains in Ireland, where it said euro-based operating profit soared rose 62.2pc to 4.8m. Revenue in euro terms rose 4.4pc to 205.1m. The Woodies operation is headed by David Ronayne, former head of the Dixons, PC World and Currys business in Ireland. Grafton has been revamping some outlets, and said the changes have been well received by customers. Grafton noted that the improvement in consumer sentiment in Ireland that's been evident in recent years continued at a steady rate during 2015. However, it conceded that the pace and stage of the recovery was more advanced in and around Dublin and provincial cities than elsewhere. Grafton's UK merchanting business, which accounts for 75pc of group revenue, remains robust, according to chief executive Gavin Slark, despite a softer second half in 2015. Revenue at the division, which trades under businesses including BuildBase, Plumbase and Selco, rose 8.9pc to 1.66bn, while operating profit was 13.8pc higher at 105.6m. "I do think, fundamentally, the underlying market is robust in the UK, both in terms of construction, house building and the repair, maintenance and improvement side," he said. Mr Slark, inset, also said yesterday that it's not possible at this stage to determine what the likely impact of a possible Brexit could be following the June referendum in the UK. He also told investors that Grafton has no plans to divest its mortar manufacturing business, which he conceded is arguably non-core to the merchanting arm. Revenue at the mortars business, which has eight plants in England and one in Scotland, rose 9.8pc to 49.6m last year, and total operating profit in the segment rose 23.3pc to 9.7m. "It's a great business. It's got a very high operating margin, is very cash generative and if you look at the metrics in term of return on capital employed, and operating margin, that if we did divest of that business, you'd have to work really hard in merchanting terms to get something that brought the same metrics into the group," he said. Google Search can now help you plan your holidays thanks to a new feature called Destinations on Google, which even provides itineraries. Google has launched a new feature called Destinations on Google that may make holiday planning a touch easier. This feature will appear in mobile searches, helping you to get inspiration for your next trip. For example, if you search for "European vacations," a grid of major cities will appear with details like how much it will cost to get to them and the best times of the year to go there. If you have a specific city in mind, searching for it will present you with the option to open Google's new travel guide. A typical Destinations page features two tabs. One helps you find out more about the location with photos, videos, and a general description. Perhaps most usefully, it also provides itineraries. There will be curated itineraries for 201 cities at launch, often with more than one itinerary per city. The second tab assists with the more boring, but essential part of travelling: finding and booking flights and hotels. It basically combines the features of Google Flights and hotel search, though you'll still have to go through specific company websites to make the final booking. This is a mobile exclusive product, as Google is seeing a large amount of travel-related search occurring on mobile. If you plan holidays on your PC, you'll either have to change tactics, use your mobile as a companion, or continue doing all the ground work yourself. A tractor mows a field on the site where EDF Energy's Hinkley Point C nuclear power station will be constructed in Bridgwater, southwest England Management upheaval at EDF in France has exposed Britain's reliance on the French energy group's ability to deliver a planned 18bn (23bn) nuclear power plant in southwest England. EDF's chief financial officer Thomas Piquemal quit on Monday in protest over the balance sheet risk posed by the Hinkley Point C project, one of a series of expensive challenges that the debt-laden and state-controlled group faces. EDF and the British and French governments are saying the project remains on track, but turmoil at the top of EDF could mean a further delay to a plan that is already two years behind schedule. For Britain, a slippage beyond 2025 would threaten the security of electricity supply to its millions of households as alternatives are few and far between. "This reiterates the need for a Plan B," said Tim Yeo, former Conservative Party chairman of parliament's Energy and Climate Change select committee. Hinkley Point C is forecast to provide around 7pc of Britain's electricity needs when it is fully operational. "A further delay would be a step back for the UK government because nuclear is one of the three pillars of its long-term energy strategy," said Coralie Laurencin, associate director of European power at consultancy IHS Energy. "Having this first new reactor taking so much time is not helpful." Britain has two alternatives it can consider: placing hopes on other new nuclear plants or incentivising the construction of gas-fired power plants. The development of large-scale renewables, such as offshore wind, is the other main plank of energy policy as Britain tries to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Two other nuclear groups are planning to build plants in Britain - NuGen, a joint venture between Toshiba's Westinghouse and France's Engie, and Hitachi's Horizon. NuGen has set its sights on a start-up of its Moorside nuclear plant in northwest England for 2024, earlier than Hinkley Point C Horizon said it was targeting a start-up in the first half of the 2020s of its Wylfa plant in Wales. Together, these two projects will have an installed capacity of 6.3 gigawatts (GW) once fully operational, compared with 3.2 GW at Hinkley Point C. However, these plans need to clear a number of hurdles which project leader EDF has already overcome for Hinkley Point C. These include regulatory approval for the construction of their respective nuclear reactor designs and receiving state aid clearance from the European Commission for an electricity strike price yet to be agreed with the British government. Britain agreed in October 2013 to guarantee EDF a price of 92.5 per megawatt-hour (MWh) for electricity produced at Hinkley Point C, around three times the current market price. When Hinkley Point was announced in 2013, nuclear reactor maker Areva was meant to take a 10pc stake in the project. EDF has since initiated the takeover of Areva's struggling reactor business, leaving the French energy giant with a hefty 66.5pc majority stake. China's General Nuclear Corporation (CGN) has agreed to buy into one third of the project. The departure of CFO Piquemal was linked to his unwillingness to take on too much risk for a group that has net debt of over 37bn, according to a source close to the matter. Gas-fired power plants are the main alternative to nuclear. (Reuters) The first of JK Rowling's four-part backgrounder ahead of Fantastic Beasts landed yesterday and not everyone is happy. The new story about the history of magic in North America references members of the Native American wizarding community as "gifted in animal and plant magic". She says they often practice magic without wands and she describes Native American 'skin walkers' ("an evil witch or wizard who can transform into an animal at will") as Native American Animagi (creatures of her own creation). Some Native American fans have taken issue with her writing, accusing her of 'cultural appropriation'. Dr Adrienne Keene, an author on website Native Appropriations, wrote about her concerns before the story had landed. She said Native American culture was "not fantasy on the same level of wizards". "We fight so hard every single day as Native peoples to be seen as contemporary, real, full, and complete human beings and to push away from the stereotypes that restrict us in stock categories of mystical-connected-to-nature-shamans or violent-savage-warriors," she wrote. "Colonization erases our humanity, tells us that we are less than, that our beliefs and religions are "uncivilized", that our existence is incongruent with modernity. You can't just claim and take a living tradition of a marginalized people. That's straight up colonialism/appropriation @jk_rowling. Dr. Adrienne Keene (@NativeApprops) March 8, 2016 "How in the world could a young person watch this and not make a logical leap that Native peoples belong in the same fictional world as Harry Potter?" While some criticised the author on social media, others came to her defence, stating that the story may encourage young people to "investigate and appreciate Native American culture". I'm broken hearted. Jk Rowling, my beliefs are not fantasy. If ever there was a need for diversity in YA lit it is bullish!t like this. Brian Young (@hungrynavajo) March 8, 2016 Rowling has not yet responded to the accusations. The short story was published on Rowling's Pottermore website on Tuesday with the other three instalments landing at 2pm today, Thursday, and Friday. because @jk_rowling has based her "native wizards" off the same racist stereotypes & miseducation that JM Barrie used in Peter Pan. Johnnie Jae (@johnniejae) March 8, 2016 Video of the Day You can read the first instalment of her background stories HERE. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them releases on November 18. Killian Scott has revealed he ended up taking selfies with Love/Hate fans while canvassing for his brother, Fine Gael TD Eoghan Murphy. The 29-year-old star, who played Tommy in the hit RTE show, said most people in the Sandymount/Ringsend area were "very receptive" to him. "I found most people were very receptive and my pitch was very much, 'Look, I don't know anything about politics but this guy's my bother. I'd love you to vote for him but if you don't want to, whatever, here's the flyer' and I'd leave," he told Anton Savage on Today FM. "My pitch was very efficient!" Expand Close From L-R actors Peter Coonan as Fran, Robert Sheehan as Darren, Tom Vaughan Lawlor as Nidge and Killian Scott as Tommy in a publicity shot from Love/Hate Series 3 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp From L-R actors Peter Coonan as Fran, Robert Sheehan as Darren, Tom Vaughan Lawlor as Nidge and Killian Scott as Tommy in a publicity shot from Love/Hate Series 3 However, he was often roped in to taking selfies with the constituents. "There was a bit of that which was funny, taking selfies on people's doorsteps, 'Yeah, but will you vote for my brother?'! "It was interesting, and really gave me an insight into the work these guys do. I was canvassing in the afternoon and evening and I was exhausted and Eoghan was doing a lot of other things in between. "It gave me a new insight, respect and understanding for the work these guys do. It's a tough job and thankless as well." Killian, who currently stars in Irish film Traders (releasing March 11) also revealed why he and Eoghan have different surnames. "A very famous and wonderful actor called Cillian Murphy happened to become an actor before I arrived," he said. "It's my given name and birth name, Cillian Muprhy, but I had to change it. "I'm the turncoat who's betrayed my father!" he joked. His mother came up with the surname Scott. Video of the Day "My mother gave out to me because I got this wrong in an interview before!" he said. "She was the one who pitched the name to me. It's relations on my father's side who are in Argentina. "I was in a play and had to change my name so it could be put on the poster. Otherwise Cillian Murphy might have arrived down to give out to me, which I didn't need. I changed the 'C' to a 'K' for pronunciation reasons." The internet had a bit of a meltdown yesterday as the first trailer for Game Of Thrones season six dropped. There was loads of the traditional nudity, bloodshed and Ramsay Bolton acting like a maniac. Here are five things we learned from the spot, which precedes the show's return on April 26. 1: Jon Snow May Be Alive But Might Be Dead Rumours regarding the fate of Jon Snow (Kit Harington) continue to swirl. But in this trailer, the recently deposed head of the Night's Watch's is very much dead. We see Red Witch Melisandre (Carice van Houten) standing over his corpse and Ser Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham) attending a burning pyre the body presumed to be that of the Stark bastard. That said, a screen-grab reveals a Harington lookalike wading into battle beside the Wildlings. So is Snow back after all? This is so confusing! Read More 2: The Boltons Are Up To No Good Again. A shot of a skinned body set alight confirms that House Bolton are up to their traditional naughtiness the "flayed man" being the family sigil. Later Bolton troops are shown tangling with Wildlings, including the free folk leader Tormund Giantsbane. 3: There Will Be Flashbacks. Against a desert backdrop, a group of warriors draw their swords. According to internet gossip, the grim looking fellow at the front is a young Ned Stark, with the scene taking place during Robert's Rebellion. The speculation is that Ned is on the trail of his kidnapped/ eloped sister Lyanna, pregnant by Rhaeger Targayren. By the time Ned tracks her down she has died in childbirth. Thus Ned returns to Winterfell with the baby, who he names. (world's shortest drumroll)...Jon Snow! Video of the Day Read More 4: Cersei Is Fighting Back. Season five was rough on the Lady Lannister (Lena Headey). Her beloved Tommen was married off to the manipulative Margaery (Natalie Dormer), she was banged up and then shame walked by the Faith Militant and, unbeknown to her, her daughter Myrcella has been poisoned by the Sand Snakes of Dorne. No wonder Cersei looks mightily ticked off when confronted by the Faith Militant. "I chose violence," she tells the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) during a face-off. Brave words. But then she's got Ser Robert Strong aka the resurrected Gregor Clegane in her corner. Expand Close Game of Thrones season 6 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Game of Thrones season 6 5: Woah, the Night's King is Tangling With Bran The terrifying last shot shows Bran (Isaac Wright) stalked by the White Walker's deathless leader. Bran is on his feet so he has either undergone a magical rejuvenation or this is another of his fever-dreams. Either way, it seems safe to assume we'll be seeing lots more of the Night's King in year six. Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been urged to "tread carefully" in any negotiations with Micheal Martin as the prospect of a Fine Gael/Fianna Fail coalition edges closer. Mr Kenny tonight moved to shore up support for his own leadership ahead of an expected approach to the Fianna Fail leader to begin talks. The Mayo TD insisted any coalition Fine Gael enters into must be "workable" and the process will take some time. Speaking at the Fine Gael parliamentary meeting, Mr Kenny also said a cross party group will be formed to introduce Dail reform. TDs and senators voiced support for a proposal from newly elected deputy Colm Brophy that any future coalition must be referred to a Fine Gael Ard Fheis for approval. The committee will be chaired by the new Ceann Comhairle who will be elected when the Dail sits for the first time tomorrow. It will include representatives of all parties and groupings in the new Dail. But Mr Kenny will be concerned by the vastly different views expressed at the meeting in relation to coalition options. Galway West TD Sean Kyne is understood to have spoken of the prospect of forming a minority government, while Carlow/Kilkenny backbencher John Paul Phelan told the meeting that going into opposition is an option worth considering. But within Fianna Fail, the feeling towards a grand coalition is mixed. Deputies such as Barry Cowen, Willie ODea, Sean Fleming and Niall Collins are understood to be deeply opposed to such a scenario, while others privately say it is the only show in town. Meanwhile, Mr Cowen tonight insisted the partys position on water charges is not for change. Having previously flip-flopped on the issue, the Offaly TD insisted Fianna Fail will abolish water charges for five years if in Government. Fianna Fail did not make its policy on Irish Water lightly and it is not subject to change due to lobbying. Further, attempts to put pressure on the political system through a heightened campaign of briefings in the media I believe are counter-productive, Mr Cowen said in a statement. President Michael D. Higgins (centre) inspects an all female Captain's Guard of Honour, during the Commemoration for women in the 1916 Rising, as part of 1916 State commemorations, at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire President Michael D Higgins paid tribute to the Irish women who "repeatedly risked their lives" during the Easter Rising a century ago. And he urged their descendants to help "complete our journey towards the full enjoyment of women's rights in Ireland". Hundreds of guests gathered at the Royal Hospital Kilmnainham to commemorate the role of women in the events of 1916 on International Women's Day. Arts Minister Heather Humphreys, Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan and broadcaster Olivia O'Leary were just some of those who attended the event to remember the "mothers, grandmothers, aunts and grandaunts" who played their part in the revolution. Speaking at the celebration in Dublin, President Higgins said: "It is such a great pleasure to have this opportunity to acknowledge publicly the great contribution of Irish women to the Easter Rising of 1916 that we're commemorating this year. "Given the context of early 20th century Ireland, a time infused by cultural and social ideals of domesticity and respectability for women, when the conventional path for them was to tend to the affairs of the home not public ones, those women from our past were truly boundary breakers." Battle At least 300 women, including Countess Markievicz and Dr Kathleen Lynn, were actively involved in the battle for independence, with 77 later detained at Richmond Barracks. Recalling the contribution made by his own mother and aunt, who were members of Cumann na mBan, President Higgins added: "Importantly, we should never forget how during these heady days of revolutionary activity, many women still had to look after their households. They had to be mother and father and carer and provider to their children." Praising the work done by his "two great female predecessors", President Higgins also welcomed the election of a record number of female representatives to the 32nd Dail last week. But he acknowledged there was still a "glass ceiling". He continued: "Today we can rightfully rejoice in the progress we have made in the position of women in society. "So many obstacles to the participation of women in the political and economic life of our country have been removed over the last few decades [but there is] so much more to do." A medical negligence case being taken by the widower of Savita Halappanavar has been settled out of court. The case, which was being taken by Praveen Halappanavar against the HSE and obstetrician Katherine Astbury was due to begin tomorrow in the High Court. However, a source has told the Irish Independent the case was settled late last week. While details of the agreement have not been made public it is understood the settlement is significant. Mr Halappanavar has been living in the US for the past number of years while he carries out a mid-term project for his employers Boston Scientific. He was expected to return and give evidence in the case. However, its understood he did not return home from the US for the talks last week. Papers for the personal injury summons, lodged with the High Court in September 2013, stated that Ms Halappanavar's constitutional right to life was breached. The civil suit included over 30 of alleged negligence in the case, including failures in the treatment given to Ms Halappanavar during her time at University Hospital Galway and a failure to terminate the pregnancy when it became clear that Ms Halappanavar's life was at risk. Savita Halappanavar (31) was 17 weeks pregnant and miscarrying when she was admitted to University Hospital Galway on October 21, 2012. She died seven days later on October 28 as a result of of septicaemia caused by ecoli ESBL. Expand Close Savita with her husband Praveen in happier days / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Savita with her husband Praveen in happier days Her husband Praveen consistently claimed she had asked on several occasions for a termination but was refused. An inquest returned a verdict of medical misadventure while a HSE clinic review into her treatment found there had been inadequate assessment and monitoring of the patient. A Hiqa report into Ms Halappanavar's death identified 13 "missed opportunities" which, if acted upon, "may potentially have resulted in a different outcome for her". Some 6,275 aspiring college students who registered with the CAO before the February 1 deadline did not list their preferences. Photo: Getty A worrying rise in the number of CAO applicants who did not fill out their course choices is a feature of this year's figures. Some 6,275 aspiring college students who registered with the CAO before the February 1 deadline did not list their preferences. It represents about 8pc of all applicants, a proportion that has been growing steadily over the past decade but most significantly in more recent years. CAO applicants have until July 1 to submit their choices, but the large number of "don't knows" at this stage raises concerns about why students are not ready to fill out the form before the main deadline. John McGinnity, admissions officer and assistant registrar at Maynooth University, said it was better for students to make an initial selection and then to adjust that, if necessary, during the Change of Mind period between May and July. He said not listing choices before the initial deadline also left applicants in a position where they could not apply for restricted entry courses. Cutbacks Institute of Guidance Counsellors president Betty McLaughlin said she was shocked at the high figure, blaming it on cutbacks in guidance counselling in schools. According to Ms McLaughlin, over the past five years, thousands of second-level students have had to "go it alone when filling in CAO choices". "While middle-class students are able to rely on help from parents, family and friends, students from less well-off backgrounds and immigrants, who relied heavily on the guidance counsellor for help, are losing out." She said in 2007, 1.3pc of CAO applicants did not fill in their course choices before the February deadline, but this had now shot up to 8pc. "We clearly have a very uneven and disjointed service", said Ms McLaughlin. De Lacy College, Ashbourne, Co Meath 1st year students Eoin Lawless, 13, with a photo of his great-great grandfather Edward Lawless, a 1916 Volunteer who fought in the 1916 Battle of Ashbourne, and Katie Colbert, 13, with a photo of her great-granduncle Irish Volunteer and IRB member who fought in Dublin in 1916; Con Colbert. There is often jocose debate about the number of people credited with being in the GPO for the Easter Rising, taking a stand for Irish independence. We'll never know the figure for sure, but as bloodlines travel through the generations, the reality is that whatever the number was back then, there are multiple descendants who can truthfully claim an ancestor who participated in revolutionary activities of 1916. The 1916 Ancestry Project, one of the Department of Education initiatives for the 2016 Centenary Programme in schools, has tapped into those family stories and it is bringing history alive in classrooms around the country. Some 800,000 primary and post primary pupils were encouraged to carry out their own research to discover more about what people were doing and where they were living in 1916, using resources such as the 1911 census, the military archives, church records and speaking to relatives and others. For many students it has turned into a fascinating journey of discovery about their own families or communities. Schools were invited to share their stories on the Scoilnet.ie website, the Department of Education official portal for Irish education, and the first of the projects have started to appear online. Take De Lacy College, Ashbourne, Co Meath a newly opened second-level school, but already with a rich sense of history. The school, which now has 107 first and second-year students, puts a lot of effort into nurturing a love of history among its pupils. They participate in the Young Historian programme organised by their patron body, the Louth Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB), and have also enthusiastically embraced the Francis Ledwidge Poetry competition, another LMETB initiative, which celebrates the famous Co Meath poet, who died in World War 1. So, when the Department of Education launched its commemorative programme, there were plenty of willing hands in De Lacy College, ready to get going on various projects, a typical response in schools all over the country. De Lacy College acting deputy principal Angela Guinan said a number of students jumped at the opportunity to look back through their family tree and it transpired that "they had very different stories to tell". Katie Colbert says she knew "a small bit" about her great-great uncle Con, before embarking on the ancestry project "but I learned a lot more since". Con Colbert was one of the leaders of the 1916 rising, who was subsequently executed in Kilmainham Gaol. While she did some research online, Katie (13) only had to pick up the phone to get some first-hand information. "I called by granddad, Stephen Colbert and he put me on the phone to my great nan, May, who was married to Con Colbert's nephew. She is 91 now. "It was all really interesting and I enjoyed learning about it and it makes you want to learn a bit more. My mam had already told me that Con Colbert has a railway station and a road named after him." A house in Hollybank Road, Drumcondra is the setting for Sadhbh Mooney's action-packed family story about 1916. Number 10, where her great-great grandparents lived and the house into which her great grandmother was born in 1916, was the scene for some interesting activities that year. According to Sadhbh's research, the basement was a hide out for volunteers and guns, while the roof was used as a lookout. "One famous person who used to hide out in the house was Maud Gonne. This was a very important time in Ireland's history and I love learning about my ancestors," says Sadhbh. Eoin Lawless' family name is familiar locally, arising from his ancestors' revolutionary credentials. Among them was Frank Lawless, who was second in command in the Battle of Ashbourne in 1916. He was subsequently sentenced to death, but was spared execution and was sent to a UK Prison camp. His brother Edward was one of the 20 men selected from the volunteers' camp in Finglas to go in to help out in the GPO. Eoin's great-grand aunt was Evelyn Lawless, was secretary to Michael Collins between 1918 and 1920 and later became a nun. The ancestry project has become more than a national snapshot of roots to 1916 Ireland. Many students grabbed the opportunity to tell a family history, unrelated to 1916, including those with origins from well beyond these shores, weaving rich threads into the multi-cultural tapestry that is modern Ireland. Rachel O'Brien had a slightly different story to tell about her ancestors, who included English-born Alfred Hendrick, who fought in the Boer War and who was disinherited when he married servant girl, Mary Corcoran, from Naas, Co Kildare. On the other side of the family was her great-grandad Matthew Kelehan, who fought with Michael Collins in 1922. Sophie Giovale is half Irish, half Italian, and she has shared the Italian side of her family tree, which included pasta-makers. "My dad is from Italy. He came to Ireland for a holiday and met my mom. I called my nanny who lives in Salerno and to get the information," says Sophie, who includes images of census documents and ID cards in her submitted work. The bards of De Lacy College, already well practiced thanks to the Francis Ledwidge poetry competition, have also played to their strengths putting their reflections on events 100 years ago into verse. Next Tuesday is Proclamation Day, when some 4,000 schools will showcase all the work they have done on the 1916 theme. A major search for the body of a missing person in West Kildare has concluded this evening without success. Gardai confirmed today that the search was related to the disappearance of missing Wicklow man Barry Corcoran, who was last seen in July 2015. Officers from Clondalkin, West Dublin began digging in the area this morning for the remains of a missing person. A senior source explained that gardai were looking for the victim of a suspected murder. Search teams, acting on intelligence, are expected to spend a number of days combing the area. A spokesman for the garda press office said earlier today: "We can confirm that searches are ongoing from this morning in Co Kildare. But for operational reasons we cannot comment further." The dig was not connected to Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) led investigations in South Dublin earlier today. Gardai are still trying to trace the whereabouts of missing Wicklow man Barry Corcoran. The dad-of-one was last seen on Cremona Road in Ballyfermot, on the night of Monday, July 6. Family members raised the alarm after the 39-year-old disappeared, leaving his phone and passport at home. Gardai have previously investigated whether Mr Corcoran, from Wicklow town, was murdered by a west Dublin crime gang over a drugs debt. Viral infections in the brain are known to cause symptoms similar to Alzheimer's Alzheimer's disease could be caused by viruses like herpes, a group of renowned dementia experts have warned, as they call for urgent investigation into the link. The worldwide team of 31 scientists and clinicians, which includes specialists from Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh and Manchester Universities and Imperial College, London, suggest microbes are the major cause of dementia. The herpes virus - the type which causes cold sores - and chlamydia bacteria are named as the major culprits, as well as a type of corkscrew-shaped bacteria called spirochaete. Currently, most scientists are trying to find treatments which prevent the build-up of sticky amyloid plaques and misfolded tau proteins in the brain which prevent neurons from communicating with each other, leading to memory loss and cognitive decline. But in the editorial in 'The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease', it is suggested that it is viral or bacterial infections that trigger the plaque build-up in the first place. Targeting them specifically with antimicrobial drugs could halt dementia. Evidence Professor Douglas Kell of the University of Manchester's School of Chemistry, said: "We are saying there is incontrovertible evidence that Alzheimer's Disease has a dormant microbial component. We can't keep ignoring all of the evidence." The authors say that viruses and bacteria are common in the brains of elderly people, and although they are usually dormant, they can "wake up" after stress or if the immune system is compromised. About two-thirds of people will acquire the herpes virus at some point in their lives, and many will not realise they have it. The herpes virus is known to damage the central nervous system, and the limbic system in the brain which regulates mood and instinct and is associated with mental decline. They also point to the fact that a gene mutation - APOE e4 - which makes one in five people more susceptible to Alzheimer's disease, also raises their susceptibility to infectious disease. Viral infections in the brain are known to cause symptoms similar to Alzheimer's and the experts say the link has been "neglected" for too long. ( Daily Telegraph, London) Minister for Arts,Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys TD welcomes women from across all sectors of Irish Society to Royal Hospital Kilmainham for a special Women 2016 event highlighting the role of women in the events of 1916 on International Women's Day. Photo shows members of the women's performance group 'Flames not Flowers' at the event. Photo: Maxwells They are two of Ireland's most inspiring women whose day jobs could not be more different. But National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, master Dr Rhona Mahony and Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan share a drive to succeed - having carved out careers through making great sacrifices and having the courage to seize opportunities. Both women put a high price on both qualities when they faced a nearly all-female audience at an International Women's Day event organised by management consultants Accenture yesterday. For Dr Mahony, who became the first woman to head the country's busiest maternity hospital, the climb up the medical ladder saw her having to leave her three young children behind in order to get necessary training in the UK. "There is nothing more lonely than 6am in Dublin Airport. And that applies to men as well who leave to work from Monday to Friday," she said. "There is a whole sub-culture there," said Dr Mahony, who admitted she was lucky to have a much-trusted childminder who, with her husband, kept the family home afloat. It was really "a difficult decision", which left her trying to "balance two lives". She pursued the job of master at a time when hospital funding was cut and morale low. Dr Mahony often puts in a 72-hour week; she also worries about the babies discharged home who are not all so fortunate to be smothered in love. Meanwhile, Commissioner O'Sullivan recalled that when women were first recruited as gardai in 1959, a concerned TD hoped they would not be too good looking because they would distract male colleagues. When she joined the force in 1981 she was sent to Store Street Station in Dublin - and was bored by her duties. She recalled answering a house call and being told by a man inside to go away and send a "real garda". She could have stayed in the comfort zone, but insisted: "I wanted to catch the bad guys." The young garda and two male colleagues saw an opportunity to set up their own undercover team to tackle the menace of drugs blighting inner-city communities. "Nobody said, 'this is a great idea.' We had to make a strong case and were then told to make sure it worked. "That was some motivation," she said. She told the gathering: "The lesson I learned was not just to accept the way things are being done." An Irish brewery has defended itself against accusations it is cashing in on the 1916 Easter Rising amid complaints its new beer is targeted at minors because of its name. Read More Speaking to the Independent.ie, co-founder Quincey Fennelly said that the 3.95 beers title was a play on the old song by T-Rex and that it was in no way intended to attract minors to the product. Read More Last month, a bar of chocolate inspired by the Proclamation came under fire from those saying it was tasteless and inappropriate. Read More Mr Fennelly continued: Some people try to find offence in certain things but at this stage, weve had absolutely no negativity towards the beer, and I cant understand to be honest why there would be the title of the beer Children of the Revolution is really [our] small way of tipping our glass to the brave people of 1916. The beer is a bitter ale, so its catchphrase is the bitterness ends here as a craft brewery we always promote responsible drinking. Children of the Revolution is available now, said Wicklow Wolf, and would be on draft in select bars around Dublin for the Easter Weekend. A MAN was seriously injured after apparently being electrocuted while working at an industrial plant in Cork. The 38 year old was electrocuted while working near large turbine-type machinery at a factory outside Mitchelstown, Co Cork this morning at around 10am. It is unclear how the accident occurred but one suggestion is that a metal spanner being used by the man may have inadvertantly come in contact with a live electrical source. Other workers raced to aid the man after the freak accident occurred. Gardai and paramedics were immediately alerted. He was treated at the scene before being rushed to Cork University Hospital (CUH). The man's condition is understood to be very serious. In accordance with standard workplace regulations, an investigation into the matter will be conducted by the Health & Safety Authority (HSA). The accident scene was sealed off to allow for the investigation into the tragic accident. A photo of smiling Baby Karol on the altar at St Mary's Cathedral. (Inset) Mother Anna Rozycka carries a photograph of her 11-month-old son to the altar He was only here for 11 short months but in that time he brought as much happiness and joy as though he had lived a lifetime, mourners at a memorial mass for Karol Rozycki were told. Supported by her mother and close friends, a sobbing Anna Rozycka carried a photograph of her smiling baby son to the altar at St Mary's Cathedral in Killarney. The picture, toys, flowers and candles were among the symbols offered at the Mass for baby Karol. Gardai believe the baby, who died in suspicious circumstances in his home at the Killarney Park Place apartments on Sunday, may have been smothered to death. It was Ms Rozycka who requested yesterday's Mass as a way of remembering her son. She thanked the local community for their support and appealed for their prayers for her and her family. A collection was also held at the cathedral doors to help with the cost of repatriating Karol's body back to Poland later this week, where he will be laid to rest. Expand Close Mass for baby in the St Mary's Cathedral, Killarney. Photo: Michelle Cooper Galvin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mass for baby in the St Mary's Cathedral, Killarney. Photo: Michelle Cooper Galvin Polish Chaplain Piotr Delimat, the chief celebrant of the bilingual Mass, said little Karol or "maly Karolek", as he was referred to throughout, had united both communities. "Karol has brought the Polish and Irish communities together. "He unites us and all our children; no matter where we're from, we all love our children. "I'm sure all parents will give a huge hug to their children, especially before they put them to bed," he said. Around 500 people attended the Mass, including members of the Polish community, locals and Ms Rozycka's colleagues from the Aghadoe Heights Hotel. Originally from the Polish city of Bielsko Biala near Krakow, Ms Rozycka has spent the last three years travelling between Ireland and Poland, where she gave birth to her baby and now intends to bury him. Supt Flor Murphy and seven other gardai involved in the investigation into baby Karol's death also attended the Mass. Parish priest Fr Kieran O'Brien called on those gathered to pray for Anna and her family. "Today is a sad occasion for Anna, her family and the Polish community here in Killarney as we try to journey with them to lighten their burden in whatever way is possible. "Anna is very grateful for all the support she has received, from her colleagues in the Aghadoe Heights Hotel, the gardai, residents and staff at Park Place, and the wider community here in Killarney. To see so many of you gathered in our cathedral says many things to Anna. "What she asks now from us is our prayers for her family. "We think of baby Karol and the 11 months he shared their family life and how he brightened up their lives, and I'm sure baby Karol will continue to be their strength at this time," he added. Injured A close family friend paid a special tribute to the gardai and the owners of the apartment where the family had lived. He said God had sent them at a special time and they couldn't go through this without their support. "Karol was a lovely boy. In his short life, he gave us so much happiness, more than someone with a long life could have. May he rest in peace," he said. Meanwhile, a Polish man who was found injured in the apartment on Sunday is in a stable but critical condition in Tralee General Hospital's ICU department. He is understood to have suffered substantial blood loss due to serious arm and abdominal injuries, which are believed to have been self-inflicted. A Galway band has told of their delight after being chosen to perform for US President Barack Obama. We Banjo 3 are currently in the middle of a US tour. The band received confirmation today that they had been chosen to perform for the US President at Capitol Hill next week. They described the news as a huge honour revealing their delight that the event was scheduled for one of their few days off during the US tour. The band first got the news of the event via email when they were 32,000ft over the Atlantic on an Aer Lingus flight to the US. Excited doesn't fully cover it. One of the guys on the band got upgraded to first class and even though he was fast asleep we got the flight attendant to go wake him up to tell him the news. At first she wouldn't wake a first class passenger but when we told her why she was so excited herself she went straight up. Unfortunately our only description of David was that he was wearing a red plaid shirt. She woke up the wrong passenger first time, said band member Enda Scahill. The band will perform as part of the Friends of Ireland Luncheon in Washington DC on March 15. Also in attendance will be Taoiseach Enda Kenny, the Speaker of the House and the British Ambassador. The luncheon is at Capitol Hill and takes about two hours. We will be asked to perform at least two songs. We're going to do a great favourite of ours from our first album 'We All Need More Kindness In This World' and a track from our last album called 'The Donegal Lass', added Enda. And while they are excited to be playing, the banjo player admitted his main aim was a particular photo with Obama. There's going to be a photo opportunity with the President and our goal is to get a picture of him holding an Irish banjo! I think we may have to run this by the secret service first to avoid an international banjo-related incident, he joked. The band has seen its popularity soar in the US and are considered the biggest Irish band on the US Celtic/Irish music circuit. This year alone they will perform to over 300,000 people in the US during three separate tours there. The band will also headline at the four biggest Irish music festivals globally including the Milwaukee Irish Fest. The band which formed in 2011 comprises two sets of brothers from Galway, Fergal and Enda Scahill and David and Martin Howley. To date they have toured in 19 different countries and were nominated for the Folk Alliance International Artist of the Year last month. Siptu is set to seek a mandate from workers for a ballot for indefinite strikes next week. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. Luas drivers are set to ramp up industrial action by announcing new strikes "before the week is out". The fresh threat of industrial action comes as fears grow for the future of the tram service. Siptu is set to seek a mandate from workers for a ballot for indefinite strikes next week. Speculation is mounting that drivers could be put on protective notice while Transdev, which runs the service, faces the prospect of further financial penalties for failing to provide the service under its contract with the National Transport Authority. "The possibility of a long term dispute seems likely," Director of Emplyer Relations at Ibec Maeve McElwee told RTE's Morning Ireland. "We are getting into a very dangerous situation now, there is talk of an all out situation... and the potential for this is quite high. "An escalation seems somewhat inevitable." A 24-hour strike is already planned on St Patrick's Day, when the capital will be thronged with tourists, as well as a 48-hour work stoppage over the Easter weekend, during the centenary of the 1916 Rising. "I'm surprised and disappointed over the action taking place on St Patrick's Day and over the Easter weekend," Ms McElwee said on the RTE radio show this morning. "It is of little difference whether the strike takes place on these days or any other days. The impact on the contract is the same no matter what days the strike takes place on." But despite the crisis facing Transdev, its boss Gerry Madden was upbeat last night that the dispute could be resolved. This is despite the failure of last-ditch talks to end the row over pay rises earlier this week. When asked how long the company could continue to operate without any state funding to run the service, he said there was no set number of days. "Clearly, there's a fiscal impact," he told the Irish Independent. Resolution "But there's a lot of time between now and then to find a resolution. This is one of the flagship contracts for us, and hopefully it will go beyond 2019 if we win next time around. "We genuinely think we have two grades of staff out of four who will attend talks, and possibly a third group, and feel we are more likely to get a resolution here. We as a company need to find a way. It is a very unfortunate and complicated and protracted dispute, but Transdev is here to stay." He refused to discuss whether there was a clause in the contract that gives the State powers to impose penalties aside from pulling its 100,000-a-day funding if the operator cannot run the service. Multinational Transdev has already lost more than 400,000 during the four days of strikes that have taken place. It also suffered losses to penalties when there were delays on the lines due to unofficial action, when it claimed drivers took an unprecedented number of toilet breaks. "While every case has to be examined there is the reality the potential for conceding excessive claims [and this is an excessive claim] has a knock on impact on other employers in the country at the moment," Ms McElwee said this morning. "This isn't a company that has suffered a pay freeze during the recession." Siptu warned it did not need to hold a new ballot for fresh strikes so would announce stoppages to take place in April within days. "We will announce more strikes before the week is out," said union official Owen Reidy. "I think the dispute could threaten the future of the project of the Luas if it continues. If we keep having protracted stoppages and no talks to fix them, everybody suffers and that's regrettable." He said the union followed the transport minister's advice, attended talks and suspended a strike yesterday, but the company would not talk to drivers. Q & A Pay row: What do the workers want? What do the Luas staff want? Siptu lodged a claim for pay rises ranging from 8.5pc to 53.8pc for four groups of staff, when claims average between 1pc to 3pc in other sectors. They have also lodged claims for a range of improvements to their terms and conditions. What does their employer say? Transdev says it cant afford the claims as it suffered losses of 700,000 last year. It will consider increases between 1pc and 3pc. What is their pay? Tram drivers start on 35,901 a year, and progress up a scale to 42,247 a year in year nine. Is there any chance of the dispute being resolved? Its not looking good. Drivers are now threatening to ballot for an all-out strike after talks broke down on Monday night. What talks are under way? The Workplace Relations Commission stepped in, after a couple of false starts. There were high hopes on Monday that fresh discussions chaired by Kieran Mulvey could sort things out. I thought the workers reduced their pay claim, so why is the row still going on? Although the claim was lowered to a maximum of 35pc, Trandsdev said this was still too much. What next? Transdev will have to decide how long it can function if strikes continue, and the state will have to decide how long it will allow the public go without a service Five illegal immigrants have been detained in Co Down. Enforcement officers visited USA Nail Salon on Monaghan Street, Newry. Three Vietnamese nationals, two men aged 24 and 26 and a 29-year-old woman, who were found working were arrested as they were in the UK illegally. Two further Vietnamese men aged 36 and 23 found on the premises were held as they were also in the country illegally. They have been transferred to immigration detention while steps are taken to remove them from the country. USA Nail Salon was served with a notice warning that a financial penalty of up to 20,000 per illegal worker will be imposed unless the employer can demonstrate that appropriate right-to-work document checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or Home Office document confirming permission to work. This is a potential total of 60,000. Mike Golden, from Immigration Enforcement in Northern Ireland, said: "We are working hard to counter illegal working and those who abuse the UK's immigration system. "Using illegal labour is not a victimless crime. It cheats the taxpayer, undercuts businesses who ply an honest trade and deprives legitimate job seekers of employment opportunities." Armed gardai on the streets of Crumlin this morning Gardai on the streets of Crumlin this morning Armed gardai on the streets of Crumlin this morning Armed gardai on the streets of Crumlin this morning Armed gardai on the streets of Crumlin this morning Gardai on the streets of Crumlin this morning Gardai on the streets of Crumlin on Wednesday morning, inset David Byrne, who was shot dead in the Regency attack One of the cars seized this morning Gardai at the scene this morning with one of the luxury cars Twelve homes and six businesses were raided today in a massive garda operation targeting the Kinahan crime cartel. The chief targets of the operation were close associates of gangster David Byrne who was shot dead in the Regency Hotel gun attack last month. Some 29 vehicles - the majority of which were top-of-the range cars - and six motorbikes were seized along with a number of items of top-end jewellery, including a number of Rolex watches. Over 30,000 in cash was also seized Gardai also seized a betting slip for a 38,000 bet on a Liverpool football match from one of the properties that was raided in the Crumlin area. Expand Close Gardai at the scene this morning with one of the luxury cars / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gardai at the scene this morning with one of the luxury cars The raids, which were co-ordinated by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and backed up by heavily armed gardai, took place at addresses in the Raleigh Square, Kildare Road and the Windmill Road areas of Crumlin. Gardai removed a number of cars from the homes in Crumlin, including a Mercedes CLA220 with a 151 reg, a Lexus RX450h Hybrid, and a 151 VW Golf GTD as well as a white BMW. Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close David Byrne Gardai on the streets of Crumlin this morning Armed gardai on the streets of Crumlin this morning / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp David Byrne EXPENSIVE Meanwhile, in the Bluebell Business Park, a car sales company called Active Car Sales was also raided and more than 15 cars were seized, among them expensive BMWs. The estimated worth of the cars seized today is well over 500,000. Among the homes raided by gardai this morning was that of Liam Byrne (35), the older brother of Regency murder victim David (below right). There were tense scenes when another brother, James, tried to gain access to one of the houses in Raleigh Square which was being raided. He had to be forcibly removed by armed gardai. Expand Close Armed gardai on the streets of Crumlin this morning / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Armed gardai on the streets of Crumlin this morning James Byrne then threatened gardai and members of the media before the situation calmed down and gardai allowed him leave. Also raided was the home of Sean McGovern (30) who was shot in the Regency Hotel attack but survived and spent a number of days being treated in hospital for his injuries. An accountant and solicitors office were also raided this morning in the huge operation which involved over 60 gardai. A large number of documents were seized along with some computers. The aim of this operation is to identify assets linked to associates of David Byrne. This is a CAB investigation and the hard work really starts after today when all items that have been seized will be fully analysed, a source said. MURDERS By 5.30pm today, Gardai said their operation was completed. CAB was assisted by the Revenue Customs service and different garda units including the Emergency Response Unit, Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, Special Detective Unit and Garda Technical Bureau. The targeted mob are part of the Christy Kinahan crime cartel, who have been involved in a deadly feud with the Hutch mob, which has led to three murders so far. Part of Windmill Road and all of Raleigh Square were blocked off by armed gardai as the raids took place. The garda helicopter could also be seen monitoring the searches from above. The Emergency Response Unit carried out all the breaches of doors and gained access to the houses, then the Special Detective Unit swept the area and closed the roads, a source said. Members of the Special Detective Unit carrying MP7 machine guns manned the roadblocks. The searches are part of an on-going investigation into organised crime groups which has been under way for some considerable time, a garda spokesman said. Gardai and members of the CAB could be seen entering a number of houses. On one house the front door had been battered open. Many of the targeted homes had state-of-the-art CCTV systems outside, while sources have revealed that investigators have noted the luxurious interiors of many of the raided properties. There were no arrests and no firearms seized. The streets where the searches took place are the same streets which were heavily policed by armed gardai only weeks ago in the wake of the Regency Hotel killing of David Byrne on February 5, and the retaliation shooting of Eddie Hutch snr at Poplar Row three days later. Members of the public expressed outrage at the massive display of wealth at David Byrnes funeral which included a dozen limousines, outriders on Harley Davidson motorbikes, an 18,000 platinum coffin, horse-drawn carriages, and a lone piper. It is believed that this display of bravado led the Criminal Assets Bureau to speed up the long term plans that the agency had to target the cartels members. Sunderland chief Margaret Byrne, who quit in the wake of the abuse case involving Adam Johnson. Photo: PA Wire Margaret Byrne, the Irish chief executive of Premier League side Sunderland, has resigned her position because of the mistakes that were made in the club's handling of the Adam Johnson child abuse case. Last week, Johnson was found guilty of one count of sexual activity with a child and he is currently awaiting sentencing. Armagh native Ms Byrne (36) came under pressure after Johnson pleaded guilty. This placed scrutiny on Sunderland's decision to allow the England international to play on after he was initially charged in March 2015. Johnson was suspended for two weeks before returning to action and helping his employers to avoid relegation from the top flight. And he remained part of their first team squad until February 6 of this year, the weekend before his trial started. When the court verdict was reached, a statement from Sunderland said the club would have sacked Johnson if they had known he was going to plead guilty with regard to two of the charges. However, that presented difficulties for Ms Byrne in light of evidence provided by Johnson during his defence. He said he "told everything" to Ms Byrne on May 4, 2015 and it emerged she had copies of the 834 Whatsapp messages that he had exchanged with the under-age girl, who was a Sunderland fan and season ticket holder. She also had a transcript of a police interview where he admitted kissing the girl on the lips. Ms Byrne yesterday said allowing Johnson "to continue to represent Sunderland was a mistake". She added that she was astounded when the 28-year-old gave the guilty plea, and defended her actions on the basis that he was "innocent until proven guilty". Ms Byrne apologised to the victim, who she said "endured a terrible ordeal and for that I am truly sorry". "At no time was the failure to suspend him again intended to cause any harm or distress to her or her family," she added. The trained solicitor had enjoyed a meteoric rise since joining the club in 2007 as a company secretary. Prior to that, she had worked with London-based law firm Galbraith Branley. There was a strong Irish influence in Sunderland at the time, as Niall Quinn was the club chairman and Roy Keane the first team manager. Ms Byrne then moved up the ranks to become legal director before being appointed to the post of CEO in 2011 at the age of 31 - it is believed she earned an annual salary in the region of 600,000. She duly became a member of the Premier League Advisory Board and was voted onto the English FA Council. An official statement from Sunderland in reaction to her departure said Ms Byrne's intentions were always "to act in the best interests of the club" but stressed she was accountable. Years of cutbacks to Garda numbers in Border counties is an aid to terror groups, officers have warned. Dissident groups are planning a number of attacks in the North over the coming weeks, the PSNI has said. It follows a bomb attack in east Belfast in which a prison officer was hurt. But the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has warned that a lack of resources in Border counties could aid the terror groups. On some nights just a handful of gardai are on duty along the Donegal border with Derry, Tyrone and Fermanagh. "Frustration about lack of resources is turning to anger about the dangers they are exposed to," said a GRA spokesman. "Successive governments have decimated policing to a level where it is barely functioning and staffing levels are so low that members fear for their safety. "Cross-Border criminals, drug dealers and terrorists are out there and our members feel they are being put at risk by being exposed to them without adequate back-up from either uniformed or armed colleagues." We have learned of some gardai working extra hours for no extra pay in an effort to tackle the criminal gangs. While the last Government reopened the force's training facility at Templemore, garda chiefs say it will take years for numbers to reach levels seen seven years ago. This is being backed by GRA representatives along the Border who warn that gardai retiring will outnumber those being recruited. The organisation's Donegal representative, Brendan O'Connor, warned: "While some new recruits are being located in Donegal, the fact is they are only replacing gardai who are leaving the force, and as a result there is no actual increase in numbers. "In fact the opposite is true. It is not even making up for the outflow." He said the number of gardai in rural areas was also being hit by a lack of resources in the county's four district headquarters. "Gardai are being brought in from rural stations into the larger stations to cover gaps there," he warned. "We welcome new recruitment to An Garda Siochana, but that rate of recruitment will not replace what we have lost. It will be a long time before we get back anywhere near the numbers required for an effective police service." The PSNI is on the highest state of alert, fearing terrorists will use the 1916 Rising events to carry out more attacks. Hundreds of people are becoming the victims of scams every year when they buy cars online. A new campaign from Crimestoppers, in association with Carzone and DoneDeal was launched today to help Irish consumers stay safe when buying and selling their car online. Derek Byrne, Assistant Garda Commissioner said there were 603,000 adds placed on the various sites relating to cars alone, which represents a total sale value of 4.56bn, last year. Will Saunderson, a Detective Garda at the Stolen Vehicle Unit at the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation told Independent.ie that approximately 6,500 cars were stolen a year, and about 60pc of those do get recovered. "However, 40pc of those cars end up going missing, or they could end up for stolen parts, or exported to foreign jurisdictions. "But within the cars that we do recover, a significant number now are sold through scams. We have had 212 referrals since November 2014, in relation to forged documents. There are very high quality forgeries that are in circulation that are being used with these stolen cars. The documents themselves do contain a watermark, but it is the incorrect watermark." He said that when people are holding them, they feel right and look right, but the watermark on the vehicle registration certificates are not the correct ones. "The main advice we want to try and ask people is when they are going buying a car, if they are unsure about the documentation, bring your own with you to compare. Look for two keys for the car. Always, the person you are dealing with on the phone, should be the person who sells you the car." Last year, over 300m searches were carried out on Irish car websites by people interested in buying a car. The message from the experts is that if the price of the car or vehicle is way below its current value, the "bargain" may indeed be too good to be true. In addition, the advice is when carrying out a transaction, to make sure you meet people in a public area, preferably somewhere that has CCTV cameras. Kelly Smyth walks with her buggy as the remains of Vinnie Ryan are carried to the Church of the Holy Trinity in Donaghmede, Dublin Scores of armed gardai kept watch as the Tricolour-covered coffin of gangland victim Vincent Ryan was taken to its final resting place. Complete with white shirts and black ties, a colour party led mourners to the Church of the Holy Trinity in Donaghmede, Dublin. His partner, Kelly Smyth, told how their last conversation was about marriage. "We had the perfect little family and so much plans for the future. You wanted more kids and to get married... We would laugh and joke and you would tell me you would get dance lessons for our wedding," she said. "Now we will never have that day, or any day," she added, saying that he would miss their daughter's first words and steps, birthdays and Christmases. Ms Smyth kissed a photograph of Ryan (25) while holding their six-week-old daughter, and then placed it on his coffin. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Mourners at the funeral of Vinny Ryan, inset The funeral of Vinny Ryan arriving at The Church of The Trinity at Donaghmede Armed Gardai at the funeral of Vinny Ryan arriving at The Church of The Trinity at Donaghmede The funeral of Vinny Ryan arriving at The Church of The Trinity at Donaghmede The remains of Vinnie Ryan are brought to his funeral mass in Donaghmede The funeral of Vinny Ryan arriving at The Church of The Trinity at Donaghmede The funeral of Vinny Ryan arriving at The Church of The Trinity at Donaghmede The funeral of Vinny Ryan arriving at The Church of The Trinity at Donaghmede The funeral of Vinny Ryan arriving at The Church of The Trinity at Donaghmede Family and friends carry the remains of Vincemt Ryan past a motor bike guard of honour on their way to the Church of the Holy Trinity in Donaghmede. Photo: Frank Mc Grath The remains of Vinnie Ryan are brought to his funeral mass in Donaghmede Gardai at Fingal Cemetery this morning, inset, Vinny Ryan Shot dead: Vinnie Ryan Photo: Collins Courts Gardai stand near the plot where Vinny Ryan will be buried alongside his brother at Fingal cemetery. The plot where Vinny Ryan will be buried alongside his brother at Fingal cemetery The Garda dog unit near the plot where Vinny Ryan will be buried alongside his brother at Fingal cemetery. The Garda dog unit near the plot where Vinny Ryan will be buried alongside his brother at Fingal Cemetery Gardai stand near the plot where Vinny Ryan will be buried alongside his brother at Fingal Cemetery The Garda dog unit near the plot where Vinny Ryan will be buried alongside his brother at Fingal cemetery. Gardai maintain a high presence in the cemetary where Vinny Ryan will be buried alongside his brother at Fingal cemetery Armed gardai are pictured as the funeral cortege of Vincent Ryan, who was shot dead over a week ago, makes its way from his home to the Church of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Donaghmede. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Gardai maintain a high presence at the cemetery where Vinny Ryan will be buried alongside his brother at Fingal cemetery A bike with Vinny's Ryan's initials and date of birth at his funeral. The funeral cortege of Vincent Ryan, who was shot dead over a week ago, makes its way from his home to the Church of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Donaghmede. Photo: Colin Keegan Gardai operate checkpoints as the funeral cortege of Vincent Ryan, who was shot dead over a week ago, makes its way from his home to the Church of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Donaghmede. Photo: Colin Keegan 08/03/16 Gardai mount checkpoints as THe funeral cortege of Vincent Ryan, who was shot dead over a week ago, makes its way from his home to the Church of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Donaghmede this morning for his funeral Mass.. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. Armed gardai on the street as the funeral cortege of Vincent Ryan, who was shot dead over a week ago, makes its way from his home to the Church of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Donaghmede. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mourners at the funeral of Vinny Ryan, inset While Ryan's family have said he had not reported back to the IRA after coming out of prison, his funeral had many of the displays of a paramilitary send-off. In many ways the funeral was a replica of his brother Alan's in 2012, but without the volley of shots over the coffin as it left the house. Uniformed gardai, supported by back-up from the Armed Response Unit and the Special Detective Unit, were out in massive numbers with sniffer dogs searching for suspect devices among the headstones at Fingal Cemetery. As the coffin arrived at the cemetery it was shouldered to the grave, the flag removed and folded, and then presented to one of the mourners. A song was sung at the graveside, and the coffin was lowered. Ryan's father and murdered brother Alan are buried in the same location. Alan was the leader of the Real IRA in Dublin, and gardai believe he was gunned down by a notorious north Dublin drugs gang he had crossed. The same gang is also believed to have been targeting Vinnie Ryan. He had been warned by gardai on numerous occasions that his life was under threat. He was shot dead on McKee Road in Finglas last week. He was previously arrested by gardai investigating the 2011 murder of criminal Michael 'Micka' Kelly, who was nicknamed 'The Panda'. But he was cleared by the Special Criminal Court of charges of possession of an assault rifle and a handgun on the day Kelly was shot dead. Donald Trump speaks about the results of the Michigan, Mississippi and other primary elections during a news conference held at his Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida. Photo: Reuters 'Leaving Cert teens opt for construction courses' is the lead story from the Irish Independent this morning which reports that college courses linked to constrcution have seen a major jump in CAO applicants this year. An off-lead in The Irish Times also covers this topic with the line 'Rise in CAO applicants linked to recovery' as it reports that a record 76,000 people have applied to the CAO this year. Read More 'Subsidies could see Irish Water bills rise to 350' is a front page piece from the Irish Examiner today as the story examines how middle-income earners could see their water bills hiked if imminent government formation talks result in new subsidies for vulnerable people. Expand Close Kelly Smyth walks with her buggy as the remains of Vinnie Ryan are carried to the Church of the Holy Trinity in Donaghmede, Dublin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kelly Smyth walks with her buggy as the remains of Vinnie Ryan are carried to the Church of the Holy Trinity in Donaghmede, Dublin The Herald leads with the funeral of gangland victim Vincent 'Vinnie' Ryan and the line 'Guns and Roses' as the 25-year-old man was laid to rest in a paramilitary-style funeral yesterday. Read More 'Final walk with dad' is the headline from the Irish Daily Mirror on this story as it reports that Mr Ryan's heartbroken partner Kelly Smyth pushed their six week old daughter beside the slain dissident's coffin. The Irish Daily Star cover the sentencing of 'Love/Hate' star Stephen Clinch on their front page as the actor was jailed for four and a half years for carrying out a 50,000 armed robbery. Expand Close Sir George Martin with Beatles members recording Free As A Bird in 1995 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sir George Martin with Beatles members recording Free As A Bird in 1995 Read More In world news, Sir George Martin, the record producer known as the "Fifth Beatle", has died aged 90, Ringo Starr has said on Twitter. Sir George helped the Beatles achieve global success as the head of the Parlophone record label after hearing their demo tape in 1962. Expand Close Thomas O'Flaherty (27) from Kilmore Quay in Wexford / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Thomas O'Flaherty (27) from Kilmore Quay in Wexford Read More An Islamic State commander described by the Pentagon as the group's "minister of war" was likely killed in a U.S. air strike in Syria. Abu Omar al-Shishani, also known as Omar the Chechen, ranked among America's most wanted militants under a U.S. program that offered up to $5 million for information to help remove him from the battlefield. Read More Socialist Bernie Sanders has breathed new life into his long-shot White House bid with a crucial win in Michigan's presidential primary, chipping away at Hillary Clinton's dominance in the Democratic race. Meanwhile Republican front-runner Donald Trump swept to victory in Mississippi and Michigan, deepening his grip on his party's nominating contest despite fierce efforts to blunt his momentum. Read More And, a 27-year-old Irishman man is in 'the fight of his life' after being seriously injured in a head-on collision between a car and a lorry in Australia. Thomas O'Flaherty was alone in his car when it was in collision with a lorry during a journey from Sydney to Brisbane, last Thursday. We may be about to see history in the making. There is now a growing expectation within Leinster House that, after nobody is elected Taoiseach next Thursday, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail will begin talks on the possible formation of a new grand coalition. But what would that government actually look like? Clearly it needs to be a genuine partnership, with selfish party interests put aside and neither side lording it over the other. Expand Close Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin Photo: Chris Radburn/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin Photo: Chris Radburn/PA Wire So here is a fantasy FF-FG cabinet that might just transform Ireland for good with the emphasis very much on talent and energy, rather than experience. Rotating Taoiseach, Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs: Leo Varadkar (FG) and Micheal Martin (FF) Lets assume that Enda Kenny has suffered enough and either jumps or is pushed overboard. Leo Varadkar must be the most likely successor, if only because he has more charisma than Simon Coveney and Frances Fitzgerald put together. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Fine Gael's Simon Harris. Photo: Tom Burke Fianna Fail's Michael McGrath. Photo: Tony Gavin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fine Gael's Simon Harris. Photo: Tom Burke As for Fianna Fail, Micheal Martin had an excellent General Election and has earned his crack at the top job. What would each leader do when his counterpart is keeping the Taoiseachs chair warm? The obvious answer is Foreign Affairs allowing them to represent Ireland abroad while staying out of each others hair. Minister for Finance and Minister for Public Expenditure: Simon Harris (FG) and Michael McGrath (FF) Since Michael Noonan now looks way past his best, Fine Gael should roll the dice with Simon Harris the 29-year-old wunderkind recently described by Gay Byrne as a smart young cove... he leaves me gasping in admiration. Expand Close John McGuinness / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John McGuinness On the Fianna Fail side, softly-spoken Michael McGrath has proven himself to be capable, constructive and, most importantly, a team player. Minister for Health: John McGuinness (FF) Who wants to go to Angola? What this position needs is a tough-talking reformer who itches to take on vested interests and does not give a damn about their personal popularity. Step forward John McGuinness, the maverick Public Accounts Committee chairman who fancies himself as a bruiser and deserves the ultimate challenge. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Simon Coveney. Photo: Damien Eagers Fianna Fail's Niall Collins Photo: Tom Burke / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Simon Coveney. Photo: Damien Eagers Minister for Education: Simon Coveney (FG) Is Simon a bit too nice to be Taoiseach? Maybe so, but his people skills could prove very useful in the Department of Education where delicate negotiations will be needed to complete the secularisation and curriculum reforms already under way. Minister for Justice: Niall Collins (FF) As gangland crime rears its ugly head again, this is another cabinet position that requires a tough nut. Niall Collins seems to fit the bill. Coming from Limerick, he knows exactly how bodies such as the Special Criminal Court can make a real difference and his ideas on strengthening the Garda Siochana deserve to be given a chance. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Fine Gael's Frances Fitzgerald. Photo: Collins Barry Cowen Photo: Tom Burke / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fine Gael's Frances Fitzgerald. Photo: Collins Minister for Social Protection: Frances Fitzgerald (FG) If Fitzgerald fails to win the Fine Gael leadership, she will need to be given a reasonable consolation prize. Social Protection is a good fit for her, since it requires a safe pair of hands. Minister for the Environment: Barry Cowen (FF) The first big headache for any Fine Gael-Fianna Fail coalition will be deciding what to do about water charges. Barry Cowen is hard-headed, articulate and one of the few people who might be able to hammer out a compromise. Bertie Ahern recently tipped him as a future leader which would be easy to imagine if he didnt look and sound so much like his brother Brian. Minister for Communications: Eoghan Murphy (FG) Fine Gael urgently need an injection of new blood at the top table. Eoghan Murphy, leader of the Five-A-Side rebels who caused Enda Kenny some grief during the last Dail, could help to freshen up the partys image. The 33-year-old would also slot in nicely at Communications, which needs a minister who is completely at ease with 21st century media. Minister for Transport: Billy Kelleher (FF) As Director of Elections for Fianna Fail, Kelleher was awkward on camera, but obviously effective behind the scenes. In other words, he is the opposite of Paschal Donohoe, whose bleatings about the Luas strikes are still achieving nothing whatsoever. Time for a new man to take the wheel. Minister for Jobs: Richard Bruton (FG) If it aint broke, dont fix it. Richard Bruton has almost halved the unemployment rate during his five years in charge and it now stands at just 8.8pc. He should be left to carry on the good work. Minister for Agriculture: Eamon O Cuiv (FF) Could Eamon de Valeras grandson serve in a cabinet full of Blueshirts? Maybe not but Fianna Fail would prefer to have him inside the tent urinating out rather than the alternative and Agriculture is the one job that might just tempt him. Minister for Children: Regina Doherty (FG) Outspoken and unpretentious, Doherty has proven herself as one of Fine Gaels best media performers and should be in the cabinet already. Minister for Arts: Josepha Madigan (FG) A left-field choice, perhaps, but the new Dublin Rathdown TD has real star potential. As the author of a raunchy novel, Arts could be an ideal place for her to start. Super-junior Minister for Employment: Lisa Chambers (FF) Giving the high-chair cabinet seat to one of Fianna Fails most ambitious newcomers provides a perfect eight-eight balance to the top table. So, would this team of all the talents get good results? There is only one way to find out. The majority of people who have dementia are over 65. Alzheimers disease could be caused by viruses like herpes, a group of renowned dementia experts have warned, as they call for urgent investigation into the link. The worldwide team of 31 senior scientists and clinicians, which include specialists from Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh and Manchester Universities and Imperial College, have written an editorial which suggests that microbes are the major cause of dementia. The herpes virus - the type which causes cold sores - and chlamydia bacteria are named as the major culprits, as well as a type of corkscrew-shaped bacteria called spirochaete. Currently most scientists are trying to find treatments which prevent the build of sticky amyloid plaques and misfolded tau proteins in the brain which prevent neurons from communicating with each other, leading to memory loss and cognitive decline. But in an the editorial in the Journal of Alzheimers Disease, it is suggested that it is a viral or bacterial infection which triggers the plaque build-up in the first place. Targeting them specifically with antimicrobial drugs could halt dementia. Professor Douglas Kell of the University of Manchesters School of Chemistry, said We are saying there is incontrovertible evidence that Alzheimers Disease has a dormant microbial component. We cant keep ignoring all of the evidence. Expand Close Too much stress can be detrimental to your mental health Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Too much stress can be detrimental to your mental health Photo: PA There are currently 850,000 people living with dementia in Britain which is due to rise to one million by 2025 and two million by 2050. But despite 412 drugs trials taking place between 2002 and 2012, nothing has been shown to combat the disease. The authors say that viruses and bacteria are common in the brains of elderly people, and although they are usually dormant, they can wake up after stress or if the immune system is compromised. Around two thirds of people will acquire the herpes virus at some point in their lives, and many will not realise they have it. The herpes virus in particular is known to damage the central nervous system, and the limbic system in the brain which regulates mood and instinct and is associated with mental decline and personality changes. They also point to the fact that a gene mutation - APOEe4 - which makes one in five people more susceptible to Alzheimers disease, also raises their susceptibility to infectious disease. Viral infections in the brain are already known to cause symptoms similar to Alzheimers and the experts say the link has been neglected for too long. Alzheimers disease causes great emotional and physical harm to sufferers and their carers as well as having enormously damaging economic consequences, they write. We write to express our concern that one particular aspect of the disease has been neglected, even though treatment based on it might slow or arrest Alzheimers disease progression. Expand Close An unsightly cold sore / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An unsightly cold sore We refer to the many studies, mainly on humans, implicating specific microbes in the elderly brain, notably herpes simplex virus type 1, chlamydia pneumoniae and several types of spirochatete. We propose that further research on the role of infectious agents in Alzheimers disease causation, including prospective trials of antimicrobial therapy, is now justified. They say new findings could also have implications for the future treatment of Parkinsons Disease, and other progressive neurological conditions. Professor Resia Pretorius of the University of Pretoria, who worked with Prof Kell on the editorial, said The microbial presence in blood may also play a fundamental role as causative agent of systemic inflammation, which is a characteristic of Alzheimers disease. Furthermore, there is ample evidence that this can cause neuroinflammation and plaque formation. Dementia charities said they had noticed that viruses and bacteria were more common in people with Alzheimer's disease. Dr James Pickett, Head of Research at Alzheimers Society said: A large number of different microbes including viruses, bacteria and fungi have been found in the brains of older people - but there do appear to be more of them in the brains of people who have died with Alzheimers disease. "While these observations are interesting and warrant further research, there is currently insufficient evidence to tell us that microbes are responsible for causing Alzheimers disease in the vast majority of cases. We would like to reassure people that there remains no convincing evidence that Alzheimers disease is contagious or can be passed from person to person like a virus. Given the enormous global impact of dementia, there is intense interest from the research community to understand all the potential contributing factors. We welcome research that explores all possible avenues and have committed 100 million over the next decade to more fully understand the causes of dementia and to improve diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the condition. Last year, researchers found that the 'seeds' of Alzheimer's could be passed through blood transfusions and medical accidents. Prof John Hardy, Professor of Neuroscience, UCL, said: This is a minority view in Alzheimer research. There had been no convincing proof of infections causing Alzheimer disease. We need always to keep an open mind but this editorial does not reflect what most researchers think about Alzheimer disease. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Fair dues where they're due. Peugeot has published real-world fuel consumption data for its cars and has started with the 308 family hatch. The tests were carried in conjunction with the French Transport & Environment (T & E) and France Nature Environment (FNE). Results were also verified by independent customer surveys and audited by Bureau Veritas. Peugeot say it will release real-world fuel consumption figures for 30 more models. Passengers, luggage, road gradients, air con were all factored in. And so the Peugeot 308 1.6-litre BlueHDi 120 S&S 6spd manual Allure returned 5 litres/100km. Customer surveys came up with 5.0/5.1. That's much more like what we want to see - virtually no gap between what the manufacturer claims and what ordinary people are getting. Fair dues. *** AND then there were three. Contenders for this year's World Car of the Year have been reduced to three. Here's the cars on the shortlists. Overall World Car of the Year: Audi A4, Mazda MX-5 and Mercedes GLC. The Design contenders are the Jaguar XE, Mazda CX3, Mazda MX-5. Rivals for the Green Car of the Year accolade are the Toyota Mirai, Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt. The last three in the Performance section are the Audi R8 Coupe, Honda Civic TYPE R and Mercedes AMG C63 Coupe. And Luxury competitors are the Audi Q7, BMW 7-series and Volvo XC90. (For the record: I'm Ireland's representative on the World Car of the Year jury). *** As you can see from the adjoining article, I drove a semi-autonomous car for a while in Lisbon last week. The new Mercedes E-Class has the facility. Only you can't take your hands off the wheel for too long. And when I tried it out on narrower, twisty roads it wasn't nearly as good. I'm not knocking the technology but there is an inherent contradiction I think - and I include all carmakers here - between making a car better to drive and then ignoring its driveability. I know autonomous driving is designed to take over for the longer, boring motorway stretches but I still want to drive the blinking car. We should be careful what we wish for. And I'm not being a negative so-and-so. Just saying . . . . *** I see that Citroen & DS Ireland are looking to set up new dealerships. Target areas include dealer partnerships for Dublin South, Dublin West, Sligo, Wicklow, Cavan/ Monaghan and the Longford/Roscommon area. Sounds like a constituency overview in the current post-election climate but, more importantly, it looks like a real vote of confidence in areas outside Dublin too. Maybe the Recovery is beginning to spread its wings after all. Premium John Downing Opinion Pension reforms are dicey territory but grand plan by minister Heather Humphreys just might win through Pension system changes all across the western world have a great propensity to infuriate those most feared by politicians: the grey brigade. And when the oldies take to the streets, they usually play for keeps. IMAGINE the following scenario: A hospital in your town is hit by an airstrike. The top floor collapses down onto the second floor, and several medical staff and patients are killed or trapped in the rubble. With the smoke and dust still thick in the air, members of the Civil Defence run across town and, skilled by now in scenarios such as this, these White Helmets, as these first responders have become to be known, start digging survivors out. Fifteen minutes pass, then another airstrike slams into the building. The second floor collapses. More medical staff, patients, and this time the White Helmets are killed. This is called a double-tap airstrike. It was no coincidence that the second missile landed in the same location as the first. Over the next hour, two more airstrikes - a half-hour apart - destroy whats left of the hospital and kill more humanitarians, more first responders, and more civilians. The wounded are taken to the other medical facility in the town. Later that afternoon, that building is also targeted by a double-tap airstrike. It is hard to imagine. But that is what happened in the town of Maarrat an-Numan in the Idleb countryside of northern Syria on Monday, February 15. Both hospitals were supported by international NGOs. Nine hospital staff were killed, as well as 16 patients, one of whom was a child. Survivors were still being pulled out of the rubble of the first hospital by the White Helmets two days later. On that same day, three more hospitals in northern Syria were targeted, as well as two schools. One of the other hospitals, in Azaz in northern Aleppo, was a maternity and childrens hospital. Over 50 civilians were killed that day. All were non-combatants. In his somewhat confusing denial that neither the Syrian nor the Russian air force perpetrated the attack, the Syrian Ambassador to the UN claimed that the INGO supporting the first Maarrat an-Numan hospital - Doctors Without Borders (MSF) - is a front for French intelligence. This claim is a clear effort, as MSF themselves put it, at criminalising humanitarian aid, thereby somehow legitimizing the targeting of humanitarian operations. In the last 12 months, GOAL has mourned the deaths of three of our Syrian staff. Two more survived a missile strike but were maimed for life. Every one of our Syrian staff has multiple stories of loss: family members, friends, homes, livelihoods, careers, futures. And GOAL colleagues. Our humanitarians know that every day they go to work aid workers are not just considered legitimate targets, they are considered preferred targets. But this reality only makes them more determined to reach the one million Syrians GOAL provides with life-saving food, water, shelter and warmth. So why are humanitarians considered preferred targets? It is not just because they are deemed criminals or terrorists. It is also because they work to prevent and obstruct the systemic depopulation of certain areas - ethnic cleansing, in some cases something which has been shown to be a strategic objective of the regime in the Syrian conflict. Humanitarians tend to support the essential infrastructure of Syrian communities in opposition areas: hospitals, schools, bakeries, water pumping stations. Other essential locations in the community are also often targeted, such as transport hubs, marketplaces, and mosques. If community members have nowhere to treat their sick, are afraid to send their children to school, have no reliable access to food and safe water, and nowhere to worship or shop safely, they will move on. They will become refugees, or move to another part of Syria. Well over four million have left the country already, while another eight million have moved internally. The recent Munich Agreement for a Cessation of Hostilities in Syria did not give aid agencies working in northern Syria much reason for optimism. There was no mention of protecting civilians, or of protecting humanitarian workers. The humanitarian component of the agreement was solely focused on accessing besieged areas, which is, of course, a critical necessity. However, the more recent joint statement, which did see a cessation of hostilities come into effect on Saturday, February 26th, is far more encouraging. The wording of that statement recognizes the dangers that humanitarian workers operate in, calling as it does for all parties to the cessation to agree to allow humanitarian agencies rapid, unhindered and sustained access throughout areas under their operational control and allow immediate humanitarian assistance to reach all people in need. Although the cessation is on very shaky grounds, at least the agreement that delivered it is a step in the right direction for humanitarian workers supporting millions of civilians inside Syria who continue to bear the brunt of this crisis. - Derek ORourke is GOALs Regional Security Advisor for the Middle East (incorporating Syria, Turkey and Iraq). www.goalglobal.org In years to come people will speak about the battle to stop water charges as though it was a massive civil rights movement. Images of thousands of people marching through towns around Ireland will be used to immortalise the story about how Phil Hogan and the Labour Party tried to con the country. And most likely the next generation will ask why? Why were we so set against a charge that is common in most other civilised places? So let's not rewrite history and pretend that water charges are a method of torture conjured up by a government that wanted us to vote it out of office. When we are asked why, let's try to recall a reasonably accurate picture of how politicians ensured water charges became more hated than the 'much-hated' Universal Social Charge. Back in 2010, the Fianna Fail-Green-PD government drew up plans for potential water charges and a metering system. The agency set up to oversee it would have been tiny compared with Irish Water but the bills would have been substantially higher. That government collapsed in a blaze of economic destruction and Fine Gael-Labour took over. The bigger party was committed to water charges, the smaller one wasn't. Roll on to 2013 and the Coalition introduced legislation obliging Irish Water to introduce charging for the supply of domestic water services. It was an unmitigated PR disaster at a time when the Government had already pushed ordinary families to the limit - and so began the protest movement. Now, three years later, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are still blaming each other and continue to make it worse. Barry Cowen's declaration that the abolition of charges would be a "red-line" issue for a FF-FG coalition was only made worse when Simon Coveney sought to entertain it. Now both sides have backtracked. The politics and not the policy is why most people hate paying 3 a week for water. For TDs, the very mention of Irish Water is playing with fire. Ireland's Gary Wilson jumps in the air to stop a sixer during the ICC World Twenty20 2016 cricket tournament against Oman Ireland suffered a shock two-wicket defeat to Oman in their ICC World Twenty20 opener in Dharamsala. William Porterfield's men were unable to defend 154 for five, and 14 runs in Max Sorensen's final over, as Oman marked their debut in a global tournament by sealing a nail-biting success with two balls to spare. Sorensen failed to control his yorkers under lights, serving up an initial no-ball to put Oman back in with a chance before another stump-high delivery sped away for four-byes to seal the outcome. Oman's stands of 69 for the first wicket and then 47 for the sixth, after five had gone for only 21 runs mid-chase, led to the thrilling finish in a fluctuating contest. The defeat is a significant setback to an Ireland team used to inflicting upsets themselves at major tournaments. Porterfield insisted nonetheless that they can still put things right if they respond well in two remaining Group A fixtures. "It's very disappointing and hard to take - but to a large extent, it's still in our own hands," he said. "We've done a lot of good things coming into this first game. "We didn't get it quite right today, but we've got to address it come Friday (against Bangladesh), and I think that's more mental than anything ... as long as Oman lose a game, then it's still in our own hands. "It'll come down to run-rate. We've got to win two games, but that is what it is - and we're going to have to keep an eye on it." Porterfield refused to cite the high-profile occasion or dew, and the possibility of a wet ball, as excuses. "I wouldn't say pressure - a lot of the lads have been there and done it in that scenario," he said. "Whether the ball was slippery at the end, I'm not sure. If it was then you've got to let the umpires know to change it. "That's not an issue - it's dewy, we know that, we knew it was going to be the case. We just didn't get it quite right in those last four or five overs." Ireland had to work hard for their total against a varied attack in an innings most memorable for the brilliant one-handed catch at cover by Zeeshan Maqsood to see off Paul Stirling and break his opening stand of 48 with Porterfield. Top scorer Gary Wilson (38) had fortune on his side, until his was the first of two wickets to fall in the same over to Munis Ansari (three for 37). The slingy seamer had conceded 11 runs from his first two deliveries - but when he returned for his second over he had Niall O'Brien mistiming to short fine-leg and then Wilson missed an attempted big hit and was bowled. Ireland nonetheless eked out a par total, but Oman openers Maqsood and Khawar Ali put it well within range. Kevin O'Brien took the pace off with his cutters on a used pitch and both openers chopped on - Khawar departing with an angry swish of his bat perilously close to the medium-pacer in his follow-through celebration. Off-spinner Andy McBrine then took two wickets in four deliveries. But just when it seemed Ireland were in control, sixth-wicket pair Jatinder Singh and Aamer Ali had different ideas. Oman were right back in it after Tim Murtagh conceded 20 runs in the 17th over, including three successive fours to Ali - and despite more twists and turns, Ireland eventually came unstuck. Oman and Bangladesh, who beat Holland by eight runs on the back of Tamim Iqbal's unbeaten 83, are therefore the early frontrunners to qualify. Diana Bunicis rocker boyfriend Steve Garrigan may be in the middle of a European tour with his chart-topping band Kodaline, but the Irish hunk is jetting back to Dublin for one night only to escort his other half to the launch of her first book in House this evening. Hes such a sweet guy; hes the most supportive guy in the world, Diana told the Herald Diary. It was very important for me to have him there, even though it means hes flying in from Paris and then going back out to Frankfurt as theyre in the middle of the tour. Hes been amazing. Thankfully, he appears to have forgiven his gorgeous girlfriend (27) after he was hospitalised after helping her with the debut book, The Pursuit of Awesome. The ex-RTE presenter drew on her extensive book of contacts for her first book, which sees her interviewing some 45 well-known figures on how they succeeded in life. A photo posted by Diana Bunici (@diana.bunici) on Mar 8, 2016 at 8:23am PST Among those she nabbed for the publication were Rory McIlroy, Laura Whitmore, Hozier, Danny OReilly from the Script and of course, her Kodaline boyfriend Steve. But the part-Moldovan writer told the Diary Steve certainly suffered for her art, given he was hospitalised shortly after helping her with the book. A photo posted by Diana Bunici (@diana.bunici) on Mar 7, 2016 at 7:25am PST Steve was going on tour in America and was feeling sick the day before, but I was like, Listen you have to do the interview now because youre going to be away for six weeks and I need to get working, she said. I kind of forced him to do it and we found out the next day he actually had pneumonia, and the second he got to America he was put on a drip. Expand Close Credit: Twitter/ Diana Bunici / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Credit: Twitter/ Diana Bunici The pair have been dating for over two years, and Diana revealed that Steve stays with her when hes in London but they havent quite taken the plunge together and moved in formally. Musician Steve posted a cute pic of the pair on Twitter this week, saying he was so proud of his beautiful girlfriend on launching her first book. A photo posted by Diana Bunici (@diana.bunici) on Feb 13, 2016 at 3:25pm PST Video of the Day But she will be feeling the nerves when she finally unveils her book. I only held it for the first time last night, and I think it must be how a recording artist feels when they hold their CD for the first time. It was a totally surreal experience, she said. Im finally letting people see it, so theres a mixture of excitement and nerves. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders at the Democratic presidential primary debate in Michigan (AP) Socialist Bernie Sanders has breathed new life into his long-shot White House bid with a crucial win in Michigan's presidential primary, chipping away at Hillary Clinton's dominance in the Democratic race. Meanwhile Republican front-runner Donald Trump swept to victory in Mississippi and Michigan, deepening his grip on his party's nominating contest despite fierce efforts to blunt his momentum. Mrs Clinton easily carried Mississippi for her party, but was defeated in white, working-class Michigan, where voters expressed concerns about trade and jobs, by Mr Sanders. Mr Sanders said he was "grateful to the people of Michigan for defying the pundits and pollsters" and delivering him a win. Expand Close Front runners: Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic US presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton still lead in terms of delegates over their party rivals / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Front runners: Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic US presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton still lead in terms of delegates over their party rivals "We came from 30 points down in Michigan and we're seeing the same kind of come-from-behind momentum all across America," he said. He said Michigan signalled that his campaign "is strong in every part of the country, and frankly we believe our strongest areas are yet to happen". But even with Mr Sanders' win, Mrs Clinton and Mr Trump moved comfortably closer to a general election face-off. Mrs Clinton breezed to an easy victory in Mississippi, propelled by overwhelming support from black voters, and now has more than half the delegates she needs to clinch the Democratic nomination. Mr Trump, too, padded his lead over Texas senator Ted Cruz, his closest rival. The front-runners turned their sights on November as they revelled in their victories. "We are better than what we are being offered by the Republicans," Mrs Clinton declared. And in a nod towards the kind of traditional politics he has shunned, Mr Trump emphasised the importance of helping Republican senators and House of Representatives members get elected in November. Having entered Tuesday's contests facing a barrage of criticism from rival candidates and outside groups, he also delighted in overcoming the attacks. "Every single person who has attacked me has gone down," Mr Trump said at one of his Florida resorts. While a handful of recent losses to Texas senator Ted Cruz have raised questions about Mr Trump's durability, Tuesday's contests marked another lost opportunity for rivals to slow his march. Next week's winner-take-all primaries in Ohio and Florida loom especially large as perhaps the last chance to stop Mr Trump short of a long-shot contested convention fight. Ohio governor John Kasich was in a fight for second place in Michigan and hoping a good showing would give him a boost heading into next week's crucial contest in his home state. Florida senator Marco Rubio, a favourite of Republican elected officials, continued to struggle on Tuesday, upping the stakes for him at home on March 15. If Mr Rubio and Mr Kasich cannot win at home, the Republican primary appears set to become a two-person race between Mr Trump and Mr Cruz, an uncompromising conservative. The Texas senator is sticking close to Mr Trump in the delegate count and with six states in his win column, he's argued he is the only candidate standing between the brash billionaire and the Republican nomination. During a campaign stop at a North Carolina church, Mr Cruz blasted Mr Trump for asking rally attendees to raise their hands and pledge their allegiance to him. He said the move struck him as "profoundly wrong" and something "kings and queens demand" of their subjects. "I'm not here asking any of you to pledge your support of me," Mr Cruz said, to thunderous applause and cheers. "I'm pledging my support of you." The economy ranked high on the list of concerns for voters heading to the polls in Michigan and Mississippi. At least eight in 10 voters in each party's primary said they were worried about where the American economy was heading, according to early exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks. Among Democrats, eight in 10 voters in both states said the country's economic system benefits the wealthy, not all Americans. Mr Sanders has sought to tap into that concern, energising young people and white working-class voters with his calls for breaking up Wall Street banks and making tuition free at public colleges and universities. Michigan, with big college towns and a sizeable population of working-class voters, should be a good fit for him, But Mrs Clinton has led in polling. The results in Mississippi underscored her overwhelming strength with black voters and Mr Sanders' stunning inability to draw support from a constituency crucial to Democrats in the general election. Mrs Clinton carried nearly nine in 10 black voters in Mississippi, mirroring her margins in other southern states with large African-American populations. She has now accumulated 1,214 delegates and Mr Sanders 566, including superdelegates - members of the US Congress, governors and party officials who can support the candidate of their choice at the convention. Democrats need 2,383 delegates to win the nomination. With Tuesday's wins, Mr Trump leads the Republican field with 428 delegates, followed by Mr Cruz with 315, Mr Rubio with 151 and Mr Kasich with 52. Winning the Republican nomination requires 1,237 delegates. Meanwhile, Mr Cruz won the Republican presidential primary in Idaho, adding a seventh state win to his tally. Results from the Republican caucuses in Hawaii are expected later. Nancy and Ronald Reagan visited Ashford Castle in Co Mayo during their Irish trip in 1984 Nancy Reagan holds the Reagans' pet Rex, a King Charles spaniel, as she and President Reagan walk on the White House South lawn. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook, File) Former U.S. first lady Nancy Reagan arrives to present former president George H.W. Bush with the "2007 Ronald Reagan Freedom Award" at a gala dinner in Beverly Hills, California in this February 6, 2007 file photo. Reuters/Lucy Nicholson/Files An honor guard stands over the casket of former first lady Nancy Reagan, wife of former President Ronald Reagan, at the Ronald Reagan Library, California, March 9, 2016. Reuters/Jae C. Hong/Pool Three days of formal mourning for former first lady Nancy Reagan has begun. Mrs Reagan's casket was taken in a police-escorted motorcade up an empty road for a public viewing at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The procession from Santa Monica passed beneath a large American flag on a stretch of normally congested road way and then turned onto the Ronald Reagan Freeway where firefighters saluted from atop fire trucks parked on overpasses and other observers held their hands over their hearts. As the procession turned up the long, steep driveway to the library in the hills of Simi Valley, more than 100 people held small flags. Members of the armed services carried the casket into the library, where daughter Patti Davis, dressed in black, was among about 20 family members and close friends who attended a short prayer service at the closed casket. "May angels surround her and saints release her to Jesus," the Rev Stuart Kenworthy, vicar at the Washington National Cathedral, said during the 10-minute service. The Rev Donn Moomaw, the Reagan family's pastor, read from the 23rd Psalm, which begins, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Attendees included the children of Ronald Reagan's son Michael and Dennis Revell, the widower of the president's late daughter Maureen. Michael Reagan and the president's other son, Ron Prescott Reagan, are expected at Friday's funeral. After the private service, House Speaker Paul Ryan paid his respects, bowing his head in prayer aside the casket and making the sign of the cross. The casket was covered in white roses and peonies, Mrs Reagan's favourite flowers. Read More Earlier, after a short private service at a Santa Monica funeral home, the casket was carried by pallbearers that included members of Reagan's Secret Service detail to a hearse for the final 45-mile journey to the hill country north-west of Los Angeles where two days of public viewing precede the funeral. Several hundred onlookers stretched along the boulevard leading away from the Tudor-style funeral home. "She was just a very classy woman, always," said Jeanie Maurello, a medical assistant at Providence St. John's Health Centre. "I thought she did a wonderful job. 'Just Say No' to drugs, she was behind all that." She added: "There's always a great woman behind every great man." Friday will be the funeral, which was planned down to the smallest details by the former first lady herself. Just as she was always by his side in life, Nancy Reagan will be laid to rest just inches from her husband on a hillside tomb facing west toward the Pacific Ocean. Before her death at her Los Angeles homes on Sunday aged 94, she planned the funeral's flower arrangements, the music to be played by a Marine Corps band and the people who received invitations to the private memorial. Among those who had RSVP'd for the service were former President George W Bush and his wife, former first lady Laura Bush; former first lady Rosalynn Carter; first lady Michelle Obama; and former first lady Hillary Clinton. "No doubt about it, the most important of her special requests was that she be laid to rest right next to the president, as close as possible," said John Heubusch, executive director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library. The hour-long service, to which approximately 1,000 people have been invited, was to take place on the library's lawn. Those with White House connections who have said they will attend include President Richard Nixon's daughter Tricia Nixon Cox and President Lyndon Johnson's daughters Lynda Bird Johnson Robb and Luci Baines Johnson. Other guests will include Katie Couric, Chris Matthews, Newt and Callista Gingrich, Anjelica Houston, Wayne Newton and actor Mr T, the Ronald Reagan Foundation said. Mr T was involved in Mrs Reagan's "Just Say No" anti-drug efforts during the 1980s. Captain Christopher Bolt, commanding officer of the USS Ronald Reagan, will also be in attendance. A pro-gun mother who actively campaigns against the tightening of US gun laws was shot and wounded by her toddler, days after boasting about his skill with a firearm. Jamie Gilt (31) was driving along a Florida highway when her four-year-old son somehow managed to gain access to a .45-caliber handgun and shoot her from the back seat. The vocal gun activist survived the blast and managed to disarm her son before he fired a second shot. According to Putman County Sheriffs office, the 4-year-old pointed the .45 semi-automatic handgun at the back of his mothers chair and fired a round straight through the car seat and into her lower back. A passing patrol car spotted the Ms Gilt behaving frantically inside the vehicle and pulled over to investigate. The sheriff found the .45 handgun on the floor of the car and took Ms Gilt to the hospital, where she remains in a stable condition. Got to play with my new toy today! Time to clean it! pic.twitter.com/1lkYo8b3sh jamie gilt (@jamiegilt) January 24, 2015 Putman County Sheriffs office spokesman Joseph Wells said: As the deputy slowed to check on the vehicle, he observed an adult female in the drivers seat motioning to him as if she needed assistance. The deputy provided first aid until the arrival of paramedics. The victim was transported to University of Florida Health in Gainesville and was last reported to be in stable condition. The only other occupant of the vehicle was the victims four-year-old son, who was unharmed. According the Florida Times Union, Ms Gilt told deputies that her son had accidentally shot her while on route to hospital. "The investigation by Major Crimes Unit Detectives and the analysis of the crime scene confirmed that the victim was accidentally shot by the young boy who was sitting in the back seat of the vehicle. "The young man was reunited with other family members and Putnam County Sheriffs Office Victim Services Specialists continue to work with the family. Ms Gilt, who may now face criminal charges for negligence in allowing a child to get their hands on a gun, boosted days before the incident that even her four-year-old got jacked up to shoot with a .22. The Australian man serving a life sentence for the rape and murder of Jill Meagher is appealing his convictions for raping two woman prior to murdering the 29-year-old Irish woman. Adrian Bayley (45) was sentenced to 46 years in jail without parole last year after being found guilty in three separate trials of the brutal rapes of three women. Victoria's Court of Appeal has today heard submissions from Bayley's lawyer Saul Holt that two of the ten woman he has been convicted of raping in St Kilda may have wrongly identified him. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Holt told the appeal court that weaknesses in evidence presented in the trial following the rape of a sex worker in 2000 were "multiple and profound". Expand Close Adrian Ernest Bayley has been convicted of murdering Jill Meagher / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Adrian Ernest Bayley has been convicted of murdering Jill Meagher One of the only two photographs shown to the victim was a Facebook photo of Bayley taken 11 years after the incident, he said. The timeframe between the attack and the victim's identification was problemation, he argues, especially coupled with the killer's notoriety at the time. Mr Holt made simillar submissions as regards Bayley's conviction over the 2012 rape of a Dutch backpacker. The solicitor is currently acting for the the former pastry chef pro bono as Bayley's application for appeal funding has been denied again. The appeal continues. When Mr Bayley murdered Ms Meagher in September 2012, he was on parole after serving eight years for raping six prostitutes in 2000. Mr Bayley snatched the Louth-born woman off Brunswick's Sydney Road as she walked home from a night out with friends. He was serving a life sentence with a 35-year minimum for Ms Meagher's rape and murder when he was handed an additional 18-year sentence for raping three other women. His appeal against the 2013 sentence for the rape and murder of Ms Meagher was rejected by the Court of Appeal. There was much protest in India after the Delhi gang rape and murder case A 15-year-old girl died on Wednesday after being raped and set on fire on the rooftop terrace of her family's home in a village outside the city, police said. The attack is just one of several recently reported cases of rapes of women or children in India - underlining the persistence of such violence despite a public outcry three years ago that led to stronger laws against sexual assault. Read More In the latest case, police have arrested a 20-year-old man and charged him with raping and burning the girl to death on Monday in Tigri village, near the New Delhi suburb of Noida in the state of Uttar Pradesh, according to constable Yadram Singh of the Bisrakh police station. Mr Singh said the man "had burns on his hands" and was charged with several offences, including rape, attempted murder, assault of a minor and causing grievous injury. Indian newspapers said the victim had burns on 95 per cent of her body. Mr Singh's police report on the case describes how the girl's parents found her after hearing her screaming from the rooftop terrace a few hours before dawn Monday. The girl later told police that she was raped, beaten and then set on fire by a man who she said had been stalking her for months, said Mr Singh. India's women and children are considered particularly vulnerable to sexual violence and harassment because of widespread social taboos against speaking out about sexual assault. The stigma is enough to keep many from even reporting crimes, while many others face police resistance in filing complaints. Experts say that has started to change since the fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old woman on a New Delhi bus in 2012 triggered national anger and demands that more be done for women's safety. The government rushed through legislation to double prison terms for rape, and to criminalize voyeurism, stalking and the trafficking of women. But activists say more action is needed, including better educating youths and adding basic safety infrastructure such as street lights and public bathrooms. The public debate has also increased Indian newspaper reports of rape and assault, including several in just the last few days. On Monday, police in the financial capital of Mumbai said they were investigating whether a four-year-old girl whose body was dumped in the bushes on the city's outskirts had been raped before being killed, according to the Press Trust of India news agency. The girl reportedly went missing after being separated from her mother at a railway station Sunday night. Bi-paternal twins are born when a woman's eggs are fertilised by sperm from two different men over the same period Twin siblings who look nothing alike have been confirmed as having two different fathers after their mother admitted to cheating on her partner while she was ovulating. Scientists in Vietnam confirmed the extremely rare case of bi-paternal twins after a couple sought a DNA test for their two-year-old twins due to one child having thick wavy hair while the other had thin, straight locks. According to Vietnam's state-run news agency VNS, the mother's 34-year-old husband was urged by his family to seek the tests to rule out the possibility of a hospital mix-up shortly after the twins births. However the tests run by the Genetic Association of Vietnam (GAV) found that there was no mix up and that the children had the same mother but different fathers. Our Centre for Genetic Analysis and Technology lab has tested and found a pair of bi-paternal twins, said Le Dinh Luong, GAV president. This is rare not only for Vietnam, but for the world. There are only less than 10 known cases of twins with different fathers in the world. There might be other cases but the parents and/or the twins were not aware of it or didn't want to announce it," he added. Bi-paternal twins are born when a woman's eggs are fertilised by sperm from two different men during the same ovulation period. The phenomenon is known as superfecundation, and is extremely rare due to the short-lifespan of womens eggs. The time window that eggs can be fertilised is a matter of hours, while sperm cells are capable of living inside a woman's body for only four to five days. Following the revelation the twins mother admitted to cheating on her husband before they were married, reports the Tuoi Tre newspaper. Last year, a US woman applying for child support from the father of her twin daughters was shocked to discovered that the man was the father of only one of the twins. Turkish media reported a similar case in 2010 involving twin boys. An award-winning entrepreneur has been told to hand about a third of a 220m fortune to his ex-wife after a High Court cash battle. Nick Robertson, 48, a founder of online fashion retailer Asos, had argued that former wife Janine, 43, should get about 30m worth of assets. She wanted nearly 110m. A judge has concluded that she should get around 70m (90m) after a public trial in the Family Division of the High Court. Mr Justice Holman said he had been asked to decide how much Mr Robertson's ex-wife should get after the pair failed to settle the dispute. The judge said a central issue was how the value of some shares and some property owned by Mr Robertson should be divided. Only Mr Robertson was in court on Tuesday to hear the judge's ruling - his ex-wife did not attend. Each had run up lawyers' bills of around 500,000 during the litigation, said Mr Justice Holman. "I strongly urged the parties to settle the case," said the judge. "But no compromise has resulted." He said he hope both could now move on with their lives. Mr Robertson, who has won several entrepreneur of the year awards and was once described by a newspaper as one of the "greatest entrepreneurs" of the century, stepped down as Asos chief executive in September, the judge heard. Asos, which stands for As Seen On Screen and sells more than 80,000 branded and own-brand products to nearly 10 million customers, was founded in 2000 - four years before the couple married. More than 3,000 people work for Asos in the UK and the company has won a long list of awards, the judge said. The couple - who have two children - met in 2002, married in 2004 and separated in 2013, he said. Mr Robertson has a new partner. The judge was told of a property portfolio worth nearly 60m. He heard that the couple owned homes in London, Oxfordshire and France, plus cars, including a Mercedes, a Bentley and a Ferrari, and boats worth about 2m. Mrs Robertson had "negligible means" when she began living with Mr Robertson, said the judge. Mr Justice Holman said Mr Robertson was the "money maker" in the marriage but Mrs Robertson had been an "excellent home-maker and an excellent mother". Both had "contributed equally" when living together, said the judge. But, he said, Mr Robertson had worked on his business project before marrying. A woman bleeds from an injury after riot police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse people gathered in support, outside the headquarters of Zaman newspaper in Istanbul As the EU's top official arrived in Istanbul last week to lay the ground for this week's migration summit, Turkish authorities were busy seizing control of the country's best-selling newspaper. Brussels had already made clear that it was willing to turn a blind eye to concerns about growing authoritarianism in Turkey in return for its help in stemming the flow of people to Europe. But the timing of Friday's takeover at Zaman media group could not have been more embarrassing. Shortly after Donald Tusk, the head of the European Council, shook hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, protesters outside the Zaman offices were blasted with tear gas. Journalists said they were prisoners in their own newsroom after police set up camp in the building. The paper is closely linked to an Islamic cleric who was once the government's ally but is now a foe accused of plotting a coup. Turkey has insisted that the takeover was a judicial decision backed by a court order, not a political one. That is hard to take seriously after seeing yesterday's edition. Having in recent years become one of Turkey's most critical news outlets, it suddenly performed a 180-degree turn. The front page was one giant puff for the government, with "stories" about the president visiting a new bridge and hosting a reception for women. It would be funny were it not so dark. The seizure is the latest in a series of assaults not just on the media but also on the judiciary, academia and civil society. Once held up as a model Muslim democracy, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is now increasingly seen in Western capitals as a runaway train. There has been little pushback, however, from leaders in Brussels, Berlin and Paris. They fear that the migration crisis poses an existential threat to EU freedom of movement - and have hit on Turkey as the solution. Ankara is well aware of its power. A leaked memo of a previous meeting between Brussels officials and Mr Erdogan revealed that they held back a critical EU report until after an important election. When European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker protested that Mr Erdogan was being treated "as a prince", he shot back that he expected nothing less. So it is not surprising to learn that, following the torrid events at Zaman on Friday, the EU issued the mildest of rebukes. Refugees For all its kowtowing, it is not even clear that Europe's deal with Turkey will succeed in avoiding a repeat of last year's tide of arrivals in Europe. Turkey is already home to three million refugees. Many are determined to head to Greece and are willing to take the financial and personal risks needed to get there. EU officials believe that Ankara has come around to the idea of accepting migrants turned away from Europe - a move aimed at deterring others from even trying. But Turkey has said that it will be impossible to completely halt the tide. Its foreign ministry warned last week: "There's no magic wand in our hands." ( Independent News Service) A woman bleeds from an injury after riot police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse people gathered in support, outside the headquarters of Zaman newspaper in Istanbul A mother and child at a camp near the Greek-Macedonian border. Picture: Getty Images The United Nations refugee agency said yesterday that the European Union's "quick-fix" deal to send refugees en masse back to Turkey would contravene their right to protection under European and international law. European Union leaders welcomed Turkey's offer on Monday to take back all migrants who cross into Europe from its soil - and agreed in principle to Ankara's demands for more money, faster talks on EU membership and quicker visa-free travel in return. Vincent Cochetel, Europe regional director of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said Europe's commitment to resettle 20,000 refugees over two years on a voluntary basis remained "very low". "The collective expulsion of foreigners is prohibited under the European Convention of Human Rights," Mr Cochetel said at a news briefing in Geneva. "An agreement that would be tantamount to a blanket return to a third country is not consistent with European law, not consistent with international law," he said. Europe had not even fulfilled its agreement last September to relocate 66,000 refugees from Greece, redistributing only 600 to date within the bloc, Mr Cochetel said earlier. "What didn't happen from Greece, will it happen from Turkey? We'll see, I have some doubts," he said on Swiss radio station RTS. Turkey is home to nearly three million Syrian refugees, the largest number worldwide, but its acceptance rates for refugees from Afghanistan and Iraq were "very low", about 3pc, Mr Cochetel added. "I hope that in the next 10 days a certain number of supplementary guarantees will be put in place so that people sent back to Turkey will have access to an examination of their request [for asylum]." UNHCR spokesman William Spindler said: "Legal safeguards would need to govern any mechanism under which responsibility would be transferred for assessing an asylum claim." The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) voiced deep concerns about the agreement, noting that "too many details still remain unclear". "The fundamental principle of 'do no harm' must apply every step of way," UNICEF spokeswoman Sarah Crowe told the briefing. "That means first and foremost that children's right to claim international protection must be guaranteed. "Children should not be returned if they face risks including detention, forced recruitment, trafficking or exploitation," Ms Crowe added. Human rights group Amnesty International said that EU plans to designate Turkey as a safe country for migrants were "alarmingly short-sighted and inhumane" because Ankara does not properly care for refugees. The head of the group's European office, Iverna McGowan, said that "Turkey has forcibly returned refugees to Syria and many refugees in the country live in desperate conditions without adequate housing." She said that "by no stretch of imagination can Turkey be considered a 'safe third country' that the EU can cosily outsource its obligations to." Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency, said that Turkey will be in need of extra help if more migrants are sent back. "We will need to bring relief to Turkey, and that means you have to be willing to take people in from Turkey" who will probably qualify for asylum, Mr Rutte said. Amnesty International hit out at the EU leaders for using Turkey as a buffer to stop migrants, calling the move "a dangerous and deliberate ploy to shirk their responsibilities to people fleeing war and persecution." Meanwhile, the EU is to ask Ireland to assist the migrant rescue mission with the dispatch within weeks of a fourth Naval Service vessel to the Mediterranean. One of the first decisions facing the new government is to sanction the dispatch of LE Roisin or LE James Joyce to the Mediterranean as EU chiefs admitted that migrant numbers this year are expected to far exceed 2015 levels. Soaring migrant numbers have already led to angry stand-offs in France, Greece and Macedonia as some EU member states desperately try to restrict admissions. A navy vessel is now expected to be deployed to waters off north Africa within the next three weeks following a major EU summit on how to tackle the migration crisis. The summit, held in Brussels, was attended by the 28 EU leaders, including German chancellor Angela Merkel. Some estimate that more than one million people - most of them from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan - will attempt to enter Europe this year. A Dutchman dubbed the "horror dentist" by French media has gone on trial facing charges of violence and fraud. Dentist Jacobus Van Nierop could be sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined 375,000 if convicted. More than 50 victims are also seeking damages. Scores of people came forward with complaints ranging from multiple healthy teeth removed, pieces of tools left in teeth, abscesses, recurrent infections and misshapen mouths between 2009 and 2013. His trial in the town of Nevers is expected to last until March 18, with a ruling expected later. One patient, Sylviane Boulesteix, has said she was unexpectedly summoned to his dental office in central-eastern France in May 2012. Without warning, the dentist pulled eight of her teeth out and immediately fixed dentures on her raw gums. In the following days, she says Van Nierop refused to relieve her pain. A judicial expert later described a "cruel and perverse" man whose incompetence made Ms Boulesteix lose several healthy teeth, go through a trauma and suffer irreversible damage to her mouth. Expand Close Dutch dentist, Jacobus Van Nierop, in his dental office in Chateau-Chinon, France (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dutch dentist, Jacobus Van Nierop, in his dental office in Chateau-Chinon, France (AP) Van Nierop has said he remembers only one of the 75 patients who allegedly suffered "mutilations" or "permanent disabilities" at his hands between 2009 and 2013, according to court documents. He now has to face many of them in court. "I dread the moment where I'll see him again because it won't be any longer the 100kg rugby man who was smiling at us with disregard", Nicole Martin, president of a victim association, said on the eve of the trial. Van Nierop, who used the assumed first name Mark with his patients, refused to answer questions during the investigation, saying only that the oral health of people in the region was "deplorable". He claims he was suffering from a borderline personality disorder, complicated with a transgender issue and suicide attempts. Detained in a French prison since January 2015, he staged several hunger and thirst strikes, and once swallowed razor blades before he was to be questioned by the investigating judge. Questioned about the alleged mutilations suffered by his patients, Van Neirop said: "It does not affect me." "I'm totally blocked from the inside and I don't want to explain it all," he told the investigating judge, according to court documents. "You can lock me up for years . . . it will not change." The dentist was welcomed by local people when he opened his office in 2008 in Chateau-Chinon, a small town located in a remote part of the Burgundy region with a status of a "medical desertification area". Investigators said Van Nierop provided false documents to be allowed to practise dentistry in France, gaining tax and economic benefits, and concealed that he was the subject of disciplinary proceedings in his own country. He allegedly overcharged his patients, billed them for imaginary dental care or intentionally did bad work which required further appointments and payments, according to court documents. There are a number of key questions about how the new proposals will affect this country. Will Ireland have to set aside more money for Syrian refugees in Turkey? It's not clear, as EU leaders left officials and lawyers to work out the details before signing off on the agreement at another summit next week. Ireland has already committed 22m as part of last November's 3bn fund for Syrian refugees in Turkey. Turkey now wants additional aid pledges of 3bn after that fund runs out, starting from 2018. The Department of Justice said it had been provided with "sufficient funds in its budget to meet existing and future commitments". Will Ireland take in any more refugees from inside or outside the EU? Taoiseach Enda Kenny backed off making further commitments at this week's summit, saying that he would first "deal with the commitment that we've entered into". Ireland has pledged to take in a total of 4,000 refugees so far: 2,620 from Italy and Greece by end-2017 under last year's EU relocation programme (out of a total of 160,000 across the EU as a whole) and 520 from Lebanon by end-2016 under an older UN resettlement scheme. It is not yet clear where the remaining 860 people will come from - it will depend on developments at EU level. But with more than one million people entering the EU last year by sea alone, the pressure is building. That is why the EU, especially Germany, pushed Turkey this week to agree to take back people that have entered the EU illegally, in exchange for resettling registered Syrian refugees from Turkey within the EU. The numbers have yet to be worked out on the swap. How many refugees have arrived in Ireland so far? Under the EU's relocation scheme, 10 Syrians have arrived in Ireland from Greece. Ireland has sought a further 20 people from Italy and a further 30 from Greece, but the EU scheme has been slow to get off the ground because before they can travel, people have to first lodge asylum applications in Italy or Greece. Under the UN resettlement scheme, more than 220 refugees have arrived, with a further 300 expected to arrive on a "phased basis throughout 2016", the Department of Justice said. How many people have applied for refugee status in Ireland? So far this year, there have been 213 applications, with the majority of claimants coming from Pakistan, Nigeria and Syria. Out of that total, 26 have been granted refugee status so far. In 2015 there were 3,276 applications, the majority from Pakistan and Nigeria, with 152 granted refugee status. Asylum applications here made up just 0.2pc of the EU's total last year, with the majority of people preferring to go to Germany (36pc). Where in Ireland are asylum seekers and refugees being sent? Ireland has two emergency reception centres: one in Monasterevin, Co Kildare, and one in Clonea Strand, Co Waterford. The Department of Justice has sought expressions of interest from investors for further centres, if needed. Once granted refugee status, people will be resettled in communities around Ireland. Officers have carried out extensive enquiries to try and find the grandmother Police investigating the disappearance of a 57-year-old woman from Cardiff have carried out a fifth search of the River Taff. Lorraine Ridout, of Gabalfa, has not been seen since January 31 and was reported missing the following day. Since then, officers have carried out extensive enquiries to try and find the grandmother. South Wales Police said it met Ms Ridout's two daughters yesterday to provide an update on the investigation and reassure them that finding their mother remained a priority. Inspector Ian Randall, from Fairwater Police Station, said: "We can only imagine how distressing this must be for Lorraine's family and friends. "On Friday, police divers checked a section of the River Taff near Clarence Bridge, Grangetown, where the family believed Lorraine might have been. "South Wales Police has been, and will continue to do, everything possible to find Lorraine." Ms Ridout was last seen at the Premier Shop on Gabalfa Avenue and there have been no confirmed sightings since. Police have carried out searches of the River Taff and the Taff Trail, used police dogs and specialist search officers as well as air support. A force spokeswoman added: "Other enquiries have included speaking with Lorraine's family, friends and people who know her, checking hostels, night shelters and hospitals as well as a detailed examination of CCTV in areas Lorraine is known to frequent." Charity Missing People has also produced more than 1,000 posters - which have been distributed around the Cardiff area by friends, family and locals. Anyone able to help the police with their investigation should call South Wales Police on 01656 655555 or 101. A woman has been arrested in Uganda on suspicion of the murder of a toddler. The 43-year-old was held on Wednesday over the death of 20-month-old Sarah Dahane, who died in Bicester, Oxfordshire, in May 2013. Thames Valley Police said the suspect was arrested in a joint operation with the Ugandan authorities. The girl's mother, Angela Whitworth, was named as a murder suspect by Thames Valley Police and the force appealed for help to trace her two weeks ago. Whitworth flew to Nairobi in Kenya the day before Sarah's body was found, and a 10,000 reward for information leading to her arrest and conviction is on offer. Sarah was found dead with "no obvious signs of trauma". There was an ongoing custody battle between Whitworth and Sarah's father, Nabil Dahane. As part of the recent appeal, Mr Dahane said: "My one and only daughter Sarah was so beautiful, lovely and lively. She loved everyone and everyone just loved her back. "Our time together was really happy and precious. She meant the world to me, still does and will always do regardless. "Sarah's tragic loss has had a profound impact on my life and I am still struggling to come to terms with it all. It may never go away but to see justice being done for my daughter may ease my pain." House Speaker Paul Ryan pays his respects at the casket of Nancy Reagan The casket of Nancy Reagan rests at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library A police officer stands guard outside a mortuary where a small ceremony for former first lady Nancy Reagan took place A portrait of former first lady Nancy Reagan decorates the doors of the main entrance at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California (AP) Three days of formal mourning for former first lady Nancy Reagan has begun. Mrs Reagan's casket was taken in a police-escorted motorcade up an empty road for a public viewing at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The procession from Santa Monica passed beneath a large American flag on a stretch of normally congested road way and then turned onto the Ronald Reagan Freeway where firefighters saluted from atop fire trucks parked on overpasses and other observers held their hands over their hearts. As the procession turned up the long, steep driveway to the library in the hills of Simi Valley, more than 100 people held small flags. Members of the armed services carried the casket into the library, where daughter Patti Davis, dressed in black, was among about 20 family members and close friends who attended a short prayer service at the closed casket. "May angels surround her and saints release her to Jesus," the Rev Stuart Kenworthy, vicar at the Washington National Cathedral, said during the 10-minute service. The Rev Donn Moomaw, the Reagan family's pastor, read from the 23rd Psalm, which begins, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Attendees included the children of Ronald Reagan's son Michael and Dennis Revell, the widower of the president's late daughter Maureen. Michael Reagan and the president's other son, Ron Prescott Reagan, are expected at Friday's funeral. After the private service, House Speaker Paul Ryan paid his respects, bowing his head in prayer aside the casket and making the sign of the cross. The casket was covered in white roses and peonies, Mrs Reagan's favourite flowers. Earlier, after a short private service at a Santa Monica funeral home, the casket was carried by pallbearers that included members of Reagan's Secret Service detail to a hearse for the final 45-mile journey to the hill country north-west of Los Angeles where two days of public viewing precede the funeral. Several hundred onlookers stretched along the boulevard leading away from the Tudor-style funeral home. "She was just a very classy woman, always," said Jeanie Maurello, a medical assistant at Providence St. John's Health Centre. "I thought she did a wonderful job. 'Just Say No' to drugs, she was behind all that." She added: "There's always a great woman behind every great man." Friday will be the funeral, which was planned down to the smallest details by the former first lady herself. Just as she was always by his side in life, Nancy Reagan will be laid to rest just inches from her husband on a hillside tomb facing west toward the Pacific Ocean. Before her death at her Los Angeles homes on Sunday aged 94, she planned the funeral's flower arrangements, the music to be played by a Marine Corps band and the people who received invitations to the private memorial. Among those who had RSVP'd for the service were former President George W Bush and his wife, former first lady Laura Bush; former first lady Rosalynn Carter; first lady Michelle Obama; and former first lady Hillary Clinton. "No doubt about it, the most important of her special requests was that she be laid to rest right next to the president, as close as possible," said John Heubusch, executive director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library. The hour-long service, to which approximately 1,000 people have been invited, was to take place on the library's lawn. Those with White House connections who have said they will attend include President Richard Nixon's daughter Tricia Nixon Cox and President Lyndon Johnson's daughters Lynda Bird Johnson Robb and Luci Baines Johnson. Other guests will include Katie Couric, Chris Matthews, Newt and Callista Gingrich, Anjelica Houston, Wayne Newton and actor Mr T, the Ronald Reagan Foundation said. Mr T was involved in Mrs Reagan's "Just Say No" anti-drug efforts during the 1980s. Captain Christopher Bolt, commanding officer of the USS Ronald Reagan, will also be in attendance. Police examine a car used in a shooting in Jerusalem (AP) An American tourist was stabbed to death in one of three separate Palestinian attacks against Israelis as US vice president Joe Biden arrived in Israel to promise "total, unvarnished commitment" to the country's security. Taylor Force (29), an US Army veteran, was killed and his wife injured during a stabbing spree in the port city of Jaffa, where Arabs and Jews usually live side by side in relative peace. The attacker stabbed 9 other people in different locations before being shot dead by police. The wounded reportedly include an Arab man and a pregnant woman. Read More Minutes earlier, a young Palestinian man wounded two Israeli police officers as he opened fire from a motorcycle in a drive-by shooting in East Jerusalem. Expand Close Ultra-Orthodox Jewish onlookers stand near the car from which Israeli police said two Palestinian assailants carried out a drive-by shooting Credit: Ammar Awad (REUTERS) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ultra-Orthodox Jewish onlookers stand near the car from which Israeli police said two Palestinian assailants carried out a drive-by shooting Credit: Ammar Awad (REUTERS) He was killed in an exchange of gunfire. A Palestinian man also stabbed an Israeli in an off-license in the city of Petah Tikva. The victim pulled the knife out and stabbed the attacker to death with it, according to Israel's Channel 10. Earlier in the day a 51-year-old Palestinian woman was shot dead after allegedly trying to stab an Israeli police officer in Jerusalem. Read More The violence made for a bloody start to Mr Biden's two-day visit. Speaking just a few minutes from the scene of the Jaffa attack, the US Vice President said: "We have absolutely, total unvarnished commitment to the security of Israel. There is no evidence that the attacks were coordinated, however police said it was possible that Mr Biden's visit was a "general trigger" for the violence. Expand Close US Vice President Joe Biden speaks as he delivers a joint statement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting in Jerusalem Credit: Debbie Hill (REUTERS) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp US Vice President Joe Biden speaks as he delivers a joint statement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting in Jerusalem Credit: Debbie Hill (REUTERS) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Masked Sunni protesters wave Islamist flags while others chant slogans at an anti-government rally in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2013 Fallujah was once seen as the most pro-jihadist city in Iraq. But Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) was recently forced to put down a mini-rebellion there that began in an argument in a bread queue, spread to three districts and ended with a series of executions. In the town of Heet further west, a local tribal leader said a relative was on the run after he took revenge for a personal insult by assassinating six local Isil officials. The stories are hard to corroborate, as Isil is blocking people from leaving the towns. But they conform with tales told by refugees from Isil control in neighbouring Syria, who say Isil's interference in the everyday lives of its subjects, combined with its growing need to recruit fighters locally, is causing increasing discontent. "They are violating families and harassing women," said Hikmet al-Gaoud, a tribal sheikh from Heet whose men have been fighting alongside American and government forces near the city. "Every woman they like they want to take and marry." He said a member of the tribe still living in Heet finally "flipped". "He killed six local Isil leaders - all foreign, non-Iraqi Arabs," he said. "He managed to get away and contact us. He's still on the run." Fallujah is a different case. It has been notorious for its support of jihad ever since it rose up against the American and British occupation in 2004, and it was the first city to welcome Isil back in early 2014. But even Fallujah is now turning on Isil, according to its mayor, Issa al-Essawi, now in "exile" in Baghdad. "Now Isil men go around the city with guns," he said. "Before, they were comfortable enough to go without." The city is surrounded on all sides, following the fightback by the Iraqi army at the end of last year that led finally to the recapture of Ramadi to the west. That is a military reversal which has gratified western military chiefs, who say their efforts to retrain the Iraqi army are starting to bear fruit. Food supplies are scarce in the town, Mr Essawi, said, with some deaths as a result of starvation beginning to be reported. Isil is not allowing any of the remaining 60-70,000 residents out of the city. According to another local tribal leader, Sheikh Imad al-Juraisi, a man queuing for bread in the al-Jolan neighbourhood of the city got into an argument with two Isil fighters controlling the bakery, and ended up stabbing them with a knife. They then shot him dead in public. The Juraisi tribe run many of the local shops and, according to another source, were already disgruntled at being charged tax by the jihadists. Shortly after the incident, other men took to the streets with guns that had been kept hidden and began attacking Isil fighters. Estimates differ for the number of casualties - Mr Juraisi said 25 Isil fighters were killed and several local men, while others said the casualties were limited to injuries. But several accounts say that the fighting spread to two neighbouring districts before Isil swamped them with men and brought the situation under control. Mr Essawi said around 100 men were subsequently arrested, and eight executed, including two known to him. Exact details of these stories are hard to verify and they may be exaggerated by local figures with historic grudges against Isil. However, the declining reach of Isil, especially in northern Syria, where it has been pushed back from Kurdish areas, and in western Iraq, is clear to see. The group has not had a major advance since May last year, when it took Ramadi and Palmyra in Syria. Since then, it has suffered losses to territory, its financing and its manpower, due largely to air strikes. Brett McGurk, the United States envoy to the anti-Isil coalition, estimated last week that the total number of Isil fighters had declined for the first time, to between 19-25,000 in both Syria and Iraq. That matches accounts from refugees from its territories in both countries that Isil has been trying to press-gang local men into service. Anbar's pro-government leaders met the Iraqi prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, on Saturday to urge him to launch an early attack on Fallujah. Previously, it was seen as a "tough nut" that would be left till later - perhaps even after an attack on Mosul, the biggest city under Isil control in either Iraq or Syria. Western military officials say a more likely strategy is longer term - to clear Isil areas like Heet and to continue to try to cut off Mosul from both Anbar and Syria to the west. Despite talk of an imminent assault on Mosul, few expect a serious attempt to retake the city until the end of the year at the earliest. Ahmed al-Asadi, an MP and spokesman for the Hashed al-Shaabi, the so-called Popular Mobilisation Commission that represents largely Iranian-backed Shia militias, said Fallujah could be taken easily and quickly - if there were a political decision to do so. His forces have swept west from the Baghdad to Mosul road in recent weeks, taking large areas of desert in just three days last week. But he confirmed that they had been held back from Fallujah because the Americans put pressure on the government to use only regular army and local Sunni tribes to attack, which they were not yet strong enough to do. "We are ready to liberate Fallujah now," he said. The Western coalition is still determined that Sunni Anbar - and hopefully Mosul - will be liberated by official government forces and local fighters, not the Shia militias, accused of abusing local civilians. That may mean more suicide bombings, and more clashes between locals and Isil. It also leaves the citizens of Fallujah hungry. "The city is under siege and we have no food, no electricity and no water," said one resident still there, by telephone. ( Daily Telegraph, London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Children walking through the corridors of a destroyed school in Eastern Ghouta in Eastern Ghouta, Syria, as the charity launches a new report into life in besieged areas in Syria, where more than 250,000 children remain trapped without food, medicine or electricity Man holding his child's hand as they walk through rubble after surviving an airstrike in Eastern Ghouta, Syria, as the charity launches a new report into life in besieged areas in Syria, where more than 250,000 children remain trapped without food, medicine or electricity Children pushing a cart of firewood in Eastern Ghouta, Syria, as the charity launches a new report into life in besieged areas in Syria, where more than 250,000 children remain trapped without food, medicine or electricity A quarter of a million children are at risk of starvation in open-air prisons in besieged Syria despite the truce, Save the Children has said, as peace talks scheduled to resume on Wednesday looked shaky. Some 486,700 people in 18 different areas across Syria are under siege by either government or opposition forces, according to the UN, with no movement of food, medicines or fuel in or out. Some aid agencies say the true number may be up to 1.9 million. Expand Close Man holding his child's hand as they walk through rubble after surviving an airstrike in Eastern Ghouta, Syria, as the charity launches a new report into life in besieged areas in Syria, where more than 250,000 children remain trapped without food, medicine or electricity / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Man holding his child's hand as they walk through rubble after surviving an airstrike in Eastern Ghouta, Syria, as the charity launches a new report into life in besieged areas in Syria, where more than 250,000 children remain trapped without food, medicine or electricity There were hopes that the current cessation of hostilities, which came into force on 27 February, would be a turning point, enabling aid organisations to access besieged areas. A handful of aid convoys have since reached 150,000 people, but charities and residents say deliveries have been patchy. Aid has reached some areas, but deliveries are piecemeal and inconsistent, Save the Childrens CEO, Tanya Steele, said. To have children going hungry and sick just a short drive from warehouses of food is appalling and its time we ended this shameful situation. Access is granted to each convoy individually, and they are only able to take enough supplies to last a few weeks, with no guarantee of when the next delivery will be made. In a report released on Wednesday, a third of 126 residents interviewed by Save the Children say they often go without a single meal a day, and a quarter have seen children in their towns dying because of lack of food. The report paints a stark picture of the cruelties of living under siege in Moadamiyeh, just a few miles from the capital Damascus, three newborn babies died after medical staff ran out of IV bags. Expand Close Children walking through the corridors of a destroyed school in Eastern Ghouta in Eastern Ghouta, Syria, as the charity launches a new report into life in besieged areas in Syria, where more than 250,000 children remain trapped without food, medicine or electricity / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Children walking through the corridors of a destroyed school in Eastern Ghouta in Eastern Ghouta, Syria, as the charity launches a new report into life in besieged areas in Syria, where more than 250,000 children remain trapped without food, medicine or electricity A relatives infant son died from malnutrition because of the lack of formula and food for children, Um Tarek, a mother in the village of Misraba, in the suburbs of Damascus, told Save the Children. His mother wasnt able to breastfeed him because she was in such poor health. Abdul Wahab Ahmed, a civil society activist in Madaya, which has been under government siege since July, told The Independent that more than 300 children in the town were currently suffering symptoms of severe malnutrition. Images on Twitter showed children and infants with distended stomachs. An eight-year-old boy died from lack of food on 27 February the day the truce officially took hold Mr Ahmed added. He said the two aid deliveries that had been made had been vital, but insufficient. Before the latest delivery, a kilogram of rice in the city was selling for $230 (160). Aid agencies say that unless there is a more permanent end to the violence in Syria soon to enter its sixth year there is little hope of seeing an end to the use of siege as a tactic by both sides. Official peace talks were scheduled to begin on Wednesday, but the High Negotiations Committee, the umbrella body of the mainstream Syrian opposition, has still not confirmed whether it would attend. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura was adamant that initial talks would take place, saying he would be holding substantive talks between government and the opposition by next Monday. The pause in fighting has given many Syrians a brief respite from the relentless violence, but the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that fighting had killed over 40 civilians in the past two days, more than in the previous eight days of the truce combined. Meanwhile three rockets fired from Syria landed on the Turkish border city of Kilis, killing a four-year-old boy and one other person. Turkey responded by firing at Isis targets in Syria. Initial peace talks planned by Mr de Mistura collapsed in early February, after the start of a Russian-backed government offensive on Aleppo. There are now fears the city may soon face siege tactics like those seen across the rest of Syria. We are extremely concerned about the situation in Aleppo, said Ashley Proud, of Mercy Corps. There are around 300,000 people there at risk of becoming trapped They have limited options for flight. An Islamic State commander described by the Pentagon as the group's "minister of war" was likely killed in a U.S. air strike in Syria, U.S. officials said on Tuesday, in what would be a major victory in the United States' efforts to strike the militant group's leadership. Abu Omar al-Shishani, also known as Omar the Chechen, ranked among America's most wanted militants under a U.S. program that offered up to $5 million for information to help remove him from the battlefield. Born in 1986 in Georgia, which was then still part of the Soviet Union, the red-bearded Shishani had a reputation as a close military adviser to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was said by followers to have relied heavily on Shishani. The strike itself involved multiple waves of manned and unmanned aircraft, targeting Shishani near the town of al-Shadadi in Syria, a U.S. official said. Expand Close Ramzan Kadyrov / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ramzan Kadyrov The Pentagon believes Shishani was sent there to bolster Islamic State troops after they suffered a series of setbacks at the hands of U.S.-backed forces from the Syrian Arab Coalition, which captured al-Shadadi from the militants last month. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said the U.S. military was still assessing the results of the strike, but acknowledged its potential significance. Shishani "was a Syrian-based Georgian national who held numerous top military positions within ISIL, including minister of war," Cook said, using an acronym for the group. Cook said Shishani's death would undermine the group's ability to coordinate attacks and defend its strongholds. It would also hurt Islamic State's ability to recruit foreign fighters, especially those from Chechnya and the Caucus regions, he said. Several U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed optimism that the strike was successful, although none were prepared to declare Shishani dead with certainty. The first official said initial assessments indicated Shishani was likely killed along with an additional 12 Islamic State fighters. An official in the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which has been fighting Islamic State in the al-Shadadi area, said it had received information that Shishani was killed but had no details and had been unable to confirm the death. The official declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter. ONCE FOUGHT FOR GEORGIA Born with the name Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, Shishani once fought in military operations as a rebel in Chechnya before joining Georgia's military in 2006 and even fighting against Russian troops before being discharged two years later for medical reasons, the first U.S. official said. He was arrested in 2010 for weapons possession and spent more than a year in jail, before leaving Georgia in 2012 for Istanbul and then later to Syria, the official said. He decided to join Islamic State the following year and pledged his allegiance to Baghdadi. The State Department said Shishani was identified as Islamic State's military commander in a video distributed by the group in 2014. The strike would be one of the most successful operations to take out Islamic State's leadership in Iraq and Syria since May, when U.S. special operations forces killed the man who directed the group's oil, gas and financial operations. In November, a U.S. air strike killed Islamic State's senior leader in Libya, known as Abu Nabil. A ballistic missile is launched and tested in an undisclosed location in Iran Credit: Sepahnews.com (REUTERS) Iran has allegedly launched two new ballistic rockets emblazoned with Israel should be wiped from history amidst growing tensions from the US over its ongoing development of long-range missiles. The Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) launched the missiles from northern Iran against targets in the south-east, reports Tehran. State television showed footage of two Qadr missiles being launched and quoted an Iranian general saying they were designed with a range of 2,000 km [and] are able to hit our enemy the Zionist regime from a safe distance. Iranian agencies said the missiles tested were stamped with the words "Israel should be wiped from the pages of history" in Hebrew, though official photographs of the rockets do not display the alleged inscription. Expand Close A photo obtained from the Iranian Fars News Agency of a Qadr H long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile being fired by Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard Credit: Fars News Agency (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A photo obtained from the Iranian Fars News Agency of a Qadr H long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile being fired by Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard Credit: Fars News Agency (AP) There is less than 1,000 km between Iran and Israels capital Tel Aviv, and the IRGC maintains the largest stock in the Middle East of short and medium-range ballistic missiles. The tests on Tuesday drew a threat of new sanctions from the United States, who in January imposed several economy and travel restrictions on Iran for a previous round of ballistic test flights. Expand Expand Previous Next Close A member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards checks a missile inside an underground depot in Iran Credit: Sepahnews.com (REUTERS) A missile is seen inside an underground depot in an Iranian undisclosed location Credit: Sepahnews.com (REUTERS) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards checks a missile inside an underground depot in Iran Credit: Sepahnews.com (REUTERS) The missile tests are thought to underline a rift in Iran between those hardline groups opposed to normalising relations with the West, and President Hassan Rouhanis relatively moderate government which is trying to attract foreign investment to Iran. Mr Rouhani's popularity has soared since the nuclear deal in January, under which Tehran won relief from international sanctions in exchange for limiting its nuclear research. The president's allies made strong gains in recent elections to parliament and foreign business delegations have since flocked to Tehran following the lifting of decades long sanctions. But hardliners, including senior IRGC commanders, have warned that economic ties could strengthen Western influence and threaten the Islamic Republic. Expand Close Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Credit: Vahid Salemi (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Credit: Vahid Salemi (AP) The more sanctions and pressure our enemies apply... the more we will develop our missile program," an IRGC spokesperson said on state television following the tests. Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon told Israel Radio the tests showed Iran's hostility had not changed since implementing a nuclear deal with world powers in January, despite President Hassan Rouhani's overtures to the West. "To my regret there are some in the West who are misled by the honeyed words of part of the Iranian leadership while the other part continues to procure equipment and weaponry, to arm terrorist groups," Mr Yaalon said. SHARE By Kirk Brown A foreign auto-parts manufacturer will build its first U.S. plant in Hart County, Georgia, resulting in the eventual creation of 800 jobs, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal announced Wednesday. Germany-based Haring is expected to invest $54 million during the next five years on a 196,000 square-foot plant and separate three-story training center and dining hall, officials said. The facility will be in the Gateway II Industrial Park, which overlooks Interstate 85 west of Hartwell Lake. In a statement issued by his office, Deal hailed the companys decision to come to Georgia as a testament to the international reputation of our top-ranked business climate. Andreas Lehnhofer, Harings managing director, said Georgia clearly emerged as the best choice for us to locate our first U.S. facility during the companys site-selection process. Haring, which was founded in 1961, currently has plants in Germany, Poland and China. According to Deals statement, the plant will employ 800 workers by 2025 who will make fuel-injection parts and other precision components for the automotive industry. Hart County Commission Chairman Joey Dorsey said he and other county officials are excited by the outstanding career opportunities this world-class company provides for our citizens. Wednesdays announcement is Hart Countys biggest economic-development news in recent years, county administrator Jon Caime said. It also represents a milestone in efforts to improve workforce-education programs that began after the county was hit by a wave of manufacturing-sector layoffs a decade ago, he said. This is not just another factory announcement, Caime said. This is a culmination of a lot of hard work in Hart County. Harings customers include top-end automakers like Porsche, BMW and Mercedes, Caime said. Some of the companys new employees from Hart County will travel to Germany for up to two years of intensive training. Caime said the new plant will further bolster ongoing education initiatives in the county. Hart County voters approved the continuation of a penny-sales tax levy in November that will pay for projects that include a college and career academy. The county also learned this week that it will receive a $2.1 million state grant for the academy, which will double the size of Hart County High School when it is completed. More than 120 automotive manufacturers have invested in excess of $5 billion throughout Georgia during the last six years. Collectively, those companies now employ more than 18,000 state residents. Follow Kirk Brown in Twitter @KirkBrown_AIM SHARE By Independent Mail A Belton man was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury in Greenville on a charge of possession of child pornography, according to the U.S. attorney's office. Kenneth Allen McCall, 28, was previously convicted in 2011 of possession of child pornography while serving in the U.S.Army in Germany, according to court records. In 2013, he was convicted of failing to register as a sex offender after moving from Florida to South Carolina. McCall faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the most recent charge. His case, which was investigated by the U.S. Probation Office, is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. SHARE By Kirk Brown of the Independent Mail Randy Whitfield struggled with the sort of anguish last week that no father wants to face. The brawny Anderson County man was reduced to tears by a moral dilemma involving his daughter's role in the slaying of an elderly neighbor. Deep down, Whitfield knew what he had to do. "I am the one who made my daughter turn herself in," said Whitfield in an exclusive interview with the Independent Mail. "I know what I did was right, but it kills me." Holly Kristin Whitfield, 25, appeared at a bond hearing Saturday morning on charges of murder and armed robbery in the fatal shooting of Glenn Craft, 86. Three others face similar charges: Craft's 17-year-old great-grandson Charles Steven Bell II, Walter Chase Alley, 28, and Charlie Tyler Robinson, 21. The body of Craft, who was affectionately known as "Coon" in the tight-knit Craytonville community south of Belton, was found in his home at 1423 Trail Drive by a Meals on Wheels volunteer. An autopsy determined that he died as the result of a gunshot wound between 12:01 a.m. and 3 a.m. Monday. According to warrants in the case, a wallet with at least $260 was taken from Craft's home. He had lived alone since his wife died in December after her long struggle with Alzheimer's disease. LEARNING THE TRUTH Randy Whitfield, who lives three blocks from Craft's home on Trail Road, was giving an acquaintance a ride late Sunday night when he saw his daughter's car "go by like a bat out of hell." Monday morning, as news of Craft's death spread, Whitfield started looking for his daughter. He found her at a friend's house. Whitfield said his daughter first told him that she had allowed Alley, Robinson and Bell to borrow her car. But he didn't believe her. "She told me lies to start with," said Whitfield, a self-employed heavy machinery operator. "I felt it in my gut. It made me sick." So he kept pressing for the truth. "Finally she broke down and said, ?Daddy, I was with them,'" Whitfield said. "She came out and admitted she was sitting in the car (outside Craft's home when he was killed)." Whitfield said he wept when his daughter described hearing a single gunshot before Alley, Bell and Robinson left Craft's home. After his daughter confessed, Whitfield said, he took her to the Honea Path Police Department on Monday night. A sheriff's detective questioned her the next morning. Alley and Robinson were arrested Tuesday. Deputies apprehended Bell late Wednesday at a York County residence near the North Carolina border. Holly Whitfield was charged Friday. They are all being held without bail at the Anderson County Detention Center. A BAD CROWD Randy Whitfield said he warned his daughter for months about hanging around unsavory characters. "She has been running with the wrong crowd," he said. Court records show that Holly Whitfield was found guilty of larceny at a May 16 bench trial that stemmed from a February break-in at her stepmother's home in Honea Path. Pamela Strickland Pruitt, who is Randy Whitfield's ex-wife, reported that several pieces of children's clothing, a Carolina Gamecocks piggy bank, food storage containers, lotion and body spray with a total value of $350 were stolen, according to a sheriff's office report. Pruitt said Friday that the stolen clothing belonged to Holly Whitfield's own two children, who have been in Pruitt's care for the past 18 months. Alley and Robinson also have criminal records, and sheriff's officials said both men were out on bond from previous arrests at the time of Craft's death. Bell had been living in a foster home in Traveler's Rest that he ran away from on the day before his great-grandfather was killed. Randy Whitfield said his daughter should have known better than to accompany Alley, Robinson and Bell to Craft's home. "I wasn't raised that way, and neither was she," he said. Whitfield said his daughter and the three others charged in Craft's death "deserve what they get." "I hate to be lied to, and I hate a damned thief," he said. "You don't take something that is not yours." Whitfield said that some in the Craytonville community "are calling me a rat for what I did." He also said relatives of those charged in the case have made death threats against him. But he said he was guided by his faith. "Ultimately, I have to answer to the man upstairs," he said. By Mike Eads of the Independent Mail Kinder Morgan pushing ahead with Belton tank farm bid State regulators are reviewing Kinder Morgan's bid to build a new tank farm, part of its plans for the proposed $1 billion Palmetto Pipeline. The Houston-based pipeline operator filed an air permit application with the Department of Health and Environmental Control on Feb. 26 for approval to build eight tanks and four outbuildings next to the company's existing tank farm north of Belton. Company spokeswoman Melissa Ruiz said the expansion would cost $50 million and employ 10 full-time workers. "We anticipate that the air permit could be issued in the third quarter of 2016 and that construction would start in the third quarter," Ruiz said Tuesday. A DHEC spokesman didn't say how long the application review would take when contacted for comment Tuesday, but it will get a public airing. "As part of our public participation process, we are planning to hold a public meeting related to the Kinder Morgan proposed pipeline," said DHEC spokesman Robert Yannity, who went on to say the date and location have not been determined. The Houston-based energy firm wants to run the new Palmetto line approximately 100 miles through South Carolina, 200 miles more across southeastern Georgia and on to Jacksonville, Florida. It would connect to the company's Plantation Pipe Line, which spans from Louisiana to Washington, D.C. The company has been contacting landowners about buying easements for the pipeline. It initially contended that it could use eminent domain to secure pipeline easements from property owners not willing to sell. However, a Georgia judge recently upheld a state regulator's ruling, which denies that power to the company. South Carolina legislators are considering S. 868, which would keep pipeline operators not regulated by the state like Kinder Morgan from using eminent domain. The bill has passed the state Senate and was assigned Tuesday to the House Judiciary Committee. Ruiz said Kinder Morgan plans to go ahead with the Palmetto line, whether it can use eminent domain or not. "We believe that pipelines can be built without the exercise of eminent domain and we continue to progress the Palmetto project," said Ruiz. The company's Plantation Pipe Line sprang a 250,000-plus gallon leak in December 2014 and saturated farm land northwest of Belton. Kinder Morgan contractors have been extracting gasoline from collection wells and trenches since the leak and have to report monthly to DHEC on surface and ground water contamination levels. Landowners Scott and Eric Lewis are suing the company for damage to their acreage. According to Spartanburg attorney Gary Poliakoff, his clients allege the spill has inflicted long-term damage to the local groundwater supply in and around their 350-plus acres northwest of Belton, land valued at $390,250 according to Anderson County tax records. Poliakoff said the two sides briefly discussed a settlement, but his clients chose to go ahead with their case. They originally filed in Anderson County, but Kinder Morgan got the case moved to U.S. District Court in Greenville. No trial date has been set. A neighboring family, Jeremy and Crystal Jameson, agreed to sell their 6-acre farm to the company in late 2015 for $210,000, the same price they paid for the land in 2014 just weeks before the leak was reported. Anderson County Councilwoman Cindy Wilson, who represents the Belton area, is opposed to Kinder Morgan's plans for the tank farm. She said the company has been a poor neighbor over the years and she expressed fear that the 2014 Plantation Pipe Line leak has caused long-term damage around Lewis Drive. The District 7 councilwoman admitted that she doesn't know what, if any, standing the county has in the DHEC review process; however, she has contacted county and state staffers to look into the matter. "I have requested that (Kinder Morgan) not be allowed to build over until they clean up the mess they made over there," said Wilson Follow Michael Eads on Twitter @MikeEads_AIM SHARE Pollutant discovered 14 years after lake's creation; existed in rivers since the mid 1950s By Anna B. Mitchell Anna.Mitchell@Independentmail.Com 864-260-1256 Tim Sattler caught his balance as he walked through the rushing water of Town Creek. The Clemson grad student made his way last week toward a series of sampling machines he had set up next to the creek to pick up any traces of PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls. "They are passive air samplers," said Sattler, 23. "They will be able to detect PCBs coming up through the ground. We also have a sampler in the creek, just in case some is coming up from the water." Sattler is part of the newest generation of environmental scientists to examine the long-term effects of industrial pollution from PCBs in the region during the latter half of the 20th century. Hartwell Lake, 50 years old this year, was the catch basin for about 400,000 pounds of the cancer-causing material that flowed downstream from the Sangamo Electric Co. plant in Pickens during the past six decades. Most of it is now buried under about 72 inches of sediment. Retired journalist Dot Jackson started writing about PCBs in 1984. "Everything that came out of the factory went into a holding pond at the foot of Sangamo Hill and went out from a flume into Town Creek, which went a little way until it hit Twelve Mile," Jackson said. "Town Creek was all PCB effluent." The worst-affected area is a roughly 1,000-acre patch of Hartwell Lake near Clemson where Twelve Mile Creek, the destination of Town Creek's water, spills into the reservoir. Today, certain species of game fish, namely striped and hybrid bass that swim throughout Hartwell Lake, remain on a list of fish that state health officials advise pregnant women and children to avoid. And in the Seneca River arm of the lake, north of the S.C. 24 bridges in Anderson County, all species of fish are discouraged from the dinner plates of children and pregnant women. Health officials once believed fish advisories would be lifted for this part of the lake in a matter of months. Attention to this, the region's most important environmental issue, in terms of the roughly $100 million spent to clean it up, has ebbed and flowed, but it promises to endure as long as the toxin does: for decades. Polychlorinated what? PCBs, a group of insulating, man-made oily materials used since the 1930s, were widespread until the federal government banned their discharge into the environment in 1976. Though limited to electrical systems by the 1970s, they'd also been used in carbon-less copy paper and paint. Hartwell Lake had existed only 14 years when the Environmental Protection Agency announced on Aug. 14, 1976, that fish swimming there were not fit to eat. Business sank overnight at area bait shops. People vacated campsites. Swimmers found other water holes. Stories in two newspapers, then the Independent and Daily Mail, covered the fears generated and their justification ? the compound was linked to acne-like skin rashes and, in heavy enough concentrations, to liver damage and even cancer. Studies in the 1970s revealed bass with deteriorating spines and chicken eggs that wouldn't hatch. Tests of mother's breast milk were detecting PCBs in Georgia and South Carolina. Alan Elzerman, a retired Clemson professor, arrived at the university in 1978 and started testing the basin for PCBs two years later. His work on the drawbacks of dredging PCB-laden sediment ? because the toxin gets back into water ? has been cited frequently. "It's not a natural compound," Elzerman said. "It is distributed around the world because it gets into the air as a vapor." PCBs don't generally break down within a creature's lifetime. They linger in the tissue and are passed into the bodies of predators ? including humans ? who eat them. Pervasive, they've been found in the blood of polar bears. The long-term chronic effects of PCBs are not well understood, Elzerman said, though the most recent research has found they disrupt hormones necessary for aquatic creatures to mature. Alligators in Florida are all turning out female or with both male and female organs. Some tadpoles never develop into frogs. "But the levels here are of a magnitude greater ? a hundred to several thousand times more," Elzerman said. "That's what you see in areas with direct inputs: the Hudson River, the Great Lakes, Hartwell Lake." PCBs decay at different rates, with those containing the most chlorine taking hundreds or thousands of years to disintegrate. Clemson's Sattler is interested in PCBs that linger on the leaves of evergreen plants, where the toxin has about five years to accumulate before the leaves fall off. "It's wonderful for our students to go into the field for not much cost," said Sattler's adviser, environmental chemist Cindy Lee. "I would otherwise have to ship them up to the Hudson River." Elzerman said that how people deal with the toxin remains a personal decision. He lives close to Hartwell Lake and says he doesn't worry about breathing PCBs. "I don't worry about drinking Clemson water, because it doesn't get into that because of the way PCBs behave," Elzerman said. "But I don't eat the fish." For the PCBs to pose a hazard, according to the EPA's Craig Zeller, a person would have to eat several pounds of contaminated fish a month for decades. Effect on communities From 1955, when Sangamo Electric Co. opened a capacitors plant here, until high concentrations of PCBs were found in fish living downstream in the mid 1970s, the company was legally dumping tons of the material, which made its way into surface and ground waters. State and federal authorities announced on Aug. 14, 1976, that all consumption of fish in Hartwell Lake should cease. In the summer of 1976, Sadler's Creek State Park received 5,032 visits a week. Two weeks after the announcement, fewer than 2,500 people were visiting the park, "Normally it doesn't drop like that until after Labor Day," park ranger Frank Baughman told the Anderson Independent at the time. A bait-shop owner, Edna Smith, said she witnessed 15 to 20 campers pack up and leave. "I had to go back to working in the mill," she said. A $1 billion class-action suit launched a month after the August 1976 announcement pitted bait-shop owners against Sangamo for what they claimed at the time was negligence and loss of income. Still, the case was tossed out several months later and bait shops started reporting their best sales in years. Henry White of Anderson puffed on a cigarette when he was interviewed in 1977. "The warning?" White said. "People are laughing at it. Something's gotta kill you." The effects of the toxin are not fully understood, scientists from Clemson say, though they do know people don't drop dead from the material ? likely a factor in recreation quickly resuming on the water. "It's a chronic thing," Lee said. "The danger is not necessarily cancer at the levels we have. That's why it's so important for pregnant women and younger children ? it interferes with the developing brain." The Easley-Central Water District has a pond just upstream of the community of Cateechee that catches water from Twelve Mile Creek. Environmental engineers have said the drinking water is safe because PCBs cling to sediment, which sinks and is easy to remove in treatment plants. "Now even in the early days people weren't drinking muddy water," said water biologist Larry Dyck. "The amount of PCB from the water system would be low." Still, another lawsuit in 1984 stemmed from a public-health scare in Cateechee as residents cited miscarriages, skin rashes, poorly developed children and a high incidence of cancer. They blamed swimming in the creek and drinking the tap water. Schlumberger came out on the losing end of a settlement in that case four years later, ultimately paying out millions including lifelong health care to the more than 300 plaintiffs. Lee said she's never met anyone affected by the PCBs. Years of enforcement The EPA continued to monitor the Pickens site through the 1970s and '80s and in 1990, added the Sangamo plant site to its Superfund "national priority list." The problem at Sangamo was that although the capacitors the plant made largely kept the PCB oil encapsulated, the company dumped all the capacitors that didn't meet specifications into area landfills, which leaked the material into groundwater. Some PCBs are still working their way into groundwater, though "the faucet has been turned down to a trickle," said the EPA's Zeller, the site's project manager for more than 20 years. Annual reports show PCB levels up and down among fish, but mostly on the decline. Meanwhile, a decade of clean sediment has gradually buried most of the contaminated material in Hartwell Lake. By the 1980s, general interest in the toxin had waned, but the 1984 Cateechee lawsuit brought it back into the headlines Jackson, the retired journalist, said the efforts of women there ultimately landed Sangamo on the Superfund list. "They didn't want to fool with it," Jackson said. "They thought it was Hicksville." Interviews with former Sangamo employees and residents helped pinpoint where the toxic was leaching, Zeller said, as efforts to chase down PCBs ramped up in his agency in the 1980s. Barrels of PCB-contaminated waste still sitting around would not be removed until 1992, when the EPA issued a $68 million consent decree. "Hundreds of dump trucks hauled that stuff to Alabama," Jackson said. "After declaring there could be no harm, you had EPA guys coming out in HAZMAT boots and suits ... where people were living on it and drinking out of springs." Jackson said she doubts the cleanup will ever be finished. A separate effort to contain contamination in Hartwell Lake has been Zeller's responsibility for 20 years. He recalled a packed meeting in 1994 at the old Ramada Inn in Clemson. Hundreds of people showed up to object to the idea of a fish fence to contain contaminated bass to a 1,000-acre part of the lake near Central. The EPA opted for a public education campaign urging people to eat less fish and to cut off the fat and skin, where PCBs tend to accumulate. "That's fine," Zeller said. "That's called democracy." Efforts are still under way to determine what contaminants might remain along Twelve Mile Creek's banks and flood plains with the removal last year of two ancient dams that had contained tons of sediment. Zeller remains in charge of that effort and will bring a report next month to the Pickens County Council. "Clearly we have a mess that will outlive all of us and our children and their children," Jackson said. "We can't haul off the dirt of a third of Pickens County." State, local and federal agencies are still grappling with contamination of area waterways from a capacitors plant that operated half a century ago in Pickens. Sources: Independent Mail archives and EPA reports 1955 Sangamo Electric Co. opens a plant in Pickens making transformers. The plant eventually employs about 1,500 people in the rural community 1955-1977 Sangamo Electric legally buries and dumps wastewater sludge and defective capacitors, allowing a degreasing chemical, commonly called PCBs, to spill into ground and surface waters. 1971 After tests reveal toxic PCBs are building up in the environment, St. Louis-based Monsanto starts limiting sales of PCBs only to those industries that use them in closed electrical systems. 1974 Preliminary state health department tests of fish in the Twelve Mile Creek arm of Hartwell Lake reveal elevated levels of PCBs in their tissue. 1976 The state Department of Health and Environmental Control and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency confirm elevated PCB levels in the flesh of game fish in Hartwell Lake. The chemical is traced to Twelve Mile Creek, which flows into Hartwell 24 miles downstream of the Sangamo Weston plant. 1977 Sangamo Weston stops using PCBs at its Pickens plant. Meanwhile recreational traffic on Hartwell Lake ? dead for months ? has resumed to pre-PCB announcement levels. 1978 Sangamo Weston closes its Pickens plant. Meanwhile, PCBs are banned from industrial use in the United States because of lab tests that link the material to cancer in animals and, possibly, humans. PCBs accumulate in nature because they break down slowly and climb up the food chain from microorganisms to humans. 1984 A class-action lawsuit led by Cateechee residents complains that PCBs have ruined the health of hundreds of people along Twelve Mile Creek. Schlumberger, Sangamo Electric's parent company, evenutally settles and agrees to pay lifetime health expenses for the plaintiffs. 1987 Signs have been posted at a majority of boat ramps around Hartwell Lake warning of PCB contamination in game fish. 1990 The old Sangamo Weston plant and the waterways it polluted downstream are added to the EPA's National Priorities List, more commonly known as a Superfund site. 1994 After two years and $2 million of environmental testing and gathering public opinion, the EPA releases a cleanup plan for the old Sangamo Weston plant and associated waterways. Hartwell Lake will be left largely alone, as natural sediments pouring into the waterway will bury contaminated layers. A proposed $4.3 million fish fence, which would block Twelve Mile Creek fish from swimming around the lake is abandoned in favor of a $3 million education campaign warning people about the health risks of eating too much fish. 1995-1997 Schlumberger pays for the excavation and disposal of 60,000 tons of PCB-contaminated material from the grounds around the old Sangamo Weston plant and six nearby dumping sites. 2004 Schlumberger enters negotiations with state and federal natural resource trustees over damage caused to recreational use of the lake, ultimately resulting in an $11.8 million settlement. Part of this money paid for mega boat ramps in Georgia and the Green Pond Landing development under construction now in Anderson. 2006 Federal Judge G. Ross Anderson issues a consent decree requiring Schlumberger to dredge behind and then tear down two dams in Twelve Mile Creek that have served as catch basins for PCB-contaminated sediment. 2011 The Woodside I and Woodside II dams on Twelve Mile Creek near Cateechee are demolished after Schlumberger contractors spend months dredging about 400,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from behind the dams. A state health advisory continues to warn against eating fish from Hartwell. Meanwhile, two independent tests of the Twelve Mile Creek flood plains and banks reveals high levels of PCBs still in the environment. 2012 The EPA completes follow-up testing along two miles of Twelve Mile Creek to determine what risks remain in the environment; locals protest, saying the entire 24-mile stretch of riverway from the old Sangamo Weston plant to Hartwell Lake ought to be tested. SHARE Mick Brown By Independent Mail Mick Brown, the Powdersville High School graduate who survived a weekend wreck that killed three of his friends, is in fair condition, a spokeswoman for Greenville Memorial Hospital said Tuesday. Brown, 20, was the only survivor of a Sunday night crash on Langston Road in northern Anderson County. He was rushed to the hospital and was initially in critical condition, authorities said. The driver, Danielle Williams of Liberty, would have turned 18 later this month. She was a senior at Wren High School. The other passengers in the car, 19-year-old Kayla Lee Mann and 20-year-old Lance Jones, both of Piedmont, also previously attended Wren. In anticipation of the International Women's Day, Ipsos asked respondents around the world their opinion on inequality between women and men in terms of their social, political and/or economic rights.So does inequality exist? It appears so. In India a large majority 78% respondents believe inequality currently exist between women and men in terms of social, political and/or economic rights.Globally three quarters (73%) agree that there is currently inequality between women and men in terms of social, political and/or economic rights. Not surprisingly, more women (76%) than men (69%) agree.Comparing India against 22 other countries shows that India with 78% agreeing that inequality exists is roughly on par with countries like the South Africa (78%), France (77%), Spain (77%) and China (74%). Most likely to believe that inequality exists in their country are residents of Sweden (88%), Mexico (82%), South Korea (81%), Turkey (81%), Peru (81%) and Brazil (80%). Least likely to agree are those living in Russia (47%), Germany (61%), Argentina (65%), and Belgium (66%).Biswarup Banerjee, Head Marketing Communication India, Ipsos said, Gender discrimination continues to be an enormous problem within Indian society. Traditional patriarchal norms have relegated women to secondary status within the household and workplace. This drastically affects women's health, financial status, education, and political involvement. Women are commonly married young, quickly become mothers, and are then burdened by stringent domestic and financial responsibilities.They are frequently malnourished since women typically are the last member of a household to eat and the last to receive medical attention. Women receive little schooling, and suffer from unfair and biased inheritance and divorce laws. These laws prevent women from accumulating substantial financial assets, making it difficult for women to establish their own security and autonomy, added Banerjee.However according to the Ipsos study, an overwhelming majority 91% Indian online respondents believe in equal opportunities for men and women - that women should be treated equally to men in all areas based on their competency not their gender, whereas almost nine in ten (88%) in 23 countries around the world believe in equal opportunities for men and women.Things are gradually changing, especially in urban centers in India where majority of women are given equal opportunity to peruse education, jobs, access to quality healthcare and the freedom to achieve their dreams and aspirations, Banerjee further added.Despite the majority believing in equal treatment for both genders, women dont always experience it. When asked if they have full equality with men, four in 10 (40%) globally disagree. Whereas only 26% women in India disagreed that they have full equality with men and the freedom to reach their full dreams and aspirations.The survey instrument is conducted monthly in 23 countries around the world via the Ipsos Online Panel system. The countries reporting herein are Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States of America.For the results of the survey presented herein, an international sample of 17,040 adults aged 18-64 in the US and Canada, and age 16-64 in all other countries, were interviewed. Approximately 1000+ individuals participated on a country by country basis via the Ipsos Online Panel with the exception of Argentina, Belgium, Hungary, India, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden and Turkey, where each have a sample approximately 500+. The precision of Ipsos online polls are calculated using a credibility interval with a poll of 1,000 accurate to +/- 3.5 percentage points and of 500 accurate to +/- 5.0 percentage points. For more information on the Ipsos use of credibility intervals, please visit the Ipsos website.In countries where internet penetration is approximately 60% or higher the data output is comparable the general population. Of the 23 countries surveyed online, 15 yield results that are balanced to reflect the general population: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Israel, Japan, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States. The eight remaining countries surveyed Brazil (53% Internet penetration among the citizenry), China (46%), India (19%), Mexico (41%), Peru (40%), Russia (59%), South Africa (47%) and Turkey (47%)have lower levels of connectivity therefore are not reflective of the general population; however, the online sample in these countries are particularly valuable in their own right as they are more urban/educated/income than their fellow citizens and are often referred to as Upper Deck Consumer Citizens. Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Limited (Mahindra Finance), one of Indias leading non-banking finance companies, today announced that Bharat Doshi has stepped down from his position as a member of the Board, and consequently as its Chairman, with immediate effect. This move is in view of his recent nomination as a Director on the Central Board of the RBI, to avoid any conflict of interest and to be consistent with the principles of good governance. Bharat has been an integral part of the Mahindra growth story and a solid pillar of the Group for over 40 years. He was a major player and prime mover in the creation and subsequent exponential growth of Mahindra Finance. I wish him the very best in his new role at the RBI and am confident that his wisdom and experience will benefit the nation in the years to come, said Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group. I am delighted with Mr. Doshis appointment as director on the Central Board of the RBI. He has been my mentor since I joined Mahindra Finance and I will feel his absence the most. Under his guidance the company has scaled greater heights by launching new initiatives likes Mahindra Rural Housing Finance and Mahindra Insurance Brokers, said Ramesh Iyer, Managing Director, Mahindra Finance. From 1992 to 2013, Bharat Doshi was the Executive Director and Group CFO of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. He has played a critical role in laying the foundation of the Mahindra Groups transformation into a widely diversified and financially strong federation of businesses. Doshi has been associated with Mahindra Finance since its inception in 1991. He led the initiative of conceptualizing, establishing and then nurturing and growing Mahindra Finance far beyond the captive status it had in its formative years. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Mahindra Finance from March 1992, and its Chairman from April 2008. Doshi will continue to remain the Chairman of Mahindra Intertrade Limited, and a trustee of the K.C. Mahindra Education Trust & the Mahindra Foundation. He will also continue on the Board of Governors of The Mahindra United World College of India. The scrip opened at Rs. 140.95 and touched a high and low of Rs. 153.75 and Rs. 140.35 respectively. A total of 36012263(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 8746.24 crore. The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 2 touched a 52 week high of Rs. 203.5 on 05-Jan-2016 and a 52 week low of Rs. 113.65 on 12-Feb-2016. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 144.6 and Rs. 134.15 respectively. The promoters holding in the company stood at 34.38 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 49.1 % and 16.38 % respectively. The stock traded above its 200 DMA. Crompton Greaves stock ended 9% higher to Rs.151.The Board of Directors had received Non-Binding proposals from interested parties to acquire the European, North American and Indonesian activities of the Power segment division of the Company. In continuation to the above communication, the Company had informed to the Stock Exchanges vide it's letter dated February 4th, 2016 that discussions with the potential buyer were on, to explore reaching an agreement on the outstanding issues to enable the Board to accept the offer.The company has now received and accepted a revised binding letter of offer for the acquisition of the aforesaid businesses by First Reserve International Limited, a US Private Equity Fund, for an Enterprise value of Euro 115 million. The offer is subject to regulatory, shareholders approvals and signing of definitive share purchase agreement. The global economys health is growing worrisome amid volatile financial markets and low commodity prices and is in dire need of collective action for getting buoyed, as per David Lipton, first deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).Since the time the international lender lowered its 2016 growth forecast to 3.4 percent in January, perils to the world economy have got intensified, he said in a speech at Washington DC while also being interviewed by CNBC.The economist said the world economy is in the midst of risks, including some new ones and the are not really far-off, which is a point that must be focused on. Global economic growth is rebounding albeit with a base line, not so robust, as reported by CNBC.Risks surrounding the world economy encompass right from unfulfilled infrastructure requirements in the U.Sd to deflation in Japan. Further, the world economy needs to shield itself from such risks while fortifying growth, by the means of combining monetary and fiscal policy and structural reforms, Lipton mentioned in the report.Other concerns looming over global economy entail majorly leveraged sovereign and private sector balance sheets in Europe as also banks with mounting bad loans; sharp fall in capital spending and increasing private debt in emerging markets (EM), as per reports.Consequently, the impact on financial markets is evident, with equity market index hitting a 6 per cent-low so far, suggesting loss of more than $6 trillion or 8.5 percent of world GDP , in global market capitalization, added the report. ICICI Bank has launched iWork@home, an initiative that allows women employees to work from home for up to a year. Chanda Kochhar, managing director and chief executive officer, ICICI Bank, explained this could be extended for more than one year based on the requirements of the employee. This initiative allows women employees to have access to their required operating systems in a safe and secure manner, creating a seamless office-like environment. (BS) The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) today cleared 16 FDI proposals worth Rs 14,000 crore including that of Japan's Nippon hiking stake in Reliance Life Insurance to 49 per cent, as also that of four other foreign insurers. (ET) Large lenders like State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Baroda (BoB), Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Canara Bank could become the anchor banks, they said.The government will set up an expert panel for the consolidation process. The Bank Board Bureau headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai, which was recently formed to select chief executives and board members of public sector banks, will also help in the consolidation process. (BL) Jalandhar-based Capital Local Area Bank (CLAB) is set to become Indias first small area finance bank (SFB) by flagging-off its operations on April 13, 2016. (BS) The government is expected to launch the public sector bank consolidation exercise by merging yet another State Bank associate with its parent even as it looks to create eight to ten large state-run lenders through a merger of nationalized banks. (ET) Yes Bank has appointed former finance secretary and Competition Commission of India (CCI) chairman Ashok Chawla as additional non executive director on the bank's board with immediate effect. (ET) Mortgage lender Indiabulls Housing Finance and its group company, Indiabulls Real Estate will invest Rs 25,000 crore in Haryana over the next seven years. The group has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Haryana for the same, the company said in a statement. (ET) The State Bank of India is among four new foreign banks given preliminary approval to open 100 per cent-owned branches in Myanmar, the latest move by the Southeast Asian nation to woo investment to the country long ruled by the military and hit by Western sanctions. (ET) Global financial services firmNomura has said that India's third largest private sector lender - Axis Bank is better placed than private sector behemothICICI Bank and other PSU bank peers in terms of corporate book profitability. (ET) Deutsche Bank quelled speculation about its future in India as well as Asia and said it aims to build on one of the most profitable franchises amid global reorganisation that is leading to some businesses shrinking for it to remain profitable. (ET) Moody's Investors Service has affirmed ICICI Bank Limited's local and foreign currency deposit ratings of Baa3/P-3.The rating for the bank's senior unsecured medium term note (MTN) program of (P)Baa3 has also been affirmed.In addition, Moody's has affirmed ICICI Bank's baseline credit assessment (BCA) and adjusted BCA of baa3, as well as its Counterparty Risk Assessment (CR Assessment) of Baa2(cr)/P-2(cr).Moody's has also affirmed the ratings for the bank's subordinated MTN and junior subordinate MTN program at (P)Ba1 and (P)Ba2 respectively.The outlook on all the long-term ratings, where applicable, is positive.The full list of affected ratings is provided at the end of this press release.RATINGS RATIONALEICICI Bank's non-performing loans (NPL) have increased over the last few quarters, with its gross NPL ratio standing at 4.21% at end-2015 compared to 3.29% at end-March 2015. The increase was particularly large in the latest quarter ending December 2015 as the bank recognized some accounts as NPLs, in response to the Reserve Bank of India's directives to banks operating in the country.Moody's expects asset quality for ICICI Bank's corporate loans will remain under pressure, even beyond the quarter ending March 2016. The bank has a meaningful exposure to large corporates, some of which show weak debt servicing metrics. These exposures represent the key source of risk for the bank's asset quality.At the same time, the bank has significant buffers to withstand a meaningful deterioration in asset quality.ICICI Bank has seen significant improvement in its core operating profitability over the last few years, with its pre-provision income (PPI)/average assets increasing to 3.18% for the fiscal year ended 31 March 2015 (FY2015) from 1.91% at FY2009. The increase in its core profitability was driven by structural improvement in its funding profile, as well as higher net interest margins and better cost-to-income ratios.As a result, even if NPLs increase sharply, the bank can rebuild its loan loss reserve levels over a reasonable period of time by providing for higher credit costs. Credit costs/PPI for the bank for the nine months to 31 December 2015 registered 28%, indicating that the bank has the capacity to support a much higher level of credit costs if required.In addition, the bank exhibits strong capital levels, with a CET 1 ratio of 12.7% at end-2015. As demonstrated in the sale of its stake in its life insurance subsidiary completed in 2015 the bank can further support its capital levels by selling down some stakes in its subsidiaries if needed.These strong buffers have led to the bank's BCA being affirmed at baa3, despite the pressure on its asset quality.At the same time, ICICI Bank's BCA of baa3 is positioned at the upper end of the scorecard range of baa3-ba2, indicating downward pressure on its BCA.WHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATINGS -- UPICICI Bank's senior unsecured debt and deposit ratings could be upgraded if India's sovereign rating of Baa3 with a positive outlook is upgraded.WHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATINGS -- DOWNICICI Bank's BCA could face downward pressure if: (1) its NPL ratio increases substantially from current levels; and/or (2) if its core earnings fall and impacts its ability to support an increase in credit costs.Both the BCA and the senior unsecured debt and deposit ratings could be downgraded if India's sovereign rating is downgraded.The principal methodology used in these ratings was Banks published in January 2016. Please see the Ratings Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.ICICI Bank Limited, headquartered in Mumbai, reported total assets of INR7.02 trillion at 31 December 2015.Taking into account Moody's actions on ICICI Bank's ratings, the bank's ratings are as follows:ICICI Bank Limited: Long-term local and foreign currency bank deposit ratings affirmed at Baa3; outlook positive Short-term local and foreign currency bank deposit ratings affirmed at P-3 Senior unsecured MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Baa3 Subordinate MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Ba1 Junior subordinate MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Ba2 BCA and Adjusted BCA affirmed at baa3 CR Assessment affirmed at Baa2(cr)/P-2(cr)ICICI Bank Limited, New York Branch: Senior unsecured debt rating affirmed at Baa3; outlook positive Senior unsecured MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Baa3 Subordinate MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Ba1 Junior subordinate MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Ba2 CR Assessment affirmed at Baa2(cr)/P-2(cr)ICICI Bank Limited, Bahrain Branch: Senior unsecured debt rating affirmed at Baa3; outlook positive Senior unsecured MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Baa3 Subordinate MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Ba1 Junior subordinate debt rating affirmed at Ba2 (hyb) Junior subordinate MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Ba2 Pref. stock non-cumulative rating affirmed at Ba3 (hyb) CR Assessment affirmed at Baa2(cr)/P-2(cr)ICICI Bank Limited, Dubai Branch Senior unsecured debt rating affirmed at Baa3; outlook positive Senior unsecured MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Baa3 Subordinate MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Ba1 Junior subordinate MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Ba2 CR Assessment affirmed at Baa2(cr)/P-2(cr)ICICI Bank Limited, Hong Kong Branch Deposit note/CD program rating affirmed at (P)Baa3/(P)P-3 Senior unsecured debt rating affirmed at Baa3; outlook positive Senior unsecured MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Baa3 Subordinate MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Ba1 Junior subordinate MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Ba2 CR Assessment affirmed at Baa2(cr)/P-2(cr)ICICI Bank Limited, Singapore Branch Senior unsecured debt rating affirmed at Baa3; outlook positive Senior unsecured MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Baa3 Subordinate MTN program rating affirmed at (P)Ba1 CR Assessment affirmed at Baa2(cr)/P-2(cr) The Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visits to France, Russia and Japan were aimed to bring in socio-economic and scientific development particularly in the field of atomic energy. The details are as under: France : During the visit of Prime Minister to France in April 2015, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and the French nuclear power company AREVA NP signed a Pre-Engineering Agreement (PEA) for Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project (JNPP-1&2) based on the Evolutionary Pressurised Reactor (EPR) technology. The PEA will facilitate NPCIL to obtain details of the EPR technology, make a detailed safety assessment of the plant and take up licensing process with Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). During the same visit, a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the Indian company M/s L&T and M/s AREVA of France on 10.04.2015 for cooperation to maximize localization for the French -designed nuclear reactors in India in accord with Government's 'Make-in-India' initiative. Russia : A Programme of Action for Localisation of Manufacturing in India for Russian-designed Nuclear Power Plants was signed between India and Russia on 24.12.2015 during the visit of Prime Minister of India to Moscow. The programme covers localisation in India for major equipment and spares as well as fuel assemblies for future Russian-designed reactors in India, in accord with Government's 'Make-in-India' initiative. Coinciding with the visit of Hon'ble Prime Minister to Moscow, an Integrity Pact for the project for Kudankulam Units - 5&6 was signed between NPCIL and the Russian reactor supplier Atomstroyexport. Japan : Recent high-level engagements with Japan, including the visit of Prime Minister to Japan in August 2014 and the visit of Japanese Prime Minister to India in December 2015, have led to the negotiation on bilateral civil nuclear cooperation agreement being concluded in December 2015, bringing to a close five years of negotiations on this issue. The agreement will enable India to take advantage of Japan's advancements in the civil nuclear domain, and will make a direct contribution to India's civil nuclear programme. India has signed Inter-Governmental Agreements with a number of international partners for cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The scope of cooperation inter alia covers the supply of nuclear material, non-nuclear material, equipment, components or technology, training of personnel and transfer of technology, for peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is the nodal department in Government of India for all matters related to atomic energy. DAE has two PSUs, viz. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) and Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam (BHAVINI) under its administrative control, which have been entrusted with the responsibility of nuclear power generation. With the enactment of Atomic Energy (Amendment) Act, 2015, NPCIL and BHAVINI are in a position to form joint venture companies with other Indian PSUs to meet the additional funding requirements for expanding nuclear power programme and augmenting nuclear power generation capacity of India. Two industrial units i.e. Nuclear Fuel Complex and Heavy Water Board functioning under the aegis of the Department of Atomic Energy cater to the fuel fabrication and Heavy Water requirements respectively for India's nuclear power programme. Private sector in India participates in India's nuclear power programme as important source of supply of components and equipment and for works contracts. On the R&D front, constituent Units of DAE viz. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Raja Rammana Centre for Atomic Research (RRCAT), Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC) are engaged in basic as well as applied research in civil nuclear energy and affiliated sciences, to bring the benefits of nuclear energy for societal use as well as scientific development. This information was provided by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in a reply to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha today. Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari has said that projects in the ports and shipping sector, worth an investment of Rs. 1,20,000 Crore will be showcased before potential investors at the Maritime India Summit to be held in Mumbai from 14-16 April, 2016. He was talking to news persons in New Delhi today on the occasion of Media Launch of Maritime India Summit, 2016. The Minister said that the focus of the Government is on creating more jobs in the maritime sector. He added that one crore jobs 40 lakh direct and 60 lakh indirect -have been identified to be created in 27 port based industrial clusters, coastal shipping and inland waterways under Sagarmala project.The Minister underlined that in order to improve manufacturing, there is need to increase exports. While expressing concern over high cost of logistics in India which is currently about 18%, the Minister said that by developing coastal shipping and inland waterways, the transportation cost can be substantially reduced which will reduce logistics cost and make our products more cost effective.Gadkari gave details of major initiatives taken by the Government to develop the maritime sector. He said new ports have been announced at Wadhavan, Enayam (near Colachel) and Sagar with investment of Rs. 20,157 crore. In addition 27 projects with investment of Rs. 12,696 crore, adding capacity of 116 MTPA have been awarded in 2015-16 which include JNPT road connectivity (Rs.2,787 Cr) , Paradip mechanisation of coal berths (Rs. 1633 Cr) , Mumbai 5th oil berth (Rs. 811 Cr) , Kandla container terminal (Rs. 263 Cr) , Kolkata FSRU (Rs. 3500 Cr) , Ennore capital dredging (Rs. 425 Cr), Paradip LPG Terminal (Rs. 690 Cr) , New Mangalore mechanization (Rs. 470 Cr) , Goa dredging (Rs. 194 Cr).The Minister informed that 15 projects with investment of Rs. 6879 crore are to be awarded before 31st March 2016 which include Goa conversion of iron ore berths to multipurpose berths in Mormugao Port(Rs. 1100 Cr), Ennore oil terminal (Rs. 700 Cr), Ennore capital dredging (Rs. 600 Cr) , Haldia floating POL facility (Rs.460 Cr), Mumbai FSRU (Rs. 2740). He said 32 projects with investment of Rs. 4351 crore and capacity of 70 MTPA have been completed in 2015-16 while 46 projects with investment of Rs. 28,040 crore with capacity of 307 MTPA are under implementation.Prior to todays media launch, the Ministry of Shipping had organized MIS 2016 roadshows in Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad to highlight the growth potential of the maritime sector.The Minister has also held a meeting with the Ambassadors of all maritime nations, seeking their active participation in the summit and urging them to spread work about the event in their respective nations. The Republic of Korea is participating in MIS 2016 as a partner country. The Reserve Bank of India has notified that the aggregate share holdings by Global Depository Receipts (GDR)/American Depository Receipts (ADR)/Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)/Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs)/Registered Foreign Portfolios Investors (RFPIs)/Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)/Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) under Portfolio Investment Scheme in M/s Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. has gone below the prescribed limit stipulated under the extant FDI policy. Hence the restrictions placed on the purchase of shares of the above bank are withdrawn with immediate effect.The Reserve Bank has notified this under FEMA 2000. The Reserve Bank of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Supervisory Cooperation and Exchange of Supervisory Information with Bank of Israel. The MoU was signed by Dr Hedva Ber, Supervisor of banks on behalf of Bank of Israel and Mrs. Parvathy V. Sundaram, Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Department of Banking Supervision on behalf of Reserve Bank of India. The Reserve Bank has entered into Memorandam of Understanding, Letter for Supervisory Co-operation and Statement of Co-operation with supervisors of a few countries to promote greater co-operation and share supervisory information. With this RBI has signed 32 such MoUs, one Letter for Supervisory Co-operation and one Statement of Co-operation. Relationships today have become fragile and lets not even get into the marriage zone. The concepts of stability and trust have become blurred, isn't it? While relationships bite the dust too easily, there is someone in the world who had the guts to question the whole idea and concept of marriage. No, she didnt start off any anti-marriage protests; rather, she decided to get married. The woman in context here is none than Sapna Bhavnani. Facebook Instead of marrying a person, she married some of her beloved things. Celebrity hair dresser Sapna Bhavnani rose to popularity after her brief yet impactful stint in Salman Khans popular show Bigg Boss. She even argued with Salman Khan, remember? She is gutsy and inspiring in ways more than one. Facebook/Sapna Bhavnani In her latest project, Bhavnani chose to challenge the concept of marriage and forever by marriage multiple times, to people and objects that are precious to her. In an exclusive conversation with Indiatimes, Sapna Bhavnani revealed how this idea struck her. She said: As you grow up in India, parents start looking for a mate for you and suddenly you realize that your life starts revolving around the whole concept of marriage. After my 3rd marriage, which was nearly 10 years ago, I was single, kicking it solo and I took a road trip to Europe. I was shopping around in Berlin where I found this gorgeous wedding gown which I wanted to try out. Since I had my head shaven and all, the shop guy told me, You want to try it? Youre Fat! and this denial changed me. Why are we so obsessed with the idea of being perfect for someone? We want to become perfect for this one day which we think will complete and change our life? And I was pretty sure that I am not going back without a wedding gown. I bought a cheaper one, which had its zip broken but I did buy! And thats when I realized that I am not going to compromise or settle for ONE person. I am a different person every single day, my likes change, my dislikes change, my friends change, whats the point of settling with one person? So then I decided to get married to things that include a city too. I realized I actually feel pure emotions for these things and not a person! After working with multiple stylists and photographers, here are the pictures from the catalogue that have details of her marriages and vows in this unique photo project. 1. She first married the most important person in her life, herself. Photo by Vijit Gupta Her vow to herself: With this marriage, I promise to love, respect, and cherish myself in rain and shine. Till death do us part. 2. Then she married her cat who she dearly loves. Photo by Abheet Gidwani Her vow to her cat: With this marriage, I promise to be there when you get old and crabby (not that that will ever happen). When your meows gradually fade to silence, I promise to be your foundation. Ive become strong now for you to lean on me. My sweet feline, I love you. Till death do us part. 3. She also married her 'roots'. Photo by Rafique Sayed Her vows to her roots: With the marriage, I promise to explore the shit outta you, unafraid of consequences. I promise to show the world how beautiful and gentle you really are, even though you exist in a place we all are conditioned to hate from childhood. Your presence in our National Anthem to this day makes me realise your absence even more. The white colour of my skin makes me wonder of the men that came in and out of my lineage. Never has anything or anyone had my attention like you. You have rooted yourself inside me and i know this journey is going to be the longest Ive ever had. Bring it on. Till death do us part. 4. She married the 'City of Bombay'! Photo by Vijit Gupta Her vow to Bombay: With this marriage, I promise to make you as beautiful as you make me feel; by walking gently on your skin, by planting smiles on your naked rocks when the hot sun beats down on them and by not judging you for the garbage thrown by us. I am Bombay. I am you and you are me. Till death do us part. 5. She decided to get married to her 'ink'. Photo by Bikramjit Bose Her vow to her ink: With this marriage, I promise to bear all the pain and bloodshed without complaining. The only story left to tell would be ours, but that would change with every new life. You are me and I am you. Till death do us part. 6. And then, to her 'disappearing' ink! Photo by Bikramjit Bose Her vow to her disappearing ink: With this marriage, I promise to accept your infidelity as unintentional. Your disappearance will not signify abandon but abundance. My stories will be written with soul instead of ink. Till death do us part. 7. She got married to her 'dearest FAN'. Photo by Sushant Chhabria Her vows to Sumair: With this marriage, I promise to be your chomu forever. I dont use words like forever cuz i dont believe in them, but somehow it feels apt with you. Even if I am lying, I know you will be ok with that. And that is exactly why I will always be around. Till death do us part. 8. After she lost her BFF to death, she chose to keep him alive forever by 'marrying' him. Photo by Abheet Gidwani Her vow to Shivraj: With this marriage, I promise to never take you for granted. There were moments when you reached out to talk but I was always busy. Cuz no one pays any attention to those who smile all the time. You are gone, but you are not. I have become the woman who smiles all the time. Till death do us part. So much respect for you, Sapna! A wise man once said "Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups". He didn't say it in the context of social media but it would be pretty much applicable if he did! Almost everyday in India (and globally) we come across things on the internet that make us curious, angry, sad, crazy, upset and we share that image/post/information without even pausing to think for a moment whether that post seems logical or true. And since we humans follow a herd mentality, such posts go viral, resulting in thousands of hours being spent on views and comments. Some of these posts turn out to be outright hoaxes planted by mischief mongers. Here are some of the most glaring examples from India that just tells you why you should never blindly believe or share what you read on social media! 1. Photoshopped Patriotism A spokesperson of the ruling party had a face palm moment when it was pointed out that the image he was proudly showing on his tablet of Indian soldiers hoisting the tricolour at Kargil was actually a photoshopped version of the Pulitzer Prize winning photograph titled Raising the Flag at Iwo Jima. It was taken by Joe Rosenthal on February 23, 1945, on Mount Suribachi in the island of Iwo Jima in the Pacific Ocean, during the final months of World War II. Needless to say the photoshopped image was widely shared on social media by chest thumping "nationalists" 2. Scare mongering over candy! A few days back someone from Ahmedabad put out this mischievous warning about the candy, Pulse, on Facebook. Now when you make up such allegations, you've got to back it up with hard evidence. Since none was shared, people were quick to question the motives of the guy who made the post. Now you can't sully the reputation of a hugely popular candy like Pulse and hope to get away lightly can you? Many loyal consumers even started trolling Dhaval Gandhi in a show of fan support similar to what we saw for Maggi a few months back! 3. The day the internet killed Arnold Schwarzenegger! On 28th August 2015, a website that pushes fake content put out a story about the Hollywood superstar and former California Governor passing away from a heart attack. The news spread like wildfire and many Arnie fans in India like the rest of the world went into mourning. Thankfully they didn't suffer for long as a clarification was made. The Terminator was alive and well! 4. Lord Hanuman's Gadha Was Found. Well, Almost! Social media was abuzz when this image was widely shared along with the news that Lord Hanuman's gadha (mace) had been excavated in Sri Lanka. Well, turns out the image was actually of the gadha being installed on a huge Hanumanji statue in Indore on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti in 2013. 5. Woman Gives Birth To 11 Babies! Well, you guessed it right. Another brilliant hoax. This picture was of 11 test tube babies born on 11/11/11 at a hospital in Surat, Gujarat. 6. Anurag Kashyap Fakes His Eye Injury! He put up this image on Instagram with this caption "Now they put a plaster. This is what happens when you get into a brawl with a MMA fighter". Needless to say this news got picked up by news sites and his fans on social media. No one bothered to verify its authenticity till Kashyap revealed the prank. He proved his point that we believe almost anything that's shared on the internet without even bothering to do basic checks! Well the key takeaway we hope for you after reading this story is to always do a little research before you blindly believe in something you saw on the internet. And incase you forget, this meme will always remind you! It's being called 'Srisneyland', Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's 3 day World Cultural Festival (WCF) literally on the Yamuna River. From roping in the Indian army to build pontoon and temporary structures over the polluted river, to make it a hotspot for the expected lakhs, the guru has pulled out all stops for a mega event that he claims will clean the river. Event management company chief Vijay Nair has a great perspective on this - can anyone rustle up access to one of India's most important rivers for an event? On Srisneyland by the Yamuna - I wish every citizen had the right to organise events with the same liberties in Delhi. Will DDA ever allot land (and at what cost) to a private citizen if they wanted to host 3 million people? Would it be okay if we overused the allotted land by a 30-40 acres? Is it okay for private bodies to crack deals and take over land from farmers? Can we privately alter flood plains without getting plans passed by any govt. authority? Will the Delhi Police ever give permission to any event within the city that hosts more than 100,000 people? Are we allowed to use army services for private use in case we have many people showing up? A service easily available through put vendors. Would the fire department ever clear structural permissions for such massive installations made with flammable material? How did the event get a license in advance without any on site inspections? Where is this provision, Id love to see. How can supreme court orders be violated and show be allowed to go on after 10 PM? Are the police charging a bandobast fees for arranging security for a pvt. event? Why not? As per published fees, this should run into crores. This is the text book example of laws being only applicable for the common citizen.Under no existing rules will anything the scale of #srisneyland be allowed if its being organised by a pvt. citizen & that is the scam On Srisneyland by the Yamuna - I wish every citizen had the right to organise events with the same liberties in Delhi.... Posted by Vijay Nair on Monday, 7 March 2016 Update: While Sri Sri has received permission for the event, a 5 crore fine has been levied on the The Art of Living Foundation by the National Green Tribunal, after it grilled central and state agencies over a two-day hearing on a petition regarding the event's ecosystem impact. The total area covers the equivalent six football fields, and the infrastructure created includes temporary bridges, mobile towers and a parking area. Amidst the communally surcharged atmosphere in Agra following, the killing of VHP leader Arun Mahor, this is a story that both communities need to take lessons from and then celebrate it. 15-year-old Nazia was on Tuesday awarded the Rani Laxmibai bravery award by chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav, for saving a 6-year-old Hindu girl from kidnappers in August last TOI It was the afternoon on August 7, when Nazia, a student of Saghir Fatima Mohammadia Girls Inter College, was returning home when she heard cries for help from a young girl, who was being forcibly pulled on a motorcycle by two youths. Unmindful of her own safety, Nazia rushed to the girl's help and held her hand and managed to pull her away from the kidnappers, who then fled the spot. It was only after she had rescued the girl, Dimpy, Nazia learnt that she was her junior from school. Today, when tension prevails between the two communities, Dimpy's parents treat Nazia as their own daughter and are indebted to her for saving their child from the clutches of the kidnappers. After receiving her award, Nazia said her actions were spontaneous and she didn't hesitate even for a second to think about her won safety. "It was about 12.30 PM when I heard Dimpy's cries for help. I just rushed to her and caught hold of her hand", she said. Recalling the moment, Nazia said, "It was like a tug of war for 2 minutes. While they tried pulling her on the motorcycle, I kept pulling her back", she said adding that the suspects finally gave up and fled. Nazia said since the incident had happened near Sadarbhatti area, which is just 100 meters away from their school, she immediately rushed there with Dimpy and informed the Principal. "Dimpy was crying. After the school authorities informed the police, I took her home to her parents", she said adding that she is now treated as a daughter in Dimpy's home. Image frim the ceremony. Source: Eenadu When contacted, Dimpy said she was very happy that "didi" had been awarded for her bravery. "Agar didi uss din na hoti to woh log mujhe le jaate (they would have taken me away that day if 'didi' hadn't been there)", she said. Describing the award ceremony as a moment of "pride" of her, Nazia said she would do the same if something like this ever happens again. The award also carries a cheque of Rs one lakh. Haji Jamiluddin Qureshi, Manager of Saghir Fatima Mohammadia Girls Inter College, said, "there is no religious discrimination in our school. Even the students do not discriminate between themselves because of their religious beliefs". He said, "in our school we have Muslim girls learning Sanskrit and Hindus girls taking lessons in Urdu". The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will provide 24x7 security cover to yoga guru Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Food and Herbal Park, making it the eighth private sector establishment and the only FMCG firm to be protected by the paramilitary force since 2009. economictimes So sparingly is CISF cover extended to private sector establishments that even Mumbai's Taj Hotel, which was attacked on 26/11, was refused security on the ground that hotel industry was not a 'critical' sector and could handle its security through private agencies. More recently, the Sai Baba shrine at Shirdi was denied CISF cover, as the home ministry felt this would open a Pandora's box of demands from other religious places. CISF's other private sector clients are in sectors such as oil, power, steel and IT. They include Reliance's Jamnagar refinery; Infosys campuses in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Pune; Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd at Mundra (Gujarat); Tata Steel at Kalinganagar, Odisha and Electronic City, Bengaluru. delhidailynews Ramdev's Haridwar-based Patanjali Food and Herbal Park will fully bear the expenses for deployment of 35 CISF personnel on its premises, CISF director general Surender Singh said. As per CISF's mandate, broadened in 2009 in the aftermath of the 26/11 attacks, the force can provide security cover on payment basis to private establishments that contribute immensely to national development. The CISF, sources said, was deployed at the Patanjali facility on "internal security duty" starting June 4, 2015, as per a home ministry order. This was shortly after the firm's management wrote to the ministry requesting CISF protection in view of the "security threats" faced by it. Officials said such immediate deployment is usually done at the highest level of priority, as it allows CISF personnel to be inducted pending home ministry sanction for a survey of the client firm or 'regular' deployment. wikimedia commons The deployment was allegedly based on intelligence inputs of local law and order threats as well as high number of foreign visitors, said a source. Soon after the home ministry cleared the Patanjali file, CISF deployed 33 personnel as quick reaction teams, stationing them at vantage positions to counter a possible terror attack. The monthly bill now is estimated at Rs 21 lakh, but will go up with regular deployment. It was only after the initial "temporary" deployment that CISF got the MHA's sanction for a proper security audit of the facility, followed by approval for regular deployment of 35 CISF personnel from this year. One can still see anger in his eyes. He injured two miscreants but still regrets failing to overpower others, who under the garb of Jat protests, tried to loot State Bank of Patiala (SBP) in Jhajjar. tribuneindia "I can still recall their faces. I won't spare them if I get a second chance," says ex-armyman Hawa Singh Yadav (51). He narrated the incident while undergoing treatment at Aarvy Hospital in Gurgaon. "I was on duty on February 21, when around 11.30 am, I saw miscreants barging in. The bank was closed that day. They broke open the main gate and set my scooter on fire," he said. When they tried to enter the building, he pointed his 11 mm bore rifle and issued them a warning. "The miscreants, who carried crude bombs, dared me to fire and threatened to kill me if I tried to stop them. One of them threw a bomb which exploded, causing a gas cylinder to blast," Yadav added. Yadav then fired two shots, which injured two miscreants. But it failed to deter the rest. Smartly, Yadav locked himself in the strong room. "They made all efforts to break into the strong room, but failed and left after burning down bank property. I felt suffocated by the smoke, and called my brother on cell phone, before I fell unconscious," Yadav continued. ndtv Yadav was later rescued by his brother and villagers with the help of police, and admitted to the hospital under supervision of Dr Vikram Yadav, who said, "The patient has suffered injuries but is out of danger." The SBP branch in Jhajjar was attacked on Saturday, February 20, in an attempt to loot it. PWD minister Rao Narbir Singh, who met Yadav in the hospital on Saturday evening, he would request the CM to extend support to Yadav, as the brave guard had saved Rs 137 crore of public money. Yadav had joined SBP at Azadpur Mandi as guard in Delhi in 2004, after retiring from 11 Kumaon regiment as a Naik in 1999. In 2006, he was posted in the Jhajjar branch. He lives with his wife and two sons in Khedi Khummar village of Jhajjar district. During the protest, a computer centre run by one of his sons was also burnt down. Health minister UT Khader on Saturday said the Chief Minister's Santwana Yojana for accident victims would be renamed after Harish Nanjappa, 23, who donated his eyes moments before his death in a horrific accident in Nelamangala last month. The health department has already petitioned the CM for the renaming the scheme, he said. Half of all road fatalities can be reduced if a victim gets attention in the first 30 minutes The scheme, scheduled to be launched on March 8, will be renamed as Mukhyamantrigala Santwana Harish Scheme.Besides financial assistance, the scheme aims to provide ac cident victims with immediate cashless treatment at hospitals for up to 48 hours with a cap of Rs 25,000. The victim will get treatment from a set of 25 packages and ancillary medical attention recommended by an expert committee. The packages include treatment for simple in juries, complicated facial injuries, fractures, head injuries, blood transfusion and burns. Biker Makes A Dying Declaration After A Terrible Accident, Pleads To Donate His Organs #TrueHero youtube Meanwhile, the department said a software will be used to ensure proper implementation of the scheme with hospital registration, patient registration, claims submission etc. Hospitals that will be a part of the scheme will be categorised into Level 1,2 and 3 trauma centres based on the facilities available.Level 3 hospitals will be accorded the status of major trauma centres. Further, the government will also set up emergency toll free help lines (108 and 104) to assist accident victims. Inspired By The Accident Victim Who's Last Wish Was To Donate His Organs, His Entire Village Signs Up For Eye Donation In a bid to boost the production of khadi and benefit small weavers across the country, government employees may soon be seen wearing khadi to work. In a plea made by Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC), the association has urged the government to encourage their officers to don the hand-spun fabric at least once every week. deshgujarat "We are discussing this with the government and we will make an appeal. Employees can wear it to work on just one day," said KVIC chairman, VK Saxena. Sources inside the government have said that even though the exercise may be voluntary, it will seriously affect a rise in sales. And surprisingly, officers are not averse to the plan. One officer described it as a "good idea", while many others already wear Fabindia shirts. KVIC is also partnering with Fabindia and Raymond to retail high-end khadi. utsavpedia KVIC on several occasions has tried to push khadi as uniforms in defence forces, government schools, railways, and Air India. Not just this, KVIC recently won a tender worth Rs 40 crores from the railways and also got JK Cement on board to adopt khadi uniforms. Hence, the main focus for KVIC purely rests on production, price and quality of their product. The aim is to increase the pie for khadi from 1% to 3-3.5% in overall textile production, as well as take the production rate beyond 7% in coming years. Punjabis are the most obese people in the country, while men from Tripura and women from Meghalaya are the leanest, health minister JP Nadda told Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. beautyvsbeast According to the 2005-06 National Family Health Survey, the overall prevalence of obesity and diabetes have shown a consistent rise with 65, 66.8 and 69.1 million people between 20-79 years of age suffering from it in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Eat Right To Beat The Fat, Here Are 10 Fat Burning Foods The National Family Health Survey data assumes significance because India is already the third most obese country in the world and is showing increasing incidence of obesity among children and adolescents, mainly the in urban areas. Latest estimates show that prevalence of obesity among adolescents (13-18 years) has grown from 16% to 29% over the last five years. According to data presented by Nadda, men and women from Punjab followed by Kerala and Delhi are the most obese people with 22.2%, 17.8% and 16.8% of men and 29.9%, 28.1% and 26.4% of women from the respective states reporting a body mass index (BMI) of more than 25. How To Lose Fat And Fast, These Are Exercises You Should Do Data also show women everywhere, except Bihar and Meghalaya, are more overweight than men. In Tripura, only 4.8% of men and 7.1% of women are obese while in Meghalaya, only 5.9% men and 5.3% women are overweight. A consortium of 13 banks led by State Bank of India approached the Supreme Court on Tuesday to prevent controversial tycoon Vijay Mallya from leaving the country, but they may have left it too late. Mallya is believed to have left for a foreign destination a few days ago. Forbes The banks urged the court to stop him from going abroad as they claimed he owed them over Rs 9,000 crore. The banks were represented by attorney general Mukul Rohatgi, indicating the government was backing the petitioners against Mallya, who recently said he wished to settle in London. Mallya's spokesperson said she had no information about his whereabouts and that he was communicating only through email. A consortium of 13 banks on Tuesday approached the SC, a day after a Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) restrained Mallya from disbursing in any manner Rs 515 crore paid to him by liquor major Diageo for exiting United Spirits. PTI But the tribunal refused an interim order to freeze Mallya's passport. Mallya has reportedly expressed a desire to settle in London following the Rs 515 crore deal with Diageo, the banks said through attorney general Mukul Rohatgi. Rohatgi told a bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and U U Lalit that there was every chance of Mallya slipping out of the country as he had told the media that Diageo would be paying him Rs 515 crore in London as fee for exiting United Spirits. This is the reason why the petitioners moved the DRT for freezing Mallya's passport, issuance of arrest warrant against him, restraining him from disbursing Rs 515 crore ($75 million) and to seek a direction to Mallya to disclose his entire assets on oath. PTI The AG said the DRT restrained him from disbursing the amount due from Diageo but did not order freezing of his passport as it failed to appreciate the magnitude of the debt and the possibility of Mallya fleeing the country. The banks then approached the Karnataka High Court for the same relief but did not get any interim order. After the AG sought an urgent hearing, the CJI posted the petition for hearing on Wednesday. The petitioner banks are SBI, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of Mysore, UCO Bank, United Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, Corporation Bank, Federal Bank and IDBI Bank. The banks said, the HC failed to protect the interest of the petitioner banks who are yet to recover an amount in excess of Rs 9,000 crore from Kingfisher Airlines, United Breweries Ltd, Vijay Mallya and Kingfisher Finvest (India) Ltd. ibsindia "Petitioner banks individually advanced to Kingfisher Airlines loans of thousands of crores of rupees. By way of a Master Debt Recast Agreement (MDRA) of December 21, 2010 and other related documents, the existing lands were restructured and treated as a single facility. United Breweries and Mallya have on December 21, 2010 executed both corporate guarantee and personal guarantee promising repayment of the entire amount due to the banks." With Vijay Mallya leaving India the case of recovering the massive debt he owes to 17 Indian banks got even messier. With options running out to recover the Rs 7,000 crore debt the fiasco is turning out to be one of the biggest industrial frauds in India. PTI Even if Kingfisher's creditor banks auction company property in Mumbai, it is expected to fetch just a fraction of what they are owed. The entire episode has also thrown-up a number of larger questions. 1. How was Mallya allowed to get away from the country? Mallya is reportedly missing since days. He is believed to have fled to London. He vanished from the scene when the banks had approached the court seeking the impounding of his passport on the fear that the NRI businessman would leave the country. 2. How did the banks lent such a huge amount to Mallya's company? Even while the Kingfisher Airlines was making loses IDBI Bank had lent about Rs 900 crore on the brand,much higher to its actual brand value. Anna.aero The loan was further extended in 2012-13 when in 2011 KFA was declared as a non-performing asset. Kingfisher, once India's second-biggest airline, stopped flying more than three years ago. 3. Why was there such delay in initiating recovery process? For some mysterious reasons the banks, including the likes of SBI decided to go soft on Mallya. When some kind of action was initiated Mallya made the banks run from one court to another with appeals after appeals. PTI The banks only formed a consortium at a point when it was too clear that their loans cannot be recovered from the assets of KFA and Mallya. 4. Will the bank officials be held accountable? KFA was given a loan of almost three times the collateral it had pledged. The senior executives of so many prominent banks took the step while overlooking the performance of the company and the aviation sector as a whole. 5. How much of the loan can be recovered? Even by the admission of the banks themselves, they don't expect to recover the entire Rs 7,000 crore he owes to the lenders. They are instead hoping to recover "a portion of the loan" by auctioning his assets. Banks had also tried to reach into some kind of settlement with Mallya for a reduced payment. 6. Why didn't the government act so far? Well, one of the reason could be that Mallya is still a Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka. He was elected to the parliament as a nominee of BJP and backed by Janata Dal (Secular). Political Mirror While the government says stern action will be taken, the question of why didn't the government act to facilitate the recovery of assets. 7. Why is there no political push against him? The opposition Congress have so far not taken an aggressive position against Mallya. Despite this being a golden opportunity to corner the government in the parliament, Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi has so far remained largely silent on the issue. This could be because they themselves didn't do enough while they were in power. The business tycoon is known to have pretty strong political connections across the board. richcelebrities It seemed like that last thing Mallya bothered was about the loan hanging over his head as he went on to acquire a F1 team, an IPL Team, a CCL team and was in the news often for throwing lavish parties. Were excited to announce that indmin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com. A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets. Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials. If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details. Ayodele Daniel Dada recently became the first person in Nigeria to graduate with a CGPA of 5.0 after he graduated from the department of Psychology University of Lagos. Ayodele scored A in every single course he offered in his 4 years stay at the school. While some people may be busy down playing what he did, probably because he didnt study medicine or engineering, we think it is an enviable feat and INFORMATION NIGERIA in this regard wants you to know 5 types of students you are most like to find in a Nigerian University Spiricocos: This might not be an English word but it is a word anyone who went to a University in Nigeria knows too well. These set of student have a lifestyle that no one can miss. From hostel to Class, then to Church, and back to the Hostel again. That is how it goes from semester to semester until they graduate. If you stayed in the hostel, then you must have met thede ones who pray fervently from dusk to dawn. Cooks: These ones could cook for the whole of Africa. They probably cook as if they are practising for the world chef competition and if you look at it very well, they very well may be as they end up cooking the semester away. From class to the market, then to the kitchen and the circle goes on. Dressers: You see them and wonder if they spend all their allowances on just clothes. They walk about in the finest linen like they have a personal shopper and a stylist. Efficos: Mr Dada obviously falls into this category. From class to the library to the secluded reading spot to the reading bed to the reading toilets and bathrooms. Seriously, these ones read and read and make other students scared. Different schools have different names for them, there is jackometer, jackophite, scholar, scholar emeritus etc. Socialists: They have all the friends in all the departments, know everything going on in the nook and cranny of campus and attend all the parties there is to throw in the semester. A couple of them attend class too but probably not as much as they attend social events. These are our top five Do add yours!!! The Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Paul Yakadi, on Tuesday said in Makurdi that the departure of herdsmen from the state marked an end to clashes between them and farmers. Mr. Yakadi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the herdsmen had started leaving the state in droves on their own volition to end the ongoing crisis with farmers. Some armed herdsmen over two weeks ago massacred hundreds of people in Agatu communities over the alleged killing of 10,000 of their cattle by the people in the communities. The police chief, however, noted that the decision of the herdsmen to leave the state would give peace a chance. The herdsmen have started leaving the state for peace to reign. They are leaving in their numbers, but that does not mean the crisis has ended. We believe that in no distant time peace will return in the affected local governments and the people will return to their homes again. My men are trying their best to end this crisis. Our people too must learn to live with one another and manage disagreement amicably without violence, he advised. The commissioner said the Benue command was expecting two additional units of mobile police from Asaba and Abakaliki to quell the farmers/herdsmen crisis. He said the new units would be deployed to the hinterlands to assist the other officers already on ground to fully end the crisis. The commissioner appealed to both parties to show restraint and learn to live with one another in peace. The local government areas engulfed by the clashes included Agatu, Buruku, Logo, Kwande and Makurdi, the state capital. (NAN) The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been unbundled into four units in a major restructuring aimed at making the state-owned oil firm more efficient. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Dr. Ibe Kachikwu yesterday announced the new structure which has been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari, at a briefing in Abuja. The new NNPC comprises a lean headquarters and four autonomous business units, he said. The four units are: Upstream Company, Downstream Company, Refinery Company and Gas/ Power Company. According to him, the Upstream Company will now comprise of NPDC and the IDSL. The Downstream Company consists of Retail, NPMC and NPSC, the Refinery Company consists of WRPC, KRPC and PHRC while the Gas and Power is now made up of NGPTC, NGMC and Gas and Power Investment. Kachikwu said the Federal Government has approved the appointment of Chief Executives for the companies: They are: Bello Rabiu as CEO of the Upstream Company; Henry Iken Obih for Downstream; Anibor Kragha for Refineries and Saidu Mohammed for Gas and Power. He denied announcing the unbundling of the corporation into 30 companies, saying the GMD is still the Chief Executive of NNPC. He said what was ignored in his statement about the new structure of the NNPC is that there will be subsets. Subset is the unbundling. It is not a direct unbundling of NNPC into 30. It means that the subsets of NNPC are being unbundled into smaller numbers of companies. It is totally a different thing and the press got it wrong, please. The minister attributed the cause of fuel scarcity to the independent marketers that have refused to import petroleum products that now resulted in NNPC embarking on 100 percent importation and supply instead of 50 per cent. He expressed hope that within one year, the NNPC would overcome fuel constraints and exit importation of products. The minister said the Port Harcourt Refinery is back on stream, working at minimal terms. He said the corporation has now embarked on supplying one cargo of products daily. Three refineries, he said, are configured now to produce 50% of PMS and 50% of other products. The hope is that at the end of the month, the three refineries would have got crude and begin to work. Hopefully, that will soften the pressure, he added. Oil workers have shut down the operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) nationwide following Tuesdays unbundling of the corporation. Members of staff and management of the corporation arrived their various offices on Wednesday morning to discover that they could not gain entrance following the total strike. The immediate impact of the strike will be nationwide fuel scarcity as products will not be lifted by NUPENG. It is not expected to affect the crude oil export yet except the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) joins in solidarity. Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum resources who doubles as the NNPC group managing director, had announced the creation of seven independent units on Tuesday, namely downstream, gas and power, refineries, ventures, corporate planning and services, and finance and accounts. NNPCs stranded workers in Abuja PHOTO: Fred Nwabufo The group executive committee (GEC) of the the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) convened an emergency meeting at 10pm on Tuesday to discuss the development. At the end of the meeting, GEC sent this message to all members: The GEC of NUPENG & PENGASSAN at its meeting of 8th March 2016, which started at 10:00pm has extensively discussed the pronouncement of the GMD on NNPC UNBUNDLING. We observed that the GMD/HMSP totally disregarded due process and failed to engage STAKEHOLDERS. Hence, from midnight today, ALL NNPC LOCATIONS will be SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY until further notice. Further directives will be communicated accordingly. When TheCable visited the NNPC headquarters on Wednesday, hundreds of the corporations staff littered the road causing gridlock on Herbert Macaulay way. Unionists in red were at the scene barricading the entrance to the NNPC building. Also, security agents were on hand to forestall break down of order. A staff member of the NNPC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told this newspaper that he was at the corporations building as of 7:30am on Wednesday but met it barricaded by members of PENGASSAN. TheCable tried to speak with one of the leaders of the union, but he said: We are not here for journalists. This is not for the press. Kachikwu had said the distribution of subsidiary companies of the corporation would further be restructured into direct management of the divisions. Last week, Kachikwu announced that the government was planning to unbundle the corporation into 30 profitable companies. Source: The Cable A teenager, who was raped before she was set on fire on the roof of her familys home, has died of her injuries in a New Delhi hospital, police said. The 16-year-old had been fighting for her life after suffering more than 90 percent burns in Mondays attack, which occurred in a village outside the capital. Unfortunately, she could not be saved despite the best efforts of the medical staff, Ashwani Kumar, an investigating officer told the AFP news agency on Wednesday. He also confirmed the arrest of a 19-year-old man who is suspected of carrying out the attack. We have arrested the accused, who is 19 years old and sent him to judicial custody, he said, adding that an investigation is on to find out more about the motive and details of the crime. The Indian paper Hindustan Times identified the suspect as Ajay Kumar and quoted police as saying that he would face murder charges. Media reports quoted the girls father as saying a neighbour in their village in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh had been harassing his daughter for a year despite several warnings. The attack is just one of several recently reported cases of rape against women or children in India underlining the persistence of such violence despite a public outcry three years ago that led to stronger laws to prevent sexual assault. Indias women and children are considered particularly vulnerable to sexual violence and harassment because of widespread social taboos against speaking about sexual assault. The stigma is enough to keep many from even reporting crimes, while many others face police resistance in filing complaints. The Federal Government has announced March 18 as the burial date for the Minister of State for Labour, James Ocholi, SAN, who died Sunday alongside his wife and son in a car accident. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babacir Lawal, who made the announcement at the valedictory session of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday, said a committee set up by the government had met with the late ministers family and picked March 16,17 and 18 for the funeral rites. According to the burial arrangements as announced by Mr. Lawal, a service of songs would hold on March 17 at the International Conference Centre Abuja by 7 pm. He also said the body of Mr. Ocholi, his wife, Blessing, and son, Joshua, would depart the National Hospital Abuja on March 17, for his home town, Dekina, in Kogi state. He said wake-keeping slated for the same day in Dekina would kick off from 6pm to the next day while internment would take place on March 18 by 12 noon in Dekina. Meanwhile, the SGF also announced that President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that the children of the late minister who are university graduates, be given immediate employment, while those in school should be awarded scholarship up to university level. Mr. Lawal said two of four children left behind by Mr. Ocholi are university graduates, while one is a student of Covenant University, and the last child is a secondary school student in SS 1. The SGF, therefore, asked the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to work out modalities for the scholarship. Vanguard We were coerced, offered $1m bribe to impeach Fayose Ekiti lawmakers Members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly have raised the alarm over plot to coerce them into impeaching Governor Ayodele Fayose, revealing that a sum of $1 million was being promised some of the members that will be ready to be part of the impeachment plot. Daily Times The Federal Government has announced automatic employment at the Federal Ministry of Justice for Aaron James Ocholi, the eldest son of late minister of state for Labour, James Ocholi (SAN). Guardian Twenty-two people have now died in the collapse of a five-storey building under construction in an upmarket area of Nigerias biggest city Lagos, a rescue official said Wednesday. Daily Trust President Muhammadu Buhari does not indulge in frivolities or flamboyance because of his disciplined lifestyle, the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said at the weekend. National Mirror The senator representing Kaduna Central District on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, Shehu Sani, has thrown his weight behind President Muhammadu Buharis decision to drag Nigeria into the Saudi Arabia-led coalition of Islamic countries against terrorism. The senator said in a statement on Tuesday, that the coalition was a commendable step towards confronting and combating the menace of terror globally. ISIL is the source and inspiration for terror groups worldwide and there is no alternative better than the Saudi initiative, Mr. Sani said. The Saudi initiative provides opportunity for non-aligned nations and nations bedeviled by terror and violent insurgency to tackle the scourge from its roots. The Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Domestic Debts, pleaded with Nigerians not to attach any religious meaning to the initiative as terrorism poses a common threat and danger to global peace and to people of all religious affiliation. Nigerias presence in the coalition is in the best national interest of Nigeria as Nigeria is also a victim of activities terror groups with possible affiliations to ISIL, he said. A collective danger can only be addressed by a collective action. No nation of the world can individually contain or combat terror without an alliance in the pursuit of its total eradication. Sani, who is also Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, further said the fight against armed terror groups should not be the exclusive responsibility of global powers. From Somalia to Yemen to Iraq to Afghanistan and beyond, terrorism represents a common threat to world peace and stability; it is a moral and political duty for nations of the world to act in unison of words and action to save humanity, he said. About a week after Senator Dino Melaye enjoined his colleagues to marry made-in-Nigeria women, the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, on Tuesday also called on Nigerian men to show care to women by marrying more than one wife. He specifically called on Senate President Bukola Saraki to take a second wife. The Senate president, though a Muslim from Nigerias north-central state of Kwara, has been married to one wife, Toyin, for many years. Ndume gave his advice while contributing to the debate on the motion to mark International Womens Day moved by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Oluremi Tinubu. In the motion, Mrs. Tinubu paid tribute to women, saying, We represent courage and resilience (and) without us I dont think this country will move forward. The Senate leader in his contribution, asked men to marry more wives as a way of taking care of them. I urge men to marry more than one wife, he said. The first care of a woman is marriage. Men should take care of women by not just befriending them, but by going further to marry them. I know there is nowhere in the Bible that prohibits marrying more than one wife. Starting with the Senate president, I ask him to consider marrying more than one wife, he said. Mr. Ndume, thereafter, made a formal request to the Senate to declare that Nigerian men should marry more than one wife. As a sign of respect for women, lets urge men to marry more than one wife, he said. In his own contribution, Suleiman Nazif, representing Bauchi North Senatorial District, backed the Senate leader. However, the request failed as Mr. Saraki ruled that the nays have it! Responding to Mr. Ndume, a female senator, Binta Garba made a counter remark. We are not sex objects. Bible is in support of one man one woman. We want gender parity. Where women and men can work side by side, Ms. Garba said. On 9 March 2013, the Nigerian Government changed the name of the Ministry of Trade and Investment to Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment was created to play a decisive role in the diversification of the resource base of the economy by promoting trade and investment with special emphasis on increased production and export of non-oil and gas products that will lead to wealth and job creation, poverty reduction and ensure enhanced service delivery in a manner that will stimulate the growth of the domestic economy for self-reliance and export and its integration into the global market taking full advantage of globalization. Also on this day in 2004, in warri, a shootout between unidentified gunmen and government troops killed five people, including one soldier. Proposals to send back refugees en masse from the European Union to Turkey would contravene their right to protection under European and international law, agencies and rights groups say. The UNs refugee agency, UNHCR, has criticised the plans drawn up by Turkey and the EU, saying they would amount to a violation of human rights. The collective expulsion of foreigners is prohibited under the European Convention of Human Rights, Vincent Cochetel, UNHCRs Europe regional director, said in Geneva on Tuesday. An agreement that would be tantamount to a blanket return of any foreigners to a third country, is not consistent with European law, is not consistent with international law. On Monday, Turkey offered to take back all refugees and migrants who cross into Europe from its soil in return for more money, faster EU membership talks and quicker visa-free travel for Turks. EU leaders accepted the offer in principle, with Donald Tusk, European Council president, saying the deal was a breakthrough that sent a very clear message that the days of irregular migration are over. The next step for the EU-Turkey plans involves presenting the proposals to EU leaders at a key European Council meeting on March 17 and 18. Ahmed Davutoglu, Turkeys prime minister, reaffirmed the plan at a meeting on Tuesday with his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras, saying that improved cooperation would reduce the dramatic scenes in the Aegean Sea to a minimum. Aljazeera. An Israeli man who was stabbed multiple times Tuesday afternoon in a terror attack in Petah Tikva managed to remove the knife from his neck and use it to stab and neutralize his attacker, aided by the store owner, police said. The attacker, a Palestinian, died a few minutes later, police said. The victim, later named as Yonatan Azarihab, an ultra-Orthodox man of about 40 who suffered multiple stab wounds to his upper body, was hospitalized in moderate condition. The store owner was not injured. The Palestinian assailant had followed Azarihab, who was collecting money for charity, into a wine shop on the central citys Baron Hirsch Street and began stabbing him multiple times in the upper body in a frenzied attack, police said. At one point, Azarihab managed to break away and fled the store, while the owner of the store hit the attacker and tried to subdue him, police said. The victim then returned to the store, pulled the knife out of his own neck, and stabbed his attacker. Initial reports had said the stabbing may have occurred during an altercation; however, the incident was later confirmed by police as a terror attack. Magen David Adom paramedics said they treated Azarihab at the scene before taking him to the citys Beilinson Hospital. Nati Ostri, a volunteer medic from United Hatzalah who also treated the victim, said he found the man lying on the floor outside a convenience store. Times of Israel. Visiting South African President, Jacob Zuma, on Tuesday hailed Nigerias democratic example in peacefully transiting from one democratic president to another in 2015, and charting the way the entire continent of Africa needs to follow. Zuma, who stated this in his address before a joint session of Nigerias National Assembly in Abuja, hailed Nigerias long history of pan-African struggles, and offered his countrys help to Nigeria in the areas of solid minerals and power. He said: In this building that symbolizes, democracy, with the manner you achieved democratic change through the 2015 election, we are incredibly proud of you. You charted the way the entire continent needs to follow. We salute you for that. Mr. Zuma also applauded Nigerias frontline role towards the cause of freedom and an end to Apartheid in South Africa. He specially noted the pro-Africa commitment of former head of state, Gen. Murtala Muhammed, reputed for his staunch Afrocentric foreign policy and the liberation struggle in South Africa. Under late Murtala, killed in a bloody coup in 1976, the South African president said Nigerias support for Augustino Netos Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, MPLA, helped the Southern African country attain independence in 1975. He said Nigeria and South Africa had leadership role to play to achieve peace and prosperity in Africa. Zuma further said Africa should move away from its colonial status of being producer of primary commodities in the international economic system, to producer of finished goods. President Zuma, who began a two-day state visit to Nigeria on Tuesday, was accompanied to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari in a historic appearance. It was the first time any foreign leader would be accompanied by the host president to the National Assembly to address federal legislators, Senate President Bukola Saraki noted. Mr. Zuma said South Africa could assist Nigeria in the areas of solid mineral exploration and electricity generation. South African solid minerals mining experience can contribute to solid minerals exploration in Nigeria. Our success in the electricity can also be tapped into to assist the Nigerian electricity generation, Mr. Zuma said to the applause of the audience, which included members of the Federal Executive Council and the lawmakers. Earlier, Mr. Zuma, who expressed sympathy over the death of Nigerias Minister of State for Labour, James Ocholi, SAN, who died in a car crash on Sunday, said the honour of addressing the National Assembly indicated the serious nature of the relationship between Nigeria and South Africa. He, therefore, advocated improved cooperation between the two nations. Although Nigeria and South Africa have many Memorandum of Understanding and bilateral agreements, he said both countries should pursue their implementations for mutual benefits. He disclosed that from four companies operating in Nigeria in 1999, South Africa now has 120 companies operations in different sectors of Nigerian economy. President Zuma also assured that South Africa will review its visa policies for Nigerians to boost trade and partnership between Africas two leading economies. What keeps software developers up at night, other than coding? The fear that artificial intelligence systems can replace them, according to a new survey. Evans Data Corp., in a survey of 550 software developers, asked them about the most worrisome thing in their careers. A plurality, 29 percent, chose this answer: "I and my development efforts are replaced by artificial intelligence." [ Thinking of striking out on your own? Download InfoWorld's 29 tips for succeeding as an independent developer for valuable guidance from a solo -- and successful -- solo programmer. | Keep up with hot topics in programming with InfoWorld's Application Development newsletter. ] Surprisingly, this concern about A.I. topped the second-most identified worry, which was that the platform the developer is working on will become obsolete (23 percent), or doesn't catch on (14 percent). Concerns about A.I. replacing software developers has academic support. A study by Oxford University, The Future of Employment, warned that the work of software engineers may soon become computerized. Machine learning advances allow design choices that can be optimized by algorithms. These systems can also detect bugs "with a reliability that humans are unlikely to match," the study said. "Big databases of code also offer the eventual prospect of algorithms that learn how to write programs to satisfy specifications provided by a human," wrote the Oxford researchers, Michael Osborne, of Oxford's Department of Engineering Science, and Carl Benedikt Frey, an economics researcher at the university. According Janel Garvin, CEO of Evans Data, the thought of obsolescence due to A.I., "was also more threatening than becoming old without a pension, being stifled at work by bad management, or by seeing their skills and tools become irrelevant." This story, "One-in-three developers fear A.I. will replace them" was originally published by Computerworld . Triple Digit Hog Rally Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT Lean hogs extended their rally into the weekend with another $0.20 to $2.10 gains in the front months. December was up the most on Friday, but is still a $1.40 discount to Feb. Through the week, December... 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ZWZ22 : 850-6s (+0.18%) ZWH23 : 869-4s (+0.17%) ZWPAES.CM : 7.8533 (+0.24%) KEZ22 : 948-2s (-0.16%) KEPAWS.CM : 9.0581 (-0.16%) MWZ22 : 961-4s (-0.10%) Nov Beans Held under $14 Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT The Friday session ended with soybean futures 3 1/4 to 4 cents higher with November options having expired. Nov soybeans spent the week in a 41 1/2 cent trading range and ended 11 3/4 cents higher from... ZSX22 : 1395-4s (+0.29%) ZSPAUS.CM : 13.5026 (+0.29%) ZSF23 : 1404-4s (+0.32%) ZSH23 : 1411-6s (+0.28%) New Contract High for Dec Cattle Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT Cattle added another 62 to 75 cents to the upside on Friday, with December printing a new life of contract high of $152.50. Dec gained a net $4.65 for the week. The weeks cash trade picked up on Thursday... LEV22 : 150.475s (+0.47%) LEZ22 : 152.425s (+0.49%) LEG23 : 155.525s (+0.44%) GFV22 : 175.275s (-0.17%) GFX22 : 178.350s (+0.45%) Speaking on January 27 before a packed audience in the United Nations Delegates Dining Room, overlooking New Yorks East River, Al Gore was in an expansive mood. As the luncheon keynote speaker for the 2016 Investor Summit on Climate Risk, a one-day gathering held every two years, the former U.S. vice president noted that at the same event in 2008 he had commented on how similar the delusions underlying the crash of the housing market were to the false confidence in the subprime carbon assets of the fossil fuel industry. Eight years later, Gore said, the situation continues to threaten the stability of financial markets: The assumption that $21 trillion of carbon-based assets currently on the books of multinationals and sovereigns and others will all be put to their intended use and burned is even more absurd than the assumption that someone who couldnt make a down payment or monthly payment could afford a mortgage. At the same time, Gore asserted, the sense of momentum and inevitability had fundamentally changed because of the recent COP 21 climate agreement in Paris and the plummeting prices of renewable energy. And you here from the business and investment community deserve major credit for what happened, he told the audience passionately. Be of good cheer! We are winning this thing! Sitting 30 feet from the podium, noticing all the people around the room, many of them friends, who had played a major role in the recent success, I felt a sense of pride. I had been one of the participants in this historic metamorphosis, as corporate executives and investors had slowly moved over decades from indifference to action on climate change. Click below for the full timeline. Back in April 1992 I had invited thenTennessee senator Gore to come to Boston to speak about his new book, Earth in the Balance, to hundreds gathered in the Omni Theater at the Museum of Science. In 1997, as president of Ceres, the largest coalition of environmental groups and institutional investors in the U.S., I had, with my co-founder Allen White, launched the Global Reporting Initiative, an international effort to standardize the measurement of sustainability performance, including data on greenhouse gases. The GRI had been formally established as an independent standard-setting body in the spring of 2002, in that same Delegates Dining Room at the U.N. Only a few months later, in October, I had met with an old friend, United Nations Foundation president Timothy Wirth, in the lobby of San Franciscos Fairmont hotel on the morning after his daughters wedding. I proposed that the U.N. host a meeting of state treasurers and other pension trustees to learn about the financial consequences of climate change so they could evaluate the risk in their vast portfolios. The resulting organization, the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), has remained a project of Ceres and has deepened its impact under the leadership of Ceres president Mindy Lubber. On the day of Gores recent INCR speech, the value of the combined assets of institutions gathered at the U.N. was an astounding $22 trillion. Equally important, this group is playing a major role in the shift in investments away from the collapsing fossil fuel industry and into renewables. Last year investors poured $329 billion into new energy, well on the way to the annual target of $1 trillion. Listening to Gore, I felt relief that finally, after so many years of delay, the challenges and opportunities embedded in a new, low-carbon future were rapidly becoming clear. I also began to realize that this awakening about carbon is not the end but only the next chapter in a dramatic and ongoing story. All around, one can start to see a dramatically new form of capitalism rising, though still largely unnoticed a capitalism driven by the outpouring of unimaginably vast amounts of information, tamed by increasingly sophisticated tools from data science, guided by deeper and smarter questions and thus far better equipped to generate the just and sustainable economy that our planet must discover to survive. The easy triumphalism about capitalism that ruled at the beginning of this century has given way to a much sharper debate about whether the system is a genuine wealth creator. Such talk has permeated conversation in the most elite business institutions. In 2015 several prominent Harvard Business School faculty formed an internal discussion group on the crisis of the theory of the firm. In both 2012 and 2016, the leaders of the World Economic Forum placed the future of capitalism at the heart of their annual agenda because, as founder Klaus Schwab put it, capitalism in its current form no longer fits the world around us. Though no one disputes capitalisms raw force, the deeper issue is whether the free-market system, hamstrung by the narrow assumptions of economics and finance, has been asking the wrong questions, examining the wrong data, reaching the wrong conclusions and pursuing the wrong goals. As Thomas Piketty puts it in Capital in the Twenty-First Century, The discipline of economics has yet to get over its childish passion for mathematics . . . at the expense of historical research and collaboration with the other social sciences. The consequence, he argues, is the emergence of patrimonial capitalism based primarily on inheritance, which has led to a radically new structure of inequality. The concept of sustainability has been moving from the periphery of investment and business toward its center for a generation. As sustainability has become more important, scores of new institutions have arisen to promote the release of information about corporate environmental, social responsibility and governance (ESG) performance. The rising demand has triggered an enduring debate about the relevance of sustainability to the creation of value, and ideas have differed greatly about whether value should be understood broadly across the whole company, and all its stakeholders, or narrowly as short- to medium-term financial benefit for those who own stock. The resolution of this debate has not been left solely to corporations, however, as more and more institutional investors, particularly the largest, passively invested pension funds, have realized that they have a stake in the question of whether companies are seeking short-term earnings gains or long-term value creation. Moreover, they have realized that even by forming opinions on this matter, they have been establishing precedents not just for corporate policy and governance but for themselves. A key driver of change has been the powerful association of global pension funds known as the International Corporate Governance Network. ICGN began modestly in 1995 as a mechanism through which huge investors and pension funds from around the world could begin to share ideas about best practices in corporate governance, such as board composition, executive pay and proxy access. It didnt take long for people to figure out the value of setting standards across borders, says Stephen Davis, one of the founders of ICGN and currently associate director of the Harvard Law School programs on corporate governance and institutional investors. Still, in ICGNs early days it was not easy to persuade the organization to think about the systemic problems of sustainability. In May 2002 I traveled to Milan as president of Ceres to speak to an annual ICGN meeting about the then-new topic of climate risk. In my plenary presentation I proposed that the largest planetary changes in human civilization might create significant dangers for the industries and regions in their diversified portfolios and that this suggested that fiduciaries should at least assess the scope of the problem. My charts, graphs and images of burning forests and rising sea levels had little impact. At dinner a few hours later, few of the other conference-goers would even look at me, let alone talk to me. No matter, I thought; if we cant persuade an existing group of institutional investors to care about climate change, perhaps we can create a new one that does. ICGNs dismissive rejection of any discussion of climate was one of the reasons the INCR was launched the following spring. Fourteen years later, however, ICGN has expanded its conversations and education to include ESG issues. There is now a broad recognition that ESG factors are fully part of governance and of equal weight in evaluating the value and the risk of portfolio companies, Davis says. At a recent meeting in Boston, ICGN organizers not only ran a training workshop on the significance of ESG factors, they also debated their relevance to governance. They are doing so because of their concern about the management of the companies in their portfolios and because their definition of the responsibilities of ownership has changed. We want to allocate capital efficiently from providers of capital to users of capital, explains ICGN policy director George Dallas. Efficiency is when the price is set according to the risk and when all risks are properly accounted for. We know that capital markets do not do a good job of calculating externalities. And thats what we need to learn to do. Over the past 16 years, other powerful organizations have come into being and gradually asserted themselves. In 1999, U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan launched the Global Compact, a mechanism for getting corporations to endorse principles that corresponded with U.N. agreements that had already been signed by many of the worlds governments. Not long afterward the Global Compacts thenexecutive director, Georg Kell, realized that the entities with the most influence over corporate behavior were not their home governments but their investors, so he supported the effort by James Gifford to create the U.N. Principles for Responsible Investment. The PRI started humbly, expressing the initial view that investors, not just companies, should think about the implications of their holdings for the worlds social and environmental goals. Through hundreds of meetings and mind-numbing patience, the PRI expanded its ranks, opened the discussion on whether fiduciary duty permitted investors to take such considerations into account and concluded that such duty not only allowed but required it. Today the PRI has more than 1,400 members from 50 countries, with combined assets of more than $42 trillion. The success of the GRI in creating a stakeholder-driven set of guidelines for companies to measure and disclose their sustainability performance, combined with supporting pressure from engaged investors, such as the ICGN, INCR, PRI and Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), triggered tens of thousands of consulting jobs and sustainability reports and a backlash of complaints. Why did the world need all this information? This question had already been addressed through the groundbreaking work of three successive commissions in South Africa chaired by retired South African Supreme Court justice Mervyn King. Although the first report, issued in 1993, called for South Africa to adopt existing best practices for corporate governance, the next two (released in 2002 and 2009) strengthened the argument that different kinds of information were essential to wise decisions by both companies and investors. Indeed, Kings third review recommended that South African companies issue sustainability reports according to the GRI and that the Johannesburg Stock Exchange require all listed companies to release sustainability information. Like moves on a checkerboard, each advance opened up strategic next steps. King became chairman of the GRI and began promoting the adoption of sustainability information on an international scale as part of what he called integrated thinking. By 2010 a new question had emerged: If value creation required the successful management of both sustainability and financial performance, couldnt this integrated thinking be communicated in an integrated report? To explore this question, Britains Prince Charles, who had created the Accounting for Sustainability organization in 2004, appointed King to lead a new entity, the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC). King and IIRC CEO Paul Druckman pulled together a global coalition of regulators, investors, companies, standard setters, the accounting profession and nongovernmental organizations to review the question of integrated reporting. As the group described its task, the integrated report would be a concise communication about how an organizations strategy, governance, performance and prospects lead to the creation of value over the short, medium and long term. The IIRC was governed by a prestigious group of leaders who swiftly handed off the task of writing the framework to a working group of professional accountants and consultants seconded from the GRI and the Big Four accounting firms. I served on that working group, whose regular meetings over three years turned into cauldrons of competing ideas about the future of the corporation as an institution. The committee sometimes strained like a car whose driver had one foot on the accelerator and the other on the brake trying to move forward without moving too fast or too far but the IIRC eventually produced a framework that offered something new. Though wrapped in safe language about the preeminence of the providers of capital, the IIRC Framework reaches the surprising conclusion that business indeed, capitalism in the 21st century needs to be fundamentally reconceived. Instead of the simplistic finance in, finance out model captured by traditional accounting, the document argues, we must recognize that businesses draw from many forms of capital, including natural capital, human capital, intellectual capital, manufactured capital and social capital. Those capitals are spun through company-specific business models, which then produce outputs for every form of capital. The old system only measured whether a business model generated more financial capital than it took in. This is comparable to judging your health solely by whether air is moving in and out of your lungs. The newer system looks instead at whether the business model enhances or depletes each form of capital. This argues for a radically new and more comprehensive balance sheet one that might reveal whether financial capital has risen in harmony with, or at the expense of, costs to natural capital and human capital. As a result, we can answer a question that previously was invisible: Are companies extracting financial value by depleting other forms of capital, or are they, as they so often contend, creating joint gains across them all? What is it that is pushing capitalism toward a more integrated understanding of the role of business and investment in our political economy? It is because the forces favoring disclosure and the deepening understanding of how value is created have become unstoppable. In the era of climate change, water scarcity, wealth inequality and resource depletion, we can no longer disregard the interconnectedness of both problems and solutions. The hugely influential networks in the great alphabet soup of sustainable capitalism GRI, ICCR, ICGN, IIRC, INCR, PRI and CDP (originally the Climate Disclosure Project) are becoming more powerful with every passing year. They are being joined by formidable new allies, such as the Bank of England, the World Economic Forum, the European Union and the worlds stock exchanges. According to a database maintained by GRI, there are now 31,534 corporations and other organizations producing sustainability reports, of which 22,431 follow GRI guidelines. GRI has moved from a framework to a standard, which is going to allow companies to generate better and more useful information, says GRI chief executive Michael Meehan. But that doesnt mean the only use will be to generate a report. Though reports are important for communicating performance to the outside, GRI is also becoming a platform that mobilizes information integral to running a company. In the decade to come, the analysis of detailed GRI data will become a routine part of management and investor analysis, which will change the kinds of investments that are made. In the U.S. an additional approach to sustainability reporting has emerged with the creation of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, formed in part through the work of Harvard Business School professor Robert Eccles, who, along with Michael Krzus, authored One Report: Integrated Reporting for a Sustainable Strategy back in 2010. Because SASB standards organize sustainability indicators according to their materiality within different industry sectors in the economy, proponents assert that those indicators should be required under existing Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure rules on materiality. The greatest flaw in modern markets, explains SASB founder and CEO Jean Rogers, is that companies are not being transparent about the impact of the serious risks to which both they and the rest of society are being exposed. SASB has considerable firepower on its board, including former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and former SEC chairs Mary Schapiro and Elisse Walter, all of whom believe that the changing global economy has expanded the concept of what information is material to investor decisions. Materiality is not a static concept, Rogers says. It changes with the evolving needs of the reasonable investor and how investors need to understand how a company is positioned. A striking example is Peabody Energy Corp., the largest publicly traded coal producer in the world. Though the SEC introduced new interpretive guidance in 2010 (originally proposed by Ceres) that companies should disclose their climate risk, Peabody Energy management said it was simply not possible to predict whether climate change would have any impact on its operations. Such a response willfully disregarded the growing systemic threats created by new government regulations, diminishing demand, competition from natural gas and the growing rejection of coal as a fuel source because of its high greenhouse-gas emissions. After a two-year investigation by the New York State Attorney Generals Office, the company agreed in November 2015 that it would provide more such information in the future. The damage, however, had already been done: Peabody stock dropped from more than $1,000 a share in 2011 to about $2 late last month. The demand for more information is being fueled in part by the diffusion of several fresh approaches to investment as new players reject the damaging short-termism of most investor behavior. In a recent study market research firm MSCI distinguished three growing new categories of investors: value-based, who want their portfolios to align with their principles; impact-based, who want to see measurable social returns; and long-horizon, who want to limit their exposure to systemic problems like water scarcity and carbon regulations. MSCI pointed to the huge market segment made up of pension funds that remain passively indexed across the entire market. Because they cant jump around looking for alpha (above-market returns) through trading, such investors are probing more deeply into beta returns by examining companies long-term capital investment projects, governance structure and treatment of ESG issues. And as they do so, they want to know more. To serve these growing market segments, Wall Street firms like BlackRock, Goldman Sachs Group and Morgan Stanley have firmly moved into the field of ESG investing, offering not only fossil-fuel-free funds to respond to the carbon divestment movement that has swept the U.S. but also other ESG-driven instruments. These developments combined with a shift in the cultural values of Millennial investors means that using ESG information increasingly will be an unremarkable part of the investment process, just as such data now sits comfortably alongside traditional metrics on the worlds Bloomberg terminals. For many of those driving change in the marketplace, the value of ESG information is that it offers more forward-looking and comprehensive information about a company than traditional fundamental data provides. ESG factors typically warn of risks, says Jess Gaspar, head of quantitative research at Commonfund, a $25 billion, Wilton, Connecticutbased asset management firm popular among endowments, foundations and other nonprofits. These may not be realized in a consistent manner. Poor governance or high carbon emissions may not hurt you every day, but they may hurt you a lot infrequently. SASBs Rogers agrees: Some used to say that ESG data was soft, but it is increasingly hard and quantitative. When combined with a management point of view, it is a leading indicator of potential financial impact. Newer firms like London-based Generation Investment Management, founded a decade ago by Gore and former Goldman Sachs Asset Management CEO David Blood, have experimented with additional techniques for assessing sustainability information in selecting investments and have chalked up superior returns. Some managers are experimenting with algorithms that can integrate and correlate financial and sustainability data in picking long-term winners. Arabesque Asset Management is billing itself as an ESG quant shop on the claim that sustainability information is now of adequate quality and quantity to extract patterns and generate actionable information for investment decisions. Omar Selim founded the London-headquartered firm in 2013 based on an asset management project he had developed at Barclays Bank and tapped Harvard professor Eccles as chairman and former Global Compact director Kell as vice chairman of its board. ESG is a new set of information that people would have integrated long ago if they had had it, says Andreas Feiner, a founding partner and head of ESG research and advisory at Arabesque. It really follows in the tradition of Benjamin Grahams concept of value investing, but now you have the capacity to get qualitative information in a quantitative way about all the different forms of capital that provides a portrait of the future of a companys ability to generate cash flow and profits. A final driver of the shift to a much deeper understanding of the relationship between investing and value creation is coming from the immense and still rapidly growing world of pension funds. In many ways it goes back to John Maynard Keynes in the 1930s, says Keith Ambachtsheer, an adjunct finance professor and director emeritus of the Rotman International Center for Pension Management, and author of The Future of Pension Management, released this month. He always wanted to move away from the beauty contest of short-term trading, to focus on the creation of wealth. With an integrated approach to thinking and investing, it is not about reporting on social issues versus financial issues but about arriving at a complete story. Thats really the key: How do you get a holistic view? While day-to-day skirmishes are taking place over the value of ESG information, a much larger metamorphosis is overtaking the capital markets that will reshape not only how investments are made but the face of capitalism itself. This transformation will happen when all the forces of change, each gathering strength separately, finally converge: as investors demand more-comprehensive sustainability information, as stock exchanges put pressure on companies to release it, as standard-setters render that information more reliable, as companies begin to generate billions of new data points, as these data points are collected and released through Bloomberg terminals and other mechanisms, and as they are eventually correlated with other data from government, social media, user logs, geographic information system maps and market transactions. Already, the world creates an estimated 2.5 exabytes or 2.5 billion gigabytes of data every day, meaning that in the past two years human beings have produced 90 percent of the data ever created. There are plenty of voices in the marketplace that harken back to a simpler time and argue that this is all a waste, and that the only solution is to move back to tighter definitions of materiality, to smaller pools of information and to narrower definitions of corporate purpose. Even the greatest proponents of big data understand that the raw information piling up inside acres of hard drives is useless in itself. As Steve Jurvetson, a venture capitalist and an early investor in Tesla Motors, said during a conference on deep learning at Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2014: There is nothing really exciting about it until we have a methodology to make use of it, because we cant understand big data. None of us wants to read through a phone book. To comprehend the data, analysts will increasingly turn to advanced artificial intelligence. These programs are constantly learning from new information and can offer analyses in a rapid manner. The better the program, the more valuable the information and connections that can be derived and given to decision makers. A current limitation in the data science community is the processing speed required for some of the artificial intelligence programs being employed. Currently, artificial intelligence is not advanced or efficient enough to fully gather all the information possible from these massive sets of data, and large investments must be made either to implement proper computing systems or to rent cloud computing services from a company like Amazon.com. To address such concerns, enormous resources must be pooled and focused. In 2015, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley decided to form a data company so that they could all save money instead of cleaning and formatting their own data. Bloomberg has created a data science unit that is already facing crushing internal demand for its services. We are at this weird point, says Curtis Ravenel, Bloombergs head of sustainability. Some people think that there is too much being disclosed. Others worry that the amount of information has exceeded our ability to do anything with it. So this means that we need better tools, because big data is going to change everything. Whether we like it or not, and whether we are ready or not, we have entered a universe in which quadrillions of data points are gathered on almost every aspect of our individual and institutional lives. Right now tens of thousands of people are laboring to discover what kinds of insights such big data might offer. Despite the mighty challenges in addressing data quality, availability and connectivity, the central questions that we now face as a society are philosophical: What do we want to know, and why? What are the signals that we are looking for in the middle of this ocean of noise? We could extract intelligence for many reasons: to advance our own interests, to understand markets better, to create improved products, to predict the future, to expand our control and to make money. All those incentives will drive the system of big data forward. But here is the surprising reality: In addition to all of that, we also could employ the ever-improving field of data science to understand the complexities of business and capital markets in breathtaking new ways. There already is a strong drive from several quarters to place corporate and investor performance in their larger regional or global contexts. Many of the disclosure instruments invented over the past two decades, including the GRI, have focused on the release of aggregated information at the institutional level, which is most relevant to investors. In the past the push was for a company like Ford Motor Co. to gather all the information from all of its far-flung units and report on its total energy use. But now, with the creation of global goals on environmental and social concerns ranging from the national greenhouse-gas targets of the COP 21 Paris meeting to the comprehensive Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 released by the U.N., the focus will expand to include the institutional contribution to the sustainability context the impact within specific geographic limits and targets. Through this lens one asks less about the performance of a company as a whole and more on how its products and research, marketing and capital expenditures affect the overall greenhouse-gas emission targets of a particular place, such as France. An equally promising project has been launched by Steven Lydenberg, a longtime pioneer in the integration of ESG information and founding director of Harvards Initiative for Responsible Investment. Lydenberg has proposed the bold Investment Integration Project to look at the collective action problem how the combined decisions of portfolio managers often end up negatively affecting the stability and sustainability of whole industries and ecosystems. As part of the evidence for this expansion of perspective, Lydenberg points to Bank of England governor Mark Carney, who in September surprised financial markets by highlighting climate change as a major threat to global economic security. Carney, who chairs the powerful Financial Stability Board, has launched the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures, chaired by Michael Bloomberg. One of the most alluring opportunities offered by the new approach to sustainability data is to put real flesh on the conceptual bones set forth by the IIRCs multicapital model. Today the idea of correlating the relative inputs and outputs of six forms of capital would seem conceptually valuable but computationally impossible. The creation of new data driven by new algorithms will allow us to explore previously hidden correlations that could have a major impact on value. For example, though every CEO ritually announces that our employees are our most important asset, the real assessment of the value of human and social capital within companies has been skimpy. To tackle the task, one must ask new questions about the relationship between the complex needs and skills of employees and other forms of performance. Under what circumstances would training ones own workforce provide a better stock price or a lower cost of capital? How could we tell which forms of work flow or decision making would best enhance all the capitals required by a business model to succeed? Could broader and more democratic participation and higher degrees of diversity increase a companys ability to respond to a complex and rapidly changing technical and competitive environment? And what about natural capital? Peter Adriaens, a professor of environmental engineering and entrepreneurship at the University of Michigans Ross School of Business, formed Equarius Risk Analytics in 2013 to unlock market signals and asset risk valuation from environmental exposure. His firm, which has offices in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and New York, specializes in water risk and not only provides detailed quantitative analysis of the systemic water risk that whole industries face but is able to drill down to identify the degree of volatility for the value of each company. This model could be expanded to virtually every form of environmental risk, such as extreme weather events, the dispersal of toxins, the deterioration of air quality and soil depletion all of which could threaten the sustainability of companies and industries. When it comes to the evolution of accounting, would a broadened form of the discipline lead us to a new definition of profitability, so that we could learn to avoid transactions that might create a large profit for financial capital even though they were generating a huge loss for natural stocks? Or, to put it differently, what would it mean if corporations set out to create profits in all the nonfinancial capitals, so that business became a system for the manufacture of endless joint gains an engine that drives a virtuous cycle of ever-improving health and prosperity? Every one of these questions, and hundreds like them, are now viewed as too complex to study, so we see only sporadic attempts. Indeed, despite our belief in our own sophistication, we settle too often into the senseless trap of asking only questions that we think we can answer or offering simple responses to complicated questions (both innate cognitive reflexes well documented by behavioral economists). We could be doing something else. And we will. If the Global Reporting Initiative, the International Corporate Governance Network and the U.N. Principles for Responsible Investment could appear in the 1990s; if the Investor Network on Climate Risk and the inclusion of ESG information in Bloomberg terminals could happen in the 2000s; if the businesses and investors of the world start using the drive to decarbonize our economy and correct for inequality to rethink capitalism from the ground up in this decade, then where will we be where could we be ten years from now, in 2026? Or in 2036? The complexity and force of the capital markets, combined with the culture-shifting introduction of unthinkably vast computing capability, create a challenge not just for executives, investors and policymakers but for the whole of humanity. Instead of focusing on the narrow band of financial performance and bending reality to fit into our notions of what matters rather than the other way around, we now can ask the questions whose answers we really want to know questions that would protect and advance not just our economies but our civilizations. To do so might require and prompt an evolutionary surge of intelligence and awareness, but such things have happened before. The prize would be great, for it would provide new answers to one of our most pressing questions: Is capitalism primarily a cloaked transferal of human and natural capital from public value to private wealth, or, as the world faces more constraints and deeper problems, will it finally grow up and rescue both people and the planet with a wisdom commensurate with its power? Bob Massie served as the president of Ceres from 1996 to 2003, was co-founder of the Global Reporting Initiative in 1998 and was the initiator of the Investor Network on Climate Risk in 2003. He is now executive director of the Sustainable Solutions Lab at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The recent rally in oil markets extended through this morning. In trading on Wednesday, Brent crude-oil futures in London rose above $40 per barrel while U.S. futures for front-month delivery climbed above $37. The question being asked by market strategists is whether the rebound in public markets is being driven by fundamentals or technical factors. On one hand, despite data that indicates that the global supply glut is still weighing heavily on prices, the upcoming meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in Moscow on March 20 holds out hope that the consortium may finally begin curtailing production with Russian cooperation. On the other hand, exchange data for U.S.-traded West Texas crude futures show that professional investors closed short positions at the highest rate in nearly a year last week, suggesting that the rally is driven, at least in part, by profit taking. Regardless of the cause, rising oil prices appear to have supported sentiment in global equity markets this morning with advances in primary European indices and U.S. equity-index futures. Trump solidifies lead while Sanders takes Michigan. Real-estate developer and reality TV star Donald Trump secured victory in Republican primaries in Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii on Tuesday while Texas Senator Ted Cruz won in Idaho. Trump, arguably the most divisive presidential candidate in a generation, continues to lead the pack for the GOP nomination as Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Ohio Governor John Kasich remain in the race. Kasich performed well in Michigan, but Rubio trailed badly in several key races. The battle for the Democratic nomination took a surprising turn when Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders narrowly upset vformer Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Michigan, keeping his hopes of securing the nomination alive. Deutsche Bank and UBS lose tax case in the U.K. Britains highest court ruled in favor of HM Revenue and Customs on Wednesday, stating that a bonus scheme used by Frankfurt, Germanys Deutsche Bank and Basel, Switzerlands UBS Group to compensate bankers in 2003 improperly avoided taxation. The bonus plan involved the distribution of restricted securities shares via offshore facilities. The ruling is important because it marks the latest in a string of cases in which British courts have ruled against tax schemes that, while based on legal technicalities, violated the spirit and intent of tax regulations. Medicare drug proposal attacked by lobbyists. On Tuesday the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced a proposed rule initiated by the Obama administration that would lower the Medicare reimbursements to doctors using certain drugs when less expensive alternatives are available. The move comes as part of an ongoing push by lawmakers to rein in the cost of medical entitlements in the face of rising drug costs. The announcement met with sharp rebukes from pharmaceutical industry lobbyist groups and specialized medical consumer advocates. Japanese treasuries vacillate. One day after yields on seven, 10- and 30-year Japanese government bonds (JGB) set record lows, the market sold off sharply on Wednesday with the yield for 30-year paper climbing by as much as 24 basis points. Analysts ascribe the selloff to profit taking in an environment of reduced liquidity. Aggregate JGB indices have led global sovereign debt markets with a gain of more than 5 percent year-to-date. Saudi Arabia seeks loan. On Wednesday, Reuters, citing anonymous sources, reported that the finance ministry of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has asked global banks for terms for a U.S.-dollar denominated loan of up to $8 billion with the option to borrow more. With the decline in oil prices in recent quarters, the Kingdom finds itself running a record budget deficit as it struggles to keep social benefits flowing for nearly 25 percent of its population that lives below the poverty line. Standard and Poors recently downgraded Saudi Arabias credit rating While Moodys has placed the nation on review status. Future M&As in Australia and across the Asia-Pacific will be driven by those that think they have missed out in the first, or second, or third round of mergers and acquisitions, a business leader has said.Speaking as part of the interactive Whats driving M&A activity in the Asia Pacific insurance industry? Report released by DLA Piper this week, Robert Kelly , CEO and managing director of Steadfast , said that it will be those that fear theyve missed out that will drive the market forward.The drivers for further M&A as a result of the industry as it stands today will probably be people who think they have missed out in the first, or second, or third round of mergers and acquisitions and people who decide that their balance sheets are strong enough, that they can pay more money than the people that have come to the trough and merged and acquired over the recent period, Kelly said.Kelly noted that international insurers looking at the market must be wary of the comparative size of the Australian consumer base as it pales in comparative size to those further north.This is a very small market, 23 million people is less than whats in Shanghai, so dont get too excited in coming into Australia and trying to dominate here because we are never going to be 100 million people, Kelly continued.When you look at the demographic of Australia and the way its population flows, it is very difficult to come into this market and acquire and get great synergies and put great bottom line growth on your balance sheet.Kelly said an opportunistic approach to acquisitions in the local market will be key to future M&A activity as excess capital continues to saturate the insurance industry worldwide.I think people will see it as an opportunistic position to come in and acquire or people will sit back and see if the raft of mergers and acquisitions that have taken place settle down and are very good for the balance sheet, Kelly said.Im interested to see how it will go as, at the moment, there is capital everywhere and everybody wants to be an acquirer.Craig Mennie, head of transaction services - Asia Pacific at KPMG , noted that there is one outlier when it comes to the future of M&As in the Australian and Asia Pacific insurance markets that will be worth monitoring.The one outlier Id throw out there is that in the past weve seen quite a bit of private equity transactions within say the UK market in the insurance sector, Mennie said.To date in Australia weve really seen very few transactions maybe the Coverforce transaction that was undertaken. The question for me, and the question I would pose for everyone is when will the international private equity funds determine the Australian insurance market is the place they want to play.We are receiving enquiries from that segment and I do believe there may well be participants creating M&A activity in the future. SME clients must not overlook cyber security since they are vulnerable to the same scams and cyber attacks that prey on individuals, according to accounting and advising firm RSM Australia.RSM Australia said SMEs may suffer severe ramifications from a significant security breach, which may even hamper businesses ability to continue operating. According to a 2015 study by US-based Ponemon Institute and IBM, a security breach in Australia can cost millions of dollars, in addition to the reputational damage a high-profile attack can cause.Recent threats include online banking scams in which customers receive a text message that would direct them to a fake page and provide their bank account details. The attackers can then use the data to fully access business accounts, potentially wiping them out.These scams are successful because they look plausible, and busy business owners may not have time to carefully consider and examine the links theyre clicking on, particularly if theyre on a mobile device screen rather than a larger, easier-to-read screen, said Michael Shatter, risk advisory partner at RSM Australia.Shatter said one way SME owners can protect themselves from such scams is to use business banking services rather than consumer services.They tend to offer more sophisticated security options and additional security for multiple account users, he said.RSM Australia has identified eight ways SMEs can protect themselves:1. Keep software updated, since updates often include security patches.2. Educate all staff regarding the risks and how to protect themselves and the business.3. Demand strong passwords for all applications, not just key applications like banking or invoicing.4. Use up-to-date security solutions including anti-virus, firewalls, intrusion detection, and threat detection.5. Never click on links to banking sites in emails or texts. If in doubt, call the bank directly.6. Treat mobile devices the same way you would treat computers; they are equally if not more vulnerable to attack.7. Ensure your files are backed up regularly and reliably.8. Get professional, external advice to improve your security posture, and conduct a risk assessment. Major international insurer Allianz plans to bring a lawsuit against embattled car manufacturer Volkswagen (VW) over the sharp drop in its shares following the emissions scandal which plagued the car-maker last year.According to Reuters, the insurer is set to launch its legal campaign within the month as Allianz Global Investors holds 0.06% of VW preference shares and 10,000 ordinary shares and will have lost US$9.5 million on its stake.The dieselgate scandal saw the car-maker part ways with its previous chief executive and could see the business faces a separate lawsuit from the US Justice Department for up to $46 billion for breaching environmental laws in the United States.In a statement reported by CNBC, Allianz Global Investors said the evaluation of a potential lawsuit was a fiduciary obligation, for the business."As asset manager it is our fiduciary obligation to evaluate potential claims against capital market participants and, if necessary, follow through in the best interest of our investors," the statement reportedly said."A potential compensation would be for the benefit of the funds."An Allianz lawsuit would be the first major German institution to tackle VW in the courts but the company faces as more than 500 separate lawsuits in the United States alone, Reuters said. The Underwriting Agencies Council ( UAC ) has signed a reciprocal membership agreement with the American Association of Managing General Agents (AAMGA).The deal will see each association become a member of the other with AAMGA becoming an affiliate member of UAC. William Legge , general manager of UAC, praised the deal as an important step for the Australian industry.UAC and AAMGA share common challenges and countless mutual opportunities as the insurance landscape continues to evolve rapidly, Legge said.AAMGAs longevity and reputation in the industry makes the association an attractive professional partner as we navigate the increasingly global insurance market.Bernd G. Heinze, executive director of AAMGA, welcomed UAC to membership within the AAMGA and praised the work of the council in the Australia and New Zealand market.Were delighted to welcome UAC to our membership, Heinze said.The UAC has been an invaluable resource for underwriters in the Australian and New Zealand insurance market, offering education programs, resources and networking opportunities that mirror AAMGAs strategic goals and objectives in the wholesale and specialty insurance market.Australia is a vibrant and dynamic insurance market, and the insights and perspective of our UAC colleagues are welcome additions to our efforts to respond locally to our various markets, while acting globally for our entire industry.UAC representatives are expected to make the trip to Scottsdale, Arizona for the AAMGA annual meeting in May 2016.The AAMGA was founded in 1926 and has more than 500 corporate members in North America and Europe focusing on advancing networking, education and advocacy on behalf of MGAs. Texans like to brag that everythings bigger in Texas, but sometimes thats not something to be proud of. According to data recently released by State Farm, Texas led the nation in hail and wind insurance claims in 2015: State Farm insurance agency paid out over $835 million in wind claims and $2 billion in hail across the USA and Texas. Texas had 52,500 of hail claims and 11,200 in wind claims for 2015. Texas high number of hail and wind claims is partially due to the states weather patterns, which are more prone to severe weather than other states. But there is also increasing evidence that fraud is playing a role in inflating claims. In a recent article, two South Texas insurance principals summed up the situation this way: Immediately after a storm, lawyers swoop into affected areas and do everything possible to whip up disputes, inflate claims and cajole, coerce or seduce homeowners into needless lawsuits in hopes of reaping windfall profits. Tens of thousands of Texans already have personal experience with intrusive knocks on the door from trial lawyers or their solicitors, promising free roofs and easy money if they agree to sue their insurance company. How many lawsuits have been ginned up through these cynical tactics? A report published last year by Rio Grande Valley Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse found that 5,740 lawsuits were filed in Hidalgo County following a pair of major hailstorms in 2012. As of April of this year, that number is closer to 11,000 in the Valley alone, and growing by the month. The dramatic increase in storm-related litigation is much higher than weve ever seen in Texas, and wildly out of proportion with other states. These techniques are not typical or harmless legal maneuvers. Theyre cynical, industrial-scale methods that do real damage, and homeowners and businesses pay the price In Hidalgo County, three Texas insurance carriers have stopped offering coverage, leaving at least 10,000 families to find new insurance providers. Virtually all of these families are paying higher premiums. In fact, at a committee hearing this last legislative session, a local housing advocate reported that for some families, premiums have increased 100 percent, from $500 annually to more than $1,200. Concern about a growing hail-litigation crisis has been growing for some time, and there have been attempts to address the problem before it spirals out of control. During last years legislative session, for example, S.B. 1628 would have tightened notice and other procedural requirements to make sure that parties to a lawsuit know whats at stake and to prevent fraud by public adjusters. The bill also reduced the incentives for frivolous lawsuits by putting limits on the amount of attorneys fees and penalties that can be awarded in hail claims. While S.B. 1628 fell just short of being enacted into law, these recent reports only underscore that Texas hail litigation crisis is not going away. Topics Lawsuits Texas Claims German insurer Allianz plans to sue Volkswagen over the sharp drop in its shares as a result of the carmakers diesel emissions scandal, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters. If successful, the lawsuit would add to financial pressures on Volkswagen that its chief executive said on Tuesday would be substantial and painful. At the same time, the companys labor leader warned that the extent of possible job cuts at VW would depend decisively on the level of U.S. fines for its cheating of emissions tests. Should the future viability of Volkswagen be endangered by an unprecedented financial penalty, this will have dramatic social consequences, works council chairman Bernd Osterloh told more than 20,000 workers at company headquarters in Wolfsburg. The Dieselgate scandal has forced out the previous chief executive, tarnished one of Germanys most renowned corporate brands and driven down VWs share price by 31 percent since it emerged last September. According to Thomson Reuters data, Allianz Global Investors holds 0.06 percent of VW preference shares and just 10,000 ordinary shares, so will have lost some 8.6 million euros ($9.5 million) on its stake. The source said the Allianz lawsuit would happen within this month. Allianz said in a statement it had not yet filed an actoin against VW but was weighing a suit. The action will add to VWs litigation risks in Germany, where the carmaker already faces dozens of private lawsuits. But it is dwarfed by the potential costs in the United States, where the Justice Department has sued VW for up to $46 billion for breaching U.S. environmental laws. More than 500 lawsuits have been filed against the company in the United States, and there is still no fix for nearly 600,000 cars affected there. Risk to Jobs Osterloh, who also sits on VWs 20-member supervisory board, called on the U.S. authorities to consider the risk of possible job cuts in deciding on penalties. We very much hope that the U.S. authorities also have an eye for this social and employment-political dimension, he said. Europes largest automaker employs over 600,000 people at around 120 factories worldwide, including 270,000 in Germany. Its U.S. plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee employs about 2,200 people. Speaking at the Wolfsburg meeting, Chief Executive Matthias Mueller said the scandal would inflict substantial and painful financial damage on the carmaker, without elaborating. Volkswagen last year set aside 6.7 billion euros ($7.39 billion) to cover the expected costs of recalling about 11 million diesel vehicles globally. It has postponed the release of its 2015 results by more than a month until April 28 to better assess the financial implications of the crisis. Outside the United States, France has opened a formal investigation into suspected aggravated fraud by VW, the Paris prosecutors office said on Tuesday. The software manipulations and its consequences will keep us busy for a long time, Mueller said, adding that it would take years to determine the full extent of the financial impact. The state of Lower Saxony, VWs second-largest shareholder, expects more unpleasant news to emerge over the months ahead but remains confident that the company has the financial strength to cope. We will this year probably every now and then be confronted with unpleasant news related to Dieselgate, Stephan Weil, prime minister of Lower Saxony, told the Wolfsburg meeting. The damage will, on balance, not be minor, that much can already be said today, but Volkswagen luckily has a strong economic base, Weil, also a member of the supervisory board, said. The Western German state, which holds 20 percent of VWs common shares, has no reason to alter its commitment to the carmaker despite the crisis, said Weil, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkels Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners. Separately, German prosecutors said on Tuesday they have widened their investigation into the emissions scandal and are now targeting 11 more employees. Klaus Ziehe from the state prosecutors office in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, which is leading the German case against VW, said 17 people were now being investigated, up from six previously. The number of suspects has risen, although none are from the management board, Ziehe said. ($1 = 0.9055 euros) (Additional reporting by Edward Taylor and Jonathan Gould in Frankfurt; editing by Mark Trevelyan) Related: Topics Lawsuits USA Allianz The Missouri House has passed a bill that would make it easier for food producers to sue people for spreading false information about their products. Lawmakers voted 131-23 to send the bill to the Senate. The proposal would allow producers of perishable food to sue people who knowingly spread false information that their food is unsafe. Republican Rep. Joe Don McGaugh says he proposed the bill in response to misleading news stories about a meat-based additive that critics have called pink slime. He said he wants to ensure the public is getting information based on scientific fact. Opponents of the bill said the bill could infringe on First Amendment rights. Rep. Margo McNeil said she didnt want to hinder debate over potentially unsafe foods or genetically-modified food. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Missouri When Pamela Davis started in the insurance industry 26 years ago, there were few insurance markets willing to take on the unique risks of nonprofit organizations. Back then, says Davis, who is now president and CEO of the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance Group, nonprofits were seen as substandard risks. But that was not because nonprofits were poor risks but because they were misunderstood and specialized risks, she maintains. The premiums were far higher than they needed to be 25 years ago, she said. Insurance companies were refusing to offer affordable liability insurance to nonprofits, and as a result the liability insurance crisis of the mid-1980s ensued. Thats when she founded the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance Group while studying as a graduate student at the Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley. Davis had no insurance experience at all. She worked in public policy for nonprofits and owned a small restaurant prior to launching the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance Group, which is now comprised of four distinct 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance of California (NIAC); the Alliance of Nonprofits for Insurance, Risk Retention Group (ANI); the National Alliance of Nonprofits for Insurance (NANI); and the Alliance Member Services (AMS). During the hard market, nonprofits were unable to get insurance from any source, Davis said. It was not available for many organizations yet these organizations had to show proof of insurance to get government funding for providing essential services. From a public policy perspective that was a concern. If nonprofits couldnt show proof of insurance, they couldnt provide those needed services, she said. It was extremely difficult for nonprofits to get good coverage for their specialty lines, like sexual abuse and social service professional; difficult, if not impossible, Davis said. It was a real problem in California. Part of the problem back then was that the insurance market viewed nonprofits as part of the larger business community, not as a special sector with special risks, Davis said. Things have changed for the better. Insurers have a different view of nonprofits today. More of them now see nonprofits as a special sector with special risks. This sector represents more than 1.5 million organizations and accounts for almost 10 percent of all salaries and wages paid in the United States. And its growing. Today theres more acknowledgement (in the market) that the one-size-fits-all for commercial business insurance is not well suited for this sector, Davis said. I think 25 years ago we were trying to fit nonprofits into a policy that didnt describe its exposures. For example, one of the unique exposures facing the nonprofit sector is how much they depend on volunteers to get work done. There were policies related to employee theft of money but in many cases those policies didnt recognize that volunteers could also be involved in theft, Davis recalls. Volunteers might be injured during the course of their work for a nonprofit organization. Employees were addressed in coverage but volunteers were often ignored, according to Davis. More than two decades later the nonprofit insurance world looks much different. We have seen some (more challenging insurance) cycles since then but nothing as dramatic as when we began 26 years ago, Davis said. Part of that is that we now have capacity dedicated specifically to the sector. Coverage Gregory Chapman agrees the insurance landscape has changed for the better for nonprofits. Theres more markets, just more competition, said Chapman, area president of Gallagher Chapman, a division of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., based in Glendale, Calif. In the package market general liability, property, auto and professional he said 10 years ago there were only about three or four markets that would consider nonprofits, whereas today there are eight markets so the competition has doubled. For package business, Chapman says his division is seeing insurers looking for rate increases in the single digits on renewals. But with todays heightened competition, insurers are often forced to be flat or down slightly on renewals. There are more options than ever before and prices are stable, he said. Chapman says he even sees some newer markets offering discount pricing at 10 percent off but he cautions that oftentimes those markets have inferior coverage forms. Unique Populations Another unique exposure in the nonprofit space has to do with the reality that many of the organizations are dealing with individuals in need of help, whether they are children or elderly or people with disabilities. Thus, according to Chapman, the standard ISO forms dont always work in the nonprofit space. You need to have sexual abuse coverage and coverage for the entity standard policies dont cover that, he said. Chapman advises clients considering newer markets to do a complete analysis of coverage forms to see the differences. There could be some people that are getting tricked if they are dealing with a broker that doesnt specialize in the space, he said. The workers compensation market for nonprofits is also heavily competitive for good accounts. Today there are twice as many carriers for nonprofits than there were 10 years ago. Pickier Underwriters While it is still competitive, Chapman says underwriters are becoming pickier. Before they would say, we will take anyone in this class but now they are saying they only want the best, he said. The best of the best continue to see rate decreases on workers comp renewals, but the average to the highest risk clients are seeing rate increases. On average the comp market is just a couple percentage points up but we are seeing some clients getting hammered. For example, nonprofits with an alcohol rehabilitation code, or childrens residential code more traditional higher risk codes are going up double digits, Chapman said. D&O Is Tough While the situation has markedly improved, not all markets are a piece of cake for nonprofits. The directors and officers (D&O) segment is a tough one for nonprofits, according to Chapman said. Thats the hot button area right now, he said. Unlike in the traditional D&O space, nonprofit D&O automatically bundles employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) into the product. Unfortunately, EPLI, like in many other industries, is generating a lot of claims activity, especially in the social services sector, Chapman noted. If you look at the claims activity, probably 1 percent of the claims activity is a true D&O claim. But the other 99 percent are EPLI related wrongful termination, failure to promote, hostile work environment, he said. Chapman said the industry is down to only a handful of markets that will even consider D&O for nonprofits and the required deductibles for coverage are skyrocketing. Deductibles are going from nothing to up to $100,000; and the premiums are doubling. Its a tight, tight market for D&O, he said. Overall, however, there is not much else to complain about in the nonprofit P/C world. Its a softening and stable market. A good space overall, Chapman said. Wells is editor-in-chief of Insurance Journal magazine, where this article was originally published. Topics Market Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company (BHSI) announced the formation of a dedicated Medical Stop Loss Division and has appointed John Snyder to lead the effort. The company also named David Friedly as head of Underwriting and Glenn Funk as actuary for Medical Stop Loss. Snyder comes to BHSI with nearly four decades of experience specializing in employer self-funded medical plans. During the course of his career, he served as a third party administrator (TPA), an employee benefits broker and a managing general underwriter (MGU) of stop loss business. He retired from AIG in 2013 after more than a decade as president and CEO of Medical Excess, LLC. Friedly brings to BHSI more than 40 years of life and health insurance experience with major commercial insurers and benefits organizations. His career has included leadership roles in operations, compliance, claims and underwriting, with a focus on medical stop loss. David holds a bachelors degree in Political Science from the University of Southern California. Funk joins BHSI with more than 40 years of industry experience, most recently serving as vice president and actuary at AIG Benefits Solutions. Previously, Funk was executive vice president and chief actuary at Medical Excess, LLC, and served as chief actuary at American Health & Life Insurance Company, General Reassurance Corporation and Anthem Insurance Companies. Funk is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries. He holds a bachelors degree in Mathematics from Yale University and a masters degree in Actuarial Science from Northeastern University. All three executives are based in BHSIs office in Irvine, California. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance provides commercial property, casualty, healthcare professional liability, executive and professional lines, surety, travel, programs, medical stop loss and homeowners insurance. The actual and final terms of coverage for all product lines may vary. Medical stop loss will be underwritten on the paper of Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company. Topics Profit Loss Excess Surplus Texas Insurance Commissioner David Mattax has issued an order adopting revised workers compensation classification relativities. The order reduces the overall level of the classification relativities by 10 percent. A public hearing under Docket No. 2784 was on Dec, 16, 2015, to consider the proposed revisions. TDI received no oral comments at the hearing, and one written comment during the comment period. The one commentor asserted that the proposed 10 percent reduction was insufficient, and concluded that the loss costs and relativities could easily be reduced by 20 percent. After considering that suggestion, the commissioner found that TDI staffs proposed 10 percent reduction to the overall relativities is reasonable, the order states. Per the commissioners order, insurers may use the revised classification relativities immediately. However, the revised classification relativities must be used for all policies with effective dates on or after July 1, 2016, unless the insurer files an alternative classification rate basis. The order may be found online at: http://www.tdi.texas.gov/orders/index.html. Source: Texas Department of Insurance Topics Texas Workers' Compensation A Spokane, Wash. card dealer caught working at casinos while receiving disability benefits must repay more than $27,000. Victor Arredondo, 58, pleaded guilty this week in Spokane County Superior Court to felony second-degree theft and misdemeanor third-degree theft. Judge Gregory Sypolt ordered Arredondo to repay the Department of Labor & Industries $27,183, the amount he admitted stealing in workers comp benefits. Sypolt also sentenced Arredondo to 10 days in jail, but converted the jail time to 80 hours of community service. If Arredondo breaks the law or fails to comply with the sentencing terms within one year, he faces up to 364 days behind bars. The Washington Attorney Generals office prosecuted the case based on an L&I investigation. Arredondo claimed he injured his lower back in May 2013 while working as a card dealer at a Spokane casino. L&I opened a claim for Arredondo, and two doctors and a nurse practitioner certified he should receive wage-replacement payments. He received workers comp benefits from June 2013 through March 2014, repeatedly stating on official forms that he couldnt work and wasnt working. A cross-check of L&I records with that of other state agencies revealed otherwise. L&I investigators found that Arredondo continued to work as a card dealer for nearly the entire eight months he was collecting workers comp benefits, but at casinos other than the one where he was injured. The casino where he was injured closed, so he worked separate stints at two other casinos in Spokane. Arredondos medical providers told L&I that if he had told them he was working, they would not have certified him to receive the state benefits, charging papers said. Restitution collected in the case will be returned to the state workers comp fund, which helps injured workers heal and return to work. Topics Workers' Compensation Washington The Clark County Water Reclamation District in Washington has been hit with a cyber-attack but officials say operations havent been disrupted and no customer or employee information was hacked. The agency said in a statement this week that its computer system was attacked late Friday night. Computers were shut down as a precaution but operations at all seven treatment facilities and customer service centers were not affected. Authorities are investigating and law enforcement has been notified. The water district covers all of unincorporated Clark County, including Blue Diamond, Indian Springs, Laughlin, Searchlight, and Moapa Valley. Its website said its responsible for treating 170 million gallons of used water and sewage from thousands of homes, hotels, schools, churches and businesses. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Cyber In the final report on BEPS Action 6: Preventing the Granting of Treaty Benefits in Inappropriate Circumstances, the OECD alleges that multinational corporations (MNCs) deprive countries of tax revenues by claiming treaty benefits in situations where these benefits were not intended to be granted, such as by interposing holding and conduit finance companies. The OECD intends to put an end to inappropriate and abusive use of tax treaties through i) certain amendments to the OECD Model Treaty; ii) an amendment to the title and preamble of double tax treaties; and iii) outlining certain tax policy considerations for countries to reflect upon before entering into tax treaties. It has been a long-held belief that corporations should be free to structure their affairs efficiently, as long as their arrangements are not artificial and abusive. This was well articulated in the 1929 case of Ayrshire Pullman Motor Services and Ritchie v IRC, where Lord Clyde said: No man in this country is under the smallest obligation, moral or other, so as to arrange his legal relations to his business or his property as to enable the Inland Revenue to put the largest possible shovel into his stores. Much of the debate will revolve around the meaning of the word 'abusive'. Is tax planning involving the use of tax treaties, principal companies, holding companies, finance companies and special purpose vehicles (SPVs) still allowed? The fact that the OECD's final report is not very final makes it difficult to go into much detail, other than the new principal purpose test (PPT) provision. In order to fill in the blanks left by the OECD, this article provides further guidance on how to apply the PPT provision in practice, starting with a short economic context, as this is critical for a proper understanding of the issues in play. Economic analysis Equity and debt funding should be better balanced Since the beginning of modern corporate income tax (CIT) systems and the start of double taxation treaties, a discrepancy has been built into these systems in terms of the tax treatment of equity and debt. In a cross-border context, tax treaties could have provided a solution and could have restored the balance. Since dividends were distributed out of after-tax income, withholding tax (WHT) on dividends should preferably be zero. On the other hand, interest was typically allowed as a business expense in the source country. It would therefore restore the balance in the source country if payment of interest to an overseas lender incurs a fairly high level of WHT, say 20%. This way, there would be no incentive to fund overseas operations with (excessive) debt, there would be no reason for deferral, nor for conduit companies, since all foreign investors would incur the same high WHT in the source country. Optimum allocation of economic activity Economic theory explains that economic activity should take place where it is done most efficiently. In a world without borders, tariffs and WHT, we would arrive at the most efficient distribution of production and economic activity across the globe. Purely through the mechanism of price effects we would reach this state where our total combined global income is maximised. Double taxation creates obstacles that lead to a suboptimal distribution of economic activity, thereby slowing economic progress and reducing global income. The proposals in this final report will most definitely increase double taxation. An incomplete report The OECD has a reputation for solid research and argumentation. What is striking about the final report on BEPS Action 6, and atypical of the OECD as we know it, is: the lack of proof that MNCs pay proportionally less tax than small and medium size enterprises (SMEs); the lack of consideration for and research into the balance between BEPS opportunities resulting from cross-border activities on one hand and inefficiencies (no offset for losses, non-deductible costs, non-creditable WHT, among others) due to cross-border operations on the other hand; and the lack of an impact analysis of the BEPS proposals on global trade. After all, this is a report issued by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Principal purpose test (PPT) Perhaps the most important and most hotly debated part of the report relates to the PPT. The final report on Action 6 leaves many questions unanswered. Most of the examples are very obvious and not instructive. This is an indication of the limited applicability of the PPT. Few examples provide useful insight, and where they enter the more interesting shades of grey, they reach the wrong conclusion. The analysis below attempts to answer some open questions and to provide better guidance under the PPT. In the report, the PPT is article X(7) of the OECD Model tax convention and reads as follows: Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Convention, a benefit under this Convention shall not be granted in respect of an item of income or capital if it is reasonable to conclude, having regard to all relevant facts and circumstances, that obtaining that benefit was one of the principal purposes of any arrangement or transaction that resulted directly or indirectly in that benefit, unless it is established that granting that benefit in these circumstances would be in accordance with the object and purpose of the relevant provisions of this Convention. Paragraph 5 of the limitation on benefits (LOB) test contains a different variation of PPT under the competent authority's discretionary relief provision. See also comment 64 of the final report. In tax law, a main purpose test or PPT is an established test to prevent abuse of a legal provision. Many countries have similar tests in their domestic legislation, or apply a general anti abuse doctrine which is similar to the test proposed by the OECD. EU law has also adopted various provisions including a similar test and that operate as an anti-abuse rule. In the Cadbury Schweppes case, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) restricted the scope of specific anti-abuse measures to wholly artificial arrangements. Genuine business activities are protected by the EU's fundamental freedom rights and will need to be respected. The OECD's PPT sounds rather ominous upon first reading, but should be read against the backdrop of a long list of case law in many OECD countries, and against the guiding principle of paragraph 9.5 of the Commentary on article 1 of the OECD Model Treaty: A guiding principle is that the benefits of a convention should not be available where a main purpose for entering into certain transactions or arrangements was to secure a more favourable tax position and obtaining that more favourable treatment in these circumstances would be contrary to the object and purpose of the relevant provisions. In fact, article X(7) is the codification of the concept of 'fraus conventionis' or abuse of law in an international context. Many anti-abuse tests are part of the same family, but there are some interesting differences. First of all, the older tests refer to the "sole purpose" and the "main purpose", whereas article X(7) speaks of "one of the principal purposes". Apparently, the OECD intends to lower the bar and to make it easier for tax authorities to test the behavior of tax payers against the objective test. This has, however, no effect other than more menacing semantics, since all these tests end with the same objective test as the ultimate test. A second difference is that article X(7) provides a main rule and an exception to the main rule, instead of two tests of equal standing. Again, the optical effect is more threatening, but the final test is still the same. A common feature of all these tests is that they first look at the purpose of entering into a transaction. This transaction needs to be connected with the actions of a person, typically the person claiming treaty benefits. Usually this involves an analysis not only of the apparent purpose of his action, but also of any ulterior objectives or motives of a taxpayer. This is commonly referred to as the subjective test. The outcome of this analysis is tested against the object and purpose of the relevant treaty provision (the objective test). The meaning of "object and purpose", ("ziel und zweck", "doel en strekking" or "l'objet et a la finalite"), can sometimes cause confusion. The "object" refers to the literal meaning of the relevant provision. To understand the "purpose", we need to look at the spirit of the law (Finalursache, causa finalis, strekking, la finalite). As a general rule, treaty provisions aim to award a local tax benefit to a qualified resident of the other country (the objective). The source state steps back (provides a tax benefit) in order to entice investors and entrepreneurs of the other state to visit their shores (the purpose). EU guidance on PPT proposed by BEPS Action 6 Based on EU law it was to be expected that the EU would require anti-abuse provisions to be in line with existing EU law and case law. For this reason, the European Commission (EC) has issued a guidance on January 28 2016 with the following recommendation: Where member states, in tax treaties which they conclude among themselves or with third countries, include a principal purpose test-based general anti-avoidance rule in application of the template provided for in the OECD Model Tax Convention, member states are encouraged to insert in them the following modification: "Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Convention, a benefit under this Convention shall not be granted in respect of an item of income or capital if it is reasonable to conclude, having regard to all relevant facts and circumstances, that obtaining that benefit was one of the principal purposes of any arrangement or transaction that resulted directly or indirectly in that benefit, unless it is established that it reflects a genuine economic activity or that granting that benefit in these circumstances would be in accordance with the object and purpose of the relevant provisions of this Convention." In other words, for EU countries the effect of the PPT proposal has been reduced to its legitimate proportions, as genuine economic activities will have to be respected. The taxpayer's purpose An abusive purpose must be attributed to a person in order to be meaningful. From a legal perspective, it would be problematic to deny a certain treaty benefit on the grounds of another person's abusive purpose. Tax law has not embraced a group concept; each company is dealt with individually. In other words, for the recipient of income to be denied treaty protection, it must be demonstrated that the recipient was party to an arrangement that had an abusive purpose. Merely being an associated enterprise does not satisfy that threshold. The objective of the recipient of the income must be assessed separate from possible motives of associated enterprises. If the recipient of the income has a clear commercial motive, grounded in its long term business plan, and was not aiming to realise an incidental benefit and is not party to a broader abusive arrangement, it seems extremely unlikely that treaty protection can be denied on the basis of another entity's abusive purpose. A genuine holding or group finance company may be established in a well-known financial centre. Provided this company has sufficient local substance to manage its assets, operations and associated risks, and notwithstanding that its management acts in close coordination with senior group management, they remain sufficiently autonomous. Such a company is acting in the ordinary course of its business; it is arguably not considered to have as one of its principal purposes the pursuit of foreign treaty benefits, and even if that were the case, such pursuit would be considered in accordance with object and purpose of the relevant treaty benefits. Consequently, such a company should be able to rely on the tax treaties concluded by its country of residency and tax benefits offered by the treaty partners. In a way, the analysis boils down to what would remain in a 'world without tax'. Genuine holding companies and genuine group finance companies would still exist as they have a real economic function. Conduit companies, however, that lack a real economic function and carry no material risks, may not survive in a world without tax. Consequently, treaty claims from these companies may be in jeopardy under the OECD's PPT, assuming the abusive purpose of their 'principal' can be attributed to the conduit company, which is no small legal step. Limitation on benefits (LOB) rule is not yet finished With the US being the biggest proponent of an LOB rule, the OECD is not able to proceed with final suggestions for its LOB rule as part of the rules to combat inappropriate treaty shopping under BEPS Action 6, as long as the United States has not finalised the work on its new LOB rule included in the US model tax treaty. The new version of the US LOB rule was released for public comment in May 2015, and was published on February 17 2016. Active conduct of a business The draft proposed LOB rule not only accords treaty protection to qualified treaty residents, but also to residents involved in the 'active conduct of a business' (ACB rule). To qualify under the ACB rule, the foreign income must be derived in connection with, or should be incidental to the business of the recipient of the income, and the latter business should be significant in relation to the business carried on in the foreign country. Disappointingly, the OECD has resolved that headquarter companies do not qualify under the 'active conduct of a business' provision in the LOB rule published as part of BEPS Action 6. The commentary explains this with the argument that headquarter companies "manage investments", as if it is a passive activity. In reality, headquarter companies provide active strategic and operational support to the underlying businesses of their subsidiaries. Hardly a passive 'investment management' activity. As the OECD's comment is so detached from reality, it leaves the reader wondering if this is not politically inspired. (Interestingly, the recently published US Model treaty does allow treaty relief for HQ companies that exercise primary management and control functions). In any event, it will result in double taxation on income that has already been taxed at operating company level (and triple taxation if ultimate shareholder taxation is included). Given the commentary, it is also unlikely that an HQ company can qualify for treaty relief via the proposed LOB's PPT safety net, included in the discretionary relief provision (paragraph 5). This means that intermediate holding companies do not qualify for treaty relief if there is no significant local business. We wonder why the rules are drafted such that intermediate holding companies must be established in a large economy. Smaller countries should not adopt the rules proposed by Action 6 (via the multilateral instrument of Action 15 or otherwise), as it will result in a brain drain and will exclude them from attracting higher tier corporate management teams. This could be resolved by considering business operations within a broader trade union. Moreover, it is probably illegal for an EU country to include the proposed provision in a tax treaty. Political or economic desirability It is a legitimate question to ask if the world should be longing for more treaty anti-abuse rules. Judging from the current media coverage on alleged inappropriate behaviour of MNCs, one would be tempted to conclude that at least from one corner of the political arena there is indeed a loud demand for stricter rules with respect to cross-border holding and financing structures. The OECD seems to provide these stricter rules by introducing this ominous-looking PPT, by stressing the first part of the test (one of the principal purposes) and omitting to explain the much more restrictive nature (for the tax authorities) of the second part (in accordance with object and purpose of the relevant treaty provision). There is a negative feedback loop of incorrect, incomplete and mostly misleading information about tax planning by MNCs between mainstream media, politicians and public. Given the origin of some of this information, world leaders would be wise not to lean too much towards this political sentiment. Instead, they should give prevalence to the urgent need for economic growth and the effect that additional trade and investment barriers will have on global trade and investment. Financing and treasury (F&T) is a significant part of the OECD's BEPS work, and is represented in eight of the 15 Action reports: The level of return that a lender is entitled to under transfer pricing (TP) principles as governed by Actions 8 to 10; The introduction of double taxation treaty anti-avoidance through the Action 6 and Action 15 reports; The cataloguing of international tax arbitrages in the Action 2 report, and a pathway for a domestic legislator to tackle these; Internationally coherent approaches to interest caps in the Action 4 report; Tackling harmful tax regimes through Action 5; and The documentation of significant F&T transactions in the master and local files recommended in the Action 13 report. There is an underlying theme in tacking F&T BEPS, which is the lack of coherence of tax legislation in different countries. The thorny question is that, if tax law is made by domestic legislators, and approved by domestic governments, is it reasonable to expect territories to apply legislation consistently and coherently? Transfer pricing guidelines-based implementation The impact of Actions 8 10 From both a coherence and immediate impact perspective, this is the most significant part of F&T BEPS, as many territories automatically bring the transfer pricing guidelines (TPGs) into their domestic legislation. Our experience is that some tax authorities are approaching open enquiries as if the Action 8-10 report is a 'clarification' of the previous TPGs. It is definitely not this; it is a shift, and a fundamental one for F&T. Actions 8-10 are aimed at developing TP rules to create TP outcomes in line with value creation. Specifically, Actions 9 and 10 target arrangements between associated companies which, in the mind of the OECD, enable BEPS by allowing inappropriate returns as a result of risk transfer, or an allocation of excessive capital to a group member, or by engaging in transactions that would only very rarely or never occur between third parties. If rules in line with the recommendations of BEPS Action 8-10 are adopted in local law (which in many countries will happen automatically), they will have a significant impact on the TP of both intra-group financial transactions and of financial entities. The standard practice in most countries is to follow the contractual arrangements regarding the allocation of risk. What the OECD is suggesting is that tax authorities undertake a shift towards a world in which an overlay to contractual arrangements is postulated based on the ability of and conduct of companies in relation to the control of risk. It can be expected that this will lead, in the short to medium term, to a great deal of confusion as different tax authorities interpret this overlay differently. The updated TPGs focus on economically significant risk (ESR). According to the OECD, the significance of an ESR depends on the likelihood and size of the potential profits or losses arising from the risk and can be determined as a result of a broader functional analysis of how F&T value is created in a group. The Action 8-10 reports suggest that once ESRs have been identified, it should be established which entity controls them. Controlling the risk requires having the capability of making decisions on taking or declining of an ESR bearing opportunity and on responding to the ESR together with the actual performance of that decision-making. If the entity contractually assuming the ESR does not control it or does not have the financial capacity to assume it, the ESR should instead be allocated to the group entity which factually does so. Where multiple entities exercise control over ESR and have the financial capacity to assume it, the ESR should be allocated to the entity (group of related entities) exercising the most control. The TP treatment of capital-rich companies which fund risk-taking opportunities but have little other relevant economic activity (referred to as 'cash boxes') may be strongly affected. It is suggested that if such an entity does not demonstrate the control wished for by the OECD over its ESRs that the company exercising such a control has the right to collect the risk premium, and the cash box would be entitled to a risk-free capital return. This is one of the most difficult areas in respect of Actions 8-10, namely the suggestion that by operating a relatively low-activity company in a different manner could have a dramatic impact on return entitlement. This transfer pricing approach pierces the corporate veil, and is likely to create a great deal of confusion as different practitioners and tax authorities interpret it differently It could also lead to double taxation and almost certainly increased controversy. Many multinational enterprises have companies which undertake only financial activities. The transactions they are involved in may range from the provision of simple loans to more complex funding or the provision of guarantees, hedging and cash pooling activities. In the increasingly globalised business models of multinational companies leading to matrix management it, may be challenging to locate the person(s) actually exercising control over ESR as well as their location, which may sometimes deviate from the entity engaged in financing activities. These cases may become a target of Actions 8-10 along with cash boxes. Given the far-reaching consequences of the Actions 8-10, groups should review their financing arrangements to ensure they are compliant from the TP perspective of the payer of financial payments, the recipient, and the recipient's parent jurisdiction. Groups will need to monitor the approach of tax authorities in this area very carefully to understand the diversity of likely interpretations. It is surprising that, whereas most of the interest related actions promote and are designed to achieve coherence, an impact of Actions 8-10 could be less coherence in the short to mid-term, at least. Treaty-based implementation The impact of Actions 6 and 15 Many jurisdictions levy withholding taxes on financial payments to protect their tax bases. In international financing arrangements, treaties generally promote the cross border flow of money through reducing these withholding taxes. Action 6 poses the question of whether bilateral tax treaties are being used by companies in the way that they were intended, and suggests that either a principal purpose test (PPT) or limitation of benefit (LOB) clause should be introduced into existing treaties to counter avoidance. Action 6 also suggests draft amendments to the model treaty whereby the interest article (and other income articles) are restricted so as to only apply where the interest income is fully brought into account. To ensure consistency and coherence it is suggested that a multilateral instrument would directly implement the treaty-related measures. The aim is to finalise this instrument and to open it for signature by December 31 2016, sign up to the multilateral treaty will be optional. In general, these developments will create more incentives for source countries to start scrutinising financial payments made from their jurisdiction. The combined impact of Actions 6 and 8-10 will create a far more uncertain environment for cross-border financial payments, whereby the application of treaties and determining the beneficiary of financing profits may be open to alternative interpretations by different taxing jurisdictions. This new lack of coherence may well lead in some cases to double taxation, and groups may need to redesign their F&T arrangements so as to minimise these risks. In particular as the positions of different tax authorities become clear, it may be that F&T arrangements become tailored to particular countries, rather than generic, as they largely are now. The impact of Action 2 One of the fundamental principles of tax law in most jurisdictions is the deductibility of interest expenses for tax purposes where there are sound business reasons for this expense. The types of instruments or constructs that give rise to borrowing arrangements vary hugely depending on the circumstance of a particular group. As tax laws are different in each territory, there is no consistent approach to the taxation of borrowing arrangements. In the Action 2 report, the OECD postulates that this has created opportunities for groups to transfer profits from one jurisdiction to another through the use of interest deductions and other financial payments. The OECD has demonstrated in the Action 2 report a detailed knowledge of the lack of coherence between different country tax systems in this area (283 pages of examples). Its approach provides a way for each territory to legislate on a consistent basis so as to create coherence in this area. At its heart, Action 2 requires a country to take into account the position of the taxpayer in the other country, and its tax treatment. To many countries' tax legislators this is an alien consideration. They are concerned about the protection of their own tax base, so determining the tax treatment in their own country based on the treatment in another is traditionally something which has been shied away from. It will be very interesting to see the extent to which different countries take this work on board. At the time of writing only the UK has published draft legislation to take forward the work in Action 2 into its domestic rules, to be effective for tax years beginning from January 1 2017. Territories such as France and Mexico introduced 'half-way house' rules during the OECD work, and it will be interesting to see whether they upgrade their legislation to be more detailed and in line with the OECD's Action 2 final report. An interesting development within the EU Commission is the proposal for an Anti-tax Avoidance Directive, issued on January 28 2016. The key thrust behind this draft directive is that the Commission believes that international tax avoidance can only be tackled by coherent action on behalf of its member states. The directive in many ways goes further than the OECD work on BEPS. However, in the area of F&T, its recommendations largely accord with the OECD's Action 2 and Action 4 work. It will be interesting to see whether the EU member states will be able to agree on such a directive, as unanimous consent is required for a directive to become effective. The impact of Action 4 In its report on Action 4, the OECD provides for a collective international approach to limit base erosion involving interest deductions and other financial payments. The recommended approach ensures that an entity's net interest deductions are directly linked to its level of economic activity through the introduction of a fixed ratio rule based on taxable earnings before deducting net interest expense, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA). In addition, a group ratio escape is introduced to align the deductible interest expense with the group's consolidated external net interest expense. A country may choose not to introduce the group ratio rule, but in this case it should apply the fixed ratio rule to multinational and domestic groups without improper discrimination. Due to the generic nature of the proposals, almost all groups would be impacted in one way or another as Action 4 would provide an overlay on what is an acceptable borrowing cost from both an internal and external perspective. If the external borrowing strategies of groups lead to non-deductible financing costs under Action 4 it will be interesting to see whether groups will adopt different strategies, such as borrowing externally into different entities. Further technical review will be conducted by the OECD, which should be completed by the end of this year. So far, there are limited signs of jurisdictions replacing or supplementing their existing anti-abuse rules in relation to interest deduction with the Action 4 recommendations. Germany already has an Action 4-type measure in place. The Netherlands, meanwhile, has indicated that it will only support Action 4 on a coordinated basis, such as in an EU context. As suggested above, the EU's Anti-tax Avoidance Directive may also become important here. However, as with Action 2, it can be questioned whether countries will achieve consensus on the application of these rules due to different starting points, which is resembled in the wide variety of interest deduction limitation rules currently in place. It may be possible that (part of) the rules become optional. A country which has signalled the possible implementation as a result of initiating a consultation process on an Action 4-type rule is the UK. The impact of Action 5 In Action 5 the OECD touches upon preferential tax regimes. In essence, the outcome of Action 5 is that preferential tax regimes require substantial activities. The OECD follows a so-called 'nexus approach', which requires that the economic activities are located in the same jurisdiction that provides the tax facility for these activities. Although the nexus approach is developed in the context of IP regimes, the same principle should apply to other preferential tax regimes, like financing regimes. It can be expected that the nexus approach will become increasingly important over time, which is strengthened by an increase in transparency. Transparency is also a part of Action 5. In the report, a framework for the spontaneous exchange of rulings, which following the OECD could give rise to BEPS concerns, is provided. The spontaneous exchange will include rulings on financing structures that may be considered preferential and might not be considered in line with the nexus approach. This increase in transparency may result in more scrutiny towards existing financing arrangements and it can be expected that, over time, jurisdictions will act on this by closing down perceived loopholes. Many jurisdictions have expressed their support towards the nexus approach and jurisdictions such as the UK, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the Netherlands have announced amendments to their IP regimes. In the field of transparency, the EU has taken a leading role with the 'transparency package', which was proposed by the European Commission in March 2015. As part of the package, a directive regarding the mandatory automatic exchange of information on tax rulings was agreed upon in October 2015. As of January 1 2017, EU member states will be required to communicate summaries of cross-border tax rulings and advance pricing agreements to all other EU member states and, within certain limitations, to the Commission itself. The impact of Action 13 Action 13 contains provisions within the master file and local file for the documentation of significant inter-company F&T transactions, and the provision of rulings or agreements covering F&T. This Action is dealt with in a separate article but it is clear that due to its likely wide adoption by OECD states that F&T transactions will be available for inspection by multiple territories. It is therefore paramount that groups carefully and clearly document their F&T policies in anticipation of this, so as to reduce any follow-on controversy. Shaun Lucey EY Tel: +44 (0) 207 951 2567 slucey@uk.ey.com Shaun is a partner in EY's international tax services practice, based in London. He is a chartered accountant and holds a doctorate in theoretical physics. His role is split between client work and leading our tax desk programme in EMEIA. During his 18 years of tax work he has spent much of that time advising clients on their international financing transactions, and as a consequence is the leader of our EMEIA finance and treasury tax services offering in the international tax space. The emergence of companies that rely on branding and innovation rather than physical assets and employee base to generate financial returns has created new challenges for tax systems that were originally designed to tax assets based on their legal ownership and physical location. Moreover, the physical barriers that often prevent multinationals from centralising tangible assets or an employee base in a jurisdiction do not inhibit the transfer of intangible assets in the same way, with multinationals able to divorce legal ownership and funding of intangibles from the activities that create or maintain the assets. The commercial and legal drivers to consolidate ownership of a group's intangible assets, and the tax advantages from doing so in a low tax environment, have resulted in the prevalence of structures designed to centralise the global or regional ownership of intangibles. While these structures are most common in technology, software and pharmaceuticals, they also often occur in other industry sectors, including consumer goods. A central focus of the BEPS Action Plan has, therefore, been to identify and address the impact of these structures. The tax landscape for any group with intangible assets has changed as a result, and this chapter discusses the key implications of these changes. What are intangible assets? Intangible assets, by their very definition, are not physical in nature. Often, intangible assets comprise know-how that cannot be legally protected, but that nonetheless provides a sustainable competitive advantage. However, in some cases, intangible assets may be represented by legally registered and protected intellectual property (IP). The definition of intangibles for transfer pricing purposes is a vexed question, and has been the subject of much discussion as the BEPS Action Plan has evolved. The final report on Actions 8 to 10 settles on the following definition, which is incorporated into Chapter VI of the revised OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines: ".something which is not a physical asset or a financial asset, which is capable of being owned or controlled for use in commercial activities, and whose use or transfer would be compensated had it occurred in a transaction between independent parties." The OECD notes that a definition that is either too narrow or too broad can be problematic, and has deliberately chosen a definition that does not rely on a typical accounting or legal interpretation. The OECD's intent in presenting its definition is to provide clarity to taxpayers and tax authorities, and it goes on in the report to give examples of the types of intangible that fall within this definition, including both intellectual property, such as patents and trademarks that can be registered, and other assets such as know-how, trade secrets and contractual rights. It also notes that some factors that contribute to the income earned by a group are, nonetheless, not themselves intangibles. Group synergies and local market characteristics, for example, are to be treated as comparability factors in a transfer pricing analysis, not intangible assets. The definition of intangibles contained in the revised transfer pricing guidelines is also referenced in the template for transfer pricing documentation contained in the Action 13 final report. These require that the transfer pricing master file transfer should present, among other things: A description of the group's overall strategy for development, ownership and exploitation of intangibles, including the location of principal R&D facilities and R&D management; A list of the group's intangibles, which are important for transfer pricing purposes, and details of which entities legally own them; A list of agreements including cost contribution arrangements, service agreements and license agreements; A general description of the group's transfer pricing policies; and Details of any transfers of interest in intangibles undertaken. With this requirement for taxpayers to identify and document their intangible assets more explicitly, it is clear that there will be much more visibility in future for tax authorities on the intangible assets driving business value and taxable profit. Key features of centralised IP ownership Up to now, because legally protected IP has typically been easier to identify, value and transfer, it has often been the focus of multinational groups' tax planning structures for intangibles. While it is true that there is no 'one size fits all' IP ownership structure, it is often the case that tax-advantaged IP structures, to the extent that local country controlled foreign company (CFC) regulations did not prevent such structuring, have had the following features: Centralised legal ownership and funding of intellectual property assets (patents, trademarks and copyrights) in a single legal entity the IP owner; Limited functional activity in the IP owner itself relating to the control or execution of IP development and management of resulting risk, whether by employees or the board of directors; Outsourcing of activity relating to the control and execution of development, enhancement, maintenance and protection of the IP; and/or Outsourcing of commercial exploitation activity to, for example, a local distributor typically in a higher-tax jurisdiction. Example of low-function IP owner The existence and tax implications of this divergence between legal ownership and funding of IP assets from the functional activities relating to the development of the IP, seen in the typical low-functionality model described in Diagram 1, have been OECD's key focuses in Actions 8 to 10 of the BEPS Action Plan. The revised transfer pricing guidelines set out in the final report seek to confirm that profits are allocated to the economic activities that create value using transfer pricing principles, with a focus on decision-making and control functions. Diagram 1: Example of low-function IP owner IP owner and parent company relationship IP owner has an exclusive right over the international IP rights rights outside of parent company's jurisdiction). The entrepreneurial profit associated with the international IP rights accrues to the IP owner. While there is some substance in the IP owner, strategic decision making with regards to the worldwide rights remains in the parent company. The parent company does not seek to tax the income which accrues to the IP owner. IP owner and local distributor IP owner licenses IP to a local distributor who makes sales to third parties in the local jurisdiction. IP owner and affiliates IP owner enters into agreements with affiliates to provide R&D and other services applicable to the IP. Why is tax a consideration when determining where to locate IP? There can be many reasons why groups may choose to centralise their IP in a single location or company. Inevitably, tax often forms one of these considerations, with groups usually seeking to hold their IP in jurisdictions with: Low headline corporate tax rates; Tax deductions for amortisation of acquired IP; Reduced tax rates for certain types of innovative income (that is, a preferential IP regime); and/or Low or no withholding tax on royalties Governments have recognised this trend, and have increasingly sought to modify their tax regimes to incentivise the retention and acquisition of valuable intangible assets. This competition between jurisdictions has resulted in preferential IP regimes that enable groups to access low tax rates for IP income without locating significant amounts of IP development activity in the IP-owning entity. This level of competition has been deemed harmful by the OECD, which has made recommendations aiming to ensure that tax benefits are commensurate with the level of development activity performed by that entity. These recommendations, which are contained within the final Action 5 report, clearly interact with the BEPS Actions that consider how transfer pricing principles should be applied to align profits with value creation. However, they seek to counteract separation of activity from IP ownership in a different way. Actions 8 to 10 focus on allocating IP profit to decision-making and control, while Action 5 focuses more strictly on aligning IP profit with the development activity itself. As discussed in the remainder of this chapter, the Action 5 and Action 8 to 10 changes all encourage groups to combine IP ownership, decision-making and control and development activity in the same legal entity. The impact of BEPS on structures that separate IP ownership from decision-making and control One long-standing criticism of the arm's-length principle is that, in application, it may be used to place too much emphasis on the contractual allocation of business functions and risks, rather than on the activities responsible for value creation. This focus on legal contracts can result in transfer pricing outcomes where profits are allocated to low-function entities that do not have significant involvement in creating those profits. While the newly revised guidance explicitly confirms that the contractual arrangements remain the starting point for a transfer pricing analysis, it places a clear emphasis on the commercial substance of transactions and the actual conduct and contributions of the parties involved. Legal ownership and contractual allocation of risk achieves no more than a risk-free return The revised transfer pricing guidelines set out in BEPS Actions 8 to 10 require the actual intra-group transaction to be accurately delineated and analysed to determine whether the respective functions and conduct of the entities are aligned with the contractual relationship. Where the conduct of the entities does not support the contractual relationship, the actual conduct of the entities takes priority over the legal contractual relationship, and the profits from the arrangements are allocated to the entity that makes the key contributions to the creation of these profits. A functional analysis is used to understand the economically significant activities and responsibilities undertaken, assets used or contributed and risks assumed by the parties to a transaction in order to determine arm's-length pricing. With respect to intangibles, particular attention should therefore be devoted to analysing the decision-making and control functions associated with the development, enhancement, maintenance protection and exploitation of intangibles that drive value creation in a business. Crucially, the revised guidelines make it clear that entities that have only legal ownership of assets, or a contractual allocation of risk, should only receive a risk-free return under the arm's-length principle, with supply chain profit allocated instead to those entities undertaking economically significant activities. One-sided versus multi-sided functional analysis In determining arm's-length pricing, the revised guidelines emphasise the importance of understanding how value is created by the group as a whole, and the respective contribution of the parties to the transaction of that value creation. A simple 'one-sided' functional analysis is unlikely to be sufficient to explain an entity's contribution to value creation in all but the simplest of cases, particularly in the context of the enhanced transparency over a group's entire value chain mandated by Action 13. Taxpayers will need to provide a more thorough analysis of functions, assets and risks, including consideration of the contributions of the transaction counterparties and the commercial context within which they operate. It is not necessarily the case that this more rigorous analysis will inevitably lead to the increased use of profit split as a transfer pricing method; in situations where the contribution of one party to the intra-group transaction can clearly be demonstrated to be routine, the use of a traditional transfer pricing method or the transactional net margin method will remain appropriate. What is true, however, is that it is likely to require more effort by the taxpayer to demonstrate convincingly that this is the case in a multi-sided transfer pricing analysis. Hard-to-value intangibles (HTVIs) Another focus of the new guidelines is to include specific guidance on HTVIs, to protect tax administrations from the negative effects of information asymmetry between themselves and taxpayers. Examples of HTVIs are those that are only partly developed, or not yet commercially exploited, at the time of the transfer; intangibles where financial projections are highly uncertain and intangibles where reliable comparisons are not available. The revised guidelines enable tax administrations to use ex post evidence on financial outcomes of an intangible transaction (ie. information gathered in hindsight) as presumptive evidence of the appropriateness of the pricing arrangements. The use of ex post evidence will be subject to safe harbours in certain situations. This includes cases where the taxpayer can provide reliable evidence that any variance between projections and the actual outcomes is due to unforeseen developments or foreseeable outcomes whose probability was originally estimated. Nevertheless, the ability of tax authorities to use hindsight to challenge taxpayers' pricing assertions results in an additional layer of uncertainty and documentation requirements for taxpayers. What this means for IP structures The potential implications of the BEPS Action Plan for structures that allocate significant value to a low-function IP owner are obvious and stark. To address the increasing risk of tax controversy, adjustments and penalties, taxpayers should either reset transfer pricing policies to allocate profits to (higher tax) territories in which the economically significant activities take place, or redesign their operating models to align economically significant decision-making and control functions with IP ownership. The impact of BEPS on structures that separate IP ownership from performance of R&D activities The changes to transfer pricing guidelines do not impact the legitimacy of the outsourcing of functions such as R&D to related parties, provided that these functions are properly controlled by the IP owner and rewarded on an arm's length basis. However, proposed substance requirements in preferential IP regimes may adversely impact arrangements whereby IP is beneficially owned by a different entity from the one that performs the R&D activity. What is a preferential IP regime? Many territories seek to incentivise the retention and commercialisation of IP in-territory, as well as the local performance of R&D activities. They do this through both 'front-end' regimes, which focus on providing tax relief for expenditure incurred, and 'back-end' regimes, which apply to the income earned from the exploitation of the developed IP and are often referred to as patent or innovation boxes. In the example shown in Diagram 2, a back-end IP regime may have historically been available to the IP owner in the territory where the entity is resident, regardless of the fact that it did not perform the underlying development activity which resulted in the creation of the IP rights. In addition, a front-end IP regime may also be available to the affiliates in the territory where they are resident. Diagram 2: Separation of IP ownership from R&D Overview of the OECD recommendations: the modified nexus approach The OECD's final report on Action 5 defines parameters within which preferential IP regimes must operate so as not to be regarded as harmful tax competition. These parameters cover the types of IP which can be included within a regime and the method that must be applied to demonstrate that benefits are proportionate to substance. Qualifying IP Territories have historically taken different approaches to defining the scope of IP that can qualify for a preferential IP regime. Action 5 requires a limitation of this definition to patents (under a broad definition) and copyrighted software that is the result of qualifying R&D. Regimes that accommodate other IP, such as trademarks and trade names, will be required to amend their rules in line with the recommendations. Substantiality requirement The modified nexus approach seeks to create a direct nexus between the income eligible for benefits in a back-end preferential IP regime and the underlying activity that is performed on the creation of the IP. Rather than applying the transfer pricing principles stated in Actions 8 to 10, the modified nexus approach uses expenditure as a proxy for underlying activity, limiting the income qualifying under a regime to the proportion of qualifying expenditure incurred by the IP owner. Jurisdictions will provide their own definitions of qualifying expenditure. However, these definitions will be limited to expenditure that is incurred for the purposes of actual R&D activities. This is also likely to include the types of expenditure that would qualify for R&D tax credits under the laws of different jurisdictions, but not expenditure such as interest, building costs or costs not directly linked to a specific IP asset. Where parties other than the IP owners have performed underlying development, a restriction of benefits is likely to occur. This includes situations where affiliates have performed the underlying development activity but that activity has been under the control of, and funded by, the IP owner, as well as situations where the IP has been developed by another party (whether related or not) and then sold or licensed to the IP owner. Outsourcing of R&D to unrelated parties is not penalised, since this is treated as qualifying expenditure. What does this mean for structures that separate R&D activity from IP ownership? Below, the impact of the nexus approach in five different scenarios is considered. In each, R&D activities are separated in some way from either the entity, or the territory, that owns the IP. 1. R&D outsourced to a foreign affiliate Expenditure incurred by the IP owner on outsourcing of R&D to overseas related parties would not meet the definition of qualifying expenditure. This will be the case even if the activity is strategically managed by the IP owner. However, the expenditure incurred on the related party outsourcing would fall within the definition of overall expenditure. Therefore, the related party outsourcing would adversely impact the nexus fraction shown in the calculation above and, consequently, the amount of income eligible for benefits. 2. R&D carried out by an IP owner in another territory The OECD report does not include any requirements on the location of the R&D activity that is carried out by the IP owner. That means, for example, that the R&D activities of an IP owner's foreign branches could give rise to qualifying expenditure. This is, of course, subject to the manner in which the recommendations are implemented into local tax law. Where the IP owner has personnel carrying out R&D in foreign locations, the existence of a taxable permanent establishment and attribution of the IP owner's profit to that PE would need to be considered. 3. In-country R&D The separation of R&D activity and IP ownership between legal entities within the same territory would not appear to be contrary to the objectives that the BEPS project is seeking to achieve. However, there has been concern within the EU that treating outsourcing of activity to related parties in the same territory differently from outsourcing of activity to related parties in another territory might be contrary to EU freedoms in some cases. Therefore, it is expected that EU IP owners will be equally penalised for subcontracting development activity to affiliates within the same territory as they would if they had subcontracted the development activity to a foreign affiliate. As with scenario one, the related party outsourcing would adversely impact both the nexus fraction and the amount of income capable of receiving benefits. Therefore, this creates a potential incentive to combine R&D activity with IP ownership in a single legal entity. 4. IP developed by an affiliate and then sold to an IP owner The Action 5 report sets out the basic principle that only expenditure incurred by the IP owner on qualifying development activity following acquisition of the IP would be capable of being qualifying expenditure. Acquisition costs (including licensing fees and royalties) would, however, be included in overall expenditures. The Action 5 report explains that such costs act as a proxy for overall expenditures incurred prior to acquisition. This is despite the fact that such acquisition costs will likely include a return (sometimes significant) for the previous IP owner, over and above the costs of development it incurred. Furthermore, in the context of related party acquisitions, these will be deemed to take place at the market value of the IP transferred, regardless of the consideration paid. Therefore, in circumstances where the IP was substantially developed prior to being transferred to the IP owner, the nexus fraction is likely to restrict the income capable of receiving benefits. 5. Global R&D cost sharing Where several affiliates jointly contribute toward the development of IP and share in the rewards under a cost sharing arrangement, each of them will economically be an owner of the IP. In such cases, each entity's overall expenditure will be equal to the amount that that entity contributes toward R&D expenditure. Where there is a mismatch between this amount and the physical contribution of R&D activity by the entity, the difference will be treated as related party expenditure, with a corresponding reduction in benefits. This means that a cost sharing participant who funds R&D but does not carry out any R&D activity of their own will have a much lower nexus fraction than a company that both funds and carries out R&D. Tracking and tracing compliance Taxpayers that want to benefit from a post-BEPS preferential IP regime will need to track their cumulative expenditures in order to be able to substantiate the nexus between expenditures and income, and to provide evidence of this link to tax administrations. In principle, this requires taxpayers to trace expenditure to each IP asset (that is, each patent). However, where such tracing would be unrealistic or would require arbitrary judgments, countries may allow taxpayers to trace expenditure to a product or, in limited circumstances, to a product family. Regardless, this is likely to create an additional compliance cost for businesses that goes beyond the tax function, but focuses on the manner in which R&D personnel record their time. Grandfathering and safeguards The final Action 5 report confirmed that no new entrants should be permitted into an existing, non-compliant, IP regime after June 30 2016. 'New entrants' in this context includes both taxpayers not previously benefiting from the regime and new IP assets owned by taxpayers already benefiting from the regime. A patent that is filed, but not yet granted, on June 30 2016, would not be treated as a new entrant. However, for companies and IP already within a regime, jurisdictions are permitted to allow taxpayers to benefit from the existing regime until a specified abolition date, which may not be later than June 30 2021. This means that companies should consider what steps they can take to gain access to the grandfathered regimes, which might include acceleration of patent filings. It should be noted that, to prevent a rush of multinationals transferring their IP into existing non-OECD compliant regimes before the June 30 2016 deadline, to avail themselves of the grandfathering period, an additional recommendation was made that grandfathering treatment should not be granted for IP that is acquired directly or indirectly from related parties after January 1 2016, unless such assets already qualified for another IP regime. The additional transparency requirements will also apply to any new entrants into a preferential IP regime after February 6 2015. This will include spontaneous exchange of information on the identity of new entrants, regardless of whether a ruling is provided. Conclusion The combined effect of Actions 5 and 8 to 10 on IP structures is that multinational groups that wish to attribute substantial profits to an IP owner and obtain the benefits of a preferential IP taxation regime, will need to confirm that the IP owner carries out not only the funding of the IP development but also the decision-making and control over development, enhancement, maintenance, protection and exploitation of the IP, as well as a substantial proportion of the execution of the R&D activity. Companies that do not to align decision-making and control with IP ownership will likely need to revisit their transfer pricing arrangements and can expect enhanced scrutiny from tax authorities where returns are considered not to be aligned with value creation. Companies that do not align R&D activity with IP ownership will likely see the benefits available to them under preferential IP regimes reduced. For all multinational groups, the changed tax environment creates the need to review their strategy for the creation, protection and exploitation of intangibles. Sarah Churton EY Tel: +44 (0) 20 7951 4064 schurton@uk.ey.com Sarah Churton is a London-based executive director with 17 years of experience in UK and international tax. She recently spent two years on EY's UK tax desk in New York, where she worked closely with her counterparts from across EY's global tax desk network serving US headquartered multinational corporations. Sarah is a member of EY's international tax practice, where she advises on IP-related UK tax issues arising from acquisitions and disposals, investments into the UK, supply chain restructuring and IP centralisation. She has a portfolio of clients, both UK and US headquartered, with a particular focus on the life sciences sector. Sarah has published articles in several tax journals and is a regular speaker at tax seminars and conferences. She is a chartered accountant and has a master's degree in mathematics from Oxford University. Ellis Lambert EY Tel: +44 (0) 207 951 0632 elambert@uk.ey.com Ellis Lambert is a partner in EY's transfer pricing practice based in London, with 17 years of experience, including two years working on EY's UK tax desk in New York. Ellis advises clients across a range of industry sectors on their strategy for intangible assets and on the design, documentation and defence of their transfer pricing structures. Ellis also leads the negotiation of advance pricing agreements (APAs) and MAP claims with tax authorities in the UK and overseas, as part of clients' strategies for transfer pricing risk management. Join ITR and TMF Groups tax experts at 2pm CET (1pm GMT) on November 15 as they discuss how finance leaders are increasingly faced with doing more with less, and how CFOs should adapt. Nel terzo trimestre del 2016 il prodotto interno lordo, espresso in valori concatenati con anno di riferimento 2010, corretto per gli effetti di calendario e destagionalizzato, e aumentato dello 0,3% rispetto al trimestre precedente e dello 0,9% nei confronti del terzo trimestre del 2015. Lo sostiene lIstat. La crescita congiunturale e la sintesi di un aumento del valore aggiunto nei comparti dellindustria e dei servizi e di una diminuzione nellagricoltura. Dal lato della domanda, vi e un contributo ampiamente positivo della componente nazionale (al lordo delle scorte), in parte compensato da un apporto negativo della componente estera netta. Nello stesso periodo il Pil e aumentato in termini congiunturali dello 0,7% negli Stati Uniti, dello 0,5% nel Regno Unito e dello 0,2% in Francia. In termini tendenziali, si e registrato un aumento del 2,3% nel Regno Unito, dell1,5% negli Stati Uniti, dell1,1% in Francia. Nel complesso, il Pil dei paesi dellarea Euro e cresciuto dello 0,3% rispetto al trimestre precedente ed dell1,6% nel confronto con lo stesso trimestre del 2015. I dati Istat sul Pil sono in linea con le stime del governo ha commentato il ministro dellEconomia, Pier Carlo Padoan, arrivando alla Camera per lincontro con il gruppo Pd sulla legge di Bilancio. ll titolare di via XX Settembre in un tweet, poco prima, aveva sottolineato come i dati Istat confermano che leconomia e sulla strada giusta e le stime di crescita sono affidabili. Ma occorre spingere per accelerare What Is the Morningstar Risk Rating? The Morningstar risk rating, or simply Morningstar rating, is a ranking given to publicly traded mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs) by the investment research firm Morningstar. Risk is assessed across five levels designed to help investors quickly identify funds to consider for their portfolios. Funds receive ratings ranging from 1 to 5, with 1 given to the worst performers and 5 for the best. The ranking is based on variations in a fund's monthly returnswith an emphasis on downside variationsas compared to similar funds. Key Takeaways The Morningstar risk rating is a ranking given by research firm Morningstar to publicly traded mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs). A score of 5 is given to the best risk performers, with a 1 to the worst. Morningstar ratings are based on the fund's historical performance compared to other like funds. Critics argue that Morningstar ratings don't look at the bigger picture where the funds are compared to the marketplace. Morningstar also provides category and peer-group ratings. Understanding the Morningstar Risk Rating Morningstar ratings are based on the fund's past performance as compared to other funds in its Morningstar category. The risk rating is frequently a starting point for additional research and is not a buy or sell recommendation. In the risk rating process, 10% of a category's funds with the lowest measured risk are rated as "low risk." The next 22.5% are rated "below average," the middle 35% are "average," the next 22.5% "above average," while the top 10% are rated as "high" risk. Morningstar measures risk for as many as three periods (three, five, and 10 years). These separate measures are then weighted and averaged to produce an overall measure for the fund. Funds with less than three years of performance history are not rated. Morningstar also provides category ratings and peer-group ratings to help investors further compare funds. For example, as of year-end 2018, Morningstar assigns a 3.9-star rating to municipal bond funds as a group, a 3.4-star rating to domestic stock funds, and a 3-star rating to international stock funds. Morningstar rates individual mutual funds and ETFs and sells the ratings along with other research to investors. Other Risk Rating Providers Morningstar is not the only company that creates risk ratings. Other rating creators include Thomson Reuters Lipper, Zacks Investment Research, Standard and Poor's, and TheStreet. Business and finance publications such as Forbes and U.S. News & World Report also rank and rate funds, as well as other asset classes, for their readers. In many cases, they base much of their analyses on ratings from Morningstar and the others. Criticism of Morningstar Risk Ratings While Morningstar ratings are considered essential in guiding investors toward quality investment decisions, they are not immune to criticism. Some financial analysts have criticized these ratings because they only compare funds to other funds, in isolation from the greater marketplace. As a result, a fund's rating may reflect its suitability for the particular market more than its overall viability and potential. For example, as prices are rising in a bull market, funds with historically safe stocks from companies such as AT&T tend to perform well. Conversely, when prices are falling in a bear market, funds featuring speculative stocks from companies such as Tesla Motors and Charles Schwab tend to do better. As a result, some investors prefer ratings that keep the market conditions in mind, such as the ratings generated by Forbes. Example of Morningstar Risk Ratings To get an idea of how Morningstar assigns its risk ratings, let's look at its data on the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB). The exchange traded fund is rated as presenting investors with an above-average risk rating of three stars on a three-, five- and 10-year basis, based on a weighted average of the performance figures. Over the past 10 years, the fund has delivered an annualized total return of 15.38%, compared to 11.59% for the benchmark S&P 500 index. How Do Morningstars Star Risk Rating Work? The star rating is a quantitative metric that indicates a mutual fund's historical risk-adjusted return. Funds can receive between 1 and 5 stars, with 5 being the best. A fund loses points for having a greater "risk penalty," so if two funds return the same yield in a given period, the fund that experienced greater volatility (variance) in returns would be rated lower, as riskier. What Does a Morningstar Risk Rating of 5 Stars Mean? A 5-star risk rating indicates that a fund has been among the market's top performers in terms of risk-adjusted return over the past three, five, or ten-year period. Shipping tends to be cyclical, though not all forms of transport are affected equally. After a disastrous 2015, bulk carriers remain in an unprecedented slump and containers are only slightly better off. Tankers face an increasingly difficult-to-balance tradeoff between gasoline storage and active freight, but, at least, they are not sitting empty in huge numbers. With underwhelming economic conditions set against it, few analysts are bullish on shipping prospects in 2016. Bulk Carriers Bulk carriers hit a perfectly imperfect storm in 2015, and conditions are not expected to improve quickly. "This is the worst we have seen in recent times," says Kaushik Neogy, manager of Hong Kong-based Wallem Commercial Services. "Huge order books, China slowdown, the end of quantitative easing, lurking European monetary crisis, glut in oil and commodity prices." "This is pretty much the worst I have seen in my career," said Tim Huxley, CEO of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings. "For the bulk carrier industry, this is going to be a grim year and next year is not going to be any better." The Chinese slowdown punctured the bulk carrier market in 2015. For nearly a decade, heavily subsidized industrial activity from China fueled large-scale bulk purchases, especially in coal, steel and iron ore. Investments in Chinese infrastructure demanded enormous imports of these commodities to satiate the government's building projects. After its building bubble burst in 2015, however, China is expected to reduce its consumption. Entering January 2016, Chinese imports fell for 13 consecutive months and declined by more than 20% between 2014 and 2015. Bulk shipping will be one of the many globally affected industries. Most experts look for continued weakness in the foreseeable future. The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which charts the rates for dry bulk commodity shipments, hit an all-time low in December 2015. "We expect that 2016 could become an even worse year than the historically low 2015," states the JP Morgan's annual report entitled "International Dry Bulk Shipping - Initiating Coverage of the Dry Bulk Shipping Industry." Containers Containers were unprofitable every year between 2009 and 2014, per McKinsey & Company, a market research company, and 2015 was even worse. Bulk carriers receive a lot of headline attention because they carry major commodities such as steel and iron, but container purchases and delivery rates are arguably more indicative of broader economic conditions. The China Containerized Freight Index, a leading indicator of container demand, hit 744.44 in October 2015. This represented a new all-time low for the index and a clear sign of softness in the demand for shippable goods. It is possible that a drag on the index could have been fueled by a glut of extra ships, thereby driving down the price charged per container; however, this is an extremely unrealistic conclusion in this case, since reports out of major ports suggest as many as one-third of all containers were empty. The Wall Street Journal lamented the impact of China's slowdown on U.S. exporters, suggesting that "shipments of empty containers out of the U.S. are surging this year." It turns out major import partners, especially China, were demanding far fewer American agricultural products, high-end consumer goods, scrap metals and industrial papers. Tankers No shipping segment was particularly strong in 2015, though large tankers, especially oil tankers from North America, were the best of a bad bunch. Low crude oil prices meant more oil orders, and tankers can serve as both transport and storage for surplus oil. While dry bulk goods, steel, iron, etc., took the Chinese slowdown very poorly, bulk oil tankers did not suffer the same fallout. Tankers that transported oil saw high earnings in 2015. Demand for cheap oil is strong, and consumers bought more oil than they could use; this means many tankers act as de facto offshore storage containers. According to 2015 CNBC data, demand for oil tanks "and the rates they command have surged to their highest levels since 2008." Dr. Edward Morse, managing director and global head of commodities research for Citigroup, Inc. (NYSE: C), believes long-term charter rates and vessel values should stay "subdued" for non-oil tankers in 2016. He points to a lack of investor interest, which creates liquidity problems for tanker transactions, and slumping margins from a global market beset with excess supply. Another subsector of the tanker market performed admirably in 2015: chemical tankers. According to Drewry Shipping Consultants Ltd, a global shipping consultancy group, the clean petroleum products (CPP) and specialized trade orders shipped to a growing African market are buoying chemical tanker demand. In August 2015, Drewry published a report indicating if "order book(s) remain high" enough it is possible Asian shipyards will have to "bring ships back into the chemical trades." According to the Drewry Chemical Tanker Freight Index, demand in the second half of 2015 reached a four-year peak. The Economics of Shipping A lot of variables factor into the performance of global shipping markets, the most obvious of which is the supply of international trade. Imports and exports are often transported across huge bodies of water in tankers, bulk carriers and containers; these are massive and sometimes complex ships that need to be financed, built, staffed, repaired and maintained, contracted, regulated, protected, insured, inspected and partnered with port authorities. Shipping companies and the governments to which they are so often closely tied need a lot of investment to construct and liquid cash to upkeep. Ships are financed like any other large-scale construct, which means capital markets are a critical component as well. Investors shied away from shipping in 2015, putting pressure on shipbuilders and transport companies. Rising nationalist and anti-free trade sentiment in the United State shoulders some of the blame. With an election year in 2016, the prospect of rising tariffs on imports could trigger a shock to shipping traffic. World trade stalled in a significant way during 2015, which meant international shipping markets stalled with it. Vessel rates started to slow significantly in late 2014. The downward movement refused to abate throughout the year, punctuated by China's meltdown in July and August 2015. Adding pressure to the cost front, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) pledged its support to lower CO2 emissions in late 2015 during the United Nations Climate Change Conference. The ICS indicated it would pressure the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to develop new technologies and reduce "CO2 per tonne-km 50% by 2050." The ICS admitted its members would have to "digest the full implications of the final UNFCCC agreement" because of the changing economics of global shipping. Inverse oil exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which are leveraged and can be highly risky, seek to short either a single energy commodity or a combination of several energy commodities. Examples of the types of commodities typically shorted by these ETFs include crude oil, gasoline, and heating oil. These ETFs gain when prices of the underlying oil-based commodities fall, which can occur due to either a drop in global demand or an increase in global supply. Oil prices spiked earlier in the year following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, although they have since pulled back on concerns about a recession and ongoing geopolitical turmoil. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other major producers including Russia, an alliance collectively known as OPEC+, trimmed production output in early September, stoking more concerns about oil prices and supply. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, combined with bans on imports of Russian energy by the U.S., and its allies have exacerbated the supply situation. Key Takeaways The best (and only) inverse oil exchange-traded fund (ETF) is SCO. Oil prices have risen faster than the broader U.S. stock market over the past year. SCO provides 2 daily short exposure to crude oil prices. The U.S. inverse oil ETF discussed in more detail below is highly leveraged. Leveraged ETFs can generally be identified by the 2, UltraShort, 3, or Double label within the funds name. These funds use financial derivatives and debt to amplify returns; therefore, they are considered especially risky. They are used mainly by highly sophisticated investors who have experience with the heightened volatility often associated with energy commodities and leveraged ETFs. By combining both inverse and leverage strategies, inverse leveraged ETFs are especially complex and risky instruments and should be avoided by less sophisticated investors. Leveraged ETFs can be riskier investments than non-leveraged ETFs given that they respond to daily movements in the underlying securities that they represent, and losses can be amplified during adverse price moves. Furthermore, leveraged ETFs are designed to achieve their multiplier on one-day returns, but you should not expect that they will do so on longer-term returns. For example, a 2 ETF may return 2% on a day when its benchmark rises 1%, but you shouldnt expect it to return 20% in a year when its benchmark rises 10%. For more details, see this U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) alert. Below, we look at one of the only inverse oil ETFs that trades in the U.S.: the ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Crude Oil (SCO) ETF. There is a second U.S. inverse oil ETF, the MicroSectors Oil & Gas Exploration & Production -3x Inverse Leveraged ETN (OILD), which is very small and provides 3x inverse leverage. However, with an inception date of Nov. 8, 2021, it does not have a long enough history to be included in this article. Oil prices, as measured by the Bloomberg Composite Crude Oil Subindex, have risen 49.8% over the past year while the S&P 500 has posted a total return of -12.2%, as of Sept. 2, 2022. However, neither the S&P 500 nor the price of oil is a proper benchmark for SCO, which is designed to meet performance goals over a single day, not over longer periods of time. SCO offers daily short exposure to crude oil prices through the use of futures contracts. It does not short stocks of oil companies. All numbers below are as of Sept. 6, 2022. Inverse ETFs can be riskier investments than non-inverse ETFs because they are only designed to achieve the inverse of their benchmarks one-day returns. You should not expect that they will do so on longer-term returns. For example, an inverse ETF may return 1% on a day when its benchmark falls -1%, but you shouldnt expect it to return 10% in a year when its benchmark falls -10%. For more details, see this SEC alert. Performance Over One-Year: -70.8% Expense Ratio: 0.95% Annual Dividend Yield: N/A Three-Month Average Daily Volume: 5,652,325 Assets Under Management: $466.1 million Inception Date: Nov. 24, 2008 Issuer: ProShares SCO is structured as a commodity pool, a private investment tool structured to combine investor contributions for trading futures and commodities markets. The ETF seeks daily investment returns, before fees and expenses, that are two times the inverse (-2) of the daily performance of the Bloomberg Commodity Balanced WTI Crude Oil Index, an index of crude oil futures contracts. The fund takes short positions on oil futures contracts, not the spot price of oil. It is currently short futures that expire in June 2023, December 2022, and December 2023. SCO may be used by sophisticated investors with a bearish short-term outlook for crude oil. The ETFs leverage is reset on a daily basis, resulting in returns that are compounded when held for multiple periods. As mentioned, investors with a low tolerance for risk or with a buy-and-hold strategy should avoid this fund. The comments, opinions, and analyses expressed herein are for informational purposes only and should not be considered individual investment advice or recommendations to invest in any security or adopt any investment strategy. While we believe the information provided herein is reliable, we do not warrant its accuracy or completeness. The views and strategies described in our content may not be suitable for all investors. Because market and economic conditions are subject to rapid change, all comments, opinions, and analyses contained within our content are rendered as of the date of the posting and may change without notice. The material is not intended as a complete analysis of every material fact regarding any country, region, market, industry, investment, or strategy. Once dubbed the undisputed king of the private equity industry by Forbes magazine, Stephen Schwarzman is one of the wealthiest people in the U.S. with a net worth of $37.3 billionmaking him the 79th richest person in the world. The investment company he founded, The Blackstone Group (BX), is one of the largest alternative asset managers in the world, with $684 billion worth of assets under management as of Sept. 2021. Schwarzman and his team are responsible for overseeing the allocation of capital for several pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, central banks, and other institutional investors. With a wide range of global business interests in private equity, debt financing, hedge fund management, and real estate acquisitions, Schwarzman is one of the most powerful people on Wall Street. He was named one of Time magazines most influential people in 2007. A benevolent billionaire, Schwarzman has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to different causes over the years. Here is an overview of how he made his fortune and built the worlds most powerful alternative asset manager. Key Takeaways With an estimated worth of over $37 billion, Stephen Schwarzman is one of the world's wealthiest people. Schwarzman is chair and CEO of The Blackstone Group, one of the largest alternative asset management firms in the world. Blackstone provides mergers and acquisitions advice as well as private equity fund and hedge fund management; it is perhaps best-known for its real estate investment partnerships. Stephen Schwarzman's Early Life and Education Schwarzman says, I stopped [studying math] in the eleventh grade. Calculus, for me, was way out of reach. I am more in the add, subtract, divide and multiply category, which worked and still does for me. With no interest in corporate finance, Schwarzman took social science-related courses like psychology and sociology during his time at Yale. While in school, Schwarzman and Former United States President George W. Bush were members of Yales infamous secret society Skull and Bones. The Start of Stephen Schwarzman's Career After graduating from Yale in 1969, Schwarzman managed to get a job with an institutional asset management firm called Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ). At the time, the company had just been listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Now defunct, it was co-founded by Bill Donaldson who also founded the Yale School of Management. Schwarzman developed a love for the world of corporate finance at the firm. There he learned about the stock market, the money management business, and how to analyze financial statements. On one occasion at DLJ, Schwarzman was tasked to interview an executive of a publicly-traded company to determine if its stock would make a good investment. However, many of the questions he asked were not answered. Schwarzman later found out that the executive was not trying to be difficult but rather did not want to disclose certain details about the company due to insider trading laws. Although he understood why the executive could not answer his questions, Schwarzman was uncomfortable with analyzing a potential investment without having all the important and relevant information about it at hand. This frustrated him, so decided to further his studies at the Harvard Business School, with the hope of finding a way to resolve this issue. The Beginning of Blackstone Group With a Harvard MBA under his belt in 1972, Schwarzman took on a job at the then-independent investment giant, Lehman Brothers. By the age of 31, he had become the Managing Director of Global Mergers and Acquisitions for Lehman. Following American Express Companys (AXP) acquisition of Lehman Brothers in 1984, Schwarzman left the firm. He approached Pete Peterson, his former boss who had left Lehman earlier that year, with the idea of starting an investment company. One year later, in 1985, Schwarzman and Peterson formed The Blackstone Group with $400,000 of their own money. Never a fan of being a stock market speculator, Schwarzman wanted to make private equity investing the heart of Blackstone's business model. He knew that privately-held businesses provided their investors and potential investors with a lot more transparency when compared with publicly traded companies. This access to detailed information would allow Blackstone to scrutinize investment opportunities more closely. Blackstone is a combination of its founders' last names: "Black" translates to "schwarz" in German, and "peter" means "stone" in Greek. Since Schwarzman and Peterson had very little experience in the private equity industry, investors were initially hesitant about giving them money to launch their first fund. The duo decided to operate as a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) advisory boutique for the next few years to build credibility. One of the companys most notable accomplishments occurred in 1988 when Blackstone advised CBS Corporation (CBS) on the sale of its subsidiary CBS Records to Sony Corporation (SNE). Entering the Private Equity World Schwarzman successfully raised $800 million in 1987 for Blackstone's first private equity fund, Blackstone Capital Partners I, L.P. Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU), and General Motors Company (GM) were two of the fund's largest investors. The money raised was used to purchase companies using a strategy called leveraged buyouts (LBOs). Private equity funds are typically formed as limited partnerships (LPs). Outside investors, who contribute to most of the partnership's capital; since they play a non-active role in management, are known as limited partners. The general partner, who in this case is Blackstone, contributes a rather small amount of money to the partnership and is responsible for allocating the pooled money into several different investment opportunities. As a result, the general partner receives a management fee, which is normally a percentage of the total assets in the partnership as well as a percentage of the profits realized. For instance, say that Blackstone uses the standard industry fund management compensation structure of 2% of assets under management and 20% of profits. If Blackstone manages a limited partnership with a total asset base of $500 million that realizes a $150 million return in a given year, it would receive $40 million in fees2% of $500 million, plus 20% of $150 million. Blackstone would also make additional money on the actual capital that it invests in the partnership. Since its inception, Blackstone has raised more than $100 billion for its eight private equity funds alone. Its latest fund, Blackstone Capital Partners VIII, collected $26 billion in 2019. According to Schwarzman's presentation at Yale, his private equity funds realized an annual average return of 23% from 1988 to 2008. Expanded Business Segments and IPO Since launching his firm's first private equity fund in 1988, Schwarzman has significantly expanded Blackstone's business segments. The company continues to provide mergers and acquisitions advice as well as private equity fund management. In addition, Blackstone manages several funds of hedge funds and real estate investment partnerships. In 2012, Schwarzman's real estate team started buying single-family houses across the U.S. with the hope of turning them into rental propertiesbuying 50,000 over the next three to four years. Schwarzman took The Blackstone Group public in 2007; originally an LP, it became a C corporation (C-corp) in 2019. The initial public offering raised more than $4 billion. In 2014, it was reported that Schwarzman received $690 million in Blackstone dividends alone. Becoming a C-corp means Blackstone has to pay corporate taxes; however, its dividends now qualify for a lower tax rate, and index and exchange-traded funds can invest in the stock. The Bottom Line Stephen Schwarzman became a billionaire by managing money for other people. Dissatisfied by the level of transparency offered by the stock market, Schwarzman co-founded The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, in the mid-1980s. Today, Blackstone is one of the world's largest alternative asset managers. The company collects fees for managing hundreds of billions of dollars for several institutional investors. The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established on January 1, 1995. The aim was to enhance global trade and economic openness, but it has been a source of controversy ever since. The WTO therefore sits as a force for trade during a time when globalization has led many to favor protectionism instead. While many economists believe that free markets and open trade raises all ships, many others point to evidence that unregulated free trade can be harmful to some smaller or developing nations, or to smaller or developing industries within nations. (The WTO sets the global rules of trade, but what exactly does it do and why do so many oppose it? Learn more in What Is The World Trade Organization?) Key Takeaways The World Trade Organization (WTO) oversees global trade rules among nations in support of free trade and open markets. While many economists favor free trade, many politicians and their constituents argue that globalization is unfair and diminishes their economic autonomy. Free-trade proponents, too, argue against the WTO saying that it is unnecessary and actually hinders markets. Politics and Trade The birth of the WTO was more of a continuation than a truly new creation. Its predecessor, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), shared its lineage with Bretton Woods institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. The WTO has 164 member countries, with Liberia and Afghanistan the most recent members, having joined in July 2016. There are also 24 governments with observer status. In theory, members of the WTO gain access to each other's markets on even terms. This means that no two nations can have sweetheart trade pacts without granting the same terms to every other nation, or at least every other nation in the WTO. However, some critics argue that in practice, the WTO has become a way to force politics into trade causing long-term problems. One problem that many WTO critics point to is apparent concessions the organization has made to its charters. The most striking example is the system of tariff brokering that takes place through an organization designed to reduce barriers to trade. The WTO rules allow a nation to protect certain industries if the removal of tariffs would have undesirable side effects, which include the loss of vital domestic industries. Food production is one of the most common, but steel production, auto production and many others can be added at the discretion of the nation. More worrisome is a push by developed nations to have labor effectsjob losses, reduced hours or wagesadded to the list of reasons for justified tariffs. (For everything you need to knowfrom the different types of tariffs to their effects on the local economycheck out The Basics Of Tariffs And Trade Barriers.) The War on Tariffs A tariff is a general tax levied upon all purchasers of a particular product and it can have negative side effects. The proceeds from the tariff end up in government coffers. This raises revenue and may protect domestic industries from foreign competition. However, the resulting high price of foreign goods allows domestic makers to raise their prices as well. As a result, a tariff may also work as a wealth transfer tax that uses public money to support a domestic industry that is producing an uncompetitive product. So, while unwinding the tariff might hurt the workers in that industry, it could lessen the burden on everyone else. The WTO has gotten into the business of brokering tariff agreements, which has opened it up to criticism. What's in a Name? Anti-dumping measures and restrictive quotas are simply tariffs by another name, even though they are treated differently by the WTO. While the WTO can boast that the number of international tariffs has fallen since its inception, many reductions have been balanced by the introduction of these "stealth tariffs." (Everyone seems to be talking about globalization, but what is it and why do some oppose it? Read more in What Is International Trade?) Operating Behind the One-Way Mirror Many critics of the WTO also contend that the organization has struggled with one of the basic goals it set for itself: transparency. Even in one of its main functionssettling disputes through negotiationthe WTO is infamously opaque when it comes to revealing how settlements were reached. Whether settling disputes or negotiating new trade relations, it's rarely clear which nations are in on the decision-making processes. The WTO has been attacked from both the left and right because of this reticence. The left sees the WTO as the henchman of a shadowy clique of stronger nations forcing agreements that allow them to exploit less developed nations. This clique uses the WTO to crack open developing nations as markets to sell, while protecting their own markets against weaker nations' products. This view has its points, as the most economically powerful nations seem to set the WTO agenda and were the first to pass anti-dumping acts to protect favored domestic industries while also opposing similar actions by less powerful nations. (To examine this further, check out The Globalization Debate.) Unloved, Unneeded, Unwanted Free market proponents attack the WTO on the grounds that it's an unnecessary entity. Rather than making complicated and heavily politicized agreements between nations on what they can and can't protect, free market thinking suggests that trade should be left to companies to work out on a deal-by-deal basis. They believe if the WTO were really designed to encourage trade, it would force member nations to drop all protective measures and allow true free trade, rather than facilitating tariff negotiations. Just Desserts In the end, the countries using the WTO to protect their own industries may only hurt themselves if it causes their own industries to become more inefficient without true international competition. According to economic theory, a lack of competition takes away the incentives to invest in new technology, keep costs under control and continually improve production because the domestic company will simply be able to inflate prices to just under the tariff-set price of foreign goods. In the meantime, the international competitors will only get leaner, hungrier and better at succeeding in spite of barriers. If this cycle continues, the international competitors could emerge as the stronger companies, and consumers may choose their products on the basis of quality, perhaps even paying a premium over domestic goods. The Bottom Line There is a dark side to the WTO. For years, critics protested that the WTO was a way for nations to engage in trade, wars and raids on underdeveloped nations, and considered it an unnecessary and expensive layer to the natural market forces of international trade. While it's debatable whether the organization is useful economically, the WTO is very important politically. Subsequently, governmentswith or without citizen supportwill likely continue to support the organization. Alwaleed bin Talal is the founder of the Kingdom Holding Company, a Saudi Arabian conglomerate that invests in hotels, real estate, and publicly traded companies worldwide. Regarded as one of the wealthiest global investors, Alwaleed bin Talal's net worth in 2022 was $16 billion. Key Takeaways Alwaleed bin Talal is a billionaire and member of the Saudi Arabian royal family. He is the founder of the Kingdom Holding Company. Alwaleed bin Talal has been listed on Time Magazine's list of most influential people and is considered the 'Warren Buffett' of Saudi Arabia. Early Life and Education Alwaleed bin Talal was born on March 7, 1955, in Saudi Arabia. With his birth, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal became a member of the House of Saud, the royal family of Saudi Arabia. He is the grandson of Saudi Arabias first monarch, King Ibn Saud, and the nephew of the nations last King, Abdullah Saud. His mother, Princess Mona Al Solh, was the daughter of the first Prime Minister of Lebanon. In 1975, Alwaleed bin Talal traveled to the United States to pursue his education. He earned a bachelors degree from Menlo College in California in 1979 and a masters degree from Syracuse University in 1985. Following graduation, Alwaleed bin Talal returned to Saudi Arabia to launch a career in business. The Investor In 1980, Alwaleed bin Talal founded the Kingdom Holding Company. As a devout value investor, Alwaleed uses Kingdom Holding as a vehicle to hold an internationally diverse portfolio of businesses operating in many sectors including banking, real estate, and healthcare. When Kingdom Holding launched, Saudi Arabia required foreign companies interested in operating in the country to have partners and representatives who were citizens of the kingdom. Proving a lucrative opportunity, Alwaleed bin Talal represented international companies and claimed ownership stakes in the projects he helped to facilitate. By 1989, he had amassed a personal net worth of $1 billion. Holding Company A company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the securities of other companies. Kingdom Holding diversified its investment portfolio, acquiring the failing United Saudi Commercial Bank, ultimately acquired by Samba Financial Group, the Saudi kingdom's largest financial institution. During the 1990s, Kingdom Holding purchased a 4.9% stake in Citigroup in the United States and it remains a core part of the Kingdom Holding portfolio. Alwaleed bin Talal's notable investments include stakes in Four Seasons Hotel Ltd., Euro Disney, and Lyft as well as the Hotel George V in Paris and the Savoy Hotel in London. He was one of Twitter's earliest investors before its public offering, and News Corporation, the parent company of the Wall Street Journal and HarperCollins publishers. In August 2018, he announced a $250 million investment in Snap Inc. that would give him a 2.3% stake in the company. By 2022, Kingdom Holding had a market capitalization, the market value of its publicly-traded shares, of nearly $10.3 billion. What Philanthropic Organizations Has Alwaleed Bin Talal Founded? Alwaleed bin Talal oversees Alwaleed Philanthropies which includes Alwaleed Philanthropies "Global", focusing on philanthropic and humanitarian projects around the world, Alwaleed Philanthropies Lebanon, which is focused on the social and community needs of Lebanon, and Alwaleed Philanthropies Saudi Arabia, which focuses on the needs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. How Has Alwaleed Bin Talal Invested in Climate Change? In December 2016, Alwaleed bin Talal joined Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Coalition with the promise of a $50 million investment. What Investments Does Alwaleed Bin Talal Have Besides Those With Kingdom Holding? Alwaleed bin Talal owns real estate in Saudi Arabia and the majority of the Arabic-language entertainment firm Rotana. The Bottom Line Alwaleed bin Talal is a Saudi royal and billionaire. A renowned international investor, his Kingdom Holding Company owns significant stakes in companies around the world, including Citigroup and Snap. Adidas vs. Nike vs. Under Armour Price Market Cap 1-Year Total Returns P/E Ratio Adidas AG (ADDYY) $140.00 $54.6 B -16.5% 27.8 Nike Inc. (NKE) $165.39 $261.8 B 22.3% 43.9 Under Armour Inc. (UAA) $22.25 $10.6 B 31.6% 23.7 Source: YCharts as of Dec. 13, 2021 Source: YCharts. The pandemic severely impacted Adidas' business in 2020, especially in the first half of that year due to temporary store closures. Most of the company's stores reopened by the end of the year, with the exception of its stores in Europe. But the pandemic prompted Adidas to focus on bolstering its ecommerce sales channels. Ecommerce revenues rose 53% in 2020, accounting for more than 20% of the company's total sales. Total revenue sank 14% in currency-neutral terms. Adidas started 2021 with first-quarter sales up 27% in currency-neutral terms despite ongoing lockdowns in Europe and industry-wide supply-chain challenges. However, it missed earnings per share (EPS) estimates by 30.9%. Strong growth continued in the second quarter, with currency-neutral sales up 55% even with extended lockdowns in the Asia-Pacific region. The results prompted Adidas to raise its full-year outlook for 2021. Late in the second quarter, the company announced a new share buyback program to be executed in the second half of the year. Sales growth slowed to 3% in currency-neutral terms during the third quarter. Geopolitical tensions hurt Adidas' Greater China sales, which declined 15%. Adidas and other Western companies publicly raised concerns about allegations of forced labor in China's Xinjiang region, prompting Chinese consumers to boycott Adidas products earlier in the year. During the quarter, Adidas announced plans to sell Reebok to Authentic Brands Group for as much as $2.5 billion. In October, the company announced that it would begin another new share repurchase program after completing in September the program it announced in late June. Currently, 16 analysts out of 29 have a buy rating for Adidas' stock, while one gives it an overweight rating, 10 give it a hold rating, and two an underweight rating. There are no analysts who currently recommend selling the stock. The pandemic drove Nike to accelerate its pivot toward its ecommerce channels. In the second quarter of the company's 2021 fiscal year (FY), the three-month period ended Nov. 30, 2020, Nike's digital sales rose 84% (80% on a currency-neutral basis) while companywide revenue grew just 9% (7% on a currency-neutral basis). Nike had already been investing in its online direct-to-consumer business prior to the pandemic. As a result, the company was in a stronger position than many rivals to ramp up ecommerce sales when the pandemic began. That showed in Nike's results. Its second-quarter EPS was 25.8% higher than the consensus of analysts' estimates. Disruptions related to the pandemic continued to impact Nike's results in its fiscal third quarter, ended Feb. 28, 2021. Revenue rose 3% (but fell 1% on a currency-neutral basis). Congestion in U.S. ports and ongoing store closures in Europe were a drag on Nike's sales. However, digital sales continued to deliver strong growth, up 59% (54% on a currency-neutral basis). Nike's fortunes changed dramatically in its fiscal fourth quarter. It reported its highest quarterly revenue ever as its EPS beat consensus estimates by 82.4%. Fourth-quarter revenues rose 96% (88% on a currency-neutral basis) to $12.3 billion as the company's business rebounded from the negative impact of the pandemic in the prior year. Despite the fourth-quarter rebound, global supply chain disruptions continued to weigh on Nike's first-quarter 2022 results. Though revenue came in below analysts' expectations, it was still up 16% (12% on a currency-neutral basis) for the year. A total of 17 analysts out of 31 currently have a buy rating on Nike's stock. Nine analysts have an outperform rating, four a hold rating, zero an underperform rating, and just one analyst recommends selling the stock. The pandemic also hurt Under Amour in 2020, with its annual revenue declining 15%. Like Adidas and Nike, the company's ecommerce sales helped to mitigate the impact of store closures. Under Armour's ecommerce sales grew 40% during the year. Its fourth-quarter EPS exceeded analysts' estimates by 300.0%. In Under Armour's first quarter of 2021, the company raised its full-year outlook on optimism about the rebound in demand for its products. Sales were up 35% (32% on a currency-neutral basis), beating consensus estimates. EPS crushed analyst forecasts by 433.3% as ecommerce sales rose 69%. Under Armour topped consensus estimates again in the second quarter, with EPS beating analyst forecasts by 300.0%. The company's sales, up 91% (85% on a currency-neutral basis), also beat expectations. It once again raised its full-year outlook for 2021. It was a similar story in the third quarter of 2021, with strong EPS and sales prompting the company to raise its outlook for all of 2021. Revenue for the quarter rose 8% (6% on a currency-neutral basis). Under Armour posted those results despite a number of obstacles, including ongoing supply-chain problems. Factories in Vietnam, where about one-third of Under Armour's apparel and accessories are made, were forced to shut down due to COVID-19 outbreaks. The company said in early November that most of the factories were back up and running. There are nine analysts that currently have a buy rating on Under Armour's stock out of a total of 26. Three analysts have an outperform rating, 11 have a hold rating, two have an underperform rating, and just one analyst recommends selling the stock. The Bottom Line Adidas, Nike, and Under Armour saw their business operations rebound in 2021 from the previous year's pandemic-related shock. All three have since dramatically expanded their ecommerce sales and continue to recover despite major supply chain disruptions. But investors aren't uniformly enthusiastic, as is illustrated by these three companies' significantly varying stock performance. Under Armour's shares have delivered a total return of 31.6% over the past 12 months, vastly outperforming the broader market. Nike has risen 22.3%. The big loser is Adidas, down 16.5% during that period. Despite its superior stock performance, Under Armour currently has the lowest price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, indicating it is still relatively undervalued compared to the other two sportswear companies. Its earnings performance has also been stronger than that of Nike or Adidas. But it is Nike's stock that analysts are most optimistic about, with 26 of the company's analysts having either a buy or outperform rating on the stock, which is more than either of the other two companies has. What Is a Gold Fund? A gold fund is a type of investment fund that holds assets related to gold. The two most common types of gold funds are those holding physical gold bullion, gold futures contracts, or gold mining companies. Gold funds are popular investment vehicles among investors who wish to hedge against perceived inflation risks. They are also frequently held by so-called "gold bugs"investors who are particularly bullish on the prospects of goal. Key Takeaways Gold funds are investment vehicles that offer exposure to gold. They come in a variety of forms, but three popular varieties are those investing in physical gold, gold futures contracts, and gold mining companies. Investors interested in hedging against inflation generally opt for gold funds that hold gold bullion or futures, whereas investors who are particularly bullish on gold tend to also incorporate gold mining companies. Understanding Gold Funds Gold funds are pooled investment vehicles which often take the form of mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs). In the case of mutual funds, the gold fund may be accessible through a financial institution such as a commercial bank, whereas ETFs can be bought directly on the stock exchange. In either case, gold funds offer investors a convenient way to gain exposure to gold without incurring the relatively high storage and insurance costs associated with directly owning physical gold bullion. Depending on the type of gold fund selected, a variety of investment objectives can be accommodated. To begin with, an investor might wish to purchase a gold fund holding gold bullion or gold futures as a way to hedge against the risk that their purchasing power might be eroded by inflation. This is a common concern among gold investors, who often feel that factors such as expansionary monetary policy, high levels of government borrowing, and chronic trade deficits could cause the value of the U.S. dollar (USD) to decline over the medium to long term. For these investors, owning a gold fund could help counterbalance any potential decline in the USD, based on the premise that investors will turn to gold as a safe haven if the dollar begins to fall. For other investors, gold funds may be attractive less as an inflation hedge and more as a pure investment in gold-producing companies. These types of investments can be quite attractive for investors who believe gold prices are likely to rise. After all, the cost of equipment, personnel, and other fixed costs borne by mining companies remains fairly static regardless of the price of gold, which means that if the price of gold does rise significantly, this could have a substantial positive effect on gold mining companies' profit margins. For this reason, investing in a gold fund that specializes in gold mining companies can be an attractive way to profit from any potential appreciation in gold. Of course, the opposite is also true, in that a decline in gold prices could lead to rapid declines in gold mining companies' profit margins. Real World Example of a Gold Fund Investors interested in increasing their exposure to gold have many options to choose from. For example, a popular gold fund that invests directly in gold futures contracts is the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD). For those wishing to invest in gold mining companies, a popular option is the VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX). In both cases, however, there are many more gold funds to choose from. Oil companies are more concerned with their public images than ever before, especially pertaining to the environmental impact of their operations. Under pressure from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Office of Fossil Energy, consumers, activists, and shareholders, many oil companies have invested in renewable energies or altered their procedures to "stay green." The oil companies that have done the most to protect the environment include Royal Dutch Shell PLC, TotalEnergies S.A., Repsol, and Equinor. All four of these companies were listed in a Morningstar 2020 report on emission challenges. Key Takeaways Oil and energy companies are worried about public perception and opinion as the world grapples with climate change. Green energy comes in many forms like solar or wind farming. Many companies are moving towards renewable energy sources. Wind and solar farming is being done by oil companies around the world. A 2020 Morningstar report cited Total, Shell, Equinor, and Repsol as leaders in protecting the environment through research, development, and the creation of green energy. 1. Royal Dutch Shell PLC Shell has aimed to spend $2$3 billion a year on its Renewables and New Energy Solutions (formerly New Energies) division that it started in 2016. Shell is looking for ways to create energy by decarbonizing and focusing on electricity. In 2019, Shell started offering all of its British residential customers 100% renewable electricity. This means that for every unit of electricity used, another unit is placed back into the grid by renewable generators. In 2018, Shell invested in the U.S. firm Inspire Energy, which provides clean energy plans in certain states. It also purchased Greenlots, which is a startup focused on charging solutions for electric vehicles. In 2019, Shell purchased German firm Sonnen, a large home battery manufacturer and the creator of an electric vehicle charging system. Sonnen is also one of Tesla's (TSLA) biggest rivals. Other than clean electricity, Shell has made significant investments in the solar energy sphere. It purchased stakes in Sunseap Group, a Singapore-based solar company; Silicon Ranch, a U.S. solar firm; and has Greenfield solar and storage in development. 2. TotalEnergies S.A. TotalEnergies, based in France, is one of the largest oil and energy companies in the world. TotalEnergies provides access to renewable energy in the form of wind, solar, biomass, and hydropower. Total Qaudran is a subsidiary of TotalEnergies and is at the forefront of developing and operating (and building) renewable energy products in France and worldwide. As of 2021, Total Quadran operates over 340 renewable energy plants (including 224 solar plants) in France that total nearly 1,000 MW, generating 1,765 GWh of renewable electricity per year, according to its website. This is the equivalent of the annual consumption of nearly 1 million people and annual savings of nearly 130,000 tons of CO 2 emissions. Total is aiming to expand its reach to reach 100 GW of gross production capacity from renewable sources by 2030. Investing in renewable energy is a popular because of the sector's accelerated market growth. 3. Repsol S.A. Repsol S.A. is an energy and petrochemical company based in Madrid. This Spanish company, a leading producer and main consumer of hydrogen, has 24 million customers worldwide and boasts of a corporate strategy of "ensuring sustainability and moving towards a low-emissions future and the decarbonization of the economy." So far, this company appears to be working towards a greener future. Repsol is exploring how to utilize climate-friendly and green methods to override how it produces and uses hydrogen and produces synthetic fossils fuels. In March 2021, the company bid on "pandemic recovery funds to support projects including new biofuel plants and 'green' hydrogen production made from renewable sources in a pivot away from oil and gas to supplying low-carbon energy," according to reporting from Reuters. 4. Equinor Equinor is a broad energy company specializing in developing solar, gas, wind, and oil energy while seeking low-carbon solutions, like wind and solar farming. Headquartered in Stavanger, Norway, the company is present in 30 countries and was founded in 1972. The company services over 170 million customers who benefit from its oil, gas, and wind power. As of 2020, the company began construction at Hywind Tampen, the world's largest floating offshore wind farm (88 MW). This build aims to scale up floating offshore wind and provide power to five platforms, according to its 2020 sustainability report. Equinor's goal is to cut emissions in Norway towards near zero in 2050 and reduce its net carbon intensity by 50% by 2050. The Bottom Line Major oil producers can't rest on these advancements, even if only for green marketing or public relations reasons. Though oil and energy companies are taking steps to produce more clean energy and protect the environments that they operate in, the bulk of their business is still from the production of gas and oil, damaging the environment. These leading oil companies are focusing on clean energy plans and taking the lead in slowing climate change. Millennials have led the way in investing in companies that make an effort to protect the environment and society. Known as impact investing, this approach has spread beyond the millennial generation to baby boomers and older investors. Impact investing is not a new concept, but the trend has become so popular that many mutual funds are specializing in principle-based investing. This is often measured by attention to ESGenvironment, social, and governance criteria. The idea is to find investments that help people and the planet, and that have a reasonable wage spread between executives and employees. We've selected five mutual funds that specialize in impact investing based on their commitment to ESG screening and their ability to produce positive year-to-date returns. All figures are current as of June 2021. 1. Parnassus Endeavor Investor (PARWX) The focus of this fund is on companies that have good work environments for employees. The purpose of this focus is to support employee well-being and find companies that are superior competitors because of better employee retention. Parnassus Endeavor Investor tends to look for companies it believes are undervalued and seeks to realize capital appreciation by investing in these companies. PARWX avoids firms that are involved in alcohol, gambling, tobacco, or other vice industries, as well as fossil fuel companies. Parnassus uses advanced techniques for ESG screening to establish its universe of companies to choose from, then narrows its selection to 30 or 40 companies with strong fundamentals. The fund has an average yield of 14.0% over a five-year period. YTD Return: 26.21% Expense Ratio (net): 0.94% Morningstar Rating Morningstar Risk Rating: High Net Assets: $4.9 billion TTM Yield: 0.56% 2. TIAA-CREF Core Impact Bond Retail (TSBRX) This fund seeks income and capital appreciation at the same time. Approximately 80% of the funds assets are in bonds of companies that meet ESG standards. Note that the fund invests in municipal bonds and U.S. government bonds in addition to corporate bonds. It may also buy mortgage-backed securities. TSBRX has a target of 10% of its assets in socially and environmentally positive companies. It may invest in affordable housing, community development, sustainable energy, or natural resources. The other 90% of the portfolio may not pass the ESG test, so this fund is for those who can accept some focus on impact investing while seeking returns from more traditional companies. YTD Return: -1.44% Expense Ratio (net): 0.64% Morningstar Rating Morningstar Risk Rating: High Net Assets: $6.7 billion TTM Yield: 1.53% 3. Vanguard FTSE Social Index I (VFTNX) This fund eliminates alcohol and tobacco companies, as well as nuclear power companies and firms that sell to the military. Stock screeners demand workplace diversity, with a minimum of one woman on the board of directors and no human rights violations. Out of some 400 stocks, the top three holdings are Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet, and overall, the holdings have a strong representation of healthcare and technology companies. The fund has beaten the S&P 500 by nearly 1% per year on average. YTD Return: 13.75% Expense Ratio (net): 0.12% Morningstar Rating Morningstar Risk Rating: Average Net Assets: $13.2 billion TTM Yield: 1.07% 4. Boston Trust Walden Equity (WSEFX) Walden is willing to invest in any size company but tends to have large corporations in its portfolio. Money managers screen companies according to ESG guidelines. That said, the company does own McDonalds and Conoco Phillips, as well as Nike, three companies that present problems for some impact investors. The fund will not invest in weapons, nuclear plants, or alcohol or tobacco companies. Returns have beaten the S&P 500 consistently for five years. It keeps at least 80% of its assets in equity securities and focuses on large-cap companies. YTD Return: 14.05% Expense Ratio (net): 1.00% Morningstar Rating Morningstar Risk Rating: Below Average Net Assets: $315.4 million TTM Yield: 0.65% 5. Domini Impact Equity Investor (DSEFX) This fund has the highest expense ratio on our list. It invests in mid-cap and large-cap companies and may invest in companies outside of the United States. The fund also invests in futures and options. Domini has established its own social and environmental criteria for measuring companies. In addition to ESG screening, the fund looks for companies that are involved in their communities, support employee well-being, and show concern for ecosystems. The fund has created its index of companies from which to choose and has successfully kept up with the returns of the S&P 500. YTD Return: 10.3% Expense Ratio (net): 1.09% Morningstar Rating Morningstar Risk Rating: Below Average Net Assets: $1.1 billion TTM Yield: 0.32% The Bottom Line Mutual funds are moving quickly to create products for impact investors. But as you can see from the descriptions of the funds on this list, you must carefully weigh what each one considers to be socially responsible investing. Some of the funds put a small percentage of assets into impact investing, while others dedicate a complete portfolio of responsible companies. Top News - Investor Idea Mullen (NASDAQ: MULN) Continues Acquisition Path With Purchase of ELMS Assets Including Factory in Mishawaka, IN., Enabling EV Production for Retail and Commercial Vehicle Lines BREA, Calif. - October 19, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, announces the US Bankruptcy Court approval on Oct. 13th, 2022 of its acquisition of electric vehicle company ELMS's (Electric Last Mile Solutions) assets in an all cash purchase. Top EV Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking EV Stock News: Mullen Automotive (NASDAQ: $MULN) Taps Former GM Executive John Schwegman as Chief Commercial Officer for Next Phase of EV Growth BREA, Calif. - October 21, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, announces today the hiring of John Schwegman as its Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) for Mullen's line of commercial vehicles. Top EV Stock News - Investor Idea EV Stocks Driving Higher: (NASDAQ: $MULN) (NASDAQ: $TSLA) (NYSE: $NIO) (NYSE: $F) Vancouver, Delta, BC - October 20, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Investorideas.com, a leading investor news resource covering EV and automotive stocks releases a special report featuring Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), covering the continued growth of the EV market as government policy and infrastructure plans sync up with consumer and investor interest in the EV space. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: FatBrain (OTCQB: LZGI) Acquires Confidential Computing Platform ZeroTrust to Protect Data Privacy and Accelerate Innovation for Millions of Growth Businesses NEW YORK, NY - October 19, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI), the leader in powerful and easy-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for star enterprises of tomorrow, has acquired the confidential computing and privacy intellectual property (IP) plus software assets of Zero2A PTE LTD ("ZeroTrust Platform"), a software company based in Singapore. Check out our Podcasts for great investor ideas: Get new posts by email: Subscribe Powered by Investorideas.com Newswire: Subscribe to Investor Ideas Newswire George Hotz or Geohot, the man famous for delivering the worlds first iPhone jailbreak, made headlines again late last year after building his own self-driving car using off the shelf components. Now he has big ambitions for his new technology. In an interview with Forbes, Hotz has revealed that his plan is to take on Google and Tesla by developing a product that will allow car owners to turn existing vehicles into autonomous vehicles and source say hes received major investment. Hotzs project has come a long way in just a few months. What was a personal project is now a real company called Comma, and Hotz has recruited others who can help turn is dream into a reality. They include Yunus Saatchi, chief maching learning officer at Comma, who has a PhD in artificial intelligence and worked with Hotz at Vicarious; Jake Smith, who is head of operations; and Elizabeth Stark, a prominent figure in the Bitcoin world, who is legal advisor. Hotz is being taken seriously by others, too. Sources say Comma has secured major investment from venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz that values the company at $20 million, while the CEOs of Delphi, a car parts supplier, and NVIDIA have been to visit the Comma office. That visit from Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang also brought with it $30,000 worth of Nvidia GPUs, according to Forbes. Commas office still resides in the basement of Hotzs Cryto Castle, a three-story house in San Franciscos Potrero Hill. The company is yet to put together a prototype product, but Hotz is confident his company will have something to release by the end of the year. In the meantime, Comma needs all the data it can get its hands on. Its technology is being trained to act like humans through machine learning, and while Hotz admits that its not yet as good as the tech offered by Mobileye, hes adamant it will be better. Hotz says he did strike a deal with Tesla founder Elon Musk. Apparently, Musk agreed to switch to Commas technology if the company could build a better self-driving system. However, Hotz claims Musk tried to sneak a get out clause into the contract, and he wasnt happy with that. But Hotz is optimistic that Musk will want Commas technology one day. Im a big fan of Tesla and Im a big fan of Elon Musk when it really comes down to it, he said. Hes doing great things. I think that maybe in a year hell come around and say, Those Comma guys really are good, and well charge him double. Tesla, on the other hand, believes it is extremely unlikely that a single person or even a small company that lacks extensive engineering validation capability will be able to produce an autonomous driving system that can be deployed to production vehicles, it said in a statement. That wont stop Comma. The mission is to build a system that can be retrofitted into vehicles with an ODB II diagnostics port thats almost all vehicles build after 1996 that adds self-driving capabilities. Hotz doesnt know what that system will look like yet, but hes confident Comma can build it. To read the full interview with Hotz which we highly recommend you check out follow the link below. The Shelbourne, Dublin isn't just a historic five star hotel, it's been a mainstay of Irish society for almost 200 years. Located on the north east corner of St. Stephen's Green in the heart of the city, its wide bay windows look out over a leafy public park and the location is so central that it's become the first stop for generations of visitors to Ireland's lively capital city. Oscar Wilde was a guest here, so were the Kennedy's and Academy Award winning movie stars like Julia Roberts. And it's as if all the glamor and sophistication of their respective eras have been distilled to their essence, because once inside these doors an old world standard of service and professionalism is maintained. Senior Irish politicians conduct informal meetings in the Horseshoe Bar here (it's located steps away from the Irish parliament). The nearby No. 27 Bar is one of the city's most dependable spots for celebrity spotting, and afternoon tea in the Lord Mayor Lounge is one of the most beguiling and unhurried ways to spend time in this legendary city. Luxury is the watchword. Rooms are spacious and meticulously decorated. Bath robes and comfortable slippers come as standard, refrigerators are filled with refreshments and treats. Guests will quickly discover that their every request has already been anticipated when they check into this elegant and superbly run hotel. Not content to rest on its reputation, the Shelbourne offers an ideal blend of old world sophistication and 21 century comfort and connection. WIFI is available in every room and it is fast and dependable, multiple outlets ensure you stay connected to each tech devices whether you're a business person, a journalist or an internet star. In this centenary year you may be interested to know that in May 1922, The Shelbourne played host to its most important historic event - the drafting of the Irish Constitution. Bunreacht na hEireann was drawn up in room 112, under the leadership of rebel leader and statesman Michael Collins. This room is now called The Constitution Room. That might give you an idea of the Shelbourne's storied history, because the hotel actually played a part in the foundation of the Irish state. Hotel's rarely achieve that kind of centrality in the life of a nation, but The Shelbourne is no ordinary hotel. In a way it functions as an unofficial Irish embassy, presenting the best of Irish hospitality, customer service, five star cooking and understated elegance. Master chefs prepare your dishes, attention to detail is remarkable, produce is locally sourced and invariably organic, desserts are among the greatest you will ever experience. Even the house coffee is memorable and quickly, rather addictive. I recommend you order a high tea in the Lord Mayor Lounge, if just to experience the artistry and skill with which it has been prepared and presented. Few things ward off the chaos of modern life like an artfully prepared raisin scone with jam and cream, and the staff of The Shelbourne know this and will indulge your requests. Check in is pleasant and effortless, your bags will be whisked off to your room and your progress will be effortless. Maid service is attentive and unobtrusive. Staff will ask you about your stay and offer to help unbidden. The whole experience is like a dream from an earlier age. To visit Dublin is to walk among some of the liveliest people in the world. The Shelbourne can be your bridge or your refuge, depending on your needs, and dont be surprised if they anticipate them before you do. There are few hotels in the world that can combine The Shelbournes commitment to service with its storied history and it's unfailing understated elegance. Visit as soon as you can and stay as long as you can. You'll thank me later for the advice. An Irish-born New Jersey cop died in a tragic collision while on duty Monday night. State Trooper Sean E. Cullen, 31, was among a group of police officers and firefighters at the scene of a car fire along I-295 near West Deptford in Gloucester County. As he helped attend to the scene, he was struck by a passing vehicle, which also hit the car that was on fire. Trooper Cullen sustained severe head injuries and was rushed via helicopter to Cooper University Hospital. He was pronounced dead four and a half hours later. He leaves behind a fiancee and their nine-month-old baby, his parents, a sister and two brothers, who of whom, Garrett, is a New Jersey State Police Detective. Cullen was born in Dublin in 1985 and emigrated to the US with his family three years later. According to a Facebook post from the New Jersey State Police, he was a 2003 graduate of Cinnaminson High School and an All-American wrestler at Lycoming College in Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice in 2007. Today, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Trooper Sean E. Cullen #7594, who was tragically... Posted by New Jersey State Police on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 He began his law enforcement career as a Class II Police Officer in the Sea Isle City and Mount Holly Police Departments and served as a Patrolman for the Westampton Police Department. With a lifelong dream of being a cop, he enlisted in the New Jersey State Police on August 29, 2014, as a member of the 154th Recruit Class. He was assigned to Troop "A, serving at Buena Vista and Bellmawr Stations. "The sudden and tragic loss of New Jersey State Trooper Sean Cullen reminds us how fragile life truly is and the dangers police officers face daily on the job," Governor Chris Christie said in a statement. "He legitimately was a great guy and I'm going to tell you, there's probably not a single person who would say a negative thing about him," Sgt. Victor Bialous of the Westhampton Township Police told ABC 6 News. Troopers salute as flag raised, then lowered to half staff in Bellmawr, where fallen Trooper Cullen was stationed. pic.twitter.com/97l9YLchOT Katherine Scott (@KScott6abc) March 8, 2016 Becoming full time here in Westampton was everything to him, but I think when he had the opportunity to work side-by-side with his brother and be a state trooper, that was his goal," Bialous said, adding that family means everything to him. He comes from a nice, tight-knit family. In an emotional Facebook post, one of Cullens friends, Sean Einstein, described him as the Jim Carey of our small community of those in Public Service. No matter how angry, frustrated, sad, tired or stressed we were, you came up with some stupid comment to make us laugh. Friends and family also spoke with NBC10 news, offering tributes to Cullen. A celebration of his life will be held Sunday afternoon from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Monday morning from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Saint Borromeo Church in Cinnaminson. A funeral service will follow. The 22-year-old woman who was driving the car that struck Cullen has cooperated with police and is not believed to have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash, NBC 10 reported. No charges have been filed. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio marched for the third straight year in the Irish LGBT inclusive St. Pats for All Parade in Sunnyside on Sunday. De Blasio announced last week that he would participate in this years main Fifth Avenue parade on March 17 after organizers finally permitted the Lavender and Green Alliance, an Irish LGBT group, to march under its own banner. On the dais near the Queen of Angels Church in Sunnyside on Sunday the mood was jubilant as Christopher Hyland, a member of the New York parades St. Patricks Foundation, told the crowd, The progressive side always wins in the end. To remove prejudice and work together is the best way. Happy St. Patrick's Day! This years St. Pats for all grand marshals were philanthropist and promoter of Irish heritage Loretta Brennan Glucksman and award winning Irish novelist Colum McCann. Joining them on the stage was a who's-who of the Queens Democratic Party including Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, New York City Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer (a Sunnyside resident with Irish heritage) and Council Member Daniel Dromm, who represents Jackson Heights and Elmhurst and also has Irish heritage. Brendan Fay, the St. Pat's for All co-chair, told the crowd, Today we are also celebrating the centenary of 1916 when a small group of Irish women and Irish men rose up with a vision of an independent autonomous and free Ireland. From the GPO they read a Proclamation that included a phrase that is our theme: cherishing all the children of the nation equally. Fay noted that the first check in support of the St. Pats for All parade was sent by the late Father Mychal Judge, the FDNY chaplain who was the first recorded fatality on September 11, 2001. We are really proud that the FDNY have been part of our journey for 17 years, Fay told the Irish Voice. De Blasio told the crowd that the St. Pats for All and Lavender and Green organizers are a beacon of hope and tell us we are going some place better. Now brothers and sisters, we have arrived at that better place and on March 17, we will be marching together [up] Fifth Avenue all together celebrating the extraordinary heritage of the Irish people. On Saturday, the mayor received a reportedly mixed reception at the St. Patrick's Day parade in the Rockaways. In Sunnyside, where he arrived just minutes before the parade stepped off, the welcome was more enthusiastic and the mayor marched carrying an Irish flag and a rainbow flag alongside the Lavender and Green Alliance. As has become tradition, one apartment window took a dim view of proceedings and posted signs condemning gay people in its in windows. One read Depraved and another Corruption: Not in our faith or parish. In an atmosphere of celebration hundreds lined the streets as the sun came out and the parade stepped off just after two o'clock in the afternoon, and no one looked more delighted than parade co-chairs Fay and Kathleen Walsh D'Arcy, who have been at the forefront of this long-running dispute for decades. The Sunnyside parade will continue even after lifting of the ban on Fifth Avenue, Fay vows. Having become one that welcomes and celebrates all participants (including non-Irish groups) it has sent a powerful message to the wider city about the beauty and strength of inclusion Fay said. Lavender and Green, meanwhile, has sent out guidelines for those who will march behind its banner on March 17. The group will line up at 3 p.m. at 48th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, and begin to march at 4 p.m. In the event that we are subject to ridicule or taunts by the crowd, just ignore and do not respond. Let the parade marshals, formation committee and NYPD handle it, the instructions said. We anticipate a large and wonderful community of LGBT Irish people, their loved ones and supporters, including community organizers, dignitaries and elected officials. The 2016 Irish general election has led to surprising results. The most notable outcome is the potential of a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael coalition given Fine Gaels decline, Fianna Fails resurgence and Labours collapse. For the first time since the foundation of the Irish state, the Civil War parties barely received a majority of first preference votes. Despite the fragmented nature of Irelands left-wing parties, the continued, if hardly meteoric, rise of Sinn Fein, as well as the success of the Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit, Social Democrats, and Greens points to another possible shift in Irish politics. The record number of successful Independents and women candidates further signals flux in Irelands political party system. Although the potential for enduring change certainly exists, many of the underlying dynamics of Irish party competition persist. In my recent book, "How Parties Win: Shaping the Irish Political Arena" (University of Michigan Press, 2015), I show that understanding the dynamics of Irish politics requires observing the way the major parties have shaped the choices available to the electorate over time. In many ways, the strategies parties engage to minimize policy differences makes party and candidate organization the distinguishing feature of Irish election campaigns. How parties manage candidate selection, geographic vote management, and policy emphasis during campaigns is vital to their success. The importance of local politics has persisted in a modernizing Ireland largely as a result of the strategies major party leaders adopted. The narrow ideological differences between the major parties have been reduced in recent years and their control over access to state resources puts an emphasis on local politics that further bolsters the local organizational advantages of their candidates. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have sustained the narrow ideological spectrum by successfully employing strategies within the ideological, institutional and organizational dimensions. These include shifting ideological positions in response to changes from the electorate and co-opting salient issues raised by minor parties and Independents. Historically, Irelands minor parties have concentrated on a smaller number of issues and maintained their focus on these issues over time in contrast to their major party competitors who regularly shift their policy priorities and positions. Long-term manifesto data from the period between 1981 and 2011 reveal that Fine Gael had 16 separate issues make it into their top three issues in any election, Labour had 14 and Fianna Fail had 13. By contrast, the minor parties remained consistent, with only three or four issues ever making it into their top three manifesto issues. Therefore, minor parties and Independents may capture public opinion more successfully in a specific election, but the major parties continue to dominate as they are able to adapt ideologically over subsequent elections. On a second dimension, major parties successfully avoid controversial and potentially divisive issues by dealing with them in extra-parliamentary institutions such as referenda, wage bargaining agreements, tribunals and courts. There is little spillover from competition within these other arenas into the electoral arena. Consider two relatively recent examples that could have altered competition in this election had Irish politicians not already engaged these issues elsewhere. There was consensus among most parties in support of the EU/IMF/ECB bailout and framework for recovery. Although Fianna Fail has been consistently blamed for Irelands economic collapse since 2008, Fine Gael and Labours plans have not differed greatly from what was originally agreed upon to salvage Irelands economy five years previously. The honeymoon for Fine Gael and Labour was over, and its lack of clearly alternative policies meant that the appeal to keep the recovery going fell on deaf or unbelieving ears. Irelands major parties have also benefitted from their ability to engage hot button social issues via referenda rather than in general elections. In referenda campaigns, many of Irelands minor parties have supported more progressive positions on these issues and used these campaigns to elevate their visibility. Nevertheless, minor parties have failed to mobilize the electorate based on these issues during general elections, in part, because Irelands PR-STV electoral system induces them to moderate ideological appeals to attract lower preference votes. The combination of electoral incentives and the perception among voters that they have already had their say during referenda mitigates the salience of these issues during general elections. Abortion policy did not resonate with voters in 2016. Renua Ireland, which was formed by a number of pro-life TDs, did not return any of its three TDs. Similarly, Labours call for repealing the 8th amendment (i.e. protection of the unborn) gained no traction and Labour received its worst ever election result. The cumulative effect of ideological and institutional strategies reinforces the importance of organizational ones. The resurgence of Fianna Fail as well as the rise of Sinn Fein and Independents is due largely to their ground game and service to the local community. The military discipline of the Healy Rae machine in Kerry underscores the importance of local organizational strength. The ability to foster candidate autonomy at the local level by allowing strong local franchises centered on attractive candidates who mobilize their own personal networks has grown even more important in Irish elections. Notwithstanding critical decisions about who will form the next government that could significantly alter Irish party politics for generations, many aspects of Irish electoral politics remain the same. The strategies parties employ on the ideological, institutional and organizational dimensions continue to minimize differences among parties and leave voters supporting those candidates they believe will serve them locally. For all the talk of a new era of policy and ideology-driven politics, much of this is all too familiar! * Sean McGraw CSC is a Fellow of Kellogg Institute, Nanovic Institute for European Studies and Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies at Notre Dame. He is author of How Parties Win Shaping the Irish Political Arena Michigan University Press. From rare pre-Euro coins to the last photograph of Michael Collins taken before his death, the Irish around the world have discovered all sorts of rare treasures in their attics and basements, items passed down through the generations and almost lost to time. With the centenary of Irelands 1916 Easter Rising fast approaching, the Digital Repository of Ireland and the Inspiring Ireland project are calling upon all of Ireland, the Irish diaspora, and anyone with a link to the Easter Rising to search through their old mementos, heirlooms, trinkets, letters and photographs for any items that could be related to 1916 and those involved. Family stories, too, are welcome. In Ireland, there have already been a number of events at which people in possession of items they believed to be of relevance to 1916 could get the artifacts assessed by experts and then digitized to become part of Inspiring Irelands larger archive and exhibition of 1916 memorabilia. Now, similar events will take place in New York (April 17) and London (March 19) to give Irish expats and members of the larger Irish diaspora the chance to add their heirlooms to this ever-growing digital portrait of the 1916 Rising. According to the Inspiring Ireland hub, over one hundred fascinating objects have already been gathered at events held in the National Library of Ireland. They include: The diary of Herbert Fitzgerald, a student at Trinity College in 1916 and neighbor of Hannah and Francis Sheey Skeffington, who recorded the events he witnessed on Easter Monday. An 'autograph' book kept by Irish Volunteer Mortimer O'Connell (later clerk of the Dail) complete with a love poem he and his future wife exchanged while he was imprisoned at Frongoch prison camp in Wales. Another 'autograph' book from Ballykinlar Camp, Co. Down where future Taoiseach Sean Lemass was imprisoned in 1920. And the crucifix used by Fr. Sebastian O'Brien, the Dublin-born Capuchin friar who ministered to Joseph Plunkett as he awaited execution in Kilmainham Gaol (jail) on May 4, 1916. It was brought forward by a family who have been the crucifixs custodians ever since the donor's grandfather, an altar boy in the Capuchin friary on Church Street, Dublin received it from Fr. OBrien. These and all the other digitized historic items gathered at national and international Inspiring Ireland collection days will be published online in phases through May 31 alongside the site's seven thematic exhibitions on women and the Rising, communications and the media during the Rising, how the Rising was felt in different regions of Ireland, the leaders of the Rising, beyond the Rising, the impact of the Rising, and how the Rising was remembered. The call for items is especially important given the number of auctions of 1916 memorabilia that have taken place in recent months. Inspiring Ireland is powered by the infrastructure of the Digital Repository of Ireland, which means that digitized 1916 content will be preserved for long-term access and discovery in a certified, trusted, digital repository so that it continues to be available for the next 100 years and beyond. See below for more information, and visit the Inspiring Ireland website to register for one of the sessions. Inspiring Ireland 1916 Collection Day April 17, New York City The Inspiring Ireland 1916 New York collection day takes place in Glucksman Ireland House, New York City on Sunday, April 17, 2016 - 1pm to 6pm. It is organized in partnership with the Consulate General of Ireland in New York and Glucksman Ireland House, the center for Irish and Irish-American Studies at New York University. Glucksman Ireland House provides access to Irish and Irish-American culture and fosters excellence in the study of Ireland, Irish America, and the global Irish Diaspora. More information on Glucksman Ireland House (Tel. 00 1 212 998-3952) Inspiring Ireland 1916 Collection Day March 18, London The Inspiring Ireland 1916 London collection day takes place in the Embassy of Ireland in London on Saturday, March 19, 2016 - 11am to 4pm. It is organized in partnership with the Embassy of Ireland in Great Britain and Irish in Britain, the leading network for Irish community organizations and Irish individuals in Britain. The network and its Members are the foundation of Irish community life in Britain and their mission is to make a difference to the lives and experiences of Irish people across Britain. More information on Irish in Britain (Tel. 00 44 20 7697 4081) Inspiring Ireland 1916 Collection Day - May 14, Belfast The Inspiring Ireland 1916 Belfast collection day takes place in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI), Titanic Quarter, Belfast on Saturday, May 14, 2016 - 11am to 4pm. It is organized in partnership with Belfast City Council and PRONI the official place of deposit for public records in Northern Ireland. (Email: proni@dcalni.gov.uk) Socialist Bernie Sanders has breathed new life into his long-shot White House bid with a crucial win in Michigan's presidential primary, chipping away at Hillary Clinton's dominance in the Democratic race. Meanwhile Republican front-runner Donald Trump swept to victory in Mississippi and Michigan, deepening his grip on his party's nominating contest despite fierce efforts to blunt his momentum. Mrs Clinton easily carried Mississippi for her party, but was defeated in white, working-class Michigan, where voters expressed concerns about trade and jobs, by Mr Sanders. Mr Sanders said he was "grateful to the people of Michigan for defying the pundits and pollsters" and delivering him a win. "We came from 30 points down in Michigan and we're seeing the same kind of come-from-behind momentum all across America," he said. He said Michigan signalled that his campaign "is strong in every part of the country, and frankly we believe our strongest areas are yet to happen". But even with Mr Sanders' win, Mrs Clinton and Mr Trump moved comfortably closer to a general election face-off. Mrs Clinton breezed to an easy victory in Mississippi, propelled by overwhelming support from black voters, and now has more than half the delegates she needs to clinch the Democratic nomination. Mr Trump, too, padded his lead over Texas senator Ted Cruz, his closest rival. The front-runners turned their sights on November as they revelled in their victories. "We are better than what we are being offered by the Republicans," Mrs Clinton declared. And in a nod towards the kind of traditional politics he has shunned, Mr Trump emphasised the importance of helping Republican senators and House of Representatives members get elected in November. Having entered Tuesday's contests facing a barrage of criticism from rival candidates and outside groups, he also delighted in overcoming the attacks. "Every single person who has attacked me has gone down," Mr Trump said at one of his Florida resorts. While a handful of recent losses to Texas senator Ted Cruz have raised questions about Mr Trump's durability, Tuesday's contests marked another lost opportunity for rivals to slow his march. Next week's winner-take-all primaries in Ohio and Florida loom especially large as perhaps the last chance to stop Mr Trump short of a long-shot contested convention fight. Ohio governor John Kasich was in a fight for second place in Michigan and hoping a good showing would give him a boost heading into next week's crucial contest in his home state. Florida senator Marco Rubio, a favourite of Republican elected officials, continued to struggle on Tuesday, upping the stakes for him at home on March 15. If Mr Rubio and Mr Kasich cannot win at home, the Republican primary appears set to become a two-person race between Mr Trump and Mr Cruz, an uncompromising conservative. The Texas senator is sticking close to Mr Trump in the delegate count and with six states in his win column, he's argued he is the only candidate standing between the brash billionaire and the Republican nomination. During a campaign stop at a North Carolina church, Mr Cruz blasted Mr Trump for asking rally attendees to raise their hands and pledge their allegiance to him. He said the move struck him as "profoundly wrong" and something "kings and queens demand" of their subjects. "I'm not here asking any of you to pledge your support of me," Mr Cruz said, to thunderous applause and cheers. "I'm pledging my support of you." The economy ranked high on the list of concerns for voters heading to the polls in Michigan and Mississippi. At least eight in 10 voters in each party's primary said they were worried about where the American economy was heading, according to early exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks. Among Democrats, eight in 10 voters in both states said the country's economic system benefits the wealthy, not all Americans. Mr Sanders has sought to tap into that concern, energising young people and white working-class voters with his calls for breaking up Wall Street banks and making tuition free at public colleges and universities. Michigan, with big college towns and a sizeable population of working-class voters, should be a good fit for him, But Mrs Clinton has led in polling. The results in Mississippi underscored her overwhelming strength with black voters and Mr Sanders' stunning inability to draw support from a constituency crucial to Democrats in the general election. Mrs Clinton carried nearly nine in 10 black voters in Mississippi, mirroring her margins in other southern states with large African-American populations. She has now accumulated 1,214 delegates and Mr Sanders 566, including superdelegates - members of the US Congress, governors and party officials who can support the candidate of their choice at the convention. Democrats need 2,383 delegates to win the nomination. With Tuesday's wins, Mr Trump leads the Republican field with 428 delegates, followed by Mr Cruz with 315, Mr Rubio with 151 and Mr Kasich with 52. Winning the Republican nomination requires 1,237 delegates. Meanwhile, Mr Cruz won the Republican presidential primary in Idaho, adding a seventh state win to his tally. Results from the Republican caucuses in Hawaii are expected later. The Irish aid organisation GOAL has said it is reaching 1.3 million people in Syria with humanitarian aid. Thousands of refugees are still fleeing their homes, amid further violence, as a deal between the EU and Turkey to house the migrants nears a conclusion. The February edition of the monthly consumer sentiment index, from KBC Bank Ireland and the ESRI, shows a reading of 105.8, down from the 15-year high measure of 108.6 noted in January. It is often the case that the sentiment index weakens in February as the arrival of post-Christmas bills prompt a scaling back of spending intentions. Moreover, at a time of significant uncertainty worldwide, it is scarcely surprising to see a partial correction of Januarys gains, said Austin Hughes, chief economist at KBC Ireland. For these reasons, we would not regard the drop in sentiment in February as particularly surprising or alarming. We would also emphasise that at current levels the sentiment index is comfortably above its long-term average level of 86.1 and all five main elements of the survey reported more positive than negative responses, he added. Mr Hughes said the lower February reading suggests caution rather than any major erosion in confidence among Irish consumers but said the surprising drop in outlook for household finance strength hints that Irish consumers worry the uncertain environment will weigh on their income prospects and suggests people are very much atuned to a range of factors constraining the economic upswing as it applies to them. The latest data he said, hints at an Irish consumer who is focused, at present, on the many uncertainties that might weigh on their living standards and, as such, altogether more conscious of the risks rather than the recovery at present. Irish consumer mood still outweighs the broader eurozones which last month showed its largest monthly fall in three-and-a-half years and hit its lowest index reading since December 2014. Although consumers in the single currency were slightly more nervous about their own financial circumstances last month, the key development was a sharp deterioration in their assessment of the general economic outlook, Mr Hughes said. The rules, that should take effect later this year, are a response to growing concerns about corporate tax avoidance which costs the EU public 70bn a year, according to a European Parliament estimate. Today we reached a political agreement on co-operation between tax administrations, country- by-country reporting. This is part of our work on the anti-tax avoidance package, said Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem who chaired the meeting of EU ministers in Brussels. The new rules will oblige large companies to disclose data on revenues, profits and taxes to the administrations of all EU countries where they operate. That data will then be exchanged between the 28 EU states. The EU deal goes beyond international guidelines known as anti-base erosion and profit shifting, agreed by the G20 and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Those guidelines do not force subsidiaries of foreign countries to disclose the tax data of their parent group, whereas the EU rules will affect foreign multinationals that have subsidiaries in the European Union, EU officials said. Once adopted and enforced this directive will, as of 2016, oblige the large multinational companies to file country-by-country reports to tax authorities and this information will then be automatically exchanged between member states. This will permit to have a clearer picture about potential transfer pricing risks that business activities of such large company groups may generate, they said. Due to concerns expressed by Germany and some other EU states that the measures could scare away foreign investors , the new rules will only be mandatory for foreign companies from 2017. The rules are expected to be formally adopted by June, Mr Dijsselbloem said. The unanimous approval of all 28 EU states is required. The introduction of country-by-country reporting is part of a wider global crackdown on corporate tax affairs with the European Commission conducting probes into the tax arrangements of a number of companies across Europe. Earlier this week, EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager tempered expectations that a ruling on Apples tax affairs in Ireland would be delivered soon, telling reporters not to hold their breath on the outcome. Reuters with additional reporting by Irish Examiner That is a progressive move which reflects maturing capital markets in Ireland. It may also contain the seeds to address the chronic housing shortage affecting the country. I should start with a related fact. My employer acted as the stockbroker for one Irish property real estate investment trust (REIT) in the past two years and one house-builder to raise equity finance for their expansion plans. We raised large amounts of capital for them to invest in commercial property and housing across Ireland. This may colour your views on the argument set out below, although I strongly believe in its merits. Before the global financial crisis of 2008, commercial property in the Irish economy was owned and financed by companies and entities that had very limited public scrutiny. Special purpose vehicles and private corporations that had to file nominal annual returns tended to dominate the property market. These entities tended to carry high levels of borrowings that made them vulnerable if a banking crisis surfaced. When the banking system capsized, leveraged businesses and particularly property-related companies suffered hugely. As the crisis unfolded, policymakers wanted to find mechanisms to kickstart the economy property investment was a key objective. A group of experts, aided and abetted by forward-looking civil servants and politicians, designed and implemented legislation that ignited the commercial property market. By introducing REIT legislation, the authorities delivered a structure that attracted investors to vehicles that had capped borrowing levels and minimum dividend payout formulas. Those guidelines were also attached to a demand that the REITs committed to full disclosure of their financial strategy, business models, and actual results. The result of this innovation was to unleash a wave of new, conservatively financed companies that attracted large amounts of investment from global asset managers, pension funds, and insurance companies in support of REITs in Ireland. Green, Hibernia, IRES, and KWE were subsequently established to grow and invest. These four, combined, today have stock market values of over 3bn and are actively building and developing properties in various centres that have clear beneficial effects on employment. If you would like to explore their finances and business models each publishes regular detailed investor updates on their websites for all to see. That is a profoundly different perspective on commercial property investing in Ireland relative to the status quo before 2008. This phenomenon is also spilling over to the housebuilding market. A new company Cairn was set up on the stock exchange last summer. It has attracted investors who have committed over 490m in equity finance to the company. It is now busy shaping a footprint that will allow it produce a targeted 1,000 houses per year in Ireland when up to speed. For such a critical part of the economy, it is surely healthy and progressive to have an increasing share of property exposed to public scrutiny instead of being hidden behind curtains of privacy and inaccessible financial statements. It would be reassuring to believe these seismic shifts in how property is financed can now be reflected in the way our political system evolves. A unique opportunity exists to bring a level of openness and transparency to work in the Dail that advances, rather than holds back, a flourishing economy. That will take imagination, bravery, and intelligence but holds out the promise of unlocking mechanisms that help us attack failings in health, housing, and infrastructure. The Dail passed legislation that triggered the REIT phenomenon to recover commercial property in Ireland. Surely it has the nous to make further and bolder moves to tackle even bigger problems. Joe Gill is director of corporate broking at Goodbody Stockbrokers. His views are personal. Kevin Power, aged 38, with an address at Railway Street, Passage West, Co Cork, has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation within the State styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on December 19, 2011. Yesterday, the three-judge, non-jury court heard evidence and submissions during a voir dire, a trial within a trial, to determine legal issues relating to the arrest and detention of the accused man. Hugh Hartnett, defending, challenged the arrest of his client under Section 30 (A) of the Offences Against the State Act (Amendment Act 1998) Act 1939. This section states that a person who is arrested on suspicion of having committed an offence under the Act, and who is subsequently released without charge, cannot be arrested again for the same offence without a warrant. Earlier, the court heard evidence from Detective Sergeant Patrick Murphy, of Anglesea St Garda station, Cork, that Mr Power had been arrested on January 19, 2011, on suspicion of IRA membership and was released without charge. The detective told the court that he arrested Mr Power on December 19 of the same year, also on suspicion of IRA membership. Mr Hartnett argued the second arrest was without a warrant and therefore unlawful. Previously, the court heard evidence that on May 19, 2011, telephone calls warning of explosive devices at UCC and the Rock of Cashel, Co Tipperary, were made to the Samaritans and to Cork 96FM. Evidence that an army-training grenade was found in a carpark at UCC was also presented to the court. Returning judgement yesterday, Mr Justice Paul Butler said that it was noteworthy there was no evidence connecting or even suspecting the accused man of being connected with the hoax bombs. We have the bald evidence that [Det Sgt Murphy] suspected he was a member of an unlawful organisation, the judge said. That is not in any way different from the state of affairs when he was arrested on January 19 of the same year. In those circumstances, we deem the arrest unlawful on the facts of this case, said Mr Justice Butler . Vincent Heneghan, prosecuting, told the judges that he will take instructions before the court sits again today. The trial continues. Finance Minister Michael Noonan said yesterday that he did not expect any substantial deal to be agreed with any TDs or party ahead of the vote tomorrow. He said he then expected talks about forming a government to move onto Fianna Fail. His comments come after the Irish Examiner reported this week Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny is willing to look at giving Fianna Fail half the cabinet seats and to consider rotating the position of Taoiseach in any deal. Speaking in Brussels yesterday, Mr Noonan confirmed that discussions involving Mr Kenny would evolve after Thursday into talks with Fianna Fail. Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe also told RTE that very likely consideration would have to be given to an agreement with Fianna Fail. There are many weeks ahead of us of this, added the Dublin Central TD. Mr Donohoe said talks with parties in general could not be rushed, otherwise it would be worse putting in place a government with no credibility. It was also possible to govern without Fianna Fail, said the minister. Mr Kenny yesterday held several talks with parties and Independent TDs. Health Minister Leo Varadkar described the outcome of the talks with Shane Ross and the Independence Alliance as constructive and cordial. This was despite the fact the alliance leader had called Mr Kenny a potential political corpse in a Sunday newspaper. Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Varadkar said his party had responded to the alliances charter for change and discussed the groups desire for reform of judicial and state board appointments. There was also a detailed discussion on agriculture and briefer exchanges over justice, health, flooding, and disability matters. Fine Gael sources said the alliance has been asked to return with its view of implementing Fine Gaels manifesto over the next year and for further talks over the next week. The alliance said the talks had gone through its charter in detail and both sides had agreed to exchange documents. Elsewhere, Mr Kenny met Independent Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae, who afterwards said the Taoiseach favoured the idea of a senior rural affairs minister in any new administration. Mr Kenny also held talks with Galway East Independent TD Noel Grealish, who informed him he would not support him at tomorrows vote for taoiseach in the Dail. However, the TD added: The Taoiseach is now preparing a list of proposed changes to Dail structures, which will include more speaking time for all TDs and equal opportunities for all members to join committees. Dublin Central TD Maureen OSullivan also met Mr Kenny and discussed priorities for any new government, which included health, housing and tackling homelessness. The chat was about what is important for the future of the country, she said. The Social Democrats meeting with Mr Kenny was constructive with broad agreement on the need for Dail reform, the party said. Baby Karol Rozycki had brought the Polish and Irish communities together, Fr Piotr Delimat, the Polish chaplain serving the Diocese of Kerry, told the gathering. Part of the child would always remain in Killarney, he said. Karol is to be buried in Poland. It doesnt matter where we are from we all love our children, said Fr Delimat. Gardai involved in the investigation, among them members who responded to the emergency call on Sunday as well as Polish members of the investigating team, attended the Mass. Staff from Aghadoe Heights Hotel, where mum Anna Rozycki works, and numerous young families and their children attended. Fr Kieran OBrien, parish priest of Killarney, said the prayers and thoughts of the community were with Anna and her family on this sad occasion. He told the congregation that Anna was very grateful for all the support she had received from colleagues at the hotel, from gardai, the Park Place Apartment owners, and the wider community. I am sure that baby Karol will continue to be their strength at this time, that he will heal their broken hearts and comfort them today, and always, said Fr OBrien. The Mass was sung and spoken in both Polish and English, and concelebrated by Fr Pat Crean Lynch, attached to Ballymacelligott near Tralee. Symbols of Karols life, a picture, flowers, and candles were carried to a special table in front of the altar by relatives and friends. The procession included Anna and her mother, Tereasa. Lighting the candle to her son, before the family took their seat at the front of the congregation, Anna was greeted and blessed by Fr Delimat. A picture of the Divine Mercy from Krakow Cathedral was on the altar it has been circulating in Polish homes in Killarney in the past weeks and will now be placed in the home of the bereaved family to comfort them, the priest said. Readings were from the Book of Lamentations. A friend of the family spoke at the end in English and Polish to thank everyone, including the interpreters. We believe it is hard for everyone, he said through tears. The family and friends could not go through it without the support of the community and work colleagues, he said. In his short life, Karol had brought huge happiness to the family and friends much more perhaps than might a person who lived a lot longer, he added. Announcing that the child would be buried in Poland, in Annas home town of Bielsko-Biala, near Krakow, Fr Delimat invited the congregation to offer their sympathy. Part of Karol will stay in Killarney, said the Polish priest. Afterwards, Fr Delimat said the Polish community was very touched and affected by the death of Karol most of the Polish in Killarney were aged between 30 and 40 and had families, he explained. The body of Karol is being released to his family today, gardai confirmed. The results of an autopsy on Monday were not being released for operational reasons, said Supt Flor Murphy, who is heading the investigation. The father of the child, a man aged in his 30s, was found with serious injuries in the apartment on Sunday. He remains in hospital. Anna raised the alarm when she returned from work at the hotel. Supt Murphy said the scene is still sealed off. He has appealed again to anyone who noticed or heard something unusual in the Park Place Apartments last Sunday afternoon, or anyone with information, to come forward. Anyone who was in the vicinity of High St between 1pm and 6pm should come forward, he said. A family liaison officer is in contact with the family of the child, and a team of interpreters and Polish-speaking officers are involved in the investigation. There were almost 10,000 cases of people being jailed for failing to pay court fines in 2015 an almost four-fold increase on 2008 levels. They accounted for nearly six out of 10 of the 17,200 prison committals in 2015, which comprised some 14,200 people the highest number of people ever jailed. Prison bosses believe the long-awaited implementation of a system for paying court fines by installment, introduced at the start of this year, will dramatically reduce numbers being jailed. Irish Prison Service figures show a 7% rise in the number of committals in 2015 and a 6% jump in people jailed (some people are committed twice in a year). The figures also show that committals of women rose faster last year than men. The figures reveal: n17,319 committals (13,952 people) in 2011 involving 7,514 fine-defaulting cases. n 17,026 committals (13,860 people) in 2012 8,305 fine cases. n 15,735 committals (13,055 people) in 2013 8,121 fine cases. n 16,155 committals (13,408 people) in 2014 8,979 fine cases. n 17,223 committals (14,194 people) in 2015 9,892 fine cases. n In 2008, there were 13,557 committals and just 2,520 cases for fine defaulting. The Irish Prison Service must accept all committals by the courts and does not have the option of refusing same, a prison service spokesman said. The increase in committals is simply a reflection of the number of people processed through the courts. There was a dramatic rise in prison committals between 2007 and 2010, from 11,934 to 17,179, before falling significantly between 2012 and 2013. Parallel with this has been a steady rise in the number of women being sent to prison, increasing by a further 10% last year, to 3,415 committals. The prison service spokesman said it welcomed the commencement of the Fines Act. A new fine payment system operated by An Post on behalf of the Courts Service comes almost six years after laws allowing for installment payments were first introduced. This piece of legislation will dramatically reduce the number of committals to prison, the spokesman said. Fines committals for 2014 were almost 9,000 out of a total of 16,155 committals and 9,892 out of 17,223 in 2015. Last years figure for fine defaulters is provisional. Processing fine defaulters in and out of jail is a labour-intensive procedure, given most are released either within hours or days. The amount of time spent in processing fine defaulters can now be diverted to other services and programmes for prisoners. Prison should only be used as a last resort, the spokesman said. He added: It is important to note that there are a significant number of warrants still to be processed in relation to fines and it may be a number of months before the Prison Service see an actual reduction. Irish Penal Reform Trust deputy director Fiona Ni Chinneide said: Irish Penal Reform Trust is extremely concerned that a record number of people were sent to prison in 2015, despite legislation introduced in recent years intended to address Irelands over-dependence on imprisonment. She added: It is crucial that the next government addresses this significant overuse of prison with a shift to robust and effective community sanctions, including restorative justice schemes, community courts, and the roll out of supported community service programmes nationwide. Government should also review the effectiveness of legislation introduced to address the low and inconsistent use of community service orders and the rocketing numbers imprisoned for fines default. Exercise Shamrock aimed to validate the combined response of the airport, together with the primary emergency agencies and other key stakeholders, that would react to any aviation incident . Yesterdays scenario was based on a simulated incident involving an aircraft fire adjacent to the terminal building, with students from NUIGs College of Hotel Management at Shannon Airport playing the roles of passengers, relatives, and members of the media. Mr Justice Raymond Groarke, said Andrew Shannon had by the manner in which he had driven his car purposely and with intention set a trap for a lorry driver behind him. Judge Groarke said Mr Shannons actions were utterly irrational. Mr Shannon, who told the Circuit Civil Court he had 47 previous criminal convictions, sued an international haulage company and its driver, Ross Buckley, for 38,000 damages for whiplash injuries and more than 3,000 repairs to his car. Mr Beatty, for Noel Malone International Haulage Ltd, said Mr Buckley would tell the court that Mr Shannons evidence was entirely misleading. He will say you were driving erratically and engaged in a road rage incident immediately prior to the inevitable collision, Mr Beatty said. He will say you were gesticulating and screaming and shouting at him and deliberately jammed on your brakes just ahead of him. Mr Shannon, of Williams Way, Ongar, Clonee, Dublin 15, said such suggestions were not true. Mr Shannon said he had passed Mr Buckleys truck and moved in front of it from a bus lane on the Navan road. A car in front of him stopped suddenly and he had to carry out an emergency stop. The lorry had run into the back of him. He denied having driven like a madman along the bus lane. Mr Buckley, who said he had one million miles of accident-free driving across Canada and all of Europe, said he saw Mr Shannon gesticulating at him and shouting and screaming. He allowed him to enter in front of him from the bus lane and for no reason whatsoever Mr Shannon had jammed on his brakes. He was unable to avoid an impact. Dublin Bus driver Petru Apopei said Mr Shannon had suddenly hit the brakes in front of the artic. He thought it was an intentional act. Judge Groarke, dismissing Mr Shannons claim, said that for all intent and purposes Mr Shannon was inviting a collision to occur. Whether the intention was to set up a claim is neither here nor there. Did the plaintive drive in such a grossly reckless fashion as to set a trap for the defendant? he asked. If the driving of the vehicle is being done to set up or invite an impact or seeking to test the driving ability of a vehicle behind, then a trap is set and the stopped vehicle is not now a motor vehicle but is being used as a sort of weapon, the judge said. The warning comes after a landmark legal case involving a Spanish au pair whose host family were ordered to pay her almost 10,000 in back pay and compensation after a five-month stint in their home. Under the ruling by the Workplace Relations Commission, an au pair has been established beyond doubt to be an employee like any other and therefore entitled to the minimum wage, holidays, rest periods, and other employment protections. Forty similar cases are pending, including one involving a claim for 35,000 by an au pair who completed a two-year placement with an Irish family. Some 20,000 households in Ireland are estimated to use au pairs as families try to find ways around the costs of formal childcare. Placement agencies have regularly advertised au pairs for 100 a week for 20-30 hours work plus board. Now agencies are warning that the ruling will drive the arrangements further into the black economy. Caroline Joyce of the Cara International Agency said: Families will not pay the minimum wage because they cant afford to. They wont use reputable agencies who are ensuring standards and providing training in child protection. Theyll go online and make arrangements directly and standards will fall. Ms Joyce said it was unrealistic that the food and board provided was valued at only 54 per week and she said it was wrong that the cultural exchange aspect of the au pair tradition was not acknowledged. Au pairs had long been considered to exist outside formal employment arrangements with pay being termed pocket money. The counter argument that they were employees was untested until the case taken by the Spanish au pair, with the help of the Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland. She said she had been left exhausted, depressed, and weak by her experience with an Irish family for whom she worked 30-60 hours per week for a set weekly payment of 100. Her victory raises questions over the treatment of other informal childcare providers, including grandparents and babysitters. Virginija Petrauskaite, legal officer with the Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland, said she believed breaches of au pair rights were commonplace. There is a childcare crisis in this country, but exploitation is not the solution, she said. The move, that will see thousands of pages translated every year, will create around 180 full-time jobs that should pay over 100,000 a year. The development has been welcomed by Liadh Ni Riada, the Sinn Fein MEP who last year doubled the amount of Irish used in the European Parliament. The Government turned down the offer to have Irish as a full working language when the country joined in 1973 but in 2004 asked for and was granted a change in policy the following year. However because there were very few trained Irish language translators available the service was limited to official legislation jointly agreed by the member states ministers and the European Parliament. Interpretation of the spoken word has been available but only on request with advance notice. Last year Irish ministers did not speak any Irish at their meetings in Brussels. But Ms Ni Riada, a native Irish speaker from West Cork, went on a language strike in the parliament, speaking nothing but Irish for a number of weeks despite the lack of official interpretation. Her assistant filled in translating into English for her for a time. The situation for the spoken interpretation will not change, but Ms Ni Riada who has been campaigning in the parliament for the language said her battle does not end with the end of the derogation on written translations. Although the increase to the budget is minute and the process does not end here, this latest development is most welcome. This has been a key campaign of mine and I will continue this until the Irish language and its speakers in the European Parliament receive the recognition and support it deserves. Several of the EU institutions websites are in Irish and are updated regularly. From next year an increasing number of official documents will be translated with the aim to have everything available in Irish by 2022. However, the big problem is to find sufficient translators who in many cases will need specialist knowledge of some of the subjects, especially law. The Department of Education has started targeted courses including at University College Cork and NUI Galway and Kings Inn. The plan is to train 700 people over the next six years in the hope that they will apply and get jobs in the EU institutions. As well as having their qualifications in translation they will also have to sit and pass the highly competitive examinations set for people wishing to work with the institutions. The advanced Irish skills initiative has trained 243 at a cost of 11m while a project coming up with Irish terms logged in an international language database has cost 1.85m, the Dail was told last year. The EU outsources some of its translation needs and this will also offer an opportunity to Irish linguists to work on a freelance basis. Ms Ni Riada, who has been pushing the EU to have Britain fulfil its commitment to the Irish language in Northern Ireland, last week hosted 16 students from gaelscoileanna in Cork, Kerry, Limerick, and Kilkenny in Brussels where they held a mock parliament session in Irish. She is also organising a hearing around lesser-used languages with a special focus on Irish in the parliament in June. Emma Farrell had sued her mother Angela Farrell as a result of the accident when she was just seven months old. Mr Justice Kevin Cross in the High Court was told Emma is profoundly deaf, but can lip read and is doing well at secondary school. Counsel Patrick OConnell said the accident occurred on June 28, 2000, after Emmas mother Angela Farrell parked her car in the driveway of their Dublin home. The driveway he said slopes towards the house. The baby in the carry cot was placed on the ground but the car moved forward crushing the carry cot against the porch of the house. A neighbour ran to help and managed to reverse the car off the carry cot and baby Emma was rushed to hospital. Counsel said the baby suffered serious head injuries including a skull fracture and was transferred to Beaumont Hosptial intensive care unit. She was discharged from hospital one month later. As a result of the accident, Mr OConnell said Emma is profoundly deaf but she can lip read and has consistently good grades at school. When she was younger, he said she had a weakness in the left side of her body. Speaking directly to Emma, Mr Justice Kevin Cross said while nothing would get Emmas hearing back, it was a good settlement. He told her she was doing well in school and he was sure she would do well for herself in whatever career she chose. You are a joy to your parents, he told the teenager and allowed for the payout of 5,000 towards a well- deserved holiday. Emma had through her father Noel Farrell of Beverly Rise, Knocklyon, Tempelogue, Dublin, sued her mother Angela Farrell of the same address as a result of the tragic accident on June 28, 2000. Emma, flanked by her mother and father, was in court to see the settlement approved by Mr Justice Kevin Cross. Im totally lost without you. Im broken, a tearful Kelly Smyth said when paying tribute to Vincent, who was shot dead outside her house in Finglas, Dublin, last week. He had been linked with the Real IRA. His brother, Alan, a leading figure in the paramilitary organisation, was also shot dead over three years ago. Unlike his brothers funeral, there was no show of paramilitary strength; his family said he would not receive a military funeral and gardai maintained a significant presence until the burial took place. The funeral Mass at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Donaghmede was an hour late because of the time it took around 500 mourners to walk with the coffin from Vincentss family home. The coffin was draped in a tricolour and led by a lone piper. A guard of honour of about 12 young men arched ahead of the cortege, all wearing black trousers, white shirts, and black ties. Kelly said some people went through their life without finding true love, but she was one of the lucky few. You were not only my boyfriend, you were my best friend, my soulmate, and father to our beautiful little girl, Phoenix. I have now lost all of that and our little girl has lost her daddy, she said. Kelly said Vincents dream was to one day open his own barbershop and, anytime they were out, he would look at mens hair and tell her how he would love to style it. While he loved motorbikes, music, and watching documentaries, more than anything else he loved his family. Kelly, who had walked ahead of her boyfriends coffin pushing her six-week-old daughter, said Vincent was overjoyed when she was born. The day Phoenix was born was the happiest day of his life, he loved her more than life itself. We had the perfect little family. We had so much planned for our future. He wanted more kids and wanted us both to get married. Sadly, the last conversation they had was about getting married. He used to say before he kissed me: This is how I am going to kiss you when we get married. He would dance with me in the bedroom and we would laugh and joke and he would tell me he would get dance lessons for our wedding day. I promise to talk to Phoenix about you every single day. She will know how amazing you are. You should be here for her first words, her first steps, her first Christmas and birthday. In his homily, parish priest, Fr Gerry Corcoran, said it was so easy to take life for granted. We know we all must die, but most of us assume, or at least hope, that it will be when we are old. So, when a young person died suddenly and violently, as Vincent has, it is a stark reminder that we should never take life for granted, said Fr Corcoran. Much has been written and said about Vincent in the media in recent days, but to his family, to those who actually knew him, he was a loving son, partner, father, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend. He loved his partner Kelly, and the birth of their baby daughter, Phoenix, just six weeks ago brought great joy and new life to him. Mourners walked with the coffin from the church to Fingal Cemetery, where a man played a guitar and sang the national anthem, before the gathering peacefully dispersed. Earlier, gardai, who had maintained a tight security ring around the cemetery, refused a family request to put Vincents motorbike by his graveside. The Independent TD is now seen as one of the top three contenders to win the vote alongside Fianna Fails Sean O Fearghail and Fine Gaels Andrew Doyle. Ms OSullivan said she had not canvassed anyone for support for the ballot and said if she did not win that she would continue her role as a TD. She thanked Greens leader Eamon Ryan, who first approached her about the position, and TDs who had signed her nomination papers. The Green Partys two TDs said they would support Ms OSullivan in a vote. Wicklow TD Andrew Doyle has also confirmed he has received the required seven names needed for the nomination of ceann comhairle tomorrow. The Fine Gael TD said he was also hoping to get the support of a number of Labour as well as Independent TDs in his bid to be elected chairman of the Dail. Mr Doyle is expected to speak about why he wants to be Dail chairman at a meeting of Fine Gaels parliamentary party today. His party colleague, Kildare North TD Bernard Durkan, also confirmed yesterday that he would put his name forward for the position. The partys Waterford TD John Deasy is expected to indicate today that he will not put his name forward while another Fine Gael TD, Louths Fergus ODowd, did not return calls on whether he would compete for the role. Meanwhile, Labour TD Brendan Ryan, who survived a voter backlash against the party, said it was his understanding that the partys remaining seven TDs could vote for their own preferred candidates for the post. But we will chose tactically, he said. However, the Dublin-Fingal TD did say there was no formal agreement yet on how party TDs would vote on the nomination for taoiseach tomorrow. A Labour spokesman said TDs would be voting for Mr Kenny on Thursday, as had been agreed in a Fine Gael-Labour pact made before the general election. Elsewhere, Sinn Feins Caoimhghin O Caolain will be put forward by his party as a candidate for ceann comhairle. Deputy party leader Mary Lou McDonald said yesterday that she would consider giving her constituency colleague, Maureen OSullivan, a second preference for the vote. However, a win for Ms OSullivan would reduce Ms McDonalds constituency to a two-seater. Mr Corbett was found dead in the master bedroom of the home he shared with Molly Martens in Panther Creek, Wallburg, North Carolina, on August 2 last. Ms Martens, 32, and her father Thomas Martens, 65, were released on bail on January 5 after they were charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter. A consent order agreed between Mr Corbetts estate and Ms Martens last September stated that she was not to remove any tangible personal property owned either solely by Mr Corbett or jointly by the couple. However documents filed by the Superior Court of Davidson County in North Carolina this week show that, on January 21, Ms Martens took a majority of the tangible personal property located in the home and placed that property in storage. The documents state that after Ms Martens had removed items from the house the only property left in the home was Mr Corbetts clothes, property that Mr Corbett brought to the home from Ireland, and items owned by Mr Corbetts children. Mr Corbetts estate subsequently filed a motion to enforce the consent order and sought a restraining order preventing Ms Martens from taking any further property from their home or from selling the items she had taken. At a hearing on February 2, Ms Martens said agents acting on her behalf took the property from the home and that the items were either gifts to her or bought by herself or her parents. She argued that the items she had bought were paid for on a credit card registered solely in her name. However, the court found that the bills arising from the card were paid for by the couples joint account, which mostly contained funds earned by Mr Corbett. The court also found that there was a high probability money transferred by Mr Corbett to Ms Martens and her parents was the source of payment for the items she and her parents had bought. The court ruled that immediate and irreparable injury would have resulted to the beneficiaries of the estate if Ms Martens was allowed to take or sell the items. Ms Martens has 30 days to return the property she took from the home. Mr Corbetts estate is to sell the items and pay the proceeds to the court, which will hold the funds until it decides ownership of the property. The hospital confirmed that eight non-urgent elective surgeries were cancelled between Monday, February 29 and Tuesday, March 8. In January, operations were cancelled on a number of occasions at the hospital, including 30 surgeries on January 21. On Monday, CUH issued a statement saying 502 patients had presented to the emergency department between 8am on Friday, March 4, and Saturday, March 6. This included 162 patients who required hospital admission. Management at the hospital asked patients only to present at the department if it was urgent and to consult their GP first. The hospital is also struggling to cope with a large volume of norovirus infection cases, a type of viral gastroenteritis brought in from the community. Yesterday there were 34 patients on trolleys at CUH and 554 on trolleys nationally. Emergency department overcrowding was most acute at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin where there were 50 patients on trolleys and at St Vincents University Hospital where there were also 50 patients on trolleys. At University Hospital Galway, there were 42 patients on trolleys. Hospitals have been ordered by ministerial directive to take a series of steps to reduce emergency department crowding when it reaches certain specified levels. The directive, known as an escalation protocol was issued last November by Health Minister Leo Varadkar and hospitals that do not comply are subject to penalties with resources re-allocated. The policy requires cancellation of non-urgent elective surgery as one of a series of steps to deal with emergency department overcrowding. However it has been criticised as being designed to appease those working in the ED without taking into account the effects it can have on other parts of the hospital. Peter ORourke, an outspoken orthopaedic consultant at Letterkenny General hospital said it has tied managements hands. Mr ORourke has had to cancel a number of orthopaedic surgeries over the past few weeks on foot of the escalation policy. Four patients have had joint replacement surgery cancelled on two occasions. While there have been empty beds in the orthopaedic ward, it has not been possible to use them to accommodate patients from the emergency department because of the high risk of infection to orthopaedic patients. The findings will add further pressure to already fraught discussions among the different political parties and groupings as efforts are made to find common ground on which to form a new government. Just 22% said they intend to pay their next water bill, while 13% didnt know. In January Irish Water said 61% of customers were paying water charges at the end of the third billing cycle. The poll, by Amarach Research for RTEs Claire Byrne Live show, involved 1,000 adults aged 18+. Perhaps even more worrying was the the finding that 42% would prefer to go through another general election rather than have Fianna-Fail go into coalitionwith Fine Gael. This compares to 39% who said theyd prefer an FF/FG coalition to another election. Will you be paying your next bill from Irish Water? Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) March 7, 2016 Social media reacts strongly to poll By Steve Neville On Facebook, Mike Johnston stated, "No chance. Haven't paid from beginning!" While Pooka Shepherd said, "Nope. Never paid, won't start now..." Joanne Hyde O'Sullivan was particularly annoyed about being asked to pay water bills while having a boil water notice. "Haven't paid a cent & glad i haven't as we r on a boil water notice for the next 6-8 months with no explanation.... We have to pay for bottled water as well as paying for electricity to boil the water & we still don't know wat exactly is in the water." (Sic) One commenter raised her concern about what happens when people don't pay. Breege Coen asked, "If the people who have refused to pay are getting away with it why should I pay? Either everybody pays or it's abolished." However Anton Core stated his intent to continue paying the bills for the sake of Irish Water staff members. "I will continue to pay. And let Micheal Martin explain to the Irish Water workers in Cork why they will be losing their jobs. Over on Twitter the reaction was just as strong from people when asked would they be paying. Meanwhile others were also concerned with the state of our water system. @irishexaminer we've a dreadful water system. General taxation alone won't cover costs. Surely we can devise an equitable and fair solution John Walsh (@johnpatwalsh34) March 8, 2016 JP McCarthy revealed he had paid but has been left frustrated by the situation. So far in our poll, 73% say they will not be paying their next water bill, while 10% remain undecided. Have your say here. While only six inmates went on the run in 2013, the most up to date figures showed 472 offenders were at large after not returning to prison after temporary release, a hospital visit or by walking out of an open unit. A study of the 47 Council of Europe countries found there are 14.8 prison escapes for every 10,000 inmates in Ireland. That compared to 1.6 in England and Wales, none in Northern Ireland, and a European average of 7.8. In 2013 there were nine deaths, including two suicides, in Irish jails, the report said. In the latest escape, murderer Frederick Lee, 51, went on the run from Shelton Abbey, an open prison near Arklow, Co Wicklow last Friday morning. He has not been captured. The Irish Prison Service, which classes escapes from open prisons as absconding due to the more relaxed security regime, said 56 offenders went on the run from these units. But the figures from last October also showed there are 416 other offenders who failed to return to a jail to sign off from their sentence after securing temporary release, compassionate leave, or a medical appointment. The Council of Europes Space report on prisons found jails across the continent in 2014 were at near capacity with more than 1.6m people behind bars. Despite repeated reports on overcrowding and pressure on capacity in the countrys jails, the prison population here is relatively low with 83.1 offenders behind bars for every 100,000 people. That compares to 149.7 in England and Wales, 101.3 in Northern Ireland, and 147.6 in Scotland. Just over 10% of Irelands prisoners were doing life, similar to Greece, with only Northern Ireland at 12%, and Scotland at 16.2%, recording higher figures. And it costs 180 a day to keep someone jailed in Ireland it is almost 110 in England and Wales. Across the EU, costs ranged from 3 per day in Ukraine to 358 in Norway. Other findings showed 15% of those in jail in Ireland have yet to get a final sentence. And drug users, dealers, and traffickers made up the biggest criminal group 16.3% of the total; followed by robbers 14%, and killers 12.3%. Inmates classed under other offences such as non-payment of fines or administrative crimes accounted for 16.4% of those in jail across Europe. Craig Mooney, now 18, told gardai he was transporting the Webley and Scott .455mm revolver from point A to point B for a third party. The gun was in good condition and capable of firing but no ammunition was found. The same model was used by the Royal Irish Constabulary, pre-independence. None of that would normally matter, but at 2am on Sunday on Camden St in Dublin she had an encounter that was anything but normal. She was walking home with friends when they passed a man who started taunting them and shouting abuse. He started calling her and her friends feminist feckers and faggots and shouted at them to take their clothes off. It wasnt cool for him to tell us to take off our trousers, pull down our knickers and show him our arses, she writes on her Facebook page. Victoria, 34, responded in the only way she knew how with a verbal broadside at the stranger for his unwelcome and abusive remarks. The result, she says, was four punches to the face that knocked her to the ground and the immediate terror that more was to come. Showing a photograph of her bruised face online, she writes: This is what misogyny looks like. This is what being a faggot looks like. This is what happens [to] women on Saturday nights walking home with their friends. This is what being punched four times in the faces looks like. This is what happens when we call them out. This is what will keep happening if we keep ignoring and accepting their behaviour. This is Ireland 2016. Victoria said she decided to share her story online because she was tired of people saying this kind of stuff doesnt happen. Go raibh mile for all the gra from you all. My eyes maybe be bruised but my chin is firmly high. This won't change me. vickey curtis (@raginspice) March 8, 2016 Still smarting from the attack, she said yesterday that assaults like this are constantly happening to women. Its street harassment against females, she told Ryan Tubridy on RTE radio. She explained that she had responded to the mans derogatory comments as she and her friends passed him on the street. It escalated from there. He started calling us feminist feckers, she said, adding that after the verbal altercation, she and her friends had walked away, believing it was all over. She described how one of her friends began to shout back at the man but she took her by the arm and told her Its over, lets go home. The women then began walking away from him when he started directing homophobic comments towards Victoria again. She said the man said he had voted yes in the marriage equality referendum last May but added: I didnt vote for that. She told Tubridy: He said he wouldnt hit my friend because she was a girl but that he didnt know what that was directing it at me. It was all directed at me because Im identifiably gay, I have short hair, I wear jeans, I dress like a tomboy not that that even matters. He then put his hand out and was like hey there man, lets resolve this man, shake my hand man and I was like mate Im not shaking your hand, fuck off. The man, who she described as not being legless drunk or incoherent, then hit her in the face four times. I lost my balance and I hit the ground. I curled up and put my hands over my head... I was thinking Im really lucky I have this wall because he could kick me in the face. She immediately rang the gardai to report the alleged assault and went to hospital to get her injuries treated. Unfortunately I had to deal with the Gardai last night, I have to say they were brilliant. Hats off to them. vickey curtis (@raginspice) March 6, 2016 Im OK but a bit shook after it all, she said. I woke up yesterday morning and had a few hours in and out of tears. Ive never experienced an attack like that that ended up so violently. How dare he? Im a proud queer woman. How dare he make me question that. Her Facebook post has already attracted hundreds of shares and messages of support for Victoria have coming flooding in. Irish writer Louise ONeill wrote: I just saw your FB post. Im so sorry. Irish band Le Galaxie tweeted: Just heard what happened. Furious. Hope youre not to shaken and that the cops get their hands on those ignorant cowards. Gardai have confirmed that the incident is being investigated. Victoria said that gardai acted brilliantly when she reported the attack. Hats off to them, she said. THE future of Irish literature has never looked brighter but now some of the countrys finest writing talent are looking to the past, assembling to add their voices to the chorus of commemoration for the Easter Rising. Literary journal The Stinging Fly, which has nurtured and promoted Irish writing since 1997, has released a bumper spring issue titled In the Wake of the Rising, guest-edited by writer Sean OReilly. He says the special issue is intended as an alternative space for writers to re-read and respond to the events of 1916, its background and legacy, and to the Proclamation itself. The results are absorbing and eclectic, featuring contributions from established writers such as Kevin Barry, Patrick McCabe, and Evelyn Conlon, and emerging talent including Lisa McInerney, Kevin Curran, and Doireann Ni Ghriofa. OReilly initially discussed the idea of a special Rising edition with The Stinging Fly publisher Declan Meade and they decided to invite submissions. We were wondering what kind of response wed get. But there was just a belief in the idea that this was a good thing to do, that writers should be engaging more. A lot has been written, particularly in America, about a crisis in fiction itself, whether contemporary fiction can represent reality any more if it needs to move to other ways of representing reality like collage, for example, or mixed genres. These are questions that were in the air or in my mind last year; artists were also beginning to wonder what would happen in 2016, so those ideas all came together. OReilly says reflecting on the Rising is also a good opportunity to explore how writers are engaging with social change today. In his editorial, he asks: Can we rekindle any of the energy of that time and use it for ourselves as we look for a better way of organising this society? In the special 1916 issue, OReilly, who grew up in Derry, recounts his own experience of the first time he saw the Proclamation, in the home of Patsy OHara, who had died on hunger strike. The young Sean was waiting in a queue of mourners with his father and describes how he found himself reading this creepy stained page trapped in a gold metal-work frame. Sean OReilly: Guest editor. What does he feel when he reads the Proclamation now? Words must grow and change with us. No document is static you bring yourself to it and you re-read, reigniting the words as you read them. Id like to think the poets who had a hand in that document would have wanted the words to remain fresh and not have a fixed meaning that its not a dead text, that it has to be kept alive. OReilly points to the contradiction inherent in the fact that copies of the Proclamation have been sent to every school in the country, while at the same time, history has been removed as a compulsory subject on the curriculum. I found that staggering. Im amazed it hasnt gotten more attention. Ive heard parents talk about their children and the Tricolour and the Proclamation, but I havent heard anyone talk about the fact that their children may not read any history. Irish history was literally a no-go subject when OReilly was in school in Derry. We werent allowed to touch Irish history it finished with Brian Boru, nothing happened after that. I heard about the 1916 Rising at home. We were going to schools through riots and hunger strikes but we werent allowed to talk about it. We spent our time studying shipbuilding in northern England, or wheat-growing in Saskatchewan. At the time it was just the way things were, you couldnt wait to leave. It was all you thought about. It was later when I started looking back that I realised what was going on the silence was incredible. The Stinging Fly has been to the forefront of the resurgence in literary journals, publishing award-winning collections from writers including Kevin Barry, Mary Costello, and Colin Barrett. OReillys novel, Watermark, was the first publication of the Stinging Fly Press imprint. To what does OReilly attribute this renewed appetite for Irish writing? I call it a return to stillness; people are slowing down. Theyre trying to keep that unique experience of stillness, of silence. All you can do is hope but I dont think theres anybody who could be negative about whats happening in Irish writing. Its happening all around us. In the Wake of the Rising is launched today. See www.stingingfly.org Inspired by family tales of Black and Tans in Cork Writer Martina Evans has been living and working in London for almost two decades but her home place of Cork still informs much of her work. I think that childhood is when your most intense experiences happen. Margaret Atwood said we write because the dead want blood. In a lot of The Stinging Fly pieces you can see the fascination with the dead. Evans contribution to The Stinging Fly special Rising issue, the short story Now We Can Talk Openly About Men, is set in Mallow and Cork city at the time of the War of Independence and is told from the point of view of a dressmaker whose daughter is going out with an officer in the Auxiliaries. I became a writer after my father died. He was born in 1902, and he and his brother were taken hostage by the Tans. My mother spoke about it but my father never did, and I think at a certain age that becomes very interesting to you. The fact that my father said absolutely nothing haunts me now but for a lot of my generation, growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, a lot of that stuff, Irish language and so on, was conservative and boring. It was too near us. Its different now. Evans, who grew up in Burnfort, near Mallow, started writing full-time after working as a radiographer for 15 years and now teaches creative writing. Her interest in the role of women in the Republican struggle came to the surface in the late 1990s, when she began researching a novel on the subject. I was thinking of writing about my grandmother, who had been in the Land League in 1881. I was working on the novel but I couldnt really understand Republican women I found them fascinating but I couldnt understand how they operated, because that idealism, we dont see it like that any more. When I went to Kilmainham [Gaol], I didnt expect it to have a visceral effect on me but I started crying, listening to the story of Ann Devlin [Robert Emmets housekeeper] and seeing how men had political status but women didnt. I thought of my aunt who was in prison, and, according to family legend, refused to drink from a tin cup, and insisted on having a china cup. Evans got the title of the story from her late mother, who she describes as a great character. I was just divorced and we were in the kitchen with her friends and she said, were all widows here and Martina is divorced, so we can talk openly about men. When she said it I was thinking I was going to be initiated or wed get broomsticks and fly off or something. Food is the basis of everything; it is how we connect and how we communicate. We have become very solitary as people, food offers the opportunity to enjoy and share experiences with each other. So says Loic Malfait, academic director of Le Cordon Bleu, who is in Cork as part of the Cork French Film Festival, and is talking me through the menu for his demonstration at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) last night. I grew up eating salmon that my mother poached beautifully, so last night I prepared salmon poached in a different way, but a way that celebrated her and the fish, he says. Family, and a bounty of beautiful ingredients prepared simply, is at the core of Malfaits food philosophy. Food comes full circle, he explains. I may have prepared a fancier salmon at CIT, but it is a salmon that is inspired by the cooking I grew up with. My mother could make magic out of one potato. This is the kind of cooking I want people to know. Born in Lille, Malfait developed a passion for food from a young age, influenced by his mother who worked as a chef. His culinary education began at Restaurant Gastronomique Strauss in Vichy, where he was influenced by the Troisgras brothers, widely lauded both because of their cooking style and their three Michelin stars. I loved the simple style of their cookery, says Malfait. They didnt need to make a show, instead cooking local ingredients well. I also loved the fact that the restaurant passed from family member to family member it appeals to me. After completing his training, Malfait moved to London in the 1980s. He climbed ladders quickly in some of the citys most prestigious kitchens, becoming head chef at Tower Bridge before becoming head hospitality chef at prestigious law firm Cameron McKenna. Today, he plays a key role within Le Cordon Bleu, helping to shape the minds of the next generation of chefs. So what skills can home cooks bring to their kitchens in order to reach the lofty heights of Le Cordon Bleu? You cannot cook, according to Malfait, until you have learned to work in a methodical fashion. Before students come to Le Cordon Blue they are passionate, they love cooking, but the main objective before anything is to teach them method and the way to work in a kitchen, he explains. You should be a ballet dancer in the kitchen. Some people think that banging and shouting in a kitchen is the way, but actually you have to become gentle. You have to get quiet. If you can work peacefully, you will create beauty. Le Cordon Bleu teaches students the skillset they need to create the dishes of their dreams. People may have been able to poach an egg before they came to us, but after their course, they will poach it perfectly every single time. Nothing will be left to chance. If you have the skills, then the culinary world is your oyster, according to Malfait. The most important thing for us is that we never forget our roots. We dont teach a specific cuisine; we teach specific techniques that have been used in France for hundreds of years. We have students coming from all over the world, and we show them French cooking, but also the skills that they can apply to their own recipes. Providing a classic armour of cookery skill, says Malfait, enables students to reach into their imaginations and let their creativity run riot. We dont try to change their culinary personality. We tell our students to always remember where they came from, because thats their real education. Conjuring up memories and translating them into food worthy of the world stage may seem out of reach for most enthusiastic home cooks, but according to Malfait, its all about delving into your own family history. Its about going back to when your mum or your grandparents were cooking, he says. Thats the flavour these memories that you are able to put into your own cookery. It is our job to teach students the skills they need to bring those memories forward and transform them into magic on a plate. If you fancy seeing some magic on a plate then head down to the Farmgate at Corks English Market at 6pm today, where Loic Malfait will host a discussion on food and wine pairing and help prepare dinner prior to a screening of Babettes Feast. www.corkfrenchfilmfestival.com or call 021 4310677. The UN warns that the EU deal with Turkey to return asylum seekers is illegal and those who masterminded it suspect they are correct. They also know pictures flashed around the world of migrants being forcibly returned to a country they dont want to go to will be awful. They apologise in advance for ugly ideas, such as shutting routes, returning migrants, and deterring refugees. However, all the UN Conventions, international treaties, and pictures of dead babies washed up on beaches mean little to politicians whose vision and ambition is restricted to their next local election. The Slovak election on Sunday proved the point: 20% voting for a xenophobic party that would repeat the atrocities of the Second World War, despite, or because of, the fact that most are living in areas with few outsiders. German politicians turned against their chancellor Angela Merkel who, from a mixture of humanitarian justice and demographic need, opened her countrys doors to those fleeing war. The final straw, as some significant state elections loom, was, in her view, a knife in the back from her erstwhile ally, Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann, who shut the borders, the final gate along the Balkan route. The only shred of a plan that appeared to mollify increasingly reactionary leaders over the past few months was the idea that Turkey was key, which was rational, as most migrants were being shunted over the border by Turkish authorities. However leaders like the Dutch premier Mark Rutte declared the border must be sealed tight with no crossings before they would consider how to deal with the migrant issue. Also, his mantra was picked up by the others, desperate for a cost-free way out. The EU president, former Polish prime minister Donald Tusk, did his tour of states on the migrant route last week, culminating in his meeting with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday. His announcement in Greece that the Balkan route was shut had reverberated, and Erdogan, beset with problems and pressures around his countrys involvement in the Syrian war, was not amused. The threat of the EU creating a blockade around Turkey, increasing the 2.8 million refugees trapped inside, infuriated Erdogan, but opened him up to coming to an arrangement. This followed a stormy meeting last November when EU Commission president Jean Claude Juncker was also present and Erdogan threatened to open up the border with Bulgaria also to push more refugees across. However, the deal that Mr Tusk brought back was not enough to dig Chancellor Merkel out of her threatened political crisis, so she went a few steps further in her six-hour meeting with the Turkish prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, that finished at 3am the day before the EU summit. It went a lot further than Mr Tusks proposals, leading many to suggest that the great friendship between the two was now rocky. The finer details are being worked out for a hoped final agreement at next Thursdays summit. Its a masterpiece, a near mirage, that seeks to bridge the largely domestic fears of intransigent politicians in the EU and Turkey. Turkey will shut all its borders and Nato will patrol the sea off its coast with Greece. It fits with another idea that caught the imagination of panicking prime ministers: To break the smugglers business model. This will be achieved by sending back all migrants Syrians included on the Greek islands to Turkey, forcibly if necessary. This may be the fate only of those who arrive, when those currently on Kos and Lesbos are moved to the mainland, where they will be registered as refugees if they qualify, or sent back if they dont. However, for every Syrian sent back, Turkey will be able to send one Syrian whose status as a refugee has been confirmed. The one for one deal was important for the Turks to show they were not conceding all to the EU. While the European Commission recites the articles of various treaties to prove this is legal, many suspect it is not, but by the time the courts rule, they hope the many weak EU leaders will have calmed their electorate sufficiently to agree to construct a proper EU refugee policy. A borderless EU where each countrys border is sovereign and where the first country a migrant enters is responsible for that person was always a half-formed policy. EU leaders have agreed the next steps: Real money and help for the most stressed countries, such as Greece; money for the care of refugees in Turkey; the distribution of 160,000 asylum seekers, mainly from Greece, to various willing EU countries; and a system in migrant camps for people to apply for asylum in the EU. The final piece of the jigsaw should be an EU-wide system to grant asylum and distribute refugees around the EU; the Commission is expected to make such a proposal next week. Nobody, is under any illusion the migrant crisis will go away anytime soon, despite the wishes of short-termism politicians or xenophobic citizens. Many decades have a war that defines them, a conflict that points to much broader truths about the era and perhaps presages larger things to come. For the 1930s, the Spanish Civil War, the three-year fight between Fascists (helped by Nazi Germany) and Republicans (armed by the Soviet Union) pointed to the far larger global disaster to come. For the 1980s, the Soviet battle to control Afghanistan, a bloody mess of occupation and insurgency, helped bring forward the collapse of the Soviet Union and set the stage for 9/11 and modern Islamist militancy. For the 1990s, you can take your pick of the Balkans, Somalia, Rwanda or Democratic Republic of Congo. For the 2000s, it was Iraq the ultimate demonstration of the unipolar moment and the limits, dangers and sheer short-livedness of Americas status as unchallenged global superpower. We are, of course, little more than half way through the current decade. Already, however, it looks as though it has to be Syrias civil war. In pure human terms, the war dwarfs any other recent conflict. Estimates of the number of Syrian dead range from 270,000 to 470,000 people. The United Nations estimates up to 7.6m Syrians are displaced within their own country, with up to 4m fleeing their homeland. From its relatively small beginnings as a largely unarmed revolt, the Syrian conflict has now dragged in more than a half-dozen countries. Its broader implications continue to grow by the month. While not the sole cause of Europes migrant crisis, Syrians make up a significant proportion perhaps even the majority of new arrivals on the continent. The sheer numbers are producing political strains that have already torn up the ideal of a borderless Europe and may yet wreck the entire European Union project. Syria has exemplified what Financial Times columnist Gideon Rachmann calls a zero-sum world. From the beginning, rival regional powers particularly Shiite Iran and Sunni states led by Saudi Arabia approached the conflict with the assumption neither side could afford to back down or compromise without letting the other win. From that perspective, Syria is part of a larger regional confrontation that encompasses the war in Yemen, the long-term sectarian battle for control of Iraq and, of course, attempts to rein in Iran, in general, and its nuclear program, in particular. Increasingly, though, the war in Syria has become part of the wider, potentially more dangerous confrontation between Western powers and Russia. That confrontation also goes back years through Kosovo and the Balkans to the Cold War. It also goes well beyond geopolitics to a fundamental disagreement over the limits of state power, the acceptable tools to restore order and the sustainability of authoritarian government. Russian President Vladimir Putins entire domestic justification of his power comes down to the importance of maintaining a stable central government as a bulwark against instability and chaos, whatever brutality that might take. In Syria, Russias military intervention has been a game changer. As in Ukraine in 2014, Moscow has proved itself willing to use a level of military force that the West never anticipated and, as yet, has no real strategy to counter. Nor, for now, has it shown the will or intent to do so. If the invasion of Iraq showed a US that saw few real restrictions to its power, Syria has demonstrated the opposite. Washington has continuously prevaricated over what to do about Syria and even now, with Russian action redrawing the battlefield, has little in the way of a coherent strategy. Painting this simply as a tale of Western or US presidential weakness misses the point, however. If Syria shows us anything, it is how complicated the 21st century has become and how few good choices it can leave Washington. Of course, if the West had signalled more clearly in the Syrian uprisings early days that it would do nothing and let Syrian President Bashar al-Assad slaughter his way back to stability, it might have fatally undermined the rebellion before it started. But this would also have left many in the West feeling distinctly uncomfortable. Launching massive military strikes against Damascus following its 2013 use of chemical weapons might have helped the credibility of any future Western red lines. But they would also have further undermined what was left of the central government, an outcome now widely seen to have been an error when tried in Iraq and Libya. The situation on the ground is ever messier. As in several other recent wars Iraq, Ukraine, Libya and Yemen the national armed forces of Syria have become ever less important. Most of the recent fighting is down to relatively disparate militias with increasingly complex loyalties. Already, we have seen US -backed Kurdish forces fighting other US-backed groups, as well as in the growing conflict with Turkey, a US ally. The one area where the US and its European allies have been willing to take action has been the fight against Islamic State. That seems reasonable: Of all the elements in the Syrian civil war, Islamic State is by far the most direct threat to Western interests, states and populations. Taking it on is a battle possibly and even likely to be won. Islamic State has already lost significant territory and finances. That doesnt, however, come close to providing clarity over what to do about the rest of Syria. As international mediation and ceasefire talks stutter forward, global and regional powers have a choice. For most of those involved, the truth is that there may still be much to be gained by fighting. Russia could keep up the pressure and win back more territory for Assad and possibly benefit closer to home if the war helped destabilize the European Union. The US, for that matter, could finally step up and support opposition fighters, which could block any recovery for Assad and drag the Russian mission into a quagmire. Also, regional powers could throw more resources into the battle, something Saudi Arabia seemingly signalled with its talk of sending ground troops to fight Islamic State. The alternative, though, is that all sides pull back and demonstrate a willingness to compromise. There are plenty of messy issues. The most obvious is the immediate future of Assad and those around him. What exactly the compromise turns out to be might probably be less important than whether or not there is one. Based on the past few weeks, the signals are mixed, at best. Some local ceasefires have been brokered, though with limited but very real humanitarian benefits for those on the ground. If ordinary Syrians come to believe the war might genuinely be over one day, they are more likely to stay in the region, which might spark a whole different collection of conflicts. A deal over Syria would perhaps be the most positive sign that the world could overcome its myriad growing challenges and confrontations. Failing to do so, however, might point to even worse things to come. THE finest accomplishment of the late Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman was the tally of 854 votes he secured as a defeated candidate in the local elections of 1985. There is a coincidence in the timing of his passing and political events now. Having stood in the Dun Laoghaire ward of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for Fianna Fail he had an enduring, but not un-sceptical respect, for the democratic mandate. It is spurious to attribute views to people you did not know but his considered judgments in the Supreme Court upheld the prerogative of the elected legislature over the pretensions of an unelected judiciary and unelectable chattering class. I was on the edge of company years ago, when the Progressive Democrats were founded and the late Adrian Hardiman was present. He was quite the star socially and politically and only 35 at the time. One of those at university who make a mark that is never forgotten; no matter how old or addled they all become afterwards. But for Hardiman, there was no old age. He went down like a shooting star; burning bright at the end. Whatever the personal views of the private man may have been, and I did not know him, as a judge of the Supreme Court he enacted a strong, continuous respect for the prerogative of the legislature. A political activist first in Fianna Fail and then the Progressive Democrats, it appears he believed profoundly in the political process, mediated at the ballot box, as the fulcrum for debate and decision in a democratic society. Many dont. They are lukewarm, having an acquired fey indifference and snobbery of a would-be elite or worse the self-aggrandisement of those who innately believe they know best. For them, the raucous mess of the hustings can only to be looked out at from the comfort of a Foxford rug spread on the ditch. Some of our current anti-political mood derives from glaring failure within politics itself. More of it comes from the lack of functionality of essentially 19th-century structures of state in the 21st century. However, more of it is the rotten fruit of the indolence of the most educated, privileged generation in Irish history. In refusing to take up the responsibilities of citizenship; in delegating to an undefined them; and using disparagement as projection away from the responsibility innate in their own citizenship, a vicious cycle of disempowerment is born. Tomorrow as Hardiman is buried, the 32nd Dail will meet and elect a ceann comhairle for the first time by secret ballot. That itself will be a small step forward in strengthening the legislature: Too long easy prey to both judiciary and executive. The secret ballot is a corner-stone of democracy. Its application in the legislature, where accountability must be paramount, requires reaching a high threshold to justify. That threshold is the requirement of TDs, much like citizens, to be free from the influence of those they are beholden too. The election of a ceann comhairle, the cornerstone of a functioning legislature still to be put in place by the unanswerable, independent mandate of the Dail, is such a threshold. It is not a panacea, but it is a correct step. Looking back at old coverage of a very young Hardiman in the bear pit of debate on the Eighth Amendment, his theme was the overweening, inappropriate interference of the Church in private morality. That is a well-rehearsed, true story. What is less appreciated is how the Church of yore and to some extent still, was only the preeminent example of corporatism then but has since been overtaken by the State and latterly by global corporations. There is a requirement for perennial vigilance against all who would know best and consequently distain to account. The gigantism of Church, state, and corporation are different dialects in the same language. Its most effective, insidious, ally is indifference. Some indifference is the artifice of distain; more is an authentic but futile reality of despair. Among what passes for an establishment in Ireland, and the very word is risible, there is a lot of furrowed browed tut-tutting about the rise of an unhouse-trained nihilist left. This fear is most acute among the physically older, politically tired left who having pioneered the politics of protest in their youth, went on to give it up for a life of smug self-satisfaction and that tells a lot. In 1985 when Hardiman was defeated in Dun Laoghaire, Eamon Gilmore was first elected to the same county council for the Workers Party. The sow did eat her own farrow. And so it goes on and on. There is little to fear from participation from Sinn Fein, Anti-Austerity Alliance, People Before Profit, or the rest of a so-called hard left. Indeed there is much to be reassured about. There is no criticism I could make of any of them that they would not gladly make more vehemently of each other. But the point is and, it is the respect they must be accorded, they do participate and they are strongly motivated. The only nihilism I truly fear is indifference or cynicism. That is fundamentally corrosive and worryingly more prevalent than ever. A great concern now is that after tomorrows failure to elect a taoiseach, enormous pressure will be felt by Fine Gael and Fianna Fail to form a government, any government, for the sake of stability. It presupposes firstly that we have a crisis of some sort, when demonstrably, we have none. Secondly it forgets almost instantly the lessons of the crash which was that our unfit systems were the primary contributory cause. Most of those systems are intact and still unaccountable. In a state that has surpassed the Church in its reach and influence the inculcated self-belief of one has passed seamlessly to the other. Any question is a perceived attack. The state unchained is not the natural friend of the citizen. It is a predator. It is a necessary means to deliver functions we cannot deliver alone but, it always come at a price. As a judge of the Supreme Court, Adrian Hardiman understood the incessant, creeping reach of the State. It is endemic in every large organisation and many small ones. Whether they are Church, state or corporation, makes little difference. Our liberty depends on individuals being free and ready to pay for that freedom with continuing vigilance. Vigilance can only be achieved effectively by participation. Ultimately the death and burial of all public figures is an intensely private moment. Adrian Hardiman the public man, however, did not aggrandise his judicial office at the expense of public liberty or the prerogative of the elected Oireachtas. Not every judge can say the same. He stood on the hustings before he sat on the bench. He went door to door to ask for the confidence and consideration of his fellow citizens. Which of us has received the vote of 854 electors to represent them? Very few indeed! Sharon Edwards, 42, stabbed to death criminal defence lawyer David Edwards, 51, at their home in Chorley, Lancashire, just two months after they married in Las Vegas. Jailing her at Manchester Crown Court for a minimum of 20 years, Mr Justice William Davis told the defendant she had robbed people of a decent man. Mr Edwards was the victim of forceful bullying and had suffered at the hands of Edwards during the turbulent year-long relationship in which he was regularly beaten and belittled, the trial heard. It culminated in him being fatally stabbed in the heart with a kitchen knife on August 23 last year. Friends and colleagues warned the besotted solicitor to leave domineering and possessive Edwards after he began turning up on the court circuit with black eyes, scratches, and bite marks even disclosing to one that his wife had hit him with a coffee table and an ashtray. The court heard that part of Edwardss rage was because her new husband had been made redundant and was later sacked, having previously held a partnership status at Stanley H Cross & Co which was to be taken over by Kevills. The trial heard that the killing was to be the second attack in as many successive days in which Edwards had used a knife in anger against Mr Edwards who she knew would never fight back or call the police. After he was found dead, Mr Edwardss bruised and cut body was to further reveal the extent of the regular assaults. It showed 60 external injuries, of which 30 were incised or prod wounds, including stab wounds to his thigh, knee, finger, and a shallow wound to his scalp. Edwards claimed his injuries were a result of her alcoholic husband falling over while drunk. In her defence, she claimed Mr Edwards walked into the knife she was holding in a row about tax credits only hours after they returned from an all-expenses paid Spanish holiday. The jury, which began deliberating on Monday, didnt believe her version of events and unanimously convicted her of murder. Dentist Jacobus Van Nierop could be sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined 375,000 if convicted. More than 50 victims are also seeking damages. Scores of people came forward with complaints ranging from multiple healthy teeth removed, pieces of tools left in teeth, abscesses, recurrent infections, and misshapen mouths between 2009 and 2013. His trial in the town of Nevers is expected to last until March 18, with a ruling expected later. The trial resumed in St Petersburg, Florida, with Hogan being cross-examined by Gawker lawyers. Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, is suing the New York-based website for posting an edited clip of a sex tape made of him and the wife of his then-best friend. Gawkers lawyers played videos of Hogan doing interviews with celebrity news website TMZ and radio host Howard Stern about the sex tape. I was just trying to make the best out of a bad situation. Howard was making me laugh, Hogan said. Hogan said that he was in his Hulk Hogan persona when he did the interviews, and made bawdy jokes in character. I didnt want to bring Terry Bollea the man, separate the character, in to the conversation, Hogan, 62, told the jury. Gawkers lawyer also pressed Hogan about whether he asked the interviewers to not raise the issue of the sex tape. Hogan said he did not, that it was his publicists job. The core issue is in the case is: Did Gawker have the right to post one minute and 41 seconds of the sex tape, approximately nine seconds of it actual sexual content? Hogan and his lawyers say no, that Gawker invaded his privacy. He is suing Gawker for $100m (90m), saying the posting of the video caused him severe emotional distress. Gawker says the publication was a legitimate scoop because Hogan had talked openly about his sex life before. The jury may have to grapple with questions about how celebrity affects expectations of privacy. Gawker lawyer Michael said the website has a right to address uncomfortable subjects, reject spin by celebrities, and tell the truth. He said news of the tape, including screen shots, was on other gossip sites before Gawker published the video. Mr Najib said the wing part found last July on Frances Reunion island was evidence that the flight tragically ended in the southern Indian Ocean. He added that an ongoing search is expected to be completed later this year and Malaysia remains hopeful that the plane will be found. If the search turns up nothing, he said Malaysia, Australia, and China will hold a meeting to determine the way forward. The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 jet vanished with 239 people on board while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 2014. The search has been the most challenging in aviation history, Mr Najib said in a statement. We remain committed to doing everything within our means to solving what is an agonising mystery for the loved ones of those who were lost. The Australian-led search effort has spent over $130m (118m) scouring a vast area of the Indian Ocean nearly 6.5km deep. Investigators have said the search will end by June unless fresh clues are found. Families of those on board have appealed to authorities to keep the search alive. Transport minister Liow Tiong Lai said crews have combed three-quarters of the 120,000 sq km search zone. He said the government is waiting for verification of two more possible pieces of debris, which were discovered recently in Mozambique and Reunion island. The investigating team issued an interim statement as required by international aviation laws on the anniversary of the planes disappearance, but did not provide any fresh clues about the cause. EU and Turkish leaders agreed overnight to the broad outlines of a deal that would essentially outsource Europes refugee emergency. People arriving in Greece having fled conflict or poverty would be sent back to Turkey unless they apply for asylum. For every migrant sent back, the EU would take in one Syrian refugee, thus trying to prevent the need for people to set out on dangerous sea journeys, often arranged by unscrupulous smugglers. Turkey stands to gain billions of euro in refugee aid, faster EU membership talks and visa-free travel for its citizens within four months. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that under the proposed deal, which was welcomed by all 28 EU countries, migrants who enter Europe illegally will be sent back and have to join the end of the queue to enter Europe. However, the UN and rights groups are not convinced that Turkey is a safe destination. More than 2.7 million refugees, many from Syria, are in Turkey. Most are housed by Turkish families or live out in the open, and few have government-funded shelters. I am deeply concerned about any arrangement that would involve the blanket return of anyone from one country to another without spelling out the refugee protection safeguards, UN high commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said. Amnesty International warned that the plan, the details of which are to be worked out at a March 17 summit in Brussels, is legally flawed. Europes attempt to have Turkey designated as a safe country is alarmingly short-sighted and inhumane, the group said. Turkey has forcibly returned refugees to Syria, and many refugees in the country live in desperate conditions without adequate housing, said Iverna McGowan, head of Amnestys European office. By no stretch of imagination can Turkey be considered a safe third country that the EU can cosily outsource its obligations to, she said. The medical aid group Doctors Without Borders said the deal is cynical and a sign that European leaders have completely lost track of reality. Arts Amid Repression, Art Scene in Thailands Capital Blooms State repression in Thailand has unleashed a wave of artistic expression in Bangkok, and its art scene is blooming in response to life under junta rule. BANGKOK On a wall in a northern suburb of Bangkok Asin Acid puts the finishing touches to a spray-painted picture of a colorful giant chicken holding a broken loudspeaker. The loudspeaker represents the media. The media is trying to say something but is being interrupted, said Asin, who uses a pseudonym for his street art to protect his identity and said he is inspired by Cranio, a graffiti artist from Brazil. The rainbow colors represent freedom, he said. Thailands military seized power nearly two years ago and has censored media, hauled in hundreds of critics for sessions of attitude adjustment and snuffed out protests. Junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha has threatened to shut down news outlets critical of his government and regularly scolds journalists who he considers straying from the official line. But state repression has unleashed a wave of artistic expression, say artists and art lovers, and the Thai capitals art scene is blooming in response to life under junta rule. Its because they cant talk about it that theyre creating, said Gili Back, a cafe and gallery owner, referring to Bangkoks artists. Youll see a lot more graffiti and street art where people are having their say on walls. Bangkoks art scene has traditionally been overlooked in favor of places like Hong Kong but in recent years venues have mushroomed with Thai and expatriate artists turning shop houses and disused spaces into galleries. On a recent Friday night, a crowd packed into a room at the WTF Bar and Gallery to see This is Not a Political Act by Jirawut Ueasungkomsate, an exhibition on cases of enforced disappearance that have taken place under successive governments. In the pitch-black room, audience members shine flashlights on black and white photographs of people, including prominent rights activists, whose whereabouts are not known. Though not a direct commentary on the junta, it speaks about the impunity enjoyed by state officials, said Jirawut, adding that he was initially scared about holding the exhibition. The junta, formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order, has shut down some political lectures and talks. It is because I am afraid that I have to do it, said Jirawut. At The Respectables, an exhibition by British artist Richard Mead, paintingsof fashion models, the media and political protestsdepict different forms of power. The theme of power and The Respectables really goes with the context of Thailand right now. Especially with the type of government we are under, said Teerapa Pirohakul, an art lover and history lecturer at Bangkoks Chulalongkorn University. Across town, as his exhibition fills with the after-work crowd, Jirawut reflects on the citys art scene. No matter whether we are under a military or a civilian government, we need this space, he said. Society cannot exist if everyone thinks the same. Asia Iranian Couple in Cambodia Resettlement Deal Return Home An Iranian couple who resettled in Cambodia under an expensive program funded by Australia to keep asylum-seekers from its soil returned to their homeland. PHNOM PENH An Iranian couple who resettled in Cambodia under an expensive program funded by Australia to keep asylum-seekers from its soil returned to their homeland, Cambodian and Australian officials said Tuesday. Gen. Tan Sovichea, head of the refugee office in Cambodias Interior Ministry, said the couple, who arrived from a refugee camp on the South Pacific island nation of Nauru last June, departed for Iran on Feb. 12. He said five people had resettled in Cambodia from Nauru under a four-year, 55 million Australian dollar ($41 million) program financed by Australia, which also pays for the South Pacific camp housing more than 600 refugees. Human rights activists claim conditions there are unhealthy. The Iranian couple told us that they decided to go back to Iran after they felt homesick, Tan Sovichea said. We respected their rights to leave and we welcome their decision. Last October, one of two ethnic Rohingya men resettled under the deal went home to Burma, leaving only an Iranian and another Rohingya in Cambodia. Tan Sovichea said they appeared to be happy with their new lives. A statement released by a spokeswoman for Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton confirmed the Iranians return home but declined to discuss related details. It said the Australian government remained committed to supporting Cambodias government in resettling refugees. The Government holds firm on our policy that you if arrive by boat [to Australia] then you can either return to your country of origin or be resettled in a third country. Australia refuses to accept any refugees who attempt to reach its shores by boat. It pays Nauru and Papua New Guinea, which has a detention center on Manus Island, to hold them instead. The deal with Cambodia, finalized in September 2014, was criticized out of concern that Cambodia was too impoverished to handle the new residents and that its poor human rights record would put them at risk. Critics also suggested that after the volunteers were sent to Phnom Penh, the program was poorly implemented, although the International Organization for Migration and other groups in Cambodia were providing housing, jobs, transport and education in addition to initial orientation. Burma ANP Split On Addressing Party Divide Some members of the Arakan National Party want civil society organizations to mediate internal party divisions, but others want these members investigated. RANGOON Myo Kyaw, a central executive committee member of the Arakan National Party (ANP), has invited Arakanese civil society organizations to mediate current internal divisions of the ethnic party in Rangoon, a call which has been rejected by other members of the ANP leadership. Myo Kyaw and five other central executive committee (CEC) membersonce integral players within the former Arakan League for Democracy (ALD)held a press conference on Sunday in Rangoon to object to the current practices and direction of the ANP. The following morning, ANPs top leaders said that the CEC members had intentionally undermined the partys rules and regulations. The ANP won a majority of state parliament seats in Novembers general election44 out of the 77 contestedand is now boycotting any cross-party collaboration unless given permission to form its own state government. Established in 2014 after merging the ALD and the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP), it was hoped that the ANPs formation would consolidate votes in the 2015 election. The ANPs vice chairperson Phoe Minn, a former RNDP leader, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that the ANP had already formed a team to investigate the CEC members and had summoned them to the Arakan State capital of Sittwe for questioning. Myo Kyaw said he objects to the probe, pointing out that the leadership continues to clash along old party lines. The investigation process is led by the RNDP, so we deny it. We are going to invite some independent Arakanese organizations to facilitate [a discussion about] the dispute, he explained. Hla Maung Thein, chairman of the prominent Arakanese charity Rakhine Thahaya, said that his organization had not received an official invitation letter from the CEC members regarding a future mediation. His concern is that the recent friction is a result of misunderstanding within the ANP and that resolution of the controversy must not be rushed. Pe Than, an ANP MP who is also on the investigation team, said that party principles must be adhered to, and it would be inappropriate to involve outside organizations in addressing internal party matters. I cant say what could happen. There is no official announcement [about what happens to] disobedient members, he said. Pe Than assumes that if the former ALD members confess their wrongdoing and halt any further opposition to the investigative team, they will not be penalized harshly. According to the party procedure, the strongest potential outcome is dismissal. The Irrawaddy asked Myo Kyaw what might happen if the ANP leadership overrides the suggestion to involve civil society in resolving the internal conflict and instead expels the CEC members. The ANP will be divided and it will collapse if they fire us, he said. This is not only about the perspective of six people, but also the huge number of supporters behind us. Khine Pyay Soe, leader of the ANPs disciplinary committee, said that the secretariat and the party chairman, Dr. Aye Maung, have the right to determine a penalty for the six CEC members. The Irrawaddy contacted Dr. Aye Maung by phone but he declined to comment on the situation. Burma As Eyes Turn to Naypyidaw, a Question of Which Three On the eve of Burmas big vice presidential selections, a look at prospective picks who have been publicly tipped as possible candidates. RANGOON On Thursday, Parliaments Lower and Upper houses, along with military representatives in the legislature, will nominate three vice presidents who will then be put to a vote at the Union Parliament to determine who will serve as the countrys next president. The National League for Democracy (NLD) has the necessary majorities required to select two of these three vice presidents, and again has the votes to ensure that its choice takes up residence in the Presidential Palace thereafter. On the eve of the big day, The Irrawaddy provides a look at prospective picks who have been publicly tipped as possible candidates, along with their short biographies. Dr. Myo Aung The 65-year-old Lower House lawmaker from Rangoons Dagon Myothit (Seikkan) constituency is among those members of the NLD who have been tipped as possible presidential nominees. Trained as a medical doctor, Myo Aung served as an army physician from 1985 to 1988 in Burmas Ministry of Defense. But he was ordered to quit from the position due to his involvement in political activities. He became a member of the NLD in 1996 and was thrown in prison several times under military rule. He was elected to a Lower House seat in Burmas 2012 by-election and serves on the NLDs central executive committee, as well as on the NLD team formed to work with the government on matters pertaining to the power handover due in about three weeks time. Sai Nyunt Lwin Sai Nyunt Lwin, the general secretary of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), is a Shan ethnic now tipped as a potential choice for a vice president post. The SNLD shunned Burmas 2010 general election along with the NLD, and among ethnic parties was the second-biggest winner in last years vote, trailing only the Arakan National Party. The 65-year-old is a former political prisoner who was released in January 2012, after being held for seven years. He had been sentenced to 85 years imprisonment in February 2005 for holding a private meeting with senior Shan leaders and was charged with high treason, along with 11 others. He would appear to be the SNLDs most likely candidate for a vice presidential slot if the NLD should offer one to the Shan party. The daughter of Khun Htun Oo, the SNLD chairman whose ties to Suu Kyi go back decades, holds Australian citizenship, rendering the party leader ineligible under the Constitution. Tin Oo NLD patron Tin Oo is a former general and ex-commander-in-chief of the Burmese military. Following the NLDs victory in the election last year, the 89-year-old made it to the top of speculation rosters, given his military background and long-time senior role within the party. For his part, however, Tin Oo has said he cant take the position, citing his advanced age. He was put under house arrest in 2004 by the former military government and released in 2010. Htin Kyaw A senior executive with a Suu Kyi-led foundation, Htin Kyaw has also been thought to be among potential candidates for one of the two VP posts since the NLDs election victory. The 70-year-old Mon-Burmese is believed to be one of Suu Kyis right-hand men; within the NLD, he has built a reputation as a man of honesty. The Oxford graduate is the son-in-law of U Lwin, one of the NLDs cofounders. His wife Su Su Lwin is a newly minted Lower House NLD lawmaker who was recently appointed as chairperson for that chambers International Relations Committee. Tin Myo Win Suu Kyis personal physician, and former political prisoner. Tin Myo Win is working as a surgeon at the Muslim Free Hospital in Rangoon since his release in 1992. He is one of the few people permitted to regularly visit Suu Kyi during er house arrest. The 65-year old is the chairman of NLDs National Health Network. Myint Swe Myint Swe, a former lieutenant-general and Rangoon Divisions current chief minister, is rumored very recently to be the militarys likely vice president pick, and is known as a member of the brass close to the former dictator Snr-Gen Than Shwe. He graduated from the Defense Services Academy (DSA) 15th intake, four intakes senior to current military chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. He is believed to have been behind the crackdown in 2007 on peaceful protestors in Rangoon, a movement that was led by Buddhist monks and came to be known as the Saffron Revolution. In 2014, he faced criticism over opaque tendering for a planned expansion of Rangoon. Thura Thet Swe The former Burma Navy commander-in-chief resigned from his post in 2015 to contest the general election under the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) banner at the constituency of Coco Islands, which is largely populated by naval personnel, civil servants and there families. He won that seat. The 56-year-old was criticized for having gained unfair electoral advantage by making trips to the island by military boat and aircraft while opponents were prevented from traveling to the constituency during much of the elections campaign period. Gen. Khin Aung Myint Until Myint Swe was recently tipped for the militarys vice presidential post, Commander-in-chief (Air Force) and special operations coordinator (Army, Navy and Air Force) Gen. Khin Aung Myint was a popular pick among prognosticators. The DSA 20th Intake graduate was thought to be on top of the list because the current military-backed vice president, Nyan Tun, is retired Navy, making an Air Force successor likely. He is junior to Min Aung Hlaing, a fact also put forward by some who believe he will get the nod. Hla Htay Win A general turned Lower House lawmaker, Hla Htay Win was former chief of staff of the Burma Army, Navy and Air Force. Despite his electoral victory in the military stronghold of Naypyidaws Zayarthiri Township in the 2015 election, he was accused of making massive donations to his constituency in an attempt to curry voters favor in the weeks leading up to the campaign period. The 60-year-old former general served as the regional commander of the Rangoon Division Military Command. Burma Cancellation of Parliamentary Session Postpones Questions to Government The cancellation of a Lower House session on Wednesday also delays a scheduled discussion of two proposals examining the outgoing governments performance. RANGOON The cancellation of Wednesdays Lower House parliamentary session has delayed the scheduled discussion of two proposals examining the outgoing governments performance. During Tuesdays session, Lower House speaker Win Myint announced that proceedings would continue on Wednesday, but the MPs were informed that evening that the following days session was in fact called off. Khin San Hlaing, a Lower House lawmaker from the National League for Democracy (NLD), told The Irrawaddy that the notification did not mention the cause of the cancellation. However, according to the established agenda, Ba Shein of the Arakan National Party (ANP) and Sai Thiha Kyaw of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) had planned to question the Thein Sein administration on issues of transportation and development. Ba Shein was going to inquire whether the government had a plan to re-work ferry routes through the Inland Water Transport Department in Sittwe, the Arakan State capital. Sai Thiha Kyaws proposal concerned the status of a reservoir project in Shan States Mongyai Township, the construction of which locals have reportedly been waiting on for three years, in the hopes that it will serve as a water source for consumption and agriculture. The government officials wouldnt attend the Parliament to respond to the questions even if [the MPs] ask them, said Khin San Hlaing. So it is good to take a break from the parliamentary session instead of asking questions which wont get answers. Khin San Hlaing submitted an urgent proposal to the Lower House of Parliament on Feb 25 calling on the outgoing government to scrutinize permissions to sell or lease state-owned facilities and projects to private companies. She also criticized the forced removal of squatters on land affected by such transactions. Government officials did not appear before Parliament though they were invited to respond to the allegations. Burmas information minister, Ye Htut, defended the officials absence from Parliament, saying that the government would answer directly to citizens. Whether the incumbent Union government should be accountable to the second Parliament is an issue to be reviewed according to the Constitution, he said. Legislative sessions for both the Lower and Upper houses will resume on Thursday, when the presidential nominees are scheduled to be declared. I think it may be because they need to prepare for tomorrows [vice presidential nominations], Sai Thiha Kyaw said of the cancellation. He said that he expects that he will have to send his questions directly to the government, who will be obligated to reply even if they do not appear in Parliament. Burma China Says Still Trying to Resolve Stalled Myitsone Dam Scheme China is working to resolve problems surrounding its stalled Myitsone dam project, its foreign minister says, adding that Beijing has confidence in Burmas incoming government. BEIJING China is pursuing efforts to resolve the problem of a stalled dam project in Burma, its foreign minister said on Tuesday, adding that Beijing had confidence in the incoming government of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyis party. In 2011, Burmas President Thein Sein angered Beijing by suspending the $3.6-billion, Chinese-invested Myitsone dam project, some 90 percent of whose power would have gone to China. Other Chinese projects in Burma have proved controversial too, including the Letpadaung copper mine, against which residents have repeatedly protested, and twin Chinese oil and gas pipelines across the country. China wants to help Burma to have better and quicker development, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his yearly news conference on the sidelines of the annual meeting of parliament. The Myitsone dam is a commercial cooperation project, and had all its approvals completed. Difficulties in cooperation are growing pains. Both countries will continue to proactively, appropriately handle it, Wang said. We have confidence in the future of Sino-Myanmar mutually beneficial cooperation. He did not elaborate on how or when the dam issue might be resolved. Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) took some 80 percent of elected seats in November, enough to push through its president, but Suu Kyi is blocked from holding the countrys highest office because her two sons are not Burmese citizens, nor was her late husband. The NLD has no number two after Suu Kyi, who has said she will control the government from above the president, and rumors have swirled over who might fill the top post. While Beijing had strong ties with Burmas military junta, it has also moved to cement relations with Suu Kyi, who met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing last year. Wang said Chinas strong links with Burma would not change because of its domestic situation. Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD she leads have always had friendly exchanges with China, and mutual understanding and trust continue to increase. We also have full faith in Myanmars future. Burma City Officials Guarantee No Water Shortage in Rangoon This Summer Despite expected water shortages, the Yangon City Development Committee says they have taken steps to ensure the commercial capital will have sufficient water. RANGOON Rangoon residents need not worry about a water shortage in the commercial capital this summer, said the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC). Although it is expected to be hot this year, we will store more water in our reservoirs than in previous years, said Myo Thein, deputy head of the Water and Sanitation Division of YCDC. El Nino is expected to cause low rainfall and high temperatures, but YCDC will adjust how they supply water to certain townships. YCDC plans to pipe water to townships across the Rangoon River, including Dala, Kyimyindaing and Seikgyikanaungto, which had been provided with lake water in previous years. They now pipe water to Dala, and will increase the piped water supply as needed to other townships, said Myo Thein. However, Dala locals have complained that they still rely on lake water because they do not receive piped water on a regular basis. The township lays just south of Rangoon but is prone to annual summer water shortages. YCDC supplies about 205 million gallons of water daily from four reservoirs: Hlawga, Ngamokeyeik, Phu Gyi and Joe Phyu. YCDC said it will supply water in its municipal area mainly from Hlawga, Joe Phyu and Ngamoeyeik reservoirs this summer. The water volume in those reservoirs was almost 86 billion gallons on March 9an increase from almost 84 billion gallons on the same day last year. YCDC will ensure a sufficient water supply in Dagon, Seikkan, Thakayta and Dawbon townships. It is also working with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to supply water to Japan-backed Thilawa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Thanlyin Township. YCDC is establishing a water purification plant, built with loans from Japan, said Myo Thein. The plant is now about 90 percent complete. We expect to supply water at full capacity to those townships in 2018-19, said Myo Thein. He also explained that because of the increased volume of water in the reservoirs, YCDC does not plan to reduce water usage during the Water Festival, Burmas New Year celebration. More than 145 million gallons of water were used during the festival last year. Burma Could Military VP Pick Sully New Govt Before It Takes Power? A retired military general with a checkered past has surfaced as leading contender for a vice presidential slot due to be chosen this week. RANGOON In this confusing time of democratic transition and shifting political alliances, it is perhaps no surprise that a military general with a checkered past has surfaced as leading contender for a vice presidential slot due to be chosen this week. An unsettling rumor swirling among politicians, top Burma Army sources and businessmen in Rangoon puts Lt-Gen Myint Swe, the current chief minister of Rangoon Division, in pole position for the vice presidential post that military lawmakers are constitutionally empowered to determine on Thursday. Hardly the cleanest resume among a slate of retired or serving generals who have been tipped as possible picks, Myint Swes baggage includes corruption ties and links to a violent 2007 crackdown in the commercial capital on peaceful protestors led by Buddhist monks. If true, some political observers predict the pick could lead to cracks and deep resentment within the military establishment itself, a faction of which is earnest in its desire to improve the powerful institutions image both at home and abroad. It would also prove a headache for an incoming administration that has made clean government a hallmark pledge, including a zero-tolerance approach to graft and nepotism. Myint Swes unusual wealth, allegedly corrupt tendencies and affiliation with the 2007 crackdown on street protests in Rangoon would no doubt be difficult for the National League for Democracy (NLD) government to defend. Though the party has no say in the military-selected VP slot, whoever is chosen will be a bona fide member of its cabinet. His inclusion on the US Treasury Departments list of specially designated nationals means that, at least for now, a prospective Vice President Myint Swe would be barred from travel to the United States, a strong backer of NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi and democratic reforms of recent years. Myint Swe is known for his nepotistic inclinations when granting business concessions. The best known example is the Rangoon City Expansion project, which came in for scrutiny in 2014 after the US$8 billion tender was granted in secrecy to a company run by two low-profile Chinese businessmen, Xiao Feng and Xiao Sen, who are close to Myint Swe. After a public outcry, the Rangoon chief minister suspended the project and later reopened a tender that was awarded this year to three local companies. One of them, Yangon South West Development Public Company, is run by the same Chinese businessmen. The expansion project itself is in part a response to Rangoons rapidand critics argue, unrulydevelopment in recent years. Myint Swe is viewed by some as chiefly responsible for the citys disorderly transformation. Every development project in Burmas biggest city technically requires approval from the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC). But as high-rises have proliferated amid an influx of foreign investment, controversy has courted some developments that opponents have decried as ill-planned or otherwise threatening the citys unique character. In multiple examples of this, permission for proposed towers has been described as coming from upstairs, meaning likely from senior government leaders at the divisional or Union level rather than following official channels for approval. Myint Swe also recently took heat for giving his apparent imprimatur to a US$70 million international hospital project being built on land owned by the Ministry of Health near Rangoon General Hospital. He attended the groundbreaking ceremony in January. The 65-year-old graduated from the 15th intake of the Defense Services Academy (DSA) in 1971 and rose steadily through the ranks to become the commanding officer of Light Infantry Division No. 11, overseeing security in the former capital. The ethnic Mon was brought to the War Office where he worked directly under Snr-Gen Than Shwe and his deputy Gen. Maung Aye. His relations with the former dictator Than Shwes family are said to be close to this day. Known to be a loyal and hardline soldier, Myint Swe was responsible for the careful execution of two high-profile operations in Burmas largest city: the arrest of Gen. Ne Wins family members in 2002 after an alleged coup conspiracy was uncovered, and the arrest of then-intelligence chief and Prime Minister Khin Nyunt in 2004. He then became head of the newly formed Military Affairs Security department after the armed forces hierarchy dismantled the powerful intelligence units. During the Buddhist monk-led Saffron Uprising in 2007, Myint Swe was in charge of security affairs in Rangoon. He is believed to have been responsible for several raids on monasteries during this time, despiteor perhaps because ofhis ultimately unsuccessful campaign to pacify the Buddhist clergy with donations of cash, rice, cooking oil and medicine. In September 2013, he denied responsibility for the violent crackdown and said he was willing to be investigated and would even submit to the death penalty if found guilty of involvement. If you think Im responsible, I am ready [to face justice], Myint Swe told businesspeople people at a meeting in Rangoon, a local journal reported. To be frank, I am ready to be hanged [if there is a guilty verdict]. In 2015, he was one of the key persons involved in state-sponsored vigilantes crackdown on supporters of students protesting for education reform. Myint Swe came out in defense of the methods used, saying the demonstrators were handled and detained according to existing laws, rubbing salt in the wound for a public that was outraged by the heavy-handed and thuggish tactics. A former lieutenant-general who was tipped to be selected vice president in 2012, Myint Swe was passed over to fill that unexpected vacancy, as one of his sons was an Australian national. His son, it would appear, has since been reinstated as a Burmese citizen, removing that obstacle to his fathers nomination. As militarily appointed lawmakers continue to adjust to their role in Parliament as opposition to the NLD-dominated legislature, its the Burma Armys choice for vice president that could shake up its relations with the now ruling party, and perhaps even within the uniformed ranks. Economy Korean Investment in Burma Likely to Increase A meeting between the South Korean Daewoo Group of Companies and the Naypyidaw government raises speculation that Korean business in Burma will increase. RANGOON After a delegation from the well-known South Korean Daewoo Group of Companies met with Burmas outgoing president on Tuesday, there is speculation that the country plans to increase investment in Burma. During the meeting between Thein Sein and Daewoo CEO Young-Sang Kim, the topics of discussion included investment in Burmas hotels, energy, mining and steel sectors, as well as efforts to build modern rice mills. Ministers Wunna Maung Lwin, Soe Thane and Zeyar Aung also were present, according to the state media outlet Myanmar News Agency. The Korean delegation also met with Minister of Industry Maung Myint regarding further investment opportunities in Burma. Following the meetings, some industry observers have suggested a link between South Koreas intensified interest in Burma and the increase in Japanese and Chinese economic presence in the country. Since Thein Seins quasi-civilian government took office in 2011, Asian countries in particular have begun investing in Burma, which has been described as a frontier market. Dr. Maung Maung Lay, vice chairman of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry told The Irrawaddy that Korean businesses are eyeing automobile, oil and gas sectors, as well as other smaller industries. Korean culture has already been exported to this country, so their brands do not need to be promoted as much, he said, adding that investors are interested in entering the beauty industry and developing Burmas cosmetic surgery market. Korean garment factories are already operating in the country, so continued engagement with the manufacturing sector will be priority, Dr. Maung Maung Lay said. The Central Bank of Myanmar approved a license for Koreas Shinhan Bank in the second round of foreign banks licenses issues this week, paving the way for more Korean businesses to establish a presence in Burma. Since the first round of licensing in 2014, commercial banks from foreign investors respective countries are now following them to Burma, including those from China, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, India, and Australia. Dr. Soe Tun, chairman of the Automobile Dealers Association, said that it seems Japanese and South Korean businesses are now competing in Burmas markets. Many Japanese business are coming here now, so Korean businesses will follow, no doubt, he said. We welcome more FDI [Foreign Direct Investment]. According to the figures of the Directorate of Investment and Companies Administration, Korean investment in Burma reached US$300 million during the 2014-2015 fiscal year, ranking it the countrys fifth highest investor after China, Singapore, Hong Kong and the UK respectively. Burma expects about US$6 billion in foreign investment for the current fiscal year ending on March 31 and has received more than US$5 billion to date. Wednesday, March 9th, 2016 (8:29 am) - Score 3,460 The CEO of BT Group, Gavin Patterson, has confirmed to the Media & Telecoms 2016 & Beyond conference in London that he will significantly accelerate the deployment of their ultrafast 330Mbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband technology. But the details remain wafer thin. Strictly speaking this isnt a new development and indeed the first hints of an expanded FTTP deployment, which is likely to be complemented by a new premium 1000Mbps (1Gbps) product variant, came as part of BTs original G.fast roll-out announcement in January 2015 (here). We should add that BT intends to begin the commercial roll-out of G.fast during summer 2017 (here), which will follow an expanded pilot this summer, and theyve pledged to make the new service available to 10 million premises by 2020, with most of the UK likely to be done by 2025. Initially G.fast will only offer top speeds of up to 300Mbps, before later increasing to 500Mbps. Previously BTs G.fast strategy was in doubt, although the seemingly favourable (to BT) outcome from Ofcoms Strategic Review (here) appears to be keeping things on-track. But Pattersons speech is the first time that weve heard him make a clear and specific commitment to the wider deployment of FTTP, which is precisely what Ofcom have been trying to encourage. Gavin Patterson said (here): Were working on improvements to allow Openreach to accelerate the deployment of fibre-to-the-premises significantly. Unlike G.fast, which is still a slower speed and cheaper to deploy hybrid-fibre (copper and fibre optic cable) solution, FTTP is a pure fibre optic line and can thus deliver significantly faster and more reliable performance; albeit much more expensive to deploy. The GPON approach adopted by BT has its restrictions, although their 1Gbps FTTP trial confirms that those will be less of a hindrance going forward. The comments are all the more surprising because those with a long memory will recall that weve been here before. Back in 2009/10 BT originally made a commitment to deploy both FTTC and FTTP connections to 40% of the UK and a little later this was pushed to 66%. The original plan suggested an FTTP coverage aspiration of 2.5 million premises passed, but today theyve only done over 200,000 and thats because BTs original goal was effectively abandoned (here) in order to focus on making the quicker and cheaper to deploy FTTC solution more widely available. It didnt help that installing FTTP into peoples homes was often tricky. However the details remain wafer thin and last month Patterson also pledged to invest another 1 billion+ to further improve national broadband connectivity (here), although as we remarked at the time it was still distinctly unclear whether this was truly new money or simply re-announcing an old commitment; much like politicians so often do. Yesterdays event confirmed that BT still intends to deploy a mix of technologies going forward (i.e. G.fast dominance and a bit of FTTP) and so until we see a clear commitment on the FTTP side then well continue to have our doubts. The language is certainly becoming more favourable, but BT needs to be more specific and set a clear goal. But for now Patterson may be using this as a bargaining chip with Ofcoms Strategic Review. Were getting close but were not there yet Ofcoms response has brought us closer to a positive outcome but has still left several unanswered questions the destabilising threat of structural separation has to be withdrawn, said BTs boss. Interestingly Patterson also told the conference that Openreach would review their approach to connecting businesses where it wouldnt have been economically feasible previously, which at least sounds positive. Hopefully this will all be fleshed out after a final deal can be reached with Ofcom. In the meantime Ofcom are still keeping the option of an Openreach split on the table. Wednesday, March 9th, 2016 (1:38 pm) - Score 636 The Connecting Cambridgeshire scheme in England, which is currently working with BT (Openreach) in order to make FTTC/P based superfast broadband (24Mbps+) services available to 95% of the county by 2017, has said that another 7,500+ premises could benefit from a future contract extension. Phase 1 of the original 29.75m contract, which extended BTs superfast network to 90% of people in both Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (98% if you include sub-24Mbps areas into the raw fibre broadband footprint), officially completed in January 2016 (here) and its understood that the superfast reach is now closer to 93%. Overall 97,000+ extra premises have benefited. A second (Phase 2) extension contract has also begun its deployment phase and this should add another 6,000 premises to the total and take the superfast coverage to at least 95% of the county by the end of 2017. By comparison the official announcement for a Phase 3 roll-out offers precious little detail, but ISPreview.co.uk has done some digging to reveal the tentative plan (see below the quotes). Councillor Ian Bates said: The Connecting Cambridgeshire broadband rollout has covered almost a third of our homes and businesses, but we know there is still more to do to fill the gaps and make sure no community misses out. Weve seen some of the highest take-up in the country, particularly in rural villages, and Im delighted that BT has made the 5m gainshare available early so it can be invested in helping even more people in the county to get faster Internet connections. We want Cambridgeshire to be a leading digital county, and our productive partnership with BT, together with the additional Government and EU funding won by the programme for digital projects, means we can achieve this within our original investment. Dave Hughes, BTs East of England Regional Director, said: Its great news that so many people have chosen to upgrade to faster broadband in Cambridgeshire. Such high take-up of the service has enabled BT to offer a further 5.3m success dividend to re-invest back into the Connecting Cambridgeshire programme to connect some of the hardest to reach properties. This builds on 18m BT has already contributed to the rollout, and well continue to work closely with Cambridgeshire to ensure we reach as many homes and businesses as possible with the investment available. Theres still more to do, but engineers from BTs local network business, Openreach, are working hard to ensure the rollout continues as quickly as possible. Our network is open to all broadband providers so people can choose from a wide range of providers. Fibre broadband is not provided automatically. People need to arrange an upgrade with their chosen service provider. Apparently around 18,000 premises will be left stuck in the final 5% once Phase 2 has completed. Interestingly the council believes it is unrealistic to target 100% of premises with Superfast broadband, although they have instead pledged to significantly reduce the gap. Funding for Phase 3 (total 8.1 million), as hinted above, so far comprises 5.3m in BT clawback (reinvestment stemming from high take-up in related areas) and another 2.8m of underspend from the Phase 1 contract (much of that probably came from a greater focus upon FTTC instead of FTTP, as well as roll-out efficiency savings). However the contract payments are made in arrears and thus the precise Phase 3 figure will not be confirmed until the last quarter milestone payment, which is due by June 2016. But we do know that Phase 3 is expected to benefit at least 7,500 additional premises, which could push the coverage of superfast speeds to 97% and this would make the full FTTC/P footprint almost universal. Cambridgeshires Phase 3 Plan (Extract from Council Meeting) Inevitably deployment to more geographically dispersed, harder to reach premises, is more costly and all interventions are subject to a state aid threshold of 1700 per premise. However based on estimates to date, it is anticipated that a third deployment phase will deliver Superfast Broadband to at least 7,500 additional premises, with fibre based broadband (typically between 10-15mbps) available to significantly more. It is anticipated this would increase the combined Superfast coverage to around 97% of the county and significantly reduce the numbers currently unable to access fibre based services. At present these are high level estimates only because confirmed deployment is subject to detailed technology solution planning. Although subject to final legal and state aid checks and sign off via Government state aid assurance process, it is anticipated that Phase Three will be agreed under contract change control. This will be quicker and less costly than a new procurement exercise. The alternative option, not to support a third phase Superfast Broadband rollout, and to return funding for reallocation to the Council, would require revised contractual negotiations with both BT and with the Government funding bodies. Funding from the claw-back mechanism would not be available to the Council until June 2024. Its suggested that Phase 3 is likely to run until late 2019 or early 2020, with work probably getting under-way in 2017. However no new contract can be signed between BT and the local authority until the Government have reached a new state aid agreement with Europe, which at the current pace might not even be ready to use until May 2016. Either way its interesting to note that Cambridgeshire is one of the first local authorities to actually agree a plan for spending BTs reinvestment via clawback and underspend. Meanwhile it remains to be seen whether or not the council or Broadband Delivery UK will contribute any additional investment; none is mentioned. When CompTIA conducted an intensive examination of the IT employment market last year, it uncovered demand for jobs whose titles would have been meaningless only a year or two ago: augmented reality designer, Internet of things architect, container developers. Thats no surprise, given that the IT job market is in constant flux, with new technologies emerging so quickly that hiring managers struggle to define those positions -- let alone give them a title. IBM, for example, has a director of blockchains, and Ford Motor is among many companies looking for GPU cluster engineers. Surely, some emerging fields will falter. Others, however, will grow to become the next big thing. When InfoWorld looked at emerging jobs in 2011, No. 2 on the list was data scientist. Now a quick search on Dice.com, a large tech-focused job board, returns screen after screen of hits; its in the mainstream. This trend toward extracting business value from large data sets has spawned demand for new skills and spun off emerging areas of opportunities for IT pros willing to learn those skills. At the same time, traditional IT jobs are morphing, requiring new abilities, says Tim Herbert, senior vice president and researcher at CompTIA. Network admins, for example, must learn cloud skills, and security specialists are using machine learning to defend their networks. Among the technologies that could fuel a new IT career revolution are IBMs Watson and similar cognitive computing initiatives. Advances in hardware are also making demands for skills that arent yet being met. Experian, the giant credit reporting agency, is using GPU clusters to sift through its vast data stores, but finding engineers and developers who can write the code to make it work is difficult. Someone whose resume indicates they understand GPUs will rise to the top immediately, says Eric Haller, executive vice president at Experian DataLabs. Hallers point reflects the growth of what Dice.com CEO Bob Melk calls the skills gap. Technologies are moving faster than the expertise needed to exploit them can be disseminated to the workforce. Thats a problem for companies looking for employees to help exploit breakthroughs, but a boon for IT professionals who can fill that gap. The problem is digital strategies and transformation have become competitive necessities and not just growth-enablers. There simply isnt enough talent at the right level of experience in the marketplace right now to satisfy the need. And it will get worse before it gets better, says David Foote, principal analyst at Foote Partners, which closely studies the IT job market. In examining the latest changes in the IT job market, we talked with analysts, staffing groups, and executives whose responsibilities include hiring. Here are some of the jobs that we and our sources think will be hot in the not-so-distant future. Cognitive computing engineer/machine learning specialist IBMs cognitive computing initiative, best known for Watson, the computer program that became a "Jeopardy" champion, has given birth to the cognitive systems engineer, a title whose responsibilities have yet to be fully defined. Even IBM isnt exactly sure if cognitive systems engineer is a meaningful job title. What is clear, however, is that cognitive systems are becoming a very large part of IBMs business plan, and an ecosystem of smaller companies is developing around Watson and related technologies, bringing with them a host of new career opportunities. SparkCognition, for example, is using machine learning, big data analysis, modeling, and other cognitive-related technologies to better understand security threats. WayBlazer is focused on consumer travel, and Point of Care, one of a number of health care-related Watson partners, allows clinicians to access peer-reviewed content on specific diseases on a mobile platform. The demand for cognitive computing skills is gaining enough steam that institutions of higher education are paying attention. IBM is helping hundreds of universities develop cognitive-related course materials, says Jim Spohrer, director of IBM's university programs. The skills needed to succeed in cognitive computing go beyond the obvious knowledge key to any big-data-related specialty. Data curation is a key part; you dont build a cognitive system without thinking of a body of documents or websites, he says. A job listing with IBM Watson Health group, for example, says this about whats needed to land it: Candidates should be hands-on in their approach to technology. This includes unstructured data, statistical extraction of entities, machine learning, natural language processing, and search. Blockchain engineer You wont find a lot of job openings with this title yet. But startups are recruiting engineers and developers who are familiar with the technologies behind bitcoin and have deep experience in cryptography, distributed systems, hash algorithms, and more. Bitcoins core technology, the blockchain, is proving the most intriguing to could-be employers. More than 200 companies and open source projects are seeking to apply blockchain technology to applications such as trading platforms, secure identification cards, self-executing contracts, and many applications in financial services. Peter Kirby, CEO of Factom, a startup working to monetize the technology developed by Factom.org, an open source project, says its easier to get eight-figure infusions of capital from VCs than it is to find qualified blockchain engineers. It begins with understanding how decentralized architecture works and the intersection of software architect and cryptography expert, he says. The technology is not that difficult to comprehend, he says, but it is new and in some ways more like advanced math than programming. Interested? Check out this job posted on Dice.com by CyberCoders, an IT recruiting company promising a salary of $150,000 to $170,000 for an engineer with experience in Python, bitcoins, and distributed systems. GPU cluster engineer GPU computing improves application performance by offloading compute-intensive portions of the application to the GPU, while the remainder of the code still runs on the CPU. That advantage is key to companies like Facebook, Chinas Baidu, and Experian that deal with enormous data sets. Facebooks Big Sur runs the social networking companys machine learning servers and is heavily reliant on GPU clusters, which can be more efficient than conventional CPUs for machine learning and other tasks. Facebook CTO Mike Schroepfer says the GPU-based system is twice as fast as conventional solutions. Experian, with its massive data stores, also uses GPU clusters, but because it is a new technology, finding engineers with GPU experience is difficult, says Experians Haller. Provisioning clusters is one thing, but writing code to run on it is another. You can download software that does it, but thats inefficient, he says. In something of a new technology twofer, Ford Motor is looking for GPU engineers to work on its driverless car program. The list of necessary skills and duties fills an entire computer screen, and the minimum skills needed include: 1+ years [experience with] GPU, parallel programming tools and language extensions etc., as well as a broad array of programming skills, among them C/C++, Perl, Python, Java, OpenGL, OpenCV, CUDA, MATLAB, and more. You can learn about recent developments in GPU computing by visiting the GPU Computing News group on Facebook. Virtual reality engineer Virtual reality is no longer the sole province of game makers. That means someone with the right experience and skills can write a ticket to places as diverse as The New York Times, one of the first newspapers to begin using VR (and Google Cardboard) as a storytelling tool, or startups such as Lucid VR, a developer of 3D cameras. Heres a list of skills Lucid says youll need: Objective-C, C++, Computer Vision, C, computer graphics, mobile application development, OpenGL ES, C#, OpenGL, DirectX, WebGL, and digital image processing. There are more VR-related jobs posted on AngelList and youll find postings for a few VR engineers by CyberCoders, a staffing agency in Seattle. Dont overlook established companies working on mobile if youre interested in VR. Samsung, for example, recently announced two new phones, but what drew more attention at the Mobile World Congress was its Gear 360, a camera for recording virtual reality videos for its Gear VR headset. Although investment banks frequently overhype new technologies, its worth noting that Goldman Sachs predicts that virtual reality will generate $110 billion compared to televisions $99 billion in 10 years. Even if that estimate is too bullish, it is clear that serious money is pursuing virtual reality technology and there will be opportunities for skilled IT workers to exploit. Internet of things architect One billion, 2 billion, who knows how many billions of devices will be connected to the red-hot Internet of things? Even if those estimates are wildly overstated, the IoT is top of mind for many innovative companies -- and not only startups. Verizon, for instance, recently advertised for what it calls an IoT solutions architect. Among other skills, the applicant should have experience in managing delivery of complex solutions involving IoT, M2M [machine to machine], cloud, security, professional services, and SaaS, in addition to strong technology marketing and analytical skills. Its worth noting that Verizon wants its architect to have nontechnical business skills as well: Must possess financial management skills needed for forecasting, pricing, and margin analysis. Professional presentation and [communication] skills to address all levels of the enterprise to include client senior executives. That requirement tracks with an important trend: Information technology departments are becoming less of a service organization and more of a line of business that can add revenue and business opportunities to the entire enterprise, says analyst David Foote. Computer security incident responder Cyber security specialist has long been on the hot jobs list, so whats new about a job that Amir Husain, founder and CEO of SparkCognition, calls "security incident response professional"? He is the guy who can deal with the effects of an attack or an exploit, and he needs a broad understanding of security information and event management (SIEM), says Husain. SIEM combines a number of functions into a single system and centralizes event logs and other security-related documentation for analysis. The information resides within the SIEM, but leveraging it means knowing what questions to ask, and few people have that skill, says Husain. Foote, agrees, saying without a doubt, a cyber security skills gap has developed on a global basis. The increasingly sophisticated nature of cyber attacks and the ability to use new technologies such as machine learning algorithms to analyze, understand, and counter those threats has fundamentally changed the nature of the job, which now requires the ability to cull evidence from a wide range of sources, not SIEM alone. A job thats close to the one Husain describes was posted recently by JPMorgan Chase. Among other responsibilities, the person who lands that position will analyze alerts from various sources within the enterprise and determine possible causes of such alerts, provide timely detection, identification, and distinguish these incidents and events from benign activities and identify false positives. Skills youll need in order to be considered include a knowledge of networking fundamentals (all OSI layers), protocols and packet analysis, encryption and tokenization technologies, and experience writing PL/SQL or SQL scripts. Since this job is built on a foundation of conventional skills, youll also need information security certifications such as CISSP, SANS, CEH, or related certifications. Related resources Federal officials are taking steps to help close the digital divide by updating the 30-year-old Lifeline program to help low-income Americans afford broadband as well as voice communications. Tom Wheeler, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, joined FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn on Tuesday in proposing the Lifeline update, which will come to a full commission vote on March 31. The two penned a blog entry on the FCC website. "Internet access has become a pre-requisite for full participation in our economy and our society, but nearly one in five Americans is still not benefitting from the opportunities made possible by the most powerful and pervasive platform in history," they wrote. Lifeline currently helps about 13 million Americans with affordable voice communications, according to senior FCC officials who spoke on the condition their names not be used. The goal is to allow around 5.5 million more to receive both broadband and voice assistance, out of a potential pool of approximately 40 million total who would be eligible under current guidelines. An initial budget of $2.25 billion has been proposed. Under the plan, a low-income household could apply the current level of $9.25 per month in Lifeline support to standalone broadband service, or to bundled voice and data service plans. The Universal Service Fund (USF) supports Lifeline, paid mainly by USF fees on consumers' bills. The USF fees vary, but U.S. carriers currently pay about 18% of their interstate and international end-user revenues to the USF. The average cost per household for USF is now between $2.88 and $3.52 a month, with Lifeline taking about $1.75 of that total, according to the FCC. There are four USF programs including Lifeline. One provision in the updated Lifeline plan calls for carriers to support mobile devices with Wi-Fi hotspot capability to help provide Internet access to students when at home -- to help close the so-called "homework gap." This refers to situations where low-income students don't have the ability to access school assignments and lessons because they don't have an Internet connection at home. The plan would also set a number of minimum broadband standards, including download speeds based on what the substantial majority of consumers receive -- now about 10Mbps. Unlimited minutes for voice calls and a minimum of 150GB of fixed broadband (such as cable Internet service) would be provided. Also, a minimum mobile broadband standard would be imposed, starting at 500MB per month and increasing to 2GB per month by the end of 2018. A major provision of the updated Lifeline plan sets up a new entity, called the National Eligibility Verifier, to act as a neutral party to determine electronically which households are eligible for Lifeline. Lifeline has been criticized in the past for fraud and waste. The Verifier approach is designed to make sure only low-income people actually receive Lifeline funds. In 2012, the FCC set up a Lifeline subscriber database to prevent multiple Lifeline subscriptions in a household, which has reduced spending from $2.1 billion in 2012 to $1.5 billion in 2016, according to FCC officials. By setting up the Verifier and battling fraud, the FCC is hoping to ensure that the money goes to broadband use for more low-income Americans, not waste, an official said. The Verifier approach will use state and national databases of people who have registered under various programs such as Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to determine eligibility, although applicants will also be able to supply other income information to help determine if they are eligible. One benefit of the Verifier approach is that individual carriers and cable companies would not have the burden of administering the eligibility process and protecting against fraud. FCC officials believe this approach will greatly increase the number of carriers -- as well as first-time participating cable companies -- offering Lifeline support. The FCC's latest data from 2014 shows that there were 30 major Lifeline supporting companies that year. They included the top provider -- America Movil, based in Mexico -- with $436 million in support in 2014, with SoftBank Corp. (the majority owner of Sprint) in second with $272 million and AT&T in third with $164 million. Verizon was seventh with $47 million. The Verifier would be administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). In turn, USAC is likely to select another entity to be the Verifier, and might not do that job itself, FCC officials said. USAC operates under the direction of the FCC. FCC officials said that while the $9.25 monthly Lifeline subsidy might not sound like a large enough sum to help reduce the digital divide, they noted that the updated plan would make the program run more smoothly and could attract more providers. This could lead to competition on rates for low-income households. The idea would be to establish a competitive Lifeline broadband marketplace for affordable service, a senior FCC official said. Intuit yesterday said it had sold its QuickBase unit, the third group it's unloaded since January, to a New York private equity firm. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. QuickBase -- a platform for creating data-driven, cloud-based apps for small and mid-sized businesses -- will be acquired by Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, which specializes in technology and health care. QuickBase, headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., will remain there, the equity firm said in a statement. QuickBase was the final unit sold of the three that Intuit identified last year as on the block. Intuit sold Demandforce in January and, just last week, announced the sale of its original product -- the Quicken personal finance software -- to H.I.G. Capital, another private equity firm. Last summer, Intuit's CEO Brad Smith contended that Quicken, QuickBase and Dreamforce no longer fit the company's strategy, which aims at cloud-based subscription services. Intuit's two biggest money makers -- QuickBooks and TurboTax -- will be retained. QuickBase generated more revenue than Quicken, the 33-year-old program that started Intuit: In the 2015 fiscal year, QuickBase brought in over $70 million, while Quicken's revenue line for the same period was $51 million. The QuickBase deal is expected to close by the end of June. Today Sunny skies with gusty winds developing later in the day. High 88F. WSW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tonight Clear skies. Low near 65F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tomorrow Mainly sunny. High 79F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Competition Kingston Grammar School's Under 18s and St Georges College Under 14s and Under 16s boys hockey teams will be competing in the RAF Careers Youth Hockey Cup National Finals at Milton Keynes National Hockey Stadium on May 14. As we want to give our local teams all the support they deserve, we've linked up with RAF Careers to offer you the chance to win one of five great prizes. We have five RAF sport kits to give away, each comprising a navy blue RAF hockey fleece, sports bag, baseball cap and towel and, of course, a pair of tickets to the final. Olympic hockey gold medalist, Sean Kerly, one of the best known names in hockey, will also be showing his encouragement for the RAF Careers Youth hockey teams on the day. Sean said: "This is a great opportunity to support your local teams in their battle to gain a national title. The finalists have done extremely well to get this far. Not only do they represent the very best of youth hockey but these teams are likely to produce some of the talented hockey names of the future." For further information about the RAF Careers Youth Hockey Club take a look at Sean Kerly's website: www.seankerly.com, and while you're there why not sign his petition to get hockey on TV. If you're interested in a career with the RAF, his site also has a hot link to the RAF Careers website: www.rafcareers.com For your chance to win one of these great prizes simply answer the following question and send your answer on a postcard with your name and address to Sports Kit Competition, Sports Desk, Unecol House, 819 London Road, Cheam, Surrey, SM6 9BN. Question: On what date will the teams from St Georges College and Kingston Grammar School be competing in the RAF Careers Youth Hockey Cup National Finals? Track paved with gold horse racing By Russell Young Tomorrow (Saturday) sees the start of the 44th and last running of the Whitbread Gold Cup to be held at Sandown Park, Esher. A total of 82 horses, the second highest on record will contest the 115,000 first prize, comfortably beating the 77 entered for the race two years ago. The event will signal the climax to the National Hunt (jumping) season and the seven-race card will be signed off with a performance by Irish band the Saw Doctors and a fireworks display. Among the favourites for the prestigious prize are Gloria Victis, Go Ballistic, Suny Bay and Call It A Day, who will be all eager to build on their already successful careers. After previews and interviews in the parade ring, the racing will crescendo with a new six-a-side Flat against Jump Jockey challenge over a mile on the flat. A 5,000 prize will be donated by the Tote and Sandown Park to the winner's favourite charity in addition to general prize money. Before the Saw Doctors begin playing the whole season will be reviewed on a big screen, with presentations to the leading owner, trainer, jockey and to the horse of the year. "We are planning a fantastic climax to the jump season, with top drawer racing and lots of entertainment once that has finished," said Sandown Park general manager Steve Brice. Once the jump season is concluded Sandown will host further events during the summer with the highlight being the Sandown summer carnival on the weekend July 7, 8 and 9. "The Coral-Eclipse Stakes will be the feature race of the three days," said Brice. A quality racing programme will feature on each of the days and the entertainment off course will match that on it." Frank talk about derby dreams The start of the flat race season kicked off this week at Epsom racecourse and for one leading flat jockey the season could be the year that he finally wins the Vodafone Derby. Frankie Dettori has won in Japan, Hong Kong and, of course, he won those famous seven races in a row at Ascot in 1997, but the Derby still means a lot. The little Italian from Milan was on hand to unveil the prestigious bronze Vodafone Derby trophy that will be handed to the winning trainer by HRH the Queen Mother on June 10. "The Derby means a lot. When I was young, in Italy there were only two races that were shown on TV. They were the Prix de le Arc de Triomphe and the Derby," he said. "This is an event I have never won and I would be delighted to get my name on the cup. "I am 29 years-old and the more time that goes that I have not won here, the more pressure is on me. Dettori realises that Epsom on Derby day is a tough test for anyone and says that the Surrey course will be a challenge for both man and horse. "This is a unique course and an ultimate test. You have to be able to have the speed to get out of trouble and also have the stamina to last the pace. "Over the years the horses that have won here have done that and have proved that they are great stallions," he said. "For me I am very positive and keen to do really well." Having finished second two years ago, Dettori added that it will be a special day if he can in the future go on and win that elusive prize. "Of course the aim is to be as professional as I can and go out there the way Michael Schumacher does in F1. "And that is to out there and try my hardest to win. "It will be a special day at Epsom and hopefully fingers crossed I can do it. "My best and worst moment at the Derby was when I finished second and I would love to go one better," said the Italian ace. Track 'n' field bonanza Cross country By Tom Pollak The new track and field starts in earnest this weekend with Kingston and Polytechnic facing a particularly busy time. They are hosting a Southern Women's League match tomorrow (Saturday) and are back at Kingsmeadow on Sunday putting on a McDonalds Young Athletes League meeting. Tomorrow's opposition includes Hercules Wimbledon with Chichester and Chilt-ern making up the teams. The match starts at 1pm. Sunday's meeting begins slightly earlier at 12.30pm. Visiting teams for the McDonalds match are Epsom and Ewell Harriers, Ealing, Southall and Middlesex and Eastbourne Rovers. Sutton are also hosting a Southern Women's League Division One match at Sutton Arena tomorrow. It promises to be a tough contest as the visitors include last year's runners-up, Aldershot, Farnham and District, and Shaftesbury Barnet who were fourth, just two places ahead of Sutton. Epsom and Ewell and Herne Hill Harriers face Portsmouth and Windsor respectively. Walton face Woking while Belgrave Harriers and Richmond and Twickenham face Colchester and Luton. Facebook just recently rolled out the latest reaction emojis for all the users around the world. Thankfully, there will be five additional emojis to choose on how to personally react on a Facebook post. I Digital Times noted that the feature has been developed for a year and it was first released for beta testing among seven countries last October. The report also made it clear that the reaction emoji are not designed to replace the previous like button. The additional emoji will give users extra options in order to quickly and personally respond to a friend's post. The new reaction emojis are expected to resolve the problems for some users when responding to a particular post. Giving out extra emotional reactions emoji will help them express themselves even more. "We've been listening to people and know that there should be more ways to easily and quickly express how something you see in News Feed makes you feel," Facebook said during the launch. Furthermore, the social media company explained that the new reaction emojis are quite simple. The like button will work the same way it always did. The Love or heart emoji can use to show an affectionate support to someone. The Wow or shocked emoji is to express amazement by some news. The Haha or laughing face emoji is to laugh out loud on a post. The Sad face emoji to express sad emotions and the Angry face emoji is to voice anyone's anger. There will be no more awkward situation of hitting the "like" about the death of a friend's dog. Anyone can now choose their own symbolic way to acknowledge a situation and demonstrate support. However, the responses which will affect the posts showing up on the news feed will still need to be decided. "Sons of Anarchy" prequel rumors continue to spread like wildfire online. However, none have been confirmed as of writing. Fans of the hit FX show have been raving about Charlie Hunnam's return who plays Jax Teller in the series. The actor has not yet addressed the speculations about the new project, but he has been very open about his dedication to the role in a previous interview. "He was this guy that I loved and hung out with constantly for seven years. It was a lot tears for, like, two or three weeks, every time I thought about it," Hunnam told GQ magazine. "Then one day, I woke up and was like, "Okay, it's time to move on. RIP, Jax Teller." No one can really be sure if his role has been officially put to rest. Only an official update from series creator Kurt Sutter can silence the noisy rumors online. Meanwhile, previous reports have been very hopeful about Hunnam's return. According to reports, there could be a great chance that the actor return as evidenced by him dropping out of some notable roles. "The 35-year-old Hunnam backed out of 'Fifty Shades of Grey,' where he was slated to play Christian Grey," IBT reported. "His role in "The Mountain Between Us," opposite Rosamund Pike, was also offered to Idris Elba. There are rumours that Hunnam may also be moving out of the "Pacific Rim 2" movie due to his other commitments, such as being Green Arrow." Meanwhile, fans were definitely delighted to hear rumors that Brad Pitt has allegedly been chosen to play a crucial role in the prequel. According to reports, Pitt has been eyed to join the cast as John Teller, Jax Teller's father. Pitt's character will be very crucial to the new show as it will reportedly focus on John Teller's early years. Stay tuned for more "Sons of Anarchy" prequel and spin-off updates here! The appeal of Apple Inc. in its case about e-book over pricing was turned down by the U.S. Supreme Court. This is good news to the e-book buyers of the tech giant for they now have a chance to receive part of the $450 million settlement. The company is now forced to dole out this massive amount to e-book buyers in order to balance the changes it unduly earned in its e-book pricing deals. American customers who have bought an e-book from legitimate publishers from April 2010 to May 2012 may automatically receive a credit of up to $6.54 per book title representing a part of Apple's settlement. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Apple Inc. has violated federal antitrust law when it conspired to fix e-book prices. It considered the tech giant's price fixing the "supreme evil of antitrust." The Supreme Court's refusal to hear Apple's appeal is the last nail in the computer company's coffin. With this court ruling, it is definitely established that Apple owes e-book buyers approximately $450 million. These consumers took part in the settlement of the conditional class action suit. Now, the refusal of the highest court of the land to consider the company's appeal means it's time to pay. The Silicon Valley-based company has conspired with five book publishers to fix e-book prices. These publishers are the 'big-five' which include Macmillan, Hachette, Simon & Schuster, Penguin and Harper Collins. The case started in 2012 with the filing of an antitrust complaint against the tech giant by the Department of Justice. It was an effort of the computer company to skirt off Amazon.com's $10 price limit on e-books. However, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos will not be receiving any part in the $450 million settlement. Lawyers representing the short-changed consumers will get a large chunk of the windfall. According to the Federal Communications Commission, it has reached a settlement with Verizon Wireless on Monday for its use of "supercookies." These cookies are a part of a hidden tracking technology used in target advertising without the knowledge and permission of customers. The communication company was fined $1.35 million as part of the settlement. It is also required to inform its customers about its data collection program, and asked to get their permission before sharing any of their personal information with third-party companies. Although the fine is small, it drew attention from a wide spectrum of telecom industry companies giving them a taste of the ambitious privacy regulations of the F.C.C. It is projected that this agency will consider first-time privacy rules very soon. These rules will affect internet service providers and may include regulations requiring for permission to be granted by customers before wireless and fixed broadband providers can track their online behavior. According to the F.C.C., Verizon began to use tracking technology in 2012 without properly notifying its customers. It did so only in late 2014 after its practice was exposed in the open. As an illustration, the "supercookies" used by the communication giant can kick up ads from 1-800-Flowers.com Inc. to men aged 25 to 44 who use Android phones with incomes greater than $75,000 in advance of Valentine's Day in 2014. In the Monday settlement, Verizon agreed to inform customers regarding its targeted-advertising programs and to get their permission before sharing the 'supercookie' information internally, or with third party companies. "Consumers care about privacy and should have a say in how their personal information is used, especially when it comes to who knows what they're doing online," said Travis LeBlanc, FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief. "The Verizon supercookies issue has been one of the big poster children for why you need to worry about ISPs tracking their customers and why you need rules for ISPs," said Harold Feld, a legal analyst at Public Knowledge, a non-profit media advocacy group. United Continental Holdings faces a battle with disgruntled shareholders over the direction of the company just as its CEO returns from a five-month absence during which he received a heart transplant. In a surprise move Tuesday morning, saying they are fed up with poor performance at United Continental Holdings, two investment firms, Altimeter Capital Management and PAR Capital Management, want to shake up the airline's board of directors. Brad Gerstner, CEO of Altimeter Capital, said in a statement that investors are "greatly disappointed with United's poor performance and bad decisions over the last several years." The firms' announcement comes one day after United increased its existing board by three members to 15, a move Gerstner called "a cynical attempt to preserve power by this entrenched board." The two investment firms own a combined 7.1 percent stake of United Continental Holdings Inc. The two activist investor groups said they are proposing six new members to be added to United's Board of Directors and give a prominent role to the ex-CEO , Gordon Bethune . Gordon Bethune, who served as CEO of Continental Airlines from 1994 to 2004 was credited with turning that troubled airline into one of the country's leading carriers more than a decade ago. In addition to Bethune, Altimeter and PAR are proposing as United Board members Altimeter CEO Brad Gerstner; former Orbitz Worldwide CEOBarney Harford; former Delphi Automotive CEO Rodney O'Neal; SherpaFoundry CEO Tina Sharkey; and Brenda Yester Baty, now head of strategic initiatives at homebuilder Lennar Corp. but previously an executive in the cruise line industry. Chief Executive Officer Oscar Munoz said employees should avoid being distracted by the board changes. "This situation shouldn't change your focus," he said in an email to employees. Bethune, 74, said the fight was "not about Mr. Munoz." "It's about ... having someone who actually understands the airline business on the board," Bethune said in CNBC interview Tuesday. He noted that the investors insisted he stand for election as United's chairman, and that he would only stay two years, if appointed. LANSING, Mich. Bernie Sanders breathed new life into his long-shot White House bid with a crucial win in Michigans primary Tuesday night, chipping away at Hillary Clintons dominance in the Democratic presidential race. Republican Donald Trump swept to victory in both Michigan and Mississippi, overcoming fierce efforts to blunt his momentum. Even with Sanders win, Clinton and Trump moved closer to a general election face-off. Clinton breezed to an easy victory in Mississippi, propelled by overwhelming support from black voters, and she now has more than half the delegates she needs to clinch the Democratic nomination. Trump, too, padded his lead over Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, his closest rival. The front-runners turned their sights on November as they reveled in their wins. We are better than what we are being offered by the Republicans, Clinton declared. In a nod toward the kind of traditional politics hes shunned, Trump emphasized the importance of helping Republican senators and House members get elected in the fall. Having entered Tuesdays contests facing a barrage of criticism from rival candidates and outside groups, he also delighted in overcoming the attacks. Every single person who has attacked me has gone down, Trump said at one of his Florida resorts. He was flanked by tables packed with his retail products, including steaks, bottled water and wine, and defended his business record more thoroughly than he outlined his policy proposals for the country. Sanders, meanwhile, said Michigan signaled that his campaign is strong in every part of the country, and frankly we believe our strongest areas are yet to happen. While a handful of recent losses to Cruz have raised questions about Trumps durability, Tuesdays contests marked another lost opportunity for rivals desperate to stop his march to the nomination. Next weeks winner-take-all contests in Ohio and Florida loom large as perhaps the last chance to block him short of a contested convention fight. Ohio Gov. John Kasich was in a fight with Cruz for second place in Michigan and hoping a good showing would give him a boost heading into next weeks crucial contest in his home state. For Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a favorite of Republican elected officials, Tuesday marked the latest in a series of disappointing nights. He emerged from Michigan and Mississippi with no new delegates. Rubio insisted he would press on to his home states primary in Florida next Tuesday. It has to happen here, and it has to happen now, Rubio told supporters during a rally in Sarasota. If Rubio and Kasich cant win at home, the GOP primary appears set to become a two-person race between Trump and Cruz. The Texas senator is sticking close in the delegate count, and with six states in his win column hes argued hes the only candidate standing between the brash billionaire and the GOP nomination. During a campaign stop at a North Carolina church, Cruz took on Trump for asking rally attendees to pledge their allegiance to him. He said the move struck him as profoundly wrong and was something kings and queens demand of their subjects. Some mainstream Republicans have cast both Trump and Cruz as unelectable in a November face-off with the Democratic nominee. But theyre quickly running out of options and candidates to prevent one of the men from becoming the GOP standard-bearer. Republicans were also holding contests Tuesday in Hawaii and Idaho. The economy ranked high on the list of concerns for voters in Michigan and Mississippi. At least 8 in 10 in each partys primary said they were worried about where the American economy is heading, according to exit polls conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press and television networks. Among Democrats, 8 in 10 voters in both states said the countrys economic system benefits the wealthy, not all Americans. Sanders has sought to tap into that concern, energizing young people and white, blue-collar voters with his calls for breaking up Wall Street banks and making tuition free at public colleges and universities. Michigan, with big college towns and a sizeable population of working-class voters, was a good fit for him, though something of a surprise victory given that Clinton had led in polls heading into Tuesdays voting. Still, Sanders has struggled mightily with black voters who are crucial to Democrats in the general election. In Mississippi, black voters comprised about two-thirds of the Democratic electorate and nearly 9 in 10 backed Clinton. After Tuesdays results, Clinton has accumulated 1,134 delegates and Sanders 502, including superdelegates. Democrats need 2,383 delegates to win the nomination. With Tuesdays wins, Trump leads the Republican field with 428 delegates, followed by Cruz with 315, Rubio with 151 and Kasich with 52. Winning the GOP nomination requires 1,237 delegates. Plugged In Thomas Content offers insight on changes in the world of energy, climate change and efforts to build a greener economy. SHARE By of the Broadwind Energy Inc. on Wednesday said it has been awarded $28 million in orders for large steel towers for wind turbines from a domestic turbine manufacturer. The company's factory in Manitowoc will produce the turbines, which will be shipped this year, Broadwind said. Our experienced team in Manitowoc has built more than 2,000 wind towers since 2008 for multiple customers," said Stephanie Kushner, Broadwind's interim chief executive officer, in a statement. "We continue to be in late-stage discussions to fill the remaining capacity for 2016 and beyond. The announcement is the second order announced for Manitowoc so far this year, after the tower business struggled to make sales in the last quarter of 2015. The company finished 2015 with a backlog of tower orders of six months, whereas in previous years it has completely sold out the next year's tower production capacity before the year has started. Broadwind last month reported a loss of $10.8 million, or 73 cents a share, in 2015. The company's sales slid 12% to $199.2 million. The company said it experienced a variety of production problems involving wind towers at its factory in Abilene, Texas, and that it had shifted some of that work to be done by its more experienced staff in Manitowoc. During a recent investor conference call, Kushner said that the move by Congress to extend a production tax credit for wind power will provide stability as well as growth opportunities for Broadwind and other suppliers. "It caused developers to start and stop commercial activities based not on underlying project economics, but based on legislation toggling back and forth from full speed ahead to a dead stop," she said. "And those of us in the supply chain were whipsawed even more, with capacity demand shifting from maximum to idle and back again and with little good planning certainty." The tax credit was extended in a way that it will ramp down over time but will support projects that will be commissioned through 2021. Pulse News and notes on health, medicine and fitness SHARE By of the Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology recently conducted a study to learn whether censoring words can help extinguish harmful ideas? The idea in this case is the notion -- supported by some people who have eating disorders -- that these conditions are acceptable, reasonable life choices. The so-called "pro-Eating Disorder" community has sent out advice and support to like-minded people through Instagram. Instagram, however, banned some of the most common terms used by these groups, terms such as "thinspiration" and "thighgap." While people could still post the censored terms, the terms no longer showed up in search results. If a person searched for the terms, they would receive warnings about graphic content, and would also receive public service links designed to help people. The Georgia Tech researchers examined some 2.5 million pro-Eating Disorder posts from 2011 to 2014. "People pretty much stopped using the banned terms, but they gamed the system to stay in touch," said Stevie Chancellor, the study's leader and a doctoral student. " 'Thinspiration' was replaced by 'thynspiration' and 'thynspo.' 'Thighgap' became thightgap and 'thygap'." The new study was presented at the recent ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing conference in San Francisco. SHARE By New York Margo Seibert and Natalie Brasington don't think women should have to pay a "period tax," and like a growing number of women, they are publicly questioning whether being female in the U.S. carries unfair costs. The pair are among five New York City women who filed a lawsuit last week arguing that it was unconstitutional for the state to levy sales tax on tampons and sanitary napkins while offering medical product exemptions to many other items used by both genders, like lip balm, foot powder and dandruff shampoo. The case, they say, is about more than the few cents in tax levied on each pack. Sick of the social taboo, and frustrated by a lack of access for some to a staple, these women and others are talking very publicly about menstruation and gaining political traction that would have been impossible a generation ago. A national push to abolish sales tax on tampons is gathering steam, led by social media campaigns like #periodswithoutshame. At least seven states are now considering legislation. Illinois lawmakers were holding a hearing on the latest proposal Wednesday. Connecticut legislators discussed the issue Monday. Cosmopolitan magazine launched an online petition, and even President Barack Obama has questioned why the items are taxed. "I tend to talk about my period quite a bit, to anyone who will listen," said Seibert, a 31-year-old actress and founder of an online campaign that promotes a "shame-free" period. Brasington, a 31-year-old photographer, said the tax affects women disproportionately and is a genuine burden for poorer women. "Being a woman is so expensive," she said. Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, a vice president at the NYU School of Law's Brennan Center for Justice, said she began writing articles and op-eds on "menstrual equity" when she discovered food pantries were desperate for sanitary napkins and tampons because poor women can't afford them. The tax campaign reflects a broader debate over "gender pricing," or charging women and men different rates for similar products and services, from haircuts to razors to T-shirts. New York City's consumer protection agency studied the cost of 800 common household items last year and found that products marketed to women cost, on average, 7% more than similar products for men. "Women's outcry over this issue isn't just about the tax on tampons. It's a reflection of the routine unfairness that seeps into our everyday lives," said Sonia Ossorio, president of the National Organization for Women in New York. "At the end of the day, the tampon tax movement is one small way to challenge the broader sexism that still persists. Because that's the real taboo here." Nationwide, 40 states, including Wisconsin, tax feminine hygiene products, deeming them non-necessities or even "luxury items," while making exceptions for products as similar as adult incontinence pads. Five U.S. states exempt tampons and other feminine hygiene products from their sales tax, which varies around the country from about 2.9% to as high as 7.5%. Another five states have no sales tax. New York taxes tampons and sanitary napkins as tools "to control a normal bodily function and to maintain personal cleanliness." The 4% state sales tax on the products costs New York women millions of dollars a year; estimates range from about $7 million to twice that, a minute fraction of the state's $142 billion budget. Advocates say the cost, however small it may seem, is burdensome for poor women, who also can't purchase the products with food stamps. "Having one's period is not a luxury," said state Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, a Democrat who has proposed abolishing the tax. "Because of our biology, we bear this extra cost, and the state should not compound it." President Obama is greeted by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett as he arrives in Milwaukee on Thursday. Credit: Rick Wood By of the President Barack Obama has issued a statement endorsing Mayor Tom Barrett for re-election. "Tom Barrett has been an outstanding mayor for the city of Milwaukee, and his hard work has put his city on a path toward a stronger future," Obama said in the statement, released Wednesday morning by the Barrett campaign. "Tom has fought to strengthen neighborhoods by bringing people together to solve tough problems. He's been a leader in the battle to get illegal guns off the street." Barrett, who is seeking a fourth term, faces a challenge in the April 5 election from Ald. Bob Donovan. "I'm honored to have the support of my friend, President Barack Obama," Barrett said in the news release announcing the endorsement. It comes on the heels of Obama's Thursday visit to Milwaukee to honor the city's work in signing up residents for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. He was born on St. Patrick's Day not far from Blarney Castle, but there was no blarney in Sean P. Keane. A straight talker with a sharp wit, there were things the surgeon from Cork cared about, and others he didn't. His family, Ireland and Nicaragua, music and literature, people in need, and the condition of his patients were important. The Catholic Church, what people thought of him and the condition of his cars didn't matter so much. Keane reconstructed knees and fixed carpal tunnels; brought Irish republicans and musicians to Milwaukee audiences; led brigades of doctors to Nicaragua to do free surgeries; hosted an Irish music radio show under the name John Brown; and cared for scores of Irish folk here, even if they couldn't pay. Friends say that along with a crisp, white shirt, there was an enormous heart under Keane's black jacket. It stopped ticking after 73 years on the morning of Nov. 22 while he ate breakfast with his daughter Daire at a south side restaurant. Fortunately, his friends received in August the high-priced medical imaging machine Keane got donated and shipped to Nicaragua. He viewed the Sandinistas as Spanish-speaking Irishmen, and admired Cuba's Fidel Castro for standing up to American imperialism, said Michael Fleet, a Marquette University professor and friend. Keane smoked too much, ate bad food, hardly slept and might hop out of his clattering, book-filled Mercedes in January wearing no overcoat. But with twinkling eyes and a wry smile, Keane was likely headed to the hospital, or to Alterra, County Clare or Boswell Books to discuss a W.B. Yeats poem or make an astute observation about world matters. Seemingly unrehearsed, he'd wax eloquent about Irish music on his WYMS-FM (88.9) radio show, maybe throw in some Gaelic or Welsh, then make ribald remarks while songs played, said Brian Witt, past president of Milwaukee's Shamrock Club. They helped train him, but Keane never trusted the Brits, Fleet said. Nor was he high on those at St. Francis Hospital who ousted him as chief of staff, or those who helped effect his 2000 departure from the radio show, Witt said. Keane spent a lot of money to get the 1994 Appeals Court decision clearing his name, he said. After Keane's funeral on Saturday, mourners met at Paddy's Pub to continue the many discussions he had started. There will be a service in Ireland later. "We don't let people go easily into the night," Fleet said. Keane is survived by his wife, Doris; children Dolores, Eamonn, Sean, Sharon and Daire; sisters Ethna and Finola; brother Colm; and grandchildren. Wisconsin citizens should defend their university system from attack, writes a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor. Credit: Mark Hoffman SHARE By As the UW System regents meet this week, faculty members hope for stability after a year of budget cuts and tenure threats. While there remains uncertainty about what the tenure standards will be, they clearly will be weaker than before. Indeed, UW will be the only institution among our peers where state law specifies procedures under which faculty can be laid off for fairly ambiguous standards, such as program redirection or modification. The regents can fulfill their role of serving Wisconsin citizens by ensuring that the UW System does not fall further behind its peers. But some forces in Wisconsin the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute and its President Mike Nichols urge our regents to keep fighting the tenure war against UW ("Regents should remember they work for the public," Opinions, March 7). WPRI portrays professors as a special interest. And to be sure, we have a stake in what is going on. But we also care deeply about the institution and are dismayed by what seems to be a determined ideological attack on the Wisconsin Idea. Tenure helps protect free campus speech. But a recent WPRI report urges the regents to follow the example of Concordia University, a religious institution of untenured instructors with weak free speech protections. Is this really a model for UW? The UW System works in a competitive environment, and tenure is essential to recruiting and retaining faculty. It is the industry standard among UW peers. Why should a professor come to Wisconsin without the prospect of tenure when she can go to Minnesota or Michigan where it's not under attack? This matters for budget reasons. For example, about a third of the UW-Madison budget comes from faculty winning fiercely competitive federal grants. When those faculty leave, they will not be easily replaced, and our budget problems will worsen. Uncertainty over tenure has encouraged other universities to raid our faculty. Earlier this year, the chancellor of UW-Madison announced she had spent $8 million to retain faculty, even before the peak of hiring season. The tenure wars are making it harder for chancellors to run their institutions, not easier. Other aspects of the WPRI report are erroneous, misleading and deeply troubling. WPRI says that faculty members dominated a Regents Task Force committee on tenure, but fails to mention that their role was advisory. The actual report was written by regent members and UW System legal counsel. When the majority of faculty disagreed with proposed ideas, no vote was taken. Maybe talking to faculty is not such a bad idea, since it would have clarified some basic misunderstandings in the WPRI report. Most troubling, WPRI demands that the regents continue to pursue what amounts to a de facto elimination of tenure. It wants chancellors to be required to petition the regents each time any new tenure track position is hired, which will grind hiring to a halt. What capable leader would want to be a UW chancellor under these conditions? And regents are told to actively examine if tenure is really needed on all campuses. We are told UW must run like a business. But it already does: UW has strong incentives to compete for students, employees and resources. The recommendations of WPRI will not make UW run more like a business, but more like a centralized slow-moving bureaucracy, layering inappropriate one-size-fits-all mandates on every faculty member and department. All of this is to solve what problem exactly? UW generates enormous economic value. For example, the UW System was ranked eighth in the world in terms of the number of patents it generates. UW also generates real civic value, giving our students critical analytical skills that Thomas Jefferson saw as a key to good citizenship. The value of UW has been built through a multigenerational commitment by Wisconsinites, but it can be quickly eroded. Just last week, UW-Madison fell out of its long-standing position in the top 10 of U.S. public universities. The regents have a profound responsibility to honor the investment of past and current taxpayers by ensuring that future Wisconsinites have the opportunity to benefit from an extraordinary state asset. Concordia University may be a fine institution, but UW is pretty damn great, and worth defending. Donald Moynihan is a professor of public affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and chair of the Social Studies Divisional Committee. SHARE By of the Hackers logged into Ozaukee County's payroll system to access personal identification information and file bogus tax returns, authorities said Wednesday. Employees were unaware of the data breach until they filed their 2015 taxes and received notice from the IRS of suspected identity fraud. So far about 25 employees have learned that fraudulent tax returns were filed using their personal information and it is possible that more will discover the fraud as they file returns in the coming weeks, Assistant County Administrator Jason Dzwinel said. Dzwinel received a letter last week from the IRS that someone had filed a fraudulent tax return in his name that had been flagged by the agency. "I knew of another employee that had been impacted, so that got our radar up," Dzwinel said. Initially, county officials suspected that it was part of a recent IRS hack but as they dug a little deeper, they discovered that on Feb. 14, starting at 4:13 a.m., hackers from suspicious IP addresses began logging into employee accounts by exploiting the county's payroll and tax portal software, called Greenshades. The suspicious activity continued off and on throughout the afternoon of Feb. 15. The Ozaukee County Sheriff's Department investigation determined that the data security breach didn't happen locally and it appears the Greenshades software was breached from outside Wisconsin. Hackers viewed employee W-2 and 1095C tax forms of 194 Ozaukee County employees and elected officials. Information on those forms included names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and the names and Social Security numbers of family members covered under employees' insurance. The county issued about 1,000 W-2 forms for 2015 earnings and from the investigation, it appears the hackers accessed accounts alphabetically. "It was a sinking feeling for me personally. I've dealt with it. I was actually impacted by the Home Depot breach as well. I wouldn't wish it on anybody," Dzwinel said. Dzwinel, who is Ozaukee County's human resources director, sent a letter to employees notifying them of the data breach and asking them to contact the Sheriff's Department if a fraudulent return was filed in their name or if they had any reason to believe their personal information was compromised. The Sheriff's Department is working with local IRS agents and helping file required police reports for employees whose tax returns were hijacked by hackers. The county is working with its insurance company to coordinate a claim under its cybersecurity protection policy and is setting up identity protection coverage for employees affected by the breach. "It's an unfortunate side effect of the online digital age we live in. You have to be diligent," Dzwinel said. Environmental groups asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Wednesday to assume a stronger role in northeastern Wisconsin to protect the public from contaminated drinking wells that environmentalists say have been polluted by heavy manure spreading. Here, the Wiese Brothers Dairy Farm is shown on the east side of the Fox River watershed in Greenleaf. It is one of the largest dairy operations in the state. Credit: Mark Hoffman SHARE By of the Environmental groups asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday to assume a stronger role in northeastern Wisconsin to protect the public from contaminated drinking wells that environmentalists say have been polluted by heavy manure spreading. The groups said in a letter they aren't satisfied with the response by the state Department of Natural Resources to address well contamination using its authority to regulate groundwater. On Oct. 22, 2014, the environmental groups asked the EPA to exercise emergency powers under the Safe Drinking Water Act to investigate groundwater contamination from manure spreading at large-scale dairy farms. That prompted the DNR to organize a series of work groups to find ways to solve the problems. But progress has been too slow, according to the groups. "We are insisting on immediate relief for Kewaunee County residents who can't drink their water," Sarah Geers, an attorney for Midwest Environmental Advocates, said in a statement. The DNR says manure issues in Kewaunee County have been a priority for the agency and it is working on short- and long-term solutions. DNR officials plan to meet with the EPA on March 16 to discuss the matter, the agency says. Kewaunee County has become the epicenter of controversy over large-scale dairy farms and their potential to cause air and water pollution. The county has 16 large dairy farms, regulated as concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, that have 700 or more milking cows on each facility. It also lies in a region where soils can lie a few feet above fractured bedrock, making it easier for manure to reach groundwater. The Journal Sentinel reported in December that one-third of wells tested in the county were found to be unsafe and failed to meet health standards for drinking water. The testing was conducted by the U.S. Agriculture Research Service and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Researchers found that 34% of 320 wells tested in November failed to meet standards. The pollutants were nitrates and total coliform. Both can be found in manure but can come from other sources, too. DNR spokesman George Althoff said five of the 320 wells tested positive for E. coli an indicator of fecal contamination. Well owners were asked to call the DNR to investigate the source of contamination. So far, one well owner has responded and qualified for financial assistance to replace the well. Don Niles, a CAFO operator from Casco, said water contamination issues developed over many years and won't be solved with a quick fix. "We all understand that agriculture can have a negative impact on some wells," he said in a statement. "But we also have to acknowledge that many wells have not been affected." An added frustration for those with bad wells: A kiosk at Algoma High School that provides free drinking water to households with contaminated wells has been vandalized three times in the past 21/2 months, according to the principal, Nick Cochart, who lives in a part of the county where there is well contamination. "It's been frustrating," he said. "It's just gotten out of hand." The environmental groups' most immediate concern is that the DNR or EPA provide clean drinking water to residents with polluted wells. "Our first and foremost task since Day One has been to provide people with clean water, and access to clean water," said Elizabeth Wheeler, an attorney with Clean Wisconsin. "But they haven't done that yet." Other demands: EPA should conduct closer oversight of the DNR in Kewaunee County and work with the state to establish a timeline and implement recommendation from the work groups. The DNR-organized groups were made up of agricultural interests, local residents and others to find solutions to well contamination. Some of the recommendations were made in December, and the environmental groups are concerned the DNR hasn't acted on them yet. Althoff said DNR is studying the recommendations. He said one key group hasn't finished its work yet. Niles said the groups' work shouldn't be dismissed. "A great deal of energy has been committed to the process," he said. EPA should conduct research and groundwater monitoring to find the root cause of water contamination. If the EPA can't or won't, the EPA should order farms in areas vulnerable to contamination to install monitoring wells. An EPA spokeswoman said the agency has not had time to review the groups' letter. Brooks stares down judge on Day 15 of Waukesha Christmas Parade trial Darrell Brooks called his ex-girlfriend as a defense witness Friday morning. His examination was cut short after an argument over some photographs. Reddit Email 0 Shares By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | Nearly half of the over 6 million Israeli Jews want to expel from the country the 1.6 million citizens of Palestinian heritage, most of them Muslims, according to a just-released Pew Forum poll This is a startling statistic. It would be as though half of Flemish Belgians wanted to expel the Walloons or French-speakers from the south of the country. There isnt any member of the European Union where a large plurality of the population wants to ethnically cleanse a fifth of their co-citizens. On this account alone, you cant really consider Israel to have democratic values. Along the same lines, 42% of Israeli Jews say that squatter settlements on Palestinian land in the Palestinian West Bank benefit Israeli security. Then, a quarter of Israeli Jews say that where there is a conflict between democratic values and Jewish religious law (Halakhah), religious law should take precedence. The people who hold this fundamentalist view are predominately Haredim (ultra-orthodox) and Dati (Orthodox). Israel is rapidly changing. The old secular Ashkenazi elite that had operated within the Labor Party and the Histadrut workers union is becoming less influential and a smaller percentage of the Jewish population. The Haredi or Ultra-Orthodox have risen from 2% to 8% of the population. Some 89% of the Ultra-Orthodox say that where democratic practices clash with Jewish canon law (Halachah), the religious law should take precedence. A solid majority of them want gender segregation on e.g. public buses. Meanwhile, some 20 percent of Israel is Palestinian-Israelis, whose proportion may well increase over time, to nearly a third. (This is not to mention the 4.5 million Palestinians who have been living under Israeli military administration for over half the history of the Israeli state). Some 79% of Palestinian-Israelis say that their minority faces substantial prejudice. Three quarters of Israelis deny any such prejudice. The Israeli Jewish denial comes about in part from sheer ignorance of their fellow citizens. There is almost no social interaction (friendships, marriage etc.) between Israels major religious communities. One thing increasing percentages of Jewish and Palestinian Israelis agree on? That a two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine is now unlikely. Related video added by Juan Cole: RT from last fall: Jews only: Arabs facing discrimination in Israeli property market Reddit Email 0 Shares By IMEMC | Palestinians are joining the Middle East exodus to Europe in greater numbers because of the Syrian war and ongoing Israeli occupation, a senior Palestinian official has said. Saeb Erekat, the secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), told EU Observer, from Ramallah, that thousands had already left for Europe. What other options have they? We have people dying of starvation in al-Yarmouk refugee camp [in Syria], and thousands of Palestinians leaving Syria and Lebanon trying to reach Europe, he said, according to the PNN. The UN has said that Gaza will be unfit for human habitation by 2020, but Israels siege of Gaza continues. The Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza are home to some 4.5 million Palestinians. Two million more live in refugee camps in Jordan in a legacy of wars in 1948 and 1967. Another 500,000 live in camps in Lebanon and a further 500,000 in Syria. Frontex, the EU border control agency in Warsaw, said that just six Palestinians were intercepted trying to enter the EU via irregular crossings to Greece in January of last year, but that figure rose to 488 in August. It peaked at 1,747 in October, and stayed high (1,142) in January of this year, despite inclement weather. The real number is likely to be much bigger because most Palestinians travel without ID papers, making them difficult to count. Easo, the EU asylum agency in Malta, said that up to 19,000 Palestinians applied for asylum in the EU last year, compared with 15,680 in 2014 and 9,590 in 2013. It said that most of them were Palestinian refugees or persons of Palestinian origin who were previously long term residents of countries now affected by the Syrian conflict. It additionally stated that these people have a 53 percent to 87 percent chance of success, depending on which EU state handles their claim. Israel killing hope The number of Palestinians on the move is likely to go up if the spate of knife and car-ramming attacks on Israelis that has been going on since last year escalates into a full-scale uprising. Erekat blames the instability on the Israeli occupation. [Israeli] prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his extremist government have done everything possible to kill hope in the minds and hearts of Palestinians. What they see on a daily basis are more settlements, land grabbing, checkpoints, siege, military raids, settler attacks and systematic denial of their rights, he said. He said the Arab-Israeli conflict also contributes to instability in Syria, the main source of the EU refugee crisis. You cant defeat Daesh (ISIL) without ending the Israeli occupation, he said, using an Arabic name for Islamic State, a jihadist group which controls parts of Syria and Iraq. Lack of hope could lead people to commit desperate acts like joining Daesh. Though the numbers of Palestinians joining them are minimal, this is not a situation that can be taken for granted. Sanctions call The 60-year old Palestinian diplomat has served as the PLOs chief negotiator in Arab-Israeli peace talks for most of the past 20 years. He welcomed a French project to set a deadline for new peace talks after which France would recognise Palestine in its 1967 borders. Recognising Palestine is not going to end the occupation, but its a strong message to the Palestinian people in terms of support for their rights. European countries will be investing in peace, he said. He also welcomed an EU retail label code on settler food, wine, and cosmetics exports that was published last year. But he advocated tougher action. Effective actions against Israeli settlements are banning of settlement products, divestment and sanctions on companies profiting from the occupation, he said. Apartheid jibe The UN and the EU advocate a two-state solution to the conflict. Erekat said: I sincerely dont see any other solution but a two-state solution for the welfare of both Israelis and Palestinians. But, he added: I personally think that Israel doesnt want a two-state solution. The Israeli government believes in one state with two systems, which means apartheid. He said Israels impunity in the EU and US is part of the problem. Radicals that could not even get close to the Knesset [the Israeli parliament] 20 years ago are now part of the government coalition. But I also believe that this [Israeli policy] has a lot to do with pragmatism: Israel has the feeling that no matter what, theyll never be held accountable, he said. He said the only morally acceptable alternative to two states is one single, democratic state in all of historic Palestine. Stop making excuses If they dont like the idea of two sovereign states living side by side, I call upon them to talk to us and lets set the terms for a one-state solution. But they should not even dream that our people will accept anything short of the right to self-determination, freedom, Erekat said. The one-state model would imperil Israels objective to be a homeland of the Jews in demographic terms. Based on Erekats comments, EUobserver asked the Israeli mission to the EU if any models other than the two-state solution would be acceptable to Israel. The mission asked for its statement to be published in full. Israels declared and unequivocal position is two states for two people, the statement said. In order to achieve this, Mr. Erekat and his colleagues should engage in direct negotiations and stop making excuses as to why they cant come to the table. Prime minster Netanyahu has repeatedly stated his willingness to restart direct talks be it in Jerusalem or Ramallah. All other personal beliefs should be challenged in the negotiation room. Via Related video added by Juan Cole: Euronews: Going nowhere: 13,000 refugees still stuck in Europes biggest waiting room Reddit Email 0 Shares TeleSur | The U.S. citizen of Pakistani descent was dressed in sunglasses and a long South Asian coat. An Asian American was escorted from a Donald Trump rally in Warren, Michigan after repeatedly shouting that, Not all Mexicans are rapists, not all Muslims are terrorists. Saqib Javed, a resident of Warren, dressed for Fridays rally in sunglasses and a long South Asian coat known as a sherwani and interrupted Trump 40 minutes into his speech. Within moments the 22-year-old was grabbed by security guards and led out in an incident that Javed recorded on his camera. "Not all Mexicans are rapists not all Muslims are terrorist"Trump rally Got kicked out Posted by Sayed Saqib Hussain Javed-Radawi on Friday, March 4, 2016 There was a reason I dressed the way I dressed I wanted Trump to realize that America is not just for white people, Javed told the Free Press. America is full of diversity, different races, different religions, its a melting pot. I want him to realize that he can not say bigoted things about minorities in this country. We are just as important as the majority, and thats why I spoke out. As he was being led out by police, Trump mocked Javed. Thats strange, Trump remarked as the crowd roared at Javeds removal, video footage showed. He looks like an Elvis impersonator. Thats strange because the Elvis impersonators loved Donald Trump. They love me. Thats very sad. That makes me very unhappy. Javed, who was born in the U.S. to Pakistani immigrants, is the latest minority protester to be kicked out of a Trump presidential campaign rally. Protesters ejected from Trump rallies have included African-American demonstrators with Black Lives Matter, an Indian-American Sikh man protesting Islamophobia, Arab-American Muslims, and Jewish Americans. Tags Via TeleSur - Related video added by Juan Cole: WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7: Local reaction to poll showing support for Trumps Muslim ban TORONTO, March 8, 2016 /CNW/ - New Gold Inc. ("New Gold") (TSX:NGD) (NYSE MKT:NGD) today announces that the company has entered into gold price option contracts covering 270,000 ounces of New Gold's remaining 2016 production. New Gold purchased put options with a strike price of $1,200 per ounce covering 270,000 ounces of gold and simultaneously sold call options with a strike price of $1,400 per ounce covering an equivalent 270,000 ounces. The contracts will cover 30,000 ounces of gold per month for nine months beginning in April 2016. The net cost of entering into the option contracts was $2 million. In aggregate, the option contracts provide the company a guaranteed floor price of $1,200 per ounce while also providing exposure to further increases in the gold price up to $1,400 per ounce. New Gold entered into the contracts in order to further increase cash flow certainty as the company invests in the continued construction of its Rainy River project, which is expected to begin production in mid-2017. "We continue to have a positive view on the gold market. Given the meaningful increase in the gold price, we are taking a prudent step to establish a floor price for our revenues through the balance of 2016 while maintaining significant exposure to higher prices," stated Brian Penny, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. "Our unique decision to enter into the option contracts is solely a function of 2016 being our most significant year of investment at our Rainy River project. We do not have any plans to enter into any similar contracts beyond this brief nine-month period." New Gold's 2016 gold production guidance is 360,000 to 400,000 ounces at all-in sustaining costs(1) of $825 to $865 per ounce. Based on the mid-point of New Gold's 2016 all-in sustaining costs(1) of $845 per ounce, the gold option contracts should enable the company to generate an all-in sustaining cost margin(2) ranging from approximately $355 per ounce on the low end to $555 per ounce on the high end for the 270,000 ounces covered by the contracts. The combination of the company's expected low costs and increased gold price certainty provides New Gold with further assurance of free cash flow from its four operations for the balance of 2016. New Gold plans to fund the remaining development capital expenditures at its Rainy River project from a combination of current cash, a $75 million cash receivable from Royal Gold related to the previously announced Rainy River streaming transaction and free cash flow. In addition, the company has further financial flexibility through its revolving credit facility. The company expects to spend a total of approximately $500 million at Rainy River in 2016 with the balance of the development capital of approximately $90 million to be spent in the first half of 2017. Overall, the Rainy River project enhances New Gold's growth pipeline through its manageable capital costs, significant production scale at below current industry average costs and exciting longer term exploration potential in a great mining jurisdiction. Rainy River is expected to generate significant gold production growth for New Gold at costs below the company's 2016 guidance for all-in sustaining costs(1). Relative to the company's consolidated 2016 gold production guidance of 360,000 to 400,000 ounces, Rainy River alone is expected to produce an average of 325,000 ounces of gold annually for the first nine years of its life at estimated all-in sustaining costs(1) of approximately $670 per ounce. The company looks forward to advancing the Rainy River project and providing further updates on our progress. ABOUT NEW GOLD INC. New Gold is an intermediate gold mining company. The company has a portfolio of four producing assets and two significant development projects. The New Afton Mine in Canada, the Mesquite Mine in the United States, the Peak Mines in Australia and the Cerro San Pedro Mine in Mexico, provide the company with its current production base. In addition, New Gold owns 100% of the Rainy River and Blackwater projects, both in Canada, as well as a 4% gold stream on the El Morro project located in Chile. New Gold's objective is to be the leading intermediate gold producer, focused on the environment and social responsibility. For further information on the company, please visit www.newgold.com. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain information contained in this news release, including any information relating to New Gold's future financial or operating performance are "forward looking". All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, which address events, results, outcomes or developments that New Gold expects to occur are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "targeted", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "projects", "potential", "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation of such terms. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements with respect to: guidance for production, all-in sustaining costs and margin, as well as expected capital and other expenditures; expected cash flows, funding plans and liquidity; planned activities for 2016 and beyond at the Rainy River project; the expected production, costs, economics and operating parameters of the Rainy River project; targeting timing for development, first production and other activities related to the Rainy River project; and statements with respect to the payment of the remaining $75 million from Royal Gold. All forward-looking statements in this news release are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and are subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond New Gold's ability to control or predict. Certain material assumptions regarding such forward-looking statements are discussed in this news release, New Gold's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A"), its Annual Information Form and its Technical Reports filed at www.sedar.com. In addition to, and subject to, such assumptions discussed in more detail elsewhere, the forward-looking statements in this news release are also subject to the following assumptions: (1) there being no significant disruptions affecting New Gold's operations; (2) political and legal developments in jurisdictions where New Gold operates, or may in the future operate, being consistent with New Gold's current expectations; (3) the accuracy of New Gold's current mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates; (4) the exchange rate between the Canadian dollar, Australian dollar, Mexican peso and U.S. dollar being approximately consistent with current levels; (5) prices for diesel, natural gas, fuel oil, electricity and other key supplies being approximately consistent with current levels; (6) equipment, labour and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with New Gold's current expectations; (7) arrangements with First Nations and other Aboriginal groups in respect of the Rainy River project being consistent with New Gold's current expectations; (8) all required permits, licenses and authorizations being obtained from the relevant governments and other relevant stakeholders within the expected timelines; (9) the results of the feasibility study for the Rainy River project being realized; (10) in the case of all-in sustaining cost outlook at the Rainy River Project, the assumed exchange rate being C$1.25/US$; and (11) conditions to the payment of the remaining $75 million from Royal Gold being satisfied mid-2016. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation: significant capital requirements and the availability and management of capital resources; additional funding requirements; price volatility in the spot and forward markets for metals and other commodities; fluctuations in the international currency markets and in the rates of exchange of the currencies of Canada, the United States, Australia and Mexico; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, between actual and estimated mineral reserves and mineral resources and between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; changes in national and local government legislation in Canada, the United States, Australia and Mexico or any other country in which New Gold currently or may in the future carry on business; taxation; controls, regulations and political or economic developments in the countries in which New Gold does or may carry on business; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of obtaining and maintaining the validity and enforceability of the necessary licenses and permits and complying with the permitting requirements of each jurisdiction in which New Gold operates, including, but not limited to: in Canada, obtaining the necessary permits for the Rainy River project; and in Mexico, where Cerro San Pedro has a history of ongoing legal challenges related to our environmental authorization; the lack of certainty with respect to foreign legal systems, which may not be immune from the influence of political pressure, corruption or other factors that are inconsistent with the rule of law; the uncertainties inherent to current and future legal challenges New Gold is or may become a party to; diminishing quantities or grades of reserves and resources; competition; loss of key employees; rising costs of labour, supplies, fuel and equipment; actual results of current reclamation activities; uncertainties inherent to mining economic studies including the feasibility study for Rainy River; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents; labour disputes; defective title to mineral claims or property or contests over claims to mineral properties; unexpected delays and costs inherent to consulting and accommodating rights of First Nations and other Aboriginal groups; risks, uncertainties and unanticipated delays associated with obtaining and maintaining necessary licenses, permits and authorizations and complying with permitting requirements. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental events and hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance or inability to obtain insurance to cover these risks) as well as "Risk Factors" included in New Gold's disclosure documents filed on and available at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results and future events could materially differ from those anticipated in such statements. All of the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements. New Gold expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. TECHNICAL INFORMATION The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mark A. Petersen, Vice President, Exploration of New Gold. Mr. Petersen is a SME Registered Member, an AIPG Certified Professional Geologist and a "Qualified Person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101. For additional technical information on New Gold's material properties, including a detailed breakdown of Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources by category, as well as key assumptions, parameters and risks, refer to New Gold's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2014. NON-GAAP MEASURES (1) ALL-IN SUSTAINING COSTS "All-in sustaining costs" per ounce is a non-GAAP financial measure. Consistent with guidance announced in 2013 by the World Gold Council, an association of various gold mining companies from around the world of which New Gold is a member, New Gold defines "all-in sustaining costs" per ounce as the sum of total cash costs, capital expenditures that are sustaining in nature, corporate general and administrative costs, capitalized and expensed exploration that is sustaining in nature and environmental reclamation costs, all divided by the ounces of gold sold to arrive at a per ounce figure. New Gold believes this non-GAAP financial measure provides further transparency into costs associated with producing gold and assists analysts, investors and other stakeholders of the company in assessing the company's operating performance, its ability to generate free cash flow from current operations and its overall value. This data is furnished to provide additional information and is a non-GAAP financial measure. All-in sustaining costs presented do not have a standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other mining companies. It should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS and is not necessarily indicative of cash flow from operations under IFRS or operating costs presented under IFRS. Further details regarding historical all-in sustaining costs and a reconciliation to the nearest IFRS measures are provided below and in the MD&A accompanying New Gold's financial statements filed from time to time on www.sedar.com. (2) ALL-IN SUSTAINING COST MARGIN "All-in sustaining cost margin" per ounce is a non-GAAP financial measure with no standard meaning under IFRS, which management uses to evaluate the Company's aggregated and mine-by-mine approximate contribution to cash flow after deducting sustaining capital expenditures. SOURCE New Gold Inc. Victoria, British Columbia (FSCwire) - GoldON Resources Ltd. (GoldON or the Company) (TSX-V: GLD) is pleased to announce it has acquired five unpatented mining claims near Pickle Lake, Ontario, Canada. These claims, which were acquired by staking and are held 100% by GoldON Resources and adjoin the Pickle Crow Gold Project now held by First Mining Finance Corp. since it acquired PC Gold Inc. last November. The Pickle Crow Project is host to a National Instrument (NI) 43-101 compliant inferred resource of 1.3 million ounces of gold (see NI 43-101 technical report dated June 2, 2011 on www.sedar.com under PC Golds profile). The GoldON claims consist of 54 claim units for a total of 864 hectares and are broken out into two single non-contiguous claims as well as one group of three contiguous mining claims (Figure 1). Claim 4282647 is a 32-hectare claim situated in the core of the Pickle Crow Project covering the past producing Springer Shaft. The Springer Shaft sits approximately 1 kilometer along strike of the core area mine trend of the Pickle Crow Project. According to historical data made available by the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM), the Springer Shaft (Central Patricia No. 2 Shaft) was used to access the No. 6 (McCallum) Vein by Central Patricia Gold Mines during the late 1930s. Total gold production was reported to be 13,158 ounces from 18,886 tons of milled ore for a grade of 0.70 ounces of gold per ton. The No. 6 Vein pinches and swells significantly with an average width of 30 centimeters. The vein is described as consisting of white quartz containing minor tourmaline, chlorite and carbonate. Sulfide mineralization occurs as pyrite, pyrrhotite and arsenopyrite; and visible gold occurs in fractures in the quartz, along ribbons of chlorite and tourmaline, and in fractures in pyrite and arsenopyrite. Historical MNDM records also indicate that in the 1980s Noramco Exploration identified significant gold mineralization in quartz veins and sulfidized iron formation in close proximity to the Springer Shaft Area (Figure 2). In 1993, a non-NI 43-101 compliant historical mineral estimate outlined 1,000 tons grading 0.70 ounces per ton in the No. 6 Vein that is amenable to open pit extraction, as well as 4,000 tons grading an average of 0.18 ounces per ton in the iron formation adjacent to the No. 6 Vein. The No. 6 Vein and adjacent wallrock in the vicinity of the Springer Shaft contains an estimated total of 1,420 ounces of gold identified through limited historical diamond drilling and is a target to host considerably more gold mineralization utilizing modern exploration techniques and understanding of the Pickle Crow core area mine trend. "Although we sold our original Pickle Crow claim package to PC Gold back in June 2014, the opportunity to acquire these new claims, and particularly the past-producing Springer Shaft, was too good to pass on," said Mike Romanik, President of GoldON. "Its a bet on future development in the area as we feel these claims offer excellent exploration upside." Steven Siemieniuk, P.Geo. and independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release on behalf of the Company. About GoldON Resources Ltd. GoldON Resources Ltd. is an exploration company geographically focused on two of the prolific gold mining belts of Ontario, Canada. All of its properties are in good standing and include the Slate Falls gold-silver property in northwestern Ontario and the Swayze gold property adjoining the multi-million ounce Cote Gold Project owned by Trelawney Mining and Exploration, a subsidiary of IAMGOLD Corporation. For more information, visit www.goldonresources.com or view the current GoldON presentation. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Signed Michael Romanik Michael Romanik, President Direct line: (204) 724-0613 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ### Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. March 9, 2016 / TheNewswire / New Carolin Gold Corp. (the "Company" or "New Carolin") (TSXV: LAD): Further to its news release of February 03, 2016, the Company is pleased to announce that it has completed its non-brokered private placement of 22,335,000 units in the capital of the Company at a price of $0.05 per unit for gross proceeds of $1,116,750. The placement consists of 6,400,000 flow through units (the "FT Units") and 16,135,000 non-flow through units (the "NFT Units") for gross proceeds of $320,000 and $806,750 respectively, which will be issued to qualified subscribers. Each FT Unit consists of one flow-through common share ("FT Share") and one two-year common share purchase warrant ("Warrant") entitling the holder to purchase one additional NFT common share at a price of $0.07 per share in the first year and $0.08 per share in the second year following the closing of the placement. Each FT Share will be designated as a flow-through share pursuant to the Income Tax Act (Canada). The proceeds from the sale of FT Shares will be used to fund qualified CEE work on the Company's exploration program at its Ladner Gold Project in southwestern British Columbia in 2016. Proceeds from the sale of NFT Units will be used for general working capital and corporate purposes. Robert Lunde, a director of the Company, participated in the Unit offering, purchasing 400,000 Units for proceeds of $20,000. The securities issued under this private placement are subject to a four-month plus one day hold period from their date of issuance. The Company paid aggregate finder's fees of $57,500 and 1,150,000 share purchase warrants to EMD Financial Inc. and Scarsdale Equities LLC in connection with the private placement. Each finder's warrant is exercisable for a period of two years following the closing of the placement to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $0.07 per share in the first year and $0.08 per share in the second year. About New Carolin Gold Corp. New Carolin Gold is a Canadian-based junior company focused on the exploration, evaluation and development of our strategic 144 square kilometers of contiguous mineral claims, collectively known as the Ladner Gold Project. The project is located near Hope, BC, in the prospective and under-explored Coquihalla Gold Belt, which is host to several historic small gold producers including the Carolin Mine, Emancipation Mine, Pipestem Mine and numerous gold prospects. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.newcarolingold.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Robert L. Thast" President & Chief Executive Officer Phone: 604.542.9458 Cell: 604.220.5031 E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Web site: www.newcarolingold.com This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of this press release. Caution concerning forward-looking information This news release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on the Company's expectations, estimates and projections regarding its business and the economic environment in which it operates. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements and readers should not place undue reliance on such statements. Statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update them publicly to reflect new information or the occurrence of future events or circumstances, unless otherwise required to do so by law. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES Copyright (c) 2016 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. Featured Post Dine' Land and Water: Sounds of Resilience, Cortez on Saturday By Shemayme AnTro Cortez, Colorado THIS SATURDAY (10/22) DINE' LAND and WATER Presents: Sounds of Resilience in so-called CORTEZ, CO @ G... Mohawk Warrior Society Book Launch Justice for Dad: Taylor Dewey Shares the Harsh Road to Justice Justice Dept Files Lawsuit Against Rapid City Hotel Western Shoshone Ian Zabarte Speaks on Radiation Archive Search This Blog About Censored News Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell. Since 2006, Censored News has received more than 20 million pageviews. As a collective of writers, photographers and broadcasters, we publish news of Indigenous Peoples and human rights. Contact publisher Brenda Norrell: brendanorrell@gmail.com From the publisher Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell, a journalist in Indian country for 40 years. Norrell created Censored News after she was censored and terminated as a staff reporter at Indian Country Today in 2006. She began as a reporter at Navajo Times during the 18 years that she lived on the Navajo Nation. She was a stringer for AP and USA Today and later traveled with the Zapatistas through Mexico. 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Contact brendanorrell@gmail.com Translate News / Africa by Staff Reporter An alcoholic housewife has earned herself a divorce because her husband cannot accept that she be allowed to attend to the bar instead of house chores.This is a matter brought before court by 65-year-old man who has sued his wife in a Local Court in Lusaka to terminate the marriage.Daily Nation reported that Fastone Mulenga of Chazanga compound sued his wife, Susan Mwape, 35, for divorce, hardly a year after getting married in 2015.Mulenga told Senior Court Magistrate Lewis Mumba sitting with Magistrate Pauline Newa at Matero Local Court that he has never enjoyed his marriage because Mwape was not thinking of being a wife but could spend nights in bars.He explained that Mwape never cooked nor did laundry for him because she was always drunk.Mulenga added that Mwape sometime even stole his money to buy beer which she shared with friends.He regretted that Mwape pretended to be a good wife for a while when he married her but later changed."There is no need of having a wife who cannot buy food at home but just buys beer. I can't talk to Mwape s family because they are all drunkards, they can just insult me," Mulenga said.In defence, Mwape said beer drinking was not a strange thing as even when Mwanza married her she was drinking.She accused Mwanza of having other reasons for demanding a divorce. Mwape explained that she started drinking beer when she was a toddler and that she couldn't stop now.She said there was nothing she could do about her consuming of beer since Mulenga didn't like it but demanded compensation for the time she spent with him.Passing judgment, Magistrate Mumba granted the couple divorce without compensation News / Africa by Nigel Clarke, Operations Director of Jaguar Land Rover Sub-Saharan Africa "We want to help build stronger communities around the world, delivering positive impacts for society by tackling issues pertinent to both our industry and the communities in which we operate" explains Mike Wright, Executive Director, Jaguar Land Rover. "Water is one such issue. With rising demand and the impacts of climate change putting increasing pressure on water resources, reducing water consumption across our own operations is critical to future-proof our business, as is supporting access to safe water in the communities in which we operate". The Teacher The Children Jaguar Land Rover is growing and we take our role as a responsible corporate citizen seriously. For over 60 years we have invested in communities around the world supporting social, educational and environmental projects.By working with experts we can ensure we deliver support which is appropriate, effective and leaves a lasting legacy. For example, since 1953 we have worked with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, loaning and donating 120 vehicles and providing direct help to more than 800,000 people. Since 2009, we've worked with climate and sustainable development company ClimateCare, to deliver an integrated Climate+Care programme that cuts carbon and improves lives around the world.In 2013 Jaguar Land Rover launched its Global CSR Programme that will create new opportunities for 12 million people around the world by 2020. This integrated approach, pulling together our UK and global activities, supports our global growth plans, and helps focus our staff and national sales companies around the world on a common goal.The economies of African countries have grown rapidly and it is becoming an increasingly important region for Jaguar Land Rover. Of our 45 global projects, 11 are in Africa, where we use our resources to help address social issues and support further economic development. Since 2013, our support for life-changing projects has delivered new opportunities for 2.9 million people in Africa, and by April 2016, this will rise to four million.The organisation has a strong business case for investment in Africa. We select activities which reflect our core values and which really matter to staff and stakeholders, inspiring and motivating them. And, by addressing key social issues it helps people achieve their potential, supports economic growth something that will ultimately both improve the availability of future talent for job opportunities and create new demand for its vehicles.One example of this type of win-win activity is a new project we launched with ClimateCare and Vestergaard in Bungoma, Western Kenya, which uses smart technology to provide safe water to more than 300,000 school children.The LifeStraw Water for Schools project, provides award winning LifeStraw water purifying technology to 375 schools and incorporates a programme to educate a whole generation of children about the importance of safe water and hygiene. The programme will reduce children's risk of contracting waterborne diseases like typhoid and cholera, improving opportunities for them to study and achieve their dreams will leaving a lasting legacy for the individuals involved and helping build stronger, healthier communities. Seven Jaguar Land Rover employees from across the business were directly involved in launching the project. They tested the off road capabilities of the Land Rover Defender and Discovery vehicles they help build, in order to take filters to 19 schools in hard to reach rural communities.Involving employees in the hands on delivery of this safe water project has helped Jaguar Land Rover engage its workforce, increase understanding of the importance of and impact of its Global CSR Programme, and has created ambassadors within the business, driving change and encouraging colleagues to adopt a sustainability mind set. I joined our employees at the launch and really enjoyed talking to the pupils at the schools and seeing our volunteers in action, distributing the safe water technology and training teachers and children in its use. This brought home the real impact this programme will have, creating opportunities for 300,000 school-children across Bungoma."Programmes like this that deliver real business and community value are the future for unlocking private sector finance for sustainable development work" explains Tom Morton, Director of ClimateCare Nairobi.ClimateCare, Vestergaard and Jaguar Land Rover hope that sharing their experiences will encourage other businesses to invest in Africa and deliver shared value for their organisations, their employees and the communities in which they operate.[Pull Out]The Employee: Pirosha Iyer, Supply Planning, South Africa & Sub-Sahara Africa, Jaguar Land RoverPirosha Iyer, was one of the lucky Jaguar Land Rover employees who joined the experience."I interacted with so many children, and to hear their stories was amazing. There are so many of them who have suffered from cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea and many other illnesses from drinking unsafe water. To see their faces light up when they heard that they were to receive a solution to the unsafe water problem is an experience I cannot properly express, and is something I will never forget."Pirosha's responsibilities on the trip included visiting schools and teaching pupils about basic hygiene and how to use the LifeStraw product in order to obtain safe water."To have had the opportunity to teach those children why it is so important to wash fruit and vegetables before eating them, and why you must wash your hands after visiting the bathroom was just amazing. You don't make a difference to just one person, you make a difference to the help to improve things for an entire community."The project launch team are now back at their day jobs, but it's no longer business as usual. They are now a team of pro-active Environmental Innovation advocates that are already driving change across the business, identifying ways to improve water consumption, do business differently and create positive impacts around the world.MADAM SAMIRAH KARIM, CHEPTAIS ELITE ACADEMYSamirah Karim is a teacher of Maths, Science and English at the Cheptais Elite Academy in Bungoma."I became a teacher because I love children and helping them learn and develop. I'm actually from this area but my family moved away when we were young, it's so nice to be able to come back and work in my homeland." Says Samirah.The school water is usually collected from a borehole, but this is broken at the moment, so they use the local stream. The water is not safe to drink, particularly when it rains a lot and is contaminated from the latrines and the children suffer with stomach upsets and typhoid."We had a bad outbreak earlier this year which affected around 50 children. As sanitation teacher, I tell the children about cleanliness, the importance of washing hands and personal hygiene.""The LifeStraw filters will change our students' lives. They won't miss school due to illness which gives them the best chance to do well in exams and continue their studies at college.""The safe water will keep them healthy and they will go home and educate their families about the importance of safe water and how it will reduce sickness."CALBE WAFULA, JANS EDWARD ACADEMYPhoto credit: Kate HoltCalbe is a pupil at the Jans Edward Academy in Bungoma. As a boarder he lives and studies at school and relies on the staff to provide him with water that is safe to drink. Until recently that simply wasn't possible with the only water being available from the borehole that supplies the school. As a result, Calbe has been hospitalised with Typhoid, where he learnt the importance of filtering and drinking safe water.This project to bring safe water to schools in Bungoma has inspired him not only to make sure his own drinking water is safe, but to spread the word and this technology to others around the world."When I finish school, I want to help people in our society. I want to be a pilot because I will take these LifeStraw [filters] from one country to another to help those people affected by disease". News / Education by Thobekile Zhou Following two successful tours through Southern Africa, Science Circus Africa will soon arrive in Zimbabwe as part of a broader tour of the region including Namibia and South Africa. The tour will be launched on 11 March at the Australian Embassy and move on to shows in Harare and Manicaland.The Science Circus is the brainchild of Dr Graham Walker, with funding from the Australian Embassy in Zimbabwe and the High Commission in South Africa. In each country, Dr Walker and local partners perform exciting science shows, conduct teacher trainings and show teachers how ordinary items can be used to make science more accessible for students and promote STEM education.The project developed through collaboration between Dr Walker, the Australian National Univeristy, Questacon - Australia's National Science and Technology Centre, and passionate partners in each African country who are crucial to fostering long-term outcomes. In Zimbabwe the partner is the Zimbabwe Science Fair, headed by the young and inspiring Knowledge Chikundi. He and his team will be trained by Dr Walker and will be given the materials and equipment to carry on the science shows and teacher trainings after Dr Walker's departure.The Australian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Suzanne McCourt, said "The Australian Embassy is proud to support the Science Circus tour through Zimbabwe. The engaging activities of the Science Circus will empower teachers to deliver innovative science education and help students on a path to lifelong science learning'."For youth in southern Africa, especially the less fortunate, science and science education can be a real opportunity to break out of poverty and find a satisfying and exciting career," Dr Walker said."I hope the shows, exhibits and workshops provide inspiration towards that goal, but also give kids a genuinely fun learning experience. We're also doing a lot to help teachers carry on this inspiration after we leave.""Zimbabwe has no science centre and only limited school outreach programs. The equipment, resources and most of all skilled African staff we're training are a step towards addressing this gap. It's been amazing to work with the local teams - we've learned a lot working together and their passion is contagious! We hope we'll also get the attention of governments and businesses and see how we can work together to take the next steps for African science education." Dr Walker said.During the launch on 11 March there will be an opportunity for the media to speak to all actors involved in this exciting project. News / National by Stephen Jakes A British- Zimbabwe citizen Ben Freeth has claimed that the situation in Zimbabwe is dreadful and his stolen farm was yielding no production as the irrigation system was vandalized and his former workers were unemployed.S[peaking during the ROHR Zimbabwe (Restoration of Human Rights) event in London Freeth said the situation at home was dreadful and remarked that he recently went back to see his stolen farm and found there were no crops, the irrigation system had been destroyed and his former workers were unemployed and impoverished.He warned that Zanu PF would be looking to control people by exploiting British and American food aid for party-political purposes. The British tax payer will be paying to keep Mugabe in power'.Ben said he was skeptical about the sudden conversion to enlightened democrat of die-hard Zanu PF thieving functionary Joice Mujuru. He recalled how she and her murdered husband General Solomon Mujuru had deceived and stolen their farm from its previous owner who had been forced to flee the country with only one suitcase.He was critical of the European diplomats living in what he called the Harare bubble' and said how difficult it was to get any of them to go out and see things for themselves. He said he will join the prayers in Africa Unity Square on the anniversary of the murder of the Vigil's friend Itai Dzamara who was abducted by military intelligence in Harare on 9th March last year. Did a crime happen, or didnt it? Finding out is the job of eight investigators at the Kearney Police Department. Much of Mondays Citizens Police Academy class was taught by KPD investigations sergeant Kyle Harshbarger, who has been a cop for 20 years, four of those years in investigations. He, along with investigators Doug McCarty and Boyd Weller gave the class an overview of fingerprinting, shoe and tire print casting techniques, and the use of high intensity alternative light at crime scenes. No crime scene is the same, and investigators are tasked with looking at a bigger picture when they get to a scene. The investigators gave academy participants a run down of how they handle a crime scene, what they look for and the intense, detailed work that goes into processing a scene. Much of what Harshbarger and his team does is applying science to criminal and civil laws. "The different between patrolling the streets and investigations... my mind doesnt shut off," Harshbarger said. "You go home and you just think about it." Going into a crime scene, investigators must be cautious not to transfer, or carry any evidence on their shoes or bodies in, or out, of a scene. Such as blood on their shoes. Sometimes first responders, like firefighters and paramedics, inadvertently leave evidence as they render immediate aid. After leaving the scene, investigators are tasked with trying to figure out which shoe prints were involved in the crime, and which prints belong to first responders. Using "elimination evidence," police often times have to photograph the soles of firefighter and paramedics shoes to eliminate them as suspects. An unusual aspect in Kearney is that street officers conduct their own investigations. Often times in bigger cities, street officers hand over even the smallest of crimes such as bike theft, to investigators. Not in Kearney. Half to three-fourths of Kearneys cases are investigated by the street officers from start to finish, said Sgt. Jason Koetters, Citizens Academy instructor. When a major crime happens in and around Kearney its the job of street officers, or those first responding, to secure the scene, locate witnesses, and potential suspects. Despite the popularity of TV crime scene investigation shows, much of what is portrayed isnt reality, KPD investigators say, but instead called the CSI effect. An exaggerated portrayal of forensic science that influences public perception about how law enforcement solves crime. Harshbarger, who has also taught a forensics class at the University of Nebraska at Kearney for 10 years, and other investigators scoff at the notion that crimes can happen, be investigated, an arrest be made and the suspect be convicted in 45 minutes. Although there are some true techniques, there are more bogus ones. McCarty showed class participants the super glue method to develop fingerprints in KPDs crime lab. The lab was added to the law enforcement center in 2004, and allows McCarty to do the initial leg work of fingerprint analysis locally, without sending it to the Nebraska State Patrol crime lab in Lincoln. What used to take six months to get results from the state lab, now takes one day at KPD. McCarty and other investigators can also do the initial collection and processing for DNA evidence, but the actual analysis is completed by the forensic scientists at the state lab. An example of that is KPD investigators can determine if a sample is blood or not, but they cant decipher the type of blood. Whether its from a human or an animal. DNA tests conducted at the state lab are free to all local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies in Nebraska. Class members dusted items for prints, retrieved those prints, and look at them under a microscope. We also used the same casting materials police use to try and obtain foot prints from a scene. One of the most interesting, and disturbing, things we did in class this week was see how police use a high intensity light beam to collect evidence blood, urine, hair, semen not easily seen by the naked eye. Who said police work wasnt a dirty job? Next week we learn about accident investigation. WASHINGTON The daughter of former Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., died over the weekend from an accidental fall. Sarah Nelson fell at her home in Palm Springs, California, hitting her head. She was 46. I lost my daughter, my fishing partner, my traveling partner and a whole lot more, Nelson told The World-Herald. Ill never get over this, but Im going to get through it because I know thats what she would want. Ben Nelson was Nebraskas governor for eight years before representing the state in the U.S. Senate for two terms. Sarah Nelson grew up in Omaha and graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Nelson said he would look to his faith, family and friends to help him through. He also said he would hold onto memories of his daughter, including their visit to Machu Picchu in Peru together three years ago and their fishing trips to Alaska. She was just a delight to be with, he said. Services are expected to be held in Omaha, but arrangements were still being made. Nebraskas two sitting U.S. senators, both Republicans, issued statements of condolence. Melissa and I are devastated by this tragedy and offer our thoughts and prayers for the entire Nelson family, Sen. Ben Sasse said. As the parents to three kids, our hearts go out to those who were close to Sarah. Nebraskans will hold the Nelson family close during this time of heartbreak. Sen. Deb Fischer said she was heartbroken. The loss of a child is simply beyond comprehension, she said. Bruce and I offer our prayers and sincerest condolences to Ben, Diane, and the entire Nelson family during this difficult time. Nebraskas GOP Gov. Pete Ricketts also issued a statement: Susanne and I send our deepest condolences to Senator Nelsons family. We can only begin to understand how difficult this loss is. We ask Nebraskans to join us in keeping their family in your thoughts and prayers. OMAHA -- The Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium and its partner zoos sent an airplane to Swaziland, sedated 18 elephants and loaded them up Tuesday, forcing a judge to make an emergency decision to allow the transport. All signs point to elephants arriving in the United States late Wednesday or Thursday, depending on the travel itinerary. After temporarily freezing the import while he deliberated, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates decided to allow the import for fear that sedating the elephants an additional time would cause more harm. The defendant-intervenor zoos have represented that the elephants have already been sedated and placed in transit to the airport in Swaziland, Bates said in his decision. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued permits in February, prompting Friends of Animals, an animal-rights group, to sue in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. The zoos entered the lawsuit as defendants. The action by the zoos a week and a half before a scheduled hearing in the lawsuit came as a surprise. They had every opportunity to tell us and the court that they were intending to do this, said Michael Harris, the lawyer for Friends of Animals. Obviously there is nothing technically legally binding them not to do this, but I think its sort of beyond the spirit of something one would expect of an adversary. The three zoos Omahas Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, Dallas Zoo and Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas released a joint statement shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday. It is in (the elephants) best interest to relocate them as soon as possible, the statement says. Swaziland is in a state of national disaster due to severe, historic drought that has killed tens of thousands of animals. Food throughout the region is scarce. Harris asked Bates, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, for an immediate freeze on the import Tuesday morning. Harris said he learned about the zoos action from an anonymous Swazi official, who sent a photograph of a plane on the runway about 7:30 a.m. Swaziland time on Tuesday. Harris then traced the planes tail number back to Kansas City and eventually to the zoos. Bates, who is in Namibia for business, then ordered the zoos to wait to move the elephants until he could make an emergency decision, Harris said. Bates held a teleconference Tuesday afternoon, about midnight in Africa, with attorneys for both sides. He then took about an hour to deliberate. Ultimately, Bates chose to deny Friends of Animals request shortly before 5 p.m. Omaha time. Bates ordered the zoos to file statements of support from one or more veterinarians saying a second round of sedation would be too dangerous. In his decision, Bates said the court was not able to definitively resolve the issue because of the short timeline and limited information from the teleconference. But it appears there is at least some risk to the elephants if the import had been blocked. Harris said he believed that the elephants would depart around 7:30 p.m. Omaha time on Tuesday evening, or 3:30 a.m. in Swaziland. Harris, who received the news of the judges decision while on the phone with The World-Herald, said hes unsure where the lawsuit now stands. Were not going to be able to keep the animals from coming to these zoos, thats for sure, he said. The Omaha zoos CEO and executive director, Dennis Pate, has said that once the elephants arrive, they would take a few weeks to acclimate before going on display. The African Grasslands, which includes the elephant exhibit, is scheduled to open in time for Memorial Day weekend. World-Herald staff writer David Hendee contributed to this report. FILE - In this Nov. 12, 1996 file photo, Sir George Martin poses for the media with his knighthood at Buckingham Palace, London. George Martin, the Beatles' urbane producer who quietly guided the band's swift, historic transformation from rowdy club act to musical and cultural revolutionaries, has died, his management said Wednesday March 9, 2016. He was 90. (Neil Munns/PA via AP) News / National by Stephen Jakes Former ZBC radio presenter Eric Ramsley Knight has challenged Zimbabweans to stop violence against each other on partisan lines."I'm gutted by political violence that re-surfaced in my Mbare at the weekend. Honestly this is becoming too much. I saw the pictures and I must say its disgusting and sad," he said. "For goodness sake when will we learn my dear Zimbabweans..opposition is not enmity. I don't care which political party you belong to, you are foolish and brainless if you are used by any Politician to attack another human being."He said in 2013 I deliberately convened a rally right in the middle of the so called Chipangano stronghold at the grounds adjacent to Rufaro Stadium."I challenged any violent element to come and attack. Not even a stone was thrown. I personally went to Mbare Police to thank them for ensuring there was peace in the area. What has happened again? Who has bewitched my people. Please stop it," he said. "As a nation we have bigger fish to fry. Any political leader who is directly or indirectly pro-violence must be named and shamed. I will dig deeper into this. Someone has to answer if we still have a Government. God bless Zimbabwe! God bless Africa!" News / National by Stephen Jakes A controversial Zanu PF youth member Energy Mutodi believed to be so loyal to President Robert Mugabe has made sensational claims that the G40 faction in the party, which is believed to be aligned to first lady Grace Mugabe has already lined up party members which it intend s to kill this year.In an article posted on his Facebook timeline, Mutodi said a faction in Zanu PF known as the Generation 40 that is reportedly linked to First Lady Grace Mugabe has reportedly lined up a list of individuals it wants killed or at least expelled from the party."You will remember that President Mugabe gave the faction an open cheque to fire anyone opposed to it during his Masvingo birthday celebrations when he told the gathering that Saviour Kasukuwere had the right to fire anyone and the affected people only had one option, to engage him respectfully and not to demonstrate against him," wrote Mutodi."In the recent Politiburo meeting, seven youths were expelled from the party and all of them critics of the G40 faction. War Veterans Deputy Secretary Christopher Mutsvangwa was also suspended for three years together with his wife and a Women's League official Espinah Nhari who once chanted a slogan against the G40 faction in the presence of the First Lady in Masving."Mutodi said this effectively means that the G40 has now taken control of Zanu PF and anyone who dares to criticize it faces the boot no matter how constructive the criticism can be."These developments have now exposed ZANU PF as a suppressive regime and a dictatorship that is there only to serve a few and does not accept new ideas and neither does it tolerate dissent," he said."It will therefore go into the books of history that Zimbabweans were not liberated in 1980 but rather were transferred from a white minority oppressive regime led by Smith to a dictatorship, authoritarian and corrupt black leadership that has not only destroyed the economy but has also dampened the people's hopes for freedom of expression, economic revival, infrastructure development and poverty eradication."The fire brand politician said self-declared political thugs who unleash violence on their political foes are praised by the president and his wife.He said it's very unfortunate that this is the legacy that the president will leave behind him whenever he leaves office."Compared to the Smith regime that managed to maintain a solid economy, the Zanu PF regime has reduced the majority from workers to beggars and has sinned against its own black people by failing to listen to them, passing laws that impede foreign direct investment and others that militate against freedom of assembly, freedom of the press and freedom of expression," he said."Unemployment is above 80% and there is underemployment, underutilization of skills, increased rural and urban poverty and all these factors have forced millions of Zimbabwean youths to migrate to South Africa searching for employment opportunities and better standards of living. Due to the economic hardships, Zimbabweans are no longer proud of their country and have lost faith in the Zanu PF leadership."He said there is no hope that the economy will be revived under the leadership of President Mugabe."And as if this is not enough, the Zanu PF regime has used nepotism and discrimination in appointing heads of parastatals and tribalism and regionalism have ravaged the party with individuals originating from the southern parts of the country being the most affected," Mutodi said."Ministers lead celebrity lives through looting from parastatals as well as from fiscal allocations and can neither be fired nor prosecuted for that. Some live in expensive five star hotels as if they were strangers in their own country while the majority lead sorrowful lives with no food, no clothes, no clean water and other basic needs."Mutodi said it is a recent development that food hand outs are distributed during political rallies as ruling party politicians try to lure poverty-stricken masses to attend their rallies."The following is a list of individuals who are supposed to be killed in stage managed accidents, or expelled from the party or arrested on non-existent charges: Tawanda Musengi, Sibongile Sibanda, Justice Mayor Wadyajena, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Evelyn Mpofu, Adolescent Dambuza, Victor Matemadanda, Honorable Mapiki , Kizito Chivamba, Joel Biggie Matiza, Energy Mutodi and Owen Ncube," Mutodi said."The above-named individuals need to take necessary measures to protect themselves from the G40 killing machinery that is baying for their blood. The G40 makes use of intelligence operatives to unleash torture and execute killings against their suspected opponents."Mutodi said efforts are being made to alert African embassies starting with the South African Embassy on the risk that these defenseless citizens and many more others are facing so as to find ways of protecting their lives."In countries where genocide has occurred, tribal killings take precedence to civil wars and the United Nations Security Council has often been involved at last through NATO operations that serve to protect vulnerable civilians," he said.Mutodi is a Doctoral student at the University of Cape Town. He also studies Law at the University of Zimbabwe. News / National by Staff reporter President Robert Mugabe will attend a cultural festival in India that has been snubbed by the host country's president and several international leaders, including the Zanu-PF leader's African peers.Mugabe left Harare on Monday to attend the three-day World Culture Festival to be held in New Delhi starting on Friday.Curiously, Zimbabwe's Rural Development, Preservation and Promotion of Culture and Heritage minister, Abednigo Ncube, was left out of Mugabe's entourage, which included Foreign Affairs minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and several other top government officials. 251 Shares Share I grew up in a house of spirituality, homeopathy, palmistry, astrology, art, and science alike. My father, with a masters degree in statistics, is a computer systems architect. He also fancies himself an amateur palm reader. The irritation with which I reluctantly used to give my hands over to my father, before the SATs, college decisions, medical school admissions, and my residency match results was real, but I was always curious. In a crystal shop on Harvards campus, I came across a tattered copy of the book my father had been tracking down named, The Book of Fate & Fortune: Cheiros Palmistry. I could never tell if my father believed in the palms ability to prognosticate, or if he enjoyed entertaining guests at parties, but Hindu mythology, including the epic Mahabharat, references examining the hands to foretell important aspects of a persons life. From an evolutionary perspective, it is speculated that lines on the palm persist to allow us complex micromotion without stretching the skin. Imagine when our hands are tight, swollen with fluid, the lines begin to disappear, and our dexterity decreases. This hardly explains the medical origin of variation in hand-shape, fingerprints, and handprints. We know there is genetic basis for the shape of a persons hand, and even some of the lines found on the palm. A single palmar crease combines the head-line and the heart-line into one, which doctors and geneticists have long associated with Down Syndrome, is caused by a chromosomal abnormality. Marks may be acquired by vocation or craft. The book makes simple associations callused and rough hands mean a patient does physical labor. Most interestingly, a persons health is reflected in their hands. Hold your hands out, I tell my patients, searching for clubbing or rounding of the digits to discern their lung function. I squeeze their fingertips to measure how long it takes for the blood to flow back into them to see how well does the heart works. I look for stains, rashes, track marks, signs of insects or scabies. I look for muscle tone and bulk, the range of motion, and any deformities suggestive of joint disease. I look for upper motor neuron function and lower motor neuron function, and other clues of neurological disease. I look for these things in the hands of my patients. I look for their past history, and I look to these signs to tell me the future of their health. The book of Cheiro begins with a Defense of Palmistry, in which he states, I am well aware that palmistry is considered quackery and humbug; but after all, facts are stubborn things, even if they do not rest on any known scientific basis Almost all medical men admit now that the different formations of nails indicate different diseases, and that it is possible from the nails alone to predict that the subject will suffer from paralysis, consumption, heart disease, and so on. Many a well-known doctor has told me he has read more from the hand than he dared acknowledge, and that it was but the old-time prejudices which kept many a man from admitting the same thing. Long nails bluish in appearance, denote bad circulation proceeding from ill-health, or nervous prostration. This is very often the case with the hands of women between the ages of fourteen and twenty-one and forty-two and forty-seven. Cheiro was describing Raynauds phenomenon, which is a spasm of the blood vessels in the hands, often manifesting in young women and results from either cold or emotional stress. This quack used observation to correlate physical findings with the status of peoples health. He then applied this methodology to famous peoples hands who were already deceased, and for whom outcomes were already known. I was reminded of a common practice in oncology, where nomograms, or predictive or prognostic tools, are developed based on observations of one group, and then applied to a different group of patients to validate how well the predictive tool works. Cheiro resembled a scientific investigator. Or I resembled a palm reader. Before Ms. Washington (name changed) ever shows up in the clinic for recommendations regarding her breast cancer, I spend hours poring over her medical chart, looking for clues about her age, her co-morbidities, any hints that will tell me how likely it is for her to die of other diseases, over her breast cancer. I think about the biology of her tumor (at least, what we think we know about the biology), to understand how it might respond to various therapies. I look at evidence and literature, and memorize the risk of recurrence, the risk of death. I put all of the numbers together, guess at her future, and then, she chooses her own treatment. She writes her own destiny. Our genetics portend future and potential. Maybe some events come to pass, and others do not, influenced by changeable factors we do not yet understand. On a cellular level, the blueprints of our future are somehow coded into our body, in a flexible, but not fatalistic sense we are totipotent, multipotent, and differentiated. As a radiation oncology resident, I am asked What are my chances of cure? Of survival? Of this cancer coming back. We have many more data points than Cheiro did to help guide patients as to what their outcomes may be, but we hide a little bit of our own palmistry in words like positive predictive value, likelihood, and prognosis. I am often struck by how much we cannot say with any certainty. We are all fortune tellers. Divya Yerramilli is a radiation oncology resident. Image credit: Shutterstock.com News / National by Staff reporter Former Vice President Joice Mujuru and her Zimbabwe People First team, who officially announced their entry into opposition politics last week, are building up a head of steam as they prepare for the country's eagerly anticipated 2018 national elections.Yesterday, the widow of the late liberation struggle icon, General Solomon Mujuru, was interviewed on popular South African talk radio station, SAfm, where she was grilled for an hour about her vision for Zimbabwe and her time in Zanu-PF and government, as she takes her message of a new dawn for the country to Diasporans and other audiences beyond Zimbabwe's borders.Mujuru, yesterday declared that her party was open to Western funding, confirming allegations before her sacking that she had sacrificed her soul on the altar of regime change agents.Speaking in an interview with South African Broadcasting Corporation's SAfm radio station, Mujuru also revealed that they were willing to "make friends" with anyone in the world.In the interview which started on the false premise that Mujuru left Zanu-PF when in actual fact she and members of her cabal were expelled from the revolutionary party over allegations of plotting to topple President Robert Mugabe, Mujuru said they had approached and been approached by some people around the world to back them.Asked who was funding her party Mujuru said: "We're a wholly Zimbabwean party. We're going to look after ourselves, we've Zimbabweans within the country and we've Zimbabweans who are working outside the country so we'll look after ourselves."Pressed if they were getting any funding from Western agencies, Mujuru said: "Not as yet, if we're going to get anybody who will come with a gesture then why not, we'll accept."Mujuru said her party was going to make friends with all those that are ready to make friends with them.Asked who in particular, the former VP said: "World over. A lot of people have approached us and we've approached a lot of people."In a bid to justify her machinations ahead of the 6th Zanu-PF national People's Congress in 2014, Mujuru said:"When someone tells you that there is one centre of power which is not what we fought for, we fought for majority, we knew it was you and I, we are very important in what we do in the formation and development of the country and it had been long forgotten." It was all me, me,me me, my party and my people and once you hear someone talking about my party and my people, you begin to wonder whether it's a private thing or whether he is talking in terms of being the leader of the country or you would then have to conclude when you see that a lot of those he fought with or a lot of those he was with in the liberation movement are now beginning to be victimised, then you will begin to know that all that you fought for is now going down the drain. (Sic)"Mujuru, in the interview punctuated by stutters and incoherent statements, went on to allege that the President initially silently and subtly "clung" to power until 2013 to 2014 when everything came to the fore."I can't say which year exactly but it can't be just in 2014 but it was being done silently, it was being done in a subtle manner and so on but all of a sudden in 2013-2014, it reared its ugly head," she said."Some of these things, you know, when they are said and as a party you begin to dispel them by showing people that no, no, no, the policy of the party is that we go for elections, the policy of the party is that we use the majority decisions and so on and you begin to believe what the party has always been telling people, teaching the people or have been campaigning about. Only in 2014 when they started talking about one centre of power, that's when it was real to some of us. (Sic)"Ironically, Mujuru was part of respective party conferences and congresses that since independence endorsed President Mugabe as the First Secretary and sole candidate representing Zanu PF in the Presidential elections.She also claimed to have initiated projects around the country, one of them being the Bulawayo Kraal in Binga which was recently rescued from near collapse by First Lady Grace Mugabe.Under Mujuru's watch, the project almost folded with critical equipment to start the irrigation project being stolen and vandalised. A champion of good causes hopes to turn a novel idea about Kilkennys great All-Ireland successes of the past 15 years into a money maker for sick children. A champion of good causes hopes to turn a novel idea about Kilkennys great All-Ireland successes of the past 15 years into a money maker for sick children. Denis Rackard Cody, who for the past 36 years has been the kit man with the Kilkenny senior team, has chosen Our Ladys hospital, Crumlin as the beneficiary of the upcoming fundraiser. The Kilkenny hurlers have made so many visits to Crumlin with the MacCarthy Cup after All-Ireland wins it was the obvious choice, Denis explained. Seeing the sick children there would break your heart, so this is a little something that might help in some way. Denis has a CD entitled Rackard is the Man set for launch, and it will be doubled up with a DVD with original behind the scenes footage from the All-Ireland wins and the visits to Crumlin hospital by the Kilkenny players and management. The CD is being promoted on radio up and down the country, and the official launch will be in Langtons Hotel, Kilkenny on December 8. The song, written by fellow Graignamanagh man Sean Hoare, who was a member of the famous Barrow Boys band years ago, has been given a rousing rendition by the Celtic Cats featuring Danny and Bob Grace, who are also from Graignamanagh. Mr Hoare, who is brother of retired Graignamanagh post man, Billy Hoare, wrote the song about his fellow Barrowsider three months before his death, and now Mr Cody wants to make it work for a good cause. The song concentrates on Kilkennys nine All-Ireland wins during the reign of manager, Brian Cody, who gets honourable mention, along with Henry Shefflin and the other stars. It is something different, and I think we can turn it into a positive for Crumlin hospital, Denis said. He has set a target of 10,000 euro, based on sales of over 1,000 copies of the double offering, which could yet be added to by a small book of pictures of the Kilkenny players visits to Crumlin. To help meet the target, Denis is looking for 12 sponsors to contribute 200 euro to the kitty, which would pay for production costs and would mean the venture would turn a profit from the day of launch, December 8. The 10,000 euro target can be met, Denis insisted. I know Kilkenny people will play their part, and the initial soundings I have taken with other counties would suggest there will be good support there too. Leading officials from Crumlin hospital and Kilkenny GAA will attend the launch, which is open to all, again the date being December 8 (3pm). Kilkenny councillors shed no tears for former junior minister Paudie Coffee at last week's Piltown Municipal District meeting. The Waterford TD, who failed to hold onto his seat in the General Election, has repeatedly come in for criticism since the setting up of the Waterford boundary review. On Wednesday, councillors said that this was a symptom of a lack of appetite for any boundary change, and agreed to write to the Taoiseach seeking an end to the review. Over 19,000 submissions made to the boundary commmittee have now been made available online. They are divided into roughly seven different standard types. Council official Kevin Hanley told the members that the council executive has been working on a number of queries from the boundary committee. He said that the council had been asked to respond to Waterford's submission, that it had, and further queries were coming in now. Cllr Tomas Breathnach (Labour) asked if the members would have a chance to formally respond to Waterford's submission. Mr Hanley said they would at an upcoming meeting. Cllr Ger Frisby (Fianna Fail) proposed writing to senior Government politicians urging them to scrap the review. "I know we wrote to the ministers and the Taoiseach but I think we should write again in light of the election results and the government situation we have now," he said. "The minister particularly involved in this, Paudie Coffey, lost his seat. Alan Kelly nearly lost his. I propose we formally write again to ask the Taoiseach to withdraw this. It's not wanted and it's costing us a lot of money. This proposal was seconded by Cllr Eamon Aylward (Fianna Fail). Mr Hanley then clarified that the members had not written to the Taoiseach, but rather to the ministers involved. Cllr Pat Dunphy (Fine Gael) said it had got to the stage where the boundary committee was going to report back on the matter anyway. Cllr Fidelis Doherty (Fine Gael) said she had been at the recent Fine Gael Ard Fheis, where she had had an opportunity to ask the Taoiseach a question in person. "I said 'now is the time', and I outlined the situation," she said. "He said it's 'non-binding'. I said 'does that mean what I think it does?' and he said 'it's non-binding'." Cllr Dunphy then said that Waterford's submission amounted to a weak argument. "Waterford has sent in a pretty large submission - and one that I wouldn't be happy with some of it. MANDATE Cllr Frisby again said the public's view was clear. "If people in Waterford were really concerned about the boundary, Paudie Coffey would still be a TD, he said. He didn't get that mandate. People are coming up to me every day and asking about this. What [Cllr Doherty] said about if it is non-binding and nothing is going to come of it, why are we spending all this money on it?" Cllr Aylward said he would not put past Alan Kelly in his final days as Minister of the Environment to have the 'sting of a dying wasp'. Cllr Dunphy said the people had spoken. "We have had very few submissions frrom Waterford on it, he said The people of Waterford are not that bothered but we have had a huge number from Kilkenny. Cllr Breathnach again called for a regional, co-operative approach. "There was never any mandate for this proposal in the first place," he said. "I believe in the strength of our response. We have to be mindful of what [Cllr Frisby] has said we have a caretaker, transitional government right now. "If we didn't write to the Taoiseach before, let's do it now in his caretaker capacity. And whatever Government is formed, let's have our letter ready to go to say 'for God's sake let this come to an end now'. It's only a waste of money." A hand grenade dating back to the Civil War was discovered by a South Kilkenny farmer last Friday. Army bomb disposal teams were called in from the Curragh to render the explosive safe. The Mills grenade was found by a local farmer who was working close to a haybarn at Ballyfoyle, Tullogher. It is believed that the device, an 'old, rusted hand grenade' had remained concealed in a nearby stone wall for decades and was discovered when some of the stones became loose in recent times. The team arrived on the scene at around 3.45pm on Friday and the item, an early 19th-century Mills type grenade, was made safe by a controlled explosion. The expert team had also been called to a rural location near the R681 outside Dunhill where a suspect device was found by a member of the public earlier in the day. They arrived on scene at 11am and the device, which was found to be commercial dynamite left there for some time, was made safe at the scene by controlled explosion. IF there is one family name even more closely linked with Kilkenny right now than Liam MacCarthy, it surely must be Smithwicks. John Smithwick in 1709 begun what was to be a 300 year association (to date) with the city. IF there is one family name even more closely linked with Kilkenny right now than Liam MacCarthy, it surely must be Smithwicks. John Smithwick in 1709 begun what was to be a 300 year association (to date) with the city. The site around St. Francis Abbey has been associated with the brewing of beer ever since the 13th century when the records speak of the fulsome brew made there by the monks. Using quality water, taken from the Friars own wells mixed with natural ingredients from the lands around the abbey, monks began brewing on the site almost as soon as the abbey itself was established. The Abbey grew in size, reach and importance for more than 300 uninterrupted years. The tragic mid 14th century Black Death which devastated the population of Kilkenny was recorded in stark terms by one of their members, Friar John Clynn. His is perhaps the only contemporary record to survive of this devastating plague in Europe. It took Henry VIIIs dissolution of all monasteries in 1537 to force the Abbey to ultimately close its doors and cut for ever the close religious link with the area. John Smithwick moved to Kilkenny in the early 1700s to forge a life for himself. He went into the brewing business with Richard Cole on a piece of land that Cole had leased from the Duke of Ormond in 1705. Smithwick worked hard and successfully, quickly becoming the sole owner. In time his business interests expanded. He was one of the few merchants who created a brisk trade selling tea. He worked with skill and diligence to built a fortune amassing wealth in both land and commercial property. Johns sons didnt follow him into the brewing trade and the brewing and other business that had started the familys fortune passed from their hands but fortunately, not for long. Edmond Smithwick, son of John Smithwick II, bought the brewery back freehold and the Smithwick family name hung proudly above the door. He proved himself a natural businessman Edmond was four times Mayor of Kilkenny. He gave generously to the city. When famine hit in 1847, with others he set up a soup kitchen to feed the poor and needy. He also made substantial contributions to the high costs of construction of St. Marys Cathedral and became a great supporter of Catholic Emancipation. This interest cemented his friendship with the champion of that cause, the Irish Liberator, Daniel O Connell who was later to become godfather to one of his sons, Daniel OConnell Smithwick. They still talk of OConnells visit to the Brewery and his electrifying address on that memorable occasion. Edmond Smithwick is credited with devising and introducing the business strategy of employing the most knowledgeable, the most progressive and the most skilled brewers and work force. He reasoned, correctly they could be relied upon to bring scientific and technical innovation to their task. The results gave Smithwicks beers a quality second to none. He even hired consultant chemists to vet and check the raw ingredients and oversee the final brew. The once, small almost obscure city brewery he had acquired was now a business to be reckoned with. In the late 1800s export sales to England and Scotland were very difficult. Individual public houses in those countries were tied to specific English based breweries who fought to reduce competition and create for themselves captive markets by this practice. But Smithwicks found a way to survive and the company began selling mineral water and even delivered butter with their ale from the back of their drays. The business not alone survived but by 1892 Smithwicks won 1st prize in Ireland in the Dublin Rotunda Exhibition of Brewers and Distillers. When James Smithwick took over in 1900 the fortunes of the company were at an all time low. Smithwicks still employed 200 people but output was down and auditors never the most adventurous of advisers - recommended the brewery shut its doors. Instead the Smithwick family dug deep and keep the business going. The range of beers was reduced; new markets were sought; James won military contracts for the sale of beer to garrisoned troops. Output increased. By taking advantage of brewery closures in England he replaced and in the process upgraded his plant and machinery. Sullivans Kilkenny Breweries Ltd, his long-standing rival was bought which again provided vitally needed brewing machinery right on his door step. The new municipal water supply introduced in Kilkenny around that time was extremely pure and low in salt and was perfect for brewing ales. It eliminated dependence on local, well-water sources Jamess son Walter Smithwick, already a successful solicitor, took control in the 1930s. At that time beer heading west went by canal barge, other destination were served by train and even by horse & cart. Walter purchased petrol lorries to serve customers as he realised distribution was to be a major key to success. On top of their salaries he incentivising his sales men all over Ireland who could now earn a commission on every barrel sold, a new and radical concept in the Ireland of the 1930s Walter Smithwick was committed to advertising and marketing when that latter concept was hardly recognised as a separate factor in business. Large slogans referring to Smithwicks No.1 began to appear on buses, trams and in newspapers throughout the land. In October 1937 Smithwicks No.1 Ale won first prize at the London, Bottled Beer Competition. A national-wide, brand awareness was the companys far more valuable prize and result. When the war ended in 1945 business was looking good and by 1949 sales had reached a record 51,500 barrels per annum. The next decade was one of fierce competition with Bass, Double Diamond, Macardles, Perrys and Phoenix all competing for market share. Ultimately none would prove a match for Smithwicks popular taste and sustained, high quality. By 1959 Smithwicks was as popular as ever Around this time Walter and his marketing director, the resourceful W. A. L. (Bill) Finnegan visited Munich and attended the long established and world famous Munich Beer Festival there. The verve, colour, music and excitement of it all captivated them both. That night a decision, which was to have a profound effect on the future progress of Kilkenny and the brewery was hatched. Kilkenny, they resolved, would have a Festival bringing all the trappings of a Bavarian Beer Festival to the banks of the Nore. The huge Beer Tent featuring a traditional Bavarian band and serving staff in suitable eye-catching uniforms is for many people one of the fondest memories of growing up in the Kilkenny during the 60. The festival proved an outstanding success for many years and can justly claim to be the first of Irelands marketing led festivals. With the strategic, guiding hand of Walter Smithwick, the drive and promotional expertise of Bill Finnegan and later the organisational skill of Mick McGuinness the festival broke new ground and put Kilkenny firmly on the tourist map, a premier position from where it never retreated but rather continued to grow and expand. The world wide giant, Guinness & Co, one of Smithwicks oldest malting customers bought a controlling share in the business in 1964. Walter retired from the board the following year after 35 years service and his eldest son, Peter took his place marking the ninth generation this remarkable family has been associated with brewing in Kilkenny. Peter, also a solicitor, in latter years continued a successful career as a judge and was honoured as President of the Circuit Court and later appointed by the Government as chairman of The Smithwick Enquiry. Meanwhile his high profile brother, Paul Smithwick continues to work to advance the good fortune of Kilkenny from his base in Dublin where he too practiced law for some time. Meanwhile other branches of the family added to the name, business prowess and range of activities. The large, four story premises of D. Smithwick and Son was an imposing and significant presence on High Street. A second cousin of Walter, Joe Smithwick built up a thriving business in the large premises acquired by his family in 1910 from its previous owners - a Bank, which tradition has it failed in that year. Under his guidance the business prospered and expanded, their famous tea and other groceries being just part of its many services to the public. On his death in 1958 the business passed to his young son Daniel with the faithful John Clifford continuing on as manager. In addition to the business on High Street, Daniel converted part of their old Bottling Store on New Street to develop the concept of Cash And Carry Wholesaling to smaller shops in County Kilkenny and beyond. This was to prove a fortuitous decision when on Sunday, a far from glorious 12th of July in 1970 the entire High Street edifices was engulfed by fire and left a smouldering ruin. To make matters worst the fire took place during the Bank strike of that year and much cash and many cheques, the takings amassed over previous weeks, which perforce could not be lodged, were in jeopardy. Thanks to the quick thinking and bravery of the fire service all was rescued from the blazing building. To this day the family are proud of the quick reactions that enabled them with the ready help of their suppliers and the generosity of the owner of a nearby vacant shop to declare it was business as usual by the following Friday a remarkable triumph over sudden adversity and achieved in just 4 working days. The tenacity, determination and business acumen of the Smithwick family was never more tested and never more apparent than during that disastrous week. Later the business was moved in total to New Street where it continued until Daniels Smithwicks retirement recently. It is worth recording the efforts made by the late Ron Girdham then Head Brewer in Saint Francis Abbey Brewery to re-establish the religious connection by having constructed within the walls of the old abbey a small oratory which he was pleased to title, perhaps somewhat grandly, as An International Room For Prayer And Contemplation. Rumour has it he was not must pleased when he overheard someone remark, tongue in cheek, Seems the ideal place to say an Ale-Mary! The Smithwick name is long associated with Kilkenny, with quality and reliability reflecting the ideal combination of modern technology coupled with tradition values. Their family story embodies the best aspects of courage and confidence, enterprise and business triumph over adversity. How their story will unfold in the future we must leave to the future but if the past is anything to go by then one thing is certain, Members of the Smithwick families with continue to make their mark in Ireland and especially in their beloved Kilkenny. News / National by Thobekile Zhou The United Nations on Tuesday appealed to the emerging BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) to join the West in helping Zimbabwe fight hunger after it was hit by drought.Bishow Parajuli, head of the UN team in Zimbabwe said food assistance is greatly needed."The timely support from the BRICS, either bilaterally or through the UN, will go a long way in augmenting ongoing efforts by the government of Zimbabwe, UN, the traditional OECD donor countries, the Red Cross movement and the NGOs," he said.Parajuli described the situation in Zimbabwe as "critical", with the UN only having raised about $78m so far mainly from the United States, European Union and its own funds.President Robert Mugabe's government recently launched an international appeal for $1.6 billion to cover food imports for 3 million people facing food insecurity.Zimbabwe has warm relations with China and Russia, but BRICS countries have not directly contributed to previous emergency responses.The drought caused by the climatic phenomenon known as El Nino has hit vast parts of southern and eastern Africa, where about 50 million people face food insecurity, according to UN figures. TORONTO (Kitco News) - As investors question whether golds 2016 rally is sustainable, one industry veteran says it eventually will be, just not now. I think the fundamentals are in place for gold to come back off, CPM Groups Jeff Christian told Kitco News on the sidelines of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada annual convention in Toronto. Were looking for gold prices to come off in the second and third quarters, but were looking at a base perhaps at $1,170 maybe as low as $1,130, he added. Gold prices have been steadily on the rise since January after falling to lows in December. The metal managed to hit a 13-month high last week, with April Comex gold futures last trading up $6.40 at $1,256.50 an ounce. Christian explained that although he sees prices consolidating from here, he thinks gold put in its low in December. People wont necessarily race into gold [but] youll continue to see investors build their interest. Goldman Sachs has led the pack of high-profile investment banks coming out with bearish gold forecasts, Tuesday calling for the yellow metal to fall to $1,100 an ounce. However, Christian didnt pay much attention to the news. I dont think Goldman is particularly well-versed on the fundamentals of the market, he said. Their comments are pretty much static in the market. Looking at other precious metals, Christian said he remains most bullish on palladium. Attracting more than 30,000 attendees, the PDAC is known as the worlds largest mining conference and ran from March 6 to 9 this year. By Daniela Cambone and Sarah Benali of Kitco News dcambone@kitco.com and sbenali@kitco.com Follow Daniela Cambone on Twitter @DanielaCambone and Sarah Benali @SdBenali There is potential for increased volatility in gold during the last two days of a week due to an early-Thursday meeting of the European Central Bank, says Edward Meir, commodity consultant with INTL FCStone. ECB decisions on interest-rate policy influence the euro, in turn impacting gold due to the metals inverse relationship with the U.S. dollar. Keep in mind that the central bank blindsided the markets last time around when it came across more hawkish than what was expected, Meir says. Even if it strikes a more dovish tone this time, it may not necessarily follow that the euro will decline given its fairly resilient tone just two days prior to the meeting. We should also remember what happened to the yen after the Bank of Japans decision to go negative on rates earlier this year; the currency slumped initially, but then reversed course to stage a spectacular advance, much to the disappointment of the authorities. If we see the same upside reversal in the euro, gold could push higher, especially if oil and equity weakness persists into the remainder of the week. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com HSBC: Gold May Need To Undergo Some Consolidation Gold may be due for at least some consolidation, says HSBC. The gold rally has so far this year has ignored a lack of Indian import demand, and poor physical consumption may catch up to prices, analysts add. We believe a number of fundamentals and the global economic and financial climate support high gold prices, analysts say. But the rally looks to be flagging near term and we favor a period of consolidation or possibly a slight dip in prices. Physical emerging-market demand is reacting negatively to the jump in prices this year; notably, but not exclusively, buyers in India are reluctant to make purchases. High prices may also begin to weigh on Western coin and bar demand. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com SHARE By Christopher Dunagan While Japan struggles to recover from one of the greatest earthquakes in world history, West Coast seismologists are warning that a quake just like it could occur at any time off the Washington and Oregon coasts. Friday's subduction earthquake in Japan has been calculated at magnitude 8.9, although experts say the number may be increased slightly. The last subduction quake off the West Coast, which occurred on Jan. 26, 1700, has been judged at between magnitude 8.7 and 9.2. The size of the 1700 earthquake was determined from evidence buried in sediments along the coast. The date is known, because it created a tsunami that washed up in Japan, where observers recorded the date. In broad-brush terms, "the two earthquakes are very similar," said John Vidale, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network at the University of Washington. "As a first guess, what might happen here is what happened there." Subduction earthquakes are caused by the slippage between two tectonic plates. Plates on opposite sides of the Pacific Ocean are different, but in either case a tsunami would travel a short distance before hitting land. As in Japan, people living in Washington's coastal communities might have less than half an hour to escape from a surge of water from a subduction earthquake. Robert Yeats, professor emeritus of geology at Oregon State University, said West Coast residents should take the Japanese experience to heart. "What you are seeing in Japan today is what you will see in our future,"he said, "except that they are better prepared than we are." Yeats praised the Japanese building codes, public education and scientific initiatives for avoiding more serious damage that could have occurred. West Coast residents have become more prepared in recent years, but more can be done, he said. Cascadia earthquakes, which slip along the interface between the Juan de Fuca and North America plates, occur at irregular and unpredictable intervals between 200 and 1,000 years apart. Using the low end of that range, we are 100 years overdue for the next great earthquake. At the other extreme, we might have 800 years to go. Meanwhile, more frequent earthquakes are likely to occur along faults within the plates or faults near the surface. The latter includes the Seattle fault, which cuts across Puget Sound north of Bremerton. During the last great earthquake on the Seattle fault, some 1,100 years ago, the south end of Bainbridge Island was pushed up 22 feet. An earthquake on the Seattle fault could create a tsunami between 6 and 10 feet high that would reach Bremerton within minutes, according to a 2001 study. Although such an earthquake is unlikely, some experts say people near the water would be wise to get to higher ground as soon as the shaking stops. SHARE By Chris Henry, chenry@kitsapsun.com BAINBRIDGE ISLAND The Bainbridge Island School District hosts an informational meeting Thursday about water quality in its schools, given recent tests showing elevated levels of lead in the water at Ordway Elementary School. The meeting will be 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Bainbridge High School. For information, go to www.bisd303.org. The district is working with local and state health officials to address the problem. Meantime, children at the school are drinking bottled water. The panel will include a water quality consultant hired by the district, along with local and state officials specializing in environmental health and a Bainbridge pediatrician. SHARE By Tad Sooter of the Kitsap Sun SILVERDALE A partnership with a Seattle hospital is bolstering Harrison Medical Center's ability to care for its tiniest patients. Ten full-time neonatal nurse practitioners from Seattle Children's Hospital are working at Harrison's Silverdale birth center, through an agreement with Harrison parent company CHI Franciscan Health. The nurse practitioners are available 24 hours a day to assist with difficult deliveries and tend to fragile newborns in the hospital's special-care nursery. CHI Franciscan interim Medical Director Michael Anderson said the Seattle Children's providers began duties at Harrison in early March and already performed one resuscitation. "They've proven their worth in the first few days," Anderson said. Seattle Children's already had neonatal specialists working at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, also a CHI Franciscan hospital. Anderson said the same model is being applied at Harrison Silverdale. Harrison had two neonatal nurse practitioners and five pediatricians on staff and works with pediatricians from the larger medical community. Anderson said a physician was often called to the hospital when problems occurred during a late-night delivery. "Sometimes that just wouldn't be fast enough," he said. The additional nurse practitioners from Seattle Children's will ensure well-trained providers always are on hand to aid Harrison's obstetricians and anesthesiologist with deliveries. The nurse practitioners will continue to care for infants as needed in the 10-bed special-care nursery. Anderson said the partnership doesn't mean infants who require a higher level of care will automatically be transferred to Seattle Children's Hospital. Babies will be transferred to other hospitals based on the best fit for their needs, he said, and many will be sent to St. Joseph or Mary Bridge Children's Hospital. According to a news release, Harrison's special-care nursery is rated as a Level II neonatal intensive care unit, meaning it cares for premature babies born at 34 weeks and weighing at least 4.5 pounds. Anderson said the hospital could eventually increase its neonatal capabilities with support from Seattle Children's and additional staff training. Nearly 2,000 babies were born at Harrison in 2015, according to the release. About 10 percent required specialized care. SHARE Charlotte Garrido Chris Tibbs Roger Gay By Chris Henry, chenry@kitsapsun.com SOUTH KITSAP With filing week just more than two months away, the race for South Kitsap commissioner has so far drawn three declared candidates. Democratic incumbent Charlotte Garrido will face challengers Chris Tibbs, Kitsap County Republican Party chairman, and Roger Gay, a retired nuclear electrician, who is running as an independent. Garrido, seeking a third consecutive four-year term, has filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission, which tracks campaign finance. So has North Kitsap Commissioner Rob Gelder, also up for re-election. "As I looked at some of the projects I really care about, I realized I needed more time to bring them into fruition," Garrido, 70, said Tuesday. These include workforce development initiatives, environmental issues including the health of Puget Sound and working with South Kitsap communities to encourage "partnerships" with county government, she said. Garrido served as South Kitsap commissioner from 1997 through 2000. She was defeated in the 2000 primary in a four-way race. Republican Jan Angel won the seat in 2000 and fended off Garrido in the 2004 general election. In 2008, Garrido ran again, defeating Republican Tim Matthes, and she beat Republican Linda Simpson in 2012. In November, Tibbs said he'd step down as the local GOP chairman in February, but he now plans to stay on in the unpaid position to provide continuity as local Republicans weigh in on the nomination of presidential candidates. He'll remain there through December when the local party is slated for an every-other-year reorganization. Tibbs, 35, also a partner in Ootopia Coffee Roasting Co., said he has plenty of energy to run his business, the party and his own campaign. He senses a desire for change in South Kitsap and said he's been encouraged to run by both Republicans and Democrats. Affordable housing and mental health are part of his platform. Tibbs sees no conflict of interest in his role with the party and his candidacy. He'd like to see county offices become nonpartisan and advocates revisiting charter government. That said, the former Democrat strongly identifies as Republican and is happy to carry that banner into the race. Tibbs has run twice before for county commissioner in 2011 and 2012, both times against Rob Gelder for the North Kitsap seat. Gelder, appointed to a vacancy, had to run both years. Two years ago Tibbs moved to Port Orchard, where fiancee state Rep. Michelle Caldier also lives. The two maintain separate homes. Roger Gay, retired from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in 2012, has spent the past few years attending local government meetings, including the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners. He often comes away with more questions than answers, especially about where tax dollars go, he said. Gay, 65, said as a commissioner he'd evaluate the "return on investment" of the county's many contracts and programs. But he admits he has a lot to learn and would like to visit each department. "I blog and write letters to the editor. Maybe it's time I get off my butt, quit bitching and do something about it,"Gay said. Gay said he's running as an independent to offer a fresh perspective in the commissioners' office. Gay, a 30-year South Kitsap resident, has served with community groups, including the county's parks advisory board, a group looking at the future of the Minter Creek watershed and in 2014 on the Kitsap Sun's editorial board. Gay ran a couple of decades ago for a South Kitsap School Board position and lost. Voters in the Aug. 2 primary will select the top two candidates in the South and North Kitsap commissioner races. Only voters living within each district vote in the primaries for each respective seat. All county residents vote on both races in the Nov. 8 general election. The annual salary for commissioner is $116,580; the filing fee is $1,165.80. Filing week will be May 16-20. For information, contact the Kitsap County Elections Division at 360-337-7129 or click here. SHARE Harry Gilger, Poulsbo How can we get Olympia to work? If someone you hired did not perform the duties assigned, would you keep that person employed? If someone embezzled $100,000 a day from you, would you keep that person employed? If someone you employed spent your time working for someone else, would you keep that person employed? Then why are our legislators still employed? The legislators have not been doing what they were elected to do pass legislation that provides for the good of the state. The State Supreme Court imposed a fine of $100,000 per day for the Legislature not fulfilling the court order to solve the education funding. Anyone want to guess how much the total is now? Our legislators seem to be working for the lobbyists and the WEA and the SEIU instead of us. How do we correct this? SHARE Amy Spieker, CKHS alum Testament to teacher's recognition As former students of Sarah Fisher, we wanted to thank the Sun for highlighting her in your Teacher Spotlight published March 1. You couldn't have picked a more deserving person to celebrate. Ms. Fisher, as you mention in the piece, was the inspiration for many of us to go on to study and pursue the careers that have made us happy and make a difference. We have scattered across the country and the world, from Hawaii to Colorado to Pakistan, but the lessons she taught us stay with us. In a world where all too often dialogue is replaced by shouting matches, Ms. Fisher taught us to engage in open minded, fact based dialogue on issues as relevant today as they were 10 years ago when we were 18. We learned to never take ourselves too seriously and that the best way to learn is by laughing a lot; we recommend turning your favorite Christmas carol into a political discourse. As the Jimmy Cliff song she played (and made us dance to) before any big test says, "you can get it if you really want, but you must try." Ms. Fisher is an incredible person who has inspired many and Ms. Fisher we are all still trying! We hope every student finds at least one Ms. Fisher to encourage and believe in them. Amy Spieker writes on behalf of several fellow members of the CKHS Class of 2005: Caitlin Argyle, Sarah Burch, Daniel Burton, Brady Flynn, Rachel Powers, Heather Price (Deedman), Brian Rue and Heather Underwood. Stuff reports: The victim of a brutal samurai sword attack is backing a proposed law change that could see stranglers jailed for up to seven years. At present, a gap in the law means offenders are often charged with the offence male assaults female, which carries only a two-year maximum jail term. The Law Commission was asked by the justice minister last year to look into whether it should become a specific criminal offence, as it is in some other countries. Simonne Butler, one of the victims of samurai sword attacker Antoine Dixon, said she supported the law change, because strangling was a really common way for men to control women. News / National by Staff Reporter A Harare man - Emmanuel Shumba has been accused by his wife of forcing her to sleep in a garage as punishment for having an affair.Rumbidzai Matikisi went to court seeking a protection order citing emotional abuse.She also said she is sex starved."We have lived together for 16 years but Emmanuel stalks and harasses me."We do not communicate as husband and wife in our matrimonial house because he said he no longer loves me."I am suffering your Worship. Last week I could not go to work because I did not have access to the bathroom after he locked me outside whilst I was menstruating."Each time I use my phone in his presence he locks me out of the house and instruct me to sleep in the garage" she said.She added "Emmanuel does not care about our children, he goes on vacations in South Africa alone and sometimes does not help our children with their homework."It's now four months without my conjugal rights. Last week I slept in a spare bedroom after I came home late from work and he did not seem to care".However, Emmanuel did not dispute the claims."The problem is of communication breakdown and I think she is having an affair with someone.."Last year in August she came home with a cap and a work suit from TelOne and she failed to give me a satisfactory answer."Since January this year I chased her from our matrimonial bedroom because she always received phone calls in the middle of the night from an unsaved number".Magistrate Barba Mateko granted the protection order to Rumbidzai.Source- H-METRO Chris Trotter writes at The Daily Blog: STEPHEN MILLS, from Labours pollsters, UMR Research, today confirmed that Labours support has slipped back to just 30 percent. He also informed RNZs listeners that Phil Goff is leading his nearest rival for the Auckland Mayoralty, Victoria Crone, by 33 percentage points. This is, of course, the same Phil Goff who, as Labours leader, failed to squeeze more than 27 percent of the Party Vote out of the New Zealand electorate. Its a grim parade of statistics for those of us hoping for a change of government at next years general election. And what its telling us is this: Labour isnt trusted to govern. Phil Goff may be trusted to lead the countrys largest city overwhelmingly trusted. But, Andrew Little is not trusted to lead the country. This lack of trust is crippling. If its not addressed, and soon, it will produce yet another electoral defeat. Whether Labour can sustain a fourth rejection by the electorate especially if it turns out to be worse than the 25 percent 2014 result is highly debateable. A century-old party can only go on losing for so long before it simply fades away. News / National by Stephen Jakes Heal Zimbabwe Trust has expressed concerns that it is now one year since the disappearance of human rights activist, Itai Dzamara. Dzamara who led the Occupy Africa Unity Square campaign, calling for the resignation of President Mugabe over failure to run the country was abducted by suspected state agents at a barber shop in Glen View on 9 March 2015."A year on after his abduction, his whereabouts remain unknown with the police giving unconvincing "assurances" that they will investigate his disappearance. Dzamara's only crime was leading peaceful demonstrations in accordance with the constitutional provision which grants citizens the right to petition and demonstrates under section 59," Heal Zimbabwe Trust said in s statement."Cognizant of the fact that Zimbabwe is a nation that is founded on values and principles that respect the supremacy of the constitution which has provisions that speak to the rule of law and enjoyment of fundamental human rights and freedoms, the disappearance of Dzamara contradicts the same provisions which under normal circumstances must take or be given precedence."The trust said on this day, Heal Zimbabwe expresses grave concern over the continued missing of Dzamara and other human rights defenders as it is a violation of the sanctity of life."The organisation remain concerned by the lack of swiftness in investigations on matters involving abductions particularly of human rights activists. On 19 June 2000, Patrick Nyabanyama, who was a MDC election agent in Bulawayo during the June 2000 parliamentary election was abducted by armed ZANU PF activists driving a white Mazda truck with no number plates. He was never seen again. Bulawayo Provincial Magistrate, Rose Dube, officially declared Nyabanyama dead on August 11 2010," the trust said."On May 13, MDC-T activist Tonderai Ndira was abducted from his home by 10 armed and yet to be named men in the morning of May 13, 2008 during the 2008 presidential elections. He was later found dead that month with shots in his body and multiple wounds. The list of people who have mysteriously disappeared to date shows that political tolerance in Zimbabwe is still at a record low."The trust said the situation on the ground a year after Dzamara's abduction paints a gloomy picture pertaining to the enjoyment of fundamental human rights that are enshrined in the constitution and the promotion of the rule of law."Heal Zimbabwe calls for a genuine, sincere and transparent national process of bringing closure and healing to the families of all abductees since independence. While that takes place, HZT reiterates the need for law enforcement agents to expeditiously uncover the truth around these disappearances and bring the perpetrators to justice. The organisation also calls for the intervention of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) to also consider forced disappearances as it embark on its mandate of bringing peace, healing and reconciliation in Zimbabwe," said the trust. News / National by Stephen Jakes MDC-T President Morgan Tsvangirai joined the Itai Dzamara family and hundreds of Zimbabweans in a march in the streets of Harare to commemorate the first anniversary of the disappearance of the journalist-cum-human rights activist abducted by State security agents last year.His spokes[person Luke Tamborinyoka said before the march, Tsvangirai had addressed Zimbabweans gathered at Africa Unity Square, the venue Dzamara used to occupy during his public demonstrations to call upon Robert Mugabe to step down for misgoverning the country."Today, we must send a clear message to the regime that never again will one of us disappear while we remain silent," President Tsvangirai said."This government has mismanaged the economy and now it is threatening the safety and security of citizens that is guaranteed by the Constitution. We demand that this government returns Dzamara, whether dead or alive so that there is closure on this emotive issue."Tamborinyoka said after the speeches, Tsvangirai joined the Dzamara family in a solidarity march in the streets of Harare.Among the marchers were civic society leaders, representatives of the church, MDC-T vice President Thokozani Khupe, vice chairperson Morgan Komichi, secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, organising secretary, Abednico Bhebhe, spokesperson Obert Gutu, National Executive members and several party MPs.Dzamara was abducted by State security agents on March 9 2015, two days after he had addressed an MDC rally at Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield. Gov.Bill Haslam, right center, assists John Poindexter, owner of Morgan Olson LLC, in cutting the ribbon at the new Morgan Olson facility Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015, in Loudon. Loudon County mayor Buddy Bradshaw right, Loudon City mayor Jim Greenway and Dale Spencer, director of engineering and maintenance delivery fleet, UPS are left. (WADE PAYNE/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS SENTINEL) SHARE Gov. Bill Haslam, right, talks with John Poindexter, owner of Morgan Olson LLC, after a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Morgan Olson facility Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015, in Loudon. The Michigan-based company plans build delivery trucks for FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service at the former Astec Industries and John Deere facility in the Matlock Bend Industrial Park. (WADE PAYNE/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS SENTINEL) John Poindexter, owner of Morgan Olson LLC, listens to a conversation before a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Morgan Olson facility Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015, in Loudon. (WADE PAYNE/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS SENTINEL) This is a Morgan Olson walk-in delivery van made at the company's plant in Sturgis, Mich. SUBMITTED By Hugh G. Willett, Special to the News Sentinel Before Patrick Phillips retires after more than three decades of recruiting industry to Loudon County as executive director of its Economic Development Agency, he will be able to see firsthand the results of one of his most important recent achievements. One of the biggest job recruiting projects in the county's history is now ramping up at the Matlock Bend Industrial Park. Morgan Olson LLC began producing delivery vans for United Parcel Service in January and has already hired about 200 workers, according to Steve Hart, human resources director at the Sturgis, Mich.-based company. "We're still building and completing the lines and expect the plant will be running more efficiently by the end of the second quarter," he said. By mid-year the plant should be producing 16 to 17 vehicles per day. The company will have hired about 300 new employees by year's end, Hart said. The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development last week released information on the $2.5 million in state FastTrack funds provided to bring the company to Loudon County last year. The incentives include $1 million in FastTrack Job Training Assistance Program funds to be used to train the new workforce needed for the expansion, and $1.5 million in FastTrack Economic Development funds that will be used for retrofitting the existing building. According to information provided by the state, Morgan Olson has committed to create 500 new jobs and to make a $45 million capital investment within five years. The company will have an average wage rate of $19.21 per hour for the new positions. In his 36 years of service to the county, Phillips has been a part of an amazing turnaround. When he started working as a Department of Economic and Community Development consultant for Loudon County and its municipalities in 1980, jobs had been moving out of the county. In the '80s, the trend began to reverse. The Tellico Village residential development breathed new life into the county, and the A.E. Staley's plant became one of the biggest construction projects in the state. The '90s saw the entry of Honda and Kimberly Clark. "Loudon had started to become a regional employer," he said. In 1994, Phillips began serving as full-time director of planning for the county and its cities. He joined the EDA as executive director in 1998. In the last few years, recruiting successes have included the Del Conca tile plant. Over the years, the EDA has expanded the scope of its mission beyond economic development to include community development such as construction projects, transportation planning and implementation, and downtown revitalization, Phillips said. Projects backed by the EDA have also included greenways and the Senior Center in Loudon. County Mayor Buddy Bradshaw said the county has benefited greatly from Phillips' work and his efforts to expand the scope of the EDA. "Pat been a great asset to this county," he said. The county has been accepting applications for a replacement and could start interviews in the next few weeks. A committee that includes Bradshaw, Lenoir City Administrator Jim Wilburn, Loudon City Manager Lynn Mills, Loudon Mayor Jim Greenway and Phillips will be making the selection. "When you look at the job Pat has done, his experience and all the contacts he has, it won't be easy to replace him," Bradshaw said. Phillips is expected to step down as executive vice president when the position is filled, possibly as early as April. He will continue with the organization in an advisory capacity for a long as a year. He said he will occupy his retirement time by traveling and doing volunteer work, among other things. SHARE Tinah Utsman and Sweetie Boo, a dog dumped on Christmas Eve at the Maryville shelter, and Karma, who was rescued from an abusive home. Joan Grimm with Scooby and Henry By Heather Robinson of the Knoxville News Sentinel An East Tennessee virtual animal network is making a huge difference in the lives of dogs. TRU Dog Network, a Facebook community with over 10,000 followers, connects individuals with up-to-the-minute rescue news, including lost and found animal listings, adoptable dogs and events that will benefit the cause. The network has been growing for 10 years and has saved over 900 dogs. The brain behind TRU Dog Network is dedicated administrator Tinah Rhee Utsman, an ambitious woman who had no background in dog rescue when she started. She has proven to be a natural fit. "I am a photographer who has a huge network of contacts and I choose to use it for the good of dogs," she said. Utsman will host a photography exhibit at Plaid Apron tonight,Thursday, March 10, from 6 to 9 p.m. The exhibit will feature photographs of many of the animals Utsman has saved, and the sale of the artwork will help grow TRU Dog Network. The Plaid Apron is located at 1210 Kenesaw Avenue, TRU Dog Network, an established 501(c)3 organization, has become a daily stop for compassionate individuals wanting to help save dogs, and Utsman has become known for her ability to get a story heard. If Utsman makes a post about a lost dog, there are potentially 10,000 people who will be on the lookout for the animal. Many of those followers will also further the impact of the post by sharing it with their own friends and family. "With such large numbers in my network, a dog has a better chance of being seen and word getting out," explains Utsman. In the world of animal rescue, there are many roles required to save a dog in need. Some people open their homes to fostering dogs in temporary need and others transport dogs from a shelter to a new home or rescue group. Some work diligently for rescue groups and others are financial donors. The important role Utsman fills is networking between all of these individuals, as well as with the compassionate people at home who want to help in any way they can. "I don't rescue, foster or transport, even though I have done all of those things. I am too emotional to do those roles, so I network," she said. "It takes a village of all of those efforts to help animals in need." The road that led Utsman from photography to animal rescue is paved with her own touching pet story. "My house was broken into 10 years ago, and the police said I needed a dog," remembers Utsman. She adopted Louise, a boxer who was displaced from the only home she ever knew because she grew too large for the family. Louise was lucky to find a friend in Utsman, who gave her a loving forever home and undying love. "Louise was bigger than most boxers; she looked liked a pit bull," says Utsman. "Which was OK by me! No one bothered me when Louise was around." Louise was two years old when she captured Utsman's heart and the two were inseparable for 7 years until she passed away. "I rescued her and then she turned around and rescued me," says Utsman. "I continue in her honor. This dog inspired me." Joan Grimm, a lecturer at the University of Tennessee who lives in Fountain City, is one of Utsman's success stories. She responded to a post made on TRU Dog Network in 2008 for a dog named Henry. He was at Loudon County Shelter and Utsman shared a photograph with the words "needing rescue!" "His picture caught my heart," says Grimm. "We weren't looking for a third dog but his picture looked so sweet!" Grimm contacted the shelter and adopted Henry, who is a perfect fit in her home. "His eyes were begging for a friend." says Grimm, who also rescued her dogs Henrietta and Scooby. "He has three now!" Grimm's touching story is only one in a sea of loving unions between dogs and humans that will be featured in tonight's photography exhibit. Those wanting more information can find TRU Dog Network as a community page on Facebook. For information about Utsman's photography exhibit, call The Plaid Apron at 865-247-4640 or visit www.theplaidaproncafe.com Greg Johnson, KNS columnist. Army Spc. Marshall Lane was days from home in 2012, his deployment with the 385th Military Police Battalion to Afghanistan almost over. A medic couldn't go on patrol, so Lane volunteered. At a checkpoint, Lane went to help an injured local. An Afghan policeman opened fire. Lane was hit in the right upper chest, above his body armor. A buddy kept him alive until he was hauled to safety. At the hospital in Bagram, Lane received "buddy blood," transfusions from fellow soldiers. Then he "crashed." "I was asleep. It was my last day of work before going back to Fort Stewart," Lane's wife, Amanda Arwood-Lane, said. "A call came from Fort Knox. It's never good to get a call from Fort Knox." It was not good at all. "We had no idea how serious it was," Amanda said. "We had no idea it was life-threatening." Her mother came. Her whole congregation met and prayed. "It became very clear very quickly it was worse than we thought," Amanda said. The Army flew Amanda and her sister and uncle to Germany, where Marshall had been moved. The Lanes, who now live in Sevierville, were in Germany three weeks, Marshall on a ventilator and dialysis. Surprisingly, Marshall improved "very suddenly." Stabilized, Marshall was transported stateside to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. "My caregiving began at Walter Reed," Amanda said. Her care was noticed, earning Amanda recognition as a 2016 Dole Foundation Caregiver Fellow. The foundation headed by former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, wife of former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, awards fellowships in an "initiative that gives a voice to military and veteran caregivers." "He had to learn to walk, feed himself, shave himself," Amanda said. He had to learn to live again. A friend donated a kidney. "He and the donor are doing really well," Amanda said. "Marshall is free from a machine." Yet Amanda's work is not done. If Marshall gets water in his mouth, he remembers nearly drowning in his own blood. "I touch him to remind him where he is," Amanda said. "I talk to him while he showers." "The Dole Foundation gave me a purpose. Military injuries affect my life. They affect 5.5 million other people in America." She hopes to make a difference, speaking to groups supporting vets, caregivers and family members, calling attention to the care needed after guns fall silent. "This is not just an issue for veterans and caregivers," Amanda said. "It's an issue for all Americans." SHARE By News Sentinel Staff The man shot during a confrontation with Harriman police officers Tuesday night has been placed on paid administrative leave from his job as a state corrections officer, a spokesman confirmed Wednesday. Nathan Manis, 27, has worked as a corrections officer at the Morgan County Correctional Complex in Wartburg since 2011, said Tennessee Department of Correction spokesman Robert Reburn. Manis remained at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, where his condition was not available Wednesday. On Tuesday night, two Harriman Police Department officers responded to a reported domestic disturbance at a residence at 505 N. Roane Street, where they met outside by Manis, according to a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation news release. Manis opened fire when confronted and both officers returned fire, striking him, TBI said. Manis was airlifted from the scene. Neither officer was injured, and a firearm was recovered. Authorities have not released the names of either officer. At the conclusion of the TBI's investigation, the case will be turned over to 9th Judicial District Attorney General Russell Johnson for review. More details as they develop online and in Thursday's News Sentinel. SHARE By Lydia X. McCoy of the Knoxville News Sentinel After taking the state's new TNReady assessment, Therese Sipes' third-grade daughter came home frustrated. "She's bright. She does her best. She's not rushing through it to so she can get to another activity," Sipes said. "But when she's finished it's really frustrating for her to have to sit until the full 75 minutes or 45 minutes is up." Sipe said the principal had told her students couldn't read or draw if they finish the test early. But that may not be the case. There seems to be some miscommunication to parents on whether students are allowed to do so, she said. "I'm getting conflicting stories. The (Tennessee Department of Education) has published that it's allowed, then the principal says it's at the school's discretion," she said. "Well, which is it?" This is the first year for the new test that assesses math and English skills for grades 3-11. It replaces the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, known as TCAP tests. It was originally planned to be taken online but computer glitches on the first day it was rolled out last month forced the state Department of Education to go back to paper and pencil tests. State and local officials said Tuesday students are allowed to read or draw if they finish the test early; but a school or district can also decide not to allow it. "While students do have to sit the entire duration of the test time, students are allowed to read or do other quiet activities that are not related to the content area being tested," said Ashley Ball, a spokeswoman for the Department of Education. "However, this is a district/school decision. This information was communicated in our Test Administration Manual." Melissa Tindell, Knox County Schools' spokeswoman, said the state has provided school districts with new guidance on the matter. "As is our common practice, we gave schools the autonomy to decide on permissible activities for students to take part in after their assessments are taken," she said. "We believe our schools are in the best position to make decisions based on what is best for their unique student populations. Some schools would prefer for students to review their work, rather than rush to complete the test to read a book." Tindell said many schools will gather feedback after the current testing window from teachers and parents and perhaps make some adjustments for the April testing window. Sipes said she just wants the information to be consistent from all sources. "So if the board is saying this is allowed, but it is at the discretion of the schools, then tell parents that and give them the opportunity to make those decisions for their children," she said. "I feel like consistency and transparency serves everyone." By Gerald Witt of the Knoxville News Sentinel Buzz Thomas, president of the Great Schools Partnership, is a likely candidate for interim superintendent of Knox County Schools, according to school board chairman Doug Harris. "That's the guy who I think will probably be the best candidate," Harris said. The Knox County Board of Education will name a successor to Superintendent Jim McIntyre, and school board member Terry Hill plans to interview interested nominees in coming weeks. In April she expects to recommend an interim candidate for the job McIntyre has held since 2008. McIntyre has said he plans to resign in July. "Our focus is to be able to transition someone in," Hill said. Several school board members agreed the temporary job will likely last about a year. School board policy does not allow an interim superintendent to be named superintendent. "It's kind of a precarious position in a sense," school board member Mike McMillan said. "If you're really well-qualified, you may want to apply for the regular position." At least one nominee isn't interested Knox County Finance Director Chris Caldwell. "I'm honored by the nomination," he said Tuesday, "but I have no interest." Bob Thomas, a Knox County Schools assistant superintendent and nominee for the interim job, was ambivalent on whether he would like the job. He was a finalist for superintendent in 2008. Thomas didn't say whether he would apply for the permanent post again. Board member Patti Bounds said via text message she's heard that Danny Trent, the district's supervisor of secondary education, has support for the post from some within the school system. "I think there are some qualified people among that group of seven," she said. "I personally would have liked to have seen a larger pool of applicants." Other nominees include Rodney Russell, the school system's director of human capital strategy; Ed Hedgepeth, former executive director of secondary education; and George Hamilton, a perennial candidate for local office who has lobbied the school board to drop homework and algebra. School system staffers said Hamilton was the only person to nominate himself and that his application letter was printed on a bank statement and delivered to McIntyre's office. Buzz Thomas sounded enthusiastic about a possible interim superintendent appointment. Through the foundation he works closely with Knox County Schools, he said. "I would be happy to serve," Thomas said. He said he's spoken with Harris and Hill already, with plans to meet with Hill more formally in coming weeks. Thomas said he would be available to help in the search for a long-term superintendent and that his focus, regardless of whether he gets the job, is to foster good schools in Knox County. "The Great Schools Partnership is not a political organization," he said. "Our job is to partner with schools, whoever the superintendent is and whoever is on the board of education." By Richard Locker of the Knoxville News Sentinel NASHVILLE Mayor Madeline Rogero is "strongly opposed" to a state bill allowing residents of annexed areas of Knoxville and five other Tennessee cities to de-annex themselves through referendums, which the mayor's office says would be "chaotic, traumatic and a step backward." The bill is the second phase of a massive shift in Tennessee municipal annexation law that began in 2014 when the General Assembly ended six decades of annexation simply by the majority votes of city councils and replaced it with a requirement for the consent of residents of areas to be taken into city limits, through referendums or petitions. The de-annexation bill would allow 10 percent of the registered voters of a territory annexed since May 1, 1998, or whose annexation "became operative" after that date, to petition for a de-annexation referendum. De-annexation would occur if approved by a majority of voters in the referendum. House Bill 779 failed on the last day of the 2015 legislative session but its supporters vowed to return with it this year. And they have, with an amended version that limits most of its provisions to just six cities: Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis, Johnson City, Kingsport and, oddly, Cornersville (pop. 1,199, in Marshall County) places where the bill says "citizens have experienced the most egregious forms of annexation and have no other reasonable course to redress their grievance than to petition for a vote." The House Calendar Committee on Thursday morning scheduled the de-annexation bill for a House floor vote on Monday. It's sponsored by Rep. Mike Carter, R-Ooltewah and Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson. "The City of Knoxville is strongly opposed to de-annexation legislation," said Eric Vreeland, the mayor's communications manager, on Wednesday. "The city hasn't pursued any involuntary annexations in more than a decade, nor does Knoxville want to resume involuntary annexations. But we do believe cities should be able to grow in an orderly and logical fashion within defined growth boundaries. "Likewise, allowing de-annexation of properties that have been a part of the city of Knoxville for at least a decade, or many decades, would be chaotic. Infrastructure and facilities streets, sidewalks and fire halls, for example have been constructed as areas have been annexed. Services have been upgraded as businesses and residents have come into the city. "From a standpoint of fairness, Knoxville neighborhoods share a cohesive sense of identity. They're part of our urban fabric. Dividing neighbors would be traumatic and a move backward," Vreeland said. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said Wednesday the bill is "potentially devastating" to his city, potentially costing it up to 100,000 residents and up to $64 million in property tax revenue. Strickland, who took office as Memphis mayor Jan. 1, said the city has identified 10 potential de-annexation neighborhoods that could petition for referendums if the bill is approved in its current form. The phrase in the bill allowing de-annexation to occur in areas where annexation "became operative" after May 1, 1998, is key because that covers areas where annexations were approved before 1998 but were delayed by court battles until later. Strickland said he's reaching out to his colleagues in Knoxville, Chattanooga and the other affected cities. "And we are going to reach out to the governor's office to talk about this issue." The current version of HB779 is available online here. SHARE Gov. Bill Haslam's administration has been sending mixed messages on the state's dire transportation funding needs, sowing confusion when clarity is needed. For months now, the governor and his aides have said they would not pursue an increase in fuel taxes, the traditional method Tennessee has used to raise money for highway and bridge projects, and conceded that a long-term solution would not be possible in an election year. Last week, though, Haslam's chief of staff, Jim Henry, told the House Transportation Committee the administration would be bringing proposals to the table in the coming weeks after consulting with every member of the General Assembly. In a subsequent email to a Chattanooga Times Free Press reporter, Haslam press secretary Jennifer Donnals put a damper on any expectations. Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey dismissed the notion as well. While politicians in Nashville dither, Tennesseans need decisive action. The Tennessee Department of Transportation has a backlog of projects that would cost $1.6 billion a figure that approaches TDOT's entire annual budget. The state traditionally has not borrowed money or resorted to toll roads to pay for infrastructure improvements. A combination of federal and state dollars is used to fund TDOT's $1.8 billion budget. Fuel taxes are key to the state's $800 million portion of the funding. Tennesseans currently pay 21.4 cents per gallon of gas and 18.4 cents per gallon of diesel, amounts unchanged since 1989. In the intervening years, vehicles have become much more fuel efficient, driving down the revenue generated per mile driven. Meanwhile, construction costs continued rising. Current fuel tax revenues cannot keep up with the need. Haslam has said he intends to use $130 million from the estimated $700 million state surplus to help replenish the transportation fund, which is separate from the state's general fund, but using one-time money will not solve the problem. Raising fuel taxes would be the most sensible solution, but lawmakers have proven resistant. In his remarks to the Transportation Committee, Henry said the administration would be preparing to move forward after talking to each lawmaker. "We can wait," Henry told the Transportation Committee. "We can kick the can down the road, but I think the time for dealing with it is now. And we'll try to do that in the next coming weeks, and in a few weeks come back to you for something specific that we've recommended as far how we get there, how much it's going to cost and who's going to pay for it." Two days later, Donnals wrote, "I wouldn't anticipate that happening." Instead, she added, administration officials would discuss road projects in legislators' districts. Ramsey reaffirmed his opposition to raising fuel taxes, despite poll results indicating a majority of Tennesseans would accept a modest increase. He told reporters "it's too late to address" the issue. A long-term solution is needed, and lawmakers are doing citizens a disservice by crossing their fingers instead of rolling up their sleeves. One of Tennessee's advantages in terms of promoting tourism and attracting industry is its highway system. The state's leaders must not squander that advantage. Tennessee football vs. UT Martin: Score prediction, scouting report Tennessee football can complete a perfect 4-0 nonconference slate with a win vs. UT Martin on Saturday. Here's a score prediction and scouting report. News / National by Stephen Jakes As March 9, 2016, marks a complete year after the abduction of journalist-cum-human rights activist, Itai Dzamara, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) has demanded the need for the government to furnish progress on establishing the explanatory facts of his abduction.Dzamara was abducted on March 9, 2015, by five male suspected state security agents at mid-morning on a Monday at a barbershop, while having a haircut, in Glen View's High Density Suburb in Harare, Zimbabwe.The brief background before Itai Dzamara's abduction for his public protests at Africa Unity Square, firmly places the burden of explanation for his whereabouts on the state.A few months before Dzamara's abduction he had petitioned the Head of State, conducted street protests and been both interrogated and publicly assaulted by law and order institutions particularly the police, exhibiting an intention to silence him.During the last Community Human Rights Defenders'Award (CHRDA) held in December 2015 in Bulawayo by ZimRights, Dzamara won the 2015 Overall Human Rights Defender of the Year Award.This was a recognition of his enduring role in fighting especially for rights of Zimbabweans at large, his personal courage, and the need to send a clear message to the authorities against such abductions."In 15 years, there have been approximately 5,500 politically-linked abductions in Zimbabwe, according to Counselling Services Unit (CSU), which is a clear human rights crisis," ZimRights said."Notable names of people who have been abducted and have not been accounted for include Paul Chizuze, Patrick Nabanyama and Rashiwe Guzha. While Zimbabwe in line with international norms of human rights has had need to demonstrate a clear commitment to the responsibility to protect its citizens, it has not lived up to this public expectation."The organisation said utterances by some public officials, or silence thereof, have served to downplay the issue of Itai's unwarranted treatment even as a court order was issued by the High Court at Harare for the security forces to search for him."Efforts by civil society groups to raise public awareness on the matter and increase the likelihood of gathering information on the whereabouts of Dzamara over the past year have been met with recognisable official opposition. At this anniversary, therefore, ZimRights joins other concerned stakeholders who are calling for the release of Dzamara, or information about his whereabouts in particular, and an end to abductions in general," said the ZimRights. By Choi Sung-jin Korea, which is excluded from the 12-nation trade bloc of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, needs to make the most of the U.S. presidential elections this year to join it, if belatedly, a report says. "In the run-up to the general election in November, the U.S. administration is likely to lose much of the driving force for its trade agenda," said the report by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA). "Korea should try hard to create a favorable environment for trade with the United States during this period." The report predicted the U.S. administration would find it difficult to win Congressional ratification of the TPP this year, adding that Washington may also put off negotiation for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership until the next administration. "Major presidential hopefuls from both the U.S. Republicans and Democrats are expressing concerns about the TPP, and Congressional leaders in both chambers also are finding it burdensome to put the free trade agreement on the table given voters' unfavorable sentiments about opening up the U.S. markets further to foreign competition," it said. "All this leads us to a conclusion: ratification within 2016 is difficult." For Korea to join the TPP, it needs to publicize positively the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement that went into effect four years ago, it said. This is especially necessary because Washington has said Seoul's faithful implementation of the bilateral free trade accord is a prerequisite for its entry into the TPP, the report emphasized. Meanwhile, KITA forecast the U.S. may increase investigations into Korean products to control their import, noting that it could pose risks for Korean exporters. The number of such probes increased from four in 2014 to seven last year. Korea's steel products in particular will likely be targets, it said. "Election experts in Washington think tanks say the results of the presidential election would not exert much influence on trade issues between the two countries," a KITA official said. "Chances are slim that U.S. trade officials will take import-restraining measures directly on Korean products." But there is a possibility that import restraints on China and Iran could spill over, causing indirect damage to Korean exporters, he said, calling for them to be aware fully of such risks. Kumho Tire managing director Cho Nam-hwa, left, celebrates with Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon during the award ceremony at Seoul City Hall, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Kumho Tire By Jhoo Dong-chan The nation's leading tiremaker Kumho Tire has won an environment award from the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) for its corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, a company official said Wednesday. Last April, Kumho Tire hosted a green activity event at Inwang Mountain in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, where more than 400 workers and citizens participated in planting a total 1,500 trees to help reduce carbon emissions. The company also organized another environmental event at the Seoul Station Overpass in central Seoul, inviting families to make flower pots in May. "Kumho Tire has continuously carried out various environment events jointly with the SMG as a part of its CSR activities," said Kumho Tire managing director Cho Nam-hwa. "The company will continue its effort to contribute to introducing a greener and eco-friendlier city to our future generation." A scene from "The Empire of Light" / Courtesy of National Theater Company of Korea By Kwon Mee-yoo Relations between South and North Korea are frostier than ever, but North Korea has become an inseparable yet indifferent entity in the lives of ordinary South Koreans. A new play "The Empire of Light," staged at Myeongdong Theater, tackles such notions as seen through the eyes of a French director. "The Empire of Light," based on Korean author Kim Young-ha's 2006 novel of the same name, revolves around a foreign film importer Kim Ki-yeong and his wife Jang Ma-ri who sells cars. The two live ordinary lives in Seoul, until Kim who in fact is a North Korean spy that has resided in South Korea without any instructions for over a decade receives an e-mail from Pyongyang ordering him to return in 24 hours. The play was developed as a part of the National Theater Company of Korea (NTCK)'s effort to stage a Korean narrative. It also celebrates the Years of Korea-France Bilateral Exchanges and will be performed in France after its premiere in Korea. "The Empire of Light" deconstructs the past and the present; theater and cinema; and truth and lies and reconstitutes them on stage. The play blurs the boundaries between reality and illusions and so do the actors. The spy creates an illusion to survive, while his wife needs illusions to maintain her life as a normal woman. Director Arthur Nauzyciel said he and co-adapter Valerie Mrejen had to make radical choices to take the script to the stage. "The book is thick and the show is about two hours. We had to cut a lot and you will not find lots of things in the book on the stage anymore. It is now a new material. We follow the spy story, but we also decided to choose the scenes that we could relate," Nauzyciel said. "Valerie has a poetic and artistic vision and we are interested in what is haunting us. There are lots of ghosts and memories in the book and we are interested in the person as our bodies carry all these memories." Instead of following a traditional narrative, the play combines the spy plot with contemporary South Koreans perspectives and memories on the North. The actors come to the front of stage, hold a standing microphone and recite their thoughts on North Korea, part truth, part fiction. "The history of Korean people is heartbreaking and I am glad to have discovered it through working together with Korean actors and staffers," the director said. "I've always liked to do project in foreign countries because theater is a very beautiful way to meet people with different stories and background and discover other culture." Ji Hyun-jun plays Kim and screen veteran Moon So-ri take on the role of Jang. The play runs through March 27 in Seoul and then transfer to Center Dramatique National Orleans in Orleans, France from May 17 to 21. Tickets for the Seoul production cost from 20,000 to 50,000 won. English subtitles are provided on select days March 10, 13 and 27. For more information, call 1644-2003 or visit www.ntck.or.kr. Jung Ku-ho, the executive director of the 2016 Fall/Winter Hera Seoul Fashion Week, speaks during a press conference at Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Seoul, Wednesday. / Courtesy of Seoul Design Foundation By Kim Jae-heun Hera Seoul Fashion Week, the country's biggest fashion event, will hold its first trade show in Mullae-dong, 40 minutes from the festival in Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), eastern Seoul, executive director Jung Ku-ho said Wednesday. During the 2016 Fall/Winter season collection, which runs from March 21 to 26, Jung will offer an opportunity in Generation Next (GN), an event for rookie designers, by turning Seoul Fashion Week into a trade show. According to Jung, the venue will provide convenience and an environment for designers to meet foreign buyers for business-to-business opportunities, while also presenting small catwalk shows. "This year, Seoul Fashion Week has decided to operate GN more like a trade show, focusing on doing business," said Jung during a press conference at the DDP, Wednesday. "Many foreign buyers complained last season that they wanted to do business in a quieter place, just as it works at successful overseas fashion shows. "Also, many visitors, including Suzy Menkes of International Vogue, said that hosting the major fashion shows and GN at one place is quite boring and they want to experience various sides of Seoul despite the fair service at DDP." Jung selected an abandoned factory in western Seoul to host GN, which he believes can attract foreign buyers because of its uniqueness. "Many will talk about this," Jung said. "The uniqueness of the atmosphere is what decides the characteristic of the event. It is more important to have good-quality content rather than just being closer to the main shows at the DDP." The fashion week team will run four shuttle buses taking 20 passengers every hour to GN. Jung believes this strategy will further drive Seoul Fashion Week as a platform for international fashion business. The Seoul collection fashion shows will feature 38 Korean designers' brands and three fashion company label runways at DDP while GN gathers 100 prominent and promising designers in the country. Jung is expecting some 200 international and local buyers to visit the trade show. He also has invited 100 foreign buyers and media to the fashion festival, up from 60 last year, including five chief buyers from French department store Printemps. Jung plans to hold fashion seminars with industry officials and students, featuring 10 globally popular fashion insiders from abroad such as Simon Collins, a former dean of fashion design school Parsons, and Sarah Mower, a renowned critic at Vogue.com. The mentors will discuss ways to globalize Korean fashion at the DDP on March 23. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Director General Marco Lambertini speaks during an interview with The Korea Times, at the Millenium Seoul Hilton, Tuesday. / Courtesy of WWF Korea By Kim Bo-eun Corporations can play a key role in raising awareness of environmental issues, especially in countries such as Korea where public consciousness is comparatively low, according to the head of the world's largest environmental group. "Corporations can do so much to educate and inform people," Marco Lambertini, director general of World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature told The Korea Times, Tuesday. He referred to a joint global campaign between WWF and Unilever in which they produced a video on deforestation. Titled "Farewell to the forest," the video contains the message that cities are now the only safe place for trees. It attracted 70 million viewers, illustrating the reach multinational companies can have. The director general said building partnerships with the private sector is important for environmental groups. "Korea has many companies in the information technology and communications sector that have considerable global influence," Lambertini said. "We are really keen on engaging with corporations in Korea." Companies' roles are critical, not only by promoting environmental issues, but in protecting the environment in conducting their business operations. According to data from the WWF, Korea has a "heavy ecological footprint," which means that it has a large negative impact on the ecosystem. Korea's figure on the living planet index is 2.5, which means it consumes 2.5 times more than the resources which are available for it proportionally. Lambertini said the fossil fuels that companies use in their production processes accounts for a large percentage of their energy consumption. "Companies need to produce well they need to commit to achieving energy efficiency, invest in renewable energy and make their supply chains more environmentally friendly," he said. This is now no longer just a choice for corporations but necessary for their sustainability, the environmentalist added. He said this is comparable to the transition of analogue photography to digital. "Companies in Asia spotted this, changed, and now are flourishing, as opposed to some European countries which did not and are not around anymore. Corporations really need to understand that this is the time to change." Lambertini identified priority areas Korea needs to work on, such as climate change, because it is the most urgent issue both globally and locally, and the ocean, because of the geographical location of the Korean peninsula. "Korea needs to work on renewable energy and sustainable fishing," he said. The WWF chief also stressed there are no national boundaries for environmental issues because they affect all countries. "This means that if one country does not respect the ecosystem, others may pay the price. We need to stop thinking of national boundaries and come up with regulations on the collective use of resources," he said. Opinion / Columnist Zimbabwe is a representative democracy in which national and community leadership is selected through use of the secret ballot box in periodic free and fair polls, in which all citizens participate out of their own personal volition without external impulse. The elected persons represent the interests of their constituents in various capacities in government. In doing so, they are governed by the constitution from which all laws emanate from. This is the sure way to up-hold the rule of law for the good of all citizens.This defines the ZANU-PF government which was unanimously elected in the latest harmonized polls of 2013. The peoples of this country resoundingly expressed their intention of being ruled by the current ruling party by voting it into power.In this vein, it is naive for some misguided elements in our society to believe that people are perpetuating ZANU-PF misrule. This perception defeats the sense and logic of democracy whereby citizens are expected under natural obligation to choose their own leaders willingly.In simple terms, democracy is the rule by majority vote, regardless of how some individuals are inundated by the outcome of the majority voice as the vote's outcome. That is the idiocy of democracy. However, such discontented elements are supposed to wait until the next elections when they can vote again and/or renew their interests.The winning party has the constitutional mandate to form a government, and rule for the next five years. Within that time frame, no-one is supposed to challenge or suggest any change of government because they are obliged to administer the nation for their full term of office till the next polls. Anyone who dares to do so will be a deviant that can be charged for subversion, which is a treasonous offence. Or if they protest against government rule, they are guilty of a serious case of insurgency.The people of Zimbabwe have an indispensible attachment with the ZANU-PF government since independence. They pay tribute to it for a number of reasons, among these are: (i) Achievement of independence from the white colonial minority rule, (ii) Universal education since 1980, (iii) Correction of colonial imbalances by repossession and redistribution of land to the peasantry, (iv) Indigenization of the economy and economic empowerment of the local citizenry, (v) Achievement of universal suffrage for the local populations, (vi) Development of people oriented public policies, (vii) Establishment of universities in every province, and (viii) Mechanization of the agricultural sector, among other concrete issues.National political matrix is all about sensible contestations over attainment of power to control the society in the interest of the state, and to ensure its continuity. Those that will be operating out of government or some parties, are supposed to keep the ruling party under constructive criticism, checks and balances, as opposed to unnecessary bickering over some trivialities which do not have value or contribution to national development. The government has orderd surgeon surnamed Kang to stop doing stomach-reducing operations after some of his patients, including the late singer Shin Hae-chul, suffered critical post-surgery problems. / Courtesy of Newsis By Ko Dong-hwan The government has ordered a surgeon to stop doing stomach-reducing operations after some of his patients suffered critical post-surgery problems. Revered K-pop musician Shin Hae-chul died in 2014 of complications 10 days after surgery from the doctor. A trial over the matter is under way. The health ministry's decision comes after an Australian man in his 50s died in November and a Canadian woman in her 30s suffered a post-surgery complication late last month after the surgeon, surnamed Kang, performed stomach surgery on them. The late Shin Hae-chul's funeral / Courtesy of Newsis The ministry said a medical institute or a practitioner who threatened public health is subject to action from the government. But the surgeon has defended himself. "The type of surgery I did on them was proven to be safe by many international studies," Kang was quoted as saying in a KBS TV report. "I did nothing wrong." He said he was considering filing a suit to nullify the ban. Ex-U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta By Kang Seung-woo An interview with former U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta broadcast on Voice of America has triggered controversy here. According to the VOA, Wednesday, Panetta said in an interview that the U.S. discussed with South Korea, the possibility of deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on Korean soil, while he was in office. He served as the Pentagon chief from July 2011 to February 2013. Before that he was Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from February 2009 to June 2011. Until recently, the South Korean defense ministry had maintained that no decision was made about THAAD; there were no consultations with the U.S.; and there was no request from Washington. Panetta's remarks, if true, mean that the defense ministry had secret talks with the U.S. about THAAD deployment even before it emerged as a hot-button issue last year. This also means that the ministry lied about the talks. Seoul and Washington recently began working-level discussions about deploying a THAAD battery in South Korea as a deterrent against North Korea's growing missile threats. Before that, Seoul maintained strategic ambiguity over the issue, out of concern that the advanced missile system may anger China, which claims that the existence of a THAAD battery in South Korea could be a threat to Beijing's security. Regarding Panetta's interview, the ministry said it is attempting to confirm the validity of his remarks. "The defense ministry is now checking whether his remarks from the interview are true or not. It may take some time before the ministry releases its statement on the matter," said Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun. In the VOA interview, Panetta expected that the THAAD system is likely to be deployed here within a year. Memorial center for Sewol victims to be set up by 2019 By Lee Kyung-min Parents at Danwon High School in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, have agreed to move the belongings of students who died in the 2014 sinking of the ferry Sewol from 10 classrooms to a temporary space. At a meeting mediated by the Korea Conference of Religions for Peace, parents and school authorities reached an agreement to move the belongings of the deceased students to a temporary memorial space at the Ansan Office of Education on April 16. The space will be kept until the Gyeonggi Office of Education (GOE) builds a memorial park for the victims by 2019. "We have all understood the need to give other students at the school a place to learn while still finding a proper way to commemorate the victims," one of the parents said. Although the victims' families asked that the belongings be kept there until late July, when the sunken ferry is slated to be recovered, other parents rejected this. "We held numerous discussions to work out our differences and reach a decision that reflects all parties involved," the parent added. "We will keep an open mind to listen to others' opinions." The bereaved families will remove some of the belongings of the 250 students including letters, clothing and flowers, with the remaining objects slated to be moved later. The agreement ends a months-long conflict between parents who have been split over whether to remove the belongings to make room for new students. The school is a two-story building, but has five classrooms occupied by memorials on each floor. It would need eight more classrooms to accommodate all its new students if it maintained the 10 memorial classrooms. Meanwhile, the education office expressed its commitment to complete the construction of the memorial center in three years as promised. "As we promised last November, we will be able to complete the construction. Our office supports the hard-earned decision made through talks," an official said. With the tentative name Democratic Citizen Education Center, the authority plans to build a five-story building near the school on state property. The center will commemorate the victims and provide visitors with a chance to learn from the tragedy, so as not to repeat history, according to the official. The parents and education authorities plan to hold further discussions on building a commemorative sculpture near the school. Their next meeting is scheduled for March 15. The Sewol sank off the island of Jindo on April 16, 2014, claiming more than 300 lives, most of them Danwon students on a field trip. By Choi Sung-jin North Korean women are living very happily while their South Korean counterparts are leading miserable lives, the isolationist regime's state media said Tuesday. "South Korean women are increasingly envious of their counterparts in the North, which treats women as the flowers of this era and graces their lives through great politics," said Uriminjokkiri (Happy Victory Korea), a state propaganda machine aimed at South Korea. The report came a day after a group of female defectors from the North held a news conference in Seoul, in which they said: "There are no women in North Korea but only workers who are forced to toil like cows without tails.'" In the article apparently written on the occasion of International Women's Day, the North Korean paper also said: "Women here are enjoying the same status and positions as men, while women in the South are cursing their births as the second sex." A day earlier, the North Korean defectors disclosed that sexual assaults of women by North Korean soldiers and party cadres were common, often leading to the suicide of the victims. By Yi Whan-woo President Park Geun-hye's signature project, the Eurasia Initiative, is at risk of being scrapped after the government decided Tuesday to pull out of a joint logistics project involving the two Koreas and Russia. Analysts said Wednesday that the suspension of the three-way project will consequently lead to the scrapping of the Eurasia Initiative, an envisioned inter-Korean railroad connecting to Russia's Trans-Siberian Railway, and on to Western Europe. The Rajin-Khasan project was a pivotal part of the initiative that Park introduced in October 2013. Her ultimate goal was to establish a unified logistics and energy network across the Korean Peninsula, Russia and Europe in the long term. The initial phase of the project sought to secure an international sales route for Siberian coal through a railroad between Russia's border town of Khasan and North Korea's ice-free port of Rajin. South Korean enterprises involved in the project imported coal from Rajin on Chinese-flagged vessels in three trial runs from 2014 to 2015. In a set of sanctions on Pyongyang, Tuesday, the government said it will ban the entry of foreign ships if they have visited North Korea six months before making a port call here. "It's risky to say that the government will officially scrap the Eurasia Initiative but the independent sanctions will inevitably and eventually lead to end of Park's ambitious diplomatic plan," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies. Park Young-ho of the Korea Institute for National Unification echoed a similar view, pointing out that Seoul has consistently said its punitive measures against Pyongyang will be lifted only when the military state gives up its nuclear ambitions. Seoul's sanctions are a follow-up to the latest U.N. Security Council Resolution approved on March 2 in response to Pyongyang's nuclear test, Jan. 6, and a long-range rocket launch, Feb. 7. "There will no way that the Kim regime will give up its nuclear-related activities during Park's remaining presidency," said Park Young-ho. The President's five-year term will end in February 2018. "Under such circumstance, South Korea's maritime ban against the North will remain effective while Park is in her presidency, meaning the Eurasia Initiative will be stalled. "Moreover, the Eurasia Initiative was Park's idea and no one can guarantee whether her predecessor will faithfully carry out such a policy," he added. The analysts criticized the Park administration for "failing to leave space open" to engage in relations with North Korea regardless of growing U.N. pressure on the isolated state. Russia, a veto-wielding member of the UNSC, asked the council to ensure sales of Siberian coal through Rajin before agreeing to approve the resolution last week. Yang downplayed the exclusion of North Korea among countries mentioned on China's "One Belt One Road" project during the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing on March 5. Proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, the "One Belt One Road" project is similar to the Eurasia Initiative in that it pursues the establishment of a logistics network connecting the two Koreas, China, Russia and central Asian countries. North Korea was not on the list of China's partner nations during an announcement made at the NPC session concerning the project. "China has been North Korea's benefactor and it can put the Kim regime back on the project any time it wants. But we would need support from Russia as well as North Korea if we want the Eurasia Initiative to get back on track," said Yang. Students of the Hansung University Design and Arts Institute of Continuing Education engage in design work at the university's campus in Seoul. / Courtesy of Hansung University Hansung University to map out long-term survival strategy Lee Sang-han Hansung University President By Chung Hyun-chae Hansung University has decided to focus on design and information technology (IT) courses as part of efforts to cope with mounting challenges facing the nation's higher education institutions. "We plan to strengthen our design and IT departments in accordance with our long-term survival strategy to improve our competitiveness and provide better education," Hansung University President Lee Sang-han told The Korea Times, March 3. "We will finalize our reform plan in April. And then we will do our best to implement it faithfully to upgrade our university so that we can survive the rapidly changing education environment." He added that he is working hard together with professors and administrators to draw up a blueprint for Hansung University. Lee was inaugurated as president in January and his four-year term started on Feb. 1. The official inauguration ceremony is scheduled for today. His mission is to present a new vision for the university so that it can tide over difficulties and bring about significant changes because of the government-initiated college and university restructuring program. "I hope we will develop more than five competitive programs in design and IT that can compete with similar programs at the nation's top universities," Lee said. Hansung University has strong design majors on both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Its design students won the Red Dot Design Awards in 2012 and 2013. The award is one of the world's top three industrial design awards along with the International Forum Design Award and the Industrial Design Excellence Awards. "Our students have won a number of small and big design contests at home and abroad," Lee added. He said the Hansung University Design and Arts Institute of Continuing Education, which runs lifelong education programs, is also strong in design and art. "We are proud that about 90 percent of graduates of the design and arts lifelong education programs have found jobs without any difficulty," Lee said. Many graduates of the information and communication engineering department have also attained prominence in the IT field. A student team called UbiNet developed a technology called RingerRingering that tells medical staff how much Ringer's solution has been given to a patient. They were invited to a technology festival organized by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning in 2015 as the only university student team. The university's professors have also shown strong performances as well. For example, Prof. Lee Ki-won created a software application called MowMas that provides information visualization services in a mobile environment. It received approval last year from the National Information Society Agency for its contribution to software standardization. Specialized programs Hansung has also been trying to strengthen its unique programs: a Korean language education program for foreigners and a knowledge service and consulting program. "I believe we can improve our competitiveness through such programs and open a new way to the future for our university," Lee said. Hansung signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Uttaradit Rajabhat University in Thailand in 2013 to help create the first Korean language education department in Thailand. The Thai university opened its Korean language education department in August 2014. Now 15 students are studying Korean there. "We expect most students in the Korean language education department to work at secondary schools in Thailand as Korean language teachers," Lee said. "They could also come to Korea to receive practical training in their senior years or after graduation." The Hansung Institute of Language Education has developed the curriculum with Uttaradit Rajabhat University and shared its Korean language education knowhow. It also sent one professor to the Thai university for one year to manage the new department. "We plan to provide diverse programs for Thai students to help them find jobs in addition to becoming schoolteachers," said Kim Dong-hoan, a professor at the Korean language and literature department. "As many students have dreams of working in Korean companies, we are thinking of providing extensive programs in cooperation with our business administration, beauty and design departments." Hansung is also promoting its Knowledge Service and Consulting Education Program. The program was launched by in 2008, funded by the Small and Medium Business Administration and the Small and Medium Business Corporation, to cultivate experts who can provide consulting services to smaller companies. "A few universities are working on similar programs but I believe we have a competitive advantage," Lee said. "Concentrating on our strengths compared to other universities, we can definitely set up better programs that will attract smart students and produce successful results." International exchanges Hansung is also striving to help its students travel around the world and develop a global mindset. The university especially encourages its students to participate in its overseas volunteer program. This program is popular among students, so they usually face fierce competition to register with only an average 30 percent of applicants accepted. "We send our students to our partner universities that have close ties with us," Lee said. Hansung has formed relationships with 60 foreign universities, 40 of them maintaining close partnerships. Last year, 20 students went to Uzbekistan and 20 others to Thailand to do volunteer work. "It is important to promote cultural exchanges through volunteer service, in addition to helping people in need," Lee said. To attract foreign students, Hansung plans to build a dormitory next year costing 20 billion won. "It is crucial for a university to have a dormitory where foreign students can live well," Lee said. The dormitory will be able to accommodate about 10 percent of the student body, more than triple the current 3.3 percent. "We expect the number of foreign students coming to our university to increase from the current 200 to more than 600 in four years after the dormitory is built," Lee added. The university is constructing a new building to make more room for lecture halls and research facilities. The project is also designed to make better use of underground space. Construction work will be completed in August. By Doug Bandow Four decades ago South Korea's President Park Chung-hee, father of the current president, launched a quest for nuclear weapons. Washington, the South's military protector, applied substantial pressure to kill the program. Today it looks like Park might have been right. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea continues its relentless quest for nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. The South is attempting to find an effective response. It closed Kaesong industrial complex, which provided the North with nearly $100 million in hard currency annually. Seoul also is talking with the U.S about installing the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD system. Neither of these steps is likely to much affect Pyongyang's behavior. Although the DPRK is unlikely to attack since it would lose a full-scale war, the Republic of Korea remains uncomfortably dependent on America. And Washington's commitment to the populous and prosperous ROK likely will decline as America's finances worsen and challenges elsewhere multiply. In response, there is talk of reviving the South's nuclear option. Won Yoo-cheol, parliamentary floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, told the National Assembly: "We cannot borrow an umbrella from a neighbor every time it rains. We need to have a raincoat and wear it ourselves." Chung Moon-jong, member of the National Assembly and Asan Institute founder, made a similar plea two years ago. He told an American audience "if North Korea keeps insisting on staying nuclear then it must know that we will have no choice but to go nuclear." He suggested that the South withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and "match North Korea's nuclear progress step-by step while committing to stop if North Korea stops." The public seems receptive. Koreans' confidence in America's willingness to use nuclear weapons in defense of the ROK has declined, while support for a South Korean nuclear program is on the upswing, hitting 66 percent in 2013. While President Park Geun-hye's government remains formally committed to the NPT, Seoul has conducted nuclear experiments and resisted oversight by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Of course, the idea triggers a horrified reaction in Washington and among those committed to nonproliferation. Unfortunately, in Northeast Asia today nonproliferation operates a little like gun control in the U.S.: only the bad guys end up armed. China, Russia, and North Korea all have nuclear weapons. America's allies, Japan and South Korea, do not, and expect Washington to defend them. To do so the U.S. would have to risk Los Angeles to protect Seoul and Tokyo and maybe Taipei and Canberra as well, depending on how far Washington extends the "nuclear umbrella." While America's overwhelming nuclear arsenal should deter anyone else from using nukes, conflicts do not always evolve rationally. South Korea and Japan are important international partners, but their protection is not worth creating an unnecessary existential threat to the American homeland. Better to create a balance of power in which the U.S. is not a target if nukes start falling. And that would be achieved by independent South Korean and Japanese nuclear deterrents. Such a prospect would antagonize China. But then, such an arsenal would deter the People's Republic of China as well as DPRK. Which also would serve American interests. Moreover, the mere threat might end up solving the problem. That is, when faced with the prospect of Japanese and South Korean nuclear weapons, China might come to see the wisdom of applying greater pressure on the North most importantly, cutting off energy and food shipments. The U.S.-ROK discussions over THAAD may have encouraged Beijing to indicate its willingness support a UN resolution imposing more pain on the North for its latest nuclear launch. The prospect of having two more nuclear neighbors would concentrate minds in Zhongnanhai. Abandoning nonproliferation is not a decision to take lightly. No one wants a nuclear arms race. But the PRC already is improving its nuclear forces to diminish Washington's edge. And allowing North Korea to enjoy a unilateral advantage creates great dangers. So policymakers should consider the possibility of a nuclear South Korea. The NPT does not necessarily triumph over other security concerns. Keeping America entangled in the Korean imbroglio as Pyongyang develops nuclear weapons is a bad option which could turn catastrophic. Blessing allied development of nuclear weapons might prove to be a better alternative. Park Chung-hee was a brute, but his desire for an ROK nuclear weapon looks prescient. Maybe it's time for the good guys in Northeast Asia to be armed as well. Doug Bandow is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute and a former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan. He is the author of Tripwire: Korea and U.S. Foreign Policy in a Changed World and co-author of The Korean Conundrum: America's Troubled Relations with North and South Korea. South Korea and the United States are upgrading their command center for combined air operations in a bid to intensify information sharing on North Korea, a military official said Wednesday. The overhaul of the Korean Air and Space Operations Center (KAOC) that kicked off last year will take several years to finish, the official said, asking not to be named. "Currently, it is in the initial stages and redesign is underway," he noted. The KAOC, at the United States Force Korea's Osan Air Base, commands and controls the allies' joint air and space operations at wartime and is also in charge of directing missile operations by all branches of the military. In peacetime, the center serves as an air control tower for military aircraft. The current KAOC, built in 1983, has become outdated with time and does not have up-to-date technologies to control cutting-edge weapon systems, according to some military sources. "The update will enable the militaries of South Korea and the U.S. to have the closest information sharing system among any alliance in the world," the military official said. Separately, the countries also plan to link the information management system of the U.S.-made Global Hawk unmanned surveillance aircraft, which Seoul is scheduled to introduce in the next few years, with that of the U.S. military's U-2 ultra-high altitude reconnaissance aircraft. Such measures reflect the allies' efforts to heighten intelligence sharing on North Korea's military threats, especially after the country's fourth nuclear test in January. (Yonhap) A North Korean ship has been denied of entry to Chinese port, following the United Nations resolution to impose sanctions on the communist country, media reports said Wednesday. China barred the North Korean ship Grand Karo from entering the Rizhao port of China's northern coastal province of Shandong, according to Reuters news agency. The ship was registered as being from Cambodia via a practice called flag of convenience to avoid taxes and other regulations. It was one of 31 ships belonging to North Korea's Wonyang Shipping Corp., subject to an asset freeze and sanctions by Resolution 2270, according to news reports. The U.N. Security Council adopted the resolution last week, imposing the harshest sanctions yet on North Korea to punish it for its fourth nuclear test in January and long-range rocket launch last month. Under those measures, several North Korean vessels have reportedly turned back after being denied entry at Russian and Chinese ports, while another ship was impounded in the Philippines last week. (Yonhap) Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) President Kim In-chul, center, poses with presidents and vice presidents of 10 other universities of foreign languages in Asia during their forum at Westin Chosun Seoul, Wednesday. They are, from left, Kyoto University of Foreign Studies Vice President Toshiki Kumagai, University of Humanities in Mongolia Vice President Chuluundorj Begz, University of Languages and International Studies-Vietnam National University President Do Tuan Minh, Busan University of Foreign Studies President Chung Hae-lin, Beijing Foreign Studies University Council President Zhen Han, HUFS President Kim, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies President Hirotaka Tateishi, Daegu University of Foreign Studies President Kim Soo-il, Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages President Ganisher Khudoykulovich Rakhimov, Shanghai International Studies University Vice President Li Yang and Cyber Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Vice President Cho Jang-youn. / Courtesy of HUFS By Chung Hyun-chae The Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) and 10 other foreign language universities in Asia have formed a consultative body to step up cooperation and exchanges. Leaders of the 11 universities launched the body during the Presidential Forum for Universities of Foreign Studies in Asia at Westin Chosun Seoul, Wednesday. "I expect today's forum to serve as a starting point for the creation of an even closer network and to upgrade the quality of foreign language education provided in the Asian region," HUFS President Kim In-chul said during his welcoming address. Kim hoped that the new consortium will boost joint research and student exchanges. "It will be a cornerstone for creating joint degrees and developing e-learning content together," he added. He also said he wants to invite more foreign language universities in other Asian countries including India and Bangladesh, and reach out to Europe and the Americas. Ambassadors of China, Japan, Mongolia and Vietnam gave congratulatory speeches at the forum. Korea's Education Minister Lee Joon-sik said in a congratulatory message, "Foreign studies universities can create a network in an Asian context to overcome similar challenges and environmental difficulties in the future by sharing and providing the impetus to implement policy initiatives, while supporting each other." The 11 universities are HUFS, Cyber Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Busan University of Foreign Studies, Daegu University of Foreign Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, University of the Humanities in Mongolia, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Shanghai International Studies University, Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages and University of Languages and International Studies-Vietnam National University (ULIS-VNU). The presidents and vice presidents of each university had a roundtable discussion to share their visions and introduce their strengths, before signing a memorandum of understanding to establish the consortium. "The idea of making a network of foreign studies universities in Asia is very good as it will enhance the opportunities to work together for a better future not only for the universities but also countries," said ULIS-VNU President Do Tuan Minh, citing his school's slogan: "Creating opportunities together." Tokyo University of Foreign Studies President Hirotaka Tateishi also said, "We will work closely to cultivate talented global citizens who could contribute to the world development." He added that it is meaningful to expand exchanges of students, faculty, staff and scholars among foreign language universities in Asia. Opinion / Columnist The entry by Dr Joice Mujuru the former Vice President of Zimbabwe into the political framework in the country has sent many tongues wagging with some prophets of doom already discarding ZANU PF as a spent force which is only waiting for the 2018 harmonized elections for it to be dumped out of power.Some people in the country think that Dr Mujuru`s Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) party would be the saviour to their problems as it has come at the time when the economic fortune of Zimbabwe is at its lowest. The ZPF is seen by people as an alternative party to support in place of ZANU PF which has been in power since independence. Some Zimbabweans in the opposition political sphere feel that 2018 is very far away to them, to see the demise of this revolutionary party, ZANU PF led by the well respected and esteemed Pan Africanist Statesman in Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe.Some prophets of doom are already circulating reports around the country suggesting that the ZPF has already gained political ground with other people leaving behind their political parties in favour of it. Some private media houses have also joined the bandwagon of those prophets of doom into supporting the notion that the ZPF is gaining political ground in the country. People in the country now believe that the ZPF has come to bring bread and butter on their tables. Some of them have allegedly resigned from their traditional political parties and joined the ZPF hoping that they will get something better in return.Some recent headlines in the private media allegedly showed that Dr Mujuru`s ZPF has come with thunder powers to sweep into victory come 2018 harmonized elections. Headlines like: Mujuru in grand political entry, Newsday 2 March 2016, Mujuru "tsunami" ruptures into life, Dailynews 2 March 2016, Will Mujuru shutter the glass ceiling? Newsday 5 March 2016, Mujuru rattles Mugabe camp, The Standard 6 March 2016, Mujuru, ZPF hit ground running, Dailynews 9 March 2016 and some others not mentioned here were coined in a way to confuse people into believing that the ZPF`s entry into the political arena means business in the country.Interestingly Zimbabweans are quick to forget that ZANU PF has been in power for quite some time and throughout its life in power quite a number of some political parties came and were swept away like the morning dew facing the sunrise. It should be known that Dr Mujuru who has been in ZANU PF and government since 1980 until December 2014 cannot be trusted and viewed as a saviour today just because she was dismissed from the ruling party. The fact that she was in ZANU PF all along and failed to serve the ailing economy and only formed her party after her expulsion shows that she has nothing to offer. She is only fond of having a political power hence being out of politics is a threat to her accumulated wealth.There is nothing which the electorate could celebrate because of Mujuru`s entry into politics since Mujuru has been in government doing nothing for the revival of the economy. Actually she was part and parcel of the establishment which is now being blamed by the opposition as failing to run the country. It is surprising that Mujuru who has felt cold outside politics wants to make people believe that she holds keys to unlock the economic fortunes of Zimbabwe. People should ask her why she took more than three decades to realise that she can revive the economic fortunes in the country.Mujuru is quite aware that her wealth which she accumulated as a result of her position in government is under threat from flourishing as she is no longer using state machinery to accumulate more so her entry into politics is to safeguard that. Since her ouster from ZANU PF in 2014, Mujuru felt that it was cold outside political field hence the move to dupe the electorate into thinking that she is their political saviour. Only time would real tell.People should realise that ZANU PF is the people`s party which cannot be intimidated by the fly-by night political outfits. Those who still recall would still remember how the Zimbabwe Unity Movement (ZUM) was like in 1990s as it was formed by one of the respected revolutionary and former Secretary General of ZANU PF Edgar Tekere. Throughout the country ZUM was received with fan and pomp fare with people concluding that the then 1990 elections would bring a new government. But despite ZUM being formed by the revolutionists coming from the revolutionary party ZANU PF but ZANU PF was never threatened by Tekere`s party in the 1990 elections.While some Zimbabwean thought the ZANU PF government was over but then the revolutionary party romped into victory in the 1990 election leaving ZUM disjointed. ZANU PF remained intact and those who thought the revolutionary party was going to be dumped out of government amended their views and then returned back to the ruling party later.It is not ZUM alone which received the drubbing from ZANU PF alone since independence. Other opposition political parties like the once powerful and labour backed political party the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by the former Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) Secretary General, Morgan Tsvangirai came and also received the same drubbing by ZANU PF in all elections since its formation in 1999 up to the recent elections in 2013.So those who are quick to forget that ZANU PF is a revolutionary party which cannot be intimidated by few of its disgruntled members who always think that forming a political party to challenge it is a solution are wrong. During years in which the MDC was formed, Zimbabweans thought that ZANU PF`s dominance was over but history has proved them wrong. Now the same people are forgetting that ZANU PF is there to stay and the ZPF will receive the same fate that befell its predecessors come 2018.Actually recent reports from both the private and public media revealed that Mujuru has lost support from her home area in Dotito the same way as Morgan Tsvangirai was dumped by his people in Buhera when he tried to stand as an MP in the 2000 parliamentary elections. Tsvangirai was cleanly beaten by Kennedy Manyonda of ZANU PF leaving him to rue the day he decided to join that political race in Buhera. So people should be aware of reading too much into the so called Mujuru entry in the opposition politics.History might come to repeat itself and a lot of people would be surprised to find out that their so called saviour Dr Mujuru and her ZPF party would be history come 2018 harmonized elections. ZANU PF the revolutionary party is there to stay. Icho. Institute of Global Management professor Cho Mi-na delivers a speech during an event to help SKC's local business partners find new business models using the firm's big data solutions at SK headquarters in Jeongja-dong, Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. / Courtesy of SKC By Kim Yoo-chul SK Corp. C&C (SKC), the holding arm of SK, held a seminar Wednesday to help its main business partners find new business opportunities utilizing SK's own big data business solutions. In a statement, SKC said 115 executives from the firm's top business clients attended the lecture event. "The main theme of the lecture was on how to use big data in new business ideas, to collect and analyze information and to learn from the best cases of global companies which found new models using big data analytical tools," said the statement. The event was held in the Vision Room on the 27th floor of the company's headquarters in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province. SKC also updated its so-called "co-existence programs" as part of its efforts to seek balanced growth with its local partners during the event. "Through close collaboration with our business partners, SKC plans to find new models and new business opportunities," said the statement. SKC has been offering education, technology and patent-sharing programs with its local partners in accordance with the government's initiatives for a "creative economy" and for co-existence between big and small firms. By Kim Yoo-chul Han Sang-beom LG Display CEO Park Dong-geun Samsung Display CEO LG Display, the world's top display panel maker, has officially asked long-time rival Samsung Display to join the race for large-sized organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels to beat Chinese companies in the sector, widely considered the next-generation display market. "Samsung Display will join with LG," LG Display CEO and Vice Chairman Han Sang-beom said on the sidelines of a meeting between CEOs from big companies and the trade ministry in downtown Seoul, Wednesday. "I believe this issue is a matter of timing." Han declined to specify. But he said LG Display plans to invest up to 4 trillion won focusing on larger OLED panels for televisions. "LG's plan to increase investment in our two key Korean plants _ one in Paju and the other one is Gumi _ won't change," Han said. The LG Group's display affiliate invested 3 trillion won in 2015, it said. The company executive said the groundwork at its latest P10-dubbed OLED plant in Paju, the city near the inter-Korean border, has begun. "We are in the process of doing some land works," Han said. The plant, which will be the largest OLED plant in the world, will be operational from June 2018 and supply small and large OLED panels to top clients including Apple. "We thanked the trade ministry for its sincere support to address electricity and water supply issues," he said. However, Han expects the global display industry to suffer from the weak panel prices and a continued oversupply this year. "We hope the market will see some turnaround sometime in the latter half of this year," he said. LG Display reported 28.28 trillion won in sales last year and a 1.62 trillion won operating profit, up 7 percent and 20 percent, respectively, year-on-year. Samsung's OLED join? At LG Display's request, Samsung Display said the Samsung Group's display affiliate "is trying hard to fine-tune OLED technologies." "Samsung Display is trying its best to develop OLED technologies," CEO Park Dong-geun said. "We are reviewing the marketability of the OLED TV market. However, no decisions have been made so far," Park said, adding the timing to start mass-production of OLED TV panels is yet to be finalized. Samsung has already asked its top-tier local suppliers to develop needed equipment at Samsung's display plants in Korea when Samsung Electronics' top management makes a final decision on mass-production of larger OLEDs. Unlike traditional LCDs, OLEDs are brighter and more energy efficient because the panels do not use bulky backlight, allowing set-makers to produce stylish products with a thinner surface. But because of technological barriers, Samsung still has questions about the marketability of larger OLEDs; therefore, Samsung has been focusing on smaller OLEDs to be used in the Galaxy device lineup, while LG has shifted its focus to OLED TVs. "This is why Samsung is pushing hard for quantum.dot TV, which is a variant of LCD, with some enhancements in picture quality," said an official wishing to remain anonymous. "However, Samsung will join the OLED TV market very soon, which is good for Korea to create a new ecosystem in the next-generation display market." Conglomerate to maintain flexibility in 2016 hiring By Kim Yoo-chul Senior Samsung executives said Wednesday that Samsung Electronics would not split its stocks despite calls by the country's main bourse operator and related authorities to split stocks to bring in retail investors and spur trading volume. "Currently, Samsung Electronics has no imminent plans to split stocks," Lee Sang-hoon, president of the company's management support office, told reporters on the sidelines of his participation at Wednesday's weekly regular meeting of presidents of Samsung affiliates in Seocho Samsung Tower, southern Seoul. Yoon Yong-am, chief executive at Samsung Securities, said, "I've never heard about that (stock split) plan." Chang Choong-key, vice head of Samsung Corporate Strategy Office, the group control tower, said, "I have no idea about that." The remarks came a few months after Samsung said late last year that it was considering a stock split as part of its efforts to strengthen its shareholder return policy. Samsung Electronics shares were traded at more than $1,200 each with investors and analysts calling it a "king stock." Given by its high stock price, retail investors have limited access to purchase the stocks. Whether or not Samsung has a plan for a stock split has emerged as one of the top issues in the local stock market after about 10 big companies, each of them having large market capitalization, decided to split their stocks at the request of the government. "Because Samsung Electronics' market capitalization takes up about 17 percent on the KOSPI benchmark index, we still urge Samsung to join with other companies in splitting its stocks to make its shares more approachable for local individual investors, which will also be good to activate the local stock market," said an official at the Korea Exchange (KRX), the country's main bourse operator. After growing pressure by investors asking Samsung to pay out more for dividends, Samsung said it will increase its spending to repurchase its own shares and added that the company will also increase its yearly dividend payment. For a comparison, Samsung's chief rival Apple experienced its share price peak with $702.10 in September 2012. Since completing a seven-for-one stock split in June last year, Apple shares have traded as high as $101, which is equalized with the value of more than $700 at the firm's pre-split levels. "This issue is a matter of pride. If a company maintains a high price stock price, then it will make investors think that that company is a king of kings," said one official. Flexibility in 2016 hiring Separately, the group control tower said it will maintain "greater flexibility" in its hiring plans of the group affiliates. "The corporate strategy office is underway to fix details about this year's hiring plans; however, there won't be any drastic cuts this year from the previous year," Chung Hyeon-ho, chief of the human resources team at the strategy office, told reporters. Chung said local reports which have said Samsung plans to cut this year's total hiring by 15 percent from 2015 are "untrue," without elaborating further. Samsung will start its recruiting process beginning March 14. Last year, it hired 14,000 in total. "We will try hard to maintain last year's hiring level; however, the total amount will be different according to situations." Samsung unloaded its defense and chemical businesses. Also, some of the group affiliates including the battery unit of Samsung SDI are on track to restructure human resources to cut costs. Samsung Electronics 1.2-megapixel image sensor is seen in this file photo. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics said Wednesday that it has begun selling its highly-advanced 1.2-megapixel image sensor for smartphones using dual pixel technology which it began in February this year. "The usage of dual pixel technology was earlier limited to cameras for professional use; however, Samsung expanded the usage of these to mobile devices. Smartphones which embed with this chips will provide clear and brighter images in extremely low light," Hur Kook, vice president of marketing at Samsung's logic-chip business division, said in a statement. Samsung Electronics is said to have the biggest client for the chips with itself as the sensor technology was adopted in the company's new flagship smartphone Galaxy S7 and S7 edge both of which will be available beginning March 11. A company spokesman declined to comment about its next clients. However, market watchers expect Samsung will approach leading Chinese handset makers including Xiaomi and Huawei to promote the sale of its sensor chips. What makes the latest dual pixel technology different from earlier technology is, according to Samsung, the dual pixel technology combined two photo diodes into one pixel. The diodes work like human eyes to see images and to control focus. As photo diodes can help external light change electric signals, more photo diodes mean increased accuracy in viewing. The global image sensor market is led by Japan's Sony with market share of 45.6 percent. The development of the sensor chips will help Samsung gain more traction in the battle with the Japanese technology titan for mobile sensor chips. Samsung's market share was estimated at some 13.1 percent as of last year, said market research firms. Samsung is ready to narrow the market gap with Sony. Lack of IT originality a major obstacle to machine learning industry By Lee Min-hyung Korea's tendency to mimic foreign technologies is a major obstacle facing the burgeoning local artificial intelligence (AI) industry, experts said Wednesday. The AI industry is drawing public attention as machine learning is making headlines here thanks to a historic five-game go match, starting today between Google-developed AI system AlphaGo and world go champion Lee Se-dol. Global IT giants such as Google, Microsoft and IBM, identify AI and machine learning as their next growth area, as the technology allows machines to make humanlike predictions by using massive datasets. Local tech firms are also jumping on the AI bandwagon, but have failed to measure up to industry-leading standards as in the United States or Japan. This reflects the nation's decades-long habit of imitating foreign technology trends, said a computer science professor. "Local technology experts tend to focus on studies which gain traction in developed countries," said Kwon Hyuk-chul, a professor at Pusan National University, in an interview. "The nation was in the grip of big data fever five to six years ago, for the same reason. AI fever is also on the same track." He pointed out that the local AI industry cannot grow fast enough to meet global standards, unless the nations let go of such "me-too" attitudes. Two of K-pop's trending starlets are taking a break after experiencing health issues. Both EXID's Hani (Ahn Hee Yeon) and Girl's Day's Hyeri (Lee Hye Ri) are taking time to recover their health. Hyeri and Hani are two of Korea's rising stars of young K-pop idols and immensely popular in their own rights. They follow the unfortunate trend of immense popularity in the Korean entertainment world leading to poor health conditions due to overwork. On Feb. 27, Hani announced a sudden hiatus from broadcast activities due to her waning health. She is looking to return to the industry in the middle of the month, according to Korean media outlets. Han recently released the duet song "Only One" with fellow EXID member Solji. Hani is near-single-handedly responsible for kickstarting EXID's popularity after the group struggled for years; a video of her performing their song "Up & Down" went viral in 2014, launching the girl group to fame. Since then, she's become a constant on Korean variety shows. The news of Hani's break from her schedules came shortly before Hyeri was rushed to the hospital earlier this week after developing a fever. On March 6, the Girl's Day member was diagnosed with meningitis. She is expected to leave the hospital on March 10, according to a company rep. Like Hani, Hyeri is a popular star; she saw immense growth in popularity following her appearance on the popular tvN drama "Answer Me 1988" after rising to fame during a special of the popular variety show, "Real Men." Opinion / Columnist The past week saw the Zimbabwean House of Representatives members coming together from all the political divide, calling for the government to handle their welfare well the same way as some other arms of government which are the Executive and the Judiciary. The legislators argued that they were losing respect from the public as they were treated differently from other arms of governmentIn addition the Members of Parliament (MPs) pointed out that they were living like paupers when they were supposed to look big as they are the ones representing the electorate in their different constituencies. They further argued that since they are the ones representing the electorate around the country, they were supposed to be respected along the same way as the Executive and the Judiciary are respected in the country. Those parliamentarians believed that their positions in the House of Assembly call for them to look great hence, there was no need for them to be looked down upon by government and its institutions.That debate in which the MPs called for the equal standing with the Executive and the Judiciary came after Buhera West House of Assembly representative, Cde Oliver Mandipaka had brought forward a motion which called for MPs to have an over sight role over the Executive. Mandipaka brought this motion when some MPs were debating a report on Zimbabwe's delegation to the Consultations with the Pan African Parliament and other regional Parliaments on the provision of constitutionalism and the rule of law in Africa, that was held last year in South Africa.Such a motion by Cde Oliver Mandipaka was met by resistance from the MPs as they said that they cannot have an over sight role over the Executive since they were treated like ordinary people in the country. They further said that they were living like paupers yet the Executive and the Judiciary were enjoying their positions in government as they are supplied with necessary resources to tackle their duties well without problems. They also said that they need to have diplomatic passports since the Executive and the Judiciary do possess the same.Reading such concerns raised by the parliamentarians make one to feel pity for them but others would also want to ask the same whether they real know their objectives of being in parliament. Some parliamentarians have mistaken beliefs that they were elected into parliament to appear big and live lavishly on the expense of the electorate. It should be known by these parliamentarians that they should spend their time with the electorate and not to cry for lavish spending when the economic situation in the country does not allow that.These MPs should be aware that the economic situation in the country does not allow any unnecessary spending of the tax payers' money. They need to realise that when they were voted into parliament they went there as representatives of the masses not for their personal aggrandisement. It should be known by these MPs that the people whom they are representing need development in those constituencies which they represent. Actually instead of spending time debating about how they should be handled by the government, they need to spend time looking for ways to develop and run their constituencies.While they have a genuine reason that they are the arm of the State hence they should be treated equally the same way as the Executive and the Judiciary but that should not make them forget their mandates of being in parliament. Some of those MPs last visited their constituencies when they were campaigning to be voted into parliament. For that reason there is no need for them to cry for soft spot from government. In fact these MPs should be aware that their welfare should be secondary to the people whom they are representing in parliament. Zimbabwean need to hear debates that make the parliament come up with developmental projects that develop some constituencies around the country. They need to realise that all Zimbabweans are facing economic difficulties and to hear those representing them crying to be treated with kid gloves by government shows how greedy the MPS of today are.It is known the world over that some MPs are the ones with the role of enacting laws that government their countries so some Zimbabwean MPs should not forget that. Instead of them crying for equal standing with the Executive and the Judiciary, they should come up with laws that make it mandatory for them to be equated with the Executive and the Judiciary. It does not make any logic for the MPs to cry for themselves to be handled well when they can do that through the enactment of laws that can help them do what they are crying for.MPs should also realise that working for their constituencies is the best and from such hard working they would get rewards through re-election in the coming elections. So they should be aware of that and stop crying to be treated differently from those whom they are representing. People need to hear their MPs coming up with live debates on how Zimbabwe could pull out from this economic quagmire in which the country is reeling under. It is not health for those with powers to represent people to spend time fighting to have their welfare upgraded forgetting that their subjects are also suffering.It is a fact that Zimbabwe is facing one of its worst drought in history and instead of the MPs to debate on how the government could come up with strategies to fight this hunger, they get time to debate on trivial issues like them getting diplomatic passports. What good can some diplomatic passports for MPs bring to the suffering Zimbabweans? Do the MPs know that a parliamentarian can last long in parliament if he/she is active in the constituency in which he/she was voted to represent? Diplomatic passports will not bring any votes to them and the sooner they realise that the better.While it should be realised that they need to be treated the same way as the Executive and the Judiciary but they also need to realise that they should spend most of their time with the electorate and finding means to develop those constituencies. This writer may not want to mention names of some MPs who have never visited their constituencies since the 2013 harmonized elections, but this should not make them feel good and think that the electorate is not watching. Instead of them crying to be treated the same way as the Executive and the judiciary they should work hard to seek re-election because 2018 is so close by.Actually those MPs should not waste time by coming up with some misplaced priorities as such moves would come to haunt them after the 2018 harmonized elections since the electorate would have dumped them out of that august house. Akuruma nzeve ndewako. This article originally ran in the March 2016 issue of AVN magazine. Click here to see the digital edition. Upon his recent death, Justice Antonin Scalia was the longest-serving justice sitting on the United States Supreme Court. Nino Scalia, known as much for his dear friendship with the other justices on the Court as for his spirited sparring during oral arguments and his blistering dissents, from the day he took office in 1986, was idolized by conservatives as supplying intellectual firepower for their cause, central to which was his vehement opposition to Roe v. Wade. Neither his intellect nor his congeniality ever were credibly challenged. A native of suburban New York City, educated at a Manhattan prep school, at Georgetown and at Harvard Law, he went to private practice and then the University of Virginia as a professor; and later the University of Chicago, where he put a charge into the fledgling ultra-conservative Federalist Society. He worked in the Nixon, Ford and Reagan administrations, the latter rewarding him with an appointment to the United States Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit. Recall that President Reagans first appointment to the Supreme Court was Sandra Day OConnor, a justice who did not materialize into the conservative mold for which the Republicans were hoping. During his 1994 campaign for his second term, Reagan aggressively courted evangelicals; and, after his landslide reelection to which they so profoundly contributed, he owed them. In 1986, then-Chief Justice Warren Berger announced that he was stepping down. The attorney general by then was Edwin Meese III, remembered most by readers as having set in motion the hearings which culminated in the so-called Meese Commission Report and launching the federal governments attack on the adult mail-order (Operation PostPorn) and video (Operation Woodworm) industries, vowing to rid the country of explicit pornography. However, another function of the Department of Justice is to advise the president about judicial appointments. Meese orchestrated a double whammy: First, President Reagan would nominate then-Associate Justice William H. Rehnquist to be the chief justice. Rehnquist, appointed by President Nixon in 1972, he was indisputably the most conservative justice on the Court. Elevating Rehnquist to the chief justice position would leave an opening for a new associate justice. For that opening, the nominee would be Antonin Scalia, then a judge on the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Scalia was not then widely known, which is the case with most justices on lower federal courts. However, he was the perfect choice for Meese. Although it is obvious that Meeses Department of Justice had thoroughly vetted Scalia, especially with respect to abortion, that wasnt widely known. The Republicans were determined to not repeat the mistake that they perceived in Justice OConnors appointment. Additionally, Scalia would be bound to do well in confirmation hearings. He was brilliant, yet affablean avuncular scholar. Both were confirmed; and on September 26, 1986, Rehnquist was installed as chief justice; and Scalia was installed to replace him as associate justice. That combination left hook and right-hand cross meant that the Republicans had installed the most proven of a conservative Chief Justice imaginable, along with a new associate justice who was almost certain to be at least as far to the right. If the chief justice is in the majority on a case, it is the chief justice who decides which justice will author the majority opinion, including that the chief justice can keep the assignment for himself. As an aside, concurring and dissenting opinions are optional. Any justice who feels the need to chime in may do so. For dissenting opinions, Scalia wrote many against positions that AVN readers likely embrace. As to oral argument, similar latitude is allowed. At one extreme is Justice Thomas, who almost never asks questions. Justice Scalia was the opposite extreme, appearing to view oral argument as a sport. That was especially true in a case where, going in, he had already made up his mind. He would pepper litigants with questions to make light of the argument that he disfavored. From time to time, Justice Scalia did make rather surprising votes that Republicans did not embrace. For example, he voted to require a jury finding of facts that would increase a sentence in a criminal case. All told, Justice Scalia was a Supreme Court powerhouse. The court plainly will be worlds different without him. SUTTER COUNTY, Calif.For those who haven't heard, this Saturday, the Utah Coalition Against Pornography (UCAP) will be holding an anti-porn conference in Salt Lake City (you know: the capital of the state with the nation's highest per capita online sex site subscriptions). Among the seminar topics at the one-day conference are "How Do I Say It? Talking to Kids and Teens About Pornography"; "Pornography: Its Harm to Children and What We Can Do About It"; "Seven Practical Ways You Can Help Others Recover from Pornography Addiction"; "How Pornography is Changing an Entire Generation"; and "Simple Things You Can Do to Protect High Standards in Your Community." Although the conference is being promoted by Morality in Media National Center on Sexual Exploitation, none of the speakers ring any bells as major anti-porn advocates ... but if you're in the area, why not stop in? It'll only cost 20 buckaroos. It's taking place at the Salt Palace Convention Center, 100 West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101. One person who won't be in attendance at the conference, though, is Donny Pauling, the former religious anti-porn darling who pled "no contest" late last year to sexually molesting three underage girls. Apparently, we missed the announcement of his sentencing last November, but according to the Appeal-Democrat's story, after "a long and emotional hearing," Pauling was sentenced to six years in state prison, and upon his release, he'll have to register as a sex offender for lifeand all of his victims and their families said the sentence was too short. But hey: couldn't happen to a nicer guy. As of last April, Pauling was facing three indictments: one containing three felony counts for Lewd Act on a Child, Oral Copulation and Unlawful Intercourse; another with four more counts of unlawful sex with a minor; and a third, charging not only that he sexually assaulted an underage girl at least once within the first 33 days of 2014, but also that he gave her marijuana. In one of those liaisons, he was aided by Sutter County Sheriff's Capt. Lewis McElfresh, who's also under indictment on similar charges. At the sentencing, it's safe to say that no one had anything good to say about the porn photographer turned anti-porn zealot. A letter read by the mother of one of his victims stated that her daughter "has been in and out of the hospital with intense stomach pains, which doctors say is stress-related," and that "[s]ome days, the girl cries and screams all day." One of Pauling's victims was in court to speak for herself. "I've been called many things in my life," the girl said. "Yet, the most imprinting titles I was given were a liar and the victim. ... This past year I've been interrogated, I've been the gossip, I've been moved from foster home to foster home, I've been rejected and abandoned. Yet, when this all began, I never felt like a victim. It wasn't until his statement that he made accusing me of being a liar, the comments made about me on Facebook, news articles and as I walked by. That's when it all sunk in." For Pauling's part, he claimed at the hearing that he hadn't received a fair hearing, and that newspaper articles had printed inaccurate information. He also alleged that "a district attorney's investigator was having an affair with a witness, and he was denied a fair bail amount, which he said kept him from hiring his own investigator." Pauling also said, by way of "explanation," that, "There is no excuse for what happened. I fell in love with [a girl] who's 16 years old. There is something wrong when a 40-year-old falls in love with a 16-year-old. I'm too close to figure out what is wrong." The sentencing magistrate, Sutter County Superior Court Judge Susan Green, wasn't buying his bullshit. "I don't think I've seen anyone as manipulative as you," she said, adding that if someone loves a 16-year-old, they don't have sex with her, they don't molest her, they don't smoke marijuana with her, and they don't take photos of her and post them on the Internet. "If it was in my control, I'd order you to have no contact with any girl under the age of 18 for the rest of your life," Green said. Pauling will have to serve at least half of his six-year sentence, which should leave him singing those "Folsom Prison Blues." The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary Read more MONTREAL The sixth volume of Mile High Medias fetish series, Shades of Kink, is now available on DVD. In Sweet Sinners newest couples-friendly erotic flick, young star Marley Brinx explores the world of BDSM one whip and restraint at a time. Joining Marley Brinx in the James Avalon-directed movie are adult stars Tommy Pistol, Cadence Lux, Adrian Maya, Marcus London, and Logan Pierce. Weve assembled a great cast, says Avalon. They helped each other push their boundaries in order to discover new forms of pleasure. Marley has a breakthrough performance though, as she really jumps into the world of kink. The story opens with a mother worrying as her gorgeous but unbalanced daughter, Marley, begins working for an eccentric writer. The script Tommy is working on appears to be all about kink, but he could easily be using it as a cover for his own desire to explore bondage and discipline. Either way, it ends with Marley getting whipped into shape. For more information, visit SweetSinner.com. While some American Harry Potter fans were ecstatic over J.K. Rowlings new writing about the history of magic in North America, her story has angered some Native Americans. The first two installments of Rowlings four-part story have been published on her Pottermore website, and theyve drawn ire from some readers who are accusing the Scottish author of appropriating Native American traditions. The first part of Rowlings story, which was intended to set the scene for her forthcoming movie, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, deals with Native American wizards. Advertisement SIGN UP for the free Essential Arts & Culture newsletter >> In the Native American community, some witches and wizards were accepted and even lauded within their tribes, gaining reputations for healing as medicine men, or outstanding hunters, Rowling wrote. The Native American wizarding community was particularly gifted in animal and plant magic, its potions in particular being of a sophistication beyond much that was known in Europe. One critic, Brown University researcher Adrienne Keene, pointed out that the term Native American encompasses many different cultures. One of the largest fights in the world of representations is to recognize Native peoples and communities and cultures are diverse, complex, and vastly different from one another, Keene wrote on her blog Native Appropriations. There is no such thing as one Native American anything. Even in a fictional wizarding world. On Twitter, Johnnie Jae, the Otoe-Missouria and Choctaw founder of the radio show A Tribe Called Geek, accused Rowling of cultural appropriation. When we say that non-native writers, filmmakers, artists are not entitled to our history, identities, culture & imagery we mean just that, Jae wrote. Were saying there is a problem with non-natives who take without permission, without understanding and without respect for native people. Keene initially voiced her concerns last June, after Rowling teased some details about a North American wizarding academy, writing on Twitter that indigenous magic was important in the founding of the school. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> The problem, Jo (can I call you Jo? I hope so), is that we as Indigenous peoples are constantly situated as fantasy creatures, wrote Keene, who is Cherokee. But were not magical creatures, were contemporary peoples who are still here, and still practice our spiritual traditions, traditions that are not akin to a completely imaginary wizarding world ... Keene was unimpressed with the first part of Rowlings new story, especially Rowlings writings about skin walkers, who in Navajo traditions are people with the ability to shapeshift into animals. What you do need to know is that the belief of these things (beings?) has a deep and powerful place in Navajo understandings of the world, Keene wrote. It is connected to many other concepts and many other ceremonial understandings and lifeways. It is not just a scary story, or something to tell kids to get them to behave, its much deeper than that. Some Harry Potter fans defended Rowling. Journalist Victoria Finan wrote on Twitter, Anyone calling JK Rowling a racist ... Remember the time she wrote the most popular series of all time which was about eradicating prejudice? Serious cultural appropriation is bad. We all know that. But theres a difference between that and being knowingly racist. Many of the responses to the criticisms from Keene and Jae devolved into trolling and name-calling, with one Twitter user calling Keenes arguments sophomoric at best, idiotic at worst, and another labeling Rowlings critics as SJWs, or social justice warriors, a derogatory term for people with socially progressive beliefs. As of Wednesday morning, Rowling hadnt responded to her critics on Twitter, which disappointed Keene. I know youre reading our concerns, Keene tweeted at Rowling. Your silence is noted. ALSO: Coming to the L.A. Times Festival of Books: Buzz Aldrin, Padma Lakshmi, Kwame Alexander and more Unpaid library late fees in San Jose total $6.8 million Sasha Frere-Jones and Maggie Nelson discuss writing and form Veronica Tartleys intense, caustic columns for the Montreal-based Maisonneuve Magazine (i.e., Defunct Pixie Dust: Disneyland for adults) quickly garnered a following. Eventually, the pseudonym slipped away, and behind the sharp and entertaining observations, stood Mona Awad, a real, live writer from Canada. Awads satiric edge is on display in her debut novel in stories, 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl (Penguin Books: 224 pp., $16 paper). Its main character, Lizzie, grapples with body image and weight loss in a book whose humor masks darker truths. Awad who attended Brown and studied in Scotland, worked at a bookstore in Utah and is now getting her PhD in creative writing and English literature at the University of Denver spoke to us by phone. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Advertisement This novel constantly flips between two views the interior, or the way that Lizzie sees herself, and the exterior the way that people engage or interact with her. Theres a sense that Lizzie is an outsider even when shes a part of a group. As a reader and as a writer, Im interested in characters that occupy an in-between place in the world. Theyre outsiders in some way, and they dont really have a definitive sense of home. I think there are infinite possibilities to explore when theres some ambiguity in terms of claiming an identity or being part of a group. My father was from Egypt and my mother was French Canadian, but they sent me to an English-speaking Catholic school so I saw some of these interior/exterior moments in the way that people interacted with me growing up. I think that all of those different facets of my storytelling interests definitely got explored in 13 Ways. It informed how I approached depicting Lizzies interiority her character. The feeling of being out of place, of both craving attention and wanting to be invisible, of constantly comparing herself to others. Music permeates and perhaps even drives certain stories in this collection. How did you find the emotional pulse for these vignettes? Who were some of the artists that you listened to? I made playlists for every chapter/story. I would never listen to the playlists while I was writing, but I would listen to them at certain times while I was cooking dinner or something like that to really immerse myself in the world and time of a story to help me access it. At certain times, I needed Nina Simones urgency. Theres a desperation thats really beautiful in her singing and in her lyrics, and that always resonated with me and it felt particularly potent while I was working. I listened to a lot of the Rolling Stones, especially for My Mothers Idea of Sexy. I listened to a lot of jazz when I was writing If Thats All There Is. People like Chet Baker, a lot of Peggy Lee, Coltrane some Miles Davis. I love Charles Bradley. Ive seen him live a couple of times. I love artists who put everything on the line when theyre performing and when they sing, and thats why Charles Bradley and Nina Simone resonate. That approach to music is the kind of approach I was trying to take in my writing; it made me braver in my writing to listen to those people. Nina Simone made me feel brave, kind of fearless. When I was working on the first story, When We Went Against the Universe, there was more rock and goth, and I was listening to Nick Cave, London After Midnight, Peter Murphy, The Velvet Underground. Lets talk about the goth element in this book: Arguably its a fusion of the interior perspective with the exterior, music and culture. Why that avenue? The gothic subculture is one that I dont think gets explored a lot in literature, and as a writer and as a person who is interested in art in the 1980s I felt like it would be very fitting to kind of go in that direction. The goth music is what Lizzies best friend loved, and Lizzie tends to be a reflector of whatever is around her or she tries to be. Goth and the industrial movement at the time when Lizzie is growing up is very subterranean and very anti-establishment. For somebody like Lizzie, who kind of sees herself outside, as marginal and underground to some extent, that subculture appeals to her, and there is a kind of innate acceptance in it. My friends and I always joked that goth is the last resort of cool for nerds. We totally included ourselves in that category. Theres also a punishing aspect to the culture, to goths aesthetic. I think its very rigid to some degree, or at least it was the fashion and in terms of the look and the types of bodies that are hailed as the ultimate. Every subculture has a type of body and a kind of fashion thats associated with it. [The character] China is kind of emblematic of that ... of the goth body that both Lizzie and Mel really want. They get the music. Theyre neck-deep in the music, but China has the body, the look, and thats just absolutely what makes her, in Lizzies mind, so momentous. Lizzies magical thinking about China is what sets up the first hopes for transformation from her current state. Lizzie often looks to these female friendships for some type of fairy-tale type transformation, which sets up some interesting tensions, especially around body image. Im particularly interested in just how complicated female friendships can be, how fraught, and I think that side of friendship is worth exploring. I think body image is something that comes between women and shapes the dynamic between them, and that was something I really wanted to blow up in this book. It was something I really wanted to examine closely. I wanted to understand how friends influence the way that we see ourselves and the way that we are in the world, the way we feel about our bodies and the way we interact. I wanted to examine the circumstances around the girl who thinks shes fat and the girl who is confident in her slenderness. Theres this kind of magical thinking thats going on for Lizzie. She believes she gets her photo taken by the girl who is slender and perceived to be beautiful. Shes hoping it will allow her to look through a lens and make her beautiful to be looked at through a lens. Theres something so heartbreaking in that, twisted in that, hopeful in that. Its something that I think is very reflective of Lizzies overall state of mind. Lets talk about the body image issue thats the center of this book. ... There were a couple of lines that punched me in the gut because they felt so real. Where does that come from? Body image is something I struggled with, and while this is a work of fiction, I was very committed to portraying Lizzie with as much emotional honesty as I could really committing to her way of seeing herself and the kind of damage that uneasy, uncertain, internalized isolation can do. So I went all the way with it. I really wanted to dig into those moments of tension between herself and the mirror, herself and her friends, herself and her lovers, herself and a dress, herself and a meal, where that body image struggle was really rearing its head. I wanted to zoom in and recount her experience moment to moment. I know that at the University of Edinburgh, your area of study included fairy tales specifically fear in fairy tales. How does that play into this collection? I think theres a subverted fairy tale there. In fairy tales, ultimately the narrative is usually one of transformation, and usually in most tales that we read now, that transformation resolves with a happy ending. I wanted to complicate that. While I was interested in the transformational aspect of it, in our own desire for that kind of transformation, I also wanted to trouble of it and leave it in a different place. I felt like in that moment the moment in the dressing room shes naked and shes looking into the mirror and shes under these bright lights and shes also in public. It was a way to explore how women feel about their bodies and all the complicated stuff that comes up the anxieties, the desires, the hopes, the feelings of rage, the feelings of humiliation, all of those things. You go in there and its fraught, because you go in there and part of you hopes to be transformed by the clothing, by that experience, into something more beautiful. Its a very vulnerable experience, and it can be a very dreadful experience. You have to reckon with your body in a way that you dont in any other place. She keeps going back to the dressing room partly out of necessity, but she keeps going back also because she wants to be transformed. Shes hoping that changing in these dressing rooms will turn her into this perfect woman that shes portrayed herself to be, but only if shes able to fit into smaller and smaller sizes. Latria Graham (@LGRaconteur) is a freelance writer based in South Carolina. Her work as appeared in Ebony Magazine, The New York Times and The Guardian. On Monday, the attorney of Making a Murderer subject Steven Avery announced he is releasing a book about the trial. Jerome Buting, who was featured prominently in the Netflix series, said in a news release that HarperCollins will publish his personal account of what happened in Manitowoc, Wisc., in 2017. If you cant wait that long for more tales of injustice, weve got great news. Well, not that great: Manitowoc is hardly the only place in America where you can find bad cops, crooked prosecutors or lousy defense attorneys. For many, the justice system has perpetrated injustice. But its good news for readers, at least, because plenty of these stories have been immortalized as books. For your next rage-inducing read, consider one of these. Advertisement 1. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson Author Bryan Stevenson is the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, which provides legal services to prisoners and defendants who cant afford them. His book is a staggering look at who in America typically gets the death penalty. Much of the book centers on the case of Walter McMillian, a black man who became a scapegoat for the local police when the murder of a young white woman went unsolved. 2. Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman Steven Avery isnt the first real-life person to get the Netflix treatment. Season 1 of Orange Is the New Black is based on Piper Kermans memoir of her 11 months in prison under mandatory minimum-sentencing laws for decade-old money laundering charges. Its not quite as salacious as the show, but it does provide a solid overview of the injustices people face behind bars. 3. Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America by Jill Leovy The murder of an LAPD officers son raises complicated questions about who gets justice in neighborhoods where homicides seem to come with the territory. Written by our L.A. Times colleague Jill Leovy. 4. Anatomy of Injustice: A Murder Case Gone Wrong by Raymond Bonner Shortly after the body of an elderly widowed white woman was found in South Carolina, police arrested a black man who had helped clean her gutters. He was semi-literate, intellectually disabled and had no record of previous felonies. Ninety days later, he was given the death penalty for the crime. After 11 years on death row, a young attorney took up his case and tried to clear his name. 5. Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker Five women were murdered on Long Island between 2007 and 2010. All of them were prostitutes. All disappeared after meeting with johns from Craigslist. Like most women who engage in sex work, the women came from marginalized backgrounds and troubled upbringings. The fact that it seemed like they were victims of a serial killer didnt seem to trouble local police, and their murders remain unsolved. 6. Surviving Justice: Americas Wrongly Convicted and Exonerated edited by Lola Vollen and Dave Eggers In first-person narratives, men and women who were jailed for crimes they didnt commit explain how it happened and what life was like after they got out again. 7. Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer Between 2008 and 2012, 350 cases of sexual assault were reported to the police in Missoula, the picturesque college town that plays home to the University of Montana. Jon Krakauer (the nonfiction master who wrote Into Thin Air, Into the Wild and Under the Banner of Heaven) looked at five of those cases and explored why neither the university not the local police seemed to want to get involved. 8. The Executioners Song by Norman Mailer The police and the courts got this one right: Gary Gilmore did, in fact, murder two people in Utah in 1976. He was sentenced to death by firing squad, but his execution was delayed or rescheduled on several occasions because of stays filed by the American Civil Liberties Union. Gilmore actually fought to get his execution, saying, This is my life and this is my death. Norman Mailer won a Pulitzer for the book, which looks at Gilmores early life and Americas cultural and judicial debate over the death penalty in the 1970s. 9. Life After Death by Damien Echols Three teenagers were tried as adults and convicted of murder in 1994 for the 1993 slayings of three Arkansas children. Two of the so-called West Memphis Three were given life sentences; the third, Damien Echols, got the death penalty. New DNA evidence produced in 2007 led to the eventual freedom of the three. In this memoir, Echols recounts what happened to him after the investigation and trial, both of which were marred by shoddy police work, dubious evidence and a nationwide public hysteria about devil worship known as the Satanic Panic. 10. The Central Park Five: Chronicle of a City Wilding by Sarah Burns Similar to the case of the West Memphis Three, the Central Park Five was a group of teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of a gruesome and widely publicized crime. Each of them spent six to 13 years in prison before a serial rapist confessed to the case and was linked to it by DNA evidence. To find out what happened, author Sarah Burns interviews the wrongfully convicted men, the man who confessed to the crime and the police officers and attorneys involved in the case. The Better Business Bureau waded into the icky mess that is Trump University on Tuesday. It wanted to clarify the letter grade received by Donald Trumps Excellent Academic Adventure. All this to-do brings back happy memories for me of the time I attended a Trump University seminar and Trump tried to have me fired. In last weeks Republican debate on Fox News, moderator Megyn Kelly asked about former students suing to get their money back after the BBB gave Trump University a grade of D-minus. Trump countered that his university actually enjoyed an A rating. Advertisement Which was it? The BBB explained in a detailed statement that when Trump University was a going concern, it received a lot of complaints. These complaints affected the Trump University BBB rating, which was as low as D- in 2010, it said. As the company appeared to be winding down, after 2013, no new complaints were reported. Complaints over three years old automatically rolled off of the Business Review. As a result, over time, Trump Universitys BBB rating went to an A in July 2014 and then to an A+ in January 2015. In other words, the grade improved only because no one was attending Trump University any more and lodging complaints about the racket. The BBB also disputed Trumps contention during the debate that the organization had just faxed him proof that Trump University was Grade-A. BBB did not send a document of any kind to the Republican debate site last Thursday evening, it said. The document presented to debate moderators did not come from BBB that night. It was another example, as Sen. Ted Cruz might say, of Trump having a tenuous relationship with the truth. Back in 2007, when I attended that Trump University event, Trump was still seen as a relatively trustworthy fellow. The free seminar, held at a Pasadena hotel, turned out to be a two-hour sales pitch for a three-day workshop that would cost $1,495. The workshop, I was told, would provide instruction in a variety of techniques for securing distressed properties at below-market prices and then selling them to others for more money. I pointed out in a subsequent column that its all too easy for novices to lose their shirts in the foreclosure market. I received numerous emails from people who felt theyd been ripped off by Trump University. Then I got a call from Trump himself, who told me that my work was inaccurate and libelous. I asked what Id gotten wrong. Youll find out in court, Trump replied. He then contacted my boss and said that Im a nasty guy and a third-rate reporter. Trump wasnt done either. Heres what I wrote about my run-in with the presidential wannabe. I wear the experience as a badge of honor. RELATED COLUMNS FROM DAVID LAZARUS: Trump spins in foreclosure game Trumps a grump about column on his priceless tips The secretive Skunk Works in Palmdale has over the years spawned such sleek aircraft as the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane and the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter. Today, one of the facilitys hangars houses a 120-foot-long, 21-foot-tall dirigible that resembles a cloud with three puffs the prototype of a much larger hybrid airship that Lockheed Martin Corp. has touted as a way to deliver heavy cargo and personnel to remote locations. When fully built, the LMH-1 will be a 21 metric ton, 300-foot-long and 78-foot-tall airship that is intended to carry truck-size loads to areas that are inaccessible to more traditional modes of transportation. Advertisement But that grand vision has yet to materialize, and airships are a long way from disrupting long-haul transportation. 1 / 19 The LMH-1 airship is intended to carry truck-size loads to areas that are inaccessible to more traditional modes of transportation. Above, a prototype of the airship at a Skunk Works hangar in Palmdale. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 19 A prototype of the airship at a Skunk Works hangar in Palmdale. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 19 Lockheeds Craig Johnston shows the companys airship prototype. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 19 When fully built, the LMH-1 will be a 21 metric ton, 300-foot-long and 78-foot-tall airship that is intended to carry truck-size loads to areas that are inaccessible to more traditional modes of transportation. Above, a prototype. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 19 A view of the airships tail section. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 19 The full-size LMH-1 is expected to be in commercial service by the end of 2018. A single airship is expected to cost $40 million. Above, a prototype of the airship on display at a Skunk Works hangar in Palmdale. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 19 One of four, six-cylinder engines that are used on the airship. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 19 Exterior view of the airships gondola, which contains the cockpit, passenger and cargo comparments. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 19 The LMH-1 could potentially be used in the oil and gas or mining industries, as well as for humanitarian relief, said Grant Cool, above, chief operating officer of Atlanta-based Hybrid Enterprises LLC, the hybrid airships exclusive reseller. Above, Cool shows the cockpit controls. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 19 A Lockheed Martin hybrid airship flight simulator at Skunk Works in Palmdale. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 19 A view from the controls in the cockpit of the gondola. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 19 In a mock-up of the LMH-1s 150-foot gondola, which includes the cockpit and cargo bay, 19 passengers sit in rows of two or three immediately behind two pilot chairs. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 19 Lockheed Martin has said the airship will be able to carry up to 47,000 pounds, 19 passengers and burn less fuel than conventional aircraft. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 19 Chief engineer John Morehead, left, and program manager Dr. Bob Boyd tour the interior of the airships inflatable envelope. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 19 Dr. Bob Boyd of Lockheed Martin explains aerodynamics while standing next to the small cockpit of the airship. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 19 A square-shaped cargo bay in the back of the cockpit was specifically designed with loading in mind. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 19 The airship is the result of more than 20 years worth of research. In 2006, the company flew the P-791, the one-third size prototype currently in the Skunk Works hangar, over its facilities in Palmdale and completed all of its in-flight test objectives. Above, part of the cockpit, passenger and cargo configuration. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 19 Lockheed Martins hybrid airship prototype one-third scale of a 21-metric-ton airship that will soon be available for customer orders. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 19 Lockheed Martin said its airship will be able to carry up to 47,000 pounds, 19 passengers and burn less fuel than conventional aircraft. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Lockheed Martin officials said they have no confirmed customers yet, but there are more than a dozen interested parties. The LMH-1 could potentially be used in the oil and gas or mining industries, as well as for humanitarian relief, said Grant Cool, chief operating officer of Atlanta-based Hybrid Enterprises LLC, the hybrid airships exclusive reseller. We are targeting a market that is not really competing with anything else out there, Cool said. We are looking for opportunities that dont really exist right now. The full-sized LMH-1 could have its first flight by late 2017, and it is expected to be in commercial service by the end of 2018. A single airship will cost $40 million. Lockheed Martin has said the airship will be able to carry up to 47,000 pounds, 19 passengers and burn less fuel than conventional aircraft. The airship will have four fairly small engines and gets about 80% of its lift from helium. An air-cushion landing system, which resembles three round kiddie pools, allows the airship to land on wild terrain such as open water, sand, snow or ice. The air-cushion landing system also allows the dirigible to stick to the ground like a suction cup so that it doesnt move with the wind, said Bob Boyd, program manager for the Lockheed Martin hybrid airships. In a mock-up of the LMH-1s 150-foot gondola, which includes the cockpit and cargo bay, 19 passengers sit in rows of two or three immediately behind two pilot chairs. Lockheed Martin officials said they also plan to have Wi-Fi onboard. Despite the passenger comforts, Craig Johnston, business director for Lockheed Martins Skunk Works facility, emphasized the airships focus on cargo. A square-shaped cargo bay in the back of the cockpit was specifically designed with loading in mind. This is designed from the ground up to be a cargo vehicle, he said. Grant Cool, left, chief operating officer of Hybrid Enterprises, shows the passenger compartment configuration of the Lockheed Martin Hybrid Airship on Wednesday. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) And it wont be the only one. Boyd said there are plans to make a medium-size 90-ton hybrid airship in two to three years that could compete with trucking and rail vehicles in remote areas, and eventually an 800-foot-long airship weighing 500 tons. He said the market is interested in the smaller 21-metric-ton airship, but interest increases as the dirigible gets larger and costs get cheaper. The hybrid airship program is expected to employ about 150 workers in Palmdale, though Johnston said the positions might not necessarily be new jobs. The airship is the result of more than 20 years worth of research. In 2006, the company flew the P-791, the one-third size prototype currently in the Skunk Works hangar, over its facilities in Palmdale and completed all of its in-flight test objectives. The biggest challenge for Lockheed Martin and Hybrid Enterprises is changing customers ideas about transportation, Boyd said. Its just the acceptance of a new way of doing things, he said. Its more from a business perspective than a technology perspective. We think it will be a rapidly accepted market. The hybrid airship is just the latest entry in the airship market. In 2014, Montebello-based Worldwide Aeros Corp. christened the Aeros 40D Sky Dragon, a white helium-filled airship that resembled a smaller version of the Goodyear blimp. The airship was sold to Grupo Toyan, a Mexican company that intended to use it to monitor oil pipelines. A similar airship was sold to the government of Thailand, which has used it for surveillance. U.K.-based Hybrid Air Vehicles has also developed a 300-foot-long dirigible. The Airlander 10 is intended to carry cargo and can be used for surveillance missions and holds the distinction of the worlds largest aircraft. But analysts said the market for such airships is uncertain. Air cargo numbers have been low for years, and there is a lot of capacity in the air freight business, said Richard Aboulafia, aviation analyst at the Teal Group, an aerospace and defense research firm. A commercially successful airship will likely have to depend on transporting exotic cargo to exotic locations, he said. In theory, it sounds like a great idea, Aboulafia said. Its when you get to the details that things get problematic. There could be something, some kind of niche its just proved elusive so far. samantha.masunaga@latimes.com A sprawling Central Valley water district run by some of the states wealthiest growers papered over its drought-related financial struggles and misled investors, federal regulators said Wednesday. The Westlands Water District shifted about $8.3 million in expenses and other obligations to the revenue side of its ledgers, solely to be able to represent that it had enough revenue to cover debt payments on $77 million in bonds without having to raise rates, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The districts general manager, Thomas W. Birmingham, jokingly called the moves a little Enron accounting, a reference to the defunct Houston energy and commodities conglomerate whose fraudulent accounting led to its spectacular collapse in 2001, according to the SEC. Birmingham agreed to pay a $50,000 penalty, and the district paid $125,000 to settle the case. The former treasurer, L. David Ciapponi, paid a $20,000 penalty, according to the agency. Advertisement The undisclosed accounting transactions, which a manager referred to as a little Enron accounting, benefited customers but left investors in the dark about Westlands Water Districts true financial condition, said Andrew J. Ceresney, director of the SEC enforcement division. Issuers must be truthful with investors, and we will seek to deter such misconduct through sanctions, including penalties against municipal issuers in appropriate circumstances. Neither Westlands nor its administrators acknowledged guilt, and the district did not miss any bond payments, according to a statement issued by the district. The accounting procedures at issue were approved by an independent auditor, according to the district. Westlands, Birmingham and Ciapponi determined that entering into the settlement to fully resolve the matter was in the districts best interest, the statement said. At issue was a debt service coverage ratio, a measure of the districts ability to meet its debt obligation. Because of the districts extraordinary accounting procedures, that figure was 10 times higher than it would have been using conventional accounting procedures, the SEC said. That calculation obscured expenses incurred because of water cutbacks prompted by the states drought and allowed the district to avoid raising rates to its clients, which include some of the biggest agricultural companies in the state, according to regulators. Stretching about 70 miles along the western side of the San Joaquin Valley, Westlands is one of the chief supporters of a $15-billion plan to build tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to bring more water directly from the Sacramento River southward. The SEC violation added vigor to charges by critics of the project that the states growers will be unable to shoulder its costs. This could put the financing for the tunnels at risk, said Patricia Schifferle of the environmental group Pacific Advocates. Schifferle said she filed a complaint with the SEC in 2011, and last year sent the agency minutes of a 2010 Westlands finance committee meeting, obtained through the Public Records Act, that discussed the debt ratio and revenue shortfall. I thought it was going in the round file, she said. Maybe they finally took a look at it. A public agency governed by landowners within its borders, Westlands had operating revenues of more than $120 million in 2014. It contracts with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for taxpayer-subsidized irrigation supplies, which it sells to growers. The district includes about 600,000 acres and is entitled to more than 1.1-million acre feet of water annually, roughly twice what the nearly 4 million residents of Los Angeles use in a year. Reductions in that water supply, and the cost of replacing it, meant the district could not generate enough revenue to meet the debt service ratio required to maintain its bond rating, which helps reduce the cost of borrowing money. Fitch gave the bonds a rating of AA- The district looked at its books and consulted its auditor to find ways to boost its revenue, at least on paper. Were not collecting any more money from the ratepayers, nor are we paying any more money to service debt, Birmingham told a Westlands customer during a board meeting in 2010, according to the SEC. The district reclassified reserves originally earmarked for future expenses, including obligations to the Bureau of Reclamation, the agency charged. These reclassifications would not increase cash collections and were merely accounting transactions done for the sole purpose of maintaining the ratio, the SEC said. Two years later, the board made other adjustments to create additional purported revenue without reporting their effect on revenue or on its bond ratio, according to the SEC. geoffrey.mohan@latimes.com Times staff writer Bettina Boxall contributed to this report. - T. S. Eliot Thoughts After Lambeth "The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide." Sheila Callaghan doesnt just want to make you laugh. She wants to tickle you until you squirm. The playwright behind Center Theatre Groups Women Laughing Alone With Salad, opening at the Kirk Douglas Theatre on Sunday, says she writes the kinds of jokes that make the audience work. She feeds off laughter, but the more laughs she gets, the less she trusts her material. See more of Entertainments top stories on Facebook >> Advertisement I feel like if every single person is getting this joke, then its not a very good joke, says Callaghan, who uses dark humor and a brightly caustic sense of feminism to dissect the endlessly complex subject of gender identity. She came to her subject matter by way of an Internet meme made viral by the feminist website the Hairpin in 2011. Titled Women Laughing Alone With Salad and curated by Edith Zimmerman, the wordless post simply stacked images of ecstatic skinny women holding bowls of seemingly dressing-less roughage. This explains why Callaghans new play has some fun but oddball theatrical gestures to keep it aloft and spastic. One characters uterus falls out of her body at a high-end department store makeup counter, and pounds and pounds of fake salad drop from the sky and land onstage. Theyre healthy, theyre mostly white, theyre in tank tops pastel colors and theyre laughing, says Callaghan of the women in the meme as she relaxes at her dining room table in the Silver Lake home she shares with her husband, a composer, and their 7-year-old son. They could not be happier with this incredibly unappetizing giant bowl of iceberg lettuce. As a thin woman one who teaches spin and yoga in addition to writing for the stage and television Callaghan knows all too well the pressures that gender roles place upon society. Particularly in Los Angeles, arguably the salad-eating capital of the world. Shes not required to look good as a writer, but she knows if she shows up to a meeting in a flattering outfit, she gets a much better reaction than if she shows up in jeans and sneakers, as many male writers do. Callaghan notices this double standard, along with the fact that female voices seem even more lacking in theater than they are in film and television, but she doesnt want to yell and scream about it. She attributes such problems to an unconscious bias, and shes attempting to address it by heightening cultural awareness through her work. Women Laughing Alone With Salad staged its world premiere at Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, D.C., as part of the Womens Voices Theater Festival in September. The first thing Callaghan realized when writing it was that she didnt want to have a conversation about feminism without including men. I really wanted to talk about unconscious bias in men and how images affect women, and how womens behavior affects men, and so I made a character called Guy, says Callaghan, who is pretty, petite and angular with bright green eyes and dark hair sliced in a chin-length bob. Her talk is blunt and laced with merry obscenity. The play is about Guy and the women in his life who haunt him. The women his mother, his skinny and yoga-obsessed girlfriend and a curvaceous dancer he meets at a club represent three generations of womanhood and the ways these prototypes play out in society at large. Theres a conversation in the play about salad versus cake, and then you realize the cake is fat-free and made with Stevia, and you realize the cake was a lie and the salad was a bad idea, Callaghan says, using food metaphors to relay how the plays themes unfold. Born and raised in New York and New Jersey, Callaghan earned her masters degree in playwriting from UCLA before returning to New York to cut her teeth in the downtown theater scene among such notable female playwrights as Sarah Ruhl, Lucy Thurber and Young Jean Lee. With these women she founded the group 13P (Thirteen Playwrights), who, tired of the endless readings and new-play development programs that they feared were sapping the vitality from their work, took it upon themselves to produce one work by each member. Callaghan found her way to Los Angeles thanks to playwright, feminist and television savant Jill Soloway, who sought Callaghan out when looking to stock the writers room for The United States of Tara, for which Soloway was showrunner. Callaghan had just written That Pretty, Pretty, or the Rape Play, which she says was a comedic dissection of misogyny in the media, and Soloway was looking for a playwright out of New York who wrote rape funny and also had a feminist point of view. That was Callaghan. So for eight months she split her time between New York and Los Angeles, all the while toting her infant son and sharing a nanny with Soloway, also a new mother at the time. Soloway wanted to make a safe space for mothers, Callaghan says, so it was the perfect job, not just creatively but psychologically to be invited into a space that said not only is it OK to be a mother but were going to help you, she recalls. Being a strong working mother has informed much of Callaghans work and her brand of feminism, which is focused on expanding opportunity for female playwrights through appealing to the industry gatekeepers: artistic directors. She is a founding member of the feminist group the Kilroys, which publishes extensive lists of plays penned by women and singled out as remarkable by theater and literary peers. The idea is to show the gatekeepers that the material is there, if they want it. The list is valuing these plays that were floating in the abyss without any attention, says Callaghan, whose own work is getting more attention. She also has her world premiere of Bed running at the Echo Theater Company in Atwater Village and writes for Showtimes dark comedy Shameless. How is she so productive? She cites a malaise that affects both genders indiscriminately. She doesnt sleep. ------------ Women Laughing Alone With Salad Where: Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City When: In previews; opens Sunday. 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays. Ends April 3. Tickets: $25-$55 Info: (213) 628-2772; www.centertheatregroup.org Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes jessica.gelt@latimes.com The Fox series Scream Queens is moving production to California as one of nine television projects selected to receive state tax credits. In the final round of tax credits allocated for this fiscal year, the California Film Commission on Wednesday said 21 TV projects had applied for $37.6 million in tax breaks. The tax credits allow producers to offset qualified production costs by as much as much 25%. See more of Entertainments top stories on Facebook >> Advertisement Scream Queens, which shot its first season in New Orleans, brings the total number of ongoing series that have relocated to California under the expanded tax credit program to five. The others are American Horror Story (Season 5), Mistresses (Season 4), Secrets and Lies (Season 2) and Veep (Season 5). Scream Queens, the Ryan Murphy-Brad Falchuk slasher satire, starts production on its second season in July. Our success in helping five existing TV series relocate to Califronia in less than a year illustrates the success were achieving with the expanded tax credit program, California Film Commission Executive Director Amy Lemisch said in a statement. Every new TV series we attract or retain brings long-term, high-wage jobs that would otherwise go elsewhere. Scream Queens wasnt the only Murphy-Falchuk project to take advantage of the tax credit in the final round. FXs American Horror Story is a returning recipient of the program and was among the projects announced Wednesday. Also selected was HBOs Westworld. The titles announced Wednesday also included three new series: Amazons Good Girls Revolt, USAs Shooter and Showtimes Im Dying Up Here. Good Girls Revolt and Shooter were both picked up from pilots that were shot out of state. The pilot for Good Girls Revolt was shot in New York, where the series is set, and the Shooter pilot was shot in Vancouver. One of the many benefits of filming in California is our wide range of locations that can double for anywhere in the world, Lemisch noted. Rounding out the list are three pilots: CBS Bunker Hill and Four Stars and Hulus Citizen. The nine projects announced Wednesday will generate an estimated $313 million in direct in-state spending, including $121 million in wages to below-the-line crew members, according to the film comission. For the full fiscal year, the expanded tax credit program is on track to generate a total of $1.7 billion in direct in-state spending, including $659 million in below-the-line wages. The comission anticipates those figures will grow considerably next year, when the program receives its full $330 million in annual funding. I tweet about TV (and other things) here: @villarrealy Bobbi Kristina Brown was not murdered and Nick Gordon is not a murderer, his attorneys said Tuesday while trashing the Georgia prosecutors who have been investigating the death of Whitney Houstons only child. By failing to acknowledge that there is simply no evidence of any wrongdoing, they have in essence helped feed the slanderous media frenzy regarding Nick Gordon, attorneys Joe Habachy and Jose Baez said in a statement that went out of its way to reinforce their clients love for Bobbi Kristina. Browns autopsy report, which was unsealed last week and released Friday, did not state a specific cause of death. Death was clearly not due to natural causes, the report said, but the medical examiner has not been able to determine whether death was due to intentional or accidental causes, and has therefore classified the manner of death as Undetermined. Advertisement See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour >> Since the 22-year-old was found unresponsive in a bathtub in the Atlanta-area home she shared with her quasi-"brother"-turned beau, Gordons life has been tumultuous, his lawyers said, and hes been publicly humiliated by the Fulton County district attorneys office. The autopsy report, they said, was clear evidence that Browns death was an accident. Frankly, Habachy and Baez said, the right thing for the District Attorneys office to do right now is to tell the public the truth... that this was an accident... or even a suicide, but not a murder. And the right thing for everyone to do is let Nick live his life now and let Bobbi Kristina rest in peace. Though no criminal charges have been filed, Gordon faces a civil suit filed by Browns court-appointed conservator last July, alleging he abused his girlfriend, took $11,000 from her and maneuvered himself into a position to control her and the substantial estate she inherited after Whitney Houston died. Last August, after Bobbi Kristina died, the $10-million claim was amended to include an allegation of wrongful death, accusing Gordon of injecting his girlfriend with a toxic cocktail rendering her unconscious and placing her in the bathtub. Follow Christie DZurilla on Twitter @theCDZ. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs. MORE FROM ENTERTAINMENT Kim Kardashian claps back at nude-selfie detractors, swearing, Im funny too! Jury awards Fox Sports Erin Andrews $55 million in nude video lawsuit Hulk Hogan testifies: Even his character was embarrassed when Gawker posted that sex tape The True/False film festival took place last weekend, and although to many that might conjure up little more than thoughts of a high school multiple-choice test, for those who follow nonfiction films, it means something larger. True/False is one of the most elite nonfiction showcases in the world; the movies that make it there only 37 in total suggest whats good, whats popular and what the best documentary minds are thinking about. Here, then, are four trendlets that are helping to shape the nonfiction zeitgeist and could make their presence increasingly felt in the months and years ahead. Advertisement See more of Entertainments top stories on Facebook >> The American margins. Finding America via the people who exist on its edges isnt new. It goes back 15 years to Stacy Peraltas seminal Dogtown and Z-Boys and a long way before that. But in the age of social-media sameness and, coincidentally or not, an election-season debate over American identity, theres a revival of such films. Among those at True/False were The Other Side, in which Roberto Minervini finds a nearly off-the-grid couple on a Louisiana bayou who lead a primitive, disenfranchised and often drug-addled existence; The Prison in Twelve Landscapes, Brett Storys examination of the ways in which prison life refracts through America (think, a prison-care package store in the Bronx or an eastern Kentucky town praying for the return of a prison and its attendant jobs); Concerned Student 1950, a featurette from the Field of Vision series about Black Lives Matter protests on the Mizzou campus; and Peter and the Farm, Tony Stones look at a philosophical Vermont farmer both proud and questioning. As depressing as some of the movies can be, theres something almost mythic about America being viewed this way. The subject of Stones film, for instance, is solitary, living on a hill, surrounded mainly by animals, reflecting (not always happily) on a life in which he dedicated himself to developing his land. Sometimes something happens [making] a movie where youre interested in it and you hope others are too, Stone said at a True/False screening. Judging by these singular portraits landing in a glossy age of celebrity and reality-television uniformity we couldnt be more interested. Long form. It was inevitable, really, that in this golden age of TV wed see docu-series of five, six or seven hours in duration. Binge-watching is too powerful, and documentary filmmakers too prolific, for the traditional feature not to balloon. Whats impressive, though, is just how wide the range of long-form documentaries has become. A genre that began as a mainly true-crime phenomenon The Staircase a decade ago, then The Jinx and Making a Murderer more recently is now stretching to other realms. True/False screened Abbas Fahdels Homeland (Iraq Year Zero), a six-hour look at life in Baghdad before and after the American invasion. It nearly showed O.J.: Made in America, Ezra Edelmans 7 1/2-hour look at the Simpson trial; though theres a crime element to that one, the film is far more about race and racial iconography. (ESPN airs it this June.) The police-investigation story lends itself to episodic twists and turns. But as True/False demonstrated, long form doesnt have to be limited to that. A new verite. Frederick Wiseman, the Maysles brothers and D.A. Pennebaker all practiced a form of observational documentary decades ago. In the years since, the form changed, mutated and veered into the unrecognizable. Straight observations became a dying breed. But a new generation, tired of all the doodads, or simply motivated by whats-old-is-new-again energy, are returning to it. Its the radical-immersion piece put the camera as close to a subject as you can and watch what happens. (Shrinking camera technology helps too; its a lot easier to peep in on someone when the peeping machine isnt gargantuan.) At True/False, there were Alex Lora and Antonio Tibaldi, whose Thy Fathers Chair offers a kind of judgment-free intimacy with a pair of hoarder brothers. There was Jessica Dimmock and Christopher LaMarcas The Pearl, which did the same for a quartet of trans women in the Pacific Northwest. And Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinbergs Weiner, at True/False after its Sundance run, did the same with the New York politician Anthony. When the spell is broken in the film thanks to some filmmaker questions, Weiner turns and wonders if theres a species of fly on the wall that talks. Whether it occasionally pipes up or not, the insect isnt moving. Documentaries that arent documentaries. Kate Plays Christine was a featured film at True/False, also fresh off a Sundance debut. Robert Greenes movie has been categorized as a documentary, but thats too easy a designation. The film, in which the indie actress Kate Lyn Sheil prepares to play a real-life anchorwoman, has even its main character acting; in the documentary moments, she told The Times last month, she is speaking the answers that Robert wants to hear. The Other Side also does that, since Minervini is using editing and performance techniques straight out of features, and there are moments when the viewer forgets theyre seeing a documentary. When the realization hits, it makes the experience all the more powerful what seems like a polished dramatic work is really happening even as it provokes questions about whether such polishes make it less true. A decade or more ago the question about documentary was centered on Michael Moore, Morgan Spurlock and other new formalists who used animation and technical wizardry, not to mention potentially jerry-built moments, to convey their truth. These new anti-documentaries are in a sense more fundamental shifts, since theyre crafted as feature films, sometimes with scripts to match. But their issues are also more complicated, since theyre not claiming to be wholly true in the first place if anything, by being made in this way, theyre questioning the form as a whole. With other filmmakers sure to follow their lead, get ready for more such films and more such slippery questions. Twitter: @ZeitchikLAT ALSO: In Thy Fathers Chair, housecleaning, religion and a surplus of cats With True/False, an antidote to the common film festival Anthony Weiner movie throws a light on modern politics and Hillary Clinton Nearly 10 years ago, Cirque du Soleil gave reporters a preview of its new show Love, based on the music of the Beatles. Small groups of us were led around the production facilities at the Mirage in Las Vegas. Entering the sound booth, I was caught off guard when the door was pulled open by a tall, handsome white-haired English gentleman. Welcome please come in, George Martin said to us. He was 80 then, but Martin couldnt have been more gracious, more charming, more witty or more engaging even when several of those in the room looked on in stony silence when the tour guide asked, Does anyone have any questions? Advertisement Only a couple of thousand, was the thought that sprang to mind. Here was the producer of one the greatest collections of popular music ever recorded. What wasnt there to ask? Martins eyes sparkled as he described how he and his son, musician-producer Giles Martin, had essentially been given carte blanche to let their imaginations run wild in slicing and dicing the Beatles catalog to create a soundtrack for the boundary-bending production. It was yet another example of how John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr benefited in so many ways from their partnership with Martin. He wasnt simply a record label chief who demonstrated his smarts in 1962 when he originally signed the scrappy group of Liverpool upstarts that dozens of other companies had rejected. In Martin, they also found a kindred spirit, musically and temperamentally, a man with the musical foundation to translate their gut instincts into reality and the technical acumen to take the magic theyd honed through countless hours playing live in rowdy pubs and capture it within the sterile confines of a recording studio so the world at large could soon revel in it. At first, Martin and the group concentrated on translating the exuberant energy of the Beatles live shows onto record. But quickly, all concerned got caught up in exploiting the potential of the recording studio as another creative tool at their disposal, not just a place to create audio snapshots of live performances. They soon began opening new vistas by overdubbing instruments, voices and, later, all manner of exotic sounds that made the Beatles records both musically adventurous and sonically innovative. From his piano solo for In My Life that was accelerated to double speed to sound like a harpsichord, to the elegant string quartet arrangement he wrote for Eleanor Rigby, to numerous experiments with reverse tape loops pioneered on tracks such as Im Only Sleeping and Tomorrow Never Knows and the cataclysmic orchestral crescendo at the climax of A Day in the Life, Martin sat confidently in the pilots seat as the Beatles journeyed to places no band, and no music fans, had gone before. He got to stretch his own wings as a composer, most extensively perhaps with half an albums worth of instrumental compositions for the Yellow Submarine animated film in 1968. 1 / 5 George Martin in 1977. He began working with the Beatles in 1962 after they were signed to Parlophone Records. He would go on to produce most of their recordings until their breakup in 1970. (Tony Barnard / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 5 George Martin, often called the Fifth Beatle, shortly before he was knighted in June 1996. After that, he was called Sir George. (Barry Batchelor / Associated Press) 3 / 5 Ringo Starr and George Martin at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Feb. 10, 2008. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 5 George Martin speaks on stage during the John Barry Memorial Concert at Londons Royal Albert Hall in 2011. (Jon Furniss / WireImage / Getty Images) 5 / 5 George Martin and Paul McCartney at LOVE, Cirque du Soleils celebration of the Beatles in Las Vegas in 2006. (KMazur / WireImage / Getty Sports) After the Beatles called it quits in 1970, he continued producing, working with a variety of other artists as producer, arranger or orchestrator. Among them were Elton John, the Whos Pete Townshend, Jeff Beck, Dire Straits, America, Cheap Trick, Little River Band. He also produced Starrs 1970 solo album of pop standards, Sentimental Journey, and McCartneys Pipes of Peace, Flaming Pie and Tug of War solo albums as well as the title song he and wife Linda McCartney created for the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die, nine years after producing Shirley Basseys hit recording of the Bond Goldfinger theme. In the minutes after my initial meeting and interview with Martin in the Mirages sound booth ahead of the Love world premiere, I remember feeling speechless. I also met and briefly interviewed McCartney and Starr about the show. Yet as personally rewarding as it was to converse with the two surviving members of what had been the favorite band of my youth, I found myself in genuine awe following the exchange with Martina feeling that resurfaced several months later when I sat between George and Giles in Capitol Records Studio A in Hollywood and explored the making of the Love soundtrack album that was shortly to be released. Most touching was what he had to say about the new string arrangement hed written for the revised version of George Harrisons song While My Guitar Gently Weeps used in Love. It was Harrisons dying wish that the members of the group find a way to collaborate one more time, some 30 years after theyd disbanded so acrimoniously in 1970. That wish became a family-affair reality through the combined efforts to bring Love to fruition by McCartney, Starr, Lennons widow Yoko Ono and Harrisons widow Olivia -- and Martin. ------------ FOR THE RECORD 7:31 a.m.: An earlier version of this post listed the date of the Yellow Submarine film as 1967. It came out in 1968. ------------ He brought Giles in to assist with new-generation digital technology and computer editing tools for their radical reworking of the Beatles recorded legacy for the Love soundtrack, which remixed and re-edited many of their classic songs in dramatic and eye-opening ways. For While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Martin wrote an orchestral accompaniment that he and Giles wedded to an alternate take from the groups 1968 recording sessions for what would come to be known as The White Album. Because his hearing was deteriorating at that time, Martin didnt qualify his pronouncement on his most recent exercise in composing music for the four blokes he sometimes called the lads. That, he said, without a trace of sentimentality or regret, yet with the understated authority he always seemed to exude, is the last music I will ever write for the Beatles. The words that come to mind now, though, are from the track for which he created possibly the loveliest orchestral score he ever wrote, on the final track of The White Album: Good night. Follow @RandyLewis2 on Twitter. For more on classic rock, join us on Facebook MORE: Paul McCartney on George Martin: Im so sad... Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and Sean Ono Lennon remember George Martin Video: Watch George Martin cruise through L.A. to talk God Only Knows with Brian Wilson George Martin made the greatest band in history so much greater. And in the end, what he really produced was magic, writer David Wild posted on Twitter late Tuesday after it was announced the producer, known for his groundbreaking collaboration with the Beatles, had died at the age of 90. Wilds words are just one of the countless tributes that have come in for Martin, and while his work with the Beatles is remarkable and universally beloved he was, after all, often considered the fifth Beatle it would be unfair to overlook his indelible contributions to pop that go beyond the Fab Four. Here are ten tunes produced by Martin that are worth revisiting today: Say Say Say, Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson This hit collaboration between Martin's longtime collaborator and an ascendant King of Pop appeared on McCartney's 1983 album "Pipes of Peace." The song sold more than 1 million copies. Goldfinger, Shirley Bassey Composed by John Barry with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, this track from the 1964 film of the same name is maybe the signature track to open a Bond film. Stop This Game, Cheap Trick The power-pop band wore its Beatles influence on its sleeve with this single, which cracked the top 50 on the Billboard charts in 1980. The Reason, Celine Dion Released in 1997, this sweeping ballad was the other side to the single of Dion's "My Heart Will Go On." It was co-written by Carole King and features orchestral flourishes. Candle in the Wind 1997, Elton John This song originally appeared on John's 1973 album "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," but Martin came on as producer of its 1997 re-release in a tribute to the late Princess Diana. The song went to No. 1. in the U.S. and U.K. How Do You Do It?, Gerry and the Pacemakers This single went to No. 1 in the U.K. in 1963 for the Liverpool group. Martin was also interested in the Beatles releasing the song as a single, but it remained shelved until it was collected as part of the band's "Anthology 1" set in 1995. Ebony and Ivory, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder Another No. 1 single, this somewhat syrupy track from McCartney's 1982 album "Tug of War" was nominated for a Grammy Award song of the year. Alfie, Cilla Black Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, this often-covered song was performed by U.K. vocalist -- and Brian Epstein client -- Cilla Black for the soundtrack for the 1966 film of the same name. The Man I Love, Kate Bush and Larry Adler Released in 1994, this song appeared on the compilation "The Glory of Gershwin," which was produced by Martin in tribute to musician Larry Adler's 80th birthday. Morning Desire, Kenny Rogers George Martin's name isn't often associated with country music, but he produced Rogers' 1985 album, "The Heart of the Matter." Both the album and this song went to No. 1 on the country charts. gerrick.kennedy@latimes.com For more music news follow me on Twitter: @gerrickkennedy The Underground Railroad. Those three words tell you everything you need to know about what Hollywoods diversity problem really means. If slavery is this nations original sin, the Underground Railroad, through which thousands of slaves moved to freedom, is its first truly American hero tale. This was not a group of courageous colonists railing against occupying troops and a distant monarchy; these were Americans, some legally citizens, some not, risking their lives to transform a nation. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour >> Advertisement Yet when was the last time you saw a film or television series about the Underground Railroad? The 1978 TV movie A Woman Called Moses starring Ms. Cicely Tyson? The push for freedom nudged at this years Mercy Street, but the show itself revolved around a Union hospital. And while Oscar-tempting biopics recently examined the lives of Dalton Trumbo, Steve Jobs, Stephen Hawking, Maggie Thatcher, Cheryl Strayed and Whitey Bulger, there have been exactly no recent feature films about the Undergrounds father William Still or even Harriet Tubman (an HBO film starring Viola Davis is, praise heaven, in the works.) Even recent Oscar winner 12 Years a Slave, like Django Unchained before it, was, in essence, the dark opposite of an Underground Railroad tale. Its tempting to say that this is about to change with the new WGN America series Underground, but it is only one series on a network many still have trouble locating on their provider lists. Its also a series that, having chosen to both defy the conventions of period television and wallow in them, takes several hours to find its footing. Focusing on a group of slaves determined to make a run for freedom, creators Misha Green and Joe Pokaski infuse Underground with a clever, proactive energy the clandestine meetings, the intricate plans, the intra-team tensions more traditionally found in heist films and shows involving the CIA. But they also waste a lot of precious time proving something we already know: Slavery was terrible. The series opens with Noah (Aldis Hodge) being chased down, and then marched back in sadistically elaborate fetters, to the Georgia plantation to which he belongs. Despite the horrifying conditions of his capture and punishment, it is not a defeat. He has returned to organize a larger escape. This is no wistful, wild dream; even after being beaten to near-unconsciousness, Noah is a force to be reckoned with. As are those he begins to enlist, including the preacher Moses (Mykelti Williamson), the strong but sensitive Zeke (Theodus Crane) and young Henry (Renwick Scott), so determined to follow in Noahs footsteps he spends his evenings doing push-ups. The female characters are just as formidable. Moses wife, Pearly Mae (Adina Porter), is key to Noahs plan, while in the big house, Ernestine (Amirah Vann) rules the other servants with the steely politics of subtle influence she believes will keep her children, including daughter Rosalee (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), safe. Drawn to Noah but still clinging to her mothers choices, Rosalee is torn between two visions of the future until a violent event leaves her no other choice. Not surprisingly given its subject matter, Underground is a sprawling tale, with characters that include a troubled but still brutal slave-catcher (yes, that is Christopher Meloni) and a young abolitionist couple (Jessica De Gouw and Marc Blucas) who want to do more than attend meetings and make speeches. Though not the primary focus of Underground, they are nuanced characters with conflicting motives. The same cannot be said of the plantation owners; Tom (Reed Diamond) and particularly Suzanna Macon (Andrea Frankle) are awful to the 11th degree she smirks into her lemonade while Rosalee is whipped in place of her little brother. Intentionally or not, Green and Pokaski show little interest in humanizing slave-owners. Though Tom is given political ambitions and a little more empathy he finally calls for Rosalees whipping to stop the Macons serve mostly to embody the callous ability to see slaves as something other than fellow humans. Any exploration of the universal perils of a system based on oppression is done through Cato (Alano Miller), a disfigured slave who, as assistant overseer, can be just as abusive as his white masters. The marriage between historical drama and action series is more than a little bumpy to begin with, in part because Underground delights in confounding expectations, particularly in tone, which is more action-adventure than solemn historical drama. Co-produced by Akiva Goldsman and John Legend, Underground may be the first antebellum drama with a hip-hop beat, and Anthony Hemingway, who directs the first four episodes, is not afraid to follow wild, swooping shots with scenes of oil-painting stillness. But for all its dramatic pulse, historic details and narrative twists, Underground simply takes too long to get going; it isnt until the fourth episode that the shows real story, and potential, reveal themselves. Even with its flaws, Underground is a significant show, and not just because it reminds us that the Declaration of Independence did not end tyranny in America, that the murderous brutality we condemn in other nations is part of our own history as well. Unlike many other series, even in this vaunted age, Underground tells a story we have not seen, a story we need to see: how so many overcame such large obstacles to not just escape, but to also help others to escape. The Underground Railroad didnt just deliver thousands to freedom, it made the hideous contradiction of slavery in a democracy too conspicuous to ignore. mary.mcnamara@latimes.com Announced back in May 2015, Golden Road Brewings Grand Central Market outpost opened quietly Tuesday, adding a welcome watering hole for visitors to the ever-popular downtown food court. Occupying the space along the markets west side near the Hill Street entrance, the brightly tiled counter features 20 taps of Golden Roads brews and a snack-friendly menu of pirogi, the addictive Eastern European-style dumplings, and salads. Born of a beer drinking trip to the Czech Republic by Golden Roads chef, Adam Levoe, and the brewerys former owner, Tony Yanow (Golden Road Brewing was sold to Anheuser-Busch InBev late last year), the menu of what Levoe calls California pirogi was designed to match with the beers and to be take-out friendly. Advertisement Pirogi are the perfect beer food, Levoe said. You can fill them with anything. The outpost was slated to open in the fall of 2015, but after Golden Road was purchased by AB InBev, the development of the location was slowed and the stall redesigned. As we started working with the new ownership, we had the time and resources to do it right, said Golden Road founder and president Meg Gill. We could be more thoughtful and focus on how to communicate our brand identity inside the very foodie-minded institution. The idea was to create the feeling of a comfortable neighborhood bar within the bustling confines of the 99-year-old market. White subway tile and open-face letter board menus line the back wall, and the bar is lined with tap handles that range from Golden Roads core brands (Point the Way IPA, Golden Road Hefe) to special releases (Citra Bend, Berliner Weisse). Besides the nine types of pirogi on the menu (six savory, three sweet) there are half a dozen salad options and a few hot sides to choose from. Prices range from $2.50 for a single pirogi (or $6 for a set of three dumplings) to $15 for a fully loaded citrus and kale salad with duck confit, and a pint of beer will set you back $5 or $7. Levoe suggested that newcomers to the pirogi concept try the bacon-and-cheddar dumpling or the vegan Soyrizo option; he said either would pair nicely with the brewerys selection of IPAs. For the hop-lovers, Levoe recommended the rich wild mushroom pirogi to match with the hoppiest brews on tap, such as the popular Wolf Among Weeds double IPA. Patrons can get pints of Golden Roads beer to drink at the bar or to enjoy while they shop the market, but they cant yet fill growlers or buy cans to take home. The proprietors hope to add the option for take-away jugs of beer soon, but there are some permitting and logistical issues that need to be ironed out first. Until then, the Golden Road Brewing stall is open during regular market business hours. Golden Road Brewing at Grand Central Market, 317 S. Broadway, Los Angeles. ALSO 7 great meatball recipes You can soon get your Blue Bottle cold brew coffee fix from a can Exclusive: Acclaimed French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten to open a restaurant in Beverly Hills In a state as blue as California, does Donald Trump have any support? Absolutely. Probably not enough to take the state in November, if hes the Republican presidential nominee. But in a January poll of Californias GOP voters, Trump and Ted Cruz were pretty much tied for the lead. A couple of weeks ago, when I wrote about Latino voters who have issues with Trump, I got complaints from readers who wanted more balance. One reader took me to task for not seeking out Latinos who support Trump. If he knew some, I replied, Id be happy to speak to them. Advertisement He emailed back to say that of the three Latinos he contacted, two had switched to Ted Cruz and the third didnt want her name used. Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | March 8 election results | Track the delegate race | Sign up for the newsletter Thats not to say I didnt hear from Latinos who support Trump. I did. And Latinos aside, Trump fans are not hard to find. I made a phone call to a Republican Party official in the Inland Empire who knew of an avid Trump supporter, who referred me to another, who referred me to another. Just to be clear, I dont think much of Trump. I understand the appeal of an anti-establishment candidate. But Id prefer someone better informed and more grown up. Others see it differently, and my intention was not to dispute what they had to say. It was to listen. Im totally impressed, and think Trump would be the perfect person to run our country. It should be run as a business because thats what it is, said Patricia Bowler, 72, of Diamond Bar. The day I called, Bowler had just finished reading Trumps book, Crippled America, and was eager to read his others. She knew Trump was her candidate, Bowler said, when he announced his candidacy last June. That was the speech in which Trump said Mexico was sending us people that have lots of problems.... Theyre bringing drugs, theyre bringing crime, theyre rapists. And some, I assume, are good people. This struck a chord with Bowler. We dont know whos coming in, she told me. You cant have them pouring in like they do every day, costing us a fortune and its not fair to people who are waiting in line to come here legally. Cheryl Wiseman, 70, of Ontario picked up where Bowler left off. There are too many people getting freebies, too many illegals draining our resources, and as soon as they come here they get on welfare and food stamps, especially if they come here and have a baby, Wiseman said. The more you do for people, the less they do for themselves. Wiseman, a retired instructional aide, said she knows Latinos who agree with her. They hate all these illegals coming in here, and in fact I was talking to someone who said you know, three generations ago, when people came in, they were different. The values were different than the ones coming in here now. On national security, Wiseman said she supports Trumps call to temporarily stop Muslims from entering the country. She referred me to a friend and Trump supporter named Sean Ponce, a 48-year-old architect from Fontana, who took that thought one step further. Obama, hes Islam, Ponce said. I wasnt sure I heard correctly, so I asked if he meant that the president was a Muslim. Yeah, thats his root, Ponce said. No one in his right mind would sit there and get bullied by Iraq.... Islam is one big fat lie, and thats where hes lost it. Trump, as Ponce sees it, says what needs to be said. He just tells the truth and doesnt care about the money and the power, said Ponce, who told me his roots are Hispanic. Which Trump ideas does he like best? The idea that we dont buy from China. And we shut the borders. But Trump alone cant save us, in Ponces view. We definitely need more God in this country, he said, and he dreads the very thought of a President Hillary Clinton. If Hillary gets in, itll be like the Wild West in the United States. Therell be killing going on, bomb threats, Islamic killings. Were going to have financial collapse. Its going to be like a Third World country, which is what the Communists want. Richard Keeling, a Torrance resident, said its unfair to characterize Trump supporters as nothing but uneducated blue-collar losers. A retired anthropologist and musicologist, Keeling thinks Trump would fix trade deficits. He thinks tighter borders would ease the burden of healthcare and other social costs related to illegal immigration. He thinks Trump would turn Russia into a stronger ally. He doesnt mind Trumps New York tough guy manner, and thinks the real phonies, with nothing but empty rhetoric, are GOP establishment guys like Mitt Romney. But his main thing is that he wants an end to decades of U.S. involvement in Middle East conflicts. The neocons and everybody else are trying to be globalist, Keeling said. They wanna control things that go on on other continents. I would like to withdraw and concentrate on our problems. Trump is a nationalist, and thats what I like best about him. One reader, who did not give me permission to use her name, told me she was a proud third-generation Mexican American whose relatives came up through sweatshops and worked for what they have. She blasted me for writing that illegal immigration is about human survival, that we send mixed signals by looking the other way in hiring and that Trump is scapegoating for political gain. We Mexicans from the areas you report from, the latest being Boyle Heights, my old neighborhood, are not anti-Trump. We are a large group who will vote for Trump regardless of your biased views, she wrote. Viva Trump. steve.lopez@latimes.com Twitter: @LATstevelopez ALSO: If East L.A.'s Latinos speak for the nations, the wall could come crumbling down on Trump Updates from the campaign trail Good morning. Its Wednesday, March 9. Heres whats happening in the Golden State: TOP STORIES Air regulations Advertisement The new conservative, pro-industry majority on the South Coast Air Quality Management District board may be short-lived. State Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon said he would advance legislation to add three additional members to the influential board, including one public health expert and two environmental justice representatives. Los Angeles Times New developments The latest extension of the Metro Gold Line pushes L.A. Countys rail network much farther into the suburbs. There is now a push to rezone some of those areas in more urban ways, with denser walkable developments. The idea has worked in some places such as Hollywood and Pasadena, but not in South L.A. Los Angeles Times Crime increase Killings in Los Angeles have surged by 27.5% in 2016 compared with the same period last year as the city continued to see a rise in violent crime. This comes on top of an increase in violent crime last year. Los Angeles Times DROUGHT AND CLIMATE Plenty of water: The latest storms have sent much-needed water a lot of it into California reservoirs. Between Friday and Monday alone, they added 391 billion gallons. San Jose Mercury News Storm damage: A preliminary investigation shows that a mudslide triggered by days of rain probably caused a Bay Area commuter train to derail on Monday night, injuring several people. Los Angeles Times L.A. STORIES New heights: What will soon be L.A.s tallest building topped out this week and the view from 1,100 feet up is pretty awe-inspiring. Los Angeles Times Dangerous timeline: A history of gas leaks in Los Angeles, including the disastrous blast next to the Farmers Market in 1985. Curbed LA Whats a fauxnut: The organic, vegan food movement has hit an iconic Southern California junk food the doughnut. And in Silver Lake, not surprisingly. Ready for a Fauxnut? LA Weekly An extended farewell: The demolition of the Sixth Street Bridge is happening slowly but surely. Eastsider LA POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT Bullet train: Californias troubled high-speed rail project survived a key legal challenge Tuesday. But it still faces fiscal and engineering challenges. Los Angeles Times CRIME AND COURTS Drug ring: Six UC Santa Cruz fraternity and sorority members have been arrested in connection with an international drug ring investigation. The Lambda Phi Epsilon fraternity and the Alpha Kappa Delta Phi sorority were used in the elaborate plot. Los Angeles Times Back in U.S.: Alleged drug trafficker Victor Emilio Cazares Gastellum, once a top lieutenant in Mexicos Sinaloa drug cartel, has been extradited to San Diego, four years after his arrest in connection with one of the largest U.S. investigations mounted against the powerful organized crime group. Los Angeles Times BUSINESS Up in the air: Southern California is the home for a new generation of airships. Just dont call them blimps. The New Yorker Pay gap: The boom in companies specializing in janitorial or security services in California has led to large pay disparities between workers doing the same jobs, according to a new study. Janitors who work for contractors earn on average $10.31 an hour, or 20% less than janitors who work directly for a company that uses their services. Los Angeles Times CALIFORNIA CULTURE Homeless in L.A.: A photo of a young woman next to a piece of street art in downtown L.A. with a homeless person asleep below her has gone viral. Some consider it insensitive and clueless. LA Weekly Written word: A new entry into the canon of Central California literature. LA Review of Books Heartbreak exhibits: Its not LACMA or the Getty. But welcome to the Museum of Broken Relationships. Los Angeles Times Photo history: Donald Trump has taken a lot of photos with a lot of celebrities over the years. Heres a yearbook. SFGate Funeral arrangements: First Ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton are scheduled to attend Nancy Reagans private funeral Friday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. President Obama, however, wont attend and will instead be at the South by Southwest tech conference in Austin, Texas, according to several media outlets. Los Angeles Times CALIFORNIA ALMANAC Los Angeles will have clouds and a high of 71 degrees. Riverside will have clouds and 75 degrees. San Diego will be sunny with a high of 69. San Francisco is expected to have morning rain and a high of 63. Sacramento will have rain and clouds with a high of 64. AND FINALLY Todays California Memory comes from Chris Long: I had stopped for a traffic light at the intersection of Cahuenga and Lankershim while driving home from my job in Hollywood one day in the mid 80s. I looked to my right at the Rolls-Royce in the next lane and saw that the driver was Frank Sinatra, who was alone in the car. Sinatra was presumably driving himself to work at the nearby Universal Amphitheatre, where he was performing at the time. As his car moved ahead, I saw that his license plate just had the letters FAS, which of course were the initials of Francis Albert Sinatra. If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.) Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Alice Walton or Shelby Grad. When City Manager Oliver Chi looks across Station Square next to the new Gold Line stop in Monrovia, he doesnt see a dilapidated train depot. He sees a bustling restaurant. Where an empty lot now sits, he sees a five-story apartment complex. That old lumber house? A bustling food hall. Los Angeles Countys growing light-rail network plunges deeper than it ever has into suburbia this week with the opening of the Gold Line extension linking Pasadena to Azusa. Advertisement The new line runs through a series of bedroom communities that until now have not been served by Metros light rail. These cities have decidedly less dense development than some other areas covered by Metro rail, notably downtown L.A., central Pasadena and Hollywood. Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >> But urban planners are hoping to change that with a series of developments along the Gold Line designed to take advantage of the rail line and hopefully attract more riders. The 11.5-mile Foothill Gold Line extension, which consists of six stops through the cities of Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa, began service Saturday. Most of the cities along the route began preparing at least five years ago, adjusting zoning requirements and writing up master plans. Officials say they know the transformation wont happen overnight, but theyre encouraged by the surge in interest from developers thats been triggered by the rails inception. Habib Balian, chief executive of the Metro Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority, said the extension will be a game changer for development in the San Gabriel Valley. Were finally connected in a way we havent been for 60 years, and this is a huge opportunity for all these cities to build city centers around these stations, Balian said. Balian and city officials said their goal is to surround the stations with new housing, dining and shopping and create walkable, sustainable communities that eliminate the need for cars and encourage use of the rail. Adding rail lines does not always ensure more growth. Metros first rail line, the L.A.-to-Long Beach Blue Line, has struggled to attract commercial and housing development to some of its stations. But Gold Line backers believe they can succeed. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> The cities are in various stages of planning. Monrovia recently completed $25 million worth of infrastructure improvements and new facilities, including a park and band shell, at Station Square. Officials have also approved several projects, including the Parks apartment complex and the Lumberyard food hall concept, that are set to open within the next year or so. Its something our communitys been waiting for and planning for for over the last two decades, and to see it actually become a reality is something thats really pretty special, Chi said. In Arcadia, a few projects have been approved, including a four-story, 38-unit apartment complex with 16,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor. A microbrewery has also been approved, and other projects are on the way, said Jason Kruckeberg, assistant city manager and development services director. Azusa has two new Gold Line stations, one in its downtown, within walking distance to the citys civic center, library and veterans park, and another near the Azusa Pacific University and Citrus College campuses. The Gold Line will completely revitalize our downtown, Councilman Uriel Macias said. Certainly foot traffic is one of the things retailers look for. They want to have that captive audience, and the Gold Line is going to bring that foot traffic and captive audience. The growth of Metros light-rail network has led to significant increases in density in some areas. Perhaps the most dramatic example is Hollywood, which is seeing a boom in high-rise and mixed-use projects, many along the Red Line subway. Another is Pasadena, where numerous mid-rise apartments and condo complexes have risen near the Gold Line. The Gold Line extension probably will bring more development, experts say, but the question is how much and how quickly. I imagine that with planning and zoning changes and over a long time period, somewhat more transit-oriented patterns can be developed in the San Gabriel Valley, said Martin Wachs, professor emeritus of urban planning at UCLA. Pasadena is a good example that neighborhoods do change when investments are made. Rail lines tend to be more efficient in high-density areas, Wachs said, pointing to bustling Wilshire Boulevard, where the Purple Line subway is under construction. Monrovia and Azusa are much less dense. But Pasadena and other communities have shown rail lines can be a magnet for denser development. Those of us who are urban planners would argue that places like the Wilshire corridor are much more ripe for increased development and for rail investment, but we understand that theres a need to address the interest of many parts of the region in getting improved accessibility thats provided by the rail system, Wachs said. Monrovia resident Analia Cooper, 41, who lives within walking distance of the Gold Line station, came with her son to the playground on a recent weekday and said every community needs areas such as Station Square with accessible transportation and nearby activities. Cooper said shes looking forward to taking the train to Azusa and Pasadena and checking out the new stores and restaurants. Were hoping that it brings more people to the community, were hoping that it helps our property value and that it sort of helps us rediscover our neighbors to the east and to the west, Cooper said. We already know its causing some people headaches with the traffic, but otherwise I see a lot of good things coming from this. We have high expectations. taylor.goldenstein@latimes.com ALSO Back to blimps? Lockheed Martin will show off its Hybrid Airship San Bernardino police chase ends with innocent drivers death in car crash Mr. T, Wayne Newton among celebrities to attend Nancy Reagan funeral The L.A. Unified school board approved a new charter high school, despite the district charter school divisions recommendation that the board deny the application. Charter schools are publicly funded but can be privately operated, and Westside Innovative School House Inc. (WISH) runs two of them in Westchester an elementary and a middle school. In a 4-2 vote Tuesday (board President Steve Zimmer abstained), the school board decided to let the group open Wish Academy High School under a three-year charter. Advertisement The move comes one month after 21 organizations that run charter schools in Los Angeles sent a letter to the board accusing the district of unfair treatment in its approval process. The school district is battling declining enrollment in the face of well-funded plans to dramatically increase charter presence in Los Angeles. Supt. Michelle King wants to take a collaborative approach with charters to improve students school experiences, she said in a town hall last week in Pacoima. Thirty charter operators sent the district another letter on Sunday to support WISH, citing the schools ethnic diversity, its concentration of students with disabilities and its test scores, which were higher than the district average. WISH parents, staff and supporters wearing red T-shirts filled the front half of the board meeting room Tuesday afternoon. The board has approved eight out of 15 new charter petitions this academic year. Thats just over half, compared with a 76.9% approval rate in 2014-15 and 89.5% the year before that, according to the California Charter School Assn. Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >> WISH has had dwindling funds since 2011-12 and is financially unprepared to open a high school, the districts charter division denial recommendation to the school board states. Shawna Draxton, WISHs executive director, disputed that in a letter to the board and superintendent. Since submitting our Petition, WISH has received written confirmation from California Department of Education (CDE) that our application for a $575,000 Public Charter Schools Grant Program start-up grant has qualified for funding, pending charter approval and CDE staff approval of the grant application budget, the letter reads. WISH asserts that the L.A. Unified Charter Schools Division said it would recommend a denial of its high school petition if it was not withdrawn. Last month, four charter operators withdrew their petitions rather than have them denied. The board report also accuses one of the WISH schools both share campuses with district schools of taking up space for its 6th graders where it wasnt supposed to. The letter from Draxton calls this claim preposterous. During the Tuesday meeting the board also approved two charter renewals and one charter amendment that allows KIPP Comienza Community Preparatory to add middle school grades to its Huntington Park dual-language school. Editors Note: The Times receives funding for its Education Matters digital initiative from one or more of the groups mentioned in this article. The California Community Foundation and United Way of Greater Los Angeles administer grants from the Baxter Family Foundation, the Broad Foundation, the California Endowment and the Wasserman Foundation to support this effort. Under terms of the grants, The Times retains complete control over editorial content. MORE ON EDUCATION Oil and gas firm reactivates long-idle wells near L.A. school after residents seek to plug them It appears that no one cares: Report slams Juvenile Hall for filthy conditions and poor leadership Cal State faculty, students expected to press trustees on pay raises, tuition at Long Beach meeting Clouds over Los Angeles County were seeded with silver iodide to increase the amount of rainfall during Mondays storm, marking the first cloud seeding done by the Department of Public Works since 2002. Los Angeles County has used cloud seeding to boost water supplies since the 1950s, backing off in times of heavy rain or when wildfire devastation creates an outsized risk of flooding or debris flows. FULL COVERAGE: El Nino in California >> Advertisement A 2009 cloud seeding contract for services was terminated after the Station Fire, which burned roughly 250 square miles of the Angeles National Forest. Then, last October, the states severe drought led the county Board of Supervisors to approve a new one-year contract with Utah-based North American Weather Consultants for as much as $550,000 a year. This weeks storm offered a good opportunity for the first go-round for cloud seeding this season, Department of Public Works spokesman Steve Frasher said. North American Weather Consultants has set up land-based generators in 10 locations between Sylmar and Pacoima, Fraser said. Only some of those generators were used Sunday night, as weather conditions were not ideal in all areas. The generators shoot silver iodide into the clouds, creating ice particles. Water vapor freezes onto those particles, which fall as rain. See the most-read stories this hour >> Cloud seeding cannot create clouds, but it increases the amount of rainfall from existing clouds. That storm water is then captured in dams and in the Pacoima, Big Tujunga and San Gabriel watersheds. The county estimates that seeded clouds produce about 15% more rainfall. ALSO The West Coasts tallest building tops out: The view from 1,100 feet up Iditarod dog-sled race is underway, with help of snow delivered via train With huge amounts of snow, locals predict skiing in July at Mammoth Mountain Killings in Los Angeles have surged by 27.5% so far in 2016 compared to the same period last year as the city continued to see a rise in violent crime, LAPD officials said Tuesday. The jump in homicides along with double-digit increases in aggravated assaults and robberies meant Los Angeles has experienced a 12.7% rise in violent offenses, LAPD Asst. Chief Earl Paysinger told police commissioners at their weekly meeting Tuesday. In contrast, property crime has fallen 2%, fueled largely by what Paysinger described as a remarkable 16.2% drop in burglaries. As a result, overall crime is up less than a percentage point from 2015, Paysinger said. Advertisement NEWSLETTER: Get essential California headlines delivered daily >> The LAPDs Central Bureau has seen the largest crime increase at 4.5%. The South Bureau, which covers South L.A., has seen a 3% jump. The two remaining bureaus, which cover West L.A. and the San Fernando Valley, have seen crime decrease compared with the same period last year. In his weekly report to the Police Commission, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck has cautioned that crime numbers can fluctuate dramatically early in the year, when the department compares only a few weeks of numbers to previous years. But police continue to grapple with some of the same factors that have driven crime in recent months, particularly violent offenses such as homicides and shootings. Beck noted last week that 10 of a dozen shootings reported over the prior weekend were considered gang-related. More than half of the citys 48 homicides recorded at that point were also believed to be related to gang activity, he said. Deputy Chief Bill Scott, who oversees the LAPDs South Bureau, said the increase in killings has been most obvious in the departments Southwest Division, which includes neighborhoods such as Baldwin Hills, Leimert Park and Exposition Park. Last year, the division didnt see a homicide until March, Scott said. This year, seven people have been killed. Four of those homicides are considered gang-related, he said. Police are responding in several ways, Scott said, including staple strategies such as sending officers to potential crime hot spots and conducting more parole or probation checks. But, he said, police are also looking toward long-term strategies to reduce gang violence. Thats not a quick fix, he said. To drive property crimes down, Scott said police focus on suspects linked to a list of offenses. Many offenders who commit such crimes often strike more than once, he said, so arresting one person can have a significant effect on overall crime in a neighborhood. Thats what we try to do -- try to identify those types of people, he said. We have to focus on violent crime because thats the most serious, but theyre all important. Scott acknowledged that crime numbers can fluctuate at the start of a year, but said he believes police have to keep that sense of urgency. When we start out in a hole, it sets the tone for whats going to come, he said. We want to start off the year on a good tone. Follow @katemather for more LAPD news. ALSO Study: Pedestrian deaths in California rose 7% in the first half of 2015 Weapon in Grim Sleeper killing found in suspects dresser drawer, jurors are told Elusive weapon in Simpson slayings: Kitchen knife? Carving knife? Retractable blade? First Lady Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton are scheduled to attend Nancy Reagans private funeral Friday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. President Obama, however, wont attend and will instead be at the South by Southwest tech conference in Austin, Texas, according to several media outlets. In a talk Tuesday, Michelle Obama paid tribute to Reagan, saying she reminded us of the importance of womens leadership. She said Reagan offered helpful advice when she became first lady. Advertisement Reagan, 94, died Sunday of congestive heart failure at her home in Bel-Air. When the library was built, the Reagans decided they wanted to be buried together on the west side of the property, facing the Pacific Ocean, said Melissa Giller, a spokeswoman for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library. They had such a true love affair, Giller said. Shes missed him since the day he passed, and Im sure they are quite happy to be together again. The funeral procession is being planned based on the former first ladys wishes, including her choice of the people to be invited, the readings to be given and the people involved in the program, Giller said. About 1,000 people will be invited, including President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and former presidents, first ladies, heads of state and other dignitaries, she said. The library also announced that the public will have a chance to pay their last respects before the funeral on Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parking on-site will not be allowed, but shuttles will be provided from 400 National Way. There will be enhanced security during this period at the library, Giller said. No large bags, cameras or strollers will be allowed, and all bags will be inspected. Gifts and flowers will be accepted at the bottom of Presidential Drive and at the shuttle pick-up location. In lieu of flowers, Reagan asked that contributions be made to the Ronald Reagan Memorial Fund at reaganlibrary.com. NEWSLETTER: Get essential California headlines delivered daily >> Giller said the former first lady used to visit the library six to 10 times a year. She visited every June on the anniversary of her husbands death, Giller said. She was very involved with the library as a member of the board and was instrumental in bringing the Air Force One exhibit and, more recently, the September presidential debate, to the library, which helped raise its national profile, Giller said. Ten to 15 years ago, the Reagan library had a much smaller imprint on our nation, Giller said. Without her, we wouldnt have been able to do all the things that we have achieved so far. taylor.goldenstein@latimes.com ALSO Nancy and Ronald Reagans sole film together, Hellcats of the Navy, previewed decades of devotion From the archives: As Ronald Reagan fades, Nancy takes on a new role Nancy Reagan turned to astrology in White House to protect her husband From Diffrent Strokes to high fashion, Nancy Reagan was giant of 1980s Thank you for your grace, class and integrity Nancy Reagan lies in repose at the Reagan Library https://t.co/uMLtohHwkJ pic.twitter.com/Wz5TeLmCRG Los Angeles Times (@latimes) March 9, 2016 As they entered the Ronald Reagan Presidential Librarys courtyard on Wednesday, on their way to pay their respects at Nancy Reagans casket, visitors were encouraged to stop and write messages to the Reagan family. Lined sheets bearing the name Nancy Davis Reagan had been set out on two long tables. From Pasadena, in capital letters: God bless Mrs. Reagan and the Reagan family. You and President Reagan will forever be in our hearts. Thank you for your love of our great country. From Loma Linda: Thank you for your grace, class and integrity. From Thousand Oaks: She meant so much to us. Her love, their love, inspires us daily. One message was signed by the Familia Aranz of Norwalk, who said they came from Central America arriving in early 1980s. We now live the true American dream, they wrote. Gracias. Nita Lelyveld California State University trustees named two women to lead the Chico and Channel Islands campuses, paving the way for the nations largest university system to have more women serving as presidents than at any time in its history. Erika D. Beck, provost and executive vice president at Nevada State College in Henderson, will preside at CSU Channel Islands. She succeeds Richard R. Rush, who is retiring in June after 15 years as president. Chico State, the second-oldest school in the Cal State system, will be headed by Gayle E. Hutchinson, now provost and vice president of academic affairs at Channel Islands. Hutchinson succeeds Paul Zingg, who became president in 2004 and is also retiring in June. Advertisement The appointments, announced Wednesday, reflect Chancellor Timothy P. Whites push for more diversity in hiring as well as in the development of curriculum throughout the system, which educates about 460,000 students. Two women were also appointed in January to lead the San Jose State and Sonoma State universities. Once Beck and Hutchinson begin their terms, 10 of the 23 campuses will be headed by women. Cal State has been criticized for a gender imbalance in top leadership roles. Hiring of women and minorities has improved somewhat under White, who became chancellor in 2012 after heading UC Riverside. White cited a confluence of opportunities, including the turnover of five presidential positions during the current academic year, as partly contributing to the unprecedented number of female campus presidents. The notion of diversity goes beyond numbers; its about the range of experiences that people bring to campuses, White said in an interview as trustees wrapped up a two-day meeting in Long Beach. I find it enriching to have a heterogeneous set of individuals, by age, sex, income level, first-generation status. Having that mix makes a more powerful university. Although more than 57% of students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities are women, they account for only 26% of college presidents, according to a 2012 study by the American Council on Education. Two of the 10 University of California campuses those at Davis and Merced are led by female chancellors. Cal State San Marcos President Karen Haynes said she and her female colleagues have encouraged White to ensure that candidate pools are diverse, and theyve reached out on their own to find qualified female candidates. When Haynes was appointed in 2004, only three other women were serving as campus presidents, she said. Im delighted and proud to be a part of the system in this moment, said Haynes, who is a member of the American Council on Educations Womens Network. Hutchinson, 58, will return to a campus with which she is vastly familiar. She has spent nearly 20 years serving in various positions at Chico, including dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences and chairwoman of the kinesiology department. At Channel Islands, she coordinated all academic programs and played a key role in developing the universitys strategic plan. She earned a bachelors degree in physical education teacher education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a masters in teaching analysis and curriculum development from Columbia Universitys Teachers College and returned to Amherst for her doctorate in education. Hutchinsons experience in the Cal State system in general and with Chico State in particular made her an ideal candidate, said Trustee Douglas Faigin, chairman of the selection committee. Hutchinson has built her academic career at Chico State and has tremendous support on campus, Faigin said in a statement. Hutchinsons salary was set at $293,643, the same as her predecessor. She will also receive a $50,000 annual housing allowance and a $1,000 monthly car allowance. Beck will join Cal States youngest campus, established in 2002 in Camarillo and serving about 6,100 students. Beck, 43, oversees academic programs, admissions and records and retention efforts at Nevada State College, a 3,500-student campus also established in 2002 that serves many minority students who are the first in their family to attend college. She previously served as a faculty fellow at UC San Diego and taught at Grossmont College, a community college in El Cajon. Beck earned a bachelors degree in psychology and a doctorate in experimental psychology from UC San Diego. She also holds a masters in psychology from San Diego State. Becks experience in building and sustaining the academic rigor of a new campus was instrumental in her selection to lead CSU Channel Islands, said Trustee Larry Norton, who led the search committee. Beck will receive a salary of $283,000, $5,915 less than her predecessor, as well as a $60,000 annual housing allowance and $1,000 monthly car allowance. MORE: Get our best stories in your Facebook feed >> For more news about higher education, follow me on Twitter @CarlaRiveralat. ALSO As a potential strike looms, Cal State faculty and trustees remain at odds over pay Farewell to Nancy Reagan: Public gathers to pay respects Oil and gas firm reactivates long-idle wells near L.A. school after residents seek to plug them The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department announced the arrest of three people charged with abducting a 20-year-old woman and taking her to the Bay Area with the intent of sexually exploiting her during a hellish five-day span, investigators said Wednesday. Rico Clayton, Chad Miller and Monique Butler were arrested March 2 and charged in a kidnapping plot that spanned from Los Angeles County to Oakland, sheriffs officials said. The victim and Butler had worked together for years, according to Capt. Merrill Ladenheim, who leads the sheriffs task force on human trafficking. On Feb. 26, Butler invited her to a birthday party in Palmdale, but when the woman arrived, she was attacked by Miller and Clayton, Ladenheim said. Advertisement NEWSLETTER: Get essential California headlines delivered daily >> This was something that was completely unexpected, of course, by our victim, he said. The two men viciously assaulted the woman and drove her to Oakland, where they took pictures of her that were posted to Backpage.com. The woman was then taken to Orange County, according to Ladenheim, who said at least one of the suspects brandished a gun in her direction at some point during the ordeal. While she was being held captive, the woman managed to place two panicked phone calls to her mother. The Sheriffs Department became aware of the kidnapping on March 1, and found the victim in a Buena Park motel hours later. She was rescued and the suspects were subsequently captured a few hours later, investigators said. All three suspects were charged with conspiracy and pandering. Clayton also faces charges of pimping and false imprisonment by force, and Miller was also charged with pimping, police said. Ladenheim said detectives believe the trio have been involved in other kidnapping and trafficking cases. The level of sophistication, the expediency with which they provided her with a nickname and moniker for the purposes of sexual exploitation this was something that was very, very familiar to this trio, and very, very disconcerting to us, he said. The Sheriffs Department formed a task force to combat human trafficking late last year, and the unit has rescued 60 victims since then, according to Sheriff Jim McDonnell, who said many of those victims were between the ages of 14 and 17. This is a vivid example of why we must dismantle the criminal enterprises that continue to perpetuate this horrific crime, McDonnell said of the recent arrests. MORE: Get our best stories in your Facebook feed >> Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in Southern California. ALSO 65-year-old man dies in custody, held for a crime he did not commit Coroner identifies man shot by Torrance jewelry store owner Air Force veteran and father of 3 missing from Hermosa Beach Hey up! was a shout from the crowd as the cables grew taut on a 35-foot steel beam as it began to rise to the top of the Wilshire Grand hotel. Workers, architects and engineers gathered Tuesday afternoon to celebrate a milestone in the construction of Los Angeles most notable skyscraper at the corner of Figueroa Street and Wilshire Boulevard. The ceremony, known as the topping out, marks completion of the buildings central core: a pillar of concrete that rises more than 892 feet from the foundation. The core will help support the projects tower, which will rise another 200 feet. ------------ Advertisement FOR THE RECORD An earlier version of this post incorrectly gave Yang Ho Chos birth date as March 7. ------------ Upon completion, the Wilshire Grand will rise 1,100 feet and be the tallest building west of Chicago. The hotel will have 900 hotel rooms and nearly 400,000-square feet of office space. An adjoining building will have ballrooms and convention space. Were one step closer to transforming Los Angeles, said Kevin Dow, vice president and general manager of Turner Construction Co., which is managing the work site. The construction of the concrete core took 744 days from the day the foundation of the building was poured in 2014 until Feb. 29, when the final cubic yards of concrete were pumped to the buildings 73rd level. Workers are now adding structural steel around the core, and later this year will begin work on the buildings crown, a steel and glass edifice that will include a spire and beacon. The eyes of the world are upon you, said Chris Martin in his comments. Martin is chief executive of A.C. Martin, the architectural firm that designed the Wilshire Grand, which is owned by Korean Airlines. I dont know how we could have done this without you. See the most-read stories this hour >> The Wilshire Grand Center in downtown Los Angeles on March 4. Upon completion, the Wilshire Grand will rise 1,100 feet and be the tallest building west of Chicago. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Martin cited a global workforce of 11,000 people in Mexico, Korea, Germany, the United States and Canada who have contributed to the building. The steel beam was signed by those gathered on the ground level of the complex and was decorated with an American flag and a small cypress tree for good luck. Martin also used the occasion to announce that the clock is now running: In one year -- on March 8, 2017 -- construction on the mammoth project will be completed, a date set to coincide with the birthday of Yang Ho Cho, chairman of Hanjin International Corp., the owner of Korean Airlines. thomas.curwen@latimes.com Follow @tcurwen on Twitter ALSO Court rejects key lawsuit against California high-speed rail system How an emergency declaration over L.A.'s homeless became a game of hot-potato keep-away For International Womens Day, meet L.A.'s first female head librarian a teenager who settled bar bets and worked to get women the right to vote A 39-hour filibuster by Democratic Missouri state senators ended with a power play Wednesday morning as Republicans unilaterally seized control of the debate and passed a bill that LGBT advocates and business leaders had criticized as anti-gay. Missouris Legislature now faces the possibility of a months-long shutdown in its upper chamber over a potentially wide-ranging religious beliefs constitutional amendment that opponents say could allow businesses to deny services to gay and lesbian couples. The Republicans brute-force procedural move infuriated Senate Democrats, whose filibuster drew support from Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders as well as national LGBT organizations and corporate giants Monsanto and Dow Chemical. Advertisement The Republicans exercised the nuclear option, Sen. Scott Sifton, a Democrat who represents south St. Louis County, said in a telephone interview. Were talking about legislation to effectively legalize discrimination against same-sex couples, and in 2016 thats just not the signal Democrats believe Missouri should be sending. The constitutional amendment is part of a national wave of conservative legislation that has been introduced around the country to protect religious business owners after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2015 that same-sex marriage bans were unconstitutional. Proponents of Senate Joint Resolution 39, who seek to place it on the November ballot, say the legislation is necessary to protect religious business owners and organizations. The legislation would bar the state from penalizing any religious organization -- including churches, corporations, schools and hospitals and their employees -- on the basis that the organization believes or acts in accordance with a sincere religious belief concerning marriage between two persons of the same sex. SJR 39 stands for the proposition that, in our pluralistic society, we should have room to respect the religious freedom of Missourians, said the bills Republican sponsor, Sen. Bob Onder. Critics say its language would make it one of the broadest such measures in the country and could lead to unintended consequences and litigation. Both sides care about religious freedom, and thats why were happy its already protected under the 1st Amendment of the Constitution and under state law, said Steph Perkins, executive director of Promo, a Missouri LGBT advocacy organization. The proposed measure, however, expands the role of religion in potentially denying services in a really damaging way, Perkins said. Support poured in as the group of seven Senate Democrats began filibustering Monday afternoon. They worked in shifts and traded off to go shower or sleep, then returned to fill the time with everything from criticism of the bill to discussion of movies, caffeine and karate. The showdown even drew the attention of top presidential candidates. Marriage equality is the law. I stand with those filibustering in MO to make sure discrimination wont be, Hillary Clinton tweeted Tuesday. Standing up for our LGBTQ sisters and brothers is the duty of all elected officials. This should make us all proud, Bernie Sanders tweeted. Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz echoed Missourian Republicans criticism of the Senate Democrats as obstructionists. Missouri: Remember in November the Democrats who filibustered over 30 hours to fight against religious liberty, Cruz tweeted, adding the hashtag #DefendReligiousLiberty. On Wednesday morning, the states Senate Republican supermajority used an arcane and rarely used legislative maneuver -- called a previous question motion -- to end the Democratic filibuster and pass the bill. Senate Democrats have not yet decided how to respond, but more obstruction seems likely before the legislative session ends in May. Im sorry, but that kind of unilateralism is very unusual in the Missouri Senate and toxic to the atmosphere in Jefferson City, Sifton said. Historically, there has been full-spectrum procedural retaliation when a previous question motion is used on a partisan issue, and I think its fair to say that is going to be seriously considered. If Republicans hadnt moved to stop the filibuster, Sifton said, wed still be talking. Follow @MattDPearce for national news. Rafael Rivera left Puerto Rico for central Florida late last year, fed up with the islands escalating debt crisis and dwindling sales at his cellphone shop. Five months later, Rivera, 36, has a nice apartment in the Orlando suburb of Kissimmee and a job at a nearby Hyundai dealership. Hes also registered to vote. Rivera is a part of a wave of Puerto Ricans fleeing the islands beleaguered economy and transforming the Florida electorate. Each week, as many as 1,000 Puerto Ricans arrive in central Florida, according to some estimates, joining a community of more than 1 million Puerto Ricans across the state that has grown tenfold since 1980. Advertisement Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | March 8 election results | Track the delegate race | Sign up for the newsletter Like Rivera and unlike many other new Latino migrants they are all U.S. citizens and immediately eligible to register to vote. The surging Puerto Rican electorate, a swing demographic in the nations quintessential swing state, supported Barack Obama for president but backed Charlie Crist for governor when he was a Republican. They could soon surpass Cubans, whose conservative leanings long dominated Latino politics here. Michael Purcell, center, and Sandra Purcell, right, of Longwood, Fla., attend a Marco Rubio event in Sanford, Fla., on March 8, 2016. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Because Puerto Ricans are the fastest-growing group of voters in a contested corridor of a battleground state, you could make the case that theyre the most important voters in the United States, said Fernand Amandi, a Florida pollster. Puerto Rican voters have completely upended the understanding of how the state is going to vote in November, Amandi said. They could wake up in San Juan, have breakfast and be registered to vote in the U.S. come dinnertime. You see both parties doing a full-court press to win over what could very well be the decisive vote. Faced with $72 billion in debt and soaring unemployment, Puerto Rico is losing tens of thousands of people each year. The Caribbean islands population dropped each year by 48,000 people from 2010 to 2013, according to data from the Pew Research Center. Many landed here, along the Interstate 4 corridor that connects Tampa and Daytona Beach, an area characterized by swamps and strip malls and plentiful jobs. The Orlando metro area led the nation in job creation last year, according to Gallup. Politicians from both sides of the aisle in this state have been paying close attention to Puerto Ricans ahead of Floridas March 15 primary and the November general election. Hillary Clintons supporters festooned cars with flags over the weekend and embarked on a caravan through Puerto Rican neighborhoods a nod to the boisterous style of campaigning that characterizes elections on the island. Clinton backers in Puerto Rico will gather at a restaurant there Saturday to make phone calls to recent arrivals in Florida, urging them to vote for Clinton in the Democratic primary. On the Republican side, Sen. Marco Rubio, who is of Cuban descent, is also making a major play for Puerto Rican votes. His campaign organized several Puerto Rican leaders for a news conference in Orlando this week, and Rubio made multiple campaign stops on the island before the Republican primary there last weekend, which he won handily. As residents of a U.S. commonwealth, citizens in Puerto Rico are able to vote in presidential primaries, but they cannot cast votes in general elections. Thats just one of the key differences between voting in the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. Turnout is another. On the island, elections are held every four years on a day designated as a national holiday, and voters typically turn out at very high rates. But once they arrive on the mainland, Puerto Rican newcomers quickly start voting at the same relatively low rate as other Latinos in the U.S. Republican presidential primary candidate Marco Rubio holds a rally in Sanford, Fla., on March 7, 2016. Winning the Florida primary is considered crucial for Rubio. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Elections are a lot of fun over there, like a party, said Evelith Olmeda-Garcia, who was raised in Puerto Rico and is now the principal of Liberty High School in Kissimmee. Here its kind of lame. At her mostly Latino school, where about 1 in 4 students was born on the island, a voter registration group called Mi Familia Vota is trying to change that. The Latino community here is going to determine who is the next president, Esteban Garces, an organizer with the group, tells students at Liberty and other schools in the area. You have a lot of power. On a recent day, Garces and another organizer, Jeamy Ramirez, fanned out around the schools outdoor seating area, where many students were speaking rapid Puerto Rican Spanish and playing games on their cellphones between bites of lunch. Ramirez, who left Puerto Rico four years ago because her job at a casino in San Juan wasnt paying enough, approached an 18-year-old senior, Anisah Garcia, who agreed to fill out a voter registration form so that she can vote against Donald Trump in November. I dont think he should be president, said Garcia, who is of Puerto Rican origin and was born in New York. Puerto Ricans moving from states such as Illinois and New York have been another big source of voter growth in Florida, according to the Pew Research Center, which predicts Florida may eclipse New York at the state with the nations largest Puerto Rican community. Growing numbers of Mexicans, Venezuelans and Colombians are also helping to diversify the states Latino electorate. If you go back 20 years, the Hispanic vote could be summed up by a few words: exile-era Cubans, said Steve Schale, a Democratic consultant who helped Obama win Florida in 2008. Competition for their votes came down to who most hated Fidel Castro. At Liberty High School in Kissimmee, Fla., Jeamy Ramirez, of MiFamiliaVota, registers potential voters during the schools lunch break. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Now, he said, new Latino voters are overwhelmingly voting as Democrats, although many register as nonparty voters, whose ranks in the state have surged by about 600,000 over the last four years. And political candidates must tailor their messages to reach a wide spectrum of Latino voters, including younger generations of Cubans who are more liberal than their parents. After all, the U.S. embargo on Cuba doesnt really matter personally to Puerto Ricans. Neither does immigration. They would probably care more about a candidates plans to solve the islands protracted financial woes. Its hyper-complicated and expensive, Schale said. Although Puerto Ricans in New York and Chicago often skew Democratic, conservative groups and candidates believe they have a good shot at winning over new arrivals from the island, many of whom are frustrated by the Puerto Rican governments failures. When you have a government in Puerto Rico that is very big and involved in everything you do, there isnt any opportunity for growth, said David Velazquez of the Libre Initiative, a conservative Latino group backed by the Koch brothers that views the Puerto Rican neighborhoods around Orlando as fertile ground for conservatives. Our message is that limited government equals more opportunity, said Velazquez, who is of Puerto Rican descent and grew up in the Bronx in New York. On a recent afternoon, Velazquez and several of his colleagues donned baby blue polo shirts and went door-knocking in the middle-class neighborhood of Buenaventura Lakes, where one resident had raised a Puerto Rican and an American flag in his grassy frontyard. At another house, Nelso Toro, 32, opened the door. The Libre workers, who dont support specific candidates but who aim to spread conservative ideas among Latinos, asked Toro about how the Affordable Healthcare Act has affected his life and whom he would vote for if the November election was held today. Toro, a firefighter who moved to Florida from Puerto Rico at age 4, said he would vote for Sen. Ted Cruz. Were a military family, explained Toro, whose father and brother are veterans, and Republicans tend to treat us a little better. The workers took down Toros contact information and pledged to reach out to him about some of the free social services they offer, including a financial planning course. As he walked in the sun to the next house, Velazquez said he counted the interaction as a success. Everyone is after their vote, he said. We want to make sure they know what were all about. For more on campaign 2016, follow @katelinthicum. ALSO Clinton holds commanding lead over Sanders in Illinois, poll shows Rubios suburban strategy hasnt been paying off Updates from the campaign trail Tuesdays primaries in Michigan and Mississippi and additional Republican contests in Idaho and Hawaii further clarified the GOP side of the presidential race and posed new questions for Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. The results also intensify pressure on Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | March 8 election results | Track the delegate race | Sign up for the newsletter Here are five take-aways: Michigan shows why Hillary Clinton has had trouble locking down the nomination -- and why Bernie Sanders has proved durable Michigan is a good test for Democrats, a big state with several groups the party needs to win general elections: minority voters, union members and blue-collar workers who have been displaced or left behind by changes in the economy. Clinton needed a big victory there to push Sanders to the curb, yet her ability to attract key groups was mixed, and that eventually doomed her. Sanders was declared the winner of Michigan's primary late Tuesday, though because the state's nominating delegates are split proportionally, both candidates walk away with support. While Clinton decisively won minority voters, about a third of the Democratic electorate, Sanders scored another big win among whites, according to exit polls conducted for a consortium of news organizations. Heres why Sanders did well: He won union households, also about a third of the electorate there. He also won among voters who cared most about income inequality and those who said international trade takes away U.S. jobs, both sizable groups in Michigan. The candidates split voters who said jobs and the economy were the biggest issue, the largest share of voters. Clintons claims that Sanders failed to support the auto bailout did not stick apparently and may have reinforced perceptions that she is not honest and trustworthy. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Mitt Romney hardly matters The GOPs 2012 nominee, perhaps the most prominent face of the party establishment, viciously attacked Republican front-runner Donald Trump last week as a phony, unworthy of the presidency. That was followed by a raucous debate in which Trumps opponents attacked him more consistently and relentlessly than at any previous forum. A barrage of television ads targeting the billionaire has begun in Ohio and Florida, which hold their primaries next week. Yet as usual with Trump, it rolled off his back. The two biggest states at stake Tuesday went for Trump, with voters saying in exit polls that they agreed with his call to ban Muslims from entering the country, a divisive position that set him apart from the partys establishment. Those seeking an outsider who tells it like it is also gave the nod to Trump. Heres a key stat for Trump: About 60% of Republican voters in Michigan exit polls said they felt betrayed by Republican politicians. During his unusual victory news conference Tuesday night, Trump went on an extended riff, trying to rebut Romneys claims that many of his businesses have failed by holding up a copy of Trump magazine and talking about Trump steaks. Does Trump have a ceiling? Trump keeps winning. But he continues to fall short of a majority in his victories, surpassing 40% of the vote in three states before Tuesday. He was short of a majority in Michigan and close to 50% in Mississippi on Tuesday night, with results in Idaho and Hawaii pending. Part of that is a result of the Republicans' four-man race. But as the campaign continues, the question will linger. Polls often show Trumps support is incredibly strong among his supporters. But he still faces great skepticism from many quarters of the party. In Michigan, about half of Republicans said in exit polls that they would be satisfied if he was the nominee, suggesting he is gaining ground in rallying the party, but has not yet closed the deal. John Kasich did well in Michigan, but doing well doesnt cut it The Ohio governor treated his showing in Michigan, where he was fighting for second place with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, as evidence that hes surging. But the campaign is long past the stage for handing out participation ribbons. Candidates need actual victories. And even as Kasich has won some admirers for his touchy-feely town halls, he has not won any states. Michigan was supposed to be the beginning of a string of victories for the Midwesterners long-shot bid. Trump proved durable, winning his first Midwestern state after he lost the Iowa and Minnesota caucuses. Kasich is holding out for next weeks Ohio contest to notch a victory. But it is unlikely to be enough. Marco Rubio is crashing The Florida senator has also been pointing to next week, when Floridians also head to the polls, as his make-or-break moment. But its hard to see how even a victory in his home state a highly unlikely scenario at this point -- can save Rubio. Distant fourth-place finishes in Michigan and Mississippi reinforced the notion that Rubio is unable to translate his popularity with donors and establishment Republicans into support from actual voters. He may be the next man out. MORE CAMPAIGN 2016 NEWS Sanders wins Michigan in an upset; Clinton takes Mississippi Trump rolls on, winning 3 of 4 states; Cruz takes Idaho Analysis: Bernie Sanders surprises Hillary Clinton in Michigan. Is Ohio next? Clinton: Lets remember three words: Bush versus Gore Hillary Clinton said during Wednesdays Democratic debate that she would have two litmus tests for Supreme Court justices support for abortion rights and opposition to unfettered campaign spending. Any potential nominees must consider Roe vs. Wade settled law and also want to overturn the Citizens United ruling that helped unleash a new era of big money in politics, Clinton said. Clinton also called for Republicans to consider President Obamas nominee to fill the vacancy created by the February death of Justice Antonin Scalia. In Florida, the state at the center of 2000 presidential election recount, she recalled the Supreme Court decision on the case. Lets remember three words: Bush versus Gore. A court took away a presidency. Now weve got the Republican Congress trying to take away the Constitution and we should not tolerate that, she said. So from my perspective, it is imperative we put enormous pressure on the Republicans in the Senate to do their constitutional duty. Clinton added that she would look for nominees who have a heart, have life experience, understand what these decisions mean in the lives of Americans and understand the balance of power that their decisions can disrupt one way or another. Turkey, a key U.S. ally and a member of NATO, continues to travel down a disturbingly authoritarian path. Last week, police in Istanbul stormed the offices of Zaman, the countrys most widely circulated newspaper, subjecting employees and supporters to tear gas and water cannons. Earlier, a court had transferred control of the publication to a panel of trustees after a prosecutor accused the paper of spreading terrorist propaganda. Zaman and its English-language sister publication are identified with the Cemaat movement led by the U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, political rival and former ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This week the Cihan news agency, also linked to Gulen, said that it too would be managed by court appointees. The takeover of those outlets follows similar actions against other news organizations. In October, authorities ordered the seizure of Koza Ipek Group, which operated several television stations critical of the government. Meanwhile, prosecutors have pursued more than 1,800 cases of insulting the president since Erdogan, a former prime minister, was elected president in 2014. Advertisement Such stifling of political opponents is impossible to reconcile with the preamble of the treaty establishing NATO, which invokes the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. The Obama administration called the action against Zaman troubling, joining the chorus of criticism from human-rights groups. But it is also mindful that Turkey is a NATO ally and a key player in both the fight against Islamic State and the negotiations to end the civil war in Syria. This isnt the first time the commitment of the U.S. to human rights tugs it in one direction while strategic interests pull in another. After the Egyptian military overthrew democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi in 2013, the Obama administration suspended the delivery of some weapons. But it relented two years later, when Egypt was confronted with instability in neighboring Libya and threats from Islamic State-affiliated groups. On Monday, State Department spokesman John Kirby deflected a reporters suggestion that the U.S. might impose sanctions on Turkish officials similar to those Congress approved against Russians involved in human-rights abuses, saying, I wont get ahead of decisions that havent been made one way or another with respect to that. Kirby also suggested that disagreements over press freedom neednt tear asunder an entire bilateral relationship. Perhaps not, but even if the U.S. feels constrained in the actions it can take, it should leave no doubt about what it thinks: that muzzling the press and political opponents is not just troubling but outrageous. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook In the coming weeks, Californias Legislature will consider a bill sponsored by Democratic Assemblyman Evan Low that would ban most government-funded travel to states that discriminate, or allow private actors to discriminate, on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. The law would affect all agencies, departments, boards, authorities, commissions and colleges. Elected officials and their staffs would be exempt, as would travel needed to enforce state law, meet old contractual obligations or protect public welfare or safety. California must take action, the bill declares, to avoid supporting or financing discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Do we really need more red tape, more layers of bureaucracy? Advertisement Although such discrimination is abhorrent, even LGBT rights activists should urge their representatives to vote against this flawed bill. The bills upside is almost entirely symbolic. If it passes, Californians may feel morally superior; theyll have fresh evidence of what has long been true: A majority of the California Legislature supports equality. And the bill may have some marginal negative effect on offending states economies. But consider the unintended consequences including the marginal negative effect on this states economy. California employees will need to spend time and resources generating a list of verboten states, and then monitoring relevant legal changes on an ongoing basis. Every time an agency official submits a travel or travel reimbursement request to a location on the list, a California employee will need to determine whether an exception is warranted. In a state with crumbling infrastructure, failing schools and homeless people sleeping under freeways, is that a defensible use of resources? Do we really need more red tape, more layers of bureaucracy? Now think of the sorts of travel this law could prevent. If a UCLA marine biologist wants to travel to Louisiana to complete research on the effect rising sea levels have on coastal communities, to visit a sustainable fish farm or to deliver a lecture on lessons California conservation efforts have for the Gulf Coast, should her ability to advance scholarship hinge on that states housing discrimination laws? If a public defender wants to learn how to protect innocent clients from faulty forensic evidence, should he be denied permission to attend a professional development conference in Bloomington because the Indiana legislature passed an aggressive Religious Freedom Restoration Act? If Texas runs afoul of the anti-discrimination bill, should state employees be forbidden from flying through the Dallas-Fort Worth airport on business, or denied reimbursement for food purchased during a four-hour layover? Another problem with the bill is the damaging precedent it sets. Say that the people of California and the people of Mississippi hold different views about the best way to handle a high school student who transitions from male to female and wants to use the girls locker room. We could implement our respective policies and agree to disagree. Alternatively, California could boycott Mississippi harming that states transgender population right along with the rest of its residents and risk a retaliatory boycott. Nor is there any reason to believe that states would limit their tit-for-tat boycotts to LGBT rights. Our zero-tolerance policy says there is no room for discrimination of any kind in California, Low argues, and will certainly not be tolerated beyond our borders. By that logic, California is complicit in every public policy in every state with which we do business. And every other state is complicit in our public policies. Perhaps New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts will boycott California for having the death penalty on the books; Alabama and Oklahoma will add us to an offending states list because we allow late-term abortion; and Utah will tell its employees not to travel here because of our relatively lax alcohol laws. If the 50 states start refusing to do commerce with one another over moral disagreements, rather than taking a live-and-let-govern approach, well all end up worse off. Low doubtless believes in the rightness of his cause; and just as undoubtedly his intentions are pure. But a bill that elevates moral posturing at the expense of good outcomes should never become law. Conor Friedersdorf is a contributing writer to Opinion, a staff writer at the Atlantic and founding editor of the Best of Journalism, a newsletter that curates exceptional nonfiction. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: Michael Hiltziks reasons for supporting Californias bullet train are perplexing. He lays out all the valid arguments as to why this unnecessary and wasteful project should not be built. Then in some weird about-face, he concludes that its necessary. (The bullet train is troubled, but its necessary, March 4) I dont follow. Its like laying out all the bad health effects caused by obesity and then concluding, Its necessary. I frequently drive to Northern California through the Central Valley and have never encountered heavy traffic, except once when it was very foggy. Is there some transportation crisis on roads between Northern California and Los Angeles that I do not know about? Otherwise, its pretty easy and cheap to travel this route. Advertisement The $64 billion or whatever it the system ends up costing would be better spent on repairing our ailing highways, roads and bridges. Better would be to improve Californias water infrastructure. Cindy Bloom, Shadow Hills .. To the editor: As one who traveled on the bullet train in China, I fully agree with Hiltzik that Californias system should be expeditiously built according to the original plans. The Shanghai-Beijing trip is about 800 miles and takes about five hours.The highest speed, displayed on the monitor, was about 200 miles per hour. A trip costs about $100, and the journey was very quiet and comfortable, unlike economy class on plane. An important convenience of the trip was that the terminals in both Shanghai and Beijing are connected to each cities very efficient subway systems. My suggestion to the most influential political opponents of the bullet train is to take a ride on the Shanghai-Beijing line, just like Gov. Jerry Brown did. Gabor Tamasi, Malibu .. To the editor: Hiltzik makes a strong argument for the bullet train, comparing that system to needed projects such as the Hoover Dam. He also makes an interesting comment about creative interpretation of the stipulations used to sell the voting public on building the train. It is these creative interpretations that worry not only opponents but also former supporters. We have had enough creative interpretations on other projects, and enough is enough. Carlos Ferreyra, Valley Glen .. To the editor: In his column enumerating the issues surrounding the bullet train, Hiltzik unintentionally sheds light on another current major issue: the rise of Donald Trump. Hiltzik quotes Willie Brown, former Assembly speaker and ex-mayor of San Francisco, as saying, If people knew the real cost [of a project] from the start, nothing would ever be approved. In other words, we politicians know whats good for you, and were going to feed it to you, like it or not. Is it any wonder taxpayers are fed up with the professional political class? Louis H. Nevell, Los Angeles Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: I am so sorry for reader Linda Loding, whose 24-year-old son died during the 1992 Los Angeles riots trying to save a burning building. It seems to me, and perhaps to her, a senseless tragedy. (25 years later, Rodney Kings beating stirs emotions in L.A., Readers React, March 5) Every time the Rodney King events return to public consciousness, it rubs salt into her wound, one no mother should have to have inflicted on her. She asks that people get over the events, as she has had to overcome the loss of her son. What she misses in asking for people to get over the King beating is that it was not a senseless tragedy, but one with deeply rooted meaning, connected to numberless acts of cruelty and dehumanization systematically perpetrated against African Americans that go all the way back to slavery and forward to the present. Advertisement If we cant recognize this twisted legacy, cruelty and injustice will contaminate our future as well. What is needed is not getting over our own losses, but the compassion to acknowledge the depth of each others pain. Owen Duncan, Santa Barbara Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook If a surprise loss to Bernie Sanders in Michigan wasnt embarrassing enough, Hillary Clinton woke up Wednesday to a bigger problem: The Vermont senator now has a victorious strategy to utilize in two important Midwestern industrial states that vote next week. The battle for Ohio and Illinois, both of which vote March 15, along with Florida, North Carolina and Missouri, can be expected to follow the template of Michigan. Sanders almost certainly will stress that Clintons 1990s views on trade, welfare and other issues have grievously harmed Americans, particularly in an area of the country troubled by vanishing manufacturing jobs. In Michigan, his emphasis on those issues appears to have helped loosen Clintons hold on African American voters, particularly younger ones. At the same time, Sanders boosted his standing among the blue-collar, white voters who were Clintons strength in her first run for the presidency in 2008. Advertisement Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | March 8 election results | Track the delegate race | Sign up for the newsletter The Sanders win in Michigan overshadowed Clintons easy victory in Mississippi. Clinton may still emerge with more delegates in Tuesday contests than Sanders because of the size of her Southern win and the partys proportional delegate allocation. But it was Michigan on which the candidates had focused resources and presence, and Michigan that defined the night in the worst of ways for Clinton. The Democratic results upended the image of the presidential races. After weeks of unexpected gyrations, the Republican contest took steps toward predictability. Donald Trump won both Mississippi and Michigan, going away. As the night wore on, Trump called for GOP unity, centered around him as the most likely nominee, and said that the money his opponents and unfriendly super PACs are using to level attacks at him was wasted. We should use that money to fight Hillary and the Democrats, he said. Meantime, the Democratic race, which had seemed headed toward a preordained end, suddenly took a turn toward the unexpected. Clinton had talked this week about unifying Democrats behind her candidacy, arguing that the sooner that happened the better. Tuesday night was a sobering reminder that such talk is premature, even if Clinton continues to be a more probable nominee than Sanders. Sanders, for whom Michigan had loomed as a must-win, said again Tuesday that he will fight to the end, and he has the money and volunteers to do so. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> What tonight means is the Bernie Sanders campaign, the peoples revolution ... that we are talking about, the political revolution we are talking about, is strong in every part of the country, and frankly we believe our strongest areas are yet to happen, he said. He then reiterated his campaign message, specifically calling out people in Michigan, people in Ohio, people in Illinois. Clintons standing in Michigan, exit polls showed, was buoyed by strong support among black voters, who have lifted the former secretary of State to victories in South Carolina and other Southern states. But her numbers in Michigan slumped from the heights seen in those earlier contests. She won 8 in 10 black voters in her recent Virginia victory. In Michigan, which has a similar percentage of African American voters, she won only two-thirds. In Virginia, Clinton won 3 in 5 voters without college degrees; in Michigan she and Sanders split that group. Demographically, Ohio looms as the most immediate problem for Clinton because it has a lower percentage of black voters than Michigan. By contrast, Illinois has a higher concentration of African American voters, which gives her an advantage. But both states have suffered some of the same underlying economic difficulties as Michigan. That means a Michigan reprise with a more invigorated Sanders and a more chastened Clinton. Along with a host of other criticisms, Sanders over the last week accused Clinton of flipping her position on trade for political expedience. If she becomes president, she will change back to a pro-trade position on the Trans Pacific Partnership and other deals, he predicted. His talk about trade clearly found a receptive audience. About 3 in 5 Michigan Democrats said in exit polls they thought trade had cost Americans jobs, and Sanders easily won those voters. Clintons last big pitch first delivered in Sunday nights debate accused Sanders of abandoning auto workers by voting against a giant bailout bill in the depth of the Great Recession that included money for the struggling car industry. (Sanders did vote for a measure that would have bailed out the industry, but refused to sign onto the more expansive deal that also gave money to Wall Street.) But that argument either boomeranged against Clinton or proved insufficient to blunt Sanders surge, which may make its use in the coming states problematic. In the Republican race, Trump did Tuesday what he did last week win wildly different states by swamping margins, victories that call into question the usefulness of efforts by establishment Republican to trip him en route to the GOP nomination. Last week Trump won conservative Alabama and moderate Massachusetts. This week he won evangelical Mississippi and more secular Michigan. What both states had in common was Republican anger: In Mississippi, more than 4 in 10 Republican voters described themselves as angry at how the government was working, and another 4 in 10 called themselves dissatisfied with the country. In Michigan, 3 in 10 Republicans said they were angry, and more than half said they were dissatisfied. Together, almost 9 in 10 GOP voters in both states were disgruntled. Those sentiments unleashed a huge desire for change that found its vehicle in Trump, who will now try to defeat Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio on their home turf. Twin victories for Trump next week would come close to clinching the nomination for him. Democratic voters were less disturbed than Republicans. Fewer than 2 in 10 Michigan Democrats said they were angry, and another 5 in 10 said they were dissatisfied. That was enough, however, to upend public surveys that found Clinton easily winning the state, and to deliver to her and her campaign an epic repudiation. What she does in the next week will determine whether Sanders Michigan win was a fluke or yet another sign of a front-runner weakened. cathleen.decker@latimes.com For political news and analysis, follow me on Twitter: @cathleendecker . For more on politics, go to latimes.com/decker. MORE CAMPAIGN 2016 NEWS Sanders wins Michigan in an upset; Clinton takes Mississippi Trump rolls on, winning 3 of 4 states; Cruz takes Idaho Surging Puerto Rican population is remaking the countrys biggest swing state Updates from the campaign trail Thursday night: Watch the debate with us in downtown Los Angeles Heres the most important number for Hillary Clinton out of Tuesday nights primaries: 86. Thats how many delegates she won from the days two contests, in Michigan and Mississippi. Her rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders, took 69, according to the count by the Associated Press. So on a night when Sanders won the biggest headline -- an upset victory in Michigan -- Clinton padded her already big lead in the race to win a majority of the delegates needed to gain the presidential nomination at this summers Democratic convention. Advertisement Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | March 8 election results | Track the delegate race | Sign up for the newsletter Primaries are about a lot of things: building coalitions, testing which issues mobilize voters, discovering a candidates strengths and weaknesses. But ultimately, theyre about one big thing -- math. And right now, despite the Michigan results, the math favors Clinton. Through Tuesday night, about one-third of the delegates to the Democratic convention have been allocated. Clinton has won 759 to Sanders 546. Those are the actual delegates awarded by voters and dont include the 712 so-called super-delegates, the party leaders and elected officials who automatically get to vote at the convention and who overwhelmingly favor Clinton. Tuesday nights results illustrate why Clinton has built that lead in pledged delegates and continues to expand it: Not only has she won more states than Sanders, many of her victories have been landslides that have given her lopsided margins among the delegates. His victories have either been squeakers, such as Michigan, or have come in smaller states such as Vermont and New Hampshire. Last night in Mississippi, for example, Clinton won more than eight-out-of-10 delegates, netting 25 delegates more than Sanders. By comparison, Sanders narrow victory in Michigan won him eight delegates more than Clinton got. What does all that mean for the next three months of primary contests? All the Democratic contests award delegates proportionately to the vote the candidates get -- no winner-take-all contests on the Democratic side. So Sanders needs to beat Clinton, on average, by about 54%-46% in the remaining contests in order to win a majority of the pledged delegates. If he achieves that goal, he would then try to persuade the super-delegates to switch to his side. Thats not impossible -- Sanders has won bigger margins than that in some states, including Minnesota and Colorado. And as Sanders told reporters last night, his campaign believes that some of the states most likely to support him are yet to come on the calendar. But with Clinton well ahead in polls of the biggest states set to vote next week -- Florida and Illinois -- the Vermont senator still faces an extremely tough road ahead. For more on Campaign 2016, follow @DavidLauter MORE CAMPAIGN 2016 NEWS Sanders wins Michigan in an upset; Clinton takes Mississippi Trump rolls on, winning 3 of 4 states; Cruz takes Idaho Analysis: Bernie Sanders surprises Hillary Clinton in Michigan. Is Ohio next? Another Tuesday, another series of victories and the prospect of Donald J. Trump as the Republican presidential nominee grows ever more likely. By carrying Mississippi in the Deep South and Michigan in the upper Midwest, Trump has already demonstrated a broader appeal than either of the last two GOP standard-bearers who both happen to be among his major detractors. Not the withering criticism by Mitt Romney or John McCain, a widely disparaged debate performance nor a growing bombardment of negative ads were enough to slow a steam-rolling Trump, as he noted at a gloating news conference Tuesday night. Advertisement I dont think Ive ever had so many horrible, horrible things said about me in one week but thats OK, he told reporters at his Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Fla. It shows you how brilliant the public is, because they knew they were lies. Later, he added sarcastically, I want to thank the special interests and the lobbyists, because they obviously did something to drive these numbers. The spending is likely to continue unabated, as the results offered at least a sliver of hope to the stop-Trump forces. Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz were in a close race for second in Michigan; Kasich hoped his respectable showing would give him a lift ahead of a must-win primary next Tuesday in his home state. Cruz finished second in Mississippi, dissipating some of the momentum he picked up with two wins over the weekend, but he easily won the Idaho primary. The last remaining challenger, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, placed a distant fourth in Mississippi and Michigan, third in Idaho, and was headed to a third- or fourth-place finish in Hawaii. He faces elimination next week if he fails to carry his home state. Polls there give Trump, a part-time resident, a big lead. Tuesdays balloting saw nothing like the coast-to-coast contests of last weeks Super Tuesday, when close to 600 delegates just about half the number needed for nomination were awarded in 11 states. This time, a mere 150 were up for grabs in four contests. In addition to his primary victories, Trump also won the precinct caucuses in Hawaii. Despite Tuesdays smaller stakes, however, the balloting was widely seen as a test of Trump and the gathering forces working to stop his unlikely political advance. The voting followed a particularly rough week for the wealthy businessman and first-time candidate, who has proved largely impervious to the kinds of political forces that affect most other office-seekers. Once more he seemed to come through unscathed, though there were possible warning signs flashing amid his victories Tuesday. Exit poll interviews showed Trump finishing third in Michigan behind Kasich and Cruz among late-deciding voters and second to Cruz among Mississippians who made up their minds within the last week. The pattern, which also turned up in earlier states, suggests Trump may not wear as well over time. Kasich has yet to win a state but was counting on the results in Michigan, which has many of the economic and social characteristics of Ohio, to offer a blueprint for victory next Tuesday. That, he hopes, will stamp him as the establishment favorite against Trump; while it may be impossible to overtake him in the delegate count, the plan is to wrestle the nomination away at a contested convention, which, as it happens, will be held in Cleveland this summer. Were all familiar with March Madness, Kasich said, alluding to the college basketball tournament at an exuberant election night party in his hometown of Columbus. And now, the home-court advantage is coming North, and next week were going to win the state of Ohio. Two vastly different electorates turned out for Tuesdays main contests. In Mississippi, more than three-quarters of voters described themselves as evangelical Christians, and many said they were strongly conservative, according to exit poll interviews. In Michigan, by contrast, the electorate was more secular and less Republican, with a significant number of independents voting in the GOP contest. In winning both, Trump underscored the breadth of his support. 1 / 11 Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders acknowledges his supporters on arrival at a campaign rally. (Alan Diaz / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 11 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Fla. (Lynne Sladky / Associated Press) 3 / 11 Hillary Clinton campaigns in Detroit. Tuesday is primary day in Michigan. (Bill Pugliano / Getty Images) 4 / 11 Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio talks with patrons at a bakery in Kissimmee, Fla. (Paul Sancya / Associated Press) 5 / 11 People vote in Warren, Mich., in the states presidential primary. (Geoff Robins / AFP-Getty Images) 6 / 11 Republican presidential candidate John Kasich campaigns in Lansing, Mich. (Scott Olson / Getty Images) 7 / 11 A Secret Service agent stands on the stage before a Donald Trump news conference in Jupiter, Fla. (Lynne Sladky / Associated Press) 8 / 11 Voting in Warren, Mich. (Geoff Robins / AFP-Getty Images) 9 / 11 Hillary Clinton visits a bakery in Detroit. (Bill Pugliano / Getty Images) 10 / 11 A poll worker instructs voters at a polling station in Warren, Mich. (Geoff Robins / AFP-Getty Images) 11 / 11 Ted Cruz greets supporters in Kannapolis, N.C. (Gerry Broome / Associated Press) Most notably, he topped Cruz among Mississippis evangelicals, despite his ribald past. It repeats a performance seen across the South, where Trump has prevailed in a way that neither Romney nor McCain managed in winning the GOP nomination in 2012 and 2008, respectively. One commonality Tuesday was unhappiness with the political status quo, a running theme throughout this ornery election season. Nine in 10 voters in both Mississippi and Michigan said they were angry at government; 6 in 10 Southerners and just over half the voters in Michigan said they would like the next president to be someone from outside the political establishment. As he has throughout the campaign, Trump handily won that protest vote. Michigan was the days big prize, not only because it offered the largest number of delegates, 59, but because it presented the first test of the candidates appeal in the industrial Midwest, a traditional fall battleground. If nominated, Trump hopes his protectionist talk could win over blue-collar workers skeptical of foreign trade deals and put several traditionally Democratic-leaning states into play. Trumps victories amounted to a bounce-back of sorts. He won primaries Saturday in Kentucky and Louisiana, but the contests were much closer than expected, perhaps because the voting was limited to registered Republicans. Trump had been buoyed throughout the primary season by the crossover support of Democrats and independents allowed to vote in GOP caucuses and primaries; Mississippi and Michigan both held open primaries. Cruz posted two victories over the weekend, in Kansas and Maine, elevating his effort to emerge as Trumps main challenger. Tuesdays results in Mississippi in particular marked a setback, though Idaho offered some consolation. A candidate needs 1,237 delegates to clinch the GOP nomination ahead of the party convention in July. After winning 12 of the first 20 contests, Trump started out Tuesday with 382 delegates, a number he padded with his victories. Cruz had 300, Rubio barely half that number, and Kasich fewer than 40. The next big test will come Tuesday perhaps the decisive day of the GOP contest when 358 delegates will be at stake in five states: Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, North Carolina and Florida. The most important contests will be the winner-take-all primaries in Florida and Ohio. Victories by Rubio or Kasich could extend the Republican race for at least several more weeks and keep the anti-Trump movement alive. Failing that, their hopes of winning the White House will come to an end and, for all intents, Trump could lock up the nomination. Times staff writers Michael Finnegan and Kurtis Lee contributed to this report. Follow @markzbarabak for national and California politics MORE ON CAMPAIGN 2016 Whos winning the race for delegates in both parties? Super PAC consultant who spent $100 million on Jeb Bush is unapologetic Five things to watch for in todays primaries Bill Gates Reddit AMA Trending News: Here's How Bill Gates Spends His Money And Why He Won't Run For President Why Is This Important? Because Bill Gates is one of the richest people in human history so he must be doing something right. Long Story Short Bill Gates gave his fourth Reddit AMA Tuesday and answered a wide-range of topics including whether he will ever run for president and what makes him feel most powerless. Long Story Does Bill Gates want to run for president? Nah, he's good. Gates admitted he "wouldn't be good at doing what you need to do to get elected" and offered other insights in a wide-ranging Reddit AMA on Tuesday. The AMA is the billionaire's fourth and he touched on all kinds of topics including the future of tech, how he spends his money and whether he prefers sushi or Thai food (he wouldn't commit to one or the other). Check it out on Reddit here. One of the most intriguing questions was about a challenge or problem that has made the richest man on the planet feel completely powerless? Gates had this to say: "The problem of how we prevent a small group of terrorists using nuclear or biological means to kill millions is something I worry about. If Government does their best work they have a good chance of detecting it and stopping it but I don't think it is getting enough attention and I know I can't solve it." Gates was asked a few questions having to do with his insane wealth, one of which was whether it's worth it for him to pick up $40,000 if he found it lying around on the ground. "Since our Foundation can basically save a life for every $1,000 we spend I would pick it up since that would be enough to save 40 lives which is a big deal," responded Gates. Another one of the questions having to do with his fat bank accounts was how he spends his wealth, to which Gates replied that his wife tends to be the one to cash in. "I think people's spending instincts are set when they are in high school. I don't like spending a lot of money on clothes or jewelry (for me - I do like to buy nice things for my wife)." When the Microsoft founder was first starting out in computing, buzzwords like Artificial Intelligence and robotics were science fiction if they'd even been discussed at all. Nowadays these threats are very real and Gates took some questions about them on Tuesday. On whether he agrees with a proposal to limit A.I. before it gets out of control, as Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking have warned, Gates said he hasn't seen anything concrete yet, but agrees that "when a few people control a platform with extreme intelligence it creates dangers in terms of power and eventually control." And when asked to look into his crystal ball and predict what will come in the next 20 years in tech, Gates said we'll see thee things: "An energy innovation to lower the cost and get rid of green house gases;" "progress on disease particularly infectious disease . . . like Polio, Malaria, HIV, TB, etc..;" and "tools to help make education better." Finally, Gates offered this life tip to a young'un about to finish high school: "I think the value of getting a great education - that is going to college - is easy to underestimate. The most interesting jobs require a college education. The STEM related jobs are probably the most interesting although they are not for everyone. The value of staying curious - reading a lot and learning new things even after college is also underestimated." Gates sometimes gets overlooked in terms of an influential billionaire, but his money and success can do the talking and he's certainly worth listening to. Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question This one is for the tech geeks to duke out. Who has been more influential in the tech world Bill Gates or Steve Jobs? Disrupt Your Feed Gates has a pretty positive outlook on the future of tech it's probably more along the lines of a robot apocalypse if you ask me. Drop This Fact Gates spent a brief period of 2015 as the second richest man after Spanish billionaire Amancio Ortega. He's now surpassed the Spaniard by $8 billion with a value of $75 billion. As U.S. diplomatic relations with Cuba normalize, a California congressman wants to know what the federal government is doing to bring back the man who kidnapped him and a plane full of people in November 1971. Rep. Jerry McNerney is hoping the matter will come up when President Obama visits Cuba later this month. I dont think it should be a focus, the Stockton Democrat said. But we cant forget that there are criminals there that need to be extradited. Advertisement McNerney was 21 when three men wanted for the shooting death of a New Mexico state police officer ran up the gangway of TWA Flight 106 as it left the state for Chicago with 150 passengers. Two of the men, Ralph Lawrence and Albert Finney, have since died, but the third, Charles Hill, is thought to still live in Cuba. McNerney had recently dropped out of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and his father had bought the future congressman a ticket to the Army-Navy football game in Chicago in hopes the contest would entice him to go back. At the time, a spate of aircraft hijackings in the United States and internationally had earned headlines. When McNerneys parents dropped him off at the airport in Albuquerque for the evening flight, my mom said, Dont get hijacked! Like it was a big joke because these hijackings were going on at that time, he said in an interview in his Capitol Hill office. Soon after, Hill, Lawrence and Finney drove onto the tarmac in a stolen truck and straight to the stairs leading up to the plane. The men, wanted in the death of Robert Rosenbloom, the state police officer, were the subjects of a manhunt and had been in the news for weeks. They had their guns, so we were pretty much at their mercy. It wasnt too frightening necessarily, but its not always a good feeling to have someone in control of you, McNerney said. The armed men sat in first class, smoking, drinking Michelob beer, McNerney said. They kept passengers in their seats, but one of the men searched him for a weapon before allowing him to use the restroom, he said. The men initially wanted to fly to Africa but then decided on Cuba when the pilots told them the plane didnt have enough fuel for a transcontinental trip, McNerney said. They agreed to drop the passengers off in Tampa, Fla., where McNerney said police and rescue personnel lined the runway. It was a little scary when we landed because the week before a plane had been hijacked and everyone was killed, he said. The passengers were hoping, I hope no one is trigger-happy out there, he said. The passengers were let off the plane in Florida without incident. Hill, Lawrence and Finney then headed to Cuba and were welcomed by the nations officials as fugitives. Hill was put to work cutting sugar cane and managing a clothing store. He married twice and raised children in Cuba. U.S. officials say Lawrence died in 1973, and Finney in 2005. Over the years, Hill and the hijacking occasionally come to mind, McNerney said. Every so often you say, You know, those guys killed a trooper, they put all of our lives at risk because they made a huge, bad decision and then they walked away. Its not something that feels good, McNerney said. In December 2014, Obama announced that the United States would resume normal diplomatic relations with the island nation located off the Florida coast. The move opened doors for tourism, trade and even mail service. Each nation has reopened embassies in the others capital for the first time since the 1960s. Obama is scheduled to visit Cuba in late March, a major shift in policy that has attracted global interest. McNerney said he is excited about the presidents trip and wants the United States to have a normal relationship with the communist country, but as part of a normal relationship, you dont let hijackers come to your country and walk around scot-free. That has to be part of negotiations. Starting with a July 24 letter to the State Department, McNerney has repeatedly urged Secretary of State John Kerry to push Cuba to extradite Hill and other U.S. fugitives living there. U.S. and Cuban officials met in early November to discuss law enforcement issues including terrorism, narcotics and fugitives, with discussions to continue in mid-2016. Kerry recently canceled a visit to Cuba after disagreements over which political dissidents he could meet with while there. A State Department spokesman said the United States continues to push Cuba on returning fugitives whenever it can. McNerney said he hasnt heard from the State Department in months. I imagine that they need to be reminded, he said. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and the members of the states congressional delegation have been asking the State Department and Justice Department to bring Hill back to stand trial in Rosenblooms death. The charges are active, remain pending and will be pursued by both federal and state authorities if he is extradited to New Mexico, said Martinez spokesman Michael Lonergan. Last April, Hill, then 65, told CNN that he wanted to come back to the United States to eat at a McDonalds and see his family, including the daughter he left behind. After Obama announced his trip to Cuba, several members of Congress from New Jersey said the president shouldnt go until the Castro government returns Joanne Chesimard, an American prison escapee convicted of killing a police officer. In 2013, the FBI placed Chesimard on its list of most wanted terrorists. So far, one American fugitive has been returned. Last December, the U.S. Marshals Service retrieved Shawn Wegmann, who was wanted in Iowa on firearms charges and had fled to Cuba earlier in the year in a stolen 13-foot boat. No government agency tracks how many Americans have fled to Cuba to avoid punishment, and few extradition requests were made before Obamas move to normalize relations, according to a 2015 investigation by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. McNerney said hell wait and see what Obama does in two weeks when he becomes the first sitting president to visit the island nation in 80 years. They should send back the folks that are our criminals and not let them be scot-free, McNerney said. I cant imagine that its good for a country to have criminals from America running around their streets, it just doesnt make sense. sarah.wire@latimes.com Follow @sarahdwire on Twitter Read more about the 55 members of Californias delegation at latimes.com/politics ALSO Why a congresswoman from Los Angeles is talking about Africa Why this congressman will be riding the lightrail instead of going to Super Bowl 50 We walk with Hillary: Why an L.A. congressman tells voters -- in 2 languages -- to caucus Im Christina Bellantoni, the Essential Politics host today. Lets get started. As Sen. Bernie Sanders relished a surprise victory in an important Midwestern state, Donald Trump was already talking about the general election. Unlike previous Republican nominees, who have a tougher Electoral College map by a factor of five, Trump told reporters in his third straight election-night news conference, I have a chance because of New York. Advertisement But not just the Empire State, of course. The real estate mogul claimed a stake on a Michigan win in November because were going to get the car industry back, and then said hed easily capture Ohio, Florida and Virginia too. One reason why: The vast Trump name sprawled on golf courses, wine labels and resorts in all of those battleground states. (Not to mention Trump steaks, which he displayed at his event.) Is Trump getting ahead of himself? He banked three wins while Sen. Ted Cruz was able to add a seventh to his list of states where he has defeated Trump during last nights elections. Sen. Marco Rubio performed poorly just about everywhere, without cracking 10% of the vote in Michigan and barely passing 5% in Mississippi. The forces aiming to stop Trump want to wait and see the results of next Tuesdays Ohio and Florida primaries, but consider this number: 446. Thats the number of delegates Trump had last night, before they were allotted from Hawaii. Cruz had 347. Rubio had 151. Trump pointedly mentioned House Speaker Paul Ryan who could not have been nicer on a recent phone call a signal, perhaps, to the establishment that hes ready to pivot to November. What will Rubio do? Track the twists and turns throughout the day on Trail Guide and follow us at @latimespolitics. SPEAKING OF FLORIDA Both parties shift to the Sunshine State, with Democrats debating there Wednesday and Republicans meeting again Thursday. Kate Linthicum examines Puerto Ricans as an important part of Floridas electorate that could soon surpass Cubans, whose conservative leanings long dominated Latino politics here. THE DEMOCRATS KEEP GOING Hillary Clinton scored a huge win in Mississippi but suffered a setback in Michigan, a state both her campaign and Team Sanders thought was in the bag. (Dont forget, of course, that Michigans votes didnt count in 2008.) Sanders championed his victory as proving come-from-behind momentum as the candidates prepare to meet in yet another debate. RUBIO HEADED TO THE O.C. Rubio is headed to Orange County for a fundraiser on March 17, two days after the make-or-break primary in his home state of Florida, according to an invitation obtained by Seema Mehta. Donors are being asked to contribute and raise up to $10,800 for the photo reception and dinner at the Irvine home of Michelle and David Horowitz. Co-hosts include former Orange County GOP chairman Scott Baugh and his wife, Wendy; David Bahnsen, the founder of a wealth management firm, and his wife, Joleen; tech entrepreneur John Clarey and his wife, Christy; and mortgage lending company founder Glenn Stearns and his wife, Mindy, a former television personality. The host committee shows signs of a reshuffling of wealthy California donors as the GOP field has winnowed. Horowitz previously backed Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker; the Stearns had a fundraiser for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at their Newport Beach mansion last year. Both men have dropped out of the presidential race. CLINTON FOR FARMWORKERS Clinton this week jumped into California politics, sending a letter of support for a bill that would increase overtime protections for farmworkers, Liam Dillon reports. The bill would give farmworkers overtime after eight hours of work instead of the current 10. TRUMP FANS NOT HARD TO FIND IN CALIFORNIA A few weeks ago, Steve Lopez introduced you to the Angelenos who would rather bash Trump pinatas than vote for the GOP front-runner, but he turned up supporters who, in fact, love the Donald. CONGRESSMAN WANTS HIS HIJACKER BROUGHT TO JUSTICE Sarah Wire has the story of the congressman who was on a plane that was hijacked 44 years ago. The men who took Rep. Jerry McNerneys plane when he was 21 then fled to Cuba. McNerney thinks President Obama should demand Cuba extradite the surviving hijacker. WATCH THE DEBATE WITH US Were hosting a debate watch party Thursday night at The Regent in downtown Los Angeles. Join us! Well start with a political panel featuring me, John Myers and Seema Mehta, and well be raffling off prizes and playing the best debate bingo in the business. If you have suggestions for the bingo cards, send them to politics@latimes.com. TODAYS ESSENTIALS The president of the California Public Utilities Commissions message in Sacramento on Tuesday: Please, take away some of our responsibilities. John Myers reports that during an overview hearing, CPUC President Michael Picker seemed to agree with those who say the agency simply has too many tasks on its to-do list. Lawmakers are proposing a two-cent tax on soda to fund obesity and diabetes programs. Mike is a real creative talent, a great and loyal friend and a visionary, Jeb Bush told Seema Mehta for her profile of consultant Mike Murphy. I look forward to talking to him again in depth whenever the lawyers say it is OK! This is how Murphy spent $100 million just to see Bush lose. The U.S. House is off this week and several members are holding events back home. Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) is holding a roundtable at the Camarillo Public Library Thursday with female veterans. Rep. Michael Honda (D-San Jose) is holding a discussion at Santa Clara Universitys Benson Center about violence against women Friday evening with Yong Soo Lee, who was a Japanese comfort woman during World War II. Rep. Mimi Walters (R-Irvine) is holding a cybersecurity town hall at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center in Mission Viejo Thursday. The San Diego Union Tribunes Joshua Stewart reports that Republican San Diego businesswoman Denise Gitsham, who is challenging Democratic Rep. Scott Peters, is catching flak over remarks she made last week about her race. Gitsham said at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland that because she is half-Chinese she is ambiguously ethnic enough to pass for almost anything, which got her a job on George W. Bushs 2000 campaign reaching out to Latino voters. Gitshams campaign defended the line as a joke. A cross section of California leaders in business, education, law enforcement and religion joined Tuesday in urging the Supreme Court to uphold President Obamas plan to offer temporary relief and work permits to as many as 5 million immigrants who have been living in the U.S. illegally. LOGISTICS Miss yesterdays newsletter? Here you go. Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox daily. And keep an eye on our politics page throughout the day for the latest and greatest. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics? Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com. The board of Southern Californias water importer voted Tuesday to buy 20,000 acres of farm islands in the heart of the states north-south plumbing system. The land is owned by a private company that for years has tried to develop a water storage project on the property. But the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California says it has other plans for the four islands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, which is east of San Francisco. District officials said the acreage could be converted to fish and wildlife habitat or used to store materials for emergency levee repairs or to provide access for the construction of a delta tunnel system. Advertisement We hope to execute a purchase agreement shortly, said Jeffrey Kightlinger, Metropolitans general manager. He did not disclose the price but indicated it was in the range of $200 million. The board voted last fall to negotiate an option to purchase Bacon and Bouldin islands, Webb and Holland tracts and a portion of Chipps Island from Delta Wetlands Properties, which is owned by a subsidiary of a Swiss insurance company, Zurich Insurance Group. But the staff concluded the option process involved too many complications and instead asked the board to authorize a direct purchase. The board approved the buy on a 54%-41% vote, with representatives of Los Angeles, Santa Monica and the San Diego County Water Authority voting no. To close the deal, which will have a 60-day escrow, Kightlinger said, Delta Wetlands Properties has to clear from the title various agreements it made in connection with the water storage proposal. Landowners on neighboring islands objected to the reservoir project, saying it could weaken their levees and endanger farming operations. To settle the challenges, the company agreed to various safeguards that MWD says are no longer necessary, given the districts plans. The $15-billion tunnel system, backed by Metropolitan and big irrigation districts in the San Joaquin Valley, would carry Sacramento River water under the delta to the pumping operations that send supplies south. Two of the islands are in the path of the tunnels, so MWD ownership would eliminate the need for eminent domain proceedings and provide easy access for construction crews on part of the project route. Although the islands have water rights, Kightlinger has said they are not significant. The tunnels are fiercely opposed by delta farmers. In a statement, the anti-tunnel group Restore the Delta called MWD ownership of a chunk of the delta an existential threat. bettina.boxall@latimes.com Twitter: @boxall Did you miss the total eclipse of the sun? No problem! Above you'll find a highlight video of some of the best moments, courtesy of the eclipse crew from San Francisco's Exploratorium. Beginning at 5:23 p.m. PST Tuesday, as viewed from certain parts of the world, the moon appeared to glide across the bright disk of the sun, causing the daytime sky to darken as though it were night. The moment of totality -- when the sun was entirely obscured by the moon -- began at 5:38 p.m. and lasted just six minutes, until 5:44 p.m. What you are witnessing when you see a solar eclipse is an amazing cosmic coincidence. Our moon is 400 times smaller than the sun, but it is also 400 times closer to the Earth than the sun. This means it is the exact right size and right distance from the Earth to completely cover the disk of the sun, while allowing the outer layer of plasma that surrounds our star to shine. Our planet is the only one in the solar system with a moon perfectly sized and located to occasionally obscure the sun in this way. Like all solar eclipses, this one was only visible in real life from a very small swath of our planet. To see it for yourself, you would have had to travel to Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi or parts of Micronesia -- an awfully long haul for those of us in the U.S. NASA created this Google map showing the path of totality for Tuesdays total eclipse of the sun. Click hereto see the interactive map. (Deborah Netburn) However, thanks to the power of technology, those of us who did not make the trip can still watch the unique clockwork of our Earth, moon and sun. San Francisco's Exploratorium sent two tons of equipment and a crew of 15 eclipse-watchers to Woleai, Micronesia, to broadcast the event around the world. On the day of the eclipse the group produced a 1 hour, 15 minute live stream that included interviews with NASA solar scientists and, before and after the moment of totality, some cultural context about the people who live on the Woleai atoll. Ahead of the event, the Exploratorium also put together this video that explains what a solar eclipse is, how it works and why it is visible only from a small part of our planet. I highly recommend watching it. Total eclipses of the sun appear about every 18 months on average. Those of us who live in the continental United States will have a chance to see an eclipse firsthand on Aug. 21, 2017, when the path of totality transverses the entire country. A spokeswoman for the Exploratorium said the science center is already planning its coverage of the event. This Google map shows the path of totality for the Aug. 21, 2017 solar eclipse. (Deborah Netburn) "The exciting goal is to show totality twice in two different places," she said. Do you love science? I do! Follow me @DeborahNetburn and "like" Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook. Amid the casinos and the shows, the bars and the pools, Las Vegas now welcomes to the Strip a medical marijuana dispensary. Sandwiched between the SLS Las Vegas and Stratosphere hotel-casino resorts, the Essence Cannabis Dispensary, which opens Wednesday, is the first such facility on Las Vegas Boulevard. Medical marijuana has been legal in Nevada since 2000, but legal wrangling meant Sin Citys first dispensary didnt open until last August. Since then medical marijuana stores have begun popping up around Southern Nevada. Advertisement Matthew Hergenreter, Essences chief cultivation officer, stands in one of the computer-controlled rooms in which cannabis flowers will be nurtured. The company plans to have 35,000 marijuana plants in production by the end of 2016. (Jay Jones / For The Times) Its illegal for people with medical marijuana cards from California and other states to transport their stash across state lines, but they can legally purchase and consume cannabis in Nevada with a doctors note, thanks to a 2015 law that created reciprocity. Nevadans, however, often have to wait a month or more for a medical marijuana card, thanks to a background check. Essence founder and chief executive Armen Yemenidjian thinks the location will be the key to his success. He predicts 70% to 90% of the customers at his Strip store will be Las Vegas visitors, many of them from Southern California. About 42 million people visited Las Vegas in 2015, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. In 2014, 27% of Las Vegas visitors were from Southern California. Some people may not want to travel to places where its not legal, Yemenidjian said, so it has the potential to increase tourism. Medical marijuana has been legal in Nevada since 2000, but dispensaries in the state werent legalized until 2013. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) Like other dispensaries, Essence sells products to treat various medical conditions, including pain, nausea and sleep deprivation. Patients can cook with cannabis-infused butter, munch on a coconut macaroon laced with tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active ingredient in marijuana or simply smoke a joint made with potent cannabis flower. Consultations with a registered nurse are offered free of charge. Essence is buying its marijuana from other growers, but will soon begin growing its own crop in a 55,000-square-foot cultivation center less than a mile from the Strip. When fully operational around the end of the year, the computer-controlled facility is expected to grow about 35,000 plants at any given time. Yemenidjian then plans to begin offering tours. Its one of the most sophisticated [cultivation centers] in the country, he explained. We want people to come in and see what were doing. In November, residents will help decide an initiative that would legalize recreational use of marijuana for those 21 and older. MORE Places to stay if you want to see Death Valleys wildflower super bloom Five Las Vegas hotels are raising resort fees, starting now Las Vegas: Mob Museum opens show about Mexican drug lord El Chapos escape As U.S. forces scramble to confront militant groups across Africa, the Shabab, the Somali terrorist group targeted in a weekend attack north of Mogadishu, remains a nimble, formidable threat to American interests and allies in East Africa despite successive operations designed to crush it. The operation Saturday by U.S. planes and Reaper drones hit the Shababs main operations center 120 miles north of the Somali capital and killed at least 150 fighters, dwarfing previous U.S. attacks on Somali militants and signaling a toughening U.S. response. It also illustrated the resilience of groups such as the Al Qaeda-affiliated Shabab, which has lost a series of leaders and commanders to U.S. airstrikes yet still manages to launch devastating attacks in Somalia and neighboring Kenya. Advertisement U.S. airstrikes, operations in Somalia by American special forces and a 22,000-strong African Union force in Somalia, AMISOM, are all designed to stabilize the nation and protect its weak government. The Shababs response has been to constantly switch tactics and targets, attacking airplanes, beach restaurants, hotels and African military bases in Somalia and briefly taking over a key port, all in the last few months. Governments in West and East Africa have struggled to contain increasingly sophisticated and well-armed terrorist networks, raising fears about the potential threat such groups pose to Western targets in Africa and even beyond the continent. The Shabab last year threatened to carry out attacks on a Minnesota mall, as well as targets in Britain and Canada. The Pentagon sees Africa as a burgeoning front in the global war on terrorism with extremist groups Islamic State, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram and the Shabab controlling territory and launching attacks from various quadrants of the continent. The U.S. has responded by building up forces along Europes southern flank and within Africa. Although there have been fears that these groups may expand cooperation and even plan joint attacks, rivalries among them have so far prevented that. Boko Haram has sworn allegiance to Islamic State, while others have remained loyal to Al Qaeda but that has sparked new concerns that the rivalry could create an increase in attacks and one-upmanship. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, head of the U.S. Africa Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday that the U.S had significantly increased its posture in Africa over the last year, but despite attacks that had weakened the Shabab, the group continued to pose a danger. Shabab remains a continuing threat to U.S. persons and Western interests, and is conducting almost daily lethal asymmetric attacks in Somalia against AMISOM troops, Rodriguez said, warning that the group could expand throughout East Africa. He said many areas in Somalia were outside the control of the government, providing Al Shabab with territory in which it can evade security forces and continue targeting East African regional governments and security interests as well as European and American interests. Two deadly terrorist attacks on hotels often used by Westerners in West Africa in recent months have driven home the growing threat to Western interests posed by African terrorist groups. Thirty people died in a January attack on a hotel and restaurant in Ouagadougou, Burkina Fasos capital, carried out by Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Al Mourabitoun. In November, Al Mourabitoun killed 20 people in an attack on the Radisson Blu Hotel in the Malian capital, Bamako. Terrorist attacks in November by Islamic State militants in Paris, and the wave of migration into Europe from Libya and northern Africa, have put a spotlight on the possibility that other groups could infiltrate Europe to stage similar attacks. Despite the loss of leader Ahmed Abdi Godane in a U.S. drone strike in 2014, and factional infighting over whether to align with Islamic State, the Shabab has been able to deal a series of recent devastating military blows, leaving African forces in Somalia badly rattled. The Shabab inflicted one of Kenyas biggest military losses in January, killing about 180 soldiers in an attack on a base in El-Adde, southern Somalia. Months earlier it launched a similar attack on a Burundian base in Leego that killed 54 soldiers. In September, 19 Ugandan soldiers were killed when the Shabab attacked their base in Janaale. In a sign of the Shababs recent strength, the group last month briefly took control of a key port, Merca, in southern Somalia. The Shabab on Tuesday confirmed the U.S. attack but downplayed the casualties, insisting it never gathered large groups of fighters together because of the risk of drone attacks. We never gather 100 fighters in one spot for security reasons. We know the sky is full of planes, Shabab spokesman Sheik Abdiasis Abu Musab said, according to Reuters. The group, like the more deadly Nigerian terrorist group, Boko Haram, has been almost wiped out several times, only to reemerge with more deadly attacks and increasingly sophisticated tactics. Last month, the Shabab managed to smuggle a laptop bomb through security at Mogadishu airport, blowing a hole in a Daallo Airlines jet, but killing only the suicide bomber. It is also believed to be responsible for a laptop bomb that exploded at a smaller Somali airport in Beledweyne on Monday. Two other bombs in electronic devices were found and defused at the same time, according to Somali officials. The strikes on the Shabab camp followed several weeks of surveillance and followed intelligence that the group was planning attacks on African and U.S. forces, according to the Pentagon. J. Peter Pham, director of the Atlantic Councils Africa Center, said Saturdays attack was the largest by U.S. forces in Africa since the 2011 airstrikes against the forces of former Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi. In terms of casualties, it was the deadliest attack on Somali militants, dwarfing previous operations by American forces since Sept. 11, he said, adding that all previous attacks on Somali extremists since then were estimated to have killed about 150 people. With the exception of airstrikes carried out against Kadafi forces in 2011 and recently against Daesh [Islamic State] in Libya, this is the biggest operation of the sort by U.S. warplanes in Africa since 9/11, Pham said. Certainly in terms of militants taken out, its probably safe to say that more were eliminated this past weekend than in all confirmed U.S. operations [aerial and special operations forces] in Somalia since 2001, Pham said. Although the attack appeared to be a major setback for the Shabab, Pham said it was unlikely to cripple the group, which would continue its attacks on the weak Somali government, AMISOM and Western targets. Before the rise of Islamic State, the Shabab recruited dozens of Americans to fight in Somalia. Pham said there was a risk that extremists could find their way back to the U.S., like the Islamic State militants who carried out the November attacks in Paris, killing 130 people. He said the strike indicated the Shababs endurance, showing that it remained a serious strategic challenge for the United States. While the strike was tactically and operationally successful, that the militants were bold enough to assemble in such a manner is itself worrisome, Pham said. The good news is that someone in the United States was keeping an eye on the ball. We had good enough intelligence that the group had assembled, and we were able to react quickly and eliminate the terrorists, Pham said. The bad news is that the group could assemble 150 people in one spot and was not afraid to do so. These are not signs of a group that is supposedly on the run or defeated. The Shabab grew out of the Islamic Courts Union, which drove warlords from Mogadishu in 2006. AMISOM forces expelled the Shabab from Mogadishu in heavy fighting in 2011 and in recent years have taken control of all the major towns and ports. The Shabab has also carried out deadly attacks in Kenya and Uganda in reprisal for their participation in AMISOM, including an attack on a university in Garissa, northern Kenya, in April that killed 148 people, many of them Christian students. The group was responsible for the 2013 attack on a Nairobi shopping mall that left 67 dead. Terrorist groups in Africa have been able to access weapons easily, notably after a flood of arms from Libya into neighboring countries following the collapse of the Kadafi government. The Australian navy announced Monday that it had seized an illegal cargo of weapons including 2,000 AK-47s, 100 rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons, concealed on a fishing boat bound for Somalia. The U.S. officially recognizes just one base in Africa: Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, which is led by the U.S. Navy and supports about 4,000 troops. There are also several unrecognized smaller installations in places such as Ethiopia and Kenya where U.S. drones, spy planes and special operations forces have been based. In addition, the U.S. has thousands of troops stationed at Moron air base in southern Spain and at Sigonella air base in Sicily with the sole mission of being ready to deploy to North Africa at a moments notice. Rodriguez said American operations helped African governments protect their populations, but ultimately helped protect Europe and America. He said unemployment and poor governance in some African countries created openings for violent extremists to expand. Relatively small but wise investments in African security institutions today offer disproportionate benefits to Africa, Europe and the United States in the future, he said, creating mutual opportunities and reducing the risks of destabilization, radicalization and persistent conflict. Times staff writer W.J. Hennigan in Washington contributed to this report. Follow @RobynDixon_LAT for news from Africa. Iran test-launched a series of ballistic missiles Wednesday in an exercise that dramatized Tehrans determination to bolster its arsenal in the aftermath of last years nuclear accord. The Obama administration labeled the missile launches provocative, but said the firings did not violate the terms of last years nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, including the United States. Iran regularly showcases its homegrown missile program as a proclaimed deterrent against attack by Israel, its longtime regional adversary. Advertisement The semiofficial Fars News Agency reported that one of a pair of Qadr H missiles named after a Koranic verse was inscribed with the phrase Israel should be wiped off the Earth, a stock slogan for years among hard-liners in Iran. The missiles were fired in the nations Alborz mountain range, the agency said. Tests of various ballistic missiles were continuing this week, Iranian officials said. There was no immediate comment on the tests from Israel, which was hosting Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday. Biden told reporters in Jerusalem that U.S. officials were closely watching Irans conventional activity outside the [nuclear] deal. He repeated U.S. vows to take action should Tehran be found to be violating the terms of the nuclear pact. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> Under the landmark nuclear deal, Iran agreed to strict constraints on its atomic program in exchange for an end to nuclear-related sanctions that have throttled the nations economy. The Obama administration will bring Irans latest reported test firings to the attention of the United Nations Security Council, John Kirby, a State Department spokesman, told reporters in Washington. A U.N. resolution calls on Iran to not develop or test missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads. Were not going to turn a blind eye to this and were not at all trying to make any excuses for it, Kirby told reporters in Washington. Iran maintains that missile development is within its rights to self-defense and faces no U.N. restrictions. In January, Washington slapped fresh sanctions on Irans missile program after a series of Iranian test launches last fall. Iranian officials have mocked the U.S. actions as futile and belligerent. Our enemies have realized that broader sanctions and security pressures have had little impact on our capabilities, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, commander of the powerful Revolutionary Guard, told Fars. Thats why they now seek to confine us in the missile field through economic sanctions. The high-profile tests, analysts said, have a dual purpose: to demonstrate Irans missile capabilities to outside adversaries including Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United States while reassuring a domestic constituency that the nations military might remains robust, despite the nuclear pact, at a moment of high regional tension. The ruling establishment is sending a message to the outside world that even though Iran has rejected nuclear weaponry, we are developing our missiles and making them increasingly sophisticated, analyst Nader Karimi Juni said. Iranian television showed video of a pair of the golden-hued Qadr H missiles kicking up dust after being launched from barren terrain described as the Alborz Mountains. The missiles, Fars reported, have a range of 1,240 miles, more than sufficient to hit Israel, which is less than 1,000 miles from Iranian territory. Iran has previously touted the test-launching of various missile types capable of reaching Israel. Join the conversation on Facebook >> I want to reiterate, which I know people doubt here, if in fact they break the deal we will act, Biden said after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an outspoken opponent of the nuclear pact with Iran. Iran says its nuclear program has always been solely for peaceful purposes, such as energy generation and development of isotopes for cancer treatment. Its ballistic missile arsenal was never designed to carry nuclear warheads, Iranian officials say. In Israel, leaders say the nuclear deal and the rise of the government of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani a moderate who championed the nuclear accord and an opening to the West have not resulted in diminished tension with Iran. Tehran also supplies weapons technology to its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, which has thousands of rockets capable of hitting Israeli territory. To my regret there are some in the West who are misled by the honeyed words of part of the Iranian leadership while the other part continues to produce equipment and weaponry, to arm terrorist groups, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon told Israel Radio. The United States and Israel consider Hezbollah, a dominant power in Lebanon, a terrorist organization. Hezbollah calls itself a resistance force against Israel and the United States. Special correspondent Mostaghim reported from Tehran and Times staff writer McDonnell from Beirut. Special correspondent Kate Shuttleworth in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Twitter: @mcdneville ALSO: Human rights groups criticize European Union-Turkish plan to stop Syrian migrants U.S. tourist killed in knife attack in Israel, where survey illuminates deep divides Donkeys and women have no place in Irans parliament, lawmaker says As the Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects, spreads across Latin America, the demand for abortions is increasing in countries where there are few legal avenues to obtain one. It has made the issue more salient and has highlighted the cruelty behind some of these restrictive abortion laws, said Francoise Girard, president of the International Womens Health Coalition, a New York-based nonprofit that advocates for sexual and reproductive health and rights. There is an incredible amount of anxiety, fear and stress among women that are pregnant, she added. Advertisement Leticia Zenevich, a spokeswoman for Women on Web, an international nonprofit that provides advice and drugs to women who want abortions but live in countries where the practice is banned, said that requests for abortion-inducing medication have surged since the outbreak began. In 2015, the group received 10,400 emails from women in the Spanish-speaking Americas and 9,500 emails from women largely in Brazil inquiring about abortion medication, Zenevich said. She said the group had not yet calculated the exact increase in requests for antiabortion drugs since the Zika outbreak, but they believe the numbers could have doubled. The nonprofit has been providing abortion pills free of charge to women in Zika-affected countries since Feb. 1, Zenevich said. Typically the drugs cost between $78 and $100. Abortion-rights activists and health specialists fear that the failure to loosen restrictions on abortion might force more women to undergo dangerous, clandestine abortions, which are already a problem across much of Latin America. During this crisis women will look for any means to have an abortion, Zenevich said. The landscape is very tragic for women in Latin America. El Salvador, Nicaragua, Chile, Haiti, Honduras, Suriname and the Dominican Republic outlaw abortion with no legal exceptions, not even to save a womans life, according to reproductive rights advocacy groups. More than a dozen Salvadoran women have been sentenced to as long as 50 years behind bars as a result of miscarriages or stillborn births, civil rights advocates say. Brazil, Venezuela, Panama, Paraguay, Guatemala and Mexico are among the nations that prohibit abortion except when necessary to save a womans life. Saving a womans life as well as protecting her physical health are the criteria for having an abortion in Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Costa Rica, the Bahamas and Grenada. The outbreak has prompted calls to loosen these countries restrictive abortion laws. Recently, the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights called for laws and policies that restrict access to sexual and reproductive health services to be repealed as an effective response to the Zika health emergency. Even Pope Francis suggested to reporters during a recent visit to Mexico that artificial contraception might be permissible in the fight against Zika. But he described abortion as a crime and an absolute evil. El Salvadors health minister has argued for abortion laws to be revised because of the threat of birth abnormalities, but his efforts have gained little traction. Activists and Colombia and Brazil have also sought to have the laws relaxed. We are not demanding the right to abortion in case of any specific diagnosis for the fetus, Debora Diniz, founder of Anis, a Brazilian abortion rights group that is petitioning the countrys Supreme Court, said in an email. We are demanding the right to be freed of the psychological torture of living an imposed pregnancy in times of an epidemic caused by a decades-old negligence of Brazilian policies in controlling the mosquito. Diniz, who also teaches law at the University of Brasilia, said the petition is also demanding that pregnant women receive quality information about Zika, counseling and social protection and support if they are infected with Zika and have babies with disabilities. The activists face an uphill battle. The Brazilian Conference of Catholic Bishops has rejected the argument that Zika should justify a relaxation of abortion laws. And the speaker of the lower house proposed legislation to make it harder to get an abortion in cases of rape, according to Reuters. Other opponents of abortion argue that there is still not enough proof the virus causes birth defects. Last month a team of epidemiologists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched a research project in Brazil to determine whether Zika is really to blame for the recent increase in abnormalities in newborns. In the meantime, some governments are urging women to postpone getting pregnant for several months, if not years. Officials in El Salvador have suggested that women avoid conceiving until 2018, while Ecuador, Colombia and Jamaica have proposed shorter intervals, according to media reports. Human rights advocates say such demands are unreasonable and unfeasible particularly in nations where methods to prevent pregnancies are not readily available. Even before the Zika crisis, more than half of all pregnancies in Latin America were unintended because of inadequate access to modern contraceptives, said Susan Cohen, the Guttmacher Institutes vice president for public policy. Women need contraceptive services more than just to prevent Zika, Cohen said. Now the need is that [much] more urgent, she added. It is the responsibility of the government in these countries to step up and address this directly, she said. The Americas have one of the highest numbers of unwanted teen pregnancies in the world, and pregnancy is the third leading cause of death for women in the region, according to data from the Center for Reproductive Rights. Telling these women to just not get pregnant is adding insult to injury, said Charles Abbott, the groups legal advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean. For more news on global sustainability, go to our Global Development Watch page: latimes.com/global-development The Zika virus sweeping across South America may be only one of several long-dormant infections that will resurface in coming years because of climate change and deforestation, says a Johns Hopkins University neurologist now leading research efforts in Colombia, one of the countries hardest hit by the disease. According to Dr. Carlos Pardo Villamizar, warmer climates may have triggered the emergence and subsequent spread of the Zika virus by making more of the world habitable for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, its main carrier. Higher temperatures and dryness have been linked to the spread of another mosquito-borne illness, dengue, and deforestation is thought to be a cause of the most recent Ebola outbreak in Africa. See the most-read stories this hour >> Advertisement The neurologist suspects that Zika, which so far has struck 42,000 Colombians, may also have caused other complications, including a 50% increase in Guillain-Barre, a nervous system disorder causing partial paralysis. There have been no reported cases in Colombia of newborns with microcephaly, or abnormally small heads, as seen in Brazil. But Colombias more than 6,600 Zika-infected pregnant women are being monitored. The Zika epidemic why now? Although Zika was discovered in the 1940s, it remained dormant for many decades, reappearing in Micronesia about 10 years ago. Since then it has slowly spread to other areas of the world. But no one paid any attention to it until now because there was no epidemiological problem, no great outbreak of the virus. Why now? is a matter of ecology and environment. Is it inevitable that Zika will come to the U.S.? The magnitude of the problem we are seeing in South America will not be seen in the United States because the mosquito cannot live in the majority of the U.S. Parts of the South could be vulnerable, but the ecology of most of the U.S. is not conducive to the presence of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is the main vector, or carrier, of Zika. What makes the disease so threatening? The mothers exposure to the virus in the early stages of pregnancy could lead to microcephaly in a small subset of patients. But the fetus is potentially vulnerable to neurological complications at any stage of pregnancy. Its very possible that viral infections in later stages of pregnancy could lead to future developmental disorders for the child in the future, such as epilepsy and learning and language disabilities. The spectrum of neurological problems that could emerge is quite wide. What makes the Zika virus so potentially harmful to newborns? In a subset of victims, Zika triggers a change in their immune systems. It seems to produce a kind of cross-attack against the nervous system. We suspect the virus may have the direct capability to attack the brain and spinal cord. Scientists in the 1950s experimenting with animals were able to demonstrate that Zika targeted neurons, the cellular elements of the brain and spinal cord. You say that Zikas apparent role in promoting Guillain-Barre disease is as worrisome, if not more so, than microcephaly. Why? I have just come from seeing a Guillain-Barre patient here in Cali and it is horrible to see how they are left weak and incapacitated. It can be devastating for them and for caregivers. It is a temporary condition in most cases, but it is very aggressive and some will be incapacitated for the rest of their lives. Patients can be left with a lot of consequences, such as atrophy of muscles and a deficit in sensations. You talk to neurologists in affected areas who before may have seen three or four cases a year who now are seeing 10 or 15 per month. Thats the magnitude of the problem. In Brazil the increase in Guillain-Barre cases since the Zika outbreak is even more striking. What makes you think climate change is behind the spread of Zika? We know that dengue follows a pattern of climate change and that dengue and Zika have a common vector or carrier, the Aedes mosquito. Its well known in South America that when you have El Nino climate conditions of dryness and heat, dengue cases increase. And where there is dengue, you have the possibility of Zika. What treatment is there for Zika, and is there hope for a vaccine? There is no treatment and a vaccine will take years and years to develop. You need to first find a vaccine, then test it for safety and efficacy. How much money and how many years have we spent looking for vaccines for malaria and dengue? So it is very challenging. A better approach in the near term is to control the spread of the mosquito. You can easily imagine a doomsday scenario for Zika. We are still learning about the disease, but there are biological features which make it different from dengue and chikungunya. There is evidence that Zika is present in the urine, saliva and semen. That means the virus has the potential to attack different cell populations and organs, whereas dengue affects mainly the blood. That means Zika has a potential to cause more complications from the disease and for it to spread. Looking ahead, what encourages you? In January we established a task force of researchers from Johns Hopkins and Columbia University medical schools and the National Institutes of Health with our Colombian colleagues at six different university hospitals here. Many fields of expertise are represented, such as neurology, virology and maternal-fetal medicine. Collaboration is the only way to learn about this disease, not just to diagnose the neurological problems but the factors behind this emerging disease, in order to design treatment and ways of managing patients. But we need support. We have been knocking at the door for federal grants but nothing has come through. Im here thanks only to philanthropy from a family foundation called the Bart McLean Fund for Neuroimmunology Research, which has been supporting Johns Hopkins for 10 years. I asked them if I could divert some of their support to Colombia and the family quickly agreed. Kraul is a special correspondent. For more news on global sustainability, go to our Global Development Watch page: latimes.com/global-development U.S. special forces captured the head of the Islamic State groups unit trying to develop chemical weapons in a raid last month in northern Iraq, two senior Iraqi intelligence officials told the Associated Press, the first known major success of Washingtons more aggressive policy of pursuing the jihadis on the ground. The Obama administration launched the new strategy in December, deploying a commando force to Iraq that it said would be dedicated to capturing and killing Islamic State leaders in clandestine operations, as well as generating intelligence leading to more raids. U.S. officials said last week that the expeditionary team had captured an Islamic State leader but had refused to identify him, saying only that he had been held for two or three weeks and was being questioned. Advertisement The two Iraqi officials identified the man as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, who worked for Saddam Husseins now-dissolved Military Industrialization Authority where he specialized in chemical and biological weapons. They said al-Afari, who is about 50 years old, heads the Islamic State groups recently established branch for the research and development of chemical weapons. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> He was captured in a raid near the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, officials said. They would not give further details. The officials, who have both first-hand knowledge of the individual and of the Islamic State chemical program, spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to brief the media. No confirmation was available from U.S. officials. Beyond intelligence value, the capture could strike a blow to what Iraqi and American officials have described as a determined effort by the terror group to develop chemical weapons. The jihadi group was believed to have set up a special unit dedicated to chemical weapons research, made up of Iraqi scientists from the Saddam-era weapons program as well as foreign experts who joined the group. Iraqi officials expressed particular worry over the campaign because Islamic State gained so much room to operate and hide chemical laboratories after overrunning around a third of the country in the summer of 2014, joined with territory they controlled in neighboring Syria. The group is believed to have created limited stocks of mustard gas. Iraqi officials say it has ambitions to develop more dangerous agents such as nerve gas, though the U.S. has said it appears far from that goal. Tests confirmed mustard gas was used in a town in Syria when Islamic State was launching attacks there in August 2015. Other unverified reports in both Iraq and Syria accuse the terror group of using chemical agents on the battlefield. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> The United States has been leading a coalition waging airstrikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria for more than a year. The campaign has been key to backing Iraqi and Kurdish forces that have slowly retaken significant parts of the territory the militants had seized. But after coming under pressure at home for greater action against the militants, the Obama administration moved to the tactic of stepped up commando operations on the ground. Last year, U.S. special forces killed a key Islamic State leader and captured his wife in a raid in Syria, but the new force in Iraq was intended as a more dedicated deployment. American officials have been deeply secretive about the operation. Its size is unknown, thought it may be fewer than 100 troops. This is a no-kidding force that will be doing important things, was about all Defense Secretary Ash Carter would say about the force in testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee in December. Brazil is a puzzle for economists this year. Even though it has a terrible economy, the stock market of the country is one of the world's best this year. Even though the health of the stock market is perceived as one of the leading indicators of how the country's economy is doing, Brazil deviates from this notion. The stock market and the economy are going in different directions. Stocks in the struggling economy are up this year. The shares of Vale SA, the world's largest iron ore miner, were at their highest in about four months. The prices of Steelmakers Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais SA and Companhia Siderurgica Nacional stocks also rose. Fighting Corruption Boosts Stock Market Many are attributing the healthier stock market amid a terrible economy to the country's rising hope that the corruption that wracked the country recently can be resolved. The country's economy took a beating after a corruption scandal surfaced at the government-run oil company, Petrobas. The scandal intensified when the Brazilian police detained ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for his alleged role in the scandal. The former president was widely popular during his time and served as an icon for the nation's less fortunate classes. Even though the President was let go after a few hours of questioning, this sparked hope that the scandal was going to be resolved soon. Right after the police announced that they had arrested the former president, stock market prices shot up. As previously reported by Latin One, the Brazilian ex-president called out investigators for being arrogant. Investors also believed that this is a move towards the direction they want. Most want current president Dilma Rousseff impeached and replaced with one who has more market-friendly policies. Because Rousseff was Lula's preference as a successor, Lula's arrest sparked hope that Rousseff will be removed eventually from her position as well. Oil Markets are Rebounding With oil prices now up since hitting rock bottom in mid-February, the prices of other commodes are now up as well. Examples of goods that saw their prices increased are iron ore and soybean. This led to stock market price increases. According to experts, it is still unclear whether the rebound of the oil markets is sustainable. However, as of now, the oil markets have already bounced back more than 40 percent since hitting a low $26.21 in early February. At the time, analysts and forecasters already said that oil prices could even reach only $20 a barrel. It remains to be seen if stock market prices are going to increase further, given they are rising based on speculations and uncertain trends. Here is a video explaining what the impeachment of the current president would mean: 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Almost one-fifth of United States residents are either immigrants or American-born children of immigrants, according to a study released by the Center for Immigration Studies. The right-leaning organization collected U.S. Census data from December 2015 to estimate 61 million immigrants, either legal or undocumented, currently live in the country. Of those 61 million, three-fourths, or 45.3 million, are here legally. The other 15.7 million are presumed undocumented, though the study doesn't identify specific nationalities. "These numbers raise profound questions that are seldom asked," wrote Steven A. Camarota, CIS director of research. "What is the absorption capacity of our nation's schools, health care system, infrastructure, and, perhaps most importantly, its labor market?" Researchers defined foreign-born immigrants as legal permanent residents, guest workers, undocumented residents and those who gained citizenship after arriving. They called the influx of immigrants arriving over the last 45 years "nothing short of astonishing," noting that the number of adults and children age 18 or younger entering the U.S. has risen by 18.4 million since 2000. The population also developed faster in some states than others. Since 1970, immigrants living in North Carolina ballooned from 47,000 to 1.43 million. In Georgia, the number grew to 1.75 million at a rate 25 times faster than the state's overall population. Rates in Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia went up about 1,000 percent in the same period. Nevada, which recently hosted Democratic and Republican caucuses and maintains one of the country's largest Latino communities, has seen its immigrant population grow to 821,000, according to the Center's analysis. "With some 45 legal immigrants and their young children already here, should we continue to admit a million new legal permanent immigrants every year?" Camarota wrote. Declining Trends While CIS researches cite studies from institutions like the Pew Research Center in their estimate of 15.7 million undocumented immigrants, they don't give much weight to how drastic the decline of incoming immigrants has been over the last decade. The number of undocumented immigrants entering the U.S. has slowed every year since 2008, according to a Center for Migration Studies report released in January. The CIS uses this study to note that 10.9 million people have crossed the border since 2014, but doesn't mention that this is the lowest rate since 2003. Last December, the Department of Homeland Security released its end of Fiscal Year 2015 statistics and said, among other things, that apprehensions along the southwest U.S.-Mexico border are at their lowest level in 40 years. "Last year's removal numbers reflect this Department's increased focus on prioritizing convicted criminals and threats to public safety, border security and national security," said Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson. "The removal numbers were driven by the dramatic decrease in those apprehended at the border in FY 2015 - 337,117 - the second lowest apprehension number since 1972, reflecting a lower level of attempted illegal migration at our borders." Immigration Reform in an Election Year The Obama administration began 2016 with a series of raids aimed at deporting undocumented women and children who arrived from Central America over the last two years. After receiving harsh criticism from Latino advocacy groups, Obama backtracked and clarified that ICE would only target convicted criminals going forward. The raids began during the 2016 presidential election season, a time marred by negative portrayals of immigrants entering the country, primarily from GOP candidates. Republican front-runner Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz have each vowed to build a fortified wall along the border, something Trump claims he would force the Mexican government to pay for. Next week, conservative Floridians will cast their votes for their ideal Republican presidential nominee. The Sunshine State is home to the country's third-largest Latino population, mostly made up of Cubans and Puerto Ricans. Republican Majority Leader Paul Ryan has held private conversations with 2016 leading GOP presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz about the party's agenda. Only days after publicly criticizing Trump for his delay in disavowing David Duke's endorsement and the KKK, Ryan reached out to the New York real estate magnate, who is widely viewed as the candidate to beat in the fight to secure the GOP nomination. Since then, Ryan has also held talks with Cruz, and word is he is planning similar discussions with fellow GOP candidates Marco Rubio and John Kasich. Talks Aimed at Explaining Republican Agenda Ryan's press secretary AshLee Strong later characterized the discussions as a chance for the speaker "to explain House Republicans' plan to present a bold conservative policy agenda this year" that the eventual nominee can readily embrace, according to NBC News. Since succeeding Ohio Rep. John Boehner as house speaker in 2015, Mitt Romney's former 2012 running mate has maintained a vision of a unified party, putting the goal at the forefront of his agenda. "I am going to brief all of our presidential candidates on our agenda project," Ryan recently told reporters. "The goal here is to have an election like we had in 1980, where we unite around bold ideas and we earn a mandate from the country so that we can get the country back on track." It won't be easy, as Ryan has steadily clashed with the outspoken Trump over policies and some of the feisty rhetoric the political neophyte has frequently espoused. Trump Mired in Controversy Trump has been involved in numerous party controversies, particularly earning Ryan's rebuke for his proposal to ban Muslim immigrants and his interactions with Duke and the KKK. "If a person wants to be the nominee of the Republican Party, there can be no evasion and no games," Ryan added. "They must reject any group or cause that is built on bigotry. This party does not prey on people's prejudices - we appeal to their highest ideals. This is the party of Lincoln." Aside from trying to maintain peace and harmony within the party, Ryan has recently worked to put out a few fires of his own. With speculation growing the GOP could be headed for a contested convention given all its internal strife, a Super PAC known as the "Committee to Draft Speaker Ryan" recently sought to collect one million signatures to "demonstrate to [Ryan] that he would have the strong backing of the American people." Ryan quickly responded to the movement by penning a letter to the Federal Election Commission. "The speaker has not, and does not, explicitly or implicitly, authorize, endorse, or otherwise approve of the organization's formation or activities," Ryan wrote in the letter. Heading into Tuesday's Idaho primary on March 8, Trump leads Cruz 30 to 19 percent, with Rubio third at 16 percent and Kasich bringing up the rear at 5 percent. A week before the Florida presidential primary, and just one day before Univision airs the next Democratic Party debate, surrogates for Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton discussed their record on Latinos' issues and immigration. Sanders' Campaign on the Record The Sanders campaign held a press call on Tuesday afternoon detailing why the Vermont senator has a better record on Latino issues than Clinton. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) who was the first congressman to endorse Sanders, Grijalva, who serves as co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus, said Sanders' campaign message of opportunities and the American Dream has been resonating with the Latino community. He also addressed the "distortion" about Sanders' immigration record and the claims the Vermont lawmaker votes with Republicans. Grijalva said Sanders has a consistent immigration record and his opponents should present the facts and the projection of the future. Lucy Flores, candidate for Nevada's 4th Congressional District, acknowledged Sanders' Latino voter turnout in Nevada. She said Clinton's campaign expected Nevada's Latinos to be her "firewall" but Sanders' message transcended across ethnic, gender and religious lines. "I knew very early on that that message was resonating with the Latino community -- that this wasn't just going to be a community that was going to vote for someone because they knew the name or because her brand has been around for a long time but because it was going to be about the issues," said Flores, adding Latinos care about the same issues as all Americans, ranging from healthcare, jobs, economy, criminal justice and education. Flores said that as long as Sanders' message is being discussed, the differences between what he stands for and where he's been will be clear. Clinton's Campaign on the Record Clinton's campaign also conducted a press call early Tuesday afternoon. According to Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., who has officially endorsed Clinton last December, said the former secretary of state has fought for Latinos during her entire life. "It's not a new fight for her ... I can attest her passion runs deep when it comes to defending families and immigrants seeking a better life. She understands that immigrants are part of the fabric of this great nation," said Gutierrez, adding that this is something Sanders "has not fully recognized." Gutierrez, identifying himself as Sanders' congressional colleague during the last 14 years, said Clinton's presidential rival was "absent" from most of the critical immigration debate. The Illinois congressman said when Sanders did appear to discuss immigration, the self-described Democratic socialist had a "very troubling" record. Gutierrez said Sanders stood against Democrats and progressives and aligned with the anti-immigrant wing of the Republican Party by voting in favor of a 2006 House bill (H.R. 5441) that would allow undocumented immigrants to be detained indefinitely. Gutierrez acknowledged Grijalva during the call, noting he, unlike Sanders, voted against the 2006 bill. Although name dropping Grijalva, Gutierrez recognizes the Arizona congressman and fellow CHC member as a "good friend and colleague." Sanders' immigration record did not improve, according to Gutierrez, when the Vermont politician was elected to the U.S. Senate. In 2007, the Senate voted on a comprehensive immigration reform bill (S. 1639), which Clinton voted in favor but Sanders voting against. Gutierrez said the question Floridians and Latinos across the U.S. have to ask is "Where was Sen. Sanders when we needed him the most? Where was he before he was running for president?" Prior to the press call, the Clinton campaign released a statement from U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julian Castro, not a CHC member, who also commented on Sanders' immigration record of 2006 and 2007. "Time and again, the Senator from Vermont has showed us firsthand that he doesn't understand our immigration system or what is at stake for Latino and immigrant families," said Castro. "Bernie Sanders voted with Republicans to protect the minutemen, a hate group that used military tactics against our community. Thousands of families have been torn apart due to destructive behavior by Republicans and we cannot have a President who stands by their side." He added, "When it has mattered most, she has voted to keep families together and is the only one person running for president who has consistently voted for immigration reform. I encourage Latinos throughout the country to join me in supporting the only candidate who will fight for us: Hillary Clinton." The calls come a week before Florida has its presidential primary on March 15. __ For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com. The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) held an open house to celebrate and show off an upgrade to its San Francisco technology center at Mission Graduates, a result of the organization's ongoing partnership with Facebook. Mission Graduates is a nonprofit organization focused on helping prepare students from kindergarten to 12th grade for college. The organization is supported by LULAC, one of the oldest American Latino anti-discrimination organizations, which runs a technology center in San Francisco to provide the resources students need to compete and participate in the modern economy. The Empower Hispanic America with Technology (EHAT) initiative focuses on closing the so-called "digital divide," or the gap in access to technological resources experienced by underserved Latino communities. Technology Center Upgraded On Monday, LULAC celebrated a major upgrade to its technology center as part of its ongoing partnership with Facebook, holding an open house to show off EHAT's new digital tools. "With the support of Facebook, LULAC will continue to ensure that the Latino community in San Francisco has access to up to date technology," wrote LULAC National President Roger C. Rocha Jr. in a release by the organization, "which will allow Latino students to compete at a level playing field." The upgrades to the LULAC technology center include new desktop computers with office software installed and high speed Internet connection. Without access to those tools, students are more likely to fall behind in school work. Such technology is also vital for participation in the modern economy. Digital Divide Challenges Immigrants As Latin Post previously reported, recent immigrants and low-income Latinos in particular face the challenges of the digital divide, at best achieving underconnected status. A full 41 percent of immigrant parents only had access to the Internet through mobile devices, according to a recent Pew study, while 44 percent of immigrant Latino parents reported that they did not access computers, even occasionally, at work, home or at school. Another 42 percent of low-income Latino parents said they had no home Internet access, while 40 percent didn't own a computer. A large majority reported that connections and equipment were simply too expensive. LULAC, Facebook Celebrate New Center The upgraded technology center will help Mission Graduates generate a college-ready culture among the underserved Latino population in the San Francisco area. "We're proud of our partnership with LULAC and thrilled to support its mission to advance technology education for the Hispanic community," said Facebook Community Engagement Director Susan Gonzales. "Exposure to technology is critical to the development of our local youth, and through our support for the Mission Community Beacon program, we can encourage students to explore careers in computer science and engineering," she added. The Community Beacon program is a public-private partnership Facebook participates in that also invests in technology for underserved communities. Mission Graduates celebrated the development, saying the upgrade would not only help students, but parents as well. Eric Cuentos, the organization's Parent Partner program director, stated, "By helping Mission Community Beacon families build skills and confidence with technology, we are able to empower parents and students to better leverage online tools to support academic success and development of 21st Century skills." The success of Donald Trump's presidential campaign has largely been fueled by his use of fear mongering against Muslims and Latino immigrants, along with his promise to impose outlandish anti-immigrant policies. However, in addition to galvanizing supporters in the Republican primary race, the GOP front-runner is also inadvertently mobilizing immigrants to become naturalized U.S. citizens in order to vote against him. More Immigrants Apply for Citizenship Immigrants are applying for citizenship at unprecedented rates in response to the brash billionaire, notes the New York Times. Although it is typical to see a spike in naturalization applicants during a presidential election cycle, Trump's anti-immigrant and racist rhetoric has inspired many of the 8.8 million legal residents to become naturalized citizens, about 2.7 million of whom are Mexicans. Overall, naturalization applications increased by 11 percent in the 2015 fiscal year. At this rate, there could be as many as 1 million applicants by the end of the year, about 200,000 more than average. During an interview with The New York Times, Hortensia Villegas said she has lived in the U.S. as a legal immigrant from Mexico for nearly a decade. However, she became motivated to apply for naturalization after Trump launched his campaign and began hurling attacks at Mexicans and immigrants. She admitted that her primary reason for seeking citizenship was to obtain the right to vote against him. "I want to vote so Donald Trump won't win," said Villegas, a 32-year-old mother of two. "He doesn't like us." "A lot of people are opening their eyes because of all the negative stuff Donald Trump has brought," said Villegas's husband, Miguel Garfio, a 30-year-old Mexican-American born in Colorado. Rush to Naturalization Villegas and her family are just a few of the many Latino immigrants who are rushing to naturalize in time to vote in November. To help immigrants obtain citizenship, SimpleCitizen been encouraging people on Facebook to apply for green cards using its service. Likewise, the White House is also encouraging legal residents to apply for naturalization. Meanwhile, the Obama administration poured $10 million in grants into nonprofits, immigrant rights groups and labor unions that are helping immigrants navigate the process. The organizations plan to invest the money into citizenship workshops this spring in order to build immigrant voting power. Critics, however, have accused the White House of launching this initiative in order to expand the Democratic base, since a majority of Latinos are Democrats. In response, administration officials argue the campaign is nonpartisan and that naturalized immigrants improve their incomes and chances for home ownership. "I certainly don't care what party they register with; I just want them to become citizens," said Leon Rodriguez, director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency in charge of naturalizations. Trump, however, seems to take no issue with an increase in Latino voting power. "I'm just telling you that I will do really well with Hispanics," he said at a Republican debate in Houston last month. Billionaire technology CEOs met with some of the top establishment Republican figures this weekend at the American Enterprise Institute's yearly World Forum. One of the topics of discussion? How to stop Trump's seemingly inevitable nomination. When the top billionaire leaders of Apple, Facebook, Google, and Tesla meet with the most powerful elected Republican officials in on an island off the coast of Georgia, people talk. According to unnamed sources for the Huffington Post, exactly that happened this weekend. The World Forum, an annual gathering of political and business elites put together by neoconservative think tank the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), took place over the weekend. Among the participants of the exclusive gathering, according to the unnamed sources, were the following: Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google co-founder Larry Page, Napster founder and Facebook investor Sean Parker, and Elon Musk -- known for his futuristic endeavors like Telsa Motors and Space X. Also at the gathering were Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, former campaign chief for George W. Bush Karl Rove, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, and a potpourri of other national elected GOP officials from the House and Senate. Among other participants were the publisher of the New York Times Arthur Sulzberger, billionaire GOP donor Philip Anschutz, and Democratic Rep. John Delaney. To say this was a gathering of America's most powerful is putting it mildly. Elites Want to Trample Trump The main topic of discussion -- besides a reportedly intense disagreement about Apple's battle with the FBI over iPhone encryption and the San Bernardino case -- was none other than Donald Trump; specifically, what the Silicon Valley giants and GOP elites could do to stop him. Rove reportedly gave a presentation about a focus group study he had conducted regarding Trump, looking for weak points in the brash billionaire's seemingly impenetrable armor. The best point of attack, Rove found, was that voters didn't see Trump as a "presidential" personality -- someone voters' children should look up to as a role model. His erratic tendencies also made focus group participants nervous about President Trump having control over America's nuclear arsenal. No Grand Plan But don't misapprehend that AEI and Silicon Valley came up with a grand plan to take Trump out of the running for the Republican Presidential nomination. The elites at the secretive off-the-record gathering apparently remained just as flummoxed by Trump's rise as everyone else. One anonymous source said that much of the conversation centering around Trump was "how this happened, rather than how we are going to stop him." William Kristol, editor of the conservative magazine "The Weekly Standard," was at the AEI meeting, and emailed a short report from the conference, stating that the focus was squarely on Trump. "A specter was haunting the World Forum -- the specter of Donald Trump," he wrote, using phraseology from the Communist Manifesto, of all sources. "There was much unhappiness about his emergence, a good deal of talk, some of it insightful and thoughtful, about why he's done so well, and many expressions of hope that he would be defeated." "The key task now, to once again paraphrase Karl Marx, is less to understand Trump than to stop him," Kristol continued. "In general, there's a little too much hand-wringing, brow-furrowing, and fatalism out there and not quite enough resolving to save the party from nominating or the country electing someone who simply shouldn't be president." Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders appears to have stunned the political world on Tuesday night as his campaign won Michigan's presidential primary against Hillary Clinton. It was also a good night for Republican candidate Donald Trump. Sanders' Upset in Michigan Starting Wednesday, Americans may expect plenty political pundits discussing Sanders' performance in Michigan. Prior to Tuesday's Democratic Party primary, Clinton had led polling data by double digits. According to RealClearPolitics, averaging three surveys conducted between March 3 and March 7, Clinton received 58.7 percent to Sanders' 37.3 percent -- a margin of victory of 21.4 percent. But when the time came for Michigan voters to cast their actual vote, it was Sanders will won the state's primary. With 97 percent of the precincts reporting, Sanders narrowly won Michigan with 49.9 percent, while Clinton received 48.2 percent. In specific votes, Sanders received 590,386 votes to Clinton's 570,949 votes, as of 5:40 a.m. EST. Sanders is expected to win 68 of Michigan's delegates, and Clinton will have 59 delegates. "I am grateful to the people of Michigan for defying the pundits and pollsters and giving us their support," said Sanders in a statement. "This is a critically important night. We came from 30 points down in Michigan and we're seeing the same kind of come-from-behind momentum all across America." "Not only is Michigan the gateway to the rest of the industrial Midwest, the results there show that we are a national campaign. We already have won in the Midwest, New England and the Great Plains and as more people get to know more about who we are and what our views are we're going to do very well," added Sanders. Meanwhile in Mississippi, the only other state to host a Democratic presidential primary on Tuesday, Clinton easily defeated Sanders with 82.6 percent to 16.5 percent. She will win 29 delegates, but Sanders won't leave empty handed as he will have four delegates. Based on RealClearPolitics' projections, Clinton leads with the overall delegate count with 1,221 delegates to Sanders' 571 delegates. Clinton's delegate count, however, includes superdelegates and without them her count declines to 745 delegates. A Democratic presidential candidate requires 2,382 delegates to clinch the party's presidential nomination. Trump Trumps & Rubio Crumbles in GOP Election Trump, however, met expectations during the Republican presidential primaries and caucus. In Michigan, Trump won Michigan with 36.5 percent, winning 25 of its 59 delegates. Ted Cruz and John Kasich battled for second place, but it was the Texas senator who secured more votes over the Ohio governor. Cruz received 24.9 percent and Kasich attracted 24.3 percent of the vote, however each still won 17 delegates, each. Marco Rubio did not win any delegates as he placed fourth with 9.3 percent. "I'd like to congratulate the winner of tonight's primary, Donald Trump. The election today clearly showed the enthusiasm Michigan voters have for strong Republican leadership," Michigan Republican Party Chairman Ronna Romney McDaniel said in a statement, later adding, "Michigan voices and voters matter this election, and we'll continue to play an important part in deciding the next President. Whoever becomes our nominee, we'll do our part to support them against either Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders." Trump scored another victory in Mississippi. With 95 percent of the precincts reporting, Trump won with 47.3 percent, winning 24 delegates. Cruz maintained second place, easily, with 36.3 percent, winning 13 delegates. Kasich and Rubio placed third and fourth, respectively, in single digits and won zero delegates. In Idaho, Trump's winning streak ended as Cruz was named the winner with 45.4 percent, winning 20 of the available 32 delegates. With 96 percent of the precincts reporting, Trump placed second, winning the remaining 12 delegates, with 28.1 percent of the vote. Rubio placed third with 15.9 percent and Kasich garnered 7.4 percent of the vote, but both did not win delegates. It was caucus night in Hawaii. Trump won the Hawaii caucus with 42.4 percent, securing 11 delegates. Cruz placed second, winning 7 delegates, with 32.7 percent. Rubio was third with 13.1 percent, Kasich followed with 10.6 percent, but neither won delegates. A Republican presidential candidate requires 1,237 delegates to win the GOP's presidential nomination. Trump leads with 446 delegates, followed by 347 delegates for Cruz, 151 for Rubio and 54 for Kasich. __ For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com. Brazilian construction magnate Marcelo Odebrecht received a sentence of 19 years in prison linked to the country's biggest scandal that also involved Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The former chief executive of South America's biggest construction company was arrested in June 2015 along with Andrade Gutierrez construction company boss Otavio Azevedo. On Tuesday, a Brazilian court handed down his sentence of 19 years and 4 months imprisonment after finding him guilty of bribing Petrobras officials to gain an advantage over contracts with the government. Marcelo Odebrecht's Link to Petrobras Odebrecht is considered one of the country's most influential businessmen and among the dozens who was dragged into the Petrobras controversy. Before his sentencing, the 47-year-old construction conglomerate was convicted of paying bribes worth over $30 million to Petrobras officials in order to gain an advantage over its competitors. However, Odebrecht's legal counsel dubbed the decision as "manifestly unjust and unfair because it does not have any basis in the evidence produced," they said. "The sentence produced can only be seen as a serious miscarriage of justice or as the pure will of the judge," they added. The Car Wash Probe The two-year investigation which has been dubbed as the "Car Wash Probe" uncovered how the suspects worked "to collaborate systematically to manipulate Petrobras tenders for the construction of large-scale works from 2006." According to Curitiba judge Sergio Moro, the cartel formed by Odebrecht with other companies paid Petrobras officials to gain the power to decide who wins contracts with the oil company with the "highest possible price." "The contractors, united in something that they called a 'club', previously agreed among themselves who would be the winners of the Petrobras contracts, manipulating the prices presented during bidding," Moro wrote in his ruling. Ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's Involvement Brazil's ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was taken into custody for questioning regarding his role in the scam, which ran during his presidency between 2003 and 2010. Apparently, Lula is accused of taking bribes of about $8 million in the form of donations to the Lula Institute, one of his charity projects. Since he was involved, his successor, Dilma Rousseff, has also been dragged into the issue, particularly because she was the chairperson of Petrobras during the entirety of the scam. She has not been officially charged in anything linked to the scandal but Rousseff faces possible impeachment as opposition against the Worker's Party grows stronger with the emergence of the Petrobras issue. Keiko Fujimori denied accusations that poor and indigenous women underwent forced sterilization during her father's dictatorial regime from 1990 to 2000. The Peruvian presidential frontrunner addressed the issue during a campaign event on Tuesday. "I will seek the truth," said Fujimori, teleSUR reported from Peruvian daily La Republica. "If there was any woman operated without her consent, she will have to be compensated by the state." Estimations from human rights defenders indicate that about 300,000 women were sterilized against their will during the rule of 77-year-old Alberto Fujimori, who is currently jailed on the borders of the capital Lima. Women were told that the government ordered for their sterilization. Officials reportedly lied to the women, tied them up and tricked them into getting their tubes tied. Fujimori, 40, denied that 300,000 women went through forced sterilization, adding that the program had "some denunciations," teleSUR noted. Numerous women testified that they fear of political persecution if they come forward about the abuses they suffered, aside from lacking the resources to report the injustice done to them. Investigations about the accusation opened in 2003 but have gone through repeated setbacks due to lack of evidence. The case was reopened in 2015 and will hopefully be concluded in 2016 if there are no more interruptions. Fujimori Still Leading in the Polls Despite the forced sterilization controversy regarding her father's presidency, Fujimori still managed to top Peru's polls for April's presidential elections, Peru this Week wrote. Fujimori, who is with the Popular Force Party, won 34.6 percent of the polls, which is a good deal ahead of Everyone for Peru representative Julio Guzman's 16.6 percent. Fujimori's popularity among Peruvian voters was reported as early as December 2015. Promises and Plans Fujimori plans to combat rising crime and improve Peru's slow economy even though there's a global collapse in commodity prices, Voice of America reported. She also promises to offer tax breaks to companies teaching and hiring young personnel and to use almost $8 billion of the government's "rainy-day fund" to fund infrastructure that she says will provide economic growth. In addition, Fujimori suggests imposing "regulatory incentives" for exports, though more details about this plan have not been given yet, the news outlet noted. She said that if she becomes president, there will be funds for public works like roads, water plants and irrigation canals. Fujimori's economic advisor, Jose Chlimper, promises that she will spend the country's funds wisely. "We're not going to have a party. There's going to be a sense of urgency watching every dime," said Chlimper, as quoted by Voice of America. The recent thaw in relations with Cuba approved by United States President Barack Obama has opened many windows for trade opportunities in both countries. That, however, does not mean that everyone can travel to and bring home anything from Cuba as some restrictions remain intact. The Quest to Importing Cuban Cigars In Cuba, cigars are a big deal -- so much so that they organized an entire festival around them that earned the territory almost $1 million worth of donations to ensure the quality production of the product, as stated by News Ghana. This is a fact that is not uncommon even to Americans, considering how many have become excited to bring home as many Cuban cigars as they can after the recent ease in trade restrictions between the country and the United States. However, many are still unaware that while they can take home as much as $400 worth of newly bought merchandise from Cuba, restrictions are still applicable when they want to take home tobacco and alcohol products, per the U.S. Department of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). "Persons authorized to travel to Cuba may purchase alcohol and tobacco products while in Cuba for personal consumption while there. Authorized travelers may return to the United States with up to $100 worth of alcohol or tobacco or a combination of both," the department explained. Aside from that, online shopping for Cuban-made cigars is still banned if the buyer is not in the country. Penalties for Illegal Importation of Cuban Cigars According to the CBP, those who violate the ruling for importing cigars from Cuba will be fined $1,000,000 for corporations and $250,000 for individuals. Persons found guilty of breaking the law will also face up to 10 years imprisonment, in addition to a $65,000 violation fee for every count as imposed by the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). U.S.-Cuba Trade Embargo While still unofficial, the "end" of the 54-year trade embargo between the United States and Cuba has been openly admired by many. Among those who want to push for free trade between the two countries is Cuban trade minister Rodrigo Malmierca. "We're talking about rums, cigars, biotechnological parts, minerals, medical services, among others," he said during a press conference at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, per Politico Pro. Furthermore, the Cuban trade minister expressed his gratitude to the Obama administration for opening up possibilities of free trade in the country, especially for their main export products. Bill Clinton knows a lot about the White House. And, without a doubt, if there's one person who knows the Democratic Party's presidential nomination frontrunner more than anyone from her campaign block, he's got to be the man. This makes him a powerful drumbeater for Hillary Clinton's campaign as people tend to listen to someone who knows exactly what he says. The Hillary team is doing a good job in making sure his voice will be heard. Bill Clinton Tries to Win Over Illinois Voters Ahead of the Illinois primaries, the former president delivered a speech to rally support for his wife's cause on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, at Beth Emet Synagogue in the suburban city of Evanston in Cook County. The gist of Bill's rallying cry for Hillary is that she's the one candidate whose victory means a triumph for all Americans. "She's running for president to put everybody in the picture. She's running for president so we can all rise together," he said. "The most important reason to vote for her is that we cannot wait any longer. Finally, we can rise together." The Hillary-Clinton-Over-a-Republican-Candidate Argument The former president also touched on making a case for the Democratic cause. "This country will never have inclusive economic growth...and have inclusive politics if you have a Republican president, a Republican Congress and Republican Supreme Court," he said. Bill also said that for everything that his wife has accomplished in Washington, there has always been some measure of support from the Republican side. He also went so far as to say that the GOP candidates are fazed by her wife's presidential bid. "They're scared to have to run against her, because they know if she becomes the president, she'll be the grown-up in every room, and she'll find a way to get them to do something good for America," he said. On Meeting Hillary for the First Time More than four decades ago, the couple met each other in March for the first time. "I was just blown away. I had never seen anybody who seemed to have a better sense of where we were at the time. What we were trying to do and how to get stuff done," Bill said. On the course of his 45-minute monologue, the former White House boss referred to his wife as "the best change maker" he has ever known. Meanwhile, as previously reported, a Change.org petition was asking for the arrest of Bill for allegedly breaking the Massachusetts election laws on Super Tuesday. The petition has since garnered more than 100,000 supporters. Donald Trump has been vocal and adamant on his stand on certain issues like foreign policy and national security. For his supporters, the man is a patriot who has an utmost devotion to the interest of the United States. On the other side of the spectrum, people portray him as some jingoistic xenophobe. The Republican candidate drew the ire of a lot of people when he called for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims" entering the U.S., and the building of a wall along the southern border of the country to shut out illegal immigrants and drugs. Another report also surfaced that some of the foreign diplomats around the world have expressed their concern over some of the statements made by the outspoken GOP frontrunner. Here are some of the world leaders who have showed their disapproval of Trump. UK Prime Minister David Cameron "I think his remarks are divisive, stupid and wrong," Cameron said back in 2015. "I think if he came to visit our country, he'd unite us all against him." However, if a petition calling for Trump to be declared persona non grata in the country materialized, then there won't be any need for unity against the billionaire from New York. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto President Nieto joined his predecessors in criticizing Trump regarding the wall and saying that Mexicans won't pay for it. He even made a comparison of Trump to dictators Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler. "There have been episodes in the history of humanity, unfortunately, where these expressions, this strident rhetoric has only really been [a] very fateful stage in the history of mankind," he said. Pope Francis Even the Vatican leader had something to say on Trump's plan of deporting more immigrants and building a wall. "A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian," the Roman catholic church leader said. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan On the call for Muslims to be barred from entering the United States, President Erdogan said, "A successful politician would not make such statement, as there are millions of Muslims living in the U.S. I don't know whether or not he'll win, but let's suppose he won. What will happen? Will he set aside all relationships with Muslim countries? A politician shouldn't talk like this." France's Prime Minister Manuel Valls The French leader took to Twitter his expression of objection for Trump on his Muslim ban statements last December 2015. According to him, Trump is causing the spread of hatred among people when the true enemy should be radical Islamism. Meanwhile, not everyone from outside of the United States is not so fond of the GOP frontrunner. As it turned out, there is no cold war between Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin, but a mutual admiration for one another. For his part, the Russian leader referred to Trump as "really brilliant and talented" and "the absolute leader in the presidential race." Trump, on the other hand said, "I think that I would probably get along with [Putin] very well." For close to a couple of decades, no Canadian head of state has ever set foot in Washington for an official state visit. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is out to change that with his impending sojourn in the U.S. capital to meet President Obama. Stronger Ties Between the Two Countries The Canadian prime minister will also be accompanied by his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau. The trip's itinerary includes an official State Dinner courtesy of the U.S. President and his First Lady. "This is a situation where the president recognized that our relationship with Canada is one of the most important relationships between any two countries in the world," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said on Tuesday. "Given that there's a new prime minister that was elected to lead the country it only made sense to ensure that he was warmly welcomed here in Washington on his first visit as Prime Minister of Canada." What the Two Leaders Will Talk About The officials from the White House are already preparing for the round of discussions between the two leaders that includes talks on the issues of climate change, economy and trade, including the Trans-Pacific deal and the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS). One of the main issues Obama and Trudeau will center on is the fight against climate change and protection of the Arctic. According to sources who are privy to some of the details of the discussion, the Artic has recorded its mildest winter to date. They also hope to come up with joint measures to combat the environmental threat. These measures could include a reduction of methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. Trade talks are also a significant part of the agenda as Canada is the United States' biggest trade partner. About 75 percent of Canada's exports amounting to $1.3 trillion annually is brought to the United States. Similarities Between Obama and Trudeau According to Mark Feierstein, National Security Council Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs, it is not surprising to see a budding relationship between President Obama and his Canadian counterpart. Feierstein said that the two have a lot in common. Obama and Trudeau are both young leaders of their respective countries with a progressive vision of leadership. Both leaders also have a commitment to diversity and multilateralism. " I think we're seeing that reflected, for example, on the issues of climate change and refugees and other issues. So this will be a good opportunity for the President and Prime Minister to expand that relationship and build on that," Feierstein said on Tuesday. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and a group of Silicon Valley chiefs have come out in official support of President Obama's executive actions that seek to protect undocumented immigrants. In a brief submitted to the Supreme Court, the Facebook founder, along with LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, PayPal co-founder Max Levchin, prominent angel investors and venture capitalists, and representatives of upwards of 60 companies -- all part of the FWD.us immigrant advocacy group -- urged the Supreme Court to uphold Obama's efforts to allow millions of immigrants to stay in the U.S. Silicon Valley Speaks The court brief released by FWD.us on Tuesday argues that the immigration system is broken and urged the Supreme Court to allow Obama's executive actions to be implemented for the sake of the U.S. economy. "Instead of inviting the economic contributions of immigrants, our immigration enforcement policies have often inhibited the productivity of US companies and made it harder for them to compete in the global marketplace," read the FWD.us brief. "America's immigration enforcement policies should ensure that immigrants' ingenuity, skills, and entrepreneurial spirit are contributing to the U.S. economy -- and deferred action policies are a helpful start." The brief marks a huge contribution to the president's case from some of the top drivers of the U.S. economy, though FWD.us' support for more liberal immigration policies is well known in the technology industry. DAPA and DACA on the Brink Obama's executive orders on immigration were challenged in United States v. Texas, one of the most controversial Supreme Court cases of the year. Last year, district courts in Texas, along with 25 other states, halted the implementation of Obama's Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and the expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Now at the Supreme Court, the case is heading toward its final ruling when the highest judiciary in America hears the case in mid-April. The Supreme Court's decision will determine whether or not Obama overstepped his presidential power in issuing the executive orders, which, if implemented, could protect as many as 5 million undocumented immigrants from deportation. Immigrants' Economic Impact For the technology industry, the economic case for allowing more visas, as well as the continuance of Obama's executive order, received top billing. "Undocumented individuals constitute over five percent of the U.S. workforce, and in some industries it is estimated that they constitute a much greater share," stated the court briefing. "They make vital contributions to our economy as workers and consumers. Indeed, the United States has long benefited from the entrepreneurship and innovation of immigrants -- including undocumented immigrants." As Latin Post previously highlighted, in 2015 the Kauffman Index of Startup Activity found that immigrant entrepreneurs, especially Latino immigrants, were a big part of the nation's startup economy. While immigrants accounted for 12.9 percent of the U.S. population in 2014, immigrant entrepreneurs accounted for 28.5 percent of U.S. startups. Immigrant entrepreneurship is more impactful than ever before, doubling the rate of U.S. startups in 2014 compared to 1996. The government's recent inability to address immigration reform has hampered the economy, FWD.us argued, but it also represents a humanitarian crisis. In fact, Zuckerberg's group advocated, the two factors are interrelated in the long term. "Between 2009 and 2013, there were more than 4.3 million children -- most of them U.S. citizens -- living in the same household with at least one undocumented parent who would be eligible [to stay in the U.S. under DAPA]," stated the brief. "These children suffer from instability and stress that hinder academic achievement." "And even undocumented children who overcome the many obstacles facing themselves and their families, achieve educational excellence in the United States, and are poised to help our businesses succeed in the global economy are often preluded from investing their skills into the U.S. economy," the brief added, projecting that the economic benefits of Obama's executive actions could increase the U.S. GDP by over $200 billion in the next decade. While the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments in the United States v. Texas case on April 18, the verdict will likely not be rendered and released until June. Ahead of the first Democratic presidential debate on Univision, airing Wednesday night, a union comprising of 1.3 million members will debut two advertisements Bringing "Hope" & "Difference" on Debate Night The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) will air two Spanish-language television advertisements, each 30 seconds in length, featuring several UFCW members speaking about the importance of unions and the support it provides to families. Titled "Hope" and "Difference," the two ads focus on immigration, particularly encouragement to become naturalized U.S. citizens, register to vote and to actually vote in elections. UFCW International President Marc Perrone explained the members featured in the video represent voices that must be heard especially during a time when the union members have been "politically" scapegoated and demonized. "These workers represent the true voice of America's hard-working immigrants," said Perrone in a statement on Wednesday. "We hope that every worker and their family who sees this ad, whether they are part of our union family or not, understands that no hard-working man or woman should have to struggle alone." The two ads are reportedly part of a larger campaign effort, both through social media and on the ground, to reach immigrant workers. As UFCW noted, approximately 8.8 million legal permanent residents, currently in the U.S., can become U.S. citizens, and the union aims to connect with them. The UFCW acknowledges it has had an initiative program titled the "Union Citizenship Action Network" (UCAN) that has provided immigrant members with resources for the naturalization and citizenship process. "In the coming months, we have the amazing opportunity to provide millions of aspiring Americans a platform to become citizens and vote in the upcoming election," said UFCW International Secretary-Treasurer Esther Lopez. "Our union is positioned to transform the lives of our members and all workers that deserve to be our members. Because if you live and work in America, if you're contributing to the prosperity of this nation, you should have the opportunity to become an American-that's a fundamental principle of our participatory democracy." Debate Night in Florida The two UFCW ads will air during the Democratic presidential primary debate on Univision, although an English-language simulcast will air on CNN, on Wednesday night. The debate will be key for both candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton since it will not only air on the top-rated U.S. Spanish-language network but it's set in Miami, Florida, which will host its presidential primary on March 15. According to Quinnipiac University's latest polling data, surveying 511 likely voters between March 2 and March 7, Clinton has a sizeable lead over Sanders. The poll found Clinton with 62 percent support, while Sanders attracted 32 percent. "Secretary Hillary Clinton has doubled-up on Sen. Bernie Sanders in Florida. With less than a week until the actual voting, it is difficult to see a path to victory for him in the Sunshine State. He just has too much ground to make up and not enough time in which to do it," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, in a statement. __ For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com. A who's who list of leaders from California are urging the Supreme Court to uphold President Obama's executive order potentially offering temporary relief to as many as 5 million illegal immigrants when the case goes before the court late next month. The group of business, education, law enforcement and religious leaders has already informed the court they are convinced undocumented workers are making the state more prosperous. California is home to nearly 3 million of the country's estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants. "Representing just 7% of the state's population, [they] make up 34% of its farm workers, 22% of its production workers and 21% of its construction workers according to one estimate," the group outlined in a brief filed with the court. "Today, the undocumented workforce alone contributes $130 billion to California's gross domestic product (GDP) --- an amount larger than the entire respective GDPs of 19 other states." Undocumented Workers Are Glue Holding L.A. Together Immigrants have also helped Los Angeles retain its status as the largest manufacturing center in the U.S., well outpacing other such metropolises as Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia. "It's easy to get caught up in the white-hot political debate over this issue," said Jot Condie, chief executive of the California Restaurant Association. "But for us, this simply comes down to people - our fellow churchgoers, classmates, neighbors and hard-working individuals. Millions of loving families hang in the balance. Kicking the can on immigration reform can no longer be an option." Proposed in 2014, the president's Deferred Action for Parents of Americans plan would offer deportation relief and provide work permits to roughly 1.1 million Californians who are parents of legal children. High Court Down to Just Eight Justices The Supreme Court, down to just eight justices with the recent death of conservative Antonin Scalia, will hear arguments in the case United States vs. Texas on April 18. The legal wrangling began after Texas officials and about two dozen other leaders from Republican-led states filed a lawsuit insisting that the president did not have legal authority to enact his proposed immigration changes. A Texas judge agreed, issuing an order that prevents the legislation from becoming law and setting the stage for the Supreme Court showdown. If the justices' decision were to end in a tie, the law of the land would revert back to the lower court's decision to prevent the president's order from taking effect. Kamala Harris, GOP Weigh in That idea doesn't sit well with California Attorney Gen. Kamala Harris. Earlier this month she filed a separate friend-of-the-court brief in which she argued the president's order was a "common sense action on immigration which will allow millions of hard-working immigrants to come out of the shadows, contribute to the prosperity of this nation and build the American dream." She was supported in her action by at least 15 other Democratic-led states. Recently, Republican Majority House Leader Paul Ryan revealed the GOP also planned to be heard by the court, voicing the party's opposition to the president's proposal. GOP leaders are hoping to secure time before the court during the oral arguments phase of the proceedings. Former Solicitor General Paul Clement is rumored to be representing Ryan and the Republicans on a pro bono basis. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is spearheading a coalition of mayors and leaders across the country in petitioning the Supreme Court to green light President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration. De Blasio announced Tuesday that he, along with 100 mayors and county leaders, signed an amicus brief to be filed in United States v. Texas. In the brief, he urges the court to allow Obama to implement his executive orders, which would give some undocumented residents temporary legal status. According to the mayor, the president's program would have a "tangible impact" on at least 220,000 New Yorkers, who would benefit from the plan, the mayor told reporters during a press conference. He also issued a statement in which he argued, "Immigrants are part of the economic and social fabric of our cities and nation. They work in and own businesses, shop in our stores and send their children to our schools. But the long-delayed implementation of the president's executive action is tearing those families and our communities apart." The High Court is set to hear a challenge to Obama's immigration overhaul in April. The president first announced the executive action back in November 2014 after Congress blocked him from passing comprehensive legislation aimed at fixing the nation's broken immigration system. Under Obama's orders, up to five million undocumented residents would be protected from deportation if they entered the country illegally as children or if they are parents of American-born children. Many would also be granted temporary legal status, work permits and some federal benefits. However, they would not be provided assurance of citizenship. Critics, however, argue that the order is an abuse of executive power. Texas, along with 25 other Republican-led states, filed a lawsuit to stop the president's executive actions. After a lower court ruled in favor of the states and blocked Obama from implementing his plan last year, the White House filed an appeal against the injunction, asking the Supreme Court to overturn the lower court decision that has prohibited the president from moving forward. In order to push for federal immigration reform, de Blasio started Cities for Action, a coalition of more than 100 mayors and local government officials. Other nonpartisan organizations like the United States Conference of Mayors have also signed on to the friend-of-the-court brief. Altogether, it has been signed by 118 cities and counties in 35 states. The motion argues the injunction to block Obama's action was entered erroneously and has jeopardized millions of families. On the other hand, the president's action will keep families together, increase local tax revenue and help stimulate local economies. "We are at the front line. We are where immigrant families need our help and they are part of the fabric of our communities, there are so many immigrants who contribute in so many ways to our cities and counties," de Blasio said. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit against Wells Fargo and Rhode Island agency detailing that the companies for defrauding investors. The charges were brought up from the deal made with a now-bankrupt video-game company owned by Curt Schilling. Wells Fargo and a Rhode Island agency will face legal actions on their misdeeds being followed by the SEC, as written by Reuters. The SEC said Wells Fargo Securities and Rhode Island's Economic Development Agency defrauded investors after financing the company, 38 Studios. The company is owned by former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling. The charge was rooted from the 2010 bond offering of $75 million which was intended to grow the Rhode Island program in economic development. However, Wells Fargo appealed a different tale. According to Wealth Management, Wells Fargo disputed the SEC's allegations and is ready to face them in court battle. Moreover, the Rhode Island Commerce Corp, said development agency, is making actions to review the SEC's complaint. The agency didn't tell the investors that 38 Studios faced a shortfall in money to complete a video game. The SEC's complaint and its connection with 38 Studios were detailed by Baltimore Sun. The complaint said that officials knew that 38 Studios will be needing atleast $75 million to finish "Project Copernicus." However, on the deal with the state, 38 Studios is getting only $50 million of proceeds from the bond offering. The complaint also said that "38 Studios' funding gap was known at the time the Bond Placement Memo was sent to investors. It was not speculative. It was an existing risk that should have been disclosed to potential investors in the offering." It focuses on Wells Fargo's Peter Cannava, claiming he's misled investors about the 38 Studios. However, Cannava's lawyer dissed this allegation saying it "lacks merit." 38 Studios has filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors on 2012. The company have been in debt of $150 million and had less than $22 million in assets. Following the loss of the company, Schilling said that the company cost him $50 million. 'Mixed sex' bathing, where people of the opposite sex bath in partial or full nudity in public baths or pools, has has been part of Swedish popular culture for more than a century. The rise of sexual assaults in recent months, however, has forced Swedish nationals and their families to avoid the practice altogether. The police, who have stepped up their security, have cited the cultural adjustment of newer male immigrants from the Middle East, who have been raised in a more conservative tradition. In a report published by The Gatestone Institute, journalist Ingrid Carlqvist observes that an increasing number of sexual harassment in various public pools all over Sweden had prompted the managers of these institutions to re-organize the rules and segregate the male and female pools. A total of six females suffered in these incidents last January: one girl at the Eriksdalsbadet swimming arena; a woman and two girls at the Storsjobadet pool in Ostersund, and two 11-year old girls in Vaxio. February saw five females and a group of women, aged from 15 to 35, attacked in Vannesborg and Eriksdalsbadet, respectively. The assaults came in the form of their private parts being groped to actual rape. The perpetrators were uniformly described as male minors, unaccompanied by adults, of Middle East and North African descent who have come from the refugee camps. Breibart reports that at least 18 girls, all of them minors, were raped or assaulted sexually at the Olympic Eriksdal baths in Stockholm in January alone. Given the failure of gender-segregated baths to stem the attacks, the police have stepped up security. The number of molestations may be higher but fear may have stopped the victims from coming forward. The public manager refused to describe any demographic group as responsible for the attack, but explains it as part of the cultural shock of those who had not been raised up in, or are familiar with, the Swedish culture surrounding public baths. The Swedish police themselves have been forbidden from giving the ethnicity of the suspects, possibly due to fear of accusations of discrimination. The WMD observes that the minors suspected of the attacks mainly come from the Afghanistan refugee camps. According to Carlqvist, Swedish politicians responded by offering cultural classes to the concerned minority groups to re-educate them on Swedish values, tradition, and way of life. After years of stubborn negotiations with U.S. bond holders, Argentina has finally expressed its commitment to pay off its debt, paving the way for its re-entry into the international finance market. This new strategy has prompted the U.S. Congress to propose a bill providing a $4.6 billion package, which should aid the Latin American country from lifting the economic depression that has bogged it down for decades. According to Nouse, Argentina's newly elected President Mauricio Macri brokered this deal, an action that would have been avoided and rejected by his predecessors. Macri won the election last November largely on his promises of economic restoration, founded on a platform of free-market mechanisms. Argentina's former deadlock with the bond holders and its alienation from the international market, had stemmed from its payment default amounting to billions of dollars in 2001. Reuters elaborates that the $4.65 biillion that Macri is asking from Congress will in fact go to the bond holders, which is the first of many steps that Argentina will take to restore its good standing with international creditors. The U.S. Congress will discuss the proposal next week. Approval willl take it to the next stage which is a Senate deliberation. In its analysis, the Global Atlanta says that this breakthrough can bring about the support of other international organizations, like the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank. Adding financing can restart the moribund economy and build infrastructure, which in turn can lure in more investors. Laurence Wiener, partner at Wiener Soto Caparros, says, "This government needs money badly. They need to shore up their reserves, so they need to tap the debt markets, and Argentina is attractive: Other than what they're arranging, it virtually has no debt." Global Atlanta adds that the atmosphere in Argentina has improved, with a people who have found a new optimism that is tempered with a firm understanding of their situation. A more accurate description of the Argentinians today is one of hope, but not necessarily happiness. A U.S. Senator is insisting the Obama administration to lower down the restrictions on the investment in Cuba. Senator Amy Klobuchar's move is aiming for American hotels to start its operation in the island nation. According to Yahoo! News, Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat Senator, wants to urge the rule changes for the operation of U.S. hotels in Cuba. The Senator claimed that as the diplomatic relationship between the United States and Cuba gets better, business opportunities, especially in the hotel industry, should also progress. In fact, in a letter sent on Tuesday to the secretaries of Treasury and Commerce, Klobuchar persisted that the regulatory limitations between the U.S. and the island nation must be removed. She noted that the action will make sure that the U.S. hospitality industry has a fair attempt at competing in the emerging market, as reported by Nzherald. But this is not the first time that Klobuchar urged the administration for actions that could help the country's travel and tourism. The Minnesota Senator is also trying to make sure that flying experience at U.S. airports is made easier. Minnesota CBS claimed that, Senator Amy Klobuchar along with the airport officials called on the attention of the Transportation Security Administration or TSA. The Senator wanted TSA to provide resources needed to trim down long wait times for people going through security at MSP airport. "Wait times have exceeded 40 minutes during peak travel hours," a press release from Klobuchar's office stated. It also added, "After encouraging MSP to consolidate and upgrade checkpoint facilities, TSA has not provided enough screeners for the transition." Moreover, in line of the Senator's constant advocacy to raise awareness regarding the U.S. tourism, Klobuchar is addressing such concerns to the Obama administration for further action. The Minnesota senator is also sponsoring legislation to lift the current embargo on Cuba. This will allegedly allow more U.S. goods to be exported in the island nation. Meanwhile, Klobuchar, who chairs the Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus, is currently expressing her support to hotel operators. She claimed that hotel operators from Spain and Britain are already in talks to break deals to build hotels in Cuba. Maserati Levante getting Chrysler-sourced plug-in hybrid tech Mar 9, 2016, 5:50am ET The plug-in Levante won\'t arrive until late 2017 at the earliest. Maserati has confirmed it's developing a plug-in hybrid drivetrain for the recently-introduced 2017 Levante (pictured), its first-ever SUV. Company boss Harald Wester told Motor Trend that designing a plug-in hybrid drivetrain in-house would be "suicidal" because Maserati is a small company. Instead, Maserati's first plug-in system will borrow a handful of electrical components from the gas-electric version of Chrysler's new Pacifica minivan. It's too early to tell what engine it will be linked to, but it certainly won't be the same unit that's found under the hood of the Pacifica. At the other end of the spectrum, Wester revealed that Maserati is hesitant to launch a high-performance version of the Levante for cost reasons. However, a final decision hasn't been made, and the company is keeping every option on the table. The plug-in hybrid model won't arrive until late 2017 at the earliest. At launch, buyers will be able to choose between a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine tuned to make 345 horsepower, and a 424-horsepower evolution of the six. Buyers in Europe will also have access to a 3.0-liter turbodiesel, but Maserati isn't planning on selling the oil-burner on our shores. Aimed at the Porsche Cayenne, the 2017 Maserati Levante is scheduled to land in showrooms across the nation in late August. Pricing starts at $72,000 before a mandatory destination charge is factored in. Photos by Ronan Glon. Maserati to stall Alfieri launch? Mar 8, 2016, 2:05pm ET After pointing to a 2016 launch, the company is now tight-lipped about the Alfieri\'s launch window. Maserati may be stalling its development plans for the Alfieri coupe. First unveiled two years ago in Geneva, the Alfieri was presented as a sleek 2+2 coupe that demonstrates the brand's future design language. The company was not shy in labeling it a 'more exclusive' rival to the Porsche 911 and Jaguar F-Type. An executive late in 2014 reportedly confirmed that the concept would spawn a production car of the same name, led by a hardtop coupe in 2016 and a convertible the following year. Maserati North Europe marketing head James Cowan suggested the new entry might not be a "big seller," but would serve as an important halo vehicle. Asked at the latest Geneva show to clarify if the Alfieri's is still on track to debut this year, brand chief Harald Wester dodged the inquiry with a "no comment" response, according to Motoring. "The next one will be substitution of GranTursimo, GranCabrio by successors," he added. "We already had discussion about Alfieri and I don't want to go into details." The Alfieri concept was unveiled after a year of high gasoline prices and entering a year of extreme growth for the company, with 2014 sales up by 171 percent in the US. The subsequent falloff in gas prices has encouraged FCA to shuffle resources from cars to SUVs. The brand is also exiting a lackluster sales year as US deliveries shrank by 9.6 percent in 2015. The Levante has taken an increasingly important role in Maserati's ambitious plan to reach 75,000 global sales by 2018, more than doubling its 2015 numbers. It is unclear if decision-makers put the Alfieri on the back burner to help fast-track the Levante. Now running a few years behind schedule, the SUV was initially expected to borrow a Jeep platform before the company changed tack and moved forward with a "100 percent Maserati" build. Separate reports last year suggested FCA stalled at least a dozen new or redesigned models across several brands, including Maserati, as it courted potential merger partners. The company has not yet succeeded in finding a suitor to help share development costs. Live images by Ronan Glon. Mar 9, 2016, 4:26pm ET Volkswagen's U.S. CEO resigns Michael Horn parts ways with Volkswagen of America. Volkswagen of America CEO Michael Horn has resigned, effectively immediately. The company announced Horn's departure in a press release on Wednesday. Hinrich J. Woebcken, the current head of VW Group's North American region, will take over for Horn until a permanent successor is announced. The last we'd heard any rumors of Horn's departure was in September, when Horn's potential resignation was mentioned alongside that of Audi's Ulrich Hackenberg and Porsche's Wolfgang Hatz. The sudden resignation of Volkswagen's U.S. chief does not bode well for the company's prospects of delivering an acceptable solution to the ongoing "dieselgate" scandal. Horn's tenure with Volkswagen's beleaguered American arm was relatively short-lived. He took over for former VoA CEO Jonathon Browning in December of 2013 after the latter resigned suddenly, citing personal reasons. "Volkswagen would like to thank Horn for his contributions to the company during his tenure in the United States," the company said in the brief announcement. Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen brand, added, "During his time in the U.S., Michael Horn built up a strong relationship with our national dealer body and showed exemplary leadership during difficult times for the brand." The third year students of Mountrath Community School have gained a new insight into the Jewish holocaust, and its survivors. Last Tuesday, February 23, the 3f students spent a day at an exhibition titled 'Traces of Memory: a Contemporary Look at the Jewish Past in Poland'. The students spent time examining photographs and text about the Holocaust and how it destroyed much of the Jewish culture in Poland. They also watched a film based on 'the traces of Memory' and the holocaust survivors who are still living in Ireland. Mountrath students were deeply impacted by what they saw. That infamous photo at the entrance to Auschwitz 'with the words Arbeit macht frei' (work makes you free) was very chilling and a harsh reminder of the mass murder during the Holocaust, said student Gearoid Bowe. Hugh Doheny was struck by an image of a wall made of fragments of Jewish towmstones. The Lamentation wall in the grounds of the Rema Synagogue, Kazimierz, made with the fragments of Jewish Tombstones stood out. It was incredible to think that the entire wall was made from Jewish tombstones, he said. They were inspired by how the Jewish community survived and healed. It was a very interesting display of the relics of Jewish life and culture in Poland, said Hugh Doheny. It was important to see that Jewish life does continue in contemporary times in Poland and almost every European country, said Amy Behan, who also found inspirational the photos marking the March of the Living in Krakow, and other Jewish festivals. The students were also impressed with a photo of the Jewish/Christian memorial to Maria Djik, a Christian who saved the lives of many Jews in Poland, which bears the message, 'He who saves a single life, saves the world entire'. Overall, the students learned about the devastation of the Holocaust, but also the healing and reconciliation as a way of moving on from such a great catastrophe, said teacher Joan Hallessy. These photos prompt us to consider the lives and fates of the Jewish community during peace and war, she added. The exhibition in Dublin City Library was organised by the Holocaust Education Trust of Ireland and the Galicia Jewish Museum in Krakow, Poland. The photographs and text about relics of life and culture in Polish Galicia offer an accessible view of the Jewish past that was destroyed in Poland. See HetIreland.org EURef Talking Points is a new series of articles about words that work in everyday conversation,public debates or in writing when you make the case to remain in Europe. Having spoken at hundreds of meetings on Europe, my personal view is that to make a winning case for IN you need to make 3 points and rebut 2. The 3 points are Peace, Prosperity, and [advantages for] People. The 2 to rebut are sovereignty and cost, which are the two Leave arguments that have traction with many people but can both be answered. In this article, I shall deal with rebutting the cost point. Leave say that being in Europe costs us 50m a day or 350m per week. It is a figure that they have quoted for a long time and it is rhetorically powerful. It hits people in the chest. They say that 350m is enough to build a new hospital every week while overlooking that the real big cost of a hospital is staffing and running it. These are people who have no thought hard about the realities of public services. They also overlook the fact that they simultaneously pledge all the EU funds spent in the UK will be matched by the UK government (Labour or Tory) if we leave a tall claim that few voters believe. The key point is that 50m a day is utterly bogus. The website fullfact puts the UKs net contribution at 8.5bn (down from a previous estimate of 12bn). The website infacts puts it at only 6.3bn. To get a sense of scale, I sometime put it this way: The UK government spends 42% of GDP. That means for every 10 created in the economy, 4.20 is spent by the UK government. Do you know how much of that is spent by the European Union? [I sometimes ask the audience to have a guess] Its 10p. Just 10p. Just 1% of GDP. In fact the average English County Council spends 7 or 8 times per head that the EU does. If you worry about Big Government, Brussels is not where you find it. Its good to put it in a way that boils the figure down to daily living and recalls the Peace, Prosperity, People points. Lets err on the side of caution and for present purposes take fullfacts 8.5bn. Divide that by 65m people. Divide that by 365 days in a normal year. You get 36p per person per day. I dont know about you, but 36p wouldnt change my life. But if being in Europe gives one of my neighbours a job, that is my 36p well spent. If being IN brings one more business to this town, that is my 36p well spent. If the EU can shorten a conflict anywhere in the world by one day that is my 36p well spent. [Some of you know that I have previously used 50p, based on fullfacts now revised 12bn figure.] Remember: when talking about Europe keep it plain, direct and explain how it affects peoples lives. Lets get our message across. * Antony Hook was #2 on the South East European list in 2014, is the English Party's representative on the Federal Executive and produces this sites EU Referendum Roundup. ORLANDO, Florida. A state with a rich political history, of hanging chads and contested election results back in 2000. A vital state in the primary calendar for the American Presidential election, given its winner takes all rules for delegates. The perfect place to campaign for Hillary on International Womens Day. The Democratic race is fairly straightforward here. Hillary is going to beat Bernie in Florida, and Bernie knows it. However, perception is everything in the US media, and so Bernie is campaigning to close the gap. The Democratic debate here is on Wednesday 9th March. Barring a mishap, Clinton will be fine. Canvassing 100 advance ballot voters (sorry, postal voters), Hillary is clearly ahead, but the talk is all elsewhere. Its red on red (*) Republican warfare in Florida. This starts in my hotel room when Im trying to relax after a long fight. Attack ads are banned here in the UK, something myself and Mark Pack have both observed is a good thing. Not so in the USA. Trump employed illegal immigrants, explains the voiceover in a sinister, Orwellian voice. Conservatives cant trust trump on immigration. The Republican war has spilt over onto the streets. Complaints come into the Hillary HQ about too many posters for one candidate outside a polling station, breaking normal campaign etiquette here. For Bernie. No, for Rubio. Its make or break time for the new Republican establishment favourite, now that Jeb has dropped out. As the junior Senator from Florida, he has to win his home state. Last week he was 16 points behind Trump, this week that had fallen to 8. Rubio has momentum here, but it may be too little, too late. Cruz is now campaigning hard here, seeing an opportunity to knock Rubio out of the race nationwide. From our point of view its clear what Hillary would prefer: if Rubio wins Florida and Kasich can win Ohio (the latter is likely) then Trump would need to win 67% of the remaining delegates to avoid a contested convention. That wont happen, ensuring Republican chaos when they get to Cleveland. Watch the West Wing where this happens fictionally to the Democrats and youll get the idea. All of this would suit Hillary down to the ground. It looks like it will be Hillary versus Trump, with Hillary being able to solidify her hold on the Democratic nomination as early as next Tuesday in the Florida Primary. However, a wounded Trump would suit her much better than a strong one. * the colours are backwards here. I helpfully explain this would never have happened if theyd just paid their taxes on their tea and stayed part of the British a Empire * Simon Foster is a lecturer in Politics and Economics, and has published twenty-five books on Politics, PSHE and Citizenship. The Diversity Motion being put forward this weekend at the Spring Conference in York, is an important, necessary and long overdue motion, one that Liberal Democrats need to unanimously support. As a party we have always been committed to eliminating all types of prejudice, discrimination, inequality and privilege, and must continue to do so when it comes to the countrys elected bodies and party structures. For the myriad voices present in our society to be heard and valued, our political system must reflect the diversity that exists, not just a narrow section. This unfortunately is not case, and also is sadly not true of the Liberal Democrats. There is wholly inadequate diversity among Lib Dem members of parliament and candidates. Despite efforts to increase diversity, in the form of the Campaign for Gender Balance and the Leadership Programme, there has only been a limited impact on the proportion of individuals elected from under-represented groups and low socio-economic backgrounds. Having held office now for 18 years, it has been a source of deep embarrassment to one that as a party we have not done more to rectify this problem during my time as an MP. In percentage terms, the largest single under-represented group is women, who make up 51% of the UK population. I have personally pushed for candidates to be chosen from an all-women shortlist when a male MP decides not to contest his seat at the next General Election. Therefore I am more than pleased to see this as part of the Diversity Motion. What comprises the Diversity Motion? A summary of the main resolutions are as follows: Continue and extend support for individuals seeking approval or selection as Westminster candidates from under-represented groups. Create a 2020 Candidate Diversity Task Force to co-ordinate party-wide efforts to actively recruit parliamentary candidates from under-represented groups from both inside and outside the Party. Through the work of the 2020 Candidate Diversity Task, examine the partys approval and selection processes, to identify barriers that may exist for under-represented groups. Solutions will be proposed to overcome these barriers; to seek to make proposals to increase diversity at all levels in the party. These are all worthy goals. The Scottish Liberal Democrats are already taking the lead on this issue, not allowing seat selections to proceed unless 40% of the short-list is female, and seats being re-advertised where their efforts to increase diversity were not deemed sufficient. But we can do even better. The party at all levels needs to ensure that candidates from under-represented groups are encouraged to apply and then selected to stand for elected office. To have a more diverse set of MPs, the party must concentrate its efforts on increasing the number of diverse candidates, in the most winnable Westminster seats. I hope as Liberal Democrats we can show strong support for the Diversity Motion this weekend, and use it as a spring board to bring greater fairness, diversity and openness to the party we love so much. * Tom Brake was the Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington from 1997 to 2019. Traditional Mothers Day treats do not really appeal to me. My gift on Sunday was the new(ish) book British Liberal Leaders (Brack, Ingham, Little et al) and the free time to finish reading it. I love tales of Lloyd Georges derring-do and of Steels going back to your constituencies as much as the next Liberal. All human life is there in the chapters on each party leader: Asquiths failings, Ashdowns verve, Cleggs self-pity. Well I say all human life is there but is it? In many ways it is an admirable book, John Campbells chapter on Roy Jenkins is a particular treat. There is a catch though. Where on earth are the women? There are 24 chapters on each of the 24 Liberal, SDP or Lib Dem leaders. All the leaders analysed are men of course. Fair enough. We cannot go back in time and insert Nancy Seear or Shirley Williams as party leaders in a retrospective All Women Shortlist! But all 24 chapters are also written by men. As someone who grew up following and studying politics in the 70s and 80s I am used to the world being dominated by Crewes and Kings, Butlers and Kavanaghs. My first strong political memories are of the 1975 referendum and the voting night coverage consisted largely of beige blokes in beige suits chatting to one another in a beige set. Like other women of my generation I was brought up with it. I am used to it. But, really, in 2015/2016 could not a single woman have been found to write a chapter on a Liberal Leader? Women appear to have suffered an informal ban on being allowed to comment on our Liberal past. Even the bibliography mentions eighty plus male subjects, historians and political scientists and only a single female commentator. Perhaps it is time for some Liberal Herstory. Top down histories often ignore womens role and in a party of community politics this is a painful omission. Are you or do you know an amazing woman in your local party who has been an activist for ages? Why not write up her story and preserve it for Liberal Democrat posterity? We all know that Jo Grimond told his troops to march towards the sound of gunfire. He did not say we should leave half our army behind in the barracks just because they are female. * Ruth Bright has been a councillor in Southwark and Parliamentary Candidate for Hampshire East STUDENTS at a northside primary school are celebrating after being recognised in the Bord Gais Energy Student Theatre awards. Fifth and sixth class pupils at Corpus Christi national school in Moyross last summer played two sold out evenings at the Limerick Insititute of Technologys Millennium Theatre, with their play Reeling in the Years looking back at the first 30 years of education in the estate. Fionnuala Bromell, who wrote the play, entered it into the annual student theatre awards, and was delighted when a representative of the ceremony wrote back offering tickets for the cast to Annie at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre in Dublin. While 30 students from the school will travel up to watch this next month, they will find out later this week whether they are on the shortlist for the awards, which take place in May. In the meantime, the talented performers will return to the LIT Millennium Theatre this Friday lunchtime for a play all about the 1916 Easter Rising. Of winning the trip to Dublin, Ms Bromell said: We were absolutely over the moon we couldn't believe it! When they rang us, they said they could not believe the talent of the children. School principal Tiernan ONeill added: It is a massive endorsement of the talent we have in the school, but it is also a massive endorsement of the work the teachers are doing here, not only promoting their academic talent, but promoting their social and emotional talent. It is also a very positive reflection on the community of Moyross. Speaking about Fridays play, Ms Bromell said she hopes it will bring the Easter Rising to life for todays youngsters and also show the human side to the seminal event. She said: It is all about the Easter Rising and the people behind it. We wanted to show the meeting with Padraig Pearse and all his men, and how they decided they were going to rise up. They had to go home that night and talk to their families. Padraig and William Pearse went to their mam, and told her to be prepared, that they mightn't come back. She is very supportive of them, that it is the right thing to do. But Thomas McDonagh goes to his wife and child, and they are not to keen for him to go. So it looks at both sides of the coin. These are real people with families, mums and dads. There is a Limerick connection in the play in the shape of Ned Daly, who was a commandant of Dublins first battalion during the 1916 Rising. Ten-year old Thomondgate lad Colby Crawford, who plays Joseph Plunkett, is looking forward to the experience of taking part in the performance. He said: There have been lots of rehearsals, but I have enjoyed it. I enjoy mostly when we do the songs and the dances." Paul Reddan, 9, of Hartigan Villas, has the interesting role as the leader of the British Army. He said: It has been great, as I have learnt what happened in 1916. I enjoyed saying 'What the devil is going on here' in an English accent. Tickets for the play, which starts at 11.30am, are available from 061-455166, or on the door, priced at 5. A YOUNG man who broke two red lights while driving at high speeds in a built-up urban area has avoided a prison sentence. John Harty, aged 20, of Lisheen Park, Patrickswell pleaded guilty to several road traffic offences including dangerous driving on the Dublin Road on August 31, last. Garda Dean Landers told Limerick District Court he first observed the defendant driving a 09-registered Volkswagen Passat on the outbound lane shortly after midnight. He said when signaled to stop, Harty failed to do so and took off at high speed. Garda Landers said the defendant reached speeds as high as 150kph during the subsequent pursuit and performed a number of dangerous overtaking manoeuvres forcing oncoming traffic to take evasive action. He also failed to stop at two red lights while being pursued. David McHugh BL, defending, said his client was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age and that he had gone off the rails as he had not taken his medication for around a month prior to the incident. He said while there was no accident, Harty accepts his driving on the night was very dangerous. He said he presented himself to gardai a number of hours later, was fully cooperative and has learned his lesson. Imposing sentence, Judge Aeneas McCarthy commented that the driving of the defendant had been outrageous and deliberate and he said it was an aggravating factor that it was not a slip in judgment. He said the actions of Harty were unacceptable and had put both gardai and members of the public at risk. The judge imposed a three month prison sentence, suspending it for two years. Harty, who has one previous conviction for a minor road traffic offence, was also disqualified from driving for three years. Leave to appeal was granted. SIX festivals in Limerick have benefited to the tune of 19,000 in Failte Ireland funding, it has been announced. Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring, announced the funding under the tourism bodys 2016 Festivals and Events Programme. It comes after city councillors complained in January that Limerick had not received any of a 1.8m tranche awarded by Failte Ireland to 23 events and festivals around the country. Under this regional funding round, the Limerick Sings International Choral Festival, which takes place in June, will receive 3,000; Eva International, opening in April, is awarded 4,000; Foynes Air Show, happening in July, receives 4,000; Julys Pig n Porter tag rugby festival benefits to the tune of 2,500; Knights of Westfest, taking place in September, receives 3,000 and Mays Barringtons Hospital Great Limerick is awarded 2,500. Minister Ring said it would allow Limerick to broaden its appeal to overseas visitors and attract visitors who are actively seeking to fully experience Ireland in all its aspects - from culture and sport, to festivals and fun. Festivals and events are the life-blood of tourism and mobilise many visitors to choose to come to Ireland in the first instance. With this funding, we can provide a boost to tourism activity in Limerick which is good news for the local economy and employment. Councillors expressed disquiet with the restructuring going on in the council following the effective mothballing of the Limerick Marketing Company. It recently advertised for a head of communications/marketing, but it is understood that interviews for this position are only now taking place. Kieran Lehane, the councils head of the metropolitan area, said it invariably fell back to local authorities over the years to fund and manage events, but that is not really our business. BOSSES of a Limerick-based sauce supply firm are celebrating after winning the top prize at the Limerick National Enterprise Awards. Bespoke Sauce Company, based in Raheen in the city, was named Entrepreneur of the Year at the final in Adare's Dunraven Arms Hotel this Tuesday afternoon. The company, which services the national and international food industry, won best manufacturing business before winning the overall prize. The other category winners at the ceremony were McNulty's Fuels, Hospital, McAdare, based in Adare, EJS Plastics, Galvone Industrial Estate and Wellnice Pops, based at Tournafulla. But it is the Bespoke Sauce Company which will go forward as Limerick's representatives in the National Final of the National Enterprise Awards which will be held on June 9 in the Aviva Stadium. Congratulating the winners, Mayor Liam Galvin said: "Those micro-enterprises in receipt of awards are at the leading edge of the economic growth and development of Limerick City and County. Ninety per cent of all businesses in Limerick are micro-enterprises and it is reassuring to see that the strong entrepreneurial spirit that has always existed in Limerick is continuing to produce ambitious and competent young business people capable of generating a range of new business ideas and consequently, new employment opportunities for the wider community." Eamon Ryan, head of enterprise with Limerick City and County Council added: "The Local Enterprise Office, through its programme of support puts micro and small business at the heart of job creation locally. Part of this process is to provide local entrepreneurs with a platform to showcase their business ideas to a wider audience. In doing so, LEO Limerick is contributing to the success of our smaller indigenous businesses, both new and existing, which are central to the future economic development of this region." A SPECIAL festival which focuses on random acts of kindness returns to Limerick for a second time this weekend. The Pay it Forward Kindness Festival starts this Friday evening, with free events centred around goodwill running through until St Patricks Day the following Thursday. The brainchild of a committee headed by Corbally man Michael OMahony, the festival exists to show Limerick, its people and its communities in the best light possible. Speaking at a launch event in Ardscoil Mhuire, Corbally, Michael said: I want this festival to be a vote of confidence in humanity. A total of seven events will take place, with the centrepiece being a family fun day in Bedford Row on Saturday. There will be face-painting, art and music. Free cups of tea, coffee and cakes will be given out, while there will be an opportunity for people to go kayaking and boating on the River Shannon. To help people recover from this, Sunday is designated as a pamper day, with yoga, reiki, massages and reflexology taking place at Dromroe Village Hall at the University of Limerick. Through Monday, scouts and girl guides will be out in the community to carry out random acts of kindness, while the festival will als ogive a nod to local unsung heroes such as staff of hospitals, the fire brigade and voluntary organisations. The festival will conclude on St Patricks Day, with Pay it Forward entering a float into the Limerick parade, giving out free sweets along OConnell Street. A number of businesses have rowed in behind this initiative the Savoy Hotel is offering lunch for people working during the family fun day, while EBS has donated two tickets to an Ireland rugby match, which will be raffled off. Michael said: Our agenda is quite simple: be kind to each other, be decent to each other. Let's have a revolution of kindness. Let's be kind to each other. Lets support each other. That's what we are about. Education Minister Jan OSullivan also lent her support to the initiative, joking that she had received 8,187 acts of kindness to secure her re-election to the Dail. Ardscoil Mhuire principal Brid Herbert said the girls in her school had really bought into the Pay it Forward initiative. They made cakes for the launch of the event yesterday. UPWARDS of 150 personnel were involved in an emergency drill at Shannon this week, as the airport tested its reponse time to a major aviation incident. The three hour exercise, code-named Exercise Shamrock, was based on a simulated incident involving an aircraft fire adjacent to the terminal building. The drill attempted to validate the combined response of the airport together with the support of the primary emergency agencies and other key stakeholders that would react to any aviation incident, according to a spokeperson. Those involved included Clare County Council, An Garda Siochana, Health Service Executive, National Ambulance Service and the Irish Aviation Authority, while students from the neighbouring college of hotel management played the roles of passengers, relatives and press. Crash-exercises are conducted every two years at Shannon Airport as a condition of its aerodrome licence and we use the opportunity then in conjunction with the other emergency services to test the regional major emergency plan and site specific arrangements for the airport, said Niall Maloney, airport operations director. The safety of our customer airlines, passengers and staff is paramount to us and todays exercise allows us to test our readiness for a real life situation should it ever occur. It is about ensuring that, if the worst case scenario happens, we and our colleagues in the other attending emergency services are adequately prepared to respond. In all in excess of 150 personnel across all agencies were involved in the exercise on the day and we would like to thank them all for this assistance, he added. Shannon has been used repeatedly in recent months for planes diverting for reasons of disturbance and emergency situations. The airport also announced this week that an 18 strong team of Police Fire Service will march in the second largest parade in the US, the Boston Parade on Sunday, March 20. Members of the police fire service, including those who hail from Limerick, will make a nostalgic return for St Patricks Day Parades in the US for the first time since September 11. Prior to that, an airport team had made an annual trip to the States for the festivities. Shannon Group Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Murphy said the trip would provide a huge promotional opportunity for the airport with a potential audience of millions. Up to one million people will line the route of the parade, aside from those who will watch on TV, and thats a huge audience for us, he said. Thanks to our daily and year round Aer Lingus service, Boston is one of our biggest US markets so the flying of the Shannon flag by the Airport Police Fire Service in the parade will be great promotion for the airport. Brian Casey, chairman of the Airport Fire Police St Patricks Day Committee, explained that the service used to travel annually to the US for parades in the likes of New York, Boston, New Jersey, Florida and Savannah, but we stopped going out after September 11. The members here built up great relationships with their US counterparts and sadly two members of the Port Authority Police Department whom we had a close relationship with from our visits there, Tommy OGorman and Bruce Reynolds, died in the response on September 11. We have photos of them in our fire station at Shannon and we felt a real connection and particular sense of sadness over September 11. We are all really looking forward to the Boston parade as it will be a fantastic event but we will definitely have a moment or two to think about Tommy and Bruce. A number of our guys went out to New York to meet up with their friends in the Port Authority fire services after September 11 but this is the first time we have gone to the US to march in a parade since, he added. The widow of Limerick man Jason Corbett has been ordered to return property she removed from the home they shared in the United States after she was charged with his murder. The 39-year-old, who was from Janesboro in Limerick city, was killed during a domestic disturbance at his home in North Carolina on August 2, last. Ms Martens, 32, and her father Thomas Martens, 65 are charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter. According to documents filed by the Superior Court of Davidson County on January 21, last Ms Martens removed tangible personal property from the house and placed it in storage in breach of an agreement which was reached with Mr Corbetts estate last September. The court documents state the only property left in the home is Jason Corbetts clothes, property he brought to the home from Ireland, and items owned by his two children from his first marriage. At a hearing last month, Ms Martens said agents acting on her behalf took the property from the house and she submitted the items were either gifts to her or bought by herself or her parents. She argued that the items she had bought were paid for on a credit card registered solely in her name. However, the court found that the bills arising from the card were paid from the couples joint account, which mostly contained funds earned by Mr Corbett. The court also found that there was a high probability that money transferred by Mr Corbett to Ms Martens and her parents was the source of payment for the items which she and her parents had bought. The court ruled that immediate and irreparable injury would have resulted to the beneficiaries of the estate if Ms Martens was allowed to take or sell the items. She was given 30 days to return the property she took from the home. THE high profile principal of Colaiste Chiarain in Croom is seeking a High Court order to block an investigation into alleged misconduct on his behalf. Noel Malone has been suspended from his post since July 2014 while Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB), which runs the school, carries out a probe into a number of allegations against him. These include that he arranged for a teacher in Colaiste Chiarain to tutor his own children on a one-to-one basis as part of that teachers 22 hour work week. It is also alleged that he stared at, smiled at and winked at another teacher at an event outside school. Mr Malone is denying the claims, which his barrister John Hennessy SC described as utterly baseless, false and malicious in the High Court this week. The principal is seeking a Judicial Review of the disciplinary action by the LCETB. Following a number of adjournments, the case got underway in the High Court on Tuesday before Justice Paul McDermott. In his opening statement before the court, Mr Hennessy said his client had been suspended on pay from his job as a result of the complaints which were made in July and September 2014. The manner in which the investigation into these complaints is being carried out and the subsequent suspension of Mr Malone from his post in July 2014 form part of an agenda to remove him as principal of the school, Mr Hennessy claimed. Mr Malone, who lives in Pallaskenry, is seeking orders preventing LCETB continuing its investigation. Barrister for the ETB, Feichin McDonagh SC, said the board did not accept that Mr Malone had been denied fair procedure or that it delayed in bringing a quick resolution to the process. The case continues in the High Court. Mr Malones suspension came against a background of industrial relations issues at the school dating back to February 2014 when Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) staff members voted to take industrial action over management practices. Subsequently, a review was carried out by the Labour Relations Commission into industrial relations in Colaiste Chiarain which led to a number of recommendations being issued. Acting principal Matt Power was appointed in September 2014 following Mr Malones suspension. In a statement to the Leader at the time, a spokesperson for Mr Malone stressed that he had absolutely not resigned from his position and has every hope of resuming his post as soon as possible. His absolute commitment and dedication to the Colaiste Chiarain school community has never faltered, and remains undimmed, the statement added. As principal of Colaiste Chiarain, Mr Malone garnered significant national attention for a number of initiatives he pioneered at the school, most notably around the use of information technology in the classroom. In 2013, he hit the headlines when he suspended 28 students who liked a derogatory Facebook post about a teacher. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. EPB and HomeServe USA on Tuesday announced a new pilot program to support the home repair needs of residents in the Chattanooga community. Through the program, EPB will make HomeServes optional exterior and interior electric line service plans and a water heater repair or replacement plan available to EPB customers. The pilot program will initially be offered via direct mail to residents of the Brainerd, North Chattanooga and Red Bank communities. The program will also result in both companies contributing to a new community funding resource for home repairs, which will be available through the United Way for area residents. Through the program, HomeServe will offer three products including Exterior Electric Line, Interior Electric Line and Water Heater service plans, all designed to shield homeowners from the inconvenience and unexpected expenses associated with repairs, said officials. Our cost-effective service plans provide a better way for customers to pay for and obtain repairs through our reliable network of qualified local contractors, said Tom Rusin, CEO of HomeServe USA. HomeServes level of commitment to customers is shared by EPB, exemplified by the companys depth and quality of services. Were especially thrilled to have a partnership in Chattanooga, home to our flagship contact center, which will enable our employees and their families who are EPB customers to also take advantage of our plans. While the repair solutions offered as part of the pilot program will initially only be introduced to customers via mail in the Brainerd, North Chattanooga and Red Bank communities, the program is expected to expand to all of EPBs territory over the course of the next year. The three service plans will also be available online to all EPB customers starting now. We are proud to work with HomeServe to provide our residents with a valuable benefit to help with unexpected home repairs, said J.Ed. Marston, vice president of Marketing at EPB. Since HomeServe USA employs hundreds of local people to deliver exceptional customer service across the United States and Canada, they are a great option for our customers who are interested in home repair solutions. HomeServe, which recently celebrated its five year anniversary of its Chattanooga-based operations, also provides plan holders with a Repair Hotline and provides homeowners with local, licensed, and insured contractors to come to their home for repairs. EPB customers can learn more about the program and service offers by calling HomeServe toll-free at 1-866-215-0056 or visiting www.HomeServeUSA.com. The sun's visible-light corona, the inner part of which is only visible during a total solar eclipse, is seen here as a pearly crown of light surrounding the darkened, Earth-facing side of the moon, as seen on Aug. 21, 2017. A solar eclipse occurs when the Earth, moon and sun are aligned in the same plane, and the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, partially or completely covering our closest star. As one of the most dramatic celestial performances, solar eclipses particularly total eclipses entice droves of skywatchers; however, regardless of how much of the sun gets covered by the moon's shadow, you should never look directly at the sun. "During this period when any of the disk is visible, one must use protective equipment to view the sun," William Teets, director of the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory at Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tennessee, told Live Science in an email. That could include sunglasses, specially filtered telescopes or binoculars, or by using a projection method, Teets said. Solar eclipses come in four varieties: total, annular, partial and hybrid. When is the next solar eclipse? Solar eclipses Date Type of solar eclipse Visibility April 30, 2022 Partial Southeast Pacific, South America Oct. 25, 2022 Partial Europe, parts of Africa, Middle East, parts of Asia April 20, 2023 Total South/East Asia, Australia, Pacific, Indian Ocean, Antarctica Oct. 14, 2023 Annular Parts of Africa, N. America, S. America, Pacific & Atlantic, and Arctic April 18, 2024 Total Totality: Parts of Mexico, U.S. and Canada Oct. 2, 2024 Annular Parts of South America, Pacific & Atlantic, and Antarctica What is a total solar eclipse? All four varieties of solar eclipse are a happy accident of nature. The sun stretches some 864,000 miles (1.4 million kilometers) across, according to NASA, making our host star 400 times bigger thanEarth's moon, which measures just about 2,160 miles (nearly 3,500 km) in diameter. But the moon also happens to be about 400 times closer to Earth than the sun is (the ratio varies as the orbits of both the sun and moon are elliptical); and as a result, when the orbital planes intersect and the distances align favorably, the moon (called a "new moon" in this alignment) can appear to completely blot out the disk of the sun. As for how rare this phenomenon is: On average, a total solar eclipse is visible somewhere on Earth about every 18 months. During a total solar eclipse, the moon casts two types of shadows. The umbra is the darkest part of the shadow where all sunlight gets blocked out. The umbra takes the shape of a dark, slender cone. It is surrounded by the penumbra, a lighter, funnel-shaped shadow from which sunlight is partially obscured. In order to view a total solar eclipse, you must be located in the direct path of the umbra, which can sweep a third of the way around the planet in just a few hours. When in that direct path, you would see the sun's disk diminish into a crescent as the moon's dark shadow rushes toward you across the landscape. Don't look directly at the sun REMEMBER: Looking directly at the sun, even when it is partially covered by the moon, can cause serious eye damage or blindness. NEVER look at a partial solar eclipse without proper eye protection. During the brief period of totality, when the sun is completely covered, the beautiful corona the tenuous outer atmosphere of the sun is revealed. A total solar eclipse typically lasts for only a few minutes, NASA solar astronomer Mitzi Adams of the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, said in a NASA webchat . The longest solar eclipse, on June 15, 743 B.C., lasted about 7 minutes and 28 seconds, according to NASA (opens in new tab). Total eclipses are rarely seen because totality when the sun appears totally hidden by the moon only exists along a narrow path on Earth's surface, as opposed to partial eclipses, which can be viewed across a much wider region. The next solar eclipse on April 30, 2022 will be a partial eclipse and will be visible in South/West South America, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and parts of Antarctica, according to timeanddate.com (opens in new tab). The next total solar eclipse will occur on April 20, 2023, and it will be visible in South/East Asia, Australia, the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and Antarctica, where viewers can behold at least a partial sun covering. The now-named Great North American Eclipse will cross the mainland U.S. on April 8, 2024. The path of totality will trek through Mexico (from Sinaloa to Coahuila), the U.S. (from Texas to Maine) and Canada (from Ontario to Newfoundland), timeanddate.com reported (opens in new tab). What is a partial solar eclipse? A partial eclipse is seen as the sun rises behind the United States Capitol Building, Thursday, June 10, 2021, as seen from Arlington, Virginia. (Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls) During a partial solar eclipse, the moon's penumbra (the partial shadow) passes between the Earth and the sun. In these cases, a part of the sun always remains in view during the eclipse. How much of the sun remains in view depends on the specific circumstances. Usually the penumbra gives just a glancing blow to the planet over the polar regions; in such cases, places far away from the poles but still within the zone of the penumbra might not see much more than a small scallop of the sun hidden by the moon. In a different scenario, those who are positioned within a couple of thousand miles of the path of a total eclipse will see a partial solar eclipse. The closer you are to the path of totality, the greater the solar obscuration. If, for instance, you are positioned just outside of the path of the total eclipse, you will see the sun wane to a narrow crescent, then thicken up again as the shadow passes by. Annular solar eclipse A composite image of the annular solar eclipse on Jan. 15, 2010 (Image credit: Siegfried Layda via Getty Images) An annular eclipse is far different from a total one. The sky will darken ... somewhat, causing a sort of weird "counterfeit twilight" since so much of the sun still shows. The annular eclipse is a subspecies of a partial not total, eclipse. The maximum duration for an annular eclipse is 12 minutes 30 seconds. The next annular solar eclipse will occur on Oct. 14, 2023, according to NASA (opens in new tab). The eclipse will be visible to millions of people in parts of the U.S., Mexico and many countries in South America and Central America. An annular solar eclipse is similar to a total eclipse in that the moon appears to pass centrally across the sun. The difference is, due to the moons position, during an annular eclipse the moon appears too small to cover the disk of the sun completely. Because the moon circles Earth in an elliptical orbit, its distance from Earth can vary from 221,457 miles to 252,712 miles (356,400 to 406,700 km). But the dark shadow cone of the moon's umbra can extend out for no longer than 235,700 miles (379,322 km); that's less than the moon's average distance from Earth. So if the moon is at some greater distance than the umbra's limit, the tip of the umbra does not reach Earth. During such an eclipse, the antumbra, a theoretical continuation of the umbra, reaches the ground, and anyone situated within it can look up past either side of the umbra and see an annulus, or "ring of fire" around the moon. A good analogy is putting a penny atop a nickel, the penny being the moon, the nickel being the sun. What is a hybrid solar eclipse? Three partial solar eclipses are seen in this movie from ESAs Proba-2 Sun-watching satellite as it dipped in and out of the Moons shadow during a hybrid solar eclipse in 2013. (Image credit: ESA) These are also called annular-total ("A-T") eclipses. This special type of eclipse occurs when the moon's distance is near its limit for the umbra to reach Earth. In most cases, an A-T eclipse starts as an annular eclipse because the tip of the umbra falls just short of making contact with Earth; then it becomes total, because the roundness of the planet reaches up and intercepts the shadow tip near the middle of the path, then finally it returns to annular toward the end of the path. Because the moon appears to pass directly in front of the sun, total, annular and hybrid eclipses are also called "central" eclipses to distinguish them from eclipses that are merely partial. Of all solar eclipses, about 28% are total; 35%are partial; 32% annular; and just 5% are hybrids. The next hybrid solar eclipse will occur on April 20, 2023, which will be a total eclipse in some areas. How to view a solar eclipse An astronomer in India projects the solar eclipse onto a white screen for safe viewing on Dec. 26, 2019. (Image credit: Shutterstock) (opens in new tab) Do not look directly at any part of the sun without protective equipment, even near totality. "This equipment could be approved solar eclipse glasses (not sunglasses) or a properly filtered telescope or properly filtered pair of binoculars." Teets added that a skywatcher should "never put on solar eclipse glasses and then use them to try to look through an unfiltered telescope or pair of binoculars the unfiltered light will burn right through the glasses and start burning/blinding you as well." Projection method: In addition to viewing an eclipse through specialty glasses, properly filtered telescopes/binoculars, you can also use a projection method to view a solar eclipse. To do so, you take out the eyepiece from a telescope and instead project the image onto a sheet of paper behind the telescope. By moving the sheet of paper back and forth, you can find the spot with the most focused image, according to Sky & Telescope (opens in new tab). Pinhole camera: A pinhole or small opening is used to form an image of the sun on a screen placed about 3 feet (1 meter) behind the opening, according to Sky & Telescope (opens in new tab). Binoculars or a small telescope mounted on a tripod can also be used to project a magnified image of the sun onto a white card. The farther away the card, the larger you can focus the image. Look for sunspots. Notice that the sun appears somewhat darker around its limb or edge. This method of solar viewing is safe so long as you remember not to look through the binoculars or telescope when they are pointed toward the sun; put another way, never look directly at the sun when any part of its blindingly bright surface is visible. Pinhole mirror: A variation on the pinhole theme is the "pinhole mirror." Cover a pocket-mirror with a piece of paper that has a quarter-inch hole punched in it. Open a sun-facing window and place the covered mirror on the sunlit sill so it reflects a disk of light onto the far wall inside. The disk of light is an image of the sun's face. The farther away from the wall the better; the image will be only 1 inch across for every 9 feet (or 3 centimeters for every 3 m) from the mirror, according to Sky & Telescope (opens in new tab). Modeling clay works well to hold the mirror in place. Experiment with different-size holes in the paper. Again, a large hole makes the image bright, but fuzzy, and a small one makes it dim but sharp. Darken the room as much as possible. Be sure to try this out beforehand to make sure the mirror's optical quality is good enough to project a clean, round image. Of course, don't let anyone look at the sun in the mirror. If you're around leafy trees, look at the shadow cast by them during the partial phases. What do you see? Is it worth a photograph? You will see scores of partially eclipsed suns projected through pinhole gaps between the leaves. This is caused by diffraction, a property of light. According to Vince Huegele (opens in new tab), an optical physicist at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, the light rays do not shoot straight by the rim of the gaps, or a pinhole, but bend around the edge. This wave effect creates a pattern of rings that resembles a bull's eye. Acceptable filters for unaided visual solar observations include aluminized Mylar. Some astronomy dealers carry Mylar filter material specially designed for solar observing. Also acceptable is shade 14 arc-welder's glass, available for just a few dollars at welding supply shops. Of course, it is always a good idea to test your filters and/or observing techniques before eclipse day. Unacceptable filters include sunglasses, old color film negatives, black-and-white film that contains no silver, photographic neutral-density filters and polarizing filters. These materials have very low visible-light transmittance levels, but they transmit an unacceptably high level of near-infrared radiation that can burn your retinas. The fact that the sun appears dim, or that you feel no discomfort when looking at the sun through these types of filters, is no guarantee that your eyes are safe. Sun features to look for during an eclipse NASAs Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare as seen in the bright flash in the upper left portion of the image on April 20, 2022. The image shows a subset of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares, and which is colorized in yellow. (Image credit: SDO/NASA) Sunspots: These relatively cool patches on the sun's surface appear dark. They will look like black spots on the disk of the sun, Teets said. These spots can be alone or in clusters of several. To see these spots, you will likely need a properly filtered telescope, as they are too small typically to view through your solar eclipse glasses. Prominences: If you are eclipse-viewing with a hydrogen-alpha solar telescope, you might catch a glimpse of more than sunspots. With this gear, you should be able to see prominences and the chromosphere, which is the second of the three layers of the sun's atmosphere. "Prominences are clouds of material lofted up from the sun, and they sometimes look like flames on the edge of the sun," Teets said. "If they happen to be present across the disk of the sun, they will appear like slightly darkened streaks." Chromosphere: With that same specialized telescope, you could also witness what might appear as undulating ruby gems dancing around the outer disk of the sun. That would be the chromosphere, the lower atmosphere of the sun that is about a million times less dense than Earth's atmosphere, according to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (opens in new tab). On typical days, the light from this atmospheric layer is drowned out by the much brighter photosphere underneath it, UCAR said. Corona: There is one time when you can safely look directly at the sun: during totality in a total eclipse, when the sun's disk is entirely covered. During those few precious seconds or minutes, the magnificent corona the outer atmosphere that lies just above the chromosphere shines forth in all its glory like a halo around the darkened sun a marvelous fringe of pearly white light. "It appears as a beautiful white wisp that completely encircles the sun," Teets told Live Science. It differs in size, in tints and patterns from eclipse to eclipse. It is always faint and delicate, with a sheen like a pale aurora. Sometimes the corona appears as a soft continuous structure; at other times, long rays of it shoot out in three or four directions. The corona can also pop out from the disk in filmy petals and streamers. But when the sun begins to emerge into view again, the corona quickly disappears and you'll need to protect your eyes once again. Additional resources UCAR (opens in new tab) has a great compilation of sun and solar eclipse resources, along with some instructions for teaching activities. If you're interested in photographing an eclipse, this Nikon guide (opens in new tab) provides instructions for how to do that for different types of solar eclipses. An aerial view of the excavated tavern. Note the kitchen, which held the bread ovens and millstones, and the dining hall, which has a bench around three of its walls. One of France's earliest-known Roman taverns is still littered with drinking bowls and animal bones, even though more than 2,000 years have passed since it served patrons, a new archaeological study finds. An excavation uncovered dozens of other artifacts, including plates and bowls, three ovens, and the base of a millstone that was likely used for grinding flour, the researchers said. The finding is a valuable one, said study co-researcher Benjamin Luley, a visiting assistant professor of anthropology and classics at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. Before the Romans invaded the south of France, in 125 B.C., a culture speaking the Celtic language lived there and practiced its own customs. [See Photos of the Ancient Roman Tavern Discovered in France] These Celtic people lived in densely settled, fortified sites during the Iron Age (750 B.C. to 125 B.C.), trading with cultures near and far, the researchers said. But after the Roman invasion, the Celtic culture at this location changed socially and economically, Luley said. For instance, the new findings suggest that some people under the Romans stopped preparing their own meals and began eating at communal places, such as taverns. "Rome had a big impact on southern France," Luley told Live Science. "We don't see taverns before the Romans arrive." Tavern clues The newly excavated tavern is located at Lattara, an archaeological site that's been known to modern researchers since the early 1980s. But Luley and his colleague Gael Piques, a researcher at the French National Center for Scientific Research, were specifically looking for artifacts dating to the end of the Iron Age, when the Romans arrived, the archaeologists said. The layout of Lattara (modern Lattes) at the end of the second century. The tavern is located in Zone 75. (Image credit: Copyright 2016 Antiquity Publications Ltd. Reprinted with the permission of Cambridge University Press) The researchers were in luck: The site they uncovered dates to about 125 B.C. to 75 B.C., spanning the period following the Roman conquest, and was located at the intersection of two important streets, the scientists said. At first, the researchers weren't sure what to make of it. But a number of clues suggested the site was once a bustling tavern, one that likely served fish, flatbread, and choice cuts of cows and sheep, Luley said. The excavated area includes a courtyard and two large rooms; one was dedicated to cooking and making flour, and the other was likely reserved for serving patrons, the researchers said. There are three large bread ovens on one end of the kitchen, which indicates that "this isn't just for one family," but likely an establishment for serving many people, Luley said. On the other side of the kitchen, the researchers found a row of three stone piles, likely bases for a millstone that helped people grind flour, Luley said. "One side, they're making flour. On the other side, they're making flatbread," Luley said. "And they're also probably using the ovens for other things as well." For example, the archaeologists found lots of fish bones and scales that someone had cut off during food preparation, Luley added. [Photos: Mosaic Glass Dishes and Bronze Jugs from Roman England] The other room was likely a dining room, the researchers said. The archaeologists uncovered a large fireplace and a bench along three of the walls that would have accommodated Romans, who reclined when they ate, Luley said. Moreover, the researchers found different kinds of animal bones, such as wishbones and fish vertebra, which people simply threw on the floor. (At that time, people didn't have the same level of cleanliness as some do now, Luley noted.) The dining room also had "an overrepresentation of drinking bowls," used for serving wine more than would typically be seen in a regular house, he said. A millstone, likely buried as an offering to the gods, that the archaeologists found in the courtyard. (Image credit: Copyright 2016 Antiquity Publications Ltd. Reprinted with the permission of Cambridge University Press) Next to the two rooms was a courtyard filled with more animal bones and an offering: a buried stone millstone, a drinking bowl and a plate that likely held cuts of meat. "Based upon the evidence presented here, it appears that the courtyard complex functioned as a space for feeding large numbers of people, well beyond the needs of a single domestic unit or nuclear family," the researchers wrote in the study. "This is unusual, as large, 'public' communal spaces for preparing large amounts of food and eating together are essentially nonexistent in Iron Age Mediterranean France." Perhaps some of the people of Lattara needed places like the tavern to provide meals for them after the Romans arrived, Luley said. "If they might be, say, working in the fields, they might not be growing their own food themselves," he said. And though the researchers haven't found any coins at the tavern yet, "We think that this is a beginning of the monetary economy" at Lattera, Luley said. The study was published in the February issue of the journal Antiquity. Follow Laura Geggel on Twitter @LauraGeggel. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. The Bradley County School Board decided not to ask a group of local faith leaders and a theologian to help the staff draft a religious curriculum. However, the panel will hold a forum to get community input. Board members said their approach will be to teach religion as history and not to proselytize or require memorization of tenets of a particular religion. On the idea by board member Charlie Rose for the panel of local religious leaders, board member Nick Lillios said, "Any time government starts talking about religion I get nervous. Who decides who the local faith leaders will be?" Chairman Chris Turner remarked, "I promise not to stack the deck with Baptists. That make you feel any better?" Mr. Lillios, who said he is Episcopalian, said, "We cannot be inclusive of every brand of religion in our community. It would be a packed house." Mr. Rose said his aim was "to be fair to everyone with all (religions) treated the same." Chairman Turner said, "This is not about correcting a wrong. I don't think we are doing anything wrong right now." It was noted that several bills are before the General Assembly on the topic of teaching religion in the public schools. Board members were told that a new system for finding substitute teachers would save the district money as well as be much easier for teachers, principals and school offices. Software will be used allowing a list of willing subs to be called one at a time until one accepts. The principal only gets involved if no one on the list is available that day. The teacher will be able to have input on who is on the list, it was stated. The schools are spending about $40,000 per year now on finding subs. There will be a savings the first year of $11,884 and the second year of $18,000. The program keeps up with data on the subs that the central office formerly had to do. One way to find more willing subs is to pay them more than the current $60 per day, the board was told. The staff will be putting out requests for proposals on the school janitorial services. The board was told this has not been done for several years, and there are several firms anxious to make proposals. Those will be studied and brought back to the board. The board also heard from Russ Nelson of Energy Systems Group on a proposal for bringing energy savings throughout the schools by updating lighting with the latest ultra-efficient models and changing out heating and cooling equipment. He said the firm aims at improving the whole educational experience, including improving lighting, ceilings, acoustics and other items. The board was told that ESG is working with the Anderson County Schools on a improvement program of just under $10 million. He said utility savings should add to $12 million. The schools will have a pay-back on the expenditure in 8.4 years, he said. There seems to be a considerable amount of confusion why the Chamber of Commerce most definitely needs to be involved with the Hamilton County Department of Education. A poll on Chattanoogan.com, for example, overwhelmingly believes the Chamber ought to stay in its own lane, in one way of speaking, and that is far from what is really true. We all need to worry about education, but the Chamber has a vested interest. But last year one of our newcomers needed 200 employees and believe it or not -- it took five separate job fairs to find enough suitable workers. That is utterly deplorable and unacceptable to everybody in the game. But it is a fact our system is failing. The Chattanooga 2.0 initiative was born because the Chamber of Commerce is tremendously concerned our students are not ready for the job market. Sadly, It is easy to prove. Commerce means business and the Chamber has done a magnificent job of bringing new businesses to our city.But last year one of our newcomers needed 200 employees and believe it or not -- it took five separate job fairs to find enough suitable workers. That is utterly deplorable and unacceptable to everybody in the game. But it is a fact our system is failing. If a company like Volkswagen cant find employees, its officials are going to the Chamber who asked the German automaker to come here -- and demand Bill Kilbride and his people help meet a chronic need. This is why the Chattanooga 2.0 initiative was developed. It is no snake-oil program, not at all. What it says, if people will take the time to read it, is that 15,000 jobs in Hamilton County cannot presently be filled because our local applicants lack three things: training, basic education skills, and the proper development to work in a technical setting. Please, this is no rumor it is a fact. Never, not one time, has the Chamber of Commerce ever usurped the authority of the Hamilton County Board of Education. When School Board Chairman Jonathan Welch asked Kilbride if he knew of anyone who might be an interim candidate, the Chamber was already well-acquainted with retired Marine Col. Shaun Sadler and bingo! it seemed like a superb match. I know I was really excited about Shaun because he would have sought quick solutions to pressing problems. I think the school board would have been very impressed with Sadler and made him the interim until a permanent head of schools could be appointed this fall. But on Monday night, when nothing happened at a special meeting, something did indeed happen, didnt it? Hopes for better days were roundly bashed. Lets be real candid. The Hamilton County Department of Education is not producing the caliber of high school graduates that are ready to fulfill a job that pays $30,000 a year. Who worries about that? The school board thats a laugher. But that puts the Chamber of Commerce in a very uncomfortable place. The Chamber is being forced to seek solutions in our education model. So lets be real transparent -- It is because it has made promises in human resources to companies moving into our area that cant be met. We need to get behind 2.0 and make it happen or bottom line our kids cant get readily-available jobs. Thats why Monday nights dismal meeting by the school board now has those who have worked and nurtured the 2.0 project deeply worried. Can you fault their anxiety? Everybody expected a bold step towards a better Department of Education on Monday , but, instead, saw what appears to be a dismal prognosis. Rick Smith, after test scores have dropped in each of the last three years, has clearly lost the peoples confidence and trust. I can assure you Mondays school board meeting was an abomination in the eyes of the citizens of Hamilton County. If Rick Smith dares to stay, you can expect a political push me pull you at every school board meeting until he is run out of town. He knows what a wreck has been wrought under his (lack of) leadership. He also knows nothing will get better until a new team can clean up the mess that the school board itself has created. I have been at every school board meeting, now going into my third month, and I havent heard one voice that worries 60 percent of our third graders cannot read at grade level. Nobody has remarked that when this happens 60 percent of our children never catch up. Instead, they keep the guy who is most responsible with his collection of good ole boy yes men. Our kids are imperiled by such a vile set of circumstances. I have constantly written I am no expert, but any dolt can see a lack of supervision by the school board, this with accountability just a word in the dictionary, has produced tragic results. And, like our ill-equipped third graders, I see no effort for us to ever catch up. This isnt dreamy rhetoric this is cold, hard fact. We had three, or was it four, shooting threats last week. Half of Ooltewah High stayed home on Monday out of fear and then the copy cats began. They didnt mention that at the school board on Monday night when Rick Smiths future was in balance, nor was our horrible hazing, student deportment or the upcoming rape trial mentioned. Look at what is actually happening all around us and, instead of calling on Smith to answer as many as one question, the school board goes Nero on us, fiddling as Rome burns. * * * As you might expect, I was flooded with angry emails yesterday and just so youll get the publics response, allow me to share one I have been following the school board fiasco for several years and it never seems to keep me from scratching my head. Names change, but the more the names change the more things stay the same. I watched the board meeting last night and I continued to scratch my head after what transpired. I thought about it for about 15 minutes and it hit me what just occurred was BRILLIANT on the board members part to cover their butts with their constituents. They voted not to buy out Smith's contract, but when a motion was made to terminate there was no second. I could not at first figure why there was no second until I realized there would then have to be a vote, if seconded. At that point, the members would go on record if they voted to terminate or not to terminate. They did not want to go on record to do the job they were hired to do. Another motion was made to re-enter negotiations. Again, no second or vote and they dodged the bullet again. Nothing changed and I listened to several board members singing Smiths praises and how they were going to make him be more accountable and better communicate with the board and the public. I am not the sharpest crayon in the box, but I have been involved with many boards (and still do). I learned many years ago that the outcome of the meeting is pre-determined from communicating with members on how they will vote on issues. I understand the school board is supposed to comply with Sunshine Law guidelines, but I think any two can still meet together and still be in compliance. In any case, I do not think for one minute the board meeting was a surprise as presented by the members to the public. I do not intend to question any members intelligence, but they had to know what was going on, and been advised on what to do, or someone would have made a second on the motion. Then vote it up or down. What a shame. What a sham. I probably would have voted for the buyout instead of risking additional taxpayers money. Whatever the outcome, I would have it at least put to a vote. The joke continues. The presidential campaigns have nothing more entertaining over our local politics. * * * Captain Joey Smith and Firefighter Tyler Toon rescued Willie Hayden from a house fire on Nov. 14, 2015. They received the Firefighter of the Year award for their efforts. Mr. Hayden recently visited his rescuers at Station 5 on Willow Street to thank them personally. His fiance, Abby Hubbard, also sent the fire department a letter, offering an account of what happened inside the house on Nov. 14. Heres her letter: The night the fire broke out, Nina, our pit bull -- our baby that always sleeps with us -- attempted to wake Willie up and he dismissed her. She then went into Jamaris bedroom. Jamari is our seven year old nephew. Nina jumped on him and woke him up. Jamari realized the house was filled with smoke and woke his uncle up. The front of the house was engulfed in flames, so Willie did all he could to alert Corey, his brother, and wake him up as he sleeps in the front of the house. "Once everyone was awake, they went to the back of the house to exit out of Willie's window. Corey and Jamari were able to get out and Willie turned around to get Nina to safety, and then he collapsed. At that point he had taken in too much smoke. That's where you guys came in and rescued him. "Willie was flown to the burn unit at WellStar Cobb Hospital in Austell, Georgia. I was at work and remember getting the call from his parents in Texas. We all rushed to be there with him and it was the longest drive of my life as none of us really knew what condition he was in how badly he was burned. Once I arrived a nurse greeted me and helped me put on the sterile suits we all had to wear to go in the room with him. She told us Willie had been burned over 21% of his body, all upper body. He was on a ventilator as he had suffered the "worst inhalation injury they had ever seen." "They told us it would be a minimum of 14 days before they even attempted to wake him up, and there was a great probability that he would require round the clock long-term care and rehab. The staff at the burn unit is the best we had ever met. They truly treated us like family and there was this most amazing chaplain. They prayed with us, comforted us, really have us hope, while still giving us the facts. Sadly the second night Willie was on life support his mother died of a heart attack. How terrible, now when he wakes up we had to tell him his beloved dog who he tried to save -- died, but now his mother, his Momma, had passed away as well. "On day five they took him off sedation. His stepmother and I were in the room. I remember just watching, praying, hoping and wishing. After a few long moments, he began to breathe on his own. It was a rattled wheezy, awful sound, yet at the same time the most beautiful sound we'd ever heard. The first moments were iffy. Of course, he was very disoriented, and we feared the worst. Was he blind, brain damaged? It was too soon to tell. Several hours later he just miraculously turned a corner. He recognized us, attempted to talk to us, and even ate ice cream. He appeared for the most part fine, although it took him a day or two to really grasp what had happened. He was burned terribly from his fingers all the way to his shoulders, so he had no use of his hands. His head was badly burned, but he dealt with it all very gracefully. "The day of his mother's service he went home, he insisted upon it! We had to go back to Georgia several times for surgeries, to change his bandages, etc. But within a month he was using his hands, and being pretty much self-sufficient. "The moral of the story is he could have and should have died that night, but thanks to you guys he didn't. He could have remained in the hospital for months, but he didn't. He could have been blind and brain damaged, but he wasn't. I saw real miracles take place in that hospital and my faith has forever been renewed. We will forever appreciate and respect you all for the work that you do. I've been in that house. I know how hard it must have been to get him out, but you did, not knowing him, just because it's what you chose to do! We are forever thankful for you all; you are Willie's guardian angels, as well as the doctors and nurses at WellStar Cobb. We remember you all in our prayers each day and we always will!! Thank you. When Mr. Hayden visited his rescuers at Station 5, he didnt tell anyone because he just wanted to meet the firefighters who saved him, without having a big audience. Claims have emerged this week that Tesco are refusing union representatives the opportunity to attend weekday meetings as the row over pay continues, writes Liam Cosgrove. It comes as negotiations before the Labour Court continue this week. Tesco wants to get rid of a contract agreed 20 years ago that it claims is "inflexible". The company has asked staff to sign a new contract, negotiated in 2006, which would mean lower pay of 11.97 an hour, later working hours and rostering on Sundays. It would also result in loss of earnings of between 85 and 90 per week. A staff member at its Longford store claimed representatives from its trade union, Mandate, now have to conduct meetings at weekends due to a ruling imposed by the company. It's outrageous what is going on, said the staff member. Members of the Union have to meet on Sundays because Tesco aren't letting them off during the week to attend meetings. As the ongoing row continued before the Labour Court this week, Tesco said it cannot afford to pay staff its 2015 bonus due to a year on year fall in sales. And, in a statement, released to the Leader yesterday morning (Tuesday) a company spokesperson said: Tesco is currently considering the recent Labour Court recommendation on pay and bonus. The company declined to comment on the claim that Union reps are not being permitted to attend meetings during the week. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Leitrim councillor Des Guckian, who ran as an Independent in the Sligo-Leitrim constituency, said that this week that while disappointed he did not secure a seat, he was very proud of his achievements. Big parties, with their big monies, won the day, he said. I congratulate the successful candidates, but I cannot see any real change. There is no vision to guide us. Mr Guckian, a former teacher at St Mels College, achieved 1,060 votes in the election and was eliminated on the fourth count. There is need for an open and honest national debate and a proper National Government (as Britain had during WW2) lasting two years. New openness and transparency must replace cover-ups, spin and muddying the waters. As many people told me while canvassing You cannot trust any party anymore, he said. The problems in Employment, Agriculture, Health, Education, Emigration of our youth etc must be prioritised. There is a big need to create a Special Western Development Region so that rural areas and the Western economy is revolutionised. Really fast broadband must be available everywhere. Would the founders of this nation, of 100 years ago, be proud of our present-day politicians? I cannot imagine that they would. Cllr Guckian concluded by thanking his wife, family and supporters. Four TDs were elected in Sligo-Leitrim (a new constituency that incorporates parts of Donegal and Cavan): Mark MacSharry (FF), Martin Kenny (SF), Tony McLoughlin, (FG) and Eamon Scanlon (FF). School & Education, Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Health & Wellness, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: March 09 2016 Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano today announced that a Schools in the Know Overdose Prevention Workshop. Nassau County, NY - March 9th, 2016 - Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano today announced that a Schools in the Know Overdose Prevention Workshop for school nurses and school district administrators will take place on Friday, March 11th. The program will feature speakers sharing their personal experience with addiction, professionals speaking about early prevention techniques and current drug use trends among school-aged individuals, and an opiate overdose reversal training and distribution of Narcan kits. County Executive Mangano stated, The rise in substance use among our youth and the increasing number of unintentional overdoses, here and nationwide, demonstrates the need for communities to work together to solve substance abuse problems. The education and awareness of the epidemic needs to start in grade school and I thank all school nurses and administrators for their participation in this workshop. The workshop, presented by the Education & Prevention Subcommittee of the Nassau County Heroin Prevention Task Force (HPTF) will be held Friday, March 11th, from 8:30am-12:30pm (registration at 8am), at Molloy College, located at 7180 Republic Airport in Farmingdale. The $10 per person fee includes a continental breakfast and continuing education credits for CASACs and social workers, provided by the Nassau County Department of Human Services. Online registration has closed, but walk-ins are welcome. A letter on school district stationary is needed to pick up shared kits for school buildings. The State Education Department ruled in August 2015 that school nurses, who are medically trained, can participate and administer Narcan without liability. School districts also have the ability to maintain shared Narcan kits in each school building. Narcan has been used by paramedics and emergency room doctors for decades, to save lives. Yet a 2006 State law allows citizens to administer Narcan in an attempt to save a life, without fear of liability. Nassau County has already provided Narcan training for nearly 6,000 people since 2012. At least two dozen trainees have used that knowledge - and the Narcan kit they were given - to revive someone overdosing on heroin or painkillers, and save their lives. Narcan is administered through a nasal spray, and is provided at no charge to trainees over the age of 18. More than 181 Nassau residents died from heroin and prescription painkillers in 2015. For more information on the workshop, or to receive continuing education credits for CASACs or social workers at the end of the workshop, please contact Eden Laikin at (516) 571-6105 or elaikin@nassaucountyny.gov. Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com Columnists Press Releases The Tennessee Department of Transportation is announcing a data sharing partnership with Waze (http://www.waze.com), the free navigation applocation powered by the worlds largest community of drivers. Designed as a free, two-way data share of publicly available traffic information, TDOT officials said the Connected Citizens Program promotes greater efficiency, more real time information, and safer roads for Tennessee drivers along with more than 55 other partners around the world. TDOT is always looking for ways we can provide motorists with information that can make their commutes safer and faster, TDOT Commissioner John Schroer said. By partnering with Waze, were doing just that. Weve taken our SmartWay website that provides information for motorists on highway incidents, construction activities and traffic information and elevated its accuracy by allowing Waze users to report issues and concerns they see each day during their commutes. Its a perfect partnership."The Waze Connected Citizen Program provides an unprecedented look at real time road activity, giving motorists the ability to change their routes, adjust their commute times, and avoid unnecessary delays," officials said.Were excited to be partnering with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, said Paige Fitzgerald, Connected Citizens Program manager at Waze. Waze is only as strong as the information it receives from its users. The immense data TDOT can contribute on statewide road conditions, closures and traffic within the Waze app makes them a valued partner moving forward.You can access Waze traffic information on TDOT SmartWay, www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffi c, by going to the feature menu and clicking on the Waze icon. TDOT Smartway insights are also now available within the Waze app on IOS and Android.In addition to the Waze data feature, TDOT is unveiling other upgrades to the SmartWay web application. Traffic incidents now appear by default. Red badges will indicate any lane blockages or full closures. Several weather icons have also been added to describe snow, hazardous weather, flooding or ponding, and storm damage. Users can click on the more information icon in the bottom right of the screen for full details on the new SmartWay features. Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander said Wednesday that if the committee succeeds on its bipartisan biomedical innovation agenda, it will be the most important bill signed into law this year.I do not know of another way this year to get support for the presidents Precision Medicine Initiative and cancer moonshot and a short-term surge of funding for the National Institutes of Health unless we act on this bill, Senator Alexander said. This is the train most likely to get to the station and if we dont succeed, well lose those opportunities.The committee on Wednesday, at its second of three markups, passed seven bipartisan bills that supporters say will spur the development of treatments for Zika, children suffering from rare diseases, medical countermeasures for bioterror victims, the promising new field of combination products, and devices that help Americans stay healthy, such as Fitbits or Apple watches.That follows a markup last month, in which the committee unanimously supported another seven bipartisan bills that will mean better pacemakers for Americans with heart conditions, better rehabilitation for stroke victims, more young researchers entering the medical field, and better access for doctors to their patients medical records.The committee has worked on a bipartisan basis for more than a year to develop pieces of legislation that will together form legislation authorizing the presidents Precision Medicine and cancer moonshot initiatives and serve as a companion to the House-passed 21st Century Cures legislation.Senator Alexander said that the committee will continue to work in a bipartisan manner to reach agreement on a short-term surge of mandatory funding to boost high-priority research projects at the National Institutes of Health. Because of our budget deficit, we need to fund that new surge in mandatory funding by reducing existing mandatory funding. We can discuss these ideas in committee, but everything weve done in committee has had bipartisan support and we do not have a bipartisan consensus on how to do this.Senator Alexander said the committee would work toward an agreement they can offer when the bill comes to the floor.The chairmans opening remarks follow:Last week I went to the White House last week for a seminar about the presidents Precision Medicine Initiative, which involves mapping the genomes of 1 million volunteers and making the data available to researchers so they can develop treatments and cures tailored to a patients genome, rather than one-size-fits-all treatments.While I was there, the president asked me where we are on in the Senate innovation agenda, this legislation. Thats because I talked to him about that a year ago and said to him then that I would do my best to fully support what he needed on the Precision Medicine initiative and I told him last week the same thing about the vice presidents cancer moonshot initiative.Heres what I mean by our innovation agenda:One way to talk about it is to say that it is a companion to the effort by the House of Representatives, called 21st Century Cures, which they passed last year. Were in the middle of considering as many as 50 bipartisan proposals that weve been working on for more than a year. Our goal is to try to help Americas patients get access to safe drugs, devices, cures, and treatments more rapidly, as well as being safe and effective, which is the mission of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).We have held 10 bipartisan hearings on the innovation project, six of them have been on improving how our electronic health records systems work. There has been a lot of participation on both sides of the aisle on that. Weve had 5 bipartisan staff working groups working for about a year who have held more than 100 meetings and briefings.Last month, at our markup on the first set of proposals from all this work, we considered 7 bipartisan bills containing about 15 bipartisan proposals and each one passed with unanimous support. These bills will mean better pacemakers for Americans with heart conditions, better rehabilitation for stroke victims, more young researchers entering the medical field, and better access for doctors to their patients medical records.And if you are the parent of a child suffering from a rare disease like Cystic Fibrosis, the bill from senators Bennet, Warren, Burr, and Hatch increases the chances that researchers will find a treatment or cure for your childs disease.That was the work of the committee last month.Today we will consider seven more bills incorporating about 15 of the bipartisan proposals that we have worked on.Senators Casey, Isakson, Brown, and Kirk have a bill to encourage companies to create drugs to treat or cure rare diseases in children.A bill from Senators Burr, Bennet, Hatch and Donnelly to get breakthrough devices through the FDA review process more quicklya lot like the bill Senators Burr and Bennet introduced for drugs in 2012.A bill from Senators Bennet and Hatch will make sure that uncertainty regarding the definition of medical devices, which dates all the way back to 1976, does not deter companies from innovations such as Fitbits or watches that help them keep up with their health.A bill from Senators Burr, Casey, Isakson, and Roberts will help spur the development of treatments to save the lives of victims of bioterror.Senators Isakson, Casey, Donnelly, and Roberts have a bill to prevent the promising new field of combination products from getting caught in red tape at FDA. A great many senators have been interested in that.A bill from Senators Wicker, Klobuchar, Bennet, Collins, and Franken to help patients have more of a say in the FDA approval process about treatments received in a clinical trial.Senators Franken, Nelson, Isakson, and Brown have a bill to encourage companies to develop a treatment, cure, or vaccine for the Zika virus, a priority for this committee.So I think you can see that these bills are bipartisan and important. The 15 of 22 committee members who cosponsored bills at this markup or the last one believe they are important to the American people.In our three markups, well consider 50 proposals and every single one of them has bipartisan support, which means they are introduced from senators on both sides of the aisle on this committee. There will be two or three areas where we have a difference of opinion. That is not surprising in the United States Senate. Thats what we are here to do reallyresolve differences in opinionand so well vote on those either in committee or on the floor. Thats a remarkable amount of consensus for a diverse group of senators on a big complicated issue.One of those differences still remaining has to do with mandatory funding for research at the National Institutes of Health. Or I would prefer to call it a surge of additional funding for research at the NIH.The best way to support NIH is by steady increases in appropriations. Thats what Congress did last year, $2 billion more dollars with thanks to Senators Blunt, Murray, and others for taking the lead on that.Unfortunately the presidents budget reduced that by $1 billion. In other words it went backwards. And then they replaced it with mandatory funding of $1.8 billion for one year.Now, there are some problems with that proposal.One is that its not realistic; the presidents budget has $682 billion in increases of mandatory funding. In other words, things they couldnt find room for in the discretionary funding, they just made mandatory funding proposals that will be paid for by higher taxes. I think everyone knows Congress is not going to approve that.A more responsible proposal would have been to reduce mandatory funding by $682 billion dollars because mandatory funding is squeezing out discretionary spending that we depend on every year for the National Institutes of Health or FDA. An alarming figure is that over the next 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office, if we do nothing about it, the discretionary budget is going from 32 percent of the entire budget to 22 percent of entire budget.This year, for the first time, the Congressional Budget Office projects that federal spending for the major health care programs (Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, Obamacare) will represent the largest fractionmore than 60 percentof the projected growth in mandatory spending in 2016. Even more than the growth in Social Security.My own view is that mandatory funding should not be a substitute for discretionary funding. As Senator Blunt pointed out at the appropriations hearing last week on the budget for the Department of Health and Human Services, mandatory funding was used to replace the traditional discretionary spending for community health centers and National Health Service Corps. Then the discretionary funding started to dry up.Now we have different approaches to this, Democratic members of the committee have proposed spending $50 billion over the next 10 years. I suspect we will hear about that today.I have suggested a different approach, what I would call an innovation projects fund that would create a surge in funding for high priority initiatives at NIH. These would include: Precision Medicine, the Cancer Moonshot; the BRAIN initiative, Big Biothink Awards, and a Young Investigator Corps.But these would be in addition to discretionary fundsnot a replacement for themthese projects would have a beginning and an end.It might even help us bring up our discretionary funding more rapidly.Because of our budget deficit, we need to fund that new surge in mandatory funding by reducing existing mandatory funding.We can discuss these different ideas in committee, but everything weve done in committee has had bipartisan support and we do not have a bipartisan consensus on how to move ahead on mandatory funding.Now the House did move ahead on mandatory funding but the House Energy and Commerce Committee had within its jurisdiction enough pay-fors to pay for the $9 billion they approvedwe do not. The Finance Committee in the Senate has much of the jurisdiction that the House Energy and Commerce has.Second, all of the pay-fors that the House identified for its mandatory funding were stolen in the Omnibus legislation. So they have zero ways to pay for it so far.So we will work hard together to find a way to have a surge in mandatory funding for the National Institutes of Health. But I am willing to do that.We developed some trust and confidence working on the education bill by working together and reserving some especially difficult issues for floor, and I hope we can have that same attitude here today.So here is my pledge: I pledge is to work with Senator Murray and other members of the committee to try to achieve a bipartisan consensus that will arrive on the floor at the same time as this innovation package does. I know the innovation package is not likely to get 60 votes unless we have some sort of bipartisan way to have a surge in funding, mandatory funding, for NIH. By bipartisan, I dont mean unanimous, but I mean sufficiently bipartisan to make sure that we can achieve 60 votes and have a consensus in the Senate.Last year the law everybody wanted fixed was called No Child Left Behind and we did it despite many different political opinions and attitudes. I give Senator Murray and the Democratic members of this committee as well as the republican members much credit for the way they conducted themselves in this. I said at the time that if all we wanted to do was announce our differences than we could preach on the street corner or get a radio program. But we are United States Senators and our job is to get a result.So we worked together, held some amendments to the floor. And achieved what the president called a Christmas miracle, and it affected lots of people, 50 million children in 100,000 schools.It was the most important bill passed by the Congress last year I believe.This year, the most important opportunity that everybody wants to take advantage of is this remarkable scientific opportunity in biomedical research. It offers the promise of help for virtually every American. And I believe if we would succeed, it will be the most important piece of legislation signed into law this year.The president is very interested. He has been working with all of us on his Precision Medicine initiative.We have already approved support for electronic medical records, which are essential for the Precision Medicine. It wont work unless we improve electronic health records.We have in our legislation fixes on privacy, flexibility for partnerships like Google and Vanderbilt University on sharing data.The House has moved ahead on its 21st Century Cures. So we have the House and the president on the same track which doesnt always happen. So its up to us to catch up and join the effort.So weve reached the point after working for a year, and I would respectfully ask the members of the committee to please keep in mind the word: result. Virtually every American could be helped by what were doing.The president and the house are pretty well lined up. Were on a very good track, we need to come to an agreement.And I would close with this: I do not know of another way this year to get support for the presidents Precision Medicine Initiative or support for the cancer moonshot or a surge for mandatory funding for the National Institutes of Health, unless we act on his bill. All those things that I mentioned have to be authorized. And were the train thats most likely to get to the station. And if we dont succeed, we will lose those opportunities. I dont think any of us want to do that and I look forward to our coming to an agreement. The Dalton Police Department will be giving social media users a chance to virtually climb into a patrol car on Thursday night as the agency hosts its first Tweet-along on Twitter. The department will be using its Twitter account to live-tweet a ridealong with a patrol unit as an officer performs routine patrol in the city. The idea is to give the departments social media followers a look at what a day in the life of a police officer is like. Tweets from Thursday nights Twitter ridealong will begin at approximately 4:00 pm and are expected to continue through approximately midnight. That time frame will include officers on both 2nd and 3rd shift patrol. Tweets will be posted on the Dalton Police Departments Twitter account (@DaltonPD). Thursday nights Tweet-along is the first of four that are planned this year. The others will take place later in the year on dates to be announced. Map detailing Taliban-controlled or contested districts. Click colored district for information. Map created by Bill Roggio, Caleb Weiss, and Patrick Megahan. In addition to withdrawing from districts in Helmand province in mid-February, the Afghan Army has begun to leave areas in Uruzgan. On March 1, troops abandoned areas of the district of Shahidi Hassas in the neighboring Uruzgan province. A provincial spokesman indicated that troops will likely leave other districts in order to create a a reserve battalion. From Reuters: Provincial government spokesman Dost Mohammad Nayab said about 100 troops and police had been pulled from checkpoints in two areas in Shahidi Hassas district and sent to the neighbouring district of Deh Rawud. The Afghan Taliban, seeking to topple the Western-backed government in Kabul and reimpose Islamic rule 15 years after they were ousted from power, said the move, which came after heavy fighting late Monday, had left the area around the village of Yakhdan under their control. The decision to leave the posts follows months of heavy fighting with the Taliban, who have put government forces under heavy pressure across southern Afghanistan. We want to create a reserve battalion in Deh Rawud, and we may ask our soldiers and policemen from other districts also to leave their checkpoints, Nayab said. Nayab said the withdrawal was prompted by a shortage of troops and police, worn down by combat losses and desertions. He said troop numbers in the province were about 1,000 short of their assigned strength while police were hundreds short. Some of them have left the army and police, some have been killed or wounded and some have surrendered to the Taliban, he said. We have to control situation here until we receive enough forces. On Feb. 29, the Taliban claimed it completely liberated the Khar Khordi area of Shahidi Hassas. The Long War Journal estimates that four of Uruzgans six districts are heavily contested by the Taliban. Government officials have not yet stated that the entirety of Shahidi Hassas is under Taliban control, and the Taliban have not claimed that it fully controls the district. Over the past year, the Taliban have seized control of, or contested, a number of districts in a belt that spans southwestern Herat, eastern Farah, northern and central Helmand, Uruzgan, and northwestern Kandahar (see map above). While many of these districts are in remote areas, the Taliban have historically used these safe havens to organize operations against neighboring districts and provincial capitals in southern and central Afghanistan. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. The number of former Guantanamo detainees confirmed or suspected of rejoining the jihad has grown to 204, according to a summary released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) yesterday. Nearly two-thirds of the jihadists, 128 in total, are at-large. The remaining 76 ex-detainees have been killed, died of natural causes, or were re-captured. The overwhelming majority of the ex-detainees on the ODNIs recidivist list, 185 out of 204 (91 percent), were transferred or released during the Bush administration. An additional 19 recidivists (7 confirmed, 12 suspected) were freed from Guantanamo during President Obamas tenure. The US governments list of one-time Guantanamo detainees who have rejoined the fight has grown significantly since 2008, when the first statistics were made public. In June 2008, the Department of Defense reported that 37 former detainees were confirmed or suspected of returning to the fight. On Jan. 13, 2009, a Pentagon spokesman said that number had climbed to 61. In April 2009, the Pentagon told the press that same metric had risen further to 74. The estimated number of recidivists more than doubled between April 2009 and October 2010, when the ODNI released an updated analysis saying that 150 former detainees were on the list. Since then, the ODNIs assessment has steadily climbed, leading to the latest figure of 204 former detainees confirmed or suspected of rejoining jihadist networks. The ODNI tracks former Guantanamo detainees who are involved in both terrorist and insurgent activities, including those thought to be planning terrorist operations, conducting a terrorist or insurgent attack against Coalition or host-nation forces or civilians, conducting a suicide bombing, financing terrorist operations, recruiting others for terrorist operations, and arranging for movement of individuals involved in terrorist operations. The US intelligence communitys assessment does not include those jihadists who have communicated with other former detainees or past terrorist associates about non-nefarious activities. The production of anti-American propaganda is not enough to be considered a recidivist either, according to the ODNI. In order to be considered a confirmed recidivist, a preponderance of information must identify a specific former GTMO detainee as directly involved in terrorist or insurgent activities. The suspected category requires [p]lausible but unverified or single-source reporting that identifies a specific former GTMO detainee as being directly involved in terrorist or insurgent activities. The current estimate includes 118 confirmed and 86 suspected recidivists, for a total of 204. To date, 676 Guantanamo detainees have been transferred. Therefore, the reengagement rate is approximately 30 percent. However, US intelligence officials have told The Long War Journal that this rate can be misleading. US intelligence does not track all of the jihadists who were once held at Guantanamo, so even more former detainees could have rejoined terrorist or insurgent groups without the ODNIs knowledge. There is also a lag time in the ODNIs reporting. A February 2010 review of GTMO detainees release dates compared to first reporting of confirmed or suspected reengagement shows about 2.5 years between leaving GTMO and the first identified reengagement reports, the ODNI previously reported. Former Guantanamo detainees have served jihadist groups in a variety of capacities, ranging from suicide bombers to leadership positions. Both the Taliban and al Qaeda have filled senior roles with alumni from the detention facility in Cuba. Ibrahim al Qosi, who was held at Guantanamo from 2002 to 2014, reemerged as one of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsulas (AQAP) most prominent figures late last year. Qosi received a favorable plea deal from prosecutors in the military commission system in 2010. Two years later, he was sent to his native country of Sudan. Since December 2015, AQAP has released several messages featuring Qosi. Another Guantanamo alumnus, Hamed Abderrahaman Ahmed, was arrested by Spanish authorities in February and charged with running a recruiting network for the Islamic State. Ahmed was held in Cuba from February 2002 to February 2004, when he was transferred to Spain. He was allegedly operating a jihadist network in the city of Ceuta, which borders Morocco on the North African coast, at the time of his arrest. Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Omar al Shishani [center, with red beard] is seen with Abu Muhammad al Amriki (the American) [far right with index finger raised]. The US military said it targeted and may have killed a senior military commander in an airstrike on March 4 in northern Syria. The commander, Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, who is better known as Omar al Shishani (the Chechen), played an important role in the Islamic States military operations, and was listed by the US as a specially designated global terrorist in 2014. Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook issued a statement today announcing the airstrike, which took place in the Syrian city of Shaddadi. According to Cook, Shishani had been sent to al Shaddadi to bolster ISIL [Islamic State] fighters following a series of strategic defeats by local forces we [the US-led Coalition] are supporting, cutting off ISIL operations near the Syria-Iraq border. The US military could not confirm that Shishani was killed and is still assessing the results of this operation, Cook said. The Islamic State has not released a statement announcing his death. Shishani held numerous top military positions for the Islamic State, including minister of war, and Shura Council member. The Islamic State has never publicly identified Shishani as its war minister, and it is likely he did not hold that position. Shishani has led an elite mobile combat unit that is positioned on key battlefronts to shore up Islamic State military operations. Many of the fighters in Shishanis unit are from the Caucasus and other foreign countries. Cook said that if Shishani has indeed been killed, his death would impact ISILs ability to recruit foreign fighters especially those from Chechnya and the Caucasus regions and degrade ISILs ability to coordinate attacks and defense of its strongholds like Raqqah, Syria, and Mosul, Iraq. However, the Islamic State, like al Qaeda, has weathered the loss of key leaders and both groups continue to conduct effective military operations throughout the globe. For instance, the US killed Nasir al Wuhayshi, the emir of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula who also served as al Qaedas general manager, in the summer of 2015. Yet AQAP has taken over a large region in southern Yemen since Wuhayshis death. The US added Shishani to its list of global terrorists in September 2014, after the Islamic State routed the Iraqi Army in northern and central Iraq over the summer. Shishani entered Syria in 2012 and led the Jaish al Muhajireen wal Ansar, or the Army of the Emigrants and Helpers, which has a large cadre of fighters from the Russian Caucasus. Jaish al Muhajireen wal Ansar is closely allied with the Al Nusrah Front, al Qaedas official branch in Syria, and other Syrian jihadist groups. He pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, the emir of the Islamic State, in 2013. This caused a split within Jaish al Muhajireen wal Ansar. Most of the group opted not to fight for the Islamic State, and remained an independent fighting force under the command of Salahuddin al Shishani. Al Shishanis pledge to al Baghdadi was controversial, as he had previously given bayat to Doku Umarov, who at the time was the emir of the Islamic Caucasus Emirate. If Shishani is confirmed killed, he would likely be replaced by his deputy, Islam Seit-Umarovich Atabiyev, who is also listed at a global terrorist. Atabiyev is said to be a capable military commander who has been influential in recruiting foreigners to join the Islamic State. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Luton is a large town, borough and unitary authority area of Bedfordshire. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 258,000. Luton is home to Championship team Luton Town Football Club, London Luton Airport and The University of Bedfordshire. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter. For all the latest news from Luton sign up to our newsletter here. From an excellent column by J.W. Verret: The government policy of promoting long-term profits is bad economics, and even worse, it is engineered to favor incumbent firms and stifle innovation. When the government gets to decide the proper term of your investments, it constitutes the same form of cronyism as when campaign donors are directly given sacks of cash by the government officials they donated to when they were candidates. A guiding principle in our economy is Joseph Schumpeters theory of creative destruction. Just as some forests need to burn in order to clear away brush and make way for more robust growth, economic innovation also requires that old and outdated companies be broken up for new replacements to take root. Recently, Americans have received an education in this principle by watching Ubers challenge to the taxi cab incumbents. The American capitalist economic system is at its best when guided by the principle that no firm is too big or special to fail. While corporate executives may feel such a jungle atmosphere is harsh and unforgiving, dont forget that customers who buy products and investors of capital are at the top of the food chain in this jungle. Wall Street banks and corporate executives are the prey! Protecting failing companies and subsidizing politically powerful incumbent firms, under the false guise of promoting long-term value, is simply un-American. A couple of other points: -Short-term trading adds market liquidity, which reduces bid/offer spreads. Because of short-term trading, long-term investors pay less to buy and receive more when they sell. -Liquidity buffers volatility. Wild market swings happen when liquidity dries up. Any trading restriction that reduces market liquidity will increase market volatility. This stuff is basic. Its a shame that many people never learn it and are credulous about fairy tales involving evil speculators and high-speed traders in dark alleys. When someone in a position of authority tells you that a particular type of free exchange is bad, its usually safe to assume that he has a stake in some crony enterprise that benefits by restricting your choices. (Via Instapundit.) The Lotte New York Palace Offers Princess Package Upon checking into the hotel's luxurious accommodations, a royal wardrobe fit for a princess will be awaiting in-room. This includes her very own pink princess costume (all sizing info is acquired during the booking process) as well as a Palace bathrobe and slippers. Other themed amenities include a royal manicure and pedicure in the hotel's spa and a yummy princess cookie plate at turndown which comes complete with milk, juice and of course, a crown.This Palace Princess Package is available for booking in all room levels of the hotel, from the Main House through The Towers which occupies the hotel's top 14 floors (often referred to as a hotel within a hotel' for its exceptional accommodations and service). The starting rate is $260 for a Superior Room.Those interested in booking the package can do so ator by calling 1-800- 697-2522.Lotte New York Palace, a luxury midtown hotel on the corner of 50th & Madison, was acquired by Lotte Hotels & Resorts on August 28, 2015. Previously, the property completed a $140 million redesign in the fall of 2013. The renovation transformed the property's premier rooms and suites in The Towers, a hotel-within-a-hotel. Additional upgrades included new lobbies, specialty suites and restaurants and bars including Trouble's Trust, The Lobby Lounge, Tavern on 51, Rarities and Pomme Palais. In addition to 30,000 square feet of updated event space, The Palace is home to private spaces located in the historic Villard Mansion that feature 19th century interiors and are ideal for lavish weddings, events and dinners. With 909 rooms and suites, The Palace is known for unparalleled splendor, spectacular views, spacious rooms and exquisite service. Located across the street from St. Patrick's Cathedral and only steps from Rockefeller Center -- the hotel's world-renowned courtyard incorporates motifs from several 15th-century Italian cathedrals and has served as the entranceway to the historic Villard Mansion since 1882. Lotte New York Palace gracefully blends the landmark Villard Mansion with a contemporary 55-story tower. Visit Santa Barbara Relaunches Website, SantaBarbaraCA.com The website recreates the sophisticated, approachable and authentic feel of the South Coast, an area in Southern California that brings together four unique coastal cities (Goleta, Santa Barbara, Montecito and Summerland) in one inimitable vacation destination.Created by Substance, a Portland, Ore.-based marketing agency, the site was designed with a user-friendly experience in mind. Key new features of the site include a refreshed look, enhanced search and navigation, state-of-the-art responsive design and interactive maps.Completely new itineraries on high-interest topics, such as car-free trips, quintessential Santa Barbara attractions, waterfront adventures and the Urban Wine Trail, serve to spark the imaginations of would-be and repeat visitors alike, while a new section titled Next Month in Santa Barbara provides concrete ideas for upcoming travel. The new feature SB.Snapshots shares the distinctive look of the Santa Barbara lifestyle in a curated and evolving collection of fan-submitted and professional photos.A robust online booking program (powered by JackRabbit) allows users to book their stays directly from the site, while Trip Advisor reviews within business listings provide ratings and insights from fellow travelers. Prompts throughout the site make it easy for visitors to share what excites them on Facebook and Twitter.In addition to consumer content, revamped website sections for meeting planners, travel trade, media, and the Santa Barbara Film Commission provide points of contact for industry professionals. A Google plug-in helps visitors translate the site into 14 different languages, from Chinese to Spanish.According to ad agency MMGY's 2015 study, Global Portrait of American Travelers, which surveyed potential visitors to Santa Barbara, 24 percent of travelers first decide on a destination before planning their vacations. (The undecided travelers in the survey were considering Santa Barbara as one potential destination among many.) The new website speaks directly to undecided travelers by showing them why they should choose Santa Barbara as their primary destination or as part of a trip to California.A Visit Santa Barbara visitor profile study also showed that 4.2 million of the visitors who came to Santa Barbara in 2013 (more than 68 percent of all area visitors) are day trippers, clearly identifying an opportunity to convert those visitors to overnight guests. Exposing web users to the sheer volume and diversity of the South Coast's high-quality activities, lodging and restaurants, the site's message is clear: Visitors will need more than a day to experience even a small fraction of all the incredible things Santa Barbara has to offer.Visit website: Chance The Rapper Calls Spike Lee's 'Chiraq' A 'Sexist, Racist Flop' By Rachel Cromidas in News on Mar 9, 2016 5:26PM Spike Lee at a ceremony in Washington, DC. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Spike Lee's controversial whirlwind-tour through Chicago to film and promote Chiraq last year was met with a mixture of excitement and condemnation. Our film critic called the movie, meant to serve as a musical adaptation of the ancient Greek play Lysistrata set in Chicago's most violent areas, a "disastrous mix of satire and tragedy." South Side native Chance the Rapper had even harsher words for the film when he Tweeted about it, a week after Lee was in Evanston talking about the movie: Chance, born Chancelor Bennett, called it "sexist and racist" and an "offensive, unsuccessful flop of a movie." The Tweets are apparently in response to to Lee's recent appearance at Northwestern University, during which he reportedly called the rapper a "straight-up fraud." Come on now This guy promoting this offensive unsuccessful flop of a movie ... about the Southside...in fucking Evanston... Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) March 8, 2016 And then get mad when students at the screening challenge him on his sexist, and RACIST movie and he wanna point the finger at me Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) March 8, 2016 Boy. You are a lame. But more importantly a liar. Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) March 8, 2016 Now stop tweeking for I get to releasing audio of you begging me to be in that trash ass movie Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) March 8, 2016 Chance's father, Ken Bennett, works in the mayor's officea fact Lee has pointed out before while publicly feuding with the South Side native over the movie. CTA Will Get Hundreds Of New Railcars With Popular Forward-Facing Seats By Mae Rice in News on Mar 9, 2016 7:12PM Photo via Green Mamba :)--< on Flickr The CTAs board just awarded an up to $1.3 billion contract for up to 846 new El railcars to CSR Sifang America. And no, these wont be the New York-style cars where the seats face center, placing seated passengers face-to-crotch with standing ones. In the new 7000-series railcars, passengers will find a mix of forward- and aisle-facing seats, a design based on the CTAs first-ever call for passenger feedback. Cars will also have stainless steel bodies, LED lighting and signs, and AC power propulsion, which will help trains move more quietly. The city has so far placed a $632 million base order of 400 cars, with an option to order more, a representative for CTA Media Relations told Chicagoist. This first wave of cars is slated to hit the L tracks by 2020, replacing some of the systems oldest railcarsmany of which are more than 30 years old. Prototypes for the cars should be ready by 2019. But in the meantime, the deal will create 170 jobs in Chicago, and prompt CSR to build a multi-million-dollar railcar assembly facility here. With this agreement, CTA riders will get state-of-the-art rail cars and Chicago returns to our roots as the place where the next generation of rail cars are built, providing good jobs for our residents. That is a classic win-win for Chicago, said Mayor Rahm Emanuel in a statement. Working together we will continue to bring more 21st century manufacturing jobs to Chicago while also building a modern CTA to help power our 21st century economy. This deal will be funded by a mix of CTA bonds and Federal Transit Administration funding, a representative for CTA Media Relations said. Its all part of the citys transit modernization efforts, which also brought you total 4G coverage in subway tunnels. CSR is a giant rail-car manufacturer, and has built more than 30,000 rail cars for more than 20 countries. Currently, the CSR team is working on Bostons rail system. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Rise of Fascist Forces and Electronic Media The nature of the second BJP Government under Narendra Modi is getting exposed by the day. The object is to subvert the Constitution which declares India to be a socialist secular democratic republic. Those who took office by swearing by the Constitution are, day in and day out, denigrating the ideals of socialism, secularism and democracy. The entire Sangh Parivar, with all its affiliated bodies, is at it. What is more regrettable and insidious is the role a powerful section of the English and Hindi electronic media is playing as the handmaiden of the Sangh Parivar. A mass hysteria is being sought to be created in the name of nationalism and patriotism. This section of the media is defining nationalism and patriotism and dictating it to the people. The definition is simple: if one supports the hanging of Afzal Guru, one gets a certificate of patriotism and nationalism. If one voices the slightest doubt about the actual role played by Guru in the attack on the Parliament House or about the quantum of punishment given to himwhether he deserved the capital punishment or, say, a life sentencehe is immediately branded as an anti-national and a traitor to the country and the full blast of patriotic anger is turned on him by the media. It helps create the situation that the Sangh Parivar wants. The tone, tenor and content of the patriotic propaganda unleashed by this section of the media is reminiscent of what Hitler said about the art and function of propaganda: The function of propaganda does not lie in the scientific training of the individual, but in calling the masses attention to certain facts, processes, necessities, etc., whose significance is thus for the first time placed within their field of vision. All propaganda must be popular and its intellectual level must be adjusted to the most limited intelligence among those it is addressed to. Consequently, the greater the mass it is intended to reach, the lower its purely intellectual level will have to be. But if, as in propaganda for sticking out a war, the aim is to influence a whole people, we must avoid excessive intellectual demands on our public, and too much caution cannot be extended in this direction. The more modest its intellectual ballast, the more exclusively it takes into consideration the emotions of the masses, the more effective it will be. And this is the best proof of the soundness or unsoundness of a propaganda campaign, and not success pleasing a few scholars or young aesthetes. By this definition, the conscious use of tampered tapes, doctored photographs or telecasting of speeches by people whose voice is audible but who are not visible at the scene where they are supposed to be delivering their speeches, is not only permissible but perfectly justified because such propaganda, according to Hitlers dictum, is popular and its intellectual level is adjusted to the most limited intelligence among those it is addressed to. The question can be justifiably raised that if to question the justifiability of sending to gallows a man to satisfy the collective conscience of the society amounts to treason and sedition then, by the same logic, why should not those who constantly and openly speak against the ideals enshrined in the Constitution be treated as anti-nationals and brought under the purview of the sedition law? Why denigrating the basic principles of the Constitution should not be treated as subversion of the Constitution and made a cognisable and non-bailable offence? Why those who declare that their aim is to turn secular India into a Hindu Rashtra not be treated as anti-national offenders? SOME of the noisiest telecasters who are making frenzied and frenetic attempts at rousing patriotic feelings of their viewers are remini-scent of William Joyce, the American-born Englishman, better known as Lord Haw Haw who became a Nazi propagandist when Hitler became the Reichschancellor of Germany. These electronic media propagandists of pseudo-nationalism and pseudo-patriotism have already tasted the fruit of their efforts when a large number of them were beaten up in the Patiala House Courts by lawyers of the saffron brigade. They have strongly condemned the attack on them but are still carrying on their shrill campaign for their brand of nationalism with undiminished zeal. But they are not alone. There are many who are helping the rise of fascist forces in the country without fully realising the implications of what they are doing. By the time they realise, maybe it will be too late. A historical anecdote is worth recalling. Hitlers first abortive attempt at seizing power in Bavaria is known as the infamous Beer Hall Putsch of 1923. Hitler had managed to enlist the support of General Luden-dorff, a respected hero of the First World War, in this military misadventure. Ten years later, when his colleague, General Hindenburg, appointed Hitler as the Chancellor of Germany in 1933, the same Ludendorff bitterly wrote to Hindenburg: By appointing Hitler the Chancellor of the Reich you have handed over our sacred German Fatherland to one of the greatest demagogues of all times. I prophesy to you that this evil man will inflict immeasurable woe on our nation. Future generations will curse you in your grave for this action. (Reichstag Fire: Ashes of Democracy, by R. John Pritchard, 1972, p. 45) It is worth recalling that Hitler did not amend or abrogate or rescind the Weimar Constitution. To legalise his fascist rule he introduced, under the same Constitution, an Enabling Act. Article 3 of the Act said: Laws enacted by the Reich Government shall be issued by the Chancellor and announced in the Reich Gazette. They shall take effect on the day following the announcement, unless they prescribe a difference date. Articles 68 to 77 of the Constitution do not apply to laws enacted by the Reich Government. The Enabling Law disabled the Weimar Constitution and on the ruins of the Weimar Republic the Third Reich raised its ugly head. The lesson that it gives is that the institutional framework of constitutional democracy does not give a guarantee against a fascist takeover of the state. In fact a democratic state can morph into a fascist state even without amending or suspending the Constitution. Democracy can be given a burial and an authoritarian fascist rule allowed to supplant it, while retaining the democratic garb. In the nineteen thirties of the last century the television had not come to India and even in Europe its power as a weapon of political propaganda was very limited. Today its power is immense There is a TV set even in the remote village. Those who are strengthening and helping the growth of fascist forces in India, for whatever reasons, may become their first victims, the media included. It would be too late by then to regret or repent. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Why Afzal Guru evokes a Controversy Everytime In the context of the recent event at the Jawaharlal Nehru University to mark the hanging of Afzal Guru in which JNU Students Union President Kanhaiya Kumar has been arrested on the charge of sedition, we must also consider why the controversy over Afzal Guru refuses to die. Afzal Guru was hanged for his role in the 2001 Parliament attack case. But the Supreme Court admitted that there was no evidence to show that Afzal Guru was a member of any banned organisation nor any of the 80 prosecution witnesses said that Afzal was associated with any terrorist organisation. The judgement says, The incident, which resulted in heavy casualties, has shaken the entire nation and the collective conscience of the society will be satisfied if the capital punishment is awarded to the offender. We have to ask ourselves: can satisfaction of the collective conscience be a reason for ending somebodys life in a civilised society? And there is not even a question raised over this judgement? It is a disservice to Indian democracy if we choose to remain a part of the silent conspiracy. Afzal Guru did not receive a fair trial. He was not allowed to have a lawyer of his choice. Nor did the court hear his version. He was made to accept his crime under duress and threat by the police. Simply put, he was made a scapegoat. The truth is, if he had not been hanged a feeling would have prevailed that India was not able to take strong action against the perpetrators of the Parliament attack. Somebody needed to be hanged and it was the misfortune of Afzal Guru that he was the most vulnerable among the four who were made the accused in the Parliament attack case. The then Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, had slammed the execution of Afzal Guru and said that it would reinforce the sense of alienation and injustice among Kashmiri youth. He claimed that the decision was more political than legal. It is this doubt over Afzals hanging that persists even three years after his hanging and that is the reason some people would like to call him a martyr. The NDA Government has termed the event on the JNU campus as anti-national as there were objectionable slogans raised. The moot question is: what will be considered more anti-nationalhanging a person whose crime was not conclusively proved or merely raising pro-Kashmiri Azadi slogans? It is the injustice done in the case of Afzal Guru which is reverberating in the form of slogans which were raised at the JNU event. It is important to question the hanging of Afzal Guru so that such incidents no more occur in future. The right to free speech is under threat in our democracy from the communal-fascist forces. There are people associated with the RSS who would like to eulogise Nathuram Godse. Some even want to build a temple in his name. If they would like to worship Nathuram as a hero, they should not have any objection if some people want to treat Afzal Guru as a martyr. The authorities are also suggesting that the permission for the event was withdrawn just before it was to take place. A similar thing happened when reputed journalist Siddharth Varadarajan was to speak at Allahabad University at the invitation of the AU Students Union President Richa Singh on January 20, 2016. The Vice-Chancellor there also withdrew the permission at the last moment. It must be asked to the persons associated with the current ruling dispensation, which has become the torchbearer of nationalism and determines what is appropriate and what is not and is not behind in punishing the offenders, whether they took any permission to demolish the Babri Masjid in 1992, an incident which has seriously compromised Indias internal security atmosphere. Or, before they killed Mahatma Gandhi. Or, when they carried out bomb blasts twice in Malegaon, in Hyderabad, Ajmer and Samjhauta Express. Or, did the NDA Government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee at the Centre take even their own Defence Minister into confidence, what to talk of Parliament, before testing the nuclear weapons in 1998, an act which worsened the South Asian security environment? If the people associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh think they are free to do whatever they like and would prevent others, even violently, from carrying out their activities, they may be in for a rude shock in the next elections. The people in this country have never tolerated tyrannical ways. Hitler may be a hero for the RSS but not for the common masses of India. The treatment meted out to journalists and JNU students and professors at the Patiala House Court on February 15 by the RSS- associated lawyers was shameful. If the violence resorted to by terrorists and Naxalites is condemnable how can the police and nation stand as a spectator to the hooliganism indulged in by the Sangh Parivar members? No other mainstream political organisation exhibits the kind of lawlessness that organisations associated with Right-wing ideology do. They have committed crimes like murders of Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi and have created a situation in which Rohith Vemula was forced to commit suicide, in addition to innumerable threatening attacks on people who dont agree with their ideology. This nonsense should not be tolerated in a democracy even if a price has to be paid for it. The RSS is hurtling this country towards a state of Emergency which can only lead to civil war and anarchy. The people who brought the BJP to power with a thumping majority in 2014 must rethink whether it is even fit to rule for five years. Socialist leader Dr Rammanohar Lohia once famously said that living communities dont wait for five years. Noted social activist and Magsaysay awardee Dr Sandeep Pandey was recently sacked this year from the IIT-BHU where he was a Visiting Professor on the charge of being a Naxalite engaging in anti-national activities. He was elected along with Prof Keshav Jadhav the Vice-President of the Socialist Party (India) at its founding conference at Hyderabad on May 28-29, 2011. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2016 > Test Time for Judiciary It has been a time of test for the judiciary. When the political system is in a crisis, pressures increase upon the judiciary in the sense that conflicts to which the political system gives rise or is unable to contain assume a juridical form and become subjects for adjudication. The Internal Emergency declared in June 1975 was one such time when the judiciary was resorted to by way of habeas corpus petitions filed on behalf of many who had been preventively detained. The High Courts did not come off too badly at the time and it was the Supreme Court which failed to rise to the occasion. In the ADM Jabalpur case the Supreme Court made a literalist reading of the Constitution taking the view that once fundamental rights were suspended during the Emergency, even the right to life could not be enforced through courts. After the Emergency was over, a juridical remorse took over and that assumed the shape of socially expansive interpretations of fundamental rights and the judicial nursing of public interest litigation intended to bring about justice for classes unable to speak effectively for themselves. This was a tacit recognition that the legal process had hitherto been tilted in favour of the rich and the powerful. This was only one aspect of the judicial activism and assertion that followed. Increasingly, the Courts began to be seen as the citizens bulwark against executive high-handedness and even against administrative arbitrariness and lack of official accountability in several matters involving the basic needs of the people. Another phase in such socially-sensitive adjudication began to be discerned around the time approximately of the late eighties and early nineties when the courts, being quick to pick up the economic liberalisation signals, started back-tracking on many labour rights matters on account of their economic implications. The softness on private businesses was emblemised by a late night hearing that had once been held to grant bail to a business magnate. Yet the post-Emergency juridical expansion in other, mostly non-economic, spheres seemed to have a more permanent character. The Courts seemed willing still to intervene effectively in cases of constitutional and administrative malafides or arbitrariness. In such fields, they did not seem to shy away from taking on the executive where necessary. They brooked no misbehaviour by the increasingly lumpenised lawyers and their associations or by the police. When, in the latter half of 1989, a Chief Judicial Magistrate in Nadiad, Gujarat was assaulted, handcuffed and tied up by the police, the Supreme Court intervened and appointed Mr Justice R.M. Sahai, then a judge of the Allahabad High Court (later of the Supreme Court), to inquire into the incident and submit a report. The Supreme Court invoked its inherent powerto protect subordinate courts from insult and contempt and from unauthorised interferenceas well as its power to do complete justice in any matter pending before it. The wrong-doers were appropriately punished. Did yet another phase in the judiciarys attitudes come to the fore with the increasingly assertive Hindutva movement? The problem is that the judiciary is often not ideally placed to appreciate what happens when it furnishes by default or otherwise any space to a sectarian force determined to act in disregard of its orders. The allowances that were made in 1992 by the Supreme Court to permit a limited entry into the Babri Masjid area on the basis of assurances given by the then Chief Minister of the concerned State were seized upon to carry out an operation that became a blot on the countrys reputation for secularism. This was bad enough. Three years later, at the end of 1995, while deciding some election petitions from Maharashtra, the Supreme Court went outside the realm of jurisprudence into an exposition and exegesis of Hinduism and Hindutva which was hardly necessary for decision of the election cases and came justifiably under severe criticism at the time. The controversies that followed the February 2016 events in Jawaharlal Nehru University and Patiala House Courts have been widely discussed. The alleged sedition and other cases that have been registered by the Delhi Police against some students and others will take their course. But the students alone will not be on trial. Along with them the police, the lawyers and, above all, the judiciary will be on test. The police for looking away when a person in their physical custody was assaulted and for tacitly supportingby their initial inaction and subsequent mild and delayed case registrationthose responsible, including the lawyers who brought disgrace to their profession by their criminal conduct. The most vital test of all has been and continues to be of the judiciary. Can it rise to the occasion or will it crumble and show weakness? As we have noticed above, both tendencies have been evident in the past. But we need go no further back than the events of last month. When the team of lawyers sent by the Supreme Court to the Patiala House Courts last month was itself insulted and abused that was the time for a strong intervention by the countrys most powerful court. And when it was obvious that the police had failed to protect Kanhaiya, a doctoral student in its physical custody, that was the time when it was reasonably expected that the Supreme Court would intervene and extend its protective hand to Kanhaiya by directing grant of bail rather than transfer the papers to the High Court of Delhi. As we know, the Supreme Court has in extraordinary cases granted bail before now. And when a prisoner was beaten up in the nations Capital it called for providing immediate relief. In the event, the matter of this plucky Jawaharlal Nehru University student went to the High Court of Delhi on February 19, 2016 and was caught in a quagmire of legal delays, to be decided only in early March. The Supreme Court, however, had itself in its order of February 19 directed expeditious disposal. The High Court, in its order of March 2, 2016, said little about the treatment that Kanhaiya had been subjected to and instead chose to expound on nationalism and the motherland. Many remarks by the court, including the references to the armed forces were hardly necessary for decision of the simple question whether a person, against whom even the police admitted there was no video evidence, was entitled to bail. [Had not an Indian lawyer told a magistrate in Volksrust, South Africa more than 102 years ago that a person not accused of a capital offence was entitled to get bail for his appearance?] And in granting bail, which it has described as interim, the High Court has hemmed it in with remarks and conditions which do not appear to be called for. It is asserted, for instance, that as the President of the JNU Students Union, Kanhaiya was expected to be responsible and accountable for any anti-national event organised in the campus. Really? Why not deal with the Vice-Chancellor then? A surety has been required from persons who would exercise control over Kanhaiya. Even though the High Court judgement is qualified in the end with the remark that the observations in it will not be construed as an expression of an opinion on the merits of the case, there is much that appears to be superfluous and not quite called for in the judgement. One hopes that it will be dealt with appropriately by the Supreme Court. The late Mr Justice Mulla of the Allahabad High Court had once in a judgement referred to the police as an organised goonda force. Regardless of any grain of truth the remark might have had, the remark was expunged by the Supreme Court as being irrelevant and not called for in arriving at the decision in the case. The author is a writer and an advocate of the Supreme Court. The 10 Coolest Kitchen Gadgets At Chicago's Housewares Show, Ranked By Marielle Shaw in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 9, 2016 9:21PM While much of Chicago was getting out of the house this weekend to enjoy the weather, we headed for McCormick Place to explore the wide world of housewares at the International Home + Housewares Show. Friday through Tuesday, over 2,100 exhibitors from around the world filled five halls with the latest in gadgets, storage, appliances, kitchenware and more. It's one of the four biggest events at McCormick Place, and it's a lot of ground to cover, so we've narrowed it down to the top ten most interesting and innovative ideas we saw on the show floor. Photo via KitchenAid 10. KitchenAid's Mini Stand Mixer KitchenAid has the food blog world buzzing with the introduction of its 3-quart mini stand mixer. It's lighter and shorter for those people who don't have a lot of countertop real estate, but its motor is the same as its larger siblings, and it works with regular KitchenAid attachments. Its suggested MSRP is not far below its big brother, but less can certainly be more for those with cramped kitchens. Photo via CorningWare 9. CorningWare's New Stoneware Line Simple but brilliant was also the theme with CorningWare's new line for 2016, which featured a beautiful muted palette for its successful stoneware products that now includes specially designed lids. This means a dish can be baked, served attractively, and put away in the same dish, which makes after-dinner cleanup mercifully easy. Photo by Marielle Shaw/Chicagoist 8. Victorinox's Line Of BBQ Knives Victorinox knives have long been a staple in the foodservice world, known for quality and value as well as safety. For 2016, they're forging a new path in the world of Competition BBQ, with a complete line of knives for your next cookout. Ranging from paring knives to Granton blade slicers, they all feature the slip-resistant Fibrox handles kitchen staff have come to love. Photo via Libbey's 7. Libbey's Glassware Libbey, meanwhile, has had their sights set on the home bar scene, and their high-end glassware's beautiful craftsmanship, shapes, and glittering teardrop accents drew immediate comparisons to some of Germany's finest stems. We especially loved the elegance of their Kentfield Balloon and the deeper, more refined martini glass. Photo by Marielle Shaw/Chicagoist 6. Maggiso's Improvement On The Saltshaker Magisso, a Finnish company whose self-cooling tumblers wowed us last year, not only returned with plates and bowls that used the same technology, but also with one of the simplest and smartest ideas on the show floor: an easily regulated glass container which can be used for salt, pepper, or oils. Working with a simple gasket, you can squeeze the top wide open for a heavy pour, or just barely open for a pinch. It's not reinventing the wheel, but it did make us ask why no one else seemed to have thought of it, or for that matter, made it that sleek and elegant. Photo by Marielle Shaw/Chicagoist 5. NoStik's No-Stick Oven Shelves And Liners NoStik is a brand just making its way to the USA, and their idea, too, is simple: Help people keep their ovens clean. They've created foldable, non-stick shelves and liners that can be put in the bottom of your oven to keep all of the spillovers from pies, pizzas and the like from becoming cemented to your oven floor. Unlike a lot of their counterparts, NoStik's entire line can withstand 550 degree heat, which means even though you can take it out if necessary, you won't need to even if high temperature baking. Photo by Marielle Shaw/Chicagoist 4. Marcato's Pasta Drying Rack Marcato, an Italian company specializing in pasta machinery and its various accoutrements, impressed with its beautiful yet functional pasta drying rack. If you're an advanced at home cook who wants to impress, this rack looks like a sculpture while providing plenty of space to dry all your handmade wonders. Photo by Marielle Shaw/Chicagoist 3. Coolgear's Cold-Brew, Pour-Over Coffeemaker We like coffee, and even though we're not terribly patient about getting it, we had to investigate the Coolgear Bru, a cold brew, pour over coffee system that promises to cut back on the bitter and bring out the best in your coffee. We're already in love with our AeroPress, so it was a hard sell, but the Coolgear team was up to the challenge, even suggesting starting the brew at night over their travel mug so you wake up to a ready-to-drink cup. We had to admit that our test cup was silky smooth and had a great finish, so this is something we're considering adding to our coffee gear. Photo by Marielle Shaw/Chicagoist 2. Tovolo's Cocktail Shaker With A Built-In Reamer When we're behind the bar, we like fresh, whole ingredients, which means our favorite margarita involves a lot of juicing. So we were jazzed to see Tovolo add a reamer to a sleek stainless shaker, making it that much easier to get the margarita we want without the dishes we dont. Photo via Molecule-R 1. Molecule-R's Molecular Gastronomy Kits Our final favorite was a geek-out moment, of sorts. We love kitchen technology, and it seems there's less and less that's out of reach for the home chef, with the advent of smoking guns and sous-vide circulators for the masses. Molecule-R is hoping to do the same for molecular gastronomy, creating a vast array of kits starting around 20 dollars and going up to 149 that allow consumers to explore a world of new textures and presentations for foods they already know and love. Police Say They've Caught The Notorious Red Line Cell Phone Jammer By Mae Rice in News on Mar 9, 2016 3:40PM Dennis Nicholl, 63 (photo courtesy of the Chicago Police Department) Police charged a man Tuesday morning with using a signal-jamming device to disrupt cell phone service on the Red Line. Dennis Nicholl, 63whom Reddit has already christened with the prison nickname Red Line Jammerwas arrested at the Granville Red Line stop on Tuesday morning for using his signal-jamming device in front of undercover officers. The arrest came after a slew of complaints about cell phone service on the Red Line, and a Reddit post showing Nicholl in action from Redditor don'ttelltheboss. An anonymous 911 call tipped the police off to Nicholl as the suspect. Nicholl has been charged with a felony count of unlawful interference with a public utility. He will appear in bond court Wednesday. He was tracked down by a joint operation conducted by the CPD, the CTA, and the FCC. One Of The World's Greatest Tequila Experts Could Make Your Cocktail Tonight By Anthony Todd in Food on Mar 9, 2016 7:01PM Photo via Shutterstock. By Leigh Kunkel Though you might not know it from the hipster obsession with bourbon over the last few years, tequila is actually the fastest-growing spirit in the world. Part of that is thanks to George Clooney, but a much larger part is due to the work of Tomas Estes, one of only two official Mexican Tequila Ambassadors worldwide; he literally wrote the book on it. And hes earned the title: not only has Estes brought his love of tequila to more than a dozen countries, he also developed his own brand, and has served more than four million margaritas over the course of his career. Wednesday night at Bar Takito, you can help take that number even higher: Tomas Estes will be a guest bartender at the West Loop restaurant tonight starting at 6 p.m., serving up amazing agave cocktails alongside their Latin-inspired shared plates. Wipe away any negative associations with tequila you have from college and come get a drink made by an actual tequila legendyou wont regret this one. Marie Claire newsletter Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Thank you for signing up to . You will receive a verification email shortly. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions (opens in new tab) and Privacy Policy (opens in new tab) and are aged 16 or over. From Hooters to the Oscars AMY ADAMS journey to the top deserves its own screenplay. She may profess to be boring but serious talent, goofball charm and a badass wit have cemented her status as one of Hollywoods most-loved leading ladies... Its raining in Los Angeles and Amy Adams is curled up on a sofa talking about breasts. More specifically, a perky pair belonging to one of her co-stars. Adams is something of an expert on the topic: her own decolletage having been on perilous display in American Hustle (for which she won her first Golden Globe in 2014). But the breasts shes describing now are straight-up distracting. The 41-year-old laughs as she tries to explain the mood on set whenever they came out. In between shots it was like, Put on a robe please, and make everyone feel less bad about themselves! Disclaimer: the chest weve spent the last five minutes discussing doesnt belong to a pneumatic, young ingenue but rather to Henry Cavill, the 32-year-old British man-brioche who stars as a yoked, hirsute Superman opposite Adams crackling Lois Lane in this months Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice a follow-up to 2013s Man Of Steel. I objectified poor Henry, she smiles. I had to apologise to him at one point. Im like, I promise Im not that pervy. Hes just so good to look at. My husband likes to look at him, our [five-year-old] daughter likes to look at him were just a creepy family. Adams and I are sat in a cosy lounge at the Chateau Marmont, the iconic Hollywood hotel where Jim Morrison lived, John Belushi died and Lindsay Lohan was (temporarily) banned. Its an unlikely place to meet an understated actress like Adams a woman with five Oscar nominations and zero scandals to her name. The closest shes come to going viral was during the filming of Batman v Superman, when she quietly relinquished her first-class airline seat to an American soldier; a small act of kindness that was tweeted and re-tweeted. That classy move feels like peak Adams: shes the quiet, unassuming but seriously gorgeous girl next door; someone youd meet at a party and immediately want to tell all your secrets to. We fell hard for her in Enchanted (2007), Catch Me If You Can (2002) and the Sundance hit Junebug (2005), three films in which she played wide-eyed, naive dreamers roles she was born to play. With her saucer blue eyes and button nose, it seemed like shed been drawn by a Disney cartoonist and put on this earth to remind us to believe in hope, and call our parents more often, which made her second act so surprising. She has boldly evolved into one of our most gifted storytellers an actress capable of illuminating what it means to be loved, to be understood, to be human. In Doubt (2008) she played a timid nun opposite Meryl Streep, and while hidden behind a habit, the characters turmoil played out entirely in her eyes. Could that really be the same woman seducing Bradley Cooper on the dance floor in American Hustle? Or pulling Philip Seymour Hoffmans strings as a Machiavellian zealot in The Master (2012)? So if youre wondering why a star whos captivated auteurs like Spike Jonze, David O. Russell and Paul Thomas Anderson would want to strap on Lois Lanes high heels and run from aliens even if it meant staring at Cavills hulking chest all day Im with you. But well get to that. Dressed in slim trousers and a cable-knit turtleneck from Autumn Cashmere (the working mothers chic camouflage), Adams will profess to being boring more than once today. I can assure you, shes anything but. Firstly, she has a backstory straight out of a teen novel. The fourth of seven children, she was an army brat who was born in Italy and raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When Adams was eight, her parents settled in Boulder, Colorado, where her mother competed in bodybuilding competitions. We would sit in the back of the gym and order Little Caesars pizza, she recalls. Mom got married at 19 she had seven kids before she was my age. It was a morally firm upbringing that appears to have formed the bedrock of her world view. When I ask what she did last night, she tells me she watched The Bachelor for the first time, with a metaphorical hand over her eyes for the entire two-hour premiere. I dont understand how you can find love with anybody when youre making out with everybody? she ponders. If I squint I can still see a teenage Amy, the freckle-faced girl whose first job was working as a perky greeter at Gap. A short stint at Hooters the beer-and-breasts chain followed, before a steady gig in dinner theatre (a cheesy US tradition where patrons inhale a meal before their servers put on a production of, say, Guys & Dolls.) Once we had to clean a baked potato off the stage during the opening number, she shudders. By her late twenties she had mustered up the courage to move to LA, where she dyed her hair red and was fired from two TV pilots: first because she was too young, then because a more famous actress became available a true Hollywood learning experience. Id gone to the [initial] table read. The producers were like, See you tomorrow! Then they called to say Id been let go. It was devastating. This was the first time I realised that people would lie to my face. She may have quit the business entirely had 2005s Junebug not come along. Two years later, the musical Enchanted cemented her status as one of Hollywoods most promising talents, and Adams (then 30) found herself singing live at the Oscars, a show beamed to about a billion homes worldwide. Ive had anxiety attacks on stage my whole career, she recalls. At the Oscars I was like, Who talked me into this? What does she know now that she wishes she knew then? That that was the fastest my metabolism was ever going to be, she laughs. So enjoy it! Such is the demand for Adams in Hollywood now, she got married last year (after a prolonged, seven-year engagement to artist Darren Le Gallo) because she finally had a window in my schedule. They almost tied the knot a few months earlier in Las Vegas on a trip to a Justin Timberlake concert. We wanted to find a chaplain, go to the desert and get married at sunset, she explains. But to be quite honest, we got too drunk. Then it was just not going to happen. Instead they married in a small, private ceremony on a ranch outside LA. Like most brides, Adams made a Pinterest page for her design ideas but all she really cared about was having the ceremony under a tree inspired by a scene from, yes, Forrest Gump. The idea came from Jenny and Forrest, she confirms. That was just always my thing. If admitting your wedding was inspired by a corny 90s movie isnt the coolest thing for an A-lister to do, then neither is telling me that the last time she worked out with a personal trainer, the session ended early when she threw up. I came out of the bathroom, she recalls, and I said, Do I get a T-shirt for that? But perhaps thats what makes her so badass. Henry Cavill echoes my own thoughts: Amy surprises me every day. Youll see her go from someone very serious and doing the actor-y thing to all of a sudden being a complete goofball. And she does it with such charm. Married life for Adams sounds utterly, brilliantly, normal. After telling me about what first attracted her to Le Gallo He has these beautiful hands. I just wanted him to hold me she admits they bicker like mad. If Adams is running late (which is rare), hell set the home alarm, hoping the 30-second beep, beep, beep warning will get her out the door, which sounds like a scene from Modern Family. When I ask if marriage has changed anything, she just laughs. I definitely feel like I cant make empty threats. Before, I could be like, Im just going to go down and get a hotel room, and Im going to think this through! She checks herself: Im making myself sound horrible to this poor, awesome guy. Relationships are hard. I think what I learned is, you just have to make a choice. Marriage is a choice. Maybe its turning 40, maybe its having a child in these turbulent times, but shes in a contemplative mood these days. On 15 December, all LA schools were closed due to a terror threat. That was tricky, Adams admits, because I wasnt with [my daughter, Aviana]. My husband had driven her that morning. They got to school. She was like, Whats going on? Adams forces a smile at the sad absurdity of the situation. Aviana calls them bandits, she says, imitating her daughters sweet voice. You mean, bandits wanted to do harm? But shes not laughing: I have a weight in my chest about it. At the moment Adams is reading The Happiness Project Gretchen Rubins self-help empowerment bible. I wonder if shes contemplating a second child. I think Im good right now. Im of an age, as they say. Though she acknowledges its not too late. I just feel like I need to decide. You know what I mean? Shes nothing if not practical, explaining that shed need to build time for a second pregnancy into her already packed schedule, which includes upcoming films with Tom Ford (who told her to stop straightening her hair and to wear it down), a planned Janis Joplin biopic and the third Superman film, Justice League, which is shooting in London soon. Having a child, she says, has started to change my decision-making process. Its hard. And not just for the reasons youd expect. Its hard to let certain projects go. This brings us back to Batman v Superman and Lois Lane. Adams laughs about going to Comic-Con, the annual nerd convention in San Diego, where she paraded around with Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill. Standing between Batman and Superman, she recalls, I felt very petite. And I dont always feel petite in this town. It was nice. Not that Lois Lane is exactly a damsel in distress; shes been reimagined as a war reporter, proudly quipping in Man Of Steel, I get writers block if Im not wearing a flak jacket. Supporting characters, she concludes, definitely get to have most of the fun. But theres more to it than that. Batman v Superman may be a massive global blockbuster whose box-office performance not to mention toy sales have the power to affect the studios bottom line, but Adams motivations are refreshingly intimate and personal. Lois Lane is the beating heart of the franchise, but also the character closest to Adams heart. And in taking this role, shes simply being true to her sometimes silly, always sincere self. Before Superman came along, she says, Lois operated as if everybody had an agenda. She was jaded. Clark changed that. Now that she needs somebody or something shes vulnerable. Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice is in cinemas on 25 March. Statoil has awarded Palfinger Dreggen a contract for the complete rebuild and upgrade of six blowout preventer (BOP) cranes for the Gullfaks field in the northern part of the Norwegian North Sea. Each of the BOP cranes to be delivered from Palfinger Dreggen will have the capacity to lift 2 x 20 tons. In addition, the cranes are equipped with an auxiliary hoist with SWL 5 tons for smaller lifts. The delivery includes complete new trolleys with hoisting machineries, new modern control systems for the cranes and radio remote systems to make the operation of the cranes easy and flexible. Engineering, project management and procurement will mainly be performed in Bergen and the production will take place at Palfinger Dreggens own factory in Poland. The installation and commissioning of the cranes will start end of 2016 and continue until summer 2017. The National WWII Museum announced plan to return restored, operational Higgins Patrol-Torpedo Boatto Lake Pontchartrain; fundraising campaign to support move to permanent boathouse, testing for civilian rides The National WWII Museum announced plans to return restored patrol-torpedo (PT) boat PT-305 to her home waters of Lake Pontchartrain, where she was originally tested by Higgins Industries more than 70 years ago. The Museum launched the first phase of the plan this morning: a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds necessary to move PT-305 to the water, test her for passenger use and, for the first time, offer civilians the chance to take a ride on a fully restored combat-veteran PT boat the fastest U.S. naval ship in World War II. The Kickstarter campaign, which has a crowdfunding goal of $100,000, is part of an overall effort to raise more than $500,000 to return PT-305 to the waterways. After funding is secured, the Museum plans to place PT-305 on a trailer, remove the entire front wall of her current home, the John E. Kushner Restoration Pavilion, and move the boat out to the Race Street Wharf where she will be placed on a barge on the Mississippi River. A tug will then pull the vessel to a facility on the Industrial Canal for sea trials. Following two to three months of testing, plans call for moving PT-305 to a new, permanent home a custom-built boathouse located at South Shore Harbor near the New Orleans Lakefront Airport. The transfer of PT-305 to water is the culmination of the Museums decade-long effort to restore her, over $3.3 million worth of in-kind and monetary donations, as well as more than 100,000 hours of work from a dedicated corps of over 200 volunteers. There, PT-305 will become a unique Museum experience: placing visitors on the very deck where members of the US Navy stood to attack Axis supply ships and troop transports, speeding over the waves just as PT-305s crew did in the Mediterranean during the war. PT boats played an essential and dramatic role in advancing Americas military campaigns in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, which was a major blow to the Pacific Fleet. Today, just four combat-veteran PT boats still exist in the United States; of those, only PT-305 is fully restored and operational, complete with original-model engines. An operational PT-305 promises to become one of the Museums most exciting artifacts and teaching tools. The restoration of PT-305, like all Museum restoration projects, is aimed at making history accessible to todays audiences in as detailed and authentic a way possible, said Museum executive vice president and COO Stephen Watson. By preserving significant artifacts such as the vessels on which the Greatest Generation served, the Museum is building the framework for tomorrows generations to connect with their service and sacrifice. As we embark, for the first time ever, on this kind of crowdfunding effort, we truly need all hands on deck to launch PT-305 and complete this important mission to honor our veterans legacies. Alongside the fundraising appeal, the Museum is asking for public support to help identify all living PT boat veterans and PT boat squadron support-base veterans. After reaching its Kickstarter goal, the institution plans to invite the veterans to take a celebratory ride on the type of ship they once called home an opportunity which, given the advancing age of WWII veterans, is available to a diminishing number of WWII veterans. The Museums research team is also eager to capture as many PT-boat veteran stories as possible to add to the institutions oral history collection. The Panama Canal has announced that Grupo Unidos por el Canal (GUPC), the consortium responsible for the design and construction of the third set of locks project, has successfully completed testing of the reinforcements in sill #3 at the new Cocoli Locks in the Pacific. GUPC technical personnel, the designers, and Panama Canal Authority (ACP) specialists monitored the testing process, which consisted of gradually raising the water behind the lock gate to the level in which the seepage was first detected in sill #3 last August. Later, the testing was inspected by a team of independent experts, professors and structural engineers from the Technological University of Panama (UTP), all of whom expressed satisfaction with the final results. Following the completion of this work, GUPC will proceed to test the electromechanical components necessary for the new locks to operate. Less than 4% remains to complete the overall project, which will be inaugurated later this year. (For information about operations in Panama contact GAC-Wilford & McKay at [email protected]) Source: Extract from Panama Canal Authority Monthly Operations Summary - February 2016 "A triple whammy of disappointing survey news." "The clearest indication yet that uncertainty created by the EU referendum is hurting the economy." "Lacklustre domestic demand is being compounded by a worsening global picture." "The near-stagnation of manufacturing highlights the ongoing fragility of the economic recovery at the start of the year." All those quotes were unleashed Thursday, after several economic data points suggested UK growth may have slowed in recent months. People, it seems, are worried about the UK economy. But are they right to be? At first blush, you might think the answer is yes. But most metrics still point to growth, which routinely fluctuates during expansions. What's more, forward-looking indicators suggest more growth likely lies ahead. The fact sentiment remains so gloomy is a sign that even if growth slows, it would likely still exceed too-low expectations, a tailwind for stocks. Fears that Britain's growth is unsustainably "unbalanced"-too reliant on domestic consumption and services-have been a common narrative for years now, and data released thus far in 2016 spurred them further. Q4 GDP grew 1.9% annualized (0.5% q/q), a slight uptick from Q3's 1.7% rise. That may, on its surface, seem to cut against fears of a UK slowdown, but growth was largely driven by a 2.7% annualized rise in consumer spending.[i] Meanwhile, exports fell -0.5% annualized and business investment shrank by a whopping -8.3% annualized.[ii] On a sector basis, Services and Agriculture grew, but the Construction and Industrial sectors-the focus of fears-fell. The monthly gauge of industrial production has been soft lately, falling -1.1% y/y in December after an -0.8% November slide. December also saw manufacturing fall -1.7% y/y. Markit recently published February Purchasing Managers' Indexes (PMIs) for services, manufacturing and construction, and all three slowed from January, triggering that slew of quotes we typed up front. Services fell to 52.7 from 55.6 in January, manufacturing slipped to 50.8 from January's 52.9, and construction dropped from 55.0 in January to 54.2. But despite the handwringing, these PMIs still suggest growth. PMIs measure the percentage of firms reporting growth, so any reading over 50 suggests expansion. Now, since PMIs measure the breadth of growth, not its magnitude, you could still get contraction with a PMI above 50. If the shrinking firms' collective contraction outweighs the growing firms' collective expansion, growth may be weaker than the headline number suggests. But the flipside is also true. Also, one month of falling PMIs doesn't necessarily predict further slides or economic weakness. They bounce around quite regularly. While manufacturing hasn't driven UK growth in years, its recent weakness is exacerbated by the global commodities slump. Even before oil began sliding in mid-2014, UK energy production waned, weighing on total industrial production. Energy production then surged in 2015's first half after the government enacted tax credits to promote drilling in the North Sea. But since then, oil's continued fall has quelled production, again skewing total industrial production lower. According to the UK's Office for National Statistics, investment in oil extraction fell about 20% between Q2 2014 and Q3 2015, and that is before the -2.3% q/q drop in oil extraction in Q4.[iii] Meanwhile, GDP expanded at a healthy clip throughout the period, driven by domestic consumption. Exhibit 1: Energy's Influence on UK Industrial Production Source: FactSet, as of 3/7/2016. UK industrial production, energy production and GDP, 1/1/2013 - 12/31/2015. This all suggests that the allegedly unsustainable and unbalanced UK has defied these fears for quite a while. Maybe that seems like a headscratcher, but when you consider the UK's economic makeup, it isn't surprising at all. Industrial output is only 15% of UK GDP. Services-eating out, travel and accommodations, medical care, finance and consulting-is the biggest chunk at roughly 80%. If you want growth rates to be faster in one area of your economy, you should probably want it to be the vastly bigger part. In January, data continued to show consumption and services' strength. Retail sales volumes-the amount of stuff purchased, not the value-grew 5.2% y/y in January, with online sales climbing 10.4% y/y.[iv] Rising real wages should continue fueling healthy domestic consumption. January and February's services PMIs were firmly in expansion territory, as has been the case for the last few years. Money supply and bank lending have resumed rising. And The Conference Board's UK Leading Economic Index is in a persistent uptrend, suggesting that even if industrial production doesn't surge, growth will likely continue. The unbalanced economy fears seem to be rooted in a misperception about what drove 2008 and the nature of the services industry in general. It seems many believe the global financial crisis, which hit Britain hard, exposed the services-and-consumption driven growth that preceded it as flimsy and debt-fueled. Trade and production are presumed to be more solid. However, this doesn't accurately pay reference to the nature of Britain's pre-crisis growth. As Exhibit 2 shows, Industrial Production was flattish-lagging GDP growth-for roughly 12 years preceding the financial crisis. No economy, no matter how balanced, is recession-proof. But 12 years of growth fueled mostly by services is pretty darn stable, in our view. And ultimately, the principal culprit ending that expansion was a supply-side financial crisis Britain imported from American policy missteps. Exhibit 2: UK GDP and Industrial Production 1992 - 2008 Source: FactSet, as of 3/7/2016. UK GDP and Industrial Production, 3/31/1992 - 5/30/2008 As for growth in the here-and-now, perhaps it does slow some in Q1 or Q2. But growth regularly wobbles during expansions. (See Exhibit 3) Exhibit 3: UK GDP (Annualized Rate) 2009 - 2015 Source: FactSet, as of 3/7/2016. UK GDP annualized rate, Q1 2009 - Q4 2015 So why is the recent downtick now feared so different from all those others? Maybe it's because of stocks' volatile start to 2016. Macroeconomic fears have accompanied a number of corrections in this cycle, and this one may be no different. Or, maybe it's because Brits will vote this summer on whether to remain in the EU, and many fear a "leave" vote will be an economic shock, as trade will fall and the pound will weaken, crimping outside investment in Britain. In our view, though, this seems like a case of a narrative dominating the data, and the predictions are largely rooted in economic fallacy. There is little to no evidence growth measures in Q4 2015 and early 2016 were affected by Brexit. Heck, we didn't even know the terms of the renegotiated EU treaty or the referendum date until a couple weeks ago. To us, the preponderance of the evidence suggests the UK is in fine shape economically, not teetering unbalanced on the brink of recession. Buffalo Grove Is More Inspiring Than Hollywood For Filmmaker Brad Bischoff By Rob Christopher in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 11, 2016 6:16PM Chicago director Brad Bischoff (photo via Facebook) Buffalo Grove native Brad Bischoff is a Chicago filmmaker through and through. Take his wordless short, Wet, about a young man who's "always soaked, as if he's stuck with his own personal raincloud." That film was not only set and filmed in Chicago, but also won the Chicago International Film Festivals Chicago Award in 2009. Building from the success of Wet and his earlier short, Eyelids, which he premiered at the 61st Festival de Cannes, Bischoff has continued to create more shorts as well as music videos. Now he's about to start production on his first feature, The Grasshopper, which he describes as "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in the suburbs." Like several of his earlier pieces, it'll be filmed in and around Buffalo Grove. In anticipation of The Grasshopper, IFP Chicago is presenting an evening of Bischoffs work at the Music Box on March 16, showcasing his earlier shorts while also premiering a new nine-minute film: Lady of the House, a miniature character study. Its focus is a mother, wife, daughter and... something else, not fully revealed until the last shot. Will Bischoff be able to maintain this same slow-burn suspense in a full-length feature? It will be a thrill to find out. We got the chance to talk with Bischoff about The Grasshopper, what inspired him to jump into feature filmmaking, and how Chicago itself has been an inspiration through the years. At its core, good storytelling means revealing the right detail at the right moment. It's a knack that Bischoff displays time and again in his films, and also in our conversation. CHICAGOIST: You've made so many short films. Why the leap to a feature-length movie, and why right now? BRAD BISCHOFF: For a long time, I just couldn't get the story right. I never had something that would keep my attention for long enough. I almost made Where the Buffalo Roam into a feature, but as I kept workshopping the script, I started to feel like I had already explored what I had wanted to explore with the short film. The fire was gone. And I never want to feel like I'm doing something just to do it, especially when it comes to making a film. I want it to feel organic, exciting, adventurous. There is something both thrilling and scary about the unknown, and I thrive on that. I've been making short films for over a decade now and have explored many different visual techniques for telling stories. I'm at a point now where I'm both extremely excited and nervous about my feature, so naturally I'm intrigued and would like to go on our first date already. What are your main influences on this project? BRAD BISCHOFF: Ferris Bueller's leopard vest, the cocktail dangling above the pool in the opening scene of Frank Perry's The Swimmer, forgotten 80s rock ballads, Francis Ford Coppola's battle to get Al Pacino in The Godfather, Bukowski's poem "The Shower," drinking at noon, Al Pacino's coke binge in Scarface, Gregory Crewdson, John Travolta riding the rails all night in a white suit at the end of Saturday Night Fever, Susan Tyrrell in John Huston's Fat City, Francis Bacon, and the gentleman in the bottom right-hand corner of the Norman Rockwell painting, "Freedom from Want." What triggered the story? What was the first image to come to mind? BRAD BISCHOFF: The story was triggered after I went through what I felt to be a very stagnant, albeit necessary, period in my life a few years ago. I was in a creative rut, was drinking a lot, and was feeling like all of my days were blending into one very long day. It didn't help that I was also making my own hours through the work week. I was battling with Peter Pan syndrome, and supporting spontaneity over structure in all aspects of my life ... which is still a battle, but as Oscar Wilde says, "Everything in moderation, including moderation." That, combined with a burgeoning friendship with Malik Bader, led to the screenplay of The Grasshopper. The first image that arrived in my mind was of a middle-aged suburban man in a Hawaiian shirt calling in sick to work and drinking a Mai Tai at seven o'clock in the morning. Why is Chicago a good place to make movies? Is it as practical as, say, New York or LA? BRAD BISCHOFF: Chicago is a great place to make films. The people I've met here and have worked with here are some of the hardest working individuals I know. People are excitable here and eager to help. Jake Zalutsky, my cinematographer, walked into Save More Liquor Lounge one night to scout for a project we were doing and met Jason Ward, the son's owner, who is quickly turning into a friend. Not only did we get the location free of charge, but he helped us on the production and even played the bartender in the piece. In exchange, [artist] Jess Godwin and [production designer] Nick Santore decided to leave him a piano that we had been using in our shoot, for his bar. It was a beautiful trade. Strangers are willing to get their hands dirty and show love. It's very warm and humbling. How has the city inspired your work? BRAD BISCHOFF: I feel the suburbs that surround Chicago have inspired my work more so than the city itself has, mainly because I believe suburbia possesses a deep complexity that I feel compelled to explore through my art, and have for many years. I've often heard the suburbs get written off as a place where dreamers go to die, but it has to be much more complicated than that. There is something very moving to me about a middle-aged man sitting in a garage somewhere going through his tackle box, drinking a beer. I am more interested in him and the boat parked in his driveway than I am in the city. What locations and resources have you taken advantage of here that you couldn't find elsewhere? BRAD BISCHOFF: I've had the opportunity to shoot at some pretty unforgettable locations in Chicago ... from my old suburban schools (which are all lined up on the same street in Buffalo Grove), to the city's industrial districts, to many Mom and Pop restaurants, a few dive bars, and just about every family member's house. Like I said, people are very excitable here, and eager to help you. It's a very beautiful thing. Also, the neighborhoods surrounding Chicago each have a different feeling and vibe, so if you aren't feeling one place, take a drive or a train ride and end up somewhere new. We shot a street corner in Pilsen and made it look like Poland by adding some polish signage on the wall and building a small outdoor market. One last question: What's your favorite Chicago movie? BRAD BISCHOFF: I was going to say either The Breakfast Club or Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. But then I remembered The Fugitive. I credit that film as being one of the first moments that I fell in love with movies. I've probably seen it 10,000 times. The IFP Spotlight on Brad Bischoff is March 16, 7:30 p.m. at the Music Box Humans Are Hard-Wired to Value Some People over Others Andrew Syrios writes: One of the most persistent and fallacious argument against the libertarian or laissez-faire position is that libertarianism is an atomistic and selfish philosophy that denies the obvious truth that human beings are a social species who long for a strong sense of community. Perhaps David Masciotras semi-coherent rant best illustrates this line of thinking as libertarianism is a political program that eliminates empathy and denies the collective. That it is in Opposition to any conception of the public interest and common good, and the consistent rejection of any opportunity to organize communities in the interest of solidarity and is nothing but a rejection of all rules and regulations, and the belief that everyone should have the ability to do whatever they want. To sum up, It is infantile naivete. Voluntary Relationships Are Extremely Valuable Most good straw men are as self-evidently true as they are irrelevant. While it may be true that some libertarians want so much to be left alone that they would prefer to be left alone by not just the government but, well, everyone. The vast majority of people including libertarians understand quite well that human beings are a social and communitarian species. Libertarians simply believe human beings can self-organize and that it should be left to the individual which communities he or she will join and on what terms. While a deontological argument could pretty much end there, critics will once again point to the scientific fact that human beings are a social animal and that a selfish value system at odds with our nature is a utopian (or maybe dystopian) fantasy. While libertarians focus on the primacy of the individual, that focus does not in any way necessitate atomism. The plethora of libertarian gatherings and meet-ups should prove that by itself. Nor does it infer selfishness (although Ayn Rand who explicitly denounced libertarianism, but is often associated with libertarianism might argue this point). Selfishness and altruism are not mutually exclusive. As the psychologist Robert Wright describes, Love makes us want to further the happiness of others; it makes us give up a little so that others (the loved ones) may have a lot. More than that: love actually makes this sacrifice feel good. The famous self-help guru Dale Carnegie made the same observation, Every act you have ever performed since the day you were born was performed because you wanted something. How about the time you gave a large contribution to the Red Cross? Yes, that is no exception to the rule. You gave the Red Cross the donation because you wanted to lend a helping hand; you wanted to do a beautiful, unselfish, divine act. People can be selfless, sure, but they do so in a selfish way. Not All Human Relationships Are the Same This goes beyond a simple misunderstanding of libertarian theory, though. These critics, usually from the Left, have confused the science on human empathy and altruism. In fact, libertarianism is probably the only philosophical framework that can rectify human nature with the modern world in a peaceful way. The mistake stems from attempts to universalize humanitys natural social instincts. This can be illustrated by an interview Steven Pinker discusses between Zach De La Rocha and Noam Chomsky, [De La Rocha]: Another unquestionable idea is that people are naturally competitive, and that therefore, capitalism is the only proper way to organize society. Do you agree? Chomsky: Look around you. In a family for example, if the parents are hungry do they steal food from the children? They would if they were competitive. In most social groupings that are even semi-sane people support each other and are sympathetic and helpful and care about other people and so on. Those are normal human emotions. It takes plenty of training to drive those feelings out of peoples heads, and they show up all over the place. Chomskys mistake is so self-evidently ridiculous it almost beggars belief. He is effectively drawing an equivalence between someones own children and some guy that person has never met on the other side of the planet. Does it really take plenty of training for someone to care more about their own children than strangers? As Steven Pinker notes, Unless people treat other members of society the way they treat their own children, the answer is a non-sequitur: people could care deeply about the children but feel differently about the millions of other people who make up society. The very framing of the question and answer assumes that humans are competitive or sympathetic across the board, rather than having different emotions toward people with whom they have different genetic relationships. Indeed, Adam Smith noticed this very thing back in the eighteenth century when he wrote, Let us suppose that the great empire of China, with all its myriads of inhabitants, was suddenly swallowed up by an earthquake, and let us consider how a man of humanity in Europe, who had no sort of connexion with that part of the world, would be affected upon receiving intelligence of this dreadful calamity. He would, I imagine, first of all, express very strongly his sorrow for the misfortune of that unhappy people, he would make many melancholy reflections upon the precariousness of human life, and the vanity of all labours of man, which could thus be annihilated in a moment. He would too, perhaps, if he was a man of speculation, enter into many reasonings concerning the effects which this disaster might produce upon the commerce of Europe, and the trade and business of the world in general. And when all this fine philosophy was over, when all the humane sentiments had been once fairly expressed, he would pursue his business, take his repose or his diversion, with the same ease and tranquility, as if no such accident had happened. The most frivolous disaster which could befall him would occasion a more real disturbance. If he was to lose his little finger to-morrow, he would not sleep to-night; but, provided he never saw them, he will snore with the most profound security over the ruin of a hundred millions of his brethren, and the destruction of that immense multitude seems plainly an object less interesting to him, than this paltry misfortune of his own. While we were all shocked and saddened by the tsunami in Indonesia in 2004, the earthquake in Haiti 2010, the tsunami and subsequent nuclear meltdown in Japan in 2011 as well as every other such tragedy, how many people do you know that actually lost any sleep over it? Scientists explain this selective empathy through either kin selection for family (they share our genes) or reciprocal altruism, which develops friendships; both of which are lacking to strangers and even most acquaintances. So while tragedy abroad comes off to most as an unfortunate curiosity, we have all seen, and likely know, of people taking extreme risks or making huge sacrifices to help people they know, love and care about. Siblings will donate kidneys or part of their liver to each other; parents will take absurd risks to save their children and the like. Yes, strangers can do these things too sometimes. Occasionally there will even be an anonymous kidney donation from a living donor, but its quite rare. Indeed, the usual activism expressed at the suffering of strangers is to press the retweet button or to join some group that furthers ones own self-identity. The Limits of Human Relationships This would further explain why the pop stars and movie stars are elevated so high in technological societies. Its not like the average pop star is thousands of times more talented than those that didnt make it. Indeed, the exact same song that makes it to the top of the charts would usually be lost in obscurity if released by a no name artist. And we know this without any doubt because the same few people who write pop songs do so for many different pop stars. What happens is that individuals can only keep track of so many different people at once and thereby pick only a select few artists to care about. People associate music or movies they like with that celebrity and despite not knowing the person personally, that celebrity basically becomes a one-way friend of sorts. Much of this may seem quite obvious, but it underlies the fact the human beings are neither purely competitive nor purely cooperative. Even within competitive institutions, there is a substantial amount of cooperation. Other than commission-based industries, virtually all companies rely first and foremost on internal cooperation to fulfill a competitive aim. Businesses even have to cooperate with each other, for example, when it comes to outsourced vendors and suppliers. The term Co-opertition has even been coined to describe this phenomenon. As noted above, the mistake the Left makes when criticizing libertarianism is to mistake humanitys cooperative instincts as universal. Theres something called Dunbars number that notes that human beings can only comfortably maintain approximately 150 stable relationships. There has been some bickering amongst various psychologists about whether the number is actually 100 or 250 or thereabout, but there is basic unanimity that the general thesis is true. Malcolm Gladwell described in his book The Tipping Point that the company W.L. Gore and Associates discovered by trial and error that social problems started occurring in any building that housed more than 150 people and thus reorganized to avoid such problems. Many other companies have started doing the same. Indeed, most groups, from social clubs to military units and the like tend to cluster around this number or even smaller. Even studies on social media have found that Dunbars number holds true. Yes, you may have more than 150 Facebook friends, but how many of those are really, truly friends? A study in Nature looked at how people played the prisoners dilemma (a game that rewards cooperation, but only if all parties cooperate). As Christopher Allen describes, they created, 100 independent simulations with group sizes ranging from 2 to 512, and then [executed] each simulation 1,000 to 2,000 times. Each generation of the "players" was allowed to evolve different strategies of cooperation vs defection, the classic successful strategy being Tit for Tat. They would then evaluate the percentage of players who had cooperative strategies. If punishment of defections was ruled out, they discovered that over the 1,000+ generations of the simulation that the rate of cooperation quickly crashes, such that at the group size of 8 a little over 50% cooperation evolved, and for groups that are larger than 16 none cooperate. In essence, the evidence shows the humans either evolved or were created as a tribal species. And this fact is found in the typical group sizes of hunter-gatherer societies that still exist today. As Maria Konnikova notes, The average group size among modern hunter-gatherer societies (where there was accurate census data) was 148.4 individuals. Indeed, the evidence even indicates that this general phenomenon is true across all primates. As Robin Dunbar, Louise Barrett, and John Lycett note, a series of studies showed that relative neocortex volume correlates with various measures of social complexity across primates [and] Humans fit this primate relationship between group size and neocortex size surprisingly well. For most monkeys and apes, their Dunbars number for group size falls between five and 50. So while human beings are not naturally atomistic, group cohesion, and cooperation are not univeralizable as many on the Left believe (or at least, want to believe). Of course we should treat everyone we come across be it family, friend, or stranger with decency and respect. But, if naturally-cohesive human groups are small, as the scientific evidence clearly shows, then what sort of societal arrangement would best suit our species in the complex, modern would our minds are clearly not designed for? One governed by a massive state apparatus, or one of more localized, federated communities? Andrew Syrios is a Kansas City-based real estate investor and partner with Stewardship Properties. He also blogs at Swifteconomics.com. See Andrew Syrios's article archives. You can subscribe to future articles by Andrew Syrios via this RSS feed. http://mises.org 2016 Copyright Andrew Syrios - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Todays Girl Scouts are taking a world view as they learn about cooking. Yet they dont stray too far from their roots: Recently, while the Cadets of Troop 616 were cooking towards a badge which requires a variety of experiences, they still managed to use Girl Scout cookies as ingredients. Claudia Phillips, the daughter of Kim and John Phillips, listed the five requirements of the New Cuisines Legacy Badge. They must make one dish from another country; one from another region of the United States; one from another time period and one which makes a statement. The final requirement is to share their dishes on a "culinary tour." "Its important that the girls are learning to contribute to their homes and families at this age, and one way to do that is to learn how to cook," Claudias mother said. "Its also a great way for the girls and their parents to spend time together," she added. Middle-schoolers have so much going on in their minds, and I personally have found that they tend to open up when you are cooking together." Cadets are Girl Scouts in sixth to eighth grade. Other members of the troop are: Ava Meyer, 11, the daughter of Theresa Bechtel and Dave Meyer; Emma Nester, 11, the daughter of Amy and Derrick Nester; Savannah Brown, 11, the daughter of Renee and Jeff Brown, Lillian Bescher, 12, the daughter of Robin and Berry Bescher; Caroline Boa, 12, the granddaughter of Bo and Michael Vernon; Hailey Chitwood, 12, the daughter of Kim and John Chitwood; Lauren Hruza, 12, the daughter of Eric Hruza and the late Maureen FitsGibbon-Hruza; Hanna Mase, 12, the daughter of Jenny and Mike Mase; Leia Richardson, 12, the daughter of Diane and Doug Richardson; and Alivia Stout, 12, the daughter of Amy and Jay Stout. For Hailey and Savannah, cooking together is a family tradition. Each girl cooks with her grandmother: Hailey with Joyce Parsons of Patrick County, and Savannah with Virginia Williams of Martinsville. Haileys grandmother teaches her how to make pound cakes. She said her grandmothers main advice is "Always measure the stuff right, and dont burn yourself. Dont burn the food." Savannahs grandmother always cooks a big Sunday dinner, and Savannah is there in the kitchen with her when she does, she said. "Its all fun," she added. Lillian, on the other hand, learned to cook her mainstay, hash browns, from her brother, Luke Snell, she said. She also bakes cookies and brownies. Ava said she enjoys baking cookies. She likes the diversity of cookies, she said, "because you can add different kinds of flavor." Her latest batch was chocolate-pumpkin spice. She said she doesnt cook prepackaged foods. When its homemade, "you know what you put into it. You can say that you made this and are proud of what you made." She hasnt had any disasters in the kitchen "so far, but Im expecting it," she laughed. At that comment, Leia and Hannah broke out into laughter. They recalled a time they tried to make a homemade version of the Girl Scout cookie Caramel Delights. They measured the salt wrong and used the wrong leavening agent, and they came out terrible, they agreed. When the girls were Brownies, they earned the Simple Meals Legacy Badge. That required them to improve their skills with a pro; make breakfast; prepare a healthy lunch or dinner; create a dessert; and make their own meal. For the most recent Girl Scout meeting, Claudia helped her mother make refreshments. All were made using Girl Scout cookies. They included fried shrimp coated with crushed Samoas cookies, fruit parfait, grasshopper pie and white chocolate cranberry cheesecake bars. Girl Scouts have been selling their cookies since Jan. 1, through Tuesday. They sell at tables at area stores. Ava said she sold 1,000 boxes of cookies last year. Another Girl Scout tradition is camping, and there, the girls prepare their own meals. Several said their favorite is to wrap chicken, potatoes, vegetables and a sauce in tin foil to cook over the fire. That is followed by Smores for dessert. Instead of graham crackers and chocolate bars, the girls put the warm marshmallows between two Thank-A-Lots, chocolate-coated cookies. Rachel Catoe, a 31 dealer, will host a bingo at which all proceeds will be donated to the troop. The 31 bingo will be held at 6:30 p.m. April 1 at Martinsville High School. Those donated proceeds will help fund a trip to Savannah, Georgia, where Girl Scouts was founded. Residents of the Greenbriar Park subdivision off U.S. 58 west of Martinsville say they are tired of smelling raw sewage in their neighborhood. Henry County Public Service Authority (PSA) officials say they are correcting the problem, which involves a lagoon in the woods near Grassy Creek that collects waste from homes in the subdivision. It seems "theyve let the lagoon run completely over," said resident Bud Graham. He said that both urine and feces has been seen on the ground near the lagoon. "Its a mess, and its been like this for a while," said his neighbor, Vicky Utt. "The stench is unreal." There has been an odor for quite a while, but subdivision residents recently have noticed that it has gotten worse, Utt said. Utt estimated that the lagoon is roughly 800 feet from her home, but it is within about 450 feet from some of the houses. Tuesday morning, she went to the lagoon with a bucket and shovel to collect some of the waste as proof that a problem exists. She noticed that a manhole had run over, and sewage had gotten within 150 to 200 feet of homes. The PSA was on the scene and working within an hour after the spill was reported to county officials, according to Mike Ward, the authoritys director of regulatory compliance and technical applications. Officials calculated that 600 gallons of sewage overflowed between when the incident was reported and when the PSA stopped the spillage, he said. They were unable to determine how much overflowed before they arrived. A blockage caused by grease, feminine hygiene products and baby wipes was discovered in a sewer line that connects to the lagoon, Ward said. Brooks Septic Tank and Port-A-John Service of Ridgeway was called to pump up the mess and remove the blockage. Sewage was flowing normally by noon, Ward said. After consulting Virginia Department of Health environmental officials, a PSA crew scattered about 300 pounds of lime on the ground around the lagoon to raise the pH level of the spilled sewage and neutralize it. Ward said that should eliminate concerns about bacteria harming the environment. Graham and Utt expressed concern over the possibility of bacteriological contamination. Utt, a nurse who is the retired health coordinator for the Martinsville City Public Schools, said there are many types of bacteria that could cause problems as a result of a sewage spill. "What happens if a deer or another animal gets in there" (the woods) and comes into contact with the sewage, Graham asked. Neighborhood residents should keep their pets confined, Utt mentioned. Based on information he received from the health department, Ward said there should be no concern within 24 to 48 hours after the lime was applied. However, he suggested that pet owners keep their animals at home for at least that long. A small amount of liquid sewage got into the creek, which leads to the Smith River. But water in the creek will dilute it, Ward said, adding that it should not create any water quality problems. No more sewage than leaked out of the manhole, "this really is a minimal environmental risk," he said. The PSA informed the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality of its measures to handle the overflow and officials with that department are "fine with what were doing," he added. Ward said the PSA has handled an average of four or five similar sewage overflows each year across the county. Another overflow occurred at the Greenbriar Park lagoon about five years ago, but "it was not nearly of this magnitude," recalled Steve Clary, the PSAs superintendent of construction and maintenance. To help prevent blockages and overflows, people should not flush down their toilets solids not meant to be disposed of that way, Ward said. The PSA did not know about the Greenbriar Park problem before Tuesday, Ward said. He said that when people start smelling sewage in their neighborhoods, they need to report the problem immediately before it gets worse. "The faster that they report it, the quicker" that crews can respond, Clary added. Ward said the PSA plans to close the Greenbriar Park lagoon later this year. Pipes are being installed that will enable the sewage to be pumped to the Koehler wastewater treatment plant for processing, he said. In the meantime, he said, the PSA will replace the old brick manhole with a concrete one that will be raised 2-3 feet higher than the existing one. That should reduce the risk of future overflows, he indicated. Do you have fibroids? Have you ever had to deal with fibroids as a lady? Do you know someone who has experienced or is current... The Martinsville Police Department attributes a small increase in crimes reported in the city last year largely to stepped-up efforts to combat property crimes, especially shoplifting. The departments annual report, presented to Martinsville City Council on Tuesday, shows a total of 469 crimes were reported in the city in 2015, up from 448 reported during the previous year. Of the 469 crimes reported last year, 413 were property crimes, such as burglaries, larcenies, shoplifting incidents, motor vehicle thefts and arsons. That number was up from 395 in 2014, the report shows. The number of shoplifting incidents, specifically, rose from 92 in 2014 to 114 in 2015, according to the report. That was a 24 percent increase, Police Chief Sean Dunn noted. The police department increased its commitment to helping businesses, which resulted in more plain-clothes and uniformed officers patrolling them as well as a Business Watch program being established, Dunn said. Business Watch is similar to Neighborhood Watch, a program in which people in residential areas closely monitor what is happening around them so that potential criminal activity can be reported to police. Dunn attributed the increase in reported shoplifting incidents to a combination of those efforts as well as employees in local stores being more proactive. "Based on feedback from a handful of businesses, actual shoplifting has probably decreased although reported incidents have increased," he said. He mentioned that one business, which he did not identify, said shoplifting there has dropped by about 50 percent. "We found that a lot of businesses werent even reporting shoplifting incidents," said police Capt. Rob Fincher. Now, "weve got more businesses calling us and saying, Hey, weve got a shoplifter, where they werent calling us before," Fincher said. Incidents of violent crime increased from 53 in 2014 to 56 last year, the report shows. Violent crimes include homicides, robberies and aggravated and sexual assaults. One thing that factors into that increase, Police Lt. Tony Turner said a law change in which an assault involving a person being strangled basically, someone puts his or her hands around another persons throat now is a Class 6 felony rather than a Class 1 misdemeanor. In 2015, the number of aggravated assaults increased from 29 to 35, while the number of sexual assaults rose from 11 to 12. There was one homicide, the same as in 2014. The number of robberies dropped from 12 to eight, according to the report. Among property crimes, the number of larcenies including shoplifting rose from 311 in 2014 to 341 last year. The number of burglaries dropped from 55 to 54. Instances of vehicle thefts dropped from 18 to 14. The number of arsons increased from two to four, the report shows. Three men sought in the shooting death of Damien Anthony Ferrell of Fieldale early Tuesday morning have been taken into custody by the Henry County Sheriffs Office. Malik Davon Galloway, 20, of 45 Vera Drive Apartment 7, Collinsville, and Kerry Marcel Scales Jr., 19, of 148 New Hope Drive, Bassett, turned themselves in late Tuesday evening, according to Henry County Sheriff Lane Perry. Sean Demetrus Goddard Jr., 18, of 1000 Paul Street, Martinsville also was taken into custody Tuesday evening, Perry added. Each is charged with first-degree murder, robbery and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony. In addition to the three suspects charged, officers are looking for a white Ford Expedition with after-market wheels that possibly was pulling an enclosed utility trailer, Perry said. Perry urges anyone who sees the vehicle to provide a license plate number, but do not approach the vehicle or any occupants. According to the HCSO news release, on Tuesday at about 12:10 a.m., the Martinsville/Henry County Emergency 911 Center received a call that an individual had been shot at 167 Chadmore Drive Fieldale. The victim Ferrell, 20, of 167 Chadmore Drive, Fieldale was transported to Memorial Hospital in Martinsville, where he was pronounced dead. Through the course of the investigation, it was determined that an argument ensued between Ferrell, Galloway, Scales, Goddard and another individual. The investigation is continuing regarding the fourth individual. The argument culminated in Ferrell being shot multiple times, the HCSO news release said. Perry declined to say how many times Ferrell was shot or what part or parts of his body. Perry declined to say whether there were signs of a scuffle inside the home where the shooting occurred. He said items were taken from the home but declined to be specific. He said of the incident, "It appears to have drug ties to it." Perry praised investigators and other officers with the HCSO "who have worked very hard today to move forward with the case, solve the crime and make the public safe." He also praised the Martinsville Police Department, which was helping look for suspect(s); North Carolina agencies that are providing information; and Henry County Public Safety, which responded to the incident. Officers checked several residences on Tuesday trying to find the suspects, Perry noted. According the HCSO news release, anyone having information regarding this murder or the whereabouts of Galloway, Scales or Goddard is asked to contact the sheriffs office at 638-8751 or Crimestoppers at 63-CRIME (632-7463). The Crimestoppers Program offers rewards up to $2,500 for information related to crime. The nature of the crime and the substance of the information determine the amount of reward paid. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com Justin Yifu Lin, a former World Bank chief economist and member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). [File photo by Xinhua] China can raise its debt ceiling above 3 percent as long as the money it borrows is well invested, said renowned economist Justin Yifu Lin in Beijing on Monday. "China's debts have been mostly turned into assets, so the real debt-to-GDP ratio is not high," the former World Bank chief economist and senior vice president said at the sidelines of the annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), or the country's top political advisory body. The debt ceiling refers to the maximum amount of money a government can borrow. Usually, it is measured as a percentage of gross domestic production (GDP) and is set below 3 percent in most countries. However, things were different in China, Lin explained. In developed countries, government debts are usually used to cover social expenditures, such as unemployment compensation and various aspects of social welfare, which will not increase productivity, but in developing countries, government debts are usually used to stimulate investments. In the case of China, a large proportion of government debts have gone to infrastructure improvement, environmental protection and urbanization. In the short term, these investments could boost domestic demand and create new jobs. In the long term, they could increase productivity and transform into assets, said Lin. Despite the downward pressure and the sluggish global economic environment, Lin remains optimistic about China's future. "As a developing country, China sees many promising investment opportunities, which will give it more room for maneuvering and will help it get rid of the current situation," Lin said. On March 5, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang set the national GDP growth target for this year at 6.5 to 7 percent when addressing the opening of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature. He also unveiled the draft 13th Five-Year Plan that anticipates an average annual growth rate of above 6.5 percent from 2016 to 2020. SPRINGFIELD Parents looking for a little support in raising their children can now head over to Square One at 1095 Main St. in Springfield and visit the new Children's Trust Family Center. A celebration was held at Square One headquarters on Tuesday to showcase the eighth Family Center in Massachusetts. The Children's Trust is a family support organization that partners with over one hundred support agencies throughout Massachusetts. Citing the "incredible leadership of Square One," Children's Trust Executive Director Suzin Bartley said that "our relationship over many years has shown us that they really understand and care deeply about this community." Square One President and CEO Joan Kagan, remarked that this Center "allows us to expand and enhance the family support services that we offer parents throughout our programs and throughout the community." Carly Fiorina Former Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina speaks during a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in Miami, Fla., Wednesday, March 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) (Paul Sancya) SPRINGFIELD Businesswoman Carly Fiorina threw her support behind U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Wednesday, contending that he's "a strong leader" who will help the GOP win back the White House. Fiorina, who ended her presidential run following the New Hampshire primary, told supporters via Facebook that while her own name was on the ballot in Virginia's recent primary, she chose to check the box for Cruz instead. She urged backers to follow her lead and to unite behind him. "I ran for president because I believe it is time to take our country back--and I still believe that. I still believe we need a candidate who will stand for conservative principles. A nominee who will never settle for the status quo, and who will unite us as Republicans," she wrote. "It is time for us to unite behind Ted Cruz. If you're ready to take our country back--if you're ready to elect a real constitutional conservative in November--join me now in supporting the next president of these United States, Ted Cruz." The businesswoman, who hit the campaign trail in Miami for Cruz, praised the Texas senator for standing up to the GOP establishment and fighting for real change. Calling him a "a true constitutional conservative," she added that he will address issues, like those surrounding the immigration system and the Internal Revenue Service. Although she acknowledged the lack of support Cruz has garnered amongst his colleagues in Washington D.C., Fiorina argued that real leaders must challenge the status quo -- something that often creates enemies. "That price is one too many people aren't willing to pay, and so they don't lead," she contended. "Ted Cruz has made enemies by taking on the political class. They're scared we found our guy." Cruz lauded Fiorina's endorsement, saying his campaign is stronger with her support. "Carly speaks the truth with courage, doesn't back down to the Washington powerbrokers and terrifies Hillary and the Democrats," he said in a statement. "We are blessed to have her support, and together I am confident we will continue to unite conservatives so that every American has the opportunity to achieve the unimaginable." Ted Cruz Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas holds a town hall at Praise Community Church in Mason City, Iowa, Friday, Jan. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) SPRINGFIELD Less than one month after his brother Jeb Bush left the Republican presidential contest, Neil Bush announced this week that he's joining U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz's, R-Texas, campaign. Bush, the son of former President George H.W. Bush and the younger brother of former President George W. Bush, will serve on the Texas senator's national finance team along with is wife, Maria, CNN reported. Cruz has added more than a dozen two bundlers to help his campaign raise cash to compete with GOP front-runner Donald Trump, according to the news outlet. Bush, a Houston businessman, defended his decision to get involved in the race, telling Fox News that he's concerned about calls for a contested GOP convention. He added that he believes Cruz will "crush" Trump in a head-to-head contest. "It's much more powerful as a unifying force for the Republican Party to have a nominee selected before the convention because you get your messages clarified...at the end of the day when the party unifies in a one-on-one race I just have this instinct and intuition that he cannot survive: Trump will go down," he said. Jeb Bush, who ended his own 2016 White House bid in late-February, has yet to endorse another GOP candidate. Taxi industry supporters face off with Uber backers at State House hearing At a Statehouse hearing, supporters of the taxi cab industry wore yellow shirts and called for a "level playing field." They said services like Uber are cutting into their business. BOSTON -- The Massachusetts House on Wednesday passed a controversial bill regulating ride sharing companies like Uber and Lyft. State Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, D-Boston, chairman of the Joint Committee on Financial Services, said the bill "allows for the expansion and growth of an industry while ensuring high standards of consumer protection and public safety." Michlewitz said the bill would make Massachusetts the first state in the nation to recognize the role of Transportation Network Companies, a term for ride-sharing companies, in the ride-for-hire industry. Companies like Uber allow drivers to use their own cars to provide rides for customers who use a smart phone application to order and pay for a ride. The bill passed by a vote of 139 to 16. The burgeoning and generally unregulated industry has raised concerns about whether consumers are adequately protected when they hail a ride - whether the drivers are safe and whether they are covered by insurance. The House bill, H.4049, would create a new Ride for Hire division under the Department of Public Utilities, funded by fees paid by ride sharing companies, to oversee licensing and oversight of these companies. The bill would create two-part background check for drivers, in which drivers would undergo background checks both by the company and by the state. People would be disqualified from driving if they have a history of violent crime, sexual abuse, driving under the influence, hit and run, driving with a suspended license, felony robbery or fraud, or multiple violations within a short time period. The bill does not require that drivers be fingerprinted - something that Boston taxi cab drivers are required to undergo. Uber opposes fingerprinting requirements. Cars being used for ride sharing would have to undergo an annual in-depth safety inspection in addition to the standard annual inspection. Drivers would have to inform their insurance company that they are driving for a transportation network company, and they must have insurance coverage of at least $1 million, with specific coverage requirements for bodily injury and property damage. The Division of Insurance would establish rules to make similar policies available to taxi drivers. To preserve certain advantages for taxi drivers, transportation network company drivers would be prohibited from picking up passengers at cab stands, at Logan Airport and at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. A person could not hail an Uber car on the street. Transportation network companies would be prohibited from using surge pricing, in which rides become more expensive, during weather emergencies. The bill would put in place enforcement mechanisms, including license suspensions and criminal and civil actions, if a driver or a company violates state regulations. The bill also aims to help the cab industry by developing a plan to create state-assisted financing for new technology, loan guarantees for new equipment, and business consulting. It would also create a task force to examine issues not covered by the bill, such as the potential use of driverless cars, lending practices by transportation network companies and ways for taxis to use surge pricing. Gov. Charlie Baker first proposed regulating ride sharing companies in April. The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a 10.5-hour hearing on the issue in September, and released its version of the bill last Friday. The bill must still be considered by the Senate. Several taxi drivers came to the Statehouse to oppose the bill, which they say gives Uber drivers an unfair advantage over taxi drivers. They say taxi drivers are fingerprinted, their numbers are limited, and they must pay $6,000 or $7,000 a year for insurance, in addition to buying expensive medallions. Uber can have unlimited numbers of drivers, its drivers are not fingerprinted, their insurance is less expensive and they can use their own cars. "We're losing our business and we're losing our drivers to Uber, and we're losing our medallion value to Uber," said Ijaz Akhtar, a Boston cab driver and owner. "We're losing everything, and we just want a level playing field so we can survive too." Boston cab driver and owner Ted Solomon added, "Why don't they have rules and regulations the way we have it?" Lyft spokeswoman Eileen O'Connor said the ride sharing service also does not support the House version of the bill. "The bill limits consumer choice, restricts competition and doesn't serve the best interests of Massachusetts' visitors or residents, who have benefited from Lyft's safe, affordable rides at one of the nation's busiest airports and throughout the Commonwealth," O'Connor said. "We are hopeful Massachusetts can find a way to join the nearly 30 states that have passed common-sense rules for ridesharing, and we will continue working with state leaders to find a way forward that preserves modern transportation options for people across the state." House members introduced 32 amendments, which were considered during several hours of mostly closed door negotiations. Amendments that were adopted include: requiring the task force to examine the feasibility of requiring an emergency alert on ride sharing mobile apps; requiring the task force to examine ways to compensate cab drivers for the lost value of their medallions; and requiring transportation network companies to keep track of and report to the attorney general's office and to other state regulators any incidents reported by passengers. This story was updated with comments from Lyft. PARADE_40_12156031.JPG The Agawam High School marching band marching in a previous Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade. (David Molnar | The Republican file photo) AGAWAM "Stalwart souls" will be out in force for the 65th annual Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade March 20 including members of the Agawam contingent. The colleen and her court, the parade marshal, award winners, the St. Patrick's Committee, the Agawam High School marching band, representatives of the fire department, senior center representatives and elected officials will be among those marching with the Agawam contingent and its float in the parade. "People like to see the colleen. They like to see the float," commented Barbara J. Foley, parade liaison between Agawam and Holyoke. "There's a lot of camaraderie, and this is one day when everybody is Irish." She said everyone who enters the parade works on "being polished and the finest," and sometimes the weather is a hindrance. "We have to deal with whatever the Good Lord gives us for weather," she said, adding that even in bitter cold "we've been stalwart souls." The colleen hopefuls were judged on poise, personality and community involvement by a panel of independent judges that are not part of the Agawam or Feeding Hills community, explained Mary Jo Safford, a co-chair of the Colleen Committee of the Agawam St. Patrick Committee. The colleen receives a $1,000 stipend for continuing education expenses. All the young women receive an Irish sweater, jewelry and other gifts that are given to them at the Ladies Irish Tea after the coronation. The colleen and court will be on the Agawam St. Patrick's float, which, in the past, has received "multiple awards for the Irish category," Safford noted. The following awards are granted each year in addition to the colleen and court awards: * Parade Marshal: This award is granted to an Agawam person who has worked tirelessly for the town as well as the St. Patrick's Committee. This year's recipient is John McCarthy. * The Anne Sullivan Award is presented to a female committee member who epitomizes the values represented by Anne Sullivan, the teacher of Helen Keller. This year the award is given to Nicole Bertera. * The Citizenship Award goes to a person who has made substantial contributions to the community, this year David Cecchi. * The Bill Pfau Cultural Award is given to a colleen applicant for her a 200-300-word essay about a person of Irish descent who has made a significant difference. The winner was to be announced at the coronation event Feb. 14. Bertera, co-chair of the Colleen Committee and treasurer of the Agawam St. Patrick's Committee, was "completely shocked" to receive the Anne Sullivan Award. "I love this committee. It does a lot for everyone," said the assistant bank manager. She was a member of the Springfield Colleen Court in 2007 and has been involved with the Agawam committee for three years. Receiving an award named for Feeding Hills native Anne Sullivan is a special honor for her. "She was a remarkable woman and made such an impact on someone's life and on our history. This is an incredible honor." "Were significantly up over where we were last year." A couple of years ago, UM http://www.umt.edu/ overhauled its recruitment communication strategies, and the students who enroll in the fall 2016 will be the first who have been through an entire round of the revamped effort, from snazzy print brochures touting ceramics and welding to targeted emails written to inform students about financial aid and also make them laugh. One reads: "Would you like to save yourself the cost of additional college tuition and the social awkwardness of explaining what a Super Senior is to your relatives?" Enrollment has been in decline at UM since 2009, but this year, the number of freshman applications has jumped. UM officials are not counting their chickens, but the increase is sizable, OHare said. KEILA SZPALLER [email protected] Full Story: http://missoulian.com/news/local/um-revamps-recruitment-looks-ahead-to-fall-enrollment/article_1bb5c88b-643d-58be-b896-4f61ff8bc1a7.html *** Missoula: And Through It All, a River Runs http://www.matr.net/article-70650.html Missoulians are making it known that they do not support a Bozeman companys proposal to demolish the historic Mercantile building. Whether it is speaking out at city council meetings or engaging in social media, they are not going down without a tough fight. A new Facebook page called Save the Merc https://www.facebook.com/SavetheMerc/?ref=br_rs has become the platform for Missoulians to vent their frustrations with the proposal to demolish the 140-year-old Merc. Over the last couple of days, its gained more than 15-hundred likes. By Jenna Heberden Full Story: http://www.abcfoxmontana.com/story/31419936/community-uses-social-media-as-platform-to-support-mercantile *** Missoula Mayor Engen backs proposal to demolish Mercantile building.. but at what cost to Missoulas architectural soul? http://www.matr.net/article-70601.html *** Slow Merc demolition, building can be saved, public tells Missoula council DAVID ERICKSON [email protected] Full Story: http://missoulian.com/news/local/slow-merc-demolition-building-can-be-saved-public-tells-missoula/article_c8555291-caa9-5725-bcf3-13951b314cfb.html Entrepreneurs may argue that it may not be cost effective to hire a lawyer. No ones business is bulletproof. It only takes one unhappy customer to file a lawsuit against your company. Do not be the entrepreneur who is trying to look for a lawyer after their business has been sued. Not carefully selecting the right lawyer can increase your chances of losing the lawsuit. Kallen Diggs Full Story: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kallen-diggs/3-reasons-why-every-entre_1_b_9391166.html *** Dorsey & Whitney An International business law firm, applying a business perspective to clients needs in Missoula, Montana and beyond. http://www.dorsey.com/missoula/ An Analysis and Assessment of Montanas Economic Performance Compiled by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research Montana Economic Report 2016 is the annual assessment of economic activity in the state of Montana produced by the University of Montanas Bureau of Business and Economic Research. Contributors to this report include presenters in the BBERs Economic Outlook Seminars, held throughout the state. For more information about the Bureau please visit the BBER web site at http://www.bber.umt.edu. Full Report: http://www.bber.umt.edu/pubs/Seminars/2016/EconRpt2016.pdf The Food and Agriculture Development Center Director is responsible for the overall administration of the Food and Agriculture Development Center, located at Bear Paw Development Corporation, and designed to primarily serve the Bear Paw District which includes Liberty, Hill, Blaine, Phillips and Chouteau Counties and the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boys Indian Reservations; as well as the surrounding counties of Cascade, Toole, Teton, Glacier, and Pondera, and any additional areas identified and designated by the Montana Food and Agriculture Development Center Network or the Executive Director of Bear Paw Development. The position is responsible for the outreach and development of value-added agriculture and alternative energy projects and programs within the region. NATURE AND SCOPE OF JOB A full-time position reporting to the Executive Director. Contingent upon ongoing funding. Competitive wage based on qualifications and experience. Excellent benefits package includes family health insurance coverage that is 100% employer-paid for employee, generous employer-paid retirement savings program, life insurance policy, professional development opportunities and more. Application deadline is 5:00pm on Friday, March 25, 2016. SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES Food and Agricultural Business Development Provide one-on-one counseling with producers, manufacturers or producer groups, in the areas of planning, business and market development. Identify and secure resources to move specific, acceptable projects forward. Assist producers and entrepreneurs through the development of feasibility studies and sound business/marketing plans. Provide assistance in marketing and market development. Provide assistance in business planning and leveraging capital assets. Assist local agri-businesses, manufacturers and agricultural producers develop strategies that will assist them in becoming more effective in marketing and producing value-added products from both traditional crop and livestock enterprises and those with new or unique niche products. Assist producers by expanding access to infrastructure for small-scale food processing, food-business and bio-based technology incubation and other potential value-added processes. Assist in the capitalization of producer-owned, value-added and alternative energy ventures through development of cooperatives, venture capital funds, equity partnerships and/or access to community loan funds and commercial lending institutions. Engage in networking and outreach activities to promote the services of the Bear Paw FADC and solicit interest in food, agriculture and alternative energy projects. Travel to meet with current and potential partners and stakeholders in order to develop new clients. Plan, analyze, organize and implement strategies to promote economic development in the region. Other related duties as assigned. Administration Responsible for the implementation of the goals and objectives of the Food and Agriculture Development Center at Bear Paw Development and the statewide Food and Agriculture Development Center Network. Monitor financial performance of Center activities and submits reports to funding agency, which is the Montana Department of Agriculture. Research and pursue funding opportunities for program continuation. Write and administer complimentary grants and other funding opportunities for project development and implementation. Prepare reports and proposals for all appropriate programs, agencies and organizations, including but not limited to the Montana Department of Agriculture and the Board of Directors of Bear Paw Development Corporation. Ensure that federal and state regulations are complied with and executed. Public Relations Represent the organization at public and professional meetings at the local, regional and statewide level. Actively participate in all Montana Food and Agriculture Development Center Network meetings. Coordinate and provide liaison activities among various agencies and organizations creating an atmosphere necessary for successful partnerships. Work to build new relationships between rural service providers, agriculture producers, and value-added agriculture businesses. Back-up Duties Performs other duties as necessary or as assigned by the Executive Director. DESIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Minimum Qualifications: BS/BA required with emphasis in the areas of Agriculture, Business, Marketing, Economics or related fields preferred. Acceptable experience in lieu of education will be considered. Strong oral, written and interpersonal communication skills. Must have and maintain current Montana State Drivers License. Computer and software experience; proficiency in Microsoft applications (notably Excel and Word) is necessary. Must be able to travel extensively throughout the above specified region. Some overnight travel may be necessary. Proven ability to complete a variety of tasks and pay attention to detail. Must have a demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure. Desired Skills and Experience: Professional experience. Strong networking and community outreach and/or organizing skills. Administrative and project management experience. Experience working with a Board of Directors of a non-profit corporation. Proficiency with basic office machinery, software and practices preferred. Must be self-directed, self-motivated and results oriented. Willing to work creatively and independently to find pragmatic solutions to difficult problems. Familiarity with federal and state loan and grant programs. Experience in economic development. Budgetary principles and practices. Principles and techniques of public information dissemination and media relations. Ability to write and speak effectively. Knowledge of Montana agriculture and value-added processes. Grant writing and administration. PHYSICAL DEMANDS While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to write. The employee is frequently required to sit, talk, hear, taste, and use hands to finger, handle or feel items, read and keyboard. Occasionally, the employee must stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, climb up and down stairs and drive a vehicle. The employee is infrequently required to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. WORK ENVIRONMENT Much of the work is sedentary, associated with a typical office atmosphere. Frequent travel by automobile within and outside of the specific region is required. The work requires typical safety precautions associated with working in an office and through standard business travel. MENTAL/MOTOR DEMANDS While performing the duties of this job, the employee constantly has time constraints. The employee frequently has flexibility associated with routine workflow. Attentiveness and intensity of focus are important. The employee is constantly involved in social interaction, which constantly requires good oral and written communications. Memory, reasoning, mathematics, estimating and judgment are frequently used/required. TO APPLY Send letter of application, resume and minimum of three references, two of which must have knowledge of applicants professional abilities, to: Paul Tuss, Executive Director Bear Paw Development Corporation ATTN: FADC Director Position PO Box 170 Havre, MT 59501 Executive Director Bear Paw Development Corporation P.O. Box 170 Havre, MT 59501 phone: 406.265.9226 ext. 21 fax: 406.265.5602 On 29th of September 2022, Mr Kawaguchi Shuichiro, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Dr Renganaden Padayachy , Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development signed and exchanged the notes in Port Louis, concerning Grant Assistance of 550 million yen, approximately 172 million rupees. This is under the framework of the Economic and Social Development Programme for improving the quality of the countrys health service especially for non-communicable diseases. The funds will be used to procure medical equipment and to allow the Government of Mauritius to consolidate its health system. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Losang Jamcan, chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region. [Photo/China.org.cn] How to achieve the green development of Tibet has become a hot issue among deputies to the ongoing session of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing. Among them, Losang Jamcan, chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), said ecological environment protection is the baseline of development in Tibet, which cannot afford to sustain any damage. The chairman made the remarks during a special interview with China.org.cn on Monday, during which he further elaborated his views on the plans to eliminate poverty in Tibet and ensure construction of an advanced ecological civilization in the autonomous region. Speaking of the goal set by Tibet for the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) to lift 590,000 of its population out of poverty, he explained that, thanks to the assistance from the central government and various regions of the hinterland, Tibet has been enabled to maintain comparatively rapid economic and social development, with the economic growth rate exceeding 11 percent last year. "Particularly with infrastructure construction entering a period of rapid development, we are eagerly looking forward to the implementation of the 13th Five-Year Plan," he said. "After the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, we seek an early start of the construction of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway that will exert an important practical significance on the development of western Tibet, even the development of Tibet as a whole, and the consolidation of the border areas in general," he said. The Qinghai-Tibet Highway refers to the 1,937-kilometer highway from Xining to Lhasa and the Sichuan-Tibet Railway is the 1,629-kilometer railway to be built from Chengdu to Lhasa. Currently the social development trend in Tibet is harmonious and stable, with great changes taking place in the lives of all ethnic groups in the region thanks to the central government's policies. "Tibetan people have a deep understanding of the great motherland and the superiority of the socialist system, and they feel very happy about it," the TAR chairman said. Regarding green development, he said the region has set the goal of constructing an ecological civilization for a beautiful Tibet. "Green mountains and blue waters are of benefit not only to the people of Tibet, but also to the country as a whole. That's why construction of an ecological civilization and the protection of ecological environment forms the baseline of Tibetan development," he stressed. The chairman said that Tibet would rather have slower development than see its natural ecological environment being damaged. Currently, while dealing with mineral resource related projects, the government has taken a series of strict examination and approval measures and it would never introduce projects of a high polluting and high energy consumption nature, he stressed. Editor's Note: "Lowering enterprise costs calls for more than tax cuts" said Fan Gang, head of the China Development Institute, a Shenzhen-based think tank established in 1989 in Guangdong Province. The following represent his perspective on this topic which he expressed in a recent interview with China.org.cn: Fan Gang [File photo] One of the five main tasks of supply-side reform is to lower cost. Lowering tax has always been an important aspect of lowering cost, according to the supply-side economics school, which gives enterprises a bigger incentive to invest and innovate. In this sense, China certainly has the room to do so, as Chinese enterprises, whatever size they are, have more or less complaints about heavy tax burdens. But in the long run, lowering costs means more than cutting taxes, because of the costs of transactions, land and employee's social securities, which are paid by employers in most cases according to law in China, as well as the difficulties of obtaining government approval. Apart from the aforementioned costs associated with the government, an important cost for enterprises is increasing labor cost, which not only refers to worker's wages, but also a series of costs arising from relevant institutional designs. If enterprises are not flexible in its employment system, they're wasting a lot of resources. Using a few employees that are of limited value to the employer will also add to the operation cost of an enterprise. If institutions, including laws, cannot help to reduce the enterprises' comprehensive costs in employment and management, the enterprises' cost will not be low. The high cost problem, which brings down competence, in some Western countries originates from their rigidity in employment systems. To lower cost involves a lowering of enterprises' burdens in paying employees' social securities. If China's social security system can become more efficient in using funds, enterprises can save a lot of costs. The low efficiency of China's social security system is the reason why individual citizens and employers have to pay that much money. If the government really wants to lower enterprise costs, it should think more from the angle of the entrepreneurs and make more changes instead of only cutting taxes. Fan Gang is the director of China Development Institute, secretary-general of China Research Foundation for Economic Reform. The article was first published in Chinese and translated by Jason Lee. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Flash The Office of the UN Special Envoy for Syria said on Tuesday that no new invitations had been issued for the resumption of Intra-Syrian Talks. That means that the same parties, namely the Government, the main opposition High Negotiations Committee, and the individuals involved in the Cairo and Moscow meetings will be present at the Geneva talks. Jessy Chahine, spokesperson of the UN Special Envoy's office, told the press that the Special Envoy will resume the talks as of March 9 in the afternoon as having been announced, and he will conduct "preparatory meetings" with them. "Due to logistical arrangements, some participants would be arriving on 12, 13 or 14 March, and the Special Envoy's substantive meetings with those present in Geneva would start at the latest by March 14 in a staggered way, under the system of proximity talks," she said. According to the spokesperson, a new meeting of the Humanitarian Taskforce on Syria will take place on March 9 in the morning, followed by a Taskforce on the Cessation of Hostilities in the afternoon. Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank. by Jess Nelson , March 8, 2016 Hiver, a Gmail-based CRM solution, released a new email engagement tracking feature this week that monitors how often emails are opened and clicked. The new solution adds email analytics to the project management solution, a critical component of successful email marketing campaigns. Analytics offer email marketers an opportunity to review their campaigns and pinpoint areas for improvement, and content marketers who leverage data see on average an increase of return on investment by as much as 500%, per the Aberdeen Group. Additional Hiver features include task delegation and shared contacts for streamlined team management, marketing, sales and customer support across any Gmail or Google Apps account. Hiver also offers examples of email templates and email time management tools such as snoozing or scheduling emails ahead of time. advertisement advertisement Hiver turns your Gmail into a simple, powerful collaboration tool, says Niraj Ranjan Rout, founder of Hiver. Hiver offers a subscription-based tiered pricing structure, as well as a free Google Chrome Extension for easy integration. Founded in 2011, the Palo Alto-based company has a client roster that includes Uber, Pinterest and Lonely Planet. Hiver might be especially useful for professionals who find themselves managing their workday out of their Google email account. Gmail is the most popular email service provider in the world with over 1 billion monthly active users and over five million companies now use Google Apps for Work, Googles Enterprise email management and storage solution. Google has also been actively recruiting business customers to its Google Apps for Work platform, expanding its security features to appeal to business professionals who use Gmail as their main business account. Recent upgrades to Google Apps for Work include better security and data loss prevention, as well as a new user hub. by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, March 9, 2016 According to an online MarketingSherpa consumer survey, in combination with a marketer survey to compare what consumers say they want and what marketers actually do, email emerges as the most preferred way for consumers to receive updates and promotions. Summing up the numbers of consumers who prefer email at a frequency chosen by themselves, and email at a frequency set by brand, email emerges as the most preferred way to receive updates and promotions (60%). Allowing participants to "Select all that apply," allowed them to pick more than one option. The total number (60%) reflects unique responses. Notably, says the report, subscribing to receive emails at a frequency consumers choose is twice as popular (49%) as subscribing to receive email at a company's pre-determined frequency (24%). Email is perhaps unexpectedly followed by snail mail (49%), leaving visiting the company's website in third place (38%), says the report. US Consumer Preferred Ways to Receive Regular updates and Promotions Preferred Receipt % of Respondents Receive in the mail 54% Subscribe to receive email at frequency I choose 49 Visit website when want updates and promotions 38 Receive at physical store 28 Subscribe to brand email at predetermined frequencies 24 Follow on social media 20 Receive via text messages 17 Download mobile app 15 Attend local events 9 Prefer not to receive any 8 Source: MarketingSherpa, February 2016 After asking consumers: "In which of the following ways, if any, would you prefer to receive regular updates and promotions from companies with whom you are interested in doing business? and from another survey among marketers asking in what ways do you offer customers to engage with your brand? significant gaps appear between consumer preferences and marketer practices, notes the report. Look at the top preferences of consumers, and how marketers' practices match up to them (or don't), the report shows that: Consumers' strong preference to receive email at a frequency they chose (49%) was less popular among marketers (14%) Another top choice of customers, receive updates in the mail (54%), was less popular among marketers (19%) Customers' third most preferred method, visiting the company website (38%), while only 8% of marketers said they posted updates on websites and did not contact customers directly In addition, some of the most popular tactics among marketers were also not that popular among consumers, finds the study: Subscribing to receive emails at a frequency consumers choose is twice as popular (49%) as subscribing to receive email at a company's pre-determined frequency (24%) Inviting customers to follow their brands on social media was the top choice among marketers (77%). However, only 20% of consumers favored this method Sending subscribers email at a predetermined frequency was the second top choice of marketers (76%). In comparison, only 24% of consumers favored this method. Attending local events was the third top choice among marketers (36%), but only 9% of consumers preferred this method Concluding, the report summarizes the findings by noting that marketers' practices of ways they offer to customers to engage with brands are lagging behind consumers' top choices of ways to receive updates and promotions. People prefer to choose how frequently they receive email from marketers, while marketers overwhelmingly offer to subscribe consumers to email updates at a predetermined frequency. And, finally, the report says that though people prefer receiving print updates in the mail more than marketers tend to offer, or just visit the company website to get updates and promotions without being contacted by marketers, marketers are not using this method of customer engagement as frequently as consumers prefer. To find additional information from MarketingSherpa, please visit here. by Sara Guaglione , March 8, 2016 CBS Interactive has launched a new short fiction series, Technically Literate, on a surprising platform: CNET, its consumer technology news and reviews brand. Technically Literate features original, illustrated works of short fiction, each with a unique perspective on technology. Connie Guglielmo, editor-in-chief of CNET News, told Publishers Daily that there are no ads yet. CNET will look to monetize the series now that it's kicked off. For the launch, our focus was on content and on the design, she said, adding, We anticipate opportunities down the road. While fiction and technology may not seem to go hand-in-hand, Guglielmo said a big part of CNETs brand is to experiment. advertisement advertisement That means looking at new story types and new ways of storytelling, she explained. So while fiction is a new story type for us, we think it's consistent with our goal of delivering unique, useful and relevant content to our readers every day. She noted that each short story has a technology twist, ensuring that the content doesnt stray from CNETs focus of being a tech Web site. The stories will appear every month on CNET.com. Readers also will have the option to send the stories to their Kindle, iOS or Android devices. Technology is central to intellectual lives in the 21st century, stated Lindsey Turrentine, editor-in-chief of CNET.com. He said authors would address the "wonders and challenges inherent in technologys tremendous change rate. The launch of the series includes stories by National Book Critics Circle Award finalist Anthony Marra, National Book Award finalist Cristina Garcia, New York Times bestseller Michelle Richmond and Commonwealth Book Regional Prize winner Nayomi Munaweera. Oil-Dri Corporation of Americas Cats Pride brand is partnering with actress Katherine Heigl to launch its Fresh & Light Ultimate Care cat litter. The actress will be featured in the brands integrated marketing campaign which will include TV, print, digital and radio and is the companys largest media campaign ever. Themed Cats are Complicated. Great Litter is Simple.the campaign features Heigl as a cat owner/couples therapist who helps owners improve their relationship with their cats. The premise is that using Fresh & Light Ultimate Care can reduce tensions all around and create healthier interactions between cats and their owners. This is the first time Cat's Pride has partnered with a celebrity, says Dan Jaffee, president and CEO of Oil-Dri, the makers of Cats Pride. advertisement advertisement We were seeking someone who is as passionate about animals as we are, and with whom we could build a strong, mutually beneficial partnership for years to come, Jaffee tells Marketing Daily. The campaign is aimed at cat owners who want to keep their cats happy yet have had to compromise on convenience or performance with other litters they've tried. The campaign is revolutionary for the cat litter category as its the first time in recent history that a litter product relates to consumers on an emotional level, he adds. The humorous TV spots are directed by Anne Fletcher, known for films such as 27 Dresses and The Proposal. Heigl, a longtime animal lover, co-founded with her mother Nancy Heigl the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, which is named after her brother who was killed as a teen in a car accident. Cats Pride will support the foundation by donating a portion of every Fresh & Light Ultimate Care purchase to support the Foundations animal advocacy work. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, March 9, 2016 In the United States where subscription shopping sites are more established, the share of visits to sites with automated subscription services driven by search engines rose 20% in the last year, according to data released Tuesday. Search remains the biggest driver to retail Web sites with automated subscription services, such as Sephora's invitation-only membership called Play!, which launched in September 2015, or Starbucks' $19 per month service that includes one 8.8 ounce bag of whole bean coffee, though less reliant on search than other retailers, per Hitwise, which Connexity acquired from Experian in December 2015. In the United States, 34% of referred traffic to subscription retail sites came from a search engine during the month of December 2015. That same month, retail sites received 40.7% of traffic from a search engine. Subscription box sites in Australia and the United Kingdom followed a similar trend. The study from Hitwise -- a Connexity division -- analyzed subscription retail Web sites, showing that visits to them grew 2,963% during the past three years. There were more than 21.4 million visits in January 2016 compared to 722,000 in 2013. By comparison, visits to the list of companies appearing on the Hitwise Retail 500, an aggregation of the top 500 online retail sites, grew by just 168% during that same period. advertisement advertisement During the 12 weeks ending Jan. 23, 2016, 53% of U.S. visits to the subscription-box industry were from a mobile device, compared with 35% of all online visits that come from mobile. In the U.K. and Australia, visits to subscription-box sites are not yet dominated by mobile visits, but the share is higher compared with the industry average. Consumers using subscription-box services tend to have above-average income and education levels, fall predominantly into the 25- to 39 year-old age bracket and skew more heavily female than the average online shopper. They tend to live in multicultural urban neighborhoods in larger cities or the surrounding suburbs, subscription-box shoppers are culturally-minded and enjoy active, health-conscious lifestyles, according to the data. Will the increase in subscription services reduce or augment online search advertising budgets and organic searches on engines and retail Web sites? "I cant actually comment on whether the rise in subscription services will reduce or augment online advertising budgets, but I do believe that subscriptions provide consumers with a good reason to return to a companys site on a regular basis for a variety of reasons," said John Fetto, senior analyst for research and marketing at Hitwise. "Curated subscription services generate excitement and often encourage the customer to visit the site to check out the selections that theyve made for the customer each month and provide feedback on what they like or dont like about the selections." Fetto said this back-and-forth conversation between the retailer and the customer is one that traditional retail models dont often get to experience. "There is also the possibility of using a recurring subscription to encourage consumers to buy additional items, whether they are add-ons or refills of items they received in a previous shipment that they want to re-order," he said. The data comes from an analysis of 127 subscription-box sites in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, whose primary or sole focus is on subscription boxes. Using the Hitwise online panel of 11 million Americans, 3 million Brits and 1 million Australians, Hitwise analyzed the trend in visits to those sites and the sources driving traffic, then profiled the visitors to subscription-box sites using its AudienceView platform, which combines online insights with rich offline demographics, attitudes and lifestyle elements from Simmons Research. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, March 9, 2016 Fake reviews for products and services have plagued Amazon, Google, and Yelp for years. Now an Amsterdam nursery has won a case against Google in a civil court in which the company was not only forced to take down several negative fake reviews appearing on its social network, Google+, but also disclose details like the IP addresses of the people who posted them. Google puts a lot of weight behind product reviews when it comes to optimizing content and Web sites that appear in search query results. Good reviews can have a positive influence on the placement of a Web page in search query results, just as negative product reviews can push a site listing to page three. advertisement advertisement The nursery -- its name redacted from the ruling -- filed a suit against Google after receiving harassing reviews for more than six months. The reviews posted on Google+ and visible when searching for the nursery on Google Maps claimed the business was harming children. "I am writing on behalf of the experiences I've had with my grandchildren on this terrible day care," one reviewer wrote, according to the English translation. "My daughter wants nothing more to do with it. Appearances are deceptive and behind the seemingly friendly and professional policies. We are very disappointed and terribly treated and want to warn people here." The nursery had initially contacted Google directly to request that the reviews be removed, saying they were not authentic. It provided proof that they were copied and pasted from other Web sites, as well as posted with profile pictures copied from other people, according to TechCrunch, citing the lawyer for the nursery, Paul Tjiam of Simmons & Simmons. The nursery took Google to court after it refused to take the reviews down, claiming the Google+ posted reviews fall under freedom of speech and that reviews being negative or anonymous are not justification enough to take them down. During a court hearing, Judge CM Berkhout determined the reviews were fake and damaging and ordered Google to remove them. While Tjiam told TechCrunch he believed it was the first time Google had been required to provide contact details and IP addresses for Google reviewers, the ruling also highlights the challenges for search engines in the ongoing battle of the right-to-delist rule, better known as the right to be forgotten, and for online companies in the quest for privacy, and freedom of speech. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 9, 2016 The U.S. Supreme Court won't review a decision dismissing Multi-Time Machine's lawsuit against Amazon over search results. The judges, who quietly rejected Multi-Time Machine's request for review last week, did not give a reason for their decision. The move lets stand a decision by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled 2-1 last October that Amazon's search results pages don't confuse consumers. Multi-Time Machine, which sells $2,000 watches, unsuccessfully alleged that its trademark was violated when Amazon displayed watches by other manufacturers in response to searches for "Multi-Time Machine." The watchmaker, which doesn't sell its products on Amazon, argued that Amazon's search results page "lures the consumer into the false expectation that the displayed products have a connection to MTM's trademark." advertisement advertisement The legal fight between Amazon and Multi-Time Machine dates to 2011, when the watch company alleged that Amazon's search engine tricks consumers by returning links to watches made by Luminox and Chase-Durer in response to searches for phrases like "MTM special ops." In 2013, U.S. District Court Judge Dean Pregerson in the Central District of California sided with Amazon and dismissed the lawsuit, Pregerson ruled that Multi Time didn't present enough evidence to show that Amazon's practices confused consumers. Multi-Time Machine then appealed to the 9th Circuit. A three-judge panel initially sided against Amazon in a 2-1 decision. But several months later, the panel reconsidered the case and ruled in favor of Amazon. A host of other Web companies, including Google, Twitter, Pinterest, eBay and Yahoo, backed Amazon in the case. They argued that Amazon shouldn't have to face litigation based on "a mere possibility of confusion by an unsophisticated consumer." by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, March 9, 2016 Adland is losing one of its most accomplished female executives to the public interest sector. Joni Madison, COO of Cheil Worldwides McKinney, is leaving in May for the Washington, DC-based Human Rights Campaignthe LGBT activist group. She has been appointed COO and Chief of Staff. Madison will oversee and manage all operations, business functions and board relations, as well as manage HRCs finance, human resources, diversity, general counsel, facilities and administrative functions. Madison joined McKinney in 1992 as a senior broadcast producer. Named director of operations in 2001, she was promoted to partner and COO in June 2003. According to the agency, Madison is one of just 37 female COOs among 4As agency members. Based in Durham, NC, the agency also has an office in New York. When Joni told me about this opportunity, my first reaction was that I couldnt imagine McKinney without her, said Brad Brinegar, McKinney Chairman and CEO. And then that I couldnt imagine her not taking the job. Its the culmination of her long-held personal ambition to have a position where she could literally change the world...Joni has had a lot of practice for this new chapter of her life, leaving an indelible mark on the agency and Durham. advertisement advertisement In addition to her accomplishments at the agency, Madison is credited with helping to revitalize Durhams downtown section. She oversaw the agencys move to the American Tobacco Campus there in 2004, one of the first big companies to move into the refurbished structure, while simultaneously sprucing up McKinneys image with a new destination space. She was appointed chair of the executive board of Downtown Durham Inc. in 2008 and 2013. Madisons transition to the HRC should be a relatively smooth oneshes been a volunteer leader there for the past 15 years. She served as the co-chair of the HRCs Board of Directors from 2012-2014 and was a member of HRCs Board of Directors from 2007 to 2014. She also served as co-chair of HRCs 5-Year Strategy Plan in 2009-2010. The agency said there are no immediate plans to replace Madison. by Felicia Greiff , March 9, 2016 PubMatic announced a new hire today: Paul Gubbins, previously head of programmatic-EMEA, Millennial Media, will be the U.K. country manager for the marketing automation software company. Gubbins' responsibilities include developing publisher relationships with a focus on growing mobile and video inventory, as well as increasing spend with agency trading desks, programmatic buying units and demand side platforms (DSPs). His previous ad-tech experience includes positions at Adbrain, Weve, the Rubicon Project and StrikeAd. Gubbins will report to Bill Swanson, vice president of EMEA at PubMatic. Swanson said Gubbins is "a proven performer who brings with him a wealth of experience." In February, Real-Time Daily reported that PubMatics global chief revenue officer Rob Jonas left the company for the role of SVP-revenue at analytics firm Factual. PubMatic also recently announced that it's a partner for China-based Tencent OMGs (Online Media Group) ad inventory outside of mainland China. In December, the company laid off more than 100 employees and announced plans to focus on larger customers. advertisement advertisement by Sara Guaglione , March 9, 2016 Texture, a digital magazine app, is partnering with The Atavist Magazine to sponsor a new weekly series called "The Mastermind," led by Atavist editor in chief Evan Ratliff. Starting this week, Texture users will get an exclusive first look at Atavist's seven-part weekly serial on Paul Calder Le Roux, an international crime kingpin turned government informant, according to a statement. Le Roux was a computer programmer who built an Internet-enabled global cartel specializing in cocaine, diamond, gold and gun-running schemes. After a six-year probe by D.E.A. agents in Minneapolis, Le Roux was arrested in Liberia in 2012 and made a court appearance last week in Minneapolis. A new chapter of the Le Roux chronicle will be published in the Texture app each Monday, before appearing on the digital-only Atavist Magazine every Thursday. advertisement advertisement Atavist will feature sponsorship branding from Texture on all episodes of the story on the Web site. Texture subscribers double and triple their reading time after getting the app. Being able to deliver this kind of voracious reader a story of such consequence is thrilling, Maggie Murphy, editorial director of Texture, told Publishers Daily via email. Texture is the the sole launch sponsor of the series. John Kerner, Texture's vice president of content strategy, stated that this is the beginning of the companys road to building an original content model for Texture. Ratliff has been reporting this story for more than two years. "I have been all over the world tracking the characters in The Mastermind, stated Ratliff. With Le Roux's appearance in court last week, we're finally ready to share a tale about the new face of global crime. He adds that Texture's sponsorship brings the story to an audience "deeply attuned to long-form narratives." by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, March 9, 2016 Oh Fiddy, Fiddy, Fiddy. The rapper known as 50 Cent, real name Curtis Jackson III, is in a bit of a legal pickle due to some ill-advised social media posts. Currently in the process of seeking bankruptcy protection, Jackson has run afoul of the bankruptcy court in Hartford, CT, because of Instagram photos showing the rapper lounging amidst stacks of cash. The photos, one of which shows Jackson posing next to stacks of cash spelling out the word Broke, were posted four months ago, well after he first filed for bankruptcy. Jackson sought bankruptcy protection in July 2015, after a jury awarded $7 million to a woman who accused him of deliberately releasing a sex tape showing them in flagrante. Judge Ann Nevins ordered Jackson to appear in court to explain the photos, which obviously seem to suggest that he is concealing some of his assets from the court and creditors. The posts, with captions by Jackson providing ironic commentary, were certainly no secret: one has 180,000 likes. However Jackson filed a statement explaining that they were made using fake prop cash, presumably as part of an attempt to maintain his image as a high roller, despite his monetarily diminutive moniker. advertisement advertisement So either way, 50 Cent is kind of screwed: either the judge rejects his explanation, in which case he is in big legal trouble, or accepts it, in which case his attempts to look badass playing with Monopoly money will come in for some well-deserved mockery. In summation: if you are a celebrity who is going to file bankruptcy, do not post photos of yourself rolling in cash for all to see online. Use a fake business and a Cayman Islands bank to launder it into an anonymous account, like normal people. by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, March 9, 2016 QSR chain Wendy's has appointed VML, part of WPP, as its new creative agency of record -- replacing Publicis, which had the account since 2009. The win is a big get for VML as Wendy's spent about $282 million on ads in 2014, according to Kantar Media. Through the first nine months of last year, the restaurant chain spent an estimated $220 million, per Kantar. To date, the Kansas City-headquartered VML has served as the clients digital AOR and is now assuming full creative AOR duties, the companies confirmed. VML is a digital agency, but has lately been redoubling efforts to win full-service creative accounts. Last year it won lead creative duties for Motorola, Keurig and several other clients. The account shift comes after Kurt Kane was appointed Wendys Chief Concept & Marketing Officer last year. He joined the company after serving in a similar role at Pizza Hut. advertisement advertisement VML has proven that it can tell the Wendys story in a modern and compelling way that drives winning business results, said Kane. By streamlining the creative process with VML, we believe our advertising and marketing disciplines will continue delivering strong results across our business, while further setting our brand apart from the QSR pack. VML has served as the digital AOR for Wendys since 2012 and has developed omnichannel campaigns for the brand in 2015 and early 2016. VMLs work for Wendys has won dozens of awards, including Cannes Lions, Effies, One Show and Facebook Studio. Most recently, VML led creative development to launch Wendys new campaign, dubbed Deliciously Different. Added VML CEO Jon Cook: "We've always held the same values and beliefs when it comes to how to create impactful messaging. There is no digital marketingonly marketing. Our results together have proven the value of thinking differently. VML will work alongside a roster of agencies to support the brand, including Bravo, MediaVest, Saatchi and Saatchi X and Ketchum. by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, March 9, 2016 Publicis Media has laid out the broad strokes of its new organizational plan, which includes a splitting up of Starcom from Mediavest and Zenith from Optimedia. The SMG, ZO, and ViVaki brands are being retired. As envisioned by Steve King, who was appointed CEO Publicis Media late last year, the holding company will regroup its six media agency brands into four global agency operations. Starcom and Zenith will now operate as standalone global agency brands. Mediavest and Spark (both part of the former SMG operation) are being consolidated to form a third global unit and Optimedia and Blue 449 (the latter was formed about a year ago with Walker Media at its core) are being brought together to form a so-called challenger brand. The media reorganization is part of Publicis Groupes broader Power of One restructuring announced in December of last year. At the time, the company said that Laura Desmond, global CEO of Starcom Mediavest Group would take on the new Publicis Groupe role of Global Chief Revenue Officer. advertisement advertisement The new media agency structure will focus on the top 20 global markets organized by three regions, with Tim Jones, who previously headed ZenithOptimedia in North America, now regional CEO for the Americas. Iain Jacob will be CEO for Europe, Middle East and Africa and Gerry Boyle will be CEO overseeing the Asia-Pacific region. Each agency will be led by a global brand president, with Lisa Donohue filling the role at Starcom, Vittorio Bonori for Zenith, Brian Terkelsen for Mediavest|Spark and Andras Vigh for Optimedia |Blue. There will be four U.S. CEOs, including Chris Boothe for Mediavest|Spark, Lou Rossi for Zenith and Dave Ehlers for Optimedia. Donohue will fill the role at Starcom until a successor is named. The U.S. CEOs report to Jones. Dave Penski has been appointed Chief Investment Officer for Publicis Media in the U.S., overseeing all media investment and media vendor partnerships. According to the group, its U.S. consolidated billings are estimated at $39 billion with a 33% market share. It cited RECMA as the source. At the Publicis Media global management level, Adrian Sayliss becomes CFO; Severine Charbon will be Chief Talent Officer and John Sheehy will oversee global clients. There will also be seven global practices (with their leads in parenthesis): Data, Technology & Innovation (Stephan Beringer); Content (Belinda Rowe); Trading & Buying (Simon Pardon); Performance (Michael Kahn); Business Development & Communications (Lauren Hanrahan); Business Transformation (Richard Hartell), and Analytics, Research & Insight (Steve Simpson). The company said the ViVaki offering is being absorbed by the global practices units. by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, March 9, 2016 Despite the growing use of encryption technology, Internet service providers still are able to glean a great deal of information about their subscribers, including whether they're researching medical conditions or seeking advice about financial matters. That's according to a new report by Upturn, a Washington, D.C-based consultancy that advises policymakers about technology. "Today, ISPs can see a significant amount of their subscribers' Internet activity, and have the ability to infer substantial amounts of sensitive information from it," the report states. Upturn's report was funded by the Media Democracy Fund. "This is especially true when that traffic is unencrypted," the report says. "Moreover, ISPs and the vendors that serve them have clear opportunities to develop methods of inferring important information even from encrypted data flows." The report was released in response to a paper published last week by privacy expert Peter Swire, who concluded that the growing use of encryption -- combined with other factors, like the proliferation of smartphones and tablets -- is depriving Internet service providers of comprehensive information about subscribers' Web use. Swire's paper was funded by the telecom industry group Broadband for America. advertisement advertisement "We believe that the Swire paper, although technically accurate in most of its particulars, could leave readers with some mistaken impressions about what broadband ISPs can see," the Upturn report says. "We offer this report as a complement to the Swire paper, and an alternative, technically expert assessment of the present and potential future monitoring capabilities available to ISPs." For the paper, Upturn examined the top 50 sites in health, news and shopping. More than 85% of those sites don't fully support encryption, the report states. "The sites included references on a full range of medical conditions, advice about debt management, and product listings for hundreds of millions of consumer products." Upturn also notes that ISPs can glean information about consumers even when they visit encrypted sites. "By examining the features of the traffic -- like the size, timing and destination of the encrypted packets -- it is possible to uniquely identify certain web page visits or otherwise reveal information about what those packets likely contain," the report says. Swire said through a spokesperson that the report "agrees with the overall factual accuracy of our working paper." He added: "Our report is over 120 pages, and provides many facts for policymakers. We welcome additional studies to provide a strong factual record to inform policymakers. The new studies come as the Federal Communications Commission is preparing to craft privacy rules that could restrict broadband providers from tracking consumers in order to serve them with targeted ads. The agency's authority to issue those rules comes from its recent decision to reclassify Internet service providers as common carriers; that move subjects broadband providers to some of the same confidentiality requirements rules as telephone companies. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has indicated that he favors at least some restrictions on broadband providers. While he hasn't said precisely what rules he'll propose, he's evidently preparing something that broadband providers might not like. In a recent interview with The Verge, he said that he expects a battle over privacy. "There are three key concepts," he told The Verge. "One, that [broadband companies] are collecting data on me and it isnt being held securely. Two, theyre collecting data on me and they ought to be telling me what theyre collecting and what it's being used for. And three, I ought to have the choice to say whether I want them to do that or not." The saying goes that you shouldnt judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to height and weight, a new study suggests discrimination might persist. Published in The BMJ, the research found that people who are overweight or shorter in height may have fewer life chances than their normal-weight or taller peers. Share on Pinterest Researchers found that people who were overweight particularly women had lower income and greater social deprivation. Led by Prof. Timothy Frayling, of the Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences at the University of Exeter in the UK, the study found that a higher body mass index (BMI) and shorter height may lead to lower education, poorer job status, lower income and greater social deprivation. Previous studies have already shown that a higher socioeconomic status is linked to better health and longer lifespan. This association is believed to be partly driven by lower BMI and taller height among wealthier individuals. Higher socioeconomic status is generally thought to cause taller stature and lower BMI owing to higher standards of nutrition in childhood, note the authors. However, they argue that it is possible taller height and lower BMI may causally improve socioeconomic status through discrimination against shorter and fatter people or differences in self-esteem that affect employability, but evidence as to whether this might be the case is limited. Using genetics to assess causal effect To address this research gap, Prof. Frayling and colleagues conducted a mendelian randomization study, in which they investigated whether genetic variants that influence height or BMI may have a causal effect on socioeconomic status. Using information from the UK Biobank study, the team analyzed the genetic data of 119,669 men and women aged 37-73, all of whom were of British ancestry. The authors note that using genetic data for this study means the results are less likely to be influenced by possible confounding factors. Genetic variants can act as unconfounded proxies for the risk factors under investigation here, BMI and height because inherited genetic variation is randomly allocated at conception, they explain. The outcomes being tested here, measures of socioeconomic status cannot influence genetic variation, so reverse causality is avoided in genetic studies. Sex-specific differences identified The researchers also assessed five measures of socioeconomic status among participants: age at which full-time education was completed, degree level education, job status, annual household income and level of social deprivation as determined by the Townsend deprivation index score. Fast facts about overweight and obesity More than two thirds of adults in the US are overweight or obese Overweight and obesity affects around a third of children and adolescents Being overweight raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and other health problems. Learn more about obesity The results revealed that individuals who were shorter in height as estimated by the presence of certain genetic variants had lower levels of education, lower job status and lower income, and this association was strongest for men. While the researchers are unable to explain exactly why taller height appears to be associated with better socioeconomic status, they speculate that it might be down to complex interactions between self-esteem, stigma, positive discrimination and increased intelligence. Evidence shows that self-esteem, leadership perception, and height discrimination tend to be greater in men than in women, which fits with our findings, they note. Furthermore, participants with a higher BMI again, as estimated by genetic data had lower income and greater social deprivation, with this effect strongest among women. The team suggests this finding may be down to workplace discrimination, where employees who are overweight may be viewed in a more negative light than normal-weight peers. The disparity between the sexes may be partially explained by discrimination, which may occur at lower weight levels for women than for men, the authors note. This month, Clinical Oncology release a special edition marking the fifth anniversary of the Fukushima disaster. The publication investigates the current understanding of radiations effects on health and observes the ongoing psychological and physical issues in the region today. Share on Pinterest Five years on from Fukushima, what have we learned? Mammals have been living alongside natural radiation for the entire duration of their existence. Radiation is a fact of life; it is omnipresent and completely unavoidable. The major sources of radiation are radon, which permeates from rocks, and cosmic radiation; these constitute 85% of our total radiation intake. The remaining 15% is split between man-made sources, mostly for medical purposes (14%) and the nuclear industry, including weapons testing and accidents (1%). The review sets out, not to undermine the very real and severe implications of widespread radiation damage to the environment and public health, but to put some perspective on the actual effects of this type of disaster. This month is the fifth anniversary of the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Plant, following the Tohoku earthquake and its associated tsunami. Last year saw the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs, and next month will be the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. What better time than now to reflect on our relationship with radiation. Long-term impacts of low-level radiation The precise implications of low-level radiation on a population are difficult to quantify. We know that at high doses, such as those experienced near the epicenter of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, cancer and cardiovascular disease become more prevalent over time. This increase is more pronounced for individuals who were children at the time of the exposure. Infants exposed while in the womb face the biggest threat, with an increased chance of central nervous system problems and developmental delays. Adult survivors who experience high levels of radiation are also found to show deterioration of the immune system, similar to that seen in natural aging. High and medium doses of radiation certainly do show measurable, negative outcomes, but the effects of low, acute doses are not so easy to observe. In her paper, Radiation exposure and health effects is it time to reassess the real consequences? Prof. Geraldine Thomas, of Imperial College London in the UK, says: When the individual radiation dose, from sources other than background radiation, falls below 100 mSv, it is generally accepted that it is difficult to show statistically that any cancers in the population under study are caused by radiation. The long-term effects of Chernobyl, still classed as the worst man-made nuclear accident (with Fukushima in second place), have been studied by many groups. According to Prof. Thomas, the only proven radiobiological effect of the Chernobyl accident on the general population has been an increase in thyroid cancer in those who were young at the time of the accident. This is an impact worthy of concern and attention, but, according to the data, only 15 of the 6,000 cases of thyroid cancer since 1986 have been fatal. However minimal, any loss of life is, of course, lamentable; the main thrust of this edition of the journal is to redress the balance, insert a fresh perspective and shift concerns from radiation itself to our response to it and the impact that this has on human life. The impact of Fukushimas emergency response According to the National Police Agency of Japan, the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami claimed almost 16,000 lives, with more than 2,500 still missing. An estimated 300,000 people were evacuated. Share on Pinterest The health implications for Fukushima residents, unrelated to radiation, are pronounced. To date, however, radiation has not been responsible for a single death. The articles published in Clinical Oncology layer this reassessment of radiations health implications over the backdrop of the human impact of the Fukushima emergency response. Because of Japans history, it is rightfully concerned about the threat of excess radiation. As the global media watched the events unfold with concern and empathy, the emergency response has been globally inspected. Another of the papers in the series written by Ari Hasegawa from the Department of Radiation Disaster Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine in Fukushima, Japan looks in depth at the human impact of the emergency response and how it could be improved. Hasegawa acknowledges the implications of acute radiation injuries but responds on behalf of those who suffered other health outcomes, such as mental health issues, behavioral changes and lifestyle-related health problems. He goes on to discuss the emergency evacuation of hospital inpatients, many of whom were left without daily care: No medical care, even food or water, was provided for many hours during the evacuation. As a result, scores of patients died in an evacuation that was supposedly intended to minimize radiation exposure. The life-threatening risk to these people was not radiation, but discontinuation of daily medical care. The long-term psychological effects are now beginning to show. Even residents who were exposed to very low radiation levels experienced, and still experience today, a real fear for their health. According to Hasegawa, this has led to psychosocial problems. He says: Discordance exists among families and society due to displacement, fear of radioactive exposure, compensation, employment and other personal reasons. He goes on to describe five psychosocial reactions seen in the Fukushima evacuees: post-traumatic stress response, chronic anxiety and guilt, ambiguous loss, separated families and communities and stigma. I get by with a little help from my friends, The Beatles once sang. But increasingly, studies have suggested that friends do much more than help us get by; they play a big role in our overall health and well-being. Share on Pinterest Numerous studies have shown how friendships can be good for our health. The potential health benefits of romantic relationships are well documented. A study reported by Medical News Today last year, for example, suggested that a spouse is 40-70% more likely to meet exercise recommendations if the other spouse does, while another study found that healthy lifestyle changes are more successful with partners. But perhaps less well recognized are the wide-reaching health benefits of friendships, defined in simple terms as a mutual affection between two or more individuals. It may not be surprising that friends are good for us, particularly when it comes to mental health; most of us have likely been through some bad times, during which friends were there to offer emotional support and help pull us through. In fact, research has shown that people with a good support network are at significantly lower risk of depression, with one study reported by MNT last year revealing that in-person contact at least three times weekly almost halved seniors risk of depression. But the health benefits of friendships reach much further, as do the health risks associated with lack of companionship. In this spotlight, we investigate the perhaps surprising ways in which friendship is good for us and take a look at why our pals play such an important role in health and well-being. Your friends could be a stress-buster Though quite possibly one of the most obvious benefits of friendship, a reduction in stress should not be overlooked. According to The American Institute of Stress, around 3 in 4 doctors visits are a result of stress-related illness, and stress is the basic cause of 60% of all human illness and disease. However, a 2011 study published in the journal Developmental Psychology suggests that simply being around a good friend during a negative experience may reduce stress. The study, which involved 103 children aged 10-12 years, found that children who spent time with a best friend throughout a negative experience had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their saliva, compared with when negative experiences were endured with a parent, brother, sister, teacher or another individual. And a new study from the University of California-Berkeley, recently published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, suggests that male friendships often referred to as bromances can reduce stress in bad situations . To reach their findings, lead author Elizabeth Kirby, of the Department of Integrative Biology at UC-Berkeley, and colleagues housed male rats in the same cage. Normally, male rats in this situation show aggression toward one another. However, the researchers found that subjecting the rodents to a moderate stressor 3 hours of acute immobilization actually caused them to bond. Compared with the male rats that were housed together in an unstressed environment, those that were subject to the moderate stressor showed an increase in brain levels of oxytocin known as the love hormone and huddled more. The team says this indicates that male friendships may alleviate the effects of stressful situations. A bromance can be a good thing, says Kirby. Males are getting a bad rap when you look at animal models of social interactions, because they are assumed to be instinctively aggressive. But even rats can have a good cuddle essentially a male-male bromance to help recover from a bad day. Good social networks could lower dementia risk As we get older, brain performance typically slows down. For some people, this decline in cognitive function is more severe, resulting in Alzheimers disease or other forms of dementia. In the US, around 5.3 million people are living with Alzheimers disease, of whom around 5.1 million are aged 65 and older. By 2025, the number of older adults with dementia is expected to rise to 7.1 million. But could good social networks help stave off the illness? Some studies suggest so. A 2008 study by researchers from Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, for example, found that women who maintained more friendships over a 4-year period were at 26% lower risk of dementia than those with smaller social networks, while those who saw friends and family daily halved their dementia risk. Furthermore, a study presented at the Alzheimers Association International Conference in Washington, DC, last year found that among individuals already diagnosed with dementia, loneliness was linked to 20% faster cognitive decline. Friends could boost longevity Given that friends could reduce stress, improve heart health and lower dementia risk, it might not come as a surprise that they could also help us live longer. Share on Pinterest One study found stronger social relationships increased survival by 50% over a certain time period. In 2010, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a psychologist at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, and colleagues analyzed 148 studies involving more than 300,000 participants, following them up for an average of 7.5 years. They found that individuals with strong social relationships had a 50% greater chance of survival over the follow-up period than their counterparts with poor social relationships. Additionally, the researchers found that social isolation was as bad for health as smoking around 15 cigarettes daily, being an alcoholic or not exercising. It was also found to be twice as bad for health than obesity. More recently, a study published in the journal Psychology and Aging found that individuals who have more social interactions in their 20s may benefit from better health later in life, while better quality friendships in our 30s could help us live longer. Why do friendships benefit health? The stress-reducing effects of friendship have been hailed as playing a key role in the associated health benefits; it is well known that stress relief can have a positive effect on ones risk of illness. But just as studies have shown that a spouses lifestyle habits can influence our own health, other research shows the same can be said for friends. A 2012 study published in PLOS One, for example, found that students who were overweight were more likely to lose weight if they socialized with lean friends , and it is well established that weight loss can lower the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other health conditions. Other studies have suggested that our friends can also discourage poor lifestyle habits such as smoking or unhealthy eating that may raise our risk of disease. However, it should be noted that the opposite is also true; friends can encourage poor lifestyle habits, which could increase the risk of bad health. In 2007, a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine that followed more than 12,000 people over 32 years found that individuals who had a friend who became obese over a certain interval were 57% more likely to become obese themselves. In a radio interview in 2014, Walter Willett, chair the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, MA, and author of the book Thinfluence, commented on this research: Obesity is contagious but physical activity and healthy eating are, too, so we want to emphasize the latter. Invite friends to join you for a walk or for an evening of cooking healthy foods. Bring your friends along in a positive way. That is the ultimate goal. States that allow autonomous practice by certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) have a higher proportion of CNM-attended births as well as lower rates of cesarean sections, preterm births, and low birthweight infants, according to a study published in Women's Health Issues. Women's Health Issues is the official journal of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health, which is based at Milken Institute School of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH) at the George Washington University. Authors Tony Yang of George Mason University and Laura Attanasio and Katy Kozhimannil of the University of Minnesota School of Public Health analyzed data on 12 million births from 2009 through 2011 reported by 50 states and the District of Columbia to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They classified each state as either being subject to collaborative agreement, meaning CNMs must have physician supervision or contractual practice agreements in order to practice (28 states), or as having autonomous practice, in which no such agreements are required (22 states and the District of Columbia). The authors found that women giving birth in the states allowing independent midwifery practice had a 60 percent greater chance of having a certified nurse midwife as a birth attendant. Past research has found that midwives are less likely than obstetricians to use interventions like labor induction and cesarean delivery that may have higher risks for women and infants when performed without definitive medical need. The authors of this study also found that women giving birth in the group of states allowing autonomous midwifery practice had 13 percent lower odds of cesarean delivery, 13 percent lower odds of preterm birth, and 11 percent lower odds of delivering low-birthweight babies when compared to women giving birth in the states with stricter requirements for CNM practice. "Future policy efforts to enhance access to midwifery services may be beneficial to pregnancy outcomes and infant health," the authors conclude, adding that more midwife-assisted births could lead to better birth outcomes and lower costs. They note that cesarean deliveries not only come along with health risks but are approximately 50 percent more costly than vaginal deliveries. The study, "State Scope of Practice Laws, Nurse-Midwifery Workforce, and Childbirth Procedures and Outcomes," has been published online ahead of print and will appear in the May/June issue of Women's Health Issues. Are the sexual interests and behaviors of Quebeckers abnormal? According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), sexual interests fall into two categories: normal (normophilic) and anomalous (paraphilic). However, findings recently published in The Journal of Sex Research contradict the DSM-5, as they demonstrate that a number of legal sexual interests and behaviors considered anomalous in psychiatry are actually common in the general population. This study of 1,040 Quebeckers was conducted by Christian Joyal and Julie Carpentier, researchers at the Institut Philippe-Pinel de Montreal and the Institut universitaire en sante mentale de Montreal (CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Ile-de-Montreal), both of which are affiliated with University of Montreal, "The main goal of the study was to determine normal sexual desires and experiences in a representative sample of the general population," explained Christian Joyal, who is also a full professor in the Department of Psychology at Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres. The researchers used a professional survey firm to ask men and women who are representative of the general population about their experiences with and desire to engage in sexual behaviour considered abnormal by the DSM-5. Based on this phone and online survey, the researchers were able to confirm their initial hypothesis. "Overall, nearly half (45.6%) of the sample subjects were interested in at least one type of sexual behaviour that is considered anomalous, whereas one third (33%) had experienced the behaviour at least once. These facts suggest that we need to know what normal sexual practices are before we label a legal sexual interest as anomalous. Some paraphilic interests are more common than people might think, not only in terms of fantasies but also in terms of desire and behavior," explained Mr. Joyal. Out of the eight types of paraphilic behaviour listed in the DSM-5, four (voyeurism - 35%, fetishism - 26%, frotteurism - 26% and masochism - 19%) are neither rare nor unusual when it comes to the experiences or desires reported by men and women. The researchers also found a statistically significant relationship between an interest in sexual submission and an interest in other sexual activities, suggesting that the desire to engage in masochism is significantly associated with more diverse sexual interests. "In general, it is true that men are more interested in paraphilic behaviors than women. However, this doesn't mean that women don't have these interests at all. In fact, women who report an interest in sexual submission have more varied sexual interests and report greater satisfaction with their sex lives. Sexual submission is therefore not an abnormal interest," explained Mr. Joyal. Overall, the researcher stressed that a distinction must be made between paraphilic sexual behavior, paraphilias, and paraphilic disorders. "A paraphilic disorder refers to sexual acts that involve non-consenting partners or that cause suffering or confusion in the person who engages in the behaviour. The paraphilia may be absolutely necessary in order for the person to achieve sexual satisfaction. A paraphilia is not a mental disorder but rather a sexual preference for non-normophilic behavior, whereas paraphilic behaviour is non-preferential and only engaged in from time to time. At the same time, this study strongly suggests that some legal paraphilic behaviors are far from abnormal, contrary to what is suggested by the DSM-5." Mr. Joyal concluded: "We have reasons to believe that this study's results which are based on Quebec's population can be applied to the population of North America and Europe as well". The British Thoracic Society (BTS) is launching a major new study today (No Smoking Day - 9 March 2016) to probe the level, and effectiveness of, stop smoking services provided in NHS hospitals across UK. Previous audits have shown that although nearly half (48%) offer some form of stop smoking service there is huge room for improvement: Only 25% have a dedicated hospital smoking cessation practitioner Over half (56%) of documented smokers were not asked if they would like to stop smoking Only 23% of patients who were asked if they would like to quit, were actually referred to a hospital-based stop smoking service 75% are currently not completely smoke-free Recent data shows that the number of people who smoke in Britain has stalled at 19%. And lung specialists believe it is essential that hospitals play their part in helping reduce levels again by offering comprehensive stop smoking support and treatment for patients on their wards. A range of studies also indicate that: Stop smoking treatment and support is the single most cost effective intervention provided by NHS Between 13 - 35% of patients on hospital wards are smokers and approximately 2/3 of smokers say they want to quit Being admitted to hospital can be a good time for smokers to think about quitting - given that smoking should be prohibited on the premises, tobacco use may be linked to their health condition, and expert stop smoking advice and therapies are potentially 'on tap.' BTS is encouraging smoking cessation leads in hospitals across UK to participate in the change-making audit. It will analyse both in-patient notes as well as organisational data on smoking cessation services. It will run from 1 April to 31 May 2016 and full instructions are provided on the BTS Audit Tools website: https://audits.brit-thoracic.org.uk. Health professionals can familiarise themselves with the system now, before the national audit period starts on 1 April 2016. The Society is also encouraging more health professionals to become BTS 'Stop Smoking Champions' in their hospital. There are over 160 at present and they deliver a range of vital activities to champion stop smoking service provision. For further information, contact stopsmokingchampions@brit-thoracic.org.uk or to see a brand new video about the initiative go to www.brit-thoracic.org.uk/clinical-information/smoking-cessation/ Dr Sanjay Agrawal, consultant lung specialist & Chair of the British Thoracic Society's Tobacco Special Advisory Group, said: 'Smoking levels in Britain have stalled and we need a historic push on a number of levels to help reduce rates again - and potentially save a huge number of lives. One area that we really need to focus on is providing first class stop smoking support in hospitals. This will offer huge gains for both patients and the NHS. Stopping smoking is one of the most effective treatments for many patients who are admitted to hospital. But although services have improved over the years - many hospitals could do so much more by identifying patients who smoke and giving them rigorous support to quit if they want to. We encourage all hospitals to take part in our audit, so we can find out the national state of play. BTS will then map out a plan of action to help ramp up the quality and effectiveness of hospital stop smoking services. This could help revolutionise the number of smokers kicking the habit, saving many lives and reducing NHS costs.' CHEO and Transgenomic reach agreement on Long QT patents that sets pathway for next generation of patient care OTTAWA, March 9, 2016 /CNW/ - This is a great day for DNA. It is also a great day for Canadian patients and their families. Canada's Alex Munter Canada Nathaniel Lipkus Osler Sana Halwani Richard Gold McGill University Gail Graham the United States Nathaniel Lipkus Sana Halwani Richard Gold McGill University's Canada's Ontario Quebec University of Ottawa Eastern Ontario CHEO, the children's hospital ofcapital region, announces that gene patents will no longer stand in the way of diagnosing a life threatening disease. It has reached a deal that defines a pathway for all public Canadian hospitals and labs to conduct genetic testing without legal roadblocks from gene patents.Specifically, CHEO has reached a settlement of its legal challenge with Transgenomic, the owner of five gene patents related to the potentially deadly Long QT syndrome. Transgenomic has agreed to provide CHEO and all other Canadian public sector hospitals and laboratories the right to test Canadians for Long QT syndrome on a not-for-profit basis.This agreement resolves the immediate issue with Long QT testing and it also provides a way of addressing the issue of gene patents more broadly in Canadian health care."This is a tremendous win for families," says, CHEO's President and CEO. "As these tests can now be performed in, families across the country will have better, quicker access to the answers and the care they need. This agreement sets a precedent and will save lives."While CHEO and Transgenomic were originally going to look to the courts for a resolution on this important health care issue, they were both committed to finding a solution to the issue without the expense and delay of a prolonged court case.Transgenomic has agreed to allow access to its Long QT patents for the entire public sector."This agreement will act as a model for public access to future gene patents, so that Canadian hospitals are empowered to provide access to cutting-edge genetic tests. We are very proud of this result," says, a lawyer at, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. He and, a lawyer at Gilbert's LLP, represented CHEO as pro bono counsel in this case.It is now up to the federal and provincial governments to make use of this pathway to ensure that Canadians receive not only current genetic tests, but the next generation of tests."This agreement gives the public health sector the tools it will need to deal with gene patents in the future. From now on, public hospitals and laboratories can ask patent holders to sign similar agreements allowing not-for-profit access," said, a Professor in Law and Medicine atwho advised CHEO on policy aspects of the case. "If the patent holder doesn't agree, the province can step in and ask the patent office to give it, on behalf of those hospitals and laboratories, a compulsory license on the same terms.""This settlement is great news for the future of Canadian medicine," says Dr., CHEO's Chief of Genetics. "Freer access to testing will allow geneticists, as well as other physicians and researchers to realize the full potential of genomic medicine, which promises to unlock many medical mysteries, and tailor medical decisions and treatments to a patient's specific genetic profile."Since hospitals and labs will no longer need to send blood samples to licensed private labs infor testing, patients will get their results faster and start treatment more quickly. Hospitals will also save money, as it is about 50 percent cheaper to perform these tests in the Canadian public sector.Launched in 2014, the goal of CHEO's Federal Court challenge was to change the law so that broad gene patents would not prevent medically necessary genetic tests. Gene patents covering a single gene or genetic mutation should not stand in the way of genetic tests that comprehensively sequence much or all of a patient's DNA.No hospital dollars have gone towards this legal challenge. CHEO thanks its legal representatives and-- who provided their services pro bono, as did several leading experts, including ProfessorofFaculty of Law. Mr. Gold and his team are funded through PACEOMICS, a project supported by Genome Canada, Genome Alberta, Genome Quebec and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. In addition, CHEO's physicians and scientists donated their time because they felt so strongly that the legal challenge was just.CHEO, the pediatric hospital incapital region, helps over 500,000 kids each year inand Nunavut. CHEO is affiliated with theand is home to globally recognized clinicians and researchers tackling cancer with viruses, mental illness, genetic discoveries, obesity and much more.Facebook: www.facebook.com/CHEOkidsTwitter: @CHEOhospitalInstagram: www.instagram.com/cheohospital YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/CHEOvideosPinterest: www.pinterest.com/cheohospitalSOURCE Children''s Hospital of(CHEO) Advertisement Perkin MR et al for the EAT Study Team. Randomized Trial of Introduction of Allergenic Foods in Breast-Fed Infants. NEJMDOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1514210 The study includedwere divided into two groups. One group continued to be on exclusive breastfeeding for another three months, after which their food intake was decided by their parents. In the second group, the babies first underwent a skin-prick allergy test to detect any allergy . Those with a suspected skin reaction underwent a food challenge that included 2 g of the protein of the particular food.. Data was obtained till the child was three years of age. A baby allergic to the food challenge was not given that particular food, but was given other foods.These results were noted in those babies whose mothers strictly followed the protocol of introducing foods early.Early introduction of the allergenic foods was found to be safe in the study and not associated with any serious allergic reactions like anaphylaxis. It must be remembered that the babies were tested for allergies, and were administered the allergenic food only if they did not react to it.An earlier study, Learning About Peanuts (LEAP) research trial, has also indicated that early introduction of peanuts results in lesser children suffering from peanut allergies . Thus, early introduction of allergenic foods could control the increasing problem of food allergies. However,Currently, the World Health Organization recommends that babies should be exclusively breastfed for 6 months, and solid food should be introduced only after that.Source: Medindia Advertisement Request those who smoke in your house to smoke their cigarettes outdoors No smoking should be allowed in cars even with the windows open Make sure children are moved away from any site where there are smokers Visit restaurants that enforce no-smoking policies Encourage your loved ones to quit smoking Increased risk of complications during childbirth Miscarriage and stillbirth Premature birth and low birth weight Newborns who are exposed to smoke are more prone to die from a condition called sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). http://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/country/India/summary Passive smoking is defined as involuntary inhaling of smoke from other people's cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Children are more susceptible to the harmful effects of passive smoking than adults and it makes them prone to asthma , bronchitis and pneumonia . Research has shown that the smoke that emanates from the end of a cigarette (called sidestream smoke) may be more toxic than the mainstream smoke that a smoker inhales.Dr. PM Bhujang, President, Association of Hospital said, "India is home to 12% of the world's smokers. Since 2009, approximately 900,000 people die every year in India due to smoking. As of 2015, the number of men smoking tobacco globally rose to 108 million, an increase of 36% between 1998 and 2015. With the number of active smokers increasing day by day, the threat of passive smoking is also rapidly increasing. Indians need to wake up to the risk of cardiovascular diseases which have a devastating impact on the health, growth and development of the country."Further commenting Dr. PM Bhujang said, "Other than passive smoking, increasing smoke in the air is also affecting the health of the people drastically. To control this inhalation of polluted air, one should avoid smoking zones; try to avoid breathing near factories producing harmful gasses. A person should be aware about the environment where he breaths the air and should take appropriate measure to control the same."If exposure to second-hand smoke cannot be prevented, there are some precautions that can protect the health of the people who are exposed and the suggestions include:Passive smoking can seriously impair the health of the unborn fetus. In some countries, almost 10% of women who are pregnant smoke and in many situations, mothers are exposed to partners who smoke. If a mother is exposed to second-hand smoke, she is more likely to give birth to a premature baby of lower birth weight. Dangers to mother and fetus include: Many countries ban people from smoking in public places and impose fines. Most governments impose high excise duties on tobacco. In India, smoking in public places was banned from October 22008 under the Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules, and The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products 2003 (COTPA). The ban was notified by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Smoking is restricted to open spaces visited by the public such as hospitals, auditoriums, cinemas, public transports and their related facilities, restaurants, hotels, amusement centers, offices, libraries, courts, shopping malls, and educational institutions. However, public places do not include roads, parking spaces, open market places and parks. The law imposes a fine of Rs.200 for a person caught smoking in public places.Smoking is permitted in airports, restaurants, bars, pubs, and some enclosed public workplaces if separate smoking areas are provided. The law also prohibits the sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions. In 2007, Chandigarh became the first smoke-free city in India. The Cable Television Network (Regulation) Amendment Bill banned direct and indirect advertisements of all tobacco products on 8 September 2000. Rules mandating pictorial health warnings on all tobacco products came in to force on May 312009.Currently, the minimum age for buying tobacco products is 18 years. Union Health Minister, JP Nadda proposed COPTA Bill 2015, to raise the age of a person buying tobacco products to 21 years. Nadda also proposed to raise the fine for smoking in public places to Rs 1,000 from Rs 200.The Global Youth Tobacco Survey conducted in 2009 showed that 14.6% of students aged 13 to 15 years are using tobacco in India. The survey also found that 11% of boys were users of smoking and smokeless tobacco. While 6% girls used smokeless tobacco and 3.7% smoked tobacco. It is estimated that tobacco will be the main cause of 13% of deaths in India by 2020.The COTPA Bill, 2015, states that the sale of loose tobacco products makes minors susceptible to tobacco use and promotes tobacco sale. Therefore, the prohibition of the sale of tobacco products loose and in single sticks is proposed.The public health consequences of passive smoking are high due to the large numbers of people exposed. Quitting smoking is the route to better health and it's also good for others as well.Source: Medindia In recent months, some Bahraini and Kuwaiti MPs have called on their governments and the international community to recognize the Iranian province of Ahwaz as an "occupied Arab country," and to provide aid to the Ahwaz Arab minority in its struggle for independence. Some even said that the Gulf countries were remiss in tackling this issue. Ahwaz (Khuzestan), in southwest Iran near the Iraqi border, is geopolitically important because it is situated between Iran and the Arab world, and because its abundant energy resources are a key part of Iran's exports. The Ahwaz Arab minority groups are taking measures to secede from the central regime in Tehran or at least gain autonomy. These groups argue that the Iranian regime seeks to thwart the national ambitions of the Ahwaz Arab minority by ethnically cleansing the region of Arab residents and settling Persian Shi'ites in their place, arbitrarily arresting and executing Ahwazi activists (dozens have been executed to date); and working to eradicate all traces of Sunni Arab characteristics from the region. (Image: Aranerdebilli.files.wordpress.com, May 2012) The discussion in the Gulf press about Ahwaz is not new; articles on the issue appear frequently. Some harshly criticize the Iranian regime's oppressive policies there,[1] and others call on the Arab and Gulf countries to support the Ahwaz minority as a way of blocking Iranian interference in their own affairs.[2] Some have even published articles by Ahwaz groups making their case against the Iranian regime.[3] What is new in this discourse is an attempt by MPs in Gulf countries to promote recognition of Ahwaz as an occupied Arab country. In this context, it should be noted that these initiatives come alongside efforts by Ahwaz activists to promote Arab and international recognition of their province as an Arab country. In January 2016, a delegation of Ahwaz political officials headed by 'Aref Al-Ka'abi, leader of the Democratic Solidarity Party of Ahwaz (DSPA),[4] held a series of meetings with officials from all the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries but Oman. According to Al-Ka'abi, these meetings were aimed at raising awareness of the issue of Ahwaz and the suffering of its people, and at persuading the GCC states to recognize Ahwaz as an Arab country, as a prelude to its recognition by the Arab League. He also expressed hope that the Arab League would grant Ahwaz observer-state status. He also said that efforts will be made in international institutions and in the UN to promote an international resolution recognizing Ahwaz as an Arab country.[5] This report will review the details of the initiatives in Bahrain and Kuwait, and the responses to them: Bahraini Parliament Initiative In late December 2015, five Bahraini MPs submitted a proposal to the parliament speaker calling for recognizing Ahwaz as an Arab country under Iranian occupation.[6] The proposal received the support of 40 additional MPs. The five MPs who submitted it stated: "Al-Ahwaz is one of the Arab countries situated in the eastern part of the Arab homeland, and in it is an Arab people with Arab roots... Today, Al-Ahwaz is a usurped Arab country, subject to the occupation of Iran, which is continuing to treat its [Ahwazi] people with merciless violence while taking advantage both of the Arab [world's] failure to play its part [in this matter] and of the conditions in the region and internationally that are destroying the unity of the [Arab] ummah..." Protesting against the Iranian regime's violent oppression of the Arab Ahwazi people, the five said that this is aimed at eradicating the ancient Arab identity of the Ahwazi region, and added: "The Bahraini government must first urgently recognize Al-Ahwaz as an Arab country and strive to promote Gulf recognition of this country... Recognition of this Arab country should include economic and moral support in regional and international forums." Criticizing the Gulf countries for their "great impotence" on the Ahwaz issue, "even though it is fundamentally a Gulf state that completes the Gulf security array, and by doing so also completes the Arab security array," they said: "Al-Ahwaz's occupation by Iran has led to [Iranian] occupation of parts of the UAE as well (its three islands)[7] and also to [Iranian] attempts to harm the security and stability of Bahrain. This comes along with its blatant and illegitimate interventions aimed at imposing its rule on Yemen and Iraq..."[8] The Bahraini proposal (image: Mirror.no-ip.org, December 29, 2015) The proposal received the support of various Ahwazi elements. A group of Ahwazi politicians, media figures, and activists sent a thank-you letter to Bahraini parliament speaker Ahmed Al-Mulla congratulating him on the initiative. They said that it "will open up several possibilities for official political and legal action in the international and Arab arenas to internationalize the issue [of Ahwaz] and lead it to obtain official status in the corridors of international and civil society organizations... Although this courageous initiative arrives after suffering, oppression, persecution, and cruel oppressive policies that have afflicted our Ahwazi Arab people for nine decades, it carries extra weight because it expresses an official and exceptional Arab and international political position. This is especially true because it comes as Iran's boastfulness and arrogance is spiking, and as it violates all international and humanitarian principles, values, and practices in its treatment of the Arab and Islamic peoples." They added: "The Ahwazi people sees this initiative as a crucial historic turning point in its just struggle to attain its usurped rights... [We call on] all Arab and Islamic parliaments, institutions, and official and unofficial organizations, particularly those in the Gulf [to adopt the initiative]."[9] Also welcoming the Bahraini initiative was Habib Jaber, leader of the National Organization for the Liberation of Ahwaz - an umbrella organization of several popular Ahwazi liberation movements - who said that the initiative "provides a swift response to the recommendations of the latest summit of the [November 28, 2015] National Organization for the Liberation of Ahwaz in Copenhagen." Jaber added that it was a "qualitative turning point" in the Ahwazi people's struggle for independence, and that it would "push other Arab parliaments to take similar steps." He even implied that in the near future, Arab elements will take "wide-scale and surprising steps" to bring the issue of Ahwaz to the center of Arab and international attention.[10] On the other hand, the Bahraini proposal was criticized by Iranian media, which depicted it as an aggressive move. For example, a report on the proposal by the Iranian news agency Fars, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was headlined "Al-Ahvaz Is Under Attack By Saudi Arabia and Bahrain."[11] Muhammad Al-'Amadi, one of the submitters of the Bahraini proposal (image: Al-Ayyam, Bahrain, December 31, 2015) Kuwaiti Parliament Initiative In late January 2016, about a month after the initiative was submitted in the Bahraini parliament, a similar initiative was presented in the Kuwaiti parliament. Kuwaiti MP Ahmad Muti' Al-'Aazmi called on the Kuwaiti government to recognize Ahwaz as an occupied Arab country and to open an Ahwazi Embassy in Kuwait. He stated: "We all know that Al-Ahwaz is an Arab country occupied in 1920 by the Persian entity during the reign of the Iranian Shah, with the aid of British colonialism... From the time of its occupation until today, its people have been subjected to all manner of torture, murder, and expulsion, as well as to attempts to eradicate the roots of Arab identity and practices by [attempting to impose] a foreign Persian identity and practices." He also called on other Gulf states to recognize the Ahwazi people's right to an independent country and its demand to secede from "the dictatorial Persian entity."[12] Kuwaiti MP Majid Musa Al-Mutairi also called on the international community to recognize Ahwaz as an Arab country.[13] Ahmad Muti' Al-'Aazmi (image: Gulfeyes.net, February 6, 2016) Articles In Gulf Press Support Bahraini Initiative: Recognizing Ahwaz As An Arab State Will Strengthen Arabs Against Iran; Ahwaz Was Occupied Even Before Palestine The Bahraini MPs' initiative received positive coverage in the Gulf press. For example, Iraqi journalist Daoud Al-Basri praised it in the Kuwaiti daily Al-Siyasa, and called it "an important strategic breakthrough that Arab parliaments, especially the Kuwaiti parliament and the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union, would do well to support and to pass on to international forums..." Al-Basri harshly criticized "the Arab world's reluctance to help on the matter of Al-Ahwaz and the ignorance of most of the Arab world on this matter, despite the fact that Al-Ahwaz was occupied even before Palestine and is a larger territory. Its strategic importance is no different than that of Palestine. With its resources, wealth, and location, Al-Ahwaz constitutes the eastern wing and depth of both the Gulf states and the Arab world. Since the 1964 [Arab League] Cairo summit recognized the Ahwazi Arab case, the Arab world has completely distanced itself from this sensitive issue, to the point that it was forgotten, even though it is one of the most serious, exact, and important means in the struggle against the arrogant, tyrannical Iranian regime, which exports terrorism and death to its neighbors..." Al-Basri warned against squandering an opportunity to actualize the goals of the Bahraini initiative, which he called "central strategic goals that serve Gulf and national security..." and even stressed that "the Arab political system, unfortunately, made a fatal error by ignoring the Ahwazi issue..." Finally, Al-Basri called on the Arab world "to prepare to accept a new member [to its ranks], the addition of which will play an important role in strengthening Arab might, constructing a powerful regional system, and reversing many existing negative trends."[14] Similarly, Jama'an Al-Ghamdi, a columnist for the Saudi daily Al-Sharq, welcomed the initiative, adding that "the activity of the members of this Arab race, especially together with other races in Iran, will be the most truly effective way to influence Iran and cause it to shrink to its original Persian dimensions and nothing more. In my opinion, this could be the only solution to Iranian violations and the wave of Persian expansionism."[15] * E. Ezrahi is a research fellow at MEMRI Endnotes: On February 29, 2016, Russian statesman Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, published in the Russian independent biweekly newspaper Novaya Gazeta[1] an article titled "I'm Certain: All Is Not Lost." In it, he stressed that Russia needs "a real democracy" in order to emerge from the "authoritarian trend" in Russia's internal politics. Gorbachev wrote that Russian President Vladimir Putin's "managed democracy" - or political authoritarianism - and "power vertical"- or centralization of power - had stabilized the country's economic situation following its 1998 financial crisis. But, he added, Russia's top-down system of government had been "to the detriment of real democracy, at the expense of the independence of the parliament, the courts, and the mass media." He concluded by asserting that Russians "must return to a path of real democracy" by "not dividing our society [by] categorizing people as good and bad, red and blue, patriots and liberals" and not looking to blame "foreign agents," but that Russians "must unite for the sake of common goals." He concludes, "I believe this is possible. I believe in Russia." Mikhail Gorbachev. Source: Novayagazeta.ru, February 29, 2016 Following are excerpts from Gorbachev's article: "Our Shared Victory In The Cold War Was Declared A [Western] Triumph" "The world is very restless; the situation in Russia is very complicated. And it's all interrelated. "It is exactly 30 years since the 27th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU).[2] Occasionally, I reread my old speeches and articles [from that era]. At that time [i.e. when he was CPSU secretary-general and president of the Soviet Union] we acknowledged that we live in a global, interrelated, interdependent world, and we drew conclusions. "Over the past two or three years, we have had many opportunities to see this interdependency for ourselves. It grows stronger all the time, and will continue to do so - but global politics are caught unawares, and increasingly lag behind the fast-paced changes in the world. The leaders of the major powers have found themselves unprepared for the crises and disasters of recent years. "Instead of cooperation, 'war and peace' has again taken center stage in world politics, as during the Cold War. Think tanks are developing scenarios of a possible war in Europe... But this is not restricted to 'hypothetical scenarios': The U.S.is planning to deploy another $3 billion in heavy armament and military equipment in Central and Eastern Europe. This is but one example attesting to the fact that in international affairs, there is a collapse of trust. "I think that if you ask people on all the continents 'Is the world going in the right direction?' most will say 'No.' This all began when 'the victory of the West' in the Cold War was proclaimed. Our shared victory in the Cold War was declared a triumph of one side only [i.e. the West], which now thinks that 'everything is permitted.' This is the root from which today's global unrest has sprung. "Almost all the conflicts of the past two decades, starting with Yugoslavia, have seen attempts to solve them by force - or at least by threats of force. What has emerged is a military-force mentality, and it is no less dangerous than the military-industrial complex. It has powerful impact on politics and mass media - and, through them, on the people. "I am extremely concerned by the harsh rhetoric and mutual recriminations, which have come, more and more, to seem like a propaganda war among countries... "But come to agreement we must. We will have to. Otherwise, we will not be able to stop the world from sliding towards chaos, towards catastrophe. And for this, we need political will. "I am certain: All is not lost. Even last year, as animosity between Russia and the West grew, there was positive change on some issues..." "It Is Impossible To Isolate Russia - The World Will Never Agree To This" "Recently, there have been initial signs that world powers, particularly the U.S. and Russia, have decided to tackle settling the conflict in Syria. We will see if a real ceasefire can be achieved - perhaps not immediately. But I welcome the fact that there is a dialogue, there are talks. "I hope that our Western partners have realized that they must renounce the policy of isolating Russia. It is impossible to isolate Russia; the world will never agree to it. The world needs Russia. Its role in solving all the major problems is indispensable. "At this time, global politics greatly needs a positive agenda - first of all with regard to security. I would name two issues as top priorities - the fight against terrorism, and European security. "In the fight against terrorism, there should be no more double standards, and the fight must be firmly based in international law. That is why I have proposed launching preparations for an antiterrorist pact or convention, under the auspices of the UN. Such a pact must include not only specific commitments concerning cooperation among states, exchanging information, and taking preventive measures, but must also establish important international laws. First of all, there must be a ban on supplying weapons to illegal armed groups, wherever they may be. Secondly, there must be a refusal to support - either materially or with propaganda -any force or movement whose goal is armed struggle against any state or government. "It is no less important to prevent further deterioration of the situation in Europe and to reverse negative processes. We need a major agreement to modernize the European security system. Such an agreement should be formulated and adopted by national leaders and governments... [They] must agree on mechanisms for conflict prevention; mechanisms for mandatory consultations, including bringing the issues to the highest echelons, so as to prevent problems from becoming crises, prevent disagreements from becoming conflicts, and conflicts from becoming military clashes. We need 'early warning' mechanisms for new threats such as 'non-state actors' and failed states. Finally, we need clear rules of conduct, binding upon all, at a time of internal conflicts that could threaten international security. "What we are talking about is the need for a new security architecture for Europe - but not only for Europe. Creating this will be a difficult, large-scale task..." "We Must Overcome The Authoritarian Trend In Our Internal Politics... [And] Return To A Path Of Real Democracy" "Clearing the international atmosphere will undoubtedly help us deal with the current Russian socio-economic crisis. We must not fool ourselves - the crisis is evident. We must not look only for outward causes. The primary responsibility rests with us. We must look for a way out. "But Russia has all it needs to overcome this crisis. It has been through worse times. While we should not prophesize ruin and disaster, we must face reality. We must not restrict our search [for a solution to the economic problems] to the economic aspect alone and ignore the political side of the problem. After all, the solution [to the current financial crisis] is all about politics. "What we lack today [in Russia] is the most important thing of all - democracy. I am certain: Without a democratic process, without the people's broad participation in the search for solutions, we will not be able to break the vicious cycle of the problems into which we have driven ourselves. Our own experience, as well as the global experience of decades past, are proof of that. "We must overcome the authoritarian trend in our internal politics. This [trend] did not appear yesterday - indeed, as early as the 1990s, a regime of individual rule emerged, and the constitution adopted [in 1993] is heavily biased in favor of the executive branch and presidential powers - including an option for more than two terms in office, or as many as you like. There were various excuses for this at first - for example, the need for rapidly enacting reform 'with a firm hand.' And what did we have as a result? The [Russian] market crash of 1998. "It was then that 'managed democracy' and 'the power vertical' emerged - aimed, ostensibly, at stabilizing and reviving the Russian economy. It was indeed stabilized, but to the detriment of real democracy, at the expense of the independence of the parliament, the courts, and the mass media... [Furthermore], this revival was mostly the result of the high oil and gas prices in the global market. "It is obvious now that the current model of governance is not working, either in politics or in economics. [Additionally], there are no alternative ideas in Russia, and no influx of new people [in the socio-political system]. The decision-making process must not be reliant on a single man [i.e. Putin].Nobody can claim to have a monopoly on absolute truth. "We must return to a path of real democracy. In one of my recent interviews, I urged all our powers to mobilize to overcome the crisis. What does this mean? First and foremost, it means not dividing our society! Not categorizing people as good and bad, red and blue, patriots and liberals. Not looking for... a fifth column or foreign agents. It means that we must unite for the sake of common goals. "I believe this is possible. I believe in Russia..." Endnotes: The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is pleased to announce the launch of its MEMRI Spanish website, at www2.memri.org/espanol/. Although MEMRI has been translating some of its key research into Spanish for years (see MEMRI Spanish on Facebook and Twitter), there remains a dearth of information in the Spanish-speaking world about events and conflicts in the Middle East. The new MEMRI Spanish website will help fill this gap, providing a wide range of MEMRI research, including translations of primary-source content from Arabic, Farsi, and other languages. This content is aimed at readers in Spain, Latin America, and other Spanish-speaking areas where Middle East coverage and analysis comes mainly from Anglophone media or from ideology-based political outlets such as Venezuela's TeleSUR satellite TV network. It will provide a public service to governments, legislatures, media, and other audiences, to inform and enrich the public policy debate. Metropolitan News-Enterprise Thursday, March 3, 2016 Page 1 Panel Upholds $4 Million Award in Shooting by Deputies By KENNETH OFGANG, Staff Writer Sheriffs deputies violated the constitutional rights of a homeless couple by making a warrantless entry into the shack in which they were living, and are liable for damages they suffered as a result of being shot, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled yesterday. The judges upheld a $4 million damage award to Angel Mendez and Jennifer Lynn Garcia, rejecting Los Angeles County lawyers contention that deputies Christopher Conley and Jennifer Pederson were entitled to qualified immunity. U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald ruled for the plaintiffs following a bench trial. The judge heard testimony that the defendants were among 12 officers who responded to call from an officer who believed he had spotted a wanted parolee entering a grocery store. After searching the store unsuccessfully, the deputies received a tip that the parolee, or someone meeting his description, was riding a bicycle in front of a house in Lancaster. Conley and Pederson went to the house, along with other officers. Gentle Persuasion The other officers banged on the security screen outside the houses front door while Conley and Pederson watched the back. When the owner refused entry after being told the officers lacked a warrant, they retrieved a pick and a ram in order to bust open the front door, thereby persuading the owner to open it, whereupon she was subdued and detained. A search of the house did not produce the parolee. After the sergeant in charge gave Pederson the go-ahead to clear the backyard, they proceeded to the wooden shack. Conley opened the door of the shack. He and Pederson later testified that after he pulled back a blanket used as a curtain, they saw the silhouette of an adult male holding what appeared to be a rifle pointed at them. The officers fired a total of 15 shots. Mendez in fact was holding a BB gun, which the district judge found to have been pointed at the deputies. Mendez and his wifewho were living in the shack with the owners permissionwere both seriously injured, with Mendez requiring amputation of his right leg below the knee. Fitzgerald found that there was no constitutional justification for the warrantless entry and that the deputies violated the Fourth Amendment by failing to knock and announce themselves. Reasonable Mistake The deputies made a reasonable mistake in believing they were in danger upon seeing the BB gun, the judge ruled, thereby precluding a finding of liability for use of excessive force. But under Ninth Circuit precedent, he said, the shooting was still unconstitutional because the officers had no reason to enter the shack. Judge Ronald Gould, writing for the Ninth Circuit, agreed that the officers entry constituted an unreasonable search. The Fourth Amendment, he said, is not limited to searches of dwellings, and while the shack may have been dilapidated, as the county asserted, it was very clearly in the curtilage of the house, which the deputies knew was an occupied dwelling. The judge rejected the argument that the deputies reasonably believed that exigent circumstances existed, and were thus entitled to qualified immunity. It was clearly established at the time of the 2010 incident that a mere suspicion of the presence of a fugitive isnt enough to justify a warrantless entry, Gould said. A different result might occur if the deputies had been in continuous pursuit of the fugitive, he explained, but they had no information regarding his whereabouts beyond the tip about his being seen in front of the house, and were far from sure that [he] was still (or had ever been) inside [the] houselet alone in the shack . No Error The district judge did err, Gould went on to say, in finding that the deputies were not entitled to qualified immunity from the plaintiffs knock-and-announce claim. There was a violation, the appellate judge said, but it was unclear at the time of the incident whether the deputies, having complied with the rule before entering the house, were required to do so again before going into the shack. To establish the law going forward, however, the panel held that officers must knock and re-announce their presence when they know or should reasonably know that an area within the cartilage of a home is a separate residence from the main house. The court struck a nominal award of $1 on that claim, but otherwise affirmed the judgment. The appeal was argued by Melinda Cantrall of Hurrell Cantrall LLP for the deputies and by David Drexler of Sherman Oaks for the plaintiffs. The case is Mendez v. County of Los Angeles, 13-56686. Copyright 2016, Metropolitan News Company The Alternate Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Nikos Xydakis, traveled to Portugal on Tuesday to hold a number of meetings within the framework of the European tour he has been carrying out in recent weeks, with the aim of briefing his European counterparts on matters of common European interest, including the refugee crisis. Mr. Xydakis began his Lisbon meetings in the morning, with Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs Margarida Marques. In their conversation, which took place in a very warm climate, they found common ground and agreed on a number of issues, highlighting the risks the EU is running from the erosive policy of certain member states and the austerity policy that is being followed. Ms. Marques made special reference to the economy, insisting on the need for economic policy not to be determined by technocrats. Mr. Xydakis thanked the Portuguese government and Prime Minister Antonio Costa, on behalf of the Greek government, for offering to receive 6,000 refugees from Greece, in addition to the numbers provided for by the European relocation mechanism, and he repeated this expression of gratitude to the Portuguese people in two interviews with Portuguese news media. Ms. Marques explained that Portugal has repeatedly benefited from the integration of refugees and migrants. Mr. Xydakis then held meetings with Interior Minister Constanca Urbano de Sousa and a delegation from Bloco de Esquerda, and he also participated in a meeting of the Portuguese Parliaments European Affairs Committee, chaired by Ms. Regina Bastos, an MP for the main opposition party (PSD). During his speech to the European Affairs Committee, Mr. Xydakis briefed the Portuguese MPs on the recent developments in the refugee crisis and on Greeces positions, also responding to a number of questions. The Committee members great interest in Greeces positions was confirmed by the participation of all Committee members in the days proceedings. In the detailed discussion that followed, Mr. Xydakis once again stressed the need for the European Union to take an active role in and initiatives for peace-making in Syria and the wider Middle East region. He also noted that the Unions humanitarian and political traditions increase its responsibility to the refugees, while he insisted on the need to eradicate the major trafficking rings that are cashing in on putting thousands of people in danger. Mr. Xydakis highlighted that Greece has met the obligations it has undertaken to its partners, throught the creation of the hotspots and thorough registration of the refugees and migrants that cross the maritime border. But he clarified that, if the relocation system the EU has decided on does not function fully, there is a danger of the hotspots losing their intended purpose and of thousands of refugees being trapped in the country, which the Greek government is not prepared to accept. Mr. Xydakis will continue his meetings in Lisbon on Wednesday, winding up his tour of southern EU countries on Thursday, in Italy. The Alternate Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Nikos Xydakis, met in Lisbon today with Portugals candidate for the position of UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres. Mr. Guterres set out for Mr. Xydakis his candidacy for the position of UN Secretary-General. The discussion, which took place in a friendly atmosphere, focussed on issues of common concern to Greece and Portugal, as well as on the latest developments in the refugee and migration crisis, a priority issue for the two countries as well as the European Union. Mr. Guterres noted that Greece is under pressure from a lack of solidarity in the management of the migration issue, while at the same time it is under pressure from the austerity of recent years. The collocutors agreed they had noticed that the politicians who are in favor of strict adherence to rules and commitments where the economy and memorandums are concerned are not putting the same pressure on EU countries to implement EU agreements concerning the refugee crisis. Mr. Xydakis today completes his visit to Portugal, during which he met with State Secretary Margarida Marques, Interior Minister Constanca Urbano de Sousa, and a delegation from the Bloco de Esquerda political party. He also participated in a session of the Portuguese Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee, chaired by Regina Bastos, an MP of the main opposition party (PSD). Mr. Xydakis is to meet tomorrow in Rome with the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister for European Affairs, Sandro Gozi, Undersecretary of Interior Filippo Bubbico, and the Deputy Foreign Minister competent for Greek-Italian bilateral relations, Vincenzo Amendola. The Deputy Foreign Minister for International Economic Relations, Dimitris Mardas, will carry out a visit to Istanbul from 10 to 13 March, for a series of meetings and talks with entrepreneurs and sectoral agencies of the neighbouring country. His visit will take place following the 4th meeting of the Greek-Turkish High-Level Cooperation Council, which took place on 8 March, in Izmir. On Thursday, 10 March, Mr. Mardas will visit His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and he will then address the members of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB). On Friday, 11 March, Mr. Mardas will meet with members of the BoD of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen Association (TUSIAD), to whom he will present the prospects of the Greek economy and the potential for further strengthening of bilateral business cooperation. Note that Greek investments in Turkey are estimated at $6 billion, while Turkish investments in Greece come to $400 million. Finally, on Saturday, 12 March, Mr. Mardas will meet with the President of the Union of Shop Owners of the Grand Bazaar (CAPALI CARSI), with whom he will discuss the twinning of the old traditional markets of Athens (Plaka, Monastiraki) with the corresponding marketplaces of Istanbul and Isfahan, Iran (Naqshe-e-Jahan Square). Mr. President, Fellow MPs, Today we are debating the ratification of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, regarding cooperation on European Union issues. The MoU up for ratification was drawn up on the initiative of Greece and signed on 10 June 2014, in Athens during a visit from the Jordanian Foreign Minister with the basic aim of capitalizing on the traditionally excellent political relations between the two countries, in the direction of our countrys providing institutional know-how on matters of European interest. The strengthening of relations with Jordan and support for the Jordanian sides reform efforts to consolidate democratic institutions and the socioeconomic development of the country are a firm pursuit of the European Union. Given the recognition of Jordan as a Mediterranean partner of the European Union, and due to the strategic nature of the country within the southern neighbourhood and the Arab world in general, the institutional framework of Jordanian-EU relations is determined by the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement, as well as by Action Plan 2012, which has been adopted within the framework of the Southern Dimension of the European Neighbourhood Policy. Acknowledging the Greek Foreign Ministrys extensive experience with the functioning of the institutional organs, and the implementation of the common policies, of the European Union, through the current MoU our country will contribute decisively towards the implementation of the reform processes that have been initiated by the other contracting party, with the aim of enhancing cooperation and the relations between Jordan and the European Union. The more specific articles of the present MoU provide for the provision of assistance for the development of institutional infrastructure, through the exchange of experiences, expertise and know-how in the implementation of EU policies. This assistance will be carried out through training programmes, visits, joint studies and research, and other related activities. Moreover, it provides for the potential for the contracting parties to seek funding for the programmes and action plans in question from the mechanisms for institutional cooperation and funding that operate within the framework of the European Union. The ratification of the present agreement is expected to bring significant benefits for our country through the upgrading of our national relations with Jordan, which, on the one hand, functions traditionally as a factor for stability in the wider Middle East region and, on the other hand at this time is hosting an ever-growing number of Syrian refugees. In the direction of the development of broader national geopolitical relations of good neighbourliness, and for the purpose of providing urgent support for the processes of democratic reform and economic development, I recommend the legislative ratification of the present draft law. Thank you. The Holland Sentinel reports a $2 million donation from Jim and Eileen Heeringa kicked off the latest effort to renovate the complex. City officials expect to pay some of the total with bonds and some with further donations and grants. A dozen public meetings on the project have taken place since last year. An October groundbreaking is planned and it's expected to open in two years. Designers plan to present the final design proposal to city council next week. It's expected to include an indoor-outdoor and year-round market as well as a renovated gym, new bleachers, a multi-use space, new restrooms, new offices and other updates. Nine people were injured, four seriously, the Alameda County Fire Department said. Rescuers battled the creek's fast-moving currents Monday night to pull riders to safety, Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly said. "It was dark, wet, it was raining. It was very chaotic," Kelly said. "This is an absolute miracle that no one was killed, no passengers or first responders." The San Francisco Bay Area has been inundated with thunderstorms in recent days that have swamped roadways and creeks. On Monday, some San Francisco Bay Area roads were under more than a foot of water. Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties saw about 11 inches of rain over the weekend. Union Pacific spokesman Francisco J. Castillo says a mudslide most likely swept the tree onto the Altamont Corridor Express train tracks Monday evening. The ACE No. 10 commuter train was traveling from San Jose to Stockton when the first two cars went off the tracks in Sunol, a rural area of Alameda County about 45 miles east of San Francisco. One toppled over, while the other remained upright. Steve Walker, an ACE spokesman, says the train was traveling 35 mph in the 40 mph zone. Walker said the first car was carrying six passengers and one crew member when it fell into Alameda Creek. Passengers described a harrowing scene. Rad Akhter said he was in the front car that fell into Alameda Creek and saw a woman lying in mud just under a train car hanging off the tracks. "We were all just panicking," Akhter, who waited wrapped in a blanket for a ride home, told San Jose television station KNTV. Passenger Russell Blackman told KGO-TV he was in the second car, which stopped near the creek. "Our car went off the track and stopped right at the edge, which was a blessing," Blackman said. "I was thrown out of my seat. I hurt my shoulder, but I'm not going to complain." Images posted on Twitter by Alameda County Fire Department showed that car on its side about half-submerged in the creek. Passengers were evacuated and checked by paramedics. The uninjured riders were taken to the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, the department said. Altamont Corridor Express said it sent buses to take passengers to their destinations. The ACE No. 10 train, which travels from Silicon Valley to Central California, stopping in eight cities along the way, was carrying 214 passengers, officials said. ACE has had only one other derailment in the past decade. All Altamont Corridor Express trains traveling from Silicon Valley to the Central Valley were canceled on Tuesday. BAD AXE The same local official who advocated for a moratorium on wind energy projects in December 2014 says its now time to permanently halt wind development in Huron County. The county has 328 wind turbines, more than in any other county in the state. Known plans could push the number to 500 and beyond this year. Maybe its time to say No more, Commissioner John Nugent said Tuesday. He said he was hesitant to bring the subject up, but suggested setting a cap on the amount of wind turbines in Huron County. Its not a new idea. Last fall, Commissioner Clark Elftman said 484 turbines is enough. Weve done our part for the state of Michigan, Elftman later told the Tribune. Im not anti-wind, Im not pro-wind. But 500s enough. Ive always felt that way. Locals for years have talked of a looming saturation point for wind turbines. The maximum amount of turbines the county could hold is largely dependent on the amount of leased property in the county, Building and Zoning Director Jeff Smith previously said. Officials and residents have pinned the range anywhere from 500 to 1,000 or more. I think were saturated, Nugent said Tuesday. Of Hurons 28 townships, its easier to count the ones that dont have turbines or arent set to get some. Meade, Verona and Paris townships are the only ones inland without. The handful of other townships that dont have turbines abut shorelines. Still, hundreds of landowners wanting turbines continue to sign leases with wind developers. Aside from a clean, renewable energy source that could power thousands of homes, developers say wind energy projects generate millions in tax revenue for the county, preserve farmland and bring jobs to the community. A public hearing is set for 7 p.m. March 30 for the countys newest wind project planned by DTE Energy, spanning more than 20,000 acres in four townships. At the same time, DTE plans to start building its Pinnebog Wind Park on 13,000 acres in Oliver, Chandler and Colfax townships this spring. It would add 30 turbines. Canada-based Algonquin Power & Utilities says it expects to start erecting 72 turbines in northeastern Huron County this summer. Traverse City-based Heritage Energy is adding 15 turbines in eastern Huron County and says it is ahead of schedule and expects turbine deliveries by mid-June. To the editor: What benefit has it been for our nation to have Barack Obama as our president? GM was saved. How? Obama used taxpayer money to save an auto industry that should have gone into bankruptcy. Remember clunkers for cash? Then came operation fast and furious, releasing guns to buyers from Mexico. Except for the NRA and Gun Owners of America, Obama would have given us government gun control despite the Second Amendment. No matter history, the NRA gathered rifles and shotguns and sent them to England when she stood alone against Nazi Germany so that military weapons could go to the military while NRA gifts could serve homeland volunteers. Obama removed the bust of Churchill from the White House. Then came the Keystone oil pipeline agreed between Canada and the U.S. Obama stopped it to save the environment. TransCanada Oil is suing the U.S. government for breach of contract. Underground oil piping with valves is better than railroad tankers. ObamaCare is a debacle. My insurance has increased. Then there is trillions of dollars of indebtedness for our nation. Obama enjoys the perks of the office very much. Pensions should be adjusted to the value of service rendered. Look at all of the foreclosures published by the Huron Daily Tribune. This is a short version of the larger failure and fraud by an American president. Seven years of incompetence pitting one race against another. Remember Obamas micromanaging of the Boston police? As citizens of this nation, state and county, let us seek to elect a president who promises to support the Constitution of this nation which Obama has turned into a sham. Charles W. Kuhl Sebewaing To the editor: Phragmites is a perennial wetland grass that can grow to heights of 15 feet. Some species are native to Michigan, but officials say an invasive variety continues to threaten the Saginaw Bay Watershed area, where it degrades native ecosystems and wildlife, and impedes views and water use. Once established, it spreads quickly and is difficult to manage. It is impacting our lakes, streams, rivers, creeks, roadways and rural environment. Arenac, Bay, Tuscola and Huron counties recently were awarded a grant for the purpose of addressing phragmites management. Tuscola County, in partnership with the Saginaw Bay Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area, Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiatives Group, Michigan State University Extension, Bay County, Little Forks Conservancy, Arenac Conservation District and Chippewa Nature Center, are hosting a phragmites workshop series with programs to be held in Arenac, Bay, Midland and Tuscola counties in March and early April. On Thursday, Tuscola County will host the workshop at the Tuscola Ed Tech Center, 1401 Cleaver Road (M-24) in Caro. The program will begin at 6 p.m. and will feature experts speaking on topics including: early detection/rapid response; treatment permits; treatment how to burn; equipment; contractors and program signup. This is a free public service program that is open to the public. I would encourage anyone interested in finding out more about the impact this invasive plant has on our lakes, local waterways and ecosystems to attend. If you have specific questions, you can contact Katy Hintzen at hintzen@msu.edu, 989-891-7198, or Tuscola EDC at 989-673-2849. Nancy Barrios Saginaw Bay Coastal Initiatives The outgoing commander of U.S. Central Command told lawmakers Tuesday it may be time to reconsider the plan to reduce American military forces in Afghanistan starting Jan. 1. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III acknowledged to members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that President Barack Obama's plan to cut forces from 9,800 to 5,500 by 2017 may no longer be feasible, given the recent increase in Taliban activity. Sen. John McCain, a Republican from Arizona and chairman of the panel, told Austin that the Lt. Gen. John Nicholson, the new commander in Afghanistan "testified before this committee in no uncertain terms that the security situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating." The senator asked, "Do you agree with that?" Austin replied, "In part I agree. I think that Taliban have become more active and the [Afghan security forces] have been challenged over the last year." McCain then asked Austin if that justifies rethinking further troop withdrawal in Afghanistan. "You start with a plan and that plan is based on certain facts that you know at that time and assumptions that you make in order to continue planning," Austin said. "When the situation changes so those facts are no longer valid or the assumptions that you made are no longer appropriate, I think you have to go back and revisit your plan so I would agree that a review of the plan is in order." Sen. Angus King, an Independent from Maine, told Austin he was concerned about the plan to get from 9,800 to 5,500 by the start of next year. "You can't just turn a switch on Dec. 31," King said. "There has got to be a drawdown of some kind starting probably in late summer. Are you concerned given the heightened level of Taliban activity that we would be making a mistake by embarking on a drawdown of that nature?" Austin agreed to review that plan and make adjustments if necessary. "Is that happening? Is there a reassessment underway?" King asked. "The new commander is on the ground and he is assessing things now, but at all levels, we will take a look at this and make the appropriate recommendations to the leadership," Austin said. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. The U.S. military has warned troops not to show up in uniform at political events ahead of Donald Trump's rally set for Wednesday near Fort Bragg, the current venue for the court-marital of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. Trump, who has called Bergdahl a traitor "who should have been executed," was scheduled to hold an evening rally Wednesday at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, North Carolina, a 4,500-seat arena near the sprawling Army base. In a Facebook posting on the Fort Bragg site, the Army said, "When political candidates come to town, it's important to keep in mind the rules for engaging in political activities. Unquestionably, service members can exercise their right to vote and carry out their obligations of citizenship. However, we must remain cognizant of the rules so as to avoid the perception of official endorsement." Mindful of incidents at previous campaign events for the Republican presidential frontrunner, Christina Douglas, a Fort Bragg spokeswoman, said the rules mean Fort Bragg troops "can attend the rally (but) they can't attend in uniform." Should the Republican frontrunner come across service members in uniform on his way into and out of town, those troops should avoid being photographed with him, Douglas said. Fort Bragg's reminders were in line with guidance put out each year by the Defense Department on involvement in political activities, she said. A Pentagon directive states service members can "attend partisan and nonpartisan political fundraising activities, meetings, rallies, debates, conventions, or activities as a spectator when not in uniform and when no inference or appearance of official sponsorship, approval, or endorsement can reasonably be drawn." Under the rules, bumper stickers were permitted on personal vehicles but political signs were not permitted on the homes of those living on base. Trump will be the first 2016 presidential candidate of either party to hold a campaign rally in Fayetteville, the state's sixth-largest city and home to Fort Bragg. Susan Mills, chairwoman of the Cumberland County Republican Party, told the Fayetteville Observer that the Trump rally would be a sign that "Fayetteville is really moving up." "I really appreciate the fact that he recognizes Fayetteville can actually be a swing city in a state that will be a swing state again this year." North Carolina will hold its primary on March 15 and early voting begins a day after the Trump rally. By population, Fort Bragg, home to the 82nd Airborne Division and the U.S. Special Operations Command, is the largest Army installation worldwide, with about 63,000 military and 11,000 civilian personnel. Trump's statements about Bergdahl have prompted his defense team to ask to interview Trump to determine whether to seek a formal deposition from him or possibly even call him as a witness at the court-martial at a session out of the presence of the members of the court, or jury. Eugene Fidell, the civilian attorney on Bergdahl's defense team, said the defense lawyers would likely monitor Trump's remarks at the Fayetteville rally but had no plans to attempt to speak with him. Bergdahl is currently at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston in Texas while the court-martial proceedings at Fort Bragg, originally scheduled to start in August, were being delayed over procedural matters and access to classified documents. Last week, Army Lt. Col. Franklin D. Rosenblatt, a Judge Advocate General and defense lawyer for Bergdahl, sent a letter to Trump asking to interview him "based on your personal knowledge of matters that are relevant to Sergeant Bergdahl's right to a fair trial." Rosenblatt said the interview would "help us determine whether to seek a deposition order" or "your personal appearance as a witness" under Article 39 (a) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. As of Tuesday, the Trump campaign had not responded to the interview request. Fidell said "we're particularly interested in knowing the full dimensions of his commentary" about the Bergdahl case and to determine whether Trump's remarks may have jeopardized Bergdahl's right to a fair trial. As defense lawyers, "we do have an obligation to conduct an investigation" and that included remarks by a candidate who seeks to become commander-in-chief, Fidell said. Fidell said the defense team may also seek to interview others who have commented on the Bergdahl case and may have been in communication with the Defense Department. "We haven't ruled anything out," Fidell said. Last October at a rally in Las Vegas, Trump said, "We're tired of Sgt. Bergdahl, who's a traitor, a no-good traitor, who should have been executed. Thirty years ago, he would have been shot." The military has been concerned about possible incidents at Trump rallies following a Trump campaign event last week in Louisville at which a young black woman protesting against Trump was shouted at and allegedly shoved. A Marine recruit, Joseph Pryor, was later discharged from the Marine Corps' delayed entry program for his alleged involvement in the incident. When asked Tuesday at a Pentagon news conference about incidents at Trump rallies, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook echoed Defense Secretary Ashton Carter in declining comment. "The one place you won't hear talk in this election year about presidential politics" is at the Defense Department, Cook said. Bergdahl left Combat Outpost Mest-Lalak in Paktika province, Afghanistan, on June 30, 2009, and was captured by insurgents the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network. After nearly five years in captivity, he was released on May 31, 2014, in a controversial swap for five Taliban prisoners held at the detention facility at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, naval base. Last March, Bergdahl was charged with one count of desertion with intent to shirk important or hazardous duty, and one count of misbehavior before the enemy by endangering the safety of a command, unit or place. The second count carries a maximum term of life imprisonment. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. The Army veteran seen shoving a young black woman during a Donald Trump rally last week in Louisville, Kentucky, says he was not motivated by racism but overreacted after being pushed to the floor during the chaos. Alvin Bamberger, a member of the Korean War Veterans Association, said he "was caught up in the frenzy" of being surrounded by Trump supporters, including those he said were white supremacists, and of hearing the presidential candidate himself shout, "Get them out! Get them out!" in reference to the protesters, according to a statement he submitted to the organization. "I physically pushed a young woman down the aisle toward the exit, an action I sincerely regret," Bamberger said in a letter to Larry Kinard, president of the Korean War Veterans Association. The organization didn't release a copy of the letter, but one was acquired by radio station WSCH in Lawrence, Kansas, and officials with the group confirmed its authenticity to Military.com. Bamberger, 75, is a member of the association and was wearing its barracks cap and shirt during the incident, which was caught on video. Initial reports indicated he belong to a KWVA chapter in Cincinnati, Ohio, though he said in his letter he belongs to the chapter in Aurora, Indiana. The veteran said he deeply regrets his actions at the rally. "I have embarrassed myself, my family, and Veterans," he wrote. "This was a very unfortunate incident and it is my sincere hope that I can be forgiven for my actions." Military.com was unable to reach Bamberger or the woman he shoved, University of Louisville student Shiya Nwanguma. Bamberger's letter doesn't indicate if he has contacted Nwanguma since the incident to personally apologize. In a previous statement to Military.com, Kinard said Bamberger was not at the rally representing the association and that the group "does not, in any way, condone his actions." He said the association will determine after weighing all the facts whether it should take any action regarding Bamberger. The organization's code stipulates that members won't engage in unlawful or unethical conduct, will be responsible to the organization for their actions, will respect the rights of others in regard to politics, sex, race, religion, and ethnic background, will conduct themselves with proper decorum and dignity and will do nothing to dishonor the KWVA. Sound off: Should veterans observe a public code of conduct? In a video that quickly went viral Bamberger is seen getting into Nwanguma's face and shouting "Get out of here! We don't want you here!" He then follows her through the crowd, shoving her. Bamberger insists in his letter that he is not a racist, does not belong to any racist organizations and did not push her because she is black. He said he attended the March 1 rally because he enjoys attending political events, and was thrilled to see Trump "since he is so supportive of Veterans." At first, he wrote, "everything seemed to be under control and mostly orderly. All that changed when Trump got to the stage. Protestors in the crowd became vocal and began pushing and shoving their way toward the stage. At one point I was physically knocked down and fell to the ground, losing my jacket (which was eventually returned to me). The protestors were holding up signs, chanting black lives matter' and pushing and shoving Trump supporters. "Trump kept saying get them out, get them out' and people in the crowd began pushing and shoving the protestors," Bamberger said. "Unfortunately a lot of this behavior was happening right next to where I was standing and having been pushed to the floor myself, my emotions got the best of me, and I was caught up in the frenzy. I physically pushed a young woman down the aisle toward the exit, an action I sincerely regret." Bamberger said he learned only afterwards that some of the Trump supporters "standing right next to me" were members of a white supremacist group. "Unfortunately my state of mind after being knocked down and hurt myself, and being caught between a group of white supremacists and Black Lives Matter protestors contributed to my behavior however, there is no excuse for my actions," he wrote. Bamberger told radio station WSCH in Lawrence, Kansas that he has been staying with family in Colorado since the incident. -- Bryant Jordan can be reached at bryant.jordan@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @bryantjordan. Almost 100 people mostly from Haiti who were rescued from an overcrowded boat off the Florida coast had no food or water for... Pull on a combat helmet and flip down a set of specially designed goggles. Suddenly, tanks appear in the distance on the green field in front of you, or helicopters appear out of nowhere to churn through the air. If you look through a pair of binoculars, the images are magnified, just as they would be if the vehicles and aircraft were real and not projections in a viewfinder. The whir of the rotor blades is authentic. And with a press of a controller, you can even overlay grid lines onto the ground beneath your feet to aid with calling in fire support. It sounds futuristic, but it's technology that could be training Marines in schoolhouses across the Corps in the very near future. Called Augmented Immersive Team Training, the system is designed to get Marines out of physically limited trainers and simulator facilities by projecting realistic training scenarios into their field of vision, wherever they are. "Historically it has been very expensive to provide the correct visual cues in live training, close air support being one example," Col. Walt Yates, program manager for training systems at Marine Corps Systems Command told Military.com. "The fully burdened cost of aircraft can be many thousands of dollars per flight hour. All of that is necessary to train observers and controllers on the ground on the basics of their skills ... the idea behind AITT is, we now have the tools available in virtual reality to blend with the real world, seamlessly." The AITT program transitioned from the Office of Naval Research to Marine Corps Systems Command last October. Now, SYSCOM is preparing to release a sources sought solicitation to industry before the end of this year to develop the technology from its current prototype version to something ready to field to the fleet. The Marines' Expeditionary Warfare School, artillery military occupational school, and The Basic School might all be candidates to receive the technology, Yates said. Related Video: Lieutenants at the Corps' Infantry Officers Course in Quantico, Virginia got a chance to test the prototype systems out last fall and offer their feedback. "We're going to be focused on miniaturizing, ruggedizing, battery life, and improving the head-mounted display," Yates said. While a per-unit cost for the system has not been established, he said, "It's a fraction of the cost of ammunition that a single artillery battery would expend during a year of annual training requirements." Right now, the system consists of a head-mounted display connected to a helmet and a ten-pound computer, strapped to the back via a harness, that generates the images and effects within a user's field of vision. The idea, Yates said, is to create a "mixed reality" in which projected images blend seamlessly with real, physical objects and scenery. With the help of technology that automatically adjusts brightness and contrast, the result is a real-feeling battlespace with very little to distinguish simulated effects from authentic ones. The concept originated with the legendary retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, who proposed a similar training tool while he was the head of U.S. Joint Forces Command in 2009, Yates said. "Our vision was ahead of the current state of technology," he said. "We had to wait for commercial technology to catch up with the vision." Today, with virtual reality headsets like the Oculus Rift available for commercial use, it's a different story. Yates said he foresaw the Marine Corps fielding the system to "those members of the squad and company fire support team that are eyeballs and sensors on the battlefield," including forward observers, forward controllers, joint terminal attack controllers and scout observers. But eventually, he said, the technology can be adapted to those training with light armored vehicles, amphibious assault vehicles and tanks, or even unmanned aerial systems training. "It's going to be one of those cases where, when you put a piece of new technology we haven't had in the past, it's going to generate a lot of new ideas," he said. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@monster.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Enlisted airmen could be piloting the RQ-4 Global Hawk, the Air Force's biggest drone aircraft, before the year is out, according to a senior Air Force official. Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Lt. Gen. John Raymond told lawmakers on Tuesday that "starting in the end of FY '16 or FY '17 we're going to begin the transition to enlisted RPA pilots for Global Hawk aircraft." That means the first enlisted airmen to pilot the high-altitude surveillance drone made by Northrop Grumman Corp. could be in place before the current fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. Raymond offered his remarks during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Airland Subcommittee, which is headed by Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James announced the move toward enlisted Global Hawk pilots just three months ago. They will fly the remotely piloted aircraft under the supervision of rated officers, she said. Under questioning Tuesday by Sen. John McCain, a Republican from Arizona and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Raymond confirmed that only the RQ-4 would be piloted by enlisted personnel -- at least for now. "I grew up in Space Operations," Raymond said. "Years ago we started out with engineer officers who flew the satellites, then went to operator officers -- you didn't have to have an engineering degree -- and then we transitioned to enlisted operators. "We're taking a very deliberate approach to this," he added. "We're going to start with the Global Hawk. We're very comfortable our enlisted airmen are going to be able to do that [mission]." The Air Force then will look at the possibility of having enlisted airmen fly the MQ-1B Predator and MQ-9 Reaper, which carry out strike in addition to surveillance missions, Raymond said. McCain, noting the Air Force has a shortage of rated officers, asked whether it would not have been better to start off using enlisted personnel. "I wasn't in this position or this job at the time, but it's where we are," Raymond said. "I think it was important that we have a capability. It was a technology demonstrator with significant growth and I think using the pilots we had to do that was a smart move at that time." -- Bryant Jordan can be reached at bryant.jordan@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @bryantjordan. Related Video: A mission to recover a U.S. Army reconnaissance plane that went down March 5 in northern Iraq included Navy helicopters and Air Force personnel, according to a news article. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson said Air Force pararescuemen and Navy choppers from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5 out of Norfolk, Virginia, participated in the mission, which was launched from the nearby city of Erbil, according to an article in The Washington Post. "All that training paid off," Richardson told the Post. "They were up, airborne and at the location of the accident within four minutes of the alert. That was pretty good timing." Navy officials referred all inquiries regarding the mission to U.S. Central Command. A spokesman for U.S. Central Command, Air Force Capt. Bryant Davis, confirmed to Military.com that a military aircraft had gone down in Iraq. "A U.S. twin turboprop, fixed wing aircraft conducted an off-airport emergency landing in a field northwest of Irbil Saturday morning," he said. "None of the four crew members were injured. The scene was secured by local officials and U.S. forces. The cause of the crash is under investigation but initial reports rule out the prospect of hostile action." The rescue personnel got the four crew members out of the downed aircraft, according to the Post report, established a perimeter, and administered first aid. Defense Department officials told media outlets none of the crew were seriously injured. The crashed aircraft, a passenger jet, was equipped with the Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System, an Army technology, the Post reported March 5. Images posted by the news agency Rudaw English show the small aircraft landed in a field while armed U.S. troops create a security perimeter. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Tricare should postpone plans to cut payment rates for providers of autism therapy until they can conduct a "careful re-evaluation" on research of what the rates should be, four senators wrote in a letter sent Tuesday to the Defense Department. "We are writing to express our great concern about the Defense Health Agency's (DHA) proposal to reduce Tricare reimbursement rates in 2016 for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to beneficiaries diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)," the letter states. "We, therefore, ask that you postpone these reimbursement rate cuts until valid reimbursement rates for ABA providers have been established." The bi-partisan letter was sent to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and is signed by Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina; Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York; Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota; and Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas. Currently, ABA providers are paid a fixed rate based on education and certification level, regardless of location. That rate has not been altered in seven years, Tricare officials said. Under the new plan, the national hourly rate will be set at $114.23 for providers with a doctorate -- more than $10 less than the current rate -- and then further adjusted either up or down based on a geographic rate calculation used by Medicare. Under the plan, each education level will receive a different rate based on location. The base rates were chosen based on a pair of studies commissioned by Tricare last year, Tricare officials said. But those studies came to different rate conclusions, the senators said in the letter. And the rate reductions that Tricare chose after examining the studies, which are available on Health.mil, put beneficiaries at risk of being dropped by providers. "With the announced cuts, some ABA providers have already announced plans to leave certain service areas and we expect more providers will follow suit upon implementation of the cuts," they wrote. "Over time, given the disparity between the national average reimbursement rate and Tricare proposed rates, we expect the imbalance between supply and demand to further reduce military family access to these ABA services." Tricare officials told Military.com that they know of no ABA providers who have stopped accepting Tricare because of the rate proposal, although some have said they might pending the final rate announcements, expected this week, while others have stopped accepting new patients, they said. Tricare officials said that they are confident the new rates are competitive with private insurers, although information about what those companies pay for services is proprietary. The ABA providers' complaints about the cuts are not the result of the new rates being too low, but instead a reaction to a rate change after seven years of unchanged payment levels, said Douglas McBroom, who oversees Tricare's autism program. "Part of it is that we paid these fixed rates for seven years and that set a bar where they just thought that was rate," McBroom told Military.com. "I feel in my heart that the rates are competitive. ... Tricare is never the highest and never the lowest." McBroom said while some providers may drop Tricare as a result of the rate change, users will still be able to access ABA therapy through an out-of-network provider if necessary until an in-network one is available. "If there are no network providers, we ... use the out-of-network providers," he said. "I know that some of them are a little concerned. The bottom line is no Tricare Prime patient is going to be left without a provider." Beneficiaries who need a new provider can call their regional Tricare contractor for help, he said. One benefit to the new rate structure, McBroom said, is that unlike under the past system, payment amounts will be adjusted annually. That means if the Medicare calculation on which the rates are based increases or decreases for any given area, the Tricare ABA payment rate will change accordingly. "I'm trying, as we talk to the providers, to remind them 'hey, you're not going to be frozen seven more years, you're going to get an adjustment,'" he said. Tricare currently has 10,500 beneficiaries authorized for ABA care, McBroom said, and 23,000 providers, including 400 added since January when the rate changes were announced. -- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Brian G. Long, director of supply management research for Grand Valley State University, says West Michigan is returning to "the same slow growth we have reported for most of the past seven years." Long, who surveys factory purchasing managers in West Michigan every month, said West Michigan's industry economy began recovering from the holidays in February. The survey is regarded as a leading indicator of future business activity for the region. "Our key industries remain on track, and we should still have plenty of momentum to carry us forward for the next few months," Long said. "However, the best we can hope for is continued slow growth." Long said the companies he surveyed reported a pickup in new orders while production remained constant. "December is often a month of slower sales and reduced production, but it took until February for West Michigan to return to the same slow growth we have reported for most of the past seven years," he said. "Just as it has for the past six months, the West Michigan economy continues to outpace the national economy as well as the overall Michigan economy," Long said. "Although some firms are continuing to feel the impact of global economic stagnation, many of our survey participants remain fairly optimistic about 2016 - at least for the first two quarters." While some automotive suppliers continued to report operating at full capacity, others said new business has been slow to materialize, Long said. In the office furniture industry, new orders have been slow to develop, Long said. "Several of our office furniture firms are still waiting for new business to resume the upward trend. However, the market may have already hit its peak." As the U.S. economy enters its seventh year of post-recession expansion, Long said it may be facing a "growth recession" like Europe experienced in the 1990s. "Either way, the present West Michigan economy still has enough positive momentum to carry forward for a few more months." Jim Harger covers business for Mlive Media Group. Email him at jharger@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook or Google+. HARTFORD, Conn. Chicago native Juan Hernandez fell in love with Hartford while attending Trinity College and decided to stay after graduation. But like many members of the millennial generation, hes learned that affording a place to live can be an expensive proposition. Hernandez and his girlfriend pay $1,600 a month to rent a one-bedroom apartment. The grace period for his student loan payments expires this month. An aide to a city council member, the 25-year-old Hernandez plans to attend law school eventually. While he thinks it might make more financial sense to buy a home in Hartford. Hernandez is questioning whether he can qualify for a loan. If youre not working on Wall Street, how are you going to come up with that down payment? said Hernandez, who considers himself lucky to have earned bachelors and masters degrees with only about $15,000 in outstanding student loans. I know people who graduated with $20,000, $40,000, $50,000 in loans. To be completely honest, most of them went back home. Realizing that millennials like Hernandez are burdened with debt, a difficult job market, weak wage growth and a less affordable housing market than their parents, some states are looking to keep educated young professionals within their borders for years to come by helping out with their housing costs. Initiatives like mortgage down-payment assistance, rent subsidies, urban homesteading incentives, partial student loan reimbursement and even millennial villages are being considered across the country to help professionals put down roots in communities. Some programs already in place are being embraced by members of whats become a coveted population because of their sheer numbers, their education levels and their ability to spur urban revitalization and economic growth. The first phase of Marylands Youve Earned It program ran out of money in less than two months because of demand. Now in its second phase, the program provides a discounted mortgage rate and down payment assistance to college graduates with more than $25,000 in student debt and who buy a home in certain regions of the state. Kids are struggling because they spend all this money on their education and then when they come back out to the real world, the jobs they get only pay $30,000, $40,000, said Hartford state Rep. Angel Arce, who would like to create a similar program in Connecticut. These kids get their education in the state of Connecticut. Theyre from the state of Connecticut. Lets find a way to keep their knowledge, keep them here in the state of Connecticut. A bill Connecticut lawmakers are considering would provide a financial incentive to recent college graduates to rent or buy their first home in certain urban areas. To be eligible, the millennial must have at least $20,000 in student debt. Those who meet the qualifications could deduct up to 10 percent of their annual rental or mortgage payments from their personal income liability, as long as the deduction doesnt exceed $1,200 annually. Amid the brouhaha prompted by Donald Trumps fumbled rejection of Ku Klux Klansman David Duke, House Speaker Paul Ryan sought to refute suggestions the Republican Party condones racism. This party does not prey on peoples prejudices, Ryan told reporters. We appeal to their highest ideals. This is the party of Lincoln. Though Ryans reputation on racial issues is beyond reproach, its not quite that simple. For more than a generation, many top Republicans have, through action or inaction, curried favor with or at least condoned the elements in American society that have played on racial prejudices and fears. To be fair, neither partys hands are clean when it comes to the racial divisions that have riven this country since its beginnings. For a century after the Civil War, Northern Democrats relied on racist Southern allies in seeking national majorities. Their most fabled leaders included presidents Woodrow Wilson, who expanded segregation within the federal government and fired many black employees, and John F. Kennedy, whose federal court choices included a segregationist judge who once called voting rights plaintiffs a bunch of chimpanzees in the infamous Mississippi Burning trial. Into the early 1960s, Lincolns influence still pervaded the GOP; Southern Republican judges named by President Dwight Eisenhower for helping his 1952 campaign were crucial in ending legal segregation, and Republican lawmakers played a major role in enacting the initial civil rights acts. But starting in 1964, when GOP nominee Barry Goldwater carried five Southern states after opposing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 while Democrat Lyndon Johnson embraced civil rights, the balance between the two parties changed dramatically. As the Democrats attracted much of the expanding black vote, Republicans increasingly sought common ground with white Southern opponents of civil rights. They pressed racially tinged issues, such as opposition to school busing and support of states rights. Ronald Reagan opened his 1980 campaign by pointedly defending states rights in an area of Mississippi where three civil rights workers were murdered in 1964. There is no more apt symbol of GOP ambivalence on racial issues than former President George H.W. Bush. Son of a Connecticut senator who voted for the first Civil Rights Act in 1957, he condemned the sweeping 1964 Civil Rights Act when seeking the Senate that year and assailed his Democratic rival for backing it. As a House member in 1968, he courageously voted for a law banning housing discrimination. But his successful 1988 presidential campaign included what many regarded as a racist appeal using the horrific case of an African-American, Willie Horton, who committed rape and assault while on furlough from Massachusetts, where he had been convicted of murder. In 1989, as president, Bush celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act he had once condemned. Later, he filled the Supreme Court seat of the nations first African-American Justice, Thurgood Marshall, with a black conservative, Clarence Thomas, whose views were anathema to Marshall and most black Americans. The outpouring of minority and young voters, who helped elect Barack Obama in 2008 as the first African-American president, apparently prompted Republicans to enact new legal barriers to voting. A court challenge led to the 2013 Supreme Court decision to invalidate a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Numerous GOP-controlled states passed restrictive voter identification laws aimed at alleged though virtually non-existent fraud, while others limited early voting and registration procedures used to expand minority and youth voting. The Republican majority of Congress, which almost unanimously backed extension of the Voting Rights Act just 10 years ago, refused to even consider reviving the invalidated section that the Supreme Court said should be updated for changing circumstances. Opposition from hard-core GOP conservatives also prompted House Republicans to refuse to consider a Senate-passed immigration reform bill, despite widespread belief a bipartisan majority favored some form of the measure. Trumps railing against Mexicans and Muslims is but the latest manifestation of an increasingly virulent GOP attitude toward immigrants. California is the prime example of the political impact of such attitudes. GOP Gov. Pete Wilsons 1994 adoption of a hard-line against governmental benefits for illegal immigrants helped consign his Party to minority status. Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a moderate on social issues, is the only Republican to win a major California statewide race since then. Speaker Ryan, by all accounts an eminently fair and moderate man, is hardly to blame for his partys sad history over the past half century. But Republicans abandoned their historical role as Lincolns heirs long before Donald Trump emerged. A Chinese state-owned company says it is hoping to resume a major hydropower project in Myanmar that was suspended in late 2011 by President U Thein Sein following widespread public dissent. The director general of the department of international business at the State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC), Liu Zhan, said he is positive about the chances of being allowed to restart the US$3.6 billion hydropower project in Kachin State, better known as the Myitsone Dam. I am 70 percent positive about the resumption of the project when the new government takes office, he told a nine-member Myanmar media delegation in Beijing last week. Now, we are trying to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. We have proposed to meet her in May. Our chairman would like to meet her, he said. State-controlled SPIC is the product of a merger last June between China Power Investment Corporation and State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation. The company has projects in 36 countries including Brazil, South Africa and Pakistan. We have experienced problems with many projects in other countries. But we have experienced nothing like the problems in Myanmar, Mr Liu said. When the project was suspended Chinese people were surprised. This project is very important for bilateral relations. Actually, Myitsone is a part of China-Myanmar relations, said the director general, who has been working for the company for 12 years. As Myanmars National League for Democracy-led government prepares to take office, domestic and international focus has also intensified on other major Chinese-backed projects in Myanmar including a special economic zone at Kyaukphyu and a copper mine in Sagaing Region. It is hard to predict your government. This project will have a good impact on Myanmar. It will create 40,000 jobs and benefit Myanmar people a lot, Mr Liu said. You can ask a third party to evaluate the situation. It is our hope that we can push the project forward. We have followed all the rules and laws according to international standards. The project is transparent, he said, adding that all proper discussions have been concluded. Upstream Ayeyarwady Confluence Basin Hydropower, a subsidiary of SPIC, owns 80 percent of the project. Myanmars government has a 15pc share and will receive 10pc of the power for free. The remaining 5pc is owned by local company Asia World. We want stability whichever government comes to power. We have spent $800 million on the project and the interest payments on our loans are rising, said Mr Liu, who agreed that Myitsone has been a hydro headache. Actually, we have surplus power in China. We have proposed that Myanmars government takes an additional 20pc of production at the rate that China buys. Much public opposition in Myanmar has focused on the fact that around 90pc of the power generated by the dam was to be sent directly to China. Other criticism surrounds the dams environmental impact and effect on local communities, which U Thein Sein alluded to when ordering the suspension. The nine-member group of journalists was invited by the Chinese embassy in Yangon to observe the fourth session of the 12th National Peoples Congress (NPC) on March 5. The visit to SPICs office was part of the program. Confirming Mr Lius stance, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told a news conference on the sidelines of the NPC that China is pursuing efforts to resolve the problem of the stalled project, Reuters reported yesterday. Difficulties in cooperation are growing pains. Both countries will continue to proactively appropriately handle it, said Mr Wang. We have confidence in the future of Sino-Myanmar mutually beneficial cooperation. A civil society group has published a comprehensive report on mistakes made by the developers of a highly ambitious project in Dawei in the hope the new government will address their concerns before allowing the project to continue. The report urges the projects Thai and Japanese investors to resolve problems affecting local communities before they continue building the special economic zone and deep-sea port in Tanintharyi Region. Published on March 7 it outlines a range of issues dating back to the zones inception in 2008. The recurrent theme is a lack of transparency, dialogue or compensation based on the developers lack of respect for local communities and its reluctance to engage. If the developers repeat former mistakes, which have already damaged communities, livelihoods and the environment, the losses will only increase, said Ko Thant Zin, coordinator of the Dawei Development Association (DDA), during the reports launch in Yangon earlier this week. Findings will be sent to the government, parliament, political parties and other civil society groups, he said. Dawei SEZ management committee secretary U Khin Maung Cho said yesterday he could not comment on the findings, as he had not been invited to the launch. Some of those opposed to the project hold one-sided views, he said. Repeated attempts by The Myanmar Times to contact the projects lead developer Italian Thai Development for this story, including a visit to the project site, were unsuccessful. For Ko Thant Zin, Myanmars government has been unable to address or solve the mounting problems during its five-year term. The government hasnt paid any attention. We hope the report will allow the next government to pay this matter proper consideration, he said. The reports authors are not calling for the project to be cancelled altogether, he said, adding that Myanmars government may need to honour its agreements with international investors and their respective governments, but it can also investigate and tackle the issues. A majority of households in the populated area located 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) north of Dawei depend on agriculture and natural resources including land, fish and forests, which provide food, income and employment to hundreds of families. DDA estimates that between 22,000 and 43,000 people from up to 36 villages will be impacted. The report is based on research undertaken in 20 villages nine within the official boundaries of the SEZ area which spans 204.51 square kilometres, eight in areas where new road links to Thailand are being built and three outside the project area that will be directly impacted. Teams collected information from 201 households in villages where new roads will be built, 1303 households in the SEZ area and 79 households in Kalonehtar village a total of 1583 households. Of those surveyed, 61pc expect to lose all of their farmland to the new project and 10pc expect to lose a portion of their land. Only 7pc have been informed about the project by government authorities and 66pc have received no information at all either from the government or the company. In the area marked out for roads, 82pc of those who attended meetings hosted by the developer said they did not understand the purpose of the meeting and had no opportunity to express their wishes. Director of Ecological Alert and Recovery Penchom Saetang, who spoke at the reports launch, said its authors have submitted their demands to the government and plan to monitor the response. Our priority is to strengthen and empower the community in Dawei. Many people know very little about the SEZ, she said. Distorted information has been passed to the community, about the industries that will be developed in the zone, and about compensation. Compensation has not been uniformly offered, she said. Daw Win Cho of Wet Chaung village in Daweis Yephyu township said her family had been offered K90 million for 8 acres of land. She was among the lucky ones hers was one of just three households in her village to be compensated. Other villagers have been offered K500,000 per acre and some have received nothing for damage to their farmland. U Khin Maung Cho said compensation for land damage had been negotiated with villagers at K3 million per acre. He said the figure was determined by a committee including community leaders and is much higher than the market price of K500,000 per acre. For Ms Saetang, the key to moving forward is to ensure the local community has access to all the necessary information. This will allow them to negotiate with the private sector from a position of strength, she said. If ITD was to build such a project in Thailand it would meet with much stronger opposition, she added. They know what they are doing. They think they wont meet with local resistance. They think only about investment. That is their mission and goal. They dont think about human rights. A stronger campaign is needed, she said. The project is just beginning, theres a long way to go. We have to work with the government and with civil society to voice our concerns. International financial institutions should also take note to help prevent excessive damage to livelihoods and natural resources. The project has been discussed for almost a decade but is yet to gain much traction. In 2013 the original 60-year concession granted to ITD was cancelled. The company signed with the government again last year. Japan has since agreed to partly finance the project and China has also expressed interest. Nirun Phitakwatchara, former National Human Rights Commissioner of Thailand, said under the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration businesses must adhere to human rights obligations. He pointed out that the Thai government is also directly involved in the project and recommended that ITD should consider providing compensation and rectifying its earlier mistakes, while including the local community at every stage and taking responsibility for damage caused by the project. Relevant ministries and agencies should establish mechanisms and regulations to oversee the investment, he added. U Han Thar Myint of the National League for Democracys economic committee told The Myanmar Times last week that it is too early to take a stance on the projects future. The new government does not yet have detailed information about the zone in Dawei, as the relevant ministries have not handed over project documents, he said. More than 10 people from the SEZ area attended the public forum held in Yangon on March 7. I think todays forum covered all the concerns of our community and I am hopeful for more negotiations with the company in the future, said U Soe Naing, a 47-year old villager from Cha Khan village, Dawei township. Commercial banks have asked for clarity on a requirement to surrender their licences before mid-June, with a new one to be issued at the discretion of the Central Bank. The new Financial Institutions Law, enacted on January 25, states that banks have to give up their old licences within six months and will be issued with a new one subject to such terms and conditions imposed by the Central Bank. Lenders have asked for a detailed breakdown of these terms and conditions before they hand back their licences. Some hold two or three licences for investment banking or development banking though they operate solely as a commercial bank. Most banks raise money only through deposits and provide loans of no more than one year in duration. Development banks on the other hand are required to provide long-term finance, to finance a specific sector, or provide guarantees under the new law. Just two non-state banks currently carry out such activities Construction and Housing Development Bank and Ayeyarwady Farmers Development Bank. Other industry-focused institutions including a gems and minerals bank and a tourism bank have applied for licences. U Soe Thein, deputy managing director of Asia Green Development Bank, said the Central Bank needs to be clear about its terms and conditions. At a Myanmar Banks Association seminar last month other bankers also raised questions about the licence renewal. Daw May Toe Win, deputy director general of the Central Banks financial institutions regulation and anti-money laundering department said that unlike many laws in Myanmar, the Financial Institutions Law does not stipulate that by-laws must be drawn up within 90 days. It may issue supplementary rules and regulations at a later date, she said, adding that banks operating under a commercial banking licence will be allowed to carry out development banking activities. Commercial banks will also be granted permission if they want to provide long-term loans, she said. The Central Bank plans to hold a seminar about the new law with the World Bank on March 14-15 in Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw. Bankers will be given a chance to clearly understand the law in this seminar, she said, declining to answer further questions. Banks are also required to provide information to the Central Bank such as a list of shareholders, owners and ultimate beneficial owners within one year of the laws enactment. U San Thein at German international development agency GIZ said the law is in line with international practices as defined in the Basel Core Principles, and encourages good corporate governance at banks. It also allows banks to take appropriate corrective measures and to get out of the market properly, while giving wide-ranging powers to the Central Bank in supervising them, he said. The new law will also require state banks to adhere to the same standards as commercial banks, including compliance with a minimum capital requirement of K20 billion and corporate governance standards, another Central Bank source said. State banks such as Myanma Foreign Trade Bank and Myanma Agricultural Development Bank were established before the old law of 1990 was passed. Illegal timber smuggling across the Myanmar-China border has dropped sharply in the last six months, the Environmental Investigation Agency reported this week. The slump represents an opportunity for the two countries to end the illegal trade once and for all, the EIA said, although Myanmar timber industry officials are not optimistic. Research from the UK-based non-profit published last September found that the illicit timber trade between the two countries was nearing an all-time high. Almost half a billion dollars worth of illegal timber 900,000 cubic metres crossed the border between Myanmars Kachin State and Chinas Yunnan province in 2014, according to the EIA. But field observations since the September 2015 report show a dramatic fall in the trade across official and unofficial crossing points, the organisation reported this week. Sawmills in Yunnan border towns have closed due to lack of new logs from the Kachin State forests, local sources told the EIA. No new logs have been seen for months, the sources said. The report suggests several potential drivers for the drop in smuggling. Myanmars arrest of 155 Chinese loggers in January 2015 and the EIAs report from September of that year had raised political awareness, it said. A supply glut in the illegal timber trade and Chinas economic slowdown were also factors. Regardless of the reason, the sharp slump is an opportunity for Myanmar and China to resolve the issue and agree that the border should be closed to timber trade, said the organisations campaigns director Julian Newman. The EIA is advocating that China formally respect the export ban, and previously recommended that Myanmars government send an official request to that effect. Well be trying to re-engage with the new [National League for Democracy] government, Mr Newman said. Under Myanmar law, exports of raw timber have been banned since 2014. Cross-border trade is forbidden, but remains a serious issue. Myanmar lost 1.7 million hectares of forest cover from 2001 to 2013, and the speed of deforestation has doubled, said the EIA in its September report. The illegal trade also provides China with raw timber at a low price. This makes it hard for Myanmars domestic industry which offers finished timber products to compete, said U Barber Cho, a secretary general at the Myanmar Timber Merchants Association. China has made no effort to respect Myanmars export ban, he added. We get the impression China is looking to regulate the trade rather than stop it, Mr Newman said. Chinas efforts to promote legal trade include proposals to set up timber trading and processing parks in Myanmar, which Myanmar has rejected, according to the EIA release. The advocacy group is concerned that without a resolution the illegal trade will simply start up again. U Barber Cho said the decrease in smuggling is likely due to market-based and economic factors. An oversupply of timber to China and to a lesser extent that countrys slowing economy are the main reasons, he said. The supply glut issue made a permanent decrease in illegal timber trading unlikely, he added. Earlier lulls in illegal timber trading have also proved temporary, the EIA said. The Yunnan government in 2005 promised to only allow legal trade. This lowered trade from 1 million m3 a year in 2005 to just 270,000m3 in 2008, according to the EIA. By 2014 the volumes had returned to peak levels, the organisation said. Mr Newman suspects that once existing stockpiles are exhausted the incentive to restart the illegal trade will increase. Resolving the issue permanently will also require political resolution in Kachin State, as well as Chinas recognition of the ban on timber trade, U Barber Cho said. Most wood is cut or transported through Kachin State, an area of conflict between ethnic groups and Myanmars government and military. The government has previously blamed ethnic groups for the illegal logging problem, accusing them of exploiting trade for profits. U Barber Cho said this long-standing issue between the Union and Kachin State governments would have to be tackled before timber smuggling is stopped, meaning hopes for an end to the illegal trade are not high. Myanmars recent transition from junta to democracy has changed many aspects of the way the world sees The Golden Land even on Instagram. Recent posts on the popular social media app from widely followed accounts such as National Geographic photographer Ira Block and online travel start-up Passion Passport highlight the shift from little-known destination to sought-after travel destination. Block, who visited Myanmar in February on a personal visit, has posted 16 photos to his following of more than 238,000 users, documenting the ongoings of a nation many outsiders view as completely foreign. He spoke at Myanmar Deitta gallery on February 3 and identified Myanmar photographers as a key aspect of the countrys exposure. I am very impressed with what they are doing, he said. They are very good photographers, and they are working to be better photographers. And its not just local photographers showing off Southeast Asias largest country Zach Glassman, who founded Passion Passport in 2013 as a community travel site, took a group of four competition-winners to Yangon in February. He said part of the reason the country has grown so popular on social media is its sense of new-ness. Theres a certain level of untouched-ness that is so appealing to a curious traveller, Glassman said. Theres also something so fascinating about the fact that one couldnt visit Myanmar up until more recently. So a lot of the images that are coming out of Myanmar are images that we wouldnt have seen 15 or 20 or 30 years ago. We didnt grow up knowing what that place looked like. During their trip and in the two weeks since, Glassman has posted eight photos or videos of Yangon to his nearly 300,000 followers, averaging more than 3600 likes per post. One video shows clips of life on the circle train, an aspect of Yangon that particularly interested him and his fellow travellers. A lot of our time in Yangon revolved around getting on the circle train as much as possible, he said. Each day always started with that. One of the nicest parts for me was just kind of watching them on the circle train, them talking to locals. These conversations were just happening organically. As part of Passion Passports mission, the four creative professionals Glassman took to Yangon were encouraged to transform their experiences into tangible media. Jonathon Collins, a photographer, posted five photos of Yangon to his following of 13,700; Wesley Verhoeve, a photographer/writer, also posted five photos, which reached 33,400 Instagram users; and Pei Ketron, an acclaimed speaker and photographer, posted nine photos to her following of more than 862,000. Though their trip was funded by Cathay Pacific Airways brand partnerships are the primary cash source of Passion Passports trips the photographs and stories created by the travellers contribute to the locations they visit themselves. Most obviously, they inspire others to visit the countries pictured. Photography and videography on social media, I think, has instilled a sense of hey, I can do that too! Glassman said. I think the destinations people know less about, places like Myanmar that carry more mystique theyre put up on more of a pedestal. The #myanmar tag has generated 882,047 posts on Instagram, still far behind #thailand (27,133,923 posts) or #vietnam (5,243,915 posts). But as tourism expectations grow from the 5 million person target of 2015 to an expected 7.5 million per year by 2020, the exposure will also increase. The growing desire to experience Myanmar was evidenced by Passion Passports #PassporttoAsia application: of the four cities available to visit, Yangon proved to be the most sought-after. Theres a fundamental shift going on right now, away from people wanting things and toward people wanting new experiences, he said. One of Myanmars least-developed regions will today be promoted as Myanmars new showpiece destination at a major global travel show. Myanmar Tourism Marketing will unveil community-based tourism in Kayah State as the countrys latest tourist offering at the International Travel Trade Show (ITB) Berlin, the worlds largest tourism fair, with promotional events scheduled from today through to March 11. While some travel restrictions were lifted more than four years ago, Kayah State still receives very few visitors. Tourists will be invited to experience the unique cultures and pristine wilderness of one of Southeast Asian remotest corners. The promotion is part of a three-year US$1.9 million project that has so far focused on two villages in the state. Supported by the Netherlands Fund Trust, it got under way in June 2014 and is being implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Union of Myanmar Travel Association in cooperation with the ministries of hotels and tourism and commerce. The ITC is mainly providing technique and training for local people, said U Nay Moe Aung, managing director of travel company 9 Generation Force. Hta Nee La Leh is an ethnic Kayan village close to the scenic 7 Lakes, while Pan Pet village tract is home to members of the Padaung ethnic group, which is famous for its women who wear bronze neck coils. Half-day tours to Hta Nee La Leh include visits to the homes of a local musician and a weaver of traditional clothing. In Pan Pet, the tours include a short trek led by local community guides and a packed lunch or jungle picnic. The tours cost US$20 per person. U Nay Moe Aung said visitors would be able to talk to residents, taste traditional food and see the local countryside. We are trying to build the capacity of residents as well as maintain their traditional culture so it doesnt disappear. We want to show people that the Padaung people were originally living in Kayah State but moved to Inle, Bagan and Thailand due to economic problems, he said. He noted that the area was still very underdeveloped. We have still trouble with electricity and water supply in these villages. Currently only day return trips are possible due to restrictions on staying overnight in the villages. Tours also need to be booked three days in advance so that permission can be arranged with the Kayah State government, said U Nay Moe Aung. Daw Khin Than, a director at the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, said she hoped the program would be both fulfilling for visitors and financially rewarding for locals. There a lot of activities tourists can do, such as taking bullock carts, learning the handicrafts of Padaung women and trying local foods, she said. We hope that this will bring many job opportunities. The ITC said in a statement that the program aimed to establish a new tourism destination in Kayah State with minimal disruption to the local environment and existing way of life, opening the potential for sustainable, community-driven economic development with benefits that are widely and equitably shared. It also noted that developing destinations like Kayah State would help to relieve strain on more popular tourist areas, such as Yangon, Bagan and Inle Lake, and support the long-term development of the tourism industry. TUNIS, Tunisia Exceptionally deadly clashes between Tunisian forces and extremist attackers left at least 53 people dead Monday near Tunisias border with Libya, the government said, amid growing fears that violence from Libya could destabilize the whole region. Gunmen attacked the city of Ben Guerdane at dawn Monday and fighting continued past nightfall. Tunisia closed its border with Libya and the Tunisian interior and defense ministers traveled to the town to oversee the operation, according to a joint statement from their ministries. Tunisian Prime Minister Hassid Essid said on Wtaniya television that the attack was an Islamic State attempt to carve out a stronghold on the border. No group claimed immediate responsibility, but two IS-affiliated websites said Islamic State group militants were engaged in the fighting. This is an unprecedented attack, planned and organized. Its goal was probably to take control of this area and to announce a new emirate, Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi said. At dawn Monday, gunmen targeted a police station and military facilities in Ben Guerdane, Tunisian Interior Ministry spokesman Yasser Mosbah told The Associated Press. A night curfew was ordered in Ben Guerdane until further notice. The attack and ensuing fighting left 35 attackers, seven civilians and 11 members of Tunisias security forces dead, according to the joint government statement. A 12-year-old girl was among those killed. Corpses lay in the street and gunmen hid in homes as darkness fell, gunfire sporadically ringing out, according to resident and local journalist Raoudha Bouttar. Another witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of repercussions from the attackers, said the gunmen spoke of creating a caliphate and liberating the town. Tunisian forces have repeatedly clashed with extremists on the borders of Libya and Algeria in recent years, but Mondays fighting was unusually bloody. Tunisia has been as a model of relative stability for the region since an uprising five years ago ushered in democracy and inspired Arab Spring protests against dictatorships across the region. An uprising in neighboring Libya led to the ouster and killing of longtime autocrat Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, but since then the country has fallen into chaos, allowing the Islamic State group to take control of several cities. The divided country is ruled by two parliaments: an internationally recognized body based in the eastern city of Tobruk and a rival government, backed by Islamist-allied militias, that controls the capital, Tripoli. Tunisia is especially worried about the IS presence in Libya after dozens of tourists were killed in attacks in Tunisia last year. IS extremists claimed responsibility for those attacks, and Tunisian authorities said the attackers had been trained in Libya. The Tunisian military sent reinforcements and helicopters to the area around Ben Guerdane and authorities were hunting several attackers still at large. Officials urged residents to stay indoors. Frances foreign ministry condemned Mondays attack and identified the gunmen as terrorists coming from Libyan territory. This attack just reinforces the urgent need for a political solution in Libya, the ministry said in a statement, adding that Tunisia was targeted because of its exemplary democratic transition. Last week, Tunisian security forces killed five heavily armed men in an hours-long firefight after they crossed into the country from Libya with a larger group. Tunisian security forces had been placed on alert based on precise information of possible border infiltrations following a Feb. 19 U.S. raid on an IS camp near the Libyan town of Sabratha, not far from the Tunisian border, the French statement said. Defense Minister Farhat Horchani said last week that German and American security experts were expected to arrive Monday in Tunis to help Tunisia devise a new electronic video surveillance system of its border with Libya. Mismanagement of resources is deepening conflicts in northern Myanmar. That is the conclusion of an appeal by more than 60 civil society groups, political parties and religious organisations to the incoming National League for Democracy government to ensure power sharing and accountability in implementing mega-projects in Kachin State. U Tsa Ji, general secretary of the Kachin Development Networking Group and a spokesperson for the organisations taking part in a conference held in Myitkyina, said the ongoing conflicts in Kachin State were a consequence of mismanagement of natural resources, particularly jade. As some jade companies have close ties with senior government officials, those businesses are guarded by armed forces. This has made the situation more prone to fighting with local armed ethnic groups, he said. The jade industry is reported to be worth billions of dollars a year, but most of the trade takes place illegally. U Tsa Ji said the appeal was intended in part as a riposte to a report by the Harvard Kennedy School of the US following consultations in Kachin State which the groups saw as revealing huge ignorance of the states local, cultural and historical context. We are calling for the halt of those businesses and projects as they lack transparency and accountability. More importantly, they lack social responsibility, he said. The [US] report suggested that mega-dam projects should be continued, he said. The joint statement, whose signatories included a number of Christian groups, urged the next government to disclose all information transparently and educate the people on grievance mechanisms in natural resource extraction, taxation, licensing processes, revenue sharing in respect of the right to know of the people. However, U Tsa Ji said the statement did not mean that those businesses and projects are to be halted permanently, but that they could be continued once peace and political negotiations in Kachin State with respective stakeholders had been completed. The statement called on the incoming government to let the state parliament freely choose its chief minister in order to endorse federalism and provide governance over Kachin States resources. U Tsa Ji said the statement was also aimed at the outgoing government, the military and ethnic armed groups in calling on them to tackle conflicts and resource mismanagement. The people of Kachin State are the ultimate owners of all natural resources above and below the ground, above and beneath the water, and in the atmosphere in Kachin State, the statement by 61 groups said. It said the ultimate management authority of natural resource extraction, taxation and management, [and] revenue sharing should belong to the Kachin State government. It also called for guarantees of free, prior, informed consent of the local community before issuing operating permission for any projects. Government forces are stepping up offensives in northern Shan State with air strikes and artillery, according to an ethnic Palaung armed group which is fighting on two fronts and accuses the military of trying to disrupt the transition to the new National League for Democracy government. The reported offensives follow calls on all sides to exercise restraint issued late last month by the United States and the European Union after fighting displaced several thousand civilians. Asked for information about military operations against the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Colonel Myat Min Oo of the Tatmadaws true news release committee told The Myanmar Times yesterday that the situation was so complicated that he could not provide anything. The reason fighting is happening is because we have plenty of bullets, he said, apparently joking. Tar Gyoke Ja, vice chair of the ethnic Palaung TNLA, estimated that 6000 Tatmadaw troops and 1600 fighters of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) were currently deployed on front lines in northern Shan State. The RCSS, which signed the nationwide ceasefire pact with the government last October, denies TNLA accusations that it is coordinating its operations with the military. Tar Gyoke Ja said government forces appeared determined to disrupt the process of handing over authority to the incoming government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. We always talk about our desire for peace and political discussions with the next government, but the army is escalating its offensives. It seems like they aim to commit violations in Shan State during this transition period, he said. TNLA spokesperson Mong Ai Kyaw said government forces carried out air strikes and used artillery on March 7 in the Kyaukme and Nawngcho areas of northwest Shan State. He did not disclose casualty figures. The Myanmar Peace Center (MPC), which has assisted the government during the peace process, said the Tatmadaw operations were motivated by reports by local civil society groups of human rights violations committed by the TNLA against villagers, as well as reports that Brigade 6 of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) had mobilised in northern Shan State. U Min Zaw Oo, MPC director of ceasefire negotiation and implementation, said the Tatmadaw was seriously concerned about military movements of the TNLA, the KIA, the Arakan Army and Kokang rebels in the Mong Ko area. The TNLA, the Arakan Army and Kokang-based ethnic Chinese fighters were all excluded by the government and the Tatmadaw from last years ceasefire process. U Min Zaw Oo said the MPC and the current government would keep working on implementing the nationwide ceasefire accord with the eight ethnic armed groups that joined last October. Although the future mandate of the MPC remains uncertain after the new government takes office on March 30, he said discussions would continue with the incoming NLD administration over future policy toward other armed groups that did not sign. U Naing Han Tha, a former peace negotiator and chair of the New Mon State Party which refused to sign the nationwide ceasefire accord, noted that the Tatmadaw had repeatedly called on the three allied groups excluded from the peace process to surrender. He said the Tatmadaw was flexing its muscles to assert its role in setting the terms of peace. If there were no war in Myanmar, what would be the Tatmadaws important role? he asked. U Than Soe Naing, a political analyst, said the Tatmadaw was more concerned about the KIAs extension into northern Shan State and its use of other non-state groups as proxies in its war with the government. He said the KIA would continue to support these smaller groups which could also get military supplies from the United Wa State Army based on the border with China. The TNLA denies receiving support, such as weapons and money, from the KIA or other groups. We are funding the war budget in our own way but we are not going to tell others how: Its secret. If we received support from the KIA then we would be trapped by the Tatmadaw, Tar Gyoke Ja said. Mrauk-U District Court will next week decide an appeal against a six-month prison term handed down to a newly elected Arakan National Party politician. The verdict will also have an effect on the dynamics of the state hluttaw, with the potential to knock the ANP one peg further from its near majority. U Hla Aung Nyunt won the seat of Minbya 2 despite already being charged for trespassing and intimidation following a complaint filed last August. He was convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment in January. An appeal was lodged shortly afterward with the support of the ANP and the court has slated March 14 for its decision. The ANP is the largest ethnic party in the Union parliament and holds the largest single bloc in the Rakhine State Hluttaw. If the court rejects the appeal, the conviction could cost the ANP a crucial spot in the 47-member state legislature, where it is just one seat short of an absolute majority. The election commission has said that contrary to some reports suggesting the USDP runner-up could take the seat, a by-election would have to be held within six months. Daw Aye Nu Sein, chair of the Sittwe township ANP party branch and a lawyer in the case, has insisted the MP-elect is innocent. We are not sure whether the court will decide in our favour or not, she said, but added, I believe the appeal will be successful. U Aung Mya, chair of the Rakhine State election sub-commission, said his office was monitoring the court process. If the judge decides [U Hla Aung Nyunt] is not guilty on appeal then he can take his seat in parliament. If not, he will be expelled, U Aung Mya said. If a by-election does need to be held, then under a recent amendment to the electoral rules it would need to take place within six months. U San Kyaw Hla, the Speaker of the Rakhine State Hluttaw, said MPs had approved U Hla Aung Nyunts application for leave from the first session, which convened on February 8. The application for leave will remain valid until the courts appeal decision. If he loses his appeal, we cant do anything. We have to follow the judgement, said U San Kyaw Hla, also a member of the ANP. According to the Speaker, the Rakhine State Hluttaw is likely to resume on March 14 and 15. A schedule has been introduced for trucks and highway buses on the traffic-plagued Mandalay-Muse trade route in a bid to ease the roads infamous backlogs and lethal accidents. While there are also plans to broaden the thoroughfare, traffic will be diverted to a one-way express route for set hours, according to the Nawngcho township supervisory committee for motor vehicles. The new timetable will allow trucks headed from Mandalay to Lashio to depart at 6am until noon, and then from 6pm to midnight. The opposite direction, from Lashio to Mandalay, will operate from noon until 6pm, and then again from midnight until 6am. Not all drivers are pleased with the new schedule. For the vehicles leaving from Mandalay and Muse the times are convenient, but for drivers leaving from Kyaukme to come to Mandalay its different from their normal shifts, so they want to try and change the times, said Ko Aung Win, who runs a bus station along the Mandalay-Muse highway. Each day about 1500 trucks travel the 460-kilometre road (285-mile), accounting for up to 80 percent of trade between Myanmar and its largest trading partner, China. Ministry of Commerce statistics show between 15,000 and 20,000 tonnes of goods pass daily along the road, much of it agricultural products from Myanmar. A single accident, produce spill or fallen tree along the mountainous route can cause traffic jams for days. The long delays can cause produce on the trucks to spoil. Before, there were many produce losses as the traffic negatively affected the trade flow. I want drivers to note the new times and drive carefully and with discipline, said Ko Htway, a Mandalay-Muse vegetable and fruit truck driver. In January, when construction materials fell off a truck, congestion along the route grew so severe that the 10-hour trip became a two-night ordeal. Two stretches, in Nawngcho and Kutkai townships, are particularly treacherous and prone to accidents. Truck drivers say that part of the route is very narrow, yet many of the vehicles drive recklessly. In Nawngcho, the route descends into the Gokteik gorge, while a section known as Shu Khin Thar, between Nam Hpat Kar and Kutkai, has a ravine on one side and a ridge on the other. Asia World Company signed a 30-year contract to maintain and repair the Mandalay-Muse road. The company is in the middle of an upgrade which will expand the width of the road, according to project director U Tin Ko Ko. Translation by Khant Lin Oo The Bangladeshi embassy in Yangon has denied a statement by the Tatmadaw that the two sides are holding talks over how to coordinate actions against the Arakan Army, after the group claimed to have inflicted heavy casualties on Myanmars military last week. The Tatmadaw said on March 6 that it was in discussions with the Bangladeshi embassy aimed at preventing the Arakan Army from grouping in the border area and, ultimately, eliminating the ethnic armed group. But Tareque Muhammad, the Bangladeshi embassys deputy chief of mission in Yangon, told The Myanmar Times yesterday that no talks had been held with the Tatmadaw. He declined to comment on when talks might be held. Once the discussion is over, only then we can share our views, he said. The Arakan Army, which clashed with the Border Guards Bangladesh last August, has said it is confident of dealing with any combined assault by the Tatmadaw and Bangladeshi forces. It denies Tatmadaw claims that it has used Bangladesh as a refuge. U Khaing Thu Kha, an official of the Arakan Armys information department, said yesterday that they were ready to respond if attacked again by the Tatmadaw, but that the group would not initiate offensives. He said the current situation was very quiet. He said the group was based around Rakhine States Buthidaung township and would never use Bangladeshi territory as a base for attacks inside Myanmar. The Arakan Army claims to have killed 30 Tatmadaw soldiers on March 3 in an attack on two military vehicles of the Buthidaung-based 565th Light Infantry Battalion near the border. The Tatmadaw has not disclosed any casualties. Fighting between the Arakan Army and the Tatmadaw in late December displaced several hundred civilians in northern Rakhine State. The Arakan Army was formed in 2009 with the stated intention of achieving self-determination for the people of Arakan, referring to the states ethnic Buddhist majority. Its headquarters are based in Laiza in Kachin State where it has close ties with the Kachin Independence Army as well as ethnic Chinese rebels fighting in the Kokang border area of Shan State. The Tatmadaw has rejected offers of talks with the Arakan Army and says its aim is to eliminate the armed group, which the government last year excluded from the nationwide ceasefire talks. The government has also used state media to accuse the armed group of involvement in drug trafficking, an allegation Arakan Army leaders strongly denied. On February 28, The Global New Light of Myanmar carried a front page story with the headline How to fund a war. Last week a Buthidaung court jailed four civilians for three years for unlawful association with the Arakan Army. Two former generals have been widely tipped as frontrunners for the militarys vice presidency pick. The constitution reserves the right for the military to put forward one of the three nominees for the presidency. Elected representatives in the Amyotha Hluttaw and the Pyithu Hluttaw also nominate one candidate each. Retired chief of the general staff U Hla Htay Win, who won a lower house seat for Nay Pyi Taws Zeyathiri township in last years election, has emerged as one contender. Former Navy commander Thura U Thet Swe, who won in Cocokyun, Yangon Region, has been suggested as another possibility. Both former generals are part of a cohort of more than 50 officers who were ordered by Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to shed their Tatmadaw uniforms and contest the election under the banner of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). It is unclear who the USDP favours for the nomination, which will be put forward on March 10. However, after being decimated in the November 8 election and holding just 42 seats, the former ruling party will have little sway in the outcome of the hluttaws vote. With over 80 percent of the electable parliamentary seats, and a majority in both houses, the National League for Democracy will be able to confirm its choice for the top office. However, a USDP-military bloc should be able to ensure its nominee takes the runner-up slot, becoming the senior vice president if their MPs can agree on a candidate. U Thein Swe, one of the USDPs senior leaders and a Pyithu Hluttaw representative from Ann township, Rakhine State, said the party had not yet decided who it would back. But sources within the USDP suggested what remnants of power the party retains in parliament will likely be used to bolster the militarys favoured pick. There is no discussion about choosing a presidential nominee within our party, but I got information that the military is considering nominating retired generals U Hla Htay Win and Thura U Thet Swe, a USDP representative from the Pyithu Hluttaw said yesterday. The Myanmar Times could not reach U Hla Htay Win to ask whether he has been consulted about the potential nomination. Thura U Thet Swe told reporters yesterday that he has not heard from the military about the position. I havent received any offer, he said. When asked if he would consider the post, he said, I will do whatever is in the national interest. Some analysts have suggested that neither of the two USDP former generals will get the militarys nomination, however, so as to avoid diminishing the partys presence in parliament. Parliamentarians elevated to the government are required to resign from parliament. The vacant seat would then be up for grabs in a by-election, which according to recent electoral law amendments would have to be held within six months. Deputy Commander-in-Chief Senior General Soe Win and current Yangon Region Chief Minister U Myint Soe have also been the subjects of speculation for the vice presidential nomination. Recent media reports said the military had agreed to extend the term of Vice Senior General Soe Win, together with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, for another five years. However, political analyst U Yan Myo Thein said he should not be dismissed as a potential contender. Under President U Thein Seins government, the two vice presidents served mostly ceremonial functions, and did not have much impact on policy decisions. However, as the power dynamics have shifted in the wake of the election, the military-backed vice president may have to take on more substantial responsibilities. The role of the military vice president is going to be much more important under the incoming government because he will have to deal with the NLDs president and vice president, said U Yan Myo Thein. If any issue flares up which the military cannot accept, then the military vice president will be the one to primarily fight it with the NLD. So the qualifications of the military vice president will be very important for them. The constitution specifies that the vice presidents must be allegiant to the president, but U Yan Myo Thein suggested that a military candidate serving the former opposition may have more complicated loyalties, being torn between the executive office and Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing. The constitution does not say that the vice president must accept whatever the president says, he added. As the military vice president will have to bridge the divide between the NLD and the military, the candidate will be thoroughly vetted by the military, he added. Thura U Thet Swe and U Hla Htay Win are popular, but I think Snr Gen Soe Win or U Myint Swe will be the vice president. U Myint Swe has very close relations with retired general Than Shwe and has lots of experience. Lt Colonel Ye Naing Oo, a military representative from the Amyotha Hluttaw, said despite the abundance of rumours, the military has not decided its nomination yet. We are still discussing the issue. A final decision hasnt made. We are going to a hold meeting to discuss the matter, he said. Asked whether U Hla Htay Win and Thura U Thet Swe were being considered, Lt Col Ye Naing Oo responded, I dont remember the names we discussed. Yangon has nothing to fear from El Nino, city officials say, despite warnings that the weather phenomenon will bring drought to many parts of the country. Thanks to advance planning, the reservoirs that supply the citys drinking water are 15 centimetres (6 inches) higher than they were this time last year, they say. U Myo Thein, assistant engineer of Yangon City Development Committees Water and Sanitation Department, told The Myanmar Times in a recent interview that YCDC had been deepening and strengthening reservoirs and dams throughout the last rainy season. He said this would help to both prevent flooding and boost capacity. We strengthened the banks to enable a higher water level. Since this year is forecast to be hotter and drier, the evaporation rate could increase. To counteract that, we have conserved forests in the water basins of our reservoirs, he said. Yangons water supply is drawn from both underground and above-ground sources. YCDC is planning to phase out the use of underground water over the next few years while it develops pipelines for above-ground water supply, said U Myo Thein. The department has started extracting less underground water, while closing down 100 of 760 tube-wells dug in the 1970s and 1980s and building fewer new ones. But as of January 2015, around one-third of households in the city were still not hooked up to the city water supply, according to YCDC. Water supply expert U Kyaw Oo, the author of Ye Kyi Da Pauk (A Drop of Clear Water), said over-reliance on underground water had caused the water table to drop significantly. He said that unless urgent action was taken this trend would continue over the next 20 or 30 years, bringing further reductions in groundwater quality. Most people in Yangon use above-ground water supplied by the city, he said. But there is still an urgent need for conservation of underground water. The volume of underground water is falling and it is becoming salty in some places near the banks. The area that has been concreted over is increasing, preventing rainwater from seeping underground. One alternative is to store rainwater in old tube-wells, as some countries do. The Ngamoeyeik water supply project, which began in 2014, delivers 45 million gallons to Thingangyun and South Okkalapa townships via a pipeline from Nyaung Hna processing works, said the deputy department head in charge. Before, Thingangyun ward residents had to use wells, but now they receive water through the pipeline. This allows us to reduce dependence on underground sources. Another benefit is that it prevents river levels from rising, and helps reduce pollution, he said. The Japan International Cooperation Agency has been a major driving force behind recent efforts to improve Yangons water supply network. It has provided 1.9 billion yen (US$16.6 million) for a project that includes the overhaul of a pumping station, and the renewal of pipes and installation of water meters in Yankin township, which will benefit more than 2000 homes. In September 2014, the government and JICA signed an agreement for a low-interest loan of 23.683 billion yen ($208 million) for the Greater Yangon Water Supply Improvement Project, which will see pipelines rolled out to outlying areas of the city such as east, north and south Dagon, Dagon Seikkan and the Thilawa special economic zone by November 2020. Yangon is supplied mainly from Gyobyu, Ngamoeyeik and Hlawgar reservoirs, backed up by Inya and Kandawgyi, as well as a fleet of tankers, say officials. Translation by Kyawt Darly Lin The SNP appear to have decided they would try to use the payment of state pensions in an independent Scotland as a bargaining chip in negoti... 08.03.2016 LISTEN Social media is now part of our daily lives. A day without checking Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram is incomplete. However, this addiction has resulted in some disconnection with the real world. Many now rely heavily on virtual reality for everything. They sleep, eat and drink social media, some people even make money through social media. But wait a second, have you thought of what will happen if you break up with social media? There are quite a handful of people that have closed their Twitter and Facebook accounts and survived the heartache. Jovago.com, Africa's No 1 hotel booking portal shares 5 rewarding things that may happen when you sever your ties with social media. More productivity There is high possibility that while working, employees will want to check their social media profile or update it meanwhile, they have loads of jobs piled up which they have left unattended to. This is perhaps the reason why many businesses do not allow their employees to use social media during work hours. If you break up with social media you will concentrate fully on your job without any distraction. Better relationship with families and friends Families and friends interactions are now restricted to social media. Although the culture of visiting loved ones runs deep among Nigerians, social media has largely suspended the trend. With this out of the way, you will have a more endearing and enduring relationship with families and friends. No more rumour peddling One thing that is held against social media is the peddling of false news. Unfortunately, false rumours travel like bushfires. The damage would have been done before you know that it is a farce. That is why everyone should be conscious of what they consume on social media. No social media, no reading of false news. That is probably why the Nigerian National Assembly wants to introduce a bill to curtail the excesses of social media You will be innovative Being innovative will not be possible if you are always distracted by social media since you can only learn so much there. But with you off the internet, your brain will not shut down to real life issues. You will have a well-rounded understanding of your environment, thus, over time, you will become innovative and ideas will keep flowing non-stop like the ocean wave. 09.03.2016 LISTEN The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has issued a rather strong worded statement against the conduct of Bishop Daniel Obinim, leader of the International God's Way Church. NEWS-ONE reproduces the full statement: The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has noted with great concern video recordings gone viral on various forms of media depicting verbal attacks by Bishop Daniel Obinim on its 1st Vice President, Rt. Rev. Sam Korankye Ankrah over what the former considers an attack against him in a recent interview granted by Rev. Sam Korankye Ankrah. Obinim in the said video clip used some unprintable words in the description of Rev. Sam Korankye Ankrah. This is not different from some of the insults he has rained on certain noble people in our society in the recent past. The abuse of unsuspecting Ghanaians by so-called men of God is becoming alarming and so evident. The increasing electronic media landscape and social media has revealed how such people are taking advantage of the unfortunate vulnerabilities of their congregations and the unsuspecting Ghanaian public to defraud and blackmail them in the name of so-called prophecies and miracles. In as much as the Council believes strongly in the biblical doctrines of prophecies and miracles as signs of the workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives as Christians and the Church, the wanton abuse and manipulation of the sound doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ by these few charlatans for their egocentric interests ought to be exposed and condemned by the majority and genuine Christians. Mostly freelancers and without any standardised theological and moral training from any recognised theological institution, statements from these so-called prophets purporting to be speaking the mind of God, though speaking from their own mind, are most of the time irreconcilable with the Bible, which is the standard for evaluating all such prophecies. With the expanding media landscape, these charlatans have taken over the airwaves and are deceiving people with all kinds of strange doctrines in the name of religious freedom. We wish to point out that the GPCC and its honourable NEC members have no personal grudges against Bishop Obinim, nor are we in anyway jealous of him as he claims, but will stand up against anybody who under the guise of the name of Christ seeks to take advantage of Ghanaians. For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to point out that the Lord we follow does not at any point change into any of His creation, safe for his incarnation to save humanity. The stomping on the stomach of a pregnant woman as a means of healing, the holding and displaying a mans sexual organ in the full view of the cameras is all non ethical and need not be entertained. . While the Council will continue to work with other recognised Christian bodies in Ghana to provide leadership, self-regulation and instilling discipline in the Body of Christ in Ghana, we call on all Ghanaians, especially Christians to return to the Bible as our main reference point and standard for evaluating and confirming such prophecies or strange teachings and not to easily fall for the machinations of these so-called prophets. The Bible clearly teaches all to discern those who are of God by examining their character (fruits). For example, no genuine servant of God will spew foul language against any person, poor or rich, man or woman, let alone a minister of the Gospel. The major problem with failing to address self-claimed prophets is that such people can lead sincere people to disaster, just as in the case of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God in Uganda, where close to 800 people perished, 530 of them being in a locked church that was set ablaze. Similarly David Koresh of USA, leader of Branch Davidians religious sect in Texas, believing himself to be the final prophet, deceived many people, until a raid and subsequent siege by Federal Bureau of Investigation, which ended with David Koresh setting fire to the building, killing 74 people. Another story is Jim Jones who led his followers to commit mass suicides. Their deceptive stories are no different from these latter-day ones whose behaviour could eventually end in similar vein if not quickly checked. Ghanaians may recall that in the recent past, similar characters have emerged on the national scene, with some even claiming to be the Christ, deceiving many into selling out their material possessions in anticipation of the second coming and the imminent destruction of the world. Consequently, we call on all media houses, especially the electronic ones to lend their support in helping weed out these characters by not allowing financial considerations to override the general interest and safety of the public. The Council also wishes to call on the National Media Commission to speed up the passage of the Religious Broadcasting Bill into law to regulate these excesses, including potential hate speeches from religious broadcasters in the media landscape. We urgently call on the Government to engage the legally registered Christian Ecumenical Bodies to find a way to sanitise the system without curtailing the freedom to worship enshrined in our Republican Constitution. The leadership of GPCC also wishes to assure all Ghanaians that it will continue to lead the crusade through its over 230 member churches across Ghana to weed out all such undesirable elements in the religious community, and is also willing to provide mentoring support and guidance for all genuine Ministers of the gospel willing to submit to the guiding authority of the Council to enhance the propagation of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank you. Long Live Ghana! The statement was jointly signed by Apostle Dr Opoku Onyinah, Chairman, the Church of Pentecost; Rt Rev Sam Korankye Ankrah of the Royalhouse Chapel; Apostle Dr Stephen K. Amoani, Chairman, Christ Apostolic Church; Rev Clement Anchebah, Chairman, Fountain Gate Chapel and Rev Dr Paul Frimpong Manso, Gen Supt, Assemblies of God. The rest of the signatories were Apostle Peter Okoe Mankralo, Ghana President, the Apostolic Church, Ghana; Most Rev Dr Charles Agyinasare, the Presiding Bishop, Perez Chapel; Rt Rev S. N. Mensah Gen Overseer, Full Gospel Church; Rev Dr Seth Mensah Ablorh of the Manna Mission; Apostle Dr Nana Anyani Boadum of the Jesus Generation Church; Bishop Dr Prince Baah of the Calvary Crusaders Ministry; Rev C. A. Marfo Ahenkorah of the Foursquare Gospel Church, Rev Dr Gordon Kisseih of the Miracle Life Church and Rt Rev Dr S. K. Ofori of the Global Evangelical Church. Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. Mogadishu (AFP) - Special forces operatives in two helicopters have carried out a raid on Somalia's Shebab insurgents, government officials and the Al-Qaeda-linked group said Wednesday. The overnight raid, reportedly by foreign troops, targeted the Shebab-controlled town of Awdhegele, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Somalia's capital Mogadishu. "There was an operation by Special Forces late last night around Awdhegele town. We have reports Shebab militants suffered casualties," local district commissioner Mohamed Aweys told reporters. There were no details on who carried out the raid, but it comes after US air strikes on Saturday on a Shebab training camp that killed more than 150 fighters. While the US military regularly conducts operations targeting the Al-Qaeda-linked fighters in Somalia, Saturday's raid had a higher toll than all previous such US strikes combined. Warplanes and unmanned drones were used in Saturday's strike, about 120 miles (195 kilometres) north of Mogadishu. The Shebab group confirmed the helicopter raid overnight on Tuesday, but said they fought the troops off. "Armed forces on two military helicopters raided Awdhegele town last night - but they have lost and returned without achieving their objective," Shebab spokesman Sheik Abduasiz Abu Musab said, in a speech broadcast on the insurgent's Radio Andalus. "The helicopters landed outside town and the ground forces entered, there was heavy fighting and they were forced to flee." The Shebab said they did not know what country the troops came from but that they were not Somali and spoke a foreign language. It was not clear what the troops were targeting, but past helicopter raids have only been carried out either to rescue hostages or to assassinate senior Shebab commanders. Witnesses said they heard loud blasts in the night, reporting that the Shebab had boosted security this morning. "There were several loud explosions near the Shebab base in Awdhegele late last night," local resident Abdikarim Nure said. "The fighters were patrolling the area this morning, and people are not allowed to go close to the area." Foreign special forces have launched raids to rescue their nationals, including one in 2012 by US elite commandos who swooped in by helicopter to free two aid workers held for three months. France also staged a special forces raid in January 2013 in an unsuccessful bid to free intelligence agent Denis Allex. Tunisian special forces patrol in the southern town of Ben Guerdane, near the Libyan border, during clashes with jihadists on March 8, 2016 a day after the attack on the border town. By Fathi Nasri (AFP) 09.03.2016 LISTEN Tunis (AFP) - Tunisian forces killed five "terrorists" in an operation near the Libyan border late Tuesday, the interior ministry said, a day after a deadly raid the government has described as an unprecedented assault by the Islamic State group. The swoop by the army and security forces came after 17 suspects were arrested earlier in a manhunt following Monday's dawn attacks in the border town of Ben Guerdane, which left dozens of jihadists dead. "As part of the continuing operation at Ben Guerdane, security forces and the army were able to eliminate five terrorists tonight in the Benniri area," the ministry said in a statement, adding that weapons had been seized. Local media had reported that security forces had surrounded a house where several men were holed up, information that was not confirmed in the brief ministry statement. Analysts said Monday's coordinated attacks showed jihadists are keen to spread their influence from Libya to Tunisia and to set up a new stronghold in the country. Prime Minister Habib Essid said about 50 extremists were believed to have taken part in the dawn attacks on an army barracks and police and National Guard posts in Ben Guerdane. He said 36 attackers were killed and seven captured in a fierce firefight that also saw the deaths of seven civilians and 12 security personnel. Defence ministry spokesman Belhassen Oueslati said 17 other suspects were arrested on Tuesday near a military barracks and handed over to the National Guard for questioning. Essid said the militants "murdered one internal security force member in his own home" and that three civilians and 14 security personnel were also wounded. - 'Rapid response' - "The (security forces') reaction was rapid and strong. We won a battle and are prepared for any others," he said. "Now they know Tunisia is no easy pushover and that it is not so simple to set up an emirate in Ben Guerdane." On Monday, Essid said the operation's aim had been to create a "Daesh (IS) emirate" in the town. Michael Ayari of the International Crisis Group think tank agreed, saying the attacks were an "extension of the armed conflict so far confined to Libya". Some IS jihadists "consider that Ben Guerdane could become a strategic 'liberated' zone that would include southeastern Tunisia and the Tripoli region", he said. Tunisian authorities had said search operations were continuing in the region on Tuesday and that a night-time curfew imposed in the town after the attack had been well respected. However, witnesses spoke of sporadic gunfire during the day as police and soldiers flooded Ben Guerdane. The walls of one building in which attackers had been holed up were riddled with bullet holes. Essid called for vigilance and promised a full investigation. "There are lessons to be learned from this terrorist attack. There will be a thorough assessment of what happened, and we will draw all the conclusions," he said. "It may be that there was a failure at a certain level, that of intelligence, other elements." - 'Exterminate these rats' - President Beji Caid Essebsi has described the attack on Ben Guerdane as "unprecedented" and said it was "maybe aimed at controlling" the border region, vowing to "exterminate these rats". Residents said the assailants appeared to be natives of the region. They stopped people, checked their ID cards apparently to seek out members of the security forces, and announced their brief takeover of Ben Guerdane as "liberators". It was the second clash in the border area in less than a week as Tunisia battles to prevent the large number of its citizens who have joined IS in Libya from returning to carry out attacks at home. Two deadly IS attacks on foreign tourists last year that have dealt a devastating blow to Tunisia's tourism industry are believed to have been planned from Libya. Jihadists have taken advantage of a power vacuum in Libya since the NATO-backed overthrow of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011 to set up bases in several areas, including near Sabratha. 08.03.2016 LISTEN From Issah Alhassan, Kumasi KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA THE ASANTEHENE, His Royal Majesty, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has assured residents of the Ashanti Region of his unflinching resolve to protect their lives and interest from any external force. The Asantehene says he will not sit down and allow his subjects to be maltreated by any individual or group of persons that attempt to threaten their lives and deprive them of their lands and livelihoods. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II indicated that as the overlord of the Asante Kingdom, he will not sit down unconcerned whilst his people are bullied and deprived of their property on their own lands. Speaking at a function organized by the Ashanti Professionals Club (APC) last Saturday, the King of the Ashanti Kingdom expressed his displeasure at recent clashes at Tafo amongst some youths, and the protracted conflict at Agogo between indigenes and Fulani nomads, which led to the loss of lives and property. His assurance follows a peaceful protest held jointly by some youth of Tafo and Agogo last week, upon his arrival from abroad, pleading with him to intervene to help resolve the conflicts plaguing the two communities. He, however, called for calm and restraints from aggrieved residents and urged them to abide by rules and regulations, rather than taking the law into their own hands. The Royal King also expressed his disaffection at the seemingly constant efforts by some section of the public to politicize his leadership by branding him as belonging to a particular political party, stressing that he would continue to work with all people irrespective of ones political affiliation for the development of Asanteman and Ghana at large. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted that though he was far away in South Africa, he was apprised of every single detail of the incidents and pledged that he would ensure that lands and property belonging to Ashanti indigenes were protected. Upon my return I saw my people at the airport holding placards with inscriptions about what is happening in Tafo and Agogo. I want to assure them that I will continue to protect them, I wont sit down for anyone to take the lands of my people away from them, he noted. NO POLITICAL AFFILIATION The Asantehene also reiterated his commitment to work with all people, irrespective of ones political affiliation, in order to advance the development of Asanteman and Ghana at large. Reacting to rumours that he was in bed with the sitting government and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said his main interest was development, stressing that he has offered support to all the major political parties, especially the NDC and the NPP. He recounted his early days of enstoolment as the King during the reign of former President Jerry John Rawlings and pointed out that even though the former President did not have personal affection for him, he later became a close friend with his administration and worked together in the interest of growth and development. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II further noted that he offered similar support to former President John Agyekum Kufuor and even admitted making personal financial contribution towards the political success of Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor. 08.03.2016 LISTEN A Dutch man described by media as the Dentist of Horror has gone on trial in France accused of mutilating the mouths of more than 100 patients. Jacobus van Nierop allegedly took out healthy teeth and caused horrific injuries to dozens of patients in a remote French town. He faces assault and fraud charges and up to 10 years in jail if convicted. Mr van Nierop fled to Canada when suspicions arose and strongly fought against extradition to France in 2014. Correspondents say that while he is not obliged to offer a plea under French law, Mr van Nierop has previously argued that he suffers from psychological problems including gender identity issues and suicidal thoughts. The BBCs Hugh Schofield in Paris says that Mr van Nierop was many peoples worst nightmare. Like many parts of rural France, the small town of Chateau-Chinon is badly served for medical provision, our correspondent adds. Initially locals seemed delighted by the hard-working and smiley dentist, a larger-than-life character who witnesses said was rarely seen without his big 44, a big dog and a big cigar. But then the horror stories began. People said they had teeth ripped out for no reason they were given heavy anaesthetic, then left with abscesses and infected gums. . Fillings were pulled out simply to be replaced by more expensive composite and some said their mouths bled for days. Lawyer Charles-Joseph Oudin represents some of Mr Van Nierops alleged victims he said they wanted answers. We first hope to have some explanations, to understand how Mr Van Nierop has been able to behave in such a way for so long, how things became so serious, he said. The story of alleged victim Sylviane Boulesteix, 65, is typical of the allegations made against the dentist. She visited him in March 2012 to have braces fitted. He gave me seven or eight injections, and pulled out eight teeth in one go. I was gushing blood for three days, she told the AFP news agency. Another alleged male victim, 80, told AFP that the dentist left pieces of flesh hanging everywhere after removing a tooth. By early 2013 a group of Mr van Nierops alleged victims had grown to 120 members and in June of that year he was arrested. But the dentist fled France before the start of his trial the following December. He was eventually located in a small town in the Canadian province of New Brunswick and was arrested under an international warrant. Mr van Nierop who has subsequently been detained in France for 18 months is also accused of defrauding patients and insurance companies. -bbc 08.03.2016 LISTEN Iran has launched several ballistic missiles from silos across the country as part of a military exercise, state media say, defying US pressure. The Revolutionary Guards said in a statement that the tests demonstrated the countrys deterrent power. US officials said that if the reports were confirmed, they would raise the matter at the UN Security Council. In January, the US imposed sanctions targeting Irans missile programme in response to the last round of tests. UN experts said those tests had violated a Security Council resolution. Resolution 1929, which barred Iran from undertaking any work on ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, was terminated after a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers was implemented two months ago. A new resolution , 2231, then came into force that calls upon Iran not to undertake such activity. Iran says it does not have nuclear weapons and will continue missile development. Appropriate response Iranian state television reported on Tuesday that the missiles were fired from silos at various locations, without naming them. It broadcast pictures of one of the night-time launches, and a presenter said the missile was a medium-range Qiam-1, according to the Reuters news agency. . The Revolutionary Guards statement said the tests were intended to show Irans deterrent power and also the Islamic Republics ability to confront any threat against the [Islamic] Revolution, the state and the sovereignty of the country. The head of the Guards Aerospace Force, Brig Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh told state television that the missiles had struck a target 700km (435 miles) away. He warned the US was trying to turn off the lights of Irans missile programme, adding: The Guards dont give into threats. US state department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said it was aware of and following closely the reports of the missile tests. If confirmed, we intend to raise the matter in the UN Security Council. We will also encourage a serious review of the incident and press for an appropriate response. This development underscores why we continue to work closely with partners around the world to slow and degrade Irans missile programme. Mr Toner also said the US would continue to aggressively apply our unilateral tools to counter threats from Irans missile programme. While any missile of a certain size could in theory be used to carry a nuclear warhead, Iran says its missiles are for use solely as a conventional deterrent. It claims to have ballistic missiles with a range of 2,000km (1,250 miles) that would be capable of reaching Israel and US military bases in the Middle East. -bbc 08.03.2016 LISTEN The kidnapped son of a Pakistani governor assassinated in 2011 has been found alive, just over a week after his fathers killer was hanged. Shahbaz Taseer was taken by gunmen in Lahore in August 2011, months after his father Salman was killed for opposing Pakistans blasphemy laws. The assassin, his bodyguard Mumtaz Qadri, was hailed as a hero by many. Counter-terror police said they recovered Shahbaz from a compound north of Quetta, following a tip off. Aitzaz Goraya, head of the Counter-Terrorism Department of south-western Balochistan province told AFP: Intelligence forces and police went to a compound in Kuchlak district some 25km north of Quetta. We surrounded the compound and we raided it. We didnt find anyone. A single person was there and he told us my name is Shahbaz and my fathers name is Salman Taseer. The Balochistan Frontier Corps, the government paramilitary group behind the operation, tweeted to announce that Mr Taseer had been safely recovered. Few other details were available about the operation or how Mr Taseer came to be at the compound alone. . Some reports suggested a ransom may have been paid to the Pakistani Taliban, which is suspected of involvement in the kidnapping, or that holding Mr Taseer had become too burdensome. Mr Goraya described Mr Taseer, who is in his early thirties, as being in feeble health. Qadri was hailed as a hero by Islamists after killing Salman Taseer in Islamabad over the governors opposition to blasphemy laws. Thousands of people protested in February following the execution of the former police bodyguard. Shabaz Taseers brother Shehryar said just after Qadris hanging that the execution was a victory for Pakistan but not his family. The safe return of my brother is the only victory my family wants, he wrote on Twitter on 29 February. Former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, who belonged to the same Pakistan Peoples Party as Salman and whose own son was kidnapped by suspected Taliban militants in May 2013, told Geo News on Tuesday: It is a very big day for Salmans family. He added: After this release, I am very hopeful that my own son will be freed. -bbc 08.03.2016 LISTEN Several YouTube stars have ramped up the shock value of their stunts to get clicks but a video by a Saudi group faking an encounter with a suicide bomber has been blasted as one of the most outrageous and irresponsible prank videos yet. It starts with menace. A bearded taxi driver wearing traditional Saudi dress looks at the camera and says: Now were going to look for a victim. The video cuts to footage from a hidden camera of a young passenger exchanging greetings with the driver before settling in for a ride through a Saudi city. But the journey soon turns scary. Do you think about jihad? the driver asks. He then unbuttons his robe to show off what looks like a bomb belt to the frightened passenger, who alternately cries, pleads and clings to the driver in apparent fear that his life is about to end. Eventually the driver tells the passenger to calm down and points out the cameras placed strategically around the taxi. Were just joking around, the driver says, in order to show you what terrorism is like. Another young passenger subjected to the prank is clearly in fear for his life as he throws himself out of the car while its still moving. He is seen moments later apparently physically unhurt, but in some state of shock as the pranksters explain that it was all their idea of a joke. In the final scene of the three-minute-long video which has been watched tens of thousands of times two passengers wrestle with the fake driver and get him to stop. One is seen dialling the police for help before it is explained to them that it was a hoax. . The video bears the logo of a Saudi group of YouTube pranksters Tube Up. But while various versions are still available online, the original video was taken down from Tube Ups channel, according to reports. BBC Trending attempted to contact the group for comment. Reaction on YouTube fits mostly into the category of outrage. This is stupid, commented one. Imagine if the boy was ill or had a heart condition. Another viewer sarcastically said: Whats more funny than religious extremism caused deaths!? Nothing! before continuing with a string of expletives directed at the filmmakers. There were a few morsels of positive feedback however: Its wrong to terrify people like this, but maybe this will help brainwashed young men to realise what terrorism is, said one comment. Prank videos intended mostly to shock featuring faked bombings and other violent crimes have been something of a recent trend. In one of the most notorious examples last year, British YouTube star Sam Pepper tricked a man into believing his best friend had been murdered in front of him. As you might expect, Saudi comedy doesnt consist exclusively of fake violent prank videos heres Trendings recent roundup of some of the countrys most popular YouTube comedians . -bbc 08.03.2016 LISTEN PRO wrestling legend Hulk Hogan testified that he was completely humiliated when he learned the website Gawker had posted a video of him having sex with his best friend's wife. I was pretty rocked. I felt numb, Hogan told a Florida jury. My arms and hands started shaking violently. I didn't go into a spasm, but it was one of those things where I couldn't stop shaking. On Day One of the $100 million trial pitting him against the news and gossip site, Hogan said he was in the midst of an October 2012 publicity tour for TNA Wrestling when he got a call from rival gossip site TMZ about the Gawker post. Even worse, TMZ told him that the recording revealed how his then-best friend, radio shock-jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, was responsible for making and leaking the sex tape, Hogan said. The news just hit me, the ex-wrestler and reality-TV star said, leaning back with his arms stretched in front of him. They told me that Bubba was on the other end of the tape, saying, 'Heather, if we ever need to retire, this is our retirement.' Hogan said the video documented one of three or four romps he had with Heather Clem, who along with her then-hubby had repeatedly suggested that the two of them hook up. Hogan always brushed off the couple, but things changed in 2007 when his first wife, Linda, told him she was filing for divorce, he said. Hogan dressed all in black, including his signature bandanna said he called up Bubba crying like a baby, and accepted an invitation to go to his house and talk. When Hogan arrived, he shared a group hug with Bubba and Heather, after which she took his hand and led him to a bedroom, he said. Bubba handed him a condom and said he was heading to his office, Hogan testified. It was all of a sudden just so weird and so crazy, he said. Hogan said he even asked if his pal, who legally changed his name to Bubba the Love Sponge, was filming this, with his friend insisting: I would never do that to you. Bubba settled earlier with Hogan for $5,000 and a public apology. Hogan said he was completely humiliated by the release of the video. . I was embarrassed about what it did to me as a person, but it was even embarrassing as a character, he said. To Hulk Hogan, it was embarrassing. At one point in his testimony, Hogan whose real name is Terry Bollea pointed to differences between his private life and his larger-than-life celebrity persona. Terry Bollea is a normal person. Wrestling is his job, he testified. I don't argue. I'm not loud. I'm pretty soft-spoken to a fault. I don't know really how to say no, even though I'm learning how to say no to my kids. The character of Hulk Hogan is completely opposite of Terry Bollea.The only similarity to me is the look, he said. But Hogan said the scandal over the sex tape was taking a toll on his personal life, worrying aloud whether his second marriage to Jennifer McDaniel, who he wed in 2010 on a Terry Bollea level is going to survive, because it's not so great right now. But Gawker lawyer Michael Sullivan used that claimed distinction to hammer Hogan on cross examination, focusing on different accounts he gave in interviews and depositions. In one example, Sullivan noted how Hogan told a VH-1 interviewer that he had seen the full, 1-minute, 41-second video posted by Gawker, but gave a sworn statement saying he hadn't watched it. Hogan admitted the VH-1 statement was not truthful, claiming that I was probably in the Hulk Hogan mode, trying to get through the day. As Hulk Hogan, I've said I've slammed an elephant and surfed on a tiger shark and body-slammed Moby Dick and I've said I pulled a bumper off a Cadillac, Jack so it gives you artistic liberty when you are Hulk Hogan, to be in character. During opening statements, Hogan lawyer Shane Vogt said Gawker wanted to inflict harm, and they wanted to make money by exploiting the moment of weakness when Hogan gave in to temptation. Gawker lawyer Michael Berry countered by attacking Hogan's suit as a naked grab for lots and lots of money, and noting how Gawker founder Nick Denton's mom was a Hungarian Jew who survived the Nazis. Mr. Denton grew up with parents who've seen first-hand what happens when speech is suppressed, Berry said. He wants the public to have the simple, unvarnished truth the unvarnished truth about public figures. -thesun 09.03.2016 LISTEN KWABENA DONKOR: THE DE-STRESSING POTENTIAL OF THE POWER OF MUSIC Music is a powerful component of human nature and has always remained so as part of the human experience. Nevertheless, what constitutes good music is relative in that its supposed relative goodness may vary across cultures, gender, educational and economic and social class, individual preferences and tastes and philosophies, maturity, time and space, and the like. In fact, the spiritual and philosophic importance of music for purposes of psychosocial and therapeutic recreational empowerment is enormous indeed. The de-stressing potential of music is therefore metaphysically incalculable? Could one imagine if we ever lived and practiced politics and socialized as Bob Marleys One Love? Can one imagine what the classical tunes of Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Bach, Brahms, Haydn, Handel, Beethoven, Chopincould do to and for the human soul? What about Whitney Houstons I Wanna Dance With Somebody and I Look to You, Tarrus Rileys She is Royal, Louis Armstrongs What a Wonderful World, Boyz 11 Mens Ill Make Love to You, Michael Boltons/Patti LaBelles Were Not Making Love Anymore, Michael Boltons/Percy Sledges When a Man Loves a Woman, Whitney Houstons/Dolly Partons Ill Always Love You, Michael Jacksons You Rock My World and Human Nature? Elton Johns Something About the Way You Look Tonight, Josh Grobans You Raise Me Up, Barry Whites Cant Get Enough of Your Love, Billy Joels Just the Way You Are, Aerosmiths I Dont Want to Miss a Thing, Jennifer Rushs/Celion Dions The Power of Love, R. Kellys I Believe I Can Fly, Celion Dions Because You loved Me, Prince Nico Mbargas Sweet Mother, Inner Circles A La La La Long? And yes, we can find healing in Salsa, Afrobeat, Merengue, Gospel, Neo-soul, Classical Music, Reggae, Highlife, R&B, Blues, Country, Pop Music, Folk Music, Funk, Bluegrass, Rock, Rock & Roll, Disco, Rap, Hip-life, Jazz, Soulall because these music genres transcend manmade boundarieseconomic, religion, race and ethnicity, language, gender, and so on. And yes, we can find healing in all these forms of music! Can anyone tell what language, sex, race and ethnicity, type of economy, and religion Bob Marleys One Love is made of? Or the largely non-vocal melodicity of jazz and classical music? The widely publicized idea that music is, as a matter of fact, a universal language therefore makes a lot of sense. For instance, Bob Marleys Them Belly Full (But We Are Hungry) has the following memorable lines: Cost of living gets so high; rich and poor start to cry; now the weak must get strong; they say: Oh, what a tribulation!...A hungry mob is an angry mob The question is: Who was Bob Marley actually speaking for, the rich or the poor? This is not too difficult to tell. Certainly he was speaking for both! Yet it also appears his ideological and political shift was more to the side of the poor, of the downtrodden, that is, because he may have believed that the rich could easily avoid the plight of the poor. Nevertheless, both the rich and the poor have a noble place in this classic song of Bob Marley. Thus, Marleys ambiguous lyricism should not be one of contextual confusion. And in line with one of our core arguments we will say the seeming lyrical ambiguity of Bob Marleys song somehow instantiates the central idea of music as a universal language. Elsewhere we have recommended Ras Kimonos Under Pressure, for he makes an interesting observation that all of usfrom whites, blacks, yellows, and all colors in between; from adults to childrenare prisoners of pressure. In other words financial, social, and economic constraints on human existence are inescapable or unavoidable, for, as it were, they are part and parcel of the human experience, because, among other things these constraints are our own creation. They did not drop from the skies. Therefore we have to learn it the hard way to deal with the Frankenstein monsters we have created for ourselves. One way is to take the advice which Bobby McFerrin advances in his song Dont Worry, Be Happy, which is such a beautiful piece of music, perhaps a befitting sequel to Ras Kimonos Under Pressure. Bob Marleys Burnin and Lootin and Crazy Baldhead and Revolution and Get Up, Stand Up, Steele Pulses Bodyguard and Tyrant, Fela Kutis Coffin for Head of State, will surely be the ultimate outcomes if politicians and the powers that be fail to do right by their people! Recently some web portals reminded us of the number of under tree classrooms the government has managed to eliminate and the shocking number of under tree classrooms that still remains to be eliminated. We may also recall actress Yvonne Nelson being insulted for merely posting a picture of school children using cement blocks as furniture in this day and age! Official neglect of society gives children high blood pressure. This is also why when we cry out against poor public services, or lack thereof, we must not only think about the needs of adults, as Mr. Donkors sympathetic comments seem to indicate, but as well those of children. In particular, one music video for Bob Marleys One Love features all races and ethnicities, adults and children KWABENA DONKOR: MUSIC CAN HEAL YOU AND THE WOUNDS OF GHANAIANS Of course, there are several music videos like that. That said, Mr. Donkor may do well to do away with any lingering vestige of his high blood pressure by listening and dancing to Bob Marleys Trench Town Rock: One good thing about music, when it hits you you feel no painHit me with music, harder, brutalize meyou reap what you sowDont turn your back, I say, give the slum a tryNever let the children cry Three Little Birds: Dont worry about a thing, cause every little thing gonna be all rightRise up this morning, smile with the rising sunThree little birds pitch by my doorstep, singing sweet songs of melodies pure and true, saying: This is my message to youDont worry about a thing, cause everything gonna be all right Jamming: Ooh, yeah! All right! We're jamming: I wanna jam it with you. We're jamming, jamming, and I hope you like jamming, too. To think that jamming was a thing of the past; were jamming, and I hope this jam is gonna last. No bullet can stop us now, we neither beg nor we won't bow; Neither can be bought nor soldYour life is worth much more than goldJam's about my pride and truth I cannot hide to keep you satisfied. True love that now exist is the love I can't resist, So jam by my side One Love: One Love! One Heart! Let's get together and feel all right. Hear the children crying; let them all pass all their dirty remarksLet's get together and feel all rightAs it was in the beginning (One Love!); So shall it be in the end (One Heart!)Let's get together to fight this Holy Armageddon (One Love!) Let's get together and feel all right. I'm pleading' to mankind! (One Love!) Let Mr. Donkor and his privileged friends in the highest echelon of his party hierarchy dance to these therapeutic songs with all the deprived children in Ghana. Let Mr. Donkor never forget to play Daddy Lumbas Children of the Future, Sam Cookes A Change is Gonna Come, UB40s Sing Our Song, John Lennons Imagine, Michael Jacksons We Are the World, and Scorpions Wind of Change for these children. As well, Mr. Donkor may also bring along NPP man Mr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, an energy expert whose executive chairmanship of the Volta River Authority practically did not bring about any marked improvement in the energy sector including pre-empting dumsor, to the dance party. All the men, women, and children who died because of dumsor have to be there too. Mr. Donkor has to come to this dance party with the doctor who got him through his bout of high blood pressure. The doctor will be required to resuscitate all those men, women, and children who died from bouts of high blood pressure as a result of dumsor and the failure to resolve it on time. Perhaps, we need bouts of national soul-searching to straighten our leaders misaligned psychology of nation-building and an established patriotic institution in the moral likeness of South Africas Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), to look into the scientific or technical, political, and social causes of dumsor, into those who needlessly died as a result of it, and into controversies such as the AMERI deal, for Ghana and Ghanaians have suffered a lot from the political sins of the ruling class. NOTE 1 The Bob Marley music video we referenced features two members of the British reggae band called Aswad, Paul McCartney, Haile Selassie, etc., and someone who looks like Nikita Khrushchev or Ariel Sharon. But we doubt Ariel Sharon was the one, though. And this is because Ariel Sharon did not look that old at the time this particular video was made. We may still be wrong nonetheless. NOTE 2 There is a good reason why Stevie Wonder lists Marleys Jamming as one of his favorite songs of all time, just as Eric Clapton did with Marleys I Shot the Sheriff, a song he covered on the album 461 Ocean Boulevard. Rapper Warren G, Dr. Dres step-brother, samples the chorus of Marleys I Shot the Sherriff which he covers on the album Take a Look Over Your Shoulder. Last but not least, Wonder, a multitalented R&B, funk, soul, pop, and jazz musicians, has a reggae track called Jammin in which he mentions Bob Marley. Finally, readers should take a look at Esther Andersons documentary Bob Marley: The Making of A Legend and J.J. Colagrandes Miami New Times article (April 19, 2012) Bob Marleys Ex-Girlfriend Brings Her Own Marley Documentary To Miami for the controversies surrounding what the central message of I Shot the Sheriff may actually mean. Readers may find the documentary and the article extremely intellectually satisfying and edifying. Anderson was Bobs ex-girlfriend. REFERENCES Ghanaweb. Dumsor Gave Me High Blood PressureEx-Power Minister. February 26, 2016. Ghanaweb. Lawyers of Yvonne Nelson Threaten To Sue Over Gh5000 Bribe.July 17, 2015. Ghanaweb. Mahama Is That School Kid Who Is Always Last In ClassLydia Forson. May 1, 2015. Ghanaweb. Killing Mahama Will Save Ghanaians Will Save Ghanaians from DumsorGunman. July 28, 2015. Ghanaweb. Power Minister Sued Over AMERI Deal. December 16, 2015. Ghanaweb. Prisoners Angry Over Dumsor. July 27, 2015. Ghanaweb. Kwabena Donkor Is Mahamas Best Minister. January 20, 2016. Modernghana (Myjoyonline). First List of 600 Schools Under Trees, Eliminated. Sourced from myjoyonline.com. February 27, 2016. Ghanaweb. [email protected]: Yvonne Nelson Very Disappointed. March 7, 2016. COMEDY ERRORSS: ISD BOSS HOT Some workers of the Information Services Department (ISD) are calling for the head of the Acting Director, Francis Kwarteng Arthur. OBINIM IS FAKE SAY PENTECOSTAL PASTORS The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (CPCC) has issued a rather strong worded statement against the conduct of Bishop Obinim, leader of the International Gods Way Church. BEREKUM CHIEF REJECTS GAY BOYS The real identities and roots of three gay boys whose nude pictures went viral on social media recently still remain unresolved. FOOD PRICES SOAR BY 50% IN JUST ONE YEAR Prices of most basic foodstuffs have shot up drastically over the last one year. ISD STAFF GO WILD OVER ERROR-RIDEN BROCHURE In a rare show of defiance and courage, staff of the Information Service Department (ISD) pubulicly stood their grounds and accused their boss of peddling untruth that the ISD produced the error-ridden brochure used for the celebration of Ghanas 59th Independence Day celebration. COP YOHUNOS FACEBOOK IMPERSONATOR GRABBED AT AGBOZUME A 19-year-old junior high school drop-out resident at Agbozume in the Volta Region was last Saturday arrested by the cybercrime division of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) OF THE Ghana Police Service for impersonating COP Christian Tetteh Yohumo, Director General, Operations. SOEs FACE PUBLIC FUNDING CUT Government has tasked state-owned enterprises to borrow on their strength of their own balance sheets and stop the over-reliance on central government for funds to execute their projects. GHANA-MAN-TIME KILLING ECONOMY Chairman of the National Media Commission, Kwasi Gyan Apenteng, has said Ghanaians attitude to time management is an age-long problem that must be seen as an area of huge policy implications. A one day workshop for Ghanaian and Nigerian journalists to sensitize them on the National single window has been held at the Royal senchi, Akosombo, in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The workshop, organized by West Blue consulting afforded journalists the opportunity to understand what the national single window is about and the benefit it is to the country when fully implemented. The country has already started benefitting from the National Single Window as the Ghana custom exceeded its revenue target for last year as a result of significant improvement in the processes at the port. The national single window which was initiated in 2015 by government is A facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized information and documents with a single entry point to fulfill all import, export and transit related regulatory requirements. It brings together all the relevant agencies in the export and import chain to a single platform to reduce the human element thereby improving efficiency and increase government revenue. According to west blue, the Ghana National Single Window will simplify, standardize and harmonize trade processes within the various agencies and will be integrated within the national single window framework. These processes will cover the financial, regulatory and the ports and logistics procedures of the international trade supply chain. Opening the one day workshop, the Chief Executive Officer of West Blue, Ghana, Valentina Mintah, recognized the media as an important tool for national development hence the need to sensitize personnel for effective partnership for institutional building and nation building. According to her African importers and exporters are not competitive on the international market largely because of excessive bureaucracy which leads to number of days to complete import and export processing and their attendant cost. Chief Executive Officer of West Blue, Ghana, Valentina Mintah But the CEO said the introduction of the national single window platform will cure the bureaucracy in the system by reducing the human interface, increase transparency, fast processing and reduce cost. A Single Window is a one-stop to exchange information between traders and government agencies. It greatly reduces the complexity, time and costs involved in international trade she said. According to World Banks Trading Across Border Report 2016, Ghana is ranked 171 out of 189 countries globally and 36 in sub- sahara Africa out of 47 countries. Government, according to West blue is committed in ensuring that the National Single Window is fully implemented and it has received full support from the Ghana custom service and all industry players. The single window will provide the necessary technical, architectural and administrative support for Ghana custom to take over the pre arrival classification and valuation process for import and export. Many countries, including developing countries and transition economies, regard Single Window as an important instrument to increase the competitiveness of their national economy. Some Ghanaian Journalists who attended the workshop spoke to Modern Ghana and this is what they have to say the workshop was an eye opener. It helps us to understand the processes in the international trade chain, the difficulties and the need for Ghana to embrace the National Single Window to generate more revenue for national development. They, therefore, declare their commitment in ensuring that the National Single Window framework becomes a success. 09.03.2016 LISTEN |The Land and the people.| Oral tradition has it that, the founding fathers of Awutu in the Central Region of Ghana migrated from inland Volta, along the Volta river till they reached the sea shore trekking westward. They halted at a place called Awutu Ampi(Awutu Rocks) which is sometimes described as Bleku Abo(sky-god Bleku's rock) at Lanma, about eleven miles west of Accra which today forms the boundary line between Accra and Awutu, popularly called Mile eleven. It is believed that the Awutu arrived somewhat later than the Ga Mashi who settled near Nkorang(Anglicized Accra). The dialect of the Awutu is Guan variants of which are spoken in Gonna and Lartehs. The word " AWUTU AMASA" which means the three Awutu states refers to Awutu-Effutu-Senya district. These three states have so many things in common. The immigrant Awutu people arrived under the leadership of King Whettey who had a lot of gold and brought his wealth with him( see M.J. Field "Social organization of the Ga people" 1940, p. 143). At Awutu Ampi, they camped on the Dampa hill and were organised in local patrilineal groups. The leading ones were known as "Dode, "Shiapa" and "Pete" and they worshipped the gods, "Odzobi" , "Afi Tutu" and "Odai Tutu" respectively. The immigrant leader belonged to the Dode lineage and possessing a stool(Pru) which is round with three handles, coated white annually and being kept in a room of its own apart from the two wars stools, one of which is in Larteh presently. Tradition indicates that the relationship between the various immigrant groups was cordial for each had something valuable to offer the other. The Adangmes were famous potters, the La were skilled makers of fire, the Ga Mashi supplied maize, the Awutus were renowned rain makers and the Akwamus specialised in warfare and hired themselves out as mercenaries.( see M.J. Field, "Awutu Bereku Story". Published by Speed will press, 1962, of 4.) The Ga Mashie under Ayi Kushi coveted the gold trinkets of King Wettey with which he was richly decorated and transferred their allegiance from Ayi Kushi to the Awutu king. This brought about constant quarrels between the two sides till they both died and were succeeded. Later, Dode Akaabi got married to a rich Ga slave dealer by name, Okai Mampong( already in the part 1). |The HEROINE, Dode Akaabi.| "DODE" means ancient and it has no relation with the Adangbe name, Dede. Her ascension to power as the first major female figure in Ga and indeed Gold Coast, history should certainly rank as a remarkable event attesting to the skills of this powerful personality. Dode Akaabi certainly displayed the ruthless decisiveness that has marked the careers of admired statesmen the world over. Her alleged atrocities aside, Dode Akaabi appears to have kept the kingdom intact. However, the manner of her death indicates a deeper degree of dissent among her subjects. Her regency and greatness is perhaps best analyzed in the context of her role in the evolution of chiefship in the Gold Coast. Until her ascension to power, chieftancy appeared to have been a male dominated affair. The chief in the theocratic state of Accra was by definition also a high priest or "wulomo". As the high priest could only be male, Dode Akaabi's rise to power necessarily entailed a schism between the powers of the "wulomo" and that of the King; this marked a secularization of Ga-Adangme politics and the concentration of religious authority in the hands of the "wulomei"( plural of wulomo). Since her authority, unlike her predecessors was no longer derived from privileged access to the deity, She had to formulate new methods of governance. This she did principally through the previous untried method of direct legislation which appears to have drawn the ire of her subjects. She brought a new magnificence to royalty by combining western culture with new standards of culture. She wore gold ornaments just as king Wettey. She emerges as a formidable figure whose rise as the first female political leader of the Gold Coast opened new vistas of power to her gender. She is generally believed to have introduced much display of jewellery and colourful attire into the institution of Chieftancy and some even attribute the custom of sitting on stools to Dode Akaabi. Prior to her rule, stools were mainly taken to war and held aloft to lift the spirit of the troops. She demanded to sit on the war stool to visually symbolize her authority over her subjects. She led her people to win so many wars and one of her war stools till date remains in the palace of Lartehs. It is accounted that, she led her people to war and were met by rain on their way back. She asked that the stool be taken to the Lartehs palace to prevent it from being beaten by rain and then moved on with her people. The people of Awutu under Dode Akaabi and other great rulers settled and ruled lands which they discovered like Ayawaso, Apetumi near the Apara hill, Obutu Ofankor, Obutu Dzrano, Awutu Kpehe, present day Kasoa, Kwabenya, Awutuakwa near Odorkor, Gbawe, Nsakina, Ablekuma, Anyaa amongst others. These are all places that were discovered and ruled by the Awutus. (Op. Cit. 1962,pg.3). |The Tragic Death Of Dode Akaabi.| Later, her lust for power increased considerably as she grew older and became a tyrant who could punish crime without mercy, often against the Ga people, who she accused of murdering her husband. One day, she ordered the deepening of a well at the foothills of a rock with their bare hands. As the hole deepened, they encountered hard rocks and decided to rebel; so they sent word to her that there was someone obstructing their work. Legend has it that Dode, enraged beyond endurance dashed to the workplace and quickly descended into the well to deal ruthlessly with the intruder. The rebels then closed in and stoned her to death and filled the well with stones.( somewhere around Nsakina stands that well). The myth is that, her ghost lived in the pit and to pacify her, annual sacrifices were performed till 1939,when a famous medicine man from Northern Ghana was commissioned by the Awutu elders to exorcise the her spirit out of the well and brought among its kinsfolk. The invisible ghost was seated upon a white horse and led in procession to Awutu where it was bidden to rest in peace.( Op. Cit. 1962, pg. 6) |The Fall of The Awutus.| Her son, Okaikoi succeeded the Ga throne of his father, Mampong Okai. Since he was not a member of the Dode-patrilineage, he was not eligible to succeed in Awutu. The Akwamuhene who was watching this dangerous event unfold, lost no time as he rushed his troops to take positions around the Okai koi hills during which many of the Awutus and the Gas deserted him. This unfortunate situation compelled Okai Koi to commit suicide on the battlefield by blowing himself up with a gun. Fear led to the scattering of the people and today, most of the Awutus can be found in the Awutu/Effutu/Senya Bereku traditional area in the Central Region of which main Awutu towns like Bawjiase, Obrachire, Bereku, amongst others. Reference. Http://gadangmenikasemoasafo.wordpress http://www.ghanaculture.gov.gh/index1 Credit. Kwame Ampene( founder of the Guan historical society( writer of the history of the Awutus) Mercy Asamani Mercedes mercedesrowe.blogspot.com [email protected] [email protected] 0263640914 Experiments, explosions, exciting science the Australian High Commission is proud to support Science Circus Africa, visiting Sci-Bono in Johannesburg on Wednesday 9 March. Featuring Dr Graham Walker from the Australian National University and Science ShowOffs, Science Circus Africa is a travelling roadshow of fun-packed interactive science which trains local teams and teachers along the way.The Sci-Bono shows will feature extraordinary science done with ordinary stuff, along with exotic experiments featuring liquid nitrogen, hydrogen, explosions and a volcano that erupts teddy bears! Australia's High Commissioner, HE Mr Adam McCarthy, said that Australia was pleased to help encourage an interest in science among school-aged children, and help build the capacity of science educators. Australia is pleased to support science education in South Africa and the region given our important and ground-breaking scientific collaboration on the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). We are particularly delighted that Dr Walker was able to make it out to the Karoo for an action-packed performance at a school close to the SKA site in partnership with SKA South Africa's schools program. Making science fun is important in encouraging young people to consider a future in science the possibilities are really endless, said Mr McCarthy. Dr Walker has been sharing science in South Africa since 2003 and has formed an enduring bond with the country and its people. I am delighted to be back in South Africa, especially as this visit has created new partnerships and programs around the SKA along with heaps of other exciting science, said Dr Walker. Science Circus Africa is travelling through South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from February to April 2016, following successful past projects in South Africa, Botswana, Mauritius, Malawi and Zambia that reached 55,000 people. The tour also features SKA programs in the Karoo and shows at Scifest Africa in Grahamstown. Science Circus Africa is supported by the Australian High Commission's Direct Aid Program, with assistance from the Australian National University. 09.03.2016 LISTEN The sages say truth is like a calabash. No matter how hard you try to submerge it under water, it will definitely 'pop' up. In fact, the more you try the more it will continue to pop up. The same sages say lies have shorter legs. Mr. John Dramani Mahama used nearly four hours in the chamber of parliament lying through his teeth only to be exposed barely three days later. NDC Parliamentarians who were waving white handkerchiefs after the president delivered his lame State of the Nation Address should be ashamed of themselves. Rashid Pelpuo, one of the wavers of white handkerchiefs and MP for Wa Central where Kperisi M.A Primary School is located was also smiling. This is the guy who described the donation of 500 dual desks to the pupils of Kperisi M.A Primary school by Dr. Bawumia as irresponsible. Shameless and Minister without portfolio at the Flagstaff House!!! Dr. Bawumia did not go to Wa to ostensibly expose the lies of the John Mahama led administration. The man went there to campaign and he happened to be told of the plight of the poor pupils of Kperisi M.A Primary School and he went there to see things for himself since seeing is believing. All along, Dr. Bawumia had never minced words to describe the John Mahama-led administration as incompetent, a word the president hates to hear. When the president was shouting from the rooftop that as far as education is concerned, no government in Ghana can match his achievement, I knew he will be exposed one day. What is interesting is that the exposure happened right at the doorsteps of his own people. You see how God works in mysterious ways? When I showed the pictures of the Kperisi pupils to my eighty five year old mother, she could not help but to disbelieve the story. As for my thirty-year old son who is a computer whiz-kid, he said he would not have believed the story but for Dr. Bawumia leaning down near one of the pupils in the picture. At first he thought the whole thing was photo shopped. In this 21st century, if pupils lie on their bellies to write then I think as a nation we are committing crime against humanity. I do not think Hon. Alban Bagbin and Rashid Pepuo would have been where they are today if he had been treated the way the pupils of Kperisi Primary School were treated. And yet this is happening at their own backyard. Monies used to bring so many persons from the three northern regions to showcase John Mahama's evidence-based presentation in parliament and the hotel bills of these jokers could have been used to provide at least two hundred dual desks for these poor children. The painful aspect of this Kperisi crime is that parents of these children are dye in the wool supporters of the ruling NDC. Mr. Mahama and his bunch of nation wreckers know that when elections come knocking on the door, all what they need to get the votes of these poor folks is to send pieces of clothes, salt, magi cubes and sometimes singlet, second hand cloths and a few Ghana cedis. The trick is very simple: impoverish them and make them smile when elections are knocking at the door A lot of the roads and schools that the president said in his delivery that his government has constructed are phantom ones. Many of them do not exist. What happened was that MMDCEs were asked to list projects that they have executed in their respective districts for the president to include in his boring State of the Nation Address. To safeguard their jobs and to mislead the president into thinking that his appointees did a yeoman's job, these MMDCEs and their respective Regional Ministers listed phantom projects. If the president did not know, anytime he mentioned a none-existing project as he was delivering the address, people who were watching him on television would laugh their hearts out. Mahama's appointees turned him into a laughing stock. Come to think of this my cherished reader, the whole thing was all about the state of the nation in 2015 but the president travelled down memory lane since he took over power. The guy goofed badly. The question was simple: how was the state of the nation in 2015? The handlers of the president are not doing him any good at all. Take the state of agriculture in 2015 for example. Because of the nose-dived of agriculture in 2015, Ghana had to import onions, tomatoes, cocoyam leaves, pepper and even cocoa beans in for local consumption. The Mass Cocoa Spraying project is more than dead because the NDC politicized the programme. Cocoa fertilizers were distributed to only known supporters of NDC and some ended up in Ivory Coast. It was not for nothing that the NPP administration introduced the fertilizer subsidy. In those days, the subsidy went a long way to help maize, tomato, beans and many crop farmers to increase their yield and food was cheap. These days, the NDC propagandists do not talk of mechanized farming and food buffer zone again. After distributing the three thousand tractors imported by the NPP to themselves and cronies, they have forgotten about mechanized farming. Maize is used to prepare many different types of food in Ghana and its production should be the concern of any government. Talk of Ga and Fante kenkey, tuozaafi, akpele, fomfom, banku, Hausa Koko etc and you cannot get any other raw material but maize. Ask market women who travel to places like Techiman, Nkoranza, Aborffour etc to buy maize for sale in places like Ho, Takoradi, Accra etc and they will tell you that if care is not taken Ghana may end up importing yellow corn for home consumption. Last year the heavens refused to open up for the rains to fall and since we do not use irrigation in farming activities in Ghana, anytime the rains refuse to fall farmers lose a lot. The president spent almost one and half hours on roads alone during his delivery forgetting that a soldier matches on his belly. As for agriculture the Mahama administration does not care a hoot. And did I hear the president telling Ghanaians during his address that the National Health Insurance is being re-engineered? Eh, Mahama! Were you not the one who spoke on ASTA FM, a local private radio station in Techiman during the 2008 electioneering campaign that the NHIS as it stood then, was not ideal and that when the NDC came to power you will introduce a one-term premium since people cannot afford to pay every year? Remember when the host asked you how you were going to be able to introduce a one-term premium you said since people pay VAT your administration will increase VAT to make the one-term premium possible. One For The Lioness Of Wa- Rosina Diedong She is a trained teacher who came a long way to become the Headmistress of Kperisi M. A. Primary School. She did not experience a situation where she and her mates sat on the floor to learn. In fact, she cried for the pupils but sadly she was not in the position financially to help the poor children. As the Headmistress of the school, she reported the plight of the children to her Municipal Director of Education and followed up to the Municipal Chief Executive but nothing good came out of her desperate quest to get furniture for the pupils. And so the Wa lioness decided to go public by inviting the media to cover the plight of the children so that a Good Samaritan may come to their aid. TV3 took the challenge and flashed the disturbing video which went viral. Enter Dr. Alhaji Bawumia. Coincidentally the economist was in the Municipality and so he decided to visit the school to see things for himself. He did not only see the mess but ordered 500 dual desks for the poor pupils of Kperisi M.A Primary School. The funny aspect of the whole scenario is that before the Bawumia dual desks could be supplied, the MCE and the Municipal Director of Education shamelessly took some dual desks to the Kperisi Primary School. Ah, so dual desks were available and the MCE and MDE decided to punish these poor children? If this had happened in other jurisdictions, the heads of the MCE and MDE would have rolled like the way Fu Manchu did to his enemies in the olden days in China. What sort of absurdity is this? Information this writer gathered is that NDC officials in Wa are scheming for the Headmistress to be transferred to a remote area as a sort of punishment. They can do their worse but what matters is that the lady is now a hero. History is made from such bold stances. If there is anything called 'Changing Life and Transforming People, Dr. Alhaji Bawumia and Madam Rosina Diedong have changed the lives of the pupils of Kperisi M.A Primary School. The rest is history. Eric Bawah 09.03.2016 LISTEN Some workers of the Information Services Department (ISD) are calling for the head of the Acting Director, Francis Kwarteng Arthur. This follows the ISD's issuing of a release accepting responsibility for the error-laden brochure used for the 59th Independence Day parade in Accra last Sunday, March 6, which depicted the Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, as President of Ghana. The embattled ISD boss, in a shocking development, revealed that the Flagstaff House approved the error-ridden brochure for publication. Mr Arthur told angry workers of the Department that the final work did not come from his outfit and that the Flagstaff House designed and printed the brochure after he had produced the content. He indicated that ISD was actually charged with providing the content for the brochure at a communications sub-committee meeting. After his outfit had agreed to do that, he said he called the Deputy Director in-charge of Publishing to discuss the content, after which work started. His deputy submitted the final work to him on February 29, which was then forwarded to a designer at the Flagstaff House communications bureau, where Stan Dogbe, a presidential staffer, is the boss. The work forwarded to me, I forwarded to the designer who is at the Flagstaff House communications bureau and a member of the communications sub-committee for the 59th anniversary celebrations, the ISD boss stated. I had a dummy of what was to go into the final work. I read it and upon reading it, I realised there were a few grammatical and typo errors here and there so I did call my team and did indicate to them that they should get someone to do proofreading. He also argued that he felt he was not fit to proofread the draft because he came up with the content; hence, the need for someone else to do the proofreading. Mr. Arthur further intimated that the Friday before the Independence Day Celebrations, he visited the Flagstaff House and saw the communications team proofreading the brochure so he felt the mistakes would be taken care of. Errors Noticed However, Mr. Arthur asserted that when he had a look at the brochure in the morning of the parade, he still noticed some errors, prominent among them was the description of the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, as the President of Ghana. When I saw the final output, I noticed that His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta has been misrepresented as the President of Ghana and you have 3,000 copies. The dilemma was, should the parade go ahead without the brochure or should the parade go ahead with the brochure? the Acting Director of ISD claimed. Despite full awareness of the dilemma and the possibility of a backlash, Mr. Arthur stated he still decided to let the mistake-ridden brochure feature at the celebration. I must state here that I took the decision that the brochure should go out and indeed the brochure went out We finished with the programme and on Sunday I met with my team and asked the way forward because I anticipated that we had a very big issue coming up, he maintained. According to Mr. Arthur, the ISD is the Public Relations outfit of the government and if there was any communication problem, it had to initiate damage control. I took the decision as the chairman to the communications sub-committee and in my capacity as the acting director of the Information Service Department to put out a statement. I did put out the statement and I sent to my superiors to have a look at the statement and I impressed upon them that as the PR arm of government, the damage control begins with me. ISD Staff Anger Ghana became a laughing stock after a series of blunders were spotted in the brochure. It was full of poor grammar, awful spelling, badly constructed sentences, as well as shocking colloquial expressions with the description of the green colour in the national flag as 'dark green.' According to the workers, the ISD was not in-charge of the designing and printing of the brochure and therefore could not understand why Mr. Arthur should issue an apology letter accepting responsibility for what the Department had not done. They are holding that his action had brought the name of the ISD into disrepute, hence their call for his removal. When DAILY GUIDE visited the ISD office in Accra yesterday, the situation was tense as the Director and the entire staff were locked up in a meeting for close to two hours. The meeting, the paper gathered, was organised by the irate workers to demand retraction and apology from the Acting Director for the statement issued. . One worker, who demanded not to be named, told DAILY GUIDE that she did not understand why the Acting Director should kowtow to the whims of politicians when clearly the ISD had nothing to do with the brochure. Forged Letterhead They claimed the letterhead used for the apology letter was forged since the original ISD letterhead has always come with black and white background. Besides, there was no way Mr Arthur could have written such a letter without a reference. The Acting Director, after the long meeting with the staff, spoke to the media after an initial hesitation. He said, As Acting Director for the Information Service Department, I issued a press release apologising for the in-adequacies that were realised in the brochure.I assume full responsibility for the content of the press release. I issued the statement in my capacity as the Acting Director of ISD and again as the Chair of the Communications sub-committee of the National Planning Committee of the 59th Independence Anniversary. After meeting with my colleague, I acknowledged that I should have issued the statement in my capacity as the chair for the Communication sub-committee of the National Planning Committee of the 59th Independence Anniversary and not as ISD Director. I have spoken with my people and I have explained to them why I issued a statement as ISD boss, which they are not particularly enthused aboutI have listened to their suggestions and I am prepared to move along with my team collectively. Mr. Arthur, after addressing the media, refused to answer questions asked by journalists. DAILY GUIDE has gathered that the workers had not been happy about the conduct of Mr Arthur since he assumed office, which they asserted had made work difficult at the Department. The ISD has its own printing press that normally does printing for national events, but for the past five years the place has been idle, provoking anger among staff. Kenya Derides Ghana An online report in nairobinews.nation.co.ke outlined the mistakes made in the brochure while making a mockery of Ghana. The report stated, Ghana made a farce of its Independence Day celebrations after government officials confused Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta to be their own head of state in the official programme. The brochure for the event had other embarrassing errors, including wrong facts about Ghana's economic status and its location on the world map. Images of the brochure distributed to the guests during the celebrations in the capital city, Accra, have gone viral and exposed the Ghanaian government to ridicule. A journalist based in Ghana attached to Euronews shared a photo of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Ghanaian counterpart, John Dramani Mahama, sharing a light moment during the ceremony while looking at the error-filled brochure. Ghana is now recognised as having attained low-income status in the world, the brochure stated in part. The West African country is actually considered a middle-income economy. The brochure also stated that Ghana is strategically positioned on the equator, making her the centre of the globe. And like the sun, she radiates light to all parts of the world. A letter from the ISD has since apologised for the numerous errors in the brochure for an event considered as one of the country's most significant on the calendar. But even the apology bore a wrong date January 12, 2016 instead of March 7, 2016. By Cephas Larbi [email protected] 09.03.2016 LISTEN The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman for the Nhyiaeso Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Alfa Kwadwo Fiato has been beaten to death by unknown assailants. The chairman, also a building contractor, was returning from the Brong Ahafo Region to Kumasi on Sunday when the unfortunate incident happened. According to reports, he realized that the road was blocked only to be attacked by some heavily armed men who were hiding in the surrounding thicket. The armed men gave him a severe beating after robbing him of his, car, money and other belongings and threw him into a drain close by. A good Samaritan who stumbled on him rushed him to the Kwadaso hospital where he reportedly died. Meanwhile the wife, Helena Fiato has called on the police to expedite investigations into the issue that led to her husband's death. She also wants the perpetrators arrested. The deceased was 46 years old and left behind a wife and three children. One of the self-acclaimed homosexuals 09.03.2016 LISTEN THE REAL identities and roots of three gay boys whose nude pictures went viral on social media recently still remain unresolved. This follows a pronouncement by Nana Kumtwe Sasraku, the Gyasehene of Berekum, that the teenagers are not from the town (Berekum). He has consequently cautioned people who have been associating Berekum with the alien practice to stop that because it is tarnishing the image of the town and its people. Gay Pictures Nude pictures of three gay teenagers having carnal knowledge among themselves went viral on social media platforms like WhatsApp about four days ago, raising eyebrows. The 'nasty' pictures show one of the boys kneeling and sucking another's manhood as the other was penetrating him (the one doing the sucking) from behind. One of the nude pictures also shows a man who is wearing a woman's brazier with showy pink lips, clearly imitating how women dress. Another picture has a man on his knees being bonked from behind, as another depicts a naked man standing and proudly showing his big organ. Rumour . Initial reports on social media indicated that the gay boys are Ghanaians who hail from Berekum and reside there. It was, however, reported that the chiefs of the town were annoyed at the discovery of the nude pictures and so they had resolved to deal with the offenders if arrested. Chief's Report But the Berekum Gyasehene flatly debunked the report whilst speaking with United Television (UTV). In an angry tone, the traditional ruler also described as untrue speculations that he posted the nude pictures on social media. Setting the records straight, Nana Sasraku said he became curious when he saw the pictures on social media because the boys looked like Ghanaians. He said he became frightened after watching the pictures because the nasty things the boys were doing are averse to Ghana's rich culture. Nana Sasraku stated that he realised that if care was not taken, very soon Ghanaian teenagers (both sexes) would be engaging in same sex practices. In this regard, he said as a responsible chief, he quickly called a section of the media and strongly warned Ghanaian youth to abstain from same sex. FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr.,Kumasi Members of an NDC youth group say they are disappointed in the national, regional and constituency executives of the party for supporting Zanetor Rawlings when she is not eligible to stand as a parliamentary candidate. The NDC group - Klottey Korle Grassroots Supporters Network - said in a statement that Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings should not have been given the nod to contest in the primaries. It is this lapse that has dragged the name of our Party into disrepute and today, our Party is being discussed in the media in a negative light, a statement signed by group convener, Kester Korankye said. Although Zanetor Rawlings won the Klottey Korle primaries of the NDC hands down, there have been strong opposition to her candidacy with some questioning her eligibility to contest. Some party supporters say she is a registered voter, a claim that seems to have been corroborated by a leaked letter from the Electoral Commission. The Klottey Korle Grassroots Supporters Network say the revelation by the EC has not come as a surprise to them. We had our own reservations, and even petitioned the Founder of our Party who happens to be the father of Zanetor Rawlings to call our sister, his daughter, to order and convince her to step down from her overzealous ambition of running for Parliament when she did not qualify per the rules of the Party and the country, the statement said. Read the full statement below. PRESS STATEMENT BY GRASS ROOT SUPPORTERS NETWORK-KLOTTEY KORLE We members of the Klottey Korle Grassroots Supporters Network and staunch members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the party we unreservedly support with all of our hearts, are disappointed in the National, Regional and Constituency executives of our Party who presided over their mandated task of vetting persons who were interested in representing our party in this year's General Elections and allowed Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings whom they ought to have known right from the start did not qualify per the rules of the Party, the Constitution of the Party, and the Constitution of Ghana to contest the November NDC Parliamentary Primaries. It is this lapse that has dragged the name of our Party into disrepute and today, our Party is being discussed in the media in a negative light. We have sighted the letter from the Electoral Commission and read its contents revealing that Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings is not a registered voter on the Electoral Commission's National Voters' Register. This news does not surprise some of us since we have, from the very beginning, tried to draw the attention of our Party's structures to the ineligibility of Zanetor Rawlings to run on our ticket for Parliament. We had our own reservations, and even petitioned the Founder of our Party who happens to be the father of Zanetor Rawlings to call our sister, his daughter, to order and convince her to step down from her overzealous ambition of running for Parliament when she did not qualify per the rules of the Party and the country. There were other attempts by other members of our party in the Constituency to correct the wrong Zanetor's candidature posed to the fortunes of the Party in the constituency, yet all of these good-faith attempts to save the image of our Party and that of our sister from ridicule unfortunately fell on deaf ears. As members of the NDC, we always seek the fortunes of the Party and, at all times, we have demonstrated our willingness to support whoever our Party elects to run for any office on our Party's ticket as long as that person qualifies per the laws of Ghana and our Party. We in Klottey Korle supported Nii Armah Ashietey twice and he won the seat from the NPP for our party, changing the fortunes of the Party in the constituency that has currently become the most keenly contested in the country. We campaigned and worked so hard to see the united NDC that people are so eager to lead now. People sacrificed their time, resources and energy just so that NDC will dominate Klottey Korle like we see today. There were times when our Party's structures in the constituency were non-existent, yet people labored - traversing the entire constituency, from branch to branch and from ward to ward, holding meetings, assembling people and encouraging them to get dedicated to the cause of the Party. Hard work, sacrifice, selflessness, dedication and honesty saw us through all these years and kept our Party at the top of the Constituency. Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings has been dishonest with us, she has deceived us, the people of Klottey Korle, the NDC and the entire country, taking all of us for granted and wasting our time, energy and resources when she knew that she was unqualified to run for Parliament yet went ahead and picked nomination forms, went through the vetting process, initiated a campaign and actually contested for the NDC parliamentary primaries last November. We recall the look on her face on election day in November last year, as she went from polling station to polling station searching for her name in the register and seeking to give the impression that some person or group of persons had tried to disenfranchise her, when she knew all along that she was not a registered voter. Our dear Party and our sister Zanetor will clearly be further embarrassed if she is not called to order. No permanent structure can be built on zero and therefore we take this opportunity to advise our sister to rescind her decision to go ahead with her illegal bid to run for Parliament. As the High Court Judge said when he threw out her recent application if one is not eligible to contest the election because he or she is not qualified, he or she can at any time even after the General Elections be disqualified on the grounds that the election was a nullity. We demand an unqualified apology from Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings to the Party, the other contestants and we, the electorate in Klottey Korle, for taking all of us for granted and wasting our time. We also demand an immediate withdrawal of her Parliamentary Candidacy to allow her time to reflect on the wrongs she has perpetuated on us and ask for forgiveness from God. We, however, suggest that she gets an NDC branch in the Klottey Korle Constituency to register with and start active work if she will in future want to contest on our Party's ticket for Parliament. Finally we advise her to ensure that she doesn't miss the opportunity this time round when the EC opens for limited registration in April to put her name and records on the Electoral Commission register to guarantee her legal participation in our politics. Finally, it has been brought to our attention that there are plans being hatched to indefinitely suspend Hon Nii Armah Ashietey and Nii John Coleman so that after the EC opens for limited registration in April, our sister will register and the situation will be manipulated for her to go unopposed. We assure those planning that this is not the NPP. This is the great NDC built on accountability, probity and transparency. Our Founder is the great Jerry John Rawlings. He definitely and certainly will not orchestrate or allow persons to orchestrate the victimization of innocent party warriors who have toiled for this Party, simply to allow his ineligible daughter to run for Klotte Korle. We believe the truth shall stand tall at all times. Long live Klottey Korle NDC! Convener Nana Kwesi Aburam-Korankye (0248128784) Some female managers of UMB who were recently recognised 09.03.2016 LISTEN Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) has received the Gender Sensitivity In Branch Management Award 2015 at the 3rd National Women In Finance Awards held in Accra. The bank was recognized for being a respected institution within the finance industry, which has innovatively pushed an equitable number of its female staff to occupy respected leadership positions at the branch management level. The Women in Finance Awards recognizes women finance professionals, who have distinguished themselves in their careers and have had a significant impact on their organizations and industry both in Ghana and Africa. It also recognizes organizations that have consistently championed the cause of women in the finance industry. Receiving the award on behalf of UMB, the Acting Head of Human Resources of the bank, Mary Anderson, expressed UMB's appreciation to the award organizers for this special recognition. This award is a strong endorsement of UMB's long history of and commitment to creating equal opportunities for women to advance in the company. As a company, we have reaped and continue to reap the fruits of having exceptional women working for us as some of our most profitable branches are managed by women Commenting on the award, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UMB, John Awuah, also expressed his delight at the recognition and indicated that even though the award was for Gender Sensitivity in Branch Management, UMB has several women occupying leadership positions in the bank. He specifically mentioned that the bank currently has three women on its senior management team, with several others leading some of the most important departments of the bank. We will continue to ensure that women have equal opportunities at UMB, he added. 09.03.2016 LISTEN Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur in a handshake with Mohammed Hussain Al-Failakaw Mohammed Hussien Alfailakaw, Kuwait's Ambassador to Ghana, has disclosed that the Kuwait government has loaned $158 million to Ghana to undertake various projects. He said the loans are to help Ghana manage its energy, water and sewerage sectors, construct hospitals, schools, roads and develop and revive lakes. Hussien Alfailakaw made this known at the celebration of the 52nd National Day of Kuwait and the 25th Grand National Liberations Day in Accra recently. He said loans granted to Ghana through the Kuwait Fund for Economic Development are interest-free. The Ambassador said Kuwait continues to grant a number of interest-free loans to Ghana, stating that Kuwait recently granted $24 million to Ghana to help build and upgrade 26 Senior High Schools (SHSs). . On the humanitarian front, the charitable and humanitarian institutions and organization have also contributed immensely through the contributions of philanthropists from the people of Kuwait in building schools, clinics, mosques, orphanages, as well as boreholes in Ghana, Hussien Alfailakaw said. He said the diplomatic ties between the state of Kuwait and Ghana dated as far back as 1974. The diplomatic relationship between the two countries had been steadily and continuously growing, Hussien Alfailakaw said. By Cephas Larbi [email protected] Ghanaians have been advised to be proud of their rich cultural heritage especially in the face of todays technological advancement. Speaking to News Ghana in an exclusive interview after a cultural festival organised by Liberty American School in Accra, the Principal of Liberty American School Mr. Christopher Alkins, added that, there is a need for Ghanaians to develop positive characters towards made in Ghana goods in order to promote the Ghanaian culture. According to him, it is in this regard that Liberty American School (LAS) in Ghana has marked a cultural festival dubbed: "Ghana Day" in Accra to commemorate this year's Independence Day. The festival which was celebrated in grand style at the school premises in Accra, attracted various artisans across the ten regions in Ghana to showcase their latest products in order to help promote Ghanaian culture and locally manufactured products in the country. He noted that, even though the School, is a Christian educational institution that runs the American curriculum, they still inculcate the Ghanaian culture in the pupil. More so, the cultural festival granted the pupils to exhibit the Ghanaian culture from the various regions through poetry, music and drama to the admiration of the gathering. The Principal advised the youth to discard the idea of migrating to foreign lands just to seek greener pastures. This, he said, they should rather endeavour to be entrepreneurs in their own country in order to become economically independent. Miss Ghana 1st Runner Up, 2015 Afua Asieduwaa Akrofi also seized the opportunity to grace the occasion. Liberty American School (LAS) is an international school, focused on building a highly competitive younger generation who can effectively adjust to emerging trends while guided by eternal truth. The Agona West Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Mr. Samuel Oppong has disclosed that H. E John Dramani Mahama led NDC government is committed towards improving quality education in Ghana. "Over the past few years, the central government has assisted the Agona West Municipal Assembly to distribute mono and dual desks to basic and second cycle schools in the municipality" he said. "The Assembly has also assisted students in both second cycle and tertiary institutions financially to complete their education with two students awarded a full sponsorship to complete their midwifery programme" he added. According to him Agona West Municipality had benefited from the 123 community Senior High Schools that have been constructed across the country by the NDC government. "This school is being constructed at Agona Abodom. This school will particularly serve students around Abodom, Bobikuma and Kukurantumi all these are meant to improve standard of education in Agona West Municipality" he said. The Agona West MCE made this known in an address he delivered at the 59th Independence Day Parade organized by the Assembly at Agona Swedru in the Central Region on Sunday. I know that some section of the public hold opposite opinions to the fact that H. E President John Dramani Mahama has performed creditably in the educational sector knowing very well that education is the key to national development" According to the Municipal Chief Executive, the NDC government since assuming power in 2009 has been committed to providing educational infrastructure such as classroom blocks, libraries, teachers quarters, ICT centers and dormitories among others dotted all over the country stressing the need for President John Dramani Mahama to be given the second term of office to complete the Better Ghana Agenda. The Agona West Municipal Director of Education, Mr. Stephen Richard Amoah called on the Ghanaians to emulate the shinning example of our forefathers and foremothers who fought to build one united nation in spite of various ethnic cleavages, clans, religious and profession. He noted that they did so based on the understanding that with equality comes appropriate social protection for the vulnerable as well as for the downtrodden. "Our independence was achieved through high level of discipline, sacrifice and selfless dedication. Our forefathers and mothers felt that political independence held the key to unlock the challenges that were being imposed by ignorance, disease, illiteracy and poverty. This is why I encourage every Ghanaian to emulate them. They held the view that those challenges were affecting the productive capacity of the citizenry and the socio-economic transformation of the society" The Municipal Director concluded " As we are confronted with many challenges, the only way we can tackle them as a nation and more specifically as people of Agona West is through quality education delivery" Security forces, students drawn from selected basic and second cycle schools and hairdressers took part in the celebration Earlier on Saturday, the Agona West Municipal Assembly organized a massive clean up exercise along the principal streets of Agona Swedru. The over four hour exercise saw personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service, the Ghana Police Service, BNI, Traders, drivers and traditional rulers taking active part to usher in the 59th Anniversary of Ghana's Independence. 09.03.2016 LISTEN I have read with disgust a publication in some electronic and print media on the 2nd March 2016, written by one Awal Mohammed who claims to be a deputy National communications Officer of the NDC Zongo Caucus, on the School Feeding Programme. It is evident that the writer is either ill-informed about the whole programme or has a diabolical intent and has therefore made it a business to fabricate and concoct falsehood against my personality and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government of 2001-2008. In the said publication captioned School Feeding Not a Brainchild of NPP the writer alluded to the fact that in 2003, the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, established the UN Hunger Taskforce (UNHTF) together with AUs NEPAD (New Partnership for Africas Development) and subsequently designed the Home-grown School feeding policy as part of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development; as a result the School Feeding programme was initiated and piloted in Ghana, thus implying that it could not have been my initiative and by extension that of the NPP government. Subsequently I wish to respond to the said article as per below(in my capacity as the idea generator and a former Executive Chairman of the Programme) that the assertion by Awal Mohammed does not only lack merit but its baseless, empty and hollow in thinking and should therefore be disregarded by all well-meaning citizenry. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE UN HUNGER TASK FORCE Indeed the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan did establish the Hunger project but as a universal (Global) policy that remained in the statute books of many UN member countries including Ghana. This meant that a government needed to have a country specific action plan as a show of commitment to implement the Hunger project, an effort the state (Ghana) never made until 2005 when I personally walked to my government party leader and president, John Agyekum Kuffuor to speak to him about my intentions to set up the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). HISTORY BEHIND GSFP ESTABLISHEMENT In early part of 2003 I established an office to fight Hunger and Poverty and held several media engagements to create awareness on the programme resulting in Ghana becoming a member of the international alliance against hunger. Subsequently I founded some civil society groups; UNFAO RIGHT TO FOOD PROGRAMME as well as CIVIL SOCIETY AGAINST HUNGER AND POVERTY with the intent of serving as pressure groups that will keep government on its toes as far as agriculture and food policy initiation and implementation are concerned. During this period I was invited on a prestigious programme by the US government, state department, in conjunction with USA alliance against hunger, for me to tour various institutions including primary schools and their feeding programme, department of agriculture etc. The final destination in USA was in New York City at Columbia University. At lunch, on the invitation of the Dept of Earth Science, Columbia University, Dr. Pedro Sanchez, Director of Tropical Agriculture and Director of UN Millennium Village Project (UNMVP), a colleague of Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, a renowned economist took me through a whole lecture period on hunger and poverty on themes that I knew I had expressed in my various publications. To utmost surprise they pulled out an old publication of mine on hunger and poverty. Great shock! They agreed with my ideas, except that they wanted the proposed programmes on hunger to hinge on small scale farming whiles I was for large scale. The rest of the trip took me to Rome at UN-FAO and World Food Programme, and the resultant expectation was that Ghana needed to act to save its children from extreme hunger. By the time I got back to Ghana I had schemed how I would impress then President John Agyekum Kuffuor to accept the idea of establishing the Ghana School feeding programme. I visited the President at his airport residence soon after my return, discussed the idea with him. To my surprise, President John Agyekum Kuffuor bought into the idea and asked me to prepare a write up on how best to initiate and establish the programme, which he accepted and this was the birth of the Ghana School Feeding Programme. I went on air to announce it the following day. At this moment I knew nothing about any country effort at establishing a similar programme as part of the UN Hunger Taskforce (UNHTF) programme, perhaps one may call it sheer coincidence but obviously the two could not have been the same!! FORMATION AND OPERATION I began by setting up the structures: technical committee of chief or deputy director of all relevant ministries, selected nutritionists and caterers among other required stakeholders I sent a paper with elaborate descriptions; road map; budget etc. etc. to H.E the president. This was around June 4th and I had lots of discussions with the government thereafter. The programme started in October 2004, practicalising it, and actually feeding the children at the pilot stage of one primary school per region; expanding it within few months to one school per district. MY ACHIEVEMENTS At the time of my exit from office at the executive chairman of the GSFP, the programme fed over 600,000 pupils daily from an initial 2,000 in 4 years, and had provided jobs for hundreds of caterers and market for food sellers. The programme also won several recognitions and acknowledgements from the Brazilian and Italian governments including a citation by one of the Dutch government representative Ein Horn which sought to commend my personal effort and contribution to the implementation of the programme. The sum of it all was that, the programme won the hearts and minds of the majority of ordinary Ghanaians, and was overly appreciated by poor and hungry children who found satisfaction in it. For want of time and space I would like to leave the rest of this aspect to history. RESPONSE TO SPECIFIC ALLEGATIONS BY AWAL MOHAMMED Nana Addo did not lie by stating that President Kuffuor and NPP initiated and established the GSFP If its true that President Rawlings signed the millennium development goals of which the Hunger Project was a part, then Awal Mohammed should rather see how visionless purposeless his NDC government was by not making any country specific effort to establish it until the NPP through my initiation got it underway. Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo was therefore on point when he gave credit to President Kuffuor and the NPP for its establishment during the NPPs delivery of the real State of the Nations Address. Alleged malfeasance against me by Price Water House Coopers This has been a constant propaganda by the NDC and its lying communications masses despite the obvious evidence that I did no wrong (be it financial or administrative malfeasance). I have on several occasions through various media explained the true state of affairs which has been accepted by well-intended Ghanaians, except the NDC and their propagandist lyres! Indeed these allegations started from within my own party government when some unscrupulous, selfish and dubious minded persons within the NPP fabricated allegations of malfeasance against me in an effort to get me out of the GSFP. Confident of no wrong doing I personally invited and opened my doors to the state auditing group; the Auditor Generals department to conduct a thorough audit after which they found me NOT guilty of any financial malpractice, fraudulent activity, embezzlement or whatever (April 2009 Auditor Generals Report). In short, all the noises, allegation of fraud, false accusations and witch hunting had been done without any foundation of truth. I WAS TOTALLY AND ABSOLUTELY EXONERATED! Unsatisfied, my detractors some of whom wielded strong powers in government commissioned another audit through the international audit firm-Price Water House Coopers (which Awal referred to) and I dare say again that they did not find me guilty of any wrong doing of any sort and so Awals assertion cannot be correct in any way. I therefore dare this so called NDC communicator to either come out with the evidence or forever shut up! Else. I will not rule out the option of seeking legal redress in court to clear my hard won reputation. Indeed the findings of Price Water House rather found some two officers culpable of malfeasance in their respective offices, and that obviously could not be attributed to me. To further prove my innocence I sued the state in another famous suit; Dr. KWAME AMOAKO TUFFUOR VERSUS ATTORNEY GENERAL (THE SUPERIOR COURT JUDICATURE IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE FAST TRACK DIVISION ACCRA-A.D 2O11) Suit number AHR 29 / 2011. Among the several claims, I challenged the Presidency for sacking me without any wrong doing and for non-payment of salary arrears from 2004-2008 and damages for my destroyed reputation, hurt integrity and personal anguish. In my personal thought, I was inherently and inadvertently providing an opportunity for the state to prove their so called malfeasance against me, which they together with some NDCS had trumpeted, for the entire world to see and hear the truth. At the end of the trial, I won against the state again thus cementing my integrity and safeguarding my image as an honest and incorruptible personality whose reputation remains unblemished. It is worth noting that, as at today, the STATE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO PAY me the judgement debt awarded by the Court for wrongful dismissal. I am therefore able to conclude that the Presidencys dismissal was nothing but A PRIVATE POLITICAL DECISION. CONCLUSION From the foregoing, it obvious and empirically clear that, the NPP through my initiation gave birth to the GSFP; a credit no one can deny us for. It is also unambiguous that I Dr. Kwame Amoako Tuffuor did no wrong and all records to that effect are of public knowledge for any doubting Thomas to access. So to Awal Mohammed and his NDC propagandist, this is the real truth and I dare anyone with a contrary fact to prove it or forever learn to speak this truth! Thank You The African Union (AU) joins the international community to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, while also reviewing past progress of women's development and looking ahead at future opportunities for women, especially in the African continent. The celebration of the International Women's Day today Tuesday 8th of March 2016, at the AU headquarters featured a series of activities including an African Debate on the motion: Electoral Laws should facilitate Gender Parity. Holding under the theme Agenda 2063: A Pledge for Gender Equality the event at the African Union took place in the presence of H.R Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E Ahmat Awad Sakine, Chair of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) AND Ambassador of the Republic of Chad, the AUC Deputy Chairperson, Mr. Erastus Mwencha, the AU Commissioners, Members of the PRC, and invited guests among others. Dr. Dlamini Zuma began by thanking the participants for the mass mobilization around the issues discussed during this celebration regarding women's development in the continent and the world at large. I would like to thank you all for joining us and especially for standing as witnesses to all the pledges that have been made by the African Union Commission's Departments and other stakeholders committing to implementing at least two high impact actions that support gender equality and women's empowerment in furtherance of Agenda 2063......I can assure you that these are not empty pledges, as the AUC will develop a performance management plan that will track and report on progress, capture lessons learned and best practices as well as outcomes that will inform future decision-making on the implementation of gender equality and women's empowerment in the AU Underscored the AUC Chairperson. H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma highlighted the importance of the role of women within the continent saying, women like men have equal rights and these rights are entitlements not a privilege. She underscored the need for laws, noting that Africa has to move a step further to embedding champions that will convince law makers that laws are important and should be implemented. If women are not active in political parties, gender parity will never be achieved and therefore women and progressive men must be active in political parties said the AUC Chairperson. Dr. Dlamini Zuma further stressed on the need for African women to work hand-in-hand with progressive men and make the men understand that establishing gender parity is not a favor but it is a right which must be given. Ambassador Ahmat Awad in his remarks supported the course and pledged to working together with stakeholders and partners to bring a stop to violence and all forms of discrimination which affects women and children in the continent. In addition, the Chairperson of the PRC appealed to the AUC Chairperson to have an active participation of the AU Heads of State in mainstreaming gender development in political parties and decision making organs at national, regional and continental levels. Women should be policy-makers; they should be part of the legislative and constitution of their respective communities, what a man can do a woman can also do. said the Chair of the PRC. Speaking earlier Mrs. Mahawa Kaba Wheeler, Director of Women Gender Development of the AUC recalled that IWD celebrations creates an opportunity for women and men to come together, network and organize themselves for social transformation, anchored on values and principles that ensure enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. The commemoration of this day, she said, accords nations the opportunity to marshal efforts to strengthen women's rights and their participation in social, economic and political development. In order to improve the involvement and participation of women at all sphere of life, the Women, Gender and Development Directorate (WGDD) of the African Union Commission (AUC) organized a Zumba dance fitness activity geared towards the promotion of wellness as an ingredient to achieving the goals of Agenda 2063. The Zumba dance brought together all AU staff, Friends and well wishers on the 7th March 2016 an energetic momentum to kick-start the International Women's Day (IWD) . 09.03.2016 LISTEN O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts, and men have lost their reason!" (William Shakespeare, in Julius Caesar) As happens to me most weeks, I have already received four very interesting video clips through the social media this week; three of them quite distressing, the fourth of which provides a ray of light for the future of Africa. The three gloomy clips come from Ghana: the first on the devastation that illegal Chinese miners have been causing to the environment of large swathes of arable farmlands, and even mature cocoa farms in the countryside. The second clip is on the fact that the President of the Republic of Ghana has caused to be built on the pristine grounds of Flagstaff (or Jubilee House, depending on your perspective), a warehouse or stonehouse, without the permission of the people of Ghana. The third clip concerns the error ridden official 59th Independence Anniversary celebration brochure that the people of Ghana probably paid through their noses in bribes, over invoicing and under invoicing for. The clip with good news concerns a huge gas discovery in Tanzania, whose announcement public and civil servants decided rightly to withhold until after crucial national elections in that country. At least eighty percent of the blame for the current sorry state of Ghana can be laid squarely at the feet of spineless and timid civil and public servants, who do not seem to be able to differentiate what is right for the nation and what is expedient for the thieving political class. Much of the problems that bedevil the country today could have been avoided if our civil service, in particular, had been as professional as the service was originally established to be. Instead the civil service that was touted to be one of the best in Africa and the developing world in general at Independence, today cannot even supervise an important document like a national celebration brochure that foreign dignitaries have taken to their countries. I will not be surprised if many of them threw theirs into the waste baskets in their hotel rooms before they booked out of them! What happened to the Ghana civil service that produced administrative gems like A L Adu, Robert Gardiner, K K Dadzie, K A Ghartey and others of years gone by? These were men who served the global civil service with distinction for years. Are we so bereft of reading material that we cannot learn and follow the golden paths that were beaten by these illustrious compatriots? Ironically, some of the worst culprits who pandered to the we no go sit down make them cheat we brigade that began the rot, were men and women who cut their teeth on the exploits of these distinguished civil and public servants of the immediate pre- and post-independence eras. For a pot of the crumbs under the table of buga buga soldiers, they sold their consciences and allowed unthinking so-called revolutionaries, who turned out to be the worst rogues in the annals of the rulership of Ghana, to destroy the finest of the nations institutions. At election time trained engineers allow themselves to be paraded on television lying through their teeth about the construction of non-existent roads and highways or badly constructed ones that would be washed away in the next rainy season. The Presidential residence Directly or indirectly, the presidency of Ghana has admitted that an unplanned construction has taken place at the residence of the President of the Republic of Ghana. I do not care what they call it or what the purpose for that construction is. The mere fact that it has been done, probably at an inflated price, with the peoples money, without their consent makes it illegal, despicable and environmentally detestable! In nearly every one of the so-called upmarket residential areas of Ghana, and particularly Accra and Kumasi, one finds unauthorised structures, many of them very badly constructed eyesores and often dangerous to the occupants of the main buildings. Even in army and police barracks, there are hencoops and other unsightly additions to official structures. And the reason these structures exist and continue to spring up all over the place is because the people that are paid by the taxpayer to enforce proper building regulations either couldnt care less or else take pitiful bribes and look the other way while they are built. If the President wants to bring the escaped guinea fowls back to Ghana, he can do so but not at the expense of this national monument. Yes, he and his late boss initially called it a hencoop, but he now lives there and therefore cannot continue to make it a hencoop! The galamsey devastation Driving through what used to be prime farmlands in the Western and Central Regions during my recent visit to Ghana, I could not stop myself shedding a tear for some of the most beautiful sites and memories of my childhood in the two regions. I could not make it to Kyebi where I spent part of my formative years, but my relations who still live there tell me that the story is the same. I read about Krobo Edusies we can do anything except change a man into a woman and vice versa as a child (poor Moke, he didnt live long to see it done routinely these days), but possibly the daftest election promise any politician ever made in Ghana has been Ata Mills I will legalise galamsey, if you vote for me offer. El Nino may have brought extreme weather conditions to parts of the country, but the drying and pollution of major rivers and streams in many parts of the Central, Western, Ashanti and Eastern Regions have their origins in that policy and Ghanaian politicians and their civil servant poodles who helped them bring in the poverty stricken Chinese to destroy our lands and colonise large tracts of our country must never be allowed to forget that crime against generations of Ghanaians unborn. Ghana has been importing plantain, grasscutters, and crabs from Cote dIvoire and carrots and other vegetables from Togo and beyond, for years. Apparently we are now importing cocoa beans from Cote dIvoire as well. With the Chinese invasion and the impunity with which they are destroying our water bodies, it will not be long before we start importing water from Cote dIvore and other places. Is this the independence we have just spent heavily to celebrate, botching even that big time in the process? Good news from Tanzania Because of the perennially depressing news from every corner of the African continent, I seem to always end my pieces with bad news. For today, however, there is good news. Public and civil servants in Tanzania decided late last year, to defy pressures from the politicians to delay the announcement of a huge discovery of gas on land, so as not to give undue advantage to one group of politicians or other. The technocrats decided that the good news belonged to the people of Tanzania, and not even a morale boosting joy at Christmas was worth getting pompous politicians to behave as if their pee formed the gas in the ground 175 million years ago. They supressed the news until after the elections! Well done, guys. Are the bosses of GNPC, the Electoral Commission, The Statistical Service of Ghana, the Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service and Chamber of Mines listening? You do not owe anything to these selfish politicians. They will only use you and dump you like rags. When you retire, you will need Korle Bu and Gee to help manage your health in your twilight years. You better make sure that the health institutions in the country are well resourced. The crooks will abandon you to your own fate, while they fly to South Africa and elsewhere to treat their piles! Would you really like your grandchildren to learn one day that you were part of the men and women who sold their consciences for rat-infested government bungalows? I shall return with my beaded gourd, God willing. Naana Ekua Eyaaba has an overarching interest in the development of the African continent and Black issues in general. Having travelled extensively through Africa, the Black communities of the East Coast of the United States as well as London and Leeds (United Kingdom), she enjoys reading, and writes when she is irritated, and edits when she is calm. You can email her at [email protected] , or read her blog at https://naanaekuaeyaaba.wordpress.com/. 09.03.2016 LISTEN Cattle grazing should not be a cross country menace across West Africa with Fulanis philosophy that only God owns land. No ethnic group does in this century; because they only provide a marginal amount of Africas meat supply. It is about time their masters who are the real owners of the cattle measure up. They either provide modern facilities to feed their cattle where they are or face massive outrage in each of these countries treating them as cross-country terrorists. The appeasement of granting grazing rights on properties that do not belong to them deprive the owners their wish to use their land as they see fit. It is myopic, dense and opportunistic. One would expect better cerebral solutions from the Schools of Agriculture in the universities and colleges of any country. Are they going to each country to negotiate land or just creating attraction for other Fulani into one privileged country until they run out of grazing land again? Another philosophy within Fulani is that the life of a cow is more precious than that of human. If that philosophy is limited to their communities, as if that is not bad enough, extending it to their hosts in each of the country they invade raises a moral problem apart from economic and precious loss of lives. It becomes a clash of cultures, religions and laws. The Hausa in Nigeria have been dominated by Fulani for over a century now. Hausa are proud people with their own indigenous civilized way of life and religion that ruled some of the Great Empires of West Africa. Today Hausa children of kings and queens are most of the impoverished talikawa in West Africa. Generally spread but mostly prominent in Nigeria as Fulani dominate the Hausa. Unfortunately, Hausa have taken to the philosophies and religion of their captors. Indeed, any Hausa that does not claim a lineage to Fulani, can neither become a religious nor a political leader. So, no matter how dark skin or African they are, their ultimate goal in life is to emulate the Fulani and pledge allegiance to Saudi Arabia like their master. But, they are not that different from African Christians that pledge allegiance to Christian, Canterbury or Pope as some even claim they are the Africa lost tribe of Israelis. Yet each argue about who are converts. This background is important to understand the mentality of Africans when they convert to a religion that has no foundation in their culture other than to receive order from Mecca, Rome or Jerusalem. So when Fulani claim that only Gods owns the land and the life of cows is more precious than that of a man, you must understand where the Hausa charlatans came from. The owners of the cows are their oppressors that keep them uneducated so that they would not make demands from their selfish leaders. Their leaders are rich and they fat on talikawa that worship them like gods. The intention of their leaders is to use them as foot soldiers to accomplish their wish of acquiring other peoples land. Whenever their grazing cows destroy farms and settlement and the people complain, they get tacit support from their oppressors. The homeless have little to lose in violent clashes with hosts except their cows. Nobody in this day and age roam cross country grazing cattle as a profession. Actually, some have branched out into farming, motorbike hawkers and others have moved up by going to schools. But their oppressors prefer them as cowboys rearing cattle across the countries. It keeps them down and ignorant, they cannot ask for better jobs because they are away from home most of the time. This is what is going on in Nigeria as well as other countries. The difference in Nigeria is that Fulani have used their Hausa number to their advantage. As mentioned above, Hausa make up the majority of the talikawa. They are forced to leave home and if they cannot farm or rear cattle, they become beggars on the streets all over Nigeria. Only few of them can afford stable homes or houses. So they move from street to street or congregate in open areas turned slums. Most of them were peaceful apart from the begging harassment on the streets. But lately, they are growing wings by becoming armed robbers watch-out dogs, easy recruits as charlatans and thugs. In a country where little provocation results in ethnic clash, police on civilians over N20, soldiers on police over right of way and lack of respect or distinction between area boys and omo-onile. If its not Boko Haram, the world most violent terrorist militia, its Fulani the fourth. We have lost most of our Hausa brothers and sisters to Fulani extremist religious fanatics and they are ready to lose their lives or take others lives by these philosophy and religion. This is why they think they have a God-given right to raise cattle lives above that of human. So anyone in their way, is subject to any force or punishment up to and including death. Just to enforce these law and philosophy Fulani gave them and ready for terrorists backup across West Africa. Fulani are minority in every country. They must convert Hausa into their belief and philosophy. If they feel they are offended anywhere, they all usually rise up to prevent their limited number from extinction. Most of their hosts know this about Fulani and they try as much as they can to tolerate them. However, Ghana, Chad, Niger and other countries have had enough of their terror threats since it spills into lawlessness. Terrorist and bullies must be confronted head-on. Just as they have a low mark, level or at the brink of triggering unreasonable violence; some of their hosts exercise low tolerance in return by subduing them. If they feel that they have been offended, they react viciously and if they are checked, they call for cross-country backup. This is why countries are fed up with them, calling on local militias to put down their aggressions. No African religion force itself on others, the beauty comes from willingness of others to love and accept the culture so much that they want to convert. Indeed, The Yoruba philosophy had warned that God forbid them from being taken by religion that is tainted by madness. Olorun ma je ka gba were me sin. This is why Yoruba within the same family; Santeria different religions from home, all the way to Cuba, and would swear by all those religions, but not theirs. 09.03.2016 LISTEN Stephen Asiamah, (right), the outgoing Acting General Manager handing over to Nana Kwasi Agyepong, the new General Manager, while Assua-Yaboah, Board Chairman looks on Parliament has passed the Co-operative Credit Union Legislative Instrument (L.I. 2225) to regulate activities of all credit unions in Ghana. The L.I states that these regulations apply to Co-operative Credit Unions registered under a law that provides for the registration of Co-operative Credit Unions in Ghana and licensed by the Bank of Ghana. The passage of the L.I has come at a time when the microfinance industry is facing the credibility challenge. Since the inception of the first credit union in Africa precisely at Jirapa in the North-West, now the Upper West Region in September 1955 by Rev. Father John McNulty, an Irish Canadian, the union has grown from strength to strength. The union, as it stands now, has grown to over 500 credit unions with over 500,000 members and about 250 study groups which are yet to qualify as credit unions. Assua-Yaboah, Board Chairman of Ghana Co-operative Credit Union Association (CUA), said this at an induction programme of the new General Manager of CUA, Nana KwasiAgyepong in the Central Region. . Nana Agyepong said his main vision is to make CUA viable and robust to offer the needed support to all credit unions across the length and breadth of the country to become first choice financial institutions to serve members. As General Manager, my vision is to position CUA as a proactive credit union leader to support all credit unions in Ghana to become financial institutions of choice for both members and potential members, Nana Agyepong said. I will motivate and build the capacity of all staff of CUA to deliver results. While implementing the five-year strategic plan of CUA, I would place more emphasis on promoting stronger and efficient primary societies for them to introduce varieties of financial products and services that would offer choice to members at reasonable cost, Nana Agyepong said. He called on all stakeholders to give him the necessary support to ensure development of the union at all levels. Stephen Asiamah, the outgoing Acting General Manager, urged the new general manager to build upon the existing communication channels to consolidate the bond among staff of CUA. I entreat him to follow the laid-down structures and policies of CUA to enable the systems and functions of the union to run effectively, Mr. Asiamah said. 09.03.2016 LISTEN In recent times every African state is fighting poverty, but there are no realistic and pragmatic approaches to this problem, if economic freedom do not become the hall mark, we shall continuously fight and an endless war. Therefore there will be the urgent need for Africans as a whole to fight for the freedom of their economy to enhance the standard living of the individuals because all government programs accomplish the opposite of what they are designed to achieve. Economic growth and individual freedom are intrinsically linked. It is therefore the key to greater opportunity and an improved quality of life. Economic freedom affects every aspect of an individuals life. A society with high levels of economic freedom will have fewer rates of poverty, unemployment, higher incomes as well as a cleaner environment. However, the absence of economic freedom in African countries has led to several barriers to prosperity in the economy. The CEO and the President of a new and a youthful Think Thank; BASTIAT INSTITUTE OF LIBERTY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP(BILE) in Tema, Mr Bismark Peter.K. Kwofie has expressed that, ''African leaders lack the good policies to embrace and institute minimal government interventions in the economy to eliminate economic inequality rather than monopolizing every sector of the economy and practicing protectionism and totalitarianism in disguise. He further said, 'we need to imbibe political innovation and economic diversity. Government is not good at doing business and anytime government tries to solve a problem the its rather escalates'. The power drunkenness of our political leaders and long stay of our leaders in power are now delicacies. Our African leaders who are supposed to speed up economic progress in our continent and withstand political and economical powers are contrarily infringing upon the freedom of their own people and the economy as a whole. Due to illiteracy, ignorance and their own selfish interests, they impoverish their people instead of making them feel comfortable socially, politically and economically. Between 2010 and 2011, no region made greater strides in economic freedom than Africa. However, this progress of economic freedom has halted. Ghana, is facing multiplicity of taxes, and other hikes. Most African leaders take presidency as an opportunity to amass wealth as they can increase their influence among ignorant citizens. The quest for power is the order of the day. With reference to President Pierre Nkurunzinza of Burundi, Colonel Muamar Gaddafi who ruled Libya for 42years, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe who is in power for over 35years, President Paul Biya of Cameroon among others who have attained so much wealth but yet still refuse to step down. Majority of these leaders happen to be preaching short term stay by the constitution but are all paradoxical and who instead of making the money for the people, make it from themselves. This factor suppresses economic freedom in Africa greatly. Property rights as a whole present opportunities to only individuals with financial resources and political connections to take advantage of the rural poor people, particularly women. This leads to large concentrations of land and inequitable development. Property rights in its own way disturb the tenure security of a particular property. With this system of property rights in Africa that is viewed as legitimate, small holders of enterprises can only use their claim for collateral for agricultural inputs, improvements, innovations, and expansion of their enterprises. All these attest to the fact that property rights are never in the favour of economic freedom. In Ghana, one buys a land and owes for Only 99 years after which the Government can lay its constitutional hands on it. Clear, secure, and negotiable rights to land and resources are an essential foundation for trade and a key component of a growth-friendly enabling environment. When land and other systems effectively protects these rights, individuals, groups, and legal entities make a variety of forward-looking investments in capital and other inputs because they are more confident that they will capture any future returns from their efforts. Africa has so many natural resources at its disposal, with the proper understanding of property rights and the non-aggression principal, there is no limit to what can be achieved. The Non- Tariff Barriers(NTBs) can also be identified as one of the numerous obstacles to Africas economy. Non Tariff Barriers refer to restrictions that result from prohibitions, conditions or specific market requirements that make importation and exportation of products difficult and costly. These NTBs arise from difficult measures taken by governments and authorities in the form of government laws, regulations, policies, conditions, restrictions or specific requirements and private sector business practices or prohibitions that protect the domestic industries from foreign competition. As a result of agreements negotiated at the World Trade Organization (WTO), traditional trade protection measures such as tariffs and quotas are falling away. But to some extent, they are being replaced by domestic and technical regulations that permit countries to bar products from entering their markets if the products do not meet certain standards. The unfortunate thing is that, these international trading system also reflect political choices and gives in favor to the rich only. For several years in the 1990s for example, European countries banned fish from Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda due to concerns about these countries sanitary standards and control systems. Ghana for example, has been banned from exporting red oil to the Uk market due to unhealthy and ironically awesome addons to boost coloration and taste. The various trade rules and regulations imposed on Africans themselves and the west by their neighbors also serve as a threat to its economic freedom. West Africa is the European Unions largest trading partner in the Sub-Saharan Africa. EU supplies a large part of the equipment that contributes to the economic growth and development in the region and is the main export market for West African agricultural and fisheries product. Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria are therefore accountable for 80% of West Africas export to the EU. Due to these rules, Africas superpower economies like South Africa and Nigeria fall under the quartiles of economic freedom. As Africans as we are, we are never allowed to even trade among ourselves. In an average, freedom in our economy can be measured in a percentage of about 15% based on numerous archaic trade rules. These trade rules should be seriously reviewed to aid in economic freedom in Africa. African countries trade among themselves at 15%. Making communication phone calls between African countries are too expensive as compared to making a similar to the western countries. Transport within ECOWAS countries are nothing to write home about. What diplomatic negotiations do our leaders discuss and have not addressed this canker?. A $960 round trip airfare ticket from Ghana to Zimbabwe can also be used for the same round trip to India. Just look at the distance between the two round trip destinations with the same rate. This obviously denote that we cannot trade among ourselves to enhance sales and production. What is the role of the African Union(AU)?. African to some extent do not trust each other if so, dissolve the African Union as the League of Nation was before the United Nations. No improvement in the economy on the continent making it a future of no hope for the younger generation. Lets enhance intra-African trade to share ideas. There has been lots of promises to promote free trade but when are these about starting. Ghana is on the verge of providing Visas on arrival from all the African Union (AU) member states. There are other countries with visas on arrival but this would not foster enough perimeter for us to trade. Economic Community of West Africa States(ECOWAS) do not have rails that can economically ameliorate trade morale. What is then economic about the states? The high levels of corruption in the administrative systems of African countries contribute greatly to the boundary of Africas economic freedom. The high level of lack of transparency and systematic corruption undermines economic growth. Reports show that corruption in Africa is increasing rapidly and there will be the urgent need for check instantly. Moreover, scarce compromises and delay in judicial processes and poorly paid judges in its own way tempt judges and those in authority to take bribes. When this happen, Africans who are financially handicap suffer the worst. The legislative arm, for which the indigents of the state have entrusted power to and is expected to address and probe the deeds of the government has failed us.Part of the dynamics in society as social values change from discipline and meritocracy to financial power. Where the major indicator for success is wealth and power. People endowed with wealth are respected and treated with dignity, thus motivating others to look for wealth through any means - genuine or foul. The system Create opportunities for all to make it. For instance, in property right where the rich ones have much merit than the less privileged, rights and properties are illegally taken from their rightful owners due to bribery, political connections and nepotism. When this happen, young entrepreneurs who have the vision of starting up businesses with their meager capitals have their dreams and aspirations destroyed. This can tend to put African in an economic bondage. According to Algeria country report; Freedom in the World,2015, more than 2,000 corruption cases were investigated in 2012, and many subsequently, but these have resulted in few convictions. Despite the existence of ant-icorruption laws, a lack of government transparency, low levels of judicial independence, and bloated bureaucracies contribute to corruption. Algerias east-west highway has been dubbed the most expensive highway in the world, with a significant percentage of the contracts allegedly distributed through bribes. In 2014, Algeria dropped to 100 out of 175 countries and territories surveyed in Transparency Internationals Corruption Perceptions Index. No country is sacred to corruption but either doubling up to be the best or trying to fight corruption without results. Remember,YOU CAN DO SOMETHING FOR NOTHING, BUT YOU CANNOT DO NOTHING FOR SOMETHING. Central planning will eventually destroy individual liberty by concentrating all political power in one person or in a committee; furthermore, it will eventually end our prosperity by laying the dead hand of state control on the economy. Law and morality is centrally important in a free society but government threatens freedom by using the law to become active in the economy. We would never be able to amass wealth as far as governments keeps borrowing to spend and citizens paying from the little accumulated money from hard earn work through a legal theft call Tax.There will never be a great society unless the materialism of the welfare state is replaced by individual initiative and responsibility. The Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS), has urged Parliament to ensure that the Survey Council Bill is passed into law. It expressed worry that the bill, if passed into law, would make it possible for the establishment of an Authority to register surveyors and regulate their activities but it had been placed before Parliament for more than 20 years without any attempt to unfold and a given attention. Such practices are upbraiding in era were every one is fighting to overcome red tapeism. I believe strongly that if individuals as well as group of people in Africa advocate for solutions to these limitations, the economy will be free. BISMARK PETER k. KWOFIE TEMA GHANA Bastiat Institute of Liberty and Entrepreneurship(BILE) president/CEO. Pastor Mensa Otabil 09.03.2016 LISTEN The International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) was officially inaugurated on February 26, 1984 in Accra. The renowned charismatic Church was founded by Dr. Mensa Otabil with the aim of raising leaders, shaping vision, and influencing society through Christ. As part of activities marking the 32nd anniversary of ICGC, the Christ Temple Assembly is organising a-12km Life Walk to raise funds in support of the Childrens Cancer Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. This years health walk is slated for Saturday, March 19, 2016, under the theme: Walk for life; support a worthy cause. The event will be attended by thousands worshippers within Accra. Over the past three decades, the ICGC has been instrumental in building leaders, shaping vision and influencing society with scriptural principles. Foundation Pastor Mensa Otabil founded ICGC in 1984. Formerly the Kanda Christian Fellowship, the newly established Church held its first meeting in a classroom with an initial membership of twenty. Among the early ministers who embraced the vision of Rev. Otabil were Pastors Edwin Donkor, Rich Donkor, Kofi Okyere, and Morris Appiah. During the early stage, the Church relocated from one place to another including the Accra Senior High School, the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), Osu Regal Cinema Hall, and the Baden Powell Memorial Hall. Recounting the history of ICGC, Pastor Otabil lamented over a few occasions when members didnt know where exactly to meet. A challenging condition that compelled members to meet in private residence. Ten years later, the membership increased significantly to over 4,000 following the introduction of local assemblies in the major towns and cities of Ghana. It was around this period that the Church gained stability. Beginning as a small fellowship at the Kanda Cluster of Schools in Accra; today, ICGC can boast tens of thousands membership with over 450 assemblies (branches) in Ghana, Europe, USA, and some African countries. General-Overseer The Founder and General-Overseer of ICGC, Pastor Mensa Anamua Otabil, is also the Senior Pastor of Christ Temple Assembly. Apart from preaching the Gospel, he is a lecturer, author, entrepreneur, consultant, and a motivational speaker. Born on August 31, 1959, at Sekondi-Takoradi in the Western Region of Ghana, he was the fourth born in a poor family of five siblings. Otabil started his elementary education at Anglican Primary School in Sekondi. When his family moved to Tema in 1966, he worshipped at St. Albans Anglican Church, and later joined the Assemblies of God Church. Young Otabil was a member of Power House Fellowship. After passing his Common Entrance Exams, he gained admission to Swedru Secondary School (SWESCO) in 1972, and completed his O Level in 1977. Shortly after the death of his parents, he relocated to Roman Ridge in the late 70s where he joined the Kanda Christian Fellowship. Around that time, Otabil gained employment at the Audio Visual Department of the Ministry of Information. His inspirational radio and television programme, Living Word, has chalked massive success reaching millions in Ghana and beyond more than 20years. Most messages of Pastor Otabil focus on practical Christian living, development, family life, and leadership. As a regular listener of Living Word, my spiritual life has never been the same. Some of my favourite sermons are: Marriage 101, Christ in You the Hope of Glory, The Power of Vision, Mindset, Precept upon Precept, and Fix your eyes on Jesus. Living Word reaches more than 15million viewers on some selected television stations in Ghana and overseas. Unsurprisingly, Dr. Mensa Otabil was adjudged Ghanas Most Influential Personality in 2015. In 2007, he was honoured by the Government of Ghana with a state award, Order of the Volta (Religion). Pastor Otabil was awarded doctorate degrees for his works in various fields. He is the founder and Chancellor of Central University College, and Chief Executive of Otabil and Associates, an executive and leadership growth consultancy. He is happily married to his all-time love, Joy Otabil, and they are blessed with four children. Social intervention The Church has, over the years, funded a number of projects including construction of boys dormitory for the Osu Childrens Home, donations to the Ghana Heart Foundation, and provision of boreholes for needy communities. Since the vision statement of ICGC is not only committed to the spiritual needs of its members, Central Aid was established in 1988 to cater for the social needs of people. Central Aid is a human development-oriented agency of ICGC aimed at implementing the Churchs corporate social responsibility. It is the brainchild of Dr. Otabil who, from personal experience, has deep compassion for the needy. Educational Scholarship: under the Central Aid, over 3,000 brilliant but needy students throughout the country have, so far, benefited from the scholarship. Presently, there are 425 beneficiaries on the scholarship scheme pursuing their secondary education in 137 schools across the various regions in Ghana. As a matter of fact, plans are far advanced to extend the scholarship to brilliant students who intend to further their education at the Central University College. Community Development: some communities and institutions orphanages, schools, and health facilities have benefited from Central Aid. Some of the completed projects are: expansion of Princess Marie Louise Childrens Hospital, renovation of a three-classroom block of Akufful-Krodua Catholic JHS in Central Region, construction of 20 boreholes for La communities in the Ga West, and many more. Service to humanity is service to God, they say. Pastor Mensa Otabil is a great asset to our generation, and I am proud to be a member of this great family, Christ Temple. I wish all ICGC members a happy anniversary in our year of Influence. No matter what prison you are in, nobody can imprison the power of your imagination, Pastor Mensa Otabil. ASP James Annan Gt. Accra Regional PRO Senior Correctional Centre [email protected] London (AFP) - A Cambridge University college has removed a bronze statue of an African cockerel from display following a campaign by students, as part of a surge in activism against symbols of Britain's colonial past. Jesus College said it was taking down the statue known as "Okukor" from the former kingdom of Benin -- now part of southern Nigeria -- and was looking at the possibility of its repatriation. "Jesus College acknowledges the contribution made by students in raising the important but complex question of the rightful location of its Benin bronze, in response to which it has permanently removed the Okukor," a college spokeswoman said. "The college commits ... to discuss and determine the best future for the Okukor, including the question of repatriation," she said. Last month, the college's student union passed a motion that said the statue was looted by British troops in 1897 during a "punitive expedition" as revenge for the killing of some officers. The motion said that the statue had been bequeathed to the college from the estate of a former British officer, George Neville, who died in 1929. The students' "Benin Bronze Appreciation Committee" said it was in contact with a Nigerian government minister who supported its repatriation, according to minutes of the meeting on the union website. - 'War on the past' - Some academics reacted critically to the ruling. Joanna Williams, a lecturer in higher education at University of Kent was quoted by the Daily Telegraph as saying that the decision was "cowardly". "I think students have declared war on the past and this is another example of how students are using history as a morality play," she said. Students at Oxford University launched a campaign last year for the removal of a statue of British imperialist and donor Cecil Rhodes at Oriel College. Oriel has said it will remove a plaque honouring Rhodes, a white supremacist like many builders of the British empire, but would keep the statue in place. The campaign has since widened to target other figures associated with British colonial history, including queen Victoria and Charles Codrington, a plantation owner in Barbados who used enslaved labour and was a major donor to All Souls College in Oxford. A group of students held a rally and staged a die-in at Oxford on Wednesday holding up signs like "Decolonise Education" and "Morals Not Money", the Rhodes Must Fall campaign wrote on Twitter. - 'Healing the bruise' - Hundreds of works of art were looted by British soldiers from Nigeria in the 1897 punitive expedition. Two statues from the looted "Benin Bronzes" collection were returned to Benin City two years ago by Mark Walker, a retired medical consultant whose grandfather was involved in the raid. They were presented to the Oba (King) of Benin, Uku Akpolokpolo Erediauwa I at a ceremony attended by royal officials and local dignitaries. The tale of the artefacts began when nine British officers were killed while on a trade mission to the then independent kingdom of Benin -- not to be confused with modern-day Benin, which neighbours Nigeria. The British reaction was fierce, leaving several thousand local people dead and the city set ablaze, while the oba was forced into exile. The royal palace was looted, resulting in the removal of hundreds of artworks, including the Benin Bronzes, which showed highly decorative images of the oba and his courtiers from centuries earlier. Most of the ornate bronzes -- in fact melted down and refashioned brass from bracelets and other objects offered by Portuguese traders in the 15th century -- have been at the British Museum in London ever since. They include a 19th century depiction of the head of the oba, who has divine status for the Edo people, and 16th century plaques taken from the walls of the royal palace, showing court life. The Oba's brother, Prince Edun Akenzua, in 2014 described Walker's actions as a gesture that would "contribute positively to healing the bruise etched on the psyche of Benin people since 1897". Officials of the supporting organisations 09.03.2016 LISTEN Two million children in high-risk communities will receive primary education after Education Above All(EAA)'s Educate A Child programme (EAC) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) signed a five-year partnership agreement in London. The agreement is expected to benefit refugees and internally displaced children in Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, South Sudan, Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana. Almost 30 per cent of the 59 million out-of-school children globally live in these countries. Her Highness SheikhaMoza bint Nasser, Founder and Chairperson of EAA and Rt. Hon. Justine Greening MP, Secretary of State for International Development witnessed the signing of the agreement. Her Highness emphasized the importance of dedicating resources specifically to support children affected by the Syrian crisis and advocated the support of alternative educational approaches and modalities to the traditional education system in an effort to alleviate some of the barriers to accessing education. Fahad Al Sulaiti, CEO of Education Above All, said: Primary education is a fundamental right, but millions of children across the globe have no access to quality education. We are thrilled to be partnering with the UK government, which is a powerful agent for change in the developing world, on this important endeavour. We hope that others will be inspired by the example set by EAC and by DFID and invest in the future of the world's children. . The partnership is regarded as an innovative way to tackle funding for education. Each side will operate according to its strengths DFID by focusing on funding government systems, and EAC by funding local and international NGOs and UN agency projects. Typically, Education Above All invests USD 100 per child so that, together with our partners, we can provide quality primary education for some of the world's most hard to reach children, the CEO said. The UK has helped give a quarter of a million children affected by the Syria crisis an education and the Syria conference aims to achieve this for all children in the region. Our partnership with Education Above All will ensure that vulnerable children in low income and developing countries, as well as those affected by conflict, don't miss out on the chance to go to school and the hope for a better future, Justine Greening also stipulated. In addition to working together on education in the target countries, EAC and DFID will collaborate on global advocacy, financing and delivering education programmes, conducting research, and coordinating organisational capacity and professional development programmes. By Melvin Tarlue 09.03.2016 LISTEN Dr Tetteh (second left) and Rt Rev Samuel Kofi Osabutey (third left) addressing the media FOUNDER OF World Miracle Outreach, Dr. Lawrence Tetteh has urged journalists in Ghana to be decorous in their coverage of the 2016 general elections. In this year's elections, I will urge the media not to give credence to insults, Dr. Tetteh said. The International Evangelist made the appeal on Tuesday at the launch of the Wesleyan Revival Crusade, saying that the media ought to be more sensitive in its operations in 2016. According to Dr. Tetteh, the African continent was in a state of turmoil due to rising political violence mostly associated with elections. That, he said, meant that Ghanaian journalists ought to `be very careful in order not to plunge the country into any electoral violence this year. The Crusade . The crusade scheduled for Wednesday, March 9 Sunday, March 13, 2016, is expected to be held at the Independence Square in Accra, bringing together Ghanaians from all walks of life to share the gospel and pray for the peace of the nation ahead of the elections. Rt. Rev. Samuel Kofi Osabutey, the Methodist Church Diocesan Bishop of Accra, said the purpose of the crusade is to bring all Ghanaians together including heads of the various political parties to share the word of God and pray for the nation. The opening ceremony of the crusade themed: Washed In the Blood of Jesus, according to him, is expected to be graced by the Vice President, Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur while President John Mahama will attend the closing ceremony. He announced that buses will be placed at vantage points across the city to convey worshippers to the crusade venue. Aside the evening worship services, he announced that daily seminars to be addressed by nine seasoned speakers, will be organized at the Calvary Methodist Church located at Adabraka in Accra. BY Melvin Tarlue 09.03.2016 LISTEN I dont know who introduced the newly elected 2016 Presidential Candidate of the rump-Convention Peoples Party (r-CPP) to the party or the scandalous faux-ideology of Nkrumaism. Very likely, like yours truly, Mr. Ivor Kobina Greenstreet inherited his ideological suasion from his parents. Perhaps from his father who, together with his mother, has been described as a University of Ghana don, whatever that means. Well, for his information and edification, the new rump-CPP Chief Executive or Comrade Greenstreet, as they prefer to address themselves, at absolutely no time in the countrys history up to the February 24, 1966 military putsch that auspiciously ousted the Nkrumah-led proto-Convention Peoples Party regime, did the leaders of the original CPP put the collective interests of the Ghanaian people and the nations at large ahead of their own. It is also patently false for Mr. Greenstreet to declare that the CPP leadership is not made up a group of individuals who want to enrich themselves (See Ivor Greenstreet: CPP Not a Historical Society MyJoyOnline.com / Ghanaweb.com 1/31/16). The 45-year-old man may do himself great good to read what President Kwame Nkrumah had to say about the likes of Messrs. Kojo Botsio and Komla Agbeli Gbedemah in his celebrated April 8, 1961 Dawn Broadcast and report back to the very people whose mandate he intends to assiduously work to win come November 7, 2016. He may have been elected Presidential Candidate of the rump-Convention Peoples Party, but when it comes to knowledge and appreciation of the history and political track-record of the proto-CPP, Mr. Greenstreet is decidedly a greenhorn, pun intended. Indeed, my bottom-dollar bet here is that once he has fully recovered from the effects of the toxicity of his triumphal exuberance, Mr. Greenstreet would sober up and follow Messrs. Kwesi Nduom and Abu Sakara (aka Michael Foster) out of the rump-CPP. Needless to say, a party whose agenda includes a collaborative campaign orchestra with Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings as conductor cannot be considered to be a serious political party. It clearly has no viable future in the mainstream of Ghanaian political culture. And I really dont know what he was thinking about when he made his alleged overtures to Mrs. Rawlings, but this most lurid and untenably depraved decision almost definitely marks the beginning of the end of any serious ambitions that this professional lawyer may have vis-a-vis Kofi Antubams Chair. It goes without saying that Mr. Greenstreet would have done far better to have signed onto a political marriage pact with the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC), which has a passably more credible Nkrumaist credentials. Fundamentally speaking, the National Democratic Congress is chock-full of far better and more savvy and experienced Nkrumaists than the rump-Convention Peoples Party, a ramshackle political organization built more around vacuous nostalgia than the sobering reality of the times. On the latter score, Mr. Greenstreet would serve himself and his associates much better by paying heed to the foresighted counsel of Mr. Sekou Nkrumah, undoubtedly the most pragmatic and politically savvy among the officially known scions of Mr. Kwame Nkrumah. Indeed, the 2016 rump-CPP Presidential Candidate portrays himself as one who is living in the proverbial Fools Paradise, when Mr. Greenstreet asserts that Ghanaians will know that, yes, [the rump-CPP] is a real political party and not a historical society. The fact of the matter is that Ghanaians are fully aware that the rump-CPP has no relevance beyond archival wistfulness. And even if one concedes it a modicum of historical significance, about the only objective conclusion that the avid student of postcolonial Ghanaian history and culture arrives at is the inescapable fact of the rump-CPPs being an irreparably bad historical society. In a recent phone conversation with one of my relatives on Ground Zero, as it were, I pointed out to him that the national political terrain that ought to have been occupied by those claiming to be heirs of President Nkrumah was effectively cannibalized in 1992, when the bulk of the Nkrumaist remnants, the so-called Old Guards, crossed over to the cynical and kleptocratic camp of the Trokosi Nationalists, led by Chairman Jerry John Rawlings and the Sogakope Mafia. If you cant beat them, then by all means, join them. There is no better value-for-money admonishment for Comrade Greenstreet than this. *Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs The Making of the Asante Identity The identity we have come to know as Asante is a rather modern, by which I mean, relatively new, identity. It emerged between the 17th and early 18th centuries; it did not exist before then. In this, it has something in common with the American identity, which also did not exist until around about late eighteenth century. Before then, there was Virginia and New York and Connecticut and Massachusetts and Maryland and Delaware and New Jersey and the rest of the 13 British colonies on the eastern seaboard of North America. These colonies were related by a common language, geographic contiguity, and, most importantly, a common colonial overlord, the King of England. But each had a separate identity as a colony. It was not until after they had joined together in a war of independence against their common colonizer, and then, subsequently, transformed their triumphant military coalition into a political union bound together by allegiance to a new federal Constitution of the United States of America, that a common American Identity was forged. Hence, its motto E Pluribus Unum: Out of Many, One! Those familiar with the history of the founding of Asante can already see the parallels. There was Kwaman, Dwaben, Mampong, Bekwai, Nsuta, Kokofu, Kumawu, et cetera, before there was an Asante identity. These micro-states were related to one another by a common language, a common neighborhood, and a common overlord, that being the King of Denkyira. But these micro-states were politically separate and autonomous of one anotherthat is, until they decided to come together, first, in the form of a military coalition or alliance to fight Denkyira. Upon defeating Denkyira, they then agreed to convert their ad hoc military coalition into a political union, their agreement underwritten by allegiance to a constitution symbolized by the Golden Stool. It was at that time that a new collective, federated identity, the Asante identity, was formed. Some historians suggest that the name Asante is derived from osa nti because or as a result of war; meaning, it was the imperative of warspecifically, the war of independence against Denkyirathat brought them together to form a nation or common political identity. It is important to note that, while many of these early states that comprised Asante were related to one another by blood or kinship ties, in the sense of belonging to a common clanmost notably, Oyokonot all were so related. Importantly, Mampon, which became second in the order of precedence under the Asante Constitution, its Silver Stool next in importance only to the Golden Stool and its omanhene the Kontihene of Asante, was from the Bretuo clan, not Oyoko. Assumegya and Kumawu were Aduana, Offinso was Agona, etc. What this tells us is that, while the Oyoko clan predominated in number and came to hold the title to the Golden Stool, the Asante identity, right from the inception, cut across clan or blood lines. What mattered, above all, was a common allegiance to Sika Dwa, the Golden Stool. Asante Identity, then, was, from the very beginning, an inclusive identity, not closed or insular. Indeed, one of the architects of the Asante Union, who, together with Osei Tutu, led and transformed the military alliance into a political union, the famous Komfo Anokye, a.k.a. Kwame Agyei Firempong, was himself originally a native of the distant, then Akwamu-controlled Akuapem, from Awukugwa to be precise. In this regard, Komfo Anokyes role in the founding of Asante may be likened to the Caribbean-born Alexander Hamilton, who, though not a native of any one of the original 13 colonies, became one of the leading framers and architects of the American Republic and Constitution and, thereafter, General-- and first President--George Washingtons right-hand man. With the founding of the American Republic, Hamilton became the first Treasury Secretary of the United States, laying the foundation for its economic system. Komfo Anokye, too, though a native Akuapem by birth/parentage, joined with Osei Tutu in the war of liberation against Denkyira, became Asante at its founding and, thereafter, lived and died as an Asanteand, not an ordinary one, but as Chief of Agona, Asante. You can call him a naturalized Asante. However you describe him, Komfo Anokyes story does affirm that the Asante identity, as originally constructed, indeed transcended ties of consanguinity. Historians also teach us that many rebellious Denkyiras joined with the Osei Tutu-led military coalition to defeat their oppressive King, Ntim Gyakari, and subsequently returned with the victorious forces to their home states. They also became Asante. Ivor Wilks indeed reminds us that there are many important stools in Asante to this day, particularly in Kumasi, that trace their origins to Denkyira. The Asante identity, then, is an integrative, absorptive identity, much like the American. As the Asante nation-building project grew in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, by a combination of conquest and diplomacywhich, by the way, is how all the great nations of the modern world, in Europe and beyond, have been formed--Asante came to absorb, assimilate, and incorporate other pre-existing identity groups. This expansive and integrative process reached far and wide, so that, at its height, Greater Asante, as we have learned, covered a territory larger than present-day Ghana. This process of state expansion and nation-building was brought to an end, and in many cases reversed, only by the intervention of British colonialism and colonial policy. Historically, too, Asante identity has been remarkably accommodative and welcoming, co-existing freely and harmoniously with other identities and identity communities on Asante soil. This is evidenced in the communities of Fantes, Anlos, and other non-Asante that have long called Kumasi and Asante home. It is how the Fante New Towns and Anlogas of Kumasi came to be. Of particular note is Asantes historical acceptance, and even co-optation in its royal courts and bureaucracies under many different Asantehene, of Islamic clerics and of the Muslim community, well before Christianity planted a foothold in Asante. All of these communities of identity, whether ethnic or religion based, have found a welcome home in Asante, some going into well over a century. I would entreat you, as you build this new organization, to learn from the example and story of Asante. In particular, ensure that your organizations doors are open to all who meet your definition of professional (whatever that means) and who come from, live, work, or in some other way choose to feel a part of or have a shared interest in Asante and its development. So, as you draw up your constitution and your membership rules, reflect on the opening remarks of Baffour Manwerehene, when he spoke of the enigma and difficulty of determining just Who is an Asante in our contemporary political geography. To that, I would add that, as you devise your rules of membership, ask yourselves whether the rules you settle on would include or exclude Komfo Anokye as a member. The meaning of Asante for Ghana and its development: The uses and abuses of identity As Ghana, too, is a state in search of nationhood, trying to build a common Ghanaian identity out of a diversity and multiplicity of sub-national identities, what can we learn, as a country, from the history of the making of Asante and Asante identity? A lot, if we study and take the history seriously. First, the story of Asante teaches that a national identity is not a given. It is not something that happens accidentally; it is a project that must be pursued; it is something that must be purposefully constructed. The question is how? The Asante nation and the Asante identity did not drop from the sky, although one of its most enduring founding mythsa creation story, so to speakinvolves Komfo Anokyes magical act of conjuring the Golden Stool to descend from the heavens to rest on the lap of Osei Tutu. The Asante identity was created through purposeful and clever statecraft, including through the deployment of myth and unifying symbolsof which the story of the Golden Stool is the most notable. What are our unifying symbols and creation myths as a country? What and how much purposeful statecraft have we invested into molding the Ghanaian identity? As the story of Asante teaches us, it is not enough, nor indeed is it necessary, to try to suppress or eliminate sub-national identities to make room for a national identity to emerge. Sub-national identities are not inherently antithetical or oppositional to a national identity. New Yorkers or Texans can beindeed are--proudly New Yorkers and proudly Texan, yet all proudly American. A national identitya sense of onenesscan be built on the foundation of sub-national identities. Its a matter of what we do or wish to do with those sub-national identities. Take our National Anthem, for example. How unifying is it? How does it make us all feel Ghanaian? What about it is Ghanaian? Why must it be rendered in English and in English only? We have had a Ghana Bureau/Institute of Languages for decades. Why cant we have a national anthem whose lyrics and musical notes or melody are written and translated into and taught in all the major ethno-regional languages of Ghana, so that every Ghanaian living everywhere, whether or not a speaker or reader of English, can sing along in their own native language when the anthem is played? Why have a so-called national anthem that practically excludes about half the population, if not more, because it is written, sang, and taught in a language they do not speak, read, or understand? How is that nation-building? We must go to Komfo Anokye and Osei Tutu for lessons in statecraft and nation-building, for their storiesand those of many of their successors--have a lot to teach us about How to/How Not to build one nation out of many. Take the organization of the state, the Asante state. The rise of the political union called Asante did not come at the expense of the existing micro-states that came to constitute Asante. The Dwabens and Kokofus and Bekwais and Mampons and Kumawus were not dismembered or suppressed to make way for Asante. Though part of a political union, they still retained home rule, so to speak. Yes, they gained a new identity, Asante, but not by losing their old identities of Mampon and Dwaben and Nsuta and Bekwai and the like. The whole of Asante was not governed by one man sitting in the capital of the Union and issuing directives to be implemented by his appointed agents in different locations and communities across Asanteman. Control over all resources and wealth across all of Asante, notably land, was not centralized in the royal court in Kumasi. Each constituent state chose its own omanhene, though all had to swear allegiance to the Golden Stoolthe Constitution. Again superior statecraft and a good deal of diplomacy went into holding this delicate union together. For example, it had to take clever statecrafta good deal of foresight and skills in strategic accommodation--for the dominant, mostly Oyoko founding states of the Asante union to cede to Bretuo Mampon, not another Oyoko state, the position as second in precedence and hierarchy within the union after the Asantehene. Building a common national identity is not a one-time event; it is a continuous process that requires constant negotiation, give-and-take, and accommodation. The constituent units of Asante held together and stayed together because they must have realized that the whole was greater than the sum of the parts. There was synergy to be gained from coming and holding together. Every part had a role to play in the union, had a voice at the table, at the halls of decision-making, and had responsibilities and rewards from membership. It was a mutual-benefit and mutual-aid association, so to speak. Thats what nation-building must be about. So, going forward, how else might we use or not use Asante identityor any other identity for that matterto advance the development of Ghana. First, the how not. We must not use identity to engage in or pursue a game of zero-sum competition with other identity groups. A zero-sum game is one in which a gain by one sides necessarily means a loss by the other player. It is a game in which the whole does not gain or advance, as the gain by one must come at the expense or detriment of another. Ghanas multiple sub-national identities must be engaged in positive-sum games, in building synergy, so that all groups benefit, and so that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Unfortunately, that does not appear to be the path we have chosen as a country. Right from the beginning, we have pursued a policy of extreme centralization of power and resources in the national capital city, to a point where the entire country has been governed, by and large, at any given time, by one man located in one office in one city in one little corner of the countrywith his directives and wishes carried out across the land by his personally appointed agents. Advocates of this mode of governance argued and believed, at the time of our independence as a country, that it was the best way to unify and develop the country rapidly and evenly under a common leadership and vision. The result so far has not vindicated the proponents and advocates of this form of political centralism. In place of balanced development, we have reaped lopsided, unbalanced development, centered largely in Accraor more accurately, in the elite enclaves and neighborhoods of Accra. Vast portions of the country have seen little or no development. Worse still, the distribution of development has come to depend on the political discretion, grace, and preferences of a small Accra-based elite. Nothing good that needs to get done anywhere in Ghana, and nothing bad that needs to get undone, can happen, it appears, without the intervention of the President or one of his agents. The initiative, creativity, and sense of ownership and responsibility that come with local self-government have been stifled. Local populations no longer feel the need to protect our mineral-rich local rivers and forests because they reason, not incorrectly, that those resources do not belong to them and, moreover, are not used for their benefit; they serve the needs of elites and cronies in Accra. With all power and resources and development centered in and emanating from Accra, our politics have also become predictably Accra-centric. The effect has been to turn our national politics into a zero-sum game in which one or the other coalition of ethno-regional groups competes on the basis of identity against their perceived rival identity groups for control of access to centralized power, resources, and development. Political mobilization of identity for zero-sum competition and the counter-mobilization it necessarily provokes and invites are not the way to build a common national identity and unity. Partisan mobilization and counter-mobilization of identity for the purposes of a zero-sum national political control can only have a centrifugal or divisive effect on our nation-building projectand worse. The remedy for this growing state of affairs does not lie in episodic and insincere exhortations from central state elites for unity and oneness among Ghanaians. The remedy to the picture I have painted lies in a serious and credible devolution of power and control over resources and development to local communities and clusters of local communities. This must begin with the complete democratization of local government, with the election of the mayors of all of our metropolitan and municipal communities. I focus on the metropolitans and municipals because these are local government units of sufficient size and scale that, given commensurate taxing and revenue-raising powers and substantial enough block grants from the national treasury, can chart their own development under the direction of local leaders and administrations that the local communities themselves elect and pay. Currently, under the Constitution, all districts put together, including metropolitan and municipal assemblies, are entitled in a given year constitutionally that isto not less than five percent of the total revenues of Ghana as their allocation from the State to be used for development. Five percent! In practice, the percentage is usually more, but the important point here is that, constitutionally, 5% is all that our local government units, put together, are entitled to get out of our national revenues for development. Anything beyond that is essentially at the discretion of the Accra-based political class---which, essentially, boils down to the President and his party. This is an insult and needs to change. Currently, there is an emerging multi-party consensus in favour of electing MMDCEs. But this is far from enough. Along with electing both local assemblies and local political executives, we must (1) increase significantly the revenue-raising and revenue-retention powers and sources of revenue of the local government units; (2) require that the MMCEs and their local administrations be paid and supported by local taxpayers, not from the Consolidated Fund; and (3) substantially increase the percentage of national revenues to which local government units, taken together, are constitutionally entitled. A minimum of 40%, with the percentage increasing progressively, seems reasonable to me. And the balance must be spent by the central government on capital projects throughout the country. In effect, the amount of uncommitted national revenues that is left at the center to be used according to the political preference and discretion of our central state elites must be substantially reduced. It is important to underscore that, in terms of development and infrastructure, national development is merely the sum total of development in the local communities across the country. Thus, a pattern of distribution of development that concentrates development in the national capital city should not be confused with, or equated to, national development. By decongesting, dispersing, and democratizing power and resources and development away from the elite enclaves of Accra and sending these back to our local communities and the Regions, we would stem and diminish the zero-sum identity-based competition for control of power and resources at the centre. Instead, when decisions over the distribution of the national cake (as we like to call it) are made at the local level-- because the bulk of national resources and revenues will have been sent back to local communitiesidentity politics will be forced to turn homeward or inward, where it appropriately belongs. In other words, inter-identity politics will be replaced by intra-identity politics, as local communities and identity groups hold their own kin responsible and accountable for their development or lack thereof. One aspect of sub-national identity that the kind of devolution and democratization of power and resources I am proposing will tap into is the enduring strength of hometownism among Ghanaiansthe very strong bonds of solidarity and community that we feel toward our hometowns. It is that kind of hometown or homeward-centered use of identity that we need, not the one that turns our sights and energies away from home to the center, there to compete in a vicious, zero-sum fashion with other sub-national identity groups and formations for crumbs from the table of our national elites. This policy also applies at the individual level, in terms of how and where we must invest our resources and talents. That, too, must look homeward. By investing our private capital, including human capital, to help create wealth, markets, and jobs in our respective local communities and home regions, we shall be helping to build sustainable local economies and livelihoods, revive local agriculture and industry, and stem the out-migration of local populations and youth. To the extent that infrastructure often tends to follow population and population density, the increasing outmigration of populations from the rest of the country, including Asante, to Accra and its immediate environs will only go to further under-develop the rest of the country and increase the development gap between our hometowns and Accra. Thus, devolution and local democratization of power and resources must go hand-in-hand with private capital investment in our local economies. Again, there is no national development apart from local development: the national is but a sum total of the local. Therefore, we contribute directly to national development when we channel our investments and energies to developing our diverse local communities. To paraphrase a popular slogan of global civil society, we must THINK NATIONALLY, ACT LOCALLY. There are a few more things we need to do, as a country, to turn our diverse identities into an asset, instead of a liability, for national development. Some of these are set forth in the Directive Principles of State Policy contained in Chapter Six of the Constitution. Lets focus on just a couple. Article 35, clause (5), says The State shall actively promote the integration of the peoples of Ghana and prohibit discrimination and prejudice on grounds of place of origin, circumstances of birth, ethnic origin, gender or religion, creed or other beliefs. This short provision is saying a few important things at the same time. First, it is acknowledging, implicitly, that forging a national identity and unityintegration of the peoples of Ghanarequires some active promotion by the State. It requires clever and purposeful statecraft. Second, in coupling this first duty or task with the prohibition of identity- and status-based discrimination and prejudice, the provision is saying to the managers of our State that you cannot eat your cake and have it: You cannot profess a commitment to national unity and a common national identity and, at the same time, pursue a policy, practice or project of discrimination and prejudice on the basis of identity, whether ethnic or religious. The managers of our state, our political and bureaucratic elites, must simply practice what they preach. Clause (6) of the same Article 35 continues: Toward the achievement of the objectives stated in clause (5) of this article, the State shall take appropriate measures to----(a) foster a spirit of loyalty to Ghana that overrides sectional, ethnic and other loyalties; and (b) achieve reasonable regional and gender balance in recruitment and appointment to public offices. . . . Again, the coupling of (a) with (b) is instructive. If the State is to foster a common national identity that transcends all subnational identities then one of the things our State managers must work to achieve this is reasonable regional . . . balance in recruitment and appointment to public offices. The framers of our Constitution understood clearly that fostering a common sense of loyalty to Ghana that transcends subnational identity cannot be achieved by a policy of regionallyand, for that matter, ethnicallyskewed recruitment or appointment to public offices. As a public office or job is a valuable source of power, influence, and livelihood, a pattern of recruitment and appointment to the public offices in the land that departs from the principle and policy of reasonable regional balance fuels and heightens zero-sum, identity-based political mobilization and counter-mobilization for control of centralized power, the capture of which holds the key to the public offices of the land. These provisions have been a part of the supreme law of the land since January 1993. Have our successive governments taken measures, as they are commanded to do, to realize any of these constitutional policies and obligations? It is important to note that, the President of the Republic is constitutionally commanded to report each year on all the steps that have been taken or are being taken to meet the objectives spelled out in the Directive Principles of State Policy. In fact, this is a large part of what the State of the Nation Address is supposed to be about. If we wish to avoid the negative and divisive uses of ethnic identity, we must demand and ensure that our State managers act in compliance with the goals set forth in Article 35 of the Directive Principles of Development. There is also Article 36(2)(d), which obligates the State to undertake even and balanced development of all regions and every part of each region of Ghana, and, in particular, improving the conditions of life in rural areas, and generally, redressing any imbalance in development between the rural and urban areas. Is the Ghanaian State, which lays claim by law to exclusive ownership of all natural resources of this land, including mineral and forest resources, all of which are located in rural parts of the country, honoring Article 36(2)(d)? From what I witnessed the last time I travelled to my home village near Obogu (and when I say near Obogu, I mean Obogu is to the nearest whole number; the real location is about 8 decimal places away) a little over a year ago to bury my eldest sister Yaa Akyaa, as well as from what else I have seen in many travels and road trips across the country, it is obvious that redressing any imbalance in development between rural and urban areas is not a goal or policy over which our governments and State managers lose much sleep. As I drove back from my late sisters funeral, I simply could not come to terms with the fact that a community that had generated and contributed so much cocoa and timber wealth to Ghana for so many decades could be so badly neglected and marginalized. The picture is not different in the rest of the country. Again, there is a reason why the Framers of our Constitution continue to emphasize the need for equity in the allocation and distribution of public investment not only inter-regionally but also between rural communities (which tend to be more identity-homogenous) and urban communities (which are relatively more identity-diverse). Glaring and persistent spatial disparity in the distribution and allocation of public infrastructure and development, like ethno-regional disparities in staffing of public offices, serves to fuel zero-sum identity-based competition for control of political power in Accra. It is no wonder that our democracy has been reduced to a quadrennial ritual in which communities across the country, essentially, send their ethnic representatives to the national capital; ethnic representatives who, upon getting to Accra, help themselves to the bountiful national resources gathered there, only sending back home to their impoverished constituents and kin pieces of crumbs if they feel charitable. I will now say a few words about the Council of State. I am a known critic of many of the institutions of the Constitution of the Fourth Republic. The Council of State is one of them. My objection is not with the concept necessarily; it is more with its composition and function. In its current form, I do not believe the Council of State delivers value for money. As an idea, the Council of State was supposed to represent the incorporation into our modern republican form of government of an institution borrowed from our traditional system of government, namely the Council of Elders. Traditional chieftaincy being monarchical, the Council of Elders is designed to inject a measure of local democratic consent, input and participation in the chiefs decision-making. The chief is thus enjoined to consult and take decisions on the advice of a council comprising the heads of the various stool-families or lineages represented in the community, the family being the basic unit of representation in traditional society. The decisions and fiats of the chief are thereafter issued and announced as decisions and fiats of the chief-in-council. A Council of State that was modeled after this traditional institution would be composed, in substantial part at least, of leaders representing the various diverse families or social and other interest groups that comprise the national community called Ghana. This means, first and foremost, Chiefs and Queenmothersdrawn, for example, from all 10 Regions of the country by their respective House of Chiefs. A Council of State comprising two traditional leaders (1 Chief, 1 Queen mother) selected by each Regional House of Chiefs, with the rest of the membership drawn from and nominated by political parties represented in Parliament, faith-based communities, civil society, business, farming and fishing interests, organized labour, academia, and professional bodies, would better capture and represent the diverse shades of opinion and interests, as well as the social and political cleavages, that define our society than the Council of State as established by Constitution. I would limit the chairmanship of my Council of State to one of the Chiefs and Queenmothers, with the chairmanship rotating from one regional chief to the other in two-year intervals. If we had a Council of State of this kind we might not need to constitute a Ghana Peace Council to preach peace and national unity during election season and other moments when heightened political tension threatens to undermine social peace and cohesion. Besides playing a credible role in conflict prevention and mediation, a Council of State of the kind I propose would be well suited to counsel the President and monitor progress in achieving the Directive Principles of State Policy. A Council of State, such as we now have, that is dominated by designated retired public officers and individuals handpicked by the President (usually senior partisans of the Presidents party) lacks broad social legitimacy and party detachment or diversity, and merely reproduces the Establishment. It is not surprising that we need a Peace Council or Group of Eminent Persons to intervene each time we appear to face or fear a political or social crisis. Finally, the question of the resentment of Asante, or why Asantes appear to suffer exceptional resentment from other Ghanaians, has been touched upon in some of the earlier remarks. In my view, if we wish to get to the bottom of that question, we must take a good look at the teaching of Ghana history, specifically at the over-representation of Asante in our popular history and the corresponding under-representation of other groups and social identities in the same history. If you are a Kyirepon or Dagarti or Krobo or even Ga, you could go through a History of Ghana class without encountering any significant mention of your ethnic group or any of its heroes or founders. In my generation, the history of Ghana I was taught in cyto taught me about Osei Tutu and Komfo Anokye and about Yaa Asantewaa and also about a whole lot of so-called Asante-Fante wars, which were, of course, more proxy wars against British interests on the Gold Coast. I never learned a thing about other groups, except a little bit about the Fante Confederation. You probably would grow to feel resentment toward Asantes, too, if all youve been taught as Gold Coast or Ghana history is Asante militarism and dominance; about Asantes always fighting this or that war or conquering this or that group or territory. The inescapable impression one gets in this kind of historiography is of Asantes as trouble-makers, as aggressors, as belligerent. There is no context or nuance or theory of any sort in this conventional narrative. It is as if Asantes were just fighting wars for the sake of fighting them, or that military conquest as a mode of state formation was peculiar to the Asante. And, of course you will not learn in this taught history of the varied diplomatic and commercial alliances and ties that formed between Asante and other states like Dagomba or Ga or any other. This Asante-centric view of Ghana history is what Ivor Wilks has called the Whig Interpretation of Ghana history--the way in which the histories of the Gold Coast and Asante were shaped by the underlying view of Englands imperial destiny. It is our history as told from the perspective of Britains imperial and colonial interests and policy; a divide-and-conquer historiography, if you will. And this way of telling our history, of measuring our heroes and villains from the viewpoint of British colonialists, is indeed quite pervasive. It is arguably why we ourselves reckon our most celebrated nationalist heroes, the Big Six, on the basis of the arrest records of the British colonial authorities following the 1948 riots. No mention of Boycotthene Nii Kwabena Bone II (who, by the way, was both Osu Alata Mantse and Oyokohene of Techiman, Asante, as he describes himself in his Autobiography) or of Komla Gbedemah or of any woman at all or, for that matter, of any Gold Coaster living outside Accra during that period. If only Nii Kwabena Bone or Gbedemah had been lucky enough to be arrested by the British colonial police they might also be celebrated today as heroes of our fight for independence. The point I am making, which also applies to Asante, is that history is political, and how we tell and teach our history can unite or divide usand yes, it can also mark out a particular group for exceptional resentment or vilification. We need a history of Ghana that has room in it for the diverse peoples and communities that constitute this national community; a history that is properly contextualized; a history that is alert to the danger of propaganda and stereotyping masquerading as history. Above all, we need to see the writing and teaching of our history as an important means, a vital resource and avenue, for the construction and making of a national identity. Editors note: This paper was originally delivered as a speech at the inauguration of the Asante Professionals Club in Accra on March 1, 2016 When an 18th Century English poet, Alexander Pope, wrote in one of his poems, An Essay of Criticism Part II, that to err is humane, to forgive, divine, he knew that as mortals we are bound to make mistakes. Ah ne'er so dire a Thirst of Glory boast, Nor in the Critick let the Man be lost! Good-Nature and Good-Sense must ever join; To err is Humane; to Forgive, Divine, were the exact words he used. Though the 'humane' has now metamorphosed to human, the meaning remains the same. Ghana has become a laughing stock in the eyes of the international media, because of the blunder that appeared in the brochure prepared for the celebration of Ghana's 59th Independence Day celebration. President Uhuru Kenyatta was listed as the President of Ghana, whilst the Coat of Arms was spelt as Coat of Arm. There were other mistakes that we cannot repeat here. As a result, journalists from Ghana and their international colleagues decided to focus on the blunder, instead of telling the good stories about the celebration. Interestingly, this is not the first time some of these blunders are occurring. During the last ECOWAS Summit held in Accra, President Mahama discovered, whilst addressing his colleagues, that some of the pages of his speech were missing. The situation was so embarrassing that the President had to quickly organise himself and speak extempore. When the issue came up for public discussion, a lame excuse was given that when the prepared text was mailed to the President to make inputs, he failed to mail it back to the speech writers, but rather printed what he had received, edited and gave it to his aide de camp. This claim is obviously an after-thought, but Ghanaians gave them the benefit of doubt, hoping that the blunder would never occur again. Regrettably, the error was not only repeated on Sunday, but, this time round, in alarming proportions, thus disgracing the President and the entire people of Ghana. The Chronicle, as a newspaper, is not immune to mistakes we also do make mistakes because staff on the paper are human beings and, therefore, prone to mistakes. But, whilst The Chronicle has less than 24 hours deadline to meet, Stan Dogbe's outfit at the presidency had luxury of time to have detected all the mistakes that appeared on the brochure. The preparation of the brochure, obviously, did not start a day to the event. It might have started weeks or months ago, yet those in charge could not do all the proof reading work before giving approval for it to be printed. Granted that no proof reading was done before publication; did Stan Dogbe and his colleagues not see the obvious errors when copies of the printed materials were handed over to them? As if this embarrassment was not enough, the organisers also failed to provide adequate space to accommodate the Ghanaian and foreign media personnel. In the end, journalists were compelled to climb a tipper truck to enable them get a proper view of the event and report on it. The Chronicle has nothing personal against Mr. Stan Dogbe, who is a trained journalist and, therefore, one of us. Our problem with him is that he seems to be causing blunders that are not only embarrassing the Presidency, but also all Ghanaians. His alleged attack on the GBC reporter and the independence brochure blunder are some of the embarrassments. When journalists approached Commander Steve Obimpeh, Chairman of the Planning Committee about the errors in the brochure, he readily directed them to Stan Dogbe meaning he supervised the whole process, but when the shame came, it was the poor Acting Director of the Information Services Department who was asked to issue an apology letter to the President. In all these blunders, no action has been taken against those who caused them. Does it mean that we are glorifying mediocrity? All what President Mahama said at the parade did not sound like news in the ears of both local and international journalists than the blunder caused by his men which has disgraced the entire nation. Since bad news always sell, no newspaper or media outlet, including The Chronicle, will get such juicy news and spike it. That is why staff in charge of communication at the Presidency must always go beyond the to err is human phrase and strive for perfection. Yes, Mr. John Mahama is the President of Ghana on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), but any embarrassment such as what we are discussing does not affect him and his government alone, but the good people of Ghana as well. President Mahama must be seen to be punishing his appointees when they go wrong, instead of always trying to shield them. 09.03.2016 LISTEN The Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi, Honorable Richard Ofori Agyeman Boadi joined hundreds of school children, members of the Security services, Chiefs, members of the clergy, Assembly members and the media to celebrate Ghanas 59th Independence Day in Obuasi. The well attended Independence Day celebration witnessed a total of forty(40) schools made up of fifteen(15) Junior High Schools, fifteen (15) Primary schools, Seven(7) Senior High Schools and three(3) Cadet corps engaged in a march past competition to commemorate the national milestone. Taking the national salute on behalf of the President, Honorable Richard Ofori Agyeman Boadi commended the efforts of past Presidents and national heroes who have toiled to bring the country to its present state and said The nation forever remains thankful to them for their sacrifices. Touching on the theme for the celebration, INVESTING IN THE YOUTH FOR GHANAS TRANSFORMATION, the Obuasi MCE said, Government under His Excellency John Dramani Mahamas ultimate goal is to provide the enabling environment that will propel our young men and women to become champions of industry ,commerce, technology and rule of law translating into good governance. To buttress his point, Honorable Ofori Agyeman Boadi said Government has come up with interventions such as the Graduate Business Support Scheme under the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations which has taken care of 2000 young Ghanaians, the Department of Cooperatives registered a total of 1,757 youth cooperatives in all the 10 regions with a total of 34,657 jobs created with some of the beneficiaries resident in Obuasi. He mentioned projects undertaken by the Obuasi Municipal Assembly such as the Baakoyeden Industrial Village, the soon-to be developed Obuasi Wood village, the much anticipated GRATIS International initiated Informal Senior High School and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Obuasi campus as among projects which will transform the youth and serve as a catalyst to diversify the economy of the Municipality. About the current troubling HIV prevalence rate in the municipality, Hon. Ofori Agyeman Boadi said, whiles the Municipal Assembly is working its socks off to scale down the prevalence, it is incumbent on the youth to change their negative lifestyles and take their school and training very serious. At the end of the celebrations, Kwabena Ofori M/A Primary, Saint Thomas Junior High School and ARTIC Senior High School emerged winners of the march past in the Primary, Junior High School and Senior High School categories respectively. Nantes (France) (AFP) - A Frenchman described as "radicalised" was arrested in Morocco Wednesday after flying there with low-cost airline Ryanair with knives and a gas bottle in the hold, a local government official said. The 31-year-old man, who had been under house arrest in France, was held on his arrival in Fez, where authorities discovered the items in his luggage, which also included a black balaclava. He took the flight from Nantes in western France, despite heightened security in the country which is still under a state of emergency imposed after an Islamic State attack on Paris in November that left 130 people dead. The Dublin-based carrier Ryanair told AFP the case was "the responsibility of Nantes airport security officials who are investigating". 09.03.2016 LISTEN His New Years Message was terse and simple and of the predictable sort. Still, it was quite poignant and meaningful if also because it was the unvarnished truth. I also hope that the man who appointed him to the job would take a cue from Mr. Amin Amidu Sulemani, the Upper-West Regional Minister, in the heated lead-up to Election 2016. An apparent wise man that he is, Mr. Sulemani stressed the fact that the greatest enemy facing his people was three-fold, namely, poverty, disease and ignorance (See Our Greatest Enemy Is Poverty, Ignorance UW Minister JoyNews.com / Modernghana.com 1/1/16). The same could be aptly said for the overwhelming majority of the Ghanaian people. Mr. Sulemani was also quick and shrewd enough to point out that 2016 is an election year, which means that there is bound to be a lot of frenzied activities on the national political front. The implication here, of course, is that whatever side of the political divide they may belong to, Ghanaians would do themselves and the destiny of their nation great good if in making ideological and partisan political decisions, they also bore in mind the need to vote for the party with a track-record of being relatively more effective at tackling the fundamental issues of poverty, disease and ignorance. In simple terms, which of the two major political parties has a proven track-record of having remarkably enhanced the quality of life and the general living standards of the Ghanaian people? Closely linked to the latter, of course, is the sticky question of employment opportunities for the nations youth, particularly those who have studiously and meticulously followed all the laid-down rules for achieving success and prosperity in society and life but, nonetheless, find themselves stuck on the gray margins of mainstream society and are acutely threatened with penury and destitution. The problem of disease is obviously inescapably linked to that of poverty, which readily brings into sharp focus the track-record of both the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) vis-a-vis the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). I very much doubt that the Upper-Wests Regional Minister would agree with me on this count, but the fact of the matter is that it is his own party, the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress, that has done comparatively much less to advance the healthcare system and industry in the country. For instance, when the idea of a National Health Insurance Scheme was originally tabled on the electioneering campaign agenda by the Kufuor-led New Patriotic Party, Messrs. Mills, late, and Mahama promptly shot down this noble proposal as a pipe-dream. The irony here, though, is that both the late University of Ghana Law School professor and his lieutenant, also a graduate of the same institution, claimed to be bona fide social democrats. They would also zealously and shamelessly continue to push the Cash-and-Carry healthcare agenda that was absolutely no progressive public healthcare policy at all, but one that may well have resulted in the deaths of more Ghanaians than any single deadly epidemic that has ravaged our country since the postcolonial era. On the educational front also, the erstwhile Mills-Mahama regime, and now Mahama/Amissah-Arthur government, has focused almost exclusively on the construction of school buildings at the same time that it has callously stripped teacher-trainees of their allowances, with the general working conditions of the Ghanaian educator, at all levels, worsening by the day. For instance, educators at our tertiary academies have had to threaten the government with industrial action on a yearly basis in order to have their research and book allowances, or professional incentives, paid up by a government that claims to have done more to advance the quality of our nations educational system since independence than any other government. In his New Years Message, Mr. Sulemani also underscored the glaring fact that as a people, our present living standards left too much to be desired for us to have the luxury of playing politics with our destiny. But, of course, what the Upper-Wests Regional Minister did not directly say, but may very well have implied, is the incontrovertible fact that there is at least one better political and / or ideological alternative to the democratic governance of the country besides the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress. And that more viable alternative, of course, is the Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party. *Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs The 2016 World Womens Day celebration at AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine saw scores of women participating at a free medical screening at one of the mines host communities Adeiyie. The medical screening forms part of the Mines quarterly rotational medical screening with all expenses borne by the mine. The services included consultation and screening, treatment of diseases and sickness and special talk on reproductive health. In an interview, Cynthia Odoom Wilson who is a Physician Assistant of the Mine encouraged the community members to adopt healthy lifestyles to prevent lifestyle diseases. She also advised the women to seek prompt medical attention when the need arises. The diseases mainly seen were Respiratory Tract Infection, Malaria, Hypertension, Skin Infection and others, and those who need further assessment and management were referred Madam Grace Addison who could not hide her joy remarked that I made it a point to partake in the medical screening because the Mines hospital has been brought to us with quality medication for our various ailments. On behalf of all women present, we express our appreciation to Iduapriem mine for responding to our health needs she said. An elderly woman at the Consultation table Gloria Acheamong is a teacher at the Adeiyie Basic School. For her, the importance she attaches to the outreach is enormous. She was particularly delighted with the special talk on the health needs of reproductive health which many women are confronted with. She says such interventions are essential to human life. A Community Development Officer in charge of Gender on the Mine, Roseline Dauri says the medical outreach which was hugely participated by Adeiyie and surrounding areas is an attestation of making access to healthcare easy for the Mines host communities. According to her, in addressing the health needs of women, Iduapriem mine, will continue to roll out more of such interventions to ensure the women are empowered at all levels of life a phenomenon she noted was in line with the 2016 objectives of the Mine. In all five hundred women were screened from Adieyie and surrounding communities. This years World Womens day was under the theme Pledge for parity An Accra Circuit Court, presided by Aboagye Tandoh, yesterday granted bail in the sum of GH46,000 to a 26-year-old refrigeration technician, who has been charged for fraud. The accused person, Joseph Dennis Abraham-Reynolds, defrauded one Henry Nkrumah by pretending to have a Toyota Highlander he wanted to sell to him. However, he failed to deliver on his promise after the complainant had deposited the agreed money GH49,000 into his bank account. As part of his bail conditions, he is to provide three sureties as guarantors of the bail sum. He is also expected to report to the police every Wednesday. He is to reappear before the court on March 22, 2016 for hearing. Facts The complainant, Henry Nkrumah, age 33 years, is a businessman residing in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. The accused, Joseph Dennis Abraham-Reynolds, age 26 years, is a refrigeration technician residing at Community 9, Tema. On January 14, 2016, the complainant saw a Toyota Highlander 44 car advertised on www.Tonaton.com, an online marketing site, for sale at a cost of GH60,000 by the accused, and on the same day, the complainant contacted the accused person on phone and expressed interest in the said car and agreed on GH50,000 payment. On January 20, 2016, the complainant sent his brother, one Isaac Aning, a witness in this case, from Kumasi to inspect the vehicle which was parked at Sakumono, where he met a gentleman who introduced himself to him as the cousin of the accused person. The cousin then showed him all the documents to the vehicle, and communicated same to the complainant. The complainant then deposited cash of GH49,000. into the accused person's Access Bank account number 0261621621625911. As they were waiting for the said cousin of the accused person to bring the keys to the car, a gentleman approached them that he was the rightful owner of the vehicle, so they could make payment if they had finished inspecting the vehicle, as he was informed by the said cousin to the accused person. It was there they realised they had been defrauded by the accused person. On January 27, 2016, the complainant lodged a formal complaint with the Community 18 police, and the accused was subsequently arrested on February 22, 2016 from his hideout at Dawhenya. In the accused person's caution statement, he admitted the money was paid into his account, but said it was withdrawn on the same day and given to one Michael Koranteng who used his account for the transaction. The accused has since refunded cash in the sum of GH3,000. After investigations he was charged with the offence and put before court. By MaameAgyeiwaaAgyei ([email protected]) The Commission of the African Union (AU), in collaboration with the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) and the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa(UNOCA), held a two-day workshop on 3-4 March 2016, on the "Review of Disarmament, Demobilisation, Repatriation, Reintegration and Resettlement (D2R3) Procedures and Capacity for the Returnees of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)". The workshop was held at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, pursuant to the recommendation of the bi-annual LRA Focal Points meeting held in Entebbe, Uganda, on 8 - 9 September 2015. The workshop brought together civil society representatives from the four LRA-affected countries, mainly the Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, and Uganda, as well as from the US (Delegation to the AU, State Department and Department of Defence), the UN (UNOCA, UNOAU, UNICEF, UNDP, as well as UN Peacekeeping Mission in DRC, CAR, and South Sudan). Representatives from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent, Invisible Children, Save the Children and LRA-affected countries also participated in the workshop. The Workshop mapped out the various actors involved in the processes of sensitization, extraction, family tracing, reunification, and reintegration of the LRA returnees. It also identified the pertinent challenges being encountered in these processes, as well as the kind of resources required to improve them in a manner that could induce more defections of LRA commanders, fighters and abductees hitherto in the bush. Opening the workshop, the Head of the AU Defence and Security Division, Dr. Tarek A. Sharif, underlined the importance of ensuring the safe return, repatriation and reintegration of ex-combatants as an essential component of efforts to restore and safeguard inter-communal relationships, including cross-border ties that have been damaged by activities of the LRA. Meanwhile, during the closing of the workshop, Mr. Sivuyile Bam, Head of AU Peace Support Operations Division (PSOD), said the workshop would help generate D2R3 capacity within PSOD. The Commission applauds the efforts of all the stakeholders in complementing the kinetic military operations of the AU Regional Task Force against the LRA and urged for sustained efforts until the LRA is eliminated. The Korean International Cooperation Agency and UNICEF in Uganda have today handed over three ambulances to the districts of Amudat, Kotido and Napak to enable pregnant women access life-saving services or health facilities quickly. The support is part of the four-year UNICEF-KOICA partnership launched last year and focuses on strengthening the continuum of care for maternal, new-born and child health services, by addressing the three delays that are responsible for maternal and new-born deaths. The continuum of care includes integrated service delivery for mothers and children from pregnancy to child birth, immediately after childbirth and through childhood. The handover ceremony took place at the UNICEF Moroto Zonal Offices in Moroto. UNICEF's Representative to Uganda Ms. Aida Girma handed over the ambulances to the district leadership of Amudat, Kotido and Napak. Maternal and new-born mortality remain a global challenge and more so, an area of concern for Uganda. Women and new-borns continue to die from preventable causes. In, Uganda, there has been a slow progress in averting maternal and new-born mortality specifically in hard-to-reach areas and among vulnerable populations living in Karamoja. The Karamoja region still registers poor indicators. While the national maternal mortality ratio is 438 per 100,000 live births, that of Karamoja is estimated at 750 per 100,000 live births. Uganda has a well elaborated health policy and strategies for the reduction of maternal and child mortality, such as the Reproductive Maternal New-born Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) strategy which is aligned to the National Health Sector Development Plan and the Global strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescent Health. This strategy also defines high impact interventions for the reduction of maternal and new-born mortality. However, at district level, there is need to strengthen integration of services across the continuum of care; accountability and monitoring frameworks and to effectively support coordination of high-impact and cost-effective interventions that are defined in the RMNCAH strategy. The ambulances provided today are timely and will address the second delay which occurs at the community level before reaching the health facility, said Mrs. Aida Girma, UNICEF's Representative to Uganda. The delays bar pregnant women from accessing life-saving services in time, she added. The four-year partnership, costed at USD 8,552,020 (approximately 28 billion Uganda shillings) will target more than 100,000 pregnant women, over 15,000 pregnant women presenting with labour complications, and 100,000 children under five, including new-borns. The project is being implemented in seven districts of the Karamoja region Abim, Amudat, Kaabong, Kotido, Moroto, Napak and Nakapiripirit. Brong Ahafo regional caucus in parliament have rejected proposals by Bank of Ghana (BoG) to liquidate assets of DKM Diamond Microfinance and God is Love Microfinance to pay off depositors. They said the process outlined by Dr. Henry Kofi Wampah, the Governor of BoG, is unsatisfactory to addressing the issue of repaying depositors. Speaking on behalf of the MPs, the Nkoranza North MP, Major Derrick Oduro said it is impossible for the Governor to identify all the assets of the microfinance companies since they are scattered. On March 8, Dr. Wampah briefed Parliamentary Committee on Finance on steps taken by the Central Bank to address grievances of depositors whose monies have been locked up with DKM, God is Love and other microfinance companies across the country. The Governor told the Committee steps taken including the liquidation of assets of the microfinance companies to help pay some depositors. Dr. Wampah said they are working to find out where DKM has diverted the 77 million of the 115 million from depositors. However, Mr. Oduro said they are not interested in the sale of the assets of the microfinance companies because the victims are traumatized. Describing the nature of hardship the victims have had to contend with, Mr. Oduro said over 50 people have died because they could not believe their life savings were gone. What is the process of liquidation? he asked saying the Governor has to consult the President if he is not sure of how to raise the money to pay off the depositors. "We want Bank of Ghana to go and think about it again, come back to Parliament and give us a satisfactory briefing," he said. He revealed the Governor will appear to the House to give another briefing before it rises. Meanwhile, Major Derrick Oduro said he has received death threats because he opposed steps taken by the bank to address the issue. He said he received one such letter on February 22 threatening to kill him before the November election. Mr. Oduro said he has notified the leadership of Parliament about the threats for subsequent action. Story by Ghana | myjoyonline.com | Austin Brako-Powers | [email protected] Medical Director of Ridge Hospital, Dr. Thomas Anaba, has said that understaffing of the Hospital has hampered its effort in attending to emergency situations. He said the Hospital is not able to attend to some of the emergency cases referred to it because of the absence of adequate personnel. Dr. Anaba was reacting to accusations of maltreatment leveled against the hospital by Mardey, a good samaritan who rushed an injured woman to the hospital on March 6. Mardey called into Joy FMs Super Morning Show on March 7, to recount the mistreatment meted out to her by some nurses of the Ridge Hospital when she took an injured woman there for treatment. According to her, she saw the injured lady a victim of a hit-and-run, on the Farrar Avenue at Adabraka and rushed to the Adabraka Police Station to report the accident. With the help of a police officer, she picked the injured lady into her vehicle and drove to the Ridge Hospital but said the nurses on the night shift refused to attend to the injured lady who was then bleeding in the head. She also said the nurses engaged in a fierce argument with her and the police officer who accompanied her for 45 minutes when they could have spent the same time to attend to the lady. Dr. Anaba rejected her claims saying one of the nurses on the night shift attended to the injured lady. He said the nurse conducted a triaging test - a medical process for sorting injured people into groups based on their medical needs. According to him, the nurse realized her situation was not urgent she then left to attend to a patient who was badly bleeding out of a dog bite. Dr. Anaba lauded Mardey for helping the injured lady but said she could have contacted the management of the hospital rather than making the issue public. We are not belittling her effort in bringing the patient. But I think this issue to me didnt need to explode the way [it] is going, he said. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brako-Powers | [email protected] Washington (AFP) - US troops accompanied Somali forces in a helicopter raid against Shebab insurgents in Somalia, a Pentagon spokesman said Wednesday. US aircraft were used in the operation, which the spokesman described as an "advise, assist and accompany mission" with the Somali army. "We did go on the mission but we did not go all the way to the objective," Navy Captain Jeff Davis said. The raid overnight Tuesday to Wednesday came just days after US warplanes and drones killed an estimated 130 Shebab fighters training for a major operation, according to the Pentagon. Special forces operatives in two helicopters targeted the Shebab-controlled town of Awdhegele, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of Somalia's capital Mogadishu, Somali government officials and a Shebab spokesman said. "We have reports Shebab militants suffered casualties," local district commissioner Mohamed Aweys told reporters. It was not immediately clear what the objective was, but helicopter raids in the past have been hostage rescue missions, such as a US commando operation in 2012 to free two aid workers who had been held for three months by the group. Shebab has stepped up their attacks since the start of the year. Davis said there are a small number of US troops in Somalia supporting an African Union mission and the Somali national army "specifically in their fight against al-Shebab." "And part of that mission is to conduct enabling missions on occasion," Davis said. 09.03.2016 LISTEN THE ASHANTI Regional Police Commander, DCOP Nathan Kofi Boakye has implored loud mouth Pastors and Men of God in the country to pray against the activities of macho men and hoodlums ahead of the Electoral Commission (ECs) limited registration exercise and the November 7 elections. The Ashanti Regional Police Boss said what he demands from the spiritual leaders is for them to pray fervently for peace in the country as Ghanaians confront the crucial elections. Reacting to false claims by one of the controversial Pastors and Founder of Gods Way International Gospel Church, Bishop Daniel Obinim, that he (DCOP Kofi Boakye) was a member of his church and that he has been offering him spiritual protection, the Regional Police capo stated emphatically he has never been to Bishop Obinims Church neither has he asked him for any form of spiritual protection. He told host of PEACE FMs Breakfast show, Kwame Sefah Kayi, that instead of engaging in spiritual warfare and supremacy, he rather wishes they could spend their time praying against the activities of macho men who foment trouble during voters' registration and elections. Kwame, I want to state emphatically that I dont believe in spiritual prophesies; I only believe in the supreme God. I have never sought any spiritual protection from any pastor, including Bishop Obinim, DCOP Kofi Boakye, popularly known as Commander One stated. The Ashanti Regional Police Boss jokingly added if they have any prayer for me, then I am begging them to pray against macho men so that they can grow lean and render them incapacitated in the upcoming limited registration exercise, Though DCOP Kofi Boakye did not deny ever engaging in conversation with Bishop Obinim, he said the purpose was far away from seeking spiritual assistance, explaining that the conversation between them centred on how he and his colleague pastors who oversee larger congregation could help the police in ensuring security in their communities. He said in the case of Bishop Obinim, the consultation was necessitated by the establishment of a police post at Kenyasi which is close to Bosore where the headquarters of the Gods Way International Gospel Church is located and how he could be of assistance. Obinim is not the only pastor I have spoken to in recent times; I have engaged Prophet Ebenezer, Victor Kusi Boateng, Rev. Francis Kwarteng, amongst others and in all those occasions the agenda had been how they can assist the police since they deal with larger congregation. Of course, some of them have been of tremendous assistance to the service, he explained. From Issah Alhassan, Kumasi 09.03.2016 LISTEN A 35-year-old man who was wrongly pronounced dead in the mining town of Ayanfuri, near Dunkwa in the Central region seems to have been rejected by the family on his return home. Mr. Kwabenea Opoku, a native of Nkukua Buoho in the Afigya Kwabre District of the Ashanti Region, is battling to be accepted back by his family, who find it hard to come to terms with the news of his death and sudden resurfacing after his final funeral rites had been performed. The one week observation of Opoku, who is currently jobless besides the divorce by his spouse, was slated for October 29, 2015, at Kookoase in Nkukua Buoho. Explaining the incident on GH RADIO ONE, a Kumasi based online radio station, Mr. Kwame Nsiah, a brother of Kwabena Opoku explained that sometime in October last year, he had a call from his brother's phone and the caller told him that his brother and two others have been poisoned, after eating a meal which put them in critical condition at the Dunkwa Government Hospital. He revealed that he was told that two of them were operated on but Opoku could not survive because treatment was delayed following the delay of the family in responding to the distress call. The message also had it that the body of Opoku had been sent to the morgue at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) via an ambulance. Mr. Nsiah, said the following day the family converged at KATH and combed the entire facility but could not trace the mortal remains of Opoku. Meanwhile, a graphic designer had been contracted to design a poster with Opoku's picture for the one week observation on October 29, 2015. A family delegation led by Opoku's uncle was sent to Ayanfuri to verify the death of Opoku at his workplace with a copy of the one week poster to enquire about Opoku's whereabouts. On arrival at Ayanfuri, the delegation was directed to the mining site where he works Nsiah. When the delegation announced their mission to the security officer at post he expressed shock to learn that Kwabena Poku, who was busily at work could be pronounced dead. The delegation was shocked to the bones when Opoku resurfaced after working hours. People who got word of his death thronged to Nkukua Buoho for the one week observation only to learn that Opoku was not dead after all. Opoku is now torn between returning to his hometown and continue working at his workplace both with difficulty. Everyone in Ayanfuri thinks he is dead so they regard him as ghost ,which has demoralised him so much that he has been sacked from work , Auntie Akosua Achia, the mother of Kwabena Opoku disclosed. She also disclosed that Opoku's wife with two kids has divorced him. Opoku's mother said embattled Opoku has been taken to a man of God for deliverance from the trauma of the news of his death and his rejection by society. Explaining the incident on Kumasi-based GH RADIO ONE station, Kwabena Opoku has also pleaded with the general public to disregard the news of his death because he is alive and kicking. He explained that on Thursday 21, 2015, his handset was stolen from a galamsey mining site by an unknown person at Ayanfuri in the Western Region, which he could not trace. He continued that a week later, the person who stole the phone died so good Samaritan called his brother, Kofi Nsiah and broke the news to him that the owner (thief( had died from food poisoning. He said while he was planning to get himself a new phone he delegation from his home town arrived at his work place to announce news of his death. I was terrified and down when my father and the rest of the family told me I am dead, he said. Opoku is traumatized so much by the loss of job and wife as a result of false alarm and is pleading with the public to see him as one of them and accept him back. From Richard Owusu-Akyaw, Kumasi Joining the global community to commemorate International Womens Day 2016, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa has called for gender equality, especially in the areas of education and employment. Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the Friendraiser Community 2016 International Womens Day event in Abuja on March 8, 2016, H.E. Mrs. Toyin Saraki, Founder of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) and Wife of Nigerias Senate President, stated, In all sectors, women continue to suffer from gender inequality, which unequivocally hinders advancement. However, girls education is a vital tool for both development and empowerment. Globally, 31 million girls of primary school age and 32 million girls of lower secondary school age are out of school, with sub-Saharan Africa suffering the lowest proportion of countries with gender parity in education. It is vital we overcome this gender parity in education because education empowers girls by helping them achieve other basic human rights and breaking generational poverty cycles. Annually celebrated on the 8th of March, International Womens Day (IWD) is a day set aside to celebrate the economic, social and political achievements of women, while striving to improve the livelihoods of women all around the world. This year, the IWD global theme is Pledge for Parity, a clarion call for equality in all spheres, and for gender-balanced leadership in the workplace. In other events marking the Day, the Foundation actively participated in the launch of the Road to Womens Business Growth Project, hosted in Lagos by the Cherie Blair Foundation, Exxon Mobil and the Pan-Atlantic University; as well as the Command Performance of Onions Make Us Cry, a play by Zainabu Jallo, which was hosted in Abuja by the Arojah Royal Theatre. On International Womens Day 2016, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa reaffirms its commitment to empowering women by continuing to advocate for girl-child education, while making life-saving contributions to improve maternal and child health in Nigeria and around the world. Sync MEDIA HOUSE An impassive disengagement of our political or ideological blinders will definitely reveal that Ghanas political trajectory currently spearheaded by President John Mahama is headingif it hasnt reached there alreadytoward a new political paradigm. Interchangeably, the emerging paradigm is called Dead Goatism or Mahama Doctrine. The Dead Goatism school of thought articulated by Mr. Mahama and his hosanna bandwagon assumes: Average Ghanaians talk too much but dont know what they are talking about; that no matter what, Ghanaians will be always ungrateful and will never be appreciative of the entire excellent job Mahama-led administration has done; that the press will still be uncontrollably intrusive into the government activities regardless; that with the exception of the two living ex-presidents, none of the Ghanaians running their mouths has ever been president to fully conceptualize the pressures inherent in the office of the presidency. The Dead Goatism paradigm, moreover, posits that majority of Ghanaians appear to suffer from political amnesia so they tend to forget quickly; that the so-called Ghanaian experts/analysts living abroad need to be ignored in that they have no clue about the ongoing developments under Mahama government to criticize or write anything of substance to the current national discourse. Lastly, and more important, For Mr. Mahama, it may not worth it for a president with an executive powers to waste his precious time seeking Ghanaians inputs first before taking decisions, or worry about the constant barrages of criticisms whether constructive or not. The cumulative effects of the preceding attitudes and misconceptions have crystallized into Dead Goatism paradigm. When President Mahama contemplatively responded that he was not the kind of leader sensitive to criticisms because he is like a dead goat, not only was he truly revealing to Ghanaians how he internalizes issues and/or handles conflicts but more importantly he was also exposing his deep-seated worldviews. People or leaders worldviews pretty much tell us something about the way they gather, sort, analyze, and embark on decision making process. Both on its face value and on deeper psychological levels, President Mahamas dead goat analogy clearly reveals two key characteristics about his judgment and leadership style: First, it shows how he takes in or perceives information and based on that makes decision as a leader. Second, it also demonstrates that Mr. Mahama takes Ghanaians for granted because buried deep somewhere in his subconscious mind, he lacks practical awareness and sensitivity to the everyday issues facing Ghanaians. Do not take my word for it because from Mr. Mahamas own contemplations as captured in his dead goatism philosophy, the president seems to acknowledge he is politically walking dead. Scientifically, it is settled that a dead animal (human included) is unconscious and unaware of its surroundings. This presupposes that like a dead goat President Mahama is oblivious to the problems, real or imagined, dogging Ghanaians. More so, it seems the presidential power has desensitized Mr. Mahama from the realities of Ghanaian body politic. Here is President Mahama: I have seen more demonstrations and strikes in my first two years. I don't think it can get worse. It is said that when you kill a goat and you frighten it with a knife, it doesn't fear the knife, because it is dead already." Really, Mr. President? Did you say youre like a dead goat regarding the legitimate concerns of Ghanaians? Is that your simplistic worldview of contemporary governance, especially of a multiethnic nation-state with countless competing interests such as Ghana? Its worth noting that a nations presidency is not like a professional chef in the kitchen who does not want to get burned but negligently touches the cooking pots with bare hands all the time and then complains without doing anything consequential to determine the cause of the burn. In all honesty, why choses to be become a chef if the trappings of the kitchen far exceed your sense of awareness and alertness? Put differently, President Mahama appears to think he can eat his tuo saafi and have it back at the same time. Ghana presidency is super high temperature seat; where one just cant go sit there and start napping till caught off guard and claims that he is a dead goat. Understandably, there are some folks who view Mr. Mahamas dead goat narrative as one of those metaphoric pronouncements or jokes that shouldnt be taken literally. In the same vein, there are others who think Mr. Mahama is really serious about his dead goat homology. Either way, one basic fact we ought not lose sight of is that none of us can make sense of our surroundings without comparing and associating similar or dissimilar things in everyday human interactions. Comparisons clearly form an intrinsic and indispensable part of human communications as well as the conveyance of our thoughts. There is old saying that whatever thoughts people harbor within them come out of their mouths whenever they speak. Mr. Mahama is not only a grown-up but most important, he is an elected leader of a sovereign country of over 20 million people. He knows exactly what is on his mind when he thoughtfully propounded the political theory of the dead goat somewhere in Botswana. For this writer, the dead goatism is real; its the prevailing political paradigm and modus operandi of President Mahamas management approach since assuming office. Take a sober look at the pattern of Mr. Mahamas decision-making process, more so almost all his policies so far; they neatly fit and mirror through the dead goat paradigm. The recent secret negotiation between Mr. Mahama and the US government resulting in the admission into Ghana of the two so called low-level former Gitmo terrorists is a classic exhibition of the politics of dead goatism. Any leader with keen sense of accountability and sensitivity would have sought the inputs not only from the top-level security agencies, but also from the other well-intentioned Ghanaians across the political spectrum. But, for President Mahama, the far-reaching implications of such a highly sensitive issue pertaining to the Gitmo detainees do not mean much, at least not to him. Even if the vociferous Ghanaians or the so called partisan press discovers the Gitmo deal later on as it had happened now and people begin venting their spleens out to the highest heavens, so what? After all there is only one person who holds the executive powers of the presidency. Besides, none of these arm-chair critics or talkers has ever made presidential decision before aside from Messrs. Rawlings and Kufuor. So why lose sleep over these ignorant rantings? In addition, President Mahama believes Ghanaians just cant stop empty talks about their government, although they forget about all the shenanigans of their public officials in a heartbeat. He also anticipates that by the general elections time many Ghanaian will not even remember or care about the imported Gitmo terrorists in Ghana let alone worry about the ordeal the country has endured in the past years because of dumsor-dumsor. Many of Mr. Mahamas official utterances point to a leader whose understanding of the concept of executive presidency is not only limited in contemporary realm, but also its synonymous with having total control of all the levers of the state powers. For the most part, the military-centric 4th Republic Constitution has not helped either. It has created a pseudo democracy in Ghana in which the differences among the three arms of the governmentparliament, executive, and judiciaryexist only in their names and not in practical terms. Opportunistically, Mr. Mahama has exploited or taken advantage of this apparent constitutional weakness via his dead goat philosophy. Sadly, that is why the eavesdropping bill proposed by the Mahama-led government with regard to the Postal Packet and Telecommunications Message will easily passed through the spineless Ghana parliament without the rigors of genuine parliamentary debate that we always see at the House of Commons or the US Congress. Unlike the members of the latter chambers, most of the Ghanaian legislators tend to think they are elected to do the biddings of the president (executive branch). The concept of coequal branches of government has gotten more dysfunctional in the dead goatism landscape. At the end of the day, President Mahama will keep using the politics of dead goatism to try to get what he wants, including his reelection bid. In fact, the Mahama Doctrine will continue a steady course as long as Mr. John Mahama is in power backed by his fawning parliamentary majority. Closely looking at how he runs the country, it is clear President Mahama is comfortable of making unilateral decisions while pretending like a dead goat or sitting back and watching Ghanaians talk as much as they want till they get tired after the issue or the story has become old. This has been Mr. Mahamas strategy all along; and, he is right when he compares himself to a dead goat! Bernard Asubonteng is based in the United States. He teaches political science and critical thinking at a university/college-level. He can be reached at: [email protected] 09.03.2016 LISTEN Accra, March 9, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama has called on the members of a new National African Peer Review Mechanism Governing Council (NAPRM-GC) to assist the government in monitoring the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He said the creation of the Council was an opportunity for Ghana to advance in her democratic credentials. President Mahama made this call when he swore into office the new Board members of the NAPRM-GC at the Flagstaff House, Kanda. The UN General Assembly has endorsed 17 SDGs for implementation by member nations and President Mahama is counting on the expertise of the members of the Council to implement at least 13 of them. The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is an instrument agreed by the African Union under the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) to strengthen good governance in Africa. The seven-member national Board is chaired by the Director of Research of the Association of African Universities, Professor Akilakpa Sawyer. The other members are Prof. Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, Executive Director, Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy; Prof. Kwesi Botchwey, Chairman, National Development Planning Commission; Most Reverend Prof. Emmanuel Asante, Chairman, National Peace Council; Dr Lawrence Kannae, Vice Chairman, Public Services Commission; Mr Richard Quayson, acting Commissioner, CHRAJ, and Mr Samuel Asare Akuamoah, acting Chairman, NCCE. Their mandate is to ensure that policies and practices of the country conform to the agreed values of democracy and political governance, economic governance, corporate governance, and socio-economic development. Ghana is one of the countries that acceded to the APRM and successfully went through the first review in 2006, and is currently one of the candidates for a second review. President Mahama said since economic development was dependent on good political environment, the APRM would provide a vehicle in achieving economic growth. One of the striking features of Ghana's APRM is that it has served as a learning ground for some countries. Some of the contributions APRM had made to Ghana's development is opening up the political space for citizens' participation, good governance and the passage of a number of legislations including the national gender policy and the establishment of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, and SADA. President Mahama expressed the hope that the Council would live up to expectation. Prof Sawyerr on behalf of the Board gave the assurance to President Mahama and Ghanaians that the team would work hard to justify the confidence reposed in them. GNA Accra, March 9, GNA - Ghana Without Orphans (GWO), a Christian movement that advocates family based care, in collaboration with some local churches have organised the 'Foster Care Children March and Fun Fair' at the Efua Sutherland Children's Park. The Fun Fair was organised as part of activities marking the 'Foster Care Month' initiative. The event which was sponsored by Fan Milk Ghana Limited and TV3, registered 3,200 people comprising 530 orphans, parents, pupils from the various basic schools, volunteers, among others. The activities started with a route march from the entrance of the Efua Sutherland Park through the Liberia Road, the Ridge Roundabout, the Castle Road, then the Starlet 91 Street and back to the Park. Activities such as bouncy castle, horse riding, face painting, musical chairs, train riding and pick and act games were undertaken to entertain the children Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), on the sideline of the event, Reverend George Abaidoo, the National Coordinator for GWO said parents at as well as churches should develop interest in fostering and adoption. He said there was the need to promote foster care, explaining that it had been the Ghanaian culture where our traditional family setting took care of the orphans and vulnerable children in society. Rev Abaidoo said the lack of funds had been their major challenge and thus appealed to benevolent individuals, churches and the government to support their activities Reverend Kwame Ameyibor, Pastor at the Presby Church, Accra Newtown Congregation also told GNA that there were a lot of children who could have been on the streets but the concept of foster parenting had play a major role in ensuring that the welfare of orphans is being catered for. He said children should not be fostered to serve as house helps, saying that since the churches had no homes it would be difficult for them to foster, but rather the churches should be encouraged to lead the advocacy by sensitizing members to foster orphans. Rev Ameyibor, who is also a foster parent commended GWO for the project and was hopeful that this laudable programme would catch up with all and sundry, to understand the concept of foster care. The GWO's initiative covers children who had been abused, neglected, homeless and the exploited GWO has chosen the whole month of March every year to give fostered children the opportunity to share their story and show their gratitude to their foster parent as well encourage local families to adopt and integrate the orphaned and abandoned children in their communities. The Foster Care Month Initiative is also supported by 12 African countries within the West Africa sub region, all dedicated in providing love, hope and a sense of belonging to orphans and vulnerable children within the Christian family environment GNA Accra, March 9, GNA - Madam Azumi Mesuno, Ambassador for Unpaid Care Work (UCW), ActionAid Ghana (AAG), has appealed to government to allocate budget to facilities that support women and girls' empowerment. She said the UCW, which were the basic chores of women in every home in the country, needed to be recognised by government through productive resources and extensive services for the needed support to be accorded to it. Madam Mesuno therefore, has urged government to adopt the three R-Framework and make policies with them to ensure efficiency and fair redistribution of UCW at all levels. 'There should be equal redistribution, recognition and reduction of UCW at homes and at the national level for the burden of women to be enjoyed by all and not only women,' Madam Mesuno said on Tuesday at Kpobiman, when Ghana joined the world to mark the International Women's Day. In Ghana, Young Urban Women Resource Centre, a youth group under AAG, marked the day with other women's groups of AAG to celebrate the hard works of women under the global theme, 'Step it up for Gender Equality: Reducing Unpaid Care Work through Recognition and Redistribution to Enhance Economic Development of Women'. The AAG also launched three new women's group that would serve as an advocacy group to empower, equip, train and build the confidence of women in the Ga West District of the Greater Region. Mr Benjamin Tawiah, Communications and Public Relations Manager, AAG, said the launch of the three new groups aimed at acknowledging and celebrating the efforts of women. He said for the empowerment and skills of women to be upgraded, Ghana had adopted this year's International Women's Day theme to work around and empower the lives of women. Mr Tawiah noted that the measure of every country was how far she had taken care of her women and children; it was the goal of AAG to empower women and encourage men to rally behind women and support their dreams. 'We want to make sure women have access to what makes them by helping put their needs forward,' he said. Professor Goski Alabi, Dean, Centre for International Collaboration, University of Professional Studies, advised women to manage their time, career, family and selves accordingly as time management would help them to have access to information needed for their upgrade. She also advised women to work hard, empower themselves and fight for their future instead of blaming their husbands for being against their progress all the time. 'Work consciously with time management, let us all be each other's keeper towards our empowerment and share in our glories and success stories of ourselves,' she said. Mrs Henrietta Lamptey, Regional Programme Manager, AAG, mentioned early child marriages and women being recognised as the only people to take care of the home as some of the disadvantages that worked against women. GNA 09.03.2016 LISTEN Accra, March 9, GNA - A national gender dialogue to assess the impact of the country's intestate succession law (PNDCL111) after 30 years of promulgation towards protecting the survival of spouses and children's rights was held on Tuesday. The dialogue, which is the third in series, coincided with this year's International Women's Day to celebrate women's achievements from political to socio-economic, while calling for gender equality in all spheres of life. Welcoming hundreds of gender activists including market women, queen mothers, traditional leaders and professional bodies, Nana Oye Lithur, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, noted that the PNDC Law 111 opened the floodgates for women's empowerment in Ghana. She described the law introduced in 1985 as revolutionary, unique, historical and radical that changed deep-seated cultural, customary and traditional practices affecting survival of spouses and children. 'PNDC Law 111 was radical, it was unique, it was historical, the first ever in Africa and I daresay the world, it went against the grain,' she said. 'It turned Ghanaian customs and traditions on inheritance around, especially the Akan customary law, and matrilineal inheritance systems,' Nana Lithur added. PNDC Law 111 played a significant role in protecting the inheritance and property rights of women as far back as 1985, she said, and called on gender activists to work hard to improve the status of women in Ghana. Nana Lithur expressed gratitude to former President Jerry John Rawlings and former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings for their 'vision, foresight, courage and effort' in the passage and enforcement of the law. Nana Lithur said the Ministry has jointly sponsored the property rights of spouses' bill and the intestate succession bill in 2009 to amend the current anomalies identified in the PNDCL 111. 'The intent of the Bill is to address the anomalies as contained in the PNDCL 111 and to provide a uniform intestate succession applicable throughout the country and in various cultural and religious settings,' she said. 'This is part of the Ministry's work to strengthen the legal framework for the protection of all vulnerable persons,' she added. Some experts, however, say evolving dynamics of life such as joint economic activity of spouses, the difficult nature of matrilineal and patrilineal systems, poverty and discriminatory social and cultural practices, still challenged the application of the law. Gender dialogue is an integral aspect of the Ministry's strategy in championing gender equality and ensuring that a national platform is created to discuss emerging gender issues to deepen national development agenda. The meeting marked an important step in assessing intestate succession in the country and interrogating women's emancipation, gender equality and gender mainstreaming. GNA 09.03.2016 LISTEN Bawena (N/R), March 9, GNA - Mr Daniel Bugre Naabu, Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has advised Ghanaians to avoid voting for a party under the influence of gifts. He indicated that some politicians in the past induced the minds of electorates to vote for them and at the end worsen their economic conditions. Mr Naabu gave the advice when he addressed electorate at the Daboya-Mankarigo Constituency of the Northern Region. He urged electorates to be mindful of some of the political parties such as the NDC which were likely to come with clothing, rice, sugar, salt, 'Maggi' among others in the name of soliciting for their votes, noting, that those items would serve as their death warrant because the NDC for instance would continue with their unpopular policies. Hajia Mohammed Sofia, Northern Regional Deputy Women's Organizer of the NPP, admonished residents especially women to vote the NDC out since they had collapsed the National Health Insurance Scheme, free maternal care policy and other pro-poor social intervention policies initiated by the erstwhile Kufour administration. She mentioned among other things the high school fees, lack of jobs for graduates, the youth and the general hardships in the country, where indications that the NDC could not manage the country well hence the need to vote them out of power. Mr Yahaya Kasim, the Daboya-Mankarigo Constituency Chairman of the NPP, appealed to the people to ensure that they voted massively for the NPP in the impending elections to transform the broken economy, saying, the NPP would re-position the economy, create jobs and ensure equitable development of the country. GNA Sunyani, Mar 09, GNA - Mr George Kumi, a former Ambassador has called on the Ghanaian electorate to vote for politicians with nationalistic ideals in the November 7, polls. 'The ordinary voter can easily assess these politicians based on their individual contributions to society and the nation at large', he stated. Mr Kumi, a former Ambassador to Libya and High Commissioner to Nigeria made the call in a statement to mark the 59th Independence Day anniversary. A copy of the statement made available to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) emphasized that the current economic situation in the county required the services of patriotic citizens to effect transformation and growth. Mr Kumi who is contesting for the Sunyani East constituency parliamentary seat as an independent candidates noted that partisan politics had been the bane of national development. He said until Ghanaians avoided voting on partisan lines, efforts towards national reconstruction would have little results. Mr Kumi entreated voters to make informed decisions and vote wisely during the general election by avoiding selfish parliamentarians who had not done anything substantial in their constituencies. GNA Binaba, (U/E) March 9, GNA - The Binaba Health Centre in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region is in a deplorable state with both building and furniture falling apart.The roofs of the Maternity Block, Male Ward, Out Patient Department (OPD), consulting room, dressing room and health worker's quarters leak during the rainy season, windows' nets are torn and without louvre blades while most of the mattresses are old and the beds broken. Out of the three vaccine refrigerators, two are broken down and only one serves the entire health centre. Mr Peter Amoro, a Physician's Assistant at the health centre, who showed the Ghana News Agency round the facility, complained about the poor infrastructure, saying, 'We work here not because of our own comfort but for the sake of the patients. 'Many have refused posting to this facility for obvious reasons.' The Centre is situated on a vast land with a broken fence, making it a resting place for animals, while patients sit around on the bare floor to wait for their turn for medical attention. Madam Rahinatu Abdul-Mumuni, the resident midwife, said sterile instruments for deliveries usually got dusty before deliveries were conducted. She explained that the facility had no pipe borne water and pregnant women and their relatives had to fetch water from a near-by borehole, which served the facility and some community members. Mr Benjamin Aggrey, the District Health Director, noted that despite the deplorable state of the facility, no maternal death had been recorded since last year. He stated: 'The health centre would have eased the pressure and reduced the risk of transporting clients, especially pregnant women with complications, to the district hospital for management if given a face lift and upgraded to the status of a polyclinic with resident doctors and midwives. However, he said, health personnel posted to the facility refused to work there and no attempt had been made by the District Assembly or the Member of Parliament for the area to rehabilitate the place even though they were aware of the situation. Mr Simon Ayende Agbango, the District Chief Executive, said: 'The health centre is part of the Assembly's annual budget plan and a proposal has been made to the Minister of Finance,' he explained. GNA Half-Assini (W/R), Mar. 9, GNA - The Jomoro District Assembly has honoured four students who excelled in the recent Basic Schools Certificate Examination (BECE) and West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in the area. Honouring the students was part of the activities making the 59th Independence Day Anniversary celebration in the District. The students are Edward Hanson Mensah and Abijah Ackon both from the Nzemaan Complex School at Half Assini. The rest were Hakim Alani and Muah Anlimah Ehwiah both from the Half Assini Senior High. Hanson and Ackon were the best candidates in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) while Alani and Ehwiah from Half-Assini Senior High School (HASCO) were the best WASSCE candidates of the area. They were given cash prizes and certificates. Mr George William Somiah, the District Chief Executive and Mousier Traore Brahima, the visiting Sous Prefet (DCE) of Noe in Cote Ivoire, who joined the people to celebrate the Independence Anniversary, jointly presented the awards to the students. The celebration was attended by school children, government officials, traditional rulers, assembly members and the general public. The best schools in the match pass were Nzemaman Complex and Christian Academy Schools, both of Half-Assini, respectively at the Primary and JHS levels. GNA Accra, Mar. 9, GNA - Ghanaians have been urged to use the occasion of Ghana's 59th independence anniversary to rededicate themselves to what they can do to make the country better. 'Our forebears sacrificed a lot to get us independence, some even paid with their lives and today we should also ask ourselves what we can also do to help our country,' the Reverend Canon Professor Emeritus John S. Pobee, an Anglican Theologian, said in a sermon at a non-denominational church service at the Inspirational Gospel Assembly in the Bronx, New York to mark the anniversary. A statement issued by the Permanent Mission of Ghana to the United Nations in New York and copied to the Ghana News Agency said Reverend Pobee, the former head of the Department of Religions, University of Ghana, said the celebration of independence will be " meaningless if it doesn't help others and country to advance". Rev Pobee urged Ghanaians to have a sense of history in order not to repeat the mistakes of the past and to build upon the achievements made by their forbearers in achieving Ghana's independence. 'The youth of today [ought to] do everything possible to rekindle that enthusiasm to make Ghana great,' he said. Rev Pobee called on all Ghanaians to eschew tribalism, discrimination, indiscipline, laziness and all other negative attitudes that our elders fought hard against, adding that "we are one people, one nation with one destiny". Mrs Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Ghana's Permanent Representative to the UN, paid glowing tribute to the men and women, heroes and heroines of Ghana's Independence for their steadfastness, commitment and selfless dedication to the nation. It said Ghana's Mission will soon introduce an electronic online passport and visa processing and the new measures will include the processing of bio-metric passports. To enhance the interaction with the diaspora, Mrs Pobee said a special desk has been created at the Mission as well as all foreign Missions. Special prayers were said for the nation, President John Dramani Mahama and his Cabinet and people in leadership positions. The service, organized by the Permanent Mission of Ghana to the United Nations in conjunction with the Association of Ghanaian Pastors, National Council of Ghanaian Associations (NCOGA), was attended by staff of the Mission, leaders of various churches, the Ghanaian community and some friends of Ghana. GNA Accra, March 9, GNA - Four Yemenis who are alleged to have travelled to Ghana with fake Emergency Entry Visas and French Passports have filed a submission of no case before an Accra Circuit Court. The four through their counsel, Mr Dominic Owusu Sekyere, argued that prosecution had failed to make a case against them after calling its witnesses. According to counsel, prosecution also failed to establish the essential ingredients in the charges of possession of forged documents, fake Emergency Entry Visas, and forgery of official documents. The suspects are Esmail Yahya Zeyad aka Evra Allerson, Gaafar Eissa Yahya Amer, aka Ciro Carlos, Waleed Ahmed Yahya aka Debuchya Allard, all students and Eissa Yahya Amer, a businessman. Mr Sekyere contended that in the case of Amer, the businessman, he was holding a genuine passport and he was going to apply for entry visa in Ghana. According to counsel, the act of applying for an entry visa was allowed under the laws of Ghana and the phenomenon was also accepted around the globe. In the case of the other three, counsel said the officials of the Ghana Immigration Service had the right to have sent them back to their country on any available flight after their checks. At the circuit court on Wednesday, the defence counsel said he filed his submission of no case today and served the prosecution. The court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh noted that counsel should have filed the processes on the Attorney General and not the Police prosecutor. The court therefore directed counsel to serve the AG so they could respond at the next sitting. The matter was therefore adjourned to March 22. The four Yemenis have denied the charges of possession of forged documents, fake Emergency Entry Visas, and forgery of official documents. The four, who spoke through an Arabic interpreter, have been remanded into lawful custody by the court. DSP Aidan Dery, the prosecutor, who earlier read the facts, said all the accused persons were Yemeni Nationals who arrived at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on board Ethiopian Airline Flight ET 920, on November 24, last year. He said while undergoing immigration arrival procedures, Esmail, Gaafar and Waleed were found with French passports with different names. The Prosecution said further search on them revealed that all the accused persons had Yemeni passports too, and when the French passports with different names were examined, they were found to be fake. According to the prosecution, when the accused persons were quizzed they claimed one Abdulai Mohammed, an individual based in Yemen, secured the French passports for them. He said they claimed the same person gave them a phone number to call a certain Mohammed on their arrival in Ghana. The prosecution said the accused persons were on transit in Ghana to France, then to Istanbul, Turkey. The prosecution said another examination of their Yemeni passports indicated that Esmail and Gaafar had travelled several times to Djibouti before their trip to Ghana. GNA 09.03.2016 LISTEN Takoradi, Mar. 9, GNA - Dr Ishmael Ackah, the Head of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), has called on government to develop an agriculture investment plan that would yield meaningful returns to the country's economy. He said the existence of an agriculture investment plan would ensure that resources would be channeled into strategic segments of the sector which would yield fruitful returns. Dr Ackah said government, over the years, has made huge allocations to the agriculture sector, but has received little returns due to the absence of a lack of strategic investment plan. He said in the 2014 agriculture budget for instance, about 70 per cent of it went into the construction of four sea defence wall projects, instead of food crop production, hence the dwindling fortunes in the sector. Dr Ackah expressed these concerns at a stakeholders' forum held in Takoradi on the 2016 budget statement on allocation made to the agriculture sector. It was organised by the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) in collaboration with SEND-Ghana. The event brought together small-holder farmers from the Eastern, Central and Western Regions who deliberated on the agriculture component of the budget. Dr Ackah said over the years, growth in the agriculture sector has declined, recording growth of 7.4 per cent in 2008 followed with 7.2 per cent, 5.3 per cent and 0.8 per cent in 2009, 2010 and 2011 respectively. However, he said, it went up again in 2012 to 2.3 percent, 5 per cent in 2013 and then reverted to its declining trend, recording 4.6 per cent in 2014 and 0.04 per cent in 2015. He said the government was replacing its normal allocation to the agriculture sector with oil revenues allocation as determined by the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA), and explained that the oil revenues allotted to the sector were meant to complement government's usual allocations and not to replace it. Dr Ackah said the government should adopt cost-effective measures such as the use of solar panels for irrigation projects in the sector to increase food crop production. Mr Charles Nyaaba, Programmes Officer of PFAG, took participants through some of the challenges confronting the agriculture sector. Meanwhile, Madam Aisha Mohammed, the Programmes Officer of SEND-Ghana, said suggestions and concerns from the participants would be collated and used to advocate for reforms in the agriculture sector. GNA Akim Oda (E/R), Mar. 9, GNA - One thousand and four hundred students from 35 schools at in the Birim Central Municipality took part in a march past to commemorate the 59th Independence Anniversary in the Municipality at Akim Oda. The theme for this year's anniversary was, "Investing in the Youth for Ghana's Transformation". In an address, Mr Kwabena Nkansah Asare, the Municipal Chief Executive, said to increase equitable access to education at all levels, the government has expanded educational infrastructure in several areas across the country. He said the Ministry of Education would soon implement pro-poor interventions to enable people from deprived communities to have access to education. Mr Nkansah Asare said the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) is to recruit over 100,000 youths this year and in the Birim Central Municipality, 500 youths would be recruited under five modules. The Municipal Chief Executive appealed to the youth in the area to get themselves involved in the Youth Enterprise Support (YES) programme created by government. He said the programme aims at training the youth on business operations and enterpreneurship. As part of the celebration, certificates were given to best performing schools at the march past. GNA Abu Ramadan 09.03.2016 LISTEN It is quite obvious that Peoples National Convention (PNC) operatives like Messrs. Bernard Mornah and Abu Ramadan are determined to monkey-wrench the victory path of the Akufo-Addo-led main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) (See Suit Against Abuakwa North By-Election Dismissed Starrfmonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 3/3/16). Mr. Ramadans recent dastardly attempt to either unduly delay or altogether scuttle the Akyem-Abuakwa-North by-election, on the cynical grounds that the Electoral Commission (EC) could not legally and credibly conduct the constitutionally mandated exercise, must be condemned in to-to. To be certain, the March 29 by-election, made necessary by the stabbing death of the Abuakwa-Norths parliamentary incumbent, Mr. J. B. Danquah-Adu, would not be the first time that any electoral exercise is being, or has been, conducted by the Charlotte Kesson-Smith Osei-led EC since the Atuguba-presided Supreme Court panel handed down its at once very questionable and controversial ruling on the 2012 Presidential Election Petition. Neither will it be the last. To be sure, since the Atuguba ruling came down, both major Ghanaian political parties, namely, the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), have conducted both their presidential and parliamentary primaries via the use of the much-maligned voters register. And throughout all this, no hand or voice of vehement protestation was raised by Mr. Ramadan. At least not to the knowledge of yours truly. The resolute decision by the Wood-presided Supreme Court to summarily dismiss the suit brought by Mr. Ramadan, a former National Youth Organizer of the PNC, must be heartily commended. Needless to say, the key operatives of the PNC have been known to be smack-dab in the pay of the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress for some time now, the vehement protestations of the cynical likes of Mr. Mornah and the present plaintiff to the contrary notwithstanding. We must also note that Mr. Ramadans argument that it was judicially contemptuous for the Electoral Commission to conduct the Abuakwa-North by-election via the use of the present voters register was decidedly frivolous and abjectly disdainful of the inalienable constitutional right of the people of Akyem-Abuakwa-North to be duly represented in our august National Assembly. The Supreme Court was also apt in its decision not to proffer any reasons for its laudable decision to dismiss the Ramadan suit, and instead incorporate the latter within the broader sweep of its pending verdict on the credibility, or lack thereof, of the current voters register. Whatever decision the Wood Supreme Court pronounces on the integrity of the current voters register, it is hoped, would be inflected with utmost impartiality, if political chaos and societal anomie are to be averted in the frenzied wake of Election 2016. Indeed, some political wet-blankets have been inveighing against the popular notion that should the arms of justice be prejudicially wrenched in favor of social injustice, there is certain to emerge the turbulent and internecine reign of Caine. Rather, what these lily-livered self-styled peacemakers ought to be fervidly praying for is that the Apex Courts ruling, whenever its scheduled pronouncement dawns, would be cross-sectionally perceived to have been guided by impeccable prudence. *Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs Mining giant AngloGold Ashanti has surrendered 60% of the Obuasi mine concession to the government of Ghana. This, according to the company will encourage a range of socio-economic development activities in Obuasi. The announcement was contained in a statement issued by the mining company, Wednesday. Below is a full statement from the company. AngloGold Ashanti today confirmed that the voluntary process which AngloGold Ashanti (Ghana) Limited (AGAG) commenced in November 2013, to surrender some 60% of the Obuasi mine concession to the Government of Ghana, has been implemented by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. This will provide an opportunity for the Government/ Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to use the land as it sees fit, including to encourage a range of socio-economic development activities in the Obuasi region. The area in question covers about 273 square kilometers and excludes the Obuasi Mine, which lies on land retained by AGAG. AngloGold Ashantis primary aim, subject to the outcome of an ongoing feasibility study, remains to turn the Obuasi Mine into a long-life, modern, mining operation that will provide foreign investment, high-quality direct and indirect employment, taxes and foreign exchange revenue to Ghana. However, the continued presence of illegal miners on the Obuasi Mine continues to jeopardize this potential. It is critical that the authorities act to resolve this threat to the viability of the Obuasi Mine, in a peaceful manner, and as quickly as possible. Numerous meetings between AngloGold Ashanti executives and representatives at all levels of Ghanas government both national and local -- have failed to yield the return of supplementary security to the site. The illegal miners, meanwhile, continue to damage parts of the ore body and important infrastructure, raising the risk that the site will be irreparably damaged if they are allowed to go on unchecked. There is also a growing threat to AGAGs ability to continue supplying critical services to the Obuasi Mine and to local communities. 09.03.2016 LISTEN A prominent economist once said that if you assign the management of the Sahara desert to a government there will be shortage of sand. I am sorry to explain this further for the benefit of those who think I am writing a Kantian thesis. What this means is that when you leave the management of health to the government, there will be dearth of nurses, doctors, equipments etc, and patients will die needlessly. The same applies to schools; the result is simple your children will complete their basic education, and they cannot read and write. And I am not making this up; I have met students from our premier universities who cannot put complete sentences together. We do not need a Socratic mentality to ask why this economist will be so cynical to broach such a statement. Its because all governments, it doesnt matter where they are on earth, are infinitely incompetent in the management of any conceivable human enterprise. The only thing they know how to prosecute well is war and that is destruction. Well, that is, if they win. The economist who made this statement was once a socialist or much for a better word Keynesian. It beggars imagination that very smart people cannot come to terms with this fundamentally simple assertion by Pastor Otabil, and go about browbeating him for having the guts to voice his sacred opinion. Since Pastor Otabil fired the debate of government incompetence into the stratosphere, less edifying articles have been written to condemn him. One of such articles is titled Mensa Otabil is talking rubbish again. Others have been very civil; yet, scrape the bottom of the barrel to appeal to the heart rather than reason in this day and age when the latter should not even rub shoulders with the former. I embarked on this odyssey because of what Mr Kofi Ata, Cambridge, wrote in his piece Does Pastor Otabil really want the state out of hospitals and schools in Ghana? It engendered quite a few short sighted commentaries, including some notorious names. The following is the link to the piece under my microscope: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/Does-Pastor-Otabil-really-want-the-state-out-of-hospitals-and-schools-in-Ghana-417944 . Some of the phrases he used that caught my attention are vulture capitalism and unfettered powers. Do entrepreneurs feed on their clients like vultures; do they have the power to chain their customers to their products? Such beliefs only exist in the minds of the progressives and the dictatorial socialists. A lot of entrepreneurs wouldnt mind to have the vulture capitalist status. Nonetheless, such conditions can only happen when there is closed entry, and closed entries can only be achieved by the power of the government. No capitalist has the power to bar other competitors from entering any trade or business. In an economy where entrepreneurs are free to set up their businesses without any harassment from government officials who take bribes like Mr Kofi Ata himself alluded in his piece, there can be no instance where a vulture capitalist, as he claims, can feed on the cadaver of his clients. At the centre of the anger to Otabils statement is health and education, because the progressives think these indispensable human needs are too important for it to be left in the hands of private profit motivated businessmen and women. Let me put it this way; food vis-a-vis health and education which are more important to our basic human existence? Is it because we take food for granted? Is it the profit motivation that scares them or their meaningless word greed? What makes them assume that the private sector cannot manage our health and educational needs efficiently, and most importantly, at an affordable cost to the public? I will ask again, what makes people like Mr Kofi Ata assume that the private sector cannot manage our health and educational requirements? People cannot access health services not because of affordability, but due to the fact that the Ghanaian economy is rudderless. Health and education that is provided by the U.K. government, which he picked some of his examples from, are fraught with all kinds of problems. Lets take food, for example, which is more important than education and health to our basic human existence that is provided by the private sector and not the government. For more than hundred years, the United Kingdom has not produced enough food to feed herself, but because the management of that industry is in the hands of the private enterprise obesity is the time bomb that is waiting to go off. Seasonal fruits like banana, oranges and strawberries are always available all years round at very reasonable prices, because they are sourced from all over the world by private entrepreneurs who want to make the word profit which is anathema to the progressives. Why is it that the greedy entrepreneurs in the food industry do not fleece the British public of their hard earned money? Because it is extremely difficult to go without food for a day and most people will perish within a week. On the other hand, I was shock to the bone when first came to England, in my debut job which kept body and soul together, I met a white colleague who could not read nor write, yet he had lived till over sixty at the time. There are people who live to very old age without any serious illness or hospitalisation throughout their lives. My uneducated colleague and the subsequent category of people I have described above cannot survive without food, yet the private entrepreneurs in Britain provide this indispensable basic human need at a very cheap cost to the British public. Strangely, food in Britain can still be cheaper, but thanks to the common agriculture policy of the EU, British people have to foot extra billions in cost to their food bills brought on by the bureaucrats in Brussels. Of course, I dont blame those British who want out of the EU. This is the time for the jugular. Now, let us kindly make reference to European history during the last century where there was famine. It was government controlled Soviet Union that experienced the most infamous famine in civilised Europe. The Soviet Union has one of the best topsoil on earth, and it is called Chernozem black earth country. They are so fertile that Hitler had plans to excavate them in rail boxcars and bring them back to Germany. Yet, when the Bolsheviks took over the management of farms the worst kind of farming took place in the Soviet Union, which snuffed out the life of a minimum of 2.5 million people according to their own statistics. Their enemies put them around 10 million based on conservative estimates, though other investigators who are generous with numbers give figures between 10 and 20 million. So the question is will you be so myopic to give the most important determinants of our existence to any government? You will counter that it was only in the Soviet Union. And I am sorry to announce to you that it did also happen in China when the communist took over, then in Cambodia and it is still happening in North Korea just to limit myself to these three. Even in the U.S., during the 30s when FDR with his fascist mentality almost took over the industry and tried to micromanage it, United States children became malnourished while fresh milk was poured down sewer and crops ploughed under. So why do very intelligent people still believe that we should allocate hospitals and schools to the state when they cannot manage very simple thing as the production of food. Poverty is the norm; prosperity is a state of perfection. Every state moves from poverty to riches. The Brits were once very poor and their life expectancy was in the 30s. The argument is often made that at independence individual entrepreneurs did not have the capital to build hospitals like Korle Bu and Okomfo Anokye. Of course, that is right because we were poor. Our financial systems were not developed enough to marshal resources to embark on such projects. Still staying on track, when Guggisberg built Korle Bu where did he get the money from? It was taxes from Ghanaians, assuming it was taken from everyone, how many people directly benefit? It is mainly those in its catchment area. This is what breeds resentment and fester bitterness clothed in the mantra of tribalism when unscrupulous political demagogues pick them up. Governments develop by picking winners and losers. I bet you wonder why both NDC and NPP cannot contemplate losing. The fact is they get to distribute the national cake of providing hospitals and schools and many other things, which they fleece the Ghanaian public with the help of their friends. Ridiculously, these very same progressives who advocate for such crimes against Ghanaians register their revulsion and call it crony capitalism. It is unbelievable; I will need nine lifetimes to comprehend this. While I am waiting for someone to throw me a sub, I believe your time is too precious to be wasted further. However, keep your fingers crossed for the second part. Philip Kobina Baidoo Jnr London [email protected] Ben Guerdane (Tunisia) (AFP) - Fresh clashes in Tunisia's Ben Guerdane area near the Libyan border left 10 jihadists and a soldier dead as thousands attended funerals Wednesday for victims of a major assault. The assault, launched Monday on army and police posts and blamed by authorities on the Islamic State group, and ensuing unrest has left 46 jihadists, 13 members of security forces and seven civilians dead. IS has taken advantage of Libya's chaos to gain an important foothold in the country and there are fears of its influence spreading into neighbouring Tunisia. After fighting off Monday's fierce assault, Tunisian security forces have been hunting and clashing sporadically with jihadists in the area, where a nighttime curfew has been in effect since Monday. Two "terrorists" and a soldier were killed on Wednesday when fighting erupted after jihadists tried to raid a building site in search of provisions, officials said. Another jihadist was shot dead while hiding in a house in the city. Late on Tuesday security forces killed another seven jihadists hiding out in a house in the town of 60,000. The defence ministry warned that those entering a designated buffer zone along the border without permission would be dealt with "firmly". Authorities would respond "with force against anyone" who does not cooperate, the ministry warned. "This is to prevent terrorist threats that could target our country through attempts at infiltration," it said. There was a heavy security presence in Ben Guerdane and the border with Libya has remained closed since Monday. Thousands still turned up for funerals of the victims of Monday's attacks, as the bodies of 11 people were buried in the town cemetery in an area newly designated "The Martyrs of March 7". Mourning took place nationwide, and schools across the country held a minute's silence in memory of the civilians and members of the security forces killed in the assault. At the Lenin school in central Tunis, pupils sang the national anthem and saluted the national flag before the solemn ceremony. "It is vital to show students the importance of defending the nation, that the blood of martyrs did not flow for nothing," teacher Sonia El Kefi told AFP. "We will not allow terrorists to influence the minds of children." One of the pupils, Aziz, said: "This is for the martyrs" and so the police "are aware that if they die, there will still be people standing behind them". - Call for 'measured' response - The authorities said Monday's attack was an "unprecedented" assault by IS aimed at setting up a new stronghold in the country across the border from Libya. Prime Minister Habib Essid has said about 50 extremists were believed to have taken part in the attacks. The apparent aim of the operation was to establish a "Daesh emirate" in Ben Guerdane, he said, using an Arabic name for IS. Analysts said the coordinated attacks showed jihadists are keen to spread their influence from Libya to Tunisia and to set up a new stronghold in the country. Residents of the town said the assailants appeared to be natives of the region. They stopped people, checked ID cards apparently to seek out members of the security forces, and announced their brief takeover of Ben Guerdane as "liberators". Jihadists have taken advantage of a power vacuum in Libya since the NATO-backed overthrow of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011 to set up bases in several areas, including near Sabratha close to the Tunisian border. Tunisia has built a 200-kilometre (125-mile) barrier that stretches about half the length of its border in an attempt to stop militant incursions. Michael Ayari of the International Crisis Group think tank said there was a danger that too strong of a crackdown by security forces could backfire. "Security forces should react in a measured manner when questioning Ben Guerdane residents who may have lent logistic or other support to the IS raiding party," he said. "The scale of the attack means they could number in the hundreds. A wave of mass and indiscriminate arrests accompanied by police brutality could polarise families, feed into residents' frustrations and increase support for IS in the future." The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) o n March 15, 2016 will host Hon. Cheriff Moumina Sy, President of the Transitional Parliament (TP) that helped return Burkina Faso to democratic governance after the civic revolution in October 2014 that ousted President Blaise Compaore. Hon. Sy will be the keynote Speaker at the maiden West Africa Conference on Media and Participatory Governance being organised by the MFWA. The Conference, which will be held in Accra on March 15, 2016 will bring together representatives of the leading press freedom and media development organisations from all ECOWAS member states and Mauritania. The conference is under the theme:Promoting Professional Journalism for Good Governance in West Africa. Participants will deliberate on and identify key challenges in the areas of free expression, media development and access to information; and develop strategies in tackling these challenges to promote good governance, regional integration and peace in West Africa. Hon. Sy is credited for his astute leadership of the TP of Burkina Faso during a very challenging moment in the political history of Burkina Faso. Under his leadership, the TP facilitated key legislative processes and mechanisms that led to a successful return to democratic rulein late 2015. He took several bold decisions to keep the transitional arrangements on course. This included his decision to declare himself interim President of the country when dissident soldiers of the powerful presidential guard loyal to ousted President Compaore staged a short-lived coupoverthrowing the officially installed transitional President,Michel Kafando and his Prime Minister, Isaac Zida. Prior to assuming the high and influential office of President of the TP in 2014 Hon. Sy had been a crusading journalist, press freedom champion and a passionate advocate for free expression rights in Africa. He held key positions in the media and press freedom community in Africa. Hon. Sy is the immediate past President of the African Editors Forum. He also founded and edited the Bendrenewspaper in Burkina Faso. During the relatively short period of his leadership the TP decriminalised media offences and passed a Right to Information Law. We are extremely honoured to host such a distinguished person who has successfully championed both media and democratic development at national, regional and continental levels at a conference that is focusing on media and good governance in the West Africa region, said Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the MFWA. The Conference is organised with funding support from OSIWA, fesmedia Africa, the Embassy of the United States of America in Ghana and Global Partners Digital. For more information about the Conference contact Programme Officer Rikke Sig Hansen on +233 545 705 454 or on email: [email protected] 09.03.2016 LISTEN National Coordinator of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), Albert Arhin, has questioned the preparedness of the Electoral Commission (EC) to conduct the clean-up of the voters register and get rid of ghost names and double registrations. He said the posture of the EC in reaction to calls to conduct the clean-up of the voters register before the November election is a demonstration of its unpreparedness to conduct the exercise. Arhin was speaking on Joy News in reaction to the Commissions pilot biometric registration which is commencing on Saturday, March 12. He said the EC has to give the road map by which the over 600,000 names of dead persons would be cleaned from the voters register. He berated the EC for its poor way of communicating to the public adding that it has failed to carry along the political parties in its activities. I think it is fair that the entire population is made aware of the ECs plans, he said. However, the acting Director of Public Affairs of the EC, Christian Owusu Parry, has said the Commission is working with a timetable and would not alter it for any reason. Parry said the Commission has scheduled a time by which such exercise would be done and said repeated calls to conduct the clean-up of the register is misplaced. According to him, the EC intends to use the scheduled exhibition of voters register to conduct the cleaning of the register. Mr. Parry advised the public to allow the Commission to follow its timetable in order to conduct a very successful exercise come November. Story by Ghana | myjoyonline.com | Austin Brako-Powers | [email protected] 09.03.2016 LISTEN Accra, March 9, GNA - The Minister of Health Mr Alex Sergbefia, has described the 1,500 annual deaths of Ghanaian women from cervical cancer as alarming and unacceptable. He said every year, 3,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in Ghana representing 35 per cent of all female cancers. The Minister was addressing a sensitization workshop on cervical and breast cancers organised by the Ministry of Health for women in the health sector to mark this year's International Women's Day in Accra. The day was set aside to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played extraordinary roles in the history of their countries and communities. Mr Sergbefia said cervical cancer was the leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and deaths among females in Ghana as well as other developing countries. He said there were over 153,000 types of cancers with more than 11 million people being diagnosed every year and causing seven million deaths annually. Cervical cancer, he said, often affected women at the end of their reproductive years from 40 to 50 years, though changes in the body that lead to the cancers could start early from the adolescent age. He asked women to get themselves tested and treated when diagnosed and also to always report to the health facility when they detected any unusual changes on their skin. Mrs Doris Adjei, the Principal Nursing Officer in charge of Family Planning and Cenicare at the Ridge Hospital who made a presentation on Cervical Cancer, expressed concern that Ghanaian women do not seek early diagnosis. She urged them to always seek early treatment and ensure that they demanded early testing as a right to prevent the spread of the disease and to be managed when detected. Other cancers affecting women include Breast Cancer which also has a huge toll on their lives. GNA Bongo (UE), March 9, GNA - Mr Alexis Ayamdor, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Bongo District, has said his District has made significant progress since 1998 when it was carved out of the Bolgatanga Municipal. The DCE who announced this at the 59th Independence Celebration, at Bongo, mentioned Education, Health, Youth Empowerment and Rural Electrification as some of sectors that had seen advancement. He said under the Government's Better Ghana Agenda, the District had established eight Senior High Schools with four of them being Government-owned and the rest established by the communities, assisted by the Government. 'The District has also established over 100 basic schools, while more of them are being built and plans are far advanced to get the area a Teacher Training School,' he stated. Those investments, the DCE noted, was all aimed at empowering and transforming the youth to become part of the Government's Transformational Agenda of Ghana. Mr Ayamdor said the District Assembly had also constructed more than 30 Community-based Health Planning and Service (CHPS) compounds and provided support to students to pursue various courses like Midwifery and Pharmacy to augment the staff strength of the hospital. He said under the Ghana Social Opportunity Project, a number of dams and dugouts had been rehabilitated, which had empowered many young people in the area to go into dry season farming instead of travelling outside the District to seek for greener pastures. As part of programme, many feeder roads, which were in deplorable conditions, had been worked on, thereby opening the area to farms and making it easy to cart farm produce to the marketing centres. He said with the Government's extension of the Rural Electrification project, coupled with skills training offered by the Assembly, the Youth and some women's groups, had become gainfully employed. The DCE said the Government would continue to roll out more interventions to empower the youth and to help reduce poverty in the area. Mr Duncan Nsoh, the District Director of Education, noted that the District had made significant progress towards gender parity in education, high enrollment and retention in schools due to the pro-education nature of the leadership of the District. He gave the assurance that the Education Directorate would leave no stone un-turned in its effort to ensure that it achieved quality education to help boost the human resource base of the District. GNA Accra, Mar. 9, GNA - Ghana will host Water Africa and West Africa Building & Construction Exhibition and Seminars from June 22 to June 24, 2016 at the Accra International Conference Centre. A statement issued by African Conferences & Exhibitions Limited (ACE Event Management) and copied the Ghana News Agency said over 50 local and international companies have already shown their commitment to participate in the conference. The statement said the event, is an internationally recognised trade show where exhibitors reach the key decision-makers from the water, wastewater and building and construction sectors in the West Africa region. The event is endorsed and supported the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing; Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors; Chartered Institute of Building; Community Water and Sanitation Agency; Water Research Institute (WRI), and Ghana Contractors Association Council. The rest are Ghana Institute of Architects; Ghana Institute of Engineers; Ghana Institute of Planners; Ghana Institute of Surveyors; Ghana Real Estate Development Association; Ghana Water Company; Water Research Commission, and the Foundation for the Development of Africa. It urged both local and international companies to contact the organizers on their website www.ace-events.com for a detailed brochure, floor plan and application form or simply to request a free invitation. 'Call for papers - please note that the deadline date for submission is March 31, 2016. Details of the topics to be discussed can be found on our website,' it added. GNA 09.03.2016 LISTEN Bunso (E/R), Mar. 9, GNA - Over 2000 holiday makers trooped to the Bunso Arboretum Ecotourism Centre on 7th of March to celebrate the Independence Day holiday at Bunso. The youthful holiday makers came from various parts of the Eastern Region and other parts of the country. The holiday makers were entertained with music from a brass band, horse riding and others took the opportunity to experience the newly refurbish canopy walkway. Mr Kenneth Akuffo Asare, Chief Executive Officer of the Bunso Arboretum, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said he was amazed at the large crowd that visited the Center. He said management of the Center has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all visitors to the place. He said the measures include the employment of private security officials, the creation of a fire service outpost, deployment of police personnel, a nurse and a stand by ambulance to assist members of the public in times of emergency. He urged all tourists to come to the Bunso Arboretum Ecotourism Centre any time they want to have fun, because the facility has a lot to offer them. GNA Geneva (AFP) - More than 1,300 rhinos were poached in Africa last year, a record since 2008 when South Africa banned trade in rhino horns, leading conservation body IUCN said on Wednesday. "The number of African rhinos killed by poachers has increased for the sixth year in a row with at least 1,338 rhinos killed by poachers across Africa in 2015," the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said in a statement. "This is the highest level since the current crisis began to emerge in 2008," the Switzerland-based body said. The slaughter has been driven by demand for their horn in countries such as China and Vietnam, where they are prized for their purported medicinal properties. The horn is composed mainly of keratin, the same component as in human nails, but it is sold in powdered form as a supposed cure for cancer and other diseases. Trade in rhino horns was banned in 1977 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), an international treaty created in 1973 to protect wildlife against over-exploitation, and ensure that trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. But it was only banned in 2008 in South Africa,which is said to be home to 20,000 rhinos or 80 percent of the world's rhino population. IUCN Director General Inger Andersen said despite stepped up surveillance by field rangers risking their lives daily there had been "alarming increases in poaching over the past year in other vitally important range states, such as Namibia and Zimbabwe" both of which adjoin South Africa. Demand for rhino horn from South East Asia is being illegally supplied by sophisticated transnational organised crime networks, the IUCN said. They are sold for about $60,000 a kilo on the black market, making it more expensive than cocaine. "The extensive poaching for the illegal trade in horn continues to undermine the rhino conservation successes made in Africa over the last two decades," said IUCN expert Mike Knight. On the plus side, poaching in Kenya decreased over the past two years and went down for the first time in South Africa in 2015. According to experts, there were between 19,000 and 21,000 white rhinos in Africa last year and between 5,000 and 5,500 black ones. you are here: business Hindustan Unilever settles toxic vapour issue with ex-employees The company has signed a settlement with Pond's HLL ex-Mercury Employees Welfare Association, representing the former employees thermometer factory, HUL said in a statement. Tight margins have forced BHP to cut 290 jobs from the Mount Arthur project. BHP announced yesterday the mine lost $12 million in the second half of 2015. If youve been following BHP Billiton [ASX:BHP] then youll know shares have been rallying recently. BHPs share price has climbed for the past five days. However, their run was put to an end yesterday when shares dropped 1.8%, to $18.21. The five-day rally was the first time this year that BHP was able to achieve this feat. Across those five days, BHP added 19.14% to their share price. It didnt seem like the mining sector was going to turn around. But news surrounding BHP has ramped up in the last week. Their credit rating was endorsed by Standard and Poors. This strengthened the idea that BHPs dividend cut was a good move. They were able to free up cash flow that they otherwise wouldnt have had the option of doing. The Brazilian dam fiasco also finally came to a conclusion. BHP is now sticking to a 15-year agreement with the Brazilian government, paying $3.2 billion. So, with the pressure lifting off BHP, shares had only one place to go up. BHP was not alone in the rally. Other miners, like Rio Tinto [ASX:RIO], rallied for six consecutive trading days. Rio was able to add 16.75% to their share price, reaching positive territory for the year. The graph below shows BHP and Rios share price performance so far this year. Source: Yahoo Finance However, the mining rebound may now be over. The whole sector has screeched to a halt because of shocking trade balance figures coming out of China. China continues to slow down Chinas trade balance was expected to decrease from US$406 billion to US$339 billion in month on month figures for February. However, figures shocked the market when they almost halved from Januarys number, coming in at US$210 billion. Exports were down 20.6% year on year, and imports were down 8%. The overall drop is just shy of the record monthly drop of 26.4%, which came around the same time as the global financial meltdown in 2009. The drop is just a reminder of what we already knew in 2016. China is slowing down. Their exports are especially frightening, as they likely indicate a slowing manufacturing industry. And trade balance figures werent helped either by falling US demand and seasonal distortions. But, for our purposes, import figures were an important issue for miners. The level of imported commodities can give miners a rough idea as to the level of demand for their resources. China did not discriminate as a number of key imported commodities declined over the month. Iron ore was down 10%, coal down 11%, and copper down 5%. Overall Chinas trade balance surplus has dropped by almost 50%, to US$32.6 billion. Fears that demand for commodities isnt picking up scares the whole mining sector. Low prices persist Not only is demand for commodities low, but prices are still staying at rock bottom prices. Overnight, copper fell 2.6%, to US$4868 a tonne, on the London Metal Exchange. It was only last week that copper hit a four month high of US$5,059 a tonne. The recent retreat was coppers biggest one-day fall in four months, adding to global pessimism. Coal is also staying low at US$43.58 a tonne on the New York Mercantile Exchange. BHPs Mount Arthur mine has been affected the most by low stained coal prices. The average price of Mount Arthur coal has gone from US$461 a tonne in the second half of 2014 to US$49 a tonne at the end of 2015. Tight margins have forced BHP to cut 290 jobs from the Mount Arthur project. BHP announced yesterday the mine lost $12 million in the second half of 2015. The cuts are just one way BHP is tackling the problem. Mining and Energy Union district president, Peter Jordan, said after BHP made their announcement: It is well known at the mine that the contractor workforce employed by Chandler Macleod has been growing in recent weeks, and in a court case after an earlier round of Mount Arthur redundancies a BHP document was tendered showing their intention to lift their contractor level to 40 per cent of the total workforce. BHP of course blames falling coal prices as a response for the need to restructure the mine. Global demand for thermal coal has fallen by an average realised price of 27 per cent in the past 18 months. The job cuts are to be finalised within the next three months. But its not the only problem BHP has to worry about. BHP might be in for a rough day of trading, as the stock fell in London trade overnight, dropping 8.51%. Some believe the big miner rallied last week just to be sold back down. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen. But Chinas troubles are resurfacing. And miners could be back under the markets thumb. Harje Ronngard, Junior Analyst, Money Morning PS: There are plenty of mining stocks out there trading for almost half of their value. Stocks like Rio are trading 25% lower than early last year. And BHP is almost half of its price in early 2015. A lot of investors are now looking to mining stocks as a great way to make quick money. Share prices are so low; sometimes the only place they can go is up. According to Money Mornings top resource analyst, Jason Stevenson, there are 10 great Australian mining stocks in the market right now. In Jasons report, The Top 10 Australian Mining Stocks for 2016, hell show you why now is the perfect time to buy. To get your free copy, click here. The chronicle of a life split between urban Manhattan and rural Montana. March 09, 2016 Ignatius, Off His Meds, Has Syria Delusions The public relation functionary for the CIA, the Pentagon, Israel and the Saudis - David Ignatius of the Washington Post - forgot to take his meds. Thus he experienced an outbreak of acute delusions: The campaign in eastern Syria is directed by about 50 U.S. Special Operations forces now on the ground there, joined by about 20 French and perhaps a dozen British commandos. Theyre working with about 40,000 Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters dubbed the Syrian Democratic Forces; all but about 7,000 are from the Syrian Kurdish militia known as the YPG. Those numbers are waaay off. The more realistic numbers are some 10,000 YPG and some 1,000 Arabs. Even those numbers include lots of village guards that can not be counted on as soldiers. The core forces are in the low thousands. U.S. commanders hope soon to augment the U.S. ground force in Syria to about 300 troops who can train and assist these fighters. With this broader U.S. base of operations inside Syria, its hoped that special forces from other countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, could play a role there. Us.commanders may "hope" that they will be allowed 300 more forces on the ground. But I doubt that the Obama administration will now agree to such an escalation. It would risk to spoil the current understandings with the Russians. Likewise with the UAE contingent. The next stage in the assault may come to the west of Raqqa. Syrian fighters backed by Turkish commandos appear poised to move south from Jarabulus, where the Euphrates River crosses from Turkey into Syria, toward the area around Manbij. Other U.S.-backed forces hold the Tishrin Dam, about 55 miles northwest of Raqqa. The Turkish-led campaign could finally close the gap in its border, through which the Islamic State has maintained its supply lines. What a load of bollocks. The Turkish military has said laud and clear that will not commit any forces to Syria without an explicit UN mandate. No such mandate is likely to pass. The "other U.S. backed forces" at the Tishirn Dam are YPG Kurds. The Turks have declared them to be terrorists and the Kurds see any Turkish soldier as their enemy. There is no way that they would let Turkish commandos pass towards Manbij. And why does Turkey need to invade Syria to close the "gap in its border"? How about closing the border on the Turkish side as is usual. Are there Mexican troops in Texas to close the southern U.S. border "gap"? If the Turks would invade through Jarablus their aim would be to protect their allies in the Islamic State, to keep the logistic line to it open and to fight the Kurds. The Ignatius take is completely off from any reality. A limited southern push toward Raqqa was begun recently by a small unit of Jordanian and British special forces that captured a former regime outpost in southeastern Syria, close to the Iraqi and Jordanian borders. Here is news Mr Ignatius. The "capture" of Al Tanaf crossing by some Jordanian trained Syrian "rebels" and with U.S. air support failed. The crossing is still in the hands of the Islamic State. In Ignatius' fairy tale book the Syrian government forces and its allies are nowhere to be seen fighting against the Islamic State. But is the Syrian Arab Army and its allies who are squeezing the Islamic State from the west and the south with the current attacks on Palmyra, south-east of Aleppo and towards Tabqa. It is the Syrian army that is defending some 200,000 civilians which are besieged in Deir Ezzor. It is the Syrian army that just launched a big operation in the south-eastern desert that will clear the approaches towards Raqqa and Deir Ezzor. A sane policy discussion on Syria will never take place in the U.S. when the news consists of such insane fantasies. Posted by b on March 9, 2016 at 14:46 UTC | Permalink Comments The Hickory Community Theatre has introduced the cast of Incorruptible, a dark comedy about the dark ages by Michael Hollinger. The drama centers around a group of monks with a serious dilemma. Their neglected abbey hasnt had a paying pilgrim in 13 years. The bones of Saint Foy, displayed on their altar, are unproductive. A local woman wont contribute even a penny to pray to the bones for her sick cow. Then the desperate monks come across a one-eyed traveling minstrel who teaches them an enterprising way to fill their empty offering plate. The monks are played by a veteran group of actors experienced with farcical comedy. Peter Bost plays Charles, the abbot who is insecure because his shrewish sister is a close friend of the pope and ambivalent about what hes doing. Bost is a graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne University and native of the area. Bost may be a familiar sight to Hickory audiences for many roles on area stages, most recently as Arthur, the lead character in Superior Donuts on the Hickory stage in January. Another face familiar to local audiences is Jonathan Bates, who will play Felix, the sweet and innocent novice brother at the Abbey. His last appearance at HCT was as Seacoal, a watchman in Much Ado About Nothing, but may be most recognized for playing multiple roles in the high profile production of Almost Maine last year at the SALT Block. Ron Carter-Fish is Father Martin, who unlike his brothers relishes in pulling off the scam. Carter-Fish was last seen at the theatre as Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest. He is a recent transplant to Hickory, moving from South Carolina two years ago. Newcomer Andrew Dennis will play the dim-witted and oafish Brother Olf. Dennis is a North Carolina native and recent graduate of Challenger High School at Catawba Valley Community College. Playing the one-eyed minstrel who gives this band of brothers the idea of going into the fake-relic business is Donovan Harper. He is a veteran at HCT, having played five roles in Hickory and three in Newton over the past three years. Currently on stage in Aint Misbehavin, Harper has stayed busy around the theatre. There will be 11 performances of Incorruptible at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays from April 1-23 in the Firemens Kitchen. Tickets are $16. For tickets or more information, call 828-328-2283 or go to hickorytheatre.org/auditions. With less than one month left of this tax year time is running out for ISA and pension investors or anyone looking to boost their savings and reduce their HMRC bill. Read our Guide to ISAs, Pensions and Tax-efficient investing to make sure you dont get left behind. Kristina Wu might only be 24 but shes already started investing for her future. She says shes hoping her ISA will enable her to get onto the property ladder. When I first started working I was saving money into a cash ISA, but my money wasnt growing at all, she said. So instead she has now moved this money into an investment ISA, and hopes her disciplined approach to saving will lead to better returns. The ISA is invested in seven different equity funds. She says: I know I have to be prepared to lock my money away for at least five years. Im not looking to buy immediately, so I hope that the returns I make will ensure that my savings keep pace with house price rises. Wu works as a project co-ordinator for an IT company in Brighton. House prices in the surrounding area are expensive, and have risen strongly in recent years. Its not just a deposit on a house shes looking to fund from these investments. She adds: That is the long term plan. Im also saving for laser eye surgery and a holiday. So hopefully this will all help. Wu says she tries to be disciplined about saving; she hasnt set up a standing order to automatically deduct a slice of her earnings into her ISA but transfers an amount into the ISA each payday, then will also tops it up if she has any surplus cash at the end of the month. I like to have a bit of flexibility. But I know its better to pay the money into the ISA at the start of the month, before Ive had a chance to spend it. Long Term Investing in Equity Funds She says initially she invested her money into four funds, but has now expanded this, so the monthly sum is split across seven different equity funds which cover various geographic regions, sectors, and risk profiles. Wu invests through Fidelity Personal Investing and says she likes the range of funds on offer, and the flexibility this service offers, enabling her to vary contributions and the funds she has within this tax-free wrapper. These currently include Artemis Income, CF Lindsell Train UK Equity, Rathbone Global Opportunities, Old Mutual UK Mid Cap, and Fundsmith Equity. This spread of funds means Wu has money with some of the best-performing managers in the UK, according to Morningstar. Artemis Income, a UK equity income fund, is managed by the distinguished pairing of Adrian Frost and Adrian Gosden, who have a coveted Gold Morningstar analyst rating. The two have worked together on this fund since 2003, and have more recently been joined by Nick Shenton. Simon Dorricott an analyst at Morningstar says: The managers are disciplined in applying a process that is proven over the long term. He points out that the fund has seen some unexciting returns, relative to the other equity income funds in recent years, but over Frosts tenure it has outperformed by a healthy margin. CF Lindsell Train UK Equity, run by Nick Train, is another star performer with the manager again awarded a Gold Rating from Morningstar. The fund has a five star rating, reflecting its strong outperformance in recent years, and through different market cycles. Morningstar says Train is a seasoned and talented UK equity manager who has demonstrated a highly consistent approach. He takes a bottom-up approach, looking for businesses that can prosper through different cycles. The result is a concentrated portfolio with clear biases. Turnover is low given his time horizon This process has led to strong absolute returns. Looking Further Afield for Investment Gains Rathbone Global Opportunities is another five-star rated fund, and its manager James Thomson, who has been involved with the fund since it launched in 2001, has a Silver Rating. He does not apply an initial quantitive filter on stocks, instead choosing to only invest in companies that, in his words, can control their own destiny. This means the fund doesnt hold material or resource companies, whose profits can be dependent on commodity prices, and it also stays clear of telecoms and utility companies as regulators can have a strong bearing on these firms price setting ability. Old Mutual Mid Cap is another fund with a Silver rated manager. Richard Watts is described as a thoughtful considered investor and Morningstar says the fund is a solid offering for investors looking for predominantly UK mid-cap exposure. For longer-term returns Wu also has exposure to Japan, but here has opted for an passively managed fund; Fidelity Index Japan. As well as her ISA she has also started investing into her workplace pension. At the moment only a relatively small amount is going in, about 3% of my salary. But I think I should look to increase this. CFPB Invites Complaints About New Set of Lenders; Compliance Issues Hit Capital Markets Regulators don't like the unregulated, and in what some would term, "the CFPB inviting more into its boat to be bashed with oars," it announced it is accepting complaints from consumers encountering problems with loans from online marketplace lenders. "The Bureau is also releasing a consumer bulletin that provides an overview of marketplace lending and outlines tips for consumers who are considering taking out loans from these types of lenders. "Millions of consumers take out personal loans online. Marketplace lending-often referred to as 'peer-to-peer' or 'platform' lending-is a relatively new kind of online lending. A marketplace lender uses an online interface to connect consumers or businesses seeking to borrow money with investors willing to buy or invest in the loan. Generally, the marketplace lending platform handles all underwriting and customer service interactions with the borrower. Once a loan is originated, the company generally makes arrangements to transfer ownership to the investors while it continues to service the loan." The CFPB's bulletin offered information for consumers who are considering a loan from a marketplace lender, including reminding borrowers that marketplace lenders are required to follow federal and state consumer financial protection laws, a reminder to be careful about refinancing certain types of debt, and tips about applying for loans in general. And what is lending, or life in general for that matter, without complaints? The CFPB began accepting complaints about consumer financial products as soon as it opened its doors nearly five years ago in July 2011. "Because marketplace lenders offer several types of consumer loans, a consumer submitting a complaint should select among the different complaint categories for products and services that best apply to their situation. For example, a consumer can select products such as 'mortgage,' 'consumer loan,' or 'student loan.' The CFPB forwards complaints to the marketplace lender and works to get a response - generally within 15 days. Consumers are given a tracking number after submitting a complaint and can check the status of their complaint by logging on to the CFPB website. The CFPB expects companies to close all but the most complicated complaints within 60 days." Observers were quick to point out that the CFPB's objectives in taking these actions are questionable since consumers already could complain about marketplace loans using the CFPB's existing loan categories. A Ballard Spahr publication notes that, "Rather than seeking to provide additional protection to consumers, perhaps the CFPB's primary objective is to warn marketplace lenders that they are clearly on the CFPB's radar screen. Indeed, the CFPB's advice to consumers appears to signal the type of scrutiny marketplace lenders can expect from the CFPB. The CFPB tells consumers to 'keep in mind that marketplace lending is a young industry and does not have the same history of government supervision and oversight as banks or credit unions. However, marketplace lenders are required to follow the same state and federal laws as other lenders.' (While the CFPB is not currently taking complaints about business loans, including business loans made by marketplace lenders, it recently indicated that, subject to an assessment of feasibility, it plans to build an infrastructure to intake and analyze small business lending complaints.)" TRID implementation is still a challenge for some lenders and many LOS systems are not supporting lender expectations. Additionally, some systems are ceasing to make any additional upgrades, no longer supporting self-hosted options, or construction loans, and the list goes on. For these reasons more lenders are looking to make changes to their loan origination software than ever before. This taxing and overwhelming process is time consuming and stressful for any institution; the biggest fear is jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. I recently spoke with Lionel Urban, CEO of PCLender and he stated that after confirming that the Loan Origination Software you are considering does in fact meet all of your needs to comply with TRID, there are six questions that every lender should pose during the LOS/Technology due diligence process: 1. Can I test drive the system in a Lender Lab? 2. What does the implementation, pilot and training program consist of? Does it include setting up required work flow and vendor integrations? 3. What customer, training and ongoing configuration support is included and what are the costs? 4. What responsibility does the vendor have to reduce operating and maintenance costs? 5. Are the above clearly identified in the licensing agreement? 6. Does the vendor have a product road map and do they collaborate with you to ensure it will meet your future needs? David Tandy, CEO of Gracy Title in Austin, sees some improvement and writes, "I recently spoke to a closer who noted that 'I'm getting loan docs at least 48 hours in advance on most files, the CD is easier for us (the title company) to work up (as a draft for the lender to get their fees right), the final CD I get from the lender is correct most of the time, buyers are coming to the closing having already studied the CD and do not have as many questions about the CD as they would have about the HUD. The CD is easier to explain to them. The closings are going more smoothly.' "This type of advance delivery of loan docs and instructions rarely happened in the past. Those lenders that do not step up to have as smooth of process as their competitors will no longer get referrals from Realtors. Realtors are beginning to track the lenders that have put good processes in place. Realtors do not want to write a 45 day contract. They want to write 30 day contracts or less. Particularly in a Hot market like Austin where there are multiple offers and the best offer (shorter closing date with fewer contingencies) wins." (More from David Saturday!) We all know that banks are more than happy to sit on their jumbo loans. Why pay someone to securitize them if they're flush with assets? And why put loans through more TRID scrutiny? But this news from Brandon Ivey caught the eye of several readers. "Two Harbors Investment Invest Corp. plans to issue a $331.95 million jumbo mortgage-backed security, So far this year, just two jumbo deals have been issued, both priced in January. Agate Bay Mortgage Trust 2016-2...Some 37 lenders contributed to the MBS, led by New York Community Bank with a 13.0 percent share and Parkside Lending with a 10.7 percent share. The slowdown in jumbo MBS issuance has been blamed on broad economic factors and the TRID disclosure rule. Execution for the deal remains to be seen, but the jumbo MBS appears to be the first to include mortgages subject to TRID. Fitch Ratings said 43 mortgages in the deal, accounting for 9 percent of the loan count, were subject to TRID. Clayton Services completed due diligence on the loans and found initial compliance exceptions involving TRID on 32 of the mortgages." So we have a residential MBS where 32 of 43 mortgages reviewed had TRID errors? That's 75%. Matt Scully with Bloomberg did a fine job of digging in deeper. "Several compliance discrepancies were found in the prime jumbo mortgage pool backing this week's Agate Bay Mortgage Trust RMBS from Two Harbors Investment Corp, including issues of TRID compliance, though rating agencies say the risks have been remedied or are now 'remote,' according to a preliminary offering memorandum and presale reports." [and we can all trust the rating agencies, right? I am sure they will stand by lenders in a class action lawsuit 4 years from now.] Matt went on. "In 24 cases, representing 4.86% of the mortgage loans by cut-off date aggregate balance, compliance discrepancies were found as a result of a review of the mortgage loans...Compliance with TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule (TRID) was an issue in several cases. Examples of issues relating to compliance with TRID include formatting issues with respect to closing disclosure form, inaccurate disclosures in this form, and a form provided via e-mail where there was no prior e-sign consent in originator's loan files. There are 43 loans (9% of mortgage pool) that are subject to TRID, Fitch said. "Despite a high initial compliance exception rate for the 43 loans reviewed, Fitch feels the TRID noncompliance risk to investors for this transaction is immaterial due to the low percentage of loans subject to the rule, the low limit on statutory damages and the good-faith efforts to resolve the issues identified." "Fitch assumes RMBS investors will only be exposed to statutory damages of $4,000 plus attorney's fees for claims arising in defense of foreclosure in judicial states when a borrower is already working with an attorney...Borrowers will be unlikely to proactively hire attorneys to seek damages under the rule; thus, the risk of defensive claims in nonjudicial states or affirmative claims in any state is viewed by Fitch as remote...Fitch does not consider actual damages as a potential risk as actual damages are "difficult to prove...Class action lawsuits, due to a relatively low limit on rewards, are also viewed as unlikely." Wait! Moody's weighed in. "We are comfortable with the loans which contained (TRID) exceptions as we did not find them to be material." The offering memo noted that, "Clayton determined that the TRID rule compliance issues were cured in accordance with the TRID rule prior to the time the sponsor purchased the mortgage loan. All of these mortgage loans were included in the mortgage pool...non-TRID compliance Discrepancies included: * Using an H8 form in lieu of an H9 rescission form, missing Maryland counseling notice, exceeding fee tolerance threshold on the HUD-1, finance charges on the final Truth in Lending (TIL) form understated by more than $100 or not providing settlement charge estimates for 10 business days, missing initial TIL form by lender, and Good Faith Estimate summary of terms determined to be inaccurate." Great job Matt listing these out. As if capital markets people didn't have enough to worry about analyzing this new security, rates have continued their volatility. Treasuries rallied sharply Tuesday following the lead from Japanese government bonds, which soared to record highs overnight although agency MBS prices lagged. The buying continued all morning with most coupon securities at one point recovering all of their losses from Friday's post-February nonfarm payroll report sell-off. Few cared about the poor demand for the $24 billion 3-year Treasury auction. This morning we've already had the MBA's application numbers from last week. They barely moved, coming in +.2% and 20% higher than a year ago; refis dropped and purchases rose. Coming up are the January figures for Wholesale Inventories - hardly a market mover, and a $20 billion 10-year T-note auction. We closed Tuesday with the 10-year yielding 1.83% and in the early going today we're at 1.88% with agency MBS prices worse about .125. Thanks to Adrienne R. for these! I used to think the brain was the most important organ. Then I thought, look what's telling me that. Why can't you hear a pterodactyl go to the bathroom? Because the "P" is silent. What time is it when you have to go to the dentist? Tooth-hurtie. What's the best part about living in Switzerland? Not sure, but the flag is a big plus. Atheism is a non-prophet organization Just went to an emotional wedding. Even the cake was in tiers. I wrote a song about a tortilla. Well actually, it's more of a wrap. I started a band called 999 Megabytes - we haven't gotten a gig yet. Jobs and Announcements For those who are sticking around, Universal American Mortgage Company (UAMC) is seeking an Underwriting Manager for the Pacific Processing Center (covers AZ, NV, CO, CA, OR, and WA) located in Tempe. The minimum requirements are 10 years in the mortgage industry with at least 5 years of hands on underwriting, 5 years of supervisory experience in the mortgage and lending industry, and both DE and LAPP/SAR Designations. Please send qualified resumes to Arlene Polifroni. In addition, UAMC would also like to announce the promotion of Laura Escobar to Executive Vice President - congrats! UMAC is a full service mortgage company that has assisted over 300,000 families with their mortgage financing needs. Part of the Lennar family, UAMC is fully integrated in the home buying process and works closely with Lennar to make closing on a new home seamless. Lennar is one of the nation's leading homebuilders since 1954 and currently builds in 19 states and over 40 markets across the country. Independent mortgage banks appear optimistic about their ability to increase production in 2016. Several are adding new branches in new markets. Among them is Assurance Financial, which is expanding throughout the Southeast and Southwest. Assurance has immediate openings for branch managers and loan officers in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio, Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina and South Carolina. To find out more, contact Paul Peters, CMB at 225-239-7948 or visit Assurance Careers. Lastly a quick congratulations to Mark Daly who has been promoted to Senior Vice President of National Accounts at National MI. Mark has over 30 years of mortgage banking and mortgage insurance experience and has been appointed to lead the national accounts sales team. Melissa Hayes started CT Liberty Mortgage in 2005 and then watched the bottom fall out of the market. It was a difficult time, but we had a year or so under our belt and we had customers. We were a small shop at the time and we were able to weather the storm, she says now. She and partner Cara Britton started the firm after a few years of working for other companies. We wanted control over the business, and we wanted control over our marketing. Starting our own business was a no-brainer. We had to do it sooner or later, she says today. The office now has 4 employees including 3 originators and they are hoping to hire a couple more soon. When asked what she looks for when hiring an originator, she jumped right to the chase: We want someone with experience, who can come in with a list of referrals and hit the ground running. Then, she laughed and added that she was willing to hire someone brand new to the business if they are a good fit and ready to work hard. It takes a very strong work ethic to succeed in this business, especially if you are starting from nothing. You have to be willing to pound the pavement, pound the phones. There is no such thing as quick success. In the beginning, she said, she did her share of cold calling. But that is not what I wanted to do. It was mostly refinancing back then, and I really just focused on networking, creating relationships with people who could refer business to me, realtors, etc. I focused on delivering exceptional customer service and keeping people happy. Today, she said, most of her business comes through referrals, with about 15% of her business coming from her website or from Zillow. We succeed by providing the kind of service that only smaller independent companies can provide. Even if people apply for a loan online, we usually end up meeting everyone face to face. People still value that personal touch, she said. What happened after the market crash, she said, is that only the strong survived and they came together as a community. It no longer worked to just be out for yourself. After the recession, we came together to help each other, even competitors began helping each other. It was a really great feeling. I hadnt seen that prior to the recession. An upshot of that community building was that Hayes was elected president of the Connecticut Mortgage Association, where she now serves as immediate past president. That allowed me to participate in new ways and create events that could continue to bring people together. She said it also enabled her to participate on the national level, traveling to Washington, D.C. on lobbying trips, for instance. One thing of concern to her is the graying of the mortgage industry, where she says the average broker is in his or her 50s. It is extremely important that we begin to attract younger people to the business. We need to get the word out about the great careers people can have in this business, especially to recent college graduates who are finding good jobs to be scarce. She said her company a while back hired a 20-year-old. She was very bright and talented. She got her license when she was 21 and she is still with us. She is very good at working with younger buyers. Shes doing really well. Hayes said that while the market is constantly changing, she is optimistic about the future. The biggest problem she sees in the short term is a lack of housing inventory. We are still doing tons of pre-quals. People just cant find a house to buy. With billions of dollars at stake, the Texas Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a tax showdown the outcome of which could shake up the next legislative session while straining the historically friendly relationship between state lawmakers and the iconic oil and gas sector. Throughout a spirited debate over arcane accounting rules and oil-tinged science, the justices offered few clues as to how they might rule. Theyre all great poker faces, said James LeBas, an economist with the Texas Oil & Gas Association and a former chief revenue estimator for Texas, following arguments. The case ultimately focuses on a single question: Are metal pipes, tubing and other equipment used in oil and gas extraction exempt from sales taxes? Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar has warned state lawmakers that a yes to that question, brought by Midland-based Southwest Royalties in an appeal of a lower courts ruling, could trigger a flood of refunds that would wipe out the states projected $4 billion budget surplus. This ones as big as they come, the Republican said ahead of the arguments. In the courtroom Tuesday, Hegar watched as the justices parsed the language of a sales tax exemption for goods and services used in the actual manufacturing, processing, or fabrication of tangible personal property, and considered how that description relates to the mechanics of petroleum extraction. The case hinges on whether certain extraction equipment like casing, pipes, tubing and pumps fits the definition cited in the exemption. Though Southwest Royalties, a subsidiary of Clayton Williams Energy, seeks to recoup less than $500,000 from purchases between 1997 and 2001, the stakes are far higher. A Texas loss could spur up to $4.4 billion in refund filings for 2017 alone, Hegars office estimates, and $500 million each subsequent year that the exemption remains in place. That high price tag was not mentioned in Tuesdays arguments, which lasted less than an hour and stuck to the highly technical merits of the case. David Keltner, an attorney representing Southwest Royalties, argued that certain extraction equipment clearly fits the exemptions definition. The companys equipment processes West Texas crude by separating it into marketable oil and gas, he argued, at times pointing to a chart that displayed the various stages of petroleum extraction. Once the crude is brought up from the ground, it is no longer part of a mineral owners estate, he said. It is tangible personal property. People own it, Keltner said. If you were to hold otherwise, there would be serious consequences. Among the consequences he named: Texas regulators would struggle to hold drillers accountable for the oil they extract. Arguing for the state, Texas assistant solicitor general Michael Murphy disagreed, arguing that minerals are not tangible personal property, and that Southwests equipment was not necessarily responsible for transforming the crude. Southwests mineral extraction is really like gathering raw materials, he said, dubbing the mechanics pre-production or pre-processing. Until that oil and gas bubbles out of the ground, its part of the [real estate]. Justice Phil Johnson, questioned that interpretation. Its not personal property in the tubing, when its coming up, its still realty? he asked. Even though its outside the ground, outside the natural environment? CONTINUE READING HERE. Event planned for parents of teens ODESSA -- Texas Tech University Health Science Center Physicians of the Permian Basin will host Super Parent 8:30-11 a.m. March 19 at New Tech Odessa, 300 E. 29th St. The event is to help parents engage with their teens about risky behaviors. Topics discussed will include dealing with peer pressure and social media challenges, female reproductive physiology and contraception and abstinence. The event is free and open to the public. For more information call 432-703-5050. Support groups this week -- The Knot Adoption Support Group, 11:30 a.m. today, First Presbyterian Church; Kathy Hagler, Kathy@WTIE.net -- Caregiver support, noon today, HospiceMidland 911 W. Texas Ave., 682-2855. -- Chronic fatigue fibro-myalgia syndromes support group meets noon Thursday at Rays of Hope Grief Centre; 520-3500. -- Walk with a Doc Program, 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Midland College Fine Arts building. Before the walk a medical specialist, gives a five - to 10-minute lecture. -- Midland Memorial Hospitals Better Breathing Club meets 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Midland Memorial Hospital Scharbauer Tower meeting room. Don at 221-4864 or Joanna at 682-4229. -- ODESSA Tourettes syndrome support group, 2 p.m. Sunday, Neuroscience Institute, 3610 22nd St.; Pam Weaks, 806-438-6601, pzweaks@yahoo.com, or Rene Howell, 806-549-7788. * * * Weekly support groups -- TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Christian Church of Midland, 2609 Neely Ave. 694-8643. -- Overeaters Anonymous; 7-8 p.m. Tuesdays and 3-4 p.m. Sundays; B&J Plaza, 206 N. Midkiff Road, Suite 1-D; 553-1031. survivors of sexual abuse; interactive Bible study to help deal with the consequences of sexual abuse meets Tuesdays. Child care available; House of Hope, 570-5935. * * * Alcoholics Anonymous hotline 580-7868. Serenity Group, 8 p.m. daily, 3101 N. A St., Building C; 685-3100. 710 Group, 7 a.m., noon and 8 p.m. Wednesdays, 710 Ohio Ave.; 682-8162. Alpha Omega, 8 p.m Tuesdays and 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, 311 S. Pecos St. --12-Step Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 7:30 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, 10 a.m. Saturdays; 206 N. Midkiff Road; 697-0272. Narcotics Anonymous hotline 582-2926. Laundry Group, 8 p.m. daily and noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 104 N. Marshall St. Xodus Group, 5:30 p.m. Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 7 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 8:30 p.m. Saturdays, 206 N. Midkiff Road. -- CODA Group, 12-step program for relationships, 7 p.m. Thursdays, 206 N. Midkiff Road; 697-0272. -- La Hacienda Alumni, support group for former patients, 7 p.m. Thursdays, 206 N. Midkiff Road; 697-0272. *** Breastfeeding Class, 6-8 p.m. Thursday, MMH. Contact Casey Weems at 221-3283 or childbirtheducation@midland-memorial.com *** MH payment options Midland Memorial Hospital recognizes that our community is facing challenging financial times. Resources are tight and families are having to make important decisions about what to spend money on now and what has to wait. Realizing health care can be expensive and the increasing deductibles make it hard to manage, the hospital has adjusted its payment procedures. We want to make sure you receive the care you need, when you need it. To find out about the new options now offered to better accommodate your payment needs, call 221-4705. Source: Midland Memorial Hospital *** How sick are you? Midland Memorial Hospital offers a a nurse triage program 68-NURSE. The program is designed to help people determine whether their health situation warrants a trip to the emergency room. Midland residents can call the line by dialing 686-8773. The program is free and available 24 hours a day-365 days a year. Local nurses are available to help you determine the best place to receive care for your situation. 68-NURSE can help you save time and money by directing you to the most appropriate healthcare option, whether its a neighborhood clinic, urgent care center, emergency room or just staying home. * * * Contact your Hospital District representative MIDLAND MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 400 Rosalind Redfern Grover Parkway, Midland, TX 79701 Phone: 221-1111 Website: www.midland-memorial.com President Russell Meyers 221-1584 President Russell Meyers 221-1584 Directors -- District 1: Dwain Tomlin, District 2: Dorothea Logan, District 3: Tommy Lent, District 4: Cressinda Hyatt, District 5: Alison King, District 6: Joe Kiowski, District 7: Jeffrey Beard Insurance companies and employers want you to ration your health care. For leverage, they have increased annual out-of-pocket costs by almost 230 percent between 2006 and 2015, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit health care research organization. Offering lower premiums in exchange for consumers paying a higher deductible is the latest way of forcing patients to think twice before seeking care. These so-called consumer-directed health plans are intended to encourage patients to make cost-conscious decisions, either by avoiding unnecessary care or shopping around to get lower prices. Some plans also come with a health savings account, which allows consumers and employers to set aside pretax income to pay the big deductible. For example, a consumer can set aside $50 a month in a health savings account. When care is needed, the consumer pays a deductible of $1,000 or more using the account. Once the deductible is paid, the insurer pays a portion of the bill according to the health plan. The challenge for these plans, which now cover 24 percent of workers with private insurance, is giving consumers the tools to shop for low-priced options. Insurance companies are encouraging shopping by contracting with specialized firms. HealthSparq is one of the nations largest companies creating tools that allow consumers to search for providers and compare what they charge for more than 400 treatments based on the health plan, location, reviews and willingness to accept new patients. The tool is embedded inside the websites of more than 70 insurance plans, and more than 600,000 Texans used HealthSparq tools in 2015. HealthSparq and similar services know the consumers plans when they log in. The services also have analyzed billing and provider data for consumers to search. The interface is similar to a travel website, ranking prices and other details. While the provider search function is useful, searching by a procedure, such as a knee replacement, is far more interesting. Consumers can see the astonishing range of fees charged by different facilities for the same treatment. In one search using real Houston-area data, centrally located hospitals consistently charged higher-than-average fees, while a patient willing to drive 200 miles could pay considerably less. This allows that member to say, Maybe I ought to talk to my doctor about driving to Corpus Christi to have the surgery, said Tom Cohen, sales director at HealthSparq. With a lot of people going further and further toward high-deductible health plans, this becomes more and more relevant. While these tools are great, consumers need to remember that the insurer controls the results. Plan managers can choose to exclude out-of-network providers and leave off features such as consumer reviews. My insurance company offers the HealthSparq tool, and I recently used it to find an urgent care center. The tools on my plans website were not as extensive as those Cohen showed me in his demonstration. Consumer-directed health plans certainly save insurers money, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, an independent nonprofit founded in 1920. The bureau found higher deductibles reduced total annual health spending by 6.6 percent, 4.3 percent and 3.4 percent in the first three years that businesses offered the plans. The study did not explain the diminishing returns. But a separate study by Truven Health Analytics, a data analysis firm, found that between 63 percent and 75 percent of the cost savings came from consumers spending less on radiology services, professional visits, lab services, non-maternity admissions and prescription drugs. That suggests some consumers are forgoing potentially important tests and treatments to save money. Many outside observers worry that consumer-directed plans could become consumer-coerced plans if they are not well thought-out. With employers under immense pressure to reduce health care costs, it is critical that they understand the impact of plan design on member behavior and incorporate strategies to ensure they are giving their employees access to the highest-quality care, said Barbara Graovac, senior vice president at Truven Health Analytics. This will become more important soon because at least 44 percent of employers plan to offer only high-deductible health plans over the next three years, according to a survey by PwC Health Research Institute, which studies health care spending. More consumers may avoid going to the doctor to avoid paying the high deductible. Cutting wasteful health care spending should be a priority. But as we know in Texas, which has the highest uninsured rate, delayed care is more expensive care. The reason I needed an urgent care facility for a severe cough was because I didnt see my primary care physician when I had a minor sinus infection. Creating higher financial barriers to care, therefore, is not the best way to ration limited resources. Consumers should always feel comfortable getting professional advice on whether a treatment is necessary, not make that decision based on their bank balance. Containing costs is more complicated than simply making consumers pay more, and health plans should reflect that. Americas energy explorers have become so good at pulling natural gas out of the ground that government forecasters are having a hard time figuring out how much theyre producing. This month, the Marcellus shale formation of the eastern United States, the countrys biggest gas play, will yield 17.4 billion cubic feet a day, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said Monday. Thats almost 2 billion cubic feet, or 11 percent, more than the agency had forecast last month. It said the fields output was revised based on more recent production data from Pennsylvania. Rape is a horrible and alarming crime. The article in the Reporter-Telegrams Sunday edition concerning the 27 percent rise in forcible rape was intended to convey to the public that rape is usually committed by someone the victim knows. The article was never meant to minimize the victimization of rape regardless if the perpetrator was an acquaintance or a stranger. A common misbelief is that most rapes are committed by a person the victim does not know. Texas Penal Code, Midland Police Department and Midland Rape Crisis and Childs Advocacy Center do not differentiate between acquaintance rape and stranger rape. MPD and the center have spent many years providing sexual assault prevention education. The purpose of this education is to provide information through MPDs programs such as Rape Aggression Defense class and MRCCACs prevention through education department programs (Being Safe, Date Smart and outreach training and information programs). The purpose of this education is to provide prevention and encourage reporting of all rapes so that victims receive justice. Unfortunately, there are still individuals who think rape is primarily committed by someone the victim does not know. This misbelief often leads to the victim blaming themselves and not reporting this horrific crime. TV Personality Cardi B is just as outspoken off-screen as she is onscreen. The Love & Hip Hop: New York reality star stopped by Power 105.1's morning show, The Breakfast Club, on Tuesday (March 8) to discuss everything from her sexuality to her political views. During the interview, Cardi announced her plans to vote for 2016 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and explains why she thinks Hillary Clinton is "fake." LHHNY recently wrapped up its drama-filled sixth season and some of the cast members are proving they've been hard at work since filming the popular VH1 series. Cardi B, who's real name is Belcalis Almanzar, was full of surprises when she stopped by the morning show. The 23-year-old Bronx native revealed she's a real history buff. Cardi is passionate about studying past war facts and events that took place during the Holocaust. She's been following the 2016 presidential hopefuls looking to replace President Barack Obama and despite voicing her concern for each candidate, Cardi proudly endorsed Sanders. A photo posted by djenvy (@djenvy) on Mar 8, 2016 at 4:08am PST "I do want to vote for Bernie, however but there are certain things that you just can't stop that, its unbelievable," Cardi told The Breakfast Club. "Like for example he wants to stop racism. It's like that's not going to happen! There's certain things you just can't do. What are you going to do? Go burn a bunch of Confederate flags in Virginia Beach and got damn Mississippi? You can't change racism, like it is what it is." She doesn't view all of his goals as feasible, but Cardi is still "feeling the Bern." Cardi revealed she had no interest in controversial candidate Donald Trump, calling his campaign "ridiculous." Cardi, who recently dropped her debut mixtape Gangsta B**** Music Vol. 1, admits she would love to help elect the first female president, but doesn't believe everything Clinton says is authentic. Using dance moves popular in the black community to generate votes, did not rub the aspiring rapper the right way. "I do like Hillary just because she a woman and I feel like she's a strong woman, however I do feel like she's a little fake," Cardi said. "Like you gotta hit the dab to get a few votes? Like girl shut up you don't care about the Blacks, you don't care about the minorities." 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In January 2015, Whitney Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, was found unresponsive in the bathtub in her home and died later that summer. Many have questioned if Brown's boyfriend, Nick Gordon, was involved in her untimely death. On Tuesday (March 8), Gordon's attorneys released a statement claiming their client was innocent of the allegations and even attempted to save Brown's life. Although the autopsy report revealed Bobbi Kristina died of water immersion and drug intoxication, her court appointed conservator, Bedelia Hargrove, alleged Gordon injected her with a "toxic mixture." She filed a wrongful death lawsuit, placing all the blame on him. Bobbi Kristina's father, Bobby Brown, also accused Gordon of harming his daughter. Inside the statement, Gordon's attorneys, Jose Baez and Joe S. Habachy, detail his emotional state since Bobbi Kristina's death and shoot down Fulton County District Attorney's office's murder accusations. There is currently no concrete evidence linking Gordon to the incident. They believe Brown's death to be nothing more than an unfortunate accident. "Nick Gordon's life has been tumultuous since January of 2015 when he lost the love of his life," Baez and Habachy said, according to People. "On top of being prohibited from visiting Bobbi Kristina at the hospital for the last six months of her life, Nick has been publicly humiliated for more than a year." Although Superior Court Judge Henry Newkirk repeatedly told The Fulton County District they had more than enough time (13 months) to provide any evidence connecting Gordon to Bobbi Kristina's death, they still have plans to further their investigation. Gordon's attorneys believe they are simply encouraging media outlets to slander their clients name. Baez and Habachy urge the District Attorney's office to publicly pronounce Bobbie Kristina's death as an accident or "even a suicide." They're looking to eliminate any suspicions of foul play or murder. Further more, his attorneys want the public to allow Gordon to live his life in peace as he continues to mourn. "The truth is that Nick tried to save Bobbi Kristina's life," Gordon's attorneys said. "The truth is that Nick cooperated with law enforcement since day one. The truth is that no one loved Bobbi Kristina more than Nick and no one has suffered more as a result of her death than Nick." Gordon has continuously denied the murder allegations, along with any involvement in her death. 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A family rights organization is accusing Jay Z of purposely delaying the process of taking a paternity test to officially establish whether he is in fact the biological father of Rymir Satterthwaite. According to a Centric report, Family Civil Liberties Union is the family rights organization interceding on behalf of 22-year-old Satterthwaite in the pending DNA testing of the Roc Nation executive. Reportedly, Jay Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has been "playing the system" by allowing his lawyers to create stall tactics that the organization describes as "false battles and artificial conflict." Gregory T. Roberts, president of the Family Civil Liberties Union, reached out to Carter's lawyers to gain answers as to why their client continues to delay taking the DNA test. "If Jay Z is innocent, I'm curious why you don't advise him to take the paternity test rather than create false battles and artificial conflict with an upstanding not-for-profit," wrote Roberts. Carter's delay in cooperating with the DNA testing was also reported back in June of 2015, when Satterthwaite was just in the beginning stages of growing frustrated with the rapper, according to IBT. During an interview, Sattertwaite explained how the whole process required a lot of "running around," gathering information and paying money to continue, causing a financial hardship for he and his family. Growing angrier as the days went by from the lact of results and his lack of funds, the then 21-year-old sought the help of supporters and organizations. Family Civil Liberties Union believes that Carter's lawyers are very well connected to the right politicians and judges, which is why this case has been dragging on for so long without any major change. Roberts expressed this opinion in a portion of his statement sent to Carter's lawyers. "In turn, you seem determined to create a frivolous legal blizzard of subpoenas in a futile attempt to find some hidden treasure trove of information that we don't have," he stated. "This case appears to involve a politically connected law firm that leverages the legal system as a sword and, through cozy relations with judges and politicians, receives a sweetheart deal that denies the legal rights of others." The organization even made reference to Beyonce's recent music video for the single "Formation," which highlights the recent police brutality cases that continue to rise across America. "Like Beyonce, who stands against police officers who overstep their power, we stand against lawyers who seek an unfair advantage with friendly judges and legally abuse adversaries seeking fairness in the judicial system," he added. Carter continues to avoid the DNA testing and has never publicly acknowledged Satterthwaite's accusations. 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Fans and followers of the STARZ hit series Power are anxiously awaiting the return of the show with season 3 episodes this year, and to finally find out what will come of the damaged friendship betweeen Ghost (Omari Hardwick) and Tommy (Joseph Sikora.) The two cast members provided some answers and an inside look into the new season's plot and direction. Since the show's season 2 finale, which aired in August 2015, fans can't help but wonder what's next for the cast. ABC provided a recap of all of the drama that unfolded between the major characters of the show like James St. Patrick, who goes by the alias "Ghost;" his wife Tasha (Naturi Haughton), former mentor turned enemy Kanan (50 Cent) and his best friend Tommy. (Season 2 Spoiler Alert) Tommy and Ghost find themselves in the middle of a growing feud and are facing unfamiliar territory in their friendship. The two find themselves having to deal with distrust and disloyalty issues after Tommy discovers it was Ghost who paid his girlfriend Holly (Lucy Walters) to disappear. The finale also featured the physical altercation between Ghost and Kanan, after it was revealed that Kanan played a huge role in the demise of Ghost's drug operation. So what happens now? Hardwick and Sikora sat down with ABC to provide some insight to that question. "You won't see the conclusion of their fallout but you'll definitely see the process of that being worked out...or not work that out," explained Hardwick of his character's troubled friendship. Sikora chimed in to provide the history of how the two characters became so close and why this fallout is so heartbreaking and could potentially tarnish the continuation of their bond. "The relationship between Tommy and Ghost is a brother relationship really and truly because they were raised together," Sikora explained. "Ghost was raised by Tommy's mother, after his father passed away, so they really have a familiar relationship." Seasons 1 and 2 of the Courtney A. Kemp series followed Hardwick's character as he struggled to balance the life of three vastly different personas that he projected to the world, based on whomever he interacted with. Ghost portrays a big time successful drug dealer who runs the drug cartel in his area. Though Ghost is successful in the streets, there's another side to him who wants to break free from that life and live of life that's not only lucrative but, legal, and he finds that from being the businessman, James St. Patrick. There's also the man Ghost becomes while around his mistress Angela Valdez (Lela Loren) - Jaime- that's different from the business man and the drug dealer; and who Sikora describes as the most selfish of them all. "There's a part of him that truly loves this woman and has a truly selfish quest for her in ways that I don't even find Ghost to be as selfish," explained Sikora of his best friend. "I find Jamie to be more selfish because he knows it's about the quest and it's not necessarily about the heart. He just wants to dominate." Though Sikora and Hardwick didn't reveal too many spoilers for season 3, their costar and producer tweeted on just how intense the return will be. POWER SEASON 3 will blow you away, I guarantee you will be like. on the edge of your seat. #EFFENVODKA #FRIGO pic.twitter.com/tRx2PE6dq0 50cent (@50cent) March 9, 2016 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Teknofonic Essentials Vol. 1 is an exciting new compilation from the NYC-based electronic record label Teknofonic Recordings, bringing together a collection of songs that border between experimental electronica and mainstream club hits. Featured on this new compilation are Sonic Fear, Daniel Monroe, Upper Regions, Jon Lambousis, 3logit, This Human Condition, Scott Cameron, Acid Daze, J Tizzle, Cypha Da Moonchild, Time No More, Elastic Plastic Generation, Hypnotriq, Ermias, Boom, M!nts, Derrick Anthony, Perry Engineering, S.G.B, Addliss and more. These acts are some of the genre-bending performers that are sure to break out in 2016, especially with the release of this compilation. Stream this entire compilation ahead of its April 15, 2016 release date now! You can check out more buzzing news coverage from Music Times right here! If you're a fan of EDM in any form, you're going to find something on this album that gets you excited. I'll even go as far to say that you'll like at least one of these new songs off of this compilation even if you hate EDM! As you can imagine, there's a lot of variety on this compilation, but none of the 20 songs sound out of place. These are examples of artists that have really honed their electronic composition talents. Programming, synths and vocals are on display in so many forms on Teknofonic Essentials Vol. 1. Stream this collection of music right here: You can check out the full tracklist of this new compilation right here: 1) Sonic Fear - I'll Be Your World (feat. Veela) 2) Daniel Monroe - Novacaine 3) Upper Regions - Below the Surface 4) Jon Lambousis - Confusion 5) 3logit - Limits 6) This Human Condition - Psychotropic (Lobotomy Mix) 7) Scott Cameron - The Stars Above 8) Acid Daze - Trigger 9) J Tizzle - Body Talk 10) Cypha Da Moonchild - Drip Drop 11) Time No More - Biodiversity 12) Elastic Plastic Generation 13) Hyphontriq - Taken (feat. Infinite Crown) 14) Ermias - Back to the Bass 15) Boom - Pure 16 M!nts - LFO 17) Derrick Anthony - Obama Goes to Cuba 18) Perry Engineering - House Music in London 19 S.G.B. - 4 20) Addliss - The End For more information about this compilation and Teknofonic Recordings, check out the label's Twitter, Facebook and Souncloud accounts! 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Please enable JavaScript to experience the functionality of this website. - MWEB Sarkodie should have been bigger than ... A section of Highway 4 in Calaveras County View Photos San Andreas, CA After years of incremental progress Calaveras Countys most ambitious highway project now attempts to bridge a rocky gap that may bring it to a grinding halt. It seemed that the Highway 4 Wagon Trail Project, which earlier this month lassoed over $10.3 million in conditional grant funding under an innovative Caltrans SHOPP (State Highway Operation and Protection) pilot program had finally generated enough financial steam to help spur it on through its first construction phase. However, as Calaveras Council of Governments (CCOG) Executive Director Melissa Eads states, the currently looming state funding crisis affecting the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) may yet derail it. STIP funds have served a primary revenue source for planning the long-anticipated now $60 million-plus improvement project that continues to be the areas top transportation priority. Plans are otherwise on track to keep the project rolling forward towards final completion sometime in 2021. Over the past few months the Angels Camp City Council and Calaveras County Board of Supervisors reviewed two proposed alignment alternatives. Ultimately both chose the same, somewhat less expensive design that strikes a path in agreement with the existing roadway that made up part of the Gold Rush Era 49er wagon trail as the locally preferred version. Now, Eads shares, It is up to Caltrans to ultimately make that decision with the adoption of the final Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which we are anticipating to be completed near the end of March or early April, she adds. Decades Of Wagon Trail Planning Spur Project On Literally, decades in planning with community involvement through public workshops, the much anticipated project has broad support across stakeholder groups. Advocates point to the projects ability to deliver improved access to businesses and recreation that will reap local and state economic benefits. The planned roadwork will also significantly improve safety, both by improving the corridor for emergency vehicles and fire protection, and by addressing present issues such as deteriorating pavement, sight distance issues and design challenges of a non-engineered road. The improvements will also increase bicycle mobility and pedestrian safety. Eads points out that the California Transportation Commission (CTC), forced to cut $754 million statewide, was asked to consider cutting and or deleting programs where possible, and will be collecting those revised strategies in the coming weeks. The Wagon Trail, which is the Calaveras regions only project, is just one of many projects potentially on the statewide chopping block due to the critical revenue shortfall that is now being further compounded by legislative decisions that seem mired in molasses. Agencies receiving hundreds of millions of dollars for their regional transportation programmight be in a position to cut projects, but for rural Calaveras, we have invested decades of planning andinvestment into the State Route 4 Corridor and this is the one and only project that we have, Eads emphatically states. She maintains that the state-proposed local cut of $1.5 million from the regions $6.6 slated million would ultimately decimate the project and jeopardize the Caltrans SHOPP award. Wanted: Every Dollar Of Planned Funding As part of phase one, Eads explains that they have identified a critical area along a six mile corridor stretching from east of the Pool Station Road curve to the Appaloosa Road intersection. With design completion this fiscal year estimated at nearly $2.5 million and almost $4.2 million needed for right-of-way and construction the following year, CCOG and its partner stakeholder agencies hope to convince CTC that the region critically needs to retain every dollar of its previously earmarked improvement funds to essentially cover the portion of this essential initial construction. The hugely supportive $10.3 million Caltrans SHOPP pilot grant has been a game changer, according to Eads, as well as a viable display of partnership with Caltrans District 10 in keeping with mutual goals to collaboratively optimize delivery of a seamless, integrated set of highway improvements. The goal of the [SHOPP] program is to look differently at construction projects along the state highwaysto break down the funding silos that exist andto find ways to streamline and integrate projects, so that we can work with the state to deliver a more meaningful construction project along the corridor, she explains. The Calaveras County State Highway 4 Wagon Trail Project was one of 37 projects selected statewide to draw from a SHOPP funding pot totaling $100 million. The intent of CCOGs aggressive schedule is to effectively align its two funding programs to leverage a bigger project, something that Eads does not believe has previously been accomplished that often. I think that is really the success of Caltrans vision, especially Caltrans District 10, in looking at innovative ways maximize taxpayers dollars to deliver the most meaningful project that we can working with area agencies, partnering to make the projects more powerful, she remarks. CCOGs next steps are to advocate for the project and funding strategy during CTCs March 24 STIP hearings. Ahead of that, CCOG is engaging with legislative staff on talking points while reaching out to legislators to marshal additional support. Staging An All-out Effort We are in a position to advocate now and I feel that if we do not advocate no one willthis is our best chance to keep our Wagon Trail Project on the books, so to speak, Eads states. I think that we are in a great position, thanks to our relationship with Caltrans District 10 and leadership of the executive staff at District 10 responsible for bringing the innovative pilot project opportunity to usthe life support giving our project the opportunity to see another dayproviding us a little more strength in our advocacy. Eads projects that, as CTC staff recommendations are anticipated to come out in early April, CCOG might know by April 22 if the project will be able to proceed. Fingers crossed, she says, If we do get CTC approval we will be moving forward July 1 in 2016 and 2017 with the design and then our program is moving pretty quickly, because then we hope to have right-of-way and construction programmed in 2017-2018. While clearly advocating for her project, Eads is keen to point out CTCs difficult position along with that CCOG is not alone in fighting a currently uphill battle to save worthy project plans. I think that the bigger issue is a need to find a solution to this funding crisis, she says. Unfortunately, it is for us, our Number One prioritythe only project that we have in our regional program and so the consequences to us are dire. BOE Gas Prices graphic View Photos Sonora, CA AAA reports that California refineries are undergoing scheduled maintenance in anticipation of a switch to summer blend gasoline, and it is impacting prices at the pump. California requires a cleaner burning fuel during the summer months. AAA reports that Californias average gas price is $2.46 per gallon for regular unleaded, up five-cents over just the past week. In addition, there have been some recent cuts in production in some regional markets, increasing prices in urban areas. Cynthia Harris, AAA spokesperson, says, Prices generally move during this time of year and the impact of this shift in schedule, combined with other seasonal factors, may cause prices to temporarily swing upward at the regional level at a faster rate than normal. That said, the price is still four cents cheaper than the same time one month ago ($2.49), reflecting an overall drop in crude prices over recent months. The myMotherLode.com gas price section shows that regular unleaded is selling in Sonora from $2.15 to $2.27 and in San Andreas from $2.19 to $2.39. 41 percent of those polled said economy is biggest issue Analyst: Republican voters believe Trump is best to tackle economy National security, immigration are considered 2nd and 3rd biggest issues, respectively The economy remains the top concern for voters in Florida, according to the Bay News 9/News 13 Exclusive Statewide poll. Voters said while things have improved economically for some in the country, making ends meet is not always easy for others. "You almost feel like you're working hard, but you're not getting anywhere," said mother Melanie Rogers. "I think the biggest issue right now is poverty, and people who aren't very well off in the country," said voter Stephanie Alleyne. In the poll, 41 percent agreed that the economy is the biggest issue facing the 2016 presidential candidates. Nearly one in five voters - 19 percent - picked national security, while 14 percent of the voters said immigration and 10 percent of voters said health care. Education and climate change were each cited as the top issue by 4 percent of those surveyed. PREVIOUS POLLS Five percent said they were concerned about another issue, while 3 percent were not sure. The numbers are very similar to the last survey conducted back in October. Republican political analyst Chris Ingram said what's so interesting about the most recent poll is that Republican voters overwhelmingly believe Trump is the best candidate to tackle all the issues. "They look at him as someone who will take on the establishment and do something differently than what we've done in the past," Ingram said. On the Democratic side, candidate Hillary Clinton also did very well. Democrats polled said she will do the best job tackling the issues. FLORIDA PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY COVERAGE March 15 starting at 5 p.m. All presidential results plus your local races Tampa Bay local election results on Bay News 9 Central Florida local election results on News 13 Join us Tuesday night starting at 10 p.m. to find out what Floridians think about Amendment 2, which aims to legalize medical marijuana. Detailed Poll Results Q: What's the biggest issue facing the 2016 candidates for president? All Gender Age Race Male Female 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ White Black Asian/ Other Economy 41% 44% 38% 42% 42% 43% 38% 40% 49% 39% Immigration 14% 16% 12% 14% 13% 13% 15% 13% 17% 22% Education 4% 4% 3% 8% 5% 2% 3% 3% 5% 8% National Security 19% 15% 23% 14% 19% 19% 23% 21% 17% 4% Health Care 10% 10% 11% 9% 12% 11% 8% 11% 6% 12% Climate Change 4% 4% 4% 8% 3% 4% 3% 4% 1% 5% Other 5% 5% 4% 3% 4% 5% 5% 5% 3% 5% Not Sure 3% 2% 4% 2% 1% 3% 5% 3% 1% 4% Composition of Likely November Voters 100% 48% 52% 13% 25% 32% 29% 82% 12% 6% Party Affiliation Strong Rep. Republican Ind. lean Rep. Independent Ind. lean Dem. Democrat Strong Dem. Economy 40% 46% 38% 39% 37% 43% 42% Immigration 18% 14% 20% 14% 11% 11% 7% Education 1% 2% 4% 5% 6% 7% 5% National Security 26% 24% 25% 12% 10% 13% 16% Health Care 6% 8% 4% 11% 18% 14% 15% Climate Change 1% 1% 3% 6% 10% 4% 8% Other 5% 2% 5% 9% 4% 6% 3% Not Sure 3% 3% 2% 5% 4% 2% 2% Composition of Likely November Voters 21% 15% 14% 9% 9% 17% 15% Surveyed: 1,961 likely November voters Margin of sampling error: 2.3% Support among Republican voters who say _________ is the most important issue. Issues Economy Immigration National Security Health Care Donald Trump 47% 59% 33% 41% Ted Cruz 14% 23% 18% 8% Marco Rubio 19% 12% 30% 28% John Kasich 12% 3% 11% 11% Other 3% 1% 5% 5% Undecided 6% 3% 3% 7% Composition of Likely/Actual GOP Presidential Voters 41% 16% 26% 7% Surveyed: 937 likely & actual GOP presidential primary voters Margin of sampling error: 3.3% Support among Democratic voters who say _________ is the most important issue. Issues Economy Immigration National Security Health Care Hillary Clinton 68% 56% 70% 55% Bernie Sanders 23% 33% 25% 35% Undecided 8% 11% 5% 9% Composition of Likely/Actual Dem. Presidential Primary Voters 40% 10% 15% 14% Surveyed: 823 likely & actual Democratic presidential primary voters Margin of sampling error: 3.4% This Florida Decides Exclusive Statewide Poll was conducted by SurveyUSA from March 4-6. Pollsters surveyed 2,450 likely voters via home phones and smart devices. Respondents reachable on a home phone were interviewed on their home telephone in the recorded voice of a professional announcer. Respondents who were not reachable by home phone were shown a questionnaire on their smartphone, tablet or other device. 61 percent would vote to legalize medical marijuana for those with certain medical conditions 45 percent would vote to legalize marijuana for all uses A new, exclusive News 13/Bay News 9 poll reveals that Florida voters are likely pass a second attempt to legalize medical marijuana. The poll of 1,961 likely voters conducted this past weekend, found that 61 percent of all likely voters would vote in November for Amendment 2, which would change Florida's constitution to legalize medical marijuana for "individuals with debilitating medical conditions." In Florida, constitutional amendments must get a 60 percent majority vote to be approved. The margin of error on our exclusive poll was +/- 2.2 percent, but 18 percent of our respondents said that at this time, they were uncertain about whether they will vote for Amendment 2. I think that this poll is very encouraging. I think that this poll shows that Floridians are ready for medical marijuana, attorney Matt Morgan said. In 2014, the medical marijuana amendment got a majority of the votes, but it didn't make it over the 60 percent threshold. But the medical marijuana issue returned to the ballot in January, when People United for Medical Marijuana, a group led by attorney John Morgan, got enough petition signatures to bring it back to the ballot. PREVIOUS POLLS Reasons to oppose it this time around are the same as they were the last time around," said Brian Empric, vice chairman of the Florida Federation of Young Republicans. "I think it will still be too easy to be able to get the prescription from a doctor. Voters don't back legalizing all forms of marijuana, the poll found. Only 45 percent of all registered voters surveyed would support legalizing all marijuana use. The Florida Senate and House have recently passed House Bill 307 approving the use of medical marijuana for terminally ill patients. The bill is awaiting Gov. Rick Scotts signature. But supporters of Amendment 2 think the bill wont help most people, so theyre pushing forward with their broader constitutional amendment. FLORIDA PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY COVERAGE March 15 starting at 5 p.m. All presidential results plus your local races Tampa Bay local election results on Bay News 9 Central Florida local election results on News 13 Detailed Poll Results Q: On the ballot in November will be Amendment 2, which would legalize medical marijuana for individuals with certain medical conditions. On Amendment 2, are you... All Gender Age Race Male Female 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ White Black Asian/ Other Yes 61% 63% 59% 72% 67% 63% 49% 60% 68% 61% No 21% 23% 20% 11% 19% 23% 27% 23% 10% 19% Not Certain 18% 14% 21% 17% 14% 14% 25% 17% 22% 20% Composition of Likely November Voters 100% 48% 52% 13% 25% 32% 29% 82% 12% 6% Political Affiliation Strong Rep. Republican Ind. lean Rep. Independent Ind. lean Dem. Democrat Strong Dem. Yes 36% 55% 58% 74% 81% 71% 74% No 44% 26% 20% 10% 7% 14% 10% Not Certain 20% 20% 22% 16% 13% 14% 16% Composition of Likely November Voters 21% 15% 14% 9% 9% 17% 15% Surveyed: 1,961 likely November voters Margin of sampling error: 2.2% Q: Would you support or oppose a state constitutional amendment to legalize all forms of marijuana? All Gender Age Race Male Female 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ White Black Asian/ Other Support 45% 48% 43% 61% 55% 48% 24% 46% 47% 41% Oppose 41% 40% 42% 25% 29% 41% 62% 42% 32% 41% Not Sure 14% 11% 16% 14% 16% 11% 14% 12% 20% 19% Composition of Registered Voters 100% 48% 52% 17% 25% 31% 27% 80% 13% 7% Political Affiliation Strong Rep. Republican Ind. lean Rep. Independent Ind. lean Dem. Democrat Strong Dem. Support 23% 38% 43% 51% 65% 59% 56% Oppose 69% 50% 44% 31% 21% 27% 26% Not Sure 8% 12% 13% 18% 15% 15% 19% Composition of Registered Voters 20% 15% 14% 10% 9% 17% 15% Surveyed: 2,204 registered voters Margin of sampling error: 2.1% This Florida Decides Exclusive Statewide Poll was conducted by SurveyUSA from March 4-6. Pollsters surveyed 2,450 likely voters via home phones and smart devices. Respondents reachable on a home phone were interviewed on their home telephone in the recorded voice of a professional announcer. Respondents who were not reachable by home phone were shown a questionnaire on their smartphone, tablet or other device. Republican Ted Cruz has been endorsed by former presidential candidate Carly Fiorina for president. Cruz announced the endorsement Wednesday during a rally in Miami. Both Cruz and Fiorina will be in Orlando Friday for a town hall meeting. That will happen from 10 a.m. to noon at the Faith Assembly of God on Curry Ford Road. Tickets are free on the Cruz website. Cruz's campaign released the following statement from Fiorina: "Ted Cruz is a fearless fighter for our constitutional rights. He has spent his life protecting Americans God-given liberties, and he has always stood by his word. Unlike the status-quo political class in D.C., Ted Cruz didnt cower when he got to Washington he stood unequivocally for the American people. I know Ted, and hell do the same as president." Cruz's campaign released the candidate's response as well: "Carly Fiorina is a strong, principled leader and woman of faith. Our campaign is stronger with her leadership and her voice. Her story embodies the promise that in America anyone can start as a secretary and become a Fortune 50 CEO. Carly speaks the truth with courage, doesnt back down to the Washington powerbrokers, and terrifies Hillary and the Democrats. We are blessed to have her support, and together I am confident we will continue to unite conservatives so that every American has the opportunity to achieve the unimaginable." Cruz has received the second most delegates in the Republican primary thus far, with 359 as of March 9. Most recently, he won the Republican primary in Idaho on Tuesday night. Cruz trails front-runner Donald Trump, who has 458. Fiorina, formerly the CEO of Hewlett Packard, was one of several candidates for the Republican nomination for president. She suspended her campaign last month. With only a few days left in the legislative session, Florida lawmakers are now rushing to pass the final bills, including the state budget. The legislature voted to send several bills to Gov. Rick Scott for signature Tuesday. The governor also signed a number of high profile bills. The Budget The proposed budget was formally delivered to state lawmakers Tuesday afternoon. That clears the way for legislators to take a final vote on Friday. That's because state law requires that the budget must be finished 72 hours ahead of the vote. Top House and Senate Republicans reached a final deal on the budget late Monday. It will cover spending during the budget year that starts on July 1. Lawmakers wound up rejecting several of Gov. Rick Scott's budget priorities, including his push for $250 million to lure new companies to the state. This has led to speculation that Scott will use his veto pen to eliminate spending on projects pushed by top legislators. Alimony, child custody revisions An emotionally contentious bill revising alimony and child custody laws is headed to Gov. Rick Scott. The state House passed the bill 74-38 Tuesday. The bill ends permanent alimony, replacing it with formulas based on the length of the marriage and the spouses' incomes to set the amount and duration of payments. It urges judges to consider equal time-sharing with children between the parents. Backers say the bill will bring consistency and predictability to divorces, but opponents say it's unfair to women who leave careers to be stay-home mothers. In 2013, Scott vetoed a similar bill because it was retroactive. Backers say that's changed, but opponents say it could still be used to modify existing divorce settlements. Scott hasn't said whether he will sign the new version. Credit card skimmers Gas stations will have to install security devices on pumps to make sure illegal credit card skimmers aren't placed in them under a bill now going to Gov. Rick Scott. The House passed the bill Tuesday on a 111-1 vote a week after the Senate passed it unanimously. The legislation was a top priority for Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, whose department has been investigating the use of skimmers to steal credit card information. The bill (SB 912) also increases penalties for stealing credit card information, while lowering the number of stolen credit cards a person can have before facing felony charges. Gas station owners would have to report any attempts to tamper with pumps. Dozier school money Florida is offering to pay to rebury students whose remains were once interred on the grounds of a now shuttered reform school. The Florida Legislature on Tuesday approved the bill, which is a measure to help the state deal with the notorious legacy of the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys. The school was in Marianna, 60 miles west of Tallahassee. It was shuttered in 2011, and some former students have accused school officials of physical and sexual abuse. Officials investigating the allegations exhumed dozens of bodies from the campus. The bill would provide up to $7,500 for funeral and burial expenses for each exhumed body. It also would require officials to preserve records, artifacts and remains found on the school site. New laws Gov. Rick Scott signed 16 bills into new laws Tuesday. Among the bills signed: An 18-month security breach at Rosen Hotels and Resorts affecting thousands is the latest in a string of high-profile data compromises. The question is, what more can customers do to protect themselves? Our world has become so complex, the people that know about it are the few, said Eric B. Delisle. And the people who dont know are the many. Delisle is in the business of cyber security. He founded the company ICLOAK.me, which allows users, for $99, to become anonymous online and better protected. It includes a device which looks like a USB stick. Its when you need to be safe, then you use this thing, he explained, referring to instances of monetary interactions online. Any place where you would be putting in user names and passwords. But even cyber savvy Delisle has had his privacy compromised. I was one of the millions of people in the Target breach, he said. Its a huge challenge, not just protecting your own computer, but companies youre doing business with. Its not just an epidemic. Its getting worse. When dealing with large-scale corporations, theres little you can do, he told us. Theres companies who have been hacked, and theres companies who dont know theyve been hacked yet. Companies are already spending billions on cyber security. As one builds a wall, Delisle said the bad guys build taller ladder. But, on a personal, consumer level, he suggested several simple things. Set up alerts for fraudulent activity on cards: Almost every banking site, every credit card site, has the ability to send you an email or text message every time theres activity on your card." Delisle also suggested physically typing in the name of a website into the browser and not simply moving through links. If you get an alert that looks like its from your bank, and says, Hey, you need to change your password. Dont click on that link. Finally, Delisle said its important to pay attention to apps that seem free and harmless. A lot of it, especially on the Android platform, is malware. Theres all kinds of exploits that are stealing credentials from people on those. The bottom line, according to Delisle, is to be more vigilant and take cyber security into your own hands. A lot of people spend time watching cat videos, he said. Spend time educating. Its the best you can do. Putnam County deputies are investigating after a north Florida woman was shot in the back by her 4-year-old son while driving in her pickup truck Tuesday. Jamie Gilt, 31, of Jacksonville owns the gun that was used to shoot her, Sheriff's investigators said. The boy was unharmed. According to the Sheriff's Office, a Putnam deputy was on patrol just after 3 p.m. when he spotted a truck towing a horse trailer that had stopped partially in a travel lane on State Road 20 near Rowland Avenue. When he slowed down to investigate, a woman in the driver's seat motioned him over as though she needed help. The deputy quickly noticed that she'd been shot, the agency said. He rendered aid until paramedics arrived. The woman, later identified as Gilt, was taken to University of Florida Health in Gainesville, where she was in stable condition later Tuesday. Before being taken to the emergency department, Gilt told deputies that her son, who was in the back seat of the truck, had accidentally shot her, they said. Deputies say a .45-caliber handgun was on the truck's floor. The boy is staying with family members in Putnam County, and the Department of Children and Families is also investigating. It is a misdemeanor under Florida law for someone to store or leave a loaded gun where a child has access. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. In case you missed it, a total solar eclipse took place Tuesday night, wowing people across Southeast Asia. The eclipse could be seen by an estimated 40 million people across Indonesia. People living in parts of India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Singapore were able to see a partial eclipse. A total solar eclipse is when the moon passes directly between the sun and the Earth, blocking the suns bright disk and briefly turning daylight into dusk. NASA scientists traveled to Indonesia with tons of equipment to measure polarized light. The data they collected with help them better understand temperatures and wind speeds near the sun. Unfortunately, Tuesday's solar eclipse was not visible from North America. Instead, Americans hoping to catch a glimpse had to watch via live streams. But dont worry: Well have your chance to see a total eclipse next year on Aug. 21. A full solar shadow will pass over the United States from the Northwest to the Southeast, according to NASA. Canada and Mexico will see a partial eclipse. The safest way to observe an eclipse is indirectly, either looking through a specially designed filter or by projecting it onto screen through a pinhole. Watch highlights from the March 8 total solar eclipse below: On Tuesday, Plainview's City Council unanimously voted to fix the streets and keep kids off them after midnight. In their regular session, council members first voted to continue the city's curfew policy for children 16 and younger. Plainview police Chief Ken Coughlin said that every three years the curfew policy is brought back to the council for review. The curfew is currently from midnight until 6 a.m., seven days a week. Coughlin told city council members last Thursday that data shows crime has steadily decreased in Plainview in the last 10 years. Along with that, the police chief said juvenile crime has dropped as well, something for which Coughlin gave a lot of credit to the curfew. Over the last three years with the curfew, Coughlin said, three citations were handed out by officers in 2013, zero in 2014 and 17 in 2015. However, Coughlin said, the rise in 2015 was nothing to be alarmed at, as one incident could see several citations given, and sometimes the incidents involve the same youngsters. If juveniles are caught outside curfew, not only are parents called, but guardians, operators and employees of businesses can be fined up to $500. There are exceptions to curfew breaking, including school events. Another highlight during Tuesday's meeting was the 5-0 vote to award a bid for the 2016 Seal Coat project. The bids were facilitated by Brandt Engineers, who the City of Plainview partnered with in January. The agreement helped to drop the cost of seal-coating, which was just over $3 per square-foot with their former partner Parkhill, Smith and Cooper. Bidders had three projects to bid on, each project option was sequentially larger than the other in terms of the amount of city streets to be paved. Each project also had a "coated" and "non-coated" option. Interim public works director Tim Crosswhite suggested that the council approve the coated option, which was more durable and protected better. Crosswhite added that with the unexpected renovations of Country Road Y, which leads to the City's landfill, and 13th and 15th Streets near Walmart, the director recommended the council approve the second project with the coated option. The second option will see 163,800 square yards of City streets paved. The second option is made up of streets proposed in the first option plus alternate streets. The lowest bidder for the project, Lipham Asphalt, quoted $2.36 per square yard or $389,068 total for a coated seal coat. These streets include 11th Street from Ennis to Portland; Lexington from 11th to 16th streets; Kokomo from 11th to 16th streets; Joliet from 11th to 24th streets; 10th Street from Joliet to Columbia; Ninth Street from Joliet to Columbia; Eighth Street from Joliet to Columbia; Fresno from Sixth to 11th streets; El Paso from Sixth to 11th streets; and Denver from Sixth to 11th streets. The second option will see the addition of Kokomo from 16th to 24th streets; 15th from Joliet to Galveston; 14th Street from Joliet to Galveston; 13th Street from Joliet to Galveston; Independence Street from Seventh to 11th streets; Houston Street from Seventh to 11th streets; Galveston Street from Seventh to 11th streets; and Sixth Street from Joliet to Columbia. Also on Tuesday, the council unanimously approved an agreement between the City of Plainview and Parkhill, Smith and Cooper, Inc. for professional services. Parkhill, Smith and Cooper will help with the construction of a new water lift station. The new station will replace two failing lift stations, Milwee and Juniper. The two will be shut down and a new lift station will be built near the old Milwee location. The cost of the project will come to a total of $1,070,900. In other action, the council voted to continue an agreement with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs HOME Investment Partnerships Program. The program helped the City renovate five homes this past year with two more coming up. Also, council members voted to suspend the Southwestern Public Service Company's proposed effective date in connection with their intent to raise base rates. The City of Plainview will join with other cities in the Xcel Municipalities to direct the activity of lawyers and consultants to search other options. March 8, 1946: Kenneth Gregg, Plainview FFA, exhibited the grand champion lamb on Tuesday at the Amarillo Fat Stock Show. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Gregg of the Snyder community. --A certificate of necessity and convenience has been granted Curry Motor Freight Line to extend its field of operation to include Lubbock, according to Plainview manager and Vice President Wiley Bob Pearce. The firm now operates one truck each way daily between Amarillo and Plainview. --Lt. E.M. Kline, who was discharged Feb. 27 at San Francisco, is on terminal leave and is visiting his wife and 7-month-old son at the home of his wifes parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Scroggins, Hale Center. Lt. Kline served 32 months on the USS General Butner, both in the European and Pacific theaters. March 8, 1956: H.W. Hal Scarberry is now manager of the local Firestone store, moving here from Oklahoma City. He replaces W.B. Murray, who has become Firestone manager in Amarillo after four years in Plainview. Murray is taking the place of C.T. Cartwright, new district manager. He formerly managed both the Plainview and Amarillo stores. --Members of the First Baptist Church in Plainview voted 756-47 on Sunday to offer $200,000 to the First Methodist Church for its property between Seventh and Eighth on Baltimore. The offer does not include furnishings and stained glass windows. --The PHS Band will climax the years activities when it competes for the 19th consecutive sweepstakes award at the Interscholastic League Contest in April at Levelland. The 132-member band is directed by R.C. Davidson. March 8, 1966: First National Bank of Plainview has announced the resignation of Don Jones, vice president; and the addition of Fred Conner, formerly associated with Plainview Production Credit, who will fill the vice presidential vacancy. Jones is taking a position with Liberty National Bank in Oklahoma City. Connor has been Floyd County auditor. --Guy Brooke was crowned King Beau of the Order of Rainbow for Girls at a party Wednesday in the YMCA basement. Patty Holsapple nominated him for the honor. Kaye Smith is worthy advisor of the local order. --The Plainview City Council has approved preliminary architects plans on the new police station and corporation court building and the Unger Memorial Library extension. City Manager Marshall Pharr said bids for the library project will be let in May with the police station bids let in June. March 8, 1986: Gov. Mark White has reappointed Plainview Mayor Gene Ridlehuber to a second two-year term on the State Community Development Block Grant Review Committee. Ridlehuber, 63, is president and general manager of Bearings and Industrial Supplies, Inc. He was first elected major in 1982. --Plainviews oldest financial institution, City National Bank, was declared insolvent Thursday and purchased by First National Bancshares, Inc., parent firm of First National Bank of Plainview. City National, which was chartered in 1932, reopened for business Friday as First National Bank. --Those wishing to view Haleys Comet are invited to the rodeo grounds parking lot Saturday at 6 a.m. David Howard suggests those interested bring binoculars or scopes for better viewing. Compiled by Doug McDonough This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Since WalletHub named San Antonio the top city in Texas for female entrepreneurs this year, we recently put our heads together and featured 18 area women running successful businesses. Nominations immediately began rolling in and feedback was so positive that we've rounded up another set of women who are inspiring the Alamo City today, which is also International Women's Day. Adelle Brewer was one of the first to open a business in the revamped Pearl complex. The Synergy Studio offers more than 50 yoga and dance classes a week. Jan Jarboe Russell, a writer and Nia teacher at the studio, nominated Brewer and commended her involvement in the community. "But the thing that inspires me the most about her is that when she was a very young girl and enjoying her classes in dance, Adelle had a dream: to own her own studio and give the gift of movement to others. I like women who live their dreams," Russell said. RELATED: Women with big breakthroughs in male-dominated sports Kay Scroggins, a registered nurse, is the president and CEO of Clinical Trials of Texas, one of the largest clinical research sites in the U.S. Since 2001, CTT has been running about 100 clinical trials a year in areas such as diabetes, womens health, mental health, dermatology and Alzheimers. Clinical Trials of Texas has been named for the past four years as a Top Workplace by the San Antonio Express-News. Amy Gonzalez, owner of the Love Shack Boutique, just celebrated her 4th year at her shop on Babcock Road. The University of Texas at San Antonio alumna hosted in-home parties while she put herself through school and worked toward her dream of owning her own business and helping women. Katie Harvey, CEO of KGBTexas Communications started the integrated marketing services firm in 1994 and has overseen campaigns for some heavy-hitting clients, including the JW Marriott Hill Country Resort, Southwest Airlines and the San Antonio Tricentennial. RELATED: On day celebrating women, reminder of lingering gender gap Leslie Horne is the owner of Aurelia's Chorizo. You may have seen her products at H-E-B. "I love her dried Spanish chorizo...some of the best I've had, takes me back to Spain every time I eat it," a reader who recommended her said. One local pioneer for women in business Rosemary Kowalski, RK Group founder and Chairman Emeritus, is being honored by KLRN with a gala fundraiser this Thursday called A Tribute to Rosemary. Check out 15 more women business owners doing things right in San Antonio in the slideshow above. jruff@mysa.com Twitter: @julie_ruff San Antonio-based iHeartMedia Inc., the radio broadcaster saddled with $20.6 billion in debt, said one of its divisions received notices of default. The bondholders filed the notice Monday, claiming that covenants were violated by the transfer of shares of Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Inc. to another unit in December. The creditors represent at least 25 percent of the outstanding principal of four of the companys priority guarantee notes, according to a filing Tuesday. The broadcaster, formerly Clear Channel Communications Inc., said it objects to the allegations and will contest the validity of the notices. The company filed a lawsuit Monday in state district court in Bexar County to seek a declaratory judgment that its not in default. IHeart, the nations largest owner of radio stations with 245 million monthly listeners, is struggling to rein in debt it took on in its 2008 acquisition by private equity firms Bain Capital Partners LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP, a $24 billion deal that came to symbolize the excesses of the pre- crisis buyout boom. Pandora Media Inc., Spotify Ltd. and Apple Inc. have lured away millions of listeners since then with online radio and on-demand downloads. The broadcaster has $193 million in notes that mature in 2016, $230 million under a revolving credit line thats due in 2017, more than $1 billion in obligations maturing in 2018 and $8.3 billion in bonds and term loans due in 2019, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The radio giant reported net income of $938.5 million in 2007, but in each year since then it has lost between $219.5 million and $4 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Its consolidated net loss for 2015 was $737 million. To boost its cash, iHeart has been selling off healthier assets. It raised $566 million in January by selling billboards in eight markets to Lamar Advertising Co. and other buyers. It also has been shifting assets into its Broader Media unit. The company had $773 million in cash at Dec. 31, up from $457 million a year earlier. On Dec. 3, iHeart gave Broader Media $516 million of common stock in Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, the publicly traded billboard advertising company. Broader Media is an unrestricted subsidiary under iHearts priority guarantee notes. Putting new assets into Broader Media could help sell a new bond, and proceeds from the sale could be used in a way that bolsters the ability to retire debt obligations, Philip Brendel, a senior credit analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, wrote in a Dec. 16 note. With origins in aircraft engines dating back to 1913, Bayerische Motorenwerke officially formed in 1916. You know the brand now as BMW. BMW is celebrating its first 100 years today, with the unveiling of an autonomous concept car in Munich. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A witness told the jury at Anthony Lee Smiths murder trial Wednesday that Smith told fellow inmates in Bexar County Jail that he shot and killed Daniel Lee Cantu because Cantu disrespected him at a flea market. Darryl King testified that he was in jail in 2013 on a parole violation when Smith was brought there after being charged with killing Cantu, 51. Smith was talking big about the shooting, King said. He said he approached a deputy the next day to report what he had heard and was taken to police headquarters to give a statement. State District Judge Jefferson Moore had to admonish King several times because King said he did not want to testify and said he could not remember his statement from three years ago. But under questioning by prosecutor Clinton Malloy, he acknowledged that his statement described Smith as telling inmates that he recognized Cantu as the one who had kicked him out of the flea market. Lead defense attorney Christian Henricksen asked King which flea market he was referring to, and he said it was the Eisenhauer Flea Market. He asked King if he was familiar with the place, and King said he was because he would do business there a few times a week. He added that when he was shown a photograph of Cantu, he recognized him as someone who worked at the flea market. Henricksen asked King how he knew that Smith killed Cantu, and he said, I found out he was killed when this gentleman (Smith) started talking about it, King said, as he motioned to Smith, sitting with his attorneys. When Henricksen asked King if Smith told him his aunties snitched on him, King replied, He told us, a couple of people, recalling that several other inmates were present at the time. One of Smiths aunts testified Tuesday that she called police to report her nephew had told her he had killed Cantu. Another aunt testified that the first aunt was lying. The prosecution called several witnesses Wednesday, including Dr. Samantha Evans, a forensic pathologist who works for the Bexar County medical examiners office. She said Cantu died from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen, adding that the bullet entered in the left upper part of the abdomen and injured his stomach, colon, pancreas and aorta, and the bullet rested in the lower part of his spine. Cantu had been dead for hours when first responders found him lying near his residence on July 28, 2013, at the Banyan Tree Apartments in the 8100 block of Crosscreek on the Northeast Side. If convicted, Smith faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. ezavala@express-news.net Twitter: @elizabeth2863 More than 20 years before "The People v. O.J. Simpson" became the FX miniseries of the moment, drawing Americans back to controversial courtroom drama, the high-profile murder case pinned O.J. Simpson to the deaths of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman in an eight-month televised trial. When Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lance Ito made the controversial decision to allow cameras into the courtroom, the double-murder trial became an early show of reality television with every move made by the lawyers, witnesses, the judge and defendant up for national scrutiny and, for better or worse, ensuing fame. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Jean Smith testified Tuesday that her tip to police about her nephew Anthony Lee Smith, who is accused of killing Daniel Lee Cantu and taking his wallet, had nothing to do with the $5,000 reward money. I wasnt doing it to get money. I love my nephew, she said through tears in the first day of Smiths murder trial. I would rather see him in jail than dead on the street. Prosecutors say Anthony Smith told family members what he did to Cantu, while the defense said the assertions from relatives are not true because their statements kept changing. Jean Smith testified that she saw television news reports in the days after the shooting and that her nephew told her he had killed the man. According to police, a relative of Anthony Smith had contacted police days after the killing and said he was smoking marijuana and had shot Cantu in the heart and got $100 off the guy, an arrest warrant affidavit stated. Jean Smiths testimony followed that of her sister, Lynell Simmons, who said Jean Smith is a liar who turned their nephew in for the money. Asked by lead prosecutor Kimberly Gonzalez about her statements to investigators regarding what she knew about the killing or her nephew, Simmons said none of what the detectives attributed to her was true. Police wrote what they wanted in her statements and she just signed them, she testified. Under cross examination from defense attorney Christian Henricksen, she told the court that she could not read or write. Simmons had to be admonished several times by state District Judge Jefferson Moore for arguing with and speaking over attorneys on both sides. At one point, she attempted to engage with a male juror whom she accused of staring at her, which prompted another warning from the judge. Earlier testimony by first responders described how they found Cantu, 51, lying near his residence July 28, 2013, at the Banyan Tree Apartments in the 8100 block of Crosscreek on the Northeast Side. He had been dead for hours, killed by a gunshot wound to the chest, his body crawling with ants and his wallet missing, witnesses said. The trial is expected to resume at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the 186th state District Court. ezavala@express-news.net Twitter: @elizabeth2863 The historical advocacy group Texas Preservation released its latest list of the state's most endangered places, tapping two significant sites in San Antonio. The John H. Wood, Jr. Courthouse, the travertine-paneled building shaped like a drum in Hemisfair Park, was put on the chopping block last December. Posted on 03/09/2016, 11:13 am, by mySteinbach The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is pleased to share key January enforcement highlights from its Manitoba operations. On January 1, CBSA officers in Boissevain seized two undeclared firearms from two North Dakota men as they sought entry into Canada. In the first case, a prohibited semi-automatic handgun and two overcapacity magazines were seized from the man. He paid a $1,500 penalty and was allowed to return to the U.S. In the second case, officers located a loaded rifle in the drivers backseat along with 18 litres of undeclared alcohol wrapped in clothing and concealed throughout the vehicle. The second man paid a penalty of over $600 CAD for failure to declare and returned to the U.S. On January 14, Emerson officers arrested a Texas man seeking entry to visit friends. Damage on the mans vehicle and checks by officers revealed he had been involved in a motor vehicle collision in his home state where he had failed to stop at the scene. This made the man criminally inadmissible to Canada and he returned to the U.S. Lyleton officers uncovered 25 grams of suspected marijuana in a Manitoba mans vehicle on January 20. The man was taken into custody by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. On January 28, Winnipeg commercial officers seized approximately 8.4 kilograms of suspected dried Catha Edulis (known as Khat) from a U.S. shipment declared as clothing destined for an Alberta address. Snowmobilers are reminded that as the weather warms; the snow is also melting on the pavement at ports of entry. When approaching ports of entry, travellers may wish to park their snowmobiles in the designated area and report inside to the CBSA office. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency continues to prohibit the importation of all raw poultry products and all poultry products and by-products that are not fully cooked, including eggs and raw pet foods, from North Dakota, Missouri and Indiana. Travellers will be required to surrender these items at Canadian border crossings. SPRING, Texas ExxonMobil is the first major fuel retailer to accept mobile payment at the pump, including Apple Pay, throughout the majority of its U.S. network. The Speedpass+ mobile payment app is now available at more than 6,000 Exxon- and Mobil-branded retail stations across the United States. The app enables customers to authorize a pump for payment securely through the use of cloud-based technology. Customers have the option to select Apple Pay as a default form of payment from within the app. ExxonMobil wants to make filling up your vehicle even more convenient, and the Speedpass+ app has been designed to save you time at the pump, said Matt Bergeron, vice president fuels and lubricants marketing at ExxonMobil, in a press release. The Speedpass+ app represents the next generation of payment options at our branded stations. The Speedpass+ mobile payment app is available as a free download, and may also be linked to checking accounts or other major credit and debit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and ExxonMobil cardsgiving customers choice in how to pay. Customers who select Apple Pay, which is secure and easy to set up, will continue to receive all of the rewards and benefits offered by their credit and debit cards. In addition, customers can obtain receipts by email, at the pump, or both. With either option, the customers purchase history is recorded in the app for easy reference, which is particularly helpful for tracking business expenses. ExxonMobil plans to expand the apps availability to more than 8,000 branded locations by mid-year. Customers can identify nearby stores enabled for mobile payment from within the app. Read more about the convenience of paying with plastic at the gas pump in the NACS 2016 Retail Fuels Report. CHICAGO Millennials are the shining stars of todays marketplace but when it comes to snackingwhich is all the rage in the food industryits the boomers who shine, according to The NPD Group. Boomers eat ready-to-eat snack food 20% more often than millennials do, according to NPDs daily tracking of U.S. consumer snacking habits. While millennials overtook boomers in population number in 2015, both generational groups are large, and its the size of the prize that appeals to snack manufacturers. In terms of snack eatings, the size of the prize is substantial. Based on NPDs snacking research, annual eatings of ready-to-eat snacks per boomer are about 1,200, or a total of 90.4 billion snack eatings. For each millennial, there are about 1,000 snack eatings or a total of 83.1 billion snack eatings. Our snacking research shows us that all snackers are not alike. Motivations, snack food choice, and when and where to snack differs among age groups, said Darren Seifer, NPD food and beverage industry analyst and author of the companys Snacking in America study, in a press release. Everyone gets it that as a nation we like snack foods, but the key for food manufacturers is to find the nuances in snacking behaviors in order to differentiate a brand or find a white space opportunity. The reasons why each of these generational groups snack are as different as their ages. Millennials reach for what is often a grab-and-go snack because theyre hungry. Boomers snack because they dont want to prepare a big meal and eat alone more often than other age groups. Both groups choose snacks based on taste and craving. Millennials are aligned when it comes to the types of ready-to-eat snack foods consumed. Fruit, chocolate candy/candy bars, and potato chips rank as the top three snack picks for both. Boomers and millennials take different paths after the top three, with boomers reaching for nuts and yogurt and millennials for the tortilla chips and cookies. Although Boomers hold the top score over millennials in ready-to-eat snack food eatings, they dont come close to kids when it comes to the amount of snack foods consumed. Kids between the ages of 2 and 17 consume an average of 1,500 snack foods per year, an above average amount compared to other age groups. Healthier snack foods rank highest with kids, particularly with kids between the ages of 2 and 5, where parents primarily control what theyre eating. Sweet and savory snacks start to creep up in rank with older kids. CHICAGO Technology is slowing killing mom-and-pop U.S. pizza places, RestaurantNews.com reports. The category has been revamped by new technology rolled out by pizza chains, which led to the closing of around 2,500 independent pizzerias in 2015. Whats driving the change? Digital and online ordering, which the three largest U.S. pizza chains have embraced. These chainsDominos, Little Caesars and Pizza Hutprocess close to 15% of all pizza revenue through their digital platforms. Of the 50 U.S. pizza chains with the largest sales in 2014, 62% had their own mobile app and an additional 88% had an online ordering platform. Dominos in particular has had phenomenal success with online and digital ordering. The CEO even said that he considers the company to be a technology business that sells pizza. The chain now registers more than 50% of its sales from online platforms. The numbers all add up to one clear conclusion: Pizzerias not investing in digital, social and mobile are becoming irrelevant faster than users can type pizza into Google and get their instant local listings. Pizza chains arent the only ones with mobile apps and online ordering. Last month, Caseys General Store debuted its mobile app for ordering pizza, among other things, from its stores. In January, a new poll revealed that pizza is Americas number-one comfort food. Tune in to the April issue of NACS Magazine for a feature story diving into the future of pizza. Readers may recall last year, when we broke the story that CalPERS had no idea what it was paying in carried interest fees, one of the largest fees it pays to private equity firms, other news outlets quickly picked up on what was correctly regarded as a major lapse. To its credit, CalPERS did a quick about face and set out to get the information for the entire history of its private equity program, which it disclosed with some fanfare last November. Yet CalPERS Sacramento sister CalSTRS, which also admitted that it did not track carry fees, instead has engaged in obfuscation and flat out lying rather than take the simple step, as CalPERS has, of contacting the general partners and getting the information. The message is all too clear: CalSTRS puts maintaining friction-free relationships with private equity firms over performing its fiduciary duties. Bear in mind that fiduciaries are tasked with assessing the level of fees and costs when deciding whether to commit funds to an investment strategy. Yet CalSTRS, like many other investors in private equity, has rationalized flying blind. As we pointed out in an earlier CalSTRS post: The only way to assess the reasonableness of private equity fees and costs if you can see all of them. If private equity funds are making a handsome, or indeed overly handsome living on carry fees and management fees alone, private equity limited partners should refuse to invest in any fund that charges other fees, such as transaction fees, which are simply an abuse (they are set at the level of investment banking fees or even higher, when the funds hire investment banks to provide those services, and those costs are charged to fund investors). It isnt simply that those fees are excessive; they also create bad incentives. For instance, transaction fees reward private equity firms for churn rather than making good investments. They are why, as has been documented at length in numerous studies on private equity, like Eileen Appelbaums and Rosemary Batts Private Equity at Work, or Josh Kosmans The Buyout of America, that private equity firms earn juicy returns irrespective of whether they make money for their investors. Contrast what CalSTRS should have been doing with its statement to the Sacramento Bee last July, that it had did not keep tabs of the carry fees charged: Ricardo Duran, a spokesman for the California State Teachers Retirement System, said CalSTRS can estimate the fees within a couple of percentage points but doesnt report the figure. Its not a number that we track, Duran said. Its not that important to us as a measure of performance. As weve detailed in past posts, CalSTRS position is so untenable that its officials have made increasingly absurd statements trying to reconcile their keep-their-head-in-the-sand position with their claims about their commitment to transparency and putting the interests of their beneficiaries first. CalPERS at least had the good grace to be sheepish when caught out, while CalSTRS keeps trying to brazen out its ever more indefensible position. For instance, its head of private equity, Margot Wirth, tried claiming that carry fees werent fees because they were taken from profits. Huh? Thats tantamount to saying that a class action lawyers who receive a percentage of their clients awards are not getting fees either because they are getting a profit participation. Similarly, the chairman of its board, Harry Keiley, tried claiming in an op-ed that he was lucky the Financial Times declined to publish, that CalSTRS reporting its total return, which are net of carry fees, enabled the public to know the estimated amount of carried interest investment managers are earning. First, obviously, outsides cant guess, much the less know a gross amount when presented only with the net. Second, how can California taxpayers possibly know what CalSTRS has refused to grasp? CalSTRS did return to the issue of its large gaps in its capture of private equity fees and costs in its February board meeting, but only in a board document (there was no mention of fees and costs in the board meeting proper). Notice the effort to put a smiley face on the situation: Cost Reporting Background: Industry standards are evolving rapidly with respect to collecting and reporting data related to all payments that General Partners receive in association with managing private equity funds. In recent years, limited partners have successfully negotiated for offsets against their management fee for items such as transaction, advisory, and other fees that the General Partner had historically retained the bulk of. Many General Partners report just the net management fee costs (i.e., after the effect of fee offsets) to the limited partners. Additionally, partnership costs are typically aggregated into large line items on the partnerships financial statement. The transparency and reporting by General Partner on fees, offsets, calculation of carried interest, partnership costs, and affiliated party transactions has not conformed to an industry standard and has been highly variable by General Partner. Current status: Staff is developing a fee reporting project to receive information on indirect costs from managers across the CalSTRS portfolio. CalSTRS does not currently directly or systematically collect the data that will be sought in this project. The PE Program relies upon the State Street Bank Private Edge service for data. Staff has been conducting internal and external reviews of costs and CalSTRS appears to be meeting industry standards in obtaining fee and cost information. Observation: Appropriately, CalSTRS is aiming to develop industry-leading fee reporting capabilities across all of its investments, including private equity. Ready access to this data should allow for more timely and sophisticated analysis of the private equity portfolio and, thus, better inform Staff and trustees. In the first paragraph, theres nary a mention of the elephant in the room: the SECs warning in 2014 that investors were having their pockets picked and the subsequent, extensive media reports on various fees, like termination of monitoring fees, that limited partners had no idea were being charged and were thus not being largely rebated to them, contrary to their naive beliefs otherwise. In other words, the CalSTRS document maintains the fiction that the limited partners have done a good job of negotiating fees when even the normally supine SEC felt compelled to clear its throat and say how shocked it was to see how vague and in many key respects, one-sided that private equity agreements were. Worse, staff is misleading the board and the public. CalSTRS acts as if they are hamstrung by the fact that most general partners report management fees net of offsets, when they can compute the gross amounts precisely during the investment period, and reasonably accurately after that (and again, they could always check their figures with the general partners in case of doubt). And by discussing how partnership costs are tallied only in large and often not reveling categories, and next stating how reporting on various items, including calculation of carried interest is highly variable gives the impression that the calculation of carried interest IS often reported in these periodic documents, when in fact its not. As an expert said via e-mail: They also imply that collecting the carry data is difficult because of inconsistent GP reporting formats, as if the information is sitting in CalSTRS file cabinets but just needs an IT initiative to organize it, as opposed to the GPs refusing to provide it in many cases. Similarly, in the next paragraph, CalSTRS tries claiming its is meeting industry standards when limited partner fee capture and reporting is all over the map, which means there is no such thing as an industry standard. Moreover, its own consultant, CEM Benchmarking, stated that most public pension funds were missing rougly half their fees and costs (ex carried interest fees) and the failure to identify separable costs arguably fell short of the recent changes in standards by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board. And the last paragraph is a handwave. CalSTRS is planning to develop a plan for better fee reporting. Lordie. In light of all the furor about private equity fees and costs, this is at best lackadaisical and at worst a delaying tactic. Pray tell, is it credible for CalSTRS to become industry leading when its own consultant, CEM, effectively said last year that the South Carolina and Texas public pension funds were running rings around everyone else in gathering fee and cost data? Theres absolutely no evidence of any intent to live up to these empty promises, particularly since CalSTRS seems to prefer to hide in the middle of the pack so as to not risk annoying those all-mighty general partners. CalPERS has already invested a fair bit of time and money in creating its own private equity reporting system, PEARS. If CalSTRS were remotely serious about living up to its PR, why isnt it looking into licensing PEARS from CalPERS and paying for (or co-developing) any additional modules that CalSTRS might want? Why reinvent the wheel? Lets go back to what CalSTRS spokesman Roberto Duran asserted last year: CalSTRS can estimate the fees within a couple of percentage points And what head of private equity, told the Financial Times then: Margot Wirth, director of private equity at Calstrs, said it used rigorous checks to ensure private equity managers took the right amount of carried interest. Both statements were abject lies. If CalSTRS does not know what general partners are deducting in the way of carry fees, it has no way of arriving at its own estimate. And it beggars belief that CalSTRS can claim that it checks the accuracy of carried interest payments retained when it does not know what those amounts are and further admits it has (at best) incomplete information on how they are computed. Duran can be forgiven since hes the head of public relations and hes in the business of putting the best spin on what he is told. Its much harder to defend Wirth, since if shes at all competent, she has to know that shes selling a garbage barge. And let us not forget that these falsehoods are almost certainly approved of, if not coming from, more senior levels at CalSTRS, and some individuals there make a regular public show of how lofty their moral standards are. Can one really claim to be ethical when getting subordinates to sin on your behalf? And let us also not forget the role of the board. State Treasurer John Chiang and Comptroller Betty Yee sit on CalPERS and CalSTRS boards. How can Chiang have insisted that he wanted CalPERS to explain why it had no information on what it had been charged in carry fees, yet not say a peep about carry fees at CalSTRS? And why is Yee mum on the subject of fees and costs at both institutions? The lesson seems to be that only CalPERS is held to account because the media focuses on its at the expense of CalSTRS. CalSTRS staff might be able to hide behind the CalPERS media windbreak, but theres no excuse for board members playing along. Time for readers to call, write, or e-mail Chaing and Yee and ask why they are applying a double standard at CalSTRS versus CalPERS on private equity fees and costs, particularly carry fees. And if Chiangs staff tries arguing that his legislation will take care of the matter, please point out that neither CalPERS nor CalSTRS board has endorsed the legislation, and he needs to secure that for the public to be sure that hes serious about the bill, as opposed to merely out to get favorable press on the cheap. Their contact details: Mr. John Chiang California State Treasurer Post Office Box 942809 Sacramento, CA 94209-0001 (916) 653-2995 Ms. Betty Yee California State Controller P.O. Box 942850 Sacramento, California 94250-5872 (916) 445-2636 Please circulate this post to any friend and colleagues in California, since CalPERS and CalSTRS are both ultimately backstopped by taxpayers, so they have a vested interest in keeping both institutions on the straight and narrow. And again, thanks for your calls and missives! Theyve made a real difference in the past. I hope youll be willing to saddle up again and let elected officials know that the public understands and cares about these issues. Private equity sleight of hand relies on the idea that no one is paying close enough attention to understand the ruses. The time has come to let captured officials know that you know better, and they should too. DAVID ALBERS/STAFF - Arthrex's facility on Oil Well Road on Friday, Oct. 25, 2013. SHARE By Greg Stanley of the Naples Daily News Arthrex, the North Naples medical device manufacturer, will get some help from taxpayers as it expands again in Ave Maria. The growing company plans to spend $17 million to create 350 new jobs as it builds a 161,000-square-foot addition at its Ave Maria site. Commissioners voted on Tuesday to give Arthrex an incentive package worth up to $573,000 over the next four years. The incentive essentially waives all impact fees the company would have had to pay for county services like roads, parks and public safety. The company, which develops surgical tools and procedures, has been in Naples for 25 years. It is often held up by commissioners and county officials as the standard for offering the high-paying and technology-based jobs that the county wants to attract. "It's not only that they're high paying, it's that they're offering entry-level jobs," Commissioner Penny Taylor said. "They reach out to Immokalee and FGCU, and they train their employees. They're on the cutting edge of new medical procedures, and we couldn't ask for a better company here in Collier County." In May, commissioners reworked their incentive programs to help encourage and land expanding companies that build new facilities here. Commissioners gave Arthrex a $165,000 incentive package then to build a 55,000-square-foot facility at Ave Maria. County incentives are meant to encourage this kind of expansion one that will bring stable jobs that don't depend on good weather or the housing market, Taylor said. "We need to have people employed in something else besides hospitality," she said. "We need to diversify." The company, which employs over 1,500 people in Collier County, has no plans to stop expanding, said Reinhold Schmieding, founder and president of Arthrex. "We're still growing 15 to 20 percent a year with 300 to 400 new employees planned each year for the next five to 10 years," Schmieding said. "We're really excited to be here and to show the world that economic diversification can happen in Florida and that manufacturing in American can happen right here in Collier County." Dorothy Edwards/Staff Chef Art Smith pauses Friday in his new restaurant, 1500 South, at the Naples Bay Resort. Smith is a former personal chef for Oprah Winfrey. NAPLES, Fla. Describing Art Smith as a dynamo only begins to capture the extreme energy, enthusiasm and passion radiated by the celebrity chef. Meeting Smith recently at Naples Bay Resort to discuss the opening of 1500 South by Chef Art Smith, his new restaurant in the boutique waterfront destination in Naples, he showed up in the hotel's lobby wearing a T-shirt soaked with sweat. Smith immediately apologized for his appearance, explaining that he had just returned from a morning jog downtown with his personal trainer. He proves at once to be a gracious host, though, promising to change into a chef coat for a video interview in his new dining room. The internationally known chef clearly showcases his Southern roots with his unpretentious charm and hospitality, and proves to be engaging with his bubbly personality and upbeat attitude. During the short walk to his restaurant, past yachts moored in the center of the resort, it's clear that Smith is excited about his new venture here. "Naples is a fantastically beautiful place. It is truly one of the most beautiful parts of America," he said. "I'm happy to be here. I think that there's great things we can do. Just to be here just to chill and look out at that beautiful water and the boats and stuff is just wonderful. What a wonderful place." Smith, who just turned 56 last week, also professes his love for morning coffee, although one suspects caffeine is probably wasted on him. He stops halfway at Catalina Cafe to offer a fresh cup from the new coffeehouse in the corner of the resort, which he also serves as food and beverage manager. BUSY, BUSY, BUSY Until actually meeting Smith, one wonders how he does it all. The two-time James Beard Award-winner owns upscale restaurants in Chicago, Atlanta and Washington, D.C., and plans to open another in Disney Springs near Orlando this summer; co-developed the menu for the LYFE Kitchen fast-casual restaurant chain; operates an after-school, healthy kids cooking program charity called Common Threads; travels the world as chef ambassador for the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Culinary Partnership; and he and his husband recently adopted four children. "As they say, you sleep when you're dead," he jokes when asked how he manages to juggle so many things. "I want to tell you something. I've worked for some pretty powerful people in the world. It wasn't like this just happened. I want to tell you something, none of them sleep. None of them sleep. But, then, what I do, I catch up when I find my peace and everything." When the former longtime personal chef to Oprah Winfrey name-drops some of the people for whom he has cooked the Dalai Lama, Maya Angelou, Lady Gaga, presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, Florida governors Jeb Bush and Bob Graham Smith doesn't seem pretentious, although he obviously is rightly proud to have served them. It's just a matter of fact that the celebrity chef naturally runs in this social circle. His tiny hometown of Jasper in northern Florida keeps the sixth-generation Floridian rooted. NAPLES CONNECTION Smith's link to Naples began about 15 years ago when Gov. Jeb Bush asked him to read from his award-winning book, "Back to the Table," at the annual Celebration of Reading event here presented by the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. Smith was so flattered he wanted to return the favor for the huge honor. "So, I said to them, 'I want to cook for you'," he said. "So, I proceeded to create a Florida-inspired menu: shrimp and grits. I made Tarpon Springs Greek salad. I made our biscuits the way I had peddled a biscuit all over the world. And, then, I wanted something really fantastic." That something was his great-grandmother's 12-layer chocolate cake. Smith and his impressive cake caught the attention of Fred Pezeshkan, the president of a Naples construction company and co-developer of Naples Bay Resort. When the time was right, Pezeshkan asked Smith to create a restaurant in the resort. When Smith first saw the resort after he googled it, he said he loved that its beauty reminded him of Portofino, a northern Italian fishing village where he once worked a cooking gig. "I came in and I said, ooh, I see Italy, I thought to myself. And Fred said 'I want Southern, I want organic and I want it healthy,' and I'm like OK, OK, let's figure that out," Smith said. "And then I saw the space and I said, 'Fred, we've got some Italian going on over here. We've got to have some Italian,' and he says, 'Why?' And I said, 'Look out there. I see Italy'." This was last year, not long after Smith and his corporate chef, Hector Guerrero, had returned from Expo Milano in Italy, where they prepared fried chicken and other Southern foods. "What we did was combine Italian ingredients with Southern-American recipes, and it was a HUGE hit," Smith said. "We were using great Italian ingredients olive oil and wonderful cheeses and produce and stuff and we prepared a two-day pop-up and it was very well received at the James Beard American Restaurant." "So I said to myself, 'If it's popular in Milano, it will be popular in Naples.' So I brought a little of that," he said. Of course, he's bringing a variation of his 12-layer chocolate cake, too, which Smith said is like an act of engineering and architecture because it must be constructed with just the right amount of cake and icing. Sweet. "In the South, we love sweets and we love it when you're born and we love it when you're dead," he said, in reference to the importance of food to celebrate life even after deaths. WHAT'S FOR DINNER To create the menu for 1500 South, Smith took into consideration that Naples attracts a diverse crowd of people from all over the world. His Southern accent and farm-fresh vegetables flavor international tastes. Although the actual menu has yet to be released, a special tasting menu for a private event over the weekend provides a sneak peek at what is in store at 1500 South. An emphasis on Southern-inspired dishes is apparent. Entrees included Chef Art's famous fried chicken with buttermilk dressing, house hot sauce and rosemary biscuits; herb-roasted chicken and ricotta dumplings in white gravy and served with roasted root vegetables; grilled shrimp and octopus grits; and pan-roasted black grouper with "beans and greens" boiled peanuts with lamb sausage and baby kale. Hoecakes a cornmeal flatbread were available in two varieties: a 24-hour slow-braised oxtail with caramelized onion, Gorgonzola and arugula; and tea-smoked salmon with creme fraiche, black truffle pearls and baby zucchini. Pizzettas also featured two choices: one with lamb and fennel sausage, ricotta and pomodoro sauce; another farm-to-oven selection with roasted seasonal veggies, Parmigiana, and saba an Italian syrupy reduction made from unfermented grape juice. Smith raves about the fresh pasta Chef de Cuisine Dagan Stocks is making at 1500 South. "He's making the most perfectly, delicious, al dente bucatini with this delicious oxtail. It's just wonderful," Smith said. "Oxtails are historically a more Southern, soulful dish, and you put it next to this beautiful semolina pasta made fresh." A fresh pasta dish is what Winfrey would most likely choose if dining at 1500 South, Smith said. The talk show host and multimedia star has dined at all of Smith's restaurant creations, so he expects her to visit Naples eventually to sample his Key West pink shrimp "mac & cheese." "We do the most stupendous macaroni and cheese and Key West pink shrimp. Outrageous," he said. "And the sauce for this mac and cheese is not traditional Bechamel cheese. It's delicious and light. Chef (Stocks) is really talented with his sauces. It's just a delicious, delicate reduced sauce with butter. It's wonderful. She'd love that. Oprah loves pasta, but she particularly loves it fresh. One of the great things with Oprah is she knows food and she always believed in fresh food." The menu also featured snacks of upscale deviled eggs, fried green tomatoes, and "Three Little Pigs" prosciutto di Parma, Benton's country ham, and La Querica prosciutto with pickled mustard seeds, pimento cheese and butter pickles on a ciabatta. Starters included a baby greens salad with apples, candied pecans and Gorgonzola dolce; a country-style pasta e fagioli soup with heirloom beans, macaroni, smoked ham hocks and Tuscan kale; and fresh whole milk burrata with pickled heirloom beets. In the South, we eat a lot of beets. (Chef Stocks) did these wonderful beets and he served it with this delicious blackberry cider vinaigrette, and its based on a vinaigrette from my book. Really delicious. One of my favorite dishes; a very homey dish. NATURAL CHOICES How does Smith find the happy medium between healthy food and Southern cuisine, often viewed as mostly fried? The thing about it is, Id rather have a piece of perfectly fried chicken because, I want to tell you something: A piece of my fried chicken is less calories than something youd buy at a fast-food place. OK? Lets face it, Smith said. And my professional chefs can do it so perfectly and less fat than you could do at home. Trust me. OK? The chef encourages a balance, though. Have the fried chicken, but eat it with kale or fresh vegetables. Its all about choices, he said. The type of restaurant we are, people can make choices. They want chicken, but they dont want it fried. Fine. Well do it for you. Of course, Smith also hopes youll choose to visit him at his new home off Naples Bay that previously hosted Meredays Fine Dining. The new restaurant quietly opened Tuesday by reservation only for breakfast and dinner every day. Look for the 1500 South kitchen to ramp up, adding more dishes and set hours after its grand opening in early April. It may possibly even add brunch down the line. I think what I want to see here on this beautiful point out next to the Gordon River and into the bay here, is that I would love for people to say, You know what? I love this. I feel like, OK, this is fresh from Florida and these wonderful things that we are eating are grown and raised locally here or in Florida, he said. And thats really what 1500 South is all about. Celebrate and enjoy the culinary and natural bounty from the South, particularly Florida. I think its important that we need to show people that the Sunshine State yes, we got sunshine and, yes, we got sandy beaches and, yes, we have all that but, you know what? Its also a rich, growing state, Smith said. We grow a lot of wonderful food. IF YOU GO 1500 South by Chef Art Smith Where: 1500 Fifth Ave. S., Naples 1500 Fifth Ave. S., Naples When: Open now by reservation only for breakfast and dinner daily, although hours of operation will not be set until after the April grand opening. Open now by reservation only for breakfast and dinner daily, although hours of operation will not be set until after the April grand opening. Information: 239-530-5105; 1500southnaples.com Know more For the latest in local restaurants coming and going, see Tim Atens In the Know columns archived at naplesnews.com/intheknow, and on Facebook at facebook.com/timaten.intheknow. Cafe Luna is opening in early March 2016 in the former longtime location of Flaco's on U.S. 41 in Naples. (Tim Aten/Daily News staff) Tim Aten In The Know SHARE Little Pete's Italian food truck, serving up a little bite of Brooklyn to-go from Parmesan Pete's, is now available for catering, corporate functions, fundraisers and private events. (Courtesy of Parmesan Pete's) Estates Country Restaurant closed at the end of February 2016 after operating more than two years in Wilson Plaza in Golden Gate Estates. (Tim Aten/Daily News staff) Cafe Luna's new location opens this week in Naples. The traditional Italian restaurant has moved into the former longtime location of Flaco's Mexican Restaurant, which recently relocated to a new spot in North Naples. Cafe Luna's new space is in Liberty Plaza, across from Outback Steakhouse on U.S. 41 North. "It really turned out beautiful. It's stunning the way it turned out," said Ed Barsamian, who co-owns Cafe Luna with Shannon Radosti. "I think we will do well there. We have a big following. For the time being, we will have both places operating." The original location of Cafe Luna that launched in January 2007 on Fifth Avenue South in Naples is still open, but not for long. The downtown restaurant's last day will be April 30, Barsamian said. In less than two months, a stretch of businesses on Fifth Avenue South is set to be demolished in early May to make way for condominiums and new commercial space. In addition to Cafe Luna, the post-season redevelopment project spells the end for spaces occupied by Avenue Wine Cafe, Bella Maria Cafe, Kohr's Family Frozen Custard, and other businesses. The redeveloped Fifth Avenue block between Fourth Street South and Fifth Street South won't have restaurants, said owner Phil McCabe, but Nike and Microsoft stores are proposed on the ground floor of a three-story building planned to have residential units above and a parking garage below. Although Cafe Luna will be down to one restaurant again in May, expect its owners to open another location this year, Barsamian said. "We are negotiating on a space right now in North Naples," he said. Cafe Luna's new location will offer the same food, lunch and dinner specials as its original restaurant. The menu features Italian classics such as spaghetti and meatballs and chicken or veal Marsala, Piccata, or Parmesan. Cafe Luna also offers pizza and one of the best dinner specials in Naples: "A Veally Good Deal," two dinners and a bottle of wine for $29.99. The new location features a state-of the art expanded bar that will seat 25. The restaurant has 180 seats total, and eventually will have outdoor seating, Barsamian said. "We are just going to open up without it, but all in due time," he said. Starting Monday, the new Cafe Luna, 4947 U.S. 41 N., will be open every day 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Happy hour is 3 to 6 p.m. daily. For information, call 239-529-2101, or go to cafelunanaples.com. MORE LOCAL RESTAURANT NEWS Little Pete's Italian Food Truck is now available for catering, corporate functions, fundraisers and private events. The food truck serves up a little bite of Brooklyn to-go from Parmesan Pete's, the Italian restaurant in North Naples created and owned by Chef Peter Della Rocca. Little Pete's has four generations of Brooklyn-style cooking behind it, serving traditional sandwiches, meatball and chicken Parmesan, sausage, peppers and onion, broccoli rabe and sausage, rice balls, potato croquettes, pasta fagioli, frittatas, and potato, peppers and eggs. The truck also serves coffee, water and soft drinks, and save room for cannoli for dessert. Della Rocca came to Naples 16 years ago from Brooklyn, New York, where the Della Rocca family served fine Italian cuisine in Brooklyn since 1894. The founder of Peter's Cuisine a catering service, Della Rocca formerly owned and operated two successful restaurants in New Jersey, earning him outstanding reviews from the New York Times and a Zagat Survey rating for the finest new restaurant. His Parmesan Pete's is now located in Fountain Park on the southwest corner of Airport Pulling Road and Vanderbilt Beach Road. For up-to-date information about where to find Little Pete's Italian Food Truck, follow it on Facebook. For more information, call 239-272-2627 or visit LittlePetesFoodTruck.com. Estates Country Restaurant closed at the end of February after operating more than two years in Wilson Plaza in Golden Gate Estates. "Sorry to say with a heavy heart we are closed now. Financially, we were unable to continue," read a message posted Feb. 28 on the restaurant's Facebook page. "I want to say thank you to all the wonderful people who were there to support us. We love and are going to miss the people we have met and became friends with. Again, God bless you all and thank you for being there with us." The family-style restaurant opened in January 2014 to serve Southern comfort food in the former home of The Kountry Spot Bar & Grill on the southeastern corner of Wilson and Golden Gate boulevards. Burger King on Marco Island closed at the end of February after operating for decades on the corner of San Marco Road and South Barfield Drive. "Closed. Thank you for your patronage over the last 20 years," read a sign posted March 1 in the fast-food chain's drive-thru window. Know more For the latest in local restaurants coming and going, see Tim Aten's "In the Know" columns archived at naplesnews.com/intheknow, and on Facebook at facebook.com/timaten.intheknow. Crispy Seafood & Wine Bar opened March 2, 2016, on Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples. (Tim Aten/Daily News staff) Tim Aten In The Know SHARE Crispy Seafood & Wine Bar opened March 2, 2016, on Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples. (Tim Aten/Daily News staff) Blackened grilled mahi mahi with a mango salsa at Crispy Seafood & Wine Bar on Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples. (Eric Mansour) New Zealand lollipop lamb chops at Crispy Seafood & Wine Bar on Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples. (Eric Mansour) A salad with shrimp at Crispy Seafood & Wine Bar on Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples. (Eric Mansour) Don't let the name fool you. Crispy Seafood serves more than fried fish. "We do have baskets that we offer, but not everyone likes fried food, of course. We offer everything grilled or sauteed," said interim executive chef Eric Mansour, who created the menu for the new restaurant. Crispy Seafood & Wine Bar opened March 2 on Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples. The small restaurant took over the former location of the Popcorn Cellar, located next to Roma Pizzeria just west of the Inn on Fifth. "I feel that since we are small, it makes it more intimate, in my opinion, and a lot more relaxing. I love this little place. It's just perfect," Mansour said. "What's really awesome about this place, too, is you've got the owners that are here. They're on site. They're walking around. They talk to their guests. To me, that makes it even more special." The restaurant is owned by longtime local restaurateurs Feibi Gouda and Raf Bishai, who also operate Grouper Grille in Park Shore Plaza in Naples, and formerly owned the Falafel Grill restaurants in town. The Grouper Grille menu was used as the starting point for Crispy Seafood. "We took the Grouper Grille, but we said, 'How can we take it to the next level?' We're on Fifth Avenue, so let's take it to the next level, but keep it affordable," Mansour said. Of course, fresh grouper one of the Gulf's most popular fish is prominent on the menu, which features grouper as a dinner entree ($18), as well as a sandwich ($15) or basket ($14) for lunch. "To get a nice piece of grouper at that price fresh is very, very hard to find," Mansour said. "That's our philosophy, too. We want to provide a good quality product, but we want it affordable. We want it for people to enjoy. So, fresh seafood brought in daily for that price, that's what we are striving to do." Seafood is the specialty, of course, but the menu offers more choices, everything made from scratch. "The nice thing, too, if you look at the menu, we have a variety. It's not just for seafood," Mansour said. "I put on a surf and turf, but you can also get the filet. You've got a New York strip. There's some different items, even with our salad, that doesn't have to be all seafood. With the lunch menu, we have a great variety: seven sandwiches, soups, salads, appetizers, so everything is covered." The restaurant also offers draft and bottled beers, and red, white and sparkling wines. They complement the obvious time and talent in the kitchen used to present dishes that look appealing. "To me, this is an art. These plates have to look like a piece of art," Mansour said. "So, that's what's exciting for me to be here from taking this from the beginnings and making art of Crispy Seafood. Very exciting." Next month, after the restaurant gets into the swing of things, expect the offering of a late-night menu starting about 10 p.m., Mansour said. "What's awesome about that and what sets us apart from the other restaurants on Fifth is we are going to serve food until two o'clock in the morning. It's not going to be the whole menu, but it's going to have five-dollar specials on it," he said. "So you come in after having a couple of drinks, you want to get something to eat, five bucks until two in the morning and you're covered." Daily specials will eventually be added, and expect a grand opening soon. "We're going to have amazing happy hour specials," said Mansour, a consultant with ERLO Consulting and Catering. Crispy Seafood, 651 Fifth Ave. S., is open every day 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for lunch and 3:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. for dinner. For information, call 239-302-6446. Know more For the latest in local restaurants coming and going, see Tim Aten's "In the Know" columns archived at naplesnews.com/intheknow, and on Facebook at facebook.com/timaten.intheknow. SHARE By T.R. Kerth, Citizen Contributor I own a Nook, but I haven't fired it up in more than two years because although a Nook or a Kindle can tell you one kind of story, it can't tell the whole story that a real paper-and-ink book can tell. And, more importantly, without a book in your hands you can't become part of the book's story itself. Just this week I pulled an old book off the top shelf of my bookcase. It was "All Quiet on the Western Front," by Erich Maria Remarque, a tale of the First World War told from the point of view of a German soldier. I had read the novel many years ago, but not this particular copy I now held in my hand. This one was an original first edition in English, and although the almost century-old book was yellowed and fragile, it held me with a power that went far beyond the magnetism of a tale of survival in a time of soul-crushing war. Because the physical book in my hands was itself a survivor. My cloth-bound copy was inked and sewn in October 1929, just days before the start of the Great Depression. Who was the first person to buy and read it? Did the owners regret spending the money for a novel when jobs and food would be so hard to come by only days later? Or did it bring them comfort to read about lives that were more harshly lived than their own? My copy must surely have been passed from hand to hand, because as a novel "All Quiet on the Western Front" was a blockbuster. Within 18 months, it had been translated into 22 languages, with more than 2 million copies sold. Less than four years later, Adolf Hitler would become chancellor of Germany, and copies of this book were among the first tossed onto the bonfires in Berlin. In America, how many more readers rushed out to peruse it for that reason alone? When read, what discussions did it spark? Was my copy passed to a friend as a good argument for sending American troops to intervene in Hitler's rush to begin a second global conflict? Or was it shared as just one more example of why we needed to stay out of that whole mess in Europe? After the horror of the Second World War, how many more hands held my copy of the book and left their mark on it, as it did on them? Who was it who folded down the corner just seven pages into the story, and then again just 12 pages later? Was it the same person who dog-eared page 280, only 10 pages from the end? What real-life intrusion could stop the reader from finishing at that riveting point of the story? Who made the black thumbprint on page 282, right at the upper spine? It is the kind of print you might make if you grabbed an open book at the top and held it out to another person, saying, "Here, read this!" What passage on that page was so moving that it had to be shared? Most intriguing, who made the brutal piercing scar on my copy that penetrates from the very back cover deep into the pages, fully halfway through the book? It is as though the book had been stabbed with an icepick, or shot with a BB gun. But why? Was it an unfortunate accident, or was it the thoughtless play of a bored child? Still later, how many other readers of my copy worked their way around that signature gash, struck by the irony as they read of bayonets and belly wounds? And now, how many of those readers have passed on, while the copy they once held survived beyond them for me to read? There is no name claiming ownership of the book at any point in its life, and for my part it will stay that way. I bought it for a dollar last year at a library book sale. It held no library markings, for it had been donated probably by someone who had never read it but had carried it to the library after cleaning out an aged parent's house after a funeral. They had no use for it, because to them it was just an old, dusty book. And who reads actual paper and ink books these days other than old codgers who still go to the library? Had that person bothered to check the first edition copyright, they might have realized that it could bring a nice price on eBay and end up in a collection one that is never again read or touched by human hands. But that is not what happened, and now the book all of it, including the scars, dog-ears and thumbprint is precious to me beyond its money value, because I will never sell it or lock it inside a display case. It is a book. A book is to be read. And every time it is held in hands and it is read page by page, its story only grows. While I read it, the book left its literal mark on me as the dry, brittle pages flaked away, leaving my shirt with a dusting of ancient paper every time I laid it down. And, as careful as I was with each brittle page, I am certain that I left my mark on it as well, if only in a forensic way. My DNA is surely now a part of that book's story, because, after all, it isn't only books that flake away with age. It is back on my bookshelf now, and it will stay there until I decide to read it yet again or a friend asks to borrow it or until my shelves are cleaned out by a child or grandchild after I am gone. But for now, after nearly a century, the book waits quietly on my upper shelf for others to become part of its tale of survival. - - - The author splits his time between Southwest Florida and Chicago. Not every day, though. Contact him at trkerth@yahoo.com. Why wait a whole week for your next visit to Planet Kerth? Get T.R.'s book, "Revenge of the Sardines," available now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other fine online book distributors. His column appears every Friday. By Liz Freeman of the Naples Daily News Fort Myers-based 21st Century Oncology is facing a data breach that is impacting 2.2 million patients and their personal data, the company said. The FBI on Nov. 13 notified company officials of the unauthorized access of the company database. The company hired a leading forensics firm to conduct an investigation, according to a company statement. "The forensics firm determined that, on Oct. 3, 2015, the intruder may have accessed the database, which contained information that may have included patients' names, Social Security numbers, physicians' names, diagnosis and treatment information, and insurance information," according to the statement. "We have no evidence that any medical records were accessed." Officials with 21st Century began notifying patients who are potentially affected on March 4, the statement said. "We immediately hired a leading forensics firm to support our investigation, assess our systems and bolster security," the statement said. "In addition to security measures already in place, we have also taken additional steps to enhance internal security protocols to help prevent a similar incident in the future." The publicly-traded company is one of the nation's largest oncology firms with about 200 radiation centers in 16 states. It has several locations in Southwest Florida. The data breach at 21st Century comes on the heels of the company paying a $34.6 million settlement to the federal government to settle a lawsuit that alleged the company performed and billed for a procedure that was not medically necessary. The U.S. attorney's office in Fort Myers announced the settlement Tuesday, which was initiated by a whistle-blower's lawsuit filed by a former physicist at South Florida Radiation Oncology. In December, 21st Century paid $19.75 million to settle another lawsuit from a whistleblower action. In both cases, 21st Century did not admit wrong doing. SHARE Joseph Emile Daniels (CCSO) An East Naples man who had nearly 46 kilograms of cocaine in his truck bed when deputies arrested him in February has pleaded guilty to a federal drug charge. Joseph Daniels, 58, faces up to 10 years in prison after he agreed Monday to plead guilty to a charge of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. The agreement was made public Wednesday. As part of the plea agreement, Daniels agreed to provide substantial cooperation in future investigations and prosecutions. In turn, prosecutors said they would request a lower sentence for Daniels. His sentencing date has not been set. Collier County sheriff's deputies said they pulled over Daniels in early February for a window tint violation. At the scene, a K-9 unit detected the presence of drugs, and deputies found a suitcase containing the cocaine in the bed of Daniels' 2011 Chevrolet GMC truck. Daniels told investigators that he picked up the suitcase in Fort Myers and was to be paid $10,000 to deliver it to Miami, according to an arrest report. Following the arrest, deputies said Daniels was not under investigation and the traffic stop was made by chance. Daniels was booked by local deputies, but federal prosecutors took over the case. Daniels had a prior conviction for his involvement in a mid-1980s marijuana trafficking case. He served about two years in prison and kept a clean record until his cocaine arrest. SHARE Juan Marco Flores Orgaz By Kristine Gill of the Naples Daily News Dental equipment filled the back bedroom of the Naples home. The reclining patient chair was surrounded by mouth mirrors, polishers, probes and syringes. Framed pictures of teeth hung on the wall and dentistry books lined the shelves. But Juan Marco Flores Orgaz was not a real dentist, deputies said. And the woman who came to him seeking treatment on the cheap would soon find herself at the hospital with a serious infection. Naples Police arrested Flores Orgaz Tuesday after reports that he tried to extract two molars from a woman who paid $100 for the procedure. Flores Orgaz, 53, of the 1000 block of Diana Avenue, Naples, was arrested at his home where he had set up a fake dentist office. He faces charges of unlicensed practicing of dentistry, unlawful use of dental equipment by a nonlicensed person, unlicensed operation of a dental laboratory and practicing health care without a license that results in serious bodily injury. Reports show the woman's husband heard about Flores Orgaz by asking around for a dentist. When the husband contacted Flores Orgaz by phone, he said he was a dentist but would not provide his name. Flores Orgaz gave the husband instructions to meet him at night at a Walgreens on U.S. 41 North. The woman arrived with her husband and two children and they followed Flores Orgaz by car to his home on Diana Avenue. The husband and two children waited in the living room as the woman followed Flores Orgaz to the makeshift dentist office set up in the back bedroom. Flores Orgaz came back to the living room to tell the husband his wife needed two back molars removed. The husband later heard his wife cry out in pain. When he went to the bedroom to check on her, Flores Orgaz had given her an injection. During the next hour, the husband checked on his wife several times and saw Flores Orgaz administer at least four more injections as the dentist tried to pull the teeth out of her mouth. When the husband asked Flores Orgaz to stop, he said no and insisted he needed more time. That's when Flores Orgaz used what sounded like a drill to break the tooth. That's when the husband, whose wife was in so much pain she couldn't continue with the procedure, insisted he stop. The couple paid Flores Orgaz $100 and left as quickly as possible, worried he would harm their family if they complained about the treatment. Flores Orgaz gave the woman four expired pills to relive the pain. Later that night, they went to Naples Community Hospital where doctors said the woman needed emergency attention. Police later executed a search warrant at the property and discovered the room in the home containing dental equipment. Deputies later confirmed Flores Orgaz did not have a license to practice. The Florida Department of Health has an unlicensed unit, which is unique when compared to other state health departments, spokesman Brad Dalton said in a statement. The health department was involved in the Naples cases and one of its investigators isued a cease and desist order, he said. A team of 18 investigators across 11 field offices in Florida are responsible for investigating these complaints, he said. Our investigators often work hand in hand with law enforcement partners because (the state statute) defines the unlicensed practice of a health care profession as a third degree felony. In the last fiscal year, there were 45 completed investigations and 13 cease and desist orders issued for the unlicensed practice of dentistry, he said. By Melhor Leonor of the Naples Daily News Hoping to avoid another snafu over the academic calendar, Collier County Public Schools Superintendent Kamela Patton said Tuesday the district is changing the process by which it is set. For one, the school district will now invite six parents to sit on the academic calendar committee which studies different possibilities and releases recommendations. Valerie Wenrich, a district employee who oversees the calendar committee, said the group will include two parents from each grade level, one from a Title I school and one from a non-Title I school. Title I schools are schools that receive federal funding for enrolling large numbers of students who are economically disadvantaged. The change will add four parent representatives to the committee. Parents selected for the committee will undergo training on the legal requirements regarding school calendars. In January, Collier school board members unanimously approved a school board calendar that, according to some parents, had school starting too early. The backlash from some parents and teachers led to the school board scrapping the original calendar and setting a new date for the first day of school. Some parents said that the process wasn't transparent enough and didn't invite community input. Responses to the calendar came overwhelmingly after the school board had voted. Linda Sonders, who started an online petition against it, said many parents just didn't know it was up for a vote. Wenrich said that the school district will post the proposed calendar on the district's website a week before the draft is submitted to the board. She said the district will gather parent input through a survey on its website. A draft memo on the changes presented at a school board meeting Tuesday said that the calendar would be approved by March 1 of the year in which it would go into effect. Also at the school board meeting, school officials renewed the district's contracts with three local charter schools Gulf Coast Charter Academy South, Immokalee Community School and Marco Island Academy. The successes of Marco Island Academy, which renewed its five-year charter with the district, were touted by Florida Governor Rick Scott Friday in a visit to the school's campus. School board member Roy Terry said that each of the schools serves a different and unique population the community, and added that much of the negative rhetoric on different education models "needs to stop." A wood stork walks through water in the pond cypress stretch of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in this 2010 file photo. Staff file photo By Eric Staats of the Naples Daily News A judge approved a settlement Wednesday in a long-standing property rights lawsuit that pitted environmentalists against ranch owners, and put Collier County taxpayers on the hook for $92 million. The ruling by Collier Circuit Judge Cynthia Pivacek capped years of legal wrangling in the case that had bounced on procedural grounds between circuit and appellate courts. Document: Read the settlement here. But after hearing two days of testimony this week including from environmental consultants, a land planner, hydrologist and a Florida panther biologist Pivacek approved the settlement, ruling against environmental groups with which she sided in a 2014 order that threw out the settlement. "At last," HHH Ranch attorney John Vega said. HHH Ranch owners sued the county in 2008, claiming the county's landmark rural growth plan violated their property rights by banning rock mining and cutting the number of homes that could be built at the 1,110-acre ranch north of Interstate 75 and east of Collier Boulevard. Environmental groups intervened in the lawsuit. At the heart of the settlement is a swap of preserve land between the ranch and more than 2,500 acres owned by State Road 846 Land Trust along Immokalee Road near the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The Florida Wildlife Federation and the Collier County Audubon Society, now known as Audubon of the Western Everglades, argued that the swap amounts to a sweetheart deal that preserves less environmentally valuable land and shortchanges endangered species like the Florida panther and red-cockaded woodpecker. Landowners say the swap is better because it not only protects panthers and woodpeckers, it also preserves more important wetlands for protected wood storks near Corkscrew. Florida Wildlife Federation field representative Nancy Payton said the two groups have not decided whether to appeal the judge's approval, but she pledged the groups are "not going to walk away." The development allowed in the settlement now must undergo environmental permitting and be approved through the county's massive, ongoing review of rural growth, both venues in which Payton said the groups hope to prevail. "This is a step back, but there's still a lot of work to be done," Payton said. After closed-door meetings, as are allowed by the state's Sunshine Law to discuss pending litigation, Collier commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the settlement in 2013. County Commissioner Donna Fiala voted no, citing transportation worries. A 2011 application to put a controversial mine on the State Road 846 Land Trust property lists the HHH Ranch owners, the Hussey family of Naples, including Naples doctor Francis Hussey Jr., and his wife, Mary Pat, as beneficial owners. The settlement adds 578 acres of preserve land to the State Road 846 Land Trust property and deducts the same amount of preserve land on the HHH Ranch, opening the door to rock mining and more homes. Instead of being allowed to build only one home per 40 acres on preserve land, a developer at HHH Ranch could build at least one home per 5 acres on nonpreserve land designated by the settlement. The deal also deeds to the county about 22 acres of ranch land for the future extension of Wilson Boulevard through Florida panther habitat, a project that the Federation and Audubon have sued to stop in a pending federal lawsuit. In return for the road right of way, the HHH Ranch would get $56,000 in impact fee credits. Wednesday's settlement approval, under the auspices of the state's Bert J. Harris Private Property Rights Protection Act, represents a remarkable turn for the HHH Ranch. In her 2014 order, which was prepared by the environmental groups, Pivacek threw out the settlement on the grounds that it ran counter to Florida growth laws and the federal Endangered Species Act. The 2nd District Court of Appeal, though, found that Pivacek had no jurisdiction to rule because the settlement was filed too late. The three-judge panel tossed out the settlement on those grounds instead. The settlement remained in limbo until 2015, when the state Legislature, citing the HHH Ranch case, amended the Harris Act to allow courts to consider settlements no matter when they are reached. That set the stage for this week's new ruling by Pivacek. Gregory Woods, who represented Collier County, said Pivacek's ruling this week was not a reversal because the appellate court had nullified her earlier ruling, which she reached after a non-evidentiary hearing in 2014. "When she heard the evidence (this week), I think we changed her mind," Woods said. The sixth annual Bucket List Bash March 4 at the Naples Grande Beach Hotel. (Submitted) SHARE Jennifer McCurry, Jay Hartington, Courtney Hansen, Susie McCurry, Yossi Harari at the sixth annual Bucket List Bash March 4 at the Naples Grande Beach Hotel. (Submitted) Jim and Carmen Campbell at the sixth annual Bucket List Bash March 4 at the Naples Grande Beach Hotel. (Submitted) Rick Lamitie and Gaylene Salomons at the sixth annual Bucket List Bash March 4 at the Naples Grande Beach Hotel. (Submitted) Vickie Nolen at the sixth annual Bucket List Bash March 4 at the Naples Grande Beach Hotel. (Submitted) By John Osborne, Daily News Correspondent With its sixth annual Bucket List Bash March 4 at the Naples Grande Beach Hotel, the American Cancer Society shot for the stars and actually reached them. For the first time in the fundraising gala's history, MacKenzie Sivret, senior development manager for ACS's Naples branch, said the event netted $1 million on the night, eclipsing last year's record of $775,000 and setting the bar even higher for next year. Sivret said there couldn't have been a much cooler result for the "ICEHOTEL"-themed event that was based on the famous hotel reconstructed out of frozen water each year in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden. "It was a very exciting night and a record year, which I attribute first and foremost to the leadership of Elizabeth Star, gala chairwoman, and the passionate commitment of more than 60 people and the overwhelming support of our sponsors," Sivret said of the event, which was attended by 400. "We also had 36 sponsors this year, which is more than we ever had before." Sivret said the challenge now is figuring out how the Bucket List Bash is going to top that impressive dollar figure next year. "That's the question everyone has been asking," she said with a laugh. "Once again, like we had this year with Elizabeth, we'll need a strong gala chair and the continued support of our sponsors. Hopefully, we can bring in even more support through sponsorship next year. That's what we're hoping to do, anyway." In a crowded lineup of memorable attractions, including a six-foot-by-10-foot solid block of ice, Sivret said the event's "Walls of Bravery" an artistic compilation of photographs submitted by donors to honor loved ones fighting cancer and also those who lost their battles with the disease proved an especially big hit. "It was a huge highlight that took people's breath away," she said. "It was a powerful, emotional element that we never had before and a feature nobody could miss. The aesthetic of the display was truly amazing." Star said "My goal was to make the strongest statement ever in the history of the Bucket List Bash by raising $1 million this year, and we achieved our goal through the generous support of our donors," she said. "We also want to make the evening both meaningful and dynamic, and with our Walls of Bravery, were able to personalize cancer in a way it had not been done before. It was a very powerful and emotional part of the evening." Sivret said the importance of the $1 million couldn't be overstated. "This is our biggest fundraiser for ACS, not just in Naples, but in all of Southwest Florida in all of Florida, actually so there's a lot of expectations behind it," she said. "There's a lot of pressure to make sure the event continues to grow, which it has done every year so far and which is absolutely amazing for us." Star said she was happy to have played a part in the success of this year's event. "We actually crushed cancer at the ICEHOTEL," she said. ACS Naples will hold its "Relay for Life" Friday, April 15 at Gulfview Middle School, an overnight event that stretches into the early morning hours of April 16. For more information, call 239-261-0337 or see www.cancer.org. Jose Luis Marantes, an immigration advocate with Florida Immigrant Coalition, speaks at a meeting about the immigration bills filed at the Florida Legislature outside a Redlands Christian Migrant Association center in Bonita Springs on March 8, 2016. He is part of a caravan of advocates who are heading to Tallahassee to protest against the bills. Photo by Maria Perez/Staff SHARE Immigrant advocates made a stop at an Redlands Christian Migrant Association center in Bonita Springs on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in their way to Tallahassee, where they will protest against immigration bills filed at the Florida Legislature. Photo by Maria Perez/Staff By Maria Perez of the Naples Daily News Immigration advocates came to Bonita Springs on Tuesday on their way to Tallahassee, as they protest anti-immigration bills and encourage Hispanics to participate in this year's elections. The bills targeted by the advocates would create criminal penalties for immigrants who return to Florida after being deported from the U.S. and penalize local officials who don't fully cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Jose Luis Marantes, a member of Florida Immigrant Coalition and one of the caravan organizers, said although the bills appear to have died this session, advocates want to tell legislators that Florida doesn't support the proposals. "These bills don't have a place in Florida," he said at a Redlands Christian Migrant Association center on Growers Road in Bonita Springs, where more than a dozen people listened. Marantes also said he and others want their trip around the state to begin a campaign to help Florida immigrants who qualify for citizenship, and to encourage Hispanics and immigrants who are citizens to register to vote. Marantes said they have seen an increase in the number of Hispanics interested in registering to vote after some Republican presidential candidates have promised to deport the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants who live in the U.S. or to build a wall along the Mexican border. He said politicians are blaming immigrants for the work they themselves are not doing in a time when the public supports an immigration reform. "It's bad politics for those people to attack immigrants to put themselves forward," Marantes said. Kristina O'Hern, with RCMA, says the organization is starting to help the families of the children they serve in Immokalee, Naples and Bonita Springs to apply for citizenship so that they can vote in the elections this year. "We want them to have a voice," she said. Rosana Araujo, another of the participants in the caravan, said the group wants legislators to know they are taking note of their actions and telling the community know about them. The caravan, which will stop in different cities, is expected to arrive to Tallahassee on Thursday, when they will hold a mock funeral for the bills. "We want to show that we want those bills dead and buried," she said. By Patrick Riley of the Naples Daily News Every year Amy Quaremba hosts an April Fools' Day party. "That's our tradition, one of our traditions," Quaremba, 73, said on a windy March afternoon, a black sweater tied around her neck, her brown Ray Ban sunglasses hiding a smile. This year won't be any different, but the theme will be slightly modified. "We'll either celebrate my foolishness of getting elected or my foolishness for running," Quaremba said. That's not to say, Quaremba one of three candidates running for Bonita Springs' District 1 council seat isn't serious about her bid to replace Councilman Stephen McIntosh, who is vacating his chair to run for mayor. "I think it (Bonita Springs) has so much potential," she said. "I might not live to see it all, but it would be nice to know that we made a difference here." To be sure, it took some prodding from friends, neighbors and her husband for Quaremba to enter the race as the last candidate late last year. But Quaremba, who says she's "not a fundraiser other than for charity," quickly made up ground on her two opponents Marc Devisse and Richard Ferreira, nearly doubling up Ferreira and Devisse's combined campaign contributions in less than three months. Related: Watch editorial board interviews with all of the Bonita Springs and Naples candidates for mayor and council. A large chunk of those contributions, Quaremba said, came from her community in Pelican Landing where she has lived full-time since 2010 and acts as president of the Condo Board for her 64-unit high-rise. "They like me," she said. "They're not happy that I'm stepping down as president. I've seen them through a lot of tough things." It's her experience as president and her background in economics first as a student and then professor that Quaremba said make her a good fit for council. "I think the power that I can bring to council is this kind of both philosophical and practical approach to decision making," she said. One of her main concerns is to preserve Bonita's cherished "small town charm" by following the city's "community vision," set forth in the comprehensive plan. "I think that's a good framework to start," Quaremba said of the comprehensive plan. "We have to be confident that the role we're taking is the one the community wants. And it'll all fall into place." Though Quaremba whose first job out of college was with the National Security Agency is no stranger to working on state and local campaigns, the spotlight of running for public office herself is an unfamiliar one. "I've always done service, but in different ways," she said. "And it's always been in quiet ways. It's never been on the forefront so that part was it seemed out of character for me to be out front, because I hadn't done it before." Watch the Naples Daily News editorial board interview with Quaremba here: MARC DEVISSE It's Marc Devisse's first time running for public office, too. Up until a few months ago, Devisse, who owns a local construction company, didn't think he'd ever be involved in local politics. "Never crossed my mind," he said. "Never knew how to get in. I thought you had to go be a lawyer or sort of have a political degree of some sort to even think about it." But when Christine Ross, the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce's director and CEO, urged Devisse to consider running, he became intrigued by the idea. "I started looking into it, talking to people about it and really realizing that I would be a great fit," Devisse said. As the youngest candidate of the election slate at 32, Devisse said he wants to "bridge the gap" between Bonita's older and younger generations. "I could really represent not only the retirees that are here, but young families, which we're trying to bring into downtown, business, which small businesses like myself can have a voice, and it's not all about retired life," he said. A committed environmentalist, Devisse like his two opponents said he is opposed to increasing density in the Density Reduction Groundwater Resource (DRGR), a swath of land in Bonita's eastern rim that was created to limit development and preserve water resources. Instead, Devisse said he would like to maximize growth downtown first. "I want to keep development downtown," he said. "I don't see why we can't increase density downtown, all around downtown. And I'm not saying build high-rises or anything, but instead of single family houses down there, let's do duplexes or town homes () that fit in with the historic district of downtown." Devisse, a graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University, started his own business Tri-Town Construction a decade ago at only 22. It was baptism by fire for the young entrepreneur. "I spent a lot of money on expensive mistakes," he said. "Just doing things wrong, not getting things in writing, having customers take advantage of you." There are other mistakes, Devisse said he's learned from, too. Punta Gorda police arrested him in January 2015 on misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession under 20 grams and drug paraphernalia possession. Court records are not publicly available, but according to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement report, he received six months of probation and had adjudication withheld, meaning there's no formal conviction on his record. Florida law allows judges to order probation for first-time offenders and keep a formal conviction off their record if the defendant completes probation without any issues. "I wasn't driving, and I've learned from my mistakes, you know, and can't take back the past," Devisse said. "It is what it is." Watch the Naples Daily News editorial board interview with Devisse here: RICHARD FERREIRA For Richard Ferreira the dais at city hall is familiar territory. The former councilman, who represented District 1 from 2006 to 2010, decided to come out of "retirement" last year and was the first to enter the three-person race. Ferreira, 78, said part of the reason he wanted to become involved in local government again was the annexation of Raptor Bay a 55-acre property near Estero Bay into Bonita Springs in 2014. Developer WCI Communities plans to build high-rise condo towers there, a proposal that has created a stir in both Bonita and Estero. Bonita's council rejected WCI's request for a planning change in February. "It's a comp plan change and I wouldn't change the comp plan," Ferreira said, referring to WCI's request. Part of Ferreira's opposition to development so close to Estero Bay stems from his desire to preserve the area's waterways and environment. "The greatest attraction that we have isn't Jet Blue stadium or offseason training," Ferreira said. "It's the beaches, it's the sun." Ferreira, a retired police captain and avid boater himself, tackled the issue of protecting Bonita's waterways during his first stint on council when he proposed an ordinance that created a slow-speed, minimum-wake zone in the west side of New Pass. The speed limit was intended to protect swimmers and allow some of the vegetation to return to the area, Ferreira said. "You see now where the sea grass is coming back," he said. Ferreira's plans for the DRGR include environmentally-conscious elements, too. A big believer in solar energy, Ferreira said he would like to add solar panels as an "allowable use" in the comp plan for the DRGR area. Opening the land up to be used for solar energy would be a "win-win" and a "good alternative for the DRGR," Ferreira said. "Solar energy is going to hit Florida like a freight train and we're not ready for it," he said. "This is the sunshine state and if you want to feel some energy walk out the front door and look up. That's energy. It's free." Watch the Naples Daily News editorial board interview with Ferreira here: SHARE The defeat in the Florida Senate of a multifaceted bill to address the state's outdated inland oil and gas drilling laws can't end the discussion. Even though reforms won't get through the 2016 legislative session, concerns that prompted the drafting of the legislation in the first place remain. The Florida House voted 73-45 in late January to support a bill co-sponsored by state Rep. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero. The House approved a similar package of legislation a year ago. The Senate had a companion bill sponsored by state Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples. It died on the Senate floor last year, but didn't even get that far this year. Richter decided last week not to pursue it further because it couldn't gain passage in the Senate Appropriations Committee. A key difference between the 2015 and 2016 versions was that this time it specifically overturned the rights of local government to regulate facets of drilling. Dozens of municipalities, including Bonita Springs and Estero, and counties, including Lee County, insisted on retaining their regulatory rights. We opposed this year's legislation, largely because it reduced local government control. Late last year, Collier commissioners said they wanted the legislation modified in five ways, one of which was to retain the county's home-rule authority. So it was disappointing to see Collier commissioners in late February vote 4-1, with Commissioner Penny Taylor dissenting, to support the legislation even though three of the five points commissioners wanted addressed weren't modified. In doing so, commissioners parted ways with the concept of local control and the views of dozens of city and county leaders across the state - places where drilling isn't occurring, while Southwest Florida is one of two areas of the state where it is. Still outdated If anything, the failure of the legislation makes it much more important for citizens to remain or become engaged in the coming months. For starters, much of the opposition focused on fracking, the hydraulic fracturing of rock layers to increase well production, and injecting chemicals including acid to open up underground formations. If this legislation can't make it through the Republican-dominated Legislature, we believe an outright fracking ban stands no chance of gaining approval by both chambers and signed by Gov. Rick Scott. So that brings us back to where we are, and have been since Rodrigues began pushing fracking-related legislation several years ago, Richter got involved about 18 months ago and a state consultant concluded a Collier drilling site near Immokalee was fracked in late 2013. Where we were - and are - isn't acceptable. Florida drilling laws haven't been updated in response to modern techniques, including forms of rock fracturing or dissolving, as well as directional drilling. The demise of the legislation killed a necessary study of Florida's hydrology and geology to determine what's appropriate, and a moratorium on drilling permits in the meantime. A comprehensive study is clearly needed to guide the state forward. Attention please Oil prices today are comparable to what they were in 1996 and again in 2002. Gasoline prices are low as a result. That will create a tendency for some to shrug their shoulders that inland drilling laws are even a concern now. Yet drillers can continue to get permits and hold them. Certainly, oil prices will rise again some day. Once permits are in hand, there is nothing to stop a company from doing what occurred at the Collier-Hogan drilling site in 2013. As it stands, state regulators and site inspectors' hands remain too tied and penalties are too lax. We'd be surprised if Rodrigues tries on this legislation again. Richter is leaving the Senate due to term limits. Two state representatives in Collier are seeking Richter's seat, so their House seats open up this fall. This remake of the legislative delegation, along with four of five Collier commission seats being up for grabs, means a new contingent of elected leaders must become educated on this issue. Despite today's oil prices, the issue remains so we urge county and legislative candidates to articulate to voters this summer and fall what their position is on fracking and inland drilling reforms. SHARE Jan Miller, Naples Heitmann my choice Deciding which mayoral candidate to vote against was solved when Teresa Heitmann announced for Naples mayor. City Council's vote to use an entire $320,000 FDOT grant for a limited traffic study was the final straw. She preferred improving intersections with portions of this flexible grant. Naples needs new leadership. Reverting Central Avenue from four lanes to two with expensive round-abouts at Eighth and Tenth Streets and medians is senseless. Major changes should never be made prior to knowing "build out" of Central Avenue. Trucks will shift to Fifth Avenue South. One resident supports two lanes because "people will stop coming here." Narrow bike paths are hazards. Making Central Avenue upscale by driving out non-boutique business appears to be the purpose. She voted no. I think a 10-foot-wide sidewalk for bikes and walkers would be safer and cheaper. The good 'ol boys pushed this through. Preserving land in Baker Park is great; spending $16 million plus huge maintenance costs is not. Police patrols 24/7 will be mandatory to prevent a "Home for the Homeless" or a "Needle Park." Wisely, she voted no also on more traffic and density: hotel at bridge on U.S. 41 (600 more cars in or out daily); 250 affordable condos on Central Avenue (800-plus cars); Naples Square 300 more condos on Tenth Street (more than 900 more cars). The good 'ol boys supported all those. It takes 18 minutes to turn south at Tenth Street now. Redevelopment of Naples must be controlled or the charm will vanish. Voters must decide whether Naples will become just another overbuilt coastal town with gridlock. Teresa Heitmann has the integrity, perseverance and vision to Preserve Paradise. SHARE Craig Seibert Board President Friends of Rookery Bay By Craig Seibert, Board President Friends of Rookery Bay Nearly 30 years ago, a science teacher, a college professor, an attorney and a real estate agent formed a steering committee to establish The Friends of Rookery Bay. They each donated $10 toward the filing fee. They were among a handful of local residents who'd made a connection with this coastal environment and cared about the future of Rookery Bay. They wanted to do something to help ensure the education programs their students and children enjoyed continued to grow. Established just 10 years earlier, the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve has weathered many storms, both environmental and financial and the Friends have saved the day. Today I am pleased to say the Friends include nearly 700 members and is considered to be one of the largest citizen support organizations in Florida. The Friends play an instrumental role in working directly with the Reserve, which now manages 110,000 acres of lands and waters with 40 staff members. My board is dedicated to generating more community involvement through our volunteer program and outreach efforts as well as attracting more members. One of the most helpful undertakings the Friends do for Rookery Bay Reserve is stage an annual, signature fundraising event: The Batfish Bash for the Bay. Hosted on the grounds at Rookery Bay's Environmental Learning Center, our seventh Bash takes place this year on Saturday, March 19. Guests enjoy a silent auction amidst the aquariums and art gallery, sunset and cocktails overlooking Henderson Creek, and a live auction followed by dinner and dancing under the stars on the center's back lawn. Auction items include exclusive experiences within the Reserve, luxurious excursions to tropical destinations, artwork, and services. It has been a tradition each year to present a "fund a need" live auction item. Last year, the auction raised nearly $22,000 to improve the facilities at the Shell Island Road Field Station Laboratory, which is used by hundreds of students and scientists each year. In previous years, a utility terrain vehicle, a barge, and a boat motor have been acquired thanks to the generosity of our guests. This year, the "fund a need" auction (conducted by Chris Lombardo) is dedicated to enhancing the shark monitoring program, an important effort at Rookery Bay for 15 years. Rookery Bay Reserve staff and volunteers, called "citizen scientists," have been collecting shark population information on a monthly basis for 15 years. It is one of the first studies ever to address the effects of the Everglades Restoration taking place in the Ten Thousand Islands watershed north of the Reserve. Sharks and sawfish, as well as many other marine species, use estuaries as nurseries because of the bountiful supply of food and protection from predators. The reserve's long-term dataset includes detailed information about more than 1,500 sharks and 58 sawfish that have been tagged through the program. Information like this helps guide management activities in the watershed for the benefit of sharks, all wildlife, and the local community. Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center, at 300 Tower Road, Naples, is a great place to discover more ways to explore, enjoy and help protect this special place. Opened in 2004, the Learning Center is a 16,500-square-foot facility with four research laboratories, classrooms and a 140-seat auditorium, and two-story visit center which offers a variety of hands-on experiences and exhibits. To learn more about our coastal environment and the area's rich cultural history, the Reserve offers guided kayak and boat tours from November through April. Our guided boat tours, for a maximum of six passengers, move at a relaxed pace with an emphasis on learning designed to help visitors develop a true sense of place as well as a deeper connection to this unique coastal wilderness. As one recent visitor commented: Rookery Bay is an under-appreciated treasure in our back yard. The Environmental Learning Center is also a hub for many educational programs for students and adults receptions in the art gallery, the popular Lunch and Learn lectures, and National Estuaries Day. Rookery Bay certainly offers something for everyone. Tickets for the 2016 Batfish Bash are $175 per person. The evening begins at 6 p.m. and I recommend casual attire and flat shoes. By joining in this event, Neapolitans will be investing in science and education efforts that help conserve and protect Rookery Bay and, in turn, support our wildlife, our economy, and our quality of life in Southwest Florida. __ To learn more and sign up for programs go to www.rookerybay.org __ Craig Seibert was a teacher and science coordinator for Collier County Public Schools and is serving as board president for the Friends of Rookery Bay. Robert Armstrong has joined Spiro & Associates Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations & Band Architecture in Fort Myers as Creative Director, announced CEO Christopher T. Spiro. He is responsible for creative strategies for a variety of marketing activities that support clients brands. Born and raised in suburban Philadelphia, he moved to Naples in 2006 where he was chief copywriter for multiple ad agencies and accomplished national award-winning work. Roberts marketing and advertising experience spans decades, including being a copy editor at TV Guide. After graduating from Stanford University in California with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Spanish, he crisscrossed the country to the east coast. Thats where he landed his first real Agency assignment in 2001 with Munroe Creative Partners, a division of Earle Palmer Brown, working out of its Philadelphia and New York offices as senior copywriter. Robert was one of two finalists in a J. Walter Thompson national copywriter search a global marketing communications firm that has been building enduring brands and business for more than 150 years. While hes not at work, Armstrongs other passions include stage plays. He has acted in stage productions with The Naples Players at Sugden Community Theater and other companies. He also appeared in an episode of Magic City, a Starz Network original series set in 1959 Miami the golden age of Art Deco, glitz, classic clothes and vintage vehicles. Spiro & Associates is one of Southwest Floridas largest marketing, advertising, public relations and brand architecture firms. The company serves local, regional and national clients in the fields of land development, construction, retail, real estate, law, marine, business and residential services, the arts, government, healthcare, contractor services and property management. Online at www.spiroandassociates.com or call 239- 481-5511. 'We screwed up' Ultimately, state and local water agencies are responsible for correct monitoring and reporting on water quality, and to implement the standards that federal officials set. That doesn't mean the EPA is blameless. The EPA didn't act as urgently and as transparently as it could have to help the people of Flintsomething it has acknowledged only grudgingly. Action taken but more needed (NaturalNews) Filmmaker Michael Moore is angry again but for once his anger is justified, even if it is not always directed at the right people.In a lengthy piece at, Moore lamented the horrendous inaction by government officials regarding a years-long water contamination problem in Flint, Michigan, Moore's hometown.In recent weeks, state and federal officials at the Environmental Protection Agency were forced to admit that they knew since around April 2014 that residents of the city of 102,000 have been drinking water tainted with lead. In case you weren't aware, lead poisoning is especially detrimental to children; it can cause irreversible brain damage and a host of other neurological problems.According to published reports, officials at Michigan's environmental agency as well as the EPA failed to take action to both fix the problem and notify the public until well after the contamination began.In his screed, Moore blames Michigan's Republican governor, Rick Snyder; he blames Republican political ideology; and he blames the state's environmental offices as well, which he believes are dominated by Republicans. He asks residents to join him in a revolution of sorts to hold everyone who is responsible to account.Only, he leaves out any scorn of federal EPA officials, and in fact in one of his several measures he outlines to address the problem, he says the "federal government must then be placed in charge."Fact is, the federal government is as responsible for this failure as are state officials, though Moore's radical left-wing ideological beliefs won't allow him to see that. So responsible is the EPA that its Region 5 Director, Susan Hedmon, announced recently that she was resigning from her post; come to find out, her agencywhat was happening in Flint but, despite having the legal mandate to act, did nothing but rely on a state-level agency that was too mired in political processes to do the right thing.reports that the EPA bears as much, if not more, responsibility as does Michigan's version of EPA:"EPA did its job but clearly the outcome was not what anyone would have wanted," EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said last month. A day later, the agency said that "while EPA worked within the framework of the law to repeatedly and urgently communicate the steps the state needed to take to properly treat its water , those necessary (EPA) actions were not taken as quickly as they should have been."That is bureaucratese for, "We screwed up but we can't just come right out and say so."And where was Moore when contractors working for the EPA dumped millions of gallons of contaminated water from the Gold King Mine into the Colorado and Animas rivers, then lied about it and then tried to cover it up? No one was held to account for this colossal boo-boo.No, a big federal government agency isn't the answer for Flint becauseare staffed by imperfect humans who are often motivated to act (or not act) by outside (read) influences that have nothing to do with protecting or serving the public.what happened in Flint both the state and federal agencies charged with ensuring that residents' drinking water was not contaminated failed the people they were appointed to serve.But Moore is right about one thing: The Flint water scandal is more than a "glitch" or an "error," and those responsible must be held to account. That should be based on their actual role in the scandal, not what political party they belong to.For it's part, the EPA has already taken action; now the state environmental agency responsible for hiding the contamination from Flint residents needs to take some as well. (NaturalNews) Philosopher, essayist, poet and novelist, George Santayanaonce said "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," and as we watch the headlines coming out of Venezuela, we see proof of his assertion as we watch Socialism/Communism once again destroy a nation as their economic collapse brings "savage suffering,"with food shortagesand electricity rationingas they are "starved into submission." (Story by Susan Duclos, republished from AllNewsPipeline.com .)More disturbing for Americans is that we are following that same path as our nations young obviously haven't beenthe past, condemning us to repeat it. According to a recent survey, 43 percent of Millennials (people under 30) have a very or somewhat favorable view of socialism,despite history.Socialism: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods.Communism: a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.In researching for this article I ran into a Breitbart article over at Steve Quayle's site,titled "Venezuela Declares Another Emergency: It Has Run Out of Food", following that link was a note which stated "SQ-AMERICAS HEADLINES SOON- AS THE SOCIALIST /COMMUNISTS HISTORY IS LITTERED WITH DEATH BY STARVATION-'FOOD IS THE ULTIMATE WEAPON'-'GLOBAL CULLING' IS UNDERWAY'!"After a series of emails with Quayle we are reminded of how food has been used as a weapon throughout history from Chinese, Russian and German dictators to U.S. government against Native Americans.Pol Pot: (1925-1998) and his communist Khmer Rouge movement led Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. During that time, about 1.5 million Cambodians out of a total population ofJoseph Stalin: Starting in the late 1920s, Joseph Stalin launched a series of five-year plans intended to transform the Soviet Union from a peasant society into an industrial superpower. His development plan was centered on government control of the economy and included the forced collectivization of Soviet agriculture, in which the government took control of farms. Millions of farmers refused to cooperate with Stalin's orders and were shot or exiled as punishment.The Turks - Armenian Genocide: On April 24, 1915, the Armenian genocide began. That day, the Turkish government arrested and executed several hundred Armenian intellectuals. After that,Frequently, the marchers were stripped naked and forced to walk under the scorching sun until they dropped dead. People who stopped to rest were shot.Nazi Germany - The Hunger Plan: An economic management scheme created by Nazi Germany during World War II, that was put in place to ensure that Germans were given priority in food supplies at the expense of the inhabitants of the German-occupied Soviet territories. This plan was developed during the planning phase for the Wehrmacht (German Armed Forces) invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941 (Operation Barbarossa). Germany itself was running low on food supplies, and the same problem faced the various territories occupied by Germany. The fundamental premise behind the Hunger Plan was that Germany was not self-sufficient in food supplies during the war, and to sustain the war it needed to obtain the food from conquered lands at any cost. It wasfor the benefit of the German nation above all others.was outlined in several documents, including one that became known as Goring's Green Folder.Read more at AllNewsPipeline.com [1] En.WikiQuote.org [2] Google.com [3] Breitbart.com [4] News.Yahoo.com [5] d25d2506sfb94s.CloudFront.net [6] Merriam-Webster.com [7] Dictionary.Reference.com [8] SteveQuayle.com [9] Breitbart.com [10] History.com [11] History.com [12] History.com [13] En.Wikipedia.org Over-medicating is killing tens of thousands around the world Manipulating science More money for marketing Elderly are most at risk (NaturalNews) Sir Richard Thompson former president of the Royal College of Physicians, and personal doctor to the British Queen for 21 years and five eminent colleagues, have started a campaign to raise awareness of over-medication in favor of Big Pharma The campaign highlights the fact that current drug treatments are often based on shaky science, and their efficiency and use are often misjudged especially when it comes to treating the elderly."The time has come for a full and open public enquiry into the way evidence of the efficacy of drugs is obtained and revealed. There is real danger that some current drug treatments are much less effective than had previously been thought," Sir Richard told the U.K.'sThe team of six experts, led by NHS cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra, claims that all too often, patients are prescribed drugs that they don't need, or which have even been found to be useless.According to The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) , adverse side-effects from prescribed drugs have more than tripled in the U.S. in the last few years. In 2014, over-medication caused serious outcomes such as hospitalization and life-threatening disability for an estimated 800,000 patients, and more than 123,000 lost their lives.According to Peter Gotzsche, Professor of Research Design and Analysis at the University of Copenhagen, prescription drugs are the third most common cause of death after heart disease and cancer. He is particularly concerned about over-prescription of psychiatric drugs such as antidepressants and dementia drugs. In the U.S. and the European Union, these drugs are responsible for causing more than half a million deaths in those aged over 65.Peter Gotzsche has made it his mission to inform the world about the dangers associated with several pharmaceutical grade drugs. It saddens him to see that the pharmaceutical industry is manipulating data in order to get their products on the shelves. Harmful effects of certain drugs are deliberately not reported, and one has to dig deep into the science world to find this information."The medical profession is being bought by the pharmaceutical industry, not only in terms of the practice of medicine, but also in terms of teaching and research. The academic institutions of this country are allowing themselves to be the paid agents of the pharmaceutical industry. I think it's disgraceful," says Arnold Seymour Relman, Harvard Professor of Medicine, and Former Editor-in-Chief of theThe primary responsibility of drug companies should be the health of patients. Unfortunately, keeping the money flowing and the shareholders happy seems to be the main goal. According to Dr. Malhotra, twice as much money is being spent on marketing drugs as is spent on research and development.Dr Malhotra said, "There is no doubt that a 'more medicine is better' culture lies at the heart of healthcare, exacerbated by financial incentives within the system to prescribe more drugs and carry out more procedures."The elderly are often given a cocktail of several medicines. Side-effects are misinterpreted as signs of disease, and to treat these symptoms additional medicine is prescribed. Dr. Malhotra states that he has treated elderly patients who were given three to four different drugs to treat high blood pressure. This made them dizzy and caused falls, resulting in hip fractures or even death.Professor Gotzsche claims that over-prescription meets the criteria for "organized crime" under U.S. law. Between 2007 and 2012, almost all the big pharmaceutical companies paid high fines for marketing drugs for off-label uses, misrepresentation of research results, and hiding data on harm.However, these companies happily pay the fines and still make huge profits, while destroying tens of thousands of lives worldwide. Gross! Rubber, plastic, dextrose and other health-harming ingredients lurk in traditional gum Make the switch to organic chewing gum, straight from the Mayan rainforest (NaturalNews) Many people chew gum because they think it tastes good, want to improve bad breath, or think the tiny treat will keep weight-gaining hunger pangs at bay. Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: You should stay as far away from it as possible. Sorry to burst your bubble everyone, but it's true.Turns out, there's a lot of health-harming, unnatural ingredients in traditionally-made gum. Everything from petroleum and glycerin, to petroleum wax, aspartame and latex, lurks in that wad of chewing gum and it gets worse.A "How it's Made" video provides even more shocking details, including the fact that gum was first patented interestingly by a dentist in 1869. The introduction of bubblegum came later, and although it used to be made of tree resin, it eventually came to be synthetically made from plastic and rubbers. Yes, plastic and rubbers! This synthetic version is what you're chewing every time you make your gum choice in the candy aisle or supermarket checkout area.The alarming video also sheds light on the fact that the rubber and plastic gum base is softened and sweetened up with glucose syrup and dextrose. Then, when the base is the consistency of bread dough, it's poured into machines that extrude the material into smaller pieces, where it's eventually cooled, cut and wrapped. Finally, several pieces are sealed in airtight containers to keep the gum, um, fresh. Sorry, but "fresh" implies that a food is as natural as possible; it shouldn't be used to explain a process that involves rubber, glucose syrup and powdered sweeteners.Hopefully, by now you've tossed that gum you were chewing before reading this article in the trash.So now what?If you enjoy gum, but don't want to eat the horrible ingredients that traditional gum contains, you have an option.Chicza is a company that takes prides in its organic gum, which comes straight from the Mayan rainforest. Just the thought of something made from a rainforest should be enough for any health-conscious person to want to make the switch from traditional chewing gum to Chicza's gum. Its packaging, for example, states that it's "organic Mayan rainforest chewing gum," and comes with "biodegradable" and "USDA/Organic" labeling Even better, the process used to make their gum is a welcome contrast to the one previously described. Instead of rubber and synthetic ingredients, the company explains that "Chicozapote latex is extracted from 100 ft tall trees by making z-shaped superficial cuts on the bark, which zigzag down to a bag placed at the base." It's explained that the dripping sap fills the bags up, in a slow process where each tree rests for up to seven years before the next harvest. The company says that this method does not harm trees, while providing consumers with gum that is totally unlike the unhealthy, artificial stuff they're so used to chewing today.Additionally, the company's website says that "When you chew Chicza , you are supporting the livelihood of a Chiclero and his family. In return, the Chiclero continues to preserve the forest where he and his family live."All around, there's no reason not to start enjoying this gum. It's organic, vegan, gluten-free, kosher, biodegradable and sustainable and comes in a variety of flavors: mint, cinnamon and mixed berry. Switch to a healthier gum-chewing choice; order Chicza gum today I don't know about you, but to me it certainly sounds better than chomping down on a health-destroying plastic and aspartame concoction. Understanding how bribery runs entire medical systems and how civil obedience feeds the coercion GlaxoSmithKline rushing in with an Ebola vaccine (NaturalNews) China has just dished out the biggest fine in the history of their country, and it's being slapped down on one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world.GlaxoSmithKline, the British pharmaceutical giant that medical authorities trust in around the world, is now being exposed for what it really is: an institution rooted in coercion and bribery that competes for control over healthcare systems around the world.According to Chinese news agency Xinhua,The verdict, established in a court in Changsha, slaps the UK pharmaceutical firm with a $490 million fine, the largest in China's history. This puts an end to an investigation that began in July of 2013. Chinese officials estimate that GSK made $150 million in illegal profits.Mark Reilly, GSK's former head of Chinese operations, is now facing a three-year prison sentence; he's set to be deported. In the aftermath of the ruling, other top GSK executives await suspended jail sentences.By bribing hospitals and doctors with their deep pockets, GSK is able to control entire medical systems from the top. This means that a vaccine or a drug manufactured at their factories might not even be sound medicine at all. These vaccines and drugs are only promoted as medicine because giants like GSK have the money to control and influence hospitals and doctorsThis type of coercion lifts bad medicine up on a pedestal, as bribe money trickles down through the entire healthcare industry.At the end of the line is a confused consumer, not understanding why they are experiencing such strange side effects from such highly promoted drugs.Hospitals and doctors just accept it as the way it is, because they have bills to pay. All the while, drug company ads fill the TV screen, the radio broadcasts and the magazine pages. If blindly promoting GSK's products brings in the cash,Bad medicine isn't necessarily a conspiracy to hurt and kill people (although it ultimately does); bad medicine is based in keeping simple economics alive using industry bribery andcollusion of big business. This corruption ultimately trickles down through the ranks. People working in the industry simply do what they are told, hoping not to upset the structure that keeps profits rolling in.Instead of thinking what's best for the institution that employs them, medical professionals mustOn top of these questions, why are there so many drugs on the market today anyway, filling entire drug company manuals? Was health ever supposed to be this complicated? If these pills were being promoted based on sound science, why are there so many drugs available for the same conditions? The long list of drugs on the market today clearly shows that they are working not to heal but to manage disease. In the process, all these formulations interact with one another and even elicit heinous side effects. How are drug companies even supposed to be trusted today?Medical professional should question the status quo of where they get their medicine from and start doing what's honestly best for other human beings. There's more to life than just taking home a paycheck. Civil obedience to these giant pharmaceutical bribing machines is what enslaves humanity today.With all of GSK's bribery coming into the open, it's also important to question why GlaxoSmithKline is now coming out as the savior in the fight against Ebola. Can you believe that GSK is now injecting 60 "volunteers" with an experimental Ebola vaccine, which they hope to profit from in Africa and ultimately the rest of the world? 'Just because it's a rule, doesn't make it right' War on ridesharing (NaturalNews) On Friday, the Austin city clerk tossed a petition to recall District 5 Councilwoman Ann Kitchen on a technicality, arguing that each of the document's 989 pages did not include a notarized affidavit. The petition met two of the three requirements: 10 percent of eligible voters in Kitchen's district signed the petition (it actually exceeded this requirement), and the document accurately informed voters of its intention.But instead of acknowledging the citizen's massive endeavor to oust a council member they feel neglected her duties of public servitude, the city clerk refused to allow grassroots group Austin4All to correct its mistake, and is holding the petition hostage, according to Justin Arman, Executive Director of Texans for Accountable Government, a trans-partisan PAC that assisted in the recall effort."This isn't a matter of formality, they are effectively slamming the door on 5,000 voters in District 5 - this is what democracy looks like to autocrats," said Arman in a written statement.The clerk's rejection of the petition appears to be unprecedented. It's unclear whether the city has previously thrown out petitions based on a similar technicality, or if they worked with groups in the past to reach a solution; if the latter is true, the city has a responsibility to help Austin4All reach the requirements."People are saying that rules are rules; however, I find that if the city wanted to be reasonable, they could simply return the petition and let them cure this problem by calling back all the petition gatherers and getting their signatures notarized properly," said Arman.Also obscured is what recourse, if any, Austinites have. The reported that they would have to start over completely, a seemingly implausible suggestion considering the thousands of volunteer hours and tens of thousands of dollars spent on the initiative."We're in uncharted territory here, so it's hard to predict what's going to happen," said Arman. "I don't know how they'll handle this for the very reason that Ann Kitchen may lose her job if this actually goes to public vote."While Austin4All founders Tori Moreland and Rachel Kania have not returned our requests for comment, it's suggested that a lawsuit could be in order. Arman speculated that a judge could ultimately order the city to return the petition.District 6 Councilman Don Zimmerman toldthat the clerk did not consult with city council when making her decision (which could be challenged in court), but instead deliberated with Austin's Legal Department.An extensive amount of grassroots work may have been wasted, said Zimmerman, adding that he believes the city should provide a sample recall petition form for citizens to replicate in order to avoid committing minor infractions in the future.The attempt to recall Kitchen ensued after she pushed for strict regulations on rideshare companies Uber and Lyft, forcing them to adhere to costly regulations similar to the taxi industry. One of Kitchen's initial proposals included the city confiscate $1 per ride from rideshare operators.Kitchen's attack on rideshare is widely unpopular, and opposes Travis County Sheriff Greg Hamilton's recommendation to keep rideshare companies operating in Austin . Hamilton credits companies like Uber and Lyft for helping decrease Austin's drunk driving epidemic.Local governments nationwide are battling rideshare companies, not in the name of safety as they claim, but in an attempt to protect taxi industry lobbyists. Kitchen received $4,000 in campaign donations from cabbies, helping her to narrowly win the 2014 election and avoid a runoff.Kitchen is the first council member in the nation threatened with losing her job for enacting strict regulations on rideshare operators; recall efforts such as these are likely the first of many to come."Thanks to technology, citizens are now in a position to decide just how much they want to be protected and what price they're prepared to pay for such protection. And they're not willing to wait out an entire election cycle to register their displeasure. This is digital democracy," wrote Max Borders in a pro-liberty piece published by the Statesman "Citizens not only feel it more acutely when politicians threaten the products and services they love, it's simpler than ever to organize."Arman agrees, adding that the positive side of this "temporary defeat is that they've spelled out all the rules, and future activism will benefit from this." The China Triangle: Latin America's China Boom and the Fate of the Washington Consensus Kevin P. Gallagher Oxford University Press: 2016. 9780190246730 | ISBN: 978-0-1902-4673-0 For nearly 15 years, China's economic and construction boom, coupled with high commodity prices, has driven soaring demand for steel, copper and other commodities. Latin America has been a crucial partner, with Chile, for instance, accounting for 40% of raw copper imports and Brazil responsible for 49% of soya imports. China's mounting concerns about food and energy security have also prompted engagement with resource-rich Venezuela, Peru and Argentina. The China-fuelled 'super-cycle' has left a path of environmental destruction and social conflict in Latin America. Now, China's economic slowdown and a slump in commodity prices spell bleaker economic prospects for exporting nations. For instance, Chilean copper company Codelco announced massive lay-offs in 2015 as copper prices dropped. Protests against China's Las Bambas mining project in Peru erupted into violence last year. Credit: EPA As one of the first accounts of post-China boom Latin America, Kevin Gallagher's The China Triangle adds much to a profusion of books on ChinaLatin America relations. By skilfully framing Latin America's development challenges such as lack of highly skilled labour in a historical context, Gallagher reminds us that commodity-led growth is hardly a new phenomenon in the region. The end of the nineteenth century saw the first boom, when Europe and the United States began to import raw materials in serious quantities. Years of dependence on exporting natural resources led to wide-ranging policy outcomes in Latin America, from state-led industrialization to the Washington Consensus, a set of US prescriptions for economic development in the region in the 1990s and 2000s. The China Triangle is largely premised on the idea that the most recent phase in Latin America's economic development was as much a rejection of the consensus as an embrace of China. As Gallagher shows, that relationship has been rocky in many ways. Gallagher documents the negative effects of booming trade and investment by Chinese and other firms in extraction of natural resources. Growth in mining alone has led to increased chemical leaching, improper disposal of waste and acidic runoff from mines. Chemical leaching has killed fish and caused economic damage in Peru. Deforestation and related flooding in Argentina are thought to stem from the rise in soya production for export to China. Gallagher is careful to note that Chinese companies have shown their capacity to adapt to Latin American laws and norms. In Peru, US company Doe Run performed much worse on a number of counts than Chinese mining firms. But the vast majority of trade, 90% of Chinese investment in Latin America and 80% of its loans to the region's governments are focused in sectors linked to environmental degradation. Hence China has, on average, more environmental impact in Latin America than do other partners. Concerns surround China's hydroelectric-dam projects in the region, including the Coca-Codo Sinclair dam, Ecuador's largest energy project. Although this is expected to address a critical energy deficit, many Ecuadoreans are concerned about water diversion from the San Rafael Falls, a prominent tourist destination, and the construction of access roads in the Amazon. The Nestor Kirchner and Jorge Cepernic dams in Argentina were touted as key energy projects by former president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, but they are far from the grid and about 2,750 kilometres from Buenos Aires, where energy needs are high. A 2006 feasibility study of 30 dam projects by Argentina's energy ministry ranked them 23rd and 25th, respectively. In 2015, Chinese company MMG Ltd modified its environmental-impact study for the Las Bambas copper-mining project in Peru's Cotabambas province without consulting local communities. Although compliant with newly modified Peruvian law, the decision provoked demonstrations by local residents that ended in 4 deaths and led Peruvian President Ollanta Humala to declare a 30-day state of emergency in the province. Despite China's slowing growth and some bad press, the country will Gallagher reveals remain one of the region's key economic partners. Last year saw Chinese finance to Latin America and the Caribbean rise to a level surpassed only in 2010, much of it focused on oil, gas and transport infrastructure. Just as US investors did in the decades straddling the turn of the last century, China is seeking to develop transport networks to carry commodities to port, such as the PeruBrazil railway proposed during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's 2015 visit to the region. Latin America also stands to benefit from China's sustained presence. In The Dragon in the Room (Stanford University Press, 2010), Gallagher and Roberto Porzencanski advised nations to capture China's windfall by investing in export diversification. They did not, but Gallagher insists in The China Triangle that it is not too late. He prescribes greater partnerships between countries and markets, and policies that promote equality and environmental stewardship. But post-boom, Gallagher foresees a Latin America with less room to manoeuvre, economically and politically. The region would need to appeal to both the United States and China to ensure future growth. Gallagher's 'China triangle' refers to this shift. South Bay man Ronnie Bogle gave an emotional courtroom statement at the sentencing hearing for his brother Gary Bogle, saying Gary tortured him for years by stealing his identity and using it for medical treatment at hospitals around the country. Authorities call this medical identity theft, and the Medical ID Fraud Alliance estimates this crime victimized 2.3 million Americans in 2014. Gary Bogle was arrested and extradited to Santa Clara County from Washington state in December. He pled guilty to 10 felony counts of false impersonation in January. On Tuesday, a judge sentenced him to 16 months in prison, with credit for the eight months hes already served. Santa Clara deputy district attorney Tom Flattery asked the judge to impose a stiff penalty, saying this type of identity theft is much more serious because it involved medical information and records, not just financial information. Im hoping the court will take my statement today into consideration and be used in the courts decision making regarding sentencing, Ronnie Bogle said in his victim impact statement. What was done to me should never have been done to anyone ever. Ronnie said hes spent countless hours over the past five years trying to clear his name. He described a personal nightmare dealing with damaged credit and fighting with hospital billing departments over tens of thousands of dollars in charges for treatment he never received. Medical identity theft is happening, its growing, its going to happen to so many people out there and I want to find one way or another to use my life and bring about change, Ronnie said. Gary Bogle showed little emotion in court as his brother spoke. He apologized to Ronnie and told the judge he didnt know how his crimes affected his brother. I didnt know it was messing him up that bad. I didnt mean to mess him up. I hope he does well and Im sorry, Gary said. This may not be the end of his legal troubles. Prosecutors in Thurston County, Washington have filed multiple felony identity theft charges against Gary Wayne Bogle. If you have a tip for Vicky Nguyen about this or any other story, you can email her directly at vicky@nbcbayarea.com or you can email theunit@nbcbayarea.com or call 888-996-TIPS. Follow Vicky Nguyen on Twitter www.twitter.com/VickyNguyenTV and Facebookwww.facebook.com/VickyNguyenTV Click here to submit tips online The Lambda Phi Epsilon fraternity said it's suspending its chapter at the University of California at Santa Cruz after three of its members, along with three sorority sisters at Alpha Kappa Delti Phi, were arrested in a drug bust. Lambda Phi Epsilon posted a statement on its website, saying in part, the fraternity will be cooperating with the local authorities to understand what happened. The International Fraternity has placed the University of California, Santa Cruz chapter on a Cease and Desist, suspending all normal activity and chapter functions pending further investigation." The six students were arrested Friday on suspicion of running a drug ring that uncovered more than $100,000 worth of MDMA, police said this week. The suspects were identified as Mariah Dremel, Benny Liu, Cesar Casil, Nathan Tieu, Hoai Nguyen, and Cecilia Le, all 21 years old, who allegedly possessed a controlled substance, police said. Dremel, Liu, Casil and Tieu are also suspected of conspiracy, according to police. About 5,000 tablets of MDMA that weighed about 4.1 pounds were found and have a street value of more than $100,000, police said. Police worked on the case with help from personnel at the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Officers learned that multiple packages containing MDMA tablets were being sent through the U.S. Postal Service over the past few weeks to three Santa Cruz addresses, where search warrants were served on Friday, police said. SCPD shuts down student drug ring. 5000 ecstasy pills = $100K. 6 arrested https://t.co/luOfohdnm9 #SantaCruzPolice pic.twitter.com/kiR18KwkXD Santa Cruz Police (@SantaCruzPolice) March 8, 2016 The homes were in the 400 block of Locust Street, 200 block of Castillion Terrace and the 100 block of Peach Terrace, according to police. The warrants were served with help from the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Service and Homeland Security, according to police. Officers learned on Friday that Homeland Security investigators were able to stop a second shipment from arriving to the group, police said. MDMA, more commonly known as Ecstasy or Molly, is a psychoactive drug that can increase a person's heart rate and blood pressure, DEA officials said. People can experience increased energy from the drug in addition to sadness, anxiety and depression, according to DEA officials. If taken in large doses, MDMA can lead to serious health complications or death, DEA officials said. Lambda Phi Epsilon is described as an international Asian-American-interest fraternity that sets high standards for academics, social experience and community service, according to the college's website. Alpha Kappa Delta Phi sorority's Delta Chapter was created 24 years ago and aimed at advancing sisterhood, philanthropy, scholastic excellence and Asian-awareness in the community, according to the group's website. A small Napa school of just 550 students beat out more than a thousand of other Bay Area schools in the first cup of the educational nonprofit Khan Academys LearnStorm. The free nine-week online math challenge is designed to reward mastery, and the hustle it takes to try and try again to get the answer right. It is in the hustle category that Napas Phillips Elementary school came out on top. According to the Napa Valley Unified School District, 65 percent of the students are English language learners and 82 percent come from challenged socio-economic backgrounds. And yet, Phillips students finished in first place on the leaderboard for hustle in the first of three cups or phases of the challenge. And, illustrating that it is by trying that students learn, they came in 10th on the mastery side too. Sixth-grader Sarai Lopez said, My heart started beating really fast, then I heard my name. Sarai is celebrating a personal victory as well: she was among the top points-earners in her grade. The Mountain View-based Khan Academy calls Learn Storm a math and mindset development program. As you might expect, the leaders in the mastery category are historically better funded and higher performing. But with the mastery category, smaller schools with fewer resources are elevated too. This is meant to reward the students who are taking on the challenge, trying a new skill, said Margaret Watson of Khan Academy. One of the strategies to teach the students to stop saying I cant and start saying I cant yet. Khan Academy cant say how many students and schools are participating in the 2016 challenge because it continues until April 1. But, in the 2015 pilot year, more than 72,000 students and more than 1,500 schools participated throughout the Bay Area. Schools in Chicago, Idaho and Ireland are also participating in Learn Storm. Students from 3rd through 12th grade can access Learn Storm curriculum wherever they get online. It is designed to be adaptive: to meet students where they are, reinforce what they know and then introduce the next concept when theyre ready. Technology teacher Jennifer Ellison stumbled upon Learn Storm in its pilot year, as she was looked to Khan Academy to find a way to teach coding to her students. She said, I want them to be able to code so they can make money and pay for their college education. Ellison adds that she never imagined how Learn Storm would take off at her school. Her boss, principal Matt Manning told the students at an assembly in their honor, Not only are we, your teachers, so proud of you, but when you do good work and you work really hard and you meet successes, the world notices. Phillips Elementary now holds a shiny silver Cup for hustle, the first of three to be awarded in the 2016. The students arent ready to sit back and relax. Fifth-grader Jesus Limones said, Were going to keep on going until we get the second cup. Here are the full leaderboards for hustle and for mastery. Khan Academy LearnStorm: Hustle Leaderboard, Cup 1 1. Phillips Elementary School, Napa 2. Newark Junior High School, Newark 3. Bay Area Technology School, Oakland 4. Oakland Unity High School, Oakland 5. Summit Denali School, Sunnyvale 6. KIPP Heartwood Academy, San Jose 7. Cordelia Hills Elementary School, Fairfield 8. Redwood Middle School, Saratoga 9. Homestead High School, Cupertino 10. Madison Park Academy, Oakland Mastery Leaderboard, Cup 1 1. Bel Aire Elementary School, Tiburon 2. Gilroy High School, Gilroy 3. Public Safety Academy, Fairfield 4. Redwood Middle School, Saratoga 5. C. T. English Middle School, Los Gatos 6. American Canyon Middle School, American Canyon 7. Newark Junior High School, Newark 8. Valley Christian Junior High School, San Jose 9. Centerville Junior High, Fremont 10. Phillips Elementary School, Napa Mastery Total Points Leaderboard, Cup 2 1. South Valley Middle School, Gilroy 2. Gilroy High School, Gilroy 3. Redwood Middle School, Saratoga 4. Public Safety Academy, Fairfield 5. Christopher High School, Fairfield Hustle Total Points Leaderboard, Cup 2 1. Phillips Elementary School, Napa 2. Grange Middle School, Fairfield 3. South Valley Middle School, Gilroy 4. Bay Area Technology School, Oakland 5. Joseph Weller Elementary School, Milpitas Mastery Points Per Eligible Student Leaderboard, Cup 2 1. C. T. English Middle School, Los Gatos 2. August Schilling Elementary School, Newark 3. John F. Kennedy Elementary School, Newark 4. KIPP Excelencia Community Prep, Redwood City 5. South Valley Middle School, Gilroy Hustle Points Per Eligible Student Leaderboard, Cup 2 1. De Marillac Academy, San Francisco 2. Phillips Elementary School, Napa 3. Joseph Weller Elementary School, Milpitas 4. Bay Area Technology School, Oakland 5. C. T. English Middle School, Los Gatos Mastery Total Points Leaderboard, Cup 3 1. Gilroy High School, Gilroy 2. South Valley Middle School, Gilroy 3. Redwood Middle School, Saratoga 4. Christopher High School, Gilroy 5. Grange Middle School, Fairfield Hustle Total Points Leaderboard, Cup 3 1. South Valley Middle School, Gilroy 2. Grange Middle School, Fairfield 3. Joseph Weller Elementary School, Milpitas 4. Summit Public School: Denali, Sunnyvale 5. Bay Area Technology School, Oakland Mastery Points Per Eligible Student Leaderboard, Cup 3 1. Arundel Elementary School, San Carlos 2. C. T. English Middle School, Los Gatos 3. Fairwood Elementary School, Sunnyvale 4. Lincoln Elementary School, Richmond 5. Stevenson Elementary School, Mountain View Hustle Points Per Eligible Student Leaderboard, Cup 3 1. Joseph Weller Elementary School, Milpitas 2. Bay Area Technology School, Oakland 3. Summit Public School: Denali, Sunnyvale 4. St. Joseph Elementary School, Pinole 5. St. Joseph of Cupertino Elementary School, Cupertino For more information about Khan Academy: www.khanacademy.org For more information about Learn Storm: www.learnstorm2016.org The Chicago Tribune editorial board announced its endorsement Wednesday of presidential hopeful and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, but failed to endorse a Democratic presidential candidate. The Tribune's endorsement credited Rubio for his foreign policy experience, his bilingual fluency and his youth. It also noted his policy stances, which include spending limits, line-item vetoes and a balanced-budget amendment. Rubio trails businessman Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in pledged delegates in the Republican presidential race. Trump holds 458 pledged delegates, while Cruz holds 359 and Rubio holds 151. Rubio failed to win any of Tuesday's four primaries. He has been ramping up campaign efforts in his home state of Florida in the lead-up to the March 15 primary. Ohio Gov. John Kasich holds 54 pledged delegates. "Right here is where liberal and conservative critics fire howitzers at this or that Rubio drawback," the editorial board wrote. "We look forward to debating those points in a general election campaign. But we won't be able to do so if Trump or Cruz is the nominee." "The Tribune today endorses Marco Rubio for the Republican presidential nomination," the board added. On the Democratic side, the board faulted former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders for proposing "vast new expenditures by a federal government already committed to wildly more spending than its taxpayers and low-growth economy can afford." Clinton leads Sanders in pledged delegates, 760 to 546. Clinton won Mississippi on Tuesday and Sanders, in an upset, won Michigan. The board referred to Sanders' plans for a universal system of Medicare and free tuition at public colleges and universities as well as Clinton's plans for Social Security as cause for alarm. They claimed these were empty promises that could not be fulfilled by the highly indebted American government. "Clinton and Sanders are smart and shrewd enough on economics to know they essentially are promising Americans whole fleets of Lamborghinis that never ... will ... be ... built," the board wrote. "This year, federal deficits begin a new climb that rises, every year, for as far as the Congressional Budget Office projects to fiscal 2026." The board explained that Rubio has a clear and realistic plan for his presidency, while the Democrats do not. "Agree or disagree with Marco Rubio on various issues, he offers Illinois voters the framework of a presidency that realistically could exist," the board wrote. "Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have not met this fundamental economic test." The editorial board claimed that it will keep an open mind, with regard to the Democrats, but warned against the aforementioned promises and pledges made by the candidates. Rubio will face Trump, Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich in the March 15 Illinois Republican presidential primary. Clinton and Sanders will face off in the Illinois Democratic presidential primary on the same day. Karla Lee said in an exclusive interview with NBC Chicago she has not been able to sleep ever since police announced the alleged executioner of her son Tyshawn has been formally charged in the 9-year-olds Nov. 2 death. Dwright Boone-Doty, 22, planned to torture Tyshawn by cutting off his fingers and ears but ultimately lured him into an alley and shot the child numerous times at close range, Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez said at the news conference Tuesday. After several horrific details were released, Karla Lee said there is one thing she is thankful for. It was real sad, especially hearing the details of how they originally planned that, Karla Lee said. Im just glad that it didnt happen that way. Im glad they didnt torture my baby. Im real glad about that. CPD identified executioner in the Tyshawn Lee murder case. Press conf. w/ @SAAnitaAlvarez @TomDart @ChicagoFBI tomorrow at 1230 w details Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) March 8, 2016 CPD followup investigation revealed Tyshawn was targeted, lured & executed. Media avail will be at HQ tomorrow @ 1230pm. Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) March 8, 2016 Karla Lee said she knew Tuesday evening police would be announcing the murder charge before it made headlines, but it didnt change the fact that Tyshawn is gone. [[371451511, C]] Im gonna have to go on for the rest of my life without my child, Karla Lee said. A lot of people say Im so strong but they are on the outside looking in. I might appear strong but there are times where Im breaking down every day. Boone-Doty was charged with the murders of the fourth-grader at Joplin Elementary School, as well as Brianna Jenkins, as part of what officials said was a gang war. A judge on Tuesday ordered Boone-Doty held without bail. He and two others accused in the case, including Corey Morgan, had planned to go on a killing spree after Morgan's brother, Tracy, was killed in a shooting on Oct. 13, 2015, officials said. In total, Boone-Doty has been charged with five felony offenses in connection with three separate cases. He was already in custody on unrelated gun charges, according to county records. The records did not indicate if Boone-Doty had an attorney. A 22-year-old has been charged in the execution-style shooting of Tyshawn Lee, as well as the death of a woman killed before the 9-year-old. NBC 5s Natalie Martinez reports. "I must tell you today I dont think I've ever been more disgusted and appalled by such inhumanity," Alvarez said. "This intentional murder of Tyshawn Lee is among the worst that I have ever seen in my more than 30 years as a prosecutor." The city saw at least 468 murders last year, but Tyshawns killing gained national attention and spotlighted the citys violence epidemic. As Father Michael Pfleger said at the child's funeral attended by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, "Tyshawn you touched the United States of America." My son in a better place now thats all I can really say, Karla Lee said. He is free. Altamont Corridor Expressway was back in service on Wednesday after a day off the tracks following the derailment in Sunol, California, that sent a train plunging down a ravine, injuring nine passengers. Ridership, however, was slightly lower than an average day, and travel times were delayed by roughly five to 10 minutes, officials said. The 5:30 a.m. train was about half full of normal occupancy, according to frequent rider Skip Baydo. The car seemed pretty empty, he told NBC Bay Area. Still, he and the other riders didnt seem too afraid that their train would derail, as happened Monday evening as a result of a mudslide, according to authorities. "Accidents happen," Baydo said simply. ACE spokesman Steve Walker said the car that derailed will be taken offline permanently after being damaged in the crash something thats now happened only twice in a decade to the ACE lines, which run between Stockton to San Jose. The train was traveling at 35 mph in a 40 mph speed zone, Walker said. The train car will be studied at a facility in Stockton. Although originally slated to leave from Fremont Wednesday, its departure was delayed by a day. ACE officials say they wanted to give crews more time to make repairs and ensure the car is strong enough to make the trip. Union Pacific officials said Tuesday that a mudslide was the most likely cause of the accident, which caused a tree to fall across on the tracks and the train to veer off its path and into Alameda Creek. An engineer was on scene in Sunol Wednesday, trying to determine what caused the mudslide and ascertain if there is a risk it could happen again. However, spokesman Francisco Castillo said it's unlikely the company will install mudslide sensors and special fencing, since this was the first such event in at least 20 years. ACE owns the train, but not the tracks, and officials Wednesday said they welcome any technology to make the route safer. "I think it would be a great benefit anywhere along the tracks, where there could be a potential slide," Walker said. "We would work with Union Pacific on that. Safety is our top priority, anything we can implement that would enhance security and safety would be great." Passengers described the derailment as a scene straight out of the 1993 film, "The Fugitive," with Harrison Ford. As of Tuesday night, two passengers were still in the hospital; a woman at Eden Medical Center and a man at Washington Hospital, officials said. When the train travels through the area of Niles Canyon Boulevard, where the derailment occurred, the engineer will take it very slowly, about 5 to 10 mph, Walker said. A Union Pacific rail inspection pickup truck will also ride on the tracks at a railway crossing in Sunol and ride about a mile ahead of the ACE trains Wednesday as a safety precaution, Walker said. In addition, Union Pacific workers are resuming work at the derailment site on Wednesday to make sure everything is in working order, Walker added. The car that was partially derailed will be evaluated and returned to service likely within the next month, Walker said. The main locomotive and the three remaining cars will likely be back in service next week. Those cars are now being stored in Fremont, Walker said, and will eventually be headed back to Stockton. Customers who left their belongings on the train when it derailed can pick them up at ACE headquarters in Stockton at 949 E. Channel Street. They are open Monday through Friday from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. Margo Seibert and Natalie Brasington don't think women should have to pay a "period tax," and like a growing number of other women, they are publicly questioning whether being female in the U.S. carries unfair costs. The pair are among five New York City women who filed a lawsuit last week arguing that it was unconstitutional for the state to levy sales tax on tampons and sanitary napkins while offering medical product exemptions to many other items used by both genders, like lip balm, foot powder and dandruff shampoo. The case, they say, is about more than the few cents in tax levied on each pack. Sick of the social taboo, and frustrated by a lack of access for some to a staple, these women and others are talking very publicly about menstruation and gaining political traction that would have been impossible a generation ago. A national push to abolish sales tax on tampons is gathering steam, led by social media campaigns like #periodswithoutshame. At least seven states are now considering legislation. Illinois lawmakers were holding a hearing on the latest proposal Wednesday. Connecticut legislators discussed the issue Monday. Cosmopolitan magazine launched an online petition, and even President Barack Obama has questioned why the items are taxed. "I tend to talk about my period quite a bit, to anyone who will listen," said Seibert, a 31-year-old actress and founder of an online campaign that promotes a "shame-free" period. Brasington, a 31-year-old photographer, said the tax affects women disproportionately and is a genuine burden for poorer women. "Being a woman is so expensive," she said. Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, a vice president at the NYU School of Law's Brennan Center for Justice, said she began writing articles and op-eds on "menstrual equity" when she discovered food pantries were desperate for sanitary napkins and tampons because poor women can't afford them. The tax campaign reflects a broader debate over "gender pricing," or charging women and men different rates for similar products and services, from haircuts to razors to T-shirts. New York City's consumer protection agency studied the cost of 800 common household items last year and found that products marketed to women cost, on average, 7 percent more than similar products for men. "Women's outcry over this issue isn't just about the tax on tampons. It's a reflection of the routine unfairness that seeps into our everyday lives," said Sonia Ossorio, president of the National Organization for Women in New York. "At the end of the day, the tampon tax movement is one small way to challenge the broader sexism that still persists. Because that's the real taboo here." While women's advocates have long lamented that many women's products cost more, their providers say there can be legitimate reasons a more decorative product or more complicated haircut, for instance. And some have noted that women sometimes pay less: for life and auto insurance, for example. Nationwide, 40 states tax feminine hygiene products, deeming them non-necessities or even "luxury items," while making exceptions for products as similar as adult incontinence pads. Currently, five U.S. states exempt tampons and other feminine hygiene products from their sales tax, which varies around the country from about 2.9 percent to as high as 7.5 percent. Another five states have no sales tax. New York taxes tampons and sanitary napkins as tools "to control a normal bodily function and to maintain personal cleanliness." The 4 percent state sales tax on the products costs New York women millions of dollars a year; estimates range from about $7 million to twice that, a minute fraction of the state's $142 billion budget. Advocates say the cost, however small it may seem, is burdensome for poor women, who also can't purchase the products with food stamps. "Having one's period is not a luxury," state Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, a Democrat who has proposed abolishing the tax. "Because of our biology, we bear this extra cost, and the state should not compound it." The state Department of Taxation and Finance declined to comment, citing the lawsuit. Two major manufacturers of feminine hygiene products, P&G, the maker of the Tampax brand, and Edgewell Personal Care Co., the maker of the Playtex brand, didn't respond to inquiries this week about the tax issue. Zoe Salzman, the attorney on the New York case, said they'd push to get a judge to rule the tax unlawful. "If men had to use these products every month, they would already be tax-exempt," she said. Meanwhile, the legislative proposal has yet to get a hearing, though supporters are hopeful about its prospects, especially since Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently said the tax should be abolished. That wasn't the sense in Utah, where a legislative committee last month nixed a proposal to tax-exempt the items. While some members of the all-male committee supported the idea, others questioned where the state would draw the line on what to tax in the future. The Los Angeles Times, in an editorial last week, expressed similar concerns in opposing a tax exemption that California lawmakers are considering. Overseas, Canada removed taxes on the items last year, and British leaders, who have set the tax at the lowest possible level, have considered doing away with it altogether. Fighting for Florida and beyond, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders tangled in an intense debate Wednesday night over who's the true friend of American Hispanics, trading accusations over guest worker programs "akin to slavery" and the embracing of "vigilantes" against immigrants. They had even worse things to say about Republican front-runner Donald Trump. Facing off just six days before Florida gives its verdict on the presidential race, Clinton faulted Sanders for repeatedly voting against a 2007 comprehensive immigration reform bill; he faulted her for opposing a 2007 effort to let people who were in the country illegally obtain driver's licenses. Had the immigration package passed back then, Clinton said, "a lot of the issues we are still discussing today would be in the rearview mirror." Sanders retorted that he opposed the legislation because it included a guest worker program "akin to slavery." The debate opened with a question that appeared to startle Clinton. Univision's Jorge Ramos asked her if she would drop out of the race if indicted over the handling of her email while secretary of state. "Oh for goodness, that is not going to happen," Clinton declared. "I'm not even answering that question." The FBI is investigating the possibility of mishandling of sensitive information that passed through Clinton's private email server. Sanders, as he has in the past, declined to bite on the issue, saying, "The process will take its course." He said he'd rather talk about the issues of wealth and income inequality. Both candidates were bidding for momentum after Sanders surprised Clinton with an upset victory in Michigan on Tuesday. Clinton stressed that she has a strong lead in the delegates, declaring, "This is a marathon, and it is a marathon that can only be carried by the kind of campaign I am running." Sanders said his Michigan surprise was evidence that his message is resonating. "We are going to continue to do extremely well," he said, adding that he expects to convince superdelegates who are backing Clinton to switch to his column. Immigration commanded considerable attention for good reason: Florida is home to nearly 1.8 million Hispanics, including about 15 percent of the state's Democrats. Hispanic voters have made up about 10 percent of voters in the Democratic primaries so far this year, and Clinton has been getting about two-thirds of their votes to about one-third for Sanders. The Vermont senator stresses that he's making progress on winning over younger Hispanics. Clinton at one point accused Sanders of supporting legislation that would have led to indefinite detention of people facing deportation, and for standing with Minutemen vigilantes. He called that notion "ridiculous" and "absurd," and accused Clinton of picking small pieces out of big legislative packages to distort his voting record. "No, I do not support vigilantes and that is a horrific statement and an unfair statement to make," he said. For all the disagreements, the overall tone of the candidates was considerably less tense than their Sunday faceoff. Sanders even paused at one point to make fun of his own pronunciation of "huge" as "yuge." Both found agreement in pointing to GOP front-runner Trump as markedly worse on immigration than either of them. Clinton mocked Trump's plan for a wall on the Mexican border, saying he'd build "the most beautiful tall wall, better than the great wall of China" to be "magically" paid for by Mexico. That, she said, is a fantasy. Sanders said that in the immigration debate "we do not, as Donald Trump and others have done, resort to racism and xenophobia and bigotry." There were any number of areas of agreement, including the need to reduce student loan debt. Sanders said he'd come up with a plan "many months before she did." "Thanks for copying a very good idea," he said. The candidates squared off soon after a testy debate in Michigan on Sunday in which they argued about trade and economic issues of particular interest in the industrial Midwest. With Missouri, Illinois, Ohio among the states that will be voting on Tuesday, the candidates returned to a pointed matter they'd already argued about three days earlier, scuffling over Sanders' vote against 2009 legislation that bailed out the auto industry, among others. Sanders said he opposed the bill because it also bailed out big banks that had fueled the recession to begin with. Clinton stressed she'd made a different judgment to side with the automakers. Overall, 691 delegates are at stake on Tuesday, including 99 in Florida, which be awarded proportionally by Democrats. Clinton has won 762 pledged delegates compared to 549 for Sanders, with 10 delegates from recent primaries still to be allocated. When superdelegates are included, Clinton leads 1,223 to 574, more than halfway to the 2,383 needed to win the Democratic nomination. After finding six skimmers state-wide in the past month, state officials urge consumers take extra caution when filling up at the gas pump. State inspector Daryl Owens has noticed the anecdotal trend. He says he has noticed more credit card skimmers in the past few years than ever before. [Skimming] was up in Boston and in New York, and now its moving into our state, said Owens. So were trying to be proactive and make sure everyones protected. He and his colleagues monitor gas stations, figuring out ways to help combat fraud. The latest technology isnt a fancy device or a sensor, rathera sticker. He peels it off and sticks it front and center. That seal will actually be located at the front of the dispenser, and thats actually to seal the dispenser lock to make sure [no one has] tampered with the pump, said Owens. He adds, thieves will almost always install gas station skimmers by wiring it inside the pump instead of adding a device over the card reader. The transaction goes through seamlessly. And [consumers] would never know they were being skimmed, said Owens. The Department of Consumer Protection urges consumers immediately report a broken seal to the gas station owner before calling police. DCP also suggests checking your bank account regularly. Owens says skimming thieves will typically use a stolen card for a small charge before making a bigger purchase. The first charge is just a test charge, said Owens. Thats why keeping a close eye on your statement is key. Plainville police are searching for a a man who was involved in a fight at popular shopping plaza on Saturday night. Two victims were hurt, including a 22-year-old woman who was punched over and over again by two men. Police said the incident started inside the Imperial Buffet restaurant when one group made a comment to another group and the fight became physical right outside the restaurant around 8:40 p.m. A 50-year-old man was knocked unconscious for a brief period and had to be hospitalized and a 22-year-old woman had injuries on her face after being punched so hard she fell to the ground, police said. The manager at Imperial Buffet told NBC Connecticut he watched the fight happen from the window, but it was too fast for anyone to stop it. The restaurant does not have surveillance cameras outside, but the altercation was caught on cell phone video. Customers called police to report a fight in progress, but when officers arrived, the assailants were gone. They eventually tracked down one suspect, Luis Santiago, 47, of New Britain, who has been charged with conspiracy to commit assault in the second degree, risk of injury to a minor, assault in the third degree, reckless endangerment in the second degree and breach of peace in the second degree. He is due in court on assault charges March 14. Police are still looking for his accomplice, who they said is in his 30s. Anyone with information is asked to call Plainville Police. Four Hartford residents are being hailed as heroes after saving a woman from a burning building on Saturday. Hartford Fire Chief Reginald Freeman presented the victims daughter, grandson, nephew and roommate with an award of excellence. Geneva Waterman, 38, Gabriel Walker, 15, Ian Joiner, 29 and Marcus Armstrong, 23, helped to catch Sharon Roscoe, 60, as she jumped from a second floor window at 228-230 Vine Street in Hartford. Without thinking, they did the right thing and it made a difference, Hartford Fire Chief Reginald D. Freeman said. Chief Freeman said he feels it is important to recognize civilians who go above and beyond to help others. But the award recipients said it was just instinct. I didnt need an award. Shes my mom. I love her. I would have done anything for her. But it feels good, said Geneva Waterman, who helped to save her mother. The victims family members said there was also a Good Samaritan who lent a hand and they also want to thank him. He came out of nowhere and he didnt have to. So the fact that he went out of his way to help me and save my aunt really means a lot. So this is just as much his as it is mine. Hes a hero as well, said Ian Joiner, the victims nephew. Family members said Sharon Roscoe has a broken bone in her foot and a burn on her back, but she is in good spirits and recovering at the hospital. It took firefighters an hour to extinguish the blaze. Investigators said the fire might have started in the kitchen, but the investigation is ongoing. Three sex assaults were reported in a two-week time frame on a busy college campus in Hartford. The Trinity College campus safety office maintains a daily crime log at its headquarters on Vernon Street. Late Tuesday morning, the Troubleshooters poured through Trinity's crime and fire logs daring back to Dec. 1, 2015. According to those documents, three seperate sex assaults were reported at Trinity throughout the month of February. The first sex assault labled "forcible rape" reportedly took place on Feb. 13 at an on-campus residence hall. However, this assault wasn't reported until three days later. The second sex assault classified as "fondling" happened on Valentine's Day on Vernon Street. The third assault, also deemed "fondling" happened in the early morning hours of Feb. 28 on campus. It's unclear whether any of these three sex assualts are connected but the log books state each were handled with a "disciplinary referral." Souces said the school did not notify the campus community of these assaults. The Troubleshooters checked with the Hartford Police Department and their records division told NBC Connecticut they are not investigating any Trinity related incidents in recent weeks. Trinity officials tell the Troubleshooters regarding reports of sexual misconduct that the college is guided by an interim policy. The policy states, in part, that anyone can make a report and the school will respond promptly and equitably to all allegations of sexual misconduct, in addition to providing resource options for victims of alleged sexual assault. Kathy Andrews is the Interim Director of Communications at Trinity. Here is a statement she emailed Troubleshooter Jill Konopka: We care about the safety of all members of our campus community and we care about their rights to privacy. In cases where the circumstances of an alleged incident of sexual misconduct suggest that the safety of the Trinity community is at risk, we work swiftly to notify the community. There are multiple factors involved in assessing whether or not a report of an incident calls for a timely warning or notification to the campus community. In the cases you asked about, as with any such reported incidents, we followed the federal Clery Act requirements to determine whether to notify the campus of a reported incident. The University of Saint Joseph is offering free housing to students who qualify for a new local scholarship. The partnership with the non-profit Hartford Promise is expected to help more Hartford students further their education. We want to encourage those kinds of decisions that lead to greater college success," said Hartford Promise President Richard Sugarman. Now, students who qualify for the Hartford Promise Scholarship will get part of their tuition paid for and be able to live on campus for free. Those students will get a $20,000 scholarship over four years and Saint Joseph will match that in the form of free housing. Any student who has lived and attended high school in Hartford for all four years, held a 3.0 GPA, and had 93 percent or better attendance can qualify. 38:04 Richard Sugarman, Hartford Promise President: We want to encourage those kinds of decisions that lead to greater college success. Saint Josephs new president believes the program is a win-win for students and the school. They are just the perfect type of student. Every university wants students like the Hartford Promise students," said Rhonda Free. Sugarman hopes more Hartford students and their families will consider college as a real option when they learn about the program. He said many of those qualifying are the first in their families to attend college. We want to foster a robust college-going culture in Hartford," Sugarman added. Many who do attend college chose to live at home to save money. Attending the University of Saint Joseph costs $35,000, not including room and board. The goal of the housing scholarship is to give students who might otherwise commute to class the full college experience. Students are much more likely to graduate in four years. They develop all sorts of other life skills when theyre living on campus," Free explained. I have more opportunities on campus. I have three campus employment jobs. So, I can get around classes easier," added Cinthia Vega-Ortiz, a freshman at the University of Saint Joseph. Saint Josephs is the fourth college to partner up with Hartford Promise but the first to offer free housing. Sugerman believes the idea has academic and economic value. We want to encourage people to live in Hartford, frankly. So, if we have Hartford Promise scholarships for Hartford residents and people who go to Hartford public high schools, we think that will encourage people to live in Hartford, move in Hartford, stay in Hartford," he said. The first scholarships will be given out to this years graduating class and 140 Hartford students are on track to receive them. A Waterbury Police officer was fired after an investigation found he was linked to a sex trafficking operation, police said. Former Officer Jermaine Dunbar, an eight year veteran of the patrol division, broke several department policies including improper associations, truthfulness, conduct unbecoming to an officer, neglect of duty and insubordination. He was fired last Friday. On April 13, 2015, the Waterbury Police Department got information about an ongoing investigation being conducted by the Watertown Police Department that was initiated from a complaint from the Department of Children and Families, Waterbury Police said. The Watertown Police investigation led to two suspects being arrested for various charges including narcotics, illegal weapons possession, promoting prostitution and human trafficking. NBC Connecticut news learned that one of the suspects is Dunbar's family member and another is a friend. Investigators believe Dunbar was at the Watertown home where two 16-year-old girls were given drugs and having sex with men. One girl said she had sex with Dunbar but police said he denies this claim. This investigation and arrest led police to question Dunbar's off-duty conduct, according to Waterbury Police. While the former officer was not criminally charged, he was placed on administrative leave during an internal affairs investigation. After 11 months, the investigation found Dunbar had conducted himself in way that "negatively" reflects the department and is "inappropriate conduct for any law enforcement officer," according to Waterbury Police. A suspect in the shooting deaths of five men including a quadruple homicide inside a Kansas City home was arrested early Wednesday in a ditch next to a Missouri highway, NBC News reported. Pablo Antonio Serrano-Vitorino, 40, was taken into custody after pulling a gun on a passerby at a gas station, Sgt. Scott White of Missouri State Highway Patrol told reporters. The witness called cops, who found the suspect in a ditch near the junction of Interstate 70 and Highway 19 in Montgomery County, about 170 miles east of Kansas City. A rifle was discovered but Serrano-Vitorino did not resist arrest, according to officials. Serrano-Vitorino, a citizen of Mexico, was kicked out of the U.S. in 2004 but returned illegally, Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. He had been fingerprinted last September, but ICE erroneously sent him to the wrong agency, federal officials said. Mourners saluted from freeway overpasses and lined Southern California streets Wednesday morning as a memorial procession for former first lady Nancy Reagan traveled to the Reagan Library, where a funeral service is scheduled for Friday. Thousands are expected to trek to Simi Valley, California, through Thursday to pay their final respects to Reagan, who died in Bel Air Sunday at age 94. The former first lady will lie in repose at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum from 1 to 7 p.m. and again from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday. Her casket was taken from a Santa Monica funeral home in a motorcade Wednesday morning to the Library, about 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, where it will remain for the public viewing. Firefighters, police officers and others saluated the motorcade as it passed below several freeway overpasses during the journey north through West Los Angeles, into the San Fernando Valley and west to Simi Valley. Eight U.S. Secret Service agents served as pallbearers. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Kinnersley was assigned to President Ronald Reagan after he left office, according to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. The seven others all served Nancy Reagan in the past: Supervisory Special Officer Christopher Cousino and special agents Thomas Feuerborn, Tim Yoshitake, Cory Chhiap, Steven Kulpaca, Nathan Judd and Melanie Lentz. People hoping to view the casket will not be able to drive to the museum but will have to park at the former Bank of America property at 400 National Way in Simi Valley and take a shuttle. Ronald Reagan Foundation officials noted that security will be tight and advised people not to bring large bags, cameras or strollers. Gifts and flowers will only be accepted at the bottom of Presidential Drive and at the shuttle pickup location. According to the foundation, Nancy Reagan requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Ronald Reagan Memorial Fund at www.reaganlibrary.com. The Reagan library will remain closed to the general public until 10 a.m. Sunday. There's no estimate of how many people will attend during the two-day visitation, but the museum is bracing for large crowds since Nancy Reagan's funeral service at 11 a.m. Friday will be closed to the public. A trio of former first ladies, including Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, are among those expected to attend Friday's funeral service, along with current first lady Michelle Obama, although President Barack Obama is not expected to be there. He is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, on March 11 and Michelle Obama was scheduled to speak there on March 16. "Mrs. Reagan was a woman of incredible strength and grace and she was a passionate advocate for so many important issues," Michelle Obama said Tuesday. "For the example she set both during her time in the White House and beyond, Mrs. Reagan reminded us of the importance of women's leadership at every level of society. And on a personal note, Mrs. Reagan also understood the value of mentoring," she said. "She warmly and willingly offered advice and encouragement to me as I settled in to my role as first lady, and I am so grateful for her kindness and generosity to me and my family over the years." Clinton campaign spokesman Nick Merrill wrote on his Twitter account Tuesday that Hillary Clinton "is going to drop off the (campaign) trail briefly on Friday to attend Nancy Reagan's funeral services in California." Former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, are also expected to attend, along with former first lady Rosalynn Carter, according to officials at the Reagan Library. Former President Lyndon Johnson's daughters, Luci and Lynda, are expected to attend, along with Tricia Nixon Cox, a daughter of President Richard Nixon. Nancy Reagan will be buried next to her husband, the 40th president, with whom she had a love affair spanning five decades. U.S. flags on public buildings across the country -- and at the Reagan\ Library -- were lowered to half-staff in her memory Monday, following a directive from the president. A fierce protector of her husband's presidential legacy, the woman behind the "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign and the first lady known for tasteful glamour at the White House, Nancy Reagan died of congestive heart failure while asleep at the Bel Air home where she had lived since 1989, Ronald Reagan Foundation spokeswoman Joanne Drake said. The Reagans were married in March 1952 and purchased a home in Pacific Palisades, where they lived until a move to Sacramento in 1966. They had two children together, Patti and Ron Jr., and she also helped raise Ronald Reagan's two children with his first wife, Jane Wyman. Ronald and Nancy Reagan were both actors, but "Hellcats Of the Navy" in 1957 was the only movie in which they appeared together, although she continued to act in TV and minor movie roles. Her biggest roles, however, were not on the screen, but as Ronald Reagan's adviser, counselor and protector when he was in public life, and later, as his chief caregiver after he became stricken by Alzheimer's disease. Reagan died in June 2004. Reagan's daughter, Patti Davis, said in a statement on her website that her mother "had been in poor health for quite a while, and recently had gotten markedly worse, so this wasn't a surprise." "That said, death always feels like a surprise," she said. "I appreciate the attention and prayers of people I will probably never meet. Just as when my father died, there is comfort in feeling surrounded by gentle thoughts and kind wishes, often sent out by strangers. "And just as when my father died, we will honor my mother publicly -- stand on the public stage and share as much as we can. Then, when that is completed, we'll draw the circle in a little tighter and deal with the often complicated map of personal loss." You never know for sure if your insurance will cover you until you try to use it, as a North Texas farmer learned when his tractor was stolen. Texas ranks No. 1 for heavy equipment theft, which includes tractors. In this case, the issue was whether the tractor was in the farmer's possession. He says it was, but his insurance company says it wasn't. Brad LaFavers said he feels like he's on the wrong end of a technicality. He moves bales hay on about 1,800 acres of land in Hunt County. He said his tractor was stolen in Quinlan the night after he came back from a day trip to a town two hours away. "We moved hay on Monday and then Tuesday, my daughter asked me to go pick up a grain tank in Henderson," he said LaFavers. "So my son and I left with the trailer and went to Henderson and picked up a grain tank, so we didn't move hay that day." When LaFavers filed a claim for the tractor, his insurance company denied it. Texas Pioneer Farm Mutual Insurance said the tractor was "not in his possession," since he'd been out of town. "I don't understand exactly how do you put a tractor in your possession," LaFavers told us. "I didn't have anyone else using it. It was on leased land that I had farmed for quite some time and it's not unusual to leave tractors when you're still in the field working." But Texas Pioneer Farm Mutual Insurance told us in an email: "Our policy is designed to cover the most common loss exposures at a the lowest possible cost to protect our member policyholders... Since farm equipment is a target for theft and vandalism when left unattended, we limit the location of farm equipment to the described location. We expanded this to allow coverage at another location when the insured has the equipment with him... We suggest that it is a good idea for a prospective insured to compare coverages as well as rates to make sure he has the correct coverages and to choose the company that best fits his needs." LaFavers says that doesn't make sense. "At the end of each season, you bring your tractors home or you store them in barns or what not," he said. "In the middle of the season, when you're working, you don't bring it home at night like you would a briefcase." "They took my money in good faith and I expect them to pay my money in good faith," LeFavers added. Lafavers has filed a complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance and he's checking out his legal options. He said, in retrospect, he would have asked a lot more questions before he signed his policy. That's good advice. Policies can vary depending on the cost and the insurer. Lafavers now has a new insurer, which is now covering his other tractor. Here are tips to protect heavy equipment like tractors. Here is a heavy equipment fact sheet from the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Federal prosecutors have linked two men accused in the execution-style murder of a drug cartel lawyer in Southlake nearly three years ago to as many as 12 other slayings, according to court documents obtained by NBC 5. Juan Jesus Guerrero Chapa, the personal lawyer for the one-time leader of the powerful Gulf Cartel, was gunned down in May 2013 as he and his wife were getting in their Range Rover after shopping at Southlake Town Square. His wife wasn't injured. In recently-filed court papers, prosecutors claim two of the three men arrested for stalking Guerrero were involved in a years-long killing spree in Mexico's third-largest city, Monterrey, only a two-hour drive south of the Texas-Mexico border. In the most recent slaying, the Southlake victim's brother-in-law was murdered in Monterrey in February. Prosecutors claim emails obtained by federal agents link Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Cepeda, 59, and his son, Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Campano Jr., 32, to the string of murders. The Ledezmas were one-time police officers in Mexico. A third defendant, Jose Luis Cepeda-Cortes, 59, faces the same charges in the Southlake murder but is accused of being involved in only one of the other slayings. Cepeda-Cortes is Ledezma-Cepeda's cousin. The three, all Mexican citizens, are not accused of being the actual shooters in the Southlake attack. Instead, they are portrayed by prosecutors as running a sophisticated intelligence wing for a cartel hit squad. The cartel is not identified. The three placed an electronic tracking device on Guerrero's vehicle and even used remote cameras placed in his upscale Southlake neighborhood to track his movements leading up to the murder, according to their indictment. Their trial, set for next month in federal court in Fort Worth, promises to lay bare the inner workings of cartels and the government agents targeting them. Guerrero, who was living quietly with his wife and children in a $1.3 million Southlake mansion, was a U.S. government informant, NBC 5 has reported. In a separate court filing which hints at the men's defense, attorneys for one of the accused wrote that they will ask government witnesses about Guerrero's "illegal activities" while he was an informant living in Southlake. LINKS TO 12 MURDERS According to U.S. prosecutors, the men were involved in the following murders both before and after the Southlake attack: Luis Cortes Ochoa , the former undersecretary of security in the Monterrey suburb of San Pedro Garza. He was gunned down in his pickup on Feb. 24, 2010. Ledezma-Campano and Ledezma-Cepeda had placed a tracking device on his vehicle, prosecutors said. , the former undersecretary of security in the Monterrey suburb of San Pedro Garza. He was gunned down in his pickup on Feb. 24, 2010. Ledezma-Campano and Ledezma-Cepeda had placed a tracking device on his vehicle, prosecutors said. Dionicio Cantu Rendon, he was reported missing on Feb. 3, 2012, and is presumed dead. Ledezma-Cepeda's emails link him to the slaying, prosecutors said. Cantu is not identified further and no other details were mentioned in the court document. he was reported missing on Feb. 3, 2012, and is presumed dead. Ledezma-Cepeda's emails link him to the slaying, prosecutors said. Cantu is not identified further and no other details were mentioned in the court document. Eliseo Martinez Elizondo , who was murdered almost exactly a month before Guerrero. All three suspects followed him using the same tracking device they used to follow Guerrero, prosecutors said. Elizondo also was a U.S. informant and, like Guerrero, was involved with Mexican casinos, according to the Monterrey newspaper Reporte Indigo. , who was murdered almost exactly a month before Guerrero. All three suspects followed him using the same tracking device they used to follow Guerrero, prosecutors said. Elizondo also was a U.S. informant and, like Guerrero, was involved with Mexican casinos, according to the Monterrey newspaper Reporte Indigo. Felipe Cantu Lozano , found murdered on Sept. 30, 2013. , found murdered on Sept. 30, 2013. Juan Cantu Cuellar , killed the same day. Investigators found the victims' names in Ledezma-Cepeda's emails. The content of the emails was not disclosed and no other details of the murders were released. , killed the same day. Investigators found the victims' names in Ledezma-Cepeda's emails. The content of the emails was not disclosed and no other details of the murders were released. Hector Javier Alvarez Reyna , 47, was gunned down in Monterrey the following month. He was killed near his mother's business where he worked. According to Mexican news reports, Alvarez was an ex-con who had served time for drug-related crimes. Prosecutors reported finding Alvarez's name in Ledezma-Cepeda's emails. , 47, was gunned down in Monterrey the following month. He was killed near his mother's business where he worked. According to Mexican news reports, Alvarez was an ex-con who had served time for drug-related crimes. Prosecutors reported finding Alvarez's name in Ledezma-Cepeda's emails. Rolando Caballero Diaz . The Ledezmas tracked him in August 2014 and he was "subsequently kidnapped and presumed dead," prosecutors say. . The Ledezmas tracked him in August 2014 and he was "subsequently kidnapped and presumed dead," prosecutors say. Artemio Gonzales-Wong , a top police official in the Monterrey suburb of Guadalupe, and three others. The four were gunned down in a vehicle while driving down a Monterrey street on Oct. 27, 2014. The leader of a political organization, Humberto Reyes Martinez, was gravely wounded in the attack and died nine months later. , a top police official in the Monterrey suburb of Guadalupe, and three others. The four were gunned down in a vehicle while driving down a Monterrey street on Oct. 27, 2014. The leader of a political organization, Humberto Reyes Martinez, was gravely wounded in the attack and died nine months later. Moises Tijerina de la Garza, Guerrero's brother-in-law and former municipal treasurer in a Monterrey suburb. On Feb. 23, 2016, he was shot six times with a 9-millimeter pistol when he walked out of a Monterrey bakery, according to Mexican news reports. His name also was found in the men's previous emails, prosecutors said. At the time of their arrests in September 2014, Ledezma-Cepeda and Ledezma-Campano were still searching for two other men, including Guerrero's brother, Armando Guerrero-Chapa, according to the court document. GUERRERO'S BACKGROUND Guerrero was the personal lawyer for Osiel Cardenas Guillen, the longtime head of Mexico's Gulf Cartel who has been described as one of the most brutal drug kingpins in Mexican history. Cardenas was arrested in Mexico in March 2003 but it was widely reported that he continued directing his drug empire from behind bars. He was later extradited to the U.S. In an extraordinary deal in 2010, Cardenas agreed to cooperate with U.S. investigators and was sentenced to just 25 years in prison. With Cardenas behind bars, the Zetas, which had been enforcers for the Gulf Cartel, broke off to become their own group. The Zetas and the Gulf cartels then engaged in a bloody battle for control of certain drug routes, according to drug experts. A "narcomanta," a public message on cloth posted by the Zetas in 2012, threatened Cardenas and Guerrero. DEFENDANTS HELPED DRUG DEALER FLEE: PROSECUTORS According to prosecutors, the father and son Ledezmas continued participating in other cartel activities in the U.S. in the months after Guerrero's murder, helping an accused drug dealer named Casimiro Bautista flee. An indictment in October 2013 accused Bautista of running a large-scale marijuana smuggling operation. The Ledezmas picked him up near the U.S.-Mexico border "at the time of his flight," prosecutors say. Bautista was rearrested and in January agreed to a plea agreement, admitting he had transported more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana from Mexico, through the Rio Grande Valley, and to regional distributors in Tennessee and Florida in hidden compartments in semi-trucks and campers. Bautista, also known as "Vecino" or "Sasquatch," agreed to forfeit $1.5 million. He has not yet been sentenced. DEFENSE TO ASK ABOUT VICTIM'S "ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES" WHILE U.S. INFORMANT Attorneys for one defendant, Cepeda-Cortes, filed a list of potential witnesses 57 names long. They include 19 FBI agents, 11 DEA agents and assorted other investigators and experts. The defendant's attorney said the witnesses would testify about the information Guerrero provided to federal agents about Mexican drug cartels that led to the U.S. seizure of cartels' "assets." The attorney said the information "ultimately resulted in the kidnapping and release of [Guerrero's] family based on the agreement that those organizations would no longer be targeted by [Guerrero]." It did not specify when the kidnapping happened or whether it occurred in Southlake or somewhere else. The attorneys also said their witnesses "will testify regarding the investigation into the illegal activities of [Guerrero] while [Guerrero]was a [U.S.] informant" and "the means used specifically by his drug operation to avoid interference from law enforcement." A Blackberry employee is expected to testify about Blackberry's messaging system, which is known for its encryption, and "records related to the use of Blackberry phones." An employee of Blackline GPS, a company which rents satellite tracking devices, will testify about the electronic gadgets allegedly used by the defendants and placed on Guerrero's car. A person only identified as a "cooperating witness" will talk about the "language used among drug dealers." Government prosecutors wanted 60 hours to present their case. U.S. District Judge Terry Means is giving them 35. The trial is set to start at 10 a.m. on April 25. Government Motion to Use Evidence DV.load("https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2753583-Govt-Motion-to-Use-Evidence-2.js", { width: 650, height: 800, sidebar: false, container: "#DV-viewer-2753583-Govt-Motion-to-Use-Evidence-2" }); Govt-Motion-to-Use-Evidence-2 (PDF) With its pages opened to the musings of Hamlet, visitors to Texas A&M University now have the opportunity to see a nearly 400-year-old printing of Shakespeare's works. After months of anticipation, the university unveiled the traveling "First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare" exhibit Tuesday at a special opening night event. After attending the first in a nearly monthlong slate of events, several visitors filed into the exhibit, patiently awaiting their turn to get a closer look at the printing of the Bard's stories. The Eagle newspaper reports the exhibit's stay in the J. Wayne Stark Galleries in the Memorial Student Center will mark its only stop in the Lone Star State. The exhibit is sponsored by the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Cincinnati Museum Center as it makes its way to all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico in 2016 for the 400th anniversary of the writer's death. Kevin O'Sullivan, instructional assistant professor and curator of modern literature at Texas A&M's Cushing Memorial Library and Archives, said securing the prestigious opportunity to host the exhibit in Texas is an honor he does not take lightly. "I think it is a real vote of confidence, a showing of support for the place that Texas A&M has in the humanities and the arts in Texas," O'Sullivan said. "I'm just overjoyed to be able to share that with not only the Texas A&M community, but also with people from throughout the entire state." In a lecture preceding the opening reception, Laura Estill -- assistant professor of English at Texas A&M University and editor of the World Shakespeare Bibliography -- explained the first printing of the folio included Shakespeare's dramatic works and none of his poetry. Estill also detailed the history that surrounded the historic printing of the "First Folios," as well as the impact that followed as Shakespeare's name grew to become a brand of sorts that drew wide interest. "The Shakespeare on display here in (MSC) is worth millions and that shows that we value stories, the exploration of ideas and humanist inquiry," Estill said during the closing of her lecture. "Shakespeare's works themselves, 400 years after his death, are certainly worth celebrating. Here in Bryan-College Station we're participating in a national and international celebration." For those who do not feel a strong connection to Shakespeare or his works, O'Sullivan said he hopes the broad range of events that will be available in association with the exhibit will be enough to draw in visitors. "A lot of times, I think, there is an impression that Shakespeare is a little bit difficult to penetrate, whether it's the language, the sort of heady themes or -- most often -- the fact that most folks encounter it in high school when they're being forced to memorize it," O'Sullivan said. He noted however Shakespeare's works have "such a central role in our culture generally" that while some may have never read them, they have almost certainly been exposed to multiple items that have been clearly influenced. "You know the phrase, `to be or not to be,' or you have seen `The Lion King,' which is adapted from (Hamlet)," O'Sullivan said. "That's where our programming really comes into play, because it supplements (the material) and hopefully makes it approachable to all audiences." In addition to getting people involved in the activities that are specifically related to the Shakespeare exhibit, O'Sullivan said he hopes the events will also give community members a better idea of the opportunities the university has to offer year-round. "I hope that (the exhibit and surrounding events) point to the opportunities that are always here at Texas A&M, whether that is in our academic departments or our programs at Cushing Library and here at the Stark Galleries," O'Sullivan said. "I hope it encourages folks to dig a little bit deeper after the folio has gone to continue this celebration with us." The "First Folio" on display at Texas A&M is one of only 233 known surviving copies -- 82 of which are housed in the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. -- of the earliest printed collection of Shakespeare's works from 1623. The folio includes 18 plays, including "Macbeth," "The Tempest," "Julius Caesar" and "Hamlet." In addition to the folio, the exhibit also includes local events, panels and digital content. The exhibit will be on display in the MSC through April 3. An ISIS official captured by U.S. Special Operations Forces is a chemical weapons specialist and a "key operator" in terrorist and military operations, a senior defense official told NBC News The detainee was identified as Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, an expert in chemical and biological weapons who formerly worked for Saddam Hussein's regime. "He's a bad guy," according to one US official. Under interrogation by the U.S. military, al-Afari has reportedly provided valuable information regarding ISIS chemical weapons and operations. The Americans are expected to turn al-Afari over to Kurdish forces by the end of this week. Nancy Reagan will be laid to rest Friday just inches from President Ronald Reagan on a hillside tomb facing west toward the Pacific Ocean after a ceremony that will include flower arrangements, music and a guest list of famous names. All of it, down to the smallest details, was planned by the former first lady. Among those who had RSVP'd for the service were former President George W. Bush and his wife, former first lady Laura Bush; former first lady Rosalynn Carter; first lady Michelle Obama; and former first lady Hillary Clinton. Others who have said they will attend include President Richard Nixon's daughter Tricia Nixon Cox and President Lyndon Johnson's daughters Lynda Bird Johnson Robb and Luci Baines Johnson. The music will be provided by a U.S. Marine Corps band and the flower arrangements will be a reminder of Nancy Reagan's style and grace. But there is no question about the detail that mattered most to Nancy Reagan. "No doubt about it, the most important of her special requests was that she be laid to rest right next to the president, as close as possible," said John Heubusch, executive director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library. "The way the tomb is constructed, her casket will literally be set forth in the ground inches from President Reagan's." First ladies' funerals, once a quiet affair, changed significantly following the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's widow, Eleanor Roosevelt, in 1962. Mrs. Roosevelt, a United Nations delegate, author and prominent political figure in her own right, tried to keep the event fairly quiet, limiting the guest list to 250 people, although those guests included President John F. Kennedy, former Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower, and future President Lyndon Johnson. More than 1,000 mourners jammed the streets outside the church in Hyde Park, New York. The most recent first lady's funeral was for President Gerald Ford's widow, Betty, in 2011. Some 800 people, including Mrs. Reagan, attended a private memorial service for her in Palm Springs, California, followed by a second, smaller service in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. When former President Richard Nixon's wife, Pat, died in 1993 some 4,000 people attended a public viewing for her at the Richard Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, California. A private service took place the next day, and Mrs. Reagan and her husband were among those who attended. The hour-long Reagan service, to which approximately 1,000 people have been invited, is to take place on the library's lawn. On a clear day the gravesite affords visitors ocean views from the hillside about 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles. "One of our saddest situations is we have so many people who have called or written, saying they would like to attend, but unfortunately it needs to be by invitation only because we only have so much room on the lawn, Heubusch said. "As a result, Mrs. Reagan was very adamant about having some time where the public could come by and pay last respects." The private ceremony will follow three days of mourning, including a public viewing. Reagan's casket is scheduled to leave a Santa Monica funeral home Wednesday morning for the Reagan Library in Simi Valley. Public viewings are scheduled at the library from 1 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday. A judge has removed a major hurdle to California's high-speed rail system, ruling that the $64 billion system does not violate promises made to the voters who approved it and that planning and financing can proceed. The ruling announced Tuesday came in a lawsuit filed by attorneys for Kings County and a group of landowners who claim the state's projections on ridership, construction and operating figures are not reliable. They asked the judge to block the state from spending money on the project. However, Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny said the 2008 ballot initiative specified only that the state could issue bonds to construct a high-speed rail system and did not prevent modifications to the plan voters were given. He agreed with the plaintiffs that the California High-Speed Rail Authority has not proven the rail system will be financially viable or can meet the travel times voters were promised but said the system continues to evolve so it is premature for the court to intervene. "The authority may be able to accomplish these objectives at some point in the future. This project is an ongoing, dynamic, changing project," Kenny wrote. Voters have approved $10 billion in bonds for what would be the nation's first high-speed rail line, and California has secured another $3.2 billion in federal matching funds. In addition, the project will receive money each year from the state's greenhouse gas emission fund. The amount will total $500 million this year. That funding leaves it far short of its $64 billion price tag, and state lawmakers and the Republican-controlled Congress have balked at providing more money. Still, backers believe segments of the project can be operating within the next decade. Dan Richard, chairman of the board that oversees the rail authority, expressed relief at the judge's ruling. He said "a great myth" has developed that the system being built is different than the one voters approved. "It's totally and completely false," Richard said at a board meeting Tuesday. "What we are building is exactly what the public voted for: a fully electric, 200-plus mile-per-hour train that can operate without a subsidy that is designed to operate in 2 hours and 40 minutes between our great cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco." Plaintiffs argued that plans for the bullet train have strayed far from the promises made to voters, particularly on trip times, ridership and maintenance costs. Plaintiffs' attorney Stuart Flashman said his clients would be evaluating their next steps. "Though the high-speed rail authority may have won this round, the ruling ... provides ominous signs about the authority's future use of bond funds," Flashman said in an email. Voters were told the trains would whisk travelers from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 2 hours and 40 minutes, and the system would operate without a government subsidy. Opponents say neither is possible under current plans. It was also pitched as a stand-alone system that would not have to share tracks with slower commuter rail lines. Since then, plans have changed repeatedly as state officials made political compromises, including the decision to share tracks with commuter trains in some sections. Gov. Jerry Brown's administration lowered the cost estimate to $64 billion in February as part of a new proposed business plan that upended plans for the rail line. The change, which still requires board approval, would send tracks from the Central Valley north to the San Francisco Bay Area instead of south as planned since 2012. It also calls for a 250-mile segment from San Jose to north of Bakersfield to begin operating by 2025. A two-time Air Force war veteran and father went missing from Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach Saturday, and his friends and family were desperate to find him. "There is just an immense amount of love for him. A lot of people are looking for him," Tyler Vanzandt, his brother, said. Police said the man, identified as Michael Vanzandt, went missing Saturday at 10:15 p.m. from the Pier Plaza. He left the American Junkie gastropub, and walked toward Robert's Liquor at 72 Pier Plaza. His friends and family had not heard from him since. "He has three beautiful children. They love their dad so much," Monique Nethercott, his girlfriend, said. Tyler said he was worried because his brother was intoxicated at the time of disappearance. "My inclination is he went swimming. He was intoxicated," Tyler said. His brother, Charles, said Michael came to Hermosa Beach to watch the UFC fight from the High Desert area. He was described as 6-feet tall, weighing 190 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. He has three tattoos, including a tiger in a jungle on his left bicep, a small picture of Buddha on his spine, and the word "Keaton" on his left calf in descending letters. Anyone who spots him or knows of his whereabouts should call Hermosa Beach police at (310) 318-0360. The oldest inmate at the prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, made his case Tuesday for freedom after more than a dozen years in custody. Saifullah Paracha, a 68-year-old former businessman from Pakistan who also lived in the United States for more than a decade, appeared by video-teleconference link from the base before the Periodic Review Board, a panel of government officials in Washington that conducts parole-like hearings to determine if Guantanamo prisoners should be eligible for release. Paracha, 68, would seem at first glance to be an unlikely candidate for freedom. The U.S. had at one time planned to try him by military commission and a profile released by the Pentagon before his review board hearing said he had provided financial and other assistance to al-Qaida, working with some of the group's most senior figures. But his lawyer, David Remes, said before the proceeding that Paracha was hopeful about his prospects because the board is supposed to focus on whether the prisoner would pose a threat to the U.S. in the future, and not any alleged past conduct. "He's a 68-year-old man. He has a serious heart problem. He has severe diabetes," Remes said in a phone interview. "This is not the man who was seized 14 years ago. The board has to make a fresh assessment." A detainee profile released by the Pentagon before his review board hearing said he met Osama bin Laden in the early 2000s and later worked with Khalid Shaikh Mohammad to facilitate financial transactions and to develop al-Qaida propaganda. It said Paracha and his eldest son, Uzair, tried to help an al-Qaida operative travel to the U.S. Uzair Paracha is serving a 30-year sentence in the United States for aiding terrorism. Saifullah Paracha also conducted research on chemical, biological and nuclear weapons and offered suggestions to al-Qaida about how to smuggle explosives into the U.S., according to the profile released by the Pentagon. He denies that he knew of any al-Qaida plots and says his involvement with the group was for profit, not out of loyalty, the profile said. Paracha operated trading and real estate businesses in Pakistan as well as a broadcaster. He was captured in a U.S.-orchestrated sting in Bangkok in 2003 and sent the following year to Guantanamo, where his lawyer says he has been a "model prisoner," and taught English and business skills to other prisoners to help them upon release. "He has been a tremendously positive influence on his fellow detainees," Remes said. He wore the white prison uniform reserved for the prisoners considered the "most compliant" as he testified from a trailer on the base before the board, whose members gather in the Washington D.C. area. The hearing was closed to the media except for a short portion at the beginning in which the prisoner's representative reads a prepared statement. The lawyer told the board that Paracha would prefer to be sent to an English-speaking nation but could also return to Pakistan, to re-join his family and resume his business, or to the United States, where he lived as a legal resident from 1970-86 working as a travel agent and has extended family, mostly in the New York area. Congress has forbidden transferring any prisoners to the U.S. The board was not expected to make an immediate decision. So far, it has approved the release of 19 prisoners. The U.S. holds 91 men at the base in Cuba, including 36 cleared for release. A Miami-Dade Police officer is expected to be okay after being struck by a hit-and-run driver early Wednesday morning in downtown Miami. The officer was trying to get into the MacArthur Causeway just before 4 a.m. when a driver in a Mercedes hit the cruiser and kept going. The driver, along with his passenger, was stopped not far from the crash scene on the northbound ramp to I-95. Both men who were inside the Mercedes were detained but have since been released. They were driving with deployed airbags, and one of the men had a cut on his head. It's not immediately clear which one of the men was driving. Police at the scene tell NBC 6 that the side airbags of the Mercedes deployed after they hit the police cruiser. The off-ramp was blocked at I-395 West at I-95 as police investigated the crash. The lanes have since been reopened. The crash remains under investigation. Calling him "the only guy who can beat Donald Trump," Carly Fiorina officially endorsed Ted Cruz during a rally at Miami Dade College Wednesday morning, right in Marco Rubio's proverbial backyard. The Marco Rubio bus circled the area asserting their presence, but the inside was all about Cruz whom Fiorina described as "a fearless constitutional conservative. "The truth is that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are two sides of the same coin," Fiorina said. "They aren't going to reform the system - they are the system. She went on to encourage party supporters to unite in support of Cruz. "Ted Cruz should be known, is proud to be known, by the enemies he has made in the D.C. cartel," she said at the rally. Fiorina ended her campaign in February after failing to earn enough votes in early voting states to take on leading GOP candidates including Trump, Cruz and Marco Rubio. Candidates were out in full force ahead of next week's key primary in Rubio's home state. "God bless Miami, you all know how to make a Cuban feel welcome," Cruz told the crowd before introducing Fiorina. According to Monday's Monmouth University poll, Rubio is closing in but remains eight points behind Trump in Florida. Election officials say that more than 1 million voters have already cast their early votes in Florida, 56 percent from the Republican side and 44 percent of Democrats. So far, Rubio has only two wins in 20 elections, and is now facing attack ads by the Trump campaign in Florida after having vowed to win at home. Rubio will have a chance to appeal for support during a rally Wednesday afternoon at Milander Park, located at 4700 Palm Avenue in Hialeah. Doors will open at 4 p.m., and the rally will begin at 5 p.m. Meanwhile, Wednesday night's Democratic debate will be held at Miami Dade College's Kendall campus at 9 p.m. NBC 6 South Florida will bring you LIVE team coverage of Decision 2016 starting at 5 p.m. Stay with NBC 6 for updates on this developing story. An NYPD officer was shot by his partner while the two were trying to arrest a pair of suspects in a heroin investigation in Brooklyn Tuesday night, authorities said. A detective and a sergeant from Brooklyn North's narcotics unit, both in plainclothes, approached the two suspects in a car at Troutman Street and Wilson Avenue in Bushwick at about 6:15 p.m., police officials said in a news briefing Tuesday evening. The sergeant and the detective, identified as Jon Gladstone, walked up to the car, one on each side, and identified themselves as cops, officials said. The detective reached into a passenger's side window, and that's when the 45-year-old driver inside the vehicle hit the gas, reversing and hitting hitting a cop car. Gladstone was still hanging from the car when the suspect drove forward and crashed into another car. Police said that Gladstone and the sergeant fired their shots a total of four times amid the chaos. "The detective was hit in the shoulder, apparently by the shot that came from his colleague," said NYPD First Deputy Commissioner Benjamin Tucker. Gladstone was taken to Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, and was said to be awake and alert and "in good spirits." He will undergo further tests at the hospital. Two suspects were taken into custody; the driver, a 46-year-old man, was shot in the left wrist and left leg. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital and is listed in stable condition. That man, identified as Oscar Vera of Williamsburg, has 58 prior arrests, NYPD Chief of Detectives Bob Boyce said. He was charged with assault of a police officer, criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal sale of a controlled substance, reckless endangerment and resisting arrest. The other suspect, 51-year-old Geraldo Rodriguez, was not hurt. He has been arrested 17 times in the past. Attorney information wasn't immediately clear for either of the men. Police had been searching for a third suspect who was allegedly part of the drug transaction, though he was not inside the car at the time. Police said Wednesday he was in custody. It's not clear if the suspects were armed. Boyce said police have not recovered a gun from inside the car. Mayor Bill de Blasio visited the detective Tuesday night. He commended the cops for their work in a statement before he arrived at the hospital. "Tonights shooting is an important reminder of the critical and dangerous work our police department does each day," de Blasio said. "Today, a detective put his life on the line as he bravely performed his duty to protect our city and its residents from harm." He added, "Were grateful the detective is doing well, and we wish him a safe and swift recovery. The officers have not been identified but each had been on the job for 11 years, officials said. The area where they had been staked out was specifically targeted by the narcotics unit for heroin transactions, Boyce said. "It was very chaotic out here, it was crazy. It looked like a movie to me," witness Raheem Preston said, describing the swarm of police response after the shooting. Kate Murphy said she saw helicopters flying over the area and she thought, "What's happening to my neighborhood?" Video posted to social media showed parts of major roads in Queens, including a stretch of Queens Boulevard, cleared as police cars and emergency vehicles rushed to the hospital in the borough. The shooting marks the sixth time since January an NYPD officer has been shot in the line of duty. Last month, Officers Andrew Yurkiw and William Reddin were shot during a confrontation with a gunman in Brooklyn. Yurkiw was shot in his bullet-resistant vest and Reddin was struck in the hip. A little more than two weeks before those two officers were shot, Officers Diara Cruz and Patrick Espeut were shot and wounded while on patrol in a public housing stairwell in the Bronx. The gunman soon afterward killed himself, police said. In January, Officer Sherrod Stuart was wounded in the ankle by a police bullet as another officer exchanged gunfire with a suspect in a Bronx street brawl. -- Pei-Sze Cheng and Andrew Siff contributed to this report Are you up for the challenge to help beat blood cancer? Join the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on April 23rd, 2016 for Big Climb Philly! Big Climb Philly is a 43-flight stair climb to the top of Philadelphias tallest skyscraper, the Comcast Center. LLS challenges the community to conquer 1,092 steps in order to support its mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkins disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Be a part of this unique opportunity to test yourself and help fight blood cancer. Register for Big Climb Philly by clicking here! Registration fee is $35. Contact: bigclimbphilly@lls.org 610-238-0360 Philadelphia Police Wednesday named the man seen in all black, including a unique hat, who they say shot a 19-year-old several times inside a Philadelphia fast-food eatery Sunday, police said. Police say Ronald "Roland" Graham -- a man in his 50s or 60s who wore a black trench coat, black pants, glasses and a black Fedora, was eating inside the Church's Chicken restaurant at N Broad Street and Erie Avenue in North Philly around 5:25 p.m. Sunday when he suddenly became enraged, pulled out a gun and opened fire. Three bullets struck a 19-year-old employee. Medics took him a couple blocks to Temple University Hospital in stable condition. Police said the teen had stepped in to try and calm an altercation between his brother -- who also works at the restaurant -- and the hat-wearing man. The man left the store before coming back moments later and opening fire. After releasing video of the suspect, police learned of Graham's identity but they haven't been able to track him down. Investigators asked anyone who know of Graham's location to call 215-686-3353/54 or 911. Tips can also be submitted online. A former Delaware County EMT and the wife of a local fire chief is accused of sexting a teen firefighter. Melissa Givens, 30, of Norwood, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged with sexual abuse of children, corruption of minors and other related offenses. On February 26, police interviewed a 17-year-old junior firefighter who told investigators he and Givens had exchanged nude photos and videos. Officials found eight sexually explicit photos and two sexually explicit videos of Givens on the teens electronic devices, according to an affidavit. The teen also told investigators he had sent sexually explicit images of himself to Givens as well even though she knew he was under the age of 18, officials said. Later that day, police interviewed Givens who allegedly admitted she knew the teen was a minor and that he attended school. She also said she started getting serious with the teen in December 2015 and was still in contact with him up to that point, according to the affidavit. Givens told investigators the two exchanged sexually explicit pictures and videos that she saved inside a PhotoVault application on her phone, according to police. Givens allegedly said she did a Google search on whether or not she should be communicating with a minor but didnt remember the results. She also told investigators she had sexually explicit conversations with the teen, according to officials. Investigators say they found three sexually explicit pictures and two sexually explicit videos of the teen in the PhotoVault on Givens phone. They also say Givens sent naked pictures of herself to the teen on at least two occasions. Givens was a Delaware County emergency medical technician and is also married to the Chief of the Norwood Fire Company. The Fire Company announced on their Facebook page Tuesday she was fired from her job. Givens is free on $300,000 unsecured bail. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 15. Hand-in-hand with his wife on the other side of the world, nothing about the place MLB pitcher Cole Hamels was standing felt comfortable, but the moment he saw the wide-eyed little girl, he knew he was where he was supposed to be. "It was just kind of crazy," Hamels remembers. "I was like, 'I cant believe thats my daughter.'" A dream planned out almost a decade before was now being realized in a courthouse in the middle of Ethiopia. "I think she was hesitant to tell me at first," Cole says of his wife, Heidi, who competed on "Survivor: The Amazon" and revealed when the couple was dating her hopes to someday adopt internationally. "I was completely into it. It was something that I never thought about, because my focus was in a million other directions. But when I sat down and thought about it, I thought it was an absolutely amazing experience and opportunity for us to do." The soon-to-be-named Reeve Hamels had been left in a field as a six-month old by parents who did not have the means to provide for her. A local orphanage had taken her in. Now, she was being adopted by an American family with a father known for dominating Americas pastime. "At first, youre thinking of all what-ifs, the alarms, what people are going to think," the Texas Rangers left-hander said. "And then, when you really sit down and think about it, you think this is my life. This is our life together. Were going to live it the way that we choose." It was a process that had originally crawled along (the Hamels had waited six years for the call), but had now shifted to shockingly fast-moving. "Its all of a sudden, 'Hey, you need to be (in Ethiopia) in three days,'" Cole remembered. "You have a court date, and you see your daughter for the first time the day before, and you only have two hours with her. And its a beautiful country, and the people are incredible. "But its a whirlwind." After completing the enormous stacks of paperwork required ("it's encyclopedia-like, man.") and overcoming the initial challenges of visiting a country they had never been to before, the Hamels quickly saw why everyone at the orphanage raved about little Reeve. "That smile that she has," Cole says, shaking his head. "Shes blown us away every day. Shes been an absolutely amazing daughter. Shes an amazing sister to our two boys. They cant imagine her not being their sister and she cant imagine not having two older brothers." Cole doesnt hide that Heidis passion for helping international orphans inspires him. In fact, it is what fuels his Hamels Foundation, which just opened a school in Malawi, Africa, which will help educate an estimated 2,000 orphans. That same passion also gave him his little girl, who now three years later, admittedly provides similar toddler challenges to her older brothers "The terrible threes are a real thing" but has changed the Hamels family in an incredible way forever. "We cant imagine our life without her," the former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher said. "She is loved so much more than I think she could possibly ever understand and she is going to be protected probably more than she could ever understand." It was a sight that would leave any fisherman licking his chops: A bevy of sturdy-looking salmon swimming in a small enclosure at the base of Keswick Dam cut off from their intended route up the Sacramento River near Redding, California. In other words, pretty much sitting ducks. Suddenly the ground rumbled with a mechanical whining as the water began to empty out of the pen forcing the fish into another enclosure which began to climb the height of the dam aboard a giant elevator a James Bond-like escape. This peculiar fish elevator was part of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife hatchery program at the upper end of the Sacramento River aimed at preventing federally threatened winter-run Chinook salmon from plunging further into population despair. "What were trying to do is save a run of fish," said John Reuth, assistant manager of the Livingston Stone National Fish hatchery. The Keswick Dam was outfitted with special fish ladders, an elevator and traps all intended to catch salmon and place them in the hatchery program to help re-populate the river. At the top of their elevator ride, the container full of fish swung out toward the road and was emptied into a waiting container truck. From there the fish were driven about 15 miles to Shasta Dam where the Livingston Stone hatchery lies just below the dams fortress-like face. "Right now its sort of important for us to give them a little jump start basically," Reuth said plunging a net into a holding container and producing a dense, squirming cluster of fingerling size fish. "These are the one run of salmon that everybodys concerned about with." As the tanker truck of fish pulled into the hatchery yard, Reuth and other hatchery managers scaled its tank, gathering around as one worker climbed inside and began pulling out adult salmon one by one. A few of the fish were identified as having been raised at the hatchery but in the interim had swam down the Sacramento River, out the Golden Gate Bridge to spend three years in the ocean before making the return trip. The targets for Reuth and his team are naturally born fish to add to the hatchery program to improve the genetic stock and create a heartier traveler. With a recent survey predicting only a 3 percent survival rate of the current year winter-run Chinook, likely the result of the prolonged drought, Reuth said the situation had become grave. "If we could get into another bad year like next year since salmon are on a three year cycle," Reuth said, "it could mean the demise of the salmon." Back inside the truck tank, biologists attached tags to the fish and clipped a genetic sample from each tail fin. The DNA samples would later help identify winter-run fish. "Its there as a plan B in case the natural stocks of winter run disappear," John McManus, director of the Golden Gate Salmon Association said of the hatchery program. "Theyll have the genetics and living fish and eggs on hand at the hatchery to keep the run alive until natural components can be reintroduced or come back." Over the past couple years, the federal government trucked 20 million salmon smolts from Livingstone Stone and nearby Coleman Fish Hatchery down river for release in the Delta to improve their chances of survival. Two weeks ago, the team released another 400,000 fish into the Sacramento River. Although commercial fishermen are allowed to only catch Fall-run salmon during their season, regulators partially base fishing quotas on the number of winter-run salmon present. Regulators have already warned fishermen to expect a limited season which normally opens in May, based on the limited number of Winter-run chinook. Reuth said there were only an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 adult winter run salmon in the Sacramento River. Back in the 1980s, the number had dropped to about 190. From inside the tank, the hatchery worker fished-out a large natural born salmon the size that would bestow bragging rights on any fisherman lucky enough to nab one. The fish was placed into another truck to be hauled to the Coleman hatchery. Reuth took in the giant fish with the calm of someone who had witnessed similar fish for more than a decade whose efforts have sent millions of fish on their trek out to the ocean. "Today in the truck we saw a few fish come back that I raised myself here at the hatchery," Reuth said. "I raised them from an egg to a juvenile they went out to the ocean for three years. And are now swimming back to spawn again." California has more charter schools than any other state in America. Now, that might be a product of the fact California also has the largest population in the U.S.A. But charter schools are arguably more popular in in California than they are anywhere else. There are 41 states that operate charter schools, but 17.5% of all campuses are located in The Golden State (according to data from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools). Now a series of lawsuits threatens to stop the growth of charters. Three lawsuits are pending in San Diego County with three others pending in Los Angeles County. The argument is over "non-classroom based" Resource Centers/Meeting Centers/Satellite Facilities and their locations. School districts are claiming many charter school facilities, including Diego Valley, Julian Charter School Alpine Academy and San Diego Academy Charter Homeschool, are operating in violation of the Charter Schools Act of 1992. They're creating ambiguities that aren't there to open wherever they want, says Sarah Sutherland, an attorney at Dannis Woliver Kelley, the law firm that is representing the school districts. The law is written one way, something else has been allowed to happen for years, and people who took it to the extreme are what forced litigation. San Diego Unified School District and Grossmont Union High School District are among the districts that are trying to make charter schools adhere to California Education Code Section 47605, the legislation establishing charter schools. The districts claim the law places geographic restrictions on where a charter school can open a campus. The charter schools argue that only applies to a full-time school sites, not so-called satellite facilities. They're Resource Centers used strictly for non-classroom based independent study students, says Jennifer Cauzza, director of the Julian Charter School. Our La Mesa facility houses the Innovation Centre La Mesa program 74% of the time and 17% of the time the facility is used for learning center classes with different students so the facility is used five days a week but for two different kinds of 'non-classroom' based students (which is) defined as less than 80% of the instruction in a classroom with a credentialed teacher. The districts claim this is one of those ambiguities that do not meet the letter of the law. 47605 never says that if you're a resource center or independent study you can do that, says Sutherland. According to the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) the popularity of charter schools has skyrocketed. Just five years ago there were 341,000 students attending charter schools in California. In the 2015-16 school year an estimated 581,100 students are enrolled in charter public schools across the state. The CCSA also says approximately 158,000 students are on charter school wait lists in California, so to meet the demand an additional 80 new charter schools opened their doors this school year, bringing the total number of charter schools in California to 1,230. Charter schools believe this is the real reason theyre coming under increasing fire from school districts. Charters feel the litigation is financially-motivated. In my opinion, charters have hit the "tipping point" where we're taking enough students that traditional public schools are beginning to feel the financial effects, and they have been using their reserves to help offset the fiscal impact, says Cauzza. Now they are looking at it long term and see that it can have drastic impacts over the next five years if the charter movement continues at this rate. California public schools receive on average (and there is great fluctuation from school district to school district) about $9000 per year for each student, according to numbers from Governing Magazine. San Diego Unified School District says charters currently have 20% of their former population and they expect it to be 30% in the next 10 years. The charters feel the districts are simply fighting back to keep their students and a large chunk of their funding. The districts say thats not true. Its so far from an attack of charter schools, said Sutherland. Its $50,000 to $100,000 to pursue this for the district. That financial incentive is kind of a red herring. The first court date is set for late May but there is another threat lurking. Even the California charter schools that are not the target of litigation, the 5-day-a-week facilities like High Tech High and Helix High, are facing a threat, and this one is much larger than relocation. Theyre looking at elimination. An initiative recently went in to circulation that would repeal the laws governing charter schools, effective July of 2017. The initiative is now in the signature-gathering process and would, Require charter schools to convert to traditional public schools or close, at local school districts discretion. The motivation for this initiative would also seem to be money. Part of the verbiage states, About $5 billion in state funding and operational costs would shift from charter schools to school districts. Ongoing facility costs also would shift from charter schools to school districts. The proponent of the initiative, Diana Mansker, did not respond to multiple requests for comments by NBC 7. She needs to gather the signature of 365,880 registered voters in order to put the movement on the November ballot. While people like Mansker, who works with the group Voices Against Privatizing Public Education, try to end charter schools others wonder why because they think its not in the best interest of the people who seem to be too often forgotten in these scenarios: The students. John Carroll used to work with as a Gang Suppression Team Officer with the San Diego Police Department. Part of his job was to put gang members in jail. Hes now transitioned to finding ways to keep gang members out of jail, and San Diego youth out of gangs. Care to take a guess as to where he sends a lot of his kids who are at-risk of life in a gang? Ive worked with several charter schools in the area and theres no doubt for the kids that have special needs, the kids that dont have the background to have success, charter schools have been an unbelievably great learning tool, says Carroll. Its a lot more one-on-one learning, which is exactly what the kids need, to be in that learning environment. One of the charter schools Carroll uses with regularity is Diego Valley, which is currently the target of litigation from Grossmont Union High School District. GUHSD feels Diego Valley is operating outside of its authorizing school district and wants it to stop, something that Carroll disagrees with. Its been awesome, said Carroll. Charter schools have definitely been a positive. The CCSA would like to end the division between traditional and charter public schools and bring the two ideologies together. It's a shame we continue to suggest two separate scenarios for public school students - those who attend traditional schools and those in charter schools, said the CCSA in a statement. It is time to put the school model aside and recognize they are all public school kids, all deserve great schools and none should be denied access to a quality learning facility. Our neighbors just north have taken the need for rain into their own hands. This past Monday, Los Angeles County skies were seeded for the first time since 2002 as El Nino hit the coast. Clouds above Los Angeles could produce 15 percent more rain as a result of seeding, the county estimated. But what is seeding? Cloud seeding is the use of silver iodide, which is purposefully sprayed into the sky from airplanes. Some believe the introduction of these particulars increases and expedites rainfall in seeded areas. However, scientists are not as certain. Theres no scientist who actually thinks that cloud seeding works, Lynn Russell, a professor of atmospheric chemistry at Scripps Institute, explained in a previous interview. Studies have not been able to find a statistical significant difference between seeded clouds rain production and clouds that were not seeded, according to Russell. Unlike Los Angeles, San Diego did not try this technique while El Nino was in town. San Diego skies are too dry and lack even the smallest bit of water so seeding may be useless. While there are no known environmental dangers of cloud seeding, Russell urges that any prolonged alteration to the environment can be harmful. Two men charged in the slaying of a hotel worker in Oxon Hill are set to go on trial for murder. Prince George's County prosecutors say Kimfrey Williams and Rinaldo Washington participated in the robbery that led to the slaying of Jessie Chavez in October 2013. The man who shot Chavez, Deandre Weems, was convicted of murder last year and sentenced to life in prison. Prosecutors say Williams drove the getaway car, and Washington acted as the lookout. Jury selection for their trial starts Wednesday. A prosecutor says four Virginia Beach police officers won't face charges in the shooting deaths of two people inside a car on a store parking lot. Commonwealth's Attorney Colin Stolle issued a report Wednesday declaring the September shooting justified. He said 35-year-old Angelo Delano Perry of Virginia Beach, a suspect in two murders, fired first at police. Perry and 28-year-old India Kager of College Park, Maryland, died in a hail of return gunfire. Police didn't realize the couple's 4-month-old son was in the back seat until the shooting stopped. The infant and the officers were uninjured. Stolle said police had received a tip that Perry was in town to kill someone. He said Perry was responsible for Kager's death because he put her in harm's way. Kager's mother, Gina Best of Columbia, Maryland, said in the wake of the shootings that her daughter had been in Virginia Beach only a couple of hours before the shooting occurred. "She was unarmed. She was completely innocent. They shot indiscriminately," Best told the Associated Press in a phone interview in September. Kager had served in the Navy as a culinary specialist from 2009 to 2013 in Virginia Beach and in Pensacola, Florida, and was awarded a good conduct medal, the Navy said. Best said that shortly before the shooting, her daughter had gotten a job as a postal carrier in the D.C. area. Kager played several musical instruments, and her father and grandfather are both retired police officers, Best said. Vermont has become the fifth state to require employers to provide paid sick leave to workers. Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin signed the bill Wednesday. Supporters say about 60,000 Vermont workers do not have paid sick time. The law requires employers to provide a minimum of three paid days off a year for employees to use when they are sick or to care for a child or family member. Employers with more than five employees must provide the benefit next year while those with five or fewer have until 2018. The mandatory amount increases to five days in 2019. Vermont joins California, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Oregon as states mandating paid sick leave. More than 20 cities and the District of Columbia also have mandatory paid sick leave. In a statement, President Obama said he commends the new law. "The action means thousands of families will no longer have to choose between losing income and taking care of a sick child," he said. "It's a choice no one should have to make." Obama added that he's urging other states to follow this lead until Congress acts to "provide this basic security to all Americans." While Tuesdays total solar eclipse didn't cast a shadow over North America, NASA had live streamed it from 7 to 9 p.m. ET. The total eclipse took place from 8:38 to 8:42 p.m. ET. The moon blocked the sun in a "perfect" way for viewers to see the corona, NASA space physicist Dr. Yari Collado-Vega told NBC News. "In the corona, that is where most of the interesting things for space weather happen: solar flares, mass ejections and temperature changes from the surface," he said. The last total solar eclipse happened last year. This year, the sun eclipsed for anywhere from 90 seconds to four minutes, depending on where it had been viewed. The rare and awe-inspiring unfolded over parts of Indonesia and the Indian and Pacific Oceans, weather permitting. The full eclipse was visible to several million people within its narrow path including eclipse chasers who traveled from around the world for a chance to witness it. Total solar eclipse! Not in SE Asia tomorrow to see it? No worries. Watch live at 8pm ET: https://t.co/qrm0Dz4jPEhttps://t.co/1h7UUmaUrl NASA (@NASA) March 8, 2016 WHAT CAUSES A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE? At least twice a year, the orbits of the moon and Earth result in the moon casting a shadow on the Earth that blocks the sun. Most eclipses are partial but when the moon is close enough to the Earth, the sun is completely eclipsed and only a faint ring of rays known as the corona is visible. The last total solar eclipse was in March 2015. The best reported viewing was on Norway's Svalbard islands near the North Pole. The previous total eclipse was in November 2012. WHERE WAS THE ECLIPSE BE VISIBLE? The total eclipse was visible within a roughly 100-150 kilometer (62-93 mile) -wide path that began in the Indian Ocean and sliced across parts of Indonesia including Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi before ending in the northern Pacific Ocean. Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, was not within the eclipse path, but the Sumatran port city of Palembang with a population of more than 1.4 million was. Cloudy skies, however, can make the much anticipated event a disappointment. And there was a high chance of clouds because Indonesia is in its wet season. People in South Asia, East Asia and the north and east of Australia may have seen a partial eclipse. HOW LONG DID THE ECLIPSE LAST? The entire eclipse, which began with the first patch of darkness appearing on the edge of the sun, lasted about three hours. For the viewer, the exact duration of the total phase of the eclipse depended on their location along the path. The moments in which the sun was entirely obscured lasted between 90 seconds and 4 minutes. Palembang in Sumatra was the first major city to see the total eclipse, at about 7:20 a.m. local time. The position at which the total eclipse lasted the longest, 4 minutes and 9 seconds, was in the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines. On land the durations were mostly between 1 and 3 minutes. WAS THE ECLIPSE SAFE TO LOOK AT? It is dangerous to look at the sun with the naked eye during a partial eclipse, the partial phases of a total eclipse and another type of eclipse called the annular eclipse, particularly using devices such as telescopes. Optometrist and eclipse chaser B. Ralph Chou, who helped develop international standards for filters, wrote that those coated with a fine layer of aluminum, chromium or silver such as the darkest welder's glass and filters made of aluminized polyester in the darkest shades are safe. The filters should be specifically designed for the binoculars and telescopes that they will be fitted to. Another safe but cumbersome and probably unsatisfying method of viewing is pinhole projection of the image onto a screen. Unsafe filters include color film, black-and-white film that contains no silver, photographic negatives with images, smoked glass and sunglasses even if multiple pairs are worn. During the spectacular moments of total eclipse it is safe to look at the sun with the naked eye. HOW DID INDONESIA PREPARE? Authorities had been promoting the eclipse as a tourism event locally and internationally since 2014. Because of their rarity, total eclipses are a magnet for scientists and eclipse chasers. Overseas tour agencies chartered ships for groups who wanted to view the eclipse at sea and many land tours, which are the best for photography, had also been organized. Oklahoma-based Spears Travel said a group led by a former NASA scientist it had booked on a special Holland America Line cruise included people from Canada, the U.S., Britain, China and Iran. An eclipse festival was planned for Palu, the capital of Sulawesi province, and 11 cities in total were promoted as places where the total eclipse could be clearly viewed. A Boston dance instructor has been charged with the rape of a student in his class. Nineteen-year-old Wilson Anthony allegedly indecently assaulted a boy under 14 who was taking private lessons at the suspect's North End apartment. Prosecutors say the young boy was sexually assaulted multiple times between June and September of 2015. Neighbors were stunned to hear the news. "I'm actually shocked," said Mohammed Goldstein. "An indescribable feeling," explained Kristen Delafano, who owns the restaurant next door. "Shocking, disturbing." Anthony faces charges of aggravated rape of a child and indecent assault and battery on a child. He was arraigned Tuesday and held without bail. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney. The teen suspect is a student at Suffolk University. He was suspended after the school learned of the charges. "The student was suspended, effective immediately, pending the outcome of an administrative hearing, in accordance with university policy," the school said in a statement. The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office notes that anyone who wants to report incidents of child abuse to call (617) 619-4300. Clean-up crews have begun sanitizing the Chipotle in Billerica. The restaurant is voluntarily shutting its' doors after one employee got Norovirus. Two others are suspected of having it. The local board of health says Chipotle notified them Tuesday afternoon after the workers called out sick. Sandra Giroux, the Chair of the Billerica Board of Health says the restaurant is now in the process of throwing out all the food items and sanitizing the entire restaurant from "top to bottom." The restaurant confirms a total of four employees aren't feeling well, but that no customers have become sick and that: "Any employees who reported feeling ill will be tested and held out of the restaurant until they fully recover." This incident comes after a Chipotle in Boston's Cleveland Circle was shut down in December. More than 140 people, mostly Boston College students got sick with Norovirus. Now the Billerica Board of Health says it's unclear when the restaurant will open again. "That means inspections, everything has to be sanitized, also the employees are not allowed to return to work until they are five days symptom free," said Giroux. Some regular customers say this won't stop them from eating at the Billerica Chipotle. Customer Ella McGaunn said, "You can put in place policies for workers to go home, keep things as clean as you can, but any public area where people are going in and out is likely to spread diseases." The Mass. Dept. Of Health says if you ate at the restaurant and are concerned you are symptomatic to call your primary care physician and the State Division of Epidemiology and Immunization at 617-983-6550. In southwestern Vermont, the recently-discovered contamination of private drinking wells is now the top priority of the state's environmental conservation department. Many residents of North Bennington are drinking bottled water, after private wells here tested positive for a potentially harmful chemical. "I grew up in North Bennington, and a lot of my friends and family are on [well water], so it worries me," said Bronwen Mulligan, who works in North Bennington. The substance, known as PFOA, is believed to have come from the former ChemFab facility, which closed more than a decade ago. That plant treated industrial fabrics with chemicals to create special surfaces. Since the discovery of PFOA in several private wells close to the plant, more than 135 other private wells in a 1.5-mile radius around the factory have been tested. Additional testing is underway, state officials said, not just on private wells, but soon, on rivers, fish, and residents' blood. "We're just anxious to get the results back from the well testing, and we're grateful people have been moving so quickly," said Darcy Oakes of Bennington, one of several dozen people in the vicinity of the plant who attended a public meeting Tuesday at Bennington College. At the meeting, health and environmental officials warned people and pets not to drink their well water until test results come in, saying PFOA has been linked to low birth weight, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, and certain types of cancers. "We do not see any statistical increase in cancers in this area," said Tracy Dolan, a deputy commissioner with the Vermont Department of Health, noting that kidney and testicular cancers have been linked to regular PFOA exposure elsewhere. Earlier Tuesday morning, Gov. Peter Shumlin, D-Vermont, toured North Bennington, speaking with well owners near the factory, like landscaper Ron Pembroke. "It leaves everything up in the air," Pembroke said, describing the uncertainty contaminated well water has on his land use plans. Shumlin said one of the leading ideas of how to get out of this mess is to switch homeowners who use private wells over to the municipal water supply. It would take running new pipes and other equipment, but that municipal water supply is safe, Shumlin said. "My message is simple," Shumlin told the crowd at the public meeting. "We're in this together. We wish we weren't. We're going to require the company to make us whole again, and do everything that we can to hold them accountable for getting us into this mess." Already, the plant's owners, Saint Gobain, are paying for the bottled water and tests to the wells, Shumlin's office said. An informational call line for residents concerned about PFOA contamination will be available on an ongoing basis, from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at 802-828-1038, according to the governor's office. Vermont Health Department staff members have reached out to each home that has had PFOA detections and are available to talk with anyone with questions about potential health effects of PFOA at 800-439-8550, Shumlin's office wrote in a news release. Information about potential health impacts of PFOA can be found on the Health Department's website. Last week, consumer advocate Erin Brockovich and a law firm announced they're adding the Vermont community to places they are investigating in connection with contamination from PFOA, the Associated Press reported. Brockovich said North Bennington is the latest in a long line of communities where people can no longer trust their water, the AP wrote, which she called the most basic necessity of life. She said she hopes the investigation will help residents understand more about the size and scale of the problem. A former Connecticut priest plead guilty to providing a teenager with ammunition and explosives powder in 2012, the U.S. attorney's office said. Paul Gotta, a 58-year-old former East Windsor resident who was charged with seven counts of sexual assault two years ago, faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of willfully distributing an explosive material to an individual under the age of 21 years old, according to prosecutors. In 2012, Gotta aided a 17-year-old with purchases thousands of rounds of ammunition and on two occasions purchased two pounds of explosives powder in East Windsor for the same teenager, according to court documents. Gotta served as administrator of St. Philip Church in East Windsor and St. Catherine Church in Broadbrook until he left in 2012 after being accused of sexual abuse. Gotta was indicted on six charges, including aiding and abetting the unlawful transport of a firearm in interstate commerce, aiding and abetting the possession of a handgun by a juvenile, aiding and abetting the possession of ammunition by a juvenile, distribution of explosive material to an individual under the age of 21, aiding and abetting the attempted manufacture of a pipe bomb, and obstruction of justice but only plead guilty to one charge, prosecutors said. He will be sentenced on May 19 and could be spend up to 10 years in prison and pay a fine up to $250,000. A Chipotle store in Massachusetts was closed Wednesday after an employee was suspected of having norovirus. Officials also say they found two other suspected cases. Chipotle first closed the store Tuesday at the board's suggestion, and is scheduled to reopen Thursday, he said. None of the sick employees came in to work, but the store was closed as a precautionary measure, Berube said. Chipotle is already fighting to win back customers following a rash of incidents in which customers were sickened around the country. Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has said it's instituting a number of food safety procedures to ensure customer safety. That includes reminding workers they have three paid sick days a year, and that they should stay home if they're not feeling well. Four employees reported feeling ill at the store in Billerica, Chipotle said. It said none of them worked while they were sick and that no customer illnesses have been connected with the restaurant, according to the Denver chain. It said the store was nevertheless closed for a "full sanitation." The norovirus was reported by the health facility to the state health department, Berube said, which then notified the town board of health. While closing restaurants due to illnesses is rare, Berube believes there are "other cases here and there that fly below the radar." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, norovirus is very contagious and the most common cause of foodborne outbreaks in the United States. It says infected workers are frequently the source of outbreaks, and that the virus causes 19 to 21 million illnesses a year. During a national meeting for workers in February, Chipotle reminded employees that two of the company's four recent food scares were the result of norovirus. "If you're feeling sick, especially if you've vomited, whether at work or at home, you need to let your manager or your field leader know right away," co-CEO Monty Moran said during the webcast. Employees were told to watch for symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, explosive diarrhea, yellowing of the skin and eyes and dark urine. Chipotle shares fell $24.69, or 4.7 percent, to $500 in midday trading Wednesday. Its shares are down more than 24 percent over the past year. A study abroad scholarship program, offered through one of America's oldest non-profits, is expanding in New England. Toluwalope Moses and Jack Connolly, students at Boston Latin School, spent a month in Spain last summer, living with a host family and getting an off-the-beaten-path experience. "I wasn't a tourist," said Jack, a senior. "I got to see what it was really like to be a Spaniard and what daily life is really like." The students' time in Madrid was funded by CIEE, the Council on International Education Exchange, a non-profit study abroad organization. Last year, Boston Latin participated as a pilot school in CIEE's Global Navigator Scholarship program, which gives high schoolers financial aid to study in 23 places across the globe, including Bonaire, Costa Rica, and China. NECN covered that pilot program last spring. "The root of the program is to help students navigate languages, connect with cultures, engage in global issues," said Matt Redman, Vice President of the Global Navigator Program. Redman says the heart of the mission is helping students and schools understand how life-changing an academically focused travel experience can be. "We're really looking to make sure that this becomes a part of the culture of the schools where we're working," Redman said. Its early success has the Global Navigator Scholarship program expanding to four more Massachusetts high schools this year: Brookline, Framingham, Milton, and Sharon. "Going for, you know, a vacation for 10 days or two weeks is good. It's a good flavor. But to go and become a little more immersed, for three weeks or four weeks, is very very beneficial," said Zach Smith, Director of the Clough Center for Global Understanding at Boston Latin. "The feedback is phenomenal. Language teachers have given us testimonials that their students have skipped entire levels after just a month abroad in the summertime," said Redman. For students like Jack and Tolu, it has opened their eyes to a whole world beyond America's borders. "Traveling abroad, it's scary, but you definitely grow in ways maybe you didn't expect yourself to grow in," Tolu, a sophomore, said. "It was a life-changing experience that I hope I'll carry with me my entire life," said Jack. "And I know that coming back from Spain, I didn't come home whole. I left a part of me over in Spain, I feel like." In addition to the five Massachusetts high schools, Deering High School in Portland, Maine, also participates in the Global Navigator Scholarship program. Scholarships range from 10 to 100 percent of the tuition cost and are awarded based on financial need and merit. For more information visit www.ciee.org/